Bel Cavallina

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.