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// Cider - Midnight herald 
// Story: Appleshy Prompt Tag Collab 
// by Twinkletail 
//------------------------------//


Written by Midnight herald




“Hey, Fluttershy,” Applejack slurred, before she sat down in the middle of the road suddenly. Again. For the fifth time since Fluttershy had volunteered to walk her home. With the patience reserved for schoolteachers, foalsitters, and animal caretakers, Fluttershy sat down beside Applejack, as she had done every time.

“Yes, Applejack? What’s on your mind?”

“Th’ moon,” Applejack blurted out, as if it were some grand revelation. Perhaps it was, with the ungodly amount of cider Applejack had poured into herself this evening to celebrate a successful harvest. “Y’all ever jes’ … jes’ look at the moon an’ see how gall-durn beautiful it is? I mean…” Applejack blinked heavily and let her hazy eyes drift over to Fluttershy. “Y’all ever jes’ … see somethin’ that gorgeous an’ think, ‘how’d I ev’r think it were somethin’ all com… commonplace?”

“Um, not that I can think of,” Fluttershy answered, more than a bit befuddled.

“Really?” Applejack was well on her way to shouting, as she staggered to her hooves, bristling. “Y’all don’ ev’rr look in the mirror an’ see how Luna-damned gorgeous y’are?!” Suddenly, Applejack’s snout was pushed up right against hers, Applejack’s bright green eyes glaring at her with some kind of near-demented fervor. “Y’don’t look at th’ way yerr animal friends look at ya, how much they love ya? Y’don’t think tha’ss special? Y’don’ think yer special?”

Applejack’s hot breaths misted over Fluttershy’s nose, reeking of bitter apples and yeast. Fluttershy slowly got up and nudged Applejack into walking down the road again with the back of a wing. Applejack leaned heavily onto Fluttershy’s side and let out a happy, adorable little whinny. It’s just the cider talking, Fluttershy reminded herself. It’s just the cider

“‘Cause, ‘cause ‘cause,” Applejack mumbled, nuzzling slightly into Fluttershy’s mane, “‘Cause yer prob’bly the specialest pony that I know, Fluttershy. Ev’rpony forgets as you’re the strongest pony I know, Fluttershy. Th’ whole world’s a scary place for ya, but yer out an’ about despite all that. I have…” Applejack stopped suddenly and shook herself down like Winona. When she looked at Fluttershy again, her eyes seemed sharper in the bright moonlight. Applejack seemed more focused, more alert. More sober. “I have so much respect for you, Fluttershy,” she said, and then the moment passed. Applejack began her drunken shamble again, and Fluttershy walked alongside as she had done this entire walk.

Soon enough, the porchlight of Sweet Apple Acres shone out across the distance.”Hey, Fluttershy?” Applejack said, right before she sat down in the middle of the road. “In the moonlight, yer mane looks like a waterfall. A real pretty waterfall.”

Fluttershy smiled warmly, and she could feel the slight tingle of a blush in her cheeks. “Alright, Applejack,” she coaxed, nudging her friend with a wing again. “Let’s get you home.”