The romantic dreams Rarity had been plagued with were now starting to become clear. She desperately wanted to know who they were about and it seemed her subconscious was finally ready to give her an answer.
The romantic dreams Rarity had been plagued with were now starting to become clear. She desperately wanted to know who they were about and it seemed her subconscious was finally ready to give her an answer.
BIG thanks to my Bata Reader TecnoSmurf and for keeping me inspired to finish it! This is a 4 chapter story and will be updated every week!
Teen Rating for sexually implied situations EG Universe Story only; Sunset shows up but the others girls show up briefly; They are all around 18, seniors in HS;
With a sigh of contentment, Rarity laid her head back against her friend's leg, enjoying the feeling of the mud mask on her face and the sounds of laughter from her other friends.
She shifted against Fluttershy, trying not to disturb her reading.
Tonight was Rarity and her group of friend's monthly sleepover, the host being Rainbow Dash this time, and it was a grateful luxury she always looked forward to. It was a good time to converse and just exist together, in a safe and happy environment.
"A makeover is just the type of thing that can relax the soul!" Rarity said dreamily, smiling to herself.
The sleepover had honestly been a godsend. Rarity had been having trouble sleeping for a couple weeks, struggling with wanting to sleep but not wanting to reenact the same dream each night.
A relaxing night with her friends was just what she needed.
"You know I've got to say," she heard Twilight speak up, "this face mask does feel quite nice."
Rarity lifted the cucumber slices from her eyes and smiled. "It really does, doesn't it?"
Sitting up, she turned towards Twilight.
"I believe, though, it's time to take them off."
Both Rarity and Twilight headed to the bathroom to take their mud masks off. She helped her friend and afterward, began cleaning her own face. The mundane routine was one she was used to and it allowed her thoughts to wander.
Rarity’s recurring dream wasn't the average, ‘your entire fall line has been sabotaged’ kind of stress dream. It was very romantic in nature and was almost always the exact same scene.
It was herself in bed with a mysterious lover and, while she enjoyed herself during the dream, it was more frustrating than anything when she awoke, warm and confused.
The person she was with never showed their face and her mind could never conjure up any specific imagery that could help her pinpoint who it was her subconsciousness was drawn to. Rarity had tried to slot in several different people, wanting to see who this fantastic person was that kept invading her dreams.
Even trying to change who the person in her dream was, they never seemed to quite fit. She tried her most recent crush at school, a cute boy in her economics class. He was smart and handsome and everything she knew she wanted in a partner but when she imagined him in the place of her dream, it wasn't right. Rarity knew it was silly but it made her start to doubt her interest in him.
Whoever the dream was about, Rarity was sure it was the same person each time. She had tried to collect information about them during her dream and it was something she had been figuring out for weeks.
When Twilight and Rarity finished in the bathroom, they made their way towards the living room, where everyone had started setting up their sleeping bags.
“Pinkie Pie, I told you we were staying in the living room this time, not my bedroom.” Rainbow Dash said, putting her hands on her hips. “Why didn’t you bring your sleeping bag?”
Pinkie smiled sheepishly and sat down on the couch. “Sorry!” she said, “I was too busy planning out all of the party favors I wanted to bring.”
“For the last time,” Applejack said, “Ya don’t need to go and do all that. That’s up to the person who’s house we’re stayin' at.”
“I know, but I just can’t imagine a party without party favors!!”
Rarity laughed. They were all so supportive of one another and even the smallest thing like bringing gifts for everyone was so important to Pinkie that most of them didn’t say anything about it anymore.
Rainbow just rolled her eyes and had Pinkie follow her, walking off to find a blanket she could borrow.
Walking over to her rolled up sleeping bag, Rarity began spreading it out on the ground, nestled between Applejack and Fluttershy.
It was getting late and Rarity still hadn’t decided if she was going to tell any of her friends about her dreams. She didn’t want to tell them all the details but it was happening so often that she wasn’t sure if she could mentally handle the mystery on her own. Perhaps her friends had a different view that they could share on the situation, or maybe they could help her figure out who the mysterious person was.
Rarity sighed and continued setting up a place to sleep.
While fluffing up her pillows, there was suddenly a loud squeal from down the hall. Pinkie Pie ran into the living room and skidded to a stop, hands full of fluffy pillows.
“PILLOW FIGHT!”
Soon there were several pillows being thrown at her friends and Rarity put her hands up in defense.
“Oh no,” she said, “I am not going to ruin my new manicure that both Twilight and I worked so hard on.”
Rarity held up her manicured finger, demonstrating it’s perfection.
She heard a low chuckle beside her and suddenly there was a pillow being slammed into her face. Rarity flailed her arms around, very unladylike, despite the situation, and made a sound of annoyance.
There was only one person who would defy her like that. Rarity turned her head slowly, her perfect eyebrows raised in question to the tan girl beside her.
There were only two ways this could go. Rarity could get so angry at the fact anyone would have thought to throw something at her and she would then stomp off in a huff, or she could fight back.
Applejack seemed to always love getting a rise out of her and Rarity did enjoy the challenge. It was something of a game that only the two of them liked to play with one another.
Rarity spoke slowly but determined.
“Oh, IT. IS. ON.”
She quickly picked up the pillow that had fallen and threw it in Applejack’s laughing face, making her friend fall to the ground.
It was the best kind of challenge, Applejack always knew when the situation wasn’t all that serious and she was grateful for the excuse to break her composed demeanor.
Rarity grabbed another pillow and shoved it in Applejack’s face only to have it snatched from her hands as Applejack got up.
Applejack’s strong arms shoved the soft pillow in Rarity’s face, forcing her onto the floor as she giggled and squirmed around.
Finally able to remove the pillow from her face, it was only then that she was able to see Applejack above her, flushed in the face from laughing.
It was so softly beautiful and strangely reminiscent of her dream she gasped, shoving the pillow back into her friend’s face.
Rarity had the same warm feeling as when she awoke from her dreams and it was so off-putting from the moment that she lost the will to fight back, letting her arms fall to the sides of her face.
Her cheeks burned.
Applejack was still laughing but she stopped, putting the pillow down and chuckled softly as she looked down at her.
“Is somethin’ the matter, sugarcube?”
With an unladylike gape, she found it hard to speak. It wasn't like Applejack wasn't beautiful, all of her friends were quite attractive in their own way but placing one of her oldest friends in such a romantic mindset hadn't been anything Rarity was prepared for.
She shook her head and smiled. “No. No, I’m fine darling.”
It was such a weird combination of emotions. For some reason looking at Applejack hovering above her had triggered the memories of her dreams and her brain had thought it best to put Applejack in the situation. Perhaps she was just tired or the facial mask had been a little too relaxing.
Either way she needed sleep and she pushed herself up, looking at her friend with a smile.
“I’m just not up for a pillow fight right now.”
Applejack looked at her with a little concern but could tell her response was sincere. She nodded and picked up the pillow, turning to her other friends who were still fighting with their own pillows.
Rarity stayed on the ground, her knees pulled to her chest, willing the heat on her face to go away. After a moment, she was content just watching her friends. The fight itself was entertaining and most of the girls began to run out of energy quickly, all besides Pinkie.
When the fight was over, they all made their way into their sleeping bags. Rarity tucked herself in, facing the ceiling, and pulled her silk eye mask over her face, hoping for a dreamless sleep that night.
Rarity sighed in ecstasy. She was vaguely aware she was dreaming but while in the dream, she was always content. The sensory detail was in full force, having the feeling of her no named lover against her skin.
The body that touched her was smooth, but with deliciously calloused hands. So she couldn't necessarily pinpoint the gender. She was determined to find out who her mind was constantly drawn to in the night.
Their hands ran along her sides and gripped her dainty waist. Rarity could feel their strong legs around her, holding her tightly in place.
She always had a thing for the strong muscular type. That would most likely mean it was a male. This made Rarity smile to herself, her mind supplying her with the only female who would ever be strong enough to pin her down so delectably.
Suddenly, Rarity's consciousness was filled with the scent of apples and fresh grass and before she could blink, hovering above her was her tan blonde friend, her delicate freckles highlighted by the flush of her skin. In a mixture of relief and pleasure she moaned, raising her hands up to grip the strong arms that held her.
Rarity tried to speak her name, now having a face to make love to. Unlike the other times she had tried to put a face to the body that was above her, her consciousness held tight to the image of her friend. Rarity drank in the sight of messy blonde hair and feminine curves, never before having seen something so beautiful. So enticing. And so wonderfully right.
Rarity’s body warmed at the sensation of lips on her neck, tender and inviting. Not in any of her dreams had she felt this vivid passion. It was intense and she moved to meet the girl in her dreams.
There was breathing in her ear and then the wet feeling of lips against her skin. Rarity’s body ricocheted and an intense heat filled her from head to toe. Her dreams had never before felt so perfect. The only thing she could think about was, finally. Finally she knew who it was.
Rarity struggled to find her voice and she yelled the name of her now known lover that had plagued her dreams for so long.
“Applejack!”
Suddenly she was awake and breathing heavily.
Rarity felt a strong hand on her arm. Her eyes were wide as she looked up and saw Applejack. It was jarring for a moment, thinking that maybe she hadn’t woken up yet but she realized her friend was clothed and concerned. She had most certainly awoken from her dream.
“Rarity,” the soft voice of her friend hit her ears.
Applejack hovered over her and the proximity of their bodies mixed with the lingering emotions of her dreams left Rarity in a shivering warm state. She tried to gently push her away as she sat up.
“Rarity, sugarcube, what's wrong?”
Applejack’s hand was firm and didn't budge from her arm. She instead wrapped her free arm closely around Rarity and stroked her back gently. Several shivers made their way through Rarity at the touch and, holding back a moan, she turned to face away from her friend, feeling the blood rush to her cheeks.
“I’m-” trying to find her voice she shook her head. “I'm fine, darling.”
“Ya sounded like you were whimperin’ or somethin’, and then I heard ya yell my name. What were ya dreamin’ about that had you so worked up?”
Rarity let out a breath and shook herself from Applejack’s grasp as her senses began to clear and her mind awoke.
Fluttershy was now awake as well beside her, looking just as concerned and when Rarity looked at Applejack she saw Pinkie Pie crawling up to them.
For the amount of time she had been having the same dream, night after night, she wondered why her subconscious chose now to reveal who the mysterious lover was.
Rarity rubbed her eyes, pulling the eye mask off her head, and gave a frustrated huff.
“Really, girls, I'm fine.”
Pinkie spoke up. “Was your dream something scary?? Was Applejack saving you? Ohh, or were you saving Applejack??”
“Listen. I'm alright- I”
She hesitated. Earlier she would have seen this as a sign to tell her friends about her dreams, maybe get their help on the matter but now that her romantic dream involved Applejack, and the fact that her friends knew she had been dreaming about Applejack, she couldn’t tell them.
Rarity knew she had to say something at least or her friends would investigate further.
“I've, um… I've been having these dreams. Quite frequently, really,”
Rarity could see the concern on their faces. It was wonderful to have such caring friends but that also came with the intrusive side of friendship, which at the moment was something she didn't need. “But it's ok. They don't, they don't really mean anything.”
She wasn't sure if she believed that herself but she didn't want them prying any more.
“It's alright, sugarcube.”
Rarity felt Applejack wrap her arm around her shoulder again and she closed her eyes. More so to help keep her concentration on anything but the warmth and touch of her friend.
“The dream is over.”
Rarity let out a bittersweet laugh.
“Dreams usually mean something.” She opened her eyes to see Sunset scooting over next to the ever growing group of concerned friends. “Especially if they’re happening so frequently.”
“And if you ever need to talk to us about it, I'm sure we'd all be willing to help.” Fluttershy gave her a small smile.
“Thank you, girls, really.”
Applejack must have sensed her uncertainty of the situation and turned to the other girls.
“I think we should all get back to sleep.” She looked at Rarity and gave her a small smile.
The girls all gave Rarity a small squeeze on the hand and went back to their respective sleeping areas, but Applejack lingered, keeping her own hand on the small of Rarity’s back.
“Hey,”
Rarity looked at Applejack and felt herself blushing at the attention. She dearly hoped the darkness of the room concealed her coloring cheeks.
“Are ya sure you’re alright?”
With the others turned away, Rarity could feel the magnetism that Applejack had on her when they were alone. She stared at her for a moment through the dim light, looking at her freckle dusted cheeks and honest emotion in her vivid green eyes.
Rarity was struck by the fact she had never realized this before. This girl was a vision. She felt herself almost drawn closer as her hand came up between them, wanting to touch her beautiful face. With one breath she was brought back to reality and put her hand against her chest, smiling.
“Yes, darling.” She felt the hand on her back pull away. “Thank you.”
With a nod of her head, and what Rarity thought could have been a blush, Applejack removed herself and headed back to her sleeping bag. Rarity watched her retreat, but before she turned away, Applejack looked back, paused briefly, then smiled.
She smiled back, still blushing and moved to lay down.
With the mystery of her unknown dream lover now over, it opened the door to more questions. Rarity wondered if she could really feel that way about one of her closest friends and if her dream was her subconscious telling her what she wanted in reality. She wasn’t sure what that meant for the future.
During school on Monday, Rarity had a hard time keeping her mind off of Applejack. Her dreams hadn't stopped and now they weren't faceless. She wasn't sure if this was a good thing or not.
All her friends shared their homeroom together, and while it was usually nice to be able to talk to them for most of the morning, she couldn't stop staring at Applejack.
Rarity sat beside her friend, close enough to smell the scent of fresh countryside air mixed with a little bit of apples and a little bit of something she could only define as Applejack’s natural scent. It was intoxicating.
Seeing Applejack in such a different light was something she wasn't sure she could get used to. Applejack was her friend. One of her closest friends, in fact. After the night of the sleepover, all she could do was romanticize their relationship.
Rarity rested her chin on her hand and sighed quietly, looking over to the girl of her affections.
Applejack was concentrating on the lesson, her beautiful green eyes focused to the front of the room. She had worn her hair in a loose braid, something Rarity herself had convinced her to start doing months ago.
Rarity smiled. Their close friendship wasn't anything she wanted to disrupt. She liked it the way it was.
Shaking herself from her thoughts, Rarity turned her head back to the front of the class.
Towards the end of the day while at her locker she heard her name being called.
"Hey Rarity,"
It was Sunset and she waved her down as Rarity closed her locker.
"Good afternoon, Sunset."
There was a concerned look on her friend’s face, but she didn’t seem to be alarmed so Rarity cleared her throat, wanting to ease her into a conversation.
“Uhm, so, how are you doing today?”
Sunset smiled a little. “I’m fine, I was just-”
“Yes?”
"Well," she hesitated, running a hand through her hair. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."
Rarity put a hand on her chest. There wasn’t anything she could think of directly affecting her day, besides her little crush, and it seemed a little unexpected, hearing such concern.
"I'm perfectly fine, what is this about Sunset?"
"During the sleepover this weekend you just seemed, I don't know," Sunset shrugged but continued, "a little distracted. I was worried about those dreams you've been having."
Rarity felt the blood drain from her face and her stomach drop. She knew her friends had been concerned when they found out about her dreams, but she didn't know it was enough to warrant worrying days later.
Sunset spoke up again. "I know you said they didn't mean anything, but I thought maybe I could help."
She lifted her hand in front of her.
"Maybe I could use my power to see into your dream and help interpret or figure out what it's about."
"NO!"
Rarity practically shouted. Her friend took a step back, startled at the outburst, her hand outstretched, still hovering between them.
Rarity clutched her books to her chest. "I'm sorry." She said, much more calmly. "Forgive me for my outburst but, I don't need any assistance with that." She chuckled nervously. "You wouldn't find it that interesting anyway."
"Uhm," Sunset faltered, clenching her hand into a fist and finally dropping it at her side. "Okay, that's okay."
Pulling on her backpack strap she gave Rarity a smile, one that was gratefully understanding.
"Just let me know if you want to talk about it, alright?"
Rarity smiled, trying to ease the tension out of her shoulders. "I will, darling."
Sunset gave her one last smile before turning to leave and as she watched her walk away, she breathed a sigh of relief.
She knew her friends were either going to figure out she had some sort of crush, or they were going to bug her about it until she caved, but it didn't hurt to keep that conversation at a distance for now.
The next couple days didn't prove to be any easier when it came to being around Applejack. Rarity experienced the same dream each night and being near her friend just made the romantic scenarios in her head stronger.
While they were all together as a group, it wasn't much of a problem, but Rarity shared a couple classes with Applejack. Classes where they would always talk and sit next to one another.
"Ya seem a bit off today, sugar." Applejack said as she took her seat.
Rarity only smiled and made sure not to make eye contact. It didn't deter her friend from continuing.
"Is somethin' the matter?"
Taking a breath, Rarity lifted her gaze. "I'm fine, really. I'm just nervous about, um –" she stalled a second, fiddling with the end of her bangs, trying to find something to direct the conversation towards. "– a, uhm, a test. There's a test in my economics class I've been stressing over."
Applejack nodded in understanding and smiled. "Aww Rare, you're the most business savvy person I know."
She put a warm hand on her shoulder, and it made her entire arm numb at the touch.
"You'll do fine, I'm sure."
Rarity smiled, a little too warmly. "Thank you darling."
They stayed like that for so long, she couldn't help but lean forward slightly, wanting nothing but to be as close as possible.
She wondered if Applejack felt the same magnetism between them. The blouse she wore left her shoulder bare and the hand that rested on it burned her skin in the most delightful way. Rarity breathed in the atmosphere, warm and calming and something she never wanted to exhale.
A loud sound of a book slamming onto a desk broke Rarity out of her trance. Applejack removed her arm, seemingly unfazed by the magnetic energy between them.
"Since ya seem distracted, I won't ask you about your other classes." Applejack said. "How about the party next week?”
“Hmm?” Rarity said, a bit dazed.
“Well, I’m sure you’re lookin’ forward to dressin’ up all fancy for the party Pinkie is throwin’ for those girls from Crystal Prep.”
For a small brief idyllic moment, Rarity had thought Applejack was going to ask her to accompany her to the party. Realistically, she knew this was a silly idea. Her friends always went to parties together as a group. Plus, it wasn’t a formal party, one where a date was required.
She breathed out, for the first time since Applejack had touched her.
“Yes, I already know what I'm going to wear.”
The party was going to be thrown by the party central socialite, Pinkie Pie, for the Crystal Prep students. Ever since they had helped them win the money for their school, they had become somewhat friends.
With everything that had been happening to her during the past week, dealing with a crush on her friend and unable to stop dreaming about said friend, Rarity had forgotten about the party almost completely.
Socializing at a party sounded like a great idea to get her mind off of her feelings.
She glanced over at her friend, who had turned to the front of the classroom. Rarity bit her lip. Even if she really didn’t want to stop the flood of affection that was continuously growing.
After school had ended, Rarity and her friends stood outside talking, near the statue in front of the courtyard. While they conversed about their classes, Sunset gave Rarity several side glances. It made her squirm, as if the redhead could tell what she was thinking just by looking at her.
Rarity glanced at Applejack.
While her crush on Applejack wasn’t anything she could really have seen coming, it was also something she couldn’t stop. Rarity thought she would have gotten over it by now but the more time she spent around the blonde, the stronger her feelings got. It was frustrating.
Rarity really couldn’t push her attraction aside any longer.
Applejack was laughing, a low guffaw that made her chest shake. It was so beautiful that Rarity felt herself clutching to the bag on her shoulder. She could feel her cheeks reddening but, after days of viewing her friend in this new light, she found she didn’t care.
Rarity slowly smiled to herself.
When the group of friends made their way towards the parking lot, there was the sound of a loud snap. It was the heel of Rarity’s shoe and suddenly she was falling to the ground. She let out a screech but as she braced herself for the scrape of concrete, she felt rough hands grab her arms.
"Woah there, what happened?"
Her friends stopped and gathered around her as she held tightly to her savior.
Looking up she saw Applejack’s concerned face and if it hadn't been for her shoe, she would have swooned at the sight.
Looking at the ground she picked up her shoe and let Applejack steady her against a bench nearby.
Rarity held her broken shoe in her hand and cried.
"I can't believe this!!" She said, tears coming to her eyes. "I just got these last week!"
Rainbow tried to hide her snickering but failed. She put a hand over her mouth. Rarity glared at her.
"Serves you right for wearing those ridiculous shoes to school."
The shoes in question were standard 4-inch, stiletto heels with beautiful accents on the toe. They were, admittedly, a little much for school wear but Rarity couldn't help herself. They were so top of the line and so new she simply had to show them off properly.
She lifted the shoe up to examine it.
The heel had dislodged itself and hung loosely. She was overly gifted at clothing design and could stitch a ripped seam with her eyes closed but shoes were a whole different matter.
It made her want to cry even more but she heaved a breath and sighed dramatically.
"What am I going to do now?"
Applejack chuckled.
"Look, I'll carry ya to your car."
Rarity looked up sharply, a blush forming on her face.
Twilight spoke up. "You know we're not really supposed to use our powers at school, Applejack."
She waved a hand. "Naw, I don't need my powers for that."
"Wait-" Rarity said.
Suddenly, without warning, Applejack bent down and wrapped one arm around the back of Rarity's upper thighs, flinging her over her shoulder. Rarity made a loud grunt at the force, blushing as she was swiftly hauled away.
"Waaaait!!" She screeched, slapping her free hand on Applejack’s back, and hitting her with the shoe in the other.
Applejack just laughed as she walked, the vibration going through Rarity like a wave. It would have been much more pleasurable if she weren’t halfway upside-down.
She could feel Applejack’s arm firmly pressed against her legs and, despite the situation, the feeling sent a thrill through her. Whether it was from the proximity of their bodies, the muscular arm holding her down, or a combination of them both, Rarity couldn't tell.
"Applejack, you put me down right now!"
The serious tone was ruined by the smile she couldn't stop from forming on her face, but Rarity made an effort to squirm around enough to get her point across.
She could hear her friends laughing behind them as Applejack slowly and gently placed her on the ground, a rough hand sliding down her back.
Rarity breathed steadily and wished she had worn her backless red top that day, wanting to feel the rough skin against her own.
Her bare foot met the gravel of the parking lot and Rarity cringed, immediately lifting it away, using her friend’s conveniently flexed arms as balance.
"I would very much not like to be carried that way." She huffed.
Applejack graciously steadied her, keeping her elbow out. "Then what would ya like me to do?"
There were so many ways Rarity could answer that if not for the mixed company and she bit her lip before answering.
"Scoop me up!" She emphasized with her free arm, the shoe she still held dangled from its strap. "Carry me like a lady should be carried. Don't throw me over your shoulders like some bag of horse feed!"
Applejack chuckled lightly and the sounds of it warmed her chest.
"Well then, would the lady care to step into my arms?"
It almost took Rarity's breath away and she simply nodded.
Slowly this time, and not so suddenly, Applejack wrapped her arms around Rarity's back and knees, lifting her up. As she fell against her soft chest her breath was stolen at the sight.
Gently, Rarity pulled her arms up around Applejack’s neck, unable to breathe and unable to take her eyes away.
Their faces were close, so close she felt the urge to count the freckles on her face. Applejack was looking at her with a curious expression, her smile from before melting into one of mild shock and confusion.
If she leaned forward, just a little or tugged on the neck her arms were around, their lips would touch. She could finally feel the soft skin she had been plagued with in her dreams.
She wanted it so much her chest ached.
“Well,” she said breathlessly, as they walked. The grip she had on her friend's neck tightened. “Who needs a fainting couch when you have strong arms to fall into?”
Applejack let out a nervous laugh and looked away. Rarity watched her cheeks flush slightly and it was the most beautiful expression she had ever seen.
All too soon they arrived at her car, the moment slowly fading. Rarity was finally able to breathe as she was set down on her feet, now using the cold metal of her car door as leverage instead of the warm inviting forearm of her friend.
"Thank you." She said lightly.
The others had made it to their respective cars, leaving the pair alone. Slowly, a thought occurred to her.
Perhaps the moment didn't have to pass.
Rarity had seen Applejack blush at the compliment about her strength, and while she knew it probably really didn't mean anything, time had stood still for her during that moment. It could have been wishful thinking, but she was sure she wasn't the only one who had been frozen in time.
Slowly, delicately, Rarity lifted her finger to the side of her face and twirled it through a purple curl. She smiled and batted her eyelashes ever so slightly, a well-trained technique.
Flirting, Rarity found, was the best way to send a signal to someone to tell them you were interested in them. Something coy and not too over the top. She didn't want to put herself out there quite yet. Depending on the subject, there were several little tricks she had perfected over time that would almost guarantee a reaction.
The fact that she was using her skills on Applejack was thrilling. If she got a reaction, then perhaps it could mean there was something between them. But, if flirting didn’t mean anything to Applejack, then Rarity thought there couldn’t be any harm in flirting with her in the first place.
The blood was pumping in her ears, adrenaline keeping her on the edge, looking for some form of response. She bit her lip for good measure.
Applejack’s face began to glow a bright red.
It was exactly what Rarity wanted to see and she turned on her one heel, moving to open the car door.
She looked at her friend’s dusted cheeks and smiled sweetly.
"What a knight in shining armor you've been."
With that she turned away and forced herself into her car, not daring to look at her friend's face.
The trick was to leave them wondering and wanting more and more is exactly what she was after.
Another weekend of dream filled sleep and Rarity found herself staring at Applejack from across the room. Her heart was beating over the loud music.
The party Pinkie had thrown was held in one of the homes of the Crystal Prep students they had made friends with. There was punch, loud music, and a whole lot of dancing. A normal party, by any standards, but filled with many faces she didn’t know.
After the flirtatious gesture she had made towards Applejack the other day, Rarity was frustrated to find nothing more had come from her efforts. She hadn’t gotten any extra attention from the girl she so desired. It left her wondering if the tricks she had used had just not worked like she thought or perhaps she hadn’t been bold enough.
It was quite possible that Applejack hadn’t even realized she was being flirted with, she was such a soft honest person that if it wasn’t presented at face value, then it had the chance to slip right by. If that had been the case it was something Rarity wanted to fix immediately.
Looking towards the drink area, she could see the girl she adored, talking to Sunset with a drink in her hand.
Before the party, when they helped Pinkie Pie set everything up, Sunset had pulled Rarity aside, asking her once more about her dreams.
"I know you told me no before, but you just seem a little more tired recently," Sunset frowned in worry, putting a hand on Rarity’s shoulder. "I wanna make sure you're okay."
The concern from her friends had always been helpful in the past and she knew from experience that sharing feelings, especially ones so strong, could only benefit the situation.
"Sunset, while I appreciate your diligence in my wellbeing, it's something I'm not sure I want to share."
Honestly, Rarity had been itching to share the feelings that bubbled inside her. She hesitated, if only for the fear of what her friends would think. Having a crush on one of your best friends wasn't something to take lightly.
Rarity squirmed for a moment, mulling over her options.
"Although," she said carefully, "well, I have been wanting to indulge in talking about it."
Sunset nodded eagerly, taking her hand away from Rarity's shoulder.
"Okay." Rarity decided, wanting nothing more than to finally gush about her crush. She nervously bit her fingernail.
"Please don't tell anyone yet. The dreams; the dreams are about someone. And they're, well, they're romantic in nature."
"Ohh," Sunset said in understanding. "Wait, didn't you wake up saying-" she cut herself off and Rarity desperately hoped she wouldn't finish her sentence.
Sunset shook her head. "Uh, nevermind. So, do you have a crush on someone?"
Rarity blushed, unsure how much Sunset had figured out. "It seems I do."
She was never one to be embarrassed from having feelings about someone, but the idea of it all and who it was about made her face red.
"I'm just not sure. I mean, I didn't know I even liked them before I had these dreams and now, they're all I can ever think about."
"That's good though, right?" Sunset said. "Even if it was your dream that led you to them, when you're awake you still want to think about them all the time."
Rarity nodded as Sunset continued.
"If you didn't really like them or if your dreams didn't really mean anything, you would consciously separate yourself from the feeling of romance while awake. If you want to think about them, that must mean you really want to be with them."
"That's true." Rarity mumbled.
She had never thought about it like that. If it had been one of her other friends, Rarity would have thought it was weird, but she would have known the difference between her dream self and her real feelings. She doubted she would have fallen so hard if it were anyone other than Applejack.
Sunset spoke up again, breaking her from her thoughts. "Do they know?"
Rarity let out a bubbling laugh. "Of course not!"
"You should tell them."
It was so demanding and matter of fact that it took her off guard for a moment.
"I- wait, I should?"
"Of course. If they don't feel the same, then there's no harm in letting them know and it'll help you move past your romantic dreams about them." She smiled. "Call it closure."
Sunset seemed so sure that telling Applejack she wanted a romantic partnership was a good idea that it almost seemed silly not to do it. Although, Sunset wasn't aware of who the person was, and it was that small fact that made everything more complicated.
That had been hours ago. Currently Rarity was still staring at the pair, her eyes fixed on Applejack.
While Rarity loved to express her feelings, she was never one to go straight up to someone and confess. Her approach was delicate and demure. However, that didn’t seem to work on Applejack. She needed to show her affections.
Soft flirting hadn't worked. She knew she had to turn it up a couple notches for Applejack to get the message.
Rarity made her way towards the middle of the dance floor, never taking her eyes away from the blonde. With as much boisterous movement as she could manage, while still looking desirable, she began to dance. She was slow at first but as the song picked up, so did her movements.
For a moment she looked away, enjoying the music for what it was as well as the rhythmic atmosphere. She moved in a circle, trying to keep herself on beat and as alluring as possible. Rarity turned to look in the direction of Applejack again.
Suddenly green eyes met blue.
Despite the heat of bodies around her, a shiver ran down her spine.
Applejack’s eyes were now glued to Rarity as she danced. She sipped slowly on her drink, never breaking her gaze. The attention burned through her and gave her an elated feeling. She laughed lightly to herself, enjoying the moment.
Rarity knew she had to be a little more obvious this time.
Moving her hips from side to side, she gave Applejack a small wink. Applejack blushed, realizing she had been caught staring and tried to be nonchalant as she looked around. Rarity wondered if she knew the wink was for her. Just to emphasize, she blew a kiss in her direction and turned her back, letting her friend get a good look at the tight-fitting pencil skirt she was wearing.
Flirting, especially gestures from across the room, was something Rarity was not only familiar with but quite good at. She knew how to flaunt herself.
It was just a little different and a little more exciting that the person she was trying to show off to was someone who knew all her tricks.
She shook her hips and turned slowly around, trying to be as desirable as possible, her flouncy purple curls falling around her shoulders as she moved her head to the music.
The display seemed to be a success. Applejack was smiling, her face still red, but she wasn't looking away.
There was a swelling sensation in Rarity’s chest. She wanted to dance with her. She needed to feel that strong feminine body against hers.
That idea could be potentially dangerous. Allowing herself to go so far with Applejack. Rarity didn't want to lead her friend on, but she was getting tired of pushing herself away and not giving in to her desires. She liked Applejack. She wanted Applejack and when she wanted something, she always got it.
Rarity slowly lifted a finger up, curling it in a gesture that told her friend to come towards her.
Applejack’s eyes widened for a moment. She looked unsure, not really knowing what to do in a situation like this.
It was a little unfair, Rarity could admit, that she was coming on so strongly, but she had already started something, and she was determined to finish.
Rarity pushed a smile back with a bite of her lip and nodded, making the gesture with her finger again.
Applejack slowly set her drink down.
Rarity could feel the pulse of her heart in her ears as she watched her friend take a slow and careful step forward.
Suddenly there was a dark-haired boy in front of her. He was smiling at her sweetly while making gestures to grab for her waist.
Rarity moved out of the way of his hands.
“I’m sorry,” she said, “I was actually waiting to dance with someone.”
He was quite handsome, but it was so jarring from the idea of dancing with Applejack, she couldn’t even entertain the idea of another person.
“Oh I know, I saw you looking in my direction.” He said, grinning a little too happily. “I thought I’d come over and help you with your dancing.”
“No thank you,” she said politely.
Rarity could deal with unwanted attention if she really tried but she wasn't in the mood, and it would take too long. All she wanted to do was dance with Applejack. She needed a quick getaway.
“I wasn’t looking at you," she said. "I was looking at-”
“Oh come on, don’t be crazy. We both want to dance, what’s the big deal?”
Rarity looked over the intruder’s shoulder at her friend. Applejack was still looking in her direction, but she looked quite upset at the situation, mixed with an emotion Rarity couldn't quite place. Rarity made a face, trying to convey her need for help.
“I told you no.” She said, looking back at the invading dancer.
He frowned and shook his head. “Come on, beautiful.”
The guy reached for her hips again but before he could touch her, Rarity felt strong arms wrap around her and she was pulled towards a firm body. Looking behind her she was met with the determined face of Applejack.
Rarity had to stop herself from physically swooning like a storybook character.
“Is there a problem here?”
Rarity smiled up at her savior, turning to lean into her arms and put a hand on her shoulder.
“Hello, darling” she emphasized as if she didn’t call all of her friends darling. She leaned in close, whispering in her ear briefly. “Thank you, please get him to leave.”
Applejack stilled when Rarity had breathed in her ear, but she nodded, whispering back.
“I’ve got ya, sugarcube.”
Rarity shivered at the feeling of her warm breath on her neck but cleared her throat as she turned to the guy they had been ignoring.
She spoke up loudly, “I was just telling this boy to please leave-”
“What she was saying,” the guy interrupted, “was that she wanted a dance partner. I was just coming to fill that position.”
Applejack glared at him. “Oh really? Sounds to me like ya were forcing yourself on the lovely lady.”
Rarity smiled at the name briefly but was pulled out of her thoughts when Applejack leaned around her shoulder.
“I suggest ya leave us alone now.”
The guy smirked at the pair. “Or what?”
Applejack stood still for a moment, unsure if physically removing him from the dance floor was the best option. Slowly she stepped to the side, walking towards a nearby table and lifted it into the air with her right arm. The necklace she was wearing glowed brightly and Rarity was again struck with how much she wanted to swoon at the sight of her.
Her beautifully sculpted muscles, from years and years of farm work, were flexed as she held the table over her head. Rarity wished she were wrapped in her free arm, imagining them on the cover of one of her romantic novels, the hero and the damsel. She let out a small sigh.
The poor boy who had previously been ready to argue looked frightened, his eyes wide and back straight. He put his hands up defensively and began backing away slowly.
“Ohh she was saying no to dancing. My bad. I’ll just- uhm-” He laughed nervously and scurried in the opposite direction.
Setting the table back on the ground, Applejack laughed. She looked at the people who had been sitting at the table, the laughter dying in her throat, and smiled sheepishly.
“Uhh, sorry ya’ll. I had to prove a point here.”
Applejack walked back towards Rarity, but she met her halfway, running into her arms.
“Oh my gosh, AJ!” She said, full of laughter. “I never get tired of seeing you do that.”
Applejack wrapped her arms around Rarity and smiled, blushing a little. “That? Oh, ya know that ain’t nothin' for me.”
“I know, but what a way to save a girl, showing off your strength like that.”
Before Rarity could stop herself, she had her hand on Applejack’s arm, giving it a light squeeze. She looked at her with fire under her fingertips.
“You could make a woman swoon with arms like these.”
Applejack let out a small chuckle and blushed. She held her gaze and Rarity suddenly felt the fire in her hands spread throughout her body.
In a sudden rush of emotion, Rarity urgently felt the need to tell her friend about her feelings. All this flirting had gone to her head and made her ache for the real thing. There was nothing more that she wanted than to feel the arms that were wrapped around her, every day.
Flirting was one thing but having her friend hold her for eternity, laying in the sun, laying in her room, together forever, was a dream she wanted so desperately to make reality.
Suddenly the term crush didn't seem to describe her feelings quite well enough.
Before she could say anything, Applejack spoke up, clearing her throat.
“I- uh, I saw ya dancing over here.”
Rarity’s grip tightened slightly, and she breathed in, smiling. She batted her eyelashes for good measure.
“And?”
“And I think,” Applejack said slowly. She unconsciously licked her lips and Rarity felt heat wash over her like a wave at the gesture.
Applejack took a breath and her expression changed, as if deciding something in that moment. She pushed back slightly, making Rarity’s hands drop from her arms.
“I think ya better not act so alluring, so’s other guys won’t come and get the wrong impression.”
The heat from before was drained away in the idea of a rejection. The impression had been correct; it just had been seen by someone she wasn’t directing it towards.
Rarity wasn’t going to give up though. She wanted Applejack to understand her flirtatious gestures, even if the result wasn’t what she had hoped for. It had seemed, when Rarity had been dancing, her friend had picked up on the signals correctly and had planned on heading in her direction before the moment had been rudely interrupted.
“I think someone,” she tried to emphasize lightly without being too obvious, “did get the right impression.”
Applejack took a breath, raising an eyebrow.
“Is that so?”
She spoke slowly, as if trying to figure out what Rarity was trying to say and that was fine with her. The more Applejack understood the message she was sending, the better.
Rarity nodded and stepped close again, pushing her bangs behind her ear.
“Oh,” Applejack said. “Well, I can go and find that guy, if ya were wanting to dance with him. I just thought-”
“No!” Rarity said, a little loudly.
She held back a frustrated groan. Her well-crafted flirtatious demeanor that would have any guy waiting on her hand and foot, something she had perfected over years of practice, didn’t seem to be working in the slightest with Applejack.
“No, what I mean is,” She shook her head and gave her a gentle smile, putting on the most alluring face she could muster. “I would love a dance partner.”
Applejack stood there in confusion, waiting for her to continue. Rarity audibly sighed.
“Would you like to dance with me?”
“Oh,” Applejack said, as if Rarity hadn’t spent the past several minutes trying to get her to understand. “Yeah, sure Rarity.”
Applejack nodded and opened her arms in invitation.
It was a little awkward at first, both trying to get a rhythm with one another, and Rarity trying not to grab Applejack’s hips and pull them against her own. She knew that wasn’t the kind of dancing she was used to, but it didn’t stop her mind from wishing.
The beat was fast at the start, and they only held hands while dancing but as the song changed to a slower one, Applejack let go, moving away.
“I like this song,” Rarity lied, giving in to any excuse to be close to the girl she had been dreaming about for so long.
“This is a slow song, Rarity.”
“So?” she said, pulling at Applejack and wrapping her arms around her neck. “You don’t mind getting a little close, do you?”
She smiled, feeling the soft warm skin under her hands. Applejack looked breathless and swallowed thickly.
“N-no, I don’t mind it.”
Applejack put her hands hesitantly on the side of Rarity’s hips. It wasn’t as rough and firm as her dreams but tender. It made her heart lodge itself in her throat.
“G-good” she found herself stuttering as well.
Rarity absentmindedly twirled a bit of blonde hair through her fingers and smiled. A blush bloomed on Applejack’s cheeks, and she could see the dusting of her freckles highlighted underneath. It was so close and so intimate and couldn’t even compare to her dream.
Without thinking, Rarity pulled firmly at her friend’s neck and pushed their bodies together. A warm lightning of heat surged through her making her dizzy. The grip on her hips tightened.
It was all so real, and Rarity wanted nothing more than a romantic spark between them, but she was suddenly hit with the fact that if they did this, if they moved forward and something bad happened, their friendship could very well suffer from it.
Rarity’s breath hitched in her throat.
"I-I" Applejack began to speak.
She was unprepared for any spoken words, so she lifted her manicured finger to her friend's soft lips.
They were warm and despite her fear, she wished it were her own lips instead of her finger that touched them.
"Just dance."
She could barely get the words out, but Applejack seemed to hear her or simply chose not to continue her thought.
Rarity let her fingertip linger for a moment before she gently laid her head down on the strong shoulder of her friend. It took everything in her not to let out a content sigh at the feeling.
They danced like that, floating in a sea of bodies that somehow ceased to exist just for the moment.
All dreams come to an end and while the dream she seemed to be in felt far more intimate than the ones she had during the night, it was one she knew would be hard to let go of.
The beginning of the school week was one Rarity wasn’t looking forward to. After the breathless dance she had shared with Applejack, she wasn’t sure she would be able to look at her without falling into her arms.
Rarity sighed to herself as she sat in class, leaning her head in her palms.
Applejack was sitting next to her, looking just as radiant as she had on the dance floor. Rarity was pleasantly surprised to find that it didn't matter if she was dressed up or wearing her regular school clothes, Applejack always looked stunning. She had a raw beauty about her that was intoxicating.
Rarity sighed again, a little louder and dreamier this time.
At the end of class, as her friends were all exiting the classroom, she felt her arm being tugged on and was suddenly pulled around a corner.
Before she could begin to scold whoever had grabbed her, she saw the determined face of Sunset.
"Oh, darling, you scared me." She put a hand on her chest. "I thought some ruffian had grabbed me from behind!"
"Rarity." Sunset said, ignoring her comment. "This crush you have, it's Applejack, isn't it."
Rarity's mouth dropped open. She knew her friend had always been bold, but it was so straightforward and to the point, she wasn't sure how to respond.
She stuttered over her words. "I- I'm not quite s-sure what you're talking about."
Sunset gave the most disbelieving look she had ever seen, making her nervousness get to her.
"Quite possibly," she said, unable to look her in the eye, "this could be a correct assumption."
"Ya think?"
Rarity cringed. "Well, I didn't want to tell anyone. Having a crush on one of your best friends is a little complicated."
"Rarity," she said, a little more calmly, "you liking Applejack isn't a problem."
Rarity finally looked up, a little surprised.
"If I'm being honest, after I realized it was her who you had a crush on, the chemistry between you two is obvious."
A blush came to Rarity's face at her words.
"But why haven't you told her yet?"
Rarity sputtered in her defense. "Well, I did! I've been flirting with her, even getting a little physical with her but she hasn't responded back."
Sunset sighed as she continued.
"I really don't see the harm in flirting with her if it doesn't mean anything to her."
"Rarity, it sends the wrong message. You can't just flirt with her if you don't mean it."
This made her cheeks bloom with embarrassment and frustration.
"I do mean it! Of course, I mean it. There's nothing more that I want than for her to return my feelings. Flirting has always been my way of showing my affection, but she doesn't seem to feel the same way."
The assumption that flirting with Applejack didn't mean anything to her was almost insulting. While she used her techniques to get what she wanted in some situations, mostly with strangers, when it came to romance and when it came to someone so important to her, she didn’t act frivolous.
“This is AJ we’re talking about. Our friend.” Sunset said, a little annoyed as well. “She probably wouldn’t act on your flirtatious behavior, even if she likes you back. I’m sure she sees it in the same way you do.”
“You think?”
Sunset nodded. “You’re her best friend, if she started having feelings for you do you think she would come out and tell you?”
There was truth to her words. She hadn’t thought about it from Applejack’s point of view. If she had been feeling the same thing as Rarity, she wasn’t sure her friend would have confessed her feelings. At least not in such a social situation as a dance.
Rarity had to talk to her. She wanted to know if the blindingly suffocating chemistry she felt when she was around Applejack, the feeling she felt when her strong arms were wrapped around her, was a shared feeling. Rarity wondered what would happen if she told her.
“What if she doesn’t feel the same?” Rarity said, a little scared. “What if this ruins our friendship?”
The fear of losing one of her closest friends, someone she could always count on when feeling worried or upset, was enough to make her lose her breath.
Sunset smiled and wrapped her arms around her friend. Rarity held her composure as she embraced her.
“She would never let that happen. Neither of you would.”
When Sunset pulled back, she was still smiling as she held onto her shoulders.
“So,” Rarity said, her heart in her throat. “You don’t think my flirting worked?”
A smirk came across Sunset’s face, and she laughed lightly. “Well,” she said, pulling away. “There’s one way to find out.”
With a determination she hadn’t possessed before, Rarity began planning out her words carefully.
Throughout the rest of the morning, she only thought about one thing: how she was going to tell Applejack the truth.
She didn’t want to scare her friend away or cause her any discomfort by admitting her feelings. It was a delicate process but after her talk with Sunset, she had decided that letting Applejack know, talking to her face to face, would be the best solution.
She shared one class with her but knew from experience that a heavy conversation like she had planned was best saved for their lunch period.
Even though she was nervous, knowing Sunset had seen some sort of chemistry between them gave her courage. Perhaps she had a chance.
When class was over, she followed Applejack to her locker silently. Her own locker was across the school, but she was too determined to care about grabbing her lunch. She watched as Applejack reached into her backpack, pulling out several books at a time.
Rarity took a deep breath.
“Hey, Applejack? Could I t-talk to you about something?”
She internally cursed herself for stuttering, trying hard to hide her nervousness. Applejack smiled at her, but it fell slightly when she saw Rarity’s expression.
“Uh, sure Rare. What’s the matter?”
Rarity clutched her books to her chest and breathed in deeply again. When she exhaled, she put on a slight smile, hoping it didn’t look manic.
"Now Applejack, you've got to promise me, no matter what I say you will forever be my friend. I wouldn't want to do anything to jeopardize that."
Looking almost startled, Applejack closed her locker and turned to face her.
“Of course, Rarity,” she threw her backpack over her shoulder and pulled on the straps. “you’re startin’ to freak me out a little.”
“You know those dreams I've been having?” Rarity said, watching her friend nod. “They are very romantic in nature, and it was at the sleepover that I realized who the dreams were about.”
She closed her eyes, hoping blinding herself to the beauty of Applejack would help her nerves.
“They’re about you.”
It was quiet for a moment and Rarity could feel a large lump in her throat. She swallowed as she opened her eyes and found Applejack still, a shocked look on her face.
She tried to continue. “I've been debating with myself whether flirting with you was the best way to show my affections, but I didn’t want to lead you on if it wasn't going to go anywhere and-”
“Woah there,” Applejack interrupted, putting a hand in front of her face. “You’ve been flirtin’ with me?”
Rarity began to sputter. Sunset had been right.
“Y-yes, darling! I’ve been flirting with you since last week- what did you think the dancing was about?”
Applejack shook her head and blushed, stepping away. Rarity was afraid she was going to run so she grabbed her outstretched hand, giving her a soft pleading look.
“Did you not feel the-'' she said, the words caught in her throat. “The magnetism between us?”
Applejack was still for a moment, looking between their hands and her face. Rarity was almost sure she was going to let go when she smiled, and her free hand reached up, gently rubbing the back of Rarity's hand.
“Of course, I did.”
It was like a warm fiery light bursting in her chest and all Rarity could do was cling to her friend’s every word.
“Watchin’ ya dance, feelin’ ya dance against me, was the most thrillin’ thing I had ever felt in my life. And I was scared.”
Applejack dropped her hands and pulled the hat from her head, moving it around in front of her, as if examining the stitching.
“It was so confusin’ havin’ heated romantic thoughts about ya. I couldn’t even believe I was thinkin’ about one of my best friends like that. And when we danced together, when ya pushed your body against mine, I couldn’t breathe. It was like no one in the whole world existed except you and me.”
Finally looking up at Rarity, she gave her a small shy smile.
“I guess I was so preoccupied with having these feelings for ya, I didn’t really realize ya were tryin’ to get me to look at ya like that.”
She let out a low chuckle and the sound loosened every tense nerve in Rarity’s body. She put her hands over her mouth and couldn’t contain the soft giggle that escaped her lips.
“Well,” she said with a little more confidence than before. “I guess my flirting did work.”
Applejack put her hat back on her head and blushed. “Yeah.”
There was a small moment where they held each other's gaze, before Applejack spoke up again.
“You're my friend. Thinkin’ those things about ya,” she shrugged. “I didn't know it was allowed.”
Rarity smiled. “Heh, yes I suppose I thought the same thing.”
The moment was so surreal, and she was acting off instinct, pulling herself closer to the girl in front of her. The magnetism was something she was sure Applejack could feel as well.
“There is something between us, isn't there?”
Applejack stepped closer as well, moving her hand up towards Rarity’s face. When it made contact, she breathed in the familiar scent of apples.
“God, I sure hope there is. I think,” she hesitated, “I think I want there to be.”
Rarity smiled. “I do too.”
She wasn’t sure who was the first to initiate but they moved as one, surging forward in the most breathtaking kiss Rarity had ever experienced. Applejack clutched her head delicately and if this action disturbed Rarity’s perfectly coiffed curls, she didn’t know, nor cared.
The kiss wasn’t anything like her dreams. It was so much better. The feeling of Applejack’s lips on her own was real and warm and it made her weak at the knees.
When they parted, Rarity felt absolutely breathless, dizzy with elation, and was glad she had clutched to the strong arms that moved around her waist.
She slowly opened her eyes to find Applejack in a similar state, smiling back at her.
“So,” Applejack said, her voice a little rough. “Does this mean you’re my girlfriend now?”
Rarity let out a laugh, moving her hand over her face.
She was so unbelievably happy that confessing her feelings to her friend hadn’t cost her their friendship. If anything, it had made it much stronger. She made a mental note to thank Sunset in the near future.
“Of course not.” Rarity said, holding back a smile. Before Applejack could speak, she continued. “You’ve got to do proper courting first.”
Applejack smiled and pushed Rarity back, straightening herself with a cough.
“Fine. What do ya want me to do, bring ya flowers or somethin’?”
Rarity straightened herself as well, smoothing out her skirt slightly.
“Yes, dear, that’s exactly what I want.” She lifted a finger between them and tried her best to look as serious and intimidating as possible. “And don’t forget, taking me out to a nice dinner.”
The moment they seemed to drift in was a dream Rarity didn’t want to wake from. Luckily this time, she was sure she wouldn’t have to.
That night, Rarity finally had a dreamless peaceful sleep for the first time in weeks.
