Applejack's Secret Plush Crushby DerjuinChaptersThe Sleepover(NEW) Rarity's Discovery(OLD) Rarity's DiscoveryThe Sleepover"You're still set on this?" "If I weren't, I wouldn't be standing here now, would I?" Applejack looked took a deep breath and looked past her friend Rarity, out into the dwindling light of the early evening. No applebucking today, but there still would be work in the morning to do, even if it was a 'light' day, and she knew well that Rarity was not the type to take to a farmhoof's job easily - not for lack of trying, of course. All Rarity wanted was a sleepover, to get to know each other better; but the kinds of things the two enjoyed were on opposite ends of a spectrum that probably wasn't even the same spectrum at all. Admittedly, Applejack had forgotten all about the sleepover, because she figured Rarity would've changed her mind by now. After all, what kind of fashionista-socialite-pony would want to spend her night in a dusty old farmhouse instead of her own extravagant bedroom? "You know we gotta get up early 'round here, right?" Applejack asked. She cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "Of course!" Rarity smiled. "And you're still sure you wanna do this? Even though you probably won't get your beauty sleep?" She offered her own smile, hoping that maybe she could change Rarity's mind at the last minute. "It almost sounds like you don't want me to stay," Rarity said, fluttering her eyelashes and pouting. Applejack bit her lip; she couldn't take it. She sighed. "Alright, come on in. Just, uh, hold on, let me get somethin' straightened up for you, so you can set your things down." Applejack trotted through the family room and upstairs, hanging a quick turn into her room. The prize sat upon her bed, its little button eyes staring longingly toward her owner, begging for a snuggle or a hug. But there was no time for either; Applejack quickly ruffled the covers on the bed and stuffed the doll under her pillow. Just then, an idea hit her. "Hey, Rarity?" she yelled down to her guest. "You mind sleepin' in Applebloom's room? She ain't gonna be here for a few more days. I'm sure she wouldn't mind." "Not at all, dear; shall I bring my bags up?" She heard Rarity right at the stairs, and retreated into her room again. "Sure thing." "What was that? Sorry, I couldn't hear you," Rarity said, now halfway up; she levitated her bags to the landing and set them down. "Applejack?" "Here!" Applejack said, zipping outside her room and slamming the door shut. She put on her most game-faced, honest grin, but in light of the doll, it nearly slipped. "Lemme take that for you, and I'll show you to the room." She grabbed for Rarity's largest suitcase with her mouth, nabbing the handle and tugging - and nearly straining her neck. It felt as if an entire field of Pie family rocks had found their way into just a single piece of luggage, somehow. "Did ya need ta bring so much stuff?" "Let me get that one, Applejack, please." Rarity said, lifting the entirely-too-heavy suitcase with her magic. "By the by, when did you start caring about how your room looked? I thought you were all for messes." "Me bein' messy is one thing, but I like to keep my room at least a li'l organized. 'Specially when I know a certain friend is comin' over." Applejack leaned to the side and stretched her neck, then shook her head. "What the hay's in that suitcase, anyway? A wagon?" "It's a sewing machine," Rarity said, matter-of-factly. "And a project or two." "You brought a sewing-" "You never know when inspiration might strike, dear," Rarity said with a giggle. "Besides, I was already working on something before I came over. It's just a little something to keep me busy should you fall asleep too early." Applejack blinked and raised her eyebrow again. "Was that a challenge, missy?" "Not at all! I simply know you must go to bed early to rest enough for your early start," Rarity offered. Applejack shrugged. "Yeah. But tomorrow there isn't a whole lot to do in the morning, so the family'll probably wake up a little later than usual. We could stay up a bit and do something, y'know, together. Somethin' fun." Buck my apples and call me a pear, that sounded horrible, Applejack thought. "I was hoping as such!" Rarity clapped her hooves together, picking up another bag and trotting next to Applejack. "So, where is the-?" "Oh! Right, the room," Applejack motioned down the hallway. She began with a slow trot, glancing at each door as she passed them. "Well, that's Big Mac's room. And there's Granny's... the restroom, should you need it... and right down here's Applebloom's." She knocked on the door, despite knowing nopony was in there, and pushed it open to reveal... an utter mess. Papers, clothes, toys, pencils, crayons ... a shovel?? - it seemed like everything that Applebloom owned, with the exception of her Cutie Mark Crusaders cloak, was strewn across the floor in a twister's aftermath. "Oh my," Rarity gasped. She glanced around the room, then back to Applejack. "In... here?" She hesitated to put her hoof down, keeping her bags well outside the room. "Horseapples, Applebloom...!" Applejack pushed her way in, trudging through papers and piles of clothes. "I thought I told that little filly to pick up in here before she left..." Again, Applejack bit her lip. Rarity wouldn't want to sleep in such a messy room; and she had just fixed hers up... "I mean, if it's too bad, you can sleep in my room, but I think we could clean this up. Give it an hour or two..." "If it's not too much, darling, I'd really rather I just sleep in your room instead," Rarity asked - begged, nearly. Applejack could tell from her voice that there would be no convincing her otherwise. After all, she came over to have fun with her friend, not clean up her friend's little sister's messy room. "Alright, alright, we'll use my room," Applejack said, turning about. "I hope ya don't mind sleepin' on the floor." "On the floor? Is there any particular reason I can't sleep on the bed like a civilized pony?" "D'you remember what happened last time we tried that?" Applejack's eyes drooped into a deadpan. "That doesn't mean it will happen the same way again. After all, you do recall how the rest of the night went, yes?" Rarity prodded. Applejack looked down to the floor as they made their way back to her room, then smirked. "Yeah, I do," she said, looking away. "Sure was a crazy night, wasn't it," "It was indeed. I was hoping we could recapture some of that fun tonight. But, you know, put a fresh spin on it." It sounded as if she were trying to advertise a new line of dresses to Applejack, though the grin never left the cowpony's face. "I hope so too, Rarity. I hope so too," she said. Though Rarity could irritate her sometimes, she was still glad to be able to call her a friend. They finally reached the door after what felt like far too many minutes, and Applejack threw it open. "I know it ain't much to look at, but... welcome," she said with a chuckle. "Much better than your sister's," Rarity joked, though she could easily have been serious. Applejack took just a smidgeon more pride in the way her room looked than Applebloom's, but it was still a bit of a mess. "I'll set my things over here and - goodness, that bed is messy," she gazed at the bed for a moment, her things sliding into place against the far wall. "You gonna start that again? If we're gonna share my bed, there's gonna be some ground rules." Applejack strutted over and crossed her forelegs. "Number one! It don't matter how messy the bed is. At all." Rarity's eyelid twitched, but she said nothing. Applejack raised an eyebrow. "Number two! It. Don't. Matter. How. Messy. The bed. Is." "Yes, yes, I understood the first time," Rarity said with a sigh and a roll of her eyes. "Well, I won't dwell on it. Let's have fun tonight, shall we?" "Sounds good to me! Let's head on down for some supper first, though," Applejack said, ushering Rarity toward the door. "Oh? What's for-" A loud, metal clanging from down below interrupted Rarity's question. "SUPPER'S READY! COME'N GET IT," Bowls of apple and cabbage soup lined the table, with a larger pot and decorated silver ladle dominating the center. Small cuts of bread - flaxseed and wheat, Rarity correctly identified - were piled high on either side of the pot, free for the taking. Big McIntosh and Granny Smith had already taken their seats before either Applejack or Rarity entered the room, and they waited patiently for both to join them. "Usually don't take you this long to come down, Applejack," Granny chuckled. "What, you don't like Granny's soup anymore?" "Are you kiddin'? I wouldn't miss your apple-cabbage soup for anything, Granny," Applejack nearly jumped into her seat, already set to devour the still-steaming soup. "We were just... in the middle of talkin'. Ain't that right?" "It certainly is," Rarity said, daintily taking the last seat available between Applejack and Big Mac. Before she had a chance to comment on the soup, however, Granny Smith spoke up again. "Alright, y'all," she began, looking to each other pony with a grin. "DIG IN!" Three ponies did indeed dig in, and a veritable storm of soup and bread brewed over the table. When slurping from a spoon wasn't enough, Big Mac took the bowl itself and started drinking right from the rim. "You're gonna burn yourself, Big Mac. Slow down a bit," Applejack muttered between bits of bread, soft apples and cabbage leaves. "Nnope," he grunted, taking another big gulp - which proved to be far too hot, the heat turning his face an even deeper red. "Toldja," Applejack chuckled, pushing a glass of water toward her brother. "She did tell ya," Granny said as she cracked a smile. Rarity had barely even touched her soup. Not for any lack of appetite, or the taste, but rather she was a mix of amused and bewildered by the Apple family's antics. It was, in fact, a fantastic soup, with just the right balance of textures and colors - though internally, she doubted those things actually crossed anypony's mind but hers. "Somethin' wrong with the soup, sugarcube?" Applejack asked, noticing the still-full bowl before Rarity. "Oh, not at all! It's quite wonderful, actually," she said, taking a spoonful and sipping it gently. "Delicious!" "That ain't how ya eat soup," Granny said, putting her hooves up under her bowl. "Ya gotta get it all! Ain't no good to ya if all ya do is get the broth." She picked up her bowl, much as Big Mac had done moments before, and took a noisy gulp. "Well, it's..." Rarity started, but trailed off when she saw Applejack doing exactly as Granny had. She gave a sigh and rolled her eyes, picking up the bowl and touching it to her lips. Still hot, the bits of apple and cabbage floated near, and she took a quick sip - making sure to get 'all of it'. Taking a piece of bread, she quickly mopped up the drips of soup that threatened to flow over the edge of the bowl after pulling it away. "See? Ain't so hard, now, is it?" Granny chuckled, picking up some bread of her own. "Like I always say: it ain't rude to slurp if it's really good food!" "You could say that again," Applejack said, leaning back in her chair. Her bowl was nearly dry, while Big Mac leaned forward to ladle another heap into his own. "Eeyup!" he mumbled, grabbing another hoof full of bread. "Now, now, Big Mac, leave some fer our guest too," Granny chided. Big Mac huffed and rolled his eyes, pushing nearly half a loaf back onto the bread plate. Rarity took another slice for herself, and finished as quickly as she could. "That was somethin' else, Granny." Applejack gave a whoop and pushed out her chair. "Hey, I gotta run upstairs fer somethin' right quick. Gimme a sec, Rarity, and we can start our party." "Yer excused, Applejack. Guess that leaves me an' you fer dishes, Big Mac," Granny said, much to the stallion's dismay. Applejack galloped upstairs and hustled into her room. As her eyes fell on her bed, the feeling of dread returned. Pulling down the covers, a plush pony toy rolled down and nearly dropped onto the floor. White fuzzy body, purple curly mane, blue eyes... "What am I gonna do with you?" Applejack groaned under her breath, picking up the toy and looking around. "Gotta be someplace I can hide ya. But just fer tonight, I promise." Looking around her room, there were plenty of spots to hide a toy, but none suitable for the doll. Her heart beat a little faster, knowing Rarity wouldn't want to wait downstairs forever. Then suddenly, hoofsteps on the stairs stirred her heart even faster. "Where ya at, Applejack? Ain't right ta leave yer friend like that!" It was Granny. The hoofsteps went back down, and Applejack sighed. She looked down at the doll's leg in her mouth. "Sorry, li'l lady," she whispered, tossing the toy under her bed. "Tonight, that's where you'll sleep." As the darkness fell over her plush, Applejack's heart sank. "I'm comin', gimme a minute." She took a step back, inspected her bed from various angles, and trotted to the hallway. "Alright, c'mon up Rarity, I'm ready." (NEW) Rarity's Discovery"You're just too darn good at this, Rarity," Applejack chuckled, rubbing a spot on her barrel where surely a bruise would show up in a day or two. It turns out, balancing on apples is harder than it looks. "I'll have you know, I am considered a truth-or-dare legend," Rarity said with a flip of her mane. "Yeah, yeah, I remember last time, too." "Shall we continue?" Rarity wiggled her eyebrows and grinned. "I gotta run to the li'l filly's room real quick. I'll be down for another round after that." Applejack stood and slipped through the door. "Don't go nowhere," she added with a wink. Rarity glanced around the room. While it was a quaint, Applejack's home was by no means simple or uncouth. The dresser and mirror had their own elegance, though they showed their age; the pictures, the lamp, the nightstand each were arranged with some attention paid to the details. Though, one thing would always catch her eye: the bed. It was a nice enough piece, with its own ornate carvings and a glossy finish; however, it was absolutely plagued by exceptionally unmade bedding. She bit her lip; she knew Applejack didn't particularly care for things being 'just right', but the call was too great. Reluctantly she stood, shuffled over to the bedside, and levitated the corner of the blanket with her magic. "Just a quick fix," she mumbled, smiling. "And - " with a whip, the blanket was pulled and swiftly oriented over the bed; as the curtaining end on the other side snapped up, Rarity heard the sound of buttons on wood " - what was that?" Inspecting the blanket, nothing had torn off; she trotted over to the other side of the bed, looked down, and gasped. "You okay, sugarcube?" Applejack began, taking two steps into her room before stopping, her eyes wide. "Applejack...? What is this...?" Rarity said, her eyes never leaving the floor. "Uh... what's, what?" "The doll, Applejack. What is it?" She trotted over to join her friend - sure enough, it was her doll. The big blue button-eyes begged for her to be picked up, but Applejack knew better. "It's a ...doll," Applejack said with a strained grin. "One of them plush ones-" "I KNOW WHAT IT IS, APPLEJACK." "Well, you asked-" "I know what I asked. Why does it look like me? Why do YOU have it?" "It must be..." Applejack's eyes shifted restlessly, finding some solace in the doorway. "Big Mac's! Yeah. You know how he loves playin' with them silly dolls." "I. Cannot. Believe this..." Rarity put her hooves to her head, shaking. "Why does your BIG BROTHER have a doll that looks like me?!" She suddenly shuddered and narrowed her eyes. "Did he take this from Spike?!" "Y..." Applejack was just about to nod in agreement, and then she happened to look back to her friend long enough to see the distress. Her heart hammered in her chest, she bit her lip, then took a deep breath. "No... no, he didn't." "Then where did he get it? And why is it in here? Who's making dolls of me-" "I made it," Applejack interrupted, hanging her head. Her hat slipped and fell, though she didn't even make a move to grab it. "I made it... for me," she rubbed her elbow. "It's mine." Rarity's eyes were wide, and she glanced from Applejack, to the doll - a near mirror of herself, even the eyes were the right color - to Applejack again. It didn't make sense... "I still don't understand," she said, taking a step away from the toy. "Why have something like this?" Applejack's cheeks flushed. "Well... you ever go to bed, and wish there was somethin' to snuggle with?" Rarity's face quickly followed suit. "A dog, a cat - animals'll snuggle for a while, but then they go on their way," she tried to explain. "A doll, though, it'll just keep on snugglin' 'till the cows come home. Or whenever you stop." "But... why me?" Rarity questioned. "I know I'm the most fabulous out of our little company, but surely you could have picked somepony else?" Her eyes showed concern, but her voice was curious. Applejack chuckled and snagged her hat off the floor, holding it up to her breast. "It's a bit of a tale," "I'm sure it is. But wouldn't you rather think of Rainbow Dash, somepony you can do what you love with?" "Not quite that simple, darlin'," Rarity blew a shot of air out from her nostrils. "Just tell me why you have a doll that looks very much exactly like me." "Because I... like you?" She placed her hat upon her head. "You like me," Rarity parroted, gesturing with her hoof. "As in, like me like me. As in, a couple?" Applejack nodded, the hint of a smile sneaking in. Rarity put a hoof across her forehead. "I... I don't even know what to say to that, Applejack." She snatched a pillow with her magic and slipped it behind, just in time to catch herself mid-fall. "I know, it's weird," Applejack said, holding up a hoof and gently making patting motions in Rarity's direction. "I thought I'd have eyes for a country or small town stallion... but I don't think that's the case." She took a few steps toward her friend. Rarity shook her head. Her friend had a thing for her? A real thing, not just a compliment or a quirky one-time attraction, but a serious thing?! And that friend... was Applejack?! "It's not strange because of what it is, darling," Rarity started slowly. She took a deep breath and sighed again. "It's... I don't understand. What could you possibly see in me? We're nothing alike!" "We got nothin' in common whatsoever," Applejack said with a smirk. "Exactly!" "Except we're both stubborn and gotta have our particular ways." "I don't think I'd call myself stubborn, darling." "You wouldn't, but I would," Rarity rolled her eyes and snorted. "See? You're doin' it right now, Rarity." Applejack chuckled and poked a hoof at her. "I most certainly am not-" "You just did it again." Rarity lowered her brow and frowned. "Fine. I am stubborn. You are too. We can't bond over our stubbornness, especially when it drives us to different ends!" "Yeah, but-" "And don't even get me started about the doll again. WHY do you even have that thing?" She glanced again at the doll. "Well, we don't always get a lot of time to just... visit. I've got my farm to help run, and you've got your boutique. So... I made one to have around when we're too busy." Again, Rarity's hoof found its home on her forehead. "I need to step outside," she said after a moment of silence. "Alright," Applejack said, offering a hoof. "I'll help ya." Rarity eyed the offer, pushing herself up by her own hooves. "Just... let me be for a minute, Applejack." Reluctantly, she nodded and stepped aside. Watching as Rarity left, Applejack went over to retrieve the doll, dusting it off and embracing it. She pulled it away and looked into the button eyes, imagining Rarity's own in their place; she imagined being able to just hug her friend whenever, not needing to make up excuses and plan ridiculous outings just to distract the others long enough to share a fun moment, even fi they almost always ended up bickering over something silly. She wondered then if Rarity had ever caught on to any of her ideas... Outside, Rarity gently took a seat on the porch, her lips pursed into a pout. There were too many odd circumstances happening. How long had Applejack set eyes on her? Were all the fights and bickering just a sort of date? She suddenly felt like she understood nothing of her friend; the strong Applejack that had helped her see through the ridiculous crush on Trenderhoof seemed more an uncanny trickster now. "No," she uttered to herself. "Applejack isn't like that. She is genuine. She's honest!" Rarity flipped her mane over again and looked out over the moonlit farmland. Suddenly, the creak of a door and the clip-clop of hooves interrupted her thought. "I try to be," Applejack said with a sigh. "It can be hard sometimes, bein' so honest." "The truth is not always what somepony wants to hear, after all..." Rarity agreed. "And sometimes, the truth is just... well, awkward." Rarity looked up to the moon and yawned. "It's late, isn't it," "Yep. Granny Smith and Big Mac've both gone to bed already," Applejack joined in the yawn. "I'm gonna be in for it tomorrow." Rarity kept her eyes on the sky as Applejack took a seat next to her. "I'm sorry," Applejack offered. "The doll... this whole romance nonsense..." "It's alright, Applejack," Rarity said, tearing her gaze away to meet her friend's. "If you want to spend more time together, then we simply will have to make more plans." "Make more-" her cheeks lit up again, and she found words difficult for a moment. "Y'mean you're not gonna just toss me after the whole doll thing?" "I think I can forgive you for it," Rarity chirped. "You even made the bed." Applejack chuckled and shook her head. "Tell me real quick, what's the point of makin' the bed right before you're gonna use it?" "So it looks nice, of course," Rarity offered, putting her snout up into an upper-class half-smirk of satisfaction. "You mustn't sleep on a surface that might look bad in a picture." "Yeah, okay. I call far side," Applejack exclaimed as she leapt over the bed and landed in a 'poof' of covers. "I'll take this side, I suppose." "Alright. Light's goin' out, sugarcube." Rarity wiggled down under the covers, barely disturbing them from their slightly-messy-again state. "Goodnight, Applejack." "Goodnight, Rarity. Love ya," There was a pause as Applejack's hoof caught on the lamp's switch. Rarity rolled over to look at her friend. "Did you say..." Applejack chuckled again and grinned over her shoulder. "My bad, sugarcube. Just regular old g'night." She clicked the light's switch, casting the room in only the heavens' pale blue glow; she rolled over and saw Rarity had almost immediately fallen asleep. "Guess I don't need you tonight, darlin'," Applejack whispered, setting her plush doll on the nightstand next to her bed, and draped a hoof across Rarity's midsection, pulling her gently into a hug. "I've got the real thing... right here..." Author's Note New ending for the story, following a bit of feedback. The old one will still be kept, however, as a separate - but unconnected - chapter. (OLD) Rarity's Discovery"We have got to stop playin' this darned game," Applejack managed between laughs and a brand new bruise on her barrel. Tonight, she learned that it's actually quite difficult to balance on four apples at once. "Too much for you, darling?" Rarity teased and winked. "I'll have you know, I'm considered a truth-or-dare legend." "Ain't that the truth. Alright, what's -" an enormous yawn forced its way out, prompting Rarity to share in it "- next...?" "Perhaps sleep, it is getting late..." "Shoot, is it past ten already?" Applejack looked up to her clock with a sigh. "Well, I guess that's that for tonight." She stood and stretched her legs as she moseyed over to the bed. "Too soon," Rarity whined. "But, I suppose so." "I call the far side. Yee-haw!" Applejack said, catapulting over the bed and landing in a heap, her hat falling neatly onto the bedpost. Rarity climbed in after her, slipping down under the covers without making so much as a ripple in the blanket. With a wave of her hoof, Applejack flipped the light off. "Goodnight, Applejack," Rarity chirped, her eyelids floating down. "G'night, Rarity. Love ya," Applejack uttered. Rarity's eyes snapped back open, casting a stare out of their corners toward her friend. "Do you-" Applejack jumped at her voice, her cheeks flushing. "Uh, what? I mean, a'course not," she said with a nervous chuckle. "No, not like that. My mistake." "Well, goodnight either way." The stars shown bright that cloudless night, with the moon rising in full and covering the land in its pale light. Everything had gone quiet in the Apple household; even Rarity's stirring eventually stilled as she drifted off to sleep. Images flashed in her mind as she began to dream; flying dresses, mountains of gems, social gatherings with all of her friends. They began to meld together like expensive cheeses added to a fondue pot, when suddenly the flame was taken away and she felt somepony's hoof on her shoulder. Slowly her eyes opened, still heavy from what sleep she had managed to get, and found herself nose-to-nose with Applejack. Somehow, one of Applejack's forelegs had managed to get underneath of her, and she could feel pressure on her back. Another leg was draped across her barrel in a haphazard hug. Her eyes darted open when she realized her predicament, and she gently called out. "Applejack...?" No response. "Applejack." A little louder, and in a flash she felt herself pulled against the mare. A muzzle nuzzled her cheek, and she heard Applejack mumble something. Rarity bit her lip, not wanting to shout - but at the same time, very much ready to do exactly that - and tried to push herself away from Applejack's iron grasp. Then she felt a hoof on her flank, and it was over. "APPLEJACK!" she bellowed, and the earth pony woke with a start. "Huh?! What? Where? What happ-" when she realized where she was and what she was doing, she pulled her hooves back and chuckled. "Uh, sorry about that, Rarity," she pushed herself away, closer to the edge of the bed. "My mistake!" "Is... is there something you wish to tell me, Applejack?" Rarity said flatly, pushing herself up on her side with an elbow. "Yes! I mean, uh, no, definitely not, nope." She rolled back over and yanked at the covers, pulling them up over her shoulder. Her cheeks were brighter than the red delicious apples growing out in the fields. "...Honesty is your suit, Applejack. You make a terrible liar," Rarity said flatly. She let out a sigh, still unconvinced. "I'm..." Applejack put her hooves to her face. "I'm not... lying, I just don't know how to say what I gotta say." "Take your time, darling. Tell me when you can." Slowly, she let herself back down onto the pillow. All she could see of her friend was her mane and her hooves still held to her face. "Okay, Rarity? I need to show ya somethin'," Applejack slid off the bed and kneeled down under the bed. "Now, I know... that it might be weird, but..." she withdrew something and gently set it on the her pillow. From Rarity's point of view, it now seemed like she was looking at a mirror of herself, only made of crafts. She blinked several times, and her jaw hung open as she took in the doll. Her eyes narrowed, and her lips pursed. "I've... seen one of these before, haven't I?" "Yeah, uh, Spike has one too," Applejack said with a chuckle. "Seems you're... pretty popular." "Now, I can see why Spike would have one. But why do-" She saw then that Applejack was looking down, and she still looked embarassed - her cheeks red and her forelegs crossed. After an awkwardly long moment of silence, Applejack simply shrugged. "I like you, Rarity. I may not've always been a very good friend to ya, but... there's just somethin' about ya. Besides," she said, picking the doll back up. "It's fuzzy an' soft an' downright fun to snuggle. Give it a try," Rarity eyed the doll, slowly taking it from Applejack's outstretched hoof. Its quality and craftsmanship were above par, and it did indeed feel soft against her fur. Its little smile, blue button eyes and curled mane mirrored Rarity's on a good day; and slowly, she felt a smile of her own growing. From the way its forelegs were splayed apart, it looked like it was begging to be hugged. "Oh, f-fine," Rarity sighed and gave it a quick little hug. "There, y'see? That's really all it was," Applejack said with a smile. She settled back into bed, the doll poking out from under one of her forelegs; with one eyebrow lifted, Rarity cast her a glance of uncertainty. "You... like me?" "Yup." After a long pause, Rarity cracked a smile. "There's something about you as well, Applejack," Rarity said, putting a hoof on her friend's shoulder. "I don't know what it could possibly be, but there certainly is something." "Could it be my long blonde mane?" Applejack whispered and fluttered her eyelashes; Rarity tried to stifle a giggle, but it slipped through. "Shh, stop it!" "Or my witty countryisms? My graceful apple-buck?" "Stop, stop, stop!" Rarity waved a hoof, straining not to laugh and instead snorted; her eyes grew wide and her hooves shot up to her nose, to which Applejack simply laughed. Before she could defend herself, however, Rarity simply gave in to the ridiculousness of it and joined her in laughter. "I don't think I've ever heard you snort, Rarity," Applejack teased. Her fit of giggles threatened to come back when Rarity rolled her eyes. "Don't tell anypony, or I swear, Celestia as my witness-" "No need ta get ta swearin'. I'm just teasin' you, darlin'." The two shared a smile, and suddenly both were silent. Rarity coughed and scratched at the back of her neck. Suddenly, Applejack began to giggle again. "What?" "Remember that time," she started, holding up a hoof as if to ask for a moment. "That nutty Trenderhoof stallion kept hittin' on me, and you kept tryin' to get his attention?" "Ugh! Please, don't remind me," Rarity gasped, shifting her face into her pillow - still talking, though it came out muffled. "I can do so much better than him." "Yeah. I'm kinda glad you didn't change for him, Rarity. I like you just the way ya are. Though sometimes ya do drive me batty." Applejack smirked and pulled Rarity into a hug; this time, she found one in return as well. "This is incredibly silly," Rarity mumbled, holding her friend in an awkward embrace. "...but I'm glad we're friends." "Me too, sugarcube. Me too." The two sat entwined in their hug for a moment longer before Applejack cocked her head up. "So wait, do ya like me too or...?" "I think I do." Author's Note This is the old ending to the story, and a new one is being written. It is being kept because I don't want to lose my old writing, so I can see improvements along the way.
The Sleepover"You're still set on this?" "If I weren't, I wouldn't be standing here now, would I?" Applejack looked took a deep breath and looked past her friend Rarity, out into the dwindling light of the early evening. No applebucking today, but there still would be work in the morning to do, even if it was a 'light' day, and she knew well that Rarity was not the type to take to a farmhoof's job easily - not for lack of trying, of course. All Rarity wanted was a sleepover, to get to know each other better; but the kinds of things the two enjoyed were on opposite ends of a spectrum that probably wasn't even the same spectrum at all. Admittedly, Applejack had forgotten all about the sleepover, because she figured Rarity would've changed her mind by now. After all, what kind of fashionista-socialite-pony would want to spend her night in a dusty old farmhouse instead of her own extravagant bedroom? "You know we gotta get up early 'round here, right?" Applejack asked. She cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "Of course!" Rarity smiled. "And you're still sure you wanna do this? Even though you probably won't get your beauty sleep?" She offered her own smile, hoping that maybe she could change Rarity's mind at the last minute. "It almost sounds like you don't want me to stay," Rarity said, fluttering her eyelashes and pouting. Applejack bit her lip; she couldn't take it. She sighed. "Alright, come on in. Just, uh, hold on, let me get somethin' straightened up for you, so you can set your things down." Applejack trotted through the family room and upstairs, hanging a quick turn into her room. The prize sat upon her bed, its little button eyes staring longingly toward her owner, begging for a snuggle or a hug. But there was no time for either; Applejack quickly ruffled the covers on the bed and stuffed the doll under her pillow. Just then, an idea hit her. "Hey, Rarity?" she yelled down to her guest. "You mind sleepin' in Applebloom's room? She ain't gonna be here for a few more days. I'm sure she wouldn't mind." "Not at all, dear; shall I bring my bags up?" She heard Rarity right at the stairs, and retreated into her room again. "Sure thing." "What was that? Sorry, I couldn't hear you," Rarity said, now halfway up; she levitated her bags to the landing and set them down. "Applejack?" "Here!" Applejack said, zipping outside her room and slamming the door shut. She put on her most game-faced, honest grin, but in light of the doll, it nearly slipped. "Lemme take that for you, and I'll show you to the room." She grabbed for Rarity's largest suitcase with her mouth, nabbing the handle and tugging - and nearly straining her neck. It felt as if an entire field of Pie family rocks had found their way into just a single piece of luggage, somehow. "Did ya need ta bring so much stuff?" "Let me get that one, Applejack, please." Rarity said, lifting the entirely-too-heavy suitcase with her magic. "By the by, when did you start caring about how your room looked? I thought you were all for messes." "Me bein' messy is one thing, but I like to keep my room at least a li'l organized. 'Specially when I know a certain friend is comin' over." Applejack leaned to the side and stretched her neck, then shook her head. "What the hay's in that suitcase, anyway? A wagon?" "It's a sewing machine," Rarity said, matter-of-factly. "And a project or two." "You brought a sewing-" "You never know when inspiration might strike, dear," Rarity said with a giggle. "Besides, I was already working on something before I came over. It's just a little something to keep me busy should you fall asleep too early." Applejack blinked and raised her eyebrow again. "Was that a challenge, missy?" "Not at all! I simply know you must go to bed early to rest enough for your early start," Rarity offered. Applejack shrugged. "Yeah. But tomorrow there isn't a whole lot to do in the morning, so the family'll probably wake up a little later than usual. We could stay up a bit and do something, y'know, together. Somethin' fun." Buck my apples and call me a pear, that sounded horrible, Applejack thought. "I was hoping as such!" Rarity clapped her hooves together, picking up another bag and trotting next to Applejack. "So, where is the-?" "Oh! Right, the room," Applejack motioned down the hallway. She began with a slow trot, glancing at each door as she passed them. "Well, that's Big Mac's room. And there's Granny's... the restroom, should you need it... and right down here's Applebloom's." She knocked on the door, despite knowing nopony was in there, and pushed it open to reveal... an utter mess. Papers, clothes, toys, pencils, crayons ... a shovel?? - it seemed like everything that Applebloom owned, with the exception of her Cutie Mark Crusaders cloak, was strewn across the floor in a twister's aftermath. "Oh my," Rarity gasped. She glanced around the room, then back to Applejack. "In... here?" She hesitated to put her hoof down, keeping her bags well outside the room. "Horseapples, Applebloom...!" Applejack pushed her way in, trudging through papers and piles of clothes. "I thought I told that little filly to pick up in here before she left..." Again, Applejack bit her lip. Rarity wouldn't want to sleep in such a messy room; and she had just fixed hers up... "I mean, if it's too bad, you can sleep in my room, but I think we could clean this up. Give it an hour or two..." "If it's not too much, darling, I'd really rather I just sleep in your room instead," Rarity asked - begged, nearly. Applejack could tell from her voice that there would be no convincing her otherwise. After all, she came over to have fun with her friend, not clean up her friend's little sister's messy room. "Alright, alright, we'll use my room," Applejack said, turning about. "I hope ya don't mind sleepin' on the floor." "On the floor? Is there any particular reason I can't sleep on the bed like a civilized pony?" "D'you remember what happened last time we tried that?" Applejack's eyes drooped into a deadpan. "That doesn't mean it will happen the same way again. After all, you do recall how the rest of the night went, yes?" Rarity prodded. Applejack looked down to the floor as they made their way back to her room, then smirked. "Yeah, I do," she said, looking away. "Sure was a crazy night, wasn't it," "It was indeed. I was hoping we could recapture some of that fun tonight. But, you know, put a fresh spin on it." It sounded as if she were trying to advertise a new line of dresses to Applejack, though the grin never left the cowpony's face. "I hope so too, Rarity. I hope so too," she said. Though Rarity could irritate her sometimes, she was still glad to be able to call her a friend. They finally reached the door after what felt like far too many minutes, and Applejack threw it open. "I know it ain't much to look at, but... welcome," she said with a chuckle. "Much better than your sister's," Rarity joked, though she could easily have been serious. Applejack took just a smidgeon more pride in the way her room looked than Applebloom's, but it was still a bit of a mess. "I'll set my things over here and - goodness, that bed is messy," she gazed at the bed for a moment, her things sliding into place against the far wall. "You gonna start that again? If we're gonna share my bed, there's gonna be some ground rules." Applejack strutted over and crossed her forelegs. "Number one! It don't matter how messy the bed is. At all." Rarity's eyelid twitched, but she said nothing. Applejack raised an eyebrow. "Number two! It. Don't. Matter. How. Messy. The bed. Is." "Yes, yes, I understood the first time," Rarity said with a sigh and a roll of her eyes. "Well, I won't dwell on it. Let's have fun tonight, shall we?" "Sounds good to me! Let's head on down for some supper first, though," Applejack said, ushering Rarity toward the door. "Oh? What's for-" A loud, metal clanging from down below interrupted Rarity's question. "SUPPER'S READY! COME'N GET IT," Bowls of apple and cabbage soup lined the table, with a larger pot and decorated silver ladle dominating the center. Small cuts of bread - flaxseed and wheat, Rarity correctly identified - were piled high on either side of the pot, free for the taking. Big McIntosh and Granny Smith had already taken their seats before either Applejack or Rarity entered the room, and they waited patiently for both to join them. "Usually don't take you this long to come down, Applejack," Granny chuckled. "What, you don't like Granny's soup anymore?" "Are you kiddin'? I wouldn't miss your apple-cabbage soup for anything, Granny," Applejack nearly jumped into her seat, already set to devour the still-steaming soup. "We were just... in the middle of talkin'. Ain't that right?" "It certainly is," Rarity said, daintily taking the last seat available between Applejack and Big Mac. Before she had a chance to comment on the soup, however, Granny Smith spoke up again. "Alright, y'all," she began, looking to each other pony with a grin. "DIG IN!" Three ponies did indeed dig in, and a veritable storm of soup and bread brewed over the table. When slurping from a spoon wasn't enough, Big Mac took the bowl itself and started drinking right from the rim. "You're gonna burn yourself, Big Mac. Slow down a bit," Applejack muttered between bits of bread, soft apples and cabbage leaves. "Nnope," he grunted, taking another big gulp - which proved to be far too hot, the heat turning his face an even deeper red. "Toldja," Applejack chuckled, pushing a glass of water toward her brother. "She did tell ya," Granny said as she cracked a smile. Rarity had barely even touched her soup. Not for any lack of appetite, or the taste, but rather she was a mix of amused and bewildered by the Apple family's antics. It was, in fact, a fantastic soup, with just the right balance of textures and colors - though internally, she doubted those things actually crossed anypony's mind but hers. "Somethin' wrong with the soup, sugarcube?" Applejack asked, noticing the still-full bowl before Rarity. "Oh, not at all! It's quite wonderful, actually," she said, taking a spoonful and sipping it gently. "Delicious!" "That ain't how ya eat soup," Granny said, putting her hooves up under her bowl. "Ya gotta get it all! Ain't no good to ya if all ya do is get the broth." She picked up her bowl, much as Big Mac had done moments before, and took a noisy gulp. "Well, it's..." Rarity started, but trailed off when she saw Applejack doing exactly as Granny had. She gave a sigh and rolled her eyes, picking up the bowl and touching it to her lips. Still hot, the bits of apple and cabbage floated near, and she took a quick sip - making sure to get 'all of it'. Taking a piece of bread, she quickly mopped up the drips of soup that threatened to flow over the edge of the bowl after pulling it away. "See? Ain't so hard, now, is it?" Granny chuckled, picking up some bread of her own. "Like I always say: it ain't rude to slurp if it's really good food!" "You could say that again," Applejack said, leaning back in her chair. Her bowl was nearly dry, while Big Mac leaned forward to ladle another heap into his own. "Eeyup!" he mumbled, grabbing another hoof full of bread. "Now, now, Big Mac, leave some fer our guest too," Granny chided. Big Mac huffed and rolled his eyes, pushing nearly half a loaf back onto the bread plate. Rarity took another slice for herself, and finished as quickly as she could. "That was somethin' else, Granny." Applejack gave a whoop and pushed out her chair. "Hey, I gotta run upstairs fer somethin' right quick. Gimme a sec, Rarity, and we can start our party." "Yer excused, Applejack. Guess that leaves me an' you fer dishes, Big Mac," Granny said, much to the stallion's dismay. Applejack galloped upstairs and hustled into her room. As her eyes fell on her bed, the feeling of dread returned. Pulling down the covers, a plush pony toy rolled down and nearly dropped onto the floor. White fuzzy body, purple curly mane, blue eyes... "What am I gonna do with you?" Applejack groaned under her breath, picking up the toy and looking around. "Gotta be someplace I can hide ya. But just fer tonight, I promise." Looking around her room, there were plenty of spots to hide a toy, but none suitable for the doll. Her heart beat a little faster, knowing Rarity wouldn't want to wait downstairs forever. Then suddenly, hoofsteps on the stairs stirred her heart even faster. "Where ya at, Applejack? Ain't right ta leave yer friend like that!" It was Granny. The hoofsteps went back down, and Applejack sighed. She looked down at the doll's leg in her mouth. "Sorry, li'l lady," she whispered, tossing the toy under her bed. "Tonight, that's where you'll sleep." As the darkness fell over her plush, Applejack's heart sank. "I'm comin', gimme a minute." She took a step back, inspected her bed from various angles, and trotted to the hallway. "Alright, c'mon up Rarity, I'm ready."
(NEW) Rarity's Discovery"You're just too darn good at this, Rarity," Applejack chuckled, rubbing a spot on her barrel where surely a bruise would show up in a day or two. It turns out, balancing on apples is harder than it looks. "I'll have you know, I am considered a truth-or-dare legend," Rarity said with a flip of her mane. "Yeah, yeah, I remember last time, too." "Shall we continue?" Rarity wiggled her eyebrows and grinned. "I gotta run to the li'l filly's room real quick. I'll be down for another round after that." Applejack stood and slipped through the door. "Don't go nowhere," she added with a wink. Rarity glanced around the room. While it was a quaint, Applejack's home was by no means simple or uncouth. The dresser and mirror had their own elegance, though they showed their age; the pictures, the lamp, the nightstand each were arranged with some attention paid to the details. Though, one thing would always catch her eye: the bed. It was a nice enough piece, with its own ornate carvings and a glossy finish; however, it was absolutely plagued by exceptionally unmade bedding. She bit her lip; she knew Applejack didn't particularly care for things being 'just right', but the call was too great. Reluctantly she stood, shuffled over to the bedside, and levitated the corner of the blanket with her magic. "Just a quick fix," she mumbled, smiling. "And - " with a whip, the blanket was pulled and swiftly oriented over the bed; as the curtaining end on the other side snapped up, Rarity heard the sound of buttons on wood " - what was that?" Inspecting the blanket, nothing had torn off; she trotted over to the other side of the bed, looked down, and gasped. "You okay, sugarcube?" Applejack began, taking two steps into her room before stopping, her eyes wide. "Applejack...? What is this...?" Rarity said, her eyes never leaving the floor. "Uh... what's, what?" "The doll, Applejack. What is it?" She trotted over to join her friend - sure enough, it was her doll. The big blue button-eyes begged for her to be picked up, but Applejack knew better. "It's a ...doll," Applejack said with a strained grin. "One of them plush ones-" "I KNOW WHAT IT IS, APPLEJACK." "Well, you asked-" "I know what I asked. Why does it look like me? Why do YOU have it?" "It must be..." Applejack's eyes shifted restlessly, finding some solace in the doorway. "Big Mac's! Yeah. You know how he loves playin' with them silly dolls." "I. Cannot. Believe this..." Rarity put her hooves to her head, shaking. "Why does your BIG BROTHER have a doll that looks like me?!" She suddenly shuddered and narrowed her eyes. "Did he take this from Spike?!" "Y..." Applejack was just about to nod in agreement, and then she happened to look back to her friend long enough to see the distress. Her heart hammered in her chest, she bit her lip, then took a deep breath. "No... no, he didn't." "Then where did he get it? And why is it in here? Who's making dolls of me-" "I made it," Applejack interrupted, hanging her head. Her hat slipped and fell, though she didn't even make a move to grab it. "I made it... for me," she rubbed her elbow. "It's mine." Rarity's eyes were wide, and she glanced from Applejack, to the doll - a near mirror of herself, even the eyes were the right color - to Applejack again. It didn't make sense... "I still don't understand," she said, taking a step away from the toy. "Why have something like this?" Applejack's cheeks flushed. "Well... you ever go to bed, and wish there was somethin' to snuggle with?" Rarity's face quickly followed suit. "A dog, a cat - animals'll snuggle for a while, but then they go on their way," she tried to explain. "A doll, though, it'll just keep on snugglin' 'till the cows come home. Or whenever you stop." "But... why me?" Rarity questioned. "I know I'm the most fabulous out of our little company, but surely you could have picked somepony else?" Her eyes showed concern, but her voice was curious. Applejack chuckled and snagged her hat off the floor, holding it up to her breast. "It's a bit of a tale," "I'm sure it is. But wouldn't you rather think of Rainbow Dash, somepony you can do what you love with?" "Not quite that simple, darlin'," Rarity blew a shot of air out from her nostrils. "Just tell me why you have a doll that looks very much exactly like me." "Because I... like you?" She placed her hat upon her head. "You like me," Rarity parroted, gesturing with her hoof. "As in, like me like me. As in, a couple?" Applejack nodded, the hint of a smile sneaking in. Rarity put a hoof across her forehead. "I... I don't even know what to say to that, Applejack." She snatched a pillow with her magic and slipped it behind, just in time to catch herself mid-fall. "I know, it's weird," Applejack said, holding up a hoof and gently making patting motions in Rarity's direction. "I thought I'd have eyes for a country or small town stallion... but I don't think that's the case." She took a few steps toward her friend. Rarity shook her head. Her friend had a thing for her? A real thing, not just a compliment or a quirky one-time attraction, but a serious thing?! And that friend... was Applejack?! "It's not strange because of what it is, darling," Rarity started slowly. She took a deep breath and sighed again. "It's... I don't understand. What could you possibly see in me? We're nothing alike!" "We got nothin' in common whatsoever," Applejack said with a smirk. "Exactly!" "Except we're both stubborn and gotta have our particular ways." "I don't think I'd call myself stubborn, darling." "You wouldn't, but I would," Rarity rolled her eyes and snorted. "See? You're doin' it right now, Rarity." Applejack chuckled and poked a hoof at her. "I most certainly am not-" "You just did it again." Rarity lowered her brow and frowned. "Fine. I am stubborn. You are too. We can't bond over our stubbornness, especially when it drives us to different ends!" "Yeah, but-" "And don't even get me started about the doll again. WHY do you even have that thing?" She glanced again at the doll. "Well, we don't always get a lot of time to just... visit. I've got my farm to help run, and you've got your boutique. So... I made one to have around when we're too busy." Again, Rarity's hoof found its home on her forehead. "I need to step outside," she said after a moment of silence. "Alright," Applejack said, offering a hoof. "I'll help ya." Rarity eyed the offer, pushing herself up by her own hooves. "Just... let me be for a minute, Applejack." Reluctantly, she nodded and stepped aside. Watching as Rarity left, Applejack went over to retrieve the doll, dusting it off and embracing it. She pulled it away and looked into the button eyes, imagining Rarity's own in their place; she imagined being able to just hug her friend whenever, not needing to make up excuses and plan ridiculous outings just to distract the others long enough to share a fun moment, even fi they almost always ended up bickering over something silly. She wondered then if Rarity had ever caught on to any of her ideas... Outside, Rarity gently took a seat on the porch, her lips pursed into a pout. There were too many odd circumstances happening. How long had Applejack set eyes on her? Were all the fights and bickering just a sort of date? She suddenly felt like she understood nothing of her friend; the strong Applejack that had helped her see through the ridiculous crush on Trenderhoof seemed more an uncanny trickster now. "No," she uttered to herself. "Applejack isn't like that. She is genuine. She's honest!" Rarity flipped her mane over again and looked out over the moonlit farmland. Suddenly, the creak of a door and the clip-clop of hooves interrupted her thought. "I try to be," Applejack said with a sigh. "It can be hard sometimes, bein' so honest." "The truth is not always what somepony wants to hear, after all..." Rarity agreed. "And sometimes, the truth is just... well, awkward." Rarity looked up to the moon and yawned. "It's late, isn't it," "Yep. Granny Smith and Big Mac've both gone to bed already," Applejack joined in the yawn. "I'm gonna be in for it tomorrow." Rarity kept her eyes on the sky as Applejack took a seat next to her. "I'm sorry," Applejack offered. "The doll... this whole romance nonsense..." "It's alright, Applejack," Rarity said, tearing her gaze away to meet her friend's. "If you want to spend more time together, then we simply will have to make more plans." "Make more-" her cheeks lit up again, and she found words difficult for a moment. "Y'mean you're not gonna just toss me after the whole doll thing?" "I think I can forgive you for it," Rarity chirped. "You even made the bed." Applejack chuckled and shook her head. "Tell me real quick, what's the point of makin' the bed right before you're gonna use it?" "So it looks nice, of course," Rarity offered, putting her snout up into an upper-class half-smirk of satisfaction. "You mustn't sleep on a surface that might look bad in a picture." "Yeah, okay. I call far side," Applejack exclaimed as she leapt over the bed and landed in a 'poof' of covers. "I'll take this side, I suppose." "Alright. Light's goin' out, sugarcube." Rarity wiggled down under the covers, barely disturbing them from their slightly-messy-again state. "Goodnight, Applejack." "Goodnight, Rarity. Love ya," There was a pause as Applejack's hoof caught on the lamp's switch. Rarity rolled over to look at her friend. "Did you say..." Applejack chuckled again and grinned over her shoulder. "My bad, sugarcube. Just regular old g'night." She clicked the light's switch, casting the room in only the heavens' pale blue glow; she rolled over and saw Rarity had almost immediately fallen asleep. "Guess I don't need you tonight, darlin'," Applejack whispered, setting her plush doll on the nightstand next to her bed, and draped a hoof across Rarity's midsection, pulling her gently into a hug. "I've got the real thing... right here..." Author's Note New ending for the story, following a bit of feedback. The old one will still be kept, however, as a separate - but unconnected - chapter.
(OLD) Rarity's Discovery"We have got to stop playin' this darned game," Applejack managed between laughs and a brand new bruise on her barrel. Tonight, she learned that it's actually quite difficult to balance on four apples at once. "Too much for you, darling?" Rarity teased and winked. "I'll have you know, I'm considered a truth-or-dare legend." "Ain't that the truth. Alright, what's -" an enormous yawn forced its way out, prompting Rarity to share in it "- next...?" "Perhaps sleep, it is getting late..." "Shoot, is it past ten already?" Applejack looked up to her clock with a sigh. "Well, I guess that's that for tonight." She stood and stretched her legs as she moseyed over to the bed. "Too soon," Rarity whined. "But, I suppose so." "I call the far side. Yee-haw!" Applejack said, catapulting over the bed and landing in a heap, her hat falling neatly onto the bedpost. Rarity climbed in after her, slipping down under the covers without making so much as a ripple in the blanket. With a wave of her hoof, Applejack flipped the light off. "Goodnight, Applejack," Rarity chirped, her eyelids floating down. "G'night, Rarity. Love ya," Applejack uttered. Rarity's eyes snapped back open, casting a stare out of their corners toward her friend. "Do you-" Applejack jumped at her voice, her cheeks flushing. "Uh, what? I mean, a'course not," she said with a nervous chuckle. "No, not like that. My mistake." "Well, goodnight either way." The stars shown bright that cloudless night, with the moon rising in full and covering the land in its pale light. Everything had gone quiet in the Apple household; even Rarity's stirring eventually stilled as she drifted off to sleep. Images flashed in her mind as she began to dream; flying dresses, mountains of gems, social gatherings with all of her friends. They began to meld together like expensive cheeses added to a fondue pot, when suddenly the flame was taken away and she felt somepony's hoof on her shoulder. Slowly her eyes opened, still heavy from what sleep she had managed to get, and found herself nose-to-nose with Applejack. Somehow, one of Applejack's forelegs had managed to get underneath of her, and she could feel pressure on her back. Another leg was draped across her barrel in a haphazard hug. Her eyes darted open when she realized her predicament, and she gently called out. "Applejack...?" No response. "Applejack." A little louder, and in a flash she felt herself pulled against the mare. A muzzle nuzzled her cheek, and she heard Applejack mumble something. Rarity bit her lip, not wanting to shout - but at the same time, very much ready to do exactly that - and tried to push herself away from Applejack's iron grasp. Then she felt a hoof on her flank, and it was over. "APPLEJACK!" she bellowed, and the earth pony woke with a start. "Huh?! What? Where? What happ-" when she realized where she was and what she was doing, she pulled her hooves back and chuckled. "Uh, sorry about that, Rarity," she pushed herself away, closer to the edge of the bed. "My mistake!" "Is... is there something you wish to tell me, Applejack?" Rarity said flatly, pushing herself up on her side with an elbow. "Yes! I mean, uh, no, definitely not, nope." She rolled back over and yanked at the covers, pulling them up over her shoulder. Her cheeks were brighter than the red delicious apples growing out in the fields. "...Honesty is your suit, Applejack. You make a terrible liar," Rarity said flatly. She let out a sigh, still unconvinced. "I'm..." Applejack put her hooves to her face. "I'm not... lying, I just don't know how to say what I gotta say." "Take your time, darling. Tell me when you can." Slowly, she let herself back down onto the pillow. All she could see of her friend was her mane and her hooves still held to her face. "Okay, Rarity? I need to show ya somethin'," Applejack slid off the bed and kneeled down under the bed. "Now, I know... that it might be weird, but..." she withdrew something and gently set it on the her pillow. From Rarity's point of view, it now seemed like she was looking at a mirror of herself, only made of crafts. She blinked several times, and her jaw hung open as she took in the doll. Her eyes narrowed, and her lips pursed. "I've... seen one of these before, haven't I?" "Yeah, uh, Spike has one too," Applejack said with a chuckle. "Seems you're... pretty popular." "Now, I can see why Spike would have one. But why do-" She saw then that Applejack was looking down, and she still looked embarassed - her cheeks red and her forelegs crossed. After an awkwardly long moment of silence, Applejack simply shrugged. "I like you, Rarity. I may not've always been a very good friend to ya, but... there's just somethin' about ya. Besides," she said, picking the doll back up. "It's fuzzy an' soft an' downright fun to snuggle. Give it a try," Rarity eyed the doll, slowly taking it from Applejack's outstretched hoof. Its quality and craftsmanship were above par, and it did indeed feel soft against her fur. Its little smile, blue button eyes and curled mane mirrored Rarity's on a good day; and slowly, she felt a smile of her own growing. From the way its forelegs were splayed apart, it looked like it was begging to be hugged. "Oh, f-fine," Rarity sighed and gave it a quick little hug. "There, y'see? That's really all it was," Applejack said with a smile. She settled back into bed, the doll poking out from under one of her forelegs; with one eyebrow lifted, Rarity cast her a glance of uncertainty. "You... like me?" "Yup." After a long pause, Rarity cracked a smile. "There's something about you as well, Applejack," Rarity said, putting a hoof on her friend's shoulder. "I don't know what it could possibly be, but there certainly is something." "Could it be my long blonde mane?" Applejack whispered and fluttered her eyelashes; Rarity tried to stifle a giggle, but it slipped through. "Shh, stop it!" "Or my witty countryisms? My graceful apple-buck?" "Stop, stop, stop!" Rarity waved a hoof, straining not to laugh and instead snorted; her eyes grew wide and her hooves shot up to her nose, to which Applejack simply laughed. Before she could defend herself, however, Rarity simply gave in to the ridiculousness of it and joined her in laughter. "I don't think I've ever heard you snort, Rarity," Applejack teased. Her fit of giggles threatened to come back when Rarity rolled her eyes. "Don't tell anypony, or I swear, Celestia as my witness-" "No need ta get ta swearin'. I'm just teasin' you, darlin'." The two shared a smile, and suddenly both were silent. Rarity coughed and scratched at the back of her neck. Suddenly, Applejack began to giggle again. "What?" "Remember that time," she started, holding up a hoof as if to ask for a moment. "That nutty Trenderhoof stallion kept hittin' on me, and you kept tryin' to get his attention?" "Ugh! Please, don't remind me," Rarity gasped, shifting her face into her pillow - still talking, though it came out muffled. "I can do so much better than him." "Yeah. I'm kinda glad you didn't change for him, Rarity. I like you just the way ya are. Though sometimes ya do drive me batty." Applejack smirked and pulled Rarity into a hug; this time, she found one in return as well. "This is incredibly silly," Rarity mumbled, holding her friend in an awkward embrace. "...but I'm glad we're friends." "Me too, sugarcube. Me too." The two sat entwined in their hug for a moment longer before Applejack cocked her head up. "So wait, do ya like me too or...?" "I think I do." Author's Note This is the old ending to the story, and a new one is being written. It is being kept because I don't want to lose my old writing, so I can see improvements along the way.
