You'll Never Know

Applebloom stared at her big sister in disbelief. The statement had been uttered so casually, but it had been anything but. Cadence or as her followers knew her; Mi Amore Cadenza, was one of three revered beings that had created the world of Equus.

Celestia of the Rising Sun from which the Breath of Life flowed, brought life on Equus to rise where there had been none. Luna of the Eclipsing Moon exuded the Miasma of Death, which meant the life of Equus was finite. Realizing this, the beings upon the world grew determined to make life worth living. Civilizations rose and fell; each determined to leave their mark when their time came. And then there was Cadence of the Love Song.

The third of the Divine Beings whose magic had created the Melody of Desire. In her eyes the beings of Equus lacked passion, and so from her the gift of Love graced the land; Love for life, Love for the land, Love for the departed and most importantly, Love for each other. The tempo of her Melody rang through the hearts of all beings, resonating when they found their match.

“You actually met Princess Cadence?”

Princess. In schools across Equestria, all beings were taught at a young age about the three Goddesses and how they had settled down on the land they had made. Two; Celestia and Luna, had created a castle in an area to be called Canterlot. The two had proclaimed they as sisters would be known as the Princesses of Equestria. Cadence on the other hoof amassed a large following and created a palace of crystal to be known as The Crystal Empire.

“Ah shore did, Sugarcube. An’ it changed everythin’ about how Ah’ve viewed the world.”

Laying her fabled hat upon her little sister’s head, the elder sister told her of the time she ‘went’ to Manehatten. “It was right after my cutieceniera, where Ah had found mahself captivated by a Pegasus mare Ah had seen flyin’ above th’ farm...”

***

“Didja see ‘er?”

Applejack stood in the barn with Big Mac discussing the one thing on her mind. A Pegasus. “Tha’ toned-muscular build, th’ rainbow-colored mane, those magenta eyes. Oh she was so amazin’!”

Big Mac stared at his little sister in disbelief. Less than five seconds; a blue streak had shot over the farm in the course of just five seconds. Yet his sister had seen every detail. He gave a chuckle that caused Applejack to stop fangirlling and look at him. “What’s so funny?”

Pointing a hoof at her, he grinned. “Crush”

Applejack’s eyes widened in confusion. She took a defensive stance. “Wait, wha? Ah ain’t got a crush on no mare!”

As her brother just stared at her, one eyebrow raised, Applejack continued. “Ah just liked how she smiled at meh an’ those beautiful, magenta eyes; like shining pools o’ lucid light.”

She turned angrily and shouted at him, as Big Mac snickered at her. “Tha’ don’t mean Ah has a crush on ‘er! Besides she was there fer at least five minutes! Surely you saw ‘er too!”

Big Mac shook his head. “Seconds, sis.”

Lowering her eyes, AJ whispered. “Seconds? No way. How did Ah- Surely Ahm not in love with..a mare. Ah can’t be! Ah can’t stop thinkin’ about ‘er though! Ah mean it ain’t natural, right? A mare an’ mare, what would Granny say? Ah’d be banished from th’ family!”

Glancing up, her anxiety escalated; she was all alone. Big Mac had left. Did he think it was weird? What if he thought she was horrible? What if he told Granny? What if- Her train of panicked despair was derailed from it’s tracks, as Big Mac came rushing back into the barn; a leather-bound book in his teeth. She froze and just stared at him in confusion. “What in tarnation?”

Dropping the old book at the base of AJ’s hooves, Big Mac ignored his sister’s outburst and began to frantically flip the pages. It was an old textbook, the pages worn from overuse. Applejack watched, speechless, as her brother scanned each page frantically until finally he looked up with a big grin; pointing at an image. Confused, Applejack looked at the image, reading the subtitle underneath out loud:

“Princess Cadence (Artist’s Interpretation) Creator of Luv,

Depiction of th’ Legendary Deity who brought Love an’ Emotions to Equus.”

Still confused, Applejack found herself asking. “What’s this got t’ do with meh?”
Big Mac just stared at her, raising an eyebrow. Applejack shook her head. “Wait just a dern moment, Big Mac! Are you sayin’ I should go an’ see ‘er highness?”

“Eeyup.”

“An’ just how are ya’ proposin’ Ah go about, getting there? Y’know Granny won’t approve!”

Big Mac grinned and said just one word. “Oranges.”

Applejack gave him a sidelong glance and shook her head in disbelief. “Oranges? What in th’ name of Equus does a strange, ‘orrible fruit have ta do wit- Wait just an apple pickin’ moment. Ya don’t mean Manehatten do ya?”

Her brother gave her a mischievous nod. “Eeyup!”

It was an inside joke between the two siblings; the Oranges of Manehatten. It happened when the two were younger, during a game of truth and dare. Applejack had asked Granny Smith about a made up group of ponies that lived in Manehatten and much to her surprise Granny told them both all about an estranged family known as the Oranges. Research however, revealed no such family had ever existed. The two had been laughing about it since.

“That could work. But Ah dun like lyin’ to Granny. It just don’ sit well with meh.”

***

“Wait a moment.”

Applebloom stared in disbelief at her big sister. “Th’ Oranges aren’t real?”

Pulling the brim of her hat down playfully over Applebloom’s eyes, Applejack laughed. “Of course they ain’t! Why’dya think we never see ‘em at the family reunion?”

Applebloom blinked. It was shocking but- I guess in retrospect, it makes sense. “Huh. So ya fell in love at first sight with a flyby Pegasus mare? An Big Mac wanted ya to go ta the Crystal Empire ta see Cadence?”

“Eyup! Ya got it Sugarcube.”

“But you didn’ wanna tell Granny cuz she wouldn’t understand?”

Nodding, Applejack replied. “Right as rain.”

“So whadcha do?”

Applejack swung her hind legs to and fro as she gave a huge grin. “Believe it or not, Big Mac told ‘er instead.”

“Oh c’mon sis! You expect me ta believe our big brother spoke more’n two words?”

“Oh but it’s true, ya see…”

***

Big Macintosh stared at Applejack for a moment before giving her a hug. His voice was an oddly intense uncharacteristic whisper as he spoke. “I’ll tell her. Go pack some supplies, and get some rest. You leave in the mornin’.”

Applejack was wordless as she stared at him dumbfounded for a moment. Finally she turned and went to go pack her things without a sound. Big Mac never spoke more than two words, unless he felt it was necessary to the situation.

As she packed a large knapsack with apples and other essentials; mostly apples, Applejack thought non-stop about the Pegasus that had begun plaguing her mind. Was it love or not? Well guess I’ll find out soon enough.