The glow of Twilight's horn fizzled, spluttered, and faded yet again. "Oh come on!" she protested at the open book. "That was a perfect inversion based on Starswirl the Bearded's sixth principle!"

Her quill drew a neat line through the careful words she'd written, the latest in a long list of failed attempts to find a reversal charm to remove the focus charm's effects. Nothing. It was as though it had been designed to make it hard to reverse... which, Twilight thought slowly, it probably had.

She needed to think. She needed to know more about the way the charm worked. But wasn't that why she'd cast it on Applejack in the first place, to learn about it? She certainly couldn't cast it on anypony else. Her lips pressed together. Could she risk triggering it on Applejack again? It certainly was very powerful. But there were things she didn't know yet, if she understood better how it hooked into memory, maybe she could make progress.

She felt oddly glad Spike wasn't there to witness her confused and tangled reactions to the whole thing, and felt guilty about that, too.

There was nothing else for it. She didn't examine too closely how that thought gave her an odd little skip of happiness, and quickly put the book away, together with her notes. Pulling on a purple jumper with a replica of her cutie mark sewn over the chest - she really had to thank Rarity again - she stepped out into the warm afternoon air.

Ponyville bustled, ponies going every which way as they explored the market occupying the centre of the town. That would be the first place to start then! She walked the stalls, accepting the greetings of ponies she passed with a warm smile of acknowledgement, looking for Applejack's hat over the heads of the crowd.

"Why, Twilight dear, it's so nice to see you up and about again."

She turned. Addressing her was a taller mare, with pure white skin covered by an intricately layered dress in pale blue that was slit to expose her triple diamond cutie mark. Her mane was thick and fell in complex purple waves over her bare shoulders, her tail spilling down the back of her skirt. Distracted, she smiled. "Hello Rarity. Are you enjoying the market?"

"Darling, there's a whole wagon of cloth all the way from Fillydelphia! Some of the designs I have in mind for it are simply perfection! You must model them for me when they're done. I've already asked Fluttershy, Applejack and Pinkie, and they've all agreed."

"Of course, Rarity! I'd be glad to help," Twilight replied sincerely. It was nice to be distracted from the thing she'd been fretting about for days. Still- "Do you know where Applejack is now? I need her to help me with something."

"Oh Twilight, are you still working on that charm?" Rarity looked a little concerned. "Now dear, don't let it get to you if you can't make it work. You looked so troubled when I visited, and you've hardly been outside since. It isn't good for you."

A flash of shock froze Twilight to the spot as Rarity guessed her purpose, before Twilight forced herself to relax. She couldn't know that the problem was undoing her success, not trying to make it work better. "W-well, I think I can make some progress today."

"Oh, very well. She's over by the town hall, looking at ploughs. But dear, if you need me to help you, do say so, alright?"

"Thank you, Rarity. I'll see you later," Twilight answered. It certainly wouldn't be a good idea to practice on Rarity too. Anything she needed to find out, she could find out by studying Applejack.

Making her way through the crowd and avoiding anypony she knew too well, Twilight quickly walked towards the town hall. Finally, there was Applejack's hat above the crowds. She quickened her pace, trying not to rush too obviously.

"Applejack!"

The blonde mare blinked, turning around. "Hey Twilight. You out shopping?"

She shook her head. "I was hoping to bump into you. I wanted your help - do you think you could come to my home?"

"What, this about that charm again?" Applejack considered. "Sure, Twilight, I'll come by later. Plenty of things at the market I'm going t'need to get for Sweet Apple Acres, Big Mac'll be by to help me get them home."

"Of course! Of course. I'll see you later then Applejack. I'm very grateful for your help." Twilight gave her a slightly nervous smile.

"Don't you think nothing of it. Catch you later on."

Twilight walked away into the crowd, her heart thumping. Fine, later was fine. That was good, Applejack would come by, and she'd just wait until then. She could wait. The spell wasn't going anywhere, and after a couple of anxious days, she was confident in her analysis that it wouldn't respond to anypony but her.

She could wait.

Waiting was hard. She was nervous, and jumpy, walking up and down over and over, pulling books off the shelves and flipping through them, only to find them dissatisfying and swiftly put them back. She was as jittery as if she were about to go on a first date, she thought, then quickly rejected the comparison as inappropriate.

The knock on the door startled her out of her wits, and it took her a second to answer, "-come in!"

Applejack pushed the door open, carrying a woven bag in her left hand which she set down by the door. "Howdy Twilight. You reckon you're getting somewhere with this charm of yours?"

"I - yes! Yes. Come in." Twilight's horn glowed, and the door closed. Trying to find a sensible sentence, in case the charm had worn off by itself somehow, she instead blurted, "Will you awaken now?"

The words caught the other pony just as her expression was turning slightly concerned, arresting it before smoothing out. Her shoulders slumped, and Applejack's eyes glazed over as they drew magnetically to focus on Twilight's face. "Ah am awakened," she droned.

Twilight closed her eyes, a shudder rocking her at Applejack's thoughtless compliance. "Okay, Applejack. I'm going to try some tests now. You're going to do whatever I ask of you, okay?"

"Ah will do whatever you ask of me."

Steady, Twilight told herself sternly. This was serious magical research. She wouldn't learn anything if she got carried away.

Pulling herself up, she gazed at Applejack's face, searching her expression. It was strange; she'd never looked at Applejack's face so closely before. She began counting the major freckles on her cheek absently, gazing at her from different angles, slowly drifting forward without really thinking about it. Her orange skin had stood up well to the sunshine that she was constantly bathed in.

Twilight gently reached out to lift the hat from the blonde mare's head, holding it lightly between her fingers for a moment before letting it slip to the ground. She had such green eyes, tracking to follow her without thought. It was like being alone, with a beautiful living statue.

Her slim fingers were tracing the freckled marks on Applejack's cheek. Her skin was warm under her fingers, and soft. Smooth. Twilight's heart was hammering, and all of a sudden she realised that she must look quite similar to Applejack; stunned, with a far-away expression of concentration. Her hand dropped, and she stepped back, with a shiver. Whether it was fear, nervousness, guilt or something else entirely, she didn't know or try to examine.

"Okay," she spoke aloud, slowly. "When there's a new situation, or a new idea, memories alter to fit. That's not safe. What if you can turn off that process? ...Applejack. From when I cough, you're going to do anything I ask you, or tell you. You don't need a reason; you'll just be suddenly happy to do anything I say. Okay?"

"When you cough, Ah will do anything you say. Doesn't matter why, I just want to," Applejack repeated with entranced calm.

She had to hold back her nervous excitement. Just a test. This was magical investigation. "Slumber, please."

Applejack blinked, and her eyes shifted to her discarded hat. "So, what kind of tests do you want to run?"

Twilight winced, suddenly remembering she'd removed it. Another shifted memory to make sense of that, probably. "Stand on your head."

The blonde mare blinked. "Twilight, what? What kind of test can that help you-"

Twilight coughed. Her body was tense, pulsing with her heartbeat.

Applejack fell silent, and a wondering expression took over her face. "Ah - sure, Twilight. Anything you say." Turning around and tilting forward, she put her hands on the ground and pushed off with her boots, swinging up to balance on her hands. Her tail hung down her back, nearly touching her mane, which pooled on the floor. Her muscled arms held her weight easily, and she gave Twilight a warm, upside down smile of content happiness.

Her heart gave a harder thud in her chest. "A-Applejack?" she breathed. "Why did you do that?"

"Because you told me to, silly." The look was fond, even from her current position.

"You didn't do it at first. Why did you change your mind?" she probed.

"Well, I guess all've a sudden I jest felt like doing anything you say. Sure does make me happy. You're one've my closest friends, you know that."

Twilight's eyes closed. One of my friends. Of course she was, but it wasn't enough, it didn't feel enough. She shouldn't, but she just had to try- "Stand up please," she said politely, allowing Applejack to flex her legs and swing gracefully down onto her feet, before adding, "Awaken now," as the other pony turned back to her.

Applejack swayed, the motion arrested incomplete, partially facing Twilight and gazing at her with single minded attention.

"Applejack, I- okay. Wait there, please."

"Ah will wait."

Her body thrummed with nervous terror and excitement, a strange and foreign arousal colouring her thoughts and pushing her further. Her nipples ached with their tautness beneath her loose jumper, rubbing against her bra. Her voice trembled slightly as she began to speak again.

"Applejack. Um. When I-" Cough? No, that was silly. She didn't have to make up something that looked like an accident any more, she'd tested the charm enough to be confident in it. "When I click my fingers, you're going to think I'm the most important pony in your world, okay? You're really going to want to do what I tell you. Doing what I tell you feels really good."

Applejack's eyes fluttered slightly as she processed the words. "When you click your fingers, you'll be the most important pony in mah world, I'll really want to do what you tell me, it feels really good," she replied blankly.

Twilight's hand moved to her sex and briefly pressed firmly against herself through her loose trousers. She breathed a heavy murmur, before pulling her hand away and straightening up. She could just test how Applejack reacted to instruction. That's what this was for. "Applejack, slumber please."

The other pony shifted to face her fully, with a smile. "So if you don't want me standing on my hands anymore, you going to try this charm out on me again? I've got a bit of time, though I'll stay if you tell me to, of course."

Twilight's face flushed darker purple, shaded with hints of pink across the cheeks. "How would you describe our relationship, Applejack?" she tried, experimentally.

"Like Ah said, you're one've my closest friends, Twilight. We've been through a heck've a lot together."

Twilight gathered herself, and pressed her fingers together. Her fingers slipped soundlessly against each other, then with a surge of nervous determination, she pressed them together and a loud click echoed around the book-lined room.

It was almost like watching Applejack enter a focused state, but her expression didn't blank out. Instead, a strange new expression of adoration came over her, and she moved a half step closer without seeming to notice it. "Oh, Twilight... I can't believe I never saw you before now," she breathed.

Twilight crossed her arms over her chest in unconscious defensive bracing. "Applejack, could you tell me what you're feeling?"

Applejack swallowed, then asked huskily, "Twilight, do you - do you think y'could say that more forceful? Sort've like - an order?"

Twilight's eyes widened, her breathing accelerating. "Applejack, tell me what you feel about me."

The orange-skinned pony rocked slightly on her heels, her cheeks flushing, and she murmured almost inaudibly, "Yes Ma'am," before adding louder in a soft, yearning voice, "Ah feel like you're the centre of my world. I can't believe it didn't hit me sooner, that you're the only thing that matters. Ah-" her voice trembled, but she continued bravely, "-want you to tell me what to do. I want to do what you tell me."

Twilight shuddered with heat. It wasn't right, not at all, but- "Applejack, do you find me pretty?"

The blonde pony took another half step forward, her tone urgent. "Yes, Ma'am. You're beautiful, you have the most perfect skin, you're wise, and kind, and you're the best of us."

Twilight swallowed. "You're beautiful, Applejack. You're so fit and strong, and honest and you never, ever leave somepony wanting when they need help. I really admire that."

"...thank you, Ma'am," Applejack murmured, her eyes welling at being complimented by Twilight. "It makes me so darn happy to hear you say that."

The violet pony bit her lip. "Why are you calling me Ma'am?"

Applejack looked alarmed, and suddenly ashamed. "I'm sorry, Twilight, if you don't like it. I jest thought, it seemed like I should speak to you like you were in charge around here."

Twilight reached out and touched Applejack's chin, lifting the other pony's head gently. "I like it, Applejack. I just wasn't expecting it." She paused, then said with gentle firmness, "Keep doing that."

Applejack immediately brightened, and at the instruction her eyes half closed with pleasure for a moment before she breathed, "Yes, Ma'am. Jest as you say, Ma'am. What can I do for you?"

She couldn't take it. "Applejack, go fix me a glass of juice."

"Yes Ma'am! I'll get right on it."

Applejack strode into the kitchen with a quickened stride, leaving Twilight shuddering. One hand convulsively slid under her jumper and gripped her left breast through her bra, squeezing the small swell firmly, her eyes mostly closed. She shouldn't be feeling this. She shouldn't. It shouldn't set her on fire to have Applejack obey her, to have her adore her.

It shouldn't. But it did. Could the charm have affected her? Could she be as much under its spell as Applejack was? She squeezed her breast again, and the breath that escaped her carried a low moan.

Applejack hurried back into the room, and Twilight yanked her hand out from under her top with a panicked, guilty jerk, leaving it rumpled.

The other pony slowed as she approached, offering a glass cradled in both hands. "Here you go, Ma'am. Apple juice. Ah sure hope you enjoy it."

Twilight straightened her mane, pushing strands out of her face, and replied gently, "Thank you Applejack." Taking it from her hands and sipping, she looked into the other pony's anxious eyes and added sincerely, "This is the best juice I've ever tasted."

"Thank you, Ma'am!" she replied happily. Her eyes flickered again as another pulse of pleasure flashed through her in reward for her obedience.

Twilight held the glass with both hands, drinking slowly as she tried to think what to do now. Applejack gazed at her steadily with worshipful attention and she didn't know what to do. Breathing deeply, she tried, "Applejack, I'd like you to - to sit on the floor, and just tell me you'll do as you're told."

Applejack dropped to the ground instantly, looking up at Twilight with submissive arousal. "Yes Ma'am. Ah feel right being on the ground before you, Ma'am. I'll do anything you say."

Twilight's fingers clenched harder around the glass. Applejack looked so beautiful, her muscled body on her knees. She couldn't help it. "Say it again, Applejack."

"Ah'll do anything you say, Ma'am."

Her hand slid up into her jumper again, pushing her bra out of the way, her small breast hot in her palm. Her nipples were painfully hard, her thighs sliding against each other.

Applejack looked up at her with utter adoration, seeing the effect her words had on Twilight, the one she worshipped. "Ah'll do anything for you, Ma'am. Anything you want. Ah'll obey you, Ma'am. Ah'll obey. Ah'll do anything. Ah'm yours. Ah'm all yours."

Twilight jerked and pressed her hand against her smouldering sex through her trousers, grinding her hips against the heel of her palm, the half-finished glass thrust away onto a nearby table in her haste. Small, jerky sounds of pleasure escaped her mouth as she felt the heat inside her rise out of control, every word from the enchanted mare in front of her making it worse, until with a loud cry she felt an explosion within her that nearly knocked her off her feet. Her horn sparked with erratic magic, a fitful wind gusting through the room and ruffling the open pages of half-finished books.

Slowly, the rush of pleasure and excitement faded. Twilight looked down at Applejack, the other pony's lips parted and a hazy look of arousal on her face, one hand massaging one of her breasts through her shirt.

"Can I touch myself, Ma'am? Please?" she entreated.

Twilight stared at her in shock, and a wave of guilt crashed down on her. Her lips parted soundlessly as she gazed at what she'd made of her friend, and she blurted once again, "Awaken!"

Applejack had gone. With hasty words, Twilight had blocked her remembering anything about the whole event, set her feelings back the way they had been before she'd entered the library, and hurriedly told her that the charm research could wait for another time.

The other pony's obvious concern for Twilight's badly hidden distress had made the guilty feeling worse. It was just as well that Spike wasn't there, she didn't think she could have acted normal in front of anypony else today.

She sat with the charms book - and its mysterious extra page - trying to disassemble the charm's structure. Perhaps she could detect the dormant charm, even if she couldn't remove it. That might be a start to understanding it.

A few hours of work and she'd begun to make inroads. It would be very subtle. It was more of a way of thinking, but there was just a spark of something holding it all together. Maybe-

Her train of thought derailed at a knock on the door, and, covering her notes, she moved to the door to find Fluttershy waiting. The pale yellow mare gently insisted on coming in and making Twilight a cup of soothing tea, which she drank with an attempt at good grace and a normal smile.

It took well over an hour to soothe the concerns that Applejack had plainly passed on to her, before she politely hustled the soft spoken mare out of the house - and the whole time, the same thought kept repeating itself at the back of her mind.

Wouldn't it be so much easier if she could awaken Fluttershy.

That was going to be a problem. She couldn't use it so easily, not to solve all her problems. She'd made mistakes in the past; there were lots of times that her friends needed to be able to hassle her into changing her mind. She couldn't ever start using the charm just to shut ponies up, to make things easier.

Yes. That was a good rule. It also didn't preclude using the charm on Applejack again.

The backwash of horrified guilt had faded, and images kept flashing before her eyes. Applejack groaning with delight at being commanded. Applejack on her knees. Her hand on her breast. 'Can I touch myself, Ma'am? Please?'

Twilight firmly moved her hand away from her waist, where her fingers had shifted to press against herself, and focused on the scroll in front of her. No. She couldn't take advantage of Applejack like that again, not ever.

Author's Notes:

Oh, Twilight. You have a good heart. But more pertinently, you've got a taste for this now.

-
Proofing by Djmill and JustTheBast