Chasing Applejack

I need to forget you.But…I can’t, it’s too hard for me.Applejack.Why are you…

Twi’!

...still near me…

Twilight!

...when I am…

TWILIGHT!

...alone?

“TWILIGHT!”

Applejack?

The alicorn mare sits up suddenly, her eyes wide open. The surroundings seem familiar to her; the colors of purple and white meshing together, the brown outlines of squares taking shape. However, an unfamiliar amount of oranges suddenly blend into the mixture with a bit of greens beginning their ascension into the odd color scheme.

Twilight rubs her eyes with her hoof while sniffling a bit. Her head still hurts, the pounding reminding her of the migraine she received while she was out with her guards. The pain, the hot weather, the smelly guards and their glaring golden uniforms: all of her memories begin to come back.

As she removes her hoof from her eyes, she opens them again to see the mare of her dreams approaching her bedside.

“Twilight?” Applejack asks, her mane still down the way it was in the marketplace. “Are you okay?”

Twilight groans, holding her hoof to her head. “Where am I?”

Applejack giggles at her friend. “You’re in your room, Sugarcube.”

Twilight looks up at her friend, who is gazing down upon her. Applejack gives Twilight a little nuzzle against her cheek, causing Twilight to squeak due to the sudden movement. Applejack chuckles quietly to the discomfort of Twilight, who is still holding her head with her hoof.

“So how are yo-”

Suddenly remembering the events before her collapse, Twilight frantically says, “Did you find Apple Snap?”

Applejack smiles and says, “Sugarcube, Apple Snap can wait. You’re more important to me then findin’ her.”

This causes Twilight to blush red like a tomato, her cheeks redder than Big Macintosh.

Is she saying what I think she means?

“D-do you really mean it?” Twilight manages to say, her stutter returning with a vengeance.

Applejack raises an eyebrow. “Of course ya’ are! After all, you’re one of my best friends,” she replies, her voice strong and defiant. She waves her hoof in a circle as she continues her thought. “Besides, Apple Snap is goin’ to be here for another day or two, so I've got all the time in the world.”

Best friend…

The heartstrings that were being tugged on before Applejack’s explanation suddenly fall flat, collapsing into a pile of muscle.

I wish it were something more…

The alicorn shakily sighs, which attracts Applejack’s attention.

“Is somethin’ wrong?”

“No-” Twilight begins to say before a violent cough decides to make its broadway debut, causing the alicorn to cover her mouth with her forehoof.

“I don’t think thats nuthin’,” Applejack says in concern. “Lie down for a bit while I go get you some water.” Applejack gets up and begins to walk away from Twilight, heading towards the entrance of the room.

“Wai-” Twilight tries to say, before the cough returns again. She clears her throat and tries again. “Wait, Applejack.”

Applejack stops in mid trot and turns to face her friend. “What’s wrong?”

Twilight looks down, covering her eyes with her hooves. “I’m sorry!”

Applejack slowly walks over, sitting her rump on the smooth stone floor next to Twilight’s bed. “Why are you sayin’ sorry?” Applejack brings her hoof up to Twilight’s mane. “You didn’t do anythin’ wrong.”

Twilight moves her left forehoof from her eye, allowing her to see the incoming hoof approach her head. She flinches and moves over to the edge of the bed. “Yes I did,” she says shakily. “I collapsed and I saw you scared out of your wits and…”

I’m such an idiot.

No, you’re a moron.

Same thing!

Twilight didn’t seem to notice the form of her friend suddenly shifting, approaching the other side of her bed and sitting before her. Applejack brings her hoof to her friend’s chin, pulling up on it to bring Twilight’s gaze to hers. “Twilight!” she said, her voice bellowing through Twilight’s eardrums.

“Listen here,” she says, waving her orange hoof in front of Twilight’s face. “Yes, you scared me to death. You began to speak jibberish to me and wavin’ a bag full of pears at me.”

Wait, those were apples…

Twilight looks back into her memory, remembering the grin of the vendor, who was close to laughing.

No wonder she was smiling that large. She sold me pears instead of apples…

While Twilight mentally facehoofs at her lack of awareness, Applejack continues her rant. “Anyway, when you did that, I approached and nuzzled you. You seemed rather warmer than most ponies. Once I pulled away, I noticed you were pale and I asked what was wrong.” Applejack pauses, looking away from her friend to look around. “You collapsed, and I didn’t know if you were going to make it back here.”

Twilight looks up at her friend, who has returned her gaze back at the sick mare. “If you’re not feelin’ well, you better tell me next time, okay?” She lowers her hoof that was loosely cupped underneath Twilight’s muzzle. “Anything else, sugarcube?”

Twilight looks away from her and shakily sighs. “Can you stay with me for a bit?”

Applejack sighs and says, “Okay, what do ya want me to do?”

Twilight looks back up at Applejack and lays her head on the pillow behind her. “Can you tell me a story?”

Applejack giggles. “Why do ya want me to tell ya a story?”

Hopefully she won’t tell anypony about this...

Twilight looks away from Applejack and sighs. “Because my mother would tell me a story to make me feel better when I’m sick.”

Applejack stops her laughter and sighs. “I’m sorry for laughin’, Twi’.”

You better be.

Twilight brings her gaze to Applejack’s, diving into the green pools that she loves so much. “It’s okay,” Twilight says, her facial expression looking calm and collected. “Now, can you,” she starts before she coughs a bit.

Applejack waits for her to stop coughing and smiles. “Anythin’ to make ya stop doin’ that.”

Twilight smiles and snuggles into her pillow, gripping it as if it was her lifeline. Applejack begins her tale, “It all started on one sunny mornin’, a mornin’ that surprised me the most.”

Applejack leans back and closes her eyes, remembering the day like it was just yesterday. “I was out on the farm, bucking some trees like I usually do. On this day, however, I saw the most beautiful thing in the distance.” She opens her eyes to see Twilight staring at her with a confused look on her face. “What?”

Twilight raises her hoof up and asks, “When did this happen?”

Applejack raises an eyebrow. “Why does that matter?”

Twilight puts her hoof down by her side and shrugs. “Just curious.”

Applejack shakes her head and sighs. “Just listen, Twi’. I promise you’ll enjoy this story.”

Ugh, she’s being so stubborn!

Twilight sighs and slowly nods, hiding her frustration from Applejack. “As I was sayin’, I saw this beautiful thing in the distance, somethin' that made me curious just as ya were now.” She puts her hooves together. “It was bright purple light in the sky, somethin’ that I’ve never seen before. Suddenly, a loud boom noise happens and the light envelopes all the trees in front of me!” Applejack says, spreading her fore hooves far apart as she continues to speak. “It was so bright that it made me shield my eyes.”

That’s amazing! A supernatural phenomenon that I never got to see? Where was I when this happened?

Twilight brings herself back to reality to see Applejack smiling at her.

Why is she smiling at me?

Applejack chuckles. “Sugarcube, your face was simply priceless.”

What?

With Twilight dazed and confused, Applejack continues her story. “While I was nearly blinded by the light, I decided to take cover behind the tree I was buckin’, allowin’ me to see what was goin’ on. When the light faded, I peeked my head around the corner to see what happened.”

Applejack leans in towards Twilight’s ear and whispers, “Guess what I saw?”

The mare in question shakes her head.

Applejack leans back and says one simple word, “Nothin’.”

“Nothing?” Twilight asks softly.

Applejack nods. “To this very day, I haven’t figured out what was over there…”

“Why?” Twilight asks.Shoot, I asked that aloud.

“Because when I actually went over there, there was no trace of anythin’.”

Twilight looks up at Applejack, her muzzle scrunched up in confusion. “What?”

“Well, there wasn’t any sign that damage had occurred, nor hoofprints or marks of any sort.”

Twilight sighs and asks, “Applejack?”

Applejack looks back at Twilight, their eyes staring directly into the other’s. “What?”

“Can we go back to that spot when I’m better?”

Applejack smiles and stands up on all fours. “Of course, Twi’. I can’t let the story end like that.”

With that, Applejack turns to leave the room, leaving Twilight to herself.

What am I going to do?

The alicorn mare groans due to the frustration of not being able to tell Applejack the truth.

I have to tell her somehow…

Well the sooner the better, or  you’ll lose her you moron.

Mind, whenever you’re present, you’re as worthless as one of mom’s lectures on how to clean the dishes. I mean, I already know you use soap, but magic is way easier to clean with.

She told you magic wasn’t easy and soap is so much more efficient.

Ugh! Not you too!

Twilight, I am you and besides you have bigger matters to attend to.

Like what?

The big massive blob in front of you with the mane of a lucky charm, that’s who.

What?

“Twilight,” a soft, stern voice announced. “Are you feeling better?”

Oh no…

“Celestia…”