Secrets of the Heart

by Quick Fix

Complications

October 10th

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Compared to the relentless pace that had been kept up at sweet apple acres over the past month, Ponyville felt rather sedate in comparison. Anytime Applejack had needed to step into town for supplies or even just to take a few minutes breather, she had to remind herself to walk at a slower pace instead of the hurried trot she maintained on the farm. Even with all her employees' assistance, applebuck season had been a massive undertaking this year, collecting, storing and shipping apples for all of Equestria. It was finally starting to come to a close though as the varieties of apples grown all reached their prime harvest time and the trees were empty of their fruits. While there was still farm maintenance, further exports and preparing apples for cider season to do, everypony on the team was finally able to relax somewhat.

Applejack had been gifted more of a chance today, her thirty-ninth birthday. Big Mac had, through considerable effort, convinced her to take a day off and let him handle things for the time being. As tough as it had been for her to step away from her duties, she had been able to make the most of it and catch up with her old friends after weeks out of the loop. Things were generally the same as when she had last spoken to the others. Rainbow Dash was still on a military tour with the Wonderbolts, Twilight Sparkle had been keeping busy with her princess duties and Rarity was designing a fresh line of clothing for her stores nationwide, which had taken up a few hours as the unicorn had insisted they catch up over tea and showcase a few of her more work based designs.

Even though it was the afternoon by that point, Pinkie Pie had had Applejack's lunch party ready to go the second she stepped into Sugarcube Corner. Even if it was as fun as a party that only the pink party pony could provide, Applejack noticed that Pinkie had been slightly distracted throughout the proceedings, though it was a happy distracted as though she was hiding some welcome realisation behind her eyes. There hadn't been time to ask about it though, both from the party and the fact Applejack had to make her way out to Fluttershy's cottage afterward as the pegasus hadn't been present. That was more than understandable though, considering Fluttershy was now running her animal sanctuary with the added pressure of being seven months pregnant with her second foal. Despite herself, Applejack had helped out her friend with a few chores before making her way to the final stop of the day; Apple Bloom's carpentry shop.

"You sure you don't want any help with carrying it, sugarcube?" Applejack asked as she watched her younger sister finish securing a freshly finished closet into the cart she used for hauling deliveries.

"Ah, it's only going as far as Lyra and Bon Bon's. Ah'll be fine." Apple Bloom replied, grunting slightly as she got the last belt in place and secured it.

Applejack nodded, silently noting that Apple Bloom's work looked quite professional for a 'country' pony as the snobs in Canterlot would consider it. Then again, she had gotten the saw on her flanks when she was just eight years old. Twenty years of learning her craft had paid off and even though she rarely took her goods further than the farms on Ponyville's outskirts, she was successful enough to keep going. It did mean she spent a lot of time working here though, and Applejack felt the grip of loneliness tighten a little more with that thought.

"Think that's everything...Actually, did ah put the...Oh! Shoot, be right back!" Apple Bloom said quickly before rushing back into her workshop, leaving Applejack standing outside for a moment before she returned carrying a small box on her back. "Sorry ah didn't have time to wrap it."

"Awww shucks, you didn't have to get me anything special." Applejack told her as she was offered the box.

"I know, so I got ya somthin' useful instead."

Applejack couldn't help but chuckle softly, that was just like Apple Bloom. As much as she would have liked to keep talking and maybe open her present now, dusk was beginning to cover the town and she wasn't about to make her little sister navigate a heavy cart through the streets in the dark. The goodbyes were made quickly and Applejack waved Apple Bloom off as she set off on her delivery before heading back toward the farm. Normally a lonely walk in the dark would have increased that grip in her chest but the weight of the gift on her back buoyed her spirits and held it down.

By the time she made it back to sweet apple acres, twilight had properly fallen over Ponyville, casting a shadow over everything in sight as the last rays of light struggled to reach their destinations. Applejack was used to it though, there had been times where she'd been working well into the night without fully realising it. Her eyes had also adjusted to the lowered light enough to see that there was somepony waiting at the gates to the farm as she approached. She slowed slightly to try and identify them, only to relax at the familiar sight of an all-white coat. Only one pony who looked like that came around here.

"Hey, AJ." Bounty said as she came up to him.

"Bounty? What in tarnation are you doing here at this time of day?" The question wasn't entirely unfounded. The work day had finished about half an hour ago and nopony came to farm after hours, with the occasional exception of Big Mac.

"Well, I ah..." Bounty rubbed his neck and smiled slightly awkwardly. "Well, with it being your birthday, I thought you might appreciate a little company instead of just being on your own all night."

"You..." Applejack sighed slightly to herself and smiled back at the stallion. "Ya thought right. Come on."

The two of them turned and made their way back through the now deserted orchards, nothing visible beyond more than a few dozen feet in the increasing darkness. Applejack kept going completely nonplussed, knowing thanks to everypony's diligence that there was nothing unwelcome lurking in her trees. Not that there had ever been anything worse than a Flutterbat. A sudden feeling of fur against her right side shooed that thought away and she looked up to see Bounty had pressed a little closer, looking less convinced that it was just the two of them out here. Despite herself, Applejack found herself relaxing slightly at the feeling of a stallion so close.

She couldn't explain it, but something about the combination of his warmth instead of the cooling air, the subtle feeling of his muscles at work as he walked in step with her, even being close enough to hear every breath he took...For an all too faint moment, Applejack felt the cold grip vanish completely and be replaced by a gentle warmth that washed through her body. Similar to the feeling of being with her family or friends, yet she already knew this sensation was completely new to her. Then Bounty moved away again and it was gone. She shook her head slightly and decided to think about it later, when she didn't have a friend trying to help her forget her problems.

"Me and Little Hayseed took some time aside to handle your chores in here." Bounty said as they entered the farmhouse. To his surprise, Applejack dashed ahead at those words and started checking things inside the house, moving from item to item quickly. After covering the entire bottom floor in a minute she stopped and calmed down.

"An' you did it all right too. Thank you."

"No, problem..."

"Sorry, I-I didn't mean to sound ungrateful." Applejack bit her lip slightly in nerves, hesitating before she saw Bounty nod in response.

"It's alright, I know you've got a way of doing things. Part of being an Apple." Bounty replied. Applejack simply chuckled softly and led him through to the kitchen.

"Help yourself to anything you fancy." She told him, stopping momentarily at the table when she saw her mail had been placed there.

Normally she would have just left them for the morning and done her best to relax for the night, but the topmost letter caught her eye. It was unremarkable in appearance, except for the fact that the address had been written in a pegasus writing style and she only knew of one that would write instead of coming directly to her. Applejack gave a small gasp before she could stop herself and opened it up, reading quickly.

Dear Applejack,

If the Equestrian mail service is worth anything then this should reach you in time to say this. Happy birthday, Applejack! Hopefully it was a good one. I didn't have anything I could send with this letter, but hopefully what's coming next could make up for it.

I have to say, after you said we could meet if things weren't too hectic, I was really happy. A chance to meet somepony like you is just...Getting a little off topic, sorry. What I'm trying to say is that that might be coming sooner than I thought. I have family living out on the Ponyville farmlands and I was planning to stay with them for hearth's warming. So I'm going to be in town for a few weeks at the end of December and that's generally not farming time, right? Hopefully we can meet up, even if it's just for a day. I promise I'll bring a proper present then as well.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon,
Windhover

"I take it that that's good news?" Bounty asked as he came back over. Applejack looked away from the letter and realised that she had been smiling ever since she started reading.

"Sure as a summer day is beautiful," Applejack replied. "Just a friend of mine who says he'll be coming over in a few months."

"He?"

Applejack looked up in surprise at that. Bounty was staring at her with a slight frown and a surprisingly intense look. The way it had come out of nowhere was somewhat disconcerting but she met his gaze with her own laser sharp focus.

"Is that a problem?" She asked flatly, carrying just enough tone in her voice to get her point across. Bounty pulled his head back slightly and blinked rapidly before shaking his head to the right and looking back at her.

"Hmm? What's a...N-no ma'am." He replied quickly, his former sternness replaced by what could only be described as disorientation.

"Another migrane?"

"No. I don't think so anyway. I sort of just, zoned out after I asked about the letter. Next thing I know I feel weird and you're asking if there's a problem."

Applejack just nodded, feeling at a loss on the issue. She could perform basic medical care as a matter of necessity on the farm but what Bounty was going through was beyond her. She couldn't really suggest anything beyond him seeing a doctor, but her main concern was the possibility that his moment had had some basis in actual thoughts. Did he really have a problem with her being around other stallions? It sounded silly, especially since the two of them were nothing more than friends, but she had heard that some stallions could get possessive if they had feelings for somepony.

"I ah...I'm sorry, I don't know what happened there. I didn't mean to make things awkward," Bounty said as he rubbed his forehead and grimaced slightly. "I should give you some peace, rest up myself."

"You sure you can make it home yourself?" Applejack asked as she got up and checked him over.

"Y-yeah, of course. I've had worse." He replied after a few breaths. He did look better as he looked back at her and he hadn't collapsed so he really had suffered worse episodes than this.

As Applejack made her goodbyes and watched as Bounty started to make his way back toward Ponyville, the quiet of the night around her calmed her mind enough for the realisation of what she'd thought before to sink in. Bounty very likely felt something for her and while she definitely enjoyed his presence, she wasn't sure if she felt the same in return. If that wasn't a problem enough, there was another problem that was currently sitting opened on her kitchen table. She had a sneaking suspicion that Windhover had fallen for her to some degree through just their letters as well. If the two of them were around her at the same time...She shook her head slightly as she lost track of Bounty in the darkness and headed back inside, knowing that she had a lot to think about.