The somber-faced farmgirl could only watch as her friend departed from the barnyard and out towards whatever fate awaited her. There had been discussions for a plan, but none of them had left her satisfied by any means. The last time they had encountered the Changeling horde, not even their combined might had been enough to drive them out; only a stroke of unbelievable luck had been enough to somehow win the day, and not an ounce of it was by their own effort. They had been quite effectively overwhelmed by sheer force. What they faced now was subterfuge and deception, and it had already been wildly successful. They were outmanned, outgunned, and most certainly several steps behind.

The first plan was bad enough: Twilight would enter Chrysalis’ nest and singlehandedly take down the place herself. Foolhardy was too nice a word to describe it. The backup plan that had Applejack herself going in to save them all was the only part that was worse. One farmgirl against an entire hive of shapeshifters- and her friends somewhere in the mix as prisoners.

It was a fool’s hope at best.

The first day of Twilight’s absence had been spent in normality; the weather was bright and beautiful, perfect for work out in the orchards; Applejack would have normally enjoyed the day if the specter of responsibility hadn’t been looming over her throughout it, marring the work and what time was spent among her family. To be asked to potentially save the world, and do it alone, wasn’t a pleasant thought in the slightest. She just wanted to be a good person and grow good apples.

The second day saw further emptiness, a continued lack of Twilight and her friends that permeated Applejack’s day. Dread grew strong in her bones, weighing her down and making the grey skies of the day feel all the more heavy. This wasn’t getting better, the reality of this invasion was becoming more and more pressing; the Changelings really were here in force, they had kidnapped her friends- and maybe Twilight now, too! And the person who was going to have to go save them all? Applejack was strong, dedicated, and brave; those sorts of things didn’t make one not feel very small in the face of such a looming catastrophe.

The night came in and settled itself on the apple farm, its blonde-haired denizen dreading the coming dawn. If Twilight didn’t show, she would have to go to Canterlot and try to save them herself. She couldn’t ask for help, couldn’t say a thing, couldn’t do anything but go and see it done. If she told anyone there would be a panic- or worse, set the Changelings to another mass invasion. She wouldn’t tell her family- there was no desire to make them worry. So she sat there and watched the darkness creep in alone, wondering if she could withstand the loneliness of such a weighty task. The actions of a solitary heroine were not exactly her style…

“Applejack? You alright, girl?” The presence of a thin, bony hand on her shoulder and Applejack turned to see Granny Smith standing behind her, the wizened face of the Apple matriarch further wrinkled in concern.

“I’m alright, Granny,” she murmured, though perhaps unconvincingly. “Just thinking about something Twilight said to me, that’s all.” She wondered if Granny would see more into that statement; it wasn’t really a lie, just not the whole truth. But it would be best to not say everything until the whole affair was all said and done, at least by her thoughts.

Granny scrutinized her normally gregarious granddaughter, but declined to inquire further. “I was bout to look back through some old photo albums,” she said. “Wouldn’t mind the company.”

Applejack’s inclination was to decline and continue stewing in her nerves, but a stronger desire to be amongst her family for a little while longer came upon her. “Sure, I’ll take a look,” she said. It would honestly be a relief…

If there was anything the Apples valued, it was their family. Scores of photographs rested on parchment, a showcase of their history for any to see. She always got a thrill from seeing it all, even if it was something she’d seen a thousand times over. To know that these people were more than just faces in a picture, more than just random snapshots of an unknown life- these were her family, a legacy she still could uphold and make proud. They’d been pioneers, farmers, and settlers for years on end; it was a lovely thing to be a part of.

“When was this one, Granny?” Applejack’s finger rested on a small photograph of her elder in the top corner of the album, Granny Smith dressed in an unusually fancy outfit and standing in the midst of a similarly attired group of women.

“Oh, that was at cousin Apple Rose’s wedding- well, her first one,” Granny answered, a small smile as her eyes misted over from memory. “I was there as her maid of honor, so this would’ve been me and the girls together before the whole thing got rolling.”

“You look beautiful,” Applejack said, and meaning it. The dress would be considered out of fashion nowadays, but Granny wore it well, and the shining look to her face made her seem to glow. It was an unfairly stark difference to how she appeared now, but Applejack felt glad to see her grandmother had once been an attractive young woman.

“You should thank me, ya know,” Granny remarked. “All the prettiness I handed down to your Momma was something that got handed down to you, too.”

Applejack blushed, but enjoyed the compliment. She knew full well she looked nothing like her mother, but the thought of being compared to her at all was a pleasant one.

“What’re you two doing?” a new voice joined in the fray from down the hall, soon given source when Apple Bloom walked around the corner and dabbing at her drying face with a damp towel. “Oh, some old family photos. Can I join you for a bit?”

Applejack smiled and tried to make room for her favorite sister with what little space around the table remained. Sweet-faced and pretty, Apple Bloom’s growth into a true adult had helped strengthen the bond they shared together, setting the two sisters to be as thick as thieves. Though she had tried to make room for a third chair, Apple Bloom simply couldn’t find the space to settle and relented to taking half of Applejack’s holding herself down with an arm about her sister’s neck.

The pretty farmgirl tried to suppress a shiver. She both loved having Apple Bloom this close to her, but hated how she tried to think about such things; ever since her sister had turned eighteen, it seemed that her mind had-

“Here’s one I think you’ll like,” Granny said, turning the page and letting the magnificent photograph be revealed and speak for itself. A beautiful picture of…

“Mom,” Applejack said simply. “Was this her wedding day?”

Granny nodded. “Just a little after the wedding itself. Ain’t never seen a prettier bride, before or since.”

Applejack could hardly find reason to disagree, gazing at the picture of her mother with a brilliant warmth; lovely hair falling down across her face in curls, the bright color perfectly contrasting against the pure white of the wedding dress. She could see the myriad emotions in her eyes, all the summations of happiness and heartbreak that had come that day. Applejack had only known her mother for a little while, but was more than grateful to still have memories she could hold on to. That peaceful smile, those beautiful eyes- how could she not love her mother?

The dread specter of the dawn still lingered, but the night continued on peacefully for the beautiful farmgirl of Sweet Apple Acres. No fear, no hidden feelings to bury, just a simple peace before the coming storm in which she could rest.

The morning came and Applejack waited at Twilight’s abode, looking for a sign of her friend’s return. A lasso at her hip and dressed for wrangling, Applejack was ready to start causing trouble. When the day continued and there was still no sign of Twilight, she found herself unable to remain still and patient for any longer. The train to Canterlot was calling and she needed to be on it. Here we go…

The train ride was completed in silence, staring out at the Canterlot skyline and wondering what sort of nightmares now awaited her. Were her friends still alive, or had they been killed and replaced by a façade? Had Chrysalis infiltrated the castle again? Was any of what she looked out at now even the real, genuine thing? There were so many different scenarios potentially at play that she couldn’t conceive of which one was most likely. Guess I’ll find out soon enough.

The walk to the hidden nest went by slowly, each step towards it one of intent. Applejack knew what she was looking for, but couldn’t help to feel a slight sense of embarrassment as she walked through the nightclub doors. So she was in a strip club- well, a Changeling nest that just happened to look like a strip club. Why should she feel so embarrassed by that? Wasn’t like she was gonna do anything here.

The place seemed only mildly active when she entered, some of the nest’s denizens walking this way and that across the showroom floor with other duties on their mind. Not a face in sight seemed all that hostile, and most appeared rather pretty. In fact, the place itself looked rather nice, a signature style that felt somehow familiar. Where had she seen this before? And come to think of it, that smell- ain’t that Pinkie’s cooking?

“Hello there!” A smiling young woman came up to where Applejack stood, perhaps a guard meant to hinder progress. “I’m sorry, but we’re still renovating and not yet able to receive guests. Are you here on business with the owner, or just wanting to visit?”

“Where are they?” Applejack demanded.

“I’m sorry?”

“Twilight. Fluttershy, the others- my friends,” Applejack added forcefully, taking a single step that made her opponent halt. “Where you’re keeping them. Now.”

“Are- are you a friend of theirs?” the woman asked. “We did not receive word that they were expecting company.”

“Now!”

“OK! They’re in the backroom with the owner, the Lilac Room! Please, please wait for them to finish conducting their business,” the woman said, backing away in reasonable fear. “They may not appreciate being interrupted-”

Applejack simply strode past her opponent and into the hallways beyond, surprised at how little resistance she was receiving. Not one of these Changelings was bothering to stop her and that was more unnerving than an onslaught would have been. She continued off into the back and towards her destination, a door bearing a symbol of lilacs coming into view and signaling for her to come hither-

The strong-willed farmgirl pushed open the door and was immediately greeted by a cacophony of sounds, sights, and smells that assaulted her senses and left her to staring. It wasn’t difficult to figure out what was going on here.

In fact, it would be harder to mistake it for anything else.

“Applejack!” Twilight was looking over her shoulder at the stunned farmgirl that stood at the door, the entirety of her lap filled with the presence of Chrysalis. “Oh- jeez, this is- I kinda forgot to tell you I was alright!”

Applejack wasn’t at all sure where to really begin with all of this. Rarity and Fluttershy were deeply intertwined on the couch and climaxing by means of each other’s physical presence, an unsurprising sight considering how Rarity had lusted after her beautiful friend for so long; Pinkie Pie and Rainbow were both stark naked and clearly enjoying eating one another out- a little surprising, but the two were fairly voracious; there in the middle of it all was Twilight, who seemed to have been enjoying the show that were four of her friends quite obviously having sex with each other- how Chrysalis played into it all wasn’t something Applejack could yet fathom.

One scenario was unremarkable, if a bit awkward. Two together was distinctly uncomfortable. All three was simply ridiculous.

“Oh, hello. And who might you be?” Chrysalis rose from her place atop Twilight’s lap and came forward to greet her guests, trying to keep Applejack’s attentions away from the sexual machinations of her friends. The queen’s eyes turned to slits as she allowed herself a more thorough examination of this new arrival. “Ooh, she’s got freckles…”

“Applejack, this isn’t-” Twilight had half-risen from her seat to make her way over to Applejack but halted, her lower half clearly soaked through by her own fluids. “Could you maybe wait for just a few minutes? I could use a minute to myself.”

“Uh-huh.” Applejack simply shrugged her shoulders and began to walk away, already completely done with the level of insanity that was happening before her eyes. She wasn’t the kind of person to be uncomfortable seeing her friends naked, but this was clearly a specific kind of party of Chrysalis’ making. There were other places to be that would be better than here. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“AJ, wait- wait!” Twilight’s call echoed back to her as she turned back to the hall, only to be held short by a reaching hand from Chrysalis, who seemed eager to keep her around. “Just- sorry, girls, you- I’ll be back in just a sec-”

“No, Twilight.” Applejack remained flat as could be, unwilling to expend emotion on the venture any further. “This is nothing but nonsense.”

“What? No, look, it- I know it looks weird, I really do!” Twilight was trying to cover herself as her face started to flush, highly aware of her current state as she stood beside the Changeling Queen. “Please, just wait a few minutes and I’ll- well, I’ll at least try to explain.”

“You really got suckered in by sex, Twi?”

Twilight tried to laugh that one off. “Well, I… OK, so I sorta did, but it’s more complicated than that-”

“Uh-huh.” Applejack turned to Chrysalis, her gaze so blunt that it may as well have been a hammer. “Been enjoying yourself by sleeping with my friends?”

“Don’t say that like it’s something to be ashamed of,” Chrysalis replied, not at all embarrassed by the accusation. “Or are you just jealous that you’ve been missing out on all the fun?”

Applejack scowled. “I should clock you- trying to steal them away like this.”

“I am not stealing them away, thank you,” Chrysalis answered. “And if you’d like to add yourself to the mix, you are more than welcome- I always did like a girl with freckles.”

The abruptness of it all was only incensing Applejack further, who looked quite eager to send a missile of a punch across Chrysalis’ face sooner rather than later. Each hand was curling itself into a fist, preparing for the order to be released upon flesh-

“Applejack! Look, you trust me, right?” Twilight was saying, taking note of her friend’s rising anger. “I’ve been here for three days now and I’m perfectly fine. The others are fine, we’re all safe here! Please, just give me a bit to get myself together and I’ll- well, Chrysalis and I will explain everything. Can you trust me on that?”

The answer wasn’t going to be a resounding yes, but it couldn’t quite be a no, either. Applejack wasn’t sure whether it was the memory of her friends naked and having sex that was the issue, the fact that Twilight had clearly been getting fingered, or that Chrysalis was quite obviously undressing her with her eyes- nothing about this entire accursed scenario made much sense at all. But Twilight seemed to be herself, no sight of hypnosis or any other form of control about her at all; if she was being this insistent, perhaps there was something that she really did need to say.

The freckled blonde sighed. “Fine. I’ll wait.”

“Thank you so much! Chrysalis, is there a place she can-”

“Of course. My chambers, the gold-colored doors further down the hall,” Chrysalis said, gesturing in their direction. “There should be a jug of water if you have need of it, I will be with you shortly. I must attend to my ladies.”

Attend to her ladies. There wasn’t an adjective in all the languages of the world that could make sense of this strangeness, but Applejack was willing to bet the truth would somehow be even stranger. She complied and made her way down to Chrysalis’ bedchambers, relieved that it at least wasn’t a dominatrix chamber or something similar. The simplicity of it, though perhaps possessing some finer tastes, helped take the edge off. “Please let this make some sort of sense,” she said aloud to no one.

A few minutes passed before Twilight and Chrysalis reappeared before her, each of them now looking a little more composed than they had before; Chrysalis black corset and fishnets were now gone, a black dress now adorning her skin- one that looked to be of Rarity’s making, giving the darkened queen a rather elegant appearance. Twilight was no longer stained and red-faced but instead dressed in a mid-length dress the color of soft cream, not quite fitting to her form and suggesting it was a hurried selection. After a few moments of small movements and motions, they took a seat on the edge of the bed and offered a chair to their guest, who took it with some degree of hesitancy.

“I am sorry you caught us at such an… intimate moment,” Chrysalis began. “I am sure it was uncomfortable for you. Perhaps an explanation is in order?”

“Is she a Changeling?” Applejack asked. “Are my friends actually here?”

“Who, me? Changeling?” Twilight echoed. “No, I promise I’m actually me, Applejack. And the girls are fine, just a bit, umm, unpresentable at the moment. Sorry about that, you caught us at a bit of a bad time.”

“I’ll bet.” Applejack found herself rocking back and forth in her seat, unease and confusion keeping her energy levels high. “So, sugarcube… mind telling me what I just walked into?”

No matter what was said, there was going to be some level of awkwardness that would permeate the conversation. Given the circumstances that Applejack had interrupted, it wasn’t exactly surprising; Twilight wasn’t ashamed of what she’d done, but being found in the midst of such intimate actions wasn’t something she enjoyed. A thorough explanation was necessary, details all added in what ways she could manage. Applejack was taking to the story with some skepticism, a view that was somewhat expected; after all, Chrysalis hadn’t been the friendliest of souls the first time they’d met. A change of temperament wasn’t easy to believe, especially when it could just as easily be assumed that the farmgirl’s friends were the queen’s captive slaves.

Applejack took all the information in stride, sorting through it silently before coming to some manner of a conclusion. “Alright,” she drawled, “so this isn’t an invasion.”

“Not any longer,” Chrysalis answered. “I have no desire to usurp a kingdom when my Ladies give me all I could ever ask for.”

Applejack cocked an eyebrow. “And your –uh, Ladies, they are… my friends.”

Twilight turned a slight tinge of pink but nodded. “Chrysalis was Fluttershy’s girlfriend,” the bright-eyed princess said. “Rarity got envious, she was welcomed into the fold. Then Pinkie, and Rainbow… and, well, I guess now me, too.”

“And there’s no funny business about none of this?”

“None. The girls aren’t prisoners, we aren’t forced here against our will, and we chose to be with one another. And Chrysalis, too.”

Applejack appeared to still be somewhat unconvinced, but was her distaste of Chrysalis’ presence was beginning to fade. “I- alright, I guess,” she murmured. “Not really what I expected to walk into…”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Twilight said, her smile born of mild embarrassment. “Got a bit carried away and everything.”

“A few more questions, then.”

“Of course.”

Applejack eyed her friend. “So you’re saying you're NOT embarrassed about being part of a harem? Like, sharing each other and Chrysalis and all that- nothing?”

Twilight looked about the room before finding the strength to summon an answer. “Well… a little, maybe. But it's kinda nice, too. Look who I've got for companionship.” She slipped her hand over to that of Chrysalis, her fingers becoming intertwined and tightly squeezed in response. “I think it’ll be fun.”

“And you couldn’t have told me you were alright?” the freckled woman continued, frustrated by the depth of worry she had endured.

“That would be because of me, I’m afraid,” Chrysalis answered slowly. “I asked for her aid in a critical issue and requested her deepest focus. I apologize for keeping Twilight distracted.”

An unexpected answer, but not unwelcome. Chrysalis wasn’t at all the same sort of person she’d been when the Changelings had invaded, at least by Applejack’s estimation. More than just a change in demeanor, but she almost seemed different in appearance; there were bits of Fluttershy’s affectations in how she presented herself, some of Rarity’s grace in her composure. It was almost like she was imitating them, in a strange way.

“But Twi- you’re a princess, sugarcube,” Applejack replied. “Ain’t this… I dunno, wrong?”

Twilight considered the question. “Call it a political union, then,” she said with a smirk. “Diplomatic relations between kingdoms? I could be an ambassador.”

“An ambassador!” Chrysalis echoed. “My sweet Twilight, I believe we weren’t being very political earlier. Certainly not formal…”

“What, you’re not really hurt, are you?” Twilight said.

“Only if you don’t promise to make it up to me,” Chrysalis purred. “One last night together before you have to go and keep me waiting till next weekend?”

The scene was swiftly turning intimate, the darkened queen and her friend inching closer together and suggesting some more flirtatious mannerisms were about to be at play. Not sure whether it was awkwardness at the sight or simply the sensuous pleasure of it, Applejack knew it was likely best to find a way to exit the place swiftly. “OK, so that settles all that! She declared, rising to her feet and giving herself a stretch. “So y’all are all super into each other, have fun. I gotta get back to Sweet Apple Acres and get to work, the orchards need picking and I’m sorta-”

Chrysalis was distracted from the romantic intentions of her new beloved by the strangeness of a new sound she had not heard before, her lovely face scrunched by its presence. “An orchard? Now what sort of thing is that?” The silence that came into the room was deafening, the beautiful queen of the Changelings a centerpiece of attention as both her companions began to stare at her with no small measure of shock.

“... Are you serious?” Applejacked breathed, wondering how such a soul could be so unfortunate as to not be aware of the gloriousness that was an apple orchard. It was some sort of trick, surely.

“Chrissy, you’ve- you've seriously never seen an orchard before?” Twilight asked, amazed at such a failing of knowledge.

Chrysalis shook her head “No... Should I have?”

The apple farmer was left flabbergasted; it wasn’t actually a trick. “Chrysalis- how have you never heard of an orchard before? Ain’t you ever had an apple before? Or any kind of fruit?”

“Of course I have!”

“Then how in sweet heaven have you never seen an orchard before? That’s where they grow the things, for cryin’ out loud!” Applejack wanted to laugh but was afraid it would be seen as mockery. She just couldn’t conceive of such a thing.

Chrysalis, however, appeared to have her curiosity aroused. “What is your orchard like? What do you do?”

“It’s- it’s just the prettiest sight in the whole wide world,” Applejack said, beginning to fall into her daze at the memory of her home. “The hills that just roll out in front of you, covered in trees that are chock-full of apples. And when you see ‘em, all deep green with little spots of red and they just shine in the sunlight…”

Chrysalis studied her companion’s misty-eyed expression that spoke to a love of homeland and hearth; Applejack held something strong for the place, a comfort and joy that was more than just attachment to a house and bed. The work that was done to care for it was something to be proud of, the struggles and triumphs that took place there were something to remember. When the lovely Changeling looked upon the beautiful farmgirl, she couldn’t help but feel a thrill at such a deep affection. And maybe for the one who held it, too.

“Applejack,” she said hesitantly, “would you be so kind as to show me your apple farm?”

The depths of the orchard in the early dawn was a sight so beautiful that Applejack had yet to find words that could properly describe them. The gleaming gold that was so perfectly marked by the leaves and fruit of the orchard could steal her breath, no matter how many times she witnessed it. This was the place where she belonged, the land her family had tended to for years upon countless years. This was home.

And now, within its deepest depths, she had some very strange, albeit enthusiastic, company.

“Beautiful. These are splendid!” Chrysalis took another deep bite that saw most of the apple disappear, relishing the richness of its sweet flavor. “If my kingdom had ever had land of its own, I would see them filled with such riches. Applejack, your orchards are wonderful!”

Applejack knew that full well, but wasn’t bothered to hear it spoken aloud. It wasn’t like her family’s apple orchards weren’t something she was extremely proud of. “I still can’t believe you’ve never seen one before. How did you go through life so unhappy?”

For a moment, Chrysalis’ eyes flashed and the farmer wondered if she had said something wrong. But the look was soon replaced by laughter, the beautiful queen still in wonder at the sight. “I would have forsaken the mountains and depths of the earth for a place such as this. The green and the light of it… and you will harvest it all?”

“As much as I can,” Applejack answered, a bit miffed at the lack of confidence in her answer. “I’m honestly on a timeline. Ain’t gonna be too long before some of them start to rot.”

“Whatever for?”

Applejack shrugged. “Well… Granny’s been hurt more often than not, so Apple Bloom’s been having to stay nearby. My brother’s having to look after his own part of the family lately, and- well, that just sorta leaves me.”

“For all of it?” Chrysalis asked, wide-eyed when she received a nod in reply. “Surely you don’t wish to lose some of your crops to rot…”

“Just the way it is, sometimes,” Applejack answered. “You’ll lose some to rot, some to storms, or pests. Just part of growing apples.”

“Would you allow some of my children to aid you?” Chrysalis inquired.

The farmgirl paused. “Pardon?”

Chrysalis looked about at the orchard in which she stood, seemingly still awed by its simple beauty. “They will be inexperienced. And in need of guidance. But for those who do not wish to simply hide in cities,” she said, “dear Applejack… perhaps some would like to learn from you.”

Applejack was left rather nonplussed by the sudden suggestion. “I mean- I guess I could think about it,” she managed. “It’s a… umm, well, I don’t know.”

“It is a request,” Chrysalis added. “A plea, as a mother for her children. They’ve grown under my Ladies’ care and Twilight is offering them a new course of life. Maybe you could add yours to the mix.”

Applejack eyed her suspiciously. “Would I have to sleep with you, too?”

“Only if you wanted me to,” Chrysalis answered swiftly, clearly enticed by the idea. “I’m sure your friends would be delighted to be your lovers instead.”

The blonde woman could only laugh at the bluntness of the suggestion, not an ounce of hesitation or shame in the darkened royal whatsoever. “I knew you were hungry. Didn’t think you were thirsty, too.”

Chrysalis didn’t seem to press the question further, simply turning her gaze away from the attractive farmgirl before her and off to the farmhouse that stood what seemed like miles away. “It’s such a small thing from here,” she mused. “I suppose your family has always been there.”

“It’s the oldest building in town,” Applejack said softly. “And it’s done a good job looking after my family ever since. Can’t ask for more than that.”

“You love your family dearly, don’t you, Applejack?”

“More than anything in the world,” came the fervent answer. “I just wish…” A sigh and then a wistful shake of straight blonde hair. “It’d be nice if Ma were here. Make it feel a little better.”

Chrysalis regarded the farmgirl. “Do you have a picture? I’d love to see them.”

“Oh- sure, here.” Applejack fished through her pockets for her wallet, extracting a trio of photographs that she had kept safe within. They were her favorite pictures of her family that she’d ever had in her possession; Granny Smith when she’d been young and beautiful; her mother, adorned in that stunning wedding dress; Apple Bloom, the day she’d turned eighteen and become so lovely…

Chrysalis held the photos in her hand- but paused from her study of them as she felt something strange on her fingertips. “These are sticky.”

Applejack felt herself run cold. No. No, no, no… she had wondered if maybe she hadn’t cleaned up, or maybe it had happened without her noticing. She’d been alone and then suddenly not alone, she’d been forced to put them away in a hurry- she hadn’t thought that maybe she’d made a mess on-

“Applejack,” Chrysalis said with a sultry smile upon her exquisitely painted lips, “why are these photographs sticky?”

She could feel the cold sweat begin to break out across her forehead, small beads born of terror. A complete accident was primed to reveal her deepest, darkest, most shameful secret that the poor apple farmer possessed; to say it out loud would be unbearably shameful, but to deny it would be just as difficult. Why did it have to be Honesty, of all things?

Chrysalis examined the photos that were held between her fingers and felt the residue that had somehow stained them, a few moments of sensory examination enough to confirm what she already suspected. “You love your family very much, don’t you?” she remarked lightly. “Perhaps a bit more than most… they are very lovely.”

Applejack tried to swallow down the lump in her throat and regain some of her composure. Please don’t say it out loud.

“Do they know how you feel, Applejack?” Chrysalis asked. “My, my, and you were so keen on judging your friends at first…”

“Don’t tell anyone,” Applejack blurted out.

Chrysalis looked scandalized at the remark. “As if I would reveal a woman’s secret,” she scoffed, continuing to eye the pictures with a strange thoroughness. “You poor thing, how you must struggle. To be so close, yet you just can’t have them.”

“It’s- I manage,” Applejack said, more a sputter than anything definite. “It’s just a silly fantasy, anyhow.” It wasn’t the best descriptor she could manage, but it was close enough. Silly, stupid, and very, very forbidden. She had always cursed those feelings of hers, knowing it was never to be something she could act upon; a hidden fantasy that would always remain buried.

“Oh, Applejack,” Chrysalis purred, coming about to her freckled companion and whispering into her ear. “You don’t need to be embarrassed. Every girl needs to fulfill her fantasy at least once, doesn’t she?”

“But they’re- it’s family,” Applejack muttered miserably. “I couldn’t.”

“Mmm, I think you can,” Chrysalis countered, her fingers beginning to trace through blonde hair. “You forget I’m a Changeling, Applejack. I’d love to indulge you.”

It was such an obvious suggestion that Applejack’s eyes went wide; how could she have not considered that the woman she was with might make such a tempting offer? “I- can’t,” she said. “It’s wrong.”

“Oh, but not with me,” Chrysalis said sweetly, “you’ve been such a good girl… I think you deserve something special.”

The offer was out in the open. They were secluded in the orchard, it was just the two of them, and no one would ever have to know. “Are- is it really OK?” Part of her hoped the Changeling queen would say no.

“Of course it is, my dear,” Chrysalis said, bringing Applejack’s gaze to meet hers. “Let me give your fantasy, in every way you’ve always wanted it… who should I begin with?”

Applejack’s mind was racing, heart clamoring madly inside her chest. She wanted to answer yet keep silent, there were a million things she wanted to say and not say at all. But Chrysalis was offering to fulfill her deepest, most desperate longing in a way that was safe and secure, away from prying eyes… “My sister,” she said swiftly. “Start with my sister.”

“With pleasure,” Chrysalis said, her smile growing strong as her physical features transformed in a heartbeat; no longer was she the darkened beauty that had so thoroughly won the hearts of Applejack’s friends but instead had become the sweet-faced form of Apple Bloom. Silken red hair fell down across her face and her eyes were set to sparkling, a soft-yellow shirt tied so as to reveal her midriff with a pair of miniature denim shorts. Her figure was slender and lovely, a fresh and unblemished prettiness that only just come into its prime. “I’m all yours, Applejack,” Apple Bloom declared happily. “Do whatever you want to me.”

At first, Applejack wasn’t sure whether or not to begin, much less where. But Apple Bloom was right there in front of her, offering her body to her- one last misgiving and she relented no longer, taking her sister’s lips captive in the depths of a fierce, passionate, long-desired kiss. She couldn’t resist, wouldn’t resist, not when the very thing she desired was there before her and beckoning for an embrace. Oh, how good it felt! To finally have Apple Bloom in her arms, those lips meeting hers in happy union that made her want to weep. She could breathe that sweet scent of apple blossoms, taste the flavor of creamy lip gloss…

Applejack couldn’t help but let slip a small murmur of delight. She’d wanted this for so long. As Apple Bloom melted into the kiss further so did she, the two letting their arms wrap about the others as they pressed together all the more deeply. The feel of her sister’s lips was heavenly, better than she had ever dared to imagine. It was a relief to finally feel her at last, to have that sweet, innocent body in her grasp. Applejack released those jewels from the clutches of her lips before soon returning, wishing to feel them over and over. She longed for them, needed her sister’s kisses…

Apple Bloom pulled away from her sister’s mouth, leaving her forlorn- then suddenly a new sensation; a slickened something that was pressing at the edge of her lips, caressing so gently that it made the farmgirl’s heart quiver! Hardly daring to believe it, Applejack opened her eyes to see her sister’s tongue slowly massaging her lips, a small taste of sweetness that beckoned for further, deeper! Lifting back only a hair’s breadth, she let her sweet, saliva-coated muscle stream from her lips and hypnotize her besotted sister. The intent was obvious- she wanted Applejack to join in.

The trembling farmgirl complied, though her blush was fiery; her own pink tongue came forth and soon found itself pressed against its partner’s, the slickened sweetness like electricity through her mind. “Aah…” Applejack could only delight in the feel of Apple Bloom, how delectable her saliva was to the senses. They let themselves mesh together, tongues twirling and looping about one another until the line between sisters was little more than a blur. They relished the taste of the other, longed for it with a deepened hunger.

“Oh…” Applejack faded away from her sister’s caress to gaze at the coated bands that still held them together. “Chry- Apple Bloom! I’ve wanted to do that for so long. You grew up to be so beautiful…”

Apple Bloom giggled at the remark, a small peck of her sister’s lips in reply. “Do you wanna keep going?” she asked. “You can suck my tongue, if you want.”

“I- I can?” Applejack cried, watching in wonder as that sweet morsel came forth and called for her. “Oh, Apple Bloom, I-” she wasted no time in taking to the decadent treat, her lips ensnaring it within their grasp and giving it all the love and desire she had held so deeply within. At last she was able to act upon her feelings, free to feel her sister in every way she could imagine. She sucked on that tongue with long, deepened strokes; lips came and planted kisses upon it as though it were a delicate prize; she let her own tongue come upon it and massage that sweet delicacy with joyous fervor now turned to lust. She loved Apple Bloom’s tongue, loved how it tastes and felt- and those cries! Apple Bloom was giving such sweet sounds as she felt the loving caress of her sister’s lips, gentle sighs of bliss that could make heaven weep.

A long, sloppy slurp and the happy moment came to an end, Apple Bloom still deep within her sister’s arms. “That felt good, sis,” she whispered. “Can I have yours, too?”

“Get sucking already!” The cry that came from deep within her soon after was that of a siren’s sigh, Apple Bloom taking hold of her elder sister’s tongue and beginning to praise it with all the skills she could muster, the elder farmgirl closing her eyes so as to remember the sensation forever. The first few motions were quick and rapid, meant to be felt and known in an attempt to overwhelm- yet not remaining for long, soon coming to a slowed pace. A rhythmic approach began as Apple Bloom’s tongue massage continued on, keeping her sister in raptures from the feeling of it. She had craved this with a hunger most ravenous, adoring the sensations that her sister graced her with. The gentleness of her lips along her tongue that felt more like worship, a comforting presence at last made safe and real-

The presence changed, becoming something softer, yet more skilled. The suckling changed and slowed itself, a pair of hands winding their way beneath Applejack’s shirt and finding her breasts so as to see them kneaded. The massaging of her mouth continued, a sweet tongue of a different taste now lathering its coatings upon her, retreating only so as to bring sweet kisses to an awaiting pair of lips. Applejack felt her heart melt as she tasted the sweet flavor of someone new, the one whom she had lusted for ever since she was young. As her eyes opened, she found herself lip-locked with the graceful form of her mother, and loathe was she to see this cherished dream come to an end.

“Will you let your Mommy make you feel good?” Pear Butter asked, that smile a lost treasure that Applejack had craved. “I only want to make you happy. Won’t that be OK?”

She was being offered this. It had been a deep, dark daydream, but she was about have it come true. Could she really just- “Please,” she breathed.

“That’s my good girl,” Pear Butter said happily, her hands pulling apart Applejack’s shirt and letting her breasts be freed to the world. “Ooh, so many clothes on… I’ll just have to take them off for you.” A solitary lick of a nipple that set them to hardening in an instant- then a rush of movement that saw Applejack in her mother’s arms, taken over to the shade of a nearby tree and held tightly against it, fingers wrestling away her shorts and seeing them cast aside. Her underwear went soon after, torn clean and letting her awaiting folds be presented at last. Applejack could only quiver, only wait for the moment to finally arrive-

There! That first touch as her mother descended and began to find her way deep in between Applejack’s muscular thighs; a solitary brush that saw the outside tickled, but not satisfied. This was meant to be a teasing blow, not yet the full conquest. Another one just along the thigh, the awaiting woman’s skin turned to gooseflesh. She could feel that heated presence hovering just beyond, just out of reach; it would only be a matter of time before it came to pass…

The deepened plunge and Applejack gave a cry; her mother was deep within her now, that wondrous tongue lapping away in the depths of her folds and sending her to quivering like she had never felt before. This was what she had dreamed of, the sensation of her mother licking her clean at last! Oh, oh how good this felt, so perfectly gentle and loving! Hands trembled and found their way into Pear Butter’s hair, subtly pushing her deeper inside until all her face was buried in Applejack’s now-dribbling sex. She reacted to each every jab her mother gave, a happy cry at each new caress. That tongue slid its way through fold and across flesh so smoothly, finding each new place that begged for attention- marked with the occasional nibble that would set senses ablaze, a small pull of labia that would keep her sharp and alert.

A small pause as Pear Butter retreated from her place between her daughter’s legs, a trail of kisses working their way up the waist; a small pause on the breast so as to give a teasing bite to the nipple before finding lips again and taking them in a deep, breathless kiss. The flavor of it was different before, a part of herself now in between them; Applejack licked her mother’s lips voraciously, eager to find every drop.

“Am I making you feel good?” Pear Butter asked sweetly.

“Yeah,” Applejack gasped, continuing to attack her mother’s lips with further kisses, further licks until she was bonded to her-

“Do you want me to make you feel really good? Can I make you go all the way?”

“Please. Please,” Applejack pleaded-

“Then hold tight,” her mother sang, diving deep down and at last giving the full assault; she devoured Applejack’s folds with a frenzied, insatiable love. Each stroke that fell was a hungry lap, each pull was intent and power; Applejack was being loved in a way she had never known one could endure, a glorious crescendo of cries coming from her lips. She hadn’t imagined she could make such sounds, but to do them for her mother was a dream come true! Her body shook, her legs tightened about her mother until they were locked together, she caught in the throes of her passion and unable to relent. Whatever she was meant to feel now would be of her mother’s will, not her own; she would cry, she would moan and tremble, she would be a plaything as that glorious mouth gave its all within her soaked depths. It would hard to hold out much longer-

Applejack felt the first tremor and knew the moment was coming soon. She loved how her mother felt, how her tongue could lap away so greedily within her folds and see them left soaking from the pleasure of it; was there anything in the world that could feel this good? She couldn’t imagine, couldn’t comprehend something more wonderful than being eaten out by her beautiful mother. It was the ultimate dream. “I love you, Mom,” she said in a voice held tight-

A small pause as the words came through- then a voracious devouring that eclipsed all others, as if her words of affirmation had spurred Pear Butter to new heights of excellence. A swiftness and a plunge was all it took to complete the task, Applejack climaxing and unable to hold back any longer; a sweet release as orgasm overtook her form, flowing freely and trying to focus on nothing but the continued licking her sex still felt. Even as the rocking began to subside, even as a new wave hit her because of it, not once did that wondrous mouth cease until all she could do was gasp. It had been seen through to the end.

As she released the beautiful woman from the depths of her thighs, Applejack struggled to regain breath. She’d been loved to pieces and left ragged, but so energized! She wanted to go on, to keep striving for another round. But not just for her sake, but also for-

“That’s my good girl,” Granny Smith said, returned to her youthful beauty and cupping her granddaughter’s face in her hands. “Won’t you be kind and return the favor? Does that sound like fun?”

Applejack stared; Granny Smith was more beautiful than any of her photographs could have hoped to capture; smooth skin left properly tan by a life out in the orchards, hair kissed by light and left gleaming- and a wondrous, splendid pair of breasts that had been deliberately spilled over her top and left for ocular adoration. And all of this was going to be hers to ravish?

She could hardly wait to get started. All weariness forgotten, Applejack took Granny Smith in her arms and began to tear wildly at the dress that kept them separate, wanting not even the slightest ounce of anything to come between them. She licked away at the beautiful woman’s mouth, she squeezed and teased breastflesh in a maddened frenzy, she did everything she could have possibly dreamt of and more. She had been given so much today, and only one last part of her fantasy had yet to be fulfilled.

“Ooh…” the coos that came from occasionally muffled lips were like those of doves; Applejack could not decide which part of this woman she enjoyed most; the sweet tang of those lips that so eagerly met her own, the breasts that she pinched and kept hardened with both hand and mouth, or that sweet nectar from below that so powerfully beckoned to her. She struggled to focus on one aspect of beauty for long, needing the feel and presence of each all at once. Applejack loved to lather Granny Smith’s tongue with her own sweet coating; she delighted in the feel of those nipples in her mouth, sucking on them until she elicited a squeal; a pair of fingers found their way down to a glistening sex so often that her fingers became damp and sticky. She needed each of them and all of them at once, desperate to leave her beautiful grandmother satisfied.

“Ooh… Applejack!” Granny cried, that sweet voice like honey to the ear. “Don’t keep me waiting any longer. Won’t you make me scream?”

Applejack saw the pleading in her eye and didn’t hesitate a moment longer. A deepened plunge into awaiting depths that were wonderfully, unbearably sweet, the delighted apple farmer digging in with reckless abandon. She wanted nothing but to eat and drink of these sweet folds, to feel the viscous fluids across her eager tongue, to know the heat of an eager sex that craved her touch. She found herself lost in that wonderful place of a daydream, content to simply eat away madly and do no more. This had been her fantasy, her deepest longings at last able to be fulfilled. She was eating out the Granny Smith of days gone by and relishing every second of it.

Was that a tremble she detected? A muffled moan that played across her ears? Applejack did nothing but intensify her efforts, licking away all the deeper. She felt those muscles go taut, tense in preparation for a splendid arrival. She did not back down now but kept on, trying to find that sweet spot that would see this beautiful angel satisfied- there! Her tongue found the singular point that made Granny Smith tremble and she attacked it, not wanting to waste her time-

A cry of happiness and then a flood, Applejack’s face eagerly taking the flow that overcame her. She relished the feeling of it, the warmth that she knew to be her kin. She could have hardly asked for better, for anything more. She had at last known her sister’s touch, been made love to by her mother, and made love to her beloved grandmother in return. It had been her most desperate fantasy, the one she had always believed would never come true- but now fulfilled! Beautifully, gloriously fulfilled in a way she couldn’t have imagined.

A rise from the depths of ravished folds and Applejack saw her kindred had disappeared. Only Chrysalis now remained, body strained from the effort of her transformations and attentions she had both given and received. This beautiful queen who she had one thought an enemy had been willing –if not eager- to see her desires made satisfied in a manner so safe and secure.

“Thank you,” Applejack said faintly, a hand reaching out and finding it held tight. “I never thought it’d be OK.”

“I’m glad I could help fulfill your desires, sweet apple farmer,” Chrysalis said. “I hope you had fun.”

“It was perfect…”

“Mmm… I’m glad you think so,” Chrysalis remarked. “I certainly enjoyed myself. I’d love to keep this up. Whenever you want to have a little fun, I’ll be happy to be whoever you wish me to be.”

“Anyone?” Applejack asked.

“Anyone,” Chrysalis affirmed. “But if you want one of my Ladies, you should ask them myself.”

Wait a minute- “But I never agreed to nothing!” Applejack protested, albeit weakly.

“Oh, don’t leave them disappointed,” Chrysalis pouted. “I know they’d love to have you. That sweet, freckled face, those big strong muscles… just looking at you gets me turned on.”

“But- well, we’ve been… friends for so long,” Applejack said.

“And now they’re lovers- eager to have you in the mix, just as I am,” Chrysalis added. “Oh, Applejack, don’t make me beg.”

The beautiful apple farmer was torn only mildly; the thought of Chrysalis as her lover was an appealing one, forever able to fulfill any fantasy safely. And then there was Twilight and Pinkie Pie, the whole group of girls she’d once called friends- now wishing to whisper her name in the deep of the night, to feel her and be felt all the same…

“You really want a farmgirl around your place?” she asked lightly.

“I need a farmgirl in my arms,” Chrysalis said happily. “Come with me and meet my Ladies. You’ll be leading my children in a new life right alongside them, and I can hardly wait to watch.”

Not much further to go now. Should be fun, right?

And a bonus- fanart!
If you like it, I'll share another come next chapter.

Keep reading, I guess.