“I’m sorry, Applejack.”

“I know,” Applejack said as Rarity clung tighter to her leg.

“I just got so caught up in my own little world, I stopped thinking about… about us, and–”

“I know, sugarcube, it’s okay,” Applejack said with a gentle smile before pecking Rarity’s forehead. “We both made mistakes, it happens.”

“But I was just awful to you! The things I said, I know I can’t ever take them back, but–”

Applejack chuckled. “I forgive you.”

Rarity felt tears clinging to the corners of her eyes as she shook her head. “You are the noblest soul I’ve ever met, Applejack.”

“And you’re the most beautiful, generous, and loving marefriend I could ask for.”

Rarity giggled through her stuffed nose before reaching for a tissue. “I’m such a mess, I’m sorry.”

“Ya don’t need to keep apologizin’. It’s all alright now. We’re together. I’m here for you, Rares. I always will be.”

Rarity nestled her forehead into the nook of Applejack’s neck and sighed. Applejack was there for her, and she always would be.

“I love you, Rarity. Please don’t ever forget that.”

Rarity creased her brow. That didn’t seem right.

“What?”

“I said, ‘I love you, Rarity. Please don’t ever forget that.’”

Rarity stared at the ceiling for several long seconds before sitting up to look at her lover’s face.

“Somethin’ wrong, Rarity?”

Rarity closed her eyes and shook her head. “I… Have you said that before?”

“Lots of times, silly filly.”

“No, I mean, those exact words. I’ve heard them before… Haven’t I?”

“Somethin’ wrong, Rarity?”

“I…”

Rarity sat up abruptly. It was dark. She threw off the heavy quilt covering her and lit her horn with magic.

Fluttershy slept beside her, occupying half of the bed. Not Applejack. Rarity squinted.

Across the room she spotted Twilight and Pinkie Pie in another bed, side by side and fast asleep. Rarity rubbed her eyes.

Turning her gaze the other direction she spotted a third bed.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash lay curled up together, smiling gently as Rainbow snored.

“Snrrrrrkt.”

Rarity rubbed her eyes again. This wasn’t her bedroom, it was… Twilight’s loft.

“Snrrrrrkt.”

The sleepover.

“Snrrrrrkt.”

Right.

Rarity laid back down and stared at the ceiling. What time was it? How long had she been asleep? How long until morning? The ceiling yielded no answers.

Rarity turned onto her side and stared at the back of Fluttershy’s head.

“Snrrrrrkt.”

This was unacceptable. Completely and utterly unacceptable. It was gauche enough for Rainbow to steal her marefriend, but then to snore at a slumber party? It was so repulsive Rarity wanted to scream. She wouldn’t, of course; somepony had to maintain a semblance of tact.

“Snrrrrrkt.”

Rarity shimmied back under the covers and closed her eyes. Was this the awful pegasus’ way of gloating?

She just didn’t get it. Applejack had been a mess a few short days ago. She’d begged – literally begged – Rarity to take her back, and now one week later she was perfectly happy with someone else? It didn’t make any sense. Something was going on here, of that Rarity could be sure.

After all, how could Applejack go from dating Rarity, the pinnacle of perfection, to dating Rainbow Dash, the boorish, arrogant, inconsiderate pegasus, and be happy? There was no way Applejack just… moved on, right? The mere thought of it was ludicrous!

“Snrrrrrrkt.”

Rarity scoffed. Completely ludicrous. One did not simply ‘move on’ from a love like theirs. It ate away at them, clawed at their insides, scraped and scratched at their very soul. Nothing could replace it. Even if Applejack hadn’t realized that yet, she would. Oh, how she would.

“Snrrrrrkt.”

Rarity ground her teeth. This was so unfair. She was so tired – absolutely drained, in fact – to be denied rest by something so trivial was out of the question.

“Snrrrrrkt.”

No. She wouldn’t let that daft pegasus win. She would fall asleep this instant, and that would be that.

“Snrrrrrrkt.”

… And if not this instant, then surely the next one.

“Snrrrrrrkt.”

… Or the one after that.

“Snrrrrrrkt.”

It was no use. Every time Rarity thought sleep was about to overtake her, another piercing snort shook the room. Had Applejack not realized she was dating a monster?

“Snrrrrrkt.”

As she sat beneath the covers stewing in resentment, Rarity quickly found it more and more difficult to contain her growing anger and frustration. She just wanted to sleep, was that so much to ask?

“Snrrrrrkt.”

Another snore answered her in the affirmative. Fine, then. If she could not sleep here, she would have to go elsewhere. Quietly slipping out from under the blanket so as not to disturb anypony, Rarity headed downstairs and out of the library.

“Snrrrrrkt.”

Her friends would understand, surely.

“Rarity! Are ya in there?”

Rarity bolted upright before quickly recoiling as the sun’s light blinded her.

“Rarity? Hello?”

“I’m here, I’m here,” She called as she stumbled out of bed and over to her bedroom door, pulling it open and shielding her eyes with a hoof.

It was Applejack.

“Thank goodness,” Applejack said with a sigh of relief, “We were all mighty worried about ya.”

Rarity yawned. Applejack was worried about her?. “Worried? Whatever for?”

“You ran off in the middle of the night, when we woke up nopony knew where ya went.” Applejack said, knitting her eyebrows.

“Oh. Right,” Rarity nodded. “Sorry to have worried you, I just… Uhm… Had to come home and feed the cat, of course.”

Applejack gave Rarity a long, blank look. “If you say so…”

Rarity forced a smile. “I do.”

“I’m glad you’re alright, then. I thought…” Applejack paused and shook her head. “Well… Nevermind.”

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Nevermind what?”

“Nothin’,” Applejack said.

Rarity frowned. Applejack had definitely wanted to say something. Perhaps she still cared more than she’d let on? Rarity tapped her chin with a hoof. Could it be that she wasn’t too late to fix things after all? The idea brought her no small amount of joy. Would it be uncouth to do some snooping to find out?

Maybe, but desperate times called for desperate measures, did they not?

“Say, Applejack,” Rarity beamed, “Would you like to get breakfast with me? The Mane St Cafe is serving Cream Dried Oats this week if I remember correctly. That’s your favorite, is it not?”

Applejack rubbed her neck. “Uh, It’s already past 11–”

“Lunch, then.” Rarity smiled as she walked past Applejack towards the stairs.

“Actually, I kinda gotta get back to the farm, there’s–”

“Nonsense!” Rarity stomped her hoof. Applejack jumped slightly, and Rarity put on her best pout. “You can spare half an hour to catch up with an old friend, can’t you?”

Applejack’s gaze drifted to the side as she frowned. Rarity sighed. “Alright, fine, I’ll just go eat alone then…”

That did the trick. Applejack shook her head. “No, I’ll come. Mane St. Cafe, right?”

Rarity nodded. She would get to the bottom of this, one way or another.

“So, dear, how are things?” Rarity asked through as large a smile as she could manage.

“Things’re good,” Applejack replied between forkfuls of hay fries. “I mean, the farm’s doin’ great, and Applebloom seems to have finally gotten the grasp of her arithmetickin’. She’s such a smart little filly when she focuses, yanno?”

Rarity nodded, doing her best to hide her exasperation. “Oh yes, of course. But how are things with you?” Rarity asked, leaning forward.

“Well, I’m dandy as ever, I reckon.” Applejack giggled. “Why, a couple’a days ago I bucked a tree so hard the apples fell off the one next to it! I think Granny’s been puttin’ somethin’ in the oatmeal.” Her giggling turned into a short guffaw.

“That’s… wonderful, darling.” Rarity rested her cheek on a hoof. She’s actually going to make me say it out loud, isn’t she? With a pained sense of resignation, Rarity forged on. “And how are things with… Rainbow Dash?”

Applejack stopped laughing. “You want to hear about Rainbow Dash?”

“That’s what I just asked, is it not?” Rarity confirmed through gritted teeth.

“Well… alright. Since ya asked, an’ all… Things’re good. We’re havin’ fun. I mean… We have a lot in common, right? So it’s good. We’re good for eachother, I think…”

Rarity cocked her eyebrow. “You think? Are you not sure?”

“What?”

“It’s just, you don’t sound very convinced,” Rarity said, idly inspecting her hoof.

Applejack paused and put down her fork. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Rarity looked up to meet Applejack’s gaze and was surprised to find it more irritated than she’d imagined. “Umm… Nothing, just idle chatter, hah hah…”

Applejack narrowed her gaze slowly before picking up her fork and resuming her meal. “Whatever,” she grumbled.

Rarity watched her eat in silence. Applejack was concealing something. She was right to suspect the mare of trickery over this ridiculous new relationship, but what was her motive?  It was almost as if…

… She was trying to make Rarity jealous.

Rarity’s eyes lit up as she realized it. Of course! It all made so much sense now! Applejack still loved her, but when she saw Rarity with Octavia, it drove her mad; Mad enough to date... Rainbow Dash, of all ponies, in a feeble attempt at instilling the very same emotions in her.

She should have known there was no way Applejack would actually date Rainbow Dash; Their coats clashed horrendously! No, this was much more sinister than that; Applejack was playing her like she played her fiddle!

Rarity couldn’t decide if she wanted to giggle with glee or strangle the cocky cowpony right then and there. And here she’d almost fallen right into her trap!

No. Rarity did not get manipulated. If Applejack thought she could make Rarity jealous, she had another thing coming.

“Uh… Rarity? Y’alright?”

“Hmm?” Rarity hummed, coming back to reality.

“Ya got a funny look goin’ on there for a sec,” Applejack said, pointing with her fork.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Rarity said with a polite smirk. “Just thinking. Anyway, do tell me more.”

“Uh… Like what?” Applejack asked.

“I don’t know, do you have any fun plans or anything?”

“Actually… Yeah. You remember my cousin, Braeburn? He sent me a letter last week, apparently there’s a big fair down in Appleloosa next week, and so I thought me and Dash would go down and check it out.” Applejack smiled. “It’ll be nice to see Braeburn again too, haven’t seen him since the whole ‘Buffalo Ordeal,’ heh heh.”

Rarity covered a laugh with her hoof. “That sounds like a wonderful time, darling.”

The Ponyville Clock Tower rang out across town, signaling noon. Rarity stood up from her seat and placed a few bits on the table. “This has been lovely, but I’m afraid I must be going. I’d loathe to miss my weekly spa date with Fluttershy.”

Applejack nodded. “Of course.”

“I’ll see you later, then.” Rarity said and turned to leave.

“Right. Later, then,” Applejack said, looking rather confused  as Rarity departed.

Rarity laughed to herself as she made her way to the spa. Applejack thought she was so smart; She thought she had it all figured out, did she? Thought she had the perfect plan?

So Applejack thinks she can me jealous? Rarity thought as a sly grin crept its way onto her face.

We’ll just have to see about that, now won’t we?