Damaged Goods

Chapters

1 - The Special Day
2 - Midnight
3 - Reflections in the Rain
4 - The Choices Made For Us
5 - Identity
6 - Acceptance
7 - Applejack Cries on the Inside
8 - A Royal Challenge
9 - For Love of a Princess

1 - The Special Day

Rain thundered down on Sweet Apple Acres, slicking Rarity’s hooves with mud. She couldn’t find it in herself to care. She was beyond mud at this point. Her drenched mane clung to her neck and stuck to her legs, and still she couldn’t spare the energy to be bothered. In this instance, only one thing occupied her mind.

“How could you?!” Rarity shrieked across the storm. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?! Do you even care?!”

Her answer returned across the muddy road, weak with despair. “I did what I had to,” Applejack replied. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Wouldn’t…” Applejack’s words only made Rarity angrier. “No, you don’t understand. You’ve ruined my life!” Her words fell on deaf ears. Applejack simply turned and took a few steps towards the house. Outraged, Rarity raced to get in front of her, shouting, “Don’t you walk away from me!”

As Rarity appeared before her, Applejack reared up and took a step backwards. “Back off, Rares,” she warned.

“Don’t you call me that,” Rarity snarled. “Don’t you dare. You don’t get to--”

“No, Rares, you don’t.” Applejack’s voice grew louder as rage began to well up inside of her. “You don’t come into my home and start trouble, not now. You got no idea what me and mine are going through, so don’t you start throwin’ around--”

“Well, I’m sorry the destruction of my future is so inconvenient for you!” Rarity shouted. Tears streaked down her face, racing the spatters of rain to the ground.

“This ain’t about you, Rarity!” Applejack fired back. “This was never about you!”

“No,” Rarity agreed. “It was always about you. But you don’t even care how many lives you destroy, do you?! So long as you get what you want, you don’t care who withers and dies in your--” Before she could finish, a guttural cry of anguish erupted from Applejack and Rarity quickly found herself on her back.

Rarity quickly threw her front hooves up to shield her face. Applejack pressed her down in the mud, pinning her with her superior strength. The terror in the unicorn's eyes was matched only by the dawning horror in Applejack’s own as her senses began to return to her. She turned her head to the side and looked at the hoof she held raised, ready to stomp down at Rarity.

Applejack pulled herself off of Rarity, rage turning quickly back into the hurt from whence it came. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“Sorry?!” In turn, Rarity’s fear gave way to outrage. “You…you unconscionable brute…” She pulled herself off the ground, mud clinging to her back and mane.

“Go home, Rarity,” Applejack offered weakly. Shame wrestled with heartbreak, draining her of the strength to fight anymore. She turned to the farmhouse, using the strength still in her legs to carry her away from everything that didn’t matter anymore.

But Rarity was not satisfied. “Fine,” she answered snippily. “I’ll go. And I will never set hoof in this wretched place again.” She cried loudly and openly as she screamed, but emotion had carried her too far to back down now. “You are a heartless beast, Applejack, and I hope you spend the rest of your days miserable and alone, fruitlessly wiling away the hours until--”

“Oh my, Applejack, this is gorgeous!” Rarity’s horn glowed with magic as she levitated a small emerald broach. Three emerald apples inlaid with gold trim sat at the center of an intricately woven golden chain. “Wherever did you get this?”

“It belonged to my Mama,” Applejack explained. “My Daddy counted his bits for a year and a half to buy it, but he told Granny there weren’t nothin’ worth more to him in all Equestria. He gave it to Mama when they...” She took a deep breath, glancing around the boutique. Rarity had rarely seen her quite so nervous. Mustering her courage, she clarified, “This is Mama’s weddin’ broach. I’ve been wonderin’ what the cost might be to have this made into a horn ring.”

Rarity thought about the request for a few seconds, staring at the gorgeous broach, before the hidden meaning of the question dawned on her. “You intend to give this to Twilight!” she gasped. “Oh, Applejack, don’t you think it’s a bit soon?”

Applejack blushed. “I know it is. I ain’t plannin’ anything soon. I just want to know in case….” She drifted off, staring out the window for a few seconds and searching for the right words. In case of what? In case the desire ever struck her to tell Twilight just how much she loved her? In case the stars align just right? “In case it ever feels right,” she settled on.

Rarity smiled. The sincerity in Applejack’s voice warmed her heart. “This kind of jewelry is hardly my area of expertise, but I know a couple of ponies in Canterlot who might be willing to take on the job. I already have a meeting with Ruby Dream scheduled, so I should be able to get a price quote while I’m there. May I keep this for a few days?”

“Course,” Applejack answered. “Just be careful with it.”

“Absolutely.” Rarity levitated the broach and carefully folded its chains, wrapping them around the emerald apples. She placed it carefully in a small box, then laid the box into a small, intricate chest with a key sticking out of it. Closing the lid, she twisted the key once, then removed it. “There. Wouldn’t want Spike getting into that.”

“Speakin’ of, thanks for offerin’ to take him tonight. Don’t it ever bother you, him actin’ like a dog in heat when you’re around?”

“It can get to be too much sometimes,” Rarity admitted. “Still, it’ll be good to spend some quality time with him if he is ever to get over this little crush of his.”

Applejack blinked. “I don’t follow.”

“Spike has placed me on a pedestal,” Rarity explained. “He sees me as this heavenly vision of grace and beauty.” She giggled. “It’s quite flattering, but if we are ever to disabuse him of this notion that he and I will one day fly away into a romantic sunset without breaking his precious heart, then he first must learn to see me as a pony. That simply cannot happen if every time he sees me is a rare and special occasion.”

“Don’t know it’ll work like that,” Applejack replied, “but I get what you’re fixin’ to do. Long as the creek don’t rise, it might just work out.” With a wry grin, she asked, “And you’re sure this aint’ got nothin’ to do with you enjoyin’ having the ground you trod on worshipped?”

“I…” Rarity hesitated to answer the accusation. She blushed lightly and casually looked away from Applejack, insisting, “You have no evidence of that.”

“Uh-huh.” Applejack stepped forward and reached out with a hoof, giving Rarity a light hug. “Thanks for everythin’, Rares. I don’t know where I’d be without a friend like you.”

Rarity instinctively tried to pull away from the physical gesture of affection, but consigned herself to it and gave Applejack a couple cautious pats. She was careful to let as little of her hoof touch the ever-present sheen of dust caked into Applejack’s coat as possible.

Answering Applejack’s hypothetical, Rarity said, “Well, you’d have had to suffer through Twilight’s first few slumber parties all by yourself,” she jested. Then, more seriously, she added, “Though perhaps that would have been for the best, as you seem to still be having them.”

Applejack laughed. “We’ll try to remember to invite you one of these nights.”

Rarity stepped back. “Oh, no, the less I know of what transpires in your pillow forts, the happier I’ll be.”

Applejack chuckled. She started for the door, but she felt the sting of old wounds hold her back. She stared at the door for a few seconds as her jubilance turned somber. “Still ain’t quite like it was before,” she admitted.

“I know,” Rarity agreed. She looked out the window, watching a group of fillies playing with a kickball. “It likely never will be. We may forgive but we never truly forget, Applejack. An emotional scar is no less permanent than a physical one, and the voids we create never fully close.”

“I know. Rarity, I’m--”

Rarity cut her off, repeating her words from the Crystal Ball without giving Applejack so much as a glance. “Don’t apologize to me. Just be better. Oh, and Applejack?” The warm, friendly smile had returned to her face by the time she turned to look at her friend. “Have a pleasant evening tonight.”

The sun had just touched the horizon when Applejack arrived at the library, carrying a basket in her teeth. The door was slightly ajar on her approach. She peeked through the crack, and a smile crossed her face when she spotted Twilight sitting with Apple Bloom at the center table.

Apple Bloom’s schoolbooks were laid out on the table. She gnawed on her pencil’s eraser, staring intently at the sheet of paper place inside one edge of the book. Twilight was saying something to her, and she reached over with one hoof and pressed it against Apple Bloom’s back as she gestured to the book with the other.

Applejack eased the door open just in time to hear Apple Bloom cry, “I don’t know!”

Setting her basket down on the table, Applejack asked, “Ain’t goin’ well, I take it?”

“This ain’t makin’ any sense. I’m sorry Twilight.” Apple Bloom hung her head. “Maybe I just ain’t meant to know this stuff.”

“Hey!” Applejack chided. “Ain’t I ever told you--”

“I know, I know, can’t never could,” Apple Bloom replied, rolling her eyes.

“I know it’s difficult, but just give it some time. I’m sure you’ll pick it up.” Twilight looked up at Applejack. “She’s doing really well; she’s just having trouble with roots.”

“Roots are tricky,” Applejack agreed. “Can never quite tell how deep they go, but they’re the most important bit. Miss ‘em and you’re just gonna get new sprouts before you know it.”

“Square roots. She needs to find the root of thirty-six.” She lightly rubbed Apple Bloom’s back. “It’s okay, just don’t lose patience with it.”

Applejack thought for a moment. “It’s four, ain’t it?”

“What?!” Twilight’s eyes shot up to her partner, seated on the other side of Apple Bloom. “Why would it be four?”

Applejack leaned her head to the side, scratching at her ear with her hind hoof. “Well, for squares, ain’t you supposed to take a number and times it by itself?”

“Yes,” Twilight agreed, not sure where she was going with this.

“Well, you times four and eight and you get thirty-two. Then you’re just one four away from thirty-six.”

Twilight stared at Applejack for a few seconds, trying to find words and uncertain of whether she should dignify that. One question nagged at her, however. “Where did the eight come from?”

“Well, that’s two of the fours.”

Twilight immediately regretted asking. She stared speechlessly at Applejack, her mind brain racing to make sense of the formula that had just been created. That math wasn’t ‘’wrong’’ and she’d certainly used all the fours, but it was so far from what it was supposed to be. Worse, the multiplication in the middle of it actually made the formula more complicated than it even needed to be.

It was Apple Bloom who spoke up. “So it’s four?” she asked Twilight.

Slowly, Twilight shook her head. “No, it’s…no. Excuse us a moment.” She plugged her hooves into Apple Bloom’s ears, then hissed at Applejack, “You are not allowed to do math in front of your sister anymore.”

“Did I miss a four?” Applejack asked.

Ignoring the question, Twilight removed her hooves from Apple Bloom and explained, “The easiest way to find a root is to take common squares you already know and extrapolate from there. Choose a number.”

“Uh, five?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Don’t ask me. It’s your number.”

Apple Bloom nodded. “Alright, then I’m doin’ five. So it’s five times five, right?” She looked up to Twilight, who nodded approvingly. “That’s, uh…that’s twenty-five, so that’s too low--oh! It’s six! Six and six makes thirty-six!”

Twilight smiled. “That’s right! Good work, Apple Bloom!”

“Way to go, sugarcube,” Applejack complimented her beaming sister. She reached a hoof around Apple Bloom’s neck and pulled her into a hug. After a few seconds, she released, then told Twilight, “I’m gonna get started on dinner.” She bit down on a cookpot in her basket and carried it over to the fireplace.

Twilight watched Applejack go, then looked down at Apple Bloom. “Let’s do a few more equations before I have to send you home, okay?”

Apple Bloom’s eyes were already scanning over the next problem in her book. “I think I can do this one on my own,” she told Twilight.

“Very well. Let’s see it.”

By the time Applejack finished dinner, Apple Bloom had gathered her books and began walking home. Twilight had offered to walk her home, but Apple Bloom insisted with a wry giggle that she didn’t want to intrude on the pair’s special night.

To Twilight’s surprise, Applejack seemed gloomy as she stirred her pot. “Is something wrong with dinner?” she asked.

“It ain’t the spaghetti,” Applejack admitted, letting go of the ladle to speak.

“Is it me?” was Twilight’s next question. Applejack hesitated to respond, the silence answering Twilight’s question with more certainty than any words could have.

Applejack stared into her pot, watching the noodles boil. She thought about how to explain what she was feeling. She wanted to express her hurt without causing any on Twilight’s end, so she picked her words carefully. “I’m hurtin’ ‘cause of what you said earlier ‘bout me not doin’ math in front of Apple Bloom. I wanted to help her with her learnin’ and you made me feel dumber than a stump for it.”

“I’m sorry.” Twilight stepped forward and placed an assuring hoof on Applejack’s shoulder, watching her special somepony take the ladle in her teeth and begin stirring again. “Your math really was terrible, but I shouldn’t have said it like that. That was thoughtless of me.”

Applejack released the ladle again and shifted her weight to face Twilight, placing a gentle hoof on top of hers. “It’s just a hang-up of mine. Ponies been callin’ me dumb or stupid for years and normally I don’t let it get to me but….” She drifted off, losing the carefully chosen words she’d wanted to use.

“But it’s different when it’s me,” Twilight finished for her. “I didn’t mean to hurt you and I’m sorry I touched a nerve.”

“It’s okay,” Applejack answered her with a warm smile. “I forgive you. And you ain’t wrong; there’s some stuff I ain’t no good at, and I’m glad Apple Bloom has you to help her too. You mean the world to me, sugarcube, ain’t no two ways about it.”

“Here, I want to show you something.” Pulling out of the embrace, Twilight glanced out the window, then walked to the table and began. With the sun halfway down the horizon, Twilight summoned her magic and began to levitate candles, which floated out from various secret placements on the library’s bookshelves. Applejack looked up from her pot to watch the display as, one by one, the candles joined into a slowly rotating circle just a foot over the table.

A light bolt of energy shot up Twilight’s horn, causing the next candle that passed her to light. Each candle followed suit, its wick catching fire as it passed by Twilight, until the entire room was illuminated by their circling course. Then, at once, the candles stopped moving. Half expanded out across the chamber, finding their places in candleholders placed on tables and windowsills away from the books, while the other half settled down into a pair of candelabra on either side of the table.

“Well, I’ll be,” Applejack whispered. “If that ain’t the prettiest sight I ever saw, then I don’t know what is.”

Twilight took a careful look around the room, eyeballing the candle placements to make sure they were adequately spaced for light coverage. “It’s a variant on one of the first spells I learned,” she explained. She moved her inspection to the candelabra, using a hoof to measure their distance from each other. She gave the one to her right a slight nudge forwards. “Proper manipulation of candlelight to ensure proper reading light without getting wax or worse, fire on the pages was very important.”

“Ain’t talkin’ ‘bout the candles,” Applejack told her. She grabbed a potholder in her snout and used it to remove the pot from the stove, walking it over to the table and setting it on a wooden pedestal she’d placed earlier. When her snout was freed, she continued, “I meant you.”

“Oh.” Twilight blushed. She realized her hoof was still on the table when Applejack covered it with her own. A jolt of emotion shot through her foreleg from the touch.

“Course, your magic’s still as impressive as ever,” Applejack assured her. “You’re a new miracle every day.”

Twilight could feel Applejack’s breath on her snout. She was amazed by the way her heart still fluttered when her special somepony was so close. Her extensive vocabulary began to fail her, leaving her at a loss for words to properly express the emotions pouring through her. She settled on a simple, “I love you,” but the words didn’t seem quite fit to do her feelings justice.

“Love you too,” Applejack answered. “Happy anniversary, sugarcube.” Those words behind her, Applejack leaned her snout forward a few inches and pressed her lips to Twilight’s. She swept forward as she kissed Twilight, laying her backwards against the floor beside the table.

Twilight felt the hard floor behind her back. It wasn’t very comfortable, but she was beyond the point of caring now. She felt Applejack’s lips against her neck and closed her eyes, sinking into the moment. There was only one thing left on her mind, keeping her anchored to the world. “What about dinner?” she asked quietly. “It’s going to get cold.”

“Let it,” Applejack answered. “Needs time to cool anyway.” Twilight gave no response and simply tilted her head back, the ability to form words leaving her. She surrendered herself to love, to desire, to this moment where no one else in the world existed.

A few hours later, Applejack lay on her front beside Twilight on the unicorn’s small bed. Her hat hung on Twilight’s telescope. Her eyelids heavy with sleep, she let out a long yawn and nestled her head against Twilight’s, prompting a giggle and protest of, “Stop that, you’ll make me sleepy. We’re about to get to the best part.”

“Can’t help it,” Applejack protested. “You’re comfy.” She draped her neck over Twilight’s and closed her eyes, soaking in the warmth of her partner.

Twilight let out a long yawn of her own. With mock indignance, she criticized, “See that? That was your fault.” Applejack replied merely by wrapping her front hoof around Twilight’s nearest. “Stop that! You’re making it worse.” Despite herself, Twilight made no attempt to extricate herself from this position.

A malevolent grin crossed Applejack’s lips. Her sinister plans to achieve bedtime were working.

“Fine,” Twilight teased. “I guess you don’t want to hear this one. I’ll just have to read something else.” Her horn glowed in the dim candlelight, lifting the cover to Hard Work and Pudding: The Life and Times of Smart Cookie.

Applejack’s eyes shot open. Twilight had found just the right thread to pull to push her from success to failure in an instant. “What? No, I like this one!” In the time they’d been together, it hadn’t taken Twilight long to discover Applejack’s weakness for biographies and historical fiction.

More seriously, Twilight offered, “I could let you borrow it. I mean, this is a library.”

Lifting her head off of Twilight’s neck, Applejack looked down at the text of the book nestled between her partner’s hooves. “I like the way you read it,” she answered, giving the unicorn a gentle nuzzle on the side of her face. “Ain’t never met nopony reads with as much passion as you. You even try to do little voices for everypony.”

“I do?” Twilight asked.

“It’s cute,” Applejack assured her. “I ain’t never read too much by myself. Too busy, and when I had time to myself, there was always somethin’ else I’d rather be doin’. I’d be glad to go through the whole works of Quiver Quill, though, if I could hear ‘em in your voice.”

“Thank you,” Twilight answered with a blush. “I’m glad you appreciate it. And thank you for dinner, too. Your spaghetti is more delicious every time I eat it.”

“Even cold?” Applejack asked wryly.

“That was as much my fault as yours,” Twilight answered with a giggle. “But really, thank you. I try to remember to say that, but I forget. I’ve always had someone to cook for me, but it was usually part of their duties. The chefs at the castle or Spike or…huh.” She looked up for a second, thinking. “Perhaps I should have been thanking them too.”

“You should have,” Applejack agreed. “Equestria’s built on the backs of its workers. Weren’t just a pony wrote that book. There’s a pony printed it and a pony bound it. A pony made the wax for your candles and a pony sculpted the metal for their holder. This whole library didn’t carve itself into this tree; was a pony somewhere did that too.”

Twilight looked down at the book between her hooves. She hadn’t thought much about the ponies who came before her, except for the big names like Clover the Clever, but Applejack was right. Equestria wasn’t just a nation. It was a living organism. Everything she’d ever taken for granted was produced somewhere by a pony just like Applejack, diligent and hard-working.

“There’s still so much to learn,” she whispered.

Applejack continued, “Wouldn’t be an Equestria without its chefs and builders, its singers….” She reached her free hoof over and tilted Twilight’s chin up. “Its farmers and librarians. We all try and find our place in Equestria, and then we do our part and serve our Princess. Well, Princesses now there’s three of ‘em. Point is, don’t knock somethin’ just ‘cause it’s a pony’s job. Be grateful there’s a pony does that job. Wouldn’t be an Equestria without ponies doin’ jobs.”

“You’re right,” Twilight agreed. The sincerity in Applejack’s voice touched her heart. She loved seeing her like this. She often struggled to put it into words, but underneath the humility, there was a wisdom to Applejack that she admired. “I’ve learned so much since coming here and you….” She rested her head against Applejack’s and closed her eyes. “You’ve been there from the start. You welcomed me into your family without even hesitating. You put so much faith and trust in me, and you didn’t even know me. I can’t thank you enough.”

“You thank me every time I see you with Apple Bloom,” Applejack replied. “She’s what matters most in my life.” Applejack turned her head to stare out the window at the stars twinkling in the night sky. “She ain’t never got the chance to know Mama, not really. Big Mac and I do what we can to fill in, but you saw me today. I ain’t no good with numbers. But now we got you, and Apple Bloom’s really come to see you like a part of the family.”

Twilight smiled. “I’m flattered. Her grades aren’t just me, though. She’s much more clever than she gives herself credit for. She needs a push here or there, but she’s very intelligent. I think that if she keeps up her studies and puts in the effort, she might just be the first Apple ever to attend one of Equestria’s universities for higher learning.”

Applejack blinked, trying to stop a tear that welled in her eye. “Nothin’ would make me prouder,” she answered earnestly.

“So what’s gotten into you?” Twilight asked. “You’ve been surprisingly retrospective lately.”

“Retro….”

“You’ve been thinking a lot about the past. Is something wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, sugar, and you’re wrong. I’ve been talkin’ ‘bout the past ‘cause I’ve been thinkin’ a lot about the future lately.” She turned her gaze to Twilight, locking eyes on hers. She could feel the love burning from her special somepony, and every time she did, it made her feel warmer and more comfortable than she had in a long time.

A part of her wanted to ask the question that would change everything in their lives right then and there but she knew better. It was much too soon; she agreed with Rarity on that. She wasn’t ready and she was sure Twilight wasn’t either. It was a hard and rocky road that brought them to this point, and on some level, she knew they were both still getting used to the other’s increasing presence in their lives.

As much as Applejack wanted forever, she knew it was worth waiting for. So instead, she simply said, “You mean a lot to me, sugar. I want to do better by you.”

“You do fine,” Twilight answered. “There’s still so much to learn about us, too. All we can do is keep moving forward.” Twilight gave Applejack a quick peck on the lips to accentuate her words, then added, “Happy anniversary, sweetheart.”

“So, it went well?” Spike asked Twilight. It was the following day and he’d just returned from Rarity’s to find her enthusiastically reorganizing the bookshelves.

“Well?!” Twilight shrieked with a small hop. “It was perfect! There were candles and romance and she made dinner even though it got cold because we started kissing and then--”

“Okay, great!” Spike interrupted. “We are quickly racing towards too much detail.”

More calmly, Twilight explained, “Oh, Spike. Last night was everything I wanted it to be. Applejack is everything I wanted her to be.” She sat down next to the table as words spilled out of her, unable to be contained. “I mean, I never really thought much about what I wanted for a special somepony, but now it’s hard to imagine my life without her. She’s thoughtful and sweet and smarter than she gives herself credit for and okay, she’s not very good at academic subjects but she tries.”

“Uh, Twilight?” Spike asked. “Did something happen last night?”

“Yes!” Twilight shouted. “I mean, no, I just…it’s complicated.”

“What is it?”

“There was a moment,” Twilight explained. “It was brief and nothing really happened, but there was this moment where I was certain she was about to ask me to marry her!”

“Are you serious?!” Spike asked excited. “That’s incredible!”

“I know!” Twilight shouted with delight. “I can’t wait to tell my brother! And Princess Celestia! And I should probably tell Cadance when I tell--”

“Wait, slow down,” Spike urged the exuberant unicorn. “She hasn’t actually asked you yet, right?”

“No, but she’s going to!” Twilight jogged in place. “This is so exciting! I’ll need a dress. Rarity can probably make one for me, so that’s taken care of, but I’ll need a….” She paused for a moment, realizing she didn’t know how to end that sentence. She turned quickly to Spike. “Spike, how much do you know about earth pony wedding customs?”

“What, you mean besides zilch?” Spike answered, but Twilight wasn’t listening. She’d already begun pacing the library.

“I mean, you would think they’d wear rings, but they don’t have horns to put the rings on, so maybe they put them somewhere else? Like on their hoof?” Twilight raised her hoof and stared at it for a couple seconds. “No, that’d be weird. It would slide back off the moment you put your leg down.”

“Maybe they don’t wear rings,” Spike offered.

“So if they can’t put the ring on their horn, then maybe there’s some kind of fake horn that they…no, that’s stupid.”

“You could always ask Granny Smith.”

“If the ring is big enough, it could slide right over her hat and then the brim would…wait, what did you say?” Twilight stopped, looking at Spike.

“Surely, Granny Smith’s been through plenty of weddings. She’d probably know how it works.”

“You’re right!” Twilight shouted. “I’ll go ask her right now! Oh, but wait, if I ask her and Applejack hears me then she might find out that I know she’s going to propose to me, and that might ruin her plans. She might feel really down about it and then not want to ask me, and then we’ll never get married and Shining Armor will resent me for not inviting him even though I meant to invite him if we ever--”

“Twilight?” Spike asked. “Try to save some of that excitement for the proposal, if it’s actually coming.”

“Oh, sorry.” Twilight smiled as large as she could, feeling the adrenaline flowing through her. She couldn’t remain still for more than a couple seconds before her legs demanded to be moving again, and before long she was pacing the library once more. “I just have so many questions. Where do you think we’ll live?”

“What do you mean?” Spike asked.

“Well, we can’t stay here,” Twilight insisted. “Applejack’s chores start at dawn, and she can’t be walking out to Sweet Apple Acres every morning. If she’s going to do that, we might as well just live at the farm, but then who would take care of the library?”

“I think you’re getting ahead of yourself again,” Spike suggested.

“Perhaps we could find a place somewhere inbetween?” Twilight asked. “No, that might just make more trouble for everypony.” She grunted in frustration. “Spike, what are we going to do?”

“You could just keep going back and forth like you do now,” he suggested. “It seems to be working out.”

“We can’t do that if we’re married,” Twilight chastised. “We’re supposed to live together in one place. That’s how marriage works. You don’t see Shining Armor living in Canterlot, do you?”

“Does it have to work a certain way?” Spike asked.

“Of course it does,” Twilight insisted. “Everything has a proper structure to follow. Marriage isn’t any different. There’s rules for how you’re supposed to carry out the proposal, for how to behave during the engagement, wedding customs and traditions. You can’t tell me you don’t think Applejack is the kind of pony to want to uphold tradition, now can you?”

“I’m pretty sure that, traditionally, there’s only supposed to be one bride,” Spike retorted. As soon as those words left his mouth, however, he instantly regretted them.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Twilight asked. Spike mentally slapped himself.

“I don’t know!” Spike said quickly. “I just always thought it was kind of weird that Applejack likes mares, given that she’s all about family.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean? Applejack and I can’t have a family?”

Spike took a panicked step back, trying desperately to figure out how to defuse. “I’m just saying that…you know, physically, you and her--”

“Yes?” Twilight tapped her hoof impatiently.

“Never mind,” Spike grumbled. “Look, forget I said anything.”

Twilight sighed. “I do know what you’re saying Spike, and you’re not wrong. I’ve thought about it too. The farm is her whole life, and I just don’t know how good of an Apple I’d make. There’s a lot of things I can’t do.” She idly kicked a hind leg, stretching it. “I’m not just talking about foals, either.”

Twilight took a few steps towards the table, then sat down on her haunches beside it. “What if I never find a place that I can fit into the family dynamic?”

Spike rolled his eyes. “The Apples adore you, Twilight.”

“Yes, now, but that can change! I mean, what if they expect me to take Applejack’s name? I think that’s something Earth Ponies do. The Cakes share a name and so do the Riches, and the Apples are the Apples so I have to imagine that taking the Apple name is probably customary. Would I have to be Twilight Apple? Because that doesn’t sound very good.”

“Maybe Applejack could take your name?” Spike suggested.

“What? So she’d be Applejack Sparkle? Or Applesparkle?”

“I like the sound of Sparklejack,” Spike suggested.

“It does have a nice sound to it,” Twilight agreed, “but I think replacing the Apple in her name would be a very effective method for earning the family’s resentment.”

“Oh, right.” Spike thought for a second. “What if you combine names? Applesparkle could work as a second name. Twilight Applesparkle?”

“Wouldn’t that make her Applejack Applesparkle? Two Apples would be redundant.”

“Yeah, but we like Big Mac anyway!” Spike answered with a grin. The room fell completely silent, but for a couple meaningful hoots from Owlowiscious. After a few seconds, to punctuate his joke, he waggled his eyebrows, but Twilight’s silent stare wouldn’t abate. Finally, he threw his arms down in surrender. “It’s not as funny when he’s not here to react to it.”

At that, Twilight giggled. “Speaking of, you two certainly seem to have hit it off. How’s that going?”

“What, hanging out with Big Mac?” Spike paused, trying to figure out what she was asking. It felt like a weird way to phrase the question. “It’s going good, I guess. Back when you broke your leg, he started coming over after his chores were done sometimes and we’d talk and play games. I’ve always just hung out with your friends. It was pretty cool making a friend of my own.”

Twilight smiled. “So you could see yourself spending more time with him? That would be okay?”

Spike raised an eyebrow. “Sure, I guess? Where are you going with this?”

Twilight looked distantly towards the window behind him. “Where do you see us in ten years?”

“Older?” Twilight fixed a stern gaze on Spike. “I don’t know! I figured I’d just go wherever you go. All of our friends are here, plus you did what the Princess was grooming you for already, so there’s no reason to leave.”

Twilight looked down at the table. She lifted a hoof and gently touched it, slowly trailing her hoof around the wood grain. There was a strange permanence to it she’d never noticed before. For so long, she’d thought of this library and this town as the next chapter of her life. The idea of moving on was never something she wanted, but always felt like a distant certainty. It had never occurred to her that Ponyville might actually be her last stop.

“So, you think it might be a good idea to settle down?” she asked Spike. “To make this place our home?”

“I thought we already did. Isn’t that why you wanted to stay here? To, uh…’study the magic of friendship’?”

Twilight shook her head. “When we defeated Nightmare Moon, I saw this as an opportunity for a new learning experience. I wanted to enhance my studies. I wasn’t thinking about permanence. I always assumed that someday, when the time was right, I’d move on to whatever my next set of lessons might be.”

“And that’s changed?”

Twilight took a few steps towards the window, looking out at Ponyville. “Everything’s changed. Spike, if I get married, then that means…I guess that means it’s real. That we’re really staying here. That this town is our future. That…that I’ve learned everything I need to learn.” She lifted a hoof and pressed it against the wall beside the window. “Am I ready for that?”

Twilight’s concerns were answered by a nonchalant shrug from Spike. “Or it just means Applejack likes you a lot. I mean, that is what you want, isn’t it?”

“I want a lot of things.” Twilight kept watching Ponyville through the window, thinking aloud. “I want to see Apple Bloom get her acceptance letter to the university of her choice. I want to see how Rarity’s business grows. I want to be there when Rainbow Dash becomes a Wonderbolt. There’s been a construction project on the other side of town that’s been abandoned since before I got here that Mayor Mare still hasn’t decided what she wants to do with, and I want to see what becomes of that.”

Twilight turned away from the window, approaching Spike. “If we ever left Ponyville, I’d miss Pinkie Pie birthdays and cider tasting and yes, even Fluttershy’s panic attacks.” She giggled. “It’s not just that I love Applejack. I love Ponyville. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier than I am here, and whenever I try to think of where I’ll go next in my life, every train of thought becomes about the reasons why I should stay.”

Twilight sat down next to Spike. “That’s why I’m asking you. The choices I make for my future affect you too, and Applejack said some things last night that made me think I take that for granted.” She put a hoof around Spike and pulled him in for a hug. “You’re family, Spike. You’ve been with me since I started my apprenticeship in Canterlot. So what do you think? Is it time for us to settle down?”

“That’s a weird question, because I really thought we already had. I know Princess Celestia was training you for some big purpose but I’m pretty sure that came about with the Elements of Harmony. I think you’re done. I mean, she wouldn’t have let us stay here if there was more for you to do, would she?”

“I don’t know,” Twilight answered, releasing Spike. “She still sends me lessons and gives me tests to complete. She still has me and my friends serving Equestria from time to time as well, like we did with Discord or King Sombra.”

“Yeah, but that might not be a lesson,” Spike suggested. “That might just be your job. You can get married and we can still run off to the ends of Equestria to deal with whatever new problem Princess Celestia sent you. I mean, it’s not like Applejack isn’t going with us when we do.”

“That’s true,” Twilight agreed. “Then I guess that settles it.” She felt her body surging with energy again when she thought about what was to come. “I’ll do my job, I’ll keep learning where I can, but we’re staying in Ponyville and I’m going to marry Applejack! Ponies of Ponyville, get ready to meet Twilight Applesparkle!”

“Just as soon as she asks you, you mean?” Spike asked.

“Right. That. Of course.”

Spike stretched his arms and started towards the stairs. “Anything else to talk about? Because I spent last night helping Rarity find gems and right now there is a bubble bath with my name on it.”

Twilight giggled. “No, that’s all. Thank you, Spike.”

“It’s what I do.”

“No,” Twilight stepped in front of him, keeping him from his ascent. “I mean it. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I don’t know where I’d be without you.”

“Hey, don’t mention it.” Spike gave Twilight a light jab in her foreleg. “It’s like you said. We’re family. That’s what family does.”

A few hours later, Twilight was pacing the library, her mind still wracked with thoughts about what she would do about Applejack’s impending proposal. Her train of thought was interrupted by a knock at the door. “Maybe it’s her!” she thought quickly and raced to the door.

On the other side was a gray courier pony. His white mane was partially obscured by his blue hat, as he was dressed in the blue uniform of the royal postal service. “Package for you, ma’am,” he offered, holding out a small, brown parcel.

Maybe she sent her proposal by mail?

Twilight took the package and closed the door, forgetting in her curiosity to sign for the delivery. She levitated the package with her and approached the stairs, reading the front. It wasn’t Applejack, she quickly realized, but it could be something just as intriguing. The shipping instructions marked it as being from the royal palace. Princess Celestia had sent her something new to study.

Opening the package, Twilight found a small brown-red notebook and a letter.

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

The spell contained on the last page of this book is Starswirl the Bearded’s secret unfinished masterpiece. He was never able to get it right and thus abandoned it. I believe you are the only pony who can understand and rewrite it.

Princess Celestia

Twilight trilled with excitement. This was a bold new opportunity that the Princess had laid before her, and her mind exploded with possibilities for what this new spell could contain. Thoughts of weddings and family-building faded quickly from her mind, pushed aside by curiosity and eagerness to explore this new magic.

There would be time to figure all of that out later. After all, Applejack hadn’t even asked her yet. This unassuming notebook and its mysterious contents, for now that would be her next step into a future yet unwritten. She opened the book and set to work.

2 - Midnight

Author's Note

One thing that’s been very important to me through the writing of Single Point is keeping continuity more or less in line with the show as much as possible. To this end, I have been reluctant to alter any scene or plot point. However, at the point of continuity this chapter intersects, there is one glaring element from the canon which I have spent a great deal thinking about, and for the life of me, I just cannot find a way to make it work without heavily derailing one pony’s characterization in a very negative way.

So I wanted to mention in advance that this chapter contains what I intend to be a very rare instance of a canon plot point being exiled from Single Point’s continuity. You’ll probably know it when you see it.

2 - Midnight

A blinding light erupted through Ponyville, masking the glowing equine transformation within. At the front of the group, Applejack and Rainbow Dash each raised a hoof over their eyes to block out the searing illumination. “Twilight?” Applejack asked, unable to disguise the shock in her voice. “Is that you?”

After a few short seconds, the bright light dissipated, leaving only Twilight Sparkle in its wake. The change completed, she rose to her feet as if in a trance and, for the first time ever, she spread her wings to the shock and awe of her gathered friends. Opening her eyes, Twilight examined her wings, struggling to make sense of this transformation.

When Twilight looked up, the first face she saw was that of Applejack, and in that moment she was afraid. The confusion and trepidation in Applejack’s eyes as she slowly stepped forward, eyes fixed on Twilight’s wings, made Twilight’s heart stop. The fear of what her special somepony would think of this change gripped her for only a second before Applejack spoke.

“I’ve never seen anythin’ like it,” Applejack said aloud, more to herself than anypony else.

She hates it. She hates my wings. She likes things to stay the same and now I’m different and--

“Ha! Twilight’s got wings!” Before Twilight could panic any further, Rainbow Dash swooped down and snatched up one of her wings. “Awesome! A new flying buddy!” Twilight’s neuroses were swept away in the tide of Rainbow Dash’s aerial hug, and she gave a relieved smile at the broken tension.

“Why, you’ve become an alicorn,” Rarity said on approach. “I didn’t even know that was possible.”

The sound of Pinkie Pie screaming, “ALICORN PARTY!” soon filled the town square.

Fluttershy came last, observing, “You look like a princess.”

“That’s because she is a princess,” boomed the voice of Princess Celestia, setting herself down in the square. The shock on everypony’s face was mirrored in Twilight’s heart. She’d seen and done many things since coming to Ponyville but she’d never imagined this.

As Celestia commended and praised Twilight’s achievements, all she could think about were the ramifications of what this meant for her future. She didn’t know the first thing on how to be a princess. Her mind reeled with the implications of what this would mean for her future, for Ponyville, and of course, for Applejack.

“Is there a book on being a princess that I should read?” she asked nervously.

In answer, Princess Celestia only laughed and said, “There will be time for all of that later.” But her words did nothing to quench the terrified curiosity bristling in Twilight’s heart.

Would she be staying in Ponyville? Or would she be given a kingdom of her own to govern? Perhaps Ponyville would be her kingdom? Or was she meant to replace Celestia? Had all of this been about grooming a successor all along?

With a head full of uncertainty, she spared a glance across her friends, smiling and flanking her mentor. Applejack’s supporting smile beamed alongside everypony else, and she knew that no matter what happened, she could always count on them to love and help her.

Whatever the future holds, we’ll face it together.

"That’s what bein’ Celestia’s student meant?!” Applejack shouted.

She paced frantically in front of the table in the Golden Oaks Library. Twilight and Spike had left for Canterlot with Princess Celestia to prepare for the coronation in a few days. Thus far, the only answer anypony had for what Twilight being a princess actually meant was “later”.

“I thought she was just gettin’ special magic lessons or somethin’. A princess?!”

“Hoo!” came Owlowiscious’s response.

“What am I to do? Princess Celestia’s surely going to have some high-falutin’ duties for Twi now. She’s gonna have to leave Ponyville! She’s….” Applejack choked on her words. “…she’ll have to leave me.”

“Hoo!”

“And maybe that’s her right,” Applejack suggested. “She’s a princess now. She ain’t got time nor reason to be hangin’ ‘round here no more. She’s got a life to lead. She’s got….” A familiar set of words came to rest on the tip of Applejack’s tongue, but she was hesitant to say them.

“Hoo hoo!” Owlowiscious shouted, flapping his wings. Applejack looked up and realized he was perched atop the spine of a book. She stepped over to get a closer look.

“What you got there?” Applejack looked at the spine of the book beneath the owl’s talons. “The Noble Barmaid.” She chuckled to herself, thinking back. “This is a good one. We read it on the train back after all that fussin’ with Ms. Harshwhinny. It’s about this work pony, Cleaning Cloth, hears about this young duke’s been coltnapped by a dragon. So she gets up her courage and races out to save him.”

Applejack smiled, remembering the story. “Even though he’s a fancy noblepony and she’s a worker, he falls madly in love with her. He makes her his knight, and she defends his….” Applejack drifted off, her eyes drawn to the Elements of Harmony resting in a glass case beside the stairs.

She walked over to the Elements, contemplating them. So much had happened since Princess Celestia brought Discord and the Elements to Ponyville. She’d worn the Element of Honesty more in the last few weeks than she thought she ever had before. But perhaps that was the point.

She looked back at Owlowiscious, who simply provided another, “Hoo!” The owl was right. Perhaps there was more to her than just the work pony after all. Princess Cadance had married the Captain of the Royal Guard, had she not? If Twilight was a princess, then what were Applejack and the rest of Twilight’s friends if not her Royal Guard?

“You’re right,” Applejack told the owl. “I’m gettin’ all worked up over nothin’. Twi’s a Princess now but I’m her Element of Honesty. Ain’t nopony means more to Twi…” She took a moment, cleared her throat, and corrected herself. “…to Princess Twilight than us.”

Owlowiscious responded with a supportive, “Hoo.”

Over the next few days, Applejack strained to keep her optimism up, but with each passing day that Twilight was gone, it eroded farther. She knew Princess Celestia was keeping Twilight away for some valuable reason. Perhaps she was learning the duties she was soon to serve? Maybe she was drawing out borders of her new domain? Or maybe she was undergoing courses on how to be a princess? Whatever it was, it was surely more important than being in Ponyville with her.

On the fifth day, everypony assembled on the train to Canterlot. Coronation day had come at last and nopony was more excited than Pinkie Pie, who bounced around the train car for the entire trip. “Do you think she’s going to have a crown?” she asked excitedly.

“She’s probably just wearing the Element of Magic,” Rainbow Dash suggested. “Seems like the easy answer.”

“Oh, dear, I certainly hope not,” Rarity muttered.

“Why not?” Applejack asked. “What’s wrong with her Element?”

“There’s nothing wrong with it,” Rarity admitted. “It just seems…I don’t know. Standard? This is such a big day for her and she deserves a crown of her own. Something fresh and new that pops and says, ‘Look at me, I am entering a new phase of my life.’”

“Don’t reckon I see what was wrong with her old life,” Applejack grumbled. Catching herself, she looked up and realized Rarity was staring at her curiously. “I mean, that crown’s what made her a Princess, ain’t it? Startin’ this new phase or whatever don’t mean she’s got to let go of the road brought her here.”

“I suppose,” Rarity agreed. “I hadn’t thought of it quite that way. When you put it like that, it does seem appropriate.”

The Friendship Express continued onwards until it pulled into the Canterlot Station. “I can’t wait to see Twilight,” Fluttershy said, waiting for the doors to open. “I wonder if she misses us?”

“Oh, I’m sure she does,” Rarity answered. “We’re her friends. No matter what else, nothing changes that.”

Applejack nodded in agreement but couldn’t find the words to say anything more affirmative. Her mind was back in the Golden Oaks Library, where she’d spent what she hadn’t expected to be her last night with Twilight as a unicorn. The train doors opened and she stepped forward onto the platform, still searching for what she’d even say to--

“APPLEJACK!” Before her eyes even had time to adjust to the spectacle of Canterlot, a blur of purple flooded Applejack’s vision. She felt the familiar heat of another pony pressed against her neck and chest. She closed her eyes and sank into the embrace, letting go of her apprehensions. Twilight’s familiar voice whispered, “I missed you so much,” and Applejack was home again.

Twilight broke the embrace after a few seconds, then addressed the rest of her friends. “I’ve missed all of you. I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Of course we’re here, darling,” Rarity replied. “We wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

“There’s so much to learn about being a princess,” Twilight confided in Applejack as they entered the entrance hall. At Rarity’s insistence, their friends had gone ahead to give the pair some time to catch up. “I’ve been shadowing Princess Celestia all week while she attends her royal duties. We’ve met with representatives from across Equestria, settled property disputes, and organized political events. I even got to watch her pass judgment on a theft accusation, although that turned out to just be another property dispute in disguise!”

Applejack felt a strange blend of pride and fear at the confirmation of her suspicions. Twilight was gone because her new role demanded so much of her. She loved seeing Twilight taking these bold new steps, but a familiar old scar nagged at her. She tried to--

“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked curiously.

Applejack blinked. “I didn’t say anythin’.”

“You have a look,” Twilight told her.

“I do not have a look.”

“I know that look. What are you worried about?”

Applejack sighed. She’d planned to talk about it eventually, but not on Twilight’s big day. No sense beating around the bush now, though. “I miss you, s’all. I know Princess Celestia has you runnin’ ‘round doin’ all manner of high-falutin’ princess work, but--”

“Oh, no, that was my choice,” Twilight corrected. “Princess Celestia told me to be patient and have faith in myself, and that I’d know what I was supposed to do when the time is right. Which is strange, right?”

“Can’t say I rightly know,” Applejack answered. “Don’t recall Equestria ever havin’ so many princesses before.”

“Right. We’re in uncharted territory right now. I asked her to let me shadow her, because I want to know more about what my responsibilities are going to be.”

“Did she say if you’re gettin’ a kingdom of your own?” Applejack asked. Princess Cadance being sent to the Crystal Empire was a thought she hadn’t quite managed to shake since Twilight’s ascension.

But Twilight simply shook her head. “She hasn’t said anything of what I’m expected to do. To be honest, I’m starting to get nervous, but I’m sure she has her plans for me. She just wants to ease me into my new life.”

“Right,” Applejack agreed. “I’m sure that’s all it is.” But Twilight’s words wore heavy on her heart.

My new life.

For the life of her, Applejack couldn’t see what was wrong with Twilight’s old life. But, she chastised herself, that was selfish of her. She couldn’t--

“You have a look again.” Twilight squinted in the light of the royal corridor, scrutinizing Applejack’s features.

“I’m just frettin’ about the future,” Applejack explained, offering Twilight a gentle nuzzle. “Nothin’ to worry your--”

“Twilight!” An unfamiliar voice to Applejack called out as they passed an intersection. Twilight turned suddenly, her head jerking up in response to the voice.

“Mom?” she asked uncertainly. A pair of unicorns trotted down the corridor to their left. A light gray mare with a cutie mark shaped like three stars and with white and purple stripes alternating through her mane approached. Applejack instantly recognized the pattern; it was one of the sample proposals Twilight had offered under the mistaken impression that she would like her better with more stripes.

Slightly behind and to the left of the mare was a blue stallion. He was only slightly taller than her and his dark blue mane was neatly parted. His cutie mark was a crescent moon with another, smaller crescent moon inside of it.

Applejack had heard Twilight identify the mare as her mother, and could only assume that these were her parents. Instantly, she felt out of place. The more she looked at them, the more she started to recognize them from Shining Armor’s wedding, but everything had been so busy on that day that she’d never gotten a chance to be properly introduced.

A tug in the back of her mind told her that she should probably let Twilight have some time alone with her parents, but another pull insisted that she had a place here too. Would it be rude to stay, as though inviting herself to Twilight’s family time? Would it be more rude to walk away, as if she and Twilight weren’t close enough for her to be included?

Before a decision could be reached, a new strangeness struck her. She expected Twilight’s parents to converge on her in a shower of hugs and congratulations, but they approached at a leisurely pace and stopped the length of two forelegs away. “Congratulations, Twilight,” her father said with an awkward quiver in his voice.

“We’re very proud of you,” her mother added with a friendly smile. “I can’t wait to see you get your crown. You’ve done so well for yourself.”

Twilight smiled at her parents’ words. As casually as ordering dinner at a restaurant, she replied, “Thank you, both of you.”

Her father looked at Applejack for a second, then asked, “Who’s your friend?”

“CADANCE!” Before Twilight or Applejack could answer, Twilight’s mom shouted down the hallway. Shining Armor and Princess Cadance stepped out a door at the far end. Before Applejack even knew what was happening, the pair were racing down the hall towards the other part of their family.

“What in tarnation was that?” Applejack questioned aloud. She watched Twilight’s mother wrap a foreleg around Cadance’s neck and tightly embrace her.

Looking back at Twilight, the newly ascended alicorn beamed at her parents’ words. “What was what?” she asked with a broad smile.

Applejack shrugged, trying to figure out how to put the strange feeling she had into words. “Somethin’ just ain’t sittin’ right. Does your daddy not know who I am?”

“Why would he?” Twilight turned her head to the side. “I don’t think he’s ever met you.”

“No, but surely you send letters or….” Applejack trailed off, her eyes fixed on the blank stare Twilight was giving her. “Never mind. I should let you go get gussied up before Princess Celestia puts out a search party. It’s a big day today.”

“The biggest of my life,” Twilight agreed. She pulled Applejack into a tight embrace, assuring her, “I love you. No matter what else happens, never forget that.”

“I love you too, your highness,” Applejack answered before releasing the hug. “Now go on. You got lots of ponies waitin’ for you.”

“So you will enter the throne room through the front doors,” Luna explained. She gestured with her hoof at a map of the castle’s interior laid out on a table. Twilight sat across from her on a large pillow, carefully absorbing her directions. “Your attendants will sing as you approach the throne….”

It’s good that my friends will be up there with me. I don’t know if I could do this without them. I hope I don’t have to give a speech. I don’t even know what I’d—wait, I love you too, your highness? What happened to sugarcube?!

Twilight jerked upright in her seat. If she noticed, Luna did nothing to show it as she continued giving instructions to an alicorn who was no longer listening.

A few days later, Twilight and her friends gathered before a large mirror in the Crystal Palace. A terrible disaster had struck. The Element of Magic had been stolen and taken through an enchanted mirror to another world entirely. The thief, a former student of Princess Celestia’s by the name of Sunset Shimmer, had already vanished through the portal.

“This is no ordinary mirror,” Princess Luna explained. “It is a gateway to another world. A gateway that opens once every thirty moons. It has always been kept in the throne room of Canterlot Castle but when Princess Cadance took over the Crystal Empire, we sent it here for her to watch over.”

Princess Celestia stepped forward, confessing, “I had always hoped that Sunset Shimmer would someday use it to return, to come back to Equestria seeking my guidance. Obviously, this is not what has happened.”

“Twilight,” Princess Cadance implored, “you must use this mirror to go into the other world and retrieve your crown. Without it, the other Elements of Harmony have no power and Equestria is left without one of its most important means of defense.”

These orders weighed heavily on Twilight’s heart. The Element of Magic could not be left in the other world, but the undertaking would not be an easy one. If she was lost on the other side of the mirror when it closed, it would be thirty moons until she could return.

Princess Luna continued, “Your crown does not belong in the place Sunset Shimmer now calls home and in her possession, your Element of Harmony will no doubt be used to bring harm to the inhabitants of this other realm. They will not have the power to defend themselves.”

Princess Celestia levitated Twilight’s saddlebags and placed them upon her student’s back. Stepping forward, she asked, “You understand the importance of your task?”

“Of course,” Twilight answered.

“Good. Then you must go at once.”

Twilight took a deep breath and steeled herself for what lay ahead. Her heart set on what had to be done, she looked to the mirror and took her first steps towards the bold new adventure ahead of her. Applejack opened her mouth to speak, but Rainbow Dash beat her to the punch, throwing herself between Twilight and the mirror.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Rainbow Dash interrupted. “She’s going? We’re going with her! Right, girls?”

Applejack made a mental note to reserve a barrel of cider to thank Rainbow Dash next harvest and stepped forward with the others to flank her. This felt right. Just as she’d realized back in the library, she and the others were Princess Twilight’s knights; they were her vanguard, her royal guard, her soldiers. Whatever dangers lay ahead, they would--

“I’m so nervouscited!” Pinkie shouted, breaking Applejack’s train of thought.

Applejack leaned over to her, whispering, “You do realize that’s not a real word, right?”

Twilight gave her friends a relieved smile, but before she could say anything, the stern voice of Princess Celestia spoke. “I’m afraid I can’t let you go. Sending all of you could upset the balance of this alternate world, creating havoc that would make it impossible for Twilight to get the crown back from Sunset Shimmer. This is something Princess Twilight must do alone.”

This is something Princess Twilight must do alone.

With Celestia’s words heavy on her heart, Applejack crept as quietly as she could through the halls of the Crystal Palace. The sun had gone down hours ago, with nopony but the castle guard left in the halls. It had been a day since Princess Twilight stepped through the mirror and they’d heard nothing from her. What good was a royal guard if they weren’t allowed to do anything?

The door to the room containing the mirror sat unguarded. Applejack sneaked down the hall and eased the door open, slipping into the room within. She carefully closed the door behind her, then turned to face the--

“Good evening, Applejack,” greeted Princess Luna, standing in front of the mirror.

“Princess Luna!” Applejack shouted in alarm. She gave a quick bow.

“In my capacity as Dream Warden, I bear witness to the dreams of many ponies in Equestria,” Luna explained. “The nightmare that urged you to take this reckless action did not go unnoticed. I would have been there to help soothe your dreams had you not woken so quickly. I apologize for my slowness.”

“It ain’t just the nightmare,” Applejack admitted. In truth, she could barely remember it. Something about a large chasm and Twilight getting farther and farther away? “I know Princess Celestia said to stay here, but we’re supposed to be protectin’ Princess Twilight. Ain’t that our job now?”

“I understand your fears,” Princess Luna said, stepping forward away from the mirror. “Twilight has always proven herself to be very capable, however. I am certain she can handle this latest challenge. What my sister said is no less wrong tonight than it was two days ago, however; if you pass through the mirror, you risk introducing a level of chaos into the events of the other world. You must believe in Twilight’s ability now more than ever.”

“I….” Applejack bit her tongue, swallowing words of defiance she knew better than to speak in the royal presence.

“Please, Applejack,” Luna implored. “I would ask that you speak freely. You have always served your duty with dignity and respect. My sister and I both appreciate that. You, as much as anypony, deserve to have your voice heard. You are Princess Twilight’s beloved, are you not?”

“I am,” Applejack answered, lifting her gaze. Speaking with Princess Cadance as an equal had been uncomfortable on the night of the Crystal Ball, but it was nothing like looking Princess Luna in the eye.

“Then you should speak your mind. After all, it may not be long before you have a seat at our table yourself.”

Luna’s words resonated through Applejack’s mind. “I ain’t never thought of that,” she admitted. Her mind reeled with implications. Marrying Twilight had been a distant thought before all of this started, but now it was something that had to be put out of mind at all costs. She couldn’t dare, could she? The pony that married Twilight would be a….

“Now, please, what did you want to say?”

Applejack shook her head, setting those terrifying thoughts aside for later. “Well, your highness, I reckon it didn’t seem much a problem when Spike went through the mirror. Surely one more pony couldn’t hurt?”

“I understand your trepidation,” Luna assured her. “You are not necessarily wrong. Twilight is beyond all of our reach now. There is no way to know if Spike’s presence has helped or hindered her progress. However, my sister’s warning was not without reason. You must understand that. If you were to pass through the portal and it were to close before either of you could return, your actions would threaten all of Equestria.”

“I….” Applejack lowered her eyes once more, absorbing Luna’s wisdom.

Luna stepped forward, placing a gilded hoof beneath Applejack’s chin and lifting it. “I understand that you never asked for or sought the burden that sits upon your shoulders. My sister and I understand that better than you may know. But whether you wanted it or not, that burden is there and it demands that you act.”

Applejack closed her eyes, listening as Luna continued. “You stand today at a crossroads, Applejack. I know how badly you yearn to go to Twilight, but to act on what you desire would increase the threat to Equestria’s future. You must make a decision here and now: will you chase after your own wishes, or will you set what you want aside for the good of all Equestria?”

Applejack stared at the mirror, weighing Luna’s words in her heart. Somewhere on the other side was Twilight. Every impulse in her body screamed to go, to find her, to bring her home no matter what it took. But her legs refused to move. With every step she tried to take, the chains of responsibility pulled her back. If Twilight couldn’t return because of her, if the Element couldn’t, then what would become of Equestria?

She’d be lost in the other world with Twilight for thirty moons. She wanted to say she could live with that, that if she was with Twilight everything would be fine, but it would have been a lie. Even if no trouble ever befell Equestria again, where would the farm be without her? What would become of Apple Bloom? She never had parents; how would she fare without her big sister to take care of her?

And what of Granny Smith and Big Mac, whose hearts carried so much loss already? Or their friends, who would suffer the loss of not one but two of their dearest friends?

Applejack wanted more than anything to be with Twilight now, but she was needed here in so many ways.

With tears beginning to fill her eyes, Applejack lowered herself to the ground. The strength to remain standing had abandoned her. Princess Luna placed a comforting hoof on her shoulder, assuring her, “You have made a worthy choice, Applejack. Someday, you may come to understand that not one of us was ever born great. Greatness comes from within. It is found in the choices we make when times are at their hardest.”

After finding her composure and exchanging a few parting words with Princess Luna, Applejack returned to her bedchambers. As she lay on the bed begging sleep to come, her mind raced back to her mother’s wedding broach and the naïve hopes that led it into Rarity’s possession. Luna had said she may one day have a seat at the Princesses’ table, and that thought terrified her. Tossing in her bed, there was only one thing she knew for certain.

I ain’t fit for no princess.

The pieces were all in place. The dance was happening tonight despite Sunset Shimmer’s interference. The friends Twilight had made had done their part to help Twilight win the crown: her own Element of Magic, which she would return to Equestria before the portal closed.

There was just one thing missing. Well, several things missing, but one that weighed heavily on her heart as the time for the dance approached. Twilight sat in a chair, watching her new friends gawk over each other’s dresses. They were quite pretty, as was the one Rarity’s doppelganger had made for her, but it was hard for her to find the enthusiasm for them tonight.

“Twilight?” Rarity called over to her. “Whatever is the matter?”

“It’s nothing,” Twilight insisted, looking down and away.

Rarity stepped forward, insisting, “Every time someone says it’s nothing, it’s always something. I know you’re worried about getting the crown back, but--”

“It’s not that,” Twilight said with a light blush. “I’m just having some personal issues.”

“She’s blushing!” Pinkie Pie shouted, emerging from behind Rarity. “You aren’t thinking about something! You’re thinking about someone.”

Twilight winced, trying to shy away from Pinkie’s observational scrutiny, but the cat was already out of the bag. Rarity sighed. “Darling, I know he’s cute, but I must advise against going to the formal with Flash Sentry. He’s--”

“It’s not Flash,” Twilight insisted.

“I mean, he is pretty nice,” Fluttershy suggested, joining the conversation.

“And a guitarist!” Rainbow Dash added. “You could do a lot worse.”

“I wasn’t thinking about Flash Sentry!” Twilight shouted.

“Someone else caught your eye?” Rarity asked. “I admit, I haven’t seen you speaking with very many people outside of us.”

“No,” Twilight said sternly. “I don’t need a date, I have a….” She hesitated, trying to find the right words to explain.

Catching on, Rainbow Dash slapped herself in the forehead. “We’re idiots.” She looked around at the others. “She’s got a boyfriend back in pony land.”

“Oh, how careless,” Rarity answered. “I never even imagined. I’m dreadfully sorry, Twilight.”

“It’s not exactly a boyfriend,” Twilight explained. She tried to find the right words to explain, but they just didn’t seem to want to come to her. Reflexively, her eyes shot to the human Applejack, standing behind Rarity and Rainbow Dash, but there was no support to be found there. She was as confused as everypony else.

“We’re very close,” Twilight tried to explain. “In fact, we’ve been talking about getting married.” At this, Spike cleared his throat, prompting Twilight to correct herself. “Well, I’ve been talking about it. To Spike. But I’m certain that she’s about to--”

“I’m sorry,” Rarity interrupted, “but did you just say ‘she’?”

Fluttershy nodded. “I heard ‘she’ too.”

Twilight raised a curious eyebrow. “Is there something wrong with that?”

“Why, nothing at all,” Rarity answered. “I just…well, I certainly wasn’t expecting it, you being a princess and all.”

“What does that have to do with anything?!” Twilight asked indignantly. She looked again to Applejack, her thoughts searching for an explanation to this line of questioning.

“Hey, I think it’s cool,” Rainbow Dash insisted. “Twilight Sparkle swings for the ladies.”

“No, I don’t!” Twilight corrected.

“Uh, yes, you do,” Rainbow Dash replied. “Unless ‘she’ means something different where you come from.”

“I don’t ‘swing’ for anyone!” Twilight shouted. “I just like my Special Somepony!”

The room was abruptly filled with three separate utterances of, “D’aww!” Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash exchanged confused glances as the others melted around them.

Fluttershy grinned. “Your world calls it ‘Special Somepony’? That’s so cute!”

“Alright y’all, lay off of her,” Applejack said, stepping forward. “Twilight likin’ girls don’t change nothin’.”

“I don’t ‘like girls’!” Twilight repeated.

“Are you bi?” Pinkie asked curiously, turning her head to the side.

“Am I by what?!”

“It means you like both boys and girls,” Rarity explained.

“I like her,” Twilight insisted. “Look, I’ve already talked about this with Cadance; she’s basically the Princess of Love, so she’d--”

Rarity gasped. “Princess of Love?! There’s a Princess of Love and gay marriage is socially accepted enough that even the ruling class might consider one?! Your world sounds positively divine!”

Twilight looked nervously from one friend to the other. “Is…is that not normal here?”

Rarity smiled. “I don’t want to answer that question because the fact that you can even ask it is wonderful.”

“Look,” Twilight grunted, frustration visible on her face. “Can we just stop talking about this?! I felt bad because I miss Applejack and I don’t need it to be a--” Twilight stopped herself, shooting a hand to her mouth when she realized what she had said.

One by one, everyone in the room turned to look at Applejack, who backed away from the group slowly, eyes fixed on Twilight. Her mouth hung open for several seconds before she found the words to speak. “…b…beg pardon?”

“That’s why I didn’t want to say anything,” Twilight whispered.

“Wait, so I didn’t hear that wrong?” Rainbow Dash asked. “You actually meant Applejack? Like, Applejack Applejack?”

“Maybe Applejack Applesparkle someday?” Twilight offered timidly.

“Oh, dear, that second apple is dreadfully redundant,” Rarity insisted.

Twilight hung her head. “I know. I’m working on it.”

“Wait, back up,” Applejack requested. “I’m still stuck on you…you and…me?” She held up her hands as though trying to visualize. “How is that…how are we….”

Twilight explained, “I know each of you from my world. It’s how I knew to find you here. You’re all my best friends, and I know in my heart that we can do anything together. I never really knew what friendship was until I met all of you.” She looked Applejack in the eyes, but the warm and love she relied on was missing, replaced by confused agitation. “And you taught me what love is. I’ve never been happier than I am with you.”

Twilight had hoped her words would help calm Applejack but, if anything, they only made her more panicked. Looking from Twilight to the others and back, Applejack said, “I…I need a moment, y’all,” and dashed out the door.

Reflexively, Twilight looked to Rarity for emotional guidance. “Did I say something wrong?”

“I don’t know,” Rarity answered unhelpfully, her eyes following Applejack out the door. She stood slowly, as if unsure whether she should follow her or remain with the others.

“Well, you did just out her as gay in front of everyone,” Rainbow Dash suggested. “That might not have been awesome of you.”

“Or bi,” Pinkie added. “She’s right, though. That wasn’t okay, especially if she didn’t know.”

“If it even works that way,” Fluttershy contributed. “Your Applejack and our Applejack might not even have the same, uh…feelings.”

“That’s a good point,” Pinkie agreed. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of Applejack having a boyfriend or a girlfriend.”

“Really?” Twilight asked. “Why not?”

“She’s unconventional,” Rarity answered. “She’s very tall and physically intimidating. It’s not something most boys look for in a woman.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash agreed, rubbing the back of her head. “She doesn’t like to talk about it and she hates showing her feelings openly, but AJ’s not exactly popular with boys. I think you might have touched a nerve with her.”

“I didn’t mean to,” Twilight whispered.

“I’ll go talk to her,” Rarity offered.

“No,” Rainbow Dash interrupted, holding up a hand. “I’ll go. You girls stay here and keep getting ready for the formal.”

Twilight didn’t know what Rainbow Dash had said to Applejack, but it seemed to have worked well enough. She snuck looks at her beloved’s human doppelganger several times during the formal, and she seemed okay. She even had fun.

And when the time came, Applejack didn’t hesitate to step up to help her with the others. When all was said and done, Twilight stood before the portal wearing the Element of Magic on her head. The portal would be closed in less than an hour.

“Are you ready?” Spike asked.

Twilight nodded. She’d said her farewells already. She took one last look at this strange world, then stepped forward into--

“Twilight, wait!” A voice called out to her and she stumbled, pulling herself back. Her fragile balance abandoned her and she fell backwards on her rump.

“Oww,” Twilight muttered. She rubbed the sore spot and looked up to see Applejack standing over her, reaching out a hand to help her up. Tentatively, she took it and allowed Applejack’s familiar strength to pull her to her feet. Twilight felt a comforting warmth inside her at the touch, but she released her hand as soon as she could. She wasn’t her Applejack, after all.

“Mighty sorry about that,” Applejack apologized. “I just…I gotta know somethin’ before you go.”

“What is it?”

“It’s….” Applejack turned around and grunted. Twilight could practically feel her wrestling to get the words out.

“It’s okay,” Twilight said softly. She stepped forward and lightly brushed Applejack’s arm with her fingers. “There’s nothing you can say to me that will make me think any less of you. I’m pretty sure I’ve already seen you at your worst, but I’ve also seen your best.”

“That’s it,” Applejack said. “Right there. What you just said.”

“Your best or your worst?”

“Both.” Applejack turned back around to face Twilight. Her face was strong and stubborn, but Twilight had long since learned how to see past that to the vulnerability bleeding through underneath. “Am I…do I….” Applejack’s hands balled into fists as she wrestled with herself.

“Take your time. Find the words.” Twilight looked up at the moon. “But, uh…don’t take too much time. I do have to leave soon.”

Applejack took a deep breath and cleared her throat. “It’s just….” She stopped again. Applejack hesitated a moment, then blurted, “Am I any good to you?”

“What?”

Applejack sighed. “I mean, do I do right by you? Are we, y’know…are we any good? As a couple?”

“We’ve had our ups and downs,” Twilight admitted. “A few sore spots here or there and one time we had a fight that nearly threatened all of Equestria, but you...I mean, the other you, she’s one of the bravest, most noble, and most devoted ponies I’ve ever met.”

Rather than taking the compliment, Applejack looked mortified. “…threatened all of….”

Sternly, Twilight said, “It’s a long story, but that’s not the point.” More softly, she continued. “I love my Applejack because despite the rough spots, she’s never stopped caring about me and she’s never stopped trying to do better. Love isn’t something you know how to do right off the bat. It takes work, patience, and a willingness to forgive when it’s warranted. It can be one of the hardest things you’ll ever do. But, Applejack?” Twilight smiled. “It’s worth it.”

Applejack’s face softened into a smile. “It is, huh?”

Twilight opened her arms. “Come here. I want a hug.” To her surprise, Applejack took very little convincing. She squeezed the human tightly and told her, “You just need to bring the same confidence in yourself that you carry in so many other things you do. You do have a lot of emotional walls and can get stuck in your way at times, but you’ve got a good heart and it is a true privilege to be so close to it.”

Twilight continued, “Somewhere out there is a boy or girl who’s going to be very happy that they got the chance to love you.” She pulled back out of the hug, but stayed at arm’s reach, looking into Applejack’s eyes. “Believe me. I know that better than anyone.” She looked up at the moon again. “But I really do have to go now. I’ll try to come back next time the portal opens.”

“You’d better,” Applejack told her and for a moment, Twilight could swear she saw a tear in the farmer’s eye. As she approached the portal, Applejack shouted, “And bring your Applejack next time! We’d love to meet her!”

Carried on the kind words of her friend, Twilight stepped through the portal and returned to everything she knew and loved. Her natural pony form, her friends and mentors, and of course, the love of her life were waiting for her on the other side just as she knew they would be.

Several days later, Twilight stood with her friends in the hall of the Canterlot Castle. She still hadn’t been back to Ponyville since her ascension and she terribly missed the town. She’d thought that being back in Canterlot with Princess Celestia would feel like coming home, but instead it just felt like being away from where she belonged.

Her friends had come and gone in the intervening days. Rainbow Dash stopped by to teach her how to fly. Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy brought encouragement and comforting words, although Rarity was perhaps overzealous about Twilight’s new status. And of course, Applejack brought apples fresh from the farm and stayed with her some nights, though the time was always briefer than she would have liked.

Everything was changing so fast and now a big day was upon them. The Summer Sun Festival was coming up quickly and Twilight was expected to perform with the Celestia and Luna as the former’s prized protégé. She should have been honored, she knew, but any sense of pride she could have taken was outweighed by the feeling that she didn’t belong here.

“We’d better get going,” Fluttershy said. “We don’t want to miss our train.”

“Fluttershy’s right,” Applejack agreed. “Don’t know about y’all but I’ve still got bushels to do to get ready. The official celebration may be here in Canterlot but hoo-wee has the mayor put us in charge of one heck of a party back home!”

Twilight knew they’d have to leave eventually, but with every moment that passed, she hoped it would stay away just a little while longer. Soon she would return to her magic practice, event organizing, meeting with caterers and performers, and not being in the one place where her heart yearned to be.

She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, Applejack was there beside her. She already knew what Twilight was going to say, but she also knew there was no reason to say it. She delicately lifted her hoof and closed Twilight’s mouth, assuring her, “Don’t look like that, sugarcube. You get to be right there with the other princesses when Celestia raises the sun.”

“And I’m honored,” Twilight said. “Really, I am. It’s just that the Summer Sun Celebration is what first brought us all together. It just doesn’t feel right not getting to spend such a special day with my Ponyville friends.”

“It doesn’t feel right to us either, darling,” Rarity assured her. “If the mayor wasn’t so desperate for our assistance, we’d most certainly stay here in Canterlot. And, of course, we do understand that your royal duties must come first.”

As Twilight considered Rarity’s words, Applejack laid a comforting hoof on her shoulder. She’d stumbled over the logic a few times since finding it, but it was what she believed in now, and she knew she had to share it. Quietly, compassionately, she explained, “The Summer Sun Celebration may have brought us together, but it’s somethin’ much bigger that will always keep us connected.”

Applejack stepped away from Twilight and raised her hoof, gesturing to the hallway mural of Twilight and her friends defeating Nightmare Moon. “Exhibit A!” she shouted. “The six of us are united by the Elements of Harmony. No amount of royal duties is going to change that.”

Twilight stared up at the mural, processing Applejack’s words. The more she considered them, the more right they felt. Even if she had to stay in Canterlot for the time being, she and her friends would be together forever. The bond they shared was stronger than distance or station in life. It was a bond of friendship, a bond of love the six of them each felt that could never be broken.

Applejack, for her part, felt elated to have her idea acknowledged. “Right, everypony?” she asked the group. Although Pinkie, lost in a fantasy, took some extra coaxing to get an answer from, everypony gave an affirmative response. Twilight’s ascension had taken everypony by surprise, but their connection would last for as long as the Elements themselves, and as Twilight’s Element of Honesty, she was worthy to love a princess.

“I know how we can save the Tree. We have to give it the Elements of Harmony.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Rainbow Dash answered; she was the first to speak out against Twilight’s insane plan. “How are we supposed to protect Equestria?!” The six ponies and Spike stood huddled in a cave on the far edge of the Everfree Forest, at the bottom of a ravine near the Castle of the Two Sisters. Jagged black vines with thick thorns had grown to strangle the life from the land, and the only option before them that seemed like it might help was to restore the Tree of Harmony.

But that would not come without cost. Rarity stepped forward, asking, “How are we meant to rein Discord in if we can’t use the Elements to turn him back to stone?!”

But neither Discord nor future threats to Equestria were at the forefront of Applejack’s mind. This was everything she’d built her faith in. It was the foundation on which her right to love Twilight stood. Without her Element, Applejack was just a working class earth pony, spending her days tending her crops. She would be no knight of the princess, no champion of the royal order. No one suitable for a princess like Twilight to be with, and certainly not to wed.

“Twilight,” Applejack said, stepping forward from the group. “The Elements of Harmony, they’re what keep us connected no matter what.”

“You’re right about one thing, Applejack,” Twilight answered. “The Elements of Harmony did bring us together, but it isn’t the Elements that will keep us connected. It’s our friendship and it’s more important and more powerful than any magic. My new role in Equestria may mean I have to take on new responsibilities, and our friendships may be tested, but it will never ever be broken.”

Twilight was right. Applejack knew that in her heart. As hard as it was to surrender the Element of Honesty, the bond of friendship between the six of them would never be broken.

But friendship wasn’t the bond that bothered her as she entered the house a few nights later. The Summer Sun Celebration had gone off without a hitch, and she’d been in the crowd watching Twilight soar. The beauty and majesty on display was awe-inspiring for her, but in the back of her mind, that nagging thought wouldn’t go away: up there with the other Princesses, that was where Twilight belonged.

With the big event behind her, there was only one place Twilight wanted to be: Sweet Apple Acres with the ponies she’d grown to love. She followed Applejack into the living room with little sister Apple Bloom nipping at her heels. “And then right as the sun and moon passed each other, you shot right between ‘em and there was this huge blast of light!”

Twilight giggled at Apple Bloom’s enthusiasm. “I know, sweetie. I was there.”

Apple Bloom slipped under Twilight’s wing, hoisting it up. “I still can’t believe you’re a princess! That’s so cool!”

“She missed you somethin’ fierce while you were in Canterlot,” Applejack explained. With a nuzzle, she added, “We all did, sugarcube.”

“Eeyup,” added Big Mac, entering the house after the mares. He stopped to give Twilight a scruff of her hair with his hoof, mindful of her horn. She winced at the roughness and stifled a quiet exclamation of pain, but appreciated the gesture all the same. “Good to have you back, Twilight.”

“I don’t know how long I’m back for,” Twilight admitted, prompting a pang of hurt in Applejack’s heart. “The library’s gone untended for over a week and it would be unfair of me to expect Spike to handle it alone. I’m trying to be more cognizant about what I expect from him.” Twilight sent a smile towards Applejack. “Besides, there’s still so much I want to learn in Canterlot and I still don’t know what responsibilities Princess Celestia will expect from me in my new role.”

Applejack put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll do great.”

“Thank you, everypony,” Twilight said with a smile. “Perhaps it’s silly, but there’s something about being back here that feels like coming home.”

“You hush your mouth!” Granny Smith shouted, coming out of the kitchen.

“I’m sorry?” Twilight asked.

“I’ve half a mind to send you off without supper, you don’t quit with that ‘feels like’ nonsense. You are comin’ home! I didn’t set five places at the table for my health!”

Big Mac and Apple Bloom laughed at Granny’s outrage while a wide smile crossed Twilight’s face, large enough to force her jaw to open slightly. “I guess that settles it,” she said in response.

“You’re darn tootin’, it settles it! Now y’all quit jawin’ and come eat or so help me, I am feedin’ it to the pigs.”

Twilight gulped and, to her own surprise, found herself joining in the family’s chorus of, “Yes, Granny,” before falling into step behind Big Mac and following him into the kitchen.

Applejack lay in bed listening to Twilight’s breathing. Her eyes fixed on the dark shadow of Twilight’s wing, which had come unfurled in her sleep and lay out across the bed. Less than a foot away from her, an alicorn princess was lightly sawing logs, occasionally letting out an ungraceful snort before resuming her gentle breathing.

She could already hear her mind making hasty rationalizations.

She don’t got to be a princess when she’s with me. Just ‘cause the Element’s gone don’t mean all that stuff about bein’ her guard don’t still matter.

Applejack needed space to think, and realized she’d never be able to sort out what’s right from what’s desired with the intoxicating presence of Twilight so close. She sat up slowly and carefully eased her lower body out from under Twilight’s wing. She leaned over and gave the alicorn a gentle peck next to her horn, eliciting no greater response than a mumble of, “Fruit pies.” Then she lowered herself to the floor and crept out the door.

Down the stairs and through an open doorway, Applejack found her way to the kitchen. She sat at the table where the family had taken supper just hours before, put one hoof up on the table, and considered her options.

Twilight being an alicorn didn’t just mean she wouldn’t be around as much. It meant she would be in the eyes of Equestria. Every action, every choice, every word out of her snout was now a public affair. She had to be presentable to the upper class in all the ways Rarity probably understood better than Applejack ever could.

Applejack didn’t know much about princessing but she knew that being presentable in that fashion didn’t mean consorting with a dirt-covered work pony. She tried imagining herself as Twilight’s plus one in Canterlot, wearing one of her fancy social event dresses and smelling of chamomile, trading smiles with nobility.

“Good evening, your highness,” they would say to Twilight. “It is a privilege to see you here tonight. And how generous of you to give such a rare and special opportunity to a commoner! Do try to keep her off the carpet, though, it was recently washed.”

Perhaps that was overly rude, though. Rarity would certainly never speak of her that way, and she was the best example of the upper class Applejack had. That stallion Rarity occasionally spoke of, Fancy Pants, seemed a decent sort as well. Then again, given the things she’d heard about Prince Blueblood, perhaps they weren’t the only examples.

It occurred to Applejack that she didn’t really know very many of Canterlot’s elite unicorns. She’d heard the horror stories, of course, but never seen them for herself. Was she worrying about nothing? Or was that line of thought just another excuse, another rationalization to choose what she wanted over what was right to do?

That was hardly her only concern, anyway. Twilight’s new role meant--

“Applejack?” The gentle tone of her little sister crossed the kitchen, tinged with sleep. “What are you doin’ out of bed?”

Applejack turned to look at Apple Bloom. “Don’t you worry none,” she told her. “I just got a lot on my mind right now.”

“It’s the middle of the night,” Apple Bloom insisted.

“I should be tellin’ you the same,” Applejack answered. “Don’t you got school tomorrow?”

“Don’t you got chores?” Apple Bloom answered. “I got up for water. Why ain’t you upstairs with your princess?” Her voice hung dreamily on the word ‘princess’ before ending in a giggle.

Applejack just scowled. She looked down at the table. “I got a lot to work out,” she answered.

“What kind of….” Apple Bloom drifted off, staring at Applejack. Her eyes scrutinized her sister for several seconds, trying to make sense of her downtrodden look and ambiguous words. Then, suddenly, her eyes shot open. “NO!” she shouted. “YOU CAN’T!”

Applejack jerked up, startled. “Apple Bloom--?”

Before Applejack could get two words out, Apple Bloom continued. “You’re thinkin’ on breakin’ up with Twilight!” she accused. “Every time I get used to seein’ somepony, you send her away! You can’t keep doin’ this to me!”

Applejack stood, taking a few steps towards Apple Bloom, but the filly backed away from her into the living room. “I like Twilight,” she insisted. “She’s nice to me. She’s really smart and she cares a lot about us.”

“Listen, Apple Bloom, sometimes things need to change--”

“You told me that last time!” Apple Bloom shouted. “You were wrong then and you’re wrong now! Twilight ain’t somethin’ that needs to change, she’s family.”

“No, she ain’t!” Applejack shouted in response. “She’s a--"

“I’m not?” Drawn by the argument, Twilight stood on the stairs watching the sisters.

Blood drained from Applejack’s face as she realized what Twilight had overheard. “I-I didn’t finish,” she stammered out.

“Very well then,” Twilight accepted neutrally. “By all means, please continue.” Never had Applejack had so much trouble reading her as in this moment. Each word sounded carefully chosen. All emotion was conspicuously absent from her voice, as though she had entirely retreated into cold logic. “I would be delighted to hear what justifies that first part.”

Before Applejack could think of a way to explain herself, Apple Bloom angrily shouted, “She’s fixin’ to break up ‘cause you’re a princess now!”

Twilight calmly absorbed Apple Bloom’s words, then stepped down off the stairs into the living room and asked, “Is this true, Applejack?”

“I don’t know,” Applejack answered honestly.

“I see.” Without further ado, she opened the front door with her magic. “Thank you, everypony, for having me over. It was a lovely evening.” With those words, she promptly walked out into the cold night air.

Applejack watched Twilight walk away, then looked down at Apple Bloom. The filly bristled with rage but said nothing. After a few seconds of consideration, Applejack dashed off out the door. “Twilight, wait!” she shouted.

Twilight stopped walking but made no move to turn around and said nothing. As Applejack approached, the farm pony said, “I didn’t want it to happen like this.”

“But you did want it to happen,” Twilight answered.

“I don’t know.”

“That’s the problem. It’s not an ambiguous question. When I asked you if you wanted to break up, anything but a straight ‘no’ was the wrong answer.”

“Listen, it ain’t like that.”

Twilight whipped around, finally releasing the pent-up emotion she’d stored up. “Then what’s it like, Applejack?! Because I thought we were past this!” She looked over to a patch of fence, barely visible in the dark of the night. “I still remember you standing right over there, telling me you needed time to learn how to stop loving me.” Bitterly, she added, “I guess I didn’t realize you were still working on that.”

“That ain’t fair,” Applejack answered. “I do love you.”

“Then what’s this about now?” Twilight asked. “Do you think I’m not going to have time for you now that I’m a princess? Is that it?”

The thought had crossed Applejack’s mind, but she’d dismissed it quick enough. “Ain’t like that neither,” she replied.

“Then what?! You think Princess Celestia is going to send me to some far corner of Equestria? Or do you just think that because I’m a princess, I’m going to start looking to trade up?!”

Applejack shouted, “Consarnit, Twilight, I ain’t afraid of you leavin’! I’m afraid you’re gonna stay!”

A palpable quiet fell over the farm, echoed by the growing silence in Twilight’s heart. Slowly, her voice barely a whisper, she stated, “I’m going to need you to explain that.”

Her heart heavy in her throat, Applejack said, “Twilight, I…listen. You got a bright future ahead of you. You’re gonna go places and do some amazin’ things. I know it ain’t easy to hear, but you don’t need me holdin’ you back.” She sniffed back a tear, adding, “I want you to soar on those new wings of yours.”

“That makes even less sense,” Twilight replied bluntly. “I wouldn’t even be here without you. It’s not just my mural that’s hanging in Canterlot Castle. It’s all of us.”

“No, it ain’t!” Applejack shouted. “It’s the Elements. We just carried them a while. It was an honor to serve Equestria, but those days are behind us now, and we all got our lives to go back to.”

“Is that what you think?” Twilight asked.

“Look around you,” Applejack answered, tears of desperation now streaking down her face. “This is all I am, Twilight. I was born right here in the muck, and I’m gonna die right here in the muck. It’s a hard life, an honest life, and one I’m proud to have. It’s how I serve Equestria in my own way, but it ain’t worthy of somepony like you. There’s no future here. Not one’s fit for no princess.”

“I don’t come here for the farm,” Twilight said.

“I know, sugarcube.” With a deep breath, Applejack said, “But I gotta do what’s right for everypony, not just what I want.”

“So you are breaking up with me,” Twilight said flatly.

“Reckon I am,” Applejack answered quietly. “I love you, Princess Twilight. That’s why I gotta let you go.”

Applejack returned to the house to find Big Mac standing in the living room waiting for her. “It’s over,” she said quietly, closing the door with her hind leg. “You sent Apple Bloom back to bed?”

Big Mac said nothing. His eyes followed Applejack as she walked past him.

“I know everypony’s upset,” Applejack said, more to herself than to her brother. “I know it ain’t never easy when this…I get it. Apple Bloom’s gonna be fit to be tied when she finds out. But we all just gotta keep movin’ on.”

Big Mac continued saying nothing, simply absorbing Applejack’s words.

“I get it, alright?!” she shouted at him, before catching herself. She put a hoof over her mouth, mentally reminding herself that they’d just gotten Apple Bloom back to bed. “I get it. I don’t like it none either, but it had to be done. It had to--”

“Applejack?” Big Mac asked. She stopped pacing for just a moment, and it was all he needed. He wrapped a single foreleg around her and pulled her tightly into him, squeezing his little sister with all the love he had in his heart.

Secure in her brother’s embrace, Applejack broke down and cried. At once, she released the tears meant only for the family that loved her so.

Rarity awoke with a start to a pounding on her door. She released a frustrated groan and considered putting the pillow over her head until whoever it was went away. Surely whatever Rainbow Dash had done this time, it could wait until morning.

The more she waited, however, the more frantic and loud the knocking became. Making no effort to mask the agitation in her voice, Rarity shouted, “I’m coming!” and climbed out of bed.

Fixing a scowl upon her face, she trotted out into the boutique’s storefront and opened the door. “Whatever is the--” Her face and voice dropped together when she saw the dismal state of Twilight on the other side.

Twilight’s head hung low, her eyes full of desperation mixed with a hint of despair. Tears trailed down her face, dripping into puddles at Rarity’s doorstep. “Help me,” she said.

Somewhere inside Rarity’s mind, the doomsday clock she’d managed to forget she was tracking finally struck midnight.

3 - Reflections in the Rain

“Ahhh.” Rarity let out a sigh of satisfaction as the attendant began her hooficure. She lay on her back on one of the Ponyville Day Spa’s padded tables, her head resting against a large pillow. Green moisturizing cream covered her face, with a pair of cucumbers taking residence over her eyes. “You have no idea how much I needed this,” she told the ponies accompanying her.

To her left, Octavia Melody held out her hoof for the attendant to begin. To her right, Lyra Heartstrings let out a bubbly giggle. “This place is amazing. Thanks for showing it to me.”

“Why, you’re quite welcome,” Rarity replied. “But surely, they have these in Canterlot, I would assume?”

“They do,” Lyra answered, “but they’re a lot less personal. Too rushed. Get you in, get your treatment, get you out, next customer! There’s a certain small town friendliness here that you can’t find in the big cities like Canterlot or Manehattan.”

“She’s not wrong,” Octavia added. “My work’s taken me across Equestria, and one constant I’ve found is that the big cities might do more, but the small towns do it better. There’s a sense of hospitality that just isn’t there in busier locales.”

“That’s good to know,” Rarity said. “I’ll have to keep that in mind if my business takes off.”

Lyra sat up, turning towards Rarity. “Speaking of, how is your--”

“GIRLS!” The door exploded inwards as a frantic Berry Punch cantered through. “Girl girls girls girls GIRLS!”

“Calm down,” Rarity said. “Whatever is the matter?”

“You would not believe what I just saw!”

If Rarity could see through the cucumbers on her eyes, she’d be giving Berry Punch the flattest stare she could muster given the year she was having. As it was, she simply conjured every ounce of dryness that she had into her voice and said, “Try me.”

“Okay, so I was out by the flower shop looking at petunias when who should I see entering the Café Hay but Applejack and her new squeeze.”

“New squeeze?” Rarity asked. “I haven’t heard of anypony new in her life. Are you certain?”

“Well, it was hard to tell, but they certainly looked to be on a date from the brief glance I saw.”

“You followed them,” Octavia accused.

“No, but somepony who was totally not me might have been eavesdropping on their conversation.”

All at once, the room seemed to get colder as Octavia spoke. “Well, then,” she said icily, “shall we begin? Who would like to bet first?”

Lyra perked up, asking, “Wait, what are we betting on?”

“How long until the flavor of the moon gets The Talk,” Rarity explained.

“What talk?”

Without missing a beat, Octavia said, “You’ve got a bright future ahead of you. You’re going to go places and do amazing things. You don’t need me holding you back.” After a few seconds of silent confusion from Lyra, Octavia bitterly added, “It’s what she always says.”

“Octavia’s a bit sensitive,” Berry Punch explained.

“I’m entitled to be,” Octavia replied. “So who’s the unfortunate victim this time?”

“You don’t have to be that mean about it,” Rarity responded. “Applejack’s not so terrible.”

Berry Punch asked, “You’re joking, right? This betting pool was your idea, Rarity.”

“Look,” Rarity said, “I’m not saying she isn’t a heartless shrew of a pony, but she has good qualities too.”

“Oh, haven’t you heard?” Octavia asked in a lightly teasing voice. “Rarity and Applejack are best friends now.”

“No!” Berry Punch answered in mock alarm. “Rarity, how could you?”

“Oh, hush,” Rarity told the others, laying her head back down on her pillow. “We have mutual friends. It’s not the same thing.” For only a moment, she almost believed herself. “Just get on with it. At this rate, Applejack’s liable to dump her in the streets before you’ve even finished giving us a proper name.”

“Well, I’m not exactly sure on the name,” Berry Punch admitted. “She’s new in town and I wasn’t listening that closely. But you know that new librarian who just--”

“TWILIGHT?!” Rarity shot up from her table, forcing Berry Punch to duck under the flying cucumbers catapulted in her direction.

“Yeah, that’s it!” Berry Punch grinned. “Twilight something or other.”

“Ooh,” Lyra said with a wince. “I went to school with Twilight. She’s really smart, very talented, and she’s got the social skills of a jar of angry bees. If Applejack’s as awful as you girls are saying, she won’t last a week.”

“Okay, we’ve got one bet for a week,” Berry Punch said. “Octavia?”

Octavia considered. “Applejack’s turnover rate isn’t quite that fast. She likes to take her time and really work the knife in before she twists it. I give her three moons.”

“Three moons,” Berry Punch repeated. “Rarity, what have you got?”

Rarity sat motionless on the table, her mind racing. “She’s going to break the poor dear,” she said quietly.

Berry Punch answered with a nonchalant, “Uh, yeah? That’s kind of her thing. So how long until she breaks her?”

“No, you don’t understand,” Rarity said. “Twilight’s just barely started opening herself up to having a social life. Applejack could ruin everything. She could shatter her poor filly’s heart forever. She might never trust again!”

“Okay,” Berry Punch said, taking in Rarity’s words. “But if you had to put a timeframe on Applejack shattering her poor filly’s heart forever, where would you say--”

“I have to go. I’m sorry, girls, but this is an emergency.” Without another word, Rarity bounded off the table and galloped out the door, stopping only momentarily to scrub the mud from her face.

“She didn’t bet,” Lyra said in Rarity’s absence. “Is she allowed to do that?”

“I’ll put her down as abstaining due to temporary insanity,” Berry Punch said. “As for me, I’ll split the difference and say a moon and a half. Sound good?”

“Are you certain?” Rarity called from the kitchen.

“She actually said the words,” Twilight answered between sobs. She lay on her front on Rarity’s fainting couch, which the latter was beginning to consider redubbing her consultation couch. “I asked her if she was breaking up with me and she said yes.”

Twilight heard Rarity's hooves clicking across the kitchen's linoleum, then padding softly on the foyer's carpet. Her gaze remained straight ahead, fixed on her own front hooves. They didn’t look any different than the hooves she had two weeks ago. Why didn’t Applejack want them anymore?

At that train of thought, Twilight burst out into a fresh batch of tears. She cried for what felt like years adrift in an ocean of despair. In her mind, she was still there in that moment, imprisoned in the memory of Applejack’s dismissal. Her heart trembled with each breath she took until it became difficult to breathe at all through the tears.

Heaving and sobbing all at once, Twilight looked up to see Rarity sitting patiently beside her. She hadn’t even realized that Rarity’s front hoof was gently stroking her mane. Beside Rarity, a tub of blueberry ice cream floated. When Twilight could find the breath for words, she asked, “Why do you have ice cream?”

“Trust me,” Rarity answered and the tub floated out to Twilight along with a small spoon. Hesitantly, Twilight took them both with her magic. She didn’t fully understand, but was in no mood to argue. She slid the spoon into the ice cream, pulled out a small bite, and ate it.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Rarity asked. “You don’t have to.”

“I don’t know what happened,” Twilight answered. “Everything was fine and then it just wasn’t. We went to bed and then suddenly there was yelling and--”

“She yelled at you?”

Twilight took another bite of ice cream before answering. “No, it was Apple Bloom.”

Rarity’s face contorted with confusion. “Apple Bloom yelled at you?” That was a new one.

Twilight shook her head. “No, she was yelling at Applejack.” She paused for another bite. “She was mad at Applejack because she was planning on breaking up with me, and somehow Apple Bloom knew about it.”

“Oh, dear.” Rarity continued the soft motions of her hoof on Twilight’s mane, but said nothing.

Twilight floated the spoon out of the ice cream tub once more and took another bite. She whispered, “This is really good ice cream.”

“I know. It helps with the pain.”

“This hurts so much worse than it did last time,” Twilight said. “I didn’t think it could. How is this much pain even possible?”

“That’s just how love works, darling. There’s an old rule of thumb that says you will need one moon for each year that you and your love were together. I’ve never put too much stock in it, but I hear it a lot.”

Twilight looked up at Rarity between bites of the ice cream. “One moon for each year?! I don’t know if I can handle feeling this way for that long.”

“I understand, but--”

“Do you? I can’t think, Rarity. I can barely manage to breathe. She’s everywhere inside of me right now, like sharp knives plunged into my brain. No matter what I try to think about, she’s there. I can’t focus on Spike or my friends or anything without every thought being pulled back to Applejack. My heart feels like it’s going to implode at any moment. I could live with that, but my mind is betraying me and I don’t know how to make it stop.”

“There’s nothing you can do. It just takes time.”

“I don’t have time!” Twilight shouted. “Celestia expects me to be learning how to be a princess and all I can think of is how much this hurts. It’s like I’m a prisoner of my own heartbreak, like it’s governing my thoughts. I’ve never felt this--” She stopped suddenly. Her head snapped up, shock and horror dawning in her eyes.

“Twilight?” Rarity asked.

“No,” she whispered. “I have felt this way before. I know what this is.” As though in a trance, Twilight stood up. The hairs on her body stood on end and she began to bristle with anger. “I know how to fix this.”

“Twilight, what are you--“ Before Rarity could finish, Twilight vanished in a flash of magic. “TWILIGHT!” Rarity leapt to her hooves, looking frantically around the boutique. She cantered for the door, throwing it open with her magic just in time to see Twilight beating her wings to take off.

With the dim light of dawn beginning to creep up over the horizon, Twilight flapped awkwardly in the air, her movements inexperienced but filled with a sense of purpose. Rarity shouted at her, “Twilight, wait!” but her words went unheeded. The unicorn broke into a gallop, trying to follow Twilight’s movements as she flew above the town.

In the sky above, the weather pegasi had already begun their morning shift. Rainbow Dash, Clear Skies, and Sunshower coordinated the movements of the clouds for an incoming storm front scheduled to blow through Ponyville today. Sunshower reached for another cloud, then let out a yelp of surprise and pulled away as Twilight burst through it, passing the three pegasi and continuing her path.

“Twilight?!” Rainbow Dash asked, but she received no response from her friend.

Instead, a response came from the ground as Rarity shouted up, “FOLLOW HER!” Moved by the urgency in the unicorn’s voice, Rainbow Dash took off after Twilight without another word, shadowing her as she flew out to the Everfree Forest.

With Rainbow Dash’s guidance, Rarity found Twilight deep in the forest. She could hear the thunk of hooves against stone as she drew closer, coupled with various grunts and exclamations of pain and rage.

“WAKE UP!” Twilight shouted, her voice echoing through the dark woods. Rarity recognized this area; the Mirror Pool had been here once upon a time. Twilight and her friends had plugged the hole leading to the pool with the largest, heaviest rock they had on hoof at the time. Now, here was Twilight rearing up and slamming her hooves into it, screaming at it for answers.

“Twilight?” Rainbow Dash asked. “What are you doing?”

Twilight seemed to entirely ignore Rainbow Dash, instead rounding the large stone. “I know you can hear me. I know what you’re doing, but it’s not going to work. I’m onto you now, so come out here and face me!”

Carefully, Rarity stepped towards Twilight and the rock. She spoke slowly and with caution in her voice. “Twilight. Darling. The stone is dormant. Princess Celestia told us that Cardinal would likely never awaken again. You independently confirmed this several times in the last few moons. We never would have brought it out here if there was even the slightest chance it would reactivate.”

“Maybe he did,” Twilight insisted. “He tricked us before. This could just be another manipulation. He did something or…or he said something….” Twilight stopped pacing, looking down at the ground. After a few seconds, her head snapped back up and she looked at Rarity. “Maybe he said something when he was still active. He could have planted some idea in Applejack’s head, something that--”

“I wish it were that simple,” Rarity said, “but that is unlikely to be the case.”

“Did something happen?” Rainbow Dash asked, but she was summarily ignored.

Twilight looked around frantically, following trains of thought invisible to her friends. “Then maybe it’s Discord. The real Discord. He made Cardinal to tear us apart; maybe he’s trying to finish the job!”

Rarity shook her head. “If it were Discord, I’m sure we would know about it. He’d be right here with us gloating.”

“It could be a changeling!” Twilight shouted. “The queen sent a changeling to replace Applejack and…and….”

Rarity took another step towards Twilight. “The changelings feed on love. They would have nothing to gain from destroying yours.”

“It has to be somepony!” Twilight shouted. “Somepony did this to me. Somepony wanted me hurt or crippled. They had to.” She dropped to her knees, fresh tears beginning to flow again. “They had to. Why else would she leave me?”

“She did what?!” Rainbow Dash asked. Her whole body drooped as she heard the news.

Rarity stepped closer, lifting a hoof and reaching for Twilight’s mane. “I’m so sorry, Twilight, but this is the reality. It’s not a nefarious plot, it’s just Applejack. It hurts, I know it does, but you have to be strong and push through it. We’ll all be right here for you.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash added, joining Rarity. “I don’t really know what’s going on, but I’ve got an idea of what you’re going through. It’s gonna feel really awful for a bunch of days but then life picks up and moves on. We’re still your friends, Twilight, and we’ll help you through it.”

Twilight sniffed. Weakly, she explained, “I still don’t know what happened. She said…she said I had a….”

“A bright future,” Rarity finished for her. “I know. But we all love you and--"

“What?” Twilight asked suddenly, her eyes snapping up at Rarity. “Why?”

“What? Why do we love you? Twilight, you’re our friend and--”

Twilight pulled abruptly away from Rarity, eyes fixed on her. “You just said, ‘A bright future.’ That’s what Applejack said to me. Why do you know that?”

“It’s complicated.” Rarity took a step towards Twilight, but she backed off further.

“Stay back!” Twilight shouted at her. “What did you do?! Did you say something to her? Did you tell her to break up with me?!”

Hurt, Rarity answered, “Twilight, I would never do something like that. I have been nothing but supportive since you--”

She was cut off by Twilight thinking aloud. “You’ve always hated that we were together.”

Rainbow Dash stepped forward, prompting Twilight to back away from her as well. “Rarity wouldn’t do that,” she insisted. “You’re starting to sound crazy.”

“Then why?!” Twilight shouted. “Why does she know that--”

“BECAUSE IT’S WHAT APPLEJACK DOES!!!” Rarity screamed into the dark. “I have tried to spare you from the truth. I thought that perhaps this time might be different, that she might have changed, but clearly I was wrong.”

Twilight stepped back slowly, absorbing Rarity’s words. She felt her backside bump into the cold stone behind her and stopped. “She…what?”

Rainbow Dash awkwardly scratched at her mane. “Look, AJ’s got this mean reputation that floats around town sometimes. I heard she had a string of bad romances before you showed up. Ponies started talking. It was just dumb gossip and stuff.”

Twilight looked to the pegasus, asking, “You knew? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“What was I supposed to say? ‘Oh, by the way, there’s a bunch of dumb rumors some jerks made up about your special somepony.’”

“Yes!” Twilight shouted. “You could have said exactly that!”

With the gentlest voice she could muster, Rarity explained, “We didn’t want to ruin what might be between you two. Pinkie Pie suggested--”

“Pinkie knew?!”

“Darling, everypony knew. Well, perhaps not Fluttershy. I don’t know that she ever paid much attention to local gossip.”

“How could you keep something like this from me?” Twilight whispered. “I could have been prepared, I could have…” Twilight’s voice drifted away into a sob. Rarity and Rainbow Dash exchanged looks, uncertain whether to approach her. Rarity took a single step forward, but at the crunch of her hoof in the dew-stained grass, Twilight’s eyes shot open and her horn began to glow. “Stay away from me!” she shouted. “You let this happen to me. How could you?!”

Desperately, Rarity tried to explain again. “We were trying to protect you. We never meant for any of this to happen. We thought it was better this way. The rumors and gossip were just…they were stupid. Mean, heartless, angry ponies saying thoughtless things to feel better about what had happened to us.”

With tears in her eyes, Rarity insisted, “When you and Applejack got together, I was terrified. Yes, Twilight, I kept all of this from you because I didn’t want our stupid coping mechanisms to hurt you, and that’s all it was. The rumors, the resentments, the betting pool, it was all--“

“Betting pool?” Twilight asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “You bet on me?!”

Rarity immediately realized what the wrong thing to say had been. “Twilight, no, I would never--”

“I can’t believe this,” Twilight said. “I can’t believe you. I thought....” She looked off into the distance now, her eyes refusing to focus on either Rarity or Rainbow Dash. “I thought you were my friends.”

“We are!” Rainbow Dash insisted.

“Twilight, please,” Rarity pleaded, but before she could say anything more, Twilight’s teleport spell flashed. In less than a second she was gone, leaving the two ponies alone in the woods. “TWILIGHT!” Rarity cried out into the forest, but no answer ever came.

“WHAT WAS THAT?!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “I went to bed last night, everything was fine. What the hay happened last night?!”

Bitterly, Rarity answered, “Applejack happened.”

“Oh, don’t even start,” Rainbow Dash replied with a roll of her eyes. “AJ might have messed things up with her and Twilight, but this right here? This was on us.” A few seconds of silence passed with no answer from Rarity, so Rainbow Dash sighed. “Look, you can stay here and mope or whatever if you want, but I’m going to go find her.”

“It won’t help,” Rarity said. “She’s not coming back.” Rainbow Dash shook her head at Rarity, then spread her wings and took to the sky. In a matter of seconds, Rarity was alone with the rock.

“You know, it’d almost be funny if it wasn’t so tragic,” Rarity said idly to the stone. “Now would have been the perfect time to strike, had you just been more patient. Of course, without the Elements, there wouldn’t be much point to it. Still, bitter ironies.”

The stone, in response, said nothing. It could not, for it had not been patient.

The sun rose too quickly over the Apple farm. At the crack of dawn, Applejack was up like she was most mornings. She let out a long yawn and stretched her forelegs. “Mornin’, sugar,” she whispered into the dim room. She rolled over to give Twilight’s sleepy forehead a kiss before starting her day, but found the other half of the bed cold and empty.

She stared for several seconds at the empty space. Twilight had come home yesterday. She’d gone to bed last night right here, and then…oh. Her body drooped as the memory of the night’s events came back to her. Twilight was gone. She’d actually gone through with it.

Her first impulse was regret. In the back of her mind, gears started turning towards how she could explain away what she’d said. If she went to Twilight now, if she explained herself, if she begged and pleaded, perhaps everything would be okay. Applejack took a deep breath and swallowed that feelings. It was a dangerous toxin; paying it any mind would make the next few days harder.

Her second impulse was pain. She knew that part had to happen. A cold and crippling pain like a thousand icicles jabbed into her heart. She knew this feeling well, but she couldn’t let it keep her from what she had to do. Mustering her strength, she stepped down off the bed and shook off the thoughts of what might have been.

Her third impulse was conviction. She’d made the right decision. She had to believe that more than anything. It was going to hurt for weeks, possibly even a moon or two, but she had to stay true to what she’d decided. Cutting Twilight loose was ultimately what was best for her. She knew that. She had to know that. There wasn’t any other option now.

As she approached her bedroom door and reached out with her teeth for the knob, a fourth impulse struck. Regret fought back harder than she was accustomed to. In the depths of her heart, pain gave way to despair, and she found her conviction beginning to crumble. There was something tugging at the corner of her heart, something she couldn’t quite put words to.

Steeling herself, Applejack left her bedroom and descended the stairs. Big Mac was already out in the field and she needed to join him before the weather pegasi finished bringing the storm in. She made it as far as the front door before her strength gave out again. Twilight was gone. Really, truly gone. She’d see her here or there or when the group was together, but….

The group. How was she going to explain to everypony? What would she even say? Rarity, in particular, was sure to throw the book at her. Rainbow Dash would probably support her. Pinkie and Fluttershy…she couldn’t even begin to predict how they would react. She could see everypony’s disappointed faces staring at her in her mind, could hear their frantic questions and--

Work. She had work that needed to get done. Applejack opened the front door and trotted out to the field, where she found Big Mac pulling his plow to till the soil. Without a word between them, Applejack passed him and made for the next field over. She climbed into the harness of her own plow and took a step, but her movement was stopped by the aching of her heart.

She could see Twilight’s heartbroken face in her mind, could hear the anger and carefully reserved hurt in her voice. She needed to be focusing on her morning chores, but Twilight’s ghost lingered with every step she took, haunting her, demanding to know why she did it, why she hurt her. It wasn’t supposed to be this hard. It hadn’t been since….

Her mind flashed back on something Twilight had told her once. “Did you know we’ve now been together for longer than we were platonic friends? … This has become the standard for our relationship.” Applejack was half-asleep when she’d had this discussion with Twilight and even awake, she had never really been able to figure out what Twilight was on about with relationship standards.

Standing in the field now, however, there was no denying its meaning. The very thought of platonic friendship with Twilight sent crippling spikes of pain through Applejack. To be so close to her but not be able to reach out, to hold her, to kiss her….

Applejack shook it off again. Work. She had to focus on work. With a grunt of effort, she heaved the plow into motion. It was heavier than she remembered, but her strength had never failed her before and it refused to let her down now.

After the first couple hours of work, Applejack spotted Apple Bloom coming out the front door. If it was time for the filly to be off to school, then breakfast was probably made already. She tucked herself out of the plow harness and started for the house. “Mornin’, sugarcube,” she greeted her sister.

No answer came. Apple Bloom lifted her chin and kept right on trotting past Applejack.

“Apple Bloom?” Applejack cast her voice on the wind but if it ever reached her sister, she made no acknowledgement of it. Applejack idly reached a front hoof towards the image of her sister, vanishing through the gate, then dropped it. “Reckon I deserve that,” she said idly to herself before heading inside to get breakfast.

The sun didn’t get very high before the storm clouds rolled in. With ample warnings from the weather pegasi, Applejack and Big Mac had been able to secure the apple trees to minimize damages from the wind. Granny Smith boarded windows in the house to reinforce them. Large tarps had been set up to protect the crops. The pigs were locked inside.

The rain had just begun to drip as Applejack set about her last check, making sure the farm was braced for the winds and rains that would soon be unleashed. According to the weather pegasi, the storm was only scheduled to last the day. The reinforcements made should hold out at least six, so Applejack felt confident that--

“Applejack.” The voice dripped with a special layer of ice and venom that Applejack hadn’t felt in years. A hostile scowl bore through her, permeating her body with disdain. “We need to talk.”

Applejack closed her eyes and sighed. “I know, Rares,” she answered. “I wondered how long ‘til we had to do this. This is mite sooner than I--”

“She’s gone,” Rarity interrupted with a growl.

Applejack stopped in her tracks. She stopped moving, stopped breathing. She couldn’t have heard Rarity correctly. “Beg pardon?”

More clearly, Rarity stated, “Twilight has returned to Canterlot. She left us, Applejack.”

Before Rarity could say another word, Applejack bolted. She raced past Rarity and out the front gates of the farm. She barely even noticed the drizzle of rain beginning to get harder or the dirt her hooves landed in turning to mud. “No no no,” she whispered to herself, hoping against hope that Rarity was lying to her.

Gravel replaced mud as Applejack entered Ponyville proper. She galloped past the bakery, past the flower shop, and took a left turn at the spa. By the time she reached the library, the clack of her hooves on gravel had been drowned out by the rain pouring down. Applejack hit the door to Golden Oak hard, slamming it open.

Inside, she found a phantom of what she’d known. The place appeared to have changed little since last she’d seen it. The books remained in their places, there was a pot by the stove for Spike to cook with, and various parchments lay scattered across the table. Had Applejack not known what to look for, she might never have noticed. However, what remained wasn’t half as important as what was missing.

Twilight’s candles and firefly lamp were both missing. There wasn’t a single feather quill or inkwell on the table. As Applejack trudged up the stairs, she found that the research books on Twilight’s desk had been cleared away. The star and moon blanket on the bed was gone, replaced by a simple white comforter. Most noticeably, her beloved telescope was no longer in its place at the window beside her bed.

Twilight had taken everything that mattered most for her to have in Canterlot. Applejack presumed that she would come back for the rest. Looking around Twilight’s emptied bedroom, there was no denying the truth in Rarity’s words. She stepped towards the bed and reached a hoof up, running it along the soft comforter.

In her mind, she could still see the ghost of Twilight curled up on the edge of the bed, trying to squeeze her in. She glanced to the window and Twilight’s phantom was there, trying to get a better look at their special constellation. To this day, Applejack still wasn’t quite sure where it was supposed to be in the sky, though she was starting to get an idea of its shape.

Stepping back down the stairs, Applejack saw Twilight engrossed in her books that day that Spike swore his life-debt to her. She saw a spell backfiring in Twilight’s face and remembered softly saying from the stairs, “Give it a rest and come to bed, sugar. Magic’ll still be there in the morning.”

As she descended the stairs to the first floor, Applejack saw Twilight pacing holes around the table, lost in thought and occasional insanity. She saw an ocean of calculations and measurements about their relationship pinned up across the library. She heard Twilight’s gentle voice whispering, “Happy anniversary, sweetheart,” and tasted Twilight’s lips on hers.

She didn’t even notice Rarity entering the library until the unicorn spoke up. “It’s true. Rainbow Dash spotted her on the train leaving the station. Twilight is gone.”

“I can’t believe she’d up and leave like that,” Applejack replied, more to herself than to Rarity. “Twi loves it here. She’d never--”

Bitterly, Rarity cut her off. “Sometimes we don’t know a pony as well as we thought. You might be surprised by what we are capable of when we’re hurting. You have broken her heart, Applejack. An extreme response should come as no surprise.”

Applejack said nothing in her own defense, so Rarity continued. “I mean, I certainly wish I could say that I’m surprised by this. That the last several moons were not spent desperately trying to keep this day from coming. But that would be a lie.”

Still, Applejack said nothing. She stepped over to the table, feeling Rarity’s rage and hurt burning into her, and offered nothing.

“You know, when this all started, I didn’t want to believe it. I couldn’t, not after what I’d seen from you. The courage, the selflessness that you displayed. I didn’t want to think that you would be so selfish, so cruel, as to go after Twilight. Of all ponies, Twilight.”

Finally speaking up, Applejack said, “It ain’t cruelty. I was--”

Rarity cut her off. “Then what do you call this? Look around you, Applejack. You did this. You made her love you. You worked yourself into her head so much, the poor thing can’t imagine a future without you. You built up her dreams and then you crushed them. Because of course you did. Because this is what you do. If that isn’t cruelty, then what is it?”

Rarity braced herself for the impending counterattack. She knew what she was walking into the moment she set hoof on the farm. She was ready for it this time. Applejack was going to scream, she was going to push, and she might even physically attack her again. Rarity was older now; she would defend herself verbally and even physically if she must. Whatever it took to make Applejack understand.

Rarity took a step back and her body tensed as Applejack turned her head to look at her. Applejack locked eyes on her, she opened her mouth, and…then she cried. First a few tears ran down her face, cutting her off from whatever she had planned to say. Then she gasped for air and the tears turned into a river. Applejack turned back to the table, covering her eyes with a single foreleg and openly bawling.

Rarity stood flummoxed, uncertain where to go or what to say from here. “Oh, dear,” she whispered into the library. She was sure she had never seen Applejack cry like this. Certainly not so openly. She took a few tentative steps towards the earth pony, peering around her to try and get a better look, to understand what was happening.

“You’re right,” Applejack muttered beneath her tears. “You were always right. I should have left well enough alone.” She heaved a heavy sob, prompting Rarity to awkwardly look at the door. The storm was here in full and the rains were thundering down outside the window.

“I’m sorry,” Rarity offered tentatively. “I admit I’m not certain what to do here. I came in expecting a fight.”

Applejack lifted her head to shake it, dropping a few more sobs before she spoke. “What’s there to fight about? You’re right, this is what I do. Twi’s gone ‘cause I can’t quit lovin’ beyond my means. I did this, Rares. This is all my fault.”

“I….” Rarity hesitated. The flame of her rage seemed to snuff itself out more and more, replaced by the grave heartache of emotional loss. She wanted to be screaming, to be yelling, to say the most hurtful things that her mind could develop. But as she watched Applejack pour tears into the varnish of the table, she found herself at a loss. There was simply nothing that could be said that would be worse than what her friend was already undergoing.

And even through the hurt, there was still a part of her that was slowly dying inside to see a friend in such a state. Rarity closed her eyes and she made a choice that would define the course of the rest of her life.

Applejack laid her head back down on her foreleg, sobbing audibly into the orange hairs. She didn’t even notice the sound of hooves clicking across the wooden floor. She was startled by a gentle pressure against her side and the sound of Rarity’s voice, much closer than she’d been before. “We did this,” Rarity said, opening up the pain in her heart.

Applejack’s head jerked up in surprise. She turned it and saw Rarity right beside her, one hoof pressed against her side. She saw tears beginning to grow in her friend’s eyes as well, as the unicorn continued, “I’ve been angry with you for so very long, Applejack. I thought if I could protect Twilight, if I could act as a buffer between you, maybe I could change things. But I let myself be guided by bitterness, and she could see that bitterness in me.”

Applejack reached out with a hoof and returned Rarity’s gesture. When the tears began to fall, she pulled her friend in beside her. They cried together wordlessly, united in remorse and in mutual loss.

Two hours later, Applejack and Rarity sat by the fireplace and watched the rain fall outside. The sound of kernels popping in the cookpot set over it filled the library. Pop. Pop. Pop. BOOM! A flash of lightning lit the sky joined by the accompanying sound of an explosion ripping through the sky, prompting Rarity to leap to her hooves and shoot a frantic look about the room.

Despite the somber mood, Applejack laughed. “That’s just the thunder.”

Rarity chuckled, sitting back down. “Of course. Apologies, I’m still a little jumpy. I expected us to be screaming and perhaps throwing objects at each other by now.”

Applejack nodded. “Can’t say you don’t have reason to. We ain’t always got along real great, have we?”

“No, we have not,” Rarity agreed. “But she was always there to push us. She truly loved you so, Applejack.”

“She loved us both,” Applejack replied. “She might never have been good at showing it, but Twi had a lot of love to give. She loved each of us in her own way.” Applejack laughed, settling into memory. “Course, we loved her too, didn’t we? It’s why we put up with each other.”

Glancing at the rain pouring outside the window, Rarity followed Applejack’s train of thought. “This does certainly take me back. Do you remember her excitement? ‘We’ll do everything by the book and that’ll make my slumber party officially fun!’“

Applejack laughed. “We sure gave her a heap of trouble that night, didn’t we? ‘I dare you to step outside and let your precious, tidy mane get ruined again!’”

Rarity jumped up in mock challenge. “Yes? Well, I dare Applejack to play dress-up in a frou-frou, glittery, lacey outfit!”

Applejack grinned. “I dare you to wear somethin’ designed by Rainbow Dash!”

“I dare you to let Fluttershy buck your next crop!”

“Carousel’s new line: Fashions by Discord!”

“Replace one of your groves with orange trees!”

Applejack stepped back, feigning injury. “You got me deep, Rares. It’s all goin’ dark!” She collapsed against the bookshelf. She started to laugh, but stopped, looking somberly at her hooves.

Without Applejack saying a word, Rarity nodded. “It’s not the same without her,” she said with a heavy breath.

“Ain’t never going to be,” Applejack agreed. “Had to be, though.” She gave a sad glance up at Rarity. “I can’t be what holds her back, Rares. Twi belongs to Equestria now, not to me.”

Rarity considered her words very carefully, then crossed the fireplace to approach Applejack. “Applejack, as your friend, I want you to know that I am saying this with all of the love and respect that you deserve.” Confused, Applejack nodded, so Rarity continued. “That is, quite simply, the dumbest thing you have ever said to me. Twilight loves you. What else matters?”

Applejack closed her eyes, searching for words to explain. “It’s complicated,” she settled on.

“What happened to you?” Rarity asked earnestly. “Why all of this? Why do you keep doing this to other ponies? Why….” She felt her voice rising and made an effort to lower it. Gently, she asked, “You look positively miserable. Why do this to yourself?”

Applejack looked down at the wood grain below her, hoping to find some way of answering. All she found was the occasional knot. “That’s…it’s personal.”

Rarity shook her head. “Oh, no, you don’t. Honestly, Applejack, after the amount of time and energy I’ve put into making your relationship work, I think I’m entitled to a few answers.” More softly, she added, “Please. I’m asking as your friend.”

After a few seconds, Applejack nodded. She sat up and stepped over to the popcorn pot. “Let me get this off the fire and we can talk.” She took a deep breath, and just before she reached for the pot, she asked, “How much do you remember?”

The sun rose gently towards the top of a clear sky. The town had finished Winter Wrap-Up just two days prior and after only three days of work past the deadline; they’d set a new record for Ponyville. The flowers had just started blooming and butterflies fluttered through town, tracing a course to pollen.

The Ponyville Schoolhouse stood prominently at the top of a small hill, surrounded by trees. Inside, a variety of colts and fillies sat at their desks whispering and gossiping among each other. A small, brown earth pony stallion stepped through the door. His face was marked with the creases of age and his muscles had withered years ago. He bore a Cutie Mark shaped like three pieces of chalk running parallel to each other.

“Attention, class,” the old stallion called out, quieting the room but for the voices of ponies who believed theirs too low to be heard.

“…we need time to set up, so try to be at my place before sunset, and bring--” The lavender filly stopped suddenly, realizing her teacher was now hovering over her.

The teacher asked, “And are we all invited to this party?”

The filly shrank down in her seat. “Um…I don’t…it’s not exactly….”

“Do your parents know you’re having it?”

She blinked her green eyes and stammered for a response.

“Your silence is rather telling, Cheerilee. In the future, if you would like your secret plans to remain secret, I would advise you to discuss them after class. I assure you, Roseluck still exists outside this room. For tonight, why don’t you see me after class in detention and we can explain things to your parents together.”

“Yes, Mr. Sketch,” Cheerilee answered, her body drooping.

Mr. Sketch returned to the front of the class, addressing his students. “Now then, if there is nothing else so urgent it must be shared with everypony, I would like to announce that we have a new student.” He shouted to the door. “Come on in!”

The door opened and a small, light blue earth pony stepped through the door. Her pink mane was cropped short, with a few curls wrapped around her right ear. Her flank was still blank at her age, which meant she would fit right in with the rest of the class. There was a distant sadness in her pink eyes as she stepped forward to the teacher’s desk and stood before the rest of the class.

“Would you like to introduce yourself?” Mr. Sketch asked.

The filly looked up at him, then gave a brief shrug. “I guess,” she said. “I’m Crystal Chalice. I used to live in Manehattan, but my mom made us come out here.”

Mr. Sketch nodded. “Thank you, Crystal. You may take a seat. There’s a free desk in the back.”

Crystal trudged to the back and took her seat on the stool behind the open desk. She laid down her blue saddlebags beside the desk and put her front hooves up as the teacher began his lesson. Next to her, a white filly with an excellently coiffed mane leaned over, bristling with curiosity. “Is that Flicker Strobe on your bag?”

Crystal’s eyes filled with surprise. She followed the unicorn’s gaze to a metal engraving on the clasp, shaped like the head of a yellow mare with a red mane winking. She whispered, “You know Flicker Strobe?”

“Do I? Why, she’s only one of the greatest pioneers in street rave of all time, darling.”

Crystal smiled. “She’s my favorite,” she whispered.

The other filly gasped. “Why, she’s mine too!”

Standing over them, Mr. Sketch added, “And mine as well! Wait, no, that’s wrong. My favorite’s the one who hands out detention to students who can’t wait until after class to have these conversations. I expect to see you both this afternoon.”

As Mr. Sketch returned to the front, the other filly whispered, “What a tyrant. In any case, my name’s Rarity. Would you like to be my friend?”

4 - The Choices Made For Us

“Crystal!” Rarity exuberantly galloped across the courtyard towards her friend. She skidded to a halt in front of her, then reared up and kicked her front legs excitedly. “You’ll never guess what’s happened!”

Crystal’s eyes were downcast and her snout dour on Rarity’s approach, but she forced a smile for her friend. “What’s up?” she asked.

“Oh, dear,” Rarity said as she came back down on all four hooves. “Is something the matter?”

Crystal shook her head. “Nah, forget about it. What’s eatin’ you?”

For just a second, Rarity scowled. It was not the first time she’d seen Crystal downtrodden, but she never liked to talk about it. The feeling passed quickly, however, and Rarity supposed today would likely not be the breakthrough. Besides, her news was too important to stall. “MY CUTIE MARK CAME IN!” she shouted.

At once, Crystal’s mood lifted. Her eyes shot open as wide as they could. “Whoa, really?! Mine too!”

Rarity gasped. “Truly?! You must show me!”

“I….” Crystal lowered her head. “No, not really. I just thought that’d be cool. We could have been Cutie Mark sisters or something.”

“Oh, Crystal.” Rarity reached out with a hoof and pulled her into a hug. “You’ll get there. Just give it time.” She grinned. “Do you want to see mine?”

Crystal nodded. “Of course!”

Rarity spun a half-circle so that Crystal could see the three gems dotting her flank. “It’s gorgeous,” Crystal whispered, stepping forward towards her. “How’d you get it?”

Rarity giggled. “Did you see that rainbow flashing across the sky?” she asked. Crystal nodded, so she continued. “Well, it hit this rock with enough force to split it open. Inside I saw the most beautiful, sparkling gems. They were amazing, Crystal. I’ve never seen anything so majestic. I want to share that beauty with Equestria. After school today, I’m going back to try and collect as many of the gems as I can. Will you help me?”

“I’d be happy to.”

The early morning calm over Sweet Apple Acres was interrupted by the sound of a familiar knock at the front door. Bright Mac, a large yellow stallion with a red mane, stood up from the breakfast table to answer it. Applejack plunged her teeth into the flapjacks on the table in front of her to conceal her grin from her family as the door opened.

“Good morning, Mr. Mac,” said a light brown colt about Applejack’s age. His eyes were concealed behind his bushy mane, but his smile was as long as a cat’s tail as he asked, “Is Applejack up?”

Bright Mac returned the lad’s smile warmly, answering, “You kiddin’? That little filly rises with the sun. Come in and sit a spell, Sound Stage. We’re sittin’ down to breakfast and there’s plenty to go around.”

“Thanks, Mr. Mac!” Sound Stage answered. He stepped inside and trotted over to the table, where he sat down next to Applejack, separated only by the width of two hooves. Applejack flashed a welcoming smile to Sound Stage while her father returned to the table.

Across the table sat Applejack’s mother, a gold-maned mare by the name of Buttercup. She spoke softly and sweetly as she greeted the colt, “You’re right on time, Sound Stage. Applejack’s about to tell us about her trip to Manehattan.”

“Ain’t a lot to tell,” Applejack admitted sadly. “I just ain’t cut out for fancy socializin’ and tiny supper plates with nary a bite on ‘em. Life like that takes a special pony, and I ain’t it.”

“That don’t make you any less special, my little sugarcube,” Buttercup assured her. “From the tiniest workin’ pony to the Princess herself, we each got our role to play to keep Equestria runnin’, and each of us is special in her own way.”

Bright Mac added, “You listen to your mama, Applejack. Life’s got a funny way about it. You worry too much about what you’re ‘meant to’ and ‘s’posed to’ and you might miss somethin’ special right before your eyes.” He shared a quick glance with his wife, then added, “Speakin’ of, don’t you got somethin’ to show your friend?”

“Mmph?” Sound Stage looked up from the flapjack he was halfway through munching.

Applejack’s eyes shot open. “That’s right! Look what I got!” She leapt up from the table and stuck out her hind leg, showing off the mark of three red apples emblazoned on her hide.

Sound Stage grinned, taking in the vision before him. “Well, it’s about time,” he teased. “What’s it mean?”

Big Mac leaned over and scruffed his sister’s mane. “It means our little Applejack is a farm pony through and through. No more silly ideas about runnin’ off to rub hooves with cityslickers don’t know nothin’ about a hard day’s work. Ain’t that right, Applejack?”

“Uh, sure,” Applejack agreed hesitantly. “Got my head twisted on right now.”

“Your parents cared a lot about you, didn’t they?” Rarity asked against the backdrop of thundering rain outside. The sun had gone down, leaving the library lit only by the warm glow of the fireplace.

Applejack nodded. “We were their whole world, Big Mac and me. They loved us more than the farm itself, I reckon.”

Applejack nestled herself into the warmth of the comforter on her bed. Her covers were pulled up tight around her, with only her forelegs sticking out from the knees alongside her head. Buttercup tucked the comforter into the bed just like she did every night. Applejack always cherished this feeling; like a mother’s hug that lasted for hours.

Buttercup moved to lower herself from the bed, but Applejack’s voice stopped her. “Hey, mama? Why do I have to go to sleep?”

“We all do,” she answered. “Everypony in Equestria goes to bed when Princess Celestia lowers the sun and raises the moon.”

Curiously, Applejack turned her head to the side. “Yeah, but why? If we all gotta sleep when the moon comes up, why can’t the Princess just leave it where it lies?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know,” Buttercup admitted. Applejack started to pout, but Buttercup stuck a hoof under her chin and tilted it back up. “Sometimes, you just got to take matters on faith. The Princess is wise and noble beyond anypony’s reason. She loves Equestria as much as your mama loves you, and it’s to us to trust in her to guide us.”

Applejack smiled. “Do you think I could ever be a princess?”

Buttercup leaned her head down and gave Applejack a light kiss on the forehead. “You can be whatever you set your mind to, but don’t go thinkin’ you got to spend your life reachin’ for the stars to be important. Each of us does our part for Equestria, right down to the smallest ladybug, and the kingdom shines brighter for it.”

Buttercup brushed the side of her daughter’s face with her hoof. “Your family loves you. Your mama loves you. You do your part, you serve your princess, you work hard, and one day, those stars might just come down and find you.” She gave her daughter another peck on the forehead before lowering her front half down off the bed. “Sleep tight, my little sugarcube.”

“Mama loved me and Big Mac with all she had,” Applejack admitted. She hastily added, “And Apple Bloom, but she didn’t come along ‘til later and I don’t reckon she even remembers them much. She never got a lot of years with them.”

“You were fortunate,” Rarity said. She corrected herself with, “I mean, you’re not now, don’t get me wrong, but you were then. My parents rarely had time for me, and I’m sure you remember Crystal’s…mess….”

Rarity knocked on the front door of a small house, nestled between the Hay Burger and a row of residential housing. To her right, a wall with a window extended. Underneath it sat a flowerbed that had gone conspicuously unused.

A few seconds later, the door opened. Inside stood a light blue mare, weary eyes cutting a sharp angle down at her. Every time Rarity met Empty Chalice, she was struck by how perfectly she looked like an older Crystal. From her mane down to the shape of her hooves, every facet of her seemed reminiscent of Rarity’s friend. She was uncertain what, if anything, Crystal had actually gotten from her father, save for one subtle difference: the horn conspicuously missing from Crystal’s forehead.

“Rarity! What a pleasure to see you.” Empty led Rarity inside. The filly smiled as politely as she could muster, but there was something about the toothy grin on Empty’s face and the cold, embittered gaze of her eyes that made her feel as though she were being sized up by a hungry Timberwolf.

In the living room, a gray pegasus stallion reclined on a long, red sofa. The morning edition of the Ponyville Gazette lay open on the table. He made no motion to acknowledge Rarity’s presence and simply remained fixed on the latest news.

Rarity followed Empty through a tight hallway to a small bedroom. She never stopped being surprised by the size of the Chalice home; it looked to be only half the size of her own, and that was with the roughest of visual estimates.

As Rarity followed Empty into the bedroom at the end of the hall, she saw her friend in a corner with an assortment of gemstones from the geode she and Crystal had harvested together. Crystal had them separated by color and scooted them across the floor with her hoof, assembling them into patterns of colors. She’d woven a pattern of emeralds, sapphires, and one ruby as a centerpiece that Rarity felt looked positively--

“CRYSTAL.” Empty’s voice filled the room, prompting her daughter to jump to her hooves with a start. The pattern was scattered by the errant motion, its beauty lost to formless chaos. “Your talented friend is here to see you. Quit playing with those useless rocks and try to pay attention. You might learn something.”

Empty turned her attention back to Rarity. In her sweetest voice, she asked, “Will you be staying for dinner, Rarity?”

“I’ll have to ask my parents,” Rarity said noncommittally.

“You do that.” With those words, Empty left the room and closed the door with her magic. Rarity stared at the door for a few seconds, trying to make sense of the bad feeling she got whenever she came here. She shook it off, then turned back to her friend, who was now trying to piece back together the pattern on the floor.

“Forget what she said,” Rarity told Crystal as she crossed the small room. “I thought your design looked positively radiant.”

Crystal didn’t look up at Rarity, but she could see her friend relax at the compliment. “Thanks,” Crystal replied. “I’ve been working all morning on it.” She’d replaced the ruby at the center and had begun to move the sapphires and emeralds back into place, but seemed stuck.

Rarity reached over to one of the sapphires, sliding it over beside the ruby. “I believe you had this here,” she said.

“You’re right, I did.” Crystal slid an emerald into place just beside it. “And I think this was here….”

“Go talk to her,” Rarity urged.

“Are you crazy?!” Crystal hissed back at her. “You go talk to her!”

“Darling, it’s your cute-ceañera. You invite her.”

“But you’re the one hosting it,” Crystal insisted frantically. “It, uh…it wouldn’t be polite.”

“Oh, for Celestia’s sake….”

Across the schoolyard, Applejack sat back on her hind legs, clutching a red dodgeball between her front hooves. She passed it across to Sound Stage, who in turn passed it over to a colt on his left. Altogether, there were three colts and two fillies in the group, each taking turns throwing the ball from one to another.

“Excuse me,” Rarity said from behind Applejack.

“Mm?” Applejack turned to look just as the ball came her way. It struck her right in the side of her head, toppling her precarious upright balance and knocking her flat onto her back. Immediately, the other ponies began laughing. “Nope, don’t nopony rush to help me up, now!” Applejack shot at them in mock anger.

Rarity gasped as Applejack flailed her legs and rolled over onto her side. “Oh, my, I am dreadfully sorry!”

“It happens,” Applejack assured her. “Somethin’ I can help you with, miss…?”

“Rarity,” she answered.

“Please to meet you, Rarity. I’m Applejack. So what can I do you for?”

Rarity shot a glance back across the schoolyard. She was dismayed to see Crystal peeking around a tree. She sighed, then turned her attention back to Applejack. “My friend thinks you’re cool and would love for you to attend her cute-ceañera. It’s going to be this Saturday at noon over in the park.”

“Uh…” Applejack blinked a couple times. She looked around Rarity to try and see the pony hiding around the tree, but whoever it was pulled their head in as soon as they realized she was looking for them. Tentatively, she answered, “I don’t see why not.”

“Marvelous. We will see you then.”

With Rarity’s departure, Applejack turned back to the group, who had resumed tossing the ball without her. She held up her hooves to signal she was ready to return to play and before long the ball was headed her way.

“So, that was weird,” commented Three Point, the other filly.

“Are you actually going to go?” One of the other colts asked.

Applejack shrugged. “Don’t see no harm in it.” She tossed the ball to Three Point. “A pony only gets a cute-ceañera once in her life. Wouldn’t feel right sayin’ no to it.”

“Better watch yourself,” Three Point said with a wry grin. “She might have invited you because she thinks you’re cute.”

Applejack blushed. “You’re jokin’, right?”

Another colt laughed. “Wouldn’t want to make your Special Somepony jealous.”

Applejack and Sound Stage shared a quick glance. They’d known each other for years, but had never gone anywhere past the friendship boundary. Still, there was a certain closeness that had never quite been lost on their friends, and there were times when she wondered what could be. Still, the accusation was unfounded and unwarranted for multiple reasons. Her eyes snapped to a sharp glare at the offending colt. “Oh hush, y’all. She’s a filly. That’d just be weird.”

“I could see it,” Sound Stage added.

“You mean you’d pay to see it,” the colt next to him corrected. Sound Stage laughed and gave his friend a hoofbump.

Applejack lowered herself back down onto her front hooves. “Well, don’t hold your breath ‘cause that ain’t never happenin’. Why don’t y’all get this out of your systems before class starts.” She left the circle and trotted off towards the stairs in front of the schoolhouse.

Sound Stage called after her, “You still coming by for dinner tonight?”

“Wouldn’t miss it!” Applejack shouted back.

Applejack trotted up the steps towards the park square. From a distance, she could see streamers hung between tree branches. A long table sat in the middle of the square with a pink cloth on it and a modest number of presents set out. She had no idea what to bring, so she’d made a few apple pies for her present. She carried them in a basket clutched in her teeth.

As she drew closer, she saw ponies adorned with party hats and horns. Many of the underclass colts and fillies seemed to be in attendance, which made her feel even more awkward; she’d be at least a year or two separated from everypony else, making her the oldest pony present apart from the adults.

And speaking of the adults, there was one mare watching the proceedings like a hawk. She stood large and imposing with a perpetual scowl glued to her face and a cutie mark shaped like a clipboard and pen. Once she noticed Applejack approaching, she moved immediately to intercept.

“May I help you?” the mare asked, a sharp tone in her voice indicating she wasn’t actually looking for an answer to the question, but an explanation.

Applejack put down the basket and asked, “Is this the cute-ceañera?” She cursed herself internally for not remembering to ask for the name of the pony whose event she was attending.

The mare’s eyes ran over Applejack’s forehead, then down to her sides. There was something uncomfortable about this scrutiny that she hadn’t quite experienced before. “How exactly do you know my daughter?” the mare inquired, not actually answering Applejack’s question. “You seem a little old to be one of her classmates.”

“Well, I--”

“Applejack!” From out of nowhere, Rarity cantered up to greet her. “I am ever so glad you made it!” Sliding between Applejack and the mare, she looked up and explained, “The three of us have been discussing an idea for a business venture. Crystal had a lovely idea for, uh…” She shot a quick glance at the basket at Applejack’s hooves. “…for pies. To sell. At school.”

“Did she?” The mare glanced to Applejack, who quickly nodded.

“Eeyup. We’re sellin’ pies, us and Cymbal.”

Rarity hissed, “Crystal.”

“Crystal. Us and Crystal.”

“Hmm.” The mare’s features softened as she considered, and she even managed what Applejack thought might actually be a smile in some distant reality where nightmares wore the faces of ponykind. “Well, if you’re willing to vouch for her, Rarity, then that is all I require.”

The mare moved on, taking slow and careful steps around the perimeter of the celebration. Her eyes scanned the party as she walked. Applejack stared transfixed, trying to make sense of the hostility she’d received and the uncomfortable way in which the mare had regarded her features.

“You must excuse Mrs. Chalice,” Rarity apologized to Applejack. “She’s…she can be….” She let out a sigh. “She’s rough around her edges, yes, but I assure you that Crystal can be quite a lovely friend if you just give her the chance.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Crystal tell her to come over here and give me the third degree?”

“Of course not.”

Applejack shrugged. “No reason to hold it against her, then. So where is she?”

“Right this way.”

Applejack picked up her basket and followed Rarity towards the table. She set it down next to the presents, then glanced over to Rarity for directions. Rarity shook her head in the direction of a set of ponies running through the grass several yards away. “The filly clutching the flag in her teeth, that’s her,” she said.

“Okay.” Applejack looked out to the park and saw Crystal narrowly dodge another filly.

“Well? Go on. She’ll be absolutely thrilled to see you.”

“…ain’t you going to introduce us?” Applejack asked.

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Please, darling, she already knows who you are. Go say hi to her. I promise you’ll make her day just by being here. Oh, and do try to smile.”

Applejack forced the biggest smile she could muster to hide her awkwardness, then stepped out towards the group. Crystal had now taken off in pursuit of the filly who’d managed to separate her from the flag, but lagged behind the group. As Applejack approached, she could more clearly see the cutie mark on Crystal’s flank. A gaudy string of colorful gems decorated her backside, looking remarkably similar to a similar string she wore around her neck.

“Hey, come back!” Crystal shouted playfully. The lead filly took a turn and hurdled a bush, prompting the group to come back around. Applejack thought about calling out to announce herself, but she hardly knew what to say.

Howdy, y’all, I’m a special important pony of some kind so I wanted us to take a moment and just bask in my presence. Ain’t I just the greatest thing since sliced bread?

“Oh come now,” Rarity said with a laugh. “It could hardly have been so terrible.”

Applejack stood up defensively, demanding, “You ever been to a party for somepony you’ve never even met?”

“Darling, I work in the fashion industry. I attend a party for somepony I’ve never met every other week.”

Applejack drooped, looking for an answer to that. “Well…this was different.”

Applejack didn’t have long to try and think of an approach. After a couple minutes of watching the group, a white colt managed to get the flag in his teeth and come running back her way. She steeled her nerves, took a breath, and waited with her phony smile.

It didn’t take long for Crystal to come racing along the outside of the pack. “Get him!” she shouted to the front. “Avenge my hon--” She stopped suddenly, eyes locked on Applejack. She broke away from the group and slowed to a halt. Her breathing picked up as her eyes scanned over Applejack, as though making sure she was real. With wonder in her voice, she said, “You…you made it. You actually came.”

“Eeyup. I’m Applejack. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Crystal stepped forward, smiling widely. “My name is Crystal. Crystal Chalice. I, um…I like your freckles.”

Applejack blinked. “My freckles?”

“Yeah, they’re really pretty.”

Applejack blushed. “Uh, thanks?” She heard her mother’s voice in the back of her mind.

“Be certain to pay back a compliment when you get one, Applejack. A kind gesture should always be repaid in kindness. Unless the pony giving it is being a jerk about it. That happens sometimes.”

She didn’t thinkCrystal was being a jerk, so she looked for something to say. Her eyes seized on Crystal’s neck. “That little trinket of yours is mighty nice lookin’. You make that yourself?” she asked. The answer was obvious enough, of course; the necklace was imprinted on Crystal’s Cutie Mark. Still, it warranted asking.

“Oh, yes, it’s just a little something I put together,” Crystal said. She batted her eyes in a way that made Applejack feel uneasy. “Come with me, there’s punch over by the concessions.”

Applejack followed Crystal, inquiring, “So, you always been in Ponyville?”

“Oh, no, my mom made us come here two years ago. We used to live in Manehattan.”

“Well, how’re you likin’ Ponyville?”

Crystal stopped walking, looking down. “It’s small,” she admitted. “There’s not a lot to do, either.”

“Maybe not compared to one of your big fancy cities, but our little town’s got a beatin’ heart to it if you know where to look. You ever been out to Sweet Apple Acres?”

Curious, Crystal shook her head and started walking again. “I’ve heard about it a few times, but we’ve never gone out there. My dad says we’ll get around to it and my mom just shudders whenever I ask about it.”

“Why don’t you and Rarity come out some time, then?” Applejack asked. “Sure as shootin’, your mom will let you go if she’s there.”

“Wait.” Crystal stopped again. “You know the ponies at Sweet Apple Acres?”

Applejack laughed. “Sugarcube, I live at Sweet Apple Acres. It’s my family’s farm and we all work it together. I even brought you some of our finest cinnamon apple pies. Made ‘em myself, so I reckon you’re going to love ‘em.”

“Reckon.” Crystal giggled.

“Somethin’ funny?”

The filly smiled in that way that made Applejack uncomfortable again. “You talk funny,” she explained. “I like it.”

“She adored you from the start,” Rarity said with a distant smile.

“I noticed,” Applejack admitted. “She wasn’t subtle about it. Never did quite figure out what her mama’s beef with me was, though.”

“It wasn’t personal,” Rarity explained.

“Sure felt personal. She loved the dickens out of you.”

“Yes, well, that couldn’t be helped,” Rarity said. “I believe she saw something of herself in me.”

“Yeah, a horn,” Applejack grumbled.

Rarity stood up abruptly, a look of shock crossing her face. “I beg your pardon?”

“What? You can’t tell me you never noticed that. She treated me and Crystal like we had apple blight, but she all but adopted you!”

“Perhaps that’s because I actually listened when she was trying to teach us something,” Rarity fired back.

Empty Chalice looked down her snout at the three fillies in her living room. “Have you decided upon a name for this venture of yours?” she asked.

Crystal and Rarity exchanged glances. Rarity gave her friend an encouraging nod, so Crystal explained, “We were thinking of calling it ‘Crystal Rarities’.” She gestured to Rarity. “Rarity found a cave that’s full of gems, so we thought we could use some of them.” Her hoof went up reflexively to her necklace. “She can make clothes using the gems and I’ll make necklaces. I want to try and learn how to make horn rings, wingclips, earrings--”

Empty interrupted her daughter. “You can’t sell a desire to learn. Get the skill down, demonstrate it, then market. Until you know, stick to necklaces.”

Crystal lowered her head. “Yes’m.”

“And you,” Empty added, her eyes settling on Applejack. “What exactly do you intend to contribute to Crystal Rarities?”

“Caterin’?” Applejack suggested weakly.

Empty stared daggers into Applejack for a few seconds before she responded. “You intend to produce a catered clothing line?” She lifted a hoof, placing it under her chin as she considered. “Dinner and a fashion show. Ponies could come in for a bite to eat and leave with a new look. It’s bold, to be sure. No guarantee of success, but little competition in that particular combination of fields.”

Rarity stepped forward. “I thought we could start small and try to make some sales around the school. We could expand from there and perhaps try to open up a shop in town someday.”

“That is an excellent business plan,” Empty replied with a warm smile. “You have a good head on your shoulders, Rarity. Of course, you will need to put a plan in place to manage your cost to revenue ratio, but….”

As Empty spoke, Applejack suddenly felt a sharp jolt in her hind leg. She glanced over at Crystal who grinned at her mischievously. Feigning attentiveness, Applejack lightly kicked Crystal in the side as soon as Empty’s eyes weren’t on her.

Empty droned on, saying something about market value, but Applejack was busy tensing for Crystal’s next kick, which came not longer after her own. She wasn’t sure if Rarity noticed--

“I was throttling both of you in my mind,” Rarity said cheerily.

--but she quickly found herself enjoying the back and forth. A kick here, a kick there, and before long, Crystal was being hoist into the sky by magic. Wait, what?

“CRYSTAL CHALICE!” Empty roared as her daughter floated under her power. “We are discussing your future. You could at least show me the courtesy of pretending that you care about what becomes of you.”

“We already have a plan,” Crystal offered in her defense.

“A plan is not a business strategy. There is a lot that you need to learn if you want to make your enterprise work. I am trying to teach you how to run--”

“What, like how you ran Dad’s? We wouldn’t even be in this stupid town if you hadn’t--” Crystal stopped suddenly. She stuck a hoof to her mouth, as though recognizing that she’d crossed a line.

Applejack and Rarity exchanged uncertain glances as the room’s temperature abruptly dropped several degrees. With as fake a mask of civility as Applejack had ever seen, Empty Chalice looked down at the two fillies and said, “Would you please excuse yourselves? I need to speak with my daughter alone.”

“Of course,” Rarity answered. She tapped Applejack on the shoulder and took a step away towards the front door. Applejack lingered for a few seconds, trading panicked looks with Crystal, before she turned and followed Rarity.

As soon as the front door clicked, Applejack gulped. “She’s gonna kill her.”

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic,” replied the unicorn. “Mrs. Chalice would never lift a hoof against Crystal. She loves her dearly.”

“Rarity, I know what a mama’s love looks like. What Mrs. Chalice has ain’t it.”

“I still think you were both too harsh on her,” Rarity said in the dim of the library.

“You’re loopy,” Applejack replied. “That mare was a sharp set of chompers away from bein’ Nightmare Moon herself. I was sure she was going to murder the poor filly.”

“She was quite prickly, certainly, but was I wrong?” Rarity asked. “Did she ever lift a hoof against Crystal?”

“Well, no, but there’s other kinds of hurt than just hittin’ a pony. You ever hear a single kind word from her wasn’t directed at you?”

“Well, no, granted….”

Applejack sighed. She folded her front hooves, one over the other, and looked into the fire. “I just never could get my head around what was eatin’ her so bad.”

“You never asked.” Rarity looked at the window at the pouring rain. “The Chalices used to be a prominent name in furniture sales up in Manehattan. The way I understand it, business had begun to plummet by the time Empty married into the family. She’d tried to rescue the family business with her talent for risk assessment, but nopony would listen to her because she was just her husband’s wife.”

Rarity closed her eyes as she continued. “The reality of their situation is that the Chalices came to Ponyville because they could afford it. Empty was carrying the weight of the family’s failure on her back for years.”

Applejack swallowed. Her tone dipped but the bitterness still burned in her voice as she replied, “Well, that’s real sad and all, but it don’t excuse the way she treated her kin. There ain’t no colt or filly alive deserves to be tore down by her own mama like Crystal was.”

“You know,” Rarity mused aloud. “A thought occurs to me. Crystal Chalice, Serendipity, Octavia Melody, um…that one mare with the tie…who else….”

“Yeah, I got a lot of exes,” Applejack said, following the train of thought. “What’re you gettin’ at?”

“I was just thinking, you seem to have developed something of a type. While their actual social status may differ, everypony I’ve ever heard of you being with seems to have come from an upper class background. You have dated exclusively among the elite, the prospective elite, and the temporarily embarrassed elite. That’s very strange for such a down to earth pony.”

“That ain’t true,” Applejack replied. “What about Sound Stage?”

Rarity narrowed her eyes. “Darling, mistakes made out of obligation hardly count as dates.”

“Thanks for havin’ me over, Mr. Mac,” Sound Stage said to Applejack’s father as she walked him to the front door. “Supper was delicious!”

Bright Mac put a hoof around the colt and scruffed his mane. “You know you’re always welcome ‘round these parts, Sound Stage. You’re practically family.” Sound Stage laughed and struggled to escape Bright Mac’s grip, to no avail. “Besides, you should be thankin’ Buttercup. Her cookin’s like a little slice of the sun itself shinin’ down on you.”

A giggle came from the kitchen as Buttercup crossed the threshold in the living room. “Leave the poor colt alone, sugar,” she said. Bright Mac released Sound Stage at her urging. Looking at Applejack, she suggested, “Why don’t you walk your friend out? It will give you some time to be alone.”

Applejack blushed. “Yes’m. C’mon, Sound Stage, I’ll walk you to the gate.”

As soon as they were off the porch, Sound Stage asked teasingly, “So how are your filly friends?”

Applejack playfully punched Sound Stage in the shoulder. “Didn’t I tell you to quit with that?”

“Hey, we’re all wondering which one you’re gonna pick as your special somepony. I’m just the only one still asking.”

Applejack snickered. “You’re just jealous I’m hangin’ out with ponies prettier than you.”

“Yep, that must be it,” Sound Stage agreed with a chuckle. He stopped walking suddenly. In a more somber voice, he said, “Hey, Applejack? I like what you did with your mane.”

“What, this?” Applejack blushed as she reached a hoof up, touching her left twin tail. Teasingly, she explained, “Me and my two special someponies had a slumber party a couple nights ago. Crystal thought it’d be fun to play with my mane and then Rarity decided to ‘fix’ it. I’m thinkin’ on keepin’ it like this, least for a while.”

“It looks great on you,” Sound Stage told her.

Applejack slugged him again. “Oh, come off it. What’s got you so sappy all of a sudden?”

Sound Stage rubbed his shoulder. “I’ve just been thinking lately. You’re pretty and strong and stuff, Applejack, and we’ve been friends a long time, and I’m just…look, I got a really important question I need to ask you. Now, this is serious, so I need you to promise not to laugh or make fun of me for it.”

Applejack cocked her head to the side. “Okay, you’re freakin’ me out now. What’s eatin’ you all of a sudden?”

“I mean it, Applejack. You got to promise.”

She nodded. “Alright, I promise.”

Sound Stage took a deep breath. “Okay. Look. Applejack…do you want to make out?”

“Truly, the words of a poet the likes of which Equestria has never known,” Rarity sniped.

The barn door barely had time to close before Sound Stage was upon Applejack. She dropped backwards onto a pile of hay, bracing herself for his advance. She’d spent years thinking about this moment, knowing it would come eventually and wondering if she’d be ready.

She thought she’d be more excited for it. Sound Stage liked her and she thought he was a fine enough colt. She’d run through this moment a thousand times in her imagination and every time she pictured it, she’d seen herself as aggressive and sultry and hungry for affection. But now she was here and she just felt uncomfortable.

“I guess we should start?” Sound Stage asked.

Applejack swallowed. “Eeyup.”

“Okay.” Sound Stage remained in place, two hooves’ length from Applejack. His eyes scanned across her body before coming back to her face. “I, uh…I’m going to kiss you now.”

“Eeyup.” Applejack closed her eyes and waited for Sound Stage, still trying to make sense of herself. The anticipation she’d expected was replaced by apprehension as her old friend stepped towards her. A churning in her gut urged her to stand up, to walk away, to say it was a joke or a game or--

Suddenly his lips were upon hers. His front hoof came down on the other side of her neck, pressing her down against the hay with his chest as he kissed her. Years of wondering, of teasing, of planning her future, all had led her to this fateful moment and it was…well, it wasn’t bad, she could at least say that.

Then she felt his tongue slide inside her mouth and it was bad. It was really bad. Despite having known it was coming and even agreeing to it, she felt strangely violated by the intrusion. She pushed at him with her front hooves, separating their lips. As soon as her snout was free, she told him, “Stop, stop.”

“What’s wrong?” Sound Stage asked with eyes full of concern.

She tried to put words to what she was feeling, but nothing quite sounded right. After a few seconds, she started to feel embarrassed. “I don’t know. Forget it, let’s keep goin’.”

Sound Stage leaned back in and kissed her. Once more, Applejack was overwhelmed with feelings of discomfort, as if milk was curdling in her stomach. After only a few seconds, she pushed him back again. “Nope, I-I can’t do this,” she stammered.

Sound Stage gave a huff of frustration as Applejack pushed him back. “What is it this time?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” Applejack confessed. “Somethin’ just don’t feel right.”

“Are you kidding?” Sound Stage asked. “Nothing’s ever felt so right. This is meant to be, Applejack. You know it, I know it, even your parents know it.” Applejack winced at the mention of her family. She could already feel her father’s disapproval at her; she knew he adored Sound Stage.

“Look, I don’t know what it is,” she said, standing up out of the hay. “It just ain’t right. Maybe you’re doin’ it wrong.”

“Making out isn’t heart surgery! You just follow your feelings.”

“That so? Well, my feelings are tellin’ me I don’t want to be doin’ this.” She shook her head. “Look, just go home and we’ll sort things out in the morn’, alright?”

“You can’t kick me out,” Sound Stage insisted. He reached out a hoof for her, but she smacked it aside.

“Hey, back off!” she told him.

“You said we could make out! You know how long I’ve been waiting for this?!”

“I’ve been waitin’ too!” Applejack shouted back at him. “But somethin’ don’t feel right. I ain’t sayin’ never, Sound Stage, but I need time to think about what’s goin’ on with me.” The hairs on Applejack’s neck bristled. She unconsciously steadied her hooves, bracing for a fight. She’d wrassled with Sound Stage since they were little. To date, he’d never beaten her, and she wasn’t about to let that streak break now if push came to shove.

“So, what?” he asked. “All those years we spent together, that was for nothing?! I was, what, wasting my time?”

Sound Stage’s voice struck Applejack harder than his hooves could have. “You think our friendship was a waste of time?”

“Hey, don’t twist my words,” Sound Stage shouted. “You know what I meant!”

“He meant our friendship was a waste of time,” Applejack explained bitterly.

Rarity nodded. “I gathered. I wish I could say you were the only pony with such a tale but it would seem none of us quite holds a monopoly on unpleasant retaliations when expectations go awry.”

With anger and hurt competing behind her fierce eyes, Applejack answered, “What I know is you’ve said a lot of things tonight I hope to Celestia you don’t mean. You leave now before I have to make you, I might not even hold ‘em against you tomorrow.”

Sound Stage looked at the door, then back at Applejack as if considering his options. “Fine. Tell your fillies I said hi.” With those parting words, he turned towards the door.

At the word “fillies”, Applejack felt a pang of hurt tinged with guilt strike her heart. She stepped forward, calling after her friend, “Hey, Sound Stage? You’re my best friend. You know that, right?”

“Whatever,” he grumbled as he loped out into the cold night air.

As soon as Sound Stage was gone, Applejack sat down hard. She looked down at the hay where she had lain and wondered what was wrong with her. How had everything--

Rarity interjected, “I’m going to cut you off there because we actually talked about this later. The point is, under no definition of romance does that disaster of an encounter qualify as having dated somepony. Ergo, Sound Stage is not the trend killer you’re attempting to use him as. May we now talk about why you consistently chase after ponies from an upper-class background and then turn around and dump them at the first opportunity?”

Applejack jerked up at the accusation. “I do not ‘dump them at the first opportunity’!”

Rarity sighed. “You’re right, I apologize. That was a harsh choice of words.”

Applejack looked at the fireplace. The fire was beginning to burn dim. The flames no longer leapt from the wood; only smoldering cinders now lit the room. “I’m gonna get more wood. I think I might have seen a few teabags over in Spike’s cubby, if you want to grab those.”

Rarity frowned. “I would be delighted, but don’t think you’re off the hook for answering the question.”

Applejack stood up, taking a look around the dark library. She stepped over to the table and cast her eyes under it, but even squinting in the dark, she was sure she could see no wood under it. She traipsed over by the stairs, eyes scanning between the bookshelves but finding nothing but paper.

“Having trouble?” Rarity asked. “I should imagine you know every inch of this library by now.”

“Twilight usually magics up the fire,” Applejack confessed. “You ever try to keep track of where a unicorn’s pluckin’ things from?”

Rarity narrowed her eyes. “No,” she answered snidely. “I confess, it has forever been a mystery to me.”

Applejack shot her eyes upstairs into the pitch black bedchamber. “I hope she don’t keep it up there.”

“Here, let me help,” Rarity offered. She closed her eyes and within a few seconds, a brilliant white light began to beam from her horn, lighting up the room.

“Huh. Y’know, I forget you can do that spell too,” Applejack admitted.

“It’s true, I am no Twilight Sparkle when it comes to magic but I can handle a basic lighting spell.”

With the light from Rarity’s horn illuminating the library, Applejack resumed her search in the main chamber. She shot a brief glance up at the bookshelves and joked, “Heh, speakin’ of, we might not need the lumber. Which books do you think Twilight considers least important?”

Rarity rolled her eyes as she levitated the teapot from Spike’s kitchen cubby. “I’m fairly certain she would consider that question a dealbreaker were you not already separated.”

Applejack laughed. “You’re darn tootin’, she would.” Applejack hesitated, shooting a glance up at the blacked out bedroom. “You think she’s doin’ okay?”

Bluntly, Rarity answered, “Well, you broke her heart into a million pieces while all of her friends betrayed her. So, no. She is not doing okay. If she were okay, she would be right here with us and we would all be eating marshmallows and gossiping.”

“You’d be gossiping.”

“Granted, but I’d still have you at marshmallows.”

Applejack nodded her head, conceding that point. “I do love me a good s’more.” She sighed, drifting back towards the fireplace. “I feel helpless, Rarity. Twilight’s out there and she’s hurtin’ somethin’ fierce ‘cause of what I did.”

Rarity reached out a hoof and placed it gently on Applejack’s shoulder. “I know. Believe me, I feel the same way. But she’s with Princess Celestia now. There’s no better place to be. We must have faith in the princess; surely, she would know better than anypony how to take care of her most treasured student.”

The room was lit by an assortment of bright and colorful lights, flashing on and off in rhythm. The sound of a deep, pounding bass turned up to deafening volumes filled the air, coaxed through giant speakers by DJ PON-3. Twilight was sure there was supposed to be some music in there somewhere, but she was too busy staving off panic impulses to try and make sense of it.

Out in the center of the room was a large stage with a variety of mares and stallions gyrating under the noise. The flashing lights made it impossible for Twilight to recognize any of them or even fix her eyes to any one pony for long. Against the far wall was a bar that seemed to be swarming with ponies.

“WHY ARE WE HERE?!” Twilight shouted over the pulsing music.

Beside her, Princess Celestia gave her best smile and answered, “We’re helping you get over Applejack.” Twilight had no idea how Celestia managed to speak so calmly and yet so audibly against the roaring noise.

“HOW?!”

“Why, it’s called a rebound. Trust me, you’ll love it.” She descended the small staircase leading into the club and started towards the bar.

“WHAT?!”

With Twilight chasing after her, Princess Celestia began to look over the crowd of ponies. “Now, you prefer mares so that’s going to make this a bit more challenging--”

“I DO NOT ‘PREFER MARES’!!!” Twilight shouted. Every time she had to make that correction, she found herself becoming more and more agitated.

“Oooo,” the princess trilled. “There’s a mare with a blonde mane over by the bar that looks to be around your age. You like blondes, right? Would you like to give it a try?”

“I’M GOING BACK TO THE CASTLE!!!”

Finally, behind the stairs, Applejack discovered a small closet holding the library’s stock of lumber. Lifting three logs with one of her forelegs, she stumbled back towards the fireplace and laid them out. Rarity dimmed her lighting spell and floated the teapot as well as a teabag she’d scavenged.

As Applejack set the first log into the fireplace, Rarity asked, “So. You’ve had ample time to consider. Upper class ponies. Why?”

Applejack sighed. She watched the embers start to take root in the log. “I ever tell you the story of how I got my Cutie Mark?”

“Sonic rainboom,” Rarity answered. “That’s how we all got ours. We’ve talked about this.”

“Right, but before that I was tryin’ to make my life in the big city of Manehattan.” Applejack sat down on her haunches, still watching the fire try to catch. She leaned in and blew on the log, helping the fire to spread. “I always thought there was somethin’ romantic about the city. It was a marvel of a life and it tickled my fancy since I was a foal.”

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “I’m surprised, Applejack. I can’t for the life of me imagine you living in the city.”

“It was a dream,” Applejack confessed. “I gave it a shot and it was like a summer monsoon with no hill to climb, let me tell you. Downright hated the reality of it, but I guess some part of me never quite fell out of love with the fancy. I reckon some part of me’s always been yearnin’ for that, waitin’ for some sophisticated city mare to come sweep me off my hooves.”

With the fire settling, Rarity stepped forward and set the teapot in place. “Have you ever considered that perhaps Manehattan was simply the wrong city for you? Each part of Equestria has its own culture. What’s considered the height of couture in Manehattan can easily be passé in Whinneapolis or Las Pegasus.”

Applejack shook her head. “Nah, I got my roots here at Sweet Apple Acres and I couldn’t be happier. City livin’ just ain’t the life I want. I just…I reckon what I’m lookin’ for is….”

Rarity sat down, looking Applejack in the eyes. “You want a little piece of the city to come to you. The best parts, the parts that represent the dreams you had when you were a filly, without all the expectations that come with it.”

Applejack nodded. “That might be it.”

“I think I’m beginning to understand,” Rarity admitted. “Although honestly, I’m a little surprised that after all the years we’ve known each other, you’ve never been interested in me. Not that I would want you to be, of course, but I admit to a feeling of dejection at having apparently never been sophisticated enough for your refined palette.”

“Eheh,” Applejack chuckled, glancing away. “About that….”

“She sure is somethin’, ain’t she?” Applejack asked Crystal. The two fillies sat in the grass just outside the schoolhouse, eyes fixed on Rarity. Forty feet away, she pranced forward in front of a crowd of ponies, showing off her new dress.

“Yeah,” Crystal agreed. “That’s pretty much the consensus. Everypony loves Rarity.”

Applejack watched Rarity throw her mane over shoulder and flick her tail, twirling the skirt of her dress. “There’s a grace about her. Like a…like a fancy…two-hooved….”

“Words letting you down?” Crystal asked wryly.

“Just an off day,” Applejack assured her.

“I’m sure. What’s that you’ve got there?” Crystal pointed with a hoof at a small metal contraption sitting at the base of Applejack’s hooves. It looked like a birdcage but with nearly all of the bars removed. Three metal bases arranged in a vertical column. The third base was broken on two sides and appeared lopsided in its place and the structural wire on one side was bent nearly in half, causing the column to double over.

“Huh?” Applejack asked, snapping out of her funk. “Oh, I found this while I was out the other day. It’s a display carousel. You put pies and pastries on it. I know that bit about caterin’ your shop is just a bit of white lyin’ we’re tellin’ your mama, but when I saw this, I thought it might be somethin’ I could give you to lend a hoof.”

Crystal raised an eyebrow. “What would I do with a broken display for pastries?”

“It’s a fixer-upper,” Applejack explained. “I’m gonna knock the bases out and bend the wire back in, then add a few more wires crosswise and maybe dangle some hooks from it.”

“…okay?”

“It’s for your doodads. Your necklaces and rings and stuff. Rarity’s a unicorn so I don’t think she gets how easy she’s got it when it comes to transport, but you’re an earth pony like me. You don’t get to just float a case or rack wherever you go, but you put all your pretty fixin’s on here and you can lift it.” She demonstrated by biting down on a small ring at the top of the carousel and lifting her head, raising it with her.

Applejack set the broken carousel back on the ground, where it promptly fell over. “Like I said, it needs work, but this’ll let you cart your goods around with you wherever you go.”

Crystal nodded her head, looking over the broken possession. “Okay, I think I’m starting to see it.” She looked up at her friend’s face and smiled. “Thank you, Applejack. I’m sure I’ll love it once it’s finished.”

“I’m sure you will,” Applejack answered her, returning her smile. “Just give me a couple days to--oh! There’s my friends. I gotta go. Watch the carousel?” She scooted the device over to Crystal, who nodded in agreement.

Applejack cantered across the courtyard to catch up to her peers. “Mornin’, y’all!” she greeted them cheerily. Sound Stage was the first to acknowledge her arrival, but there was something cold in his eyes as he watched her approach.

Three Point followed his gaze. She said quickly to the others, “I’ll handle this,” then split off to intercept Applejack. The three colts kept walking, refusing to so much as look at Applejack.

“What’s goin’--”

“You have a lot of nerve,” Three Point growled at Applejack.

“I do?” Applejack stared confused at the rage burning in Three Point’s eyes. She’d never seen any of her group so upset before and certainly not with her.

“Sound Stage told us everything. You know, just because you have your thing for fillies doesn’t give you the right to play with a nice colt’s heart like that.”

Applejack took Three Point’s words like a slap in the face. She didn’t know what to say. “Beg pardon?” she stammered out as her mind wrestled with what her ears had just heard.

“You heard me,” Three Point replied. “What gives you the right to lead him on like that?”

“I did not--”

“Whatever. Why don’t you just go play with your fillies. Sound Stage is going to be busy with his real friends for a while.” With that, Three Point turned and cantered off to catch up to the rest of the group, leaving a dumbstruck Applejack to try and make sense of what had just transpired.

“She actually blamed you for what happened?” Rarity asked.

“I told you that already,” Applejack replied.

“Yes, but I never got the full story. I was under the impression that you and Sound Stage just had some manner of falling out. To actually hold it against you that you didn’t--”

“I know. You don’t have to tell me.” Applejack sighed. “It all started as a harmless joke the group was havin’ at my expense. Just a bit of fun, didn’t mean nothin’. But it must have meant somethin’ to him, ‘cause after that day, they got a lot more mean about it.”

“That’s why you started spending more time with us?”

Applejack nodded. “Y’all weren’t makin’ me feel like I should be ashamed for choices I never even made.”

“About that,” Rarity inquired. “I’ve never been quite clear on all that nonsense. Were they angry with you for liking mares or for rejecting Sound Stage?”

“Both, I reckon.” Applejack nudged her cup closer to Rarity, who levitated the teapot and filled it for her. “The whole filly thing started as a joke, I thought. My friends were just horsin’ around. No harm in it. But after what happened with Sound Stage, it turned right cruel. Don’t know if they actually believed it or not, but them sayin’ it cut deep enough.”

“Is it that bad?” Crystal asked. She sat at a bench in the park as Applejack paced back and forth.

“No, it’s worse!” Applejack shouted. “They’re telling everypony I like fillies!”

Crystal traced a hoof around the wood grain of the table. Tentatively, she asked, “…do you?”

Applejack stopped pacing and turned on her in an instant. “Of course, I don’t! What kind of question is that?!”

Crystal grimaced and quickly lowered her head. “I’m sorry,” she answered quickly. “I just thought that maybe--”

“Nothin’ doin’,” Applejack replied, shaking her head. Her body convulsed, as though the mere suggestion had caused a full body shudder. “Look, I ain’t gonna be one to judge nopony for how they want to live their life. They want to throw their lives away chasin’ the wrong kind of pony, that’s up to them. But I got an obligation and a responsibility to my family to uphold; I can’t go off chasin’ after some froo-froo nonsense.”

“Oh,” Crystal replied, her eyes cast down towards the table she was seated at.

“No, what I’m gonna do is I’m gonna find me a good, strong stallion worthy of the Apple name, I’m gonna marry him, and we’re gonna raise our bushel of foals like a proper pony does. That’s what it means to be an Apple.”

“Irony, thy name is--”

Applejack abruptly cut Rarity off. “I’d appreciate if you don’t make fun of this.”

The humor dropped from Rarity’s face instantly. Sincerely, she responded, “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it was still a sensitive matter for you.”

Applejack took a deep breath. “Look, comin’ to terms with what I am, that’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. You don’t know what it feels like, knowin’ you carry the whole family legacy on your back and you ain’t never gonna give nothin’ back. I’m a dead branch, Rarity. Ain’t no fruit’s ever gonna fall from my leaves.”

“That’s not entirely true,” Rarity offered in consolation. “I mean, there are some ways, surely….”

“Ain’t none I’m ever gonna like.”

Rarity reached out a comforting hoof and placed it on top of Applejack’s. “I’m sorry. I never realized you felt this way. You certainly do nothing to show it.”

“There’s a lot I don’t show,” Applejack answered gruffly.

“Does your family know? I mean, your grandmother and siblings must, of course, but--”

“Nopony outside them, no.” Applejack sighed. “I know I’m gonna have to tell ‘em one of these days, but I always thought I could wait until I had somepony I was sure on. I thought it might go over easier if I can introduce them to somepony they’re sure to love just as much as I do.”

“I see.” Rarity closed her eyes, mulling over the hardest question she’d yet to ask tonight. She knew that if she said it wrong, she might risk shattering the emotionally honest moment they were having. She’d spent so long trying to get Twilight out of her shell; it was only now she could see that the Applejack she knew was shut just as tightly in one of her own.

Bracing herself for the potential response, Rarity chose her phrasing and spoke. “Do you resent Twilight for loving you?”

Applejack was on her hooves in a second. “Of course, I don’t! What kind of question is that?!”

“But you do resent yourself for loving her.”

“I….” Applejack had no answer to that. The words cut deep into parts of her she’d spent years trying to bury. How quick had she been to cut and run since Twilight had come along? How many times had she considered breaking it off? How many times had she found herself staring at the escape hatch, wondering if her problems were simply unsolvable? Or worse, when there was no problem at all; only the overbearing knowledge that Twilight was getting closer and closer to those places she kept so tightly locked inside.

“Truth be told,” Applejack started slowly. “Twilight scares me more than I’ve ever been in my life. You ever hear the story of the pony with the fake wings who flew too close to the sun?”

Rarity laughed. “Darling, I’ve been that pony.”

“Oh, right. Well, Twilight read that to me once, and it’s as good an explanation as any. When I’m with her, it feels like the stars themselves have come right to me. They’re just more beautiful and amazin’ the closer that they come, but I can’t help wonderin’ when it’s gonna be too much. I’m caught up in their grace, but I’m also waitin’ for my wings to melt. Ain’t no pony gets to fly so close for so long as I have.”

“You were with her for quite a long time,” Rarity acknowledged. “At least by your standards.”

With a hint of bitterness, Applejack asked, “You lose your bid on the bettin’ pool?”

Rarity lowered her head, a touch of shame crossing her face. “You knew about that?”

“Town likes to gossip.”

Rarity nodded. “I certainly can’t argue with that. But you should know, I never bid. Not on Twilight. It just seemed heartless. Not that it matters, I suppose; she still feels betrayed all the same because I never warned her about you.”

Outside the library, a bolt of lightning split the sky, briefly lighting up the town through the window. The rain poured as hard as it ever had. Applejack blinked in the dim light of the room; the fire had returned to smoldering once more. She looked down at the tea kettle; she and Rarity had emptied it some time ago.

“Look,” the farmy pony said. “It’s getting late and I don’t think the storm’s lettin’ up. This looks like a good spot to take a break.”

Rarity nodded. “I believe you’re right. We should consider finding sleeping spaces for tonight.”

“Here, let me show you were Twilight kept the guest bed.”

After snuffing out the fire, Applejack and Rarity climbed to the bedroom under the light of the unicorn’s horn. Applejack rolled out the spare mattress from their slumber party so many moons ago. She and Rarity laid it out on the second floor, just under Twilight’s bed alcove.

“This will do for me,” Rarity said, stepping up onto the mattress. “You should take the bed upstairs.”

Applejack looked nervously to the stairs leading up to the bedroom. Twilight’s absence was palpable even in the dark; there was a coldness that seemed to emanate from every corner of the room. “Are you sure?” she asked carefully.

Rarity nodded. “Of course. I could never dream of taking it. Much like our conversation tonight, that bed is full of memories. However, these ones aren’t mine to share.”

Applejack closed her eyes and nodded. When she opened them, she could see Rarity still standing in front of her, watching her with eyes full of concern for a dear friend. Applejack reached out a hoof, holding it in front of her. Rarity seemed initially put off by the gesture but, with a grimace and a shaky hoof, reached out and tapped Applejack’s hoof with her own.

“Thanks, Rares,” Applejack said.

“Do not thank me yet,” Rarity answered. “We still have more to discuss.” She let out a yawn, then started picking through the blankets and pillow she’d pulled from the closet. “Goodnight, Applejack.”

“Goodnight.” Applejack climbed the stairs to the bed she’d shared so many times with Twilight. Even in the dark, she knew every step. She climbed into the sheets and the bed, so many times too small for the two of them, now felt a size too large for her to bear. In her eyes, Twilight’s phantom began to play across the black void of the room. She lay in Applejack’s hooves, her head pressed against her side, then her back, then her chest.

When Applejack closed her eyes, Twilight was there. They were laughing over some goofy story or another. They were picnicking on their special hill together. She could hear Twilight’s voice whispering sweetly into her ear in nights long past. “Your cardiovascular system must be very well developed in order to sustain your prominent musculature,” she would say in what Applejack assumed was supposed to be a compliment.

The bed even smelled like Twilight. Every sense she had was assaulted by the wraith of what might have been as Applejack drifted away into a night that no longer belonged to her. In the dark, when she was sure Rarity must be asleep down below, Applejack put her pillow over her head to muffle the sound and for the second night in a row, she cried.

5 - Identity

By the following morning, the rains had calmed enough that Applejack and Rarity could go their separate ways. Applejack returned to the farm with much resting on her mind. Talking to Rarity had stirred up a lot of old questions and left her with a few new ones as well. She hadn’t thought much about Crystal in the intervening years. She had an occasional stray wonder to where she was and how she was doing now, but those were fleeting and far between.

The reality was that Crystal Chalice was ancient history. She’d moved on with her life. They both had, her and Rarity. She’d moved on from the others as well. She’d moved on from Octavia, from Serendipity, from some she couldn’t even remember the names of anymore. In time, she would surely move on from Twilight as well.

But did she want to? That was the question still weighing on her mind. Walking away had never been this hard before. She knew she’d done the right thing; she was sure of it. She always was, because it was always the right choice. But something nagged at her this time, something she couldn’t quite explain as she returned to her hard but comfortable life.

Worse, Twilight had left. From the sounds of it, she’d gone for good. Applejack still couldn’t get over that. She’d worried that this day would come many times since they’d been together, but the idea that Twilight would actually leave Ponyville had never even crossed her mind. That part still seemed unreal, even though she’d spent the last night in the hollow shell of what was once Twilight’s home.

Even still, however, there was a part of her mind that wondered if perhaps this was what was meant to happen. Twilight was an Alicorn Princess now and would surely be needed to join her fellow Princesses. Her time in Ponyville would have come to its end eventually. This farewell couldn’t have been stopped, only postponed temporarily.

She was right. She had to be right, just as she’d been each time before. So why did she feel so wrong?

As she approached the front door, she saw Granny Smith rocking in her chair by the front door. The eaves kept the dripping rain from hitting her. Her eyes watched the gates like a hawk, then fixed on Applejack as she stepped through. “Well, look what the cat dragged in,” she remarked.

“Good mornin’, Granny,” Applejack greeted the family matriarch. “I’m sorry I didn’t come home last night. I got caught out in the storm and had to bunker down.”

“You bet your cutie mark you’re sorry!” Granny shouted at her. “Your little sister was worried half to death about you.”

Applejack perked up. “She was?”

“Course she was. Don’t mean she ain’t still mad, though.” Applejack drooped at that news. “Now get on inside and if you’re lucky, maybe there’ll still be some breakfast for you.”

“Yes, Granny.” Applejack started for the door, but as she reached out with her teeth for the handle, she hesitated. She stopped and looked back at Granny Smith. “Hey, Granny? Do you think Mama would have liked Twilight?”

“Mm?” Granny looked up from her rocking. “How should I know? Don’t see that it rightly matters now, anyhow.”

Applejack nodded. “You’re right. Just somethin’ on my mind is all.”

Applejack moved to open the door again, but this time it was Granny Smith that cut her off. “Applejack? Your mama loved you and your kin more than anythin’ in Equestria. She gave up more than you could know to be here.”

Applejack closed her eyes. She took a deep breath, pushing down old hurts. “I know, Granny.”

“I don’t reckon I know what she’d think of Twilight, but she’d want you to be happy, no matter what.”

Applejack nodded. “Thanks, Granny.” With that, she swallowed the pain in her heart and went inside.

A light knock on the guest chamber door was followed shortly after by the door sliding open. Princess Celestia almost seemed to glide as she strode inside, a warm smile emblazoned across her face. “Good morning, Twilight,” she said with charm and poise, as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened the previous night.

Twilight lay catatonic on her bed. The possessions she’d brought with her from Ponyville sat disorganized in boxes around the room. More alarmingly, the boxes themselves lay almost haphazardly in their positioning; nowhere near the neatly stacked and carefully organized fashion Celestia had come to expect from her student.

Spike stood along Twilight’s bedside, his face large with fear. “She hasn’t moved,” he explained to Celestia. “After you got back, she came in, climbed into bed, and dropped. I don’t think she’s asleep. She won’t talk at all.”

“Well, that won’t do,” Celestia said. She stepped forward beside Twilight’s bead and looked down at her, still in place, eyes staring distantly at the far wall. “Come now,” she said. “You must have had some fun last night. At least a little?”

That got her. Twilight looked up at Celestia, asking, “How could I?”

Aside, Spike muttered, “Well, she’s not talking to me, anyway.”

Celestia sat down beside the bed, looking down at the newly crowned princess. “Come now, you seemed to enjoy yourself when you were dancing.”

“No, I wasn’t,” Twilight insisted. “That was horrible! I felt like…like merchandise on display. Why would you do that to me?”

“I was trying to give you that push you needed to get back out there.”

“You left me!” Twilight sobbed. Recognizing the accusatory tone in her voice, she made a mental effort to lower her tone. Even as frustrated as she was, she knew the princess had to have her reasons. “I’m sorry,” she said.

“Don’t apologize. I left because I thought it would be best. Surely, you didn’t want me looking over your shoulder while you were trying to….” She smiled and jerked her eyes sideways, gesturing at the pillow on the bed. “I imagine that wouldn’t have been comfortable for either of us.”

“I wasn’t trying anything,” Twilight insisted. “Applejack just broke up with me yesterday! Early morning, but still yesterday. I’m not ready to…I can’t even imagine trying to….”

Celestia reached her hoof up and laid it gently on Twilight’s neck. “That’s the point of the rebound. It’s supposed to…hold on a second….” A warm glow emerged from her horn and she closed her eyes. After several seconds, a small red book floated into the room. It levitated before Celestia and opened, pages turning rapidly until she found her spot. Celestia narrated, “Having a chance to experience affection from a new source will help you to overcome the emotional anchor tying you to your first love. It is an important step towards breaking the emotional chain conflating your desire for affection with your feelings towards that specific pony.”

“You got that out of a book?” Twilight asked. At once, she felt terribly hurt and betrayed by this. Books had always comforted and nurtured her. They’d been there for her when nopony else was. They were her friends and confidantes. How could they do this to her?

Closing the book and setting it on Twilight’s bedside table, Celestia answered, “Of course, I did. It was the perfect thing to do for your situation. Any friend would have done the same.”

“What? No, they wouldn’t,” Twilight replied.

“Don’t be silly.” Celestia raised her chin. “Of course they would. They would want to heal your broken heart and that’s how they’d do it.”

“No, it’s not,” Twilight insisted. She felt herself getting louded again, but the pain in her heart was throbbing too much to control. With tears in her eyes, she said, “Rarity stayed up with me all night when she found out what had happened. She gave me ice cream. She listened. This was…this was just noise and distractions. It was like you didn’t care at all. She….”

Celestia jerked up suddenly. “Ice cream? What a wonderful idea. I’ll be right back.”

As Celestia cantered out of the room, Twilight stared at her pillow. Her mind drifted across the various hurts and humiliations she’d suffered over the last day. She could scarcely believe so much could go so wrong so fast. She stretched out one of her wings and looked at it. It was an adjustment to be sure, but it also represented a great change in her life. It terrified and fascinated her all at once.

This should have been a momentous development in her life and all of her friends should have been excited to share it with her. Folding it back down to her side, she wondered how so much devastation could come from something so majestic.

It wasn’t long before Princess Celestia returned, setting two cartons of ice cream, one strawberry and one chocolate, down on the bed. She took a seat at the bedside again. The warmth in her eyes made it difficult for Twilight to remain angry at her, but she wanted to be. Of all the stings and betrayals she’d suffered over the last day, Princess Celestia’s had hurt the worst. It was like she barely even knew her.

“Okay, I got the ice cream,” Celestia said. There was a strange eagerness to her voice, like a student learning how to perform a new task for the first time. “Now, if I were Rarity, what would I do next?”

Twilight looked back down at the pillow. “It doesn’t matter. Rarity wasn’t a real friend anyway.”

Celestia blinked. “Then why did you bring her up?”

“I don’t know.”

Celestia nodded. She watched Twilight for a few seconds. Sullen, stubborn, and utterly devastated. Cheerfully, she asked, “Why don’t we try it, at least? Maybe not Rarity. What would Pinkie Pie do?”

Despite herself, Twilight chuckled. “Pinkie would go overboard trying to cheer me up. She’d have cake and party balloons before I could even say anything.”

“Cake and party balloons. Let me see what we have.” The princess was off again before Twilight could say anything more.

Quizzically, Twilight watched her mentor go. She couldn’t shake the feeling in the back of her mind that there was some kind of meaning to this strange behavior the princess was displaying, but its intent faded into the quagmire of emotional exhaustion. She laid her head back down on the pillow and resigned herself to wait for Celestia’s return.

Rarity returned to her boutique to work on her latest order, but thoughts of Applejack, Crystal, and Twilight wouldn’t leave her mind. The feelings she’d spent years trying to bury had been ignited by last night’s conversation. It weighed on both her mind and her heart.

After three hours, she stopped to look at the pattern she’d been drawing up. There was something missing from it. The design was passable, certainly, but that spark of passion was missing. It looked like something she could draft in her sleep. The lines were cold and mechanical. The colors were passably chosen but nothing popped. This design before her was quite possibly the most mundane, serviceable, and entirely mediocre thing she’d ever made.

The pattern offended her with its prosaic acceptability. In an instant, she took a pair of scissors to her sketch, destroying it before anypony could bear witness to this tragic display of intolerable tolerability.

With a sigh, Rarity slumped at her desk. This wasn’t working. She’d tried to bury herself in work to get her mind off Twilight and Applejack but it only resulted in dragging her work down with it. She needed to see Applejack again.

Before she left, however, she remembered something important. Something Applejack had entrusted to her, something she’d completed her work with and had meant to return before all of this transpired. In a small box on her shelf sat the gold-chained broach and its three emerald apples, still as beautiful as it was when she’d been trusted to hold onto it.

With the precious heirloom tucked into her saddlebag, Rarity set out for Sweet Apple Acres. The sun approached its zenith as she trotted that old familiar road once again. When she came upon her friend, she said simply, “We need to talk.”

Applejack looked knowingly over the fence at Rarity. Without hesitation, she nodded. “You’re darn tootin’, we do. I got chores to finish up here but I’ll meet you in the barn when I’m finished.”

Years before, Rarity sat in her bedroom with her friend Crystal Chalice. A white vanity sat along one wall. The mirror was curved at the top with a trio of pink hearts following the angle. Her bed was covered in a red comforter patterned by pink clovers, each composed of four hearts conjoined at the bottom.

Three mannequins stood beside the door. Two were clad in very rough shrouds; the barebones of ideas yet to be realized. Next to them was a cabinet holding several bolts of colored fabric, each in its own slot. Rarity had a system to the color organization, although it was certainly a mystery to any with a deal of sense--

“There was nothing wrong with my system,” Rarity retorted bitterly. “It was color-coordinated by modern trends of association.”

“It looked like the place where rainbows go to die,” Applejack joked, sitting on a hay bale. She’d offered Rarity a place to sit, but the unicorn had simply grimaced and opted to stand instead.

“Oh, please. You wouldn’t know pattern synergy if it bit you.” Rarity cleared her throat. “In any case, my organizing system is not the point here.”

Rarity lay on her front on her bed, levitating a red scarf from her bedside table. Crystal Chalice stood motionless in the middle of the room, dressed in a light red gown with a flowing cape. Rarity wrapped the scarf around her friend’s neck, then considered the look in front of her. “Mmm,” she muttered to herself. “I don’t know that this works with your mane.”

“Does it have to?” Crystal asked. “It’s not for me. How do the colors look on their own?”

“They work,” Rarity answered. “I feel like something’s missing, though. Let’s try a different color on the ears.” With her magic, Rarity unclipped a pair of Crystal’s sapphire earrings from her ears and returned them to a small wooden box at her friend’s hooves. She levitated an emerald pair and clipped them to Crystal instead.

“Hmm…you know, it might be easier to match the colors with one of these amulets you’ve made,” Rarity suggested.

It was not the first time she’d proposed such a thing, however, and she was already prepared for Crystal’s response. The earth pony shot a hoof to her gemstone necklace, protesting, “Not on your life!”

“It would only be for a few minutes, darling.”

“You can have it when I’m dead!”

Rarity rolled her eyes but she knew that there would be no convincing her. Crystal hadn’t taken that necklace off since the day she’d made it those years ago. “I owe you so much,” she’d once told Rarity. “You’re a good friend. And mom…she tries. But this? This is mine. It’s not you and it’s not my mom, it’s me. I made this.”

“How about this?” Rarity asked. She levitated a emerald amulet from Crystal’s chest and floated it in front of her, roughly eyeballing the way the green of the amulet and the silver of its chain interacted with the red of her gown. “I think this could work.”

“Great!” Crystal smiled. “Can I get out of this now? It’s starting to chafe.”

“Not yet. I need you to step forward. Raise a hoof like you’re waving to somepony.”

Crystal did as instructed. Rarity continued levitating the amulet, trying to cover the view of her necklace with it so she could properly study how it should move with her clothes.

“We’re close,” Rarity said. “Turn around.”

Crystal grunted in frustration and turned. “You know what I’m looking forward to? Being able to hire somepony to model so I don’t have to do this anymore.”

“We could always ask Applejack,” Rarity suggested.

Crystal laughed. “Yeah, I’m sure she’ll be thrilled. She’d tell us, ‘Boy howdy, it’s always been my life’s mighty big dream to be powerful pretty like Rarity, eeyup! It’s too bad I wouldn’t reckon a pretty design from a cricket in a frog pan picking up daisies from pigs in mud, nope nope!’”

Applejack narrowed her eyes. “I don’t talk like that and she didn’t say that.”

Rarity grinned. “I may have embellished a smidge.”

Crystal laughed. “Yeah, I’m sure she’ll be thrilled. I bet it’s always been her dream to spend the rest of her days prancing down runways.”

“You know what I’m looking forward to?” Rarity glanced out the window. “There are still so many different styles to discover. Every city has its own culture and every culture, its own idea of glamorous. I want to explore everypony’s ideas of beauty and create a style that’s unique, but incorporates them all.”

“I’m just looking forward to getting out of here,” Crystal admitted. “Going back to Manehattan would be nice, but Canterlot also sounds cool and I’ve heard some good things about Las Pegasus. Once we get Crystal Rarities off the ground, we can leave Ponyville and never look back.”

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far,” Rarity replied. “I’d love to see what else is out there in Equestria, but Ponyville will always be my home. I couldn’t imagine ever leaving for good.”

“Tell you what,” Crystal said with a wry grin. “Once we make it big, you can have the Ponyville branch all to yourself and I get Manehattan.”

“Absolutely not!” Rarity shrieked. “The sights and sounds of--”

A knock at the door interrupted her. Rarity and Crystal turned as the door slid open and the orange face of their friend poked inside. “This a bad time?”

“Applejack!” Rarity said with a grin. “What a delight to see you! We were just talking about you.”

“Sounds like trouble.” Applejack tucked her head back in behind the door, then a couple seconds later, she scooted it open and stepped inside. Gripped in her teeth was a small basket, which she proceeded to lay out on the floor in the middle of the room. Once her jaw was free, she told her friends with a grin, “I brought over some pies ‘cause I--is that one of y’all’s dresses you got there?”

Crystal blushed, tucking her head. “It’s Rarity’s. I did the earrings. Do you think it looks good?”

Applejack smiled, eyes refusing to waver from Crystal. “You look pretty as a peach,” she said, not even noticing as she took a couple steps towards Crystal.

“I did not,” Applejack protested.

“Darling, you were practically in a trance.”

“Thanks,” Crystal said. She lifted a hoof and tucked her hair back behind her ear. “We’re working on a few designs,” she said. “We’re hoping to get a little attention.”

Applejack opened her snout to say something, but she was cut off when Rarity cleared her throat. “So…pies?”

Applejack blinked a couple of times, snapping out of it. “Oh, right. I need y’all to celebrate with me.” Somberly, she added, “I don’t got a lot of friends right now.”

Rarity’s face softened. She looked at Applejack carefully, scrutinizing her, but before she could say anything, the gears clicked in Crystal’s head. “It’s Applebud, isn’t it?!”

Rarity gasped. “Was that today?!”

Applejack’s dour look turned into a grin so fast that Rarity couldn’t be sure it had ever truly been there at all. “Last night. Mama started pacing the house. M’daddy tried to get her to calm down, but she couldn’t sit still. Then she looked up and said we had to go, so we all rushed out to Ponyville General.”

“That’s wonderful, Applejack!” Rarity shouted. “We’d be delighted to celebrate with you.”

Crystal looked to Rarity. “Your sister’s supposed to be born in a couple of months too, isn’t she?”

“She is,” Rarity nodded, with a smile, still looking at Applejack. “Perhaps my sister and your brother could be playmates.”

“Yeah!” Crystal agreed. “I mean…I don’t have a sibling, but yours could totally play together.” Rarity briefly noticed the way Crystal seemed to mutter those words into herself, shrinking away a little, but thought nothing of it at the time.

“Oh!” Applejack caught herself. “I ain’t told you the best part. Gave us all a fright when the nurse came out with her. Doctor said he was just as surprised as we were, but she’s got our daddy’s eyes plain as day.”

“She?” Rarity asked. “I thought the doctor said that Applebud would be a colt.”

“Right?! Granny Smith thought there might have been some kinda mix up but mama said no, as sure as a pig loves peaches, she’s ours.”

“Wow.” Crystal blinked. “That’s crazy. So are you still calling her Applebud? I thought that was just if she was a colt. What was that other name your parents were kicking around?”

“Apple Blossom,” Rarity answered. “It was Apple Blossom.”

“Sure was,” Applejack answered. “Thing is, after callin’ her Applebud so many months, it just didn’t feel right. Mama said we should split the difference and call her Apple Bloom.”

“That’s a lovely name,” Rarity said.

“When do we get to meet her?” Crystal asked.

“Give us a few weeks to get her settled. Y’all are welcome just as soon as Mama says she’s ready for new ponies.”

“Out of curiosity,” Rarity asked, “Have you ever told Apple Bloom that she was expected to be a colt?”

“Nah.” Applejack grinned. “I’m savin’ that to embarrass her first time she brings a date home. She’ll be gettin’ about that age in a couple of years.”

“You are evil.”

Applejack laughed. “What, you tellin’ me you ain’t holdin’ onto any stories about Sweetie Belle?”

“Haha, Pirate Lord! Your blade is no match for my spinny star thing!” Sweetie Belle’s voice echoed off the walls in the Carousel Boutique, seeming to come from everywhere as she pranced about the foyer. “Your minions will not avail you!” Levitating a vaguely star-shaped lump of cardboard, she struck one of Rarity’s mannequins.

“Sweetie Belle, I am trying to focus!” Rarity shouted, turning away from her sewing machine. “I adore you, but could you please go--what in Equestria are you wearing?!”

Sweetie Belle beamed, her face concealed by a long, blue strip of fabric with two large holes. “Oh, I found this in the other room. Why didn’t you tell me you were making ninja masks?”

Rarity struggled to find words to explain this vital piece of her new summer line, Beauty and the Beach. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again, eyes fixed on Sweetie Belle’s acquisition. “I…Sweetie Belle, that’s not….”

“Not what?”

“Not…the right size. But it’s perfect for you!”

“Of course not,” Rarity answered. “I would never dream of anything so gauche.”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Course not. Wouldn’t be ladylike. What was I thinkin’.”

“So,” Rarity mused, returning to the topic. “At this point, I believe those other ponies in your grade had ceased communications with you, is that correct?”

“Oh, if only.”

“Applejack.” Applejack rolled her eyes at the familiar voice calling out to her as she stepped out of the schoolhouse. A voice once warm and compassionate, now tinged with ice. Her old friend loitered by the fence, as though she was waiting for her.

“Three Point,” Applejack replied just as icily.

Three Point crossed the path towards Applejack, fixing a steely gaze on her. “How’s your special somefilly? You picked which one you want yet?” Three Point passed Applejack and began to circle around her.

Applejack turned to look at her as she moved. “Why, you interested?”

To Applejack’s enjoyment, Three Point stopped in her tracks for a second. Then an angry scowl spread across her face. She growled, “I wanted to inform you that Sound Stage has moved on to greener pastures, so don’t even think about trying to crawl back now.”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “So, what, he sent you to threaten me? Don’t you ever get tired of bein’ his attack pony?”

“Sound Stage doesn’t know I’m here,” Three Point clarified. “Think of this as friendly advice. Stay away from him.”

Applejack sighed. “Same question, then. Don’t you get tired of kissin’ his--”

“Applejack!” The strict voice of Mr. Sketch called out from behind her, causing her to jump. As he strode forward, his gaze turned to Three Point. “Young lady, I believe you have practice to get to.”

Three Point nodded quickly. “Uh, yeah, I was just on my way.” She gave one last, quick glare to Applejack and then cantered off.

Mr. Sketch turned to Applejack. “Inform your parents that I need to speak with them when they have the chance. Tomorrow would be best.”

Spikes of dread jabbed into Applejack’s sides. “Uh, did I do somethin’ wrong? I know some ponies have been jawin’ but--”

“Applejack, nopony can control the fevered delusions of others. Though it is unfortunate that the communal imagination appears to have fixated quite so strongly on you, it is hardly a matter of my concern.”

“Yes, it is your concern, you conceited jackal!” Rarity’s scream echoed in the barn. “If fillies are picking on each other, that is supposed to be your concern!” Applejack responded to Rarity’s outrage with laughter, prompting a look of equal parts concern and outrage. “What?!”

Applejack’s chuckle turned into a broad smile. “I don’t know. I like to think messin’ with Three Point helped me develop a thicker hide. Lot of ponies out there need to learn how to let the little things slide off their back. I don’t let it get to me, ‘cause I know words are just words.”

“That is a lovely if mildly condescending notion,” Rarity said flatly. “However, the responsibility of a teacher is not to ‘let words be words’. Cheerilee would never allow such a thing. She’d be taking disciplinary action against them, not whatever he was attempting to stick against you.”

“Yeah, I spent the next day in a fit of panic over that.”

“Thank you for coming in, Mr. and Mrs. Apple.” Mr. Sketch sat behind a low desk in a sparsely-decorated office. A single window occupied the wall to his left. The curtains sat open, allowing the afternoon sun to radiate within the room. A cabinet stood beside the window, holding an assortment of books but no personal effects.

Bright Mac and Buttercup flanked their daughter, who sat across from her teacher. Her pigtails quivered with her nerves, but were swiftly stilled when her father placed a single hoof against her back, just under the base of her neck. Applejack’s breathing calmed and the tension in her muscles started to relax.

“What’s this about?” Buttercup asked.

Mr. Sketch cleared his throat. “I wanted to speak with you both about Applejack’s grades. How much help is she receiving at home?”

“We all try to help her where we can,” Bright Mac insisted.

Lowering her eyes, Buttercup sheepishly admitted, “Workin’ a farm’s a lot of work, though, and we just had a new foal join our family. We could probably stand to spare another hour or two for her than we manage.”

Applejack spoke up urgently, stepping forward and putting a hoof up on Mr. Sketch’s desk. “I spend hours on my homework every night. There’s a lot don’t make sense, but I try to read it again and again ‘til it clicks. I’m tryin’ real hard, Mr. Sketch.”

Mr. Sketch held up a hoof. “I think you all misunderstand. Applejack’s grades are phenomenal. Her test scores easily outstrip most of the other students in her class. Her homework rarely has a mistake, which is somewhat alarming given her rural disposition.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Bright Mac asked.

Mr. Sketch waved off his concerns. “I mean it in the best possible way, I assure you. The point is, Applejack’s performance is exceptional.”

Buttercup gave Applejack a warm smile, asking, “Our daughter’s a prodigy?”

“I considered that, but no. She doesn’t seem any quicker than the other students in class and, by her own admission, she spends hours on her work. Instead, I would propose that whatever you’re doing at home, it’s working quite well.”

Bright Mac rubbed his hoof across Applejack’s shoulders. “Strong work ethic and dedication to what she’s doin’, is what. That’s our filly.” Applejack blushed as a proud grin began to creep across her face.

“You should both be very proud. That’s the reason I wanted to speak to you today. If she continues like this, Applejack may be eligible for early graduation in one or two years. I know it seems early, but you should start thinking about institutes of higher learning. With grades like hers, Applejack could have her pick of any university in Equestria.”

Bright Mac gasped. Looking down at his filly, he said with a grin, “Y’hear that, Applejack? You could be the first Apple to attend university!”

Excitedly, Buttercup said, “We’ll talk it over. Is there anything else?”

“No, you are free to go.”

“I’m so proud of you,” Buttercup assured her daughter as the family descended the hill outside the schoolhouse.

“I try real hard,” Applejack said again, unable to mask the self-satisfaction in her voice. “You think we could--” She stopped suddenly, looking across the schoolyard. Just outside the fence by the main road stood Crystal Chalice, wearing the same red dress Applejack had seen her in when she’d told her friends about Apple Bloom.

Applejack’s eyes devoured the dress. It clung tightly to Crystal’s forelegs with the skirt coming down to just above her hooves. Gold shoes accented in the front with rubies decorated Crystal’s hooves while her ears were clipped with emerald rings. At her hooves sat the carousel Applejack had repaired for her; an assortment of earrings, broaches, horn rings, and wing clips hung from its layers of hooks.

She seemed to be speaking to a pair of fillies. As Applejack watched, Crystal laughed cheerfully, then gave the two a wave as they began to depart. She gently picked up the carousel in her teeth. There was a spring in her step as she started walking the other direction.

“We could what?” Buttercup asked. “Cat got your tongue?”

Applejack shook her head. “Weren’t nothin’. Could I maybe have a moment?”

“Go on,” Bright Mac said, giving Applejack a playful shove. “You’ll give us time to plan a special supper for our special filly.”

Applejack smiled back at her parents, then trotted down the path to meet Crystal. “Hey!” she called out.

Crystal stopped, turning to look at her. As soon as she saw Applejack, warmth spread across her face. She set down the carousel and greeted her friend. “Applejack!” she said with a cheer. “It’s nice to see you.”

“You’re wearin’ that dress again?” Applejack asked.

Crystal reached a hoof up, fiddling with her necklace. “We’re advertising. Rarity’s wearing another one of our designs. We’re going around talking up ponies who look like they could use a pretty dress or three.”

“Gotcha,” Applejack replied. “Well, it looks good on ya.”

“Thanks,” Crystal said with a blush. “It feels a little weird, though. I want ponies to be looking at the outfit, but I can’t help but feel like they’re judging me too. Like, hello, I’m not the product. Look at these shoes!” She held out her foreleg and wiggled her hoof.

“They’re shiny,” Applejack offered in response.

“Yes! Super shiny! I spent a whole day in shop class trying to make these. Do you know how hard it is to form gold into shapes like this?!”

Applejack blinked. “Uh…that tough, huh?”

Crystal glared at her shoe. “No, actually, it’s super easy compared to some of the other materials I’ve had to work with, but that’s not the point! I’m trying to show off my dress and my shoes and these earrings, and so far, I’ve gotten a lot of ponies looking at my mane. There’s nothing in my mane!”

“Maybe that’s why,” Applejack suggested. “You’re gussied up all nice but your mane looks like an average Friday.”

“Well, what am I supposed to do with it?! Wrap it with a silver string of emeralds to contrast the pink and create an elegant pattern web that….” Crystal drifted off for a few seconds. Then she snapped back to the present. “That’s a brilliant idea. Applejack, you’re a genius!”

“No, I ain’t,” Applejack said with a grin. “I just put in the effort.”

“I’ll talk to Rarity about this idea. Thank you!” Crystal leaned in and wrapped a foreleg around Applejack’s neck, embracing her. In an instant, Applejack felt the blood in her body rushing through her. There was a static feeling to Crystal’s embrace that she hadn’t felt before. She put a hoof out and pulled it tight around Crystal, sinking into the strange sensation.

The moment seemed to last forever, and yet it was over too quickly. Crystal squirmed in Applejack’s embrace. “You, uh, you gonna let me go any time soon?”

“Huh? What?” Applejack’s eyes fluttered open. She didn’t even remember closing them. “Yeah, I…beg pardon.” She released Crystal and took a few steps back. She was amazed by the way that even after releasing her friend, the feel of her touch seemed to linger on her leg and chest. There was a phantom prickle that followed her, like the shadow of her embrace clinging still to her.

“It’s okay,” Crystal said with a laugh. “Trust me, I didn’t mind.” She shuffled her hoof awkwardly on the ground. “I should probably get going.”

“Yeah, you—no!” Applejack shouted suddenly.

“No?”

“No, I just…m’daddy said we’re havin’ a special supper for me and I was wonderin’ if you might like to come?

Crystal opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it. She studied Applejack for a few seconds, scrutinizing her in a way that made Applejack feel uncomfortable. Then, very carefully, she answered, “…sure. Thank you.”

“Great!” Applejack felt weirdly relieved by Crystal’s acceptance. “You, uh, you gonna wear that?”

Again, very carefully and with a strange scrutiny on her face, Crystal asked, “Do you want me to?”

“It just looks nice, is all,” Applejack admitted. “Not that you need to look nice or nothin’, I just thought--”

“It does look nice,” Crystal said neutrally. “Chafes around the shoulders, though. Rarity said we could work on that.” Looking Applejack in the eyes, she said, “But sure, I’ll wear this.”

“Great! It’ll be good to get away from your mama for a while, I think.”

Crystal chuckled. “Don’t I know it. Anyway, I’ve got some more ponies to try and impress, then I need to find Rarity. I’ll see you tonight, Applejack.”

“See you tonight, sugarcube.” Applejack watched Crystal leave for a few seconds, then turned and started down the road back home. Her heart swelled and pumped energy through the rest of her body, giving her an extra spring in her step. She was sure she hadn’t felt this good in a very long time, and she owed much of that to the energizing sensation of Crystal’s hug that still lingered on her skin.

“I don’t like it,” Big Mac said at the supper table. Buttercup and Bright Mac sat on one end opposite Granny Smith. Along the sides, Crystal Chalice sat alongside Applejack. Big Mac had surrendered his seat, moving opposite the two. Apple Bloom lay tucked in her mother’s foreleg, with Buttercup rocking very lightly in place to soothe the foal.

“I think it’s a great opportunity,” Bright Mac said gleefully. “It’s a chance to bring home some big city learnin’ about our crops. See what they’re cookin’ up in those brain trusts of theirs.”

“What do we need big city learnin’ for?” Big Mac asked. “We do just fine by ourselves right here. There ain’t nothin’ in those fancy schools worth half as much as the love, care, and attention we give our crop. All they’re gonna do is fill Applejack full of fancy ideas, and those may be all well and good but you can’t plow a field with ‘em.”

“He did not say that,” Rarity said affronted.

“Oh, he said that all the time back in the day.”

“But that’s….”

“I know.”

“Celestia forbid that Twilight should ever hear something so--” Rarity stopped suddenly, putting a hoof up to her snout. She looked to Applejack, who had begun to cringe into herself. “I am so sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

“No, it’s….” Applejack took a heavy breath. Her mind strained to fight down the upswell of pain coming from her heart. “Let’s just continue,” she said.

“They do got a lot of fancy ideas in the big city,” Bright Mac agreed. “But maybe she could put those to use for the farm.”

Buttercup opened her snout to say something, but she stopped suddenly. She put a hoof to her head and closed her eyes, grimacing for a few seconds. Supper abruptly stopped as eyes of concern turned to her.

“Buttercup?” Bright Mac asked, voice tinged with worry.

Buttercup shook her head and opened her eyes, smiling for the family. “I’m fine, y’all. It’s just another headache. So, Crystal, that dress you’re wearin’ is lovely. Where’d you pick it up?”

Crystal blushed. “Rarity made this, actually. The shoes and earrings are mine. We’re trying to spread some word of mouth about our new business, Crystal Rarities.”

“Ha!” Bright Mac laughed. “I see what you did there.”

Applejack smiled. “They’re doin’ a lot of great work. I might reckon on buyin’ a dress for myself, occasion ever comes.”

“For you, I’m sure I can talk Rarity into a discount,” Crystal said with a wink.

Rarity scowled. “I have never charged a single bit for any of you. You’re my friends. I always thought it would go without saying that my designs were a show of friendship.”

Applejack held up her front hooves to supplicate Rarity. “You’re a good friend, and we appreciate--”

“Do you mean to tell me that if I had asked for payment, you’d have been willing?!” Applejack blinked as Rarity put a hoof over her forehead. “Oh, the gold mine I have missed out on!”

“Stay classy, Rares.”

Applejack blushed and smiled into the glass tilted up in her teeth. As she set it down, her grin caught the questioning eye of Granny Smith. The panic she felt fought down any enjoyment or satisfaction she had from Crystal’s offer.

Bright Mac asked, “How’s your schoolwork, Crystal?”

Crystal shrugged. “It’s okay. Rarity and I spend a couple hours working on it together.”

“You spend a lot of time with Rarity, I take it?”

Crystal smiled. “She’s like a sister. She was there for me when we first moved to town. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”

Applejack chuckled. “Those two are tied at the hip. It’s a miracle I could get Crystal away for a night.”

“It really was,” Crystal agreed. “Between Rarity and my mom, my schedule’s usually pretty full. Speaking of, it’s getting pretty late.” She looked at her empty plate. “I had to promise my mom that I’d be home before it got too dark. I should probably go.”

“Well, here, I’ll walk you to the gate,” Applejack offered.

“But you haven’t finished,” Crystal protested. Applejack’s plate still had a mound of untouched green beans and two half-eaten carrots sitting on it.

“Big Mac can have the rest.” Applejack’s brother perked up at the offer. “This is my night and I want to see you out.”

Buttercup smiled warmly. “I think that’s a lovely idea, Applejack. It’s good to see you makin’ new friends. Why don’t you walk her home?”

Crystal’s eyes brightened at the suggestion. “Would you?”

“Sure as sugar,” Applejack said with a smile. “Let’s get goin’.”

“You seemed to click with Crystal pretty well,” Rarity said. “How long had you been planning this?”

“Weren’t nothin’ like that,” Applejack said. “Happened in the spur of the moment. Most of what I’d been thinkin’ about had to do with her mama.”

“Oh? Do tell.”

Applejack breathed a heavy sigh. “Her mama was a piece of work right from the start, and she took to me like a bat takes to centipedes. Didn’t like me one lick, and from what I saw, didn’t like Crystal much neither.”

“She had a lot on her plate,” Rarity started, but Applejack raised a hoof to silence her.

“I don’t reckon you and I are ever going to see eye to eye on Crystal’s mama but the point is, I didn’t like how she treated her. Crystal had a rough start. I wanted to try and be there for her. Do what I could to lend a helpin’ hoof and maybe give her a shoulder when she needs it.”

Rarity’s gaze softened. “Oh, Applejack. That’s a good thing to do as a friend, but comforting a wounded party should never be the basis of a relationship. You can’t have a healthy relationship if one side is acting as an emotional crutch to the other. It’s an inherently unequal dynamic.”

“Well, yeah,” Applejack agreed. “I get that now. But I was young and there was somethin’ kinda romantic about bein’ needed like that. Course, I didn’t quite get that’s what it was at the time….”

“Your family seems really nice,” Crystal told Applejack. “What’s it like having so many ponies under one roof?”

Applejack laughed. “We ain’t just ponies, we’re family.”

“Yeah, that doesn’t mean so much where I come from,” Crystal admitted.

“M’daddy’s a good stallion. Strong, works hard, helps keep the family fed. Mama’s a hard worker too. She likes to compete with him, see who can finish first. Big Mac’s a talker and he can get full of himself right quick, but his heart’s in the right place. And Granny’s a fighter through and through. It can be easy to forget how tough she is, but she’ll snap you into place right quick, you cross her.”

“How about your new sister?”

“Apple Bloom? Still ain’t used to callin’ her that. She can be a bit needy at times, I gotta admit. I swear on Princess Celestia’s good name, that filly goes three minutes without bein’ picked up by somepony, she’ll start cryin’ like she skinned her knee. But we love her all the same. M’daddy says she’ll grow out of it, we just give her some time.”

As they rounded the corner, Crystal’s house came into view. “That’s me,” she said sadly. “Thanks for tonight, Applejack. I had a great time.”

Applejack responded by pulling Crystal into another hug. The same electric sensation was there waiting for her, and she could feel a strange fulfillment dancing over the hairs on her neck and chest. “Any time, sugarcube,” she whispered into Crystal’s ear. “You ever need to get away from your mama, you come on over, y’hear?”

“I’m going to hold you to that,” Crystal said gratefully. She released the embrace sooner than Applejack would have liked, then looked into her eyes. “Good night, Applejack.”

“Good night, Crystal.”

With a deep breath, Crystal trotted up the walk to her front door. She gave one last glance back at Applejack, then she turned the knob and went inside. Applejack wasn’t sure what motivated her to linger after that, but she found herself reluctant to leave. The muscles in her legs were stiff and unwilling to move back towards the farm and the grin on her snout refused to abate. Her heart beat frantically in her chest.

After a few minutes, she managed to convince her legs to go, but they were slow to move. She took a hesitant step away from the house, then followed it by another. By the time she’d reached the corner, her muscles were finally starting to cooperate, and she--

A loud banging sound pulled Applejack’s attention back to the house. The front door had been ripped open with such force that it struck the wall beside it and had begun its rebound arc. Crystal stormed out the door, still wearing that same dress.

“CRYSTAL CHALICE, YOU GET BACK IN THIS HOUSE THIS INSTANT!!!” her mother roared with fury, storming through the door after her.

“Why?!” Crystal turned on her mother, shouting from the end of the walk. “So you can rant about my choices again?! I don’t need this!”

“I will stop criticizing your choices when you stop making terrible ones. Think about your future, Crystal!”

“I am! And the last thing I want in my future is YOU!”

Empty Chalice scowled. “Get inside this house right now, young lady, or I’ll--.” Crystal didn’t even respond to that threat. She turned and started walking down the road. Roars of, “Crystal! CRYSTAL CHALICE!!!” echoed behind her, but her mother never moved from the doorway. Finally, Empty Chalice returned back inside, slamming the door with her magic.

As soon as the door slammed, Crystal’s ferocity seemed to abandon her. She stumbled and the angry pride in her face gave way to fear and uncertainty. Applejack raced up to her, helping her steady herself. “You okay, sugarcube? What was that about?”

Crystal sobbed in the street. “It’s always like this,” she said. “Same argument, different night. My mom hates me. She hates everything I like. She hates my dress, she hates you, she....” Crystal’s sobs turned heavier, drowning out her voice.

“Hey, come here,” Applejack said, pulling Crystal in again. She gave her mane a comforting stroke. “You come on back with me now. I can put you up in the barn so Granny Smith don’t ask a lot of questions. It ain’t the comfiest, but it will put a roof over your head and we already got a few blankets in there for workin’ on a cold winter morn.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Crystal told her.

“Sure, I do. You’re a pony needs help and I got somethin’ I can give. Ain’t nothin’ more to it.” Applejack started walking, keeping a hoof on Crystal’s back just under the base of her neck, like her daddy had shown her. Crystal walked with her, cautiously at first, but after a few steps, she smiled at Applejack through tear-filled eyes.

“Thank you.”

The barn was as hospitable as Applejack expected. There were a few loose piles of hay and several bales, either of which she assumed would make a suitable bed for Crystal. “It ain’t pretty,” she said bluntly. “It’ll keep you warm and sheltered for tonight, though.”

Crystal scowled, but when she realized Applejack was looking at her, her face quickly turned to a smile. “It’ll be fine, I’m sure,” she said quickly. She popped her shoes off, leaving them in a pile beside the bales. Next, she put a hoof up, rubbing her shoulder through the dress. “I need to get out of this thing. Can you help me?”

“Beg pardon?”

Crystal bit the sleeve on her right foreleg and started pulling it upward, tucking her leg into the fabric. She did the same for her other, then lowered her head. “I need you to pull it past my head.”

Applejack approached Crystal carefully. She bit the fabric of the dress just behind Crystal’s neck, then pulled it forward as her friend stepped backwards and tucked her head through the neck hole. Her forelegs popped free of the fabric, followed shortly after by her neck and face. With the dress successfully removed, Crystal breathed a sigh of relief. “You have no idea how good it feels to be out of that thing.”

Crystal lowered her head and reached a hoof up for her left earring, but after fiddling at it for a couple seconds, she sighed. “I’ll need Rarity for these.”

“Any harm to leavin’ them in?” Applejack asked.

She was met with a shrug from Crystal. “I don’t know. I’ve never worn earrings before.” After covering her dress and shoes with a bit of loose hay, she climbed up onto one of the piles. “This isn’t exactly ideal, but thank you. I don’t know where I’d be without you.”

Applejack climbed up next to Crystal, eyes locked on her friend. “Any time. So you want to tell me what you and your mama were fightin’ about?”

Crystal sighed. “I asked Mom for help with the dress. She went off about ‘letting yourself be put into situations you can’t resolve’. Started ranting about how I need to ‘realize the limitations of your condition’ and ‘adjust your behavior accordingly’.”

“Condition?”

Crystal rolled her eyes. “She’s been saying that all my life. Mom’s never forgiven me for being born an earth pony.”

“Yeah, I’ve been meanin’ to ask about that. Ain’t your daddy a pegasus?”

Crystal answered the question with a shrug. “I’ve asked the same question. I think life just hates me for no reason.”

“Hey, it ain’t so bad,” Applejack told her. “I mean, you get to be here in Ponyville.” For some reason, that seemed to make Crystal scowl harder. “And you got me. You got Rarity.” Crystal winced at the mention of Rarity’s name. “Somethin’ wrong with Rarity?”

Crystal hesitated for a few seconds. Applejack watched her face waver, as though searching for the right thing to say. Then, at last, she spoke. “No. There’s nothing wrong with Rarity. It’s just…she’s so pretty and she’s smart and talented. Everything just seems to come so naturally to her. Sometimes I feel like she’s the daughter Mom wanted instead of me.”

“Oh, Crystal,” Rarity said sadly. “I never meant to take her place. You know that, right?”

“Course you didn’t,” Applejack answered. “She didn’t see it that way, though.”

Applejack put her hoof against Crystal’s back again, gently rubbing it. She savored the electric sensation that seemed to arise from the slightest touch of her friend. “Well, you got me. I’m here for ya through heck and high water. You ever need anythin’, you just ask, y’hear?”

To Applejack’s surprise, Crystal closed her eyes and rolled into her, pushing her head into the farm pony’s neck. “I’ve got everything I need right here,” she whispered.

Applejack’s heart fluttered with satisfaction. There was something that felt strangely right about this moment. She couldn’t quite put her hoof on it, but everything just seemed to click perfectly into place. She felt fulfilled in a way she hadn’t felt before. Was this what it meant to help a friend in a time of need?

As if to answer the question, Crystal turned, looking at her. “Applejack?” she asked. Her eyes glistened with moisture. Fear and apprehension was naked on her face as she spoke, and her voice trembled with vulnerability. “I just want to say thank you. I mean it. Thank you for accepting me.” With those words, she leaned her head forward and captured Applejack’s snout in a gentle kiss.

Every hair on Applejack’s body stood on end at once. She half-leapt and half-stumbled out of the hay, rolling into the ground away from Crystal before pulling herself clumsily to her hooves. “What in tarnation do you think you’re doin’?!” she shrieked in the barn.

“I thought….” Crystal shrank into herself. “I thought you wanted…I mean, isn’t that what….”

“Crystal, I like colts!” Applejack insisted.

Delicately, Crystal replied, “I don’t think you do.”

Those words set Applejack off. “YOU--you--Who in sam hill do you think you are?!”

“Applejack, I--”

“You’re supposed to be my friend, you’re supposed to back me, not…not whatever this is! You’re just like Three Point and those others!” she screamed into the empty barn. “No, you’re worse. How could you?! You’re…you gotta be like this, that’s fine, but how could you try and drag me down with you?!”

“Applejack, please, just--”

“I can’t. I can’t deal with this. I gotta go.” Applejack stormed out the barn door into the grasping dark of night.

“I’m sorry,” Crystal sobbed. That was the last Applejack heard before she was out of earshot, stomping her way back to the house.

Applejack lay in her bed staring off into space, the events of the night playing over in her mind. She felt guilty for laying into Crystal the way she did, but she was still angry at her for buying into that stupid rumor.

But she also couldn’t get over the tantalizing feel in Crystal’s touch. Even the kiss she’d given her, despite how brief it had been, seemed to linger on her snout. When she closed her eyes, she could still taste Crystal despite her best efforts to chase away the lingering impression. She hated that feeling. She hated how good it felt. She never wanted to touch Crystal again.

As it typically did every night, a knock came at her door. The door slid open shortly after and Buttercup poked her head inside. “Good night, Applejack.”

“Good night,” Applejack said gruffly, rolling over in her bed.

“Is something the matter?” Buttercup stepped inside the room, approaching her daughter’s bed.

“It’s nothin’,” Applejack muttered.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Buttercup said wryly. “A mama always knows. Now come on, tell me what’s on your mind?”

“I can’t,” Applejack said. “You wouldn’t get it.”

Buttercup sighed. “Well, I tried. Now I guess I’m gonna have to get rough.” Applejack’s eyes shot wide open. She immediately knew what that meant. Before Applejack could defend herself, her mother’s hooves were at her belly, lightly brushing the hair back and forth and sending her into fits of laughter.

“Stop!” Applejack shouted between gasping laughs.

“Are you gonna talk?” Buttercup asked with a grin.

“I can’t--” Applejack’s protest was broken by another laugh. After a few more seconds, she caved. “I’ll talk! I’ll talk.”

Buttercup pulled her forelegs back, but left them perched on the bed beside Applejack, ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice. “So what’s eatin’ you?”

Applejack bowed her head sadly. “Sound Stage and his friends have been spreadin’ lies about me, and now I think my friends have been listenin’ to it.”

“What are they saying?” Buttercup asked.

“They’re sayin’ I like fillies.”

“Oh.” Startled, Buttercup seemed to pull away for a second, but she must have put it away quickly enough because she returned to her daughter’s side in an instant. “Do you?” she asked carefully.

“Course I don’t!” Applejack insisted. “I could never! I got a responsibility to the family tree. I got to do my part to keep us growin’, just like you and daddy.”

“Oh, Applejack,” Buttercup said, smiling warmly. “Don’t you ever tell Granny Smith I said this, but I think the family tree’s growin’ just fine on its own. One or two limbs goin’ astray won’t hurt none.”

“Maybe,” Applejack replied. “I don’t know, but why’s it got to be me?”

“We all ask that question at some point in our lives. Perhaps it’s ‘cause you’re strong enough to bear it. Maybe it means you’re meant for somethin’ greater than just settlin’ down and raisin’ the next crop of Apples. Could just be luck. Nopony ever knows why we are the way we are; we just are, Applejack.”

Tears started to well up in Applejack’s eyes. “But that’s not what I want. I want to be like you.”

Buttercup closed her eyes and leaned in to embrace her daughter. She clutched her tight to her chest. Her voice trembled as she spoke. “You listen to me, Applejack. I can’t tell you how you are. That’s somethin’ you got to figure out for yourself. You got to listen to your heart and follow what it tells you, and don’t you worry none what the family might say.”

Buttercup pulled back, keeping one hoof on Applejack’s shoulder and brushing her mane with the other. Her eyes were damp with moisture; had she been crying? “You do that for me, y’hear? And no matter what happens, no matter what you decide or who you love, you do it knowing that your mama will always love you.”

“Mama?” It was Applejack’s turn for concern.

Buttercup sniffed and dabbed at her eyes with her hoof. “Pardon,” she said quickly. “Dear me, I’m a mess.”

Applejack reached out and hugged her mother, sobbing into her neck. “I love you too, Mama.”

Buttercup stroked her daughter’s back gently, urging her, “I love you so much, my little sugarcube. Don’t you ever forget that.”

Applejack nodded. “I won’t. I promise I won’t.”

Clearing her throat, Buttercup broke free of the hug. “Why don’t you let me tuck you in and you sleep on what I said, okay?”

Applejack sniffled. “Yeah. That sounds good.”

Buttercup smiled. She took the blanket in her teeth and pulled it up to Applejack’s neck with just her forelegs dangling out at the knees. She tucked the corner, then trotted around the bed to the side facing the door. She reached for the corner, then hesitated. She looked up for a second, then glanced around the room.

“Mama?” Applejack asked.

“Where…where am I?” Buttercup asked. She stumbled, then shook her head.

Applejack sat up quickly. “Mama, what’s wrong?””

“You….” Buttercup looked straight at her daughter. “Who are you?” Then her eyes fluttered. Her legs gave out at once and she fell sideways, crashing to the floor.

“MAMA!!!”

6 - Acceptance

“Applejack, come over here and sit a spell.” Big Mac’s voice echoed in the waiting room for the Ponyville General Hospital. “You’re liable to wear a trench in the floor, you keep up like that.”

Applejack couldn’t sit. She had too much energy pumping in her muscles. She felt restless, like she needed to be doing something, like there was some secret task she could find that would make this go away. But there wasn’t any task, and so her energy was put to use pushing her in a circle around an empty row of seats.

At this time of night, the hospital was largely empty but for the Apple family. Big Mac lay out on a large brown sofa watching Applejack pace the room. Next to the door leading deeper into the hospital, Bright Mac sat on his haunches, never moving or shifting his gaze for a second. He watched the doors waiting for any sign of opening.

Granny Smith had agreed to stay at home. They couldn’t bring Apple Bloom and if she woke up fussy, it was critical that somepony be present to see to her needs.

“Applejack,” Big Mac said again. “Come on now, you ain’t helpin’ nopony fussin’ about like that.”

“I can’t help it,” Applejack protested. “I want to be in there. What do you think’s happenin’ with Mama? Is she gonna be okay? Is she--”

“Applejack,” Bright Mac cut her off. His voice oozed with worry. “Please.” Stepping away from the door, he approached his daughter and wrapped a hoof around her. “We’re all worried.”

“Sorry, daddy.”

Applejack sauntered to Big Mac and took a seat on the floor by him. Bright Mac resumed his watch by the doors. It would be another two hours before they opened, releasing a light yellow mare with a clipboard and stethoscope into the room.

Bright Mac was on his hooves in an instant. “How is she? Can I see her?”

“Your wife’s condition has stabilized,” the doctor answered. “She’s asleep right now, but she’s out of the critical zone. However, we’re still waiting on tests to come back. If this is what I think it is, then you need to start thinking about options.”

“Options?” Bright Mac spat the word as though it were a curse. “What kind of options?”

“This part is never easy.” The doctor said. She shot a glance at Applejack and Big Mac, then asked, “Do you mind if we speak in private?”

“Of course.” With that, Bright Mac followed the doctor through the doors.

Applejack looked up to Big Mac. “What do you reckon he meant by options?”

Big Mac snorted. “Don’t mean nothin’. He’s just tryin’ to spook us so we’ll take his recommendation seriously. Mama’s gonna be fine.”

“Yeah. Yeah, you’re surely right.” Applejack said. “She’s just sleepin’ right now. How bad can it be if she can sleep through it?” She spoke without conviction; she suspected her brother did too, but there was nothing that could be done. She resolved to simply keep waiting.

Rarity had taken a seat on the ground, staring mournfully at Applejack. “That’s when it started, then? I had no idea.”

Applejack only nodded, saying nothing. Her parents were a touchy subject she rarely liked to talk about. To date, only Twilight knew the story of what had become of them and she hadn’t delved into the details like this then.

“Do you know what happened? What she had?” Rarity asked carefully. “I mean, if it’s okay to talk about. I don’t mean to pry.”

Applejack shook her head. “No, my parents were sure to keep it from us. I don’t think they wanted us worryin’ none. Mama came home a few days later smilin’ like nothin’ was wrong, but me and my brother, we both knew somethin’ was up.”

“Can I take your plate, Mama?” Applejack asked at the breakfast table.

Buttercup smiled sweetly to her daughter. “Applejack, I told you, I don’t need nopony fussin’ after me. Besides, you’re gonna be late to school, you don’t git.” She leaned over and kissed Applejack on the forehead. “Mama’s special little filly can’t be missin’ classes, now can she?”

Applejack blushed. “Cut it out, I mean it. I’m worried.”

“I’ll be fine. Your daddy and Granny Smith are here if anythin’ happens. You get on to school now. You got enough to worry about without addin’ me to the pile.” Buttercup stood up, shooshing Applejack away from the table. “Where are your saddlebags at?”

“Up in my room.”

“Well git on up and get them,” Buttercup insisted. “Go on, now.”

With a little more coaxing, Applejack was out the door and on her way to school. She walked slower than usual, shooting a few glances back at the house before she was past the gate. She knew there was nothing she could do, but that was hardly enough to keep it from her mind.

As she approached the schoolhouse, however, she was reminded of the other drama pressing on her mind. She saw Rarity first. Her eyes were always too easily drawn to her. There were times it seemed like time moved in slow motion, just to provide contours to Rarity’s every step and gesture. She flowed through the world as though it existed just for her, her grace matched only by--

“Um…” Rarity said with a blush. “…there is such a thing as too much detail.”

“You were pretty, alright?” Applejack said flatly.

“What do you mean, ‘were’?!” Rarity demanded in mock offense.

“Oh, I’m sorry, is this awkward for you? ‘Cause it ain’t half as awkward as my special somepony runnin’ to you every time we have a tiff. Not even Pinkie Pie or Fluttershy.” Applejack frowned, looking down. “It always had to be you.”

Rarity stepped forward, lowering her head to be in Applejack’s eyeline. Solemnly, she said, “In Twilight’s defense, I reached out to her, not the other way around.”

“So did I.” Applejack closed her eyes, swallowing down the hurt once more.

Rarity cleared her throat, looking around the barn for a quick change of subject. “So. You thought I was pretty?”

Applejack chuckled. “Before everythin’ happened with Crystal, if you’d have had me, I’d have crossed the land and sky for you. I’d have moved mountains to find you those gems of yours.” She looked up to see Rarity’s face doing its best impression of Big Mac’s hue. “Uh…you okay?”

“I’m sorry,” Rarity said quickly. She raised a hoof to shield her face, but the blush only intensified. “It’s just…that’s quite possibly the sweetest, most romantic thing anypony has ever said to me. I’ve waited years, years, to hear a shining stallion say something like that to me. But it came from you, so you’ll forgive my discomfort.”

The barn echoed with the sounds of Applejack’s laughter. “You can’t tell me you never think about it. Maybe all your stallion problems keep happenin’ ‘cause stallions ain’t right for you. How many you been through now? Seven?”

Rarity glared. “If you intend to start comparing, Applejack, I think you will find your plethora of broken hearts to have no ground to stand on. My disasters, at least, were over quickly. You left scars that…” Rarity felt herself getting heated, growling out her words. She turned away from Applejack, taking a few breaths to center herself.

Generosity, Rarity. It is better to add to the world with kindness than to take from it with cruelty.

Rarity turned back to Applejack. “I apologize. Can we get back to Crystal, please?”

Applejack smiled. “I’m just bustin’ your chops. It’s true, though. Crystal helped me find things about myself I wasn’t ready for, but the main reason I kept comin’ ‘round all those years was you. You fascinated me. You were always pretty, and I liked bein’ ‘round that.”

“So why did you never make a move towards me?” Rarity asked.

“’Cause Crystal came at me first. You’re a nice fantasy, Rares. The kind of mare that’s nice to look at, great for thinkin’ about when you’re lonely, but a pony’d have to be feelin’ awful high and mighty to even try and take that leap.”

Rarity stared blankly into space. After a few seconds, she elicited a simple, “Huh.”

“Sorry, but that’s the truth.”

Rarity waved a hoof. “No, that’s fine. Thank you. I just…what you just said explains a lot.” She cleared her throat. “Something to think about later. Anyways, Crystal.”

Applejack saw Rarity first. Crystal trotted at her side, carrying her carousel in her teeth. Rarity was saying something to Crystal, who struggled to keep her grip through her laughter. For their part, it was Crystal who saw Applejack first. She jabbed her hoof into Rarity’s side and gestured in Applejack’s direction.

“Applejack!” Rarity called out cheerfully.

Applejack’s heart stopped for a second. Rarity’s voice sang to her ears like birdsong, resonating sweetly through her. Quickly, she broke into a gallop, racing towards the school. She couldn’t be around this. Not now.

I do not like fillies.

Applejack walked into the schoolyard, giving Three Point a wide berth. It evidently wasn’t good enough for her, however, because it didn’t take long for Three Point to lay in. “Hey Applejack, how’s--”

“Not today,” Applejack growled. As she pushed past, she cast her eyes to the ground, refusing to let them take in Three Point’s athletic curves. Even as she did, however, her imagination betrayed her, painting a picture of her hind legs and powerful shoulders.

I do not like fillies.

Applejack tried to pay attention to her classes. Mr. Sketch was trying to say something about the historical notes surrounding the first Hearth’s Warming and the importance of separating the known facts of the era from the flowery tale. History was one of Applejack’s favorite subjects and she tried to focus on that, but her mind kept floating back to her mother.

After class, she found Rarity and Crystal waiting for her outside the schoolhouse. “Applejack!” Rarity called out to her with a wave.

Applejack tucked her head down and kept walking again, but this time Crystal was quick on her hooves. She darted in front of Applejack, forcing her to rear back. “Would you just talk to us?” Crystal pleaded.

Applejack backed off a step and dropped her forelegs back to the ground. “I can’t do this right now,” she snapped.

“I’m sorry I kissed you!” Crystal blurted out.

“Would you hush up about that!” Applejack shot a frantic look around the schoolyard. Several of her peers were sending interested glances in her direction.

Rarity stepped forward. “Applejack--”

“Would y’all just leave me alone?!” Applejack shouted. She bolted pasted Crystal, racing down the path to the road that would take her home. This was the last thing she needed right now.

I do not like fillies.

“She hates me,” Crystal said.

“Oh, she does not,” Rarity replied. She put a hoof to her friend’s shoulder. “She probably doesn’t know how to feel.”

Crystal started walking back to the fence, where she’d left her carousel. “I shouldn’t have kissed her. Why did I kiss her?”

“Because you like her,” Rarity answered flatly. Crystal hesitated a second, then closed her eyes and nodded. “But not every filly is going to be able to return your feelings. I’m reasonably certain she’s into colts. You know this. We’ve talked about it.”

“I was just so sure. She asked me to meet her parents. You’ve seen the looks she was giving me.”

“Perhaps she just liked your dress,” Rarity suggested.

Crystal nodded. “Of course, I wasn’t the only pony getting those looks,” she muttered.

Rarity shrugged. “Perhaps that’s just how she looks at ponies.”

Crystal sighed. “I messed up. I’m sorry, Rarity.”

A tense shadow loomed over supper at Sweet Apple Acres that night. Instead of the typical jovial chatter that occupied the table, a palpable silence permeated the room. Even Big Mac was uncharacteristically quiet, seated beside Applejack and sharing her concerned glances to their mother.

Bright Mac sat closer to Buttercup than usual with one hoof snaked around hers. Occasionally, she would grimace from the pain in her head, prompting Bright Mac to squeeze her hoof, assuring her that he was there. Buttercup would return his gesture with a smile, but Applejack didn’t buy it and she was sure nopony else was either.

Finally, as supper neared completion, Bright Mac cleared his throat. “Family. There’s somethin’ we need to talk about.”

Buttercup took a deep breath. “My…condition…hasn’t gone away yet. The doctor did what she could, but it’s still there. She says it’s going to get worse if we don’t do something soon.”

“What is it?” Applejack asked.

Buttercup shook her head. “Never you mind about that. Only thing that matters is that we can still do somethin’ about it. There’s a treatment center in Whinneapolis that I’ve had recommended. Doctor says they’ll be able to fix me up.”

“But that’s what we need to talk to y’all about,” Bright Mac added. “They’re gonna need Buttercup for the rest of the week. I’ll need to stay with her to make sure she’s safe. Mama, can you watch after Apple Bloom for us while we’re gone?”

Granny Smith’s eyes opened wide. “Watchin’ after Apple Bloom’s getting’ to be a full-time job. Who’ll tend the farm while you’re away?”

“I can,” Big Mac said quickly.

“That’s a given,” Granny Smith replied. “But you can’t do it all on your lonesome. Nopony can. It’s a big farm.”

Big Mac answered, “I’m a big pony. So long as Mama gets better, I’ll work all night if I have to.”

“I could help,” Applejack offered.

Buttercup looked to her daughter, eyes drooping. “Only after classes when your homework’s done. You’ve got a special chance in front of you. I won’t have you wastin’ it on my account.”

“I….” Applejack shot a glance to her brother before she answered. He was full of confidence and pluck, but she knew he couldn’t handle the farm’s duties by himself. “Yes, Mama,” she reluctantly answered.

“Good. Don’t any of y’all worry none. They’re gonna take good care of me and I’ll be home before you know it. I promise.”

Rarity was awakened by a series of taps. At first, she blinked in the dark, then rolled over to try and get back to sleep. Another series of taps got her out of bed with a start. She squinted in the dark of night, trying to discern the source of the noise through the haze of sleep. Then three more taps against the glass of her bedroom window caught her attention.

Rarity dropped from her bed and approached the window. With her magic, she slid it open. “Applejack?” she asked the barely visible figure outside.

“Yeah, it’s me. Sorry to wake you, Rares. Can you come out for a second?”

“What’s this about?” Rarity asked.

“It’s personal. Please, I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t important, I promise.”

“Very well, but I will be expecting an explanation for your behavior today.”

Applejack nodded. “Anythin’. Just please come out here.”

With a sigh of frustration, Rarity left the window. She eased her bedroom door open and crept down the hall. When she reached the living room, she lit her horn for guidance. At the door, she opened it as quietly as she could, then slipped out into the night.

Coming around the house, Rarity whispered, “Okay, I’m here. Now, do you care to explain why you treated Crystal and myself like an old fashion you’ve outgrown?”

Applejack sighed heavily. She sat down against the side of the house. “I got a problem, Rares. I think there might be somethin’ wrong with me.”

“Okay.” Rarity stepped around Applejack, taking a seat beside her. “Tell me about it.”

“You remember Sound Stage? I told you about him.”

“Vaguely.”

Applejack looked down. “Life used to be simple. Sound Stage and I were gonna get married and start a family soon as we grew up. We never talked about it, but it was the honest truth and everypony knew it. Since we were little, we were meant for each other.”

“I don’t think it works that way,” Rarity said sadly. “At least, my prince certainly hasn’t arrived yet.”

Bitterly, Rarity added, “Still waiting on that prince, by the way.”

Applejack sighed. “It don’t, don’t it? I was so sure of this.”

“What happened? If I may ask.”

“It’s this stupid rumor!” Applejack hissed. “Everypony started sayin’ I like fillies ‘cause I’m spendin’ time with y’all. It must have got to Sound Stage and made him act the way he did.”

“What did he do?” Rarity asked, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s nothin’,” Applejack said quickly. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s my fault. I should have been nicer to him. I shouldn’t have….” Applejack sniffed loudly, tilting her head back and squinting her eyes to try and keep the sorrow in. “It’s my fault, Rares. We were supposed to be together through heck and high water and we ain’t, and that’s ‘cause of me.”

“Do you love him?” Rarity asked.

Applejack opened her mouth to speak, but her voice betrayed her. She remembered her father scruffing his mane and laughing with him. She remembered him asking Granny Smith for more flapjacks. Remembered her mother laughing at some goofy gesture he’d made.

After several seconds of contemplation, she answered, “I don’t know. I mean, I probably do. I’m sure I do. He was my best friend.”

Rarity sighed. “Applejack, you know I’m not qualified to answer this for you.”

“I’m still not,” Rarity added. “Not that this has stopped anypony.”

Rarity continued. “There’s something I don’t understand, though. You’re saying that all of this happened because of a rumor? Because you’ve begun spending time with Crystal and me?”

Applejack nodded. “That’s the gist of it.”

“I’m sorry, darling, but that doesn’t make any sense. It seems like a rather extreme overreaction to somepony making new friends.”

“Well, it’s what happened,” Applejack insisted.

“Applejack, please do not get angry,” Rarity said carefully. “But I must ask. Do you like fillies?”

“See? Even you’ve been listenin’ to this claptrap!”

“Applejack, please. It’s just me. I’m your friend. I’m not making any judgments.”

“No. No, I don’t. I told Crystal, I told Sound Stage, now I’m tellin’ you. I would never be that kind of pony. I wouldn’t do that to--” She stopped suddenly. Rarity reached out a comforting hoof for Applejack, but the farm pony pulled away. “Please don’t touch me right now,” she said. “I can’t deal with it.”

“With what?”

“With how it makes me feel inside when a pretty filly like you touches me.” Applejack looked up from the ground and Rarity could see the glistening in her eyes, illuminated in the moonlight. “There’s a poison in my blood, Rares, and it’s tuggin’ at me to go astray. Mama says to follow my heart, but I can’t. I can’t do it. I can’t be one of thoseponies, I just can’t.”

“I don’t think it’s something you can control. It’s just who you are.”

Applejack swallowed hard. “I need you to do somethin’ for me, Rares. And don’t ask why. I just gotta know. Please.”

“Of course.”

Applejack took a deep breath, then let out a long sigh. “I need a hug.” Without saying another word, Rarity stepped forward and embraced her. Applejack raised a hoof, putting it around Rarity’s neck. She felt the familiar tingling sensation from when she’d embraced Crystal. She breathed Rarity’s scent and her body accepted it welcomingly. Her blood warmed and flowed, pushing her deeper into Rarity’s embrace.

Her body craved Rarity’s touch. It wanted more. Her mind flooded with demands to go farther, to hold her, to kiss her, to--

With great force of effort, Applejack pulled away from Rarity. “I gotta go,” she said quickly. She turned away, but Rarity called out to her before she could leave.

“Applejack! Are you okay?”

“No, I ain’t. I’m broken.” With those words, she left, hooves beating the dirt down the road home.

I like fillies.

Applejack lay in bed, trying to think of what she was going to do. The sun had already started its rise over the horizon. She knew if she lingered any longer, she’d risk being late for school, but her muscles wouldn’t move.

She couldn’t tell anypony, she knew that. She could hear Granny Smith screaming in her mind. “No granddaughter of mine is gonna spend her days chasin’ skirts! What’s the matter with you, child?!”

Applejack rolled away from the sun, shutting her eyes tight against the light and trying to block out the phantoms, but her mind drifted to her father. She could hear the disappointment in his voice as he said, “If this is how you gotta be, then you’ve got no place in this family.”

Applejack pulled the blanket over her head, but she couldn’t hide from the fears in her heart. In her mind, she saw her mother--

“Applejack?” Big Mac’s voice pierced the haze. “You still in bed? Rise and shine, girl. Mama ain’t been gone a day and Granny Smith’s liable to tan your hide, she finds out you’re skippin’ out on classes already.” After he didn’t get an answer, Big Mac’s voice turned to worry. “C’mon, Applejack, what’s got you like this all of a sudden? Is it about Mama?”

Applejack peeled back the blanket, looking at the concerned face of her brother. She opened her mouth to speak, but once again the words failed her.

I like fillies.

“It’s nothin’,” she lied.

“Don’t look like nothin’.” Big Mac took a deep breath and stepped over to the bed, taking a seat alongside it. “You’re worried about Mama. I know, I am too.”

Applejack nodded. It’s true, she was worried about their mother, and that was close enough to the truth that she could settle for it.

Big Mac smiled. “She’ll be fine, though. They’re gonna take good care of her up in that big city hospital in Whinneapolis. I’m sure they got all kinds of ideas they can try out.”

“Ain’t you the one always says, ‘Ideas are well and good but you can’t plow a field with ‘em’?”

Big Mac nodded sheepishly. “We ain’t talkin’ ‘bout plowin’ no field, though. We’re talkin’ ‘bout savin’ Mama’s life. I reckon any idea’s worth tryin’ right now. Family’s family through thick and thin, and there ain’t nothin’ more important than that.”

Applejack sat up, smiling at her brother. “Reckon you’re right. Thanks, Big Mac. I ought to get ready for school.”

“You best get a move on. I got to get to work. There’s a lot to do this morn’ and less time to do it in.”

As Big Mac traipsed out of Applejack’s bedroom, she could hear her mother’s voice whispering in the back of her mind. It had been her turn to speak before she was interrupted, after all. But instead of accusations or admonishments, all she said was, “No matter what happens, no matter what you decide or who you love, you do it knowing that your Mama will always love you.”

Applejack took a deep breath and raised her head high. The words still frightened her, but for the first time in her life, she said them. She said them quietly, afraid to be overheard if her brother was still around, but she said them nonetheless.

“I like fillies.”

“I like fillies.” Applejack said the words to herself as she cantered down the path towards school. “Mama, Daddy, I like fillies. Big Mac, I like fillies. Granny Smith….” She hesitated. Then she drew another breath and tried again. “Granny Smith, I like fillies.”

“I like fillies,” she repeated to herself. “I like fillies.” Every time she said it, it felt like a vice clenched around her heart was loosening. There was something empowering about the words. They tasted like a kind of freedom she’d never even realized she was missing. “I like fillies. I like fillies. I LIKE FILLIES!!!” she shouted to nobody in particular.

“Aww, that’s so sweet,” a pony across the road from her said. The stranger gave her a sweet smile, then continued on her way. Applejack suddenly felt very embarrassed for herself and hushed up, walking the rest of the way to school in silence.

As she entered the schoolyard, Applejack heard the familiar voice of Three Point calling after her. “Good morning, Applejack,” she said in her usual snide tone. “How’s--”

“I gotta know somethin’,” Applejack said, cutting her off. “You been makin’ jokes about me likin’ fillies for a couple years now. Why? I ain’t the only filly’s got filly friends. Why pick on me for it?”

Three Point rolled her eyes. “You’re not serious.”

“I am. I got friends. Why do you care so much about it?”

“It’s not about your friends,” Three Point said. There was a palpable sense of disgust in her voice as she spoke. “I mean, yeah, we picked on them, but that’s just ‘cause everypony knew what you were. Sound Stage didn’t want to admit it, but we all knew, Applejack.”

“How?!” Applejack demanded.

Three Point breathed a sigh of frustration. “We’re not really doing this.”

Three Point tried to walk away, but Applejack darted in front of her. “Why, Three Point? I need you to talk to me. What was it told you I liked fillies?”

With a smirk, Three Point asked, “What, is this a confession, Applejack?”

“I….” Applejack hesitated. For years, she’d heard the jeers and cruel jokes from the ponies that had once been her friends. She’d had to put up with suspicion from strangers and awkward questions from her peers that never failed to make her feel like she was lesser for being asked them.

But at the same time, she felt a tug of power from the words. There was something strengthening about them, something that made her feel like for once in her life, she might have control of this. The questions and suspicions would never fade, of course, but she could meet them on her own terms, and there was something heartening in that realization.

With her chin raised high, she recited the truth of her heart to another pony for the first time. “Yes, Three Point. It is.”

Three Point blinked. She took a step back, the mask of cruel superiority falling instantly from her face. “Wait. What did you say?”

“It’s true. It’s all true. It’s always been true, Three Point. I like fillies. I like fillies.” Applejack laughed. “That’s the honest truth and you can tell all them colts that. You were mighty cruel about it but you were right.”

Three Point gaped in horror at Applejack’s confession. She looked flustered, as though struggling to find her words. “You…what am I even supposed to say to that?!” She started breathing heavily, fuming in anger.

“You can start by answerin’ the question. Why’d you start sayin’ it? Was it Sound Stage? Second Fiddle? They liked makin’ jokes about me makin’ out with some other filly. Was that how this started? Some colt’s fantasy?”

“What? No!”

“Then what?!” Applejack demanded.

At last, Three Point accused, “It was YOU, Applejack!”

“…beg pardon?”

“You’ve been ogling me for years!”

Applejack lay out on a bench at the Ponyville Rec Center, waiting for Three Point to step out of the shower. Calling out across the shower curtain, Applejack said with a laugh, “So then my brother says, ‘I can explain most of this, but where all this confetti came from is beyond me.’”

Three Point cracked up from the other side of the curtain. “Tell him I sympathize. Your brother got Pinkie Pied.”

“Say what?”

Three Point let out a few more chuckles before answering. “It’s okay that you don’t know her. She’s pretty new in town. Ponies have been talking for a few weeks. They say she’s more sugar than pony. She’s, like, the ultimate party crasher. It’s like she has a sixth sense for celebrations.”

“You’re jokin’.”

“Am not! Swear to Celestia. I heard that if you’re at a party, look in a mirror and say her name three times. She’ll appear in the reflection! With cake!”

Applejack laughed. “Now, I know you’re makin’ fun.”

She was answered by the sound of the shower turning off. Three Point pushed the curtain aside, stepping out into the locker. “I might be. Speaking of parties, Second Fiddle’s parents are going out of town this weekend. I might be thinking about throwing something.”

Applejack wanted to ask if Second Fiddle knew she was planning this, but her voice caught in her throat. Three Point’s mane clung to the sides of her neck. The water from the shower clung to her skin as she stepped across the locker room. Applejack’s mouth suddenly felt very dry as she watched Three Point pick up a towel laying on the bench.

Not getting any kind of response from Applejack, Three Point continued. “I think most of the others are free Saturday night. I just wasn’t sure if you could make it.”

Applejack watched Three Point pick up the towel in her teeth and throw it over her back. As it soaked into her and began absorbing the water, she wrapped her mane in a second towel. Applejack’s voice hitched in her throat; her eyes remained glued to the sight in front of her, absorbing Three Point’s method of drying.

“Uh, Applejack?” Three Point stepped closer to Applejack, who continued to stare transfixed. “Hey!” Three Point reared up and clicked her hooves together in front of Applejack’s face, shaking her out of her trance.

“I’m listenin’!” Applejack shouted quickly. “…what were we doin’?”

“Party, Applejack. Saturday night. Are you coming?”

Bitterly, Three Point continued. “When I first met you, I thought, ‘Hey, cool, we’ve got another filly in the group.’ I thought you’d have my flank when the colts started doing what colts always do. But you were worse!”

“...I’m sorry,” Applejack said. “I never meant to--”

“Oh, don’t start,” Three Point retorted. “We are not having a moment. You’re a creep, Applejack. Just stay away from us.” With that, Three Point turned and left.

Somehow, Applejack felt like she should be more dismayed at Three Point’s rejection. It seemed like exactly the kind of backlash she’d been afraid of, and yet she couldn’t help but feel powerful. Three Point was still a jerk and that was probably never going to change, but she didn’t have to feel ashamed anymore.

With or without Three Point’s acceptance, it was still a relief to have this weight off her chest. She strode towards the schoolhouse doors more ready than ever to face the new day.

I like fillies.

Applejack strode through the doors of her school at the end of the day, still riding the relief she’d been feeling all day. She felt like she could take on the world. She felt like the look of consternation on Three Point’s face when she’d told her had made that whole mess worthwhile.

In class, she’d caught Three Point scowling at her across the room. She responded with a coy smirk and a wink. Exactly as she expected, Three Point grit her teeth and furiously looked away. She knew it was petty, but she still enjoyed every moment of it. After the--

“Applejack?” She stopped walking, realizing that Crystal was standing right in front of her. Her carousel rested at her hooves per usual and her face dripped concern. “Please don’t run,” she said quickly. “I wanted to apologize to you for earlier. I might have made a few assumptions about--”

Applejack interrupted her, quickly asking, “Hey, you want to go on a date this Saturday night?”

“That seems a little fast,” Rarity commented. “You asked Crystal out on your first day of accepting yourself?”

Applejack shrugged. “I don’t like to dilly-dally.”

Rarity stared flatly at her. “Uh-huh. And how many weeks did Rainbow Dash say you ‘dilly-dallied’ about Twilight?”

“…that was different.”

“How?”

“’Cause I knew Crystal would say yes. Land sakes, she’d already kissed me in the barn; it ain’t like she was gonna turn me down now.”

Rarity nodded, accepting that answer. “Fair enough. So it was confidence born of a guaranteed answer, then.”

“…well, when you put it like that, you make it sound sleazy.”

“Weren’t you just telling me about how you flirted with another filly to make her uncomfortable and then spent the rest of the day patting yourself on the back for it?”

Applejack blinked. “…is that bad?”

Rarity hesitated. “You know, darling, it’s not really my place to say. I’d like to say it’s not what I would have done, but I’m not…I mean, it’s not something I ever have to worry about because….” She stopped for a second, trying to find the delicate way to explain what was lingering on her mind.

“Because you ain’t a mare who likes mares,” Applejack bluntly finished for her.

“Yes.” Rarity cleared her throat. “Shall we continue?”

Crystal stared dumbfounded at Applejack. For several seconds, her jaw hung open where her voice had left it. Then she started to make noises that sounded like, “…I…you….”

“You keep that jaw open any longer, you’re liable to start catchin’ flies.”

“You mean, like, a date date?” Crystal finally managed to ask.

“Eeyup.”

“With me.”

“I didn’t ask somepony else, did I?”

“…and you.”

“That’s the general idea.”

Crystal sat down hard in the dirt. “But aren’t you…I thought you were….”

Grinning to herself, Applejack simply walked away. “I’ll see you Saturday, sugarcube.” She couldn’t believe how good that had felt. She grinned to herself as she trotted down the road towards home.

I like fillies.

“I like fillies!” Applejack said eagerly at the dinner table.

“Well, I should hope so,” Granny Smith replied, not looking up from her soup. “You and your friends ain’t grown yet and I ain’t about to have you gettin’ too big for your britches.”

Applejack blinked. “No, Granny, I mean I like fillies.”

“I like fillies too, you don’t see me jawin’ on it! Fillies are fine! We wouldn’t have mares without ‘em and then where would we be? Why are we even talkin’ about this?!” Applejack shot a glance over to her brother, who perched frozen over his soup bowl. His wide eyes and blank stare indicated that he’d gotten it, so she appealed to him. “Big Mac, would you--”

In one swift motion, Big Mac lifted his bowl with a hoof and downed its contests. Dropping it back down on the table, he stood up quickly. “I got to get back to buckin’,” he said, not looking at anypony in particular, before shuffling out the door.

“Big Mac?” Applejack asked quietly. His abrupt departure had left a stinging sensation in her heart she couldn’t place.

Before she had a chance to think about it, Granny Smith chimed in. “Your brother’s workin’ his hind legs off in the orchard. If you’re done talkin’ nonsense, you should start fixin’ to lend him a hoof.”

“It ain’t nonsense,” Applejack replied, frustration edging into her voice. “Granny, I’m talkin’ about love! I’m tryin’ to tell you I want to be with a filly. I want to--”

“I know what you’re jabberin’ about,” Granny Smith snapped back. “You think I don’t pay attention to what goes on in this town? Life ain’t seen fit to strike me deaf yet and you’re gonna be waitin’ a long time before it does.”

“Then why are you--”

“I was tryin’ to be polite and let you think on the words comin’ out of your snout before you choke on them. Your poor brother already thinks you mean it!”

Applejack reeled as though she’d been struck. “I do mean it!” she shouted across the table.

Granny Smith rose to her feet. “In a pig’s eye, you do! You get on out there and tell your brother you were jerkin’ his chain before I get half a mind to tan your hide!”

Applejack rose as quickly as her grandmother. “You can’t--” She was interrupted by the abrupt sound of Apple Bloom crying in the next room.

“Now, look what you did,” Granny Smith hissed at her. She strode as quickly as she could to the living room, where Apple Bloom lay bawling in her playpen. “You get on outside and apologize to your brother,” she snapped at Applejack before putting on her sweetest smile for Apple Bloom.

Applejack wanted to argue further, but Apple Bloom had to come first. Fuming, she stormed out of the house and began the march up the hill to where Big Mac’s silhouette could be seen looking out over the orchard.

As she walked, she turned over Granny Smith’s words in her head. She’d never been so angry at her grandmother before. She hadn’t even given her a chance to explain; she’d just rejected Applejack’s revelation out of hand. Why wouldn’t she just listen? Applejack hadn’t expected everypony to appreciate this new information about herself, but she thought they’d at least accept it.

The closer to Big Mac she got, the more nervous she became. The way he’d bolted from supper left her sure he was going to be angry too. She wanted to say that she hadn’t done anything wrong, but she couldn’t find the words that would make it convincing. As much as she hated to admit it, part of her agreed with Granny Smith. She’d spent all morning with her head in the clouds. Perhaps she’d deserved this.

When she crested the hill, Big Mac turned his head to her. Above him towered a single apple tree, already bucked. The sun had just touched down on the horizon. Neutrally, Big Mac asked her, “Care to sit?”

“I’d like that,” Applejack said just as carefully. She took a seat beside her brother and watched the sun go down.

After a few seconds, Big Mac asked, “So. Fillies, huh?”

Applejack couldn’t help but notice how uncharacteristically stoic he was being. It scared her more than Granny’s shouting. Shouting, she understood, but this somber quiet could mean anything. “Eeyup,” she told him cautiously. “Fillies.”

“I don’t get it,” Big Mac admitted.

“It ain’t complicated.”

Big Mac was silent for a bit after that. Applejack followed his gaze out over the orchard. She’d been up this hill a few times, but never quite as the sun was setting. As the sun started to cross the horizon, its light began to dance across the apple trees below. The leaves lit up with beautiful reds and oranges, as though the fall had come to greet her.

“No,” Big Mac said finally. “I guess it ain’t. Just weird is all.”

“Yeah, well, you can deal with it. It’s a heck of a lot weirder for me.”

“I always thought you and Sound Stage were gonna get married one of these days.”

Applejack nodded. “I think we all did. I….” Applejack felt a spike of hurt jab into her heart. “I miss him. He might have turned into somethin’ of a wet hen at the end there, but he was my best friend for a whole lot of years. It ain’t easy to walk away from somethin’ like that.”

Applejack sighed. “Now I went and got myself a date and I don’t know what I’m doin’. She’s gonna expect me to be gussied up and I scarcely know what that even means. What do fillies like? What kind of fillies do fillies like?”

“Well, what kind of fillies do you like?” Big Mac asked.

“I….” Applejack thought for a moment. “I don’t know. I ain’t never thought about it much.”

“Seems to me you’ve got an unfair advantage,” Big Mac teased.

Applejack chuckled. “Yeah, maybe I do.” She and her brother sat in silence for a couple more minutes. Looking out at the dancing colors on the orchard once again, Applejack became vaguely aware of the tears resting in her eyes, now blotting up her vision. She blinked them away so that she could see the light show Princess Celestia was putting on over her field. Silly though the idea was, there was a little part of her that almost thought the Princess was doing it just for her.

After a few minutes, Applejack found the courage to ask the question weighing on her mind. “Do you hate me? ‘Cause of how I am?”

“That depends,” Big Mac answered gruffly. “Can you still buck an apple tree?”

“Of course I can. What kind of question is that?”

“Can you plow a field?”

“Faster than you can.”

“Feed pigs?”

“I’d like to see you stop me.”

Leaning over, Big Mac pulled his sister into an embrace. “Then it don’t matter to me none.”

Applejack sank into her brother’s forelegs. Something in his words seemed to unlock a special part of her heart and she could feel raw emotion flooding out. She felt loved but more than that, she felt accepted. It was as a feeling she’d never known she was missing until she finally had it, and it made the entire evening worthwhile.

She’d still have to deal with Granny Smith, but that didn’t matter now. She had her brother’s support and that would surely carry her until her mother returned.

Sitting beside Applejack’s hay pile, Rarity said quietly, “This is becoming quite personal.”

“It was always gonna be personal,” Applejack replied. “You wanted answers. You’re gettin’ ‘em.” She sighed. “Besides, it feels good to finally get this all off my chest.”

“You haven’t told Twilight?”

Applejack shook her head. “I didn’t want her thinkin’ less of me. I wanted her to know my best side, to see me for….” Applejack closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I wanted her to like me. So I….” Applejack stopped again. She knew the words she needed to say but could scarcely bring herself to say them. It was a truth that, once spoken, could never be reburied.

Rarity leaned out onto the hay pile, gritting her teeth against the hay she’d need to meticulously remove from her hide later tonight. She reached her hoof out and placed it on Applejack’s. “Go on,” she said quietly. “It’s just me. You already spent last night crying with me. You can tell me this.”

Applejack swallowed hard. Then she said the words. “I lied to her, Rarity. I lied to all of them. I kept thoughts and feelin’s to myself they deserved to know. Locked my past away and tried to pretend it never happened when they were around.”

Applejack bit back a set of tears. “Not just them, either. I’m a liar, Rarity. I lie. It ain’t just about hidin’ my feelin’s, neither. I lied to everypony after the rodeo. I lied to Spike when he swore me a life debt. I tried to trick ponies into buyin’ my apples at the Gala and I cheated at the Runnin’ of the Leaves and--”

“Applejack!” Rarity shouted.

Applejack feel silent at the shout. “I’m sorry. This is why I don’t talk about my feelin’s. Once the floodgates open--”

“I understand,” Rarity told her. “Truly, I do. Again, I ask: have you ever told any of this to Twilight?”

Applejack shook her head. “If she knew, she wouldn’t love me no more. She wouldn’t want to be my friend, she knew how much of a liar I am.” Applejack gave a short, sad laugh. “I got a reputation for bein’ honest and trustworthy. Reckon I lied well enough; even the Elements of Harmony couldn’t tell the difference.”

“Oh, please,” Rarity said with a roll of her eyes. “Do you think you’re the only one who struggles with the value your Element placed on you? Why, just a couple moons ago, I slammed a door in Pinkie Pie’s face when she came to me for help.”

“You did not,” Applejack said, jaw hanging open.

“As a matter of fact, I did. I have also, on occasion, taken advantage of Spike’s infatuation. I try not to, but it can be difficult to resist at times. Once, I persuaded him to part with a large fire ruby he’d intended as a birthday present for himself. I knew I shouldn’t, but it was so beautiful I had to have it. Do you know where that gemstone is now? Sitting in my wardrobe somewhere, I think. I haven’t seen it in moons.”

Rarity looked up, eyes distant in thought. “When the Diamond Dogs captured me, I could perhaps have been content with bargaining for my freedom, but I took them for everything they were worth. I’ve also been less attentive to my sister than perhaps I should be.”

“And it’s not just me,” Rarity continued. “Rainbow Dash has been self-centered and even spiteful to those of us she loves on occasion. Pinkie Pie has lapsed in her love of entertaining. I’ve even seen Fluttershy turn downright cruel, lashing out at myself and Pinkie. The Elements of Harmony are not absolute values, and we are not mindless totems of those values. We’re ponies, each and every one of us. The most that can be expected of us is that we try.”

Applejack closed her eyes. After a few seconds, she nodded. “I should have told Twilight the truth,” she said. “I should have told her how I felt about her becomin’ a princess, instead of keepin’ it to myself until everythin’ came out the way it did.”

Rarity nodded in agreement. “I think that would have been best. Perhaps I shouldn’t have tried to shield her from the truth either, but…I don’t know. It’s a messy situation when it concerns two ponies you consider to both be your friend. Perhaps I should have pressured you to tell her rather than trying to do it myself or to keep it secret.”

“Maybe,” Applejack said quietly. “Maybe there ain’t a right answer. Maybe life’s just complicated sometimes.” After a few seconds without an answer from Rarity, Applejack asked, “Do you want to move on?”

“Oh, yes, please.”

The days that followed were tense in the Apple household. Applejack tried to stay around Big Mac whenever she could, but she could tell he was struggling with the workload. She’d do her homework as quick as she could, usually while out in the field with her brother. Then, once it was finished, she’d help him work.

There were still a lot of trees that needed bucking. Some of the other crop fields were ready for harvest as well, and keeping wildlife away from them was getting to be quite a job in and of itself. Two of the trees had come down with bark rot and needed tending to, but they had to be put off for the sake of getting the crops done.

An awful lot of butterflies had been spotted in the south orchard, and that meant caterpillars were going to start being a problem in a few days. Granny Smith had a special powder made up of table salt and flour that could be used to protect the trees, but only if Big Mac had the time to spread it. With only a couple of hours from Applejack each day, he was working his hooves off yet still falling behind.

But it wouldn’t be too long, Applejack knew. Her parents would be home soon enough. Her mother could take care of the pests and with all four of them bucking together, the apple harvest would be over and done with. All Big Mac had to do was keep the ball rolling until they got here.

Relations between Applejack and Granny Smith were where the problem lay. Applejack tried to finish supper as quick as she could so as to not have to talk to her too much. Granny Smith had become inquisitive about what she was doing and where she was going at all hours, and she was also prone to dropping remarks about Applejack growing out of this “phase” she was in.

When Saturday finally came, Applejack made no secret of it. She spent the morning tending the field with her brother, then came inside and tried to figure out how to gussy up. She didn’t have anything fancy to wear and wasn’t even sure if fancy would be appropriate. She settled for a single crystal flower tucked into her mane just behind her ear.

She was just about to slip out when she spotted something. Hanging on the knob to her parents’ room was one of her father’s hats. She’d seen him put it on Big Mac a couple of times, but her brother didn’t seem to like it much.

Ordinarily, she’d leave it where it was, but after the way her Granny had treated her, she was feeling rebellious now. She reached out with her teeth and bit it, then lifted it with her foreleg and set it on her head. It took a bit of adjusting, but she liked the fit. All she had to do was maneuver the crystal flower so that it was visible and then she was set.

Granny Smith almost seemed to be waiting for her, rocking in her chair in the corner of the room. “And where are you off to?” she asked suspiciously.

Applejack winced. She was tired of being questioned, and her frustration seeped into her voice. “I’ve got a date,” she answered bluntly. “With a filly!”

“Like heck you do!” Granny Smith shot to her hooves. “Your brother’s bustin’ his hooves tryin’ to--”

“I’ve been workin’ too!” Applejack shouted back. “If you weren’t so busy bustin’ my hide, maybe you’d see that!”

“Don’t you start with--”

“No, don’t you!” Applejack stormed out the door. “I’m goin’ on my date.”

“Applejack!” Granny Smith called after her. “You get back here! We ain’t done talkin’!”

“Try and catch me,” Applejack muttered under her breath as she marched for the gate. She passed the edge of the farm and kept walking.

“Are you okay?” Crystal asked.

Applejack walked beside her along the trail. Realizing she’d let her face slip, Applejack quickly replaced the smile. “Happy as a dead pig in sunshine, Crystal.”

Crystal blinked. “Um…is that a good thing?”

Applejack laughed. “You bet your biscuits, it is. Race ya to the crick!” Before Crystal had a chance to respond, Applejack broke into a gallop. She never heard Crystal’s response; her ears were filled with the sound of hooves pounding dirt, followed shortly by a second set of hooves thundering after her.

Applejack hit a curve and took a sharp right, then took a glance back behind her. Crystal struggled to round the corner and seemed to slip on the turn, but she righted herself and kept on coming. Applejack hurdled a log in front of her, then diverted between two trees and down a muddy path, slowing to a canter. At the bottom, she heard Crystal shout, “Hey!” and turned her attention back up the hill.

Crystal stood at the top, staring at the path. “I can’t make it!” she called down. “The mud’s too slick. I’ll fall.”

“It’s easy!” Applejack called back up. “I’ll catch you if you slip.”

Crystal grimaced, then put one hoof out on the mud. She pulled it back quickly when she felt it slide. “I can’t,” she said.

“Sure, you can. You just have to hit it fast. Don’t give your hooves a chance to slide. Just pound the mud until you’re down.”

Crystal took a deep breath, then called out, “I’m going to do it backwards. That way, I won’t hit my face if I slide.”

“That ain’t a good idea,” Applejack warned, but Crystal seemed to have her mind made up. She backed up slowly onto the path, letting her hind legs hit it first. Her left slid, but she pulled it up and set it again, looking for more stable ground. Then, inch by inch, she lowered her front onto the mud.

Just as Applejack expected, the mud quickly started to slide. Within seconds, Crystal was screaming as her whole body descended uncontrollably. Applejack moved quickly to the bottom of the hill and caught her, but the momentum scattered her and sent them both to the ground.

As she and Crystal slid to a stop, Applejack found herself splayed over Crystals’ hindquarters. Her ears were assaulted by the continuing sound of Crystal’s scream. “Crystal?” Applejack asked, but Crystal paid her no heed.

Applejack climbed off of Crystal and shook her gently. “Crystal!” she shouted again. “We’re down. You’re safe.” Still getting no response, Applejack opted to put her forelegs around Crystal’s neck and hold her, muffling her with her shoulder.

The gesture seemed to convince Crystal to finally stop screaming, but after that, she started yelling instead. “NEVER AGAIN!” Crystal shouted. “I am never doing that again! Are you insane?!”

Applejack only grinned. “Told you I’d catch you.”

“Where are we even going?!” Crystal demanded.

“You’ll love it, I promise. I used to come down here when I was little. It’s nice and cozy with cool water and pink lilies. Trust me, it’s pretty as a peach.”

“Prettier than me?” Crystal asked with a smirk.

“Ain’t nothin’ prettier than you,” Applejack replied. “Prettier than a speckled pup, you are.”

Crystal grinned at that. She leaned into Applejack, whispering to her, “I still like the way you talk.” Then She took a step, but then stopped. A sadness fell over her face and she looked slowly back at Applejack. “Prettier than Rarity?” she asked. Applejack choked at the question. Before she had a chance to answer, Crystal looked away. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

Applejack blinked. She wasn’t sure what had just happened, so she gave it a shrug and stood up. She started walking alongside Crystal, following the creek downstream towards the pond.

As though nothing had just happened, Crystal smiled and asked, “Is that a new hat? I’ve never seen you wearing that before.”

Applejack chuckled. “Nah, this is m’daddy’s. I just felt like wearin’ it tonight. Thought it might like good on me.”

“It looks nice on you,” Crystal told her. “I think it really brings your look together.”

Applejack blushed. “That ain’t all I got,” she said. She turned her head so Crystal could see under her ear.

Crystal stopped walking, closely scrutinizing. “Is there something special about your ear?”

“What? Not it’s…consarnit, is the hat coverin’ it again?” Applejack reached a hoof up raised the brim of her hat, showing off the flower.

Crystal beamed. “Hey, that’s one of mine. I made a set of those for us to try and sell around the school. You’re wearing the tulip.”

Applejack nodded. “I bought it off of Rares for tonight. Reckoned it’d be a nice touch for our first date.”

“Well, here, let me help you with that.” Crystal leaned up to Applejack’s ear and bit down gently on the tulip’s crystal stem. Applejack could feel the heat of her breath brushing against her ear and the sensation made knees shake. Then the flower was removed and Crystal took her breath with it, ending the tremors.

Crystal raised her foreleg and put a bit of pressure on Applejack’s neck, gesturing for her to lower her head. Applejack complied, letting Crystal tuck the crystal flower into the band of her hat. “There,” she said simply. “Now it looks good and you don’t have to worry about fighting for ear space.”

“You and Crystal really hit it off,” Rarity said with a smile. “I remember, she was never happier than after you two started seeing each other.”

Applejack gave a shrug. “We were okay. Neither of us had ever really been with anypony before, so we had a lot to learn from each other. I wouldn’t call us peas in a pod, exactly.”

“A pod holds more than two peas anyway,” Rarity said. Applejack raised an eyebrow, so Rarity explained. “It’s something Pinkie Pie told me once. I can’t stop thinking about it every time I hear that expression.”

“Uh-huh. Anyways….”

The pond was just the way Applejack had remembered it, but Crystal appeared unconvinced. “Applejack,” she said delicately.

“No good?”

“No, it’s….” Crystal hesitated. She took a few steps around the side of the pond, watching the water lap against the rocks and mud. “It’s nice?” she offered. “I just thought when you said date that we’d…I don’t know. Eat dinner? Not hang out in mud and…are those cattails? This place has actual cattails?”

Applejack took a few steps out onto the rocks, dipping her right foreleg into the pond and feeling the clean water lap across her hoof. “It’s a nice, quiet pond.”

“It’s a swamp,” Crystal said grumpily. She sighed. “I’m sorry. Like I said, it’s just not what I was expecting.”

Applejack frowned. “I’m sorry, sugarcube.”

Crystal took a few steps towards the water, then sat down on her haunches beside Applejack. “It’s okay. You’re right, it’s pretty. Just…maybe let me pick the next date, okay?” Applejack nodded. “So….”

“So?” Applejack asked.

“We’re here. Pretty company. Pretty-ish scenery. Very…uh, sort of romantic here in the…swamp, I guess.” Coyly, Crystal grinned. “You’re not about to keep me waiting, are you?”

Applejack’s face turned blank as her mind raced to settle on what, exactly, Crystal was asking. As though to settle it, Crystal sighed and stepped towards her. “I gave you my first kiss in the barn earlier. Don’t go getting shy on me now. It doesn’t suit you.”

“Okay!” Rarity said quickly. “I don’t think we necessarily need to go over the details of your first makeout session with Crystal. I’m sure it was as lovely as you could manage while slobbering over another pony for the first time.”

“Uh, sure, it was.”

“Ow ow ow! You’re stepping on my leg!”

“Sorr—ow! Stop! My pigtail’s caught in your necklace!”

“I can’t reach it.”

“AGH--don’t pull it!”

Rarity sighed. “Of course. I suppose none of us can really claim our first attempts at romance were very spectacular. Thank Celestia we grow out of that.”

Applejack grinned innocently.

“Ow ow! Quit tuggin’!”

“I think my horn’s stuck!”

“Alright, slowly--OW OW OW! Twi, stop!”

Rarity stared flatly at Applejack’s grin. “How you have so consistently managed to be the heartbreaker of every relationship is a mystery for the ages.” She cleared her throat. “So. Am I to assume that Granny Smith was less than pleased by your earlier display?”

“Boy howdy,” Applejack answered somberly. “She didn’t say nothin’ for a couple days. My mama and daddy came home the next day, but they wouldn’t talk about what happened when we were listenin’. Granny barely spoke to me at all.”

Days of tension and awkward evasion of the subject turned into weeks. Buttercup had to go back for treatment again and again, seeming to be gone every other week. Whenever she was gone, the topic of Crystal burned heavily among the family. Crystal wasn’t invited back for any further dinners and Granny never seemed to miss a chance to issue a barb about her.

Applejack for her part, tried to act like everything was okay but each barb and jab from Granny Smith made her feel less and less welcome in her home. Finally, it all came to a head one night when Applejack was trying to get a cup of water from the kitchen.

As she stepped down the hall, Applejack heard voices coming from her parents’ room. “You’d best do somethin’ about that filly of yours!” Granny Smith said. Applejack stepped quietly over to the door. It stood slightly ajar, letting her listen. “Y’all ain’t gone but a day and she starts ramblin’ nonsense about datin’ fillies.”

“I still don’t see what’s wrong with that,” Buttercup said gently.

“Course, you don’t! She surely gets it from your side!” Granny Smith accused.

“Hey!” Bright Mac stepped in between the two. “That ain’t fair, mama. Buttercup belongs here same as anypony.”

Buttercup answered the accusation with a shake of her head. “I ain’t heard of this happenin’ in my family.”

“Well, she didn’t get it from ours!” Granny retorted. “Tell her, Bright Mac!”

“It don’t matter where she got it,” Bright Mac said. “What matters is she has it. What are we supposed to do?”

“That’s what I’m askin’.” Granny Smith replied. “She’s your daughter. You two gotta fix this!”

Buttercup frowned. “I really don’t see why this is a problem. Couldn’t we just let her be how she is?”

Granny Smith shook her head. “Nuh-uh, nothin’ doin’. She goes on like this, what’s to keep her from sleepin’ in the day and tryin’ to harvest crops by buryin’ ‘em deeper? She could decide the farm ain’t worth runnin’ or run off and be a drifter!” Rounding Buttercup, Granny said, “We took a chance lettin’ one of your kind into this family--"

“MAMA!” Bright Mac shouted.

Granny Smith continued, heedless of her son. “--and look where that got us. A filly who thinks she’s a colt; no granddaughter of mine’s gonna be lettin’ that nonsense rot out her brain!”

Applejack choked on a sob. She hadn’t even realized she’d been crying as she listened to the argument. She backed away from the door, unable to listen anymore. She returned to her room to cry in the safety and warmth offered by her blanket. Her secret had destroyed her family, just as she’d feared it would.

After a few minutes, she settled on what she had to do. If the family didn’t want her anymore, she could hardly see fit to argue. She located the old bindle she’d taken with her when she’d gone to Manehattan and removed the blanket, replacing it with the one from her bed. She piled a few family photos into the thing, then tied it closed.

She slipped on the hat she’d worn on her date with Crystal as well. She knew she should have returned it to the door where she’d found it, but Crystal’s compliments made her reluctant to part with it.

Balancing her bindle on her shoulder and back, Applejack stepped out the door. She could still hear fighting coming from her parents’ room, and it only served to reiterate the need for her to leave. She made it as far as the living room when Big Mac spotted her. “Applejack?” he called out from the kitchen. At his voice, she looked up at him, eyes stained from the night’s crying earlier. Before she could find something to say, before he could say anything that might discourage her from leaving, Applejack broke into a gallop and burst through the door into the night.

She didn’t know where she would go or what she would do. She’d scarcely planned beyond this. She thought maybe she’d meet up with Crystal and liberate her from her awful home life. They could run away together and perhaps go to Appleloosa or Dodge Junction; somewhere far away from here where they could start a new life together.

She was already into the west orchard when she started to hear the commotion from the house spill out into the night. Big Mac, Bright Mac, and Buttercup split up to try and pursue her in different directions.

“APPLEJACK!” they called after her, but she hid herself from their voices and ran when she didn’t think they were near. She had almost made it to the farm’s west border when she was flanked by her brother. She darted between two trees and tried to cut away north, but he kept pace too easily.

“Applejack, come back!” Big Mac shouted, but Applejack quickly bolted to the west again. “SHE’S OVER HERE!!!” he shouted into the night air before returning to the pursuit. Just as she reached the edge of the farm, her brother overtook her, grappling her with his huge bulk and forcing her to the ground.

“Get off of me!” Applejack shouted, struggling against her brother. “I gotta do this!”

Sternly, Big Mac answered, “What in tarnation do you think you’re doin’, Applejack?! You’re runnin’ out on us?!”

Applejack managed to get a foreleg out from under her and reach out for her bindle, which had been thrown to the ground from the impact. When she couldn’t reach it, she tried to use her leg to press down against the ground, forcing her body upwards. Try as she might, she couldn’t break the pin.

“You don’t gotta be like this, Applejack,” Big Mac told her.

“I can’t change who I am,” Applejack growled back, biting back her tears. “I’ve tried, Big Mac. I tried and I tried but I can’t live a lie. I’ve had a taste of what happy feels like and I ain’t about to go back to pretendin’ my feelin’s ain’t real.”

“Why do you gotta?” Big Mac asked.

As if on cue, Granny Smith shrieked from the trees. “You!” she called out to Applejack. “You got any idea what time it is?! You’d best get your rump back inside that house before--”

“Don’t act like you ain’t happy,” Applejack shouted back at her. “You’ve been ridin’ me for weeks about Crystal! You were just sayin’ I ain’t no granddaughter of yours!”

“I’m ridin’ you ‘cause what you’re doin’ ain’t right! That don’t mean I want you to leave! We’re your kin, Applejack. There ain’t nothin’ more important than family. You think this deviancy of yours means more than bein’ an Apple?!”

Still pinned beneath her brother, Applejack looked up at her grandmother through vulnerable eyes. She hated the question. She’d sat and listened to all of Granny’s tirades against her…her what? Her proclivity? Preference? She wasn’t even sure how to define it. It was just who she was; an integral piece of her identity.

Stuck for an answer, Applejack asked simply, “Are you makin’ me choose?”

“I--" Granny Smith fell silent all of a sudden. Her eyes softened and she stepped forward, walking past Applejack and Big Mac. She almost seemed to be recognizing something, as though drifting on the waves of memories long past.

Applejack never knew what it was that touched her grandmother’s heart in that moment. She stepped out across the grass, her eyes transfixed against the dark shadows of the trees just past the farm’s west edge.

Applejack had always known about the wild pear groves that grew outside that particular border, but had rarely spent much time in them. Granny had a longstanding personal disdain for the fruit those trees bore, and it had always seemed best not to ask what had become of the old farm there.

Whatever it was, Applejack’s question seemed to drain all of the fight out of Granny Smith. Big Mac let Applejack up, both siblings sharing confused glances, and they waited several minutes before Granny came trotting back to them.

When Granny spoke, it was with a softer voice, one tinged with nostalgic sorrow for days long past. “I’m sorry,” she said simply. Reaching out with her forelegs, she embraced her granddaughter. “I’m sorry for what I nearly drove you to, Applejack. I never wanted you to leave. You’re family no matter what, even if you ain’t all right.”

It wasn’t quite the acceptance Applejack would have hoped for, but it was still more than she’d expected. She found herself feeling more relieved than ever when Granny Smith added, “Come on back home. I’ll mix you up some cocoa.”

“I’d like that,” Applejack said with a smile.

“Now, I still don’t rightly get it,” Granny Smith clarified as they trotted back towards the farmhouse. “Likely never will. But it ain’t worth losin’ you over.”

“So,” Bright Mac said as he stepped outside. “Fillies, huh?”

Applejack sat on the grass with her mug of cocoa, looking up at the stars. The events of the night were still trying to resolve themselves in her mind and in her heart. She’d wanted to be alone, but she also knew this conversation would have to happen eventually.

“Eeyup,” Applejack replied.

Bright Mac took a seat beside Applejack, setting down a cocoa mug of his own. “What’s that like?” he asked.

“It’s like wantin’ to be with somepony, but it’s a filly instead of a colt.”

“Well, I’ll be.” Applejack’s answer seemed to have blown Bright Mac’s mind. “So, you have a Special Somepony, then?”

Applejack shrugged. “I’ve been spendin’ some time with Crystal lately. We ain’t talked about it, but I think she likes me well enough.”

“I remember Crystal!” Bright Mac said eagerly. “So she’s the lucky lady. She seemed nice. You should invite her over again sometime soon.”

Applejack smiled warmly. “I’d like that.”

When her father placed a hoof on her shoulder, Applejack felt more at peace than she had in what felt like forever. All of the troubles from the past few weeks seemed to melt away. Her mother’s illness, the struggle to keep the farm afloat while they were away, her drama with Granny Smith, none of it seemed to matter anymore.

“By the way,” Bright Mac said. “I see you swiped one of my hats.” Applejack blanched. She had completely forgotten that she was wearing it. She reached up to take it off, but her father stopped her. He pressed the hat back down on her head, then adjusted the brim for her. “There, now it’s perfect.”

Bright squeezed his daughter’s shoulders before telling her, “It’s a good look for you, Applejack. When I was your age, all the fillies loved my hat. Course, I only had eyes for your mama, but any time I went to town, me and my trusty hat would leave all the little fillies rubberneckin’ to get an eyeful of us. You keep on wearin’ that and fillies will be all over you before you know it.”

Applejack leaned into her father and closed her eyes. With a grin, she said, “You made that up.”

“Every word.” Bright Mac laughed.

Applejack took a sip of her cocoa. For the first time since her mother fell ill, she finally felt like everything was going to be okay.

“So...which one of you is the colt?”

7 - Applejack Cries on the Inside

“They’re going to need me for two weeks this time,” Buttercup told the family. “There’s a treatment in Vanhoover that they want me to try. Big Mac, are you sure you can handle the farm while we’re gone?”

“Of course I can,” Big Mac answered. “You just worry about gettin’ right.”

“We’ll take care of it, Mama,” Applejack added.

Buttercup dabbed Applejack’s nose with a hoof. “Homework first.”

“Yes, Mama.”

“Good.” Buttercup gave her a smile, but there was a sadness to it that sent a chill down Applejack’s spine. “We leave in the mornin’. Y’all be good while we’re gone.”

Applejack knew she shouldn’t, but her heart tugged at her. Eavesdropping hadn’t worked out so well for her before, but she needed to know. With lights out, she lurked just outside her parents’ bedroom, listening with her ear to the crack under the door.

“This will be it,” she could hear her father say. “I know it. This is going to be the last time.”

Her mother answered with, “You said that the last time, Bright Mac. I don’t know how many more ‘last times’ this family can take. Big Mac’s already hurtin’ from all we’re puttin’ him through, and Applejack’s goin’ through a very rough time in her life. She needs her mama to be here.”

“She needs her mama to be--” Bright Mac stopped himself. Applejack could hear him sigh. Then, in a somber tone, he said, “I’m sorry.”

“I understand,” Buttercup replied. “This is hard for everypony. But we’ve already tried so many things. It might be time to talk about--”

“No. Not now, not ever.”

“Bright Mac, please. We need to figure out what’s going to happen when I’m--”

“That won’t happen. We’ll find somethin’. Or we’ll think of somethin’. We always do.”

Applejack heard her mother give a heavy sigh. She found herself just as unconvinced. The more she listened, the more the fear in her heart began to grow.

“You win,” Buttercup said, though she certainly didn’t sound like she meant it. “There’s just no tryin’ to talk sense at you right now. I’ll try this treatment. But if we come home and the farm’s in such a state again, then that’s the last time.”

“It won’t be,” Bright Mac assured her. “Big Mac knows what he’s doin’ now. He’s got a good handle on it.”

“I mean it,” Buttercup said more sternly. “The family needs us. The farm needs us. I ain’t about to let Big Mac work himself to death for my sake.”

“I know you do. Just try and have hope. It’ll work out. You’ll see.”

Applejack pulled her ear from the door, regretting that she’d listened in the first place. Rather than putting her mind at ease, she was now more afraid than ever. She slumped back to her room, trying to think of anything she could do, but feeling more helpless with every second.

“So,” Rarity said, walking her daily route to school in the morning. “I was thinking of a blue trim on beige, but I’m worried that your amulet won’t quite pop the way it should. That emerald contrasts nicely against beige but it’s going to melt into the blue.”

After a few seconds, Crystal replied, “You’re right, I see the problem. Maybe we could try a different gem? What about ruby?”

“Do you have a ruby amulet?”

Crystal shook her head. “No, but I can make one. We’ve still got some rubies back at your place. Give me a few hours in the workshop at school and I can--oh!” Crystal cut herself off, looking ahead.

“That would be excellent, thank you. Now about our little project with the rose scarf, I thought--”

“I’ll see you later, Rarity,” Crystal said.

“But we still need to talk about--”

Crystal cantered ahead, tossing back only a brief glance and an apologetic, “It’s Applejack. I gotta go.”

Rarity groaned. “Very well.” Once her friend was out of earshot, she muttered to herself, “I shall endeavor to capture a moment of your time elsewhere. Again.”

A good night’s sleep had done nothing to help Applejack work out a plan. The family was stretched thin enough as it was, and her mom’s words still hung in her mind. If she gave up on the treatments--

“Hey, stranger.” Crystal’s voice shook Applejack out of her funk.

“Mornin’, Sugarcube,” Applejack greeted her. Her words were accompanied by a quick peck on the lips.

“Something troubling you?”

Applejack sighed. “We’re havin’ some troubles back home,” she admitted.

“Aww, I’m sorry to hear that,” Crystal told her. She gave Applejack a nuzzle on her neck. “I’m sure you’ll work it out, though. Your family’s cool like that.”

“Yeah,” Applejack said with zero conviction. “Reckon we are.”

“Anyways, you would not believe what my mom said to me last night. She is the worst.”

Applejack forced a sad smile as she listened. “Eeyup. She surely is.”

Crystal huffed. “She wants me to read this dumb book about market trends, but Rarity’s already read it! Twice! I’m telling you, anything in that book that’s worth knowing, she can explain. We already decided she’d be the business face for Crystal Rarities.”

Rarity raised a hoof. “I should interject that she, in fact, decided that I would be the business face for Crystal Rarities. I tried on several occasions to get her to pay attention to Empty Chalice’s lessons, but she had the attention span of a fruit fly.”

Crystal continued. “I tried telling my mom that, but then she just got mad at me. She said I need to ‘take more responsibility for your future’, whatever that means. I mean, I already got my Cutie Mark. It’s not like we don’t already know what I’m going to be doing for the rest of my life. I’m set.”

“Crystal….”

“It’s like my dad used to tell me. Life provides. You just got to stay out of its way and let it take care of you. Every hurdle is just life’s way of pushing you to where you got to be. I mean, I thought getting stuck here was awful.” Crystal batted her eyes at Applejack. “But that was just life’s way of pushing me to you.”

Applejack smiled. There was something about Crystal that often made her feel lighter than air. It was like her cares washed away when she was around. But this time, something else jabbed at her heart. Crystal had said that life provides, but the farm was falling apart around her.

Could she really stand to wait? With her--

“Hey! Are you listening?”

Applejack blinked her eyes. Crystal had apparently still been talking when she’d drifted off. “Beg pardon, Sugar. I had a lot on my mind.”

“It happens. Come on, what’s bothering you so much?”

Applejack sighed. The words were hard to form, but if anypony was going to understand her, it’d probably be her special somepony. “It’s tough to say,” she admitted. “I think my ma--”

“Oh, we’re here!” Crystal shouted. The schoolhouse lay before them, ready for the new day. “I have to go. We’ll talk later, okay?” Before Applejack could answer, Crystal galloped off across the yard.

“Sure,” Applejack muttered. “Later.”

After school, Applejack saw Big Mac straining to pull the plow across the field. The farm had a lot of acreage that needed plowing before planting season came. Her brother was strong enough, but there was only one of him, and he had to work without breaks to get everything done.

Trotting up into the field, Applejack asked, “Can I lend you a hoof?”

Big Mac stopped heaving the plow. He sat on the spot, looking to Applejack. “You done your homework?” he answered her.

“Not yet but it won’t take--”

Big Mac sighed, then stood back up. “Get your homework done. Mama said.”

“Big Mac, I can--”

“Mama said,” Big Mac sternly reiterated. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then started to pull the plow again. As she watched him go, Applejack recognized how much of an emotional toll these events must be taking on him as well. She gave her brother a somber look and watched him tug the plow for a few seconds, then trotted inside.

Applejack tried to focus on her work, but her mind kept drifting back outside. What should have taken three hours wound up taking five, all because she couldn’t stop thinking about Big Mac working himself to death trying to do the work of three ponies.

The next day, straight after school, she asked him to let her help. And once again, he told her to go do her homework. “When you were young, you got a dream to be more than this,” Big Mac told her. “Now that’s Mama’s dream for you too, and I ain’t about to let you let her down.”

Wednesday, she went straight inside. She took out her schoolbooks and flipped her math text open to the assigned pages. For half an hour, she just stared at the paper, her mind refusing to focus on schoolwork.

“If we come home and the farm’s in such a state again, then that’s the last time.”

Applejack’s grades were amazing. Mr. Sketch had said as much. She tested well, her homework wasn’t perfect but she general got most of the work right, and her attendance record was perfect. That afforded her a little bit of wiggle room, didn’t it?

She glanced out the window and saw her brother gasping for breath, seated up against the very plow he’d been trying to pull. Big Mac was at his limit. He had been for weeks. Looking down at her schoolbooks, she made a choice.

“Let me have a turn at that,” Applejack said as she cantered out to the field.

“Your homework done?” Big Mac asked.

“Eeyup. Tonight’s was easier than slidin’ off a greased log. Reckon I might just be too smart for it,” Applejack said with a grin.

“Good enough for me,” her brother replied. With what strength he could muster, he climbed out of the plowing harness. “Don’t hurt yourself, now.”

“Worry about yourself. I can handle a hunk of metal.” Applejack pushed her neck through the yoke. She took a deep breath, grit her teeth, and pulled. The familiar weight of the plow settled on her shoulders and she pushed with all four of her legs to get it moving. At her age, she wasn’t as strong as her brother, but she also wasn’t as tired.

Big Mac followed Applejack for the better part of an hour, taking advantage of the chance to relax his muscles. She gave him the time, knowing he needed the rest. After half an hour, she asked him, “You know I got this, right? I reckon there’s some other chores need doin’ tonight. Leave the plowin’ to me.”

Big Mac answered her with a nod, then trotted off to work. Applejack smiled to herself. She knew her muscles would be sore in the morning, but she also knew it’d be worth it. Big Mac still had work to do, but he could give his legs and shoulders a break, and that would mean all the difference in the world.

The next few hours were strenuous physical labor, and when the sun went down, there was still much to do. By the time Applejack made it into bed, she was ready to drop from exhaustion. And yet, as she lay still on her mattress and felt the soreness begin to seep out of her bones, she felt more satisfied than she had in weeks.

She felt like she was doing something. There was a clear tangible effect to her labor, and that made it worthwhile to her.

Thursday and Friday passed in much the same fashion. Applejack spent time with Crystal at school, then rushed home afterwards and made up a story about her homework to justify getting out to the farm faster. Soon enough, she was seeing results. The plowing was getting done, the trees were getting taken care of, and Big Mac had even managed to apply some pesticides to the infestation.

But it wasn’t enough. The weekend came and went, and Applejack knew they only had another week before her parents came home. Her mother had said the farm couldn’t be in a state when she got back. Better than expected was still a far cry from good. She needed to do more.

“Hey, are you okay?” Crystal asked her. It was Tuesday morning, and they were walking to school as they usually did.

“I’m fine,” she lied.

“Good, because I wanted to know what you think about Friday.”

“Uh…Friday?”

Crystal stopped walking and stared at her flatly. “Friday. You and me. Doing something romantic rather than just walking to school and saying hi to each other from time to time. You were listening, weren’t you?”

“Oh, uh, of course. Friday. You could come over and--”

“Applejack,” Crystal said patiently. “I adore your family. I do. But your family isn’t my Special Somepony. I’m talking about doing something other than dinners with Granny and watching you break your back with Big Mac. We need to go out and do…I don’t know. Whatever passes for painting this town red. Maybe a light shade of fuchsia?”

“I reckon that’d be okay,” Applejack said noncommittally. Inside, she began to panic. If Crystal wanted Friday night to herself, that’d be one less night she could help Big Mac. Her parents would be home next week; the farm needed to be in top shape.

“What, just okay?” Crystal asked. “You don’t want to go out with me?”

“No! I just…I need to figure out what to wear, is all.” Applejack grinned widely.

Crystal’s eyes scrutinized Applejack carefully. “You’re sure that’s it?”

“Eeyup. Just…wardrobe jitters!” Applejack giggled nervously, trying to sell her lie.

Crystal shook her head. She gave Applejack a peck on the cheek, adding, “Stay weird, Applejack. I’d better get going if I don’t want to be late for class. I’ll see you Friday.” Crystal galloped off towards the schoolhouse, leaving Applejack to silently panic.

The thought crossed her mind--not for the first time, but now it seemed more tempting than ever. If she was going to lose a Friday, she needed to find more time elsewhere, and elsewhere meant now. As soon as Crystal was out of sight, Applejack turned around and started off back to the farm.

With grades like hers, she could stand to miss a couple of days, right?

“Applejack? What are you doin’ home?” Applejack had been pulling the plow for an hour and a half when Big Mac noticed her. She’d hoped the east orchard would keep him busy long enough not to notice, but she was mistaken.

“Teacher inservice day!” she shouted quickly. “School’s closed, so I thought I’d help out.”

“That right?” Big Mac asked skeptically.

“Eeyup. Sorry I didn’t mention. Just found out today. You should have seen my face when I got to school and nopony was there; made a tomato look right pale, I did.”

“That right?” Big Mac asked.

Applejack laid a hoof over her heart. “Mare in the Moon come and strike me down if that ain’t the honest truth.”

“Hmm.” Big Mac took a few seconds, seeming to consider her words very carefully. But then he shrugged. “Reckon that’s fair, then. Go on and keep at the plowin’. Gives me a chance to get to work on the caterpillars.”

“We still got caterpillars?” Applejack asked.

“Ain’t had the time to get at them. Granny’s mixed up her formula but that don’t do nopony no good if we can’t spread it.”

“You need a hoof? I ain’t learned that step yet.”

Big Mac scruffed Applejack’s mane. “Not today. You get to plowin’. That’s your project for as long as I have you. We get that done, then we can talk about you learnin’ new things.”

“Right.” Applejack grinned. “Bet I finish before you do.”

Big Mac laughed. “I’d like to see you try, sapling.”

“Sapling?!” Big Mac’s words gave Applejack renewed strength, pressing her to start pulling again. “You just wait. Tomorrow morn, we’ll be havin’ flapjacks and you won’t get any ‘cause of all them words you gotta eat first.”

“Well, now that’s a challenge. See you at supper.” With that, Big Mac trotted off towards the south orchard. As soon as he was gone, Applejack breathed a sigh of relief. She’d managed to buy an entire day, and she didn’t want to waste a second of it.

And waste she did not. By Monday’s end, the field was looking pretty good. There was still a lot of work to do, but she felt more sure than ever that she could pull this off.

The next day in class, Applejack had a bit of explaining to do over her absence. “I wasn’t feelin’ too good,” she explained to Mr. Sketch. “Came down with…uh…cattywampus.”

“Cattywampus,” Mr. Sketch repeated. Applejack cursed herself the moment the word was out of her snout.

“Yeah. It’s rare. Makes your whole face go blaaaagh.” Applejack stuck out her tongue, turned her head sideways, and crossed her eyes. “And the vomitin’. So much vomitin’. Buckets of vomit left and right!”

“Well, that certainly sounds awful,” Mr. Sketch replied. Applejack couldn’t help but hint the tone of suspicion in his voice.

“Oh, it is. And the mucus!”

“That’s quite enough. Do you have a note from your parents to corroborate your statement?”

Applejack hoped her wince wasn’t too visible. “I did, but it got eaten by…uh…all the mucus.”

“Of course it did.” Mr. Sketch cleared his throat. “Well, at least you’re feeling better today, so this won’t be too much of a black mark on your record.”

“Great! I should be fine! But I hear it sometimes flares back up…somewhere around Thursday….”

Flatly, Mr. Sketch asked, “Does it?”

Applejack grinned innocently.

“I see you’ve perfected your con artistry over the years,” Rarity remarked.

“Hey, I said I’m a liar. Never claimed to be any good at it.”

Thursday, Applejack skipped out on her classes once more. The plowing had finished up Tuesday, which meant one week until they could start planting. Big Mac had three buckets of Granny Smith’s caterpillar solution and was hard at work when she returned.

Slyly hiding herself in the pig pen, Applejack studied Big Mac carefully. She watched him spreading the solution on the leaves and branches, trying to get a feel for the motions. Then, when he stepped away to take a break, she struck. Grasping one bucket’s handle in her teeth, she bolted for the far side of the farm.

She found a tree that was far enough from Big Mac that she was sure he wouldn’t notice her. She dropped the bucket there, then returned to the barn. Slipping around past the windows to avoid Granny Smith’s notice, Applejack entered the barn and came out a short time later with a ladder. She brought it back to her position and then set to work.

Applejack put the best effort she could in, coating the trees one by one in the same way Big Mac did. After a few hours, she moved close enough that she worried Big Mac might see her, so she left her bucket and carted her ladder back to the barn. With Big Mac moving deeper into the orchard, she came back around to the pigpen and set about getting them fed.

So she worked, finding chores to get done where Big Mac wasn’t. Once the sun rolled around to time for her to come home, she became less shy about being seen. She worked until supper, then after her meal, she was right back out with him. When she went to bed that night, she was exhausted as ever, but she also felt proud of herself.

“Applejack? Are you with me?” Applejack looked up from her plate, glancing across the table at Crystal’s worried face.

“Pardon,” Applejack said quietly. In truth, she wasn’t. She’d been miles away helping Big Mac with the infestation. “Mama’s comin’ home tomorrow and I’m worried.”

“I know what you mean,” Crystal said. “My mom’s been going out of town a lot lately. She won’t say what it’s about. I’ve tried asking but she’s just like, ‘Rargh, focus on your future, Crystal!’ Like I’m not already doing that.”

Applejack gave a weak chuckle. “Sounds like you got it rough.”

“You have no idea.” Carefully gripping a fork in the joint of her hoof, she lifted the fettuccine noodles from her plate. She seemed to struggle with the utensil, but after a few seconds, she was able to get the noodles to her snout. “Ha!” She celebrated herself upon swallowing. “Got it in one try this time. They really need to do something to make these tools more hoof-friendly.”

Applejack took a glance around the establishment. Crystal had insisted on taking the train into Canterlot to find something less…”rustic” had been her choice of words, but the way she said it made Applejack swear she meant it as a curse word.

All around her, Applejack saw forks and spoons moving by way of glowing horns. The other patrons made it look so easy, Applejack was sure they weren’t even thinking about the awkward shape of the tools. Looking back to Crystal, she suggested, “I don’t think this place was made with earth ponies in mind.”

“Well, that’s stupid,” Crystal said gruffly. “They should have thought about this!”

“I don’t reckon they get a lot of earth ponies up here,” Applejack explained. “That don’t mean it can’t be earth pony friendly, mind.” To demonstrate, she lifted her own order. A bowl of soup rest between her forelegs, which rose easily enough to her lips.

“I’ll try to remember that,” Crystal replied. “Everything in Manehattan is earth pony friendly. It’s like a whole city built just for us.”

Applejack smiled at the twinkle in Crystal’s eye. “You really miss it, don’t you?”

“Are you kidding? Manehattan’s my home. It’s where I can feel like I actually belong.”

“I never felt quite right there. I tried to belong, but I just ain’t fit for that kind of livin’. It don’t suit me.”

“It doesn’t suit anypony,” Crystal insisted. “That’s what makes it great. Everypony belongs in Manehattan because nopony belongs there. You get to just be you. Ponies leave you alone. They aren’t poking their noses into your business every five minutes. You don’t have to explain yourself or try to act like you can fit in. You want to be angry? Be angry! Everypony’s angry, so nopony cares!”

Crystal sighed. “One of these days, I’m taking you and Rarity and I’m going to show you girls the real Manehattan experience.”

“You’ve said that before,” Applejack joked.

“I know, but I mean it this time. You need to see what I see, so you can love the city like I love it. Nopony judges you there. I mean, they do, but everypony’s judging you all the time so it just kinda blurs into this background noise. It doesn’t mean anything there. Not like Ponyville, where everypony seems to think that everypony’s business is their business.”

“This about me and Three Point?” Applejack asked.

“It’s not fair the way they treat you. Any of them. Even my mom just sees you as this big threat to my future.”

Applejack blinked. She hadn’t heard anything about that before. “Beg pardon?”

“Oh, she’s all smiles and politeness when you’re around, but she hates you.”

Applejack winced, remembering her past encounters with Empty Chalice. “That’s her idea of smiles and politeness?”

Crystal laughed. “You should see her when she’s really mad.”

“I’ll bet. So how is Rarity, anyway?”

As soon as the words had left Applejack’s snout, it seemed as if the room dropped twenty degrees. “Why?” Crystal asked, seeming to bristle from the question.

“I don’t get to see much of her lately,” Applejack admitted. “Not since our morning walk to school became…well, our morning walk. She doin’ okay?”

“She’s fine,” Crystal said brusquely.

“You two still workin’ on--”

“Can we just not?” Crystal asked quickly. “Not everything has to be about Rarity all the time! We’re supposed to be having a nice dinner and--” Crystal caught herself, breathing heavily into her alfredo. “I’m sorry,” she said quickly.

“You okay?” Applejack asked.

“I’m fine,” Crystal answered too quickly. “Rarity’s fine too. We’re great.”

“Was there somethin’ goin’ on between you two?” Applejack asked. “In those last couple months, Crystal seemed right snappish about you.”

Rarity shook her head. One hoof had unconsciously gone to her chest, cradling her heart as she listened to Applejack recount the story. “I honestly never knew she felt this way. She was nothing but nice to me, and I was always there to help her. I thought of us as sisters.”

“She didn’t seem to.”

“I’m realizing that,” Rarity said. Her eyes drifted to the wall, her mind searching through the pages of memory seeking answers. “Did she say anything else?”

“Nah, once we got away from you, I tried to keep the topic away. Rest of the date went by fine. I’m sure you don’t want the details of us makin’ out on the train comin’ home.”

“Thank you. So what happened with your mother? You were absent more days than just those two.”

Applejack nodded. “Mama was so impressed by the job she thought Big Mac had done, she agreed to keep doin’ the treatments. I kept sneaking away to help keep up the farm. Thought I was bein’ so clever, but then….

“APPLEJACK!” Big Mac roared over the east orchard. Applejack all but jumped out of her skin, tumbling from her ladder and landing roughly on the dirt below. “What in tarnation do you think you’re doin’?!”

“Oh, uh….” Applejack scrambled to get back to her hooves, her mind racing for an answer. “It’s, uh, it’s a--”

“Now don’t you give me no talk ‘bout inservice days or the teacher bein’ sick or--”

“It’s the truth!” Applejack insisted.

“Then why’d I just get back from talkin’ to your teacher ‘bout you skippin’ days?”

As the blood drained from her face, Applejack struggled to come up with something clever to say. Something that would really knock Big Mac on his rump, something would make him feel guilty for ever doubting her. Gathering up her nerve, she let fly her masterstroke. “…you wha?”

“Mr. Sketch had to come all the way out here to tell us you’ve been lyin’ up a twister of a storm. You ain’t doin’ your homework, you’re missin’ more classes than you’re goin’ to, and your grades are spiralin’ out of control!”

“I’m tryin’ to help!” Applejack insisted. “You can’t do this by yourself; you need me!”

“I need you studyin’! You’re supposed to go make somethin’ of yourself!”

“Since when do you care?!” Applejack shouted. “You been puttin’ down my schoolin’ since you heard about it! You said there’s more important things and you’re right!” Through heaving breaths, Applejack struggled to quiet herself. After a few seconds, she quietly added, “Gettin’ Mama right is what’s important now.”

“This ain’t what Mama wants for you,” Big Mac said bluntly.

“Mama needs to live. Ain’t nothin’ matters more than that. My grades will be fine. What’s a couple days off?”

“No, Applejack, they won’t.” Big Mac looked Applejack straight in the eyes as he spoke. “That’s what Mr. Sketch came to talk about. You’ve missed too many days these last weeks. He’s talkin’ about failin’ you.”

“What?” Applejack took a step back, the weight of her brother’s words dawning on her mind. “He can’t do that,” she said quietly. “He can’t.”

“He can and will. You gotta fix this, Applejack. It’d break Mama’s heart, you failin’ now.”

“You can’t do this!” Applejack shouted at her teacher from the confines of his office.

“I assure you, this is something well within my ability to do,” Mr. Sketch replied.

“What about all that stuff you said about me graduatin’ early and goin’ on to a fancy school?!”

“If you were to do so, this would be your year to do it. But that was contingent on you maintaining proper attendance and keeping your grades high, which you have utterly failed to do for almost a moon. What I can’t do is understand what could compel you to so thoroughly sabotage your future when it is nearly at hoof.”

“I didn’t--” Applejack started, but Mr. Sketch silenced her with a hard glare and a raised hoof.

“All you needed to do was stick it out for the next few moons and then you would be free to pursue your dreams. Now, if you keep on this road you’re paving for yourself, you will be lucky to even graduate on time with the rest of your class.”

“You gotta listen to me,” Applejack told him. “It’s my Mama, she’s--”

“Every student has excuses. I assure you, whatever you have, I’ve already heard it. Life, Applejack, does not remain still and wait for you to get over whatever it is you think is more important. Your future is already two hooves out the door. You can busy yourself with excuses and let it walk away or you can do what it takes to salvage what’s left of it.”

“And what’s that?”

“Attend class, Applejack. Get your homework done. Study for your tests. Turn this trainwreck of a life you’ve begun to make for yourself around and get back on the right course.”

“But what about--”

“Whatever trifles you are wrestling with, I assure you that nopony cares. They care about results. You are the product of your actions, not the sum of your beliefs. Your hopes, your fears, these are things that only have value for what they drive you to do. Do not give me reasons, Applejack. Give me results. Do you understand?”

“Yeah,” Applejack said quietly. “Yeah, I reckon I do.”

“Good. Now, get to--”

“Mr. Sketch?” Applejack stood as tall as she could. “My family means more to me than anythin’ you’ve got to teach. This future you’re offerin’ don’t amount to a hill of beans next to Mama!”

“Applejack, think very carefully about--”

“I know what my future’s supposed to be,” Applejack said, storming out the door. “It’s the one where Mama’s still with us, and a musty codger like you ain’t a part of that.” She never heard what he said next; she kicked the door shut on her way out and kept right on trotting.

“You did what?!” Big Mac was furious at the news.

“Don’t tell Mama,” she said. “Please, Big Mac, this has to be between you and me.”

“You’re out of your mind! She’s gonna find out, and she’s gonna be heartbroken when she learns of it.”

“She don’t got to,” Applejack insisted. “Please, let me handle this. I can go back when she’s better. He probably won’t remember anyway; he’s practically dust. But you gotta let me help and don’t tell Mama about this.”

“This ain’t a good idea,” Big Mac told her.

“I know it ain’t, but it’s the best I got. Mama said she’d stop the treatments if you can’t take care of the farm!”

Big Mac stepped back, struck by Applejack’s words. “She said that?” he asked.

“She truly did,” Applejack insisted.

“This ain’t another of your lies?”

“I swear on the Princess herself, it’s the honest truth. You gotta help me hide this or we’re gonna lose her.”

“But what about your schoolin’?”

“Please, Big Mac,” Applejack pleaded. “There ain’t nothin’ they got to teach me that’s more important than Mama. You’re the one keeps sayin’ ideas can’t plow a field. Well, I don’t got the ideas that can save her. Ain’t nopony in Ponyville does. But I can plow this field, you just let me.”

Applejack took a moment and closed her eyes, trying to get herself under control. She hated how vulnerable she felt at this moment. She hated how much she’d been forced to open up to get through to her brother. She could hear Mr. Sketch’s voice still ringing in her ears.

“You are the product of your actions, not the sum of your beliefs.”

This was her action. The only action that mattered. She would save her mother, and then everything else would fall into place.

“Alright,” Big Mac whispered finally. “Alright, you win. I’ll help you. But I’m doin’ this for Mama.”

“You and me both,” Applejack whispered in agreement. She stepped in and gave her brother a hug, thanking him for helping her.

Two weeks had passed since Applejack stopped coming to school. Rarity was sure that Crystal hadn’t noticed, but she certainly had. Applejack always turned up at the corner where she usually did, and Crystal kept leaving Rarity to go walk with her instead. Rarity missed walking as a group, but she understood Crystal’s desire to have a bit of time alone with her special somepony.

Still, Rarity couldn’t help but notice Applejack’s absences from the schoolyard. “Is something going on with her?” she had tried to ask Crystal once during their walk.

“Who, Applejack? Nah, she’s doing fine,” Crystal had told her. “I mean, sometimes I catch her kinda zoning out, but it’s nothing to worry about. She’s just really busy, I think.”

“You think?” Rarity asked.

“It’s not a problem,” Crystal said sternly. “Really, don’t worry about it.”

“Then where does she go every day? She’s never in the schoolyard.”

Crystal scoffed. “I wouldn’t be either. You’ve seen how her classmates treat her, right? She’s not welcome in the schoolyard because of those jerks.”

Rarity sighed. “Perhaps that’s it.”

“It is. Trust me, it’s idiots like Three Point and Sound Stage that made it so she can’t hang out with us at school anymore.” Crystal fumed for a few seconds, but then she seemed to notice the look of concern on Rarity’s face, because she quickly cooled her expression.

“Anyways,” Crystal said, changing topics. “You had some new designs you wanted to show me, right? We should hook up after school. My Spring Rings are going really well and I’ve gotten a lot of questions about your Daffodelight.”

Rarity nodded. “Oh, yes, absolutely. Honestly, it’s been a nightmare trying to get two minutes with you lately.”

“I’m sorry about that. It’s just…Applejack, you know.”

“I know,” Rarity said sadly. She’d been expecting her time with Crystal to decline when she’d gotten together with Applejack, but she hadn’t expected it to be quite so absolute. “Still, it’ll be good to have some time to talk. I wanted to go over--”

“Oh!” Crystal shouted. “There she is!” Before Rarity could say anything, Crystal was already trotting across the road. “I’ll see you tonight!” she called back.

Rarity sighed. “Sure. Tonight.”

It happened that afternoon. Rarity and Crystal were at lunch having preliminary discussions about their ideas for a new line when the unwelcome voice of Three Point pierced the air. “So I told her, ‘We’re not having a moment. You’re a creep, Applejack,’ and walked away.”

“Nice,” Sound Stage laughed. “Sounds like you really put her in her place.”

Rarity could feel the anger rising off of Crystal. “Crystal, don’t,” she whispered, but her urgings went unheeded.

“Hey!” Crystal shouted, marching across the field. “You think that’s funny?!”

“Hmm?” Three Point looked up. “Oh, hey, it’s AJ’s special somefilly. I figured you’d be off dodging classes with her. She shared a grin with Sound Stage before adding, “Guess she found a new filly.”

“Shut up!” Crystal shouted. “You don’t know what you’re--”

“Kid, what’s your angle here?” Three Point chuckled. “You think you’re going to say a bunch of mean words to me and I’m going to beg forgiveness?”

Rarity tried to push in front of Crystal, urging her backwards. “Crystal, please, let’s just go.”

“Listen to your friend,” Three Point warned. “I’m going to say what I want to say, so maybe grow up and deal with it.”

“You’re right, Applejack’s probably running around on her anyway,” Sound Stage added.

That incensed Rarity, who whirled on the older ponies. “You take that back!” she shouted. “Applejack’s a--”

“Hey, looks like you struck a nerve,” Three Point said with a laugh. “I bet it’s her. Applejack’s playing with the both of--”

That’s when it happened. Rarity only saw the movement out of the corner of her eye, but its effects were unmistakable. Crystal kicked at the ground with her hoof, spraying up rocks and dirt into Three Point’s face. The world seemed to move in slow motion from that point forward. Rarity felt as much as saw Three Point roaring to her hooves and flowing into Crystal in one swift motion.

What followed was a blur of violence that only ended with the arrival of Mr. Sketch. “What is going on here?!” the teacher demanded, shaking Rarity out of her paralyzed funk. Crystal lay on her back, pinned beneath the older pony. Three Point managed to get one last shot in, slamming her hoof down into Crystal’s face, just before the teacher showed up.

Three Point pulled herself off Crystal. Turning to face her teacher, she jerked a single hoof at the smaller pony on the ground and shoted, “This little psychopath attacked me!”

Crystal lay in a pile of sobs and bruises. Her legs and head had tucked in defensively under the hits Three Point had pelted her with. Broken pieces of her necklace had scattered into the grass, glinting in the midday sun.

Mr. Sketch looked to Three Point’s friends, who had sidled up to support her. Then to Rarity, who laid a gentle hoof by Crystal’s cheek. “Rarity,” he called out. “Is this true?”

Rarity said nothing. Her mind was still struggling to process what had happened. Crystal seemed to accept her hoof, weeping into it. She set her left hoof down behind Crystal’s head, embracing her friend as best she could. Her eyes scanned the ground for the pieces of the broken necklace buried in the grass.

“Rarity!” Mr. Sketch called again, more forcefully than before.

She didn’t know what to say. What could she say? Her instinct was to protect her friend, but there was no denying that Crystal had started the fight. “They were saying awful things,” she offered weakly. “And then…then she….”

“I see,” Mr. Sketch replied. “Can you stand?” he asked Crystal directly.

“I don’t know,” Crystal whispered. Her pink hair drifted into her mouth as she spoke, but she didn’t even seem to notice.

“I want you to try.”

“You can use me for support,” Rarity offered.

Three Point cleared her throat. “Do I need to do anything or can I go?”

Without so much as a glance, Mr. Sketch answered, “You may go. We’re going to have a talk about this incident later.”

“Yes, sir,” Three Point answered and for the first time, Rarity thought she heard a hint of apprehension in her voice.

“Of course, I don’t know that anything ever came of it,” Rarity admitted. “I’d love to say that Three Point got her comeuppance after you left, but so far as I know, she graduated and left Ponyville shortly after. Whatever trouble she got into, it was nothing severe.”

“She’s playin’ basketball for the Whinneapolis Windigos,” Applejack explained. “I hear she’s pretty good.”

“Hmph,” Rarity grumbled. “That hardly seems fair after everything she put you through.”

“No, it don’t, but it ain’t up to us. Life moves on after school ends. I don’t think of her much these days. I got my own life, just as she’s got hers.”

“Time heals all wounds?” Rarity asked.

Applejack shook her head. “Ain’t about time. It’s about movin’ on. Years since, I got pretty good at puttin’ folk behind me and movin’ forward with my life.” She took a deep breath. “Ain’t proud to admit, but I shed a lot of tears since then. I don’t got none for Three Point. Maybe someday, but I ain’t there yet.”

Rarity fell silent. She had nothing more to add to that. Applejack’s broken friendship wasn’t the one she’d meant to ask about, but she could feel the weight of it looming over events still to be discussed.

As if reading her mind, Applejack asked, “How’d Crystal’s mama take the news?”

“FIGHTING?!” Empty Chalice roared in the confines of Mr. Sketch’s office. “That is absolutely unacceptable!”

Rarity sat next to Crystal by the door. She ran a hoof along her friend’s back, trying to comfort her. Crystal’s terror resonated in the air. She clutched a small bag to her chest, holding as many shards of her necklace as Rarity had been able to locate.

Mr. Sketch explained, “As I understand, the other pony was insulting Crystal’s friend and so she took it upon herself to lash out in violence. Ordinarily, punitive action would be my first instinct, but given the circumstances, I believe she has already learned a valuable lesson about rash action.”

Empty Chalice turned her head to look at her daughter, and Rarity saw in her eyes a blazing fury she’d never seen before. She informed the teacher, “Regardless of what the school decides to do, I assure you that this behavior will be rectified. I did not raise my daughter to be a thug.”

“She didn’t mean to,” Rarity offered in Crystal’s defense.

Empty Chalice ignored her, saying only to Mr. Sketch, “Thank you for taking care of her. I will be taking my daughter home now. This will not happen again, I promise you that.” She opened the door with a glow of magic, and as she walked out, she called, “Come along, Crystal.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Rarity,” Crystal said sadly. Still clutching the bag, she obediently stood and followed her mother, despite the limp in her right hind leg.

With the sun just touching the horizon, Applejack knocked at Crystal’s door. She was met as usual by Empty Chalice. Something immediately felt off, however. Empty typically had a thinly-faked politeness to her when Applejack arrived, but this time there was only a cold dismissal coming from her.

“Mornin’, Mrs. Chalice,” Applejack greeted her. “May I--”

“No, Applejack, you may not,” Empty Chalice answered. Stepping outside, she closed the door with her magic. “In fact, I think it would be best if you had no further contact with my daughter at all. In a few days’ time, that will not prove difficult.”

Applejack was struck by the bluntness of Empty Chalice’s words. “What are you--”

“We are returning to Manehattan. I thought it best to wait for Crystal to finish school first, but clearly that was a mistake.”

“What?!” Applejack shouted. “You can’t do that!”

“It was always going to happen. The family business is back on its hooves, thanks in no small part to my efforts. There is much Crystal still needs to learn in order to fill the role I intend for her, and it is clear to me now that keeping her in Ponyville was a mistake. The damage you have already done to her future must be stemmed.”

Applejack stepped back, reeling from Empty’s words. “You can’t,” she repeated. “What about her business? What about Crystal Rarities?!”

Empty stepped forward, filling the space. “Although my daughter shares your…condition…I have always tried to instill in her a sense of work ethic and business sense. Now, she will have to learn how to cope when circumstances beyond her control force her to start over. It is a valuable lesson and one that I wish I could have learned at her age.”

“No,” Applejack said weakly.

“Listen to me, Applejack. I know my daughter has certain affections for you--”

“You know about that?!”

“A mother always knows. It’s quaint, I suppose, but Crystal needs more than that. She has a bright future ahead of her. You can’t expect her to throw away that potential for you.”

Applejack quivered under the force of Empty Chalice’s glare. “She wouldn’t be throwin’ it away,” she suggested. “She could--”

“She could what? Spend the rest of her life in this dismal little town? Marry you and wither away as a housewife? She is a Chalice; she was born for more than wallowing in mediocrity. She deserves better than to watch her hopes and dreams burn away when this little business venture of hers inevitably fails.”

“You don’t know that it’ll fail.”

Empty Chalice rolled her eyes. “Rarity is very talented and I’m certain she has quite a successful future ahead of her, but a two-pony startup for clothing design? In a town this size? That was never going to work out, and having to watch their business collapse would have been demoralizing to them both.”

Empty Chalice looked off over Applejack, her eyes drifting to the distant shadow of Canterlot. “This is for the best,” she added. “Rarity is very talented but she’s a dreamer. Her ambitions are simply outmatched by her station in life. She can learn from this and try her luck in Canterlot. There are plenty of companies that would be thrilled to hire on a designer such as her. She can take a decade or two to hone her craft and her business sense, and then try again someday.”

Applejack sat down hard. The reality was beginning to sink in for her. Empty Chalice meant this; she’d already considered how it would affect everypony and no argument Applejack made was going to change her mind. “You can’t,” she reiterated helplessly.

“I can and am. This is happening, Applejack. Crystal’s future is back on track, and you aren’t going to stop it.” With her magic, she opened the front door and trotted back inside, leaving Applejack alone outside in the waning sunlight.

After a few minutes, Applejack stood and began to tread slowly towards home. After a few steps, her confidence began to return. Her mind was hard at work coming up with ideas. This was a curveball she hadn’t expected to come at her, but she was still high on confidence from her plan to save her mother. This was her time, she was taking charge, and nopony, not Mr. Sketch, not Empty Chalice, was going to keep her from what she wanted out of life.

She and Rarity might be able to sneak Crystal away. They could shelter her and protect her. She could live in the barn loft if Applejack’s parents agreed to it. They could say she’s a distant Apple cousin.

Or they could fight Empty on this. They could push back and keep her from taking Crystal. Somehow. Perhaps Crystal could make an appeal for emancipation, and then she could choose whether she stayed in Ponyville or not. Or maybe--

There was something strange about the atmosphere at Sweet Apple Acres when she arrived. Big Mac wasn’t out in the field like she expected him to be. There was no sign of Granny Smith or Apple Bloom. Her parents weren’t supposed to be home for another week, but the illumination in the living room suggested something was happening.

Applejack broke into a gallop, crossing the farm as quick as she could. She skidded to a stop when she arrived at the front, pushing through the door to see Bright Mac seated on his haunches in the middle of the room. “Daddy!” she shouted and threw herself forward, embracing her father.

“Applejack,” Granny Smith said carefully. Her voice broke with sorrow, but Applejack didn’t notice at first.

“You’re home!” Applejack shouted. “How’d it go? They finally fix what broke in Mama? Where is she?”

“Applejack,” Big Mac said slowly, but again she barely heard it.

Applejack took a look around the room, but Buttercup was nowhere to be found. “Mama?” She called out to the kitchen, but there was no answer.

“Applejack,” Bright Mac said firmly, and this time, she listened. “Sit down. We got some things we need to talk about.”

“What?” In that moment, realization began to cross Applejack’s mind. “Where’s Mama?” she asked. The way her father’s face dropped was answer enough, but it was an answer she wasn’t ready to accept. “Granny?” she asked quickly. “Granny, where’s Mama?”

“Applejack, I’m sorry,” Granny said.

“No! No, I don’t want to hear that!” She shouted. Panic swept through her heart, slipping into her voice as she shouted, “She’s okay! She’s supposed to be okay, she has to be okay, she’s--” Before Applejack could get another word out, her brother stepped forward and wrapped her up in his forelegs.

There, she cried. Openly, brazenly, and without fear or reservation, she cried.

For the next two days, the family mourned. Crying fits and hugs became the standard as each member struggled with how to cope in Buttercup’s absence. Granny Smith was a tough old bat, but even she seemed visibly shaken by the loss. She never cried in front of the family, but Applejack was certain she was feeling it, and there was a solemn distance in her eyes whenever talk came around to Buttercup.

It was at supper on the second day that Bright Mac said to Applejack, “Tomorrow, you gotta get back to school.”

“Mmm?” Applejack looked up from her soup bowl.

“I know you been missin’ days since her passin’. We all need time. But you gotta start goin’ to classes again.”

“I….” Applejack looked down at her soup bowl, watching the future drifting away. It almost seemed out of reach now, as though that was somepony else’s life she’d just been borrowing. “I don’t know that I can,” she admitted.

“You have to try. That was your mama’s dream for you. More than anything, she wanted you to have the kind of life you used to dream about. She would have given anything to help you reach those stars you dreamt of.”

From her spot at the supper table, Applejack began to weep. She couldn’t find any words to explain herself. A deep sense of shame crept through her as she struggled to speak.

Then she was wrapped up in her father’s forelegs. “It’s okay, sugarcube,” he whispered to her. “It’ll be okay.” But it wouldn’t be. How could it? She’d gambled everything on a thin hope, and nothing had changed.

The next day, Applejack returned to the Ponyville Schoolhouse. She caught Mr. Sketch just outside the building early that morning, before the first class had been taken in. “Mr. Sketch?” she called out to him.

“Applejack?” Mr. Sketch turned to look at her. She imagined she looked a mess; she’d spent another night crying. “What brings you here? I thought you’d made a choice of what your future should be. I was to understand that you wouldn’t be returning.”

“I said a lot of things,” Applejack admitted. “I know that and I’m sorry. I know I missed a lot of classes. I’m willin’ to put in the work to make it up, though. And I’m sorry I called you a musty codger.”

Mr. Sketch took a deep breath. “Applejack--”

“Just give me a list of assignments! All the work I missed. I’ll do it this weekend, I promise. I won’t quit until it’s done.”

“Applejack!” Mr. Sketch shouted, catching her attention. Applejack quieted so that he could speak. “I have already spoken with the school board. There have been concerns for years that your presence at this school has a disruptive effect on the other students. However, your academic excellence more than made up for it.”

“That,” Mr. Sketch asserted, “has changed. Your academics had fallen substantially even before the incident between us, and yet your influence on this school remains as disruptive as ever. Now, I have tried to guide you as best I could, but the reality cannot be denied.”

Applejack’s eyes widened with trepidation as she realized what was coming. “Mr. Sketch, please, if you’ll let me explain--”

“Quiet. Consider this the final lesson I have to teach you, Applejack, and it’s one you would do well to remember. There are always consequences for the choices you make. You are expelled.”

Applejack spent the rest of the day and night alone in her room. She didn’t speak to anypony. She didn’t even come down for supper. Everything had gone so terribly wrong, and now here she was. Without her mother. Without Crystal. Without a future. She had never felt so alone as she did in this moment.

Late that night, she was awoken by a tapping sound at the window. Her body felt completely drained of energy, so she ignored it, but then another tap came. Then another. At the sixth tap, Applejack found the strength to get up. Out her window, she saw a light blue pony with pink hair on the lawn chucking rocks up.

Crystal.

That was all she needed. She slipped downstairs and out onto the front lawn. “Crystal!” she shouted exuberantly. “I didn’t think I’d see you again.”

“I snuck out,” Crystal whispered.

“Let’s get away from the house a bit,” Applejack suggested. “Ponies are sleeping.” As they walked, Applejack asked, “What happened? I thought your mama was takin’ you away?”

“She is!” Crystal said urgently. “I need your help. We have to figure out what we’re going to do.”

Applejack breathed a sigh of relief. “You don’t want to go to Manehattan?”

“Of course I want to go to Manehattan! That’s not the point.” Crystal nuzzled Applejack’s neck. “I don’t want to leave you. We need to work out a plan. You said you’re going to graduate early, right? Maybe you could get into a Manehattan university and we could meet up.”

“That ain’t gonna happen,” Applejack admitted.

“Why not? I mean, it’s worth a--”

“I got expelled today, Crystal,” Applejack told her. She could see Crystal’s hopes sink at the news.

“How?! Why?!”

“That don’t--what happened to your necklace?” Applejack noticed that Crystal’s neck was uncharacteristically bare.

Crystal reflectively put a hoof up to her neck, where she used to fiddle with the gems. “It broke,” she said noncommittally. “That’s not important. If you can’t come to Manehattan, maybe I could stay here. I mean, it’d just be until Crystal Rarities gets off the ground, but it’d be something.”

Applejack opened her mouth to speak, but in the back of her mind, fresh wounds began to stir.

There are always consequences for the choices you make.

She was born for more than wallowing in mediocrity.

“Maybe I could stay here,” Crystal suggested. “You aren’t using the barn loft. We could put a ladder here. I can get a mattress up there. It’ll work.”

“Crystal, that ain’t gonna work. Your mama’s just gonna find you. This is the first place she’ll look.”

“Then we run away!” Crystal shouted frantically. “We can just go somewhere. You and me. We’ll just leave Ponyville tonight and then….”

“Then what?” Applejack asked. “Where are we gonna go? What are we supposed to do when we get there?!”

“I don’t know, but it has to be better than this,” Crystal assured her.

“Crystal--”

Tears began to well up in Crystal’s eyes as she spoke. “We have to do something, Applejack. I’m not going to let her take you away from me. We can fight this! We can!”

“Crystal, listen.” She took a deep breath, which came up as a sniffle. Was she crying? She’d done it so much these last couple of days, she barely even noticed anymore.

“No,” Crystal whispered, as if already knowing what Applejack was about to say.

“Look, you got a bright future ahead of you. You’re finally goin’ home like you always wanted. You got a lot of talent, no matter what your mama says, and you’re about to have a whole lot of opportunity to use it. You stay here, that gets squanded. You get to go places and I know you’re gonna do some amazin’ things. I ain’t about to be what holds you back from shinin’ as bright as you deserve.”

“…it’s because I’m not Rarity, isn’t it?” Crystal asked.

Applejack was taken aback by the accusation. “What kind of question is that?!”

“I see you looking at her. I get it. Everypony loves Rarity. She’s beautiful, she’s talented, she’s smart and graceful, she’s just perfect!” Crystal sobbed. “I’m not perfect.”

“This ain’t about Rares,” Applejack insisted. “This is about you and me, and we ain’t gonna work together. You gotta see that.”

Crystal took a step back from Applejack, shaking her head. “You don’t mean that. You can’t. You’re supposed to help me. You’re supposed to support me and take care of me!” She choked on her tears, then added, “We’re supposed to be a team, you and me! We’re meant for each other, don’t you see that?!”

“I’m sorry, Crystal, but we ain’t. It’s over.”

Rarity sat in silence as Applejack finished her story. There was so much she had never expected, so many different facets to Applejack’s life she’d never conceived. Once she was done, Rarity whispered, “I never knew.”

“Well, now you do,” Applejack said. “That was the last time I saw Crystal. Next I knew, you were howlin’ at me in the mud.”

“Yes,” Rarity admitted sheepishly. “About that….”

“She can’t do this!” Rarity shrieked. She stood at the door to Crystal’s bedroom, watching her best friend pack her belongings. Crystal periodically stopped to weep into her belongings; Rarity hadn’t gotten the full story, but she knew something more was wrong. “We have to fight this, Crystal! We can--”

“It doesn’t matter,” Crystal sobbed. “Applejack doesn’t want to be with me anyway.”

Rarity was stunned by this information. “That can’t be right. She adores you!”

“She said it to me herself!” Crystal shouted. “She said we’re through. She said I should go.”

“Oh, Crystal,” Rarity said sadly. She stepped forward to reach out to her friend, but Crystal whirled on her.

“Stay away from me!” she shouted. “This is all your fault!”

“Crystal, please,” Rarity begged. “Let me talk to your mother, maybe she’ll see reason now that she’s had a few days.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Crystal said. She refused to turn and look at Rarity, keeping her attention fixed on the suitcase lying on her bed.

“Yes, it does matter!” Rarity insisted. “I’m sorry about Applejack, but I need you, Crystal. What am I to do without you?! What about our friendship?” She levitated Crystal’s jewelry carousel, floating it out to her. “And what about our plans? I can’t run Crystal Rarities without you.”

“It doesn’t matter!” Crystal shouted. She lashed out with a hoof, striking the carousel. It flew across the room from the impact and struck the wall, landing on the ground with a strong dent where she’d hit it. “I’m never coming back to this stupid hick town again!”

“Crystal, please--"

“Leave me alone, Rarity! Take that stupid thing and go.”

Rarity levitated the carousel, looking it over. “Are you certain? We could still--”

“GET OUT!” Crystal roared at her.

That was the last time Rarity ever spoke to Crystal Chalice. She made it out the front door, not saying a word to Empty Chalice, and made it a block down the street with the carousel when she broke down.

“Losing her was devastating,” Rarity admitted. “I never knew what had happened to you, though. All I knew was that you dumped her when she needed you the most. I never realized….”

“You never asked,” Applejack replied.

“No, I suppose I didn’t.” Rarity stood, thinking aloud. “All these years, I blamed you. It was your fault, I was sure. You ripped out Crystal’s heart and hit mine by proxy. For the longest time, I hated you. But I think I learned something tonight.”

Rarity stepped out towards the barn door, looking up at the glint of sun coming in through the loft opening. “The reality, I think, is that you wouldn’t fight for Crystal. But she, in turn, wouldn’t fight for me. I never meant enough to her to be worth fighting for if she couldn’t be with you. And you didn’t mean enough to me to try and understand your side. You were going through so much, and all I did was add to it.”

Rarity approached Applejack, her eyes stained by regret. “We each failed each other, Applejack. All of us so focused on our own hurt, we couldn’t even see what the other felt. And I…I spent years adding to yours, judging you without even trying to understand. I’ve been no better than Three Point. I’m sorry, Applejack. I really, truly am.”

“I…” Applejack stumbled for what to say. “Can I…I mean, you said--”

Rarity smiled warmly. “Yes, Applejack. Now, you may apologize to me.”

“I’m sorry, Rares. I never thought of how losin’ Crystal would have hurt you. I’ve been angry since you tried pickin’ a fight while we were still mournin’ Mama. I’m sorry for tearin’ her away from you.”

Rarity stepped forward and embraced Applejack, letting her own tears stain her cheek. “I accept your apology,” she said. When she stepped back, she could see Applejack’s eyes were closed. She felt her friend gulp, swallowing down her feelings once more.

Applejack looked up to Rarity and told her, “And I’m sorry for doin’ the same with Twilight.”

“Don’t be. You’re not the one who drove her away. But I do have to ask something: are you certain that this is what you want?”

“I don’t know,” Applejack admitted. “I mean…no, it ain’t what I want. It’s never been what I wanted, Rares. When I step aside, it’s ‘cause I know she’ll do better without me there.”

“Will she? Applejack, you’re one of us. We’ve all helped Twilight to get to where she is today, and we’ve learned so much from it. You and I have been through this before, and our friendships were the price we paid for our failures.”

“You and I patched things up,” Applejack suggested.

“No, we didn’t. Let’s not pretend that what we have now is in any way a continuation of what came before. We’re both here for Twilight. We tolerated each other on her behalf and, yes, over time we started to become friends. But it’s not what we had then. It never will be. Those days of three friends planning their future together are gone.”

The distant sound of giggling prompted Rarity to open the barn door. In the distance, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo could be seen chasing after a kite. Rarity watched the fillies play, letting herself float on the wings of nostalgia.

Applejack stepped down from the hay, drawn by the sound of laughter. She took a seat beside Rarity. “Look at them,” she said to her friend. “You think they’re gonna turn out like us?”

Rarity thought for a second before responding. “Perhaps not. They have something we didn’t; they can learn from our mistakes. But that’s only true if we stop making them first.”

Applejack sighed. “Apple Bloom’s scared. She loves Twi. She’s already come ‘round to seein’ her as a sister. She don’t want to lose her.”

“With what your family’s been through, I certainly can’t blame her. What I can’t understand is why she should have to.” Rarity stopped, thinking to herself. She glanced over to the hay pile, where she’d left her saddlebags.

“I have something for you,” Rarity said, levitating Applejack’s broach from her bag. “Well, it’s technically already yours, but I’ve been meaning to return it.” She floated the broach out to Applejack, but was careful to let it fall open, revealing its three emerald apples for her to see.

“I forgot you had this,” Applejack said, voice raised with wonder as she gazed at the precious jewel. Applejack reached out for it, but Rarity pulled it away.

“Stop. This comes with a condition. I want you to take a moment to look at it. Really, truly look at it. Then I will give it back to you, and when I do, I want you to remember how you felt on that day when you first showed it to me.”

Applejack lowered her hoof. She stared transfixed at the broach, which Rarity slowly rotated in front of her. After a few seconds, she closed her eyes, and she felt.

“I know what she’s doing, you know,” Twilight said grumpily. She lay on her guest bed, holding a small white rabbit between her hooves. The rabbit held a carrot in its own paws, and it couldn’t be happier. Streamers and balloons decorated the room, while a tub of ice cream lay half-eaten on the bedstand table.

“It’s obvious. She’s trying to bait me into talking to her about my friends. She thinks tricking me into thinking about how much they care about me and how much they’ve tried to help me will make me open up and forgive them. It’s not going to work.”

The rabbit responded with a twitch of its nose. It turned its head sideways and twitched its nose again. Even angry though she was, Twilight had to admit it was adorable.

“Yes, you’re very cute,” she conceded. “But it’s still not going to work. As soon as she gets back with that new ice cream tub, I’ll tell her. I see right through her.”

The rabbit replied by nibbling on its carrot, eliciting a reluctant, “D’aww,” from Twilight.

“You know, Fluttershy has a rabbit who looks just like you. You’re a lot fluffier than him, though. He doesn’t like being picked up, either.”

Outside the door, Princess Celestia listened to Twilight’s one-sided conversation, then shot a proud grin at Spike and began to walk away. The little dragon raced to keep up with her long strides.

“Aren’t we going in?” Spike asked.

“Nope. Now, we just need to give her time. General Hops-a-Lot should give her a chance to get out some of her frustrations.”

“I don’t understand,” Spike said. “Don’t you think you were laying it on a bit thick earlier? She’s bound to figure out what you’re up to.”

“Of course, she is. Spike, I’ve been responsible for Twilight since you were a hatchling. She is a very intelligent filly, but she has certain special needs. She’s always been very defensive. She closes herself off too easily, except when she has a chance to be right about something.”

“Wait, that’s what all this is about?”

Princess Celestia nodded. “Twilight is never more comfortable than when she gets to feel like she’s the smartest pony in a room. You don’t teach Twilight Sparkle by telling her things she doesn’t want to hear. You do it by giving her a nudge in the right direction and letting her devise what you wanted her to learn for herself. How do you think I convinced her to stay in Ponyville?”

Spike’s jaw fell open. “You…you convinced….”

Princess Celestia giggled. “Oh, Spike. You still have much to learn.”

“I’m realizing that.”

Celestia opened a door to a side hall, leading Spike through. “Just give her some time, and she’ll be back on her hooves before you know it. All we have to do now is keep her away from unpleasant surprises like--”

A royal guard came down the hall, escorting a familiar orange pony in a brown hat. Spike could swear the temperature dropped twenty degrees when the Princess laid eyes on her. There was an unmistakable anger in her voice when she spoke, as much to herself as addressing the visitor.

“Applejack.”

8 - A Royal Challenge

“I don’t think she’s going to be very happy to see you,” Rarity said.

“I know,” Applejack said. She tapped her hoof impatiently, watching the train in the distance rumble forward. The Friendship Express was taking its sweet time getting to Ponyville, and she could swear that it was actually going slower just to mock her.

Rarity heard Applejack, but she didn’t believe her. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you? Twilight can be rather difficult when her mind is made up, and I don’t want--”

Applejack spun to look back at Rarity, answering, “Rares, that’s why I don’t want you there. Twi’s mad at the both of us right now. She’s liable to shut down and quit listenin’ to anything we say, she sees us both there. Even if she weren’t, state she’s in, I don’t want her seein’ you and me together right off the bat. Might just dredge up old issues.”

“I understand,” Rarity admitted. “Still, I’d feel better if you took somepony with you.”

A thought struck Applejack’s mind, causing her to perk up. “How ‘bout Apple Bloom?” she asked. “She and Twi really bonded these last few moons. I bring her, Twi’s sure to come back with us. She wouldn’t break Apple Bloom’s heart like that.”

“That would be emotional blackmail.”

“Oh.” Applejack paused, considering. “And that would--”

“Yes, darling, that would be bad.”

“Well. It’s a good thing I ain’t doin’ that then!” Applejack laughed nervously, looking back at the tracks. She silently wished for the train to come faster or hit her. Whichever got her out of this situation quicker.

What am I gonna say to her?

Not for the first time, Applejack questioned how she even planned to have this conversation. Twilight was certain to be livid when she saw her. She’d fled to Canterlot to get away, after all. How does one even start to talk after that?

Mornin’, Twilight. What? An awful, out-of-the-blue breakup that shattered your heart forever? Nah, never happened. You must have had some bad eggs.

“Right this way, miss,” the guardpony said. He led her down the corridor towards the guest rooms, where she knew Twilight had to be staying. A knot had formed in her stomach since her arrival in Canterlot, and it seemed to grow larger with every step towards the dreaded reunion.

“Thank you kindly,” Applejack said quietly. She wondered if she’d given Twilight enough time to at least be civil. Twilight prided herself on how logical she was, but Applejack knew she was just as prone to wild irrationality and emotional swings as any other pony. Worse, they seemed to hit her harder than the other ponies Applejack knew, possibly because of how emotionally impenetrable she considered herself.

“Have you seen her?” she asked the guard. “How’s she doin’?”

“Princess Twilight hasn’t come out of her guest room since this morning,” the guardpony reported. Applejack felt a mild shiver. It was still weird to hear the words “Princess Twilight”. She supposed she’d have to try and get used to it, especially given the way things were between them now. Princess Twilight had excused her friends from the formality, but Applejack wasn’t certain she still counted.

Then again, if Twilight did still want Applejack to be excused and she opted for the formality, it might just anger her worse. It could further alienate her, making her feel like Applejack didn’t even want to be her friend any longer. Enraging her would be a terrible start to the conversation.

Applejack sighed. This wasn’t getting anywhere. “What’s your name?” she asked the guardpony.

“Polished Steel, miss.” His answer came immediately and with that formal ‘miss’ he’d been tacking onto every statement. He spoke matter-of-factly and with his chin high, as though his voice was just another trained and regimented part of him. It made Applejack uneasy to hear.

“You got a special somepony, Steel?”

“Happily married for twelve years, miss.” Again, Applejack was struck by how emotionless he was as he spoke. He spoke of his family as though delivering a field report. This was Twilight’s world she was walking around in now, and it was one that was so different from everything she was used to. Not like Manehattan, either.

This was a world of strict order. It was a world of honed discipline, where the ponies were as hard as their armor. Workers like Spike and her scurried about in the background, helping to build and maintain this seamless living space for the upper class.

She idly wondered if this was the lens Empty Chalice saw the world through. A nation of halls going uncleaned before her. A population of servants poorly disciplined, unregimented, and not doing their duty to support and uplift her.

Not for the first time, she felt a sting of resentment creep into her heart. It was the same feeling she had when Empty’s eyes had lingered for too long on her sides or forehead. The same feeling she got when Three Point was making her comments. It made her feel sick to think of it. This feeling went against everything she stood for, everything Ponyville stood for.

“Right through here, miss,” Steel said, oblivious to her nausea.

Applejack followed Steel through another door into the guest wing. She knew Twilight would be right around the corner, this corner in the grand castle of Canterlot itself because Applejack’s curse was loving beyond her station in life. As the knot in her stomach began to violently struggle, she realized she’d lost whatever momentum of a plan she’d managed to form in the first place. She--

“Applejack!” Princess Celestia’s voice sang down the hall, caressing Applejack’s ears with its gentle tones. “What a pleasure to see you,” she said, coming down the hall. Applejack was thrilled to see Spike flanking her, though the unease on his face did much less to comfort her than the Princess’s voice.

Applejack gave the princess a customary bow and greeting of, “Your highness.” Internally, she began to panic. This was the last thing she needed!

Princess Celestia approached and looked straight at the guardpony. “Thank you, Steel. I can take her from here. You may return to your duties.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Oh, but before you go,” Princess Celestia added, “I wanted to ask about Mirror Gleam. Is she doing any better?”

“I…” For the first time, Steel’s iron expression seemed to fail him, just for a second, before his discipline snapped back in place. “No, ma’am. Doctor says the sprain could take up to seven weeks before she’s able to come back to work.”

Applejack watched the princess’s features soften at the news. “I’m sorry to hear that,” she said to her soldier. “Tell her I said she can take nine with pay. I want her to be in top condition when she returns. I will try to find time in my schedule to visit her next week.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Applejack could see a smile struggling to take control on Steel’s face, but ultimately his discipline won out. “Thank you, ma’am,” Steel replied. Then he gave the princess a salute and marched back out of the guest wing the way he’d come.

The princess waited for her soldier to depart. “Why did you come here, Applejack?” The question left her snout before she even turned her gaze, and when at last her eyes fell on Applejack, the farm pony felt her body shrinking away.

There was power in the eyes of Equestria’s greatest monarch. No fury, no rage, but a distinct sense of authority that resonated through Applejack’s body. She felt the hairs across her body stand up, felt herself shiver under the sheer force of the princess’s question.

“I need to….” Applejack started, but the Princess cut her off.

“Let me be clear. You have on many occasions performed a great service for Equestria and for that, I and everypony else am indebted to you. More than that, you have helped to teach my student, and she has grown in many ways because of you. None of that has ceased to be true due to recent events. However, under no circumstances will you be permitted to see Princess Twilight.”

Princess. The weight of the title bore down on Applejack, making her feel smaller for even being in the same room that it was spoken in.

Princess Celestia continued. “She will return to Ponyville with time. When she does, the decision of whether to remain friends with you will fall to her. But for now, the best thing you can do for her is to leave.”

In her presence, it was next to impossible to argue. Applejack had always been raised to revere the Princess. She’d been brought up with a profound respect for her own role in Equestria and how it compared to the Princess’s. Even now that there were four, she felt in her heart that to disrespect any Princess was tantamount to blasphemy. And this wasn’t any Princess. This was Princess Celestia, she who raises the sun, telling Applejack to leave.

Her immediate reflex was to apologize and to go. In the face of the Princess’s polite but forceful insistence, who was she to refuse? A worker. A farm pony. Not one of the Element of Harmony, not anymore, but a simple laborer. Not the special somepony of Princess Twilight, but a heartbreaker begging for an audience with the Princess’s personal student.

There was no reason the Princess should acquiesce to her, and it would be impertinent to even ask. She knew this. She knew this. So why weren’t her legs moving?

“I’m sorry,” Applejack said, but the words weren’t followed by the concession she meant them to be. Instead, her lips said, “But I can’t do that.”

“You most certainly can,” Princess Celestia replied. “Don’t make this difficult.”

“I can’t!” Applejack shouted, as shocked at herself as the Princess was. “Please, your highness, I gotta speak with Twilight. Give me two shakes of a lamb’s tail, that’s all I need, and then I’ll go.”

“That is not going to happen,” the Princess said. “Twilight is in a delicate state right now. The last thing she needs is to see you. You need to leave.” The Princess’s voice rose to fill the hall as she spoke, but she seemed to catch herself. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and centered herself. When she opened them, she said quietly, with a voice full of concern, “It would break my heart to have the guard remove you, Applejack. Please don’t make it come to that.”

Applejack looked the Princess straight in the eyes and told her, “Well, I reckon you’ll have to, your highness. I got somethin’ needs sayin’, and I ain’t leavin’ ‘til--”

The princess opened her mouth to answer, but before she could say another word, a new voice called from the doorway behind her. “Applejack?” the voice asked with trembling words.

The Princess turned to see Twilight, who took a few cautious steps down the hall. Princess Celestia seemed confused at first, and then her eyes settled on Spike at Twilight’s side, halfway hidden behind her body. He looked up apologetically at Princess Celestia.

“What are you doing here?” Twilight asked, stepping forward down the hall. She kept to the Princess’s side, concealed somewhat behind her as she approached.

“Twilight, I--”

“No, stop,” Twilight told her, more coldly. She stopped walking and closed her eyes for a few seconds. Her breath hitched in her throat, then she spoke again. Coldly, she asked, “What is this, Applejack? What are you doing here? Is this the part where you say something really cruel and break my heart further, or the part where you apologize and we make up so you can break my heart again? Which is it?”

Applejack felt wounded by Twilight’s verbal assault, but could she really argue with the assertion? “That ain’t fair,” she weakly offered in her defense.

“Isn’t it? You said we can’t be together. You said I had to go. Why can’t you give me the time I need to learn how to stop loving you?” Before Applejack could say any more, Twilight added, “Princess Celestia is right. You need to leave.”

“I will, Twilight,” Applejack assured her. “I give you my word. Soon as I say what I gotta say, I’ll go. Just let me get this out, please. You want me to get down and beg, I’ll do it, just hear me out. Then I’ll leave. You don’t got to do nothin’. That’s the honest truth, sug--Twilight. You know that, ‘cause it came from me.”

“I wish I did,” Twilight said somberly.

Incensed, Applejack demanded, “Twilight Sparkle, I ain’t always done right by you but when have I ever told you a lie?”

In an instant, Twilight answered with, “When you said you loved me.” Her words cut into Applejack like a coring knife, curling around her heart. Twilight’s eyes, previously full of anger, seemed to soften upon the realization of what she’d just said. She put a hoof over her snout and whispered, “I’m sorry.” Then Twilight turned away from Applejack, hiding behind Princess Celestia.

“This is what I was trying to avoid,” the princess admitted, laying out a single wing and wrapping her pupil in it.

Applejack waited patiently for Twilight to recover, though her nerves were shattered by the talk. After several seconds, Twilight finally asked, “What is it? What did you want to say?”

Applejack took a deep breath, then told her, “I want to tell you a story. It’s the story I’ve been keepin’ from you all these moons. It ain’t a story I’m proud of, and you might not like me too much when it’s finished, but it’s one you gotta know. Reckon I owe you that.”

“Why?” Twilight asked. “I’ve been waiting for you to open up since we’ve been together. Why are you doing this now?”

“’Cause it ain’t about me anymore,” Applejack answered. “You let me tell my story and I’ll go. I promise. But when it’s all done, I want you to do somethin’ for me.”

“What?

“Don’t hate Rarity.”

“…what.”

“Twilight, please,” Applejack begged. “She never meant you no harm. You got mixed up in somethin’s been runnin’ a lot of years, but all either of us wanted was you to be happy.” She took a careful step forward, testing the boundary between her and Twilight. “Can I tell you my story?”

Twilight looked up at Princess Celestia for answers, but her mentor answered only with a smile and the words, “This is your decision, Twilight. I can’t make it for you.”

Slowly, Twilight looked back at Applejack. She took a breath, looked Applejack in the eyes, and asked, “You really didn’t come here to ask me to come back?”

The question dug into Applejack like a corkscrew. She knew what she wanted to say, but she also knew what had to be said. Need and want collided in her heart and she struggled with her words. “I don’t….” she started, but then she stopped.

Steeling herself, Applejack answered, “I do want you to come back, Twilight, but I don’t know that it’s right for us. Don’t reckon it’d be right to ask neither, even if it was. Not now.”

Stepping away from Princess Celestia, Twilight asked, “Why do you keep running away from me? You were the one that wanted to be with me in the first place. Why do you hide parts of yourself from me? What are you afraid of?”

“I don’t know, Twilight. Truth told….” Applejack hesitated. The words sat on the tip of her tongue, but she was reluctant to say them. She felt embarrassed of her own feelings and she cast a glance up at Princess Celestia. She felt judgment burning off the monarch and old shames began to surface.

“Do you love me?” Twilight asked, interrupting her train of thought.

The question caught Applejack off-guard. “Course I do,” she said without thinking.

“Then the time to let me in was moons ago. I’ll listen to your story, but I expect to hear everything. No more secrets, Applejack.” Twilight looked up to her mentor, asking, “Would you mind if she and I go back to my room? This should be private.”

“Of course,” Princess Celestia said with a nod. “I’ll be right down the hall if you need anything.”

Seated on her haunches in Twilight’s guest room, Applejack closed her eyes and told her story. Twilight listened in silence, absorbing every word as Applejack told of her early friendship with Rarity and Crystal Chalice. She told of their meeting, of new friends and broken relationships.

Scritch scritch scritch...

Her words stuck in her throat, but Applejack forced herself to talk about coming to terms with her identity. She told Twilight about her own disdain for fillies who liked fillies and the struggle of trying to make peace with herself.

Scritch scritch scritch...

She talked about the way it hurt to lose her friends the way she had. She remembered losing--

Scritch scritch scritch...

Applejack looked up from her story to see Twilight with her nose buried in a sheet of parchment. A quill hovered before her, frantically inscribing marks onto the sheet. Her ears were perked up, both pointed in Applejack’s direction while the quill scrabbled. After a few seconds, Twilight noticed that the story had stopped and looked up from her work.

Raising an eyebrow, Applejack asked, “…Are…are you takin’ notes on my traumatic fillyhood?”

Twilight glanced quickly to the door, then back to Applejack. “…Noooo….” She replied as a deep purple blush spread across her face. “This is…math….”

Despite their hardships, the sight of Twilight’s embarrassment for her parchment brought Applejack to laughter. For several long seconds, she laughed openly and loudly, filling the room with her jubilation.

“What?” Twilight asked, but she was met only with further merriment. “Why are you laughing at me?!”

“I’m sorry,” Applejack struggled to say once she’d started to calm down. “I’m mighty sorry, surely I am, but that’s….”

“It’s what?” Twilight asked defensively. “It’s nerdy? It’s stupid?”

“It’s you,” Applejack finished for her. “Ain’t nothin’ more like you could be happenin’ now. I know it ain’t been but a couple days now, but I miss you, Twilight. I miss the gentle scratch of your quill in the night when you think I ain’t up no more. I miss--”

“Stop,” Twilight scolded her, raising a hoof out in front of her. “You broke up with me. You don’t get to say things like that.”

Applejack closed her eyes and nodded her head in acceptance. “I’m sorry, Twi.”

“So am I,” Twilight said darkly. “You should get back to your story.”

While Applejack spoke, Twilight struggled to quiet the vice grip of her heart. From the moment she’d seen her again, it felt like her heart had stopped beating entirely. It sat motionless in her chest, aching and emanating a cold chill that spread through her being.

She didn’t know how to speak to her, so instead, she did what she knew best. She focused on her notes. One parchment after another filled up with the story of Applejack’s life. Questions were circled and linked to pertinent passages of the tale. Speculation and estimations filled the margins of every page, trying to flesh out details left unspoken.

She said nothing, only listened attentively to the story and captured as many of its details as she could. Applejack spoke of the loss of her parents, and Twilight wrote. The first friend she ever made in Ponyville told her of a history she’d never known, and Twilight wrote. The pony she loved poured her heart out for her, and Twilight wrote.

As she wrote, she digested the history Applejack shared with her. This was everything she’d ever wanted to know, and she only wished it could have come out under more pleasant circumstances. The more she listened, the harder it became to hear. Answers led to questions and questions led to doubts.

“…and that was it,” Applejack said, finishing her tale. “I never saw Crystal again and Rares, well, she lost everything ‘cause of me. Had to start all over without her best friend.”

Finally, Twilight spoke, her eyes still leafing over the pages, skimming everything she’d transcribed. “This is….” She choked on her words. Looking up over the parchment at Applejack, Twilight asked, “Is this what you carry with you?”

Applejack nodded. “What you got on those pages, Twilight, that’s me.”

“I have questions,” Twilight said.

“You got me long as you want, Twi.”

Twilight exhaled slowly, bracing herself. “What happened to Crystal?”

“Don’t rightly know,” Applejack answered.

“You never followed up?”

“She wouldn’t want to see me again anyway,” Applejack said defensively. “Twilight, most ponies don’t see each other again after a breakup.”

“I wouldn’t know,” Twilight said bitterly. Looking back at her notes, she asked, “Your teacher said you’d been a ‘disruptive influence’. What does that mean? Were you starting fights in school or something?”

“I never got a straight answer, but I reckon the school board blame me for what the other colts and fillies were sayin’ ‘bout me.”

“That can’t be right,” Twilight told her.

“Why not?”

“Because it’s terrible!” Twilight shouted, standing up.

Applejack closed her eyes, nodding to Twilight. “You ain’t wrong, but it happens to a pony that’s different. You ain’t run into that?”

Twilight through back over the last year. “I might have,” she admitted. “I am starting to get tired of ponies assuming I’m interested in mares. I keep having to explain myself and it’s more agitating every time I have to do it.”

“Wait, you ain’t interested in mares?” Applejack asked, confused.

“You know that!” Twilight shouted at her.

Quickly, Applejack replied with, “You said you like me rather than just likin’ mares, but I reckoned it was you comin’ to terms with it. I’m still workin’ on copin’ with--” Applejack stopped talking, watching Twilight begin to seethe in front of her.

“No, by all means. Keep digging.”

“Sorry,” Applejack said quickly.

Twilight sighed. “No, I’m sorry. I don’t even know how to react to any of this,” Twilight admitted. “The worst thing that happened to me growing up was when I didn’t get to see my brother for a few years. At least, not very often. But then he got into the Royal Guard and we went out for ice cream to celebrate spending more time together.”

Twilight looked through her sheets, adding, “Losing a parent? Academic expulsion? I don’t think I even have the life experience I’d need to know how to sympathize with you. I don’t….” She drifted off, arranging her pages. With a sigh, she tried again. “I never realized how much about life I still don’t understand until now.”

“You led a charmed life,” Applejack assured her.

“I think I’m starting to realize that.” Twilight leafed through the pages, skimming their contents with her eyes. “I still have so many questions, but I’m terrified of the answers to them. How did you live through this?”

“One day at a time,” Applejack answered with conviction. “Since I was a filly, I had to get good at losin’. I lost my friends. I lost my parents. I lost my chance at the future Mama wanted for me. I lost one Special Somepony after another, but I got good at--”

“How many?” Twilight asked, still looking at the pages. “You stopped at Crystal, but I’m led to believe there were more between her and me.” Pain cut into her heart as she spoke, but she had to know the answer. “How many times did you--how many were there?”

“Countin’ you?” Applejack asked. She looked up, taking the moment to count to herself. It was a sight that filled Twilight with dread. At last, she answered, “Fifteen.”

“Wow,” Twilight said aloud. A familiar sense of emptiness and longing that she now recognized as jealousy crept into her stomach, accompanying the dead ache in her heart. “I was not prepared for that answer,” she admitted. She felt the image of Applejack that she carried in her heart crack from the strain of new information she was gaining.

Disbelieving, Twilight asked, “I knew I wasn’t your first, but I thought I might be the third? Fourth? But fifteen?” She could scarcely believe she’d heard that properly.

“Weren’t all like us,” Applejack clarified. “Most lasted a few weeks. Only a few really stuck. Longest was Octavia Melody. Time was, I thought for sure she was gonna be the one I said my vows to.”

“What happened?” Twilight asked.

“We were comin’ up on two years. Royal orchestra in Canterlot wanted to sign her to this fancy contract. She’d be gone for ten moons. She said she wouldn’t sign ‘cause she didn’t want to be gone from me that long, and it was then I knew what I had to do.”

Twilight swallowed that answer, adding it to the pile of emotions she was feeling. “Why did you hide this from me?”

“It wasn’t about you,” Applejack told her. “This is my hurt, Twilight. Ain’t nopony needs to--”

“That’s not what we agreed to,” Twilight said, cutting her off. “At least, it’s not what I thought we were doing. Ever since our anniversary I thought you were going to ask me to marry you. That’s where I thought we were. I wanted to share everything with you, to…to be as much a part of your life as you already are to mine. Was I wrong?”

Twilight could see the effect her words had on Applejack. Her eyes fell to the floor and she swallowed hard before she spoke. “I was fixin’ to ask,” she admitted. “I wanted to give it more time, though. I wanted to be sure of it.”

“I was sure,” Twilight scolded. “I spent weeks thinking about earth pony naming conventions. I literally stood in front of a mirror and tried out different combinations for what our name would be.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Our name?”

“Yes! Earth ponies share names. That’s how the Cakes do it and how the Riches do it, and I wanted to know what ours would be. I spent hours repeating things like Applesparkle or Sparkapple or--”

“You’d have been an Apple,” Applejack said bluntly.

Twilight blinked. “That’s it? Just ‘Twilight Apple’?”

Applejack shook her head. “Nah, you’d still have been Twilight Sparkle. You’d just be an Apple. That’s how my family does it. You don’t got to have an Apple in your name to be an Apple. My Mama’s name, start to finish, was ‘Buttercup’.”

“Like the flower?”

“Nah, like a cup of butter. Granny says she used to be a fancy chef.”

“Right, you mentioned.”

“There ain’t a single Apple anywhere in her name, but she was an Apple through and through. Family’s more than stickin’ a word in your name. Ain’t that how the Sparkles do it?”

Twilight shook her head. “We’re not ‘The Sparkles’. We never had a family name. Most unicorns don’t.” A few seconds passed in awkward silence. Twilight scratched at the back of her hoof, then admitted, “This seems really basic. We should know each other better than this by now.”

“We weren’t ready,” Applejack said simply.

Twilight shook her head, resigning herself to the truth. “No, we weren’t. If you’d asked me, I would have said yes.” She took a deep breath, pushing down the fresh gush of pain from her heart as she added, “But that would have been a mistake.”

“Surely would have,” Applejack agreed darkly.

“But,” Twilight said, anger flaring up behind her, “that doesn’t excuse breaking my heart the way you did. Maybe we weren’t ready for marriage but I deserved better than to be cast out in the dark like that. You should have let me in a long time ago, Applejack. You should have been honest with me.”

She could see how that word cut into Applejack as she said it, but she was glad it did. She was so angry that her vocabulary had begun to select her words for harm potential. It was another new experience to add to the list of emotions Applejack had shown her.

“You’re right,” Applejack agreed. “I should have. If I had my druthers, we wouldn’t have gone this way, Twi. I knew I should have done it soon as you came back with wings, but I couldn’t. I agonized for weeks over it, but then Apple Bloom was there and I panicked.”

“Why?” Twilight asked, making no effort to hide the bitterness still in her voice.

“I don’t know why. Bein’ with you ain’t exactly been a bed of roses, Twilight, but….” She drifted off, thinking back over the time they’d spent together.

Applejack remembered how she felt that night when Twilight was gussied up to look like Rarity. She’d spent the better part of a day washing dye out of her mane and tail.

“Bein’ with you is a lot of work,” she admitted. “But I like the work. Everything in my life changed the day we met, and you’ve done nothin’ but bring new challenges and adventures. When I’m with you, I feel like I finally found what was missin’ from my life all these years.

“Letting you go was a mistake,” Applejack told Twilight firmly. “It’s been eatin’ at me since that day. It was the wrong choice to make, and I knew that. You were the one goodbye I never wanted to say.”

Twilight considered Applejack’s words. She closed her eyes, absorbing them emotionally as well as intellectually. The chaotic mess of feelings in her heart stubbornly refused to subside, and when she realized Applejack had finished, she asked, “Is that it?”

“Beg pardon?”

“That’s all you have to say to me? Breaking up with me was a mistake because I’m special? Because I’m different somehow? That’s your explanation for adding me to the trail of broken hearts you’ve left in your path?”

Nervously, Applejack started, “Is that not--”

“No, it’s not okay,” Twilight finished for her. “You’re making this about me but I am not the problem here. This isn’t the first time I’ve cried myself to sleep because you went running for the escape hatch. I’m not about to give you another chance if we’re just going to be standing right here a moon from now having this exact same conversation!”

“We won’t,” Applejack assured her.

“Why? Because I’m special? So was Octavia. Where is she now, Applejack?!”

Applejack didn’t answer the question. Of course, she couldn’t. Twilight knew that when she asked. It wasn’t a fair question, but it made her feel better. She took a deep breath to try and center herself but the hurt wouldn’t let her be calm.

“Do you know what I always liked about you?” Twilight asked quietly, her voice quivering as she spoke. Not even waiting for an answer, Twilight finished, “From the moment we met, you’ve been the kind of pony who goes out of her way to make others feel welcome. You took me into your family immediately. It didn’t matter that I was a stranger.”

Twilight looked at Applejack now and she saw the same sense of compassion and selflessness she always had. The taste had soured in her mouth, however. She’d hurt so many ponies for the sake of being selfless. In this, Twilight knew she wasn’t truly special. She was a name on the list of victims claimed by Applejack’s compassion, as filtered through her emotional damages.

And even as a part of her yearned to just let it all go so that she could be with her special somepony again, she didn’t know if she could ever trust her again. This, she knew, was why Applejack had never told her of all of this. It was a secret that truly did change everything about how she looked at her. She would have wanted to believe it wouldn’t, that nothing could shake how strongly she felt for Applejack, but it did.

“You gave me a home,” Twilight said to Applejack. “That meant more to me than you know. I just wish you could have told me that I was only renting the space. The fact is, what you did to me and to those others, that wasn’t noble. You made a choice to give up on us.”

“Twilight,” Applejack whispered, “I had to. My Mama--”

“Your mother loved you!” Twilight shouted. “If she could be here right now, you know that she would be. What happened to her was terrible and I am so sorry for your loss, but you chose to leave me. This isn’t a tragic circumstance, Applejack. It’s not some noble sacrifice. It’s just you.” After a few seconds, she added, “It’s always been you.”

Applejack didn’t seem to have an answer for that. Twilight wondered if she’d actually listen, but she knew that at this point, it didn’t seem to matter much. Her mind was made up. If Applejack couldn’t even understand what she’d done wrong, if she couldn’t even grasp the effect her choices had on the people she’d hurt, then there was nothing left to say.

As much as it tore at her to admit, Twilight couldn’t be in a relationship with somepony who could cause so much pain without even recognizing her fault. She liked to believe the best in other ponies, but this stubborn, almost cruel void of self-awareness was a deal-breaker she couldn’t put behind her.

“I’m sorry,” Applejack said quietly.

“So am I. You should probably leave now.”

Applejack nodded to her, standing up. “Course. I meant what I said before, though. This ain’t Rarity’s fault. If you got to hate me to feel better, I can live with that, but don’t put this on her. She loves you as much as I do.” With those words, she turned and walked to the door, and Twilight thought she could hear the faint sound of Applejack sobbing as she went.

Twilight blinked. She’d forgotten all about that. Applejack’s entire reason for coming down here was to talk about Rarity. “Wait,” she called out. “I never asked about Rarity. Do you know about the--”

“The bettin’ pool?” Applejack asked. “Sure, I know. But I don’t hold that against her and neither should you. Broke her heart, what I did to Crystal. She did what she did ‘cause she was hurtin’ and other ponies joined her ‘cause they were too. I hurt a lot of ponies, Twilight. Hurt you too. I’m still comin’ to terms with that.”

Twilight stood up slowly, listening to Applejack speak. The hollowness in her chest began to subside as she listened. This was what she’d wanted to hear from the beginning.

“I can’t make things right with Crystal or Octavia or any of the other ponies. I can’t even make them right with you.” She sighed. “Reckon I thought if I could bring you home, maybe that’d be a place to start. I already took Crystal away from Rares; I couldn’t bear knowin’ I took you from her too.

“And I came here for you,” Applejack admitted. “Even if we can’t be together, I don’t want you spendin’ your life in a tower, seething at all of us. Rarity, Rainbow, and the others, they made mistakes. So did I. But we made them out of love, and there ain’t nopony’d be happy with you bein’ gone.”

Applejack sighed. “Reckon I said my piece. See you ‘round, sugarcube.”

“Applejack, wait!” Twilight shouted, using her magic to hold the door shut. This changed everything. Internally, Twilight wished Applejack had said this part sooner. “I….” She stopped herself and took a moment to think about what she wanted to say. This didn’t change so much that she’d stopped hurting about what had happened, but now she could see a small spark in Applejack, a tiny glimmer of the future she’d been hoping for before everything happened.

“I want you to stay here tonight,” Twilight told her, her mind rapidly building the scenario. Quickly, she corrected herself, “Not with me. Just…stay. Please.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Not with you?”

“It’s…think of it as an experiment,” Twilight told her.

Applejack’s heart raced at the promise. She never thought she’d be so happy to hear the word ‘experiment’ before. “Whatever I can do to make us right, Twilight.”

Twilight took a deep breath and started to explain. “I want you to spend the next 24 hours here in the castle. The servants will take care of everything you require, and you are not allowed to refuse them. You can’t make your own bed. You can’t cook your own food. You can’t do any of the things you’re used to doing for yourself.”

Applejack blinked. She knew these terms were going to be hard enough on their own, but Twilight continued. “I want you to think of a project that you can work on. That will be your focus. Something you’ve been meaning to do but keep putting off. It can be anything you want, with one exception: it’s not allowed to be something for me. This has to be your project.”

“Will I see you?” Applejack asked.

“No. You can chat with the servants, the royal guard, whoever pops by, but you won’t see me.”

“That don’t make sense,” Applejack admitted. “Why am I doin’ this?”

“Because that’s my life, Applejack. You took me into your home and shared your family with me, and I love you for it. I have never faulted you for your muck. But I don’t think you’ve ever truly understood me. Now you’re going to. I’m not a farmer or a merchant or a business owner. Look around you, Applejack. This is everything that I am. I was born in polished halls and I’m going to die in polished halls. …I mean, I wasn’t actually born here, but--”

Despite herself, Applejack couldn’t help but chuckle at Twilight’s statement. “One of these days, you gotta stop rememberin’ things I say and throwin’ them back at me.”

“I can’t promise that. I’m in love.” Twilight coughed awkwardly, then resumed her explanation. “The point is that what I’m asking you to do isn’t any different from what I do every day. I’m asking you to spend a day being me, and when you’re done, I want you to answer one question: is my life really so unbearable next to yours?”

Nervousness crept down Applejack’s spine as she considered what Twilight was asking her to do. She’d never been one to rely on others, especially not strangers. She prided herself on being self-sufficient. The idea of having to let other ponies pick up after her filled her with dread. But the alternative was worse.

“I got a question,” Applejack said. “End of this, do we get to be together?”

Twilight faltered on an answer. She hesitated a moment, considering her words as carefully as Applejack had in the entry hall. “I can’t promise anything,” she answered. “But let me answer that question with another question: if you can’t stomach being royalty for even a single day, how could you possibly bear to be with me for a lifetime?”

Applejack considered Twilight’s words. “I ain’t never wanted to be royalty, except when I was little,” she admitted. “I kept my head down, did my work to help Equestria. Wearin’ an Element of Harmony was a new way to serve and I was proud to do it, but royalty? Takes a special kind of pony to wear that crown, and I never thought of myself as somepony deserves it.”

The more she thought about it, the more sure she was. “Whatever happens between you and me, I don’t reckon I could ever come ‘round to thinkin’ of myself as a Princess. But a Princess’s special somepony? That’d suit me fine enough. So if that’s what I gotta do to be with you, Twilight, then I’ll do it.”

Applejack’s answer brought a smile to Twilight’s face. “Thank you,” she said.

Of course, the next step was coming up with a project. Applejack had a few ideas for ways she could help Sweet Apple Acres, but they were things that needed to be done at the farm. She was stuck for something she could do here at the castle. “I’ll try to think of somethin’ I can make,” she told Twilight, “but I don’t got much in the way of materials to work with.”

“You’ll have Spike,” Twilight said without missing a beat.

“SPIKE?!” Applejack’s heart flew into panic mode. The last time Spike had tried to help her hadn’t ended very well.

“Yes. He will assist you with everything that you require.”

“That ain’t a great idea, sugarcube,” Applejack told her. “Spike spent the better part of a day helpin’ me once and--”

“I’m aware of that,” Twilight said bitterly. “This will be another chance for you to bond.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow at the short-tempered response. “Wait, are you mad at me over that life-debt?”

“What?” The question caught Twilight off-guard. “No, I….” She took a moment to think about what they’d just talked about, the importance of being straightforward and honest with each other. “Well, actually, yes. It was a small thing, so I never thought it was worth bringing up, but I was very disappointed in how that turned out.”

“You can’t seriously be mad at me. I did what I could, best I knew how, but reinin’ him in was like herdin’ cats. He was messin’ up left and right and--”

“Do you think I don’t know how Spike can get when he’s excited?” Twilight asked. “He’s enthusiastic and he has trouble listening to others, but he means well. He was trying to be helpful.”

“His idea of helpin’ did more harm than good!” Applejack insisted. “Do you know he tried breathin’ for me once?!”

“I am aware,” Twilight said sternly. After a couple of seconds, she admitted, “Well, not of that particular incident, but his general behavior isn’t lost on me. On one occasion, Spike volunteered to taste test my books to make sure they hadn’t been poisoned. He was halfway through the encyclopedias before I convinced him to stop.”

Twilight chuckled to herself from the memory. “Trust me, I’ve been there too. I had my hooves full when Princess Celestia first asked me to be responsible for him. I know exactly how he gets. But you need to understand that he’s part of the package. He’s as much a part of me as your family is for you. When I wake up, he’s there. When I go to bed, he’s there. That’s part of my life.”

Twilight sighed. “I’ve been thinking a lot since we broke up about what ‘married’ actually means. It’s not just a sign that we like each other. It’s about joining two lives together. It means that everything you are becomes part of me, and everything I am becomes part of you. It’s a promise that every facet of our lives will become part of a joint existence. It’s creating one new life out of the lives we’ve both led.”

“I don’t think I’m ready for that,” Applejack admitted.

“Neither am I. It’s a huge decision and one that shouldn’t be rushed into. I meant what I said earlier. Getting married now would have been a mistake. We’re not ready.”

“’Cause of Spike?” Applejack asked.

“In part, yes. Wherever I go, he comes with me. He’s a part of everything I do, and he’s not going anywhere. I need you to understand that.”

“I do.”

“No, you know it. Now you need to understand it. He means to me what Apple Bloom means to you and it is very important to me that you get along with him. This won’t be hard. He already likes you.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “I thought he liked Rarity.”

“No, he has a crush on Rarity and it’s kind of adorable but that’s not what I meant. He likes you, Applejack. He was trying to impress you because he wanted to be part of the family.”

Applejack sighed. “You weren’t there, Twi. He was out of control.”

“So was I. I broke my leg trying to fit into your family, but you stuck with me through it all. Why couldn’t you do the same for him?” Applejack was silent for a few seconds, mulling over Twilight’s words, so she added, “Just give him a chance to be welcome. I think you’ll be surprised. I mean, he already hangs out with your brother so it’s not much of a stretch.”

Applejack nodded at that. “Yeah, that’s weird.”

“It’s not weird,” Twilight insisted. “You family and mine are blending together. That’s exactly what’s supposed to happen, if you’d just quit being so stubborn and let it.”

Applejack had no response to that. She felt weird about relying on Spike. She always had, even when she was with Twilight. It just didn’t feel right having a servant. Twilight called him an assistant, but that’s exactly what she saw: a worker pony who catered to Twilight’s needs, except that he was a dragon instead of a pony.

But at the same time, she felt guilty about making Spike feel unwelcome. She’d never even considered that angle before now. “So now you’re havin’ him spend the day with me so I can give him that chance?” she asked.

“Yes. To be honest, having Spike in my life was an adjustment too. Before I met you and the others, I didn’t see a lot of value in other ponies, and Princess Celestia stuck me with this dragon who was in my life all the time. For the first couple of moons, I hated him. He was a burden who got in the way of my studies, and I couldn’t stand him.”

“But he grew on you?”

“He did. He gave me companionship even when I didn’t think I needed it. Princess Celestia knew exactly what she was doing. She usually does. Being responsible for Spike helped me to learn how to appreciate and respect the presence of other ponies, even if I didn’t realize it at the time. Without him, I might never have been able to accept the friendships offered to me in Ponyville.”

Applejack nodded, thinking about what Twilight had said. “Reckon I never figured on how much he meant to you.”

“But you should have and that’s part of the problem. Spike is my family. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are my family. This castle is a huge part of my life. It always has been, it always will be, and you should have known that from the beginning. So this is where you’re going to start. 24 hours. Servants. Spike. Project. Do this and then we’ll talk again.”

“Are you certain this is what you want?” Princess Celestia asked. She walked with Twilight through the maze of passages that lined the castle. Stained glass windows depicting great moments in the history of Equestria flanked their passage. Starswirl the Bearded framed the Princess from behind as she asked her question, but was soon replaced by Clover the Clever.

“What I want is for none of this to have happened,” Twilight admitted. The emotional roller coaster in her gut still hadn’t resolved, and she was both apprehensive and terrified for how Applejack would take to her experiment. Part of her hoped that Applejack would fail so that she’d have a reason to cut it off now and walk away, but the other part hated even considering the idea.

Twilight confided in her mentor, “I don’t know what to do. It’s like there’s something stuck in my heart and it just won’t come out. I’m angry, but I feel guilty for being angry. I want to keep her from feeling hurt but I also want to hurt her. I want so badly just to put this behind us and be with her, but I don’t want her to hurt me again. I don’t know what the right thing to do is. It’s hard to see past the pain she’s caused me.”

“Oh, Twilight,” the Princess said gently. “Sometimes there isn’t a right answer. You must decide for yourself whether you want to give her another chance. Whatever you choose will be the right answer because it will be the answer that’s yours. No one else can decide this for you.”

Twilight sighed. “That wasn’t as helpful as I’d hoped it would be.”

“Well, let me ask you this. Do you believe in your heart that she will do this to you again?”

“She’s already done it to me twice! She’s done this to so many other ponies. She has a clearly established pattern with more than enough data points to work from. Logic dictates that she’s going to keep doing this, and should be treated as such until…”

“Until what?”

“…until suitable evidence exists that she’s not. But she can’t create data points of that type without more attempts. I just don’t know if I can give them to her.”

Twilight narrowed her eyes, adding, “And then there’s part of me that wants to give her this chance just so that I can pull it away. That part wants her to feel what I had to feel these last few days. It feels like she should have to hurt the way I did.”

“You believe that if you could push the pain you’re feeling back onto her, you’d be free of it.” Even now, Celestia spoke with a voice filled with compassion, free of judgment. She stopped walking, but looked concernedly at Twilight.

Walking next to her, Twilight was embarrassed for her own feelings. “Maybe,” she admitted, finding only love in the Princess’s eyes and feeling ashamed for even entertaining the idea.

“So this is about revenge?” Princess Celestia asked calmly and neutrally, as though asking for breakfast suggestions.

“…Well, when you say it like that, it sounds really bad.” Twilight sighed. “I almost wish she’d never said what she did about Rarity. This would be easier if I could just be angry. I want to be able to hate her and I hate thinking that, but I can’t help it. I feel longing when I see her, but I also feel revulsion. I want to be with her but I want her to hurt. I don’t understand it.”

“That’s love,” the Princess answered. “Love and hate are two sides of a coin, Twilight. Many ponies think of them as polar opposites, but that is a mistake. They’re different shades of the emotional investment you have in another pony’s life. The greater your love, the greater your capacity for hate when those feelings turn sour.”

Princess Celestia looked up, reflecting, “Hatred born of love is the most powerful and devastating feeling in the world. It drives a pony to terrible places. It brings them to do things they would never have been capable of before. Even the best of us can be made to embrace terrible cruelty when our love curdles.”

Princess Celestia reached out her wing, blanketing Twilight with it. “This choice is yours and nopony else’s. Whatever you decide, you will always have my support. Take the time that you need and think carefully about the kind of pony that you want to be.”

With that, the Princess withdrew her wing and began to walk again. Twilight started to take a step, but as the Princess moved away, she stopped. Behind where Princess Celestia had been standing was a stained glass window she knew well. At the top was Nightmare Moon, her heart filled with rage for everything she’d once protected. At the bottom, Twilight stood assembled with her friends and the Elements of Harmony, defending Equestria from Nightmare Moon’s pain.

Twilight shot a glance at the Princess as she walked away. Princess Celestia made no effort to call out to her or urge her to keep up, indicating their conversation was finished. Had she meant to stop here?

Twilight looked back up to the window and the events portrayed within. She tried to walk away, but found she couldn’t. She remembered the cruel glee on Nightmare Moon’s face, the incomprehensible malice she seemed to hold for everypony in Equestria. She thought of the love of her friends and the way she had felt when she came to depend on them. She thought of the savage pain straining against the bounds of her emotions, and she began to cry.

“Good evening, Luna,” Celestia said. She stood on the balcony, looking out at the horizon and watching the last light of day slip away. Her job was complete for today and, as if on cue, her sister had arrived to replace her.

“Sister,” Luna greeted her. “I’m told there was a mild commotion in the guest quarters.”

“Yes, I’m afraid that’s true. Applejack arrived unexpectedly.”

“That can’t have been pleasant.”

Celestia sighed. “I’m uncertain. Twilight is still trying to make sense of her feelings and I’m afraid Applejack may have only made them worse.”

“What are you going to do?” Luna asked.

Celestia whipped around, raising an eye to her sister. “Whoever said I was going to do anything? This is Twilight’s decision and hers alone.”

“Of course,” Luna replied sardonically. “So what are you going to do about her?”

“Nothing, of course. I said this is Twilight’s decision and I meant it. I would never dream of undermining her.” Luna stared flatly at her for a few seconds until, contemplatively, Celestia asked, “No, the question now is what am I going to do about Applejack?”

9 - For Love of a Princess

The guest room bed was softer than Applejack preferred, but she’d already expected that. This was hardly her first night in Canterlot Castle’s guest wing. The feeling that it wasn’t her bed was inescapable, but she’d learned to quiet it and managed a fitful attempt at sleep.

Like clockwork, Applejack rose with the sun. She let out a long yawn and stretched her legs before testing them on the floor below. Idly, she took the sheet in her teeth and pulled it over the side where she’d slept before repeating the process with the comforter. She tucked them both neatly into the mattress, then grabbed her hat off the bedpost with her teeth and flipped it up onto her head, adjusting with a hoof.

She had to admit that the washrooms in the castle were a luxury she enjoyed indulging in during her brief stays in Canterlot. She was always awake before the rest of the group, which meant she usually had time to savor them well before they were filled with the whispers and giggles of her pals. She loved her friends dearly, but most of them had never quite been able to appreciate a good, comfortable quiet.

Absently, her mind drifted to Twilight. Twilight understood the value of quiet. She loved to listen to her read, but her memory was also full of those special evenings where she could lay with her and simply be.

Now, Twilight didn’t know how to just be, of course. Twilight’s mind buzzed at a thousand miles per minute. She couldn’t turn it off if she wanted to. But she would spend those nights reading, thinking, and occasionally breaking the silence with the kind of chatter that required minimal response from Applejack. Mostly she thought aloud; it was rarely anything that would actually disrupt the peaceful quiet in Applejack’s mind.

Smiling to herself from the fond memory, Applejack reached out with her snout for the knob on the guest room door. She wanted to get to the washrooms before Rainbow Dash showed up to disrupt the peace. The others usually rose at predictable times but Rainbow Dash seemed to wake and sleep sporadically. It was impossible to know when she’d be up.

Something didn’t feel right as Applejack twisted the knob, but she couldn’t quite place it. Pulling the door open, she stepped out into the hallway, orienting herself. The washrooms were--

“Good morning, your highness.” A chipper, feminine voice sang out from across the hall. Applejack was too lost in thought to register at first, but the words rang in her mind until they suddenly clicked.

“Your highness!” she called out, going quickly into a bow. She turned, frantically shouting, “Beggin’ your pardon, majesty, I….” The west end of the hall was devoid of life, save for two royal guards flanking the door at the end. She looked the other way, but all she saw was a tan unicorn standing up from a bow.

The unicorn resumed sweeping the marble floor. “Are you okay, your highness?” she asked with a courteous smile.

Applejack blinked in surprise and took another look around the hall. Tentatively, she asked, “You, uh…you talkin’ to me?”

“Oh!” The unicorn exclaimed. “Am I not supposed to? I apologize.” The unicorn bowed her head in respect, then returned her attention to the sweeping.

“No, it’s okay!” Applejack said quickly. “You, uh…you can talk at me all you want. But why are you--”

At that moment, a patrolling guard passed behind Applejack. “Good morning, your majesty,” the guardpony greeted her with a bow of his head.

Why is everypony--

Everything clicked into place at that moment. Twilight’s challenge! This had to be part of--

Applejack raced back into the bedroom, suddenly realizing that Twilight explicitly told her not to make her bed. She’d been awake five minutes and she’d already failed. Panicking, Applejack leapt onto the bed and thrashed about. She rolled onto her back and threw her legs out, then squirmed back and forth. She rolled and tossed until the covers lay every which way.

Breathing heavily, Applejack gave herself a moment to indulge in the satisfaction of a job well done. She sat up, fit her hat back onto her head, and was just about to step down when she spotted the servant from outside, now standing in the room and staring at her.

Applejack froze in place. How long had she been there?! What did she see?!

“When you’re finished, I would be happy to make your bed,” the servant said flatly. She feigned a smile, but Applejack could see in her eyes that she’d witnessed the entire affair and had not appreciated it.

Reflexively, Applejack wanted to tell her no. She looked at the work she’d made for this pony. The sheets were pulled up on all sides, the pillows lay everywhere, and the comforter was squirreled into a nest of sorts. This bed was a complete disaster, and now this pony was going to have to sort it out for her.

“I’m mighty sorry,” Applejack said sheepishly. “You, uh…you do good,” she added quickly. “You do good work.” She quickly vacated the guest room, feeling like a heel. She decided instantly that she hated this. She hated feeling like she’d made that pony’s work harder. The guilt had already started to gnaw at her brain, knowing she couldn’t do anything to help.

But at least she could get a shower and a royal soak out of all of this. Dejectedly, she dragged herself down the hall towards the west door. Just before she reached it, the door opened, revealing Spike.

“Applejack!” he called. “I was just on my way to see you. You’re up early!”

“No, I ain’t,” she replied. “You’re just used to Twilight sleepin’ in, I reckon.”

“This is going to be great!” Spike shouted, holding the door for her. “I can’t wait to hear what you come up with. I’m ready to help however I can. What should I do first?”

“You got me,” Applejack admitted. “I’ve been back and forth thinkin’ of ways to help Sweet Apple Acres, but there ain’t nothin’ I can do from here. What I really need’s a hot soak to get out some of the tension.”

“Of course! And I can--”

“Let me stop you there,” Applejack chastised him. “What I need is a quiet soak. I don’t need you washin’ my mane or scrubbin’ my back or nothin’.”

“You’re right,” Spike admitted. “I’d just be getting in Magenta Swirl’s way. Can I go tell the kitchen to start breakfast for you?”

“Knock yourself out,” Applejack said idly. Spike dashed off, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She still couldn’t get over how bad she felt about the bed, and she certainly wasn’t ready to start dealing with Spike yet. She hadn’t lied about her project, either; she had no idea what to make. Back home, there’d be a thousand things to do, but none of it could be done here.

She didn’t want to let Twilight down, but she’d been awake for less than an hour and she was already miserable. Spike was certainly going to make it worse. Not that he meant to. He never meant to. The aggravating fact of Spike was that he usually meant well enough. It made it hard to be mad at him when he got excited the way he does.

Twilight had compared him to Apple Bloom, and she supposed that was an apt enough comparison. Apple Bloom was impossible to rein in sometimes. Once her little head was set on something, she--wait, what had Spike said? Magenta Swirl? Who in tarnation was--

“There you are, your highness!” A shrill, high-pitched voice echoed in the corridor. Directly outside the washroom stood a unicorn whose bright pink flank would give Pinkie Pie a run for her money. Her mane was a lighter, more purplish shade with a single white stripe. It ran up her neck, then curled into a circle at the top.

Beside her stood two actual royal guards, each in position by the door. The washroom had never been guarded like this before, not in any of her visits. On her approach, both guardponies saluted her. The pony on the right declared, “Washroom is secure, ma’am.”

There was something in this setup that made Applejack’s skin crawl. This couldn’t actually be what Twilight’s time in Canterlot was like, could it? She hadn’t been a princess until well after her arrival in Ponyville.

“You don’t think this is overkill?” Spike asked Twilight, the night before. She stood by the window in her own guestroom, staring at the starry night above. Spike continued, “I mean, we weren’t exactly flanked by royal guards everywhere we went when we lived here, and some of these other things--”

“It’s supposed to be,” Twilight answered. “I can’t go easy on her, Spike. I need to see how she’s going to react under this kind of pressure.”

“And then what?” Spike asked. “This was a really easy test before you started rigging it. Are you looking for an excuse to take her back or to not?”

Distantly, she answered, “Both.”

“Oh nonononono, zese split ends will nevair do!” Magenta Swirl declared.

Applejack’s hat sat on a pillow that rested on a stool across the room from the washtub. The tub was carved from marble with a gold trim around the rim. A silver faucet shaped like a crane loomed over her, looking strangely ominous. In the past, the crane had made this her favorite washtub, but something about it just seemed angry today.

“You sure you gotta be doin’ this?” Applejack asked just before a bucket of warm water sloshed over her. Another dollop of shampoo squirted into her mane, followed shortly by Magenta’s hooves scrubbing up and down her neck.

Her legs reflexively curled up under her, closing her off from the room. She was no stranger to her friends coming in to chat while she washed up, but this was different. It felt more personal in a way that made her feel uncomfortable.

“Oh, absoluteliment! Ve are under order to make ze Applejack presentable, oui oui croissant!”

“You really do this for Twi?” Applejack asked skeptically. Twilight depended on Spike for many things and she assumed there were more that the servants had done for her before coming to Ponyville, but having another pony bathe her didn’t sit right. She was pretty sure Twilight knew how to work a soapy rag.

“Not as always,” Magenta admitted, “but ze Princess Celestia, she has few vices but a love of ze pampering is certainly one. Zis is for your comfortable, your majesty.” Applejack winced at that phrase again. She wished Twilight hadn’t told the staff to call her that.

For the second time, she wanted to quit. She wanted to tell Twilight that she’d won and go home. The voice in the back of her mind told her it wouldn’t matter anyway. It said that all she was doing was making this harder on herself. It was Twilight’s time to go, and deep in her heart, she knew that it was right.

But she didn’t want it to be. She could see the clear and logical truth but she wanted it to be wrong. She was tired of being right. In the back of her mind, she could hear Granny Smith’s voice echoing in her memory.

“Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?”

She’d made the wrong choice before. She knew that. And if Twilight needed her to do this in order to forgive, then she’d do it.

“You, uh…you got some accent,” Applejack said casually, trying to find something to take her mind away from how uncomfortable this pampering felt. “Ain’t never heard nothin’ like it. Where you from?”

“Are you sure, your highness?” Magenta asked nervously. “I can’t imagine she’ll appreciate this.”

“No, she won’t,” Twilight agreed. “But that’s the point. I need to know how she reacts.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Magenta answered, but Twilight could see that there was something bothering her. Her eyes were distant and her lips downturned as she considered Twilight’s words.

“Is there something bothering you?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Magenta replied. “With all due respect, it seems mean-spirited. Are you certain you’re not being spiteful here?”

Twilight opened her snout to dismiss the accusation, but her voice caught in her throat. Maybe this was a bit too far. She’d told herself it would be good for the experiment. She’d convinced herself that it was an opportunity to test how far Applejack was really willing to go. But that hadn’t been the agreement, had it? This was supposed to be a day in her life, and it was only for special occasions that she’d been subjected to a royal pampering.

But Twilight had to know. She’d run a thousand scenarios in her head, trying to make sense of Applejack’s behavior, but it never sat right. She could see the clear and logical truth and she knew that it was right, but she didn’t want it to be.

“I don’t know,” Twilight admitted. “I do want to see how she reacts, but maybe there’s more to it.”

Magenta nodded. “As you wish, your highness. Can I do my accent?”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Your what?”

“It’s a little joke I like to play when the nobles come around. The housekeeping staff gets a kick out of it. It’s silly, but some of the nobles are so stuffy that they actually think that’s what we sound like. Like we all came here from distant shores following a dream of cleaning toilets for important ponies.”

“And that works?” Twilight asked.

“Oh, absolutely. A bunch of us have started doing it. It really helps pick the dignitaries apart. You can always tell who’s a jerk because they’re the ones that don’t ask. Either they’re too stuck-up to notice or they go, ‘Yep, that sure sounds like a peasant, it does.’”

“I…I am from around….” Magenta said hesitantly.

“You ain’t from any kind of ‘around’ I’ve heard of, and I got family in parts across Equestria. They talk like that in South Equestria?”

Magenta stopped scrubbing Applejack’s mane for just a second, letting a chuckle escape her lips. “Maybe Twilight was right about you.”

Applejack blinked. “Good way or bad, you reckon?”

But no answer came. “Next ve rinse, zen ze tail!”

“Two and a half hours,” Applejack muttered to herself in the castle courtyard, draped in light blue silk. She still couldn’t believe how much time she’d spent in there. Magenta Swirl had insisted on washing her mane, scrubbing her coat, combing and dressing her ponytail into a bun, sampling perfumes, styling makeup….

She hadn’t been gussied up this much since Shining Armor’s wedding, and even then, Rarity managed it in half the time. Was she supposed to go the whole day like this? She could hide the bun as best she could under her hat, but the makeup made her feel--

“There you are!” Spike called out to Applejack. “I’ve been looking all over for you! What happened to you?”

“Magenta Swirl happened,” Applejack said solemnly. “How bad do I look?”

“You look…ladylike,” Spike answered, his voice filled with wonderment.

Applejack sighed in relief. “I can live with that.”

“We have got to take a picture of this!”

“Oh, no, Twilight already had to see me with a Rarity makeover a time or two; I don’t know I want her seein’ a royal one.”

Spike shook his head. “Not for Twilight. Big Mac will never forgive me if he misses this!”

Applejack’s eyes shot wide open. “You are barkin’ up the wrong tree, you think that’s ever happenin’!”

“Oh, come on! We could--”

“Nothin’ doin’. C’mon, let’s at least get breakfast. I’m hungry enough to eat the north-end of a south-bound pony right this second.”

“Okay, but then we should get started on your project!” As Applejack trotted inside, Spike jogged to keep pace with her. “You figured out what you want to do yet? When can we get started?”

“Cool your heels,” Applejack answered. “I ain’t got that all worked out just yet.”

“We could make a new plow! Sweet Apple Acres could probably use another one of those.”

“I thought about that, but it’d be a lot of work to lug out to the train station. We ain’t exactly close to the crops here.”

Spike considered for a second. “Ooh, what about a tiller?”

“See, that’s the same problem as the--”

“Barn repairs?”

Applejack sighed, refusing to even dignify that suggestion. “I’ll think of somethin’,” she said noncommittally.

“I can help you think! I’m really good at coming up with—your majesty!”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “You start doin’ that too and I’m liable to….” Applejack glanced back at Spike, but he wasn’t talking to her. He’d gone into a bow, looking towards a side door. She followed his gaze and there in the doorway stood Princess Celestia. “Oh!” Applejack caught herself, bowing quickly. “Beg pardon, your highness, I didn’t, uh…didn’t realize you were there.”

“Applejack,” Celestia said neutrally. “Would you come with me, please? I would like to have a word with you.”

Twilight paced the corridor outside the throne room, taking in the stained-glass windows that adorned the hall. Her eyes drifted as she walked, taking in these momentous instances of Equestrian history. Discord sealed away! Nightmare Moon defeated! The Changeling Invasion repulsed!

She stopped at the newest addition to Princess Celestia’s gallery; her ascension as Princess Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight stared up at the glass and wondered what her life would have been like if that hadn’t happened. She remembered the rush she felt on her anniversary. Could she have been happy that way, spending her life like that? Would she have felt satisfied, never taking this step?

No, she wouldn’t. She knew that with little question. Becoming a princess was an amazing experience for her. It was a great honor and an opportunity she didn’t even know was possible, and she was thrilled to see where it was going to lead her. Never before had she needed something so badly and yet never known until she had it. This was her moment.

Applejack and Rarity ruined it. Two out of the five ponies she trusted more than she’d ever trusted anypony who wasn’t an authority figure.

Their betrayals hurt in a way that was disquietingly familiar. It reminded her of the Changeling Queen, who had taken the form of her foalsitter Cadance and had put on a rather poor imitation, all things considered. The way she felt about Cadance’s behavior and Shining Armor’s refusal to listen, that was how she felt now.

Her friends hadn’t supported her then, either.

“Twilight, whatever are you talking about? Cadance is an absolute gem!” “She was probably just tryin’ to spare my feelin’s.”

She wandered back to Nightmare Moon, her eyes taking in the clash between the Elements of Harmony and Luna’s hate. She remembered what Princess Celestia had told her about hate born of love. Deep inside, she still wanted to hurt Applejack.

She wished she could go back to before this had happened, minus the treacherous use of time travel as an option. However, she could not for the life of her decide whether she wanted to prevent this from happening at all, or to break Applejack’s heart first. The idea that she could have protected herself by striking first seemed strangely enticing.

“Is this how you felt?” she asked the window.

“We all carry the darkest shadows of ourselves deep inside, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight screamed and stumbled back from the glass, tripping over herself in the process. From the heap of confusion and despair she landed in, she looked up to see Princess Luna standing at the entrance to the corridor.

“Oh,” Twilight muttered. “That makes more sense. …did you know there’s a chunk of pineapple stuck to your cheek?”

Princess Luna scowled, levitating the errant food away and hoisting it out a distance. She glared at the offending produce as though it had insulted her family.

“Bad day?”

“I know I ain’t exactly put my best hoof forward, your highness,” Applejack said quickly, following after Princess Celestia. “Also, I undermined you yesterday and I beg a thousand pardons for doin’ that. And I hurt Twilight, but I am tryin’ to make that right, swear to Celest--uh, to, uh, to you that I am.”

Princess Celestia said nothing, merely allowing Applejack to vomit words at her.

“You know I got nothin’ but respect for you and her. She’s gonna make a fine Princess and I want to support her in that, ‘cause she means a whole lot to me. And you’re already a fine Princess, what with how you raise Equestria and lead the sun and all.”

“Applejack,” the Princess said gently.

“And you used to raise the moon and Twilight could maybe learn to raise the moon and still be in Ponyville but your sister’s got the moon so I guess that ain’t what she’s gonna--”

“Applejack,” the Princess said, more firmly this time.

“Yes, ma’am?”

“I want you to listen to me very carefully. This is a matter of the utmost importance, and right now, it’s something that only you are capable of solving. I have a question for you, and I need to know that you will treat it with the severity it deserves.”

Applejack bowed to the Princess, answering, “Of course, your highness. Anythin’ I can do to serve Equestria.”

“Very good. Then answer this for me,” the Princess said with grave urgency. “How much do you know about pancakes?”

Applejack blinked a few times, trying to make sense of the question she’d been asked. “In my house, we call them flapjacks,” she said tentatively, wondering if perhaps she’d missed some hidden meaning or usage to the term. “But you surely didn’t mean--”

“Yes, those. Exactly. Would you say you have a lot of experience with them?”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. Trying to follow the question, she answered, “They’re quick, easy, and delicious. Best way to start a hard day’s work is with a plate.”

“I could not agree more,” Princess Celestia said warmly. “Please, follow me.”

Where is she goin’ with this?!

Applejack had been prepared for an interrogation or a speech or something, but flapjacks? There was something ominous about the Princess’s strange non sequitur. Why flapjacks? What could they possibly have to do with what had happened between her and Twilight?

“Right this way,” the princess said, opening the door to the dining hall. “I would like to--”

Applejack stepped through the door, and her eyes fell instantly on Princess Luna. A long table sat in the middle of the room, decorated by a white cloth. At one end of the table rest a small chair with red cushions, while Princess Luna sat at the other end in a chair with blue cushions.

What caught Applejack’s eye, however, was the pineapple lodged in the Princess’s mouth. Her head lay sideways on the table, her eyes only half open, as she mindlessly gnawed on the coarse fruit. Smears of pineapple juice and errant chunks ran down her lips and across her cheeks.

Princess Luna spent a few seconds idly chewing before she realized that she was no longer alone in the room, at which point she froze. Slowly, carefully, she removed her teeth from the pineapple’s hide and sat up, straightening her posture. Wordlessly, she levitated a napkin from beside the pineapple and wiped her mouth, missing a single chunk on the side of her cheek. Then she looked to Applejack, who merely gaped with open snout at the display she’d witnessed. Her eyes drifted to Spike beside her, then back to Applejack.

Nervously, Princess Luna stated, “That, uh…that concludes the…royal demonstration of….” Her declaration hung in the air for several seconds, searching for a conclusion. At that point, she promptly gave up. Knocking over her chair as she leapt to the floor, Princess Luna dashed out a side door and was gone from the room.

Applejack looked up at Princess Celestia beside her. “Reckon I wasn’t supposed to see that, huh?”

Celestia stared at the discarded remnants of pineapple. With a forlorn sigh, she levitated it off the table and dropped it in the nearby waste basket. “The one time she eats in the dining hall,” the Princess muttered to herself.

“Somethin’ amiss?” Applejack asked, stepping into the dining hall.

Princess Celestia sighed. “Don’t worry about it. That’s not why I asked you here. I need to borrow your experience.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “You want me to make flapjacks for you?”

“No, nothing of the sort. I was hoping you might be able to help me improve my recipe.”

“You’re askin’ me for tips?”

“I am asking you for critique. I am going to prepare a plate of pancakes for…your palate.” She giggled to herself for a moment. “Alliteration,” she explained. “In any case, I want your honest opinion on them, based on your experience.”

Applejack’s hackles shot straight up. She was supposed to judge Princess Celestia’s cooking?! What would she even say? What could she say? “Of course, your highness,” she answered, fighting a losing battle against the panic attack swelling up inside of her. She tried to think of what Twilight would do in her position.

Twilight’s hackles shot straight up. She was supposed to judgePrincess Celestia’s cooking?! What would she even say? What could she say? “I’d be honored to,” she answered, fighting a losing battle against the panic attack swelling up inside of her.

That was less than helpful.

“Spike, would you please come help me in the kitchen?” Princess Celestia asked.

Applejack’s heart leapt to her throat when she heard that. “Hold on a second, I don’t know that that’s such a good idea,” she said, cutting off Spike with a hoof.

“Why not?”

Spike raised an eyebrow, looking up at Applejack. “Yeah, why not?”

Applejack instantly regretted bringing it up, but there was no going back now. “It’s just, I’ve seen Spike in a kitchen and it ain’t exactly….”

Raising an eyebrow, Princess Celestia asserted, “Spike’s been preparing meals for years, both here and in Ponyville. He knows his way around a kitchen. Who do you think does Twilight’s cooking?”

Applejack spent a moment taking in the Princess’s words. A feeling of embarrassment and shame crept over her, and she conceded, “You’re right.” The worst part was that she’d known that, but after that day on Sweet Apple Acres, it was easy to forget.

As she watched the dragon race off after Princess Celestia, Applejack’s mind wandered back to that day at the farm when Spike had promised her a life-debt.

Spike does know how to find his way about a kitchen. Course he does. Why’d he mess up so much in mine?

“How did you do it?” Twilight asked, walking the corridor with Princess Luna. “What made you decide to come back? How did you stop hating your sister?”

Princess Luna let out a long yawn, followed by a statement. “I never hated her, Twilight. Not truly. I felt angry and hurt by her, and I allowed that feeling to take control of me. It was not my proudest moment.”

“Right. That. How did you stop doing that?”

“Twilight….” Princess Luna sighed. “There’s no easy answer for what you’re feeling. I wish I could tell you some life lesson that turned my world around, but the truth is, my relationship with my sister took time to rebuild. It’s something I’m still working on. There are times when I still feel the same hurt I did then, but I try not to let it bother me. I’m sure she does as well.”

“Why?” Twilight asked.

“Because I want to be better than that. There is no other reason. Every evening, I wake up and I try to be the kind of pony that I would want to be.” She let out another yawn, leading Twilight down the hall towards her bedchamber.

“That’s it?” Twilight asked, unable to disguise the disappointment in her voice. “That’s your secret? You’re sure there’s nothing else?”

“There is nothing wrong with asking questions, Twilight. But you should be certain that you’re asking the right ones.” With those words, Princess Luna ducked into her room and closed the door, leaving Twilight alone in the hallway.

Twilight stared at the door for a few seconds as her mind pored over a variety of questions raised in the wake of Princess Luna’s brief talk. Finally, she settled on one, demanding of the door, “What the hoof does that mean?!”

Princess Celestia laid a plate on the table in front of her own chair, which appeared visibly empty. Applejack sat on her haunches beside it, smiling innocently. “Applejack,” she said wearily, “you may use my chair if you’d like.”

“Of course, your highness,” Applejack answered, climbing up into the chair.

Piled on the plate were three pancakes covered in whipped cream, topped with an assortment of raspberries and blueberries. Applejack stared nervously at the treat before her. It was certain to be good, of course. Princess Celestia had made it, so it had to be good, right?

Opening her snout, she took her first bite, and her senses were immediately assaulted by the thick texture and dry taste. She struggled through her first few chews, then swallowed it down as quickly as she could. Looking up, she found Princess Celestia looking down at her, gauging her reaction.

“How is it?” the Princess asked hopefully. Her eyes beamed with pride for her creation as Applejack struggled to take a second bite. This was just as terrible as the first, leaving her straining to gulp it down.

“It’s, uh….” Applejack strained her mind trying to find the right words to put to it.

“Please, Applejack, I need your honest opinion. This is important to me.”

Applejack took a deep breath. “Well, it ain’t great,” she admitted. “Your crust’s dry and flaky, but inside it’s too chewy. There’s somethin’ in the flavor I’m tryin’ to place…olive?”

“I thought it might spice them up,” Princess Celestia admitted.

Applejack shook her head. “You never want to mix your palettes like that, uh…your highness.” She felt suddenly ashamed for being so critical, but Princess Celestia seemed to take it all in with grace. “That’s, uh, that’s just my opinion, though.”

The Princess’s smile had evaporated and she closed her eyes, as though considering what Applejack had said. “Thank you. Your honesty is appreciated. Would you be willing to try another plate?”

Applejack nodded quickly. “Course, I will. It’d be my honor.”

The second plate came out quicker than the first, and Applejack braced herself this time before biting into it. “You got the taste better, but this is drier than the last time. You givin’ the batter a proper rest?”

“I’m not sure what you mean,” Princess Celestia admitted.

“You gotta rest the batter after mixin’. Ten minutes ought to do it, but quick as that came out, I’d reckon you went straight to cookin’.”

“Rest the batter,” Celestia repeated. “I’ll try that. Another plate?”

Applejack smiled. Despite herself, she was actually beginning to enjoy this. “I’d like to see you stop me,” she jested.

The third plate came out with visible burns around the edges. Sullenly, Princess Celestia told Applejack, “You don’t need to taste this one. I just wanted to show it to you. I can’t figure out what I keep doing wrong.”

“You want, I could lend you a hoof in the kitchen,” Applejack offered, stepping down from the Princess’s dining chair. “We’ll cook ‘em up together, and I can watch what you’re doin’.”

Princess Celestia brightened at Applejack’s offer. Walking back towards the kitchen, she stated, “That would be delightful.” After a few seconds, she asked, “Oh, but who can we get to try them?”

“Why not invite the staff?” Applejack suggested. “We can cook up a whole mess of flapjacks for everypony!”

Princess Celestia giggled. “That sounds like a wonderful idea. We just need to spread the word.”

“Spike!” Applejack called out as she entered the kitchen. “Put down that whisk. I got a task for you.”

What kind of pony I want to be.

Twilight stumbled on Princess Luna’s words. She’d never put much thought into it before. She led a busy life, and being Twilight Sparkle ultimately left her with very little time to try and define Twilight Sparkle.

For hours, she stared at her ascension, reflecting on the events that had brought her to this point. She remembered Discord thawing Sweet Apple Acres. Against everything Twilight felt was right, Princess Celestia had insisted on giving Discord a chance. Twilight was certain it would end in disaster, but somehow, Fluttershy’s kindness actually seemed to reach him.

She remembered Sunset Shimmer climbing out of that crater. Tears had streaked down Sunset’s face as she realized what she had done and how far she had gone in the pursuit of her anger. Seeing the pitiful wreck she’d become, it was impossible for Twilight to stay angry. She’d made a choice then, just as Fluttershy had for Discord.

Princess Twilight Sparkle. What kind of pony is Princess Twilight Sparkle?

Her train of thought was interrupted by the gurgling of her stomach. “A hungry pony,” she answered herself. Spike was with Applejack today, which meant she’d need to fetch lunch from the cafeteria.

As she entered the foyer, she was surprised to see crowds of ponies drifting towards the cafeteria. The hall echoed with unintelligible chatter, which seemed to be coming from the direction of the kitchen. Confused, Twilight drifted into the crowd, heading towards the source of the commotion.

“She’s still at it!” a royal guard said eagerly to a housekeeper. “You’ve got to try her pancakes.”

Twilight blinked. All of this fuss was about pancakes? That didn’t make any sense at all. Pancakes were great, but they weren’t exactly something to draw a crowd over.

Twilight followed the crowd, entering the cafeteria to find it bustling with castle staff. Just as the guardpony said, plate after plate of pancakes sat in front of countless ponies, with more still waiting to be served. She spotted a platter that seemed to be moving between tables and stepped around to investigate.

“SPIKE?!” Twilight called out in surprise. Spike carried the platter loaded down with pancakes over his head, with several plates balanced on his left claw.

At hearing his name, Spike replied, “Hey, Twilight! Did you come to try some flapjacks? These are amazing!”

“Aren’t you supposed to be with Applejack right now?”

“I am! We’re cooking up a storm in there!”

Twilight’s heart seized. She’d specifically said Applejack wasn’t supposed to be making food. That defeated the entire point of the experiment. Had she not listened? Twilight bolted for the kitchen, needing to see for herself why Applejack was disregarding her instructions.

She reached the door quickly, but hesitated outside. She looked back at the crowds enjoying Applejack’s cooking. She’d told her not to make her own food, but this wasn’t that, exactly. If anything, what she was doing actually seemed to be improving morale. The castle staff were thrilled. Was this her project?

Easing the kitchen door open, she could hear Applejack from within. “You should have seen the state of it. There was puddin’ here to Yakyakistan, and there’s Apple Bloom sittin’ in the thick of it with her friends, smilin’ all cute like she ain’t done nothin’ wrong.”

Twilight was startled to hear Princess Celestia break into laughter from inside. “She was trying to get her Cutie Mark?” the Princess asked.

“You guessed it. So I told ‘em, ‘Either you get your Marks in cleanin’ up the kitchen or you’re about to get ‘em in runnin’ for the hills when Granny sees this.’”

Another laugh came from Princess Celestia. “Those fillies sound adorable. I would love to meet them sometime.”

“What’s going on in here?” Twilight asked, pushing the door open to a sight she never expected. Princess Celestia stood over a counter, clutching a wire whisk between two hooves. Beside her, Applejack had reached her right foreleg under Celestia’s so that her hooves could grip the outside of the Princess’s, and together, they were mixing a bowl.

Applejack froze when Twilight entered. After a few seconds, she disentangled herself from the Princess, calling out, “Mornin’, Twilight! Or, afternoon, I suppose. It’s afternoon now?”

“It’s 3:47,” Princess Celestia replied cheerfully.

“Afternoon, Twilight!” Applejack smiled chipperly. “I was showin’ Celestia an old family trick with the batter. I reckon y’all are used to mixin’ with magic but it just don’t lead to good cookin’. You gotta have that personal touch or it don’t come out quite right.”

“Is this your project?” Twilight asked.

Applejack shrugged. “Ain’t much I can do from here to help Sweet Apple Acres. You said I can’t make food for myself, and I ain’t eaten a bite of my own cookin’ today, but workin’ with Celestia gave me a chance to help the ponies ‘round here in my own way. Reckon that’s got to count for somethin’.” After a few seconds, Applejack seemed to become suddenly aware of herself, adding, “I mean, helpin’ the Princess and all.”

Twilight opened her snout to speak, but before she could, Spike’s voice called through the door, “In!” Twilight quickly moved away from the kitchen door just before he barreled through it, carrying a tray loaded with dirty dishes. He piled them into the sink, then asked, “How are we looking on dishes?”

Reflexively, Twilight answered, “I think there’s--”

“We’re good on dishes for now,” Applejack answered at the same time, cutting her off. “You get to cookin’. We got a lot of hungry ponies out there and less time to feed ‘em in.”

“On it!” Spike raced to the skillet, picking up the first bowl of resting batter.

Twilight took a step towards the door, stating, “I guess you have everything under control here.” She couldn’t mask the dejection in her voice. Applejack seemed to have slipped right in with no difficulty. She didn’t know if she was disappointed or glad for her experiment’s success.

Chipperly, Applejack said, “Nah, don’t go, sugarcube. We could always use another set of hooves.”

Stepping forward, Princess Celestia added, “I think that would be a wonderful idea. I’m afraid I do need to step out. I do have duties to attend to today, after all. Twilight, why don’t you take my place? I’m sure that you and Applejack have much to discuss.”

“But I don’t even know how to make these!” Twilight protested.

Princess Celestia smiled warmly. “I am certain that your friend would be more than happy to teach you.” She looked to Applejack, adding, “Regardless of what you decide.”

“Course I would,” Applejack replied. “Whatever happens between us, Twilight, I’m always gonna be your friend. You know that, right?”

“I’ll let you talk,” the Princess said. “Applejack, Spike, thank you both for a wonderful day. Have a pleasant evening.” Princes Celestia stepped with such grace that she seemed to glide through the door as she departed.

“Wait!” Twilight called after her, bolting through the door with the dignity of a frightened bull. She leapt in front the Princess in the cafeteria, demanding, “What did you do?! Applejack looks comfortable in there. She’s been freaking out about me being a Princess and then a few hours with you and she’s…what, fine with everything?! How did you do that?!”

“Why, Twilight, whatever do you mean?” Grinning to herself, the Princess explained, “All I did was ruin a few batches of pancakes.”

When Twilight returned to the kitchen, she found Applejack busy at the mixing bowl. She clutched a wire whisk between her teeth and held the bowl still between her hooves, whipping up the batter in a frenzy. Twilight watched silently as she moved from one bowl to the next in sequence. Spike grabbed a bowl from the counter, pouring it on his skillet, but several bowls sat between him and Applejack.

Twilight had always loved watching Applejack cook. It was one of her favorite things about her time at Sweet Apple Acres; the way Applejack and Big Mac floated through the kitchen had seemed like magic to her. She’d tried it once on a whim, but hadn’t been able to quite capture the artistry that Applejack brought.

Stuck for what to say, she settled for asking, “Why are there so many bowls? Are they not getting cooked fast enough?”

Applejack released the whisk, tossing a smile over her shoulder. “Nah, sugar, those are restin’. You gotta let the batter rest or it don’t come out right. C’mon over and I can show you.”

“That’s not going to happen,” she said firmly.

“It ain’t, huh?”

Twilight shook her head. “I know what this is. I know exactly what this is. She did this. Princess Celestia did this.”

“Did what?”

“She set this up so that….” Twilight let out a sigh, frustrated with herself. “She’s making me choose. She set this up so I couldn’t take the excuse.”

Curious, Applejack set down the whisk. “There’s an excuse?” she asked.

“YES! There was supposed to be an excuse! You were going to hate my life and you were going to leave again and then I could say that I tried but you were just….”

Horror spread across Applejack’s face at Twilight’s words. “Wait, that’s what this was about?!”

“No!” Twilight shouted. “I really did want to see how you’d do, but that was the probable outcome. It seemed impossible that you’d actually…that you’d do all of this for me.”

“Truth told, I didn’t,” Applejack admitted, taking a slow step towards Twilight. “Startin’ out, this was about you, but once the Princess and I got to talkin’, I was enjoyin’ myself. What we’re doin’ here, Twi? This ain’t about you. I’m doin’ this for me.”

“And now you’re saying things like that, and it’s…it’s perfect. It’s exactly what I wanted to hear. And you’re getting along with Spike!”

Applejack held up a hoof. “I can’t take credit for that. I ain’t got the foggiest how you and Princess Celestia do it, but he’s been right as rain all day.”

“It’s--”

“Nah, don’t tell me. I want to find out the trick to it on my own.” She took another step towards Twilight, smiling. “I’m hopin’ I might be seein’ more of-”

“STOP,” Twilight shouted, prompting Applejack to back off. “Just stop!” She let out several heaving breaths, tears streaking down her face.

Applejack held up her hoof again, telling Twilight, “Of course. Whatever you want, Twi.”

“Why do you have to be so nice?” Twilight demanded through tremoring breaths. “You broke up with me, Applejack. You broke my heart. Twice. How did I become the unreasonable one here?! Why is it suddenly my fault if we don’t get back together?!”

“It ain’t,” Applejack insisted. “Nopony’s sayin’ you got to do nothin’. I pro--”

“Why couldn’t you just be a bad pony so that I could hate you and move on with my life?”

“Is that what you want?” Applejack asked earnestly. “Twi, I said what I came to say. You want me to leave, I’ll go.”

“What I want is for you to stop hurting me,” Twilight said plainly.

“I know, Twi. I--”

“I don’t think you do! I really don’t think you know how I feel. Fifteen, Applejack. Fifteen times, you’ve done this, and not once have you ever been the one having your heart broken. Not once did you have to look somepony you loved in the eyes and watch them stop loving you. You don’t know what it’s like to hurt like this; you just know how to cause it.”

Applejack took a deep breath, “Reckon that’s fair. Twilight, I am sorry--”

“I don’t want you to be sorry,” Twilight interrupted. “I want you to stop doing this to me.”

“I mean to, Twilight. I truly do. But I gotta know what you need from me if’n I’m to help.”

No answer came from Twilight. Her knees shook as she sobbed to herself. Applejack looked quickly to Spike, who shrugged and gestured helplessly at her. Cautiously, Applejack took a step forward; the motion caught in Twilight’s vision, prompting her to look up.

Applejack paused, looking straight in Twilight’s eyes. A heartbeat passed. Then another. On the third, Twilight closed her eyes and nodded, welcoming Applejack into her personal space. Applejack stepped forward and wrapped a hoof around her, squeezing Twilight’s neck and letting her cry into her mane.

“I love you, sugar,” Applejack whispered, running her hoof lightly across Twilight’s spine.

“If’n,” Twilight said finally.

“Beg pardon?”

Twilight looked up, smiling through puffy red eyes. “I like your dialect,” she said, choking on a sound that for the life of her, Applejack could not tell if it was a sob or a giggle. “It’s simple and it’s blunt but there’s a subtle eloquence hidden just under the surface.”

Applejack blushed at Twilight’s complimentary non sequitur. She looked at Spike, hoping for some kind of translation, but was met only with a confused shrug. Turning her attention back to Twilight, she asked, “What do you want me to do?’

“I want to make pancakes,” she said simply, using a hoof to wipe her tear-stained eyes.

“You sure ‘bout that?”

“I don’t know if I can forgive you, Applejack,” she said bluntly. “But I want to try.”

“Don’t reckon I know what I did to change your mind, but--”

“You didn’t do anything,” Twilight said. “I’m not doing this for you, Applejack. I’m doing this for me, because I want to be a pony who believes in second chances.”

“Thank you, Twi--”

“But,” Twilight said, holding up her hoof. Her voiced turned ice cold as she spoke. “If this ever happens again, it will be the last time. I’m not going to let myself be taken advantage of, Applejack. Especially not by one of my best friends. Are we clear?”

“Cryst--,” Applejack said, cutting herself off. Sheepishly, she rubbed her neck with a hoof. “I mean, uh, yes’m. We’re clear.”

Twilight breathed, calming herself. “We should probably relieve Spike, then. He looks like he’s finished with the backlog.”

“Oh, THANK CELESTIA!” Spike shouted from the stove. “I didn’t really want to say anything, but I need to get these delivered and we’re about to run out of rested batter.”

“Is this good?” Twilight asked, clutching a wire whisk between her hooves. She stirred slowly and evenly, just like Applejack had showed her. “I’m not slowing you down, am I?” she asked gently.

“A bit, but s’okay,” Applejack answered quickly. “Orders are dyin’ down anyway. Most of these ponies came over ‘cause of Princess Celestia cookin’. Reckon a lot of the buzz left with her.” A few seconds after, she added, “So, we finish up here, you really comin’ back to Ponyville with me?”

“Of course I am,” Twilight answered. “Not because of you, either. I was upset when I left, but I love Ponyville. It’s my home, Applejack. There is nowhere in Equestria I’d rather be.” She eyed the mixture in her bowl. “You said it shouldn’t be smooth, right?”

Applejack slid a trio of plates to Spike, who piled them onto his platter and went for the door. Crossing to Twilight, Applejack inspected her bowl. “You mixed it too much,” she said bluntly.

Frustrated, Twilight pushed the bowl away. “How many seconds am I supposed to be stirring for?”

“Until it’s mixed.”

“But not too mixed,” Twilight said with a frustrated sigh. “What does that even mean?”

Applejack reached over and pulled an empty bowl in front of Twilight. “How ‘bout we do this one together and I can show you what I mean?”

Twilight nodded at Applejack’s suggestion. She levitated the milk, carefully measuring out two cups. Applejack wrapped a hoof around the vegetable oil and quickly dabbed a quantity into the bowl without pausing to measure. Twilight still couldn’t understand how she could be so certain of the right amount, but there was generally no arguing with the results.

“You and your family have done a lot to make me feel welcome,” she admitted, pouring the milk into the bowl. “Thank you for that. But I’d like to think that even if you and I had never happened, I’d still be staying there. I’ve never felt like I belonged somewhere so much as I have there.”

Twilight levitated a pair of eggs over the bowl. With a localized exertion of force, she cleanly split the eggs around the middle, then pulled the halves apart to allow their yolks to fall into the bowl.

Delicately lifting the whisk between two hooves, she maneuvered it into the bowl. “I don’t know what Princess Celestia is planning for me, but I wasn’t planning on going anywhere before you and the others….”

“I’m sorry, sugar.” Sidling up next to her, Applejack slid her hooves over Twilight’s, encouraging her to beat the whisk faster. “I meant what I said before; you do got a bright future in front of you. I want to be a part of that. I just don’t want to hold you back from it.”

“That was never going to happen,” Twilight stated. “I love you, Applejack. I do. But we’re talking about my life’s work. I may not have realized exactly what direction it would go,” she said, fluttering her wings for emphasis, “But this is what I’ve been working towards since I was a filly. I’m not putting my life aside for you; I’m trying to include you in it.”

Reaching deep inside herself, Applejack asked, “Even if I ain’t needed in it?”

“You’ve never been needed,” Twilight answered flatly. “Not in that way, anyway. I’ve told you this before: I’m here because I like who you are. You were the one who said that we aren’t meant to be, we’re just two ponies finding happiness in each other. Did you really think I was here because I had to be?”

Applejack’s hooves sheepishly slid away from Twilight’s. “You like who I am?” she asked, trying to deflect the topic.

“Of course I do. You have a very strong sense of responsibility and purpose in your life, and you work harder than anypony I’ve ever met to fulfill both of those. When you see a problem, even one that isn’t yours to solve, you’re quick to act. You aren’t just willing to take on other ponies’ burdens, you take initiative on them. You’re also smarter than I think you give yourself credit for. You’re very talented at taking apart a problem in front of you and finding new angles to approach it from.”

Applejack blushed, unable to keep a grin from spreading across her face. “Thank you ki--”

“You’re also stubborn,” Twilight interjected before Applejack could finish. “You’re pig-headed and refuse to listen to advice. You’d rather keep bashing your skull against a problem until it gives you a concussion than ask for help. You worry too much about things that are out of your control, then unilaterally make decisions on other ponies’ behalf. You seem to take it as a personal failure if you can’t carry the world on your shoulders alone.”

Applejack shrank away from Twilight. “Ain’t this supposed to be about you likin’ me?”

Twilight stepped away from the counter, following Applejack. “But what really gets me about about you is that after everything you’ve done, you have the audacity to be humble. You’re so proud and so stubborn when it’s about what you’re doing, but the slightest bit of recognition and suddenly you’re nopony special. ‘Oh, no, it’s nothin’. Anypony would have done it, I reckon.’”

“Well, it’s true, ain’t it?” Applejack asked. “Twilight, I learnt a long time ago that I ain’t fit for nothin’ above my means. Any time I got too big for my britches, it ain’t never worked out. I’m a workin’ pony through and through.”

“I respect that,” Twilight told her. “I just wish you understood how big your ‘britches’ are. It’s not every pony that gets to be on a stained glass window in the East Wing. You’re worth more to Equestria than I think you realize. But that doesn’t matter; even if you weren’t, it wouldn’t change the fact that I want to be with you.”

Twilight stopped suddenly, catching herself. “…at least, I did,” she said, drifting back towards the counter. “We should probably--” Twilight’s bowl no longer sat where she’d left it. Spike had it with two other bowls at the stove, cooking up the next set of orders.

“No, don’t mind me,” Spike said dryly. “I’m just cooking. Your drama’s what these ponies really came here for.”

“I’m sorry, Spike,” Twilight said, returning to the counter and starting another bowl. She privately thanked him for the interruption; she still had a lot of feelings to sort out and she wasn’t sure how many she wanted to share. “Applejack, will you help me mix this bowl?”

“Thank you for everything,” Twilight said to Princess Celestia, standing outside the front doors of the royal palace. The belongings she’d brought were loaded into a cart, which Applejack had stepped forward to pull. “It’s been…interesting….”

The Princess smiled, stepping forward. “You are always welcome here,” she said simply. “I admit, I was never entirely certain if I could help you, but I’m glad to see that it all worked out for the best.”

“About that,” Twilight said, thinking back. “Did you mean for me to take Applejack back?”

“Of course not, Twilight. This decision was yours and only yours to make.” Princess Celestia reached out her left wing, embracing Twilight. “I would have supported you no matter what you decided. Your happiness is the most important thing to me.”

From the cart’s harness, Applejack watched. She couldn’t shake the feeling of the familiar, seeing the Princesses interact.

“No matter what happens, no matter what you decide or who you love, you do it knowing that your mama will always love you.”

“Thank you,” Twilight said simply.

Princess Celestia used her wing to wipe a single tear from Twilight’s cheek. “You had better get going,” she told her simply. “You don’t want to miss your train.”

“Of course. Thank you, again.” With a heavy heart filled with uncertainty, Twilight stepped away, following Applejack and Spike down the path. She still had no idea where she was going from here. Her faith in her relationship was shaken. But there was something comforting in the knowledge that whatever happened, she would always have a home somewhere.

“I still don’t know how to feel about everypony,” Twilight admitted, stepping off the train to Ponyville. It was a relief to see the town, all the same. Whatever else, it felt like coming home.

“Give it time, sugarcube,” Applejack told her. “Reckon we all need….” She droned off, looking past Twilight. “…could you pardon me for a sec?”

Climbing out of the harness, Applejack left the cart with Twilight and Spike and crossed the road. Twilight shot a glance at Spike, who shrugged, then followed after her. When she realized where she was going, however, she stopped in her tracks.

“So I asked him, ‘Do you find something funny about Symporia’s Third?’” Octavia Melody recited, trotting along the path. Beside her strode Vinyl Scratch. Her headphones rest around her neck and a large grin plastered across her face, she listened intently to Octavia’s story.

“He seemed confused,” Octavia continued. “So I told him, ‘There must be something funny about the music, because I would hate to think you were chuckling about--”

“Hey, ‘Tavi?” Applejack cautiously greeted her, approaching from the side.

Octavia stopped instantly in her tracks. Vinyl Scratch responded quickly, shooting a warning glare at Applejack and placing a hoof on Octavia’s shoulder for support.

Applejack stepped forward, cautiously asking, “Can I borrow a moment of your time?”

“It’s okay,” Octavia whispered to Vinyl. “You go on ahead. I’ll catch up.”

Vinyl took a few slow steps away, watching Applejack carefully. With one last concerned glance back at Octavia, she picked up her pace.

Applejack waited a few seconds for Vinyl to get out of earshot, then said, “DJ PON-3, huh? Seems nice--”

“That is hardly your concern,” Octavia snapped.

“You’re right,” Applejack said quickly. “You’re right. Ain’t a great way to start. Look, I want to apologize. I got my head twisted ‘round and I’m sure I hurt you somethin’ fierce. I shouldn’t have quit on you like that. It was mean and it was selfish, and I never meant to hurt you, but I did it anyway. I’m sorry, ‘Tavi. You deserved better than that.”

Octavia listened to Applejack’s apology, carefully scrutinizing her words. She picked them apart, searching for some kind of hidden message or deeper excuse, but finding nothing. “I don’t know what to say,” she admitted. She’d be combing over this apology further but at least for the present, it seemed strangely genuine.

“You don’t got to say nothin’,” Applejack assured her. “This is me tryin’ to make right what I made wrong. I can’t take back what I did to you, but I am mighty sorry I did it. I’ll be on my way now.”

Applejack drifted away, walking back towards Twilight. She was halfway across the road when Octavia called out to her. “Applejack!” she shouted. When Applejack turned to look at her, Octavia told her simply, “…take care of yourself.”

“It’s what I’m tryin’,” Applejack answered plainly. She returned to the cart, sliding back into the harness. “You two ready to go?” she asked Twilight and Spike.

“That depends,” Twilight answers. “How are you feeling?”

“Honest? I’d rather go another round with Nightmare Moon than ever have that conversation again.” Applejack sighed. “But I reckon I still got a lot of apologies to make.”

Twilight smiled, assuring her, “For what it’s worth, I’m proud of you.”

Applejack blushed. “That’s worth a lot, sugarcube. Thank you for bein’ in my life.”

“We have something important to tell you,” Rarity said carefully. At her request, Rainbow Dash had gathered Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie into Twilight’s library. The words stuck in her throat as she said them, but it was something that the others deserved to know. “You know it’s not easy for me to say, but…Twilight Sparkle is gone.”

Pinkie Pie cocked her head to the side. “Twilight’s gone a lot, though. Why’s that a problem?”

Rarity cleared her throat. “Let me reiterate, darling. Twilight has left and she’s not coming back.”

Fluttershy gasped. “Oh, no!”

“That can’t be right!” Pinkie Pie shouted. “Where did she go?!”

“Look,” Rainbow Dash asserted, “She left ‘cause we messed up.”

“We have to do something,” Fluttershy insisted.

“Fluttershy’s right!” Pinkie Pie shouted. “We have to go find her and bring her back! As a team! Because that’s what friends do for each other!”

Seconds later, the door slid open. Twilight stepped into the library, followed shortly after by Spike. She stopped suddenly, seeing her friends standing together. “Hi, everypony,” she said cautiously.

“Twilight’s back!” Fluttershy cheered quietly, smiling to herself.

Pinkie blew streamers into the air. “Good job, everypony! Great teamwork!”

“Hey, Twilight, you want me to start--” Applejack stepped through the door, meeting Twilight’s confusion at the large presence of ponies within the library.

“What’s going on here?” Twilight asked.

Rarity raced forward, darting between Fluttershy and Pinkie to get to Twilight. “Twilight! Darling, I am so sorry for everything. I never meant--”

“I know,” Twilight said, holding up a hoof. “I know. Applejack explained everything to me and….” She took a moment to consider her words carefully. “I want to say that you should have come and talked to me, but it’s hard for me to imagine what I would have done in your place.” Addressing the others, she said, “You all hid this from me, and it hurt so much when I had to discover it the hard way.”

“We hid something?” Fluttershy asked.

Rainbow Dash whispered to her, “I’ll explain later.”

Twilight continued, “I need some more time to think about how I feel, but I still want to be friends with you all. I love having you in my life, and I love being a part of yours. I don’t know what the future will hold for me or for any of us, but I want to face it together. We’ve all made mistakes and we’re going to make more, but together, I believe that we can achieve anything.”

Twilight raised a hoof, gesturing for an embrace. Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie closed in instantly, hugging her together, but Applejack and Rarity hung back. “You too,” she told them, prompting the pair to join their friends in welcoming Twilight home.

And for one shining moment, everything felt right.

Apple Bloom sighed, puzzling over the equations in her book. She’d been over this problem three times, and she’d gotten a different answer each time. The more she studied them, the more she was convinced that none of her answers were right, but she couldn’t for the life of her tell why.

A light knock at her bedroom door fill her with relief, because it gave her the excuse to put this assignment off for a little while. “C’mon in,” she called out from the comfort atop her bed.

“How you feelin’, sugarcube?” Applejack asked, stepping in the door. “I know we aint’ exactly been on the best of terms of late, but you know you’re my sister, right? I’m always gonna be here for you, come hay and high water.”

“I know,” Apple Bloom said sadly. “It ain’t my place to say who you should date, neither. But Twilight was really nice to me. She’s been helpin’ with my potions and my homework, and I didn’t want to lose that. I know you said she ain’t family but she sure felt like family to me!”

“I shouldn’t have said that,” Applejack admitted. “Twilight felt like family to me too. I don’t regret nothin’ I said half as much as I regret those words, and let me tell you, I got a lot of regrets about the rest.” She climbed up on the bed, laying down beside her sister. “You were right, sugarcube. I was bein’ foolish and I said a whole mess of stuff I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry. Can you forgive me?”

Apple Bloom smiled warmly to herself. “Well, I might,” she said, glancing down at her book. “But only if you help me with my homework. I can’t quite seem to make this come out right.”

Applejack glanced down at the book, then winced visibly. “Ooh, I’m mighty sorry, sugar.” She stood up from the bed, walking over towards the door as she said, “I’d love to help, really I would, but I ain’t allowed to do math in front of you no more. You mind if I get somepony to tap in?”

At Applejack’s cue, the door opened. Apple Bloom’s face lit up immediately. Pouncing off the bed, she screamed, “TWILIGHT!!!” and leapt into her, wrapping her forelegs around the Princess’s neck. Twilight barely had time to let out a scream before she was on the ground in the hallway, bowled over by the might of earth pony enthusiasm.

“Pardon,” Apple Bloom said with a blush, climbing off of Twilight. “But you’re back! Are you back-back or just stoppin’ by?”

Twilight looked up at Applejack. “We’re still talking about that,” she said, climbing to her feet. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but whatever happens, I want you to know that you’re always welcome in the library.” She put a hoof out and squeezed Apple Bloom to her. “I’ll be here for you whenever I can. That’s a royal promise from me to you,” she said, letting out a giggle at herself.

Apple Bloom said nothing, choosing instead to nuzzle into Twilight’s chest. After a few seconds, Twilight asked, “Why don’t you show me this problem that’s giving you so much trouble?”

Applejack watched Twilight take her place in Apple Bloom’s humble room and smiled to herself. “I’ll go get started on supper,” she said to two of the most important ponies in her life, leaving them to their time together.

“Shame you couldn’t stay the night,” Applejack admitted. It was a beautiful night in Ponyville, with stars as far as the eye could see, matched only by a moon that seemed to be shining just for them. Twilight lit the path with her horn, and under its glow, she looked as beautiful as Applejack had ever known her.

“It’s too soon,” Twilight said simply. It wasn’t the entire truth, but it was enough. She still had a lot of feelings to sort through, and as much as she wanted to say that nothing had changed, the truth was far from it. There was a darkness tainting her feelings for Applejack now. A bitterness that crept in when she least expected it, and she wasn’t certain it would ever go away.

As the library came into view, Twilight hated that she was about to be apart from Applejack again, but at the same time, part of her was anticipating it. She needed time. She thought about talking to somepony, but the pony she’d usually go to was Rarity, and that was its own tangle of feelings.

“I know,” Applejack said. “I’ll wait long as you need, Twilight. I’m sorry, again.”

“I know you are,” Twilight said quietly. She was grateful for Applejack’s understanding. She knew she’d need it. “Thank you for walking me home,” she said gently, arriving at the library’s doorstep.

“Yeah. Guess this is your stop.” Applejack took a deep breath. She took a moment to think, then cautiously asked, “Hey Twilight? We, uh…you reckon we’re gonna be alright?”

“I don’t know,” Twilight admitted. “But I want us to be.” She moved to kiss Applejack, to give her a tender goodnight farewell before sending her home, but her muscles faltered. Her heart screamed to kiss her, but her legs held fast.

Instead, she spoke the only words she had, “Good night, Applejack,” before stepping inside and closing the door to her heartbreak.

Author's Note

Next time in Single Point:

It's easy to believe in second chances. Twilight Sparkle has certainly witnessed and even offered several of them in her life, but never before has it been so personal. She's been hurt before, but never by ponies she loved so much.

Now, as feelings turn sour and love grows cold, Twilight must uncover the answer to a delicate question: what does it mean to truly forgive?

And how does it relate to Discord?

These answers and more to come with "Lessons in Chaos".