“Here.” Fluttershy said, offering the rolled letter to the little blue jay that was standing on the windowsill.
The jay extended one of his legs to grab the letter, but it was quickly pulled away from him before she could even reach it.
“I don’t know if I should send it.” The pegasus said, holding the letter to her chest.
The blue jay and the other animals in the cottage rolled their eyes and sighed. This had been the routine for a good part of the morning. Their caretaker had decided to write a love letter to the pony that had caught her attention, but whenever she was about to send the letter on its way, she would chicken out.
Fluttershy shook her head. “No, if not now, I will probably never do it.” She said with determination, extending a trembling hoof and offering the letter once more to the bird.
The bird squinted his eyes, looking between the mare and the letter. He lifted his leg once more, slowly moving it forward to grab it.
“Wait, wait! I just want to make sure that I wrote everything I wanted to say. This is really important after all.” She said, running to her desk and unrolling the letter to take one more look at it.
The animals sighed once more, getting tired of this routine.
“Hey, Big Mac. How ya feelin’ this mornin’?” Applejack asked as she entered her big brother’s room, with Apple Bloom following close behind, carrying a bag of ice.
The big stallion lowered the book he had been reading, looking with a neutral expression at his sisters. “A little better, but it still hurts.”
“Of course it hurts. Ya sprained yer leg,” Applejack said, walking to the foot of the bed to take a look at her brother’s bandaged ankle. “It will take a few days for the pain to go away. And at least a week for it to fully heal. Thank Celestia it’s only a minor sprain.”
“Eeyup.”
Applejack moved to the side, allowing her little sister access to the injured limb. The filly jumped on the bed, careful not to step on Big Mac, and placed the bag of ice on the injury.
“This should help,” Apple Bloom said with a smile.
“Thank you, Apple Bloom,” Big Mac said as he ruffled the little filly's mane. He then looked up at Applejack. “Ah’m sorry to leave all the work to ya… again.”
“Hey, don’t worry, ‘sides, It’s not like last time. Ya were almost finished with your side of the farm when you sprained yer leg, right? It’ll only be an afternoon of extra work, maybe two.” Applejack then looked at the clock on her brother’s table. “Well, Ah better get goin. If Ah start now, Ah’ll be done before supper.”
The mare turned around and left her brother’s room, waving goodbye at her siblings.
“Hey, Applejack,” Apple Bloom called before the mare got far. “Do ya want me tah help ya today?”
“Nah, sugarcube, Ah’ll be fine. Ya should stay here and watch over Big Mac. Make sure he doesn’t move that leg of his. Understood?”
Apple Bloom saluted before running back to Mac’s room.
Applejack resumed her walk to the first floor of the house, greeting granny smith on her way to door.
“See yah fer lunch, Granny,” she said, tipping her hat.
Granny Smith rocked back and forth on her chair. “Don’t ya go and overdo it like ya did last time, ya hear me?”
“Don’t worry, Granny. Ah just have a dozen Apple trees to buck on my side, then I move to the northern orchard to finish Mac’s job. He said that he would have finished yesterday if he hadn’t injured his leg, so I’m sure there won’t be that many trees to buck.”
“Alright. Then go ahead. I’ll make sure to have somethin’ good fer lunch.”
Applejack grinned. “You always have something good fer lunch. “Damn right ye are.”
AJ chuckled. “Well, see ya latter, Granny.” Applejack left the house and made her way to the eastern orchard to start working on her side of the farm.
Like every other day at the farm, Applejack worked diligently, managing to clear the apple trees on the eastern orchard just before lunch. She then took half an hour to rest after lunch before moving to the northern orchard to continue.
She was moving at a really good pace, and Big Mac had been right, there weren’t that many apple trees left to buck. She had been working for the most part of the afternoon, and it would take her an hour more to finish the job.
Applejack lifted her back hooves and gave a powerful kick, the apples of the tree falling to the baskets she had previously placed below it.
“That was a good kick,” Applejack said with pride, seeing as she managed to knock all the apples in only one try. She wiped the sweat from her brow before starting to move the full baskets to the cart and placing the empty ones around the next tree.
The sound of flapping wings caught Applejack’s attention, so she lowered the basket she had been carrying and looked up. A little blue jay was flying above her head, holding what looked to be a scroll with its feet. The bird slowly lowered its height until it was at the same level as Applejack’s head. It flapped it’s wings, remaining in place right in front of the mare.
“Uhmm… Hi?” Applejack said, not really knowing what to do or what to expect. The bird chirped at her, moving a bit closer and lifting the scroll.
“Is… Is that for me?”
The bird chirped again. Applejack had no idea if it was an affirmative or negative chirp, so she just extended her hoof. If it was for her, the bird would drop the scroll, if not, then no idea what to do next.
Thankfully, the bird did drop the scroll on Applejack’s hoof before flying up to the sky.
‘Ah hope this doesn’t mean Derpy lost her job,’ Applejack thought worriedly, looking at the bird getting farther and farther. The mare lowered her gaze to the scroll, noticing that there was no seal on it like the ones she had seen Twilight receive.
Applejack sat on her haunches and put the scroll on the ground. She took the tip of the pink ribbon that kept the scroll rolled between her teeth and pulled it, the parchment unrolling to reveal a single page containing a neatly written letter. She started reading, her eyes slowly widening with each word her brain processed.
“This… is this really from her?” Applejack mumbled, her heart beating like crazy. She had to read it a second time to make sure that it wasn’t her brain playing a prank on her, that she had read it correctly.
Maybe it is wrong to say this in a letter instead of standing in front of you and saying it, but I’m scared.
I’m scared of what your answer might be, but I have hope that there is a chance that you will say yes.
There’s not a single day in which you don’t show up in my thoughts. Not a single day I don’t think about your mane, or your coat, or those bright and beautiful green eyes.
I can’t help but think how much I would like to be held by those strong hooves of yours.
I can’t help but think of your voice, with that cute accent of yours, saying my name in an affectionate way.
But just thinking about all that isn’t enough. Not anymore.
I need to know if you will accept me as your marefriend, if that’s okay with you.
I know this is too sudden, so I will wait as long as you need for your answer, be it a yes or a no.
With love, Fluttershy.
‘Fluttershy… loves me?’ Applejack’s mouth stayed agape and her gaze went lost in front of her as she fully understood meaning of that sentence. A red crimson blush spread over her cheeks, her breath went erratic. ‘Fluttershy loves me.’
Applejack hooves trembled, a smile stretching on her face, becoming bigger and bigger, and butterflies fluttered in her stomach. She grabbed her stetson and threw it up to the sky. “YEEEEE-HAWWWW!!!” the mare shouted in complete happiness.
She couldn’t believe this had just happened. This was another dream, right? Applejack lifted a hoof and bit it hard. It hurt, it really hurt. This was, real… this was happening.
‘Ah… Ah have to go and see her,’ Applejack thought, reading the letter for the third time. ‘Ah want to see her and… and tell her that yes, that Ah want her to be my marefriend. That Ah want her to be the most important part of my life.’ Applejack trotted over to where her hat had landed, She placed the rolled letter in it before placing it back on her head.
She then turned around and ran to the entrance of Sweet Apple Acres turning to the left, in the direction of the Everfree Forest.
Applejack was filled with energy. It was like she hadn’t just spent the afternoon bucking trees under the hot sun. She felt like she could run all the way to Canterlot and back. Hay, she would run to the Crystal empire if Fluttershy was there. But no, Fluttershy was here, in Ponyville, waiting for her answer, and she wouldn’t make the beautiful mare wait a single second more.
She had been in love with her timid friend for months now, maybe even over a year, as she wasn’t sure when exactly she had started feeling this attraction. She had never found the strength to pursue it, thinking that Fluttershy wouldn’t be interested, that she would just make things awkward for her friend.
But this letter… this magnificent and incredible letter said that Fluttershy felt the same way, that she wanted a relationship with the country pony.
Applejack ran up the hill, and from the top, she could see the cottage of the pegasus at the distance. As she got closer, she could see the shy pony standing on the front of the cottage, giving out food to her animal friends.
“Fluttershy!” Applejack shouted, speeding up her pace even more.
The pegasus looked up, startled from the shout, but her surprise quickly changed into a warm smile as she saw her friend coming closer.
“Oh, hello, Applejack. What brings you here?”
Applejack stopped in front of her friend. She took the scroll from under her hat and presented it to Fluttershy. “This.”
Fluttershy’s eyes widened, her cheeks gaining a rosy color.
“I… I…”
“Is all of it true?” Applejack asked, unrolling the scroll. “What is written in this… Do ya mean all of it?”
Fluttershy looked to the ground, pawing at it, remaining quiet for a few seconds. “...Y-yes… I shouldn’t have, right? I’m sorry if it upset you. I just wanted to tell B–” Fluttershy’s words were cut by the sudden embrace of the farm pony.
“Upset me?” Applejack laughed. “The complete opposite, sugarcube. Ah couldn’t be happier.”
Fluttershy relaxed and returned the embrace. “That’s good to hear.”
Applejack pulled away, lifting a hoof to gently caress Fluttershy’s cheek, her gaze filled with love and affection.
“Uhm… Applejack…” Fluttershy started, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the mares actions. “What… what are you…” Fluttershy stopped, looking down as she was no longer able to endure the other mare’s intense gaze.
“No need to be shy.” Applejack lifted Fluttershy’s face. “Ah love ya, Fluttershy, Ah always have.”
Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “What?”
“Ah would be extremely happy with ya as mah marefriend.”
Fluttershy was at a complete lost of words. “... Applejack, I don–” She was instantly silenced, as the orange mare hadn’t been able to hold back and did what she had wanted to do for months. Applejack kissed those beautiful lips that she had longed for, with all the passion she had been hiding inside of her. They remained like that for a moment, with Applejack enjoying every second of those soft lips, thinking how much better was this compared to her dreams.
A carrot to the back of Applejack’s head finally made her stop. “What in tarnation?” Applejack glared back at the little bunny, who was returning her glare.
The little bunny was stomping his foot in annoyance, he gestured back at the large line of hungry animals, then pointed at the pile of animal food that was lying right next to the yellow mare.
“Oh, Ah guess Ah interrupted ya in the middle of yer work,” she said with a small chuckle before her eyes widened. “Horse apples, Ah forgot to finish the work. If Ah don’t get all the apple baskets to the barn before night, Granny will tan mah hide. “Ah think Ah can finish mah work at the farm today, so we can spend tomorrow together, alright?” Applejack brushed a lock of mane out of Fluttershy’s face. “Goodbye, love,” she whispered, placing a gentle kiss on the yellow mare’s cheek.
The farm pony let go of the caretaker and slowly walked away, giving one last look back from the top of the hill before trotting back to the farm.
Angel Bunny only stopped glaring at the orange pony when this one was out of sight. Nopony should get in his way to get his meal. He jumped to the front of the line, waiting for Fluttershy to give him his salad, but the mare didn’t even move a muscle to serve him.
He looked up in annoyance to see what was the problem this time. Fluttershy just stood there, with her mouth slightly ajar, her ears folded back and eyes looking at nothing, not even blinking. He knew what was happening, Fluttershy’s brain had shut down.
Angel jumped on the mare's back, then moved to her head. He patted at her forehead a few times, trying to get a reaction, but nothing happened. He pulled the mare's ears and mane, but still no reaction.
Angel knew that he wouldn’t accomplish much, he needed help. He looked at Harry the bear, who was looking from the side a little worried. Angel whistled to get his attention then instructed him to go grab a bucket and fill it with water from the river. Harry did as instructed, bringing the filled bucket back to the rabbit.
Angel jumped off and told Harry to empty the bucket on the mare. Harry was against the idea at the beginning, but after being told that he wouldn’t get his meal if he didn’t do it, he didn’t hesitate to pour the cold water on the caretaker.
Fluttershy gasped as soon the water made contact with her. She shook her head, spreading droplets of water everywhere. She looked around, not really sure where she was. A little touch to her hoof caught her attention. She looked down at Angel Bunny, who was about to demand her to serve the food, but was quickly interrupted as the mare scooped him up in a tight hold.
“Oh, Angel, please, please, please tell me that I just imagined all of that. Tell me that Applejack didn’t came here and said she loves me.”
The bunny sighed, shaking his head to answer the frenetic mare.
Fluttershy dropped the bunny, who landed face first on the ground, and started to pace around in circles. “Oh nononononono. I-I… How? Why? I just don’t… The letter.” She stopped on her tracks. “I… I did write that it was for… I’m sure I...”
Fluttershy thought back to what she had written on that letter the day before. “Oh, Celestia.” Fluttershy slumped, realising that she not only had forgotten to write Big Mac’s name, but that she had been really vague in the letter.
“But why did Applejack get the letter? I… “ Fluttershy looked around, noticing a little blue bird perched on a nearby tree. She closed the distance in a second. “Mr. Blue Jay, why did you gave Applejack the letter? It wasn’t for her, it was for–”
The bird interrupted her, shaking his head and chirping defensively.
“I wasn’t specific?” The bird chirped again. “I just told you to give the letter to a pony?” The bird chirped once more. “To the one that was bucking the trees in the north?” The bird nodded.
“Oh no, what am I going to do? I… I have to fix this. I have to tell Applejack that I… I don’t…”
‘Ah love you, Fluttershy, Ah always have.’ Applejack words resonated on her mind, making Fluttershy groan.
“This is a complete disaster. I need… I need advice… Rarity! I have to go and ask her what should I do.” Fluttershy extended her wings, prepared take off, but her attempt was frustrated by a powerful grip on her tail. “What?”
Harry looked at her, a pleading expression on his face. His stomach growled loud enough to be heard all over the place.
“Oh, right,” Fluttershy said, descending to the ground. She just noticed that the sky was getting dark and there was still too many mouths to feed. “I… I guess it’s too late, I’ll ask her tomorrow.”
As Fluttershy finished her work for the day, she couldn’t help but think the problem her letter had caused and how she could fix it.
Applejack woke up earlier than usual the next morning. With what had happened the day before, she hadn’t been able to finish bucking the trees before night, so she had decided to do just that as soon as she woke. It took her less than an hour to finish, which left her with the rest of the day to do whatever she wanted to do.
She had plans, plans of what she wanted to do and with whom she wanted to do it.
The mare was busy on the farm’s kitchen, preparing a salad while she waited for the apple pie in the oven to be done. The alarm on the stove went off just as she placed the salad in a picnic basket. She hurried over, opening the oven and allowing the the freshly baked aroma to wander around.
“Hmmmm, somethin’ smells really good!” Apple Bloom exclaimed as she entered the kitchen. A large grin showing on her face as she saw her older sister pulling out the pie from the oven. “Yes, we’re havin’ pie today!”
Applejack took out the pie, placing it on the table. “Ah’m sorry, Apple Bloom, but this pie isn’t fer ya.”
“Awww, can’t ya just give me a little piece?”
Applejack shook her head. “Nope, sorry but this pie will get out of this house without missing a single part.”
“Not even a teeny tiny piece?” Apple Bloom asked, using her best sad little filly’s face, the one that always worked with Big Mac. She did know that it never worked on her sister, but she had to try if she wanted pie.
“Nope.”
“But Ah haven’t had pie in like an eternity!” Apple Bloom winned.
“Granny made pie just two days ago,” she said with a deadpan expression.
“An. Eternity.”
Applejack chuckled, shaking her head. “Ya know what? Ah’ll bake another one tomorrow, alright?”
“Awww, can’t it be today?”
“Sorry, sugarcube, but Ah don’t have time right now. Ah’m just going to wait a little fer this pie here to cool down a bit, then Ah’m leavin.”
“Where are ya goin’?” came the deep voice of Big Mac’s from the kitchen’s entrance.
“Ah’m goin’ over to Fluttershy’s place. And shouldn’t ya be resting up in yer room?”
“Ah need to move around for a bit. Ah was tired of staying there just reading.”
“Ya know ya should be careful the first two days.”
“Relax, AJ. Ah’m making sure not to place any pressure on that leg. Ah just want to move around a little bit, then Ah’m goin’ back to bed.”
Applejack sighed in defeat. “Okay. Do whatever ya want. Ah don’t have time fer this anyway,” Applejack said as she packed the pie in the picnic basket, together with a few napkins, some apple juice and a picnic blanket.
‘Hmm… Ah feel like Ah’m forgettin’ somethin… The letter!’ Applejack thought, rushing upstairs to her own bedroom while carrying the basket with her mouth. She got closer to her desk and took the envelope that lay on top of it, right next to the letter she had gotten the day before. The envelope had the name of the beautiful mare written on it, with two hearts at each side. ‘Thank Celestia Ah remembered this before leaving.’
Since Fluttershy had written her a letter saying how she felt, she had decided to write one as well. It would be a romantic gesture, right?
She had spent a lot of time thinking of what to write in it, and in the end, she had decided to just go with something simple. Not the usual for a love letter, but it was something she wanted to make sure Fluttershy knew.
She carefully placed the envelope in the basket. There was still one more thing she needed, but she could pick that up before going to Fluttershy’s. She took hold of the basket and left her room.
Back on the first floor, Applejack took a quick look in the kitchen, finding both her siblings preparing sandwiches. “Well family, Ah’ll see ya all tonight,” she said before focusing on the youngest. “Apple Bloom, make sure Big Mac’s goes back to bed after eating that.”
“Sure thing. Goodbye, Sis,” Apple Bloom said while Mac just waved.
Applejack moved then to the living room, where she knew she would find her grandmother. “Bye, Granny,” she said hastily, turning around to leave.
“Applejack, come here fer a second.”
Applejack abruptly stopped on her track, her eyes darting back with a glint of worry. “Uhm, sure.” She walked back and sat right in front the old mare.
Granny smith rocked back and forth, eying her granddaughter carefully. “Ah have noticed that, since yesterday, ya have been in a really good mood.” Her gaze then fell on the basket that lay next to the younger mare. “A picnic fer two, if Ah’m not wrong…” She fixed her eyes back on Applejack. “If Ah heard right, ya’re goin’ to that yellow mare’s place. Am Ah right?”
Applejack looked down while rubbing her neck with a hoof, a tint of pink on her cheeks. “Uhm… yes… Fluttershy’s cottage.”
“Well! Ah better not take more of yer time,” Granny said, standing up from the chair. “Be a dear and bring her fer lunch one of this days, alright?”
Applejack looked up at Granny Smith, who was looking back with a knowing smile. “Ah-Ah will, Granny!”
“Good. Now get goin’, young ‘un, don’t make the pretty mare wait.”
With a big smile, Applejack tipped her hat at the older mare before taking the basket and leaving the farm. She made her way to the center of the town, as there still was one more thing she wanted.
Turning left in the street before reaching Carousel Boutique, Applejack reached the flower shop. The bell above the entrance chimed, announcing Applejack’s arrival.
“I’ll be there in a second!” came a voice from the back of the shop.
Applejack just moved to the counter, placed her basket on it and waited. Applejack looked around at the different arranges of flowers that were in display for a moment until she heard hoof steps moving towards her.
“Good morning, Applejack. What can I do for you?” asked the mare behind the counter.
“Hi, Lily. Ah need a bouquet of flowers.”
“Oooh!” Lily said, looking at the basket. “Going on a date? That’s great!” She looked back at the country pony. “So, any flowers in specific, or you want me to pick?”
“A bit of both. Ah want azaleas and whatever other flower goes well with it,” Applejack answered. She had known for a long time now that azaleas were Fluttershy’s favorite flowers.
“Alright, just give me a few minutes,” Lily said, moving to the back of the shop.
And Applejack waited, having some free time to think of her upcoming date with her marefriend. ‘Mah marefriend.’ It felt so good thinking it. It filled her with happiness. The only thing that could top it was to actually be with Fluttershy. She really wished that it wouldn’t take long for Lily to be done with the bouquet, as she already wanted to impress the cute yellow pegasus with the thing she had readied for their picnic.
The bell above the door chimed again, pulling Applejack out of her thoughts.
“Oh, hello, Applejack,” Roseluck said as she carried a pair of empty flower pots to a side of the shop. “Do you need something?”
“Nah, don’t worry, Lily already took my order.”
“Alright,” said Rose as she busied herself with some flowers.
A few minutes later, Lily returned with Applejack’s order. “Here you go, Applejack.”
“Thank ya, Lily,” Applejack said, admiring the beautiful bouquet. “Wow, Fluttershy will love it.”
A large grin popped on Lily’s muzzle. “So Fluttershy’s the lucky mare, hmm?”
Applejack blushed. “So, how much fer the flowers?”
“It would be ten bits.” Applejack quickly pulled ten golden coins and placed them on the counter. “Thanks for your patronage, come back soon!”
Applejack quickly placed the bouquet on the basket and turned to leave.
“Hey, Applejack,” Roseluck called before the orange mare could get out of the shop. “If you’re going to Fluttershy’s then you should probably check out Rarity’s place first. I saw her flying there not too long ago.”
Applejack smiled. “Thanks fer the information,” she said, leaving the shop.
Fluttershy would have loved to go talk to Rarity as soon as she had woken up, but she had some responsibilities with her animal friends that morning. After making sure each one of them was fed, She took off to the sky, not wanting to waste a second.
She flew slower than usual, tired due the poor sleep from the previous night. She couldn’t stop thinking about the problem she found herself with. She still couldn’t believe things had developed this way. Applejack, one of her best friends, had read the love letter Fluttershy had wrote, assuming that it was for her. And then, before Fluttershy could say anything, Applejack had made clear her romantic feelings towards her.
Fluttershy felt bad.
She really needed a good way to fix this without hurting her friend, and if somepony could help her with that, it was most likely Rarity… Or at the very least, she hoped that her friend could give her some good advice.
Fluttershy tired eyes locked on Carousel Boutique. She began her descent, landing right in front of the door. She pushed the door, timidly poking her head inside. “Rarity? Are you here?
“Coming!” Came the sing song voice of Rarity. The door at the far wall of the shop opened and out came the white unicorn. “Good morning, Fluttershy, what brings– Darling, What happened to you? Not to be rude, but you certainly aren’t looking your best right now.” She held the door open, prompting Fluttershy come inside the shop.
“I just couldn’t sleep last night,” Fluttershy answered as she moved forward.
Rarity quickly levitated a pair of cushions to the middle of the room for them. “Would you like something to drink? I can prepare some coffee if you need.”
Fluttershy shook her head as she sat down. “No, thanks. I’m fine.”
“Very good then. Now tell me,” Rarity started, sitting next to Fluttershy, “why couldn’t you sleep last night?”
“I… Rarity, I need help with something.”
“Alright, what do you need help with?”
“I…” Fluttershy played with her hooves, not really sure how to start. “Rarity, yesterday, I… I wrote a letter and it…” Fluttershy took a deep breath. Better to do this in one go. “Yesterday I wrote a love letter and sent it wit–”
Rarity squealed. “A love letter? Oh my, Fluttershy, who’s this pony that got your attention?”
Fluttershy was a little annoyed for being interrupted, but she flew over it. “It’s… uhm well, it’s Big Mac, but I–”
Rarity squealed again, looking at her friend with starry eyes. “So you couldn’t sleep because you were thinking of your paramour? I have been there. Long night just thinking about you being together with him, thinking of all the romantic dates you two could have…” Rarity looked at the distance with a dreamy look.
Fluttershy’s annoyance started to morph into frustration as Rarity trailed on with her fantasies. “Uhm… Rarity, I really need help wit–”
“Of course, of course. You sent your letter to him and now you need me to make you a dress for your first date, right?” The mare lit her horn, and a moment later, a measuring tape came floating into the room and rolled itself around Fluttershy’s torso. “Yes, yes, I can already see it, a beautiful light green dress with a cute white ribbon. I have to make sure the ribbon doesn’t get in the way of your wings.” Rarity said, moving the tape around Fluttershy’s body. “Maybe I could–”
Tired, worried and ignored, Fluttershy let out her frustration with a shout. “R-Rarity! I didn’t came here for a DRESS!”
Rarity jumped back, surprised by her friend's sudden outburst.
“I-I’m sorry, I just… Just let me explain… The letter… It didn’t reach Big Mac.”
Rarity's ears folded back as she grimaced.“Oooh. So… what happened with the letter?”
“Uhm… Applejack got it.” Fluttershy turned away, still embarrassed by how careless she had been in the letter's delivery.
“Then there’s no problem,” Rarity said brightly, her smile showing that she still didn't understand what was going on. “Are you afraid of her being against you dating Big Mac? Applejack isn’t like that at all. Actually, I’m sure she would be happy if in a few years you became part of the Apple family.”
“She… She would be really happy if I became part of her family, but not as her sister in law.”
Rarity looked at her, lifting a brow. “What do you mean, darling?”
Fluttershy sighed. “The letter… I was really vague about whom I was talking about in it… Applejack thinks it was meant for her. She… She said she feels the same way… That she loves me.”
Both mares remained silent for a moment, Rarity processing what she had just been told and Fluttershy waiting for her friend to say something.
“Ooooohhh…” Rarity finally said. “You know, for someone who’s extremely bad at lying and keeping secrets, Applejack certainly had that one well kept. I never even imagined that she was interested in mares.”
“Rarity…” Fluttershy winned. “I was also surprised yesterday, but that’s not important right now.” Fluttershy covered her face with her hooves.
Rarity sighed. “Well, there is only one thing to do in this situation, and I’m sure you already know that.”
“I know… I have to tell her the truth… but is there a way to do it without hurting her?”
“Darling, there’s not an easy way to tell someone who loves you that you don’t reciprocate.”
“Then I don’t think I can do it. I… I don’t want to hurt her.”
“But you have, darling… That, or maybe give this a chance. Have you considered maybe giving it a try?”
Fluttershy shook her head. “I… I don’t think I could. I… I just never thought of her, or any of the girls, like that.” Fluttershy tried to imagine doing that, her mind returning to the steamy kiss of the previous night and the passion behind it. Fluttershy’s cheeks turned red, shaking her head quickly to clear her mind. “I can’t. It wouldn’t be fair. I… I don’t feel that way for her.” Fluttershy dropped to the floor. “There really is no other way. I just… just have to be honest. I’ll tell her that the letter wasn’t for her, that it was for Big Mac. That I don’t love her.”
A noise from the door drew both mares attention. Fluttershy’s eyes widened at what she saw. Right at the other side of the door stood Applejack. Her eyes were slowly filling with tears, a picnic basket, the source of the noise, lay toppled on the floor, its contents spilled around.
“Y-ya… d-don’t?” Applejack stuttered, while taking another step inside.
Seeing the pain inside Applejack’s eyes, Fluttershy clenched her teeth in a panicked expression. This was exactly what she wanted to avoid. Why did this had to happen? And in the worst possible way to top it off. Knowing that she had to do something, she fled from the couch and landed in front of Applejack. “N- No… I mean no but…”
Applejack lifted a hoof, effectively hushing the pegasus. “T-that’s okay, sugarcube, i-it’s fine,” said Applejack with her voice close to breaking. She then smiled and covered her eyes with the hoof, pretending to tipping her hat. “Geez, Ah… ah really caught a crab there, didn’t Ah? Sorry for gettin’ in your way.”
Applejack laughed once and gripped her hat harder. “Of course it wasn’t fer me, how silly of me.” Applejack sniffed, her smile starting to crack down. “A-ah only w-wish Ah d-didn’t work up o-over this… A-ah d-don’t know w-what got into me… Ah let t-that letter t-taking my head over…
“S-sorry…” Applejack then turned and galloped away as fast as she could.
“A-Applejack!” Rarity called out, but there was not much else she could do. Her friend had galloped away faster than she had ever seen. “That could have gone a lot better,” Rarity sighed. “What are you going to do now, darling?”
Fluttershy remained still, looking down at the empty entrance. “This is exactly the last thing I wanted. I…” Fluttershy eyes locked on the toppled basket. The pie had landed upside down on the flowers, ruining both objects.
‘I’m so stupid,’ Fluttershy thought, tears running down her cheeks. She walked closer to the basket, taking a better look at it. Applejack had surely spent the whole morning preparing this, hoping to spend a great day with her, just for it to get ruined with a few words. ‘If I hadn’t made such a stupid mistake with that letter…’
“Just as I said.”
Fluttershy snapped out from her thoughts and spun her head to her side, where Rarity had just spoke.
Applejack’s rear hooves landed on the bark of the tree, the sound of wood cracking and splinters flying around followed shortly after. Applejack breathed heavily, moving her forehoof against her forehead to wipe the sweat, and once again to wipe the tears.
Applejack had run all the way from the center of Ponyville to White Tails Woods, not really feeling like going back to the farm.
There was not a single part of her body that wasn’t in some kind of pain. Her legs ached from all the running and bucking. Her lungs felt tike they were on fire. Her eyes burned from all the crying. Her heart…
“I don’t feel that way for her.” Fluttershy’s words kept replaying on her mind.
Filled with pain, Applejack screamed, leaning forward, balancing on her front hooves as she lifted her back legs up from the ground, extending them as hard and fast as she could muster, hitting the same spot of the three she had been aiming at for the last hour.
“The letter wasn’t for her.”
Applejack screamed again, bucking the tree once more.
“It was for Big Mac.”
She screamed, managing to hit the tree even harder than the previous time.
“I don’t love her.”
Her heart kept breaking in smaller pieces every time those words crossed her mind.
She bucked again, but completely missed her target, falling hard on the ground. She remained there, her tired body screaming at her to let it rest. With the little left in her body, Applejack managed to lift her head and look back at the tree, only to find out said tree was no longer standing tall and proud where it had been a moment ago. Just like herself,the three was laying on the ground, her previous buck had managed to tear it down from the root.
Applejack let her head rest on the ground, wiping the freshly formed tears before closing her eyes, allowing her exhausted body a moment to rest.
Applejack walked slowly under the last rays of sunlight. Her head hanging low, but occasionally looking up to make sure she was walking in the right direction. It took her a while to get to the entrance of Sweet Apple Acres, and even longer to reach the Apple house, as she had slowed her pace even more, practically dragging her hooves over the ground.
She entered the house, moving in a beeline for the stairs.
“Hey, Sis,” Greeted Apple Bloom from the other room, Applejack just grunted in return. “Y’all never guess what happened today while Ah was out with the Scoots and Sweetie Belle!”
“Not right now, Apple Bloom,” she said as she went up the stairs.
“Just listen, it was incredible!” the little filly said, chasing after her sister. “So, after lunch, Scootaloo got here ta show me the new scooter her mom had gotten her for doin’ good this year at school…”
“Apple Bloom–”
“It looked really cool. So both of us went to the house club and waited for Sweetie Belle to get there…”
“Apple Bloom–”
“When she got there, we built a ramp. Don’t worry, it wasn’t a big one like the other time, just a simple one so Scoots could show us her new trick and–”
“Apple Bloom! Ah don’t care!” Applejack shouted, turning around and fixing a glare on her sister. “Go bother somepony else!”
Apple Bloom jumped back, curling in a ball, looking at her sister with wide, fearful eyes. The filly quickly turned around and bolted away.
Applejack ears dropped, already regretting her attitude towards her sister, but the sentiment didn’t last for long.
“What the hay got into ya?” came the deep voice of Big Mac from behind her. “Why did ya yell at her?”
Applejack tensed up. She looked down at the floor, gritting her teeth before slowly turning around, making sure not to look at her older brother as she made her way to her bedroom.
Big Mac stood on her way, effectively blocking her path. “Ya aren’t going anywhere until ya–”
Applejack looked up, shooting a glare that made Big Mac stop. Both of them looked at each other for a moment before Big Mac moved out of Applejack’s way. The mare kept her glare on her brother until she entered her room and slamming the door behind her.
Big Mac hadn’t moved out of the way because of her anger but because, in his whole life, he had seen that look on Applejack only once before. It wasn’t the red, bloodshot eyes with dried tear stains below them. It was that particular empty look in her eyes... just like the one she had when they had lost their parents.
Big Mac limped away on three legs, thinking of what could have happened to his sister as he looked for the youngest Apple of the family.
Meanwhile, Applejack’s back was pressed against the door. She was barely able to contain her sobs, but not the tears that now ran freely down her face. Seeing Big Mac had filled her with all kinds of emotions. Anger, pain and sorrow had hit her all at once when he had talked. A part of her had just wanted to tackle her brother to the ground and hit him in his stupid face, but the other part just wanted to move away to somewhere where she couldn’t see his stupid face.
Thankfully the second part had won, as she knew it wasn’t Mac’s fault that Fluttershy didn’t–
Applejack let out a moan of despair, cursing her mind for allowing this train of thought to go in that direction.
How could life be so cruel? Making her the happiest mare of whole Equestria, just to take it away from her in less than a day, spitting on her face by making her brother the one who took her happiness away.
Applejack shook her head. ‘Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!’ Applejack mentally repeated, trying to get rid of those thoughts that continued to add fuel to this pain in her heart.
Applejack stood, walking away from the door. She made her way to her bed, resting her body on it as she buried her face in her pillow. Her head hurt, just like the rest of her body. She just wanted for this day to end.
‘Why? To wake up and see today was just a nightmare? Ya know this is real. Fluttershy doesn’t love ya and she never will. Ya will wake up to the reality tomorrow.’
Applejack wiped the tears away, and just stayed there, trying not to think, trying not to feel.
A gentle knock sounded before the door slightly opened, Granny Smith poking her head inside. “Applejack, dinner is ready.”
“Ah’m not hungry, Granny. Eat without me,” Applejack said as she rolled away from the door.
Granny remained there on the door for a moment before speaking. “Ya want to talk about what happened today?”
“No,” Applejack replied.
Granny just sighed. “Alright. Ah’ll leave some food on the oven in case ya feel hungry later.”
Applejack did not answer.
The door closed, leaving the brooding mare alone.
Big Mac stretched on his bed until he felt the familiar crackling in his joints, letting out a relaxed sigh. With as much care as he could, the big red stallion rolled out of his bed, taking care to not hit his bandaged leg with something. Big Mac then proceeded to limp to the bathroom, ready to start with his morning routine.
As he left his bedroom and walked down the corridor, Big Mac noticed the open door of Applejack’s room. He had given her some space last night, but he was firm to have a little talk with her that same morning. A quick look inside the dark room was enough for him to know that his sister wasn’t there, so he limped past it to the bath.
After a quick shower, Big Mac moved to the first floor, where he found Granny Smith busy in the kitchen.
“Mornin’, Granny,” Big Mac said, taking his place on the table.
“Mornin’, dear,” Granny answered as she placed Mac’s breakfast in front of him.
The stallion was about to dig on his bowl of oatmeal when he noticed he still hadn’t seen his sister. “And Applejack?”
Granny sighed as she sat in front of her grandson. “Ah don’t have the slightest. She had already left when Ah woke up.”
Big Mac frowned. Granny was always the first to wake up, and Applejack never left the house without having her breakfast, as it was the most important meal of the day.
Big Mac ate in complete silence, worried about his sister. After finishing his bowl, Mac left to the living room, flopping on the couch with a book between his hooves. He didn’t really feel like reading. He wanted to get out there and look for Applejack, but it would be hard to move around with this injury in his leg. The only thing he could do right now was wait.
Apple Bloom had made him company for a while before she ran out the house to meet with her friends, leaving the stallion alone once more. There was nothing for him to pass the time, so he was more than happy when he heard a slight, almost imperceptible knock coming from the front door.
He moved as quickly as he could to the door and opened it. A quiet ‘eep’ was the first thing he heard as he laid his eyes on the yellow pegasus. The mare looked at him for barely a second before dropping her gaze to the floor and shrinking into herself.
“Mornin’, Miss Fluttershy.”
“Uhmm… G-good morning, Big MacIntosh,” Fluttershy answered without looking up, hiding her face behind her mane.
A brow arched on the stallion's face. It had been a long time since the mare had acted this shyly in his presence. Mac waited for Fluttershy to say something else, but as the seconds passed, it was obvious she wouldn’t.
“Can Ah help you with somethin’?”
Fluttershy peeked up, feeling nervous. She wasn’t mentally prepared to meet face to face with the pony she had feelings for. ‘What am I supposed to do? Does my mane looks good? I should have brushed my coat. I think he’s waiting for me to say something. S-should I try and tell him how I...’
Fluttershy frowned, her momentary panic disappearing as a different feeling filled her. She felt disappointed of herself.
‘You aren’t here for that!’ Fluttershy mentally scolded herself. ‘You came here to talk with Applejack! To apologize to her for what happened! Not to hurt her even more! Seriously, thinking about getting together with Big Mac at a moment like this? What’s wrong with–’
“Miss Fluttershy, are ya feelin’ alright?” Mac asked, pulling the mare out of her self berating.
Fluttershy looked up again at the concerned expression of the stallion before taking a deep breath. “I-I’m fine, thank you,” she said as she straightened up. There was a reason she was standing here, and it was time to get to it. “I-Is Applejack home?”
Mac sighed, his face dropping a little. “Nnope, and Ah have no idea where she is.”
“Ohh… Alright. I guess I’ll go look for her. Bye, Big Mac.” Fluttershy turned to leave, but quickly stopped as one of her hooves knocked something over.
“Oh, right! I almost forgot.” Fluttershy took the object between her hooves and turned towards the stallion, noticing for the first time the stallion’s bandaged leg. “Big Mac, what happened to you?” She asked worriedly as she rushed to meet Mac halfway.
Mac looked back at his leg and shrugged. “Sprained mah ankle, nothing serious.”
“You shouldn’t be walking around like that!” Fluttershy’s eyes widened as she gasped. “Don’t tell me you have also been working with that injury?”
Mac chuckled, shaking his head. “‘Ah tried, but Applejack would have none of it. A owe her one, she took care of bucking mah part of the farm two days ago.”
Fluttershy nodded. ‘That explains why she got the letter instead of Big Mac. I really should have been more specific to Mr. Bluejay about who was the one supposed to get it,’ she thought, shaking her head.
“This… this is Applejack’s. She… she left it behind yesterday,” she said as she offered the picnic basket to Big Mac.
Mac looked at it, the images of his sister spending the morning preparing food filled his mind. He lifted the checkered blanket, noticing that the items and containers inside had been cleaned up, but what really caught his attention was something else. Something that made a few things for him a bit more clear.
“Miss Fluttershy, Ah believe ya forgot something,” Big Mac said as he limped his way to the mare.
“Here. Ya forgot this,” Mac said, as he placed something right in front of the mare.
As Fluttershy looked at the object, she couldn’t help but feel as awful as the day before. Big Mac had placed the letter she had found in the basket right there.
“I… I can’t take it. Not after…”
“That letter is fer ya, it says it right there.” Mac said, pointing at Fluttershy’s name written on the envelope.
“I don’t think I should–”
“Miss Fluttershy, something happened between you and mah sister, right?” he asked. “She… when she got home yesterday, she looked like she had been cryin’.”
Fluttershy opened and closed her mouth several times before looking away in shame, a hollow sensation forming in her stomach.
Mac sighed. “Ah don’t know what happened, and Ah don’t think it is mah place to start snooping around in yer business, but Ah believe mah sister wrote it fer ya, so just take it. Do whatever ya want with it.”
Fluttershy remained still, looking as Big Mac limped away towards the house. When he had gotten inside the house, the mare took the envelope and put it below her wing before galloping away.
Applejack sat down at the top of the hill, looking at the distance. The hill had a perfect view of the whole apple farm, while also being far enough of the house. A place where she could be alone with her thoughts and feelings.
She had been unable to sleep and grown tired of tossing and turning in her bed, so she had decided to come to this place. She looked up at the blue sky that was slowly gaining an orange hue. She had been out here since midnight, and she hadn’t moved more than a few steps around that spot in all that time.
She leaned her head forward, allowing her hat to drop once more from the top of her head and between her hooves. She gently took the crumpled paper inside it with her teeth and pulled it out. Taking a deep breath, Applejack flattened it against the ground and read it once more, trying to find something in it.
Maybe it is wrong to say this in a letter instead of standing in front of you and saying it, but I’m scared.
I’m scared of what your answer might be, but I have hope that there is a chance that you will say yes.
There’s not a single day in which you don’t show up in my thoughts. Not a single day I don’t think about you mane, or your coat, or those bright and beautiful green eyes.
I can’t help but think how–
A few tears landed on the paper. Why did she kept torturing herself with this? She perfectly knew that there was nothing in the letter that indicated that what she had heard was just a mistake, not a line suggesting it was for her and not for Big Mac. It wasn’t for her, and it wouldn’t change no matter how many more times she read it.
Placing her hoof on the paper, pressing it against the grass and grabbing a corner with her teeth, Applejack pulled back, tearing the corner. She slowly tore small pieces of the letter, allowing the gentle wind of the day to pick them up, carrying them to a place where Applejack would never see them again.
She would apologize to Fluttershy for doing this, but not today or the day after. Not even the day after that, but eventually, she would. She would do it the day her heart stopped hurting.
Applejack looked down at the remaining piece of paper in her hoof.
With love, Fluttershy.
Applejack flopped on the ground with her hoof extended, waiting for the wind to pick up the last piece of the letter as she cried one more time.
Applejack groaned as the bright light of the dawn hit her straight on the face. She turned her head away from this, laying on the ground for a little longer. She finally lifted her head, taking in her surroundings. She was still at the top of the hill.
With all of the emotional and physical exhaustion of the previous days, it didn’t surprise the mare that she had fallen asleep and spent the night in that place.
Applejack stood on her hooves, feeling her legs a little sore, but nothing she hadn’t felt before. She blearily gave a look at the horizon before her stomach informed her of its complete lack of food. The mare took the hat that laid close to her and started her walk down the hill and through the orchards. It wouldn't be long before she reached the house.
“Do ya know how long have Ah been waitin fer ya out here?” Granny Smith said from her rocking chair, carefully keeping her eyes on her granddaughter as this one got closer. “Yah had all of us worried sick. We had no idea where ya were or when ya would come back. We thought somethin’ had happened to ya.”
Applejack stopped right next to Granny Smith and took her stetson off. “Sorry fer that. Ah just… Ah just needed some time alone,” Applejack said, looking down at her hooves in shame.
Granny took a quick look at the younger mare, taking in the rough aspect of her appearance, with her mane looking like a bird nest and the dry tears on her face. She nodded as she kept rocking on her chair. “Ah understand dear, but next time, be sure to at least inform us before ya leave. Ah mean, ya were gone fer a whole day.”
“Ah… Ah’m really sorry.”
Granny sighed. “That’s alright. Ya are back and that’s what is–” A growl from Applejack’s stomach interrupted Granny Smith. She chuckled as she stood from her chair. “Come on, AJ, Ah’ll prepare ya somethin’ good,” Granny said, guiding both of them inside the house.
They parted ways, with Granny moving to the kitchen and Applejack going to the bath. The young mare took a quick look at herself on the mirror. A complete mess. She really needed a bath, but that could wait until after her breakfast. She just took a moment to splash her face with water and smoothing her mane a little bit before leaving for the kitchen.
Applejack was just stepping into the room when a yellow and red projectile collided against her side, causing her to fall to the floor. Apart from a small amount of pain from the fall, Applejack could feel a pair of little hooves attaching to her barrel in a hug. Applejack looked down to see her little sister burying her face on her chest.
Granny chuckled, turning her head to the stove. “Ah told ya ya had all of us worried,” she said before stirring the contents of the pan she was using.
Applejack wrapped a hoof around the smaller body of her sister, using the other to slowly stroke her mane. “Ah’m sorry for worrying ya, Apple Bloom.”
Apple Bloom shook her head and lifted her head to look at her sister. She had a few tears on her eyes which she quickly wiped before giving a big smile. “That’s okay.”
Applejack smiled for a second before her face fell into a frown.
Apple Bloom looked worriedly at her. “Is something wrong?”
“Yeah…” Applejack kept stroking Apple Bloom’s mane. “Ah’m sorry fer shouting at ya that night. Ah… Yah didn’t deserve that.”
Apple Bloom just smiled and shrugged. “Ehh, no problem. Ah had actually forgotten ‘bout that, but Ah accept the apology.”
Applejack’s smile returned. She removed her hoof from her sister’s mane to place it with the other around her sister, giving her a bear crushing hug.
“Aaahh! Applejack! Let me -ugh- go!” Apple Bloom screamed, trying to break her sister’s hold on her, pushing against Applejack’s chest with her hooves.
Applejack chuckled. “Ah’m also sorry Ah didn’t kept mah promise of baking ya that pie ya wanted,” she said, not bothering on decreasing the strength of the hug.
“J-just… let me… go and Ah… will forgive… yaaaaaAAAAHH!” Apple Bloom crashed against the wall, as her sister had let her go at the same time she use all her strength to push herself away.
“Alright, that’s enough games from ya two. Now sit and eat yer breakfast before it gets cold,” Granny said before placing four plates on the table.
Applejack and Apple Bloom quickly took their places on the table, the only one missing was–
A hoof touched applejack’s shoulder, prompting the mare to turn her head. Big Mac stood at her side, smiling down at her.
“Good to see ya this morning, Applejack,” he said before taking his place next to Apple Bloom.
“Y-yeah,” Applejack mumbled, trying to suppress that bitter feeling in her chest before digging on her food.
The day before, after Fluttershy’s talk with Big Mac, the mare had walked around town a little more, trying to find Applejack.
With no luck on that, Fluttershy had moved back to her home, removing the letter from under her wing and placing it on a table for later. There was work she had to do around the cottage, and it would be better if she got to it right away.
It took her a lot of time to finish everything. As she finished something, she quickly busied herself with another chore, no matter how small it was.
That night, as she laid on her bed, Fluttershy was telling herself that she had been too busy to read the letter, but she knew that was a lie. She could have taken a moment to read it, it wouldn’t had taken more than a minute. But she couldn’t, she was afraid…
She was afraid, because once she read it, she would realize just how deep she had hurt her friend. How much damage her mistake had caused.
But Fluttershy was also curious. Curious about knowing a little more about her friend’s feelings. Curious to see what the farmer saw in her. And… curious to know how she herself would react about such information.
‘I’m going to read it… Tomorrow morning, that’s the first thing I’ll do.’
The next morning, Fluttershy found herself sitting on the living room, having an intense staring contest with the envelope. She had been like that for an hour, a bit afraid to read it, but determined on not going anywhere before she did.
Fluttershy pushed herself from the couch, walking to the table where the envelope lay. She gulped, moving a little closer to grab it, just to give up at the last second, turning around to go to her previous spot. This was about the twentieth time this happened. Fluttershy sighed as she flopped on the couch.
“Nooo! I was so sure she would do it this time!” somepony shouted, causing Fluttershy to jump from her seat. She looked around the room, easily spotting the draconequus standing on one corner of the room, wearing sports fan clothing. He also had a pennant that said “Go Fluttershy!!!” which he promptly threw to the floor.
“I can’t believe I lost again,” Discord said, crossing his arms.
Angel bunny was right next to him, poking Discord’s knee with his little paw while tapping his foot.
Discord sighed. “I know, I know,” he said, pulling a wallet from out of nowhere. “Last time I bet against a rabbit,” he mumbled as he took a look inside the wallet. He quickly pulled about fifty carrots, holding them up on the air. “Come on, one last time. Quadruple or nothing!”
Angel crossed his paws and shook his head, signaling discord to just pay him.
“Ugh! There!” Discord grunted, dropping the carrots, effectively burying the rabbit with them. “I hope you choke with one of those.”
“D-Discord? What… What’s going on?” Fluttershy asked, looking between the draconequus and the pile of carrots on the floor, a bit confused. “H-how long have you been there.”
“Oh, dear Fluttershy, I have been here since the very beginning,” Discord said, vanishing and appearing right next to the mare in seconds. “You seemed extremely focused on staring at that piece of paper, I thought it was rude to disturb. So I said nothing.
“And for what’s going on, I didn’t find it nearly as interesting as you to just sit around and watch it in silence, so I had a little wager with Angel,” Discord continued, looking with disdain at the little rabbit who tried to fit every single carrot in his hutch. He sighed. “I try to be a good friend, betting on you, believing that you could do it, whatever it was you were trying to do. My mistake.”
“Uhm… I-I’m sorry you lost your carrots because of me.”
Discord just shrugged. “Meh, I don’t even like carrots that much. Now, tell me,” he started, pointing at the envelope. “Is that thing making fun of you? Because if that’s the case, I can easily send it flying to the center of Ponyville in nothing but its underwear.”
“I-I, but it doesn’t, I don’t… T-that’s not necessary.”
“If you say so,” Discord said, placing his hands behind his head as he started to slowly float. “But really, what is so interesting about that…” He trailed of as he noticed for the first time the name of Fluttershy between two hearts on the envelope. “Ooohhhh! A love letter? You got a secret admirer!”
Fluttershy looked down at the floor with a saddened expression. “N-not really.”
Discord looked at Fluttershy, then at the envelope and back. “I feel like you are really conflicted with this. I believe I can help you with it, make things easier for you.”
“A-alright. What do you have in mind?” Fluttershy asked with curiosity. What could discord do to help her with–
“This!” Discord snapped his fingers. A little pop was heard and a small cloud of smoke appeared where the envelope had been, only leaving a little scorching mark behind when it dissipated.
“WHAT DID YOU DO!” Fluttershy shouted as she jumped from her place, running to the table and looking around to see if she could find a single piece of the letter.
“You were obviously distressed by the letter, so I just got rid of it.” Discord crossed his arms, looking annoyed. “Seriously, you try to help your friends and they just start shouting for no reason.”
“Discord, please, I need it back! Applejack wrote it for me and I–”
“Wait… Applejack wrote you that love letter?” Discord asked wide eyed. “I had no idea she swung that way.”
“Neither did I, but that’s not important right now. I need that letter back!” Fluttershy said in a pleading tone.
“What? You think I can just make it magically reappear? Well… You’re right.” With another snap of his fingers, Fluttershy found herself seated on a booth. A pair of red curtains hung from nowhere, floating in front of her.
The curtains slowly parted, revealing Discord, who was currently wearing a magician costume. A wave of applause sounded from everywhere, with Fluttershy nervously looking around to see where it was coming from.
“Ah! Thank you, thank you all for coming! For my first trick...” Discord removed his top hat and presented its insides to the audience. “I’ll pull a rabbit out of this hat!” He hit the hat with his wand two times, then inserted his hand inside, pulling Angel Bunny out, who wasn’t looking amused at all.
The applause was heard once more, with a few whistles added to it. “Thank you! Thank you!” Discord shouted, bowing slightly. “For my next trick!” He paused dramatically, slowly turning to look at Angel with a wicked grin. “I’ll pull a hat out of the rabbit.”
Angel’s eyes widened, quickly covering his rear with his little paws. Angel wiggled his way out of Discord’s grasp and ran away.
Discord huffed. “Such lack of commitment for the profession. It’s the last time I work with amateurs.”
“D-Discord,” Fluttershy called from her seat. “I really want that letter back.”
Discord sighed. “Fine, let’s jump to the grand finale.” Discord rolled up both of his sleeves. “Nothing up my sleeves and... PRESTO!” Discord extended his arms, pointing at the space between him and Fluttershy. A cloud of smoke popped and quickly disappeared, leaving behind… nothing. “Hmmm, there really was nothing up my sleeve.”
“Discord! Can you just give–”
Fluttershy’s scolding was stopped when a knock was heard from the door.
“And that’s all for the night! Thanks for coming! Do tell your friends about the Magnificent Discord!” Discord said before bowing. He then pulled his top hat down over his body, disappearing inside it.
“Discord, come back here right–” Fluttershy got interrupted once again by the knocking.
Fluttershy let out a defeated sigh. “Coming!” she said, walking to the door and slightly opening it to see who was standing outside. “Hello… eep!” She froze, with her mouth slightly ajar. Her nerves taking control of her body the moment her eyes took in who exactly was the mare on the other side.
“Hey, Fluttershy…” Applejack said as she scratched the back of her head. “Ah hope Ah didn’t come at a bad moment.”
Fluttershy shook her head. “N-no, you didn’t… Uhm, no,” she answered, not really meeting Applejack’s gaze.
“Fluttershy… Do ya have a moment? Ah… Ah want to talk with ya.”
“Uhm, y-yes, I…” Fluttershy opened the door the rest of the way and stood to the side. “C-come in...”
Applejack shook her head. “No, no, here’s okay. It’ll be just a second.”
“A-alright.” Fluttershy stood in front of Applejack, waiting for the mare to start.
“Fluttershy, Ah… Ah’m sorry for what Ah did last time Ah was here…” Applejack took a deep breath and continued. “Ah just thought that it was for me and Ah was so…That letter w-was fer Big Mac, Ah understand. Ya send it to the orchard he usually works but Ah got it instead. If we had spoken properly… If Ah hadn’t just rushed, thinking that it was… Ah…” Her breathing was shaky. “Ah’m really sorry… Ah kissed ya out of nowhere, and it must have been really weird fer ya. That won’t h-happen ever a-again a-and Ah… A-Ah… Consarnit!” Applejack looked away, lifting her hoof to cover her face.
Fluttershy heart ached for her friend when she saw a tear rolling down Applejack’s cheek. “Apple–”
“Ah know Ah made t-things awkward between u-us,” Applejack continued, still covering her face. “Ah just hope that this doesn’t a-affect our f-friendship. J-just… A-Ah want ya to know that Ah really mean it… S-so ya d-don’t have to worry about nothin’.”
“Applejack, you really–”
“S-sorry, Ah g-gotta go!” Applejack shouted, her hooves kicking and carrying her away. Fluttershy watched her friend disappearing in the distance.
The mare stood there without moving, still looking in the direction her friend had fled. Shortly after, Fluttershy’s ears caught the sound of a few step from inside the cottage.
“Wow…” came the voice of discord from behind the shy mare. “I was planning on giving her the ‘You better not break her heart’ speech. I never imagined you would be the one breaking hearts.”
Fluttershy’s ears folded back as her gaze dropped to the ground, remaining deathly quiet until she started to sniffle.
Discord eyes shot wide open in alarm and quickly kneeled in front of the pegasus. “Come on, Fluttershy, I-I didn’t really meant it,” he said, as he frantically waved his arms around. “It was just a terrible, terrible comment. You know I’m still really bad at this friendship thing, and I’m no good at being tactful with others.”
“It doesn’t change the fact that I did break Applejack’s heart,” Fluttershy mumbled.
Discord looked worriedly at his somber friend. He hated seeing her like that. He snapped his pawn several times, trying everything he could to lift her spirits, but the mare just didn’t pay attention to the multiple changes he had done to reality. She didn’t even notice when he made rain puppies and kitties. But he finally got a reaction when he dressed Angel Bunny like a tiny clown and made him ride a unicycle as Discord played the accordion.
“Discord…”
“Yes, Fluttershy?” Discord asked, eager to do whatever the mare told him.
“I… I want to be alone right now. Could you… Could you leave, please?” Fluttershy said monotonously, still not looking up.
Discord deflated. “I… Alright, if that’s what you wish…” Discord was ready to teleport away, but stopped just short of that. He lifted his claw to Fluttershy’s ear, waiting for a second to see if Fluttershy looked up, but she didn’t. He sighed, pulling an envelope from behind the mare’s ear and placing it on the ground before snapping his fingers, disappearing with a puff.
Fluttershy had stopped sniffling, locking her gaze on what Discord had left right in front of her. With a shaking hoof, Fluttershy opened it and took the letter inside, reading several times the single sentence written on it before pressing the paper against her chest.
Ten days had passed since the last visit of Applejack to Fluttershy’s cottage. They had met several times and hung out in those days, but never alone. They had always been in the company of the other girls, having fun at a party, enjoying a quiet lunch together or saving Ponyville from some kind of danger.
Applejack had kept her distance. Aside from the usual greeting, she barely said a word to the shy pegasus.
While this saddened the pegasus, she didn’t make the slightest effort to change this, hiding behind the excuse of giving the country mare space. But in reality, she was just afraid of saying anything.
Fluttershy just stood to the side, observing how Applejack interacted with the girls. She watched closely how Applejack moved around them, how she talked, smiled and laughed with the others. She watched how all that energy she had around their friends momentarily disappeared whenever her eyes locked with Fluttershy’s, just to quickly return as she looked away.
Their weekly pony pet playdate had been mostly the same, with Applejack avoiding looking in her general direction, busying herself with throwing a ball for Winona.
The play date had quickly reached its end, with everypony saying their goodbyes and walking to their respectives abodes. The yellow pegasus didn’t move to leave, watching from under the shade of a tree as an orange mare trotted away. Just before the mare got far, she turned back, her eyes finding Fluttershy’s, not bothering to look away this time. Fluttershy’s eyes widened and her heartbeat quickened.
With a small smile, Applejack lifted a hoof and gave a lazy wave at the pegasus. Fluttershy was stunned for a second, but she quickly recovered and waved back, a smile spreading over her face. Applejack then resumed her way to her home, leaving the park.
Fluttershy maintained her eyes locked in the direction the mare had just left, still a little surprised by the little gesture. If Applejack had waved at her, then that meant…
Fluttershy ears dropped, her smile disappearing as a wave of sadness filling her chest. Applejack was slowly moving forward, and that would be probably for the best, even if she had fina–
A tap to one of her hooves caused the mare to jump in surprise. She looked around in alarm, searching for the source of the sudden touch. Angel Bunny stood near, with an annoyed look on his little face.
“A-Angel, you scared me.”
The bunny rolled his eyes, then made a few gestures with his little paws.
Fluttershy nodded. “You’re right, it’s time to go back home,” the mare said, waiting for Angel to jump on her back before walking away.
“Fluttershy,” one of the girls called from behind, causing the mare to jump in surprise once more. The little bunny was launched to the air, flying a short distance before landing face first on the ground. “Oh, I’m terribly sorry, darling. It wasn’t my intention to scare you.”
“I-it’s okay, Rarity,” Fluttershy said, trying to calm herself. “Um… did you need something?”
“Not really, but... Do you have a moment? I would like to have a little talk.”
“Um, y-yes.” Fluttershy turned her body, giving her full attention to the fashionista. Angel lifted his face from the floor, looking with annoyance at the unicorn and his caretaker as he dusted himself, completely ignored.
“… What do you want to talk about?”
Rarity kept quiet for a second, just looking inquisitively at her friend’s expression, like trying to figure something out while doing that. Rarity’s eyes looked past Fluttershy to the distance for a brief moment, then focused back on the mare.
“Things with Applejack… they are getting better, I guess.” Rarity quickly noticed the look of confusion in the pegasus face. “I saw the little wave, and I have to say, it makes me feel a little more at ease.”
Fluttershy frowned, tilting her head. “I-it does? W-why?”
Rarity sighed. “Darling, you didn’t talk to me again about this letter problem, and it didn’t feel right to inquire about the subject.” The unicorn frowned. “But… I did notice that your… interactions with Applejack have been… non-existent.”
Fluttershy looked down at her hooves. “Ohh… You noticed.”
“I did, and so did the girls.”
“They did?” Fluttershy looked up worriedly. “Did you tell them about…”
Rarity shook her head. “Of course not, darling. It isn’t my place to tell them about this. But I did tell them that it would be better for us to give the two of you some space and wait for either of you to approach us,” Rarity said with a warm smile.
Fluttershy returned the smile. “Thank you, Rarity.”
“No problem, darling.” Rarity’s smile became a sad one. “Things seemed to be a little hard for you and Applejack this last week, but I’m happy they are slowly going back to how it was, she’s slowly getting over you. It… It will just take a little more time.”
Fluttershy frowned, turning her face to look to the horizon, or more specifically, in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres. “I… I don’t want that,” she mumbled.
“Hmm? What was that, darling?”
“I don’t want that…” Fluttershy said, adding a little more of strength behind each word. “I don’t want things to be like before.”
Rarity looked with a scrutinizing eye at her friend, trying to understand what the shy pony had just said. “I… I don’t understand. You don’t want… Are you upset with Applejack?” Rarity frowned at her friend. “Did she do something after the incident in the boutique?”
Fluttershy furiously shook her head. “No! No she didn’t.”
“Then why do you want things to remain like this? Don’t you want to be able to talk normally with Applejack as before? Don’t you want to be friends again?”
“I never said I wanted things to remain like this. But I... I don’t...”
“What do you want then?” Rarity asked forcefully.
“I want to be more with Applejack!” Fluttershy said a little louder than intended, quickly hiding behind her mane as she realized what had just escaped between her lips. Fluttershy tentatively looked between the locks of her hair at her friend, who was looking back at her, a smile– no, a smirk slowly forming on her face.
“More… When you say more, you mean…?”
Fluttershy’s blush was intense, the red hue spreading to her ears. She didn’t utter a single word, giving her answer in the form of a small, barely perceptible nod.
Rarity smirk widened. “I knew it.”
“What?” Fluttershy asked as she brushed her mane out of her face. “You knew? But I… How? Did one of my animals tell you?”
Rarity laughed amiably. “No, darling. I wouldn’t even be able to understand them if they tried. I had a hunch after I saw something. I had my doubts at the beginning, but it slowly became obvious what was it.”
Fluttershy’s eyes knitted in a frown. “What was it?”
Rarity didn’t answer right away. She was silent, as was Fluttershy. Rarity breathed, slowly opening her mouth, and Fluttershy leaned forward.
“You have been looking at her with desire.”
Fluttershy blinked, processing what her friend had just told her. She slowly retreated back into her mane as a blush invaded her face.
Rarity gently nudged her friend to get her attention back. “I had been watching both of you, looking how you acted when we all were together. You looked at her from the distance with a sad expression, but it just… gradually changed. I certainly am quite interested in how this came to be.”
Fluttershy fidgeted with her hooves. “You remember the envelope we found in the picnic basket?”
“Of course,” Rarity answered quickly, her eyes brightening along her excitement. “I can only imagine how romantic the letter must have been. Yet another aspect of Applejack that I had no idea about.”
Fluttershy shook her head. “It wasn’t really that romantic. It was simple, only one line, but it was really special. It made me understand just how great she is.”
Rarity smiled warmly. “If you don’t mind me asking, what did she write?”
Fluttershy looked again in the direction of the apple farm. “I hope I can make you as happy as I feel whenever I’m next to you,” Fluttershy said with regret, her face filled with sadness, the blush disappearing.
“Darling, what’s wrong?”
“She has always thought of my happiness first.” Fluttershy ears dropped. “Did you know that she went to my house to apologize?”
“I certainly had no idea.”
“She did. She apologized for… for kissing me, for making me uncomfortable. She cried. Even when she was hurting, she thought she was the one who did wrong. After what happened… Happiness is the last thing she will feel when she sees me.” Fluttershy dropped to the ground, covering her face with her hooves.
Rarity sighed. “You are probably right.” Fluttershy felt a pang in her heart, hearing her friend confirm what she had just said. “You’ll have to do something about it.”
“But what can I do?” The pegasus asked, a tinge of desperation in her voice.
Rarity moved Fluttershy's hooves, allowing the pegasus to look up at her. “You have to make her happy. Ask her out.”
“What? But I… I can’t do that. After what happened, how could I–”
“Fluttershy, it was a simple misunderstanding, it’s better to forget it and focus on the now. Right now, you want this. You want her, and I’m pretty sure she still wants you.”
Fluttershy’s face gained again a red color. “S-she does?”
“But of course!” Rarity exclaimed with conviction. “Now stop hesitating and go find her! Tell her that you are sorry, that you want her and that you will take her out on a date! Let her make you happy, and you be sure to make her happy in return!”
Fluttershy looked at her friend with awe, feeling her body fill with energy and hope thanks to her speech. “You are right,” she murmured. “You are right!” Fluttershy stood on her hooves, running in the direction of the apple farm. Her wings unfolded, beating once, twice and thrice before taking of to the sky. “Bye, Rarity!” Fluttershy shouted as she flew away.
Angel Bunny looked at his caretaker getting farther away, leaving him forgotten.
“Come on Angel, I believe I still have some carrot cake left in the boutique,” Rarity said, as she trotted to her home. The little bunny just shrugged before chasing after the unicorn.
Fluttershy landed just outside the Apple house, hesitating for just a second before shaking her head and steeling her nerves. She was going to do this, and she was going to do it now. She would walk to the door, knock and pour her feelings to that mare.
Fluttershy got in motion, standing in front of the door and lifting her hoof, just one last moment of doubt that she quickly got over as her appendage met the wooden door.
The door opened, revealing the matriarch of the Apple family on the other side.
“Good afternoon, Granny Smith. Its Applejack home?”
“Ya are the one that broke my granddaughters heart,” Granny said, glaring at Fluttershy. “Get out of mah property,” she slammed the door on Fluttershy’s face.
Fluttershy was stunned, looking at the door while playing the words of the older mare again and again on her head. She felt how the courage and determination slowly left her body, letting her head hang low. She slowly turned around, walking away from the Apple residence.
“Miss Fluttershy!” Fluttershy looked back to see Big MacIntosh, who had just come out from the Apple house, trotting to catch up with the mare. “I’m really sorry about that.”
Fluttershy shook her head, letting her gaze fall to the grown. “She’s right, I broke Applejack’s heart. I shouldn’t have come.”
Big Mac stopped the mare before she could even move a hoof. “Ah haven’t had the pleasure to really get to know ya better, but with the little things ah have seen and heard from mah sisters, Ah know that ya didn’t intentionally do it. Am Ah right?”
“I-I would never intentionally hurt one of my friends… But I still did it. I hurt Applejack.”
“But ya came to talk to her today and apologise, right?” Fluttershy gave a small nod. “Miss Fluttershy, right now, that’s what is important, not what happened in the past.”
“I…” Fluttershy hesitated for a moment. “I really want to see Applejack, but after what Granny said, I don’t know if I should–”
“Don’t mind what Granny said. She’s a bit angry, but once all of this gets sorted out, she’ll be back to normal… But we better move to somewhere she won't see ya,” Mac said, looking around. “Over there is a good place,” he said, signaling towards a path that ran through one of the orchards.
Both of them walked along the path, with Mac leading the way.
As she followed Big Mac, Fluttershy noticed one thing. “Is your leg completely healed? I see you're not limping anymore.”
“Eeyup. Just went yesterday to see the Doctor. Gave me the A-OK,” Mac said happily.
“That’s good to hear,” Fluttershy said happy for the stallion.
After a moment of walking in silence, Big Mac finally stopped and looked back at the mare with a serious expression. “Miss Fluttershy, may Ah ask ya somethin’?”
Fluttershy nervously looked at the stallion. “Uhm… sure, what is it?”
“Do ya really feel somethin’ for me?”
Fluttershy blinked, repeating what Mac had just asked her in her head as her cheeks gained a pink hue. “W-what do you mean?
“Ah’m askin’ if ya still feel attracted to me,” Mac said, keeping a neutral expression on his face.
Fluttershy took a step back, surprised by the sudden question. “I-I-I… How did you kn–”
“Yes or no?”
Fluttershy looked at Big Mac, who remained expressionless, his voice with the same neutrality.
She hadn’t really thought much about it in this days… Or being more precise, she hadn’t thought about Big Mac at all. She remembered the last time she had seen him and how she had been so nervous, wondering if she looked good. Big Mac, to her, was still a great stallion. He was quite attractive and nice. That’s why she had developed a crush on him… Well, that and because Big Mac was the only stallion she talked to at all. But that was all it was, a crush that hadn’t lasted for long.
Back then she had only imagined herself going out with a stallion. Dating mares was something that had never crossed her mind, and that was still the case. She didn’t think about dating other mares, she only thought about dating the most speciall pony she had ever known, the pony who always acted in a gentle and caring way for her.
Her mind couldn’t stop thinking about her and their time together. Her eyes being unable but to look for her every time she was nearby. Her heart beating like never before whenever she thought of being more than friends.
“No. I-I don’t really–”
“Ya like mah sister,” Big Mac interrupted, his face and voice still as stoic as before.
Fluttershy didn’t hesitate to answer this time. “Yes. T-That’s why I came here. I wanted to tell her and… and see if she still feels the same.”
The stallion finally smiled at her. “She does,” he said, turning around and resuming his walk.
Fluttershy looked down, feeling happy to heard that. She was also a little curious to know how the stallion knew how she had felt for him. She looked around for a second, spotting the stallion with a good lead ahead of her before running after him. “Big Mac… Uhmm, how did you know that I… That I used to… Uhmm.”
Big Mac looked at the mare from the corner of his eye, remembering how Applejack had been acting distant this week. The thing was, she had only been acting distant towards him. When he had finally asked why she was like that with him, she had just remained silent at the beginning, but after some insistence, she had simply answered: “Because she loves ya” with a face that could only be interpreted as complete defeat.
He didn’t really need any kind of clarification of whom his sister was talking. It did surprise him that the yellow pegasus was interested in him… But that just wouldn’t happen.
It didn’t had much to do with his sister liking that specific pegasus, or that the pegasus wasn’t his type of mare. He would be lucky to have the gentle and quiet pony as marefriend, but he had his eyes on another gentle and quiet pony.
Big Mac stopped once more. “This is as far as Ah go.”
Fluttershy looked with confusion at the stallion, not sure what he meant with that. Before she could say anything, the stallion turned around and walked back. “Where are you going?”
“Ah believe Applejack and ya could use some privacy to talk,” Mac said as he got farther away.
“What? Where is she?” Fluttershy asked, looking around for the mare.
“Just keep walking in the direction we were going, ya will find her at the top of the hill,” came the voice of Mac from the distance, with the stallion already lost behind the trees.
Fluttershy stood still, worried of moving towards the mare, but she just couldn’t go back. There was nothing to gain by giving up at this point, when she was this close.
While she felt a bit worried, not sure of what she would say to the mare at the end of the road, she didn’t had a doubt that she did want to see Applejack as soon as possible.
She moved forward, the words of Rarity and Big Mac filling her with courage. Applejack still felt something for her. With each step she took, she only felt more and more eager.
Fluttershy had finally left the orchard behind, moving up the hill where she could see a single apple tree. Fluttershy could feel her heartbeat quickening as she got closer, spotting an orange body under the shade of the tree.
“A-Applejack?” Fluttershy called out, slowing her pace until she completely halted.
Fluttershy smiled as she took a good look at the mare who was lying on her side, sleeping soundly. She couldn’t help but think how beautiful and calm the mare looked like that, with her tousled mane and her coat slightly covered with dirt, her hat toppled near her head.
Quietly, Fluttershy rounded the mare and sat next to her. She would wait there for the mare to wake up. She wanted to be the first thing that the mare saw when that happened, and the first thing she would do would be pour her feelings.
A gentle breeze blew over the hill, causing the orange mare to shiver. Without even thinking, Fluttershy extended her wing covered her friend with it. The country mare unconsciously pulling closer to the pegasus.
“Mmm ...ttershy,” Applejack mumbled in her dream, with the other mare smiling widely at that, feeling warm inside. She felt giddy after hearing that the mare was dreaming about her.
Applejack’s hat moved a little as the wind blew again, a little stronger than before. Fluttershy quickly held it down with a hoof and pulled it closer, gently placing it on top of her friend.
Fluttershy wasn’t sure how much time had passed. To her, it didn’t feel that long, but it must have been at least two hours as the sky gained a beautiful orange tint, with the sun slowly approaching the horizon.
A yawn to her side caught her attention. The mare under her wing beginning to stir.
Fluttershy looked quietly as Applejack lifted her head, their eyes meeting. A small smile showing on the country mare as she slowly leaned closer, locking her lips with the pegasus.
Fluttershy’s eyes widened, completely caught off guard. Images of the previous kiss she had shared with Applejack flooding her mind. But this time, it was different. She didn’t freeze, completely conscious of what was happening as she enjoyed and returned the kiss.
She lifted a hoof to cares Applejack’s cheek, but as soon it made contact, the orange mare pulled back, a look of panic on her face.
“Oh buck,” Applejack said, shrugging of the wing on her back and jumping away from the pegasus. “F-Fluttershy?”
Fluttershy stood up. “Appleja–”
“Ah didn’t mean it!” Applejack shouted, taking a shaky step back. “Ah… Ah thought it was a dream! Ah swear!”
“Applejack,” Fluttershy started. “It’s okay. I–”
“No. It’s not okay! Ah said Ah wouldn’t do it and here Ah am, forcing mahself onto you again!” Applejack said, her whole body shaking. “Ah’m sorry, Fluttershy. Ah… Ah just keep screwing things with you! Ah s-should just stay a-away.” She turned around and rushed down the hill.
Fluttershy looked at her friend running away, just like when Applejack had learned the truth about the letter, or when she had ran away after apologizing to Fluttershy. But unlike those times, Fluttershy wouldn’t let her get away.
She quickly took up to the sky, easily closing the distance between the two from above. She dove down from the sky and tackled the orange mare to the ground, both of them tumbled over, rolling down the hill a short distance before they stopped.
Fluttershy found herself on top of the other mare, who was looking up in stunned surprise. Fluttershy took this chance before Applejack could recover and push her off to lower her head and capture the country pony lips with her own.
Fluttershy did her best to pour as much passion as she could in the gesture, just like she remembered Applejack had done that first time.
Fluttershy broke the kiss, breathing heavily and feeling light headed. She looked into Applejack’s widened eyes, gently caressing her cheek, unable to hold the words inside. “I love you, Applejack.”
Applejack blinked once, twice, thrice before her eyes started to burn as they gradually filled with tears. “This really is a d-dream after all,” she said, covering her face with a hoof.
Fluttershy pushed the hoof out of the way. “This isn’t a dream.”
Applejack’s face crumpled, with the tears now freely flowing down her cheeks as she cried.
Fluttershy managed to roll both of them over, swapping their positions so she could wrap her hooves and wings around the orange body. “I’m sorry it took me this long to realise it,” she whispered on the mare’s ear. “I really love you, and I want nothing but to make you happy.”
The sun hid in the distance and let the moon rule over the sky, the stars helping it, decorating the sky. Two ponies not even bothering to look at the beautiful display, as one was too busy crying in happiness, and the other running a hoof up and down the mare’s back, feeling content.
Discord looked up at his rival, squinting his eyes as he tried to read his expression, hoping to get a clue of what he was fighting against. His rival was hard to read with that perfect poker face he had. It didn’t matter as Discord could easily crush him with what he had.
“Everything,” he said, pushing every single one of his chips to the center of the table, doubling the pot. Discord smirked as he saw his rival hesitate.
It didn’t matter to Discord if the other called or folded, either way, he would win.
Discord smiled as his rival called the bet, pushing the remainder of the chips to join the others. He laughed maniacally, bordering on evil.
“Sweet, sweet victory!” Discord stood up abruptly, pushing his chair back. “Watch and cry. Full house!” he shouted, presenting his cards to his rival. “Come to papa!” He leaned forward to gather his earnings, but was stopped as a white bunny jumped between him and the chips, shaking his head.
The little bunny quickly shoved his five cards onto the draconequus face.
“W-what?” Discord took a step back, surprised at what he saw. “R-royal flush?”
Angel Bunny snapped his fingers at Discord before, turning to collect his chips.
Discord stood baffled for a moment before his face turned red with anger. “You cheating varmint!” Discord shouted, using his powers to turn the tabletop into quicksands, easily trapping the bunny. “How dare you cheat against me?!” he asked, glaring at the bunny.
Angel glared back, waving and making gestures with his paws.
“Me a bad player?” Discord said indignantly. “I’ll show you a bad player!” With a snap of his fingers, thorns emerging from beneath the quicksands, slowly closing onto Angel from every direction.
“What is going on down there?” Fluttershy called from the second floor, the sound of her hoofsteps indicating that she was moving down the stairs.
“Oh buck.” Discord snapped his fingers again, returning the tabletop normal and banishing the thorns into nothingness. The poker cards glowed, turning into UNO cards and the chips into candies.
Fluttershy entered the living room, looking around for any sign of trouble, but the only thing she found was Discord and Angel playing UNO like every day.
“Aahh, you beat me again,” Discord said, gently placing his cards on the table and extending his hand to the bunny. “That was a magnificent game, my good friend.”
Under the table, Discord used his other hand to control Angel Bunny so this one met the one he extended in a gentle shake.
“I thought I heard you two fighting.”
“Us?” Discord asked incredulously. “Why would we ever fight? We are the bestest friends. Right, Angel?”
The bunny was forced to give a stiff nod.
“Alright,” Fluttershy said, looking unsure at both of them. She decided to just shrug it off and moved to the kitchen.
Discord let out a breath he had no idea he was holding, finally taking a good look at the mare. “Looking good,” he said as he noticed that Fluttershy had made done her mane, brushed her coat and preened her wings. “Have plans for the day?”
“Yes, I’m going out in a date.” Fluttershy answered happily.
“Oh, and who is the lucky pony?” Discord asked curiously, his magic hold on the bunny fading away. Angel stretched his body stiff body, already used to the draconequus’ actions whenever he lost a game against him. He just sighed before hopping away in search of something to eat.
“Well, the lucky pony is me, but if you are asking who my date is then–” A knock to the door interrupted Fluttershy. Fluttershy let out a cute squee, a large smile forming on her face as she rushed to the door.
Discord followed the mare with his eyes, intrigued.
Fluttershy opened the door, and Discord could swear he saw hearts in the pegasus eyes as she looked at the pony on the other side of the door.
Fluttershy couldn’t help but think how cute Applejack looked with her mane and tail braided.
“Hey, Fluttershy, Ah hope am not late for–”
Applejack almost stumbled backwards as Fluttershy ran on to her and locked their lips together. Both of them held the kiss for long, neither wanting to break it.
“Would both of you mind moving this to a room? There are animals present, for Celestia’s sake!” Discord said with a smile.
Fluttershy finally broke the kiss, her face turning crimson red. “W-we better get going,” she said, a little out of breath.
“Y-yeah,” Applejack stuttered with a goofy smile and a blush that matched her partner.
“Bye, Discord. Bye, Angel. Don’t fight while I’m not home,” Fluttershy said, extending one of her wings and placing it over Applejack’s back, guiding the mare away from the cottage.
Discord looked out the window, watching the mares disappear on the distance. He then fell to the ground on hands and knees.
“Why do I keep betting on the wrong choice?” Discord shouted, hitting the ground with a fist. “I was so sure she would get together with Big Mac.”
Angel Bunny jumped to Discord side, looking smug as he made some gestures, signaling Discord to pay the bet.
Discord glared at the bunny. “You must have cheated on this too.”
Angel rolled his eyes. The Draconequus could keep thinking whatever he wanted as long as he paid him his carrots.
