Applejack took a deep breath of the cold night air, tinged with the scent of fresh, fall leaves. The sky had darkened from the dusty twilight into a black tapestry of winking stars, bringing a certain magic over the greening farmland. She shouldered off her woven basket of heavy apples by the side of the barn, letting out a tired sigh.
Every part of her body ached, and every one of her muscles cried in protest. Yet, it was a good kind of ache—the one that told the mare she had accomplished a great deal that day. Applejack smiled, pushing back her worn stetson to get one last glance at the serenity of her orchard at dusk. As she began to hear the sweet calls of the crickets to each other, she turned back and started to make her way toward her old house, shadowed in grey.
Applejack stopped suddenly when her eyes flew to the one part of her home that emitted a warm, yellow glow... from her bedroom window. She hurriedly pulled the hair back from her freckled forehead. Her mouth dropped open, but she quickly closed it in an attempt to think rationally. Sure, she remembered distinctly turning off her light before leaving to tend to the farm—but that was okay, right?
Applejack shook her head roughly, stepping up the steps into her mudroom and closing the creaking door. The Apple household was unnaturally silent, as her family was out at the Fall Fair. She had opted out, as rickety roller coaster rides did not mix with sugary donuts.
She hung up her old hat on a thin hook, her emerald eyes still falling on the light trickling down the staircase. "Silly filly," she muttered to herself, trotting carefully over the threshold. Her breathing hitched slightly as she made her way up the stairs. "No point in leavin' a light on anyway," she said, padding along the carpeted hallway toward her bedroom at the end. The yellow light was brighter, its glow shining through the partly open door.
Applejack pushed on the knob, ready for anything or anypony to jump out at her. Well, so she thought. As the mare had assumed, her tall, bedside lamp was lit with a flame, banishing the creeping shadows along the cheerful amber wallpaper. But her gaze fell upon her unmade bed, and she froze with shock.
"P-Pinkie?" she stuttered, her eyes going wide. Sprawled across the bed laid the pink party pony, her poofy hair nearly touching the ground. She grinned innocently from her upside down position, wildly kicking her hooves.
"Heh, Appluhack!" she cried out gleefully, her words thick and garbled. She hastily wiped her muzzle of crumbs, reaching over on the dotted covers and picking up a chocolate chip cookie.
Applejack took a step back, trying desperately to say something. All that came out was an eloquent; "Buh?"
Pinkie took a bite of the sweet dessert, hurriedly licking the chocolate from her face. She swallowed quickly, her cheeks shining. "Well, Jackie," she began eagerly, swinging her body upwards,"you're finally home!"
Applejack cocked her head. "Uh huh," she said, her brow crinkling up in a bemused manner. She crossed her hoof over the other, watching as Pinkie untangled herself from the blankets. "What the hay are ya doin' in mah bed?"
"Uh huh, uh huh." Pinkie nodded vigorously, ignoring the question. "You see, these are great cookies! Care to try some?" She offered over the cookie, to which Applejack stepped forward. Her nose twitched at the faint scent of green apples.
"Pinkie... are those mine?" she cried incredulously, staring back into Pinkie's sky blue eyes. They're kinda pretty... Applejack coughed, and swallowed hard. Of course they are, ain't everypony's'?
Pinkie Pie hummed. "Yep! They are! And they are ah-mahzing!" she sang, ending with a little giggle as she flopped over on the bed.
Applejack smiled wryly. "Erm, thanks?" she said, raising her eyebrow. "But—but that ain't really the point!" she protested, pushing the cookie away again. Pinkie snorted.
"Silly, that is the point!" she argued adamantly, waving the cookie in the air. "Your cookies always taste so much sweeter than mine. I don't know if it's the sugar—they're just better!" She blew her hair out of her face. Then a lopsided smile graced her lips. "Although, I do know one thing that's sweeter~"
Applejack sat down on the edge of her bed, the candlelight making Pinkie's face glow. Pinkie leaned forward ever so slightly, until Applejack could smell the cotton candy and cupcakes on her fur.
She reached out her hoof and booped Applejack right on the nose. "You!" she exclaimed, seeming to take pleasure in the immediate blush that spread over the farm mare's cheeks. Pinkie giggled, turning her head to the side. "In fact, we kinda are like cookies!"
Applejack brought her hoof up to her muzzle, heat rushing to her face. Was Pinkie... flirting with her? She stared at the pony for a moment, who was continuing to eat her cookies with a ferocity. She had no idea what to say.
"We're cookies?" she asked bewilderedly.
Pinkie shrugged. "Of course! I'm a chocolate chip, and you're the cookie! Always dependable, and keeping everything together! But without me as the chippy, you just wouldn't be the same!" She threw her hooves up in the air.
Applejack blinked, squinting her eyes. "S-sure, Pinkie."
Pinkie winked. "That's Chocolate Chip, to you, Jackie," she corrected, leaning back on the bed. She sat there for a moment in the silence, the shadows dancing on the walls, until a rather flustered Applejack broke it.
"Is that why ya are here?"
Pinkie's mouth opened, and then closed. She seemed, for once in her life, unsure of what to say. "Well, uh, maybeee not entirely..." she trailed off meaningfully, glancing down at the cookies.
Applejack chuckled. "Not just the cookies, sugarcube?"
Pinkie fidgeted. "Nope, I guess not," she laughed softly.
Applejack placed her hoof over Pinkie's. "Come on now, what is it?"
Pinkie Pie looked up at the ceiling carefully "I just wanted to see you..."
Applejack's eyes widened slightly, but she smiled. She lifted Pinkie's chin up with her hoof to make eye-contact, her lips lifting up at the corner. "I suppose you couldn't just ask me? I love... spending time with you, Pinkie," she drawled.
Pinkie Pie dimpled, her pink hair swaying. "Nope, I couldn't just ask you. Because... I'm not leaving," she replied, grinning wickedly.
"Pardon?" Applejack raised her eyebrows.
"Yep, you heard me. I'm not leaving! We're having a sleepover!" Pinkie cheered, tackling Applejack in a hug.
The orange mare fell backwards on the bed, squirming. "We are?!"
Pinkie giggled, nuzzling into Applejack's neck. "Of course! Why, it's the best idea since sliced bread!"
Applejack tried to ignore her burning cheeks, as the heat crawled down her neck. It didn't sound so bad...
Pinkie finally broke free from their embrace, and stumbled over to the lamp on the table. With a quick blow and a stifled laugh, the room was cloaked in a deep darkness.
Applejack cried out in surprise. "Woah! Pinkie, why did ya turn off the lights?"
She heard Pinkie huff, as she came to sit beside her on the blankets. "Well, how do you sleep with the lights on, Applejack?"
Applejack spluttered. "Sleep? We're goin' to sleep now?!"
"Uh, yeah. I'm super tired! And you worked the whole day. We deserve it," she explained, laying down and pressing her face into Applejack's back.
Applejack froze at the snuggle-attack. "Uhh, Pinkie?" she asked quietly.
But, the mare didn't respond, and only gentle snores filled the darkened room. Applejack could feel each breath, as her soft fur rubbed against her's, and smell the candy scent Pinkie always seemed to carry.
She finally relaxed, pulling over the crumb covered blankets, and cuddling in next to the sleepy party pony. She booped Pinkie's muzzle with a concealed chuckle, burying her head in the mare's warm neck.
"'Night, Cookie," Pinkie mumbled quietly.
Applejack closed her eyes, breathing in deeply with a laugh.
"'Night, Chip."