A collection of short stories centered on Applejack and Rarity. Each story is based on a one-word prompt, and after the story is written, the writer leaves another one-word prompt for the next writer to use.
A collection of short stories centered on Applejack and Rarity, written by a number of writers . Each story is based on a one-word prompt, and after the story is written, the writer leaves another one-word prompt for the next writer to use.
You can find the thread for this forum game on the RariJack forums. It is a non-exclusive project; anyone and everyone is free to join in.
The author of each chapter is listed next to their contribution.
As the hot sun beat down on the rodeo arena just south of the town of Appleloosa, ponies throughout the crowd kept sneaking glances at a particular unicorn, making his way through the stands. Hundreds of earth ponies, dozens of pegasi and a smattering of unicorns all gawked at the tall stallion dressed in a frock coat, bowtie and monocle and clearly from Manehattan or even Canterlot. Finally catching sight of a particular unicorn, who seemed just as flabbergasted as the rest of the crowd, he made his way over to the empty bench by her side.
“Good afternoon, Miss Rarity. I’d heard a rumor that I might find you here.” The stallion smiled as he took his seat.
“Fancy Pants! This is quite a surprise.” Rarity’s look of shock turned to wonder. “I didn’t expect to see you all the way out here. What brings you to Appleloosa?”
“The rodeo, among other things. I confess, I usually take in the shows in Canterlot, but some rumors are worth looking into.” Fancy Pants bought two large mugs of fresh, iced apple juice from a passing vendor while he allowed his comments to sink in.
“I had no idea you followed rodeo.” Rarity knew what the rumor was, but a game of cat and mouse with Fancy Pants was too good to pass up.
“For the same reason I follow the Wonderbolts, my dear. Just as they are the showcase of pegasus talents, the rodeo is the showcase of earth pony talents.”
“Mmm, yes. I never truly appreciated that until recently, though all the dirt and hard wear of the rodeo does make a fashion designer’s job more of a challenge.” Rarity allowed herself a smirk.
“Yes, I imagine so. Though I also wonder about the marketing angle. It can’t be easy to sell the idea of fashion to utilitarians.” Fancy Pants responded with a raised eyebrow.
Rarity simply pointed a hoof toward the center of the area where Applejack trotted out in an outfit skirting the line between the high fashion of Canterlot and the rustic utilitarianism of Appleloosa. Red and green gems glistened around the brim of her hat and on the cuff of each boot. Crisp geometric patterns were woven down the length of her chaps. Tucked just behind her ear, she wore a white and violet lily. The whole outfit served to amplify Applejack’s inherent charm.
“My wife is a great help in that department.” Rarity stated simply.
Judging by the cheers of the crowd, Fancy Pants had to agree.
Sweetie Belle stood still as Zecora was examining her horn that was suffering from the effects the Poison Joke that she fell into after the last attempt for the Cutie Mark Crusaders to earn their cutie marks. As Zecora was going back and forth between her giant pot and Sweetie Belle's horn, Sweetie Belle was engaged in a conversation with the zebra. "So where is Rarity, for I have not seen much of the Element of Generosity," asked the witch doctor. "She should be on her way back from Appleloosa with my sister-in-law Applejack. I think they said that there was a rodeo there or something." "I heard about that rodeo, I believe that Applejack was planning on making a cameo?" Before Sweetie Belle could reply, Rarity came through the door followed by her wife. "Sweetie Belle... Did you land in Poison Joke during your 'Cutie Mark Crusader Wilderness Survivors'?" asked Rarity as she face-hoofed. Sweetie Belle blushed in embarrassment of the situation as her horn drooped down in it's blue polka dot state. "Yes... I'm sorry, I wasn't paying enough attention," the young unicorn sighed. Rarity hugged her and was joined by Applejack. "It's okay little sister, after all I had suffered once from the affects of the accursed plant as well as Applejack," "Eeyup, and ah rather not speak of that awful time if ya'll don't mind." stated Applejack grimly as she remember the grueling events that had once occurred. Sweetie Belle giggled at the thought of the two being affected by Poison Joke. "Look on the bright side Applejack, at least you never mistaken a giant boulder for-" she was cut off by the most menacing glare from her older sister, and not a moment sooner had she realized her grave mistake about mentioning the events of the subject-never-to-be-discussed-ever-again... "I thought that we wouldn't mention that..." she grumbled as both Zecora and Applejack were desperately to not to laugh as they both feared their lives, not to mention one of them still wished to both remain living in the same house and participate in certain activities with her spouse not suited for still young ears. Soon after, Zecora finished the cure for Sweetie Belle's horn and applied it. After a good few minutes the horn reverted back to its original state. "Thank you Zecora, I hope there's a way I can repay you for this!" cheered Sweetie Belle as she started to walk out of the front door with both Rarity and Applejack in tow. "Do not worry child, it's worth all the while!" called back Zecora as she was replacing all of the ingredients and tools that she used during the evening. It came to Zecora's mind that maybe she should settle down with that special somepony like those two had done.
Rarity watched as Applejack paused, a bite of sandwich halfway to her mouth. The orange earth pony straightened up, looked to the ceiling, and mouthed the words as if not sure she had heard them correctly.
When it was clear her love would not respond any time soon, Rarity casually went on, “I’ve always wanted at least one. It would be nice, to have someone to help out at the boutique…”
This seemed to snap the earth pony out of her stupor. “Help out at the boutique? Heck no. If’n we ever have a youngun they’ll work at the farm.”
Rarity waved a hoof. “I’m sure we can split their time between working at both, darling.” She paused, and glanced at her wife slyly out of the corner of her eye. “So… how many would you like?”
“Heck, I dunno, Rares.” Applejack rubbed her neck, a bit uncomfortable.
“I think we should have three.”
“Golly. That’s a lotta birthin’. Are you sure?”
“Absolutely,” Rarity said with conviction. Then, more quietly she added, “I think it would be quite fitting, since we both have threes in our cutie marks.”
Applejack gazed fondly at her. “Well if ya want three kids, then I guess that’s how many we’ll have.”
The grin on Rarity’s face was worth the awkwardness of the conversation. Applejack straightened up proudly, and went back to eating.
“Oh, one more thing, darling.” Rarity chimed in almost nonchalantly. Applejack looked at her, her chewing slowing down a bit.
“If we have a colt, his name will be Jasper.”
The look in her wife’s eyes told AJ that there would be absolutely no arguing the matter.
The bedroom door burst open (thank Celestia we weren't doing anything).
Sweetie Belle shrieked my name to the top of her lungs. I swear, the pipes on that filly. I, of course, was in a complete state of shock and confusion, as I was woken from my third Fancy Pants dream (we're parasailing through the streets of Manehattan, and he offers me to become his business partner). I start stammering and shaking about, tossing my sleeping mask with reckless abandon.
Applejack, meanwhile, is simply stirred awake, as she yawns peacefully, merely whispering, "What's goin' on?"
Sweetie Belle hopped onto the foot of my bed. "Rarity, it was a monster this time! I'm not making stuff up, it was really a monster!" She whimpered, clearly in distress. "C-can I sleep with you tonight?"
I rolled my eyes. Honestly, a filly her age shouldn't have to come running to her sist—
"C'mere, Sweetie Belle." Applejack tapped the space on the bed between Moi and herself. Sweetie crawled in between herself and settled in. Applejack draped a foreleg over her and brought me into this, well, for lack of a better word, cocoon.
"Feelin' better?" She asked with that beautiful smile of hers. Sweetie Belle sniffled and nodded. Some time passed before she was able to drift off into sleep.
I looked to AJ who was still awake. "You took care of that with no difficulty. How?"
AJ shrugged. She whispered, "Ya know what it's like to have a sister. It just comes naturally, I reckon."
I shook my head. "That took talent; talent I don't have." I leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek. "Talent a certain cowpony needs to teach me."
Applejack grinned (that gorgeously kissable grin). "How do ya reckon I teach ya?"
"Spending more nights at the Boutique, of course."
"I reckon I can meetcha on that end." Applejack leaned over and tenderly kissed me.
“Oh bust it!” A voice shouted. Upon hearing a pony in distress, Rarity galloped over to see if she could help. The sound came from Sweet Apple Acres if her ears served her properly.
“What’s wrong darli-Applejack?” Rarity said. Looking back it did make sense, seeing as the sound came from Sweet Apple Acres.
“Hey Rarity. I can’t seem to fix this busted water shute. Ah was just about to give up, but seeing as you’re here could you give me a hand?” Applejack asked.
“Well of course darling, just one question.” Rarity replied.
“Shoot.” Applejack said.
“What does the term Bust-It mean?” Rarity asked.
“What do you mean?” Applejack asked.
“I’ve never heard it before, and was simply wondering what it meant.” Rarity replied.
“Well the way I use it it basically means screw it, I’m done with this bullshit.” Applejack said. “I just don’t wanna be swearing now that Applebloom’s old enough to understand it.”
“I see.” Rarity said, snickering.
“What’s with the snickering Rarity?” Applejack asked.
“I just find bust-it to be a humorous choice of words.” Rarity said.
“Well what’s wrong with it?!” Applejack asked.
“Why nothing darling, I just think that there are other ways to avoid swearing than to come up with rather humorous expressions.” Rarity replied.
“Ah think there’s something else goin’ on! Maybe you just don’t like the way I talk cause it’s not all fancy and proper!” Applejack shouted.
“Well if you’re going to shout there’s no need for false accusations!” Rarity shouted.
Applebloom was walking peacefully through the west orchard when all of a sudden, she heard shouting.
“What in tarnation is going on” She asked herself. She walked over to where she heard the shouting. The barn? She thought. She hid in the bushes to get a better view. It seemed that Applejack was arguing with Rarity. Again. Applebloom thought. She was too far away to hear most of it, but she could tell it was another heated argument. As the shouting got louder, Applebloom could see a hint of discomfort in her sister’s face. She tried to get closer to hear what they were saying, but the shouting stopped. Applebloom moved even closer, and was finally able to hear what they were saying.
“What’s wrong darling, you look uncomfortable.” Rarity said.
“It’s nothin, don’t worry about it.” Applejack replied, blushing.
“It’s just I... I mean it’s... Ah bust it.” Applejack said.
“Bust wha-” Rarity’s sentence got cut off when Applejack pulled her in for a kiss.
Oh mah gosh. Applebloom thought. “Ah gotta tell the crusaders!” She shouted, running off to ponyville, leaving two very stunned ponies staring shocked in Applebloom’s direction.
“What just happened? Rarity said.
“Heck if I know” Applejack replied.
“Do you think she’s really going to tell the crusaders?” Rarity asked.
“Bust it.” Applejack replied, pulling Rarity in for another kiss.
Rarity’s kitchen. At the table, Rarity, and one pony by the name of Applejack. The former holds a white mug in one hoof, filled two thirds of the way with a mixture known as ‘coffee’. The latter stares at a similar mug, not filled with coffee.
“I dunno. I’ve always avoided caffeine on account of gettin’ dizzy when apple bucking.” Rarity looks at Applejack. She is not impressed.
“I think you’ll find that this tea is quite relaxing.”
“Well, if you say so.” Blue magic takes a nearby teapot. The empty mug is filled with tea. Applejack peers down at the now filled mug. Rarity continues to look unimpressed.
“The purpose of ‘hot drinks’ are to drink them while they are hot.”
“Are you sure? Isn’t that gonna scald my insides if I just down it?”
“Applejack. You do not ‘down’ tea, you sip it gracefully.” Applejack continues to stare at the mug. She is confused.
“Fine, can I at least add sugar?” Rarity bats her hoof.
Applejack picks up a sugarcube. She drops it in the mug of tea. “One sugarcube.” She chuckles to herself. “Heh, sugarcube.”
She picks up another. “Two sugarcube.” And another. “Three sugarcube...”
“Applejack! Are you two or something? Must you count out every single sugarcube darling?” Applejack chuckles again.
“Sugarcube and darlin’. Pretty cute couple, ain’t we.” Rarity places her mug on the table in haste. She is embarrassed.
“Applejack, since when have we been a ‘couple’?”
“Since when I said so. And do you mind using those fancy air-quotes around every single word you don’t like of mine?”
Rarity resumes drinking her coffee. She mutters under her breath.
“I don’t recall agreeing to anything involving a relationship. And doesn’t having a marefriend require that both parties consent?”
Applejack reaches her hoof across. It takes hold of Rarity’s. “There’s nothing about being a marefriend that requires a lifetime commitment.”
Rarity removes her hoof from the hold. “Applejack. I outright refuse to enter into any sort of romantic relationship with you on a whim. For that matter, I may just refuse to enter a relationship with you at all!”
Applejack takes a sugarcube. She places it on Rarity’s nose. “We’ll see how long you can dodge the love train. Fact of the matter is, I got you blushing from that lil’ proposal already.”
Rarity examines her face. It is a bright pink. “For goodness sake, it’s just a little flushing from the coffee! Don’t try and pull anything from that.”
There is a shuffle. Applejack slides her mug to the side. She leans in, and holds Rarity’s face close.
“Sugarcube, don’t lie to me. I know there’s some smug part of you that just wants me.” Applejack extends her tongue. It catches the sugarcube, returning it to her mouth. “Or you can just sit there and be a wet towel while I do mah best at flirting. Your choice.”
“Applejack, darling, I don’t understand why you need me to do this…”
“Just go with it, Rare. It’ll be over in a second, Ah promise you that…”
The elegant white unicorn fidgeted in place, every few seconds lifting up one of her hooves to avoid the mud she happened to be standing in. Blue eyes nervously watched as Applejack, who was roughly thirty feet away, gripped one end of a taut brown rope in her mouth and began to swing it around in the air; slowly it became a quickly whirling lasso.
Rarity realized what was going to happen a second too late – she shrieked as the rope landed around her neck, flicking a few violet curls out of place and tangling them in with the brown material. Applejack stopped, saw that she had hit her target, and let out a wild whoop of joy. “Perfect!”
“Perfect,” Rarity replied in a downcast grumble, shaking the rope off of her head and activating her magic to put her mane back into place.
But it was hard to stay angry for too long at Applejack, whose green eyes shone with radiance like twin emerald suns. “Did ya see that, Rare? Ya think that’ll be good enough for the rodeo next week?”
Despite her anger at being used for rodeo practice, Rarity smiled and nodded. “I think it shall be positively wonderful. Your aim is spot on.”
“Phew! Ah was worried there for a second, ya know,” the earth pony replied, wiping some moisture off of her brow in one quick sweep. “Thank goodness!”
A light blue aura enveloped the rope, laying it across Applejack’s back, causing her to tip her head in Rarity’s direction. The unicorn bit her lip, a question suddenly bubbling to the top of her head. “Um…Applejack, darling?”
AJ turned, an inquisitive look on her face.
“Why did you want me to come here for your rodeo practice? Why didn’t you just use some cow, or maybe somepony that doesn’t mind mud?” As if to prove a point, Rarity lifted her front hoof up high and shuddered as she watched said mud drip off slowly.
Applejack laughed; it was a nervous kind of laugh that told you that something deep was going on, and it intrigued Rarity. “Well…” She looked away, heat rising to her cheeks.
“Yes?” Rarity asked, tipping her head ever so slightly to the side.
“Well, Ah wanted to spend more time by you, Rare.”
“By me?” Now the heat was flooding to the unicorn’s cheeks, and as she had white fur, there was no way to hide it. “Why, Applejack, whatever do you mea—?”
Before she could finish, a quick twist of the rope and it was snared around Rarity’s neck, pulling her closer, closer, until her muzzle was less than an inch away from Applejack’s. She knew what was going to happen next, and yet she did nothing to stop it.
No, when Applejack kissed her, the only thing Rarity did was kiss her back.
"Well, that's done with," Rarity said as she swung the door shut after the departure of the baby dragon.
"I thought he'd never leave," Applejack said with a smile as she stepped over next to her marefriend, the orange pony rubbing her snout against Rarity's as the unicorn smiled and leaned back into the earth pony's warm side. "But you really should stop leadin' him on like that Rarity."
"I know. I just am worried it will break his little heart when he finds out we're together."
Applejack frowned slightly, shifting away. "We've been together for a month now. I'm sure he's going to find out eventually, and it'd be best if it was from us, not from somepony else."
"I know," Rarity sighed as she shook her head, feeling Applejack's warmth retreating as the orange pony stepped away from her. "I must admit I am rather flattered by the attention though. I never would have thought I looked as good to dragons as I do to ponies."
Applejack smirked. "Oh, I've got a pretty good idea of it. I bet its the same thing that made Lyra go after Bon Bon."
"Same thing? Whatever do you mean?"
"Oh, nothin," the earth pony replied as she leaned in close to the unicorn's ear. "Candybutt."
"I beg your pardon?"
Applejack laughed. "Well its like this. Bonbon has candy on her flank, and to a dragon, those diamonds you're sporting must look like the sweetest thing in all Equestria."
"Those diamonds represent my love of beauty and craftsmanship, not food!"
"I dunno Rarity, I reckon as far as Spike's concerned, the gems you find are the tastiest there are. I bet he's just itchin to get a taste of the sweetest gems of all. Might be I want a taste too."
Rarity swished her tail, her cheeks flushing. "Oh you're incorrigible!"
Applejack nuzzled back up against her marefriend's side, her chin rubbing against the back of Rarity's neck. "I dunno. I don't think its such a bad thing that I want to try gettin to know my marefriend a bit better. Might be that I'd like it if she wanted to do the same to me." She shifted foward, lifting her head to give the unicorn a kiss on the ear. "Besides, I know you've always wondered what mine tastes like."
The unicorn squeaked at that, her face red, but despite the heat in her voice, her body language betrayed her as she leaned back into the strong earth pony, her tail swishing behind her, brushing up against Applejack's own flank. "A lady would never be so uncouth."
"Oh, I dunno. I'd think that a proper lady would want her ladyfriend to be happy. I promise my mouth won't go anywhere you don't want it to."
"That's what I'm afraid of," Rarity replied, ducking her head slightly as Applejack laughed.
"Well that's a mighty fine invitation if I've ever heard one." The earth pony stepped alongside Rarity, rubbing herself up against her marefriend's shoulder as she walked around in front of her, letting her back rub against Rarity's neck as she brushed on by the unicorn, turning around to nuzzle slowly along her side, first her shoulder, then letting her chin slide along her flank until she was nuzzling at Rarity's cutie mark, her tail flicking up against Rarity's snout as she gave each of the brilliant blue diamonds on her marefriend's side a gentle kiss, making the mare tremble against her.
Applejack could feel Rarity's own face moving, the white mare's chin slowly rubbing over her partner's croup, the farmer arching her back slightly as she felt the warm breath slowly moving down to her side, smiling slightly as she felt the white mare's lips press against her own cutie mark. Applejack smiled to herself as she continued to nose at Rarity's side, before squeaking as she felt Rarity's warm tongue sliding out over one of the apples adorning her flank, a laugh following a moment later.
"Well that's mighty forward of you," the cowpony said, taking the gesture as an invitation to start nibbling at Rarity's cutie mark, eliciting more shaking out of the mare beside her. Rarity's tight voice came back to her.
"Applejack," she said, "I must confess something."
"Oh? And what might that be?"
"Your cutie mark... it doesn't taste like apples."
“Aw, come on!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, throwing her arms to the side. “Why can't I get a turn?!”
“'Cause I jus' got the wagon from Scootaloo!” Applebloom loudly retorted, a breeze blowing across the field and rustling the bow in her hair. “I ain't even had a turn yet!”
“You'll have it all day! I'm only here until sundown!”
“An' a lotta good a wagon'll be when it's dark out!” She put her hands in her overall pockets and gave a roll of her eyes.
“Besides, you're bigger—it'll be easier to pull me!”
Sweetie Belle recoiled with a gasp, then stamped her foot in the grass, pointing a hard finger at the girl. “Are you suggesting I'm fat!?”
“I ain't even said that, sheesh!” Bloom said. Her expression turned devious as she rested a hand on the wagon's handle and glanced past the wooden fence, towards the house. “But if you're the one sayin' it, who am I ta argue?”
“Why you... you...” Sweetie's face contorted in thought. “Clamhead!”
Applebloom scowled, stamping a foot. “Porkface!”
“Dummy!”
“Tubby!”
“Malcontent!”
Applebloom paused. “A what?”
“A jerk!” Sweetie exclaimed.
“Girls!” a haughty, cultured woman's voice proclaimed. Rarity briskly marched from the backdoor of the house, Applejack a pace behind her. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle each shared a glance befitting a man heading towards execution.
“We could hear y'all all the way from the cotton-pickin' laundry room!” AJ said, glowering as she approached the fence. She glanced at both of the girls. “What in the name-a pete's gotten into the both of ya?”
They quickly gestured to one another and spoke at once.
“She won't let me—“
“I jus' got my—“
“Got called fat—“
“What the hay's malcontent mean—“
“That's enough!” Rarity barked, crossing her hands over her chest and tapping at her elbow with one of her well-manicured violet nails. “I have not a care in the slightest who started the bickering, simply stop. Now.”
They solemnly nodded. After a beat, Applejack rolled her eyes and tilted her worn stetson back. “How 'bout y'all grab a snack inside? Got some apple juice an' crackers with yer names on it.” She glanced at the wagon. “After that, maybe me an Rare'll tug ya 'round some.”
They broke into a wide grin, blowing past the two woman and sprinting to the house. Rarity gave a good-natured sigh. “I have no idea how you can placate them so quickly, darling.”
AJ smirked, moving a bit closer and putting a hand on Rarity's shoulder. “Practice makes perfect, sug. Ya jus' keep drillin' it inta them that ya mean business, an' eventually it sticks with 'em.”
Rarity smiled, the sun all but radiating the beauty's violet hair and dazzling smile. “I suppose that stubborn nature of yours comes in handy on occasion,” she conceded, entwining her hand with Applejacks and giving a small, preditory half-smile. “However, it's not without its faults.”
Applejack paused, narrowing her brow. “Oh boy. This should be good.” She held back from going for the throat. “What kinda faults?”
“Why,” Rarity began, glancing towards the children running toward the steps of the house. “Think about where Applebloom got her stubborn streak. She just doesn't admit to being wrong, even when she's insulting—“
“Now hold on a dang minute!” AJ replied, taking a step back from the woman. “It's yer lil' 'me first' attitude that's rubbin' off on Sweetie Belle that's the problem! She ain't even given 'Bloom a turn at the wheel!”
“Oh, I suppose your sister calling mine 'fat' was the way to go there?” she questioned, her eyes holding heat.
“Yer the one with the sister that called mine 'malcontent!' The hay that even mean?!”
“A person who's dissatisfied or rebellious—a troublemaker.”
The farmer paused, the building tension all but vapor in the air as Applejack laughed. “Eyup. Sounds 'bout like me an' Bloom. We're like peas in a pod!”
Rarity's brow twitched. She wasn't sure if Applejack's nature made her want to kiss or slap the woman sometimes. Finally, she decided on grabbing the other by the waist.
“Come on, dear,” the tailor said. “I'm sure the girls are waiting for you to pull their wagon around.”
AJ complied, walking in-step with the other towards the house before frowning. “Wait. Are ya sayin' ya ain't gonna help me?”
“Well, there's all that dirt and I just got my nails done, dear...” Rarity trailed off, playing with the necklace she wore. “Besides. I know you'd enjoy it far more than me—I'm not built for such physical excursion, after alEdit: Forgot my prompt word, oh shi-- n—“
“Another day in paradise,” Applejack grumbled to herself.
"Coming!" chirped the mare in question, emerging from one of the back rooms of the boutique with a smile on her face as she approached the farmer. The pair exchanged nuzzles, leaning into each other for a moment before Applejack spoke.
"Twilight and I saw somethin' you might get a kick out of when we were in Canterlot yesterday."
"Oh?" Rarity leaned back, her eyes bright. "What is it?"
"I left it outside, it was kind of tough to get in through yer door by myself. It’s kind of fragile."
Rarity stepped out the front door of her shop and looked around for a moment before spying the canvas-covered pane sitting in the cart, her smile broadening. "Is that what I think it is?"
"Sure is," Applejack said as she stepped out after her marefriend. "Twi and I found it in the market, and figured it was just up your alley. Another magic mirror for your collection."
"Ooh, what does it do? Oh, wait, don't tell me, I want to see for myself."
Applejack smiled tolerantly, sliding out of the way as her marefriend seized the covered mirror carefully with her telekinesis, floating it out of the cart and in through the front door of the store before setting it down on the floor, its back resting against one of the tables at an angle.
“Ya ready?” Applejack asked, grinning as she reached up to grasp the edge of the canvas, already knowing the answer.
“Applejack!” Rarity tsked, shaking her head. “You know I like to have my little moments.”
“I know. And I love you for them.”
Rarity stepped before the mirror, closing her eyes and concentrating as her horn flared to life. The brown cloth slowly slid away, wrapped in Rarity’s magic, but the unicorn studiously avoided looking into the mirror’s silvery surface, instead turning her head to watch as she carefully folded the canvas into a neat little bundle, setting it down on her dresser. Nodding to herself, she closed her eyes once more before turning her attention back to the mirror, the smile on her face vanishing in an instant as her eyes slid open.
Rarity’s shriek jerked Applejack into action, the farmer leaping forward to hug her marefriend as the wild-eyed pony stumbled away from the mirror. "That's terrible!" Rarity wailed, whacking Applejack's chest with her hooves.
"Constarn it Rarity, it just makes you look like a princess! It ain't anything bad!"
Applejack could feel the other mare quivering against her, and looking down at her face, could see fear in her eyes, tears running down her cheeks as she sniffled.
"What do you mean?" Rarity asked, her voice quavering. "That isn't what it showed at all!"
"Did that vendor trick us and give us the wrong mirror?" Applejack growled, her eyes narrowing, while Rarity relaxed slightly against her chest.
"You think he tricked you?"
"I don't know, let me have a look at it."
Applejack slowly released her marefriend, flashing a smile as Rarity watched in trepidation. Shaking her head slightly, Applejack turned to face the mirror, confusion showing on her face as she tilted her head, the crowned pony in the mirror doing the same.
"What are you talking about Rarity? That’s is exactly what the mirror in the market did."
Applejack smiled back over her shoulder at Rarity, nodding her head in encouragement as the unicorn stepped forward, but Rarity’s tears began anew as her eyes moved from Applejack to the mirror. Rarity peered into it for several long moments, her knees wobbling before she collapsed to the floor, ducking her head and looking away.
Applejack turned her head to look back at the mirror, trying to see what her lover saw, and her eyes grew wide. In the mirror, the regal alicorn's eyes did the same, her mane flowing in an ethereal breeze beside her neck, her tail doing the same behind her. In the mirror, the farmer stood tall and regal, no longer a little pony, but instead a princess, full grown as Celestia.
But it wasn't her own reflection that made her eyes grow large, but what stood beside her: a weathered tombstone, with three diamonds glinting in the sun above the name of the pony laid to rest beneath.
As every business owner knows, there are some ideals that stay the same across the board, regardless of actual occupation. Among these is the well-known virtue of getting up early.
Of course, each pony has a different definition of 'early'. Rarity had woken up to see that, as usual, Applejack had arisen and left for her morning chores without waking her up. Normally she would pretend to pout about being loved and then left, but today was different. Today, she knew Applejack would be back for breakfast, and she planned to go all out and make something truly special. She trotted into the kitchen and began to hum as she whipped up some fresh batter, and mentally sighed in relief that Sweetie Belle was not here this weekend. After all, crepes are already notoriously difficult to make, and she really didn't want to know what the filly that was capable of burning juice would do to them.
* * *
Applejack barged into Rarity's boutique and sighed in relief. "Ah'm home!" she called cheerfully.
Rarity stuck her head out of the kitchen and put a fake frown on her face. "Must you be so loud?" she asked.
"Aw, Rares, surely ya don't mean that. You wouldn't love me if'n Ah wasn't." She walked into the kitchen and grinned. "And besides, you're louder'n me anyway."
"We are not having that conversation this early in the morning," Rarity said firmly even as her cheeks tinged with pink.
"Fine by me," Applejack said dismissively. "Ah'm just here for breakfast anyway."
"Glad to know I'm so adored," Rarity said dryly.
Applejack paused in front of the large pile of crepes. "What's this?" she asked, bringing up a hoof and prodding experimentally at this new food.
"They're crepes, darling."
"Crepes," Applejack tasted the word and rolled it around in her mouth a few times before rendering her verdict. "They look just like really thin pancakes without the apple chunks."
Rarity lifted the plate with her magic and brought it to the table, making sure to flick Applejack in the nose with her tail as she walked by. "They are not just 'pancakes', Applejack. They are a time-honored breakfast tradition in many circles,"
"Ah still think somepony just added too much water to the batter," Applejack muttered, but she still came to the table and took a seat.
Rarity sat down with perfect poise and lifted over a single crepe. She gently scooped some cream onto her crepe. She then delicately placed strawberry halves all along the center, and rolled it up neatly. With skill and grace, she took the strawberry sauce and drizzled it all along the top in a zigzag pattern. With a healthy coating of powdered sugar, she deemed her breakfast perfect. Now fully prepared to enjoy her breakfast, she lifted it up and brought it to her mouth.
Well, she almost did. This masterpiece dropped back down to the plate as she caught sight of Applejack attempting to force a crepe into her mouth, and getting frustrated when it kept falling apart.
"What are you doing?" Rarity shrieked.
"Eatin'," Applejack said around a mouthful of crepe.
"No! No, no, no! That's not how crepes are to be eaten! You have to put toppings on them. You have to care for them." "What toppings? You don't even have syrup," Applejack pointed out.
"Syrup does not go on crepes!"
Applejack rolled her eyes and muttered something about some ponies making breakfast a far too complicated affair.
"All right," she said. "Where's the peanut butter?"
"Put this on," Rarity said, floating over a small jar. "It's better on crepes, anyway."
"Hazelnut spread," Applejack read off the label. "Ah dunno..."
"Trust me. You will love it."
Applejack took the jar and spread it thickly.
"Not like that! The crepes are delicate, and must be treated with care!"
"This ain't breakfast," Applejack grumbled as she returned the knife to the jar with a bit more force than was strictly necessary. "Breakfast is fast, easy, and it's got no rules."
As much as Rarity tried to suppress her feelings, this actually hurt her. She had spent quite a bit of time on this, making sure she had everything she needed to make their weekend breakfast special, and Applejack didn't seem to appreciate any of it. The frown that crossed her face was real, no teasing this time.
Applejack realized she had crossed a line. "Rarity, Ah didn't..."
"No," Rarity said firmly. "Just eat the way you like, then."
Applejack got up, walked around the table, and gently wrapped her forelegs around Rarity, who merely sat there and didn't return the gesture.
"Your simple offerings of affection won't help you this time," Rarity said stiffly, bringing up a hoof to try and loosen Applejack's hold.
"But Ah like affection," Applejack protested, still continuing to press up against her.
"Can't say I feel the same right now," Rarity mumbled, but she stopped trying to push Applejack away.
Applejack progressed to nuzzling her under the chin, just the way she liked it. "Look, Rarity, Ah didn't mean nothin' by it. It's just... at my house, when it's breakfast time, we're fightin' for pancakes and hashbrowns and scrambled eggs and everythin', and Ah guess that's what Ah was thinkin'. Your world's a bit different, and Ah'm still findin' my way." She grinned. "Kindof like our first dinner together, right?"
"Oh, don't remind me," Rarity said, finally cracking a smile. "Chasing the waiter down for your salad fork back? They're supposed to take it."
"Ah swear, Ah saw more silverware that night than my whole family has," Applejack grinned. "But you know, it's not the dinner Ah liked so much."
"Really?"
"It was spendin' time with you. Ah didn't want nothin' fancy for breakfast this morning; Ah just wanted an excuse to stay here." Rarity rolled her eyes, but finally returned the hug. "Thanks, Applejack," she said.
"That means Ah'm forgiven, right?" Applejack asked hopefully.
"We'll see," Rarity said, giving her a gentle kiss on the tip of her nose. "First, though, try this." Without releasing Applejack, she lit her horn and lifted another crepe. She spread the hazelnut spread on it, added a strawberry and cinnamon sugar, and rolled it up. "Now, eat the crepe the way it is supposed to be eaten."
Applejack took a bite of the offered crepe, and her eyes widened.
“Rare…Ah know it’s Date Night an’ all, an’ Ah know it’s yer turn to pick, but…do we really have to spend the time makin’ dresses, of all Celestia’s things?”
“Silk dresses, Applejack!” came the eager reply. “Silk! They will be beautiful and wonderful for our trip to Manehatten in a few weeks. Besides –” Rarity glanced over at her marefriend, blue eyes dead serious. “After those…those monstrosities you made with my cutie mark, I’d say you need the practice.”
Applejack groaned, tipping her hat back just a little so the brim didn’t cover her face and trotted forward, begging to reason.
“Ah don’t think Ah can make silk dresses all fancy-like,” she muttered, lifting up some of the fabric with one hoof and dropping it.
“Nonsense! Once you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.” Rarity levitated a roll of silk and a tape measure and began to observe the length and width of the pink material.
“But—”
Rarity turned, eyes half-lidded. “Do not try to back out of this one, Applejack. I went to that rodeo with you last week, and now you must repay the favor.” She turned and began to mess with her silk again.
“Can Ah at least do somethin’ for ya other than make the dress?” Applejack pleaded, green eyes pleading. Rarity stared at them for a few moments, in which sapphire met emerald, and frowned.
“Well, that sets back my plans a bit, as I’ll have to think of a new role you can accomplish so you’d be a part of this night,” she contemplated, staring up at the ceiling.
Applejack just stared, hoping for the best, and broke into a large grin when a delighted look appeared in Rarity’s eyes. “Ya thought of a way for me to escape – Ah mean, help in some other way?”
“Absolutely!” The unicorn grinned, white teeth flashing mischievously. “I know the perfect way you could help! And I trust that you’ll love it.”
About an hour and a half later, the true meaning of Rarity’s idea was revealed by Applejack in a long pink gown rimmed with white cotton and laced with silver thread. She stared at it in disgust, and then looked back up at her marefriend. “Rarity. Rare. Ya know that wasn’t what Ah had in mind, right?” The farmpony lifted up one hoof, green eyes irritated. “Ah look awful.”
“You look beautiful,” Rarity murmured.
AJ looked up. “Ya…ya really think so?”
“You look beautiful,” Rarity whispered again. “Gorgeous. Simply…” She choked on something – were those tears? – and sighed, tipping her head to one side. “…gorgeous.”
Applejack smiled. Maybe if Ah got to see her this happy, it wasn’t a bad idea to dress in silk after all.
Applejack was a pony of unwavering morality. "Son, you be hard working stallion" his poppa always told him. Momma said to "find a good mare and always make her happy". He hadn't really been able to do the second part but he was true to his word and always said that one day he would... just not today, or the next day. It seemed there was always something that needed to be done besides courting. Even when invited to the Grand Galloping Gala, surrounded with beautiful mares, he was still trying to work.
Work he snorted to himself. Never in his life had anything gone so horribly wrong as the Grand Galloping Gala! A small noise broke Applejack out of his storming. He realized he had somehow wondered into the garden while thinking, looking around himself for the noise. He couldn't tell what it was a familiar sound, so soft it was barely audible and it brought a tightness to his chest. After a moment of searching he found where it was coming from and, like a knife through his heart, he realized what it was.
Many nights he had heard that sound after his parents died. The family was strong and kept going day in and day out, but in the dark everything came pouring out. The soft sounds of sobs from Red Gala's room could be heard from Applejack's room next door. It broke his heart to think of his big sister, the glue that kept them all together, crying herself to sleep. There sitting right before Applejack Elusive was sobbing uncontrollably and almost inaudibly.
Applejack stood for a moment unsure of what to do. He knew that while the White Unicorn may have been more in touch with his feminine side that didn't mean he wanted to be caught crying. Elusive was very socially aware and while nopony actually knew it Applejack was too. For a stallion to cry in public would be humiliating and shameful to say the least.
So Applejack just sat there. He waited until the sobs had subsided, each one another buck in the chest. Finally, when he was sure Elusive was ready, he backtracked from his hiding spot and loudly reentered. "Why, Howdy Elusive! I tell ya' these ponies have no sense of taste! Only one pony bought my pie's and, between you and me, she seemed funnier than a carrot on an apple tree"
"Why Ap-Applejack," Elusive said trying to regain his composure "I would love to buy one of your pies! And maybe some ice cream?"
"Momma, he aint no mare but i promise: I'm always gonna make Elusive happy" Applejack said silently to the night sky.
It was a dark, cold night when Applejack trotted back into town. She arrived back at the boutique a bit later than usual, but that was to be expected this time of year, right?
The door was locked. That was a bit of a surprise, but Applejack had long since been given a key. She trotted upstairs, took a quick shower, and jumped into bed. She wrapped her forelegs around Rarity, but the second surprise of the night occurred--Rarity scooted away.
Applejack sat up. "Rarity?" she asked.
"Where were you?" Rarity demanded coldly.
"Workin'. No need to get greedy."
"Greedy?" Rarity sat up, and Applejack was taken aback to see that she had been crying. "Greedy? Do you know what today was?" she demanded.
Applejack bit her lower lip. "Uh... Second to last day of harvest?"
"Our anniversary!"
Applejack's jaw dropped. She sprinted out of Rarity's room and over to the calendar on the wall. Her jaw dropped.
"Ah..." Her face fell and her eyes flicked from side to side as she quickly tried to think of something, anything to fix this, but she had nothing. Absolutely nothing.
She still stared stunned at the calendar when she heard Rarity come in. "You'd... you'd forgotten," Rarity said.
Applejack looked back with a look of horror. She suddenly noticed the glasses on the table and plates of food... rather, plate, singular. Hers. Still untouched.
"Ah'm so sorry," she whispered. "Harvest, and..." She bowed her head. "That ain't no excuse. Ah'm sorry, Rarity." She turned, face down and unable to meet Rarity's eyes, and walked towards the door.
"Applejack?"
Applejack paused, unable to raise her eyes.
"I knew what I was getting into when we started this. And perhaps 'greed' would only describe me if I wanted you to conform to exactly what I wanted."
Applejack could hear the tiny, tearful smile in her voice.
"By my clock," she continued, "there are still two and a half hours left in our night, if you'd like to stay?"
Applejack looked back with a tiny tear in her own eye. "Ah'd like that," she said softly. "Ah'd like that a lot."
Rarity was a poor seamstress who could barely make a living. Her profession was an oxymoron in and of itself. She made clothes for ponies, but ponies never wore clothes. She was destitute, living alone with her unfashionable parents and a sister who could burn a glass of orange juice!
One day a lovely purple unicorn came to the poor village where Rarity lived. She was of noble birth and saw the beautiful, stunning, intelligent, fashionable, hard working, generous- Oh, sorry- She saw the poor mare working hard and gave her the chance she deserved. With one shiny new ticket to the Grand Galloping Gala Rarity went to work pouring her soul, and her life savings, into the most beautiful gown anypony had ever seen.
The whole Gala went silent as Rarity entered the room. All eyes where on her as she descended the stairs with poise, gently greeting the noble ponies. As she walked the crowd parted for her making a clear path to the noble mare Applejack. With no greetings they danced and the room faded away. It was just them on the ballroom floor.
It all ended too quickly as the bell struck midnight and rarity had to leave, galloping away back to being a nopony seamstress. Applejack, being the caring and gentle mare she was, gave chase but was soon left with just a glass horseshoe.
"Okay Sugarcube, I just cant take it any more! I know we agreed to try some role playing but, really?" Applejack said holding a glass horse shoe. At fist she was uncomfortable with the overly dramatic costume but she figured they would be taking them off soon enough. As the scene went on, and on, and on, she started to loose the mood, then her interest.
"Oh, but Darling we haven't even gotten to the part where you put the horseshoe back on my hoof" Rarity said flopping her hoof back and forth "That's the most romantic part!"
"It just don't make no sense! How can you live alone with your family? And who in their right mind would wear a horseshoe made of glass? You'd cut your hooves up something bad. And another thing, why am I-" Rarity stopped Applejacks tirade with a deep and passionate kiss.
"How about we try yours next time?" Rarity said in a throaty whisper, batting her eyelashes seductively.
Here, at the crack of dawn, just as the sun began to peek over the horizon, with a pounding headache, in disbelief, Applejack honestly thought that she was still asleep. This had to have been a dream. Last night's events were a blur, but it didn't matter. Now was the only importance.
Rarity was in her hooves, looking more beautiful than she ever had before.
Smudged makeup, frizzed-out mane, an adorable little smile on her muzzle as she peacefully slept...
It was the center of countless fantasies, and Applejack thought that was all it'd ever be.
She had always thought she had a snowball's chance in Tartarus with Rarity, but, maybe, just maybe...
Perhaps all hope wasn't lost.
After all, destiny was a funny thing, wasn't it?
...And that had to have been the only force that was pulling them together right now.
Rarity sputtered, her eyes widening as she turned back to her daughter.
"Why do you ask dear?"
"Well, when I was at school today, the other fillies told me everypony has a dad. They said nopony has two moms."
"Did they?" the unicorn asked, her voice thick with sugar-sweet malice.
"I asked the teacher too. She said so. When I told her I had two moms, she told me I should ask you about my dad after school."
"Oh darling," Rarity said, leaning down to nuzzle at her foal's orange mane, speaking in a sickly sweet tone of voice.
"Everypony has a father except you. You're our little miracle. That's why we named you Fortune."
Fortune looked up at her mother skeptically. "Momma said that I was named after the apple."
Rarity giggled musically. "That too, dear." She bent down to give her daughter a hug. "Maybe tomorrow, your momma and I can go to school with you together and explain things to your class."
"Alright," the filly said, before turning and walking out of the kitchen, Rarity quietly grinding her teeth together before another pony joined her.
"So did she ask you too?"
Rarity looked over at her wife archly. "I take it I was not the first to field the question."
"Hay no. She asked me right when she came home from school."
"Applejack, language!"
The earth pony grinned. "I told her to talk to y'all about it."
Rarity rolled her eyes. "Whatever would I do without you?"
"Get real cold at night, I reckon." That dry remark earned the earth pony a shove in the shoulder from the unicorn.
"Applejack, you're incorrigible."
"I might be," the earth pony said, flicking her tail. "Still, it don't sit right with me. I always knew where I came from."
"And she does. She is your daughter as much as she is mine."
"I know that. I'm just worried she'll think we lied to her, like we're ashamed or somethin'."
"But darling, it's the truth. She is my daughter, and she is most certainly an Apple."
"Still, it ain't right. 'Sides, my brother ain't a very good liar."
The pristine white newly fallen snow decorated the bustling city beautifully, as if it was a scene fresh out of a film, and though many ponies were cheerful as they strolled the streets, or were seen happy together indoors, away from the cold, but nonetheless admiring it, one certain mare was not as joyful as the rest.
She blended in with the winter scenery well, what with her alabaster coat, and sapphire blue eyes that sparkled like the snowflakes.
...but unlike time and time again, her eyes were not sparkling with joy - instead, tears glossed them over.
The ancient iron fence that guarded the cemetery loudly squeaked as she used her magic to open it, and slowly, almost cautiously, she stepped into the seemingly endless field that felt so eerily haunting, which was fitting, for her location.
Frozen stones, each engraved with different words about different past souls, were placed in random areas, but none of them fazed Rarity as she continued to trudge through the snow, in an almost robotic-like manner. She knew this path all too well - she could have easily gone through it more than twenty times in the past six months... but now was a special occasion. Before, it was only to cry and wallow in misery, muttering nonsense about her broken heart, and wishes of how it could all be the same as before.
But alas, not even the most powerful of medicine nor magic could heal this pain.
And finally.
She had found it.
What she had been looking for this whole time.
One of the newest spots in the graveyard, with a simple headstone, that was underneath a tree, which was very fitting for the mare who was buried here.
Jacqueline Apple Beloved sister, grand-daughter, friend and wife Thirty-nine years of age She will be missed
"Hello, darling," Rarity said softly. "It's me." The wind lightly whistled and she let out a sigh. "Yes, I know, it's been too often, but this visit should be an exception." She couldn't bear to look at the solid stone anymore and turned her face to the freezing cold ground. "I... I understand you wouldn't want me to be like this, and I try not to dwell on it, although..."
She glanced to the golden chain hung around her neck, and the silver band that was dangling from it. Carefully, she placed her hoof on it and released a deep breath.
"Today would have been our tenth anniversary," Rarity murmured. "and as I told you back then, I still mean it when I say that being married to you was one of the greatest gifts life could have ever given me..." A single tear fell to the frozen ground, and she lightly shuddered, but not so much from the cold. "And before you passed, we both know I made a promise to you. A promise I told you I most likely couldn't keep."
"Rares," Applejack let out a light groan as she rubbed her forehead with a hoof. "We both know Ah don't have long t' go and-"
"Don't say that." Rarity muttered, as she choked back a sob, looking up at her sickly wife. "You'll make it. You have to."
The farmer let out a low chuckle and managed a wry smile, "Ah cain't decide that, sugarcube, an' neither can you." The hospital's scarily cold silence filled a moment between them, only before the earth pony continued, "So, if'n Ah don't get outta here, can ya do somethin' fer me?"
"Anything," the dressmaker whimpered. "Say the word, Applejack, and I would change Equestria for you if I could."
Managing to find the strength to roll her eyes playfully, Applejack took her wife's hoof into her own and their gazes locked. "Promise me that ya ain't gon' lock yerself up an' dwell ov'r me." she stated. "Jus' move on wit' yer life."
"I..." Rarity looked deep into her lover's tired, weary emerald eyes and let out a sigh. "There's no guarantees, but... anything for you."
"But, no matter," she sighed. "I intend to at least try and respect your final wish."
And with that, Rarity levitated the necklace off and gently placed it over the headstone, so the wedding ring hung right over the carving of her deceased lover's name.
...it felt so odd to have nothing holding her back now.
Somehow, just taking that simple accessory off lifted away a few burdens.
Even if her heart was still shattered in pieces, it was a start.
Rarity trotted down the quiet streets of early morning Ponyville. It was quite nice, birds chirping in the trees with no loud, obnoxious ponies to scare them away. She would have like to go through one of the pretty green parks but no, she had a very target in mind. Already the houses were spreading further and further apart as she left town. Fluttershy’s house was coming up, animal roaming around the sweet cottage.
I shall have to pop in and see her on the way back, she thought as she passed her friend’s home. I haven’t seen her since our last spa day. The next one’s tomorrow, isn’t? she squealed in delight as the spa rose to her head. Oh, I wish Applejack would come with us. Her mane really is quite soft, she could look so pretty… perhaps I’ll just mock her a little until she agrees. No, no, not today. I must be civil, it’s very important.
Her determination refuelled she began to trot faster, almost galloping, but she wouldn’t do that because she would sweat and sweating was disgusted. It was the one reason she disliked hot days. Cool shade enveloped her and she looked up to trees with dark, glossy leaves and juicy red fruit. She blushed slightly as her stomach growled thought nobody was around to hear.
“Hungry, Rare?” An orange earth pony with a golden-blonde mane tucked under a worn old Stetson hat stepped onto the path, grinning.
“Applejack!” Rarity screeched jumping back a good few step. She placed a hoof to her chest to still her beating heart. This is going all wrong! “W-what are you doing here?”
“Ah live here,” Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Ah was jus’ doin’ some early buckin’.” She indicated some baskets full of apples with her head.
“Why, yes, of course,” she tried to collect herself. “I didn’t mean that question, obviously, I was just, oh, um, you know what I mean.” She waved her hoof.
“Not quite, but ah’ll roll with it,” the farm pony came closer. “Th’real question is what a ya doin’ here? Ah though ya liked to get that pretty sleep thing?”
“It’s beauty sleep, darling,” she responded immediately. “And yes, actually, you are most correct. I did come here to ask you something.”
“Well get to it then,” Applejack tapped a hoof jokingly. “Ah wanna buck some more apples before ah kick the bucket.”
Rarity rolled her eyes. “I was going to ask you to come on a holiday with me to Shell Bay. I have two tickets. I,” she took a deep breath. “I heard it was very romantic.”
Applejack froze. “Romantic? Are ya askin’ me out.”
She trembled slightly. “I believe I am. Can your apples spare you for a week?” I’m beginning to sweat! I hope she doesn’t notice…
A wide grin spread across her face. “Ah bet they can, jus’ fer one week.”
Rarity squealed very loudly and, in a rather un-ladylike manner jumped and knocked Applejack over.
“There!” Rarity cheered as she finished braiding Applejack’s mane, wrapping the endings with a golden thread. “Finally done!”
“And now Ah look silly...” Applejack deadpanned, looking at her reflection in the mirror. “Why can’t we go like we are?”
“Don’t be silly Applejack,” Rarity sighed. “It’s the Grand Galloping Gala. We have to look our best for it...”
“But why?” Applejack tilted her head quizzically. “Remember what happened last time? We went through all that fancy-schmancy shenanigans just to get to the worst party of our lives... Hay; we could just invite the Princesses to one of Pinkie’s parties and have a blast!”
“Princess Celestia asked us specifically,” Rarity replied with a faint smile. “But she also asked if there is a chance not to destroy half of the castle this time around...”
“Well,” Applejack paused as she tapped her chin with the hoof. “Ah think, that she should talk directly to Fluttershy about that.”
The remark forced a giggle out of Rarity.
“And ya’ll be trying to find yerself a prince again, Twilight will probably just hang around with Princess Celestia again...” Applejack replied with a sigh. “Two more reasons for not going...”
“Hrmph,” Rarity snorted. “No more looking for a pony like Prince Blueblood for me... Besides; I wanted to ask a special pony that I hold deep respect for to accompany me as my date to Grand Galloping Gala.”
“Like Ah said; Not much for me to do in the Gala, anyways,” Applejack grumbled. “Ah would just get bored watching ya’ll having fun... But Ah think, that Ah’ll just skip it this year, so Ah'll just wish you best of luck with your date...”
“But that’s just it,” Rarity spoke shily.
“What is?”
“I don’t know how to ask that pony out...”
“That’s really simple Rarity,” Applejack answered with a smirk. “Just be direct.”
“Very well then,” Rarity replied nervously. “Applejack, would you like to accompany me to the Grand Galloping Gala as my date?”
Applejack froze in shock with her face now flush red, eyes widening, and her mouth flying ajar. “D-did you just...? On a date?” she struggled to form a coherent sentence.
Rarity nodded. “I’ve been trying to ask you out for a while now, but didn’t know how... It-It’s okay, if you decline,” she sighed.
Applejack smiled and nodded faintly towards the unicorn. “I would love to.”
Applejack always had a love for naturalistic sceneries - especially just when the world seemed to change, in those brief, beautiful moments, particularly sunrises and sunsets.
...Mostly sunsets, though.
The horizon would turn a beautiful shade of orange, and the clouds would look like fluffy pink cotton candy (although, thank Celestia it actually wasn't), then it would slowly but surely fade in beautiful violet, navy and silver, all mixed in one, with the stars twinkling perfectly.
She'd wish on those stars, even if they weren't shooting across the sky.
They just seemed magical to her.
Even if the wishes never came true, it never really bothered her.
...so long as she could spend each and every evening watching the sun set with Rarity, nothing else really mattered.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" the fashionista murmured as she gazed out upon the horizon, letting out a sigh at the sudden peacefulness of all the land.
However, Applejack's eyes were not fixated upon the sky, but instead, she was gazing upon her lover, and she gave a smile, replying with simply, "Sure is."
With that said, their gazes met, as did their lips in a soft, sweet, passionate kiss and all the world was right.
Rarity stirred as golden light touched her face, making her blink and slowly open her eyes. She smiled at the sight before her - golden locks flowing over her nose, reflecting the light of the sun into her eyes. Leaning forward, she gave Applejack a gentle kiss on the back of her head, breathing in the scent of her mane as she squeezed her lover with her hooves.
Applejack snuggled back into Rarity's chest, pressing the top of her head up against the unicorn's jaw.
"Mornin'," she said sleepily, a smile coming to her own lips as she began to slowly roll over to return the kiss that Rarity had given her. The pair's gazes met, and Rarity leaned forward to give Applejack another kiss on the nose.
"Did you sleep well?" Rarity whispered, her hooves slowly traveling down her lover's back, feeling lean muscle under orange fur.
Applejack nodded. "Mmhmm." She gave Rarity another kiss, the pair using their hooves to pull themselves closer to one another, savoring the shared warmth of their bodies as they lay tangled beneath the sheets. Time passed - neither knew how long - as they lay there, simply enjoying each other's company.
It was Applejack who finally broke the silence. "I guess I should go make breakfast," she said, moving to disentangle herself from her lover before Rarity gave her a squeeze.
"You made dinner last night," Rarity said quietly, leaning forward to rub her snout against Applejack's. "I'll make breakfast, and bring it to you."
Applejack chuckled. "If you insist," she said, relaxing back into the mattress as she let her eyes rest on the beautiful unicorn.
Rarity shifted, moving slowly as to avoid accidentally kicking her bedmate before slowly sliding herself down to the floor, stretching her legs as she hobbled forward several steps, swishing her tail before walking over to Applejack's mirror. "Oh, I'm a mess," the unicorn fussed, using her magic to pull open Applejack's drawers, pulling out her marefriend's brush before Applejack's voice interrupted her.
"Aw, you don't have to do that," Applejack said from the bed, sitting up slightly. "Ain't no one here but me to see, and I'm just gonna muss it up again after breakfast. 'Sides, I kinda like it when you ain't all fancy."
Rarity's cheeks flushed at her lover's comment, but hesitated. She loved to be neat and tidy, but... after several seconds of indecision, the unicorn returned the brush to the drawer, drawing a quiet chuckle from Applejack.
"Thatta girl," she said, grinning.
Rarity smiled back over her shoulder at the reclining pony before opening the door, slowly strutting out of the room, swishing her tail as she vanished out into the hallway. Taking a deep breath, Rarity began walking downstairs - she could practically smell breakfast cooking already.
"Mornin'," Big Mac said to Rarity as she stepped into the kitchen, drawing a nod and a smile from the unicorn before she froze, her eyes wide as realization paralyzed her - she could smell breakfast cooking. Granny Smith was standing by the stove, holding a skillet in her mouth as she cooked eggs over the burner, while Apple Bloom was sitting at the table with her older brother, eagerly awaiting breakfast.
"Mornin' Rarity!" the filly chirped cheerfully, the friendly smile on her face turning to an expression of confusion. "What are you doin' here? Did Applejack have a sleepover last night?"
Rarity's mouth worked, her face crimson. "Applejack said you weren't going to be back from Appleoosa until this evening!"
"We got the cannin' done early," Granny Smith said from the stove, before grabbing a spatula and poking at the eggs.
"Thought we'd give her a little surprise and make breakfast for her as a way of sayin' thanks for lookin' after the farm all by her lonesome. Guess she weren't so lonesome after all." The elderly pony winked at Rarity, making her cheeks burn all the more.
"B-b-but..."
"Now don't fret your head none. We ain't judging ya for keepin' Applejack company. But it mighta been nice for her to tell us before she got hitched."
Rarity's mouth hung open. She tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come.
"You should close that mouth of yours before y'all catch some flies."
Apple Bloom's squeaky voice rose. "Y'all are married?"
"No!" Rarity said, a bit more forcefully than she had intended.
"What? Y'all are sleepin' together and ya ain't even married yet? What were you young'un's thinkin'?" As Rarity opened her voice to answer, Granny Smith cut her off again. "No, I know what y'all are thinkin', but it just ain't right. Big Macintosh, you think you and your sister can get a wedding together this mornin'?"
"Eyup," the big stallion said placidly before leaning down to sip at his coffee.
Rarity was flabbergasted. "A wedding takes weeks to properly plan for! You have to send invitations! Dresses! Flowers! Rings!"
"Now don't you worry your pretty little head. Your family lives right here in Ponyville, right? We'll just have Big Mac swing by their house and pick 'em up. I'm sure we could get 'em here by this afternoon." Granny Smith paused for a moment. "As for the rest of it, I'm sure I've still got my old weddin' dress up in the attic somewhere. Apple Bloom, why don't you go see if you can find it."
"Sure thing, Granny!" the little filly said, speeding off towards the stairs as Rarity began to back out of the room.
"But my wedding is supposed to be perfect!" The unicorn wailed.
"Well it ain't our fault y'all jumped the gun. Or into bed. Or whatever it is you kids call it these days."
"Eyup," Big Mac repeated from his seat before taking another slow drink of his coffee.
Stumbling backwards into the hall, Rarity turned and galloped up the stairs, flinging herself into Applejack's room, her eyes wide.
"Did I just see Apple Bloom trot by the door?" Applejack asked the unicorn as Rarity frantically cast her eyes around the room, as if trying to look for some way to escape.
"They're back!" Rarity said in the most dramatic tone of voice she could muster, drawing a chuckle from Applejack.
"I guess they were tryin' to surprise me with breakfast in bed too."
Rarity trembled. "But you don't understand! Granny Smith wants us to get married!"
Applejack smiled. "That's right sweet of her, but I'm not sure either of us are ready for that quite yet."
"Today!"
Applejack blinked. "Come again?"
"She wants us to get married this afternoon!" Rarity swooned, but all her declaration earned from Applejack was laughter. "I don't see what's so funny about this."
"Aw, don't you worry," Applejack said, rising from her bed to walk over and nuzzle at the unicorn. "Granny Smith was just teasin'."
"Teasing?" Rarity asked, her voice trembling.
"Yup! Granny Smith has quite the sense of humor. She didn't mean it." Applejack lifted her head to give Rarity a kiss on top of her snout, bringing a small but warm smile to the unicorn's face.
"I found it!" Came Apple Bloom's voice from upstairs, followed by the sound of trotting hooves, then a crash.
"What in tarnation?" Applejack asked, before her sister leaped down the stairs from the attic carrying an old, moth-eaten dress in her mouth. Upon spying her sister, the filly dropped the dress.
"Oh hi Applejack! How do y'all like your dress?" she asked, holding it up for a moment before Granny Smith's voice came from downstairs.
"Apple Bloom?"
"Comin' Granny!" the little filly said, grasping the dress firmly in her mouth once more before trotting downstairs. Applejack and Rarity looked at each other for a moment before Applejack started walking towards the door.
"On second thought, maybe I'd better have a talk with Granny Smith."
“No, Applejack. You need to walk gracefully,” Rarity held her head high, her eyes almost closed, putting one hoof in front of another in a very calculated manner. “It’s all in the movement. See?”
Applejack shook her head upon seeing Rarity walk around like a stereotypical high-class snob.
“Oh, come on, Applejack,” Rarity sighed. “It’s just for a few hours... My parents are coming tomorrow, and I want the first impressions to be absolutely perfect!”
Applejack shook her head again. “I ain’t doin’ fancy. Why can’t I just be... You know... Me?”
“Please, Applejack? I’m afraid, that my parents might not be as accepting about these kind of... relationships as our friends are.”
Applejack stared at Rarity for a few seconds before lightly nodding. She took a step towards the unicorn, slightly bumping muzzles. “I promise I’ll try my best, Rares. But you’ll have to show me everything again...”
“Huh? But I’ve just showed—”
“Erm... I was kinda distracted by your flank, so I didn’t pay much of attention to what you wanted to show me.”
Rarity’s face flared up like a red carpet on fire within a heartbeat. “You’re incorrigible, Applejack,” she responded with a sickly sweet voice.
“Nah,” Applejack shrugged. “I like pies more.”
“But that doesn’t— Hmph. Look Applejack. Just watch me how I walk.”
“Mhm.”
“Applejack?”
“Yes?”
“Please stop staring at my flank...”
~*~*~
“Now, Applejack, do you remember everything that I’ve told you?” Rarity nervously shifted her hooves as the sound of a chariot approached.
Applejack nodded with heavy heart, putting her trusty hat onto the one of the mannequins in Rarity’s work room. “I will miss you, friend.”
She turned around, quickly breathed some air onto her hoof to take a quick whiff of it. It smelled minty fresh with a hint of Rarity’s perfume, which put a smile on her face, now determined more than ever before to make an ever-lasting impression on Rarity’s parents. This is not something that Applejack would do for herself, not even in a million years. But she would do it for her. She would do that for them.
Rarity flinched as the doors from the chariot now slammed shut, making her start sweating with anticipation and excitement as the list of possible reactions rushed through her mind, and with each scenario that she analyzed, she was getting more and more uncomfortable and anxious, now almost at the brink of running away instead of facing her parents with the news.
She could only faintly hear the yell of “Look out!” from the outside before a hoofball shattered the window, hitting a nearby mannequin and knock it off to the ground.
Rarity stood in the middle of the room looking in shock at the front door as they flew open, swiping the shards of glass from the path.
First to enter was Rarity’s dad; his shirt was now torn and dirty, his sombrero ruined. Close behind followed her mom with a ton of dirt on her face, her mane in a big mess. The last through the door was bouncing Sweetie Belle with specs of dirt all over herself.
“I told you that I can play hoofball as well!” Sweetie exclaimed. “O hey sis!”
“I—”
Applejack trotted in the most lady-like manner she could muster. "G-good evening," she said, successfully hiding her accent.
"Oh! You didn't say that you have visitors Rarity,” harshly interjected her father... “Why don’t you introduce us to this charming young lady?”
“I—”
“The name is Applejack,” she introduced herself with a slight bow, completely failing to hide her accent this time around, causing her to put a hoof over her mouth.
"Applejack? Oh; Rarity told us a whole lot about you in her letters, but she never told us where you’re from... Let me guess... Canterlot?”
“Hay, no. Sweet Apple Acres!”
“Sweet Apple Acres? The biggest farm in Ponyville and home of the Zap Apple Jam?”
“Yesire.”
“My grandpa told me about that when I was a filly. He also told me that Apples aren’t really into fancy things...”
“Well... you see... I... um... Rarity...” Applejack started to sweat and nervously look around for some sort of encouragement to speak her mind.
“What's that?”
“I um.... would like to... um... ask your permission to... m...“
“M?”
“mrglbh,” Applejack muttered unintelligibly.
“A what?”
“Oh I know!” Sweetie Belle squeaked as she managed to catch a part of the conversation. “Applejack wants to marry Rarity! I’ve overheard them talking about it when I was playing hide and seek with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.”
Applejack’s face was now redder than a ripe tomato in a red-hot furnace on the hot summer day. If there was a chance, Applejack would melt into the ground or run away, if her legs would carry her.
“Rarity!” her mother demanded from the still-shocked unicorn upon hearing Sweetie Belle’s slip of the mouth. “Is this how we raised you?”
But Rarity couldn’t do much more than just close her mouth and hang her head. She had more than a fair share of surprises for one single day. She wanted nothing else than a warm hug from her marefriend, telling her that everything is going to be all right or that this is just a very bad dream and that she’ll wake up in their luxury bed with warm and loving breaths from a sleeping mare on her neck.
But none of those came to be.
Rarity’s mother snorted again, snapping her out of her reverie. “Well?”
“But I—”
“Is this how we raised you? We have been here for ten minutes, find out without your help that you want to get married with a mare and all you do is just stand here with your mouth open and not even introduce her to us? Where are your manners, daughter?”
“But I— We— I’ve just—”
“Well? Are you going to introduce us to her or not?”
Yet another realization, that the proper introduction of her marefriend, even with unfortunate sequence of events that occurred, was far more important than the fact, that she dated a mare, made Rarity grin and collapse to the floor a moment later.
“Such manners.”
~*~*~
Rarity could feel soft taps of a hoof on her muzzle as she slowly opened her eyes, a crimson filly unicorn in front of her eyes coming into a focus.
“Good morning Silver Streak,” she spoke softly as she gazed into the eyes of the filly, making the tapping stop.
“Hey, mom! Can I go play outside with some fillies?”
“Sure. But introduce yourself politely first.”
“Sure, mom!” the filly ran towards the entrance of the Boutique, expelling a loud burp half way out.
“Silver Streak! Manners!” Rarity shouted behind the distancing filly.
“She sure is an Apple,” Applejack snickered as she wrapped her hooves around Rarity.
“Mmmm. I’ve forgotten how a week off feels. Maybe we should have one of those more often?”
“Nah. There’s too much to do.”
“You’re right,” Rarity smiled as she turned towards her wife, stealing a kiss from the mare in front of her. “So let’s make the best of it.”
~*~*~
“Rarity? Are you okay?” Applejack asked the mare that was still lying on the floor.
Rarity nodded slightly as Applejack helped her back onto her hooves. “Mom? Dad? I have to tell you something...”
“But we already know everything Rarity,” her mom interjected. “You would like to get married to a great-granddaughter of the founders of Ponyville. And we have nothing against that.”
“But miss Rarity—,” one of the servants bowed and took two steps back from the mare.
“That’s lady Rarity to you,” she snorted looking down at the embarrassed stallion.
“I- I’m sorry, lady Rarity, but this is the best room in Canterlot,” the servant stuttered. “This quality matches the one of the rooms in Canterlot castle.”
Rarity blinked. “Canterlot castle?” She took a step towards the stallion. “Canterlot castle?!? Have you ever been there?”
Another step. “The drapes aren’t symmetrical, the lamp is crooked, the candles aren’t new, and the wine you’re serving is nothing more than old juice.”
“But I—”
“I am expecting some important company soon. I hope that you’re going to be nicer to them than you are to me.”
“Y-yes, ma’am,” the stallion stuttered as he retreated through the door.
“Canterlot castle my flank,” she muttered as she looked around. “This looks like it hasn’t been dusted in days...”
~*~*~
“Excuse me, ma’am. Are you lost?” the receptionist asked with obviously fake kindness in his voice, looking at the orange mare with three apples painted on her flank.
“Hay, no. This is Canterlot Hotel, no?”
“Ah, yes. You must be the new hire for the boiler room. The servant access is in the back, miss.”
Applejack blinked and tilted her head a little. “Servant...? I came to see Rarity.”
The stallion laughed. “Lady Rarity? She’s expecting important guests, and not—” he looked closely at Applejack. Her hooves were dirty and her mane looked like it wasn’t washed in few days. Her hat looked like something from a bad cowcolt movie.
“Walking dirt.”
“Now wait just a darn minute—”
“Run along now, before I call the security.”
“Security?” Applejack furrowed her brow. “Hey, Rares!” she shouted.
~*~*~
Rarity turned to the called servant. “What was that?”
“Ah, it was just some madpony. she claimed that she came to visit you.”
“She?”
“Yes, ma’am. A very dirty orange pony saying that she knows you...”
Rarity looked quizzically at the stallion. “With three apples on her flank?”
“Yes, ma’am. Our security took care of it. We are sorry that she bothered you.”
Rarity blinked. “Security...”
“Yes, ma’am. One of the things this hotel prides of. We take care of everything swiftly and discre—”
“WHERE IS APPLEJACK?!?”
The stallion jumped back, his back now firm against the wall. “B- but...” he squeaked.
“I swear by Celestia! If something happens to her, you’ll be cleaning trash for the rest of your life!”
“B-but y-you’ve said—” the stallion stuttered meekly.
“She is one of the most important mares in Equestria!” Rarity fumed onwards. “Why are you still here?”
The stallion fumbled through the door and quickly disappeared behind the wall.
~*~*~
“Howdy, Rarity!” Applejack chirped upon entering her room.
“That’s lady—” the stallion abruptly stopped as the two mares shot a dark stare towards him. “I—” he bowed hastily and ran out the door.
Rarity gave Applejack a tight hug. “I missed you so much,” she breathed. “I thought—”
Applejack smiled. “Don’t ya worry none ‘bout me... Lady...”
Rarity hung her head.
“I don’t like this place. It makes you act like somepony else. We want the old Rarity back.” Lowering her head, Applejack muttered: “I want her back.”
“B— but why?”
Applejack leaned forward with her eyes closed, stealing a short kiss from the mare in front of her.
Rarity blinked and stared at Applejack.
“Ponyville is empty without you,” Applejack muttered, searching for any kind of reaction from the still-shocked Rarity. Upon seeing none, she sluggishly stood up, turning her back, slowly walking towards the door.
“I’m not going anywhere, Applejack,” Rarity said in determined voice. “Not until you take a shower...”
Outside Carousel Boutique, snow was falling gently, blanketing Ponyville with a soft, delicate coating of white. Inside Carousel Boutique, there was a white-coated pony, delicately adding a few gentle, finishing touches to one of the many outfits scattered around her room.
"Hmm," she murmured, setting down the red sash. "It's missing something still..."
Her train of thought was derailed as there came a knock on the door. Frowning, Rarity walked over to the doorway, quickly adjusted her mane, and opened it.
The pony on the other side was easily recognizable. "Hey, Rares," Applejack said, bringing a hoof to her hat in greeting.
"Applejack! What a pleasant surprise. Do come in?"
Applejack nodded. "Don't mind if Ah do." She stepped inside, and Rarity could quickly tell that she had something else on her mind.
"Yes, darling?"
"Ah was wonderin'..." She brought a hoof up and scratched nervously. "Seein' as how it's kinda cold outside... Are you cold?"
Rarity raised an eyebrow. Surely, Applejack hadn't come all the way out here in the middle of a snowfall just to inquire about her comfort. "Why, no, Applejack, I'm perfectly fine," she answered truthfully."
"A- are ya sure?"
"Reasonably," Rarity answered.
"'Cause, Ah was thinkin'... Ah think you're kindof chilly."
Rarity cocked her head. "Is that so?" she finally said.
"Yeah. And Ah was thinkin'... You were cold, because it's snowing and such, so you might need me to... you know... help you warm up."
Rarity blinked.
"At Sweet Apple Acres."
Rarity blinked.
"Cause it's warm there," Applejack finished lamely. "With a fire and stuff."
Suddenly, Rarity's eyes grew wide with understanding. "Applejack, darling... Are you attempting to entice me back to your house, where you'll set me down in front of your fireplace and proceed to attempt to seduce me, whereupon I shall immediately accept your propositions and we two shall do unspeakable things long into the night?"
Applejack blushed the color of her cutie mark and her ears flew back. "Ah was just hopin' to cuddle in front'a the fireplace, but the, er, unmentionables part thingie doesn't sound half bad."
Rarity grinned deviously. Speaking of 'unmentionables'... "I'd love to accompany you. Just let me go get my coat."
“It was the night before Hearts Warming, below crisp winter skies, everypony was sleeping except two lovely mar—”
“Your Lord and Master requires bagels!” squealed a certain squirrel. “And you’re supposed to take me seriously!”
Rarity coughed, looking darkly at the annoying guest.
“Bagelsssssss. And cream cheeeeseeee.”
“It was the night before—”
“Hey! Bagels! Now!” the squirrel demanded. “And cream cheese!”
Rarity snorted. “Can you please be quiet, Flurby? I’m trying to enjoy some time with my marefriend.”
“Foamy!”
“Yes, yes. If I make you a bagel, will you go away?”
“With cream cheese.”
Rarity blinked. “What’s ‘cream cheese’?”
“What kind of world is this? No cream cheese!” Foamy shot his hands into the air and fumed out of the door. “Seriously! No cream cheese! That’s it! There’s no point of taking over this universe if there is no cream cheese!”
“What a strange creature,” Rarity murmured, turning to her marefriend and gave her a soft nuzzle. “Trying to take over the universe. Seriously.”
“I don’t know, Sugarcube. Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad idea,” Applejack tapped her hoof on her chin. “I wouldn’t mind that.” “Really?” Rarity asked with untainted sweetness in her voice. “Why would you want to do that?”
“Sweet, delicious and crunchy apple pies, of course. With some cream on top. There is never enough of those.”
“Aw,” Rarity sounded disappointed. “No jewels?”
“Nah. ‘Sides. The only jewel I’d like is already between my hooves,” Applejack mused. “I’d even give up on the apple pies for that.” “Would you really?”
“Hm. How much time do I have to think about— oof!” A soft pillow, wrapped in the glow of Rarity’s magic collided with Applejack’s muzzle, leaving both mares laughing just a moment later.
Applejack tightened her hug around still chuckling mare, losing herself in the hypnotic crackles of the warming fires. “Rarity?” “Hm?”
“Ah have something for you.” Applejack produced a small package from behind her and hand it to the unicorn. “Happy hearts warming Rarity,” she breathed nervously.
As Rarity was unwrapping her present, Applejack watched in dead silence, releasing her embrace just a little bit. It took just few more seconds for a surprise gasp to sound from the mare in Applejack’s grasp.
“Applejack, are you—”
“Rarity, would you like to marry me?”
“I-” Rarity turned her head, her lips crashing into the ones of the earth pony. “Yes,” she finally breathed as their lips broke apart.
~*~*~
It was the night before Hearts Warming, below crisp winter skies, everypony was sleeping except two lovely mares.
Foamy grinned. “Well, my work here is done. And I know why they won’t be sleeping. And I can’t believe there’s no cream cheese! That’s it! I’m gone!”
If there's one thing that Rarity absolutely cannot do without, it's her beauty rest. But a close second is a good breakfast.
Of course, when your sister is Sweetie Belle, that's not always possible. In fact, Rarity was more than used to waking up to the smell of smoke. No matter how much she tried to tactfully inform Sweetie Belle that she had less chance of earning a cooking cutie mark than walking on the moon, but still Sweetie tried. It was adorable... in a rather acrid sort of way.
So when Rarity awoke to the smells of fresh hay, fried eggs, and warm buttered toast, she snuggled deeper into the covers, sure that it was still just a dream.
At least, until she heard the unmistakable squeaky tones of her sister's voice. It was too muffled to pick out any words, but it was unmistakably her.
And that meant that there was only one possible explanation.
Rarity tore her sleeping mask off. "My kitchen is on fire!" she shrieked.
Still in her nightgown and curlers, she sprinted down the stairs, crashing into the wall in her great hurry to save her kitchen.
She skidded to a stop, knocking over a chair, arriving in a distinctly not-burned kitchen. Sweetie Belle stood ready as Applejac- "Applejack?!" she squealed, suddenly painfully aware of just how disheveled her mane and tail and all-around general appearance must have looked.
"Well, hey there, sugarcube," Applejack said around the pan in her mouth. "Sweetie Belle said you'd been looking a bit stressed, so I figured I'd pop by and do somethin' to help you out."
"And I helped, too!" Sweetie said brightly.
Applejack took a slight step to one side, and Rarity could see a scorch mark on the floor that she was trying to hide. "Yeah. She did." She grinned widely. "So how about you get dressed and we can all have breakfast together?" Rarity blushed. "I- I'd like that."
"Perfect!" Rarity chirped as she inspected the final dress "Thank you so much for helping me like this, Applejack". "Aww! It's nothin'" the earth pony replied, blushing. "Oh, but it isn't! You have no idea how much this helps; using a ponyquin gives me a good idea of how a dress looks, but being able to see how it looks on a real Pony makes such a difference. Even if this is the thirteenth time I've made this dress" Rarity said with a smile. The garment in question was a replica of Applejack's gala dress which joined the other eleven, as well as a dozen replicas of each of the other five dresses Rarity had designed for the gala, in a large box addressed to Hoity Toity's shop in Canterlot. With a few quick flourishes of magic the box was sealed and ready for shipping "There" she sighed as she admired her work "I was worried I wouldn't finish in time, but I've finally finished! My first prestigious order! Now all that's left is to give it to the mailmare to deliver tomorrow" As she said this the unicorn smiled at the package and stroked it as if were a kitten.
Applejack smiled at the Unicorn's display "I'm happy for you Rare" she said as she joined her friend "The others are too" "Thank you Applejack" Rarity replied, glancing upward "Oh goodness. Is that really the time?" she asked "I'm sorry for keeping you here so late Applejack. It's far too late to send you home now, would you like to stay here tonight?". Applejack shrugged "Sure, if it's not too much trouble" "Oh, not at all" Rarity replied "My guest room is just down the hall, I always keep it ready in case I have unexpected guests." The pale mare ushered her friend into the hallway "The room is right at the end, over there. I apologise for not being a better hostess, but I should be going to bed right away; I need to wake up early tomorrow, the mailmare will be here to pick the order up at 8:30" "Don't worry sugarcube, I understand" the Earth Pony replied with a wry grin "Sweet Dreams"
The next morning Rarity was curled up in her bed, the warm sunlight brushed against her face, causing her eyes to flutter open. As her mind began to wake up she was presented with a dilemma; on the one hoof she felt refreshed and well rested, more than she had in days, and she certainly didn't feel the need to sleep any longer. But on the other hoof after two weeks of non-stop work and exertion, she didn't especially want to leave her comfortable bed and moment of relaxation "Well....A few more minutes couldn't hurt" she decided, snuggling into her blankets "But only a few minutes". As the unicorn settled into a comfortable position she became aware of a sweet smell in the air "Strange, where could that be coming from?" she wondered.
Her question was soon answered as the door to her bedroom opened and Applejack stepped in carrying a tray "Oh good! You're awake" the orange mare said with a smile as she walked over to the bed and set the tray in front of Rarity "I made you something". Rarity regarded the tray in front of her the way one might regard an old, favoured, childhood toy; after having gone for a while without giving it a thought, now that she was faced with it she wondered how she ever managed to be without it for so long. She distinctly remembered having a sandwich and a nap at some point in the past few days but everything bout the past week seemed so fuzzy now...."Are those....Sweet carrot pancakes?". Applejack replied with a nod as the Unicorn sampled her treat "They're perfect! How did you know these are my favourite?" she asked. "You....uh....sort of told me. When I walked by your room earlier you were mutterin' in your sleep, cider season's still a while off but I figured the pancakes would be doable" the orange mare replied with a wink. Rarity's pale cheeks went bright red from embarrassment, which she attempted to hide beneath her blankets. Applejack chuckled "Hey now, it's nothin' worth getting embarrassed over" "Yes it is~" Rarity whined "It's bad enough to occasionally have the carrot pancake dream, let alone speak during it and having somepony hear it" Applejack seriously doubted that the dream was as infrequent as her friend made it up to be, considering she had given it a title like "The carrot pancake dream", but decided not to embarrass her further and let the issue drop. "Whatever you say, sugarcube. Still it's good you had it today, since I was able to make you breakfast in bed....or I guess it's more like lunch in bed, since it's already 11:30"
"11:30!?" Rarity squealed in horror "Oh nonononono! Now the only way I can have the order delivered on time is if I drop it off myself! Let's see, if I start getting ready now, I should be able to-" "Hold on Sugarcube" Applejack said "Before you go working yourself up, I already took care of sending your order" "You....you did?" the pale mare asked in a stunned whisper, Applejack nodded "Yep. You looked pretty tired last night and I'm used to getting up at dawn, so I was awake already and thought I'd take care of your package so you could get a little more sleep". "Thank you" Rarity replied quietly before a small smile crept across her face "Goodness. First you agree to model for me, and now you've taken care of sending my order off and made my favourite pancakes for me; you've done more to celebrate my first important order than I have" she laughed. "I didn't think of it that way, but I guess I have" the Earth Pony said "Though really I just wanted to apologise to you" "Apologise?" "Uh-huh, for the...."other" dresses. I mean, I know I wasn't the only one who's guilty and you said you forgave us, but I just feel bad about what happened. I know how much your work means to you and we nearly ruined it because we didn't think about what you wanted. And even though it all turned out alright, I can't help thinking we should have noticed how you felt, especially after what happened when Twilight got the tickets. We all should have noticed you weren't happy with those dresses, I should have noticed....So I wanted to do something for you to help make up for it, at least a little"
"Oh Applejack!" Rarity exclaimed, touched by the earth pony's sentiment "Thank you so much! That was so thoughtful of you, you didn't have do all of this...." Her speech trailed off as she turned to Applejack, looking at the orange mare caused her to notice something different about her; Rarity had always considered Applejack pretty, even when they were fillies she had wanted to just once get her hooves on her blonde mane or introduce her to her good friend the makeup kit and bring some of Applejack's potential to the surface. But looking at her this time was different, perhaps it was that Rarity felt the best she had in days which made everything seem as refreshed as she felt, or the thoughtfulness the earth pony was displaying causing the unicorn to see her in a new light, or maybe it had always been there and she was only seeing it now, but there was a sunny glow to her that she had never seen in her before. Looking at her Rarity didn't see the hidden potential she had before, in that moment Applejack truely shined with her potential there for all to see.
"Sugarcube, are you alright?" the earth pony in question asked "You just spaced out there". Rarity nodded "I'm fine, I just noticed something....wonderful"
*****
This may be a bit odd, it doesn't really seem to be shippy until closer to the end and there's also a point that looks like it's more "Rarity x pancakes", I wanted to do a few stories that connect to each other and the actual series (especially since I'm a bit reluctant to post shipping in an actual story). The next one is supposed to tie into the season 1 finale if anyone wants to help me write these a bit faster
"So... since yer new, where are ya from?" Applejack asked, as she looked next to the new filly sitting beside her on the swings. What was her name again? Charity?
And as she noticed the little unicorn smile wide in her perfect sort of way, the farm filly couldn't help but feel a bit too low-class as she ran her tongue over the awkward space in her teeth.
In fact, compared to this new pony, she was everything Applejack wasn't.
She spoke with a refined accent, while AJ was getting a little too laidback with her slang.
The new filly wore a classy uniform that looked expensive, even if it wasn't required by the school's rules, and Applejack just had her good 'ole dust-covered Stetson that was a little too big for her.
Every pretty purple strand of the new filly's mane was combed back and carefully tied in a elegant braid, but AJ just liked her simple ponytail that refused to look professional.
"I'm from Canterlot," the new filly spoke up, with a bit of a flourish in her tone of her voice. "But I was born here in Ponyville - we just moved back here, because my mother and father don't like the city life."
Canterlot - so that would explain the fancy accent.
"Well, what 'bout you?" Applejack inquired. "Did you like it?"
With a nod, the unicorn smiled again, and flipped her mane fabulously. "Yes, I very much did, but my parents said to me, 'Rarity, the city is no place for a filly like you!' so here I am," she sighed. "But one day, I hope to go back."
Rarity - that was her name.
Well, Applejack didn't know a single thing about Canterlot, but she had heard it was full of snooty ponies.
This new filly didn't seem all that snooty, though. She almost seemed sorta nice.
"Well, d'ya like Ponyville so far?"
"It's all right, I suppose," Rarity replied. "It's a quaint little town, something I could get accustomed to."
See, that was the problem with city ponies. They said a bunch of fancy words nopony in Ponyville ever normally said. "That's nice... I guess," Applejack said, as she titled back her hat. "What else do ya like?"
She was sort of determined to get to know this new filly better, and she just didn't know why. Rarity was almost like a puzzle, or a foreign language, and AJ wanted to know how to put it all together. She might have been different, but she was a good sort of different (if such a thing existed).
"I like fashion," Rarity piped up. "It's the center of Equestria, you know. Appearance is everything."
That statement caused Applejack to fiddle with her messy ponytail, and shut her mouth to hide the gap where her two front teeth should've been. She did like the way she looked, but with a filly so classy sitting beside her, she kinda felt weird.
Rarity noticed Applejack's slight fussing, and smiled wide as she began gently rocking back and forth on the swing. "But I like your appearance," she added. "Are you a cowgirl? You look like one."
The compliment caused AJ to return the grin, with a confident nod.
"You betcha I'm a cowgirl!" she replied. "I live on a farm and everythang! I even work sometimes."
"I don't like farms," Rarity said, as she wrinkled her nose cutely. "They're too messy."
"Ev'rypony says that," Applejack argued. "But when ya play in the hayloft, it's real fun, y'know."
Suddenly, the bell rang, and the two fillies looked to each other, ceasing in their swinging and conversation, slightly bummed out that their time together was already cut short.
"Well, I suppose we better get back to class," Rarity pouted, only before looking to Applejack. "Could we be friends?"
With a chuckle, AJ nodded. "Course we can," she responded. "Mah name's Applejack."
"It's nice to meet you, Applejack," the unicorn smiled. "My name's Rarity."
~ x o x o ~
A little colt was the last to bound out of the Ponyville schoolhouse, as usual, but today was the day he was a little bit later than usual. He balanced his saddlebags and pushed his wire-frame glasses further up his muzzle as he happily ran towards his family, who was waiting for him on the other side of the schoolyard.
His older sister let out a huff, and rolled her eyes. "Well, it's 'bout darn time ya showed up, Alexandrite," she scoffed, in her Southern Belle accent. "We were waitin' ages fer ya."
"Sorry," the little colt quickly replied. "I was sort of occupied." He looked up to his two parents, and smiled wide. "Guess what, moms? I made a new friend today!"
His mothers shared a grin as they glanced down to their son, who was now looking back to wave at a little shy looking earth pony filly standing in the doorway of the school.
"Bye, Harmonia!" he called. "I'll see you tomorrow!"
"I'll bet you he's going to marry her someday," one of his mothers softly murmured.
"Now, Rares-"
"Applejack, don't get me started. You know that anything's possible!"
“So; this is it, isn’t it, Applejack?” Rarity spoke with a weaver in her voice, turning her head away from the orange pony. “Just like that.”
“Oh, c’mon, Rares. Don’t be like this.”
Rarity snorted, turning her head back to Applejack. “You took everything I had, Applejack. All my money. Everything. I even had to sell Carousel Boutique just to pay off my debt. How do you think I should feel? Happy?”
“But I had no choice, Rarity. I—”
“You had no choice? You had no choice. None. You could look away here and there, you know.”
“But I—”
“I thought you loved me, Applejack,” Rarity pouted. “I thought we were friends. Don’t you care about me?”
Applejack blinked. “Rarity...”
“And now you’re just taking away everything I ever had. How can you be so cruel? Of all the ponies... If I knew that you’re so cruel, I’d never, ever marry you. What did I do to deserve this?”
“Rarity...”
“It’s like I don’t even know who you are anymore... Where is the adorable, loving mare I’ve—”
“Rarity!”
“W-what?” startled Rarity looked at Applejack in confusion.
“Are you done yet?” Applejack asked in a deadpanned voice.
“Hrmph,” Rarity snorted as she crossed her hooves and looked away from Applejack yet again. “I can’t believe that you’re even considering asking me something like that after everything you’ve done to me.”
“Rarity...”
“And furthermore, I refuse to stoop so low for the ponies that are so—”
“Ahem. I don’t know how to tell you this, Rares,” Applejack said with a faint smile on her lips. “But you’re really bad at this...” Rarity turned her head back to Applejack, her facial expressions indicating shock. “I beg your pardon?”
“Well,” Applejack tapped her hoof onto her snout, pausing for a moment to think about what she’ll say. “Everytime we play Monopoly and you’re losing, you say the same thing... It gets a little... um...”
“Repetitive?”
“Just a little.”
With a sigh, Rarity looked to the ground, deflating a little, her ears drooped.
“Ain’t gonna work, Rares.”
“Aw, ponyfeathers,” Rarity pouted. “Not even a little?”
Applejack shook her head determinately.
“Well, fine then.” Rarity lit her horn, carefully removing her wife’s hat. “You took away everything I had, and for that,” she added with a playful smile “I’m going to take your hat!”
“Hey! Give that back!”
Rarity nudged Applejack’s muzzle a little, jumping away playfully a moment later. “You’ll have to catch me first!”
Scootaloo's ears drooped as her two friends both hissed at her. "I was just asking," she said in a lower tone of voice.
"We're tryin' to see what they're up to. They were awful fast to get rid of us this mornin'."
"Yeah. Rarity even gave us bits to go get hay shakes!"
"So what's the problem?" Scootaloo shook her head. "You two are being weird."
"We ain't bein' weird, our sisters are."
"You're being pretty weird too, hiding in the bushes like this," Scootaloo grumbled. "Why don't we go do something fun?"
"This is fun!"
"No, it isn't, it's boring!"
"Quit fighting!" Sweetie Belle swung her hoof between the two.
"At least give me the binoculars," Scootaloo grumbled, sitting back on her rump and crossing her hooves across her chest.
"Hold yer horses, I'll let you have them in a minute," Apple Bloom said, before rising back up and putting the lenses back to her eyes, peering out through the window of Carosel Boutique.
"What do you see?" Sweetie Belle asked, leaning forward and squinting.
"Applejack is wearin' a dress."
"A dress?"
"Eyup. And she don't look too happy about it. Rarity's talkin' to her..."
"What's she saying?"
"How should I know? They don't let me hear any better."
"So what? Applejack is wearing a dress, big deal. Even Rainbow Dash wears dresses sometimes."
Apple Bloom lowered the binoculars to look at Scootaloo. "You don't know my sister. She never wore dresses before she was friends with Rarity."
"Fine. Can I look now?"
"I said in a minute."
"That was a minute ago!"
"Girls, please!" Sweetie Belle's shrill voice silenced the pair, before all three fillies ducked their heads down in unison, holding their breath.
"Think they heard us?"
Apple Bloom slowly peeked her head up out of the bushes, lifting the binoculars to her eyes once more. "I don't think so. They're still talkin'. And now Applejack is blushin'."
"Why?"
"I dunno!" Apple Bloom didn't turn to look at Scootaloo as she spoke. "Now they're both laughin'."
"Too bad we can't hear what they're saying."
"Maybe we could if you stopped complaining!"
Apple Bloom pressed the binoculars closer to her eyes. "They're hugging!"
"What?" Sweetie Belle sprung to her feet, pushing Apple Bloom aside before grabbing the binoculars herself and peering through them. "Aww!"
"So what? We hug each other all the time." Scootaloo shook her head.
"Not like that!"
"What do you mean?"
Sweetie Belle giggled. "They're so cute."
"What are they doing?"
"They're rubbing noses."
"Are they kissing?"
"I don't think so..."
Scootaloo rubbed her mane, before rising up and peering out of the bush, squinting her eyes. "I can't see anything."
"They're adorable!" Sweetie Belle lilted.
"Ugh. So why are we sitting around watching your sisters be mushy?"
"Applejack ain't mushy!"
Sweetie Belle giggled. "I dunno, she seems pretty mushy to me!"
"Lemme see!" Scootaloo snatched the binoculars from Sweetie Belle's hooves and looked through them before opening her mouth.
"Blech! They're as bad as my parents."
Apple Bloom pouted. "She is not!"
"Is too! They're just looking at each other with their noses pressed together." Scootaloo lowered the binoculars. "First Big Mac, then your sister... are you going to mush out on us too when you find a colt you like?"
"No!" Apple Bloom stomped her hoof for emphasis.
"I dunno, you seemed awfully interested in spying on our sisters," Sweetie Belle said, her voice rising.
"So were you!"
"Ugh, they're kissing!"
Both heads snapped back to Scootaloo. "I wanna see!"
"Me too!"
Scootaloo lifted the binoculars away from her friends' hooves. "Hey, it's my turn now!"
The three fillies tumbled out of the bush, rolling down the hillside as they wrestled for the binoculars. Grunting and shoving at each other, Apple Bloom finally managed to knock Scootaloo down, springing into the air to grab the binoculars only to lose her balance.
Her eyes widened, then clenched shut as she held her legs in close to her body in anticipation of the impact, only to fall into what felt like fabric, not thorns. Opening her eyes slowly, she yelped at the sight of the bush staring straight back at her, the much-fought for eyepieces tumbling from her nerveless hooves.
"Hey, you dropped them!" Sweetie Belle squeaked, diving down to catch the fumbled binoculars before they hit the ground before coming up short as the rose bush stood up.
"Hey girls!" the rose bush chirped loudly, the three fillies jerking upright at the high-pitched voice.
"Oh, uh, hey Pinkie Pie," Scootaloo said, rubbing a scrape on her leg as she lowered her gaze.
"What are you girls doing up here?"
"Uh, nothin'," Apple Bloom said lamely, the three fillies shifting uncomfortably under the disguised pony's blue gaze.
"What are the binoculars for, then?" Pinkie Pie leaned forward curiously, shedding several fake leaves.
"Uhmmmm... bird watching!"
"That's right! Fluttershy said this was a great place to watch birds."
"Fluttershy said she comes here to watch birds?" Pinkie Pie blinked. "Aw, poor Fluttershy! She's too shy to say anything to Rarity. And now she's with Applejack!"
The thee fillies stared dumbly at the pink pony.
Pinkie Pie gasped. "I know! We can go cheer her up!"
"What does Applejack and Rarity hugging do with watching birds?" Apple Bloom tilted her head.
Pinkie Pie giggled, patting the filly on top of her head patronizingly. "You'll understand when you're older."
Apple Bloom pouted, brushing Pinkie Pie's hoof off her head. "Why do ponies always say that, anyway?" She grumbled.
"I don't know," Pinkie Pie said, lowering her head and putting her hoof to her chin pensively. "But first I should really tell Rarity she needs to close her blinds if she's going to make out with Applejack in the dressing room. Who knows who might be watching!"
"Darling, I would appreciate if you stood still," Rarity argued as she let out a frustrated sigh, continuing to fuss over her newest masterpiece.
And to be honest, she certainly would not be exaggerating if she said it was her finest...
However, it was noted that her model of the day could care less.
Applejack rolled her eyes, and fidgeted in her spot, despite her fiancee's words. "Well, Ah've been standin' here fer 'bout two hours," she defended. "How much longer is this gonna take?"
The fashionista huffed, levitating another set of sewing needles about to go back to fussing over the lace trim of the dress she was working on. "If we keep bickering like this, it could take the rest of the day," she explained. "But if you manage to cooperate, then only about a half hour or so."
"Ya said that when we started!" the farmer said.
"You can't rush perfection," Rarity declared. "And this is the last thing I want to ruin."
"Aw, c'mon!" Applejack sighed. "Rares, Ah'm only gonna wear this fer one day - an' then we're probably gonna stuff in it a box that'll stay in the attic fer who knows how long!"
Stiffening her lip, the dressmaker looked back and hesitated, pushing up her glasses and rubbing the space between her eyes thoughtfully. "It still doesn't mean I can't take pride in making my bride look perfect," she muttered.
With a smile, the earth pony leaned down to nuzzle her lover, placing a quick kiss on Rarity's lips. "Remember one thing Ah taught ya when we first started goin' out?" she murmured.
"There are a lot of things you've taught me," Rarity confessed, with a half smile.
"Well, ya should really remember this one right now," Applejack drawled. "Simplicity is sometimes th' prettiest. More than any priceless gem ya could find."
Sliding off her glasses, the unicorn let out a deep breath, looking over her work that her fiancee wore.
In only three months, they'd both be walking down the aisle that would be the beginning of the path of the life they'd share together - and nothing could prevent Rarity from making sure that every little detail was absolutely perfect.
Of course, she was going to make all of the dresses needed. It wouldn't make sense not to.
And the wedding dresses were going to be ...
... well, Rarity didn't know what to do now.
Her own dress had been long done - it was a pale orchid, in addition to some fine violet and lavender trim, sprinkled with white accents to keep things traditional, but not to clash. Now, AJ's color scheme was a bit more difficult, but sticking with blues, golds and greens was the best.
The dress was almost done-
-but it wasn't enough.
Or maybe it was too much.
"Hold on," Rarity murmured, levitating over the cowpony's hat and placing it on her head as she suddenly began removing several accents and strands from the dress, quickly fixing the mistakes and replacing the jeweled borders with more simpler stitches.
In fact, this was probably the fastest she had ever worked, but when a brainstorm struck, it couldn't stop.
Although, it seemed as soon as it had begun, it had ceased.
And the results were brilliant.
The formerly lavish dress was now something much more simple, but still beautiful. Somehow, it looked even more stunning than before, if that was possible, and it fit Applejack in all of the right ways.
"There," the dressmaker sighed, with a content smile as she stood next to her lover, ignoring her own disheveled work appearance and instead focusing on the beautiful mare in front of her. "It's magnifique, is it not?"
Applejack smiled, looking down to Rarity with a sparkle in her emerald eyes. "Ah'm still all fer the Las Pegasus drive-thru wedding," she teased.
Letting a chuckle slip past her lips, the fashionista shook her head playfully and leaned in, kissing her fiancee sweetly. "You're horrible," she laughed.
"Ya can still wear yer pretty dress," the cowpony offered. "So long as Ah can git to tear it off of you aft'rwards."
"That reminds me," Rarity trilled. "A wedding dress isn't the only thing I have to make for myself for you to tear off."
The adorable blush and mischevious smile on Applejack's expression was enough to allow Rarity to let out another chuckle and toss away all worries about her wedding. After all, it wasn't for another twelve weeks. She still had a while to make it all brilliant.
“Thank ya very much again for the amazin’ party, Pinkie!” Applejack chirped towards the organizer. “But I have to go an’ get some sleep.”
“But it’s only one in the morning. The party just started! Your party just started.”
“Ah know, Pinkie, but, but chores wait for nopony. Last year Big Mac was mighty ticked ‘cause I slept in. He said nothing, but Ah just knew it.”
“Aw,” Pinkie responded with a disappointed voice. “Oh I know! I could organize post-birthday-party party and we’ll wrap this up!”
“That’s okay Sugarcube,” Applejack hugged Pinkie. “But Ah don’t think Ah can manage it. It’s the apple-bucking season after all, and we’re all very busy.”
Pinkie’s head approached even closer to Applejack, carefully eyeing her. “Are you planning something? Because last year you all did—”
“Ah’m just tired, Pinkie. And we really have tons of work to do.”
“Okie dokie lokie!” Pinkie bounced cheerfully. “See you tomorrow, Applejack!”
Applejack waved her hoof and bid her friends goodbye with a smile.
~*~*~
"Aw, ponyfeathers,” Rarity groaned when she saw her birthday present for the orange mare under the table. ‘It must have fallen down,’ she thought. ‘Does not matter... I’ll just take it to her personally.’
“Aw, not you too, Rarity!” Pinkie sounded disappointed when the galloping mare passed by her. “I’m starting to take this personally,” she said with a groan, lifting her front hoof to take a whiff of her armpit. “I should used better deodorant.”
“Applejack just forgot something. I’ll come back to the party. Pinkie promise!” Rarity half-shouted back.
“Okai!” PInkie bounced and raised her hoof again. “I really should do something about that deodorant.”
~*~*~
“A- Applejack?” Rarity asked the silent forest that now bathed in the faint glow or her horn, consisting of nothing but well-groomed apple trees. Not even a cricket dared to disturb the silence. And yet, her ears flicked to the sounds of soft sobs not far away from her. She took a deep breath, asking the same question again, but this time in almost a whisper. “A- Applejack? Is that you?”
But the sobs didn’t stop. Rarity gulped as she turned towards the origin of the sound in a slow and careful pace. It didn’t take long to see a golden mane connected to the orange body of her friend. “Applejack?”
Applejack jumped onto her hooves in one swift move, losing her beloved hat in the process. Her dirty mane was in mess and the fur under her eyes was wet, yielding the telltale signs of her sobbing. Her voice switched back to her casual speech, hiding any kind of distress. “Oh, howdy there, Rarity!” Subtly eyeing around for her hat, she continued. “What brings ya around?”
Rarity blinked. “What is going on?”
“What’d ya mean?” Applejack turned her eyes towards the tree branches just above Rarity. Maybe the hat managed to escape there.
“You are still a bad liar, Applejack.” Rarity lit her horn, lifting the hat behind the tree and putting it carefully onto the farmer’s head.
“Now, please tell me what’s going on.” A comb floated from Rarity’s saddlebags and starting to brush Applejack’s mane meticulously. “And I’m not leaving before that.”
Applejack glimpsed at Rarity briefly before looking at the ground with a sigh. “Ah hate birthdays.”
The brush stopped caressing the golden mane for a few seconds before continuing. “Is it because of Pinkie? Her parties had became a little... um...” she looked up, tapping her hoof onto her chin, searching for a fitting word “...odd. Up until today I didn’t even knew that ponies could eat fire...”
Applejack raised her brow. “What? Oh, no, no. It’s not because of Pinkie... it’s because of me.”
Rarity tilted her head. “What do you mean?”
“Nothing. Can I go now?”
“Applejack...”
Applejack sighed. “Fine then.” She looked around as searching for any other pony that may be lurking around the orchard in the dead of the night. “Ah hate birthdays, because they remind me that Ah’m still alone.” She closed her eyes as she continued, “Even with all the friends and family, Ah still feel like Ah’m the loneliest pony in Ponyville.”
The comb stopped again, a bitter smile crept on Rarity’s lips as she realized her friend’s problem. “I see.” The comb now moved to the dirty and messy golden tail. “You’ll find a wonderful stallion soon. Don’t worry about it too much. I just wanted to—”
“Yeah. Stallion,” Applejack muttered in a low voice, hoping that Rarity didn’t hear it. She was wrong.
The comb stopped its motioning again as Rarity’s heart skipped a beat and resumed shortly after. ‘Nah. I’m hearing things.’ “Rarity?”
“Sorry Applejack. I- I’ve got kind of lost in my thoughts. It’s already late and...”
“...you wanted to give me a goodnight kiss, right?”
“Yes. Wait, no. What?” Rarity shook her head in hopes to clear up the confusion in her mind, but without any luck. “Anyways; you forgot my present. Happy birthday again, Applejack. I hope you’ll like it.”
Applejack sighed as she opened the box which contained a necklace made out of baby blue sapphire and a golden string. “Thank ya kindly,” she said in a dull and uninterested voice.
“But... What’s the matter? Don’t you like it?”
“Ah do. But it’s... it’s just not what Ah was hoping for,” Applejack closed her eyes and hung her head. A warm hoof caressed her cheek as she unintentionally leaned onto it. Another warm, radiating body approached her snout, planting a soft kiss on her lips.
Applejack jumped back, her eyes now opened wide in a confusion, staring at the white mare in front of her. “What just—”
Rarity looked at Applejack for few seconds before hanging her head. “Ever since that storm, I wanted to do that. I just—” She sighed.
“But- but that was years ago... Why didn’t ya say something?”
“I didn’t want to lose your friendship. But when you’ve complained about stallions earlier, I thought I could...” Rarity sighed again. “I’m sorry, Applejack. I just hope we can still be friends.”
A smile crept on Applejack’s lips. “Rarity?”
“Hm?”
“Would you like to go out with me? On... you know... a date?”
“You’d still...” Rarity replied cautiously. “I would love to, Miss Applejack.”
Applejack nuzzled the white mare in front of her, causing her to blush. ”This is the best birthday I’ve had so far!”
“Let’s see if we can make it even better,” Rarity replied with a sly grin on her face.
~*~*~
“YOU BROKE A PINKIE PROMISE!” Pinkie shouted to the pair of intertwined sleeping mares. “You! Broke! A! Pinkie! Promise!”
The knot of orange and white shot up to the fuming Pinkie Pie, their faces both flush red.
“Pinkie Pie?” Applejack was the first to ask, still confused.
“You PROMISED!” Pinkie yelled again.
“Pinkie, dear. No need to be upset,” Rarity replied calmly. “I did plan on coming back, but things got a little... complicated...”
Pinkie looked at Applejack quizzically, “Well, duh. I’ve been trying to get you two together for past few months.”
“You knew?” Rarity and Applejack both asked in a single voice.
“Of course I knew, silly. You two have been acting awkwardly around each other since that sleepover at Twilight’s.”
“Then why didn’t you mention anything to any of us?” Rarity replied.
“Planning, duh,” Pinkie bounced. “But now you two RUINED months of planning!”
“Er.... sorry?” Applejack replied lamely, lightly squeezing the mare in her hooves.
“It‘s okay,” Pinkie chirped. “I should leave you two alone now,” she added and disappeared behind one of the bigger trees.
“How about some breakfast, sugarcube?” Applejack murmured to the mare in her hooves.
“Just a few more minutes, Applejack. It’s warm in here.”
The smouldering embers licked at my flanks, eager to devour my soft flesh. The searing pain that followed coaxed me to flee further into the room, narrowly escaping the flame’s appetite. Cinders swept into the doorway on a light breeze, latching onto unsuspecting nearby objects, the wave of destruction seeping slowly through to engulf me.
My world became illuminated in an explosion of orange and black, when the piles of fabric set alight, burning as if a wick to a match. Floorboards and cabinets groaned when their wood collapsed, overwhelmed by heat, and then shattering to oblivion.
It circled around each wall like I was its prey, creating an almighty, resounding roar which pounded in my eardrums. The fruits of my labour, my home, would soon meet its demise in a chorus of smoke, flame and ash.
The fibres of my heart ripped and split with every hollow, rib crushing beat.
I was going to die.
There was no way in my mind to deter me from the very true notion. All could do was accept my horrible fate. I tried to think of my family and friends, how my life was a good one. However, it didn’t matter. In a few moments I would be no more, and part of another tragic story in the history of time.
The smoke made my lungs burn excessively, as I hit the workroom floor with a meaty thump. Getting back up would be pointless, I could already feel the glow and fiery heat on my coat. This was it. My eyes clenched shut and my chest lurched, as I prepared myself for my slow, excruciating end.
A voice.
To whom it belonged, I knew almost instantly. It was so faint, as if an angel was speaking down to me. The breaking of glass was barely audible through the high whine now piercing through my ears. Fresh air oozed into the room, causing the flames to coil and dance unwillingly. Through the crack in my one open eye, I saw a dark, magnificent figure. Daylight poured in behind, revealing the silhouette of an all too familiar brown Stetson.
As she hauled my broken form onto her well-built back, my entire body enveloped with pure happiness. Wrapping my hooves around her neck, I nuzzled deeply into her coat. My feelings were uncontrollable.
I couldn’t believe it, she had saved my life. Her.
It was just a harmless trip - really, it was. Six friends, on a wild trip to Los Pegasus, Equestria's most scandalous city. Known for wild rides, forgettable nights and most of all, gambling. After all, it didn't get the nickname of Sin City for no reason. However, what started out as a bit of fun turned too wild.
Then again, what could one expect in one of the wildest cities known nationwide?
The six of them had split up into three groups of two, and had vowed to meet at the hotel room at midnight. Twilight had gone off with Rainbow Dash to the slots, Pinkie and Fluttershy decided to stop by the bar and originally, Applejack and Rarity had planned for a bit of gambling in roulette and card games.
...but now, it seemed that they had broken apart.
All Applejack had done was leave the betting table for two minutes to go grab a beer instead one of those frilly watered down cocktails all of the waitresses carried around, and when she came back, her companion and marefriend was nowhere in sight.
Originally, she didn't start to worry. Rarity was a mare of class, she wouldn't go running off and doing stupid things.
So Applejack had started to kill time - she played, and won, a few rounds of blackjack, but then ended up losing her winnings on one of the obviously rigged slot games, and lazed around the club for a bit.
But it wasn't until she happened to notice the clock, then she started to feel concerned.
It was a quarter to midnight, and she still hadn't run into Rarity.
She had already swung by the hotel room to see if anyone was there, and all she had found was Twilight and Pinkie in an awkward position that would be burned into her mind forever, so there was that. And aside from coming across a few waitresses that bared resemblance to Rarity, Applejack continued to have no luck in finding her marefriend.
Now, she was starting to worry. After all, Applejack had seen the effects of alcohol on many ponies, and when the two of them were playing roulette, Rarity was downing those cocktails one after the next.
It didn't help that she was an extreme lightweight (- this fact found out after the Canterlot Wedding and a simple glass of champagne got her tipsy), so all the farmpony could do was hope and pray that she wouldn't find Rarity slumped over outside the casino vomiting or something embarrassing of that sort...
"Excuse me, ma'am, can I help you?" an attendee asked.
Applejack hesitated, only before replying, "Have you seen a mare 'round here? White unicorn, violet mane, blue eyes, an' she sorta sounds classy when she's speakin'?"
The worker paused for a minute, and pursed his lips, taking a minute to think.
"Yes, I do believe I saw a mare like that pass by," he said simply.
"Thank Heav'ns," Applejack sighed. "Could ya point me t' where ya last saw her?"
"Over by the poker table," he responded.
That wasn't far - in fact, it was only a few steps away. Applejack was surprised she didn't run into Rarity sooner.
Releasing a deep breath of satisfaction, she headed towards the tables, and scanned her gaze across the room, looking for the poker area. However, she didn't need to bother looking, when she heard a very familiar loud laugh from nearby.
There, at the far end table, was none other than Rarity, surrounded by a group of ponies staring at her in awe, as she was raking in all of the money and chips, playing as if she was one of the professionals who knew the sport like the back of their own hoof, even if earlier that night she had stated that she despised the game for reasons she didn't want to mention.
And to make matters worse, she even looked a bit intoxicated, trying not to sway back and forth in her seat.
Applejack practically darted over, shoving her way through the slight crowd that had formed around the table, muttering quick apologies as she soon found herself by her marefriend's side.
"Rares," she muttered. "Mind explanin' what yer doin'?"
"Oh, nothing," Rarity drawled, with a bit of a slurring in her voice as she waved her hoof. "Just having a bit of fun, is all." She flipped through her cards, and brought a cigarette to her lips, taking a long drag of it as a waitress walked over with a martini.
With a raised eyebrow, Applejack looked to her marefriend in concern. "Ah thought ya quit smokin'," she hissed.
Rarity chuckled, letting the smoke fly around, and she accepted the drink. "It's only one," she said breezily.
"Uh-huh, sure it is," the farmer deadpanned, as she took the dressmaker's hoof. "C'mon, take yer winnings an' get up. We gotta get back to th' hotel room."
"For what exactly?" Rarity said, with an offbeat chuckle and an attempt at a seductive gaze.
Rolling her eyes at the comment, Applejack lifted her marefriend out of her seat, causing the fashionista to drop the magical aura around her cigarette and drink, causing them to fall onto the table as she stood up abruptly.
Letting out an childish whine, Rarity almost fell over due to her drunken stupor as she followed Applejack through the casino. "You never let me have any fun," she accused.
Applejack shook her head, and slightly smirked, as she now hoisted her marefriend onto her back, trying not to drop her. "Trust me, yer gonna thank me later," she declared.
Rarity was sitting away from other fillies, her fluffy scarf fluttering in the gentle breeze of fall wind. A new school year has began again and with that another opportunity to meet her friends she didn’t see for past two months.
Usually this was a happy time as she was able to see her schoolmates again. Especially a specific orange filly that she had grew fond of throughout the years. During the vacation, she was forced to tag along with her parents to explore the country, so she couldn’t see any of her friends.
But, instead of being happy to see her friends yet again, she was alone, away from other fillies, away from her schoolmates. She was looking at the ground, her hooves caressing a small, green patch of grass. A corner of her eye managed to catch a glimpse of the trotting orange filly.
“Howdy there, Rarity!” Applejack gasped, trying to catch her breath. “Ah have been lookin’ all over fer ya. Have ya seen mah new hat? Um... Rarity?”
But rather than a sweet and cheerful reply she usually got from Rarity, she only got a faint ‘Hello, Applejack.’
“Rarity? What’s wrong?”
Rarity sighed. “I’m grounded.”
“What did ya do?”
“My mom asked me to fix a button on her dress, and I—”
“Ya broke the button? Lost it? What happened?”
“Neither.” Rarity hung her head even lower, trying to find even more appeal in the now pretty flat and muddy patch of grass under her hoof. “I just wanted to make my mom really happy, so I—”
“Wanted to make it prettier?”
Rarity nodded with a moisture starting to condense underneath her eyes. “I had this golden fabric that I hoped to sew in,” she sniffled. “After I was done, I showed it to my mom, but she wasn’t too happy with it. Now I can’t even stay after school!” Rarity sniffled again.
“Ya should be happy, Rarity,” Applejack said in a low voice. “Ya still have parents.”
Rarity’s ears drooped and her eyes widened, completely forgetting about her own misery about being grounded. “Your parents...”
Applejack nodded subtly. “Three days after school ended the barn collapsed and—”
The rest of her answer was smothered with a tight hug from her classmate. “I’m so sorry, Applejack. I- I didn’t know,” Rarity sniffled.
“A- are you okay?”
“I miss my mom and dad.” The hug tightened.
“If there’s something I can help you with,” Rarity breathed, looking into moist green eyes.
“Ah don’t think that there’s anything ya can do, Rarity, but...”
“But?”
“Can ya stay here for few more minutes?”
Rarity subtly nodded, leaning her muzzle forward to dry her friend’s falling tear. “I’m so sorry,” she repeated herself.
~*~*~
“SILVER STREAAAAAAKKKK!” Rarity shrieked, her voice piercing the silence of the Carousel Boutique, startling two ponies in the process, Sweetie Belle and Applejack.
Applejack groaned. “What did she do this time?”
Rarity lit her horn, lifting the dress off the ponyquin. “See what your daughter did? She ruined the entire dress!”
Applejack smirked. “Last time Ah checked, she was yer daughter, too. Besides, Ah remember ya telling me a story like that when we were fillies.”
“But that was not the same. I—”
“Silver Streak isn’t interested in fashion, Rarity. And neither she’s interested in bucking apples.” Applejack hung her head a little. “She might be a part of both of us, but she’s nothing like us. What did Twilight called it? Generics or something?”
“Genetics,” Rarity replied with a sigh. “I know, but I just wanted—”
Orange hooves wrapped around Rarity. “Ya can’t have everything, Rarity.”
“I know. I’m just lucky enough to have y—”
A filly’s cough echoed behind the mares backs, making them both blush and turn their heads. “Hey, moms.”
“Howdy, Silver Streak.” Applejack turned towards Rarity and kissed her on forehead. “Ah have something Ah have to do. Ah’ll be back shortly.”
The door of Boutique closed with a soft click, leaving two ponies alone.
“Silver Streak?”
“Yeah, mom?”
“I saw your... dress.” The eyes of the filly started gazing into the ground. “I’m not being mad, Silver. I only want to know, why didn’t you tell me you were making it.”
“Because... I wanted it to make it special... As a gift. Mom knew.”
“Applejack knew?”
The filly nodded. “She promised she wouldn’t tell anypony.”
“Well, that explains many things,” Rarity muttered to herself. “Who was the gift for?”
Silver Streak looked at the floor, her face bathing in plethora of different shades of red. “Star Thunder. I- I—”
“Really like her?” Rarity added with a smile on her face. A sheepish nod and even deeper shades of red from the filly confirmed that.
“There’s nothing wrong with that. But you should still ask me for a helping hoof. Especially if you’re trying to make a dress.”
“But that wouldn’t make the dress special!”
“Of course it will, my little pony. Getting a little bit of help doesn’t make anypony worse or anything less special. It has taken your mom quite a long time to realize that.”
Silver Streak’s ears drooped and her head sank lower. “Oh.”
Rarity planted a gentle kiss on the filly’s muzzle with a smile. “Now homework. I’ll help you later with the dress.”
A quick nod from the filly was quickly accompanied by the ascending trot.
“Mom knew,” Rarity sighed. “Oh, Applejack. What am I going to do with you?”
“Well,” a familiar voice echoed from the kitchen, now slowly moving towards Rarity. “Ye could marry me.”
“I think once is more than enough, Applejack,” Rarity mused.
"Oh, for goodness' sake, he's only three months old!" Rarity argued. "He's not going to get in any trouble."
Applejack raised an eyebrow, and looked down to their infant son, who was sitting in his crib, rolling around, and babbling in the cute way all foals did. For the most part, the little colt seemed completely harmless, but both of his mothers were wary of the fact he had inherited the unicorn gene on Rarity's side of the family.
"Still, Ah don't trust that fancy unicorn magic," she drawled.
The fashionista huffed, rolling her eyes. "Honestly, Applejack, if anything happens, I can handle it," she assured. "After all, I did a fine job with Sonya when she was that age."
"Sonya is an earth pony," Applejack pointed out.
"I see no difference," Rarity said blantly. "You've no reason to worry, dear. Go into town to work, everything will be fine."
Glancing between her wife and son carefully, the farmpony gave in, letting out a sigh of defeat as she stole a kiss from her lover, and looked to the baby colt skeptically one last time only before bidding a quick goodbye as she left the household.
Shaking her head playfully, Rarity found it amusing for her wife to worry about something so silly. Their son had practically just been born, there was no way he was already capable of any sort of magical abilities. Granted, there was the occasional slip-up from young unicorns, but the fashionista was sure that it was nothing she couldn't handle. After all, if she had already endured three years of messes with her daughter, a few bursts of magic from her son was a walk in the park.
Just as she too was about to exit the nursery, Rarity heard a faint whining as she looked back and saw her son whimpering at the sight of both his mothers leaving. She released a light tsk, and retreated back to the crib, looking down at her young son.
"Alexandrite, sweetie, you're supposed to be napping," she muttered, attempting to get the colt back under the covers he had tossed away.
However, little Alexandrite refused to listen and he attempted to wriggle away from the blankets, laughing as his mother fussed over him. Of course, Rarity was never one to argue with children, so she simply let out a groan of frustration, looking at him.
"You're not going to sleep, are you?" she questioned.
The colt laughed once more, and waved his hooves, which Rarity decided to take as a teasing sass from her newborn son. She scoffed, and levitated him up out of the crib, noticing how active he really was.
"Fine," she said simply. “I suppose I can’t make you do anything or leave you alone.”
She kept Alexandrite in her magical grip as she left the room, carefully trailing him behind her and she paraded into the living room, where it was a mess that was most definitely organized chaos. Rarity let out an annoyed groan at how pillows from the couch were carelessly tossed onto the floor and the small radio was blasting nothing but static while papers and crayons littered the floor, and in the center of the wreck was none other than her first-born child, three-year-old Sonya, who was happily drawing various scribble masterpieces.
Placing her son down on the carpet to join his older sister, Rarity switched off the radio and began picking some things up from the floor, when all of a sudden, the phone in the kitchen rang.
Looking to her children thoughtfully, the unicorn mare considered what they could do if she left for just a moment, but seeing how she came up with nothing, she waltzed off, and picked up the phone from the receiver.
“Rarity speaking,” she chimed.
“I was hoping you’d answer,” a familiar sweet and soft voice on the other end remarked.
“Coco! Darling, how have you been?” Rarity practically gushed. “Why, I haven’t seen or heard from you in months!”
The other fashionista on the line lightly giggled in her bell-like way. “I know, I apologize,” she replied. “And I wish it was to reconnect with you, but I’ve been talking with some top-line designers, and I got us a job.”
“What - do you mean as a team?” the unicorn questioned.
However, she didn’t hear the answer to her question, as somepony interrupted her with a tug on the tail, and a loud ahem.
Rarity looked over her shoulder, and noticed her daughter standing before her, looking awfully sassy for a filly for her age. (Applejack always said Sonya got it from Rarity’s inner diva.)
“Sonya, dear, can it wait? Mommy’s a bit busy.”
“Uh-uh,” Sonya protested, grabbing her mother’s hoof and yanking on it. “It’s real important. The worst possible thing.”
Trying not to laugh at the saying her daughter had picked up, Rarity just brushed it off, and released a light sigh. “I’m sure it isn’t that bad,” she retorted. “Wait one moment, alright?” She levitated the phone back up to her ear, about to speak, when she felt Sonya grasping firmly on her tail and tugging it with all of her might.
Deciding to give in, Rarity rolled her eyes and excused herself from the call for one moment, allowing her daughter to lead her into the living room, where the sight took her by surprise.
In fact, a shriek even involuntarily slipped out as she noticed the scene before her.
If the living room was a mess before, it was an absolute disaster now - and it wasn’t so much the floor that was hit hard, but rather… the walls.
Alexandrite had somehow gotten his magic to work, and a variety of crayons, all sorts of colors were held tight in a green magical grip as he dragged them across the wall, scribbling and doodling all sorts of silly little designs, which were ruining the house.
Now with her shock wearing off, Rarity levitated the phone over, returning to her call.
“Coco? I hate to be rude, but I’m going to have to call you back.”
With that said, the dressmaker hung up the phone, and let out a loud wail of frustration, trekking back into the kitchen to find some sort of cleaning supplies and wondering if Applejack would laugh at her or yell at her (or possibly both) when she got home from work later that day and found out.
Chaos. Mayhem. Ground Zero. Applejack couldn’t help herself but compare what she was seeing with the images from the history books. She never expected to see a live representation of what she saw in pictures of natural disasters.
Broken vases and mauled flowers now decorated once decently cleaned tapestry and wooden floor. The furniture was overturned and muddy, shards of a broken glass, originating from the broken window or the plentiful picture frames, was lying all around. The muddy pawprints covered almost every inch of the room.
And in the middle of this disaster zone, two precious animals, fully covered in mud, were looking innocently at the shocked Applejack.
Applejack groaned. This isn’t what she wanted. After a long and hard working day, this was the last thing she wanted to deal with. All she wanted wanted was to relax for the weekend and spend some quality time with her marefriend.
But now, it seemed like her well-deserved weekend of rest and relaxation has gone down the drain. She was devastated as she was looking forward for this weekend, since they both worked hard for the past few weeks. It was apple-bucking season for Applejack and Rarity managed to get herself in a little too tall order, even for a hard and fast worker like herself.
But now; everything was ruined. The animals totally demolished her room. There was no other options than her postponing their date for unknown period of time and clean up the mess.
She hung her head when the knocks echoed throughout the house, followed by a sound of squeaking door a moment later. Rarity.
“Hey Rares,” Applejack breathed sadly.
“Evening, Applejack. Are you ready? I managed to... What in pray tell happened in here?!?”
Applejack’s hoof pointed to two muddy creatures in the center of the room. “Ah’m sorry, Rares, but Ah can’t go. Cleanup and all.”
“Opal?” Her voice indicated shock. “How did you manage to sneak out?”
Opal groaned.
Applejack sighed. “Ah'm sorry Rarity, but Ah need to clean this up... Ah so wanted to go, but..."
"Nonsense, Applejack. We have planned this for a long time...”
"Ah know. And Ah’m sorry, Rares. But this needs to be cleaned up. So...”
Rarity took a step and nuzzled her marefriend. “Please, Applejack? I already waited for too long.” Nuzzle turned into a soft kiss. “I’ll help you with the cleanup tomorrow.”
Applejack chuckled. “I can’t win this time, can I?” Rarity shook her head in response.
~*~*~
“Well... That was certainly... different,” Rarity mused. “But so so good. I might ask the... um... chef for the recipe for the salad. It was simply divine.”
“And don’t forget cheap!”
Rarity nodded. “The entire dinner for two is a little bit more than a dessert in one of the restaurants that I dine in. We should do that more often.”
“Yeah.” Applejack sighed. “Do you want to come in for some cider? Ah really don’t want to think about cleaning just yet.” Rarity nodded.
It has only taken a few steps into the house to see the disaster room. However, it seemed to be a lot cleaner now. Out of curiosity, Applejack took a few more steps towards it. She stopped with her mouth agape.
“What’s wrong, Applejack?”
“T... the room...”
“You don’t like it?”
“Wait. How...?”
“Pinkie Pie. She told me that something was going to happen, but she didn’t knew, what would be the cause. So I asked for a little bit of help.” Rarity paused for a moment. “Do you like it?”
“It’s... new...”
“Oh.” Rarity’s ears drooped, her head lowered. “I thought you’d be happier...”
“I like it... but...”
“But?”
“It is still missing something.”
“Missing something? Like what?”
“A white unicorn pony. About yee high,” Applejack raised her hoof to the height of Rarity’s head, “a lovely blue mane and a set of diamonds on her flank.”
“Wait. Do you mean—”
“Yep. This thing right here!” Applejack pulled out a cardboard cutout of Rarity and kissed it.
Rarity was shocked. “Wait, what?”
“Yep. And we’re going to get married tomorrow.”
With her shock escalating, Rarity screamed, waking herself up in the process. She was covered in sweat, breathing irregularly.
“None of that was real. None of that was real. None of that was real.” A quick skim of the room revealed that she’s in her own bed in Carousel Boutique. “Just a bad dream,” Rarity exhaled.
“Mmmm,” a pony murmured from the other side of the bed. “What’s wrong?”
“A- Applejack? H- How did you get in here?”
“You offered me a place to stay until my room is fixed, remember?” Applejack whispered. “Opal and Winona. Bedroom demolished.” “I mean my bed.”
“Cider...”
Rarity. smiled. “Applejack?”
“Hm?”
“Would you like to stay longer?”
“Mmm... mhm.”
Rarity turned toward the half-asleep pony, wrapping hooves around her and kissing her on her forehead. “Applejack?”
“Applejack?”
“M?”
“I love you.”
“Love you too.”
Next prompt: Aftermath.
40. Aftermath - by The Princess Rarity (Foal Abuse)
A soft wail broke through the silence of the night, echoing through a small household and awaking those inside. Soon, after the cry was heard, a rapid knocking on a door followed.
"Mommy? Mama?"
The door to the room opened, and there stood Applejack, looking down to see her young daughter standing before her, with tears in her blue-green eyes and she literally shook with every breath.
"Aw, Sonya, again?" the earth pony mare muttered, her tiredness now slipping away as she grew concerned for her child. "Uh-huh," the filly whined. "Can I sleep with you two tonight?"
Applejack didn't hesitate at all, wrapping a foreleg around her daughter and ushering her into the bedroom. "C'mon, yer mother and I are right here, ya see?" she whispered. "And do ya have yer stuffed animal?"
Sonya shook her head, lightly sniffling. "I don't like Mrs. Fluffs anymore," she whimpered.
"She's not helpin' ya fight the nightmares?"
"No, nothin' is," the little one said softly, her accent now starting to settle in now that she was tired and scared. "I don't wanna sleep anymore."
At a loss of words, Applejack looked up to her wife, who was silent as she looked to their daughter in shock and visible pain.
Rarity's expression was blank and emotionless, completely lost as she found something, anything, comforting to say to their child. This was the fourth time this week that young Sonya had reported nightmares, and it was only a Tuesday.
True, it was progress from last week's constant crying and night terrors, where Sonya couldn't be apart from one of her mothers, but still, this wasn't much better.
"Sonya, dear, what happened this time around?" Rarity said softly as her daughter bounded up onto the bed and snuggled close to her mother.
The little filly sniffled, and her crying began to heavy, as she wiped her tears onto the comforter. "It's the same as always," she wailed. "The dark closet behind the catwalk. The mean lady. I can't find either of you and-" She couldn't dare finish her sentence, because the horrific memory invaded her mind and she began wailing.
Her mothers simply stared at one another, holding back the urge to cry with their little one, but they stayed strong and tried to comfort her.
They whispered soothing words to their daughter, hugged her, gave her sweet little kisses and tried to tell her everything would be ok. Eventually, it wasn't the content feeling that lulled the filly to sleep, but exhaustion. Still, it assured her mothers that their little one could at least find somewhat peace from the harsh reality.
Now taking note that her child was finally asleep, Rarity let out her own soft cry, letting a few tears fall down.
"This is all my fault," she muttered.
"Now Rares-"
"-if I hadn't left her alone at that fashion show, this never would have happened," the dressmaker pressed. "Our daughter was practically kidnapped and raped, and all because I was stupid enough to turn my back on her for a minute. I trusted one of those skanky models to watch our child and she could have been gone if I hadn't found her." She hesitated, and shook her head in disbelief. "Our precious little gem was in the hooves of a monster because of my recklessness."
Applejack took her wife's hoof into her own, and kissed the back of it. "It's not your fault, Rarity," she declared. "Ya didn't know that was gon' happen."
"Still," Rarity rasped. "Court cases, being snatched from her family, haunted by all of this - it's too much for me to handle, I don't know how Sonya can stand it."
"She's gettin' the treatment she needs, and we're helpin' her as best as we can," the farmer whispered. "I'm here for ya, and our little girl. We're gonna be a happy family again, I promise ya."
The unicorn sniffled, and wiped away her tears as she looked down to their sleeping daughter, who was snuggling up to the both of them cutely, now trapped in sweet dreams instead of the horrors she was haunted by earlier.
"You mean it?" Rarity whispered.
Applejack leaned forward, gently kissing her wife on the lips. "Ah never lie, do I?" she replied.
The unicorn let out a shaky breath, with a bittersweet smile as she hugged her lover, still softly crying. While tragedy might have struck their lives, it didn't matter none. They would overcome it, because this aftermath was already slowly slipping away...
...now all it had to do was become nothing but a bad dream.
Winter. Cold. Ponyville was covered with a thick cover of snow, so there was no real work for the orange filly. Morning chores have already been completed, the beds have been made and the animals cleaned and fed. You could barely see anything in the fields that wasn't white.
Applejack was bored. For a hard-working pony, that was ultimate bane. The only thing that she could do is study, and today was her least favorite subject: math.
She looked at the book in front of her for no more than a few seconds before deciding to change her priorities. Her thoughts were now lost in the white coat that engulfed the entire Ponyville, in the games of dozens of fillies and colts that were playing in snow and making snowponies.
She just looked away from the window for no more than a few seconds, but long enough that she missed a snow-white pony approaching the farmhouse. Ever since Applejack’s parents died, Rarity spent much more time with her schoolfriend, offering a helping hoof, even though Applejack consistently refused to accept, which sometimes ended up with Rarity’s frustration. But still; Rarity understood. Even with the occasional quarrel between her and her parents, she didn’t know what would she do without them.
The sound of the gong snapped Applejack from her reverie. She perked her ears and turn her head towards the door of her room, trying to catch the chatter below. Instead of chatter, Applejack heard a set of hooves approaching her room.
Soft knocks on the wooden door echoed around the small room, making Applejack turn back to the boring books.
“It’s really cold outside!” Rarity shuddered, sinking her head even lower into her now wet scarf.
Applejack didn't hesitate. She grabbed a warm and fuzzy blanket from her bed, and in swift motion wrapped it around shivering Rarity, quickly followed by a still-steaming mug of hot chocolate. “What in tarnation happened to ya?”
“One of the weather ponies accidentally dropped snow on me when I was coming here," Rarity said in a trembling voice.
Applejack snickered. “Ah think that they do that intentionally. Ah forgot how many times they did it to me.”
“So uncouth,” Rarity breathed and sipped the tasty beverage.
Applejack nodded. “Fortunately, this only happens in the winter. Ya feeling any better?”
“Thank you very much,” Rarity breathed and pecked Applejack on the cheek, making her blush wildly. “Now; have you studied?”
“M- maybe?” Applejack replied with a stutter.
“...”
“Ah was... really busy.”
“Applejack?” Rarity replied in a deadpan voice.
“Hm?”
“You really aren’t a good liar.”
“Sorry.”
An empty cup floated in the air, fueled by Rarity’s magic. “Do you have any more of this? Because this is going to be a long night.”
Applejack nodded wildly. “Best chocolate in Ponyville! Brought here by—”
Rarity groaned. “Very long night.”
~*~*~
“And that’s how ya came around,” Applejack said cheerfully.
Silver Streak looked at her still-full mug in disbelief, tilting her head towards her mother. “I came from chocolate?” she cringed.
“Well, yes. Ah mean no. Ah mean...” Now sweating and blushing Applejack looked around the kitchen for a better representation of what she wanted to convey. “Look. It’s like—”
Rarity cleared her throat, startling both ponies in the process. But that was her intent, anyway. “Silver Streak,” she spoke softly. “Hurry up or you’ll miss your school.”
“But mom...”
“We’ll talk after school, okay?” Rarity mused. “You don’t want to keep Star Thunder waiting, do you?”
“Oh, right.” Silver Streak’s saddlebags started to bask in the glow of her magic and lifting off the ground as she started her trot toward the door of the Boutique. “Bye, moms!”
Rarity couldn’t help but snicker at the confused filly. “She reminds me of her mom.”
Applejack looked to the ground. “She asked me where foals come from. So Ah just... um...”
“...told her that they come from hot chocolate...”
“Well... It’s true.”
“Partially. You stopped at what comes afterwards.”
Applejack nodded. “Ah still have some of it. Want it?”
Rarity loved autumn. It was always said that spring and Hearts and Hooves day with it was the time for lovers but Rarity disagreed. Autumn was the season of lovers. It was chilly enough for two people to cuddle close and hold hands more tightly, but not too cold to discourage outdoor activities. There were more holidays and good cheer and the sweltering heat of summer would melt away to the blissful colorful fall. There were sunsets, The Running of the Leaves, pumpkin pies, new fashion line ups and of course: leaf piles.
Rarity hated dirt. And any activity which involved getting dirt on her person. There was however one exception to that rule: leaf piles.
Of course her enjoyment of jumping into and playing in leaf piles was a closely guarded secret that only a few people knew about, lest all of Canterlot mock her.
Taking in a deep breath, she inhaled the fresh cool air and adjusted the collar of her coat to give a little more warmth as she walked through the apple orchards. Huge piles of gold, orange and red leaves covered the orchard, with only a thin man made path between the piles. Sweet Apple Acres had to have it's own fall clean-up of the leaves before winter came in all her bone shilling glory.
Applejack of course had the advantage of promising the Crusaders first jump in the leaf pile if they helped her clean the leaves off the trees. Rarity chuckled at the idea, reminding herself to use a similar strategy to convince Sweetie Belle to clean her room.
Of course the invitation for leaf pile jumping was open to all of Applejack's close friends and of course her girlfriend. Looking left and right to convince herself that there for sure was no one around to see her, Rarity began to decide which of the piles was most perfect for jumping in.
As she stood, a finger upon her chin in silent contemplation, she didn't notice the rustling behind her. With a roar Applejack exploded out of the leaf pile, causing Rarity to shriek. Fast as lighting Applejack had scooped Rarity into her arms, bridal style and rushed the still screaming seamstress towards the largest pile she could see.
Rarity felt a dulled impact and then suddenly there were leaves everywhere raining down on her and a cackling Applejack as they lay in a pile taller than the barn. Rarity was still in Applejack arms, tightly and safely pressed against her. The seamstress feigned anger, which only made Applejack laugh harder.
"I'm going to kill you if this dress is ruined." Rarity deadpanned, pulling leaves out of her hair.
"I don't think you will, sugarcube," Applejack laughed, standing slowly and carrying her out of the pile.
"I think you'll kiss me," Applejack suggested, a toothy grin upon her lips.
Rarity finally laughed and obliged Applejack, the two of them sharing a long breathless kiss. When they finally pulled away for air both their cheeks were red and warm.
"Hey, Rares,"
"Yes?" Rarity replied, stupified.
"Let's go again!" Applejack shouted.
"Don't you dare!" Rarity screeched futilely as Applejack took off like a shot.
Applejack wouldn’t consider herself a sporty sort of gal. Sure, she enjoyed a good competition every now and then, but that was it. Also, beating Rainbow Dash in track and field was always really fun. Aside from that, though, she didn’t really do much. Just the usual gym required for students at Canterlot High, and nothing beyond that.
However, today was the school’s annual free-for-all softball game. The entire school, students and teachers, had teamed up and had been divided into teams. Not everyone enjoyed it, but it was sort of amusing to see some students wonder how to play.
Adjusting her blue baseball cap, Applejack leaned up against the fence, let out a sigh and slid a packet of gum out of her jeans pocket, popping a piece in her mouth as she watched the game. She wouldn’t be up to bat for a while, according to the line-up list everyone had received a copy of at the beginning of the event.
Vice Principal Luna’s team was failing miserably, while Principal Celestia’s side was on a winning streak, with the score at 5 - 0. Sadly, though, Applejack felt as if she wouldn’t be any help to the side she had been assigned to.
“Keeping your distance, I see,” a voice mused.
The comment caused Applejack’s gaze to pop up, and she slightly smiled as she saw who it belonged to. “Hey there, Rares,” she replied, giving a slight wave.
Rarity stood next to her girlfriend, looking out to the field. And she couldn’t help but smirk as she felt Applejack’s gaze staring her down.
“I, uh, guess you’re not playin’ the game,” Applejack observed.
“Well, I’m already on a team of sorts, and the principals were more than happy to have the cheer squad attend this little event,”
Rarity said breezily, as she adjusted her blue and yellow Canterlot Wondercolts cheerleading uniform. “It was more or less Pinkie’s idea, but I found it a better idea than running the bases, so I supported it.”
As she had said, across the field, over by the game - Pinkie Pie was waving her pom poms around like crazy, bouncing up and down, cheering on both teams seemingly at the same time. Meanwhile, Lyra was in the school mascot uniform - which was a blue goofy cartoon horse - dancing around like an idiot. The other cheerleaders, who were more or less a bunch of freshman or other girls who had nothing better to do with their time, just stood around, gossiping.
“Uh-huh,” Applejack muttered, as her gaze reluctantly fell down.
The small dress seemed to accent Rarity’s curves in all of the right ways. Not that Applejack expected anything less, though - her girlfriend made everyone of them by hand to fit every member. And apparently, she did more than a fine job creating her own. “Something wrong, dear?” Rarity crooned. “You seem a bit distracted.”
...did she just bat her eyes?
Releasing a nervous cough, Applejack shook her head. “Nah, I’m fine,” she muttered. “I was just-”
“Yo! AJ! You’re up for bat!” Rainbow Dash yelled from across the field. “Quit sitting around and get over here!”
Clearing her throat, Applejack gave a small awkward smile to Rarity, and darted across the way to the diamond, fetching a bat from one of the other players. Ok. This should be easy enough. She just wouldn’t swing and go for a walk instead, that would be simple. Let the next guy try to hit a homerun. After all, being in the spotlight wasn’t her thing. She’d be fine with walking the bases and waiting for someone else to get the glory.
Pounding the bat against the home base and breathing deep, Applejack looked up to the pitcher, Spitfire, who was staring her down with an almost wicked grin. Everyone knew about the famous Fireball that Spitfire threw at the games - she even put someone in the hospital by accidentally hitting someone on the opposing team in the arm.
“Gimme yer worst!” Applejack called.
Anything to keep the crowd interested, right?
Releasing a deep breath, she kept her eyes focused on only the pitcher, awaiting the ball to fly by at an insane speed…
...but it never did. Or at least, Applejack didn’t notice it.
The sound of rustling and squeals distracted her, and she tore her gaze away from the game for only a minute. And what a sight she saw. Her jaw would’ve dropped if she didn’t have more composure, but the loud groaning of the crowd snapped her out of it.
Oh, so now the cheer squad was in full force. This whole time, they had done nothing, but now they had decided to start going wild? Applejack had to keep her head in the game, just for one more minute.
However, what with her girlfriend at the front of the squad, doing elegant twirls and flips in that tight dress of hers…
“Strike one!”
Did Applejack swing? She didn’t even realize it.
Releasing a deep breath, she adjusted her stance and squinted. There was no way she was going to mess this up. She was a team player.
However, something in her mind itched at her - and she found herself staring again.
Did Rarity just wink at her?!
“Strike two!”
Applejack realized she must have been swinging out of frustration.
Oh, this wasn’t fair…
The crowd was on the edge of their seats, her teammates were nervous and the opposing team were all smirking, like they knew that they had it in the bag.
And something itched at Applejack’s mind - some stupid sense said she could hit it - but…
“Strike three! You’re out!”
The small crowd all groaned, and the other team smirked as they dashed over, desperate to blow the other side of the school out of the water.
With a frustrated scowl, Applejack crossed her arms as she noticed that the cheer squad had just coincidentally stopped their silly little routine. Now this was stupid. And she was so going to get Rarity now.
As the two teams took a quick break, Applejack shuffled over to the group of the girls, and raised an eyebrow.
“Nice show y’all put on,” she muttered.
Rarity smiled and stood up on her tiptoes to place a quick kiss on her girlfriend’s cheek. “I assume you know it was for you,” she whispered.
Stage. Rarity wasn’t prepared for something like this. It was one of her worst nightmares. Making dresses for wide variety of ponies was not a problem, since she was usually in the background, but to pull out something like this? Why did she agreed to all of this in the first place?
~*~*~
“Rarity?”
“Absolutely not, Applejack.”
“Aw, come on, Rares. It can’t be that bad. Ah heard ya singing to the ponyquins and with us on our way to the galla, and ya were magnificent. Sides, you adore being in the spotlight...”
Rarity noded. “But not for this. Sweetie Belle is the singer of the family, even if she might not know it...”
“Rarity, please... This is a charity event and we all volunteered. Rainbow Dash will show a sonic rainboom and her and Twi are going to show some air tricks. Me and Pinkie are going to show few tricks as well. Even Fluttershy’s animals agreed to help out...”
“But I can make dresses for everypony! I’ll—”
Applejack cleared her throat. “Ya know that won’t cut it. Please, Rarity.”
Rarity sighed. “Very well, then.”
Applejack smiled gleefully and gave Rarity a tight hug. “Ya’ll be amazing, Rares. Don’t ya worry none about that!”
Rarity whimpered as Applejack left Carousel Boutique. What have I gotten myself into?
~*~*~
Take a deep breath, Rarity. Everything will be fine. With a spotlight on her and her beautiful pink dress, she tried to step forward. No luck.
She tried again, but again her hooves didn’t obey. Her mind was in overdrive; her audience waited for some sort of action, but there was none.
Rarity could feel the heat in her head rise up and moment after her vision became dark. She tried to make a sound one last time, but it was too late. She could only feel herself fall to the ground, hearing nothing more than whispers from the staring crowd. Then nothing.
~*~*~
“Rarity? Are ya okay?” Applejack’s voice was low and soft.
“Mmm?” Rarity murmured. “W- what happened?”
“Ya passed out. Yer behind the stage now. Others are still entertaining ponies. It’s just ya and me.”
“C-can I get some water, please?” Rarity muttered. “And how long was I... You know...”
“Ten minutes. Ya gave as quite a scare there.”
Rarity hung her head. “I’m sorry. I should have told you... It happened once in school, and I wanted to keep this a secret.”
“Ahm, sorry, Rares. Ah should’ve—”
“It’s not your fault, Applejack. But I cannot sing just for the audience. I can only sing for me,but sometimes I can sing for a pony.” “Can you sing for me?”
Rarity shook her head. “W- what? I wish it would that simple, Applejack. It’s—”
Her response was silenced by a kiss from the orange lips. “Please, Rares?”
Rarity looked at the mare in front of her. “H- how did you know?”
“I didn’t. But at least half of the Ponyville told me that ya thought that Ah’m cute. So...”
Rarity’s face reddened. “I never knew how to get you out on a date, so I...”
“Ya think ya’ll be able to sing? We want to raise as much as much money as possible.”
“I will, Applejack. But I don’t want to sing for you.”
“Huh?”
“I want to sing with you.” Rarity leant forward and returned the kiss.
~*~*~
Spotlight again. But this time on two mares instead of one as they began to sing.
“It's broken beyond repair, Rarity! Absolutely fubared and such!”
“Eeyup,” Mac agreed.
Rarity shuffled her hooves slightly. “I don't think that's a word.”
“Nope,” Mac said agreed with Rarity this time.
Applejack glared at her brother. “Don't you have someplace else to be?”
“No-” He froze at his sister's expression and quickly changed his tune. “Eeyup!” And with that, he quickly made himself scarce.
Rarity put a comforting, albeit hesitant, foreleg over Applejack's shoulders. “I don't suppose you'd take it lightly if I told you you might be overreacting just the teensiest bit?” she said.
“Overreacting?” Applejack spat, throwing off her foreleg. “Rarity, this is the apple corer that founded Ponyville! Granny Smith's granny used this very corer to peel the first apple grown here, and then the first zap Apple grown here, and then the first…”
“And a fine job she did,” Rarity broke in. “Truly. But perhaps it's time to move on…”
“Move on?! This is a piece of Ponyville history! How do you suppose we're just gonna move on? What if your sewing machine, the one you used for Celestia's dress, broke down? What then?”
Rarity answered truthfully. “I'd get a new one, as I'd probably still have orders that needed to be filled.”
“You just don't get it!” Applejack grumbled. “We earth ponies don't have fancy magic to fix things, so we make 'em good so we don't have to. Adds sentimental value and such. Not like you'd know about th-”
She was suddenly cut off when Rarity abruptly stopped her motion short with her forehead, filling her vision with a very annoyed unicorn. “That's not what you said at our anniversary dinner last week,” she growled.
Applejack had the distinct feeling she'd crossed a line, a feeling that only got stronger when Rarity began pushing her backwards towards the wall.
“I get that you are upset. I understand that this was a big deal to you. I know you are feeling frustrated and defeated. But there is no call for you to take that out on me.”
Applejack bumped into the wall. The two mares held their positions for a while longer.
And then Applejack broke their standoff. “I just… it was my fault it broke, see? And I just… ruined everything… and… my fault and…”
Rarity pulled her into a hug. “These things happen,” she said, leaning down to kiss Applejack's cheek and tasting the slight saltiness she would later deny. “Maybe the real tradition is doing things as a family, the Apple way,” she said. “You really didn't end anything at all.”
“Guess you're right.”
“I know I'm right, darling. And I'm sure it'll end well. You of all ponies know you can't keep an earth pony down.”
Rarity had always respected Applejack. But, of course, that was very much a given; everypony respected Applejack.
Many ponies respected the farm mare for her boundless strength, which was coiled and bunched in her sheening muscles, ready to burst out when needed. Most ponies admired her persistent dedication, which ensured the crops that fed their children were healthy and strong. Others respected her honesty. While, not always called for, or even appreciated, it was always respected.
But Rarity?
Rarity respected everything under that rugged coat and unrefined drawl, underneath the toughness that struck the fear of Faust into liars big and small. One of which had stricken her like a hurricane strikes the palm trees in the far-east: her intelligence.
It was a shame how well Applejack hid it, really. The deep shimmering eyes that narrowed and focused on math problems, blazing through the budgets that kept Sweet Apple Acres afloat. The honed and sharpened ability to know just what to say, be it harsh, sweet, or fair. The third eye--which HAD to be beneath her hat--that peered through walls of deceit like magnified sunlight.
That third one always made Rarity smile. It was, after all, the same third eye that saw right through her thickly veiled flirting. Sure, Rarity could've called Applejack rude for grinning in her face, or tactless for swatting Rarity's every attempt to deny it, or chauvinistic to slap the unicorn's flank when she said 'Ya want me, don't ya'.
But who was she kidding, anyway. Those were things Rarity wanted in a pony, what she needed in a pony.
Applejack was smart... So one could possibly imagine the earthquakes in Rarity's head when the farm mare asked where paper comes from. Rarity, being the observant young lady she was, laughed as though it were a joke at first. But a narrowed glare and a swift hoof on her carpet ended that.
Answering the question was, of course, the reasonable and respectable thing to do. Rarity wouldn't chastise the poor thing. No. But seeing those green eyes bold in color and sheen with a spark that could dwarf the sun, seeing those golden eyebrows sink down with a force that could bring the very sky down with them, seeing the tight, lop-sided purse of those soft lips that could subsequently obliterate the western half of Equestria...
Rarity realized that answering that question wasn't very intelligent on her own part.
A soft gasp broke the silence in the bedroom, and the lamp flickered on. "Applejack! Did you hear that?" Rarity said suddenly.
Applejack rolled over on her side, and blocked out the light with her side of the blanket. "Land sakes, Rares, it was jus' Winona.
Relax, will ya?" she muttered.
The unicorn stammered, and looked away, with her nose in the air. "I am relaxed," she lied.
"Then why aren't ya sleepin'?" Applejack retorted.
"I'm not tired," Rarity said.
However, Applejack could notice the weary expression on her marefriend's face and she just shook her head. "Uh-huh. Ok, sure, we'll go with that," she mused. "Now turn the darn light off, I wanna go back to bed."
Letting out a sigh, Rarity reluctantly shut the light off and laid back down, staring up at the ceiling in the dark.
It was too dark.
And what was that shadow outside anyway?!
She used her magic and pulled down the curtains to block out any possible strange activity outside.
But a light thud from the hallway caused her to speak up once more.
"...where exactly do you keep the shotgun?"
"Rarity!" Applejack exclaimed in shock, as she looked to her marefriend.
"What?" the unicorn said, holding her hooves up in defense. "It was just a question!"
"Ah ain't letting you shoot anypony, now go to sleep!" Applejack demanded. "There's nothin' out there!"
Rarity frowned. "But what if-"
Applejack let out a groan. "We shoulda have nev'r watched that stupid horror movie," she declared.
It was the third Sunday of the month. Which meant that it was Applejack's unofficial day off. Unofficial, only in that Applejack had no choice in the matter whatsoever. Big Mac and Applejack had come to a loose agreement - one whole day that they normally wouldn't take off, they would spend not even thinking about working the orchards or the stall.
To Applejack, who'd been literally dragged from the orchard by her brother and girlfriend, it was a torture worse than Fluttershy asking her to babysit Discord. Sitting on Rarity's too soft couch, she held a book in her grip so tightly that her fingers were white, as she tried to force herself to pay attention to the words that swam across the page. Slowly reading every word she tried not to look up and out the window, where she could see people bustling and moving about the market square. She knew if she craned her neck and leaned back she'd just be able to see her brother at their stall.
Shaking her head, she tried to get back to her novel. With a sigh she slammed it closed, not even bothering to mark her page - she had no idea what was going on anyways.
"Sherlock being insufferable again?" Rarity asked from the doorway, her hands moving automatically as she worked on a particular part of her latest dress that needed to be hand sewn.
"It ain't that Rares," Applejack began, as she leaned back into couch, "Ah love to read these kind of stories, but Ah'm used to stealing time, iffin' you know what I mean."
"I think I may have an idea..." the seamstress mused, her tone prompting Applejack to continue.
"Ah work from just after dawn to just before supper, then I help Granny with the food, Applebloom with her homework, Mac finish any chores he couldn't get to, spend time with you iffin' you stay the night - not that Ah'm complainin' by any stretch of the imagination mind you - but I'm saying if I have time to read, it's because I make that time and I steal a little bit for myself here and there, between work, adventures, dates and everything else. This today, well, I'm just sitting here like a bump on a log, with all this time, and nothing to do, and the outside is just calling me painfully and I'm just... stagnating. "
"Stagnating?" Rarity asked, placing her work to the side and coming up behind Applejack. Cupping Applejack's cheek, she pulled her head back to meet her eyes. "Really, darling, stagnating?"
"Ah got one or two words from mah book," Applejack replied with a shrug, her hands reaching to pull Rarity into a kiss.
Rarity pulled away and climbed over the couch. "Well, then darling," she said, sitting herself right on Applejack's lap, "why don't I take a break too, and we can do something more stimulating." Reaching across the coffee table in front of the couch, Rarity reached for the steamy romance novel that she had recently started, as Applejack adjusted her position around her.
Pulling her girlfriend tightly into her arms the farmer leaned her head on Rarity's shoulder in an attempt to see the novel better, and reminded herself just how nice a day off to read really could be.
This was it. This was her dream. This was what she trained for. Her heart ached for this very moment. She could hear the crowd cheering for the Ponyville’s best sportspony.
The sun was blazing directly in her eyes. This was her moment. She was ready, willing and able. A gentle breeze ruffled Applejack’s golden mane, as she looked towards her opponent.
A light orange unicorn with a short crimson mane with a silver streak and a metal hoof. Perhaps an injury from long ago. She didn’t dare to think. Even a split second of her focusing on the wrong thing could be a disaster on a global scale.
Drops of sweat started to form on her forehead and her cheeks, just to fall on the ground a few seconds later.
She didn’t blink. Her focus was now on her opponent that looked completely relaxed.
Relaxed. What nonsense, Applejack thought. She’s as nervous as me. She’s waiting for me to make even the smallest mistake.
The tension was rising and was now thick enough to cut it with a knife.
Any moment now.
The opponent sneezed and scratched her nose with her hoof.
Another distraction. Applejack cringed and squint her eyes. The bat in her mouth didn’t do anything to relieve the ever-increasing tensions.
Any moment now.
She could hear heartbeats now and she felt the heat rising in her head.
And then it happened.
Her eyes were now focused on the approaching ball that tried to register every single inch of its motion.
She swung the bat in her mouth with full force. She missed. The bat took a flight out of her mouth into the air, making both participants turn their heads as it flew into one of the apple trees in the distance.
“Um...” Applejack scratched her mane. “Sorry, Silver Streak.”
The pony looked at Applejack. “Mom? You’re not really good at this, are you?”
“Well, um... Er... You know...”
Silver Streak tilted her head. “Mooom... This is third time this month...”
“Well... Em... Err... Well, you see...”
“You two, lunch,” Rarity’s soft voice spoke behind their backs, making both ponies turn their heads. Silver Streak didn’t hesitate as she spun on her hooves and ran into the house.
“That was really... impressive,” Rarity mused, nuzzling Applejack.
“Really? Ya think so?”
Rarity shook her head. “No.” She paused for a moment. “You are really bad at this, you know that?”
“I know. I just want to show Silver the wonders of competition and dedication, so she can—”
“...cope with what happened? Forget about it? I think she managed to get a hang of it by now.” Another pause. “It has been two months by now. Just... let her have some fun... I think that she deserves it.”
Applejack silently nodded. “Rarity?”
“Yes?”
“Was I really that bad?”
“Worse,” Rarity mused, kissing Applejack on her cheek. “You’re the worst player ever.”
“Not that much, silly!” giggled Pinkie Pie, as the cascade of white powder threatened to overflow the edges of the bowl.
Rarity sighed. Baking was harder than she thought. Sure, there were plenty of dishes she knew how to make. Crepes, foin frites, and even a very nice ratatouille were easy for her. After all, she’d had many years on her own to get them just right.
But for her and Applejack’s anniversary, she wanted her orange coated marefriend to have something special.
Applejack. Her special somepony.
Rarity smiled at the word. It had been two years since they had decided to give their budding romance a try. Sure, there have been times, thought Rarity, where I didn’t know if we’d make it.
Coming out to their friends. Asking Big Mac for permission. The visit with her parents.
Rarity cringed at the memory. Her mom and dad had been less than pleased with her dating an earth pony. They’d sent Applejack away, saying that no earth pony was good enough for their daughter.
Rarity struggled with her memories of that night, wishing to forget about them. That had been the toughest night of their relationship by far, and Rarity was shocked to learn her parents had been so angry at Applejack for loving their daughter. Not because she was another mare, but because she was an earth pony. Rarity left her house in tears, vowing never to come back to a place that wouldn’t let her be with her true love.
But we’ve come through.
The thought made Rarity tear up. She’d had her marefriend beside her the whole time. The beautiful orange pony, who had always been a rock she could lean on.
Even when Applejack lost her parents, she was still the strong one.
I don’t deserve her. But maybe I can try.
Rarity shook her head, and turned back to find the mess had been cleared away without her realizing.
“Let’s try it again, and this time, I’ll stop you when you have enough sugar. Okie dokie lokie?” The bouncing Pinkie pulled a new bowl and supplies from out of her mane, and set them on the counter in front of Rarity.
It had been a long time since you moved to Canterlot, and Ponyville hadn’t been the same since. Twilight had rebuild the Library in Ponyville, since there was a dire need for it. But she moved away. Rainbow also moved away, since Twilight asked her to be her defence consultant. Pinkie managed to build amusement park near Ponyville to attract even more crowd. I swear that by now she knows at least half of Equestria. Even Fluttershy moved closer to Everfree Forest, since there are more creatures she can help.
And I swear that Apple Bloom is going for a science degree... I don’t know what she mixed, but she made a big crater near our farmhouse, and she’s lucky that none of the trees were damaged. She’s still grounded and will most likely be until she graduates.
How have you been? When you left Ponyville, you promised that you'll write everyday, but it's been almost a year since your last letter. What happened?
~Applejack.
~
Dear Applejack.
I know it has been a while since the last time I written a letter to you. But that a year has passed since the last one? I honestly didn't know. I had been drowning in my work for so long, that it must have completely slipped my mind. I am starting the work before the sun arises and come home late at night. But it still satisfying, even though the long, tiring nights. In short, even after a year nothing much have had happened.
I haven’t seen my family for quite some time, either. Sometimes I might be able to catch my parents on lunch, but that’s about it. I haven’t even seen Sweetie Belle for over a year as well. My parents told me that she was accepted to the School for Gifted Unicorns, so she might end up like Twilight. I hope not.
I miss her. And I miss all of you as well. I wish I could take some vacation and visit all of you, but I can't. There is too much work, and I'm one of the few ponies that can do everything needed...
Hopefully that can change soon.
~Rarity
~
Dear Rarity.
I'm really sorry to hear that. At least I hope that you're doing much better than you did here in Ponyville, and that it is all worth while.
I need to leave to the family reunion now, and I hope to mail this letter before I go. I'm also sending some of my freshly baked apple pie. Let me know what you think about it.
~Applejack
~
Dear Applejack.
Thank you for the pie. It was delicious.
~Rarity
~
Dear Rarity.
Is something the matter? In all the time we talked, this is the shortest letter you’ve ever written. Can I help?
~Applejack
~*~*~
“Ah’m worried, Bloom,” Applejack said. “It’s been a week since I’ve sent that letter and still no reply.”
“Don’t ya worry none, sis. Ya can always go to Canterlot and visit her just to make sure. And while yer at it, ya could—”
“Yer still grounded, Bloom. Ah don’t want to be responsible for ya blowing up the barn. Again.”
“Ah said Ah was sorry!”
But Applejack didn’t listen. Her eyes were focused on Rarity’s last letter, scrambling to find hidden meaning behind the hoofful of words, but failing to find any.
“Sis?”
“Hm?”
“Why don’t cha tell her?”
Applejack turned her head in confusion. “Tell who what?”
Apple Bloom smirked. “Ah’m not a li’l filly no more, sis. Yer face was redder than our barn when she replied to ya.”
“But Ah’m not—”
“Train leaves in ‘bout an hour. Don’t cha worry. It ain’t much of work to do here, anyways. Ah’ll cover for ya.”
“... Thank ya, Bloom.”
~*~*~
Rarity's room in Canterlot wasn't much to look at. Applejack expected glamour and prestige, but instead she found casualty. It was just a little fancier than her own room back at Sweet Apple Acres,. but nowhere near anything she was used to in Carousel Boutique. On top of it all, floor was littered with crumpled pages of paper. From what she managed to see in the faint light, there were only a couple of words written on them.
And yet, in the middle of it all, a long time friend was sitting in the pretty average-looking futon.
“Rarity?” Applejack asked softly.
“A- Applejack? What are you doing here? How did you get into the room?”
“Ah asked the cleaner to let me in, since ya didn't answer the door. Are ya okay? What happened in here?”:
Rarity sighed. “I tried to answer your question, but couldn’t.” She smiled. “I guess that if I can’t answer one simple question, then it’s not really worth it, is it?”
Applejack was confused. “What question?”
“The one you asked in your letter, remember? Is all worth while?”
Applejack took a few steps forward, stopping just before Rarity. “What happened?”
Rarity lowered her head. “Nothing, actually,” she sighed. “I have been trying to figure out what to do for this past week. So far, there is nothing for me here anymore. I thought I was doing something that would help me as well. But, your letter reminded me that that’s not really true.” Another sigh. “There is nothing for me here anymore. I don’t know what to do or where to go from here...”
“What about back to Ponyville?”
“Unfortunately, there is nothing for me there either, Applejack. As you said, most friends departed from there as well.”
“Would ya go back to Ponyville just for one of them? Would ya go back for meh?”
Rarity looked the mare in front in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“Ah been trying to tell you something for a long time, but Ah didn’t know, how... And Ah can’t run from it anymore...”
Two raindrops fell on her pillow, staining the fabric gray.
Rarity frowned and shook her head; this would never do. If they knew the Boutique sprung a leak, why, every pony in Ponyville would have to wonder: if she takes so little pride in keeping up her shop, how serious could she truly be about making dresses?
No, nopony could know. Not until it had been fixed, at least.
Rarity rolled over onto her back, looking up to the ceiling. Her eyes scanned the ceiling slowly, but it was useless; she couldn't see them fall, but she could still feel the water on her face, trickling down her cheeks. Her vision shimmered as two more drops fell, filling her eyes with warm water; clenching her eyes shut, she rolled over, rubbing her face against her pillow; she didn't need to get any wetter.
What had she expected, truly? She never had been very good at this sort of thing. Perhaps she could ask one of her friends for help?
Yes, that was it. And she knew just the pony for the job. Applejack hadn't had any time to help her today, but perhaps tomorrow she wouldn't be so busy with her apple trees that she couldn't come by to help out a friend.
She rose from her bed, her hooves sliding off the mattress, taking a deep breath as she lowered herself to the floor. She could certainly ask Applejack for help, but it wouldn't do for her to see her place like this. But that could be remedied; it would be easy enough for her to clean up a bit. The place certainly could use some cleaning.
Rarity shook her head slowly as she surveyed the mess; even her sister and her little friends couldn't make a mess like this. How did the clotheshorses fall over? What happened to her blankets to spread them out all over the floor of the room?
There must have been a draft.
She nodded her head; it certainly was windy outside today. Why, with those billowing dresses her clotheshorses had draped over them, it was surprising they didn't fall over every time she opened a window. Licking her lips, she concentrated, grabbing the wooden ponies in her magic, pulling them upright and pushing them back against the wall. Yes, that would do nicely.
Her eyes fell back to the floor. Blankets and loose linens rose up, enveloped in blue light as they floated over to her bed, wrapping themselves tightly around the mattress, leaving the floor clean and bare. The room was looking much better already, but there was something tugging at her mind.
With a gasp, she turned her head towards the her nightstand. Had the vase... yes! Somehow, by some miracle, the wind that had touched the clotheshorses and spread her good linens all across the carpet had spared the beautiful flowers she had bought; a dozen roses, resting in water, their brilliant petals blazing even in the dim light filtering into the room.
Rarity frowned momentarily; should she replace them? Leaning forward, she sniffed at them gently, their wonderful fragrance filling her lungs, strong as if they had just been cut. No, there would be no need to replace them; they would surely keep 'til morning.
She shook herself; worrying over flowers after a day like today! Rarity flopped onto her bed; it was a pity that they wouldn't be fresh for Applejack tomorrow, but surely she would understand; Rarity was far too exhausted to go out for fresh flowers, especially in such nasty weather.
Rolling over, she glanced towards the window; her horn lit up, drawing back the curtains as she closed her eyes, the golden light of the evening sun filtering faintly through her eyelids as she drew her blankets up around her shoulders.
The roses would be fine.
Everything would be fine.
Tomorrow, Applejack would come, and together, maybe they could finally get that pesky leak fixed.
Applejack felt like her throat was on fire. She hacked and coughed, trying desperately to get rid of the burning sensation.
Rarity rolled her eyes at her sputtering companion. “And that, my dear Applejack, is why we sip our drinks like a Lady, instead of chugging them down like barbarians. By Celestia, I have no idea why you think everything must be a race! You had to be first in line when we saw Il Cavallo last month, and by intermission you were ready to go home!”
“That’s ‘cause opera’s so borin’ Rares; nothin’ but a bunch of ponies with powdered wigs and stuffy attitudes. ‘Sides, not like you could understand what any of them were sayin’. They were speakin’ some weird sort of fancy that just ground my nerves like a plow through a rock field.”
“That was the original romance language. No pony speaks it anymore, Darling, and it’s absolutely charming. The rhythm, the beauty! Far more enjoyable than that abhorrent display you dragged me off to last week.”
“Wrasslin? What’s wrong with wrasslin’? You get a whole bunch of ponies together and see which one’s toughest!”
“Exactly, Applejack! The thought of having to ponyhandle someone until they passed out! And all that sweat, and dirt! It’s all so uncouth!”
“Listen here, Missy. I distinctly remember a few times where you enjoyed gettin’ a little dirty and sweaty. And as I reckoned it, you were the one who couldn’t keep her hooves to herself.”
A blush rose to the white unicorn’s face. “Well, that is something completely different entirely. Besides, we agreed we would alternate activities. You had your turn last week, and today it’s my turn.”
“I know, I know. I still don’t understand the point of all this.” Applejack gestured before them. They sat in the kitchen of the Carousel Boutique, the table cleared away of all save a half-dozen bottles, and a pair of glasses. The two candles were the only illumination in the room; they provided very little light, and Applejack struggled in vain to read each bottle she poured into their glasses.
“The point, Darling, is that each bottle of wine holds a mystery we have to discover. Is it a bold and daring Cabernet Sauvignon? Or is it a crisp and delicate Riesling? We must discern the true nature hidden behind these dark decanters, with only our palates to guides us! Isn’t this exciting?”
“If you say so. I’m just a might confused as to why this one’s so….what’s that word you used?”
“Effervescent? It means bubbly, has a nice light airy feel to it. I had wanted to wait until later to break that particular bottle open.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because, my darling, it is champagne. And while one could drink it from the glass, I suppose, I usually find that it is best enjoyed through a different manner.”
“What d’ya mean, Sugarcube?” Applejack raised an eyebrow at the white unicorn next to her.
Shaking her head, Rarity leaned in next to Applejack and explained in exact detail her preferred method of ingesting the carbonated delicacy.
Applejack felt the heat rise to her cheeks, her breath coming in short gasps. She sat, stunned, as Rarity made her way to the stairs, her hips swaying seductively at the orange Earth pony.
“Coming, Applejack?” The white unicorn practically cooed at the still immobile pony staring after her.
Jack grunted slightly as she lifted the heavy pile of wood onto her back, her muscles tensing and her red checkered shirt soaked with sweat. She wiped her forehead dry with one hand and started to lug the wood across the orchard. They'd just decided to put a new fence up around the outside to replace the shabby old one, and Applejack hopefully wanted production to be over by the end of the week. It was supposed to be especially hot and, although she loved her work, these were the days she just wished for a chair in the shade and a nice cold glass of apple cider.
Glad that she'd already put her toolbox under a tree the night before, Jack placed the wood down with a sigh, pausing to stretch and feel her muscles pop. She grinned at the familiar sound and grabbed her tools, ready to tear down the old fence and start putting up the new.
She spat on her hands and started to pull some of the wood apart, tossing it into a pile. Later they'd probably use it for a bonfire; the old wood wouldn't be much useful any other way.
Unbeknownst to her, she had gained a small audience of one as she worked, her undivided attention focused on not getting any splinters.
Rebecca stood under a tree, her lace parasol at her side and a glass of apple juice in one gloved hand. She made a stunning sight, her purple curls piled on top of her head in a way that looked both messy and tidy. Her usual extravagant clothing had been replaced with a simple white dress because of the heat. However, Rebecca, while usually a vain creature by nature, was entirely focused on Jack as the farm girl worked.
She was extremely drawn to the blonde for reasons she could not explain. They should have hated each other, because what else could they do? It was almost as if they were born with such different personalities they were destined to hate each other. But there was almost a hint of mutual respect between them, though she couldn't figure out why.
She should have hated Jack Adams. Instead, she found herself admiring the other girl's strength as she lifted wood up into the air and hammered it into the fresh earth.
She watched, unnoticed for a while, captivated by every move Jack made, every time her muscles could be seen flexing through her tight shirt.
Rebecca pondered on what a shame it was that Jack never wore a dress. She really would look quite nice - but then again, there was a sort of rustic charm to her usual apparel that Rebecca almost craved.
Finally, Jack turned towards her and noticed her casually leaning against the tree. Rebecca calmly took a sip of her apple juice, displeased with the fact that her ice cubes had melted so quickly, as Jack marched towards her. She placed it on a wide branch and made a mental note to come back for it later.
"May I help you?" she said, sounding vaguely frustrated. She hated being interrupted while working.
"I'm fine, thank you very much. I'm just simply observing you. Don't mind me." Rebecca smiled charmingly, licking her lips slightly. Jack paused, finding herself drawn to Rebecca's luscious, full, red lips. She snapped out of it, shaking her head.
"Well, if yer not goin' t' offer a helping hand, then I'll just leave you to yer 'observing'," Jack said, strutting back to her work and lifting a particularly heavy piece of wood, her back straining with the wait.
"You're awfully strong, you know," Rebecca commented, her melodious voice a distraction for Jack. She sighed as she placed the wood down and leaned on it, accepting the fact that she was going to have to take a break for a while.
"I'm fit as a fiddle," she said offhandedly. "Listen, Rebecca, I gotta lot of work t' do today. I appreciate your support, but yer a bit of a distraction, to be frank with ya."
"A distraction?" She raised one eyebrow coyly. Jack swallowed.
Rebecca sashayed towards her, holding her parasol over their heads. "You know, I could help take some of that work off your delightfully strong shoulders," she said, leaning close.
Jack chuckled nervously. "I never figured you to be one for hard labour, Rebs."
Rebecca laughed, and to Jack it sounded like chiming bells. She placed one gloved hand on her shoulder and smiled charmingly. "Not that kind of burden, darling."
Rebecca leaned forward just a tiny bit more and brushed her lips against Jack's sensually, surprised when the other girl gave a throaty moan and pulled their bodies together.
Jack hadn't realised how much she'd needed this until now. She supposed it was good to occasionally get a friend to take the burden off your back sometimes.
The two lovers sat against a tree silently on a grassy hill and watched as the sunset painted the sky crimson, their eyes still puffy from recent tears. Applejack and Rarity held each other like two mares clinging to life itself. In a sense, they were.
“Applejack, darling,” Rarity whispered just loud enough to be heard.
“Hmm?” Applejack responded with less than little enthusiasm.
“It’s getting a bit chilly out, don’t you think? Perhaps you would be more comfortable if we headed indoors.”
“Ya mean you’d be more comfortable.”
“In not so many words, yes, I would.”
In spite of the day’s occurrences, Applejack managed a chuckle. Not bitter or full of irony or hurt or spite, but an honest to goodness chuckle. “Always the drama queen.”
“But of course, dearest. And besides,” Rarity stood up and gazed lovingly at her wife,
“Old mares like us are always cold.”
These last words made Applejack stare at Rarity. Really stare at her. She was right about that much: they were old. Rarity’s once unbelievably vibrant, decidedly violet mane was now dull and plagued with grey streaks. The once taut flesh of her coat now sagged with age. Though Rarity had made her weekly visit to the spa just two days ago, her hooves seemed to lack polish altogether; proof that her aging body lacked even the capacity for luster. Still, as Applejack stared into her dazzling sapphire blue eyes, she knew she was staring into the soul of the same fussy, maddeningly particular, generous, beautiful mare she had always loved.
“Well Ah ain’t,” Applejack said while rising to stand beside her mate, “but Ah reckon if ya wanna head home, Ah could stand ta do it.” With those words, the two began the walk back to the family barn.
“The service was beautiful, was it not? I thought that Scootaloo’s piece was particularly touching.”
“Yeah, sure was.”
“Do you think that her little friend will be quite alright?”
“Ah don’t see why he wouldn’t be. Fluttershy said he’d probly outlive the lot of us, ‘cept maybe Twilight.”
“Darling,” Rarity began slowing and came to a complete stop, which made Applejack instinctively turn around and face her; a habit formed from so many years of dealing Rarity’s fastidious nature, “are you going to be alright?”
“Ah’ll be fine. Ah just need some time, sugarcube,” Applejack said, just a little too quickly.
“You never could tell a proper lie, Applejack. You two were quite close; it seems just last week that you two were sitting of the porch playing chess.”
“It was last week. Heh heh, now Ah know yer talkin’ about two ole mares. Ah couldn’t even imagine Rainbow Dash playin’ no chess back when we were young’ins. Then again she was always lookin’ ta beat somepony at somethin’. Ah guess it was only natural that once she started gettin’ to old ta’...ta’ do much else she took to the game.”
She wanted to hold back the tears. Applejack wanted to be alright. She had told herself that since they had all lived long lives full of happiness, that it was just their time to go and she was fine with it. But she wasn’t. The tears just...came. No. Not just tears, but huge heaving sobs signifying the complete breakdown of the proud orange mare.
“Oh Celestia, Rares! Ah just can’t…”
“Applejack.” Between the sobs of her lover, her own weeping, and the nature of the situation, it was the only word Rarity could muster. She grabbed Applejack and just...held her. Held on because it was all she could do. Their friend was gone. She wanted to say it would be alright, that at least they still had each other, but for how long? Soon, maybe tomorrow, maybe in five years, but soon, they were going to die. One would leave behind the other. It was inevitable. Death was inevitable.
The two wept until the sun was long gone and the moon and stars took it’s place in the sky.
Rarity let out an audible gasp as she beheld the light and beauty of the lesser luminaries.”I had no idea the moon was going to be full tonight. It’s positively radiant. Wouldn’t you agree, darling?”
“Yeah it sure is somethin’. Ya always did have a way of makin’ ev’rythin’ more beautiful.”
“And you always knew just how to butter me up, so to speak.”
“Rarity, we...we had a good run didn’t we?
“The best, darling. Of all the lives we could have lived, this was the. Best. Possible. Life.”
Rarity ran over to foal crying in the middle of the living room floor. The fluffy marshmallow sat in the middle of the green carpet, a bubble pulsating in her nostrils as she wailed.
“There, there it’s alright. Mommy’s here. Shhhh. No more crying.” She rocked the foal gently.
Eventually the wailing stopped, and the little foal was once again her happy self, her bright green eyes sparkling as she looked up at her mother.
Rarity gently set the little foal down, and turned back to her work. The satin skirt she had designed was almost complete; all it needed were a few more stitches to attach the lacework.
“Y’know, Sugarcube, she was perfectly fine. Ain’t no need to pick her up every time she falls. That kinda thing happens.”
Applejack turned the page in her book slowly. The orange earth pony sat in a rocking chair by the fireplace, occasionally glancing up to make sure the young foal was nowhere near the roaring blaze.
“Dear, I do not possibly understand how you can be so blasé about our daughter’s safety. She only learned to walk a few days ago, and the last thing we need is for her to get hurt trying to run.”
Indeed, the young filly was already standing on shaky hoofs. Rarity watched as at first the youngster slowly stumbled across the room, and slowly picked up speed until the inevitable stumble and collapse.
Rarity sighed at the hiccups; she rolled her eyes as the tears started to flow. She rose to the screaming cry of a thousand banshees.
“You could help you know. I do have this order I need to finish, and the crying is not helping.”
She walked over to screaming pile of fluff, and once again proceeded to coo and coddle the foal until the noise stopped. She gave her daughter a quick peck on the head, and turning back to her work, set the giggling child in the center of the green carpet.
“Alright, alright. C’mere you little rugrat. Let’s leave your momma alone so she can finish her work. We’ll see about rustlin’ up some grub.”
She scooped up the white ball of fur and carried her into the kitchen. Rarity watched them go with a smile on her face.
Applejack awoke to the sound of worrisome mumbling and a few door slams. She winced when the early morning light of the twilight hours hit her eyes harshly, and she rubbed her temples in frustration. As she looked over her shoulder, she was perplexed to see her bedroom in ruins.
...well, technically, it wasn’t just her bedroom anymore…
“Rares? What in the hay are ya doin’?” Applejack said in between a yawn.
“What does it look like?” Rarity replied, with an desperate tone of voice. She went back to rummaging through the drawers of her dresser and kept muttering to herself.
“Ain’t it kinda early to be up?” Applejack retorted. The clock on the bedside table said a quarter after five; she was normally up around six. If she wasn’t so rudely awakened by a certain somepony, she would still be enjoying the bliss of sleep. “Especially for you?” Normally, Rarity refused to get out of bed before the eight o’ clock hour.
“I have business to attend to in Canterlot today, darling,” Rarity called back as she made her way into the bathroom. The sound of cabinets opening was heard again, followed by her exasperated groans. “But I will never get there if I can’t find what I’m looking for!”
“And, uh,” Applejack yawned again, and stretched. “What’s that exactly?”
“Take a guess,” Rarity deadpanned as she laid back down on the bed, defeated.
Applejack stared at her for a few moments, but eventually gave a shrug. “Aside from that mess o’ a mane ya got right now, I don’t see anything,” she muttered.
Rarity huffed. “I’ll get to brushing that later,” she said. “It’s the makeup I’m lacking. See?”
“Oh,” Applejack said softly.
“Oh,” Rarity mimicked, with a roll of her eyes. “Just look at me -- dull eyes, scrawny lashes, my complexion no longer shines and shimmers! I can’t go out looking like this!” Her expression fell when she noticed Applejack stifle a laugh. “And what’s so funny about that?” She seized up for a moment when she was kissed, and just as she started to melt into it, she pulled away. “Oh, no, no, not today, dear. I told you, I have work, we can’t-” She squeaked in surprise as another kiss was given to her. “Now what’s with the sudden affection?”
Applejack chuckled. “Rarity, I swear, ya really are too dang fussy,” she murmured. “Whatdya need the makeup for?”
Rarity sighed. “I told you,” she argued. “My eyes aren’t nearly as blue without the shadow, my lashes are lifeless and my complexion is-” She was given yet another quick kiss on the lips. “You know, it’s rude to interrupt.”
Applejack shook her head playfully. “Take ‘nother look in the mirror, hon,” she said. “Ya look jus’ fine without it.”
“You aren’t a very convincing liar, Applejack,” Rarity rebuked.
“C’mon, I’m serious,” Applejack declared. “It ain’t often I see ya this way. I like it better. Ya look…. I dunno, prettier, if’n that’s possible.”
“Flatterer,” Rarity teased.
“I’ve been called worse,” Applejack playfully shot back. She kissed Rarity one last time, and she smirked. “But… if ya really need that makeup case o’ yers, I think I saw the Crusaders take off with it last night.”
Rarity gave a small halfhearted smile. “I’ll look for it later,” she mused. “Besides, my train isn’t until nine-thirty. I can make time for the more important things.”
Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Oh, like what?”
Rarity softly laughed as she pinned her lover onto the bed. “Take a guess,” she repeated.
“Are you sure we can’t keep them, Darling? I feel just awful separating a mother from her children.”
Applejack sighed as she placed the last puppy into the small pen. The sun shone brightly on Sweet Apple Acres, and the gentle breeze caused the grass to sway hypnotically.
Winona lay in the middle of the small enclosure; most of the puppies frolicked around her, their fluffy coats bouncing with each joyful romp. Two energetic youngsters vocalized their enthusiasm for this play time outside, their noise mingling with the ruckus found on every farm. The smallest of the litter lay peacefully next his mother, his brown coat blending seamlessly into hers. He paid no attention to his exuberant brothers and sisters.
“I told ya, Rares. That’s jus’ how things work. It’s how things were with Winona, and it’s how it’ll be for her pups. These little critters’ll help other farmers, and their pups will help even more. ‘Sides, ain’t no way we could afford to keep all of ‘em.”
“My, whatever do you mean? We’ve nearly paid off the wedding. Although, I never thought it would take us five years to do so. Still, my fashion business is taking off nicely, and you are selling more apples than ever before. Surely you’re not expecting us to fail now? I know you like preparing for a rainy day, Darling, but surely times are not that dire.”
“No, I reckon business’ll continue to grow and get bigger. I’m just sayin’ we can’t handle six puppies and the new addition to our family.”
Rarity eyed her wife suspiciously. “What do you mean, new addition? Is this about Sweetie Belle? I told her she can't live with us. You know she’s just going through a phase right now. Every filly has her rebellious side she must express, and this is just Sweetie’s time. She’s not really serious about running away from Mom and Dad’s. You know they’re not horrible parents.”
Applejack smiled at her clueless wife. “No, Sugarcube, I was thinkin’ somethin’ a bit closer to my side of the family.”
Rarity tapped a hoof to her chin thoughtfully. “Big Mac? I thought he and Fluttershy were starting a place of their own. What did they call it? A commune?”
Applejack chuckled. “Nah not him. S’far as I know they’re still plannin’ on doin’ that. I was thinkin’ a new addition to this farm.” She eyed Rarity meaningfully, wagging her eyebrows at the unicorn in front of her.
“Applejack, you know I hate these guessing games. A new farm pony? Another cow? What?” Rarity fumed at the laughing earth pony. Her eyes narrowed sharply, and her horn started to glow. Behind Applejack, a small pile of mud rose from the ground.
Seeing the concentration in her wife’s face, and sensing more than seeing the inevitable surprise she was about to receive, Applejack leaned in and kissed her wife. Rarity dropped the mud in surprise, but quickly resumed her angry glare.
“A new addition to this family, Rares. I’m pregnant.”
“I don’t see how exactly you can call this a collaboration, Rarity.” Applejack shifted on her hooves, leaning away from Rarity as the unicorn carefully pinned the leather siding onto the fabric covering her flank. “I mean, I’m here and all, but I ain’t exactly helpin’.”
“Applejack,” Rarity said, her voice rising as she stepped forward to look her friend in the eye. “You are a vital part of my work.”
“I don’t rightly see why. I’m plumb grateful that you’re makin’ me an outfit for the rodeo, but...”
“But?”
Applejack sighed. “You told everypony and their brother that I helped, but all I really did was pick which one of your ideas to go with.”
“Pish posh! Why, without you to act as inspiration for those designs, why, I never would have thought of them in the first place.”
“Inspiration?” Applejack arched her eyebrow.
“Of course! Your natural beauty has inspired dozens of designs!”
“You’re sayin’ you’ve got pictures of me wearin’ a hundred different things? Now this I gotta see.”
“Well, not a hundred. But, you know, several.”
Applejack laughed. “It’s alright. You don’t have to flatter me.”
“Oh, but I do,” Rarity said, prancing around to Applejack’s other side as she picked up another piece of leather in her magic and began to position it on her flank, several pins floating up into the air behind her. “Why, that is the entire reason I’m making these…” she trailed off, frowning.
“Duds. They’re called duds, Rarity.”
“That is not what they’re called,” Rarity sniffed as she slid the pins in through the leather, holding it in place. “Perfect!”
Applejack glanced back at her flank, then back to Rarity. “Wait, you’re sayin’ you’re makin’ these to flatter me? Ain’t flattery insincere by its very nature?”
“Er... it sounded much better in my head. What I meant to say was that your rodeo, er, ‘duds’ were so terribly unflattering that I had to rectify the situation.”
“So you’re sayin’ I look bad in my duds.”
Rarity winced. “Not bad… just, less beautiful than you could be.”
Applejack chuckled. “Rarity, I ain’t no beauty to begin with.”
“You’re a very pretty pony, Applejack,” Rarity said, using her magic to tug on the outfit several times, frowning as she pulled out another pin to pull the fabric in closer against her barrel. “You just need a little… oomph sometimes.”
“Oomph?”
“You do know what I mean.” Rarity tilted her head slightly, before smiling, her magic flicking open the straps, loosening Applejack’s outfit before pulling it off entirely and floating it over to one of her clotheshorses. “And done.” She paused. “Well, not done done, we will have to have a final fitting once it has been sewn together, but… what do you think?”
Applejack turned around, tilting her head as she approached the clotheshorse before biting her lip. “Well, it looks awful fancy…”
“Oh dear. If you don’t like it, you can just say so.”
Applejack sighed, shaking her head. “It ain’t that. It looks good. It’s just… you do know that I’m gonna be wrestlin’ around in the dust and the mud and gettin’ kicked while I’m wearin’ this, right?”
“Of course, darling! That’s why I used leather siding.”
“Yeah, but its gonna get all dirty.”
“So?” Rarity shrugged. “It can be cleaned.” She circled around the clotheshorse slowly before brightening up, smiling as she picked up a pencil with her magic, glancing over at Applejack before beginning to draw.
“I’m just sayin’, this is an awful lot of work for somethin’ that’s gonna get covered in mud.”
“Nonsense. Besides, with the colors, it should blend.”
“Heh, like those old red uniforms soldiers used to wear, huh?”
Rarity pursed her lips. “Indeed.” Her horn lit up once more, a small piece of red fabric floating over as she began to cut it.
“What’cha makin’ there?”
“Apples. We can’t have Applejack without any apples, now can we?”
Applejack rolled her eyes. “I reckon they don’t need to be lookin’ at my flank to know my name.”
“Ah, but it would be striking!”
“If you say so.”
“Well I do say so.” Rarity tilted her chin up haughtily for a moment before she chuckled.
“So that’s it, then? I can go?”
Rarity pouted. “Leaving so soon?”
Applejack lifted one hoof to rub it against the side of her foreleg. “Well, I kinda gotta get back to the farm to get some work done.”
Rarity sighed. “I suppose work must come first. You’ll just have to return tomorrow, then.”
Applejack tilted her head. “Er, for what?”
“Why, for your dress for the dance, of course.”
“The dance?” Applejack stared blankly. “Wait, you mean the dance after the rodeo?”
“But of course! You must expect to put in an appearance after you win all those ribbons.”
“I dunno, Rarity. I’ve been to those shindigs before, and I don’t much like the idea of fendin’ off stallions who are chasin’ my tail all evening ‘cause I came without a date.”
“Well, then, we shall simply have to find you a date, won’t we?”
Applejack rolled her eyes. “I don’t want your tryin’ to set me up with one of your stallion friends neither.”
“I wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing. I doubt it would work very well anyway.” Rarity waved her hoof dismissively. “I’m sure you have at least one friend who would be happy to attend by your side.”
“Uh… who?”
Rarity stared at Applejack.
“I ain’t too good at these guessin’ games.”
Rarity sighed dramatically. “Which of your friends enjoys going to such events?”
“Uh… Twilight?”
Rarity pursed her lips. “Twilight? The pony who hid with Princess Celestia at the Grand Galloping Gala?”
“Okay, not Twilight. Fluttershy don’t like those things, and Rainbow Dash only went ‘cause of the Wonderbolts…” Applejack blinked. “Are you sayin’ I should ask Pinkie Pie?”
Rarity facehoofed.
“Wait, you mean you?” Applejack took a step back. “You do realize that this ain’t gonna be anything like the Gala, right? It’ll have singing and dancing and ponies smiling and actually being happy.”
“I am well aware of this fact,” Rarity said, straightening. “I just thought it would be an interesting change of pace.”
“You ain’t never shown much interest in my rodeo work before.”
“Well, things change,” Rarity said, fanning herself with her hoof. “I think I would like to see my creation in action.”
“And pick up a few extra sales from the ponies watching and asking who made that nice get-up, I reckon.”
Rarity giggled. “Well, you know how things go.”
Applejack shook her head, grinning. “Fine, fine.” She reached up with her hoof to pull her hat from her head, holding it in against her chest as she gave an overly-elegant bow. “Miss Rarity, would you care to accompany me to the Equestria Rodeo dance?”
Rarity smiled, leaning forward and batting her eyelashes. “Why, Applejack, I thought you would never ask.”
"Explain nothin'! I knew there was a reason you two had been sneakin' around. You ain't too good at hidin' things in the first place, missy. Did you think just cause I'm old means I'm blind, too?"
"No, Granny."
"Darn tootin'! I may be old and all my teeth may be fallin' out, but I know a girl's in love when I look at 'er! And look at you two! Thick as thieves and stuck together like ya'll been huggin' a sugar pine tree 'stead of each other."
"Look, Granny, we—"
"I just thought you had more sense than that in your head, tryin' to sneak around behind my back with the likes of her. What would your mother think?"
"I'm certain that her mother would be happy for her."
"I weren't askin' you, missy!"
"Granny, I love her!"
"Oh, I'm sure you do. Or at least you think you do. But you youngun's sometimes get so confused in the head you can't remember what's what. Not like me; I never forget a thing."
"I'm sure."
"That's enough guff out of you! Applejack, what do you have to say for yourself?"
"I don't got nothin' to say. I love Rarity and that's just the way it is."
"Granny Smith, I understand that the idea of two mares being together is shocking, but I assure you that—"
"Mares schmares! What two mares do in the privacy of their own bedroom or barn is their own business."
"Then what's the problem, Granny?"
"Why, it's as obvious as the hat on your head."
"...Granny, you ain't sayin' you don't like Rarity cause she's a unicorn?"
"Of course I ain't sayin' it. Don't mean it ain't true. Shifty ponies, unicorns. Always lookin' down their snouts at us honest earth ponies. Why, I remember when I was just a little pony there was this handsome unicorn stallion who was sniffin' around, but my ma, she said that he might seem nice, but those horny fellas only have one thing on their minds."
"Uh, Granny, I don't think that's what your ma—"
"Anyway, can't trust 'em more than you can look at 'em. Nice enough to look at, sure, but not somethin' you take home to the family."
"I'm appalled!"
"Rarity, I'm real sorry—"
"You have nothing to be sorry for, Applejack. I just thought better of Granny Smith. Especially given that I know you have some cousins who are unicorns."
"That's right. What about Ambrosia and Yellow?"
"What about 'em?"
"They're both unicorns, and they're Apples. You've never said a word against them."
"You ain't plannin' on cozyin' up with them, are ya?"
"Granny, they're eight."
"That's what I thought! And ya'll know where their dad went!"
"Uh, ain't he workin' in Fillydelphia buildin' houses 'cause they had a bad harvest last year?"
"Exactly! Can't trust 'im an inch. Ain't even been home to see his family in months."
"But you said last reunion that... wait a second. Granny, are you messin' with me again?"
"Ehehe. Took ya long enough to figure it out, missy. Maybe next time you'll tell me you got a new marefriend before I come home and find ya'll snugglin' on the kitchen table."
"Granny, it was just a hug."
"Hug schmug. And while you're at it, let your brother know he can bring that lady friend of his around the house. No point in sneakin' around if everypony knows they're together."
"Granny, I keep tellin' you, Cheerilee ain't Big Mac's girlfriend."
"Applejack, could you at least try and brush your mane for once?" Rarity said, wincing as Applejack glared at her - the look had been known to make mountains quiver.
"Not all of us have the opportunity to make ourselves look real pretty now, Rarity," Applejack said stubbornly, standing up from where she'd been sitting on the couch and going to look out the window. Rarity tossed her own mane.
"Well, you've got the time now, haven't you?" she asked. "Let me do your hair, darling. Just the once."
The corners of Applejack's mouth lifted into a small smile. "Are you meanin' to tell me the whole darn reason you asked me over here today was so you could braid my hair like a filly?"
Rarity scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous ... that was only 25% of the reason."
"And what was the other 75%?"
"Never mind, dear. Now, may I do your hair or not?"
Applejack sighed. Rarity was going to keep pestering her if she didn't give in, and there was no way in Equestria she wanted to hear Rarity whine at her.
"Fine." She sighed again.
Rarity squealed in excitement. "Oh, you won't regret this, dear. Trust me!"
"Just get it over with, plea - hey!" AJ complained as Rarity yanked her over to sit on her haunches beside the coach, and undid her hair ties with magic.
"Now, just sit still," she commanded. Applejack could almost feel Rarity looming above her while sitting on the couch, brandishing all her hair products. It made her feel very small very suddenly for some reason. Rarity had always seemed larger than life, larger than small-town living. She was as large as life in Canterlot, bigger and bustling and brighter and just more than anything Applejack knew. She was overwhelming.
A sharp tug on her hair brought her out of her thoughts.
"Could you try and be a little more gentle?" Applejack asked.
"Could you stop fidgeting? It's very distracting," Rarity said, but she said it fondly, and Applejack found she didn't mind complying and had no retort to make.
They spent time in comfortable silence, Rarity's brush combing through Applejack's blonde mane, easing out the tangles and frizz. It hurt at first, but soon, as rarity continued her efforts, it grew softer and softer until running a brush through AJ's mane was almost like running it through water.
"Like melted down gold," Rarity muttered.
"Did you say something, sugarcube?"
"No, no, I ... Nothing. Stay still," Rarity said, applying a gel to smooth down her mane. Applejack shivered slightly. "Done."
"That's it?" Applejack was shocked; she had expected something like this to take longer for some reason.
"Darling, it was half an hour. I wasn't expecting it to take that long myself," Rarity commented, as if she had read her mind. Applejack really didn't believe it had been that long. How could it have been that long, when all she did was spend it in silence with Rarity? She thought she'd have felt time drag on by in an event like that.
"Well, don't you want to see how it looks?" Rarity didn't wait for a response but simply dragged Applejack over to the full length mirror hanging on the wall.
Applejack stared at herself. It seemed as if Rarity had barely done anything, but there was a huge difference in her appearance. Her mane was loose and hanging down in soft waves like sunbeams. She stared at herself in shock for a minute.
"What do you think? Don't you look simply stunning?" Rarity said. She was feeling particularly proud of her work for some reason.
"Ah guess," Applejack said. "Do you think I look pretty?" she asked. Suddenly, it was of the utmost importance that Rarity answered this, and she didn't know why. It left an uneasy feeling in her stomach.
There was silence for a minute. Rarity blinked. "You look wonderful now, dear," she said.
"So what about the other times?"
"I-I'm not sure what you mean, Applejack," Rarity stammered.
Applejack snorted. "Of course ya don't. All you fancy people like is style. As soon as that goes away, you don't see anything."
Rarity tensed. "That is a ridiculous notion to make!" she exclaimed. "Applejack, you know I am nothing like any of those Canterlot ponies in this regard. I wouldn't be that type of pony ever, especially to you!"
"Then just say that I'm pretty!" Applejack yelled at her, blood rushing to her face. She stared Rarity down for a moment, and then turned away. She couldn't believe she was getting upset about something so small, but for some reason it mattered to her. She wasn't sure she wanted to know why.
"I think it's time I took my leave of absence. Goodbye, Rarity," Applejack said coldly, placing her hat on top of her hair and then leaving, taking extra care to slam the door.
Rarity winced. "Oh dear," she said to herself, staring at the red hair ties AJ had left behind, lying limply on the ground like flattened rose petals. "Oh dear," she repeated. "I think I've made a very big mistake."
Applejack had been preparing for this moment for a few days. She'd had a crush on Rarity for a while now; Rarity wasn’t a mare used to working in the fields, but something about her enthralled Applejack. She wasn’t sure if it was shared passion for work, or that Rarity would often go out of her way to help her friends and her family, or maybe even something far more superficial; however, at this very moment, what it was wasn’t important.
Applejack had found herself staring at Rarity’s flank on more than one occasion, and she decided to do something about it. She went as far as to get herself to the hairdresser and get a proper mane treatment and few golden streaks to go with it.
That will definitely impress Rarity, Applejack thought just moments before taking a deep breath and entering Carousel Boutique.
~*~*~
Rarity raised her head from behind her sewing machine. “Hello, Applejack. Can I help you with something?”
No response.
“Applejack, I’m sorry, but I really don’t have entire day... I need to finish a set of clothes for a very rich customer by tomorrow and I am not even half done...”
Applejack sighed. “Ah just—” She sighed again. “Ah just want your opinion about my new hair. It even has golden streaks!”
Rarity stopped with what she was doing and turned her attention towards Applejack, her eyes thoroughly examining the new hairstyle as well as well-groomed mane. “Sweet Celestia!” she shot up in panic. “Please don’t tell me that I completely forgot about the new Grand Galloping Gala! I was so sure that this is in about—”
Applejack smiled. “It is next month, Rares... Ah just—”
Rarity exhaled in relief. “Thank goodness. I thought I mixed up the dates again. That would be embarrassing. Not to mention that it would be impossible for me to finish all of this in due time...” She paused for a moment, her focus returning back to Applejack’s hair. “Why did you change your hairstyle?”
“Ya like it?” Applejack stood proudly, her chest filled with overwhelming amount of bravado, “This was made especially for—”
“No,” Rarity replied coldly, making Applejack deflate in a heartbeat, “This hairstyle was popular last year, but this year everypony frowns upon it. This year, braided ponytails are in style again, and they’re gorgeous.”
“Oh.” Applejack said, even though she struggled with something more, but she couldn’t find any suitable words.
“And on top of that, it really doesn’t suit you.” Rarity sighed. “I’m sorry, darling, but can you come back later? I really need to get back to work...”
“But—”
There was no response. Rarity’s sewing machine started its own dance again, the face of the owner determined to finish her job on time. There was nothing else that Applejack could do. She turned around and exited the Boutique, leaving Rarity with her work.
~*~*~
The door of the Golden Oak Library opened with a soft squeak, revealing two reading ponies and a dragon.
Applejack slowly walked towards the ponies, and sighed. “Mind if Ah join ya? Ah had a pretty rough day...”
“Of course, Applejack. What happ—” Twilight raised up her head, looking at Applejack. Her mane was now in ruin; it was not nearly as straight as it should be. It looked like Applejack just fought with a timberwolf right after her visit to the hairdresser. “Oh, dear.”
“Ah don’t understand,” Applejack said. “Ah tried everything so far to woo Rarity. Fancy talk, dresses, and this... It looked fancier earlier. Ah just... Ah don’t have much more money to find how to get her attention... Ah don’t understand how you did it... No offense, Twi, but you’re one of the biggest eggheads I know.”
Twilight scratched her mane. “Honestly, I don’t really know... I was just... Being me, I guess... I never thought that anypony could like... well... me... At least not in romantic way.” She paused for a moment, tapping her nose. “Have you talked to Rarity? Being you?”
Applejack burst into a nervous fit of laughter. “Twilight, this is Rarity we’re talking about. Ya imagine her falling for a somepony that ain’t fancy? She wants—”
Twilight sighed. “But Applejack, you’re not fancy. You cannot be somepony you’re not. At least not for a long time. Ponies you’re with may leave you, if you can’t pretend anymore. I’ve seen that a few times while I was in Canterlot, and... well... it didn’t end well...”
Applejack sat down, sighing. “What do I do, then? I just—” She felt a soft embrace from the alicorn.
“I really can’t tell you what to do, Applejack,” Twilight said, breaking her embrace. “I was charmed by nothing more than a hug when I needed it the most, and a long talk about... well... everything... Some other ponies are impressed by much more than that. Just ask her... If nothing more, you’ll know where you are...”
“Just like that?”
Twilight nodded with a smile. “Just like that.”
~*~*~
Celestia’s sun started to fall behind Ponyville, as Applejack’s hoof rapped on the door of Carousel Boutique, that was now adorned with a “Sorry, we’re closed” sign. She was sure that Rarity was still working, since she hadn’t announced with her usual cheerful voice that she was done with her job.
She wasn’t wrong. Only a few seconds passed before she could hear a pony muttering and approaching the door, opening them almost in fury.
Rarity’s expression changed almost in a heartbeat when she saw a familiar and friendly face.
“Applejack? What brings you around at this hour? I’m sorry, but I still have so much work to—”
Applejack chuckled. “Ah figured ya had a rough day and brought you some of my signature pie. Ah thought maybe we could—”
“Oh, dear...” Rarity hit her head with her hoof. “I was so busy with making dresses that I actually forgot to eat. But...”
“But?”
Rarity’s cheeks flushed red. “Would you like to join me for dinner? I... I would like some company... I hate to dine by myself...”
Applejack smiled. Suddenly all the ideas about needing to be fancy like her disappeared from her mind. Instead of ponies in dresses, accents and fancy hairdos, she realized that Rarity needed nothing more than an ear that would listen and a pony to be there for here when she would need one the most.
And Applejack would be there. As much as she could.
The Canterlot Royal Theater opened its doors to the cold winter night; a multitude of ponies poured out, each clad in their best outfits. The winter chill bit harshly into mare and stallion alike, and here and there parents wrapped their young ones in tightly knit scarves.
Rarity pulled up the hood of her velvet cloak to ward against the biting chill. The deep blue of the fabric matched her eyes perfectly, and she reveled in the feeling of the soft, faux-fur lining brushing against her coat. She looked over at her partner for the evening, who as usual wore nothing but her trademark hat.
Rarity smiled at the orange earth pony beside her. She had been surprised when Applejack had suggested a romantic evening in Canterlot. Dinner had been at the luxurious Rose Hotel, and they had just finished watching the new play about stray animals living on the streets of Manehattan. That had been an odd choice for Applejack, but Rarity had absolutely loved it.
The pair exited the theater quietly, which was not unusual; Applejack was a mare of few words, and Rarity was happy to walk by her side, enjoying their date.
Rarity couldn’t help but giggle at the thought. Of all the ponies she had dreamt about, the fact that Applejack had been the one to win her heart still surprised her after all these years. It had nearly ended in disaster before their relationship could even begin; she had no idea she harbored these feelings for her friend until Applejack had come out and professed her love nearly two years earlier.
She cringed at the memory of her reaction. She had done just about everything wrong; she had been so shocked she had stood there, speechless. She made no reaction as Applejack poured her heart out. She only stared in silence as Applejack waited for a response. Any response.
And then she ran. Galloped all the way back to the Boutique, trying desperately to outrace her mind. Her mind, who, for some strange reason, decided to relive every moment the two had shared together; the sleepover, the Crystal Empire, and even the incident with the pie tin. All of it, over and over again the entire trip back to the Boutique.
Rarity shook her head to clear the memories. They had moved on from then; Applejack had given her plenty of space while she figured out her feelings, and the magnanimous Applejack had even given her a second chance to make things right.
Rarity nuzzled her girlfriend as they walked through downtown Canterlot towards the train station. The cobblestones gleamed in the lightly falling snow, the lamplight bathing the pair in its soft, warm glow.
Rarity closed her eyes and leaned on Applejack as they walked, basking in the heat emanating from the earth pony.
It wasn’t until her boots crunched in the snow that Rarity realized they had left the well-worn streets of Canterlot. With a start she opened her eyes and looked at Applejack, still striding somberly away from downtown. Away from the train home.
“Applejack?” she asked softly. “Is everything alright darling?”
“Right as rain, Sugarcube. We got time to kill before the train and I figured waitin’ out here’s better than crowded on the platform. ‘Sides, I got somethin’ I been meanin’ to ask you.”
“And where is here? I do not recognize the place.”
Applejack looked around. It was hard to identify this particular spot. After all, the first time they came here it was spring. The flowers were in full bloom, and birds chirped in the trees. Fillies and colts played with their parents, and other couples were enjoying picnics in much the same way Applejack planned for her and Rarity.
She had surprised the unicorn at the hotel early in the evening. Applejack finished her chores early, and gathered up what picnic supplies she could at a moment’s notice. She rushed off to the train, and just barely caught the Friendship Express in time. Thankfully Rarity was at the hotel, rather than out with Fancy Pants or some new client.
They laid the picnic out under one of the many trees, and enjoyed a nice evening of quiet in the park. They talked about work, and friends. They laughed at the incredibly cute filly rushing up to everyone to say hello. Time flew by as they enjoyed each others company.
“Applejack? Come in, Applejack! Hello!”
Applejack blinked away the memory. Remembering where they were and why they were here brought a blush to her cheeks.
“Are you alright? You have been unusually quiet and aloof tonight. Is there something wrong? You know you can tell me if something is bothering you, my dear.”
“I’m fine,” said Applejack. “Just been thinkin’. You know that song from the play tonight? The one where the old cat’s singing by herself about the past or something?”
“Memories, dear. She was reminiscing about how she used to be in the old days. She had love before, and she is struggling to go on without that love. Really rather tragic. She looks forward to new days so she can try to experience the same feelings she had again. I thought it was beautifully written.”
“I thought so too. I kinda felt bad for her. I don’t know if I could go on livin’ without love.”
“Neither could I. I can’t even imagine what it would be like.”
“Well, then don’t.”
Applejack stopped and turned towards the beautiful mare next to her. She grasped Rarity’s left hoof in both of hers, and sat down on her haunches. She shook slightly from either the cold or the nervousness; she couldn't tell.
“Rarity, these past few years have been the best of my life. I couldn't ask for a better pony by my side, or a more beautiful one. We’ve been through a lot since we started datin’, and even more before that. You've always been right there with me. Of all our friends, you’ve been the one to make me better myself.”
Applejack pointed to a tree standing in the middle of the park. Rarity glanced over and was shocked to see their friends standing there. Rainbow Dash held aloft a small lantern, the only illumination in the darkness under the tree. She wore a smug expression on her face, as if she knew something Rarity didn't.
Pinkie Pie was trembling with excitement, and she grinned from ear to ear; probably one of the largest smiles Rarity had ever seen on her. Twilight looked as if she were studying a book, or some unknown tribal dance performed by Griffons in full war paint. Fluttershy was crying, although they did not appear to be shed out of anguish or sorrow. If Rarity had to guess, she would have said they were happy tears.
Applejack cleared her throat, bringing Rarity’s attention back to her.
“Rares, I know it’s kinda hard to see now, but this is the very same spot we came to when I first visited you in Canterlot while you were workin’. We had a picnic under that very tree, remember?”
Rarity nodded. “Our first kiss,” she said softly.
Applejack smiled. “The very same. That memory is one I will always treasure, as it made me feel like I was whole. Like I wouldn't be complete any other way.”
Applejack reached under her hat and pulled out a long, thin rectangular box. She opened it, and presented it to Rarity.
The white unicorn gasped as she saw the necklace. A large heart-shaped emerald sat in the center of the box, attached to a very old looking chain. She brought her hooves to her mouth as she realized what was happening; her friends, the romantic evening, this particular spot. Tears flowed down her cheeks as the farmer spoke.
“Rarity. Every day we make new memories together; each one gets better than the last. I couldn't do it without you by my side. And I can’t even imagine what it would be like without you.
“I want to keep makin’ memories together. Good, bad, doesn't matter. As long as it’s you there by my side, I can live with all of ‘em.
“So, Miss Rarity, will you make me the happiest pony in all of Equestria? Will you marry me?
"My, my, isn't the moon simply stunning, dear?" Rarity asked with a ponderous gaze as she trotted along side Applejack.
"Sure is," Applejack replied, gazing up with her friend as the trotted along the cobblestone path.
Rarity held a telescope in her light blue magic. She planned on using it to get a good look at some nebulas. She was desperately searching for inspiration, and looking up to the stars seemed like a perfect idea when Twilight mentioned how gorgeous they could be.
Applejack had come along to keep her company, for she could spend hours just staring and staring, and Applejack assumed that could get pretty boring.
Within a few minutes they reached their destination, straying off the path. It was an old apple tree in the middle of the park, most likely from a young foal throwing away their apple core carelessly many years ago.
Rarity, when distraught, would often come to the park and sit under that very tree, calming herself down by eating an apple or two and resting in the sunlight as she gathered her thoughts up.
Rarity carefully set down the telescope, pulling out an astronomy map from her saddle bag that Twilight had given to her after their conversation. It showed where some well known constellations, stars, and nebulas were on their part of the hemisphere.
As Rarity positioned her telescope and looked at the map, Applejack trotted up to the tree, leaning herself against it as she let her body fall into a comfortable position.
She turned her head towards Rarity, who was now looking through the telescope.
Her purple hair shone in the moonlight, challenging the beauty of Luna's own mane. Her pale white coat seemingly glowed, illuminating some of the soft, green grass around her. As she whispered some 'oohs' and 'ahhhs', her eyes shone with a sparkling curiosity that made her look...stunning.
Applejack soon found herself in a trance, unable to peel her eyes away from the alluring mare before her.
"Hey Applejack-"
Upon hearing her name, she snapped out of the trance.
"Yeah, Rarity?" she asked, blinking a bit of dirt out from her eyes.
"Want to take a look, dear? These nebulas are simply magnificent!"
"Sure."
Letting out a tired sigh, Applejack climbed to all fours, walking over to the telescope as Rarity stepped away from it. She looked into it, but all she could see was black.
"Rarity? Ah can't see anythin' but black."
"Oh my, let me fix that right away!"
Rarity placed her hooves onto the telescope, turning it a bit as she levitated the map before her.
"Still black."
Rarity let out a disgruntled moan, this time placing her hooves on each side of Applejack's head to help guide her eyes properly.
Her hooves were soft and gentle, like a young foal's after a bath. The fur surrounding them was plush, and made Applejack just want to hug them like she would a teddy bear. But of course, she didn't.
Rarity guided her head a bit to the left with them, a bunch of colors suddenly entering her field of view.
"Oh mah Celestia..." Applejack muttered as she stared at the mix of bright purple and black before her, the colors blending together perfectly like a painting. Rarity put on a satisfied smile, happy that her friend was liking it.
The nebula was much like a flame, dancing in the wind full of motion and light.
Like when she was watching Rarity, Applejack was fixed in a trance.
"Isn't it lovely?" Rarity said, watching Applejack's bewildered look.
"Yes."
Applejack brought her head back up, looking Rarity straight in the eye. She felt a feeling well up inside of her as her eyes met her own, a look of tender love and care in them.
"It's almost as purdy as you."
Rarity blushed a little, looking down at the grass with a soft smile as she pawed at it.
"Darling, you're simply to kind," she said, her blush beginning to get pinker.
"Ahm just statin' the truth. Yer the prettiest mare in Ponyville."
Rarity was blushing like mad now, her smile even bigger as she did her best to avoid eye contact of of embarrassment.
"Applejack..."
Applejack didn't know why, but she extended a orange hoof, gently pushing up Rarity's head so their eyes met again.
Her eyes shone like the stars gleaming and twinkling in the night sky as Luna slowly moved them.
Before she knew what she was doing, the words came out of her mouth.
"And will you be the prettiest and first fillyfriend ah've ever had?"
Rarity's eyes widened as Applejack whispered those words, giving her a perplexed look and a nearly red blush.
"W-well I-I-" Rarity stopped mid-sentence as Applejack leaned closer to her, Rarity finding herself doing the same as an odd urge began to take over her body.
"Now, can ya give me an example of one of yer kisses?"
Rarity nodded her head slightly, forcing her head forward to make her lips meet Applejack's. They embraced in a soft kiss, their lips dancing on each others as they closed their eyes.
Rarity had the taste of Apples, sweet apples, fill her mouth while Applejack tasted something like lipstick and marshmallows mixed together. But the softness of Rarity's lips and her kissing skills made up for it as they kissed passionately
When they finally leaned back and ended the kiss, Applejack wore a huge grin.
Rarity quietly hummed one of the holiday’s festive carols to herself as she carried the box containing the new decorations into her house. A shiver ran down her spine as the cold winter wind was replaced by pleasant warmth emanating from the stone fireplace. She quickly shut the door behind her to prevent the biting wind any chance of taking away the precious heat.
Logs crackled and sparked in the large fireplace, sending shadows dancing along the walls of the farmhouse. Outside the snow fell gently as the sun inched its way towards the horizon.
A bare tree stood in one corner of the room, its green branches unadorned for the moment. The fresh cut sapling gave off a sharp odor, mixing pleasantly with the sugary smell coming from the kitchen. The luxurious mix of nutmeg, cinnamon, and pine filled the warm house, and Rarity smiled as she basked in the joy of the season washing over her.
A large clang in the kitchen pierced the quiet, followed closely by a series of high pitched giggles. Curious, Rarity set down the box of ornaments and walked into the kitchen. She stopped at the doorway and smiled at the two ponies inside; a small white filly with blonde tresses giggled noisily as the orange mare in front of her blinked away the flour covering her face.
The normally spotless kitchen was covered in various baking sundries: glass bowls and mixing spoons piled high in the sink, and every free counter had been coated with flour, sugar, or some combination of the two.
Baking sheets filled with holiday treats sat on wire racks by the stove, and the kitchen table was covered in wax paper where the famous Apple family no bakes cooled.
The two ponies in the middle of the kitchen were no less covered; instead of flour and sugar, the small filly was splotched with batter despite the tiny red apron she wore. Applejack wore a dusting of flour on her back and face. The red and white checkered apron she had on provided a little more protection than the one on her daughter, but not much.
“Well, well, would you look at this mess? Who’s going to clean this up?” asked Rarity from the doorway.
“Mommy!” cried the young filly.
She jumped down from the small stool she sat on and rushed toward the door, wrapping her sticky legs around Rarity. Rarity returned the affectionate hug and kissed the top of her daughter’s head.
“Guess what? We made cookies!” said the eager pony, bouncing in front of a bemused Rarity.
“I see that, Darling. You are absolutely covered! Why don’t you go upstairs and get ready for your bath? I’ll be there in a moment.”
The young filly bounded out of the kitchen, and a moment later both mares heard the thumping of tiny hooves scramble up the large wooden staircase. Rarity winced as the upstairs bathroom door slammed shut.
Applejack walked over and nuzzled Rarity affectionately. Rarity sneezed as a cloud of flour flew into her face from the orange mare.
“Sorry about that,” chuckled Applejack. “How was your shoppin’?”
Applejack turned and trotted toward the sink, carefully avoiding the piles of batter on the kitchen floor. Rarity watched her turn on the water and start cleaning the dishes, a smile on the white unicorn’s face. While she had been a little more lenient about messes since Topaz’s birth, it was refreshing to see Applejack heed her concerns about having to constantly clean.
“It went well,” said Rarity from the doorway. “I picked up a few things for the tree, which I am absolutely sure you’ll love. I thought we could do some decorating after everypony gets cleaned up. Maybe even read a little?”
“Sounds good, Sugarcube. Shouldn’t take too long to get this place back in order.”
“This, my Darling, was mine from when I was your age. Be very careful with it.”
The young pony nodded somberly as she grabbed the small crystal bell from her mother. She walked carefully over to the tree and placed it on the lowest branch, like all the other ornaments the filly hung on the tree.
“What’s next?” she asked, trotting back over to Rarity and Applejack sitting on the couch.
“That’s it. The only thing left is for the star to go on. Why don’t we let Mama take care of it?” Rarity levitated the gold star towards her wife, who frowned at the unicorn.
“Topaz, why don’t you go in the kitchen and get the cocoa powder ready? I think I could go for some hot chocolate. How about you, Rares? You want some?” asked Applejack.
“I suppose,” said Rarity hesitantly. She gave a questioning glance at her wife, who still had not grabbed the star from Rarity’s magical grasp.
Topaz trotted into the kitchen, and a moment later the two older ponies heard the squealing of hinges as the young filly opened the pantry door. A small thud followed by a quiet “Ooops” pierced the deafening silence in the living room.
“Applejack? Is something wrong, dear?”
“I said I don’t want a gold star on top of the tree.”
“Yes, you did. But I thought if you saw how lovely the tree looks with gold, rather than silver, you might find you actually like the look of it.”
“It ain’t a matter of looks, Rares. It just don’t feel right. Granny said back in her day the only thing they had to top the tree was an old pie tin Grandad hammered into the shape of the star. Said gold was far too precious to waste on a tree when ponies were hungry.”
“I’m not saying you are, Applejack. My word, whatever is the matter? You’re getting awfully worked up about this.”
“I am not!” yelled Applejack. “I just don’t want no dang gold star on top of—“
“Mama? Why are you yelling at Mommy? Are you mad at her?” asked Topaz from the doorway. Her green eyes were wider than normal, Rarity realized, and she looked like she was about to cry.
“No Sugarcube, I’m not mad at Mommy. I’m just a little tired from today is all. Why don’t you go grab the book and Mommy will read to you while I make the cocoa. Sound good?” Applejack stood up and started walking towards the kitchen.
“Yup! But you gotta say sorry for yelling at Mommy,” said the filly.
“Topaz…” began Rarity.
“It’s the rules! You have to say sorry or else you get grounded,” said Topaz. She sat on her haunches in the middle of the doorway, arms crossed as she looked at Applejack.
While she could easily step over the small filly, Applejack conceded the point. It was one of the rules; if you yelled or hurt somepony, you had to apologize. The fact that this had been meant only for the young filly seemed not to matter to Topaz, and with some reluctance Applejack walked back to the couch. She pecked Rarity on the cheek before mumbling a quiet apology. Rarity gave her a meaningful we’re-not-quite-done-with-this stare, and Applejack nodded before heading into the kitchen, no longer impeded by her daughter.
Instead, the young filly had clambered into Rarity’s lap, a large book open in front of her. It had been a tradition in Rarity’s family that every year they would read A Hearth’s Warming Hymn together, culminating in the final stave being read on Hearth’s Warming Day. While not the actual story of Hearth’s Warming itself, the tale did have a wonderful message, and Rarity had been thrilled Applejack wanted this tradition passed down to their daughter.
“Now, where were we?” asked Rarity, flipping open the book.
“Chapter two,” replied the young pony in her lap.
“Staves, dear. They’re called staves.”Rarity cleared her throat and began reading.
“Awakening from the middle of a prodigiously tough snore, and sitting up in bed to get his thoughts together, Scrooge had...”
“’Why to a poor one most?’ asked Scrooge.
“‘Because it needs it most.’
“’Spirit,’ said Scrooge after a moment’s th--“
The loud snore of the little white filly startled Rarity. The long emptied cup of cocoa still sat cradled in the little one’s hooves, and her chest rose and fell with heavy, even breaths. She had commandeered her mother’s body as a pillow, and Rarity gently set the book on the coffee table, gently stroking the filly’s mane with her hoof.
“I’ll take her up to bed,” said Applejack. She set her empty mug on the table and stood to pick up her daughter.
“It’s alright. She’s not uncomfortable,” whispered Rarity.
Applejack nodded and sat back down on the couch. Rarity and she stared into the fireplace. The fire had died down to embers, but the house was still warm throughout. The quiet evening was only disturbed by the snoring of the filly and the scattered popping as the last of the wood burned in the fireplace.
“I’m sorry, Darling,” whispered Rarity. “I know you said you didn’t want the gold star. I thought it was about not liking the look of it, and I wanted to try and change your mind.”
“It’s fine, Rares. I should be the one apologizin’. I guess my pig-headedness got the better of me again. ‘Sides, not like I gave you a reason why I didn’t want gold, did I?” Applejack sighed.
“I guess I don’t want my family thinkin’ I’m putting on airs or nothin’. We’d always been content with what we had. Granny took real good care of us on very little money. I just feel like havin’ a gold star’d make it seem like I was throwin’ bits away or something. Like I didn’t care about what Granny had to go through for us.”
“Plus it’s tradition,” supplied Rarity.
“Exactly. But if gold’s your tradition, I can’t be selfish and make it all about me, right?” asked Applejack.
“Darling,” said Rarity. “I love you more than anything. If it truly makes you uncomfortable, then we won’t have a gold star on the tree. But,” she said, holding up a hoof before Applejack could speak. “I don’t want you thinking that you forced me to give up my tradition for yours. So what I suggest is tomorrow we all go into town and pick out a star, together. We’ll start our own tradition, as it were. Agreed?”
“Agreed,” said Applejack with a smile on her lips. “I love you too, Sugarcube.”
Applejack reached over and kissed her wife. She leaned down and kissed her daughter as well, before turning back to the fire.
The two ponies sat in companionable silence as the soft glow of the fire wrapped around them. The snow outside fell in large flakes; the wind gusted against the house and trees. No matter how much the wind blew, or the ice threatened to freeze everything, the two mares basked in the warmth of their love; nothing would ever come between them.
Another day, another fruitless day behind her books. A familiar everyday grinding, that she heard from everypony, that is supposed to help later in life. Applejack snorted. "This is pointless," she muttered to nopony. "How is this gonna help me with mah applebucking?" She sighed and moved her books away from her. "Bah. This is boring... But Ah still have time..."
A knock on the wooden door resounded throughout Applejack's room. "Applejack?" A familiar voice sounded. "When yer done with studying, there are still plenty of apples that need to be bucked, an' every pair hooves will come handy."
"Ah hear ya, big brother. Gimme a minute or two," Applejack replied with a smile. Yes! Freedom! she thought.
~*~*~
In the morning, the school’s bell rang, making Rarity cover her ears and groan. “Oh, sweet Celestia. Make it stop!”
Applejack chuckled. “Rough night?”
“I was studying until early morning,” Rarity replied. “I only had about four hours of sleep, and it’s not even close to be good enough for my beauty.” She looked up to see a cheerful pony in front of her. “On the other hoof, you look well rested,” she continued with a hint of jealousy.
“Well... Uh... Ah... Er...”
Rarity’s ears perked and her eyes opened wide. “Applejack? You... did study, right?”
“Of course Ah did!”
“Mhm,” Rarity replied in unconvinced tone. “Applejack, you know that everypony knows when you’re lying, right?”
“Ah’m not lying!” Applejack cried in her defence. “Ah studied!”
“Mmh. For how long?”
Applejack muttered something unintelligible in her response. Suddenly, the wooden floor became much more interesting than her friend’s face.
“Can you please repeat that? I didn’t catch it.”
“F-five minutes,” Applejack repeated herself with a whisper, but loud enough for Rarity to catch it.
“Applejack!” she said with a commanding voice. “Exam is tomorrow, and you barely opened a book! This is your last chance to pass!”
“Ah don’t really care. This whole school is stup—”
Rarity stomped her hoof, “Applejack!” Her tone was intimidating, but void of threat. “Look; I don’t want to sound like Miss Velvet, but school is important.”
Applejack snorted. “Sure it is...”
“It really is, Applejack,” Rarity replied in a soothing voice. “You would be surprised how many times things that you deem meaningless come handy. For instance, calculating an angle to cut the fabric just the right way so it fits into—”
“Ah get it, Ah get it,” Applejack grumbled. “Ah’ll study.”
Rarity smiled. “I can help you with study, if you want me to.”
“Ah’m fine!” Applejack paused for a moment and tapped her muzzle with her hoof. “Ah might need some help here and there, though.”
~*~*~
The door to Applejack’s room opened with a squeak, revealing its interior. Rarity couldn’t help herself but to open her mouth and stare in disbelief.
When she was a filly she saw the statue of Discord in one of her classes’ excursion in the Canterlot Gardens. She heard about the legends, how he literally turned entire Equestria upside down, but she never thought that she would ever witness such chaos.
Discarded paper and books were lying all over the room, Applejack’s bed was not made, and Rarity could swear that she could see something out of this world chewing on a pile of something she couldn’t identify that very moment.
“And?” Applejack asked her friend. “What do you think?”
Rarity flinched as somepony would poke her with a red hot needle.
“Rares? You okay?”
“I-I-” Rarity paused for a moment in an attempt to calm herself down. “How can you find anything in here?”
“Simple,” Applejack replied. “Ah know where everything is. For instance...” She scratched her mane. “Now where did Ah put that book? Ah was certain that... Hm...”
“You mean this one?” Rarity pulled out a book under the bed in the glow of her magic.
“Yeah,” Applejack replied. “Ah’d look there next.”
Rarity sighed. “We should clean this up before anything else.”
“Why?”
“This is going to be a very long night,” Rarity muttered to herself.
~*~*~
Hours later, when the room was in satisfactory state for Rarity, the pair sat on the freshly-covered bed, each grabbing their book without a fear that a monster, that later turned out to be Applejack’s new dog Winona, who gnawed on her tail, would jump out of the shadows and eat them.
An hour later, Applejack raised her head and looked at Rarity. “Ah’m doomed.”
“What is wrong, Applejack?”
“Ah won’t be able to learn everything by tomorrow. It’s just too much.”
“Nonsense, Applejack. You don’t need to know everything... Just, you know, well enough.”
Applejack smacked her head against her book as a sign of disapproval.
“What’s giving you the most trouble?”
Applejack groaned, her head still on the book. “Anatomy.”
“Really?” She chuckled. “That’s the easiest subject ever!”
Applejack tilted her head.
“Don’t believe me, I see. Look, it’s simple!” Rarity poked Applejack’s chest, making her flinch. “Be still,” she commanded softly. “This here is a heart,” she said while drawing the general shape of the heart on her friend’s chest. "It's divided into four parts... This here is the left ventricle, and just above it is the atrium. Same on this side... The left atrium is connected to the aorta which goes... Applejack? Are you listening?"
But instead of a vocal answer, Applejack replied with soft snores. Her muzzle was tainted softly red, and her lips emitted blissful grin.
Rarity chuckled. "Miss Sleepyhead?" she asked with a little more than a whisper. "Are you still alive?"
Another peaceful exhale.
“Applejack?” Rarity waited for a few moments, but again, her question bore no response. She looked at the muzzle of her sleeping friend and smiled. I wonder how it feels...
Out of curiosity, she closed her eyes and pushed her muzzle forward. What felt like long minutes later, the muzzles touched, jolt of electricity surging through her entire body. She opened her eyes, just to see her own reflection in her friend’s emerald eyes.
In shock, Rarity almost fell off the bed, her face flush bright red. “I-I’m sorry, Applejack! I really don’t know what came over me... I just—”
“How was it?”
Rarity blinked. Out of all possible questions, this wasn’t the one she expected. She expected a scowl or silence treatment, but a genuinely a curious question? She paused for a moment to calm herself down and to find words that would describe what she felt. “It was... absolutely wonderful. I never thought that I—”
Her words were cut off by a soft brush of the orange muzzle, shortly followed by a passionate kiss. “Applejack?” she muttered through the locked lips.
The kiss broke. “Hm?”
“Exams? Study?”
Applejack blinked and hit her face with her hoof. “Rares?”
“Hm?”
“Can ya stay here tonight?”
“I don’t have much choice, do I?” Rarity smiled and leaned her head on the orange shoulder. “For more than one reason.” She rubbed her muzzle against Applejack’s. “Now where we? Oh, yes. The heart.” She started to draw shapes on the orange chest again, but this time Applejack had no intention to succumb to her tiredness again; she had no reason to do so. All the boring lessons became immensely interesting and every line that Rarity drew on her chest became alive. Applejack smiled.
This would be a very long night for both of them, but neither would complain.
~*~*~
“Applejack? Can I talk to you for a moment?”
“Yes, Miss Velvet?” Applejack and Rarity stopped.
“I was watching you throughout the entire exam, and...” She sifted through the set of parchments that were left by the students, until she stumbled on Applejack’s. “Ah, here we go. Let’s see...”
Velvet Melody picked up a red marker and looked at Applejack’s exam carefully, half-muttering unintelligibly.
“Is there something wrong, Miss Velvet?” Applejack asked in a concerned voice.
“Not at all, Applejack.” She smiled. “As a matter of fact, most of the answers were correct and not to mention, needlessly detailed. I’m quite impressed.”
“Miss Velvet?”
“Considering the test exam from last week, I was sure you would fail. How did you manage to—”
Applejack nuzzled the inpatient Rarity affectionately.
“I see,” Velvet Melody mused. “So, now that the school is done with, what are my favorite students going to do?”
Applejack groaned and yawned. “Sleep. We had been up all night. Can we go now, Miss Velvet?” She nudged Rarity. “Hey, Rares? You okay there?”
Applejack and Rarity ran, trying vainly to outpace the torrential downpour sweeping across the landscape. A bolt of lightning sizzled through the darkening sky, causing them to jump in alarm.
“There's no way we can get back to Ponyville in this weather,” Rarity said, having to shout over the rising gale that was threatening to knock her off her hooves.
“I'm inclined to agree,” replied Applejack, wincing slightly as the intense gust tried to loose her hat from her head. “Over there,” she said, spying a narrow slot in the rocks. “Should be big enough for us to hunker down if we squeeze.”
The thought of being stuck in a tight situation with Applejack after the disastrous slumber party at Twilight's library filled Rarity with dread, but equally, so did the thought of becoming a barbecued unicorn should one of those lightning bolts decide to go astray. “Lead the way.”
Inside the cave – though that description was giving it too much credit as it was barely more than a wide crack in the side of a mountain – was dry but not particularly warm. Neither of them were inclined to quibble, however, simply grateful to be out of the storm.
Rarity took her purple mane between the hooves of her forelegs and began wrenching the water out of it.
Applejack had to stifle laughter at the frizzy monstrosity it had become. “It's just not gonna be the same without curlers, is it?”
As if to prove her friend wrong, using nothing more than her own dexterity, the unicorn deftly knotted her hair into a close approximation of its usual curly style. “Nothing to it,” Rarity said proudly.
For a moment, there was nothing but the sound of rain echoing off the walls; a crack of lightning lit up the area around the entrance, allowing the pair a moment's view of the surrounding countryside. The storm was gaining in intensity. “We're gonna be stuck in here all night, sugarcube,” Applejack said apologetically.
“Oh, it's my fault,” Rarity said with a sigh, trying to get comfortable on the rough ground. “I shouldn't have dragged you all the way out here just for some stupid gems we probably could've found closer to home.”
“The horn wants what it wants.” Rarity had a keen sense for precious jewels, and her magic was able to direct her to wherever they lay in the ground. If it was a powerful enough drive to drag her this far from Ponyville, they must've been something spectacular. Maybe diamonds?
“Well,” said Rarity, sounding abashed, “I thought I had got better at controlling these impulses over the years, but I guess I can still be surprised by my desires … sometimes. Darling, what's wrong?”
“Nothin',” Applejack said, a frown creasing her muzzle. “Why d'you ask?”
“You're shivering. You haven't stopped since we got in here.”
“It's cold,” the earth pony stated flatly.
Rarity got up off the floor and approached her friend. She tsked at her as she appraised Applejack's condition. “You're soaking wet, dear. If we're going to be here all night, the last thing we need is you catching a cold.” Before Applejack could say anything, Rarity had torn her Stetson from her head revealing a clump of matted blonde. “Ah, that explains that.”
“What?”
“I was wondering how it could've been so much worse for you when we were out there the same amount of time, but the water has gotten trapped under that filthy mop you call a mane. When was the last time you washed it?”
“I dunno,” Applejack said, not able to stop her cheeks from reddening. “Working on the farm, I don't see the point in showering regularly. Only time I really make an effort is if I'm meeting up with the girls.”
“This simply will not do,” huffed the unicorn as she worked to loosen the coiled strands and dredge the water from them. It took longer than she'd expected, and there was a fair amount of frustration and yelling involved from the recalcitrant earth pony, but eventually Rarity got the majority of the knots undone and was able to dry Applejack's hair. “Better?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Now turn around.”
“What?”
“Tail, too. It's in just as bad a condition as your mane,” Rarity explained.
“I'm fine, really,” said Applejack, a little louder than was necessary.
After much argument, Applejack finally relented and allowed Rarity to dry her tail; feeling the unicorn's surprisingly soft and delicate hooves at work sent a tingly sensation through her body, and it was difficult to stay standing still while she tugged, fussed and fashioned. “You, uh, almost done back there?”
“Just about,” said Rarity. “May I suggest that, when we get back to Ponyville, you consent to a spa visit? This really needs the care of experts.”
“I thought you were an expert,” replied Applejack through gritted teeth.
Rarity deigned not to respond to that, knowing that her friend was reacting simply out of annoyance. “There, done. Now we can sleep.”
“Great.”
The pair lay down and within moments, the cave was filled with the sounds of snoring. Specifically, the snores of a certain earth pony who probably could've slept on the lip of an active volcano if she was tired enough. Rarity tossed and turned; finding a comfortable sleeping position was all but impossible, and to make matters worse, the chainsaw buzz of her friend was scything through her sensitive ears. She turned once more and found herself staring directly into Applejack's face.
Celestia, if she had any idea how ridiculous she looks. She could probably fit all four hooves in that chasm she calls a mouth at once, Rarity thought irritably. And those teeth! And that tongue! I can understand not showering if you work on a farm, but neglecting basic oral hygiene is just too much!
“Uh, Rarity,” said Applejack, confused in her still half-asleep state, “what the hay are you doing?”
“What do you mean?”
“You keep brushing up against me.”
“Oh, I'm just … cold, darling. Sorry.”
“I don't mind,” Applejack said, “I just didn't think you'd want to snuggle up with a dirty pillow like me.”
“I suppose,” Rarity replied, dragging out the suppose for maximum drama, “needs must when the situation calls for it.” She let out a yelp as she felt powerful forelegs snake around her body, pulling her in close. Applejack's soft tail went underneath her, acting as a mattress.
“Better?” asked the earth pony.
“M-Much, thank you, Applejack,” said the unicorn, blushing.
The warmth of the earth pony overrode any of Rarity's complaints about her smell and she settled into the embrace, a soft sigh escaping her muzzle. This close, she felt Applejack's heart beating against her own. For so many years, she had fantasised of a moment like this, only … Applejack would not have been her first choice.
Looking up and down at Applejack's strong, robust body, her unruly mane, and careworn, mischievous face, Rarity came to a conclusion: I'm going to have to revise some of my fantasies.
“Sugarcube, Ah’m about done in with all this frou-frou business. Yer lucky I love you so much.”
The white unicorn merely ignored her beloved’s comment as she pinned another piece of fabric to the ensemble. In the span of the past hour, what had started as a stunningly simple summer frock had snowballed into her newest sensation! The layers of silk and fabric had layered upon each other until it was no longer possible to see where the dress ended and AJ began. “Oh do be quiet dearest. I’m almost done. With just a few more accoutrements, this shall be my greatest work EVER!”
“Uh, isn’t that what you said about our Gala dresses?”
“Yes, yes, but THIS will surpass even the greatness of those dresses. Why, when the Canterlot elite see this design, I’ll be sure to be the talk of the town!”
Applejack shifted uncomfortably in the dress. Of all the things that she loved about Rarity, her flair for the dramatic was one of her least favorites. AJ could never understand why every situation called for some form of theatrics. Of course, there were times when her histrionics were endearing. Especially when the two of them retired to a bedroom. The sudden thought of how much fun it would be to get out of this dress and into Rarity’s bed caused the orange mare to redden. A color change that was duly noted by alabaster seamstress.
“AppleJack, darling, are you alright? You seem a little flushed. Are you overheating? Oh we need to get you out of this dress! Why didn’t you say anything?”
As the white mare fussed over her, only one thought ran through AJ’s mind. Yeah, let’s get me outta this dress and into your bed. “Okay sugarcube, I appreciate it. I’m feeling a bit woozy too. Mind if I lay down for a bit?”
As Rarity finished removing the last of the dress from AJ, she raised an eyebrow at the last comment. Noting that her lover seemed to be grinning like Opal when she caught a finch that strayed too close to the boutique she replied, “Oh, I don’t mind. But, if you really wanted into my bed, you could have just said so.”
The two mares climbed the stairs to Rarity’s boudoir nuzzling each other all the way. As they stole kisses from one another, the two began to see more and more endearing qualities in one another…
She only moaned, and Applejack nudged her again, and again, there were no other reaction. She wanted to try for the the third time, but instead of a soft nudge, she brushed her muzzle against Rarity's, gently pushing it forward and a moment later, changing it to a kiss.
Applejack smiled as she saw Rarity open her eyes nor a mere moment, just to close them in expectancy of something more.
But the continuation never came. In disappointment, she opened her eyes again and muttered in groggy voice: "You're no fun, Applejack."
"And yer still sleeping," Applejack replied in a sugar-coated voice. "You should be helping me buck apples. remember?"
Rarity wrapped herself in the blankets even more. "It's cold out there, Applejack. And you know what cold does to my coat and my mane..."
Applejack sighed. "Ah should have known," Applejack muttered. "After all this time Ah expected ya'd come with something a bit more original."
"What do you mean, Applejack?" Rarity asked in a sweet and innocent voice. "It really is cold outside." She scrunched her muzzle and forced out a cough. "And I think I'm coming down with something, too." Another cough. "See? I think it's getting worse..."
"Rarity..."
"I wish it was a little warmer in here. Maybe then the coughing would go away?" She coughed yet again.
"Ah Ain't biting this time, Rares," Applejack replied with a deadpan voice.
Rarity pouted. "Aw. Not even for a couple of minutes? You've been up and running around for a couple of hours now, and I know you wouldn't mind a little break, would you?"
"Rares, no."
"Then what seems to be a problem?" Rarity asked sweetly and batted her eyebrows.
Applejack groaned. "Yer doing this on purpose aren't ya? Ah swear Ah'll get ya for this one of this days..."
"Me doing something to you, Applejack? Moi? Why in Equestria would I want to do anything to you?" Her muzzle got closer to Applejack's, close enough that could feel her breath. "Aside of the obvious, of course." She pushed her muzzle even further and kissed Applejack.
"Ah just can't win, can Ah?" Applejack replied after muzzles parted. "Few minutes, ya said?"
"You won't be missed, if you're gone only for a few minutes," Rarity breathed, both muzzles forming yet another kiss.
Applejack stepped on luxurious bed and slipped under the soft silk sheets. She smiled when her hooves wrapped around the warm body in front of her. "Ah knew ya were lying..."
"If a little lie is all I need to get you back for a little while—"
"Mom, are you going to—" Silver Streak paused for a moment after seeing two ponies cuddle in the bed.
"Aren't ya supposed to be on the field with others, Silver Streak?" Applejack asked in a deadpan voice.
The filly nodded. "I was, mom, but it's really cold outside. Can I snuggle up with you for a while?"
After a nod, Applejack turned her head towards Rarity and cleared her throat.
"Don't look at me. She is just as much of your daughter as she is mine, Applejack," Rarity replied with a smile. "Not to mention that you told me you were exactly like her."
Applejack smiled, but said nothing. She clenched her hooves around Rarity and their foal, and drifted to sleep that took few hours instead of mere minutes. But she didn't mind any of it.
“Thank you for coming in, Rarity. It’s a pleasure to see you again, although I wish we were meeting under different circumstances.”
“Good afternoon, Ms. Cheerilee. I must admit I was a bit perplexed when I received your note. All you said was that Topaz was in trouble. Is she hurt?”
“Oh no, far from it. Little Thunder, on the other hoof, is currently in the hospital due to Topaz’s actions, which is why I asked you here.
“There was an incident at the schoolyard earlier this afternoon. From what I have been able to gather, Thunder said something to Topaz about you and Applejack, to which she took offense. After several barbs back and forth, she lunged and started wailing on him. I rushed over as quick as I could, but I’m afraid the damage was already done.
“Both of his eyes had swollen shut. His face was covered with bruises, and he had trouble breathing. I immediately sent for an ambulance, and they rushed him to Ponyville General.”
“Oh dear! I am dreadfully sorry! Is he going to be alright?”
“He’s fine. They took him there as a precaution.”
“I am relieved to hear it. I shall make sure Topaz understands the gravitas of her situation quite well. This shan’t happen again.”
“Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Normally, when it comes to schoolyard scuffles, I take a hooves-off approach. Each filly and colt has a unique way of dealing with conflict, and I try to be there only as a balance. I make sure nopony gets hurt, and I provide support for those that need it.
“In this case, however, Topaz’s actions went far beyond what I would consider a reasonable level. There were no prior incidents between her and Thunder. From what I could tell, they barely spoke to each other.
“And that is what puts me in a bit of a delicate position. Normally, the results of her actions would be to immediately suspend her until a review board could determine if she was a danger to other children.”
“Goodness! Surely you don’t think—“
“No, I’m pretty sure she’s not a threat to others. I think she just lost her temper at a perceived threat against her family. That family pride runs deep in the Apple clan, as you and I both know.
“I’m not going to tell you how to be a parent, Rarity. From what I’ve seen, you’ve done a wonderful job with Topaz. She’s a pleasure to have in class. She participates frequently, and has top marks in math and science. She struggles a little with spelling, but it’s nothing to be concerned with.
“Aside from today, I would say she gets along well with her classmates. She hasn’t been in trouble too much, and she always shares whatever she plays with at recess. She is, or was, almost the perfect student.
“Which is why today concerns me so much. The normal punishment would be a little too harsh for a filly like Topaz, I think. It would follow her all throughout her schooling, and she would be forever stigmatized as a menace, and that would be terrible to do to a young filly while she still has so much potential.”
“I certainly appreciate your concern, Ms. Cheerilee. Believe me, neither I nor Applejack condones this behavior in any way, and she shall be taught just how wrong she was.”
“I have no doubt. Still, I can’t be seen as playing favorites, so I will have to suspend her from school for two weeks. She will still be required to complete her studies as if she were here. Don’t worry; this week and next are going over what we’ve learned so far this year. There shouldn’t be too many problems, and if she needs help that neither you nor Applejack can provide, I can assist outside of school hours.”
“Thank you ever so much for the kind offer, Ms. Cheerilee. I’ll let Applejack and Topaz know about her suspension, and we shall come up with a suitable punishment. I assure you, there will be no further problems from her.”
“Mommy, I—“
“Not a word, Topaz. I am so mad right now, I could just... Needless to say, you’re grounded as soon as we get home. I can’t believe you hit somepony. What were you thinking?”
“He—“
“What did I say? Not a word.”
“But—“
“One more sound out of you and I swear you won’t see daylight until you are as old as Granny Smith. Do I make myself clear?”
“I—“
“Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear?
“Answer me!”
“Yes, Mommy.”
“ When we get home, you march straight up to your room. You will do your homework, and you will think about what you have done. You might get to eat dinner with the rest of the family, although that has yet to be determined. I am not looking forward to explaining this to your mother, young lady.”
“I’m home! Dinner smells delicious! Uh…Rares? You alright there, Sugarcube? You look angrier than a hornet’s nest in a rainstorm. Where’s Topaz?”
“She’s upstairs. I couldn’t stand to look at her. She got in a fight at school.”
“I see. She win?”
“Yes, Applejack. She won. Let’s celebrate the sweet triumph of her success. Never mind that the colt she beat up had to go to the hospital!”
“Whoa there, Sugar. The hospital? What happened?”
“Apparently, something little Thunder said angered our daughter to the point where she decided the only reasonable response was to start wailing on him.”
“Wait, Thunder? As in Diamond Tiara and Rumble’s kid?”
“Yes. Don’t even get me started on them. They’re far too young to be parents if you ask me.”
“Rares, they’re only a few years younger than us. ‘Sides, we’re a little older than usual to have one so little. Look at Mac and Twilight: they got one already graduated, and another fixin’ to in a couple of years.
“That is completely irrelevant. We’re talking about our daughter. What are we going to do, Applejack? I’m scared she’s going to turn into a bully.”
“Now wait just a sec, Rares. Our daughter ain’t no bully. Sounds like she just lost her temper is all. What did Thunder say, anyway?”
“I…don’t know. I was so angry I forgot to ask.”
“Well, let’s get her side of the story, and we’ll go from there. No sense counting apples still left on the tree.”
“Applejack, I love you. But I swear your metaphors are impossible to understand sometimes.”
“I know, Sugarcube. It’s part of my charm.”
“Topaz! Come down here! Your mother and I wanna talk to you!”
“Applejack, are you sure the dining room is the best place—“
“Coming!”
“Now, Topaz. Mommy says you got in a fight at school. Thunder said something to you, and you hit him. Is this true?”
“Yes, Mama.”
“You know what you did was wrong?”
“Yes, Mama.”
“Good. You’re still in a heap of trouble for what you did today. Ain’t nothin’ I can do to change that. I want to hear what exactly happened between you and Thunder, however. I ain’t gonna punish you for what you tell me. I’m just after the truth.”
“Darling, your mother and I want to figure out what happened. We’re not going to get mad at you for telling us. Do you think you can tell us?”
“Yes. Only…”
“Only what, Darling?”
“Can I talk to Mama alone?”
“Is this because of how I acted after my meeting with Ms. Cheerilee?”
“Um…”
“It’s alright, Darling. I understand. Mommy can get a bit angry sometimes. I shall retire to my sewing room. Come find me when you are done, Applejack. And Topaz?”
“Yes, Mommy?”
“I just want you to know I love you. Even when I’m angry, I will never stop loving you.”
“I know Mommy. I love you, too.”
“Alright, Sugarcube. Now that it’s just us, why don’t you tell me what happened at school today?”
“…and that’s when she started thumpin’ him good. From what she said I reckon he had a little of it comin’, but certainly not the wallop she gave.”
“I see.”
“Don’t worry, Rares. She wants to go over to his house tomorrow afternoon and apologize. She feels mighty tore up about what she done.”
“As well she should. It’s nice to see at least some of our lessons are getting through to her. Are you going to talk to her about controlling her anger?”
“Nah, I ain’t the best one. ‘Sides, a little anger now and then is good. Pushes you to work harder.”
“Applejack! What if this happens again? She’s already the strongest filly in her class thanks to your insistence on her helping out in the field instead of at home.”
“Don’t fret, Sugar. I got it all worked out. I’m gonna stop by Mac’s and ask him to talk to her. He had a mighty big problem with this sorta thing when we were younger, so I figured he would be the best to talk to her about it.”
“I…suppose that will work. Very well, Darling, we shall do it your way. Still, I don’t want you thinking that you’re off the hook.”
“Me? What did I do?”
“It’s not anything you did, Applejack. It’s what you don’t do that has me concerned.”
“What in tarnation are you talkin’ about?”
“I’m not going to be the bad guy here. She’s going to be punished, and by both of us. No coddling her like you usually do.”
“You know I hate when you use them fancy words.”
“Spoil her, then. You always let her off easy.”
“I do no such thing! I punished her plenty of times!”
“Really? When she broke the vase in the hall? What did you say?”
“Rares, I don’t think—“
“’It’s just things! They can be replaced’ and off she went. Coloring on the walls? ‘She’s just being expressive!’”
“Now wait just a—“
“The fire in the kitchen? The only thing you said was ‘I didn’t know you could burn juice’. Every time I’ve been the one that’s had to discipline her. I shall not be the bad guy here.”
“Alright, Sugarcube. I get your point. I’ll take tomorrow off, and we’ll figure out what to do. Been workin’ too hard recently anyway.”
“Thank you. Now, I’m going to go tuck her in and let her know I’m no longer mad at her. Celestia knows she probably thinks I hate her.”
“Now that ain’t true and you know it. ‘Sides, you gotta admit one thing.”
“And what’s that?”
“A part of you is proud she won her first fight.”
“Applejack, I will admit no such thing. I will celebrate her triumph quietly.”
Rarity cleared her throat. "Hello, my little ponies. What seems to be the problem?"
"Hi, mom," a filly piped. "Star Thunder said that I'm an..." She cringed and suck out her tongue in a badly faked disdain. "Egghead."
"Are too!" Star Thunder argued back. "You say you read a lot, and my mom said you're an egghead, just like her! And you spend a lot of time in the library as well!"
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Moooom!"
"Silver Streak, what have I told you about arguing with ponies? Especially with Star... because... you-know-what..."
"But moooom..."
"No buts, missy."
Silver Streak sighed and looked at her friend. "I'm sorry, Star."
Star Thunder stuck out her tongue in response. "You don't need to apologize just because I'm blind... egghead."
"I'm not an egghead!"
"Are too!"
"Not!"
Rarity sighed and floated a few bits out of her saddlebag. "I have a better idea for you two. Instead of arguing, why don't you two go for a milkshake?"
Silver Streak grinned and opened her pouch, watching in awe as a few shiny gold coins landed in it. "Thanks, mom!"
Star Thunder giggled. "Told you it'll work!"
"Hey, it was my idea!"
"Was not!"
"Was too! Race you!"
"Silver Streak, wait up! You know I can't go that fast!"
Rarity couldn't do much more than shake her head in the direction of the distancing fillies and flinched, as she felt a hoof on her ear. Startled, she quickly turned around her head and smiled. "You startled me, Applejack."
Applejack smiled and nuzzled Rarity. "Ah had to. Hadn't done so in a while, so Ah thought Ah might brush up on that a bit."
Rarity turned her head back to the distancing fillies.
"Let me guess... They did it again," Applejack groaned.
"Of course."
"What was this time?"
Rarity snickered. "Star Thunder said she was an egghead."
"I'd blame her mom for that," Applejack mused.
Rarity tilted her head and furrowed her brow. "Are you saying that I'm an egghead?"
"Maybe not as big as egghead as Twilight, but still an egghead."
Rarity snorted and stomped her hoof. "Applejack! I'm deeply insulted! I want you to take that back!"
"Er... what?"
"No? In that case I'm taking your hat!"
Rarity's horn flared, lifting Applejack's hat way above the pair.
"Hey! Ya stole my hat! And Ah-Ah... Am taking yers!"
With quick moves, Applejack stretched her hooves, grabbed Rarity's hat, and put it on her own head. "There!"
Rarity laughed softly at the image before her. "You look absolutely adorable, Applejack. Why didn't you tell me that you wanted to pursue a fashion career? You know I could help you with that..."
Applejack's cheeks flared up in embarrassment. She attempted to get rid of the hat, but she was too late. A light blue glow already removed it from her head and returned it to the rightful owner.
Applejack groaned.
"Aw, come on, Applejack. Don't tell me you forgot how to have fun... I know it wasn't like that few days ago..."
Applejack sighed. "Sorry, Rarity... Ah had a bad day..."
"Oh," Rarity replied in a low voice. "I think I know how to fix that..." Her magic returned back her hat as she leaned and let her muzzle touch Applejack's. She brushed her lips against hers, the gesture shortly forming a deep and passionate kiss.
After what felt like minutes, Rarity broke their kiss, nuzzling her mare's path towards the ear, and stopping. With the sweetest voice she managed to muster, she whispered, "Tag. You're it!"
“You’re not a very convincing liar, my dear,” Rarity said, with a laugh. “Honestly, you - pregnant! Quite the joke, if you ask me.” She adjusted her glasses, and went back to sewing her latest creation. “So what was it you actually wanted to tell me?”
“That was it,” Applejack muttered in a soft voice that almost seemed out of character.
“Come now, it was funny the first time,” Rarity replied. “Whatever you need to talk about, I’m here for, you know that.” She looked up to her wife, with a serious expression. “Darling? Is something troubling you?”
A silence formed between the two mares and Applejack just stood there, gently kicking the floor. She normally wasn’t one to back away or be timid, but it seemed that now, she was at a complete loss for words. Rarity was now growing concerned with each and every minute that passed by. She pushed her work away, and took off her glasses, looking at Applejack with a now more caring, yet still confused, expression.
“Applejack, if you speak the truth, I suggest you have a proper explanation for it,” Rarity declared. “Because last I recalled, you were married to a mare, and I know my biology.”
“Rares, I - I just… I don’t know either,” Applejack said shakily. “I was sick, and the doc said-”
“-you’re leaving something out,” Rarity argued. “You have to be. There is no way in Equestria that you… we-” She frowned, and shook her head. “What do you want me to say?”
“Magical conception,” Twilight explained. “It’s not very common, but it’s possible. The most elusive manner of foals to be created, and in the case of two mares, it’s the easiest way for them to have a child of their own blood.” She unrolled the scroll that she held in her magic, and skimmed over the details. “In fact, a few decades back, the Equestrian population had predominate fillyfooling couples, so every one out of ten foals was born biologically of two mares. Although, many birth certificates had names of false or random stallions in the father’s section.”
Rarity’s jaw nearly fell to the floor. Impossible. She couldn’t believe it. They had used magic in the bedroom once. There was no way, no how that she had gotten her wife pregnant.
It was something out of a story, a fantasy, this was reality and…
...and who was she kidding?
Tests and history were proving it, Applejack was a terrible liar - she would never fib about something this crucial and she definitely wouldn’t cheat either.
Yet, there was still a twinge of doubt. Rarity looked at her wife, with a slight scoff.
“I expect a DNA test when the foal is born,” she muttered. “To prove it’s mine. Which is highly unlikely.”
She definitely didn’t see the tears in Applejack’s eyes…
It was supposed to be eleven months, but apparently, that little filly had fought her way out two months early. Rarity would be lying if she said she hadn’t been panicking -- even if she had her doubts, she still cared about her wife -- and after what seemed like endless hours of waiting, she was finally proven wrong. Nine months of doubt, nine months of tension, and with one look at the newborn, she felt like crying. So many emotions were now coursing through her veins; fear, happiness, regret, joy, perplexment, it was all falling into place as she hesitantly took the little filly in her hooves.
There was no denying that this was the daughter of both Rarity and Applejack. The newborn filly was an earth pony with a soft orange coat, a small fuzzball of navy as her mane and her eyes were the most brilliant shade of blue; like sapphires and stars combined.
Did Rarity even deserve to call this foal her daughter; after how she had acted in the beginning?
“I’m sorry,” Rarity whispered. She looked over to her exhausted wife, who was smiling despite the labor she had just been through. “I - I really should have believed you. I don’t know what I was thinking, I-”
“-Rares, shut that pretty mouth of yers, and help me name our daughter,” Applejack teased.
Rarity let out a breathless laugh as tears streamed down her cheeks. She smiled, and gently kissed the newborn’s forehead.
“Look at this one, Rares! It’ll be large enough to handle the kids and haul half the orchards in one go!”
“Silver, get down from there! That is not a toy for you to climb on! I’m sorry, Darling, what were you saying?”
“I was sayin’ whatcha think of this one? Ain’t she a beaut?”
Rarity glanced at the cart before her. While there were many aspects of farm life she had grown accustomed to, farm equipment was not one of them. To her, each cart looked the same: four wheels, a yoke, and an open box to haul things in.
This one was no different. Although the intricate woodwork was nice, there was nothing to Rarity that seemed to distinguish this one from the first one they looked at several hours ago.
Her patience for this little trip was quickly running out. That might have been due to the screaming foal she carried on her back, or the bouncing colt who insisted on climbing on top of everything. While she loved Applejack dearly and trusted she would come up with a cart for the family that wasn’t as old as Granny Smith, Rarity secretly hoped they would finish soon so she could foist the little rapscallions onto their other mother.
“It looks fine, Applejack. Just like all the others,” said Rarity. She turned to the little foal on her back. “Aww, is little baby Topaz hungry? Yes you are! You’re a hungry little filly, aren’t you?” Rarity scrunched her nose at her daughter while sifting through the diaper bag with her magic. She pulled out a bottle and gave it to the now quiet foal, who was sucking quite contently on the bottle.
“Howdy folks! How y’all doin’ today?” asked a white stallion in a vest and tie. He wore his black mane slicked back, and his cutie mark showed three bits stacked neatly on top of each other.
“Name’s Quick Sales, at your service.”
“Howdy, Quick. Names Applejack. This here’s my wife, Rarity. That’s li’l Topaz, and my oldest, Silver, he’s runnin’ around here somewhere. We was just lookin’ at getting’ a new cart for the family. The old one finally kicked the bucket.”
“Well, sorry to hear that. Y’all have come to the right spot, though: We have the finest carts in all of Equestria! You lookin’ at just a family hauler, or were you lookin’ for somethin’ that can do a little more? Seems to me like y’all are the type of folks who do more than just sit on your haunches readin’ books all day,” said Quick.
Applejack chuckled. “Your darn right, Mr. Quick. We leave that to Twilight and Rainbow. Nah, we need something more utilarian.”
“That’s utilitarian, Darling,” supplied Rarity.
“Right, like I said. Something useful. What can you tell me about this one here?”
“Ahh, got your eye on ol’ Bessy, huh? Best cart we got. Largest cart, too. Great for hauling kids and cargo alike. Has a brand new, state-of-the-art suspension that allows you to haul as much as six times the capacity of other carts on the market. It’s made of solid mahogany, and the hoof-carved woodwork ensures that not only will you be hauling the largest load anypony has ever seen, you’ll look good doin’ it. Care to take it for a test drive?”
“I would lo—“ began Applejack.
“How much?” asked Rarity.
“Rares, can’t we at least try it out ‘fore you get all miserly on me?”
“I’d be happy to discuss price with you while your wife tests it out. I also forgot to mention that this is also top of the line when it comes to safety. Each spring on the suspension is independently certified to withstand the strain of a full load by itself, and it comes with a special magic crystal that automatically takes the weight off of a wheel in the extremely unlikely event something happens. And with our Deluxe Security package, even the tiniest of foals would be able to pull the cart without fear of losing control, thanks to our patented Loyal Dog system. No worries about it getting out of control, ever.”
“C’mon, Rares? What do you say?” asked Applejack, a pleading look in her eyes.
“Can you give us a second, Mr. Sales?” said Rarity.
“Of course. I’ll be right over there in my office if you have any further questions.”
“Thank you,” said Rarity.
“Whatcha think, Sugar? That there’s one mighty fine cart.”
“Yes, Applejack, it is fine. A little too fine, if you ask me. Do we really need all of that? And you don’t find it curious that he refused to mention the price? Every cart in here has a price out in the open except this one. Why is that, do you think? He’s hiding something.”
“Well, he weren’t lyin’, Sugarcube. Everything he said felt like honest truth.”
“It probably was, Applejack. It probably does have all those things. Which means we can’t afford it.”
“But Rarity—“ said Applejack.
“No buts, Darling. You agreed you would stay within budget. It’s bad enough I’ve got a fussy baby to deal with, as well as your headstrong son who won’t GET DOWN OFF OF THERE THIS INSTANT! I’m tired, and we’ve been out here all day. Pick a cart that is within the number I gave you earlier, or I swear to Celestia I’ll have Twilight figure out a way to banish you to the moon.”
“You wouldn’t,” said Applejack, eyeing her wife.
The glare the white unicorn shot at Applejack told her that Rarity would indeed follow through with her threats, as well as much more if she wasn’t obeyed, and quickly.
Sighing, Applejack turned and walked towards the office where the young salespony was just finishing up some paperwork.
“While I appreciate all your help, I weren’t able to convince the wife about Bessy. But she did agree on letting me take home a brand new cart today. So we’re gonna go with one of them Li’l Wagoneers.”
“I see. Well, maybe next time. Bessy isn’t for everypony. Still, the Li’l Wagoneer is a fine choice. I guess I only have one question.
Rarity stared at the door to the unfamiliar building and gulped. Am I really doing this? The unicorn thought to herself. She turned to Applejack, whom was beaming with anticipation. Rarity felt her smirk shift into weak little smile. ‘No, I must. For my darling. For Applejack.’
Applejack grabbed the door and held it open. “After you, madam,” Applejack drawled with a tip of her hat.
Rarity advanced slowly with the pangs of both apprehension and hunger in her stomach. She turned once more to read the large sign advertising the business that she was about to enter: BIG HAL HORSESHOE’S COUNTRY DINER. She sighed and hoped that Celestia, or in this case Big Hal Horseshoe, would have mercy on her soul.
The apprehensive seamstress observed the partially occupied premises and could already tell that this lunch was not going to do her stomach any favors (or her reputation for that matter); the walls were lined with cheap, fake wood paneling, the floor a matted, stained beige carpet, the tables and chairs no more than industrial spools and other mismatched, repurposed factory and construction materials. Rarity felt her nose wrinkle with as the scents of cornbread and heated gravy wafted past her muzzle.
“Mmm-mmm,” Applejack exclaimed, “you smell that, Rare? That’s the smell of a meal that’ll stick to your ribs.”
“Uh-huh,” Rarity weakly replied. “Applejack, darling,” Rarity began after taking a closer look around, “ where is the host?”
Applejack waved her hoof dismissively, “Aw, they don’t bother with none o’ that here, Sugarcube. Ya just take a seat wherever. Now lessee if we cain’t find a good spot.”
Applejack was so concerned with finding a ‘good spot’ that she failed to notice Rarity’s right eye began to twitch.
“There’s one! Right by the kitchen, that way we can see our food gettin’ made firsthoof!”
The two mares moved toward the back of the restaurant where a plump yet sturdy brown stallion with balding black mane could be seen slaving over a cast iron skillet on a roaring flame through a grime-encrusted order window covered with white slips.
“Applejack, izzat you?” the stallion called out to the pair of diners.
“Howdy Big Hal!” Applejack practically shouted despite only being about 4 meters away, ”Hope yer ready for a real appetite in there!”
Applejack chuckled and her advance slowed to a stop as she gestured toward a table that looked just as equally shabby as all the rest in the establishment. Rarity sighed as she halfheartedly took her place on an old metal wash bin repurposed for seating. In the center of the makeshift table there sat a metal support holding up two red paper menus. Rarity levitated one to herself and began examining her options. An older looking mauve mare with her chestnut mane tied into a sloppy bun made her way over to the couple.
“Hey there Applejack,” the waitress drawled; while her accent was no where near as pronounced as Applejack’s, it was definitely there, “who’s this pretty little thang?”
“Verna, this here is Rarity. She’s my, uh, well that is to say….”
“Why Miss Applejack, you have a sweetheart! Don’t that just beat all?”
Applejack and Rarity looked at each and then abruptly looked in separate directions, blushing slightly. Applejack was the first to recover and speak.
“Yeah, we’ve been together fer a few weeks now and Ah just wanted to share a little bit more of my life with somepony so special to me.”
“That’s right nice of ya, hun. Now what can I get for you two pretty gals ta drink?” the waitress asked, pulling a pen and small notepad from her apron.
“Ah’ll take an iced tea. Rarity?”
“Iced tea sounds delightful.”
“Two fresh iced teas, comin’ up! Oh,” the waitress practically gasped, “I almost forgot ta ask, but did y’all wanna order now, or didya need a few more minutes?”
Applejack nodded and Verna shifted her attention to the white unicorn.
“I do believe I’ll need just a few more minutes to decide,” Rarity said sheepishly, not wanting to fully admit just how out of her comfort zone she felt.
“Alright then. I’ll be right back with two fresh sweet iced teas," Verna said, moving as an experienced waitress can.
“So what are ya thinkin’ of getting?”
“Hmm, I’m not quite sure. What do you normally get, darling?”
“Usually Ah just get whatever Hal’s lunch special is.”
"Do you happen to know what the special is today?"
"Well, today’s Thursday right? Usually the Thursday special is somethin’ with fried okra.”
“Fried okra?”
“Mmm-hmm,” Applejack nodded for emphasis, “somethin’ like a fried okra salad or a hay burger with fried okra.”
“I see,” Rarity turned her attention back to the menu for a few moments before their drinks arrived.
“Y’all about done decidin’ on some grub?” Verna questioned.
“Ah know what Ah want; Ah’ll take the lunch special. Rarity?”
“Ah, yes,” Rarity cleared her throat, “what is today’s special?”
“Today’s special is fried okra and smothered hay fries along with our signature cornbread muffins with a side'a country gravy.”
Rarity jumped in her seat. “I beg your pardon, but did you say SMOTHERED hay fries?”
Verna proudly nodded,“Mmm-hmm, hay fries covered in cheese with a spicy mayo drizzle.”
“I see..” Rarity trailed off as she observed Applejack’s hopeful expression and made her decision, “...I suppose one fried food meal wouldn’t exactly kill me. I will also take the special.”
Verna nodded once more, scribbling quickly in her notepad. “Alright y’all, I’ll be back in two shake of a lamb’s tail with them plates, ya hear?” And with that, the waitress was gone.
“Whadaya think of the place so far, Rare?”
“Well Applejack,” Rarity began, feeling more at ease to speak her mind without a third party present, “it certainly isn’t the type of place that I’d normally find myself waltzing into, but I must admit that it isn’t exactly what I was expecting either.”
Applejack’s expression went from receptive to puzzled, “What do ya mean by that?”
“This place may look a bit..unkempt, and the menu selection may seem a bit... hearty, I can tell that the employees and customers really do enjoy this restaurant. That type of pride in a place so, erm, humble is quite refreshing to see,” Rarity looked across the table into two green pools of genuine affection and felt her face begin to flush again, “Thank you for bringing me here and sharing more of your world with me, Applejack.”
“Sure thing, sugarcube. ‘N just wait until you taste the food!”
Rarity nodded as she finally took a sip from her glass of iced tea and almost spit it back out; it was so sweet she may as well have been drinking maple syrup on the rocks.
Rarity and Applejack always have been proud of their daughter, Golden Apple. She was the smartest foal in her class and learned magic quite easily. Though they loved their children equally, being that Golden was their only daughter they seemed to glorify her.
“Mommy, can you read me a story?" The young colt asked, a book in his mouth muffling his voice.
“Hambergite Apple Belle! What did i say about carrying things in your mouth?” Rarity asked, tapping a hoof on the ground.
“I'm sorry mommy, I didn't mean to. It's just, it's hard to carry things without a horn.” The earth pony colt trotted away in shame, feeling he let his mother down.
Just as that happened Applejack and their daughter Golden Apple came trotting in side by side in excitement.
“Guess what Mommy! I carried all the apples we picked from two trees!” Golden smiled, flicking her purple and blonde stripped hair out of her eyes.
“She saved me a lot of time out in the field! I'd said that cider season might come early because of her!”Applejack smiled, ruffling her daughter's hair.
“That's wonderful!” Rarity, the ever proud mother smiled. "I knew you would be special when I first saw your magic as a little filly!" Rarity gave her daughter a motherly nuzzle.
Hambergite, who had overheard the conversation, burst into tears. Running past his sister and mothers, he fled to the sanctuary of his room, closing the door behind him.
“What happened to him?” Applejack asked, setting her signature Stetson on the hat rack.
“I don't know." Rarity rubbed her chin. "Maybe it has to do with me not reading to him?” Rarity shrugged, looking at her wife.
“I don't like it when he cries...”Golden stared at the closed door, her ears folding back in sadness.
“We should talk to him Rares. You know how sensitive he is.” Applejack looked at her wife.
“Okay, let's go.” Rarity nodded in agreement.
As Golden went off to work on homework, Rarity and Applejack walked toward Hambergite's room. Gently opening the door, they saw him sobbing into his pillow.
“What is it sweetheart?”Rarity said, sitting on the bed, gently stroking his back.
“You like Golden more than me because she's a filly." Hambergite sniffled, looking at his mother through watery red eyes.
“Where in the hey did you get that silly idea” Applejack say sitting next to her son on the bed.
“Because you always praise her and always say she's special." Hambergite turned away from his parents, "You don't ever praise me."
Hearing this made Applejack and Rarity feel awful as they knew that what he said was right. They had been giving Gloden more attention as they were proud mothers happy to see their daughter be the chip of the old block. Or blocks in this case.
"Oh darling! I'm so sorry!" Rarity swept her son up into a tight embrace.
“Yeah," Applejack said, joining the hug, "I guess we just thought you wouldn't want a lot of our affection, because we'd be embarrassing you."
”Which is unacceptable of us.” Rarity added, leaning back to look her son in the eyes.
“Why wouldn't I?" Ham asked, confusion in his eyes.
“Some colts don't, I suppose." Rarity shrugged, "But we should have know better to play into stereotypes.” Rarity stroked his soft short light purple mane.
“We love you more than you will ever know!” Applejack said, bopping him on the nose, causing the colt to giggle.
The door creaked open, revealing a concerned Golden. "Is Hammy okay?"
“He's fine now sugarcube, c'mon in." Applejack beckoned the filly in.
“Good!" Golden ran over and took his brothers hoof, "C'mon! I wanna show you something in the field!"
“Okay!” Hambergite hopped up, his spirits now fully lifted, and ran with his sister down the stairs.
Applejack kissed Rarity soundly on the lips before saying ”We have the best foals two mothers could want!”
“Indeed my love.” Rarity replied listening to the laughter of the children outside, "Indeed."
The pale skinned young woman donning a wide brimmed, corn silk colored sun hat daintily fanned herself with her collapsible fan, the wood and fabric decorated with intricate yet alluring Asian motifs. She sat on a forest green blanket beneath the wide canopy of an apple tree, her right leg and ankle propped up by a roll of hay that was covered with a red and white flannel shirt. The young woman reclined against the tree, easily so with her purse and a heavy denim jacket at her back to act as a makeshift pillow.
The western orchard of Sweet Apple Acres was teaming with ripe apples hanging fully formed from their branches, and the day was so bright and crisp that the young woman could still see the dew hanging from some of the leaves. Such clarity! Such beautiful flora, maintained by practiced hands and affectionate tending. Though in a honesty, the beauty of the orchard was the farthest thing from the woman’s mind.
After spraining her ankle from falling over a raised tree root, the young woman, known to many as Rarity, sadly could not go through with her original plans of helping her farmer with the western orchard as she had said she would. Rarity, however, refused to abandon the farmer, Applejack, as she tended her family’s land, so she opted for “studying” the work regime that was necessary for harvesting apples. So Applejack had tried to make the fashion forward lady as comfortable as could be allowed, given the circumstances. She even used her own favorite shirt to make the roll of hay more bearable for resting Rarity’s aching ankle. After making sure she was comfortable, Applejack had returned to work. Rarity fanned herself again as she watched the farmer go about her work, a subtle grin playing at her ruby red lips.
‘Oh, but that’s not all you’re ‘studying’, is it, you dirty birdy?~’
Rarity watched as Applejack easily hefted five wooden apple buckets out of her cart in one swift motion, the tall blonde moving about as if on auto-pilot. The world seemed to move in slow motion as Rarity, with her keen eye for details, took in the lovely display of power. Rough and calloused hands held firm grips on the weathered rims of the buckets, arms taut and muscles standing out as she carried them. The suns’ light reflected off the sheen of sweat on Applejack’s tanned arms, neck and face, bringing out the lines of muscle even more. Rarity was so lost in thought that she wasn’t aware of the loud flapping noise her fan was producing, making the apple farmer stop in her work and attend to her, squatting down to the woman’s eye level while passing an arm over her forehead to swipe at the falling sweat.
“Rarity? Sugar cube, you alright?”
If not for the feather light touch from a calloused hand, Rarity was sure to have ogled the sight even more. With a lady like *ahem* and a shaky flap of her fan, the purple haired woman gave her most convincing smile and batted her lashes at the concerned blonde.
“Oh, Applejack! Darling, I’m fine, just a tad…flustered.”
‘Mm-hm.”
“Er, by the heat, dear!”
Applejack gave her a lopsided grin and a brief peck to the fashionista’s cheek as she rose back onto her booted feet to return to her buckets.
She flexed her fingers, wrists and arms and reared her arm back, priming to strike the tree. Before she let out a cracking punch to the tree, Applejack grinned widely and yelled out towards Rarity without turning her head around.
“I thought it was yer left leg ya done messed up, sugar!”
There was dead silence behind her, save for the sudden *crack* of fist to tree.
Applejack didn't expect Rarity to return her feelings. Not in a million years. And there were two (very good, as far as she was concerned) reasons for this.
First off, Applejack was a farmer who wasn't ladylike or anything like that at all, got sweaty and dirty regularly as part of her job, and had no sense of grace or fashion or anything like that whatsoever.
Second... Applejack was quite decidedly a mare. And at that point, it had been made plain to see, on multiple occasions, that Rarity preferred stallions.
Applejack laid her head in her hooves as she sat in a bench in the park, convinced that the mare of her dreams could never be hers...
A year later...
Rarity rested her head against Applejack's chest, the blankets draped over them as they got ready to sleep.
The two had been dating for the better part of a year, and Applejack couldn't have been happier. But in the back of Applejack's mind a question still lingered...
"Hey, Rare..." Applejack said. "I just wanted to ask..." She hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. "Never mind. It's nothin' important."
Rarity grasped Applejack's chin with a hoof, tilting it downward so she could look into her eyes. "Sweetheart, you can tell me anything." She said, with the utmost sincerity in her voice. "Even if you don't think it's important."
Applejack gave a soft smile, blushing. "It's just... you prefer stallions. I know you do. So why did you...?"
"Ask you out?" Rarity finished. At Applejack's nod, she giggled and said "Well, let's just say that, for me, 'preference' is a bit more literal."
At the confusion evident in Applejack's face, Rarity rolled her eyes and smiled, whispering in Applejack's ear. "I'm bisexual, darling."
Applejack's eyes widened. "Ohh..... OH. That, uh, explains a lot." Applejack said. "I mean, besides why we're dating." Images filled her mind of behavior that suddenly made a lot more sense considering Rarity... played for both teams, so to speak.
Rarity gave Applejack a kiss on the cheek, and nuzzled up next to her. "Honestly, I'm surprised you waited this long to ask."
Applejack gave a bit of an embarrassed chuckle and laid a kiss on Rarity's forehead, before the two drifted off to sleep.
Applejack didn’t deal in sudden changes. Things changed slowly. Some ponies thought that leaves budded or crops sprouted overnight – she’d run across them from time to time marveling over the sudden bloom of greenery in spring, tourists who’d obviously never participated in an honest, hardworking, hooves-in-the-dirt Winter Wrap Up. It was always worst when it was an earth pony from Manehattan, because it was hard to believe any earth pony could think life sprang out of the ground fully formed, as if it was made by unicorn magic rather than nurtured by earth magic, over time and with plenty of unseen effort.
But she couldn’t remember any gradual changes that had led to thinking Rarity was beautiful. It felt like it happened all in one moment, and it frustrated her because that was clearly a load of horseapples: ponies didn’t just find something beautiful when they hadn’t a minute earlier.
Of course she’d always known that Rarity was beautiful, in one sense, because all ponies were beautiful. Beauty had nothing to do with lookin’ good under a spotlight. External appearances didn’t matter, unless said appearance was a healthy, ripe apple, which told you everything you needed to know about the flesh inside.
But the first time she felt beauty could have something to do with looks as well as heart was – in Rarity’s words – certainly the unlikeliest of circumstances. Applejack herself was holding a posture, which she’d basically sworn she’d never do again after hightailin’ it out of Manehattan so many years ago. Rarity, meanwhile, was hollerin’ about repulsive filth on her hooves, by which she meant mud, though o’course it was typical that she couldn’t just say it.
Rarity’s attitude to dirt had downright infuriated her in the beginning of their friendship. Months later she could still hardly believe that anypony cared so much about something that washed off so easily. Maybe it said something funny about her that the moment Rarity looked certifiably worse than ever, covered in mud, was the moment when Applejack first found her beautiful. Or maybe it just made sense, because she wasn’t all gussied up… but Applejack had seen her like that before, without such a reaction.
She felt pride that Rarity had snapped out of her infatuation, and a bit of satisfaction that she’d helped her to do so. Happiness at seeing Rarity back to herself, even though that meant screaming about meaningless stains.
She felt all of those things, and she also felt a noticeable clench down in the very pit of her body. It was new to her, in a flash in the pan, unimportant way that didn’t matter the way reassuring Rarity and getting rid of Trenderhoof mattered.
She felt it again later though. Afterwards at the festival, Rarity was, well… a rarity, radiant thanks to a sparkle in her eyes as well as the sparkling gems on her gown. Nothing made a beautiful dress stand out like a beautiful mare wearing it – and maybe the knowledge of how terrible said mare looked while out of her mind in ill-fitting dungarees.
She’d remembered that, chuckling, and recalled all the earlier feelings, still chuckling, and then thought: Rarity’s beautiful. And she felt that tingle beyond her stomach again, and stopped laughing.
Applejack had made Rarity into a better pony, who felt able to stay true to herself, and didn't turn her nose up at mud and physical labour quite so much anymore. But Rarity had made Applejack into a better pony too, one who could love the pony Rarity actually was, rather than the pony Applejack had often wished she was. And that pony was beautiful, in dungarees or in a dress.
They’d changed each other...
For one thing, Rarity had changed her from a pony who’d always thought that feeling an attraction to somepony based on looks was impossible, into one that now knew it wasn’t, because it had just happened to her.
That sudden change to a lot of important outlooks, and the questions it raised, wasn’t something Applejack felt like dealing with right then. Or maybe ever. She grabbed a drink, wide-eyed, and went looking for Rainbow Dash, who was definitely not beautiful.
Applejack painted a final stroke, then set the brush down, wiped the sweat off her brow, and stepped back to admire her work. She grinned widely. Perfect. She leaned in close and looked at an angle, confirming what she already knew: as nice and smooth as the unblemished skin of an apple.
She glanced over at the sound of hooves approaching, and saw Rarity coming in, carrying a fancy tea set on a silver platter in her magic. Applejack chuckled. “Tea's a bit warm for a time like this, isn't it?”
“Not quite,” Rarity said with a small smile as she began serving their drinks. “It's a cool mint julep. I would have put it in other glasses, but these were all I had.” She levitated a cup over.
Applejack chuckled as she took it. She took a sip and her ears pricked up. “Now that's nice and sweet,” she said, quickly taking another sip. “Why, thank you,” Rarity said, pleased that her offering had been received. “It's an old family recipe.”
“Most of our old family recipes have been copied and written with so many variations that nopony knows whose is the original,” Applejack mused. “Makes family reunions fun because then it's a guessing game to see who brought what.” She cracked a smile and shook her head as another memory came to mind. “But everypony knows what great aunt Honeysuckle brought. Last time I tried something she made, I took a big bite and couldn't taste right for a week.”
“Too much honey?” Rarity guessed.
Applejack pulled a face. “Salt, actually. Lost her glasses and was too proud to ask for help.”
Rarity chuckled sympathetically. “Sweetie Belle has done that once or twice,” she said. “Her sugar cookies were only good for magical target practice.”
“I'm guessing she tried that, too?”
“She certainly did. Only one window pane casualty, thankfully.”
Applejack cracked a smile.
“But enough about ponies who aren't here to defend themselves. How was the work?”
Applejack jerked her head towards the wall she'd just finished painting. “Not bad. Not bad at all. You know, now that I think about it, the paint underneath didn't look too shabby.” A devious smile flitted across her lips. “If'n I didn't know any better, I'd say you just brought me over to watch me work.”
Rarity chuckled with just a hint of nervousness. “Now, really, Applejack,” she said, taking a sip of her own cup. “That would be a bit crass, wouldn't it?”
“Oh, I dunno,” Applejack said slyly. “We do it all the time on the farm. Sometimes it's just too much for just us, so we get us a couple of young farmhooves, out in the field, young, virile stallions…”
Rarity nearly slammed her cup down. “That's-” She blushed slightly. “I mean…”
Applejack chuckled and took another sip. “I'm just joshing you, you know,” she said. “No extra stallions on the farm.”
Rarity exhaled and made a valiant attempt to hide her relief behind her teacup.
“We do get the occasional mare, though. Lots of pretty fillies around here, ready to work hard.”
Rarity choked on her drink.
Applejack laughed, but not unkindly. “It's just too easy to get a rise outta you, Rares, you know that?”
Rarity's ears burned pink as she hid behind her teacup. “So I've heard,” she mumbled.
Applejack decided to take mercy on her and changed the subject. “Fall lineup going well?”
“Oh, yes,” Rarity said, brightening. She set her teacup down, now back in full fashion mode. “As it turns out, my little fashion hunch proved spot on. My new designs are all the rage in Canterlot! You would not believe who's been seen wearing them! Oh, it's been just wonderful…”
* * *
No matter how much they enjoyed their conversations, the day waited for nopony. Celestia began to lower the sun, and Applejack cast a nervous glance outside.
Rarity caught her looking. “Is it time?” she asked.
Applejack nodded dolefully. “Yep. Got a few more things left to do back home 'afore it gets too dark.”
Rarity nodded regretfully as she gathered their cups. “I suppose I did go a little overboard. I didn't mean to talk your ear off.”
“I enjoyed it,” Applejack insisted. “Really.”
Rarity smiled. “I'm glad.”
There was another moment of silence, and then, with a polite tip of her hat, Applejack turned to leave.
Before she crossed through the door, though, she paused, and looked back over her shoulder. “Oh, and, uh, by the way, the paint on your back fence is looking a little worn. Just in case you were wondering.”
Rarity cracked a smile. “Is that so?”
“Yeah. If'n you're open to it, I could definitely stop by and give it a new coat this weekend. Or next. Just let me know.”
“Then I suppose I'll be seeing you again soon,” Rarity said.
“I suppose you're right,” Applejack said, tipping her hat. “See ya!” And with that, she turned around and headed back to the orchard, her tail bobbing merrily as she trotted away.
Rarity watched her leave with a wry smile on her face. Most of her interactions with Applejack went similarly, and she found that she had yet to determine if she were the courter or the courtee.
Still, she mused as she watched Applejack's hindquarters sway with her gentle gait, that wasn't so bad, was it?
The buzz of conversation accompanied by classical music played in Applejack’s ears, following her twisting, turning and squeezing through the sea of ponies. Many irritated cries were thrown, in protest, at her; to calm herself, she took a deep breath of the stuffy ballroom air, tinged with the scent of sickeningly sweet perfume and lavish delicacies.
Applejack fanned herself. Hugged by a regal gown, the many ruffled fabric layers insulated the ever-growing heat. It only nurtured her annoyance – mentally she swore, “If it weren’t for the sake of Rarity, I would’ve torn this darn get off ages ago.” At the thought of said pony, the Earth Pony ascended onto the tips of her hooves and briskly scanned the ballroom. “Where in Equestria is-"
Suddenly, Applejack broke off mid-mental-sentence when her emerald eyes rested upon an alabaster Unicorn. A sigh of relief escaped her lips. Continuing the journey of exasperated shouts, Applejack made her way to her destination.
A group of three Unicorns mingled, two off them pointing their snouts towards to the roof; Applejack trained her gaze on the other one and casually trotted forwards. “Hiya Rares!”
At the call of her name, Rarity jerked her head in the direction she had heard the voice and her features instantly lit up. “Darling, do join us.”
Applejack accepted the invitation and stepped forwards, pressing against Rarity’s side as she swung her arm over her neck.
“Who’s this?” The female of the other two asked, examining Applejack with a half-lidded expression.
“Oh, my apologies,” Rarity placed a hoof to her chest. “Jet Set and Upper Crust, this Applejack,” She motioned towards the Earth Pony as she tipped her Stetson. “Applejack, this is Jest Set and Upper Crust.”
“Howdy,” Applejack offered her hoof. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Screwing his large snout, Jest Set s-l-o-w-l-y returned the gesture. Much to the dismay of Upper Crust, shown by her face twisting into disdain, the stallion was violently shook up and down. “The feeling is mutual,” He breathed, his right eye twitching.
“How do ponies such as you know each other?” Upper Crust begrudgingly asked.
“Friends or sisters perhaps?” Jest Set suggest. Momentarily, his eyes flitted towards the Upper Crust and a small, sly smirk grew on their lips. “Or even… wives?”
“Yes we are, darlings,”
Jest Set raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
“Applejack here is my dear wife,” Rarity explained, pecking the pony next to her a peck on the cheek.
Both Unicorns flushed a dark, visible crimson. “Actual...Fillyfoolers?!” Upper Crust spat. Without another word, their snouts pointed to the roof like a filly pointing to sweets as they harrumphed away.
Applejack smiled at her partner. “Sugar cube? I’m as glad as heck you ain’t like them,” She cheerfully appraised. “I love you.”
“Oh, darling, I know – I love you also,” Unexpectedly, Rarity pulled Applejack into a passionate kiss as the surrounding world, full of disapproval, melted away.
Applejack glanced over. The unicorn stood on her hind legs with her front hooves up on the windowsill, and she was leaning forward, so that her interest in the view outside was clear.
“What is it?” Applejack asked. Pointless, in some respects, since she was going to join Rarity at the window anyway whatever the answer.
“It’s snowing,” Rarity said, and then she exclaimed, “Ooh!” with such obvious joy that Applejack couldn’t help but smile.
“That so? Even though it’s spring?”
Rarity looked over her shoulder with a smile of her own. “Perhaps somepony told the local weather team we’re on vacation.”
Applejack nudged the open suitcase on the floor. “You been hiding Rainbow Dash in here somehow? I mean, I did think the case was kinda heavy, even considerin’ all your, er, essentials.”
Rarity shook her head and giggled all at the same time. “Oh, hush, you,” she said. Applejack’s grin grew even wider when she saw Rarity blushing. “Come and see for yourself, if you don’t believe me.”
Quietly, Applejack picked something off the top of the dresser. Rarity’s process of unpacking always involved choosing what to wear as well, and the whole affair inevitably left more clothes on the floor than in wardrobes or drawers.
“Look out there,” Rarity said to her, hearing her hoofsteps against the floor. “What did I tell you?”
“Pretty sight,” Applejack murmured, looking briefly at the white swirling past the window before returning her focus to the real beauty in front of her. “Real pretty.”
“Isn’t it marvellous? We’re so lucky.”
“Yep,” said Applejack, close enough now to feel warmth radiating from Rarity’s body. It’d be a shame to lose any of that lovely heat.
She leaned closer and nuzzled Rarity’s neck. A tiny shiver against her lips made her flush as well.
“Mmm, darling, what are you doing?”
“Well, I think you fancy sorts call this accessorising, sugar.” Applejack began to wrap Rarity’s neck in what she had picked up off the dresser: a scarf of several pastel yarns crocheted together into a pattern that Rarity found pleasing, but Applejack could barely tell from all the others like it. Still, she’d realised that didn’t really matter. “You ain’t exactly gonna come outside with me without a scarf, are you?”
“For you, Applejack, I’d consider anything.”
Rarity sounded quite serious, and thinking about it, wasn’t it great that Applejack knew she was - and that it didn’t need to turn the moment into something heavy?
Applejack chuckled. “Good to know. Still, you don’t have to consider that, at any rate. Scarves are no bad thing in snow.”
Rarity nuzzled Applejack’s cheek, and she met the action halfway. “What do you suppose brought a snowfall on, anyway?” she asked.
Rarity adjusted the scarf and then stepped towards the bed. “I daresay there was leftover snow in the weather factory?” She picked up Applejack’s hat, walked back over to her, and carefully placed it on her head, brushing an errant lock of golden hair away from her mouth to complete the process. “But like I said, I think we’re just lucky.”
“Yeah,” Applejack agreed, catching Rarity’s hoof in her own.
Held in her hoof, Applejack stared at the bouquet of roses. In an attempt to calm her nerves, she took in a deep breath of the morning air, tinged with the scent of fresh, crisp grass. The hammering of her heart drove the adrenaline through her veins and her thoughts erratically tornado-ed around her head.
Hesitantly, she rows a shaky hoof to the door and knock, knock, knocked.
“Coming!” Lilted a regal, soprano voice. The sound was usually heaven to Applejack; after a stressful day, encountering that voice would wash over her like a wave of serenity – but then, it did the complete opposite. Added with clop of cantering hooves, Applejack’s nerves only grew.
The chime of a bell rung through the air. “Welcome to Carousel Boutique–‘’ Rarity suddenly paused at sight of the Earth Pony and her professional expression melted into one of delight. “Applejack! To what do I owe the pleasure, darling?”
A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. So far, so good. “Hiya, sugar cube,” Applejack bashfully presented the flowers to Rarity. “Oh, and, uh… happy Hearts and Hooves day.” She bit her lip and her cheeks glowed crimson.
Rarity’s vision flittered towards the offered gifted and her features quickly morphed into shock. She placed a hoof to her snowy chest. “Applejack?”
“I understand if you don’t feel the same way,” Applejack whispered. “After all, a Unicorn as lady-like and gorgeous as you would expectantly be happiest with some fancy-smancy stallion. But,” She gazed into those beautiful sapphire eyes. “At least give me the chance to ask ‘Rarity would you kindly to the honour of going out on a date?’”
“Why would you ever think that?”
“Huh?” was what incoherently jumped out of Applejack’s vocal cords.
“Don’t just jump to conclusions, darling,” Rarity lightly laughed before grasping the prize in her arctic blue magic and gently sniffing their delicate fragrance. She fluttered her lashes at Applejack. “I would love too.”
All of the previous emotions melted away, replaced by pure elation. The nerves she felt prior were completely and utterly pointless – quoted, as her parents had said to her many times, she was ‘walking on sunshine’.
