Timed Ramblings

by Midnight herald

These Days

These days, Applejack got a lot of strange looks sent her way at market. The little mutters followed her and sometimes stung like little hornets, when they were loud enough or bitter enough to warrant her attention. It made sense, in a way, that she’d be the one of them to notice the hurtful words, to catch the worst of the blows. Coming from a family as deep-rooted and tradition-set as the Apples made it that much more shocking that ‘special somepony’ had become ‘special someponies’ for her, but that wasn’t the only bit.

Everypony had expected Pinkie to go for more than one serious partner, since she gave so much love out all day, every day, like it was going outta style. And, well, Rainbow flew high above the crowds, too high up to really hear what they said. And even if she did, it wouldn’t really matter. The things folks at market’d say to her, about her, just bounced off like a hoofball. The two of ‘em would laugh it off together, sometimes, trade the rumors and gossip they’d gotten like cards, makin’ a right silly game out of it. And that worked for them, but they hadn’t grown up here.

Applejack still respected the ponies she’d hear saying those things, still remembered when they’d give her extra bits of toffee for being a good little filly, or when they’d skip rope together during recess. So it hurt more than she let on, hearing those things these days. Applejack was a simple pony, and not too good with words, so she didn’t know how to talk to the others ‘bout it. ‘Cause words were important, and she had to watch what she said,these days.

Even if Rainbow didn’t let the crowd get to her, even if she could shrug off their insinuations and insults with her daredevil’s smile and a hearty boast, the ponies closest to her could tear her down in an instant. One wrong word, one thoughtless, snide remark, one mistake in the heat of the moment, and she’d be broken. She’d hide away for days, sometimes, and eventually come back, quiet and jumpy and apologetic, worse than Fluttershy by far. Applejack knew she had Rainbow’s trust, but it was a surprisingly fragile thing, easy to break or misplace and twice as precious for it.

And Pinkie could be needy, sometimes. Spending days at the Acres and trying her best to help around the farm, doing a right fine job up until water or plants came up, and talking to Applejack about everythng while they went about their day - The price of sugar, the Cake twins’ latest mischief, what Rainbow had been doing at her latest practice, the dresses Rarity had made her try on, anything and nothing, as if she were afraid of the silence. And after about four hours of the nonstop cascade of words, Applejack would give anything for some blessed silence, some much-needed solitude. But she’d learned by now that asking for some time alone when Pinkie was like this was dangerous, that her pink bundle o’ joy would take it as a bigger thing than it was, would feel neglected, would get unstable. Pinkie was a bit like a sapling that way - she needed a lot of love and time and sunshine to bear fruit, but it was worth it, It was always worth it, to get those bright, lovely smiles and playful little kisses in return for a day spent together. So long as she kept those things in mind, she was fine. So Applejack held her peace these days, did a lot of listening and not so much talking. Because she had an ornery streak wide as a field, and a mouth that could land her into trouble. And her two girls were too important to hurt for some silly little reason.

It wasn’t all gloom and doom, though, these days. Not in the least. Because as often as Applejack’d bail out her two lovers from their bad days and their worst thoughts, she could rest easy knowing that they’d do the same. Pinkie could always find a way to make her laugh, even in the worst of moods when all she wanted was some whiskey and her records and time to stew in her misery. Dash had a way of turning the most boring of tasks into a fun little competition, until the brushwood was cleared in record time and Applejack’s grin hadn’t once left her face. And the two of them were strong enough to hold her weight if need be, on the days when she was too tired or sad or angry or sick to get up and get done.

And Applejack could rely on them, these days. She could go to bed, be it at the Acres or the smaller, sugary nook atop Sugarcube corner, knowing that she had two lovely mares who loved her as much as she loved them, and she could curl up between them or beside them and know that they’d be there when the sun rose. And she could wake up with a face full of blue feather, with restless pink hooves worrying away at her flank, uncomfortably warm and twisted out of shape by two strong bodies, and she’d know that she was home.

Author's Note:

Prompt 333: Three ups and Three downs with Three ponies being in love.

And I continue on my path of polyamorous ponies although this time they asked for it.

Comments

[DarkwingSnark]

It's sad how happy this makes me. It's like...it's letting me have my two Apple ships at once. <3 Though, you still can't help but feel BAD for AJ. Well, for all three of them, really. They're happy and not hurting anybody, and ponies are still all up in thier grill. Let them be, man, let them be!

[Silvernis]

I still don't much like Pinkie ships, but this is cute and sad and cute regardless.

[Midnight herald]

2500631 This makes me so happy. If I can get you to enjoy my constant shipping of pink pone, I know I gotta be doing something right...

2500166 I'm also not sure how bad the situation actually is here. I think it's more the fact that Applejack actually cares about what other ponies are saying than the fact that they're being incredibly hurtful. She's used to being the upstanding, reliable pony that the town adores, Ponyville's golden girl in some ways. So now when she overhears anything a childhood friend or respectable adult might say about the three of them, she takes it much more personally than she probably should. Here's hoping she actually talks it out with the other two sometime, eh?
Also, I'm glad that you think AJ's getting the right kind of action. I was just idly thinking and decided that the three of them have really good chemistry together, especially for the points I was trying to make.