• Published 4th Dec 2013
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Appledashery - Just Essay



Rainbow Dash lives an exciting life and is swiftly becoming the most daring, awesome pegasus in all of Equestria. She would gladly give it all up, though, just to confess her love to Applejack.

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Orange You Glad To Hear The News?

“Shindig?!” Applejack leaned back with a hoof raised. “Why... golly! You bet your stained-glass tail I know her!”

“You mean you've met her personally?” Rainbow asked.

“Well, no. Reckon I don't know her like that.” Applejack gulped, adjusting her hat in the dim glow of evening. “But anypony who's anypony in agriculture has heard of Shindig! I mean... we are talkin' about the juice maker out of Fillyda?”

Orlandoats, Fillyda.”

“Land's sakes...” Applejack plopped back on her haunches, bright-eyed. “And she wants to have my family visit to discuss hoofing over the deed to her cider-makin' fields?”

“Hehe... yup!” Rainbow Dash grinned wide. “Why, is that a good thing?”

“A good thang?!” Applejack stammered. “Rainbow, d-do you have any idea what this means?!” The mare gawked into the sunset. “Why... just ownin' a quarter of Shindig's land could mean multiplyin' our harvest yields by tenfold! I mean—shucks—Sweet Apple Acres is doin' just fine and dandy now... best we've ever been doin', for that matter. But gainin' that much new ground overnight?! It... it...”

“Easy... easy, AJ.” Rainbow Dash squatted low with a smirk. “Shhhh! Breeeathe. Thatta girl...”

“It seems too darn good to be true.” Applejack gulped, then squinted at the pegasus. “Wait... just how do you know that this is a real thang?”

“I happened to run into Fancy Pants just recently. Y'know...” Rainbow Dash gestured. “Tall dude. Big, puffy chest. Wears a monocle. Has a tiny cat turd for a mustache?”

“Rainbow...”

“Well, is that him or isn't it?”

“Ahem.” Applejack nodded. “Yup. That's the Fancy Pants we're doing business with.”

“Well, he wanted to break it to you himself, but he figured you might not believe him. So he asked me in passing if I might be able to give you the good news instead.”

“I... I-I don't get it...”

“Well, I mean...” Rainbow Dash bit her lip. “You d-do trust me, right?”

“Why, I course I do!” Applejack smiled. “You're as loyal as it gets, Rainbow! Why'd I ever think twice about anything you'd have to say?”

Rainbow Dash slowly, slowly exhaled. “Yeahhhh...” She cleared her throat. “Well, I don't know any more details than what he gave me, but—basically—this mare named Shindig would like you to come check out the cider mill. I... uh... g-guess it's an interview process of sorts, to see if you or another big, happening farm family deserves the keys to the citrus kingdom.”

“Orlandoats, Fillyda...” Applejack shook her head in shock. “That there's a heck of a gallop...”

“Yeah... it's... it's pretty far away...” Rainbow fidgeted with her bangs, avoiding Applejack's gaze. “Perhaps there's a train that leads down there. But... y'know... you'd have to make a stop by Atlantrot.”

“Who doesn't, these days.”

“And if you take her up on her offer, that probably m-means moving far away and—”

“Now hold yer horses, Rainbow.” Applejack chuckled, standing back up. “I haven't agreed to anythang yet. Whew! To be honest, I'm still reelin' from the bomb you just dropped.”

“Heh! Well, that's me!” Rainbow smiled cheekishly. “Rainbow Professionalism Bomb Dropping Danger Dash!”

“I need to talk it over with Granny... with Big Mac...” Applejack stared at the dimming horizon. “Fancy Pants too, I reckon.”

“Well, y'know, eventually.”

“And I can't even begin to imagine the sort of finacnes I'd have to wrangle my head around!” Applejack winced. “Numbers have never been my strong suit. Reckon I'd have to chat up Twilight about this too.”

“Whatever you do, AJ, just make sure it's something you wanna do.”

“Why wouldn't I wanna do it?!” Applejack blinked. “It means potentially turnin' our franchise into a big cider empire overnight!”

“Oh... r-right...” Rainbow Dash shuddered, staring at the ground as she fiddled with her bangs. “Of course.”

“Rainbow...?” Appeljack murmured.

Rainbow looked up.

“Everythang alright, sugarcube?” Applejack's emerald eyes glinted with the last hint of daylight. “You seem a bit frazzled, darlin'.”

“Who, me? I'm fine, AJ.”

“Y'all sure about that?”

“Totally! I just...” Rainbow Dash clenched her teeth. With a shuddering breath, she said, “I-I'm just... super glad, y'know?” She smiled sweetly. “That everything's lookin' up for you.” She cleared her throat. “You've been workin' so friggin' hard for so friggin' long. Just seems like just desserts, ya feel me?”

“Awwwwwwww...” Applejack smirked. “Well, if it means anythang, I can't think of a better pony I'd rather hear the news from.”

Rainbow twitched. “F-for real?”

“Shucks, could y'all imagine Fluttershy or Rarity fumblin' to tell me this stuff straight?!” Applejack guffawed, hanging onto her stetson. “They're sweet n'all, but t'ain't as together or loyal as you!”

“Heh...” Rainbow Dash shrugged, eyes happily shut. “Glad to be of service.” She gasped upon feeling a pair of warm forelimbs folded around her. “Buhhhhhhhhhh...?”

“Thanks, Rainbow,” Applejack said, her friendly voice very close... very warm in Rainbow's ear. “For everythang, sugarcube. Y'know, y'all can be really sweet... even if yer a sassy scamp most of the time.”

“Uhhhhhhhhhh...” Rainbow teetered a bit after Applejack pulled back from the hug. “Ehhhh heheheheheheheheheh...” She tilted her head against the sunset to hide the flush in her cheeks. “You kn-now me!” A voice cracking giggle. “Captain Sass of the Sassbolts herself! Heheheheheh!”

“Hah hah hah!”

“Whewwwwwwwwww... Yeah...” Rainbow wheezed. She reached a hoof up to her chest, relishing in the tender warmth still clinging to her coat. “Lots... and lots of s-sass...”

“Well, I'd better call it a day.” Applejack turned and trotted up to her farmhouse. “Think I'll tell Granny and Big Macintosh first thang in the mornin'. No sense in them tossin' in turnin' all night from this news. Celestia knows, I'll be.”

“Er... right...” Rainbow gulped. “You and me both.”

“G'evenin', Rainbow. And thanks again.”

“Anytime, AJ...” Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and lifted off. “Anytime...”


Minutes later, under the fall of night, Rainbow flew up above the clouds. She twirled a few times before her wings went limp. Slowly, she drifted down and landed on a misty bed, gazing up at the stars.

The mare took a long, long breath and exhaled slowly over the span of thirty seconds. She hugged herself, a dumb smile plastered over her face.

She hugged herself tighter, sealing in the warm tingles she still felt from the hug. She closed her eyes, flaring her nostrils—and in a way she could still smell the day's sweat and grit from Applejack's coat. Her ears still twitched with the sweet heat from her voice.

“Hmmmmm...”

Rainbow Dash whimpered quietly into the air.

Gradually, her smile waned slightly. She sniffled as the edges of her eyelids moistened.

Nevertheless, she clenched her jaw. The next time she opened her eyes, they were glossy, but she bore a determined smile.

Another sniffle, and she rolled over, galloped across the cloud, and took off gliding, slicing her way into the windy breeze, clearing her mind so that the faint traces of Applejack's voice took precedent, warming her at the core.

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