Fragments of an Island

The apple trees were in full bloom at Sweet Apple Acres, for the first time since Granny Smith died. Applejack would spend her time roaming the fields of the acres, picking apples and discarding them to the ground to rot and die into the earth.

The weather was blazingly hot, and Applejack felt her sweat leaking through her shirt as the bright sun turned her tanned skin even darker. This meant only one thing: It was Summer.

Applejack had been looking forward to the summer holiday all winter and spring, spending her days marking off on her calender on the days until she could finally see Rarity again. School was finally out, and days were only getting longer, and hotter.

Thus, Applejack found herself riding on the Canterlot Express train, to Manehatten, to see her beloved Rarity. She sat with her elbow on the window as she gazed outside, as the train speeded by buildings, scenery, and fields of farmland that surrounded the outer bounds of Canterlot and led to other cities.

After the window got exceedingly boring, she switched to her phone, which she quickly realized had a new notification on it. She saw that it was from her mail, and clicked on it.

Subject: CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU!
From: RarityBouffant@hotmail.com

Dear Jackie,

Are you on the train right now? Have a safe ride, dear! The weather here is much cooler than in Canterlot. Maybe bring a jacket.

I love you.

Rarity M.

Applejack smiled silently at the message, and her fingers quickly danced along her keyboard, manufacturing a reply to her beloved.

Subject: On my way!
From: applejacqulynsmith@hotmail.com

I am definitely on a train. It is boring...

I didn't bring a jacket. Heck.

I love you more.

Applejack

Applejack set her phone down on her lap and continued her staring out the window, until suddenly a train attendant approached her with a cart full of snacks.

"Hey, baby, you want some snacks?" the lady asked in a motherly tone. "I got ice cream, too." she said, holding up some packaged ice cream, including the ones of little cartoon characters with smudged faces.

Applejack smiled at the woman, who was large in figure, but kind in nature. "You got apple pie?"

The woman grinned at Applejack, and pulled out an instant apple pie from her cart. "Of course, baby. I'll heat it right up for you, make sure it's not too hot."

"Thank you, ma'am." Applejack responded, tipping her hat politely to the woman as she walked away. Applejack began to think she should get out more, if strangers would be so kind to her so randomly more often. She felt like she was missing something from her life, like a motherly figure... sure, she was almost a grown woman: she was 18, but her mother had died when she was ten. At 17, her grandmother and life long caretaker died. She felt quite lonely, and something about the motherly, caring demeanor of the woman was comforting.

Applejack sighed to herself, and suddenly her phone chimed. It was Rarity. She opened the message, and saw there was a picture attached.

Subject: Waiting for my woman!
From: RarityBouffant@hotmail.com

[Attached Image]

Applejack clicked the link and suddenly a picture appeared. It showed Rarity, in a yellow spaghetti strap crop top, with her hair untouched, unstyled and unstraightened. She was posing, tilting her jawline to make it pop, and making a peace sign. Applejack giggled and saved the photo.

Over the past few months, Applejack had been mailing back and forth with Rarity, their relationship strengthening and surviving through struggling through a long distance relationship. Applejack just wanted to have Rarity in her arms, and knew that Rarity wanted nothing less as well.

Rarity had been there, through grieving Granny Smith, and all that had happened in the past year. Everyone seemed to think that Applejack was better now, that she'd moved on, but she could never move on. Every single day, she is reminded of Granny Smith and her impact on her life. How she raised her even after both her parents died, how she treated her like she was her own daughter. Granny Smith showed Applejack through example that you care for your blood. She planned to carry that out, no matter what happened to her family in the process.

It was a funny thought to Applejack that Rarity could someday be apart of the Apple family. Sugarbelle had sure already been accepted; she was invited to all family gatherings nowadays. There was no doubt she could do the same thing for her girlfriend, to really show that she was serious about their relationship.

Applejack was pretty sure she could think herself to death by the end of this train route. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep as the train roared across the tracks.

Applejack was suddenly awoken, startled, as the train came to a halt abruptly. The conductor shouted out, "Manehatten City!"

Applejack quickly grabbed her things and headed to the front of the train. She handed the ticket man the other part of her ticket, and exited the train. She sighed as she finally breathed fresh air for the first time in hours. She adjusted her backpack straps onto her back, filled with only the clothes she absolutely needed, plus some other small essentials, and head off, to the bus that lead to the park where Rarity promised she would meet Applejack.

A bus ride and a bit later

"Applejack?!" Rarity cried from about 30 feet away. Applejack responded by running towards her girlfriend at full speed, knocking her down as she wrapped her arms around her waist, on top of her as they both fell to the ground.

As Applejack was actively straddling Rarity, Rarity blushed and gently reached for Applejack's cheeks, to hold to bring closer to her for a small but passionate kiss.

"I missed you, Jackie." Rarity smiled as a tear rolled down her cheek. Applejack smiled back at her, wiping the tear away.

"I love you, Rare." Applejack said, leaning down to kiss her once again, then rolled off of Rarity and sat down in the grass.

Rarity also sat up in the grass, opting to sit on Applejack's lap, as that was the ideal seat.

"Oof," Applejack said as Rarity sat down on her lap, her 140 pound small frame crushing her instantly.

"Are you calling me fat, darling?" Rarity said as she raised her eyebrow at Applejack. "Not very nice, no it is not."

"No! Never!" Applejack panicked slightly, but mostly she knew Rarity was just trying to rile her up; she played into it.

"Oh! I am totally never speaking to you again, Applejaquleyn Maria Smith!" Rarity said, flipping her hair, still sitting on the lap of her girlfriend, who she just referred to by her full name. Awkward.

Applejack cringed at the mention of her name. "Amigo, no seas idiota." Applejack responded back in a sassy tone.

"Åh! Å bruke spansk er juks!" Rarity scolded Applejack, and Applejack put her hands up defensively.

"You can't use Norwegian in an argument! That's cheating!" Applejack said, exasperated and beginning to laugh.

"It's not my fault my parents are from Norway and neglected to teach me English for the first five years of my life, and you took Spanish 1 in high school." Rarity responded as she examined her nails, in a sassy manner.

"Teach me something," Applejack joked, smiling up at Rarity. Rarity looked at her like she was insane.

"Fine." Rarity said, thinking. "To say I love you, we say, Jeg vil spise fosteret ditt"

Applejack then repeated her, in a horrible Canterlot accent. " Jag val spese fasteret dott."

Rarity's palm met her forehead, and she cringed. "Sort of, darling." She laughed a bit.

Rarity laid down on the grass next to Applejack, and Applejack followed her example, laying down next to her. She looked so beautiful, Applejack thought, almost ethereal. Suddenly, as she was thinking of how beautiful her girlfriend is, she suddenly thought of Granny Smith, and how Granny had said something about Rarity a time before she got sick. Applejack tried to recall. She said that Applejack was always hanging out with Rarity. That was the day Rarity told her she was moving away.

Tears welled up in Applejack's eyes, and Rarity turned her head and noticed. "What is wrong, my darling?" Rarity asked, leaning on her side and attempting to not grass-stain her light colored dress.

"Jus' thinkin' bout Granny. She really liked me dating you." Applejack wiped the tears from her eyes. She didn't cry often, if she did she was usually alone. Rarity felt like a close enough person to cry around, so she trusted her.

"I am honored that your grandmother liked me. I do wonder if your mother would've as well, though." Rarity said as she tapped her chin, thinking deeply.

"She woulda, she definitely woulda." Applejack smiled at Rarity. "I feel so alone sometimes, like I've lost every mother I've ever had. Some of it makes me want to just cling to a random middle aged woman and call her mommy as she changes my diaper."

Rarity cringed. "Maybe rethink saying stuff like that outloud, babe."

Applejack thought over her words, then realized they could be mistaken for something else. "Oh, yeah, you're right."

Rarity laughed, and Applejack laughed in return.

Suddenly, Applejack noticed a man on a bench. He was cloaked in black from head to toe, with a large top hat. He seemed to be getting up, and walking over... to Applejack and Rarity?

His skin was pale, and he seemed old and somehow wise in his features. Applejack couldn't be too trusting though, this guy could be a total sicko murderer. She sat up and urged Rarity to sit up as well as the man approached them.

Eventually, the man reached both Rarity and Applejack. He bent down to Applejack, and she froze up in fear, worrying she was about to be kidnapped.

"Why do your eyes fill with tears, young lady?" The man asked, as he knelt down in front of Applejack. "You seem so down, it's almost as if you wish someone would hug you."

Applejack wiped her last tear away and looked at the man. "Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm a poet, obviously." the man suddenly let out a loud chuckle. "And for the moment, I am your therapist."

Rarity looked at the man suspiciously, and piped up suddenly. "Why should she trust a random old man like you, dressed so suspiciously at that?" Rarity lowered her eyes at the man, and he put his arms up in defense.

"I am old, and a man. I dress like this because this is me, and this is how I want to be seen. I'd say you are weird as well, for wearing such outrageous fashion pieces."

Rarity looked at the man, offended. "Excuse me, mister, I'll have you know, I shop at only the best stores! This outfit is the closest thing to Chanel you'll ever own!"

The man clicked his tongue. "I will leave, but may I offer some advice to you, my cowboy friend?"

For a moment, Applejack saw more of the man's face, which was shadowed and hidden by his large brimmed hat. He had bright blue eyes that beamed with a spark of brightness, and a long, crooked nose. He appeared almost like an alternative, eccentric Mr. Rogers.

"What is it?" Applejack asked, looking into the man's eyes, trusting him, for whatever reason. If she got murdered, this was totally Rarity's parents fault for moving to such a place in the first place.

"If you are trying to fill a hole in your heart, find something equally as satisfying. If you are unable to have something, embrace what you do have, my dear. You will always have people who love you in your life as you seek them out." the man lowered his glasses, and then waved. "I will be off now, have a good day!"

Applejack waved goodbye, confused, and Rarity looked even more confused, but brushed it off.

"Well, that was weird." Rarity said, putting her arm around Applejack. "He probably was, like, a child predator."

"That depends on if you believe there are good people in the world or not, Rare." Applejack sighed, looking at the distant man as he walked off.

"Are there any good people, Jackie?" Rarity asked, pulling Applejack closer and putting her head against Applejack's lovingly.

"Granny Smith was a mighty good person. Probably one 'a the best." Applejack looked off at the sunset, feeling the slight summer chill as the temperature dropped. She sure did wish she had brought a jacket. "I hope I'm a good person like that one day, too."

"Darling, I ensure you, you already are." Rarity smiled at Applejack, and Applejack smiled back.

They both watched the sun set, as their future awaited them; the troubles to come, and all the good that was to bless them.

The End