Rarity chuckled as she looked into her bag and found a postcard she'd meant to mail to Applejack. Grinning she flipped it over and read what she'd written.
Hello love!
I just wanted to say I got up to Mareibu safely. It's heavenly! Wish you were here. Don't make that face, Applejack, I just want to show you the opulent beach! But I know you're happy where you are right now, you silly filly. Now, now, I can just imagine you're cursing my name, but just thinking of your face when reading me calling you "silly filly" was worth it. Even if I am relegated to a lonely night on the couch. We (yes, both of us,) will need to visit together soon. Sometime when you're less busy. Some folks are here that say they're distant relatives of yours. They wanted me to say they say hello. I'll end this by saying I miss you so.
With all my love,
Rarity.
She shrugged and dropped it back in her bag. She'd just have to give it to Applejack in person. It was really the thought that counted anyway. She'd miss the beach, but she was excited to be going home.
Applejack waited on the train's platform for Rarity's train. She had a bouquet of roses for Rarity. Applejack could only grin at the thought of how Rarity would ooh and fawn over the roses, and then pester her with all the details of the trip. But Applejack would simply grin as the girl chattered. Even if the constant chatter got a bit much at times, Applejack wouldn't trade it for the world. That pretty unicorn was more important to her than the farm, though she'd never let anyone know that, of course. She'd missed Rarity, but she did have responsibilities in Ponyville and couldn't go up to Mareibu just because Rarity had a fashion shoot up there.
Applejack smiled as she saw the train in the distance down the track. She took a few steps back and schooled her smile into something a bit less obvious. Still displaying very happy to see her wife, but not overly excited. She couldn't hand Rarity such an easy win in their games of cat and mouse. It'd ruin their fun...
Applejack's thoughts were interrupted by a sound, a horrible, metal screeching sound. A plume of fire in the distance down the tracks... "RARITY!"
Applejack laid in her bed, grumbling a bit as she poked at the pancakes that Apple Bloom had brought her. She had taken a few bites but she didn't really want any more. She hadn't wanted those either but some portion of her mind told her she had to eat. She ate just enough to get strong enough to crush that part and go back to laying in silence. The curtains drawn, the dim half light of filtered noon sun her only companion. The only companion she had left, with the other half of the bed empty.
The knock on the door was an unwelcomed intrusion and was answered only with a loud growl. The knock didn't come again. Applejack let her head flop back onto the pillow and sighed, breathing in deeply as she closed her eyes. Thankful, for once, that Rarity wore so much perfume. Her pillow was still saturated with her smell. This now was the closest she could ever get to her wife here. There hadn't even been a final goodbye. She hadn't seen the body, there hadn't been a body left for her to see. She buried her face in the pillow, seeking only darkness.
Applejack grumbled to herself but continued her arduous task. She'd gotten better, now that she was over the initial shock. She was now going through what little remained of Rarity's things from the crash. Apple Bloom had offered but Applejack wasn't going to let anyone else touch it. She sighed, she wasn't going to let anyone else touch. It was Rarity's travel bag, mostly burned, with melted trash inside. But still she might find something to... She didn't know. Nothing could help her, but it might... She shrugged and poured the remnants out. Looking over the melted make up packs, her clutch, all her little odds and ends now just ash. She sighed as she banged her head on the desk, knocking a lonely postcard off the edge of the desk, where it fell into darkness.
Applejack just went back to bed. She was "better" she got up, did chores, and ate. But besides that she spent all her time in bed, reminiscing about her old life. The greatest loss to her was that Rarity's pillow was starting to lose its scent. Soon Applejack would lose even the scent of her wife, then Rarity would truly be gone from here.
Applejack looked down at the postcard, it'd dropped behind the desk weeks ago and she'd just found it. Damaged, burned, more than half of it unintelligible. The last message from her wife was ruined. Applejack took in a deep breath and looked down, trying to piece together what last words she could from Rarity.
Hello love!
- ---- ------ -- --- I got up to ------- ------- ---- heaven--! Wish you were here. ----- ---- ---- ----- Applejack, I ---- want -- ---- you t-- o------ be---- --- - ---- ------ happy where you are ----- ---- --- ----- -----. ---- ---- - --- just imagine ------ ------ my ----- --- ---- -------- -- ---- face when ------- -- ------- you ------ ------ --- ----- --- --- -- - a- re------- -- - lonely ----- -- --- -----. We will- ----- b--- -- ---- ---- -e-- -- ----- together soon. -------- ---- you-r- ---- ----- ---- folks are here ---- --- ------- ------- --------- -- ------ They wanted -- to say they --- ------ ---- --- ---- -- ------ - miss you so.
With all my love,
Rarity.
Applejack stared as she repeated the new message left behind for her. "I got up to heaven! Wish you were here. Applejack, I want you to be happy where you are. Just imagine my face when you are lonely. We will be together soon. Your folks are here, they wanted to say they miss you so. With all my love, Rarity." Applejack stared for another long moment then nodded. She smiled down at the letter. This was a good kick in the rump to get her started living again. A last gift.
