The Eyes of the Beholder

by BrinnyTheBrave

Chapter 5

Apple Jack trotted at a brisk pace, on the familiar route to Dusk and Barbara's new home. No more denying and hiding from his feelings, he was a stallion, and today he would confess his love. He secretly prayed to Solaris that she would feel the same way. They were friends, that was true, but he was sure that there was something more.

A stallion with a rainbow mane stopped him in his tracks.

"Hey AJ!" Blitz said, wearing a cocky grin on his face.

"Hey Rainbow Blitz, listen, not now okay? Ah'm kinda in the middle of something." AJ said with a tone of urgency. Blitz didn't seem to care.

"Yeah yeah, that's nice. So… guess what?"

"And Ah'm supposed to say 'what?' huh?" AJ groaned in frustration. Well, something seemed to have Blitz worked up, so he was probably going to hear about it from him sooner or later, so AJ concluded he may as well listen to Blitz's boasting now.

"I'm going to the dance with a Wonderbolt!" He beamed. Apple Jack used this as an opportunity to torment Blitz about his insecurity.

"So ya finally braved up and asked Flamethrower out eh? Good on ya!" He playfully shoved the cyan stallion in the shoulder.

"What?! Not Flamethrower, you numbskull!!! Sora!!! The most beautiful and famous pegasus in Equestria is going to the Hearth's Warming Prance with YOURS TRULY." He said, recovering from his wounded ego quickly.

"What? No way! Ah'm happy for ya Blitz, that's amazing!"

"It ain't no big deal, I mean. Who would say no to the most handsome stallion?" He said smirking. "Soooo… who're YOU going to the dance with?" The question caught AJ off guard. He cleared his throat.

"Uh, me? Huh, well, Ah… " Apple Jack stammered, searching for an answer. What should he say? If he said he wasn't going with anypony, Blitz would think he was a loser, or worse, try to set him up with some other mare he had zero interest in. If he said he WAS going with somepony, Blitz would want to know who, and he wasn't even sure if Barbara would say yes yet, even though he hoped with all his might.

"C'mon AJ, you can tell. Who's the lucky mare?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

"Ya don't know her!" AJ blurted out. Well, in a sense, that was true. Out of all the six, Rainbow Blitz was the one Barbara probably hung out with the least. 'Did Ah just tell a lie?' that thought didn't sit well with the Element of Honesty, but Rainbow Blitz could be a jerk, and Apple Jack had somewhere more important to be right now than to humour the pegasus.

"Ooh, so it'll be a surprise! What's she look like, can you give me a clue? I bet a stallion as toned as you could bag a real hottie!" Blitz teased. Apple Jack rolled his eyes.

"Ah'm not tellin', you'll just have to wait till the Hearth's Warming Prance!" The earth pony stallion said. "Now if y'all will excuse me, Ah gotta get on with… things." Apple Jack continued down the road, Blitz's boisterous laughter getting quieter and quieter as Apple Jack got further away from it. He carried himself tall as he walked towards the home of the dragon and the Prince.

***

Apple Jack arrived at the castle and took a deep breath. His hoof reached the door, but stopped.

"Ah can't do this." He whispered to himself. "There's no way she'd say yes to a farm boy. Right?" His mind was racing. Then he thought back to what Rainbow Blitz said.

'I bet a stallion as toned as you could bag a real hottie!'

Blitz thought he was attractive? Well, if Blitz thought so, then that had to mean something, so maybe he had a fighting chance. He was no charming stallion like Elusive, but he was kind and a gentle colt. He raised the hoof again, but the door opened before he could. Dusk Shine stood in the doorway.

"Apple Jack? I thought I heard someone! Why are you here?" The alicorn questioned.

"Oh, Ah, um… hey Dusk. Is Barbara around? Ah wanna talk to her."

"Oh, you just missed her. I'm afraid she's at the Boutique helping Elusive. AJ?" Dusk asked. His farmer friend looked troubled.

"Helping. Elusive." The words rolled off Apple Jack's tongue.

"AJ, is everything alright?" Dusk asked, but before he could get an answer, the larger orange stallion was already galloping away.

Comments

[TheWorstDiscord]

Wouldn't everbody already know that Barb liked elusive? Or have the events of the show not happened?