Chapters Applejack’s belly was full of butterflies as she walked into Carousel Boutique. Rarity called out from the back saying she’d be right out, but Applejack didn’t respond. Instead, she took the time to really look around the little shop and take it in. The platform in the center surrounded by mirrors. The mane and makeup tables to make sure a pony looked just so. There were ponnequins, some bare and some done up all fancy. The decor was pretty spot on as well, now that she was looking at it. It was obnoxious and fun just like a carousel, but it didn’t draw any attention away from the dresses. It was perfect.
“So sorry to keep you waiting. What can--” Applejack turned to face her friend. “Applejack! Hello! Oh you should have said something. I wouldn’t have taken quite as long had I known it was you.”
Tingling hooves and a racing heart gave some pause to Applejack’s words, but she pushed through. “Hey, Rarity. I just wanted to talk about somethin’.” She glanced around the empty store. “I guess here’s as good a place as any.” She sat down and opened her mouth to speak.
“Hold that thought, Applejack.” Applejack froze as Rarity spun around and cantered to the front door. She turned the sign around to “CLOSED” and locked the door. She then cantered back with a smile. “There. Now we won’t have any interruptions.”
“I don’t want you losin’ business over me, Rarity.”
“Oh nonsense, darling. You’re my best friend. Besides, it’s nearly closing time anyway. Now, let’s talk. What’s on your mind, Applejack?”
“Well,” Applejack rubbed a tingling hoof on the back of her neck. “It’s about Nightmare Night.”
Rarity’s smile vanished. “Oh." She took a breath. "You wanted to talk about...that?”
Applejack nodded. “Yeah. I know it was a little weird, but I figure if we just talk it out, there won’t be any more awkwardness between us. I mean, we can’t even talk at the spa like we used to.”
Rarity lowered her eyes and nodded. “I’ve...felt the same. I wish we could just go back to how things were.” She brought her eyes back up to meet Applejack’s. “Come with me to the kitchen. I need some tea.” As she started walking away, Applejack could hear her mutter, “Or perhaps something stronger.”
Applejack followed her into the kitchen and couldn’t help but chuckle to herself as Rarity went straight to her wine rack and chose out a bottle. She looked over to Applejack. “Do you like Pino Noir, Applejack?”
“Uh...is that the sweet one?” Rarity’s deadpan stare made Applejack shrug. “I ain’t had much wine, Rarity. I just remember there was a red one at the Grand Galloping Gala. It was sweet and really hit the spot for me.”
“Hm. Very well.” She turned back to her rack, mumbling to herself. After another minute, she pulled out another bottle and smiled to herself. “Here we are. A lovely Lambrusco Dolce. I’m sure this will work for your sweet tooth.”
She brought the bottle and two glasses to the table where Applejack found her seat. Rarity poured and served the wine then sat across from Applejack. She took a sip of her wine, holding it and swishing it in her mouth before swallowing with a satisfied smile. Applejack picked up her own glass and took a sip of her own. It was certainly sweet. Not as sweet as the one she remembered, but it was definitely a wine she’d be able to enjoy. She noticed Rarity staring at her and swallowed her wine.
“That’s mighty good wine, Rarity.” She smiled but quickly lost it when Rarity didn’t join in. “Yeah I guess I’ll start.” She sighed and took her hat off. “I had a good time on Nightmare Night. I just want you to know that. And I wouldn’t trade that night for nothin’.” She took another sip of her wine along with Rarity. “I don’t know how you feel about it, but just know that it took me weeks to get the courage to come talk to you.” She looked out the window. “I can’t tell you how many times I tried talkin’ myself up in the mirror to have this conversation.”
Applejack looked into Rarity’s eyes and felt her stomach fall into a pit, threatening to take the rest of her with it. “I like you, Rarity. Like...Like like. Guh!” She ruffled her mane with her hooves. “I have romantic feelings for you. And I just wanted to get that out before it ate me alive.” She stood and started pacing the kitchen. “Now I know that you probably don’t feel the same, what with you goin’ all googly eyed at every good lookin’ stallion that walks by, but I’ve made peace with that.” Applejack stopped next to Rarity and put a hoof on her shoulder. “I just needed this off my heart so that I could just be your friend again.” She smiled and hoped to see a smile in return.
Rarity stared at Applejack a moment before emptying her glass and pouring another. Applejack couldn’t quite read her expression. She wasn’t angry. Or happy. Confused, maybe? Rarity turned to look out the window and sipped her wine. The empty field outside was dimming as the sun lowered in the sky. Orange hues began to wash out the cooler colors and brighten the reds and browns of the fall leaves. Applejack returned to her seat and drained her own glass. It was good wine.
Applejack spoke up once more. “I know this is kind of sudden but I--” She was cut off by a raised hoof. Rarity turned to Applejack, a smile finally on her face. She noticed Applejack’s empty glass and raised the bottle to fill it. Applejack held her glass up with a “Thanks” as Rarity filled it up.
Rarity placed the bottle and her own glass both down on the table. Her smile was sweet. Sweet in a way that Applejack had been expecting. Sweet in that way she has when she has to tell Sweetie Bell that she can’t do something. Applejack’s ears drooped as Rarity began to speak. “I’m flattered, Applejack. I really am. But you’re right, I have my eye out for a stallion. I’m so sorry if that hurts you.”
“Oh. I’ll be fine.” She leaned back and took a large gulp of the wine. “Like I said, I made my peace with you not feelin’ the same. I’m just glad that it’s finally out and I can move on, you know?” She drained her glass once more and stood from the table. She picked up her hat and placed it on her head. “Well, I better get goin’. Applebuck Season’s still in full swing. It’s takin’ a lotta work this year, what with that new grove finally producing fruit.”
“Oh, of course.” Rarity stood with her friend and walked her to the door. “Do let us know if you need any help this year. The girls and I are more than willing to give a helping hoof to our friend.”
“Thank you kindly, Rarity. But Mac is doin’ fine this year and Applebloom’s been helping out a lot more. She even roped your sister and Scootaloo into helpin’.” Applejack chuckled and Rarity joined in. “I’ll see you around, Rarity. You have a good nightPop With a final wave, Applejack headed home.
Applejack got home just as the moon peeked over the trees. She rousted Granny Smith from her rocker and guided her up the stairs to her bed. Big Mac was already snoring away in his room and a peek in her sister’s room revealed little Applebloom sleeping contentedly. A smile spread on Applejack’s face with the knowledge that she was home with her family and everything was as it should be.
The feeling vanished when she got to her own room. With a heavy sigh, she closed her door and walked to her vanity. She pulled the ribbons out of her mane and tail, setting them right next to the picture of her parents. She looked at it as she began brushing her mane.
“Well I did it, Daddy.” There was a crackle in her voice. “I hope you and Momma are proud of me. I faced my greatest fear and survived. It helped that I knew what was gonna happen.” She sniffed. “And we’re still friends. I still have my best friend.” She put her brush down on her hutch and leaned down to kiss the picture. “I love you guys. I miss you so much.”
Applejack crawled into bed and under her blankets. She found her comfortable spot and settled in for some good rest. She would wake up tomorrow and have a whole lotta work to do. Then she’d probably go into town and hang with her friends for a little bit. Everything would be just like it always was, and nothing had changed. So why did she feel so alone?
Applejack woke up and started her day just like every other. She brushed her hair and tied it up, giving her parents a kiss as she left her room. She made breakfast and helped clean the dishes. Then she made her way out to check the fields to make sure she could feed her own family. Finally, as the sun made its way over the trees, Applejack was ready to buck.
Bucking was most definitely Applejack’s favorite chore. She got a good amount of activity which always felt good. But what she really liked the most was the repetition. Buck the tree, collect apples, dump them in the cart, repeat. It allowed her to move and think and go over her thoughts in her mind. Thoughts like, How am I gonna talk with Rarity now? Or Spa days are going to be weird from now on.
She dumped a bucket of apples into her cart. “Why’d i have to go and do a stupid thing like tell her about my feelings?” She tossed the bucket under the next tree. “Twernt no reason to go and tell her. We were already past having...we were moved on already.” She dumped a bucket of apples into her cart. “Besides, I knew she wasn’t interested anyway.” Applejack’s body slumped against the side of the cart. “I saw it in her eyes when she woke up in my hooves.”
As she straightened up to get back to work, her thoughts drifted back to the time she and Rarity got caught in the storm. They had known each other their whole lives, having grown up together, but they barely knew each other before Twilight came to town. They didn’t hate each other, but they definitely didn’t see eye to eye on pretty much anything. Rarity was always so prim and proper and Applejack never saw much reason to make as much of a fuss. That was pretty much it, honestly. Just two different opinions that tended to stay away from each other.
It wasn’t until recently that Applejack really figured out why Rarity’s fussing had bothered her so much. It wasn’t so much that she was fussy about things that didn’t matter. That was harmless. But it reminded her of the time she spent away from her family. The time when she should have been with them the most. The time she made the biggest mistake of her life. She should’ve never left, but she thought being a City Pony would help. Maybe all the excitement would take the pain away. That obviously didn’t work and being away from her family only made it hurt more. Sure her family forgave her, but it took her a long time to forgive herself for it.
But when she forgave herself, she was finally able to see Rarity for who she really was. A mare that cared deeply about others. In everything she did, she was trying to bring out the best in those around her. That’s when she finally started growing closer to her. They started going to the spa together. They would get lunch when they weren’t too busy. Applejack found herself really looking forward to their time together. She found herself enjoying her laugh. She found herself staring into her eyes more often. But it still took her a while to realize what she was feeling.
That happened when that Trenderhoof fella was in town. When she had to snap Rarity out of her crazy idea of making the party a poor imitation of a hoedown. Even Applejack knew making that event a hoedown was a bad idea. Not to mention that it was mildly insulting. She bucked the tree a bit harder at the memory. But getting her to snap out of it, stepping fully into her world to become Apple Jewel. That made it click for Applejack.
When Rarity finally snapped out of it and became herself again, Applejack completely understood why her friend was so focused on finery. The fuss she made about the dress was endearing now, not annoying.The fact that Rarity was mature enough to be thankful for Applejack going to those lengths. Those all cemented Rarity as her best friend at that point in time. Rarity learned to be herself no matter what and they came away from the Ponyville Day Celebration even closer than they ever had been. And Applejack realized she was in love with Rarity.
But with Rarity being into stallions, Applejack didn’t feel any need to share her discovery about herself. There was no reason to talk to Rarity about her feelings if they were never gonna be returned. So why did she tell Rarity yesterday? Why bring it up after all these years? Applejack bucked the tree.
She dumped the buckets in her cart and sighed. The sun was directly overhead and it felt warm on her fur despite the cool breeze of autumn. She hitched herself up and pulled the cart to the barn. She was done with her section for the day and started planning to get ahead with the bucking. If they could keep up this pace, they might be able to clear the orchard in less than a week. It had been a few years since that happened.
She crested the last little hill and caught sight of the barn. It gave her a boost of energy that helped her start trotting a bit faster with her cart. She could worry about her personal life after the harvest. She had a farm to run and a family to provide for. In fact, she was just gonna forget about the whole thing. It didn't matter, since nothing was gonna happen anyway. They could just go back to ignoring it like they were doing. They could go back to just being friends.
Then Applejack saw a white unicorn and all her conclusions got gummed up.
Applejack walked out of the barn wiping her brow. She looked at Rarity standing there with a basket in her magic. Her smile still caused a flutter in Applejack’s chest, but she tried to ignore it.
“Hey, Rarity. What can I do for you?”
Her smile faltered slightly at Applejack’s impersonal tone, but it remained on her gorgeous face. “I was thinking we could have a picnic together. I made some lovely sandwiches. I do hope the timing of my visit was just right to catch you for lunch.”
Applejack chuckled. “Yeah, you timed it pretty good. I was about to head to the house for some grub. But seeing as you went to all this trouble,” she nodded at the basket, “I could go for a picnic. I know a nice little spot, too.”
She led Rarity to a hill overlooking a good portion of the orchard. The warm sun and cool breeze made for a very pleasant day. As Rarity set up the blanket and food, Applejack eyed the trees around them. She gave a swift kick to one and knocked a hoof-ful of apples down. She then picked them up and brought them over to the blanket to add to their lunch. Rarity’s eyes widened.
“Don’t you need those for the harvest?”
Applejack shook her head. “Nah. Harvest is plenty bountiful this year. We’re probably gonna end up with extra cider and preserves in the cellar. Don’t often sell out during years like this.”
“Oh that’s lovely.” Rarity picked up an apple and looked it over while Applejack munched on a sandwich. “You really do produce the most exquisite apples on your farm, Applejack. They're certainly the best apples I’ve seen and I’ve been all over Equestria.”
“Heh. Thanks, Rarity. It feels good to have so much hard work appreciated.” She picked up one of her apples and buffed it on her chest fur. The shine it gained was nearly enough to see her own reflection. She sighed and lowered the apple as she turned to her friend. “I’m sorry about last night, Rarity. I don’t know why I broke down like that. I know you’re not into mares.” She lowered her gaze to the small pile of apples. “And I especially knew when we woke up the morning after Nightmare Night.”
“Nightmare Night was…surprising to me, Applejack. It would be entirely fair to say that I was in shock the morning after.” She reached a hoof out to lift Applejack’s face. “But I don’t regret it.” Applejack’s eyes grew wide as Rarity continued. “And I’m so glad you came forward and shared your feelings with me. I was up nearly all night thinking and writing and I think I came to a conclusion.” She put a hoof on Applejack’s and held her gaze. “Even though I’m attracted to stallions, I’m also attracted to you, Applejack.”
Applejack jumped to her hooves and stared at Rarity, unable to fully understand what had just been said. After what felt like an eternity, a single word formed in her mind. “Why?”
Rarity stood to meet Applejack on her level. “Applejack, I don’t have too many specific reasons. You’re a good pony and an amazing friend. I’ve felt myself growing closer to you over the past couple years. Especially after you helped me realize what a fool I was, trying to impress that insufferable Trenderhoof.” Her eyes grew wild for a second and she took a breath to calm herself. “My time with you has been some of my most cherished memories.” She looked deep into Applejack’s eyes. “Especially Nightmare Night.”
Rarity took a step forward. “I know when we woke up, I was surprised and scared. But it had nothing to do with you, Applejack. You must believe me.“ Rarity looked down and shuffled her hooves. “I was scared because, well, I wasn’t sure who I was anymore. It took me a while to figure myself out, but my mind always came to the conclusion that I wouldn’t have had our night together changed for anything.” She looked back up to Applejack, looking deeply into her eyes. “I knew you were my best friend and we had one of the most wonderful nights that could be had. And…if I were to be completely honest, seeing you work hard and get things done has always been rather…exciting.”
Even though Applejack felt frozen in place, her heart was beating as if she were running two marathons at once. The tingle was back in her hooves and the world was dropping away, leaving only the unicorn in front of her. Rarity took another step forward. “I’ve had no shortage of suitors, as you know, but none of them were really meaningful to me. And when you came out with all of your feelings for me last night, in your charming and caring way, the final piece slid into place. I haven’t found any proper suitors because the right one was so close to home this whole time.” She reached a hoof up and caressed Applejack’s cheek. “I can finally admit that I have feelings for you, too.”
Applejack looked into her eyes. Those amazingly bright and wonderful sapphire eyes. Her intuition combined with the years she had known this mare and the honesty in her words was completely apparent. A grin slowly spread across Applejack’s face to the point she felt her face was about to split in half. Her heart exploded in a warmth she didn’t know was possible and her entire world became this wonderful white pony in front of her. She reached a hoof out and pulled her in for a kiss. It was brief but they both broke away with even bigger smiles than before.
A hearty laugh burst from Applejack’s chest as she threw her hooves around Rarity and dragged them both down to the picnic blanket. They cuddled and enjoyed the company under the Autumn sun. As the birds chirped and gentle breeze blew, Rarity idly stroked Applejack’s foreleg. “You know, Applejack. You're my very first special somepony. I don’t think I could be more happy that it’s you.”
Applejack leaned back so that she could see Rarity’s face. “No way. Your first? Miss Socialite Debutante?”
Rarity chuckled. “Well, like I said, I’ve had many suitors approach me, but none were ever truly captivating enough. That does make me wonder, though…”
“Wonder what, sugarcube?”
Rarity looked into Applejack’s eyes with a small amount of concern. “Have I always been attracted to mares and just didn’t know it?”
Applejack chuckled. “Oh Rarity. You don’t need to worry none about that. As long as you know who you want to be with right now, that’s all that matters.”
Rarity smiled and tucked herself deeper into Applejack’s hooves. “Well in that case, I’m right where I want to be.”
They sat for a long time under those trees on the hill in the orchard. Their shared warmth was perfect against the cooling air of the day. Then a thought occurred to Applejack and she figured now was as good a time as any to bring it up. “So Rarity. What were you writing last night?”
