Apples in the Mirror

by Rune Soldier Dan

Prelude

They sprinted, laughing through the rain and mud. Twilight squealed as puddles kicked up beneath her skirt, all the more surprising from her seat atop Applejack’s shoulders. The farmhouse hopped in her vision, with every stride of the tall young woman’s legs making it grow before her. She held Applejack’s hat steady with her hands, shielding at least one of them from the downpour.

Applejack spoke in a gasp, winded from both the load and the sprint. She was a human, not an earth pony. “You can put it on, Twi.”

“Won’t make much difference,” Twilight said. She was already wet, and the next dozen seconds brought them bounding onto the covered porch.

She dismounted, far less muddy than her obliging mount. “Thanks for the ride.”

Applejack cracked up an eyebrow, noting the grin on Twilight’s face. “Fun, ain’t it? Don’t you worry none, it was my own fault for parking in the garage.”

She moved over to unlock the door, showcasing the mud running all the way up her back. The cowboy boots, painted a darker brown than their norm, were kicked off and left outside. “I’m gonna head upstairs right quick and change. Want some spares?”

Twilight patted herself down. “Maybe a sweater? I’m only a little damp, thanks to you.”

“Alrighty. Hang tight, I’ll be back in two shakes.”

Applejack moved quickly and gingerly into the house, hiking up her jeans from the floor. Twilight loitered a moment, doing her best to mimic the shoe-kicking action and mentally ticked off a box on her list of unanswered questions. Now she knew why humans often removed their shoes before entering a home.

She passed through the doorway, trying to open her senses to every first impression they could find. The differences between humans and ponies fascinated the young princess, and Applejack was the only close friend she had not yet visited on this side. The entryway had cool linoleum instead of pony-Applejack’s hardwood floor, and of course the house itself was different. She walked to the kitchen, finding different knick-knacks and a rack full of human coats, yet a strange sense of nostalgia crept into Twilight’s mind. Human hands carved one candy bowl, but it looked the same as its twin on the other side. A familiar embroidered cloth reading ‘Bless This House’ hung in a place of prominence between two inevitable human gadgets.

Creaks from above came as Applejack busied herself upstairs. Twilight moved to the living room, finding a worn carpet for a family who never worried about muddy hooves. There were easy chairs for human rumps, and faint smells of apples and wood. A fireplace with photographs on its mantle, just like in Equestria. One in particular drew her gaze – the frame was in her hands before she realized it, bringing the two pictured humans up for a closer look. A strong, yellow man and a soft peach woman with orange curls and adoring eyes. They stood close, but not too close, holding each others’ hands in a posed scene with stiff formal clothes. Yet their eyes sparkled, and had turned to each other as the camera clicked. Small wonder that of all the wedding photos Applejack could have displayed, she chose this.

The image blurred. Twilight wiped her hand over her eyes, brushing off moisture that was not rain. She heard Applejack’s heavy trod come down the stairs, debated whether to quickly return the picture, then decided against. Being human-Applejack’s friend meant being one for… the less fun parts, too.

“I see you found Ma and Pa.”

Sweet Celestia, she sounded so cheerful! But Twilight supposed that was Applejack’s way. Keep moving forward, never back.

“They’re beautiful,” Twilight murmured, respectfully setting the picture back in its place.

“Shoot, they ain’t even looking at the camera!” Applejack gave a boisterous snort. “Why they chose to display this one, I’ll never know.”

“It’s impulsive, it’s unique. It showcases their love and humor…” Twilight paused in her gushing, then cast a glance at Applejack. “They put this here?”

“Eeyup.” Applejack stared back, perhaps noticing the redness in Twilight’s eyes. “You okay?”

The mere question drew a few quiet tears. Twilight quickly wiped them away, weakly laughing at her friend’s concern. “I’m sorry. Look at us – you’re so much better at this than me, and they’re your parents. I didn’t mean to kill the mood.”

“It ain’t like they embarrass me.” Applejack shrugged, then grunted. “Usually. But you’re fine; there’s nothing wrong with getting sappy over weddings.”

Twilight snapped her head, but still spoke tenderly. “Um… ‘usually?’”

Another shrug. “Yeah. What, pony parents never embarrass their kids?”

They stared to each other. Twilight stammered as was her tendency when confused, suddenly unable to produce three words. “Your parents…”

“What about ‘em?” Applejack said. Her eyes held no hint of sadness, only concern for her off-balance friend.

The ceiling creaked again. Someone walked onto the landing, then began moving down the stairs.

“Hey, don’t be nervous.” Applejack patted Twilight’s arm with a smile, as caring as she was wrong. “They’re just parents.”

A voice trickled down the stairs. Soft and high compared to Applejack’s baritone, but carrying the same twang. “Hey, sugar.”

She came into sight – a woman Twilight had never met, only seen in tear-stained pictures. A waterfall of orange curls, sea-green eyes, and a smile that simply glowed from her peach muzzle.

…No, no muzzle. Just her face.

A man followed the woman down, with deep red hair and a grin like the sunrise.

“Howdy! You must be the little Miss Twilight we’ve heard so much about.”

Twilight rooted and stared. Applejack gave a gentle chuckle, nudging her forwards. “No need to be nervous, Twi. They’re just my parents.”

Comments

[FanOfMostEverything]

I'm not sure if I'm impressed or disappointed that you didn't go with "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

[The Weaver]

10453672
It is certainly a line i could see Applejack use... unlike other characters.

[Venerable Ro]

10453672

Both at once? It's a perfect opportunity, but that line really has been done to death.