//------------------------------// // Confessions And Uncertainties // Story: Applejack's Love Bug // by Applefai //------------------------------// Pix Sprite started to wake up groaning in pain as he struggled to open his eyes, the world around him appeared to be blurred and sound seemed naught but a ringing sensation. Once his vision cleared out, he examined his surroundings and saw that he's in some sort of lab, trying to move; he realizes he's restrained, but not to the point of being immobile. He caught a glimpse of the opening door and a purple unicorn walking up to him. "Thank the stars you're ok, you've been asleep for two days." the purple pony said while she held her hoof to her chest. "I know you have no malicious intentions, but I just want to be safe, and I just want to run a few tests. I hope you can forgive me, Pix Sprite." She continued as she read some papers that were on a machine next to Pix Sprite. Twilight shuffled through the papers eagerly as she mumbled to herself while reading. "Umm, what kind of tests exactly?" Pix Sprite asked, not showing any resistance. "Oh, just checking your vitals, you took a pretty nasty blast, to be honest, I actually want and need to do these tests, I want to because you defended us, and I'm grateful. The need is because there's somepony really worried about you." Twilight said as she took his blood pressure. Pix Sprite's ears drooped as he heard this and immediately knew who it was. "I-Is she ok, is Applejack safe?" Pix Sprite asked with a little fear in his voice. "She's fine; in fact, she's waiting outside that door waiting to see you." Twilight said, pointing to the wooden door. "I'll let you two talk after I check your heartbeat." Twilight continued as she took off the Sphygmomanometer and registered his blood pressure as normal. Twilight then put her clipboard down and donned a stethoscope placing the earpieces in her ears and holding the diaphragm at the ready, she gingerly placed the diaphragm on Pix Sprite's chest who jumps a little as the cold metal touches his skin. "Sorry." Twilight said as she took the diaphragm off and blew twice on it to warm it up. "Better?" Twilight asked as she finished up checking his heartbeat. "Better." Pix Sprite said as he took steady breaths as she checked in both the front and back. After Twilight finished she wrote everything down on her clipboard. "Well everything is in working order and no damage done, and I have a confession to make. I also wanted to study the changeling body and it appears it works similar to our own." Twilight said blushing. "I hope you can forgive me." "I understand, though all you had to do was ask." Pix Sprite said understandingly. Pix Sprite shifts a bit. "Can you please take these restraints off?" Pix Sprite asked, causing Twilight to blush more. "Oh umm, right." Twilight sheepishly smiled as she removed the restraints and helped him up. "Again, sorry for the restraints." Twilight apologies again. "It's ok, I understand." Pix Sprite said as he and Twilight walked out of the room to see Applejack. On the other side of the door, Applejack paces back and forth while Spike tries to calm her down. Hearing the door open she looks in the direction and swells up in tears. She immediately jumps onto Pix Sprite knocking him to the floor. "Oh thank heavens yer ok." The orange pony said as she wrapped him in a tight hug. Pix Sprite, surprised by this, just embraced the hug as he caught his breath. "You darn scared me half to death when you fell." Applejack said while she hugged him not wanting to let go. "I'm sorry, but I think I should go." Pix Sprite said as he tried to break the hug. "No." The farm mare said as she tightened her grip. "B-but." The changeling said in protest before Applejack gingerly placed a hoof on his mouth to silence him. "But nothing, I don't care if yer a changelin', I'm just glad yer ok." Applejack said, breaking the hug. Pix's ears droop as he hears this, t-thank you, Applejack, but she wouldn't have come here if it were for me, if I didn't stand up to her she would have never….." Pix Sprite is once again interrupted by Applejack's hoof. "Stop blamin' yerself, she could have also been here for me and mah friends, we did defeat them after all." Pix gently removes her hoof. "You have a point, but…." "Please stay, ya more than earned a place on the farm." Applejack pleaded with tears in her emerald eyes. Pix Sprite looked at Applejack and sighed, he wanted to stay but was still unsure. "Why? I'm a changeling, nopony is gonna trust me, nopony will even get near me, nopony will..." Applejack, desperate to convince him to stay, interrupted him and yelled, "Because I love ya." causing Pix Sprite to blush. A few moments of silence passed with Applejack and Pix Sprite blushing redder than Applejack's apples. "Y-you really mean that?" Pix asked as he broke the silence. Applejack, still blushing, responds "Y-yeah, yer a good help on the farm, and every time we worked alone, it felt really nice." Applejack admitted as she rubbed the back of her head. After a few more moments of silence, Pix Sprite responds "Okay, I'll stay, but I don't feel safe in this form, I know some ponies already know now, but I'll be sticking to my disguise." Pix Sprite said as he placed a hoof on Applejack's back. "I understand, but please let's at least tell mah family." Applejack asked, holding Pix's hoof in her's. Pix sighed, but he understood why, all that time he worked with Applejack, he had seen how much honesty meant to her. "Alright, but what if they don't accept me?" Pix asked worriedly. Applejack held his hoof tighter, ''if they don't then I'll move out, but I'm almost certain they will accept ya." Applejack said, knowing full well of the grim possibility. "If it comes to that you and Pix are more than welcome to stay here." Twilight said, placing an affectionate hoof on Applejack's back. "Thank ya, sugarcube." Applejack responded as she let go of Pix's hoof. Pix closes his eyes and changes back into his disguised form. A gentle flash of green flashes as he changes. His mane is now blonde, his coat orange, his eyes becoming emerald green. Upon his flank rested his cutie mark which was that of a garden hoe. "Ok, I'm ready." The changeling said as Applejack opened the door, the gleam of the sun greeting them as they made their way to Sweet Apple Acres.