Right now I feel
Just like a leaf on a breeze
Who knows where it's blowin'?
Who knows where it's goin'?
I find myself somewhere
I never thought I'd be
I'm goin' round in circles, yeah
Thinkin' about you and me
And how do I explain it when
I don't know what to say?
What do I do now?
So much has changed
Nothing I have ever known
Has made me feel this way
Nothing I have ever seen
Has made me want to stay
Here I am, ready for you
I'm torn and I'm fallin'
I hear my home callin',
Hey!
I've never felt somethin' so strong
Oh, no
It's like nothin' I've ever known
-Bryan Adams, Nothing I have Ever Known, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron Soundtrack

The cimarron air always smelled nice this time of day. Rain lifted her head, trying to get more of that sweet air into her nostrils as the sun peeked over the mountains. 
She felt a nudge at her side. The stallion who'd bought her freedom and brought her here was at her side. He nuzzled her behind one of her ears, and she felt her muscles relax as his teeth moved down, massaging her crest and neck. 
Being a mare in a herd was so different from how her life had been before. The new freedom was exhilarating, and the cimarron was beautiful. She loved it here. She loved this stallion, and she'd grown to love his mother and the other mares. She loved the foals, a filly and a colt, who were quickly growing into yearlings. She even looked forward to having foals of her own. 
But she couldn't forget Little Creek. There were days she dearly missed her former life, the humans who'd raised her, fed her, cared for her. She missed the other horses there, creatures she'd been proud to be raised beside. 
Rain loved this new life, but there were times she missed her old one.
The sun was higher in the sky now, and several of the other horses in the herd had begun to stir. Rain watched as one of the mares, who had a black mane and tail and a pretty silver coat, chose to roll around in the grass. It looked like fun, like it was scratching several itches. Another had slept on her hooves last night; as she awoke, she leaned down and grabbed a mouthful of cool, refreshing grass.
She heard the stallion nicker beside her. She turned her head and caught one of the yearlings hopping to his hooves. She watched as he bucked, clearly playful in the cool morning breeze. 
Rain frowned; he was heading off, away from the rest of the herd. Horses were social creatures; they needed to stay together. The stallion had the rest of the herd to tend to, so she decided to take care of the errant yearling herself. 
He made it all the way to a nearby cropping of woods. Just as she was about to grip one of his ears with her teeth, something in a nearby clearing caught her eye. It was almost like the air, itself, was changing, shimmering in the sun. 
Her ears flicked back in distress, but she refused to run. She stepped forward, protectively moving her body in front of the yearling. She gave a frightened squeal as the shimmering air grew, a mix of gold and green forming a large sphere. The light grew brighter, nearly as bright as the sun. She squeezed her eyes shut and shifted her head away, trying to protect her eyes.
Just as quickly as it happened, it stopped. The light was gone, and in the center of the clearing was...
...a horse. No, it was too small to be a horse. Rain tilted her head, still wary, but also curious. She took a tentative step forward, taking in the sight of the small figure laying there. The coloring reminded her a bit of the stallion's mother; her coat was a deep orange gold and her mane and tail were flaxen, just a few shades darker than her own. 
Most curiously of all, there was something tied around the small horse's neck with drawstrings. A hat; something humans wore on their heads.
It reminded Rain of the feather Little Creek had once braided into her mane long ago. Did the small mare have a human of her own? 
She leaned her face down and took a few careful sniffs. No...the thing didn't smell of human at all. In fact, the smell was nothing like anything Rain had ever experienced. There was the smell of other horses, earth, trees...apples. Many different kinds of apples. 
But there was something else there. Something Rain didn't recognize. 
The small horse snorted as she shifted, large eyes blinking open. Rain was taken aback...all horses she'd ever known had either brown eyes or blue. She'd once met one that had one of each. 
But this horse's eyes were as green as the leaves on the trees that surrounded them. 
The small horse gazed up at Rain with those large green eyes, then blinked slowly. Then got to her hooves.
Or at least, it looked like she tried to. Rain tilted her head in confusion as she watched the small horse struggle with her own legs. It was like watching a newborn foal, but Rain had the impression that, despite her small size, the small horse before her was fully grown. 
Distressed noises came from deep in the horse's throat. Curiously, they sounded more like a stallion's bellowing roar than a mare's squeal. The bellowing grew louder and louder, like the small horse didn't recognize her own voice. She kept moving her front hooves up, as though the grass was burning her. She glanced between them, whites of her eyes almost painfully visible. 
Rain didn't know what had just happened or why this small horse was here, but she did know a horse in distress. She took a step forward, braving getting closer to the struggling horse, and draped her head over her withers. She gently nickered, hoping the sound would sooth her. 
It seemed to work. Within a few minutes, the small horse seemed to calm down, breathing heavily through her nostrils. Rain pulled away just enough to look her in the eyes again, and lightly nudged her nose with her own. She was pleased when the small horse's ears slowly moved forward. 
Rain blinked as she noticed something. It had been easy to miss as the small horse seemed to struggle in her own body, but now, up close, she saw that the human thing wasn't the only thing tied around her neck. There was something else; something made of gold metal and green jewel nestled against the orange fur of her chest. 
Yet again, it looked like something that could only be made by human hands, and yet there was no human smell. 
Strange. Very strange, indeed. 
Rain didn't understand what just happened, but she did understand the many, many different ways a lone horse in the middle of the cimarron could get killed. 
She tilted her head in the direction she could hear her herd, and nickered encouragingly at both the small horse and the yearling that was a few hands taller than her. 
The small horse had no choice but to awkwardly follow.

The stallion, thankfully, was willing to take another mare into his herd. The other mares seemed all right with the situation, as well; the more of them there were, the safer they were. 
The small horse, though, struggled to fit in. Watching her get used to her legs and hooves was only the first problem; Rain watched, on edge, as the yearling she'd gone to retrieve tried to mount her. 
A solid kick from both of the small horse's muscular, powerful back legs sent him flying backwards. Rain watched in horror, only breathing a sigh of relief when he scrambled to his hooves, spooked but unhurt. 
He made sure to avoid her after that, but Rain made sure to stay close to the small horse, anyway, hoping to deter any unwanted attempts at sex. 
Rain understood why the small horse wouldn't want to carry the foals of a foolish young horse that was basically a big foal, himself, but she noticed how tense she grew whenever the stallion came near her, as well. 
A few of the stallions she'd grown up with had never wanted to mount her or the other mares. They'd preferred the company of other stallions. She supposed it made sense that there could be mares that were the same way, too. 
Despite their rocky introduction, the small horse seemed to grow fond of Rain. That made her feel nice...as the days passed, she found she was growing fond of the the small horse, too. As protective as she was of the new mare, she seemed to be just as protective of her. 
There was an incident one day. Rain was enjoying her grazing so much that she wasn't paying as much attention as she should have. When she looked up, she found herself face to face with a pair of unblinking eyes with slit pupils.
A rattlesnake. 
She panicked, scrambling backwards, squealing in fear. 
Just as the creature coiled up, seemingly ready to strike, the small horse came to her rescue. She gave that stallion-like bellow again as her hooves came thundering down upon the snake, quick and brutal. When she was finished, Rain couldn't even recognize that the bloody mess was ever a snake. 
The small horse's stare at what was between her hooves was intense. She breathed hard, only seeming to calm down as she looked up at Rain with those pretty green eyes and nickered questioningly. 
Rain nudged her nose with her own, nickering back. The smell of blood was always panic-inducing, but the strong, earthy smell of the small horse was blocking it out, calming her down. 
They made their way away from the dead snake to the rest of the herd. The small horse was tense, probably expecting threats to show themselves from any other direction. Rain wanted to tend to her, hoping to repay her for saving her life. She brought her teeth to the crest of her mane. She tensed up for a moment, but then quickly melted as Rain's teeth made their way down to her withers, then her shoulder, then her chest. 
Her nose passed the strings of her hat and brushed up against the jewel the small horse still wore. 
The shimmering air that had brought the small horse to them returned, starting at the jewel and growing outward, engulfing them both. Rain squeezed her eyes against the sudden assault against her eyes. 
When she opened them, she found herself someplace new. Her ears flicked up, taking in the sudden sounds of human-like hooting and hollering.
"Yee-hawwww!" she heard in a thickly-accented voice. "I'm back! Thank you, sweet Celestia, I am back!" Thick laughter entered one of her ears and out the other as Rain looked down. 
Her front hooves were gone. In their place was a pair of human-like hands. Grass peeked through the gaps between her fingers. Shaking, she lifted herself up. All of a sudden, it no longer felt right to be down on all fours like this. She stared down at her new legs, now folded under her, supporting her trembling upper half.
"Oh, hey there, Stranger! Ya came with me!" Rain's ear flicked in the direction of the sounds of hoof steps on grass, but she didn't look up. Her eyes stayed firmly glued to her shaking palms. 
"Whoa, there...easy..." 
Rain squeezed her hands into fists, then released them. Turned them over, then palm-up again.
And screamed.

The week Applejack had spent in that other world hadn't been the worst of her life, but it sure had been trying. The whole time, she'd mentally cursed out Twilight Sparkle, swearing up and down that this was the last time she ever promised to help her out with any kind of magical research. She hadn't known what the artifact Twilight had put around her neck did. Neither had Twilight. 
After she'd fastened the artifact around her neck, Twilight had used her magic on it. And that was it. Applejack had wound up in a place that wasn't Ponyville, or seemed to even be anywhere in Equestria, in a body that didn't allow her to speak or grab things. That hadn't even been the worst thing...the worst thing had been that yearling colt that had tried to...
She didn't want to think about it. 
She owed so much to the mare with the pretty white-and-brown paint-patterned fur and stunning blue eyes. She'd stayed by her side, protecting her, offering her a strong source of comfort. 
Applejack hadn't even thought when she saw that rattler near her. She'd always been a pony of action, after all. 
In a second, she'd forgotten everything. The home she'd been whisked away from, the family she dearly missed, and of course, the artifact that joined her hat around her neck...
Now she was back, and it looked like their positions were reversed. The other mare was on her knees, looking down at her hands, screaming in horror.
Applejack remembered that feeling, looking down where her hands should be and seeing hooves, having to get used to walking and running about on all fours...
This must have been a shock, too. Her heart went out to her as she kneeled down next to her, placing an orange hand on top of her brown shoulder. "Whoa, there...easy..." she murmured, keeping her voice low and steady. 
The mare stopped screaming, head swinging from side to side, blue eyes wide. "Wh--what? What is...?" She blinked, looking between Applejack and her own hands. "Am I...speaking?" 
Applejack nodded. "Y'sure are!" She was secretly delighted. She'd wondered what the horse herd might have sounded like, if they'd gotten to make noises that weren't nickering or neighing. The mare's voice was light and gentle, something that suited the caring, protective nature Applejack had seen. "Y'got a nice voice, if you don't mind me sayin'." 
"I...I'm talking. Like a human..."
Applejack's ears perked up at the word 'human.' She remembered Twilight's stint in a world that was apparently made up of them. Humans exist back in her world...? she thought to herself. Did the world Twilight went to have horses like the herd she'd seen? 
These were all such surreal thoughts, but one made itself clearer above all else in Applejack's head. "Yeah. Guess ya are. Which means you can tell me your name." She rubbed the mare's brown furred shoulder, hoping to comfort. It usually worked on Big Mac or Apple Bloom. "Do ya have a name, or...?" 
"I...um..." The mare looked down, blonde forelock hiding her eyes. "The man who raised me...He'd say 'Magazu' whenever it rained..." She looked back up, blue eyes meeting Applejack's. Her ears were still back, but the whites of her eyes weren't quite as visible. Applejack got the impression that she was beginning to calm down. "I...guess my name is Rain...?"
"Rain," Applejack repeated, smiling. "It's pretty. I like it!" Not only that, it was nice to finally have a name to attach to the mare who'd been at her side for a week. "Well, Rain, I don't fully understand how all this works, but for the time bein', it looks like you're here with me." She took Rain's hands in her own. "You took care o' me when we were back in your world. Will ya let me take care o' you now you're in mine?"
"I..." Rain took a deep breath in through her nose. "I...guess I have no choice." 
Applejack supposed that was the best she was going to get for the time being. "All right, then." She got to her hooves, pulling on Rain's hands as she did so. She blinked, realizing that she had to lift her head to look Rain in the eye when she was standing. "We can figure out all the magic world-switchin' stuff later. For now, you can stay with me. Plenty o' room in the Apple Family House. Ya hungry?" 
Rain only nodded.

"Slow down there, Youngin'. We got plenty more," Granny Smith gently chastised. 
Applejack knew her family grew only the highest quality apples and made the highest quality goods out of them. It wasn't unusual for all manner of creatures to love them, but she'd never seen anypony eat three servings of apple pancakes one right after another before. Not the way Rain did. 
The mare looked a little embarrassed. It was cute, Applejack thought, particularly when paired with the bit of fruit on the side of her lip. Applejack had to resist the urge to reach over and wipe it away. "She just don't want ya to choke, Rain. We got plenty to go around, here; ain't nopony ever gone hungry under the Apples' roof." 
Rain gave her a smile. "Thank you. So much." She still didn't sound like she was used to speaking. "I've had apples before, but not like this. I've...never had anything like this before." 
Applejack smiled sympathetically. "Beats grass, don't it?" If she never had to see another tuft of grass again, it would be too soon. 
"I suppose...I was starting to miss oats and hay. My human gave me those..."
Applejack frowned. "Your human?" she repeated. Applejack had been under the impression that, in these sorts of worlds, horses were on the same level that dogs and pigs were, here. In that way, it would make more sense for humans to own horses, wouldn't it?
It was a strange thought. Applejack was struggling to wrap her mind around it.
"Yes. His name was Little Creek." Rain smiled. It looked sweet on her pale-furred face. "He raised me, groomed me, fed me...He was my best friend. My everything..." 
Applejack raised an eyebrow. This whole thing was feeling more and more surreal by the minute. "Why...wasn't he there?"
Rain's face fell, and Applejack immediately felt guilty for asking. She never wanted to see such sadness on such a pretty face ever again. "He brought a wild stallion to his village. The most beautiful stallion I think I've ever seen." 
"Ah, right. That fella." Applejack had never been the sort of mare who went for stallions, but she figured if she were, she might not have minded advances from him. 
"Little Creek called him 'Spirit that Cannot be Broken.' Little Creek...wanted me to go with him. Live as a wild horse. That was before we found you." 
"Huh..." Applejack had been famished, herself. She'd been longing for Granny's home cooking for a solid week. But as this beautiful stranger spoke, she found her plate untouched, appetite completely gone. 
Rain laughed, a soft, sad sound. "I loved my new life. Bu...sometimes I miss my old one, too. Sometimes it felt like a whole new world...Curious...now I've found myself in yet another new one. As a...half-horse, half-human?" 
Applejack's heart went out to Rain. Without thinking, she reached out to put a hand on top of hers. 
"It does help to know I'm not alone, though." Rain's smile made Applejack's heart flutter before it turned from her to Granny Smith. "Thank you." 
The elderly mare beamed at her. "Any time, Miss. I stand by my granddaughter's offer: you can stay here for as long as ya need." She then hobbled over to where Applejack sat, draping a thin, brittle arm over her shoulders in a one-armed hug. "We were worried when Ms. Sparkle told us what had happened. So glad to have ya back, Darlin'." 
Applejack leaned into her grandmother's embrace, closing her eyes as she took in her familiar smell of green apples and cinnamon. What she said was "Missed ya, too, Granny." What she thought was You have no idea.

The meal was lovely. Easily the best thing Rain had ever tasted before in her life. 
That didn't change how strange everything was. The house the small horse, Applejack, lived in was large. She shared it with her grandmother and two siblings. When Rain had given her a questioning look, she'd grinned. "I know, I know. Big family, eh?" 
Not compared to the whole herd I was living in, Rain thought. She didn't say that, though. 
She still wasn't sure how she felt about being able to speak. 
It had almost been a relief when Applejack suggested they go for a walk. Rain was used to wide-open spaces and views of the sky; the kitchen, while cozy, was beginning to feel claustrophobic. 
The walk led them to a place that made Rain's eyes widen and her heart ache. Applejack called it Ponyville. The way it was built reminded Rain so much of the home she'd shared with her horse brothers and sisters, with Little Creek and his fellow humans. 
There were no humans here, though. The town was filled to the brim with ponies with hands walking on two legs. 
Creatures like Applejack and her grandmother. Creatures like Rain was, now. 
Back home, horses had been colorful, coming in white and grey and black, brown and red and gold. Rain could see those colors all around her, but they barely stood out compared to all the pinks and purples and blues. Most of the reds weren't deep brown, but the bright hue of apples. 
Just like one such pony they came across. Shorter than Rain, but much taller and bulkier than the other ponies around them. His mane and tail were orange, and his eyes were bright green. Those eyes widened as they landed on her and Applejack.
Before she could ask anything, Applejack hollered "Big Mac!" and ran towards him. Rain winced at the speed with which she moved, but the large red pony-man caught her with ease, lifting her straight up and off of her hooves. Rain watched as he swung Applejack around. Even when he set her back down again, he didn't let go. He kept a hand on her shoulder as she led him back to Rain. 
"Rain, this 'ere's Big Macintosh, my big brother." She firmly patted the large stallion on the back. It reminded Rain of some of the horses from her village, who'd receive those firm pats from their humans when they grew big and strong enough. 
The red stallion said nothing, but gave her a smile and a nod. For a talking pony, Rain got the impression he didn't say very much. That was all right with her. 
"Big Mac, this here's Rain. She looked out for me after Twilight's spell." She frowned. "Don't s'pose you know if she's in?" 
Big Macintosh shook his head. "Nope." He smiled somewhere behind Rain's shoulder. "Do know someone else who's lookin' for ya, though." 
There was a multi-colored blur, mostly of yellow and red. Rain distinctly heard Applejack grunt "Oof!" Rain realized that another pony, an even smaller one, was now clinging to Applejack's waist. 
"Applejack! Applejack, you're back!" Despite the fact that her face was buried in the orange fur of Applejack's midriff, Rain could make the words out through one of her pointed ears. 
"Yep...I'm back, Apple Bloom." Applejack leaned down, gathering the small pony in her arms and lifting her up with ease, demonstrating the incredible strength Rain had seen. "Thank Heaven I'm back...Missed y'all so much..." 
Horses back in her herd had been social creatures. They had to be, if they wanted to survive the cimarron and all its many dangers. But that had been a whole different world with different rules...Rain almost felt like she was intruding on this moment between the three siblings. She was left standing there, looking off to the side, uncertain of what to do or say.
"Was just tellin' this big lug 'bout our guest." By now Applejack had set the pony down. She was a filly, Rain saw; even on two legs, it was easy to recognize. She looked up at Rain with big amber eyes. Her grandmother's eyes, Rain absently remembered. "Apple Bloom, this is Rain. She...looked out for me, when I was gone." 
"Where'd ya go, AJ?" Applejack's siblings had the same thick accent she did. It made them stand out, even among creatures who had horns or wings. 
And, if Rain was being completely honest with herself...it was adorable. 
"Well..." Applejack frowned. "I don't rightly know, honestly. Darnedest thing...the horses there didn't speak a single word." 
"Wow! Really?" 
Rain cleared her throat. The three siblings turned their gazes on her, all having to crane their heads up to meet her eyes. Rain had always been one of the smallest mares, back in her village, then in her new herd. Her ears flicked back, suddenly uncomfortable. "I...don't know if it has a name...We simply lived in a cimarron." 
"Simm-a-rohn." Apple Bloom's nose wrinkled as she sounded out the word. "I like it!" Even with two legs, what she did to move closer to rain could really only be called 'trotting.' "Thanks for lookin' out for my big sister, Ms. Rain. What's your world like? Is there magic? How come y'don't have a Cutie Mark? I never seen such a big pony without one before..."
"Apple Bloom!" hissed Applejack. Rain felt relieved to have her there, having become completely overwhelmed by the steady stream of questions. She gave her an apologetic look over Apple Bloom's large bow. "Sorry; foals. So curious, right?"
Rain slowly blinked at her. "Cutie...mark...?" 
Applejack put a hand on her hip and lightly pushed her hat back on her head. "Hoo, boy..." Applejack looked apologetically between her brother and sister. "Hate to cut the moment short, guys, but I think we should head on over to the li--" Applejack looked like she'd just realized she'd made a mistake and shook her head. "To the castle. This was Twi's spell; hopefully she knows more about this now." 
Big Macintosh nodded, though he didn't look happy. Apple Bloom grabbed her big sister's hand, looking up at her with big, soulful eyes. "You'll come back to the house afterwards, though, won't ya? We just got ya back..." 
Applejack kneeled on the cobblestone road so she could look Apple Bloom in the eye. "Apple Bloom, I will always come back to my family. I will always come back to you." 
Apple Bloom threw her arms around Applejack's neck, burying her face in her muscular shoulder. The embrace was short, but intense; Rain could see how they hesitated to let go. 
As Applejack got back up and began leading Rain deeper into the town, the words she spoke to her little sister repeating over and over in Rain's mind. 

The glimmering castle reached high into the sky, catching the sunlight. Upon realizing that that was their destination, Rain's ears tilted back.
She was now capable of realizing what it was and that it didn't necessarily hold any harm for her, but there was a part of her that still wanted to spook and run. She'd seen buildings before, but never ones this big. 
"It's all right, Rain." Only Applejack's steady voice and gentle smile convinced her to keep going, stepping carefully behind her as she knocked on the large gold doors. 
The ponies in this town looked so very different from the horses in Rain's herd. It wasn't just that their coats came in far more colors, like red and green, it was that some sported spiraled horns in the center of their foreheads, and others still had feathered wings between their shoulders. Rain's eyes widened as the doors opened and revealed a lavender-coated pony who had both. 
"Applejack...?" Rain watched the pony's large purple eyes fill with tears as she launched herself forward, wrapping both her arms and wings around Applejack. Rain couldn't help smiling. She could certainly understand why the urge to hug Applejack was so common. "Applejack! Oh, thank goodness you're all right!" Rain saw the pony's shoulders shake, voice growing shaky. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry, if I'd known what would happen, I never would have--"
"Shhhh..." Rain heard the soothing sounds that came from Applejack's throat. "'S'all right...I'm fine. We're all fine." 
Yet again, Rain was overcome with the urge to look away, to give the two ponies privacy. 
When they pulled away, the purple pony was smiling, despite tears leaving tracks in the fur on her cheeks. She quickly wiped them aside. Applejack was smiling at her, a look that Rain could only call 'fond.' "I'm here..." She looked at Rain. "But I ain't the only one." 
As the purple pony turned to her, seeming to finally notice, Rain waved awkwardly with one of her new hands. "Hello," she tried, still not used to the sound of her own voice. 
"I ain't well-versed in magic, Twilight. But I think she might be the whole reason I came back, in the first place." 
"I see..." The purple pony, Twilight apparently, laughed. Rain resisted the urge to take a step back; the sound was unhinged. From here, she realized that there were deep, dark bags beneath her eyes. "I've been studying and studying, digging through all the archives I could, trying to perfect that spell, but hey! It's fine...just fine..." 
Applejack didn't seem fazed. In fact, the look on her face told Rain that this wasn't the first time she'd witnessed this. "Easy, Twi...deep breath..." 
Twilight did as she was told, inhaling slowly, holding, then slowly releasing. "Okay...all right." Her smile was pinched, but there. "The important thing is that you're here now. Maybe now we can work on how to help this..." The look she gave Rain was a bit strange, like it was the first time she'd noticed she was there. "I'm sorry, what's your name?" 
"Rain. I...I'm Rain." The mare fidgeted with her hands, uncertain of where to look. "It's...nice to meet you?" She didn't mean for it to sound like a question, but that was how it came out. 
"Likewise." Twilight sighed, and as she did, her wings lowered. A considerable amount of tension seemed to leave her body. Rain was half-tempted to try massaging her with her teeth, like she would have back in her herd, but didn't dare. These ponies had hands and fingers...maybe that wasn't how they did things here? "Why don't we discuss this inside? It's...been a long week, and I'm sure the two of you would like to get off your hooves." 
Rain nodded. Applejack said "Sure thing, Twi." 
Rain didn't mean to jump as the golden doors closed behind her, but she did, just the same. 

Applejack wasn't quite used to Twilight's crystal castle yet. She was a simple pony; she vastly preferred the library. It was much cozier. 
Still, it was better than the alternative. She plopped down at one of the chairs in the main room of the castle, or whatever it was called. "Feels good, sittin' down. Didn't...feel right, never doin' it back where we were." It wasn't that the horses in the cimarron hadn't been able to sit, but in that body, it was often much easier to just stay standing. 
"Tell me everything." Twilight, thankfully, looked a little less manic than she had a minute ago, but the lack of sleep was still clearly there. 
Not that Applejack could judge. More than anypony else, she knew what it was like, being a 'workaholic.' By now, she knew her friend of a few years wouldn't relax until she got all the knowledge she felt she needed. At the moment, she figured the best thing to do was to indulge her; she'd worry about getting the new princess to eat and sleep, possibly bathe, afterwards. 
So she began talking. She talked about the light disappearing in that clearing, waking up without her hands or her ability to speak. Thank the heavens her Stetson had drawstrings; it had hung around her neck for that whole week, so she hadn't had to worry about losing it. She talked about the herd, about Spirit and his gentle mother.
She even mentioned the colt, little as she wanted to. Twilight was the bookish one between the two of them; maybe she could make something more of this information, of more animalistic ponies and horses, than Applejack could. She watched as Twilight took notes on parchment with quill, her expression never changing from that wide-eyed look. 
Every once in a while, Applejack glanced over at Rain, who had sat down next to her. In doing so, she hoped to encourage her to speak, offer her own information or perspective, but she never did. The mare simply looked between her and Twilight, when she wasn't gaping all about her. 
It occurred to Applejack that she hadn't seen any buildings like this back in that other world. She made sure to mention it. 
It was when she got to the end that Twilight interrupted. "Wait...go back a bit?" 
Applejack's brow furrowed. "Rain was runnin' her teeth over me after the rattler." She smiled over at Rain. "Which was real kind of ya; thanks. And she touched this thing..." In all the excitement, Applejack had completely forgotten about the artifact, the emerald medallion set in gold still around her neck. She gestured to it with her hand, but didn't dare touch it. "She touched this thing, and, uh....now here we are." 
"So, that touch brought you back to Equestria...and it brought your new friend with you?" Twilight tore her eyes off of her parchment and turned them on Rain. "Fascinating...The spell I used on it must have transported you there. Maybe the magic of your friendship was enough to bring you back." 
"Yeah. Maybe. You know more about this than--"
"Magic?" 
Both Applejack and Twilight turned to Rain. It was the first time in a while that she'd spoken. 
"Magic exists in this world?" The paint mare's eyes widened. 
"I...well, yes." Twilight blinked. "Does it...not, where you come from?"
"Well..." Rain fidgeted. Applejack absently noticed that the nails on her fingers were the same shade of pink as her hooves. It was kind of cute. "There are sunrises and sunsets. I've heard humans call those magic. But...that isn't what you mean, is it?" 
Twilight slowly shook her head. Her brow furrowed as she scribbled something in her parchment. "Interesting..." She heaved a little sigh and sat up straight. "I'm sorry, Rain. This...all of this...must be very shocking for you." 
"It is." Rain moved her forelock away from her eyes. "It isn't bad, mind, just...different." A slight smile crept its way over her white muzzle. "I...kind of like speaking now, honestly." 
Applejack had begun to like it, too, honestly. Rain had a nice voice. 
"I...can imagine." Twilight frowned. "There was another world I went to, much like yours. I turned into a human. I didn't see any ponies or horses there, myself, but my friend Sunset told me about them. At the time, I just thought that it was...surreal. But now it sounds like I've got some in-pony perspectives on it." She smiled at Rain, the first genuine smile Applejack had seen since they'd reunited. "Applejack's given me hers, but Rain, if you'd like to...?" 
"Oh. I...um..." Rain's ears flicked back. She seemed to try sinking in on herself. "I...don't..." 
"Hold on there, Twi." Applejack spoke firmly, in the parental kind of voice she'd had to take on when enforcing rules, guidance, and discipline for Apple Bloom. The kind of voice her own mother had used on her and her siblings once upon a time. "Rain here's come an even longer way than me. I don't think pushin' too much all at once is a good idea. For that matter, how long's it been since you last took a break?" 
Twilight absently waved one of her hands. "I'm fine, Applejack. I'm just trying to figure this all out. The more I know, the sooner I can send Rain back to her home." She looked at Rain, large purple eyes filled with sympathy. "That...is what you want, right?" 
"Well...you've all been kind to me." Rain's eyelids drooped to half mast, ears flat against the back of her skull. "But...I do miss my herd." 
Twilight nodded. "All right." 
"Still." Applejack placed her palms flat on the surface of the table, aiding her as she stood up. "We're all here. We're all safe. And nopony here's gonna do anypony any good unless we're all fed, watered, and rested." She looked very pointedly at Twilight. "Princess." 
Twilight blinked rapidly before sighing. "All right. I can take a hint, Ms. Apple." She laughed. "If you're telling me to take a break, then that must mean something." 
Applejack nodded. "That's right. Now git; go get some rest." 
The alicorn stood, stretching her arms and wings. "Let me at least walk you to the door. Don't want to be a completely bad hostess." 
"I'll grant ya that much, Princess." 
They got up to leave, but not before Applejack unclasped the chain of the artifact before handing it to Twilight. At this point, she was more than glad to be done with the darned thing. 
The hoof steps of the three mares clinked against the crystalline floor. Applejack had to admit the sounds were somewhat satisfying, even if she preferred hearty wood. Twilight waved before closing the doors behind her and Rain. The poor paint mare jumped yet again at the sound, but seemed to relax as Applejack put a hand on her shoulder. 
"S'all right, Miss. It ain't gonna hurt ya." 
"I'm sorry...I suppose it's a bit silly, I'm just...not used to it. Not used to any of this." Rain frowned thoughtfully. "You called Twilight a princess."
"Yep." 
"What...is that?" 
Applejack didn't have all the fancy terminology Twilight did to explain things like 'monarchy.' "Hmm...let me see if I can sum it up...Ya saw her horn and wings, right?"
"Yes." Rain blinked as she stepped side by side with Applejack. She figured Rain had had enough for one day; she'd probably do well, recuperating back at the Apple ranch. "I've never seen horses with those before..."
"Right. I can believe that." Applejack slung an arm around Rain's back. She couldn't help herself; she'd always been a tactile pony. "So, in these parts, you and I are called 'earth ponies.' Maybe 'earth horses,' in your case. The ones with horns are unicorns; the ones with wings are pegasus ponies. The ones with wings and horns? Those are the rarest. The most powerful." She patted Rain's shoulder. "Those are alicorns." 
"I see..." 
"All ponies got magic. Earth ponies got earth magic; we make stuff grow. Pegasus ponies got air magic; they control the weather. Unicorns got magic that does all sortsa other stuff. Alicorns got even more powerful magic than that. They can do darn near everything; raise the sun, raise the moon, affect ponies' emotions...It's why they get to become princesses. They take care of us; they protect us." 
"And your friend, Twilight...is a princess?" 
"Mm-hmm." Applejack laughed. "Different from the 'one stallion, whole bunch o' mares' thing you're used to, right?" 
"Very." Rain glanced up at the sky. Now that she was outdoors, she seemed more at ease. A mare after Applejack's own heart. "Not bad, just...different." 
"Well, we'll make ya feel at home as much as we can." Applejack frowned. "...Would ya feel better on our ranch? I guess I shouldn't assume..." 
"Oh, yes! Yes, I would." Rain said that with more urgency than Applejack thought was necessary. "Your orchards, in particular, are lovely. They...help me feel more at hone." 
Applejack nodded. "I've got somethin' to suggest. I've got a big bed in my room, but I ain't ever been too good to sleep outdoors. Is that somethin' you'd be interested in?" 
"Sleeping outdoors?" Rain sounded confused. Which made sense; in her mind, what else would a pony or horse do? For all Applejack knew, she'd never even seen a bed before. She found that thought upsetting, though she tried not to let it show. 
"Sure! I've fallen asleep under apple trees more times 'n' I can count. It's pretty comfy. Ya interested?"
Rain frowned thoughtfully. That was the word Applejack would use to describe her; thoughtful. After a moment, Rain nodded, smiling. "Yes. I think I'd really like that." 
Applejack gave a firm pat to her upper back. "Sounds like a deal."

The sleeping bag was worn, but also warm and soft. Rain smiled to herself as she nestled down into it. 
"Ya warm enough?" Applejack had set her sleeping bag up next to Rain's, and had her arms folded under her head. She'd set her hat nearby; it occurred to Rain that this was the first time she'd seen Applejack not wearing it.
"Oh yes. It's very comfortable!" Rain wasn't sure if she could ever go back to laying down in the grass or sleeping on her hooves again. 
That thought troubled her. 
"Nice night tonight, ain't it?" Applejack was smiling up at the black and blue sky. It was something of a comfort, Rain thought, that despite all the differences, the sky at least seemed the same. There was a day, there were sunrises and sunsets, and the star-studded night was just as beautiful as it was back in the cimarron. There were no clouds, so Rain could count every single star that twinkled around the full pale moon. 
Rain wanted to say all this, but the words that now flooded her brain ran over them in tumbling waves, hard for her to hold onto. What she could manage was "It's beautiful." 
She heard Applejack sigh next to her, a rare horse sound in this strange new world. "I'm more of a daytime pony, myself; can't work as well if ya can't see. Wasn't until I grew up that I started appreciatin' this time." The light, contented smile lit up by the moon faded just a bit. "Saw shootin' stars years ago...two of 'em, one right after the other."
"Oh!" Rain had seen one before, many nights ago, weeks before she'd found Spirit. "How beautiful."
"Beautiful, yeah...and sad. We got an old pony tale 'round these parts...any fallin' star ya see is the soul of a dead pony bein' taken to the other side."
Rain blinked slowly. "Souls? 'Other side?'" She understood death; every creature did. But this was all new to her.
"Right...s'pose your herd wouldn't know about an afterlife. Maybe your yoo-mans did?"
Rain slowly shook her head. "I don't know...maybe. If they did, I couldn't understand it." It was an interesting, confusing sensation, trying to reconcile her new mind with her old, animalistic one. 
"No...I s'pose not." Applejack sighed again as she gazed up at the moon. "Maybe it's a bit silly...foalish, even. But I like to think those two shootin' stars were my ma and pa." 
"Your...?" 
"My parents." 
"Oh..." Rain nodded. "I understand...mine are gone, too."
Applejack turned in her sleeping bag so she was looking right into Rain's eyes. "I'm sorry. I really am." She smiled. "That why that Little Creek fella was so important to ya?"
"Yes. I suppose it is. I...don't even ever remember meeting my parents. My first memories are of his village." Her smile turned wistful. "Ponyville...reminds me so much of that place, of that time of my life. It seems more permanent, though..." Rain had always known what curiosity was, but for the first time, she knew what questions were. She had many, she found, that she wanted to ask. "Does this town move?"
Applejack raised an eyebrow. "What d'ya mean?" 
"Any time the seasons changed, Little Creek and the other humans would pack everything up and move someplace warmer. Some place safer." She turned her gaze upwards. Was Little Creek watching the stars right now, wherever he was? "I was two summers old when he rode me for the first time. By the time winter was starting, he was riding me with the rest of his kind." She had another question. One of many. "Humans age differently than horses. At least, the kind of horses I knew. How old are you?" 
Applejack sighed. "Reached my twenty-first birthday two months ago. I'm...considered pretty young. Young adult, though." She narrowed her eyes, looking like she was trying to make sense of something. "Can't say for sure, but I think you might be, too." 
"I feel like it. I was old enough to bear foals." Her heart ached as she thought of her herd, of her beloved Spirit. She missed having sex with him; she'd been looking forward to having foals of her own. She was certain they'd be beautiful. "I miss my home...both of them." Her eyes stung, a very new sensation. She blinked rapidly, reaching up to rub at one. Her new finger came back wet. "What...?" 
"Those're tears, Rain. You...you're cryin'..."
Rain stared at her fingers, watching them go blurry through the water welling up in her eyes. Crying...she knew what that was. She'd seen humans from her village cry before. She remembered Little Creek crying after nursing her to health and bringing her back to the village, seeing the carnage those other humans had committed. 
She didn't know what happened to that other group of humans. Something new blossomed in her heart; something all at once white hot and cold as winter water. She felt it specifically as she remembered the face of the human who'd been responsible for it, the male human with the tied-back brown mane and the cold stare. 
Hatred. That was what it was. The tears running down her cheeks turned to tears of anger.
"It's okay, Sugarcube." Applejack's deep, accented voice soothed her. She was good at that, Rain had discovered. "It's all right to be homesick. If I know Twilight, she'll figure out a way to get you back home in no time." 
Rain sighed, closing her eyes, not wanting to see the tear-blurred images anymore. "I hope so..." 
And yet, she hoped she wouldn't forget her days here. 
She drifted off to sleep, feeling more confused and mixed up than before.

Applejack couldn't recall a time when she was so glad to get back to work on her family orchard. 
To her surprise, Rain insisted on joining her. "Y'don't have to," Applejack tried to tell her. "You're our guest!"
Rain gave her a gentle smile. "No. I want to help. I'd like to earn my keep." The smile faded, eyes becoming half-lidded pensively. "Besides, it...might help distract me." 
That was good enough for Applejack. Rain continued to be a mare after her own heart; any time things had gotten hard in her life, she'd liked using work to distract herself, too. 
Rain turned out to be very good in the orchard. She wasn't Big Macintosh, but as an earth mare, she was still very strong; she was good at holding and carrying large, heavy loads. Baskets and crates full of apples, wood for the chopping pile...nothing seemed to be too heavy for her. 
Maybe Applejack's eyes lay on the impressive muscles in her arms and hips as she moved a bit longer than she strictly needed to. Just a bit.
On top of all that, Rain's taller height made her perfect for reaching apples at the top of the trees. Applejack watched, impressed, as she climbed. She held the basket and caught the falling apples with ease.
It was around noon that they stopped for lunch. They had a picnic of apple cider and dandelion cucumber sandwiches near the Apple's watering hole. At one point, Applejack noticed that a bit of cream cheese had wound up at the corner of Rain's mouth. Without thinking, Applejack reached out to thumb it off. 
Maybe it was her imagination. Or maybe it was the heat of the afternoon sun. But she could have sworn that the skin beneath the white fur of Rain's cheeks darkened ever so slightly. 
She didn't want to look too deeply into something that might not be true. She had a strong feeling that whatever this was wasn't going to last; Rain had to get back to her family, after all. Just like Applejack had had to come back to hers. 
That didn't mean that the thought of never seeing the beautiful paint mare again didn't make the bottom of Applejack's stomach fall. 
Rain stood from the blanket, giving Applejack a mischievous smile before trotting off. She'd taken to using two legs quicker than Applejack would have thought; she smiled as the other mare took a flying leap into the cool water. 
"Hey!" Applejack grinned. An impromptu swim hadn't been where she thought this day was going to go, but right then she wasn't complaining. Setting her hat down on the blanket, she followed, jumping and curling into a cannonball with a hoot. As it always was at this time of year, the water was cool but not freezing. As it engulfed her, she let out the last of the breath she'd been holding. She opened her eyes, watching as the bubbles drifted up to the surface. From here, she could see the brown-and-white blur that was her guest. 
She made her way back to the surface, powerful legs kicking beneath her, and gasped as she breached the surface. Her mane clung to her neck and her upper back. She shook the water from her eyes and raised a hand, running it through her forelock, moving it back between her ears. 
Rain was staring at her. Applejack's smile faded just slightly; she swam over to her, entranced by the side of the water plastering the fur to her shoulders and breasts. Her eyes shined bright in the sunlight, bluer than the sky and the water. Still acting without thinking, Applejack reached up, brushing Rain's forelock out of her eyes with her wet fingers. 
It was Rain who made the first move. She leaned forward, lightly taking Applejack's lips with her own. She tasted like the fresh greens she'd used in the sandwiches earlier and the crystal clear water. They were soft, almost sinfully so. 
All too soon, it was over. The earth mares pulled away from each other with a wet sound. Applejack's eyes blinked open. "How...how'd ya know to do that?" 
Rain smiled, shaking her head. "I don't know...it just felt right." She lifted a hand, gently caressing Applejack's cheek. "Was...that all right?" 
Applejack nodded, maybe quicker than she needed to. "Yeah..." She gulped, suddenly feeling warmer than she had a moment ago. "Yeah, that...that was more'n all right." Still going by instinct alone, she leaned forward again. Their first kiss had been all right, especially for one's first kiss ever. The second, though, was much, much better. Applejack gasped as she felt something wet along her lower lip. Rain's tongue...Applejack tilted her head, deepening the kiss. Rain's hands had gone down to her waist, one gripping her hip, the other sliding up her back. Applejack's arms wrapped around Rain's shoulders, one of her legs around her hip. 
All at once, Applejack became painfully aware of the fact that Rain's bare, wet breasts were pressed against her own. She gasped through her nose; between Rain's warm, wet body pressed up against her in the weightlessness of the water, her gentle but strong hands in her fur, and her tongue against hers, she became almost painfully aware of the familiar ache between her legs. 
Her eyes snapped open, and she backed away. Judging from the lovely pink flush all along Rain's cheeks, she wasn't the only one aroused. "Wait," she panted. "Wait, I...This ain't right." 
Rain slowly blinked. "What...do you mean?" Applejack's heart broke ever so slightly; the other mare looked hurt. "Did I...? Isn't this all right?"
"It is. This is nice, real...Real nice." Reluctantly, Applejack let go, paddling back just enough so that there were a few feet between them. "Just...All this? You talkin' and bein' able to to cry? Bein' in this new body of yours..." And what a lovely body it was, with curvy hips and long legs... Applejack stopped that train of thought right there. "I just...After all you been through, I don't wanna take advantage of ya." 
There it was. The truth was that, whatever Applejack's feelings were right then, she worried they weren't right. 
Rain tilted her head. It was an adorable motion, but Applejack couldn't help feeling that it helped prove her point. It reminded her of those horses Rain had accidentally left behind, simpler, wilder, more feral. "Take...advantage?" Then, to Applejack's surprise, the corners of Rain's pale lips slowly creeped up. "Applejack...I know what sex is." 
"I...I, uh...what?" Applejack sputtered, her mouth going faster than her mind. 
Rain laughed. "You really think I didn't? I told you I was old enough to have foals in the cimarron." She gave a sigh. "I didn't have any, but that wasn't for lack of trying on my part. There were a few stallions in Little Creek's village, and then after I met Spirit..." She laughed again, her chest heaving with each sweet giggle. "Oh, we had a lot of fun, trying for foals of our own." She took an experimental paddle forward, closing a foot of space between them. "I know what sex is. I've had sex before. And I know what the feelings that go into it are supposed to feel like." She reached out with a white-furred hand, wet and glistening in the high afternoon sun. 
"I don't know..." Applejack's ears were back, tension tight in her shoulders. It was so tempting, so Celestia-damned tempting...right then she wanted nothing more than to reach out, take Rain's hand, and drag her up onto the nearby shore to have her wicked way with her. "Say we...do this. Say we start goin' at it." Applejack looked down at the surface of the water. "Say...we catch feelings for each other. What's...that gonna mean? When we have to say goodbye?" 
"I've had to say goodbye before. So have you." Rain closed the space between them, reaching through the water to take Applejack's hands in hers. "It's always hard. It always hurts. But that's no reason not to live our lives before it happens." Her smile reached those gentle blue eyes, making Applejack's heart ache. "I can't wait to go home. But I want to enjoy this..." Applejack gasped as Rain pressed forward, touching their hands against her chest. "For as long as I can. Don't you?" 
Applejack gulped, her mind desperately trying to stall. She'd always been an honest pony; maybe she wasn't perfect, but could she honestly bring herself to do this? 
The answer came to her as she slowly lowered her gaze, taking in the wet brown fur of Rain's breasts, the firm hold she had on her wrists as they pressed them to her own. She slowly raised her head, having to tilt her gaze up to meet those blue eyes, shining as though just for her. 
Finally, achingly, she nodded. "Yeah," she murmured, voice low and husky. "I...I really do." 
Rain leaned forward, kissing her again, deeper and longer, making Applejack's mind go blank.
Applejack began to swim, leading Rain as she did. It was so tempting to keep going right here in the water, but she couldn't. Not in the same watering hole her ma and pa had taught her and Big Macintosh to swim in; not in the same watering hole she, Granny, and their siblings enjoyed their summer days in. They wound up leaving the picnic blanket and basket; they could come back for them later, she decided. 
Her first thought was to enter the house, but she stopped short. That was where Granny Smith liked to spend her afternoons, knitting in the living room. Going through there, she worried about having to answer any uncomfortable questions. Knowing that Big Macintosh was still working in the orchard and Apple Bloom was off doing Celestia knew what with her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders in town, she forked away from her path, grip tight on Rain's wrist as she trotted to the barn. 
Once the bright red painted door was closed behind them, Rain pressed her up against it, kissing her again. Applejack wrapped her arms tight around her shoulders, now fully aware and appreciative of the feeling of Rain's breasts against her own, plump and soft and still wet from their swim. She felt one of Rain's hands slide down her side, gripping one of her hips. Almost subconsciously, Applejack spread her legs, already quivering. 
The intimate moment was brought to an end when Applejack heard something from outside. Her ears flicked back, startled, and she instinctively pushed Rain away. "What...?" 
Barking. She'd heard barking from elsewhere on the grounds. The sound was followed up by the deep voice of her brother, somewhere in the distance. That was right; everypony knew Winona was Applejack's dog, more than anypony's, but scraggly dog wasn't picky about who she decided to 'help' during the daily chores. 
Applejack laughed, shakily, against Rain's warm neck, making the other mare shiver. "Heh...sorry." 
"It's all right." Rain's nervous giggle was adorable, Applejack decided; far cuter and more feminine than her own. 
"Er...here." Applejack pointed to the hay loft. "We'll get more privacy up there." The wooden railing would help shield them from sight if anypony else came in. 
"Oh, um...All right." Rain's ears flicked back, but only for a second. Applejack's heart fluttered as she took one of her hands, taking the lead this time, heading up the ladder first. Applejack couldn't help admiring the view from down below, appreciating the sight of Rain's curvy hips and round, firm backside. Her long, flaxen tail swished as she climbed. Something Applejack assumed she'd never done, or had to do, back when she hadn't had hands. 
Huh...she doesn't have a cutie mark, she absently thought as she followed her up. Rain held out a hand, helping her make the final step, before pulling her into her arms and onto the hay-covered floor. Applejack smiled at the bit of playfulness as she kissed her, straddling her waist. 
She grunted in surprise as Rain used her own strength, rolling over, switching their positions. Applejack watched, heat rising in her cheeks and between her legs, as Rain arranged them, slinging one of her long legs over one of her hips. 
"So, uh..." Applejack gulped. "This how we're, uh...doin' this?" She was a full-grown pony with certain needs. She was no blushing virgin; a few games of Gay Chicken back with Rainbow Dash had taken care of that. But they'd only ever used fingers or mouths. 
This was completely new territory. 
"Is this all right?" Rain's smile faded, just a bit, looking more concerned and gentle. "I've always wondered what it would be like, being the one doing the mounting for once. 
Applejack nodded, chuckling as she relaxed. "Yeah. Yeah, this works just fine."
Rain's eyes didn't leave hers as she hiked up Applejack's leg and pressed her hips forward. Applejack whimpered, then slapped one of her hands over her mouth. They had privacy up here, but any of her family members could walk in at any time. She had to at least try to stay quiet. She gasped through her nose as Rain made contact, watching the other mare's eyebrows knit and eyes squeeze shut as she squirmed. 
Finally, finally, the ache between Applejack's legs was being tended to, stroked against. It was such a relief that Applejack nearly started crying. 
She pulled back, just a little, before moving her hips back, grinding them against Rain's, making her gasp. She seemed to like it just as much; she was just as wet. Rain pushed back, gritting her teeth. Applejack felt her quivering against her. 
It took a few minutes, but they soon found a good rhythm that they fell into, pushing and pulling their hips together, stroking each other. Applejack covered her mouth with her hand to cover up the noises she made at each brush of friction against that sensitive pearl. Rain did no such thing; Applejack could hear her moans and groans and whimpers as she thrust her hips against her. 
Anypony could walk into this barn at any moment to hear them going at it like a pair of cats in heat. 
The thought made Applejack that much wetter, made her ache between her legs that much more. 
"There..." she managed to grunt out between her spread fingers. "R-right there, Rain...Please, k-keep goin'..."
Rain reached for her hand, taking it away from Applejack's face, so she could kiss her better. Applejack wrapped her leg tighter around Rain's waist as she did so, gripping the other mare's face between her hands, tilting her face to the side so she could get the angle right. She moaned around Rain's tongue as the pace quickened, friction becoming more and more deliciously frequent between her legs. 
Without thinking, she reached up, cupping one of Rain's breasts with her hand. Her thumb idly stroked through the brown fur there, in time with the rhythm of their hips. Rain pulled away from Applejack's mouth with a gasp; Applejack had found a nipple through the fur, a darker, duskier brown than her fur. Shakily, she reached up, kissing her way through the fur until she found her prize. Her lips wrapped around that nipple, her tongue making its way to that nub, stroking until it became firm and pert and erect between her lips. 
From the soft moan that left Rain's throat, she seemed to like that. Encouraged, Applejack kept going, reaching to cup Rain's other breast, massaging with the fingers on her other hand as her tongue continued to work. She tried to commit to memory how Rain's fur and skin tasted against her tongue, salty and savory and sweet, somehow all at the same time. 
She felt Rain's grip on her hip tighten. She moaned, and the vibrations of her throat around the nipple in her mouth rewarded her with a full-body shudder. 
She squirmed against Rain's hips, whimpering. She was getting close; her wetness was staining the orange fur between her thighs, that familiar ache growing and growing, reaching the heights new heights. She pulled away, panting, and managed to get out "I'm...Rain, I-I'm close..." 
"Me, too." Rain grunted the words through grit teeth. The pattern they'd started had become fast and erratic, uneven; Applejack whimpered as she neared the brink, hips and legs trembling as she grew nearer and nearer to that edge. 
Despite what her instincts were screaming to her, she forced herself to keep her eyes open, wanting to see her lover. She was rewarded by the sight of Rain's eyes squeezed shut, brow tightly knit, sweat dripping across her collarbone, shoulders, and breasts.
That did it. Applejack groaned as she passed that point of no return, cumming right then and there between Rain's legs. She continued to see stars as Rain met her own climax, grinding her wetness against her own again and again, riding out her own orgasm. Her mouth was open and panting, her muscles clenching and releasing as she thrust against her. 
They continued like that for a bit, hips stuttering against each other, the only sounds around them gasping and panting, shaky in the barn air. Applejack broke the silence first, lightly pushing on Rain's shoulder with a shaky hand. "That's..." She gulped. "That's enough, please...T-too much..." 
She felt lucky right then. She was strong, dependable, sure Applejack of Ponyville. That was how most ponies in this town knew her. Only the mares she'd been with knew her in these intimate moments, a submissive, pleading mess. 
Rain did as she was asked, pulling away with a wet sound that was almost obscene. Applejack shivered at the feeling of the cool air against the wetness in her inner thighs and her over-sensitive opening. Her inner lips shivered, clenching around nothing as Rain shakily raised up, only to collapse on her back next to her in the hay. They lay there side by side for a while, just panting, sharing that beautiful golden afterglow. 
They froze at the sound of wood creaking. Somepony had just opened the barn door. Applejack turned to Rain, holding an index finger to her mouth. Rain looked back at her with wide eyes and silently nodded. 
Applejack recognized the sound of hoof steps on the wooden floor down below. Big Macintosh, she thought; he had a particular way of moving that was heavy, but also cautious, like he was always trying to watch his step. She continued to listen to the sound of his hoof steps, swiveling one of her ears in the direction they came from. She held her breath as they moved beneath the loft. Shifting was added on top of that, and it was all she could do not to sigh in relief. Her brother had come in to retrieve something; he wasn't specifically looking for her. 
She and Rain stayed there, still and silent, waiting until the sound of the barn door closing. Once it did, Applejack continued to wait, keeping an ear open in the direction of the door, listening carefully as the muffled heavy hoof steps against the dirt road outside moved further and further away. 
It was then and only then that she burst into laughter. She moved a hand to her forehead, moving her forelock back and out of her eyes. It was still wet from their earlier swim, and their recent sweaty excursion hadn't helped with that. "That was..." was all she managed to get out through her chuckles.
Laughter was contagious. She'd always known this. Rain soon joined her, giggling her adorable giggle. Applejack felt her breath come out in warm bursts against her shoulder. She smiled and turned onto her side, where she could look Rain in the eyes better. Her fur and mane were just as wet as hers still were. Bits of hay stuck to her shoulder and neck; Absently, Applejack reached out to brush a stalk away from one of her pale cheeks. 
"That was close," Rain said, smiling at the feeling of Applejack's hand against her. 
"Too close," Applejack agreed. It occurred to her just how stereotypical this all was; here she was, a young country pony, who'd literally just had a roll in the hay with an attractive stranger. 
Right then, she couldn't bring herself to care. Maybe stereotypes existed for a reason.
"We should probably move," said Rain. "Go...I don't know. Somewhere else." 
She didn't move. 
"Yeah," Applejack said. "Maybe we should." 
She didn't move either. 
"I don't want to, though." Rain rolled over, on top of Applejack again, more full-bodied this time. Their breasts and bellies were in full contact; one of Rain's legs shifted down and to the side of Applejack's. From here, Applejack could smell her sweat, her sweet breath, the clear water from their swimming hole, and the hay they were surrounded by, mixing together into something new and heady. 
Applejack chuckled, reaching up to kiss Rain again. "Yeah. Me, either." 
They lost track of how much time they lost in the hay loft that day. 

It happened just the next day. Apple Bloom and her friends were in their treehouse. Rain heard them talking, and smiled as she plucked the apples from the trees nearby, dropping them by the armful in a basket from the barn. 
She couldn't go in there without blushing. She couldn't look at the ladder or the loft without her heart racing at the recent memories. She'd lost track of how many times she came up in that hay, and that hadn't been the last time; that night, they'd kept Applejack's bed warm. The pony's fingers had made her gasp and ache over and over again, and she didn't think she'd ever forget the smell or taste of her quivering hole against her tongue. 
Rain wasn't sure how much the rest of Applejack's family knew. She could have sworn she saw her grandmother give her a knowing smirk over freshly-baked apple cinnamon muffins that morning, and her brother seemed to be keen on giving the two of them a wide birth, most likely to give them time alone. 
Apple Bloom, on the other hoof, seemed to be somewhat oblivious. She seemed far more focused on the hijinks she kept getting into with her two friends, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. Evidently it all had something to do with those markings most adult ponies here had on their hips; she remembered Apple Bloom calling them 'Cutie Marks.' Back in town, she'd gotten a few strange looks from other ponies. Whether that was from her height or the lack of symbols on her hips, she wasn't sure. 
She just knew that, apparently, they meant something important. Why else would the three fillies be so eager to get them? 
As if on cue, she heard laughter from the treehouse. She glanced over, watching as Scootaloo slid down the ladder, quickly followed by Sweetie Belle. 
Her eyes widened as Apple Bloom began to follow. Something was wrong; alarm rose up in Rain's chest even before she heard the sound of wood splintering. 
She dropped the apples, missing the basket by feet as she began to run. She got there just in time as the ladder began to break. Poor Apple Bloom was frozen with fear; she didn't move even when her eyes widened in realization. 
She was just barely broken out of her fear by Rain running, positioning herself beneath her. "Jump!" she called, voice firmer and louder than usual. 
This wasn't a negotiation. She wasn't asking. She kept her arms open as, yet again, she ordered "Jump!" 
Apple Bloom did. Rain caught her with ease; she weighed very little. She clung tightly to her shoulders as the ladder fell. Rain watched, jaw tight, at the sight of it laying there, painful-looking splintering where it had broken. 
If the height hadn't hurt Apple Bloom when she fell, the splintered wood very well might have done so. 
"Apple Bloom!" Rain heard the other two fillies cry out, running to them. The girlish glee they'd had on their faces and in their voices seconds ago had completely vanished. Understandable, Rain thought, all things considered. She kneeled, only letting go of Apple Bloom when her hooves touched the grass. 
"It's all right," she murmured in one of Apple Bloom's ears. "You're safe; you're all right." It was only then that Apple Bloom released her death grip on Rain's shoulders and stepped onto the ground. She was shaky, but safe and unhurt. 
Right then, something happened. Rain's ears flicked backwards as she witnessed something familiar: the air shimmering, shining bright around her. "What...?" 
It didn't last very long; only a few seconds, compared to the minutes she and Applejack had experienced in their teleportation. 
It was Apple Bloom who cried out "Look!" and pointed to Rain's hip. 
She looked down. Sure enough, there was a mark there; it was hard to see from this angle, but it looked like a white-and-black feather drifting breezily around a red apple. 
"Your Cutie Mark!" squealed Sweetie Belle. "You just got your Cutie Mark!" 
"Wow!" Scootaloo grinned, purple eyes wide as she took in the sight. "That's so cool!" 
"That's your special talent!" Apple Bloom grinned up at her as she took one of her hands.
"I..." Rain blinked as she glanced between the three fillies. "I...guess so..." She suspected it was deeper than that; the feather was a reference to Little Creek, her place of birth. The breeze, she thought, heart aching, must have referred to Spirit and her newfound freedom with his herd. 
The apple, though...She'd only ever seen apple marks belonging to the Apple family. 
What did that mean? That she was a part of their family now? 
"C'mon!" cried Apple Bloom. "Applejack's gotta see this!" She, Sweetie Bell, and Scootaloo ran to the Apple Family's house. Rain followed, feeling more and more uncertain by the minute.

The sun hadn't even risen when they heard the knock on the door. 
Applejack's eyes snapped open, turning her head in confusion. Rain didn't stir behind her; when they'd started this...whatever this was...Applejack had decided that, for once, she didn't mind being the little spoon. Really, if a beautiful mare insisted on bringing her to climax again and again with her lips and tongue, how could she deny her whatever she asked?
It was the least she could do.
Her bedroom shined blue, the color of the hours before the sunrise. Thinking she might have imagined the sound, Applejack closed her eyes again, pushing back against Rain's warmth, prepared to let that and the goose down cover lull her back to sleep. 
Then it happened again, louder and quicker this time. There was no mistaking it; somepony was knocking on their front door. This time, Rain was also awaken by the sound. "Huh...?" she murmured in Applejack's ear, voice thick and heavy with sleep. 
"Somepony's at the door." Applejack squeezed her eyes shut, willing that pony to go away. Whatever it was, no matter how urgent, it could wait until the sun was up, right? 
She groaned as the knocking picked up again, almost desperate this time. "Guess I better go get that," she sighed. Reluctantly, she slid out of her bed, out from under her blankets and Rain's warm embrace. 
Rain followed her as she made her way to her closet, jamming one of her many Stetsons firmly on her head. "Ya don't gotta come with me," she said, hovering at her open door. "Go back to sleep."
Rain shook her head. "I'm curious now. I'd like to see who it is." 
Applejack smiled at her, focusing on looking at her eyes and not on the new marks on her hips. The other mare had confided in her the afternoon she'd gotten those, wondering what it meant, how it would affect her from here on out.
Applejack hadn't had any answers. She'd pulled her into her arms and kissed her cheek, which she'd seemed to appreciate, but Rain had still seemed different ever since. 
She changed her mind as she and Rain made their way downstairs. Maybe this would be a nice distraction. 
Twilight was on the other side of that door. "Twi?" Applejack's eyebrows raised. "Wha--?"
"I've figured it out." Twilight was out of breath; she panted as she pushed her way past the earth mare. Applejack blinked, but shut the door behind her. Granny Smith had done her best to raise her to be a good, polite hostess, after all. 
"Figured what out?" Applejack asked, folding her arms across her chest. 
"The artifact!" Twilight grabbed Applejack's shoulders, getting uncomfortably close. Applejack had seen this before; this was Manic, Hadn't-Slept-for-Far-Too-Long Twilight. She made a mental note to have a serious conversation with her friend about this in the future. "I've figured out what happened. I've done more studies on it, and I've perfected the spell that makes it work!" 
"Whoa, whoa..." Applejack patted Twilight's back. "Slow down there, Nelly. Let's all have a seat." 
Twilight, thankfully, did as she was told. She was practically vibrating as she sat down on one side of Applejack on the couch. Rain took her place at her other side. If the new princess noticed anything about what the two of them had, she didn't say anything about it. "The secret is affection." 
Rain raised a brow at the alicorn. "Oh?" 
"Yes! Of course it was." Twilight laughed, running a hand through her forelock. Normally she kept it neatly trimmed, but from here Applejack could see that she'd let it grow out longer than usual. "It was so obvious...Ponykind knows friendship and love are magic. How did I not see it before?" 
Rain smiled over Applejack's hat. "Sometimes we miss things when we look too close; we have to take a step back to see the big picture." 
"That's..." Twilight blinked slowly. "That's...very poignant. And true." She smiled. "I think that was it; I'm so sorry it took this long." She stood to her hooves, reaching into a pouch she had on a belt around her waist. Applejack couldn't help feeling a bit of dread as she saw what she pulled out.
"That artifact..." That thing had caused her so much trouble... 
Then again, it had also brought her Rain. She couldn't bring herself to regret that. 
"I was scared, of course. First when Applejack was teleported, then again when the two of you came back." Twilight gazed thoughtfully down at the jewel in her palm. "I thought, 'Did it work that way because Applejack wasn't from Rain's world?' If I put it on Rain and tried the same spell on her, I was worried that something different might happen. That she might end up in a different world, or a different part of this one." She gave Rain an apologetic look. "Again...I'm so sorry it took so long." 
"What...are you saying?" Rain's eyes were wide, so hopeful that it almost looked like it hurt.
Twilight grinned at her. "I'm saying that I found out how to make this a key! A sort of magical one." She handed the necklace to Rain. "I'm saying that I know now, for sure, that this can take you home." 
"Oh..." Rain reached out, taking the chain with trembling hands. "Oh my goodness..."
"Is it a one-way thing?" Applejack had a thick lump in her throat. "Does...does this mean we won't...?" 
Rain reached out and took one of Applejack's hands. "Does this mean we won't be able to see each other again?" 
Twilight shook her head, making the other two mares release sighs they hadn't even known they'd been holding. "Not at all! No, I've figured out how it works. If you're alone, you'll need my spell cast on it if you want to make a trip. But if you want to take somepony with you, whether here or there, you just need somepony you care about to touch it at the same time as you."
"Huh..." Applejack reached up, scratching her mane under her hat. "Well how 'bout that?" 
Twilight put a hand on top of Rain's. "If you ever want to come back to Equestria, you can. We're happy to have you." 
"Wow..." Rain had begun to laugh, giddy and excited. "Wow! It was that easy this whole time..."
"Thank you, Twi." Applejack gave her friend a smile. 
"What are friends for?" She looked back at Rain. "How about it? Are you ready to go home?"
The smile on Rain's face faded. "I...oh..."
"Twi...Ya mind givin' the two of us a minute alone?" 
Twilight nodded. "Of course. Take all the time you need." With that, Applejack led Rain into the Apple family's kitchen. 
"I..." Rain laughed, this time a wistful, sad sound. "I can talk, and there's so much I want to say, but now...I don't know where to start." 
Applejack smiled, reaching up to caress Rain's cheek. "Don't need words for everything..." She reached up, pulling Rain's face down to meet hers in one last kiss. They lost track of how long they stayed like that, holding each other as their lips moved, trying to remember how they felt and tasted against each other. Almost too soon, the morning light peeked through the kitchen window. 
When they pulled away, Applejack felt her eyes stinging. Sure enough, when Rain opened her eyes, she saw that the other mare's eyes were filled with unshed tears, too. 
"Thank you," Rain murmured, pressing her nose against Applejack's. "For everything."
"Wasn't any trouble." It really hadn't been; these last few days had been wonderful. "You ever come back, you'll come back here, right?" 
"Of course." 
They walked back into the living room hand-in-hand, where Twilight was patiently waiting. Rain gave Applejack's hand one final squeeze before she let go. "All right, Princess," she said. "Take me home."

The cimarron air hitting Rain's nostrils was the first thing she noticed. Her eyes blinked, widening at the familiar sight of the trees along the mountains, reaching high, nearly into the clouds. 
Rain snorted. She was on all fours again, and she realized how much she'd missed this, feeling grass under all four of her hooves. She reared up on her hind legs, letting loose a long, delighted whinny. 
She realized she recognized where she was. It didn't take too long for her to canter over the plains, past rocky outcrops, and into the clearing where her herd grazed. 
Her heart skipped a beat. There was Spirit, her beloved stallion, standing in the center of his family. His head lifted, ears flicking up. He'd recognized the sound of her hooves. 
He met her where she was, shoving his nose against hers so hard that it almost hurt. She closed her eyes as she draped her head over his withers, deeply inhaling his familiar scent. 
She'd missed him so much. She hadn't realized just how much until this very moment. 
The other horses were making commotion around them. She recognized the smell of Spirit's mother, who shoved her nose against her neck. The two foals had grown even bigger; they trotted around her, neighing their delight. 
They galloped together, a herd once again. Rain had grown to like having hands; they could do such amazing things. But she'd dearly missed the feeling of galloping through the cool morning air, the sound of her hooves thundering along her family's, the wind blowing through her mane and tail. 
She smelled the cool, clear water of the river from far away. The familiar sight filled her with a sense of safety she hadn't felt in days. She stayed at Spirit's side as she trotted up to the stream.
And stopped as she looked down. 
The artifact was now around her neck. It gleamed in the early morning sun.
She lifted her head and turned. There was no longer any mark on her hips.
Then she looked back down.
Rain lost track of time as she stared at her reflection.

Right now I feel
Just like a leaf on a breeze
Who knows where it's blowin'?
And who knows where I'm goin'…?