//------------------------------// // Chapter Three // Story: AppleJack's Love // by Sdlghskjvnkj //------------------------------// "You must calm down darling." said Rarity to a frantic Applejack, " running about and panicking won't solve anything." It had been two days since Applejack had accepted Gray's invitation to the dance Rarity was putting on in one week. Applejack had run straight to Rarity and told her her plight. She had asked in desperation for Rarity to teach her to dance 'fancy like'. Rarity had promised to help her but had also insisted on making her a gown for the evening. "How in hayseeds am I supposed to relax? I told the one pony I may ever have a chance with a lie! Gall dernit, I'm supposed to be the element of Honesty." she rammed her head against a nearby wall, causing the light fixture above to tremble. "And if ah don't learn to 'fancy dance' by the time that dance comes round, he might loose interest or he'll feel like ah betrayed him by lying." "Ah. Done. Now. Lets see if I can't show you a thing or two." said Rarity approaching Applejack. It was a long two hours. There was a lot of bumping, falling, and mistakes. When they finished for the evening, Rarity looked like she had been fighting with Applejack and Applejack didn't look any better. "Well," said Rarity, rather tiredly, " that will be all for today. I think we could both use a rest, and maybe a bath. We will continue this tomorrow?" "Yeah. Ah think I'm getting the hang of the waltz thing. Maybe we could try a different move after we get that one mastered?" said Applejack. "Oh, yes. You can't just waltz the entire evening. That would get incredibly boring. I shall teach you several different steps. But not today." responded Rarity. And with that, Rarity shooed Applejack out. Applejack began her walk home. She was very sore and her hooves hurt a lot. Fancy Dancing was a lot of work. Applejack was used to work but this was a new kind of work. She made her way back home but did not see Gray on the way. The orchard was very beautiful right now, during the harvest. The apples, with their many different colors shined like jewels. Several of the trees were bare, due to being harvested already. When she finally got home, Big Macintosh was just bringing in a large wagon of apples and nodded to her. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo all ran out of the barn, smack into Applejack. "Oh, sorry Applejack! We were just gonna go and try to see if skydivin' was our special talent." said Applebloom "Yeah! Twilight said we could use her hot air balloon, and Pinkie Pie put some parachutes together for us!" chimed in Sweetie Belle. "At this hour?" inquired Applejack, looking up at the darkening sky. It was getting late and Applejack didn't want the girls to stay up too long. "Don't worry. Twilight will be diving with us and she'll make definite sure that we get home in time." smiled Scootaloo. "All right, but don't y'all get into any trouble, ya hear?" she said as she shooed the fillies off. Applejack helped Big Macintosh unload his wagon and then went up to bed. She had had a rough time trying to learn those dance moves. All that week was the same. Applejack went to Rarity, learned to dance and watching her put her gown together, piece by piece. Each day, the dance got closer and closer, and Applejack got more and more desperate to learn everything she could. Rarity taught her everything she knew, but Applejack was still incredibly nervous. "You'll be fine." said Twilight, helping Rarity and Pinkie Pie to get Applejack into her gown. It was the night of the big dance and Applejack was almost hyperventilating. The others were already in their dresses. Every pony in Ponyville was going to be at the dance but there was only one pony that Applejack wanted to see. "Um. It's starting." said Fluttershy. Twilight and Pinkie Pie were the first to step out onto the dance floor, each accompanied with a different pony. Finally, Applejack stepped out. Every pony gasped in amazement. Her hair shimmered in the light, beautifully drawn to the side. He gown was even more dazzling. It was a magnificent red with green trim. She had a tall white collar with a rim of green along the edge. A layer of gleaming red fabric flowed down over her back and trailed behind her. Each trim of green accented her emerald eyes. Her hooves were wrapped in sparkling, forest green slippers. She walked forward and onto the dance floor, and almost immediately tripped and landed flat on her face. There was a huge gasp from all around, but no pony laughed. Applejack looked up to see Gray standing over her, offering her his hoof. She blushed vigorously and took it allowing him to help her up and onto the dance floor. The other ponies apparently had been holding their breath and let out a sigh. The dance began in full and every pony began to dance. Waltzes, Foxtrots, Quicksteps, and even Tangos. "You look absolutely amazin'" said Gray, staring at her. "Aw, stop it. You're just sayin' that." she said, blushing again. She looked him over for the first time. He was wearing a deep blue shirt that went ravishingly with his eyes. He also had a flashing violet tie that combined with the shirt only too well. "No, no. I love your gown. It goes so well with your ........ eyes." he said, trailing off as he looked into her eyes. They had been dancing for well over an hour when the unthinkable happened. They were waltzing close together, and Applejack felt it. She trod on her gown and slipped and fell, again square on her face. She couldn't take the embarrassment. It had already happened once and now twice. She ran. What a fool she must have looked. Falling on her face twice infront of everypony, especially infront of.... him. She ignored the yells of the others. She just ran. She had no idea where she was going. As she ran, she wept. How could she have been so clumsy? How could she have let herself make a fool of herself in front of Gray? Several minutes latter found her sitting alone, her gown torn, tears running down her face, next to a small stream on the edge of the orchard. There was no sound except for her sobs and the stream. She didn't even notice the hoof steps, she was so distraught. "Hey." Applejack turned to see Gray walking closer. She hid her tear stained face and tried to wipe the them away. She stopped when she felt his hoof under her chin. He turned her face back to his and she looked into his eyes. She couldn't help it. She threw herself into his arms and wept. "I'm such a cluts! I feel so stupid!" she sobbed. He hugged her close and held her as she wept, talking quietly and reassuringly to her. They sat there for almost an hour, him holding her and her quietly weeping. "Hey, I wanna show you something. Come on." said Gray quietly. She did not resist and let him lead her. He had led her to the barn, and said "Now get up on my back." She climbed up without protest and he flew up to the top of the barn. Once he had settled on top of the barn he helped her off and sat down with her. "Look up at the stars." he said, pointing up into the air. She did so and he pointed to a collection of stars that stood very near the moon. "You see that constellation? Its know as Tura Sini by most but I call it the Pegasus of Wonder. It's said to have appeared in the sky after a pegasus named Charles the eighth fought off a massive army of dragons. He fought with great vigor but was wounded far too much. He died and the constellation appeared in the sky because of his selfless act of valor. They also say the souls of other selfless ponies join the constellation when they pass on." Gray looked at Applejack and she looked back at him. "Ah noticed that the constellation didn't have an eye. Why's that?" asked Applejack. "That's also part of the legend. If a pony of purest heart passes in the action of doing something for another, not for glory or fame, but just to aid another, they will become the eye of the pegasus." said Gray, smiling at her. They gazed into each others eyes for what seemed an eternity. Gray began to lean forward slowly. Applejack knew what this meant. She closed her eyes and lifted her face. Moments later. she felt his lips touch hers. Her heart was racing but she did not move. Their lips felt so natural together. Applejack did not care about anything else in the world. She didn't care about the incident at the dance. It was just her and Gray. Nothing else mattered.