Autumn Leaves

Chapter II

Honest Hearts

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One Year After Chapter One

Ages:

Anon-17

Applejack-17

Big Macintosh-18

Applebloom-6

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A light Spring breeze tumbled through the air, running across your hot skin and cooling you off. You stood alone in Sweet Apple Acres’ West field, bucking a tree of golden delicious. It happened to be the same tree you slept under all those years ago when you first “arrived” in Equestria. You were out there, sweating like a hog in a butcher shop, for two reasons. The first reason was that you were actually trying to get some apples for a couple of pies you were making in order to sell, netting you some bits to spend on a special occasion. The second reason was that you were trying to blow off steam, and calm down about the aforementioned special occasion.

You don’t know why you felt so pent up about it. It was just another day. Just another ordinary, average day in Ponyville. But the more you thought about it, the more you realized you were taking a lot more seriously than you had hoped. After all, it was almost a full year since that night in the barn’s loft. The night Applejack had told you that you were to be her “special somepony” for the next Hearts and Hooves day. Ever since that night in the barn, you had begun to see Applejack in a new light. She was still your best friend, sure, but there was something else to her. You paid more attention to her quirks and habits, you lingered when she looked into your eyes, longer than you should have. You relaxed at the sound of her laugh and took joy in the sight of her smile. On the outside, the two of you seemed to be the greatest of friends, neither of you having a care in the world besides work and family.

But on the inside, you could swear you could feel your heart beat faster every time you stood next to her.

Your dad would have called this feeling, “puppy love.” Probably would have poked fun at you too. Or maybe he would have questioned why you had these feelings towards a talking, orange pony. Applejack’s words rung through your mind: “Does it really matter?” You had said, “No.” Guess you meant it.

Ah, but now I’m boring you with the confused emotions of a young man. My apologies. On to the matter at hand.

The reason you felt so nervous and pent up was because, in one week, Hearts and Hooves day would make its way to Ponyville once more. Your plans with Applejack hadn’t changed or gotten complicated. You still planned on taking her on a simple picnic. But as the day grew closer and closer, you felt as if you had to step things up a notch in order to make sure Applejack had the kind of Hearts and Hooves day she would remember. You had come up with a plan a couple of months ago. Desperate, sure, but it was better than nothing. For a few months, you had been working odd jobs around town in order to make enough bits for what you had planned. Today, you were gathering apples to make pies, which you would sell to the Cakes down at Sugarcube Corner. You would then go to Rarity’s and see if she’d let you buy a gem off her. You wanted to make Applejack something special, something she could call her own.

Something besides your hat, that is.

You continue to punch the tree, not really giving it your all, as the apples slowly made their way to the ground below. Wiping the sweat from your forehead, you begin gathering the bright yellow apples and toss them into the basket you brought with you.

“There, that ought to be enough for a couple of pies.”

”Are we havin’ a big ‘ole dessert t’night, Anon?”

The small, squeak-like voice that chimed in from behind you belonged to none other than Applebloom. You haul the basket onto one of your shoulders and turn to face the small yellow filly.

“Sorry Applebloom, but I’m afraid I’m not making any dessert tonight.”

Applebloom puffs up her cheeks in defiance.

“But y’all said, ‘that ought t’a be enough fer a coupl’a pies.’ So that means ya are makin’ dessert fer t’night!”

“Nope, ‘fraid not.”

”’Fraid so,” she retorts.

“’Fraid not,” you retaliate.

”’Fraid SO!”

“Gonna have to disagree with you there.”

”Aw c’mon, Anon! What’re ya doin’ with all them apples then?”

You throw on your best poker face and say, “Gonna eat ‘em.”

”Yer… gonna eat ‘em?” Apple Bloom asks.

“Yup.”

”…all of ‘em?”

“Absolutely.”

Apple Bloom looks to the basket, filled to the brim with apples. She frowns and gives a concerned look to you.

”Uhm, Anon, if ya eat all them apples, ah’m sure yer gonna get a mighty fierce tummy ache…”

Well she’s got you there. Might as well tell her the truth. What could it hurt? You start to shuffle along back to the farm, Apple Bloom at your heels the whole time.

“Alright, alright, but you have to keep it a secret, okay?”

Apple Bloom nods energetically, bouncing around you in circles.

”What’s the big secret, Anon?”

“Well, I AM making pies. But not for dessert. I’m selling them to the Cakes down at Sugarcube Corner.”

”What’re ya doin’ that for?”

“So I can make some more money,” you tell her plainly.

”Money fer what?” she inquires once more.

“For a present.”

Applebloom ponders for a bit as the two of you continue home, but with her quick wit, she’s got the answer all figured out in an instant.

”Oh, Ah get it now! Yer gettin’ a present fer Applejack fer Hearts an’ Hooves day!”

Sharp as a tack, that one. You finally make it home, but stop Applebloom before you go inside.

“Remember, our little secret, okay?”

”Don’t worry Anon, mah lips are sealed!”

She smiles brightly at you and trots away into the farm house. You’re glad to have her out of your hair. Maybe now that you’ve got some privacy you can actually get to the kitchen and work on those-

”What’s this ah’m hearin’ about you keepin’ secrets?”

Aw Crap. Turns out applejack was maybe only five feet from you, just around the corner of the house.

“Oh hey AJ! Fancy seeing you here!” you splutter out while giving a nervous laugh. “Oh man, look at the time, I should really head inside and get to work on-“

”Anon.”

“-these apples. Gotta wash ‘em, make sure they’re ripe, you know how it is!”

“Anon.”

Your feet are frozen in place, and you swallow back your trepidation as best as possible. She’s just standing there, smiling at you with a cocked eyebrow and a small laugh.

”Alight, smooth guy, what’re ya up to?”

“Me? Up to something? No, no no no, nuh-uh, not me. Not up to anything, nope.”

”Yer not up to anything? Nothin’? No plans or the sort?”

You shake your head no. Applejack trots up to you, a sultry grin on her face, and stands on her hind legs, using her front hooves to pin you to the wall of the farm.

”Ya sure about that?”

“C’mon Applejack, I can’t tell you. Really.”

”Would ya mind… reconsiderin’?”

Her face slowly reaches for your neck. Ah, the old, “Tickle him until he begs for mercy,” trick, eh?

“Good luck, missy. I’m not telling you no matter how bad you tickle-“

You stop. This.. this wasn't tickling. You were expecting  her to furiously nuzzle your neck into oblivion, then you’d have to beg for mercy and eventually spill the beans. This though? This was... not tickling.

Applejack is currently dotting your neck with small, soft kisses. Your breath catches every time her lips meet your skin, your body crawling with goosebumps. She’s never been this forward before. Hell, the last time you even kissed her was last year. Ever since then, the two of you had gotten along as you always did.

“Ah- Applejack, what’re you…”

”Persuadin’ ya,” she coos, still kissing your neck. “Still don’t want t’tell me what yer up to?”

“Well, you’re not exactly putting me in the best of positions to refuse…”

You can feel her breath along your neck as she softly exhales.

”So Ah take it that’s a ‘no’ then?”

“Sorry to disappoint you, but yeah, no.”

Applejack lets out a disappointed sigh and releases you.

”An’ here Ah though Ah could win ya over with mah feminin’ charms. Oh well, yer loss.”

That… was all a ploy? To get you to talk? Clever mare.

“Speaking of charms, what… WAS that?”

Applejack tilts her head and gasps in mock surprise. ”What was what? Ah have no idea what yer talkin’ ‘bout.”

“You’re a terrible liar, you know that?”

”Ah could say the same thing about you, ‘Secret Keeper.’”

You both stare each other down, neither of you blinking,  then burst out into laughter.

“Hahaha, sorry, sorry about all that,” you say, still laughing heartily.

”What? Aw heck, it’s no problem Anon, no need to get all worked up about it. Ah’m sure it’s not that big of a secret anyways, what with you tellin’ it to Apple Bloom an’ all.”

So she thinks that you telling Apple Bloom means it can’t be important, eh? Time to turn the tables on this mare. You simply cock an eyebrow and give a smarmy grin.

”What? What’re you grinnin’ fer?... wait, is it a big secret? Wait, is it about me?”

You grin even wider, and shrug. Applejack is losing it now.

”Wait, is it or is it not about me? Why aren’t ya sayin’ anythin’? Anon? Anon.”

Nothing but smiles.

”Quit that!” she says, shoving you slightly. “Quit… grinnin’ at me! What could be so important that you’d have t’keep it… a… secret…”

Seems like the wheels are turning in Applejack’s mind, and she lets out a genuine gasp this time.

“It’s about next week ain’t it?!”

You widen your eyes to creepy proportions, and yet again shrug at her.

”That ain’t fair! You’ve got somethin’ planned don’tchya? For Hearts an’ Hooves? Is it about me? What is it about me?”

Wow, you’ve never seen her this concerned about Hearts and Hooves. Even last year, when she went with Clockwork, she hadn’t been this flustered when the prospect was brought up. Maybe… maybe she was just as nervous about it as you were… yeah, time to stop messing with her.

“Applejack, calm down girl,” you say, putting your hands on her shoulders while taking a knee.

”Well Ah can’t rightly calm down when yer out an’ about makin’ plans, plans concernin’ mahself, an’ then ya go ahead and tell Applebloom about those plans, but ya won’t tell ME about those pl-“

Applejack is silenced from her frantic rambling as you give her a soft kiss on the nose, her cheeks flushing red as you do so. Seems she’s still shy on the inside when it comes to this sort of stuff.

“Done freaking out?” you ask with a wry smile.

Applejack nods slowly, her eyes staring at the ground as she nervously scuffs her hooves about.

”So, Ah take it yer still not tellin’ me ‘bout yer big secret?”

You give a small chuckle and shake your head. “’Fraid not. Don’t worry though, you’ll find out next week.”

”Uhm… yeah, yeah okay. That works, Ah guess. Yeah.” Applejack looks flustered, all things considered. You reassure her with a pat on the head, and then shove her hat a bit further down onto her.

“C’mon, you’re going to help me out in the kitchen.”

”What with?” she asks, composing herself once more.

“Pies. I’m making a couple to sell to the Cakes. Trying to earn a bit more money for my ‘Dastardly Plan.’”

Applejack gives a short ‘huff’ but gives in and follows you into the farm. You’d make sure that all her worries wouldn’t go to waste come next week.

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Four Days Later

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You stood outside the Carousel Boutique with a small bag of bits in your hand. All in all, you had made quite a bit of money over the past few months. The pies that you sold also helped you out and put your finances around the 50 bit mark. So here you stood, right outside Rarity’s house, about to waltz right in and ask her to sell you one of her precious gems. You hoped to Celestia that she’d be that generous. As you walk into the building, a small bell rings as you opened the door. A voice from the back of the house calls out.

”Do come in! I’ll just be a minute, please have a seat!”

You awkwardly stand in the middle of the room, as the chairs in this place were small and ornate. You’d probably break one and end up buying it rather than what you came for. After a few minutes, Rarity enters the room.

”Yes, well, what can I do for you tod-,” she begins to say before she realizes who you are. “Oh, Anon. So very nice to see you! What brings you out to town to see me today?”

“Ah, well I um, I was hoping I could, you know, buy something. From you. Buy something from you.”

”Darling this IS a store after all. What can I get for you? A shirt, a new pair of trousers, maybe a dashing scarf?”

Rarity is already trotting about the boutique, gathering some measuring tape and checking your pants length.

“Uh no. No, actually I was hoping… You see I’m not here to buy clothes, I… uh…”

Rarity looks to you with a puzzled expression, but sighs and shakes her head.

”Oh Anon,” she begins with a condesending tut. “I’m dreadfully sorry, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to decline. You see, I’m just not interested in having a relationship with a human. Surely you can understand.”

What? She thought you were here to ask her out?

“I’m not here for you. I’m here for Applejack.”

”Dear,” she says, giggling a tad, “You live with Applejack. If you were here for her, then you wouldn’t be here, now would you?”

“No, Rarity, I’m here to buy something for Applejack.”

”Oh! Oh well that makes a world of sense now doesn’t it? Is she in need of something that’s NOT covered in a thin layer of dirt?”

God she could be blunt. And rude. Blunt and rude. Oh well.

“No,” you say, scratching your nose. “Like I said, I’m not here to buy clothes.”

”Then what are you here to buy?” Rarity asks, putting her measuring equipment away.

You take out your bag of bits, approaching the counter and opening it, showing Rarity its contents.

“I was actually hoping that you’d… well, that you might let me buy a gem from you.”

”What?” Rarity gasps in shock. “Me, sell one of my beloved little gems? Why would I do that?”

“Because you’re a generous pony?”

Rarity stares deadpan at you for a good second or two before you kind of feel like an idiot for saying that..

”Convince me,” Rarity says bluntly.

“What?”

”Convince me to sell you a gem.”

“Okay,” you say, tossing your bag of bits up and down in your hand. “I have money. That good enough for you?”

“I’m afraid not,” she says, adjusting the curls of her mane daintily.

“But I… alright, uh… well, I’ve been saving up money for months now, and Hearts and Hooves is only three days away, you see, and… uhm…”

”Still not convinced.”

Rarity wasn’t going to make this easy. You could always come up with a brilliant, elaborate speech. Instead, you just say what comes from the heart. After all, honesty was the best policy, right?

“Rarity,” you start, coughing to clear your throat a bit. “Applejack doesn’t have much. You’ve always had fine things like dresses and jewels, things of luxury. Applejack… Applejack doesn’t have that. Not that she’d want it, anyway. She’d never, ever say that she wants expensive clothes or jewelry, it’s just not in her nature. She’s far too humble for that. But I know her. She’s a girl. A mare, like any other. She may not really admit it, but I think she would really like at least one, pretty thing for herself. And I just thought that… I thought that I could, you know, give her something. Something that she’s never had before. Something that would always let her know that I’m there for her. That I…” you strain for the words. This was hard, even if you were just saying how you honestly felt. Eventually, the words come to you. “Let her know that I care about her, you know? Is that too much to ask?”

You now realize that Rarity hasn’t taken her eyes off of you once as you say these words, and her gaze softens at your confession. The two of you stand silently in the boutique, time almost coming to a standstill. Eventually, Rarity simply walks out of the room. No “pardon me’s” or “I’ll be right back’s.” She simply leaves. For a second, you think that this whole affair, the working, the saving up, all of it, was just wasted in the few minutes it took you to speak to Rarity. Then, just when it all looked hopeless, Rarity returns with a small, wooden box. When she opens it, your vision is filled with bright colors.

“You… you’re really going to let me…” you say in a hushed whisper, astonished. Rarity nods, a small smile on her face.

”Go ahead, dear. My treat.”

“I have about fifty bits, give or take,” you say, gesturing your pouch of coins. “I hope that’s enough for-“

”My treat, I said.”

“I… but… thank you. Thank you, Rarity.”

You give her your most sincere smile, the only one you can possibly wear at the moment. She smiles softly and nods at you, a bit of respect in her blue eyes. You peer into the box, eying a number of large rubies, sapphires, and topazes. Carefully and delicately pawing through the shimmering gems, you spot one that catches your eye.

An emerald, much smaller than all the others, lay at the bottom of the box. It was probably no bigger than the tip of your pinky. It was the smallest, simplest looking thing inside that small box. Among the other large, elaborately cut jewels, it appeared to be the humblest of them all. As you look at the small green stone, you’re reminded of Applejack’s eyes. The eyes you got lost in whenever you happened to stare for too long. This was an easy decision.

“This one.”

Rarity’s horn glows, and the emerald floats out of the box. With a few spells, Rarity cut the emerald into a rectangular shape, and inserted it into a silver chain, making a necklace. She floats it over to you, and you take it gently into your hands. It was perfect. In every way, this small necklace was exactly what you wanted to give to Applejack.

“Rarity, please take the bits. I can’t in good conscious just let you give me this.”

”And I can’t in good conscious let you pay me for such a gift,” she says, floating your bag of coins back to you. “Besides, emeralds aren’t even in fashion nowadays. You’d be doing me a favor by taking it off my hooves.”

She gives a sly smile, and walks back from where she entered, leaving to continue with whatever she was doing before you showed up. You stood there for a while, a smile plastered to your face, as you simply stared at the tiny necklace, the silver chain glimmering as you turned it over in your hands. She may have told you not to pay her, but you can’t help it. You remove half of the gold coins from your pouch and leave them on Rarity’s counter. After all, you intended to pay her the entire time. You leave the boutique, a skip in your step, and make your way back home.

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Hearts and Hooves Day

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You sit outside on the porch swing of the farmhouse, a picnic basket at your side. Despite everything you’ve done to prepare for this, you were still a bit nervous. It was just one date. One, little date out by the lake. Nothing huge, no pressure. Sure, it was a date one year in the making, and it wasn’t like you were taking a pony that you basically grew up with or anything. A pony that you had the strangest feelings you’ve ever felt in your entire life for. A pony that, a week ago, tried to coerce information out of you via neck kissing.

No pressure.

No pressure at all.

”Anon?”

You shoot to your feet and stand at attention, only to find that the voice belongs to Apple Bloom. You let out a sigh of relief and give a nervous grin.

“Oh, Apple Bloom, it’s you. Wow you uh, you startled me for a second there.”

”Oh Ah’m sorry about that,” she says. “Ah didn’t mean’ta..”

“No, hey, it’s alright,” you say, waving her off. “Really. So, what’s up? Need anything?”

”Nope. Ah’m just checkin’ up on ya is all. Applejack should be down inna second. She’s just gettin’ ready.”

“Oh. Got it. Thanks.”

You sit back down on the porch swing and Apple Bloom joins you, hopping up on the swing next to you. The sun had begun its descent, its orange and red rays painting the clouds in warm hues of reds and purples.

”So, uhm,” Apple Bloom says, fidgeting. “What'd ya get fer Applejack?”

“Haha,” you lightly laugh. “I can't tell you, Apple Bloom, you know that.”

”Awww. I was hopin' you'd at least give me a hint.” She puts on the sweetest, saddest pout you've ever seen. Though, to be fair, she always put on the sweetest, saddest pout you've ever seen in order to make you talk. But not today.

“Not gonna work this time, Apple Bloom,” you say sternly, folding your arms across your chest. The pout is gone, in its place a grumpy stare and puffed up cheeks.

”Aw c'mon Anon.”

“Nope. Sorry. It's a surprise for Applejack, not you.”

With that, Apple Bloom hops off the swing and shuffles away back inside, defeated. She's not used to you standing your ground like that when it comes to the “Look Adorable to Make Anon Do What You Want” look. Usually you would have given in, ruffled her hair, and just told her what you had going on. But today you wanted AJ to be the first to know about your present. The necklace lay in your shirt pocket, safe from Apple Bloom's, and anyone else's, prying eyes.

The sound of hooves approaching the door caused you to jump back off the swing and grab the basket, standing like you were about to be drafted into Celestia's armada. Applejack walks through the door, her Stetson resting on top of her blond mane, itself being tied in a ponytail. She looked like she always did: Gorgeous.

”Ready t'head out?” she asks, a relaxed grin on her freckled face. You nod quickly, lifting the basket to show her, and with that you're off to the lake. The walk is quiet and calm for the most part, you and Applejack making conversation as you go along. The two of you talk about the standard fair: Apple bucking, plans for the next harvest, how your friends were doing, the latest “old people” antics of Granny Smith, the usual. You notice that the whole time you talk to her, your nerves returned to you in full swing. Maybe you were really over thinking this whole mess. You got so caught up in impressing Applejack that you forgot that being by her side was the real important thing. After all, she just wanted to spend Hearts and Hooves Day with someone who cared.

The two of you arrive at the lake and sit down by the shore, setting the picnic basket out and getting food ready. You made a few snacks, some of them being hay and flower sandwiches, and the others mostly comprising of apples, the former obviously being for Applejack. Although, to be fair, she’d more than likely focus on the apples more than the hay you brought.

You both sit there, a light breeze wistfully tumbling through the air around you, the setting sun arching across the mountainside, its rays casting across the mirror-like surface of the lake as it began to recede into the distance, making way for the moon's entrance.

”Hey, Anon?” Applejack asks from beside you. You swallow down a bite of apple and turn to her.

“Yeah?”

”Thanks. Fer this. Thank you. It...” she pauses, thinking for a moment before smiling back to you. “Well, it means a lot

t'me, you takin' the time to spend an evenin' with me.”

“Applejack, there's nowhere I'd rather be right now then with you. Honest.”

She smiles bashfully and returns to her sandwich, and you to your apple. Time passes, more small talk rolls by, and eventually the faint hint of stars begin to fade into view as the moon makes its journey into the air. You lay down on your back, full from the food you had packed, and Applejack joins you, the two of you staring up into the sky.

“...this was nice,” you say quietly.

”Yup. Mighty nice,” Applejack says back, just as quietly as you.

”...Anon?” she asks, turning her head to see you.

“Hm?”

”...Do you think... well, do ya think that there's someone out there fer everpony?..”

“Whaddya mean?”

”I mean, do ya think that everypony's got someone out there fer 'em? That no matter who ya are, there's a... well, that there’s person, out there waitin' fer 'em?”

“I... huh, I don't know... maybe. I guess all that it takes is one finding the other, I suppose.”

She nods slowly, turning her gaze skyward again.

“Applejack?” you ask.

”Mmhmm?” she sighs out.

“There's something I want to give you.”

You reach into your shirt pocket and pull out the necklace, and hold it out to Applejack. Her eyes widen and she catches her breath when her eye catches the glimmer of the silver chain and tiny emerald.

”What... you got me a...”

You smile and nod as you motion for her to turn around. She does, and you tenderly put the necklace around her neck.

When she turns back around she has the gem in one of her hooves, gently inspecting it.

”Mah stars... so this was that secret you were keepin' from me... this must've cost so much. Where'd you get the... all those odd jobs you worked in town. That means you were workin' fer months t'get me this...”

“What can I say?” you say with a bashful grin. “I aim to please.”

”Anon, y'all didn't need to go and get me somethin' like this. Ah don't even have somethin' fer-”

“No. You deserved something special for Hearts and Hooves. You did. So, I got you something to show you I cared.”

”But ya didn't need t'get me a necklace to show me ya cared,” she says with a small laugh. “You're out here with me, aren't ya?”

“I know, I know, but... okay I don't know. I just knew you didn't have any real jewelry, and I guess I just thought... do you at least like it? I mean, it's not bad is it?”

AJ gives a sincere and sweet grin.

”Anon, Ah love it. Ah do, honest. Ah just wish Ah had somethin' fer you, is all.”

She gives you a quick peck on the cheek, your face flushing red once more. Didn't matter how often she did that, you'd blush. Applejack rests her head on your shoulder, and you stare up at the sky, now littered and dotted in stars. You thought long and hard about what Applejack had said to you. About everypony having someone out there for them. Someone to call their own, to always be there when they needed them. It astounded you at just how dense you could really be sometimes.

Here you sat, with a mare who's been by your side for five years. One that took you into her family when she barely even knew you, and she was wondering if there was a person for everypony. It's then you notice that you and Applejack have been staring into each other's eyes for a good minute. Her mouth slightly open just a crack, your breathing soft. The light from the moon shines off her emerald eyes, and you feel your heart skip a few beats.

“Applejack, about what you said about everypony having someone... I'd like to... what I mean is, I think I lo-... I..”

She brings her face an inch from yours, slowly smiling as she gets nearer and nearer to your lips.

”Ah already know.”

End of Chapter II