The general plot of this story is heavily based from a dream that I had a while ago, and I decided to expand on it. Although I have conducted quite a bit of research, planing and development into this story's theme and setting, the story itself didn't begin with any particular goal or conclusion set in stone. It was simply intended to be a first attempt at MLP:FiM erotica featuring Rainbow Dash and Applejack with a human, taking place in an alternate version of Renaissance Italy.
Please keep in mind that I don't have control over what I dream about, so I don't necessarily condone everything contained in this story. I found the dream to be too interesting to discard, and after studying more about Classical and Renaissance art and architecture, I attempted to refine my initial outline for this story. I have a feeling that there is an audience for this kind of content, and I would very much like to try as many avenues of creative writing as I can. If this story proves to be popular, I may consider continuing it.
I find that both Applejack and Rainbow Dash have a sense of timelessness about them, for various reasons. Firstly Rainbow Dash wore a very Grecian inspired Gala Dress, which I found was quite a fitting and convincing style for her. The Gladiator sandals reflect her competitive nature, the free flowing fabric of her gown resembles a Greek chiton or himation much like in Hellenistic statues, the grape and olive branch accessories allude to the importance of Greek food products like olive oil and wine. Winners of Olympic events were awarded with olive branch wreaths, which were worn on athlete’s heads just as Rainbow Dash is seen with her Gala dress. Rainbow Dash is athletic and competitive, which is very much akin to the ancient Greek's anthropocentric views of Arete and personal excellence through physical beauty and ability; as evident to the beginnings of the tradition of the Olympic games held on Mt. Olympus.
The city of Cloudsdale consists of many architectural features that pertain to classical Greek and Roman architecture; firstly by it's location in the heavens, as many structures like the Parthenon were built on a raised surface to be closer to the gods. There is also and abundance of fluted columns with Ionic and Doric capitals supporting architraves.
In many myths, the explanation for the formation, existence or references to Rainbows vary and are quite interesting. I'm most fond of Bifröst from Norse mythology, which is described as the ‘swaying road to heaven’ or the ‘fleetingly glimpsed rainbow’. Not only does this bring to mind a rather sexy metaphor following Rainbow Dash’s tail to her heavenly nethers, this also ties in the depiction of Cloudsdale as being a city in the heavens being timeless and divine, merging Greek, Roman and Norse culture.
Pagan traditions often consist of gods, goddesses and other entities along with various rituals associated with agriculture and farming. Ancient societies’ survival depended on understanding nature, and so explanations for natural phenomenon that sustained the people (moon cycles, harvest moons, rain and sun) were thought as acts of the divine. Applejack’s Nightmare Night costume was that of a scarecrow, used to scare away pests who scavenge in gardens, which is also apt to her devotional field. [pardon the pun. Boy I’d like to plough her field ;)]
The Roman nymph Pomona , as well as the Norse Goddess Iðunn are associated with apples; and they are very much akin to Applejack. One of my favourite apple related myths is in the Judeo-Christian Genesis, with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The apple is the fruit of knowledge which relates well to Applejack’s character as she isn’t exactly book smart like Twilight, but she is often the voice of reason to the mane six, and employs a lot of wisdom evident throughout the entire series thus far. The bitten apple is also a sign of giving into temptation, and giving into primitive, carnal and often perverted desires.
The History of Ponyville is surprisingly brief, and the pioneers of Ponyville were the Apple family, who originally lived a nomadic lifestyle. What really made the Apple Family successful in settling down and building in Ponyville, was Granny Smith's discovery of wild Zap Apples from the Everfree forest. Her curiosity and diligence in regards to the weather and animal behaviour lead to her being able to properly cultivate the Zap apples, in order to harvest them and process them in order to make food products such as Zap Apple Jam. As a side effect to Granny Smith heeding natural phenomenon so closely, she developed some supernatural/ superstitious beliefs; which really ties the Ponyville pioneers to ancient farming societies and their pagan traditions.
Thanks to Granny Smith's hard work and agricultural discoveries, the Apple family were able not only to feed themselves, but to make surplus for trade. This was responsible for a blooming commerce and a fantastic incentive for ponies in Canterlot and Cloudsdale to settle down in Ponyville, so that they could be apart of the booming community. This again brings to mind the very last years of British prehistory where simple Celtic Pagan societies had hillforts on the decline in favour for Ports, linking them with goods from the classical world like fine wines transported in large ceramic Ampherae.
The Zap Apples themselves are quite interesting. Besides their bizarre culinary and agricultural properties, their aesthetic qualities tie in the chromatic nature of Rainbow Dash's mane and tail, as well as Applejack's cutie mark. That is the focus in the first chapter of this story, the still life of Golden Orange Apples on the marble plinth. Rainbow Dash's Sonic Rainboom was the catalyst that helped bring the mane six together, and the cultivation of apples resulted in the existence of Ponyville where the mane six would assemble. The Rainbow and the Apple are paid homage to in the artwork that I made to accompany this story.
As illustrated above, there are numerous allusions to ancient cultures in the depictions of Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Their sense of timelessness and divinity can be traced from their personality, history and hometowns, since they share similar elements with human societies in antiquity and prehistory.
Author's Note
Work in progress. No sex scenes as of yet. Will continue to expand this story if there is expressed interest, and will include sex scenes in subsequent chapters.
Basilica dell'Arcobaleno
The Mediterranean air was thick and sweet, as the sun shone pleasantly past the gaps through the colonnade outside the Basilica della Arcobaleno, in the city of Bel Cavallina. As the sun drenched the staircase leading to the building’s interior, the warm white and yellow ochre pavonazzo marble stylobate could be seen greeting the rows of fluted Doric columns. At the column capitals, there met the architrave with the cornice above making a grand triangular ceiling for the building's portico preceding the foyer.
Here you are, by your lonesome in the Basilica dell'Arcobaleno. You've been a junior apprentice to famous artist 'Saddleandro di Mareano di Gallopepi, (or Sandro Ponicelli as he is better known) for a few years now. As a child you loved watching master Ponicelli in his studio, but to think that he approached you to work with him as a junior apprentice! You've now moved away from home and have grown to be an accomplished young man, working under master Ponicelli as a senior apprentice. Time sure has gone by quickly after the torrent of commissions in working for Ponicelli. As usual you're spending your spare time honing your artistic eye, in an effort to surpass your master to pursue your own career as a master painter in your own right.
The familiar powdery texture of chalk rolls through your fingers as you stand at your easel. Every now and then you shift your weight rising and falling, making wide gestural marks upon paper with soulful passion. In observing the still life of Golden Orange apples resting on a crimson cushion held up on a marble plinth, you continue to draw with furious focus.
*
Having spent quite a bit of time in working on your drawing, you step back from your work and assess it. The colours work quite harmoniously, and the tonal values are quite naturalistic despite the expressive and painterly approach to your mark making. Feeling proud of your work so far, you proceed to the large bronze water font at the far side of the room to cleanse your hands.
As you dip your fingers into the rippling cold water, you acclimatise to the temperature; rubbing your hands both to keep warm and remove dissolving chalk residue from your hands. The colour leaked from your soiled hands and swirled rather strangely in the water basin, and as the colours continued to swirl about, they became even more vivid and chromatic. You passed off the strange occurrence as a minor hallucination due to fatigue, and now you’re convinced that your tired mind is responsible for manifesting these peculiar happenings in the bronze water font. After drying your hands you turn away from the water font, massaging your slightly aching head. As you approach the portico on the way to exiting the building, you suddenly came to a halt as you sense movement from behind, with the corner of your eye.
Her soaking wet coat shimmered as she climbed gracefully out of the large bronze water basin. Raising both her wings she performed a beautiful acrobatic leap with a spin, spraying water all around before landing gracefully. Immediately after she landed, she flicked her wet, colourful mane backwards in a gorgeous arc, with numerous, falling water drops echoing the movement. As the last drops fall to the ground, a small rainbow appeared above her.
That cerulean coat, and that colourful mane and tail. You are in utter shock. Before you could even respond, a rolling apple bumped into your right foot. Peering downward with an inquisitive expression, you trace the probable trajectory of the apple to the still life you set up earlier. Up there on the plinth, resting on the crimson cushion supporting her; an amber pony was helping herself to one of your apples. You knew who they were, Rainbow Dash and Applejack. Your mind raced, asking yourself questions like: How did they get here?, What were they doing here?, How am I going to explain this to master Ponicelli if he arrives? and What am I supposed to do with them?.
With your brain working at a million miles per minute, and your mouth just stumbling out of the gate; the only thing you could manage to bring forth, was a timid: “Hi.”
Both the mares laughed as Rainbow Dash approached Applejack at the plinth. They both rustle around rapidly and changing spots before finally settling in a comfortable position. It finally dawned on you that they were posing for you. You lucky devil! you thought to yourself, as you immediately grab a new sheet of paper, and replace it with the old one on your easel.
As you started to sketch them in with pale chalks, you heard Applejack whisper to Rainbow Dash very quietly, which resulted in a cute giggle in turn from the colourful pegasus. You felt like you needed to say something, so you swallowed up your courage and nervously managed to introduce yourself to them, which of course seemed to be very amusing to them, as almost everything seemingly did.
"We know who ya are sugarcube." said Applejack with a snigger.
You didn't know if you should be glad or worried, so you continued in asking more questions.
"How do you know me? And how did you get here?" you inquired. In response, you received yet more laughter.
"Stop asking so many questions. Just draw." breathed Rainbow Dash with a playful smile.
*
After what seemed to be an eternity of trying to draw under pressure with two beautiful ponies laughing and chatting, you placed your chalks down and stood back from your easel. Rainbow Dash turned her neck and noticed that you had stopped, which then resulted in her raising an eyebrow. This could only have meant that she was annoyed that you stopped, or that she was curious to see your work so far. Applejack on the other hoof was quite mellow nested on top of the crimson cushion, and seemed to enjoy the scene before her more than anypony else by far.
Rainbow stood up and marched her way towards your easel. As if you were non-existent, her fiery magenta eyes sped past you and instead focused at your drawing. As her eyes darted from one section of the paper to the other, you initially felt nervous, but then you started to observe her closely, as she was at the same time observing your drawing. It was so cute how she didn't bother to fly up to the easel since it was far above her eye level, she just stood there on the ground staring with her head tilted back, frequently slanting her gaze from side-to-side. After Rainbow Dash felt that she had finished studying the drawing, her expression suddenly changed from curious, to annoyed.
"What's the big idea, huh? Do you think i'm fat?" Rainbow Dash barked. Her eyes were fierce as she closed the distance between the two of you. Despite her small stature she was awfully intimidating. You could just about hear Applejack trying her best to suppress a laugh, but you now had an angry pegasus on your hands.
"I'm sorry, it was a mistake. I can change it if you like..." you said nervously. In an attempt to be friendly, you knelt down to get closer to eye-level with her, but she was relentless.
Rainbow Dash only scowled at you intensely, until you just realised that Applejack had just walked in beside Rainbow Dash and chimed in.
"Now let me see..." Said Applejack with a concerned tone as she approached. She took a long look at your drawing with some "Hmmm's." and "Yeah's."
"Well, ah thank he dun it purdy good Rainbow." Said Applejack with a cheeky grin.
"I can't believe you Applejack! My tummy isn’t nearly as big, and just LOOK at those hindquarters!" Cried Rainbow Dash. Her pleading face was adorable, as she now turned her attention to Applejack.
"Now hold yer humans Rainbow. Look, lemme show ya." Said Applejack as she swiftly moved her front left hoof to hook around your right hand, and pulling it so that it lands right onto Rainbow Dash's rump with considerable force.
Rainbow Dash's wings suddenly spanned out as her colourful rainbow tail violently flickered, briefly revealing her nethers. Both sets of her cheeks had a slight crimson glow emanating from the skin on her face beneath her short coat, not to mention one of two of her other pair of cheeks were also warm with blood rushing to the surface as result of the spank. Her breathing was short and sharp, and you could feel her warm breath as she turned to face your groping hand, and as she did, you speedily withdrew your hand and untangled it from Applejack's grasp.
"Wh-What- the- ha- hay!?" breathed Rainbow Dash with a shocked expression or her face.
What had just happened? you thought to yourself. Well, you didn't exactly dislike whatever just happened, but it was a bit sudden all the same.
You hadn't noticed Rainbow Dash backing away until Applejack had taken action.
"Oh no ya don't!" called Applejack playfully as she managed to pounce on Rainbow Dash before she could take off in flight. Applejack tried to get a better hold of the struggling cerulean pony, but she just couldn't quite pin her down as she clambered on the smooth marble floor. You wanted to break up the little tussle but despite their size, they were getting awfully rowdy and you were unsure as how exactly to approach them. Besides, you found their struggling, and grunting to be somewhat... Mesmerising.
Eventually Rainbow Dash managed to flap her way free, which allowed her to create enough distance and fly into the bronze water font with a large splash. You were concerned for Applejack so you ran up to her and knelt down.
"'Ahm all right sugarcube, but I'd best follow her back home." said Applejack with a concerned tone in her voice. She then stood up on all hour hooves and gave you a quick peck on the cheek before running towards the water font. You tried to keep up, but she was just to fast and already near the foot of the bronze water font.
"Wait!" you cried out in desperation, but Applejack briefly turned and smiled at you before climbing on top of the lip of the water font in a show of great athleticism. Before you could say another word, she interrupted you.
"Ciao!" she exclaimed cheerfully as she withdraws her hooves from the rim of the water font, and drops inside.
After a moment of attempting to come to terms with what just happened, you reach for the spot on your face where Applejack had just kissed you, which was quite close to your nose. You used the same hand that made contact with Rainbow Dash's rump, and you could just about pick up her scent on your hand. You then stood up and made your way to the large bronze water font and peered into it. There was no trace of either of them.
