"Have a nice day ma'am" Rarity said to the last customer as they left Carousel Boutique. She had a busy day today with making and fixing many dresses, tuxedos, and drawing up some new designs for future projects. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with her hoof. "Wow! This was one of the busiest days I've had in a while! So many customers and so many projects to do with such little time! Well, it will keep me busy for a while!"
She used her horn to take off her styling glasses and started clean up her work area. In a matter of minutes, everything was neatly set in place. Every piece of fabric and string was put back in their place and set nicely together. She heard hoofsteps off in the distance coming down the stairs. "Hi Sis!" Sweetie Belle greeted her older sister.
"Oh, hello Sweetie Belle." Rarity replied to her.
"Looks like you had a busy day today!"
"Yes, I did! It was exhausting! But I'm glad it's over for today. I'm sure it will be just as busy tomorrow." The white pony let out a sigh. "Another day, another project as I always say. Listen, I think I'll go see Applejack for a bit. You mind watching the place while I'm gone? I'll lock the door to be safe."
"Sure thing sis!" Sweetie Belle replied happily. "Not a problem."
"Okay, thanks! I'll see you in a bit" Rarity then started for the door and opened it with her horn's magic.
"Okay! Say hi to Apple Bloom for me!" Her sister called out before the door closed.
"I will!" Rarity gently closed the door and locked it behind her and began to trot off towards Sweet Apple Acres.
Several minutes later…
Rarity trotted through the white picket front gate of Sweet Apple Acres and began to notice many baskets full of bucked apples.
"Wow, they must have had a large harvest this year." The purple maned, white unicorn pondered to herself as she passed several dozen bucked trees. There were baskets with red, yellow, and green apples in them; ready to be harvested and made into all kinds of delicious sweets such as apple jam, cinnamon apple spread, apple butter, apple juice, and apple cider, a Ponyville favorite, to name a few. There were also some apples that would be aged for many years to make the Equestrian famous Applejack Daniels whiskey; something that wasn't Rarity's taste, but enjoyed their delightful apple wine instead; which had less of a bite to it than the whiskey did.
Rarity saw Apple Bloom coming out of the front door of house; enjoying an apple. "Hi Apple Bloom!" she called out to the yellow filly with a red mane and tail with a big pink bow in her mane.
"Howdy Rarity!" she replied, taking another bite of her apple. "What brings you out here? A tad late, don't ya think?"
"I just came over to see AJ. Have you seen her?"
"Not since this morning. Big Mac said she started to buck apple trees before sunrise and she hasn't come back to the barn since, not even for a snack or dinner."
"Hmmm, odd" Rarity said, placing a hoof on her chin. "It's not like Apple Jack to do such a thing. I remember what happened the last time she did that; disastrous results!"
"Yeah, I know that. I guess you can search the land for her. I would have no idea where to start." Apple Bloom informed the unicorn. "I hope she makes it back before sundown."
"I'm sure she will. If not, I'll make her come back. Thanks Apple Bloom!" Rarity said, beginning to trot off towards the sunset.
"You're welcome!" the filly called out.
Rarity then stopped for a second. "Oh, and Sweetie Belle says 'hello'"; remembering her sister's message.
"Thank ya kindly!"
Rarity simply nodded and continued on her way down a random path to find Applejack. She was walking into the sunlight which made it somewhat harder for her to walk because of the sun shining in her eyes. "Stupid sun!" she cursed to herself. "I should have brought my umbrella to shield my eyes from it. Oh well."
She went on her way looking in many different directions looking for the orange Earth pony, but finding no such luck. "My, my! She's really out here!" Rarity said, astonished not finding Apple Jack yet. "I wonder where she is. I hope she didn't tire herself out like last time." Several minutes later, she heard grunting and the rustling of leaves in the distance. She looked to her left, near a hill and saw Applejack's silhouette in the dimming sunlight. "There she is." Rarity began to walk towards Applejack's location. As Rarity neared her, Apple trotted away from the last tree she bucked and sat on top of the hill and looked at the sunset. Rarity caught up with her and sat next to the Earth pony and said to her gently, "Hello, Applejack."
Apple looked to her side and noticed the white pony next to her. "Oh uh, howdy Rarity!" she replied in her country accent. "What are you doin' out here?"
"I came here to see you" Rarity replied. "I hear you've been bucking apples all day, even before sunrise."
"Yeah, Ah have. Ah've been getting a head start on our harvest for this particular part of the property. Ah thought I could finish all of it in one day, but I was mistaken. I realized that I bit more than I could chew. The last tree I bucked was my last for the day once I realized how many more trees needed to be bucked."
"Why didn't you let anypony else help you out like Big Mac?"
Apple looked towards the ground with a frown on her face. "Ah… Ah thought I could get all of this buckin' done before the day was out. I guess I overestimated my abilities."
Rarity put her hoof on the Earth pony's shoulder and lifted her head saying, "Apple, Darling, why didn't you come to me? I would have gladly helped you out with the trees."
"Ah didn't want to bother you with your busy schedule n' all…"
"Darling, I'm called the Element of Generosity for a reason. I would have gladly sacrificed any of my spare time to help you out! I would have closed up shop early if I had to help you out."
"Ah shucks sugarcube! Ah'm guess ah'm just stupid is all…" Applejack says, blaming herself.
"You're not stupid at all." Rarity said, comforting her. "You just made a mistake, that's all. Everypony makes them once and a while; this was one of them. From our mistakes, we learn from them and not to make them again in the future. Trust me; I've made plenty of them." She then nuzzled Apple's side and stroked her golden pony tailed mane. "You're the most beautiful pony I know and I could never call you stupid. You're too beautiful to be called stupid."
Apple looked up into Rarity's eyes and smiled at her. "Thanks, Rare. Ah… ah needed that pick-me-up. Ah'm glad ah have a marefriend like you."
"As am I Jackie." Rarity smiled and kissed her lover's nose. "I love you, my sweet Apple Jack"
"Ah love you too, Rare" Apple replied, nuzzling Rarity's nose with a smile on her face.
Rarity then brushed up against Apple's side with a smile on her face and sat next to her as the both of them watched the beautiful summer sunset together with smiles on their faces.
Author's Note
Something I wrote a while back and decided to share here. Rarijack is one of my favorite pairings. Hope you enjoy it!
BTW, the picture, by WhiteDiamondsLtd on DeviantArt, was the inspiration for making me write this story. Check her out because she has some amazing art!
