Appledashery Vol. Two

by Just Essay

Rarijackery

Evening fell.

Applejack went to sleep.

Morning rose.

Applejack went into the fields.

The days rolled past and the baskets of harvested apples piled higher.

The farm mare measured time by the glint of the passing sun in her sweat.

When she wasn't kicking trees, her head was glued to the earth.

She trotted evenly—with purpose—slow and persistent and deliberate.

The only passion she exerted was through the bucking motions required to lop more and more fruit from their trees.

She barely saw Apple Bloom.

She only saw Granny Smith in the occasional sideways glance through the hallway or along the house's front porch.

Big Mac was working on other projects on the far end of the farm, so he was a veritable stranger.

Then, of course, there were the stones atop the hill.

They provided more shade than clouds—soothed Applejack more than the fabric of night—urged her further and harder into the legwork than any sip of water or morsel of breakfast.

Applejack kept them constantly in her peripheral vision when she worked, or else envisioned them along the fabric of her blinking eyes.

They were a great deal harder, tougher, and colder than any feathers.

But they were familiar, which—for the moment—was the most important thing at all.

Applejack couldn't afford anything else—not any longer.

Applejack wrapped herself in their shadow like a blanket and glided along with her work.

She didn't have a respite from it all until her regularly scheduled trek to the Ponyville market.

---

...and she trudged to and from town with her head hanging low.

Propelled by anxious, the mare shuffled towards the market, drawing a wagon full of apples. She didn't realize how absorbed she was into the soil of Ponyville town square until she heard a dainty voice warbling towards her.

"Applejack! Oh Aaaaaapplejack!"

Applejack was many things—but she was never rude. Or, at least, she never aimed to be. The mare tilted her head up and looked towards the figure rushing towards her. Two green eyes reflected a delicate white speck.

"Oh..." Her smile was as real as the passing breeze. She hoped it would be enough. "...howdy, Rarity."

"Hello yourself, darling!" Rarity ran the full epic length of twenty feet. Nevertheless, the fashionista stood noticeably breathless, fanning herself as she shouldered the weight of two saddlebags bulging with dress fabric. "It's so blessedly charming to see you! Just where have you been?"

"Uh... been...?" Applejack's voice was hoarse. She realized that—for the course of a full week—she hadn't said more than three sentences to anypony, even her family.

One week?

Had it actually been an entire week?

Land's sakes...

"Oh... uhm..." The simple, honest truth: "Workin'."

"Yes, I can see that." Rarity nodded, still catching her powdery girl breath. "But what—pray tell—has gotten you so blastedly occupied?"

"Well... uh..." Applejack's gut was curling inward. "...Rarity, y'know when..." Her eyes drifted to the dress materials lingering in Rarity's saddle pockets. "...you've got a real whizz-bang of a project to work on for a prospective client."

"Oh, by all means!"

"Well..." Applejack tilted her hat back... deliciously hollow and devoid of feathers. "...reckon you could say this is somethin' similar. I've got me a whole heapin' load of apples to get harvested and sold, and ain't much time for doin' anythang else. I'm awfully sorry..."

"No need to be sorry, Applejack! Just..." Rarity nevertheless pouted. "I was awfully worried for a moment there. You weren't at the library... you weren't at any of our regular tea sessions at Sugarcube Corner..."

"Yeah, well..." Applejack avoided her gaze, rubbing one leg with the other.

"I can't help but feel like... like so many of my friends are getting busy with other things lately," Rarity said. "I mean—I myself, of course—I've got lots of things to work on. But I still find the time to socialize every now and then. Only because I miss you girls soooooo much!" She leaned in to nuzzle Applejack. "First Rainbow Dash... and now you!"

"Errrr..." Applejack leaned back slightly. "Say what? Rainbow?"

"Oh! Haven't you noticed? She's got a new occupation! That poor mare is juggling two jobs now!"

"Oh... uhm..." Applejack blinked. She gazed up at the sky, but it only had one color. "Huh. Guess I-I've been too busy to notice."

"Isn't that so unfortunate? I mean... heehee..." Rarity giggle daintily into her fetlock. "Good on the two of you for raking in the bits, of course."

"Eheh..." Applejack nervously smiled. "Of c-course..."

"But it hurts ever so much to be deprived of your wonderful presence." Rarity leaned back on her haunches, clasping to hooves together. "Oh do promise that you'll come to one of our Sugarcube Corner sessions again sometime! Please! It's just so... unfamiliar a shade to have in your absence."

Applejack blinked. "Unfamiliar...?"

"Mmmmm... quite."

Applejack shuddered slightly. Nevertheless, she stood tall within the rigging of her apple art. "I'll see what I can do, Rarity. I'm a mite bit busy, but I'm sure I can make the time to sit and gab like old times."

"But they're not 'old times'... that's the point..."

"Right..."

"That's what scares me. I mean... I enjoy Pinkie Pie's spontaneity and Twilight's Sparkle's regular habits... but just the two of them aren't exactly conducive to sane uniformity. Not on their own at least."

"What about Fluttershy?"

"Funny you should ask..." Rarity nervously brushed her mane back. "She's... been showing up to tea sessions less and less frequently too. I wonder why that might be."

"Uhhhhhh..." Applejack kicked against the earth and broke into a firm trot. "See ya later, Rarity! I'll aim to make a snack session sometime this week! I promise!"

"Oh! Splendid, Applejack, darling!" Rarity waved back, grinning with genuine joy. "Byyyye!"

Applejack sped towards the marketplace.

Comments

[ElJorro]

It is easy to get lost in your work.

[Bulbajer]

"What about Fluttershy?"

"Funny you should ask..." Rarity nervously brushed her mane back. "She's... been showing up to tea sessions less and less frequently too. I wonder why that might be."

Rarity nervously brushed her mane back.

I wonder if Skirts has read Green.

[zaponator]

Big Macintosh is a stranger, and Fluttershy hasn't been around much either.
...yeah sounds about right.
Also, good chapter title is good.

[True Edge]

"Well..." Applejack tilted her hat back... deliciously hollow and devoid of feathers.

I like how she keeps telling herself she has not time for distractions, like Rainbow or her feather. . . . And yet she keeps unconsciously thinking about them, all the time.