Chapter 3
Applejack wondered, briefly, which would be less painful--letting this night continue, or just tossing herself into the nearest hydra filled swamp. So far, she was leaning towards the latter...this date had gone just about as wrong as it was possible to go without another paraspite invasion, or dragon nap, or ancient evil being brought back to life. And she wasn't convinced any or all of those weren't about to happen anyway.
And it had started so promisingly....
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Applejack stared into the mirror. OK then....mane was brushed well, and she'd stolen one of Appleblooms bows to tie in the end. Stetson in place, looking nice with a new little hatband. And she had a nice looking little dressy vest she saved for "look nice" occasions on.
"Alright...ain't gonna bother with any ah that face goop or anything...." she muttered, checking herself in the mirror again. Nice bath, so she was clean, and she hadn't been workin today, so she wasn't sweaty. Alright then....stop dawdlin and get goin, she told herself, heading down the dirt road to the farms gates, passing Big Mac along the way.
"Good luck!" Said Big Mac gruffly as she passed by. She nodded in return with a half smile. "...She looks nervouser than a chicken in a fox den..." he muttered when she got out of sight. He sighed, trudging up to the barn. He and a couple of the hired hands were putting in a few new pens, since a couple of the old ones had been kicked into splinters by a rather angry cow, over a bit of a misunderstanding involving her calf, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, some paint, and a bit too much free time.
Unfortunately for the hired workers, who were on their break in the barn, they didn't see him coming--and thus, didn't see fit to keep their yaps shut.
"Yeh hear 'bout Applejack?" said one with an oddly dull light bulb for a cutie mark.
"Huh? Nah, what?" Said his partner during their break, whose cutie mark, oddly enough, was a set of four cards--All four Jacks to be specific.
"Heh, she got all gussied up ta go down inta town fer some kinda date, with that weirdo stripey from the forest." He spat to one side, before slipping a bit of grass between his teeth to chew.
His companion guffawed. "Her? Man, allus knew she were a tomboy, but never heard nuttin bout her bein a fillyfooler." He snickered. "Hey, ya reckon--"
He was interrupted by the sound of a large pony clearing his throat behind them. They turned as one, and swallowed as they beheld a clearly annoyed Big Macintosh.
"Now. Forgettin fer a moment that ya'll were just talkin bout my sister-your boss-dontcha have a bit of work to be doin?" He said, giving them both a stern look. "Ah'll ferget what ah heard ya jawin about fer the time being. But git back tah work." He shook his head, turning to head out the barn.
Had they the sense they were born with, they'd have kept their mouths shut. Of course...they don't.
As Big Mac headed for the big double doors at one end, the card bearing pony shook his head, muttering, "Heh....was saying, bet she jes needs the right stallion tah lahk, straighten her out. " His companion sniggered as he puffed his chest out. "Maybeh me an you, hmm? Get her alone an show her how its reaallly done..."
They thought they were speaking quietly enough for Big Mac to ignore. They were not. He paused at the door.
"Tain't worth it. Just a couple dumb hoofs fer hire. Ignore'm, Macintosh." he muttered to himself. He made to step outside, when his ear caught "roll" "hay" "like that" "flanks" and "bit a rope" in no particular order, along with a few other choice words. He paused again. And closed the door. And then he did something he probably shouldn't.
Big Mac went and lost his temper.
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Meanwhile, elsewhere in Ponyville, Zecora sat serenely in a rather nice little outdoor cafe, sipping tea. It wasn't one of her own blends, but it was good--the owners here hoof-made their own brews. She ignored the odd looks that some ponies still gave her, as she awaited her...date.
Honestly, it had surprised her a fair bit. Between Applejacks outbursts, and then the apology, and the admission...it did make a certain sense, but that her orange coated friend would feel at all bad about such preferences struck the zebra mare as...strange. But, then, these ponies might find the way life went on the Zebrica plains just as strange.
Her mental musings were cut off by the flash of an orange coat, as she spied Applejack trotting nearby, looking round for the striped equine. She smiled to herself, waving to catch her attention.
"Heya, Zecora. Sorry if ahm a bit late...ah don't come here much. " said the farm pony as she mounted the steps, oblivious to the little double take the zebra had given at her more "dressed up" appearance.
If she was honest with herself, she had agreed to this date more out of, well, "why not?" and some surprise at the sudden admittance of attraction from her, than any actual desire for the other mare. She didn't find her unattractive--she'd just never spared much of a thought in that direction for her, despite the dry spell she'd been under ever since she'd moved here. She'd been considering making a pass at Twilight, since she visited for tea so often...but seeing the apple pony all kitted out like this did make her reconsider a bit. Perhaps a second date wouldn't be out of the question....
"Have no fear, you are far from late.
And quite in time to begin our date." Said the zebra with an easy smile, though she noted the light blush that spread over the other mares cheeks at the word, and the way her eyes twitched, as if she wanted to look round to see if anyone had heard, but was too polite to.
She needn't have bothered, really--most ponies weren't too shocked about such matters, at least not in Ponyville since a few certain couples had come out in the open, such as Lyra and Bonbon. (Their public adorableness often reached cavity induced levels)
Applejack settled herself down for a moment--it didn't matter what anypony else thought, she reminded herself. This was who she was, and she didn't need anypony's approval but her friends. There were still one or two of them who needed telling at least...but she'd get to that when she got to it. And now her thoughts were rambling, and had been for awhile, and what's zecora been sayin AH listen ya dunce! She shook herself. "Ah. Sorry...whut was that?" She asked, face flushing a bit brighter at getting lost in her thoughts.
Zecora chuckled softly. "Nothing much--please take a seat.
I was simply asking what you wanted to eat." She said with a grin.
Applejack returned the chuckle with one of her own,trying to relax a bit. "Well...Ah ain't been here but once or twice before, so ah don't rightly know much about what they serve...maybe we can find somepony to ask..." she trailed off, looking round for a server or chef, and instead noticing the commotion forming in the kitchen. Namely of a certain pink pony assembling a strangely chill inducing assortment of instruments...and...then the polka music began...and a chef ran out of the building where the cooking went on, looking a bit shell shocked. And glop-stained.
"Ladies and gentleponies. I'm very sorry to say, but most of our evenings stock has been devoured by a rather sudden parasprite infestation. At the moment, I'm afraid all we have to serve are..."
There was a pause.
"Hay fries with broccoli sauce, and canned peaches. " He continued, after a moments inner reflection. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go have a rather lengthy bath. It's amazing how much parasprites hate syrup. " He wandered off, muttering to himself, looking glassy eyed, as a line of dancing parasprites followed Pinky toward the forest.
Applejack watched all this, a bit wide eyed. "....Well, looks like hayfries." she said, not bothering to ask for a menu now. "Er...less ya wanna try somewhere else?" She offered, smiling in relief at the zebras nod. She didn't mind hayfries...but it wasn't exactly what she wanted to eat on her first real...well, date.
Maybe someplace else would have a better selection.
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Applejack rhythmically beat her head against the Daisy Delicatessens wall. So far, the wall was losing.
"Six. Buckin. Resturants. Parasprites. Over booked. No chef. A fire. An explosion. Cutiemark Crusader Chefs. How in the hay can every restaurant get shut down on the same buckin day?" She muttered to herself. She liked the Delicatessen herself--it sold good food for a good price. But a little knot in her stomach told her that while the little restaurant might be perfect for her lunch whenever she came into town to sell apples, she didn't quite think it was "date" fair. Then again, maybe it was...she never went on any dates, so....ahoy. Stupid brain.
Much to the walls relief, she stopped slapping her head against it as Zecora stepped out of the little shop, carrying a small bag in her mouth, nodding to her. She gestured to a seat, and Applejack sighed in relief--she'd been half afraid even this place would have something go wrong, leaving her date foodless.
"Thoughts its not quite what I expected for the date, this food,"
I must admit, it's really quite....delectably good." Said the zebra as she nibbled at some potato wedges cautiously. She was somewhat unfamiliar with the fast food in Equestria, but so far she was finding it better than some of the stories Twilight had told her had led her to believe.
Applejack sighed. "Ah'm sorry...Ah wasn't much expecting everything to go so...well..." She trailed off, trying to come up with a word that meant "Horribly utterly completely wrong" but unable to come up with anything of the proper magnitude.
Zecora chuckled softly. "It is not a problem, have no fears.
This is far from the worst date I've had in in my years. " She considered for the moment the the stampede that had occurred in the middle of her third ever date...now that had been a bad one.
"In any case, if I remember, this wasn't all you planned this night.
There was a show, as well....a play. I think it was--"
"Oh horseapples! "The Farmers Fright!" Applejack interrupted, looking a bit stricken (with Zecora looking a bit thrown that her rhyme had been interrupted). "Oh hay. Oh hay. We're late. Ah completely fergot bout that what with the restaurants an all an..." She was more than a bit flustered. "Ah...dang, its startin soon, and we're gonna miss the openin, and it'll take us forever to get over there! Ah hay, ahm sorry Zecor--"
An upraised hoof cut her off.
"Do not worry. I doubt we've missed much of the show.
But if you do not wish to miss more--we must go!" Said the striped equine, finishing her sandwich with a few bites and grinning at Applejack.
"Finish your meal, and we shall leave, do not fret...
Ah! A race there, perhaps? Win, and a prize you'll get." She winked at the mare, who found herself unaccountably blushing as she hurried ate her way through her food.
"Heh...Ahlright, Ah'm bout ready...but what do ya mean a pri--HEY wait up ya durn stripey thing!" She called, startled as Zecora began to gallop off without warning. She grinned to herself. "Well fine...ya think ya can beat ol Applejack in a straight out race? Heh....got another thing comin."
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She panted as she came to a stop outside the little outdoor theaters gate, just a yard or two ahead of her striped opponent. "Told ya...." she panted with a grin at the zebra, the nights problems temporarily forgotten.
"Ah yes, run well you have, and the the prize you've won.
But we are late already--lets see the show, have some fun. " She said with an easy grin, as her breathing slowly settled. She nudged the little gate surrounding the theater open, and paused just inside, surveying...well, "Utter chaos" would be an accurate description.
"...What...in the hay...happened here?" Said a stunned Applejack, staring down at the stage--one side listing to the ground where the supports had seemingly been ripped free. In an odd, chaotic symmetry, the curtains on the other side were torn completely off, seemingly trapping at least two ponies who were trying to get free and mostly failing.
Elsewhere, several ponies dressed in police uniforms were speaking to what seemed to be left of the crowd of show goers. To one side was a pony who, judging from his hysterics was either the writer, director, or had just had the last bit of his birthday cake stolen.
Applejack stared hard at a second little group of police ponies, who were literally sitting atop two struggling stallions who looked mighty familiar. She found herself trotting towards them, wondering just what in the hay her two hired hands had done.
Once she had gotten closer, though, they began pointing at her and shouting something. An officer turned, and trotted up to her, nodding her head.
"Maam. You know these two? They've begun claiming you had some cause in tonights...fracas." Said the police pony, sounding a bit on edge. She looked stressed.
Applejack just stared at her for a moment. "Ah...Well, ah know'em, they work on mah farm, but...I don’t even know what happened here. Ah been on a...er...date most of the night."
The cop sighed. "Well...to make a long story short, these two...gentleponies..." her eye twitched as she said that. " Crashed the little play here, and proceeded to make a right big ruckus. Both were, and still are, highly inebriated. And both are now facing charges for drunk in public, disorderly conduct, and some minor assault charges for slugging one another a few times by mistake, and say its your fault. Specifically, that you were the "mastermind". " She turned. "Oy! Club! Why'd they blame her again? "
A night blue pony turned, and smirked. "They say cuz her brother went and fired'em for no good reason!" He was the one sitting on Jacks middle. And he was a not a small pony. Jack was going nowhere. "After screaming like a lunatic at'em."
Applejack snorted at that. "Macintosh ain't like that. He don't let his temper get way from him--if he fahred'em, it was fer a dang good reason." Privately she was a bit concerned...had Mac gone and lost his temper? He hadn't lost his temper since some idjit kicked Applebloom for cryin in the market.
The cop just sighed. "I'm very sorry about this ma'am, but could I get you to come down to the station to make a statement? Its really just a technicality, if what you're saying is true, but it'll really help with our case with these yahoos. We just need to get statements from you and your brother.
Applejack looked helplessly back at Zecora, who was staring curiously. Oh this night had not gone well.
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"Ah can't belive those gall durned, half witted, sons a' pears had the durn gall to try'n point the hoof at me!" She said sometime later, as she and Zecora left the police station.
She sighed, shaking her head. "Look, Ah'm mighty sorry bout all this. Ah just...the night...it didn't go as planned. "She looked a bit glum. "Shoot. Went about as wrong as possible. Look, ya wanna just call it a night, and pretend this didn't happen?" She asked, sounding about as depressed by the nights events as possible. Everything had gone wrong.
Zecoras answer started as nothing more than a laugh. She gave the startled pony a grin.
"If this night you wish to end, then I shall walk you home.
But to forget our date...well. Let is speak of that, as we roam."
As they began to head towards Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack gave the striped equine an odd look. "What do ya mean talk about it? Everything went wrong--what's there to talk about?"
Zecora snorted.
"Things did not go as planned--this is true.
But who is at fault for it? You?
No, tonight was....unique, but fun.
And I would rather enjoy another run. "
She grinned, bumping her head against Applejack sides.
"I really thought you were the stubborn one amongst your friends .
Are you really ready to give up, and let this be the chosen end?"
Applejack stared at her for a bit as they made their way up the path. Zecora just looked back with an easy smile and serene look on her face.
"...Yer serious, aren't ya?" she said, deadpan. "Even after all the hay that went down tonight, yeh wanna...er. Try again?" She said uncertainly.
Zecora simply nodded, eyes twinkling.
Applejack stared. "...Why?"
Zecora laughed again. "Shall i list my reason, Applejack?
You are cute and smart, on your work you never slack.
You planned a fine date, which would have been fun
Had not chance sought to sabotage it all--not your fault hun.
I could hardly lay the blame at Your feet.
But even when it began going wrong, you weren't beat.
You attempted to fix what you could
And did more than you had to, or should.
In short, I think a second date is a fine night.
But...ah, we're almost there. I can see your porch-light. " She was looking ahead now, at the surprisingly close Applefarm. They were almost at the gates!
Applejack tilted her head, and after a moment she began chuckling. "Well...far be it from me to say no to all that. Ah spose...we can give it nuther shot." She smiled at the zebra.
Zecora paused as they reached the gate, and smiled.
"That, I am glad to hear you say.
Now, I will let you be on your way.
But first...you must claim your prize.
...Has anyone told you you have lovely eyes?" She said just a touch wistfully. Applejack blushed, looking away, seeming about to say something before Zecora continued.
"Now, I thought something traditional would suffice.
Something I had read was common on nights this....nice.
And, unless my memory is remiss...
The tradition is a goodnight kiss."
Before Applejack had a chance to take these words in, the zebra leaned forward, lightly pressing his lips against the farm ponies. She froze, unable to respond at first, before feeling herself relax and...well, "melt" was the only word, as she leaned into the kiss, deepening it.
It was a short while before either of them remembered to breathe.
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A/N: Thank you for the reviews. This was my first fanfic, and the first thing I've written in well over a year. ^_^
Thanks especially to Maskinos, for editing for me! Go check out his Avatar:TLA/MLP crossover fic!
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Favorited!
Yay for Zechora and Applejack!
Grapple, chapel, Snapple?
An interracial same-sex couple? I hate to say this, but the people in my town would be so pissed about that. That's one of the reasons I hate it here. This is one of the things I like about this fandom: they do awesome things like this. I love this story.
127115 What about Dapple?
dap·ple
[dap-uhl] noun, adjective, verb, (-pled, -pling.)
noun
1.
a spot or mottled marking, usually occurring in clusters.
2.
an animal with a mottled skin or coat.
ALLONS-Y!!!
Yup, may favourite hang up again.
Oh, this oughta be good!img.pandawhale.com/82872-this-is-gonna-be-good-gif-jaso-qrkC.gif
Zecora
, AJ
Sounds just a little too chaotic for coincidence? (Why don't we have a discord emoji?)
i108.photobucket.com/albums/n13/narutouzumaki02/MLP%20Wiki%20Pictures/DiscordUMad.gif
Though
stut stut stutter?
hurriedly
', and let this be how it ends' would fit better with friends, but this is a suggestion. Not implying it's correct action to take, just thought I'd mention. (Oh Gawd, I'm rhyming!?!)
AY CARAMBA AGAIN! ...hers