The Peculiar Life of an Apple and a Marshmallow- Chapter 1: Omission
Rarity woke up the next morning, exhausted from her lack of sleep. She didn't want to get up from her pink comforter, she didn't want to see Applejack after the events of the night before. No, Rarity just wanted to engulf herself into her blankets and never reappear. But, her stomach said otherwise, it was grumbling and growling and it gave Rarity the motivation to make breakfast.
The kitchen was a mess. Burned toast and bagels covered the counters, even the orange juice seemed to have some sort of black hue to it. Sweetie Belle, must have made breakfast. Or at least tried to make breakfast. Rarity rolled her eyes and sighed.
Her attention was drawn to a strange glass of a black substance.
"Oh, yuck... Sweetie Belle?" Rarity called to her little sister as she poked the glass of what seemed to be "orange juice" with her hooficured hoof.
Sweetie Belle usually liked to clean the workroom and make breakfast, it was a way for her to show independence. So, Rarity trotted into her workroom to see if Sweetie Belle was inside stacking fabric sheets or sewing threads.
But instead of finding Sweetie Belle, Rarity found an ominous note- which was taped to one of the stuffed mannequins. Rarity tilted her head in curiosity at the sight. Her horn began to glow a hue and she grabbed the small piece of paper with the blue magic of her horn.
"Now, what does this say?" Rarity questioned. She looked at the note queerly. "Dear Rarity-" she read, "-I have decided to go get my cutiemark early today. I also borrowed your umbrella. I hope you mind, the weather pony said it was gonna rain today and I didn't want to get wet. I'll be back around lunchtime! See you then. Love, Sweetie Belle..." Rarity growled and trotted into the kitchen to place the note on the refrigerator door.
Sweetie Belle was correct. It was going to rain, and Rarity had a place to be. She barked at the thought of having to get her mane wet when she didn't want it to be. Rarity looked at the note once again.
"Vague... I guess I should go get my outfit prepared and go get a muffin or some sort. Right Opal?" Rarity said.
She stroked her Persian cat's head gently. Rarity untied her bathrobe and slipped into the bathroom. Where she turned the shower knob and threw her bathrobe on the door's hook. Perhaps a hot shower would wake her up a little bit.
***
The local shops and vendors were beginning to open. Carrot Top with her vegetables, Rose with her lilies and Bon Bon with her candy shop. They were all setting up their goods and cash registers, eagerly awaiting for their day to begin. And then there was Applejack. Her hair was messy and her eyes had dark circles under them. She was pulling a large wagon full of apple barrels over to her small applestand, which was stationed nearby Sugarcube Corner. She unlatched the harness that had lay on her back and pushed the wagon up closer to the oak wood stand. Applejack was usually in a better mood on Mondays, but waking up in the middle of the barn with no memory of how you got there is a little unsettling.
Her back hurt from laying on the hay covered ground all night and her head was still throbbing from Granny Smith's lecture about fooling around in the barn. Luckily, Applebloom was already out of the door by the time that part of the argument came to be. Applejack grumpily stood at her stand and looked up at the sky.
The pegasi were moving dark clouds over the sunshine. Applejack frowned. She could really use a visit from a friend right about now, as long as it wasn't...
"Hi Applejack!" Pinkie Pie yelled as she bounced in front of Applejack in excitement.
Of course there was nothing exciting about coming outside of your house to say hello to a friend, but that's Pinkie Pie for you.
"Maybe a little quieter Pinkie..." Applejack said, she rubbed her head with her hoof.
"Oopsie!" Pinkie replied and then giggled, "Looks like somepony got a visit from the depression clown!"
"Um... no. Ah don't think the 'depression clown' exists..." Applejack indicated.
"Ohhh, well what's the matter then? You're usually so happy on Mondays." Pinkie asked. .
Applejack shifted, trying to think of a answer.
"Ah didn't get much sleep last night." she quickly said.
"Why? Did you have a scary nightmare of a human brushing your mane and calling you best pony? That's what happened to me." Pinkie grinned.
Applejack looked to the ground. Applejack knew that she went downtown with Rarity. She knew that she had one too many at the bar. How could she tell that to Pinkie though?
"Uh, no.. Ah went to.. um. Ah, Ah went go see Rarity's new fashion line and we went to celebrate at the um... Hayberate. Eeyup the Hayberate! We stayed up pretty late, heheh..." Applejack insisted.
She could feel sweat drip down her face, at least what she said was kinda true. Applejack never was good at stretching the truth, being the Element Of Honesty and all. There are some things just aren't meant to be said out loud.
Pinkie Pie narrowed her eyes for a second but then smiled.
"Oki Doki Loki! I'll see you later alligator!" Pinkie Pie laughed as she pranced away and back into Sugarcube Corner.
Applejack sighed in relief. The dark gray clouds grew thicker, a storm was on it's way.
***
Rarity threw the three bits onto the counter and hurried out the door. She took a bite of her blueberry muffin as she trotted. Twilight was waiting for her and Rarity didn't want to be later than she already was. Tiny droplets of water began to drizzle on top of Rarity's fur. Panic struck and she began to gallop across the street and passed Sugarcube Corner.
"No,no,no,no,no!" she muttered while she ran.
Rarity closed her eyes when the rain began to pour and her mane got soaked. Without looking she smashed into a pony, who was packing away barrels of apples underneath an applestand. Rarity had her hooves pressed against the pony's chest and recognized the mare's orange fur. The pony looked down at her and smiled.
"O-Oh, Applejack! I-It's you..." Rarity stammered.
The rain seemed to beat harder on the building and ground then before. Rarity gently pushed herself away from Applejack and blushed. Applejack blinked and tilted her head slightly.
"What's tha matter?" she asked.
Rarity rolled her eyes.
"Many things at the moment. First things first... my mane is ruined!" Rarity sighed and then smirked to herself.
Applejack gave a little laugh.
"Ah still don't understand why yah wouldn't have yer umbrella." she chuckled, "or did yah finally realize that you're pruttier with yer mane wet?"
Rarity felt her mane with her hoof, she never had it straight accidentally before...
"Um, no Applejack. Sweetie Belle, actually, stole my umbrella. She can be a little ruffian sometimes." Rarity sighed and trotted away quickly, "I must go now."
Applejack gave Rarity a shocked glance and galloped after her.
"Hold on a sec thar! Where yah goin now?" Applejack called.
Rarity clenched her teeth, should she tell her? Should she drive her away? All Rarity wants is to get out of this rain.
"I'm going to Twilight's house. It's the closer than my boutique, and I must get out of this horrible rain." Rarity replied.
"Sounds like ah good idea, Mind if ah tag along?" Applejack said with more enthusiasm then called for. Rarity sighed again, not sure if she should invite her best friend or make an excuse to push her away. This whole situation is still very awkward and the last thing that Rarity needs is to spend a whole night with a pony that apparently loves her.
"What about Applebloom? Are you not worried about her?" Rarity suggested, trying her best to sound as concerned as possible.
Applejack grinned proudly.
"Ah already been taken care of that. This morinin ah told her to go inside the farm house if she's crusadin durin tha storm." she said, "Ah also told her tah take Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle with her too." Applejack said.
"Alright then..." Rarity continued, "I guess you may come with me to the library. But, when we get there it's Twilight's decision, if you can stay or not. It is her home after all."
"And how do you know if she'll let you in?" Applejack skeptically said.
"Come on Applejack, let's be honest. You are the element of Honesty after all... Twilight had no friends in Canterlot and that means that she never had a slumber party before. If I, or we if you will, go to her house. She will finally have the opportunity to finally have a social life and will let me, or us, in. Let's be honest." Rarity flipped her mane and trotted off into the distance.
Applejack narrowed her eyes and followed her. Something was wrong.