Old Fashioned Love

by Rose Quill

Rituals

I sat in the tree, staring out at the best view on the farm. The rolling hills of our farm were backlit by the setting sun. There was something peaceful about the sight, something giving me a bit of comfort in the knowledge of something unchanging and immutable in life.

I heard the rustle below me and knew the cause without having to look. Apple Bloom stuck her head into the opening and stared at the sinking orb with me. No words were needed, not for this. We had done this almost daily after a good, hard days work since we were young, something of an Apple sisters ritual.

She broke the silence first.

“So, is it true?”

“What’s that?” I replied absently.

“What you ’n Rainbow Dash are trying to do,” she said, glancing up. “Scoots told me.”

I smiled. “Well, that bit is true,” I said. “Scootaloo is like a little sister to Dash, and it’s important to her. And that makes it important t’me.” I reached down and ruffled her red hair affectionately.

“But sponsoring her fer college? D’ya have any idea what that means fer her?”

“Ah got a fair view,” I said. “She’s got a lot o’ potential ’n deserves a chance to prove it. Ah was glad to write her a recommendation letter. Just as glad as Ah was to write yours.”

She gazed at me, tears in her eyes. “Ah love ya, sis.”

“Ah love ya too, AB,” I said, accepting the hug as she climbed to sit next to me. Silence reigned for a few moments.

“So if you ’n Dash get married,” she asked. “Does that mean Scoot’s and Ah will be sisters?”

I laughed, squeezing her a little. “Ya mean you don’t think ya are already?” I teased. “Ya count Sweetie Belle in and the three of you might as well have been joined at the hip. Ah can’t remember a day when you three weren’t tearing through the orchard playing together.”

“I know she thinks of you as a sister, as a matter of fact,” a raspy voice said from above. I looked up to see Rainbow Dash hovering above us, her sky blue wings spread to their full width. She was dressed as she usually was, baggy tee over a pair of athletic shorts and sneakers.

Somehow, she made it look sexy, but I’ll never admit to it.

“Ya mean it?” AB asked. She was used to Dash showing up with wings. Heck, after the Fall Formal we haven’t kept any secrets about us having magic from family. Too dangerous, I remember thinking.

“Would I lie?” the athlete asked, flashing her brilliant smile.

“Yes,” I stage whispered, gaining a giggle from my sister and a fake scowl from my girlfriend.

“Never about this,” she said with that sincerity that had made a more consistent appearance over the last few years. “Matter of fact, she asked me to come tell you she and Sweetie Belle are waiting for you over at the sweet shop. Something about a master plan?”

Apple Bloom gasped and started to scramble down the tree. “Ah’m going t’be late!” she cried.

“Dash?” I asked conversationally.

“On it,” she said, swooping down and grabbing my little sister and zooming off leaving a rainbow contrail.

I went back to watching the last rays of the sun sink behind the hills. Things were as they should be, and life held simple meaning within the boundaries of Sweet Apple Acres.

I was meandering back to the house when a pair of arms wrapped around my waist.

“You’re awful quiet today,” she said, her tone serious. “You doing ok?”

I nodded, leaning back into her embrace. “It’s always tough this time o’ year,” I said, taking solace in her presence. “Ah can still hear their voices, Dash. It’s like it was just yesterday instead of 10 years ago.”

She held me close. Her voice was slightly different when we were alone together, softer and more considerate.

“I know how you feel,” she said, resting her head against my back. “But at least you can remember your folks. I don’t really have any memories of Mom.”

“Ah can’t imagine how that feels, Dash,” I said, turning slightly and letting her slide into my embrace without losing any of the tightness of hers.

“Can I meet them?” she whispered.

“Say what now?”

“I mean, I know I can’t actually meet them,” she said, a nervous blush working onto her face. “But sometimes when Dad and I visit family in Cloudsdale, I stop by Mom’s grave and just talk. I like to think she’s listening, and I hope she’s proud of me.”

I smiled and kissed the crown of her head. “Ah’m sure she is, Dash. Ya done good things since ya moved here, both here and in the other world.”

I saw the distant look on her face and I had a flash of inspiration. I took her hand and started walking briskly. Dash’s face worked into a frown as I headed for a part of the farm she had never visited before.

“Where’re we going?”

I smiled.

“To introduce you to mah folks.”

---

I stood off to the side, letting Dash have some privacy as she spoke over the graves of my parents. I didn’t want to intrude on this moment of hers, a personal ritual of hers that I didn’t understand, but knew it was important to her. And like I had said earlier, if it was important to her, it was important to me.

She came back over to me a few minutes later wrapped me in a hug, her soft side on display.

“Thanks,” she whispered.

“Anything fer you, Ace,” I said.

And there we stood, under the moon, just the two of us, enjoying the silence before we heading inside.

I laid in bed that night, Dash’s soft breathing peaceful and soothing beside me. I stared at the ceiling and closed my eyes.

Mom, Dad, I don’t know if you can hear me, but I sure do miss you. I hope you’re proud of your little girl. I know I ain’t always been the best of children, but I try my best, like you told me.

I looked at my sleeping girlfriend for a moment.

Dash is a great gal, and I never thought I’d fall for a gal like her, but I have. I hope you didn’t mind her introducing herself. If she doesn’t mind, I’m thinking about asking her t’marry me. Someday, that is. We’re still awful young for that, I think.

I love you both.

Comments

[MySisterBroughtMeHere]

I like how this is going.

[IndigoMoon]

8144267 Me too.

[AJtheRaven]

I love this so much. I literally favorited without even reading it because I knew I was going to love it. I can't wait for more!

[Harmony Muse]

This, this right here. Romance doesnt' have to be the twang of bedsprings, but the comfort of bodyheat and the slow breathing of someone who is your entire world.

[Wolfkin]

8144625

That was very beautifully put. Thank you for saying it.

[The Yaoi Mistress]

This is very sweet and adorable. Hope to read more.

[raven618]

Naw. You don't find to many ship fics where the pair are just an ordinary pair. No secrets, no awkwardness, and no sex.
Don't know if I'll be reading the rest of this, but your first chapter leaves me satisfied and fuzzy inside.

[Bookish Dracon]

nice story
really complements the twilight (Eqg) x sunset shimmer shipping

[psvitafanboy222]

F C K I accidentally started on the third to last chapter

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

I totally understand how the girls feel when the holidays come missing family. I've been like that the last two and a half years with the three members of my family I've sadly lost.