"Applejack? Are you in there?"
"Yea, um...let me get the door for ya." Applejack muttered, getting up from the table and opening the door to see Twilight.
Twilight's eyes widened and Applejack knew why, her own eyes were baggy and her frown looked like gravity was pulling it towards the ground. At the moment Applejack wished the Princess of Friendship wasn't so concerned, but it wouldn't be so.
"I see Big Mac outside doing your chores, what could possibly bring the tough Applejack I know to the point where she can't even do her own job?" Twilight asked her.
"I can't tell you." Applejack answered. "I expect it to pass though."
Twilight smiled faintly but Applejack neglected to tell her that even though she knew it'd pass, she knew the feeling of bitter defeat and pain would eventually come back.
"Well, I would hope so." Twilight added. "Tomorrow Pinkie's throwing a party for Rarity and Ace's three-month anniversary and she'd love for you to be there."
Applejack's breath immediately hitched as Twilight unknowingly brought up what had been bringing Applejack down: Rarity's newest colt-toy.
"Y-yeah, I'll be 'dere." Applejack stammered. "I must go now, but thank you for checking up on me."
Applejack closed the door and fell onto the wooden floor and buried her face within her hooves.
Why do I have to hear of that jack a' stallion in my time of pain. To hell with my feelins'! I hate him!
Ace Thornhide was a brown stallion with orange jock hair and dull green eyes. The well-built stallion had a broom for a cutie mark and came from a long line of hoofball players.
It made Applejack so livid that Rarity would show her affections to a janitor, a janitor! And he acted as if he was as famous as the hoofball players that he came from.
She couldn't keep thinking of this, this decided that she'd do the rest of her chores and Big Mac's so she would not have to think about how that beautiful mare was giving herself to a...to a...
Applejack winced and left the house to do as many chores as her well-being would allow.
"Applejack! Can you believe that the party's only in a few hours?" Pinkie gasped. "I have only a few more touches to add and the party should be ready!"
"Mmmhmm." Applejack responded absently as she stood inside the Sugarcube Corner kitchen with an apron and a chef's hat hanging loosely on her head.
What made the farm pony feel a little better was that she told Pinkie what Rarity's favorite flavors and foods were, and had the honor of making one of Rarity's favorite desserts: chocolate mouse.
That Ace colt can't cook for crap! If Rarity were with me, she'd be spoiled with many homemade goodies!
Applejack cursed herself realizing for the millionth time she caught herself fantasizing how she'd treat Rarity if she were her marefriend. She knew all the stallions Rarity dated were nothing...
But Applejack didn't think she was that much better for Rarity. Rarity loved glamour and wealth, and Applejack was very aware that she could never give the beautiful unicorn that.
"Look! Rarity and Ace are here!" Pinkie squealed, running out of the kitchen to the two ponies.
Applejack walked out to join them, not even bothering to shake the flour from her pelt or the chocolate stains on her apron. She wanted Rarity to see that she worked hard to make only the best food for Rarity.
"Applejack! I didn't realize you'd be here this early." Rarity smiled and lifted her hooves to hug her friend lightly to avoid her dirty pelt.
Applejack looked over to see Ace glaring at her, and Applejack knew why. Long story short, Ace knew that the farm pony was gay and would probably harass her if it weren't for the fact that she was Rarity's friend.
Rarity pulled away the hug and walked over to Ace and brushed herself against him, making Applejack growl behind clenched teeth.
Briefly after they arrived, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Twilight showed up plus the CMC as well. Rarity was having a serious conversation with the three fillies and Applejack knew it was because they didn't like Ace either.
Smart fillies.
Apple Bloom walked up to her big sister and they got to the counter to get some of the food. After they got the food on their plates, Twilight gestured Applejack over to a corner in the store.
"What is it Twilight? I was hoping to see how Rarity likes my food." Applejack asked the Princess.
"That's the thing, during the party I saw you slap your hoof on the tile floor when Ace kissed Rarity on the cheek." Twilight pointed out. "...that's what it is isn't it?"
"What is what."
"What's been bringing you down, it's Rarity isn't it? You like her." Twilight replied. "You can't stand her with someone else."
"I can't stand her with Ace." Applejack corrected Twilight. "Or any of the coltfriends Rarity has had. It's like watching a bunch of rocks with a gem! They don't deserve her, and you know I'm being honest."
"But are you jealous?" Twilight persisted.
"I don't have to answer that." Applejack answered her. "I really don't want to talk about this. It's been hard on me."
So Twilight knows now too. Great.
Applejack walked away from her friend and was surprised to see Pinkie wasn't enjoying the party. Which was extremely weird since she was usually the loudest one in the room. Instead she was gone altogether, nowhere to be seen.
Applejack wanted something to focus on besides her hopeless feelings for Rarity, so she walked up the stairs and knocked on the door to Pinkie's room.
"I said no! Leave me alone!"
"Pinkie it's me! Applejack!" Applejack reassured Pinkie through the door. She gasped when her cousin opened the door. Her mane was completely straight.
"Oh no...what happened?" Applejack gasped softly. Pinkie looked away refusing to say anything.
"PINKIE! WHAT THE HELL!"
Pinkie flinched and slammed the door when a livid Rarity showed up right behind Applejack. Applejack turned to look at her and she was fuming.
"Rarity, what're you doin'?!" Applejack snapped. "Pinkie's crying a storm and you scared her!"
"Ace told me that she was harassing him trying to get him to hook up with her!" Rarity growled. "She's just hiding-"
"Rarity." Applejack hissed. "Ace is a total jerk! Do you really think Pinkie would even remotely like him?"
"What is your problem? Why are you putting down my coltfriend like that?!" Rarity protested.
"Because he's no good for you! And I love you too much to let you to date these jerks and idiots!" Applejack confessed.
Rarity's eyes widened, and Applejack thought it was because she called her past coltfriends jerks and idiots till she realized she admitted she loved Rarity.
Applejack heard the talking downstairs stop completely and she ran down the stairs to see Ace at the very bottom. He had heard everything she said.
"You bucking stay away from my marefriend you dumb pig!" Ace snarled. Applejack looked at Rarity who just now realized who was the real enemy here.
But it was too late, Applejack ran past Ace and bolted out of Sugarcube Corner in a desperate sprint to the barn. Tears flew from her eyes as she finally reached the door and flung it open and slammed it shut when she went inside.
She gave a loud cry of despair and buried her face in her hooves, still crying. After a short while, she felt a hoof on her shoulder.
"Sis, I'm so sorry."
"Apple Bloom? Why'd ya leave the *sniff* party?" Applejack whimpered.
"As soon as we heard you yell and you left, it went bad. Rarity was apologizing to Pinkie when Ace began yelling at both of them." Apple Bloom explained. "After Rarity dumped him and told him to get out, Dash knocked him out and dragged him back to his place."
"W-wait, all of you heard me say that I..." Applejack's sister nodded.
"Oh no...they must hate me!" Applejack gasped. Especially Rarity!
"Why would they hate you?" Apple Bloom asked. "You defended Pinkie when no one else did."
"C-cause they know I'm gay...you know I'm gay." Applejack whimpered. "What good is the Element of Honesty if she's gay?"
"What's wrong with that?" Apple Bloom tilted her head confused.
"Sis, this world is a lot less accepting of gays than ya think." Applejack sighed. "Our family may be fine with it, but all those other ponies aren't part of our family."
"Well, Rarity found out you were right about Ace. That's good right?"
"I guess...I'm going to my room. If anypony comes to the door to talk to me. Tell them they're not welcome right now." Applejack muttered. She shakily got up and walked past her sister.
I need to get myself together, the last thing I want is more drama so soon after what happened at the party.
Two weeks later
Applejack kicked her back hooves against the apple tree behind her and heard all the apples land into the bucket behind her.
"Y'all right, Applejack?" Big Mac asked while he was also kicking tree trunks.
"Ok."
"You sure you don't want help from your friends-"
"We're not friends anymore." Applejack sighed. "I haven't talked to them and Apple Bloom and Granny Smith kept any visitors away."
"Why?"
"I didn't want to see their reaction, so I cut them off. It's easier this way." Applejack answered.
"You can't avoid them forever."
"I can sure as hell try." Applejack huffed, she picked up the bucket and began heading back to the barn to put it there. And she froze as another pony came into view.
Rarity.
Applejack felt her heart leap yet she didn't run. She dropped the bucket and stood still as Rarity walked closer till they were only two feet apart.
"Applejack."
"Yeah?" Applejack stammered, feeling sweaty. "...heard ya broke up with Ace."
"I did, and Apple Bloom kept trying to keep me away. But I had enough, I don't want you to handle this alone." Rarity explained.
"What's there to do? I can't change-"
Rarity closed the space between them with a soft kiss on Applejack's lips. The farm pony's eyes were wide open before she gained her senses and closed her eyes and returned the kiss.
Applejack broke off the kiss, having trouble believing that Rarity would suddenly appear returning Applejack's feelings.
"I thought ya only liked stallions." Applejack blurted out.
"I thought I did too, but as the weeks without you passed, I thought of every gesture you gave me and realized how the pony that deserved me...was right in front of me." Rarity smiled as she put her hoof on Applejack's chest.
"That's the most cliché thing I've ever heard." Applejack snickered. "So you're...?"
"I'm bisexual." Rarity admitted. "You ponies can come out now."
Applejack looked over Rarity's shoulder to see the rest of their friends flying to them with Pinkie Pie running at the same speed. Twilight and Fluttershy hugged Applejack, and after they were done Rainbow Dash tackled Applejack and gave her a friendly noogie on her blonde mane.
After she was done, Pinkie was teary-eyed when she hugged Applejack.
"Thank you for defending me, I missed you so much!" Pinkie cried. "Never leave us like that again! Pinkie promise?"
"Absolutely." Applejack agreed.
Pinkie had explained that what really happened was during the party in the kitchen Ace had asked her on a date and when she refused, Ace threw a bunch of plates at her and she ran out of the kitchen and snuck her way upstairs to hide from him.
Fortunately, Ace was arrested for causing a disturbance and attempted assault. And Rarity was now Applejack's marefriend.
It was one hell of a struggle, but now she isn't with someone too mean or dumb for her. And even though we're very different, I'll try my hardest to make her feel like a queen.
"I love you too Applejack." Rarity whispered in her ear.
