//------------------------------// // Will he stand by her? Or turn into all the rest? // Story: The True Power of Friendship and Love // by LittleSister //------------------------------// Will he stand by her? Or turn into all the rest? She was still staring into his eyes when he finally opened his mouth to speak. “Well, Apple. I honestly didn’t expect that. You always are so blocked off. So out of it. You always seem fine. I mean I definitely never expected to even see a single tear fall from your beautiful green eyes.” ‘Wait did he just say beautiful?’ She questioned in her mind. “Yes I did say beautiful because that’s what you are. And Apple, I like you two. I almost always have. Yet you always seem to have a stallion on your hoof, and you never seemed to have much time for me. Besides I never thought a beautiful pony like you could ever even take a double look at a stallion like me.” He explained with what seemed as a saddened look washing over his face. Looking as though he may cry. “How could you call someone like me beautiful? I'm hideous! And I don’t deserve to have you like me.” A wave a fury washed over her as she exclaimed this. ‘No stallion should ever like me, I'm not messed up. To insecure. So impure, so hideous inside and out. He shouldn’t feel like this. He should have crushed me. No way will I subject him to this. Never’ “Apple, why can you not see it? You are beautiful! Inside and out. It doesn’t matter about anything else. The day I met you was the day I met the most beautiful pony I have ever laid eyes on, in my life time, and I never want to lay eyes on any other pony. Not while you are here. Not while I have you in my life. Not while I feel the way I do.” She could do nothing but stare at him in disbelief. ‘Maybe if I tell him, all those things I’ve done. Maybe if open up, he’ll see. But do I really want to let him in, just to see him walk out? Just become crushed? Well I have no other option. I’d rather suffer through the pain, than watch him set out on a suicide mission, all because of me.’ “You wouldn’t say that if you knew everything…..” She dropped her head. Letting her mane cover her face, hiding almost from the shame that was upon her form just thinking about the past she has. And thinking about the future she will have. “Then tell me everything. I’ll listen. I doubt it will change a thing.” He looked at her with an expression of compassion, and what seemed to be understanding. “Fine. IF you truly want to know about me, the legitimate Applejack. The one that no one in Equestria knows about. I will tell you. But ONLY if you truly want to know.” “Yes I want to know. So tell me. Please?” “Well here it goes, I'm a messed up pony. I can never do anything right. I always mess everything up. I can’t do the work needed on the farm; I fail at anything involving apples. I can’t even keep my room clean. I absolutely hate myself. I see my reflection and I want to cringe. The sight of myself makes me want to puke. Yes I always act strong, yet I'm breaking down inside. I have no other way to describe it. I'm a slut. I’ve given it all to guys, who couldn’t care if I lived or died, they only wanted what I had. And I mean physically. Because mentally I'm an idiot. I barely managed to pass school. I only did because I slept with all my teachers.” She started to break down and cry. “There’s no reason for anyone to ever love me. I'm so impure. I'm lower than dirt. Even dirt spits on me. Everyone hates me. All I do is disappoint my “Family” I could never live to their expectations and that makes them hate me. And…. And I'm completely alone. EVERY single person in my life has walked all over me, spat on me, kicked me down, dragged me through the mud by my back hoofs. Then just left me. Just left me like I'm nothing more than garbage. Like I'm an old horseshoe and they no longer have a use for me. I have never done anything right, I have no talent. I would rather die, than ever wake up again. I curse this world each day I open my eyes. As soon as I look around and remember who I am, I want to just jump and fall. Although I'm already too far down to ever get up again.” Now she was truly crying. That was everything. All that she held inside her, and now Caramel knew. He knew everything, and what happened with it, was completely in his control. He could either take it and break what’s already been broken, or try to fix it. Yet that would be just suicide. She almost hoped at this point he would chose to break it, because she didn’t think she could get any more damaged. He just seemed to look at her. He looked at her, with complete sorrow in his eyes. With compassion she’s never seen from any other pony before. He looked at her with eyes that wanted to help. ‘Damn it now I’ve done it’ she thought ‘I’ll run if he tries to help. I'm not dragging him down with me’ “You aren’t a messed up pony, you can do things right you just don’t try. I believe in you. And you are beautiful. You are the most beautiful pony I have ever seen. I don’t care what any pony, including yourself, says. You are. It’s ok to be hurt, you obviously haven’t had a good life. I understand that, and others would to. You may have given it to guys, but you just wanted acceptance, you just wanted to please some pony. I understand that. If things had been different, if someone had showed you they cared earlier, you wouldn’t have done that. I know you wouldn’t have given it all up. As for passing school? School is just total bullshit, how can any pony ever truly try to measure another ones intelligence? You did what you had to do to pass school I understand that. I don’t agree, but I do understand. You are not lower than dirt. You just feel that way. I could never see you as lower than dirt. I don’t think anyone could. You have people who care. You have me and Vinyl. Ponies are jerks. Every one of them is here to look out for themselves; almost none care about what they do to any other pony. It’s pathetic but true. You didn’t deserve to have any pony walk all over you. You didn’t deserve the life you’ve had. I’ll change it. I’ll show you that someone can truly care. I’ll show you that I'm different, and that I truly do care. Applejack you are a special pony, and I care deeply about you. Please, let me help you. I want to be there for you. Applejack, I care about you. Please let me help you?” He looked at her with eyes of nothing but compassion. He had no other motive, by the look on his face, and in his eyes, you could just see he was telling the truth. The way he spoke was like fire. Slowly lighting up, then as each word was spoken, it would get larger and hotter. Until it reached its full point, its full heat. Until it burned to look at. His compassion, burned through her. Until she felt like it reached her inner core. Until she felt it inside her herself. ‘Could he really mean that? No of course not! No stallion ever could. And I won’t let him help me. I won’t. I couldn’t do that to him. Ever. I won’t subject him to a suicide mission. I won’t let him. I could never forgive myself.’ She began to cry. Hot tears, they fell from her cheeks and hit the rocks below her. Each leaving a darker spot than before. Each one mapping out the fear she had. Yet it was fear not for herself, but fear for Caramel. Fear that he wouldn’t heed her warning, and still try to help. There was only one way out if he did. Yet she wasn’t going to think about that option right now. Right now she was going to stop him from starting this suicide mission. Otherwise she would have to go on one of her own. “No Caramel. I can’t let you help me. Letting you help me would be like pushing you off a cliff. It’s a suicide mission. I'm too far down for a ladder to ever reach. There is no rope long enough to reach me anymore. I’ve dug myself a hole I cannot get out, a hole that no one can help me out of. I’m sorry, but I won’t subject you to a suicide mission. I could never watch you do that to yourself.” She felt tears sting her eyes. Just like bees. Yet she managed to choke them back. He looked at her with an intense stare, giving her a look of courage. IT looked as though the inner part of his eyes were gleaming with pure fire. “I WONT let you push me away. God Damn It! You need someone to help you. And I don’t care if you don’t want it to be me. Whether you like it or not. I WILL help you!”