Transference

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a comfy bed. With still tired eyes, I looked outside the window, seeing that the sun was already coming up in the far distance. A rooster close by announced the arrival of a new day.

As the sunlight lit up the room, I felt the need rise in me to go outside and put my hooves to some hard honest work. And, for some other odd reason, I was craving apples. Lots and all kinds of apples. Cause apples were the best, obviously.

No... No. Fucking. Way. Or should I say bucking?

Looking around the room, I saw Applejack's hat gently placed on a chair close to the bed. At that point, it was nothing more than pure curiosity when I looked at my hooves, confirming the orange hue. I already knew exactly who I had become.

Still lying in bed, looking up at the ceiling, I needed a moment to process the new situation I had put myself in. This wasn't a dream. I could tell the difference as I felt better in this new body than I ever had before in my whole life as a human.

Did my soul somehow replace Applejack's?

While I indulged myself in the feeling of such a healthy and strong body, I silently prayed that I didn't accidentally kill Applejack in some way, or else that would have been a really bad start here in this new world for me.

After getting out of bed I stood in front of a large dressing mirror looking at myself for a moment. I slowly turned around and my face already lit up crimson red even before I started lifting my tail to get a glance at my private parts, or Applejack's for that matter. She's a mare, so there's that.

It was a strange feeling being naked and didn't come to mind much while I was in the dreamscape. But here, where I felt more alive, I was painfully aware of it, and it felt so wrong.

While I considered looking for AJ's gala dress in her wardrobe to cover my flank up a bit, there was a light knock on the door.

"Applejack, are you alright in there?" asked the muffled voice I believed belonged to Apple Bloom.

"You were supposed to milk the cows before breakfast, ya know", said the young filly in a rather accusing tone. "And since you were nowhere to be found, Big Mac made me do it instead, on top of all my other chores! You owe me one, ya hear me?"

"I... I'm sorry, eh, sugarcube, I must have lost track of time. I'll make it up to you, I promise", I said awkwardly through the closed door.

Cosplaying had never been my strong suit, and I feared it would cost me dearly sooner than later.

After a pause, the filly behind the door spoke up again. "Alright, if you say so, AJ. Will you come down for breakfast now?"

Looking around, as if I could find an answer in the corner, I swallowed before giving my answer. "Maybe I should take the day off, I'm not feeling at my best today."

The door opened and Apple Bloom entered the room while looking at me with big eyes. "Say what now? Take a day off?"

Startled about the sudden intrusion, I instinctively stepped back, leaning against the window with my back.

"Wow, did I startle ya?" asked the young Apple with a grin forming on her face. "Had a spooky nightmare or why are ya actin' like some scaredy cat all of a sudden?"

"Okay, stop! Just leave me alone for now, alright? I don't need this right now!" I said much harsher and louder than I wanted to, panting heavily.

Apple Bloom was not impressed at all. With a raised eyebrow, she addressed me. "Sheesh, AJ, you are not you when you're hungry. Come sit down with us and eat some hot apple fritters! They always seem to lighten up your mood."

Apple Bloom looked back with a warm smile on her face while walking out before closing the door behind her.

I really couldn't deal with the whole Apple Family right now. All of this drained me and I already felt exhausted after just this short interaction before the day had even really started for me. I also had a feeling that Applejack's inability to properly lie would affect me as well, should I have the need to.

Looking back out the window, I thought it'd be best to leave the farm for now to avoid any further interaction with the Apple Family.

The stairs down would be too risky. They would certainly spot me if they were sitting down there having breakfast. So I decided to climb out the window in the opposite direction.

Reaching the firm ground, I looked around myself. Nopony had spotted me, good.

As I made my way to the apple orchard I noticed a creature running up to me from the side, suddenly standing still, not too far away from me. I recognized it as the dog Winona.

She sniffed the air and suddenly Winoa flashed her sharp teeth at me and started growling fiercely. "Grrrrrr!"

"Wow there, easy now!" I tried to calm down the canine. "I get it, you know I'm not your owner, but I'm just passing through, okay?"

She was circling me and started snapping at my hind hooves. Instinctively, I pulled my left hind hoof back and bucked Winona.

I could hear bones audibly breaking and I winced. "Buck". I had underestimated the strength of that damn horse.

In a state of panic, I picked up the unconscious dog with my mouth and just ran as fast as my hooves allowed me to.

"Sister! I must speak with you at once!" Luna spoke out loudly as she walked into her sister's Day Court. Not minding the objections from the nobles sitting in a circle around her.

"Luna? Shouldn't you be asleep at this hour?" Celestia looked at her sister with surprise.

The nobles around them were starting to make their displeasure known about the sudden interruption of the lesser princess.

With a loud voice, Luna announced, "Court is adjourned, come back tomorrow or feel free to attend Night Court for once."

Any backlash that rose from the attendees was swiftly met with an almost murderous glare by Luna until the room cleared of everypony but the princesses.

"Sister..." Luna started again while looking away into a corner. "I need your help. I might have made a grave mistake."

After Luna told her sister what had transpired in the dreamscape, Celestia took a moment for herself before she addressed Luna again.

"The biped you are describing is not unknown to me, sister," said Celestia.

Looking at the stained glass windows, Celestia continued, "During your absence, we discovered an artifact, a gate in form of a mirror, and that mirror led to the realm of those beings that you just depicted. They are known as humans."

"A student of mine was sent out to this world and soon reported back to me that these humans were an unpredictable and self-destructive species not to be trusted in any way," Celestia said, almost absent-minded.

"In her last letter to me, she described that some humans had discovered the gate and so she had chosen to destroy it before any of the bipeds could pass through."

Celestia looked down at her hooves. "I haven't received word from Sunset Shimmer ever since and I believe her to be deceased by now as it was a few lifetimes ago."

"Sister..." Luna said in a soft tone. "I don't believe one species could be that bad as a whole. And, while I think it was noble of your student to sacrifice herself, she might have overreacted a bit, don't you think? I mean, have you met one of the humans yourself?"

"No, Luna, I have not. But I trust the judgment of my students," said Celestia in a firm tone. "Nonetheless, the human in question shall be fairly judged before any help is considered."

"I will write a letter to Twilight to assemble the Elements of Harmony," said Celestia, not leaving any room for Luna to protest.