Sometime later Applejack pulls back, her face red.
“S-sorry about that. I just kinda lost my head there.”
“It’s fine. Truth be told, I’ve always liked hugs.”
Applejack smiles nervously. “They are really nice, I suppose. But I should probably get to those dishes.”
Arc stands up with her. “I’ll help.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that. I’ll…”
“It’s okay. Around here it’s kinda customary to lend a hand with them.”
"Well… okay."
Heading into the Kitchen, Applejack turns on the hot water and plugs the drain. Arc gathers the dishes from the table and brings them over to the counter.
“Want me to wash?”
“If you want to, sure.”
Taking his place in front of the hot, soapy water, Arc picks up a plate, washes it with a rag, and hands it to Applejack. She turns to him as she rinses it.
“Thanks for letting me cook lunch.”
Arc chuckles. “Thanks for making lunch.”
“It’s nice to be able to do something I’m used to.”
“But it’s a bit different cooking here on Earth.”
Applejack grins. “That it is. For starters, I’m used to having to pick up pots and pans with my teeth.”
Arc wiggles his soapy fingers. “These do make that task a bit easier.”
“And safer.”
“Dropping hot food?”
Applejack sighs. “Ever tried stirring a boiling pot when the spoon is in your mouth?”
“Point taken.”
“Nothing I can do about that though, being born an Earth Pony I mean.”
She stops drying and turns to him before continuing.
“Or is there?”
“Applejack?”
“Think about this.”
She gestures to her body before continuing.
“Right now I’m a human mare, right?”
“Human woman, yes.”
“And that was done via a spell cast by Princess Celestia.”
“I assumed so.”
“Well, who’s to say that one couldn’t be changed into other things?”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “What are you getting at, Applejack?”
“I mean… couldn’t the same spell the princess used be able to turn me, or anypony else for that matter, into a Unicorn?”
“Anyone, not anypony. And I don’t really know if that’s for the best.”
“But then I could use magic to move pots and pans around!”
“Not necessarily.”
“What do you mean?”
“Let’s say we did turn you into a Unicorn. Who’s to say that you could use magic?”
Applejack points to her forehead. “But I’d have a horn!”
Arc nods. “That may or may not work.”
“I suppose that’s true. However we wouldn’t know until it was tried.”
Arc chuckles. “You’re right. At the very least it’d be an interesting science experiment.”
Applejack appears hopeful. “Think we could get Twilight to sign off on it?”
Arc shrugs. “Maybe. She’d have to do some research first to make sure it’d be safe, of course.”
“Why wouldn’t it be safe? I mean, you and your team has used that spell numerous times.”
“True. But never to turn a non-magic using creature into a magical one. For all I know it could be dangerous.”
“How?!”
“Remember what happened to Frank? When he received his powers they nearly tore him apart.”
“I’d have you and Twilight to see to it that didn’t happen though!”
Arc frowns. “What’s with you, Applejack?”
Applejack raises an eyebrow. “Huh?”
“All this talk of being an Unicorn all of a sudden.”
“It’d just make my life a lot easier, that’s all.”
“But you never brought it up before.”
Applejack looks away nervously. “I… just never thought of it, that’s all.”
“Really?”
“Yes! That and I think I’d look good with a horn.”
“Would you?”
“Probably. What do you think?”
“About the horn or you having magic?”
“The horn.”
Arc shrugs. “I… guess you’d look okay. But then again I wouldn’t really be able to say without seeing it for myself first.”
He thinks for a few moments before continuing.
“Tell me something, Applejack. When did you get this idea?”
“To be a Unicorn?”
“Yes.”
“Just a few minutes ago.”
“Really?”
Applejack shrugs. “Pretty much. I mean, it’s something that’s crossed my mind in the past, of course. How it’d be more convenient to just be able to levitate things from the stove to the table or do any number of tasks.”
He gestures to the soapy water before continuing.
“Do you have any idea just how hard it is to wash dishes with hooves?”
“Can’t say as I do, no.”
“Plates are pretty simple. Bowls take a bit more practice. Tankards are okay, but teacups… not easy. To say nothing for silverware.”
Holding up her hands, she wiggles her fingers.
“I mean, hands are pretty good too. But magic would allow one to do things even fingers couldn’t.”
Arc nods. “That’s true, yes. Let’s say we could turn you into a Unicorn though. Without you being overcome by magical imbalances, of course. Would there be any downsides to it?”
“None that I could think of, no.”
“I can think of a few.”
“Oh?”
“For starters, you would naturally be weaker physically.”
“That’s true, yes. But I feel that properly directed magic could balance that out.”
“I suppose it could, yes. Then there’s the issue of physical contact.”
“What?”
“Imagine going in to hug someone when you have a horn. You’d have to constantly be aware of where it’s pointing so as not to hurt someone.”
“Right. But the Unicorn population seems to manage that pretty well. After all, I’ve never heard of anyp… anyone accidently hurting someone during a hug. Well… other than babies, that is.”
“Neither have I, but still wanted to point it out.”
He puts a finger on Applejack’s forehead and taps it lightly.
“About here, I think.”
Applejack appears confused. “Huh?”
“Where your horn would be if you had one.”
“Ah!”
Arc points to her head. "Have you thought about your hat?”
“It’s back in Equestria. What about it?”
“A horn here wouldn’t let you wear it. At least not securely.”
“Yeah. A light breeze would probably be enough to take it off my head.”
“Unless you put a hole in it, that is.”
Applejack gasps. “But I couldn’t do that!”
“Why not?”
Applejack sighs. “Because that hat… it belonged to my dad.”
“So you couldn’t wear it at all then.”
“Guess not.”
She thinks for a moment before continuing.
“I suppose I could take it to Rarity to have new leather strips sewn onto it. That’d hold it on my head even if I had to push it a bit further back.”
“Would you be okay with how that looked?”
“Sure! As long as you liked it!”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “Me?”
“Yeah. After all, I want to look my best for you.”
“Do you now?”
“Of course. After all, I want you to be proud of me.”
“But I already am.”
“There’s always room for improvement.”
“I suppose so. Tell me, did you have any other ideas for ways to look more beautiful?”
Applejack smirks. “Kinda. I’ve… been sorta looking into…”
She suddenly stops talking and instinctively lowers her voice.
“Can we just keep this between us please?”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “Um… sure. But we’re the only ones here, so there’s no reason to whisper.”
Applejack chuckles. “I suppose not.”
“However I will keep quiet about whatever it is you want to tell me.”
“Thanks. In all honesty, I… I’ve been looking at…”
Applejack takes a deep breath before blushing and speaking again.
“…makeup.”
“Oh?”
“Eye liner, lipstick, and… rouge.”
“You try any yet?”
Applejack shakes her head. “No. Well, just the stuff Rarity lent me when we were doing that photo shoot a while back. And she applied it for me, as I don’t really know how to do that sort of thing.”
“You did look really nice back there.”
Applejack grins. “Thanks. I felt a bit out of sorts doing it, of course. But Rarity said I had the face for it.”
“And I agree with her.”
“I thought you would. That’s why I wanted to… improve myself.”
“Improve?”
“What else would it be called?”
“Change.”
“It comes to about the same thing though.”
“I guess. But tell me this. Did you like wearing makeup and dresses?”
Applejack’s eyes dart nervously around the room. “This just stays between us though, right?”
Arc nods. “Of course.”
Applejack sighs as she looks away. Eventually she nods.
“I didn’t at first, of course. After all, who needs to look good when bucking apple trees?”
“But…?”
Applejack smiles sheepishly. “But after I put on that first dress and had my mane and face done up properly, I… I actually really liked how I looked.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because it made me feel special. Like I was worth getting to know.”
She blushes before continuing.
“That and Rarity showed me some of the reviews from her market research focus groups.”
“What did they say?”
“A few things actually. Many said we looked great together and complimented each other well. Others said that she had found the perfect model for the particular dresses I was wearing. And one or two even compared me to Rarity in terms of beauty.”
Arc nods approvingly. “Sounds like high praise.”
“Oh, it is. After all, Rarity’s the most beautiful mare in all of Ponyville.”
“She is very pretty, yes.”
Applejack puts a hand on her face as she looks into a shiny pan to see her reflection. “It felt kinda funny being compared to her. After all, I’m not exactly a beauty queen.”
“I think you look very nice.”
Applejack chuckles. “As a human though, right?”
Arc shakes his head. “I meant as an individual.”
“Oh… um… that was kinda rude of me. Sorry.”
“No offense taken. But how do you feel about it?”
“Feel about… what?”
“Yourself.”
Applejack raises an eyebrow. “I don’t understand.”
“You seemed embarrassed when I first saw you in a dress back in Rarity’s shop. Yet you admit that you like the positive feedback from the focus groups. Can I assume that you like dressing up and looking your best?”
“…kinda.”
“Then why so shy about it?”
Applejack sighs. “It’s kinda complicated. I mean, I do like it and feel somehow… empowered when I put on a dress and get my mane done up properly before a photo shoot. But I just feel so… inadequate.”
“So you’re trying to ‘compensate’ for that which you feel you lack?”
“I guess so. Never really thought too much about it.”
“What would it take to make you feel better?”
“In all honesty… a horn.”
“You want to be a Unicorn that badly?”
“Well… kinda. Like I said before, I want to be able to do certain things that an Earth Pony can’t.”
“see. So it’s not that you don’t like being and Earth Pony so much as you simply wanting more utilitarianism?”
Applejack nods. “Exactly! I just want to better myself!”
She takes a few moments to think before continuing.
“Is that… a bad thing?”
Arc shakes his head. “Not really. After all, we’re all just trying our best in life. But let me ask you this. Let’s say you woke up tomorrow with a horn. What would you do with it?”
“I’d get up and make the bed with magic. Then I’d clean myself up in the shower with my magic before heading downstairs to make breakfast for everyone with Granny Smith.”
“With magic too, right?”
“Yeah. I’d only want it to make my life, and those in my family, easier.”
“ How about picking apples?”
“Sure. Everything around the orchard would be easier.”
“And loading the carts?”
Applejack grins. “Right.”
“And putting on dresses along with makeup?”
“I’d have to learn the proper way to do it, of course. But I know I could.”
“Do you think Rarity would teach you?”
“If I asked her to, sure.”
Arc chuckles. “That would make photo shoots easier.”
Applejack nods excitedly. “Exactly! Literally everything would be easier for me. That’s why I want this. So do you think it’s an option?
“If you’re serious about it we can talk to Twilight when we get back to Equestria.”
“I’m… kinda serious, yes.”
“You sound indecisive.”
Applejack looks out the window and sighs. “More along the lines of ‘unsure’. After all, it would be a really big deal. I mean, I know such a thing would be completely reversible, of course. But I don’t know if I would feel the same about myself.”
“The before or after?”
“Both actually.”
She chuckles nervously before turning back to her task.
“In any case, it’s just kind of a thing I’ve had rolling around in the back of my mind for a while now. Pay it no mind.”
“Well, if you really want to be something different…”
Applejack interrupts him. “That’s just it. I do want it. However, I’m kinda scared to go through with such a thing.”
“So… what do you want to do?”
Applejack shrugs. “I dunno. But it does feel good to talk this out. Tell someone about it, and all. But let’s talk about this another time. After I’ve figured out what I actually want, I mean. And sorry for more or less talking in circles about it.”
Arc puts a hand on her shoulder. “Yeah, I’m here if you want to talk when you’re ready. About anything, I mean.”
“Thanks, sugarcube. That in and of itself means a lot to me. And the others too.”
“Oh?”
“To be perfectly honest with you, we all kinda thought you were going to change after becoming the Hero of Light.”
Arc chuckles. “Being given more or less absolute authority can do that I hear.”
“But you didn’t. Other than getting stronger and whatnot you’re still the same as the day we met you. Honest, Loyal, trustworthy, and Kind. Please don’t take this the wrong way, but anyone else probably would have let all that go to their head.”
“Maybe that’s why the former Heroes of Light took so long to find somepony.”
Applejack turns to him and raises an eyebrow. “Say what now?”
Arc smiles sheepishly as he hands her a glass. “I just said ‘somepony, didn’t I.”
“Darn right!”
“My mistake.”
Applejack grins. “No, no! It’s really nice to hear!”
Arc chuckles as he goes back to washing. “Hear me mess up, you mean.”
“I don’t see it as a mistake. More like proof that you’ve taken Equestrian culture to heart.”
“That I have.”
“Tell me something though. Which do you like better?”
“Earth or Equestria?”
Applejack nods. Arc is silent for a time, thinking.
“Well… I suppose they both have their advantages and disadvantages. Earth is technologically more advanced, of course. But Equestria just feels more personable.”
“What if you had to choose?”
“Permanently?”
"Yeah. Just asking, of course."
Arc puts a hand to his chin thoughtfully. “I’d miss Lily, Shelly, and Frank naturally.”
“Then let’s say you could bring them with you. Or, conversely, you could bring all you friends from Equestria if you chose Earth.”
“Either way we’d all be together?”
“Right.”
“It’s still a pretty tough decision though. I mean, I do like both a lot. But I suppose if I had to choose I’d go with Equestria.”
“Would you?”
“Yup.”
“Can I ask why?”
“It’s very peaceful there. Well, when someone isn’t causing trouble, that is.”
Applejack nods. “Lack of wars, food is plentiful, and pretty much everypony in Equestria has their basic needs met.”
Arc chuckles. “A paradise, even by human standards.”
“That it is.”
“For all of our technology and other advancements in understanding the world around us, we haven’t been able to figure out a way to eliminate hunger, disease, and war.”
“Equestria’s done two of the three. But I still don’t get why Earth couldn’t do the same.”
“We’ll always have diseases of some kind though. And the other two things are caused by certain people being stubborn.”
“Anything you could do about that as the Hero of Light?”
Arc shakes his head. “Not really.”
“Even with all you powers?!”
“For change to occur people have to first WANT the change.”
“I would assume everyone would want that though.”
“You would think so. But so many just think of themselves and not the bigger picture.”
“Can you explain?”
“War.”
Applejack raises an eyebrow. “War?”
Arc nods. “The politicians move to start wars and send others to die in them while they stay safe. They don’t have to see the pain and suffering caused by their decisions up close and personal.”
“But sometimes there isn’t a choice.”
“I know, Applejack. Remember, I was the one whom ordered the attack on Light’s Hope. We all know that not everyone went home unharmed from that one.”
“I understand that, Arc. But from what I saw you tried to make things work before that.”
“Yeah. And I’ll remember that day for the rest of my life. Watching our forces fighting to keep Decimus’ troops away from The Equinox while Auriel charged up the Magic Dispersion Unit. All the while I just stood on the deck and watched. Every fiber in my body wanted to join them in the defense though.”
“But you couldn’t!”
“Right. I had to be ready to Blink everyone inside the base when the time was right.”
Applejack shakes her head as she dries and puts away the last dish. “So don’t beat yourself up over it, Arc. You did everything right back there from what I heard.”
“I still feel like such a hypocrite though.”
“That isn’t true, Arc.”
Arc sighs as he drains the water from the sink. “Maybe. But that’s how I feel.”
Applejack puts a hand on his shoulder as they watch the water recede.
“Arc… if you ever need to talk… me and the others are here for you.”
Arc nods soberly. “That’s the only thing that keeps me going sometimes.”
As the water vanishes down the drain, Arc turns to Applejack.
“Sorry for letting that conversation go south.”
Applejack smiles warmly. “It’s okay. After all, that’s part of being in a relationship. Sharing the good AND bad times.”
“Well, let’s try to have some more good times then.”
“Huh?”
Arc turns to her. “Anything you want to do?”
“Do?”
“This afternoon. Remember, we have nothing but time on our hands at the moment.”
“I… don’t really know anything specific to suggest. But I would like to know more about what it means to be a human.”
“What it means?”
Applejack nods. “Right. I want to learn how to act and carry myself while in this body.”
“Um… okay. But why?”
“To better understand you, Arc. Everything is very… different in this form. And not just under my clothes. I don’t just want to look like a human female, but know how I’m supposed to perform.”
“Well… not exactly sure how we’d do that.”
“For starters, what kind of things do females do?”
“It depends on the person. Human personalities vary widely from person to person. So first you’d have to understand what makes you unique and go from there. Should we start with your interest in the great outdoors?”
“Sounds good to me. But where would we go?”
Arc chuckles. “I think I have a bit of an idea. Do you trust me?”
Applejack nods. “Of course.”
“Then let’s go for a bit of a drive.”
Getting into the Jeep, Arc and Applejack make their way to the highway. Sometime later they arrive at a massive building. Applejack gasps.
“What is this place?!”
Arc chuckles as he turns into a parking space. “The mall.”
“The… what?”
“Think of it like Barnyard Bargains, only a LOT bigger.”
Turning off the Jeep he leads Applejack inside. She marvels at the high ceilings and numerous shops.
“This place reminds me of Canterlot Castle!”
“I can kinda see that now that you mention it.”
“But what are we here to get?”
“Something for you to wear.”
Applejack looks down at herself. “But I’m already…”
Arc interrupts her. “We’re getting you something specific.”
Heading for a store, they enter together. Applejack looks all around.
“A… clothing store?”
“Right. I want to buy you a bathing suit.”
Applejack raises an eyebrow. “For showering?”
Arc chuckles. “Guess I should have said swimsuit.”
Applejack appears confused. “Humans wear clothes when swimming?”
“Yes, we do.”
Applejack blushes slightly. “I just kinda figured y’all just took everything off to keep it from getting wet.”
“That’s called ‘skinny dipping’. But I have a thing for general human modesty.”
Leading Applejack over to a rack he gestures to the garments before them.
“These are what women wear to go swimming. You have one or two piece swimsuits in varying degrees of modesty.”
“What should I get?”
“That which you’re most comfortable with.”
Applejack picks up a swimsuit. “Well then, I’ll take this.”
“You should probably try it on first.”
“What for?”
“To make sure it fits properly. After all, if it’s too baggy things will be hanging out. Too tight and you’ll be really uncomfortable.”
“Well… if you say so.”
Arc leads her over to a changing room. Stepping inside, she closes the door as Arc sits down to wait. Looking at the bench he’s sitting on, Arc sighs.
“Thought this looked familiar. I met Hammer here.”
He looks down at the empty seat next to him and puts a hand on it as he smiles.
“Feels like so long ago.”
Sometime later Applejack emerges from the changing room. She is holding the swimsuit on her arm and grinning.
“Fits perfectly!”
“Oh, um… good.”
“Something wrong, sugarcube?”
“I was kinda… never mind. Let’s pick you up some better footwear for this too.”
Applejack looks at her feet. “But I already have…”
“Trust me on this one.”
Nodding, Applejack follows him to another section of the store. After making several more purchases the pair head back to the Jeep together.
“Thanks for everything, Arc.”
“You’re welcome, Applejack.”
“Still not sure what some of it is for, but…”
Arc grins. “All will be made clear in due time.”
“Well… alright. Where to next?”
“Back home to get some stuff and load up the Jeep before we turn in early tonight.”