Things We Gained in the Fire
By Avant Garden
The Proposal
“Applejack, I know I’m not the best pony and I that I certainly don’t deserve you, but I need you. I love you more than life itself and I can’t stand the thought of living without you…Applejack…AJ will you marry me?”
You’re darn straight ya don’t deserve me. Here you are, you walk inta Ponyville all high and mighty and you try to buy Sweet Apple Acres from me and ma family. You have the guts to march on in and think your bits are worth hundreds of years of Apple family history. You oughta be ashamed of yerself. I don’t care how nice you may have been to me there is nothing you can do to make me say-
"Yes!” Applejack said as tears flowed from her eyes. The jubilation rushing throughout every inch of her body as pure unadulterated and unfiltered feelings took hold.
What? How could ah…Darn it heart, how dare you ignore what ma head is saying. Just because it feels good just being around him and ah do want to spend the rest of ma life with him…No you stop that right now. Ah’m not like that. What about the farm? He cares for it and it’ll still belong to the Apple family. Wait, no…aargh, what about ma family? He cares deeply for them and they like ‘im too. What will ma friends think…I suppose they have accepted him…No wait, what about me. If I’m talking about who ah want to spend the rest of ma life with…shouldn’t…ma…feelings…matter?
“Yes, ah’ll marry you Fortune! Ah love you! Ah love ya with all ma heart!”
Maybe ah do love him and maybe ah’ve just been lyin’ to mahself, but why ? Why do ah want to be with him so bad? Celestia help me, ah don’t know anymore!
Applejack and Fortune Favored leaned in, their muzzles locked in a warm sweet kiss. Their hearts beat faster, their faces flushed, and their knees grew weak.
Warm...
The two ponies wrapped their forehooves around each other and tumbled into the soft grass below. The kiss eventually ended as both ponies succumbed to their need for air and Fortune slipped the ring onto her hoof. Applejack smiled and gave him an affectionate nuzzle. The two ponies relaxed as they gazed into the setting sun.
“I can’t believe Fleetfoot lost, he almost never loses”
“’Almost’ being the key word. Now you remember the deal, pay up.”
The posh-looking unicorn sighed and pulled out his checkbook.
“One hundred thousand bits to the order of-”
“Fortune Favored,” the Earth pony smugly replied. The unicorn handed the check over and almost stormed off, but realizing he was in public, switched to a more dignified mode of transportation. Fortune, in turn examined the check and, satisfied with its credibility, sauntered off to the bank. His servant, Silver Platter met up with him shortly after he left the stadium.
“Did you win?”
“Of course I did, do I ever lose?
“No, but betting against Fleetfoot of all ponies-“
“Everypony has an off day, today was Fleetfoot’s.”
“But what about you?”
“Those are the days I don’t go out.”
“Oh…By the by, I picked up those train tickets like you asked me to.”
“Thanks, you can have the rest of the week off.”
“Thank you sir”
“Don’t mention it.”
“What do you look for in a stallion?”
Applejack was snapped back into reality from the deceptively fascinating window by Pinkie’s overly cheerful voice.
“Ah don’t know it’s something ah’ve never really thought about. What about y’all?” Applejack said attempting to deflect the question.
“Weren’t you listening Applejack we already said it,” Twilight said, her usual curious tone now had a slight hint of concern.
Oh…Ah’m sorry girls, I guess I just wasn’t paying attention,” Applejack answered sheepishly.
“And your answer is?” Rarity inquired leaning over the table, trying to hear the answer before anypony else.
“Ah don’t know,” Applejack insisted in an unnecessarily forceful tone. She immediately regretted this as the entirety of Sugar Cube Corner turned around to determine this unexpected source of noise. The scene was further emphasized by Rarity falling out of her chair. Applejack looked embarrassed and satisfied with their discovery, the other patrons returned to their meals. “Ah’m sorry, ah just never really thought about love.”
“Hey that’s fine that’s fairly normal,” Rainbow Dash said, seemingly unfazed by what had just transpired. However, before any further words to reestablish normalcy in the conversation could be uttered, Rarity shot to her feet.
“’Normal?’ Rainbow there is nothing about not having the slightest thought about stallions at Applejack’s age being ‘normal,’” Rarity bellowed, returning the full attention of the Sugar Cube Corner to the six mares in the stall in the corner.
“I’m assuming you are normal,” Rainbow said.
“Of course, granted I may have more grandiose dreams than most other mares but I am still-”
“Rarity you have a bit of frosting in your mane,” Rainbow said, examining her hoof to create an atmosphere of casualness. Rarity on the other hand was anything but casual. Her eyes locked wide open as she levitated a mirror from nearby to confirm Rainbow’s statement. A small bit of frosting sat partway up her mane. She dropped the mirror which Twilight caught effortlessly with her magic. There was a silence throughout the room as Rarity seemed to be transfixed on some point on the wall. Not even Pinkie dared to say a word. Fluttershy was about to give a few words of comfort when Rarity snapped. The room was filled with an ear-piercing shriek as Rarity bolted from the bakery, knocking several ponies over as she rushed home to repair this fashion disaster.
“Yep, Rarity is perfectly normal,” Rainbow said, the sarcasm dripping from each and every word as the rest of the table had a good chuckle. As the laughter died down, Twilight cleared her throat attracting her friends’ attention.
“Well surely there is something that you’re looking for. Name one thing that a stallion needs to have,” Twilight said causing a notepad and quill to appear out of nowhere.
“One thing? Ah suppose I can name one thing,” Applejack thinks for a moment before continuing, “now ah know this is gonna sound kinda silly coming from me , but if there’s one thing a stallion needs to have it’s honesty.”
