Applejack wandered through Ponyville, a cart carrying the Apple family's sweets on her back. She had been trying to sell all day, but she'd only made twenty bits. Now, Celestia's sun was setting on Ponyville and Applejack was forced to give up for the day. Selling had become almost impossible ever since that new energetic mare moved into Sugarcube Corner. If the Apple family didn't start raking in the bits soon, they would have to sell the farm.
The orange mare's thoughts were interrupted when she collided with a white unicorn. Applejack began stuttering apologies as the unicorn used her magic to clean dust off her pelt.
"I don't recall ever seeing you around here before," the unicorn said once she had taken a good look at the earth pony. "Who are you?" The mare had a very posh accent, and from Applejack's experiences, posh accents meant lots of bits.
"The name's Applejack. I live down at Sweet Apple Acres. I'm here selling apple fritters, apple pie, apple juice, applesauce, apple jam, and anything apple you can think of." Applejack nodded to her cart, hoping the mare was hungry.
"Well, I do enjoy a sweet or two..." The unicorn said thoughtfully. "Do you perhaps carry low-fat, sugar-free, low-calorie apple sweets?"
"Uh...I got plain apples." Applejack flicked her tail and opened the portion of her cart with plain apples. The unicorn looked at the apples for a second before coming to a decision.
"I suppose that will do. Sweetie Belle, do you want anything from this cart?" A filly about Apple Bloom's age poked her head out from behind the unicorn.
"Can I have an apple fritter?" she asked in a squeaky voice. Applejack opened another part of her cart and balanced a plate of apple fritters on her nose.
"How many would'ja like?"
"I think one will be just fine." The older mare said quickly. "A filly doesn't need that much sugar."
"Aw, Rarity!" The filly whined, but she didn't protest further. The older mare, Rarity, took the apple and the fritter and removed bits from her saddle bag.
"How much will that be?" She asked, using her magic to suspend the bits in front of her.
"That'll be ten for the apple and fifteen for the fritter," Applejack replied. Rarity sent the twenty-five bits over and Applejack took them in her hat. Forty-five bits in one day was much more satisfying than twenty. "Thanks plenty for the business," The orange mare beamed. "It's been a slow day,"
"Do you come here often?" Rarity asked.
"Only when we get all the apples bucked. Usually Big Mac comes up to sell the apples, but he's awful tired so I came along instead. He usually sells more than I do. He's been selling since I was just a new born foal you know,"
"Is he the red stallion that usually stands just by the fountain? I was wondering where he was today," Rarity shook her head. "I'm actually quite glad he didn't come today. He makes me feel so...watched when he's around. He's too quiet and he stares. If I'm going to settle down with a stallion, it will be someone of royal blood."
"Pardon me, but did you say if you settle down with a stallion?" Applejack bit her tongue angrily. This mare's choice in stallions was none of her business. The unicorn looked down at her hooves and then tossed a glance at Sweetie Belle.
"Go home while your big sister talks business with this mare." Rarity ordered. The filly, who was now sticky with apple fritter, nodded and scampered off towards the Carousal Boutique. The remaining two mares sat in silence as Celstia's sun sank lower into the sky. The moon was not out yet, but as soon as Ponyville was shroud in pure darkness, Celstia would return with the moon.
"I'm sorry," Applejack said, breaking the silence. "It ain't my place to ask such a question. You don't gotta say nothing on the subject if it's too personal."
"It's quite alright. A slip of the tongue really. Though, I was once told that if you want something to remain a secret, you won't bring it up at all. Clearly, I wanted somepony to know that I have no intention of marrying a stallion, or I would not have mentioned it." The mare seemed self conscious at this point. Her eyes remained glued to her hooves and her tail wrapped over her back.
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, you ain't the only one in Ponyville."
"I'm not?" Rarity looked surprised.
"Sure you ain't! I can name quite a few ponies whose barn door swings the other way. Let's see...there's Bon Bon, Lyra, that rainbow pony, though she just now confessed to it, and there's that little yellow Pegasus that lives in a cottage down yonder." Applejack didn't mention that her barn door also swung the other way. She was afraid Granny Smith would find out, and if Granny knew, Applejack would be looking for a new place to live.
"Well, I would prefer if nopony knew for a while. I'm still trying to make sure. I've heard the teenage to young adult years are times of confusion. My parents are supportive, of course, but I don't want the word spread until I can be sure." The mare flipped her purple mane slightly and stared into Applejack's eyes. "You can keep this between us, can't you? I would hate if you knew such a secret and just told anypony who's around to listen."
"Course I can keep a secret. I'm not one to lose the trust of a friend."
"Friend?"
"Sure, we're friends, ain't we? I know this big secret about you, and I'm promising to keep it a secret. That makes us friends, right? To be honest with ya, I ain't never had a friend before. I'm always so busy on the farm." Applejack looked to her hooves and scuffed the dirt roads.
"Well, we could be friends. One one condition of course," Applejack looked up to see a small smile on Rarity's face. "You have to tell me something that you have never told anypony else. That way, we're even."
"Is that how friendship works? Tellin' secrets so you have to hold somepony else to a friendship? Just cuz I ain't never had a friend before doesn't mean I'm not bright."
"I won't tell anypony," Rarity said, though the twinkle in her eyes made Applejack think otherwise. This pony clearly had friends in Ponyville already. She could very easily find any of them and tell them all about Applejack's secret.
"I'm an honest mare," Applejack began. "I haven't told a single lie in all my life. When I tell you I'm not gonna tell anypony, I mean it. No offense, but I can tell you like to gossip with them other ponies in town." The unicorn looked slightly taken aback before bowing her head slightly.
"I admit, I do like to gossip, but I assure you, I won't say a word to anypony. I don't have the luxury of being fully honest, but I have the luxury of making you a promise. When I make a promise, I keep that promise." The look in the unicorn's eyes was sincere. Applejack could see through a lie in a heartbeat, and this mare wasn't lying.
"We got just about the same secret, only my family ain't gonna approve when I tell 'em. They're a bit old fashioned," Applejack shuddered at the thought of Big Mac finding out. She had seen her brother's powerful hooves reduce boulders to dust, and she was afraid to see them in action against her.
"I understand entirely," Rarity said with a nod. "My grandparents still aren't speaking to me."
"I live with my older brother, grandmother, and baby sister. Granny Smith has raised us in the...traditional life style. She thinks that every mare should marry a nice stallion and have a few foals. My brother takes everything she says to heart, and Apple Bloom is still too young to make her own choices." Applejack looked into the eyes of the mare. "You can't tell anypony. I'll tell them when I'm ready."
"I won't tell a soul... Applesauce?"
"Applejack," the orange mare corrected. "And you were Rarity, right?" The unicorn nodded. Her mane blew in the breeze that came with Celestia raising the moon, and Applejack watched as the unicorn used magic to fix it.
"Well, Applejack, I trust we can become very good friends. When do you suppose you'll be returning to Ponyville?"
"Well, next week when we get some more apples made into pies, sauce, jam, fritters, and anything else Granny decides to make. I'm pretty sure Mac won't mind if I cover for him again. The poor stallion needs to get some rest. When can I see you again?"
"I work and live at the Carousel Boutique. Feel free to visit anytime, with or without your apples. Oh, that reminds me!" Rarity levitated a bag over to Applejack, holding it in front of her. "There are about four hundred bits in here. I intended to use them to purchase a rare diamond, but I was able to get it for much cheaper than I expected. Take the money to fix up the farm."
"Granny Smith would never accept charity like this." Applejack nudged the bag of bits, but Rarity remained firm.
"Tell her I bought four hundred bits worth of apples if you must, but I insist that you take the bits. It's what friends do. They help each other."
"That's mighty generous of you," Applejack knew arguing wouldn't get Rarity to back down. She had only known the mare for a short time, but something told her that this mare could be very stubborn. She put the bits from her hat into the bag and stowed the bag in her hat, a smile across her face.
"I do hope to see you around sometime soon," Rarity smiled. "It's been very nice talking to you. Come by the shop sometime and maybe I could create a dress to go with that hat of yours. Consider it a gift from me to you." Rarity leaned in and nuzzled Applejack's cheek before hurrying off towards her home. Applejack stood there, confused, her cheek burning where Rarity's muzzle had touched it.
An owl hooted in the distance and Applejack began to make her way back towards the farm. The moon was high in the sky by the time the mare got back home. Granny Smith was still up, waiting.
"What took so long? I hope you made plenty of sales!" Applejack removed her hat and tossed the bag to her grandmother. The elder green mare nearly had a heart attack when she saw how many bits were inside.The money was enough to keep the farm running for at least a few more months. Then, they would start selling cider and business would pick up again. The Zap Apples were due anytime soon too, and everypony loved Granny's Zap Apple jam.
"Where'd you get all this money?"
"Some unicorn called Rarity bought alotta apples." Applejack shrugged. She didn't look at Granny in fear of being caught in a lie, but the old mare was too excited about the sudden income to care. Applejack looked out the window into Ponyville and stared at Carousel Boutique against the moonlight. Her cheek still burned where Rarity had nuzzled her, and a smile crept onto her face.
"Thank you kindly, Rarity," she whispered. Out loud, she turned to Granny Smith and cleared her throat. "Hey, Granny? There's something I gotta tell you. It's about me, and you might wanna sit down..."
Author's Note
One of my all-time best friends, and my brilliant cowriter, The Princess Rarity. We met a year ago, through a different fanfiction website, and we've been best friends ever since. Through the times, we've gone through many obsessions (Alvin and the Chipmunks, One Direction, and My Little Pony to name a few), and this story is dedicated to her. Toni, you're awesome, love ya!
