//------------------------------// // 51. Promise - by Twilight-The-Pony // Story: RariJack - The Compilation of Prompts // by Titanium Dragon //------------------------------// Twilight-The-Pony Promise Dear Rarity. It had been a long time since you moved to Canterlot, and Ponyville hadn’t been the same since. Twilight had rebuild the Library in Ponyville, since there was a dire need for it. But she moved away. Rainbow also moved away, since Twilight asked her to be her defence consultant. Pinkie managed to build amusement park near Ponyville to attract even more crowd. I swear that by now she knows at least half of Equestria. Even Fluttershy moved closer to Everfree Forest, since there are more creatures she can help. And I swear that Apple Bloom is going for a science degree... I don’t know what she mixed, but she made a big crater near our farmhouse, and she’s lucky that none of the trees were damaged. She’s still grounded and will most likely be until she graduates. How have you been? When you left Ponyville, you promised that you'll write everyday, but it's been almost a year since your last letter. What happened? ~Applejack. ~ Dear Applejack. I know it has been a while since the last time I written a letter to you. But that a year has passed since the last one? I honestly didn't know. I had been drowning in my work for so long, that it must have completely slipped my mind. I am starting the work before the sun arises and come home late at night. But it still satisfying, even though the long, tiring nights. In short, even after a year nothing much have had happened. I haven’t seen my family for quite some time, either. Sometimes I might be able to catch my parents on lunch, but that’s about it. I haven’t even seen Sweetie Belle for over a year as well. My parents told me that she was accepted to the School for Gifted Unicorns, so she might end up like Twilight. I hope not. I miss her. And I miss all of you as well. I wish I could take some vacation and visit all of you, but I can't. There is too much work, and I'm one of the few ponies that can do everything needed... Hopefully that can change soon. ~Rarity ~ Dear Rarity. I'm really sorry to hear that. At least I hope that you're doing much better than you did here in Ponyville, and that it is all worth while. I need to leave to the family reunion now, and I hope to mail this letter before I go. I'm also sending some of my freshly baked apple pie. Let me know what you think about it. ~Applejack ~ Dear Applejack. Thank you for the pie. It was delicious. ~Rarity ~ Dear Rarity. Is something the matter? In all the time we talked, this is the shortest letter you’ve ever written. Can I help? ~Applejack ~*~*~ “Ah’m worried, Bloom,” Applejack said. “It’s been a week since I’ve sent that letter and still no reply.” “Don’t ya worry none, sis. Ya can always go to Canterlot and visit her just to make sure. And while yer at it, ya could—” “Yer still grounded, Bloom. Ah don’t want to be responsible for ya blowing up the barn. Again.” “Ah said Ah was sorry!” But Applejack didn’t listen. Her eyes were focused on Rarity’s last letter, scrambling to find hidden meaning behind the hoofful of words, but failing to find any. “Sis?” “Hm?” “Why don’t cha tell her?” Applejack turned her head in confusion. “Tell who what?” Apple Bloom smirked. “Ah’m not a li’l filly no more, sis. Yer face was redder than our barn when she replied to ya.” “But Ah’m not—” “Train leaves in ‘bout an hour. Don’t cha worry. It ain’t much of work to do here, anyways. Ah’ll cover for ya.” “... Thank ya, Bloom.” ~*~*~ Rarity's room in Canterlot wasn't much to look at. Applejack expected glamour and prestige, but instead she found casualty. It was just a little fancier than her own room back at Sweet Apple Acres,. but nowhere near anything she was used to in Carousel Boutique. On top of it all, floor was littered with crumpled pages of paper. From what she managed to see in the faint light, there were only a couple of words written on them. And yet, in the middle of it all, a long time friend was sitting in the pretty average-looking futon. “Rarity?” Applejack asked softly. “A- Applejack? What are you doing here? How did you get into the room?” “Ah asked the cleaner to let me in, since ya didn't answer the door. Are ya okay? What happened in here?”: Rarity sighed. “I tried to answer your question, but couldn’t.” She smiled. “I guess that if I can’t answer one simple question, then it’s not really worth it, is it?” Applejack was confused. “What question?” “The one you asked in your letter, remember? Is all worth while?” Applejack took a few steps forward, stopping just before Rarity. “What happened?” Rarity lowered her head. “Nothing, actually,” she sighed. “I have been trying to figure out what to do for this past week. So far, there is nothing for me here anymore. I thought I was doing something that would help me as well. But, your letter reminded me that that’s not really true.” Another sigh. “There is nothing for me here anymore. I don’t know what to do or where to go from here...” “What about back to Ponyville?” “Unfortunately, there is nothing for me there either, Applejack. As you said, most friends departed from there as well.” “Would ya go back to Ponyville just for one of them? Would ya go back for meh?” Rarity looked the mare in front in surprise. “What do you mean?” “Ah been trying to tell you something for a long time, but Ah didn’t know, how... And Ah can’t run from it anymore...” Next prompt: Wet