A pair of seagulls glided around high up in the clear blue sky. Their calls softly pierced the steady sound of waves washing ashore.
Rarity watched the birds lazily. Her body was toasty warm and her head was leaned back to see skyward. She felt a gentle pat on her chest from above a layer of sand.
Applejack sat next to her on the beach. She had buried Rarity in the sand up to her neck, and was patting down the top of the mound which housed her girlfriend.
Rarity let out a long yawn.
"My stars, this sand is so warm it makes you sleepy," she professed. She closed her eyes and slowly rolled her neck, feeling a little tension release itself. Her eyes fluttered back open and looked out over the sea. "Not to mention the week I just had; I am beat!!"
"I thought you were Rarity," said Applejack. A soft tune filled the air as she began to whistle while she packed more sand.
Rarity blinked. She looked over to AJ.
"...I beg your pardon?"
Applejack leaned her head on her hoof and grinned.
"Said you was a beet. Don't remember datin' a vegetable." AJ looked up at the sky and scratched her chin. "Though you would probably fit more as a turnip. Ya know, yer white coat and all."
More blinks from Rarity.
"Is that supposed to be a joke? That's not even groan-worthy, darling." She watched as her girlfriend shrugged. Rarity gave a teasing glance. "You're turning into your grandmother, Applejack."
A snort of laughter escaped the farm pony. She laid herself over her partner's buried torso, creating an odd looking X on the shoreline. "I probably am," she said, feeling the warmth of buried treasure beneath her body. "Spent the morning with Granny."
"Oh?"
"Yes'm," replied AJ. Her eyes closed as she lowered her head and stretched out her back. "She wanted my help updating her will."
"Oh my," said the head in the sand, "that's certainly dark. Are you feeling okay?" She could barely move her head, but managed to stretch far enough to plant a light peck on Applejack's side.
A squeaky yelp came out of AJ as she shot up onto all fours. She took a deep breath and lowered herself back down before turning to Rarity and bopping her lightly on the nose.
"You KNOW I'm ticklish."
"Sorry!"
A white pillowy cloud rolled gently into view as Rarity leaned her head back once more. The birds seemed to have moved on, their caws no longer audible.
"Do you have a will?" asked Rarity.
She could feel AJ stir at the break in the silence.
"Naw," said Applejack plainly, "ain't really plannin' on dyin' anytime soon."
"Good."
Rarity looked down to see AJ smile. Green eyes moved to meet hers.
"What about you?" asked the emerald-eyed mare.
"Actually, I do."
Applejack seemed surprised by this. She turned her body, wrapping herself around the pony-sized mound of sand. Her hoof once again propped up her chin. "Really?" she said, and sounded intrigued.
"Yes, my darling," replied Rarity. "If anything happened, Celestia forbid, there are certain things I need to know will be taken care of. Ponies that will be taken care of, too."
More clouds rolled into view as Rarity thought. The waves were beginning to get closer to the pair as well.
"I would have Coco and Sassy inherit the stores and enough money to keep them afloat...or liquidize them, if they decided to. It would be their choice. That's fine."
"Makes sense," commented Applejack.
Rarity nodded before continuing.
"Besides that, I have my parents and Sweetie seeing enough money to make sure they are taken care of and comfortable. Then, of course, I have a similar amount set aside for you."
AJ's facial expression changed at that last statement.
"Wait," she said, cocking her head ever so slightly, "why am I in there?"
Rarity blinked again.
"Well, I don't know if you noticed," she said with a teasing grin, "but I am somewhat, a little bit, kiiiiiind of completely in love with you?" AJ smiled and laid her head down in the sand. "Applejack, you are my other half. There's no way around it, you're a big part of my life."
"I know that," AJ replied, "and I really love hearing you say that. I just didn't think you would need to leave me anything in that way."
That struck a chord with Rarity. She realized that it may have come off that she thought her dear Applejack couldn't support herself if something were to happen.
Rarity leaned forward, looking at her life partner intently. Applejack drew closer to her as if pulled by a magnet. Their noses touched as each pony closed their eyes.
"Please don't misunderstand," said Rarity gently, "I don't mean to imply your family needs anything from me." She leaned in and kissed AJ softly. "I know more than most ponies the integrity of the Apple family business."
"Buttering me up, aren'tcha?" said Applejack. Her voice purred with affection.
Rarity giggled quietly. "Is that bad?"
"I don't mind at all, sugarcube."
The sky was now overcast. A wave approached the two ponies before retreating back to the sea.
Rarity opened her eyes as Applejack pulled back to rest her chin under her hoof again.
Rarity let out a yawn.
"It's a shame they didn't have any of those sea salt ice creams up at the boardwalk," she said sleepily, "you know those are my-"
She stopped talking before tilting her head. Applejack probably didn't realize it, but she was making a bit of a face.
"Is something still troubling you?"
AJ paused, then turned to answer.
"No," she said in an awkward tone of voice, while still very much making a bit of a face. Her eyes stuck to her partner.
Rarity leaned her head down and raised her eyebrow.
"That is not true," AJ said without missing a beat.
"No kidding," said Rarity, rolling her eyes. "It sure is a good thing you aren't one for secrets, dear. Honestly." She gave a stern look. "Now, out with it."
Applejack let out a sigh. She rolled over on her back and looked up at the clouds.
"It's nothin' bad," she explained, "it's just I've got a sort of weird feeling about me, now that I know that. Like, if you were to pass, the thought that there's some mystery lump o' bits that would show up to my door..."
She lifted her front hooves up and moved them about while talking.
"I just picture some banker knocking on the front door at the farm. 'Oh hey your girlfriend is dead, so here's this.' And then there's a big bag of...bits, I guess? Next to him?"
"Darling, I think they would just send a cheque," Rarity deadpanned. "Ponies generally don't pay with bags of cash. I'm not the mafia."
She gave AJ a teasing grin, but dropped it quickly. Applejack was looking away with a somber expression.
"Ah, I'm sorry!" said Rarity. "I know I tease you too much, I said I would be better about that." A soft tone of regret ran through her words. She gave an apologetic look as AJ turned back to her.
"Oh no, you're fine, sweetheart." said Applejack. She closed her eyes and smiled for a moment. "Thank you for remembering that, though. That means a lot."
Her eyes opened to a Rarity trying her hardest not to be visibly proud of herself. The sound of the waves from behind her became more noticeable.
"So," said Rarity, clearing her throat, "still the money thing?"
"I think so," replied AJ. She got up and walked to the side of the buried pony. Setting her Stetson down as a headrest first, she laid on the beach next to her.
"Just a weird thing I can't fully picture."
"I can tell you how much it is." said Rarity matter-of-factly. "Would that help, darling?"
"Naw, you don't have to do that," replied AJ. She sounded a little embarrassed.
Rarity laughed.
"It's not a big deal," she said, "it's not a birthday present, dear. You could go to town hall and look it up."
"I can?"
"Applejack if I'm willing money to you, I would say that I trust you enough to see the will with your own 'gosh dern name awhn it'." Rarity slipped into a terrible impression of her partner's drawl at the end of her explanation.
Applejack snorted with laughter, while Rarity looked quite pleased with herself. The sky was darkening ever so slightly. Waves crawled up only a few feet from the couple.
"Awlright," said Applejack, wiping a tear from her eye, "shoot."
Rarity nodded. She craned her neck over and spoke quietly into AJ's ear.
Applejack's eyes widened. Rarity moved her head back to look at the sky once again.
"Oh, drat," said Rarity, frowning," it's starting to get dark." She lowered her view. "Oh my, it also seems the tide is coming in."
"R-rarity?" said AJ, stammering.
"Hmm?"
"Was that, uh," Applejack said, paused, shook her head, then continued, "was that a joke? That's not the real number, right?"
Rarity looked around in confusion, then to AJ.
"No?" she said in a slow manner. "That's the number, love."
Applejack looked at her hooves.
"Heavens to Betsy..."
"What is it?"
AJ looked back to her girlfriend.
"I, uh," she said, "I didn't realize how...MUCH money you actually have."
Rarity grinned sheepishly, blushing slightly.
"Darling, I run stores in Manehattan and Canterlot. Did you think I wasn't at least somewhat well-off?"
Applejack continued to gawk at the monumental royalty she was apparently willed. Rarity winced as a tiny splash of water hit her mane.
"Ack!" she yelped. "Okay, darling, the tide has officially come in. I think it is high time we made our way back to the boardwalk."
"We could rebuild the barns of every pony in the family..." AJ muttered to herself, still in a daze.
"Ahem, darling. Would you please be so kind as to unbury me?"
"...and health insurance for-" mumbled Applejack, before stopping herself. She stood up slowly, then looked down at the head in the sand.
"Hi," said Rarity with a gentle smile.
Applejack felt the water wash over her back hooves.
Rarity watched as AJ looked back towards land, then down to her again.
"...darling?"
Applejack walked slowly around the buried pony.
"Applejack!"
Rarity could hear the pitter patter of hoofsteps grow quieter behind her head. She looked down as a wave brushed up against her neck.
"APPLEJACK!?!"
The sound of the ocean grew louder in her mind. She leaned her head back as far as possible. Her breath quickened.
"Somepony HEEEEEELLLLLP!"
Makeup ran down her face as she began to bawl.
"WHHYYY MEEE?!? WHYY-"
Rarity immediately ceased all noise as she felt a tap on her head. She turned to see Applejack standing beside her. She had a blue Popsicle, with the stick in her mouth.
"Magic," AJ managed to say without moving her teeth.
Rarity blinked.
"Right, sure."
Her horn glowed a faint blue as the confection levitated above the two ponies.
With that, AJ approached her side, and put her front hooves down into the sand.
After barely a second of digging, AJ reached down and wrapped her hooves around Rarity's midsection.
"What are you-OH!" said Rarity, her voice jumping up an octave as she was plucked from her sandy grave.
Four hooves now on the ground, Rarity levitated the Popsicle next to her head and took a lick.
"Sea salt ice cream."
She looked towards AJ, and noticed something behind her in the distance. A blue stallion was pushing some sort of cart back towards the boardwalk.
"Sorry, he was about to close," said Applejack with a dry chuckle.
"Riiiiight," replied Rarity, dryer, squinting her eyes.
"You okay?" asked AJ. She stepped over and placed her hoof on Rarity's back, rubbing gently. "How do you feel?"
Rarity let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding in. She looked down at the hole in the sand and scoffed.
"Like a turnip."
Applejack lowered her head, snickering. Rarity walked out from AJ's hold, humming to herself. She walked away down the shore just a bit, so her girlfriend would still be able to hear her.
She grinned slyly, then turned her head halfway back to Applejack.
"At least I'm not a literal gold digger."
She turned and started to run down the beach, laughing heartily as she did. She smiled to herself as she heard the fast approaching gallop of one angry farmer behind her.
