Change

by Just A Random Pegasus

Sleepover and Insomnia

After Applejack arrived back at the farm that night, she took Flim's advice and went right to sleep, ignoring everyone who was trying to talk to her as she walked to the house. She felt bad, but she didn't want anyone else to add onto her stress. She wanted to actually get a good night's sleep.

As she woke up the next morning to the rooster crowing, dread settled in her stomach. She would have to hear from her family how many customers they lost. Sighing, she got out of bed, walking over to the mirror and grabbing a hairbrush. She started brushing out the knots, stretching her back legs at the same time. As she did, she couldn't help but notice how nice her back was feeling today. It's typically stiff from all the apple bucking she does, but now, it was perfectly fine. Before Flim leaves, I'll have to ask him for another one of those...

After getting ready, she stepped downstairs, seeing Granny making breakfast. Applejack raised a brow.

"Granny? Why're y'all up so early?"

Granny smiled. "Oh, hey, AJ! Ah just thought Ah should make breakfast for ya. Y'all seemed stressed yesterday, and Ah had a feelin' ya wouldn't want ta make it yerself."

Applejack blinked, taking a seat. "Oh. Thanks, Granny." She looked around. "Where are Apple Bloom and Mac?"

Granny put a plate of pancakes on the table, the smell instantly grabbing Applejack's attention. "Bloom's at school, and Mac is in town for somethin'."

Applejack looked at the clock. "Wow. Ah came downstairs later than Ah thought."

Granny nodded. "Ya sure did." She sat down next to her granddaughter, taking a pancake and slowly eating it. Applejack did the same, though she ate at a much quicker speed. Applejack quickly cleared her plate, wiping off her lips.

"Thanks again, Granny! These were real good!"

Granny smiled. "No problem, dear."

"Also, Granny, can Ah have off today? My friends planned a sleepover for tonight."

Granny nodded her head. "Yup! Ah don't think any of us will be workin' today, honestly. We're dealin' with the public."

Applejack's ears flopped. "Oh. Y'all sure ya don't want me ta help?"

Granny shook her head. "No, we're fine, dear. We saw how y'all couldn't handle it yesterday."

Applejack felt a blush rise up her cheeks. "Uh... Ah was just... real stressed."

Granny nodded. "Ah know. Ah'm not tryin' to embarrass ya, 'cause we know the reason ya broke down was because of the stress. Give it a few days before dealin' with other ponies."

Applejack nodded. "Alright."

"So... when are ya leavin'?"

Applejack shrugged. "I dunno. Probably in a few hours."

Granny nodded. "Alright. In the meantime, can ya sweep the floors? My hip is killin' me."

Applejack nodded. "Sure thing, Granny."

---

Applejack left the orchard, her sleeping bag slung across her back. The sun basked on her face, and she was secretly glad she didn't have to work today. The heat would have been dreadful to work in.

She walked up to Twilight's castle, walking inside. Pinkie never told her when or where to meet, but she had a pretty good guess she was in the right place. And, sure enough, giggling was heard the second she walked in. She made her way to the throne room, seeing Twilight and Pinkie conversing, the two laughing about something. Applejack waved.

"Hey!" She greeted, setting her sleeping bag down. Pinkie gasped.

"Oh, hi! I thought you would be the last one to show up!"

Applejack shook her head, sitting on her throne. "Nope. Ah didn't have ta work today. But, anyway, y'all never gave me the location or time of this here party."

Pinkie shrugged. "I tried to tell you last night when I saw you running back from somewhere! You ran into your house before I could say anything!"

Applejack blinked. "Oh. Ah'm sorry. Ah just needed rest."

Twilight nodded. "That's understandable. We saw how you ran away beforehand."

Applejack looked to the ground. "Uh... yeah. Ah was under too much stress."

Pinkie jumped over to her and threw a hoof around her. "And it's okay to run and cry! You have to let it all out somehow!"

Applejack smiled. "Yeah. Thanks, Pinkie."

"No problemo!" She said, bouncing up onto the cutie map.

"Pinkie, I would appreciate it if you don't sit on that. Spike just cleaned it," Twilight said. Pinkie jumped off.

"Alright, fine," she said, blowing a raspberry at Twilight and earning an eye roll from her.

Applejack looked around, raising an eyebrow. "Uh... where's Starlight?"

"She's in the Crystal Empire with Sunburst," Twilight said. Applejack nodded.

"Ah, alright."

"Hello, darlings!" Rarity called as she walked in, Fluttershy at her side.

"Hello," Fluttershy greeted. The two put their sleeping bags down, walking over to their thrones.

"Do any of you know where Dash is?" Pinkie asked. Fluttershy shook her head.

"No, we didn't see her. She should be here soon, though."

As if on cue, Dash flew into the room, dropping her sleeping bag in the pile and sitting in her throne. "I'm here! And... oh, come on! I'm the last one here!"

Pinkie giggled. "You sure are, Dashie!"

Dash rolled her eyes. "Whatever. And... Applejack! Where did ya run off to yesterday?"

Applejack's blush returned. "Ah ran into some woods. Ah needed some alone time."

Dash nodded. "Alright. Well, are you feeling better?"

Applejack nodded. "Yeah. Still a bit upset, but much better."

Rarity smiled. "Well, that's good to hear, darling. Though, I think we all should dedicate tonight to being so much fun that you forget all about what happened!"

Applejack smiled. "That'll be... nice. Thanks, y'all," she said, tipping her hat in respect. Pinkie giggled.

"Well, then, let's have fun!" She said, jumping off of her throne.

"Uh... why am I scared?" Dash asked. Less than a second later, she was shot with confetti.

---

The moon had risen well over a few hours ago, and the six were sitting in their sleeping bags, giggling.

"Oh, it was simply dreadful! I didn't know how to tell him!"

"It was just a hat, Rarity," Dash said, flicking her tail. Rarity got in her face.

"Oh, Rainbow Dash, it was more than a hat! His hat didn't coordinate with his vest! It was the most ugly color combination I've ever seen!" She said.

Twilight giggled. "So... did you tell him?"

Rarity shook her head, backing away from Dash. "Nope! I really should have, though. Who knows how many ponies were judging him for wearing a mismatched outfit?"

Applejack chuckled. "Now, Rarity, Ah don't think Ah'll ever understand yer fashion problems."

Rarity tossed her mane. "Well, you should, Applejack! A mismatched outfit is a crisis!"

Fluttershy yawned as Rarity finished her statement. "I don't know about you all, but I have to get to sleep."

Twilight nodded. "Me, too. Let's get some shut eye, everyone."

Dash rolled her eyes. "Alright, alright. Easy for you to say. You get to sleep on a bed!"

Twilight flattened her brow. "What? Do you want to share a bed or something?"

Dash shook her head, curling up in her sleeping bag. "Nope! I hate sharing beds with other ponies."

Twilight smirked. "That's what I thought."

Rarity giggled. "Alright. Good night, everypony!" She said, putting her eye cover on.

"Night!" They chorused. The six all got comfortable, Pinkie still giggling at something minutes after.

"What's so funny, darling?" Rarity asked, her voice tired. Pinkie calmed down.

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about something," she said. After that, it was quiet in the room. The only sound to be heard was the ticking of the clock.

Applejack lay her head on her pillow, snuggling up in the sleeping bag. She was quite tired, and couldn't wait to descend into a peaceful slumber.

...Though, it proved itself to be anything but easy.

Applejack kept tossing and turning, but none of it worked. She just couldn't fall asleep. Her thoughts were racing around. Thoughts of cider season. Thoughts of Flim. Thoughts of how Flim's leaving. Thoughts of sadness for that reason.

...Yeah, he was probably the only thing on her mind.

Applejack was quite proud of him; it seemed he really turned himself around by working with her and will soon be working a steady job, able to support his mom. The thought boosted Applejack's ego: she was a successful teacher. However, there was a certain sadness that hung there. She wouldn't be able to see him after this. Heck, she even was sad she didn't get to see him today...

...What?

Applejack's ears flattened. She's never viewed Flim as a best friend she wanted to see every day. She saw him as a student and her a mentor. Did she really like teaching that much?

She had already deducted that she views Flim as a good friend. He helped her through her problem with the cider season, and she couldn't deny it was nice to talk to him a bit. Though, he certainly wasn't a best friend by any means. After all, she had only known the real him for a short time. She was also still confused about her choice to run to the woods, the one place he always is. Did she really go there just to be alone?

Applejack kept turning from side to side, noticing how everyone else was asleep, unmoving. She was the only restless one.

She thought about how he comforted her yesterday. Her mind flashed to his comforting voice and light, green eyes. As she thought, her stomach instantly erupted into butterflies and she felt her face go hot. She instantly imagined staring into his eyes, both his and hers closing as their muzzles grew closer together and-

Applejack's eyes grew wide and her ears shot up. ...Oh no...

---

Applejack was up and getting ready before anyone else, not able to get much sleep at all. If she had to guess, she probably only got thirty minutes. After all, this was quite some development for her.

She had a crush.

She. Had. A. Crush.

It had been years since Applejack's last crush, and, of course, this little crush is directed at her student who was leaving Ponyville in a day.

Great. Just great.

Applejack sighed as she spit out the mouthwash in her mouth, looking at her reflection. She looked horrible, to be quite blunt. It definitely showed that she got very little sleep.

She stepped out of the bathroom, starting to walk towards the room. She knew the others will be getting ready soon, and they would want to talk. She wasn't in much of a mood to talk, but she could try her hardest.

As she walked in, it seemed as though Rarity was walking out. They came face to face with each other, and Rarity's eyes widened as she looked Applejack over.

"Applejack, darling, did you sleep at all last night?"

Applejack shook her head, blushing. "No. Ah'm still stressed from cider season."

Rarity's ears flopped. "Oh, darling, I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Applejack shook her head, walking into the room. "Nah. Ah'll be fine soon."

Rarity nodded. "Okay. If you're sure."

Applejack nodded, prompting Rarity to make her way to the bathroom. Applejack sat on her sleeping bag, seeing that everyone else was still asleep.

Applejack looked out the window, sighing. Way to have a crush on someone who it'll never work out with...

Comments

[HolyCross9]

So if AJ had a crush on someone before, who was it?

Also, I can imagine that this realization is possibly what caused her additional stress as shown starting in the middle of Maud's story arc.

[Mossy Pages]

...It'll never work out with?
Applejack, my dear, I don't think you've seen the tags.

[Yoshifan30]

Well it's always nice to go out to have fun and getting away from all the stress and it's always nice to see her with her friends having sleepovers but after later that night she developed a crush on flim which she never thought that would happen to her and she is pretty sad that he is going to leave the next day