As sort of a follow-up to last week's discussion on Pinkie's past, this week, why don't we talk about Applejack's brief time in Manehattan as a filly?

The amount of time she stayed with her aunt and uncle is left rather vague. How long do you think she was there? What sorts of things was she up to while learning high society from the Oranges? How do you suppose her aunt and uncle took it when she left for Ponyville?

And, as ever, how can this connect to produce adorable cuddles with Pinkie?

I pretty much think she didn't stay there long. A month to maybe a few. Just long enough for the fun and charm to go away, and her to realize just how much she doesn't fit in. Maybe even stress inducing to the point of panicing that she was doing everything wrong, and second guessing herself. I think the Oranges were sad to see her go, but understood. They, of all ponies, knows what it's like not to fit in. I like to think they felt the same way about the farm and rural life.

As for how to connect it with pairings...i think that bit of knowelge is easier to connect with pairings like Rarijack. Where she can act nice and proper, if she was trying to either woo Rarity or impress her clients. But when it comes to Apple Pie...I tend to connect AJ having negative emotions to larger cities in general. One could always write a story where she has some sort of business or occassion why she's back in Manehattan. (Or any city, really. But for this example we will go with the former.) And maybe she brings all the girls along. Everybody goes off to do thier own thing, and maybe nothing but one bad occassion after another happens to poor ol' Applejack. Then, by pure luck, she runs back into Pinkie Pie. After seeing how miserable she is, Pinkie would most likely try to get the info out of AJ and find out WHY she's being a frowny-mc-pony face. After explaining, AJ exclaims in frustration: "nothin' good ever seem t' happen when I get away from Apple acres!" Then you can have it so Pinkie helps to create good memories of the city, by showing her just how much fun she can have.

Cue best date ever.

My head cannon has her time there as somewhere between 2-3 months or whatever the length of summer break from school is nowadays. I agree with DarkwingSnark that the Oranges would have hated to see her go, but were understanding of her plight being city ponies from a rural oriented family. While there it was stated that she learned how to be a high society pony but I think it had a more practical reason such as teaching her how to balance a ledger and run the business side of the farm. The Oranges strike me as a couple who would be good for that.

As for how it could turn into adorable snuggles, my mind immediately jumps to the fact that Pinkie's story is the opposite of AJ. Pinkie left her farm never to return and built a life in a different place whereas AJ went back home and stayed. Perhaps some sort of deep conversation over cider where AJ asks what made her choose life away from home? Armed with a new understanding of what makes Pinkie tick the two start to spend more time together that leads to awesomely adorable snuggle time.