Old Regrets
Rarity huffed a bit as she walked down the street. Her old haunt, kind of. Ponyville had not changed much over the years, but she had. She'd moved on to bigger things. She wouldn't say better, but definitely bigger. It was a value judgement, and she liked her life, but 'better' was hard to judge... When one trades companionship of close friends for success... Well, everyone had to make that choice for themselves. And she didn't regret it.
She knew half their old group still lived in Ponyville, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and of course Applejack. She didn't know if they still kept in contact, except for Pinkie of course. Pinkie kept in contact with everyone. But with Rainbow Dash, Twilight, and herself no longer living in Ponyville it certainly cut down on the other threes social circles. Though rarity was certain that they had made more friends. Well, except Pinkie, she was always at maximum friends, literally everyone.
Rarity looked around and smiled a little at the old roads she'd known in her youth. She had even had the option of staying in Ponyville forever. It had been tempting, so tempting. She had to make a choice between her career and her personal life. When the question was put to her in such a stark way she knew that she had to make a decision one way, or the other. And she had made that rescission, even if it had broken... Her thoughts were interrupted as she ran right into someone.
As she knocked the other pony back a few steps, forcing them to sit down heavily, she was already apologizing. "Oh! I'm so sorry darling, I wasn't looking where I was going!" Then her ears twitched as she heard a familiar voice.
"Aw, wasn't nothin'." Applejack blinked as she seemed to recognize Rarity right as Rarity recognized the voice. "Well I'll be, Rarity!" They both moved at the same time to give the other a hug, only causing them to bump heavily into each other, and this time both were knocked back. Applejack chuckled as she found herself again on her butt without intending to be, and Rarity was quick to follow the chuckling, shaking her head.
"Seems like we're a bit out of practice there." After that though there was a long silence, as the two realized just how true the statement was. They had grown apart, in many ways, the least of which being that they didn't hug often any more. Applejack was the first one to break the silence.
"How long are you going to be in town then?"
Rarity smiled as she had something to grasp onto. "Oh, just this evening. I was checking up on Yona and the boutique on my way through to a show in Canterlot."
Applejack nodded, standing up again, before hesitating and offering a hoof, helping Rarity up to her feet. "You free this evening? I think I have some special cider back at the farm if you want to catch up..." Rarity smiled and nodded, she hadn't had any plans for the evening, and this sounded like a very nice way to spend it.
Though the rest of the Apple family was at the house. At least those living at the house, Apple Bloom, Big Mac, Sugar Belle, and the others had moved out, and Granny Smith had moved on. Applejack's husband had taken charge of their own little ones to let Applejack and Rarity have their own time to catch up. The introductions were quick, but Applejack and her new mate had been quite prolific, they had five foals to contend with.
Rarity looked around as they walked down into the cellar of the house, smiling as she'd seen that it had been converted into more of a living area, likely required with such a large family. She nodded as Applejack got them each out a flagon and started to fill it with Zap Apple cider. "Your husband seems nice."
Applejack nodded, smiling at the thought. "He's a very hard worker, and great with the kids."
Rarity snickered a little. "Darling, surely those are the two main points of a hus..."
Applejack leveled her gaze at Rarity, brooking no argument. "Leave it, Rarity."
Rarity's eyes widened and then she frowned, looking to the side, not willing to make eye contact with that implacable stare that Applejack was giving her, saying only, "I see."
They moved onto happy topics then. Going over the usual things you go over with old friends. Family, life, career, any other major events. It was quite the long conversation. Though both could feel the underlying distance between them that had grown over the years it slowly fell away as the hours went by and they fell back into their old patterns with each other. By the time it got late, and Rarity had to leave it was almost like old times, almost.
"Can I ask ya one more thing, Rarity?"
Rarity hesitated, she knew it was going to be a doosie, since Applejack had felt the need to both be many ciders in, and asking right before she left. But she knew she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she didn't find out what the question was. "Of course, darling."
"If you could go back and change your answer, would you?"
Though it was unspoken, Rarity knew exactly what Applejack was asking about. She didn't hesitate this time, she had asked herself that question so many times herself. So very many times, that the lie came easy to her, without even a flicker of hesitation, or indication to anyone that it was anything but God's own truth. "No, Applejack. I'd still say no. I'm sorry." Rarity couldn't let anyone, not even herself think that she might have made the wrong choice, when she chose career over love. Though in some tiny corner of her mind that knew the lie that was, she noted. The beautiful snow that had been falling, turned into rain.