Part One: We were both young, when I first saw you…
The tall buildings of Manehatten never appealed to Caramel. He would always try to glimpse the night sky but its bright majesty was always concealed by obnoxious billboards or dulled by the light of the bustling city. A sea of concrete teeming with carriages swimming through it rough current was all most ponies knew about the city, but Caramel knew of an island in the city where he was free to relax away from the watching eyes of other ponies and just be himself.
The Great Mane Park of Manehatten had seen better days. The high building make delivering proper rainfall difficult and the city, despite being the most metropolitan of any in Equestria, lacked Earth ponies with the knowledge to protect it. Most ponies don’t even come to visit it, making a perfect place a colt to run off to be inspired. Strolling under the few remaining healthy trees allowed his mind to wander back to how he got his cutie mark. He’d been a tad more adventurous in his youth and bit off more than he could chew when he mouthed off with a group of tough colts messing with the fillys in his class. As it turns out his bark was worse than his bite as he was pursued by the obviously stronger colts after school. He bolted into the Park hoping they would give up, but his luck continued to run out. He ran a tense game of hide and seek against his aggressors, but he knew it was a matter of time before they caught him. He began to run towards a small hill, knowing that he was surrounded he closed his eyes. When suddenly he tripped over a small indentation in the ground covered it dust and leaves. Upon investigating it was small hatch to an abandoned maintenance tunnel. Seeking shelter, within his pursuers abandoned their hunt due this his disappearing act. Upon emerging from the safety of the tunnel he was shocked to find that he had discovered a trio of blue horseshoes on his flank. It was family tradition to have that mark. It meant luck. Though many of his fellow class mates laughed about how his mark should’ve been for cowardice Caramel was proud to carry his family distinctive mark, even though he felt that he sometimes got more bad luck than good.
He still ventured back to that tunnel, having turned it into his own private oasis on his green island in the city. He usually would take off on weekends for extended alone time to just be lost in himself, rather than the stuffy conversations of his parents high society soirees. As he approached his little hollow, the newest Daring Do adventure tucked into his saddle bags, he heard a peculiar noise. It sounded like a huge crash against a tree. He looked and saw some leaves falling from a tree up the path. As he grew near the source, the sound grew louder and he could hear the sounds a labored grunts. As he turned the corner he was met by a beautiful sight.
A small earth pony filly with radiant golden hair tied into simple tails. Her orange colored coat glistened with sweat. He watched as she pushed herself on to her forelegs and let forth a powerful kick shaking many leaves from the tree. He watched her do this a few moments entranced by her beauty and her raw power as she moved from tree to tree. Eventually he saw her sit down on her haunches panting, exhausted from the strenuous activity. Mustering his courage he quietly walked up to her. Usually he felt shy around other ponies, but something made him feel that she need somepony, like she was lonely or missing something. He stopped a good few feet away from her as she just looked longingly into the horizon obscured by the buildings.
“Um, hello.” He spoke softly hoping not to spook the filly. She turned her head to face him. If she was beautiful afar then up close was heavenly. Cute freckles dotted her face, but what really caught his attention were her enormous emerald eyes. They simply drew him into her. She looked back him and extended a hoof. He reached out and met hers, and was gripped in a tight and vigorous hoofsake. He could tell she had strength in her back legs by the way she hit those trees, but the grip in her forehooves seemed just as strong once released she introduced herself.
“Howdy! The name’s Applejack. What’s yer’s” She spoke with a thick country accent, only recognizable to Caramel from listening to The Lone Wrangler on the radio. He quickly regained his composer and relied.
“Um, howdy?...um, my name is Caramel.” They held an awkward silence where the only sound was the soft rustling of leaves. “Do you, um, do you live here?” He mentally kicked himself for asking such a dumb question.
“Eeyup, Ah live up here with mah Aunt and Uncle. But Ah’m new. Only been here a month or so. You?”
“Uh, yeah. I’ve lived here my whole life.” The rustling of the leaves was all that kept the silence from becoming unbearable.
“D’yah come her off’n.” She asked, snapping Caramel out of her emerald eyes.
“Um, yes. I come here to think sometimes.”
“It’s a mighty nice place to do that.” She said looking off into the tree line. Caramels eyes to the chance to look over the young filly. Her golden mane and tail were tied behind her. Her orange coat was wet with perspiration from whatever it was that she was doing with those trees. His eyes drifted to her flank discovering it was blank. This puzzled him as most of the foalts in his school already had their cutie marks. He was raised better to hold his gaze on a filly’s flank…but he didn’t mind the sight. “Beautiful sight ain’t it.” Her statement shocking him back into reality he trotted over and sat with her as she just looked off in the distance as the noon summer sun drifted down lazily.
“It certainly is.”
“It reminds me of home.”
“Where are you from?”
“Ponyville. It’s a small town, but ya’ll never find a more gentle place or kinder ponies than those in Ponyville.” She said a small sigh escaping her as she drifted into nostalgia.
“You lived with your parents down there?”
“Um, nope. Never really knew mah folks. Heard they were nice ponies. But Ah just lived with my Granny, my big brother and my baby sister on our farm.”
“You worked on a farm.”
“Yes sir. Finest Apple Orchard in Equestria. Sweet Apple Acres. Me and mah kin have been bucking the finest apples of the sturdiest apple trees for as long as most ponies can remember.
“Bucking?” He blushed, having heard that word used by his uncle in a different context. He thought for a moment, remembering how she was knocking against the trees earlier. “Was that what you were doing over there?” Caramel asked, pointing at the trees he saw her at. She blushed lightly.
“Yup. You wanna try?”
“Uh, sure.”
Caramel and Applejack spent the afternoon together. Despite this being Caramel’s free time away from family and school and usually preferred to spend it alone, he couldn’t be happier to spend it with this amazing filly. They played hide and seek amongst the old benches and statues in the park. He showed her around his secret hiding spot. She showed him how to buck trees like she did back home, resulting in him getting a nasty splinter one his legs. They talked about her time in the city and how different it was for her than her old life in Ponyville. As the sun began to sink the fast friends laid out on a hill under the shade of forgotten trees.
“Applejack, Oh Applejaaaack!!!” a voice cried out down the path.
“Uh oh. Ah’ve gotta git.” She said as she quickly rose to her feet. Caramel got up two, but was dismayed that his new friend was leaving him so quickly.
“Okay. I guess. Nice meeting you.” He said pulling back against a feeling hard feeling in his gut. Suddenly he felt himself drawn into a tight hug. The tightness in his gut subsiding as he felt her against him and he cautiously returned the hug. The remained in each other arms for what felt like an eternity before disengaging.
“It was a pleasure, Sugarcube.” She spoke softly as she rushed down the path following the setting sun.
Caramel felt a warmth all over his body as he watched her leave. He quickly recomposed himself and hurriedly left the park to get back home. His family was expecting him home much earlier, but Caramel didn’t regret a single second of afternoon he spent with that beautiful filly. Applejack.
Part Two: Wonderstruck…
Caramel struggled with his bow tie. Despite the frequency of occasions he had to wear it the offending item always seemed to fight the colt. He never much liked wearing it feeling that it cut off circulation to his head.
Caramel hated getting ready for his parents dull and listless parties. Due the nature of his parents work they were
frequently asked to attended fancy dinner parties, attend operas and other activities that only the Sweet and the Elite can enjoy. He had even once accompanied them to the Grand Galloping Gala in the capital city of Canterlot by in invitation of Celestia herself. His father, Dexter Luciano, was heavily involved with the gaming of Manehatten. He owned several casinos and gambling establishments he allowed his brothers and other family to run. His mother, Licorice ‘Riesen’ Luciano, was the heiress of the premier candy company in Manehatten, Riesen Sweets and Treats. It was Caramel’s mother who dragged him along for these black tie affairs. His father was a salt of the earth immigrant from the frontiers. He worked on the docks before he caught the eye of Miss Riesen. Though his father and mother were nearly equal in terms of wealth, his father was still the down to earth stallion who didn’t have patience for fancy dinner parties and hoity toity rooftop soirees, like the one they were preparing to attend.
“Licorice, Dear. DO I have to wear a tux tonight? I mean were just meeting with some old friends of yours, aren’t we?” Caramel’s father said as came out of the bedroom, evidently having his own fight with his tie. Licorice came over and straightened his tie.
“That is what I thought as well. Turns out they want to introduce their niece who has come to stay with them and have invited practically half the city to show her off.”
“I don’t see why I have to go?” Caramel grumbled giving up now that his bow tie had managed to tie his forehooves together. His mother cantered over to him and began to help groom him.
“I’d be happy to inform you that they asked for you to come as well. You see their niece is the same age as you and they are interested in getting her some friends in the city.” Caramel couldn’t help but think back to Applejack. She was the only filly he wanted to see at that moment, not some fancy froufrou filly. “That’s why I had to wash you so thoroughly. How did you get so dirty dear?”
“I was playing with a friend in the park mom.”
“You mean the old Mane Park. No wonder you were so filthy. Awful place.
“You weren’t so against it when I took you there for our second date. I remember you telling me you much you liked the view of the stars.” Licorice blushed softly at her husband’s statement after she finished fixing her son’s mane.
“That is true. The old place has seen better days. But we can reminisce another time. If we leave now we can be there only a little late.”
***
The rooftop of the Orange’s apartment building always soothed Caramel. Their building was one of the highest in the city and gave the best view of the stars at night. The only place he’d seen the stars brighter was in the Mane Park when he had a campout there. He loved the night sky. The infinite blanket of space and the mare in the moon smiling down on him, he felt like he could escape the monotony of life in the city.
As it turns out his parents weren’t the only ones asked to bring their foals to meet the Orange’s niece. He didn’t like that it was crowded, but was thankful that nopony was bothering him as they clamored about the filly. He just sat at a table watching the sky and dreaming of the brightest star in the city, Applejack. Caramel was fine with not meeting the filly, he doubted she could be his Applejack. Her golden mane was just a vibrant in his memories as they were when he first saw her. Her voice and distinctive accent ringed in his ears, until he heard a different voice.
“Caramel, Equestria to Caramel.” He felt a hoof on his shoulder shaking him from his star gazing and reminiscing. He turned to see his twin sister Toffee. She looked almost exactly like him, save for the obvious differences between colts and fillys. Her mane was longer than his and she was an inch shorter than him despite being a minute older than him.
“Sorry to shake you out of your daydream little brother, but mom and dad want you to be more social at these parties.”
“I just don’t really like these things Toffee. I’d rather be at home doing something productive or maybe just lounging somewhere away from everypony.” Caramel said as he stared of f into the sea of spires and rooftops.
“I understand little brother, but mom loves keeping up appearances and dad would never do anything to make her cross. So, just for tonight, straighten up and enjoy yourself.” She said placing her foreleg on her little brother. Caramel looked at her and smiled. She was right. Their parents would want their children to have fun at these parties or at least feign it. Caramel got up and followed his sister into the main group of ponies. Caramel knew most of them since they all went to the same school. He and his sister parted ways once they entered the crowd. She went with her fillyfriends and he hung about with his best mate Fancy Pants. Fancy Pants was one of the few unicorns born and raised in Manehatten, a traditionally eath pony city. His family was on the elite of the city, even having high regard in Canterlot. The two colts bonded over their mutual disdain for the pompous affairs their families’ dragged them to.
“Caramel my good friend, how smashing it is to see you here. Have you seen fit to make an audience the Oranges’ niece?” The white unicorn said as he straightened his sports jacket. Fancy may have shared with Caramel a dislike of the upper crust but he certainly liked dressing the part.
“Um, no I haven’t.”
“Well my good friend. I would say you should make her acquaintance. She is truly a delight. And may I speak frankly? Truly a spectacular sight to behold.” Caramel stifled a laugh. Fancy fancied himself a filly’s man, always holding his head high and stroking his barely noticeable facial hair. “I do say that she will be quite a catch for any colt. You should go meet her.”
“Um, sure. Just point me in the right direction.”
“That a way my good friend. She’s has an orange coat and a spectacular golden mane.” Fancy pointed deeper into the mass of ponies and waved Caramel off as he went to introduce himself some older fillies who had come to party.
As Caramel ventured through the other colts and fillies, his mind wandered back to what Fancy had said. Orange Coat? Golden mane?…nah couldn’t be. A good ole country cowfilly wouldn’t be caught dead at this party. Plenty of fillies with yellow manes. Caramel thought as he walked between the many ponies at the party. From across the room he could make out the silhouette of a small filly, her mane styled like a beehive, in a flowing dress. As he exited the crowd of ponies he was struck by a wonderful sight. There she was. Orange mane, freckles, golden mane and emerald eyes…it was Applejack. Caramel felt his heart skip a beat. How is this possible? How is she at this party? His thoughts are broken when she turns her gaze upon his.
Her eyes were shimmering green pools reflecting his blue. They held a prolonged and comfortable gaze as if they were conversing on a different level. Her eyes whispering how they had met earlier in the day and fun they had shared. Ignoring the other colts around her she made her way towards the wonderstruck Caramel. Caramel straightened his posture and stood tall as the filly stopped in front of him.
“Well sir. I do believe we’ve made an acquaintance with one another previously.” Caramel was shocked out his bewilderment by the filly’s poorly done Manehattanite accent. “Caramel I do believe. A pleasure to make contact with you once more.” She said in the faux accent as she daintily extended her hoof. Caramel met her hoof and felt electricity run through his veins as they held the hoofshake. It was wasn’t the strong legging he received earlier. It was controlled and cordial. Breaking the connection, Caramel decided to answer his host.
“Um, yes. We have met. Applejack?” he asked, still in skeptical that this filly could be the same as his Applejack.
“Eeyup.” She answered returning briefly to her normal mode of speaking. Caramel felt his heart flutter as he heard her real voice.
“It really is you.” He said as he quickly embraced the filly in a hug. The shared warmth due to the chill night air that flowed around them. The released each other to find that their faces were covered in a light blush, causing them to look away from each other.
“Why are you at this party Applejack? I never thought somepony like you would come to a party like this.”
“Well. My aunt and uncle Orange are whom I live with and the enjoy these apertures…or appearances and…” She stopped and groaned in frustration. “Look can Ah speak freely with ya?”
“Eeyup.” Caramel replied trying to replicate her country twang. She let out a sigh of relief.
“Sorry ‘bout that. Mah aunt and uncle want me act more like them since Ah’m stayin’ with ‘em and all. But it just so much work to keep up with talkin’ like that. How can ya stand all these folks gabbin like this?” Caramel could empathize with Applejack in that regard. He would frequently be annoyed by the superfluously eloquent dialogues he would share with his parent’s friends and other high class ponies he’s met.
“I just got used to it. Mostly try to drown them out and think of something else.” He said while taking a chance to absorb the image before him. Even dolled up like some trophy to be displayed, she was easily the most beautiful filly present. Her mane was styled into beehive but this shone golden in the party lights. Her dress though overly designed was green and hinted towards her country roots making her appear as a dignified southern belle.
“Excuse me sugarcube! What are ya looking at?”
“Oh, erm, your mane.”
“My Mane?”
“Yeah. I, uh, really like your mane.” He said flinching back, fearing that he had offended the filly. She blushed lightly at the compliment.
“Thank ya kindly. Took a good couple hours to get it styled up nice and proper like this.”
“It shows. You look…beautiful.”
“Thanks. You don’t look have bad yerself, sugarcube.” The two blushed slightly and stood awkwardly for a few moments when they heard a slow song begin to play. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecqfusHrOcc) They looked into one another’s eyes softly swayed with music.
“Care to mosey out on to the dance floor, sugarcube.”
“Certainly miss.”
They walked hoof and hoof and slowly canter to the song. Despite there being well over a dozen other ponies on the floor, the couple felt completely alone and free together. It was as if they had entered a world of their own, away from the pomp and the circumstance. A world of wide open acres, tall shady trees and a gentle breeze, where they could lounge and relax together in perfect harmony. They grew closer nearly resting their heads on one another as the song continued drawing them farther and farther away from the crowded rooftop and into their own little paradise, together. As the song ended they continued to talk the night away, just as they had a few hours earlier. As the night wore on to the end Applejack was approached by two older ponies. One a pale mare with an orange mane styled in a beehive similar to Applejack’s and the other a light yellow stallion with a green mane. Caramel recognized the ponies as the Oranges, Applejack’s aunt and uncle.
“Applejack dear. I see you’ve made a new friend. How are your parents Caramel?” Mr. Orange asked.
“Oh their doing fine sir. And yes I’ve made acquaintance with your wonderful niece.”
“Oh it is true uncle.” Applejack said resuming her charade. “He’s been at my side most of the night and true gentlecolt.”
“Aww. Well isn’t he just a little charmer.” Caramel blushed as Mrs. Orange softly rustled his mane.
“Well darlings its best that we return home. It’s been a late night. Say goodnight Applejack.” Mr. Orange said, as he and wife entered the elevator.
“Thanks for an wonderful day…and night Caramel. Now that you know where I live, maybe we could hang out some.”
“Yeah. I would love to…sugarcube.” Caramel said as he walked away with Toffee to where their parents were.
“Have a nice time my little Casanova.” Caramel blushed at his sister’s remark, but she was right. For the first time in his lif
e he didn’t regret coming to one of these parties.
