//------------------------------// // Obsession // Story: Comfortable // by Mr Snowpony //------------------------------// Comfortable An Appledash story by Mr. Snowpony Chapter II: Obsession Applejack awoke to the songs of tiny lovebirds flittering past an unfamiliar window. It took her a few seconds to remember that she was not in her own bed. Judging by the angle of the sun irritating her eyes, she rightly deduced that it was roughly seven in the morning. ‘Shoot… musta slept in today.’ She proceeded to get up but was kept in place by two unwavering hooves clasped around her midsection. Turning ‘round, she found out Rainbow Dash was the culprit; their faces were uncomfortably close. Applejack tried to quietly shift out of the vicelike grip but Rainbow’s hold was firm. The pegasus began murmuring in her sleep, “Mmm… Applejack…” The cowmare was taken aback but her interest was piqued nonetheless. Apparently, her feathered friend was dreaming about her. The farm pony leaned in a little closer to try and discern the rest of her friend’s murmuring but was caught off guard when the pegasus shifted her head forward. Their lips connected. Like a firecracker, Applejack launched away in shock, dragging Rainbow off the bed and onto the floor with her. Now fully awake, Rainbow Dash rose up and started yelling at her awakener, “Hey! What’s the big idea?! I was having an exciting dream!” Applejack scoffed and answered her rhetorically, “Yeah, Ah’ll bet yer dream was excitin’!” “What?” “Oh, you girls are up! That’s great!” Twilight came into the room enthusiastically, oblivious to the awkward moment the two mares just had, “Come on down! Breakfast is ready.” Applejack was quick to gallop downstairs. Rainbow Dash however remained in place, puzzled as to what just happened between them. “Did you just see her run? I don’t know what’s up with that mare!” Twilight was concerned as well, “Did you say or do something to upset her?” “NO! I was just happily dozing off until she knocked me down to the floor. Then, after I kindly told her how rude she was for doing that, she started yammering sarcastically about how I was having a nice dream. Now, she’s just run off. I’m telling you Twi, AJ must be loopy in the mornings.” Twilight shook her head, “I don’t think that’s it, Rainbow. Maybe we should go down and talk to her.” Rainbow vigorously nodded, “Good idea. I need to give her a piece of my mind, anyhow.” The two mares trotted downstairs but when they looked around, Applejack was nowhere to be seen. Twilight frowned, “I guess she must have run back home. We should probably head on over there and see what’s up with her.” Rainbow muttered a, “Yeah,” in response but her belly had other thoughts as it started growling. Twilight giggled, “Why don’t we eat breakfast first? I’m pretty sure she’ll still be there by the time we finish.” Rainbow agreed and hungrily flew into the dining area, almost crashing into the dragon within. Twilight just shook her head in amusement and followed the other mare inside. Ignoring the scrambling pegasus, Twilight took a seat and grinned happily at the stack of pancakes that were presented before her, “These look amazing, Spike! Thanks!” Spike, the aforementioned dragon, blushed in response, “Aww… It’s no big, Twilight.” Rainbow, who also received a plate, popped in on the conversation, her mouth half-filled with pancakes, “You kidding me, Spike? These pancakes are awesome! I bet if you were a pony, your cutie mark would be one of those stupid chef’s hats! What do you call those again?” “They’re called toques and they’re not stupid, Rainbow. Chefs used to wear them to denote rank in the kitchen.” “Yeah, yeah… just keep those pancakes coming, Spike!” Twilight frowned at the disinterested mare and crossed her hooves in dejection. She levitated a fork and a knife and started eating her own pancakes all the while thinking idly about what they would do once they got to Applejack’s house. However, these thoughts brought back the events of the previous night. She put her utensils down and gazed seriously towards the pegasus, coughing once before speaking her mind, “Rainbow, what was up with you and Applejack last night? You looked like you were crying heavily about something.” Caught off guard, Rainbow was quick to get on the defensive, “I wasn’t crying!” Twilight shook her head, “Your eyes are still red around the edges, Rainbow. I’m pretty sure you were crying.” “I wasn’t crying!” Twilight was about to retort but Rainbow slammed her hoof on the table before she could say anything, “I’m not gonna talk about this!” The blue mare got up and stomped halfway out the dining room door before she suddenly stopped midstep. Hopeful that she was coming back to apologize, Twilight was disappointed when she saw the pegasus tracking her way back to her unfinished plate, “And I’m taking these with me!” "What?!" Before Twilight could protest further, the pegasus had already grabbed the dish and stormed out of the library. Spike stared and scratched his head in confusion, “Did I miss something?” “I think something happened last night, Spike. I’m gonna head out to Sweet Apple Acres and figure out just what did. Take care of the library for me, will you?” “Sure thing, Twilight! You can always count on me!” “Thanks, Spike,” She hugged the dragon tightly then raced on out. It was time to get to the bottom of this. -⊕- “She kissed me! That flyin’ bumper car kissed me!” Applejack frantically paced her living room, her brother standing off to one side as he listened to his sister ramble. “Calm down, AJ. Tell me what happened?” “Ah AM tellin’ ya what happened! Rainbow kissed me in her sleep! Yesterday she was hankerin’ fer me to cuddle with her – fer Celestia knows what reason – and today, just as Ah woke up… SHE KISSED ME!” Big McIntosh shook his head, “Y’know, yer kinda overreactin’ about this. Ponies can’t kiss ya in their sleep. It was an accident.” Applejack grunted, “Ah know that, Mac!” “Then why are ya so upset about it?” “BECAUSE SHE STILL KISSED ME!” The stallion rolled his eyes, “Kinda sounds like yer obsessin’ over this kiss,” He thought about it for a moment then leaned in closer to Applejack, “Are ya upset ‘coz ya liked it or somethin’?” “Liked it?! Why Ah oughta…” There was a knock at the door. Big McIntosh quickly headed over to the front of the house to answer it, “Ah’m gonna see who that is,” and with a cheeky grin, added, “And ya didn’t say no.” The big red stallion disappeared around the corner before Applejack could pounce him, “When Ah get mah hooves on ya, Ah’m gonna turn ya into apple fertilizer!” Big McIntosh opened the door, “Oh, howdy Miss Twilight. Ya lookin’ fer Applejack?” Twilight smiled and nodded, “Yes I am. Is she inside?” The farm pony chortled then quickly ran outside, “She’s all yers!” “GET BACK HERE, YA BIG APE!!” Applejack was about to run after her brother but stopped in her tracks when she saw a perplexed and frightened Twilight at the door. She gritted her teeth and tried to steel herself. Twilight came all this way because she had run out of the library without any justification and she didn't want to be temperamental while she explained herself to the librarian. “Oh… Hey, Twilight. When Ah catch that no-good… Sorry fer stormin’ outta yer house earlier. Ah had to… do somethin’… A-anyway, come on in!” Applejack was obviously lying but Twilight let it slide for now. She’ll ask about what happened later when the farm pony decides to open up more, “That’s alright, Applejack. I actually came over to ask about what happened between you and Rainbow Dash last night. You darted off before we could talk about it and you promised to tell me what’s been going on.” Applejack looked despondently back at her bookish friend, “Ah’m mighty sorry about that, Sugarcube, but there really ain’t much Ah can tell ya,” Twilight and Applejack sauntered into the living room and sat down at the family couch, “Last night, after our little run, Rainbow broke into mah house and started harassin’ mah idiotic brother. When Ah started askin’ her what it was all about, she just broke down in front o’ me. She then told me some nonsense about wantin’ to… um... wantin’ to…” Applejack was blushing as red as her namesake. “Wanting to what, Applejack?” The cowmare stared nervously at her hooves, “… Wantin’ to cuddle with me.” Twilight’s cheeks started reflecting Applejack’s rosiness, “Oh… well… judging by your arrival last night, I’m guessing you accepted.” “What was Ah supposed to do!? She was downer than a fallen apple tree! We couldn't stay at mah house; Granny Smith was havin’ a fit after all the ruckus that silly mare had caused last night. We couldn't stay at Rainbow’s either ‘coz it’s, y’know, a cloud!” Twilight frowned in understanding, “So, you chose to go to my house.” “Eeyup! Then it gets even more confusin’ when Ah wake up and Rainbow kisses me on the…” Slap! Her hooves were on her lips. She had run her mouth off too long. Stupid Element of Honesty! Applejack started sweating, “What Ah mean is…” “She kissed you?!” “Okay, she was asleep! She didn’t know what she was doin’! But still, our lips touched, Twilight!” “That could have been just a coincidence.” “Lan’ sakes! She was mumblin’ mah name and smilin’ all goofy-like ‘fore she moved in for the kill! Ah think she was dreamin’ o' smotherin' mah face!” “W-well… What are you saying? Are you implying that Rainbow’s subconsciously infatuated with you?” Applejack fidgeted with her mane, “Ah don’t know… M-maybe? She seemed just as weirded out as Ah was when she gave her, er, ‘proposition’ last night.” Twilight put her hoof on AJ’s shoulder, “Then I’m guessing she probably doesn't even know herself. Knowing Rainbow, it makes sense that all of these new and weird emotions are driving her to do drastic things.” Applejack smirked at the unicorn, “Like yellin’ at mah brother at nine in the evenin’?” “Exactly.” Applejack stood up and started pacing. This was enlightening but she couldn't keep her mind focused on their current conversation. Not knowing what else to say, she latched on to the one thing that was bothering her the most, “Ah still can’t believe she kissed me in her sleep!” Twilight gave her a pensive look, “My guess is that it’s a subconscious reflex. Were you two particularly near each other when she did it?” Performing her trademark eye roll, Applejack snorted in response, “Ya don’t forget smellin’ mornin’ breath up that close, pardner.” Twilight could only sigh in resignation, “Then that’s that. The rest is up to you and Rainbow Dash to figure out with one another.” Applejack finally stopped pacing and whimpered, “Ah was afraid you were gonna say that…” Seeing the anxiety in her face, Twilight thought she could lift some weight off her friend’s shoulders with a little bit of solace, “Well, if it’s any consolation, if you go for it, I think the two of you would make a great couple!” “Not helpin’, Twilight!” Twilight shrank back, “Sorry…” Applejack immediately regretted the outburst, “W-wait, no. Ah’m sorry, Sugarcube. Ah didn't mean to blow up on ya like that. It’s just… This is a lot to think about.” Twilight nodded, “I guess I’ll just be on my way then. I’ll try to give you a heads up if I see Rainbow heading towards the farm.” The cowmare appreciated her friend’s thoughtfulness and smiled, “Thanks, Twilight. Yer a great pal.” Twilight mirrored her friend’s expression, “Always glad to help.” The two mares said their goodbyes and Twilight turned to leave. As she opened the door, she spotted Big McIntosh sitting patiently at the porch. He turned his head and smiled sheepishly at the mare. Apparently, he was politely waiting for them to finish their little heart-to-heart. “Ah’m presumin’ ya and AJ have sorted her feelins’ out?” Twilight closed the door behind her and replied to the stallion, “More or less, but she’s going to have to really talk to Rainbow Dash about it soon. She hesitates, but I can tell she’s not against the idea. She never really rebuked it; she just simply thought it was overwhelming.” Big McIntosh smirked, “Figured as much.” “You’re her brother, Big McIntosh. Maybe you can help her through this.” The burly stallion finally stood up and gave the unicorn a genuine smile, “Don’t worry ‘bout it, Miss Twilight. Mah sister may be stubborn, but she always figures things through.” Twilight accepted that answer, “Alright. You know her better than I do. I’ll trust your judgement.” “’Sides,” Big Mac contemplated, “Ah like Miss Rainbow; she makes mah sister happy. And, when mah sister’s happy, Ah’m happy.” Twilight admired this side of Big McIntosh. It was rare for the stallion to talk at length, but when he did, he knew exactly what to say. “She also knows how to get under mah sister’s skin and that makes me laugh mah flank off!” Twilight was dumbfounded. Apparently, there was more to the stallion than meets the eye. -⊕- A raspy voice broke the silence of the meadow. High up above, in her cloudy abode, the rainbow-maned pegasus ranted off to the tortoise on her bed. “You know, I’ll never fully understand some ponies, Tank. Sometimes, they make plenty of sense and other times, they start acting really weird around you, like as if they were never your best friend this entire time or something!” She held the plate of pancakes between her hooves. As it slowly sogged away from the excessive syrup, she tried to gather her thoughts and make sense of everything that had been happening between her and Applejack lately. “I mean, you just sleep with them for one night and suddenly you’re treated like a crazy mare. And Twilight, could you believe her?! She implied that I was crying last night. Crying! SO not cool!” She continued to fork the doughy delicacy into her mouth. It wasn't often that she’d pig out like this when she was upset – she had a flying figure to maintain after all – but it always seemed to help the characters out in those funny flicks she’d been watching at the new theater lately. And if movie stars did it, she didn't see any reason she couldn't. “Besides, it’s not like I’m gonna get in bed with AJ again! Those stupid feelings were just a ‘last night’ thing. I’m a grown mare. I can sleep by myself… even if that was the best rest I've had in years… B-but, none of that matters! This entire thing’s behind me. I can just forget about it, move on, and not think about AJ’s awesome body.” She smiled triumphantly at her pet. He blinked back at her. She smashed her face into the pancakes. “Oh, who am I kidding, Tank? I can’t get it out of my mind.” In frustration, she threw the plate at the nearest wall but quickly realized that with a house made of clouds, trying to feel better with property destruction would only be met with uninterrupted detritus falling outside of her walls. She growled at herself, “I CAN’T EVEN GET ANGRY PROPERLY!” She was so confused. She didn't know what to do. She had never felt this way before. She looked outside her window and saw the sun was as radiant as ever, mocking her morning as it happily shone across the kingdom, blanketing the country in its sickeningly cheerful disposition. “It’s not even noon yet!” Rainbow usually loved days off. She usually begged for them every time she went to work. Even when she only needed ten simple seconds to finish her job, she grovelled like a starving animal to get a day off. However, of all the times to finally get it, this one came at the worst possible moment. She had enough, “WHATEVER! I’m not just gonna mope around and waste a free day! That’s not what Rainbow Dash does!” She turned to her tortoise, “Tank, I’m going out to practice on my flight routines and clear my head of this… this… this stupidness! Feel free to munch on the carpet if you get hungry.” She sped out of her house, the meadow once again falling into silence. As the gentle winds swept through the grassy field below, soiled pancakes laid somberly among broken dishware. Silently, they lay forgotten as the only evidence of a lonely pegasus’ outrage. -⊕- Rainbow soared at death defying speeds, rounding the skies and making mad turns in a show of aerial bravado. This field was a blessing from Celestia. Hardly anypony came out here and there was ample space for lots of exciting maneuvers. After perfectly executing her Fantastic Filly Flash move, Rainbow decided to drop back down to solid ground. Building up a sweat had been refreshing but as she landed, she realized that she still hadn't gotten her latest obsession out of her mind. Annoyed, she decided to take a rest and lied down on the luscious field at her hooves. With nothing else to do, she stared at the open sky. What she saw left her speechless. Focusing on forgetting the incident with Applejack, she hadn't noticed that it was steadily approaching nightfall. The top half of the sky remained its vibrant blue but skimming just above the mountaintops, the sky gradated into a beautiful orange. It was a sight she rarely paid heed to and it captivated her now that she took the time to see it. She didn't fail to see the allegory. She saw it clear as morning. It was a sign, a message telling her that she shouldn't ignore what she already knew any longer. Her mind was made. She sped off towards the Apple family home and hoped against hope that she was doing the right thing. -⊕- A knock on her window. Applejack was ready for this. Twilight had seen Rainbow Dash soaring towards Sweet Apple Acres and teleported ahead to warn the cowmare of the pegasus’ arrival. The orange mare approached her windowpane and slid it open, her feathered friend hovering silently before her. “Ya got some syrup on yer face.” Rainbow simply shrugged in response, “I need to talk to you, AJ.” “Save it. Tell me tomorrow.” Applejack moved aside so the pegasus could get in. Rainbow didn't hesitate as she landed next to the cowmare. Without a word, they both approached the bed and slid under the blanket, wrapping their hooves around each other in a tender hug. “Goodnight, AJ.” “G’night, Sugarcube.”