The Rarest of Them All

Chapter 5

Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville

Sunset felt a familiar throbbing sensation in her temples once again. She had busted her rump all morning long, helping Applejack prune the west orchard. Her entire body ached, even in places she didn’t know she had. Was it really so much to ask for a measly fifteen minute break? And to top it all off, Mac decided to bring along some dorky looking guy who seemed like he was better suited for swinging a golf club than an axe. As annoyed as she was, Sunset had to put on a façade of pleasantry, lest she agitate her gracious host.

“Hello Mr. Macintosh! What brings you by my neck of the woods?”

Mac placed his hand on Spike’s shoulder. “Mornin’ Ms. Shimmer. This here is Spike and he’s gonna be helpin’ ya cut wood for the time bein’. Before ya say anythin’, he’s worked on a farm before, so ah reckon he’s plenty competent for the job.”

“Good. I always appreciate extra help. It’ll make the job go by so much faster!”

“Eeyup, that’s the idea. I’m gonna head back and tend the cider still. I’ll be back ta pick up Mr. Spike later.”

Sunset waved to Mac as he slowly made his way back to the center of the farm. Once his truck was out of sight, she yanked a bewildered Spike into the shack and stared at him with her arms crossed. Knowing who she was, the former drake couldn’t help but feel slightly intimidated which prompted him to back up against the door.

Spike gulped. “Hi. I’m Spike. Nice to…meet you?”

“Sunset. Charmed I’m sure. So are you actually going to be helping me or are you just gonna get in my way? I do have a quota to meet you know.”

“Hey! I’ve chopped wood plenty of times before. If you don’t think…”

“Talk is cheap. Prove to me that you’re capable by keeping up with my pace.”

Sunset stomped across the room and grabbed two axes, shoving one into Spike’s hand and swinging the other across her shoulder. She immediately stepped outside, retrieved a log from the woodpile, and deftly split it in a single swing. After she chopped several more logs within the space of thirty seconds, Spike just stood in the doorway, gawking like an idiot. Noticing his inaction, Sunset dropped her axe and placed her hands on her hips.

“Are you going to keep staring at my ass or chop wood? ‘Cause if it’s the former, I’m gonna kick yours until it’s the color of the apples around here.”

Spike blushed. “I w-wasn’t staring at your butt! I didn’t expect you to…”

“Oh, so my ass isn’t good enough for you?”

“NO! I mean…yes it’s probably good enough…GAH! I’ll just shut up and chop wood.”

Sunset bellowed with laughter. “You’re so awkward! It’s way too easy to tease you.”

“You were…joking?”

“Well I gotta entertain myself somehow, otherwise I’d go crazy. But…now that I think about, all of this hard labor certainly must have tightened my ass, probably my tummy too. Hmm. I’ll have to ask Applejack if I could borrow her mirror, so I can give myself a good look-over, just to be sure.”

Spike cleared his throat. “Yeah…you do that. I’ll start chopping now.”

“So what’s your story?”

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Well, for starters, why are you here instead of Applejack?”

“From what I understand, Rarity had to talk to her about some issue she was having. I guess it must have been important enough to pry her away from the farm.”

“Ha! I guarantee that it’s about her abysmal love life. That woman practically oozes sexual frustration. Good for her I say! ‘Cause she seriously needs to get laid.”

Spike coughed awkwardly. “H-how did you know?”

“Spike, I’ve worked and lived with the Apples for the past few months. I think I know Applejack’s personality quirks by now. But if I had to narrow it down to a single factor, it’s mostly how she carries herself.”

“She didn’t act strangely when I saw her talking with Rarity.”

“It’s more subtle than that, Spike. Despite her honest nature, Applejack’s a woman who’s very good at hiding her desires. No, her real feelings only start to surface when she works. That’s when she has time to reflect upon them.”

“I honestly had no idea she was dealing with so much. Now I understand why Rarity was so eager to help her. But still, it sounds to me like you’re speaking from personal experience, rather than just pure observation.”

Sunset let out a sad chuckle. “I know what she’s going through, because I spent years crafting a mask for myself. A long time ago, I was the prized student of an important prin—person because I showed a lot of potential, so everyone had really high expectations of me. For years, I tried to live up to those expectations but it wasn’t what I really wanted. In the end, the pressure became too much for me to bear and I…snapped.”

“That’s…terrible. What happened after you snapped?”

“I was ousted from my position as prized student. The irony was that I should have been happy to have finally been freed of my burden, but instead I only grew jealous and bitter. The girl that replaced me, she was just so much more successful than I was…it made me feel like I was a total failure! As time wore on, I selfishly cast aside my dreams of a normal life and embraced my inner hatred. It felt good, Spike. That was most terrible part of it all. Every waking moment I wanted nothing more than to prove that I could be better than her, better than my teacher!”

“No one’s perfect Sunset. Anger can affect even the most level-minded individuals. What really matters is if you’re truly sorry for what you did. Even after all of that, there’s no possible you’re beyond redemption. If you were, the Apples wouldn’t have agreed to take you in.”

Sunset gently dropped her axe and slumped to the floor. Much to her annoyance, she felt hot tears stream down her cheeks. Worse yet, she didn’t even know why she was even talking about her past with a virtual stranger. It just felt…right somehow, like she was releasing a long-held burden off her shoulders.

The young woman closed her eyes in an attempt to clear her mind but immediately shot them open more when she felt Spike pull her into a gentle hug. For a few seconds she did nothing, not quite sure how to respond to this spontaneous act of consolation. Eventually, she decided to throw her pride out the window and hugged Spike back as tightly as she dared. To his credit, the young man didn’t even flinch.

As soon as she collected her wits once more, Sunset shuffled over to a small sink situated in the corner of the shack. After taking off her work gloves, she splashed a few generous handfuls of water on her face, both to freshen up and lessen the redness in her eyes. Sunset took a deep breath and turned towards Spike.

“I’m sorry you had to see that. I don’t normally get all emotional.”

Spike smiled. “There’s no reason for you to be sorry. You needed a shoulder to cry on, so I provided you with one.”

“Heh, it’s really strange. You’re unusually sensitive for a guy.”

“Well…I’m not exactly what you’d call a normal guy.”

Sunset cocked her eyebrow. “What do you mean by that?”

“Uhh…can you keep a secret?”

“Maybe, but I’ll make you a deal. You tell me your secret and I’ll tell you one of mine. That way, we’ll be even.”

Spike rubbed the back of his neck. “You see…I’m not exactly from around here. In fact, I wasn’t even a human. I was actually a dragon. Originally, I came from another world called Equestria which is populated by a bunch of sapient…”

“Ponies?”

“Yeah, good guess.”

“I didn’t guess. The reason I know about Equestria is because I used to live there too but I was a unicorn instead of a dragon.”

“Well, I guess we’re kind of in the same boat huh?”

Sunset scrunched her eyebrows. “Mhmm…wait a minute. Your colors seem awfully familiar to me. By chance, are you that little hatchling that followed Twilight Sparkle around?!”

“Yes, but I’m not exactly a hatchling anymore.”

“Well this is just fucking great! I had a feeling that Twilight Sparkle wouldn’t just leave me alone after all I did. And worst of all, she didn’t even have the courage to come get me herself. She…she sent her dragon lackey instead!”

“It isn’t like that!”

Sunset sniffed. “Oh yeah? Then what’s the real reason you’re here? Is it just to get me to open up to you and then kick me while I’m down?!”

“I’m not here to take you back. Hell, I’m probably not going back either.”

“…huh?”

“Before I arrived here, I had a bit of a falling out with Twi.”

Sunset’s expression softened. “You’re serious, aren’t you? If it’s not too personal, might I ask what happened?”

“I suppose that’s fair, since you opened up to me. Twilight was sleeping with the mare I had loved for a long time, behind my back, knowing full well that I was intending to confess. As you might imagine…I took it pretty hard. That’s why I’m here now, to get away from Equestria.”

Sunset patted his back. “You have my sympathy. And I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions earlier; I guess I’m still a bit paranoid.”

“Thanks. The mare I loved, she has a counterpart in this universe, so I’m hoping that I can somehow win her heart instead.”

“You’re a decent guy. I’m sure she’ll warm up to you soon enough. Oh and Spike?”

“Yeah?”

“We’re friends now, so if you ever need someone to talk to…I’ll be here.”

Aloe & Lotus’s Luxury Spa, Ponyville

Rarity gleefully grabbed AJ out of the car as they made their way through the glass double doors of Ponyville’s premier spa. AJ knew something was fishy when she saw Rarity playing with her keys as they talked and now her suspicions were confirmed. With a slightly disgruntled sigh, AJ really hoped that her fashion conscious friend was just going to have a normal conversation that for once, didn’t involve a mani-pedi and a deep tissue massage. It wasn’t as if AJ was adverse to going to the spa, no she actually enjoyed some of the treatments from time to time. She felt that now just wasn’t an appropriate time for such an indulgence.

When they reached the counter, the duo was met by non-other than Lotus herself, who wore a simple pink track suit that perfectly complimented her hair. Somehow, Rarity must have planned this well in advance, for the spa proprietor wasted no time in guiding them to the female locker room so that they could get changed.

“Rares, do ya mind tellin’ me why we had ta come here?”

“It’s quite simple darling. I want you to feel as relaxed as possible before you start talking about a potentially stressful subject. Besides, I was due up for a visit this week anyway. I might as well get it done early!”

Much to AJ’s horror, Rarity was already stripped and in a towel before she even had the chance to take off her boots. Most of the time, the prissy fashionista took forever to do anything, but she was quicker than greased lighting when it concerned her spa treatments. After a few moments, AJ had managed to get down to her underwear when Rarity shoved her towards the showers.

“Hey! What the hell are ya doin’?”

Rarity scrunched her nose. “I’m making sure that you’re clean before we begin the treatment. You just got done thrashing about in the fields, Applejack. There’s no doubt in my mind that you are positively covered in sweat and filth. Now, march your behind in there and shower!”

About ten minutes later, a very clean but irritated Applejack emerged, wearing an identical white towel to the one Rarity had donned earlier. Outside the locker room, Aloe and Lotus greeted the girls with a polite bow and proceeded to lead them into the massage parlor. Since it was still early in the day, most of the spa was practically deserted. The massage parlor was no exception. It was almost as if Rarity and AJ were VIPs and the whole room was reserved just for them.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Rarity padded over to the one of the plush massage tables and whipped off her towel, indicating that she was ready for her treatment. On the other hand, AJ was far more hesitant as she nervously stepped towards an adjacent table. Noticing this, Rarity cracked open one of her eyes and shot her friend a concerned look.

“Applejack, whatever is the matter?”

AJ bit her lip. “Well…uhh ah didn’t realize we’d have ta get naked for this.”

“Of course darling, don’t be silly! How else do you expect Aloe and Lotus to get all of those nooks and crannies? A towel would simply get in the way.”

“I’m not so sure I’m comfortable with this…”

Rarity snorted. “My dear, we’re all women so it’s not like what you have is anything we haven’t seen before.”

Feeling like she was fighting a losing battle, AJ gave in and gingerly removed her towel. Unbeknownst to many, the cowgirl was very conscious of her body. It was something that started when she had stayed with her aunt and uncle in Manehatten all those years ago.

The two of them dragged AJ along to parties where rich and beautiful people were in bountiful supply. While AJ herself had been dolled up at the time, quite a bit of the small talk focused on the “uncouth” country bumpkins/common folk and how they could never achieve the beauty and sophistication of the wealthy.

Sadly, AJ was extremely impressionable at the time and took all of this to mean that she was potentially unattractive because of what she did for a living. It was also what drove her to go back to Ponyville; she just felt so out of place with her aunt and uncle. Even after all these years and a myriad of accepting friends, the ancient specter of self-doubt still managed to plague her mind.

As AJ pressed herself against the soft contours of the massage table, she heard all three of the women in the room gasp. Immediately, AJ felt a hot blush burn across her face as she hesitantly tilted her head back to see what all the commotion was about. Much to her chagrin, both of the spa sisters were intently staring at her backside, offering whispers between each other in their native tongue.

Lotus giggled. “Oh my, Ms. Applejack you have a simply marvelous tushie! I would easily give a thousand dollars to possess such a divinely shaped rump as yours. Please! Tell me your secret.”

Aloe clapped her hands. “Eller hur! And don’t forget her abs sister. I could practically wash my clothes on them.”

AJ squirmed against the table, feeling even more embarrassed and exposed than before. As she mentally groaned, a sudden thought popped into her mind. None of the girls were ridiculing her body. On the contrary, they actually admired it! Maybe her fears of other people finding her unattractive were completely unfounded…or at least significantly lessened.

“W-well it’s really simple a-actually. Ah suppose all o’ that work on the farm does wonders for burnin’ calories and keepin’ away the fat. Eeyup. Ah reckon that’s it!”

Aloe clicked her tongue. “Ja, that sounds about right…even if it is a bit disappointing. My sister and I aren’t exactly cut for long hours of physical labor but I suppose we could try going to the gym more often. Of course, it doesn’t help that we live so close to Sugarcube Corner and all of their sinfully delicious treats.”

“Yeah, ah hear ya there. The Cakes do make a mean éclair. However, ya ain’t tasted heaven ‘till you’ve tried mah granny’s apple dumplings.”

“Hmm, well I shall have to try one sometime. So, Ms. Applejack, where would you like me to start?”

“Ah suppose ya could start ‘round mah lower back. It’s been feeling a bit sore as o’ late.”

AJ shivered slightly as she felt Aloe apply a glob of warm massage oil onto her back. Considering that AJ rarely ever received massages of any kind, she was under the assumption that the actual massage would start right away. This was not the case. The poor cowgirl nearly jumped off the table when she felt Aloe’s soft hands glide across her skin, applying the oil onto every surface she could find. Sensing the tension in AJ’s muscles, Aloe immediately stopped.

“Oh no, I’m so sorry Ms. Applejack! I thought you were aware of all the procedures involved in this treatment. It’s nothing untoward, I assure you.”

AJ coughed nervously. “Ah didn’t realize that ya…umm were gonna be puttin’ your hands all over me like that. N-not that it didn’t feel good, mind ya. Just…warn me when you’re gonna do somethin’ like that again.”

Rarity, on the other hand, was unabashedly moaning as Lotus rubbed the tension away in her shoulder blades. It spoke volumes to the sheer quantity of treatments Rarity went through on any given month of the year. Upon hearing AJ’s protests, the fashionista lazily opened her eyes and noticed how uncomfortable her friend looked.

“Damn it, Applejack! You’re never going to enjoy the massage if you keep tensing up like that. Just relax and let Aloe do her job.”

“Ah don’t think ah can.”

“That’s preposterous! Seriously, what’s the problem now? Are you still hung-up over this whole nudity thing?”

“Well…bein’ naked as a jay-bird is a bit awkward but…that’s not botherin’ me as much as it did when we first came in here.”

“Ok, but you still haven’t told me what the real problem is.”

AJ blushed. “It’s kind of…personal. Ah don’t think ah could talk about it with Aloe and Lotus around.”

“Girls, I’m terribly sorry but would excuse my friend and I for a few moments? We need to discuss something private.”

“Of course, Ms. Rarity! We shall wait outside the parlor. When the both of you are ready to resume your treatments, just knock on the doors three times.”

Once the spa twins were out of sight, Rarity shuffled over to AJ’s table and took a seat next to her. As a gesture of comfort, Rarity gently placed her hand on the cowgirl’s shoulder but was surprised when she felt AJ’s shoulder sag.

AJ sighed. “Ah guess ah might as well get this over with. The reason why ah was a tad uncomfortable earlier was because….Aloe’s massage was makin’ me a bit hot under the collar.”

“WHAT!? I d-don’t understand! I thought you liked…men.”

“Heh. That’s the funny part. Ah do. And…ah also like women too. Took me a while ta come ta terms with it but ah think that’s always been the case, even when ah was younger.”

“Hold on a moment. Is this what you really wanted to talk about?”

AJ nodded. “Partially anyway. The other part of it is: Ah think I’ve got a crush on another woman right now.”

“Is it any of the girls…or me?”

“No. Y’all are just good friends ta me. But you have met her before, even if it wasn't under the friendliest of circumstances.”

“Met her before? That really only leaves…OH MY WORD! You can’t possibly mean…Sunset?!”

“I’m afraid so. Ya have ta understand, ah didn’t start really seein’ her in that way until after she’d been with us for a few months.”

“So…what exactly attracted you to her?”

AJ smiled. “She’s got a fire in her belly that ah can’t help but admire. Even though she went through all o’ those horrible things, she didn’t let it all come crashin’ down on her head. She just keeps on goin’. Also, ah like that fact that she’s just so damn blunt most o’ the time. You’d think that’d be a turn off, but ah think it’s a breath o’ fresh air.”

“Ah so her personality is what drew your attention. Admirable I suppose.”

“Well, for the most part. Ah ain’t gonna lie, she’s quite the looker too. Especially ever since she’s trimmed down from all o’ that work we’ve put her through.”

Rarity wrapped her friend in a tight hug. “I’m glad you told me about this…even if it did come off as a bit of a surprise. However, take comfort in the knowledge that I shall support your romantic endeavor 110% of the way!”

“Thanks, Rares. It means a lot to hear you say that.”

“That’s what friends are for darling.”