2: Story Time
Its been a week since the end of the harvest, thanks to the girls we even got done ahead of schedule. And I think Im finally back to top form again. The aches had finally started to subside and I can focus again in class. Which was great for distracting myself from the beehive of new problems I had.
Sunset Shimmer had some kind of hold on me and my thoughts. The dreams had been bad enough, but she had started to accompany my idle thoughts as well. It hadn’t helped that she had worked the orchards almost as much as I had during the harvest. A couple of days it was even just the two of us. Which had been some kind of awkward torture. I need to talk to someone about it. Someone discreet. Someone with some experience with this. Someone who will be kind and understanding.
“Uh, hey Rainbow, could you wait a spell?” Well two out of three isn’t bad
Rainbow was expertly juggling a soccer ball from one foot to the other, keeping it the air with a combination of knee strikes and elbow bumps“Hm? Oh hey Applejack, and uh” she pulled out her phone to look at the time which only made the ball juggling more impressive “Yeah I have a few minutes before practice starts, whats up?”
“Um, could we talk someplace ya know, private?”
Rainbow looked at me skeptically but ultimately shrugged “Sure, how about that classroom?” she pointed out one with a temporarily free arm and we made the short trip to the door “Could you hold it open for me? I’ve got a pretty good streak going” I rolled my eyes and held the door open for her as she hackey sacked her way into the classroom. I gave the place a once over making sure there was no one hidden where I couldn’t see. “Alright Applejack, so whats up? Planning a surprise for Pinkie? You know no matter what you do she’ll find out about it right?”
I smiled smugly “Hey we pulled that off once”
“And never since” she said with finality “But thats what you wanted to talk about?”
I opened my mouth and then shook my head “N… no thats not it…” Rainbow gave me another odd look waiting for me to elaborate “We’ve been friends a long time right Rainbow?”
Rainbow cocked an eyebrow but chuckled “Well yeah, aside from Fluttershy I’ve been friends with you longer than anyone else.”
“Well… I” bounce bounce “I’ve been thinking” bounce bounce “and I don’t know if its really anything to worry over but…” bounce bounce “Um, Rainbow, would you mind terribly holding off on all that bouncing? I’m trying to talk to ya”
“Hey I can do two things at once, its one of my many awesome qualities, now come on whats up?”
She kept the ball juggling in the air and I felt my nerve start to slip out of me “You know what, its not really important. Don’t worry about it” I said shouldering my backpack again and heading to the door. As I reached for the handle Rainbows palm slammed into the door frame, ball under arm.
“Well now you’ve got me worried. Ever since the day I met you you’ve been straight forward. What has you this shaken up?” she got a worried look on her face “Is it the farm? Are you guys losing it?”
“What? Oh, uh, no nothing that serious Rainbow. It’s just more… personal then Ah’m used to sharing” I looked up to her looking her in the eye “Can I trust that nothing I say leaves this room?”
“Promise?”
“Pinkie Promise”
Rainbow rolled her eyes but went through the motions “Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye” she crossed her arms starting to look rather impatient.
I nodded and took in a deep breath “Okay. Well. Ah think Ah might have a crush”
“What was that?”
“Ah might have a crush on someone alright” I stared down at the floor pulling my hat down over my head.
“Oh?” Rainbow sounded confused but to her credit she didn’t outright laugh at me “Alright… uh do I know them?”
“Yup”
“You want to tell me?”
“Nope”
“Huh… Well I know this is hard for you Applejack. But I don’t really know why you came to me for this. I mean Rarity has dated way more guys then either of us. I think she might have some better advise for you then I do.” She said shrugging her shoulders.
“Well, maybe thats why ah don’t need her advice”
“What that she’s experienced? I’m all for getting once hands dirty and trying new things, but really AJ I think this is one of those times where experience might be more help.”
“No That shes only dated, you know. Guys” I looked back up at her.
“Oh…?” Rainbow said looking even more confused for a moment, before a look of comprehension came over her “Oh!” she smiled compassionately “Have you talked to anyone else about this?”
I shook my head feeling a hitch in my chest. I opened my mouth and to my frustration I could feel my lips and arms shaking. Before I said anything else I felt Rainbow pull me into a close hug
“It’s alright AJ. Nothings wrong with you. Your not broken. What your feeling is completely normal. You’re not a different person, you just figured out something new about yourself” her tone was, usually raspy and cocksure suddenly sounded sweet and kind. As she pulled back from the embrace she gave me a grin “Alright?”
I took in a shaky breath as I felt a new foundation settle under me. Hadn’t even noticed the old one had been missing “Yeah. Thanks Rainbow. Ah think ah needed that.”
“No problem,” she gave me a pat on the shoulder before meandering towards where her ball had rolled off to.Stretching her arms over her head “Now that we got all that mushy emotional gunk out of the way, what did make you realize you were gay? Was it me? I wouldn’t blame you, get that all the time” she said rubbing her nails against her chest and generally putting out air of bravado.
I rolled my eyes and worked in as much sarcasm as possible into my next words “Ah yes Rainbow Dash, truly I was lost but now thanks to you I have finally seen the light”
“Alright alright, no need to get all dramatic” she said with a snicker “but seriously what was it?”
“Well honestly, ah don’ know. I mean I started to dream about them, and then… well my idle thoughts kept turning to them. How nice they looked. Ya know that sorta thing” I thought through every word, trying to keep things as vague as possible. Rainbow won’t be telling anyone, least of all Sunset, but that wouldn’t stop her from teasing me about it from now til the sun goes out.
“So do you want to date em’?”
“Well… yeah I think so.”
“And your willing to go through with it?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well knowing what you want and working to get it are two different things. Some people fear rejection, or just fear what it’ll mean to be out of the closet. Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna are good at spreading that whole love and tolerance mentality, but there are still some people who just don’t get the message. Then there’s family”
I nodded slowly. It hadn’t really occurred to me before. I could handle any jeers from our peers… but Granny Smith grew up in a different time. Big Mac has never said anything about it, but its not exactly something that we sat down and talked about before. Applebloom might not understand.
“So I guess what Im asking is are you willing to put up with all that? Cause once the genie’s out of the bottle, its a whole lot harder to put em’ back in.”
“N… No I still want to. Ah think my family will understand. And everyone else can jump in a ditch”
Rainbow smiled “There’s the AJ I know. Alright, so next problem, do you know if she’s gay?”
“Oh. Um. No, I guess I don’t?” I had gotten so wrapped up in my feelings I hadn’t really thought about how Sunset might react. She said that she had dated Flash Sentry for a while, but she said that was just a part of her plans.
“Well, unless you want to share who exactly it is then I guess I suggest you try to figure that one out.” She started heading towards the door “Well I can stick around if you really need me to but I’m gonna be late for practice, so you need me?”
“Ah… no, no I think I got it, thanks for the advise Rainbow, and you know… for listening and all”
“My pleasure” she gave a quick bow while heading towards the door “You know. If you did theoretically tell me who it was, you know I wouldn’t tell a soul right?” I bit my lip still feeling unsure “I promise no matter who it is I wont make fun of you” I gave her a skeptical look “Okay, I promise I’ll only crack one joke and no more after that” she raised a open palm “Junior Speedster Promise”
I tapped my arm a few times grinding my teeth together “… Its… Its Sunset alright?”
Rainbow smiled nodding “Wow. Never thought you would go for the bad girls AJ…” she seemed to think for a moment before grinning that mischivous grin of hers “Man, falling in love with a pony huh? Really breaking down all those stereotypes about farmers aren’t ya?”
I picked up an abandoned pen from the desk and threw it at her, but she quickly dodged out of the way before ducking out of the classroom entirely.
I stood alone in the classroom, took in a deep breath and let it out. I felt… well angry for the moment. But also greatly relieved. Like a load has been taken off of my mind. . For coming out for the first time to someone that went better then I thought it would. I’d tell the others eventually, but it was a relief knowing that one of my friends fully accepted me was… nice.
“Alright. I have some work to do.”
I weaved through the crowds at school. The school bell had released everyone for the day. Friends were meeting up, others dashing to get home at the end of the day. I headed towards the library, it was where Sunset tended to be after school when we hadn’t made plans. I finally got to the library at the center of the school, the two tiers of the library sat beneath the domed ceiling giving the feeling of a real grand place. Always seemed a little opulent for my tastes but it sure was impressive.
A few students sat huddled together at the tables chatting about weekend plans and recent gossip. Others had students struggling through homework, each person an island onto themselves. It was at one of these tables that Sunset had seated herself. Her worn jacket hung from the back of the chair as she dutifully worked out the math homework. After finishing a problem and looking somewhat triumphant while doing do she leaned back and stretched out. Softly to herself she started to hum the tune to “Awesome as I wanna be” while doing a little dance to go with it while putting away her supplies.
This while blushing nonsense was starting to get on my nerves. Why’d I have to go fall for someone this cute? Still I composed myself as best I could then walked over to the open chair next to her. “Hey Sunset, mind if I sit here?” Sunset came out her little world mid shuffle and looked mighty embarrassed.
“Oh uh hey Applejack” she quickly shifted to a much more laid back posture “w-what brings you to the library? Don’t you usually do chores at the farm after school?”
I shrugged “I managed to get them all done this morning actually, I’m free for the day.” I said with a shrug, she looked at me skeptically “Don’t worry, we just have less to do right after the harvest, ain’t working myself too hard.”
She smiled at that “Oh, good, so you here to do some homework?”
“No actually I came to talk to you”
“Oh? About what?”
I opened my mouth then closed it again. Somehow on the way over here I had thought it would be a lot simpler to subtly ask ‘Are you into girls’. “W-well, I guess I was kind of curious about how they do things over in Equestria. I mean we’ve known you an Twi for a while now and I’m kinda curious about where ya’ll are from.
“Funny” came a voice from the other side of the table from someone who was blocked by an absurdly large book “That’s why I am here as well!” Dramatically the book slammed down on the table revealing Pinkie Pie who was quickly shushed by several of the librarians “Oops sorry” Pinkie picked up her chair and moved it over to our side of the table.
Sunset looked surprised “Pinkie, you want to know about Equestria?”
“Well Yeah!” Pinkie said with a big smile “A whole different world! That means different customs, different desserts, different games, and most importantly a ton of new reasons to party!” somehow without going above a whisper Pinkie still spoke in an excited tone. “Tried to look up some stuff in these books but there wasn’t even a section for cross dimensional equine society. Budget cuts must have been worse then I thought…” Pinkie did what she did best, and managed to look completely serious despite what she was saying making not a lick of sense.
“Well, sure, I certainly wouldn’t mind” Sunset said looking between the two of us, “So uh where do you want me to start?”
“Oooh Start with holidays! They’re always the best.”
“Well alright… yeah. Alright how about I tell you about the Three Pony Tribes and the origin of Hearths Warmings Eve…”
“And so every year we all dress up in costumes to trick Nightmare Moon and everyone gives up a treat in tribute to her so she won’t come gobble us up” Sunset chuckled “It used to be a little folk tradition in the countryside, but its become a big hit all over Equestria, though its more just for fun then out of any real fear of the old superstition now a days.”
“Wait, so your telling me that on your side of things, Vice Principal Luna blocked out the sun? And then was banished for 1000 years?” I said incredulous thinking about the Luna on our side. I mean sure she could be strict with the rules sometimes, but she wasn’t crazed or evil about it.
“Yep, I was terrified of her when I first got here. Took me longer than I’m proud of to realize that ‘Principal’ wasn’t another word for princess in this world.”
“Wow that sounds AWESOME” Pinkie said excitedly.
“Yeah, your guys’ history is way more interesting then ours, all that high drama fantasy stuff, but real”
“Yeah I guess.” Sunset shrugged. It had all been real interesting, and it was nice to understand Sunset a bit better, but I hadn't really gotten any closer to the answer I had come here for.
“Soooooooo” Pinkie Pie started while jumping left and right behind sunset “You guys seem to have a whole lot of holidays that resemble our’s, do you have one like Valentines day?”
I silently thanked Pinkie Pie for getting us somewhere on the topic of love. Sunset on the otherhand was blushing quite a bit more then I had expected. “Oh uh, yeah I guess we do. It’s called Heart’s and Hooves day.”
“Does it also have a fantastical story to go with it?"
“Well yes I-”
“Woo Hoo” Pinkie screamed before pulling up right next to me with a tub of popcorn in hand…. Where did she get that? “Want some” she whispered.
“Well like many stories it occurred a long time ago, and also like many stories, it is quite tragic. In a far off kingdom there lived a Alicorn and her spouse. They ruled with justice, understanding, and always with love for one another.”
“Awww” Pinkie said.
“Yes. However not all was well. A neighboring kingdom, one that had long wanted to annex the first had a new Prince on the throne. A spoiled Colt of a Stallion who had the world handed to him on a silver platter, he felt the only bride that could suit him was the Alicorn Princess.” I took another handfull of popcorn as she spike. “So he hatched a vial plan, for if the Alicorn Princess had a Wife” Wife? “Then he would need to steal her affections.”
Sunset raised up a finger “For his first attempt he sent Jewels, Brighter and more beautiful then any that could be found in the Princesses Kingdom. Of course she denied him.” She raised a second finger “The Second time he sent a blade, an assassin to kill the Princesses Wife so that she might be free from what he thought was an obligation. Fortunately the Plan was foiled the assassin caught, and the lovers safe.” She raised three fingers “The third time he sent an army, to annex the kingdom and hold its citizens as ransom for the Princesses cooperation. But the Princess was too smart for him, so despite being out numbered she routed his forces in battle after battle.”
Sunset’s face got pensive “Finally it had seemed that the Prince had given up, foiled time and time again. He called for talks of peace between the two kingdoms.”
“An Ah suppose he tried somethin then too?”
Sunset nodded “Just before the peace agreement was signed he asked if the Princess would share a cup of tea with him. Wanting nothing more then to get back to her beloved after the grueling talks the princess agreed. Tea was brought out and everyone took deep drinks. But afterwords the princess and the prince had… changed. Suddenly it seemed like the months of war had been forgotten. They were chatting and laughing like lovebirds. You see the Prince had doused their tea with a love potion, forcing the Princesses affections onto himself. The two appeared to fall madly in love with one another. They got married later that day. A few who had suspected fowl play tried to protect the Princesses true love, but they were caught, and put to death for treason. The Wife was locked away in a tall tower all alone in the forest .”
“So he got away with it all? Just like that?”
“So sadly, the tale does not end there, with only one tragedy.” She said with a story tellers grace I recognized from some of the tales Pa used to tell on camping trips when I was little. “For you see the drug that he had given to the two of them was not a love potion but a love poison. The potion made it so that the two of them had no interest in anything but one another. And while they flirted and flaunted their artificial love, their kingdoms fell into decay. A dragon, one that the Princess had warded off in the past came back to the kingdom with avengence. Within days the fields were burned, and the survivors fled. Just the two ‘lovers’ remained, but with no one to take care of their needs, the Prince soon expired. The princess wept deeply for her false love, long and deeply rivers of tears running down her face and into the scorched earth. But as the spell broke, the Princess remembered her true love. And what they had done to her. She fled from the body, to the lone tower in the forest. Only to find the forest burned away and nothing left of the tower but scorched rubble. She fell to her haunches and started to wail. Crying out for her lost love. But no tears would flow, she had shed them all for a Stallion she hated deeper than any chasm. Her heart grew pained, corrupted by grief. And it changed her, from someone who cared and cherished, to one who fed off the love of others. So every Hearts and Hooves day we remember to cherish those we love and remember the evils of forcing ones love on others.”
“Ahhhh… that one ended really sadly” Pinkie said with with a frown, her usual poofy hair sagging a bit.
“Oh. Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring you guys down. From what I understand like most of the holidays its modern celebration is a whole lot more casual and happy then their origins.”
I cocked an eyebrow “From what you understand? Didn’t you live there most of your life? Why don’t you know what its like?”
Sunset blushed and looked embarrassed “Well… I didn’t really have a chance to celebrate it.”
Really? But your so pretty
“Really?” Pinkie exclaimed “But you’re so pretty! No one asked you out” Pinkie said and I gave her a questioning look.
“Thats… nice of you to say” Did she not believe that? But she was gorgeous “But no, no one ever asked me out on H&H. I was too wrapped up in my studies to really participate. Didn’t exactly have many… any friends back in Equestria, let along a Colt or Mare friend.”
Colt or Mare friend?!? Like either or?
“Colt or Mare friend huh? So you like both boys and girls?” Pinkie asked and I looked at her again. Was she reading my mind?
Sunset looked grave for a moment the color draining quickly from her face. “Oh… Uh. Right. I forgot that some people find that weird over here…” Sweat beaded her forhead looking between Pinkie and myself “D… Does it make you guys uncomfortable? That I like both?” she rung her hands in her lap, looking tense.
Personally my heart was beating quickly in my chest. Just that there might even be a chance that she’d like me back sent my heart soaring. “Oh Sugarcube, some little thing like that don’t bother me a bit.”
“Yeah, people like that are just meany mc meany pants and need go find a cactus to hug!” Pinkie Pie said slamming a fist into her palm. Pinkie grumbled to herself a bit more. Grinding her teeth.
Sunset looked a great deal more relieved Smiling between the two of us like she had just dodged a bullet. “Oh, thats good. And all the girls feel that way?” Pinkie and I exchanged a worried glance, Sunset’s tone got worried again “They don’t do they?”
Pinkie started “Well, Rainbow’s Gay, so she really won’t…”
“Fluttershy… Well she’s embarrassed by anyone who might be attracted to her. I don’t think she’s been able to look old Pine Tree in the eye since he confessed to her back in eighth grade. When Rainbow came out to all of us she seemed pretty uncomfortable for a while, but she got over it.”
Pinkie’s tone got weary “Rarity though…”
“Yeah. Rarity’s case is a bit different.”
“How so?”
“Well… she grew up with a very… conservative family, very traditional. Growing up they filled her head with all sorts of nonsense. When Rainbow came out to us all freshman year she was, well, less then supportive. It was probably the biggest rift we had in our friendship till… well, till you came along actually” I wanted to mentally slap myself seeing the wince that came to her face.
“And she’s over it now?”
“Well… not exactly she still gets a little… uncomfortable if the subject is brought up, but she seems to let it go all the same.
“Huh. I never would have guessed. She always seemed so… cosmopolitan”
“Yeah, her parents are noticeably less so.”
“Wow… well I’m glad I can rely on you two”
A few beeping tones came from the intercom “Dear students, it is almost five o’clock, you have thirty minutes to finish up whatever you are doing and go home for the day. Me and Principal Celestia hope you have a good night.”
“Wow… time sure goes by fast when your talking about home. Well I think thats all for story time for today. Thanks for listening to me girls, it was nice to talk about home again.”
“You wanna walk with us?” I offered
“No there are still a few books I need to check out, you guys go on ahead, you have longer walks then me anyways”
“Well alright, see you tomorrow Sunset, you set to go Pinkie?”
“Ready Fredy. Or rather Ready Appley… no… Oh Ready Jacky!” she said getting out of her seat. We made our way outside where the day had grown late. It didn’t seem so long sittin there.
“I don’t you know” Pinkie said and I looked at her confused.
“Don’t what?”
“Read your mind! That would be an incredible invasion of your privacy!”
I stopped as Pinkie Pie seemed to skip ahead a few more steps.
“But on a totally unrelated note, so you think Sunset is pretty huh?”
“Oh lord”
“So Pretty what? Pretty funny? Pretty Cool? Pretty smart? Pretty hot?” she said wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.
I felt my face starting to heat up again. “Pinkie, I only told a soul till this afternoon, how did you figure it out so fast?”
“Oh, I’ve known for months you liked her! I’m pretty observant like that.”
I gave her a flat stare “Pinkie I’ve only known for a few weeks”
“Well I never said you were all that observant, really its about time you noticed!”
I just sighed. Rainbow might have been able to stop the buck with herself, but if Pinkie knew the other girls were going to be brought into the situation right quick.
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Three obvious things come to me from this chapter.
1) I'm actually surprised that Rainbow was of any use to Applejack whatsoever. It's always nice when you're reading a story and the author takes you pleasantly by surprise.
2) Pinkie is Pinkie; the idea that she hadn't noticed that AJ is pining after Sunset is somewhat ridiculous, when you think about it.
3) Is... Did Sunset just tell AJ and Pinkie the origin story of the Changelings?
Just a note, the title of a head teacher is spelt 'Principal'.
6551166 derpicdn.net/img/view/2015/9/28/990321__safe_rainbow+dash_fluttershy_applejack_shipping_equestria+girls_screencap_lesbian_sunset+shimmer_spoiler-colon-friendship+games.png
derpicdn.net/img/view/2015/9/24/986566__safe_applejack_shipping_clothes_equestria+girls_lesbian_sunset+shimmer_idw_spoiler-colon-comic_winter.jpeg
Yeah, you would be surprised.
Also exert from the "Sunset Shimmer’s Time to Shine" chapter book.
“There was lots of giggling as the girls frosted the donuts. They added swirls and sprinkles. Sunset Shimmer discovered that she wasn’t bad at decorating and was good at using the pastry bag to create pretty designs. When all the donuts were frosted, they looked beautiful—and delicious. There was still frosting left in the bowl, and Applejack swiped her spatula in it and frosted Sunset Shimmer’s nose! Then Sunset Shimmer did the same to Applejack.
“Now we’re decorated.” The girls laughed.
They wiped their faces clean and licked the last of the frosting from their fingers.
“That didn’t take any time at all!” said Sunset Shimmer, amazed.
“You are wrong about that,” said Applejack, pointing at the clock. Hours had passed.”
6562475
1) Good I'm glad I was able to do that for you. :)
2) Yup.
3) Yup :D. I love filling holes in lore when I can. :)
and thank you I have gone back to fix it, thank you very much for pointing that out ^_^;
There are some grammar mistakes, but I'm liking this story.
Between how you portrayed RD and the H&H story I am loving this.
that would be tricky to pull off.
Chrysalis maybe