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I Must Have Her1,072 words
She Drives Me Crazy1,779 words
But I Messed Up2,423 words
Can I Fix It?2,795 words
Please Don't Leave Me3,258 words

Please Don't Leave Me

The Apple family, steeped in tradition, would start each day almost exactly the same. Despite all these years of repetition in regards to breakfast that was made by Granny Smith, Applejack would normally feel comfortable and happy to be around her family as they ate mountains of pancakes smothered in maple syrup, drank pitchers of fresh apple juice and merrily discussed the days chores and its allocation to what member.

On this particular morning on the other hoof she certainly did not feel this way, considering the events of the past twenty four hours still weighing heavily upon her conscious, thus firmly affixing her attention upon the stack of untouched pancakes that was growing colder by the minute.

Ah’m gonna go to the library and Ah’m gonna say what it is Ah meant.

Then Ah can get kindly rejected and then everythin’ will be back to normal.

Applejack barely registered the eerily quiet atmosphere surrounding the kitchen table or the quizzical glances of Big Macintosh and Granny Smith.

Even Applebloom was being unusually quiet; especially considering when under normal circumstances, Applebloom would had been running off her mouth on potential ideas in her never ending quest to achieve cutie mark, asking the rest of the family for their own ideas to help her.

Lifting her eyes up from her pancakes, Applejack noted Applebloom staring forlornly at her pancakes, almost mirroring Applejack’s own dejected posture.

“Ya’ll alrigh’ younin’?” Granny Smith inquired towards Applebloom as she ate a chunk of pancake, catching the attention of Big Macintosh as he poured his family each a glass of apple juice.

“Nothing,” muttered the stroppy filly, lifting a hoof up to poke her pancakes and push it away from her.

But Applejack knew the truth behind her sister’s demeanor.

After all, she in not so many words ‘nicely’ threaten her younger sibling and told her she would essentially buck her right across Sweet Apple Acres if she ever uttered a single word written from her diary to a anypony.

Applejack even went as far as forcing Applebloom to Pinkie Promise, twice, just to be on the safe side, for as we all know, no one ever breaks a Pinkie Promise.

Especially twice.

Ah didn’ mean to take it out on her but, dang nabit! She was readin’ my journal! She had no right to be in my room and Ah certinaly don’ need to feel guilty for reprimanding her.

Granny Smith lightly tapped a hoof on the table. “Poppycock! Ah kn-know tha’ look an’ it d-don’t mean you’re fine.”

“Ayep,” nodded Big Macintosh as he settled back to his place at the table, chomping on down on some pancake.

“Ah’m fine, Granny, Ah promise. Ah’m just not tha’ hungry today, that’s all.”

But what Ah said…

Ah had no right to treat her the way Ah did…

...she looks so sad.

What have Ah done?

Why am Ah just screwin’ everything up lately?

Guilty from the fiasco with Twilight, now mixed with a heavy guilt that she had wounded the feelings of her younger sister, Applejack sighed and leant forward a touch across the table to place a hoof atop Applebloom’s head.

“Ah’m sorry everypony. It’s my fault. Ah caught her in my room when Ah came home last night and Ah overreacted. Ah might had said something pretty hurtful things. Ah’m so sorry Applebloom, but Ah was having a right ol’ terrible day an’ I took it out on you.”

Ah’m a horrible sister.

No.

A horrible pony.

The eldest of the Apple Family blinked between the two. “Ya’ll two be arugin’ over s-something silly again? Now ya’ll two girls m-make up. No point dwellin’ over silly siblin’ argu-uh-ahm-arguments.”

Ah think Ah know how to win her over.

Applebloom, Ah mean…

Ah can’t even begin to imagine how in Equestria Ah’m gonna win Twi’ over.

Pigs will sooner fly an’ Discord will stop being a pain in our flank by that time.

Applejack smiled softly towards her younger sibling. “Can ya’ll find it in your heart to forgive your big sis’? Ah really Ah’m so very sorry, “Applejack stood up and made her way around the table to stand next to her sister, “how about we go on over to Sugarcube Corner an’ get those sweets ya’ll be eyein’ up all week? Would you like that?”

As Applebloom hazarded a glance up, Applejack noted her sister found no solace in her words. The young filly simply got up from the table, excused herself with a mumble and simply walked out of the kitchen with her head hung low, leaving the rest of the Apple Family in an awkward state of silence that beheld two sets of eyes upon the eldest sister.

Applejack returned Granny’s and Mac’s stern glare with a sigh. “... Ah’m gonna go talk to her. M’sorry Granny for ruining breakfast, but it was very delicious. Excuse me.”

Even if I didn’ get to eat a bite of it… sorry, Granny.

Eesh, Ah can almost feel their eyes burrowin’ into the back of my head.

Applejack left the kitchen in hot pursuit of her sister, choosing not to look back at the two ponies she could only surmise were quite perplexed at the situation.

Upon entering the hallway Applejack craned her head up towards the thuds coming from the stairs as Applebloom trudged her way up them, quite evidently sulking.

“Applebloom! Please, Ah’m sorry for shoutin’ at ya like tha—”

A knock on the front door of the Apple Family household gave Applejack pause, blinking her emerald eyes upon the portal for a moment before looking back to the still retreating Applebloom that had made it to the upstairs landing.

“We’ll talk later okay, sis’?”

With no reply to her heartfelt promise, Applejack sighed.

When a second series of knocks came, Granny Smith called from the kitchen over a crescendo of plates and cutlery being washed up and stored away.

“Applejack, can ye answer that door? It might be ye—um, oh, tha’ Filthy Rich fellow fer another batch of our Zap Apple pies!”

Great… back to work Ah go… no rest for the wicked an’ all that.

Sighing yet again, though this time in frustration at the mere concept of having to speak with a stallion she barely could tolerate; considering he was the father to that spoiled brat Diamond Tiara.

Applejack knew all too well that little filly was the biggest bully in Applebloom’s school, so naturally, Applejack blamed Filthy for his excessive need to spoil his little ‘princess’ and turn her into such a creature.

Placing on her business winning smile and adjusting her stetson, Applejack approached the front door nearby and opened it.

“Howdy, how can I help—” Applejack gawked at the mare standing in the doorway or more notably how she was smothered from head to hoof in mud, “—you… Trixie?”

What in Tartarus does she want?

“Ahem.” Trixie lifted her muzzle up, displaying annoyance at the lack of her great and powerful title, though she seemed rather subdued in her attempt to correct the mistake. “Hello again Applesack—”

Applejack almost growled. “Applejack,” she corrected with a glare, “an’ what do you want, Trixie? Twi might have forgiven ya for what you almost did to Ponyville, but Ah sure as hay have not.”

Applejack further noted the lack of the show mare’s own signature hat and the disarrayed state of her prized cloak torn to shreds. She lifted a brow, though merely said nothing in regards to it.

Trixie cleared her throat. “I do apologize for parting on bad terms, Applejack, but… Trixie has come to ask if you have seen a yellow mare flying over your orchard this morning from the direction of Ponyville?”

“Excuse me?” Applejack tilted her head.

Trixie frowned. “Orange mane? Pretty quick?”

Why do Ah know that description?

Isn’t that somepony in th’ Wonderbolts Rainbow Dash goes on about?

“Ah don’ think so,” Applejack eyed Trixie suspiciously, “why?”

Trixie’s reaction caused Applejack to actually care and further question the mare, as she became rather bashful and somewhat skittish.

Is Trixie blushing?

“Trixie is merely… um… looking for this mare to—uh—yes! To return her the ten bits she borrowed from me a week ago when she attended one of my great and simply fantastic displays at Canterlot!”

Applejack’s expression faltered. “Ya’ll do realize that made no sense, righ’? An Ah can also kinda tell you’re lying to me.”

After a pause, Trixie replied indignantly, stammering slightly over her words. “Y-yes it did make sense! And no I am not lying! Do not attempt to insinuate the Great and Powerful—”

“Alright, Trixie, Ah don’ know what kinda trick you’re trying to pull here, but Ah sure as hay ain’t gettin’ involved nor am Ah in the mood. Ya’ll have a good day now, you hear? And get off my family’s property while you’re at it.”

Attempting to close the door, Applejack’s attempt was seized by a hoof jammed in the crack, followed by Trixie’s head squeezing through it to semi-intrude into her home.

“Wait! Please! Trixie is not trying to trick anypony this time! Trixie swears her life on it! I… I just need to find her!”

Applejack gawked at Trixie’s tenacity, and, of course, the rather desperate expression she displayed. It rendered her somewhat speechless, though one question did come to mind. “Okay, why, exactly?”

“I...” Trixie swallowed hard. “That is to say, Trixie…” Applejack could almost smell the truth coming out of the mare; it was teetering upon the tip of her tongue and just when Applejack thought she would finally hear the truth…

“Needs to get her autograph?” Trixie reasoned with a nervous smile.

Mercilessly, Applejack placed a hoof onto Trixie’s muzzle, pushing the mare beyond the crack in the door and slammed it shut once she was safely out of the way.

“Th’ nerve of that mare!” Applejack cried in exasperation, “Lyin’ straight to my face not once, but twice!”

It’s not like ya’ll recent track record trumps that, AJ…

“Who was it?” Shouted Granny from the kitchen.

“Jus’ a vagrant trying to sell us stuff.” Applejack replied with a raised voice.

“Ehhhh? Speak up! Ah can barely hear ye!”

Applejack placed a hoof upon her face. “It was nothing, Granny!” She shouted louder this time.

“Oooooooooooh! Okay!”

Applejack turned from the door towards the stairs to return to her original intention in salvaging what she could from her dejected little sister, but was stopped yet again by another knock upon that infernal front door.

You have got to be kiddin’ me!

Irritated beyond imagination, Applejack spun around and flung the door open a little too violently than was required.

“Damn it! Ah told ya to go away!”

Applejack’s eyes widened as her angry snort hitched in her throat as she stood petrified at the door.

Twilight Sparkle stood before her looking a little startled, if not a little hurt at Applejack’s outburst. “Oh… I didn’t… I’m sorry, I’ll go, maybe this was a bad time?”

As the lavender mare turned to depart, Applejack sprung into action and quickly stepped onto the porch, closing the door behind her as she did so.

“W-wait! Ah didn’ mean to shout at you, Twi’... it’s just we’ve been havin’ some… pretty strange ponies knockin’ on the door recently and it is jus’ startin’ to get to me, that’s all. Ah apologize if Ah startled you.”

Well, Ah technically didn’ lie there, but it still don’ feel righ’.

Twilight smiled sincerely back at Applejack, nodding her head with a slight giggle. “That’s okay, Applejack. I get door-to-door salesponies as well. They can be quite infuriating at times and very much obtrusive in their jobs, so I understand.”

Okay… this is my chance.

Granny, Mac and ‘Bloom are all inside an’ the walls are pretty thick, so...

It’s now, or never!

Rubbing at her neck, Applejack avoided Twilight’s eyes as a fierce blush overwhelmed her face. “Listen, Twi’... about th’ other day…”

The lavender's smile faltered, but remained nonetheless. “That is what I came here to talk to you about. You left so suddenly you never gave me a chance to process what happened.”

“Y-yeah… sorry, Twi’, Ah jus’ kind of needed to run away, you know? Ah felt like what Ah d-did to you was…”

Why is my mouth so dry?

Ah’m gettin’ nervous.

Don’ stop, AJ.

You have to get through this.

Blinking, Applejack looked to the hoof that was gently nestled upon her shoulder. Bringing up her gaze, she stared deep into the amethyst coloured eyes gazing lovingly back at her.

And she lost herself in them.

Those pools of crystal, so magnificent in their formation of hues; mixed with pinks and purples to elude to the colour of glorious amethyst at a distance… but up close?

It was all so captivating.

And just like before, she felt her lips longing to press against Twilight’s mouth once more and to taste those Palma Violets.

Ah… want to kiss her again… so badly.

“It’s okay, Applejack. I understand completely.”

That brought Applejack straight out of her admiration of Twilight’s eyes, shaking her head a touch to shake away the spell she was knowingly placed under.

“Y-you do?” Applejack tried not to sound too disbelieving, but the concept that Twilight understood what the kiss meant was...

Does that mean, she liked the kiss?

Does that mean—Ah have to be dreamin’.

This better not be a dream or Ah’m gonna buck somethin’ real hard when I wake up!

Twilight blushed as she looked away, lowering her hoof from Applejack as she shifted nervously on the spot. “I’m just so glad you came out to me. I didn’t realize you were… um… that way inclined… I always figured you were into stallions.”

Does that mean what Ah think it means?

Is she into mares, too?

Excitement pumped her blood so quick around Applejack’s body, it practically pulsated in her ears and throat. She could barely contain her smile. “N-no! To be honest, Ah’ve…”

Don’ cry, AJ! Hold it in!

Ah know ya’ll happy righ’ now but hold it in!

“Ah’ve always felt this way,” Applejack whispered softly, “for a long time now, an’ it’s just so good to finally know that you understand my feelings.”

Twilight shook her head and took a step closer to Applejack. “You should had come to me sooner, Applejack. I didn’t realize you were carrying this burden with you for so long. You hid it so well and... do any of the other girls know about this?”

Applejack merely shook her head, her mind whirling with thoughts as Twilight drew closer.

A lusty sensation captivated her heart and for one split second, Applejack imagined herself taking Twilight Sparkle there and then in front of her home for all to see.

Whoa there nelly, hold it together, AJ, go slow now.

Slow an’ steady wins the race!

Twilight smiled lovingly to Applejack. “There’s no need to hide it, or be embarrassed about it, Applejack. It’s a wonderful thing and you should show it as proudly as you love your family. If there is anything I have learnt from meeting you girls, it is that no matter who you are or what you have done, I will always love you no matter what.”

She… she said it.

Tears streamed down Applejack’s cheeks.

She loves me.

Lifting a trembling hoof towards the smiling though somewhat concerned visage of her friend’s face, Applejack placed it upon her muzzle and quickly drew in for a kiss and connected with Twilight’s lips.

It was short lived.

Twilight, alarmed by the kiss, quickly placed her hooves up in between them, “W-w-w-wait! W-what are you doing?”

Applejack blinked, perplexed. “Ah’m… kissin’ you?”

Twilight took a step back, her face beet red. “B-but that is something special someponies do!”

“B-but, Ah thought ya said you loved me?” Applejack inquired as she took a step forward.

“As friends! I didn’t mean it like that!” Twilight placed a hoof to her lips, “I… I didn’t mean to mislead you into thinking that… oh, Applejack, did you think that I…”

An awkward silence befell to the two and it lasted for several minutes before Applejack lowered her gaze from the stunned Twilight Sparkle to stare at her own hooves.

“Oh.” Was all the farm pony had mustered, looking as dejected as her sister; if not more so, as tears began to fall.

A gasp elicited from Twilight, as if something at just dawned on her. “Applejack the reason why you kissed me before wasn't just because you were into mares, was it?”

Applejack simply gnawed on her lower lip to prevent herself from sobbing openly. She turned her head away and clenched her eyes shut.

This isn’t how it is supposed to happen!

Twilight whispered in disbelief. “You love me, don’t you?”

“Twi’... I…” Applejack’s voice cracked, and she clammed up just in time to stop herself from crying over what was her broken heart.

Behind Applejack, the door opened and out came Big Macintosh, looking quite confused, evidently drawn to the raised voices. “Hm? Is everything alright?”

Ah have to get away!

Applejack barged past her brother and up the stairs, running at full gallop to escape Twilight Sparkle and the impossibly stupid scenario her own hopes and dreams put her in.

Ah never should had kissed her!

Applejack ran into her room as she heard another set of hooves chasing her.

“Applejack!”

Ah’m so stupid to think Ah even had a chance!

Turning, she bucked the door closed and pressed herself up against it as a desperate array of knocks came along Twilight Sparkle’s pleading voice .

“Applejack, please open up!”

Leave me alone!

“G-go away!” Applejack sobbed, unable to restrain her emotions any longer.

“Please, Applejack!” Twilight’s voice trembled, as if she too was ready to break down as well. “We can talk about this! If we just sit and down talk, I am sure we can—”

“Go away! P-please!”

Stop torturin’ me with your voice!

“Applejack! I’m your friend! Can you just—”

“I hate you!”

W-what am Ah sayin’?

“Y-you don’t mean that,” Twilight replied, her voice pained as if she had just sustained an injury, “Applejack, you don’t mean—”

“Ah-Ah don’t want to be your friend anymore!”

How do Ah constantly screw this up?

Why can’t Ah have the one Ah love?!

Why can’t it be easy?!

As silence soon followed, Applejack could just about hear an erratic, shaken breathing coming from behind the door just barely audiable above her own sobs, to which tried desperately to restrain in vain with her hooves.

“O-okay…” Twilight said, her voice unusually calm. "I-I’ll go.”

If Applejack’s heart could had bled harder, it would had done.

Upon hearing Twilight’s departure and her hoofsteps growing faint, the finality of the front door closing downstairs caused Applejack to restrain her grief as best she could until she could no longer resist it.

She wailed.

Author's Note:

I suppose I better apologize for the length of time between posts of this story, but I did not expect it to be so hard to write as I did. Romance or drama like this isn't exactly my strong aspect.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope I at least managed to get some feels in you to stir.

Leave a like thumbs up, down, left right, a comment or another form of flame or praise below!

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