Season of Hearts

by discord7

A Hearts Desire, A Stubborn Mare

I followed her dragging my hooves, "Where are we going?" I asked her.

"Ya'll get ta see when we get there, now quit yer fussin'." I didn't see where we were through all of the thick tree trunks, couldn't see past Apple Jacks flank (not that I was watching, I just had to follow her somehow, WHATEVER!)

Finally the trees cleared and what I saw took my breath away, it was a pond. But it was strange, the water had a teal glow on the surface and it was crystal clear. Small tufts of illuminated pollen floated through the air.

"Ah come here to think sometimes." AJ told me. "Clear my head after a long day or when Ah'm down, ya know?" She told me smiling.

"Wow." I said still amazed by this sight.

"Ah found this place when Ah was just a foal, the water is only like this when a full moon comes out." She explained skimming a hoof over the surface. "Otherwise it's just a mucky swamp that nopony'd think twice about."

I watched her, here it seemed like she was a totally different mare. When I met her she was stubborn and a little rude, but she still had an honest soft side it seemed. Around here she seemed calm, relaxed, at ease. I wondered what it was about this place that turned her this way. She laid down by the water, I went over and laid next to her. I stared at her until she turned her attention from the glistening surface of the water to me.

"What?" She asked with an awkward smile and that same country girl guffle as before.

"I was wondering?" I began.

"What is it?" She demanded.

"Apple Jack?"

"Call me AJ."

"AJ then," I started, "what does this place mean to you?" I asked, her face changed.

She frowned as she looked at her reflection in the water. I watched too to see if I could somehow see what she was thinking.

"Well," she stared, "when I was a foal." she began.

It was a hot day on the farm, the weather report from the Pegasai had said it was gonna rain so we had to get as much applebuckin' done as we could. Ah was plum tuckered out but Ah had ta keep it goin'. After a few hours or so we saw the storm clouds a comin' in. We all went inside, except fer ma 'n pa. They had to go to they're favorite tree. They went to it every time a storm had come. It was the tree they met under. They had their initials carved into the bark.

Ah watched through the window. They sat under the tree askin' it to help protect the orchard. They always did it, it wasn't no different than usual, but Ah had a bad feelin' as I saw thunder formin' in the clouds.

As they were comin' back Ah saw it before anypony could respond. A bolt of lightnin' came straight out a the sky and hit a tree. It landed on ma pa, momma tried to call for help but another bolt came outta the sky and hit another tree. It didn't fall on her but it blocked her in. Ah ran outside as fast as Ah could. I ran straight up to the burnin' tree but there was nothin' I could do. The fire had already taken 'em from me.

I watched as she finished her story, I saw the tears from the suppressed memories in her eyes.

"We usually don't talk about it." She told me. "But after it happened Ah went fer a walk a few days after the funeral. There was a trail a leaves leadin' right up ta this pond." She explained. "It's like they were tryin' ta lead me here to let me know it'd be ok, ya know?" She finished looking at me, I nodded understandingly.

She really loved her parents, I couldn't really understand that feeling, but I could see how much she cared. My mother died giving birth to me, and I knew she would already know why I'd hated my father. She stood up and flicked her head back making her hat fly off, I watched her, somehow she also seemed more graceful here too.

"Well," she said, she jumped a cannonball into the still water, splashing my face, "Ain't ya'll comin' in?" She asked. "Or is the mighty buckboxin lightweight champ chicken around water?"

"Is that a challenge?" I asked getting up.

She imitated a chicken, making clucking sounds at me. Oh now it's on. I walked backwards and charged forward lunging at the waters edge. I splashed down just over her head sending water in all directions. It was deeper than it looked, as I came up I saw the water had matted her bangs over her face. She smiled and guffled again.

"So it's a splashin' competition yer achin' fer huh?" She said.

Before I could question 'What?' she splashed water in my face. I coughed water out and splashed back, we sat there for a few minutes splashing back and forth like two school foals... again.

Finally we got out, she did first. She shook her coat semi dry. The light from the moon shone on her majestic fur like it was radiating an aurora. I watched a small faded rainbow form around her. She noticed me staring at her, she looked embarrassed.

"What'r ya'll starin' at?" she asked sheepishly.

I snickered a bit as I said, "You," then I stopped a I trotted a little closer gazing at her emerald eyes,"you look beautiful." I looked into her eyes and saw my reflection looking back at myself.

She looked at me seriously for a minute as I leaned closer, then she turned her head and closed her eyes.

"Um!" She broke eye contact, "Ah think we should head back now." She said not looking at me.

We walked back in silence, she looked everywhere except for at me, it was a little awkward for both of us.

As I came to the barn it was the first time since the pond she looked at me, I smiled as I said, "Goodnight AJ."

"G'nite, sugar cube." She said, that was the first time she said it to me. I felt my stomach do a little flutter, but I didn't show it, I had to be manly after all right? She was a stubborn mare, but she was also an honest one, I knew if she genuinely wanted this to be more than a working thing she'd tell me. Then again I'd only known her for a day, there might be no telling what she was really thinking.

---

When I woke up it was night time again, I sighed time to start another fire. I looked up and saw the bright half moon shining. I smiled, it was almost time, just a few more days...

Comments

[Blahman2816]

layk=lake (first time)
layk=like (second time (I assume that it would be ok for this one time.)
I sighed time to start another fire.=Wut?

[Ravenmoon05]

Little fast moving don't you think ?? Might be an idea to drag it out more, add in scenery other than the apple farm and such