The setting sun just touched the horizon as Twilight and her friends boarded the train to Ponyville. Defeating King Sombra, saving the Crystal Ponies, and restoring the Crystal Heart had all been quite a lot of work, not to mention having to put on the Crystal Fair. Everypony was exhausted, but their spirits were high. Well, most of them.
As the train started moving, Applejack took a seat next to Twilight. “Congratulations, sugarcube! What you managed today was nothing less than amazin’.”
“Yeah, thanks,” Twilight answered, staring out the window. She hadn’t looked at Applejack since they boarded the train. One hoof sat on the windowsill while her head rested on it. All of the energy she had finding out she passed Celestia’s test seemed drained from her.
Applejack decided to probe a bit. “I mean, we did what we could, but it wouldn’t have meant anythin’ without you findin’ that Crystal Heart.” She put a hoof around Twilight’s shoulder and squeezed her, but before she could continue, Twilight seemed to twitch and pull away from her.
Applejack blinked, watching Twilight create space between them. She’d known Twilight to be uncomfortable with too much physical contact in the early stages of their relationship, but that was several moons ago. This was new.
But she’d also learned the hard way that the best thing to do was ask. “Did I do somethin’ wrong, sugar?”
Applejack could practically feel Twilight become tense at the word, ‘sugar’. The unicorn turned her gaze to the window. “I don’t know. Something just doesn’t feel right.”
“Well, let’s talk about it, then.” Applejack slid closer and moved to put a supportive hoof on Twilight’s shoulder, but Twilight’s magic stopped her.
“Please don’t,” she insisted. “I don’t want to be touched right now.”
Applejack scooted back away from her. “Alright. I’ll just…uh…give ya some space, then.”
“Thanks,” Twilight answered, still not looking at her.
Applejack stood up and walked to the other end of the train, where the rest of their friends were busy discussing the day’s events. “Did you seriously make a hat out of three pieces of hay and a drinking straw?!” Rainbow Dash asked incredulously. “That’s amazing!”
“Well, I had to do something,” Rarity answered. “I was out of materials and she wanted a hat!”
“Yeah, I can vouch for that,” Applejack added, joining the conversation. “Saw it for myself. It was very creative.”
Rarity blushed. “I work well under pressure. Um…” Rarity glanced over Applejack at Twilight, still absently watching the scenery roll by. “I don’t mean to pry, but is something the matter? We’d agreed to let the two of you have some time alone after everything that happened.”
Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, I thought you two would be over there being all mushy together until we got back to Ponyville. What gives?”
“Ya got me,” Applejack admitted. Hopping up onto the seat next to Rarity, Applejack turned up her hooves in a show of confusion. “She’s mad about somethin’, I can tell that much, but she’s all clammed up about it.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Rarity told her. She put a supporting hoof on Applejack’s shoulder. “I’m sure she’ll come around. Twilight adores you.”
Rainbow Dash whispered, “Uh, maybe not.”
Applejack followed Rainbow Dash’s gaze, turning around to see Twilight staring at her with one of the meanest scowls she’d ever seen on the unicorn’s face.
When she realized she was seen, however, Twilight’s features softened. She blinked, then started to look frantically around the cabin. “I…I’m sorry, I don’t know what….” She got up suddenly and stormed off towards the door at the rear.
“Sugar,” Applejack called to her, “That’s a cargo car!”
Twilight didn’t stop. She raced through the door and shut it behind her.
Rainbow Dash nodded to Applejack. “Okay, that was weird. Did anypony else notice it get suddenly colder in here, or is that just me?”
Twilight paced back and forth in the cargo car. Secured crates filled most of the car, taking up much of the space. The lighting was dimmer than in the passenger car as well. Worst of all, she was having difficulty silencing the voices in her mind.
She wanted to be happy. She and her friends had defeated King Sombra and saved the Crystal Empire. She’d passed her test from Princess Celestia. They’d even sung a song about her success. By all rights, she should be happy. So why wasn’t she?
“Good things are better when they’re a Rarity.”
“What the hoof does that even mean?!” she shouted to nopony. Back and forth, she walked, trying to get those stupid words out of her head, but they just wouldn’t leave. They were stuck in her mind, slowly festering as they played over and over.
There was something toxic in them and Twilight felt like they were poisoning her. Her feelings towards Applejack felt like they were rotting in her heart every time she thought about it. But whenever she tried to think of anything else, it was right there in the back of her mind. The words were invasive and intruded on her mind at every opportunity. It almost reminded her of….
Twilight stopped for a moment. She sat on her haunches, centered herself, and recited. “Princess Celestia moves the sun, Applejack and I have been together since just after the Gala, I work at Golden Oak Library, my BBBFF is married to Princess Cadance, and my assistant is a dragon named Spike.” Then she sighed and looked back at the door.
She was almost disappointed by the lack of difficulty remembering her past. She supposed that answer would have been too easy.
She needed somepony to talk to. Somepony to explain why these noxious words wouldn’t leave her mind. She was supposed to be talking to Applejack, but what was she supposed to say? “Applejack, I’m mad at you because of something you said that had nothing to do with me, but that I can’t stop obsessing over for some reason.” She tested the words in the empty car, but they just sounded crazy.
She needed to talk to somepony who might understand what she was going through. Ordinarily, she would talk to Rarity when she was having hurts, doubts, or misgivings about her relationship, but that certainly wasn’t an option. Perhaps it never should have been. If Rarity was going to twist a knife on her like this, then maybe it was a mistake from the beginning to--
“Why am I mad at Rarity?!” she shouted to the car. “She didn’t do anything wrong!”
Plopping onto the floor, she put her front hooves over her eyes as she struggled to think. Rarity was one of her friends. Applejack was her Very Special Somepony. She trusted them both and she knew neither would ever do anything to betray that trust. There was no reason for her to feel this way. Still….
“Good things are better when they’re a Rarity.”
If their relationship was good, then was she trying to say that starting one with Rarity would be better? No, that would be stupid. That wouldn’t fit the context at all. Rarity had been saying something, what was it….
“Good things are better when they’re a Rarity.”
No, that’s what Applejack said. What did Rarity say?
“Good things are better--”
Twilight realized she hadn’t caught it. She’d been so swept up in talking to Shining Armor and Cadance that it had completely slipped her notice. She sat up, took a deep breath, and focused her mind against the vicegrip on her heart. Maybe it made sense in context.
She should go ask Applejack what happened. That made sense. But what if Applejack didn’t tell her the truth? Or worse, what if Applejack was mad at her after the way she’d acted? Or worse, what if asking Applejack about it made her mad at her?
“I can’t believe after everythin’ we’ve been through together that ya don’t trust me. I thought you knew me better than that, sugarcube. Maybe askin’ ya out was a mistake! I’m hittin’ the wagon trail! Bein’ with ya’s been good, but good things are better when--”
Twilight shook her head. Enough of that sentence! Still, the last thing she could do was talk to Applejack. Maybe she could talk to Rarity? Rarity could tell her. Unless Rarity’s secretly hiding something and telling an honest answer would reveal it!
“Oh, of course it was harmless, darling. Absolutely harmless. Why, we were just discussing which kind of gems are more precious. By the by, I expect you to have your things moved out of Sweet Apple Acres by sundown. I’ll be coming by to pick up Applejack’s from the library. It’s nothing personal. She likes you, it’s just that good things are--”
“No!” Twilight stomped. “I am putting my hoof down. Good things are NOT better when they’re RARITY! Good things are just fine as TWILIGHT!”
“Um…I’m afraid I don’t know what that means,” Fluttershy whispered from the door. Twilight had no idea how long she’d been standing there watching her slowly melt down, but she immediately froze at the sound of her voice. “Could you elaborate?”
“Fluttershy?!” Twilight was abruptly aware of how frizzled her mane had become. “What are you doing here?!”
Fluttershy shrank down from Twilight’s question. “Well, we decided that somepony should come and talk to you. Rainbow Dash volunteered me because, she said, I work with out-of-control animals all day so this shouldn’t be any different.”
Twilight narrowed her eyes. “How kind of her.”
Fluttershy stepped towards Twilight. “Are you okay?”
Twilight shook her head. “I don’t want to…actually,” she realized, “this might be perfect! You can be Rarity for me!”
Fluttershy gasped. “No, I can’t. I don’t know the first thing about fashion.”
Twilight started pacing again. “I have this problem and I don’t know what to do about it. It feels like there’s this hollowness eating away at my heart. There’s this stupid set of words I can’t stop thinking about, and every time I look at Applejack or Rarity, they keep coming back. It’s like they’re poisoning me against my friends, and I don’t know how to stop it.”
“Oh, my. That sounds awful.”
“It is!” Twilight shouted. “I’m hurt and I’m angry and I don’t even know why. It was just a stupid thing Applejack said. It shouldn’t be bothering me this much.”
“So, why don’t you talk to her about it?”
Twilight stared bluntly at Fluttershy for a few seconds. “It’s not that simple.”
Fluttershy pouted. “Oh. Then I guess you’ll just have to live with it.”
“But I don’t want to live with it!” Twilight shouted again. “I want it gone. I want it to stop eating away at me. I want to stop feeling hollow inside.”
“Is being away from her helping you to stop hurting?” Fluttershy asked.
Twilight hesitated. That was a good question. Was locking herself in here away from Applejack actually helping her, or was it just giving the sentence time to fester and claw its way deeper into her heart? “No, I don’t think it is.”
Fluttershy put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Then why don’t you come back out and spend time with your friends?”
Twilight nodded. “Maybe I should. I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s gotten into me.”
Twilight followed Fluttershy back into the passenger cabin. On the far end, she saw Rainbow Dash teetering on her hind legs on one of the seats, emphatically saying something to the others. Pinkie sat on her haunches between the seats and seemed to be nodding along to the story, while Applejack and Rarity had the seat opposite Rainbow Dash. The two were still seated next to one another, with Applejack leaning back against the bench while Rarity sat forward, holding herself up with her front legs.
Before she even realized she was doing it, Twilight had estimated a measurement of 5 inches between Applejack’s front left hoof and Rarity’s hip. This bothered her, but once again she couldn’t quite place why.
Rainbow Dash fell forward onto her hooves. “So then I told him--hey, Fluttershy pulled it off!”
Fluttershy smiled sheepishly. Twilight picked up her pace as Applejack turned around, propping herself up on her hooves.
“Ready to talk, sugarccmf--” Applejack was abruptly silenced by Twilight stepping up on the seat with her front hooves and kissing her. Surprised, she tried to pull away, but Twilight matched her motion and pressed deeper into the kiss.
“WHOA!” Rainbow Dash shouted, raising a hoof to shield her eyes. “I was NOT ready for that!”
Rarity smiled and let out a quiet, “D’aww,” which was next to impossible to hear over the sound of Pinkie squealing.
After several seconds, Twilight broke the kiss and dropped back down onto the floor. Applejack blinked at her, then asked, “So does this mean ya ain’t mad no more?”
Sitting down just in front of the bench, Twilight shook her head. “I don’t know what I’m feeling right now,” she admitted. “I just knew I had to do that.”
Applejack nodded. “Well, we’ll work it out together. Care for a spot on the bench? I can scoot over.”
Twilight watched Rainbow Dash make room for Fluttershy and thought about it, but shook her head. “I’m happy right here,” she told her partner before laying her head on the cushion just in front of her. Applejack began to softly stroke her mane, and she was acutely aware that it was the left front hoof doing the task. Somehow, the hollowness inside of her seemed to abate. It was still there, but it had stopped actively hurting her. For however long it would last, it seemed satisfied.
Twilight and Applejack parted ways with the other ponies after getting off the train. Pinkie needed to check in with the Cakes and see how business was doing and what she’d missed. Rarity had to tend to her shop. Fluttershy’s animals needed her as they always did. Rainbow Dash had missed a day of weather and needed to catch up.
Everypony had their lives to get to. Twilight and Applejack were no exception. As they approached Golden Oaks Library with Spike, Twilight nuzzled Applejack’s neck. “Are you coming in?” she asked hopefully.
Applejack shook her head. “Nah, I gotta get goin’. Haven’t seen the family in a couple days, and Big Mac’s just this side of hopeless without me to keep his head on straight,” she joked.
Twilight nodded. “I understand. Go on inside, Spike. I need to say goodbye.”
“On my way,” Spike answered and headed for the door.
Once her assistant was out of earshot, Twilight looked back at Applejack. “Thanks for walking me home.”
“My pleasure, sugarcube. You comin’ by tonight for supper?”
“Of course, I am. Granny’s making her sweet potatoes. You know I wouldn’t miss those for the world.”
“Then I’ll see ya in a couple hours.” Applejack gave her a soft kiss, then teased, “For luck.”
Twilight’s face dropped. “I only did that once.”
“Never stopped bein’ cute, though.”
As the farm pony started down the road, Twilight felt the hollowness beginning to return. The rot began clawing away at her heart again while her stomach began to churn. “Applejack!” she called after her, trotting to catch up.
Applejack stopped and waited for her. “Somethin’ wrong?”
“I don’t know,” Twilight answered truthfully. “I just…do you think we’ll make it?”
Applejack raised an eyebrow. “What, dinner? Long as ya don’t show up too late, I don’t think it’ll be a problem.”
Twilight shook her head. “I’m talking about our relationship. I love you, but I don’t know what I’m doing most of the time. Most of what I’ve read usually ends at those words. And there’s been….” The hollowness gripped her heart, preventing her from forming the words. She deflected, “I mean, we had that fight. That was pretty bad.”
Applejack smiled. “Listen, sugar. I know we ain’t exactly been a storybook romance. We got our troubles, but that’s the same as any couple. But so long’s we remember to talk about ‘em and keep our heads, we’ll surely do just fine. Love ain’t all we need to make it work, but I reckon it’s a good place to start.”
Twilight stepped into Applejack, resting her head against her partner’s neck. “Thank you. I need to hear that.”
Twilight closed her eyes, listening to soft repetition of Applejack’s breathing. Learning how to share a bed had been one of the trickier aspects of the relationship, she’d found. She had always thought that lovers were supposed to hold each other all night. There was a certain sweetness and romance about it that she’d been looking forward to. Early trial and error, however, had shown her that it wasn’t always logistically feasible.
Sometimes ponies moved in their sleep. Sometimes they talked or rolled or flinched. On one particularly error-filled occasion, Applejack had even kicked her in the hip with those powerful, apple-bucking hind legs of hers. She’d apologized profusely and Twilight had forgiven her, but she still had to limp for a week.
Sharing a bed could be surprisingly dangerous and sometimes it was best to simply give her partner some space. This was also easier to do in some beds than others; Twilight’s bed was small and could only fit two ponies when they snuggled up, but Applejack’s was larger. She thought there might be enough space for four, though it’d be a tight fit. Two was a comfortable fit; two and a half was also manageable when Apple Bloom had nightmares.
She had found she enjoyed snuggling with her partner when the opportunity arose. Her favorite spot, she’d decided, was right up between Applejack’s front legs. She’d rest her ear against her chest and listen to her heart. There was something comforting about the way it beat that made her feel welcome in ways she’d never even known existed before.
But on the nights where space was called for, she settled for the breathing. A few weeks ago when they shared a bed for the first time, Twilight had mistaken the breathing for snoring. She was startled to learn of her mistake one night when Applejack actually did begin to snore. She’d tried to bear it for the better part of an hour before she was forced to wake her.
The breathing was definitely not snoring, she now understood. She appreciated the breathing. She could lay her head down, stare into the apple print of the pillows, listen to her Very Special Somepony breathe, and gently be lulled into sleep. Usually. Tonight, however, was tainted by the same miserable emotion that had followed her home from the Crystal Empire. The hollowness clung to her insides and fought to keep her awake.
She spent the better part of the day wrestling with the hollowness. She thought she knew how to combat it now. It needed reassurance, she’d realized. A reminder that Applejack loved her and only her. “Applejack?” she asked in a whisper. “Are you awake?”
She heard Applejack’s breathing disrupt and a small snort, followed by, “Mm-hmm. I’m listenin’, sugar. Just restin’ my eyes.”
Twilight closed her eyes. “Did you know we’ve now been together for longer than we were platonic friends?”
Applejack yawned and nuzzled into her pillow. “Is that so?”
Twilight nodded. “This has become the standard for our relationship. Instead of comparing what we have now to what we had before, being a couple is the baseline our future experiences will be compared to. It will be interesting to see how….”
Twilight stopped talking when she realized the rhythmic breathing had returned. Applejack had faded back into the realm of sleep. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “We can talk about it in the morning.”
The hollowness was still there, but it seemed to have been eased a little by the conversation, however small it might have been. Twilight stared into the apple print and listened. Maybe sleep would find her now.
Twilight awoke to find herself alone in the bed. The moon hovered in front of the sun, blotting it out and creating a ring of light that seemed almost to shine across the plaza. She stepped down onto the cobblestones and followed the light until it brought her to the Carousel Boutique.
She opened the door to the Boutique and stepped inside, where she found that the walls were now lined with books. A small table sat in the center of the room with a roaring fire on it. Rarity’s assistant, Spike, held a small pan over the open flame.
“What are you making?” Twilight asked curiously. Spike held out the pan and showed her the sliced apples in it, soaking in a brown solution.
“They’re cinnamon-spiced,” he explained. “Gives them a little extra kick. That’s how she likes them.”
“That doesn’t sound right.” Twilight walked towards the stairs leading to the upper floor. “Have you seen Applejack? I’m supposed to meet her. It’s very important.”
“Everypony’s seen Applejack,” Spike answered, placing his pan back onto the fire. “Why haven’t you?”
“I don’t know if she wants to see me,” Twilight admitted, looking down at the floor. When she looked back up, Spike was gone. A long hallway stood ahead of her and at the very end of it, she could see an orange light. “Applejack?” she asked, but the light began to grow dimmer.
Twilight took off galloping into the hall. She had to reach Applejack. Her gut was screaming at her that if she didn’t get to the end, she might just lose the farm. How would she ever face Granny Smith again?
She felt a pair of eyes fall upon her in the tunnel, but she kept galloping for all she was worth. Finally, she exited through the other side and skidded to a stop on the crystal floor. The barn had never looked so immaculate before. Gone were the hay bales and pitchforks, now replaced by brilliant gemstones the size of three ponies put together.
The Crystal Princess Rarity turned to greet her as she entered. “Welcome, Twilight. Do you like what I’ve done with the place?” Her crystal wings flared up around her, illuminating the room. She stood two heads above Twilight and her crystal flank seemed to reflect every surface at once.
Twilight bowed to Rarity. “It looks beautiful. I’ve never seen the barn so shiny before.”
Rarity nodded to her. “Yes, it’s the first improvement I plan to make. This farm is so dusty and everything’s covered in mud. We must fix that immediately.”
Twilight hung her head. “I liked the farm the way it was, though.”
Rarity scoffed. “The dirt and insects may have been fine for you, darling, but Applejack can’t expect me to hang around like this. Some changes must be made to accommodate my lifestyle.”
Twilight nodded. That made sense, of course. “Can I see her? It’s very important.”
Rarity narrowed her eyes. “Why, whatever would you need to see Applejack for? I can’t imagine any business she might have with you.”
“I don’t know,” Twilight admitted, looking down. “I just need to see her.”
“Then you’re too late,” Rarity growled. “You had your chance but you didn’t take it.”
“That’s not true!” Twilight insisted. “I loved her! I’ve never loved anypony the way I loved her!”
Rarity snickered. “Maybe that’s your problem, then. How could you have been good enough to make her stay? You just don’t have the practice.”
Twilight closed her eyes. “That’s not true. I was….” She tried to find an answer but the words wouldn’t come.
When Twilight opened her eyes, Rarity was gone. The light of the sun was beaming in through the window. She rolled over, but found nopony beside her. To her dismay, she had the bed alone. Glancing across the room, she spotted the hanger that should have held Applejack’s hat, but it was empty.
Twilight blinked a couple of times, then she realized Applejack had probably gone down to get an early start. She was set for a busy day today after the couple she’d had off to visit the Crystal Empire.
Propping herself up on her front hooves, Twilight let out a long yawn, then stretched. The previous night’s dream was already starting to fade from her mind. She remembered something about cooked apples and…Rarity was made of crystal? Weird.
Still, something bothered her. It was something Crystal Rarity had said.
“How could you have been good enough to make her stay?”
Twilight shook it off, but even as the words faded away, the hollowness remained. Why wouldn’t it leave her?
She opened the door and started into the hall, but nearly tripped over a fast yellow lump streaking down the hall. She jerked back with a start, but the little filly paid no heed. “Mornin’, Twilight!” Apple Bloom shouted as she raced downstairs, saddlebags in tow.
Twilight shook her head. She still needed to get used to waking up in a crowded house with an excitable filly and a hard-working family. She only stayed about two or three nights each week, and it was just enough time to forget about the early morning hustle of the farm before her next stay.
Trotting downstairs and into the kitchen, she found a set table, a plate loaded with pancakes, and Applejack mixing up a storm at the prep counter. “Eggs up!” Big Macintosh shouted, pulling a pan off the stove. At the same time, Applejack dropped a pair of pans onto it and poured her mixture into each.
Big Macintosh rounded the kitchen table with his pan. Five places were set and each plate got a portion of scrambled eggs, after which the pan went straight into the sink.
The oven dinged and Applejack shouted, “Biscuits up!” She pulled one of her pans off the burner and flipped the spongy pancake inside it while Big Macintosh popped the oven open and pulled out a tray. The stallion kicked the door closed as he parted and Applejack replaced her pan on the stove, grabbing the other and flipping it.
Twilight silently watched the pair cook. There was a certain grace to the way they moved about the kitchen. The last time she’d tried to make breakfast, Spike was cleaning the kitchen until noon. She’d become so accustomed to having an assistant that she’d simply never developed the skill, but Applejack was a master of it and her brother seemed just as capable.
“Mornin’, sugar!” Applejack greeted her as she deposited another set of pancakes onto the plate at the center of the table. “Hope you’re feelin’ up to flapjacks ‘cause we made four batches of ‘em!”
Twilight giggled. “I see that. They look delicious.” She took her place at the table and watched the siblings finish up the last batch of pancakes. The mornings around the farm might be hectic, but they were certainly worth it, especially when she got to see her Very Special Somepony comfortable in her element.
I don’t want to lose this.
The thought came unbidden to her mind, but once it was there, it wouldn’t leave. She watched Applejack drop the last of the pancakes onto the plate in the middle of the table and tried to focus on how beautiful she looked, how comfortably she moved, the power in her steps, but it all just made the hollowness bite harder into her.
She was shocked back to awareness by Apple Bloom’s voice beside her. “Why do ya look so sad?” the little filly asked. “I thought ya liked flapjacks.”
Twilight wasn’t sure how long Apple Bloom had been standing there watching her. She felt a pang of guilt at bringing her dour feelings into this family meal. “I’m sorry,” she told Apple Bloom, flashing the best smile she could manage. “I was just thinking about something.”
“Anythin’ we can do?” Apple Bloom asked innocently.
Applejack dropped to her haunches on the other side of Apple Bloom, scruffing her mane with her hoof. “Leave her be, Apple Bloom. Crystal Empire was a rough ride, and Twilight got it worse than anypony.”
“Thank you,” Twilight told the sisters, then looked down at Apple Bloom. “I’ll be fine. I just need some time to think about a few things.” She levitated a couple pancakes onto her plate, then waited for Granny Smith and Big Macintosh to find their places. Once everypony was settled and had their food, she took her first bite and savored the taste of home.
As the sun approached its highest point, Twilight trotted up the road into Ponyville. The family had already started on their daily chores and Apple Bloom was off to school. It was now Twilight’s turn to head home to the library and get started on her own work. She had spells to practice and a few new books to read. She also needed to see if anything had come from Princess Celestia. She didn’t expect a new assignment this soon after the Crystal Empire, but recent successes were no excuse for lapses in diligence.
As she entered the town proper, she heard a voice call out to her. “Oh, Twilight! I’m glad I caught you.” Rarity and Fluttershy were headed down the road towards Fluttershy’s cabin, but the unicorn changed direction when she spotted Twilight. “Be a dear and let Applejack know that I’m terribly grateful for her assistance yesterday.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Assistance with what?”
“Why, my latest design, of course! I needed to see how it looked in motion and she was in the area, so I asked her to pose for me. It was quite a mess trying to negotiate that hat off of her head, but the results were absolutely fabulous! I couldn’t have done it without her. Do be sure to tell her I said thank you.”
Twilight blinked. “Oh, uh…of course I will.”
“Thanks ever so much. Now, I must be going. Fluttershy’s found the most darling flower pattern. Unless you’d like to come along?”
Twilight shook her head. “No, I’ve got to get back to the library. Thank you, though.”
“As you wish. Have a good day.” Twilight stood and watched Rarity saunter off to rejoin Fluttershy, feeling the hollowness begin to grip at her once more.
Applejack didn’t mention she ran into Rarity. Why would she lie to me?
Twilight tried to shake it off as she began trotting towards the library again. Applejack hadn’t really lied to her. She just hadn’t mentioned it. That was fine. It wasn’t like Twilight kept her apprised every time she spent time with one of their friends. It simply hadn’t come up.
She said she was going home to see her family. Why would she stop at Rarity’s?
But did she stop there? Rarity said she happened to be in the area. She might have just seen her passing by.
Applejack lied to me.
No, she did not! Twilight shook her head, trying to shake off these noxious thoughts that were intruding in her mind. At no point in their relationship had they ever made a rule about telling the other when they were spending time with somepony else, nor would they ever make a rule like that. In fact, it would violate the agreement they did make to never put their relationship ahead of their friends.
Her arguments made sense, her logic was sound, and her reasoning was flawless. So why was the hollowness still there inside of her? Why wouldn’t it just leave her alone? Twilight hated this new feeling. Applejack loved her, loved only her, and that was final.
But she might have loved Rarity more. I just got there first.
That was…well, there was no way to prove that. That would have to be good enough.
Twilight spent the day studying the new reading material Princess Celestia had assigned her. She was almost through the first book when there came a knock at the door. “Spike, would you get that?” she called downstairs.
After a few moments, an answer came back. “Pinkie wants to talk to you!”
Twilight descended the stairs to find the pink pony bouncing in the foyer. “Hello, Pinkie. What can I do for you?”
Pinkie grinned. “I’m having a Welcome Home to Ponyville Party tomorrow night at Sugarcube Corner! It’s to welcome us all home to Ponyville! But don’t tell us.” Suddenly, she was right next to Twilight, whispering in her ear. “It’s a surprise.” She giggled, then bounced back towards the center of the room. “So, can you make it?”
Twilight laughed. “Of course I’ll be there.”
“Great! And remember: don’t tell any of us. Especially Pinkie. She’s such a blabbermouth!”
Twilight shot a look at Spike, who simply shrugged and went back to the kitchen. “…I’ll be sure not to tell Pinkie.”
Pinkie perked up all of a sudden. “Tell me what?”
Twilight narrowed her eyes. “Have a good night, Pinkie.”
“Applejack!” Twilight shouted in the dark. “Where are you?” Frantically, she galloped down the hall, chasing the ever dimming orange light.
“Whatever seems to be the rush?” Rarity’s voice asked in the void. “It’s not like you have the space for her anyway.”
“I’ll make room!” Twilight shouted back at her. “I can find space.”
Rarity’s voice snickered. “Darling, you don’t expect her to sleep in that dingy little thing you call a bed, do you?”
“I can start using the guest bed,” she offered, though she felt a pang of hurt at the thought of giving up her own.
“Well, that would certainly be a start. Why, just look at your mane. It’s so unkempt!”
Twilight looked down. “I’ve been sleeping….”
“And your hooves! When was the last time you got a hooficure?!”
She bit her lip. “I did a lot of sliding at the Crystal Empire. It was important.”
“And that’s before we even get into your skin, dear. I don’t want to tell you how to exfoliate, but I will tell you that maybe you should start. Can’t imagine how you think you can keep a pony like Applejack when you aren’t even willing to make the slightest effort to look good for her.”
Twilight took a step backwards, glancing around in the dark. Once again, she felt a distinct pair of eyes on her, as if she was being studied from a distance. “Why are you saying these things? Where’s Applejack?”
But the voice never answered. Twilight tried to find the orange light, but it had gone dim. She began to gallop in the direction she thought it had been, but no matter how far she ran, she found nothing. “Come back!” she shouted into the hall, but there was no answer.
She kept going until she started to feel something in the air wrap around her hooves. She fought and wrestled with the substance, wresting it from her and, with a yelp, crashed onto the floor below. Her blanket tumbled around her while her pillow remained tauntingly on the bed above.
Levitating the blanket off of her and replacing it on the bed, she rubbed the shoulder she’d landed on and took a look around. The moon was still in the sky and was just beginning its descent, which meant it was still hours before morning. She briefly considered returning to bed, but the idea left a sour taste in her mouth.
She lit her horn to illuminate the room, then began the process of tucking her blanket in. She wasn’t getting any more sleep tonight, she decided. Instead, she walked slowly around the bed, carefully examining it. She climbed on top of it, then shifted over to one side. She made a mental note of where she fit, then shifted to the other side and tried to squeeze in. Applejack was about her size, maybe a tiny bit larger from all the meat on her bones. She could estimate about how much space she’d need.
Applejack had spent a couple nights at the library already but they’d always had to squeeze onto the bed. Those were the nights where cuddling was mandatory. She still had that larger bed downstairs, but she liked her bed. Doing the calculations, however, she wasn’t sure it was fair to Applejack to make her squeeze in like this. Then again, Applejack had never complained.
She dropped off the bed and sat down by the window, levitating a quill and a sheet of paper to her. Glancing back at the bed, she began to sketch. She estimated the bed’s length and width, then added her own measurements to it before calculating Applejack’s.
Looking off the edge of her bedroom loft, she started to wonder about the rest of the library. Perhaps the bed wasn’t the only thing that could stand to be more Applejack-friendly. Levitating a few more sheets of paper, she headed downstairs to the table and set to work.
The sun had just made it above the horizon when Rarity clicked the latch on her door. Pinkie’s Top-Secret-From-Herself party was tonight and that meant stopping in at the spa first thing. Her mind was filled with beautifying regiments she intended to undergo when she heard a voice call out to her from across the way.
“Good morning, Rarity!” Twilight stepped down off a bench and trotted over to her.
“Good morning.” Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Were you waiting for me?”
Twilight waved off the question with her hoof. “Only for three hours, sixteen minutes, and thirty-two seconds. That’s not important.”
Rarity stared bluntly at Twilight for a moment, then carefully stated, “If this is an emergency, darling, you could always knock.”
Twilight shook her head. “No emergency. I just thought you’d probably be going to the spa and I should probably go to the spa and maybe we should go to the spa together. Let’s go to the spa!”
Rarity blinked. “You sat outside my home for three hours in order to invite me to the spa.”
Twilight nodded quickly. “So let’s go.”
She started to turn, but Rarity stopped her with a hoof on her shoulder. “Darling. You’re clearly not yourself. Come inside and let’s talk about what’s bothering you.”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” Twilight insisted. “Can we just go to the spa? Please?”
Rarity narrowed her eyes, studying Twilight for a few seconds, then asked, “Is this about Applejack?”
Twilight blanched. “…I….”
Rarity sighed. “You’re not having another fight, are you? Because I still have nightmares about the last time you were on the outs with each other.” She gave a full-body shudder.
“No, we’re not fighting. I just….” Twilight took a step back and started glancing around. She seemed strangely evasive.
Rarity wanted to press, but she knew that look only too well. She’d tried to warn Applejack about this before, though the words hadn’t quite come out right. She suspected she may need to try having that talk again with cooler heads. “It’s okay. If it’s too hard to say, then you don’t have to. Just know that I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.”
Twilight nodded with a smile. “Thank you.” Twilight looked down sheepishly, then offered, “…I want to look good for Applejack tonight.”
Rarity started walking. “Of course, you do.” As she expected, Twilight kept up with her. Rarity knew Twilight was about the same age as the rest of them, but whenever the topic of Applejack came up, Rarity had begun to feel like an older sister to her. Twilight was developing real feelings for Applejack, and that posed a significant danger to all of her relationships. Somepony needed to guide her through the emotional roller coaster she’d embarked on, and it certainly wasn’t going to be Rainbow Dash, now was it?
Besides, it was good practice for whenever Sweetie Belle reached that point in her life and became interested in somepony. Preferably at a younger age than Twilight had; Rarity couldn’t even imagine going through all the hurdles of first love as a full-grown mare. She’d realized from the start that Twilight’s relationship was a time bomb ticking down to disaster. She wasn’t sure if it had finished detonating yet, but that first blast had somehow managed to exceed expectations.
Per their usual routine, Fluttershy was waiting for Rarity as the two approached the spa. “Good morning, Twilight,” she greeted. “Have you come to join us?”
Twilight nodded. “I thought it might be a good idea to get a hooficure and…uh…other treatments?”
“Don’t worry,” Rarity told her. “We’ll help you. By the end of today, you’ll be glamorous!”
Yes, Rarity decided. Twilight was very much like a younger sister around the subject of Applejack. Throughout their spa visit, it had been impossible to shake her. Seaweed wrap? Twilight’s getting one too. Mud bath? Make sure there’s one for Twilight. Pony pedi? Twilight had been nervous about her hooves at first, but she volunteered this time without a second’s thought the moment she found out Rarity was getting one.
This morning had started off strange and was just getting downright eerie. “Twilight,” Rarity insisted, “you don’t even like having your horn polished. You’ve told me that multiple times. I had to promise to help you alphabetize the library to get you to even try it.”
“Sure,” Twilight admitted, “but I want to look my best tonight.”
“With all due respect, so far your best has been following me around like a shadow. Applejack loves you just fine with split ends, uneven eyelashes, and a dull horn. She’s certain to be impressed by the treatments you’ve already had.”
Twilight shook her head. “I don’t want split ends and a dull horn. I want to look beautiful for her, and I had some other ideas but I need your help with them.”
Rarity sighed. She mentally set her countdown to disaster for “Brace” and acquiesced. “If that’s really what you want, then who am I to argue?” Some lessons could only be learned on their own.
As she trotted into Ponyville, Applejack made a mental checklist. She had her hat? Check. Ponytail? Check. Eeyup, she was ready for the party. All she was missing was her date. She’d stopped by the library earlier, but apparently Spike hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Twilight all day.
Rounding a corner, she started towards Sugarcube Corner. She spotted Rarity and Fluttershy up ahead, chatting with some strange new pony she’d never seen around before. Curious, Applejack trotted over to investigate. Her hooves were polished to the same reflective gleam as Rarity’s and her dark blue mane was curled up in the same fashion as well.
Rarity was dressed in a purple gown with a gold trim and green frills. Her guest had a very similar design on, but it was primarily orange with purple frills. From a distance, Applejack guessed it was probably some cousin of hers that must have been in town to visit.
As Applejack approached, the mysterious new pony seemed to light up at the sight of her and an awfully familiar voice exited her snout. “Good evening, Applejack!”
“Evenin’, y’all, I—HEAVENS TO BETSY, you’re Twilight!” Applejack jerked back at the recognition. Her eyes scanned desperately over Twilight looking for something, anything familiar in her.
Twilight smiled wide and took an elegant step towards Applejack. “Do you like how I look? I spent all day on it.”
“Uh….” Applejack looked up at her curled mane. “Did…um…did ya do something to--with! Did ya do something with your mane?”
Twilight turned her head to the side, trying to flip her mane over her shoulder, but it wound up knotting around her neck instead. “I had it done at the spa today. Do you like it?”
“Like’s a strong word.” She hadn’t meant to say it, but it just slipped out. She couldn’t take her eyes off the monochromatic blue of Twilight’s hair. “What happened to your stripes?”
“I had them dyed. …you do like it, don’t you?”
Applejack circled around Twilight. Sure enough, the stripes were missing from her tail as well. She shot a glance at Rarity for help, but the sunken look and slight shake of the head she got in return told her she was up a creek on this one.
Twilight shook. “You don’t like it.”
“I didn’t say that!” Applejack insisted. “Ya look…well….” She sighed. Some ponies could come up with a sweet lie on the spot, but it had never really been her talent. “You look like ya lost a fight with Rarity’s mane curler.”
Twilight smiled sweetly. “Thank you. I tried to curl my tail too, but it was too stubborn and there just wasn’t any time left. Come on, let’s get inside. I can’t wait for everypony to see me!”
Receptions were about what Applejack expected. Fluttershy and Rarity had watched this disaster occur, but Rainbow Dash’s jaw hit the floor when she spotted Twilight. While Twilight made small talk with Fluttershy, Applejack overheard Rainbow Dash hissing to Rarity, “What did you do to her?!”
“She did this to herself,” Rarity hissed back. Rainbow Dash stared blankly at her as though trying to find an explanation in her face, to which Rarity followed up with, “I don’t know.”
Slipping away from Twilight, Applejack joined their conversation. “So I ain’t the only one finds this weird, right?”
Rarity nodded in agreement. “You should have seen her at the spa today. She did everything. She even got a horn polish.”
“She dyed her stripes out,” Applejack complained. “Why would she do that?”
Rainbow Dash insisted, “Somepony needs to talk to her.”
Applejack nodded, glancing over her shoulder at Twilight. She was still enraptured by her talk with Fluttershy. “Yeah, but that ain’t going to be a fun talk for which of us does it.” She looked back at the group and found both Rarity and Rainbow Dash giving her fish eye. “…what?”
Rarity cleared her throat. “Given that only one of us is Twilight’s Very Special Somepony, I should think the matter of who has this talk with her should be obvious.”
Rainbow Dash stepped forward and started pushing Applejack towards Twilight. “Sorry, AJ, but you’ve got the short straw on this. Good luck!”
“And so then I told her--oh, Applejack!” Twilight gave her partner a quick nuzzle upon noticing she was back. “I was just telling Fluttershy about a wonderful conversation I had with Bon Bon the other day.”
“Yeah, you mentioned,” Applejack answered her. “Uh…hey, Twi, do you think you and I could talk for a--”
“Oh, look at the time.” Fluttershy whispered. “She’ll be here any minute. We need to get to our places.”
Applejack was simultaneously grateful and disappointed for the interruption. She and Twilight stashed themselves behind the counter and waited, while the other three found hiding places of their own. Twilight took advantage of the opportunity to steal a kiss, but as much as Applejack appreciated it, it just didn’t feel right.
After a few minutes of hiding, a set of hoofsteps approached the door. As soon as the door opened, everypony leapt from hiding and shouted, “SURPRISE!!!”
At the door, Pinkie Pie gasped in shock. “Oh, my gosh!”
Rainbow Dash blew a party popper that exploded into confetti while balloons started to fill the room.
“This is so unexpected!” Pinkie shouted.
“I know.” Twilight agreed. “What a lovely surprise. Thank you, Pinkie Pie.”
Pinkie grinned. “You’re welcome! It was--” She stopped suddenly, then squinted her eyes and stared at Twilight. “Wait a minute. I don’t remember inviting an evil Changeling Rarity.”
Before Twilight could answer, Rarity cleared her throat and stepped forward. “I think Twilight looks lovely. Wouldn’t you agree, Pinkie?”
Pinkie’s eyes went wide with recognition. “Ohhhhhh. Why do you look like an evil Changeling Rarity?”
“So, Pinkie,” Applejack interrupted. “How did ya manage to find so many balloons so quick?”
Pinkie smiled wide. “That was easy! I buy them in bulk.”
“Bet ya can’t blow one up in one breath.”
“WATCH ME!” With that, Pinkie vanished to the back of the store to grab some excess balloons.
“Very smooth,” Rarity complimented Applejack.
Pinkie’s party lasted well into the night. Applejack struggled multiple times to find a moment to talk to Twilight, but it just seemed impossible with everypony around. Twilight seemed to be enjoying herself, so she figured that might just be good enough for tonight. She’d all but given up when Twilight sidled up to her and asked, “Can we talk? Alone?”
Applejack blinked. “Sure thing, sugarcube.” She followed Twilight into the back of the store. “Glad ya asked ‘cause I’ve been wanting to-mmf!” The moment the door clicked shut, Twilight was right in her face, kissing her. While not entirely unwelcome, it did come as a shock to Applejack, who pulled away and broke the kiss. “What in tarnation are--” She stopped suddenly, watching Twilight take a couple steps back and then collapse on the ground, beginning to cry.
Applejack sighed, then stepped forwards and tried to stroke Twilight’s mane. The curls made it all but impossible, so she settled for spot on her partner’s shoulder. “C’mon, Twi. Talk to me.”
“I can’t,” she whispered.
“Please, sugar,” Applejack urged her quietly. “I can’t help if I don’t know what’s wrong.”
Twilight shook her head, sobbing out the words. “I can’t tell you. I can’t.”
Applejack caught motion in her peripheral vision and looked up to find herself staring at a rock the size of two hooves put together. Clasping the stone were a familiar set of pink hooves belonging to an interloper she’d half-expected to find her way in here.
In a deep, guttural voice, Pinkie gestured at Twilight with the rock and whispered, “Yesss. Hide your feelings. Keep your secrets. Your turmoil gives me POWER!”
“Would you get out of here with that!” Applejack shouted at her. Pinkie backed off and whisked out the door. Once it was closed, Applejack turned back to Twilight. “Pinkie’s a mite insensitive but she ain’t wrong. You’re supposed to be sharin’ your feelin’s with me.” She lifted up Twilight’s chin with her hoof. “Way we are now, ya know I got a right to ‘em. Even the bad ones.”
Twilight sniffed and closed her eyes. After a few seconds, she nodded. “…what do you think about Rarity?” she asked.
Applejack breathed a sigh of relief, looking around the storeroom. “Land’s sakes, Twilight, is that what all this is about? You’re worried me and Rarity don’t get on well? I know we ain’t got nothin’ in common on the surface but friendship’s supposed to run deeper than what y’all do for a livin’. Rares might be a bit prissy, but she’s also kind and gentle and always lends a hoof to help a pony in need, even when it might scuff her hide or chip her hoof to do so. Ya don’t need to dress up all prissy to make me see that. I already have loads of respect and admiration for who she is and what she does.”
“Oh,” Twilight squeaked out. When Applejack looked back down at her, she’d expected to see a smile but instead, Twilight looked as if she’d just found out her pet owl was dead. There was a sullen horror in her eyes and an eerie stillness to her movements as she slowly stood up. She had stopped crying but her mood wasn’t improved; if anything, she seemed beyond the point of tears.
“Twi, what is it?” Applejack asked, concern dripping from her voice.
“I have to go,” Twilight answered. She trembled, then opened the door and ran from the room.
“Wait!” Applejack shouted, but Twilight magically closed the door behind her before she could follow.
Rarity opened the door for Applejack, who stepped out into the party. The festivities had stopped with Twilight’s race through the room and now all eyes were upon the farm pony. Rarity asked, “What just happened?”
Applejack shook her head. “Your guess is as good as mine, Rares. She kissed me and then she just started cryin’.”
“I was afraid of this,” Rarity whispered.
“Well I certainly wasn’t!” Applejack shouted. “What in Equestria is goin’ on with that mare?!”
“You are,” Rarity answered her. “Twilight is so in love with you that she can’t think straight, and it’s beginning to affect her behavior.”
“I love her too,” Applejack answered. “Consarnit, I loved her first. Ya don’t see me acting this way.”
“Of course not. You and I have both made our mistakes in the past, as has everypony else in this room.”
Fluttershy raised a hoof. “If you’re talking about romance, then I haven’t.”
“Noted,” Rarity answered her. “Point is, we earned our scars, learned our lessons, and moved on with our lives. We became more emotionally mature ponies, learned to temper our feelings, and became capable of acting on our emotions without completely being overtaken by them.
“Twilight, however, grew up isolated from other ponies. You have to understand that it is very likely you are the first pony she has ever had these kinds of feelings for.”
“I know that,” Applejack countered. “Why does everypony think I don’t know that? I already had this talk with Princess Celestia. Ya don’t know awkward ‘til you’ve looked her royal majesty in the eye and had a one-on-one heart to heart about smoochin’ on her favorite student.
“Twi’s sheltered. She’s so sheltered, her shelter was sheltered. Like a layer of pie tins all stacked on top of one another, and she’s the apple slice at the bottom. I know this better than any of y’all ‘cause I’ve actually been inside her shelter. Forty feet off the ground, wall to wall books as far as the eye can see, and a great big window takin’ up a quarter of the wall so she can look out and see the world she ain’t takin’ part in.”
Rarity stepped sternly forward, looking Applejack in the eyes. “Then you should understand the predicament. I brought this up before but I was absolutely terrible in the way I approached it. I’m still sorry for that. But the point remains relevant: Twilight is likely experiencing all of these feelings for the first time, Applejack. She may be a full-grown mare like the rest of us, but in matters of love, she has a filly’s heart.
“Think back to your first love and how you handled it. Every raw emotion is hitting her with all its might, and she has no idea how to manage it. Now, I've been waiting for her to, at some point, become unbearably clingy towards you. I expected that to be the extent of it, but after all, she is Twilight Sparkle. She always goes above and beyond expectations.”
Applejack needed time to stew on that. She turned to Pinkie and uttered, “I’m sorry we ruined your party.”
Pinkie didn’t look upset, though. Concern was blazing in her eyes. “Is Twilight going to be okay?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” Applejack answered. “Thanks, Rares. Ya gave me a lot to think about. I should probably get goin’, then. Have a good night, y’all.”
Without another word, Applejack left the sweets shop and headed for the farm. Twilight seemed like she wanted to be alone, so Applejack would give her that time. She’d find her in the morning and see if she was willing to talk again.
Twilight paced frantically in the library. The mane was a mistake. She saw that now. Applejack was very polite about it, but she’d clearly hated it. Worse, she might have even pushed Applejack and Rarity closer together, if her answer was anything to go by.
She helped me do it, too. Of course she helped me do it. I humiliated myself in front of Applejack and she helped me do it!
She crumpled a pair of diagrams she’d made of herself with Rarity’s coiffure. What was she even thinking?! She tossed those into the fireplace, then turned back to the chart she’d hung on the wall. She’d graphed out Applejack and Rarity’s proximity to each other in group hangouts over time since she’d come to Ponyville. It was based on memory, but it was the best she could do. She added another data point based on that conversation she and Rainbow Dash had with Rarity while Twilight was talking to Fluttershy.
She levitated a sketch of herself and Applejack together that she’d color in with paints. It was sloppily done but the point was the color schemes. Purple and orange. Were those a good match for each other? Rarity would know, but Rarity wasn’t here and Rarity couldn’t be here because then Rarity would know.
She glanced over at her eye chart. Applejack and Apple Bloom had green eyes, while Granny Smith and Big Macintosh had red eyes. But her eyes were purple. Maybe there was a spell that could turn her eyes a different color, but which color? Green or red?
“Spike!” Twilight called out. “Spike, I need your help!” She waited for several seconds, but no answer came. She trotted upstairs to see if he was sleeping, but as she reached the bedroom, it was strangely absent. Instead, there was a long, black hall with an orange light at the far end.
“Wait, this isn’t right.” Twilight turned to go back down the stairs, but they were mysteriously absent. She was alone in the tunnel with only the light to guide her. She knew now what she’d find at the end. Crystal Princess Rarity was waiting for her, possibly with Applejack. She started galloping towards the orange light, but the closer she got, the farther away it seemed.
“Have you found your answer?” Rarity asked in the dark. “What makes you more deserving of Applejack than me?”
Twilight felt the strange eyes upon her once again, but she ignored everything and kept galloping. She tried to block out everything and just focus on getting to Applejack.
“You’ll never keep her without an answer, darling. She’s better off with me. You know it, I know it, everypony knows it. It’s only a matter of time before she sees it too.”
“That’s not true,” Twilight whispered to herself as she ran, but the hollowness gripped her heart despite her words. She didn’t even notice that she’d started to cry, but as soon as the first tear hit the ground, a bright light illuminated the tunnel.
“What is--” Rarity began, but she was abruptly silenced. Twilight stopped and looked up, only then noticing the tears in her eyes as a mighty alicorn with a star-spotted mane emerged from the white space.
“Princess Luna!” Twilight shouted. She gave the princess a courteous bow.
“Good evening, Twilight,” Luna greeted her. “I apologize for the interruption, but I’ve been watching you have this same dream each night. It seems to be taking quite a toll on you each time, but I’m not sure I understand the meaning behind it. Could you explain it to me?”
Twilight blinked and slowly began to compose herself. This was a dream. Of course, this was a dream. What else would it be? She must have fallen asleep in the library while working on her diagrams. If she could just--
“Twilight, focus,” Luna snapped her back to the dream. “Don’t try to wake up yet. This is important. I need you to explain the meaning of this dream that’s been haunting you.”
Twilight blinked. “Right. I’m sorry. Well, the orange light seems to represent Applejack.”
“Oh, I remember her.” Luna smiled. “I believe you called her one of the most likable ponies in Ponyville, if I recall correctly.”
Twilight nodded. “She’s my Very Special Somepony.”
“That’s it,” Luna realized. “That was the piece I was missing. Thank you.” She cleared her throat. “Twilight, jealousy is a dangerous toxin. Once planted, it grows within you and it taints every experience you have. It works through you like a virus and turns you against those you love the most.”
Twilight shook her head. “I’m not jealous.”
“Are you not?”
“No,” she insisted. “Applejack loves me. My friends all care about me. My brother and Cadance are there to support me and I have a wonderful new family with the Apples as well. I’m doing great in my studies and I think Princess Celestia is really proud of me.”
“She is.”
Twilight nodded. “Everything in my life is wonderful. What could I possibly have to be jealous of?”
“That,” Luna answered, “is an excellent question. It’s one that I believe you should take some time to really think about. Until you find your answer, I’m afraid these dreams will likely keep coming.”
The bright light shone, illuminating the hall and revealing the Crystal Princess Rarity. She was still frozen in time, her sneering snout open in mid-sentence. Luna continued, “This is not a foe I can defeat for you. Only you can face this enemy and overcome it.”
Twilight nodded. “Thank you, Princess Luna. I’ll find my answer.”
Luna smiled, then backed away into the folds of reality. “Very well. I will be watching.”
Twilight woke in the dim light of the library. She lifted her head up and felt one of her charts stuck to the side of her face. Telekinetically pulling it off, she had a look around the room. Luna told her that she needed to answer the question. It was very important. And the question was…?
“What makes you more deserving of Applejack than me?”
That’s right. She remembered the Crystal Princess Rarity demanding that of her. Trying to imitate Rarity was a mistake, she knew that now. She shouldn’t be trying to recreate what makes Rarity special to Applejack. She should be emphasizing what makes her special. If she could find something that made her more special than Rarity, that made her a better partner than Rarity could be for Applejack, then that would be her answer.
She would do that. She would absolutely do that. She would find her answer and defeat the Crystal Princess! The Rarity one. Not Cadance. She adored Cadance. Point was, she would definitely do that. But she’d do it tomorrow. Right now, she needed Applejack.
“Bet you ten bits you can’t knock down that tree!” Flutterdash snickered at Applejack behind her pink bangs while her rainbow tail swished casually behind her.
Applejack chuckled. “Make it twenty and I’ll do it in one kick.”
“You’re on!”
Applejack smiled, shooting a glance sideways at her wife. “Kiss for luck, Mrs. Apple?”
Twilight giggled. “Of course.” She took one step towards Applejack and the world shook with a loud bang. She took another step, which caused another bang. Applejack looked around, trying to figure out where the noise was coming from, and as Twilight took her third step, the world faded into pure black.
Applejack struggled to open her eyes. The pounding sound was still there and it seemed to be coming from downstairs.
Opening her door, Applejack spied Apple Bloom in the hall. “Get on back to bed,” she told her little sister.
She heard Big Macintosh downstairs, confusedly asking, “Twilight?” Applejack put her hoof to her forehead and sighed, then headed down to join him.
Twilight was standing in the living room looking absolutely frazzled. Her mane was unkempt and her eyes kept darting around the room until they found Applejack, then fixed on her. “I got this,” Applejack told her brother. “Go on and get some sleep.”
As Applejack came into the living room, she whispered, “Do ya know what time it is, Twilight?”
Twilight seemed to shrink away from the question. “I know. I’m sorry. I just needed to see you.”
Applejack gave her a frustrated sigh, but she remembered what Rarity had said. Twilight was dealing with raw emotions and was liable to make some plum stupid mistakes. She was angry, especially after all the weirdness from today. On a personal note, she was still a bit hurt that Twilight’s stripes were gone.
But there was a limit to just how mad she could be at her right now, given the circumstances. Watching Twilight stand nervously in her living room in the middle of the night with dyed hair clinging to her face, Applejack couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d done this to her. The guilt didn’t quite outweigh the frustration, but it certainly came close.
“Would ya step outside with me?” Applejack asked her, opening the back door.
Twilight’s eyes bulged. “Are you going to break up with me again?”
“What? No! I’m showin’ ya where we keep the spare key, so come on.”
Twilight followed Applejack to the back of the barn, where there were five hay bales alongside each other that never seemed to get moved. Applejack popped one of the bales up, revealing a small key underneath it. “Second bale from the right. Next time ya get a hankerin’ for a late night visit, don’t knock. Just come up and find me.”
Twilight nodded. “I will. I’m sorry. Thank you.”
Applejack gave Twilight a quick nuzzle. “Come on, let’s get to bed.”
Twilight nodded in agreement and followed Applejack upstairs. There was no telling what tomorrow would bring and tonight was way too late to talk about it, but Applejack was sure of one thing: whatever was going on with Twilight, they would figure it out together.