Apples and Flowers

"Twilight!! Twilight, where in the cotton pickin' hay are ya?!"

Applejack paced back and forth while yelling for her bookish friend. A quick pop and Twilight teleported in front of her, making her yell and tumble back in surprise.

"Applejack, what in Equestria are you telling about?! And what is so Celestia-darned important that you had to interrupt my study on-"

"I think I might be in love."

Twilight forgot all about her study, and stared at Applejack in astonishment.

"Come again?"

"I think I'm in love!"

Twilight blinked. "Er...ok?"

"Gosh darn it all, Twi, I need ya to help me figure this out! I ain't never been in love so I got nothin' to go on!"

Twilight chuckled slightly at her flustered gesturing.

"Fine. Let's talk. But first, let me have Spike make some tea, because from the looks of it, you need it."

}===============[]============={

"Rarity!! Rarityyyyyy!!! Where are you?! Are you home?"

Fleur paced the floor of the boutique in agitation. Rarity was really the only pony she knew well enough to talk to about her current predicament.

"I'm coming, I'm coming, no need to shout! Oh, Fleur! Hello darling, what brings you here today?" Rarity offered her warmest smile, sending immediately the agitated mood that was plaguing the taller unicorn.

"Rarity. If I share something, can you keep it between us?"

"Well of course I can, Fleur. I won't breathe a word."

"I need your help."

"Oh? With what, may I ask?"

"I...may be in love."

Rarity blinked, clearly having expected a more earth-shattering issue to be at the root of her friend's mood.

"Alright...?" She said hesitantly. "I mean, that's wonderful, darling! Isn't it?"

"I'm not sure. Which is why I was hoping I could talk to you. Perhaps if I rant about it, it might sort it all out in my mind."

"Of course. What are friends for? Have a seat and I shall make some soothing tea. At the rate you are pacing my floor, you shall wear a hole in it."

}===============[]=============={

"Now, what is this all about being in love?" Twilight enquired, watching as Applejack slowly downed half of her tea before placing the cup on the table between them.

"Just what it sounds like. I think I might be in love."

"You're not sure?"

"Not particularly. Well, maybe a mite sure, but I ain't so sure if it's good or not."

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Why would it not be?"

Applejack hesitated. "Well. Me and this pony, we're about as alike as an apple and a carrot as far as our lives go. Get down to the root of things though and we ain't quite so different. But h- erm, their style is way different. I'm a country gal, a farmer. And they're, well, more than a mite opposite of that."

"So not a country pony then."

"Well the thing is that she adapted well enough to my way of livin', y'know the farm work, but she's used to big city life and fancy parties and such."

Twilight's brain was rapidly going through a checklist of ponies, trying to settle on the identity of Applejack's potential love interest. She suddenly realized the checklist wasn't necessary. Only three mares in town were aquatinted with high society living and fancy parties. One was married, and one of them was already interested in somepony else. Plus she wouldn't be caught be dead working in dirt unless it was a dire emergency. So that just left...

"Fleur." She finished her thought out loud.

Applejack flushed. "How'd ya guess?"

"Well, it wasn't hard. You two have been pretty inserperable the last several weeks."

"Consarn it, Twilight, I got myself all these feelings and it's just plumb confusin' the Tartarus outta me."

"How does she make you feel?"

"Well. I get downright jittery and I got a whole mess of butterflies usin' my insides for fancy flyin' manuevres. And my tongue gets plumb twisted on the gosh danged words I'm tryin' to say. And I can't think worth two licks of honey cuz all I can focus on is how she's just the prettiest mare in all Equestria..."

Applejack trailed off, going red in the face as she realized she had gone dreamy eyed and that her answer had been intermingled with happy sighs. Twilight grinned and refilled their teacups.

"I've done gone and fallen in love." Applejack pulled her hat over her eyes. "Oh sweet Celestia."

"You have. And I think you ought to tell her."

"But we're worlds apart! I mean I can't give her the fancy parties with all the doodads and whatchamacallits."

"Applejack. Has she even one time expressed any kind of displeasure at anything about your country living?"

"Well no..."

"Then talk to her. Tell her how you feel." Twilight sipped her tea. "The worst than can happen is she doesn't return your feelings."

Applejack sighed. "I reckon you're right. Alright, I'll do it."

Twilight chuckled. "Good! Now tell me some more about this marefriend of yours."

"She ain't my marefriend!"

"Yet."

". . . Yet."

}==============[]================={

A similar discussion had been taking place at the boutique, with Fleur telling Rarity all about her feelings of love for a certain pony.

"So this mare." Rarity said. "Does she share your sentiments?"

"I believe so. Maybe. Unless it's just wishful thinking on my part."

Rarity chuckled. "Applejack is not very eloquent at expressing feelings."

Fleur blinked. "How did you-?"

"Darling, please. You have spent so much time together, it's not hard to figure out that she is the one you love."

"But does she really need to have a mare like me in her life?"

"Whatever do you mean?!"

"I'm a fancy city girl and model. Famous all over Equestria. Constantly nagged by the press and adoring fans and Ponyrazzi. Applejack is...well, she's happy just being a simple farm pony. Could I ask her to throw herself into my world, with all the publicity that she would be be faced with?"

"I dare say Applejack would adjust. She is an Element Bearer, darling, she already deals with fans and the press."

"Not to the extent that I do."

"Perhaps not, but she is capable of handling it. Did she show any kind of distaste for your profession at all?"

"No. She knows who I am, what calling I have, and she has never let that stop her from being my friend. She sees me for who I am deep inside, and she knows the flashy, insane fame goes along with it."

"Do you think she returns your feelings?"

Fleur hesitated. "Well...she uh, almost kissed me the other day."

Rarity's eyes widened. "Then it's safe to assume she returns your affections." She smiled. "Fleur, you two deserve to be happy. And if you wish to be happy together then you should go for it. Tell her how you feel. And know that you have the full support of all those around you."

Fleur smiled back at her.

"I really am grateful for the support, Rarity."

"Anytime, darling. More tea?"

"Please."

Their conversation remained centered on Fleur and Applejack as they sipped their tea and continued to laugh and visit.