“Hush now, quiet now, lil’ hummingbird. Applejack’s here, ya ain’t got nothin’ to fear, sugarcube.”
 
I’ve been posting quite a few non-comic shipping pictures lately. A sort of ode to the pairings I love a lot that I haven’t had the time and chance to pay proper tribute to, due to Why Me!? and other things. Along with each picture I have also shared little snippets and explanations of why I like that ship, and what I see them as, what their dynamic will be or things they’d do.  
In this case the ship I wanted to showcase is FlutterJack, in the pony world. While I do ship EQG FlutterJack, I consider them to be different characters, that while similar do have a handful of key changes in personality and behaviour, and this translates into their human ship being different IMO.
 
In my eyes, Fluttershy and Applejack have a very tender relationship, based on protection and nurturing. There are several times when Fluttershy is scared, worried or distraught and she, more often than not, leans on Applejack for support and reassurance. Fluttershy is a very strong pony deep down, but she is also quite fragile, nervous and skittish. She’s been living alone since she’s been very young, and her parents, while nice, are a bit too soft. I doubt Fluttershy ever felt she could get under their metaphorical wings and feel safer. Enter Applejack, a strong-willed, reliable, well-intentioned pony full of conviction who stands up for what she believes in, and is very protective of those she cares about. A pony willing to go the extra mile and more to help those in need, especially friends and family. A pony who’s had to grow up pretty fast to be a good, nurturing role model and maternal figure for her little sister. A pony who wasn’t flawless but learned from her mistakes and grew up to be looked up and relied on by the whole town. A pony that fits Fluttershy’s needs almost to a T.  
I feel their relationship is one that can work almost unchanged whether it’s romantically or just platonically, but for sure Applejack is a mix of friend, mentor, support and mom.  
In my eyes, their relationship is a very close one, where Applejack helps protect and provide for Fluttershy in the things she needs, but knows and respects her and her inner strength. I feel Fluttershy could call on Applejack when she’s feeling queasy or unnerved, for her to help Shy calm down and feel better. Probably lulling her to sleep, caressing and petting her head as she tells her reassuring words.  
Fluttershy wants and expects AJ’s confidence and conviction in action and decision, and probably prefers simply following and feeling less pressured with responsibility, but when AJ’s choices go against her own ideals, she’ll stand her ground. Applejack mostly understands and supports this, but at times she may be so used to being the one handling and choosing things, that when Shy defies it, it may take her a bit to listen (as we saw in “Bats!” and “Sounds of Silence”). But their chemistry and understanding leads to them getting each other and agreeing with each other usually in a simpler and faster way than others. Outside “Bats!” where it was also affecting AJ’s farm which is a weak spot of hers, in episodes like “Viva Las Pegasus” and “Sounds of Silence” they tend to have a really great way working with each other, and when there are disagreements, they tend to fix them fast and move on.
 
Anyways, I’m pretty happy with this piece and I hope you like it ^^