Green-eyed Girl Pt. 2

>You are Applejack.

>Anonynous has just left with your sister for school, and you are making your way out toward the fields.

>After such an eventful start to the day (more specifically seeing Anon in only a towel fresh out of the shower), you were more than ready to lose yourself in some good old manual labor.

>As you exit the farmhouse you take a long, deep breath of the morning air. It does wonders for your muddled mind.

>Though your chest still feels tight and your head dizzy. He always had that effect on you, not that you would ever tell him.

>When he had told you that he trusted you...when he had smiled like that...whoa nelly that set your heart a'flutter...not that he could ever know.

>He could never know. What would he think of you? He saw you as a friend, his -best- friend. You could never betray that trust.

>With a sigh you begin your trek to the barn. You would need your cart and baskets as well as your harnesses for the south field.

 

>The morning sun has painted the orchards and the fields beyond a brilliant gold, and the air is still crisp with the coolness of the passing night.

>This, right here, is what makes waking up early in the morning worth it. You wouldn't trade this for anything in the world.

>Well...maybe one thing. Something that comes to mind as you pass the field Anon had been working yesterday...without his shirt...his toned upperbody glistening with sweat as he hoisted basket after basket with his big arms you'd wish you could be wrapped up in-

>STOP. THAT.

>You shake your head to clear out those thoughts. He was your friend. He would never think of you like th-

WHACK.

>You were so lost in your thoughts you had walked right into the barn door. Muttering a few choice words you'd never repeat around Applebloom, you open the door and make your way inside.

>Finally getting into some actual work does wonders for your mood. It was so easy to lose yourself in stacking the baskets into the cart.

>It was when you were hauling your load toward the southern fields that your thoughts returned to Anonymous.

 

>He could never know. He would never reciprocate...right?

>There had been times that made you believe different. Lingering glances across the orchard, choices of words during normal conversation.

>Some small part of you...knew? No...believed that it wasn't just coincidence.

>But it would forever remain a mystery. You were a brave pony, you knew that. Just not when it came to...romance.

>You simply didn't have the courage to tell him how happy he made you, how kind he was, how good he was with Applebloom, how nice it would be to make him breakfast after a long, -long- night of-

>"Heya AJ."

"WOAH NELLY!"

>You had apparently walked right into the field Mac was harvesting without realizing. Your brother just stares at you with his usual placid gaze for a moment before a wry grin comes to his face.

>"Somethin' on yer mind?"

"N-no. Nothin' at all. Just gettin' these here baskets to the southern field."

>You were always a terrible liar. Your crimson face wasn't helping this in any sense.

>His grin widens and his eyes fall to half-mast. "Some-one- on yer mind then?"

>Darn it.

 

>You want to spit a wisecrack back at him, but only manage to look toward the ground with a frown.

"Consarn it 'Mac ya said ya wouldn't poke fun..."

>Laughter is his response. Deep mellow chuckles.

>"C'mon. Ah could use some help with this row."

>You knew he didn't, but you still find yourself unhitching you wagon and joining your sibling in his work.

>You square your haunches with a nearby tree, and allow years of experience to take hold.

>Roll onto the forehooves, bring the back legs back, annnnd-

*BUCK*

>A rewarding crack echoes across the fields, and a cascade of apples fall into their baskets.

>You've still got it, even with your mind all over the place.

>"So-" You hear Big Mac call from a nearby tree. "-how're things?"

"Wat'cha mean Mac?"

>"Ya'll wen't drinkin' last night. Did ya tell him?"

Darn. It.

 

>Mac had come up with the idea to take Anon to the local watering hole. Maybe it would ease the tension and finally let you tell him your feelings he had said.

"...No."

>"And why not?"

"...just- just didn't feel like the right time ah guess..."

>"...hrm." The red stallion grumbles. "T'aint good ya know. Bottlin' it all up." He bucks his tree, bringing down another wave of apples.

"Well, thats why ah got you ya big galoot"

>You've moved onto the next tree, squaring yourself off with the trunk before repeating the motion that had become mechanical to you.

>Or at least you would have, had Mac not appeared right next to you, startling you and throwing your stance off-balance. Darn he could be quiet fer such a big pony.

>He sighs. "AJ, im yer brother, ya can come ta me with anythin' and I'll listen. But ya gotta tell him. How long do ya plan ta keep this up? T'aint healthy Applejack."

>Yikes. Big Mac almost never uses your full name. Only when he really needed you to listen.

"Ah know 'Mac. Ah know its jus...what if he don't feel tha same? How would we...move past somethin' like that?"

>"An' yer fine with never knowin' fer sure?"

>Darn It!

 

"...ah don't know 'Mac. Maybe...maybe knowin' would hurt too much."

>The stallion gives an exasperated snort. "Shucks AJ, ah never thought ya'd be so yeller' "

"Tha hay ya just say?"

>"Ya heard me. Yeller'. Yer it."

>You give an angry snort of your own and get in his face; your angry green eyes boring into his stolid ones.

"Ah. Ain't. Yeller'. "

>"Sure looks lika ya are from where ah'm standin' "

"AH AIN'T YELLER' MAC!"

>"Prove it."

>Your bravado deflates. You know what he's going to say, but your dignity refuses to allow you to remain silent.

"How?!"

>"Tell him. Today. No ifs ands or buts. Ya tell him today, or ah will, -and- ah'll spread tha word in P0nyville that mah sister is just a big ol' chicken."

>DARN IT!!!!

 

"Ya know wut?! FINE! Ah'll buckin' tell 'im! But if it goes sour, if it all don't pan out like ya seem ta think it will? Yer flank is cider 'Mac. So help me-"

>"Fine." He nods with a smile. "Ah accept them terms."

>He spits on his hoof and holds it forward. You repeat the gesture and smash your own against it.

>Your chest sinks as you realize you've just sealed your fate with that ancient ritual.

>" 'Sides-" he continues as he makes his way back toward his tree. "-ah'm sure it'll all turn out alright."

"...and how're you so sure?"

>"Oh, justa hunch is all."

"Mac, if there's somethin' bout Anon yer not tellin' me-"

>"What about me?"

>CELESTIA BUCKING DARN IT!!!!

 

>You are Anonymous, and you have made a decision that could be potentially life-changing.

>You are currently making your way back to Sweet Apple Acres, your order of nails in tow.

>Each and every step you take towards your second home brings your heart higher and higher into your throat.

>The full gravity of what you intend to do is setting in, and your jimmies may as well be between two shifting tectonic plates.

>So much could go wrong. What if she thought you were a freak? What if your friendship never recovered?

>Your encounter with Rainbow hadn't helped your rapidly fraying nerves. Still, you had told Applebloom you would do this, and you never dissappointed that little filly if you could help it.

>You are passing through the front gate to the orchards when you hear it.

>Apparently AJ and Big Mac were having an arguement over something.

>As you get closer you make out something about being..."yeller' ".

>You also hear your name a few times.

>The shit?

 

>A minute of walking later and you stumble upon the two siblings apparently at the end of their argument.

>"Mac, if there's somethin' bout Anon yer not tellin' me-"

"What about me?"

>"HOLY SPIT!" Applejack exclaims, leaping almost a full four feet into the air in surprise. She whirls around to you, eyes wide and face flushed. "A-anon?! Yer back already?!"

"Um...yeah? What were you two talking about anyway?"

>You catch Big Mac grin, his everpresent hay stalk between his teeth, before trotting off to another tree.

>"N-nuthin'! Nuthin at all! Just, ya know, apples'n'stuff, the usual! Hahahahaaha!"

"...right."

>You decide to drop it, if only to get that unnerving fucking look off her face. Applejack visibly deflates with exhaled relief.

 

"So-" You bounce the small box of nails in your hand a few times. "-got that order."

>The orange mare blinks. "Oh...oh! Great! We really needed ta git'round to fixin' that hole in the barn."

>You nod before striding over to her Apple cart, which you just noticed sitting nearby. You drop the box in beside the baskets as Applejack starts rehitching herself to the front.

"Here, let me help."

>You walk to her side and start buckling and adjusting the straps, your mighty human fingers making the task infinitely simpler. She gives you a thankful smile.

>As you finish hooking her up to her cart, your hand just barely brushes against her coat. You feel a charge of electricity leap up your arm and ripple into your brain.

>Thankfully she didn't notice, and by some strength of will you made no sign of it. The two of you begin to make your way toward the south field.

>Christ, you are a mess. If the ghost of a touch is enough to cause -that-...maybe it -was- time you got this out in the open...

>But how? When? It had to be today but when would be the best moment? You didn't want to just blurt it out randomly.

>You are pulled from your worry by Applejack's voice. Oh, shes asking you something.

 

"Hm?"

>"Ah said how was your walk with Applebloom?"

"Oh! Fine, fine..."

>Her expression clouds up. "Anon."

>Ugh...Element of Honesty. You had forgotten. You heave a sigh.

"Rainbow's back from Cloudsdale."

>The sound of the cart screeching to a halt brings your gaze behind you. Applejack is staring at you.

>"Did she try anythin' Anon? Tell me the truth."

>You shake your head.

"No, just the...'usual.' "

>The cowpony's gaze reamains unwaveringly on you before she relents with a sigh. "If ya say so Anon. Ah swear-" Her eyes narrow. "-if she EVER tried anythin' like...-that- again, ah reckon ah'd-"

>You hold up a hand, stopping her. Your relationship with her was one thing, but you couldn't stand hearing AJ talking about it. The fact that they had once been best friends, and that you were (innocently) the cause of their falling out always ate at you.

"Its fine AJ I can take care of myself. Appreciate it though." You punctuate the statement with a smile to lighten the mood. It comes out strained.

 

>Applejack frowns. "Sugarcube..."

>You find your gaze now on the horizion, your eyes distant as you recall happier times with the pegasus.

>You are drawn out of your reminiscence by an orange hoof on your leg. "Ah know you miss her Anon. Ah see it every day."

>Your hand finds its way to her hoof. The touch doesn't bring the same electric feeling as before, but a warm comfort.

"I miss who she was AJ...I miss the way things were."

>"Me too pard'. Me too..."

>For a while there is silence, interrupted only by the sounds of birds and the wind through the trees. Funny, the wind used to make you think of your best friend tearing through the skies. Now...now its just noise.

>Applejack breaks the silence with a sigh. "C'mon Anon, we should hit the south field. The work will take our minds off...this." She gives you a nudge. "After we're done we can git ourselves some grub! Sound good?"

"Yeah." You take a deep breath and look down to the orange mare with a smaller, yet more genuine smile which she returns. "Lets go."

>With that, the two of you continue on toward your task, spirits a bit lighter.

>Unknown to you, a certain cyan pegasus lays on a cloud over the fields you and Applejack currently walk. Her eyes, filled with tears, stare into the infinite expanse of the skies.

 

>You hate yourself.

>You hate everything you've done. He didn't deserve this, you knew that. Your actions had killed your friendship with him -and- the orange mare he loved.

>But you couldn't stop. He was like a drug, and you were hopelessly addicted.

>You -ached- for his touch, his scent, his...lust.

>Lust he would never return. You never had a shot, you knew that.

>It still incensed you how bluntly he had shot you down. You knew you had no right to be angry, but still- why weren't you good enough? What made Applejack so bucking special?!

>You whip your head back and forth with a choking sob. You had to stop this. You had to stop thinking like that.

>And yet...you knew he hadn't confessed his feelings to her yet. There was still a chance! There had to be!

>You are Rainbow Dash, giving up isn't in your vocabulary!

>Your eyes wrench shut as the words you just overheard float back to you.

>"I miss who she was..."

>You curl up on your cloud, the pain in your chest refusing to abate. You hadn't changed...had you?

 

>You are Anonymous.

>And you are feeling a lot better.

>During your walk to the south field you and Applejack had made smalltalk, with her trying to brighten your mood any chance she could.

>She could give Pinkie Pie a run for her money with how good she was at it. Maybe it was because of your feelings for her that made her so adept at washing away your sadness.

>Regardless, your spirits are miles higher than they were when you were discussing Rainbow, and you have finally reached the south field.

>Time to get to work.

>"Alright Anon." Applejack adresses you as she unhitches herself from her cart. "Ya know the drill. Lets get yer harness on."

>With a nod you reach into the cart and pull out your specially made harness. Applejack had it commissioned the first time the two of you took on the south field.

>You pray this time goes better than the last.

>Once you are properly hooked up, you assist Applejack with her own harness. Without sadness clouding your mind, that same fiery sensation screams across your nerves with every brush of your hands through her coat.

>You keep your head down to hide your red face. If you had been looking up you might have noticed that her own was a similar shade of crimson.

 

>Once you are done helping Applejack with her harness, you begin fastening your life-lines to the top of the hill via spikes in the ground.

>You cast a look over the edge down the hill. Sure enough the trees that grew out of the hillside had the biggest apples of the orchard, just begging to be picked.

>Fuck thats steep. Memories of your fall last time give you pause, but you push them from your mind. You had a job to do.

>Applejack brings the first load of baskets to you. The idea was simple; you go down first and place the baskets under the trees, then Applejack bucks them.

>The idea was simple, its execution not so much. Firstly, the steep incline made working on the hill extremely awkward and treacherous. One false move and you risked your line snapping and another painful tree-filled tumble.

>Second, because the hill was almost always in direct sunlight during the day, it was -hot-. Without taking periodic breaks, there was the danger of heat exhaustion.

>Third? it was fucking scary. The hill from top to bottom was almost two hundred feet. The last time you did this you were in the hospital for a week, what if it was even worse this time?

>Noticing your apprehension Applejack give you a reassuring smile. "Ah'll be right here Anon. You'll be fine, trust me.

>And just like that you can do this. This mare...

"Alright. Here I go."

 

>With one last check of the hook on the back of your harness, you take the baskets in hand and begin your near vertical walk down the hill.

>Applejack has your life-line in her teeth, slowly giving you more rope as you descend. You trust her completely.

>You reach the first tree and start to lay down the baskets. These particular ones are fastened with stilts, making them rest perpendicular to the hill's face.  

>The trick was to place them in such a way that when the apples fell, the incline would be taken into account and none of the crop would be lost.

>The work is slow, and hot. God it is so hot, its still morning and the sun is beating down on you relentlessly.

>Eventually you get all of the baskets laid down. Now came the part you were dreading: the climb back up. This was where you fell last time, your life-line had snapped when you tripped.

>Slowly...-slowly-, you make your way back up the hill. You can see Applejack straining to hoist your line, and you couldn't blame her, she had been holding on for the better part of an hour.

>With a yank by Applejack you are dragged over the top of the hill and back onto flat ground.

>Success.

 

>Applejack spits the rope out of her mouth and gives her jaw a good flex. "Ponyfeathers that was startin' to smart."

>You grin sheepishly.

"Sorry. I should have worked a bit faster."

>The mare just snorts and waves a hoof dismissively in your direction. "Ain't no thing Anon. We sure as hay don't want a repeat of last time."

"Got that right." You respond with a wince.

>The two of you take a short break to rehydrate and rest. Applejack had the foresight to bring a jug of water.

>Relief washes through you both as you drink deeply. However despite the thirst-quenching water you are both still very hot.

>"Woah nelly...its gettin' might toasty out here..." Applejack pants as she removes her stetson.

"Agreed." You sigh was you wipe away some sweat.

 

>Applejack takes the jug of water in her teeth and gives it a hearty upward swing. A large wave of cool water exits the jug and showers her.

>She gives her mane a good shake before turning toward you with a smile. "Much better."

>Your mouth flaps a few times, but no sound comes out. The crystal clear water runs through her orange coat in miniscule rivers, while the droplets in her golden mane sparkle with diamond-like brilliance.

>Only one word comes through the haze in your mind: beauty. Utter beauty. You are about to whisper it to yourself when she picks her stetson back up and places it on her head.

>"Did ya want a splash Anon?" You wrench yourself from your stupor at the question and just dimly shake your head. She shrugs, "Suit yerself!"

>Checking her harness, she turns toward the hill. "Alright, ready when you are pard'!" Now its your turn to hold the line.

>Months of farm work have calloused your hands to the point that even the biting texture of the taught rope does little to diminish your grip.

>Applejack begins to slowly canter down the hill toward the first tree. All the while, you try to keep your gaze away from a few very noticeable...areas of her backside. Out of respect of course.

>Just focus on the rope. Keep your grip firm. Concentrate.

 

>Applejack works a lot quicker than you did. In the time it took you to place baskets underneath five trees, shes bucked over ten. At every tree the apples fall perfectly into their baskets, not a single one lost to the hill.

>You feel both guilty that you made her exert herself more over your apprehension as well as relieved that you will be done with this soon. The early afternoon sun is only growing hotter.

>At long last she reaches the last tree, which coincidentally is closest to your current position. Shes breathing hard, no doubt due to the heat. She looks up to you with a determined smile. "Last one sugarcube!"

"Make it count!"

>With a nod she squares herself off, then rolls onto her front hooves.

*crrk*

>You both freeze.

*crrrrrk-TWANG*

>Oh no.

*crrrrrrk-TWANGTWANG*

>The rope is fraying.

"APPLEJ-"

*SNAP*

 

>The world slows to a crawl. You watch the rope snap, you feel yourself falling backwards and see Applejack slowly falling away from you.

>She casts a look of terror at you as time begins to speed up.

>What you do next is probably  the stupidest, coolest, and simultaneously bravest action of your life.

>Unhooking your own line, you throw yourself down the hill as Applejack starts to tumble down it.

>You break into a dead sprint down the near vertical incline, rapidly catching up the the falling mare.

>You leap over her with arms extended, catching her in mid flight.

>Drawing her protectively into your chest, you land painfully on your back and begin to slide down the hill with her in your arms.

>Ignoring the agony of your back being torn up by the ground, you grit your teeth and dig your heels into the dirt to slow your descent. All the while Applejack is clinging to you for dear life, her eyes clenched shut out of reflex.

>By some godsend you avoid hitting any trees as you painfully slide down the hill, your speed slowing.

>Finally, in a cloud of dust, you make a relatively soft landing on the even hill-bottom.

 

>The two of you remain still for a few moments, Applejack still wrapped protectively in your arms. Eventually she lifts herself off you, her eyes wide in panic.

>"Anon?! Oh mah stars Anon are you alright?!"

>You release a pained hiss as the burning in your back settles in, Adrenaline rapidly leaving you.

"Eugh...been better. Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

>She takes a few deep breaths. "Yeah...ah'm alright...what were ya THINKIN'?! Ya stupid colt ya coulda been killed!"

"Sorry." You chuckle weakly. "It just sort of happened you know?"

>The mare starts to frantically look you over. "Can ya move? Is anythin' broken?!"

"Yes, and no. Just a bad, -bad- case of rug burn..."

>Applejack sighs in relief before falling back into your chest. "Thank Celestia...ah don't know what ah'dve done if...if..."

>Shes sniffling.

"AJ?"

>She shoots off you again and stares into your eyes with her rapidly dampening ones. "If ya had been..." She shakes her head as she chokes back a sob. You smile and bring a hand to her cheek.

 

"Sorry. But I wasn't just going to let that happen...you're...you're too important to me."

>"...Anon?" her eyes...those beautiful, shining, emerald green eyes peer into your own.

>Its at this moment you both realize the state you're in. She is still lying on top of you, her back legs around your waist. Your hand is still gently caressing her cheek.

>In a normal state of mind the two of you would have separated and stood by now...but something is holding the two of you here like this; a moment that has been far too long coming.

>Perhaps it was the near death experience, perhaps it was your heroism...but now seems like as good a time as any. Shit, this was perfect.

>Her arresting, verdant eyes never leave yours as you start.

"AJ...theres something I've been meaning to-"

>And just like that the thundering of hooves shatters the moment as Big Macintosh comes galloping around the base of the hill.

>"WHATS ALL THE COMMOTION? ARE Y'All alri- oh..."

>God fucking DAMNIT.