Crossing the Line

This was terrible, absolutely awful. Rarity was pacing her kitchen, mortified beyond words.  Why did Applejack have to find out about last night?  There wasn't any explanation she could create, any apology she could give that would fix this.  Of all the worst things that could happen, this was... well, it wasn't good.

It wasn't as if she had cheated on Applejack, but somehow she felt like she had.  She was betting her friend thought very little of her now, and maybe didn't even want anything to do with her anymore.  She could give Applejack a heartfelt apology, and hope for the best, couldn't she?

“Yeah, I'm fine, thanks for asking.”

Rarity stopped pacing and looked over at Noteworthy.  “It's only a black eye.  You'll live.”

“It isn't only a black eye.” Noteworthy stood up, with a bit of effort, and pulled down his jeans and underwear.

“Oh dear...”

“She kicked me in the groin. Twice. And I think she was wearing steel toed boots.”  He pulled his pants back up and slowly sat back down on the chair, wincing as he did.

Rarity understood that his black eye and bruised testicles were probably going to make his drive home miserable, and possibly dangerous, but she wanted him to leave.  Now that she thought about it, it was a bit cruel to make him drive in his injured state... and she was the element of generosity, was she not?

“Noteworthy, I feel bad, so... you can keep those peas.  Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to forget your face as soon as possible. If you could gather your things and leave, that would be wonderful.”

Noteworthy grumbled something under his breath and slowly stood up again, then limped over to the stairs. Rarity ignored him and started her pacing once again.

She wanted to apologize to Applejack, but she realized that saying sorry wouldn't make much sense.  They weren't together, so she could sleep with whoever she wanted.  Why did she feel like she had some sort of romantic attachment to her?

Gosh, I don't know Rarity, maybe because you love her?

Rarity cringed at her own sarcastic thoughts.  That was exactly it, but she wasn't going to own up to her emotions any time soon.  But the fact of the matter was, Rarity had probably hurt Applejack, and she needed to put her own fears aside for a bit.  Even telling her that she hadn't intended for Applejack to meet Noteworthy would be better than doing nothing.

Speaking of which, Noteworthy had just reached the bottom of the stairs, and was hobbling to the door.    He begrudgingly said goodbye as he swung it open.

“Bye, tell the boys to get well soon.”

He shot her a one eyed glare, then slammed the door as he left.  Rarity snickered, and watched him from the window as he limped over to his car.

The walk to Sweet Apple Acres wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't for the heat.  Rarity didn't own a car since she typically used taxis for short distances and trains for longer ones, so she seemed to have no other option.  She considered bringing a parasol, but decided to simply tough it out for once.  At least this time she knew to wear good walking shoes.

Her thoughts circled around Applejack, and she tried to decide on what exactly she was going to say to her. Every time she thought of some line that might help smooth things over, she imagined Applejack's counter-argument, or her losing her temper.  So, she ended up scraping every idea, and decided it would be best to simply wing it.

It wasn't all that long before she was on the Apple family's doorstep.  She took a deep breath to steady her nerves, then knocked on the door.  Big Mac answered, and Rarity wasn't sure if she was relieved or not.

“Hey, you here for Sweetie Belle?”

“Actually... no.  I'm looking for Applejack.  Do you know where she is?”

“Eeyup.  She's pickin' apples on the orchard, should be just south of the barn.”

“Thank you Big Mac.”

He closed the door, and Rarity sighed. She wasn't excited about more walking, but went off in the direction of the barn.  The confrontation with Applejack was fast approaching, and Rarity's nerves were returning.  She considered going back, but spotted Applejack pushing a wheelbarrow through the orchard, and quickly tossed that notion aside.

She didn't seem to notice Rarity right away, watching the wheelbarrow of apples rather than the path in front of her.  Rarity went over, and spoke up to get her attention.

“... Hello.”

Applejack looked up, and set the wheelbarrow down when she saw her.

“Howdy Rare,”  Rarity prepared herself to be berated with insults or accusations. Instead, Applejack cheerfully asked, “What brings you out here?”

That wasn't what she had expected. “I... came out to see you.  I thought you might be upset.”

“Nah, Ah'm fine.”

Was there another cowgirl in town who could have showed up on her doorstep and attacked Noteworthy?  She didn't think so, but Applejack seemed to be too calm to have acted so irrationally.  She seemed to pick up on Rarity's confusion.

“Ah'm not upset that you were rollin' in the hay with some fella.”

“... You aren't?”

“No, Ah'm not.  Not anymore,” Applejack went and sat down at the base of a nearby apple tree, and motioned for Rarity to join her.  She did, despite the possibility of getting dirt or grass stains on her clothes.  “Rarity, Ah just want you to be happy.  If Ah ain't the one makin' you happy, then that's all right...”  Applejack's tone suddenly turned resentful, “But that damn Noteworthy ain't for you.  He was talkin' like you were some prize he'd won.  He's not the kinda guy you want to hang around... and Ah know ya well enough to see you're far from happy.”

Rarity was dumbfounded.  Applejack was supposed to be angry, jealous, or at the very least, judging her harshly.  Instead, she came out of nowhere with “I just want you to be happy”?  And was only upset at Noteworthy for talking about her like an object...?

“Weren't you jealous of my date with him?”

“Yeah, Ah was.”  Applejack was looking up into the tree, and Rarity was watching her intently.  “But Ah realized Ah should try'n let it go.  You prefer men, so a'course it ain't meant to be.  Long as you're with someone who treats ya right-”

Rarity had heard enough.  She lifted her hand to Applejack's cheek and turned her head to face her, and gave her a kiss.  Applejack's eyes widened in shock, but Rarity didn't see, hers were shut.  Her kiss was passionate and forceful...she had been wanting this for a while, and she could hardly control herself, let alone be gentle.

“You're too perfect,”  Rarity said breathlessly, pulling away only long enough to speak.  Applejack seemed to be resisting kissing her back, and when Rarity noticed, she was only more determined to get a reaction out of her.  Maybe she was in a state of shock?  But finally, Applejack started returning the kiss, and Rarity took this as the green light to go all out.

She pressed herself against Applejack, then decided that wasn't good enough, so she sat up on her knees, not breaking the kiss, and positioned herself so she was straddling Applejack's legs.  She needed to breathe, so she leaned away, and decided to get a feel of Applejack's body as she caught her breath. Her hands wandered up her t-shirt, and she immediately noticed how much softer her skin was, compared to a man's.  Did Applejack use a special moisturizer, or was that how women felt in general? She decided not to wonder why that was, and simply enjoy it.

She didn't notice,  Applejack looked conflicted.

Applejack's shirt had moved up with Rarity's hands, and she noticed the tan lines half way up her torso, as if she sometimes tied up her shirt up when she worked.  It was...sexy.  She wanted to see more.  Rarity removed her hands from the shirt, and started to undo the buckle on Applejack's belt.

“Rare, Ah'm a might unsure about this...”  Despite her complaint, Applejack didn't struggle, keeping her arms pressed up against the tree trunk behind her.  Rarity tugged at Applejack's jeans, but stopped once they were midway down her thigh. She was looking over Applejack's underwear. Boyshorts, with a design on the corner.  When she realized the design was of a bushel of apples, Rarity looked up at Applejack and smiled.

“You are so cute.”

Had Rarity ever wanted anyone this much? She didn't think so.  She started to pull Applejack's jeans further down, until Applejack succeeded at getting her attention.

“Rarity!”  She had to raise her voice, but at least it worked.  “Look...”  Applejack couldn't hold Rarity's gaze, so she looked away.  “Ah think you should go.”

Rarity was noticeably shocked, but finally managed to say something.  “Oh.”

Had she moved too fast for her?  It was all rather sudden, Rarity had to admit.  Or maybe... Applejack no longer had feelings for her at all?  Either way, the tables had turned, how painfully ironic... she was now the one being rejected, and it felt terrible.

Rarity stood, with as much dignity as she could, and Applejack pulled her jeans back to their proper place around her waist.

“I'll... be going then.”

The humiliation was unbearable, so without any further hesitation, Rarity started towards town.

“Do you need a ride?"

Rarity looked over her shoulder at Applejack, and smiled halfheartedly.

“I'll be fine.”

The weather was rather fitting, Rarity thought, since she had felt as though a cloud had been hanging over her for the past two days.  Now, being caught in a torrent, it seemed like her gloomy feelings had suddenly become tangible, and were soaking her to the bone.  She had an umbrella, but it wasn't very helpful; the wind was causing the rain to fall at an angle, and making it impossible to stay dry.

She had met a potential client for dinner, and now had a decent sized order to fill, which she knew she should be happy about, but instead felt like she had just been given a chore. She spent the last two days moping around, and she wasn't in the mood to return to work, yet knew it was probably for the best that she get back into her regular routine.  Sitting around feeling sorry for herself simply wouldn't cut it.  She needed to move on.

Through the downpour she could still spot her house, and sped up her pace once it came into view.  Not because she wanted to get out of the rain... but because there was a familiar pick up truck parked out front.

She closed her umbrella and fumbled with her keys once she reached her house, but finally managed to get the door unlocked and stepped inside.

Rarity quickly spotted Applejack, sitting at the kitchen table.  She had apparently been reading a book, which she put down when she spotted Rarity.

“Applejack?”

“Hey,”  Applejack greeted her with a wave, then gestured towards the book, “Somethin' Twilight let me borrow.  It's 'bout some pioneer... and borin' as the day is long.”

Rarity was confused, but tried not to jump to conclusions.  Applejack seemed happy; she was smiling, after all... but then again, she seemed anxious as well.  Oh, why did she have to be so hard to read?

“I see...” Rarity had forgotten just how uncomfortable she was in her wet clothes, more focused on Applejack, and the sudden rush of emotions the sight of her brought on.  Despite all that had happened, she felt as though playing it cool would be her best option.

“So, what brings you here?”

“Well, Ah decided to stop by,”Applejack started as she stood from the table, “And see if you two were prepared for the storm.  Sweetie Belle let me in.”

“You drove all the way here for that?”

Applejack shrugged and continued, “It's the neighborly thing to do, ain't it?  Well... Sweetie Belle asked me if it was all right if she spent the night with Applebloom again, so Ah drove her over to Sweet Apple Acres, but came back cuz Ah figured I should tell ya where your sister was.”

“Makes sense...”  Despite her words, Rarity thought something about the story seemed off, but she didn't want to call Applejack out on it, so she simply nodded. “Did you need anything else?  You might want to head out before the storm gets any worse.”

“You're eager to get rid of me, ain't ya...”  Applejack stepped around Rarity and started for the door. Once again, Applejack had managed to make Rarity feel terribly guilty, and she had to fix it.  So, right before Applejack reached the door, Rarity moved in front of it.

“I'm sorry, all right?  About the other day...  I'm sorry Applejack, I thought...”  Rarity paused, then looked down and sighed,  “I don't know what I thought.”

“I'll tell ya what ya thought.” Applejack folded her arms, and Rarity flinched, prepared for the worst.

“Ya thought our first time could be as unromantic as most fellas make it seem.  But Ah ain't most fellas.” With a chuckle, she added, “Ah ain't even a fella.”  That being said, Applejack took Rarity by the hand and started up the nearby stairs.  Rarity followed unquestioningly, her curiosity getting the best of her.  When they finally reached their destination, Rarity's bedroom, she gasped and raised a hand to cover her mouth.

The lights were off, but the room was lit by a number of candles placed all over, and in the dim light Rarity could see rose petals scattered across the bed.

“Our first time ain't gonna be up against a tree in the middle of my orchard.  It's gonna be done proper.”

“This... this is the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me.”  Applejack smiled at the approval, but suddenly, Rarity turned and whacked her on the arm. “Why couldn't you have just told me it was about the location?  I thought you hated me!”

“Cuz then Ah couldn't have surprised you,”  Applejack said as she rubbed the spot she'd been hit, “It wasn't easy, tellin' you to leave.” She looked very pleased with the situation, until Rarity started to frown.

“Applejack... I don't think I deserve this.  Or you... what happened between Noteworthy and I, it wasn't right of me to-”

“Oh, c'mon Rarity.”  Applejack rolled her eyes, and Rarity looked surprised at being cut off.  “Ya had a fling with some unsavory character... so what? We weren't together...”  Applejack took Rarity's hand again, and gave it a reassuring squeeze.  “But after tonight, Ah'd like to think that'll change.”

Without further ado, Applejack placed her hands on Rarity's waist and pulled her into a kiss, which was entirely unlike their first.  Applejack was being surprisingly gentle, and the kiss wasn't rushed in the slightest, giving it a much more sensual feel.  Rarity was entirely mesmerized by the way she was being kissed; slowly, but building up.  She hardly noticed as Applejack started to guide her into the room, and when they reached the bed, Applejack suddenly grabbed Rarity from behind the knees and plopped her onto it, drawing a startled gasp out of her.  She quickly regained her composure though, and sat up, starting to unbutton Applejack's top as she stood at the edge of the bed.

Applejack stood there as she removed her shirt, but the moment it was off, she crawled onto the bed, and Rarity retreated to the base of the headboard.  Applejack moved so she was on top of her, and after a quick once-over of Rarity, she broke the silence that had enveloped the room.

“Well, damn.  Never thought this would happen, to be honest...”

“Applejack, darling... as much as I appreciate it... can we please save the heartfelt musings for later?”  Rarity put a hand on the back of Applejack's neck and tried to pull her into a kiss, but she wouldn't budge.  Instead, and much to Rarity's frustration, she chuckled.

“Look at you, all fired up...”

Rarity was prepared with a retort, but before she could say anything, Applejack had started unbuttoning her blouse, and was surprisingly quick, despite using only one hand.  Rarity sat up for a moment to remove it the rest of the way, and Applejack took the opportunity to reach behind her and undo the white, lacy bra she was wearing.

Rarity took the two articles of clothing and dropped them onto the floor beside the bed, being careful not to hit any candles.  When she turned her attention back to Applejack, she was suddenly grabbed  by her shoulders and shoved back onto the bed.  The sudden use of force was startling, but welcome, as was the unexpectedly aggressive kiss Applejack had initiate.

Rarity quickly realized it was a lost cause battling for control of the situation.  Something had quite suddenly come over Applejack... suddenly, but wonderfully, though Rarity was curious what had been triggered in Applejack's mind.

Applejack had moved down from Rarity's lips, now leaving bites along her neck and shoulder, hard enough that they would probably leave marks.  It would be a blatant lie if she said she wasn't enjoying it, but bite marks on visible parts of her body simply wouldn't do.

“Darling... you can't leave marks.”  Her voice didn't sound quite as assertive as she would have liked.  In fact, she was a bit breathless, and her speech a bit forced.

Applejack sat up straight, looked down at her heavily breathing counterpart, and gave her a rather serious look.

“Ah'm gonna leave marks.”  It wasn't a question, or a request for permission.  “If anyone asks tomorrow, tell em it was some fella. But tonight, don't worry about anyone else... it's just us.”

After a moment of hesitation on Rarity's part, she finally nodded and smiled, which Applejack returned... until the heartwarming exchange was abruptly interrupted by Applejack shoving her hand down Rarity's pencil skirt.

“I don't get it... why can't we just, like, pick our own partners?”

Silver Spoon nodded, agreeing with Diamond Tiara while side-stepping a large puddle.

“I mean, someone like me shouldn't have to do a lame science project with a loser like Scootaloo...”

“Well, Featherweight isn't any better...”

“At least you know where he lives!”  With a snicker, Diamond Tiara added, “I bet Scootaloo's, like, an orphan, who sleeps on park benches.”

Silver Spoon chimed in with, “That would explain her taste in fashion; she's a hobo!”

Clad in fancy coats, skin tight jeans and designer rain boots, the two companions had no problem flaunting their rich girl statuses as they walked through town.  As they saw it, what was the point in paying the middle-class residents a visit if it wasn't going to remind them how ridiculously loaded their daddies are?  There was no point, really... well, except for finding out where exactly Scootaloo was, and then returning Featherweight's camera.

“I can't believe Featherweight left that nice camera at your house...”  Diamond Tiara glanced over at the purse dangling from Silver Spoon's shoulder, “What kind is it?  I'm going to ask daddy to get me one.”

“Oh, it's... um...”  Silver Spoon quickly retrieved the camera from her bag, and looked it over.  “I don't know, does it say somewhere on here?”

“Let me see it.”

With the camera in hand, Diamond Tiara stopped walking so she could examine it for a moment.  Silver Spoon continued on for a few steps, until she realized her friend wasn't beside her.

“Come on, there's Sweetie Belle's place... not much farther.”  As Silver Spoon spoke, Diamond Tiara looked up, and sure enough, Carousel Boutique was in sight. “She has to know where her loser friend is... then you can get your project over with.”

At that, Diamond Tiara shoved the camera into her own purse and once again picked up her pace.

“Ugh... looks like the miniature hick might be here, too.”  Diamond Tiara nodded towards the pick up truck parked out front, and Silver Spoon snickered at the comment.

“I know, right?  Just looking at her makes me feel grimy.”

Silver Spoon was the first to reach the door, and knocked once Diamond Tiara was beside her.  A few moments passed,  no one answered, and no noise came from inside.  Diamond Tiara knocked this time, hard, and the two waited again.  Silver Spoon walked over to the window to look inside.

“The lights are on...”

“This is stupid!”  Diamond Tiara was losing her patience, so rather than wait around, she swung the door open herself.  “Well, they have to be in here, or else the door wouldn't be unlocked. Come on.”

Once inside, it was clear the first floor of the boutique was empty.  Silver Spoon glanced around, puzzled, while Diamond Tiara looked fairly annoyed.

“What kind of idiot leaves their shop unlocked and leaves?”  In a huff, Diamond Tiara started towards the staircase.

Silver Spoon didn't follow, looking uncomfortable at being in someone else's home while they weren't.  “If they're gone, shouldn't we just go?”

“I'm just going to check up here... be right back.”

Silver Spoon watched her friend disappear up the staircase, and then waited quietly in the middle of the boutique.  A few minutes passed, and she started nervously tapping her foot, wondering why Tia was taking so long.  If she had managed to find Sweetie Belle, wouldn't she have finished asking about Scootaloo by now?  Or, at least, called down the stairs to say she had found someone?

A few more minutes went by, and just as Silver Spoon was getting ready to head up the stairs herself, Diamond Tiara came charging down them.

“What-”

Diamond Tiara grabbed Silver Spoon's wrist as she ran by, and practically dragged her out of the boutique.

“What's going on?”  Tia had released her friend, and quickly shut the door behind them.  Silver Spoon noticed she was holding Featherweight's camera, and gave her a confused, worried look.

Diamond Tiara quickly tucked the camera into her purse, and glanced around to see if anyone nearby was watching.  “Let's get out of here first... we were never here, all right?”

“What...?  You're freaking me out a little.”

“I'll explain at home...”  Diamond Tiara started away from Carousel Boutique, and Silver Spoon quickly regained her spot walking beside her. “For now, let's just say... all of Gabby Gums' stories combined never came close to the dirt I just got.”