Equestria Girls: Bonds Forged of Friendship I (Love)

A deep chill ran up Applejack's spine as slender fingers caressed at her bare back.

“R-Rarity, I—”

“Shhh,” her friend gently urged, “...don't speak, Applejack...”

It was all the farm girl could do then not to let loose an errant yelp or gasp, especially against the many strokes and touches that kept startling her body. Every time she thought it was finally over, silken hands would suddenly press themselves against another part of her, and cooled palms would make her increasingly heated skin tingle all the more.

Just a dream...just a dream...

But Rarity's skin wasn't the only thing assaulting Applejack's senses then, either.
The countless glances at her perfect figure—from head to toe and from so many angles—as she repeatedly leaned into and over the farm girl.
The light whiffs of her scent—a delicate potpourri of lotions, shampoo, and good ol' natural aroma—which lingered whenever she circled around slowly.
Even the occasional melodious moan or hum started to make the heart skip a beat, if only out of fear that it meant something had gone wrong somewhere.

It was all just so much to take in, and there was nothing that she could do to resist...

Gotta...gotta be dreamin' again...

Suddenly, and as if remaining quiet hadn't been difficult enough already, Applejack felt Rarity's hand settle on her inner-thigh, right at the edge of her skirt. Never before had she been so grateful for a sturdy layer of denim—and that was saying something coming from an outdoors gal—but the fashionista didn't linger there long. Instead, her hand slowly slid upward, breaching the fabric frontier and making its way unhindered towards far more...sacred territory.

Forget dreamin'; this is a dang nightmare!

Sadly for the quivering cowgirl, neither option was the case then...
This was all far too torturous to just be a dream...
And it was far too slow for a nightmare...
No...this was worse...far worse...

...This was a fitting...

Had it really been a whole week already?

One week since Rarity's return to Canterlot? One week since Equestrian Magic began wreaking havoc yet again? One week since everyone banded together to help with Twilight's Telemeter 2.0? It's amazing just how fast time can fly...and how much things can change.

There was a time not too long ago when serving as a glorified mannequin would've been little more than an inconvenience for Applejack. Of course, and to be perfectly frank, this had always been a horrifically boring task, one way or another. All you do is stand ramrod-stiff for hours on end, usually in some sort of awkward pose that was anything other than comfortable. The whole thing was tedious, took forever, and often left the muscles feeling more than a little stiff. But while it would've been lying to say that she was never a begrudging participant in such a chore, Applejack was nevertheless always willing to do as much for her best friend.

The same could also be said with regards to practically being naked, which was always crucial when measuring for form-fitting frocks. Few of Rarity's models were ever willing to acquiesce to such a condition, but Applejack had always been different—or, rather, indifferent. As often as the two had seen each other in swimsuits and other revealing attire, let alone just how comfortable she usually felt around Rarity, the farm girl never before saw any reason to be that bashful or insecure of herself. If anything, she used to be far more bothered by all of the actual standing rather than just standing around in her undies.

And yet here she stood now, with naught but a skirt and some undergarments on to barely shield her from such an unfamiliar sense of embarrassment—let alone her best friend's hand stopping just short of sliding onto third base then...

...Least I got to keep my hat on....yee-haw...

Rarity's fingers wrapped around Applejack's thigh, raising and lowering to gauge which part caused them to stretch out the most. From there, the fashionista tried her hardest to maneuver measuring tape around her friend's leg. However, between the denim curtains that both obscured her vision and hampered her movement, as well as the farmer's own inopportune squirming then, she simply couldn't get the measurements that were absolutely integral for the rest of this piece to work.

“Darling,” she said, with just the slightest hint of exacerbation, “would you mind?”

“Oh! Uh...'c-'course not...”

In actuality, the farmhand would mind. She would mind a lot... but Rarity had already been willing to compromise with her so much on all of this. It was a miracle even being permitted to keep her skirt on at all. How could she possibly refuse something as simple as just...lifting it up...a little...

With as much willpower as could be mustered, Applejack steadied her hands as she obliged to her friend's request.

“Hmm... A little more, please.”

…...With as much willpower as could be mustered, Applejack steadied her hands as she obliged a little more to her friend's request...

“Perfect! Won't be but a minute.”

Sure enough, a minute was all that it took. In that brief stretch of time, Rarity managed to measure not only Applejack's thighs, but also her knees, calves, and even the insteps.
In all of her past fittings, the farm girl usually found this process to drag on mercilessly; however, at this particular juncture, she genuinely appreciated—perhaps for the first time ever, really—just how quickly her friend could get these sorts of things done. Funny how the desire to no longer be borderline flashing someone can throw things into perspective.

“Annnd...finished!” Rarity sang, all the while arising from off of her knees. “See, darling? Told you we could get this done promptly! And you didn't even have to discard your skirt, just as promised!”

“Heh...y-yup,” the cowgirl replied, still feeling rather jittery from the past half-hour of contact. “You were—you were right, haha...”

With that, the young tailor gaily rushed over to her workstation and began rustling through the drawers for fabrics, supplies, and who knows what else. In the meantime, her model seized on this all too brief opportunity to finally recollect herself. Amazing how even standing still could take its toll under the right circumstances.
Sadly, while Applejack's heart gradually settled down then, her restless mind chose instead to wander, and ultimately settled on the young lady that had already captured her eyes' resting gaze.

How in the world could anyone go from looking beautiful one moment, to cute in the next, and then to pretty in another? They were all supposed to mean the same thing, for crying out loud! That was a stick-shift well and truly beyond a simple farmhand's comprehension, but Rarity somehow pulled it off effortlessly. She always could, too...
Right now, as she was attentively rummaging through that mess of materials—sporting those designer frames and a veritable sash of threads along her shoulders. How her lips puckered and curled over the smallest of details. How her half-lidded eyes conveyed such zen-like tranquility, only to absolutely light up when the perfect material caught her attention. No doubt about it; 'pretty' was definitely on full display then, and—

Ah, knock it off...

The farmer could barely even muster enough energy to rebuke herself.
What did it matter? Thoughts like that had become so commonplace now, to the point that anxiety didn't even register much anymore. Nowadays, she just felt more annoyed by them, regretful of them...and maybe...even just a little—

Enough, already...

...What was Applejack even doing here?
After an entire week of following Sunset Shimmer's advice to the letter, things were finally starting to feel a bit more normal around here, just as theorized. Having others around, keeping busy with tasks, making sure never to dawdle for too long. It was all in the name of steadily acclimating to her best friend's presence again, and it was working! Believe it or not, when she wasn't being vigorously frisked while standing around half-naked, Applejack could at least present herself as being far less awkward around the fashionista lately.
Okay, so her eyes still idly searched for Rarity at most gatherings...and her heart still fluttered whenever Rarity finally showed up...and she somehow found herself always gravitating towards Rarity no matter what...and the way Rarity's hips were swaying so gently then, as if she was merely gliding through the—

NOW CUT THAT OUT!

“So,” Applejack said, having finally calmed down enough to shush her own thoughts for the time being, “reckon we all set?”

“Indeed! Thank you so much again, Applejack! I realize that this was all rather last-minute, but I simply couldn't wait to get started any longer!”

Before the cowgirl could even respond, Rarity was once again buzzing about her, tossing threads over one shoulder and fabrics over the other. At least she finally had something to cover her newly developed shame.

“Nah, ain't nothin'. Did say I would help ya, after all. Just...sorry it took so long to actually find the time.”

“Oh, pfft! It's been a busy time for us all, darling. If it isn't school or work, then our run-ins with Equestrian Magic have certainly become quite the time-sinks as of late.”

“Shoot, that's sure puttin' it lightly,” she replied, still feeling the dull ache in her shoulder from those so-called time-sinks. “'Xactly how many world-endin' crises have we had to hogtie now?”

“Ugh, I know... First, we're unwilling assistants to Trixie's performance. Next, we're sieging against a castle of chrysanthemums ruled over by Wallflower Blush...”

“Yeah... An' those weren't half as bad as tryin' to wrangle in Zephyr Breeze all 'round the mall.”

“Indeed. One can certainly appreciate his entrepreneurial gusto, but using magic to demonstrate toys and other ridiculous gadgets is a bit too aggressive. Oh, poor Fluttershy... You could really tell how concerned she was for her brother, not to mention mortified by most of his sales pitches.”

“Heh, that's fer sure... But he seems to be doin' a lot better now. Same fer Trixie an' Wallflower. Least all these adventures have had a happy endin' so far.”

“Still though, it is a shame just how spot-on Sunset's prediction is turning out to be. I doubt even she expected this magic to dominate so much of our free time... Honestly, can't this evil entity from another realm appreciate how some people's schedules are busy enough as is!?”

For a moment, Applejack expected her friend to go off on one of her dramatic rants then—and not entirely without good reason, to be fair. Between schoolwork, actual work, and helping with Twilight's own work this week, everyone's plates had already been quite full. These incidents with Equestrian Magic were just those extra little helpings of liver to make this whole meal all the more unpleasant to stomach. No doubt it was all rather frustrating to put up with, and that must've been especially true for the girl who just got settled back in.

Rather than whine and moan about it, however, the fashionista merely released a sharp sigh, not unlike a kettle letting off a bit of steam. A moment later, and in a surprising display of self-control, she returned to her excited demeanor whilst fishing around for a few more supplies.

“But...the important thing is that we're here now! And in a moment, we shall be ready to seize the seams, as it were, haha!”

“Heh...y'all sure yer the real Rarity? Woulda reckoned ya'd be havin' withdraws by now, what with not sewin' nothin' in so long.”

“Oh, ha ha, Applejack!” the clothier replied playfully. “Let me assure you that I keep a travel kit with me at all times. So, even if it's just a little button or a stitch, I never go too long without sewing something, hmhmhm!”

At that, the cowgirl couldn't help but chuckle, albeit timidly.
Watching her best friend just having fun and joking around then...it was easy to get caught up in that enthusiasm, and it almost made all of her worries disappear. Realistically speaking, what was she even still worrying about? The hardest part of this fitting was over. Now it was just a matter of holding some supplies and offering some honest feedback. Applejack could easily handle that!
Maybe this hadn't been such a bad idea after all. Maybe this was actually her chance to finally loosen up a little...to let her guard down and just...naturally enjoy spending some time with Rarity for a change. Maybe...she could even...talk about—

...Please...don't...

“Alright!” the fashionista said, spinning around gracefully to address her model. “I believe that we are all set! Shall we begin, Applejack?”

“Yes!” she hastily replied, once again quick to push her thoughts as far away as possible. “Er, um...y-yeah... So, uh, who's the—who's the first lucky gal to get some spiffy new rags!?”

Rarity allowed that question to hang in the air for a few seconds, and in that short amount of time, an entire conversation played out between the two. As a predatory smile formed along the fashionista's lips, and a single mischievous brow raised to highlight how obvious the answer should've been, Applejack could only respond with widening eyes and an audible gulp. So much for the hardest part being over...

“......Oh.”

From there, and in a few short hours, it all went downhill.
At first, Rarity was so ensconced in her own work, more so than even her model, that she cheerfully filled the air with her own deliberations and bemused musings. However, every so often, the seamstress would raise a sudden concern or query to her friend, and the increasingly extemporized responses never sounded particularly compelling...

“You've lost quite a bit of weight since last we did this, darling,” she pointed out early on, whilst working on the hemline. “Have you been eating enough, lately?”

“Oh, uh...a-ain't nothin' to worry 'bout. Reckon harvestin's just...been a bit of a workout lately, haha...”

That wasn't technically a lie! Everyone knew that harvesting, let alone farm work in general, was an easy way to drop a few extra pounds. Of course, so was stressing out about...other things...

“My goodness, darling!” she declared later on, in the middle of making sure that the sleeves weren't too snug. “Your arms are positively trembling! Do you need to sit down!?

“Oh! Y-Y'all noticed that too, huh!? Nah, it's just... L-Like I said, it's a-a might chilly in here, is all! Same reason I-I didn't strip all the...all the way down...y-ya know?”

That wasn't a lie, either! Rarity did often tend to keep her home a little bit cooler than Applejack would've preferred.
Not enough to make her shiver with chills, exactly, but...

“Applejack?” she eventually asked, halting her entire production just to place a concerned hand on her friend's shoulder. “...Are you...quite certain that you're alright?”

“I...I-I...Y-Yup! Sure as sugar! I—I'm feelin' pretty—pretty good, haha!”

That—okay, that definitely wasn't a lie! She said pretty good; not great or perfect!
And compared to a week ago, she was doing a heck of a lot better with her...well...whatever!

Each response felt flimsier than the last, and the non-lies were clearly doing little to convince the clothier of her friend's well-being.
Eventually, however, all of the questions and observations just stopped, and Rarity continued on with her work largely in silence. That should've been a welcomed reprieve, but somehow it proved even more off-putting to Applejack, who could only take note of just how much her friend's jovial disposition seemed to be ebbing away. Of course, the seamstress wasn't always one for words when in the middle of her latest coup de couture, but this felt different...and it only fueled the fears that this whole fitting was a terrible mistake all along.

By the third hour, just as things were apparently wrapping up, Applejack was all but convinced that she had ruined this for Rarity...and was cursing herself with every thought...

What in the world was she thinking? Why did she agree to a fitting of all things!?
Holding pins and critiquing clothes were one thing, but modeling for them!? She had absolutely NO business being here right now, especially not while in this state of mind! Bad enough she kept wondering how maybe—

Stop...

...Why a fitting!? Why even take the risk of visiting Rarity's house!? This foolish farmhand was completely out of her element here, and not just because of all the hoity-toity get-ups! She couldn't even be honest with the young tailor anymore! Instead, she just kept dancing around this issue, all the while making things weirder between them because she was too afraid to face the idea that maybe it was alright to—

STOP!

...And after an entire week of getting things back on track...
Feels like that all went right out the window, alongside this whole ordeal! Applejack could only imagine how frustrated Rarity must've been with her behavior by now—if her friend's visual cues weren't already enough of a dead giveaway. The increasingly furrowed eyebrows, the pensive looks, the flashes of worry and irritation that peppered this past hour. It was all because of her...and her stupid feelings...and this STUPID thought that maybe it was alright to be in—

JUST STOP IT ALREADY! WHAT AM I EVEN GOIN' ON ABOUT!? I SHOULDA JUST STAYED HOME! I SHOULDA JUST STUCK TO SUNSET'S PLAN! WHY THE HECK AM I EVEN HERE!?

...Because she wanted to be...
...She just...wanted to be with Rarity again...
...Was that so wrong? They were best friends, after all...

Best friends... That's all they were...right?
That's what they've always been... That's what she always believed she wanted them to be...
One week ago, Applejack even confided that she just wished things could go back to normal between them. Ever since, Sunset had been trying to help with that—either by offering advice or by making sure the two were consistently occupied or accompanied by others—and bless her heart, the effort wasn't unappreciated.
But no matter how many friends were around...Applejack couldn't resist ending up close to Rarity. No matter how much fun she was having, or how much work she was knee-deep in...she couldn't help but feel especially lively whenever Rarity was involved. No matter how many adventures they all shared in, or how much danger they all got into...she couldn't deny feeling so much stronger just having Rarity nearby.

Indeed, no matter how close things got back to normal...they just didn't feel like it...

...But the strangest thing of all—and the scariest realization for the farmer—was that all of this was normal. This was how their relationship had been for so long now. She just...never realized it...until her best friend had disappeared from her life...

This thought... It was so terrifying. So impossible. So wrong.
And yet...it was growing so much harder to ignore.
Every day, Applejack caught herself wondering about it more and more. She wondered if perhaps this was what normal was always meant to become. She wondered if this was even better than normal. She wondered if Rarity ever felt the same way...
She wondered...

...Would it really be so bad...if I...if we...we were more...than just—

“APPLEJACK!”

“HUH!?” the farm girl yelped, her mind suddenly lassoed back to the here and now.
Exactly how much time had passed since she started daydreaming was beyond her, but it was apparently long enough for a very concerned Rarity to be standing right in front of her.

“Darling, are you alright!?”

“Uh...Y-Yeah, I'm—I'm fine. Sorry, just...trailed off there fer a—fer a moment... W-What were y'all sayin' again?”

For a few seconds, Rarity seemed just as uncertain of that question as Applejack was. She looked so worried and doubtful then, and was unable to utter even a single word before indecision once again pinched her lips back shut.
Eventually, however, and with a single deep breath, all of that emotion simply drained from her face, and she regarded the farm girl with a calm, almost stone-cold expression.

“...It...It doesn't matter...”

The fashionista turned around and stepped back over to her workstation, never once looking back at her friend. She placed her hands firmly against the stand and took a couple more rhythmic breaths. Needless to say, whatever this was, Applejack was certain that it was about to get much worse.

“I...I'm real sorry, Rarity. I-I didn't mean to—”

“NO, APPLEJACK!” she snapped, turning to face her friend. Her eyes were suddenly alight with passionate outrage, and her voice was unwavering in its ferocity as she continued.

“I absolutely refuse to stay silent any longer! I should have discussed this with you much sooner, but I was simply too afraid to! Well, no more!”

“W-Wait, what!? What—Wh-What're y'all talkin' about!? Discuss what!?”

“YOUR FEELINGS, OF COURSE!”

And like that, Applejack's heart stopped dead in its tracks. This might not have qualified as a nightmare before, but it was turning into a waking one in front of her very eyes right then.

“...M-My...My feelin's?” she repeated, barely able to control the tremble in her voice. “Y-You mean...ya know?”

“Of course I know! How could I not!? What with how you've been acting all day!? The silence, the avoidance, the refusal to model like usual! I'm not an imbecile, darling! I know full-well when you're concealing something, and I also know what that something is this time!”

Nothing but pride stopped the farm girl from tearing up then.
It never dawned on her beforehand, but Rarity probably would've made a good lawyer. Perhaps all of those Shadow Spade novels had taught her how to deduce and capitalize on people's lies. She was certainly ripping away at Applejack's like tissue then, all the while forcing her to simply stammer out the truth.

“But I...I-I just didn't... I-I-I didn't want things to—to get awkward between us...”

“Awkward? AWKWARD!? Applejack, do you think these past few hours haven't been awkward enough already!?”

The fashionista stepped up to her friend then, stopping just a couple feet short of their noses bumping together. Suddenly, all of her indignation seemed to evaporate as her tone grew much more somber and her gaze drifted down in disappointment.

“...Frankly...I'm almost hurt...that you'd think I couldn't bear hearing such news...”

“I...I'm sorry...”

Applejack's mind was a deafening maelstrom of emotions. Guilt, confusion, fear—she felt it all, and so much more. She was paralyzed by a pair of wounded sapphire eyes and wished for nothing more than to somehow reassure them that this was all just a misunderstanding.
Of course, she didn't expect that wish to actually come true then...let alone in the way that it ultimately did.

“...But,” Rarity finally said, her hands gently clasping at Applejack's, “...I know that's nothing...compared to how I've hurt you... And for that...I'm sorry...”

“No, I'm sorry! I'm sorry fer not tellin' ya how I....... Wait.........huh?”

For a second there, the cowgirl swore that her mind had all but shut down, as certain things just didn't seem to be computing no matter how much she tried to process them.

Did Rarity...just apologize?
Why exactly was she apologizing?
Also, where was she walking over to then?
Why did all of the bedroom's lights just turn off!?
Where was that dramatic music suddenly coming from!?
...JUST WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW!?

It all came down to this...
After an entire week of meticulous preparation and tireless rehearsal, Rarity's golden opportunity had finally arrived.
Admittedly, not everything had gone as planned with her big surprise thus far. She certainly would've preferred putting things into motion much sooner, after all, and there simply hadn't been enough time yet to get much work done on her friends' wardrobes.
What was most problematic, however, were these past few hours.

The circumstances couldn't have been more perfect. Just her and Applejack—together and alone at last in an environment that she was thoroughly comfortable in, and with no other obligations on the horizon. And yet, despite having all of the chances in the world right then, Rarity kept finding herself suddenly stricken with nervousness and doubt as so many conundrums kept popping up in her mind.

What if drawing attention to her friend's feelings only made them worse? What if Applejack simply wanted to move on? After how much better the two had been all week, what if this would simply reset all of their progress?

These and a hundred other worries increasingly sounded off in Rarity's mind as the fitting continued, and they steadily manifested as mistakes in her usually flawless work. So much wasted time hesitating and correcting avoidable mishaps in her sewing. It was as horrid as it was infuriating for her!

And what about poor Applejack!? She could only imagine how frustrated the farmer must've been with her unusual behavior by now—if all the visual cues weren't already enough of an indicator. The fibbing, the trembling, the flashes of frowny eyebrows that inundated this past hour. It was all because of her...and what she had done...and what she was doing now...

It wasn't too late to bow out gracefully. Indeed, perhaps if things were just left alone, it would all eventually just go back to normal. Maybe that was for the best...

By the third hour, Rarity opted just to try and finish things up as quickly as possible. She couldn't possibly go through with things now, and she couldn't bear making Applejack stand around against her will any longer.

...But then she saw her best friend...
She saw one of the strongest, most dependable, most amazing people she'd ever been lucky to know...standing there and staring off into space...looking so conflicted...so lost...and so saddened.
At that moment, and despite still feeling so nervous, the fashionista no longer hesitated. She couldn't afford to any longer. She HAD to do this...for Applejack.

And so, after making sure that cowgirl's attention was squarely on her, and with naught but a window to serve as her makeshift spotlight, Rarity began to deliver the apology of her life.

“Yes, Applejack... I understand exactly what you've been feeling as of late! After how I so cruelly abandoned you to go gallivanting off in the big city, leaving you to harvest all on your lonesome, it's only natural that you would still harbor such resentments toward me!”

“...Wait,” the farmer said, as the last horse finally crossed the finish line, “THAT'S what ya think this is all—”

“Darling, please, I'm on a roll” Rarity interrupted, pressing a dainty finger against her friend's lips.
With that, she strutted back over to the spotlight and carried on with things.

“Now, where was I?... Oh, yes! Ahem!......OH, WOULD THAT I COULD CHANGE MY ACTIONS, AND RIGHT THE MANY WRONGS THAT I HAVE WROUGHT! TO HAVE HURT MY CLOSEST FRIEND'S FEELINGS SO! IT BREAKS MY HEART JUST THINKING ABOUT IT!”

Suddenly, the seamstress disappeared into the darkness, though Applejack could clearly see her behind a folding screen as she hurriedly got changed into...something else.

“TRULY, I APPRECIATE HOW BRAVE YOU—oops, uh—HOW BRAVE YOU HAVE BEEN THUS FAR, DEAREST APPLEJACK! TRYING SO HARD TO MASK YOUR LINGERING RESERVATIONS TOWARDS ME, SWALLOWING THEM JUST TO PUT UP WITH ASSISTING ME! BUT I SIMPLY CANNOT—oh, come on—CANNOT ALLOW YOU TO SUFFER IN SILENCE ANY LONGER!”

Rarity's silhouette stepped out from behind the screen and glided back over toward the light-switches. Her voice suddenly took on a much more subdued tone, partially for dramatic effect...and possibly because she was growing winded from all the rushing around.

“And while...I have been nothing but sincere in my apologies thus far...I know that they alone cannot make up for everything that I've done. But actions speak louder than words, and THIS—”

The lights flicked back on, and Rarity basked in the revelation that she was wearing...something that actually looked kinda plain—at least to Applejack. It was just a jacket, some jeans, and some boots, after all. But the fashionista seemed incredibly pleased with it, and continued on unfettered towards her grand finale.

“This shall be the greatest declaration of our friendship! May I present to you...YOUR NEWEST HARVESTING ASSISTANT!”

Annnnd...scene!

…Applejack was...

Not exactly confused...
It actually wasn't hard to figure out what her friend was suggesting at all. Rarity wanted to atone for missing out on the harvest earlier and thought that the best way to do so would be to actually follow through with her original promise. Pretty simple, really...

Not exactly relieved...
It was great knowing that all of this tension was apparently over something completely unrelated to her feelings, especially since her friend was none the wiser to them. But that didn't change the fact that the farm girl clearly had a lot of baggage to sort through in her mind...

Definitely not any less conflicted, worried, or self-conscious...

And yet, the seamstress's performance then.
It was quite a typical stunt for her to pull, and yet the whole thing felt remarkably unusual. To see her beaming with pride over such simple looking duds. To hear her sound so excited over the prospect of an actual hard day's work.
It was all so dramatic and over-the-top, and yet not a second of it felt forced or hollow. Between every grandiose delivery were heaps of genuine emotion. Under each hyperbole was a rock-solid foundation of truth.
So standard, yet so surprising... So hammy, yet so heartfelt...
So Rarity...

At that whole performance, Applejack was...suddenly unable to stop herself from giggling, much to her friend's surprise.

“Darling?”

And before she had time to explain, her giggles quickly evolved into some hearty chortles, much to her friend's growing provocation.

“Applejack? What in the world is so funny!?”

And like that, she was brought to her bared-knees by teary-eyed laughter, much to her friend's insulted disposition.

“APPLEJACK!?”

“Sss—HAHAHA—S-Sorry, I—I'm sorry! Hahaha! It's just, seein' ya prancin' around an'—pfffttt—an' usin' yer window like a spotlight, an tryin' to change real quick—haha—'specially in that getup!”

“And what is wrong with my outfit!? I worked myself to death on it, and it's perfect for a day down on the farm!”

“I know, I know,” she replied, finally regaining enough composure to stand up and stop herself from braying too loudly. “Heh heh—I'm sorry. There ain't nothin' wrong with it. Promise. It's just...fer all that build-up, I woulda reckoned y'all to be in something a bit more...fancy? Like a gown or something?”

“And how is 'a gown' practical for harvesting!?”

“It ain't, but—hmhm—you ain't always been one fer practical. Remember the Battle of the Bands? Y'all strolled up wearin' enough metal strips fer a new roof! Ya couldn't even hardly move!”

“Hmph! I'll have you know, darling, that I am not simply a one-trick pony! True, I do try my hardest to look absolutely fabulous in anything I wear, but I can also dress for whatever the occasion requires. You simply don't appreciate all of the effort that goes into my outfits...”

Silly as it might seem, Applejack always had fun prodding at Rarity's prickly side. There was something about her comical outrage and grandiloquent mannerisms that just made it easy to riff off of.
Perhaps that was why, given how natural their flow truly was then, the cowgirl suddenly let loose exactly what was on her mind then.

“Haha... Well, yer half right, I guess. Y'all always look real pretty no matter what get-up you got on, so it's a little hard to 'ppreciate......that kinda...fussin'?”

As that response dragged along to its natural conclusion, the implications of what Applejack said quickly dawned on her.
Did she just...call Rarity pretty? Real pretty?
That was such a bold statement...such a dangerous line to cross...

And it was the absolute truth.
No omitted details, no superfluous excuses, no carefully crafted assurances. It might've been a little embarrassing, but that was as genuine a feeling as she had ever known, and it was the most honest thing she'd said in days...
And it felt good to say that. Better than good!
And all this time, the farm girl was so worried that the slightest mistake might ruin everything...but it hadn't. Rarity didn't even look mad then. Surprised and perhaps a little flustered, sure—there was that cute side on display—but it wasn't like their relationship had ended. They were still together. They were still best friends.

“But...I can 'ppreciate how much work ya put into yer clothes...an' how much thought y'all clearly put into this. Thank ya, Rarity.”

“I...... W-Well...That is, I-I... You're welcome,” Rarity mumbled, unable to look her friend directly in the eyes then. “...W-Well then... Does this mean...I may be permitted to join you for the harvest?”

It's actually kind of amazing.
So much about this fitting had been an absolute nightmare. And yet, despite all of that, Applejack no longer regretted being there for it. Maybe it was because she had just been making a mountain out of a molehill this whole time. Maybe it was because her best friend had managed to give her a genuinely good laugh. Or maybe...it was because she finally had to admit, even if only for a moment......how she really felt about Rarity......and how wonderful that made her feel.

She clearly had some hard thinking to do these next couple of days...but one way or another, the idea of spending more time together...suddenly started feeling so much more right.

"Heh...sure, sugarcube. I'd be real happy to have ya..."

There she goes again. How did Applejack always manage to know exactly how to disarm and disorient her? Her face suddenly felt even hotter than it did seconds ago, and she was so worked up then that her fingers couldn't help but fidget needlessly. However, despite all of that...her ire had completely faded away.
Of course it did. Somehow, Applejack always knew just how to make her feel better...how to make her feel as pretty as she so brazenly claimed a moment ago...how to make her feel...so...

“S-So,” Rarity said, quick to dismiss such a...such a silly thought... “How does... How does Saturday sound?”

Next Time: Good Talks