“Ah ain’t stayin’ Sugar, Ah can’t do this no more. Ah don’t belong here, it’s too frou-frou an’ so-phis-ti-cate-ed fer a farmer like me.”
Canterlot is a great place, and the city is beautiful and all that. The restaurants are nice, the food is great, the rooms were spotless, and for AJ, Octavia lived there, which was the only reason she’d given it even a thought. But Applejack was a pony of the open air, fields and good hard work. Getting dressed up for dinners, parties and concerts weren’t her style. And she didn’t like any of it, not a second. Well, except for Octavia’s performances, and she was sure to let the cellist know frequently how much she enjoyed her music. Things had been tense between the odd couple since Octavia had convinced her to spend some time in her home, in Canterlot.
Octavia had many, many friends. Or, so she called them. Unfortunately, these self same friends often spoke ill behind the mare’s back, and AJ heard most of it, and some of it was even concerning her. She’d gotten into trouble for starting a row with a particularly uppity pony that played piano, and a worse one with some sort of brass horn instrument player. Of course, actual physical contact was out of the question until one stallion had the stupidity to actually slap Applejack and, seconds away before retaliating herself, Octavia had done it for her, slapping the stallion so hard he’d fell and had a red welt on his cheek.
They’d been thrown out after that.
Of course, there were a few AJ did like that were a bit more city than she’d normally allow. Fancy Pants and Fleur de lis were two of them. They’d treated Applejack and Octavia with outstanding courtesy and had proven quite a challenge, even for Octavia, in a game of chess. Fleur had narrowly defeated Octavia, and Applejack (Who wasn’t a very good chess player) had been trounced by Fancy, to his great delight since he claimed he could never win against Fleur and even accused Aj of going easy on him Applejack, with not much of a head for strategy, denied the false accusation heatedly, only stopping once everypony started laughing as Fancy told her it was all just a joke. That night had been quite successful, and the pair had walked away in high spirits.
This was not one such day.
Applejack had attended a concert, of which Octavia was a part of. It had been alright, and this time she’d been backstage. Everything was going perfectly until one of the staff had tried to get her out of the offstage area, claiming she couldn’t be there. Even showing her offstage pass had done nothing, instead making him ask where she’d stolen it. Naturally, this had riled up Applejack. However, before she could meet with Octavia, she'd met another 'friend' of hers, but this one claiming she was seeing Octavia behind Aj's back and that had set her off. She’d left just as Octavia had taken her bow and left the stage. AJ was already at the train station by the time Octavia had arrived, panting and out of breath with a heavy case on her back, mane tangled from running and tail and flanks lathered with sweat.
Well, it wasn’t exactly a short distance from the auditorium to the station.
“Come now Applejack,” Octavia said breathlessly, trying to appease her, “You’re not going to let them drive you away are you?”
“This time, Ah think Ah will,” Came AJ’s stubborn reply and Octavia sighed. This was going to be a long discussion.
“Come on Jacky,” The grey cellist said softly, approaching Applejack and slinging a hoof over her back, “You’ve never let yourself be defeated before. I know you heard some of the things that my colleagues say behind my back,”
“Oh Ah heard ‘em alright,” Muttered Applejack. Octavia continued, ignoring the angry mutter.
“And I appreciate your defending me. It was sweet, and it was one of the nicest things anypony has ever done for me since I started my music career.”
She paused, letting that sink in. Her strong Canterlot socialite type accent was one of the few things Applejack put up with because she made it sound good. Most times, a ‘city’ accent would annoy Applejack, but Octavia’s voice was lilting and easily described as musical.
“But they’re just trying to drive you away Jacky,”
She removed the hoof from AJ’s back when Applejack glared at her.
"An' what about bein' told yer gone and seein' somepony else behind mah back?"
This took Octavia by surprise and she stammered, spluttering as her mind tried to comprehend this outrageous lie. Octavia and Applejack did fight, and often, but over little things. It might have gotten a bit out of hoof a time or two, but they'd always made up, and Octavia hadn't even dreamed or begun to think about cheating or leaving. It was too much... fun? Perhaps that wasn't the right word.
“They’re trying to drive you away from them, from their buildings, from Canterlot… and they’re trying to drive you away from me! I know we fight, and yes I suppose we argue a lot too, but that's what happens when ponies like us collide! We'll bicker now and then because of our differences, and then make up because of what we love about each other, that's how a relationship works! We're still working out the kinks in our little bond, so yes, we're bound to fight, but Celestia help me Applejack, if you ever accuse me of cheating again I'll... I'll... I'll take your hat and tear it in two!”
AJ took a wary step back, her eyes glancing to her hat as Octavia continued undaunted.
"I was raised as a lady, and I plan fully on being such! A lady always tells the truth, and they never stoop to something so low and so pathetic as that! If I wanted out of our relationship, you know damn well that I would have said so! I wouldn't go galivanting around with some tart or harlot like some stallions out there, I would walk up to you and say 'Applejack, it's over, leave my house!'. I'd help you pack your bags, pay for your train ticket and wave to you as you left even! But cheating!? It's unthinkable! Unethical! Unladylike, like a piece of that rubbish dubstep music that Vinyl likes so much."
AJ couldn't help but suppress laughter at that. It was no secret that Octavia loathed the music Vinyl Scratch created, and it was reciprocated one hundred percent. But they both respected each other as musicians, and Vinyl at least saw Octavia as a friend, so it was an interesting relationship between the pair.
"Do we have an understanding Applejack of Sweet. Apple. Acres?"
During some point in the speech or the run there, Octavia’s mane had fallen a little over her face, a few strands here and there. Applejack was quiet for a while before freeing one of her hooves to brush the strands from her left side up past her cheek and over her ear, then the same with the right side.
“Sugarcube, it ain’t that Ah want to leave ya here, specially not with them. They ain’t yer friends, an’ they certainly ain’t mine. But bein’ accused of stealin’ mah pass just… and then bein' told ya weren't bein' faithful did me in. Ah guess Ah just hate lyin', and I guess I think that's the worst kind of lie. It hit hard's all, and Ah guess Ah did do ya and inj... think untruly of ya for a while.”
Octavia nodded once, leaning forward a little and closing the distance made between them a little with a step, hoping Applejack would return the gesture. She did not.
“I know what you mean dear, I really do. But it’s a complex game. It’s what the elitists of Canterlot do in their spare time to keep them from being too bored. It’s a cruel and uncompromising game of taunts, threats and gossip. It’s dangerous, and trust me when I say nopony plays it better than Princess Celestia.”
Applejack chuckled at that, smiling a little.
“Well, Ah guess she’d have lots of practice. I just… I just don’t want to see them ponies bein’ cruel to ya no more. It hurts me too Tay…” She tactfully dropped the previous subject of 'cheating', her pride wounded by her marred judgement. She'd apologise to her later.
For a long while, the pair simply sat, Octavia trying to catch AJ’s eye, AJ almost catching her eye a few times but looking away before she did. Tavi knew AJ was working up the courage to turn away, to leave Octavia at the station if she had to, and she only had a few minutes to come up with something to get her to stay. Suddenly she smiled and placed a hoof upon one orange cheek.
“Jacky, do you remember when we first met? Almost what was it, three months ago? Just after the Royal wedding, yes?”
Applejack smiled and nodded, gently tapping her head against Octavia’s momentarily.
“Yeah, Ah remember. Like it was almost yesterday. Don’t think there was a more interestin’ start to a relationship in Ponyville before.”
Octavia’s smile grew and she nodded her head quickly.
“Yes! That’s true. If I remember correctly, I’d been ridiculed out of Canterlot, yes? I’d come down to Ponyville to bunk with an old… acquaintance living in Ponyville.”
“Vinyl Scratch,” AJ said, nodding, “That rings true.”
Octavia made a face and nodded sourly.
“Yes, Miss Scratch was somepony I met at school in Trottingham. She constantly pulled my mane and tail, poked me and silly things like that. But she thought me as a friend, and offered me a place to stay, so I took it. If I remember, she left me to my own devices whilst she went to visit Miss Pinkamina and I found my way to your farm. If I remember correctly, you were squashing grapes at the time.”
AJ nodded again, smiling still.
“Yeah, Ah was makin’ some grape juice. Ya didn’t approve of mah usin’ mah hooves, an’ Applebloom thought ya were stupid. I believe she said you were being stupid an’ told ya to go away, yes?”
Tavi laughed and nodded once more.
“Yes, that sounds fairly accurate. I think I had an argument with you before I left,”
AJ shook her head this time.
“No, ya argued with AB, then Ah jumped in, told Applebloom to go home and ya started on me then. Ah believe ‘hick’, ‘inbred’ and ‘savage’ came up a time or two, along with ‘filthy’ and uh.. ‘un-hy’.. ‘un-hy’..”
“Unhygienic?” Giggled Octavia with a wink. Applejack nodded in agreement.
“Yeah, that’s right. Ah thought you were the most stuck up and annoyin’ pony Ah’d ever met, and Ah told ya so. I remember that.”
Octavia giggled again, her cheeks flushing a little.
“That’s right. Stuck up, annoying, frou-frou, silly and city pony came up multiple times. Do we count that as a first fight? Or would it have to be later, when we were actually dating?”
It was Aj’s turn to giggle this time and another smile graced her face.
“It can be if ya want it to be sugarcube, it was a interestin' fight. It was pretty funny now that ya think of it huh? Ain’t the most graceful way t’ start a relationship was it?”
Octavia nodded in agreement, a titter of laughter escaping through her nose.
“Perhaps not, but it did work did it not? Not what I expected, but you’re not like the ponies here. You’re honest, kind and most of all, you don’t play the cruel games they do.”
One of Tavi’s hooves moved from AJ’s hooves and stroked her cheek affectionately.
“I don’t want to lose you because of ponies like them being too arrogant and stuffy to accept you. I only wanted to show you the wonders of the city, like you did with the country and me.”
She smiled and tugged gently on Aj’s cheek, trying to get her a little closer, and was delighted when she did react by moving forward a little, touching her nose to Octavia’s. She still didn't looke entirely convinced though.
“I don’t expect you to leave your farm and your family, I couldn’t ask you, and I won’t ever put you in a position that makes you choose between the two.”
A pair of grey hooves draped around Aj’s neck as Octavia dropped her final, last ditch line.
“Stay with me, just one more night here, then we can go home. Home to your family, your family and mine now. Stay here with me for one more night, and share the wonders of the Canterlot night with me for just one more night, and we can leave in the morning. I promise. No more Canterlot, no more lying ‘friends’… just you, me and the beautiful countryside.”
For a long time, there was silence between the two as AJ processed the request and eventually, the farmer smiled and kissed the tip of her fillyfriend’s nose. No more city, no more lies, no more backstabbing, pathetic ponies looking for any reason to spoil the relationship they have together except Applebloom occasionally trying to get her sister back all to herself, no more insults or teasing except from Rarity that she'd ended up with some Canterlot high born. Just her, Octavia, the farm and the wide, beautiful countryside. In exchange for one night.
“Ah think I can do one more night with ya in the city Sug’, so long as you show me these wonders yer talkin’ about~”
Octavia smiled happily and returned the kiss enthusiastically.
“Well, we can start with dinner at home, a glass of wine for me and cider for you~”
AJ nodded her approval.
“Sounds good so far sugarcube~”
“And follow that with a film, your pick of anything I have.”
“Anything?”
“Anything~” Tavi reassured the country mare, nuzzling her nose gently, although she felt she might regret that offer at some point, “Then afterwards some dessert. Fresh Strawberries with cream and icing sugar followed by some hot chocolate in the later hours of the night…”
Octavia’s hooves slid down AJ’s back before separating and slipping their way down her sides to her flanks.
“And then we kiss, and the bed beckons us to a night of blissful and loving embraces that we can indulge in. Embraces that only we share, and that the city and all her occupants would be jealous of,” the grey mare crooned, pulling Applejack a little closer to her by way of her flanks.
“How does that sound my love?”
Applejack’s cheeks were flaming red, and her eyes half closed, struggling not to interrupt her musical lover in her explanation, trying very, very hard not to press her lips to the oh-so tantalisingly sweet lips of Octavia’s. Octavia noticed this and her smile was devious as she teased the orange pony.
“Will you stay one last night in the Royal city with me, oblivious to the world?”
It’s all Applejack can do to nod, finally agreeing to Octavia’s request. The musician smiled and finally acquiesced and gave Applejack what she wanted, kissing her lightly and nuzzling her cheek.
“Excellent! Then what are we waiting for darling? Dinner at my place~”
Tavi giggled and pulled at AJ, encouraging her to move. But before she could pull the much stronger mare along, Aj pulled off her hat, the old stetson scuffed and nicked here and there from age and wear, and instead pulled Octavia closer. In a rare show of affection and trust, Aj settled the hat over Octavia's head and smiled as the grey earth mare blushed. Guided by Tavi, Applejack followed her into the ancient and royal city of Canterlot, watched by the clerk at the ticket booth, who sighed.
“Why does nothing like that ever happen to me?” He asked wistfully, watching the pair leave the platform.