For the first time in her entire life, Rarity actually wondered if she was underdressed. Café Purée, both inside and out, was the veritable epitome of ‘fancy dining’. The entire restaurant was softly lit by gas powered lantern candles in the center of every table, and each window was adorned with lavish tapestries stitched heavily with velvet and gold. The furniture looked to be made of the kind of wood that might upset the eco-friendly community, and the silverware was polished so thoroughly that the entire dining area sparkled. Although she never left the house without looking her best for any occasion, this was one time where Rarity felt a bit inadequate. Even if she spent months sketching and sewing her finest piece, it still wouldn’t live up to the expectations of Café Purée.
“Y’all ok, sugarcube?” Applejack whispered into her ear more so to preserve the quiet atmosphere than the privacy of her words.
“Y-Yes, of course.” Rarity shook her head gently to collect herself. “Forgive me, dear… I’m just rather impressed. This far exceeds my expectations.”
“Ain’t it somethin’? Comin’ from y’all, Ah’d guess this just might be the fanciest place ‘n town.” Applejack chuckled and gently nudged her forward with a hand against her hip towards the waiting area’s reception counter. “Probably got one a them towel holders ‘n the bathroom like ‘n the movies.”
“I wouldn’t doubt that for an instant.” Rarity giggled with a nod. “Applejack, darling? I must ask… Do I perhaps look underdressed?”
Applejack only chuckled harder. “If anyone ‘round here’s underdressed, it’s me. Ya’ll got nothin’ to worry ‘bout. ‘Sides, with what yer wearin’ Ah’d say y’all look like the owner ‘er the manager.”
Rarity marveled at the idea. She had never pictured herself as a restaurant proprietor, but owning a place like this might give her the opportunity to meet some famous people. Rarity turned to face Applejack with a smile. “You may not realize it, but you flatter me a great deal.”
“Ah do?” Applejack blushed a little and shrugged. “Well, there’s a lot to be flatterin’ Ah suppose. Need me to uh, dial it back a bit?”
“Flattery may not get you anywhere with someone else, but with me,” Rarity paused to grab Applejack’s shirt and stand on her tip toes to peck her on the cheek. “Flattery will grant you your deepest desires.”
This made Applejack blush harder, a mischievous smirk parting her lips. “Oh, that so, missy? Well, what if Ah wanted to put a hand down yer skirt right here?”
“I think we both know that is highly inappropriate.” Rarity huffed, but a smirk of her own betrayed her tone. Since there were a couple people ahead of them in line, Rarity decided to make the most of the time they had to spend waiting by returning the flirting. “Although, I suppose you could try and persuade me to comply with your wishes.”
“Ain’t no flower ‘n the world, no sunset ‘n the distance that comes close to yer shinin’ beauty.” Applejack whispered as she slid her two hands around Rarity’s waist, right above her hips.
“Oh, darling…” Rarity closed her eyes and tilted her head back. “You can be an incredible poet when you try.” She returned her gaze back up to Applejack when she felt a hand squeeze her tush. “Alright, dear.” She sighed with a giggle. “If you must, I will allow this here.”
A twinkle of excitement danced in Applejack’s eye for a moment as she wrapped her strong arms around her gem to kiss her with just enough force to get a satisfying taste of Rarity’s warm lips. “Ah really don’t deserve ya.” She said softly, releasing her arms and allowing Rarity to stand on her own two feet.
“Oh, hush now. You have worked very hard for me, and you deserve each…” Rarity kissed her gently on the cheek. “…and every…” She kissed once more. “…reward.”
“Ya know…” Applejack nearly whispered. “Y’all tease me a lot more than ya think.”
“And you enjoy every second of it, I’m sure.” Rarity wiggled a finger in front of Applejack’s nose. “I can tell by that ridiculous smile on your face.”
“Don’t make me bite off that pretty ‘lil finger now.” Applejack gnashed her jaw gently with a smile. “Just might take a part of ya home with me for safe keepin’.”
“Just a part?” Rarity shook her head and lowered her head. “No, sweetness. If you must take something home, you might as well take everything home.”
“How ‘bout we wait until after dinner. Ah’m gonna need some fuel ‘n my tummy if we’re gonna be spendin’ more time together tonight.” Applejack squeezed Rarity’s fingers while blowing softly against her ear.
“D-Darling!” Rarity gasped and stepped back, giggling with a hand over her mouth. She sighed and gently stroked Applejack’s cheek with her thumb. “It’s completely my fault for…exciting you, as I did. Let’s just…wait and see what the night has in store, alright my dear?”
Applejack bowed respectfully and kissed her hand. “Ah hear ya, sugarpie.” She stood up straight and slipped an arm around her waist before approaching the counter. “Ah ain’t kiddin’ when Ah said Ah was hungry.”
The well dressed woman behind the counter had been waiting patiently for the couple to finish their rather intense flirting. She raised an open scheduling notebook and held up a pen. “Name, please?”
“Applejack.” The country gal said, rubbing two fingers against the slender waistline of Rarity’s skirt.
“Ah, yes.” She looked down at the notebook. “Table for two, window seating, and non-smoking. Is that correct?” She received a nod before stepping away from the counter with two menus tucked under her arm. “This way please.”
As they followed the woman, Rarity decided to ask a question after she saw just how perfect the location of their table was. “Did you actually request those things? Darling, I would have been more than happy to sit anywhere.”
“Well, Ah called ‘n asked for a plain ‘ol table, but the lady ‘n the phone told me ‘bout all these options, ‘n Ah figured why not get the best.” Applejack curled her arm tighter around her waist as they came closer to their table. “That ‘n Ah don’t want no cigarette smoke ruinin’ our perfect evenin’.”
“That is very chivalrous of you, dear.” Rarity squeezed the hand on her hip. “But…I’m afraid I can’t help but wonder just how much this all costs. I know you said it wasn’t an issue, but-”
Applejack chuckled hard and shook her head. She immediately calmed herself when she noticed Rarity’s slight scowl. “Sorry, Rare. It’s just…kinda embaressin’ Ah guess.”
“I don’t understand.” Rarity replied as she sniffed an appetizing scent from the nearby kitchen.
“Ah’ve been, uh, savin’ for a big date like this with ya for a while now.” Applejack rubbed the back of her head and gave a halfhearted chuckle.
“A while?” Rarity asked. The start of their newfound relationship was still very recent. “Just exactly how long, if I may ask?”
“Just uh…like a year.” Applejack blushed a bit as she weaved around a large empty table that still had a couple empty wine glasses from the previous patrons.
“I see.” Rarity giggled. “And what if I refused your advances?”
“Uh, well…Ah dunno.” Applejack shrugged. “Ah guess a new pair a duds wouldn’t hurt none.”
“Oh, heavens, darling… Duds? I am very glad that we feel the same way about each other then. You deserve much better than just a new pair of duds.” Rarity laid her head on Applejack’s shoulder for a moment before they reached their table.
The woman made a sweeping gesture towards the table before stating the obvious. “Here is your table, and please let me know if there is anything you wish changed or something added to make your dining experience better. Your server tonight will be with you in a moment, and welcome to Café Purée.” Her speech sounded heavily rehearsed, but her tone was very welcoming.
“Thank you very much.” Rarity politely replied. “You have been a gracious host.”
“It’s my pleasure. Please have a seat, and I will get someone to provide you with drinks.” Applejack made sure Rarity was comfortable in her chair before taking her own seat, and the hostess politely waited until both were situated before placing their menus on the table. “Would either of you like our wine list?”
“Oh, that’s quite alright.” Rarity shook her head. “Thank you for offering.”
“Of course. Have a lovely evening.” The hostess turned and walked back towards the front to her counter.
Now that she was sitting down, Applejack found herself very enamored with her cutlery. What struck her the most odd happened to be a tiny three pronged fork which she held up to her face. “Is this like uh…fork for a ‘lil kid ‘er somethin’?” She asked, eyeing it closely. “Didn’t take this as a kinda place for kids.”
“That, sweetness,” Rarity reached out with a hand to lay the fork back down in its proper place beside the knife. “Is a shrimp fork.”
“A fork just for shrimp?” Applejack chuckled. “Well ain’t that just…somethin’. Didn’t think shrimps needed forks.”
“Darling…” Rarity gently squeezed Applejack’s fingers between her palms on the table while looking up at her. “Now that we’re seated, I wanted to ask you about what you said on the way here.”
“Hm?” Applejack raised an eyebrow in confusion before giving an acknowledging nod. “Right, there was somethin’ Ah wanted to talk to y’all ‘bout, huh?”
“I believe that’s what you said.” Rarity squeezed her fingers a bit tighter with a smile. “And considering our location, and the atmosphere, and…well, everything, I have my suspicions that you want to ask me something very important.” She giggled a bit awkwardly and shook her head, immediately dismissing the idea. The last thing she wanted to do was to assume anything before hearing Applejack out. “Forgive me. I am having a moment of silliness.”
“It’s…fine?” Applejack raised her eyebrow again. “Sorry, Rare. Ah ain’t really followin’, but if y’all say yer good, then…”
“It’s nothing.” Rarity immediately shook her head more vigorously and let go. “I’m just being rather odd right now. Think nothing of it, please, darling.”
“Sure, sugarcube.” Applejack gave her a smile and reached across the table to brush her thumb against Rarity’s soft white cheek. “Ah don’t mean to worry ya none. It’s my fault for bein’ all secretive ‘n such. Just uh, what Ah wanted to talk to ya’ll about had to wait ‘til we had a chance for a nice sit down kinda dinner… Ah uh…” She paused and glanced down to find the right words. “…was just wonderin’ what y’all got planned this summer after school. We can spend a lot more time together, ‘n…well…”
“Yes?” Rarity scooted forward closer to the table so she could eagerly wait for her darling love to finish that thought.
“Well, my house ain’t all that pretty ‘n fancy like yours. Heck, we don’t even got one a them upright mirrors like ya’ll have ‘n your room. But uh…ya know, if y’all felt like stayin’ with me ‘n my family for a while…” Applejack’s blush was considerable; her dimples sparkling like tiny stars across her cheeks. “We’d sure love havin’ ya over. Durin’ the summer, Ah’m usually workin’ my butt off gettin’ the harvest ‘n the cider out to market. Be kinda hard tryin’ to go back ‘n forth between your house ‘n mine-”
Rarity leaned up out of her chair and placed her hands on Applejack’s cheeks before kissing her very softly, allowing her lips to stay locked against Applejack’s delicious pair long enough to keep her quiet. She finally pulled away with a big smile on her happy face. “Sweetness, I would be honored to stay with you.” She sat back down and stroked Applejack’s wrist with her fingers. “Fancy home or not, I couldn’t be happier.”
“Ya sure now?” Applejack’s blush was beginning to disappear, but her sincere gratitude was still palpable. “Granny Smith’ll probably rope ya into doin’ some a the farm work.”
“Hmm…” Rarity brought a finger to her chin. “Will I be able to sample some of the harvest’s fruits for myself at no charge?”
With a chuckle, Applejack nodded. “Sugarcube, ya’ll can have as much cider ‘n pie ‘n whatever else as your tummy‘ll take. Probably be good for ya too. If y’all get any thinner, Ah’ll be datin’ a twig.”
“Oh please. A girl’s figure is a girl’s livelihood. Besides, not all of us are blessed with assets such as yours, dear.” Rarity said with a wink.
“S-Shucks…” Applejack swallowed and checked to make sure her buttons on her blouse were still in place. “Didn’t think ya really…uh…noticed all that much.”
“Darling, I’ve made dresses for you numerous times. Believe me, I have definitely noticed. Dare I say it, I have sometimes been rather envious.”
“W-Well…s-shucks. R-Really?” Applejack chuckled again, her blush returning with full and glorious force. “That’s actually…real darn sweet of ya, Rare.”
“Oh, sweetness, please.” Rarity giggled softly and reached across the table to squeeze her wrists. “Being sweet is your forte. I merely speak the truth as I see it.”
“Shucks, Rare…” Applejack leaned forward across the table to kiss her softly.
Rarity waved a hand dismissively, a slight tint to her pale white cheeks showing her amusement. “You are quite something, darling. How about we look at the menus, hm? I believe you mentioned something about being rather famished.”
“Y-Yeah.” Applejack nodded and flashed a warm smile before opening her menu. Rarity did the same, her eyes drifting between each entry with casual ease, but Applejack was thoroughly confused, thoroughly lost. “Um…Rare?”
“Yes, dear?” Rarity asked, raising an appreciative eyebrow every so often.
“What’s a…chalk puff?”
“Pardon? To which are you referring to?” Rarity looked up from her menu.
“The bottom thing…it’s got the word ‘chicken’ ‘n it.” Applejack awkwardly shrugged. “Ah feel like…this menu ain’t even written ‘n English.”
Rarity giggled softly and got up from her chair and stand by Applejack’s side. She leaned against her shoulder and lowered her head, their cheeks almost pressing together. “The…Profiteroles au Poulet?”
“Is that how ya say it?” Applejack sighed. “Ah’m…so lost.”
“Aw, sweetness. It’s quite alright.” Rarity pecked her on the cheek. “If it makes you feel any better, even I am not entirely sure what half of these mean.”
“Wow…” Applejack looked up at her with wide eyes. “Guess y’all been spendin’ too much time with me, huh sugarpie?”
“Too much?” Rarity shook her head slowly. “Not at all, dear. I don’t think we spend nearly enough time together. Now, let’s find you something to fill your tummy.” She pointed to the Profiteroles au Poulet with a smile. “You will probably enjoy this. It’s a seasoned chicken dish with cream puffs, and what will probably be imported cheese. Does that sound agreeable?”
“Ah’m already sold.” Applejack gave a nod with a big smile.
“Good.” Rarity pecked her on the cheek again before taking her seat.
-o0o-
The heat radiated off the dirt road in front of her home as Applejack stabbed a large pile of hay with a rake, digging deep into the reserves of her strength to heave the big pile into the back of her pickup. The collar of her rolled up flannel shirt was damp from perspiration, but the soft summer breeze against her skin and the shade from her Stetson hat made the work much more bearable.
She wore something different than usual today, something that Rarity has chosen for her. It wasn’t by any means fancy, and it wasn’t anything luxurious. Instead of the usual worn blue jeans, Applejack had on a pair of very short jean shorts that displayed her long summer tanned legs. Not only did they keep her much cooler than a simple pair of jeans, she knew it made Rarity quite pleased, giving her something lovely to look at from the window of the barn.
Speaking of, Rarity was enjoying herself immensely due to a number of things. Despite being in a hot stuffy barn, she was quite pleased with her work before her. In front of her was a stack of wooden crates with countless brown glass bottles stacked in ornately designed cardboard boxes. The Apple family cider had been given a facelift this summer at Rarity’s insistence. She had designed a whole new logo and packaging, using her resources to revamp a product that was starting to become a household name. Being at the business forefront of the family cider business, Rarity also had the luxury of enjoying as much cider as the hot summer days demanded that was made better by having a constant piece of eye candy she could indulge her sense of sight with whenever she wanted.
She admired her work with a smile, her long purple hair tied back into a lazy ponytail. Unlike the usual fashionable clothing, Rarity was sporting some of Applebloom’s old work clothes. In a perfect world, she would’ve worn her beloved’s wardrobe, but her size was much closer to Applejack’s younger sister. Still, with proper cuffing around the ankles and the right amount of buttons of her flannel shirt left unfastened, she made it work well. Even with old clothes like this, Rarity could definitely make it work. If Applejack’s roaming hands and ravenous affection was any indication, she knew this was no real challenge.
So far, the summer had been rather eventful. After the end of a school year filled with graduation and celebration, Rarity and Applejack were now living together for a time on the Apple family’s farm until they would decide what steps to take next for their future. It was a daunting task for both girls to face, but they were not alone. More than a full semester and the start of summer had gone by since Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy deepened their relationship, and after a few months since the start, they had become public. It had been a rocky beginning for them, but Rarity took solace in the fact that she and Applejack had helped the budding couple make some plans. Rainbow Dash had decided to stay in Canterlot to go to school with Fluttershy at Canterlot University.
This decision had been made much easier when Rainbow Dash had received her acceptance letter in the mail. Unlike other applicants including Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash had received a much bigger envelope. Enclosed was a scholarship offer along with her enrollment papers. Canterlot University had yet to offer her a scholarship since their roster had filled up with other players, but as an incoming freshman, Rainbow Dash was offered a practice position as an alternate player. It wasn’t the spotlight team position she had dreamed of, but it was more than enough to make her and her girlfriend incredibly happy.
With a smile, Rarity exited the doors of the barn into the sunlight, two bottles of cider in her hands. She approached Applejack from behind and slipped her arms around her waist with the cider bottles pressed against the tall country gal’s tummy. “Darling, please take a moment to rest.” She giggled while noting the exercise fueled dampness against her cheek from Applejack’s shoulder. “You’ve been at this for almost an hour now.”
Applejack dropped the rake and turned around to face her while wiping her brow. “That for me, sugarpie?” Applejack took one of the bottles eagerly popped the cap off before downing nearly half.
“Are you sure you don’t want any help, my love? You must be getting tired, I’m sure.” Rarity reached into her pocket for her handkerchief to wipe Applejack’s dirty cheek.
“Ah really don’t think ya’ll wanna give me a hand here. Can’t stand the thought a messin’ up yer pretty hands.” Applejack shook her head and gently grabbed Rarity’s palm, pressing it against her cheek.
“I didn’t mean myself, dear.” Rarity giggled. “Our sisters have been playing all day. I think it might be time they pulled their weight and helped out with your chores.”
“Maybe.” Applejack smirked. “Guess we could use a nice ‘lil break right now. Head to the barn…make use a the fresh hay…work up a nice appetite before dinner.”
“Oh, you insatiable beast.” Rarity laughed and poked Applejack in the chest. “As much as I would relish the experience, I think we both could use a shower first. Also…” Rarity blushed fiercely. “…I would very much like to not have to worry about the prying eyes of our little siblings.”
Applejack leaned forward and pecked her on the forehead. “How ‘bout Ah lock the door this time.”
“Hmmm…” Rarity looked up with a smirk while placing a finger on her chin. “I suppose, but I am serious about bathing first.”
“Nah.” Applejack shook her head. “Ain’t no point ‘n bathin’ if we gotta take another bath anyhow. ‘Sides, we got plenty a time. Big Mac ‘n Granny ‘er out at the market, ‘n the ‘lil ones probably ain’t gonna be back ‘til dinner.”
This time, Rarity tapped her finger against her chin. “Hmm… I suppose your terms are acceptable.” She said with a bigger smirk. “Just as long as you promise not to physically strain me. I’m already rather tired.”
“Can’t make no promises, Rare.” Applejack returned the smirk. “But if ya like, ya’ll just lie back ‘n let me take care a things.”
Rarity nearly shivered at those words, despite the summer heat. With slightly shaky hands, she opened her cider bottle and sipped slowly. “W-Well, you do drive a rather difficult compromise, but I accept your terms.” She stood on her tip toes and kissed her beloved on the cheek firmly.
Applejack quickly finished off the rest of her cider and tossed the empty bottle onto the hay in the back of her truck before grabbed Rarity’s cute soft butt with both hands. She leaned down and smacked their lips together before inhaling sharply on one of Rarity’s loose locks of hair dancing across her forehead. “Well c’mon now, sugarcube.” She chuckled while pulling Rarity by the hem of her shirt. “Daylight’s waistin’ while we dawdle.”
Rarity rolled her eyes dramatically with a sigh that held just as much performance. “Quite the lady today, aren’t we, sweetness?” She giggled while falling into stride behind her, sliding her fingers into the back pockets of Applejack’s jean shorts.
With very regrettable timing, both girls heard the ring of someone’s cellphone. It happened to be coming from Rarity’s pocket. “Aw, shucks!” Applejack palmed her face.
“It’s alright, darling.” Rarity patted her on the back gently before reaching into her pocket. “I’m sure we will still have plenty of time for our…relaxation.” She answered the phone and held it up to her ear. “Good Afternoon, this is Rarity.”
“Well, guhhh!” Said an unmistakable voice. “Who else would I be calling, silly?”
“Ms. Pinkie Pie.” Rarity rolled her eyes toward Applejack. “And to what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Ask her about the cider!” Came a second and more muffled voice.
“I’m gonna, I’m gonna!” Pinkie chirped back. “So, are you still hanging out with Applejack this summer?”
“I am.” Rarity replied, keeping her tone polite but feeling rather annoyed considering her proverbial itch that desperately needed to be scratched at the moment.
“Oh, goodie! So, I was sort kinda maybe wondering if me and maybe like, a couple more of us came by to try some?” Pinkie giggled with a snort.
“I see. And just how many is a ‘couple more’?” Rarity slipped her free arm around Applejack’s neck and laid her head on her chest. Applejack responded by pushing a hand down the back of her pants, causing the fashionista’s eyes to grow wide.
“Oh, you know, me and Rainbow Dash and maybe Fluttershy. Maybe Twilight too. And probably Sunset.”
“Hm…I suppose, but you would have to ask Applejack. I’m not exactly the person you need to talk to.” Rarity nearly jumped when she felt Applejack’s hand squeeze her nearly bare rump.
“Well, I TRIED calling her, but she didn’t answer! Must not have her phone on her or something.”
“What ‘bout me now?” Applejack cocked her head.
“Hi, Applejack!!!” Pinkie shouted as loudly as possible.
“Hi-ya, Pinkie.”
“Hey, Applejack???”
Rarity rolled her eyes again and handed over the phone. “Pinkie would like to know if she and rest of the girls can come by and sample your cider.”
“Right now?” Applejack asked with a sigh while laying the face of the phone on her tummy to muffle their voices. “But that don’t do too well with our plans for the next half hour.”
“I’m very sorry, sweetness. Unfortunately, we will have to wait.” Rarity said with a matter-of-fact tone while squeezing Applejack’s waist. “That means you will need to take your hand out of my pants now, dear.”
“Shucks…” Applejack sighed heavily and did as was requested before bringing the phone up to her ear.
“…But then I said if she wanted a cat, then why did she get a dog first? It’s not like you can’t have a dog AND a cat! And then she said that-”
“Uh…Pinkie?” Applejack spoke while raising an eyebrow. “Who are ya’ll talkin’ to?”
“Hm?” Pinkie gasped. “Oh! Right! Hey, Applejack!”
Applejack sighed once more and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Hi…Pinkie. Ah heard ya’ll wanna come down ‘n have some cider.”
“Cider?”
Dash’s voice screamed from the distance. “Pinks! Focus!”
“Oh! Cider! Yes! Me, girls, cider, yes???”
“…Fine…” Applejack gave a nod meant for no one in particular. She looked up when she heard the sound of a vehicle in the distance, completely unaware that the phone line was now dead. It was rustic and labored, but it sounded small in size. Sure enough, there was Pinkie Pie in her painfully pink VW bug, five girls crammed into the small cabin of the tiny car.
“Great, cause we’re already here!” Pinkie shouted out of the window of her car just as she pulled up in front of the house and skidded to a stop.
Without any hesitation, all five girls clambered out of the bug. The car could legally carry five passengers, but not comfortably. Rainbow Dash was the first out of the backseat, stretching her arms over her head. She wore a very tattered black tank top with a Canterlot University headband, high top skate shoes, and what was becoming her signature spandex running shorts she seemed to love. There was something to be said about a girl wearing such things all the time, but Rarity knew the summer heat and the need to impress a significant other were powerful motivators. “Man, no AC and windows that don’t open!” She complained squatting down a few times to get circulation back into her legs. “Why did we have to take your car, Pinks?”
Fluttershy was dressed casually in a green sundress and big sunhat that Rarity immediately fell in love with. “I haven’t been here in a long time.” She said softly.
Pinkie bounded out of the driver’s seat and cocked her head at Rainbow. Keeping with her permanent theme, Pinkie wore a pair of pink capri pants and a white and blue striped tank top. “Hey, when YOU get a car, you can drive yourself anywhere you wanna go.”
Sunset and Twilight were the last to exit the vehicle. While having given up the usual leather jacket for the summer, Sunset wore a red top that went well with her fierce orange hair and ripped blue jeans tucked into combat boots. Out of all the girls, she looked like the one who’d be sweating the most. Twilight, in sharp contrast to everyone, wore almost formal looking clothing. Her pleated skirt and polished shoes with white blouse and short ribbon tie made her look like a librarian. Rarity wasn’t sure if this was intentional, but at least she could pull it off. “I have never been on a real life farm before!” The bookworm exclaimed while holding up a digital camera. “It’s so fascinating! I’m sure the oxygen saturation in the immediate vicinity is much higher here than in the city. With so many trees, the term ‘fresh air’ really takes on a new meaning!”
“Oxygen what?” Sunset asked. “Listen, Twilight? You know you’re not in school for a while, right?”
“I know.” Twilight sounded a bit bitter. “But this is completely new to me! I’ve never had the opportunity to come in such close contact to such large raw flora and fauna before.”
“Oh, come on, Twilight.” Pinkie giggled. “It’s summer break! Forget about learning!”
“Yeah! Have a cider and chillax for a while.” Dash looked around for a moment before spotting the resident couple approaching them. “Yo, AJ! What up?”
“Howdy there, Rainbow. Been a while ain’t it?” Applejack held out a fist which Dash firmly punched, and Fluttershy couldn’t help but wonder if that hurt at all.
“Yeah, couple weeks.” Dash turned to Rarity and nodded. “How’s it hanging, Rarity?”
“It’s ‘hanging’ fine, as you put it, thank you.” Rarity smiled at her before approaching Fluttershy to give her a hug. “Hello, my dear.”
Fluttershy gratefully accepted and hugged back. “It’s nice to see you.”
“Rarity’s looking good!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Finally wearing some of Applejack’s old clothes, huh?”
“Well, perhaps.” Rarity replied vaguely. It was a bit embarrassing to say she was wearing the clothes of her girlfriend’s younger sister, but considering the Apple family, they probably did belong to Applejack at some point. At least she didn’t have to feel bad for lying. “Hello, Sunset. Hello, Twilight. Are you both well?”
“Yeah, can’t really complain.” Sunset nodded. “Are you having fun as a farm hand?”
“I am no such thing.” Rarity giggled and shook her head. “I’m more of a business associate than a farm hand.”
Twilight raised her camera and pointed it at the stack of hay by Applejack’s truck. “Oh, fascinating! Is this some form of dead grass like foliage?”
“Uhhhh…Ah guess?” Applejack chuckled and tipped her hat back. “It’s uh, called hay.”
“I see. What are some of the uses for hay? Does it make good kindling or maybe it works well as a fertilizer agent?”
“Y’all REALLY don’t know nothin’ ‘bout farms, do ya, Twi?” Applejack chuckled harder and slapped her on the back, the small framed bookworm nearly falling forward as her glasses slid down the bridge of her nose.
“Ohhhhhhhhhhh come on! CIDER!” Dash shouted while pulling her cheeks down with both hands.
“Um…Dashie?” Fluttershy placed a hand on her back. “Maybe um…try and take a deep breath.”
“Ok…” Dash nodded and put her hands on her knees. She inhaled slowly, but along came Pinkie Pie to break her concentration.
“CIDER! CIDER CIDER CIDER!” Pinkie hollered while wiggling her arms in the air like dangling noodles. Rainbow was forced out of her focus and immediately pulled into Pinkie’s enthusiasm, chanting with her in full vocal force.
Rarity sighed dramatically and motioned for the few girls not paying attention to the racket to follow. “This way, please. And do be on your best behavior for the animals.” This made Fluttershy’s eyes widen, and she quickly skipped a couple steps to walk along side the fashionista. Twilight was right behind her, the camera poised for more shots while Sunset did her best to calm down the energetic duo.
-o0o-
Thankful to be back in the comfort of her air-conditioned home, or ‘mansion’ as her friends often put it, Twilight stood in her room with a marker tapping against her cheek. Due to the heat still lingering in the air despite the setting sun and the home’s central air system, she wore nothing but one of her button up dress shirts and her professor owl printed panties as she stood mere feet away from her large whiteboard. Having spent the entire afternoon at the Apple family farm, she had compiled a significant amount of data which she hoped to make for an interesting academic read. First, she would need to map out the entire farm’s structured ecosystem, then create an outline with appropriate graphs and spreadsheets, then finally begin writing her first of many drafts. With the first step out of the way, it was time to restructure her work.
“Oh, but I can’t forget the local wildlife that thrives on the disposed fruit.” She whispered to herself while drawing a couple more arrows. “I mean, how could I possibly leave out the last season’s bat population without tallying their own symbiotic contributions? It would be silly!” She hastily jotted down a couple bullets notes by the arrows, added a few question marks to remind herself of extra research that needed to be done. The art of academics was a slow process, but it was a process she knew best and loved best. After all, the labor of love yields the sweetest of fruits or something… “I guess that’s another thing I need to research.”
“Twilight?” A voice asked from her door that was accompanied by a polite knock. “Are you in there?”
“Hm?” Twilight turned when she heard her mother’s voice. “Yes, mom!” She hurried to find some pajama bottoms before rushing to open the door.
“You father and I thought you might like to have some watermelon before your father eats it a-” Velvet paused when she saw her daughter’s physical state. Her hair was a mess, and she half looked like a mad scientist having been distracted from an important experiment. “Oh, I see you’re preoccupied.” She giggled while taking a peek inside the bedroom. “An important paper due? I thought you were out of school for the summer.”
“Well, I am.” Twilight nodded, pushing her glasses back with her index finger. “But…I thought that I should try and have some fun this summer before college starts.”
“Sweetie, you will be writing a lot of papers in college.” Velvet patted her daughter on the head. “Trust me. Just take a break and come downstairs for some watermelon.”
“Um, alright, I will. Could…I have a few more minutes? I’m right in the middle of an important categorization that I really don’t want to forget about.”
“Of course, Twilight.” Velvet nodded. “And maybe finish changing into your pajamas before you forget about that too.”
“Oh…right.” Twilight looked herself over and pulled on the bottom of her shirt. Her mother gave her a smile before heading towards the stairs, leaving Twilight to go back to her bed to find her matching top. Right now, this was proving to be a harder task than actually doing work on her project, and Twilight was beginning to feel frustrated as she scattered her neatly folded laundry in her search. Her mind began tracing the memories of the past few days to find clues that might help, but in the end, she decided to take a seat on her bed and take a deep breath. After spending so much time being actively productive, Twilight was beginning to feel rather tired.
“Ok…” She mumbled to herself. “Have some watermelon, then go to bed. Finish research tomorrow.” She slowly rose from her sitting position and stretched her arms over her head with a yawn. Her vision was beginning to blur in the same familiar fashion that always seems to happen when drowsiness sets in, and the now fully dark sky from her window told her it was time to rest. “Watermelon…” She yawned again. “…then bed.”
Just as she was about to exit her bedroom, her pocket began to buzz. In her tired state, she was very perplexed and confused. Pockets don’t buzz. Bees buzz, but pockets don’t. She reached into the pocket of her pajamas and held her phone up very close to her face. “Oh.” Phones also buzz. She yawned very loudly before answer. “Mn…hello?”
“Hey, Twilight!” Came a candy flavored voice full of vim and vigor despite the late hour. “Whatcha doooooooing?”
“Watermelon.” Twilight mumbled while opening her door.
“Watermelon?” Pinkie asked. “Oh, oh oh! I know this one. What is a fruit that’s both a melon and full of water?” She spoke like she was answering a game show host.
“Oh, hi there, Pinkie Pie.” Twilight giggled and took her glasses off to rub her eyes while choosing to ignore any form of clarification. Even after the rather short time as friends, she had learned very quickly to focus the conversation when talking to this particular snack fueled pink individual. “Nevermind. I was just talking out loud.”
“Well, guuhh! How else are you suppose to talk? You can’t talk with just thinking, silly. Oh, wait! Can you? Oh! Can you read my mind? What am I thinking about right now?”
Twilight yawned one more time. “Um…cake?”
“Nuuuuooo.” Pinkie giggled hard with a little snort. “I’m thinking about marshmallows!”
“I was kind of close.” Twilight giggled. She reached the bottom of the stairs and headed towards the kitchen.
“Eh, maybe. But you didn’t guess which kind of marshmallow.”
“Wait, there are more than one kind?” Twilight stopped and raised her eyebrows.
“Sure! There’s chocolate ones, strawberry ones, that one famous short French guy ones, peanut butter ones, you name it!”
“I…honestly didn’t know that.” Twilight put a finger to her chin. She had to admit, Pinkie knew just as much about food as she did about electromagnetic induction. “And don’t you mean ‘Neapolitan’?”
“Yeah, that one really short French guy!”
Not even close. Twilight mused with an inward giggle.
“So anyways, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out this weekend.”
“Oh, are the girls getting together for a party or something?”
“No, silly! It’s gonna be just you and me and us!” Pinkie giggled louder than before. “Everyone else is kinda busy this weekend, so I thought maybe you and I could have some quality time together.”
“Wow, that’s…” Twilight blushed a bit and brought a hand to her cheek. “…actually very sweet of you. Thank you, Pinkie. I would love to.”
“Awww you cutie you! So how does camping sound?” Pinkie asked with more of an announcing voice. “We’ll have lots of fuuuuuunnn! S’mores, campfires, swimming, lightsaber flashlight battles, spooky stories, hotdogs for breakfast, pancakes for dinner, everything!”
Those all sounded like amazing ideas, even if she didn’t fully understand half of them. “I would like that very much.” Twilight broke out into a big smile. This was the first time in her life that a friend actually invited her, and just her, to spend any period of time together. Sure, there was her big brother and her now recent sister-in-law, but somehow…she felt incredibly valued and special by Pinkie’s simple invitation. “Oh, but…I’ve never been camping before. Do I need to bring like a…tent or something?”
There was a long and very loud gasp from the other line as Pinkie inhaled deeply. “YOU’VE NEVER BEEN CAMPING???”