You sprint out of the barn and across the farmyard, kicking up dirt and dust in your wake. The sun has long since set by now, leaving the sleepy town to bathe in the moonlight. Good, less ponies to stop and stare at the human running through their town.
If only you could remember the way to Twilight’s home through the darkness. Regardless, you keep running, hoping to find it around the next corner. And the next. And the next. Please don’t let it be too late!
“There you are! Wait up!”
A rush of colour later, and you notice the rainbow-haired pony gallops alongside you with a renewed, not-so-sour attitude towards you.
“You want to stop Applejack from doing this as much as us, right? You’re gonna talk her out of it?”
“Which way… is the library?” you gasp, not missing a step as you run.
“Ugh, you’re more hopeless than I thought! Gimme a sec!” With that, she disappears as suddenly as she arrived. Before you even consider what she’s doing, a rainbow-trailed force picks you up from behind and lifts you, with much heaving, off the cobblestone path and into the air above the houses.
“Wha- What the hell do you think you‘re-?”
“I’ve already screwed my chances with my boyfriend today, I am not losing my best friend too! The library‘s this way, go and talk her out of the biggest mistake of her life!” she grunts, “Geez, you humans are heavy!”
*******
“I’ve found it.” Spike’s voice carries across the room as he approaches the two ponies with a dusty book in his claws. Twilight gives him a nod of thanks, lifting the book and flicking through it with her horn’s magic. Advanced Alteration and Transfiguration Incantations: The Biological Guide. She lands on the page she’s been looking for; custom species transfiguration from memory. Earth pony to the species of your choice. The only spell that could have so much as a hint at the term ‘human’ in the whole of Equestria.
“I have enough information from my examinations of your friend to know what an average human should look like. As for turning into a female human, although I’ve never seen one before, your own chromosomes should step in and allow the spell to correct any differences between man and woman naturally.” Twilight looks up from the book, turning to her orange friend. If the spell goes accordingly, she will no longer be orange in the coming minutes.
“Can I ask you one more time, just to be sure, Applejack?”
She responds to the unicorn’s question with silence. Twilight takes that as indication to continue.
“You know you’re never gonna be able to buck apple trees ever again, right?” Applejack blinks away a tear, but her expression is as resolute as ever. “You’ll lose your earth pony strength if you make me do this! The spells in this book are only noted to work on certain pony races; once the spell is complete, Applejack, I’ll never be able to change you back. You’d be a human for the rest of your life.”
Twilight grabs her friend by the shoulders, and looks her straight in the eye. “Do you really, really, really want me to cast this spell on you?”
“Yes, Twilight Sparkle. I do.” the earth pony’s shaking voice does everything it can to remain coherent, “He loves me, Twi. If only I were human. I’ve given him my whole darn heart, whether i-it’s a pony’s h-heart or…”
No more words. Instead, Applejack simply breaks down in tears, holding her unicorn friend. Even a strong pony like Applejack can only take so much. Either way, she’s made her decision.
They embrace each other, as best friends do, for who knows how long. Spike looks around for something to do, book sorting, cleaning, anything to take his mind off the scene before him. Applejack finally breaks the hug after she stops shivering in sorrow, and wipes a tear from her eye. She removes her hat to prevent interference within the upcoming spell, and places it on the floor. Perhaps it will fit her new head?
A deep breath steadies her nerves.
“I’m ready.”
Twilight Sparkle nods wordlessly, having hugged her friend as a pony for the last time. She picks up the book on the right page, scans the instructions, and closes her eyes. She’ll need all the concentration she can get.
Her horn’s radiance heightens from a glowing purple to a brilliant white - an indication of the spell’s strength - as it lifts her friend high above the floor in an aura of light. Applejack’s eyes are tightly shut from the dread. Her fur tingles as the magic begins to take effect. But deep down she reassures herself that she’s doing the right thing. For him. For a moment, she could’ve sworn she heard his voice…
“Dash-not-the-window-use-the-door!”
“I’m-using-the-window!”
“Use-the-door-use-the-door!”
A multicoloured blur flies in through the open window and crashes into a nearby pile of books. Thankfully they‘re softer than the wooden floor, if only by a little. You regain your senses after the harsh landing, only to find the ongoing spectacle in the middle of the library room.
Applejack’s fur coat fades away, exposing the skin of a human. Each of her hooves mould themselves into a hand or a foot, while both her front and rear legs change in size to form human limbs. Her eyes start to shrink, along with her snout, that slowly turns into a nose. She doesn’t have a mane anymore - just normal hair. Her tail is already long gone.
Her body distorts until Applejack herself is unrecognisable. She hangs there, a naked female human, suspended by magic, as the spell nears its completion. All it has left to finish are the minor details.
Any other person would find this naked human beautiful. To you, it is the most horrifying thing you’ve ever seen. It isn’t the Applejack you‘re in love with.
“Stop!” you scream out of desperation. The spell caster flinches at the sudden outburst, nearly losing her grip on the spell entirely. When Rainbow Dash throws herself forward at full-pelt, knocking Twilight off her hooves, the spell’s influence finally shatters in a blinding burst of white.
The once-hovering figure falls to the floor with a pained grunt. Her large, green eyes open and stare downwards, at her body. Every inch covered in familiar, orange fur. She holds out and scrutinizes her hooves, not finding a single finger on them.
Applejack the pony pulls herself up. “I thought…” she breathes in disbelief, “I thought you said the spell was irreversible, Twi.”
The unicorn struggles beneath the blue pegasus that holds her down, “I said once it’s complete, it’s irreversible,” she corrects, “Every transfiguration spell has a failsafe that - ow! Get off me, Rainbow! - that cancels the spell in its entirety if it’s interrupted. You know, to prevent any hybrid-making errors.”
From the corner of the room, Spike shudders, recalling what happened last time Twilight tried to turn a rock into a top hat.
Interruptions hurt.
Applejack turns her head towards you and your shaken-up expression. You kneel down in front of her, placing a gentle hand on her equine face.
“Are you okay?” you whisper.
She nods, trying to find her voice. “Why did you want the spell to stop? I thought me being human was what you wanted.”
“No, no it isn’t! I’m sorry,” you pull her in, embracing her in a hug that you can only hope fixes your foolish mistake, “It was the dumbest thing I’ve ever said; you’re perfect just the way you are.”
Slowly, her forelegs wrap around your waist, hugging you back. “I was really gonna go through with that, y’know. If you really want me to be human, I’d do it for you in a heartbeat.”
“Never change for me, Applejack,” As her body presses against yours, the unmistakable rhythm of her heartbeat can be felt on against your chest. It was a pony’s heart - not a human’s - that she’d given to you. And you wouldn’t have it any other way. “Never change.”
Two ponies and a dragon just stand there, unsure of whether to encourage the show of affection or to look away.
“At least somepony gets a happy ending.” Rainbow Dash sighs. Twilight, as usual, offers her support.
“Are you ready to talk about what happened between you and your rookie yet?”
Dash shakes her head. “Nah, maybe tomorrow. I’m too tired from a party, five hoof-wrestles and carrying this guy over half of Ponyville. I gotta sleep.”
In the end, you leave the library with the most beautiful pony in the world by your side.