Sunset
Applejack could feel the beads of sweat leaving her pours and gliding down her face as she went from apple tree to apple tree, bucking the plump red apples they produce into the baskets she would plant underneath. As everypony knew, this was her daily routine. But today, however, Applejack was worked up. She was using a new kind of strength. Almost as if she were preparing for the greatest fight she would ever encounter.
And she was.
A fight that was not physical, rather a fight stirring inside of her emotions. Today she was about to make a confession she never thought she ever would. As the element of honesty, she knew she couldn't hold back the truth anymore, because it was eating her inside that everyday she would have be near a beautiful mare she hopelessly wanted to be with, and not know if she felt the same way, or if she even acknowledged her. Today she wanted to change that. Either she will be accepted, or she will be rejected and have to move on. She just had to know, that's all.
Making her way up small hill, Applejack dropped her basket at the top, and used her hoof to wipe her forehead clear as she looked off toward the sun. Of course, she could see the tall castle standing at the edge of Ponyville. She sighed and looked toward the ground, letting her hat slant a bit. Of course she had to go after the proclaimed 'Princess of Friendship.'
With a quick shake of her head, she took a sharp inhale and started trotting her way away from the orchard and onto the trail to Ponyville.
"Coming!" A voice called from inside the castle after Applejack had knocked on the large doors. On the other side, quick hoofsteps could be heard. As soon as the door opened, she noticed the way the light suddenly hit Twilight's smiling face in a stunning way, making her smile shine.
"Oh, hey Applejack!" The purple alicorn greeted.
"Howdy, sugarcube. Can I-- come in?"
"Oh, of course." She gestured inside.
Applejack entered, and with a quiet breath, made her way to her large chair with her cutiemark engraved in it. Her breath hitched as she heard Twilight take a seat in the chair to the right of her, with the pink star-shaped cutiemark above it. What wracked her nerves further was, from the corner of her eye, she could see Twilight smile and look intensely at Applejack, expecting her to say something.
After a moment of complete silence, Twilight broke it; "So, why'd you come over here, Applejack?"
She snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at her friend, "Ah, right. I was wondering if you maybe... you could help me with gathering some apples on the farm." Applejack almost chocked out, but kept her voice as smooth as she could. "But, I understand if you are too busy, and I can leave if you want me to--"
"And why would I be too busy to be around my friend? Don't you know that is unlike me?" Twilight interrupted, curious why she would say such a thing, but also giggled a small bit. Twilight seemed to almost always find a way to make time for her friends, Applejack had noted before, but still, being a princess can put anypony in the mind set that they are always busy.
"Oh, no offense Twi, but I just figured that you'd be caught up in some fancy-shmancy princess business." She answered.
"Even if that were so, I still would put aside time for you."
Applejack hearing that last statement made her flush a bit, and she attempted to hide it. Of course she knew Twilight probably said that to all her friends. She had no problem with that, but when said to someone in private.. it makes you feel special.
"And, besides, I've been a princess for quite awhile now. Surely by now you know I'm not working twenty-four-seven. I often get quite bored." Twilight chuckled.
"I know. It still just feels.. different. I'm used to the wings and all, but it's like I know the pony underneath it all, but all this royalty seems to overshadow who they truly are. And, to be honest, it makes you feel unworthy talking to them. And... and..." Applejack started to rant, but stopped herself before she could. She looked away from her friend and folded her ears down. If Twilight showed a face of confusion, it was only for a second as her face turned into a sympathetic smile.
"One moment." She spoke up. She used her horn to teleport out of the room. A few seconds later, she reappeared with two saddle bags on her sides. "We can go apple bucking if you want. I have time."
Applejack lightly smiled, trying to forget the conversation they just had, "Alrighty then."
And so they made their way to the orchard.
Twilight's bucking was not exactly the strongest, in fact, she had only bucked down 3 apples the ten minutes they had been there.
"Put a little more... backbone... into... it...!" Applejack called over between thrusts of her rear legs against a near apple tree, the apples falling and landing into a basket next to her.
"I'm trying!" Twilight breathed. Applejack stopped and chuckled lightly, again wiping the sweat off her forehead and mane. "Are you sure I can't just use my apple-picking spell?" Twilight whined. This made her chuckle even more.
"Now I told you before that casting spells ain't no work, Twi! Your never gonna be strong if you use spells for all you chores!" Applejack retorted, but with a playful smile and tone of voice.
"Ugh." Twilight plopped down. "If I can't use a spell, I might as well look for a page on bucking apple trees. There has to be a logical algorithm to this! A way to pass this 'apple bucking' with an A+!" She pulled an old book out of one of her bags, and flipped rapidly with her magic, levitating the book in-front of her, as she laid at the base of the apple tree was trying to buck. Applejack made her way toward her.
As Twilight finally landed on a page, Applejack didn't hear what she said. No, in fact all of her senses seemed to fail her except her sight, as she took in the way the setting sun's light casting onto the mare in-front of her, and the way it really highlights her eyes in a beautiful way, making them sparkle. The way the colors of the sky complemented her darker-toned mane from her position. Applejack couldn't help but keep looking---
"Uh, Applejack?" Her voice once again became audible, startling her and making her heart jump.
"What?! Huh?!" Applejack snapped out of her thoughts, and realized Twilight must have caught her staring. She blushed bright in embarrassment, and attempted once again to hide her face from the mare in-front of her under the mane. She knew she couldn't become invisible, unfortunately.
"If you're really interested in my book that much you could come closer. Or at least sit down." Twilight offered, scooting over making room to Applejack to sit next to her.
"Oh- right- yes! Uh, thanks." Applejack sat down a curled up near Twilight, just enough to see the pages of the book. Feeling the heat radiating off of her. There was not really anything that concerned Applejack inside of the book, but she wanted to share this moment with her friend as much as possible.
Friend.
Applejack inhaled and inaudibly sighed.
"Twilight..." Applejack finally said, in a quieter and smoother voice then she thought it would come out. She could feel herself getting nervous by the second as she knew; this was it. Time to confess to what she had been hiding for over a year to the purple unicorn who is now sitting beside her, with the light of the evening hitting both of them and painting the sky for them, and hearing the light rustling of the leafs overhead, what better moment could there be?
"Hm?" Twilight hummed, flipping to another page in her book, and glazing over it with her eyes.
"Can you put the book down for one second? Please?"
Twilight was hesitant for a moment, as she seemed to really be enticed in whatever page she was on, before shutting the book and placing it back in one of her saddle bags before turning her head back to Applejack. "There you go, AJ. So.. you've seemed eager to tell me something earlier, and I don't want to rush you, but it's easy to tell something is making you feel down. Just know that you can trust me with anything you need to say and--"
Twilight was quickly cut off, "I know! But that's the thing! You are so caring and reliable and I can trust you with everything! I admire ponies like that. That's why.. I.." She started chocking on her words. Maybe this confession was too fast. But she knew it had to happen one way or another. Applejack also noticed she kind of out-bursted, and quieted her voice.
After a moment of hesitation, Twilight gestured for her to move on, but with a concerned and sympathetic smile, awaiting to know what she was just saying.
"I.. I really like you Twilight." She stated, and could feel the extra sweat forming slowly. "And I wasn't going to tell you but... the way that I always need to be near you... I always think about you... but I don't know how you feel and it makes me really stressed, so I have to-- huh?" Applejack was cut off by hearing a light giggle from the alicorn beside her. She turned her head to face her, but her face quickly lit up in surprise as a pair of lips meet hers, bringing the unsuspecting mare in for a deep kiss. Applejack slowly closed her eyes and obliged after a moment. Twilight's kiss was soft but highly passionate, like she had been waiting a thousands years for this moment.
Applejack guessed she waited that long too.
And now it's finally happening.
After a few seconds, their lips parted, and Applejack smiled but still looked at the mare with slight shock. Twilight breathed, "I've felt the same way for-- so long-- I figured that you being an esteemed farm pony that you would never like a mare of royalty, of high-class, even though I don't consider myself that. It's so relieving to know you feel this way too."
"Twilight, I-I didn't know-"
"It's okay. All that is important is that we are here together. Let's enjoy it." Twilight expanded one wing and wrapped it around her new found lover, pushing her closer and into her warmth, and they started looking off into the setting sun.