Wrong

Rarity sighed dramatically, sitting patiently on the porch as she watched her dear friend Applejack buck at the trees. She cringed as the cowpony spat to the ground before making way to the next apple tree. She glowered darkly. For someone so practical, Applejack sure was wasteful. She took absolutely no care of her natural golden mane, simply wearing it in a messy ponytail - all the time! Her hooves were coated in dirt nearly twenty-four/seven, and she barely took the time to properly cleanse all the sweat from her coat.

Rarity looked away, refusing to think another cruel remark about her friend. She knew why she was doing this; Applejack simply needed to be the least desirable pony on the planet or else Rarity could end up doing things that would not be very smart. Because if Applejack couldn't be any more beautiful or couldn't do anything more to be perfect, then Rarity would be forced to deal with those nagging provocations in the back of her mind. Of course, reminding herself of these faults just made Rarity remember that everything Applejack did was natural and for that she became even more desirable. It was a vicious cycle. Rarity stomped a foot, fed up.

"Starin' at mah sister again?" a deep voice sounded behind her. She reeled around from her spot to see Big Macintosh standing near a bucket of apples, looking at Rarity as if she had taken Smarty Pants away from him.

Rarity blinked and dared to glance at the mare in question. "I was just thinking how she should do something with her mane and -"

"No y'all weren't," Big Mac warned in a low voice. And Rarity sighed cursing that honesty was a trait of everypony in the Apple family. "You was just thinkin' bout how perty she is again." Rarity had never once told Big Macintosh about her conflicting feelings for his eldest sister. He walked up to her one day and warned her to watch herself around his sister and has since then cut her no slack in even the slightest.

The unicorn pony pouts at him. "You act like that's a bad thing."

"It is the way you's doin' it!" he exclaimed as if it were obvious. Rarity cringes at his tone. "You don't deserve her, so y'all might as well stop thinkin bout her like you've got the privilege."

"I don't deserve her," the unicorn admits slowly, "because she's too honest and devoted that I'd be of nothing but a hazard."

Big Macintosh spits on his hoof then rubs at the apple baskets beside him. "It ain't even that either. You's just don't know how to love her right." At this Rarity looked up. She'd read enough sappy romance novels to know how to love somepony. "Ya keep looking at her like she needs fixin' like she'd be so much pertyer if she would change. But ya don't love somepony like that. You love somepony for who they really are not fer whatcha want 'em to be." Big Mac goes to collect the apples Applejack had just finished bucking, and Rarity is left in a stunned silence.

The object of her affection walks up to her panting and covered in sweat. "Ya wanted to speak to me, Rare?" Applejack smiles with genuine curiosity, completely oblivious to Rarity's racing heart.

Rarity looks at the pony again and almost insists that she needs a shower but resists the urge to crinkle her nose. After all, if Applejack is the pony she is destined to love, she should probably get her big bad brother's approval first. "You've worked so hard today, darling," Rarity steps forward and without even thinking rubs a hoof down the back of Applejack's neck. She massages gently and is positively thrilled by the gracious smile that was graced upon her. Rarity bites her tongue to keep her secret in tact.

Applejack leans into every squeeze and rub that hits a particularly sore muscle. "Certainly y'all didn't come all the way out here to give me a massage. Out with it, sugarcube."

Rarity blinked back tears. She was so sure of telling Applejack today, but what Big Mac said had put her in a funk. Rarity looked at Applejack more closely and tried to fix what she thought before. Applejack was always in need of a shower or drawn bath, but that would work quite splendidly with Rarity because then the two could bathe together. She briefly imagined the two wrestling over Rarity's old rubber duck, Applejack acting as if the duck was squeaking commands for Rarity to kiss it. The two of them would fall into the bath, splashing water all over the floor, but none of the two would care. Applejack would ensure she was okay before they continued their game. There, that was better. Something quite beautiful out of one of Applejack's supposed flaws.

She smiled meekly, doing her darnedest not to blush. "It can wait, darling," Rarity smiled finishing the massage and running a hoof through the earth pony's mane. It was surprisingly soft and nothing like she imagined. She had imagined it nearly impossible to pick out when hay was stuck in it, but it was really quite the contrast. Rarity looked down to stop herself. "Besides, seeing you work so hard put a total on me as well. I - I'll tell you later. Okay?"

Applejack nodded obliviously. "That's a-okay, Rarity. Lemme walk you home." Applejack went to remove her saddlebags, and Rarity gave Big Macintosh a fearful glance. His glower was lighter, she noticed, so she assumed she had his permission. The orange earth pony smiled and approached Rarity again. "So, how'd ya like watchin us work the farm?"

Rarity smiled remembering the determined look in her friend's eyes before she bucked a tree as hard as she could. "It was beautiful, really," the unicorn smiled without really thinking, "So very typical of you. Honest, hard-working, finding its own reward."

Applejack looked absolutely stunned. "Y'all sure do know quite a bit about apple-buckin for somepony who won't even sit on the grass." The earth pony blushed. "I thought I'd hafta explain it to ya."

Rarity smiled. "Well, it's kind of like dress-making for me. You just have to… love something enough to make it as wonderful as it can be."

Applejack smiled a knowing smile. "Oh, so this is what y'all wanted to talk ta me about." Rarity almost ran away then and there but knew that the earth pony could catch her. "You wanted to ask me if y'all could date Big Macintosh."

Rarity almost exploded with relief, releasing a breath she hadn't known she was holding. "You're very close dear, but you couldn't be farther from the truth," she spoke deceptively, hoping to cause the earth pony to drop it. The earth pony just pondered quietly, confused. "Please don't think too hard on it; I'll tell you some other time." Gosh, Applejack was so stubborn! Rarity sighed, so was she. They'd never get along; they'd argue nonstop. But, Rarity reconsidered, making up would be too much fun. Hiding a devious smirk, she was very grateful that Big Mac made her think better of her judgements.

"So, y'all do like Braeburn!" Applejack exclaimed, clearly having said something whilst Rarity was lost in thought.

Rarity blinked and looked at the cowpony. "I'm sorry, darling, but I wasn't listening. No, I do not love Braeburn however."

Applejack smiled with relief. "That's a relief, he's wiffin that Little Strongheart he met anyway. But who is there you'd need to talk to me 'bout. Y'all don't know any other stallions in mah family." As Applejack finished her phrase Rarity cringed. The earth pony's eyes widened dramatically. "Y-y'all don't like stallions… do ya…" It was a weak statement as if she didn't believe it, and AppleJack waited for the unicorn to assure her otherwise. Rarity only trotted faster, not looking at the earth pony with her mane covering her face. Applejack ran after her. "Now wait just a minute, Rarity; I didn't say nothin' yet. Just stop for a second." Rarity halted and whipped her head around at an almost break neck speed. Mascara ran down her face to mark the trail her tears made, and the unicorn tried as hard as she could to make her lip not quiver.

The white unicorn stomped a hoof in the ground. "Go on, say it. Tell me what you think." She sounded angry, upset with herself.

Applejack frowned solemnly at the tone of voice. "What's there to say? Ain't nothing strange about it. I just hadn't expected it from you's all." Rarity didn't look any happier with herself. "Why do you still look so sad then? Nopony is gonna be upset with ya for likin mares."

Rarity sighed and collapsed to the ground rather over dramatically. "It isn't that. It's the mare that caught my eye that makes it so hard. I've wanted to tell her for so long, but something always comes up. I was going to say something but somepony told me that what I was doing… I was loving her the wrong way." She didn't dare but to glance at Applejack who was sitting in front of her. "Somepony told me… I didn't deserve her because I kept looking for her flaws… but I couldn't just accept how beautiful she really was. She would never love me, so it would make no sense to love her. I had to make her imperfect or else I would have to accept that I really do care for her."

Applejack was not as oblivious as ponies thought she might be. Rarity always insisted that if she did this or that then she would be a much better pony… "That mare… that mare's me, huh." Rarity collapsed in a fit of tears apologizing as many times as she could. "Now don't apologize; I'm mighty honored y'all think so highly of me. Heck, I always thought you'd hated me. Just… just stop your crying. I can't take watchin' you cry like this."

Rarity sniffled and weakly got to her hooves. Applejack smiled at her. Rarity managed to at least give a shaky grin. "You understand that I've only ever been so hard on you because of this. I don't want to change you, but I couldn't let myself get hurt by… by loving you… I was being terribly selfish and cruel to you. I do so hope this doesn't effect our friendship." Rarity would have gone on, but Applejack nuzzled her cheek.

The earth pony winked. "You might just get lucky some day." Rarity's eyes widened to the size of grapefruits, but the cow pony merely tilted her hat and galloped away. She hasn't even noticed that they'd made it to Carousel Boutique.

Lawls... that ending. It's quite abrupt and cliffhanging... Hmmm. Maybe I'll write more. But guys! RariJack is adorable! That moment at the end of the premiere. I almost died. And Too Many Pinkies was amazing. Pinkie Pie is best pony. Andrea Libman must have had so much... FUN making that episode. HAHAHA okay, shoot me now. I love ponies, and I am absolutely obsessed with them. It's because I have no friends hahaha. Whatevs. Review or not.

- CheatingAtMonkeyBall