Kiss Me

by applejackofalltrades

Out Of The Bearded Barley

“Ain’t nothin’ to worry ‘bout. I swear.”

Applejack smiled at the pony in front of her, who fidgeted anxiously, rubbing her hoof against the ground. She frowned in return, though it managed to lessen into an almost smile as she caught sight of Applejack’s expression. “Okay, Applejack, I know. But you can’t blame me for being a bit nervous.”

“Nervous of what?” Applejack asked with an amused smirk. “Look, Twi, I’ll be honest with ya. My whole family’s gone for a few days, an’ I hate bein’ by myself as of late. I love our friends but put me alone with any of ‘em for too long these days an’ I think I might try an' buck a tree with my face.” She paused and shook her head. “You’re the only one who I can handle right now. Plus, we don’t really spend a lot of time together, 'specially not lately.”

Sighing, Twilight nodded. “You’re right, Applejack. I guess I’m just nervous because I don’t want to let you down. I mean, I’m all for doing things! But farmwork is a bit beyond what I normally do, and I don’t want you to think I’m a bad friend or worker! I mean, you said it yourself. We don’t really spend time together, despite my wishes, so I think these next couple of days will really make or break our friendship! Although it’s entirely possible that I’m being irrational, but it’s entirely possible that I’m not!”

It was barely past midday and Twilight was already freaking herself out. Applejack couldn’t help but chuckle as she let Twilight finish her frantic ranting. She stepped forward and next to her friend, putting a hoof around her back.

“Alright, c’mon, y’ain’t gon’ let me down,” she assured her with a friendly nuzzle. “And hey, ya’ve already impressed me, bein’ here so early. I told ya to swing by dinner time and it ain't even lunchtime. Don’t worry so much, today ain’t gonna make our friendship any different. At least, not in a bad way.”

Twilight blushed and looked away. “Okay, you have a point. Sorry. I just really want today to go well.”

“Aw, me too Twi,” Applejack replied with a gentle nudge to the alicorn. “C’mon, there ain’t really much to do today, though I reckon that means we can get it done quick an’ just spend some quality time after.”

Wordlessly, Twilight nodded. She followed along as Applejack led her toward the eastern side of the orchard. It was almost funny how nervous Twilight was, but Applejack restrained herself because she knew that Twilight had bad days sometimes, and she didn’t want to poke fun at her friend if it was a bad day.

Instead, she let Twilight canter up to her side as she gazed at the trees in front of them. Applejack paused at the edge of the orchard. “Well, here we are. We’ll check this side today, together, then I’ll do the rest this weekend. Pigs’ve got enough food for today, but I’ll take care of that tomorrow, alright?”

Twilight grimaced. “I don’t know what we’re supposed to do.”

“That’s fine, I’ll show ya. Nothin’ hard, ya don't even gotta do anythin'. I just want the company.”

Together, they made their way down the trail. It branched off in several directions, but signs had long been made and kept to ensure nopony got lost. Twilight stumbled a bit, not knowing when or where to avoid stray roots and dips in the ground. Applejack smiled, realizing fully that despite Twilight's intelligence, she could still be rendered insanely clueless if presented with something new and different. She wondered why she didn't just fly and got her answer as her gazing at Twilight forced her to walk muzzle first into a low-hanging branch.

Rubbing her nose, Applejack brought her gaze back to Twilight and her clumsy trotting. She turned her focus to the floor, purple eyes boring into the ground ahead. Her stumbling died down a little, but occasionally a surprise dip or soft spot in the dirt brought it back.

It was almost cute. Well, it was cute, but Applejack didn't want to think of her friend like that. Instead, she held out a hoof whenever Twilight tripped or warned her of an upcoming obstacle like a friend would.

It was no secret to herself that she liked Twilight. At least, in a different way than she did the rest of her friends. Ever since she met her, she thought there was something charming about the mare next to her that she could never let go of. It was that intelligence, that curious gleam in her eye that always lit up the room. The way she could tell anypony anything about anything, and how she loved to talk. That was perfect. Applejack loved to listen.

Truth be told, Applejack could have asked any of her friends to spend the day with her. She was sure most of them would say yes—save for Rarity who would hate doing the work, and maybe Dash, who might have been busy with the Wonderbolts—but she wouldn't have been able to handle it if she was spending a day with anypony else… when she could have been spending it with Twilight.

Sweet Celestia, I'm awful.

As her thoughts slowed down, so too did her hooves. It must have been muscle memory because Applejack didn't even notice the large tree they had finally reached. The frown that had been building on her face disappeared as she grinned proudly at the apple tree before them. With a solid knock, she placed a hoof on its trunk, almost as wide as she was tall, and set her gaze on Twilight. Her heart skipped a beat.

"This here's the Mother Tree, Twi," Applejack explained, pushing down any unwelcome thoughts. "First tree that was planted at here at Sweet Apple Acres, an' the one that gave us all the trees on this side'a the orchard."

Twilight's eyes widened as she gazed up at the magnificent tree in awe. Applejack's smile deepened as she could practically see the gears turning in Twilight's head.

"Behind this is a field of wheat. We don't usually grow it, but this here wheat's been here even longer'n the mother tree. Why, it's older'n Granny, I bet," she joked, relishing in the giggle that Twilight released. "We don't exactly tend to it, but we make sure it's healthy along with the trees. Now, I already know all the trees are healthy, but we do this every few months to make sure all the crop grows as it should."

She took a step back, falling back next to Twilight, who glanced at her expectantly. With a grin, she dug her hooves into the ground, planting all her limbs on the grassy patch beneath her. "Now, it ain't easy to tell, but yer a smart pony, Twi. Whaddya think is goin' on?"

The ground shifted the slightest bit under Applejack, but she felt it as though it was an earthquake. Warmth ran down her legs and to her hooves, pooling like water in a puddle, and released into the soil in an invisible transfer. The sound of the wind in the leaves and the smell of the early morning grass enveloped Applejack and filled her with energy that flowed in and out of her.

It was as though the very earth before her and every bit of nature around her amplified into her very existence. It all lasted only a mere few seconds before Applejack took a step back and shook out her body, tingles making it feel all itchy and numb. She glanced up at the cracked, old bark of the Mother Tree. It seemed to radiate energy.

Twilight, next to her, stared. Her wings ruffled as her widened jaw closed into an ecstatic smile. "Earth pony magic," she whispered.

Ridding herself of the last of the pins and needles coursing through her limbs, Applejack nodded. "Eeyup. Makes for a good harvest come harvest season."

Twilight finally remembered she could move her body and turned to Applejack, running her hooves over her forelegs. In return, Applejack squirmed and pulled away from Twilight, her face reddening from the touch. The alicorn faltered. "Oh, I'm sorry! I just wanted to study the residual effects of the magic on you. I know about earth pony magic, and sometimes I can feel it, but I've never seen it like this."

Applejack, still blushing, rubbed her foreleg with her other forehoof. "'S fine. Ya just gotta warn me before ya touch my legs." She held out a foreleg for Twilight to inspect, making a face at even the softest touch. "Earth pony hooves are kinda sensitive. 'Specially after we use our magic like that."

Twilight beamed as she enveloped Applejack's hoof in a magenta glow. "Oh, that makes sense. It's like how pegasi wings are hypersensitive and usually not a place just anypony can touch. Same with unicorn horns after exhaustive magic," she explained as Applejack did her best to sit still. “I sort of noticed that myself. Sometimes things would bother me more in my hooves, but I thought I was just having some aches or something.”

The unicorn magic mixing with what was left of her own earth pony magic made for a strange sensation. Applejack swallowed, hoping it'd be over soon. It was like a really deep massage. Enjoyable, yet she wanted it to end all the same. "Yup," she agreed, not adding anything else.

Finally, Twilight released her. She raised an eyebrow as she looked up at Applejack, who was trying to cool down her face. "AJ, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Applejack replied, fidgeting all the same. "Not used to bein' touched like that after the magic. Made me a bit…" She rubbed the foreleg that Twilight had been inspecting with the other, effectively removing any lingering strangeness from it. "I dunno, just felt weird. But did ya get what ya needed?"

Just like that, Twilight's face lit up. She nodded eagerly and squeaked like a foal on Hearth's Warming Morning. "Eeek! Yes, I'll have to take note of it later, but I've practically got it committed to memory. It's fascinating how earth ponies have this magic that is nearly irreplicable, yet is so mundane and every day that you're basically using it every time you have a hoof on the ground!" Twilight took a deep breath. "At trace levels, of course. But I've never seen an earth pony use that amount of magic before. I've definitely read about it though. Ancient farmers who would grow acres and acres of crop overnight! Rituals with singing and chanting and painting!

"I have never seen it though or acquired a first-hoof story, at least not from a credible source. I could feel it! Well, that's probably because I am an alicorn and have earth pony magic myself, now. I'm obviously well versed in unicorn magic, and pegasus magic comes second nature to me when I'm flying, but earth pony magic is so unique I have to admit I'm not the best at it. I've never even tried to externalize it like that, but I know I couldn't get those results!

"The amount of magic you used is incredible, Applejack! Most earth ponies have trouble channeling their energy into anything other than what they're constantly giving off, which is very little, but you could put a unicorn to shame with how you were able to gather your magic like that," Twilight pointed out, stars practically shining in her eyes. She gasped sharply and turned to Applejack, pushing her muzzle into the earth pony's. "You have to show me how you did that!"

Applejack blinked. Twilight was too close. Too close! Thank Celestia she was already blushing from before. "Uh…"

Twilight's eyes widened and she took a step back. Her cheeks flushed a bit as Applejack rubbed the tip of her muzzle. "I'm sorry! Again. Sorry, I just get excited and eager and—"

Applejack put a hoof to Twilight's mouth, effectively getting her to stop talking. "It's fine, sugarcube. I like seein' ya get like that," she admitted, looking up at a branch of the Mother Tree. "It's endearing."

When Applejack looked back at Twilight, she noticed that neither mare had moved, though Twilight’s blush hadn’t disappeared yet. Sheepishly, Applejack dropped her hoof and took a step back. “Err, well, I gotta do this for the other parts of the orchard, but I reckon I'll do that tomorrow. I think I used too much magic or somethin’,” she admitted. “I gotta sit for a spell.”

Twilight nodded, taking a seat next to Applejack, who rubbed her hooves on the ground. She could feel the life beneath her, the way that everything was connected, but the more she tried to focus on it, the more it faded. With a huff, she brought her attention back to the alicorn. Her purple eyes stared ahead, taking in the rows of apple trees, and Applejack knew it was a good view.

It wasn’t nearly as good as the view she had though.

She shouldn’t think of Twilight like that, and she knew it. But there was nothing wrong with it other than the fact that Twilight was the Princess of Equestria now… and she had come to Applejack’s humble family farm upon her request. How could she not like that?

A mix of guilt and pleasure swirled around in Applejack’s gut. She frowned and looked away from the lavender pony that had caught her eye. It’s not that she regretted inviting Twilight, but now that she was there…

“Sorry for draggin’ ya away from Canterlot, Twi,” Applejack spoke, breaking the warm silence growing between them. “I know ya must be busy, an’ I feel downright awful for makin’ ya come here.”

From the corner of her eye, she could see Twilight shift to look at her, but she didn’t feel like looking back. Twilight put a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder. “Oh, Applejack, you don’t need to apologize. I wouldn’t have come if it was going to be a problem. I promise.” She tugged on Applejack’s shoulder, forcing the earth pony to look back at her.

Twilight’s smile warmed Applejack’s heart, and she couldn’t help but feel her doubts disappear. Mostly. Releasing a large huff of air, Applejack leaned back against the trunk of the tree. It was one of the rare occasions that there was virtually nothing to do on the farm other than basic chores. The crops were still growing, the weather had been great, the animals were healthy. Most of all, it was quiet. Real quiet, save for the chirping of birds and the thoughts inside Applejack’s head.

Her thoughts did in fact grow louder as Twilight leaned back like Applejack did, fidgeting a bit with her wings until she found a comfortable position. It just so happened that position placed both mares side by side, coats skimming against each other. It was all Applejack could do to not tense up. She whistled a low tune instead, smoothing out the shaky breaths into a melodic rhythm that quickly got her smiling.

“That’s nice, what song is that?”

Twilight’s voice was barely a murmur over the natural ambience. Applejack’s whistling died down as she grinned at the clouds peeking through the leafy foliage of the Mother Tree. “Just an Apple family song. ‘Bout bein’ an Apple to the core.”

“That’s sweet.”

Applejack hummed her agreement and kept whistling. Soon, the redness in her face washed away, replaced by the pleasant passive grin that emerged once her song had ended. Still, the silence hung between them, interrupted only by the soft wind blowing their manes to the side.

Something brushed against Applejack’s hoof, only for a split second. She figured Twilight must have moved her body, but even that touch sent lightning up her foreleg. It’d probably be worse if she made a deal of it, so she waited for the feeling to subside and lazily looked over the trees in the orchard.

“How come you told me magic wasn’t allowed on Sweet Apple Acres property during my first Winter Wrap Up?”

She sure had a tendency to break the silence. Maybe Twilight just wasn’t comfortable in silence with Applejack. The thought threatened to bring down Applejack’s mood, but instead, she told herself that Twilight was probably not used to quiet anymore. She snorted a bit at the question; it had been so long since then, a couple of years, and she was surprised Twilight even remembered that. “Well, it’s a mite different, Twi,” she explained.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, the way we see it, only magic allowed on Sweet Apple Acres—at least when it comes to harvestin’ an’ wrappin’ up winter an’ the sort—are the ones that are most necessary,” Applejack explained. She pursed her lips, trying to think of a way to put her thoughts into words coherently. “Pegasus magic makes the rain come an’ help the crops stay healthy. Earth pony magic, as you saw, help the crops grow big an’ fast. But what unicorn magic used ta do was bring the sun up and down, makin’ sure that the crop could feed off the sun’s energy and regenerate at night.

“Now the Princesses do that.” Applejack cut herself off and mumbled. “Err, well, now you do that, sugarcube. There ain’t a need for other types of unicorn magic, an’ it’d feel a bit like breakin’ tradition an’ cheatin’ to let anythin’ other than that happen.”

Twilight put a hoof to her mouth. She made that face she always made when she was deep in thought; brows furrowed and eyes crossed slightly as if she were looking at her own snout. “I think I get it. And that makes sense. Again,” she added with a sheepish smile directed toward the earth pony, “I’m sorry about that Wrap Up.”

“Nothin’ doin’, Twi,” Applejack responded with a chuckle. “It all worked out in the end, right? An’ it’s been so long, ya don’t need to keep apologizin’ for it, sugarcube.”

Twilight giggled and turned on her side, tucking her wings behind her. She gazed at Applejack, who gazed back. “Thanks, AJ. I guess it has been a while. Kind of strange, right?”

Applejack turned on her side to match Twilight. “Yeah, I suppose. Feels like I just met ya, but at the same time, it’s like I’ve known ya forever.”

“Me too,” Twilight replied with a soft smile. “It feels like forever ago that I first came to Ponyville. I still remember that party in Golden Oak that Pinkie threw for me.” She let out a soft giggle. “I hated it at the time, but now I wish I could go back to that moment and enjoy it. Hot sauce and everything.”

Applejack responded with a hearty chuckle. She remembered that party. She remembered the party games and the punch and the music, the small talk in the hopes of staying up long enough to watch the Summer Sun Celebration.

Most of all, she remembered wishing that Twilight would come down from her room.

“You know, I still remember that first day in general, actually,” Twilight continued, oblivious to Applejack’s wandering thoughts. “The way you helped me when I almost fell off that cliff. You didn’t lie. That’s pretty amazing, AJ.”

Blood rushed up to Applejack’s face, though it was more of embarrassment than anything else. “Aw, shucks, Twi,” she muttered, turning her head away from the alicorn. “T’weren’t nothin’, really. I was raised an honest mare, an’ my new friend needed help. ‘Sides, Dash and Fluttershy did most’a the work, anyway.”

“I wouldn’t have let go if you hadn’t been so insistent,” Twilight pointed out. “I’m glad I trusted you.”

“Yeah, same here.”

Next to her, Twilight sat back up and looked down at Applejack. The light above her cast a glow around her and it was all Applejack could do to not drop her jaw. Sparkling amethyst eyes locked on Applejack’s. “I wish we could have spent more time together,” Twilight whispered, her voice dropping to levels barely audible.

Despite Twilight’s wavering voice and the melancholic look in her eyes, a slow shiver ran down Applejack’s spine. “Yeah, me too,” she admitted, swallowing a large lump in her throat. The grass suddenly scratched at her back, but Applejack couldn’t bring herself to move, not with Twilight staring at her like that.

After a few moments of what seemed like an eternity, Twilight ripped her eyes off of Applejack and leaned back. The earth pony suppressed a sigh of relief, allowing herself to sit up next to Twilight. It was a simple pleasure, but it was too nice, and she couldn’t possibly be so greedy. Hastily, Applejack got to her hooves. “C’mon, Twi, there’s work to be done.”

Comments

[Reactception]

Re-Reading this for my review and I must say it is a great first chapter.

[Bicyclette]

Sighing, Twilight nodded. “You’re right, Applejack. I guess I’m just nervous because I don’t want to let you down. I mean, I’m all for doing things! But farmwork is a bit beyond what I normally do, and I don’t want you to think I’m a bad friend or worker! I mean, you said it yourself. We don’t really spend time together, despite my wishes, so I think these next couple of days will really make or break our friendship! Although it’s entirely possible that I’m being irrational, but it’s entirely possible that I’m not!”

aww Twilight is just so adorable when she's on one of her anxiety spirals

Together, they made their way down the trail. It branched off in several directions, but signs had long been made and kept to ensure nopony got lost. Twilight stumbled a bit, not knowing when or where to avoid stray roots and dips in the ground. Applejack smiled, realizing fully that despite Twilight's intelligence, she could still be rendered insanely clueless if presented with something new and different. She wondered why she didn't just fly and got her answer as her gazing at Twilight forced her to walk muzzle first into a low-hanging branch.

hehehe so cute! Applejack's mind is so focused on Twilight that she runs into a branch on her own farm augh

It was no secret to herself that she liked Twilight. At least, in a different way than she did the rest of her friends. Ever since she met her, she thought there was something charming about the mare next to her that she could never let go of. It was that intelligence, that curious gleam in her eye that always lit up the room. The way she could tell anypony anything about anything, and how she loved to talk. That was perfect. Applejack loved to listen.

same

Sweet Celestia, I'm awful.

aww, it can be hard to not let having a favorite make you feel like you're valuing the alternatives less

"Behind this is a field of wheat. We don't usually grow it, but this here wheat's been here even longer'n the mother tree. Why, it's older'n Granny, I bet," she joked, relishing in the giggle that Twilight released. "We don't exactly tend to it, but we make sure it's healthy along with the trees. Now, I already know all the trees are healthy, but we do this every few months to make sure all the crop grows as it should."

this sounds like superstition but with the way magic works in this world, who knows?

The ground shifted the slightest bit under Applejack, but she felt it as though it was an earthquake. Warmth ran down her legs and to her hooves, pooling like water in a puddle, and released into the soil in an invisible transfer. The sound of the wind in the leaves and the smell of the early morning grass enveloped Applejack and filled her with energy that flowed in and out of her.

aww, love earthpony magic

Twilight, next to her, stared. Her wings ruffled as her widened jaw closed into an ecstatic smile. "Earth pony magic," she whispered.

hey i said that first!

Twilight finally remembered she could move her body and turned to Applejack, running her hooves over her forelegs. In return, Applejack squirmed and pulled away from Twilight, her face reddening from the touch. The alicorn faltered. "Oh, I'm sorry! I just wanted to study the residual effects of the magic on you. I know about earth pony magic, and sometimes I can feel it, but I've never seen it like this."

auaugh love this

Twilight beamed as she enveloped Applejack's hoof in a magenta glow. "Oh, that makes sense. It's like how pegasi wings are hypersensitive and usually not a place just anypony can touch. Same with unicorn horns after exhaustive magic," she explained as Applejack did her best to sit still. “I sort of noticed that myself. Sometimes things would bother me more in my hooves, but I thought I was just having some aches or something.”

ooh i am stealing the hell out of this headcanon

The unicorn magic mixing with what was left of her own earth pony magic made for a strange sensation.

hoowee

"The amount of magic you used is incredible, Applejack! Most earth ponies have trouble channeling their energy into anything other than what they're constantly giving off, which is very little, but you could put a unicorn to shame with how you were able to gather your magic like that," Twilight pointed out, stars practically shining in her eyes. She gasped sharply and turned to Applejack, pushing her muzzle into the earth pony's. "You have to show me how you did that!"

this excitable Twilight is just so great

With a huff, she brought her attention back to the alicorn. Her purple eyes stared ahead, taking in the rows of apple trees, and Applejack knew it was a good view.

It wasn’t nearly as good as the view she had though.

so true

Her thoughts did in fact grow louder as Twilight leaned back like Applejack did, fidgeting a bit with her wings until she found a comfortable position. It just so happened that position placed both mares side by side, coats skimming against each other. It was all Applejack could do to not tense up. She whistled a low tune instead, smoothing out the shaky breaths into a melodic rhythm that quickly got her smiling.

augh the tension is so good

“Now the Princesses do that.” Applejack cut herself off and mumbled. “Err, well, now you do that, sugarcube. There ain’t a need for other types of unicorn magic, an’ it’d feel a bit like breakin’ tradition an’ cheatin’ to let anythin’ other than that happen.”

aww, that's a good explanation, and a nice casual slipping-in of the fact that Twilight controls the literal sun now nbd

Applejack responded with a hearty chuckle. She remembered that party. She remembered the party games and the punch and the music, the small talk in the hopes of staying up long enough to watch the Summer Sun Celebration.

Most of all, she remembered wishing that Twilight would come down from her room.

poor pre-friendship Twilight! that must have been a worrying sight to Applejack and the rest

“I wouldn’t have let go if you hadn’t been so insistent,” Twilight pointed out. “I’m glad I trusted you.”

“Yeah, same here.”

TwiJack real from the series pilot

Next to her, Twilight sat back up and looked down at Applejack. The light above her cast a glow around her and it was all Applejack could do to not drop her jaw. Sparkling amethyst eyes locked on Applejack’s. “I wish we could have spent more time together,” Twilight whispered, her voice dropping to levels barely audible.

Despite Twilight’s wavering voice and the melancholic look in her eyes, a slow shiver ran down Applejack’s spine. “Yeah, me too,” she admitted, swallowing a large lump in her throat. The grass suddenly scratched at her back, but Applejack couldn’t bring herself to move, not with Twilight staring at her like that.

oh wow that is suddenly really heavy

[Variation]

Twilight finally remembered she could move her body and turned to Applejack, running her hooves over her forelegs. In return, Applejack squirmed and pulled away from Twilight, her face reddening from the touch. The alicorn faltered. "Oh, I'm sorry! I just wanted to study the residual effects of the magic on you. I know about earth pony magic, and sometimes I can feel it, but I've never seen it like this ."

You'd think she'd learn about personal space after all this time but I guess she's still a shut in at heart.

Applejack put a hoof to Twilight's mouth, effectively getting her to stop talking. "It's fine, sugarcube. I like seein' ya get like that," she admitted, looking up at a branch of the Mother Tree. "It's endearing."

She likes them nerdy I guess.

“Now the Princesses do that.” Applejack cut herself off and mumbled. “Err, well, now you do that, sugarcube. There ain’t a need for other types of unicorn magic, an’ it’d feel a bit like breakin’ tradition an’ cheatin’ to let anythin’ other than that happen.”

Probably would have prevented a whole lot if you'd just told her that in the first place.

Cute first chapter.