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       The Apple of My Eye                                                    Part  1

                                                 By: Vopogon

     “Four thousand nine hundred sixty three…

Four thousand nine hundred sixty four….. Ugh…

For HOW long do I have to do this for again AJ?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Till we get there” Applejack replied with obvious annoyance.

“I don’t know how in the hay I survived this trip the first time, with you complainin’ every few seconds!”

The gang was on their way back to Appleoosa for a visit after their last trip was cut short

 due to a quarrel between the Buffalo and the Appleoosans, and Rainbow Dash was bored.

It had already been a few months since that had all happened, and it was time for

the Apple family reunion.

Applejack had invited all her friends to come with her. After all, there were like family to her.

Applejack finally got tired of the blue Pegasus’s constant complaints on the way preventing her from getting to sleep, so she told her to count the cactus outside as they went by.

“I don’t remember it taking THIS long to get there before...” Dash said.

 Applejack pushed her hat up off her eyes and sat up “Well, it’s going to take until daybreak, so I’d appreciate it if you’d quit the whining”

Rainbow Dash and Applejack continued to argue.

“Um... guys” Fluttershy interjected, “I think we’re disturbing Twilight.”

Near the back of the car, the purple unicorn was concentrating hard on something.

Rainbow Dash sighed and turned back around to continue counting cactus plants, but it was getting too dark to see anything.

 Applejack expected the Pegasus to immediately start her complaining again, but to her surprise, Rainbow Dash had fallen fast asleep.

The orange pony walked over to where Twilight was studying.

“Whatcha’ doin, sugar cube? You’ve been awful focused on that there book for a while now, why don’tcha take a break?”

“No can do AJ, I’ve just got to –’’

“Come on now, Twi! It ain’t healthy to be hunched over like that, ya hear?”

Twilight hadn’t even realized it, but while she was reading she somehow craned her neck in an awkward position.

The purple unicorn sighed and closed the book.

“I suppose you’re right. I’ll have plenty of time to read tomorrow.”

Twilight walked over to her bunk and passed a sleeping Rarity who, despite denying it, snores incredibly loud.

“Goodnight everypony. We should be there by morning.” Twilight said.

She turned out the light, laid her head on her pillow, and within minutes was sound asleep.

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“That was SO boring…” Rainbow dash said, jumping off the train car.

“So I’ve heard…” Applejack said, following suit.

 They had arrived in Appleoosa, and were preparing to depart the train.

Twilight walked towards the stairs, but Pinkie Pie bounced right into her backside, flinging her off the locomotive.

Everypony wanted to come back to Appleoosa for their own reasons.

Applejack wanted to check up on Bloomberg, Rarity found the cowpony boots everyone wore adorable,  Fluttershy wanted to see what kind of wildlife creatures lived nearby, Pinkie wanted to try some sweets, Rainbow Dash wanted to “Hang out” with Little Strongheart, and Twilight needed some things from the General Store to complete her new spell she’d been working on.

 “Come on girls, we’d better get our baggage to the motel room before we get sidetracked”

As they made their way off the platform and walked to the motel’s door, Rainbow Dash said “Hey.. where’s Pinkie?”

Everypony looked around, but the pink earth pony was nowhere in sight.

“Oh, you know pinkie” Rarity said. “Probably off to sample the sweets already.”

“That’s Pinkie alright.. But I told her not to run off before we checked in” Twilight replied. She let out a little sigh. “Well, she’s a full grown mare, she can take care of hersefl. But keep a look out for her, just in case.”

After receiving the room key from the gentlecolt at the front desk, the group made their way down the hall  to the room they were to stay in. Applejack inserted the key into the doorknob and opened the door.

The room wasn’t much, but cozy none the less.

Everypony except Twilight immediately picked their beds and started unpacking.

Twilight tossed her luggage onto an empty bed and turned towards the door. She wanted to get started right away.

She made her way  down the hall and out to the dusty main street and walked down to the General Store.

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“Thanks!” Twilight said to the store owner as she paid for the mysterious green jar of goop.

“Aaanytime!” he said. “Come on back now if ya need anythin!”

Twilight trotted out of the store, levitating her spell book in front of her face.

“Alright…” she said, tossing the jar into her bags.  “Now I just need to go get some ‘Lily of the Valley’… I wonder where could I find some of th—OOF!”

She bumped into somepony while walking, too absorbed in her studies to watch wher she was walking

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't see you--" Twilight looked up and  was taken aback by the young stallion that she had run into.

He was tall, muscular, and had deep, green eyes a mare could get lost in for hours.

 It took Twilight a second to recognize the friendly face that was Applejack’s cousin, Braeburn!

"Oh no, I'm sorry Twilight, I should've paid more tention' to where I was walking" Braeburn chuckled with a sheepish grin.

"Here, let me help you with your books…”

He stopped, grinned and said “Oh, and welcome back to AAAAAAHPPLEOOSA!”

Twilight and Braeburn both started picking up the scattered textbooks one by one, until there was just one book left.

The book appeared to be nothing more than your average book available at any library.

But in actuality, it was a romance novel Rarity lent her about a mare from an upper class family in the east falling in love with a hard working settler pony in the West. This was the same book she had been so interested in on the train.

 Twilight hastily reached to grab it, but Braeburn already reached to pick it up at the same time.

Their hooves met, lingering for a split second...

The Western pony quickly withdrew his hoof from the accidental Rendezvous and blushed a bit "Oh, uh, pardon me Twi"

Twilight waved a hoof in dismissal

"Oh i-it's alright" she said, followed by an awkward laugh. She brought her hoof in front of her face to hide a blush.

Twilight slid the book back in her saddle bags, and the two stood there for a moment, not making eye contact...

Finally, Braeburn broke the silence; "Well, I best be gettin' back to work, Miss Twilight" he said with a smile

As the stallion walked away, he tipped his hat.

"Maybe we'll run into each other again! I mean… You know, not actually ‘run into’ each other… But… Uh… Yeah.”  

As he finished the awkward string of words, he let out a little chuckle.

“Um, yeah! I’ll see you around” Twilight said with a big, goofy grin stretched across her face

“That was so stupid of me to say…” the stallion thought to himself as they went their separate ways.

“Run into? What was I thinking?”

Throughout the rest of the day, Braeburn couldn't focus on his work in the apple orchards.

His mind was elsewhere, namely on the purple unicorn from Ponyville.

 He didn’t know why, but Twilight made him feel somewhat nervous.

“Look at me” talking out loud in the middle of the orchard where nobody could hear him

“Acting like a schoolcolt who just got his first crush. Simply silly...”

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Braeburn wiped the sweat from his face with a handkerchief he stored in his vest.

He’s been thinking all day about a certain purple Unicorn in town, and didn’t know why...

Until now.

He liked her. A lot.

And tonight was the big Appleoosan hoedown, held every year in the town square.

And Braeburn could think of no better way to spend the night than dancing with the most beautiful mare in Appleoosa, neigh, all of Equestria!

“But what if Twilight doesn’t feel the same way?” he said to himself “‘Specially after that embarassin’ incident this mornin’...”

He decided to head to the motel his cousin Applejack said they were staying in anyway, hoping he’d find the courage to ask her on the way there.

Before he knew it, he was standing infront of the lodging.

He didn’t find the courage. He just couldn’t bring himself to do it.

“She’s too good for you anyway’s Brae” he thought “A ‘proper’ pony from Canterlot would never fall in love with a lowly cowpony from the West...”

He began to shuffle down the street, passing by a few windows of the motel as he went.

“I hear there’s going to be a big party tonight! Sounds like fun!” a voice said, coming from one of the windows.

He recognized that voice, it was one of Applejack’s friends... Pinkie Pie, if he remembered correctly.

“No, it’s not a party.. It is a dance.” another voice said “But yes, it sounds like it would be rather fun”

That voice was Rarity’s. He remembered meeting her once before, and certainly remembered her voice.  He doubted anypony could forget that... distinguishing trait.

“Are you going, Twilight? You’ve been studying hard, you need a break!”

“No thanks, I have so much to read up about...”

Twilight Sparkle’s voice said.

The mere sound of it lifted Braeburn’s spirits, if just a bit.

“Oh nonsense! Lighten up a little! Let loose! Who knows, you may even find yourself a handsome stallion.” Rarity said with a slightly teasing tone.

Twilight paused before answering.

“Well... I guess it would be fun... and besides, we’re only here for one more day, so I guess I should enjoy it!”

“One more day?” Braeburn thought. “That’s not alot of time... Who knows when she’d make another trip out here.. Maybe never!”

The yellow pony mulled it over a bit in his head...

He decided it was now, or never.

“That settles it!” Braeburn said to himself, making sure nopony else could here him

“I’m going over there and askin’ her to the dance!”

Apple of My Eye                                         Part 2

Twilight sat cross legged on her bunk, hugging her pillow, with her head resting on top of it.

Absent mindedly, she let out a long but content sigh and let her mind wander.  

“Maybe I’ll see him there… “ she said in her mind. “Maybe we could even dance together, hoof in hoof..”

She must have been blushing, because all of a sudden Rarity came out of nowhere and promptly flung herself on the bunk next to her.

“SOOO?” the white unicorn asked.

Twilight was confused.

“So… what?”

“Why, who’s the stallion, of course!”

Twilight opened her mouth to refute the comment, but was immediately silenced by Rarity.

“Don’t even try to deny it Twilight. I know that look anywhere. You’re…” She paused

“In love”

Twilight paused, mouth open in some sort of feeble attempt to utter a denial, but eventually closed her mouth in defeat.

“That would explain your willingness to go to the hoedown after I mentioned that you could find a stallion.... Speaking of, who is he?” Rarity asked with excitement in her voice.

“I.. I’d rather not say” Twilight turned away from Rarity, trying to hide her uneasiness

“Come now Twilight, you can tell me anything. I can keep a secret” Rarity said.

“I really shouldn’t” Twilight replied, almost mumbling the answer.

Rarity smiled.

“.. You know you want to. Is it somepony I know? ”

Twilight was about to speak when there was a knock at the door.

“Who is it?” Rarity called out.

“Uhh… It’s Braeburn.”

Upon hearing his name Twilight stiffened up.

Rarity caught the sudden movement and cast a sidelong look at her, smirking.

Realizing she had been found out, Twilight blushed and buried her face in the pillow.

“I was jus’ wonderin’ if Twilight was there.. I would like to speak with her about somethin’ ”

The stallion sounded a bit nervous.

Upon hearing what Braeburn had said, Twilight looked up and called out

“Coming, I’ll be just a sec!”  

As she walked towards the door, she wonder what could he possibly be wanting to ask her.

Twilight opened the door, and stepped out into the hallway where Braeburn was waiting.

“Um… Hi” Twilight said timidly, looking around, trying to avoid Braeburn spotting her flustered expression.

“H-hey Twi! Umm..”

The stallion stammered a bit.

“I was wondering… I mean, If you weren’t busy that is..”

“Yes?”

“If you wanted to uh.. Maybe go to this hoedown we’rall havin’ tomorrow night… If ya aren’t busy, that is.”

“I’d love to!” Twilight blurted out, without realizing with what haste she said these words.

A look of surprise and relief entered Braeburns face.

“Really? I-I mean, uh.. That’s great! I’ll uh.. See you there, then?”

Twilight nodded.

“It’s a date!”

Time froze.

Thoughts raced through the unicorn’s brain.

“Wait… Did I really just say ‘it’s a date’? What was I thinking? Now he’s going to think I’m coming onto him! I mean, I am  but… Oh man, I messed up BIG time”

An equally shocked Braeburn had a million thoughts racing through his mind as well.

“A date? What does she mean by that? I mean… I wouldn’t mind going on a date but… I… No. This is good. Roll with it Brae, roll with it.”

“Sure! I mean, uh… if you wanted to, that is…”

The stallion looked at the ground and shuffled his right front roof nervously.

“I’d like that” Twilight said with a flustered smile.

Braeburn looked up

“Y-you would?”

“Absolutely” she answered.

Both ponies looked up from their awkward glances at the floor and looked at one another.

Twilight had already taken a long look into his eyes once before, but she felt entranced once again, and Braeburn was equally as focused on her eyes as she was his.

The two both relaxed a bit and smiled at each other, and both faces were flushed with red.

After a few long moments of silence, Braeburn finally spoke.

“I’ll see you tomorrow night then, Twilight”

Braeburn smiled sweetly at the purple unicorn, causing even more heat to find it’s way to her face.

Twilight cleared her throat

“Yep! I’ll be here!”

She smiled sheepishly and began to turn around to go back inside.

“And Braeburn?” she asked.

“Yes, Twi?”

All of a sudden, he felt heat on his right cheek.

He maneuvered his eyes to see the source of the warmth.

Twilight Sparkle had stepped out from the doorway and kissed him on the cheek.

Braeburn didn’t know how to react... So he simply stood there with a shocked expression on his face.

She pulled back and returned to her room.  As she closed the door, she looked back out at him, still standing there, mouth slightly agape In surprise.

“Sleep tight” she said in a sweet voice, and closed the door.

It took a moment for the Stallion to realize what had just happened.

“She… kissed me” he said softly.

He wanted to throw his old dusty hat into the air and shout for joy, but all he could bring himself to do was turn around and slowly walk out the way he came, but not without an immense grin across his face.

______________________________________________________________

The entirety of the next day, Twilight went about her business hurriedly. Her mind was on a  certain golden-yellow stallion.

The day flew by, and as soon as her last task was completed, she ran back to the hotel to get ready for the dance.

When she entered, she found her friends in various states of readiness. Applejack was already dressed, wearing a flannel shirt in typical cowpony fashion, and was strumming her guitar on her bed.

Twilight realized she was dirty from the days travels around Appleoosa, and decided to take a quick shower. The purple unicorn was hurriedly scrubbed her mane with the shampoo Rarity brought along, all the while hoping he’d think she looked pretty. Twilight normally didn’t care much for appearances, but like every young mare, she still enjoyed to be complimented on her looks. She hopped out of the shower, and dried herself off with a towel hanging on the rack.

As soon as her mane was dry, she rushed to the door, wanting to go.

“Come on guys! We’re going to be late!” Twilight said.

“I rekon’ that we’ll get there right on time, Twi” Applejack responded.

“Why you in a rush, anyhow?”

“Oh, I think I have a clue” Rarity’s voice called out from the bathroom”

“I-it’s nothing!” Twilight said “I-I’m just exited to go to a dance like this is all...”

Applejack narrowed her eyes a bit.

“If ya say so”

She gave a shrug and went back to strumming her guitar.

Twilight walked over to the bathroom where Rarity was almost finished getting ready, peaked in and said in a hushed whisper “Applejack doesn’t know yet! And I’d PREFER to keep it that way!”

Rarity replied in an equally hushed tone

“Relax, darling! Your secret is safe with me!” Rarity gave Twilight a wink and returned to her preparations.

Twilight

A few minutes later, the gang was all ready to go.

The group of friends trotted down the dusty road to the dance area.

The floor was an large, old wooden dance area, with several tables featuring various refreshments and garnishes. There were four long strings of light bulbs overhead, one from each corner of the floor, meeting in the center on a tall pole. Around the pole were two DJ turntables that wrapped around forming a square. Behind them was a white unicorn with fuchsia shaded sunglasses and a spiky blue/light blue mane. Vinyl Scratch. She had been hired to provide the music for the dance, and she did not disappoint.

When Rainbow dash saw her, her wings expanded to full span involuntarily, and very rapidly. She made her way over to the table, and immediately began chatting with Scratch.

The rest of the gang went their separate ways, each partaking in various dance activities.

Twilight Sparkle looked around, but she didn’t see Braeburn. She continued looking for several more minutes, but eventually gave up.

“He didn’t show up...” she said, hanging her head low. Twilight forced back the tears in her eyes.

“ I was a foal to think anypony would be interested in me... I might as well just go back to the hotel room and wait for the others... No sense in me raining on their parade.”

Before Twilight could turn around, a soft, kind voice said from behind

“C’mon now, Twi! It’s a party! You’re supposta’ be havin’ fun!”

She whirled around and saw Braeburn standing right behind her, smiling like he always did.

“You.. you came!” she said, spirits lifted.

“Well, ‘course I came! I mean, I asked ya to the dance, didn’t I?” he said, a big grin on his face.

Twilight smiled back, looking up at him.

Braeburn felt his face start to get warmer, and knew he was blushing, but for some reason, he didn’t care anymore. He liked the way Twilight made him feel...

A long, high pitched note of a fiddle rang out from the loud speaker, snapping him back to rality.  All the western ponies split into couples and waited for the song to start.

Braeburn broke the stare and realized they were about to start.

He walked towards the floor, passing Twilight on the way.

“Well, Twi, It IS a dance after all.” He said.

she turned around and saw him extending a hoof toward her.

Twilight looked at the hoof and raised hers to take it, but at the last moment, put it down.

“I.. I don’t know how to dance” She confessed, looking away.

“It ain’t as hard as it seems! C’mon, I’ll teach ya!”

Twilight looked up at his reassuring face, and took his hoof in hers.

The moment they made contact, something changed in her. She felt incredibly happy.. euphoric even.

“Could this be.. Love?” she thought. And much to her own surprise, she didn’t even try to dismiss the notion as absurd as she usually would have...

The two made their way onto the floor. All the ponies were at the ready, waiting for the music to start.

“Just follow my lead, and you’ll be dancin’ like there’s no tomorrah in 10 seconds flat!”

Twilight simply nodded nervously.

Right as she did, the music started. The entire floor was filled with the sound of dancing hooves, all moving in an organized fashion in a square dance. Twilight tried to mimic other mare’s movements and found that it wasn’t that hard at all, just like Braeburn had said. She still messed up from time to time, but  every time she was about to stumble, she was caught by a pair of muscular forelegs.

“I got chya’. I ain’t gunna let you fall.”

After a few songs, the dancing stopped for a moment breaking for refreshments, but many couples stayed on the floor to chat with friends or each other.

“You tired yet?” Braeburn asked, slightly out of breath.

“Not... Quite... yet” Twilight said in between breaths. How about.. yourself?”

“I could go all night” Braeburn said pridefully raising a hoof to his chest

Twilight simply smiled and let out a small chuckle. She wasn’t nervous around Braeburn anymore, and had slipped into a very relaxed mood.

______________________________________________________________________________

Author’s note: For this next part, I recommend you play this song in another tab. It’s what I was playing when I wrote this next part, and I feel it fits wonderfully. http://tinyurl.com/4ymjaqw

______________________________________________________________________________

“For this next song, we’re going to slow things down a bit” a voice said from the loud speaker.

The lights dimmed, and the speakers emitted an absolutely beautiful acoustic guitar song.

Several couples stood on their hind legs and wrapped their forelegs around one another and simply swayed to the music.

Braeburn extended his hoof once again to Twilight.

“You said you had energy left to keep on dancin’.” He said with a sweet smile.

Twilight said nothing, but simply took his hoof once more as he led her onto the dance floor.

The purple unicorn wrapped her arms around his neck, and came close when he felt his around her back.

She let go of all inhibitions about loving him. Right now, this was all there was. In his arms.

This feeling was something that was completely new to her. And she loved it.

“No.” she thought. “I love him”.

She lay her head on the stallions chest and closed her eyes, still swaying along with the melody coming from the speakers. She breathed in the earthy smell on Braeburns coat, and let it out slowly, admiring the deep scent.

Braeburn looked down at a very peaceful Twilight, who’s head remained on his chest.

An unexplainable warmth filled his heart.

He leaned down,  gently kissed her snout, and returned to gazing at the mare in his arms.

Twilight opened her eyes and looked up at him.

“That’s it?” she said, butting on a mock expression of indignation.

Braeburn was confused...

“D-did I do something wrong?” he asked.

“No.” Twilight paused.

“It just wasn’t how it was done in the book...”

Braeburn had no idea what book she was referring to, but before he could ponder what she said further, Twilight stretched her neck, and kissed him. Not on the cheek, nor the forehead. But kissed him.  

The stallion was as astonished as he had ever been in his life. But he was also as happy as he had ever been in his life, too.

Braeburn closed his eyes and returned the sweet embrace.

In that moment, there was only Him and Her. There was nopony else in the world.