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chimchiri · 3 months

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Poll Adventure: Rarijack Dinner

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A tall, willowy woman sits crouched on her knees, tending to a fruiting garden with her back to AJ. Her long pink hair is tied up in a thoughtless knot, though the green ribbon holding it together makes it elegant. A basket sits beside her, half-full with newly harvested veggies, flowers, mushrooms, and greens. As she works, the tune she hums floats across the yard, accompanied by birdsong that chirps along, and the occasional chatter from a chipmunk joining in.

As usual, Fluttershy is surrounded by a sundry of critters. Today there are butterflies flitting around her shoulders, beetles dancing at her knees, a wild doe that rests beside her with its long legs tucked under its body, a tortoise that munches on the kale from her basket, and a roundup of squirrels chattering away as they help her find ripe cherry tomatoes. And of course, Angel—the mischievous bunny that can get away with nearly anything, because he’s Fluttershy’s darling boy. For now, he sits directly behind her, scratching idly at his neck with his hind leg. Bodyguard duty.

A tiny, bright blue flash approaches Flutters and hovers in the air beside her, a delicate flower in tow. Flutters looks over to the proffered gift, removes a glove and holds out her hand out to let the hummingbird drop the flower into her palm. She places it in her hair before letting the bird land on her finger.

“Thank you, Hummingway,” she chimes, bringing the microscopic bird up to nuzzle at her cheek with a soft laugh.

For a moment, AJ can only watch in awe. Fluttershy’s uncanny ability to commune with nature never gets old. A grin breaks out on her face. She’s glad she decided to stop here first; she can feel her stress melting away.

“Fluttershy,” AJ calls from the pathway leading to Fluttershy’s front door, and the woman in the garden yelps, shoulders tensing in a defensive pose. Applejack cringes as Flutters turns to face her, eyes wide.

“Oh—goodness,” she says, a hand to her chest, “Applejack, you startled me.”

“Sorry—sorry,” AJ says with a sheepish smile, stepping over to grab the basket and offering Flutters a hand.

Fluttershy stands, brushing the grass and dirt from her pants and tucking her gloves into a pocket before bending down to scoop Angel up into her arms, bidding farewell to the other critters retreating from their garden duties—the ones that didn’t flee when Applejack broke their peaceful moment.

“Well, it’s good to see you, AJ,” Flutters says in that soft voice of hers, reaching a hand out for the basket in AJ’s hand. But the farmer gives a little shake of her head, insisting she carry it as they step out of the garden patch and over to the cobblestone pathway.

“Um, you really don’t have to carry it for me…but thank you,” she says, stroking at one of Angel’s fuzzy ears, to busy her anxious hands, “Come in, I was going to make tea.”

So AJ follows Fluttershy into her charming little bungalow, locked in a staring contest with Angel, who looks at her over Fluttershy’s shoulder like he would maim AJ if he had sharper teeth. Setting the harvest basket on a bench by the door, AJ watches the timid woman put a kettle on to boil and then putter about the open floor plan of the downstairs as she fusses with putting her veggies in the sink and tidying whatever she deems out of place. As they wait for the water to boil, they make idle small talk—the weather’s been nice, Twilight (yes, Twilight) is planning a surprise party for Pinkie Pie, how are the horses?

Once Fluttershy pours tea into cups on a tray and leads them to the den, she takes a timid sip before looking to AJ. “It’s always nice to see you, Applejack. Did you need me to help with something? Is Winona doing okay?” A look of panic flashes across her face and her eyes go wide. “She didn’t get into the horse feed again, did she? Oh dear…I told her only to eat her own food….”

Her brows pull up in concern as she meets AJ’s gaze, who shakes her head with a chuckle. “No, Winona’s alright—she loves the new food”—(“Oh, thank goodness…”)—“I’m actually…I’m here because I had a favor to ask.”

Applejack rubs the back of her neck. Shit, she’s nervous. Thinking about consulting her friends is one thing, but actually doing it is something else entirely.

“Oh?”

AJ grabs her tiny teacup from the tray and blows on the tea, unable to look at Fluttershy. “Uh, yeah—I, uh. I’m goin’ on a date. And I need some advice.”

“A date!” exclaims Flutters, louder than her usual delicate tone as she flashes a grin, her soft blue eyes glittering. “That’s wonderful.”

AJ can feel her ears turning ten shades of pink. “Heh, thanks. I’m stuck on a few things but I think you can help me out.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tag List: @mrrrpmeow @babydarkstar @butwerebothmares @chaosdraconequus @chrysaliswife @gaywombat @mulan-but-gay @jubjub05 @dan-chan-rn @sanybaby @horserepository @justletmesnarkandbark @colourswirlcannibal

#ayeeee it's timeee #Honestly love this chapter/segment...#polls #poll adventure: rarijack dinner #rarijack #applejack #fluttershy #mlp #my art

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chimchiri · 7 months

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Poll Adventure: Rarijack Dinner

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~~~

“What did you have in mind?”

“Orchard’s a bit of a wreck this time of year,” AJ says, glancing out the window at the apple trees lining the hills and hanging heavy with fruit. Not too far off, Big Mac’s standing on a ladder situated under a tree; she can see Apple Bloom yelling up at him from below, barrels full of apples at her feet. She says something with that adorable, sometimes annoying little smug spark in her eye, and Big Mac shakes his head with a laugh before tossing an apple down to her. She lunges for it with her hands clasped behind her back, letting it smack her right in the face as she tries to grab it with the few front teeth she hasn’t lost to the tooth fairy yet.

Yeah. Definitely somewhere else. AJ loves her family more than anything, but—Rarity deserves to go somewhere nice. Across the house and through the open front door, she can hear Granny belting out an old song about pigs in mud—

“I’m thinkin’ we go out. You know the restaurant in town? Haven’t been in a while, and I heard there’s a new menu. How’s Saturday?”

“That sounds simply divine, darling, and I would love to…but I can’t commit to this weekend,” Rarity says regretfully, and AJ nearly drops her phone, “I’m in Manehattan the rest of the week for my new line. It is critical that I’m here to make the finishing touches. Fancy Pants is personally endorsing the reveal and there cannot be a single mishap, not one.”

“Oh—“

“Please don’t think I’m avoiding you, darling. Perhaps we can schedule something for the same time next week?”

“No!” AJ begins rather forcefully, and she clears her throat so she won’t say something else before thinking, “I meant…no big deal. How about I come to you instead? I’m sure I can find somewhere good for you—for…us.”

There’s a short pause before Rarity responds.

“Applejack, are you sure, darling? Of course I’d love to have you here…but only if it wouldn’t be too much for you. If you aren’t busy with your duties on the farm, as well. I know that the big city isn’t exactly your cup of…cider.”

“Nothin’s too much for me when it comes to you, sugar.”

AJ’s heart flutters when she hears the soft, breathy laughter of her crush over the phone.

“If you insist,” Rarity says, the smile evident in her voice, “There are a few places I could call. I’m friends with practically everyone here, you know.”

AJ shakes her head. “You just rest up and let me do the work. I’ll get everything together.”

This isn’t up for debate—she’s dead set on being a gentlewoman. If this is going to be a real date then she’ll make sure it’s a damn good one. Which includes making sure that Rarity can just enjoy the evening and not have to worry about anything.

Rarity lets out a sweet laugh, which pitches high at the end, a little too strained.

“Oh, no, there will be no resting for me. After I finish this job, I need to come up with something spectacular to wear for our date. Now that we’re going out on the town, I need something divine—something fabulous…” she trails off before continuing, “But I’ll be ready. Just let me know. Oh! When will you arrive, dear? I’m not sure I can make it to the train station to greet you…I’ll be so busy…but you know where the boutique is.”

“I’ll find you. Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“Not to worry, darling. I doubt I could ever work nearly as hard as you do.”

AJ rubs the back of her neck, her face hot. “Psshaw, I’m not sure about that…”

The toe of her boot scuffs the wooden floor and she stares down at it, grinning like an idiot in the silence.

“Well…shall I see you Saturday, then?” Rarity posits.

“Yeah, Saturday.”

“Alright, darling, I’ll see you then,” Rarity says softly.

“Bye Rarity.” She sounds almost shy when she says her name.

There’s a click and then the call is over. AJ swears her heart skips a beat as she stares down at her phone. This is actually happening.

It still feels like a dream, and she hopes to never wake up.

Her cheeks hurt from smiling. She could run a marathon with all the energy tingling up her spine.

But—

It already looks like she’s been running at full speed—she’s drenched in sweat. Well…no surprise there.

“Ugh…I should shower,” she murmurs upon noticing the stains under her arms.

~~~~

AJ thought she’d have trouble sleeping, but after finishing her chores with a spring in her step, she knocked out as soon as her head hit the pillow.

The next morning, however, anxiety crawled its way into her chest.

She couldn’t stop daydreaming at breakfast, racking her brain for a restaurant in Manehattan. There were so many other things she had to do before that, too.

AJ didn’t really consider what it’d mean to have a date in Manehattan—she was just so sold on the fact that their date couldn’t wait.

She has some nice clothes in her closet - but do they fit a fancy restaurant in the big city?

Does she even know how to behave so she doesn’t embarrass herself and Rarity during the date? Sure, she’s polite, but she’s not versed on the social mores of Mane—

Granny snapping her fingers and hollering her name pulled AJ from her thoughts, only to find all three family members staring at her curiously.

“Sorry, Granny…what was it you said?”

“Well, it’s been s’darn long since I asked ya, I can’t remember nuthin’ I said!”

AJ didn’t tell anyone yet. For one, she wanted to pull it through on her own. But she also didn’t want anyone to gossip beforehand and cause her embarrassment. She got enough inquiring questions about her relationship status, especially from Applebloom.

After breakfast, she got to work on the chores around the farm.

Anyways, now that she could think again…

Would she need a present for Rarity?

Was there anything else she needed to prepare?

What if none of the restaurants she’d thought of end up being a good fit for Rarity?

AJ’s mind spins and spins and now she lays in the shade of an apple tree, staring up at the sky.

Well, she’ll admit it—she’s lost and has no clue where to start.

Yeah, she’ll definitely need some help…

She could ask one of her friends. She’s close enough to any of them, especially Rainbow—but Rainbow can’t keep a secret to save her life, and she’d probably just tell her to “Be awesome, duh” and that Rarity likes AJ enough that she doesn’t need to be fancy. Which…is a great sentiment, but would it help in the long run? Mm…she’s not so sure. AJ feels like it wouldn’t stay a secret for long if she told any of her friends. Would she even mind? They’re all helpful in their own ways.

Then again…she could also ask her family for support. She hopes they would keep news of her date a secret. Oof…some of those conversations might be a bit more embarrassing, now that she thinks about it...but Granny’s lived and loved, and Big Mac always gives sage advice. Applebloom is her biggest cheerleader when it comes to anything at all.

---

Tag List: @mrrrpmeow @babydarkstar @butwerebothmares @chaosdraconequus @chrysaliswife @gaywombat @mulan-but-gay @jubjub05 @dan-chan-rn @sanybaby @horserepository @justletmesnarkandbark

#polls #rarijack #applejack #rarity #mlp #my art #poll adventure: rarijack dinner #big mac #big macintosh #granny smith #applebloom

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chimchiri · 8 months

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Poll Adventure: Rarijack Dinner

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“Rarity…”

Deep down, AJ knows she doesn’t want there to be any uncertainty about what this means to her. She doesn’t want to have to read Rarity for romantic feelings during dinner. It has to be a proper date or nothing at all. Though it might sting in the end, she’s going to have to rip the bandaid off. Inside her has lived a deep longing for this moment, long enough that she’s not sure what it’ll feel like once it’s gone. But at least she’ll never have to live with the guilt of a “what if,” and the pain of the unknown. She’ll be able to say she gave it a shot.

If it does end up badly, she knows at some point she’ll get over it. Hell, if the answer’s a no, maybe Rarity will just find the offer flattering and move on. Surely she’s used to turning plenty of suitors away.

“I’m callin’ because I wanted to ask you somethin’.”

She can feel the blood pumping in her veins.

“Anything, darling,” Rarity says, and the energy between them grows serious.

“I’ve been meanin’ to ask you for a while now,” she begins, taking a huge breath to make sure she’s still alive. Here goes nothing. “Would you…wanna have dinner with me? Just us, I mean.”

There’s a moment of silence. Then—

Rarity’s elegant laughter sparkles like bells in AJ’s ears—and she can’t decide if that’s good or bad.

“Is that what the fuss was about, dear? Of course I’d love to have dinner with you! Dining is much more pleasant with friends.”

…oof. Maybe she should have said it differently. Is it so unusual to Rarity that AJ would mean it romantically?

Though she can’t help but notice the slight tremor in Rarity’s voice, the brimming question of diffidence just beneath her perfectly curated tone. She has to know that AJ wouldn’t call so randomly and sound so nervous just to ask for bonding time between friends.

Well. AJ has to say it—loud and clear. She doesn’t want there to be any misunderstanding.

Her hands are shaking now; she feels like even a weak gust of wind could knock her over.

The voice that comes out of her own mouth—trembling, pitchy, almost timid—doesn’t even sound like her own.

“I meant”—AJ pauses; it feels like the room is spinning—“as a date.”

“Oh…!”

Adrenaline washes over her upon hearing that single reaction. Nothing matters right now except the voice on the line. Try as she might to stay focused, the pounding in her ears makes everything feel muffled. She feels like she does after finishing a rodeo.

Another sound on the phone, barely a murmur.

“Applejack, I—”

But Rarity doesn’t end AJ’s suffering.

Her grip on the counter tightens and she leans into it for support, the weight of her work-toned body causing the old wood to squeak.

The silence on the line is what kills her.

She feels like a lamb backed into a dark corner, timberwolf-shadows cast on the walls of her doubt-addled mind. This is certain death.

Seconds pass, each one growing longer and more painful than the last. She doesn’t know how to react; she doesn’t know what to say—or if she should say anything. All she knows is that with each passing second, fear and doubt cloud her mind until she’s blind with anxiety.

She shouldn’t have done this. This was a horrible idea. Why couldn’t she have just been happy as friends? Is friendship off the table now? What if Rarity thinks she’s a creep now, with all those times they went to the spa together?

Great, now she’s gonna be known as the stereotypical lesbian friend that hits on her straight friends—it’s a fucking myth anyways, but that won’t matter. Has Rarity ever even shown interest in a woman? Now that she thinks about it…

Hell.

AJ’s seconds away from telling her it’s a joke and just backing off. But before she can, she finally hears a response from her longtime crush, the heart-heavy ache that beats in her chest and haunts her dreams with a silver tongue and soft curls.

“Absolutely, I will,” comes the response, and AJ feels like she can breathe again, “I would love to go on a date with you.”

Rarity, however, sounds breathless, like a feather wisp floating on a breeze. The usual high-pitch, energetic frenzy of her cadence has been replaced with a certain poise and composure that’s hard to place. Maybe reverence is the word AJ’s looking for?

AJ blinks twice, trying to form some sort of a coherent sentence. Her brain feels fried. And. She’s kind of in shock? It takes her a few seconds to process that this is a yes, and not the blatant rejection she was expecting.

While it’s not quite the answer she usually fantasizes about in her daydreams, it still pricks the back of her neck with chills—and a wave of relief washes over her.

“I…Really?”

“Yes. Really.”

Okay. This is happening.

“That’s…that’s great news! Okay, well, uh, I’ll see you then and—”

She’s interrupted by a heartfelt giggle from Rarity.

“Slow down, darling,” she laughs, light amusement clear in her tone, “Where will we go? And when?”

Oh. Right.

AJ lets out an embarrassed chuckle. “Oh, yeah—sorry.”

“You must let me know what you have in mind. A lady needs to properly prepare herself…for a date.”

Rarity sounds a bit giddy now, and much more like her usual self again.

But. Shit. AJ hasn’t planned anything out yet. In her nervousness, she didn’t even consider what would happen after if Rarity said yes.

Hmm...

She could invite Rarity over. Cook something for her. Pinkie may do it more often, but cooking and baking are skills AJ takes pride in having. She knows she’s a good cook. Besides the obvious benefit of getting to show off, cooking for Rarity feels personal. It’s more work to do, but cooking can be very romantic. Plus, there are plenty of romantic spots on the farm. Though she doesn’t plan on dining on the floor of the barn, it’s still a farm (and a farmhouse) and she knows how Rarity can be. AJ would hate for one of her dresses to get dirty as a consequence. Even worse, get blamed for it.

There’s also the option of a more traditional romantic evening. A nice restaurant would mean less prep for AJ, and it shows Rarity that she knows what she likes. It would also give Rarity permission to go all out with her outfit, unlike the farm. (Though AJ has a feeling she’ll do that regardless.) She could put on a fancy getup herself and show Rarity she cares about the impression she makes when she’s not toiling in the fields. Oh, but the thought of leaving the fashionista unimpressed by her attempts at an outfit…it makes her itchy. She’d have to ask someone for help besides Miss Haute Couture herself. It’d feel a little taboo to have her pick it out for their date. While dining out means AJ gets to stare unashamedly at Rarity the whole night, it could also be…awkward to sit opposite to each other if it ends up being stiff. Hopefully it won’t be. It’s Rarity; she couldn’t be boring if she tried. And besides—they always find something to joke about, even if it’s themselves.

Then there’s the financial aspect of going out. AJ doesn’t splurge on anything. Ever. She would for Rarity, though. She’s got enough saved for that. Still, she gets annoyed at people trying to nickel and dime her on every little thing. If it comes to that, she hopes she can keep her annoyance to herself. For Rarity.

Ugh. What to say…

---

Tag List: @mrrrpmeow @babydarkstar @butwerebothmares @chaosdraconequus @chrysaliswife

#Curious what people will choose #poll adventure: rarijack dinner #polls #rarijack #applejack #rarity #mlp #my art #accidentally making AJ lefthanded with that dicing art lmao #guess she's ambidextrous now

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chimchiri · 7 months

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Poll Adventure: Rarijack Dinner

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~~~

Sunlight filters through the leaves as Applejack sits up from her place under the apple tree. Winona, who had her fluffy head resting on AJ’s chest, gives a thoughtful sniff as she gazes up at her owner, pushing up to sit on her hind legs.

AJ meets Winona’s curious gaze with a worried look of her own.

“What am I gonna do, girl?” she sighs, “Got myself wrapped up in all sorts’a trouble now.”

Winona turns her head to survey the expanse of apple trees surrounding them before giving AJ a side-eyed glance and a withered sneeze, as if that should solve every problem she’s got.

AJ smiles wearily and scratches behind the dog’s ears, patting her soft head before tugging again on a fluffy ear, lost in thought.

Asking family is out of the question at this point. Everybody’s got chores, and talking to them would only mean more work for her or Big Mac. Lord knows what kinda fuss they’d make about it if she tells them too soon. After her chores, she needs to do as much as she can to make tomorrow easier, and finish gathering her thoughts on the date, as well as getting anything she needs for it. Tomorrow she’ll have to finish up whatever work she started, get ready for the date, and leave. She’ll tell family later, but right now she can’t deal with that extra stress.

One of her friends would be better for today. Maybe she’ll ask for help and won’t even need to say Rarity’s name…she can only hope. The absolute riot that would result would be too much to handle. And besides, she wants to keep it quiet in case things don’t work out.

There are two questions lingering in her mind.

She’s lost on what to wear. With all the time she’s spent around Rarity, one would think she’d know exactly what to wear to impress her. But honestly, she thinks about the complexities of fashion about as much as she thinks about men—which is to say, hardly at all. If she didn’t have Rarity’s voice in the back of her mind gasping about formalwear and Manehattan social status, she’d wear the nicest pieces in her closet and call it a day. Ultimately, she knows Rarity will appreciate any effort she makes for their date, but AJ wants to impress her.

Then there’s the gift. The Element of Generosity deserves something meaningful and special, and AJ knows she’ll appreciate it.

That should be all…but maybe she could ask her friends for general advice as well. After all, AJ’s never felt more serious about a date in her life.

Each of her friends have their strengths and weaknesses, and all have the ability to offer advice. But which one should she ask?

Naturally, Rainbow Dash is the first to come to mind. They’ve always had each other’s backs, always pushed one another to be better at everything, striving to be the best. Bickering and teasing is their love language, no matter how relentless. But. With all that spunk and chaos in such a tiny figure, AJ’s pretty sure Rainbow would explode if she had to keep AJ’s date a secret. She also wouldn’t dare miss an opportunity to tease AJ about finally getting over herself to make a move with Rarity. But underneath her mischievous demeanor, she cares for AJ a whole heap; she’d help out however she can. AJ just isn’t sure what Rainbow’s advice for a romantic date would look like. It could easily be an hour of intermittent hysterical laughter, followed by the most unhelpful string of words she’s ever heard. “Just like, be yourself, dude. Roll with the punches. Seriously.” Or it could be wildly profound, incredibly insightful information—Rainbow’s personality is harlequin, unpredictable at times.

Fluttershy, however, is the complete opposite. Timid and quiet, sure, but she’s got the natural elegance and poise that could be helpful in this situation. As a friend, she’s a good listener and would take AJ’s worries to heart. Even if she found out AJ’s date is with Rarity, she would definitely keep the secret (maybe a few animals would hear the news, but that wouldn’t bother AJ). If AJ remembers right, Fluttershy has a bit of fashion experience…that could help a lot. However, she worries that the visit might take longer than it should—Fluttershy isn’t known to be decisive, and AJ definitely needs some cold hard advice.

Then there’s Twilight. AJ has never actually heard Twi talk about anything romantic, so she’s clueless if she has experience. But—Twi has an analytical predisposition to any situation, and could give AJ exactly the kind of information she needs. She would without a doubt take AJ’s questions seriously. With all that knowledge swarming her head, she’d likely go so far as to calculate all the pros and cons about every possible scenario and decision, and recommend what would fit best, accounting for factors like windchill and commute time while she’s at it. Spreadsheet, chalkboard, slide presentation, the whole shebang. And, like herself, Twilight appreciates tradition and routine, and probably knows what AJ would like as well. The only thing AJ worries about is Twilight focusing too much on little details and ending up not helping her at all, leaving her back at square one after taking the long way…

Finally, AJ considers Pinkie. Admittedly, she’s…not AJ’s first choice. “Silly” is her middle name, along with “goofy” and “rambunctious.” It’s not always easy to drag Pinkie down from the cotton candy castle she mentally resides in. Her whimsy is endearing and can always pull AJ out of a sour mood, but is that something she has time for right now? Surprise confetti from the Party Cannon is not the vibe she wants to bring to this date. But maybe AJ isn’t giving Pinks enough credit. From what she knows of her and her sister Maud, they prioritize each other to the fullest extent, and there’s nothing ridiculous about a friendship between sisters. Pinkie has an entire basement full of data on what each of her friends and family and neighbors likes, just so she can make them smile on their special day. Maybe a lighter mood won’t hurt, since she’s been such a worrywart lately about everything. But besides brightening her day, could Pinkie give sound advice about what to wear and how to impress Rarity.

AJ can’t decide, but she’ll have to.

Maybe she should start walking to town and talk to whoever she runs into first.

Maybe she needs to listen to her gut. It hasn’t failed her yet.

---

#polls #poll adventure: rarijack dinner #rarijack #applejack #mlp #my art #rainbow dash #fluttershy #twilight sparkle #pinkie pie #another short one with a probably obvious poll :)#But I'm curious who people will choose

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chimchiri · 8 months

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Poll Adventure: Rarijack Dinner

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Minutes pass and Applejack still has no idea what to say. She’s drafted a few starters, but none of them feel right, or even like something a normal person would say to initiate conversation.

[You. Me. Saturday. Dinner?-] Delete, delete, delete… [Hey Rarity, do you have any pla-] Delete, delete, delete… [So Big Mac’s plannin to smoke some BBQ this weeken-] Delete, delete, DELETE.

Frustration builds—right in her chest all the way up to her ears. She can’t find the right words, and she’s usually so good at that—in her own way.

This should be easy! It’s not a profession of undying love.

Yet progress is a stick in the mud when it comes to her feelings for Rarity.

The legs of the chair squeak across the worn hardwood as AJ gets up and starts pacing around the kitchen, talking to herself. She takes her hat off, ruffs her fingers through her bangs, puts her hat back, runs a hand down her face. A huge, frustrated sigh escapes her when she throws her hands up.

“It’s Rarity. How goddamn hard can it be to ask her for somethin’?!”

That’s it.

Tired of her own inaction, she slams her thumb on the call button.

Ring…

…ring…

With each ring the reality of her actions washes over her, and by the third ring she is fully aware of what she’s about to do. Her frustration morphs into panic and doubt, soaking her in dread.

Is she actually doing this? Like…following through instead of letting her ideas fizzle out?

This is happening, the phone is ringing, it’s sending the signal to Rarity’s device and she’s gonna grab it and answer and—

No, it’s too soon, they’ve only known each other for forever—

Before she can cancel the call, she hears a click—

“Applejack, darling!”

AJ’s gut leaps at the sound of that silky voice, clear elation in its tone and excitement at the chance to answer her call.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?”

AJ can feel her heart pounding up to her throat. Why is her mouth so dry all of a sudden?

“Uhhh…howdy.”

Not her brightest greeting, but this isn’t the first time she’s acted without thinking it through. She doesn’t even know where to start.

The weight of reality makes her feel awkward, like a bull in a china shop. Too big for her britches indeed.

Silence rings in her ears.

Why is she freezing up at a time like this?

“Applejack…? Are you still there?” chimes Rarity on the other line, but she might as well be talking to a brick wall.

It takes a few seconds of blank thought before AJ realizes it’s her turn to speak.

“Agh! Sorry, I just—I thought I’d give you a call. See how you’re doing…make sure you—and the business o’course—make sure it’s goin’ ok and whatnot.”

She wants to smack herself upside the head.

The business?

If she could go dig a hole outside and lay in it while the seasons change, she would; but she’s got a family to take care of and a farm to run. Surely this isn’t the worst moment of her life. Surely. But she doesn’t need to see Rarity’s face to feel the effect of her clunky greeting.

This is not like her. This is getting worse by the second, she doesn’t have a clue what to say, and she’s kicking herself for even calling.

Why can’t she have even an ounce of the romantic charm that her parents had? Why is she so bad at flirting, especially when it comes to Rarity? When she tries to be intentional, it’s like she doesn’t know up from down; she stutters and fumbles like a bumbling buffoon. All this romance stuff seems so easy when she doesn’t care.

After a moment she hears Rarity give a little laugh, a sound like a sparkling stream running through fields of green. It makes AJ’s knees weak, a one-two punch to her joints. Elegance, grace, poise. When Rarity laughs, it’s flower petals dancing in the breeze; it’s birds chirping after a summer rain; it’s the shimmer of quartz shining in a dusty path.

“Oh, I’m spectacular, darling. Just putting the final touches on some designs for next month. I’m confident about my next line, but as always—I have too many ideas. You know me.”

AJ grins at that. “Yeah, I do. Knowin’ you, you’ve got at least a dozen too many.”

The chaotic, unrelenting artist inside Rarity used to annoy the hell outta AJ when they first met. Now she can’t help but find it endearing.

“Quiet, you,” Rarity says coyly, and AJ can hear the smile in her voice before she switches the topic, “How’ve you been, darling? You sound positively stressed.”

There it is again. The feeling of her nerves tying themselves to knots.

“I…uh…I’m doin’ fine. I just-”

“Is everything alright, dear? Anything I can do? I’m glad to offer my assistance—though nothing that could ruin my manicure; I just got a fresh coat. It’s a new formula…supposed to be hard as diamonds. Of course, I don’t believe such ridiculous claims until I try it myself…though I’d hate to push them too hard after I just had them done—Oh, but darling, please. Do tell me if everything is okay with you…?” Despite her rambling, Rarity sounds concerned. Great. And normally AJ would roll her eyes at the manicure excuse, but her nerves are shot, and that’s NOT what this is about.

“No! I mean—yes…I’m alright. Just—you know how it is. Farm and all. Exhausted,” AJ tries to give a lame excuse, though she can hear her voice break in between, and prays Rarity won’t notice. She clears her throat.

With the way it’s pounding between her own ears, AJ’s sure everyone and their mother can hear her heart beating in her chest, running like a wild horse. But that’s just what Rarity does to her.

“Oh, I do know, darling. Work can be a chore, especially for you. Ooh, we should go to the spa—it has been far too long since you spent a day pampering yourself! They have a new treatment that I just know you’ll love...”

“Yeah…yeah, that sounds nice,” AJ says distractedly, chewing on her thumb as Rarity raves about the newest spa services.

She’s blowing it.

She’s. Blowing. It.

Partly because now, she’s thinking about all that beautiful, smooth, creamy skin put on display next to her at the spa, all while she tries not to stare too much or say something stupid. It’s hard for AJ to admit to herself that part of the reason she finally took Rarity’s initial offer of a spa day was because of the promise of seeing her in way less clothing than usual. She got used to it eventually, but—did she really? Is it ever boring to see Rarity, in all her grace and glory, wrapped in nothing more than a towel? She’s all soft curves, and smooth skin, and pretty hair piled up on her head and held together with a big clip. With her hair up like that, it’s easier to see the cute little mole on the curve of her neck, one she probably forgets she even has. If AJ could, she’d lean over and press a kiss right there, feel her tremble under her lips—

“…but Applejack, really—are you alright? You don’t sound a bit like your usual sunny self.”

Fuck. Okay. Moment of truth. C’mon AJ. Stop stalling. Stop fantasizing when you could have it for real.

“Rarity, I’m callin’ ‘cause I—…well, I—“

AJ could ask her for a date, plain and simple. Which would almost surely be a confession. Something about dressing nice and holding doors (which she does anyways). It’s the most unambiguous choice for sure, but…is that what she wants? She’s never been in this situation before, wanting to change the dynamic between her and a close friend to something closer to the heart. She values her dynamic with Rarity, whether it’s romantic or not.

AJ could also just ask if Rarity wants to have dinner, no mention of a date in sight. There’s no obligation there, no real pressure to “get it right.” She knows she’s playing it safe this way, but maybe she should test the waters and make sure she doesn’t completely ruin her friendship with Rarity by confessing right away.

Either way, this means too much for her to blow it off again. She has to decide now.

Tag List: @mrrrpmeow @babydarkstar

#AJ nonstop blushing in the images #this is AJs blushing arc #poll adventure: rarijack dinner #polls #rarijack #applejack #rarity #mlp #my art

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chimchiri · 8 months

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Poll Adventure: Rarijack Dinner

Index | Part 01 - [next] Special thanks to @babydarkstar for supporting with the writing

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Applejack stares down at her phone, as she has for the last 15 minutes, as though the words she needs will make themselves appear. Technology is magic enough that it should do these things, right? Any inspiration will do.

No luck for this cowgirl.

AJ re-reads the last few messages sent between her and Rarity again and again, hoping to find a good idea for a text. This isn’t weird. It’s not weird to want to invite a friend over for a nice, casual dinner. A dinner that she wants leading to something further between them...

Still nothing.

AJ’s got no clue how to ask her. She’s wanted to spend some alone time with her for a while, in a not-so-casual way. But her nerves always get the best of her and each time she either deletes any message she plans to send, or changes the topic when a perfect opportunity presents itself—like a rain shower clouding over a sunny day in spring.

How does she even bring up a question like that? What if Rarity thinks it’s weird? What if it makes her uncomfortable? What if Miss Priss doesn’t even see her, the rough and tumble farmer, that way? But…what if she does?

It makes the tip of AJ’s fingers tingle with anticipation. She can feel her face grow hot.

Ugh.

Maybe she just needs to go for it, no holds barred. She can be very romantic…she thinks so at least. But—maybe this can just be a friendly dinner? She doesn’t have to look at this like a date.

Maybe that’s for the best. Or rather, maybe it’s a better start.

#rarijack #applejack #rarity #polls #poll adventure: rarijack dinner #my art #I'm pretty excited #!!

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chimchiri · 8 months

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-> The project is on hold/hiatus for now

Poll Adventure: Rarijack Dinner - Index

> Part 01 > Part 02 > Part 03 > Part 04 > Part 05 > Part 06

Tag List (continuously updated):

Tag Set 1: @mrrrpmeow @butwerebothmares @chaosdraconequus @chrysaliswife @colourswirlcannibal

Tag Set 2: @gaywombat @mulan-but-gay @jubjub05 @dan-chan-rn @sanybaby

Tag Set 3: @horserepository @justletmesnarkandbark

#rarijack #poll adventure: rarijack dinner #mlp #my posts

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chimchiri · 5 months

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Thought I'd give a small preview for the next poll segment. We're still working on it and a big part is done :) Though it'll still need revision plus finishing up the art obviously. But more to show that it's not done and over per se.

#poll adventure: rarijack dinner #wip #sketches #applejack #fluttershy #my art #mlp

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chimchiri · 7 months

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out of curiosity, how do you see your rarijack story going?

like do you see an ending in your head already or are you going with the flow as the polls goes?

anyways, love your work and can't wait for the next chapter to be postedddd <3

I've got a few points I am set on that I want to be included. I'm not gonna spoil it obviously but there are 2-3 things I want to be there that I will try to incorporate no matter what the polls are gonna be.

Otherwise I am mostly flexible and go with the flow. I am considering the immediate next as well as future directions as possible options. But they're not set in stone and if there's a poll on it, it means I'm open to whatever people want.

I'm discussing things with @babydarkstar as we go as well since she's strong with writing narratives as well.

Also, I mentioned it in the info post that people are free to send me ideas and suggestions on what the want to happen, who they want to appear, what ideas they have, etc.

I can't guarantee it'll work or can be included. But people can submit ideas and I'll see how to work with them.

People can also submit choices that they wanna vote on like... idk "I wanna vote on what Food AJ chooses at the restaurant" or "I think they should do XYZ in Manehattan". Or maybe people they wanna see. Then I know that's something at least one person wants and I could try to incorporate that as well.

Honestly, suggestions can be anything. Even something like 'I think they should eat at McDonald's LMAO. No idea how to include that but yeah. People can comment and suggest small things etc.

I feel it'd make the whole thing better and potentially funnier if I'm honest.

-> So I guess this is an informal reminder that anyone's free to participate in this more than just voting if you really want to.

#I like the thought of an interactive story and that includes being open to ideas and suggestions #There are probably things I may not like and not include but I feel there shouldn't be too many of those?#I try to be open about this #look at me rambling...#poll adventure: rarijack dinner #forgot to add: thank you! You're very sweet :>

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