> The True Power of Friendship and Love > by LittleSister > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > This Is How It All Started > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- This Is How It All Started "Heyy Vinyl ! Wait up for me !, " Applejack screamed and started running ahead to her. Damn i swear that pony is deaf. She needs to get her hearing freaking check. Vinyl whipped around, "Ohhh heyyyy Applejack. Hurry up im heading to my house really quick. You're welcomed to join !" Oh fun, going to vinyls crazy aslyum of a house. Hopefully i dont get caught up in any wires while im there. I'd rather not trip and die inside her place. BOOM ! "What the..... Oh hey Caramel. I didnt see you there, im sorry! " Applejack exclaimed. "It's fine Apple. Lost in thought like always i see ? " Caramel asked. Although he already knew the answer. "Yea... I guess. Just really hoping i dont get caught up in wires and die inside Vinyls place. That girl has noooo idea how to clean !" *nervous chuckle* Oh no here i go again. Blabbering on about nothing to him like he truely even cares. Like anyone even cares. "Oh i haven't been there in such a long time. Well might want to hurry along. Make sure she doesnt disapear in it herself. Bye Apple! " "Talk to you later Caramel ! " Yet again, always to busy for any of my time. Just like everyone else in this forsaken Ponyville. Well i might as well go catch up to Vinyl. Hopefully, she'll actually listen to me. Though i doubt it. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *AT VINYL'S HOUSE* *knock knock knock knock* "VINYL OPEN UP! " Applejack screamed. Damn this pony must really be deaf. I think i need to take her to get it checked out. Otherwise she may not be able to DJ. But it's either poor hearing or just selective hearing. I'm pretty sure it's just selective. "Give me a second AppleJack !!! I need to finish..... Crap were did i put that..... Ohh here it is. Ok, give me 2.5 seconds" As soon as she finished her sentence the door flew open and I walked in. I walked right into a huge mess, and what seemed like a never ending wall of speakers. "What the flying earth pony have you done to this damn place Vinyl ? " "I redid it with the money i got from my last travel. What dont you like it? " Oh yea, her last travel. I remember her mentioning she got a good amount of money. Wonderful she spent it all on her self. Looks like she doesnt even remember the fact that my birthday is only a few weeks away. Looks like it'll be another useless birthday. But i still threw on that fake smile that gets me threw every single day. " Oh yea, i remember that. I do like it it looks wonderful. " Selfish bitch. "Really? It took almost all my money to get it all hooked up. Im soooo happy with it. I cant wait until i start practicing with it. " Vinyl had the biggest smile on her face. And a look in her eyes, as to say, this matters so much more to me than anything else. "I bet. Maybe i should leave you alone to using it by yourself? " I suggested. Hoping maybe she'd realize the hurt in my voice as i spoke those words. Yet knowing the fact that she wouldn't comprehend and wouldn't care even if she did. "Oh applejack i would love to practice. But are you sure. I mean i dont want to ditch you. " "It's fine, i'll just find something else to do. " Of course she didn't want her around. Who really ever did? I mean seriously. She was just a stupid country girl. No one really cared. It would be a total shock if anyone really did. I mean really? Half the time she was by herself. And if she wasnt she was fake smiles and laughs around all her "friends" who apparently 'cared' but NEVER saw threw her fake smile. So why should she bother anymore. She was so deep in her though banter that she didn't realize Vinyl had been talking to her the whole time. "Applejack... You whoooo! Still alive there? " " Yea, sorry. Thinking" "Oh it's fine. You're always lost in thought it seems." "Yea i guess i just always have something to think about. Anyways i'll let you get to practicing with your new equip. Have fun. I'll catch you later ! " She threw on a fake smile and turned to leave. Hoping with all her hooves that Vinyl may stop her. Yet realizing she never would. "Alright ! I'll hollar if i need you for anything. If you see Caramel, tell him i say hi. " Vinyl said, with a hint of flirt behind it. "Ok i will. ! " Stupid bitch. Like i'll be telling Caramel anything for herrr. She already knows how i feel. And she needs to back the hell off because he is mine. And i will have him. I want him, although he's just like every other stallion and pony in this damned place. Doesn't give a flying earth pony about me. And there's no way he ever would. Looks like its back to my lonely home. Whatever, just like every other freaking day i guess. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *BACK AT APPLEJACKS FARM* I can't believe she really wanted me to tell him hi. I don't know if she was just kidding or what. I don't really care. I'm so tired of all this. I can't believe how everything has turned out to be. I absolutely hate it. I can't believe this crap. ~She just stared up into the sky. Watching different animals passing over by. Wondering and hoping maybe one day she could be like them. Just fly up up and away. Although she knows that whatever goes up, will always come down. So no matter how high she flies, one day she'll reach the ground~ I hope one day i can get rid of all this pain. All these feelings. I just want to be free from them. I just want to be happy. There's no way i can ever be loved. At least not by who i hope, if im always stuck in a ditch. I wish i just wish that one day i could be free. I wish one day, someone would finally care. > When Every Pony is Against her, how can she get out alive? > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- When Every Pony is against her, how can she get out alive? Another day another sorrow, she woke up thinking. Just like any other day. She had to force herself out of her bed. Almost falling over into her mess of stuff. ‘Great grand wonderful’ she thought to herself. ‘How am I ever going to find all my stuff in this mess? I really should clean my room. Granny smith is going to tell me to do so.’ Yet like always Applejack managed to find everything she needed and didn’t bother with correcting the order of her room. She liked it a mess. Or so she told herself. ‘Sides what does it matter if it’s clean? I’ll just end up messing it up again, like everything else in my life’ She had to stop her thoughts before they really began to get to her, just like every other day she woke up and realized she was still walking on this forsaken place. She went to go head out of the door to take a walk through the apple field and probably do a little bit of work for the farm. In hopes that she didn’t get in trouble with her brother about it. Speaking of the devil as soon as she turned to head out the back, because she refused to use the front because she might run into her annoying little sister apple bloom, she crashed into Big Mac. In a deep voice he asked, “Where are you heading off to already? Can you never spend any time here?” *sigh* “I’m heading out to the field. I'm going to walk around, and maybe fill a few apple baskets. What do you have objections to it? I'm staying on the grounds.” “Why yes I do have objections. You’re never home! You always go out, whether it’s to the field or what. I don’t care. You need to learn the value of actually being home. When’s the last time you spent true time with Granny Smith, Apple Bloom, and I?” He started to raise his voice, but seem to caught himself and began to quiet down in order to not wake anyone else, “ I’m sorry but honestly you should be home more often and not always running off.” “Well, you should stop trying to act like my father, and get out of my way. Otherwise trees won’t be the only things my hooves are kicking.” She exclaimed and turned around and stormed out the front, not caring if she woke anyone else. She was so sick and tired of him. What didn’t he understand? He was her BROTHER, NOT her father. Just because he was the only male did not mean ANYTHING! Gosh! She headed off for town. Knowing she wouldn’t run into anyone, yet hoping she would. As she was lost in the thought process of what had just happened with her “brother” she ran into Caramel. She truly hoped he wouldn’t notice the look of pain on her face, or the gloss over her eyes from crying. See, it didn’t matter if she cried, or how much, her eyes never turned red. Yet they would gloss over, and she hoped he didn’t notice. Mainly because she didn’t want him to be the one she cried in front of. She didn’t want him thinking she wasn’t strong, because being strong was the only thing she had left anymore. “Hey Apple!” He seemed to pause and take a double look at her. “Hey are you… are you alright?” “Yea, I'm fine,” Considering the fact that Fine meant; fucked up, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional. Then she wasn’t at all lying. “Are you sure? You know you can tell me what’s going on. I’m here for you. I’m not going to go anywhere no matter what you tell me.” He gave her a complete look of acceptance and understanding. One filled with so much compassion and caring she couldn’t take to look into his eyes any longer. She ran off without saying another word to him. She wouldn’t let him see her cry. No she wouldn’t. She couldn’t. He could never know, could never understand. Would only be like all the rest. Listen to her story, pretend he cared, yet when she tried to turn to him again, he’d walk away. Walk away and leave her in the dust and never come back around again. She’d already lost so many people. She refused to open up to caramel because she couldn’t stand the thought of losing him. She turned and ran from him. Hoping he wouldn’t chase her. She couldn’t stand that. She couldn’t subject him to that. “APPLE WAIT!” He yelled out to her. And he started running after her. She could hear his hooves behind her. He was catching up. So she kept running. Faster and faster. Though it seemed no matter how fast she went he was always only a little bit behind her. She remembered the trail to her favorite spot was a little bit ahead. She decided to do something to catch him off guard. She moved slightly towards the right, as so she was out of his path. She came to a sudden stopped. Yet as soon as Caramel had already realized she stopped he was 10 hooves ahead, and stopped himself. He turned around. Yet he saw no sight of her. He called out. “Apple ! Where did you go. I want to talk to you, please? I don’t want to see you hurt. I care about you.” She could hear him from where she was. Yet she didn’t care. Tears filled her eyes, but she choked them back. She kept running to her secret place. Somewhere that absolutely no one knew about. She finally made it there and sat down with a loud thud. ‘Damn, I can’t believe he actually managed to notice. I wish I could just open up to him, I wish I could at least tell him how I feel. But I can’t manage that, I'm too afraid of being rejected by him. I would be crushed. There’s no way I could ever tell him.’ But maybe maybe she could tell him. Maybe Applejack could finally open up to someone about her feelings about her fears and her hopes. Maybe Applejack could admit to Caramel how she felt. If only she knew how he would react. If only she knew that he truly cared, and liked her back. Yet she was to blinded by a veil of pain and brokenness to realize it. And it would take a hundred pounds to lift that veil from her eyes. Will caramel be willing to try? > How will he react? > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- How will he react? She woke up in a complete haze. Not realizing where she was until she put two and two together about yesterday. She remembered the fight with her brother. Which she should apologize for. Also how Caramel had followed her until she managed to fake him out. Thankfully he had no idea about this place. She looked up to the sky, realizing she had passed out for at least 2 hours. ‘Alright not so bad. I have maybe until a little past dark until Big Mac gets pissed off at me. Might as well use that to my advantage.’ She headed off towards the western part of the area she was in. She went maybe 30 hooves and got to her spot. Right atop the waterfall. A waterfall that no one but her knew about. She found it a few years back before she had even gotten her cutie mark. She was running through the woods when she was little, hoping to get her cutie mark, hoping it would involve nature and exploring. Yet she got a stupid apple mark. Like every other nobody in her “family”. Anyways, she found the water fall and marked the trail there. Now whenever she needed a place to be alone and keep to herself or just to let it all out she would go there. It was the only place she could be alone. Sadly enough. Although she didn’t want it to be only her place. There was one other pony (or should she say stallion) she wouldn’t mind sharing it with. Yet she knew she could never. That would be having him to close to the inners of her mind for her own comfort. For even she was afraid of her own thoughts. She didn’t want to ruin him with hers. He was pure. She was not. He had never had a somepony, while she almost always did. She was always off doing something stupid, weather it was drinking some apple cider mixed with alcohol, or smoking something that was a little greener than grass. She wasn’t the kind of person he needed. ‘Or would ever want’ she reminded herself. ‘How could he ever like a pony like me? How could he? I’m so messed up. So not his kind. I’m one of the ugliest ponies in this town, not to mention I'm one of the worst characters around. I would only mess him up, and I know he would try to save me. And I could never subject some stallion who is so pure to the messed up life styles of some pony like me. Besides anyone at all trying to rescue me is nothing but a suicide mission’ All of a sudden she heard a rustle in the background. She turned quickly. Just in time to see a brown mane. “Who’s there?” She called out. Hoping it had been nothing, yet knowing the fact that it was oviously some other pony there. “It’s me Apple….” As soon as he spoke she knew who it was. “What the flying earth pony are you doing here? How the hell did you find me? Or even find this place?” She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs. She wanted to get him the hell out of here. Yet even as he was standing there, in her most personal of places she couldn’t help but feel a sense of comfort drop over her. She couldn’t help but feel calmer, almost….. Happier, if she dared say so. But still she couldn’t let him see that, so she put her front back up before he could realize she even dropped it at all. “Well, I saw that you were upset. I followed your hoof prints, and it ended up leading here. It took me a little while to find you. And I didn’t want you realizing I was here.” “Well leave!” she screamed at him, and turned her back. She didn’t want to face him. Not right now. There was no way she wouldn’t break down in front of him. And she didn’t want that. She knew if she told him why she was hurting he would judge her. She knew if she told him he would just leave her all alone in the dust yet again just like all the others. “No.” He took a few trots forward, “I won’t leave until you explain to me what’s going on. I want to know Apple. I want to help. Why won’t you let me?” “Because you’ll turn into all the rest! You’ll walk away just like every other pony I’ve let in. I know you will. And I don’t care what you say; every other stallion I’ve ever let in has walked away. Every other one has promised to never leave yet they all have…. And now… Now, I'm all alone….” And as those last words came out she fell to the ground, and broke down. Tears fell faster than the waterfall right next to her, and she didn’t care. She didn’t care anymore that he was there. That he saw the mess she was. She couldn’t hold it in any longer. As soon as she fell to the floor, Caramel was right next to her. Embracing her. Like she was a fragile doll, like if he held her to tight she might break. And he was right, although, is it possible to break even more what was already completely broken? She couldn’t fight back tears anymore, and as soon as she thought she was done, even more came. Yet threw every single tear that fell, ever sob she made, Caramel stayed right next to her. Proving himself, any other stallion would have left her as soon as she started crying. He stayed. Longer than anyone else ever has or even would. She thought to herself ‘Could I possible manage to let him in? Could I maybe even manage to tell him what I feel for him?’ She decided she had no choice but to try, she let the last of her tears out and decided to muster up the courage. Although it might take a lot more than she truthfully had. She finally stopped crying, wiped her eyes and looked up to him, and saw his eyes. Staring intently down at her, filled with compassion, with caring. With emotions she couldn’t express herself. She felt her courage level go up, and straightened up a little. ‘Now or never ‘she thought to herself. “I have something to tell you.” She turned and looked right into his eyes as she spoke. He looked back. Seeing more to her than any other pony had. Other ponies had seen just her eyes. She felt as though he could see her soul. “What is it Apple? I’ll listen.” He looked at her with wonder in his eyes now, maybe even hope. Hope for what she wondered? But that didn’t matter right now. “I……. I want to tell you, I…. I…. happen, to………. Like you” The last part of her sentence came running out. For she knew if she didn’t say it fast she would have never said it at all. When she said it she wasn’t looking at him, now though after it was said, she turned up into his eyes. Trying to read what they were saying. It seemed as though, as though, she didn’t know. She couldn’t tell what the look in his eyes was, no one had ever looked at her like that. And yet deep inside her she knew it wasn’t bad. The way he was looking at her was a good thing. And yet he still didn’t speak. Just looked at her. Not speaking, not moving. And with each passing second her chest tightened up, and she felt as though she would throw up. ‘Even a no would be welcomed right now; even him running away would be more welcomed than this silence.’ The silence was killing her. > Will he stand by her? Or turn into all the rest? > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Will he stand by her? Or turn into all the rest? She was still staring into his eyes when he finally opened his mouth to speak. “Well, Apple. I honestly didn’t expect that. You always are so blocked off. So out of it. You always seem fine. I mean I definitely never expected to even see a single tear fall from your beautiful green eyes.” ‘Wait did he just say beautiful?’ She questioned in her mind. “Yes I did say beautiful because that’s what you are. And Apple, I like you two. I almost always have. Yet you always seem to have a stallion on your hoof, and you never seemed to have much time for me. Besides I never thought a beautiful pony like you could ever even take a double look at a stallion like me.” He explained with what seemed as a saddened look washing over his face. Looking as though he may cry. “How could you call someone like me beautiful? I'm hideous! And I don’t deserve to have you like me.” A wave a fury washed over her as she exclaimed this. ‘No stallion should ever like me, I'm not messed up. To insecure. So impure, so hideous inside and out. He shouldn’t feel like this. He should have crushed me. No way will I subject him to this. Never’ “Apple, why can you not see it? You are beautiful! Inside and out. It doesn’t matter about anything else. The day I met you was the day I met the most beautiful pony I have ever laid eyes on, in my life time, and I never want to lay eyes on any other pony. Not while you are here. Not while I have you in my life. Not while I feel the way I do.” She could do nothing but stare at him in disbelief. ‘Maybe if I tell him, all those things I’ve done. Maybe if open up, he’ll see. But do I really want to let him in, just to see him walk out? Just become crushed? Well I have no other option. I’d rather suffer through the pain, than watch him set out on a suicide mission, all because of me.’ “You wouldn’t say that if you knew everything…..” She dropped her head. Letting her mane cover her face, hiding almost from the shame that was upon her form just thinking about the past she has. And thinking about the future she will have. “Then tell me everything. I’ll listen. I doubt it will change a thing.” He looked at her with an expression of compassion, and what seemed to be understanding. “Fine. IF you truly want to know about me, the legitimate Applejack. The one that no one in Equestria knows about. I will tell you. But ONLY if you truly want to know.” “Yes I want to know. So tell me. Please?” “Well here it goes, I'm a messed up pony. I can never do anything right. I always mess everything up. I can’t do the work needed on the farm; I fail at anything involving apples. I can’t even keep my room clean. I absolutely hate myself. I see my reflection and I want to cringe. The sight of myself makes me want to puke. Yes I always act strong, yet I'm breaking down inside. I have no other way to describe it. I'm a slut. I’ve given it all to guys, who couldn’t care if I lived or died, they only wanted what I had. And I mean physically. Because mentally I'm an idiot. I barely managed to pass school. I only did because I slept with all my teachers.” She started to break down and cry. “There’s no reason for anyone to ever love me. I'm so impure. I'm lower than dirt. Even dirt spits on me. Everyone hates me. All I do is disappoint my “Family” I could never live to their expectations and that makes them hate me. And…. And I'm completely alone. EVERY single person in my life has walked all over me, spat on me, kicked me down, dragged me through the mud by my back hoofs. Then just left me. Just left me like I'm nothing more than garbage. Like I'm an old horseshoe and they no longer have a use for me. I have never done anything right, I have no talent. I would rather die, than ever wake up again. I curse this world each day I open my eyes. As soon as I look around and remember who I am, I want to just jump and fall. Although I'm already too far down to ever get up again.” Now she was truly crying. That was everything. All that she held inside her, and now Caramel knew. He knew everything, and what happened with it, was completely in his control. He could either take it and break what’s already been broken, or try to fix it. Yet that would be just suicide. She almost hoped at this point he would chose to break it, because she didn’t think she could get any more damaged. He just seemed to look at her. He looked at her, with complete sorrow in his eyes. With compassion she’s never seen from any other pony before. He looked at her with eyes that wanted to help. ‘Damn it now I’ve done it’ she thought ‘I’ll run if he tries to help. I'm not dragging him down with me’ “You aren’t a messed up pony, you can do things right you just don’t try. I believe in you. And you are beautiful. You are the most beautiful pony I have ever seen. I don’t care what any pony, including yourself, says. You are. It’s ok to be hurt, you obviously haven’t had a good life. I understand that, and others would to. You may have given it to guys, but you just wanted acceptance, you just wanted to please some pony. I understand that. If things had been different, if someone had showed you they cared earlier, you wouldn’t have done that. I know you wouldn’t have given it all up. As for passing school? School is just total bullshit, how can any pony ever truly try to measure another ones intelligence? You did what you had to do to pass school I understand that. I don’t agree, but I do understand. You are not lower than dirt. You just feel that way. I could never see you as lower than dirt. I don’t think anyone could. You have people who care. You have me and Vinyl. Ponies are jerks. Every one of them is here to look out for themselves; almost none care about what they do to any other pony. It’s pathetic but true. You didn’t deserve to have any pony walk all over you. You didn’t deserve the life you’ve had. I’ll change it. I’ll show you that someone can truly care. I’ll show you that I'm different, and that I truly do care. Applejack you are a special pony, and I care deeply about you. Please, let me help you. I want to be there for you. Applejack, I care about you. Please let me help you?” He looked at her with eyes of nothing but compassion. He had no other motive, by the look on his face, and in his eyes, you could just see he was telling the truth. The way he spoke was like fire. Slowly lighting up, then as each word was spoken, it would get larger and hotter. Until it reached its full point, its full heat. Until it burned to look at. His compassion, burned through her. Until she felt like it reached her inner core. Until she felt it inside her herself. ‘Could he really mean that? No of course not! No stallion ever could. And I won’t let him help me. I won’t. I couldn’t do that to him. Ever. I won’t subject him to a suicide mission. I won’t let him. I could never forgive myself.’ She began to cry. Hot tears, they fell from her cheeks and hit the rocks below her. Each leaving a darker spot than before. Each one mapping out the fear she had. Yet it was fear not for herself, but fear for Caramel. Fear that he wouldn’t heed her warning, and still try to help. There was only one way out if he did. Yet she wasn’t going to think about that option right now. Right now she was going to stop him from starting this suicide mission. Otherwise she would have to go on one of her own. “No Caramel. I can’t let you help me. Letting you help me would be like pushing you off a cliff. It’s a suicide mission. I'm too far down for a ladder to ever reach. There is no rope long enough to reach me anymore. I’ve dug myself a hole I cannot get out, a hole that no one can help me out of. I’m sorry, but I won’t subject you to a suicide mission. I could never watch you do that to yourself.” She felt tears sting her eyes. Just like bees. Yet she managed to choke them back. He looked at her with an intense stare, giving her a look of courage. IT looked as though the inner part of his eyes were gleaming with pure fire. “I WONT let you push me away. God Damn It! You need someone to help you. And I don’t care if you don’t want it to be me. Whether you like it or not. I WILL help you!” > How can you fix what's already broken? > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- How can you fix what’s already broken? Caramel looked at Applejack with eyes filled with passion. Eyes that pleaded her to let him help. He couldn’t stand to see her this way. He couldn’t stand to let her think so low of herself. ‘Why couldn’t she see how beautiful she truly was.’ He thought to himself. ‘She may have messed up. Yet no one is perfect, so why was she trying to be?’ She didn’t want him to help her. He got so filled with an intense firing rage that he couldn’t control himself, he yelled out to her. “I WONT let you push me away. God Damn It! You need someone to help you. And I don’t care if you don’t want it to be me. Whether you like it or not. I WILL help you!” When those words came out he started to break down himself. He hated her this way. He felt almost as if it was his fault, yet he knew very well that her past had nothing to do with her. They had only met a few weeks before. Yet only just meeting didn’t change the fact, he cared intensely about her. More intense than any other pony he has ever met. It almost seemed to scare him. “You… you don’t understand Caramel.” She explained to him, “I want your help, I want to get out of this. I don’t want all this pain I'm feeling. I want to…. I just want to…. I want to be happy. But I’m afraid if you try to help me, then you’ll just end up being dragged down with me. There’s no way I want that for you. I couldn’t live with myself if I hurt you Caramel. I just couldn’t, and I don’t want to subject you to a suicide mission.” He could see the tears fill her eyes. And it killed him. He just sat there staring into her eyes. It seemed like hours, yet he knew it was only a few seconds. He searched deep inside, just to find the right words. The words that would make her believe that there wasn’t a single thing she could say or do that would make him leave her. That would hurt him. He just wanted her happy. He didn’t care if he died in that process. He was willing to do quite literally anything, and everything for her. Just to see her beautiful smile. For when she smiled there was nothing brighter. He could swear he whole face lit up. And the first time he saw her smile, was when he realized how he felt, and that he was willing to do anything for her. IF she let him. “Apple, I don’t care if you hurt me. I just want to see you smile. I’m willing to go on a suicide mission. IF it means I get to see you smile. Please will you please just let me help you? You’ll be hurting me if you walk away now. I couldn’t stand to let you leave, and have myself know I couldn’t help you in any way. If you don’t let me try to save you, then you’ll be hurting me. I want to see your beautiful smile. I want to see your eyes gleam from happiness. Not from tears. I want to help. And if you don’t let me.. and…. And something happens…….. Well I don’t think I could ever forgive myself.” And with those words as they came flooding out he broke down himself. He began to cry. ‘I really could never forgive myself if something happened to her, and I didn’t try to save her’ He thought to himself. He knew she was on the edge. Yet he had only just said he wanted to help her. He could see it from the day he met her. It was in her eyes. Even Vinyl had noticed. He had originally asked her about Apple. Vinyl knew things were wrong, yet Apple had always refused to open up to her. Maybe just maybe there was something the two of them could do to help her. Even if it was just being friends to her. ‘Maybe I could be something more than just her friend.’ Caramel thought. Though he knew she may never let that happen. She may never let him get that close. Yet he had to try. He’d be damned if he didn’t. “Caramel,” she whispered softly, “Please don’t cry. I don’t want to see you hurting. Not because of me.” “Do you realize how I'm feeling now? I can’t stand to see you hurting every day. I’ll be damned if I let you hurt anymore.” There was so much passion behind his voice. He could see how it took her back. She was surprised. ‘But surprised of what?’ He wondered, ‘Surprised someone truly cared enough to risk themselves for her? Could that be it? It had to be.’ He saw a look of fault on her face. A look of almost acceptance. Was she going to let him in? He didn’t know. He could only hope that she would. He could only hope the fact that she would realize he truly cared. He really did. Maybe more than any other pony. The only one that may match up would be Vinyl. Vinyl was her best friend, and like her sister, even though they did have their moments. Yet I guess you would have to expect that to happen. Applejack couldn’t really ever get along with the other females. She had to work as hard as possible to get along with, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie. She and Twilight Sparkle were no longer aloud in the same room. They tried to rip each other’s manes off last time. Applejack was a special one. He knew she was best friends with Vinyl. And he also knew that Vinyl could get to her better than he could. Maybe he could even convince Vinyl to set them up. He had a plan, and he was about to set it in action, as soon as he left here he would go have a conversation with Vinyl. He knew he needed to talk to her. Yet he couldn’t just leave Applejack here. So that would have to wait. He would stick by her until she was at least a little bit ok. He looked over at Applejack and noticed she was looking into the sky. He waited there just watching her until she opened her mouth to say something. “I… I…. I need to go home Caramel. I can’t do this right now, and it’s getting late. Big Mac will be wondering where I am.” She stood up slowly, as though if she had done it any fast she would have fallen. He noticed she didn’t look quite so steady on her feet. He slowly stood and went to stand by her side. As to make sure she didn’t fall. “I’ll walk with you until we reach the fields. I want to make sure you’re ok, and I truthfully have no idea how to get out of here.” He chuckled a little, and noticed she smiled a bit. “I guess that’s one thing I can’t tell you no to. So let’s go.” She picked her head up, almost as to show that she was fine. And started to walk. He noticed the smile on her face, yet her eye’s told a different story. She was still really hurting and he was determined to help her. He wanted her happiness to shine inside and out, not just be plastered onto her face, like some mask. They began to walk, and it was quiet most of the way. He realized the apple fields weren’t to far from where they were. It almost shocked him. He still didn’t know how she found that place, or even why she had gone there. ‘I have to ask her about that. Although it may be personal and I think I’ve done enough so far today. Those questions will have to wait, *sigh* I wish she would just let me help. I can’t stand to see her this way. I don’t want it. I truly do need to do something, yet I don’t know what, or who to turn to. I guess for now Vinyl’s my only option. I’ll have to use that to my advantage.’ He looked up ahead and saw the fields. So he stopped. Applejack stopped almost as soon as he did. Maybe one or two hooves ahead of him. She had a look on her face, like she was almost as deep in thought as him. It scared him. “I’ll let you go from here.” “Alright, I guess I’ll see you around or something.” “Yea you will,” he turned to go leave, “And Applejack?” “Yea, Caramel?” she looked almost shocked. He almost never used her full name. Not even when they first met. “Promise me something? Please?” “Depends on what it is. I won’t ever make a promise I can’t or won’t keep.” “Just promise me, that at least tonight you won’t do anything stupid? Promise me that I can wake up tomorrow and come here, and you’ll be the one to answer the door? Please just promise me that much? At least for tonight?” he exclaimed, as tears seemed to fill his eyes, and he looked her dead in the eyes. Almost seeming to send her a message with his mind. He wanted her to know how upset he was. Not for guilt, but so she understood that he would be hurt if she did anything stupid. “I can promise you that. For tonight.” An eerie sense seemed to hang in the air after she finished her sentence. It was a promise yet also a threat. He knew she would give up soon, but he wasn’t going to let it be tonight. “I can’t ask for much more I guess. I do have to go. So goodnight Apple,” he gave her a look filled with sorrow and compassion. A look filled with love, and a hint of pain. Pain for her. “Goodnight Caramel.” She turned her head, breaking his intense gaze and started to walk away. She looked back several times and he just keeps standing there. Making sure she got inside safely. Hoping she kept her promise, he would stop by tomorrow to make sure. ‘As soon as she’s inside I’ll head over to Vinyl’s. Hopefully she’ll be able to help me. I need to save Apple. I can’t stand to see her hurting like this, and I'm afraid she’s going to do something stupid.’ Applejack was finally at her door, she took another look behind her and even from the distance, and Caramel could see the pain in her eyes. Almost feel the pain she had hidden deep inside. She walked inside and Caramel turned around to run. He needed to get to Vinyl’s as quick as he possibly could. There wasn’t any time he needed to waste, and he really hoped she was still awake. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ He got to Vinyl’s completely out of breathe. He almost crashed into the door that’s how fast he was going. He knocked as hard as he could. Almost in panic you could say. “VINYL, OPEN UP!” He yelled through the door. He could almost feel the fear in his voice. He could hear it that was for sure. A few seconds past, yet those few seconds that passed, seemed to drag on forever. Finally he heard a click of the door. And it slightly opened. “Ohh, Caramel. What are you doing here? It’s late don’t you realize that? You’re welcomed in yet it’s truly a mess.” “I need to talk to you. I'm freaking out, and I need your help. It’s about Applejack.” He peered into the door to look at her. He knew he had a complete look of despair on and that’s exactly what he needed. He could only hope Vinyl would help him. “Well come in and tell me what’s wrong.” She almost seemed to have a look of hurt about her face. Yet he would question that later on. She opened the door, and he stepped in. Almost tripping over some wire he managed to find some hay to sit on. “So what’s going on?” She asked, concern seeming to fill her voice. “I think Apple needs help. I think we may need to try and save her from herself. I need you to help. I could never manage it alone. I like her, and I told her that today. But she told me it was suicide to try and save her. Yet I’m willing to take that risk. I need to. I could never forgive myself if anything happened to her. Please Vinyl will you help?” His voice almost had a pleading in it. I guess you can say he was maybe even begging for her help right now. Vinyl seemed to have an almost shocked look on her face. Maybe even a hint of jealously. Yet Caramel was too wrapped up in his own mind, that he didn’t seem to notice, or care. “I……. I... uhm… I really don’t know Caramel. I don’t know how I could help.” She explained, a hint of sadness tasting at her words. “Please Vinyl?” Now he truly was begging. “I guess, I guess I can try. Although I don’t know how on earth I can help. You know she won’t open up to me.” ‘She’s right’ he thought to himself. He truly didn’t know what he was going to do now. He didn’t understand how he could help. Yet he knew he had to try. Nothing else mattered right now. Nothing else mattered but keeping Applejack safe and sound. ~AUTHOR NOTE~ Hey guys! This chapter is from Caramels point of view. Im working on changing things up a little bit. Next one may be from Vinyls. Give me feedback on what you think of the story! Thanks :) > From the outside looking in. (Vinyls POV) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- “VINYL, OPEN UP!” She could swear she heard someone yelling at her door.... She couldn't tell for sure. She turned her music down a few notches. *knock* *knock* *knock* The knocking hasted up; like it was an emergency. 'I wonder who the hell that could be.?' Vinyl turned her music down more and slowly walked towards the door. Only slightly opening it. “Ohh, Caramel. What are you doing here? It’s late don’t you realize that? You’re welcomed in yet it’s truly a mess.” She spoke in a slightly confused tone of voice. He almost never came here, and when he did it was usually with Applejack. “I need to talk to you. I'm freaking out, and I need your help. It’s about Applejack.” He spoke, almost out of breathe, he words hastened. He looked at her with eyes filled with pleading, and there was no way she would deny him access. Especially when he looked the way he did. “Well come in and tell me what’s wrong.” Vinyl spoke in an almost hurt voice yet she couldn't comprehend why. She opened the door, and he stepped in. Almost tripping over some wire he managed to find some hay to sit on. “So what’s going on?” She asked, concern seeming to fill her voice. “I think Apple needs help. I think we may need to try and save her from herself. I need you to help. I could never manage it alone. I like her, and I told her that today. But she told me it was suicide to try and save her. Yet I’m willing to take that risk. I need to. I could never forgive myself if anything happened to her. Please Vinyl will you help?” His voice almost had a pleading in it. I guess you can say he was maybe even begging for her help right now. “I……. I... uhm… I really don’t know Caramel. I don’t know how I could help.” She explained, a hint of sadness tasting at her words. “Please Vinyl?” Now he truly was begging. “I guess, I guess I can try. Although I don’t know how on earth I can help. You know she won’t open up to me.” ‘She’s right’ he thought to himself. He truly didn’t know what he was going to do now. He didn’t understand how he could help. Yet he knew he had to try. Nothing else mattered right now. Nothing else mattered but keeping Applejack safe and sound. "so where are we going to start," Vinyl asked. "I.. i dont know... I guess we can brain storm for now as to figure out how were going to save her from herself. I know she feels lost hopeless and alone. That much i can comprehend. I guess the main thing we can do right now is make her feel like she actually belongs. Even if it's just with the two of us. It's better than her feeling worthless and alone." "You're right with that Caramel. I don't know how were going to make her feel like she belongs though, she is always down and whenever we invite her anywhere she always declines for some reason of another." "Yea i know, we'll were going to have to figure something out, i should get going though. I have to go by her place in the morning because i promised her i would, and i want to make sure she didn't do anything stupid. I'll come by some point in the next few days or i'll call you. Bye Vinyl." "I'll see you Caramel." Vinyl's voice went from her normal voice, to a depressed voice. Caramel didn't notice, he was already leading himself out the door and not paying attention. He seemed to be in his own world. She didn't like this at all. She could tell what was going to happen next. She knew that caramel would tell apple that he liked her, if he hadn't already, then he would date her in order to get her out of the slum she was in. Who knew how long the relationship would last, and then once he thinks apple is ok, he's going to dump her. 'I don't want to watch that happen...... I couldn't let that happen to her. But i know she isn't going to listen to me about this. She wants to be happy and if its because she thinks someone cares than i guess i'll have to let things take her course.' Vinyl didn't want to watch her closes pony be killed by this. She knew how things would play out, and she didn't like the outcome a bit. There was no way the two of them would last and it would only leave Apple with a broken heart. 'A broken heart that maybe i could mend?' No that was crazy there was no way that could happen, no way in a million years. No way she would feel the same, and there was no way Vinyl could tell her. It wouldn't be allowed, they'd be run out of the town like in the burning days. It would be crazy, it may be worth it, but Vinyl couldn't take the risk. Not right now, not unless she was sure Apple would feel the same. Which she wouldn't. 'It's probably time i should head off to bed. It's been one crazy day and i need sleep.' She headed off to turn her entire stereo system off. Yet she had an idea, she started looking through all her mixes. She picked out some of the best ones she had, and she put all of them onto a CD. It took her maybe 30 min to find all the ones to put on there and to burn the CD in the correct order. The CD told a story, each song a different chapter. And she knew exactly what she was going to do with it. Exactly where she would go and that who she was giving it to would figure out the story behind this. Would figure out exactly what she had meant by it. It may take some time, but Vinyl knew she would understand. She raced out of her house without a second thought, she knew it was late, she didn't care, she had to get it delivered. And now. She raced down the street, at least it was still slightly light enough for her to see. She finally got to were she was heading. She ran around to the back, to where the windown was. As soon as she turned the corner though she stopped. She was hearing voices, she heard the two of them. Talking, laughing even. A rage filled up inside of her and she couldn't stand it anymore. She turned around before she snapped. She decided to just leave it in the mail box. It was simplier, and she knew she would know who it's from. She wrote two simple words on the CD cover. "To: Applejack" She placed it in the mailbox and turned and slowly began to head home. It wasn't that far and yet it seemed to take hours upon hours. She was half way home, and she began to cry. She knew she should be holding herself together but she couldn't not right now. Everything got harder and harder to see with the tears covering her eyes, and yet she couldn't stop or steady herself. Vinyl kept walking, when she finally made it home she walked in shut the door, and collasped on the pile of hay, she couldn't manage to get to her room. As soon as she hit the hay she was out, and her dreams left her in a pleasent nightmare.