Chapters ... for which Love is the Honey
Applejack is cooking up a storm, whistling a tune as she trots merrily around the kitchen with a cheerful bounce in her step. Rarity isn't the most talented of chefs, despite her horror towards her little sister. It's a fact which had bemused Applejack to no end when she found out that Rarity can tell thirty different wines apart from smell alone but she doesn't know the difference between parsley and basil.
Kind of hypocritical of her to chide her sister so regularly when the only meal she can make flawlessly is a Caesar salad.
And so Applejack cooks. She loves cooking and if Rarity were around at the minute, she'd be drilling some basic lessons into the unicorn so that she could better feed herself. As it is, Rarity is pacing upstairs in her creativity room, working to improve what she has called, 'a crime upon the eyes, a stain upon my fashion repertoire, the bane of my worldly existence' and many more things that she'd dubbed the dress with a hoof to her forehead in mid-swoon. Applejack smiles at the thought. She's such a drama mare. It wasn't near as bad as she was making it out to be.
Applejack knows better than to say that though. Rarity will likely just give her the look that suggests that she leave the vicinity very quickly because she just didn't 'understand the woes of a seamstress'.
So instead of sitting and drawing wrath upon herself, she's cooking dinner.
“AGH! NOTHING'S WORKING!”
Applejack stops dead then looks up at the roof above her head. It's quiet again... ominously so.
“Don't you dare, Applejack. Don't ya' even think 'bout goin' up there...” She's thinking it though. “No... Ya' ain't gon' do it... No...”
Her hooves betray her and she finds herself heading up the stairs towards what can only be her doom. Rarity doesn't like to be interrupted when she's working. Rarity really doesn't like to be interrupted when she's working.
“Ya' can stop now. There ain't no obligation, she's probably fine jus'... stop walkin' and everything will be good...” Her hooves continue to ignore her. Her heart seems to have a direct line to the traitorous limbs... “Ya' gon' die , Applejack... Stop... Stop before it's too late...”
She knocks on the door at the top of the stairs then blinks at herself.
“Okay... Fine... Now ya' die. That's nice. Ah didn't even get see Bloom get 'er cutie mark but that's just-” The door swings open. “Rarity!” She greets with a nervous smile. The mare looks... annoyed. So annoyed that Applejack's a little afraid that she might melt under the scowl burrowing into her eyeballs.
She's still pretty even when she's scowling.
“Applejack... Whatever it is... I don't have time for it. If I don't get this order finished then...” She trails off and she sighs softly and her eyes lower. She suddenly looks much less frustrated and much more tired. Applejack frowns at the sight.
“What's wrong, Rares?” She asks gently, wary of stepping into the room but her hooves itching to wrap around the alabaster mare.
“I-... It needs to be perfect...” Rarity says then she steps back and leaves the door wide to allow Applejack to enter. She steps in cautiously, glancing around at the mess but she doesn't comment. Rarity is clearly very upset about something. Applejack steps up to the dress and gazes at it thoughtfully. It seems kind of... dark for Rarity. It doesn't look like a dress for anything... fun or happy. It's still stunningly beautiful, all of Rarity's creations are but this one is... different.
“It's a beauty, sugar cube. What's got ya' so upset?” Applejack questions coaxingly and Rarity sighs again then steps up to the earth pony and into a waiting embrace. She leans into Applejack's chest, burying her face into her blond, hay and earth scented mane. She'd once said that she found it reassuring.
Applejack nuzzles her gently.
“The dress... It makes me want to cry...”
Applejack's frown deepens.
“Why, Rares? It's a gem. It's clear see how much care you've taken an' it pays off,” She returns and Rarity shakes her head slightly.
“Not the dress itself,” She says then she looks to it. “More... what it's for,” She adds and Applejack hesitates a moment, stroking Rarity's soft purple mane soothingly.
“What's it for, Rares?”
“A funeral.”
“You've made them before, haven't ya'?” Applejack murmurs.
“Yes...” Rarity confirms then she releases a shuddering breath, her eyes closing. “But I've never been asked to make one for a mother for their child's funeral...”
“Aw, Rares...” Applejack holds the other mare closer then places a kiss to her temple, a heavy pang in her chest. “Why didn't ya' say sooner?”
“... It's silly of me.”
“Naw... It's jus' tha' beautiful an' generous heart o' yours,” Applejack replies with a small, sad smile as she rests their foreheads together and holds Rarity's gaze. Her eyes are glazed with tears and sharp with sadness. “The dress is beautiful, Rares...”
“It's too sad... but I can't bear to think of making it happy,” Rarity explains and Applejack pauses for a moment, looking to the dress. It deepens the ache in her chest to know that a suffering mare will be wearing that soon...
“Ah say...” Applejack begins, looking back to Rarity and she smiles a tad. “...we go downstairs... and eat dinner and drink wine and talk a while... then we'll come back here and take a good long look at this gem you've made... and Ah'll tell ya' a million reasons why you doin' this is testament to how givin' ya' are.”
Rarity gazes back at Applejack for a moment then smiles. The tears that had threatened to fall are gone.
“That sounds lovely...”
And so they head downstairs and Applejack attempts to teach Rarity how to properly crack an egg and earns herself yolk down her back for her trouble. Rarity's stifled laughter almost made the slimy sensation worth it.
Almost...
When they return to the dress, Applejack merely stands and watches, flashing encouraging smiles or sneaking kisses whenever Rarity's expression starts to fall. She isn't particularly into fashion... Well, actually it practically bores her to tears so she can't help on that front but if she can keep her diamond in the rough smiling as she's working then that's good enough for her.
Rarity makes some adjustments, she sews some small emeralds onto the collar of the dress. She uses mostly green. The young filly that had died had the most adorable wild green mane.
“I've never seen anypony pull off green so well,” She says as she sews and there is a sting in her gaze... but only for a moment then she smiles fondly. “I saw her often at the hospital when I went to fetch my medicine for my migraines... She was such a charming filly,” She continues and Applejack steps up beside her and sits down next to her, entwining their tails. “You'd have liked her, Applejack... She had such a sweet tooth. She really loved your Zap apple jam...”
“Oh, yeah?” Applejack says gently.
“Mmhm. She was usually eating it when I saw her... Tended to get the stuff everywhere and...” Rarity trails off, gazing at nothing then she smiles, a gleam in her eyes. “She was such a darling...”
“Did ya' know 'er name?” Applejack asks and Rarity looks to her.
“Honeycomb...” She replies, her voice barely above a whisper and she rests her head on Applejack's shoulder and continues to sew and for a while, neither of them say anything. They don't really need to...
Applejack stretches and her back clicks. She sighs in relief then gazes at Rarity a moment. She's sleeping... sat up. How she does that is... baffling but then she's likely worn herself out with all the stress and upset from earlier.
Applejack smiles then carefully lifts the unicorn onto her back. It's easy. She weighs next to nothing really. Her head rests on Applejack's shoulder, gentle snores escaping her... Applejack kisses her cheek.
She even snores pretty.
Applejack has been made aware numerous times by her dearest that she 'snores like a hydra with a blocked nose'. Applejack rolls her eyes to herself as she heads out but smiles again despite the thought. Hell, she isn't elegant and she wouldn't want to be... That's Rarity's job.
The earth pony heads into the lavish bedroom of the unicorn along her back and is greeted by the scent of flowers and the kind of tidy and cleanliness that used to make her feel very out of place in that room. She merely walks on in though and pulls the covers back on the bed then gently places Rarity beneath them before she climbs in beside her and scoots close to her, wrapping a hoof around her waist and nuzzling the back of her neck.
“G'night, sugarcube...” She whispers and she slowly begins to drift away.
“Applejack?”
“Mm?”
“I was just wondering...”
“Uh huh...?”
“... How would you feel about having a foal?”
Applejack's eyes dart open and she is met by bright soft eyes and a smile.
“Wut?” She blurts and Rarity kisses her nose gently.
“Glad you agree. It's a wonderful idea.”
“Huh? Rares, Ah'm confused. What did Ah agree too?”
“Go to sleep, darling.”
“But-”
“Shhh...” Rarity interrupts, resting a hoof over Applejack's lips and she snuggles closer. Applejack stares into the gloom for a while.
“... But we'll never agree on a name.”
“We'll compromise, darling.”
Applejack pouts then nuzzles the unicorn, sighing softly.
“... Did ya' plan this?” She asks.
“Oddly enough... No,” Rarity replies and it is the warm sincerity in her voice that leaves Applejack smiling, more and more of her easing into the idea with each passing moment as Rarity breathes gently into her.
“Y'know... It actually sounds kinda nice...” She concedes gently and Rarity lifts her head to kiss her softly before she adjusts the blanket around them.
“It does, doesn't it?”
...
They've been sat there for a good hour now. They've been sat there for that same good hour every single day for the past four weeks, bickering across the table, drinking tea, flipping through newspapers and poking listlessly through books in an effort to find what they're looking for. Applejack's patience is nearing it's end and Rarity seems to be determined to make the whole thing as difficult as possible.
Applejack blinks, staring across the table at Rarity's tea. She drinks Oolong, imported and far too fancy for Applejack's taste... She drinks it with honey.
“Ah've got an idea...” Applejack murmurs and the idea has just struck her and she can't shift it now. It's embedded itself firmly in her mind. She can't get rid of the sudden thought that this one could be the one... The one that clicks, that they can agree on. It'll mean something to them both, something beyond it being an apple name, something more than that...
She looks up to Rarity and the mare is silent, gazing at her in anticipation. She can tell that this one is going to be something special.
Applejack smiles more every second that she thinks about it.
“What?” Rarity presses and Applejack takes an alabaster hoof in both of her own and holds the stunning eyes of her sugarcube for a moment longer before she takes a deep breath.
“... Honeycrisp...” She says gently and Rarity blinks. Applejack can see her make the connection to the filly that sourced this brilliant idea all those weeks ago.
“Honeycrisp...” She repeats in a murmur. Applejack waits anxiously, fighting the urge to fidget in her seat as she watches Rarity think. Then a smile forms across her lips and Applejack grins warmly. They've got it. “Honeycrisp...” Rarity says again and her eyes shine. “It's perfect.”
Yes... Yes, it is...
... is but an earlier Heaven - George Bernard Shaw
She's never been so darn nervous in her life. Not a single rodeo, not a single new pony or new place ever made her feel this gosh danged tense .
“It'll be fine, AJ. Quite pacing like that.”
“'Quit pacing'!? Pacing is the only thing keeping me sane!” Applejack retorts and Rainbow Dash leans away from her, eyes wide.
“Yeah? Well, I don't think it's working,” She says bluntly and Applejack falters then huffs at her and returns to her restless walking back and forth. “AJ... Calm down...”
“Ah can't, Dash. Ah can't do anythin' but think of everythin' that could go wrong...” Applejack replies, voice shaky from the anxiety and her ears droop and her pupils dilate. “Oh Celestia, what if there's complications!? What if- Aw, no- what if Rarity- what if our foal-?!”
THWACK!
Applejack blinks then rubs her sore cheek in stunned wonder. Rainbow Dash lowers her raised hoof. Applejack looks to her, brow furrowed with confusion and hurt.
“Ya' hit me!” She declares accusingly.
“You were flipping out. I didn't have much choice.”
Applejack stares at Rainbow Dash then shrugs and looks away, conceding to it.
“That smarted, RD...”
“Sorry but... y'know. It's my job. I'm your best friend. If I didn't slap you when you were being crazy then nopony else would,” Rainbow returns quite unapologetically and Applejack rubs her cheek again. It's actually throbbing, she was hit that dang hard.
“... Ah'm scared, Rainbow,” She admits and she looks back to her friend and finds a small smile there on the Pegasus' face.
“Yeah?... Well, I kind of am to...” Rainbow says then her smile widens. “... even if there is absolutely nothing to worry about at all . I mean, this is Rarity . She might be a prissy unicorn but she married you so she must have a pretty good pain tolerance.”
Applejack nods then catches herself and frowns.
“Hey, wait a second. What was that about-?!”
“APPLEJACK APPLE! IF I BUCKING SEE YOUR FACE EVER AGAIN, I AM GOING TO ABSOLUTELY DESTROY IT, YOU INCONSIDERATE HILLBILLY!!!”
Applejack stares, wide eyed, at the doors opposite her then swallows hard as her heart pounds frantically. She can't even bring herself to be annoyed at the term 'hillbilly' passing through her love's mouth when she is clearly very ticked off and wanting to murder her. The fear's just too powerful at the moment.
“Wow... She's miffed,” Rainbow points out.
“Ya' think?!”
“Heheh... Oh colt, did I ever tell you guys what a nice couple you make because... you do, y'know? You seriously make my day,” Rainbow Dash says through her sniggering and Applejack scowls at her.
“Why don't ya' go crash into a tree or something?!” She grumbles.
“Because it's more fun here!”
“WHERE IS SHE?! BRING HER HERE, RIGHT NOW SO THAT I CAN STRANGLE HER WITH YOUR STETHOSCOPE!!”
Applejack pales, scooting away from the door.
“Ha! And you thought it was better for Rarity to carry the foal!” Rainbow laughs and she drops into her chair. “Haha! I should be taking pictures!”
As it later turned out, it wasn't necessary. Pinkie Pie had been crouched behind a nearby plant pot and taken photographs of the whole thing.
It was highly amusing for Rarity after Applejack grew the courage to join her and Pinkie had proudly showed her work. It had 'almost made the pain worth it', though of course, what really did was the stunningly beautiful little filly that they got out of all those months of torment.
Rarity cried, everypony cried tears of relief and joy but perhaps strangest was how calm Applejack was at first, even as the foal was carefully placed in her arms and she sat down beside Rarity on the bed and kissed her temple. Then she looks down at Honeycrisp and there was only the barest wobble of her lip before she broke down into happy sobs, dropping her face into Rarity's neck and being the generous mare that she was, even after all the time in labour, she smiled and held her wife to her gently. Rainbow Dash thought it was hilarious.
“Ah ain't cryin'! It's just- Quit laughin' at me, Dash!”
Honeycrisp was perfect... more perfect than either Applejack or Rarity could have imagined. The tears were kind of inevitable.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Mama... It's cold .”
Applejack looks down to the filly at her side. She is white, the purest kind of white that's too pure to blend with the snow. Her eyes are Applejack's eyes, though they shine like emeralds with the boundless life of foalhood. Her mane is Applejack's too, similiarly difficult to tame and a bane of Rarity's existence to get just right.... She's a little bundle of perfect.
A shivering little bundle of perfect.
“Sorry, Honey. Ah jus' forget with bein' an earth pony an' all,” Applejack says apologetically, pulling herself out her thoughts and she brushes away some snow then sits down on the damp earth and pulls the young pony into a warm embrace, lifting her clean off the ground. Honeycrisp buries her face in her ma's chest and snuggles into her. “That better?”
“Yes...” The filly says with a smile that thought Applejack can't see, she doesn't doubt is there. She's got this small and elegant smile; a Rarity kind of smile. “How come when mummy gets cold you carry her?”
Applejack blinks.
“Whattaya mean?” She questions.
“Mummy says she's cold... and you roll your eyes big and then you carry her.”
“Oh...” Applejack says then she smiles. “That's 'cuz mummy can sure whine .”
“Mummy's silly,” Honeycrisp says with a giggle.
“Glad we can agree on that, sugar cube,” Applejack replies. “Would ya' like sit on mah back the rest o' the way?” She adds and Honeycrisp pauses.
“I like snow... I just wish it weren't so cold.”
Applejack chuckles at the notion, shaking her head lightly.
“It's frozen. That's why,” She explains and Honeycrisp wiggles out her embrace then turns to face the whiteness and peers up at the sky as flakes fall, leaning back into Applejack's front so as to not lose the warmth.
“Do they mind?”
“Huh?”
“Do they mind being frozen?” Honeycrisp quips and she goes cross eyed watching a snowflake settle on the tip on her nose then melt away. Applejack watches the filly's nose wrinkles then she smiles gently. Honeycrisp does ask the strangest things.
“Ah don't think so... It's like... their talent, y'know? Bein' frozen and then bein' pretty whilst bein' frozen,” Applejack says softly and it's quiet. The road is empty and the orchards are silent. Rarity will have a pot of steaming broth bubbling on the stove and will be waiting for the pair to return. She's got a lot better at cooking since Honeycrisp was born.
“Mummy said they're all different.”
“Eeyup. They certainly are,” Applejack confirms.
“Are they like ponies then?” Honeycrisp asks, tilting her head back to meet Applejack's gaze. Applejack thinks for a moment, not just about the question but also about the deep insight the little filly has. She must get it from Rarity.
“Maybe... but Ah think that's something ya' ought to ask Aunty Twi. Y'know she's so clever an' all,” Applejac returns and her filly beams at her, a wide and silly grin.
“That's 'cuz she's a princess and the princesses are clever!”
“She was clever before she was a princess too,” Applejack states and she gently taps Honeycrisp's nose.
“Tell me about Uncle Discord!” Honeycrisp says as she rises to her hooves.
“Which story?”
“All of them, mama! He's funny,” Honeycrisp replies as if that's reason enough for anything and maybe it is. Applejack rolls her eyes with a fond smile.
“Alright then. The first time we met him he was kinda mean...” She begins and the pair head on through the snow towards food and warmth though without a rush to get there...
It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life. - Rita Rudner
“Mummy...”
Rarity is instantly on edge. She freezes, the needle and thread in her telekinetic grip hover beside her head. Hm... She knows that tone very well by now. She quirks a brow then smiles slowly.
“What is it you want, Honey?” She says knowingly. Honeycrisp makes a noise which is something between a squeak and a groan. It is the same noise that Applejack sometimes makes when she's about to tell a lie.
“Nothin'...” Honeycrisp mumbles.
“Noth-ING, darling. Your ma has utterly ruined your pronunciation,” Rarity replies and she looks over to her daughter with a fond smile. Honeycrisp is fidgeting restlessly on her hooves.
“Mama told me that you secretly liked that I wasn't all fancy all the time,” She says as she picks up a scrap of cloth, fiddling with it between her hooves. Rarity rolls her eyes gently as her smile widens.
“Maybe that's true...” She concedes, tapping her chin in mock thought. It is very true, of course. She wouldn't dream of having Honeycrisp be as polished as she is. She wants her daughter to have some of that country charm, so that she can get dirty without worrying about the mess to her coat. She wants her to have the freedom that she lacked somewhat as a filly. Honeycrisp is trying desperately not to giggle at Rarity's thoughtful pout.
Rarity absolutely loves her laughs. “But maybe your mama is using wishful thinking in the hopes that I won't mind with you and so won't tease her so much,” She adds and Honeycrisp giggles, her head ducked and her tail is swishing as she holds back the urge to bounce up onto her hooves. Rarity also absolutely loves how considerate her daughter is around her work. She's always careful in Rarity's room of creativity.
“Mama also said that you liked that she wasn't fancy either.”
“Yes... Well, I suppose if she were like me then we'd drive each other crazy or otherwise get very bored of one another,” Rarity says, her smile unfaltering. She finds it very difficult not to smile around her darling filly. Honeycrisp approaches her with delicate little steps and Rarity draws her into a warm embrace. Honeycrisp nuzzles into her.
“Mummy...” She says again.
“Yes, darling?” Rarity replies, placing a soft kiss to Honeycrisp's forehead.
“What was yours an' mama's weddin' like?” She asks.
Rarity quickly lowers her needle and thread to the ground beside her, her magic flickering and leaving the sharp implement trembling. She forces on a strained smile.
“It was lovely, darling.”
“Mama said that-”
“Mama should really stop telling you things...” Rarity interrupts gently but firmly and Honeycrisp is quiet a moment, thinking.
“She said there was a fire.”
Relentless little filly... Rarity's eye twitches then she loosens her grip on her daughter and ducks her head to meet the warm, bright eyed gaze of her daughter. She tilts her chin up then sighs, glancing away a moment.
“My dearest little apple of my eye,” She begins then she takes a deep breath. “I beg of you, darling, for the sake of your mummy's sanity, repeat these following words...” She continues, her tone serious and Honeycrisp nods dutifully. “My mama and mummy's wedding was nice...”
“My mama an' mummy's wedding was nice,” Honeycrisp repeats.
“There was no fire.”
“But mama said-”
“I know what mama said but please ,darling...” Rarity presses pleadingly and Honeycrisp pauses.
“There was no fire,” She says.
“Thank you, Honey,” Rarity replies with a warm smile.
“Thank you, Honey.”
Honeycrisp almost instantly frowns, her nose scrunching up as she realises her mistake and Rarity laughs lightly.
“Oh...” The filly mumbles sheepishly, a blush dusting her cheeks and Rarity nuzzles her, smiling widely.
“Now, is there anything else that is bothering you or would you like to help?” She asks and Honeycrisp beams at her.
“Can Ah be in charge of the swatches?” She quips and the elder unicorn kisses her nose then retrieves her needle and thread and adjusts the plans scattered across her desk.
“Of course you can!” She agrees then a thought occurs to her and she glances over her shoulder. “Oh, by the way, did I mention that your aunty Sweetie was coming over this afternoon?” She adds slyly and the squeal of delight her daughter gives is, without a doubt, the absolute best sound in the world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“-And so mummy said not to talk about it again.”
“Uh huh.”
“But when I said about the fire, she started twitchin' and things.”
Applejack blinks, snapping out her thoughts and her hoof stills on the trunk of Bloomberg Junior. Then she grimaces.
“Aw, Honey... Ah told ya' not to mention that to mummy! She's gon' tan mah hide when Ah get home...” She groans.
“Sorry, mama... but will ya' tell me the truth instead?” Honeycrisp quips as she fidgets on her hooves and Applejack gives her a pointed look. “Yeah. I know. You're the Element of Honesty but mummy didn't wanna talk about it so I weren't sure if you would neither.”
“Honey, more important than all that is that Ah'm yer' ma! That's more than enough reason for you to believe Ah'll give ya' the honest truth,” Applejack tells her then she smiles warmly. “So... What's ya' question then?” She quips.
“What 'xactly started the fire? At yours and mummy weddin'?” Honeycrisp says and Applejack huffs a heavy sigh, looking away.
“Erm... Well... It was, from what Twi said, a series of little things which led to a complete catastrophe. Lemme get this right, Twi was awful specific...” She returns then she rubs her cheek, thinking carefully and gazing off into the trees before she nods to herself. “Mummy had too much drink, mama had too, both of us fell over, Pinkie had moved the lights to someplace closer to the dance floor, so that when we tripped, Rares went tumblin' into the battery, the shock made her accidentally release some magic which flew across the room, bounced off Mac's cuff link then recoiled into Vinyl Scratch's vodka shot and sent it flying six feet into the battery powering the lights. Rare's had dented the casing in the collision and around a second later, the whole thing was aflame, the alcohol combusted violently and burnt a chunk of Rare's tail off before completely engulfing the nearby table and like a series o' dominoes, one by one the tables were set alight. Our chief in fire safety, Twilight, was busy bein' passed out on one of the speakers...” Applejack explains then she takes a deep breath. “And so our wedding burnt to the ground...” She concludes. Honeycrisp gapes.
“Wow...”
“Yeah...” Applejack says then she cracks a grin. “It was pretty darn memorable though! We had the Canterlot Guard come chargin' in thinkin' it was an assassination attempt and then we all sat on picnic blankets eatin' burnt weddin' cake.”
“Was mummy upset?” Honey asks worriedly and Applejack looks down to her daughter and smiles again.
“Not that much. Personally, I think she found it rather thrillin'.”
“Then how come Ah was sworn to silence, mama?” Honeycrisp questions, sounding a little outraged and Applejack leans down to nuzzle her filly's cheek.
“It jus' don't do much for the delicate image of a princess, is all.”
“Is she your princess then, mama?” Honeycrisp quips and Applejack chuckles with a wink.
“Eeyup! She certainly is... and a darn pretty one too!”
Honeycrisp giggles before her mane is ruffled gently and she's scooped up onto her mama's back.
“So, what's that make you? Her prince?” She questions as she scrambles up onto Applejack's hat, perching herself there with the kind of grace that she probably didn't get from Applejack. The earth pony grins up at her fondly.
“Ah guess so, sugar cube. Though sometimes, Ah feel it was me who got swept off mah hooves...”
She heads on towards her farm. She'd bet a whole bushel that Apple Bloom really would love to see her niece...
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