Dominoes

by MissytheAngle

Rating: everyone
Tags: Romance, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Rarity, Slice of Life, Main 6, Applejack, Drama, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 7668

It all starts with a heavy rainstorm, one event leading to more... and bringing two friends into a new perspective of one another.

It all started with simple rainy weather, a friendly gesture on a stormy night. Though simple, it soon creates a chain of events that bring two friends closer than either expected. Like dominoes falling, one after the other—even if there are some bumpy obstacles in their path.

My first attempt at writing romance/shipping. Wish me luck. I'm going to need it.

*Due to lack of inspiration to write this fanfic as well as pony fanfiction altogether, this fanfic is cancelled. I'm terribly sorry*

Published 2013-07-13 20:40:02 UTC
Last updated 2014-08-05 20:53:58 UTC

Downpours

Rainfallby Miss Dark AngelDownpours

“Ooooh, why didn't Rainbow Dash bother telling us about this beforehoof?”

Silence echoed through Ponyville, since very few ponies were out in the midst of the rainstorm. While it wasn't too heavy, most ponies preferred to be indoors during wet weather. Rarity had to head all the way back to the Boutique to grab an umbrella before heading back out, else she find herself drenched head to hoof.

While she would have been more than happy to be one of the many ponies sitting idly in her home, she had to head someplace. And if there was one thing Rarity could not stand, it was leaving something—or in this case, somepony—behind for rain, especially when she was prepared. She wasn't leaving Sweetie Belle with the Apples when she clearly promised to get her later today. If it weren't for the rain, the sun would have just started setting for a day's rest. Rarity honestly would feel bad to leave the Apples dealing with two Cutie Mark Crusaders without plans.

Rarity had enough trouble with Sweetie Belle under her roof, and lots of problems with three, so two? It was obviously somewhere in the middle... unless Scootaloo was there, too. She shuddered, hoping she could get there and make it easier for all of them.

Rarity told herself to find Rainbow later and give her a piece of her mind. Why did Rainbow Dash, of all ponies, not know when it was raining?! That just didn't make sense!

Nonetheless, she stopped complaining to herself after several minutes, and she made her way to the Apples' farm. Rain pattered all around her, the shield that was her umbrella making a circle of dryness around her. She kept a gentle yet somewhat speedy pace, wanting to not only get there without being outside too long, but also not wanting any water to sneak under her protection.

She headed down the trail to Applejack's farm, though with the veil of rain steadily growing heavier, all she could see was a blur of red. That was enough to satisfy her, though. She let out a breath of relief that she could get out of this mess soon enough.

Just as she came closer to her destination, a sound froze her in her tracks. Her ears perked up, and she leaned closer to the right. With a gasp, she galloped over a fence. Normally, not just any sound should concern a pony, but it sounded... familiar.

It sounded like somepony was kicked something. Like a tree.

Passing several drenched trees, she saw, amongst the flora of the Apple farm, an orange figure with long blond strands under something brown. How could she not know who was out here? She just wondered why.

“Applejack?” she called out, only to receive thunder claps in response. Applejack made no acknowledgment of her friend nearby.

Rarity trotted closer, the clicks of her hooves lost in the mud. She grumbled to herself, wishing she had brought her boots along with her. Applejack still did not see her, her sight probably lost in the steadily growing rain. That didn't make Rarity any happier; despite her stubbornness, shouldn't Applejack know better than to work in these conditions? This made Rarity's lips curl down as her voice rose.

“APPLEJACK!”

Applejack flinched and stopped mid-kick. Her hooves fell back onto the squishy ground. She turned to the source of the voice and squinted to take a closer look at the white pony standing before her with a pout to her lips. She shook her body of the rain, but given that it would not stop anytime soon, Rarity was certain it wouldn't matter.

“Rarity? What're ya’ll doin' out here?” she shouted, the rain now stomping viciously around them. Rarity could barely even hear her.

“I was about to ask you the same thing!” Rarity answered. “You don't even have anything to keep you dry.”

“I was workin' on these trees when it started rainin’ cats and dogs, but I'm almost finished,” Applejack answered with another kick, letting out a loud breath. “Don't worry 'bout me; I'll be done in a bit. What 'bout you?”

“Don't you remember? I came to pick up Sweetie Belle.”

“Oh, right! Don'tcha think... the rain's too much of a bother to try 'n' walk here for her? We can handle the girls on our own.” Her eyelids were hanging halfway down, indicating she was becoming exhausted from all the work she did.

“Well, then I can handle a little rain,” Rarity defended herself, tensing up. Applejack gave her an amused look in response, not even trying to hide her smile. She was about to continue working on her apples, turning back to one of the trees, her kicks becoming less energized and slow. Rarity rolled her eyes with an exasperated sigh. “Are apples really that important that you need to work in the pouring rain?”

“Just a few... more,” Applejack answered, her voice becoming breathy. She bucked one more tree, only getting two apples to land into the basket. She growled at the sight. “Shoot.” She fell on her butt and bowed her head, her hat dripping more water in front of her.

The annoyance that shot through Rarity was replaced by sympathy as she smiled down at Applejack. The hard working pony was just doing her job, after all. Rarity was the same with her designing, though it never bothered her as to what time of day it was nor what the weather was; all that mattered was what was in style at the time. Still, she appreciated Applejack’s determination.

Still, the fatigue was visible in her friend's countenance, and Rarity couldn't possibly let her suffer any longer. Applejack was soaked like Rarity would never have wanted to happen to her. She walked to her friend's side and said, “Here.” Rarity waved the umbrella over Applejack.

Applejack, hearing the voice, rose her head back up and noticed it wasn't raining above her any longer. Addressing the umbrella, she tilted her hat up as she got onto all four hooves slowly. “Aren't... ya gonna get your mane 'n' coat all wet?” she asked with a sigh.

Rarity shook her head. “Oh, we're not too far from your house. But let’s hurry. I might get drenched, too. We wouldn’t want that, would we?”

Rather than run, Rarity had to keep the umbrella at a perfect position for her friend. It wasn't big enough for her, and if she tried pressing herself close to Applejack, she could get the edge of her face dry. It was pointless, not to mention awkward for the both of them, so she didn't bother.

Still, she stayed close to her friend while heading to the farm, which was still pretty far from where she found Applejack. She shook her mane, which was straight and pressing against her coat at this point. Mixing this in with the dirt sticking to her hooves, she had to remind herself she was helping a friend, not to complain about this for a few minutes, and that a shower was required the second she could get one.

At last, the farm was in sight, as well as Applejack’s house. “Finally!” Rarity breathed, picking up the pace. Applejack was taken aback but caught up with her, though her run was not that fast, as she was still recovering. They met at the door, which Applejack opened, letting Rarity in first. She thanked her before entering.

She took in the warm, dry air, relief washing over her. It was so good to be out of the rain. She sighed in content. Only when she realized she was just here to pick up Sweetie Belle, her heart sank. If she had to go back out there... she did not want to think about that point.

Applejack, upon coming in, shook herself like a wet dog, while Rarity flinched away from her. Looking at the farm pony, she tsked. “Agh, you're filthy, dear! How long were you working today?” she asked, pulling on a strand to demonstrate. It, like most of her hair and coat, was covered in muck, rainfall and some sweat.

Applejack shrugged. “A while,” was her vague answer.

“And how often do you do your mane?” Rarity feared the answer, but tried anyway.

“What I do with my mane and when is nopony's business but mine,” replied the farm pony in a strict voice. She wiped her brow, despite being drenched everywhere else. Perhaps it was just by habit. With a glance over at Rarity, a grin crossed her face as she pointed. “'Sides, you're not lookin' so spotless yourself.”

Rarity gazed down at herself, noticing just how much dirt stained her from helping Applejack. Her pupils constricted to a point where they were almost completely gone. Her worry for Applejack cleaning up was gone. She trembled a little, but enough to catch Applejack's attention, as well as her worry.

“Rar—?”

Dust suddenly appeared in Rarity's wake, and before Applejack could even finish saying her name, she had burst upstairs to the bathroom. Applejack waved the dust away with her hat, coughing.

Applejack laughed to herself with a shake of her head, only to be interrupted by a particular group coming into the room. “Hey, girls. Sweetie Belle, Rarity's here for ya, ah think.”

“My sister's here?” Sweetie Belle asked in disbelief, one of her eyebrows raised. Her expression showed how little she thought that to be real.

“Yeah, she's takin' a shower upstairs right now.”

“Now that sounds like Rarity, but still, she walked here in the rain?!” Sweetie Belle exaggerated the last part in a shrill voice toward her friends, who jumped. She looked down for a moment, and then squealed, “Wait, does that mean I have to go home already?”

“Rarity'll decide that. Ya know, if she wants to walk back home in this rain or not. Have to say, it's pretty nasty out there. Ah'm glad she helped me get out of it. Otherwise, ah might've still been out there,” Applejack said with a drifting look, smiling. “Ah'd hate to be out there, really.”

“You think Rarity would actually go out there again?”

Applejack looked at Sweetie Belle, knowing she desperately wanted to stay here and not be the one Crusader to be at the sleepover. After all, she doubted Scootaloo would go home at this point, not without something to keep her dry while heading there. Applejack just shrugged.

A few minutes later, a door opened upstairs. Glancing up, Applejack and the three fillies saw a white figure head down the stairs as steam rolled out from the bathroom.

“Ah, that's better.” Rarity stepped out, shaking her mane as the towel in her magical grip buried into it. Her coat and tail shined from being cleaned up, and she sighed as she examined herself. The gunk and messiness gone, she just felt cleaner.

She trotted downstairs, having finished her hair. It still had to be brushed, but that was an easy fix. She reached the bottom to meet the eyes of everypony in the room, mostly who she didn't see before going upstairs. “Evening, Sweetie Belle. Girls.” She nodded at each of them.

Rarity glanced around for a mirror. Not seeing one in her vision, she let out a huff. “Well, I don't know for certain, but I still have to finish my hair. Too bad I didn't bring anything with me. Certainly at home, at least.”

“Ya sure you don't want to stay? Still pretty rough out there.” Applejack glanced outside, concerned for her friend.

“I have an umbrella, dear. I think I can handle myself,” Rarity replied, her giggles filling the air as she started to grab it. She looked out the window as it poured mercilessly upon the farm and no doubt Ponyville. She even saw a crack of lightning slash into the dreary sky.

“Oh, right.” She did not sound too happy, her face falling.

“C'mon, Rarity! Can't we stay for the night? It's raining a lot outside!” pleaded Sweetie Belle with puppy dog eyes to boot. Those usually did it most days.

Today, however, was not the case. “I came here for you, dear. No arguing now. Let's just get home before it somehow gets worse.”

Sweetie opened her mouth, but it shut after a moment of silence. Accepting it, albeit with a pout, she turned to her friends and said, “See you guys, later.”

Rarity turned to leave, thanking her one last time for letting her borrow the shower. As she shook her umbrella of any remaining raindrops, she looked at the ponies in the room. Applejack was smiling, but her eyes weren't the same. They didn't seem okay with her leaving. Neither did Sweetie Belle, whose teary eyes were almost too much.

She sighed, earning everypony's attention.

“Oh, why not?” she caved with a wave of her hoof. Her gaze shifted between Applejack and Sweetie Belle, giving a little chuckle. “There's no reason to be out there in that mess, now, is there?”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders jumped in the air, cheering for a sleepover. Even though Rarity now slightly feared what would happen at that point, Applejack took her attention away from that. “Just something a friend would do. No biggie,” she said with a shrug, her eyes cast down. She picked up her head and pointed it to the left of her. “In there's a fireplace. Maybe we can warm up there and just hang out for the time bein'.”

“Not until you clean up. I can't have a friend looking like that, not when I can say something about it.” Rarity put a hoof in front of her friend, almost poking her, but the dirt in her fur made her draw back. Biting her lip, she smiled sheepishly, a hint of blush brushing her cheeks “I'll just... go in there.”

With a roll of her eyes, Applejack obliged, heading up the stairs while Rarity found a place to sit. Once Applejack left, the three Cutie Mark Crusaders formed a circle, speaking in voices that were trying to be quiet but most certainly weren't. “What do you think we should do?”

“Super extreme pillow fights, complete with large pillow forts?” Sweetie Belle suggested, her beam bright in excitement.

“How about karaoke?” Scootaloo exclaimed. Her tiny wings fluttered.

“We don't have no karaoke machine....”

“We can just do it on the spot!”

Rarity blinked. “Oh dear....”

***

Applejack exited the bathroom, not only feeling cleaner, but not as tired as before. She headed downstairs, the floor creaking. When she got downstairs, only Rarity was down there.

Rarity had turned about, shoving something under a pillow she got. Her hair was now pulled back in a maneholder, only a few curls dangling at her sides. Beside her was a book. “Applejack! Ooh, you look much better now!”

Applejack squinted. “What're ya doin', Rare?” she asked in a wary tone, taking slow steps towards her sitting friend. Rarity didn’t fight too hard as Applejack kicked aside the pillow to see an open book. When the writing looked very familiar, it seemed obvious, but she wanted to deny that big time. She shot Rarity a look.

“Oh, I... just couldn't resist. I'm so ashamed. Darling, you never told me you had a diary!” Rarity squealed in delight, giggling at the very idea. She was nearly bouncing in her place with the journal in her sight. “That's so adorable, Applejack!”

Applejack blushed violently, her face tomato red. Her ears were deflated against her head as she walked the rest of the way, leaning down to give Rarity a threatening stare. Rarity immediately received the message with a defeated smile, slinking away from the book. “Right. Terribly sorry.”

“Why is that down here?” Applejack squinted at it. She tapped her face several times before something crossed her mind. It was visible to Rarity as Applejack's face switched from confusion to shock, then to anger, her eyebrows gradually narrowing. Those large green orbs directed upstairs. “APPLE BLOOM!”

“WE DIDN'T DO IT!” a little voice replied almost instantly. Two other voices chorused loud laughter.

“What did ah tell ya 'bout invadin’ someone’s privacy?” Applejack yelled.

“Well, you should've kept a lock on it or something. Even I do that with mine.”

“SCOOTALOO!” Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle scolded in deafening voices, but the latter added just a second later, far less rough, “Wait, you have a diary? Aww, how cute!”

“Darn it!”

When a few moments passed when the fillies finished screaming at each other, Rarity and Applejack turned to one another. Rarity was the first, but soon Applejack burst into laughter.

***

Sprawled in warm and soft blankets, Rarity and Applejack sat on the carpeted floor downstairs, right beside the fireplace. Rarity held a cup of coffee in her magic, her hooves resting on a pillow, while Applejack's drink sat beside her. The fillies had finally fallen to sleep. Any punishment for invading Applejack's privacy was not bothered. They had a feeling they knew they were doing something bad anyway.

“I can't believe those girls sometimes...” Rarity muttered, sipping her drink and letting the heat warm her up.

Outside, the storms had died down. Only a small trickle remained, and through some clouds at times, they could see the moon glimmering above. The moon's reflection shone down through the window, casting an elegant glow, and alongside the fireplace, they both felt completely at peace.

The mood died, however, when Applejack looked back at the diary. “What exactly did you read, by chance?” Applejack's hesitance told Rarity the last thing she wanted was for anypony to read her diary, not that she could blame her. It was a diary, after all. Still, her worry made Rarity curious.

“Mmm, just the part where you confessed your crush on somepony. Doesn't say who, though.” Rarity turned away to conceal her wide smirk, laughter dancing in her eyes. If she didn't turn away, what she was doing would be obvious.

“There isn't...!” Applejack's reaction, how she nearly stood up and became very defensive, just drew Rarity in more. Clearly, there was a lot in her diary that she kept quiet about for a reason. It was so cute to see her like this.

“Oh, relax, I only read the beginning when you first started using it,” Rarity interrupted, earning a sharp look. “Why, when I had one of these, I always wrote a bit in there, then.. some things happened that made me not use it so much.” Memories of the time where Sweetie Belle stole her diary for her newspaper came up quickly.

“Ah haven't used this in a while, either. Dunno when ah will, though. Ah'm glad I didn’t write anythin’ recently.”

“Why?” Rarity asked, leaning closer to her friend with a glow to her eye. Any gossip, she absolutely loved and absorbed. “Is there anythin' secret in particular—”

Applejack’s look was enough to stop Rarity, who just giggled, composing herself. Adjusting her toweled mane, she said, clearing her throat, “Well, Sweetie Belle is the same way. I mean, thank Celestia I have my diary hid as best as possible, because no doubt she'd be all over that!” Rarity sighed at the very idea of her innermost thoughts being revealed to her sister, of all ponies. She shuddered, too.

A chuckle took her out of her stupor. “Well, they're our sisters. It's pretty much their job to cause problems. Now don't get me wrong, ah love my sister, and we get along fine, but sometimes—”

“She can be quite a pain in the flank?” Rarity finished for her, trying to hide her grin in her cup.

“Well... yeah,” Applejack admitted with a blush. “But we're sisters. We have to watch out for them, right?”

“I suppose. I even feel a little bad, talking so bad about them. But then again, I’m reminded of the diary thing and all.” Rarity drew her head back to laugh, and then yawned. Applejack yawned back.

“My, I'm exhausted. It's been a fairly busy day. You sure you don't mind if I just rest here for the night, do you?”

“'Course not!” Applejack answered, almost chuckling at the idea that sitting there would ever bother her. They both exchanged glancing, smiling at one another.

Rarity then lay her head down, already shutting her eyes and relaxing her muscles to rest for the night. Silence whispered in the air as the fire crackled before them, and Applejack adjusted herself to sit lower in her position. The fire reflected against her friend's face as she slept. She, too, was becoming tired, and thought to go to bed.

At peace where she was, though, Applejack snuggled deeper into the blankets. Her head gently rested on the pillow, which sat right next to Rarity's. Their faces were close to touching, and Applejack could feel her fresh breath against her cheek. With a sigh, she shut her eyes.

“Ooh, might I advise also brushing your teeth?” Rarity whispered with her nose scrunched.

“... Gosh darn it....” Applejack mumbled, turning the other way.

Get Better

Rainfall

by Miss Dark Angel

Get Better

The thin curtains in Applejack’s living room did not shield the morning sunlight from piercing AJ’s shut eyes. The melody from birds outside made the moment all the more peaceful as she awoke with the light beaming down onto her face.

When she tried to get up, though, she failed. Still exhausted, her eyes grew heavy, like they wanted to sleep even more so than she wanted. Despite all the work she had to do that day, her body fought with her mind to stay on the floor and sleep.

Rarity woke up a few minutes later, yawning and stretching. With a gaze outside, she noticed the lack of raindrops pressing against the window, replaced with the gleaming sunshine of the early morning. She rose out from her covers, letting the blanket slip off of her back.

Rubbing her eyes, she asked in a mere whisper, “Are you awake, Applejack?” The question always sounded funny, in perspective, but she could not help herself.

In response, Applejack shifted, the blanket tangling around her and Rarity’s question barely registering in her ears. She sniffled and moved so her face was upward. When she did, her head lifted oh so slowly, aching in the process, and turned over to Rarity. She tried to ignore the aches in her head, no matter how relentless they were.

Rarity saw Applejack’s face and froze. “Applejack! Oh my, you look dreadful!” The words escaped her without warning.

The earth pony raised a brow at her, questioning what she meant. Not that it mattered, as the details on her face all pointed to the obvious. Her usual bright, orange face paled throughout the night to a duller orange, and her brilliant green eyes were bloodshot, snot dripping down her muzzle.

Applejack attempted a second time to sit up, but was unsuccessful, pain once again creeping into her head, only ten fold this time. She cradled her head and groaned. “Must’ve gotten a lil’ cold from last night,” she stated the obvious, but Rarity was more concerned with how she sounded, her timbre hoarse and stuffy.

“Well, you shouldn't have been working so much in the rain like that,” Rarity said in a soft voice, putting her hoof against Applejack’s forehead to check how warm she felt. It took no time for the heat to reach the tip of her hoof, and she drew it back. “Ooh, dear, you’re awfully warm.”

She leaned down towards her. “C’mon, a floor is not the best place to rest. I’ll help you upstairs.” Rarity turned and took a blanket in her blue magic. She reached out to help Applejack up, but when she only felt air, her eyes went back to AJ, who forced herself to finally get on her hooves.

“What are you doing?” Rarity asked before Applejack could so much as touch the door she was walking towards.

“Headin’ out to the farm. What’cha think I’m doin’?” Applejack flipped her hat from the floor where she placed it and atop her messy mane. It was a simple movement, and despite how slowly she did it, she groaned and held her forehead again.

Lips pouting out, Rarity glared at her. She expected this from the stubborn pony, but she did not want to fight her about it—not when she was in a weaker condition. After considering what to say, she asked, “But, Applejack, how can you possibly work when you’re... this? I doubt you can get much done.”

“Better than nothin’,” was Applejack’s simple reply.

“Not when you’ll be sneezing and coughing every five minutes.” At her rebuttal, Rarity could hear her voice rising the long Applejack refused. Applejack’s ears fell back, her face scrunched.

She shook her head and continued, getting face to face with her friend, “But I still got work to do. Can’t let a dang cold get the best of me.”

Rarity grit her teeth, grumbling. However, she stopped and took a step back with her gaze at the floor. She took a good huff of air. “If you try to work while you’re sick, it’ll only get worse, and then you definitely can’t work!” she said, her tone now filled with far more concern than harshness it was starting to build. She sneakily wrapped the nearest blanket around Applejack, whose annoyance began to slip away when Rarity spoke. “I’d hate to see you tire yourself even more for some apples. Please?”

The look in Rarity’s eyes made Applejack ponder for a moment. Her points rang true, she couldn’t dodge that. With a pout, she answered, “... Fine.”

Rarity breathed out in relief. “Good! Here, let me help you upstairs.”

“I can get up there myself,” Applejack argued, already heading up the stairs, albeit at a slow pace. “I have a cold, not a broken hoof.”

Rarity followed AJ up the stairs. Applejack’s walk was cautious and often clumsy, her hooves taking their time to take each step, but Rarity was right behind her, should she need any help.

They got to Applejack’s room, and she welcomed her bed with a content exhale through her nose. The soft blankets draped around her body, comforting her. Rarity trotted over, and Applejack lay down against the pillow. For a moment, any sort of stress was gone.

Glancing out the window, she saw only the trees atop the hills with apples ready to be bucked. Apples she could not get to today, but her brother would. A frown fell on her face, and she turned away before any more guilt could sneak inside her.

“I just hope my family’ll work fine without me,” she mumbled under my breath, but apparently loud enough for her friend to hear and respond.

“I’m sure the rest of your family can take care of the farm just fine,” she reassured AJ, using magic to wrap the covers around Applejack in a neat way, smoothing out any crinkles. “Big Mac is strong and hardworking, much like yourself, and who knows? Maybe Apple Bloom can help, too—has she ever done work in the Acres yet?”

Distracted by the question, Applejack lay back against the pillow, sighing. “Sometimes, but not really. She’s usually out with her friends doin’ a billion other things to get her Cutie Mark. I could probably ask her to help, if she wants. She’s older now... maybe she’ll join the family tradition.” Delight lit up her face at that. She would have continued rambling on if a sneeze didn’t interrupt her.

“If only I could say the same with Sweetie Belle,” Rarity mused, knowing her hope was pointless, considering Sweetie had... different tastes in style. She left her thoughts and said, “I’ll go, and I can get something for you, too. Be right back... and don’t move,” she added with stern tone, her gaze sharpening. Applejack glared back but curled deeper into the coverings as the unicorn left.

As Rarity shut the door with a careful pull, three fillies crossed her path, stopping her.

“What’s goin’ on? Is somethin’ wrong with Applejack?” Apple Bloom asked, her eyes wide and her voice cracking at the second question. The girls wanted to peep inside, despite the door not being open for them to look through.

Rarity waved them away from said door. “She’s caught a cold from working so hard yesterday, so she needs to rest up for the day. But I’ll be helping take care of her, so don’t worry,” she reassured the filly with a gentle smile.

“Oh, okay.” Apple Bloom, though still holding some worry, breathed easier now. “Maybe I should go ‘n’ tell Big Mac and Granny ‘bout this. It’ll be pretty hard to get all them apples if it’s just my brother doin’ it.”

Scootaloo’s face lit up. “Hey, maybe we can help!” she suggested, beaming widely.

“Exactly how?” Apple Bloom tilted her head.

Sweetie apparently read Scootaloo’s mind and joined in. “Yeah! We can work together and make it easier, too.”

“But haven’t we tried workin’ with my family’s farm before?”

The other fillies pondered that for a moment thinking over the numerous activities they tried out in the past, tapping their chins with their hooves. Scootaloo was the one to answer. “I don’t... think we’ve done it before.”

“Not that I can remember,” Sweetie Belle added, shrugging.

Apple Bloom stood dumbfounded for a moment, blinking. “Okay, then... you know what that means.” Her smile returned, her eyes sparkling.

The three girls, standing side-by-side, joined in a chorus of, “GO CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS APPLE BUCKERS GO!” right in Rarity’s ear. She felt the air push against her face, some of her mane thrown into the air. The next thing she knew, they disappeared, the only sound heard being tiny hooves heading down the stairs.

“Sweetie Belle, do try not to get too dirty out there! I know you don’t like me giving you a bath, but if I must—” Rarity started to call out at the top of the staircase.

“Oh, c’mon, Rarity!” Sweetie whined in the distance while giggling, no doubt from the other two, following not far behind. Once the door shut, silence lingered in the still wind of the house, which sounded like a symphony to her ears now that the girls had left.

A creak cut into the quiet, and Rarity turned to the source of the sound. A sniffling Applejack peeked out from the open door. “I heard the girls.” She rubbed her muzzle, asking, “They doin’ alright?”

“Yes, they’re fine, but why are you out of bed?” Rarity asked, aware of how motherly she sounded, but she did not care. She pointed into the room. “You should stay in your bed for a good majority of the day if you plan to get better.”

“What if I have to go to the bathroom?”

“Do you have to go now?”

“Not... right now.” Blush painted the farmer’s cheeks.

Rarity felt her eye twitch, but she refused to lose. Using the technique Twilight used to calm herself down from any stress, she breathed in and out with a quick gesture of her hoof. “Can you be so kind to just stay in bed?” she said.

Applejack, despite rolling her eyes, went back inside, Rarity joining suit. She struggled not to make a big deal out of it, but Applejack’s concern about her farm and her family was hard for Rarity to fight again. Already, her patience began to dwindle.

Applejack took a peek at the window that gave her a good glimpse of the hills of the farm as she lay down. “They out there yet? I can’t imagine what they’re doin’... considering how they usually do things... different.”

Rarity giggled, agreeing with that, and turned. Instantly an idea flashed in her mind, her eyes flickering with mischief. She smiled warmly at Applejack when she looked back at her. “Oh, dear, you’re worrying about nothing. I’ll go see.”

The blank expression on AJ’s face showed that she did not notice Rarity’s fake grin before she went over to the window. “What’s the worst that could—” Her smile slipped away. “Sweet Celestia’s crown!”

“What?” Applejack rose from her bed, tossing the blankets away from her body. She flipped so her hooves touched the floor, getting ready to get up, should there be a problem.

“The girls set a whole patch of the farm on fire!”

“They what?!” AJ’s scream was filled with panic, and she began getting out of her bed, on the verge of jumping out. She reached the window before Rarity could stop her, ready to knock her down if she had to.

Rarity tried to place a hoof in her way, but Applejack saw the serenity outside. Everything was as it should have been. Big Mac already began his work in the fields, while Apple Bloom and her friends were working on one tree with no signs of flames anywhere. With a sneer at Rarity, Applejack held back any urges to yell, mostly because that would threaten to hurt her voice.

Rarity blushed and smiled weakly. “Sorry, Applejack, I simply couldn’t help myself. But I think it’s for the better. It proves that you have nothing to be concerned about.” She patted AJ’s back.

Applejack’s shoulders sagged, the problem nonexistent, but her stress still dangling above her. “It’s okay.”

With her lips pursed, Rarity watched Applejack lay back down into bed, a frown slipping down. Having tricked her like that made her feel bad. A heavy sadness replaced any other emotion from before. Seeing Applejack’s disappointed face only worsened how she felt, as well as make her realize how worried Applejack was for her farm, more so than she figured.

“I didn’t realize how concerned you were. I’m sorry,” she said.

“Of course I am. It’s like you with your work, no doubt. How would you feel if I did the same thing, except with your shop?” Applejack asked in a snappish manner, which only hurt Rarity even more. She might as well have punched her right where her heart was. “I know you were tryin’ to help me and all, but—”

“I could have done it in a far more properly manner,” Rarity finished for her, stopping Applejack in a second.

“Yeah...” Applejack tilted her Stetson down over her face.

Rarity turned to the side, sighing. “I’ll be right back, then. I still have to get some things.” With a new motivation to have Applejack forgive her, she left the room.

***

Upon Rarity’s return, a few things levitated around her in a blue aura. Applejack couldn’t help but peek back up when she came in. The unicorn wore what seemed similar to surgical mask, which Applejack couldn’t help but stare at the most.

“What’s with the, uh...?” Instead of saying it, she pointed at the cover over Rarity’s mouth. Of all the things she expected Rarity to bring, that wasn’t one of them.

“What? I want to be sure I don’t catch a cold, either! What’s so wrong with that?” said Rarity, her words muffled.

With a huff, Applejack shook her head. “I promise I won’t make ya sick. Will it kill ya to take it off?”

Rarity hesitated. “No, but... oh, fine!” She tore the mask off and placed it aside, trotting over to AJ with the other things in tow. “We still need to take your temperature real quick, just to see how bad you are.” With a flicker of it, she stuck the thermometer into Applejack’s mouth before Applejack could say a word, though the farmer’s knitted eyebrows said a lot that she could not say at the moment.

“Don’t give me that look. Might as well get this over with; no use complaining about it.”

After a minute, she took it out and rose it up to observe it as best as possible, squinting. “104. Still awfully ill, but a little rest and medicine should do the trick,” Rarity announced, putting the thermometer on a nearby table.

“Ya came prepared,” Applejack noted.

“Why wouldn’t I? Don’t you know me better?” she teased, flashing a grin. Searching to her right, she brought forward a bag of ice. “It’ll be pretty cold at first, but it’ll help with how warm you feel.”

Applejack nodded, and Rarity placed the bag on her forehead, but first taking off her hat. She shivered at first, but soon, the trembling ceased. With a relaxed sigh, AJ could feel some of the tension escaping her. With her hat off, some strands of her mane slipped from it, some on her face. Before she could consider tossing them aside, Rarity did that first with a delicate touch.

Rather than complain about her friend’s help, Applejack shut her eyes and allowed the silence to fill the room. Even Rarity was strangely quiet, which she didn’t bother asking about.

Then a grumbling sound interrupted the quiet. Both mares gazed at Applejack’s stomach, with Applejack blushing a light pink.

Rarity’s smirk was impossible to hold back. “I suppose you want something to eat?”

“What was your first clue?” Applejack joked back. “Are you sure I just can’t get it myse-?”

The unicorn had already left, leaving Applejack talking to air.

***

“I usually make some good ‘ol soup for when my kin ain’t feelin’ well. Always perks ‘em up a little,” Granny Smith explained, stirring the pot as she stood in front of it on her hind legs.

The kitchen competed with Rarity’s when it came to spotlessness. She was almost envious, but her attention went back to Granny Smith, who offered to give her something for Applejack.

With a last few clockwise swirls, Granny grabbed a spoon and poured the soup into a bowl. She popped a single tiny object in there and let Rarity take it.

Rarity glanced down at the bowl. Its contents looked like nothing special, its coloring a dull peach color. Since she was not the one eating it, though, she didn’t say anything in that remark. “I’m sure she’ll love it. The poor dear has been so concerned about not being able to work today.”

“Ah, the trees ain’t goin’ anywhere. One day without her workin’ so hard won’t mean much for me. She does enough as it is,” Granny said. “Plus, I know she can’t stand bein’ treated like a filly when she’s sick, so I know it’s a toughie to hold her down.”

You have no idea, Rarity wanted to say, but decided to keep it to herself.

“She’ll come ‘round, though.” Then Granny Smith pointed into the bowl. “By the way, her medicine is in there. Just pretend it isn’t, though.”

“Wh-?”

“Stubborn one just can’t stand taking medicine. We Apples usually handle things ourselves when we have problems, but a little change won’t kill no one.”

Rarity nodded and headed upstairs, where she found AJ resting exactly where she expected her. Only this time, she was writing in a book.

Rarity sat herself down in a chair and waited for her to realize she was sitting there. When Applejack’s eyes met Rarity’s, she just saw a blinking, curious eyed unicorn. She stopped her writing and placed the book right on her chest. “So, what are you writing about?” Rarity asked.

“What part of ‘diary’ is hard to understand?” AJ asked, sliding it under her mattress.

“Don’t be so defensive, dear. I have one of my own, so I understand.”

“... Well—”

“Just eat your soup. Your grandmother made it.”

Applejack’s eyes lit up. “Great! Granny always makes the best soup for when we’re sick,” she said, her face perking up as if just those words were the cure. She sat up, and Rarity reached to hand it to her.

Her lips pursed and moved around, and when her eyes shut, she let out a few small noises. That alone should have warned Rarity, but it was too late for her to do anything before Applejack let out a loud sneeze. Really loud.

Ah-CHOOOO!

The air from Applejack's largest sneeze flew right in Rarity's direction. While the unicorn did not feel the impact too much, the bowl in front of her did. With not much holding it up, the bowl was forced from Rarity's grasp and into her face, all the soup meeting with her face.

She let the bowl drop onto the bed, revealing only her blue eyes behind all the dull peach colored soup that the bowl slipped onto her. Her eyes stared in no particular direction, like she was looking up into space.

“Oh, sorry, Rarity! I didn't mean—”

Rarity poked up a hoof to cut her off. “Excuse me a moment,” she said, still expressionless as she departed from the room and went into the room on the next left, which was the bathroom. Running water echoed into the hallways for a good minute or so; in that time, Applejack thought over what Rarity had just for her sake. And she couldn’t help but feel guilt for snapping a while ago.

When Rarity returned, her white face glowed from the water even her hair had a glow to it. Her smile, too, shined with content at being clean again. “Much better.”

“You okay?”

Once taking a deep breath, Rarity walked over to her, trying her best to relax herself and not yell about the mess. It was over, at least, her coat and hair cleaned up. “It could be worse, I suppose. When you're a unicorn, even if you have control over your magic, it can be pretty... out of control.”

“Good thing I ain't a unicorn, then.”

“Yes. Sweetie Belle has yet to have that problem, and I just know I'll be the one stuck with her when it does.”

“Can't be that bad, can it?”

Rarity leaned against the bed.  “When I last got sick, I remember shattering all of our windows on the first floor. Oh, it was awful; completely embarrassing. Since then, I specifically got magic-proof windows brought in.” She shook her head at the old memories.

A chuckle made her lift her head to Applejack. The expression Rarity's face made her stop, but she said, “C'mon, now, it's *sneeze* pretty funny.”

Eyes of cobalt glinted. “How about we see how funny it is when I accidentally break all the windows in this room?” Her lips twitched upward into a mischievous look.

“No, ma'am, I like my windows as they are; not scatterin' all over the house, thank you very much.”

Applejack’s straight face couldn’t hold for long, and soon they both started laughing. Once that ended, Applejack thought over something. Before Rarity could ask about it, the blond pony said in a low octave, “I’m sorry.”

Rarity stopped, surprised. “Oh, for what?”

“For snappin’ before. I know you were just tryin’ to help ‘n’ all.”

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Dear, no need to make a big deal out of it now. But you’re forgiven, as long as you can forgive me for starting that whole stupid thing.”

“Ah, it’s no big deal. I just can't believe you're helping me out this much. I mean, don't ya have yer own things to do today?”

Rarity's eyes fell to the floor. In the beginning, this was something she thought of as a problem should she stay and help her friend. There were already clients to send their dresses to, designs to be sewn and created as it was. With a whole day behind on her work, her mind stressed over how much work that piled up upon her return.

“Well, yes, but you're my friend, and when a friend has a problem that I can help with, I'll be there for them.” She put a hoof on Applejack's shoulder, a smile stretching on her lips.

Rarity’s eyes glossed over for a moment before her face lit up. “You know what? I’ll even sing you a little song!”

“... Come again?”

With a giggle, Rarity crossed her hooves in front of her and explained, “Oh, it’s this silly song my mother sang to me when I was younger whenever I got sick. It was an adorable little lullaby, and... well, it certainly didn’t make me feel better, but I would usually fall fast asleep to it.”

“Alright.” AJ shrugged, though hesitant, not certain what to think of this. “Go ahead.”

Rarity immediately started, closing her eyes as she sang, leaning in to allow her soft melody carry on in Applejack’s ears, “Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur. Ha—”

“Soft Kitty?” Applejack echoed, still taking the time to understand what was going on. She raised an eyebrow.

“Yes,” was Rarity’s simple answer, her eyes opening but her eyebrows tilted down. “But please, if you will, don’t interrupt me next time. Now I have to start over.”

AJ nearly sat up, sniffing. “Oh, no, Rare. It’s fine. Y-you’ve already done enough for me-”

“But I must!” Rarity’s exclamation made Applejack lay back down to avoid any more damage to her hearing. “I can’t just go on like that when I was cut off.” The exaggeration in her statement displayed the dramatic tone Applejack couldn’t help but grin at. It was something she always found amusing, almost adorable, coming from such a properly mannered mare.

“Ah, okay,” she played along.

Rarity composed and allowed herself to start over. “Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur...” she sang, reaching out to fluff Applejack’s pillow.

Hearing Rarity’s smooth and lovely voice so close to her ear, Applejack felt her muscles loosen up. Although a random and silly sounding song, it was fairly adorable and nice to listen to, something nice and quiet to settle her down and help her drift to sleep. Falling deeper into the pillows, Applejack drifted to sleep, her eyes shutting.

“Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr purr purr.” Once Rarity completed the song, she looked over, whose eyes were closed. Her breathing showed the rhythm of one who had fallen asleep.

Her laughter was in a small whisper. “And you doubted Soft Kitty. Good night, Applejack.”

A Helping Hoof

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