Applejack returns to Ponyville

It was early in the morning when the train started to approach Ponyville, Applejack always an early riser had been eager to catch the earliest train back to Ponyville and not just because she was homesick. She had received word from Celestia about the ‘Root of Honesty’ that Spike had found in the Everfree Forest and wanted to see how the others had done in searching for the others. Annoyingly her friends hadn’t been in contact about her progress. And she didn’t have a dragon of her own to send them letters. So she was looking forward to catching up.

The train was slowing down now, and pressing her face to the window Applejack could see the platform approaching and to her delight it seemed her friends were waiting at the platform. Though Rarity seemed to be delayed. Seeing this she made sure to grab her things and be ready to be the first off the train when they arrived. No sooner than when the doors had opened then Pinkie leapt forward and wrapped her arms around the farmer, pulling her into a bear hug.

“Oh Applejack I missed you super duper much, oh so much as been happening you’ve just gotta know about.” Pinkie babbled, rubbing her hair against Applejack’s neck.

“Ah missed you too Pinkie. Ah missed all y’all.” Applejack said, pushing Pinkie off her as she smiled at all of them.

She really had missed them, her time in Appleloosa had been fun but it was no comparison to her time with her friends. She'd often found herself missing Pinkie's spontaneous joy, Fluttershy's comforting support, Rainbow's passion and competitive streak. Heck even Rarity's fashion or Twilight's... Twilight's...

"Twilight what in tarnation are you wearing?" Applejack demanded, frowning at the clothes she was wearing. The normally conservative student was now dressed in a nothing but a sports bra and yoga pants, not unusual in of itself, but for the fact that both were several sizes too small for her. Especially her chest which looked as if a pony had stuck a pumped in her breasts and inflated them.

For some bizarre reason her friends seemed surprised by her outburst, glancing at Twilight who glanced at her outfit in confusion. Placing her drink to the table without any sense of panic. "What do you mean what's wrong with the way I dress?"

The confusion of her friends embarrassed Applejack. "Not just what you're wearing but your body. When did ya'll chest grow by several sizes?"

"Oh that." Twilight said, cupping her breasts in her hands. "It was Cadence's suggestion. I just want to have everypony whispering about what a slut I am for changing her body."

Applejack had no words, her brain appeared to short out as she couldn't quite process what exactly was going on. "Excuse me."

She ran away, ignoring Pinkie's shouts of where she was going. Trying to desperately work out what had got into the minds of her friends, before she could get far though she found herself being caught in the levitation grip. "Really Applejack what's got you in such a rush? I had thought we planned to meet at the station.”

“Oh Rarity thank Celestia.” Applejack breathed out.

Her friend simply frowned at her panic. “Whatever is the problem darling?”

“It’s at the station. Twilight’s gone insane.” She panted, Rarity let her friend down but not without a raised eyebrow.

“Is it trivia night again?” Rarity sighed and rubbing her eyes.

“No it’s not that. She’s going around with her tits swollen several sized and she’s strutting around in outfits too small for her.” Applejack pointed out, “is this some poison joke nonsense again?”

“I don’t think so Applejack. I suppose she’s made the change to her body a few weeks ago. You know how she wants to be like Cadence.” Rarity explained, before becoming almost disappointed in her friend. “And you know about her condition.”

“Condition?”

“Really Applejack it’s as if you haven’t met her. You know about her magical condition forcing her into only the most risqué clothing. There’s no need to be judgemental.” Rarity said, her hands on her hips.

“I ain’t heard of no such condition in ma life.” Applejack protested, her voice holding a distinct quiver of panic now. Why did no pony believe her?

Sensing her panic Rarity’s expression softened, she could tell Applejack was confused. “Come on darling you seem terribly confused. Why don’t we head to the Boutique to have a nice cup of tea and get this all sorted out?”

Applejack could feel a bubble of anger rise in her chest, she wasn’t confused. Everypony else was wrong, they were the ones who were confused. But nevertheless Applejack’s pride had gotten the better of her before, and she had learned those lessons a bit too harshly. “Alright Rares, let’s see if we can’t get to the bottom of this.”

She allowed herself to be led through the town of Ponyville and back to the Canterlot Boutique, and all the while she had the unmistakable feeling that she was being watched. She was still glancing at the windows and doors when Rarity was finishing the tea. “Would you like some sugar with your tea Applejack darling? Perhaps some milk or a slice of apple?”

“A slice of apple Rares?” Applejack laughed. “Even we Apples have limits. Ah’ll just have milk please.”

Bringing the tea over, Rarity sat down opposite the farmer. When she took a sip, it was with her eyes firmly fixated on Applejack's face, attempting to discern any sign of illness or stress. "So how was Appleloosa."

"It was great Rares, but you know I don't appreciate avoiding the issue." Applejack said bluntly, much to Rarity's annoyance.

"I know dear, but I prefer to ease people into these sorts of conversations, but I suppose you prefer to get straight to it then." Rarity admitted, before setting down her cup of tea. "So let's get to the heart of the matter dear."

When Applejack had finished recounting everything she had seen her friend was frowning, but not because she found it strange herself. A fact that annoyed her to no end. "So pretty strange isn't it. Twilight's never been the kind of gal to be so exhibitionistic but now she's been going around dressed with tits as be as her head an telling me she wants everypony in Ponyville to be talking about what a slut she is behind her back."

"Darling you know how much Twilight wants to be like Cadence." Rarity reminded her, but Applejack frowned at that.

"Wha the hay does that have to do with anythin?" Applejack demanded her eyes narrowing and her arms crossed her legs. "Cadence ain't anything like that either. She's a devoted and faithful wife."

Much to Applejack's fury it seemed like Rarity was holding back a laugh. "Darling you know as well as I do that when it comes to being faithful Cadence isn't the one who comes to mind. Monogamy doesn't seem to be in the Princess of Lust's repertoire."

Then she frowned, and when she spoke it was barely louder than a mutter, and with an edge to it. "Though these days she seems to have her sights set on my dragon."

Applejack ignored that last part. "The hay are you talking about this-this ain't right. Cadence is the Princess of Love, she would never cheat on Shining Armor."

"Well I hear they have an open relationship."

Applejack fell back in her chair, she felt faint. Like the world around her was suffocating her with lies and deceit. The friends she should be able to depend upon were instead holding her down as she drowned. "That ain't true though, none of that is true."

"Applejack darling are you alright? You're not making any sense." Rarity asked, her voice quiet in concern.

"I'M MAKING COMPLETE SENSE." She shouted, banging a fist on the table, but the words hid how confused she really was.

"Hmm darling if you're sure then perhaps I might be able to help." Rarity suggested, and Applejack calmed down. Rarity levitated a book over to the table between them and opened it. "Twilight lent me this amazing book on memories. I think I would be able to enter your mindscape and we could take a look at your memories and see what's going on here."

"Ah'm not insane." Applejack growled, "and I'd prefer if we go that route that a professional unicorn or Princess use any magic on my noggin."

Rarity blinked. "Oh Applejack I forgot you didn't know about the other roots we found."

"Huh?"

Rarity then went into an explanation where she told Applejack of all the roots that they had searched the Everfree for and what exactly they did. "Sadly we never did find the Roots of Kindness or Generosity. I had wondered what they did after all."

Applejack for her part was fuming, hands clutched into the sides of her chair. She had forgotten what Celestia's letter had told her. About the Root of Honesty and its power, and who had gotten it. But it was the only thing that explained everything. Which meant:

"SPIKE!" She snarled, leaping to her feet and storming out the door. Determined to hunt down that varmint of a dragon, not caring if anypony judged her, nor Rarity's protests, nor the timid Fluttershy who'd been send by Twilight to keep an eye on her and was now sending a message to somepony. No all she cared about was finding that dragon and getting to the bottom of this.

A/N: Today I face my arch nemesis. Southern accents, it shouldn't be so hard but for some reason it's something I really struggle with for some reason. Anyway I received some good suggestions for what to do with Applejack but further details are always welcome.