Act XXII - Having Second Thoughts
David awoke on Luna’s bed, a slight tingle in the back of his mind.
“Good morning, my love. I see the moon has called to you again,” Luna said from her spot next to him on the bed.
David yawned, still tired and looking weary. “Yes, it seems so.”
“I know you were troubled last night. How do you fare this morning?”
“I’m not sure, Luna. I think I really messed up.”
“For what reason do you think so?”
“Last night, I went to my room and wrote in my journal about what happened at the picnic, but I couldn’t get Celestia’s disposition out of my mind, so I went to go see her. It… did not go well.”
David told Luna of his confrontation with Celestia with exacting detail. He wanted to make sure she knew exactly what happened and he was prepared to accept any possible complications it may cause in his relationship with Luna.
“…And then, she kissed me. I honestly don’t know if I returned it, though. Then she broke the kiss and got really upset. I tried to get her to talk about it, but she refused and teleported me outside.”
“Oh my. I can understand why you would feel upset and I am sorry you dealt with your pain alone. You should have awoken me; I will always try to be here for you.” Luna wrapped him in her legs and pulled him in tightly for a hug.
“Thank you, Luna. I was just so upset and stressed, I don’t think talking would’ve helped. I’m glad I was able to just go to sleep. More importantly, did anything I said upset you?”
“Heavens, no. I told you quite a few days ago that I had worried my sister may have been jealous, but I did not think it would manifest as such. She must have been quite upset for her defenses to break down enough to take your lips.”
“We were both quite emotional at that point; I don’t hold it against her.”
“Do you know how you will respond?”
"What do you mean?" David asked.
"You said you wished to talk to her; to explain and help her understand. Do you know what you will say?" Luna clarified.
“No, not yet, but I do want to talk to her about it.”
Luna nodded. “And I think that would be wise, but give her some space this morning. I will go speak with her to assess her temperament.”
“Okay, Luna. I trust you.”
Luna leaned into her man and kissed him tenderly, reassuring him physically and emotionally. She broke the kiss and nuzzled him, then pulled away to leave the bed.
“Stay here, my love. I will return after the exchange has taken place. Hopefully, my sister will be willing to take over again as she did yesterday.”
“Okay. I’ll wait here.”
Luna donned her vestments carefully, using her hooves to do so. After dressing, she proceeded through the balcony doors and took to the sky.
***
Luna touched down on Celestia’s balcony and peered in through the already-open doors. Inside, her sister was donning her regalia as she prepared for the day.
“Good morning to you, Sister,” Luna called out.
“Oh, good morning, Lulu. I hope you had a peaceful rest.”
Hearing her bright and peaceful tone, Luna entered her sister's quarters to meet her.
“Thank you, Tia, I did. How did you fare?”
“I believe I slept well,” Celestia said, smiling.
“That is good to hear. I fear my David did not have such a restful sleep, though.”
“Oh?” Celestia questioned.
“Yes, he was quite stressed earlier, and when he finally retired, his exhaustion took him without a word. I could tell that his dreams troubled him, but I dared not wake him in hopes that his sleep would give him peace. I am sure he will recover; he is quite resilient.”
“I do hope he feels better today."
“That is nice of you to say, Sister. Oh, and how is Twilight doing? Is she ill?”
“No, Lulu, she is not ill. She is entering into her first estrus as an alicorn.”
Luna’s wings sprang open in surprise. “Oh my! She will need much support. This will undoubtedly be a very trying time for her.”
Celestia nodded. “Yes. Now that she has characteristics of all three tribes, not having control of any of them will upset her greatly. That, and the intensity of her heat symptoms will be stronger than ever before.”
“I do not envy her. Please give her my sympathies. Will she be staying here for the duration?”
“No, I will be taking her home this morning. I have sent word to Spike, via Rarity, as he will not be able to stay with her. I have also requested that one of the Ponyville Hospital nurses be put on-call if needed, but I believe her friends should be able to handle her basic care.”
Luna nodded. “That sounds most wise. With all of these trials, how are you faring, Tia?”
“It has been a bit stressful, but I will be fine.”
“Are you certain? You did seem to be a bit distant yesterday.”
“Quite. Though, after I settle Twilight back in Ponyville, I intend to take a little more rest. I am certain that will leave me refreshed by the afternoon.”
“Good. What say you about fair Applejack?”
Celestia paused, deep in thought. “She is physically unharmed; however, I cannot determine if she has suffered any emotional trauma. But like Twilight, I am certain that the Apple family and her friends are quite capable of helping her if any issues do arise.”
“Indeed." Luna nodded, then looked to the balcony. "Enough talk, it is time for the exchange. Dear sister, would you please perform for me as well? I think it would still be prudent, for David’s sake.”
“Of course, Lulu. If that is what you want.”
Celestia walked out to her balcony and began to channel her magic while Luna stayed inside and watched, feeling the moon lower and her power ebb as her sister performed the duty in her stead. Soon, the sun began to peek over the horizon, and Luna noticed her elder sister’s expression had changed from bright to forlorn. Celestia closed her eyes as the sun’s first rays struck her and a single tear ran down her cheek, catching the light as it fell.
With the moon resting for the day and the sun started on its course, Celestia returned to Luna, who was just beginning to recover her colors.
“Oh, Lulu, I am so sorry. It pains me to see you like this.”
“Worry not, it is a small price to pay.”
Celestia smiled wistfully, then walked over and sat in front of her sister. She sighed and rested her head on Luna’s shoulder. Grateful for her sister’s love, Luna reciprocated and nuzzled Celestia warmly. The two sat for a while, leaning together, enjoying the time they had.
After a few moments, they broke their sisterly embrace and gave each other some space.
“Thank you, Lulu, I love you,” Celestia said.
“I love you too, Sister. I am sorry if I do not say it enough.”
“I feel the same, but I am glad we are here together.” Celestia smiled half-heartedly.
“Indeed. What are your plans for this morning? Will you be at breakfast?” Luna asked.
“No, I will be using that time to take Twilight back to her castle in Ponyville.”
“I see. I believe I will return to sleep, then. I must work to reset my schedule for tomorrow.”
“Rest well, Lulu.”
“You too. I will see you at dinner.” Luna nodded to her sister, then left through the balcony to return to her own room.
***
“David?” Luna called out.
“In here,” David answered from the bathroom.
Luna walked over to her bed, hoofed-off her shoes, then lay down. Shortly after, David came in and sat down next to her on the side of the bed.
“I believe my sister is a bit stressed. It would be best for you to give her some time,” Luna said.
“I can understand that. Do you think it will be long?”
“No. I believe she will be approachable sooner than you might think. Please take a few moments to think about what you wish to say to her, and also about our previous discussion.”
David paused. “Okay, I will.”
“Good. We will talk again after lunch, please come see me then.”
“Oh, are you planning to sleep in?”
“Yes, forgive me, love. I must reset my sleep schedule for tomorrow.”
“As you often say, ‘there is nothing to forgive.’ Just rest, and I will see you later,” David replied.
“Thank you, my David.”
David bent over her prone form and gave her a short kiss. He then brushed her bangs out of her face and stroked her head and mane until her eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep.
***
David approached the door of the royal dining hall. He pushed open the door and walked inside lethargically.
“Mornin’ there, David!” Applejack called from the table.
“Oh, hi, Applejack.” David walked over and stood next to her. “Is this seat taken?” he asked, doing his best to be chipper.
“Aw, shucks. You know it ain’t taken. Get on up here so we can have some grub, I’ve been up for hours!”
“Okay, I’m coming.” David took a seat on the bench next to Applejack.
“So, no princesses today?”
“Sorry, Applejack. I know they would like to be here to see you off, but they are kind of busy at the moment.”
“That’s fine, I can understand being a bit busy. All I need is you bein’ here anyway,” she said with a smile.
“What was that?” David asked, confused.
“Nuthin’ Just glad I’m not eatin’ alone, that’s all.”
“Oh, okay. Is there anything special you want for breakfast?”
“Naw. What do you want, David?”
“I don’t usually choose. Cherry just usually prepares a whole bunch of awesome dishes. The first time I actually had to order anything was yesterday because we arrived a bit early. Let’s ring for her and see what she has.”
“Cherry, huh,” Applejack mumbled under her breath.
“Pardon?” David asked.
“Sorry. Sounds good.” Applejack smiled.
David rang the tiny silver bell and the doors burst open as usual. What appeared, though, was slightly different…
Cherry came out by herself and walked up to the table. “Good morning, David! Hello again, Miss Applejack.”
“Hi, Cherry. Where’s your staff?” David asked.
“Oh, well since the princesses aren’t here, I’ve given most of them the morning off. I’ll be here to take care of you, though, per Princess Luna’s request.
“Oh, okay.”
“So, what can I get for you both today?” Cherry smiled.
David chuckled. “Gee, Cherry, I don’t really know, but Applejack has been up for a while, so I’m sure she’s pretty hungry.”
“Applejack?” Cherry asked, turning to her.
“Uh. I don’t feel quite right, orderin’ here and all. Sorry.”
“Well, what do you normally eat?” David asked.
“Ya know, basic fare. Cooked oats with apples, maybe some toast, glass of milk or juice or whatnot.”
David smiled, an idea taking root in his mind. “Okay, well if you don’t feel like ordering, would you mind if I fixed something for us?”
“What!?” both mares said in unison.
David cringed. “Oh, come on. You both know I can cook, or at least bake. What’s wrong with me making breakfast?”
Applejack shook her head. “Nuthin’ I reckon. How ‘bout you, Cherry?”
“He’s been in my kitchen before; I don’t have a problem with it.”
“Good. Cherry, let me ask you something.” David got up from his seat and walked over to the mare. He bent down over her, causing her to shrink away slightly, a light blush on her cheeks.
David whispered into Cherry’s ear, causing it to twitch as his breath tickled her fur. She paused for a moment. “Yes, David. I think we can do that.”
“Good. Applejack, come with us. Let’s go to the kitchen.”
Applejack left her seat and followed David and Cherry through the door, into the prep area. Inside, David made his way to the double doors of the kitchen and held one open for the two mares to enter.
“Thank you, David,” Cherry said, smiling and holding her head high.
“Thanks,” Applejack also replied, adding a wink as she walked by.
Now in the kitchen-proper, Cherry went over to the walk-in refrigerator to get some ingredients while David went separately to the pantry, leaving Applejack alone.
Halfway to the pantry, David looked back at Applejack, realizing they had left her behind.
“Sorry, Applejack, we’ll be right back.”
“Uh-huh,” she said, wide-eyed as she surveyed the giant kitchen’s facilities.
David came back from the pantry with two large baguettes and walked over to a nearby prep station.
“Hey, Applejack, do you think you could make something sweet like sauteed apples that I could use as a topping?” he asked as he sliced the bread into thick rounds.
“Iffen ya got good apples, I can make just about anything!”
“Okay, great. Here comes Cherry with my ingredients, see if she has what you need.”
Cherry walked over, pushing a cart filled with ingredients. “David, we have everything that you asked for, eggs, cream, honey, whipping cream, powdered sugar, regular sugar, assorted berries…”
“You got any apples here? Good ones, ya know?” Applejack asked.
Cherry huffed. “Now, Applejack, you of all people should know that the princesses order a lot of our apples from Sweet Apple Acres. We’ve got plenty in stock; what do you need?”
“Just a few Smiths will do. Also, I’ll need some butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves if you’ve got ‘em.”
“What are you going to do with all of that?” Cherry asked.
David interrupted. “Oh, sorry, Cherry. I asked if Applejack would make some sauteed apples for a topping. Is that okay?”
“I guess so,” Cherry huffed again as she went to go retrieve the requested ingredients.
“Since she’ll be a moment, mind if ya tell me what you’re makin’?” Applejack asked.
“Sure." David walked back over to Applejack. "In my world, we call it French Toast or pain perdu, which means ‘lost bread.’ It’s made of slices of stale bread soaked in a custard, then fried and topped with sweet or savory toppings.”
David's description brought a smile to Applejack's face. “Sounds like a heap ‘a fancy to me, but I can’t wait to try it.”
“I’m glad to hear it. I was a little concerned that you would be put off by the eggs in the custard, though.” David smiled as he walked over to the griddle station next to him and turned it on.
“Naw, eggs are healthy for ya. I don’t eat ‘em all the time, mind ya, but nothing wrong with ‘em. What’s it they say, ‘can’t bake a cake without breakin’ a few eggs?’ ”
“Hmm, I think I’ve heard it another way, but that makes sense too,” David replied as he walked back over.
Cherry finally made the last trip back with the cart and gave Applejack the requested ingredients. “Okay, David,” she started as she saw him pick up a bowl and a whisk. “Is there anything else I can get you?”
“Let’s see, do you have a fine mesh sieve? It’s not necessary, though.”
“Sure!” Cherry turned around and walked to one of the stainless steel islands and began rummaging around the shelves underneath. “I found it!” she called out, then walked back with the tool in her teeth.
“Thanks, Cherry. Now, let’s get this started. I’ll be done here in about twenty minutes, and it’s best if it’s hot, so I’ll need both of your help.”
“Okay, sugarcube.”
“Sure, David!”
“Great. Applejack, I’ll leave you to the sauteed apples.”
“I’m on it!” she said, walking off with her supplies.
“Cherry, I’d appreciate it if you would slice the berries, then macerate them in the sugar, and also make some whipped cream, please. Oh, and after you’re done, could you set the small table in the prep-room for us?”
“Okay, David. Table for two, coming up!”
“What?” he asked.
“You wanted me to set the table, right?”
“Yes, but you’re joining us aren’t you?”
“Oh, I can’t. I mean…”
“Cherry, if you haven’t eaten, please join us. Well, even if you have, at least take a load off and try a bite or two.”
“Okay, I’ll join you. Table for three.” Cherry smiled as she walked off.
“Good,” David said.
***
Now focused on his task, David turned back to his prep station and started mixing. He assembled his custard of eggs, cream, honey and a pinch of salt in a bowl, whisked it, then strained it through the sieve into a large dish. He then took the slices of bread and arranged them in the custard and allowed them to soak for a bit. While the bread absorbed the mixture, he washed his dishes and rinsed the sieve and generally cleaned up.
Having soaked one side, David flipped over the bread to wet the other side as well, then pulled out a rack and a sheet pan. He removed the bread and placed it on the rack inside the sheet pan to sit, letting the excess custard mixture drain off. He then strained the leftover custard mixture again and put it in a small container with a lid to save for later. After washing all the dishes, he moved over to the preheated griddle station.
David took a metal bowl and placed it on the hot griddle. Inside the bowl, he had placed some cubed some butter and was now letting it melt. After it melted, he took some butter and dripped it on the griddle testing its heat. It bubbled slowly, letting him know that it was not too hot, and he was ready to cook.
Finally, David went over to an oven at the back of the room and turned it on, allowing it to preheat. As he was coming back, he passed Applejack working on her apples—they were already cooking down on the stove.
“Hey, David, I thought you said this was a fried dish. Why are ya gettin’ the oven all heated up?”
“Well, while the bread is fried on the griddle, the inside still needs a little more time. I cook it in the oven for about 5 more minutes to firm it up.”
“Oh, well don’t let me second-guess ya. You’re the cook, for now!”
David just smiled and went back to his station. He grabbed the pan and rack with the prepared bread slices and moved over to the griddle. Taking a small ladle, he poured some of the butter onto the hot griddle and spread it around using a metal spatula.
“Ohh. looking good!” Cherry said from beside him, startling him somewhat.
“Oh, hi, Cherry,” he said as he started laying down the slices on the buttered griddle.
“Sorry, David. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’ve started macerating the berries as you asked, and I’ll have the whipped cream ready in a second.”
“Okay, thanks!”
“No, problem!” she replied.
Applejack looked over at the two talking while she stirred her saucepan of apples. She bit down hard on the wooden spoon as she saw Cherry nudge up against David once before walking off again. “Durn Cheerys,” she mumbled between her clenched teeth.
After a few minutes, the first side of the bread was nearing completion. David used the spatula to peek underneath a slice; it was a golden-brown color. He smiled, then flipped the slice over—it was perfectly cooked. He quickly moved through the other slices, turning them over to finish them on the other side. Even though there wasn't much time, David hated to leave a mess, so he quickly washed the rack and pan the bread had rested on and prepared to use it again for serving.
Off to David’s left side, Applejack was adding in the brown sugar and cinnamon to her dish, a good sign that she was almost done. Behind him, Cherry was finishing up with the whipped cream and putting it in a dish for serving. “Almost time,” he said to himself.
A moment later, David removed the bread from the griddle and placed it back on the rack, just as Cherry headed out of the kitchen to set the table. Although neither the rack or pan was hot, David had already grabbed two hoof-mitts and placed them under his arm, ready for when he needed to get them out of the oven. He then walked the freshly cooked bread slices over to the preheated oven, past Applejack, who sniffed the air curiously.
“Hoo-whee! That smells somethin’ awesome, David. I can’t wait to eat ‘em!” she said, her own dish cooling on the stove.
“Thanks,” he replied, pulling open the oven and depositing the meal inside. “Just a few minutes now. Let’s get ready.”
David helped Applejack plate her spiced and sauteed apples, then carried it and the whipped cream to the table, where Cherry was almost done setting it. He made another trip to the kitchen and picked up the honey, powdered sugar, syrup, and butter, then led Applejack to the table. Cherry had apparently finished preparing and had also brought out pitchers of juice, milk, and water to drink.
“Thanks, Cherry, Applejack. You two sit down here, and I’ll be right back with the main dish!” David said proudly before walking off again.
With him out of sight, the two mares looked at the table, then the benches, then stared at each other.
David rushed back into the kitchen, turned off the oven, then opened the door. Feeling the heat, he stopped and remembered to put on his hoof-shaped oven mitts, making a fist in each hand so they would fit. He then carefully removed the tray from the oven, a slight sizzle coming from the bread. “Ohhh, yeah,” he said to himself, his mouth watering at the sight and smell of one of his favorite breakfast treats.
He closed the oven and carefully maneuvered the hot tray of french toast through the prep room and into the small side room where Applejack and Cherry were waiting.
***
“Here you go, ladies. From my world, ‘French toast,’ one of my favorites.” David placed the tray in the center of the table. He then picked up the shaker of powdered sugar and lightly dusted the golden slices.
“Wow, David. This looks sooo tasty!” Cherry said. “Come and sit down so we can eat!”
“Yeah, David. I can’t thank ya enough for this meal. You gotta come to the farm so I can repay ya soon! Come, sit down so we can get started!” Applejack requested.
David looked at the table, finally tearing his eyes away from the food. The table was a basic picnic table, the same he had eaten at before with Cherry. There were only two benches and… Applejack had chosen one side, and Cherry, the other. They both looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to make a move.
“Uhh…” he said clumsily, not sure what to do.
His eyes moved side to side. On his left, Cherry. On his right, Applejack. Both had squished themselves onto the far side of their respective benches to leave as much space as possible for the human to sit down next to them. How was he to choose?
David closed his eyes and crossed his arms, thinking to himself.
Well, crap. I didn’t expect this. I should’ve, but I didn’t. What would Celestia or Luna do in this situation? He shook his head. Wait, no—what would Celestia do? Right, honor the guest.
David opened his eyes and moved over to Applejack. “Excuse me, may I sit here?” he asked.
“ ‘Course you can,” she patted the bench with her hoof.
David sat down on the bench and looked over at a disheartened Cherry. His eyes met hers and she pouted slightly. David cocked his head and nodded slightly to her. She seemed to pick up on his signal and smiled brightly again. “Applejack, may I serve you some of David’s toast?” she asked.
“Thanks, Cherry,” Applejack said as she held out her plate in her hooves. After receiving a few pieces, she took off her hat and set it to the side, then turned to look at David, smiling.
“Looks good, doesn’t it?” he asked her.
“Sure does! How do you have it, David?”
“Well…” David reached over with his fork and grabbed a few slices for himself. He put pats of butter on the hot pastry and let them melt, then he spooned some apples and berries onto the side and squirted some syrup on top of the bread. “This is my usual. Sometimes I like to add whipped cream on top, sometimes I just go plain. You can have it any way you’d like, they’re all good.”
David took his fork and cut off a bite, then speared the bread, some fruit, and ate the whole morsel. “Mmmm.”
He looked over to Applejack, who was holding the fork in her mouth, having trouble trying to cut up the bread. “Would you like me to give you a hand?” he asked.
Tink. Applejack spit out the fork, letting it drop to her plate. “Ha, ha,” she replied dryly.
“Now, Applejack. David didn’t mean anything by it, he just wants to help,” Cherry chided.
Applejack frowned, then looked up at David remorsefully. “Yeah, I should know better. I’m sorry, David.”
He smiled back. “That’s okay.”
“Applejack, would you like to try it the way I do?” Cherry asked, holding her hooves up for everypony to see.
Cherry had a knife and fork in each hoof, no—actually, she had a knife and fork strapped to each hoof with an elastic band. She showed how easy it was for her to both cut the food and to eat it, causing Applejack’s eyes to go wide.
“That’s cheatin’, ” Applejack said, looking away.
“I don’t think so, Applejack. I think it’s pretty smart,” David added.
“You do?” Applejack looked into David’s eyes. “Well, if you say so, David, I’ll give it a try.”
“Great!” Cherry said, then took off her bands. She handed them to Applejack and showed her what to do.
In just a few moments time, Applejack had cut up her first portion and was about to eat it when she realized everypony else was watching her. “Don’t be starin’, it makes me all nervous!” she said.
Cherry turned away, but David just kept on looking. Applejack grumbled a bit, then finally took her first bite of hot French toast.
“Ohh, Celestia’s sun above, this is good,” Applejack said with a big grin.
“Try it with your apples,” David suggested.
Applejack took her fork-shod hoof and stabbed a bite of apple, then a piece of toast. She quickly popped both into her mouth.
“You were right, Cherry, this makes everything easy! And, David, you gotta come ta the farm and make more of this. It’s heaven.”
Cherry nodded and smiled. “I’m glad it works for you, Applejack. Also, I have to agree with her, David; this is a wonderful treat. I’m sure the princesses would enjoy it too.”
“Well, you have the gist of it. I’m sure you can make it for them later,” David commented.
Cherry smiled mischievously. “Nope! You need to teach me! I wasn’t around while you were cooking, I just know some of the ingredients.”
“If you teach her, you gotta come teach me at Sweet Apple Acres!” Applejack protested with a full mouth.
“He doesn’t owe you, Applejack,” Cherry retorted.
“You’re right on that one, I owe him. I owe him my life, and I need to be given the chance to pay my debt! So he pretty much has to come see me!” Applejack growled.
“That doesn’t make any sense!” Cherry fired back.
A chill ran down David’s spine, causing him to shiver.
“Now, hold on now! Quiet!” David raised his voice, silencing the two mares.
David took a moment to calm down a bit. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you both, but you’ve got to stop fighting. Here I was hoping to have a stress-free morning after all the stuff I—or rather, we went through yesterday, but here you two are, arguing over breakfast!” he pleaded.
Applejack held her head low. “I’m sorry, David. You’re right. I don’t know what came over me. Cherry, let’s not fight, okay?”
“Okay. I’m sorry too, David, Applejack,” Cherry said.
David smiled at both of them. “Good. Now let’s eat.”
After the fight had resolved, Cherry went and acquired another set of bands to use, and the meal continued amicably between the three. There was little chit chat between the two mares, but they individually talked with David about certain things, including the picnic and the events there. After learning of Applejack’s injury and David’s life-saving assistance, Cherry’s interaction with Applejack softened, and she apologized again and offered her sympathy for Applejack’s plight. Applejack accepted the apology, and let her know that she was alright.
Finally, the meal was finished, and all that was left was to clean up. David began stacking the plates and carried them into the prep room while Applejack and Cherry collected the rest.
“You know, Applejack, you can keep those bands you used. Show other ponies how they work, I bet they would really appreciate it,” Cherry said.
“Aww, shucks. I’d feel bad if I kept em, I can just go buy some later.”
“No, please keep them. Consider it a gift.”
“Alright," Applejack begrudgingly accepted. "Thanks, Cherry.”
“You’re welcome! Any anytime you come to the castle, feel free to stop by the kitchens!”
David re-entered the room. “Okay you two, let’s get this all cleaned up so we can go rest. I’m so full I can barely move!” David patted his belly.
“Oh, no you don’t!” Cherry stared at him. “You and Applejack made the food and cleaned up after yourselves in the kitchen, the least I can do is clean up here!”
“Cherry…” David said sternly.
“It’s my kitchen.” She stomped her hoof.
“Okay. I’m not going to argue. Thank you, Cherry.”
“You’re welcome. Now go take our guest out of here, I’m sure she’s champing at the bit to get home!”
“Thanks again, Cherry. I’ll see ya ‘round,” Applejack said, smiling.
“You too, Applejack. Later!” Cherry said.
***
Applejack and David walked back into the royal dining room.
“Whoo, am I stuffed. I think I should sit a spell before I head off to the train station. It won’t be here for another hour or so anyway,” Applejack said, adjusting her hat. “Uh, David. I’m sorry I wasn’t acting proper-like back there.”
“Don’t worry, Applejack, it's okay.”
Applejack smiled up at him. “That’s mighty nice of ya. Hey, what do you say we sit and chat a bit while I wait for the train? Could ya do that for me, David?”
“I guess so. After that meal, I could use a rest, anyway.”
***
Applejack led David down the hall to a familiar door, the original room David had stayed in the castle.
“Oh, I see they put you up in my old room!” he said.
“This is where you stayed?” Applejack said as she opened the door.
“Yup. Woke up right here in the… well, in a different bed.”
David glanced around. It was about as he had left it several days ago, the only thing that changed was that there was a different, slightly smaller, but still large, bed.
“Oh. Well, come on in. Make yourself, uh, back at home, then.” Applejack chuckled a little.
“Thanks.”
Applejack walked in and put her hat and her new elastic hoof-bands on the dresser. “Just a sec; gonna freshen up a bit,” she said, then headed off into the bathroom and closed the door.
David looked at the fireplace, with its embers close to burning out. It was still a bit chilly, so he put another log on and stoked the flames.
Applejack returned from the bathroom and walked back to the dresser. “Sorry, David. They don’t really have chairs in here for guests. Why don’t you just hop up on the bed there and lean against the headboard? Should be plenty of room for me at the foot to lay down.”
“Uhh, Applejack, are you sure about that?” David asked cautiously.
“Course I’m sure. You’re probably like my brother, Mac; he needs ta prop himself up from time to time. Go on, git up there.”
David shrugged and kicked off his shoes. He climbed up on the bed and leaned against the headboard, a pose he was somewhat familiar with when talking with ponies.
Applejack smiled and nodded to him, then went back to the door and shut it. “Don’t want to let all that heat out, since you went and lit the fire and all.” She then walked back to the dresser and pulled her hair ties out of her mane and tail, letting her blond locks fall against her shoulders. She shook her head a bit, airing out her mane before she climbed up on the bed and sat down at the foot.
“So, you comfy there, David?”
“Yes, I’m fine. You?”
“Eeyup. I knew you’d want something to lean on. You know… you feel free to lean on me, if you want to.”
“I’m sorry, what?” David asked, confused.
She sighed. “I’m jus’ saying, David, you done more for me than save me. Least I can do is offer up a bit of myself.”
David scratched his head. “Wait, I don’t think I understand.”
“Consarn it, why do the good ones gotta be so thick-headed,” Applejack mumbled to herself. She took a deep breath and stared into his eyes. “David, I know you’re with Princess Luna. I can see you two love each other, and I think that’s one of the greatest things. But ya see, I’ve got my own feelings too, and I’m plum smitten with ya. I can’t believe all my offers for you to come to the farm and meet my family went over that sky-high head of yours, but it looks like they did.”
“Applejack—”
“Now, wait just a darn minute there. You let me say my piece, and then you can say what you want. Okay?”
David nodded.
“Thanks. Whew, this is tougher than the West field after a drought season. Now where was I, oh yeah—David Marshall, I like you. You’re a stand-up, hard-working, good-thinkin’ man. There’s a lot more to ya, but I won’t put it inta words yet, cause my time and breath are limited. You’re might fittin’ for a royal suitor, and I don’t fault you or the princess for being in love, but here in Equestria, I know gettin hitched, even to royalty, isn’t always the end of things for a man. That bein’ said, I want you to put me in the running with Princess Luna for your second mare. Iffen she says you’re free to roam a bit, you let her know that this Apple would be honored to serve under her. She knows that you’ve saved my life, and while that’s a debt I’d like to pay, I’m making that second to all of this feelings business. I mean, what I’m saying is, that I may have gotten to know ya under special circumstances, but I don’t want that to factor in on why I like ya, ya hear?”
David nodded again.
“Good. So you take a long look at me and remember it. If your princess allows it, I’d love to get to know ya, honored to serve both you and her, and mighty grateful for the opportunity to explore my feelings for ya a bit. In the end, if you don’t wanna see me, that’s fine too, just let me know—face to face, if ya please. There, now I’ve said my bit.”
David looked at her wide-eyed. “Wow. I… I just don’t know what to say to all of that.”
Applejack held up her hoof to stop him. “And I don’t expect you to. It takes time to sort things out, and I bet we do things here a bit differently than you did back home.”
“You can say that again. So what did you mean by ‘second mare?’ ”
Applejack blushed, and looked away shyly. “Well, you see, there’s so few of you men, and so many of us women… that, after a mare and a stallion fall in love and start a family, sometimes the wife would allow another mare into the household… a second mare.”
“Applejack, am I to understand you just proposed to me!?” David grinned.
Applejack went rigid and blushed hard. “No! I… we barely know each other! I just wanna—”
David’s laughing caught her off-guard, and she stopped mid-sentence.
“Oh, horse apples,” she mumbled.
“Sorry, Applejack—”
“A.J., call me A.J.”
“Sorry, A.J., I shouldn’t laugh; I know what you meant. Somehow, I’ve already been brought up to speed with the old tradition of herding. But I’m not trying to make fun of you, I promise.”
“So, you… you know about ‘herding’ and all? That doesn’t bother you none?” She smiled.
“I’m not going to say it doesn’t. It’s completely different from how I was raised and how my society works, but I’m in a relationship with someone of a different species, she’s a princess, and I’m in an entirely different world. I’ve had to adjust my norms quite a bit already, so I’m not ruling it out.”
“Well, even if you’re monogamous, if you and the princess don’t work out, don’t forget about me, okay?”
“Oh, I won’t ever forget you, A.J. You’re kind, funny, and honest to a fault, a bit stubborn too. I’m glad we’re friends, that’s for sure. But I have to warn you, I understand how it feels to like someone you can’t have. It’s not easy, sometimes for both sides. If your feelings don’t change—not that I’m saying they will or need to—but if they don’t, it can be rough.”
“I’m tough; you don’t need to worry about me swoonin’ and frettin’ about this too much. I can’t say I’ll like waitin’ to hear back from you and the princess, but I’ll make it through. I’m also sure even after I get a ways from here, I’ll still be thinkin’ about you. I’ve already seen too much of ya not to.”
David shook his head. “I have no problem with that. I’ll let you in on a little secret if you can promise to keep it to yourself.”
“Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”
“You didn’t have to Pinkie promise me, A.J. Well, now I think I understand a bit of what went on earlier. You probably guessed it, but Cherry is a bit sweet on me as well.”
Applejack reared and slammed her front hooves on the bed. “Ah knew it!”
“Calm down, A.J. She isn’t forward enough to put herself out for second, but she admitted she liked me. She even admitted it to Princess Luna.”
“Well, I’ll be. That takes gumption.”
David nodded. “I have to agree with that. Now, you both need to play nice from now on, though. She’s a good friend to me and tries really hard not to let her feelings get in the way of her job or our friendship. You need to do the same.”
“I will. I promise.”
“Good. I’m glad we can still talk and be friends, A.J. I also promise to think about what you said, and I’m going to talk with Princess Luna about it as well.”
“I know. And I want you to, mostly.”
“Little scared?” David grinned.
“Maybe a bit, the princess can be kinda imposing—I think is the right word.”
David nodded. “Sometimes, and you don’t want to get on her bad side. I’ll give you a little advice, though: show her respect, stand tall, but don’t fight back if she challenges you. I think she’ll respect you in turn if you can tolerate her in that manner. Also, I don’t want to see anyone get into a fight with her, ever.”
Applejack smiled. “I’ll take that to heart, David, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“David, can I ask you a favor?” Applejack asked, looking down and twiddling her hooves.
He paused. ‘Oh, crap. I hope this doesn’t go south on me.’ “Sure, what is it?”
“Uh, can I… hug you? Just a bit, please?” Applejack pleaded.
“A.J., I’ll be honest… I don’t mind, but you cannot let this escalate any further than that. It would be extremely bad.”
Applejack nodded in understanding.
“Okay then. A little hug, a light nuzzle, that’s it,” he said.
Applejack’s eyes brightened, and she nodded again, this time wearing a huge smile.
David watched as the mare sat up straight and looked him in the eyes. He took in a deep breath and let it out, then raised his arms toward her and beckoned her in.
Applejack didn’t have any hesitation. She stood up quickly and bolted into his arms, firmly planting her muzzle and face in the crook of his neck and rubbed against his cheek.
David could feel her smiling against him as her cheek muscles rose and tensed. She was nervous too, he could hear her heartbeat racing as she pressed into him. With Applejack finally settled in, David wrapped her body in his arms and gave her a warm hug.
Applejack felt her breath leave her as David’s grip squeezed her tight. Her eyes opened wide as she fought to gain a breath—his grip was strong, yet gentle. She had to put effort into drawing that breath, but it was sweetly perfumed by his scent. Applejack closed her eyes again, doing her best to memorize his smell, his warmth, and his touch, for it would be gone all too soon. Never in her young life had she experienced such a thing.
David squeezed her tighter for a moment, teasingly testing her limits. She responded by digging her chin into his shoulder and pushed herself even closer, doing her utmost to wrap her front legs and hooves around his chest.
David mused as he held her in his arms. ‘Wow. Even her neck is strong. A.J.’s so toned and defined, it’s hard to find a morsel of pudge on her anywhere. It’s obvious how hard she works, but unless you get close to her, you’d never know what kind of power horse she really is.’
Applejack finally resigned to fate and started to pull away from him—and David could feel her start to leave. He knew how hard her future could be on her, and it pained him that his new friend might suffer. As he felt her cheek drag across his own, he turned his head slightly and held her tight, then planted a short kiss on her cheek before letting her go.
Applejack sat up, now out of his grasp, and put her hoof to her cheek, looking somewhat confused.
David just sat there and smiled at her.
His smile was infectious. She brightened up and smiled back, then hopped off the bed.
“Going so soon?” he asked.
“Can’t stay. Got too much already,” Applejack said as she walked back over to the dresser and tied up her hair.
“I like it up,” David said, causing Applejack to look back at him. “Your mane, I like it tied up like that. Either that or tied higher. Back home we call that a ponytail.”
Applejack smiled. “I’ll… keep that in mind.”
She put on her hat and snapped her new bands on her hooves, then looked back at David sitting on the bed. She sat down, and moved her hair tie up to her head, forming a long ponytail.
“Like this?” she asked.
David just nodded in reply.
Applejack blushed in response and hid her face with her hat. She walked slowly to the door, opened it, then turned back to look at him one more time.
“You’re trouble, you know that?” she asked.
“Eeyup. So I’ve heard. Take care, A.J.”
Applejack winked an eye at him, then bolted out the door.
‘You… I don’t know what to say to you.’ David thought to himself. ‘You should know better, but hey, at least nothing happened! Still have to face the music and tell Luna, though. That will be odd, but okay. You love her, she loves you, and who knows, maybe she’ll want A.J. to join—Wait! What are you thinking! This is crazy. You’re crazy. Let’s go take a nap and forget about all of this for now.’
David stopped his internal rambling enough to get off the bed and mosey on over to his own room. He was exhausted, but various thoughts kept him awake.
He begrudgingly sat down at his vanity and pulled out his journal. Resting his head on his hand, he carefully put his thoughts to paper, then checked them over. Happy that he had finished, he looked back over to his bed.
David stood and looked at the inviting furniture. He had a silly grin on his tired face, as if he saw his lover sleeping there peacefully, waiting for his return. However, the look in his eyes this time was meant only for the fluffy pillow on his bed. He moved to meet it by flopping down on the bed and fell asleep almost immediately.
His dreams were scattered… Thoughts of Applejack, Luna, even Cherry. He drifted through the dreamscape, never staying in one dream long enough for it to stick with him, but if someone were there to watch him sleep, they would see a silly grin on his face the whole time.
***