Finding True Love

by Rakoon1


Applejack Falls in Love

It was another day of work to Applejack. Another day she would buck apple trees and pick apples. That was the kind of life that Applejack enjoyed. The truth was this was the kind of life she knew. Except for the fact that sometimes she fights villains and saves Equestria and, sometimes, the Pony World, that was her life.

But, lately, Applejack began to feel somewhat alone. After all, in recent times, much had changed. For example, his older brother, Big McIntosh, was now married to her friend Cherry Blossom and the two had now a foal, Jonagold. In addition, Twilight and Rainbow Dash had left Ponyville to live their own lives, Twilight as Regent of the Light Kingdom and Rainbow Dash as a Wonderbolt. However, there was something else that made her feel alone: she didn't have a coltfriend.

Almost all of those Applejack knew had somepony: Twilight with Blue Sword, Big Mac with Cherry Blossom, Fluttershy with Thunder Night, Rarity with Shadow Claw and even Rainbow Dash was with Soarin. The only one of her friends who was single like her was Pinkie Pie, but she knew that she, due to her personality, shouldn't be feeling the same thing. The truth was that Applejack wanted to find somepony special to her. She also wanted to know how falling in love was like.

While Applejack was bucking apple trees and picking apples, Big Mac approached.

"It wuz ‘bout time, big brother" Applejack told. "Ah thought ya’d never come."

"In fact, Applejack, Ah came tah tell ya Ah can't work today" Big Mac said.

"What?" Applejack asked. "Why?"

"Jona is a li’l sick and Ah have tah stay at home with him, while Cherry's in tha hospital" Big Mac said.

"Why doesn't Cherry cure Jona with her magic?" Applejack asked.

"Applejack, ya know that her magic is only tah bruises an’ broken bones" Big Mac said. "Moreover, her magic is unstable and we can't risk."

"Yes, Ah understand" Applejack sighed. "Go on, Ah do tha work mahself."

"Thank you, sis" Big Mac thanked.

And he walked away.

Applejack sighed and turned to the apple trees. It's not that she didn’t mind in doing the job for two, but now she just felt even more alone. She continued to buck apple trees and harvesting apples. Then she came to a tree whose last apple didn't fall, remaining at the top of the tree. She then climbed to the top of that tree to get it. Once she got there, she prepared to get the apple when something suddenly hit her and made her fall to the ground, while what hit her fell on top of her.

"What the hay..." she started.

And it was then that she saw what had hit her. It wasn't a what, but a who. She was aghast when she came across with a pegasus stallion with a dark grey coat with a gray wing as Cutie Mark, light and very pale arctic blue mane and brilliant cerulean eyes. At the head, he had a light indigoish gray headband and hoofbands with a moderate violet stripe. Seeing him, Applejack felt light like a feather. It was as if somepony had her relieved a ton of top. Her stomach also gave a walk and her heart began to bump faster.

"I'm so sorry" the stallion said, rising up. "I was flying too fast and I didn't see where I was going."

"It's okay" Applejack said, doing a nervous smile. "I was also a little distracted."

"Well, now that the apologies were made, let's move on to the introductions" the stallion said. "My name is Cloud Chaser."

"I'm Applejack" Applejack introduced herself, making a slight nod.

"Applejack?" Cloud Chaser asked. "You are one of Rainbow Dash’s best friends, right?"

"You know Rainbow Dash?" Applejack asked.

"Of course" Cloud Chaser replied. "We're cousins."

"Seriously?" Appejack asked. “Rainbow Dash never told me she had cousins, much less one that was so cut... I mean, fast."

"Well, our parents grew up competing with each other in races, so..." Cloud Chaser said. "Eventually, I and Rainbow Dash also gained the taste for racing, although she had always been better than me."

Applejack heard Cloud Chaser, but her attention was more fixed on him than on his words. The look in his eyes seemed to hypnotize her and made her heart flutter even faster.

"Anyway, I came to Ponyville because my cousin said I could take her place on the weather team" Cloud Chaser said. "She even let me take her old house."

"It's great" Applejack said. "It means that we will be able tah see each other more often."

"I hope so" Cloud Chaser said. "Well, I have to go. See you later."

And, having said that, Cloud Chaser took flight. Applejack stayed to see him walking away, smiling. When he walked away from her vision field, Applejack returned to her normal state and asked herself:

"What the hay just happen’d?"

After she have done a good piece of work, Applejack decided to go to the town to distract herself a bit. She ended up going to Sugarcube Corner, where she met with Pinkie Pie at the entrance. She was coming out jumping up and down gleefully.

"Howdy, Pinkie Pie" Applejack greeted. "Goin’ somewhere?"

"You can bet your Cutie Mark” she replied. "There's a new pony in Ponyville and you know that I love, but I just love organizing parties for newcomers."

"A new pony?" Applejack asked, realizing that she was talking about Cloud Chaser. "Is he a pegasus?"

"Yes, he is, and he is also Rainbow Dash’s cousin, can you imagine?" Pinkie Pie asked. "Although it is a little hard to believe, due to the fact that Rainbow has a rainbow mane and he doesn't. It's moments like this that make me wonder if she dyes her mane or uses a wig."

"Pinkie, Rainbow’s father also has a rainbow mane, remember?" Applejack recalled.

"Don't tell me!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, shocked. "Does that mean he dyes his mane or wears a wig too? Well, of course it would be to imagine, since he is a mid-age pony and he can have a midlife crisis or something..."

"Pinkie, don't you have a party to organize?" Applejack asked, already knowing how Pinkie was when she inquired.

"It's true!" Pinkie exclaimed, looking at her unique watch. "I have to hurry before the time of Cloud Chaser arriving to his house."

"Wait, how do ya know when he..." Applejack started.

But before she could finish the question, Pinkie Pie said:

"I gotta go!"

And she just took off running and Applejack smiled at seeing her friend moving away. Anyway, Pinkie Pie was Pinkie Pie. Applejack then entered in Sugarcube Corner and started eating a nice slice of cake. The door opened and then Cherry entered.

"Applejack, you’re here?" she asked, approaching.

"Yes, Ah decided to take a break from work" Applejack replied.

"It seems that we thought the same thing" Cherry Blossom said, joining Applejack at her desk. "Be working and taking care of a sick child isn't a piece of cake."

"Mah brother told me ‘bout Jona" Applejack said.

"You don't have to worry, Applejack" Cherry said. "It's just a slight fever and some cramping. He's going to be fine. You must be quite exhausted. After all, you have twice of the work, since Big Mac didn't go to work at the farm today."

"It's nothin’" Applejack answered. "Believe me. If we were in Applebuck Season, Ah'd be more concern’d."

But then Cherry looked carefully to Applejack and noticed in something that caught her attention.

"It's like you have a certain twinkle in your eyes" she noted.

"What do ya mean, Cherry?" Applejack asked.

"I don't know, but it's something familiar" Cherry said. "I know, it seems exactly the look that your brother used to look at me when we started dating."

And it was then that she realized.

"It can't be!" Cherry exclaimed. "You fell in love with somepony."

"What?!" Applejack asked. "That's not true!"

But Applejack, being as honest as she was, couldn't tell a lie without being immensely uncomfortable. She then, seeing Cherry staring at her, eventually confessed:

"Okay, okay! Ah may have known somepony."

"I knew it!" Cherry exclaimed, excitedly. "Who is he?"

"Rainbow’s cousin, Cloud Chaser" Applejack replied.

"Oh, I've heard of him" Cherry Blossom said. "He replaced Rainbow on the weather team. He's quite cute."

"Yeah, he is..." Applejack said, somewhat dreamily, before realizing what she had said. "Ah mean..."

"Don't worry, Applejack, it's perfectly normal to think that way" Cherry said. "When we're in love, we can only think about our loved ones."

"Ah've never felt this in mah life" Applejack said. "Ah don't know what to feel or do."

"Just relax and let things happen" Cherry Blossom said.

"It's easy fer ya tah say" Applejack said. "Ya're marri’d and happy with mah brother."

Cherry gave a laugh and said:

"Yes, but you know how hard it was for us in the beginning" Cherry said. "Each one of us was afraid to make the first move. It is clear that our relationship had its own complications and because I still loved Sky. But, Applejack, what I mean is that if you like Cloud Chaser, you can't be afraid of what you feel."

"Ah don't know" Applejack said. "This is new tah me. The truth is Ah never thought Ah'd fall in love."

"But this is something that happens to everypony, Applejack" Cherry Blossom said. "But the secret to deal with this is to face it head on."

Applejack thought in Cherry Blossom told her and realized that she was right. She couldn't let fear stop her from being happy, even if it meant being rejected.

After leaving Sugarcube Corner, Applejack started heading to the farm to continue working. Then she went around the house that before belonged to Rainbow Dash and now belonged to Cloud Chaser. He then appeared flying nearby. It seemed like the perfect opportunity. Applejack called him:

"Cloud Chaser."

He heard it and then approached, landing in front of Applejack, and greeted her:

"Hello again, Applejack. Can I do anything for you?"

"Well, ya know..." Applejack stammered. "Ah wanted to... Ah wanted to..."

Despite having decided she was going to face that new challenge, Applejack was still hesitant. After all, she didn't know how Cloud Chaser would react and he was the cousin of one of her best friends.

"Ya know, Cloud Chaser, Ah wanted tah tell ya..." Applejack began. "Ah just want’d tah say Ah think you're pretty... cute."

Upon hearing that, Cloud Chaser blushed slightly and said, scratching his head:

"Seriously? Wow, thanks, Applejack."

"Ah'm sorry if this seem’d inappropriate, but Ah’m new in this and Ah was told tah be honest an’ say tha truth, but that is in mah nature an’ sometimes Ah don’t know how tah control tha things Ah say" Applejack.

"So you like me?" Cloud Chaser asked.

"You could say that" Applejack replied. "But Ah don't want tah force ya tah be mah coltfriend. Ah wuz just wonderin’ if we could spend some time together and see if it works."

The farm mare waited for Cloud Chaser’s answer with the heart in her throat. Every second that he wouldn't answer seemed like an eternity. That's when he said:

"Okay."

Upon hearing that, Applejack was surprised.

"Wait, did ya said okay?" she asked.

"Yes, I did" Cloud Chaser replied.

"Seriously?" Applejack asked smiling.

"Sure, why not?" Cloud Chaser said. "The truth is that you're a very pretty mare and I never had a date. It might be worth giving it a chance and see where it goes."

Applejack was immensely happy to hear that and said:

"Great! Then maybe we can go for a walk after dinner. Can we meet in the town hall after dinner?"

"It’s okay for me" Cloud Chaser replied.

"Okay" Applejack said. "See ya later then."

And, suddenly, Cloud Chaser gave a kiss on Applejack’s cheek, saying then:

"See you later."

And, having said that, he took flight. Applejack led a hoof to where Cloud Chaser kissed her, sketching then a smile.

And so, Applejack found a passion that eventually would turn into love.