2 - Midnight
A blinding light erupted through Ponyville, masking the glowing equine transformation within. At the front of the group, Applejack and Rainbow Dash each raised a hoof over their eyes to block out the searing illumination. “Twilight?” Applejack asked, unable to disguise the shock in her voice. “Is that you?”
After a few short seconds, the bright light dissipated, leaving only Twilight Sparkle in its wake. The change completed, she rose to her feet as if in a trance and, for the first time ever, she spread her wings to the shock and awe of her gathered friends. Opening her eyes, Twilight examined her wings, struggling to make sense of this transformation.
When Twilight looked up, the first face she saw was that of Applejack, and in that moment she was afraid. The confusion and trepidation in Applejack’s eyes as she slowly stepped forward, eyes fixed on Twilight’s wings, made Twilight’s heart stop. The fear of what her special somepony would think of this change gripped her for only a second before Applejack spoke.
“I’ve never seen anythin’ like it,” Applejack said aloud, more to herself than anypony else.
She hates it. She hates my wings. She likes things to stay the same and now I’m different and--
“Ha! Twilight’s got wings!” Before Twilight could panic any further, Rainbow Dash swooped down and snatched up one of her wings. “Awesome! A new flying buddy!” Twilight’s neuroses were swept away in the tide of Rainbow Dash’s aerial hug, and she gave a relieved smile at the broken tension.
“Why, you’ve become an alicorn,” Rarity said on approach. “I didn’t even know that was possible.”
The sound of Pinkie Pie screaming, “ALICORN PARTY!” soon filled the town square.
Fluttershy came last, observing, “You look like a princess.”
“That’s because she is a princess,” boomed the voice of Princess Celestia, setting herself down in the square. The shock on everypony’s face was mirrored in Twilight’s heart. She’d seen and done many things since coming to Ponyville but she’d never imagined this.
As Celestia commended and praised Twilight’s achievements, all she could think about were the ramifications of what this meant for her future. She didn’t know the first thing on how to be a princess. Her mind reeled with the implications of what this would mean for her future, for Ponyville, and of course, for Applejack.
“Is there a book on being a princess that I should read?” she asked nervously.
In answer, Princess Celestia only laughed and said, “There will be time for all of that later.” But her words did nothing to quench the terrified curiosity bristling in Twilight’s heart.
Would she be staying in Ponyville? Or would she be given a kingdom of her own to govern? Perhaps Ponyville would be her kingdom? Or was she meant to replace Celestia? Had all of this been about grooming a successor all along?
With a head full of uncertainty, she spared a glance across her friends, smiling and flanking her mentor. Applejack’s supporting smile beamed alongside everypony else, and she knew that no matter what happened, she could always count on them to love and help her.
Whatever the future holds, we’ll face it together.
"That’s what bein’ Celestia’s student meant?!” Applejack shouted.
She paced frantically in front of the table in the Golden Oaks Library. Twilight and Spike had left for Canterlot with Princess Celestia to prepare for the coronation in a few days. Thus far, the only answer anypony had for what Twilight being a princess actually meant was “later”.
“I thought she was just gettin’ special magic lessons or somethin’. A princess?!”
“Hoo!” came Owlowiscious’s response.
“What am I to do? Princess Celestia’s surely going to have some high-falutin’ duties for Twi now. She’s gonna have to leave Ponyville! She’s….” Applejack choked on her words. “…she’ll have to leave me.”
“Hoo!”
“And maybe that’s her right,” Applejack suggested. “She’s a princess now. She ain’t got time nor reason to be hangin’ ‘round here no more. She’s got a life to lead. She’s got….” A familiar set of words came to rest on the tip of Applejack’s tongue, but she was hesitant to say them.
“Hoo hoo!” Owlowiscious shouted, flapping his wings. Applejack looked up and realized he was perched atop the spine of a book. She stepped over to get a closer look.
“What you got there?” Applejack looked at the spine of the book beneath the owl’s talons. “The Noble Barmaid.” She chuckled to herself, thinking back. “This is a good one. We read it on the train back after all that fussin’ with Ms. Harshwhinny. It’s about this work pony, Cleaning Cloth, hears about this young duke’s been coltnapped by a dragon. So she gets up her courage and races out to save him.”
Applejack smiled, remembering the story. “Even though he’s a fancy noblepony and she’s a worker, he falls madly in love with her. He makes her his knight, and she defends his….” Applejack drifted off, her eyes drawn to the Elements of Harmony resting in a glass case beside the stairs.
She walked over to the Elements, contemplating them. So much had happened since Princess Celestia brought Discord and the Elements to Ponyville. She’d worn the Element of Honesty more in the last few weeks than she thought she ever had before. But perhaps that was the point.
She looked back at Owlowiscious, who simply provided another, “Hoo!” The owl was right. Perhaps there was more to her than just the work pony after all. Princess Cadance had married the Captain of the Royal Guard, had she not? If Twilight was a princess, then what were Applejack and the rest of Twilight’s friends if not her Royal Guard?
“You’re right,” Applejack told the owl. “I’m gettin’ all worked up over nothin’. Twi’s a Princess now but I’m her Element of Honesty. Ain’t nopony means more to Twi…” She took a moment, cleared her throat, and corrected herself. “…to Princess Twilight than us.”
Owlowiscious responded with a supportive, “Hoo.”
Over the next few days, Applejack strained to keep her optimism up, but with each passing day that Twilight was gone, it eroded farther. She knew Princess Celestia was keeping Twilight away for some valuable reason. Perhaps she was learning the duties she was soon to serve? Maybe she was drawing out borders of her new domain? Or maybe she was undergoing courses on how to be a princess? Whatever it was, it was surely more important than being in Ponyville with her.
On the fifth day, everypony assembled on the train to Canterlot. Coronation day had come at last and nopony was more excited than Pinkie Pie, who bounced around the train car for the entire trip. “Do you think she’s going to have a crown?” she asked excitedly.
“She’s probably just wearing the Element of Magic,” Rainbow Dash suggested. “Seems like the easy answer.”
“Oh, dear, I certainly hope not,” Rarity muttered.
“Why not?” Applejack asked. “What’s wrong with her Element?”
“There’s nothing wrong with it,” Rarity admitted. “It just seems…I don’t know. Standard? This is such a big day for her and she deserves a crown of her own. Something fresh and new that pops and says, ‘Look at me, I am entering a new phase of my life.’”
“Don’t reckon I see what was wrong with her old life,” Applejack grumbled. Catching herself, she looked up and realized Rarity was staring at her curiously. “I mean, that crown’s what made her a Princess, ain’t it? Startin’ this new phase or whatever don’t mean she’s got to let go of the road brought her here.”
“I suppose,” Rarity agreed. “I hadn’t thought of it quite that way. When you put it like that, it does seem appropriate.”
The Friendship Express continued onwards until it pulled into the Canterlot Station. “I can’t wait to see Twilight,” Fluttershy said, waiting for the doors to open. “I wonder if she misses us?”
“Oh, I’m sure she does,” Rarity answered. “We’re her friends. No matter what else, nothing changes that.”
Applejack nodded in agreement but couldn’t find the words to say anything more affirmative. Her mind was back in the Golden Oaks Library, where she’d spent what she hadn’t expected to be her last night with Twilight as a unicorn. The train doors opened and she stepped forward onto the platform, still searching for what she’d even say to--
“APPLEJACK!” Before her eyes even had time to adjust to the spectacle of Canterlot, a blur of purple flooded Applejack’s vision. She felt the familiar heat of another pony pressed against her neck and chest. She closed her eyes and sank into the embrace, letting go of her apprehensions. Twilight’s familiar voice whispered, “I missed you so much,” and Applejack was home again.
Twilight broke the embrace after a few seconds, then addressed the rest of her friends. “I’ve missed all of you. I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Of course we’re here, darling,” Rarity replied. “We wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
“There’s so much to learn about being a princess,” Twilight confided in Applejack as they entered the entrance hall. At Rarity’s insistence, their friends had gone ahead to give the pair some time to catch up. “I’ve been shadowing Princess Celestia all week while she attends her royal duties. We’ve met with representatives from across Equestria, settled property disputes, and organized political events. I even got to watch her pass judgment on a theft accusation, although that turned out to just be another property dispute in disguise!”
Applejack felt a strange blend of pride and fear at the confirmation of her suspicions. Twilight was gone because her new role demanded so much of her. She loved seeing Twilight taking these bold new steps, but a familiar old scar nagged at her. She tried to--
“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked curiously.
Applejack blinked. “I didn’t say anythin’.”
“You have a look,” Twilight told her.
“I do not have a look.”
“I know that look. What are you worried about?”
Applejack sighed. She’d planned to talk about it eventually, but not on Twilight’s big day. No sense beating around the bush now, though. “I miss you, s’all. I know Princess Celestia has you runnin’ ‘round doin’ all manner of high-falutin’ princess work, but--”
“Oh, no, that was my choice,” Twilight corrected. “Princess Celestia told me to be patient and have faith in myself, and that I’d know what I was supposed to do when the time is right. Which is strange, right?”
“Can’t say I rightly know,” Applejack answered. “Don’t recall Equestria ever havin’ so many princesses before.”
“Right. We’re in uncharted territory right now. I asked her to let me shadow her, because I want to know more about what my responsibilities are going to be.”
“Did she say if you’re gettin’ a kingdom of your own?” Applejack asked. Princess Cadance being sent to the Crystal Empire was a thought she hadn’t quite managed to shake since Twilight’s ascension.
But Twilight simply shook her head. “She hasn’t said anything of what I’m expected to do. To be honest, I’m starting to get nervous, but I’m sure she has her plans for me. She just wants to ease me into my new life.”
“Right,” Applejack agreed. “I’m sure that’s all it is.” But Twilight’s words wore heavy on her heart.
My new life.
For the life of her, Applejack couldn’t see what was wrong with Twilight’s old life. But, she chastised herself, that was selfish of her. She couldn’t--
“You have a look again.” Twilight squinted in the light of the royal corridor, scrutinizing Applejack’s features.
“I’m just frettin’ about the future,” Applejack explained, offering Twilight a gentle nuzzle. “Nothin’ to worry your--”
“Twilight!” An unfamiliar voice to Applejack called out as they passed an intersection. Twilight turned suddenly, her head jerking up in response to the voice.
“Mom?” she asked uncertainly. A pair of unicorns trotted down the corridor to their left. A light gray mare with a cutie mark shaped like three stars and with white and purple stripes alternating through her mane approached. Applejack instantly recognized the pattern; it was one of the sample proposals Twilight had offered under the mistaken impression that she would like her better with more stripes.
Slightly behind and to the left of the mare was a blue stallion. He was only slightly taller than her and his dark blue mane was neatly parted. His cutie mark was a crescent moon with another, smaller crescent moon inside of it.
Applejack had heard Twilight identify the mare as her mother, and could only assume that these were her parents. Instantly, she felt out of place. The more she looked at them, the more she started to recognize them from Shining Armor’s wedding, but everything had been so busy on that day that she’d never gotten a chance to be properly introduced.
A tug in the back of her mind told her that she should probably let Twilight have some time alone with her parents, but another pull insisted that she had a place here too. Would it be rude to stay, as though inviting herself to Twilight’s family time? Would it be more rude to walk away, as if she and Twilight weren’t close enough for her to be included?
Before a decision could be reached, a new strangeness struck her. She expected Twilight’s parents to converge on her in a shower of hugs and congratulations, but they approached at a leisurely pace and stopped the length of two forelegs away. “Congratulations, Twilight,” her father said with an awkward quiver in his voice.
“We’re very proud of you,” her mother added with a friendly smile. “I can’t wait to see you get your crown. You’ve done so well for yourself.”
Twilight smiled at her parents’ words. As casually as ordering dinner at a restaurant, she replied, “Thank you, both of you.”
Her father looked at Applejack for a second, then asked, “Who’s your friend?”
“CADANCE!” Before Twilight or Applejack could answer, Twilight’s mom shouted down the hallway. Shining Armor and Princess Cadance stepped out a door at the far end. Before Applejack even knew what was happening, the pair were racing down the hall towards the other part of their family.
“What in tarnation was that?” Applejack questioned aloud. She watched Twilight’s mother wrap a foreleg around Cadance’s neck and tightly embrace her.
Looking back at Twilight, the newly ascended alicorn beamed at her parents’ words. “What was what?” she asked with a broad smile.
Applejack shrugged, trying to figure out how to put the strange feeling she had into words. “Somethin’ just ain’t sittin’ right. Does your daddy not know who I am?”
“Why would he?” Twilight turned her head to the side. “I don’t think he’s ever met you.”
“No, but surely you send letters or….” Applejack trailed off, her eyes fixed on the blank stare Twilight was giving her. “Never mind. I should let you go get gussied up before Princess Celestia puts out a search party. It’s a big day today.”
“The biggest of my life,” Twilight agreed. She pulled Applejack into a tight embrace, assuring her, “I love you. No matter what else happens, never forget that.”
“I love you too, your highness,” Applejack answered before releasing the hug. “Now go on. You got lots of ponies waitin’ for you.”
“So you will enter the throne room through the front doors,” Luna explained. She gestured with her hoof at a map of the castle’s interior laid out on a table. Twilight sat across from her on a large pillow, carefully absorbing her directions. “Your attendants will sing as you approach the throne….”
It’s good that my friends will be up there with me. I don’t know if I could do this without them. I hope I don’t have to give a speech. I don’t even know what I’d—wait, I love you too, your highness? What happened to sugarcube?!
Twilight jerked upright in her seat. If she noticed, Luna did nothing to show it as she continued giving instructions to an alicorn who was no longer listening.
A few days later, Twilight and her friends gathered before a large mirror in the Crystal Palace. A terrible disaster had struck. The Element of Magic had been stolen and taken through an enchanted mirror to another world entirely. The thief, a former student of Princess Celestia’s by the name of Sunset Shimmer, had already vanished through the portal.
“This is no ordinary mirror,” Princess Luna explained. “It is a gateway to another world. A gateway that opens once every thirty moons. It has always been kept in the throne room of Canterlot Castle but when Princess Cadance took over the Crystal Empire, we sent it here for her to watch over.”
Princess Celestia stepped forward, confessing, “I had always hoped that Sunset Shimmer would someday use it to return, to come back to Equestria seeking my guidance. Obviously, this is not what has happened.”
“Twilight,” Princess Cadance implored, “you must use this mirror to go into the other world and retrieve your crown. Without it, the other Elements of Harmony have no power and Equestria is left without one of its most important means of defense.”
These orders weighed heavily on Twilight’s heart. The Element of Magic could not be left in the other world, but the undertaking would not be an easy one. If she was lost on the other side of the mirror when it closed, it would be thirty moons until she could return.
Princess Luna continued, “Your crown does not belong in the place Sunset Shimmer now calls home and in her possession, your Element of Harmony will no doubt be used to bring harm to the inhabitants of this other realm. They will not have the power to defend themselves.”
Princess Celestia levitated Twilight’s saddlebags and placed them upon her student’s back. Stepping forward, she asked, “You understand the importance of your task?”
“Of course,” Twilight answered.
“Good. Then you must go at once.”
Twilight took a deep breath and steeled herself for what lay ahead. Her heart set on what had to be done, she looked to the mirror and took her first steps towards the bold new adventure ahead of her. Applejack opened her mouth to speak, but Rainbow Dash beat her to the punch, throwing herself between Twilight and the mirror.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Rainbow Dash interrupted. “She’s going? We’re going with her! Right, girls?”
Applejack made a mental note to reserve a barrel of cider to thank Rainbow Dash next harvest and stepped forward with the others to flank her. This felt right. Just as she’d realized back in the library, she and the others were Princess Twilight’s knights; they were her vanguard, her royal guard, her soldiers. Whatever dangers lay ahead, they would--
“I’m so nervouscited!” Pinkie shouted, breaking Applejack’s train of thought.
Applejack leaned over to her, whispering, “You do realize that’s not a real word, right?”
Twilight gave her friends a relieved smile, but before she could say anything, the stern voice of Princess Celestia spoke. “I’m afraid I can’t let you go. Sending all of you could upset the balance of this alternate world, creating havoc that would make it impossible for Twilight to get the crown back from Sunset Shimmer. This is something Princess Twilight must do alone.”
This is something Princess Twilight must do alone.
With Celestia’s words heavy on her heart, Applejack crept as quietly as she could through the halls of the Crystal Palace. The sun had gone down hours ago, with nopony but the castle guard left in the halls. It had been a day since Princess Twilight stepped through the mirror and they’d heard nothing from her. What good was a royal guard if they weren’t allowed to do anything?
The door to the room containing the mirror sat unguarded. Applejack sneaked down the hall and eased the door open, slipping into the room within. She carefully closed the door behind her, then turned to face the--
“Good evening, Applejack,” greeted Princess Luna, standing in front of the mirror.
“Princess Luna!” Applejack shouted in alarm. She gave a quick bow.
“In my capacity as Dream Warden, I bear witness to the dreams of many ponies in Equestria,” Luna explained. “The nightmare that urged you to take this reckless action did not go unnoticed. I would have been there to help soothe your dreams had you not woken so quickly. I apologize for my slowness.”
“It ain’t just the nightmare,” Applejack admitted. In truth, she could barely remember it. Something about a large chasm and Twilight getting farther and farther away? “I know Princess Celestia said to stay here, but we’re supposed to be protectin’ Princess Twilight. Ain’t that our job now?”
“I understand your fears,” Princess Luna said, stepping forward away from the mirror. “Twilight has always proven herself to be very capable, however. I am certain she can handle this latest challenge. What my sister said is no less wrong tonight than it was two days ago, however; if you pass through the mirror, you risk introducing a level of chaos into the events of the other world. You must believe in Twilight’s ability now more than ever.”
“I….” Applejack bit her tongue, swallowing words of defiance she knew better than to speak in the royal presence.
“Please, Applejack,” Luna implored. “I would ask that you speak freely. You have always served your duty with dignity and respect. My sister and I both appreciate that. You, as much as anypony, deserve to have your voice heard. You are Princess Twilight’s beloved, are you not?”
“I am,” Applejack answered, lifting her gaze. Speaking with Princess Cadance as an equal had been uncomfortable on the night of the Crystal Ball, but it was nothing like looking Princess Luna in the eye.
“Then you should speak your mind. After all, it may not be long before you have a seat at our table yourself.”
Luna’s words resonated through Applejack’s mind. “I ain’t never thought of that,” she admitted. Her mind reeled with implications. Marrying Twilight had been a distant thought before all of this started, but now it was something that had to be put out of mind at all costs. She couldn’t dare, could she? The pony that married Twilight would be a….
“Now, please, what did you want to say?”
Applejack shook her head, setting those terrifying thoughts aside for later. “Well, your highness, I reckon it didn’t seem much a problem when Spike went through the mirror. Surely one more pony couldn’t hurt?”
“I understand your trepidation,” Luna assured her. “You are not necessarily wrong. Twilight is beyond all of our reach now. There is no way to know if Spike’s presence has helped or hindered her progress. However, my sister’s warning was not without reason. You must understand that. If you were to pass through the portal and it were to close before either of you could return, your actions would threaten all of Equestria.”
“I….” Applejack lowered her eyes once more, absorbing Luna’s wisdom.
Luna stepped forward, placing a gilded hoof beneath Applejack’s chin and lifting it. “I understand that you never asked for or sought the burden that sits upon your shoulders. My sister and I understand that better than you may know. But whether you wanted it or not, that burden is there and it demands that you act.”
Applejack closed her eyes, listening as Luna continued. “You stand today at a crossroads, Applejack. I know how badly you yearn to go to Twilight, but to act on what you desire would increase the threat to Equestria’s future. You must make a decision here and now: will you chase after your own wishes, or will you set what you want aside for the good of all Equestria?”
Applejack stared at the mirror, weighing Luna’s words in her heart. Somewhere on the other side was Twilight. Every impulse in her body screamed to go, to find her, to bring her home no matter what it took. But her legs refused to move. With every step she tried to take, the chains of responsibility pulled her back. If Twilight couldn’t return because of her, if the Element couldn’t, then what would become of Equestria?
She’d be lost in the other world with Twilight for thirty moons. She wanted to say she could live with that, that if she was with Twilight everything would be fine, but it would have been a lie. Even if no trouble ever befell Equestria again, where would the farm be without her? What would become of Apple Bloom? She never had parents; how would she fare without her big sister to take care of her?
And what of Granny Smith and Big Mac, whose hearts carried so much loss already? Or their friends, who would suffer the loss of not one but two of their dearest friends?
Applejack wanted more than anything to be with Twilight now, but she was needed here in so many ways.
With tears beginning to fill her eyes, Applejack lowered herself to the ground. The strength to remain standing had abandoned her. Princess Luna placed a comforting hoof on her shoulder, assuring her, “You have made a worthy choice, Applejack. Someday, you may come to understand that not one of us was ever born great. Greatness comes from within. It is found in the choices we make when times are at their hardest.”
After finding her composure and exchanging a few parting words with Princess Luna, Applejack returned to her bedchambers. As she lay on the bed begging sleep to come, her mind raced back to her mother’s wedding broach and the naïve hopes that led it into Rarity’s possession. Luna had said she may one day have a seat at the Princesses’ table, and that thought terrified her. Tossing in her bed, there was only one thing she knew for certain.
I ain’t fit for no princess.
The pieces were all in place. The dance was happening tonight despite Sunset Shimmer’s interference. The friends Twilight had made had done their part to help Twilight win the crown: her own Element of Magic, which she would return to Equestria before the portal closed.
There was just one thing missing. Well, several things missing, but one that weighed heavily on her heart as the time for the dance approached. Twilight sat in a chair, watching her new friends gawk over each other’s dresses. They were quite pretty, as was the one Rarity’s doppelganger had made for her, but it was hard for her to find the enthusiasm for them tonight.
“Twilight?” Rarity called over to her. “Whatever is the matter?”
“It’s nothing,” Twilight insisted, looking down and away.
Rarity stepped forward, insisting, “Every time someone says it’s nothing, it’s always something. I know you’re worried about getting the crown back, but--”
“It’s not that,” Twilight said with a light blush. “I’m just having some personal issues.”
“She’s blushing!” Pinkie Pie shouted, emerging from behind Rarity. “You aren’t thinking about something! You’re thinking about someone.”
Twilight winced, trying to shy away from Pinkie’s observational scrutiny, but the cat was already out of the bag. Rarity sighed. “Darling, I know he’s cute, but I must advise against going to the formal with Flash Sentry. He’s--”
“It’s not Flash,” Twilight insisted.
“I mean, he is pretty nice,” Fluttershy suggested, joining the conversation.
“And a guitarist!” Rainbow Dash added. “You could do a lot worse.”
“I wasn’t thinking about Flash Sentry!” Twilight shouted.
“Someone else caught your eye?” Rarity asked. “I admit, I haven’t seen you speaking with very many people outside of us.”
“No,” Twilight said sternly. “I don’t need a date, I have a….” She hesitated, trying to find the right words to explain.
Catching on, Rainbow Dash slapped herself in the forehead. “We’re idiots.” She looked around at the others. “She’s got a boyfriend back in pony land.”
“Oh, how careless,” Rarity answered. “I never even imagined. I’m dreadfully sorry, Twilight.”
“It’s not exactly a boyfriend,” Twilight explained. She tried to find the right words to explain, but they just didn’t seem to want to come to her. Reflexively, her eyes shot to the human Applejack, standing behind Rarity and Rainbow Dash, but there was no support to be found there. She was as confused as everypony else.
“We’re very close,” Twilight tried to explain. “In fact, we’ve been talking about getting married.” At this, Spike cleared his throat, prompting Twilight to correct herself. “Well, I’ve been talking about it. To Spike. But I’m certain that she’s about to--”
“I’m sorry,” Rarity interrupted, “but did you just say ‘she’?”
Fluttershy nodded. “I heard ‘she’ too.”
Twilight raised a curious eyebrow. “Is there something wrong with that?”
“Why, nothing at all,” Rarity answered. “I just…well, I certainly wasn’t expecting it, you being a princess and all.”
“What does that have to do with anything?!” Twilight asked indignantly. She looked again to Applejack, her thoughts searching for an explanation to this line of questioning.
“Hey, I think it’s cool,” Rainbow Dash insisted. “Twilight Sparkle swings for the ladies.”
“No, I don’t!” Twilight corrected.
“Uh, yes, you do,” Rainbow Dash replied. “Unless ‘she’ means something different where you come from.”
“I don’t ‘swing’ for anyone!” Twilight shouted. “I just like my Special Somepony!”
The room was abruptly filled with three separate utterances of, “D’aww!” Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash exchanged confused glances as the others melted around them.
Fluttershy grinned. “Your world calls it ‘Special Somepony’? That’s so cute!”
“Alright y’all, lay off of her,” Applejack said, stepping forward. “Twilight likin’ girls don’t change nothin’.”
“I don’t ‘like girls’!” Twilight repeated.
“Are you bi?” Pinkie asked curiously, turning her head to the side.
“Am I by what?!”
“It means you like both boys and girls,” Rarity explained.
“I like her,” Twilight insisted. “Look, I’ve already talked about this with Cadance; she’s basically the Princess of Love, so she’d--”
Rarity gasped. “Princess of Love?! There’s a Princess of Love and gay marriage is socially accepted enough that even the ruling class might consider one?! Your world sounds positively divine!”
Twilight looked nervously from one friend to the other. “Is…is that not normal here?”
Rarity smiled. “I don’t want to answer that question because the fact that you can even ask it is wonderful.”
“Look,” Twilight grunted, frustration visible on her face. “Can we just stop talking about this?! I felt bad because I miss Applejack and I don’t need it to be a--” Twilight stopped herself, shooting a hand to her mouth when she realized what she had said.
One by one, everyone in the room turned to look at Applejack, who backed away from the group slowly, eyes fixed on Twilight. Her mouth hung open for several seconds before she found the words to speak. “…b…beg pardon?”
“That’s why I didn’t want to say anything,” Twilight whispered.
“Wait, so I didn’t hear that wrong?” Rainbow Dash asked. “You actually meant Applejack? Like, Applejack Applejack?”
“Maybe Applejack Applesparkle someday?” Twilight offered timidly.
“Oh, dear, that second apple is dreadfully redundant,” Rarity insisted.
Twilight hung her head. “I know. I’m working on it.”
“Wait, back up,” Applejack requested. “I’m still stuck on you…you and…me?” She held up her hands as though trying to visualize. “How is that…how are we….”
Twilight explained, “I know each of you from my world. It’s how I knew to find you here. You’re all my best friends, and I know in my heart that we can do anything together. I never really knew what friendship was until I met all of you.” She looked Applejack in the eyes, but the warm and love she relied on was missing, replaced by confused agitation. “And you taught me what love is. I’ve never been happier than I am with you.”
Twilight had hoped her words would help calm Applejack but, if anything, they only made her more panicked. Looking from Twilight to the others and back, Applejack said, “I…I need a moment, y’all,” and dashed out the door.
Reflexively, Twilight looked to Rarity for emotional guidance. “Did I say something wrong?”
“I don’t know,” Rarity answered unhelpfully, her eyes following Applejack out the door. She stood slowly, as if unsure whether she should follow her or remain with the others.
“Well, you did just out her as gay in front of everyone,” Rainbow Dash suggested. “That might not have been awesome of you.”
“Or bi,” Pinkie added. “She’s right, though. That wasn’t okay, especially if she didn’t know.”
“If it even works that way,” Fluttershy contributed. “Your Applejack and our Applejack might not even have the same, uh…feelings.”
“That’s a good point,” Pinkie agreed. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of Applejack having a boyfriend or a girlfriend.”
“Really?” Twilight asked. “Why not?”
“She’s unconventional,” Rarity answered. “She’s very tall and physically intimidating. It’s not something most boys look for in a woman.”
“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash agreed, rubbing the back of her head. “She doesn’t like to talk about it and she hates showing her feelings openly, but AJ’s not exactly popular with boys. I think you might have touched a nerve with her.”
“I didn’t mean to,” Twilight whispered.
“I’ll go talk to her,” Rarity offered.
“No,” Rainbow Dash interrupted, holding up a hand. “I’ll go. You girls stay here and keep getting ready for the formal.”
Twilight didn’t know what Rainbow Dash had said to Applejack, but it seemed to have worked well enough. She snuck looks at her beloved’s human doppelganger several times during the formal, and she seemed okay. She even had fun.
And when the time came, Applejack didn’t hesitate to step up to help her with the others. When all was said and done, Twilight stood before the portal wearing the Element of Magic on her head. The portal would be closed in less than an hour.
“Are you ready?” Spike asked.
Twilight nodded. She’d said her farewells already. She took one last look at this strange world, then stepped forward into--
“Twilight, wait!” A voice called out to her and she stumbled, pulling herself back. Her fragile balance abandoned her and she fell backwards on her rump.
“Oww,” Twilight muttered. She rubbed the sore spot and looked up to see Applejack standing over her, reaching out a hand to help her up. Tentatively, she took it and allowed Applejack’s familiar strength to pull her to her feet. Twilight felt a comforting warmth inside her at the touch, but she released her hand as soon as she could. She wasn’t her Applejack, after all.
“Mighty sorry about that,” Applejack apologized. “I just…I gotta know somethin’ before you go.”
“What is it?”
“It’s….” Applejack turned around and grunted. Twilight could practically feel her wrestling to get the words out.
“It’s okay,” Twilight said softly. She stepped forward and lightly brushed Applejack’s arm with her fingers. “There’s nothing you can say to me that will make me think any less of you. I’m pretty sure I’ve already seen you at your worst, but I’ve also seen your best.”
“That’s it,” Applejack said. “Right there. What you just said.”
“Your best or your worst?”
“Both.” Applejack turned back around to face Twilight. Her face was strong and stubborn, but Twilight had long since learned how to see past that to the vulnerability bleeding through underneath. “Am I…do I….” Applejack’s hands balled into fists as she wrestled with herself.
“Take your time. Find the words.” Twilight looked up at the moon. “But, uh…don’t take too much time. I do have to leave soon.”
Applejack took a deep breath and cleared her throat. “It’s just….” She stopped again. Applejack hesitated a moment, then blurted, “Am I any good to you?”
“What?”
Applejack sighed. “I mean, do I do right by you? Are we, y’know…are we any good? As a couple?”
“We’ve had our ups and downs,” Twilight admitted. “A few sore spots here or there and one time we had a fight that nearly threatened all of Equestria, but you...I mean, the other you, she’s one of the bravest, most noble, and most devoted ponies I’ve ever met.”
Rather than taking the compliment, Applejack looked mortified. “…threatened all of….”
Sternly, Twilight said, “It’s a long story, but that’s not the point.” More softly, she continued. “I love my Applejack because despite the rough spots, she’s never stopped caring about me and she’s never stopped trying to do better. Love isn’t something you know how to do right off the bat. It takes work, patience, and a willingness to forgive when it’s warranted. It can be one of the hardest things you’ll ever do. But, Applejack?” Twilight smiled. “It’s worth it.”
Applejack’s face softened into a smile. “It is, huh?”
Twilight opened her arms. “Come here. I want a hug.” To her surprise, Applejack took very little convincing. She squeezed the human tightly and told her, “You just need to bring the same confidence in yourself that you carry in so many other things you do. You do have a lot of emotional walls and can get stuck in your way at times, but you’ve got a good heart and it is a true privilege to be so close to it.”
Twilight continued, “Somewhere out there is a boy or girl who’s going to be very happy that they got the chance to love you.” She pulled back out of the hug, but stayed at arm’s reach, looking into Applejack’s eyes. “Believe me. I know that better than anyone.” She looked up at the moon again. “But I really do have to go now. I’ll try to come back next time the portal opens.”
“You’d better,” Applejack told her and for a moment, Twilight could swear she saw a tear in the farmer’s eye. As she approached the portal, Applejack shouted, “And bring your Applejack next time! We’d love to meet her!”
Carried on the kind words of her friend, Twilight stepped through the portal and returned to everything she knew and loved. Her natural pony form, her friends and mentors, and of course, the love of her life were waiting for her on the other side just as she knew they would be.
Several days later, Twilight stood with her friends in the hall of the Canterlot Castle. She still hadn’t been back to Ponyville since her ascension and she terribly missed the town. She’d thought that being back in Canterlot with Princess Celestia would feel like coming home, but instead it just felt like being away from where she belonged.
Her friends had come and gone in the intervening days. Rainbow Dash stopped by to teach her how to fly. Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy brought encouragement and comforting words, although Rarity was perhaps overzealous about Twilight’s new status. And of course, Applejack brought apples fresh from the farm and stayed with her some nights, though the time was always briefer than she would have liked.
Everything was changing so fast and now a big day was upon them. The Summer Sun Festival was coming up quickly and Twilight was expected to perform with the Celestia and Luna as the former’s prized protégé. She should have been honored, she knew, but any sense of pride she could have taken was outweighed by the feeling that she didn’t belong here.
“We’d better get going,” Fluttershy said. “We don’t want to miss our train.”
“Fluttershy’s right,” Applejack agreed. “Don’t know about y’all but I’ve still got bushels to do to get ready. The official celebration may be here in Canterlot but hoo-wee has the mayor put us in charge of one heck of a party back home!”
Twilight knew they’d have to leave eventually, but with every moment that passed, she hoped it would stay away just a little while longer. Soon she would return to her magic practice, event organizing, meeting with caterers and performers, and not being in the one place where her heart yearned to be.
She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, Applejack was there beside her. She already knew what Twilight was going to say, but she also knew there was no reason to say it. She delicately lifted her hoof and closed Twilight’s mouth, assuring her, “Don’t look like that, sugarcube. You get to be right there with the other princesses when Celestia raises the sun.”
“And I’m honored,” Twilight said. “Really, I am. It’s just that the Summer Sun Celebration is what first brought us all together. It just doesn’t feel right not getting to spend such a special day with my Ponyville friends.”
“It doesn’t feel right to us either, darling,” Rarity assured her. “If the mayor wasn’t so desperate for our assistance, we’d most certainly stay here in Canterlot. And, of course, we do understand that your royal duties must come first.”
As Twilight considered Rarity’s words, Applejack laid a comforting hoof on her shoulder. She’d stumbled over the logic a few times since finding it, but it was what she believed in now, and she knew she had to share it. Quietly, compassionately, she explained, “The Summer Sun Celebration may have brought us together, but it’s somethin’ much bigger that will always keep us connected.”
Applejack stepped away from Twilight and raised her hoof, gesturing to the hallway mural of Twilight and her friends defeating Nightmare Moon. “Exhibit A!” she shouted. “The six of us are united by the Elements of Harmony. No amount of royal duties is going to change that.”
Twilight stared up at the mural, processing Applejack’s words. The more she considered them, the more right they felt. Even if she had to stay in Canterlot for the time being, she and her friends would be together forever. The bond they shared was stronger than distance or station in life. It was a bond of friendship, a bond of love the six of them each felt that could never be broken.
Applejack, for her part, felt elated to have her idea acknowledged. “Right, everypony?” she asked the group. Although Pinkie, lost in a fantasy, took some extra coaxing to get an answer from, everypony gave an affirmative response. Twilight’s ascension had taken everypony by surprise, but their connection would last for as long as the Elements themselves, and as Twilight’s Element of Honesty, she was worthy to love a princess.
“I know how we can save the Tree. We have to give it the Elements of Harmony.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Rainbow Dash answered; she was the first to speak out against Twilight’s insane plan. “How are we supposed to protect Equestria?!” The six ponies and Spike stood huddled in a cave on the far edge of the Everfree Forest, at the bottom of a ravine near the Castle of the Two Sisters. Jagged black vines with thick thorns had grown to strangle the life from the land, and the only option before them that seemed like it might help was to restore the Tree of Harmony.
But that would not come without cost. Rarity stepped forward, asking, “How are we meant to rein Discord in if we can’t use the Elements to turn him back to stone?!”
But neither Discord nor future threats to Equestria were at the forefront of Applejack’s mind. This was everything she’d built her faith in. It was the foundation on which her right to love Twilight stood. Without her Element, Applejack was just a working class earth pony, spending her days tending her crops. She would be no knight of the princess, no champion of the royal order. No one suitable for a princess like Twilight to be with, and certainly not to wed.
“Twilight,” Applejack said, stepping forward from the group. “The Elements of Harmony, they’re what keep us connected no matter what.”
“You’re right about one thing, Applejack,” Twilight answered. “The Elements of Harmony did bring us together, but it isn’t the Elements that will keep us connected. It’s our friendship and it’s more important and more powerful than any magic. My new role in Equestria may mean I have to take on new responsibilities, and our friendships may be tested, but it will never ever be broken.”
Twilight was right. Applejack knew that in her heart. As hard as it was to surrender the Element of Honesty, the bond of friendship between the six of them would never be broken.
But friendship wasn’t the bond that bothered her as she entered the house a few nights later. The Summer Sun Celebration had gone off without a hitch, and she’d been in the crowd watching Twilight soar. The beauty and majesty on display was awe-inspiring for her, but in the back of her mind, that nagging thought wouldn’t go away: up there with the other Princesses, that was where Twilight belonged.
With the big event behind her, there was only one place Twilight wanted to be: Sweet Apple Acres with the ponies she’d grown to love. She followed Applejack into the living room with little sister Apple Bloom nipping at her heels. “And then right as the sun and moon passed each other, you shot right between ‘em and there was this huge blast of light!”
Twilight giggled at Apple Bloom’s enthusiasm. “I know, sweetie. I was there.”
Apple Bloom slipped under Twilight’s wing, hoisting it up. “I still can’t believe you’re a princess! That’s so cool!”
“She missed you somethin’ fierce while you were in Canterlot,” Applejack explained. With a nuzzle, she added, “We all did, sugarcube.”
“Eeyup,” added Big Mac, entering the house after the mares. He stopped to give Twilight a scruff of her hair with his hoof, mindful of her horn. She winced at the roughness and stifled a quiet exclamation of pain, but appreciated the gesture all the same. “Good to have you back, Twilight.”
“I don’t know how long I’m back for,” Twilight admitted, prompting a pang of hurt in Applejack’s heart. “The library’s gone untended for over a week and it would be unfair of me to expect Spike to handle it alone. I’m trying to be more cognizant about what I expect from him.” Twilight sent a smile towards Applejack. “Besides, there’s still so much I want to learn in Canterlot and I still don’t know what responsibilities Princess Celestia will expect from me in my new role.”
Applejack put a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll do great.”
“Thank you, everypony,” Twilight said with a smile. “Perhaps it’s silly, but there’s something about being back here that feels like coming home.”
“You hush your mouth!” Granny Smith shouted, coming out of the kitchen.
“I’m sorry?” Twilight asked.
“I’ve half a mind to send you off without supper, you don’t quit with that ‘feels like’ nonsense. You are comin’ home! I didn’t set five places at the table for my health!”
Big Mac and Apple Bloom laughed at Granny’s outrage while a wide smile crossed Twilight’s face, large enough to force her jaw to open slightly. “I guess that settles it,” she said in response.
“You’re darn tootin’, it settles it! Now y’all quit jawin’ and come eat or so help me, I am feedin’ it to the pigs.”
Twilight gulped and, to her own surprise, found herself joining in the family’s chorus of, “Yes, Granny,” before falling into step behind Big Mac and following him into the kitchen.
Applejack lay in bed listening to Twilight’s breathing. Her eyes fixed on the dark shadow of Twilight’s wing, which had come unfurled in her sleep and lay out across the bed. Less than a foot away from her, an alicorn princess was lightly sawing logs, occasionally letting out an ungraceful snort before resuming her gentle breathing.
She could already hear her mind making hasty rationalizations.
She don’t got to be a princess when she’s with me. Just ‘cause the Element’s gone don’t mean all that stuff about bein’ her guard don’t still matter.
Applejack needed space to think, and realized she’d never be able to sort out what’s right from what’s desired with the intoxicating presence of Twilight so close. She sat up slowly and carefully eased her lower body out from under Twilight’s wing. She leaned over and gave the alicorn a gentle peck next to her horn, eliciting no greater response than a mumble of, “Fruit pies.” Then she lowered herself to the floor and crept out the door.
Down the stairs and through an open doorway, Applejack found her way to the kitchen. She sat at the table where the family had taken supper just hours before, put one hoof up on the table, and considered her options.
Twilight being an alicorn didn’t just mean she wouldn’t be around as much. It meant she would be in the eyes of Equestria. Every action, every choice, every word out of her snout was now a public affair. She had to be presentable to the upper class in all the ways Rarity probably understood better than Applejack ever could.
Applejack didn’t know much about princessing but she knew that being presentable in that fashion didn’t mean consorting with a dirt-covered work pony. She tried imagining herself as Twilight’s plus one in Canterlot, wearing one of her fancy social event dresses and smelling of chamomile, trading smiles with nobility.
“Good evening, your highness,” they would say to Twilight. “It is a privilege to see you here tonight. And how generous of you to give such a rare and special opportunity to a commoner! Do try to keep her off the carpet, though, it was recently washed.”
Perhaps that was overly rude, though. Rarity would certainly never speak of her that way, and she was the best example of the upper class Applejack had. That stallion Rarity occasionally spoke of, Fancy Pants, seemed a decent sort as well. Then again, given the things she’d heard about Prince Blueblood, perhaps they weren’t the only examples.
It occurred to Applejack that she didn’t really know very many of Canterlot’s elite unicorns. She’d heard the horror stories, of course, but never seen them for herself. Was she worrying about nothing? Or was that line of thought just another excuse, another rationalization to choose what she wanted over what was right to do?
That was hardly her only concern, anyway. Twilight’s new role meant--
“Applejack?” The gentle tone of her little sister crossed the kitchen, tinged with sleep. “What are you doin’ out of bed?”
Applejack turned to look at Apple Bloom. “Don’t you worry none,” she told her. “I just got a lot on my mind right now.”
“It’s the middle of the night,” Apple Bloom insisted.
“I should be tellin’ you the same,” Applejack answered. “Don’t you got school tomorrow?”
“Don’t you got chores?” Apple Bloom answered. “I got up for water. Why ain’t you upstairs with your princess?” Her voice hung dreamily on the word ‘princess’ before ending in a giggle.
Applejack just scowled. She looked down at the table. “I got a lot to work out,” she answered.
“What kind of….” Apple Bloom drifted off, staring at Applejack. Her eyes scrutinized her sister for several seconds, trying to make sense of her downtrodden look and ambiguous words. Then, suddenly, her eyes shot open. “NO!” she shouted. “YOU CAN’T!”
Applejack jerked up, startled. “Apple Bloom--?”
Before Applejack could get two words out, Apple Bloom continued. “You’re thinkin’ on breakin’ up with Twilight!” she accused. “Every time I get used to seein’ somepony, you send her away! You can’t keep doin’ this to me!”
Applejack stood, taking a few steps towards Apple Bloom, but the filly backed away from her into the living room. “I like Twilight,” she insisted. “She’s nice to me. She’s really smart and she cares a lot about us.”
“Listen, Apple Bloom, sometimes things need to change--”
“You told me that last time!” Apple Bloom shouted. “You were wrong then and you’re wrong now! Twilight ain’t somethin’ that needs to change, she’s family.”
“No, she ain’t!” Applejack shouted in response. “She’s a--"
“I’m not?” Drawn by the argument, Twilight stood on the stairs watching the sisters.
Blood drained from Applejack’s face as she realized what Twilight had overheard. “I-I didn’t finish,” she stammered out.
“Very well then,” Twilight accepted neutrally. “By all means, please continue.” Never had Applejack had so much trouble reading her as in this moment. Each word sounded carefully chosen. All emotion was conspicuously absent from her voice, as though she had entirely retreated into cold logic. “I would be delighted to hear what justifies that first part.”
Before Applejack could think of a way to explain herself, Apple Bloom angrily shouted, “She’s fixin’ to break up ‘cause you’re a princess now!”
Twilight calmly absorbed Apple Bloom’s words, then stepped down off the stairs into the living room and asked, “Is this true, Applejack?”
“I don’t know,” Applejack answered honestly.
“I see.” Without further ado, she opened the front door with her magic. “Thank you, everypony, for having me over. It was a lovely evening.” With those words, she promptly walked out into the cold night air.
Applejack watched Twilight walk away, then looked down at Apple Bloom. The filly bristled with rage but said nothing. After a few seconds of consideration, Applejack dashed off out the door. “Twilight, wait!” she shouted.
Twilight stopped walking but made no move to turn around and said nothing. As Applejack approached, the farm pony said, “I didn’t want it to happen like this.”
“But you did want it to happen,” Twilight answered.
“I don’t know.”
“That’s the problem. It’s not an ambiguous question. When I asked you if you wanted to break up, anything but a straight ‘no’ was the wrong answer.”
“Listen, it ain’t like that.”
Twilight whipped around, finally releasing the pent-up emotion she’d stored up. “Then what’s it like, Applejack?! Because I thought we were past this!” She looked over to a patch of fence, barely visible in the dark of the night. “I still remember you standing right over there, telling me you needed time to learn how to stop loving me.” Bitterly, she added, “I guess I didn’t realize you were still working on that.”
“That ain’t fair,” Applejack answered. “I do love you.”
“Then what’s this about now?” Twilight asked. “Do you think I’m not going to have time for you now that I’m a princess? Is that it?”
The thought had crossed Applejack’s mind, but she’d dismissed it quick enough. “Ain’t like that neither,” she replied.
“Then what?! You think Princess Celestia is going to send me to some far corner of Equestria? Or do you just think that because I’m a princess, I’m going to start looking to trade up?!”
Applejack shouted, “Consarnit, Twilight, I ain’t afraid of you leavin’! I’m afraid you’re gonna stay!”
A palpable quiet fell over the farm, echoed by the growing silence in Twilight’s heart. Slowly, her voice barely a whisper, she stated, “I’m going to need you to explain that.”
Her heart heavy in her throat, Applejack said, “Twilight, I…listen. You got a bright future ahead of you. You’re gonna go places and do some amazin’ things. I know it ain’t easy to hear, but you don’t need me holdin’ you back.” She sniffed back a tear, adding, “I want you to soar on those new wings of yours.”
“That makes even less sense,” Twilight replied bluntly. “I wouldn’t even be here without you. It’s not just my mural that’s hanging in Canterlot Castle. It’s all of us.”
“No, it ain’t!” Applejack shouted. “It’s the Elements. We just carried them a while. It was an honor to serve Equestria, but those days are behind us now, and we all got our lives to go back to.”
“Is that what you think?” Twilight asked.
“Look around you,” Applejack answered, tears of desperation now streaking down her face. “This is all I am, Twilight. I was born right here in the muck, and I’m gonna die right here in the muck. It’s a hard life, an honest life, and one I’m proud to have. It’s how I serve Equestria in my own way, but it ain’t worthy of somepony like you. There’s no future here. Not one’s fit for no princess.”
“I don’t come here for the farm,” Twilight said.
“I know, sugarcube.” With a deep breath, Applejack said, “But I gotta do what’s right for everypony, not just what I want.”
“So you are breaking up with me,” Twilight said flatly.
“Reckon I am,” Applejack answered quietly. “I love you, Princess Twilight. That’s why I gotta let you go.”
Applejack returned to the house to find Big Mac standing in the living room waiting for her. “It’s over,” she said quietly, closing the door with her hind leg. “You sent Apple Bloom back to bed?”
Big Mac said nothing. His eyes followed Applejack as she walked past him.
“I know everypony’s upset,” Applejack said, more to herself than to her brother. “I know it ain’t never easy when this…I get it. Apple Bloom’s gonna be fit to be tied when she finds out. But we all just gotta keep movin’ on.”
Big Mac continued saying nothing, simply absorbing Applejack’s words.
“I get it, alright?!” she shouted at him, before catching herself. She put a hoof over her mouth, mentally reminding herself that they’d just gotten Apple Bloom back to bed. “I get it. I don’t like it none either, but it had to be done. It had to--”
“Applejack?” Big Mac asked. She stopped pacing for just a moment, and it was all he needed. He wrapped a single foreleg around her and pulled her tightly into him, squeezing his little sister with all the love he had in his heart.
Secure in her brother’s embrace, Applejack broke down and cried. At once, she released the tears meant only for the family that loved her so.
Rarity awoke with a start to a pounding on her door. She released a frustrated groan and considered putting the pillow over her head until whoever it was went away. Surely whatever Rainbow Dash had done this time, it could wait until morning.
The more she waited, however, the more frantic and loud the knocking became. Making no effort to mask the agitation in her voice, Rarity shouted, “I’m coming!” and climbed out of bed.
Fixing a scowl upon her face, she trotted out into the boutique’s storefront and opened the door. “Whatever is the--” Her face and voice dropped together when she saw the dismal state of Twilight on the other side.
Twilight’s head hung low, her eyes full of desperation mixed with a hint of despair. Tears trailed down her face, dripping into puddles at Rarity’s doorstep. “Help me,” she said.
Somewhere inside Rarity’s mind, the doomsday clock she’d managed to forget she was tracking finally struck midnight.
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There should be a monologue of applejack when twilight sparkle was away.
Stupid AJ running Twilight off like that. Fix it!!!
Somehow I thought we would have to go through the drama of their relationship getting screwed up during the cutie mark switch. But no, we get to skip to brand new drama.
You and me both, Twi.
Not that anypony could have seen these circumstances coming. Except Rarity, apparently. And Apple Bloom? Might her previous AJ-related trauma be tied to Rarity's?
It’s nice that Twilight gets to be the reasonable one in the relationship for a change.
This is a cool series that i just started following and finally caught back up after reading the prequels
Man Rarity is gonna ruin Applejack's shit next chapter
Where's Discord during all this didn't they reform him.
8243121
Somehow I'm getting the same vibe, and I've been getting it since "The Crystal Ball".
8245625
I've been ready to see it since forever. I just hope it's every bit as delicious as Celestia's breakdown in Twilight A's.
And then...
This reminds me of a yet another quote, this one from HPMOR -
As for the deleted comment thing - I derped and posted two, so I just rolled them into one.