The Seeds of Romance

by sister_mike

Generosity Indeed.

Generosity Indeed.

The walk back to the farm had been almost too much for Applejack to bear. She found that she had too much excess energy. She had felt like dancing the whole way home. He was here! Finally!

She was thankful that Apple Bloom had been with her. Applejack was afraid that if she opened her mouth, her feelings would come spilling out or she'd say something stupid and make a fool out of herself. Apple Bloom kept Tom entertained, asking about his train ride, asking him how he got his cutie mark, and then launching into telling him every single detail about the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

Once they got to the farm, Granny Smith fussed over Tomato. She had grown to really like him last time during his brief visit. She asked him all of the same questions Apple Bloom had asked, before even letting him off the front porch. Big Mac then helped Tom with his bags up to the guest bedroom.

Applejack had retreated into the kitchen, her hooves shaking as she tried to set the table for dinner. She tried to calm her mind, taking the moment to herself. She set a plate down and then moved to the window, letting in the crisp, sun-setting air.

"You ok, deary?" Granny Smith asked. Applejack nearly jumped out of her coat, but then blushed slightly and nodded.

"Yeah, just a little heated from the trip back from the station. Was a hot day today," Applejack said.

"Hot indeed," Granny said, her eyes narrowing slightly. She then winked at Applejack and moved to check on something in the oven. Applejack stared at her grandmother, utterly confused and terrified, but didn't have time to ask what she had meant by the wink. Tom walked into the kitchen with Big Mac, Apple Bloom on their heels.

Everypony sat at the table, save for Applejack who helped Granny Smith bring out the various dishes they were having for dinner.

"Mmmmm, mmmm, sure smells good, Granny Smith," Tom said. He smiled, "And I see you've pan-roasted some cherry tomatoes!"

"It was an alright recipe, but nothing compared to my apple fritters," Granny Smith said, with a wink. She and Tom chuckled, and Applejack felt herself go red again. She wasn't even sure why.

"So, what do you all have planned for tomorrah?" Granny Smith asked, once she had settled down to eat. Tom looked over at Applejack.

"Well, I thought first I'd show Tom around the farm," Applejack said, "Thought maybe I could give you a proper tour this time, since last time you were here it was such a short visit and all."

"That sounds fun," Tom said, "Apple Bloom mentioned something about a Sisterhood Showdown or something, that you've got going on in a week, week and a half or somethin'?"

"Sisterhooves Social, yes," Applejack said. She had sort of forgotten that it'd be taking place while Tom was in town. Maybe she could impress him if she and Apple Bloom won. "It's an event we put on every year, for all of the sister-pairings in Ponyville."

"It's really fun!" Apple Bloom piped in, "Last year, one of my best friends Sweetie Belle and her sister Rarity competed for the first time! This year, we're going to make a bet on who's going to win, and the loser has to clean up the clubhouse for a month!"

"Anyways," Applejack said, slightly miffed that Apple Bloom cut her off, "After showing you around the farm tomorrow, I thought maybe we could go out for dinner and you could meet my friends."

"Sure! That sounds great," Tom said, "From what I've heard in your letters, they're a real special group of mares."

"Yup! They sure are," Applejack said, "They sure are."

---

The next day, Applejack felt a lot calmer about the whole "in-love-with-your-best-stallion-friend-and-he-doesn't-know" situation than she had the day before. At first in the morning she had been a bit jittery, but by the time she was showing him the south field, she felt at ease and more like herself. She had done up her mane in a braid again, although this one was more loose and messy. She wanted to look nice, but in a way that didn't look like she was trying to. She again, wondered how Rarity could do this on a daily basis.

Maybe if they tell me I should let him know how I feel, and if we go on a date or somethin', I can get Rarity to give me some cosmetic tips. I'm sure she wouldn't mind.

By lunch, Tom and Applejack were laughing at old jokes, reminiscing about their time at camp and their time on his tomato farm. A couple of times Applejack just wanted to sigh and tell him that she loved him, or just lean in and rest her head on his shoulder. But then she remembered that he didn't know how she felt, and that she was terrified to tell him. So she kept those urges bottled up.

The sun was low in the sky as she and Tom headed towards one of the quaint restaurants in Ponyville. It was one that she and her friends went to quite often.

"Apple Bloom told me that tomorrow I'm invited to a Cutie Mark Crusader meeting," Tom said, "Should I be afraid?"

"Very," Applejack said with a chuckle, "She and her friends are determined as warthogs to get their cutie marks. I'm pretty sure they'll soon run out of things to try."

"Warthogs?" Tom asked. He gave Applejack a quizzical look and smirked at her. Did I really just say warthogs? What in the hay is wrong with me? Applejack thought. But she pressed on.

"They've tried everythin' Tom, it's crazy. They've tried hang-glidin', suba-divin', canon ball shooting... They even recruited our cousin from Manehatten, who is now apparently starting a branch out there," Applejack said, "So, don't be surprised when the first thing they ask you tomorrow is how you got your cutie mark. And then they'll try to do the same thing."

Tom laughed as he and Applejack approached the restaurant. He held the door open for her, and she felt her cheeks go red at the gesture. There was something so nice about old-fashioned manners.

"They're here, they're here!" Applejack heard a familiar voice beam from across the restaurant.

Before she could even turn her head, Pinkie Pie was up in her face. How she had moved across the restaurant so fast, Applejack hadn't the faintest clue. She had long ago given up on trying to figure out Pinkie's surprising agility and stealthiness.

"Hi there, Pinkie Pie!" Applejack said, "Pinkie Pie, this is my friend, Tomato Seed. Tom, this is Pinkie."

"Hi! It's so so so so so nice to meet you!" Pinkie Pie said, shaking Tom's hoof much too energetically. She then bounced her way back to the table and somehow managed to land perfectly in the cramped middle seat. Applejack smiled sheepishly at Tom, who still looked slightly alarmed at the pink pony's exuberant greeting, and led him back to the table where the rest of her friends were waiting.

Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy all sat crammed on the booth side of the table. Three chairs were vacant on the other side of the table, and for some odd reason, Spike was sitting in a little foal's chair at the end of the table that wasn't pushed up against the wall.

Applejack and Tom said down, and Applejack introduced everypony and Spike.

"It was the only way I'd fit at the table without taking Rarity's seat," Spike mumbled. He sort of shot a glare at Applejack, who then realized she must have taken Rarity's seat next to Spike. It was known to everypony that Spike had an enormous crush on Rarity.

"Where is Rarity?" Applejack asked.

"Fashionably late, probably," Twilight said.

"Darling please, there is nothing fashionable about being late," came a sophisticated voice from behind Applejack, "Applejack, dear, I am so sorry I am late. Sweetie Belle was insisting that I help her made an 'honorary badge' for her little club."

Rarity sat down and sighed somewhat. She then cheerfully turned to Tom and extended her hoof, "You must be Tomato Seed. You should be warned that our little sisters are planning on making you an honorary member of their crusaders' club, even though you clearly already have your cutie mark."

Tom chuckled, "Yes, Apple Bloom has told me a lot about this club. Please everypony, call me Tom."

"So, Tom, Applejack just mentioned briefly that you two met a long time ago during a summer camp," Twilight said.

"Yes," answered Tom. And he went into detail about how the two met. Applejack would join in here and there, and every now and then the two would share a laugh.

Once the story of how they met and how they became pen pals was cleared out of the way, the group ordered their food and settled in over appetizers.

"Applejack has already told me so much about all of you," Tom said, "but I'd like to know more. Please, tell me a bit about all of yourselves."

"Well, as, you should already know, I'm the only known pegasus who can do a sonic rainboom," Rainbow Dash started off. Once Tom asked what a sonic rainboom was, Rainbow Dash chatted non-stop for fifteen minutes. Applejack had never heard Rainbow Dash talk so much all in a row. But once she finished telling Tom about her current training at the Wonderbolt Academy, Rainbow Dash realized she had been talking non-stop and turned to Twilight.

Twilight then began a very boring speech about her time at the library. There were components of it that made Applejack think it was more of a lecture than a brief summary about her life. Spike would then pipe in here and there, trying to make it sound more interesting, but it would only make Twilight correct his exaggerations and go into further details.

Pinkie Pie yammered on about cupcakes and sugar sweets. She then proceeded to ask Tom what his favorite-of-everything was, and then told him that she was going to throw him a big party sometime next week.

"She throws everypony a party," Applejack murmured to him.

Fluttershy spoke shyly about how she took care of animals. Tom asked her what kind of animals she had, and told her that at one point he wanted to become a veterinarian when he was younger, but then found his love for farming instead.

"And what about you, Rarity? What sort of things do you do in your spare time?" Tom asked politely. How he could have patiently sit through non-stop chattering from her friends, Applejack didn't know. But it did make her like him more. Such manners he had!

"I am all about fashion," Rarity said, "I own a boutique here in town, and am hoping to someday soon expand over into Canterlot. I do get quite a few orders from ponies over there, and it would be just so much easier if I had a storage facility over there, instead of having to ship them and whatnot."

"Oh, fashion eh? My sister, Solanum, she wants to be a fashionista when she gets older. She has quite the talent for sewing. Her cutie mark is of a pin cushion and pins. She was a little upset that the pin cushion is shaped like a tomato," Tom said with a laugh, "She loves the farm and all, but she actually hates tomatoes. Sometimes my mother swears Solanum must have been mixed up at the hospital when she was born or something."

"Oh! Well I'd love to help a fellow fashionista get started! I wrote out a small notebook with a few pointers, and I gave a copy of it to my little sister, Sweetie Belle, since she too is determined to be a fashionista. She made me this absolutely adorable scarf for Hearth's Warming, and although I adore it to pieces, the stitching was a bit sloppy, so I gave her a few pointers and she has greatly improved," Rarity said. "I'd be more than happy to make another copy of my notes for you sister."

"Thank you! I'm sure she would absolutely love that! That's so generous of you," Tom said.

"Well, it is her Element," Twilight said. A few of the girls giggled.

"How about I swing by tomorrow to pick them up?" Tom asked. He turned to Applejack, "That'd be alright, won't it AJ?"

"Yeah... yeah, that'd be just fine," Applejack said.

But as they continued with their dinner, chatter and laughter, Applejack started to feel less and less fine about the whole situation.

---

Applejack had barely slept a wink that night. She had tossed and turned, and on more than one occasion thought she was going to be strangled to death by her sheets. How in Equestria was she supposed to compete with Rarity? Rarity, the most beautiful unicorn—no pony—in all of Equestria? It was no wonder that last night Tom kept turning to Rarity and asking her more questions about her business. The way he would sort of lean in when he was talking to her. The way he never took his eyes off of hers when they spoke.

Applejack had been quiet on the walk back home, and when Tom asked her if she was ok, she said she was fine, and just thought the food wasn't agreeing with her. That had also given her an excuse to go straight to bed when she got home. Apple Bloom had come to see if she could get her something to feel better, but Applejack pretended to be asleep.

The next morning, Tom went with Apple Bloom to her crusaders meeting. This gave Applejack time to cool off and try to figure out just exactly what the situation was. There was no real proof that Tom liked Rarity. Heck, he barely knew the mare. Yes, he could be attracted to her—really, which stallion wasn't?—but that didn't mean he wanted to pursue a romantic relationship with her, right?

Applejack sighed. She was starting the early preparations for the Sisterhooves Social. She moved a few bales of hay around, grumbling to herself every now and then.

"Hey there, stranger! Feeling any better?"

Applejack whipped her head around. Tom was walking towards her, a smile on his face. He had a makeshift badge pinned to his vest. Applejack gave him a quizzical look. Tom looked down at the badge and then back at her.

"So, how was it?" Applejack asked.

"It was... interesting," Tom said, as he laughed, "They certainly are determined to get their cutie marks. They asked if there were any foals I knew in Neighgley who would maybe want to start a branch there. I said I couldn't think of any, but I'd bring a few pamphlets and see if my sister knew. She just got her cutie mark last year, so she still knows some of the youngins."

"Well that's mighty nice of y'ah," Applejack said. She turned back to her bales of hay and repositioned one of them.

"What are you up to? You never answered my question; are you feeling better?" Tom asked. There was a slight indication of concern in his voice. "I didn't even get to see you this morning."

"I'm better, thank you," Applejack said. She sighed. She had to remind herself that she didn't know all of the facts. There was no solid proof yet that Tom liked Rarity. "I'm just slowly starting to set up for the Sisterhooves Social."

"Speaking of sisters," Tom said, "Do you mind if you show me where Rarity lives, so I can go get the notes for my sister? We don't have a lot of fashionista ponies like Rarity in Neighgley, and I just know Solanum would really appreciate this."

Applejack tried to ignore the fact that at the mention of "sister" he jumped right into talking about Rarity. Innocent until proven guilty. Applejack smiled.

"Of course I don't mind!" she said, almost a little too cheery. But Tom didn't pick up on her fake tone.

Applejack tried to gather as much information from Tom as she could on the way to Rarity's boutique. She asked him what he thought of her friends.

"They all seem really nice! A great group of gals," Tom said, "Though it sounded like that Twilight was a little too smart for her own good."

"Yeah," Applejack said, "What about the others though? Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie... Rarity?"

"Pinkie Pie has to be the most exuberant pony I've ever met!" Tom said, "I've never had a pony I just met decide to throw me a party! I felt so honored, I didn't know what to say. I know you said she throws everypony a party, but still!"

"Mmmhmm, mmhmm, yeah, Pinkie's great," Applejack said.

"Rainbow Dash seems very focused on her goals. It's a good quality I don't see around in a lot of ponies," Tom said.

"Yeah, she's focused," Applejack quipped.

"And Rarity is... well, Rarity is..."

Is what? Gorgeous? Beautiful? The mare of your dreams? Your future wife? What? What is she!?

"It's just such a nice thing she's doing for Solanum," Tom said, "She's never even met my sister and she's going through all this trouble to help her out. I just guess... when I first saw Rarity, I was quick to judge her as a bit of a selfish pony. But she's not. She's like the complete opposite!"

"Well, her Element is the Element of Generosity," Applejack muttered.

Applejack sighed as they rounded the corner and the boutique came into view.

"This is it," Applejack mumbled.

She knocked on the door. Rarity answered almost instantly.

"Hello Applejack, Tom! Come on in!" she trilled.

Tom walked in and Applejack followed. She couldn't help but scrutinize Rarity's home, and began to compare it to her own. Since the main entrance into the boutique was indeed, the boutique part of the building, it was a bit messy, with rolls of fabric lying here and there, a half-finished piece on a ponyquin, scissors and bits of threads covering the surfaces.

"I see you're now an honorary member of the CMC," Rarity said. She nodded towards Tom's badge.

"Ha ha ha, yes," Tom said, "Your sister is quite the charming little filly."

"Ugh, yes," Rarity said, "Well, she does take after her big sister."

The two continued to chat and Applejack tuned them out. She just watched as Rarity and Tom talked, neither of them failing to smile or laugh at the others joke. Rarity pulled out a crisp new notebook from one of her drawers, and Tom went on and on about how grateful he was, and about how she hadn't needed to go through so much effort. The more Applejack stood there and watched as her best friend and her best friend she was in love with chatted happily and effortlessly with each other, the more Applejack began to feel a twist in her stomach. The more she began to feel her heart cracking and breaking into pieces.

Comments

[sister_mike]

[King Sombrony]

Come on AJ, why won't you say anything?

[WildStallion]

Things may get rough at the Sisterhooves Social

[Trapo]

FRIENDZONE INCOMING! ALL UNITS TO BATTLESTATIONS!

[Brony_Fife]

A breaking heart hides behind a smile.