Half Hour Horses: Legacy Prompts

by HoofAndQuill

LP28: This Won't End Well [Romance, Slice of Life]

The Prompt: This won't end well...

Time limit was somewhere in the last quarter or so. Didn't quite turn out as I'd hoped, but not bad I think.

This won't end well.

That thought never quite left the back of Rarity's mind as she watched her friend- her marefriend now, she supposed, run another practice lap around the improvised training track on Sweet Apple Acres. Rarity had every intention of doing her absolute best to try to make things work out, but... well. Even here, just a week in, she was standing in the dirt, watching Applejack grunt and sweat as she charged around a muddy track. Watching Applejack push bales of hay with her head. Watching Applejack hoot and holler and yee-haw as she trained for the upcoming trip.

Rarity shouted out as Applejack rounded the corner and passed her position, just a few seconds faster than her previous lap. She wasn't above her own sort of excitement about the rodeo. Everypony liked competition, of course, and seeing Applejack happy did make her happy as well. She absolutely would not allow Applejack to be the more supportive friend in this endeavor, and besides, there was a bit of an allure to seeing Applejack all athletic and, yes, even sweaty.

Rarity cleared her throat even though she wasn't speaking aloud.

The point was, Rarity was hardly looking forward to a day spent in Canterlot, rubbing shoulders with hundreds of... 'rustic' ponies, dodging the brims of stetson hats, being surrounded by the smells of work and exertion, and standing in the hot sun watching ponies- even if those included Applejack- running in circles, jumping over logs, or throwing hay around. Silly little games in the mud, no matter how important they were to Applejack, were still silly little games in the mud.

Besides, Applejack would do well with or without Rarity there.

Still, Rarity cheered as Applejack cleared the final hurdle again. She smiled when Applejack came trotting up to her in exhaustion, and she even managed to keep her smile there when the sweaty, muddy mare threw a foreleg around her to hug her close. Showers did exist, after all.

But... this wouldn't end well.

---

This ain't gonna end well.

Applejack kept a transparently faked smile on her lips as Rarity blathered on about some fancy-pants sort of ball or another in Canterlot. It wasn't that she wasn't happy to have finally got the girl. Wasn't that at all. Applejack couldn't be happier. But when she started going on about dresses, and dances, and what kind of jewelry and tiaras goes with what kind of slippers and hair ribbons, Applejack just couldn't help but glaze over.

The back fifty in the corn field was coming up on harvest time. She still hadn't slopped the pigs.

Rarity was looking at her, and not speaking. Applejack fumbled only a moment. "Huh? Oh, sure, Sugar. Sounds good."

Rarity's smile changed just a little, and an irritated crease appeared on her brow, but in a moment it was gone. Applejack couldn't help feeling a pang of guilt at being caught not paying attention. Rarity started speaking again without admonishing her, talking about an opera showing she wanted to attend while they were in Canterlot. It was formal, of course, so Applejack would need a gown, and the tickets were by no means cheap, though Rarity wouldn't mind paying. She would prefer matching gowns, though their coat colors didn't quite allow for it, save if she did some work with...

Cider season was coming up in a month or two. Going to need to wash out the barrels, and Big Mac's going to need a reminder to work up on his running if he's going to power the press. Apple Bloom was going to be too busy with school to help out much with bucking apples, and--

"Right, Sugar. I've still got my gala dress. You know I wouldn't throw out anythin' you made for me." Applejack nuzzled against Rarity's mane in the way she'd been shown to; the way that wouldn't mess up the styling. Rarity gave her a polite little giggle, the kind that still send a little thrill up her spine. It was kind of deceptive, pretending that she had really been paying attention, but it was the polite thing to do. Maybe Rarity was rubbing off on her more than she thought.

But the back fifty was coming up for harvest.

And this still wasn't gonna end well.

---

Applejack and Rarity sat together on one of the many balconies at Canterlot Castle, a private balcony attached to their suite. The stars were out, and this far above the city you could see them as plainly as anywhere in Equestria. The night was almost silent, save for the faint bustle of Canterlot far below them, and the rustle of wind blowing around this far off the ground.

The rodeo today had gone well enough, Applejack reckoned. She'd won a blue ribbon in the bale toss, and a fair number of other winnings here and there across the board. Her family would be pleased as punch, and she'd even managed just a bit of money to take home. 'Course, Rarity'd spent the afternoon being jostled around in a crowd full of farmers, and her hooves had ended up all dusty. The completely ridiculous getup she'd been wearing was ten kinds of ruffled up and dirtied, and Applejack wasn't fool enough to believe Rarity when she said it was fine. Rarity had even made a bit of a face when Applejack replaced her fallen flowery straw hat with her own dusty, sweaty stetson.

Though, Rarity was still wearing the hat, even after taking off the rest of her clothes.

Applejack pulled the mare close with a foreleg, leaning her head against Rarity's neck, and hoping that the mess yesterday at the Opera had been forgiven.

Rarity smiled at the nuzzling, and her horn glowed softly as she pulled the thin blanket around them both.

The opera visit had gone splendidly, if anypony were to ask. She and Applejack had made a stunning pair in her custom-made gowns, and the hours spent working on the perfect colors to both match with their coats and compliment the other gown had been well-spent, in Rarity's mind. The performance itself was of course excellent, and Rarity could still remember perfectly the shining look in Applejack's eyes as she took in her first true opera.

Of course, she'd spent the first half of the performance fidgeting in her gown, and fussing with her mane as the rarely-styled hair refused to cooperate for long. She'd also had the gall, at the end of the show, to interrupt the polite applause of hooves against hooves with a very inelegant and country shout of approval. Rarity wasn't above noticing the applause faltering in the combined surprise of the entire hall. Applejack's face had worn a look of shame for just a moment or two before a much less naturally country shout came from Fancy Pants, in his balcony opposite theirs. Fleur Lis Dee looked mortified, but Fancy Pants' mark of approval soon had the crowd all cheering like the opera had been some sort of sporting event.

Applejack's face had brightened when Rarity couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the nobleponies all hooting and cheering like farmers, and Rarity supposed that was enough.

But that was yesterday, and the rodeo was hours ago. Now they sat together in the slightly chilly night air, and looked up at the stars above them. Applejack moved one foreleg, resting her hoof lightly on Rarity's, and Rarity smiled.

This might not end well. But maybe it was worth it, for as long as they could stay together.