//------------------------------// // Accept Yourself // Story: Self Help // by Tyro //------------------------------// It had been a little over a week since the trip through the portal and Applejack was feeling moody. She hadn’t been when they first got back. As with any adventure she had with her friends, a ton of farm work had piled up in her absence and, like always, she threw herself into it. Of course, she had caught up by the fourth day and ever since, something felt off. She had been out tilling the soil in the east field, preparing for the planting of next season’s crops. She had paused to remove her hat and fan away the heat of the sun. In doing so, she heard the tiny flutter of a photograph slipping out of the hat and falling to the ground. As she picked it up, she saw it was the same picture that the other A.J had given her. The one of her parents. She had shown the picture to Big Mac, but it he seemed too saddened to want to look at it again. Granny hadn’t really understood what it was all about, despite Applejack trying three separate times to explain the concept of alternate realities. And Applebloom simply didn’t remember them well enough to appreciate the picture. So it was decided that the picture would stay with Applejack, rather than find a place in their albums. While she appreciated her family’s gesture, sitting here now, in her room looking at it, she felt a certain emptiness. It was so stupid. They’d been gone a long time. It wasn’t like Applejack spent every waking moment missing them. Why was she obsessing over it now? As she gazed more at the photo, the memory of another one bubbled up to the surface in her mind. The other A.J and Dash, sharing a kiss at the krissmuss party. Her mother looking at the couple so happily. “When I got too wrapped up in myself, Dash just had a way of pulling me out of it.” Applejack rubbed her muzzle thoughtfully. She hadn’t seen Rainbow since they got back. The thought of seeing her again after everything that happened was just too mortifying. But...she’d be lying if she said she didn’t miss her. A little. Then, instead of the stupid remark Applejack was sure would come, Rainbow instead nudged her shoulder against the taller girl. A simple gesture. Nothing special. And it lit Applejack’s heart on fire. Applejack shook her head vigorously. Nope! She was not going to get misty eyed about that. Rainbow had been nothing but trouble during that trip! “I’ve always been able to rely on you. No matter how much you get on my nerves, you’re always there for me. And I miss that.” Well... Maybe Rainbow hadn’t been all bad. Heck, at times it had even been kind of...fun... There was no uncomfortable silence as they struggled to think of what to say to each other. Just smashing a ball back and forth, with some good old friendly trash talk thrown in for good measure. But that didn’t mean anything! Rainbow was fun to hang out with, sure. But a relationship? Applejack didn’t understand her human twin sometimes. What could anypony see in that loudmouthed feather duster? It was the wrong Dash. But she had to keep it up. She pushed back against the kiss. Their front teeth bumped together but she didn’t even care. When Dash’s tongue entered her mouth, her heart skipped a beat. Okay... So maybe she missed Rainbow. Maybe she was reliable. Maybe she was fun to be around. And maybe she wasn’t the most unattractive option on the dating scene... But that didn’t mean Applejack felt- Forget being “proper”, forget doing things the way her parents might. Heck, forget the Map and its dumb mission. All she cared about right then and there was that had been one of the nicest things Rainbow had ever said to her. That was it. Her mind was made up. Resolving to buy a picture frame for the photo first thing tomorrow, Applejack got up and purposefully strode out of her bedroom. BANG The door to the farm house was violently kicked open and a streak of orange fur blitzed through. It wasn’t like Applejack to be so rough with her family home. She wasn’t usually so reckless. Heck, she hadn’t even told Granny where she was going. But none of that mattered right now. What mattered was there had been a hole in her for some time now. She thought it had been made when she learned her other self’s parents were still alive. And maybe they were. But they weren’t what she needed. She didn’t need some copy of her loved ones, who didn’t even know her. What she needed was somebody who knew her. Somebody who treated her right. Someone who made her heart sing. ... Somepony... ... Whatever... Applejack approached the cloud house with trepidation. She screamed at her own heart to stop pounding so hard. For all her determination, she couldn’t help but feel the sting of fear as she drew nearer to her target. But never let it be said that Applejack was not a mare of her word. Even if she hadn’t said anything out loud, she had promised herself she would do this! She looked around until she spied the right tool for the job: a small stone, lying by the side of the road. She picked it up and threw it up and down a few times experimentally, testing its weight. It would do. It would do just fine. She looked up to her target: a window in the side of the house which she knew to be the master bedroom. Squinting in the sun, she stuck her free hoof in her mouth and then held it up to the wind. No cross breeze. Nothing to stop her now. With one final breath to steady herself, she wound back and heaved the stone towards the window with all of her might. A bit strong for such a small stone perhaps, but it was necessary to clear the distance. Of course it wasn’t strictly necessary. It would have been just as easy to simply call up. Or borrow Twilight’s balloon and fly up. Or ask Twilight herself to take a message. In fact there were many alternate possibilities that played through Applejack’s mind. Just as the stone made contact with the window. “OW!” And sailed straight through it. Gosh darned Pegasi cloud construction... Applejack sheepishly rubbed one foreleg with the other as a very irate blue Pegasus, sporting a nasty looking bump on her head, flew down to the ground to locate the source of her afternoon nap’s interruption. “Uhh...h-hey there Sugarcube.” Applejack called out. “You feelin’ okay there, partner?” Rainbow touched down and rubbed her head irritably. “Well that’s one way to wake up.” “Heh...sorry ‘bout that darlin’. I was just tryin’ to get your attention.” “Yeah, you got it alright. Was that really the only way you could say hello?” “Well I didn’t think you’d be asleep in bed at four-thirty in the afternoon!” Applejack was being a little defensive, if not slightly dishonest. Of course Rainbow would have been asleep at this hour, that’s why Applejack sought out the bedroom specifically. But to be fair, if Rainbow didn’t nap during the day so much, she wouldn’t have been in the pathway of the stone... “Whatever.” Rainbow said dismissively. She always got dismissive when somepony gave her grief about her sleeping habits. “Did you want something, or are you just here to give me a hard time?” Applejack cursed to herself. She had already expected this to be awkward, but Rainbow’s mood was steadily making the situation worse. Maybe it’d be best to come back another time... “...Okay, well if you aren’t gonna say anything, I’m gonna head back to bed.” Dang it! Rainbow was turning to leave. Even if Applejack didn’t do it now, she had to try and improve things between the two of them. Rainbow was flexing her wings, preparing for take off! Applejack needed to do something now! “You wanna go out on a date sometime?” “...” Well that was one way to do it... Rainbow stared dumbfounded at Applejack. It seemed to take a moment for her to find her voice. “Did...did you just ask me what I think you asked me?” “Well...I guess that depends on what you think I asked you...” “I...think you asked me out on a date.” “Well then, I reckon I did.” “I...I wasn’t expecting that.” “I can imagine.” “Yeah...” “Eeyup.” “Huh...” “Mhmm.” “Right.” “...So?” “So?” “So is that a yes or a no?” “I don’t understand.” “Why not?” “Why would you want to...I mean, why?” “Why not?” “I thought I drove you crazy during that mission.” “You sure as sugar did.” “Uh huh...” “But...I’d be lyin’ if I said that weren’t some of the best fun I’ve had in a good long while.” “Really? Uh...I mean, yeah, of course it was the most fun you’ve had in ages! They don’t call me Rainbow Most Fun You’ve Had In Ages Dash for nothing! I’m like, the party queen of fun, dude! Pinkie’s got nothing on me, I-” “Rainbow Dash!” “Oh! Sorry, got...carried away...yeah?” “Still waitin’ for a yes or no here.” “...” Kissing as a human had been a strange, if not entirely unpleasant experience. But when Rainbow shot forward and pressed her lips against Applejack’s, the farm girl was certain of one thing. Kissing was so much better as a pony. The two wrapped their forelegs around each other, not caring one bit who might see them. Applejack gasped when Rainbow knocked the hat off her head and stroke her mane. Rainbow moaned when Applejack’s hooves slipped down to her wings and massaged them gently but firmly. At last the two separated. Applejack looked at Rainbow and grinned. “So I guess I won, huh?” “Huh? What are you talking about?” “Remember the first tennis match? I told you A.J wouldn’t wait around to be asked out. Guess that means I won.” Applejack couldn’t resist the immaturity of sticking her tongue out. “Nuh uh!” Rainbow pushed her muzzle against Applejack’s. “I asked you out first!” “What? When??” “That night at A.J’s house! I asked you out, you said yes. I win!” “What?” Applejack spluttered. “That don’t count! You thought you was askin’ A.J out, not me!” “Nuh uh, totally counts!” “Oh yeah??” Applejack fumed for a moment...then she smiled. “Well I bet I can beat you in a match o’ tennis!” “Oh really?” Rainbow grinned. “Well I bet I can beat you at a walk through the woods!” “That ain’t a sport Rainbow...” “Your Mom’s not a sport!” “Alrighty then. Loser pays for dinner at Sugarcube Corner?” “Sounds like a date to me!” With one more quick kiss on the lips, the couple ran off at top speed toward the park for a nice romantic game of tennis. THE END