No Friend to That Word
It wasn’t often, but at times, Applejack found herself wishing that some of the things that needed doing around the farm weren’t quite so brainless. Sure, she’d be the first to defend physical labour, seven days out of seven in a week she would, but today she wondered if there was something that could seize all of her attention at once and not leave her time to think. Inspecting all the family’s glass jars for next zap apple season certainly wasn’t it. Applejack held another empty container up against the window, checking for cracks.
She just couldn’t let it go. The glass jar, certainly, but lately, some thoughts pitched a tent in her brain and plain refused to leave. She sighed and shifted over to the next box of jars. Outside, she could hear Apple Bloom and her friends playing. At her side, Granny Smith re-inspected the very same jar Applejack had checked two seconds ago.
If somepony had told Applejack years ago that Fluttershy would stare down a dragon, she’d have laughed them plain in the face. Still, it had happened, and life went on. As much as Applejack had always known Fluttershy had it in her to be brave as anypony, the surprise and delight of seeing it had faded away the very next day. The more things changed, the more they stayed the same, wasn’t that how it went? Fluttershy still jumped at shadows, and they all knew she had a nugget of steel somewhere deep inside all the same, waiting to show when it was needed. A large crack ran down the side of the next jar. Applejack put it aside.
Similarly, she’d always known Pinkie Pie was—what was the word? Normal? No, absolutely not. Serious? Rarely. No, she came back to the word real. She’d never laugh her off without good cause, because friends wouldn’t ever do that. She’d known Pinkie could be real long before last weekend and all the craziness that followed. Still, seeing it had changed everything, and she didn’t know what to make of this new Pinkie who was different, yet still the very same. Pinkie Pie who had confided in her. It was a done deal, so why couldn’t she let it all go like she had every time any of her friends had grown? She put the next jar aside without even looking at it, and a pair of green hooves seized it before she’d even put it down.
“Y’know, I can do this just fine on my own,” Granny Smith said.
Applejack shook her head, reaching into the box for another few jars. She smiled as she put them down between herself and her gran. “Nah. Just thinking.”
Granny Smith raised a brow with meticulous slowness. “I’d be twice again as worried if you weren’t thinkin’ at all, but I know the look of a filly what don’t really want to do what she’s doin’.”
It was tempting to agree, to admit she’d rather be elsewhere. It was tempting like it had no business being. She could head to Twilight’s place and talk about something—anything. It was a surefire way to put her head to work. “Hey Twi. How’re you? Say, heard anythin’ new from that science newsletter of yours?”
Except, that wasn’t at all what she wanted to do. She could put that off until she was done with these jars. Heading over to see what Pinkie Pie was up to, however, that was different. Applejack’s smile widened a little bit, but again she shook her head.
“This needs doin’. You start putting off little things like these, before you know it half a year has passed and we ain’t got a single jar for zap apple jam.”
“Am I bein’ unclear, missy? I got these jars under control, so you can either sit here and mess up all my hard work, or you can scram, young’un!”
Applejack opened her mouth to protest Granny Smith’s decree, but no matter how many years went by, she still could never tell when her elder said something in jest or in threat. It was the same squinted glare.
“Right. But I’m telling Big Mac out in the yard to help out if he sees you fall asleep here,” Applejack said.
“You tell’m I’ll fall asleep when pigs can fly,” Granny Smith retorted, holding a jar up with a single, surprisingly steady hoof. Applejack didn’t bother replying, a chuckle on her lips as she made for the door only to pause there.
She should’ve protested again. For how many years had they done this? Why was it this easy to call it a day and shirk her duties? “Actually—” she began, turning around, only to find Granny Smith fast asleep with her forehead resting on a stack of empty glass jars.
Nothing to it, then. Applejack drew a deep breath and failed not to let a small smile show as she opened the door, making for Sugarcube Corner at a brisk trot. There weren’t a whole lot of other things to be done this week anyway, and if Pinkie Pie was busy today, she could see what she was up to the day after. Or she could ask what she was up to tomorrow regardless and check the fences around the farm next week instead.
“Come on slowpokes. All the snow’s gonna melt before we get there! Get your flanks moving! High-tail it!”
Applejack rolled her eyes at Rainbow Dash’s command, and that was about as much a response as Dash got from any of them. She’d tried to hurry them along every few minutes since they left Ponyville long before noon, but the train of ponies moved at its own pace. Five ponies and one baby dragon slogged through the snow, chatting and laughing, and Rainbow Dash would inevitably groan and rejoin them on the ground, laughing along until she remembered she was supposed to hurry them up.
Applejack stole a glance behind her at all her friends wading through the chest-high snow. They were making good progress towards Quarter Hill, and the popular summer picnic spot was every bit as beautiful in winter. The slopes and the trees were laden with puffy snow, and Rainbow Dash had arranged for a cloudless, sunny day. Ponyville was reduced to a few tall rooftops and a clocktower cresting the hilltops behind them.
“Do you need a break?” Twilight asked when she caught her eye. Applejack stopped for a second to adjust her saddlebags and shook her head.
“Nah. This is easy going. Don’t you mind me.” All the others had their own things to carry, and somepony had to march in front to make it easier going for the others. It might as well be her. An image of Twilight taking her stead popped into her mind, the slight librarian trying to forge a path while laden with saddlebags. It would probably end in tears—or with Twilight casting a spell to melt all the snow in Ponyville all at once. Applejack tried to keep her giggles to a minimum and her gaze forward.
“What’re you laughing at? Did you think of a joke?” Pinkie asked, bouncing higher and higher behind her with each word until her saddlebags threatened to jump clean off. “Is it about how messy things get when you forget to put the lid on the blender when you’re making surprise-everything-I-can-find-in-the-cupboards breakfast? Because that’s not a joke!”
“Yeah, and it didn’t taste like much, either,” Applejack said, sticking her tongue out. “How about next time we meet for breakfast, you let me handle it? And speaking of messes, I’ve been meaning to tell you, next time you’re hosting a party of some sort, you let me know if you need help cleaning up afterwards again, ‘cause I sure don’t mind.”
“Sure!” Pinkie giggled. “And I’ll also let you know if I’m bored tomorrow, because breakfast was fun today, and hanging out was super-terrific!”
“Wait, do you mean the party last week? Did you want help cleaning up?” Fluttershy asked. The third mare in their little convoy leaned to the side, seeking their eyes. “Oh no, you need to let us know these things! I just assumed—goodness, I don’t know what I thought, sorry, but you never ask for help with that! Should we be the ones asking, maybe? Were we rude?”
Applejack grinned back. “I wouldn’t recommend it for the faint of heart, sugarcube. Cleanin’ up is mighty tricky business, and Pinkie’s right scary when she’s angry, I’ll tell you that.” Pinkie gave a sheepish little smile, and Fluttershy blanched.
“I don’t understand—”
“Ooh, I think we’re here!” Pinkie bounced right past Applejack when they crested the hill they had spent the past few minutes climbing. Given a break from the almost featureless white of their ascent, they all fanned out, and Spike hopped off Twilight’s back, almost disappearing in the snow when he did.
Quarter Hill was easily the largest hill in Ponyville’s environs. At the end of a long and gentle slope below rested the naked trees belonging to the Whitetail Woods to which the hill bordered, and from here they could see all the way to Ponyville. Rarity rolled her neck and levitated her saddlebags off, and Twilight lit her horn to set about clearing an area, packing the snow with a light touch of magic. Much as it was cheating, Applejack didn’t mind when it led to a better time for them all, and within a minute, everyone had shed all of their baggage except for winter clothing.
“Incoming!” yelled Rainbow Dash. Applejack barely had the time to turn before the world exploded in a puff of snow. She clenched her eyes shut and wiped her face.
“Right. Real funny, Rainbow,” Applejack said, barely heard over Rainbow Dash’s peals of laughter. Pinkie Pie was already packing up a snowball far too large to throw in any useful manner. “How ‘bout we get started on the necessities first, huh?”
“The what? This is literally the only ‘necessity,’” Dash said, making air quotes with her wings. “This is what it’s all about! Fun! Snowball fights and everything. Twilight said she could magic up some sleighs to ride, too!”
“Fun is good,” Pinkie agreed. “I love fun!”
“I think what Applejack means is that we should secure some firewood,” Twilight said, a small notebook hovering in front of her. “Applejack brought some kindling, so we just need some wood from the edge of the Whitetail. It’s point number one on the list. Besides, I can’t make sleighs or anything else without base materials.”
Dash blinked.
“That would be wood, again,” Rarity said.
“Oh come on, can’t we just forget about all this stupid planning for once—” Dash began.
“Right. Fire! ‘Cause we’re roasting marshmallows later!” Pinkie said, peeking around the side of her “snowball” now the size of a cart.
“I did bring a small kettle if we wanted to make some tea, too,” Fluttershy added. “I brought everypony’s favourites, I think. Oh, I hope so, at least.”
All activity ceased for a second. Rainbow Dash’s wings were all that moved other than Rarity rooting around in her saddlebags.
“We should get some firewood,” Dash said, nodding briskly.
“Excellent suggestion, oh so clever expedition leader,” Applejack said, emptying her saddlebags before putting them back on. “I’ll make the trek down over to the woods then.”
“Right. Let’s go. It’ll be too slow if it’s just you,” Dash said, landing at Applejack’s side.
“I will go as well,” Rarity said, fishing a pair of sunglasses out from her saddlebags before finally trotting after them. Applejack shrugged and nodded, setting off down the slope, glad enough for the company.
“Just make sure y’all get a fire pit or something ready by the time we get back, shouldn’t be long!” she called.
“Oh, we’ll be ready,” Pinkie said, tongue sticking out of the side of her muzzle as she set about rolling up another snow-boulder.
“Glad that’s not creepy and foreboding at all,” Dash said, hovering backwards in the air. She frowned up at the hilltop as the trio forged ahead down into the valley where the forest lay.
“‘Foreboding’?” Applejack asked, laughing. “You’re still picking up words from—”
“Hey, that one’s not in the word-a-day calendar Twi gave me!” Dash snapped. Applejack shook her head, chuckling still all until she realised she was the only one laughing. Dash put on a solid grumpy act, which was fine, but Rarity looked very much like she wanted to speak.
“What?” Applejack asked.
“Oh. Nothing,” Rarity said, suddenly more interested in the trees ahead, in the sky and absolutely everything else. Applejack fixed her with a hard stare.
“I just noticed you have been spending quite a bit with Pinkie Pie this week, that’s all. One notices these things,” Rarity said.
“So what if she does?” Dash asked. “I pretty much lived over at Twi’s when I was reading through the Daring Do books.”
“Oh yes, of course.” Rarity smiled, following in the tracks made by Applejack with her head held high. Applejack sighed. She may have a heart of gold, but of course there was more than one reason for Rarity electing to help carry firewood.
“We’re having fun,” Applejack said, shrugging. “I just got to thinking she ain’t that complicated once you think about it. Ain’t like she’s a pony from outer space who doesn’t make a lick of sense. ‘Least not more than half the time. She laughs and cries like the rest of us.”
Still Rarity gave her that odd, piercing look, though she smiled pleasantly all the while. “I don’t mean to take anything away from you, dear, but I don’t think anypony would ever try to convince you she didn’t.”
Applejack was glad she walked ahead of the others, because she had no idea what her face showed. There was no humor or smugness in Rarity’s voice to make Applejack feel stupid for having gone off on a little rant, only genuine curiosity.
“Right. Just saying it. Making conversation, I guess,” Applejack muttered, slowing down a little. The edge of the Whitetail Woods was well enough defined, and the barren trees crowded all around them. Winter wasn’t quite so deep yet that there weren’t bare patches around the trunks. “Let’s see if we can’t find some wood and all.”
“Oh. You intend to carry our firewood in those?” Rarity asked, eyes wide and fearful as her eyes fixed on Applejack’s saddlebags.
“Well yeah.” Applejack glanced back at them to see if she’d missed anything. “They’re the saddlebags you made for me. Something wrong with’em?”
“Oh. No, no, just, ah.” Rarity sucked on her teeth. “No. I suppose if there’s a hole, I could mend it, but these are works of art.”
Rainbow Dash glanced left, then right, already in the process of stuffing fallen bits of wood in her new winter hat. Rarity clenched her eyes shut and grimaced, pointedly turning away.
“Well, it’s that, or trying to balance a bunch’a branches and twigs on our backs,” Applejack said. “This shouldn’t take long anyway.”
Finding branches that were dry enough wasn’t the easiest of tasks, but that was why she’d brought kindling anyway. So long as they weren’t dug up from under the snowy blanket, they would suffice. Rarity winced and made little noises as though each piece of wood added to Applejack’s saddlebags stabbed at her, but when Applejack suggested she could help carry twigs in her mane, she abated.
“Right. My hat’s full,” Dash declared. “Let’s go!”
“Yeah, and I can’t fit anything more or it’ll spill,” Applejack agreed turning her snout towards the edge of the forest and Quarter Hill, following the others.
“Oh hey, I forgot,” Dash said when they approached the top of the hill. “I’m practicing some stuff on Thursday. I got new moves that should be awesome with all this snow, low flying and everything. You wanna come watch?”
“So long as it’s not far off in the countryside, and if it’s after I close the boutique for the day, I would love to, dear,” Rarity said.
“Thursday afternoon?” Applejack asked. “Shoot, you sure you can’t do it the day after, or before? Me and Pinkie’re are busy that day. I made her a promise and I really can’t miss it.”
“If it means both you and Pinkie can’t make it, yeah, sure, Friday’s good too,” Dash shrugged and lowered herself down to land and trot after her friends as they neared the camp. Applejack squinted up at the hilltop. Something was different. There was a pronounced lip to the hill that hadn’t been there before, an outcropping of some sort.
“What is it you and Pinkie Pie plan on doing?” Rarity asked, watching her out of the corner of her eye.
“For Celestia’s sake, we’re just doing some baking for the hospital! Pinkie decided she wanted to do something nice, and she asked if I wanted to help. What now then?” Applejack asked. It came out a little sharper than she’d intended, and Rarity stopped in her tracks.
“Honestly, Applejack.” She sniffed and raised her snout. “I was asking a simple question, there’s no need to get defensive.”
Which was of course true. It was a simple question, and a simple date—or an appointment, whatever one would call it. If there was any annoyance, it was from worry over how much she looked forward to it. Thursday would roll around, and soon as she suspected she wasn’t needed at the farm, she’d head on over to Pinkie’s. Sometimes she wondered if there was something wrong with her. Family came first, but now she fled to town and to Sugarcube Corner the second she could. Such idle concerns weren’t Rarity’s fault, though.
“Right. Didn’t mean—” was about as far as she got before Rainbow Dash crashed to the ground next to them, sending up a plume of snow. A second later, a snowball smacked against Rarity’s chest, making the unicorn gasp.
“What the hay?” Rainbow Dash yelled, her head popping up from the snow.
Up ahead, the others had put together a snow fort, and now their friends lined the walls of the hastily assembled defenses. Despite the distance, Applejack could easily make out Pinkie Pie’s huge grin as Spike handed her another snowball. At Twilight’s side, a half-dozen perfect white spheres hovered, and Fluttershy perched atop the fort with a foreleg extended, frozen post-throw.
“Oh goodness,” Fluttershy called, covering her mouth. “I’m so sorry, Rarity! I didn’t mean to hit you!”
Rainbow Dash’s eyes hardened and Rarity’s horn glowed. Applejack pawed at the ground and let out a snort to go with her grin.
“I really kept trying to miss, honest. I didn’t mean to hit any of you,” Fluttershy said. She sat by the merrily crackling campfire nursing a small cup of tea.
“Yeah, well, you’re really bad at that, then.” Rainbow Dash grumbled, one hoof in her left ear trying to dig the snow out. “I still say it was unfair. It was four on three.”
Applejack didn’t bother to even comment, accepting another proffered pastry from Pinkie Pie. Pinkie was making the rounds with edibles, and Fluttershy—when she wasn’t constantly apologising for her unerring accuracy—had a handle on the tea. The snowball fight had led to another, and after a brief round of sledding, Rainbow Dash had demanded a rematch, capitulating only when the sun was low on the horizon. Drenched through their coats, the blankets came out, and the firewood was being piled on.
“This was a great idea,” Spike said, rubbing his hands together and leaning closer to the fire. “Are there any more marshmallows?”
“Hey, I know!” Dash said, leaning over to tap Twilight on the head. “Twilight’s not the only one who’s got good ideas, you know.”
“I never said anything like that,” Twilight protested, shaking Dash’s hoof off. “But I will take full credit for organising the supplies for this trip.”
Rarity huffed, sipping her own tea. “Really. Is this something to squabble over?”
“I don’t think it qualifies as a squabble,” Twilight said. “It’s not even a disagreement.”
Pinkie nodded, taking a seat next to Applejack. “Yeah! Disagreements are like when ponies can’t decide who won the last sleigh race. That was a disagreement!”
“Oh. Um, can we not—” Fluttershy tried.
“Here we go again,” Applejack sighed.
“You need to say if I can’t use my wings! Jeez guys, how many times do I have to tell you? I didn’t even fly, I just added a little extra speed.” Dash stuck out her tongue.
Twilight smiled ever so sweetly. “Yes, well, by that token, I should be able to use my magic, but in the interest of a fair race, I didn’t.”
“Wouldn’t have made a difference.”
“Yes it would.” Twilight scoffed.
Fluttershy glanced between the two arguing parties, fidgeting with her hooves. “Girls? Can we please not fight?”
Rainbow Dash frowned at Twilight, but after a glance at Fluttershy, she deflated an inch. “We’re not fighting! I mean, I’m not. Just—come on!”
Twilight giggled and shook her head, reaching over to touch Fluttershy’s side, at which the pegasus smiled. “Sorry. It really doesn’t matter.” She extended her other hoof to Rainbow Dash, who shook it. “Friends?”
“Well duh,” Dash said, but the silence didn’t hold for longer than it took for her grin to return. “But now I really wanna know if you could beat me down the hill.”
Twilight smirked and put her cup down by the campfire, rising to stand. “Alright. Let’s do this.” Her magic enveloped one of the simple sleds stacked by the snowfort’s walls, and Dash cackled as she grabbed her own, following Twilight towards the edge of the hill.
“Oh, I wanna see this!” Spike said, running after them.
“I suppose they will want a neutral judge.” Rarity unfolded her sunglasses with a touch of magic. Fluttershy followed in Rarity’s wake without a word, leaving Applejack and Pinkie Pie alone.
Applejack couldn’t tell exactly why she didn’t go with them. The fire hardly needed watching, but Pinkie Pie made no move to leave either. They sat side by side while Pinkie Pie munched away at a scone of some sort. Applejack carefully worked the kettle off the fire to pour herself another cup of tea.
Aside from occasional yells and whoops from over the white walls of their little winter fortress, it was quiet, and Applejack was no stranger to comfortable silences. Sometimes, ponies spoke far too much when they’d get more said by keeping their muzzles shut. At least that was the case with most ponies. Pinkie Pie? Pinkie, she didn’t know about. It was odd to see her quiet. Pinkie smiled when she noticed Applejack looking at her, scooting a little closer to lie on her back, propped up against and looking up at Applejack.
“What’re you thinking about? You look like you’re thinking!” Pinkie said.
“Nothing much,” Applejack lied.
Wishing you’d speak, though about what, I don’t particularly know or care, she didn’t say. Wishing you’d knock on my door again, though of course I wouldn’t want you to ever be sad, never again, but part of me misses that evenin’ in the barn when you told me something special, something for me to hear alone. I miss that more than most things, I reckon.
“We ain’t so different,” Applejack said, chewing the inside of her cheek. She took another sip of too-hot tea.
Pinkie Pie tilted her head, dragging her mane along Applejack’s side with a rustle. Flecks of snow mixed with the pink hair, and her big blue eyes blinked once.
“Wow. I’ve never had anypony say that before. Most ponies say I’m very, very different,” Pinkie said, giggle-snorting.
Applejack meant to laugh, but it never amounted to more than a smile. “Maybe it’s ‘cause we’re both earth ponies. Heavens if I know. All I do know I don’t feel all that special what with the whole Honesty thing. Could’ve been you as easily as me. You’re as true to yourself as anypony.”
Pinkie Pie looked like she’d protest, like she’d laugh it off and make a humorous anecdote or other, but evidently she thought the better of it.
“It ain’t about lying or not,” Applejack said. She ran her tongue along her teeth, looked past the campfire as though she could cast her gaze over the hill. A loud cheer from Rainbow Dash, then silence. “R.D., Rarity—most of the others, sometimes they’ll try to tell you they’re something they’re not. Say they are what they want to be.” She waved a hoof. “I ain’t never said a bad word about any friend of mine, and I won’t start now ‘cause it don’t have to be a bad thing, but you ain’t never lied about who or what you are. You’re loud, you’re silly, you’re fun and you’re in everypony’s face, but you never tried to be anything what you ain’t, either.”
“Actually, once, I pretended to be a hay bale. Wait, no, not once. Lots of times, but sure!” Pinkie giggled and tapped one hoof with the other as she counted. “Hay bale, an apple, a cardboard box that one time I was spying on Fluttershy when I wondered what she was up to at night—wow, I don’t think I spend a lot of time being Pinkie Pie at all. I must be a natural!”
“You know what I mean. Least I think so,” Applejack said, but it was hard to tell just from looking at her as Pinkie continued counting all her disguises and tricks just the last few weeks. Still, experience told her that part of Pinkie listened and understood—which was why her own frustration made no sense to Applejack. She’d said her piece. There was exactly nothing more needed to be said on the matter, yet still she felt pent up. Applejack sighed and shifted to sit a little closer. Pinkie didn’t protest, spearing a few marshmallows for grilling.
“You know you’re always welcome on the farm, right?” Applejack asked. “I ain’t just saying that.”
“I know,” Pinkie said, smiling up at her. “And thanks! You can come visit Sugarcube Corner any time you’d like too, but you know that. Oh, but if you forgot, then hey, you can come by whenever!”
“Yeah.”
Applejack watched the campfire’s flames dance for a moment, but they showed nothing. Instead, she looked over at the pony who lay at her side, so intently focused upon making exactly these marshmallows the perfect treat. Pinkie’s tongue stuck out of the side of her mouth, and her eyes were narrowed. Every now and then, her tail would twitch.
She missed the closeness of that one evening in the barn. Pinkie had come to her, and she’d felt needed. Part of something—something different, and she finally understood how. It began with an itch, a tensing of her forelegs. Applejack tried to keep her breathing normal, but her heart rebelled, hammering in her chest as though she faced down a hundred timber wolves and a dragon to boot. It explained everything. It was why she couldn’t rest. Why she was pulled out of her own home and couldn’t seem to mind.
She’d fallen for Pinkie Pie.
“Marshmallow?”
A marshmallow poked her snout, leaving a creamy sugar-smudge on her muzzle. Pinkie Pie waved the grilling fork in front of her.
“No. No thanks.” Applejack shook her head and looked away, glad of it when she heard the others’ voices. Rainbow Dash was the first to come into view, and Applejack hurried to stand.
“Aw. But they’re sugar-licious! Am I gonna have to eat all of this myself?” Pinkie called after her, but Applejack broke into a gallop to meet Rainbow Dash, suddenly very interested in how the race had gone, to be done with the evening and get home.
The impact of her hooves on packed snow was drowned out by the thunder in her chest. She’d felt needed, and she felt a need, things that were the realm of family, but this was Pinkie Pie. She tried in her mind to place her on the farm, and she failed miserably. The mare who mixed tutti frutti with baked beans wouldn’t fit. Everything would change, and Applejack was no friend to that word.
Would Pinkie Pie even want the same as she? Could she give Pinkie Pie what she wanted? There was entirely too much she didn’t know. Chance, chance and change. Her brain latched on to that second word. Who was to say it would even work? She remembered all too vividly the day Big Mac came home one evening in spring, one friendship less.
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3055736 Much obliged and glad! I hope the rest is to your liking, too!
Oh you evil little cliffhanger
Nice work, very interested to see how this story develops
What the hell happen with Big Mac???? I WANT TO KNOOOOOOOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is awesome, can't wait for more.
The development and interaction between Pinkie and Applejack is very nice, as I'd come to expect from you. Thank you for your good work.
When Applejack started talking to Pinkie during the walk to the picnic location, they already had this we-have-inside-jokes-vibe going. When they get together, they'll be unbearable
You tell quite a story here, and I can't wait to see more. Artfully told, and true to the character t'boot. I was cracking up at the blender line.
Wow. I want to know what happened to Big Mac. And Pinkie Pie and Apple Jack are so Cute together.
BTW. Are Twi and Dash a couple? But trying to hide it from the others? That'd be cool if they were and they opened up to the others about it and it helped AJ get over her indecision.
Ohhh I sense a Big Mac story!
DAMNIT AJ! Just tell her how you feel!
And I too, am curious about what happened with Big Mac.
Great story, i like the way you write Pinky and AJ, and the pace of your story, everything feel genuine and natural great work.
P.S. Pinky and and AJ baking muffin for the hospital, well it's just fair last time they baked some lots of people ended up in the hospital.
Come on AJ, ya just gotta give it a chance. Change can be good.
Great update! As I said before your characterization is spot on. I just love seeing all the girls having fun in this chapter, and I'd kinda like to see how that race turned out. Pretty sure Twilight could have won with teleportation pretty easily.
I'm wondering if Twilight and Rainbow might get together in this story if they aren't already. They seem to be have something going on in my opinion. And aw, AJ finally figured out her feelings for PInkie! This is so cuuuuuute! 
Can't wait for more! Plus I feel super bad for Big Mac, I'm wondering if that might have something to do with Cherilee. Anyways, keep up the good work! I sure can't wait to see more! 
This story is coming along quite nicely, I look forward to more!
To me, it's a tiny bit slow. But overall, I'm liking it.
MOAR!!!!
Yes, yes, what happened with Big Mac--but the REAL question is, how bad did Twilight beat Rainbow Dash in that race?
Dude...
This is awesome!
Keep up the good work.
That is easily one of the most devious cliffhangers I've ever encountered. I was already looking forward to updates, but now you drop this on me...
Why must you write such addicting stories!?
Guys, its Rares and Dash, not Twi and Dash.
3057526
I am sorry.
3060309 Probably the reason Caramel isn't helping around the farm anymore. It was mentioned in passing in the first chapter.
First off, your stories are always "must read chapter updates immediately" stories for me. There are a lot of stories I like, but yours always have me impatient for what the next chapter will bring.
As always, I really enjoy the pacing and description of the emotional states of the characters. Dialogue continues to be wonderful, as well. I'm particular enamored with "Her voice was as thin as it had never been before." I just really, really like that. I also like the slow, natural set-up of potential conflict here with Applejack's and Pinkie's differing perspectives on families and what duties you owe to your family.
I'd had it in my head that the night in the barn was the Beginning of Stuff Changing but not necessarily the Beginning of Applejack Falling for Pinkie Pie, so I wondered at AJ's realization in chapter seven that she's fallen for Pinkie. I found myself wishing for perhaps a short scene of AJ and Pinkie hanging out and growing closer to one another set between the end of the winter party and the beginning of the snowball fight party. But then I went back and reread with the idea that the night in the barn marked the Beginning of the Fall, and with that, things all seemed to fall into place quite nicely. I dunno if I just came in with too many assumptions about how things would go or just missed stuff in that earlier chapter, but I thought it might be worth mentioning.
Very much looking forward to chapter eight!
3034568 …two answers to that. First, 15/15 is a combination of 6. So does Celestia count as one of your selection of six? I'm pretty sure she doesn't, but I very much wish she did… Tia is rarely shipped with any mane 6 character aside from Twilight. Second… I can't wait for your Twinkie!
3060146 Sorry for the cliffhangers if they're perceived as annoying! I know I hate the things myself, which is very unfortunate when I also love ending chapters mid-action and starting chapters in medias res.
3060159 It's not exactly a new definition, and I don't know from where the (butchered) quote comes from, but I always found it very sweet as well.
3060309 3060492 I promise it'll be revealed maybe sometime possibly!
3060314 Wait no longer! (i.e. I'm enabling the next two chapters once I finish commenting here.) Hope it's to your liking!
3060404 Naww, I think ponies have a fairly robust cuteness tolerance--except maybe Rainbow Dash who may throw up I guess.
3060445 Much appreciated, hope not to disappoint as we move forward! Quite a bit of story left to tell.
3060467 Since I don't think it's much of a spoiler, no, I didn't write this fic intending anypony else to really be in a relationship--which makes it extra funny (and sweet!) that people see all kinds of ships here that I didn't intend. TwiDash, RariDash, FlutterDash, RariLight etc., people've reported all these things, and I'm just all, oh. Okay?
Don't get me wrong: people can take the scenes however they like! I'll never ever say "no they're not together"--I don't control how people read the story, and I wouldn't want to. If people see ships here I didn't plan, then that's fine! I'm kinda coming around to the idea myself, hah.
3082689 Wonderful!
3060517 Didn't expect this many reactions to the AJ thinger, oh my. We'll see what happens on that front!
3060705 Glad you like! And hah, yeah, I guess this is some sort of unannounced penance for their last joint baking effort.
3060711 It took a lot of effort not to reply to this with a political comment. A lot.
3062741 To be fair, it did tear at her while she did this--it wasn't some effortless thing, but something spurred on by a desire to help. I think you're entirely correct that AJ could've made Twi come along without giving the full truth (and I like the suggested angle a lot), but the issue there is the same as with FS: it'd just be adding to the lies, muddying the waters even more when she can make it simple instead.
At least that was how I saw her thinking--straight line for the truth etc!
3063028 I can't remember if I comment on the race again later, but in case I did (or in case I didn't, too) I shan't say much, hah. Some of these questions are bound to get answered in any case!
3064458 Thanks! Next batch going up right about now, matter o'fact!
3064463 Afraid that "slow" describes almost all my stories at this point, hah. I hope it's entertaining still, or at least worth it, for you!
3065848 My lips are sealed, and I'm not saying I know, but I know.
3066046 Thank you very much!
3069109 The way I chapterize means that there's a cliffhanger pretty much any way I go about it, sorry!
3069845 No, no, it's RariLight! (I joke. (And enjoy seeing how many different, conflicting ships people read into this.))
3071841 First, thank you much!
On the--hm. Pacing, I guess? I hesitate to call your comment one on pacing because you said you enjoyed the pacing specifically, but I always feel critique that pops up on first read and disappears on a re-read, that's the absolute worst. It's so hard to react to "this is off--wait, no it's not," and as a reader, one can often struggle to find back to the problem after it's gone, you know?
Bluntly, though, I see your point about the winter picnic. The simple truth is that I had run out of points to make, and I struggled enough trying to jam another scene in before ch7 to smooth things out (which I decided not to do), and that's probably why I struggled to make the picnic longer. Given another chance, I might have seen if I couldn't redo the chapter to make it less rushed. I love my scene transitions, but I might've gone overboard in that chapter.
3074109 Yeah, I mean the mane6 only--that's not to say I don't have more ideas with Celly and Luna, but I consider those secondary objectives, I guess!
3075254 What surprises me isn't that people read that in a dirty way (y'all are nuts), but the sheer variety of ways in which people read that dirtily.
AJ not liking change seems to be something that's deeply ingrained in your headcannon. Not criticizing, I just remembered how during "Within or Without" you described AJ as "The Rock". Which, given where we're headed later on, is actually pretty funny now that I think about it. Well, to me at least.
This chapter shows of one of the things you do really well, Cloudy, namely, you manage to use the mane six all at once, including everypony but not letting anypony's parts feel like forced just to give them a line to say. I've seen a lot of authors end up falling into the patten of <development> <pony 1 says something in character> <pony 2 says something in character> ... <pony 6 says something in character> <next development><pony 1 says something in character>, <pony 2 says something in character>...
You never seem to fall into that trap, but you don't forget anypony either.
Wonderful! I think this is one of the only applepie stories that actually hooked me so great job there! As others said it would be neat to have twidash as a background pairing here and maybe something aj can use as an example! Now time to keep reading!