Unexpected Confessions
Chapter Eighteen
Whiny Little Birch
“It’s... what?” Applejack looked up, the gears in her mind grinding to a screeching halt. “I... She...” She ran a hoof through her mane, knocking her Stetson to the ground behind her. “No, it’s—” The words died in her throat as she remembered the pleading look the unicorn had given her, asking her to give up. “Spike, Ah— How? How do you know?”
That stopped Spike in his tracks. He turned his head, but didn’t face her. “How do I know?” He wheeled around and stalked back toward her. “Do you know what she does at night when she thinks I’m asleep?” He looked away for a moment, but turned back even angrier. “Do you?”
“Course not.” She answered, wary of Spike’s response. “How would Ah—”
“She cries, Applejack!” He yelled, his voice breaking partway through. “She cries, and looks out the window, whispering to herself about how she wishes you would notice her. That’s all she wants; for you to notice her. But noooo! You’re too busy chasing after Rainbow Dash. You― I just... Gah!” He kicked a rock and stomped back to the library without another glance at the befuddled earth pony.
Applejack sat in stunned silence for a time, just staring at the door and occasionally lifting her gaze to Twilight’s bedroom window. Part of her wanted to run and not stop until she reached the farm, but she knew that she needed to go back inside and talk to Twilight again. She needed to try and make things right, if such a thing were even possible.
Her mind whirled on, moving through the past few months at breakneck speed and flashing images through her head. There were numerous little glances, sheepish smiles, and accidental brushes of contact that she had just written off as unimportant. However, in light of Spike’s revelation, she had to concede that there might have been more to them than she wanted to admit..
Whispers at the edge of her hearing finally tore her eyes away from the library, and Applejack belatedly realized that several ponies were staring at her following Spike’s tirade. She didn't know how much time had passed before she managed to rehinge her jaw and pick up her hat, but she knew she'd messed up big time. She quickly stood up and trotted down the road, away from the Golden Oaks Library. She pulled her hat low to shield her eyes and focused on the ground in front of her, letting her hooves carry her along the well-trodden path between Ponyville and the farm while her mind wandered.
Soon, the shops and houses on the outskirts of town gave way to open fields, then rows of apple trees. She decided against walking all the way down to the gate and hopped over the fence separating the farm from the road, meandering down a row of Red Delicious trees and peeking up at the fruits. She tapped one of the trees with a light kick, knocking a single apple loose. Catching it with practiced ease, she quickly inspected it and took a bite.
Yep. Ready to come down. Applejack finished off her snack in a couple more bites and made her way back to the end of the row by the road. She lined herself up with the first tree and lashed out with her hind legs, listening to the telltale thwack of her hooves connecting with the trunk, followed shortly by the apples falling into baskets underneath the canopy. She walked mechanically to the next tree and set up to repeat the process in an autonomy born from years of applebucking.
Thwack!
How’d Ah miss this? Her mind continued to churn as she made her way down the row of trees. Lookin’ back on it, Twi was about as subtle as a brick wall. She stepped over a root sticking out of the ground as she approached the next tree.
THWACK!
Ah guess Ah have been a little... preoccupied with Dash recently.
THWACK!
“AJ?” Big Macintosh appeared a ways down the row and started heading toward his sister. He stopped a few trees down from her, glancing back and forth between her and the tree she was set up in front of. Her kick had shaken it to its roots and cracked the bark. “Ya doin’ okay there, sis?”
“Ah’m fine.” She replied shortly, digging her front hooves into the dirt and bracing herself for another kick. “Just gettin’ some work done.” She reared up and lashed out, unaware of the fact that she had forgotten to move on to the next tree. She shot a look over at the stallion. “Speakin’ of which, shouldn’t you be workin’ too?”
Big Mac mulled the question over, looking up into the nearby trees. “Eeyup.” He eventually concluded. “But, Ah don’t think you should be.”
“And just why the hay not?” She accentuated the end of her question with another kick.
“Well, for starters, you’ve bucked Franklin three times now.” He smirked as she turned around and noticed the cracked bark from her first kick. “Now, what’s got ya so flustered?”
“Ah ain’t flustered.” Applejack shot back, trudging over to the next tree. “Like Ah said, Ah’m fine.”
Big Mac took a few steps forward and laid a hoof on his sister’s shoulder. “Come on now, AJ. Ah ain’t seen ya this distracted since Braeburn brought Bloomberg back with all them bugs.”
“Those were wood-borin’ weevils!” She looked up at him, her eyes wide. “They were eatin’ poor Bloomberg from the inside out. It was a miracle we were able to save him!”
“That it was.” He nodded solemnly, but pressed on his original line of questioning. “Ya know Ah won’t say nothin’ to anypony, so fess up. What’s wrong?”
“Ah... don’t wanna talk about it right now.” She dropped her eyes to the ground.
Big Mac was silent for a time, chewing on the ever-present piece of hay in his mouth. “Well, that’s yer choice, but Ah think you’d feel better if’n ya talked ‘bout it.” He turned and kicked at the tree next to him with one leg, knocking all the fruit loose with a solid thunk. “Ah’ll take care of this. Why don’t ya head inside fer a spell.”
“Ah can—” Applejack started to protest, but looked back at the tree she had just bucked three times, wincing as a chunk of broken bark fell off of the trunk. She sighed. “Alright. Thanks, Mac.” Moving back to the previous tree, she laid a hoof on the trunk and patted it gently. “Sorry ‘bout bein’ a little rough with ya, Franklin.” With one last nod back to her brother, she made her way toward the farmhouse. She heard the raucous laughter or three fillies coming from the next field over and couldn’t help but smile.
After a few more minutes, the farmhouse came into view as she reached the edge of the field. Granny Smith was sitting out on the front porch in her rocking chair, her head slumped forward as she took her customary pre-dinner nap. Applejack climbed the steps up onto the porch, eliciting a series of creaks from the old wood. Granny stirred for a moment, muttering incoherently, but settled back into her nap with a snore.
The orange mare pushed through the front door and made her way up to her room, tossing her hat onto the back of a chair and flopping onto her bed. She stared at the ceiling and sighed. Dagnabbit, Twi. Did ya really have to spring this on me now? Right when this whole mess with Dash and ‘Shy might be blowin’ up? She squirmed on the bed, uncomfortable with choosing Twilight as the target for her frustration.
That ain’t fair... Twi tried her darndest to keep this from me, even when Ah was buttin’ mah nose in it. She ran a hoof through her mane and turned to look out the window across from her bed. The sun was inching toward the western horizon, so she could see the house’s growing shadow as it stretched out.
Hay, she didn’t even try and undercut me like Ah did to Dash. She cringed a bit at the memory, guilt and shame surging within her. Ah can’t believe Ah actually did that. Ah’m lucky she’s still friends with me... not that Ah’ve done to be worthy of the title. She closed her eyes and tried to relax, but her mind refused to shut down.
If’n she really does... love me— She felt her chest tighten at the thought. —then wouldn’t she have tried to do something to help me... get over Dash, as opposed to just bein’ there fer me? Bein’ the friend Ah needed? She squeezed her eyes shut and just lay there, taking a rare few minutes to rest. However, when those few minutes had passed, a gentle, rhythmic snoring drifted up from her prone form.
*
Spike slammed the door behind him as he reentered the library, still fuming after his outburst. Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, even Pinkie Pie— He huffed in annoyance. —but she refused to even consider that Twilight might be interested in her. How could she- His train of thought derailed as the bedroom door opened and Nurse Redheart came trotting down the stairs, carrying her supply bag in her mouth. He waddled over to the bottom of the staircase, wringing his hands together. “So, how is she?”
Redheart dropped her bag when she reached the bottom of the steps and shook her head slightly. “That girl’s tougher than she looks, I’ll give her that. She’s got a broken left front ankle and three cracked ribs. I was able to get her leg in a cast, thanks to her having the necessary materials in an emergency kit in her closet, but she’s officially on bed rest for the next seventy-two hours.” She gave the baby dragon a serious look, pointing a hoof at him. “She is not to leave that bed for three days. Is that understood?”
Spike swallowed, but nodded grimly. “Yes ma’am.” He gave a salute, determination burning within him. A moment later, that fire petered out when he thought of something. He looked from side to side as the question worked its way from his mind to his mouth. “Um... What about when she has to... you know.” He waved a hand, but the nurse just raised an eyebrow. He dropped his gaze to the floor and continued. “Go to the little fillies room?”
Redheart shrugged. “I’m sure she’ll think of something, and if not, just bring her a nice, big pot or bowl.” She smirked at his aghast expression. “Hey, I never said it was gonna be pretty. Tell you what, come by the hospital later this afternoon and I’ll get you a bedpan for her.”
He shuddered, letting out a disgusted sound. “Isn’t there any other way? What if she uses her magic to float herself to the bathroom, then she won’t have to walk.” He looked up at the earth pony, a combination of hope and worry on his face.
“No.” She replied firmly, shaking her head. “She’s got a hairline fracture halfway up her horn. It’s nothing serious, but it could mess with her magic if she tries to do too much. However—” Spike had been slumping over, but perked up. “—starting tomorrow, depending on how she feels, she can use her magic to float the bedpan to the bathroom and save you the trouble, but only if she feels up to it.”
“Right, right.” The baby dragon wiped a clawed hand across his forehead and glanced up at the bedroom door. “Did she say how this happened? She told me she hurt her leg when she tripped going up the stairs, but how did she break her ribs?”
“I’m not entirely sure.” Redheart shrugged, then reached down and grabbed her bag, throwing it up onto her back. She started walking toward the door. “She told me she messed up a teleportation spell somehow and ended up slamming into a tree. Magic is really more... well, her department, so if that’s what she said happened, that’s good enough for me. Either way, her leg is more important. Remember, bed rest for three days.” She pulled the door open and walked outside.
“What about after the three days?” Spike asked, standing on the threshold of the library.
“Then she’ll need to come by the hospital so that we can check and make sure her leg is healing properly. She can’t walk on it until we get it checked, though. After that, she’ll be fine to walk on it as normal, assuming everything checks out.” She sighed and looked at the clock. “Now, I really need to get back to the hospital. Was there anything else you needed?”
“Nope. Thanks for coming by to check on her.” He waved as Nurse Redheart nodded and kept walking. He closed the door and waddled back over to the stairs, climbing them as quickly as he could on his short, stubby legs. Once he reached the top, he pushed the door open gently and poked his head in.
“Oh, hi Spike.” Twilight smiled, turning away from the window to see her number one assistant. “Thank you for going and getting Nurse Redheart. I know I told you I wanted to wait before getting my leg looked at—” She looked down at the bed, pausing to let out a small sigh. “—but it was important that it be properly set and bandaged. So, thanks.” She perked up. “Oh, that reminds me. We’re out of calcinated gypsum and cotton bandages for the Emergency Disaster Preparedness Kit, so I need you to pick up some more.”
“Right. I’ll swing by the pharmacy and get some when I run to the hospital later.” He grabbed a spare piece of parchment and a quill, scribbling the two items onto it along with the words ‘crutch’ and ‘bedpan.’
“The hospital?” Twilight cocked her head to the side, glancing down at the white cast on her leg. “Why?”
Spike turned the parchment around, showing of his budding shopping list. “Nurse Redheart offered to give us a crutch and bedpan so you can walk around and...” He trailed off, waving a hand in the direction of the bathroom.
“Ah, right.” The unicorn chuckled sheepishly and cast about for a different subject. “Say, I heard you shouting outside while Nurse Redheart was up here treating my leg. What happened?”
“Oh, that.” Spike rolled up the parchment and put it under his arm, scratching the back of his neck with his now free claw. “Well, I ran into the Cutie Mark Crusaders... or they ran into me, actually.” He huffed an exasperated sigh, shaking his head. “It didn’t help that they were covered in tree sap... again.”
“Really?” Twilight cocked her head to the side. “You seem awfully clean for somepony who just had a sap covered-CMC collision.”
“Uh, yeah.” He coughed into a clawed hand. “Sweetie Belle had some towels and she let me use one to clean up before they went zooming off again.” He started toward the door, hoping to make an escape before the bedridden mare could poke too many more holes in his excuse. “Well, I should really head out and get that stuff if I’m gonna be back in time to make dinner.” He waved the feather end of the quill at her menacingly. “Don’t make me use this.”
She lay back down on the bed, chuckling. “I wouldn’t dream of it. Well, in that case I—” Her words were cut off by a yawn. “I’m gonna take a quick nap while you’re out.”
“Alright, I’ll be back in a while.” Spike headed back downstairs, leaving Twilight to snuggle down into her covers and drift off to sleep. Her dreams were filled with visions of a certain orange earth pony, as they always were.
*
Applejack was awoken by the dinner bell ringing out over the farm. She stretched out on her bed, slowly waking up from her unexpected nap and catching a whiff of something delicious on the air. Smells like... She took a deeper sniff. Apple strudel, maybe with a few apple dumplings. She hopped down from the bed and made her way to the kitchen, expertly sidestepping the loudest creaking floorboards.
“Well there ya are, girl.” Granny Smith looked up at the staircase as her granddaughter came down it. “Ah was wonderin’ where ya’d gotten off to. Come on, grab a bite while it’s still hot.”
The orange mare sat down at the table and looked over the spread. She had been right; apple dumplings littered the table and at the center was a great heaping platter of apple strudel that threatened to collapse on itself. She grabbed a plate and started filling it with food, looking across the table to the empty spots remaining there. “Where are AB and Mac? Never known ‘em to miss dinner. Hay, Mac’s usually waitin’ at the table fer the food to be laid out.”
Granny Smith took a moment to finish chewing a bite of food before answering. “Well, Apple Bloom is still off with her friends doin’... whatever it is they’re tryin’ to get their cutie marks in this time.” She shook her head and chuckled before continuing. “As fer Mac, he ain’t back from haulin’ in the East Field yet, but he should be—” As if on cue, the front door opened and Big Macintosh walked in.
“Hey Mac, just in time.” Applejack grabbed a dumpling and popped it in her mouth, savoring the taste.
“Eeyup.” The hulking stallion sat down at the table, eliciting a groan from the chair and floorboards, and piled some food onto his plate. He picked up a strudel and ate it in one bite, barely bothering to chew. The family ate in silence for a few minutes before Mac opted to speak again. “So, AJ, you wanna talk ‘bout whatever was botherin’ ya today?”
Applejack coughed violently, trying to dislodge a dumpling that had taken the wrong exit and ended up in her windpipe. When she settled back down, she stared at her brother. “Ah don’t know what yer talkin’ ‘bout, Mac.” She said through gritted teeth. “Like Ah told ya earlier, Ah’m fine.”
He arched a disbelieving eyebrow and swallowed the dumpling he had been eating before responding. “Really? ‘Cause Ah’m not sure Franklin feels the same way.”
She deflated slightly at the mention of the tree she had abused earlier. “Ah don’t— You wouldn’t— Just... let it be, okay?” She looked off to the side. “Ah ain’t in the mood to talk ‘bout it.”
“Now hold on just a minute.” Granny Smith joined in the conversation, leaning over to stare intently at her granddaughter. “What did you do to poor Franklin? He was planted out there in the East Field by my grandpappy, so Ah don’t wanna hear anythin’ ‘bout you treatin’ him badly.” She grabbed the wooden spoon they were using to scoop the dumplings and waved it threateningly.
“Well...” Big Mac began, smirking at the desperate, pleading look his sister gave him. “She was out in the East Field, buckin’ some of the trees, but she was bein’ a little too forceful with ‘em, so Ah stopped by to see how she was doin’. When Ah got there, she was buckin’ poor lil Franklin so hard she was breakin’ his bark.”
“You were doin’ what now?” Granny narrowed her eyes, causing Applejack to squirm uncomfortably.
“Ah... had a lot on mah mind.” She winced, hearing how feeble her excuse sounded. “Ah got distracted, especially when Mac showed up and started tryin’ to talk about it.”
“And just what in Equestria could’ve distracted ya so badly that ya started buckin’ the stuffin’ outta poor ol’ Franklin?” The old pony sat back in her chair and waited for her granddaughter’s response, but the other mare only looked away and shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Granny Smith smiled to herself, recognizing signs she had seen many years ago. “You got yer eye on somepony, don’t ya girl?”
“Wh-what?” Applejack sat up straight, dropping a dumpling she had been holding. “N-no, of course not! Why would ya even say that?” She glanced rapidly from side to side, her face scrunched up as if she was trying to physically hold the truth in.
“It ain’t no use, filly.” Granny leaned forward and patted the orange mare’s foreleg. “Yer Ma was the exact same way when she was interested in yer Pa. So, spill the beans. Who is he?” She asked, smiling reassuringly.
“Ah don’t—” Applejack looked the table to Mac for help, but he had stopped eating mid-bite and was staring at her with half an apple strudel sticking out of his mouth. She sighed, resigning herself to her fate. “It... ain’t a he. It’s a she, and...” She looked down and stared at the table, pushing her plate away. “Ah just don’t know what to do.”
“Well, why don’t ya tell yer granny all about it?” Granny Smith scooted her chair around the table and wrapped a foreleg around her granddaughter’s shoulders. “Let’s start with the basics. Who is it that ya got yer eye on?”
“Rainbow Dash.” Applejack muttered, not looking up from the table.
“That’s the blue, fast one, right?” Granny ventured, earning a nod from the morose mare next to her. “Well, have ya told her how ya feel?” Another nod. “And? How’d she take it?”
Applejack sighed, took her hat off, and ran a hoof through her mane. “Well enough, except fer the fact that she’s already got her eye on ‘Shy.” She looked up to see her family staring at her in confusion and apprehension. “Alright, this part is where things get a might... complicated.” She launched into her tale, everything from Rainbow’s situation with Fluttershy and Rarity, to her own confession to Dash, training with Twilight that morning, and finally Spike’s outburst in front of the library. When she finished, she laid her head on the table, accidentally landing on an apple dumpling in the process.
“Well...” Granny Smith looked to Big Mac, who just shrugged. “That’s quite the yarn to spin.” She patted the younger mare on the back. “So, are ya gonna give Twilight a chance?”
“Ah don’t know.” Applejack lifted her head off of the table and wiped away the squished bits of apple dumpling. “Ah’ve never really thought of her... like that. Dash is... she’s like me. She’s fast, loyal, fun to hang out with, she’s the only pony who can keep up with me physically—”
“And she’s in love with somepony else.” Mac replied without missing a beat. “So, yer sayin’ that Miss Twilight ain’t fun to be around, or that she ain’t loyal?”
“Ah guess...” Applejack trailed off, frowning. “Ah don’t know. This is all so... confusin’.” She shook her head as if to clear it. “What if Dash finds somepony else while Ah’m tryin’ to figure it out? What if—”
“Now young lady—” Granny poked her granddaughter in the chest. “—yer Ma, Pa, and Ah didn’t raise you to be some homewrecker.”
“Ah know, Ah know.” She raised her hooves defensively. “Ah’d never dream of breakin’ Dash and ‘Shy apart...” She trailed off, biting her lip. “But, if’n they were to break up all natural-like, then Ah could be there fer Dash.”
Granny Smith just looked at her sadly. "Ah can't believe it, child. Ain'tcha got no pride? Yer gonna wait ‘round like some stinkin’ vulture fer yer friend to get her heart broken, and in the meantime yer ignorin’ a filly that actually loves ya!" She spit on the floor contemptuously. "Well fine! Ah'm sure you and that Rainboot Splash will get along jus’ dandy, right up to the moment when that other filly— Flittersly was it?— changes her mind and comes back to get what hers. Because mark my words, she'll never really be yours."
“B-but— A-Ah—” The orange mare sputtered uselessly for a moment as Granny’s words sunk in. She slammed a hoof on the table, determination shining in her eyes. “Ah have to try! If’n Ah don’t, Ah’ll spend the rest of mah life wonderin’ ‘bout what mighta been. Ah’d always be askin’ mahself ‘what if Ah’d of been there fer her?’”
“And how do you think Miss Twilight’ll feel?” Big Mac finally joined the conversation. “How’ll she feel when she sees the mare she loves trippin’ over her own hooves to run off and chase after somepony else?”
Applejack winced, remembering Twilight’s tear-filled outburst earlier in the very room they were now sitting in. “So, what? Am Ah supposed to get with Twi jus’ to make her feel better? Am Ah jus’ supposed to pretend that it’s what Ah want and string her along?” She shook her head. “That’s just... cruel.”
“’Course not, but ya can’t—” He stopped, thinking before starting again. “How do ya grow a tree?”
“Now what kind of darn fool question is that?” She looked up, confusion etched on her face. “It ain’t got nothin’ to do with anythin’ we’ve been talkin’ ‘bout.” She crossed her forelegs and huffed in annoyance.
“Hear me out, AJ.” Mac pressed on, leaning on the table despite its rather vocal protests. “How do ya grow a tree? Where do ya start?”
“Easy. Plant a seed.” She arched an eyebrow at her brother, as if to ask ‘where are you going with this?’
“Do ya just leave it be after that?” He asked, shrugging. “Just drop it in the ground and walk away?”
“Course not, ya big dummy!” Applejack pressed a hoof between her eyes. “Ya gotta water it, make sure it gets plenty of sunlight, and watch out fer any bugs that might wanna make a snack outta it.” She sighed, leaning back in her chair. “If’n ya got a point with this, Mac, Ah’d appreciate it if’n ya’d jus’ hurry up and make it.”
Big Mac shook his head. “Mah point is that ya can’t rightly expect anythin’ to grow ‘less yer willin’ to put some work in. Don’t matter if’n it’s a tree, a crop, yer mane... or love.”
“Listen to yer brother, Applejack.” Granny laid a shaky hoof on her granddaughter’s shoulder. “Just think, how’re ya gonna feel when yer still sittin’ here waitin’ fer Celestia only knows how long, and that poor thing finally gives up on ya? That Rainboot filly made a choice, and you got somepony lovin’ on you jus’ as hard as yer lovin’ on her. Are you jus’ gonna let that be? Gonna let her wonder all her life, jus’ like yer afraid of doin’?”
She could only stare at her family, her mouth hanging agape. After several seconds, she got up from the table and walked over to the staircase. “Ah... guess Ah got some things Ah need to think about. A lot of things.” She climbed the staircase, too lost in thought to bother avoiding the creaky steps. Halfway up, she turned back, looking at Big Mac. “When’d you get to be so... profound, anyway?” He just shrugged, and she resumed her march up the stairs.
Once the sound of Applejack’s bedroom door closing echoed down the staircase, Granny Smith sighed and picked up a dumpling. “Ah love her to bits, but that filly ain’t got the sense Celestia gave an apple seed.” She looked at Big Mac, who was only looking back at her with a confused expression. “She’s chasin’ after some lazy, no good, layabout pegasus, when she’s got a filly chasin’ after her who could harvest an entire field of trees in five minutes without breakin’ a sweat.”
The stallion rolled his eyes. “Ah don’t think AJ’s worryin’ ‘bout which of ‘em will be the most help ‘round the farm, Granny.”
Up in her room, Applejack lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling. The gears in her head churned ever onward, but her family’s words echoed in her ears, stalling her mind any time she started to make progress on a train of thought. After completing her fourth loop of circular thinking, she pressed her hooves to her temples. Alright, let’s start from square one... again. She held out her left forehoof and looked at it, though it was becoming harder to focus on it in the rapidly fading sunlight.
On one hoof, we got Rainbow Dash, who’s likely still neck deep in her little situation with ‘Shy and Rare. On the other— She looked at her right forehoof. —we got Twi, who technically ain’t said nothin’ yet. She shivered, remembering Spike’s angry, fiery tirade outside of the library. Though, Ah reckon we can give her a pass fer that. She glanced back and forth between her outstretched hooves, as if willing them to provide the answer. Giving up, she laid her head down on the pillow and squeezed her eyes shut, desperately hoping that sleep would rise up and drag her down. However, her mind continued to whirl, keeping the peace of sleep at bay. She chuckled to herself as a new thought occurred to her.
Well, Ah suppose now Ah know how ‘Shy feels, what with havin’ to choose between two of yer best friends. Her spirits dropped as she belatedly recognized the one key difference between her situation and Fluttershy’s. Except fer the part where Dash doesn’t love me. She forcibly cut off that train of thought before it could gather steam. No. Ah can’t think like that. It’s like Mac said, Ah can’t expect anythin’ to grow ‘less Ah’m willin’ to put the work in fer it. She smiled a little despite herself. Never thought Ah’d be jealous of ‘Shy fer anythin’, but it must be nice, havin’ two mares practically throwin’ themselves at ya.
Applejack tossed and turned as the clock slowly ticked onward, her mind racing one path for a few moments before jumping in a different direction. Celestia’s sun slowly slid below the horizon, giving way to Luna’s moon and stars, yet she found herself no closer to a course of action than when she had first lain down. Frustrated, she grabbed her pillow and pressed it over her head, letting out an irritated groan. Finally, after several hours of fruitless self-debate, she settled on a plan. She still didn’t know what to do, but she knew someone she could ask.
OH GOD DONT ASK PINKIE PIE!!! DANG IT!!!!
Bah! Bah I say!
Orange and Blue is the ultimate. Just gotta clock Dash about the head! . She'll come back to her senses and then, it's !
What if they cloned themselves with the Mirror Pond?
Then they could all have different destinies within the same world...
But it's never that easy, is it?
Awaiting further releases.
2585406 DRAMA!!!
2585406 She could. She could just ignore her own feelings, and Twilight's, and just be alone. But she wants somepony. She doesn't want to be alone anymore. The trouble is, the one she has her heart set on is taken.
Don't know if I should facehoof or clap... oh, what the hay.
2585523 Well, when you have a crush, it can seem all consuming.
2585523 That is true, and people can see that rationally, but when you're feeling lonely and hormonal and want somebody in your life that way, it suddenly becomes a messy situation where you're hanging on every word the object of your affections says and start thinking way too much about what what could be and what you hope will be someday... Rationally, it's not that huge of a deal, but you try telling that to a lovestruck love-blind fool. (It won't work.)
Love isn't rational, and crushes make even less sense.
Plus the side-dish of drama is good as well.
2585523 emotional issues are occasionally passing complex, Jake.
...Appledash.
Watch. If AJ and Pinkie meet, they'll bang and AJ will be even more confused.
Eventually, it will cumulate in one epic screaming match across the entire Elements of Harmony and finally it will sort itself all out.
...It may not be what the author plans, but in some alt universe, it happened. Or is happening. Or will happen.
Heck, in some alternate timeline I'm writing clop, murdering innocents and fighting Batman while petting a stuffed Pinkie Pie.
That was a great chapter though it side tracked from the main plot a bit but as long as it doesn't consume the main story it is a good breather. All I have to say is Twilight you need to tell her and you will feel much better afterwards, even if it doesn't come to fruition. If all else fails you have Trixie. I WANT MOAR SOON! If that is alright by you
2585776 y'know, considering how much you complain about things I'd think you of all people could understand the kind of passion required for the situation in question here. You're not an unemotional guy.
2585503 facehoof repeatedly, then it's a FaceClaptm
2586014
Granny Smith ships TwiJack..... always knew she was wise.
Anyway, I really did like this chapter, and I hope Applejack will at least give Twilight a chance, unless she really is willing to wait forever, or try and break apart Dash and Shy (though considering things on that end, that might just happen on its own)
2585290
Orange and WHITE, like vanilla and orange sorbet! Rarijack is THE AJ OTP.
That said, still rooting for Twijack here, Mr. Blue Wings-who-is-totally-not-biased.
2586500
Indeed, I am completely unbiased!
(orange and blue goddamn you)
2585323
They're CLONES. Fluttershy #2 would -still- love Rainbow Dash while with Rarity. Fluttershy Prime would -still- love Rarity while with Dash.
Double Dash still wouldn't love Applejack.
Raritwins would still love Rainbow Dash. Dash would still not-really-be-sure how she feels for Rarity, and having a Fluttershy of her very own would preclude all thinking on being with Rarity, too.
Not to mention Dashes and Rarities would still be in love with each other's Fluttershy because they're both still Fluttershy.
Also Duojack, she'd have one to pine after Dash for eternity and the other to awkwardly court Twilight while STILL wishing she could be with Dash.
They're clones, not re-programmable equidroids.
To quote Twilight. "AJ I think you're beating a dead tree." Dash's got her mind set and yet again you're bein' to stubborn to see an obvious choice when ya got one. Well maybe she'll figure it out after a bit. Hopefully.
2586522
Of course not.
That was what I meant with "It's never that easy".
Of course, they aren't completely identical to their copees.
When Pinkie cloned herself, all of the clones wanted to have fun, not to spread fun, usually on others' expense.
So theoretically, they could be "programmed" in the sense that they are raised just like the children they are inside.
...still, I know. They aren't "equinoids".
2586578
Still, anyone who's been in her situation understands what AJ's feeling right now. That's very spot-on. It's not really fair to treat her as if she's being dumb. Matters of the heart rarely rest on the person's intellect, after all... so saying something is obvious from the outside is easy, when it's just facts and logic.
Honestly, I liked the chapter, but the best part was the title . Having said that, Granny Smith's opinion on Twilight was highly amusing.
Now, the shipping debate. I've never been able to figure out an OTP, as I like all ships roughly the same. In this instance... I'm rooting for Applejack to think about it over the course of several days, and slowly begin to fall in love with Twilight. I also want Rainbow to reluctantly agree to try out a three way relationship with Rarity and Fluttershy, and when they try it she can slowly get used to the idea and come to like it.
I then want Big Mac to reveal his ongoing relationship with Celestia and Luna. Because this story needs a random wtf moment.
2586514 Isn't it enough that I'm writing Trials, which heavily features AppleDash? AJ and Dash can't be together in every story, you know.
2587198
Rainbow Dash should never be with Applejack in any story, they don't workUm, what?
Orange/white, blue/yellow. OTPs.
2587198
LIES
2586739 Point. I guess it's easy for me to criticize cuz I am just a guy on the outside looking in. I don't think she's dumb though, just stubborn. I just think she's focused so much on Dash it's given her tunnel vision. And it always seemed to me that AJ was pretty good sorting things out. Then again, given the situation, I can see how she's having a hard time. After all, if love was easy it wouldn't be so valuable.
2586522 With the Fluttershy Prime comment all I can think of now is a giant Geth style pony from Mass Effect tending to all the wounds of the other Geth. I play too much Mass Effect...
“She’s chasin’ after some lazy, no good, layabout pegasus, when she’s got a filly chasin’ after her who could harvest an entire field of trees in five minutes without breakin’ a sweat.”
Granny Smith is the best!
Burn her burn her!!
mullerover.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Monty-Python-Burn-Her.jpg
Yeah Applejack stop being so judgmental, it's not like this is your choice or anything it's the family's choice! And you should do the right thing and go out with Twilight, even though you aren't interested and would be sacrificing your own happiness, but it would be the right thing to do.
Although seriously Applejack's family is kinda a bunch of assholes. I mean honestly they aren't offering her advice, they are telling her what to do. And no amount of tree metaphors can make that better.
2585261 Surprise plot twist
Pinkie Pie: Applejack I'm in love with you too!
Applejack: FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF-
Granny is great in this chapter!
2586014
WINNING!
I shall faceclap to your genious!
2588473 No, you're right. AJ should definitely keep chasing the friend who is not in love with her and ignore the one who is. Twilight doesn't deserve even a chance.
2588572
No.... Pinkie has feelings for TWILIGHT!
2589220 Thanks, although she doesn't have to chase Rainbow, in fact she doesn't have to be with anyone. Maybe after some time has passed she could try going out with Twi maybe, but some how I get the feeling she's going to feel completely pressured by everyone around her to go out with Twilight. It's going to be weird and awkward, it would probably never really work out in that scenario, but it's a fan fic so it could possibly work.
2589295 Actually that would be a hilarious/ cruel ironic twist, considering the position Applejack is in.
Pinkie -> Twilight -> Applejack -> Rainbow Dash -> Fluttershy -> Rainbow Dash/ Rarity
CONGA LINE!!!!
18:31
2590102 No, you're right, it could be awkward. Especially if Twilight had ever asked her. The Apples weren't arranging a marriage, they were telling AJ maybe its best if she stop chasing after somepony who is already taken. And if she did want somepony of her own, maybe going on a date with Twilight would be good for both Twi and AJ. Nopony expects AJ to just get over Dash and switch her affections, Twilight least of all.
Uhm... Sorry, but this doesn't work for me. You can't just start loving someone because people tell you to. Yes, Love is something that needs to grow, but there has to be a seed. And so far, I haven't seen a seed. The Conversation could have been about the Apples asking how Applejack feels towards Twilight, and not practically telling her to throw herself at her. Just my opinion.
2590162 you're right. and if they had said "You two should go date right now." That would be a valid point. What they said was A. Stop wasting your time chasing after somepony who is not in love with you. B. If you want somepony, maybe you should consider the mare who loves you enough not to even bother you with her feelings because it might spoil your plans to break up another couple.
AJ has to make that call.
2590175
Here! Here! Let's hope that AJ makes the right call. And that her plan doesn't include being a twit. Also I hope her little talk to herself about putting work into love was geared towards Twi and not Dash like she's been doing all story.
2585323 Must. Resist. Urge. To. Right. Essay. On. Horrible. Philosophical. Implications.
Commence read.
Poor Spike.
2593707
...very well then.
Granny Smith just became a legend.
I once heard that if you truly love someone you have to let them if they come back to you then it is meant to be. It seems to me that Rarity truly loves both Dash and 'Shy, she gave up her own happiness so the ones she loves can be happy and for that she is my favorite character in this story. My heart goes out to two mares in this: Rarity and Twilight. I just hope that they have a happy ending when all is said and done. On another note I want to smack AJ upside the head for being so dense. AJ WHY CAN'T YOU SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO TWILIGHT.
That is all I have to say for this comment
p.s. have a fav and thumbs up.
2595700 Just like the time she said "Use the force" to anakin sywalker
Well, not quite what I had hoped for in regards to the unrequited love triangle between Dash, AJ, and Twilight. But I am somewhat a firm believer in taking your time and making sure things don't go to hell fast or happen too suddenly, unless it feels right or has its reason(s). I had hoped we'd get a confrontation at least, though I'm not sure when AJ's gonna come around, 'claiming' she realized Twilight has the hots for her, if she doesn't sell Spike short or Spike comes clean or Twilight presses him farther, etc. Well, at least AJ's family was somewhat more considerate, from what we've seen here compared to other stories I've read where said feelings of the homosexual variety are an issue, if it won't be brought up later. //dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/shrug_Twilight_Sparkle.png
Poor Twilight and her injuries, hopefully they don't get any worse if she even does anything strenuous, even if we probably won't get a telling of the Running of the Leaves happening in this story, as it's what she was training with Applejack for (which I'm not sure if it was a convenient excuse to spend time with Applejack? As I still haven't reread this story as of yet and don't remember many of the minor details in the chapters focusing on TwiJack). I do wonder who Applejack's intended confidante will be in regards to her non-returned feelings for Rainbow and her uncertain ones towards Twilight now. I wanna say it's maybe one of the other Mane 6 (top guesses being Rarity or Pinkie Pie for some unknown reason (probably cause of past instances with them in this story), or Fluttershy since as far as AJ still knows, she's still debating between the two of her suitors) or Spike maybe, even though he's mad enough at Applejack. But I'm gonna guess it's someone else in Ponyville or maybe an OC that'll be a minor role in the story, will wait to find out though. Anyway, looking forward to the next chapter, even though it's kinda all up in the air as-is, where this story's going until it PROBABLY reaches the intended conclusion for everypony who's mainly involved here (mainly the Mane 6, minus Pinkie Pie and Spike I guess, even though don't think he knows/knew about Rarity's feelings for Fluttershy and such).
Why does this right here make me feel like she took Mac's advice a little differently than intended? Maybe I read it wrong.
One lucky story you have here.
What is love?
Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more...
The song says it all everypony, yay or neigh?
Can't wait till the next chapter.