//------------------------------// // If Pie Were Easy // Story: Applejack Shy // by HareTrinity //------------------------------// This was it. It had to be. Applejack, carrying a picnic basket packed full of goodies, looked at the small bridge to the cottage in front of her. No going back now... Everything had gone well this morning, too. She'd woken up feeling confident, seen the cloudless sky outside, and gone straight to the kitchen, intent on finally putting her picnic plan together. It had got to a slow start but Granny Smith had somehow snuck up on her... "Ooh, planning a picnic are ya?" Applejack had jumped a little. For an old pony with a bad hip it was surprising how quietly Granny could sneak up on folk! Still, the orange mare had replied cheerfully, "Sure am! Cucumber sandwiches and a few fresh apples all ready, just checkin' about for what else wo-" "Then yer'll be off to see a pony, hmmm?" "Well, yes, but-" "Yoo should take some o' my special bonbons! Ain't nopony don't like them!" Applejack was taken aback, "But weren't you savin' them up?" "I'll just be sendin' Apple Bloom off to get me some ingredients to make more later on, you take these 'uns for now!" insisted Granny Smith, putting a small jar of sweets into the picnic hamper. "Whilst yer at it, yoo should take a few of these'ns too...!" Soon Granny Smith had quite generously stuffed the hamper full of various goodies that her granddaughter may have avoided based, and a moments after Applejack had found herself half pushed out of the house with a "Y'all have fun now!" called after her. Well, it's certainly better than when she was worried about me... Does she know that...? Applejack blushed and shook the thought from her mind. Couldn't go dwelling on the opinions or expectations of others right now: She had to stay focused. This was the day she was going to tell Fluttershy. With that in mind she'd started on the walk over. So it was that she now stood at the pegasus pony's home; confident, target in mind and picnic at the ready. Today will be the day. After all, she thought to herself as she approached the door, it had to be, right? Finally the right time to confess her feelings? Things had seemed almost right at the bake sale and since then they'd been meeting up more often. Not all the time, but... It felt right. It was a few weeks after what happened with Rarity at the spa (and, more importantly, more than a month since Twilight) and now, surely, was the time. Applejack was finally ready and at last confident she would be met half way. After all, whatever had gotten into Fluttershy these last few months, it had shown a clear pattern after Big Macintosh: She'd moved onto the users of the Elements of Harmony! Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity and now, finally, her? It HAD to be. After all, she was the only other choice left, apart from- "HI APPLEJACK!" ...Pinkie. "Er, hey there partner. How g-" "I just turned down Fluttershy!" The response was deadpan, "...Yer what." "Yup! She asked me out and I said no!" Applejack felt her stomach drop. The appetite she'd been saving for the picnic had vanished. Oh well. Maybe later this month, or maybe Fluttershy will just skip me and continue with the rest of the whole darn vill- no. I have to stay strong, have to stay focused, it's expected of me... After a deep sigh Applejack looked at her pink friend and picked up the strength to talk, eventually speaking in what she hoped was a mature tone, "Now hold on Pinkie, that ain't the type of thing y'all should go spreading ar-" "I'm not telling everyone, you silly, I'm just tell-ing yo-ou!" the pony interrupted with her sing-song voice as she bounced past. The farmer eyed the pink mare as she hopped away. What a strange pony... "Applejack?" Fluttershy was at the door, staring at Applejack with a clueless expression. "What are you doing here?" "Oh, hey... I was gonna suggest we go on a picnic, but I hear now might not be a good time..." Fluttershy sighed and shook her head, "I'm afraid not... I mean, I could do with some help with chores but otherwise I think I need some time alone..." "Well, Ah'm happy to help if Ah can, sugar cube..." voiced Applejack dryly. "That would be nice..." First Applejack was set with the task of carrying some feed bags over to the garden, Fluttershy leading the way. She was quiet and Applejack felt uncomfortable in the silence. Something to talk about, something to talk ab- no, not that... Think of something ELSE to ask her, not that... However, Applejack came up with nothing else and finally asked the question that had been burning in her mind for so long, "So, um, Fluttershy... Why HAVE ya been trying to date everypony? All of a sudden like this?" "Oh... It's kind of silly really..." Well there's a surpri- wait, why am I so angry? No need to be spiteful! Deep breaths, stay focused... Staring wistfully at the sky Fluttershy sighed and continued, "It's because every year I watch all my little animals pair off, find their families, and some stay with the same one forever, and some don't, but that doesn't seem to matter to them. They pair off and for a while they seem so happy, and then some move out forever and some visit back from time to time, but all of them move on from me in one way or another, and I... I just wanted to have someone, so that it felt like I was moving on too..." Now. Come on Applejack, the pony thought to herself, Ask her now. Ask her why it's not you. Ask why EVERY. SINGLE. OTHER. PONY. Gets a say but not you, ask before- Too late. Fluttershy had already started to reflect on how her plan had gone wrong. Applejack tried not to let it get to her as she moved the feed bags. "I mean, sure, it was a silly idea, but Pinkie's a silly pony, I thought that maybe that would be a good start -" Applejack then helped with fixing a fence. "...And she was so blunt about it too, just "nope!" in my face, and then straight away asked if I wanted to make cookies, like I don't even have emotions, then she goes -" Then putting up a replacement shelf in the kitchen. "...Thinking about it, maybe I was just too forward, maybe I should have just spent more time with her first, helped her plan her parties, or maybe -" Then tightening up some of the bathroom's plumbing. "...I had been so hopeful that she would say something more than that, now I worry I've messed up my only chance with her and -" Then oiling the joints of one of the window hinges. "...But maybe it would have been like with Twilight, that she'd have been so busy that she'd never have time for -" All done. Applejack stared at the window, moving it back and forth with one hoof, in part to test in and in part to take her mind off what Fluttershy was saying, or rather what she wasn't saying... "...Whoever would have thought that Pinkie would ever be so blunt anyway, she normally rambles so much about -" The window was being a poor distraction. It was quiet now, so all there was was the sound of happy animals and Fluttershy's complaining. "...I guess I shouldn't really have expected her to take me seriously at a-" "Well who the hay CAN take you seriously?!?" snapped Applejack, the animals around the ponies falling instantly silent at her outburst. Fluttershy too when quiet, staring at Applejack in shock. "First ma brother, then Rainbow Dash, then Twilight and Rarity and now PINKIE? ALL IN A FEW MONTHS! And you think this is fine? To mess ponies around like this, pretendin' that ya feel something, just for a feeling of progession? How can y'all be upset when that doesn't work, when there weren't anything for it to work with in the first place?!? Ah don't know what's going through that little pony brain of yours but this is not how y'all are meant to treat friends!" "NEITHER'S THIS!" screamed back Fluttershy. Her wings were spread, her ears were down, and her expression was furious. Applejack closed up, her mind going haywire as she realised what she just said. "How DARE you! How can you SAY those things to me?!? I thought you were my friend, I thought you'd listen to what was on my mind!" "Well, Ah... Ah mean..." Applejack stammered, watching in horror as the pony she longed to be with stared at her in hate. ""Well" WHAT?" No response. The pegasus snorted, turning around. "Go on, leave. I don't want you here any more." The orange mare froze up as her beloved turned her back on her. "I thought you were better than this Applejack. I thought I could trust you. You've always been there for, especially recently, every time I was down, every time you even suspected I was down, you... Were..." It was as she heard herself say it that suddenly memories began stirring in Fluttershy's mind. Of Applejack, hair let down, answering the door. Of the earth pony fiercely standing up to her own brother after his rejection. Of her comforting words after... "You were..." ...Helping her find Rainbow Dash, the Apple mare seeming less energetic than ever, and how quickly she'd come to the cottage after... "...Always there..." ...After Twilight said yes, how slowly Applejack had been walking... "...Applejack...?" Fluttershy slowly turned to face the Apple mare, her mind's eye still going, reminding her of the sweating and panting mess that had turned up at her door just because the pony had heard that Rarity had turned her down, remembering their time together at the bake sale, and now... The yellow pegasus stared at the orange earth pony. The rage was gone and surprise had taken its place, and Applejack could think of only one realisation that could have done that. ...She... She sees me... The farm mare pawed at the ground uneasily, trying to avoid the shocked gaze of the pegasus. She felt as if her nervousness were throttling her, holding the words back, but at the same time she knew what she needed to do. Oh Celestia, I'm going to say it... Shutting her eyes, Applejack forced herself to speak, "Well... Ah... Ah mean... Ah didn't want to impose on you, and then you were all about everypony else, and... I didn't mean to yell just now, Ah just... What Ah mean i-" Applejack was cut short by a yellow hoof held gently to her lips. She opened her eyes and looked up to see Fluttershy's tearful eyes. She looked almost upset, but a soft smile was playing on her lips. So what now? I prob'ly need to find my legs for one, or say something, or- Applejack's thoughts were cut short as, with a delighted squeak, Fluttershy bowled her to the ground. Disorientated and surprised, Applejack found herself staring up at Fluttershy's face. "Applejack! I'm so sorry I didn't... And you... Oh, Applejack!" Just like that the yellow pony pulled her surprised friend into a kiss and then hugged her tightly. Applejack felt her body freeze up in shock, but then the waves of relief and joy washed over her and she relaxed, reaching around Fluttershy to give her a light squeeze. The pegasus responded in kind, clinging as if she would never let the orange pony go. Around them, the birdsong and chattering of happy critters slowly resumed. To Applejack, it felt like reality had known of her dreams and strived to outdo them, winning with shining colours as the pony felt her love against her. At some point they'd probably need to stand up, to move off the lawn, to consider food, and all those other things, but that could wait. For all Applejack's troubles, this would be worth it. Finally they were together. A few months later, five friends (four ponies and a dragon) were waiting in the library, ready to set off for a day trip watching rain birds migrate. They were dressed in waterproofs and awaiting the other two members of their group. "I still can't believe it! I mean, who would have guessed that they'd hook up?" "Rainbow Dash, I'm surprised! You didn't see it, the way they'd been looking at each other? I saw it long in advance!" Twilight, who had been trying to finish reading a book, rolled her eyes at Rarity's statement. The white pony had been boasting about this information a lot. "Ooh, ooh, and they look so happy together now!" chimed Pinkie excitedly. Seeing Spike about to eat a yellow gem, the pink pony snatched up an orange gem and nuzzled it against the one the dragon held. Spike sniggered, and did the voice for the yellow gem, ""She's been so helpful around the farm!"" Pinkie giggled, then called over to her purple friend, "Hey, Twilight! What do you think their babies will look like?" The unicorn stared at Pinkie incredulously. Was she serious? "Hey, here they come!" Applejack and Fluttershy entered the library as a couple and began talking to their friends. Soon the seven of them were heading off to the station. Rarity, who had been sorting through one of her bags, suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, dear, I've left my brush back at your house, Twilight!" "It's too late now, Rarity! We'll miss the train!" "It's alright," broke in Applejack, "I'll get it!" She galloped off back to the library and was soon enough making her way back to the station. She slowed down to watch them laughing together; her friends, one of them particularly special. Contrary to her fantasies, Applejack had found that the relationship was more balanced than her being swept off her feet by Fluttershy. Still, taking the initiative was a role she was more used to anyway, and Fluttershy certainly DID have a flare for romance in her, even if most ponies didn't get to see it. Early on, Applejack had worried that maybe they'd be one of those brief couples, like some of Fluttershy's animals, but together they had watched those couples break up and still their own relationship had held. Nowadays Applejack was comfortably smug in the knowledge that she'd made the right choice in believing that she and Fluttershy would be good for each other: They were. As if hearing her thoughts, Fluttershy glanced up at that moment and spotted Applejack. Her face lit up with a smile. Applejack grinned and ran over as the train approached. New adventures awaited her and her friends, and a new kind of adventure altogether had started for her and one of them. Life was good.