Appledashery

by Just Essay

Little and White

Rainbow Dash lay on a tree branch atop a hill overlooking Ponyville. Quietly, she gazed skyward, her eyes bright and contemplative. After several deep breaths, she turned on her side and gazed across the lengths of the town.

The sun was beginning its afternoon decline. Gradually, the sky turned orange, matching the hue of the gold-thatched rooftops. Songbirds retreated into the welcoming foliage of the Everfree Forest beyond the city limits. As ponies left work for their homes, they gathered in random clusters and chatted merrily along rose gardens and over tiny bridges spanning babbling brooks.

Rainbow Dash rarely ever paused to see the world slow down, but when she did it was always a uniquely soothing experience. All too soon, however, the same thing that always happened when she stopped moving transpired. Rainbow Dash winced, and instantly her eyes darted across the town, resting on the glittery rooftop of the Carousel Boutique.

With a deep, deep breath, Rainbow Dash stretched her wings, rolled off the branch, and glided towards her destination.

---

“I'm so glad you stopped by again, Rainbow!” Rarity chirped, trotting gaily across her studio. “I was inspired by the last visit you paid me, and I began working on this new ensemble!” She giggled under her breath. “Oh, it's simply a mess of basic materials now, but—give it a day or two—and I promise you that it will absolutely knock the horseshoes off your beloved beau!”

“Uhhhh... sweet... I-I guess...” Rainbow gulped from where she stood stock-still in the center of the Boutique. She swiveled to keep facing Rarity. “Uh... Rares? If you have a moment—”

“Always busy! Always creative!” Rarity glanced over her shoulder from where she was magically sewing a collar onto a dress. “But always with time to spare for a friend!” She winked. “What's on your mind, darling?”

“You see... uh... it's about my...” Rainbow gulped, trembling slightly. “...'supposed' colfriend.”

“Wuh ohhhh!” Rarity sing-songed. “'Supposed?' Surely you mustn't doubt your charm, darling! After all, he was the one who asked you out in Manehattan! Hmmm? Am I correct?”

“Rarity, for real...” Rainbow was breathing heavily to fight back the shivers. “You've been nothing but super nice and generous to me lately—”

“Heeheehee! But of course! Rainbow, you're in love! Anything I can contribute to the magic of what you're going through would thrill me to no end!”

“It's not so much about you, but it's about me.” Rainbow gulped. “And... and th-the fact that I... uh... I... I-I haven't been very honest with you.” She gulped again. “Especially as of late.”

Rarity paused in what she was doing, turning around completely. “Oh? Why, whatever do you mean, darling?”

“You mean a lot to me, Rares. So do the rest of the girls. And it's time that you... f-found out the truth.” Rainbow Dash inhaled heavily, her wings coiling tightly at her side. “And the truth is that I... I...”

Rarity stared at her with concern. Her eyelashes fluttered. “Yes, Rainbow...?”

“I-I...” Rainbow winced suddenly.

Her gaze fell past Rarity. She saw a gown on a ponyquin, white and flowy—like a wedding dress. For the briefest moment, she imagined herself wearing something just like it, a tearstained smile plastered on her face. She lifted her neck up, and another pony's chin was softly nuzzling her head from above. Through her peripheral vision she saw orange fuzz and tiny white freckles. It was the warmest of dreams, and—like always—it was fading away with each passing second, only faster now with Rainbow Dash holding her breath upon the brink of the inevitable.

“I...” Rainbow's ears folded and her wings went limp. She sighed and muttered, “I... d-dumped his flank back in Manehattan.” She gulped. “My coltfriend and I are n-no longer going steady.”

“...!!!” Rarity dropped all her things and clapsed a pair of hooves over her muzzle. “Oh! Rainbow!” The edges of her eyes moistened. “Say it isn't s-so!”

“I'm afraid it is.” Rainbow clenched her teeth into a warped smile. “The honest-to-Celestia truth. It was... j-just not meant to be. I found that out after Manehattan.”

“Rainbow...” Rarity sniffled, taking a few dainty steps forward. “I am so... so terribly sorry.”

“Pffft. I'm not!” Rainbow smirked. “He was a loser, anyways! I'm better off without him!”

“Oh, now you're just saying that, you poor dear—”

“Are you kiddin'?” Rainbow chuckled and waved a hoof. “Girl, he was gonna show me off as a trophy! He didn't care about my feelings or whatcrap! All he wanted was for the world to know that he had somehow saddled Rainbow Dash, the most awesome pegasus in Equestria!” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Well, no sir, that ain't the life for me! When I dumped him, I made sure it was in front of everypony. Hah! There's a stallion who won't make the same mistake to another unsuspecting mare ever again!”

“Well, Rainbow...” Rarity took a deep breath in spite of her teary eyes. “I must say, I am exceedingly proud of you for sticking up for yourself. A pony such as myself in the same position would probably have been swayed by the romantic essence of the moment. I wish I had known that it would go south the way it did.” She sighed, staring down at her squirming hooves. “Now I feel outright foolish for urging you forward in the way I did.”

“Oh please.” Rainbow crossed the distance and rested a hoof on the mare's shoulder. “Rarity, the only good thing about that night was you.”

Rarity looked up. “Me?”

“Totally!” Rainbow smirked. “That gown you made for me was killer cool!”

“You actually... think so?”

“Okay, so—like—in any other circumstance, I'd never be caught dead wearing something like that at such an event, but... hey! You only live once, huh?” Rainbow chuckled. “I can't say it's something I wanna do all the time, but it was sorta... nifty being all glitzy and glamorous for once in my life. And even if my—ahem—ex may have been a total jerkface, the whole evening still felt magical.” She winked. “I have you to thank for that.”

Rarity blinked, her cheeks rosy from a foalish smile. “I'm s-so glad I could contribute in at least a minimal fashion.”

“Girl, you took it to the max, and I thank you for that.” Rainbow smirked. “But, y'know, that was then, and this is now. I'm free to be myself again. So...” She narrowed her eyes. “No more making me dresses. Ya feel me? There are tons of other ponies around town who deserve your generosity, and I'm sure at least half of them aren't going through stupid relationships.”

“But... but...” Rarity pouted. “I already started on this one!”

“Fiiiiine...” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Just one more dress. But no more playing cupid, okay?”

“Mmmm...” Rarity squealed under her breath. She threw herself forward, hugging Rainbow. “Oh, darling... fear not. Someday, you will find the right pony. And when you do, I will support you every step of the way. Do you hear me?”

“Yeah, Rares...” Rainbow Dash grimaced as she rested her chin on the mare's shoulder. She looked worriedly into the corner of the Boutique. “I hear you.” A sigh, and she closed her heavy eyelids, resting in Rarity's embrace.

Comments

[Tchernobog]

Well... let's call this a half step in the right direction :P

[TwilightUCrazy]

Dammit, Rainbow, you coward! Who'd you sell your SPINE to, woman?!

[Lightning Bearer]

derpicdn.net/img/view/2012/6/27/22463__safe_animated_scootaloo_sweetie+belle_reaction+image_hearts+and+hooves+day_oh+come+on.gif

[Aatxe360]

I don't see that ever backfiring.

[Sheendough]

5008233 At least Rarity now won't be interfering.

[Aatxe360]

5008287

I doubt that.

[Sheendough]

5008399 Well, she won't be interfering with her lovey-dovey bullshit.

[Aatxe360]

5008565

Maybe.

[RoboRed]

Rainbow Dash inhaled heavily, her wings coiling tightly at her side. “And the truth is that I... I...”

Rarity stared at her with concern. Her eyelashes fluttered. “Yes, Rainbow...?”

“I-I...” Rainbow winced suddenly.

“I...” Rainbow's ears folded and her wings went limp. She sighed and muttered, “I... d-dumped his flank back in Manehattan.” She gulped. “My coltfriend and I are n-no longer going steady.”

...
...
...*headdesk*
sd.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/i/goddammit-god-damn-it-goddammit.png

[Lord Dragon]

Rainbow, I'll let you in on a little secret that you even your buddy Lancie has hinted knowing about as well... The author is the one making you cowardly as to add comical backup, extend and prolong the story, and to improve the plot and the story all together.

[Full-time_Introvert]

*eye twitches* HEAD+DESK=ME NOY REMEMBERING YOUR STUPID FUCKING MISTAKE DASHIE!

*sigh* Dash please, all I ask is that you FUCKING TELL THEM THE TRUTH!

5008227 Whoever she sold it to better give it back!

(If it sounds like I'm raging, it's because I had a crap day.)

[CasualMarshmallow]

Ok, now I really feel like I'm missing out on something. I want to reread Odrsjot first, but I WILL get to this story. I hope to be caught up by... around this time next year.

[Jay_Baker]

Sometimes the things you're scared of doing are the very things that will set you free

[Fishberry]

No, Rainboooooww! Don't let the author do this to you!

Clambours through the computer screen Pinkie Pie style, trying to get to Just Essay.

C'MERE, you!

Gets stuck half way in, his ass and legs dangling out from the dusky nethers of the Internet.

...

Struggles
...

Shit.

[Scohinyha Sanka]

Groans.

[BabySkittleMonster]

5008633
I second that. And third it. Fluttershy, knock some damn sense into your frustrating mule of a friend, will ya?

[Leftover of Saikano]

"but... hey! YOLO, huh?"

Come on, Dash.

[silverspawn]

[HyperMonica]

There are so many like on these comments....

GOD DANGIT YOU IDIOT, DASHIE!!! WHAT THE FUDGE DID YOU SERIOUSLY JUST LIE AGAIN OHMYGOD I HATE YOU SO MUCH RIGHT NOW.

[Skunkiss]

Wow, its not even funny anymore.

I was positively surprised the very short moment I thought this was actually going anywhere...
don't get me wrong, I absolutely love each and every chapter of this masterpiece of a story, but this particular never-ending loop...

Its really not cool anymore... each time it happens AGAIN, it just gets more and more annoying.
I'm sure I'm not the only reader feeling that way. It started to become unbelievable a while ago and now its just downright unnerving.

Will continue reading this story and will still love the hell out of it, but that loop makes me love it a little bit less each time, stops it from being a lot closer to perfection

[The Dusty Mop]

It's moments like these that reminds me that she mentioned her by name in Manehattan and it worries. But I've got like a little less than 50 chapters to finally catch up, so we'll see. Here we go!

[Thursday]

#YOLO

... ... ...

... ...

But seriously

[Weehawk]

Oi

[arancaytar]

The sun was beginning its afternoon decline. Gradually, the sky turned orange, matching the hue of the gold-thatched rooftops. Songbirds retreated into the welcoming foliage of the Everfree Forest beyond the city limits. As ponies left work for their homes, they gathered in random clusters and chatted merrily along rose gardens and over tiny bridges spanning babbling brooks.

Ponyville is ridiculously beautiful in this story.

... Element of Honesty, everyone.