True Beauty
It was a fine Autumn day, and the wind trickled past- whispering with it a sweet, succulent scent of crisp, ripe, fruit; The Apple Family Orchard at its finest. Applejack drew in a breath, holding it in her lungs like it were food for her soul, before she let it out in a quiet sigh. The air, the trees, the orchard itself- it always tasted so....so....so much like home. It tasted comforting. Wholesome. She smiled inwardly at the tender feeling that the scent sparked inside of her, and flickered an ear at the sound of hooves approaching from behind.
She'd been surprised when Rarity had asked to come along on the day's harvest. Normally the prissy pony wasn't terribly keen on things like 'chores' or 'farms' or 'dirt' or 'outside' but Applejack was never one to turn down the company of a friend- and so the two had spent the day harvesting apples. Well, Applejack had spent the day harvesting apples. Rarity had spent the day under various trees with sketch book in hoof, and a pencil furious scratching at the pages. Something about fall fashion and red, green and browns she'd said. "The orchard is full of inspiration, ripe for the plucking!"
Applejack chuckled quietly to herself. Rarity wasn't terribly helpful, no, but she was good company none the less. She was talkative in just the right amounts- unlike Pinkie, who was more than happy to talk the ears of the town off, and Rarity spoke with tact and diction, always careful not to say anything that could be offensive- unless she meant it. Applejack glanced over her shoulder, as the pretty mare had approached from behind, who now stood with a quiet little "I-know-something-you-don't-know" grin etched over her features.
"Whilst my latest fashions are simple sketches, I did take the time to capture the beauty of farm life. "She said warmly. She dangled her sketch pad in front of Applejack with a thin telekinetic aura, and beamed a quiet beam, waiting as the farmer paused, staring at the paper. In front of her was a detailed, and lovingly constructed sketch of Applejack herself, standing in her orchard with a basket of apples.
"Awww....that's uh...that's..." Applejack trailed off, finding her words dying in her throat when she noticed the word under the sketch itself. "Beautiful." The dirty sketch drained the smile from Applejack's face, and she turned towards the pretty mare quietly. "...Thanks Rares..." She sighed and started on her way again, walking quietly through the orchard, and Rarity found herself hurrying to catch up.,
"Problem, darling?" Rarity asked. Applejack waved a hoof dismissively, and trudged forward, past the hovering sketch book in front of her, as if the pages and sketches within offended her a great deal somehow.
"Ain't no problem. Cept maybe ya'll take on beauty. Heh. I think ya'll been working too hard, Rares...ain't nothin' beautiful in that sketch. Dirty hooves, filthy hair...ain't no type of beauty to be found there, " Applejack said with a forlorn sigh- and yelped when she felt the magic grip of a unicorn firmly gripping her tail. Normally, this was a gesture that was slightly a few steps beyond 'rude' in pony culture. Well, a few steps and several miles, really. Applejack stiffened, and turned slowly while Rarity sat down with a prim and proper sigh bubbling past her lips.
"Applejack," Rarity said quietly, twisting around until she and the other mare were nose to nose. A silence weaved in between them, the only sound around the soft rustling of wind through the orchard, before Rarity opened her mouth again, plucking each word carefully from the air.
"You are, quite possibly, the most beautiful friend I have," Rarity said softly, pulling the other pony into a warm hug. " I know, "She continued, as Applejack's ears stiffened. "I know, you aren't what Manehatten wants. The billboards and posters, the models and the fashion. A muscular mare that spends her days in the dirt providing for friends and family doesn't sell dresses in the big city. The newspapers and the magazines don't have mares with dirty manes, mud-caked hooves, and an appetite for life, but don't you dare, don't you DARE let them fool you into thinking that the tiny hips, artificial lips, and fake, bouncing backsides of impossible stereotypes are beauty. You've got beauty that shines like the sun itself, darling, and trust me, I know a fine shine when I see one. I would trade my mane for an ounce of the beauty you have in your soul, Applejack. With emeralds for eyes, hair spun from gold and a heart strong enough to hold up an entire family, how dare you tell me that isn't beauty, " Rarity huffed quietly, sitting staunchly in front of Applejack- as if to dare the farm filly to argue with her.
"...Thanks...Rares. Thank you." Applejack sighed softly, reaching up to adjust her hat- a nervous sort of habit Rarity had noticed Applejack do whenever she was unsure of something. "It's just...you know, workin on the farm, savin' the world, keepin up the crops...ain't...ain't easy ta find time ta look for...any reason ta gussy muhself up. So I don't. And after a while you're okay with that. Don't need no make-up or fashion or pretty dresses. And after a while you realize you ain't never gonna need none o' that stuff. And that's okay too. But society says that stuff is what makes a mare pretty, and if your okay with not being pretty, then you're okay with bein ugly, and-" Applejack sniffled, only to gasp when Rarity cut her off with a firm, lingering kiss.
"There is not a single thing about you that is ugly, Applejack. And as well as you know me, I should hope you would know, I would never press my lips on something ugly. Tis a word I wish never to hear from you again in regards to yourself. "The fashionista smiled quietly, and promptly grasped her sketch book, and turned sharply on her hooves, leaving Applejack standing on the path, stunned and wide eyed.
"Come along, darling! You've apples to pick, and I've sketches to sketch. We're losing Celestia's sun!" Rarity called over her shoulder, swaying her hips as she trotted away.
"I...You...You just...We..." Applejack sputtered but Rarity had already wandered off to the next row of trees, leaving Applejack confused, and stunned.
But smiling. 