Summer Showers

by kaminakat

Ch 1 - "A Cabin in the Woods"

It was the first day of summer. A cloudless afternoon sky hung over a small, run-down train station just outside of Ponyville. The station was devoid of life, with the exception of a single pony sitting on a bench. Applejack stretched her legs, letting out a relaxed sigh. She had been working most of the day already and it felt good to be able to sit down and just soak up the scenery for a bit. She watched a pair of squirrels chase each other through the pine trees on the other side of the tracks, jumping from branch to branch. Applejack smiled and tipped her hat down over her eyes, succumbing to a quick nap in the summer warmth.

---

She raised her head back up as the sound of a train whistle and the chugging of an engine broke the silence of the lonely station, the squirrel duo retreating into the forest. Applejack stood up from her seat as the Ponyville train pulled into the station with a hiss of steam. The train doors slid open, letting out the sole passenger for this stop.

"Applejack, darling, when you said this place was in the middle of nowhere I thought you were at least exaggerating a bit! Is there even anypony working at this station?"

Rarity walked toward her friend, a satchel around her neck and a pair of fancy sunglasses adorning her face. Applejack had been expecting Fluttershy, but was happy to see Rarity regardless.

"It's nice to see you too, Rare," said Applejack, giving off a small laugh.

Rarity giggled and gently bopped her friend on the nose. "You know I'm always happy to see you, smart-apple," she teased.

Applejack smiled. "To answer yer question, I haven't seen no one around as I was waitin," she explained. "There is pretty much nopony living around these parts, at least up until the cabin. I actually had to flag down a passing mailpony to get my letter out to y'all."

Rarity's horn faintly glowed as she used her magic to withdraw a tattered piece of paper from her bag, levitating it in front of her and inspecting it. "Yes, I could tell you were writing this in quite a hurry," said Rarity. "As soon as we received your letter back home, I volunteered to come and help you. I called in one of my employees from my Canterlot location to cover the boutique for today so I could make the trip." Rarity smiled proudly. "Who knew that expanding your business could actually make getting vacation time EASIER?"

"Well it ain't no five-star resort, and I will need your help finishing up maintenance," Applejack said, "but I can promise you some s'mores over a nice campfire tonight once we're all set." Applejack gestured with her head toward the small dirt path leading away from the station.

"That's quite all right with me, darling," Rarity replied. "I am always happy to help out a dear friend, and a night off is a night off in my book!"

Applejack nodded in agreement. She began to trot down the dirt path, Rarity following slightly behind her. The path was flanked on both sides by miles of mighty pine and spruce trees, causing the sunlight to fall in small beams through their branches. A slight summer breeze gently rocked the treelines, breathing life into the two friends' surroundings. A pair of brightly colored birds flew overhead, Rarity smiling as she noted their presence. She moved her gaze downward, looking once again at Applejack.

AJ's mane was in a neat ponytail, looking far too perfect for all of the work she had been doing all day. Her golden hair glimmered in the rays of sunlight, giving her whole head an almost aura of the summer sun. Rarity considered complimenting her friend on this, but decided against it, instead simply admiring from a step behind.

As she walked through the last stretch of woods into a clearing, Applejack felt a soft warmth in her chest. She turned her head around to look at Rarity, who gave her a thoughtful smile. AJ returned the gesture, and turned her head back around as she took a final few steps.

"Well, here she is," Applejack proclaimed, "my brand new summer cabin, courtesy of my cousin Braeburn."

Applejack lifted a hoof to gesture toward her new summer abode. It was a small, cozy-looking old cabin. It had a front porch with a few rocking chairs and a barrel which looked like it was to be used as a table. The front of the cabin sported two dusty windows, allowing for a slight view of a main room inside. There was a small fire pit a short ways in front of the cabin, with a couple of stumps surrounding it for seating. The whole building, while old, screamed summer vacation. It was a beautiful old place with a rustic feel.

"Oh my stars," Rarity said gleefully, "what a quaint little cabin!" She followed Applejack toward the front porch. "Braeburn just gave this to you?" Rarity asked.

"Yup, he said he hadn't used it in years," Applejack explained, "so he decided to give it to the closest Apples to the cabin, which just so happens to be my family!"

Applejack walked onto the porch, stopping in front of a wooden door with a small wooden apple adorning the center. AJ removed her hat, and with her mouth removed a small key from inside of it. Rarity raised an eyebrow as Applejack unlocked the front door.

"Do you seriously keep the key in your hat? What other items have you got hidden in there?" asked Rarity.

Applejack chucked. "Well little missy," she said, "a quite dignified pony once told me–"

AJ did her best to imitate Rarity's accent.

"A true lady never reveals her secrets, darling," Applejack mimicked.

Rarity covered her mouth as a fit of laughter escaped her. Applejack smirked at her well-received teasing as both ponies walked into the cabin. Just as Rarity was getting a hold of herself, she heard a loud thump. She turned her attention back to her friend, who had suddenly jumped up onto the cabin's kitchen table and was now striking a pose.

"AND A TRUE LADY MUST ALWAYS WEAR FABULOUS DRESSES WHEREVER SHE GOES!" Applejack shouted, this time doing a much worse job of copying her friend's accent.

Rarity burst into laughter as her table-bound friend tried to contain her own giggles.

"Aha ha ha! Oh Apple- ahaha," Rarity struggled to speak, "darlin-ahaha! Aha–"

A loud snort rang through the cabin.

Rarity immediately fell silent, her eyes wide. Her mouth scrunched up as she blushed, realizing that she had been the source of that sound.

Applejack lost it, falling off the table and onto the wood floor, howling with laughter.

"No! No no no!" Rarity shouted as she pounced on top of the laughing pony. "We must never speak of this again!"

Rarity began angrily wrestling her friend, but her embarrassment gave way to more laughter and Applejack was a far better wrestler than her.

The two friends panted as they lay on the ground, the laughter finally subsiding. Particles of dust swirled around in the front window's sunbeams, having been kicked up by all the horseplay. Rarity nudged her friend as she finally caught her breath.

"I think the two of us are kind of similar, darling," Rarity said with an exhausted grin.

"How do you figure that, sugarcube?" Applejack asked.

"We both get so tightly wound from working so hard," Rarity explained, "that we both lose it at the drop of a hat!" Rarity gently knocked her friend's hat off her head with this statement, Applejack giving a satisfied chuckle.

"I reckon you may be on to something there," Applejack said, giving her friend a wink. AJ picked up her hat and reached over to put it on Rarity's head. "I don't think most other ponies would understand it," said Applejack as she placed the hat on her friend's head, "but I actually relate to you more than most of our other friends. Especially when it comes to work." Applejack looked thoughtfully up at the ceiling, watching the dust settle. Rarity tipped her newfound hat over her face, now taking her turn to imitate, and simultaneously hiding a sheepish grin from her friend.

"I think we both have a powerful work ethic," said Rarity. "And we both often slip into a 'it has to be done my way' sort of routine," she continued, giving an awkward giggle. Applejack gave a similar giggle, but then frowned.

"You know, Rare, I like your way sometimes," said AJ. "I hope I don't come across like I don't value your ideas over mine."

Rarity rose to her hooves with a smile. "Of course not," she said, offering a hoof to help her friend up, "you make me feel quite valued."

As AJ took her friend's hoof and stood up, Rarity could have sworn that Applejack blushed for a split second.

Applejack stretched her back, now a little tight from lying on the wooden floor. "Well, speaking of work, we should probably get going on what you came here for," said Applejack with a sigh.

Rarity had really just wanted to see her friend, and had forgotten all about the problem she had promised to help with. "Oh of course," she said, "it said in the letter you were having an animal problem?"

Applejack furrowed her brow. "Yea. I've got a goose problem," she said, putting a hoof to her face in embarrassment.

"A...goose problem?" asked Rarity, almost beginning to laugh again, but stopping herself at the sight of Applejack's unamused face.

"I know it sounds dumb," Applejack said exasperatedly, "but it's no joke. I've been trying for days. They will not leave."

Rarity put a hoof over her friend's shoulder. "Well let's go take care of your goose problem then."

Comments

[Dash32]

So awesome!!

[Double R Forrest]

Particles of dust swirled around in the front window's sunbeams, having been kicked up by all the horseplay.

Eyyyy!