Equestria Girls: Bonds Forged of Friendship I (Love)

Three days to go...

That was the remaining amount of time that Rarity had left on Sunday. Three days before her vacation in Manehattan finally came to an end, whereupon she'd be boarding a return flight to Canterlot that would make landfall by Thursday evening.
In hindsight, it's amazing just how quickly things had changed around here...and how much her perspective on that time limit had shifted.

When she awoke early on Sunday morning, those looming 72 hours seemed like a grueling eternity—a lengthy battle of attrition that, along with the rest of the city, she couldn't wait to have as far behind her as possible.

But now, as street lamps began to illuminate the evening rush outside, three days was suddenly nowhere near enough time. Why in the world had she whiled away so many hours in premature defeat when there was still so much work that needed to be done!? So much to recall, so much to draw inspiration from, and most importantly, still so much left to create! And yet, there was just so little time left for any of that.
It was a daunting challenge indeed...but it was also one that Rarity relished. To once again be working under such pressures with naught but liberal amounts of confidence, conviction, and caffeine to push her through. Simply put, it felt like a return to form; a return to the person that she's always been proud of. To think that the fashionista had almost forgotten what it meant to truly be one...were it not for the most wonderful people to have ever blessed her life...

In the midst of her sister's latest project, Sweetie Belle entered their hotel room with her usual boisterous flair, kicking the door open and bearing a large tray of snacks and beverages as she marched in.

“Room service!” she announced triumphantly. “And don't forget to tip your bell—whoa!”

Her quip for a tip was interrupted as she tripped over herself then, launching all of the naught-cuisine into the air with her stumble. Thankfully, before any of it crashed or spilled, a series of diamond-like panels manifested to catch the foodstuffs in mid-fall. From there, Rarity exercised her powers to bring it all to a graceful landing atop the sisters' beds, before walking over to help Sweetie Belle back onto her feet.

“Thank you very much, dear. But I don't believe catering to be your true calling, hmhm. Did you remember to—”

“Yup! Got it right here,” her sister said, pulling from her pocket a box of colored pencils.

“Perfect!” Rarity replied, plucking the box from Sweetie Belle's hand and examining its contents. Not the most elegant of assorted hues, but they would certainly work in a pinch. More than satisfied with the service then, she pulled out her wallet and gifted her sister with reimbursement, as well as a few bucks extra.

“A little tip for my little bellhop,” she chuckled, before grabbing the most agreeable refreshments from the pile and returning to her workstation.
Sweetie Belle joined in then, jumping onto the neighboring bed with an armful of treats and quickly going to town on them all. So much for never being able to eat again.

“How's the sketches going?” she mumbled between munches of chips.

“They're progressing rather smoothly, I think. And now that I can envision the fabrics with a bit more color, they should look even more promising! Thank you again, Sweetie Belle. Oh, but do swallow before talking, please. You're getting crumbs all over the bed.”

Her sister did as instructed before continuing.
“Can I see some of them?”

“Hmm... Very well. Just wipe your hands first, and be careful.”

Rarity handed over her completed sketches to Sweetie Belle, who proceeded to spread them along the mattress so as to admire the collective collage as a whole.
“Wow! They're so pretty! I can't believe you did this all so quickly!”

“Yes, well, I certainly hope the girls admire my designs as much as you do. Every outfit will be crafted with their particular tastes in mind.”

The designer had only been working for a couple of hours, but her ideas and visualizations were nevertheless as stunning as they were prolific. They ranged from gorgeous full-body dresses to more casual ensembles, but each one bore little pieces and details of what was currently trending within Manehattan. It was as if every outfit would be a sort of souvenir from the big city itself, just as she intended.
Of course, having outfits inspired by the cutting-edge was all very well, but there was little point if her friends' unique personalities didn't shine through. And Rarity absolutely refused to allow this city to swallow up the natural beauty of those who truly inspired her, let alone saved her from becoming engulfed by it herself.

It started not too long after those rather embarrassing phone calls earlier this morning. As much as she felt foolish for her undignified outbursts—bawling like a toddler in front of her best friend, and whatnot—the entire thing did prove to be rather cathartic. Had that been all there was to this day, she could've at least weathered the remainder of her vacation feeling much more at peace, assured that things back home were as pleasantly normal as always.

But then came a message...from Sunset.
It was just an image—one depicting performers adorned in Rarity's outfits for the Light Parade at Equestria Land—but it spoke a thousand words, and triggered a deluge of memories within the fashionista.
Endless amounts of labor and stress, culminating in near-breakdowns underneath so many dwindling hours of crushing pressure. But just look at what all the sweat and tears helped to fuel! Those outfits and costumes were gorgeous, elaborate, and practically brought to life the very characters and creatures they were meant to represent. But even more important were the people wearing them. They looked so pleased and confident in themselves. Rarity could still remember how many of them said as much, marveling over the quality, and thanking her for all of her efforts and suggestions. She helped them to put on a performance they could take pride in. She helped them to look and feel fabulous...

Then came a second text, and then another. Multiple messages from all of her friends came pouring in, each bearing a photo that depicted one of her prior works.
It was a cavalcade of projects, commissions, and gifts. For friends and family; for people and animals; for men, women, and children of all ages. Every picture told a different story, but they all ended the same: with stunning outfits, blissful faces, and a sense of fulfillment within herself. It was everything she thought—everything she knew fashion should be.

The final photo came once again from Sunset, and it was the most striking of them all. It was the holiday greeting card of Rarity and her friends as they posed in those ridiculous vegetation costumes that she...that she made in the name of friendship. And underneath that image was the first line of text to grace this entire inundation of memories since it started.

Putting effort into clothes is what I live for, and spending time on my friends fills me with energy!

She remembered saying that, alright. It was right before they met this world's Twilight. And it was true back then...just as it still was now. Her friends gave her so much inspiration, and they always pushed her to run with it to the fullest. Just looking at them and everyone else in these photos, showcasing what made them such beautiful people. Fluttershy's gracefully reserved manner, Pinkie Pie's boundlessly eye-drawing enthusiasm, Sunset Shimmer's boldly reassuring self-confidence...really, they each boasted alluring qualities too numerous to count!
It's just a shame that they couldn't accompany her to Manehattan. In a place like this, there were dozens of styles and simple ways to accentuate their...

And that's when it happened. That's when the couturier's cogs finally began to turn again. In hindsight, it was all so obvious. Of course, Manehattan was a vast pool of inspiration, but like any other, it needed to be dove into from the right angle to be harnessed properly. Rarity found hers then, and from there it all flowed so much more naturally.

Her mind suddenly became alight with ideas; her pencils smoothly glided along once again with purpose; and even the little wet spots dotting her sketches couldn't stifle the tearfully happy expression she wore while rekindling her passion.

Hours later, and Rarity still remained at that workstation, going stronger than ever and creating even more pieces, as her little sister continued to marvel over the current set.

“Oh, and don't fret too much, Sweetie Belle. I may be focusing on my friends at the moment, but let's just say that I have a few presents planned for a certain bellhop as well, hm hm.”

“Really!? Thank you SO much, Rarity! Just...no actual uniforms, please. I don't think I'm really cut out for bellhopping..."

"Duly noted," she chuckled.

Sweetie Belle continued to admire the sketches, delighting in hitherto unseen details that only revealed themselves with each successive perusal. But there were a few features in particular that seemed rather ubiquitous amongst all these dresses, and she couldn't help but wonder why.

"So, are all these the ones you're gonna make for Applejack?”

Such an innocent question, and yet it made Rarity's heart skip a beat.
“Hmm!? Why, no, dearie. I believe only one or two of my designs so far have been with Applejack in mind. Why ever did you assume otherwise?”

“Well, it's just...all of these have her modeling them, I think.”

“Huh!? Why, don't be silly, Sweetie Belle.”
Rarity stopped her current design and walked over to look at the little impromptu gallery herself.

“I'm sure your eyes are just playing—”

A loose ponytail held together by a band at its fraying end.
Three distinct freckles dotting both cheeks.
The APPLE imprint on the pendant.
These features were shared between every sketch, and they were rather hard to miss.

“Oh! I suppose...you're quite correct...”

“You mean you didn't know?”

“W-Well, um...not entirely. But I—well, it does make sense,” she said, trying hastily to explain more to herself rather than to her sister.
“Applejack has modeled for me more than any of the other girls, and her form and measurements are practically a basis for everyone else's. Taught and firm, but still svelte and feminine enough. She's what we in the industry call 'the gold standard,' you see.”

“Ohhh,” Sweetie Belle replied, innocently taking in this reasoning as if it were obvious in hindsight. With that, Rarity returned to her desk and continued working, though not before checking to see who exactly was wearing her current work-in-progress.

Of course, between everyone that she had to be immensely grateful for, Applejack stood at the very forefront of her mind. In truth, earning the farm girl's forgiveness alone was a massive reprieve, and knowing that her best friend was finally back in her life helped put so much into perspective. It never really dawned on her beforehand just how much you could take someone's presence for granted, let alone how much you might miss them when they were gone.

But as crucial as all of that undeniably was, it was Applejack's actions afterward that especially spoke to Rarity. Only that silly bumpkin would earnestly suggest something as unorthodox—and as childishly charming—as teatime over the phone just to make her feel better. Only that headstrong farmhand would do something with such little forethought—and such genuine concern—as searching for ways to remind her of everything that she's achieved in her career. Only that untactful darling would embarrass herself by saying things so uncouth—and so disarmingly touching—as if they were all completely inarguable truths.
To think what her best friend had actually claimed so boldly to her... Calling her work, her dreams, and even her heart beautiful... Of course, Applejack was never really interested in the world of fashion, and her appreciation for such things was always...cut from a different clothe. But Rarity respected her in ways that were far more different and arguably far more important. Really, the fact that such a strong, truthful, hard-working, and more bighearted person could think so highly of her in any regard...
That entire conversation and those heartwarming thoughts kept reverberating within her mind and making her chest feel aflutter with what could be none other than inspiration!

Perhaps that's why Applejack was appearing throughout her work then. She was serving as a reminder of what these pieces represented, and how important it was that Rarity powered through to finish them. Accepting that, and determined not to let her friends down again, she continued her sketches and planning with even more fervor. She also started conceptualizing a single outfit for herself...all in the name of a little surprise for her best friend.

****

Lunch time at CHS was always a lively highlight for the girls, but Monday's gathering was especially spirited. After all, it wouldn't be too much longer before Rarity was finally reunited with them, and the table was all abuzz with plans and deliberations for how to commemorate the occasion. Obviously, a celebration was in order for this weekend; however, where and what it should entail was the real topic of discussion.

Rainbow Dash wanted to go big with a trip to Equestria Land, ideally without having to do too much hero work this time. Sunset thought that one last beach-day would be best, especially before winter came blustering in. Fluttershy and Twilight suggested a more tranquil affair, like a slumber party at one of their homes. Pinkie Pie was largely indifferent to the locale, determined to bring a parade's worth of confections and confetti to whatever venue was ultimately chosen. And Applejack... Actually, she was absent for most of this debate, but returned just in time to hear its conclusion.

“Sorry, y'all... Got a lil' held up at my locker. Um, w-what'd I miss?”

“Well,” Sunset said, “we couldn't agree on one specific idea, so—”

“We decided to do them all!” Pinkie cheered. “Oh boy, I'll have to make sure all my party cannons are pre-loaded!”

“Heh, that's perfect timin'. I just got a text from Rarity. Said she's got a big surprise planned fer all of us, too.”

“Ooh,” Twilight said, “I wonder what she could be planning?”

“Hopefully nothing too expensive,” Sunset replied. “I'm sure she's already spent a ton in a place as fancy as Manehattan.”

“Aw, I wouldn't worry too much 'bout all that. Seems like she's been pretty frugal the past few days, if our talkin' is anything to go offa. Didn't even mention that kinda stuff this mornin', and she usually loves goin' off on one last buyin' spree before—.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Rainbow interrupted, “you guys talked today!?”

“Well...just fer a bit, before I headed off to school. Couldn't chat last night 'cause she was too busy workin' on that surprise, I reckon... What's the matter?”

“Well, it would've been nice to add us to the call. We haven't heard from Rarity in, like, forever!”

“Wait, what? Didn't she thank y'all fer those texts yesterday?”

“Yeah, but it's not the same,” Pinkie sighed, sounding a little dejected herself. “I really wanted to hear more about her trip, especially the desserts...”

“Aw, don't sound so down, you guys,” Sunset said. “She's only got two more days left in Manehattan. After that, we can hear all about her trip. And remember, Rarity's been through quite a bit this past week. It only makes sense that she'd be talking with Applejack a lot right now.”

Almost everyone agreed to Sunset's reasoning on that matter, but Applejack was slightly taken aback by it; moreover, the fact that all the girls seemed in on that assumption just amplified her uneasy bewilderment.

“Huh? W-Whaddya mean by that? I'm sure Rarity's plenty excited to talk to us all, but—”

“Oh, absolutely! It's just, you've been such a good friend to her lately. You comforted her when she was feeling down.”

“You worried about her when you couldn't get in touch,” Fluttershy added.

“You helped her get over that stuffy old school,” Rainbow continued.

“And,” Twilight finished, “you pioneered the idea to remind her about everything she's accomplished!”

Applejack wasn't sure which was worse—the fact that everyone was listing her gestures one by one, or that there were apparently so many to mention in the first place—but it was all making her feel more anxious by the second. What exactly were the girls implying? Sure, she had essentially proven herself a caring friend, but it's not like Rarity saw her as anything special...

“Well, I-I mean...S-Sunset was more the ringleader when it came to that plan. An' we all pitched in our fair share to make it work. A-An' I'm sure any one of us woulda done just as much fer Rarity, right!?”

Yet again, everyone agreed with what was being said, but it didn't seem to matter. It did little to quell the blush coming off of the farmer's cheeks, or the anxiety overcoming her mind. Even worse was the one-two combo that came next.

“Still,” Sunset said, “you shouldn't sell yourself so short. We all know how dependable you are, but you really went above and beyond when it came to your best friend.”

“It was very sweet,” Fluttershy added.

“I-I... W-Well...Uh...”
Applejack would've continued stammering for an excuse, but she was saved by the school's bell going off.

“Whoops! Well, time to get back to class. See y'all later!”

The farm girl rushed off before any of her friends could even rise from the table. She felt ignorant for making such an abrupt and rude exit, but the panic was almost unbearable. Her heart was rushing, her face flushing, and her forehead was beginning to perspire. It was all almost as bad as the panic attack from earlier. That's actually why she was so delayed in rejoining her friends for lunch in the first place.
Halfway into the break, and just as she finished retrieving something from her locker, Applejack became engaged in a text-chat with Rarity, and it concluded with the fashionista catching her off guard once again.

I simply cannot wait to see you again!!!

It was an innocent enough statement, but like so many unassuming things as of late, it affected her in unexpected ways. She caught herself deliberating on the meaning of that text, and working herself into a tizzy that took quite a bit of time to suppress. It seemed as though lately she just couldn't stop herself from becoming overly stressed. Her reaction to that text, her manners in the lunchroom, and even all the days spent overworking herself at the farm...

Why was this happening so much anymore? Was the absence of her best friend really throwing off the rest of her life that drastically?

Thankfully, it was all almost over. Once Rarity returned, Applejack was sure that everything else would settle back into normalcy around Canterlot. Between that assurance, the clothier's actual return, and whatever this upcoming surprise was, at least she certainly had a lot to start getting excited for. Hopefully her anxiety could stay manageable until then.

****

Rarity's fashionably early return on Wednesday evening was indeed a surprise, but it was certainly a welcomed one. It was also a bit of an exclusive reveal, seeing as how only Applejack was made privy of her best friend's early flight home. It wasn't usually in the farmer's nature to keep such secrets, but her friend wanted to spend some time alone with her so that they could finally catch up. Of course, there wasn't much that could be done on a school-night to celebrate the occasion, but the two found a way to make this evening a suitable prelude to the rest of the upcoming festivities.

Applejack originally intended to help Rarity with her unpacking, believing that her super-strength would come particularly in handy after the fashionista's tour through the consumer capital of the continent. However, there wasn't actually that much to unpack. In fact, Rarity was unpacked and practically settled back into her home within what seemed like less than twenty minutes!
Anticlimactic as that may have all been, the entire situation did open up an opportunity for them to spend that coveted time together. Applejack was already in Rarity's house, after all, and her friend did wish to show proper gratitude for the farmer's help... What better way than with a little impromptu slumber party?

Not the most honest or direct of circumstances—Applejack did promise not to tell her friends or family about this party—but it still sounded kind of fun to share in this secret little get-together. And how long had it been since she last got to spend some time alone with Rarity? Just the two of them. How could she pass up such an opportunity?
Thankfully, she didn't.

A few calls and fibs later, as well as a quick stopover at the farm to pick up some nightly essentials, and their slumber party was in full-swing. Granted, calling it a party with only two people in attendance may have been a bit much, but it was as fun and relaxing as any other hootenanny that Applejack could ever recall being a part of. The two best friends chatted and reminisced, joking around and laughing raucously well into the night. It was just as she had hoped. Everything was back to normal; everything was perfect.

Of course, time flies when you're having fun, and this time was no exception. Applejack was enjoying herself so much, in fact, that she didn't even notice how quickly the hours were passing on by. Before she knew it, it was ten o'clock, then eleven—all in what seemed to be the blink of an eye.
As midnight drew nearer, the two eventually found themselves on Rarity's bed, with the farm girl sitting at the foot of it and the seamstress resting along it. She gave a peaceful sigh as she stretched out, probably delighting in the sense of finally being back home.

“Goodness, what a week. I simply cannot thank you enough for all that you've done, Applejack. I doubt I'd have made it through without you.”

“Ha ha, anytime, Rarity. But I'm sure y'all woulda managed just fine without me... I know what you mean, though. Been a pretty rough time fer all of us. Feels like I might need a vacation just to recover from yer vacation!”

“Indeed! You'll have to take me along with you, I fear, just so I can finally unwind a little bit myself... Perhaps we should go someplace together, just you and I? A day at the spa...or the beach?”

“Hmm... I'd like that a lot...”

As Rarity continued to relax, Applejack began to look around her best friend's bedroom, taking comfort in the familiar decor of it all. Slowly, however, she started noticing little changes that never registered with her before. The poster of Dirk Thistlewood was indeed new, as were the apple-scented candles, and the mound of pony plushies over in the corner. With each glance, more of these small differences began to crop up, and they started making the farm girl feel a little uneasy. She usually knew this place so well, but now...

She opted to settle herself by focusing on something recognizable. Sadly, less of the room seemed familiar to her the harder that she looked around. And for some reason, in that increasingly unsettling search for normality, Applejack's wandering gaze eventually rested on Rarity's ankles...
They appeared so delicate, as if crafted from flawless porcelain, and they subtly guided the eyes to slide down her insteps—these smooth slopes that were like hills of finely packed snow—and ultimately settle upon slender toes that were pristine, pedicured, and painted perfectly (with purplish polish, precisely).

From there, Applejack's eyes roamed back upward, running slowly along ivory legs that felt impossibly soft and seemed to stretch on for an eternity. It was only when she reached the edge of her friend's nightgown that the shock of what was happening finally hit her.
When did her hand join in on this little tour? Why was she suddenly so brazen about doing this? What did Rarity—

In an instant, her eyes darted up in an effort to meet Rarity's. After how shameful her actions just were, she felt utterly terrified of how her friend might be feeling about such a breach of personal space. Would she be angry? Mortified? Disgusted?

But much to Applejack's surprise, her friend's face reflected none of those emotions. Instead, Rarity just regarded her with...a pleasant smile? Was that a usual reaction to this sort of thing? It's almost as if the clothier didn't even notice the farmer's hand steadily sliding up her thigh and—

Applejack instantly recoiled and spun back around to face the dresser, or whatever was standing in front of her then. Was her reaction any better? She didn't try to explain herself, or even apologize. Instead, she just continued conversing.

“Heh... Actually, Twilight's lil' gizmo is some pretty amazin' stuff. We prolly coulda used that thing to find some of our newer friends a while ago.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

“Yeah," she replied awkwardly. "An' with Pinkie an' Sunset at the helm, I reckon our little group is gonna do just fine, ha ha.”

The farm girl's eyes yet again browsed the bedroom, though she was quickly interrupted by a statement that felt as strange as everything else going on.

“You're a terrible liar, Applejack,” her friend said softly.
It wasn't an accusation, nor was it laced with any kind of malice. Nevertheless, it made her seize up and sweat a little. She couldn't refute the claim, but...

“Y-Yeah...”

Without even turning around, Applejack began to shift herself backward, slowly moving from the foot of the bed all the way until her back pressed against its headboard. Despite wanting to, she didn't dare look over at Rarity, fearful of whatever unknowable thing might happen should she even shift her glance a bit. It was all so strange. Her mind was reaching a state of muted panic, but her body felt disjointedly calm, and it continued to do so even after what happened next.

From out of the corner of her eye, a hand reached forward and gently pressed against her cheek. It was cool and smooth to the touch, and smelled faintly of lotion. It was all just so disarmingly pleasant, especially as that hand began to lightly caress her, with fingers that ran effortlessly through her hair, and sharp nails that traced lines of tingling goosebumps down her neck.

“What's wrong, darling?”

Applejack's head turned, though she couldn't tell if that was of her own volition or not. She looked over at Rarity, who continued to wear the most unassumingly calm face possible. But whatever the fashionista was feeling then, one thing was certain: she was beyond beautiful.
Those lustrous streams of indigo hair—with half flowing down her velvety neck, and half tracing the contours of that perfect face—with tantalizingly juicy lips, an adorably curved nose, and pillowy fair cheeks that gracefully underlined those gorgeous blue eyes—with gazes so intense, so deep and sparkling and soulful, like ethereal pools of sapphire too chasmic to reflect anything but their own mesmerizing—

“Applejack?” she asked quietly, with those dulcet tones that were only amplified by that seductively posh accent, and—

What was happening!? What was Applejack doing!?
Seeing Rarity like this, looking so gorgeous and almost welcoming of whatever may come. There was no hesitation, no resignation, nothing in her manner whatsoever to indicate that this was wrong. And yet it WAS wrong! It HAD to be! She knew as much, and did everything possible to stop things from progressing any further. But her body absolutely refused to wait any longer.

Ignoring the fact that they were just friends, she slowly adjusted herself so as to lay on top of Rarity. Ignoring that this might ruin everything forever, she caressed Rarity's carefree face with her own hand. Ignoring every screaming, begging plea from her own terrified mind, Applejack leaned in and pressed her lips firmly against Rarity's.

What followed next was...surreal.

At some point, both bodies became entangled within ever-twisting sheets. At another, the lights were turned off, and every article of clothing eventually found its way scattered onto the floor. Applejack had little recollection of these events actually happening. Instead, she could only recall the most vivid moments of her time engaged with her best friend.

Savoring Rarity's tender neck with deep kisses, followed by the peppering of her legs with softer, more playful ones. Having her face buried within those soft breasts, only to find herself nibbling against that supple back. With every disjointed second that passed, she could feel a pressure building within, as small paroxysms of ecstasy steadily rippled throughout her body. And with each wave, she crossed yet another threshold of lubricious delight...with fewer left to reach before the climax...

Throughout all of this, and while her body got to enjoy a grand tour of heaven itself, her mind was begrudgingly engaged in a hellish civil war. The reasons for why she should stop this whole thing were plentifully obvious, and they were loudly trumpeted by her subconscious till it was blue in the superego. But did any of that really matter? Was any of that really the issue?

Squeezing and nipping the stress from Rarity's shoulders... Not much longer...

The truth was, even the loudest dissidents of her psyche wanted this. She wanted it all, she was in the middle of it all, and she couldn't truly enjoy any of it. Because it was wrong. But did it have to be? If there was just something...a single reason, a sole invite for her to just relish what she so deeply pined for without any caveats or guilt.

Kissing Rarity's legs from thigh to toe... So close...

But there was none. No moans of delight, no returning kisses, nothing from Rarity whatsoever. She was just...there...allowing all of this to occur without any signs of either contentment or contempt. It's like she was purely indifferent, and that was more terrifying than anything else.

Her lips pressed against Rarity's own, as her tongue... Almost...

It's not like this had to happen. Just one word, one uneasy syllable or hesitant twitch from the fashionista, and Applejack would willingly and gladly stop. Rarity had the power to bring it all to a grinding halt. So why wasn't she? Was she enjoying this, or hating it? Was Applejack being selfish with her lust, or were they both giving and taking from one another equally?
Just one... Just give her one answer, before...

Applejack found herself back on top, gently thrusting and gazing down at Rarity. She was practically angelic then, with fair skin that shined within the radiance of the full moon, and a beautiful face peeking out beyond disheveled curtains of purple locks. The farmer's body was at its limit, with a heart that was racing, and loins that were beginning to erupt. Seconds away from...

Please, her mind begged—without any semblance of coherent thought—as her breathing intensified, her body trembled, and tears began to well up within her wide, pleading eyes.

Please...just do...just say something. Anything... So I... So I know y'all...

“Applejack,” Rarity whispered.

“...I...”

“GAH! RARITY!” Applejack shouted.
She launched up from the bed in a cold sweat, panting heavily as cognizance slowly reclaimed her from whatever nightmare she was just engulfed in. She hastily looked around as bits of her brain began to power back on, connecting all of the sensations and memories into something much more coherent.

A rooster alarm clock perched atop the neighboring nightstand.
A window through which the moon's dim glow spilled into the rest of the room.
Her pillows, her sheets, her comfort. Her bed.

She was in her bed...in her room...on her family's farm. Whatever just happened, it was all merely a dream.

Rising to sit up, Applejack quickly noticed just how much of a mess she apparently was. Her eyes were moist, her body was covered in sweat, and her inner thighs seemed—

“Oh, fer cryin' out loud...” she whispered in frustration, wiping the wetness from her burning eyelids. Having an arousing dream was one thing, but what in the world could've been so dramatic as to elicit this kind of...

“...Oh, no...”

As the vivid memories of that dream began to replay in her mind, she quickly came to understand why she was feeling so uneasy moments ago. And within moments, the terror that she was just freed from quickly consumed her all over again.

Rarity... She kissed Rarity... She had...with Rarity...

Applejack's head fell back onto her pillow, and her trembling hands gripped at her bangs as she reeled from all the implications.

It wasn't the fact that she fantasized about a woman. She knew what floated her boat, and never felt any shame in that regard.
It wasn't even necessarily the fact that this nightmarish fantasy involved Rarity. Considering how pretty and frankly seductive she could be, it was a safe assumption that the seamstress was quite the starlet of many people's daydreams. Though the farm girl would never admit it out loud, her best friend was an occasional guest star of her own fantasies, from time to time.
But those were always just vague images to whip the reins a little, like pages in a magazine or scenes in a movie. To actually...to actually have sex with Rarity...

And maybe that wouldn't be such a problem. Maybe this whole thing could just be waved off as a terrible fluke. But there were two issues with that hypothetical.
Firstly, this wasn't an isolated incident; it was an escalation. For the past week or so, many of Applejack's dreams involved Rarity, and they were growing more pronounced with each one that followed. Granted, they were never quite so bold beforehand—they actually started off not revolving around any sexual context at all. But they were still becoming weirdly prevalent in her mind, and THIS nightmare was as blunt and demanding as they came. At first, she just assumed it was all in response to the arguing and the prolonged silence, but now there was no credence to that excuse...

But even worse was the second issue: a sentence. A single statement that Applejack heard right at the end of her dream, and one that she simply couldn't get passed. It terrified her like nothing else, especially since it explained so much of what's been happening to her these past few weeks. Just the thought of it made the farm girl's heart race and brought tears to her eyes yet again...

Applejack...I love you.

She so badly didn't want to remember that. She so desperately wished that it didn't matter at all. However, as she couldn't blissfully ignore what the depths of her mind were shouting any longer, there was no more hiding from...whatever this was.

“Consarn it,” she cried, pulling a pillow so tightly over her face that she didn't even notice the bright green light that briefly emanated from somewhere outside.

About one day. That's the remaining amount of time Applejack had left on Tuesday night. Roughly 24 hours before Rarity's vacation ended, whereupon she would be flying back from Manehattan, and arriving in Canterlot by Thursday evening.

In hindsight, it's amazing just how quickly her perspective on that time-limit had shifted.
Not even six hours ago, she was practically counting down that remainder of time in excited anticipation. Now, she was dreading the passage of every single second.
What was Rarity to her now? What did she want to be to Rarity? What would everyone else think if they found out? What would become of the oldest and dearest friendship she ever had?

All these questions, and so many others, would have to be confronted soon enough...whether she really wanted to or not.

One day to go...

Next Time: Inspiration Infestation...