She trembled on her haunches on a nondescript floor underneath a lone, accusing spotlight. Though veiled in the shadows, Applejack made out the angry and disappointed faces of her enemies, her family, and her friends.
"That is so gross!" Rarity gagged with her tongue hanging out.
"This isn't natural," whelped Fluttershy. "Mares can't love mares. Mares can't love mares!"
"Ugh, I can't believe I shared a cell with her," said Pinkamena. "I'm gonna have to wash myself with toilet water to get her stink off me."
"I didn't raise no fillyfooler!" cried Granny Smith. "Your mama and papa would be ashamed!"
"Eeyup," Big McIntosh nodded angrily.
"You can't be my sister!" cried Apple Bloom. "Mama, get her away from me!"
The little yellow filly ran to hide behind yellowish mare garbed in a black fascist uniform, who then stepped closer to look down upon Applejack's exposure.
"Silly little Applejack," Posey mocked. "I always knew you Apples weren't trustworthy, fraternizing with pegasii barbarians, unicorn witches, and traitors. To think that it couldn't get any worse for your lot, and now I learn you're a lesbimare? You make me sick. I hope your hedonistic lot fornicate yourselves into extinction while I usher in a new era of a pure ponykind."
Anger replaced her utter shame when Applejack lunged towards the despotic Chancellor. In this realm, either her leap was too weak or she miscalculated the distance, because she couldn't escape her punishing spotlight to tackle Posey. All of Applejack's accusers turned their backs and slowly walked away from her until they gradually vanished into the darkness.
Never did she feel the full weight of her loneliness since losing her family and her farm. She had already given up running away from this accursed realm before she made even a sliver of an attempt. But then, her eyes sparkled when saw Twilight stepping into the light before her. The orange pony wanted to cry out tears of joy, and the leap out to hug and…
Then she realized that was not meant to be. Though Twilight's expression appeared neutral, Applejack knew she did not come to comfort the friend who loved her, and eventually the unicorn's eyes sternly narrowed upon the earth mare.
"You disgust me," said Twilight, "and I never want to see you again."
Two towers of books toppled over when she jolted out from her sleep. That dream again. Damn that Door of Fears. Applejack couldn't have a pleasant night's rest ever since she looped through her worst fears in the days back at the throne room. Last night, she felt confident she could triumph over that dark vision, but when he chose the Queen, it only became stronger.
Applejack found herself alone in the Royal Library. A deep fear of Twilight having finding out her forbidden love took hold, but the orange pony took a deep breath. She couldn't jump into conclusions just yet. It was just as likely her dear friend remained ignorant of Applejack's desires.
She navigated out into the grand halls of the castle to be greeted with the natural light filtered through many of its crystalline chandeliers. It was the third day of the early Crystal Fair, and the muffled shouts of joy and a quartet of minstrel fifes could be heard from outside and from a distance. The castle appeared brighter and brimmed with activity as a few servants and guards happily milling about in their regular course of their duties. A few greeted Applejack with a tip of their heads or horns, unaware of the growing cloud of doubt taking place in her heart.
Anxiously yet stately, she marched down to the guest quarters where they had started their adventure in the Crystal Empire. Quietly she opened the doors to find the room to be in a slight mess with clothes, costumes, and bowls of half-eaten food left for their animal friends. A sleeping Fluttershy was on her bed cradling a rather annoyed Angel Bunny, who struggled to escape his mistress's overprotective hooves.
A few beds over, Applejack's heart almost sank at what she saw. Sunny had the nerve, yet again, to sleep in the same bed as Twilight with her good pegasus wing covering the purple unicorn's body from her right. Towers of books fortified the bed perimeter, not that it would do anything to thwart Applejack's titanic attack.
In the end, she rescinded her assault. Sunny, despite being transformed into an Alicorn, was still the pink-maned child-like pony who clung to Twilight like a lost child. Applejack dared not come between them lest she incurred the unicorn's wrath while inadvertently revealing her own jealousy. She really couldn't be angry towards them. Twilight appeared to her, as usual, beautifully peaceful and adorable. At the very least, she could brush her deep purple mane with her orange hoof, and she reached through an opening in the book fort to do so.
"Psst! Big sis! Are you there?"
Though mildly surprised, Applejack motioned to the yellow filly that was her little sister to wait while she stripped out of the lavender dress and gold jewelry. She undid her hair, and tied it up with the apple-red hair bands before heading out of the room to meet not just Apple Bloom, but also a non-crystallized Rarity and Sweetie Belle.
"I nearly threw this away," said Rarity as she magicked the Stetson on the top of Applejack's head. "Just kidding! So, how did it go?"
"What are you talkin' about?" asked the orange pony.
"You know… Last night? You could whisper it to my ear. Don't want the little fillies to know."
"No fair!" cried Sweetie Belle. "I wanna know too!"
Applejack made it quick, and whispered into the Diamond Princess's ear, without revealing any names, the result of her attempt to stave of the realization of the vision she beheld in the Door of Fears.
"What?" cried Rarity. "I can't believe it! The nerve of that stallion! After all that work I did, he flat out rejects you? What's his name? I'll get Shining Armor and the Royal Guards to hunt him down! Then I'll use my Element to give him a piece of my mind!"
"That's okay, Rares," Applejack winced. "I don't wanna make a big scene out of this."
"That stallion rejected the equivalent of a princess such as yourself? Who in the right mind would do such a thing?"
"I'm okay, really. There's probably other good-looking stallions in the Empire, I think."
"Then that's perfect!" Apple Bloom cried. "Sweetie Belle and I were gonna ask you if you wanna go with us to tour the Empire with Rarity. We could find you a boyfriend while we're at it! Heck, we'll do that right now!"
"Wait, Apple Bloom--"
"A most splendid idea!" cried Rarity. "Applejack, forget about that stallion. He's not worth impressing. We shall venture out to the city and find you the perfect stallion!"
"Applejack is sweet and kind," sang Apple Bloom, "she's the best sister I can hope for…"
There was no way for to shrink behind the group or else everypony would recognize her embarrassment, and being famous sure didn't help her. With the two Princesses, Apple Bloom, and Royal Guards Aurea, Castle (the pony), and Quicksilver in front of her, it was hard to avoid the gawking eyes of the partying citizenry. The best she could do was hide a part of her face underneath her Stetson hat.
Applejack had kept her hat over her eyes a bit too tightly. She realized too late that the group had thinned to just Rarity, Aurea, and her, and now they were entering into a small tent that strangely reeked of a disjointed combination of garbage, medicinal vapor rub, and blueberry jam. Rarity and Aurea suddenly nudged her onto a stool where she faced a short, hastily assembled stage. Quicksilver was off to the side, guarding that backstage, and Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were garbed in medieval dresses as if they were putting up a show.
"What the hay is goin' on?" Applejack asked. "Is this some kinda Crystal Empire tradition?"
"It's a dating game, big sis!" cried Apple Bloom.
"And we rounded the top three A-List stallions for you to choose from," added Sweetie Belle.
This was ridiculous. Applejack had planned to look for another stallion, but she would rather do it on her own time and instead of through this farce. Still, she couldn't exactly move since she didn't want to ruin the fun her little sister and her new friend were having, and even Rarity, Aurea, and Quicksilver were giggling in giddy. So Applejack played into their embarrassing schemes, thus giving them signal to draw the curtain open to reveal her possible choices. The first was none other than Castle himself who was red-faced and embarrassed. The second was a dapper mustached unicorn whose classiness would complement Rarity's fashion sense. The third was a normal-dressed crystal pony who looked almost like Blueblood, but something about him seemed off. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle appeared surprised by the three contestants, and were now evaluating each one of them with a critical eye.
"Turns out," said Rarity, "Castle here is a bona fide bachelor. Strong too."
"Guys," Castle muttered towards a snickering Aurea and Quicksilver. "Will you two stop laughing?"
"This one's too young," said Apple Bloom as the two female Royal Guards fell over laughing.
"Obviously, because I just came of age!"
"His voice sounds too young as well. Sis needs a stallion with a deep voice and only says things when needed, kinda like Big Mac."
"If Castle's a poor choice for Applejack, then can I date him instead?" asked Sweetie Belle.
"No, Sweetie Belle. You cannot. I can vouch for this next one: he's the King's personal butler, Mr. Fancy Pants."
"This one's too old," said Apple Bloom.
"Not that old," Fancy Pants retorted.
"Well, how about this one?" asked Rarity. "Admittedly, he does look like a certain pony whom shall not be named, but from what I heard he's quite the charmer with all the pretty nurses at the local hospital."
"ACHOO!" sneezed the blonde-maned stallion. Snot dripped from his nostrils in the amount that was too much for Applejack to stomach along with the strong medicinal vapor rub that made her eyes water.
"He has a terrible cold," said Apple Bloom.
"Alas, these were my top three," said Rarity. "I suppose I shall resort to my B-List. Hugh, come on in here!"
"Hugh?" Sweetie Belle cried. "No, not him! He's strangely obsessed with tubs of jelly!"
"Hugh! Hugh! Get back behind the curtains! I'm so sorry Applejack, but this is what I can pull up on such short notice. All the rest of the eligible stallions are either too busy or attending this 'rock and roll concert' in the colosseum."
"Look, I know y'all are tryin' to help, but I'm not ready to look for another stallion," said Applejack. "If you'll excuse me, I'm gonna leave now."
"Applejack, wait!"
"I told you, I'm--"
"Watch out!"
Before she could even leave, she bumped her head unexpectedly hard against another unicorn stallion. She narrowly avoided being gored, but she could not avoid the dizziness that ensued from the impact that caused her to stumble and accidentally destroy the tent's structural stability, which trapped everypony underneath a heavy but a surprisingly soft-feeling cloth.
When the dust settled, everypony emerged to the light unharmed though slightly shaken. The rest of the B-List, and possibly the C-Listers were exposed, which included a clown, another Blueblood look-alike but with a top hat, and a bushy stallion who looked like he was born in a pigpen. Then there was "Hugh", who immediately ran away to the nearest alleyway when his shame of being covered with blueberry jam was exposed.
A brown hoof assisted Applejack of out the wreckage, and she came face-to-face to a bespectacled brown unicorn stallion with a blonde mane and tail wearing a green overcoat over his body. He almost could not face her without making a silly smile with his face, and he had to take two steps back to gather his composure and his breath.
"Ah, Lord Trenderhoof," Rarity said. "Thank you for rescuing my friend."
"Diamond Princess," said the lanky unicorn stallion who immediately bowed and kissed Rarity's hoof. "It is I who should thank you on behalf of the Royal Fashion Committee for the dresses you delivered to them. I have never seen such gorgeous designs."
"You'll have to thank my newfound friends for the inspiration. Say, have you met Applejack? She's one of the heroines who saved our Empire."
"I haven't, but I've heard so much about her and the rest of our honorable visitors."
"Since you express so much interest about foreign lands like I do, I'm sure she can tell you about the fashions of her country."
"Rarity," Applejack hissed. She was quickly silenced further when the Diamond Princess pulled her far off to the side and far from Trenderhoof's ear.
"This is perfect timing!" Rarity whispered. "Lord Trenderhoof is one of the most eligible bachelors in the Empire, and just the right age and health. He's rich, he's stylish, and quite intelligent."
"Then why don't you go out with him?"
"I tried, but then I discovered that he likes mares who are, ahem, 'rough' on him. Must have something to do with the way his mother raised him."
"Ugh, I might as well go out with the jelly pony."
"Give him a chance, Applejack. Besides, his mother is no longer alive, bless her heart."
"What I meant was--"
Applejack looked back at Trenderhoof, who stood by scratching his hoof on the crystalline ground while waiting with a nervous smile. She looked back at Rarity's beaming smile, and then at the approving nods of Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and their trio of Royal Guard escorts. With a sigh, she gave in. Perhaps a quick date wouldn't hurt.
She had the shakes when she walked side by side with Trenderhoof to a local café. It was full, but a couple hastily vacated their table due to reputation of a local lord and the visiting heroine. Crystal berry shakes and biscuits had been ordered, which were served in a crystalline wine glass and a silver platter respectively. Applejack only had a quick breakfast before she left with the Princesses and her little sister, and she remained hungry since then. But her nervousness and a wandering mind prevented her from eating and enjoying her time with Trenderhoof.
It was hard to stay awake during his long lecture of the Empire's evolving fashion throughout the centuries. It was like listening to Twilight and Rarity, but in a male unicorn body with not a lot of substance. She meant no disrespect. Trenderhoof was handsome, though a bit thin, but also intelligent. Applejack wanted to give him a chance and find something to like him for, but all her thoughts kept sliding back to Twilight.
I mean, why am I attracted to just that mare? She didn't hate stallions in general, even if one inadvertently spurned her, and she respected Shining Armor's decision to accept Queen Cadence as his. Other mares didn't attract her as well. Rarity and Fluttershy were beautiful, and Pinkie Pie was a lot of fun to hang out with, but why Twilight? It couldn't be because she was Shining Armor's sister. It couldn't be because her Element of Truth continued to hold half her soul. Besides her unicorn heritage, Twilight was just a normal mare. There was nothing extraordinarily remarkable other than her being curious, plain yet adorable, and intelligent. Nothing should stand out about that purple mare.
Then when she thought further back, she began to have doubts about their first meeting. Twilight gave her a kiss of life, resuscitating her from drowning. Was there more? Did she use her tongue? Back then, this was possibly Applejack's first kiss, and the more she dwelled upon, the more her brow contorted in angst.
"Lady Applejack?" Trenderhoof asked. "Did the shake not taste good?"
"Huh, what? Yeah, it tasted good."
"Is there something wrong?"
"No, nothin's wrong."
"Oh, that's a relief. Say, I heard you were raised on a farm. Is it a lot different from the farms in the Empire? Are they a lot more expansive?"
"Well, the farm I lived in couldn't grow much, and we were always strugglin'. I didn't farm much anyway because I had to escape Sweet Apple Acres when it was burned down."
"I'm sorry. I didn't know Gaea is such a dangerous country."
"It's great country, actually. They government-types tell everypony they're all equal, but they steal all their bits and live in mansions without doin' any work. They say that they are the protectors of nature while they invade foreign lands and chop down forests and dig up giant holes for oil and gold. They preach about comradeship, while at the same time brainwash them on how to snitch on your friends who show any hints of disloyalty. The only friends you can make in Gaea are those who will scratch their back while you scratch theirs. That's why I couldn't make friends in the glorious Democratic Republic of Gaea. That is until…"
"Until what?"
"Sorry, Trenderhoof. You're a great guy and all, but I have to go."
"Was it something I said?"
"It ain't. I'll pay for the shake once I make some money."
"No, that's fine. They were all free anyway. Might at I ask where you're going? Applejack?"
He gave her no chase and she gave him no answer. An unconscious will compelled her to gallop back towards the Crystal Castle, but perhaps the part of the soul that remained in Twilight was pulling its other half back. Being apart from her was psychologically harmful to her as it was physically to Twilight. Last night, Applejack didn't go Shining Armor to win him over. She went there to set him free and to set herself free--free to stay beside Twilight.
She cut close to the shimmering Crystal Heart and its conical pedestals as she headed towards the castle's entrance where suddenly she rammed into somepony small, purple, and scaly. It turned out be some dragon, and even his age, his natural reptilian durability had bounced Applejack almost as far back towards the Crystal Heart.
"Spike?" she asked. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what's up with me runnin' into ponies--or dragons in this case."
"I'm fine," said the baby dragon. "I wasn't watching where I was going too. Where's Rarity by the way?"
"She's back over at the city with my sister and Sweetie Belle. What's goin' on?"
"I'll go ahead and look for Rarity. AJ, you gotta come to the top of the Spire immediately. Something big is happening outside the Empire's borders. I mean really big!"