Chapter 3
Applejack walked slowly into town as the sun set that evening. She’d finished her work for the day, but she’d spent most of the time just thinking. She was still thinking now, about feelings, about right and wrong, about Twilight. All things that seemed simple on the surface, but became more complicated the more she thought.
As she passed the Carousel Boutique, she saw Rarity and Rainbow Dash slip inside. Normally she would have called to them, but she blushed and worried about what she might be interrupting. Of course, they might be going inside to talk, or play Battlecloud. It was really none of Applejack’s business either way, and she should have left it at that when she talked to Dash earlier. Then maybe she wouldn’t have fought with Dash, or talked to Twilight, and Twilight wouldn’t have talked to Rarity…
Those apples were already in the pie. All that mattered now was what Applejack thought, and what Twilight thought. And as Applejack came to the library, she thought the best way to figure those things out was to go inside, so she opened the door.
The lights were on, but Twilight was nowhere to be seen as Applejack stepped inside.
“Twilight?” Applejack called hesitantly, not really wanting to disturb her if she was reading.
“Hey, AJ,” Spike said, appearing in the doorway from the kitchen. “Twilight’s upstairs in the bedroom.”
Applejack froze. “S-she is?”
“Yeah, she said you guys had some private stuff to talk about, and it wasn’t fair to make me stay up there all night.” Spike sat down on a pillow in the main room and opened up a comic book. “No access to the kitchen, ya’ know.”
“Oh, well… I reckon that makes sense… I’ll just go on up there, to talk, cause, heh, what else would two ponies be doin’--” the blush forming on Applejack’s cheeks with each word forced her to stop talking before Spike looked up and noticed what she was saying. “Er, seeya later.”
“Later,” Spike said with an absent minded wave as Applejack made her way upstairs.
Applejack climbed the stairs and peeked into Twilight’s room. She half expected dim lighting, romantic music, and Twilight lying on the bed, smiling seductively. Instead, Twilight was on her balcony, looking through her telescope at the newly starry sky. She turned and smiled at Applejack, and Applejack couldn’t help but smile back.
“Heya,” Applejack said, as Twilight trotted over to offer a nuzzle which was happily accepted.
“Hi. Thanks for coming over tonight.” Twilight smiled, seeming a little nervous as she floated two cushions for them to sit on. “I couldn’t wait to talk to you, I’ve been thinking all afternoon.”
Applejack made herself comfortable on the pillow next to Twilight’s. “What’s on your mind?”
Twilight ruffled her wings and looked at the ceiling in thought. “Well, I talked to Rarity. And she had some pretty good points.”
Applejack just bit her lip and nodded for Twilight to continue.
“Mainly that without…” Twilight blushed, but pressed on, “having sex, we don’t know if we enjoy the same things, or if we’ll be happy with that part of our relationship in the long term. And, well, that’s important to me. I don’t want you to be with a pony that doesn’t make you happy, and I know you don’t want that for me.”
Applejack felt her stomach turn at the idea that she might not make Twilight happy, but she just nodded again.
Twilight eyed Applejack suspiciously and went on, “But, of course, there are still the reasons we both have for waiting. Those are perfectly good ones… I still want my first time to be with somepony I really love, and I know you’re waiting for the one special pony you want to spend your life with.” She wrapped a wing around Applejack. “I think those are good things. And I know now that I wouldn’t want to do what Rarity and Rainbow Dash did. They’re good ponies, but that kind of impulsive behavior isn’t for us. I’m really glad I found a pony who likes to be sure before jumping into something important like this.”
Applejack breathed a sigh of relief and scooted closer to Twilight. “I’m glad too, sugarcube.”
“AJ, there’s something else I’ve been thinking about.” Twilight said softly. Applejack could feel her breath as she spoke, “We’ve been dating a lot, and spending a lot of time together. How do you feel about that?”
Applejack frowned. It wasn’t that she was unhappy, it was that this cut to the heart of all of the thoughts she’d had since this morning. Thoughts that could never really put themselves in a row. But Twilight was looking at her, growing more worried by the second, and she had to say something. Enough that Twilight might understand, at least.
“You know I love it, Twilight. I been thinking about that today, myself. I-- I know I got feelin’s for ya’. And I know they’re more than bein’ friends and more than just likin’ to spend time together… I told ya’ about the special pony I wanna spend my life with, well, sometimes I imagine that’s you, and it makes me so happy. I know it’s just fancies, it’s too soon to know somethin’ like that, but… I know I gotta do anythin’ I can that might make that happen. I wanna hope for that, so bad… I just...” Trailing off made sense, it was more or less what her thoughts had done. But unlike earlier, one thing was clear, looking in Twilight’s eyes. “Twilight… I been thinkin’ I love you.”
Twilight grinned and let out a deep breath. “That's just what I was thinking. I was so confused at first, then I outlined everything in a bubble chart, and I kept connecting thoughts, but one was missing that should have connected a lot of things. It took me forever, but I finally realized that the one missing was ‘I love her’! I mean, you. I love you, Applejack.” Twilight’s eyes were shining, and Applejack fought the urge to throw her hat into the air and and let out a shout. “You’re right, of course, it is too soon to know if we’re going to spend our lives together, but, I’ve thought about it too. And I liked thinking about it.” Twilight gave another happy sigh and melted against Applejack. “I think we’re at the next stage of our relationship.”
“So, what oughta happen now?” Applejack asked, nuzzling Twilight.
“Well, we practice loving each other for a while, I guess.” Twilight gave Applejack a peck on the cheek. “We think seriously about spending our lives together, and talk about it, and see if it’s something that would really work, in the long run.”
“That sounds amazin’,” Applejack said, beaming. Everything about Twilight was perfect. Knowing that Twilight loved her, that she wanted to think about a life together, nothing could have made this moment better.
“I’m looking forward to it. And…” Twilight looked down. Her cheeks colored, but she was still smiling and leaning against Applejack as she went on, “You know I wanted to wait until I found a pony I really loved. Well, I think that if-- I mean, if we made love, it would be everything I’ve been waiting for. I really love you.”
“I love you too, Twilight,” Applejack said, trying to remain calm, despite a sudden wave of terror. “I-- I really love you. I just--” The words dried in her mouth. She couldn’t lose this. She couldn’t see disappointment in those big, purple eyes. Not tonight, when everything was going so well.
“You just what?” Twilight said gently, looking concerned.
Applejack licked her lips nervously, and looked around. They’d both agreed it was too soon to know, but… they were hoping to be together forever. That was something. Right now it was the most important thing in the world to Applejack. And Twilight was beautiful, Applejack knew that there would be nothing she wouldn’t like about putting her hooves all over that body. And if it didn’t make Rarity or Rainbow Dash bad ponies, then...
“Oh, ponyfeathers.” Applejack stood up. She flipped her hat off her head and bit her ribbons out of her mane and tail. She shook her hair free, then stood, shifting her weight from one hoof to the other anxiously as she looked down. “If you wanna… get in bed, I reckon I can make this special for ya’... for both of us. I don’t have much practice, but I hope it can be as magic as ya’ always wanted.”
“Applejack, is that what you want?” Twilight said, looking up at Applejack from the cushion.
“I told ya’, I love you,” Applejack said firmly. “And, it ain’t like I don’t think about this. It don’t make sense to not do somethin’ we both think about, if it’s gonna cost me the pony I love.”
Twilight frowned and flapped to her hooves. “Hey, I didn’t say anything about this costing you my love!” Her face softened as she landed in front of Applejack and looked in her eyes. “I appreciate this; I really, really appreciate it. You have no idea how amazing you look right now, with your hair down… but it’s not right unless this is what you want. You told me earlier why waiting is important to you. Did you change your mind?”
“No.” Applejack shook her head and looked away. “But I wanna make you happy, Twilight. Datin’ three months ain’t enough time to know if you’re the pony I wanna be with forever, but if it makes you happy, it’s worth a gamble on that. If it don’t work out… well… I guess whoever I end up with will havta understand what’s important to me right now.”
“You don’t have to gamble that just to make me happy.” Twilight raised Applejack’s face with a gentle hoof. “I’ve been happy with you for three months now, I don’t think I’m going to stop just because I know we love each other.”
“If you wanna do that, how can ya’ be really happy with a pony who don’t?” Applejack asked.
“Let me worry about that.” Twilight smiled. “It’s easier when you can use magic.”
Applejack raised her eyebrows and smiled, despite herself. Then the smile faded. “But what about knowin’ if we’re all compatible?”
“We don’t know if we’re compatible in a lot of ways, yet.” Twilight pointed out. “There’s a lot to learn about another pony. I’m not in a rush to figure out if we have the same views on raising foals, or planning for retirement, so I can wait for this one, too. Right now, I’m really just happy to have a pony I love, who loves me back.”
“Really?” Applejack tried another smile.
“Uh-huh.” Twilight nodded, her eyes shining with affection.
Applejack grinned and leaned in to kiss Twilight. She wrapped a hoof around the back of Twilight’s head, holding her close, and neither pony moved to break free for a long time.
When they did finally part, Applejack’s grin returned right away. “I do love ya’, Twi. And I’ll do anythin’ you ask to prove it.”
Twilight smiled seductively. “Will you… listen to me practice giving a lecture on types of magical ink?”
Applejack raised an eyebrow. “You sure you don’t wanna hop in bed?” Then a pillow in a pink glow smacked her in the face and she chuckled. “Of course I will. I’ll probably learn a thing or two.”
“Will you cuddle me while I practice giving a lecture on types of magical ink?” Twilight asked sweetly, sitting on down on her cushion and floating a scroll over to herself.
“Yup!” Applejack said, sitting right next to Twilight and leaning against her with a nuzzle. “I might even stay awake now.”
Twilight giggled and opened her scroll, scanning it. Applejack just leaned against her soft body, nose buried in her fresh, clean mane, waiting to hear that sweet voice saying all of those smart things she knew.
Applejack couldn’t help whispering, “Twilight… thank you. For understandin’. It means a lot to me.”
Twilight’s wing wrapped around Applejack and she kissed her on the cheek. “You mean a lot to me, AJ. I’ll always do my best to understand.”
***
The next weekend, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity waited under the light of the Ponyville Cinema marquee. They hadn’t been there long when Applejack came trotting up the road from Sweet Apple Acres.
Twilight flew to her girlfriend, greeting her with a long, lingering kiss before anypony could say a word.
“My, my. That was quite a greeting.” Rarity smirked and fluffed her mane as the two parted, both blushing a little.
“It’s just nice to see her,” Twilight said, grinning from ear to ear.
Applejack chuckled. “There’s not much nicer than that.”
Rainbow raised an eyebrow at Twilight. “Weren’t you just at Sweet Apple Acres this afternoon?”
The color on Twilight’s cheeks deepened, and she leaned in closer to Applejack. “Well… it’s nice to see her again.”
With a smirk, Rainbow Dash turned to Applejack, “So, AJ, are things gooood now?”
Applejack raised both eyebrows back at the pegasus. “I don’t believe that’s any of your business, Rainbow Dash. Me and Twilight couldn't be happier.”
“Ha! I knew it!” Rainbow crowed.
“You don’t know a thing.” Applejack turned to Twilight and winked, which made Twilight giggle.
“Well, Twilight certainly seems happy.” Rarity smiled as Rainbow landed next to her and draped a wing over her back.
“Oh, I am.” Twilight nodded. “We had a long talk the other night, and said some important things.”
“Yeah, in your bedroom,” Rainbow teased.
“Well, yes,” Twilight agreed.
“Way to go, AJ!” Rainbow offered her hoof for a bump.
Applejack rolled her eyes. “It ain't like that!”
“It really isn't. Applejack just told me about her feelings for me, and I feel the same way. We’re taking our relationship a little more seriously.” Twilight smiled at Applejack, and couldn't seem to resist rubbing her cheek on her girlfriend’s.
“I’m sure, darling.” Rarity smirked. “You two will have to stop nuzzling to pay for your tickets, though.”
“Yeah, you don’t have to prove to everypony that you did it,” Rainbow said with a dismissive wave.
Applejack stomped her hoof. “I don’t gotta prove nothin’ because we didn't do nothin’!”
“Whatever you say…” Rainbow teased.
“Well, we did do something…” Twilight pointed out, earning another smirk and raised eyebrows from Rainbow to Applejack before she went on with a smirk of her own, “And from what I hear, Rainbow Dash has never done it.”
“Hey! What do you know? What did Rarity tell you?” Rainbow demanded, the smirk wiped from her face. She looked to Rarity, who just shrugged. Then Rainbow glared at Twilight. “There’s nothing that AJ could do in the bedroom that I haven’t done.”
Twilight just kept her smirk firmly on her face. “She told me she loves me.”
Rainbow stared, her mouth hanging open. “That doesn't count!”
“That is something you've never done, Rainbow,” Rarity pointed out.
“We've only been dating a week! It’s way too soon for that.” Rainbow said, giving Rarity an exasperated look.
“I know, Dash,” Applejack said, smiling. “But you’ll be ready someday.”
“Yeah, when you find just the right pony, it’s worth the wait,” Twilight added.
“But, if ya’ need any pointers, just lemme know,” Applejack finished, lightly punching Rainbow’s shoulder as she and Twilight walked past Rarity and Rainbow to the ticket booth.
Rainbow pouted, almost forgetting about the hot mare next to her until she felt a hoof gently turn her face. Rarity looked into Rainbow’s eyes and smiled.
“Rainbow…” she said softly, “I’m happy to be waiting for that.”
Rainbow couldn't help but smile back. “Me too.”
Also LikedSimilarAuthor
- bookplayer · 5.7k words · 488 16 · 5.8k views
- bookplayer · 23k words · 471 21 · 6.5k views
- bats · 8.4k words · 897 30 · 12k views
- bookplayer · 7.4k words · 809 32 · 13k views
- Dianwei32 · 29k words · 457 50 · 7.8k views
- bookplayer · 12k words · 1,072 34 · 11k views
- Donnys Boy · 5.2k words · 593 18 · 8.3k views
Stats
Page generated in 0.165 seconds
Total duration
1,046 users online
2,078,376 hits today, 1,872,792 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
3926337
So much this.
~Skeeter The Lurker
Suddenly a Bookplayer fic out of nowhere!
And I'm more than ok with this.
TwiJack and RariDash in the same fic?
By Bookplayer?
i.imgur.com/bCTTqoQ.gif
I wish it wasn't so late now. I really should head to bed, but I can't wait to read this.
3926337 3927065
Thanks so much, both of you.
3927079
I'm sneaky like that. Like a fic postin' ninja.
3927102
Go to bed... but don't forget to check it out later!
Ooh, I am so reading this. Tonight if possible. Sorry for the relatively worthless comment for the moment, but this sounds excellent, and I'm really looking forward to when I can find some free time later, now!
A lovely little story. Not that I was expecting it from you, but stuff like this is often a straw man argument for one side or the other, and it's nice to see it handled as the complex thing that it is, and something that's personal and doesn't have a right or wrong answer.
Twilight resolves romance problems with charts?
HEADCANON ACCEPTED
3927246
Yeah... damn my ability to see two sides of an issue, otherwise I could've gotten a good comment war going here!
And, thank you. I'm glad you like it.
Aaaaaah, surprise bookplayer fic!
Aaaaaah, surprise TwiJack/RariDash!
But in all seriousness, this was a great look into two couples with very different views on love and sex, and it was pretty awesome to watch it play back and forth the way it did. Very satisfying.
You are brilliant, you are.
Wonderful story. Thanks for posting it.
3927295
"Applejack, wonderful news, according to my calculations I love you!"
This is probably a love song fit for Twilight, actually:
3927520 3927517
If you guys don't think that girls can do things long and hard without a guy involved...
Loved this pretty much from the opening paragraph.
3927537 I will stay as ignorant/innocent as I want to, thank you very much!
Very nice story overall, though the TINIEST part of me wonders if you didn't handle it the way you did so that no one on either 'side' would get terribly insulted, but on the other hand... Well, it was an interesting read for sure, though I didn't get my curiosity sated quite for the why for Rares. (Though that's probably part of her backstory for her first time, how that affected her, etc, so it's fine that I don't completely get her. XD)
Would be cool if this got featured, so I'll cross my fingers.
EDIT: Derp. It already is! XD Congrats!
i.imgur.com/ocGSs.png
An absolutely wonderful read, as per usual. This is all I could think of to say, sorry for the lackluster comment.
I just realized I have never read anything by bookplayer...
Well, time to make my read later list exceed 100.
3927785
)
In terms of skirting the line here, I honestly wasn't trying to not step on toes... or if I was, it was because I don't like to step on the toes of people's real experiences. I know couples my age who waited until they were married, and couples who slept together on their first date (or before.) In both cases, I've seen those relationships work and fail. (If there's any difference, the only one I've noticed is that people who are waiting for marriage tend to get married a lot quicker than those who aren't... it would't be polite to speculate on the reasons for that.
As for Rarity, that may be my mistake as a writer. What I was going for is that Rarity tries to be a lady, but it doesn't really come naturally to her. She flirts, throws herself at potential mates, manipulates ponies, and likes to indulge herself. It would be much more ladylike to wait patiently for a commitment from Dash, for true love, but she couldn't help herself. But she's worried that by not waiting, she's going to miss out on those "finer things" that are what she actually wants. So, her conversation with Dash is about Dash reminding her that love and commitment are not off the table, not even unlikely, they just aren't there yet.
I'm glad you enjoyed the fic, though! Maybe I'll do a follow up someday that goes more in depth with Rarity.
Interesting, so many comments talking about the two sides of the argument, but there is no two sides. Despite their similarities, making love and sex are two different things, this story illustrates that perfectly. Yes Rarity and Rainbow have a completely different approach to their relationship than Twilight and Applejack, but ultimately they were comparing two different things. It's any wonder they all ended up a bit confused, but at least it worked out in the end.
Very well done, The development was well worth the proximity to a dividing line between lust and love.
Keep on being awesome!
3928579
Well, to be fair, people used to not be engaged for nearly as long as we are these days. It is a major difference in culture in more than one way, and I suspect the old-fashioned folk DO get married faster... because people used to get married faster. I mean nowadays, if someone starts dating and gets married in a year, I'm like "Wow, you crazy kids, what about waiting?" But that used to be normal - a lot of people got married within a year.
And even then, we all know the old saying, the first baby doesn't always take nine months.
I think it really has to do with how these things are perceived culturally, rather than the idea that they're trying to jump into bed faster. People also get divorced a lot more often these days (and divorcees are between 50% and 75% more likely to get divorced again, after having done so once), and, interestingly, for a long time, cohabitation prior to marriage increased divorce rates, but that linkage has declined in more recent years, possibly because pretty much everyone is doing it these days (apparently close to 70% of the population now does so prior to getting married). Culture isn't a static thing, and the people today aren't the same as they were fifty years ago. Heck, marriages today are more stable than marriages that started in the 1970s.
As for the story itself... I actually wasn't super enamored with it. The dialogue wasn't super punchy, and the tension didn't really get to me. I liked the idea behind the story, and noting that Applejack and Twilight were raised (though only in part in Twilight's case) by OLD PONIES is kind of amusing, and what that could mean for them in common wasn't something I'd really thought about previously (individually, I had, but not as a commonality between them). But the actual core of the story didn't grab me, the conflict didn't ever really suck me into things, the stakes never felt all that high, and I wasn't really hearing their voices in my head. I felt disconnected from it throughout, and in a few places the telling about how the ponies were feeling didn't feel right to me - not that telling was necessarily wrong, but it just didn't feel evocative enough.
TL; DR; Rawr I'm TD and I hate everything.
I think trust should be the important thing here where this issue is, I think it's a very untrustworthy thing for Rainbow to brag.
3927537
Well in this case it's true because Twilight has a horn...
3928959 It's okay, TD. We all know you're a robot built during the torrid portion of a salacious affair between a Statistician and an Historian that had a Psychology hobby.
I always check the feature box before my notifications. This was in second place: So first of all congrats, second, awesome!
So I was just about to read this when I saw A Fact for Twilight in the sidebar and then I realized that it was you who posted this. I have a bad habit of reading a story without looking at who wrote it, but I guess that helps because I don't just look for popular authors.
So yeah, ninja story. I will now commence reading.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Besides the fact that it's TwiJack and RariDash, the relationship dynamics (and the dynamics between the two relationships) were fun and incredibly enjoyable to read. What you talked about here is a complex issue, and the way you handled it with both sides of the "argument" was incredibly well done.
3928579
Basically what I got from it at first glance is this:
--- Rarity and Rainbow Dash just jumped into bed, and basically had sex w/o truly being known for each other.
--- Twilight and Applejack have determined that they are in love with each other, but they want to truly know before going deeper.
Not that it's gonna say one side is better than the other, but it's important to understand what your lover wants and understands from you, and vice-versa. Some want to go all balls ahead, some want it nice and slow, and some (in Rarity's case) want to have a bit of both.
I just hope that both couples are able to stay together........and I'm gonna stop right there, because if I put in any more, it's gonna go into Spike territory, and I understand that this story was not supposed to see that angle.
RariDash is a rare one, so I was mainly intrigued to learn how that came about. Not much background info there, sadly. Still, a nice way to compare two different viewpoints on a matter. Just an all around good story that I enjoyed reading. The little rubbing from AJ towards RD at the end was the icing on the cake.
SUDDENLY BOOKPLAYER
I think you have garnered yourself another watcher.
I like that this manages to look at the idea of waiting for sex or not, and despite AJ's comments at the start (which were admittedly made when provoked) it doesn't take any kind of moral high ground either way. I dare say that's a good lesson for some folks in real life.
This got me all sniffly.
I really like this story. Actually, come to think of it, I really like this story. It's not perfect, and I think there's some repetitive action breaking up the dialogue (e.g. an awful lot of smirking), but I like the idea of doing a more dialogue-heavy piece. I really like the characterization on Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash—all three feel pretty much dead on for romantic versions of themselves, to me. Applejack a bit less than the others for me, but I still think she's very well done and I suspect just about all my disconnect there can probably be chalked up to me having thought about her a whole lot less than you. Also, I have weird headcanon about AJ characterization. So yeah, that's probably all me. But again, I did really like all four of them, her included.
I also really liked how you handled the material. I've got friends all across the spectrum on this subject, and it was cool to see it treated so thoroughly. I think the bit that hit me the hardest here, though, was Rarity questioning herself in Chapter 2. It made me feel particularly bad for her. Pretty much constant sniffling past that point.
The biggest strength of this story, though, is the pacing. It's 8400 words, and it moves. This is some nice, efficient storytelling, and I think a lot of writers would do well to pay attention to your economy of words here. The story's pretty much just exploring its topic, not wandering off into a whole lot of other places, but it's a very solid exploration as many people have already said, and so I don't think the restricted scope hurts it at all.
This is a great story, certainly one of my two favorites I've read from you, and I'm very happy to have it in my favorites list.
Dat ending! I literally put both hands to my face and "awwed." Cute puppy videos ain't got nothin' on this story.
Also, I like how you took a normal, everyday issue and kinda delved into it from multiple angles. Which is like, your thing. You're all like, "Oh, you thought a topic like this would be boring just because it's more commonplace than rampaging hydras? Think again!"
I'm not really sure if you say that. Maybe you do and then start typing away manically - that'd be pretty great, actually.
Also also: stop writing cute Twijack. I'm determined to remain "meh" about it, but it's growing increasingly difficult because people keep writing it well. I don't want to have to alter my preconceived notions, darn it.
Anywho, rambling aside - thanks for a lovely little read. It's nice to take a jaunt through the characters' heads sometimes, and you always make it a fun trip.
I'm probably speaking from personal opinion here, but I thought Rainbow Dash in this fic was kind of... grating.
Regardless, I thought it was a nice little fic. And that's all I've got to say about that.
I very much liked the message. Want to have sex? Don't want to have sex? Do whatever you want, do what feels right.
It tingled my feels.
The only thing I found that I didn't really enjoy much was the ships were super weird. I could just never see those relationships happening.
3932393
Pffft.
We all know the true pairings for those in this story as follows:
SpikeJack
SpikeDash
TwiSpike
RariMac
Spike is obviously in this story, though Big Mac isn't.
3932806
Oh, this is good enough in my opinion to overlook such things. He writes it so adorably.
3932822
I hear that. I almost do that to every single story where Time Turner is Dr Whooves. Seriously, it hurts my head just reading most of them. And what's the use of coming here to read something you don't like reading?
3933078
Can I ask you why it is you feel this is an appropriate place to be bemoaning ships you don't like/complaining about people disliking ships you do like? Do you go into coffee shops and start complaining about how you hate the taste of coffee and really want a milkshake? What exactly are you trying to accomplish here, aside from expressing your distaste over something you don't like in a public place like a petulant child?
3932806 3932836
If I may?
Bookplayer's Guide to Shipping Etiquette
Awww, so cute! This story really made sense to me. All the characters were very cannon and almost exactly like they are in the show, even though the subject matter would never really occur because it's a children's show. Neither Twijack or RariDash is a very popular shipping, but now that I see the two pairs in action, I see that they really do make sense! I glad that all four ponies' morals stayed the same while their relationships changed for the better. I gotta hand it to you, this story gets a 5/5 stars!
I only wish I could write dialogue and relationships as well as you do. You give these characters so much emotional depth, make them so believable...it's astounding.
I enjoyed this reading
You have gotten a lot of this kind of comment already, but I want to add my voice to the praise. I thought about striking in the first chapter, but I held my comments until I finished the whole story, and now I feel I understand what you were going for, how you wanted this story to end, and think I am ready to say the things I've wanted to say. You did something with this story that very few writers have dared to do. You took a controversial, physical act that we see a lot of different sides to in Ponydom, especially in fan fiction, and went a way that was unexpected. It is nice to see that you took a different approach than normal. As someone who holds to what appears to be a minority viewpoint on this physical act among the demographic of Bronies, I am glad to see that you allowed Applejack to go through what she did and still come out not looking worse for it.
So thank you, bookplayer, for having Applejack not catch Rainbow by the tail as she flew away in Chapter 1.
3936672
It's more that you can have opinions, as long as you express them in the correct place. It's fine to have the opinion "My teacher has a nice butt." It's even fine to tell your friends "Our teacher has a nice butt." However, you can't express that in your classroom, to your teacher. The opinion is fine, expressing it is fine, but where you express it matters.
If you like RariJack, and are disappointed that this fic isn't RariJack, might I direct you to the RariJack group (now admined by my good buddies Merc the Jerk, and bats, who you were talking to below), which would be the correct place to express this opinion. Maybe someone there will write a fic like it! Your own blog is also a good place to express that opinion. You can turn it into gifs, and plaster it all over your user page. You could make an entire group dedicated to the question of why this fic isn't RariJack.
In the comments of this fic, though, this isn't useful to anyone. I can't magically make the fic RariJack, and I wouldn't if I could. No fic I write is ever going to be RariJack, so you're wasting your time and mine in posting it here.
And that's the connection, the reaon I liked this fic was that it didn't take sides, it felt very neutral and instead took another side, that you can physically and emotionally love without making a compromise towards one or the other.
A real, relatable, slice of life.
3937492 Applejack's mentality that people that have pre-marital sex are bad.
3937645
I found Rainbow's mentality to be more grating. She clearly looked down on Applejack's lifestyle, too.
I enjoyed the story and thought it made good, mature points.
On the other hand, I just had this thought that I couldn't really resolve. Considering Rainbow/Rarity's viewpoint on sex, especially in chapter 2, why would they ever be monogamous? What I mean is, if being good friends with someone and them being reasonably attractive is good enough reason to have sex, then why would they feel obligated to just be with each other? I guess the morality of swinger parties is a bit outside the scope of what this story was trying to address...
But in ch. 3, the possibility of Rarity and Rainbow's relationship and sex becoming truly special emerges. In which case, aren't they just trying to become what Twilight and Applejack already are?