The Equines of Sweet Apple Acres
It was the year-end holiday break at Canterlot High, and it was as quiet as a mouse there. Everyone's gone to do their own things.
For instance, Rainbow Dash went on a vacation with her family to sunny, sunny Hay-waii.
Rarity spent her days by her sewing machine making her own personal winter outfit. It would've been spring before she finished, so this upset her greatly.
Pinkie Pie watched a movie. She had to admit, her friend Princess Twilight was much more empowering, and way more expressive!
Fluttershy happily spent her holidays hibernating with a bear.
But Applejack? Applejack was with her grandmother, unloading some of the extra meats and other food products into their pickup.
"Granny, urghh!" grunted Applejack as she loaded up the final crates, "Do we have to bring back all of yer' mystery meat? I mean, this smells sweatier than a barnyard full er' freestyle wrestlers!"
"Oh, don't be such a sourplum, mah' lil' apple pie!" chided Granny Smith, "Ah' ain't gonna' waste no wieners! After all, those things can stay long and hard all season long!"
"TMI, Granny Smith," Applejack muttered.
"Doesn't that mean 'Tallyho! Mare-xicans Incoming!'? What have I told you about such language?" she lectured as she started up her truck.
"That's not what TMI means, Granny!" yelled an exasperated Applejack, "It means- hey, uh, Granny, keep the truck running, ah' think ah' saw a friend o' mine!"
And she did. Applejack jogged to the snow covered field, where by its track and field lanes, a black jacket and long red hair could be seen just shuffling slowly.
"Sunset Shimmer! Sunset Shimmer!" Applejack called out. Hearing her name startled her, and Sunset finally noticed Applejack running to her. She blushed scarlet.
"A-A-Applejack! What're you doing her here?" Sunset was clearly embarrassed.
"Me an' Granny swung by to pick up some extra food from the cafetaria fer' this week's homemade... err, sort-of homemade dinners? ... What're yer' doing out 'ere?"
"Oh, I... I have nothing better to do, I guess?" Sunset mumbled, her eyes casting down on the snow.
"Yer' don't have no plans for the holidays?"
"Well, not really... no, I mean, I've kinda' done them all. I'm done helping out with Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna with their filing, I'm tired of reading the library's books, I studied all the stuff for next term, and I've pen-palled with Twilight enough already, through that magical book, you know?"
"Yer' didn't hang out with your dorm mates?" asked Applejack, as that's where she stayed, "Thought they were alright with you by now?"
"Oh, they are, they are, but their not there any more... pretty much everyone's gone back to their families by now,"
"Oh... OH! Ohhhh... nooo..." as the realization creeped upon her. She instinctively puts a comforting hand on Sunset's wilting shoulder. She's been doing that to Sunset a lot these past few months, in fact.
"Sunset, I mean, since you can talk to Twilight who's in another dimension, can't you like, just go back there for the holidays?"
"What!?" Sunset exclaimed, "No! NO! I can't! It'll be too weird, I've spent too long here, and I like it here, I... I'd rather not talk about it... Applejack, I think you should go, Granny Smith is probably waiting for you,"
Applejack tries not to look at Sunset Shimmer with pitying eyes, as she aware Sunset can be quite cross when too many people take pity on her (and let's face it, Sunset is terrifying when angered), but she just was so lonely out there in the field, and wondered if she'll continually be lonely once she left her.
A thought popped up in her head.
"Sunset Shimmer," Applejack's lilt became notably brighter and more bell-like, "Why dontcha' come on down to Sweet Apple Acres and spend the weekend with me? Think of it as your vacation!"
"What! No...!" she refused, "I mean, I don't wanna' intrude...!"
"Too late, ah'm intrudin' for ya'!" And strong, strong Applejack picked her up by the waist and swung her sideways, carrying her like one of those 'shojo' (or 少女）bolsters with those bug-eyed anime girls. But in an innocent way.
"Applejack, put me down! I can't go now! This is so sudden!"
"Ah' got all the stuff yer' need back at mah' place! An' ah' think ah' got a special surprise for yah' at the farm!"
Admittedly, the ride with Sunset squeezed between Applejack and Granny Smith was weird.
"Didn't realize we were havin a guest fer' the weekend," Granny Smith conversed as she drove, "And a famously vegetarian one at that!"
"Don't mind Granny Smith, she's always ribbin' on herbivores, ya' know?" said Applejack.
"Oh, dontcha' worry a thing, Miss Shimmer! Ah'll make sure to cook extra apple salads tonite'! Mite' strange that yer' have bacon-shaped hair though..."
Then Applejack whispered to Sunset, "Hey, ah' got a few friends back at the farm that ah' think can cheer you up, and they'd be mighty pleased to meetcha' as well,"
Sunset wondered what she meant.
But seeing Sweet Apple Acres in its wintry glory was already worth the awkward trip. Rolling hills of white as far as the eyes can see, big white clouds up in the big sky, and a lovely looking house with a chimmey puffing smoke up in the air.
"So beautiful," Sunset's voice seemed almost to be in another dimension.
Once Sunset helped Applejack move all the meat into the kitchen, she pulled her hand out through the backyard.
"Come on, ah'll show yer' mah' surprise!" but then she began creeping on the snow, "But be a mite quiet, or she'll show up and ruin the whole thing!"
"Huh? Who will ruin whatever you're going to show me?"
"Yeah, who?" squeaked Pinkie Pie who was creeping behind Applejack. Applejack jumped up in shock.
"Heavens to Aunt Betsy! Pinkie Pie!" whined Applejack, "What're yer' doing here!?"
"I came to see my favorite cousin, that's why!" then she hugged Sunset, "And then I found out you have my favorite ex-she-bacon-haired-demon-pony-girl-girl with you! So of course I have to be here!"
Sunset let the latter comment go, as it was Pinkie Pie and she definitely meant nothing by it, but the former sentence was actually puzzling.
"Cousin? You two are related?"
"Not exactly," and Applejack explained, "Y'see, Pinkie's family runs the rock farm which is right next to Sweet Apple Acres here. So ah've known Pinkie ever since ah' was a lil' Apple, and more importantly, we found out her sister Maud has been pinin' for my big brother Big Macintosh for awhile now, though Big Mac does seem a lil' shy about it,"
Maud Pie and Big Macintosh were sitting down, sipping their hot cocoa, overlooking the Pie family's vast, now snow covered rock farm, but it still had some interesting rocks jutting out.
"That one is a rock," pointed out Maud.
"Eeyup,"
"That one is a boulder,"
"Eeyup,"
"This is Boulder I am holding,"
"Eeyup,"
"That rock looks like a stalagmite,"
"Eeyup,"
"Does your rock look like a stalagmite?"
"Ee- huh!?"
Maud's face betrayed nothing.
"...are your abs hard as a rock?"
"... Eenope,"
Big Mac sipped his hot cocoa. He was terrified. And hard.
"That's a righty-right-right!" exclaimed Pinkie and switched hugging Sunset to hugging her 'cousin', "And I'm not waiting for those two to play Super Smash Bros before I get to call my favorite cousin cousin!"
And Sunset asked, "When you say Super Smash-"
"Oh, their smashing will be super for sure!" insisted Pinkie determinedly. Applejack had had it and flayed her arms opens to be released from the pink one's clutches.
"Alright, enough with Maud and Mac already!" she yelled, "Pinkie Pie, are yer' gonna' help me take Sunset Shimmer to the stables or not?"
Pinkie gasped, "You're gonna' take Sunset to see them! That is so sweet and cute and puppy! Of course I'll help!"
And so the three girls held hands together and walked to the stables. Specifically, Pinkie was leading and practically prancing, Sunset was in the middle and walking nervously, and Applejack was at the back, holding Sunset to comfort her but also shuffling her feet due to Pinkie Pie prancing prettily.
The stables wasn't very large, but the fields encircling it wasn't small either. Applejack opened the gates to let the girls into the field. Then Applejack yelled out something very un-Applejack-like.
"Twinkle twinkle lil' star! How ah' wondered where y'all are!" she sang with her hands encircling her mouth. Then immediately turned to Sunset, who had a giant smirk on her face already.
"Not one word on how ah' call mah' friend out," she threatened.
Then Sunset saw her. Pushing out of the stable door, it, or Sunset quickly noticed, she, galloped to them.
It was a mare, an equine, an Arabian. A purple Saddle Arabian with a purple streak on her straight mane. Applejack ran to her, and the mare galloped straight into Applejack's arms.
"Hey there, girl! Gooood girl...! Yer' miss me?" coddled Applejack as she brushed the beautiful mare's face. Sunset couldn't believe it. There was an equine from her world being absolutely besties with Applejack!
"Sunset, this er' is Twinkle Twinkle lil' Star, or Twinkle fer' short!" Twinkle kept staring at Sunset, Applejack noticed, "And yeah, ah' know she has about the same name as our mutual friend, but this one er' grew up together wit' me and she helps me out wit' the apple haulin' and all that!"
"Applejack, Sunset Shimmer looks like she's seen a ghost," commented Pinkie. Sunset's eyes were wide, and looked almost afraid, but Applejack could see her legs were itching to step forward.
"Sunset, would yer' like to meet Twinkle?" asked Applejack with a gentle smile and a pat on Twinkle's neck.
"... yeah, yeah..." she said. Then Sunset looked at her hand, then she raised it and made a fist, but stretched her fingers out a bit so her fore-knuckles were out. Applejack and Pinkie Pie were understandably confused as she slowly paced her way to her fellow equine.
"Hello, T-T-Twinkle,'" greeted Sunset shyly, her face the most scarlet her two friends had ever seen. And more surprisingly, Twinkle galloped straight at Sunset.
Sunset shrieked and cowered, but felt something wet painting over her hoof-like hand. She looked up and Twinkle was licking her hand and rubbing all over it! Sunset placed her other hand over her chest and gently gasped; she overwhelmed with emotions by how much affection this mare was showing her. Twinkle was practically prancing around Sunset with a big smile on the mare's face!
"We're like past hoof-bumping?" asked Sunset as Twinkle answered by gently nickering at her, and then started using her head to rub Sunset's face.
Applejack and Pinkie almost jumped to stop Twinkle from being so forward, but Sunset began to do the same as well. Applejack can see from Sunset's posture how relaxed she was. In fact, Sunset had a huge smile on her face as well and was returning the head rub with equal gusto. She even had those fists up to wrap, hug and cuddle Twinkle's neck.
Sunset Shimmer was squeeing.
"Well ah'll be darn tootin" Applejack chimed in, "It looks like you two are practically sisters,"
"Aww, that is so puppy!" squealed Pinkie, "I've never seen Twinky be so forward to another human before! It took forever before she even let me touch her!"
"Well, maybe it's 'cos Sunset didn't start off as a human," commented Sunset. Now Twinkle was grooming Sunset's hair, as if checking for lice, and Sunset in all her red-faced glory, was gently letting her.
A strong gust of wind blew and Applejack held on her hat as she watched her friend have the time of her life. The wind blew past the stable. A strong, manly neigh came out of it, roaring and sputtering wildly. It stopped Sunset and Twinkle's cuddling; Twinkle looked angry, even possessive?
Twinkle whinnied fiercely at the stables, even rearing her front legs up and stomped fiercely on the ground. "Woah Twinkle, woah!" Applejack called out, petting her mane in a an effort to calm her down.
Then from the stable doors busted out another horse. This huge, all-black and muscular stallion came galloping with hot air snorting out its nose towards the girls.
Sunset was blushing so hard, her entire face was red. Her heart skipped a bit, and her breath was short. All she could think of was, What a stud...
"Big Beauty, hey, get back to yer' pen! That's an order!" yelled Applejack, whilst also calming an increasingly agitated Twinkle. Twinkle broke from Applejack's grasp right when Big Beauty was at leaping distance.
That's when Sunset realized that Big Beauty (what a nice Equestrian name) was charging at her. The onlypony stopping her was Twinkle who was neighing aggressively at Big Beauty, stopping the handsome one's tracks.
"Hey, no fighting you two, stop that!" Applejack ordered.
And then Big Beauty reared up his front legs and the girls saw it. He was presenting it. Twinkle even rolled her eyes if anyone noticed.
Pinkie's scream echoed throughout the lands.
"IT'S A GIANT PECKER!!!"
The three girls sat on Applejack's bed, looking a bit embarrassed; specifically, Sunset's face was still flushed and even took off her black jacket due to her perspiration, even crossed her legs to keep Big Beauty's big image at bay.
Granny Smith stood before them rather crossed and with a big erect wiener in hand. It made Sunset's mind wandering further and further into the stable with Big Beauty's big-
"Just what were you three girls doing, yellling out such language?" Granny Smith lectured, using the erect wiener to point at them, "The whole Acres and probably your parent's rock farm had heard it! Which means that not a lotta' people heard ya' but that's not the point rite' now!"
"The three of us didn't yell out the 'P' word, Pinkie did!" explained Applejack.
"Hey, you ratted me out!" exclaimed Pinkie, "But yeah, sorry, Granny Smith, I won't yell out giant pecker again,"
"It's okay, sweetie," said Granny, petting her little neighbor on her pink poofy head, "Remember, there's only a few times where it's appropriate to yell out giant pecker at the top of your lungs! Fer' instance, me an' mah' lady-friends were at the Maremount Lounge down at Marelanta, Georgia last week, and we were stuffing down so many dollar bills down so many hot, tight, male bloomers-"
"TMI Granny, TMI!!" yelled Applejack, hiding under her hat. Pinkie looked almost fascinated, and Sunset was about as red as her namesake by now.
"'Too Many Ingrates'? Applejack, your mouth is turning about as foul as your grand-pappy's!" she scolded.
"That's not- aargh!" grunted Applejack, "Look, we're sorry, okay?"
Granny smiled, "It's alrite, sweetie pie, no harm no foul. Just be careful when yer' out there at the stables,"
And she left them. The girls just sat there, feeling rather awkward. Sunset felt almost responsible, so she decided to ask the big question.
"Applejack, why do you have Saddle Arabians in your stables?"
Applejack and Pinkie stared at her, then at each other, then they laughed.
"Oh silly Sunset," laughed Pinkie, "They're not Saddle Arabians, they Amarerican Quarter horses!"
"What? Did I say something wrong?" Sunset has lived in this world for many years, but she still has some stuff left to learn. And apparently, 'Amarerican Quarter horses' being one of them.
"There's Arabian horse breeds, sure," explained Applejack, "But Saddle Arabia is a country out in mideast!"
"I see," replied Sunset, "In my world, Saddle Arabia is a vast desert kingdom, where the Saddle Arabians live! They... pretty much look like your horses, Applejack,"
Applejack's jaw dropped, "Y'mean, I have a pair o' horses that's just like the ones in your world!?"
"Well, not exactly," she explained, "Saddle Arabians speak and have their own civilization! I quickly realized that when Twinkle came to me and didn't really speak, but Big Beauty certainly communicated his intentions alright!"
"Yep, wonder if Twinkle is still arguing with Big Beauty?" And so Applejack gestured to Sunset to peek out her window, as it overlooks the stables. She did, and she saw Twinkle still riled up, neighing a now deflated Big Beauty in a scolding way. Sunset saw her do something that was definitely very un-Saddle Arabian like.
"She just spat at Big Beauty!" Sunset yelled, shocked. Applejack nodded understandingly.
"Eeyup, that's kinda' how Twinkle scolds Big Beauty, or anyone else for that matter. Ah' think it's cos' Twinkle's got some llama in her,"
"I've been spat on since childhood!" Pinkie yelled out randomly, seemingly rather proud of that fact.
"Just to let you guys know, this was my first time meeting horses," Sunset explained sheepishly, "I guess they're pretty much animals just like most things here. But thanks Applejack, it really means a lot that you brought me here to see my 'fellow' equine, hee hee!"
"It was mah' pleasure, Sunset Shimmer," answered Applejack, lying on her bed to get more comfortable.
"Sunset Shimmer, I have an important question for you!" Pinkie exclaimed, her face an inch away from Sunset's, not knowing at all what personal space is.
"Err, what's that?"
"By the power of logic and deduction, something that I've not been told I'm good at!" Applejack nodded in agreement, "Big Beauty showed you the 'P' word, does that mean Saddle Arabians show their 'P' word in your world to young, single maidens too?"
"Pinkie! What a thing ta' say! Saddle Arabians are like people in her world! ... but do they?"
Sunset laughed at their understandable curiosity, "No, no, they don't, and I would personally know. You see, back then, I was a personal student to Princess Celestia, who in my world is a huge, beautiful, Saddle Arabian sized Alicorn, as in, winged unicorn pony with a huge flowing mane and tail,"
The two tried to imagine their very beautiful Principal as an elongated princess pony. Applejack snorted and Pinkie Pie squeed.
"Man, if Principal Celestia ever heard that, her mind would be more warped than a vinyl record stuck in a desert!"
"I want a horsey ride on Principal Celestia now!" Pinkie demanded.
"Err, I'd better go on with my story. Basically, as a personal student, I got the opportunity to meet lots of different ambassadors all across my world! Everything from dragons, to minotaurs, and yes, Saddle Arabians. I remember this one-" Sunset giggled and blushed, "No, it's too silly!"
"Too late, spit it out, sugarcube!" demanded Applejack.
"Yeah, hearing about inter-dimensional gossip is a once in a lifetime opportunity!" Pinkie Pie rationalized.
"Okay, okay!" conceded Sunset, "It's kinda' weird, so get ready. So there were a few ambassadors I've met, like Lady Sche-Hay-Azade who was so elegant, Prince Ah-Neigh-din who is the poster child for a gentle Arabian... and then there's Lord Jump-far. Big, black, dashing and so handsome Lord Jump-Far... I remembered like it was yesterday, how right after Lord Jump-Far just leaves a room, all the mares and even the Princess herself would just melt and blush and gossip like silly, lovestruck fillies about how dreamy and muscly Lord Jump-Far was! He even kissed my hoof once, tee-hee-hee...!"
And then Sunset realized Applejack and Pinkie Pie were staring at her with their jaws dropped.
"Sunset Shimmer, are you meanin' ta' insinuate, that mah' black Amarerican Quarter... looks like this er' Lord Jump-Far?"
Sunset gulped, her need to socialize with her friends led her to expose perhaps a bit more than she can cope, "Err, pretty close?"
"So, when Big Beauty reared up to present his P-P to you..." insinuated Pinkie," You... liked it?
"It... it... I-could-imagine-Lord-Jump-Far-having-such-a-large-schlong-let-me-just-have-this-fantasy-okay!?"
A pause, and the two roared and roared and howled with laughter, leaving Sunset Shimmer very pouting and sour-faced.
"Are you two done yet?" asked Sunset, very annoyed. The laughing duo, stopped, looked at Sunset's red face, and laughed even more.
"Sunset! Would ya' like a lil' alone time with Big Beauty!?" mocked Applejack as she laid a forearm on her shoulder, "And let your dreams come true!?"
"Then you can yell 'giant pecker' all winter long!" added Pinkie.
"Eww! Pinkie Pie! Mood-killer much!?" Applejack blanched.
"Hmph! You girls are horrible! For the record, Lord Jump-Far is a gentlepony and wouldn't do what Big Beauty did!" and she turned away from the girls in a huff, even added the ol' scrunchy face for extra effect, to really show em'!
Pinkie and Applejack giggled at their interesting friend's expense. Pinkie scooted to be beside Sunset. "Well then, I think it's my turn to show you my equine,"
Sunset turned to her, eyes twinkling with stars, "Really? You have your own horse in that stable?"
And then Pinkie whispered into Sunset Shimmer's ear, "In that stable... I have a pony,"
Sweet Apple Acres never heard a louder squee than that very day.
Author's Note
The idea from this stemmed from the thought: what would happen if Sunset met this world's equines? Apparently, a huge amount of dirty jokes, that's what!
http://www.equestriadaily.com/2014/11/mlp-equestria-girls-holiday-special.html. There is a Equestria Girls preview in the link that shows a snow-covered Canterlot High. Slight spoilers to the comic issue, so you have been warned.
I know horses don't really spit, but I'd like to think of Twinkle as a really fierce Twilight. Who's part llama.
Please note that the equines depicted are not to be taken as actual representation of equine breeds. You will look silly if you quote this fic. I don't even know if horses actually can spit or not.
I chose this pic exactly because it has a pony and horse in it. I just love that Twi-horse is annoyed by Pinkie Pony. It's one of the important building blocks of good MLP writing where a Twilight is annoyed by a Pinkie.
I do not regret my puns.
And yes, puppy is an adjective.
Next chapter: Pinkie and her pony!!
The Equines of Sweet Apple Acres
Granny was sitting in her comfy rocking chair in her comfy cottage. The fire was stoked and the room was warm. Though her ears may not be as good as before (though she swears that Applejack needs to say less rude phrases), she can hear melodious gossip upstairs, the spitting of a certain horse to another horse and her own knitting of a scarf, to keep her hand-eye coordination intact. That gigantic SQUEE that she heard didn't even make her flinch.
In fact, Granny Smith was not the least bit surprised when a red and yellow streak dragged an earthy brown and pink streak down the stairs and out the backyard door into the gentle winter. They even had the courtesy to close it as well.
"Heheh, out faster than the Chippen-tails whipping out their other tails to send us old dames in a tizzy," she muttered absent-mindedly. She even wiggled a large bratwurst for extra emphasis, which she kept in hand whenever she wanted a light snack.
"Woah, Sunset, WOAH!" pleaded Applejack as the now extremely excited Sunset dragged her and Pinkie out to the stables, "Slow down girl, or you'll smash onto the gates!!"
Sunset slammed the brakes the digging her heels into the snow and came to a screeching halt from before she smashed onto the wooden barrier. Her hair is all frazzled up and her smile was an ecstatic one.
"Sorry! Sorry! I'm just so excited to actually see an actual pony of this world!" she exclaimed, "I don't know why I'm so excited, but I am!"
"Let's all just get into the field, nice and easy like, okay?" asked Applejack as she opened up the gates, "Hey there, Twinkle, you got somethin' to tell us about?"
Twinkle actually nodded, and trotted backwards to reveal a rather crestfallen Big Beauty who came forward slowly to Sunset, his head held down in shame, and covered in semen- spit, it was definitely lots of white globules of spit. Not semen, spit.
"Oh, you wanted to apologize?" asked a blushing Sunset, and Big Beauty shyly nodded, "It's okay, Lord- Big Beauty, I mean your name, you know, Big Beauty. You were acting on instinct and thought I was a new mare coming here, which I sort of am but not, as you see. So, water under the bridge, I forgive you,"
Big Beauty neighed with a smile upon hearing that, and came forward to rub her head as a sign of gentle, non-romance-novel-cover-model affection. All with the semen-looking spit on his face.
"Ahmmm, maybe this will suffice?" and Sunset stretched out that weird loose fist to him, to which Big Beaut looked at his own hoof and awkwardly pawed at her 'hoof'.
"Sunset, why are you sticking your hand out at BB?" asked Pinkie.
"It's a hoof hump, it's a common gesture amongst ponies, even to Saddle Arabians!" she explained, and then realized what she just said. She looked at her 'hoof' then back at her smirking friends, "Is... is this something horses don't do here?"
Before Applejack and Pinkie could even open their mouths to begin their teasing, Twinkle snorted fiercely at them to shut them up. Then she enthusiastically hoof-bumped Sunset's hand, then immediately started cuddling her again, which Sunset returned with glee.
"Squee!" squeed Sunset.
"Neigh-hey-hey-hey!" neighed Twinkle.
"Your mare's a suck up, Jackie," stated Pinkie, annoyed that the purple one ruined their little fun.
"Shut up and call your pony, Pinkie,"
"Hey, Sunset!" Pinkie called out, "You've heard Applejack's silly way to 'summon' her steed, but check out how I summon mine!"
And Pinkie cupped her hand over her mouth, and sang, "My name is Pinkie Pie! Hello! and I am here to say! How ya doin'? I'm gonna make you smile and I will brighten up your day-ay-ay-ay!"
Sunset's whole body was all like 'Whaaa...???' at her chirpy and beautiful singing... all three minutes and thirty three seconds of it. Pinkie was even bouncing and dancing and marching.
"She thought how to outdo mah' calling out Twinkle," Applejack whispered to Sunset while Pinkie sang (Sunset could have sworn she heard an entire chorus at the end), "An' now she does this every, single, time,"
Finally, Pinkie finishes her song excellently, and Sunset clapped in appreciation of the good performance; Applejack's clapping was more of the miserable variety.
"Wait, why isn't your pony coming out, Pinkie Pie?" asked Sunset, who was rather eager.
"Oh, she likes to make her an entrance herself!" Pinkie answered proudly. Right when she said that, everyone saw for a split second, a pink blurr popped up right beside Big Beauty and very quickly like half his spit away, leaving the licked area with a clean coating of new spit but free of Twinkle's trademark globules.
The pink blurr dived back down into the snow, and somehow, tunneled its way to a freaked out Twinkle. It popped up and it was a small, light pink equine with a curly mane whose head reached about Twinkle's body in height. It stared at Twinkle, and stuck out a tongue.
Twinkle stared back, her lower jaw stuck out incredulously, as if to say irritably, "Pinkie, what are you doing?"
The pony whose name Sunset does not know yet, maintained her stare, her smile and her tongue. Then suddenly, flinched forward with said tongue, causing Twinkle to whinny in shock and she reared up so high she dropped down onto a pile of snow behind her. The pony whinnied in laughter as Twinkle got back up her hooves and trotted away in a huff.
"Sunset, meet my little pony, Pinkie Pony!" Pinkie introduced, "She's named after me, Pinkie! And since she's a pony, she's a Pinkie Pony! Pinkie Pony, give Sunset a hoof bump!"
Pinkie Pony happily trotted to Sunset, and extended a hoof out, and Sunset hoof-bumped it in appreciation. Sunset couldn't hold it in any longer, and began stroking her floofy mane and tickling her chin and of course, rubbing her face in hers
"Who's a good Pinkie Pony? Who's a gooood Pinkie Pony?" coddled Sunset, and Pinkie Pony neighed in affirmation, happy to receive so much attention, and even rolled on the snow to show her belly, and of course, Sunset rubbed it with glee.
"Ah! She's even kicking her hooves up in the air!" uttered Sunset happily as she belly-rubbed, "She's so adorable!"
"Aww, Pinkie Pony's getting all the attention!" whined Pinkie, "I want some attention too!"
And so Pinkie laid beside Sunset. Sunset looked at them both, shrugged her shoulders, and rubbed both the Pinkie's bellies with gusto.
"Neigh-hay-hay-hay!" neighed Pinkie Pony happily.
"Neigh-hay-hay-hay!" neighed Pinkie Pie happily.
"Land sakes, Sunset, you really know howda' get these two melted down," Applejack commented as she laid down on the snow to get on Sunset's eye level, "So is yer' kind this receptive to cuddling like our equines here?"
"Well, I'm kinda' coddlin these two more like pets than with my fellow ponies," explained Sunset, "But Equestrians are way more touchy-feely. We'll hug, rub faces, and even do snout snuggles!"
Pinkie gasped, "New form of affectionate gesture that I do not know about! Teach me mistress-master!!"
"It's basically this, Pinkie," and Sunset takes Pinkie Pony's head to her face, and gently rubbed her nose on hers, "It's a way of saying I trust you,"
"Ah! Me too! Me too!" demanded Pinkie precociously, to which Sunset responded rather shyly, "Oh, I dunno' Pinkie, I don't mind doing it to Pinkie Pony just because she's a pony, but human to human..."
"But you trust me right?" asked Pinkie gently. Sunset blushed and stroked her hair.
"Okay, but only because it's you, Pinkie Pie!" she said and then she put her nose to her nose and wiggled them a bit. Sunset quickly pulled away, feeling silly but happy, and both girls blushed a bit and giggled.
"Do you want one, Applejack?" asked Sunset, not wanting her to feel left out.
"I'll pass, Sunset Shimmer," Applejack said.
Sunset then patted the two bellies to signal that she's done coddling them, laid down on the snow as well and looked up the big neverending sky.
"Today has been wonderful guys, it really reminds me of back in Equestria. How everypony's so nice to each other, and so willing to be so touchy-feely and intimate to show that they care and love you. Heh, when was the last time I gave somepony a snout snuggle? ...when was it?"
They didn't realized it, But Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Pinkie Pony were all staring at Sunset Shimmer, whose mind and voice was in a different world altogether.
"Was it with the Princess... no, I don't even think I hugged her... was it Aunt... no, I just boarded in her room that's all... mom and dad... they taught me... put a roof over my head... yeah, I was a tiny filly back then, Mom would give me kissies and Dad would give me snout snuggles... that was so many years ago. What do they even look like now?"
"Well, you got us, right?" mentioned Applejack, trying to get Sunset out of her hole again, "Me, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and even Rarity,"
"Yeah, and even-" Sunset stopped herself, practically bit her own tongue, "... even my dorm mates, they're cool,"
It was obvious Sunset's mood was spiraling down again, as Pinkie Pony emphatically uddled up to her and snuggled her neck a bit. Sunset closed her eyes and sighed.
"Sorry, I'm just... I'm just dealing with a lot of crap right now, not from you guys, but from myself," she confessed and sighed again.
Pinkie Pony then sat straight up and looked straight down at Sunset with her silly tongue sticking out again. Sunset smiled at the cute thing, then grimaced when she licked her face from chin to forehead.
"Urghh! Pinkie Pony!" Sunset exclaimed, sitting up as well. And saw Pinkie Pony jumped back down into the snow, and tunneled off.
"Huh, where is she going?" asked Sunset.
It wasn't long before Pinkie Pony popped back up (and right beside a once-again startled Twinkle to boot) with a lot of leathery contraptions in her mouth, some of which she recognized.
"Those... are saddles!" uttered an astonished Sunset, "Equines wear saddles here too?"
"Those are how you use saddles!?" Sunset was shocked once all three equines were saddled and harnessed up. Her two friends were sitting on top of their equines and holding reins attached to their mouths!
"Well, yeah," answered Applejack, "That's what saddles are for! What were they used fer' back in your world?"
"They were like vests, or jackets!" she exclaimed in shock, her hand gripping her black jacket, "I used to wear a saddle back in wintertime in Canterlot for Celestia's sake! And they have those thingies in their mouth! Why would they have those rope things in their mouths!?"
"This is how we steer our horses and ponies, silly!" giggled Pinkie, "Equestrianism is a two way activity!"
"I'm sorry, I know I'm being a pain in the behind here, but it's just so weird seeing all these things around them, and you guys are on top of them like upright luggage! Why are you on top of them anyways?"
"Ah' think Pinkie Pony pulled these out from... somewhere... to have us all ride out in the apple fields, sugarcube!" explained Applejack, "And you can ride on Big Beauty!"
Sunset's eyes opened wide, and then stared at a very sheepish-looking Big Beauty. "But... but he's so... tall...!" blurted Sunset, afraid of being up on such a tall animal; Applejack smoothly climbed down from Twinkle.
"T'ain't nothin' ta' worry 'bout, sugarcube," comforted Applejack, "Big Beauty may be a meathead sometimes, but mah' big brother trained him well, and actually the easiest equine to ride on among the three here! Come on, ah'll give ya' a boost!"
"Oh, okay," Sunset gulped, "Here goes!" And with Applejack's help, she hoisted herself up on Big Beauty. And boy was he tall. So tall in fact, Sunset immediately latched onto his neck for safety.
This got a laugh out of Pinkie, "Oh silly! That's not how you hold on to him! You gotta use the reins and- HEY! YOU DEFLATE YOUR WIENER RIGHT NOW MISTER!!"
So after Twinkle scolded Big Beauty again, and Applejack scolded Pinkie Pie again, all six headed out to the apple farm. Sunset, once she calmed down a bit, was actually enjoying being perched up so high and just taking in the scenery, as the three equines trotted down the well-trodden roads.
"This is, kind of relaxing actually," admitted Sunset, "It's kind of like taking a pony carriage down a nice winter park,"
"Hold on a sec!" Applejack was confused, "Ponies haulin' carriages with ponies ridin' in them?"
"It's a paying job," Sunset shrugged.
"Wow, your world must be crazy to live in!" imagined Pinkie, "So do ponies ride other ponies? Do they go bouncy-bouncy like we do? Sunset, why are you blushing, and turning away? Oh, 'cos that would look really weird, and kinda' hot and intense and- Big Beauty, you put your naughty pecker away right this instant or Applejack will start yelling at me again!"
Applejack smacked herself on the face, "The things ah' have ta' put up with since childhood. Seriously, BB, don't make me geld ya',"
And shrank back the balloon did. Sunset petted his head to indicate he did the right thing.
After a little while more of gentle trotting through the farm, they returned from their trip, content. Not even Sunset finding out that getting down from a horse was just as scary as getting up on one could spoil it.
"Good boy, Big Beauty, good boy," she cooed to Big Beauty as she gave him a snout snuggle. Big Beauty whinnied in appreciation. Twinkle butted in, also wanting the same treatment. Big Beauty huffed in annoyance, but Sunset gave a loving snout snuggle all the same.
Suddenly, she felt a tug on her sleeve. It was Pinkie Pony, and even though the riding equipment was on her, she was tugging her towards the stables. Then the horses joined in, butting her towards it as well.
"Huh, they're' takin' our girl from another world to see her," Applejack said coolly.
"I wonder what climax and resolution awaits Sunset Shimmer inside that stable?" questioned Pinkie.
"Pinkie, what climax?"
"Definitely not Big Beauty anymore, that's for sure! Tee-hee!"
"..."
Author's Note
By far the best thing about Pinkie Pie is that the writers balance both her goofiness and empathy, creating a shockingly nuanced character. I try to achieve that with both Pinkie Pie and Pinkie Pony.
Sunset's really become the new Luna, hasn't she? She's in about the same circumstances, just with less thousand year imprisonments. And this is a good thing! It's something harsh but important for all little girls to learn that redemption is possible even for the greatest of sinners.
Please keep in mind that I do not condone public flashing and therefore, quickly forgiving said offense. You are not big, burly, well-endowed horses, you are meek, flabby, weakly endowed humans bound by civil laws. I'm generalizing of course, you bronies.
Why that song? It was either this or My Immortal by Evanescence, I'm not kidding.
... did no one even caught a whiff on Big Beauty's name referring to something?
