Fiddling with Her Heart

by Kevinltk

Chapter 36: No More Secrets

A part of Canterlot was abuzz with activity as many ponies flooded out of a theater, gushing and talking about a fantastic concert that had ended less than an hour ago. Still fresh in their minds, ponies were claiming it was the likes they had never seen, and that nopony could match what the cellist who had pulled it off. Any lingering doubt about the cellist’s previous activities was quickly drowned out by a wave of praise.

And yet, the cellist hardly cared. The excitement of the concert and the beautiful, clear night provided by Princess Luna was all lost on the musician as her attention was focused on her friend.

It had taken some time before Applejack finished shedding her tears and stopped apologizing to Octavia every few seconds. Fortunately, they were given a wide berth by everypony else during their private time.

When Applejack calmed down enough, Octavia led the both of them to her dressing room where she put away her cello and helped her friend clean up a bit. She asked if Applejack wanted to talk at that moment, but her friend said she needed a little bit more time to recover from her breakdown.

After finding Fancy Pants and Fleur, the four of them exited the theater, only to be ambushed by a mob of reporters. Pretty much all the questions were directed at Octavia and Fancy Pants, asking for more details about the cause they were raising money for, why Octavia was acting weird during the past few months, what were her plans for the future, and many other things.

All Octavia wanted at the time was to get away so that she could have some peace and quiet with Applejack, but it was an opportunity to further their goal. Before she could have asked Applejack if it was alright, she received a nod of understanding from her friend before watching her step to the side where she waited patiently.

The questions kept on coming, and Octavia tried to answer every one of them without delving too deep into the personal lives of her friends. Before, she would have seen the attention as a sign of success, but at that moment, it was just a hassle and a headache. Eventually, Fancy Pants capitalized on a lull in the interrogation to declare that there was enough questions for tonight and that they had a pressing engagement to attend to. To her relief, the reporters accepted the excuse and allowed them to continue on their way.

Now, the four of them were all making their way back to the hospital to relay the results of the concert to Twilight and Dr. Panacea. Fancy Pants and Fleur were in the front, quietly conversing with themselves, leaving Octavia to follow behind with Applejack walking silently by her side.

Octavia glanced over at the orange mare next to her, like she had done numerous times that night, as they continued to move through the streets of Canterlot. Ever since they left the theater, Applejack had not said a single word, and even when the reporters were on them, she had a pensive look on her face. Octavia sighed as she returned her gaze to look ahead, wondering what was going through her friend’s mind.

It took only a few seconds for her to notice that the pony by her side was no longer there. Turning around, she saw that Applejack was slowly swiveling her head, as though she was looking for something.

“Is there something wrong, Applejack?” Octavia asked.

“We’re close, aren’t we?” Applejack asked, even though it sounded more like a statement than a query.

“You mean the hospital? It’s about another ten minutes away.”

“No, Ah mean that place you liked.”

Octavia blinked a couple of times before taking a look around. Now that she was paying attention to her surroundings, she did indeed notice the area was familiar and realized what Applejack was talking about. She nodded back at Applejack.

“Thought so,” Applejack murmured. After a few seconds, she asked, “Could you… Could you take me there… Now?”

Octavia opened her mouth to ask why, but instead closed it and nodded again. She looked back at Fancy Pants and Fleur, seeing that the two of them were not that far ahead and had also stopped to watch her and Applejack.

“Would it be alright if you two go on without us? Applejack and I need to make a detour,” Octavia explained to the unicorns.

“It’s no problem for us,” Fleur replied. “Go on, you two deserve to have some time to yourselves.”

“We’ll let the others know not to worry about you,” Fancy Pants added. “Take all the time you need.”

“Thank you and have a good night,” Octavia bade as the two pairs went off in different directions.

As they continued on their way, Octavia wondered what prompted Applejack to pick the spot they were heading to. It was obvious that she wanted to talk, but she did not know what. There was just so much that they had been putting off because of Apple Bloom’s illness, but that excuse was gone now that they had raised the money for her treatment. All that she knew was that it must have been important if Applejack was not rushing to go check on Apple Bloom.

The walk was silent other than the soft clop of their hooves on the pavement. Applejack had retreated back into silence, and Octavia kept quiet as well, not wanting to disturb her friend.

Eventually, they arrived at their destination. It was the same overlook Octavia had shown Applejack and had spent many days looking down at the small town that held a special place in her heart.

Applejack quietly walked forward and rested her forehooves on the stone barrier. Octavia only stared at her friend for a moment before setting her cello down and took the same posture by her side.

The both of them remained silent as Octavia took in the view. She had not been here since Rainbow Dash whisked her away back to Ponyville, but the place was exactly the same as she had left it. If it were not for her companion, she could almost imagine that it was as if though nothing had happened, but that could not be further from the truth.

She had braved a rainstorm while riding on the back of a pegasus, spent many days holed up in two different hospitals, did more paperwork than she ever wanted for her entire life, and threw a concert.

All for the sake of the pony standing right next to her.

Many ponies would call all that work for one pony, let alone one that had broken your heart, idiotic. And maybe she was an idiot. After all, she was doing it out of her own free will, not expecting or wanting anything but Applejack’s friendship in return. She knew that she would have certainly not have gone to such extents if the situation presented itself many months ago, but things change.

Octavia glanced towards her friend and saw that Applejack had not budged a single inch since they had got here. It was hard to tell what was going on in her friend’s mind with the blank look on her face. Perhaps Applejack did not know how to start talking and was simply waiting for the right opportunity. After all, they would not have come all the way out here just to sightsee. Taking a chance, Octavia decided maybe a little nudge would help get things going.

“I got a chance to talk to Fancy Pants after the concert,” Octavia stated. “He checked with the box office, and it looks like we raised enough bits to just about cover Apple Bloom’s entire treatment.”

To her relief, a smile appeared on Applejack’s face.

“Ah knew you could do it,” was all Applejack said back before her smile faded away.

Octavia patiently waited for Applejack to add anything else, but all she was met by was more silence. She let out a sigh, resting her head on her forehooves as she turned her gaze back to the view.

“Do you remember me tellin’ you how Ah got my cutie mark?”

Octavia quickly stood back up, nodding at Applejack. “You told me the story one night while I was staying with you at Sweet Apple Acres. You wanted a change in your lifestyle, so you moved to Manehatten to be with your Aunt and Uncle Orange and live a life in high society. While you enjoyed it at first, you started to miss your family back at Sweet Apple Acres. As I recall, Rainbow Dash’s first ever Sonic Rainboom ended up pointing straight back to Ponyville, and that was the push that convinced you to leave.” She waved a hoof at the three apples adorning Applejack’s flanks. “When you returned to Sweet Apple Acres, that’s when those appeared.”

Applejack sighed. “Yep, that’s what Ah told you. That’s what Ah tell everypony.”

Octavia gave a small start. “Wait, do you mean it’s not true?”

“No, it’s true alright, but it’s not the whole truth. Ah left for another reason besides wantin’ to live like a sophisticated pony.”

“And what was that?”

“Ah left Sweet Apple Acres because of what it reminded me of. Ah left a few months after my dad died.”

“Oh, I see…” Octavia uttered, her face softening to gaze at Applejack with understanding and sympathy. “You ran off to Manehatten because you could not deal with the passing of your parents.”

Applejack nodded. “In other words, Ah was a coward.”

“Now hold on a minute,” Octavia quickly protested, “you were just a filly back then, and I cannot imagine how awful it was to lose both of your parents at such a young age. You cannot blame yourself for not being able to handle the stress.”

Applejack turned towards her with a frown. “Even if it means abandonin’ my family? Octavia, Ah left Granny Smith and Big Mac all alone to take care of Apple Bloom and Sweet Apple Acres all by themselves because Ah was too weak.”

“You did not abandon your family. You just needed some time to cope with the passing of your parents so that you could move on with your life. If you really did abandon them, you would not have missed them so much and went back. If you did, you would have left and never looked back.”

Applejack slowly shook her head. “Ah shouldn’t have even left in the first place. There was still so much to do at Sweet Apple Acres. The worst part was that when my mom found out she was not goin’ to make it, she asked me to be a good big sister to Apple Bloom. Ah made a promise, and Ah almost broke it.”

“But you still kept it. I have never seen a filly look up to her sister as much as Apple Bloom does for you. You helped her grow up to be a fine little filly, and she absolutely adores you. You encourage her and make sure she gets everything she needs. She needs you.”

Applejack let out a heavy sigh. “Ah know. It’s just that Ah know Ah could do a whole lot better. She wants to grow up to be like me, but Ah made so many big mistakes in my life. She deserves better. Did any of us ever tell you about when Ah entered the Equestrian Rodeo Competition in Canterlot?”

Octavia’s eyes widened, and she asked in disbelief, “There was a rodeo competition in Canterlot?”

Applejack chuckled, a small respite from her somberness. “Around every two years or so. It actually attracts a lot of ponies from all over.”

Octavia let out a small huff. “Guess that shows how obsessed I was with my music if I did not know of such a big event in my own city.”

Applejack let out another brief chuckle before returning to a subdued look. “Anyway, this all took place before we met. The competition had all sorts of events, and each one had a cash prize awarded to the pony who placed first in that event. At the time, the town hall in Ponyville got banged up pretty badly by an accident, and Ah promised to donate any prize money Ah win.” She let out a sigh. “Everypony, especially Apple Bloom, were so proud of me, expecting that Ah would win them all. After all, Ah am the ten time Rodeo Champion of Ponyville.”

“I take it you didn’t do as well as everypony had hoped.”

Applejack looked away from Octavia. “Ah didn’t win a single dang event. No blue ribbon. No money. Nothing.”

“But you must have placed high in at least some events, right?”

“Ah did get a bunch of other ribbons, but that’s all they were. Ah was devastated, Ah ran away.”

Octavia gave a small gasp. “What?”

“Ah was too ashamed of my failures to face everypony back home, to go back emptyhoofed. Ah ended up goin’ to Dodge Junction to work for Cherry Jubilee, a cherry farmer Ah met at the competition, so that Ah could make some extra bits. Ah sent a letter back home, sayin’ that Ah wasn’t comin’ back yet, and the money would come later. Ah thought Ah could make things better if Ah got the money to repair the town hall from workin’ instead.”

“Wait a minute, Ponyville’s town hall is pretty big. I don’t know much about repair work, but I imagine it would take quite a hefty sum to fix a building of that size. How long were you planning to be away?”

Applejack shrugged. “Who knows? All Ah was thinkin’ about was makin’ money. Ah wasn’t thinkin’ clearly enough to look at the big picture. Who knows how long Ah would have been there if our friends didn’t show up at Dodge Junction a few days later. Too bad Ah was too stubborn to listen to them.

“When they asked me to go back with them, Ah still didn’t explain everythin’. Ah just said that Ah needed a change of scenery and would head back to Ponyville sometime later. They wouldn’t take no for an answer though, and Ah had to keep on brushin’ them off. That’s when they brought out the big guns. Long story short, they finally got me to confess after chimcherrychangas, kumquats, pickle barrels, and a wagon chase.”

Octavia stared at Applejack as though she was growing a horn and a pair of wings.

“Most of that was Pinkie.”

“Ah.” Octavia nodded understandingly.

“They helped me understand that even though Ah don’t always come out on top, that doesn’t mean the ponies that know me would see me as a failure. Ah vowed that Ah would do my best to talk to my friends and family more about my problems.” Applejack sighed. “Too bad old habits die hard. While Ah am better about that kind of stuff, some things were still too much for me to talk about. Well, until you came along.

“You were just a stranger to me, but once Ah got to know you a bit, Ah saw that you were a stubborn, determined pony that was feelin’ lost. Not just in your music, but with life in general. Ah kind of saw myself in you, and Ah wanted to help you. Ah never would’ve guessed how close we would have gotten.

“You listened to the troubles Ah don’t tell anypony else, and even got me to open up about my parents. Not once did you make me feel like Ah was weak or a failure. All you did was listen to me and help boost me back up. Ah really liked havin’ you around, and Ah could see you felt the same way about me. Ah was happy. You were happy. We had a good thing goin’ on.” Applejack’s gaze went down to her hooves as her voice dropped. “Then Ah had to go and ruin it because Ah was afraid.”

Octavia sighed as she also averted her gaze, choosing to set her eyes on Ponyville in the distance. “The changeling invasion showed how far I would go for you. It hurt to hear that you wanted us to go separate ways, but you wanted to protect me from myself. Even though it was the wrong way of handling the situation, your heart was in the right place.”

Applejack shut her eyes. “No… No it wasn’t,” she said, barely above a whisper.

Those words caused Octavia to look back at Applejack.

“When Ah told you that Ah did not want you in anymore danger, it wasn’t for your benefit… It was for mine,” confessed Applejack. “When you ended up in the hospital, when Ah thought you were seriously hurt, Ah realized somethin’. You and me… We were close… Really close… And that scared me.

“Even though all you got was a bump in the head, Ah got all crazy and worried about you,” Applejack continued. “Ah wasn’t kiddin’ when it felt like Ah was seein’ my mom again, even for a moment. It tore at my heart to see somepony Ah really cared about like that… When you told me your feelins’, Ah got to thinkin’. Ah lost it when Ah thought we were just good friends. What would happen if we became even closer? What would happen if you got hurt again? What would happen if the next time, you weren’t so lucky? Ah’m already all messed up because my parents passed away. Ah didn’t want to find out what would happen if you did as well, so Ah did the only thing Ah could think of. Ah pushed you away.

“Ah tried avoidin’ you to try and get you to not like me as much, but you kept chasin’ me. Ah knew Ah had to do somethin’ drastic, so Ah pretended that we had to take a break for your own good. Ah guilted you and manipulated your feelins’ so that you would let me go back to Ponyville by myself. Ah did it all in hopes that maybe if we did not get so close, it wouldn’t hurt as much in case somethin’ ever happens to you. A-ah should have never done all that.”

Applejack buried her head into her hooves. “A-ah’m sorry… You did nothin’ to deserve all the heartbreak and sorrow Ah caused you. Ah was weak and didn’t know what to do. Ah’m so sorry, Octavia!”

Octavia was glad that Applejack was not looking at her. Applejack’s words was a shock and had knocked the wind out of her. All the sorrow, all the waiting, and all the trials, it was because Applejack was afraid.

A mixture of emotions bubbled up from within her. Anger for being put through so much because of a fear. Relief from finally knowing the full reason behind their breakup that had been nagging her ever since. Pity for how Applejack was still bound to the memories of her parents’ passing.

The sound of Applejack’s quiet crying reached Octavia’s ears, breaking her out of her stupor. She saw that her friend’s body shook with each sob. Not yet knowing what to do, she acted on the first thing her body told her to do.

Octavia gently wrapped her hooves around Applejack and hugged her, not saying a single word. Almost immediately, she felt the tremors slowly die down. Only after they completely ceased did she back off.

“Y-you… You’re not angry with me?” Applejack quietly asked as she rubbed at her teary eyes.

“I don’t know,” Octavia answered. “Maybe a little. I’m still processing everything you had told me.”

“You would have every right to be after what Ah put you through. ”

Octavia sighed. “That I do. Not only did you try to break the bond we had built together, the resulting aftermath nearly destroyed my career. I was getting close to losing everything. I would be lying if I said I am completely alright with all this. Troubled as you were, I’m still shocked to know how far you went.”

“And yet here you are, huggin’ me and calmly talkin’ to me. Why is that?”

Octavia closed her eyes. After a few moments, she answered, “Because that is not what I want. For a long time, I thought that meant having a successful career and being the best so that you would leave your mark on the world. My time with you and the others taught me all those things don’t matter if you don’t have friends to share it with. Friends that would stay by your side no matter if you succeed or fail.” She opened her eyes and looked at Applejack. “The time I spent living in Ponyville was the happiest I have ever been for a long time. Like many other ponies, I simply just want to be happy. I can’t have that without my friends, and that includes you.”

Applejack gaped in awe. “Octavia… Ah… D-does that mean you forgive me?”

“On one condition.”

“Anythin’.”

“No more secrets.”

Applejack stared at Octavia for a few seconds before nodding. “No more secrets.”

Octavia let out a sigh of relief. While she was still concerned about Applejack’s behavior, she could not bring herself to be angry at her friend. She cared about Applejack, flaws and all. As the two of them gazed back out at the view, she felt her heart feel a bit lighter. Maybe now they can finally lay to rest the uneasiness that had formed between them since the royal wedding.

“Um… Octavia?”

“Yes, Applejack?”

“Ah know we agreed that there would be no more secrets, so Ah have to tell you, there is actually one last thing.”

Octavia felt herself flinch. While she was glad that Applejack was trying to be more open with her, given her friend’s track record with secrets, she could not help but feel a pang of trepidation.

“What is it?” Octavia quietly asked.

“Octavia, Ah…” Applejack trailed off before letting out a sigh. “Sorry,” she mumbled.

“Take your time,” said Octavia. “We can stay out here as long as we need.”

“Yeah,” Applejack replied as she closed her eyes, taking a series of deep breaths. When she opened her eyes again, Octavia noticed that Applejack seemed more determined, even though she could not exactly tell why.

“Look, all my life, Ah have kept a secret from my friends and family, thinkin’ that it would be easier on everypony,” Applejack began. “Ah took my parents’ passin’ really hard, and a lot of ponies that Ah cared about were worried sick about me. That’s why Ah decided to hide away my true feelins’. Ah didn’t want to be a burden. If ponies stopped worryin’, then they could move on with their lives, and then maybe Ah would be able to as well. But Ah never did. It was like a piece of myself was missin’, and nothin’ Ah could do could ever fix it. Sometimes, it got too much for me to keep inside, and Ah had to find a way to deal with it by myself. That’s when Ah started goin’ off to my parents’ old spot and playin’ my mom’s fiddle. Ah know it’s kind of dumb with all the effort Ah put in to try and get away from those memories, but sometimes, when Ah really let myself go, Ah could almost imagine them bein’ right there with me. Ah kept that secret for years, and then you came along and changed everythin’.

“When we started hangin’ out together and playin’ music together, for the first time, Ah didn’t feel as empty. Ah don’t know if it’s because Ah finally let my guard down, or if it’s because Ah was too busy havin’ fun with you. All Ah know is that it had somethin’ to do with you, and Ah liked it. And yet, that wasn’t enough for me to screw things up. Ah kept my secrets to myself for too long, so when it started inteferin’ with both of our lives, Ah didn’t know how to handle it. Maybe if we had more time or if Ah was stronger, things wouldn’t have fallen apart.”

Octavia stood still as Applejack inched towards her, reaching out with a hoof. She gave a shudder as the hoof gently touched her face. Looking into Applejack’s emerald eyes, she saw the sadness within them despite the small smile on her friend’s face.

“Applejack?” Octavia whispered.

“When we first met, you were like a flower bud,” Applejack replied, gently caressing Octavia’s face. “You just needed somepony to help you grow a bit, and Ah was fortunate enough to be the one to do that. Ah didn’t have to do much. You had so much potential. All Ah had to do was give you a little nudge, and in no time at all, you blossomed into such a beautiful, incredible mare. And you didn’t just stop there. You just kept growin’ and amazin’ me. You didn’t need me lookin’ after you anymore, and before Ah knew it, you were the one lookin’ out for me.”

Applejack’s smile faded as her hoof slowly slid off Octavia’s face. “Let’s face it, Octavia, Ah might be able to face many dangers, but when it comes to matters of the heart, Ah’m hopeless, and it makes me do stupid things. Ah’ve made many mistakes in my life, but Ah knew when to own up to them. Except for one. Octavia, turnin’ you down was the stupidest thing Ah have ever done. It’s not just because Ah hurt you, but it’s because Ah also lied to you.”

Octavia’s eyes shot wide open. “You… You lied to me?”

Applejack closed her eyes and hung her head, her voice quieting down that Octavia had to strain her ears a bit to continue listening. “Ah was afraid, so Ah lied to you.” She let out a hollow laugh. “Some Element of Honesty Ah am. Can’t be honest with myself. Can’t be honest with the one pony who loved me. Ah allowed my past to interfere with my, no… our future. Ah thought my secrets were lettin’ everypony happily live their lives, but now Ah see that it’s doin’ the exact opposite. Ah don’t want to keep hidin’ anymore. Not when it’s hurtin’ the pony Ah love.”

“Applejack, are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Octavia asked, feeling a knot in her stomach form. She watched as Applejack opened her eyes, a few tears escaping her, and looked directly into her own.

“Octavia Melody, Ah love you, and that is the honest truth.”

Applejack’s confession hit Octavia like a ton of bricks. It was the answer she had wanted long ago, but now that she got it, she did not know what to do with it. It came several months and one heart break too late.

And it changed everything.

“How long?” Octavia asked.

“Ah had a naggin’ feelin’ when Ah realized how strongly Ah felt for you when you were sent to the hospital. Ah didn’t act on it though, thinkin’ it was just because of the adrenaline. When you told me your feelins’, that’s when everythin’ came to light. That’s when Ah knew Ah felt the same way,” Applejack quietly answered, her gaze now no longer on Octavia. “Ah’m sorry for bringin’ this up. It’s not like Ah’m tryin’ to rub it in. Ah just thought you deserved to know the truth and that everythin’ you went through, it really was all my fault. None of it was your fault. You’re an incredible pony, and anypony would be lucky to have you. Ah was just too dumb to see that. Ah don’t deserve you, not after what Ah put you through.”

“But Applejack, I—”

“It’s alright, Octavia,” Applejack interrupted along with a sigh. “You don’t have to say anythin’. Ah know you probably don’t feel the same way anymore. Ah just hope that Ah can live up to bein’ a better friend to you.”

Octavia stayed silent, staring at Applejack. After a few moments, she walked over to her instrument case and took out an envelope from within before returning to her spot beside Applejack. Without saying a word, she placed the envelope on the stone barrier and slid it towards her.

“What’s this?” Applejack asked, picking up the object.

“Open it,” was all Octavia said back.

Applejack followed her instruction and pulled out a photo. She gazed at the picture for a minute before asking, “This… This is you and your parents, isn’t it?”

Octavia nodded. “It was taken before I moved to Canterlot to study music,” she explained as she looked at the memory of her younger self standing between her parents.

“You sure changed your manestyle since then, huh?” Applejack remarked, pointing at the gray mare who had her mane done up in a ponytail. “And no bowtie as well. A bit hard to imagine you without it.”

“I had to change. Appearances play a huge part in the music business, especially in Canterlot.”

“Ah can imagine. So, what are your parents like?”

Octavia pointed at the blue earth pony stallion with a black mane. “That’s Blueprint, my father. He’s an engineer of sorts and helps design things that would benefit the city in one way or another. As for what kind of pony he was, I would have to say he is a bit of a goof. He can be a bit clumsy at times. Not only that, but he likes to tell jokes, even though most of them are actually quite horrible. Still, he’s a good-hearted pony that always made time to spoil me.”

Shifting their attention to the earth pony mare with green fur and a long, orange mane, Octavia continued, “And that’s Penny Pinch, my mother. She works part time at a bank, spending the rest of her time at home to make sure my father and I were taken care of. She’s actually quite fussy and worries quite a lot. She can be a bit pushy at times when she wants things done a certain way, but once you get past that, she’s actually a really sweet mare.”

Applejack chuckled. “They sound great.”

“They are. I really do love them, and I try to visit them whenever I have a lot of downtime. In between, I write letters and send gifts back to them. It’s actually been quite a while since the last time I visited them, what with my music troubles and meeting you and the others. Maybe when everything has settled down, I’ll make the time to do just that, and if you wanted, you could along with me.”

Applejack gave a small jerk in surprise. “Me? Why me?”

Octavia smiled. “You’re really close to me, and I’m sure they would like to see the pony who had turned my life around.”

“In more ways than one,” Applejack added with a bit of a groan before adopting a small smile. “Still, that does sound nice. Ah… Ah would be honored.”

“I look forward to it.”

“So what brought this up? Don’t get me wrong, it was great to hear about your folks. Ah was just wondering why you wanted to show me this all of the sudden.”

“When we were preparing for the royal wedding, I remembered the photo of your whole family that you carried in your fiddle case. I liked the concept so much that I started carrying around that photo of my own family with me around.”

“I wanted to always be reminded of the ponies I love,” said Applejack. “In a ways, it’s sort of like you’re carryin’ around a small piece of them wherever you go.”

“And that’s the same reason I started doing it. Applejack, take another look inside the envelope. There’s actually another photo.”

“There is?” Applejack checked the envelope again, and sure enough, she pulled out a second photo. When she looked at it, her eyes shot wide open. “It’s.. It’s us…”

The picture was of Octavia and Applejack at the reception of the royal wedding. Octavia was clad in the white and violet dress that she performed in while Applejack was wearing her bridesmaid dress. The two of them them were smiling at the camera, standing side by side.

“H-how… Why… Why do you have this?” Applejack quietly asked, her eyes affixed to the photo.

“During our time apart, our friends sent a few letters to me, both to check up on me and ask what happened between the two of us. One of Pinkie’s letters just so happened to contain that very photo. I kept it because, like you said, it was a reminder of the ponies I love.”

“B-but that means you received it after Ah broke your heart. Why would you keep it so close to you… unless…” Applejack’s eyes somehow grew even wider as she slowly looked up from the picture. “Octavia… does… does that mean you still have feelins’ for me?”

Octavia sighed. “I have to admit that when I did first get that photo, I was tempted to throw it away. After all, it reminded me of all the great times we had together, and it made me miss you even more. And for that same reason, I kept it. Even though you broke my heart, it still longed for you.

“When Rainbow Dash wanted to bring me back to you and Apple Bloom, I did not know what to do. I both dreaded and hoped for the day that we would see each other again. What would happen? Would we make up and get back together, or would we end up doing something that would completely sever whatever ties we had left? What ultimately decided for me to go was when I remembered the promise I made to you on the night of your family reunion. That’s when I knew I had to go to you. That’s when I knew that I still had feelings for you. I wanted you to see this photo because I wanted to show that I still do care for you.”

“But you never said anythin’,” Applejack pointed out. “You didn’t ask about why Ah did what Ah did or told me you still felt that way about me. All this time Ah had thought you got over me.”

“Applejack, no offense, but I learned that you do not do well when you’re under a lot of stress. You were going through a difficult time coping with Apple Bloom’s illness. Did you really think you would have been able to talk about those things with a clear mind?”

Applejack’s head drooped a bit. “Ah… Ah guess not.”

“And that’s why I chose to tread carefully. I did not know how you would were going to react, so I kept on pushing everything to a later time and never brought up my feelings again. We were back together, and even though we were just friends, I was fine with that. Better to have you as a friend then nothing at all. I did not want to risk upsetting that.”

Applejack groaned as she brought a hoof to her face. “So because of me, you had to hide away your feelings. Ah can’t believe Ah messed up so bad that you’re afraid of bein’ honest with me. Look, Octavia, Ah really do appreciate all the concern, but we’re here now and openin’ our hearts to each other. Ah need to know, do you still love me?”

Octavia stared at Applejack for a few seconds before slowly nodding. “Yes, I do.”

Applejack drew a sharp breath. “Th-then does that mean you still want to marefriends?”

Again, Octavia waited a few seconds before nodding. “Yes, I do.”

A big smile broke out on Applejack’s face. “Th-that’s great! Octavia, Ah can’t believe—”

“But…”

Applejack blinked as her smile faded away. “But?”

Octavia bit her lip. “Applejack, I really do love you, and I do want us to be together, but after what happened back at the royal wedding, after what I have been through, and after what you just told me tonight, I have to ask you one thing.”

“What is it? Ah’ll tell you anythin’.”

“What’s stopping you from running away from me again?”

All Applejack could do was silently stare back at her. She could almost see Applejack’s heart freeze at her question.

“I’m sorry, Applejack,” Octavia apologized. “Nothing would make me happier to accept you, but at the same time, I can’t just ignore your past actions. I don’t want to get hurt again. What’s going to happen the next time we hit a bump in the road? It’s not fair to you or me if I’m not able to fully commit to our relationship, so please, tell me something so that I know I don’t have to be afraid.”

“Octavia… Ah…” Applejack closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Ah don’t know what is the right thing to say.”

Octavia’s heart dropped. “Nothing?”

Applejack shook her head and brought a forehoof to her chest, right over her heart. “All Ah can do is tell you honestly what’s in my heart and hope that is enough.

“Octavia, you have every reason to doubt me. Ah made a lot of mistakes with you and caused you a lot of worry and pain, but please know that Ah would never hurt you intentionally. Ah let my fears guide my actions, but that’s not goin’ to happen anymore. Ah am not goin’ to run anymore. Ah don’t want to. Ah don’t need to. All Ah need is you. You give me the hope and courage to move on with my life, and Ah want to spend the rest of it with you. Ah love you with all my heart, and Ah’ll be damned if Ah ever do anythin’ to ruin that.

“On the night of my family reunion, when Ah revealed the cause of all my sorrow, you promised me that you would be there for me whenever Ah needed you. Now, it is my turn.” Applejack grasped one of Octavia’s hooves into her two forehooves. “Octavia, Ah give you my word that Ah will always be there for you. Even if you turn me down now, Ah will stay by your side and keep on tryin’ until you accept me.”

“And if it doesn’t work out between us?” Octavia asked.

“Then we go back to bein’ friends. It doesn’t matter what we are, from here on out, we’re stayin’ together. You are the best thing to happen to me, and Ah will not let you go again.”

Octavia gazed into the emerald pools of Applejack’s eyes, seeing nothing but sincerity and love. No longer was there any hint of the sorrow or loneliness that she sometimes saw instead. At that instance, Octavia knew that Applejack was speaking the truth of her heart.

“Okay then,” Octavia said softly as she smiled, the fear and worry that lingered around her heart melting away. “I believe you. Applejack, will you be my marefriend?”

Octavia only got a glimpse of the biggest smile she ever saw on Applejack’s face before she was swept up into a hug from her friend, or rather, marefriend.

“Thank you, Octavia! Ah promise that Ah won’t mess this up,” Applejack exclaimed as she continued to tightly squeeze her.

Amidst their smiles and giggles, Octavia felt a euphoria that she had never felt before. After everything the two of them had been through, they were finally going to take the next step and cement the bond that they shared. She could only imagine what awaited them in the future. As she was absorbed in her thoughts and the moment, she was quickly brought back to reality when Applejack’s lips suddenly met her own.

Octavia’s eyes bulged open, and she felt her cheeks burning red. As quickly as it came, it ended when Applejack hastily pushed herself away. Their kiss only lasted a second, but it left Octavia almost breathless.

“A-Ah’m sorry!” Applejack apologized loudly with a huge blush on her cheeks. “A-Ah was just so happy, a-and Ah wasn’t thinkin’. Ah shouldn’t have done that, and it was bad.”

“Uh…”

“No, wait!” Applejack cried out, frantically waving her hooves in front of her. “Ah didn’t mean the kiss was bad. You’re a great kisser! Best one Ah ever had!”

Despite still being a little bit dazed from the kiss, Octavia could not help but raise an eyebrow at the excuse.

Applejack’s eyes grew wide. “Not that Ah was ever with anypony else! Our kiss was the best because there was nothin’ to compare it to!”

Octavia’s eyebrow rose even higher.

The color on Applejack’s coat started to match her brother’s. “No! Ah really did like it a lot, but Ah swear it was an accident and… and…” Applejack’s babbling calmed down when she saw that Octavia was covering her mouth with a hoof, stifling a laugh. “And you just want to see how deep of a hole Ah can dig for myself, don’t you?”

“Guilty,” Octavia confessed with a giggle. “I couldn’t help it. It’s been a long time since we joked around with each other.”

“That’s true, huh? Even though you came back to me at the hospital in Ponyville, we’ve been too busy with Apple Bloom to really enjoy our time together. Ah do miss all the times we were just enjoyin’ each other’s company.”

“Then here’s hoping a speedy recovery for her. For all of our sakes.”

Applejack smiled and nodded.

Octavia could not get rid of the smile on her face if she tried. She and Applejack were marefriends. This was the best night of her life, and she wished she could draw out this moment as long as she could. Alas, the hour was getting late, and they would eventually have to make their way back to the hospital. Still, there was time left for her to do one more thing.

“So,” Octavia said a few moments later, “you enjoyed the kiss, right?”

“Y-yea,” Applejack replied, a small blush returning to her face.

“But it was just an accident.”

“Yea.”

“Then let’s make sure the next one counts,” Octavia stated, throwing caution to the wind.

“What do you mean by—mmpfh!” Applejack was silenced when Octavia closed her eyes and quickly leaned in, engaging them in another kiss. It took only a second before Applejack closed her eyes as well and returned the gesture.

Their kiss was gentle, one made up of love and affection, rather than passion and lust. Octavia wrapped her hooves around Applejack’s neck, and she felt Applejack did the same around her own, pressing them even closer together. The cool air of the night was staved off by the warmth they shared with each other.

The concept of time was lost upon Octavia as she continued to lock lips. All that mattered was the pony in front of her. She could feel the faint thumps of Applejack’s heart, beating in time with her own. They were joined together as one. Everything she had been through, it was all worth it for this very moment.

After what seemed like forever, the two of them slowly pulled away from each other at the same time and gazed longingly into each other’s eyes.

“Wow,” both of them breathed out at the same time, followed by a soft chuckle.

“Ah don’t think Ah’ll be forgettin’ that anytime soon,” Applejack remarked.

All Octavia replied with was a nod and a nuzzle.

They shared another hug before finally releasing their hold on one another.

“We should get back,” said Octavia as she moved to pick up her instrument case. “It really is getting late.”

“Yea, Ah guess we should,” Octavia heard Applejack say. “But…”

“Is there something else, Applejack?” Octavia asked, turning back to Applejack.

“Five more minutes?” Applejack asked. “Could we… Could we stay here for five more minutes? We don’t know what lies ahead, so if possible, Ah want to enjoy this night just a little bit longer.”

“Of course,” Octavia obliged. She and Applejack made their way back to the stone barrier. Once they were situated, they leaned into each other. As they enjoyed the sights and each other, she heard Applejack whisper out one last thing.

“Thank you, Octavia… For giving me a second chance.”

Comments

[Siras-chi]

36 Chapters. That has got to be at close to if not the record.

[Kevinltk]

5469778
I'm sure there's plenty of stories with more than that lol.

[Shadow Night]

This is what I had been hoping for throughout the entire arc. I had hoped they would finally end up together. I can't wait to see how this goes from here

[Siras-chi]

5469899
I meant from start to kiss though you're Wright about there being longer ones now that I think about it.

[Sea_Swirl]

YAY!! it took a while but you made the Boo Boo's all better!!!

[Rexus]

ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, my shipping needs have been meet. We will be set sailing soon but first were gonna load the like/friendship cannons.

Prepare the cannons

all cannons ready to go.

Thanks Captain Twilight. Fire On my mark.

3. 2. 1. Love and Tolerance!!!

[Rexus]

Oh Crap i already liked this... Good job tripping me up.

[Satto Kez]

Oh my... this story... my heart...
I love this so much!

[Fox-Sama]

wooo!! YES!!! THEY DID IT!!!!! APPLE BLOOM IS GOING TO LOVE THIS!!1

[Swissy]

Da feels.
DA FEEELLLLLLSSSSSSSS

[Little Patch Dreamer]

Awwww that was beautiful! :,) You know? I realize that those two don't have fun or shared a single laugh since FOREVER... so seeing them happy now, not only confessing, but sharing those little moments is very heartwarming :D

[Crescent Glaive]

You sir...

...

....Are one of theBEST DAMN writers i know of
You are a real master with emotional stories and i buckin love this story with all of my heart
One point i'm at the verge of tears and more often than not i fall of the verge and breakdown cause it just is so great...
But next i know that i am full of joy and happiness cause the story is so vast and it goes both ways in a way that is amazing and i love that style somuch
You just keep doing it cause it is simply AWESOME

[Bad_Seed_72]

That. Was. Worth. Every. Minute.

i.imgur.com/rmRrLcr.gif

[DiscountDiscord]

... I think that about sums it up.

[Nox Knock Jokes]

“A-Ah’m sorry!” Applejack apologized loudly with a huge blush on her cheeks. “A-Ah was just so happy, a-and Ah wasn’t thinkin’. Ah shouldn’t have done that, and it was bad.”

“Uh…”

“No, wait!” Applejack cried out, frantically waving her hooves in front of her. “Ah didn’t mean the kiss was bad. You’re a great kisser! Best one Ah ever had!”

Despite still being a little bit dazed from the kiss, Octavia could not help but raise an eyebrow at the excuse.

Applejack’s eyes grew wide. “Not that Ah was ever with anypony else! Our kiss was the best because there was nothin’ to compare it to!”

Octavia’s eyebrow rose even higher.

The color on Applejack’s coat started to match her brother’s. “No! Ah really did like it a lot, but Ah swear it was an accident and… and…” Applejack’s babbling calmed down when she saw that Octavia was covering her mouth with a hoof, stifling a laugh. “And you just want to see how deep of a hole Ah can dig for myself, don’t you?”

Octavia you sly pony...

“Then let’s make sure the next one counts,” Octavia stated, throwing caution to the wind.
“What do you mean by—mmpfh!”

Two strong, love-filled kisses right after starting a strong stronger relationship.

Dayum, changelings would be jealous.

[erictheblue]

Octavia stared at Applejack as though she was growing a horn and a pair of wings.

[HeartfireFirebrand]

Octavia stared at Applejack as though she was growing a horn and a pair of wings.

“Most of that was Pinkie.”

“Ah.” Octavia nodded understandingly.

Pinkie is the answer that makes weird normal.