Appledashery

by Just Essay

Lay It On Me Thick

"Wow... uh..." Stu Leaves fidgeted slightly, feeling a gust of wind blow through his mane. "So we had to 'go talk' really high, huh? Heheh..."

Rainbow Dash spun to face him, her forelimbs folded. "Now, how about you try asking yourself what you just asked me."

His eyes twitched. "Buh?"

"Say it out loud." Rainbow's eyes narrowed. "The question you just asked."

"Uhm..." Stu Leaves gulped, avoiding Rainbow's gaze "Is... uh... Applejack looking for a special somepony?"

Rainbow leaned her head to the side. "Now, think really hard. Don't you already have an answer to that question?"

"Uhm... yes?" Stu gawked at her.

Rainbow glared back.

Stu bit his lip. His flapping wings drooped slightly. "Er... no..."

"Just think about it, dude." Rainbow said. "Applejack... our Applejack." She struggled not to wince at saying that. "Do you really think she's romance material? I-I mean... with all the work she does on the farm, and all the time she dedicates to her family, and how business-minded she is—"

"All the more reason for the extra support on a regular basis!" Stu said with a hopeful grin.

"From you... right?"

"Well..." Stu rubbed his forelimbs together, gazing down at the distant earth. "Maybe."

"Do you even hear yourself, pal?" Rainbow's voice cracked. "You can't say a single darn thing with any amount of sureity!"

"Er..."

"Even if Applejack was wanting a significant other, would it really involve a pony who's constantly self-doubting himself? She's strong and independent and super friggin' serious! She wouldn't want some wishy-washy soul to hold her back—"

"Look, Rainbow Dash, I... I-I get it." He gulped. "I really do. And, honestly, I didn't really think there was any hope in the first place." He gazed up at her with a melancholic glance. "That's why I came to you. Because you're so important to Applejack, and Applejack's so important to you. Back in Cloudsdale, I was known all over the skies for flying head over tail or saying things that shoved my hoof into my mouth. But here? Now that I've moved to Ponyville? I... I wanted to do things differently. I wanted to do things the smart way. That's why I... I-I'm trying not to ruin something that's very special."

"And what's that?"

He shrugged. "Friendship," he said.

Rainbow Dash blinked.

"And, yeah... I admire Applejack." He smiled, his cheeks suddenly rosy. "I mean... I really really admire her. Who couldn't? She's strong. She's honorable. She's loyal and honest and courageous."

"She's sexy as all get-out," Rainbow droned.

"Heheh! Yeah! She—" He did a double-take at her.

Rainbow winced. "Sorry. I'll stop putting words in your mouth."

"It's not about that. Honest," he said. "When I first stopped by Applejack's farm, I thought I was only going to deliver a package for the local postal service. But it turns out that Applejack needed a helping hoof for the Sisterhooves Social. I... I can't explain it. It's like she looked clear across Sweet Apple Acres and saw in me a stallion who wanted to do useful things and feel useful. I had just come from a defunct social life in Cloudsdale. Ponyville was my new opportunity, and suddenly here this wonderful mare was, giving me hope. And she's never been fake or patronizing about it. She makes me fully aware of my faults, but only so I can improve myself each and every day. Never before have I felt my future come so alive. It just... makes me feel so warm inside. So, naturally, I g-guess I thought..." He gazed off towards the horizon, his eyes blinking as he muttered in a wavering voice, "...how wonderful it would be if this feeling was something I was meant to share... with trust." He bit his lip, shivering slightly.

Rainbow gazed at him softly, her lips pursed.

He sighed heavily. "Yes, well..." He turned towards her with a nervous smile. "Ahem. The reason... uh... that I asked you, Rainbow Dash, is precisely for this kind of a wake-up call. Someday, I dunno when, I'm going to stop mixing up true friendship with vague romantic notions. I guess I just can't help being who I am, but I can definitely hold who I am at bay. I don't want to hurt Applejack's feelings, which is why I'll never broach the subject with her." Nevertheless, he hung his head with an inward groan. "It's probably all for the best, anyways."

Rainbow gulped and nodded. "That's a very easy thing to tell oneself, isn't it?"

He looked up at her, quizzically. "Huh?"

Rainbow bit her lip.

Comments

[RoboRed]

"She's sexy as all get-out," Rainbow droned.

"Heheh! Yeah! She—" He did a double-take at her.

Rainbow winced. "Sorry. I'll stop putting words in your mouth."

Nice save.

Nevertheless, he hung his head with an inward groan. "It's probably all for the best, anyways."

Rainbow gulped and nodded. "That's a very easy thing to tell oneself, isn't it?"

He looked up at her, quizzically. "Huh?"

Rainbow bit her lip.

Ohhhhhhhh geez...where is this headed?...

[Sheendough]

Goddamnit, Skirts! I told you not to use my love life as a basis for this story!

[zaponator]

Poor Stu. There's really nothing saying his romantic interest in Applejack is any less valuable than the fact that he's not the protagonist.
It reminds me of the made-up word 'sonder'. Stu's life is just as vivid and complex as Rainbow's... but we're not reading his biography.

I honestly can't say it would be worse for Applejack to end up with Stu, and I gotta say, this is a much more unique way of handling romantic conflict than to simply have Rainbow Dash vs 'the bad guy' trying to win Applejack's heart. That concept's already been done to death anyway.

[RainbowJack2000]

I'm confused. Can someone please explain this to me?

[Sam the Anti-Ninja]

Hoboy. Either Stu is putting on one hell of an act, or he's really a decent guy. Now we get to see if Rainbow can pony up and tell him how much she likes AJ, or if she's just gonna deflect it and suffer quietly.

Or maybe a huge fireball will hurtle violently out of nowhere. JE is never easy to second guess.

[TwilightUCrazy]

Stop trying to make me feel bad for Stu.

It ain't workin'...

[Lightning Bearer]

Wuh-oh. Is it Rainbow's turn to open up?

Also, I like how Stu was handled here. While I would certainly prefer Appledash cuddles to Stujack (see? it even sounds awful) cuddles, it's not hard to imagine him making somemare very happy someday.

[Jay_Baker]

I wonder if RD's gonna tell him

[Bulbajer]

You made me feel sorry for Stu.
You bastard.

[Salad king]

I still need my shovel

[North Bound]

Son of a biscuit eater. Dang

[Dash32]

Uh oh. I believe the revealing of a big secret is imminent

[arancaytar]

"She's sexy as all get-out," Rainbow droned.

"I mean, so I've heard."

[arancaytar]

Rainbow gulped and nodded. "That's a very easy thing to tell oneself, isn't it?"

Heh.

[bronyheat]

Is it wrong that I don't hate Stu as much now? Maybe we've all been overly critical of a nice pegasus that's suffering some of the same self-worth issues as Rainbow?

Everyone else (warning language)