Let The Magic in Your Heart Stay True
Applebloom laid next to the Fireplace; Rara sitting across from her giggling
“I still can’t believe my sister knew ya since she was a filly.” The young pony energetic, and enthralled over Rara staying at her place for the night.
“Heehee. Yeah, your sister was the greatest thing at Friendship Camp. I regret losing contact with her; I can’t get over how I got so caught up with my little facade, that I forgot what truly mattered.” She looked into the fireplace, daydreaming about her time at friendship camp. A smile crossing her face from ear to ear.
Applebloom took a sip from her hot chocolate, a little chocolate mustache clinging to her muzzle. She giggled, licking the delicious substance from her lips. ”Well, I reckon everything's alright now. So no need to worry about that anymore now is there?”
“I suppose you’re right, Applebloom.” Rara sighed with content, taking a sip from her own cup of hot chocolate. Still, there was an ever looming feeling in her chest that she couldn’t quite place. A certain emptiness, mixed with a yearning for an unknowable object. Whatever it may be, it bugged her with all the annoyance of a pesky fly. One that kept showing itself every time there was a moment of silence.
Noticing the silent gaze of the Rara, Applebloom pipped in. “Is everything alright, ma’am?”
Shaking herself from her stupor, Rara replied. “Yeah, it’s nothing really. Just a thought that’s been bugging me lately, but really. It’s nothing to worry about.” She stared into her drink before gazing back at the filly. “The important thing is that I’m here, and as a good guest, I should be thankful for all you, Applejack, and the rest of the apples have done to keep me accommodated. “ She then smiled with all the brilliance of the morning sun.
“Nah, really. It’s the least we can do. After all, you’re kinda an old family friend.” Applebloom let a drawn out yawn out, her voice wavering from exhaustion. “Boy, it sure was a long day, wasn’t it.”
“Yeah, it was.” Rara replied. She then let out a yawn of her own. “Heehee, seems your yawns are contagious.”
Walking through the adjacent pathway into the living room, Applejack made her way in. “Yeah, and some filly’s got school in that mourning, and needs her rest.” She gave her sister a look that told her that she needed to run along, and hit the ol’ dusty trail.
“Awwww, alright sis. See y’all in the mourning. Have a goodnight.” Lethargically, she got up from her resting position next to the fireplace, and made her way out of the room. Saying one final goodbye before heading off to bed.
Laying down across from her old fillyhood friend, Applejack asked. “Enjoying your stay?” She took a sip of her own cup of hot chocolate that she brought with her into the room.
“Of course, Applejack. I’m very thankful that you would have me here for the night; it means a lot to me.” Rara gawked over Applejack’s kind-heartedness.
“Glad to hear it.” She took another sip from her drink before continuing. “It sure was great seeing y’all perform again. Brings back good memories.”
“Memories of Friendship Camp?” Rara chimed in.
“Heehee. Of course, Rara. They were some of the greatest years in my life, afterall.” She looked into the fireplace, letting the memories flood into her like a particularly bad storm. Only that this storm held a rainbow after all the rain.
“Likewise, I do miss those days from time to time. Though, we can’t let ourselves live in the past. We can however, let it remind us what we went through to get where we are.” Rara smiled at Applejack, her radiance being reflected back by a smile of Applejack’s own.
“I couldn’t agree more.” pawing at the ground she laid on, she spoke up again apologetically. “Sorry I lost contact with y’all. It hurts knowing I was never there for you during the years you grew up.”
Rara rolled her eyes, giving Applejack a bashful grin. “There’s no need to apologise, Applejack. I’m sure you had plenty of hard work here on the farm, not to mention being the Element of Honesty.” She gave her friend a little nuzzle. “Really now, you beat yourself up too much.”
Applejacked sighed. “I know, I know. It’s just hard to get over, is all. I just feel like a… bad friend is what I’m trying to say.” She looked down to stare at her hooves.
“Oh, Applejack. Don’t say that, you’re a great friend.” She lifted her friend's head with her hoof. “Sure we may have gone separate ways for a while, but we’re here now are we not?” She smiled at her friend again; it held the strength of a thousand wild oxen, all on a great stampede towards her friends soul.
Applejack’s eyes darted left and right, wavering to and fro before she replied. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m just being a silly pony, is all.” She smiled back at her friend with the same mirthful spirit. One that only those with deep bonds could share.
“Heehee.” Rara booped he on her snout. “You always were the one to take the blame for the team. Very honorable I would say.”
“Yeah.” Applejack booped her back. “Well, y’all were always the one to help those who were in needin of it. Always down to earth, and kind hearted.” She looked into Rara’s eyes. “You know how I said that you were the brightest star I ever seen shine. Well I meant every word of it.”
Rara blushed in response. “Nooooo, really? honestly now Applejack, you live a much more humble life, plus you have helped save the world on multiple occasions from what I hear.” She looked her friend directly into her eyes. “You’re a much brighter star in that sky.”
Now it was Applejack's turn to blush: blushing as bright as a fresh picked apple. “Rara, you give me way too much credit.” She rubbed her foreleg. “Besides, I had five great friends ta help me along the way. You only had you, and yourself to become the star you were destined to be.” She moved a bit closer to her friend. “That manager of yours only did so much. The rest was you, Rara. Y’all are that guiding starlight for all those ponies that admire you so much.”
Rara gasped in shock, touched by the words Applejack spoke. She couldn't help but let some of her happiness out at the moment with a few tears of joy. Dripping slowly down her cheeks. “Applejack…” She turned her head. “I-I don’t know what to say. Those were some of the kindest words I ever heard.” She looked back at Applejack. “Do you really mean that, or are you just trying to make me feel good about myself?”
“Of course I did, Rara. Every last word of it.” She used a hoof to wipe the tears from her eyes. “No need to shed some tears over now, is it?”
The feeling that had been plaguing Rara that entire night returned with full force. It was like a pack of ravage dogs were collared to her heartstrings, trying to chase a cat that was walking by. She looked down at her hooves, unsure of what to do with what she was feeling. That’s when it struck her like a lightning bolt, she knew what these feelings were. She knew the source of this longing, and ennui.
Leaning slowly forward, completely out of her control; the feelings taking front seat in her brain's functions. She moved her muzzle closer to, Applejack. Planting the most delicate of kisses, a kiss that held all her lingering feelings on it, even if it only lasted a short second. Moving her head back, she opened her eyes. A wide eyed, shocked, Applejack meeting them.
Rara’s eyes grew like her friend's, shock plastering all over her face. She began to stutter out in fright. “I-I-I’m sorry, A-Applejack… I don’t know w-what came over me.” A few more tears began to fall down her face, only these ones weren’t tears of joy. A certain bitterness poured down her cheeks in liquid form. She began to get up, and walk away. Away from the newly established friendship she's sure she tarnished.
“Rara.” Called Applejack, hollering for her friend to stop. “D-don’t go.”
Rara stopped in her tracks, her heart burning like a fire was lit under it. The after result of which left her a sniffling mess, the makeup she wore that day coming off in her rivulets. Knowing she had to face the consequences of her actions, she slowly made her way back to Applejack, lying down across from her with her head held low.
Rara had her eyes closed, tears not ceasing to stop as she waited for the worse. Hoping that she could still be friends even after what she just done. After what felt like a pregnant pause, a warm sensation began to grace her lips, a certain hunger in them. Opening her eyes up wide, she was startled to see Applejack kissing her back.
Applejack had her eyes closed, placing her forelegs upon Rara’s shoulders. Slowly pulling her muzzle away from Rara, she looked at her shocked expression with a bit of a giggle. “I don't know what y’all are shocked about, you’re the one who started this.”
Rara didn’t know what to say, to see the pony of her affection returning her kiss. It made her heart flutter like a cloud of butterflies. Carrying her all the way up to Cloudsdale, and further into space. The euphoria that she felt was unmatched by anypony in Equestria. “Bu… wha… you… you feel the same way?” Her eyes welled up again, this time returning to the joy filled ones from before.
“Of course I do, Rara. I thought I was making it plain as day with what I’ve been saying to you.” She blushed with a smile, looking down at her hooves. “I just thought you wouldn't feel the same, so I just kinda kept it to myself.” She held Rara’s hoof with hers, holding it with the strength of the bond they were sharing at that moment.
“Oh… AJ.” She leaned into Applejack. Tears falling onto her friend, and new lovers orange coat. She cried and cried, letting it all out. Applejack rubbing her head with her other hoof, nuzzling it as well with her muzzle.
“There, there. Take it easy now.” Applejack continued to comfort her, until she finally stopped her onslaught of tears. A smile forming across Rara’s face as she moved her head to look at Applejack.
“Soooooo… does this mean?” Rara Spoke softly.
Applejack let out a sort fit of giggles. “I don’t know what else it’s supposed to mean.” She smiled back at Rara, the sun not comparing to the brightness that their pearly white smiles held for each other.
Both leaning into each other, Rara and Applejack kissed each other for the third time. This time it held much more passion to it, letting themselves seep into each other. Becoming one in the sea of longing, not parting for a good while. But like all good things, it had to come to an end. Parting lips, they stared into the Fireplace that they laid next to. It was kindling, kindling like the new connection that the two shared.
“You know that I may be gone for long periods of time on tour, right.”Rara spoke softly.
“I know, but I don’t mind.” She looked back at her partner. “If I have y’all to look forward to, then It’s not that big a deal.” She kissed Rara on the cheek. “I’ll be right here waiting for you. So you don’t have to worry your pretty little head, sugarcube.”
Smiling contently, Rara leaned into Applejack. Absorbing her warmth and love, along with the heat radiating from the fireplace. “Thank you.”
Author's Note
Happy Valentine's day!
