Vanilla Minus

"This simply must be a joke."

"No joke here, Rarity. What's wrong with going out for a week?"

"What's wrong? Do you really want to know what's wrong with your plan, Twilight? Is this what you want?"

"Er ... Yes?" Twilight didn't know how long this was going to keep her but giving Rarity's penchant for theatrics she had no doubt that this was going to set her day back by at least an hour, if not more. Not that that was a problem, of course. She always gave herself extra time allowances when speaking with Rarity.

"I will tell you what's wrong and you will listen as I know you can do. To some, leaving their homes for a short while might be a simple task. That is just not the case for a pony of my ilk. You see, dear Twilight, I've grown used to a level of comfort. Some ponies might look down their snouts but that's just the way I've come to live my life. Do you have any clue how long this little sabbatical you seem so chuffed about trying to coerce me into attending is going to set me back? I've got no less than three gowns, two dress, and a score of accessories waiting in the wings for my attentions. I cannot risk abandoning shop, not without good cause!"

Twilight counted off the moments until Rarity launched back into her tirade, as she was wont to do. At the moment she wasn't aware of the irony of her criticizing Rarity's long-windedness.

"But. I have been needing a proper few days off, and my projects are not calling to me so strongly that I cannot spare some time for friends. I will start packing post-haste, seeing as you have a talent for springing plans on people last minute. Given it's the middle of the week I'm assuming we'll be leaving sometime Friday?"

Twilight wasn't expecting Rarity to go as easily as she had but there was no sense looking a gift horse in the mouth. What a silly phrase, she mused, before returning her attention to the conversation at hand. "That would be correct! That gives you tonight, tomorrow, and then Friday morning to pack. We'll be leaving at around noon since the train ride is going to take us about five hours."

A wave of relief crashed over Twilight as she left Rarity’s boutique, completely satisfied with her endeavor. She could already tell that the mare was composing a to-pack list. It seemed the two of them had that much in common, at the least.

It was far more difficult for Twilight to persuade Applejack to abandon her position at the farm, but after the whole Smith family nagging her to take some much needed time off from "saving the world all those times and whatnot." Applejack agreed to the trip reluctantly and gave Twilight her word that she would be ready come Friday morning. And so it was that the six of them found themselves on the platform like so many times before, surrounded by bags packed with various personal belongings.

Twilight surveyed the group with a gleam of pride in her eyes. She had come to love and respect the girls who were her friends and knew that this outing was exactly what they all needed. Being the Elements of Harmony was a lot of work! Confident that there wasn’t a single loose end left for any of them in Ponyville, they boarded the train.

“Oh my gosh I am so EXCITED! I’ve never really been to the Smokey Mountains except that one time that we had to go there and tell a big mean ‘ole dragon to stop breathing so much smoke all over the place and a few other times but I’ve never got to be there for a whole week! Can you believe that? A WEEK!” Pinkie gripped any pony that got close to her, crushing them in a patented Pinkie Hug. Rainbow Dash barely extricated herself from the vice-like grip that threatened to grind her into dust, shaking her wings out in the train car.

“Right. Yeah. It is pretty exciting. I don’t know how much flying I’m going to get to do when we get there but I guess the great Cloudkicker could use a moment of rest.”

“I’m glad you’re all getting into the spirit of things! I was afraid this wasn’t going to fly too well for some of you.” Twilight smiled at them as they took to their customary bunks. They traveled frequently enough to render most of the packing and boarding stage into simple muscle memory.

The train rolled out of the station, chugging steadily down the line as everypony settled into their train ride routine. Pinkie was excitedly chatting up Spike and Fluttershy, whom she had dragged in to the shy pony’s quiet complaints. Rainbow Dash was hard at work, flitting between steadily devouring the newest Daring Do book and gazing out on the lush landscape as they rolled by it. Twilight was equally absorbed in her own literature, some esoteric book on ancient pony lore that Celestia bestowed upon her with great reluctance. Rarity was double and triple checking her luggage so as to make sure there wasn’t a single thing she missed. It took at least an hour for her to be satisfied that all was right in her world before finally succeeding to her bunk. Might as well catch up on some sleep before-hand.

Applejack had that exact idea the moment they boarded the train. If she was telling the truth she had packed in just under an hour and spent her remaining days on Sweet Apple Acres working herself harder than she had ever worked before. It was the only way she could rest with an easy conscience but she was definitely worse for the wear after all of it. So it was that she awoke with a groggy string of country mumblings as the train came to a halt some hours later, doors opening to a simple platform surrounded by dense, lush forests. The mountains loomed in the distance, a testament to the ceaseless power of the earth. The whole lot let out a series of appreciative noises. Even Rainbow Dash was stunned by the spectacle. Seeing it from the clouds didn’t quite compare to the sight from the ground.

The walk to their lodging was a pleasant one, the soft creak of the luggage trolley being guided by Twilight barely audible over the noises that a forest in the throes of Spring tended to produce. The chirping of birds, the rustle of wind through the thick canopy of gleaming green leaves above them, the snap of twigs underhoof. It was a little symphony being played for the six solitary ponies (and attending baby dragon) as they trekked deeper into the woods. Steadily their cabins came into sight, placed just up a ways from a bubbling spring and served with a number of beaten paths. It seemed the Element of Friendship was clearly not above flexing her bureaucratic connections at times and it definitely showed.

“Gosh, Twilight, this is wonderful! Thank you so much!” Fluttershy was absolutely beaming at the sight before her. Pinkie was equally enraptured, though it wasn’t difficult to floor the excitable pony. Further murmurs of appreciation filed in as they began to attend to their separate cottages. It was at this point that an otherwise occupied Rarity first caught whiff of something fishy. That something was who her roommate was to be.

“Twilight, darling. Might I have a word with you?” Rarity ushered her over with a sense of urgency, a look of discomfort clear on her face.

“What’s going on Rarity?”

“I appreciate everything that you’ve done for us but I’m afraid I simply must bunk with someone else.”

“You don’t want to share a cabin with Applejack?”

“Well, I - To put it simply, no. You know that she and I don’t exactly see eye to eye. With how stubborn she can be I doubt she can see at all at times.”

Twilight tried to stifle a giggle, putting on her best concerned demeanor. She found the constant tussles between the two of them amusing but there was no way she could let either of them know that. “Of course, Rarity. I understand where you’re coming from but think of it as a friendship building exercise!”

The appalled look that overtook Rarity’s face was absolutely priceless and a less well-mannered pony would’ve lost it in a heartbeat. “I have had more than enough friendship building exercises to last me three lifetimes, Twilight Sparkle, and I will brook no such misstep against me!”

“Rarity, calm down! The two of you can put aside your disagreements for a week of good, wholesome fun. Or at least you’re going to have to because everyone has already unpacked.” She gestured with her hoof at the cabins behind them as the ponies were nearly finished settling into their respective cabins. Before Twilight could offer anything even resembling a proper apology Rarity huffed and turned away, pulling her luggage from the cart with more than a bit of an attitude. It was going to be a long week for all of them.

Applejack wasn’t too pleased with the evenings proceedings either but she made her complaints far less obvious than the diva pony who was currently pouting up a storm across from her. The two of them were more than happy that the designers saw it fit to not install the beds as bunks, instead deciding to keep them separate from each other. Finally finding a lull between the two of them packing, she decided to breach conversation. “Look, darlin’, I know you’re none too pleased with the way things are goin’ right now but it ain't gotta be like this.”

There was a moment of stillness as Rarity kept at unpacking before finally sighing heavily, turning to give her current roommate a neutral look. “I suppose you’re right enough about that, at least. I will try not to tamper with anything of yours so long as you try not to tamper with anything of mine. I think a policy of mutual non-communication would serve the two of us well, no?”

Applejack bit her lip to stave off some clever retort, choosing a less confrontational conversation path. “That’s not what I had in mind exactly. You’re my friend, Rarity, and I don’t want any of that foolishness in our pasts to get in the way of that.”

Rarity was taken aback a bit by the display of genuine concern but given Applejack’s reputation for honesty she shouldn’t have been surprised. “Well. When you put it that way I’ve no choice but to concede. We just have to make the most of the week, I suppose.”

Applejack nodded, seemingly satisfied with Rarity’s answer. She turned her attention back to her unpacking, leaving Rarity alone with her thoughts.

Silence wasn’t a stranger to Rarity, given her living situation, but the way the air hung heavy didn’t sit well with her. After picking distractedly at her personal affects she excused herself, trotting out of the cabin and into the cool evening air. She was currently the only one outside, something that she didn’t mind at all currently. Making the decision to take the trip into the (relative) wilderness to earnest she made for the path to the stream downhill. It wasn’t a long walk at all and the scenery certainly helped pass the time. Pleased to find a bench by the bank she took a seat and let her gaze drift around idly. The serenity the scene presented was almost alien to her, the soft murmur of water over worn rocks a stark contrast from the hustle and bustle that she so often found herself in. It gave her mind time to wander and it eventually settled on the topic of one apple-bucking friend of hers. She wasn’t sure what was going through Twilight’s mind when she was assigning rooms but Rarity couldn’t exactly dispute her choice. If there was anyone in Ponyville that Rarity would like to grow closer to it was Applejack. She recalled the moments where their friendship proved to be anything more than tenuous, foremost in her mind was the debacle with Trenderhoof. The ever-busy Applejack had put her work aside just to smack some sense into her, something no pony seemed to be interested in at the time. This thought hung in her head as she contemplated the movement of the creek, losing herself in its flow.

Applejack let out a relieved breath as Rarity left, letting her shoulders droop. The tension in the air was halfway to giving her a headache. She didn’t know why it had to be like this. Above all else Rarity was her friend and she didn’t like having to cross such harrowing distances emotionally just to keep things civil. Her talent was not in diplomacy or clever wordplay and despite how often her oft-times blunt honesty landed her in trouble she could never seem to speak her mind around the fashionista. There was something about her that was so overwhelmingly disarming that she found it hard just to speak plainly at times. It wasn’t the fact that they were so at odds. After all, it’s not like her and Twilight or Pinkie Pie or Rainbow Dash or Fluttershy saw eye to eye on much. That was what made them her friends; for all their differences they still found something in each others company. So what was it that she found in Rarity?

If there was anyone who matched Applejack’s legendary work ethic it was her. Was she jealous? After all, where Rarity created masterpieces out of cloth and odds and ends Applejack merely tended to the cyclic earth. She shook her head, setting her unpacking to the side as she fought a mental war against her own doubts. That couldn’t be it at all. Applejack saw firsthand what jealousy did and how it liked to manifest and she knew clear as the spring air that there was nothing to be jealous of. Not to say that Rarity was not absolutely captivating. Quite the contrary, in fact. That was perhaps one of her greatest qualities. Not her prissiness but rather her attention to detail and dedication to perfection. Perhaps it was that Rarity reminded Applejack too much of herself in the strangest of ways. Regardless of her feelings on the matter, things were bound to change over the week and it was all she could to steel herself for the seven days ahead of her. It was going to be interesting, that was for certain.

It was just after sundown when Rarity dragged herself out of her racing thoughts, struggling to clear her mind as she plodded back to the cabins. She hadn’t come any closer to an answer as to how she felt about Applejack and in fact had more or less only dug herself further into a mental hole. Rarity didn’t know it at the time but the next seven days were going to change how she saw her friend forever.

~~~

The first signal that it was morning was the omnipresent chirping of birds happy to be safe in their nests. The six ponies resting beneath them were just as happy to be sheltered from the elements for the time being. Their need for sleep steadily began to lose out to the desire to stretch their limbs and start their retreat proper, Twilight being the first to rouse. Fluttershy followed close behind, the two of them enjoying the rising of the sun together in blissful silence. The silence remained as Applejack wandered blearily out of her cabin some time later, still shaking off the nights sleepy clutches.

“Morning y’all.”

“Good morning Applejack. Isn’t it just beautiful?” asked a wide-awake Fluttershy. There was a look of confidence on her face that Applejack didn’t get to see frequently, no doubt a product of her environment and the quiet bliss of the early morning.

Applejack gave the risen sun her full attention for a few moments, something she often didn't have the luxury of doing. If she was more artistically inclined she would’ve been driven to capture the moment any way she could; the suns rays just now starting to reflect off the dew-covered forest that stretched out in front of her. She was speechless for a moment, as if contemplating some great thought, before turning back to Fluttershy and Twilight with a smile on her face.

“Sure is. Are y’all always up this early?”

“Oh yes. I’m not sure about Twilight but I’ve got to get up early if I want to get my day started right.”

Beside her Twilight nodded in agreement. Seemed as though the three of them had that much in common, at the least. They remained there in silence long enough for the sun to fully crest, the blinding light spilling out over the horizon and illuminating everything within reach. Eventually the rest of the sleeping ponies joined them outside, idle chatter steadily filling the morning air. Applejack couldn’t help but notice that Rarity was keeping her distance for now, as if she was unsure about something. It wasn’t unusual to Applejack but it still didn’t make her feel any better about the stilted exchange they had last night. That, however, was a matter they would discuss in private at another time. For now she was content to sit and enjoy the view with her friends.

Soon enough Twilight was rounding everypony up to make breakfast, something Pinkie Pie seemed eager in helping with. Her experience helping run the bakery definitely showed. Applejack had never seen her so focused on a single task before that she found it borderline eerie. The concentration payed off when they all settled down to eat; none of them could deny that Pinkamena Pie was a talented chef. After breakfast they got to work planning the day. Twilight saw it fit to begin with a leisurely stroll through the forest. She reasoned that none of them knew the surrounding area terribly well and it was the easiest way to get familiar with it all. No-pony saw any reason to disagree so she gave them all a satisfied smile and began to lead the way. Conversation bounced amongst the group, alternating between periods of frenzied discussion and awestruck silence as they took in the area around them. Applejack still felt ignored by Rarity, something that not even the presence of the rest of her friends was helping her forget. Seems she’d have to broach the topic sooner rather than later.

Rarity felt guilty about the whole deal. She really did. But her guilt simply could not win out against the odd feeling of self-preservation that seemed to overtake her every time she started to so much as think about talking to Applejack. She didn’t know what she was being protected from but the leisurely stroll Twilight had set them on was definitely giving her enough time to think it over, much to her lament. Maybe it’s to stop you from getting too attached. She resisted the urge to shake her head to clear it of such a preposterous thought. What did that even mean? To be friends with somepony was to be attached to them; that seemed to be the whole point of friendship in general. Not that kind of attached. There was her inner voice again, not making any more sense than before. You know what happens when you get attached, Rarity. They either leave or you get bored. Now that was downright preposterous. Applejack wasn’t one of her furtive flings that she so enjoyed losing herself in. Applejack was one of her dearest friends whom she trusted with her life. If she couldn’t trust the Element of Honesty of all ponies, who could she trust?

Her ersatz train of thought was brought to a screeching halt as she nearly stumbled into Rainbow Dash in front of her. It seemed in all her inner monologuing the procession had come to a halt and she was too wrapped up to notice. She brought her head upwards, more than a little agitated. Just what was it that they were all gawking at? The answer took her breath away, silencing her chattering thoughts in an instant. Before them sprawled the river proper, its’ flow swollen with the runoff from the nearby mountains. It snaked through the dense forest, hundreds of years worth of flowing water having carved a path into the earth. The sun glimmered across its rushing tide, sparkling like jewels amongst a bed of lush green. It was all Rarity could do to not tear up at the sight. It seemed the artisté in her had been truly inspired, a new energy rushing through her. She was broken out of her reverie by the awed voice of one Twilight Sparkle.

“Celestia said that the view from here was gorgeous, but I never…”

The expressions of the assembled ponies seemed to mirror Twilight’s quiet reverie. Rarity appreciated the quiet that had descend upon her thoughts. For now, she had something else to obsess over. Her head hummed with new ideas and she was eager to make it back to the cabins. She had quite a lot to sketch out.

“Well. There you have it. I don’t know about any of you but I think I’m going to start heading back. I think I’ve had enough sight-seeing for today.” Twilight seemed visibly shaken as she plodded off but Rainbow Dash didn’t seem to share her sentiment.

“How close do you guys think I could get to the water?” Without waiting for a response (and likely not expecting one) she took off, zipping into the sky with her usual agility. A cheerful Pinke Pie bounded down the path that lead to the river, no doubt intending to cheer on the would-be Wonderbolt. Fluttershy had already disappeared down some wooded path, in search of whatever creatures might call the area their home. That left two unlucky and increasingly uncomfortable ponies to stand on the ridge. Just what Rarity needed.

Applejack cursed her inattentiveness. It wasn’t like her to get caught flat-hooved but here she was, trapped in some sort of odd social web with the one pony she wasn’t ready to speak with. But to back down from a challenge would be decidedly unlike her so she steeled her nerves and broke the silence first.

“You doin’ alright, sugarcube?”

“Hm? Oh yes, I’m doing fine.”

“I was just wonderin’ cause you seem awful quiet. Not to say you talk a lot to begin with but you’ve usually got at least a few bits to add to any conversational proceedings.”

“Don’t worry about me, dear Applejack. Just a little disquieted is all, I suppose.”

“Right, right. I know what you mean.” Applejack let some time pass, hoping that the sparse conversation might settle her mind. She was not so lucky, unfortunately, and the weight of silence overcame the sounds of the forest around them all too quickly for her tastes. “Because if you’ve got a problem, any sorta problem at all, you can always talk to me. I know I ain’t too good at showin’ it but I’m your friend.” That seemed to do the trick as Rarity’s expression shifted from a neutral line to one of worried contemplation. Applejack braced herself for whatever was coming next.

“Do you like me, Applejack?”

“I— Yes? Of course I do.” Rarity didn’t seem to convinced and she turned to face the earth pony, eyes scanning over anything but the target of her questions.

“I mean, do you really like me? You might deal with me, or accept my company, but I want to know if you genuinely like having me around.”

This wasn’t a side of Rarity that Applejack had seen. Gone was the bustling fashionista and in her place was a pony entirely unsure of where she stood. “Rarity, you quit thinkin’ like that. I like havin’ you around. You and I might have different sensibilities but that ain’t a big deal at all. You’re my friend and that’s that.” Applejack watched nervously as Rarity considered the words that were put out in front of her. This seemed to ease her nerves and a serene bliss seemed to come over her.

“Thank you, Applejack. I’m glad to have you as a friend.” With a motion of her head she beckoned for her to follow, lightly treading the path back to their cabins. It was with a sigh of relief that Applejack set off behind her.

Rarity let herself settle into a familiar routine, cluttering the solidly built oak desk in front of her with ink, parchment, and all manner of measuring tools. She didn’t often wing her outfits, after all. First and foremost was the matter of inspiration, followed closely by a frenetic sketching phase that saw all manner of possible accouterments created and done away with in the span of a few hours. Applejack stood off to her side, watching with an expression of genuine bewilderment plastered across her face. She paused her creative urges for a moment, turning to the watching pony with a sly grin.

“Surprised?”

“I just didn’t think…”

“That it took so much work? I’m sure you can appreciate a thorough work ethic when you see one.” The blush that commented elicited from Applejack gave Rarity a rush of satisfaction. Point one for her.

“I guess I was gonna say that. Nice designs you got there though. I think.”

“They are nice. Thank you though, Applejack. In regards to them, however, I think I could use your help on a few things.”

“My help? I’m afraid you’re simply talkin’ to the wrong pony. You know as well as anypony else that your style ain’t mine.”

“Be that as it may, I just need your advice on a design element I’d like to employ. While none of these designs will see much more than a simple runway I’d still like them to have a degree of wearability, if you will. Because in the past I’ve run into the habit of making things so complex that they don’t lend themselves to anything beyond sitting pretty in a window.”

“So you want me to tell you if somethin’ looks foolish then.”

“I. Yes, please educate me on anything that might appear foolish to you.” Rarity folded her ears down at the grin that spread across Applejacks face as she trotted closer, already inspecting the slew of designs that she had spread out. She feared that this was going to be more painful than it had to be.

To Applejacks credit and Rarity’s surprise, she was far kinder a teacher than either of them were expecting. After the terse events of today Applejack needed to unwind at least a little and what better way to unwind than to help out a friend? Even if helping out involved cracking a few jokes at said friends expense, it was all in good fun. It was like this that they bantered for hours on end, the unease of the mornings proceedings melting away to be replaced with good cheer and good company. Eventually the two of them reached a point where they felt satisfied by the work of the other and they pulled away to admire what they had wrought. Applejack had to admit that this little session made fashion seem a little more interesting to her. It wasn’t something she saw herself pursuing any time soon but she definitely had a better understanding of it.

“Well, I think we did a pretty good job if I do say so myself.”

“I thought that getting caught up in personal pride was my bit.”

“I figured since I’m a bonafide fashionista now I might as well act it.” That comment earned a scowl from Rarity and Applejack followed it up with a good-humored chuckle. That seemed to lessen her scornful gaze, something Applejack was pleased to see. A quiet descended on the cabin as the two found themselves at a loss as to what to do. The evening was only just setting in and the night was young still. Applejack roused herself to head out into the crisp evening air as Rarity set about pouring over her designs once more. She was ever the perfectionist.

Her hooves led her down the beaten dirt path to the extreme right of their cabin, a winding trail that didn’t seem to lead anywhere in particular. That’s sort of how Applejack felt right now, as corny as the thought was. She felt more than a little directionless when it came to things like this; having so much idle time was not to her liking. It was like Granny Smith always told her: ‘Idle hooves are Discord’s workshop’ and she hadn’t seen anything to contradict that statement. But she was trying to embrace the spirit of the trip, which was to unwind and maybe find something worthwhile in all the free time presented. Growing closer to Rarity seemed like one such endeavor and she admitted that Twilights choice of cabinmates was almost fortuitous. Already she felt as if she understood the pony she was once at such odds with far better than she once had and that was nothing but good to her. As rude as Applejack knew it was, Rarity always seemed the most shallow to her. She supposed it was just their wildly differing views on the importance of aesthetics in daily life or some sort of deeply ingrained mistrust of Rarity’s “type,” but it seemed the Element of Generosity had far more to her than Applejack could’ve imagined.

Rarity lost herself in her work as Applejack exited the cabin, not feeling the others absence for some time. She had to admit she was starting to enjoy her company; more than expected at least. What caught her most off-guard was Applejack’s physical presence. Rarity didn’t usually get a chance to appreciate the details in most of their interactions but she seemed to radiate a warmth. The cabin had been left decidedly cooler after her departure. Following that train of thought was her natural scent. Rarity was careful to cultivate a certain fragrance, knowing how important that sort of thing was when it came to her line of work. Applejack on the other hoof seemed far rougher, with a lingering sweetness that no doubt ingrained itself in her coat because of the apple orchards. Why this insignificant detail had lodged itself so throughly in her head was beyond her and she found it even stranger that she almost missed it.

She shook her head softly to herself as she regarded the mess of parchment before her. The tableau had nearly blended together before the sound of a door opening wrenched her attention from her projects. She was more than a little surprised to see Twilight standing there in place of an expected Applejack. It was with a sort of absent pleasure that Rarity noticed how much her stature had improved since becoming a princess. She was going to make a fine counterpart to Celestia and Luna at this rate.

“Twilight, darling. What brings you here?”

“Just wanted to check up on how things were going over here. Is everything alright?”

Rarity regarded the underlying tones of concern carefully. It seemed that even she had trepidations about putting the two of them together. “Everything’s going just grand, actually. Applejack just stepped out for a breath of fresh air as far as I know. I have to admit that river gave me quite the start so I’ve been spending my time trying to get it all out on paper.”

Twilight moved closer to inspect Rarity’s work, eyes scanning over the desk for a solid moment. “This seems a little less… Ostentatious than your usual work.”

“Heh. Well. Applejack helped make it all a little more practical, if you will. Not quite every day wear but not entirely useless as a garment.”

“Really? She doesn’t seem too keen on fashion. I’m surprised you got her to help you.”

“I think she saw it as an opportunity to knock me down a peg. Either way, her input was definitely invaluable and I can’t wait to get pack to Ponyville to put all these designs to the test.”

Twilight nodded as if confirming some hypothesis that she had developed in her head. Rarity wouldn’t put it past her; she was a scientist through and through. Twilight seemed ready to launch another line of questioning when Applejack returned from her walk, more than a little surprised to see somepony other than Rarity in the cabin. Twilight picked up on the surprise quickly.

“Why does everypony always seemed so shocked to see me?”

“I guess I’m just not used to seein’ you without your snout in a book, your highness.” Applejacks sharp wit elicited a giggle from Rarity and an outstretched tongue from Twilight. “But I digress. It’s nice to see you Twilight, all jokes aside.”

“It’s nice to see you too, Applejack. Rarity was just telling me how well the two of you were getting along.” This earned a quizzical (and on Rarity’s side almost panicked) expression from the both of them. Not quite what Twilight was expecting.

“I suppose you could say that. Been a nice few hours. Better than I was expecting anyway.”

Quickly realizing the conversation was heading into waters that none of them wanted to explore, Rarity used all her social graces to pull it back from the brink. “What have you been occupied with, Twilight?”

“I’m glad you asked, actually! I was reading up on the surrounding area. The river got me thinking so I figured I’d poke around at what I brought with me. Turns out this whole place has changed pretty drastically in terms of geography in the past couple hundred years! I guess that’s just erosion for you, you know? I managed to coerce Celestia in sending me a few old maps and charting how the flow of the river has changed is just fascinating.”

Rarity knew exactly what she was getting into when she prompted Twilight but hearing her rattle on about some dusty books was better than treading fresh emotional territory. Her and Applejack settled in as Twilight gave them a brief run down on the history of the grounds surrounding the Smokey Mountains in the past five hundred years. After a while it seemed that even Twilight was catching onto the length of her monologue, prompting her to slow the steady stream of words coming out of her mouth before coming to a complete halt.

“Wow. I just talked a bunch, didn’t I?”

Applejack was the first to speak up, a sheepish smile on her face. “You could say that, yeah.”

“Sorry about that. I should probably leave the two of you be for now. Thanks for listening!”

“Don’t worry about it. Take care Twilight.” Applejack and Rarity saw Twilight out with the same bemused expression.

“Did you have a nice walk?” Was the first thing out of Rarity’s mouth once the door was firmly closed.

“Sure did. I’m down right dogged though. Think I’m gonna head to bed. My sleep schedule seems to have stuck with me pretty solidly.”

Rarity nodded in agreement and with a few simple movements snuffed out the candles around them, the comforting dark settling around the cabin.

~~~

Up again with the rising sun. Applejack shuffled out first, followed less than ten minutes later by a groggy Rarity, mane laying uncoiffed. Seemed that the only thing that could curb her enthusiasm were early mornings. Twilight and Fluttershy were already up in a repeat of last morning, chatting quietly about this and that. The four of them sat in almost perfect stillness as if to mirror the early morning. Hardly anything else had begun stirring at this point, save for the steadily-rising sun (and the goddess behind it’s movements.) Applejack noted her surroundings idly, the soft dirt underhoof, the slivers of light gently caressing the forest canopy, the feeling of some somepony else pressed against her… To her right was Rarity, leaning against her flank with closed eyes. It seemed as though she was practically drifting off to sleep. She was clearly not built for the early mornings. Applejack kept as still as she could, trying not to disturb the unicorn sleeping against her. It was actually rather calming and there was no reason for her to complain. Twilight noticed the scene fairly quickly, cracking a goofy smile.

“Is she asleep?”

“Must be.” Came Applejacks hushed reply. Had to tread on eggshells in situations like this.

“That’s pretty great if you ask me. Somepony was clearly not ready to face the day.”

This earned a soft chuckle from Applejack. She closed her eyes in kind, just enjoying the knowledge that there wasn’t a single thing for her to do today. No trees to buck, no madcap dashes back and forth across town to get this or that done. Ponyville was in good hooves right now and could handle seven days without the Elements of Harmony. Maybe she’d indulge in the spa a little while after she got back. She was snapped out of her daydreaming as Rarity stirred beside her, mumbling sleepily to herself. She didn’t seem entirely aware of what was going on around her, blearily looking out on the fresh morning with some degree of concern.

“Mornin’.”

“Morning.”

“Have a nice nap?”

Rarity looked over at Applejack, studying her from under half-lidded eyes. She yawned slowly before nodding. “Just wonderful.”

The two remained like that for some time. To anypony outside their group they might just seem like friends but to anypony privy to their slew of differences it was a strange setup indeed.

Rarity didn’t know what possessed her to stumble out after Applejack in the first place. Her hair wasn’t even done up yet! So it was that she found herself borderline comatose, slumped against the strong shoulder of the orange earth pony. There was that familiar sweet scent that Rarity had picked up, stronger with their close proximity. Under all of that was the same warmth Rarity had picked up last night. Applejack was practically a living furnace, radiating heat effortlessly. But she was surprisingly soft as well. Her toned form didn’t have any of the sharp corners that stallions tended to posses, composed as she was of soft, solid curves. She reflected on her friends aesthetic potential idly, her half-asleep mind envisioning her in any number of different outfits. It was a shame that Applejack didn’t at least make an attempt to dress up every once and a while because she definitely had the form for it. Rarity made a note to breach that topic once she was a little more awake.

Rousing herself from the standing slumber that gripped her took almost an hour, in which time everypony had gathered as they did yesterday. She had finally peeled herself off Applejacks side, offering her a sheepish smile as a sort of apology for using her as a crutch for so long. She blinked the last of the sleep out of her eyes and flicked her hair, still woefully in its natural state. Pinkies’ cooking and relentless enthusiasm lent itself well to the morning air, firing the gathered ponies up with a palpable excitement. Before long they were tearing down the path to the river in their own ways. Some (like Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash) were quite literally tearing their way through whatever obstacle they encountered. Everypony else remained at a sensible pace tempered with a healthy dosage of barely-restrained energy. Even Fluttershy found herself caught up in the mood, beaming eagerly as she followed just a little behind Twilight. Applejack was at the head of the larger group, with Rarity just behind.

She had barely caught her breath just in time to have it stolen away from her again by the sound and spectacle of the rushing river. Rainbow Dash was entertaining herself by doing dangerously low dives, with Twilight shakily following after her. She was still getting used to her wings and who better to teach her than Rainbow Dash? Fluttershy and Spike found themselves dragged into some sort of odd game by Pinkie Pie, a commotion Rarity decided to partake in. Before long she was romping around and laughing with the best of them. Her demure facade was forgotten just for a moment as she galloped here and there, losing herself in a whirlwind of movement. At any point in time the games’ rules could change from hide and seek to tag to some sort of bizarre game of catch with whatever was on hoof. She paused for a moment to study the image of a lone Applejack, looking out over the waters glistening surface. She broke herself away from the festivities to trot over. As she calmed her breathing she realized that her mane and coat were a mess but for the time being she wasn’t terribly worried about impressing anypony.

“Applejack, darling! Don’t look so glum.”

Apparently seeing Rarity in any state other than perfectly groomed made Applejack do a double take but she regained her composure quickly. “I’m not glum. Just thinkin’ is all.”

Rarity nodded, looking out into the distance in a mirror of Applejacks’ current posture. The river really was gorgeous. “Anything in particular you’re thinking about?”

Applejacks reply was delayed, as if she was thinking about what exactly she was thinking about. Rarity understood all too well how cyclical thinking could be and didn’t hold the period of silence against her in the slightest. “Just this whole deal, I suppose. It ain’t every week or hay, every month that I get to relax like this. Just tryna’ make the most of it I suppose.”

“I know exactly what you mean. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m more liable to take a break than you but then again so is all of Ponyville. I think out of everypony here you deserve a little rest and relaxation the most.”

That seemed to make Applejack smile, a soft tugging at the corners of her lips that would be difficult to detect were it not so bright out. Rarity stopped to admire that smile for a moment. It looked as though whatever Applejack was pondering had been chased off, replaced by something entirely more positive. Rarity decided that she wouldn’t mind seeing that smile a little more. She was snapped out of her borderline poetic musings by a confused look from the subject of her thoughts.

“Do I have something on my face?”

“Oh! No no, not at all. I just spaced out I suppose.”

“Alright then. Weren’t you gonna try and get me to run around with y’all?”

Rarity nearly slapped her forehead. She had forgotten the entire reason she came over in the first place! “Yes. Right. Of course. I figure any game that I deem worth my time would be worth yours as well.”

This reasoning seemed to sit well with Applejack and she rushed past Rarity, throwing a grin behind her as she ran. Rarity wasn’t far behind.

A good few hours later Applejack collapsed under a nearby tree, thankful for the shade its thick green leaves offered. She was plenty used to the heat but a voice in her head told her that if she didn’t want to be out running around she didn’t have to be. It was a nice thought to have and she appreciated the chance to relax and catch her breath. The spring air was comfortably warm, like a warm blanket on a cold fall morning. The sound of the river in the distance and of idle chatter completed the mood perfectly. She was given a start as another pony flopped down next to her. She turned to the now familiar sight of Rarity with a thoroughly mussed mane. Applejack thought that it looked good on her. Made her seem more alive.

“Gorgeous day.”

“Sure is.”

The two of them laid like that for a while, passing the time in comfortable silence. Rarity’s eyes were closed and there was a faint smile on her lips. Applejack found herself looking her way more often than not. She was without a doubt the most visually interesting sight in her field of vision, her pristine white fur and gleaming purple mane a stark contrast against the soft greens and browns that enveloped the two of them. It wasn’t a contrast that she got to appreciate too often. Applejack stored the sight away for future reference. Even if she was more of the artistic type there would’ve been no way she could do the scene justice. She paused at this thought even as it came over her. It didn’t seem alien but in a way it seemed unlike her. She had had plenty of friends before and had thought about them all a good deal but this seemed… different, in a way. She shrugged internally and closed her eyes, setting that train of thought off to the side. For now, she would nap.

And nap she did, until with a bit of a jump she was woken up by a hoof prodding her side. There was Rarity again and just behind her was everypony else, it seemed.

“Oh hay, did I really nap that hard?”

“Sure did.” That was Rainbow Dash, the undisputed queen of napping. How mortifying.

“Guess I should get up now, huh?”

“Probably. We were getting ready to head back and didn’t want to leave anypony behind.”

Applejack stood up, feeling her limbs stretch and limber up steadily. As odd as it was waking up was her favorite part of falling asleep. Finally limber enough to get moving again she joined the rest of her friends and started the trek back up to the cabins. As she walked the train of thought that she was riding before she passed out returned full steam. Just what was it about Rarity that was so fascinating? She was to the right and slightly ahead of Applejack right now, talking to Twilight about something or another. Even in the waning light she seemed to glimmer like the jewels she coveted so much. In the time Applejack spent sleeping Rarity had fixed her appearance and this pleased Applejack just as much as the few moments in which she was unkempt. It seemed to be her natural state, almost as if she was meant to be so put together.

Applejack reflected for a moment about her own appearance. She had her Stetson, as always. Her mane and tail were untied for the moment seeing as there was nothing for them to get in the way of. It was an odd feeling, having them flow so freely. Beyond that she was unadorned. Plain, even. But Applejack knew she was anything but plain underneath and that’s what really mattered. In that same vein she cast her thoughts back to how Rarity had changed in her eyes. She seemed deeper, more tangible in a way. It was as if she was more of an abstract before but now it was clear that there was something behind every move she made. It didn’t seem like a massive conclusion to draw but given their relationship prior it was definitely giving Applejack a lot to think about. That thinking would be cut short, as it always was, by their arrival at the cabins. She flagged Twilight down as everypony else filed into their respective abodes.

“Is there something you need, Applejack?”

“I just have a question is all and I figure you’d be the best pony to ask.”

“I’d be happy to help! What’s on your mind?”

“Well, what do you call a friend that’s more than a friend?”

This gave Twilight pause. “What do you mean?”

“Like. If you have a friend but maybe you think of ‘em as somethin’ more than that.”

“I. Think you’re thinking about a crush, Applejack.”

That was not what Applejack wanted to hear at all. There was no way she had a crush on Rarity! “I don’t think that’s quite it but I appreciate the help anyways. You have a good night, Twi.” She escaped the conversation before Twilight could raise any questions, escaping to the relative safety of her cabin. With a heavy sigh she pulled herself into bed, mind still spinning.

~~~

When Rarity blinked her eyes open, she was no longer in a cabin in the foothills of the Smokey Mountains. Rather, she was in a lush meadow with soft spring grass underhoof and the gentle rays of the sun poking out amongst a smattering of clouds. She knew she was dreaming and that in and of itself was strange. To be aware of your dreams was not something she oft had the privilege of experiencing. She cast her gaze around the blissful dreamscape and spotted one other being: Applejack. Dreams about friends were not unusual and especially given the past few days she wouldn’t put it past her subconscious to shoehorn in a pony like Applejack. But something seemed off, something she couldn’t quite put her hoof on. It didn’t feel bad per se but it was oddly idyllic, as if this dream-moment had some stronger mental current behind it. Applejack smiled at her and Rarity returned the smile. It was only proper after all, right? She didn’t bother to question herself any further as Applejack moved from where she was resting to sit beside Rarity, leaning contentedly against her flank. That is where the dream ended and Rarity found herself being dragged back into the real world. The warmth of the dream (and of Applejack) lingered with her until she finished doing her mane, finally stepping out into the physical world once more.

Almost immediately Rarity could tell that Applejack had at the very least a similar dream. She seemed almost concerned and there was that distance again. Everything had been going so well and now some bizarre shared experience that their subconsciouses cooked up drove yet another wedge into their friendship. She was starting to get tired of it, honestly. She was going to figure out how she felt about Applejack before the week was through, that much was certain.

While everypony else went down to the river she elected to stay behind. When she was troubled by something she usually liked to sketch out her frustrations. Her art was as much about the form of the pony beneath the garment as it was the garment itself and she had a not insignificant degree of knowledge when it came to figure drawing. So it was that she found herself furiously scribbling out arcs and ovals, connecting a few curves here and there and remaking a few lines where needed.

Satisfied with the first rough sketch she produced she looked it over carefully. The figure seemed oddly familiar to her but there was something ever so slightly off about. She added in a few details; mussed with the mane and tail, gave the figure distinctive almond eyes, emphasized the strength in the shoulders and hind legs. By the time she pulled away it was clear who she had drawn.

For Applejack, Rarity’s decision to remain behind was a blessing and a curse. On one hoof she appreciated the room to think without the other clouding her judgement but on the other she was worried. What if Rarity overheard her and Twilight talking? What would she think? Their friendship before last night felt so solid; she didn’t want anything jeopardizing it. She was quickly starting to realize that regardless of how she felt about Rarity the pony was important to her and she wasn’t going to let anything get in the way of that.

To this end she excused herself just a few hours into the now standard merriment everypony else was indulging in. The trip back the cabins felt far shorter than the slog out and for that much she was thankful. Applejack poked her snout into the room, voice belying how concerned she was about all of this.

“Rarity?” She waited, stepping inside at the sound of somepony shuffling around. There she was at her desk, looking absolutely devastated about something. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, dear. My muse is just giving me more trouble than I’m used to but I’ll overcome it in time.”

“What kinda trouble?”

“Nothing in particular, really. Just can’t seem to draw what I want to draw.” Before Applejack could follow up with anything else Rarity spoke again, her voice wavering. “Have you ever had a crush, Applejack?”

That wasn’t what she was expecting to hear at all but the question itself was fairly innocuous. “I suppose I have. I reckon there was this one lil’ colt I knew who I was particularly keen on. Beyond that I can’t say I’ve had much interest in anypony at all. Been far too busy.”

Rarity considered this answer for a moment, as if it was meant to confirm or deny some thought she had already formed. This time it was Applejacks’ turn to seize the initiative, charging forward with the conversation. “Not to say I don’t get crushes. Just haven’t had the time to appreciate anypony for long enough.” What was that supposed to mean?

This time Rarity seemed pleased. Applejack could see that tears had started to well in her eyes, no doubt from their initial shaky conversation, but so far everything seemed well and good. “Now come on down to the river. It just ain’t a party without you.”

Rarity knew as she followed behind Applejack just how she felt about her friend. Without a shadow of doubt she wanted something more. Every ounce of her being yearned just to be close to Applejack, to become privy to her innermost secrets. The thought felt selfish but she shook that notion out of her head. There was nothing selfish about this. Maybe a little unprecedented and certainly not entirely within the societal norms she found herself operating in but that was hardly an obstacle. The biggest problem here was Applejack. There was no way she was interested in mares. There simply wasn’t a chance. Rarity didn’t concern herself too much with the gender of her interest, merely that they satisfied some sort of aesthetic desire inside her. But the daughter of the Apple family went beyond mere aesthetics and into some sort of new territory. Rarity felt her mind drift off to how their bodies would fit together, one holding the other as they drifted off into sleep. Every way she ran it they were seamless together and if that wasn’t justification enough for her to at least try then what was?

“You good sugarcube? You’re awful quiet back there.”

Sugarcube. How darling. “I’m just peachy. Simply enjoying my surroundings is all. This change of pace has been really nice.”

“I hear ya. Been givin' me a lot of time to appreciate the little things, y’know. Never realize how caught up in my work I get ‘till I take a break.”

Rarity knew that much to be true. Applejack was borderline legendary for getting swept up in whatever project she saw fit to tackle. There would be tales written about her stubbornness in the ages to come. The thought of having any of her friends escapades committed to the lore of Equestria was a funny one but she knew it would happen. Her life had changed irrevocably the moment she befriended Twilight Sparkle and she had no qualms with that. Rarity perked up at the sound of the river in the distance, it’s rushing waters steadily becoming more audible as they drew closer. For now she would set aside all rumination and simply enjoy herself.

  And enjoy herself she did. Before long she lost herself to romping around, catching Pinkie Pie’s infectious excitement full force. They even managed to drag Twilight and Rainbow Dash away from their flight practice, the six of them laughing and running about like fillies. But her energy was not as boundless as it was in her youth and after some time she gave in to the compulsion to sit and rest a while. Instead of choosing the shade of an oak tree she found herself reclining on the bank of the river, enraptured by the implacable flow of water before her. An odd fact about meditation she learned from Fluttershy drifted into her mind. Steadying her breathing she focused on the movement of the water, closing her eyes as the river filled her mind. She thought solely of the rushing waters, considering it from every metaphorical angle. In her minds eye she made herself like the rivers unyielding flow. She felt her body nearly thrum with a purpose of sorts. There was something inside her telling her that she had a great task to undertake and that this task would end in success only if she spoke the honest truth. Her eyes flew open, reality snapping back into place immediately. She nodded to herself, mental gears turning already.

Evening had descended upon the forest and the assembled ponies had set about building a decent-sized bonfire. Twilight was hesitant at first but after some persuasion from the group (including the fact that it was traditional to make bonfires at this sort of event) she acquiesced. It turned out that she knew at least one pyromancy spell. They had settled down in a rough circle, passing out the ingredients to smores. Applejack let out a little chuckle as she took her marshmallow, holding it up next to Rarity.

“Marshmallow.”

“Excuse me?”

“I said marshmallow. That’s what you look like.”

Rarity huffed indignantly. If there was one thing that Applejack suffered from it was the occasional conversation gaffe. “That’s a very unladylike thing to say but I suppose you wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”

It was Applejacks turn to look appalled, reeling back in mock horror. “Unladylike? Why I never! Thats down right the rudest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

Twilight’s voice thrust itself in-between the two of them. “Girls! Settle down!”

Even with the overreaction from Twilight, Applejack brought herself to a sitting position. She was only trying to make a joke. “Sorry.”

Rarity was taken aback. It seemed she wasn’t expecting an apology so swiftly. “T—That’s alright.”

Applejack couldn’t help but look over at Rarity after that, as if double-checking for any signs of offense. She didn’t know what she was worried over but man was she worried! It was obvious she valued Rarity as more than a friend. The only problem was how to broadcast that to the other party without every pony in the area being aware. It was clear that that would have to wait seeing as all eyes were on them. But even with the tension in the air the night passed smoothly. Applejack felt herself let out a breath of relief when Twilight said that she was starting to tire. She could finally get some much-needed sleep. It became clear that sleep was not to come to her, however, as she spied Rarity speaking to Twilight instead of heading to bed. Now she was alone in the cabin with her thoughts. Did Twilight pull Rarity aside or was it the other way around? She clamped her hooves over her head in a desperate attempt to plug up her over-active imagination.

This is the sight Rarity saw as she walked in.

Applejacks borderline-fetal position was not something Rarity ever imagined herself seeing. She didn’t know what was bothering her but she knew that even with that speed bump she’d have to progress tonight.

“Applejack.”

There was no response from the form on the bed that was Applejack. Eventually she returned to a natural resting position with a heavy sigh, turning to look at Rarity.

“Are you alright?”

“Just peachy.”

Rarity knew that wasn’t the truth but she wasn’t going to dispute that. Now was her best opportunity and she had to take it. “I have something I need to speak to you about.”

This seized Applejacks attention instantly. She practically snapped to attention as if expecting something. “And what would that be?”

This was the difficult part. “Well. How do you feel about mares?”

“I think they’re as fine as stallions. What for?”

“Never-mind that. How do you feel about them romantically?”

This made her pause, as if preparing an answer. “If you got somethin’ you’re trying to say, spit it out.”

“If you insist. Applejack, I have feelings for you.”

There it was. Applejack wasn’t ready to hear those words quite yet but she knew they were coming. And now this was it; the moment of truth. Fight or flight.

Flight. Applejack punched out of the cabin, racing out into the night. Rarity wasn’t far behind, shouting her name. But soon enough Applejack found herself lost in the dark, stumbling around an unfamiliar forest. She could still see by the light of the moon but beyond that she had no clue where to go. So she did what she could to follow the sound of the river, steadily drawing closer to its banks.

Meanwhile Rarity was despondent in the dark, mood crashing severely. It was only because of Twilight’s timely arrival that she pulled herself away from a total meltdown.

“Why did she run?”

“I don’t know, Rarity. Sometimes ponies aren’t ready to hear that sort of thing.”

“And how do you know?”

This got a chuckle from Twilight. “Books, a little. But mostly from being friends with all of you. I’ve learned quite a lot, don’t you forget. I’m the Pri—“

“Yes, yes, Princess of Friendship. Might I ask the Princess of Friendship what my next course of action should be?”

“Well I, as the Princess of Friendship, would instruct the Element of Generosity to go after her friend.”

That was all Rarity needed to hear before she went tearing down the path, horn already lighting the way.

It wasn’t long before she picked up on the sound of another pony in the forest. She moved full speed towards the noise, disregarding every manner of thorn and thistle. And then she was upon her, in the same manner that the sound of the river was upon them both. In the silence of night it was nearly deafening, looking out upon the flowing river with Applejack appearing as only a silhouette.

“Applejack.”

No response.

“Applejack.”

No response.

“Applejack.”

“Me too.”

“What?”

“I said, me too.”

Click. Rarity dropped to the ground in a heap of limbs.

Applejack dashed over to check on her, unprepared for this level of theatrics. She was thankfully perfectly healthy physically but not so steady emotionally. She clung to Applejack as she stood up, staring deeply into her eyes. Not what Applejack needed right now.

“Lemme translate that to proper lady speak for you: I like you too.”

“I—I know now. Thank you.”

This earned a smile and a tighter hug from Applejack. “You’re welcome. Marshmallow.”

This time Rarity didn’t seem to mind it. She instead pulled herself closer, a smile forming on her face. “Sugarcube.”

Sugarcube fit.

~~~

Dear Princess Celestia,

Tonight I learned that sometimes you might find that there’s more to a friendship you could possibly imagine.  Sometimes all it takes is a little time off to appreciate the small things, like how everything feels softer when you’re with a friend. And when you can find somepony who you can be more than friends with that’s an awfully powerful thing. I suppose there’s no reason to wax poetic about a thing like this but I thought you might appreciate the mail.

Faithfully yours,

Rarity.