Parent Trap

Chapters

Twins
It's Not (technically) a Lie
The Switch
Aunt Sunset's Tale
Operation Rarijack
Broken hearts
Operation Rarijack II
The Fiancée from Tartarus
The Villain
Negotiations
Homesick
Tradition
Honesty
Choices
Follow the Money
At First Sight
Apologize
Progress
I Love You
Home
Happily Ever After?
Camp Everfree
A Plan, An Announcement, and A Talk
My Hero: Bonus Chapter! (SciSet Centric and can be skipped)

Twins

The Harmony cabin was set away from the tents of the other campers. Not so far as to be secluded completely, but isolated enough that it was quiet. Cortland figured that was the point. It also lacked any pleasant company. Cortland did not like the prissy rich kid. Not one bit. Rich kids were dishonest; they didn’t know the value of hard work.

“So,” said the Rich Boy, staring unblinkingly at the plain ceiling of the Harmony cabin. “What’s your name?”

Cortland glowered, “Cortland Belle.”

The other boy sat up, startled. “Belle?”

“Eeyup.”

“As in, B-E-L-L-E?!”

“That’s how it’s spelled,” He growled, “My Ma’s name, what’s it to ya?”

“That’s my Mother’s last name. Rarity Belle.”

Cortland’s heart goes cold in his chest. He hadn’t heard that name in a long, long time. Rarity Belle, he thought to himself. His Aunt Dash had let that name slip only once. When he’d asked for more detail from his mother she had been furious. She’d banned Dash from the house for a week. Cortland was told that Rarity Belle had been his mother, his other mother. That she had left them. And that he was not to mention that name to his Ma ever again.

“You’re lyin.’” Cortland snarled, “You’re a liar.”

“Why in heavens name would I lie about my Mother’s name?” Crisp snapped back, this Cortland, he thought, is some sort of psychopath.

“Rarity Belle don’t got any kids!” Cortland proclaimed with such force that Crisp actually leaned back a bit.

Why would he think my mother has no children? How does he even know her? He paused, considering the best way to get Cortland to settle down. “Why do you think that?”

“She an’ my Ma used to be together.” He grumbled, “An’ then she up and left one day. Left us both and never came back. She’s a no good liar just like you are!” Without another word Cortland stomped out the door, slamming it behind him.

Crisp watched the boy through the screen door for a long while. When it seemed as if he had no intention of coming back into the cabin, he dug around in his backpack and retrieved what he was looking for. Then followed Cortland out onto the porch.

Crisp thrust the worn, crumpled paper in his hand at the other boy, holding it out insistently. Cortland snatched it without looking at it or him. “What is this?”

“A photograph, of my Mother and I. I thought maybe if I showed it to you, you might stop calling me a liar.”

Cortland looked up just long enough to scowl at him before he turned his attention to the photo. He froze. He brought the photo closer to his face. He squinted. It couldn’t be. But it was. It was a photo of Rarity Belle. It was a photo of Rarity Belle, and she was standing in front of the intertwined Pear and Apple trees planted by his grandparents. She was smiling at the camera, a pale orange skinned baby with vibrant purple curls in her arms.

“Thi- This…” He sputtered, “That’s my family’s farm! That’s- This is a picture of me.”

“I can assure you,” Said Crisp, “it is me with my mother. Turn it over.” He snatched the photo and turned it so that they could read the words on the back.

Cortland blinked, then read, “ Rarity Belle and Crispin Apple, four weeks old, Sweet Apple Acres. 2021. I- I was born…. I was born May 2nd, 2021.”

“That’s-” Crisp looked at him strangely, “That’s my birthday.”

“My Ma’s name is Applejack.” Cortland said quietly, “She asked Rarity to marry her and she said no… does… are we? I’m so confused.”

“...Cortland, I think... we might be… twins?”

The other boy scoffs loudly, “Don’t be stupid. This is obviously a coincidence. My Ma would have told me. Rarity Belle left us, left Canterlot forever ago. No way I have a brother and my Ma lets him go. No way I have a brother and Ma doesn’t tell me.”

Crispin narrows his eyes, “So what? Rarity Belle is my mother. You said your mom told you she was your mom too. We look alike, we have the same birthday and, at least according to your mother, we share a parent. I’d call that twins, wouldn’t you?”

Cortland glares at him; the dinner bell ringing saves him from having to come up with an argument.

It's Not (technically) a Lie

“Dude!” Despite his short stature Bass Drop hits Crisp like a freight train. “You gotta see this!”

Crispin sighs “I have to sit at the isolation table.”

“I know, I know but you guys gotta see this first!” Bass insists, he drags Crispin bodily toward a massive framed picture along the far wall. Cortland follows at a slower pace, still deep in thought over the implications of Crispin’s photo. Bass proudly points up at the picture on the wall.

Cortland gives it a cursory glance. “It’s a camp photo, so what?”

“Dude look.” He points earnestly at a group of girls in particular.

“That’s my mother,” Says Crispin, face slack with something resembling awe. He stares at the photo and Bass Drop fades into the background as he focuses on his mom. Her hand is gently resting on the shoulder of the girl to her right. She’s smiling brighter than he can ever remember seeing.

Cortland swallows, “That there is my Aunt Dash,” He points her out for Crisp “and my Aunt Twi too.”

Crispin recognizes their faces, though he has only seen them in photos. His mother has told stories about them, rarely, when he catches her on a good day. “That’s- that’s Aunt Shy, Aunt Pinkie and –”

“Aunt Sunset.” They finish together.

Dinner is filled with the boys comparing notes. Crispin’s mother has been less than forthcoming about most of her old friends. Cortland on the other hand has plenty of information. Crisp is rooted to his seat as the other boy tells story after story. Cortland describes their time at Canterlot High, and colorful personalities in such detail that Crisp can almost see it. Rainbow Dash and her game winning goal, Aunt Fluttershy and her animals. Aunt Pinkie's Parties and Twilight Sparkle's genius.

“I can’t believe Mother has never told me any of this.” Crisp sighs as he leads the way back to their shared cabin. “She’s mentioned the others but never- she’s never mentioned your mom. I always assumed she was gone… She always told me that it was just us… I had a brother, another mom, and she never said anything.”

“Several Aunts and an Uncle too,” Cortland says, he pulls his wallet from his pocket and shows Crispin the photos inside. Pointing out his relatives with gusto, “Uncle Mac an’ Sugar Belle, Aunt Applebloom, Granny Smith, Granpappy Pear, and those are just the ones that live in Canterlot. Ma says there’s Apple’s in just about every city you can think of!”

The boys talk long into the night, exchanging stories about their families. Admittedly, Cortland has a lot more to say than Crispin. While Cortland’s family is close, and massive, Crispin only knows his grandparents and Aunt Sweetie Belle. Rarity had moved to Manehatten when he was only a baby and being that far from Canterlot meant that he didn’t often see his extended family. The boys manage to compare enough half-stories and family history to figure out that their mother’s had attended Camp Everfree with their classmates around 2016 and graduated in 2017. Rarity had given birth on May 2nd, 2021, as a sophomore in college. What wasn’t clear was why they were separated.

Rarity had always told Crispin that his second parent was long gone and that they were alone. Applejack however, had told Cortland that Rarity refused to marry her before packing up and leaving. Neither woman had ever mentioned either twin to the other. The more they discussed the more frustrating the tangled web became.

“It makes no sense!” Crisp groaned, “I wish I could just meet her. I want to ask her to her face why Mother left her, why she never even looked for us… I just want to know.”

“And I’d really like to talk to Mom.” Cortland admits quietly, “Ma told me a little but she always got real sad after. Like, real upset and then she’d just go out to the orchard for hours… Granny always said she died a little when Rarity took off.”

“Which I don’t get! Why would they let each other go if they both ended up so hurt? And why lie to us?”

“Bet Aunt Sunset would tell us,” Cortland mutters, “she says family is the most important thing in life, especially the family you choose. And it wasn’t a lie… technically; I mean I never asked Ma outright if I had a brother or nothin’. And I bet you never asked Mom if Ma was actually dead or not.”

“A lie by omission is still a lie.”

He barks out a laugh so sharp and clear that Crisp jumps and sends the pages he’d been idly drawing on fluttering to the floor. “Sorry,” Cortland says sheepishly, “it’s just that Ma says that all the time.”

“Yeah, Mother does too.”

The Switch

“Alright,” Said Cortland wearily, laying his head back against the wall; “Run this by me again.”

“It’s simple, we switch places. I teach you about my life and you teach me yours. A little fake accent on both our parts and we both get what we want. You get to meet Mother and I get to meet… er… ‘Ma’.”

Cortland raised an eyebrow, “Right. You really think that this will work?” Crisp had been tossing this plan around all night. Cortland had argued against it at first but, well… He really wanted to meet his Mom.

“We’re identical!” Crisp exclaimed, “We exchange clothes. I teach you to be me, you teach me to be you, and we trade places.”

“And when we need to change back?”

“That’s the best part. Before school starts we tell them. Then they’ll have to meet up to switch us back.”

Cortland’s eyes widened and he beamed. Their parents would be in the same place, all of them together. His Ma had loved Rarity Belle so much, and she would get to see her again. “I’m on board.”

The brother’s high fived and Crispin whipped out his phone and opened the photo app. They spent the next few weeks of camp comparing notes on their families. Cortland picked up his brother’s Manehatten accent fairly quickly. Crispin, on the other hand, had a bit more trouble speaking like an Apple.

Once they were freed from the Harmony cabin’s isolation they brought Bass Drop in to help them.

“Dude.” He had proclaimed when they told him, “That is so cool.”

The end of camp snuck up on them. Two straight weeks of practice to sound, look, and act like one another was a test of their acting abilities. Bass Drop had served as a sounding board and pointed out the flaws that neither brother noticed.

“I think we might actually pull this off.” Cortland muttered, “Mother shan’t even be able to tell.”

“And I reckon Ma’ won’t notice either,” Crisp drawled.

“One problem dudes,” Bass Drop interrupted.

They turned to face him as one. “And what, pray tell, is the issue?” Cortland asked in his best haughty tone.

“My guy, you have your hair in a mohawk, Crisp doesn’t.”

Crisp’s head snapped left to look, as if he hadn’t already known this.

“Ma’s… uh… big on self-expression?”

“Are you kidding me? How are we going to fix that?”

Bass Drop looked at Crisp as if he had declared the sky to be green. “You cut your hair. Duh.”

“Absolutely NOT.”

Crispin looked at the portable clippers in Bass’s hand as if they had killed his first born. When they were brought to his head Cortland had to grip his shoulders tightly to hold him still.

“I hate you both.” He declared as he ran his hand through his significantly shorter purple locks. The curls kept the shape of the hawk nicely but he mourned the loss of his longer tresses. “What will you be telling Mother when she sees the state of your hair?”

“I’ll just say that camp inspired me to be freer and I wanted a more rugged look to match.”

“I absolutely abhor that that will likely work.”

When the limo pulled up Cortland felt the first inkling of panic, what if his mother didn’t like him? What if she knew right away he was an imposter? What if he asked her about his Mom like he intended to and she told him something awful?

The driver glared at him, “Are you quite ready sir?”

“Oh, um yes sorry.”

As he disembarked his plane he was greeted by a familiar face (although she thought he was Crispin). “Aunt Sunset!” He yanked her into a fierce hug. “It’s so lovely to see you.”

“It’s good to see you too Crisp. My goodness, Camp Everfree must have been good for you, you’re strong. And are you a little taller?”

Cortland laughed awkwardly; Crisp was just a little shorter than his brother. “Perhaps I’ve had a growth spurt.”

“Well at any rate, let’s get a move on. Your Mom is very excited to see you.”

The moment the door swung open Rarity was upon him with a cry of “Oh my Baby! It’s so good to have you home.” A massive banner hung in the foyer reading: “Welcome Home Crispin”.

“It’s really good to see you too Mother.” He whispered, inhaling the scent of coffee, vanilla, and flowers from her perfume. He hastily wiped a tear from his cheek.

“Oh darling did you miss me that much?”

“I-I really did.” He sniffed, “It’s really good to be, um, back.” He failed to see the slight crease in Sunset’s brow as she watched them interact.

Crispin wasn’t sure what he expected from a farm but Sweet Apple Acres was all that Cortland had said and more. The trees were blooming beautifully; rows upon rows of them in every direction. And as the old truck trundled up the gravel drive he got his first glimpse of the farm house. He had pictured it a bit run down and smaller. As it was the home was a decent size and painted a vibrant red. Planters of well-kept flowers hung around the porch where a well-loved rocking chair held the woman he knew to be Granny Smith.

“Happy to be home?” Big Mac asked softly as he pulled into the garage. He had been quiet for most of the drive, which Crispin appreciated. He was nervous enough as it was.

“Yeah,” He mimicked his brother as best he could, “I ain’t never been so happy to see this place in my life.” And he meant it, his heart felt as though it would bust. Somewhere between nerves and utter elation, he trotted toward the porch.

The front door swung open before he could make it and a blonde woman with emerald eyes so like his own bolted out . He was pulled into a full body embrace; so unlike his Mother’s light hugs was it that he startled a bit.

“It’s nice to see you too Ma.” He smiled and buried his face in her shoulder, the scent of sweat, dirt and fresh apples clung to her. She was exactly as he had imagined based on the single current photo Cortland had shown him.

“I’m so glad to have you home sugarcube, we missed you so much around here.”

Aunt Sunset's Tale

“How long are you staying Sunset darling?” Rarity asked with a smile.

“Well, I don’t want to overstay my welcome but I haven’t seen Crispin in a couple years now. I’d like to stay a few weeks and catch up.”

“Oh, darling you know you’re always welcome. I’ve missed having you around. Fluttershy always calls. And Pinkie never misses a birthday but it gets lonely on this side of the country alone.”

“Yeah, that’s why I opened up those galleries in Canterlot and Las Pegasus. I really couldn’t do extended travel anymore, I missed home too much. Pretty soon I won’t be traveling at all except to visit you girls.”

Rarity’s brow furrowed, “You’ve been living out of a suitcase since college dear. What will you do if not travel and take your photographs? You are, after all, a photographer.”

“Celestia and Luna have offered me a position as the art teacher at Canterlot High. I’m going to accept.”

“Well… I- I’m happy for you darling, if this is what you want.”

Sunset’s eyes met her friends. “I know you feel like you can’t ever go back,” she said carefully, “but you are missed in Canterlot Rarity.”

Cortland’s heart leapt into his throat as Sunset looked over Rarity’s head. They locked eyes from his position on the stairwell where he had been eavesdropping. She waited until Rarity wasn’t looking at her to wink at him.

“Darling, I’m afraid not everyone is as forgiving as you are. That ship has sunk. I’m lucky Pinkie and Fluttershy are still talking to me. By all means return to Canterlot, and spend your days as a teacher if you like.” She responded somewhat bitterly, “But I am happy AND successful where I am. There’s nothing for me there.”

Sunset frowned. “Does Crispin know what he might be missing?”

Rarity’s eyes narrowed dangerously, “That’s all I’ll hear on that topic Sunset Shimmer. This conversation is over and you will leave my son out of it.”

Sunset’s hands rose in silent surrender and she bid Rarity a goodnight before making her way to the guest room.

The next morning Cortland rose with the sun as he had every day since he was a baby. He slipped into the kitchen to scrounge up breakfast and-

“Good Morning nephew.” He jerked around to face the intruder, “how are you this morning?” Sunset smirked over her coffee cup.

“M-morning Aunt Sunset.”

Her eyes narrowed and she stared at him for a long moment. “I have donut muffins in the oven”

“My favorite!” He whooped, swinging toward the oven.

“Donut muffins are Cortland’s favorite breakfast. Crispin’s is Panettone French toast,” she said nonchalantly.

He froze, every muscle in his body tensed. Sunset could bring this plan down around their ears with one phone call.

“You’re Cortland. I don’t know how you’re here but I know my nephews. …AJ sent you to Camp Everfree too,” She muttered, almost to herself, “You two switched places didn’t you?”

She glared at him. He gulped, “Y-Yes ma’am,” He mumbled, “Please don’t tell mom yet.”

“Why don’t we eat those donut muffins I made and you can tell me what possessed you two to switch places?” It was phrased as a question but Cortland knew an order from Aunt Sunset when he heard one, he sat down swiftly.

Sunset sat quietly, listening without comment as he told his tale. He told her everything, from his meeting Crispin to the realization that they are twins. When he got to the part where they hatched their plan she stopped him.

“You did all this… to get Rarity back to Canterlot? She could just put you on a plane back and have AJ do the same with Crisp.”

“But if she did that, there’s no guarantee that we won’t just catch each other’s flights. There’s also the fact that I could refuse, do you see Mom being able to force me onto a plane.”

“But why bother trying to get your mom to the one place on Earth she never wants to go again?”

“For Ma,” He said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “She died a little when Mom left. She… she won’t say she misses her but… I overheard her and Aunt Dash fighting once. Ma told Aunt Dash that she’d never love anyone else. Big Mac told me that Rarity took her heart with her and she never got it back.”

“You want to get them back together…” She realized, “You- you boys are trying to Parent Trap them! …I should never have let you watch that movie…”

“Please don’t rat us out. This will work, I know it will.”

Sunset was on board. It felt a bit silly but, well, the boys had a point. This plan was insane, sure, but Rarity had not ever returned to Canterlot for anything. She had missed all their meet ups, even the ones AJ had not attended. She had sent back every invitation marked ‘with regrets’. If this plan got her two old friends in the same room it would be a miracle. Unfortunately, this miracle was going to need her help.

“You need to know what really happened.” She said, “Call your brother. You should both hear this.”

Once Crispin joined them on the phone and assured them that no one would hear Sunset began.

“AJ and Rarity started dating our senior year of high school. They were different but, complementary; they were surprisingly stable for a teenage couple. Way better than any of our other friends. When we went to college they kept up the relationship and, well, they seemed like they were on the same page. But, life happened. In August as we started back to college there was a lot going on. Classes, jobs, Applejack was busting ass at the farm and Rarity was neck deep in dresses and sewing machines. Then… Granny Smith got sick-.”

“But Granny’s fine! Cortland protested, “she’s fit as a fiddle.”

“Now she is, yes,” Sunset agreed. “But that August she fell off the porch and broke her hip. AJ was weighed down by a lot. Rarity did what she could to help but the stress was a lot for both of them. AJ, Mac and Applebloom were all overwhelmed. Neither would ever tell me what exactly started the argument but I know they had a fight about something.” She glanced from Cortland to the phone lying between them on the table, “this next part of the story is… unpleasant, but don’t think less of your Moms okay guys? Even adults make mistakes… Rarity yelled that it was ‘over’ as she left and AJ, well, AJ told her to ‘stay gone’. Neither one took the break up very well. AJ buried herself in her responsibilities and work and Rarity dove into designing and drinking. Not necessarily in that order. As far as I know, she had a one night stand with a foreign exchange student. She always told me she didn’t know his name, just that he looked enough like AJ that she liked him. I’m sure you guys can guess how scary it was for her to realize that she was pregnant.” Cortland’s face was rather white and his eyes had a glassy sheen to them.

“Aunt Sunset?” Crispin's voiced from the phone, his tone a little shaky, “If they were broken up then why did Mom only take me?”

“Well, they didn’t stay broken up actually.” She answered, taking a long pull from her coffee cup. “Rarity was, of course, panicked about what to do so she went to the only other people she trusted. She called me first; I was the one who bought the test. Futtershy and I waited with her for the result and… we were there… We talked about options and what she wanted. She knew from the start that she wanted you.” Here she looked at Cortland fiercely, “Never doubt for a second how much your Mothers wanted you. She wanted it kept a secret until she could tell her family but, one night she woke up and was bleeding- she got scared. The rest of us were out at a basketball game so, she called the only other person she knew would answer. AJ picked her up and took her to the hospital. The way Rare tells it, AJ never said a word the whole ride. She sat next to her and held her hand the whole time, just staring at the wall. Once they found out you were going to be okay, they talked. AJ only told me this part of the story once so it’s a little fuzzy… Rarity cried a lot and Applejack kept trying to help. She offered to take her to Sweet Apple Acres so she wouldn’t be alone and, in the middle of the hospital Rarity says ‘Stop being nice to me I’m awful!’ and just cried. It took a while for her to calm down but when she did Applejack just told her how much she loved her and took her back to the farm. They got back together after that and for a few months they were okay. Then, well, they fought again. Rarity got an internship offer in Manehatten and AJ couldn’t leave the farm. Rarity thought AJ didn’t care about her career, and she thought Rarity didn’t love her enough to stay. Rarity wanted to take you both to Manehatten and AJ wanted you raised on the farm. At the time, I think we all thought they’d get back together. I figured Rarity would miss Canterlot, would miss her friends. It didn’t happen like that though, the last fight was nasty, we were all there. They got into a huge argument about, well about what was best for you boys. They both said a lot of things that they didn’t mean but in the end, they came to a decision. They flipped a coin, heads Crispin would live with Rarity and Cortland would live with AJ; tails the opposite. Rarity took off with Crisp and, AJ kept you with her Cort.”

Author's Note

Lots of dialog in this one, that may change at some point with editing. Right now my fingers are tired from writing about AJ and Rarity's past. Had to set up an explanation for two women having children together in college and get the story about the past out there... even if it isn't the whole story...

Operation Rarijack

“Cortland!” Applejack’s voice called from the bottom of the stairs, “Get down here son, there’s sombody I want ya ta meet.”

With a low groan Crispin rolled out of his brother’s sorry excuse of a bed and made his way down. “Wha’s up Ma?” He mumbled, rubbing sleep crust from his eyes.

She snorted, “I apologize honey, he’s not usually this tired but Camp Everfree switched up his sleep schedule.” She turned from the pink and white haired woman to Crispin, “Cort, this is Vignette Valencia. She’s uh- She’s ma fiancée.”

That got his attention. “FIANCEE?” He squawked, “What are you talking about?” He looked about the room, and wondered briefly if he was being Punk’d.

“Now Cort, I’ve been on my lonesome since you were a baby. I’d like you and Vignette to get to know one another better okay?”

“I’m sure we’ll get along swimmingly baby.” The woman cooed, “He’s so much like his mother.” If Vignette noticed Applejack’s flinch she didn’t comment on it. “Unfortunately I must run, influencing waits for no one.”

Applejack seemed a bit put out, “ya ain’t gonna stay for dinner?”

Crispin ignored them saying their goodbyes in favor of trying to get his burgeoning panic attack under control. The minute Vignette was out the door he excused himself.

Dinner that night was a painfully awkward affair. His Aunt Dash’s arrival, with Aunt Pinkie in tow no less, saved him from an extended conversation with his Mom about her, uhg, fiancée. Once he had locked himself in his bedroom he called Cortland and brought him up to speed.

“The plan will have to be accelerated.” He announced as soon Cortland answered the call, “We need to get Mother to Canterlot immediately.”

“We’ve only been home a little over a week, what’s the rush?” Cortland asked, sounding miffed.

“Mom has a girlfriend, no scratch that Mom has a fiancée. Cortland this is bad. When I came upstairs to call you Mom was talking about a wedding, a damn wedding! Soon too, like, within a month.”

“Sorry.” Cortland muttered hoarsely, “did you just say fiancée? My head’s still stuck on that word… Ma’s never been interested in anyone! She’s never even been on a date!”

“Well she certainly has now. And I do not like this Vignette woman, there’s something fishy about her.”

“Vignette?” Cortland sputtered, “Vignette Valencia? But she’s just a consultant Sugar Belle hired to help us with branding. Why would she even be talking to Ma?”

“Does it matter?” Crisp snapped, “Just bring Aunt Sunset up to speed. We need to get Mother to Canterlot ASAP. Hopefully we can get them in the same place. I’m going to keep Mom in the dark until you give me the go ahead.”

“Alright.”

“Whatever am I going to do?” Crispin whined to himself as the call ended. “I’m just one kid… how am I supposed to break up an engagement?!”

“Something you need to get off your chest there kiddo?”

He whirled around to face her with a squeak. “Uh.. Hey… Aunt Dash… A-Aunt Pinkie.”

They were both staring at him. Pinkie’s brow was furrowed in confusion but Dash just looked amused.

“You didn’t touch your pie,” Pinkie said quietly, “you love pie.”

“He also just said ‘whatever am I going to do?’ in a super weird Canterlot-Manehatten mash-up accent.”

Pinkie stepped a little closer, eyeing him carefully. “You’re shorter, the pie, the accent…” Her eyes blew wide, “I swear it’s almost like… like you’re-”.

“Like I’m who?”

“Never mind.” Dash cut in sharply, “it’s nothing.” She grabbed Pinkie's arm gently as if to pull her from the room and the slight waver in her tone made his chest ache.

“Like I’m Crispin?”

“You- you know about Crispin?!” She stammered, “But we- I?... How?”

“I… I am Crispin.”

“You’re…” Her eyes visibly welled with tears and Pinkie was already crying.

“Hey y’all didja get lost or-” Applejack cut herself off, “Uh Dash? You girls alright? Why are ya lookin’ at Cort like that?”

“L-like what?” Dash whimpered, “I’m not looking at him any special way. I-I’m looking at him how I always have. Since… Since the day you brought him home from the hospital. Eight… eight pounds and two ounces, twenty one inches long, this… this is how I-” She choked a bit and the tears finally fell. “This is how I look at him… Can I hug him?”

Pinkie, who had been, uncharacteristically, silent the entire time broke into a bubbling half-sob half-laugh and yanked him and Rainbow into a fierce hug. “Just look at you.” She breathed so only he could hear, "just as perfect as the day we lost you.”

Sunset groaned as a familiar ringtone broke her peaceful sleep, “Dash do you have any idea what time it is?”

“You knew Crispin was here and didn’t tell us!!?”

Pinkie and Rainbow had always had an uncanny ability to be perfectly in sync but it had been a while since they’d blown out her eardrums like this. “He told you?”

“Yeah he told us!” Dash huffed, “just like you should have the minute you found out. Now spill! How did this even happen?”

Resigning herself to a sleepless night, Sunset relayed the insane plan to Pinkie and Rainbow as best she could.

“Well we’re in.” Rainbow proclaimed as soon as Sunset fell silent. “Obviously.”

“Duh.” Pinkie cheered, “Applejack cannot marry Vignette Valencia. She’s like, totally and completely evil.”

“I-uh… don’t know if I’d go that far Pinks,” Sunset cautioned.

“I overheard her on the phone last week, she was talking about how once Cortland is out of the way she can talk Applejack out of her share of Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack has the majority ownership, which is why she can make all the decisions. She mentioned boarding school.”

Sunset groaned, “Okay... definitely straight up Disney villain evil then. Did you, by chance, mention this to AJ?”

“She thinks I must have misheard or made it up…” Pinkie’s hair seemed to lose some of its curl, “she yelled at me.”

“Alright!” Dash clapped her hands together decisively, “Operation Rarijack is a go!”

“We are so not calling it that,” Sunset growled.

Broken hearts

“Mama, I think we need to talk.”

“Mama? You’ve never called me that before. It’s always been ‘Mother’, occasionally ‘Mom’ or ‘Mommy’ if you’re sick. Whatever is the matter darling?” Rarity reached out and cupped Cortland’s face gently, wiping a tear from his cheek.

“…”

“Darling,” she coaxed. “Tell me what’s bothering you.”

“I’m not who you think I am.” He said softly, “I’m not…”

“Honey of course you are. Is this about whatever happened at Camp? You’ve been distant and it’s like you’re afraid to tell me things now. Did you-”

“No Mom!” He huffed loudly, “I mean I’m literally not who you think I am… I’m not Crispin, Mom. I’m Cortland.”

Rarity’s face went through a myriad of emotions before finally settling on happy sobbing. She hauled Cortland into a surprisingly strong embrace.

“My baby,” she whimpered, burying her face in the side of his Mohawk. She pulled out of the hug and held him at arm’s length, “You’re so big. I can’t believe I didn’t see it, that hair just screams Apple. Oh, but darling boy whatever are you doing here? Your Mother must be simply beside herself and- Oh my stars! Where is Crispin?”

“He’s uh… well he’s in Canterlot… with Ma’.”

Rarity’s eye twitched.

They were both still crying when Sunset made it back from her meeting that afternoon.

“Sunset Shimmer.”

“Hey Rare,” Sunset greeted cheerfully as she stepped through the front door. “…What’s with the water works?”

Rarity pointed at the sofa where Cortland was already perched, his head hung low. “Sit down.”

A chill ran up Sunset’s spine at the tone of her friends’ voice. She sat. “What- What’d I do?” She half joked.

“Why is it that for the past week I have been led to believe that my darling Crispin was in some distress that he wouldn’t tell me about? Because it has been brought to my attention that that” here she pointed angrily at Cortland, “is not my boy.” The moment the words were out of her mouth Rarity froze. Cortland looked up at his mother, eyes pained but expression carefully blank. “Oh, darling… I didn’t mean it like that- I- I just…”

“I’m just not the kid you wanted?”

“Cortland,” Sunset tried but Rarity beat her to it. She kneeled in front of her son and grasped his hand.

“I have always wanted you my love. But, I couldn’t take you both. Your mother loved you both as much as I did; it would have been unfair to us all. I couldn’t take care of twins on my own while trying to run a company. And… it just seemed like separating you was the best option. You are wanted, you are loved; there hasn’t been a day of my life that I haven’t thought of you. I wondered- I wondered how you were. I wondered if you took after me; if your mother told you about me… If you knew I was thinking about you.”

“She won’t talk about you.” He said quietly, “she wouldn’t even tell me your name… Big Mac let it slip, that’s when she told me that you left.”

“I- I did leave… I can’t say that isn’t exactly what I did…”

“I don’t blame you for leaving Mom. But, why didn’t you tell us? Why did neither of you tell us that we had a brother? You told Crispin that Ma’ was dead.”

Rarity recoiled a little, “I- I never… I said, I just… said she was somewhere… better.”

Sunset sighed, “Uh Rarity, did you not think how that would sound?”

“Don’t think I’ve forgotten that I’m mad at you! You should have told me the moment you realized I had Cortland and not Crispin.”

“And deny my nephew his most desperate wish? Deny him the right to get to know his Mom? Not likely.”

Rarity grumbled, settling herself between them on the couch. “You know very well why I left, why Ap- why she and I decided this was best.”

Sunset rolled her eyes, “Rarity, you could have gone back. You got through the internship fine; there was no reason for all of this heartache. Canterlot was your home and we all know that you could have succeeded there as well as you did here. That last fight got ugly, sure, but you could have talked it out. ”

“You saw the last fight Sunny but you didn’t see the aftermath.” Rarity stressed, “When I was packing my things she- she asked me if I still loved her, I said that I did. Then, she said she would wait.” Rarity pauses to wipe a tear from her eye. “That’s not what I wanted though. I think I knew then that I would never have the guts to come back if I left, if I broke her heart.”

“Ma said that she asked you to marry her…”

Rarity gave a little half-laugh and nods, “she did. The madwoman. She said she’d go with me, if I would say yes, that she’d follow me to the ends of the earth if I’d marry her. But, Cortland, you have to understand that I couldn’t. If I had agreed to marry her, to let her follow me to Manehatten, your mother would have been miserable. I didn’t want to do that. Her place was at home, on the farm…”

Cortland stares at her for a moment before pulling her into a tight hug. The two of them cry together while Sunset makes them tea.

“Aaaapple Jaaack!” Vignette’s voice grates Crispin’s ears as he scrubs a particularly stubborn pie tin at the kitchen sink. She glides into the house, barely sparing him a glance.

“Right here honey,” Applejack drawls, “whatcha need?”

“Dearest, won’t you please work on your grammar? My parents have agreed to meet us at the Ritz-Canterton for dinner next week on Saturday.”

“I still don’t get why they can’t just come around here. This is home, honey. Don’t they wanna see where you’ll be livin’?”

“Ehhehehehe, it’s just a short visit dearest, I’m sure they’ll see the farm soon.”

That night, Crispin, Cortland, and the Aunts who were in the know hatched their plan. Cortland and Sunset told Rarity they would be meeting Applejack at the Ritz-Canterton in Canterlot to switch the twins. Crispin convinced AJ that if they were to meet Vignette’s entire family it only made sense that they meet the WHOLE Apple family… Quirky Aunts and all.

Operation Rarijack II

The Apple family entered the Ritz-Canterton hotel with the same air as they did any other place: carefree and boisterous. Vignette could feel a headache coming on at the sight of them but pulled her face into a smile.

“Mother, Daddy, this is my fiancée and the love of my life,” she pulled AJ in close, “Applejack Apple. And her… family.”

“Hello dear.” Vignette’s mother smiled, “You may call me Mrs. Britches and this is my husband Bracer. And who is this?” She turned her attention to a glaring Crispin, snagging his cheek in a pinching manner.

“This is Applejack’s son, Cortland. And these are her other family.”

“It’s mighty nice to meet y’all,” Applejack interrupted, shaking Bracer Britches’ hand. “This here is my sister Applebloom, my brother Big Mac, my cousin and business partner Pinkie Pie and her wife Rainbow, annnnnnd Granny Smith! Oh, and this is our friend and occasional experiment expert Twilight.”

“A pleasure,” said Mr. Britches, his expression saying that it was not at all a pleasure.

Crispin gave them all the darkest glare he could muster and out of the corner of his eye he saw Applebloom and Big Mac exchange looks. Even his Aunt Twi made a face.

“Well,” Vignette gave a large fake smile, “why don’t we all freshen up before we have dinner hmm?”

Sunset regretted letting Rarity convince her that taking a first class flight to the airport. She also regretted agreeing to the limousine. Both came with complementary booze. “Rarity,” She gently tugged a tiny bottle from her friend’s hand, “maybe you should slow down.”

“I’m about to see my ex for the first time in thirteen years Sunset. I’m freaking out.” She grasped Sunset by the cheeks and stared into her eyes, “Have you ever seen me like this?” Sunset opened her mouth to answer but- “Don’t answer that. Do you think what I’m wearing is okay?... Don’t answer that either.”

Sunset shook her head, “just wear that little purple number I know you brought and she’ll be putty in your hands. AJ always was a sucker for you, pajamas or ball gowns.”

Rarity’s face flushed, “you think?... No, wait… that isn’t what we’re going there to do. We are going to switch the boys back and never speak again.” She glanced at Cortland, “We’ll come up with a way you boys can see each other.”

“Do you hate Ma that much? You just never want to see her again?” The spacious stretch limousine suddenly felt much too small.

“The reason we came up with this arrangement was because we never wanted to set eyes on each other again. I’m fairly certain your mother isn’t looking forward to this anymore than I am. You did speak to her didn’t you?”

Cortland cringed when Rarity pulled another shot of vodka from the small cooler. “Uh… yeah, Ma seemed really… excited to see you again.”

Rarity’s eyes went wide and she squeaked, “She is?” She snatched yet another shot.

“Liar, liar, pants on fire,” Sunset muttered out the side of her mouth. Then to Rarity, “the other girls will be there too Rares. Fluttershy is arriving a few hours before us and the rest are already there.”

“Right, of course darling, I can do this.”

By the time they rolled to a stop outside the hotel Sunset had her doubts about Rarity being able to ‘do this’.

She gave un-lady like giggle as she tumbled out of the limo and Cortland cringed. “Uh… Mama? You feelin’ alright? “

“What? Oh yes darling, perfectly fine. I just need a bit of fresh air, why don’t you two go check us in hmm?”

Sunset gave him a subtle shrug and they made for the reception desk. The hotel’s massive glass windows, beautiful marble floors, and giant chandelier made it hard for Cortland not to stare.

As they checked in Cortland caught sight of Crispin and the brothers immediately met in an embrace. “Man, it’s so good to see ya.”

Crispin smirked, “you’re a sight for sore eyes as well. Hello, Aunt Sunset.”

“Sunset!” Pinkie and Dash were upon her in seconds, they drew plenty of eyes but no one seemed keen to stop them. The reunion was shortened somewhat by Rarity’s tottering arrival.

“Cortland darling I thought you said that-” She froze, “… Oh why now? I’m already seeing double.”

“Good to see you too, Mother” Crispin snipped.

Rarity drew him into a hug and sighed, glancing over his head she surveyed the rest of the group. “Hi Pinkie… Dash.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, “oh get over here you dummy.” Rainbow pulled her in and the prior group hug came back in full force.

When they finally separated Crispin smiled a little sheepishly at his mother. “So, not to cause any more stress but um… Mom doesn’t actually know you’re here.” Rarity’s shriek was so loud it rattled the windows.

Applejack sighed as she and Vignette stepped into the elevator together. Since the moment they’d arrived Vignette had been making not-so-subtle comments about moving the wedding to the hotel. Not even the fancy mirrored walls of the massive elevator could draw her attention away.

“Just think dearest, if we held the wedding here we could invite some investors….”

AJ scowled, “It’s our damn wedding. Why would I want a bunch of stuck up blowhards there?”

Vignette recoiled, “those stuck up blowhards are the only reason you have a dime Applejack Apple. Our happiness depends on those men.”

If she had been listening, Applejack likely would have had quite a few words about what truly brought her happiness. But she wasn’t listening. A shriek from the lobby drew her attention. And her eyes locked on a familiar form. As the elevator door started to shut her hand snapped out and caught it. As the door slid open again it became apparent that Rarity had seen her too.

AJ’s eyes flicked from left to right as her brain tried to spit out some explanation, her ex… the love of her-No. She couldn’t think like that… her ex and her sons- her boys were in the same place. Her old friends were all together…

“What the fresh hell?”

The Fiancée from Tartarus

“What the fresh hell?” Vignette snarled, “you cannot just walk away when I am talking to- what are you staring at?”

Applejack stumbled from the elevator, her eyes never leaving the group. Her brain was misfiring as it tried to comprehend the sight before her. “…Cort?” She asked weakly, looking at Crispin.

“Actually… I’m Cortland,” the other boy offered.

“And I’m Crispin. Hi, Mom.”

Applejack stared. “They switched places on us AJ,” Rarity explained her expression visibly softening. “They met at camp, all summer I’ve had Cortland.”

AJ didn’t even look up, “and… I’ve- I’ve had Crisp?” She blinked and then swiftly jerked forward and wrapped both boys in a hug, silent tears streaming down her face. “My babies… both in the same place.” She laughed, “I should whip you both but goddess, just look at ya’.”

Rarity raised a brow, “do you mean to tell me you aren’t upset about this? Our children have made us both look foolish. They’ve been lying to us. And at least two of them are in on it,” She gestured aggressively at their recently reunited friends.

“Excuse me,” Vignette snarled in a grating voice, “did she just say children?” She glared at AJ, “As in plural?”

“Vignette!” AJ squawked, having forgotten she was there, “this- this is my other son! Crispin, he’s- I ain’t seen him since he was a baby.

“And you didn’t think a second child was something you should tell me?”

“Rarity-” AJ fumbled, looking between her fiancée and her ex with wide eyes, “I mean she was in Manehatten… It never came up, I never thought I’d seen ‘em again.”

Rarity glared at the two boys, “your sons were supposed to tell you we were meeting you here to switch them back.”

“Not to interrupt,” Twilight butted in carefully, “but maybe we could have this conversation somewhere less public.”

They were indeed drawing soap opera levels of attention. The whole lobby seemed to be eavesdropping; a few at least had the decency to pretend they weren’t listening.

The group separated, disappearing to their respective rooms to dress for dinner and process the shock of the whole ordeal. Rarity flopped onto the couch in her executive suite and groaned. The boys had elected to follow her and she could feel the headache she had been fighting flare to life once the adrenaline of seeing Applejack faded.

“Would one of you please go get something cold for my head?”

Meanwhile, Rainbow and Pinkie were reuniting with Fluttershy. They elected to track her down and bring her up to speed on all she had missed out on over the summer. She had been away helping save animals from a massive fire in Australia. The conversation stopped however at the loud slam of a door down the hall. It was followed by the slightly muffled sound of what was very obviously AJ yelling herself hoarse.

“I can’t believe you can talk that way!” Vignette huffed, “you sprang a whole extra child on me. How exactly is one supposed to react to something like that?”

“Well to start you could keep from calling the mother of my children a money hungry whore!”

“Well just what exactly is she then Applejack? I just find it suspicious that right as Sweet Apple Acers comes into a large sum of money, she shows back up. The only thing you ever told me about her was that she took off to Manehatten and never came back. It’s been twelve years, why is she here now? She could have called and told you what was going on.”

Applejack fumed, “Rarity has the biggest, most generous heart in the world! You’re gonna be my wife! I expect you to treat my sons and their mother with respect… We should get ready for dinner. I’ve invited them to eat with us.”

“We are having dinner with my family!”

“And mine,” said AJ firmly. “I haven’t seen my son in twelve years… I spent the summer with him and didn’t even realize it was him. I’m not missing anymore, can’t you understand that?”

“Fine.”

Dinner was a tense affair. Everyone at the table was trying to talk around Vignette’s obvious annoyance with the Apples. It was made worse by Rarity’s uneasy expression and the tension of all AJ’s friends and family. The two families were as different as night and day. Bracer Britches was enthusiastically mansplaining a physics concept to a bored looking Twilight. She had repeated the words ‘I’m a thrice published physicist.’ no less than 10 times to no avail. Sunset was trying desperately to butt in long enough to save her, and Pinkie and Dash were talking loudly over the awkwardness. By the time it ended, Rarity had bucked up just enough courage to agree to meet AJ the next day to talk out a plan for the boys. Both boys had asked for a separate table and sat far away from the pervading misery of the adults.

The group separated swiftly, and Applejack was pained to watch her friends disappear with Rarity. Vignette was still angry and seemed intent on arguing. The rest of the Apples followed their friends example and slipped off as Vignette start in on AJ.

The Villain

The night did not improve once dinner was over. AJ retired to her room, Vignette’s voice rolling in one ear and out the other. As the door to their shared suite swung open she found herself desperately wishing she had followed her friends.

“- and you absolutely should not have invited them to dinner with my parents of all things!” Vignette concluded loudly.

“Yes,” Applejack agreed quietly. “I know it was a bad plan and I’ve apologized for it… Are you done?”

“No, Applejack I am not done. In less than 24 hours you have sprung an ex and an extra child on me. You’ve forced me to allow your merry band of idiots to attend dinner with my parents. And you have thoroughly embarrassed me.”

“You say all that like I meant for any of this to happen! I had no idea the boys were both at Camp Everfree. I had no idea they switched places. I had no IDEA that Rarity was coming here to switch them back! I’m sorry this weekend isn’t going the way we hoped but I’m trying.” AJ’s eyes watered, she felt like her emotions were bouncing around in her rib cage; breaking everything in their path.

“Then I suggest you try harder.”

Rarity stared at Rainbow Dash with a strange mix of exasperation and respect. All her old friends were seated around the coffee table in her hotel room. The massive white leather couches of the executive suite provided plenty of room. Rainbow had taken the initiative to explain why they were all here… and to tell her the plan.

“If Vignette is really as horrible as you all say then why haven’t you said as much to… her.”

“Her name is Applejack, Rarity. It won’t hurt you to say it,” Rainbow pointed out. “And to answer that question, we did tell her. Vignette has her convinced that we hate her and that we’re all just spewing bull to get rid of her.”

“She’s exceptionally manipulative.” Twilight agreed, pushing her glasses up her nose.

“She’s DISNEY VILLIAN EVIL,” Pinkie proclaimed. “Cruella de Vil, the guy who shot Bambi’s mom… Jafar level evil Rarity!”

Rarity raised an eyebrow, “so Vignette is devious? Applejack obviously loves her; there isn’t anything any of us can say that will stop her… I don’t know why you all are so fixated on me. I’m here to switch the boys back and find a solution to our new custody situation. I’m not here to… to… win her back or break up an engagement. AJ hasn’t loved me in a long time; we’ve been done for years. We both agreed to separate the boys so she wouldn’t ever have to see me again.”

Fluttershy looked Rarity directly in the eyes from across the table. “She wants the boys sent away so that she can get AJ to turn over the part of the farm she deeded to them when they were born... along with Applejack’s own portion. A large vineyard has offered a lot of money for the farm and the family cider recipe.”

Rarity’s eye twitched. “Surely she'll will see through that. She isn’t dumb,” she glanced uneasily at her sons who were a few feet away watching the big screen TV (Read: eavesdropping). “Applejack will see her ruse for what it is and that will be that. There’s no reason for any of us to be involved.”

“Unless she lies,” Sunset pointed out, “not to be the perpetual dark cloud or anything but she doesn’t seem to care about AJ very much. And Vignette is in charge of advertising and stuff. Last we spoke Big Mac said that their sales were going down before she showed up. And, at first they went up when Vignette joined them… Then all of a sudden Vignette was dating AJ and the farms sales were worse than ever. If AJ believes they’re going to lose it all… she’d sell. To keep the boys happy and safe? To protect her family? For the right price AJ would sell.”

“And I looked into the vineyard when Applejack first told me she got an offer to buy the farm, they have a lot of money.” Fluttershy sighed, “Sunset is right; if it were the farm or poverty for her family… she’d sell. And now that Granny Smith is getting up in age Applejack is the executor of the estate. Her name is on everything but the two large parcels of land she deeded to the boys. AJ’s already desperate, all Vignette needs is the boys out of the way and AJ would sell.”

Rarity’s face got progressively redder at every word. It was easy to forget with her small stature and soft, high society demeanor that a temper like a raging inferno lurked behind her blue eyes. “And Applejack…” she gritted out, “has noticed none of this?”

Twilight frowned, “speaking as someone who works with her often? AJ is lonely Rarity. She’s been a single mother and running a business on the verge of belly up virtually on her own for years. She only met Vignette because of work, and she’s the first person AJ has shown an interest in since you left. She’s afraid that she’s going to lose the farm, she’s afraid of spending her life alone, and she’s afraid she’ll never get over you.”

“Wha- But? Me?” Rarity fumbled. “We’ve been separated for years! Why would she still be stuck on me? I’m sure your mistaken darling, Applejack was no slouch then and she isn’t now. She’s had plenty of love over the years, I’m sure.”

“No offence Rares,” Rainbow butted in, “but you’ve been gone. The rest of us were here. She hasn’t seen anyone. Ever. That’s why the Vignette thing worries us so much. She doesn’t even really want her. Personally I think Vignette is just after AJ’s money and AJ is all over it because Vignette is the first woman to give her the time of day in ages. She misses you and now a Rarity downgrade is all she thinks she can get.”

Negotiations

Applejack looked tired. Rarity had been gone for over ten years and even she could see that the farmer was down to her last frayed nerve. Vignette had slouched off early in the morning. She claimed she and her mother needed a spa day to get over the ‘excitement’ of yesterday. She had said it loudly... in the middle of the foyer. With the snidest voice and meanest glare she could muster. Turning her stink eye slowly from AJ to Rarity and back again.

The two mothers had agreed to meet for lunch to talk to the boys. Applejack’s haggard expression made Rarity wonder if this had been a good idea.

“Now,” AJ glanced between her boys, “we have a few options here y’all. We could let you both live half the year with each of us. We could split you up and have designated holidays where one of us gets both. Or… y’all could decide who you want to live with. You’re old enough that the courts would take what you want into account. So... if y’all want to live full time with only one of us… well, we couldn’t stop you.” Applejack’s face said exactly how much she hated the last option.

“We don’t wa-”

“But Ma we-”

The boys blurted over each other loudly. Rarity glanced at AJ and raised a brow. Applejack promptly ignored the flutter in her chest.

“Boys!” She interrupted them, “just talk to us.”

They both opened their mouths at the same time. “One at a time, please darlings.” Rarity cut them off.

Crispin cleared his throat, glancing around the little café in embarrassment. “We want to be with both of you.” He put on his best sad, desperate, child-like expression and looked up at his mother’s. “We don’t want to be apart anymore. Why do we have to be separated from the people we love?”

Rarity rolled her eyes at his dramatics but AJ was obviously won over. Having not become accustomed to his dramatics like Rarity, she was immediately drawn into his pout.

Cortland caught on quickly, turning his own watery, pleading eyes on Rarity. “Don’t make me us live without a parent again Mom,” he whimpered. “I don’t wanna go back to how it was, and I don’t wanna only see you for half the year while I’m away.”

Rarity groaned softly. Looking across the table at Applejack’s soft expression and Cortland’s bright green eyes made her heart ache with melancholy. “Don’t you look at me like that. Don’t you look at me like I’m the bad guy, Crispin and I live on the other side of the country.” She scrubbed a hand down her face, clearing away the urge to cry.

“You ain’t the bad guy here Rares,” AJ said gently. She pulled off her old Stetson and set it on the table between them with a sigh. “But, ya gotta admit it isn’t ideal.”

“Well of course it isn’t. I know very well that you never wanted to speak to me again. I’m trying to spare you as much torture as I can.”

She sputtered, “I-WHAT? When did I ever say that? Rarity Belle I been waitin’ for you to come home for years. Why would you think I don’t wanna see you?” Shit, did I just say that? Did I just tell her I been waiting for her all these years. How pathetic can ya get AJ?

Rarity froze. Her heart thundered in her chest. Was what Rainbow and the others said true? Does she still care? Did-Does she still love me? After all this time? She felt the burden of the last 13 years more heavily than ever. It pressed on her with all the weight of the world. What kind of love that must be? “I-I’m sorry darling, I just- I assumed… I did break your heart after all, more than once even.”

Applejack snorted, “My heart’s just fine china doll. It’ll take more than a little heartache to break this old apple tree.” Her chest felt tight from emotion, she swallowed it down as she had done a million times before. Rarity up and left, she thought to herself, ain’t no point in pining now. She’s probably all hooked up with some hotshot by now… no ring on that finger though. NO AJ, you ain’t no cheater, and Vignette is your girl.

“It’s been a very long time since someone called me that… I almost missed it.” By Faust how I missed it.

Cortland used his parent’s distraction to stare at his brother in amazement. The plan was working better than they could have ever hoped. He knew that look in his Ma’s eyes as well as he knew himself, pure unfiltered love. The only way an Apple knew how to love.

“Why don’t you boys let me and Rares talk a while? Maybe we can work somethin’ out.” Applejack took a room key from her pocket and handed it off to Cortland. “Go on back to the hotel and take advantage of the pool I paid extra for.”

The twins took off with matching grins.

“Separated for over 10 years and it’s like they never parted.” Rarity sighed, “What do we do Applejack? You’ve always been better at this than I am. How do we tell our babies that just found each other that they have to be away from one of us in order to keep each other? Or worse still, that they have to live without each other because of our choices.”

“I don’t know sugar cube, I really don’t.”

Homesick

The two mothers spent the better part of the afternoon talking but it quickly became apparent that they were talking in circles. The only real options they had were the ones they had discussed with the boys. Just as Rarity had always known, Applejack would not leave Sweet Apple Acres. And she herself had no intention of moving back to Canterlot. Move back and see that conniving trollop hanging off her every time we see each other…not likely. Eventually they both agreed to part ways and talk to their boys separately.

It was not going well.

“Crispin, darling,” Rarity pleaded, “please be reasonable. You know we cannot just uproot and move to Canterlot.”

“Why not?” he growled back, “give me one good reason we couldn’t move home right now!”

Home. Rarity sighed, “Canterlot is not our home, my darling boy… It hasn’t been in a very long time.”

“Yes it is!” He insisted earnestly, “it feels more like home than anywhere I’ve ever been Mother.” He sank miserably onto a couch and stared blankly at the generic hotel furniture. “It feels like I belong there. It feels like I belong on Sweet Apple Acres. I love you, you’re my Mother but… for the first time in my life I feel… whole. I’ve spent my entire life feeling like something was missing, and now I have it. And all you can tell me is that I can’t keep my family. All because you’re afraid.”

Rarity sputtered, unable to think of a response. Her mind clung to that last word… is that what I am? Am I afraid? She sat down next to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, “you’ve always known me better than I know myself. What is it you think I’m afraid of?”

“The same thing we all are I think… you’re afraid of getting hurt.”

Applejack’s head spun painfully. Rarity and Vignette, the boys, her friends, the failing farm; it all ran in circles in her thoughts. Vignette was still out with her parents, she had switched from yelling to the silent treatment. I hate that I’m glad she’s not talking to me.

She didn’t register the door opening or Cortland’s presence until he sat down next to her. “You okay Ma?”

Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes but she swallowed it all and sighed, “I’m alright, son. You boys are just makin’ all this a mite difficult right now. I don’t wanna break your hearts but I also don’t think you’re gonna get what you’re anglin’ for either.”

“What do you mean?”

“Sugarcube, I’m not as clueless as I seem. You boys are trying every way in the world to get me and your Mom back together… ain’t ya?”

He blushed, “you mad Ma?”

She laughed, she couldn’t help it, “Son, you are a sight. But honey, your Mom hasn’t loved me in a long time. I know you want me to be happy but this isn’t just about me… Rarity has her career, her dream. And I- I have mine. Couture and Farmland just don’t go together.”

“They could. They could if ya’ll would just- you just gotta try Ma! Vignette is the worst. She’s playin’ you for a fool.”

That stopped AJ cold, she narrowed her eyes, “you’re on this again? Boy, Vignette has been nothin’ but helpful to us all. She’s my fiancée and I need you to understand that. Every kid wants their parents together son, but not every set of parents are meant to be. Did your Aunt Dash put you up to this? She’s been telling all kinds of tales. Boy, Vignette is trying to help me keep the farm afloat.”

“And that means she’s right for you?” He rose without waiting for a response and stormed out the door.

An awkward Sunset poked her head into the still open door, “you okay AJ?”

“You gonna bad mouth my fiancée too?”

Sunset shut the door gently behind her and took the seat across the lunch bar from her friend. “No. I think you’ve heard enough of that lately. We’ve all made our opinions clear and I’m sorry for that. You are the only person in the world whose opinion on this really matters… if you love her then that’s good enough for me.”

“And if… if I don’t?”

Sunset’s head jerked up, “did you pay for a mini bar?”

“Er… yeah?”

“Good.” She turned and yanked several small brown bottles from the mini fridge under the bar. “I have a feeling this is a whiskey conversation.” She poured them each two fingers from the little bottles of scotch. “Should I call the others?”

“I’d rather you not… Sunset I feel like I’m being torn in two…”

“Alright… let’s try something then. When I was in Prance, I met this artist, he was from Canterlot too. He said something to me I’ll never forget.” She took a gulp from her glass without so much as a wince. “I asked him how he could stand to be away from home. I was homesick for Canterlot every day. No matter how beautiful my pictures were or how well the galleries were doing- all I wanted was home.”

“Sunset? No offense but how is this supposed to help?” AJ sipped from her glass, “I’m living in Canterlot; I’m not homesick.”

“Aren’t you? Let me finish,” she paused to see if she would be interrupted again. “Great. So anyway, I asked him why he wasn’t homesick and he says ‘why would I be?’ And he points out this girl I'd always seen him with and says, ‘that’s my Bella. She’s my home. I can’t be homesick for anyplace, so long as she’s with me. Do you miss Canterlot? Or do you miss someone in Canterlot?’ That’s when I figured it out. I wasn’t missing home. I was missing the people; Twilight, you, Fluttershy, Pinks and Dash… So, now I’m asking you AJ. Are you homesick for someone?”

“I… I don’t know. My head and heart… they’re both yankin’ me back and forth like a tug-o-war. How do I know if what I’m feelin’ is real or if I’m just… hurtin’ for what could’ve been?”

They stared at one another for a moment before Sunset drained her glass and pushed it aside. “If you could have anything in the world right now, without anyone getting hurt or the risk of you getting your heart broken; what would you want? What’s your ideal future AJ?”

My ideal future, she thought, what’s my ideal future? “…I think you outta pour us another drink Sunny.”

Tradition

“We’ve decided to make this easier on you both.” Crispin announced at the breakfast bar. Vignette and her family were still suspiciously absent but everyone else was gathered in the spacious kitchen of Rarity’s suite.

Rarity raised a brow, “is that right?”

Cortland shuffled his feet and glared at his pancakes, “I’m going home to Sweet Apple Acres. And Crisp is going back to Manehatten.”

Applejack felt her heart clench in disappointment even as she thought she should be relieved. Based on Rarity’s expression, she was also conflicted.

“Oh?” She asked softly, “and when did you two come to this decision?”

AJ snorted, “What’s the catch?”

“Oh AJ honestly-”

“We want to go on the summer camping trip before we go home.” Crisp cut her off firmly, “all of us together, as a family. We all go camping and then Mother and I go home. And we both spend the Holidays on the farm and Spring Breaks in Manehattten. Summer we spilt between both.” Cortland nodded, still glaring at the flapjacks on his plate sullenly.

Applejack huffed softly and glanced at Rarity who grimaced but gave a hesitant nod. “Alright boys, you’ll get your camping trip. Then it’s back to real life ya’ hear?”

Vignette was not happy. And she was making sure everyone around her knew exactly what the extent of her displeasure was. Applejack was trying very hard not to hear most of it.

“-and you know very well what she’s trying to do!” Vignette finally stopped for a breath and from the backseat Sugar Belle spoke.

“What is it she’s trying to do, Vignette?” She snarked, “please enlighten us.”

Vignette turned in her seat to glare at her. “She’s trying to steal Applejack back from me so she can take her money!”

Applebloom snorted and glanced at Sugar Belle with a grin, “what money?”

“Good question.”

AJ tightened her grip on the wheel. “Honey,” she interrupted the beginning of another rant, “Rarity is not after my money. She has more than enough, and she is the mother of my children. Please, let this go.”

“Then why is she so keen on this…” her lip curled in disgust, “camping trip.” Her voice dripped with derision. “Who in their right mind enjoys tromping through the woods?”

“Uh, we do,” Applebloom muttered. “It’s a family tradition.”

Since all her friends had been with them, AJ naturally invited them on the camping trip. And, for the first time in years, they were all free to attend. Granny Smith would be staying on the farm. Citing that she was too old in her bones to go but, the rest of them would be spending the whole week in the forest.

Vignette did not let up her complaints as the packing was done and finally, Sunset snapped. “If you’re that worried about it then come along!”

She opened her mouth to argue but Rarity beat her to it, “that’s a capital idea Sunny. Why, I’m terribly sorry to have made you uncomfortable Vignette. I’ll stay behind and drive the vehicle back to the farm; after all I haven’t seen Canterlot in years. You go in my place.”

Rarity having given the offer apparently meant that Vignette had to go. (After all, if she refused then it would be admitting defeat.) At least, that’s what the others gleaned from the grumbling that Applejack had apparently become deaf to.

The morning had dawned bright and clear; perfect for their hike into the forest. Everyone set out together in a line along the winding path carved by years of Apple family camping trips. AJ and Big Mac made it a habit to clear the first several miles of trail each year in advance.

Vignette kept up well enough for the first mile or so before she wheezed loudly and demanded a break. AJ, desperate to keep the peace had stopped. The others, lined up behind them in pairs all collectively exchanged eye rolls. Even Twilight, who rarely ever left her classroom, was keeping pace with Sunset in the middle with no issue.

“This is exhausting.” Vignette whined, “We have to go how many miles?”

“It’s only eight miles to the camping site out by the lake honey,” AJ said patiently, “we’re barely more than a mile in.”

“Ma,” Cortland huffed, “we’ll never make it to the lake before dark at this speed.”

She glared back at him, “take your brother and go scout ahead boys, we’re right behind you.”

“Sure Mom.” Crisp smiled, gripping his brother by his bicep and pulling him along.

Sunset ignored AJ’s lovers spat and turned her attention to Big Mac and Sugar Belle who were leaning against a tree with matching smirks. “So is bridezilla over there as bad as Twi says she is? I’ve only been dealing with her for a couple days and I’m ready to find a ditch to leave her in.”

Sugar Belle snorted and passed Sunset a bottled water, “worse.”

“Eeeyup.” Mac glared in Vignette’s direction and then leaned in, “AJ’s fit to be tied because Granny won’t give her blessin’.”

“Because Granny knows a crooks when she sees one.” Dash butted in, one arm around Pinkie and the other twined with Fluttershy’s. “Vignette might have AJ fooled but the rest of us know a Rarity knock off when we see one.”

“Dashie!” Fluttershy reprimanded, “that’s mean… true… but mean. And tie your shoes Pinkie before you trip.”

Sunset snorted, “Good to have you back by the way Flutters. You’re the brains of this throuple and I honestly worried they’d die while you were gone.” Fluttershy turned so red that Twilight worried quietly about her blood pressure .

They made good progress before their next break and if Sunset saw Crispin stuff a few rocks in Vignette’s pack... Well, she needed the exercise anyway. Besides, she was a little more focused on Twilight gushing about her Canterlot High School lab (curtesy of Vice Principal Luna). Twilight’s hand was brushing hers with every step they took and Sunset's breath was stolen by more than just the elevation. So, it came as a surprise when the peaceful lull of Twilight’s voice was broken by an ear splitting scream.

Vignette stood, paralyzed with fear in front of a small lizard. It was a Leopard Gecko, perched on the top of her bag. He was bright yellow, and, Sunset thought, adorable. Vignette, obviously did not agree. Still screaming bloody murder she scrambled toward the rest of the group.

A cursing panicked AJ came crashing back through the trees. “What!?” she asked, gripping Vignette and looking her over. “What is it?”

She pointed, “killiitkillitkillit! KILL IT!”

Sunset immediately shoved passed her the moment Applejack picked up a rock. “He’s a gecko!” she spat, glaring and scooping him up gently. “He’s harmless.”

AJ dropped the rock sheepishly. “Sorry Sunny, I know you’re a creepy crawly person.” She turned carefully back to her fiancée, “Sunset’ll handle it honey, ain’t no need for the squallin’.”

“Kill it!”

Sunset snorted and gently tucked the little lizard into the front pocket of her shirt. “He’s a reptile and no. He’s harmless and I don’t kill animals who aren’t hurting anyone.”

Vignette turned pouting eyes on AJ and huffed.

“Don’t look at me girl. I ain’t killin’ somethin’ Sunny says is innocent. It didn’t hurt you, just startled ya’ is all.”

The rest of the journey seemed to go smoothly enough. Twilight might have overheard Dash congratulating the twins on the lizard prank. And she and Sunset might have laughed a little... and if she was a little proud of them for making Vignette look bad? Well, I am supposed to be a fun aunt now, right?

Honesty

Whatever Applejack said to Vignette appeared to have cowed her into silence. She gave a pseudo apology to Fluttershy, Dash, and Pinkie before slinking off to her tent to continue her self-imposed time out.

As Twilight and Sunset finally returned, looking somewhat disheveled, AJ walked out to meet them. “You’re my friend Twilight… No, you’re my family. I-”

“I’m so so so sorry,” she blurted.

“I’m the one who owes you an apology sugar cube. All you did was set her straight. I reckon I owe ya’ll an apology too,” she turned to the trio with a grimace. “I been lettin’ that girl get by with an awful lot but I knew she was gonna act ugly to ya’ and I shoulda shut it down before she even got started. I’m sorry.”

“We’re sorry too AJ,” said Dash softly, “but I think I have to put my foot down.” The whole group seemed to fall silent, the hurt in Dash’s voice made the air feel suffocating. “You’re my best friend. You and I get each other. I’m too loud and you’re too stubborn, and we make an awesome team but… We’re having a baby… that's a whole-ass kid, you know? And I don’t want them to feel like we did, like we all did at one point or another. I don’t want them to have to worry about people being cruel or not understanding. I don’t want my family around a person like Vignette, and frankly? Neither should you.”

Applejack’s mouth opened and closed as if she hoped that the words would form on their own. “I-I don’t…” Her eyes darted toward their tent and then back to her friends. Fluttershy and Pinkie were wrapped in one another, both were crying. Twilight and Sunset looked like they’d both taken a bite from something sour and couldn’t spit it out. They’re swallowing their tongues AJ, she thought to herself, her throat achingly tight. Every one of them is keeping it inside because when they tried to warn you you didn’t listen. “I’ll talk to her,” she promised, “I’ll uh, I’ll set her straight.”

“You and I both know she isn’t going to change AJ.” Dash sighed, “I’m sorry.” She pulled AJ into a firm hug before turning and pulling both her girls close and leading the way to their own tent.

Applejack was very quiet for a long time, staring after her friends with a blank expression. She glanced at the others and away several times before settling on her sons who were standing near the edge of the water. The twins looked at her with soft expressions and then turned away guiltily. “You all feel like this, don’t you?”

“We’d never abandon you sis,” Applebloom said gently, “but she ain’t good for you.”

“Eeeyup, she’s hateful.”

Sugar Belle squirmed, “I don’t like her much either.”

“I hate her." Said Twilight coolly. When AJ flinched she frowned. "I mean, she did imply that Autistic people shouldn’t have children… to me, an autistic person, to my face so... not okay.”

“I’ve only just recently met her,” Sunset began carefully. “But if everyone in your life dislikes a person you’re seeing… it might be because of how that person is treating you, and by extension, us.”

Applejack nodded slowly, “I have some things to think about,” she turned and made her way toward the beach.

When AJ did not return and the sun began to set, Sunset, for reasons not related to her name, was elected to go out and search for her. She found her not all that far from the campsite, slumped against a large log on the lakeside. She held her signature hat in her hands and was staring into the inside of it like it would tell her the secrets of life.

“Howdy, Sunset.” She greeted, not looking up. “Come to fetch me now it’s gettin’ dark?”

“That was the plan yeah.” Sunset thudded down next to her, “but you look like you could use someone to talk to more than you need a guide back to camp.”

She snorted and looked up for a second before looking back down into the hat. “You know I’ve had this hat for years, and I don’t think I’ve ever told you where I got it.”

“Rarity once mentioned it was your dad’s, right?”

“It was. Look here,” she pointed to the inside and Sunset leaned close to see in the dimming light. “That’s my Ma and Pa’s initials. When he gave me that hat I was only twelve. I had come home from school that day and told him I met the person I was gonna marry one day. He sat me down and showed me there where he wrote their initials in it. He said to give it a couple more years and when I was sure, really, truly, sure that I should write our initials in it too. He said that if I did that, I would always be able to take it off and remind myself of what really matters.”

“Ok?”

Applejack laughed swiping a few tears away, and then she gently turned the hat a bit so that the light hit another set of initials. “I’ve been sitting here for hours, wondering what my parents would say, what wisdom they’d offer… And now here it is. I know exactly what I need to do… I just don’t know if I have the courage. For the first time I can ever remember, I’ve dug a hole so deep I don’t know how to get out.”

“Then it’s a good thing you’re family is here with a ladder. You don’t have to do this alone AJ.”

She sniffed, “we’re about to lose the farm Sunny. I’m in debt up to my eyeballs and Vignette has been conning me into talking to a winery that are looking to buy us out. If I don’t find a way to boost our sales we’re gonna be stuck on a sinking ship. I made her our sales manager and she runs all our social media! What am I gonna do?”

“You ask for help AJ. That’s all you’ve ever had to do.”

“Just like that huh?”

“Just like that.”

Author's Note

AJ is a cinnamon roll and no cinnamon roll can avoid being emotionally tortured in fanfic
:applecry:

Choices

The next morning, AJ pulled the boys aside for a conversation. Sunset took the hint and quietly moved from group to group explaining last night's talk to the others.

“Alright ya’ll,” she sighed, taking in her sons ‘innocent’ smiles. “Just how much of Vignette’s bad luck has to do with you?”

Crispin looked appropriately sheepish.

Cortland gave her his best imitation of Aunt Dash’s shit eating grin, “Oh… I don’t know… mayyyyybeeee? All of it? …The lizard, the poison ivy, the bugs.” He listed off with his fingers, grin widening.

“I… wait, bugs? What bugs? I never saw any-” There was a shrill scream from her tent and Applejack wondered if her life was Faust’s personal soap opera. “I suppose that’s the bugs… Listen boys, I need ya’ll to lay off alright? You’ve made your point, loud and clear. I’ve heard everybody’s opinions; I’ve seen the light so to speak. Don’t rile the girl up any more than she already is okay?”

“So you’re not going to marry that pompous, self-aggrandizing, sycophant?” Crispin asked with raised brows.

“I only understood about half of those words but uh, no son. I won’t marry her; I won’t lose or hurt the family I got for someone like that… I’ve really seen the truth of it this week. Just… let’s get through the rest of the campin’ trip and then I’ll… I’ll break it to her.”

“And Mom?” Cortland asked, squeezing his brother’s arm. They both stared up at her with bright eyes and wide smiles.

“I- well, well I um… Boys I, I know you want your Mom and I back together but, I just don’t think Rarity feels that way for me anymore.”

They both groaned. “But you still love her don’t you?” Crisp pressed, “You want to be with Mom, that’s why you’re not even broken up about dumping Vignette!”

AJ’s heart felt like it was being squeezed. “I will always love your Mom boys, and… if things were different, if she still wanted me… if she didn’t love Manehatten so much, well who knows? But ya’ll live there and Cort and I live here. I offered to leave the farm for her once, and she was right when she told me I would resent her if I left with her. Canterlot’s my home, and your Mom, she ain’t comin’ back to Canterlot, not for me anyways.”

The twins had nothing to say to that, but the looks they exchanged said that the conversation was not quite as over as AJ would like it to be.

The last day of their trip was quiet. Vignette spent it sulking in her tent and snapping at anyone who spoke or got to close to her. Her refusal to so much as look in Applejack’s direction left the farmer with plenty of free time to spend with her family and friends. Ultimately, this would be the day she remembered best from the trip. And when the morning they were set to leave dawned bright and clear she was in a good mood.

They all began shuffling out of their tents with ruffled hair and face splitting yawns. In the haze of the early morning it took her a minute to realize something or rather, someone was missing. And the twins were laughing… and staring out at something floating in the middle of the lake.

Motioning to her brother and Sunset they began making their way to the shore, the rest of their party following suit. Out on the water, apparently fast asleep on her expensive blow up mattress, was Vignette.

AJ groaned, “Oh she’s gonna be a problem when she wakes up.”

Dash snorted, “Serves her right. She got what’s coming to her as far as I’m concerned.”

She gave Dash a faux-glare, unable to keep the corner of her lips from quirking up a little. “Regardless,” she turned to the giggling twins, “ya’ll are grounded. Ya been making this whole mess worse and I asked you to leave her alone for the rest of the trip.”

“But Ma it wasn’t us,” Cortland immediately protested. “We kept our word, honest.” Crispin nodded emphatically.

“Then who dragged her out to the water?” Every head on the shore turned when Big Mac, Apple Bloom, and Sugar Belle all burst into peals of laughter. “Why you sneakin’ snake herders! Ya’ll dragged her out and left her?”

“Eeeyyyup!” They chorused. The laughter rippled through the entire group. It was the happiest AJ could remember seeing her family in almost a year, and before she could stop it, she was laughing along.

It was distinctly less funny when Vignette awoke. She promptly panicked and fell off her improvised raft. By the time she made it to shore the others had dispersed and only AJ was still waiting for her. She was soaking wet, her pale pink negligée plastered to her skin and stained by the muddy water, and she was seething. “I… have… had… enough!”

“Now Vignette, there’s no need for hysterics. It was a little mean spirited but you aren’t hurt and well… they kinda owe you for all the harsh comments and such. At the end of the day it was a harmless prank.”

“Harmless!?” She shrieked. “This was those little brats wasn’t it? They’re trying to sabotage me because they know I need their portion of the land! I’ll ship them off to boarding school in Stalliongrad! I’ll adopt the little freaks off to a circus in Las Pegasus!” She got progressively more animated and frazzled with every word. Her hands waved wildly and her left eye was twitching aggressively. “I’ll- I’ll smother them in their beds, the little wayward bastards.”

“Now that’s enough!” AJ snapped loudly. The others, who had been steadfastly ignoring Vignette in favor of packing up camp, all looked up. AJ was sometimes loud, but rarely did she ever scream, especially at such a volume. “Those are my sons. And you will not talk about them like that. They weren’t even a part of you ending up on the lake. You’ve been nothing but insufferable since I asked you to marry me, Vignette. I thought it was just nerves but it ain’t is it? That sweet smile you used to give me was an act! This is the real you ain’t it? Nothin’ but hateful words and a pretty face.”

Vignette sneered, “Oh please, you didn’t love me. You just needed someone to listen to your sob story about your great lost love. Rarity, Rarity, Rarity! Well guess what AJ.” The nickname rolled off her tongue like poison. “I’m all you’re ever going to get so make your choice. It’s me or them.”

“Them.”

She froze, “what?”

“My family is everything. You clearly don’t wanna be a part of it so, I choose them… I’ll always choose them.” She turned and made her way toward the others, joining her family as they packed their things.

“You- you can’t just-”

“And by the way,” Sugar Belle smirked, “you’re fired.”

Follow the Money

Rarity was waiting for them when they made it off the trail. Her brow furrowed in obvious confusion at their strained and angry expressions. Only AJ and Sunset had managed to keep straight faces as they moved toward the car.

The reason for the encompassing anger made itself known before they had even cleared half the parking lot. Vignette stomped out of the tree line; she was disheveled and red with rage. “You cannot just leave me like that,” she shrieked, “I’m all you’ve got! You’re pathetic little family operation won’t survive another harvest without my help. I’ll SUE. I’ll SUE YOU FOR EMOTIONAL DISTRESS.”

Applejack’s eyes met Rarity’s, Her blonde tresses coming free of her ponytail and her expression stormy. She turned to the still cursing Vignette with a sigh, “Then go on and SUE, DAMNIT!” She shook her head and looked down at the Stetson hat in her hand before slamming it down on her head. “I’ve had it up to here with you girl, it’s over. We’re done here. I’ve stood all I can stand of you and I can’t stand no more.”

She got in AJ’s face, eyes bulging and spittle flying from her lips, “you clueless hick! You can’t dump me. You’re nothing without me… what do you even have? Brats that aren’t even yours and this lot?” she motioned at the rest of the family, standing silently, expressions deadly calm. “Her?” Here she thrust a finger at Rarity, “she doesn’t love you. What self-respecting woman would?”

Applejack opened her mouth to offer a retort but a gentle hand settled between her shoulder blades. “There’s no need for you to respond to such uncouth behavior darling.” Rarity said softly, her hand drifted down to her bicep and tugged her away from Vignette. “She’s just a small person trying to make you feel as badly as she obviously feels about herself.”

“Oh, shut up you fake, two faced, whore.”

“Don’t talk to my mother like that!”

“Don’t talk about my mom like that!” It brought a fleeting smile to everyone’s faces, hearing the twins defending her.

“It’s alright boys; no amount of money, power, or product can ever disguise an ugly heart.” She glanced at the other woman with pity. “I feel sorry for anyone who doesn’t understand what an honor it is to be part of a family like this one. You keep trying to drag the people around you down because you’re jealous of what they have but-”

“Jealous!?”

“Yes. You’re jealous. Look around you, what do you see? I’ll tell you what I see. An accomplished photographer. An award winning scientist and teacher. I see a famous athlete, a treasured baker, a respected local vet. And I see a family that’s widely considered to be a pillar of the community. And every single one of them has more class in their pinkie fingers than you’ve ever had. And what’s more they have been far more gracious than you have any right to expect.” She glanced over her shoulder, “Mr. Sentry? I’ve said my piece.”

From a squad car parked just behind the Apple family a somewhat familiar face appeared. “Good evening,” he greeted, “for those of you who didn’t go to school with me or have forgotten, I’m Detective Flash Sentry. Canterlot PD. Ms. Vignette Valencia?”

“Yes?”

“You’re under arrest. You have the right to remain-”

“Wha? But I’ve not done anything!”

Flash frowned, “Well, I’m afraid that I have evidence to the contrary ma’am. According to the records Ms. Belle here and Ms. Smith-Apple presented to me. Not only is there sufficient proof that you have been forging Ms. Smith-Apple’s signature on several documents. But you have also been slowly embezzling sums of money from Sweet Apple Acres accounts. The total monetary loss is quite extensive and I would hazard to say you are going to be in quite a bit of legal trouble in the near future.”

The next few hours seemed to pass in a blur. Rarity, with their friends and the Apple clan in tow, followed Flash’s car to the police station. Once Vignette was led away, Flash explained that while they had been camping, Rarity had been investigating. While wandering her old haunts around the farm, she had come across some of the farms accounting information hidden in a rarely used desk. Upon closer inspection she discovered several pages of documents and even a few checks apparently signed by Granny Smith. What caught her attention was that the checks and documents were signed... in cursive. Rarity, having spent time with the Apple matriarch in her youth had immediately been suspicious. She remembered stories about the elderly woman quitting school when she was young. She left school to help her family on the farm. Granny had never learned to read or write cursive. She had only ever signed documents with her initials, printed GSA and a small apple.

“Once I figured out that she was skimming money from the accounts while no one was looking... I started looking at the advertising she was supposed to be paying for. There was very little actual advertising going on.” Rarity explained. “BonBon and Lyra down at the candy store still think pretty highly of me, so they referred us to a good accountant. Once she took a look at what you had she confirmed that Vignette has been stealing from you since you gave her the advertising job. And when you started giving her more responsibility around the farm… the amount she was pulling from your accounts went up even more. You never noticed because she was doing the accounting on all the accounts she stole from. The accountant said that she stole in excess of $40,000.”

Applejack looked ill. “I-I had no idea that she…” She crumpled into the seat across from Flash. The papers on the desk between them told her all she needed to know. AJ had never been very good at math but even she could tell that the numbers had been altered.

“I promise that I’ll do everything I can to make sure your family gets your money back AJ.” Flash assured, “it may take a while but her accounts are frozen while we do our investigation.”

“Thank you Detective.” Sugar Belle said softly, glancing from Flash to the shell shocked Apple’s. “Come on, ya’ll.” She took Big Mac’s arm in one hand and wrapped the other arm around Apple Bloom’s shoulder.

AJ had locked herself in her room. This, Rarity decided, would not do at all. She knocked gently on the door, “it’s me. Let’s not pretend you actually want to be alone. Even when you were furious with me you didn’t like being by yourself.”

There was a long pause, then the door creaked open an inch and a downcast green eye peered out. “You can’t be using stuff like that against me Rares.”

“I never thought I would miss that heinous name you came up with,” she sighed fondly. “Let me in you big oaf.”

Applejack turned away from the door but left it open. Rarity slipped in, closing it behind her and setting that so familiar hand between her shoulder blades. “I can’t even begin to thank you for what ya’ did.”

“You needn’t thank me darling, whatever else we might be, we were friends first. I would never let her get away with hurting you so.”

Applejack turned to face her. Rarity’s hand slid away from her back and as they locked eyes it resettled on her chest. “You are something else Rarity Belle. I should’ve never let you go.”

“You didn’t let me, darling. We were barely more than children and I’m the one who left. I often think I’d have been just as happy as a small town seamstress if it meant keeping you… but we made our beds and now we’re lying in them, so to speak.”

“I’d do it all over again,” she whispered. The world fell away, only Rarity’s bright blue eyes remained. She had the stray thought that she’d like another child, this one with her smile and Rarity’s eyes. Before her brain could beat that thought back with reason she fell into it.

Their lips met and Applejack remembered the first time she ever saw Rarity Belle. She remembered with such clarity that it might have happened only yesterday.

At First Sight

The first time she ever saw Rarity Belle…

She had not wanted to go to school that day; it was to be her first day at Canterlot Middle School. Her family’s farm being right near the edge of the city meant that she attended elementary school in Ponyville. Since the small town had no middle or high school, students all went on to finish school in the city of Canterlot proper.

“This is gonna be a disaster Ma,” she whined, “Canterlot’s nothin’ but a bunch of uppity city kids. They’re all gonna laugh at me.”

Her mother Pear Butter smiled softly, “how do you know that if you won’t even try Applejack? Why, the very best friend you ever had might be waiting for you at CHS right now.”

AJ scoffed, “not likely Ma. Why can’t I just stay and help on the farm?”

The taller woman frowned, “now AJ, you need an education. You can’t just give up. If your Granny heard you wanted to quit school she’d have a fit. She never got to finish school and-”

“-And an education’s a gift many others don’t get.” She interrupted with a groan, “I know, I know. Don’t mean I have to like it.”

Her mother shook her head and gave her a gentle push toward the driveway. “Go on before you miss the bus. You’ll be fine, I promise.”

The bus ride was mostly easy; she sat silently next to Big Mac who was chattering with some of his own friends. No one bothered her with her big brother sitting on the outside of the seat, he drew attention. Being the biggest boy in the sophomore class made it hard to go unnoticed.

It was when they arrived at Canterlot Middle and she had to disembark that there was trouble. On her way into the school proper an older looking boy with shaggy brown hair was leaning against the stair rail. She immediately swerved as casually as possible toward the other doors to the left to avoid him. Another of the incoming seventh graders apparently did not get the memo.

There was a shriek followed by, “give that back, Dumbbell!”

AJ turned at the sound, the bigger boy had snatched a cellphone from what had to be the prettiest girl she had ever seen. Of course, this was only briefly registered as more pressing concerns made themselves known. The boy, Dumbbell apparently, dangled the phone just out of her reach as he laughed.

“I’ll give it back,” he smirked, “all you gotta do is gimme a kiss.”

“That,” the pretty girl said acidly, “is sexual harassment. Now, give it back.”

He snorted, “Nah, I think I’ll hold on to it. Maybe I’ll give it to principal Inkwell; I’ll tell her it’s got bad stuff on it.”

She glared at him, “there’s nothing on there and you know it, give it back.” She made a grab for it and to fend her of Dumbbell shoved her.

AJ saw it all as she slowly pushed past the crowd, moving steadily in their direction. The girl stumbled backward and struck the lockers, hard. Applejack saw red.

“HEY!” She shoved through the last of the other students and got as close to the boy’s face as she could manage with her short stature. “Give’t back to ‘er!”

There was a beat of silence then, raucous laughter. “Giv’t’bac’too’er!” Dumbbell mimicked, “what are you, one of those Ponyville hicks? Go back to your pig pen kid.”

Her eyes narrowed and quick as lightning the heel of her boot crushed his toes. When he doubled over with a pained squawk she snatched the purple phone from his grasp. Then, glancing up briefly to make sure no teachers were around, she gave him a hard shove for good measure. He landed heavily on his rump, his eyes watering. “My brother says you shouldn’t ever pick on people, ‘specially not the way they talk. Because bullies like that end up all by themselves with no friends. You’re probably just taking out your problems on people.” She said smartly turning to help the other girl up and passing her phone back.

“Big brother, huh?” he sneered, “I’ll beat him up.”

“Ok, I’ll tell Big Mac you wanna fight.” She said, not bothering to turn back to see his face pale.

The first bell rang shrilly, and now that the confrontation was over the students began disbursing. AJ whipped out her schedule to find her class when a soft pale hand settled on her arm.

“Hi.” It was the pretty girl. She was ever prettier up close. “I’m… I am Rarity Belle. I am very pleased to make your acquaintance.”

“That… uh, that means ‘it’s nice to meet you’… right?”

She smiled brilliantly, “yes! Thank you ever so much for helping me. You dealt with that brute very well. What is your name?”

Applejack blinked in surprise. The girl’s… Rarity’s eyes were the brightest blue she had ever seen. “Uh… Applejack. And, you’re welcome. Weren’t no problem.”

She had come home that night with a big smile and proudly informed her parents that she’d met her future wife. After the initial… surprise… at the idea that their daughter wanted a wife they had been very pleased. They were slightly less pleased to find out she had been a fight, brief as it was.

The memory of their meeting was there and gone suddenly. Rarity, in spite of many people’s assumptions, has a very impressive backhand.

The slap sent Applejack reeling and her heart dropped directly into her gut.

“I do not recall consenting to a kiss Applejack Apple.” Rarity said acridly.

Embarrassment, confusion, and panic made their way rapidly though her, “N-No Ma’am. No you d-didn’t,” she sputtered, “I’m powerful sorry Rarity. I uh… I let my heart get away with my head.”

She raised a brow, “you just broke off an engagement, so I’m going to let that go.”

Hands trembling and face awash with pain and unease, Applejack nodded, “yes’m.” She practically whimpered, “maybe you should go uh… go check on the boys or-”

“Yes. I think I shall,” Rarity said coldly.

Applejack watched her go with a lump in her throat and a sick feeling in her stomach.

Apologize

Oh well done Rarity, she thinks as she storms from Applejack’s room, directly down the stairs and out onto the back porch. Foolish, foolish, foolish. Without realizing it she had begun talking aloud to herself, “an absolute mess, you’ve done it now. Just crush her delicate heart a third time for good measure.”

“Ya wanna talk about it?”

The unexpected response to her tirade makes her jump, “good gracious Apple Bloom, you startled me!”

The lithe young woman smirked from her perch on the porch swing, “sorry. What’s all this about AJ’s delicate heart?”

“You- you heard that?”

“Eyup.”

She cringed, “I don’t know if I should really be talking to you about this…”

Apple Bloom snorted, “I’m a grown woman Rarity. I can be objective. Plus, if you don’t get it off your chest you’ll explode and I bet your friends have already told you what they think.”

“… Applejack kissed me.” She took a deep breath, “she kissed me and I slapped her.” She expected a reprimand but none came. Apple Bloom was just staring at her and sucking at her teeth. “…Are you going to say anything?”

Pause. Stare. “Well, why’d ya slap her?”

Rarity spluttered and began pacing across the rough boards of the porch. “Because she kissed me,” she shrieked, “she can’t just- just kiss me like that!”

“Why not?”

“Why not!? Why not!? Because we aren’t together anymore! Because she just broke off an engagement! Because it’s all messy enough without her doing crazy things like kissing her ex!”

“Applejack wears her heart on her sleeve for everyone to see,” she responded calmly, “she loves you, so the ex-thing isn’t really an issue.”

“IT IS SO AN ISSUE!” She paused her pacing long enough to level a scorching glare at the girl, “Applejack does NOT love me anymore. And the very idea that we could just- just pick up where we left off is…”

“Why would you have to pick up where you left? Why couldn’t you, I don’t know, start over?”

That got her attention. Her pacing once again paused and she stared out into the orchard. The trees were mostly bare of apples this late in the summer but it was still green and beautiful. Acres and acres of rolling farmland almost as far as the eye could see. There was a time in their youth when she and her friends spent nearly every night out in this back yard. She remembered Pinkie and Fluttershy’s firefly hunts. Rainbow and AJ had a habit of playing guitar together which almost always became a competition. Sunset and Twilight had their first kiss right here on the porch in the muggy atmosphere of a July night. Her mind wandered momentarily, she thought about what her life might look like now, if she had stayed. Would I be happy?

She shook herself from her stupor, “I don’t think we can do that Apple Bloom. I’ve hurt your sister far more than anyone should hurt another. And she has loved me far better than I deserve.”

“I’m pretty sure that she’s the one who gets to decide whether or not you deserve it. And yeah, you left, but AJ isn’t upset about it. She’s proud of you Rarity. She’s proud of how well you’ve done. She keeps every article we see of you in a scrapbook, you know? If you were ready to come home she’d move you in today.”

“It isn’t that simple, darling.” A single tear slipped down her cheek. “I got pregnant because I cheated on her. I left her. And those are just the big things I did. I’ve been breaking her heart for as long as we’ve known each other.” She took a seat next to Apple Bloom on the porch swing. “Your sister, your family, you’ve suffered a lot in life. Granny lost her husband, then her children-your parents… and AJ, she’s the glue that holds you all together. And I took a son from her. I’m sure she never let it show because that’s not her way, but I could tell that my leaving, and taking Crispin with me crushed her.”

She nodded, “oh, you’re leaving took a piece of her away that’s for sure.” Rarity flinched. “But just cause a heart breaks don’t mean it doesn’t still beat. It doesn't mean it can't heal. And AJ’s got a helluva heart. I think you feel guilty, and because you feel guilty you think you don’t deserve to be happy. Problem is,” she gazed at Rarity seriously, “you’re self-imposed punishment is hurting AJ, and to a lesser extent the rest of us.”

“How am I hurting you?”

She frowned, “isn’t it obvious? Rarity, we love you.” When she opened her mouth to retort Apple Bloom held up a hand to shush her. “Not just AJ, all of us. Everybody around here badgers Sunny and Pinkie and Shy for updates all the time cause you talk to them. We keep up with you as best we can. And did you really think that just because we didn’t make it obvious that we didn’t check up on ya’ll? We kept an eye on you and Crisp from afar, checked the magazines, and searched ya on the internet every now and again. When Sweetie visits we ask her too.”

“I… but, why?”

Apple Bloom snorted, “Once an Apple, always an Apple. No matter where you go or what you do, you’ll always be welcome here Rarity. You are kin to the Apple clan whether you feel it or not. Whether you think you deserve it or not, you are an Apple.”

“I wasn’t there.” She said quietly.

“What?”

Rarity shook her head, “Granny, when she got sick… you all really needed me. Applejack had to skip several classes just to take her to the doctor. And I blew her off for a fashion show.” She said it so bitterly that Apple Bloom actually felt the need to lean away a little. “She was struggling so much and I didn’t even care! All I cared about was impressing Hoity Toity.”

“I…” Apple Bloom blinked at the disgust in Rarity’s voice, “I don’t remember that?”

“Of course not,” she sighed, “she never said anything to anyone else but, we fought about that. She said that a show was not more important than Granny. I should have skipped the show, it was only a small portion of my grade and AJ was stretched so thin as it was… I wasn’t there, not when she really needed it.” A few more tears slipped free and she hung her head. “I was such a child. I threw a fit whenever I didn’t get my way and she was so patient about it. I’ll never forgive myself for not being there. Her grades took a massive hit all because I was too self-absorbed to pay attention.”

“So, you feel guilty?”

“Of course.”

“Then apologize, dumbass.”

“I- well, I never!”

“Seriously,” Applebloom stood and dusted off her jeans. “If you feel bad then apologize. And say you’re sorry for slapping her too. Sure, you might still feel bad but at least that way you get it out there. And AJ will forgive you, heck she already has. I think you’re just afraid.”

“Afraid?” She huffed, “what do I have to be afraid of?”

“In my opinion? You’ve afraid that you’ll drop everything to come home and it won’t work out. You’re afraid of getting hurt, and you’re afraid that it’ll all be for nothin’.”

As the younger girl slipped back into the house Rarity decided that she had quite a lot to think about.

Author's Note

Rarity: "Applejack isn't in love with me!"
Sunset: "Yes she is."
RD: "Yes she is."
The entire Apple clan: "Yes she is."
Applejack: "Yes I am."

Progress

“Well,” Crispin said glumly, “this has not gone according to plan at all.”

“Gee you think?” Cortland was draped sideways across his bed. His feet were slowly knocking against the wooden bed frame and consequently driving his brother crazy.

“Neither of them will admit how they really feel! It’s like they can’t fathom being happy.” He turned to glare at Cortland’s boots as they once again rapped against the bed frame. “If you don’t stop that I’m going to smother you.”

“Try it, pretty boy. Maybe this time I should make the plan. You’re last few didn’t go so well.”

“OH! You think you can do better do you?”

Cortland shrugged and stared off into space, “maybe… maybe we should just leave them alone. Ma says we only get till your flight this weekend. We’ve given it all we can but… they just aren’t ready. We should spend what time we can with everyone before they slit us up again.”

Crispin thumped down next to him on the bed with a soft sigh, “you’re right… I’m actually going to miss you a little.”

“I guess I might miss you too.”

The next morning, the boys beg, and plead, and badger until AJ’s patience breaks and she consents to a family outing in Canterlot city proper. So, with a bit of arguing, bargaining, and debate, everyone loads up in the farm truck and Rarity’s rental car. At the twins insistence the rest of their friends are invited along, Dash and co. decline the invite but Sunset and Twilight agree to meet them at the Sweet Shoppe.

The little café was almost exactly as Rarity remembered it, the same worn booths although some of the tables looked newer. And the same smiling face behind the counter. “Hello there Apple clan,” Mr. Cake, sporting a little more salt and pepper to his orange hair greets them cheerfully. “And Ms. Rarity, why I haven’t seen you in years, is this your other boy?”

“It’s good to see you too sir,” Rarity smiles, “yes, this is Crispin.”

The older man beams at them, “take a seat and I’ll be with you in a moment.” As they claim the largest corner booth and a nearby table for good measure Mr. Cake can be heard shouting into the kitchen for his wife. “Cupcake! You’ll never guess who just wandered in with the Apples!”

Mrs. Cake waits on them immediately and greets Rarity as brightly as her husband. Once their orders are in and an argument about where they should go next begins the older woman flounces away. As she goes she shoots Rarity a peculiar look and a wink.

“Mother, tell my brother that the spa would be good for him.” Crispin whines.

“I’m afraid darling, that if he’s anything like his Mom that’ll be a lost cause. Why, the last time I tried to take AJ to the spa she ended fixing their plumbing instead of enjoying the massage.”

Applejack snorted, “Their pipes were leakin’. What, was I supposed to just let them go till they burst or came loose completely?”

“Generally people hire a plumber to do such things Applejack, you were a paying customer. It wasn’t your job to fix it.” Everyone at the table quieted down to watch the verbal sparring match.

“Well excuse me for being helpful. I don’t remember ya’ll being all that annoyed when I was making you a dressin’ room.” She smiled triumphantly at Rarity’s red face. “In fact, I remember you were very grateful.”

“Applejack Apple!” She snapped, “That is not an appropriate topic for a public place!”

She laughed a hearty, full belly laugh. It was a laugh no one at the table had heard in years. “You care too much what people might think. Ya always have.” With a smug grin she raised her voice a little, “hey, ya’ll” the few other patrons turned to look at their table. “Rarity here once let me take her out to the barn after a bonfire and-”

Rarity jolted from her seat with a shriek and reached across the table to clamp her hand over Applejack’s mouth. “Don’t tell people that!” She was blushing from the tips of her ears all the way down her neck. As another laugh bubbled from AJ’s chest Rarity finally let go of her mouth to box her around the ears with her own hat. “You are an absolute louse! A louse I say.”

“So is that a definite no on the spa then?” asked a giggling Crispin.

“What about the mall?” Twilight offered from her position, perched in Sunset’s lap at the table adjacent to their booth.

“I suppose I could use a few things for the next few days.” Crispin agreed, “Cortland let me borrower some stuff of his but… his clothes are not so much fashionable as they are functional.” He plucked at the plain blue t-shirt he was sporting with a frown.

“Yeah well, not everybody goes to dinner parties every week,” his brother snarked back, “suits aren’t really useful on a farm.”

“I will have you know-” and with that, another argument began.

“So, the mall then?” Sugar Belle snickered, “Now, I wonder where the boys could have learned to argue like that?” Rarity's face, which had almost returned to it's normal shade, promptly reddened again. Applejack pointedly pulled her hat down to hide her eyes.

They stayed at the cafe for a while. Sunset regaled the twins with tales of exotic places she had taken photographs for the magazine she used to work for. Twilight, likewise, told them some of the cool projects she had worked on when she wasn’t busy teaching. They ate their pastries, drank some freshly made coffee and enjoyed the shop's atmosphere for a while before they finally got restless enough to leave.

The rest of the day was spent floating around different significant sights. They took the opportunity to show Crispin what Canterlot had to offer. By extension, they also got to show Rarity what had changed. They moved around the mall for a few hours, Crispin doing most of actually the shopping, and even ran into a few classmates that Rarity had lost touch with.

It became pretty hard as the day passed, not to have hope, especially as the twins watched their mothers being almost playful. The two women had apparently broken the tension with their banter at the café. They spent the rest of the outing exchanging playful barbs and embarrassing stories.

I Love You

The date of Rarity and Crispin’s departure came far more swiftly than anyone was comfortable with. It was the night before their plane was set to leave and Rarity found herself once again sitting on the back steps of Sweet Apple Acres. It was almost strange, how at home she had felt. She was in her ex’s home but she felt more relaxed here that she ever had in Manehatten.

She heard the door creak open and found that she knew exactly who it was just by the sound her feet made on the porch. “Hello, darling,” she greeted softly.

Applejack took a seat next to her, “hey.” There was a long, uneasy silence before she spoke again, “why not me?”

Rarity blinked, “beg pardon?”

Applejack sighed and pulled her hat from her head, forcing herself to look directly at her. “Why not me?” she repeated. “You’ve been all over the world. Sweetie Belle told me once that you haven’t had any more luck with love than I have, so I have to ask… why not me?”

Rarity’s heart thundered in her ears. This was as good as confirmation that Applejack still wanted her… should I respond? What should I even say? She swallowed hard, “I caused you… I caused so much pain, Applejack. I never want to hurt you again. I guess I thought that if I didn’t come back then there was still a chance that I could come back. But, if I did come back and you didn’t want me… I think that might break me.”

She snorted a little and then laughed aloud at Rarity’s offended expression. “Girl you don’t make a lick of sense sometimes. You wouldn’t come back because if you didn’t then you still could? What does that even mean?”

A tear slipped down Rarity’s face, “well obviously I was right to be worried! I finally did come back and you almost married that… that trollop!” The memory alone of Vignette boiled her blood. Realizing she had stolen from the Apples had made Rarity angrier that she could ever remember being.

Applejack’s mouth snapped shut and she scrubbed a hand down her face, “you’re right.” The farmer hated to admit it but she had made a mistake. A mistake that almost cost her family their home. A mistake made out of loneliness and desperation.

“And I’ll have you kno-… what?” Rarity's baffled expression would have been comical in any other circumstance.

She gave Rarity a sad sort of smile and fiddled with her hat anxiously. “You’re right." She repeated, "I did almost marry someone else, but that doesn’t mean I don’t still love you Rarity. I don’t know what I ever did to make you think that I didn’t but I’m sorry.”

Rarity’s mouth hung open. She said it, she thought, she actually said it! “You- you do?”

“Of course I do!” Applejack jerked to her feet and began pacing in front of her, ringing her hat in her hands as she spoke. “Rarity I’ve been in love with you for over half my damn life. I was in love with you in school, I loved you in college, I loved you when you left... and I love you now. Right now, in this moment, I think I probably love you more than ever. And I know... I know people say that you can’t still be in love with someone after a long time because people change. Well, I reckon no matter how old we get we’ll always be who we are on the inside?” She paused to look at the other woman for a moment before resuming her pacing. “Feel free to stop me from makin’ a fool of myself anytime but I just- I reckon you of all people deserve to know, I love you.” She stopped again and looked directly into Rarity’s eyes. “I promise you, Rarity Belle, I’m gonna love you for as long as I draw breath. And I would sooner burn this farm to the ground than go another day trying to hide it.”

Overwhelmed, Rarity let a few tears fall unhindered. When no words would come she did the only other thing she could think of and stood to pull AJ into a fierce hug. They stood like that for a while, holding each other close. When the tightness in her throat loosened enough, Rarity pressed her lips to the shell of her ear and whispered to her. “I could never find anyone who loved me as well as you do Applejack Apple.” She broke their embrace with a half laugh half sob, “You have the heart of a lion. I wish I had appreciated you more when I had you.”

“You still have me.”

She shook her head and gave Applejack a pained smile, “I have to go back to Manehatten. My whole life is there.” She wiped her tears, “I wish it was that easy darling, but it just isn’t.”

“Isn’t it?” When Rarity opened her mouth to object AJ waived her off, “I’ll be here. Whenever you take a notion to come home, there’ll be a light on for you. I’m not going to beg you to stay honey but, you have a choice, you always will.”

The next day, as she stood watching their plane take off, Applejack prayed that Faust might give her just one more miracle.

Home

And I would sooner burn this farm to the ground than go another day trying to hide it. AJ’s words echoed in Rarity’s head, even as she slumped in her first class seat. The plane was not crowded and Crispin was being far too quiet as he sat next to her. In the permeating silence she suddenly felt very alone and very small.

The flight attendant was speaking but Rarity did not hear her. Her mind stayed locked on the scent of apples and moist earth that she associated with the farm. She was not pulled from her brooding until Crispin broke the silence in a most spectacular fashion. “This sucks!” he announced loudly, drawing the attention of the other passengers. Then, “oh mind your own!” most of the onlookers turned away at his snarl.

“Darling,” said Rarity gently, “please just this once could you be a little less dramatic?”

“I’m dramatic?” he huffed indignantly. “Mother, you once had a forty minute argument about lace creation with an elderly English craftswoman because she wouldn’t tell you the secret to her flower patterns. I am not nearly as dramatic as you, and frankly your dramatic tendencies are why we are in this mess.”

Incensed Rarity glared at him, “and what pray tell do you think I’m being overly dramatic about?”

“We don’t have to go back. You’re sabotaging your own happiness and mom’s too. I love Manehatten but… I love having a family more.”

Rarity flinched but pulled him into an awkward side hug with the arm rest poking them both. “I suppose I’ve always hoped your mother would chase me and when she never turned up I… gave up a little. She used to tell me that I romanticized her too much but, well, she never let me down. She loves with everything she has. I wish I was braver Crispin, truly I do. I just don’t think I could bear it if it didn’t work out. I’ve always been afraid to risk it.”

“Just this once, please risk it mom.” They were quiet the rest of the way back to their Manehatten home.

In fact, it was quiet the rest of that week. Sullen and more than a little irritated, Crispin spent most of his time in his room and refused to give Rarity more than passing conversation. The longer the silence continued the more she was forced to stew in her own thoughts until it simply became too much. The first Monday that Crispin was back in school Rarity stayed at home alone. She could not bring herself to work knowing that her son was miserable and her own melancholy was beginning to weigh on her.

She was in her room watching Titanic with an extra-large carton of ice cream when the phone rang. She ignored the little device and promptly silenced it, returning to her pity party. Her business phone rang next. What, she thought darkly, does a girl have to do to be able to wallow in peace? She let the call ring through and then turned both phones off with a huff.

The doorbell rang.

With a cross between a groan and a scream of frustration, Rarity stomped down the stairs. She was still in her silk pajamas and her hair was in a tangle but she could not bring herself to care. “What,” she shrieked as she flung the door open, “do you..?” Her voice died in her throat. “Rainbow Dash?”

A familiar, mischievous grin spread on Rainbow’s face and she thrust a duffle bag at Rarity. “Pack your shit,” she proclaimed, “you’re going home.”

“I-what?”

Pinkie Pie materialized by her side in an instant, as Pinkie Pie was wont to do. She was ginning in a way that was almost off putting. “You’re going home!” she cheered, “Crispy said you were sad and so we’re here to help you pack!”

While Rarity tried to catch up with what was happening, Rainbow pushed past her into the house with Fluttershy on her heels. Rainbow looked around the space and gave a low whistle, “swanky place Rares.”

“It’s um, nice, Fluttershy offered in agreement. She took Rarity’s arm and pulled her into the house, shutting the door. “Are you alright Rarity?”

Her frazzled brain finally rebooted and Rarity sputtered, “I’m sorry. Not… that I’m not pleased to see you all but what on earth are you doing here? In Manehatten?”

With a stern expression that she rarely ever used Fluttershy gripped her friend by both shoulders. “A better question would be, ‘what are you doing here Rarity?’ You belong in Canterlot with your family. With our family. So here’s what we’re going to do: you are going to pack your essentials and your and Crisp are taking the first flight home.”

“I-but!” Rarity protested, even as Pinkie began dragging her toward her upstairs bedroom. “What about my business? My house? Do you have any idea how impossible it will be to-”

“We’ve got it covered.” Rainbow had apparently returned from exploring and was already half-way through a glass of her good scotch. “We’re going to stay here and take care of the house until you get settled. We’ll help you from here and you get to go home, everybody wins.”

Fluttershy gave her hand a squeeze, “it was Twilight’s idea.”

Sinking onto her bed with wide eyes, Rarity’s mind raced. Here were her friends, offering her an answer to everything. She could go home… home. Once the thought entered her head she could not stop it. This was exactly what she wanted and now… there was no reason to say no. “Surely Applejack isn’t going to-”

Pinkie practically vibrated with excitement, “She’s meeting you at the airport!”

As she stood to disembark her second flight in only a handful of days, Rarity knew she should have protested more. Here she was, a beaming Crispin in tow, returning to Canterlot to… what? Get back together with Applejack? She tried to remind herself of all that AJ said before she left. She tried to remind herself that AJ was waiting for her… It was difficult. An oppressive fear had made its home in her heart. What if she doesn’t show up? What if now that I left her again she’s given up?

“I can hear you freaking out, mother.”

Steadfastly ignoring her sons comment she allowed herself to follow the other passengers off the plane.

She did not know what she was expecting. Applejack Apple, dressed in a freshly pressed suit and holding a massive sign with her name on it, surrounded by all of her family and friends, was not it.

She pushed past the crowd as politely as possible and broke into a sprint as soon as she was clear. There was a soft “oof” as their bodies slammed together and Applejack whooped, “you’re here!” She spun them both in a circle, a wide grin on her handsome face.

“I’m home… and I’m never leaving again.”

Happily Ever After?

Just as Rarity always feared, coming home turned out to be more difficult than just showing up. She and Applejack had always been a couple with a lot of fireworks and she expected to fight with her on some things. What neither of them considered was that, while they had hashed out old issues, they had not talked about their lives apart.

Applejack’s face turned as red as the barn she was pacing in front of, “what do ya mean ya dated Royal Pin!?”

“He worked with Hoity briefly in Trotham while I was there finishing up a wedding dress! It was a brief fling, AJ” Rarity sighed.

“A ‘brief fling’ with the guy whose daddy is trynna buy my farm out from under me!”

“Oh how was I to know that Royal Pin was related to Crown Royal?”

There were many such arguments. Rarity had been worried about returning, it actually made her a little sick to her stomach, but actually doing it left her feeling very out of place. Everyone on the farm had some type of chore or job, Rarity was effectively useless. Even Crispin had picked up affection for farm work over the summer. Unable to assist in the day to day work, she buried herself in transferring her boutique her associate Coco Pommel. When she was not on the phone, she was working to set up a new store in Canterlot. Progress was slow to come and her unstable relationship with AJ frayed her nerves.

None of the properties she looked at suited the vision she had for her new boutique. And then, there was a nagging in the back of her head that something was bothering Applejack. Sunset, ever the empathetic ear, looked over properties and made price charts for her but even the hunt could not fully stop the unease she felt. As the weeks passed and everyone fell into a new rhythm on the farm it became more and more apparent that something was amiss.

Rarity and Applejack shared a bed, they sat next to one another at dinner, and they had even begun parenting the boys as a unit. But they did not fit. They did not fit into the spaces they had filled for one another when they were young. Rarity had learned to rely on herself to cook and do the heavy lifting. Applejack had learned to keep her own temper in check and no longer needed someone to remind her to rest and relax. They still loved as fiercely as they had as teenagers but, the fact was, they were no longer teenagers.

About three days after the uncomfortable silence began to spread to the rest of the family, there was a breakthrough. They were alone in the house by some fluke… or maybe by Granny’s design. The Apple family matriarch had demanded she be taken to the new Batman movie and the rest of the family had jumped at the chance to go. So, they were alone, sitting in the living room in a way that would be cozy if not for the tension between them.

“I don’t think I can do this,” the words sounded shaky as they left AJ’s throat. “It ain’t working.”

Unbidden, and completely out of her control, tears began slipping down Rarity’s face. “I- well, I suppose it’s a good thing I didn’t buy a new location for my boutique…” more tears, “I’ll have myself and Crispin packed post haste.”

“What in the hell are ya talkin about?”

She sniffled and swiped at her eyes, “you said you can’t-”

“I can’t pretend that it’s simple anymore, darlin’.” She tugged Rarity back into the seat next to her and wrapped her in a side hug. “So, it ain’t as easy as I hoped. We’re older, we’re different now but that doesn’t mean I wanna give up. Why is it you always jump straight into break up mode? Help me fix this, honey. Let's do something... Let’s go on a date, start over a little. There’s a lot you missed while you were gone and I bet I missed a lot too. What do you say?”

“A date?” Rarity blushed a little and gave a shy smile that Fluttershy would be proud of, “I think I’d like that very much.”

Two weeks later, Applejack takes her to a nice restaurant, the same place they had their first real date. They eat good food and they talk, really talk, for the first time in a while. They discuss all that happened while they were apart and it feels like coming home. Applejack teases and Rarity pretends to be offended. Rarity, likewise, turns up the drama and AJ responds as placidly as ever. It isn't quite like being seventeen again, but it feels right.

“I’ve missed this,” Rarity murmurs, reaching out to stroke the back of her paramour’s hand. “I think it was good for us to be apart but I’m really glad I finally listened to you.”

“Me too, you should listen to me more often.”

“So is this our happily ever after then?”

“How about we just shoot for a happy today?”

Camp Everfree

The extravagant white limo drew all eyes as it pulled to a stop at Camp Everfree. Crispin Apple sighed a bit, he had wanted to arrive somewhat normally; his mother however had insisted that he take the limousine (apparently a gentleman did not take the bus).

He narrowed his green eyes at the driver when he tried to take his bags for him. “I’ve got it.” He bit out. “Thank you.”

“Have a good time young master.”

He gave no verbal response, choosing instead to make his way toward the sign in desk.

After sign in, the campers were led to a courtyard where a motherly woman with bright magenta hair and a brighter smile greeted them.

“Welcome Campers!” she cheered, “Here at camp everfree we strive for lasting friendships and memories. I’m Gloriosa Daisy, and over near the sign in is my brother Timber. A full list of daily activities will be available each morning on the board in the mess hall. For today though, we'll be having lunch and then you will go meet your counselors and acclimate. There will be two campers to a tent and six tents to a counselor. Girls, please get your tent assignments from Timber! Guys, you’re with me!”

After receiving his tent assignment, the Maple leaf tent, he made his way over to claim the bed on the left. He flopped onto his back and contemplated what the week might be like, he had trouble believing that the other campers would want to hang out with the ‘little rich boy’. If the guys at school were any indication, showing up to everything in a stretch limousine was not cool.

“Hey!” a boisterous voice greeted him, “I’m Bass Drop. You’re the kid who rolled up in a limo right?”

Crispin groaned, “I suppose I am, I’m Crispin.”

“Just Crispin?”

“Crispin Apple.” He said tersly.

“OH!! I think I know your family, you one of the Canterlot Apples?” Bass asked merrily, “They work with my Aunt Bonnie.”

“Nope.” He said sullenly, “My mom’s name is Rarity Belle, I don’t have any family with the name Apple.”

Bass’s eyes narrowed, “What about your daddy? Or do ya got another mom like I do?”

“I don’t have either.” He grumped, “she’s dead.”

“oh… sorry dude.”

“Are you my roommate?” Crispin diverted the conversation.

“Uh, yeaaaah, that cool?”

“You’ll do.”

Bass actually turned out to be a good friend once Crispin got used to being called, uhg, ‘Crispy’. It also helped that when Crispin had no inclination to speak Bass simply put on a massive pair of headphones and went quiet.

“My parents are musicians.” Bass explained to the dinner table, “Vinyl Scratch and Octavia Melody. My sister Cassette and me were practically composing in the womb.”

“Whoa”, one of the other boys exclaimed, “that’s so much cooler than mine, they’re, like, gym owners...”

“What about you Crispy?” Bass smirked, “what does Mommy dearest do?”

Crispin sighed, Bass had been badgering him about this since day one. “My mother is a professional fashion designer. People come from all over for her clothes.”

Bass snorted, “Dude, no wonder you’re so uptight. You’re mom’s some prissy fashion guru?! Hahahahaha.” He devolved into uncontrollable snickers.

Without a word, Crispin gathered a spoonful of mashed potatoes and flicked them at his friend. They missed, rather spectacularly, and smacked into the back of someone’s head at the table in front of them. There was a moment of calm before the storm. The boy he’d hit whipped around and hurled his sandwich, but Crispin barely noticed the ham and cheese connecting with Bass’s face. The boy he’d hit, had also frozen, they stared at one another as an impromptu food fight waged around them. This boy, looked exactly… exactly… like him.

“Who- I- Wha?” He didn’t get the chance to finish the question. His counselor, Sandbar, hauled the boys out of mess hall as the other counselors attempted to end the carnage.

“Crispin what was that?” Sandbar barked, “why would you pelt your brother with potatoes?!”

“He Isn’t-”

“I AIN’T-”

“My-“

“His-”

“BROTHER” The boys chorused together.

Sandbar stared at them, looking back and forth for several long moments. “You’re identical.” He said, still looking startled.

“No we AIN’T” the clone insisted, “I’ve never seen this feller in my LIFE.”

“Ditto.” Crispin grumbled, “I mean look at him, he can’t even form a proper sentence.”

“Shuddup” The clone snarled, “you started this you stuck up blow-hard.”

“Ohh the little hick has some bite” Crispin snarked.

“ALRIGHT.” Sandbar stepped in, “you’re both to share the Harmony cabin for the rest of this week.”

Crispin’s eyes bulged and the hick-clone sputtered indignantly, “You want us to what?”

Author's Note

First post on here so send me some constructive, (and I do mean constructive) criticism!!

A Plan, An Announcement, and A Talk

Author's Note

I just wanna get this out of the way so that I've said my piece before anyone comes for me in the comments. So, to preface this chapter...

I headcannon Sci-Twi as having a mild form of autism. I think in the context of her social awkwardness, and info dumping habits, it makes a certain type of sense. She reminds me of my little brother (and to a lesser extent myself). Feel free to argue with me about it in the comments, by which I mean, feel free to argue with yourself because I will not engage (it's fiction guys).
Pinkie, Dash, and Fluttershy are in a poly relationship, you should have kinda picked up on that by now, if you didn't and are offended: sorry not sorry.

A Plan, An Announcement, and A Talk

Crispin carefully shuffled out of his sleeping bag and shook his brother.

“Whuh?” Cortland groaned, “what gives?”

“Wake up, I have an idea.”

“And it can’t wait until morning?” He glanced at his phone and huffed, “it’s 2 a.m.”

“Exactly, which means everyone else is asleep. Here’s the plan…” Tramping through the dark (if relatively safe) woods was not Crispin’s idea of fun but, it did offer opportunities to mess with Vignette. Fortunately for him, Cort was used to the Everfree and its flora. In no time at all he had exactly what they needed.

The two crept carefully over to Vignette’s things; set carefully outside the tent she was sharing with Applejack. They exchanged grins as they unzipped the bags and pulled out a few of her shirts. They made sure to place them back exactly where they had been and slipped down to the lake to scrub their hands.

The morning passed peacefully. Sunset and Twilight spent much of it exploring the shore with Sunset’s new friend happily relaxing in her shirt pocket. Pinkie, Dash, Fluttershy and Sugar Belle relaxed on the beach, taking in sun and splashing in the shallows. Big Mac took Applebloom to the top of the nearby ridge to look out at the rolling hills and massive trees of the forest. Applejack even managed to coax Vignette into sunning with the others for a while. Until her skin, hidden beneath a particular sheer sarong, began to itch. And then to itch worse. And then to blister. From their hiding place on a large rock, blocked by the thick trunks of fir trees, Crispin and Cortland snickered as Vignette began to scratch.

“Appplllleeejaaaaaack!” Vignette whined, “do something!”

AJ rolled her eyes, exchanging a glance with an amused looking Sugar Belle. “It’s just poison ivy, honey. The calamine lotion will clear it up. Do you want to try and hike back? I could have someone pick you up.”

Vignette’s expression promised great violence. “No,” She growled and cut the giggling twins a scathing look, “I’ll be fine. Wouldn’t want to ruin the trip,” She said, sounding as though she would like very much to ruin the trip.

The twins spent the rest of the day pulling Dash and, to a lesser extent, Pinkie into various games and challenges. Applejack pulled out her fishing gear and, as Twilight slipped off for a nap, Sunset joined her, showing surprising skill for it.

The two friends fished quietly for a while before AJ spoke, “coming back to Canterlot for good huh?”

Sunset smiled, gazing out at the water. “Yeah, I think- I think it’s time you know?”

“Twilight?”

Her face reddened, “yeah. I know we’ve been on and off because of the distance but… she’s it for me. I think I’ve always known that but, being here? Actually getting to spend time alone with her, it feels like no time has passed. We’ve been apart for a long time but, every time I’ve come back it’s always been so easy to settle back in, you know? I’ve been gone but, the minute I come back it’s like I never left. As long as she’s around, I feel like I’m at home.”

Dash, chasing Crispin past them, stopped long enough to overhear her, and gave a snorted, “gay.”

“You’re married to Pinkie!” AJ and Sunet chorused after her.

“I think I know exactly what you mean Sunny,” Applejack admitted. “I’m just not sure what that means for me.” Her gaze landed on the tent Vignette was hiding out in and her face became drawn.

“Soups on!” Sugar Belle’s lilting voice called out, “Come get it!”

The group gathered around the small fire with their freshly caught fish, and made polite conversation.

At least, until Pinkie piped up “Dashie and I have an announcement!” The two shared twin excited looks. Pinkie was practically vibrating and Dash was sporting a smug, proud expression. Together they shouted, “We’re pregnant!” Dash produced something from behind her back and there was a loud pop followed by a shower of confetti.

The entire party erupted in cheers and congratulations. Fluttershy had somehow been dragged between the mothers to be. She went crimson when Pinkie brought her into a dip and kissed her full on the mouth. Pinkie pulled away gently and whispered something in her ear that made her go even redder and nod so hard AJ worried about whiplash.

Only one person seemed unexcited by the news, “isn’t that a little irresponsible?”

The air seemed to go cold with Dash’s glare, “excuse me?”

“Well,” she began, “aren’t you worried that having three moms might confuse your kids?”

“Vignette,” AJ hissed, “that’s enough.”

“Hush sweetie, the big kids are talking.” She turned to Pinkie, “and aren’t you like, from a family of autistics? Isn’t that genetic?”

Sunset Shimmer was not a particularly violent person; Twilight would say she was a ‘lover not a fighter’. She hadn’t even really resorted to violence as a bully in school... She was going to hit Vignette. She was… except, Twilight got there first.

Twilight slapped her across the face and, face red with rage, proceeded to pull her violently off her high horse. “First of all,” She snarled as Vignette staggered from the blow, “your prejudice is showing. Secondly, Autism is not a disease. It’s not a bad thing; it’s not some awful condition to be fixed. Some people’s brains work differently. That does not make them any less worthy or deserving of respect. Did you know I’m actually mildly autistic? I’m also one of the most respected scientists in the country! My Autism is not a detriment, neither is Maud’s or Limestone’s. Our friends are having a child, how dare you try to ruin that with your unwanted opinions?”

Sunset gently caught the still fuming Twilight around the waist and led her away, speaking quietly into her ear continuously.

Applejack was still stunned. Vignette had been silent for near a minute before she finally turned her head and glared at her fiancée darkly. “I want her consulting position on the farm revoked. And when we get back I’ll be filing a police report.”

“… No.”

“What?”

“I said, no. You were way out of line,” AJ thrust her hand out toward the hiking path at the edge of camp. “Let’s take a walk.”

“I’ll not be-”

“That was not a request Vignette. Let’s take a walk.”

My Hero: Bonus Chapter! (SciSet Centric and can be skipped)

Sunset led Twilight swiftly down the beach until they were hidden from the view of the campsite.

Twilight was not doing well, “oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no. I hit her. I hit AJ’s fiancée and she’ll never forgive me, and she’ll never speak to me again andourfriendshipswillallbreakapart… Oh no, oh no, oh no.”

“Twilight, it’s gonna be alright.”

“Ohno, ohno, ohno.”

“Twilight, AJ isn’t mad at you.”

“Our friendship is over, they’ll never let me help with the cider or accounts again. Ohhhhhnooooooo.”

“Are you hungry!?”

Twilight paused in her pacing, flabbergasted, “what?”

Sunset rolled her eyes and pulled Twilight into a hug. “AJ isn’t mad at you and nothing is going to ruin our friendships. At this point it would take murder, unjustified, cold blooded murder, to break our bonds. Now, do you want to go back to camp and laugh with the others about that killer dragging you just executed… or do you wanna make out?”

Her eyes sparkled (heh), “the um, the second one.” Sunset pulled her into a fierce kiss, tongue slipping between her lips and hands gripping her hips. She guided her gently against a nearby tree and proceeded to show her just how impressive she thought that slap had been. Twilight relaxed and let her own hands drift down Sunset’s back, tentatively she slipped them into the back pockets of Sunset’s jeans and squeezed.

“Someone’s feeling brave.” Sunset chuckled, disengaging just enough to move her face into the crook of Twilight’s neck.

“Quiet you; I’m the hero of the hour.”

Sunset pressed herself against her tighter and whined softly, “my hero.”

Author's Note

Just a little SciSet blurb that came out of nowhere.