Chapter 12: Tell Me What You Think
Dear Fluttershy,
I'm excited to hear about the Gala. Shining Armor and myself will be attending and I know that with you and your friends in charge it will be the best Gala yet.
I'm very confident that I properly described love, or at least one of its many forms. As for your feelings for your friends, I am rather surprised that you felt the same for everyone. Love is a mysterious power, however, and I can't tell you what you are feeling. If you feel that way about your friends then all I could say is that you are, in fact, in love with all five of them. Not unheard of, but of course unusual.
Can you tell me what you define as love? Perhaps I can help if I know what you are looking for, or think you are looking for.
Your friend,
Cadance
Applejack hadn't seen her cousin Apple Cobbler in a couple of years, not since she had come out shortly after the Summer Sun Celebration a few years back. Applejack wasn't proud of her own family in just one way; they were so backwards minded when it came to relationships that when Cobbler announced she was in love with her marefriend Valentine she was disowned.
Applejack wasn't typical of the Apple Family, however, and while unable to properly defend her cousin from what happened she still maintained a friendly relationship with her and the two regularly got together to enjoy each other's company and catch up on each other's lives. Applejack also kept Apple Cobbler in the proverbial loop as to what was going on with the rest of the family.
Apple Cobbler lived out in Trottingham now, and to keep things 'even' between her and Applejack they took turns traveling out to visit each other once a month. Over time that had reduced itself to visits of convenience preceded by a letter to alert the other. Shortly after the package from Celestia containing the magical Element of Honesty, Applejack was delivered a letter in a more traditional form- via Derpy Hooves- from her cousin Apple Cobbler informing her that she would be coming through Ponyville shortly and would like to have lunch.
Applejack met up with Apple Cobbler at Stars Buck. They both loved the food that was served there, even if neither had any real taste for their famous coffee, and it was the best place in Ponyville for two mares to sit down and eat without drawing stares or starting rumors. Its casual atmosphere lent itself to friendships as well as romance, and was a very nice place for a pair of almost estranged cousins to meet and talk in a relaxed manner.
For the first part of the conversation, Apple Cobbler told Applejack about things out in Trottingham. Life was good, despite the family she had no regrets about Valentine, spooky rumors of monsters in the woods, a new foal her best friend had, and other dribble that Applejack felt bad for not being able to concentrate on. Unlike Apple Cobbler, Applejack hadn't been having the best of times for the last few weeks and her life was murkier than a creek that had just been jumped in by a herd of fillies and colts.
"Are you okay Applejack?" Apple Cobbler asked, noticing her cousin's weary gaze and slouched posture. None of the Apple family had ever been much for 'proper posture' but Applejack tended to have the posture of a hard worker full of energy. Right now she looked tired.
"Yeah ahm fine," Applejack said, "Just had a hard time sleepin' the las' few days."
"Something the matter?" Apple Cobbler asked.
Applejack closed her eyes and was about to say 'Nothing in particular' because she didn't really think there was a reason for her anxiety, but something came over her before she could say anything and she had a sudden realization that something was wrong. Something rather specific.
"Well, ah'm not sure that somethin's 'the matter'," Applejack said, "But ah've been havin' mahself some...thoughts'n'such." she had to gesture vaguely with her hoof to emphasize her point while she was thinking.
"Like?" Cobbler asked, leaning forward in her seat a little in a subconscious gesture of her interest. Applejack was, for lack of a better term rather simple in terms of what she tought about. Not to say she was simple minded, but she tended to solve the world in a simple way and kept things...simple. If she was thinking about something enough to lose sleep, it must have been a real problem. For all that Applejack did for Apple Cobbler after the family abandoned her, Cobbler wanted to do whatever she could to help her cousin and friend out.
Applejack tapped her forehoof on the table while staring down at her sandwich. "Ah dunno, its really rather silly," she said, "Well, a lil' while ago mah frien' Rarity got me ta go to this speed datin' thang in Manehattan, an' ah met a few real nice stallions there. Ah went on some follow-up dates with'em but they all ended up bein rather..."
"Dissappointin?" Cobbler interjected, "Or maybe just 'unsatisfyin'?"
"Bit o' both," Applejack admitted. "Somethin appealed to me 'bout each'o'them durin' the speed datin', but when ah spent more time with'em each ah honestly couldn't see nothin' above average 'bout any of'em." Cobbler was about to say something but she remained silent, mostly in confusion, when Applejack's normally bright green eyes flashed a luminescent orange light for a moment. By the time she blinked and rubbed her eyes to see if it had just been her, Applejack continued speaking.
"Well ah guess that ain't true. They sorta reminded me of mah best friends. In fact...the more ah think 'bout it, the more ah think ah initially liked'em at all was cuz they were like mah friends. Nerdy unicorn, athlete, cute'n'shy, party crayzeh and fancy dressin."
Applejack looked as confused as Apple Cobbler for a moment. She rubbed the back of her neck as she looked up and down in a thoughtful manner. "Huh...can't believe it took me that long ta figure that out."
"So...basically," Apple Cobbler started, chewing on her lower lip for a moment, "Ya were dating the male versions of yer friends."
"Yes!" Applejack said, slamming her hoof into the table and her face lighting up. It was the biggest, most obvious 'eureka' moment of her life and it made so many things make so much more sense. "Bah Celestia that makes more sense than a lasso 'round a bull's legs!" Fortunately, she lowered her voice before she attracted too much attention and added "Ah was only acceptin' of the stallions that were like mah friends! No wonder ah didn't feel anything fer'em when ah was on them dates! Ah was jus' hangin' out with mah friends, more er less."
The Trottingham pony gave her a look that indicated she was expecting Applejack to finish that sentence differently. "Or...?" She said, trying to urge Applejack on.
"Or...what?" Applejack asked.
"Maybe..." Apple Cobbler said, gesturing with her hoof for Applejack to continue the sentence.
"Maybe...?"
"Maybe you're..."
"Maybe ahm...not...straight..." Applejack said, her cheeks flushing red as the thought crossed her mind. It hadn't been the first time she had thought that she might be a lesbian, but it was the first time it was more of a thought than a worry. Apple Cobbler only smiled and nodded her head encouragingly for her to continue, but Applejack had hit another wall. "But...ah don't know Cobbler. Ah mean, y'all know ah ain't got nothin' against it 'n all, but ah just never really picture'd mahself with another mare. Not since ah was a lil' filly that is."
"Well," Apple Cobbler said, "How about ya tell me what ya see when ya imagine yerself in the future?"
Applejack couldn't say she didn't really think about the future. It wasn't something she actively imagined, but at the end a long day of work, just as her mind was loosening into the comfort of sleep, she did think about life in five or ten or twenty years. "Well, ah always saw mahself as a mom," she admitted with a smile and another blush, "A lil' ol' herd of four er five youngin's. Still at the farm o'course."
"Uh-huh," Cobbler said, "How about yer husband?"
"Hmmm," Applejack hummed, thinking about it, "Ah always figured he'd be a nice stallion. Hard worker...loyal..." She ended the sentence with a shrug, "Guess ah never really thought 'bout the husband part of it."
"Okay," Apple Cobbler said, taking a shot in the dark by pulling on a thread Applejack had let dangle earlier, "Bear with me on this one; imagine yerself and yer five kids, but instead of a generic stallion next to you in the family pictures its Pinkie Pie."
"Pinkie?" Applejack asked, "Wah would ah-"
"Ah-bup-bup-bup!" Cobbler said, holding her hoof out to keep Applejack quiet. "Just close yer eyes and imagine."
Applejack rolled her eyes before doing as she was told. Closing her eyes, Applejack imagined five foals running around the farm, playing with Winona, and Pinkie would certainly be out there running around with them, laughing infectiously and beckoning for Applejack to put down the two bushels of apples she was carrying to take a break and play. Applejack declined the invitation because she needed to meet quota for the day or the harvest would fall behind schedule. Pinkie Pie quickly rallied the children and they all but stampeded out into the apple orchards with each of the foals carrying a small basket while Pinkie Pie jumped up into the trees to shake them vigorously and drop apples into the kids' baskets. Applejack laughed as she went back out to join them in the newest game.
Opening her eyes, Applejack looked at Apple Cobbler in shock. That had been such a fantastic fantasy that Applejack knew she couldn't imagine any other future now. She was so blithely happy that it was unbelievable.
"Well?" Cobbler asked.
"Ah...ah can't believe it..." Applejack said, "Ah never thought of Pinkie Pie that way before..."
"Well I just picked one of your friends," Apple Cobbler said, "I guess I picked the one you have a secret crush on."
"But that don' make no sense," Applejack said, "Ah mean,ah like all my friends the same. Or thought ah did. If any of'em gotta be better than the rest than it'd have to be Rarity."
"Oh?" Cobbler asked.
"Yeah. Rarity's mah oldest friend. Knew her before ah knew Pinkie Pie. Rarity's the one who gave me mah hat," She emphasized the comment about her hat by tapping the brim.
"Tell me about her," Cobbler said, "Rarity."
"Well there's a whole lot ta tell," Applejack said, "She's the Element o' Generosity, if ya already didn't know. Ah met her on mah first day of school. She was easily the pertiest filly in class, all obsessed with fashion and whatnot by then already." Applejack gave her dark orange cousin a rough summary of her relationship with Rarity from childhood. She went through their school year friendship, giving extra detail to when she had left Ponyville and come back. Cobbler gave Applejack a knowing look when she talked about the kiss Rarity gave her, but otherwise didn't interrupt. The story went on from school to high school through graduation and the years since.
Apple Cobbler got the feeling that Rarity's magnificence was diluted after the Nightmare Moon fiasco which- told from Applejack's perspective- didn't mean that Rarity had diminished over time but that Applejack simply couldn't focus on just her.
"And then she gave me that ticket for the speed datin'. I told ya 'bout that part though." Applejack finished.
"Hmm," Cobbler said, "She does sound very nice. If ah weren't already engaged to Valentine ah might be tempted to look 'er up."
"Heheh, hold on now there cuz, she's mah mare," Applejack said and they both chuckled.
"Ya sounded like ya had a lot to say 'bout yer other friends," Cobbler said. She looked over some of the rooves of the town at the clock tower, squinting a bit to see it, "Ah've got some time 'till my train if you've got no problems."
"Well shucks ah love talkin' bout mah friends" Applejack said, "Got any one in particular yah wanna hear about?"
"Hmmm, ya mentioned Pinkie Pie being the next friend ya made after Rarity, so start with her." Apple Cobbler suggested. Applejack obliged and, starting with her first glimpse of the eccentric filly while their families bartered over apples and outlining their friendship up to the present. She went on to tell Cobbler about Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash next, then Twilight last because she'd only known her for a couple of years.
Applejack was in the middle of describing how Twilight used her magic to see through the Changelings that attacked the Royal Wedding when Cobbler started giggling. She had been trying not to laugh since hearing about Rainbow Dash and a noticing the pattern that had emerged, but now that they were near the end it was too hard.
"Uhm, pardon?" Applejack asked.
"S-sorry," Apple Cobbler said, still chuckling, "But...hahaha its sooo funny!"
"What?"
"The way you talked about your friends," Apple Cobbler said, "You're just...enamored with them."
"Say what?" Applejack asked, "That's ridiculous."
"Why? Ya as much as said so yourself earlier that ya don't get love, ya never imagine a stallion in yer life, and when ya was imaginin' Pinkie Pie as yer wife ya had such a smile on yer face that ah knew ya were really happy. Ah know cuz ah see that same smile on Valentine's face all the time. And mah own when ah look in the mirror."
Applejack blushed and tried to give her cousin her most cross expression, but her eyes weren't in it. In fact, her eyes were orange.
"Uhhhh, AJ?" Cobbler spoke up, "There's somethin' funny goin' on with yer eyes."
"What?" Applejack asked, lifting her hoof up and looking at it as she moved it back and forth. Cobbler took her spoon and licked it clean before holding it up for Applejack to see her glowing orange eyes.
"What in tarnashin?" she muttered, taking the spoon to try and get a better look, but it was hardly a good mirror. Still, she could angle enough to see one of her eyes, and the normally emerald iris was a startlingly bright orange color. "That's...strange..." Applejack said as though mesmerized.
"Ah'll say," Apple Cobbler said, "Only time ah ever see that sorta stuff is when Unicorns are doin their magic."
"Ah know..." Applejack said, "But...somethin' stranger...ah think yer right."
"What?"
"'Bout mah friends. 'Bout me." Applejack felt like she was having a massive revelation. Some epiphany of sorts. But at the same time, nothing she was figuring out wastoo surprising. It was all just a secret, hidden truth she had known all along. Lying to herself for years had made Applejack believe the lies. She had told herself since she was old enough to understand it that she wasn't a lesbian, she didn't like other mares, her closest friends were just her friends, and the feelings she had for them were how all friends felt about each other. Those were all...lies.
"Ah do like mares," Applejack muttered.
"'Scuse me?" Cobbler asked.
Putting the spoon down, Applejack looked at Apple Cobbler with an expression that was equal parts surprise and elation. "Ah like mares...like you do ah mean. An' not just aneh mares...mah best friends are all ah can think of."
"Woah," Apple Cobbler said, "Talk about a sudden change'o'heart."
"Ah was just lyin' to mahself before," Applejack said, sighing in defeat but smiling, "Wow...admittin' it feels good! Ah ain't felt this good since...since...since ah came back to Ponyville 'n met Pinkie Pie."
"Got one in mind?" Cobbler asked.
"One what?" Applejack asked.
"One of yer friends." Apple Cobbler asked, "Who ya gonna ask out?"
"What? Ain't that a lil' fast?" Applejack asked.
"Nah," Cobbler said, "Takin yer time ain't gonna change their minds. Wah, when I first met Valentine ah was smitten and ah asked her out right then and there. Ah didn't even introduce mahself first. Yer friends know ya way more'n'that. Ahm sure whoever ya ask'll say yes if they're of a similar persuasion."
Applejack closed her eyes- they had stopped glowing by now- and thought. "One..." she muttered, "Ah don't think there is just one. Ah love all of'em."
"What?" Cobbler asked.
"Er...ah guess ahm in love with all of'em." Applejack said, blushing a little but smiling also, "Twilight, Rarity, Dash, Pinkie, Fluttershy...yeah, all of'em." Applejack looked up while she thought about that, then smiled and nodded, as though officializing the statement.
"Gettin' in a lil deep there ain't ya?" She chuckled and brought a hoof up to her mouth as she spoke. Giving her cousin a once over she nodded. "Ya sure thar ain't justa one you fancy?"
Applejack looked down as she considered this. She thought very hard about it. "Well...ah fancy'em all...fer different reasons..but also the same way. Fluttershy and Dash can't be compared but there's nothin about'em ahm not attracted to. Same fer'em all, if ya get mah meanin'"
"Thing is, Ahm not gettin' yer meanin' at all, ya can love 'em all for different reasons, but Ah can't see lovin' 'em all the same way workin' out all too well ya hear?"
"Well..." Applejack said, having to concede the point that trying to love several ponies at once was probably just asking for heartbreak. "Ah guess Ah can see yer point." She started to frown, "But ah can't just choose one of'em."
"Well then," Cobbler said, reaching a hoof over to pat one of her cousin's hooves, "Maybe you haven't found the right mare yet."
"Maybe," Applejack said. Her eyes flashed orange again, but neither of them noticed it. Applejack knew that it was a lie though. "Maybe." She said again.
The conversation sort of lost all momentum from there. They went back to small talk and little things that were of themselves meaningless. When Apple Cobbler's train was due she parted with Applejack and the two went their separate ways.
Applejack needed to think. A lot. She took a very roundabout way home, passing near Rainbow Dash's house. Perhaps if she could get Dash into some sorta game to distract herself she'd be able to clear her head when her body was exhausted.
She looked up at the large cloud house where Rainbow Dash lived, but she saw that the blue pegasus wasn't there. She was on the ground under the house.
"Dash?" She asked, heading towards her, "What are ya doin on the-" She stopped talking when she saw the haggard condition her friend was in. Bruises and scratches covered her body. Rainbow Dash was sobbing as well. Sobbing was something that Applejack only rarely saw her do. At first, she thought that it might have been another incident with the Wonderbolts, but the scratches along her back were not something a pony could do.
"Dash..." Applejack said when she was closer. Rainbow Dash turned to look at her; her eyes were red and swollen with tears. One of them was black and blue and had swelled almost shut.
"He...he's gone." She choked out. She stepped to the side and Applejack saw the shattered remains of the metal contraption that had kept Tank, Rainbow Dash's pet turtle, suspended in the air so he could live with his owner.
Rainbow took a step towards Applejack but winced and gasped before falling over to one side. The sobbing became crying and Applejack ran to her.
"What happened?" Applejack asked.
"G-Gilda," Rainbow Dash said. The name set Applejack's mane on end. That griffon was back? More that, she had done something awful to Rainbow Dash. Something in pegasai's manner gave Applejack the feeling that it wasn't just a thorough beating, and clearly Tank was involved.
Taking another look at the device that should have been attached to Tank, Applejack got next to Rainbow Dash and pulled her up and over her back to carry her.
"Hold on Dash," she said, "Ahm takin' ya home and then I'll get a doctor to look at ya."
"No!" Rainbow screamed, struggling violently, though with almost no vigor or strength, "No! I can't leave him!"
"Who?" Applejack asked.
"Tank!" her friend cried.
"Tank's not here," Applejack said.
"Tank!" Dash cried again. Applejack was worried more and more.
"Ahm sorry Dash, but ah gotta get ya looked at." And with that Applejack ran towards Sweet Apple Acres with Rainbow Dash bleeding and crying on her back.
Dragons presented Dune Sea a slew of unexpected problems all bundled into one big clusterfuck. The Empress's newest adviser, Chrysalis, had warned her extensively about the powerful monsters but her military advisers had insisted that they could handle any beasts they encountered.
Unfortunately for them, they were very very wrong.
The first scouting party to leave the Mare Mountains and enter what Chrysalis called the Badlands never returned. The second scouting party only had two survivors return, both of whom were severely wounded. They reported almost exactly what Chrysalis had warned.
A larger force of sphinxes and zebras were sent ahead to capture a dragon to bring it back for study. Only a handful returned. Dune Sea herself went out next. She used every spell and potion she knew of to conceal herself so that she could get close to and analyze the dragons. What she saw was more than surprising.
Hundreds of feet tall and dozens of feet wide, the dragon race were true monsters. The first one that Dune Sea saw was a red behemoth snoring clouds of noxious black smoke. Even in its sleep it intimidated her. Traveling further into the Badlands showed her that there were hundreds more of these beasts. This was certainly nothing that she wanted her armies to face. The Rising Empire would be slaughtered by such raw power.
Or, it could be made invisible with it.
Her journey back to her army allowed her to plan out her next move. She would send a single messenger- one of the expendable zebra children- to request an audience with one of the dragons. She would take control of this dragon's mind and use it to slowly take power over every beast in the Badlands. With that kind of power in her army, Dune Sea would truly become invisible!