Applejack watched Fluttershy leave in a huge hurry, shaking her head. Seems like she got so wrapped up in herself, she forgot her animals. Truth be told, it was kind of nice to see 'Shy wanting something bad enough to lose focus like that for once. She gave so much of herself, she deserved to get some back. Applejack heaved a sigh. She really hadn't enjoyed telling 'Shy to play along like that. Trouble was, if Rare wasn't ready to tell her, yanking it out of her like a stubborn tooth wouldn't help much either. Life would be so much simpler if ponies would just say what was on their minds.
Applejack had half a mind to head over to Rare's shop and shake some sense into her. It wouldn't be right though, that's her and 'Shy's business. Celestia knows she was burrowed far enough into their business as it was. She moseyed on for a time, her heart not quite in the harvesting for the moment. After a few more trees were bucked she finally spotted what she was looking for: a rainbow-colored tail hanging from the branches of one of their Granny Smith trees.
She snuck up quietly, careful not to wake her quarry. Gotta time it just right... She lined up her haunches on the tree, noted Rainbow's relative position to her, and gave a single violent buck. Right away she got up on her hind legs and waited, forelegs outstretched. Dash never had a chance; she tumbled down, wings frantically trying to catch air. But there was no time, the fall was too short. With a thump, she landed somewhat awkwardly into the waiting forelegs of the farmpony below.
After a few seconds, Dash’s shocked expression grew calm. Should have seen that one coming, girl... After that, she just yawned and looked at her sleepily. Applejack looked down into those rose-colored eyes, and her heart melted. "Morning, Sugarcube."
Dash blinked at Applejack blearily. A look of annoyance and accusation was clear on her face. "Too early. Lemme sleep some more."
Sleeping late again; Dash must have been up to something to keep her up so late. Applejack chuckled at her sleepy marefriend, bending her neck down to give her a quick kiss. "Up practicing tricks again? Got any new ones to show off?"
She blushed, but Rainbow returned the kiss enthusiastically, if a little clumsily, thanks to her position and fatigue. "Well yeah, I got some new stuff if you wanna see, but that wasn't what had me up late. You said you were worried about the weather schedule this week being light on rain? Well, I borrowed a couple clouds from a system headed back to Cloudsdale..."
Stealing from another weather system... Applejack sighed heavily, Rainbow took dang near everything she said as a request to fix things. She gave her a disapproving look, but could tell Dash wasn't buying it. "Sugarcube, you gotta stop doing that. I appreciate the help and all, but yer gonna get in trouble messing with the weather for my little farm."
Rainbow somehow pulled off looking defiant. AJ had to admire that: it was a neat trick to pull ‘defiant’ off while being held in somepony else's forelegs. "It was just going there for storage. They'll never miss it. You would have missed it. But you can always thank me for it..."
She blushed mightily, a flush of pleasure rushing through her. Dangit, Dash, not right now. "D-don't try changing the subject, no sense in losing your job over me."
Rainbow gave her a knowing look, heat blazing in her eyes. "It would hardly be the first thing I lost because of you..."
Her cheeks went beet-red at that. They were both silent for a little while, lost in a shared memory until AJ shook herself. "Dash, not right this second. I kinda needed to talk to you about something."
Dash pouted, but relented, wiggling until the flustered farmpony finally put her down. Applejack found herself more than a little hot and bothered, and she needed a second or two to get her composure back. Best way to do that was to relax. She leaned back against a nearby tree, sliding onto the ground. Dash lay down next to her, resting her head on one of her forelegs. She looked up and cocked her head to one side quizzically. "So what's on your mind, AJ?"
Silence stretched on for several seconds. Applejack started, realizing she had let herself get caught up in Dash’s eyes again."Sorry, sugarcube, was a little lost just now. I got a little visit from 'Shy. It got me thinking is all."
Dash perked up, genuinely interested now. "Really? What did 'Shy want?"
She hesitated, but figured it couldn't do any harm to tell her. Might be good to tell her to keep a lid on it, though. "Well, first of all, don't go spreading this around. She's got a crush on Rare."
Rainbow turned her head a bit. "Rare and 'Shy? Huh! Okay yeah, I guess I can see that."
Applejack grinned. Dash looked so danged cute trying to wrap her head around things. "Thing is, Rare feels that way ‘bout 'Shy too."
Rainbow's eyes flashed: She looked more upset than Applejack had seen her since... Come to think of it, she'd been acting pretty mad at Rare even after the party was over. "Whoa! So that was why—"
Her face took on a grim expression. "Yeah, she saw me and 'Shy hugging—"
The pegasus looked a little alarmed, but her wings shot out stiffly. The look she gave was half angry, but half... heated? "AJ, you got something to tell me?"
She was quick to try to settle Dash's ruffled feathers. "Now before you get all upset, lemme explain. Shy and I got to talking while she was looking over Winona. She told me about what she had going for Rare and I could tell she needed somepony to talk to, so I lent her an ear."
"Those are my ears..." Dash muttered darkly.
She smiled sweetly. "Yours, and yours alone. Anyway, Rare spotted us and thought I rejected 'Shy, I guess. We were hugging and 'Shy was crying. I suppose I can't blame her. If anypony ever hurt you, I'd probably bust em in the chops too."
The pegasus smiled warmly at the thought. "My hero... Oh hey! Speaking of heroes, you still got that suit? Making out with Mare Do Well might be kinda hot!"
She looked at Rainbow incredulously. Which Mare Do Well did she have in mind? "Um, I think I still got it in the attic somewheres..."
Dash grinned mischievously, so she was clearly up to something. "Good."
AJ was quick to change the subject to something else. "So um, anyway. Guess she can't quite get up the gumption to say it to 'Shy. She left a note on her door."
Dash squirmed uncomfortably. "A n-note, huh? That's silly, she should have just told her."
Applejack laughed maliciously. She had her now! "Yep, but I guess she's a little scared. Kinda reminds me of somepony... I wonder who..."
Her marefriend looked offended at the comparison. "Hey, my notes were awesome! I bet Rare was all sappy."
Applejack poked a hoof into Rainbow's ribs. "You were plenty sappy yerself!"
Dash blushed at the memory. "Yeah well..." She scuffed her front hoof nervously on the ground.
She shook her head, smiling smugly at the pegasus. She had her dead to rights. "Dash, you are a piece of work sometimes."
She gave Dash and nudge and stood up, stretching. "Anyway, I got apples to buck. You mind lending a hoof, or do you need to grab a few more winks?"
Rainbow followed, lining her back hooves up with the nearest tree that needed harvesting. "Just try to stop me."
They continued on for some time, just bucking in silence, each admiring the other just a bit. AJ had to hand it to Dash, she was no earth pony, but still had a kick that could give a mule pause. Dash was the first to break the silence. "I thought I loved her, once."
Applejack missed the tree completely and fell on her face. She spat out a tuft of grass, looking up in shock. "What?! Rarity?"
Rainbow looked startled. She backpedaled quickly, almost suspiciously so. "No, Fluttershy! I mean Rare is nice and everything, heck of a flank on her, you gotta admit—"
Applejack glared at her as she struggled to her hooves. Dash held a hoof up. "Whoa, whoa, I didn't mean it like that! I just mean, c'mon, the girl is a looker."
She still looked miffed, but let it slide for now. Dash, you’ll get yours, just wait. "So, you and 'Shy? When was this?"
Lost in thought, Rainbow began her little story. She looked down at the ground, abashed. "Back in flight camp. She was so nice. She was my first real friend, you know? It just kinda happened before I really knew it; I started crushing on her bad."
Applejack nodded, understanding the feeling well. "Foalhood crush, those always feel real strong. Had a thing for Braeburn myself."
Dash started, looking a little ill. "Your cousin? Ewwww..."
Applejack laughed, remembering the talk her parents had with her when they found the two of them "playing doctor."
"Second cousin, really; I’ve got a big family, remember? Yeah, nopony bothers to tell kids about genetics and all. Never would have worked anyway, he's always been happiest out on the range."
Dash seemed a little nervous. She didn't have to be; AJ wasn't worried about her past, just her present and future. "I kinda wrote her a love note. She let me down really nicely, but yeah... It made me a little scared to be feeling that way about you. Sorry I beat around the bush so much, AJ."
Applejack waved a hoof dismissively. Water under the bridge. "It was danged cute, sugarcube. I mean c'mon, you don't think I noticed you were hanging out all the time? It doesn't take a fancy mathematics degree to put two and two together."
She laughed, it was a warm, comfortable laugh. Then Rainbow's face took on a serious look again. Seems like she had a little more to get off her chest. "Truth is, after 'Shy I was really pretty heartbroken for a long time. I mean, I found ponies attractive, but I was afraid to really call it love, you know? I think that's why I couldn't tell you. I mean, you were hot. I mean like, smoking hot. I kinda wanted to jump you quite a few times."
She cocked an eyebrow at that. "Yeah, I kinda thought you felt that way. You've always been a real huggy pony. Course that kiss you snuck in front of the camera during your superhero kick told me pretty clearly."
Dash blushed beet-red.
Heck, she almost turned purple just now!
"Hey! I was high on the moment, you know?"
Thinking back brought the same rush of emotions it had brought her at the time it happened. She'd pretended disgust to cover up what she was really thinking. Applejack looked down at the ground, scuffing a back hoof. "I kinda liked it."
Rainbow blushed even deeper. "So, when did you, you know, start looking at me that way?"
When, huh? She considered the question seriously. She bucked another tree, watching the fruit cascade into the basket. She always thought better when she was working. When had it started anyway? It might've been all the way back when she fixed the bridge rather than follow her dream. Maybe seeing her not act so danged sure of herself during the Best Young Flier's Competition? That stolen kiss sure hadn't hurt. She'd always been fond of the cocky mare, but the attraction... "Probably started around the ‘Running of the Leaves’ a couple years back. At first it was purely a physical thing, admiration for a fellow athlete in top form, you get me?"
Rainbow seemed even more hesitant about her next question. "When did you know? I mean when did you decide you... loved me?"
No question about that one. She didn't even have to think. "Dodge Junction."
Rainbow looked curious. "Why?"
Seriously? You didn't know what that meant to me? She looked her dead in the eye. "You would have trailed me to Tartarus itself, if that's what it took, that right?"
Dash didn't hesitate in the slightest. "Yeah."
"That's why," she said in a tone that would accept no arguments.
She look pleased, some of that constant cockiness showing through. There she goes again, acting like the cock of the walk. "So that's why, when I asked you, you said yes?"
There was only one response for that. Applejack stopped bucking for the moment, she walked over to Rainbow and took her chin in a hoof. "Sugarcube, if you had waited one day more, I would have jumped you myself. I gave you as long as I could stand to give."
With that, she kissed her deeply. Dash looked surprised at first, but returned the kiss with equal passion. They wrapped their hooves around each other tightly. AJ broke the kiss with her and began biting aggressively on her marefriend's neck. It was rivalry, dominance, and love, all in a single act. Dash was putty in her hooves. Her marefriend hesitated, knowing where this was going, and apparently wanting it badly. But it seemed she was still worried. "Out here? What about Big Macintosh? Apple Bloom could come looking, Granny Smi—MMMPH!"
Her words were silenced with another deep kiss. Applejack lay down on the soft earth, pulling Rainbow after her. "Hush now. Mac's in the southern orchards this morning, and Bloom is off with her friends in the clubhouse. Nopony around for a good ways. Just don't scream your fool head off and we should be fine."
Dash still looked a little scared, but those wings shot straight out again. She took the opening offered by the farmpony and went right for the ears. She began nibbling hard, lashing out a tongue every now and again. AJ reveled in the rough biting, losing focus. Not so much, however, that she didn't feel Rainbow's hooves roam lower... She darted her head forward, out of Dash's licking and biting grasp. With the same motion, she gripped the base of her lover's wing in her teeth, eliciting a gasp from the pegasus. She chuckled hotly. "Not so fast. You wanna take this bull down, you better wear me out a bit more."
Applejack pressed the advantage now, biting in all the areas she had learned could make Dash go wild. It was surprising just how sensitive the wings were, especially. Dash's whole body went limp in reaction. "N-no fair, going after the wings like that..."
Smiling, Applejack gave her a heated, almost predatory look. "C'mon now, sugarcube, you took advantage of these beauties to win the Iron Pony events, it’s only fair I get to take advantage now..."
Dash's eyes flashed, and she grappled her in a sudden rush and began tugging her mane aggressively in her teeth. At the same time, she whipped her tail around AJ's, pulling them tightly together. Applejack gasped at the twin sensations. "S-so, you wanna get serious, huh?"
Like all things between them, this was quickly becoming a game. The two of them competed, trying to get the other to submit.
But in this game, both parties planned to lose.
Not only do I really love their dynamic as you write it, but that hot little segment at the end really helped drive it home. Fantastic stuff!
I'd like to thank my special guest editor and mentor in all things sexy, Ariamaki. This chapter would not have been half what you see without his help and input.
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George Takei highly approves!
Ooooh, Starfall likes. That was basically one big long 'seduction' scene, or perhaps foreplay would be more appropriate?
644223
You! i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj567/Starfalltheunicorn/rariwat.png
you are a genius
644330
ME!
644335 I am but an enthusiastic amateur with aspirations of becoming more. I thank you for your kind words.
644343 it is very well done. i swear this could be cannon. and you and I are very similar in that respect
Probably not the best idea to read it at work, but I totally did it anyway. I'm such a bad boy
Also, your writing is getting better and better!
There's just one more thing to say :
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644443 I rerated the fic to teen. I have no intention of going clop with this, but it is romance after all. This was an experiment, a chance to learn how to write a love scene. Apparently I can put this one in the success column.
644449 I'm glad to hear that - not really a clop person myself. But I have to say it's written really well indeed - definitely a success
images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/28500000/Rainbow-Dash-and-AppleJack-3-my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-28510506-1920-1080.jpg
And so ends another day on the farm.
As soon as I saw the picture and read the description, I upvoted and faved. I almost never do that before reading.
EDIT: I was planning to edit this later after I read the story... Then I realized I have like 5 minutes before I have to go to work. No way I have time to read this story . I'll have to wait till evening, after work, and that makes me sad because RariShy is awesome.
644631 I am truly flattered. I hope you enjoy the story.
Seriously, just... SERIOUSLY.
WHEN is it that your amazing writting combo will break!?! I just- GAH. So far you've made ALL pairings amazing, heck you even made me, a big shipper of Twilestia, ENJOY TwilightPie! And now THIS!? Come on! give my heart a break!
Now for the non-figurative seriously, seriously.
Another amazing chapter, a very smooth and sensational finish having me (or us for that matter) begging for more.
I like how the background of the pairings fit perfectly with your fictions, and I often see connections to other fics I've read. I'm still not sure if it's just from earlier in 'Green' but, where DID I hear the expression 'water under the bridge' ? I'm afraid I must apologize, in the last 6 weeks I've read more than 1 000 000 words.
644443 Agreed. That '.gif' pretty much describes my impulsive desire right now. (No Homo Steel )
Anypony, I eagerly look forward to more! Cheers!
~Kyor
Not a fan of AppleDash myself, but I guess this worked out?
Hmm, I wonder when you will update the RariShy, soon I hope?
644807 Monday.
A beautiful scene to beautify my dull day. Warmed my cold little coal heart right up.
Too Much SHIP
on a cooler note (as in, slightly chilled) The writing is good, didn't notice any blaring grammatical errors, and the pacing is good.
If there was any LESS shipping going on, I'd be merely overwhelmed. There's simply so much as is, that my higher brain functions shut down and I grin like an idiot. And yet, you've managed to add distinct characteristics to each ship which help it from feeling repetive.
Alright. Tracking this.
You certainly did an outstanding job on this! Thank you very much for the entertaining read I sure plan to read more from you, that's for sure
"It would hardly be the first thing I lost because of you..."
I was drinking tea when I read that line, and now my laptop screen is drenched in scalding hot tasty beverage. May the kraken take you and all you hold dear, sir.
Also, your writing. It has this weird effect where I adore all the side pairings more than the main pairing. I don't even know why. AJ and RD are just so ridiculously cute here. It maketh me want to squee.
655513 That would be because I aim to make the interlude more or less the perfect one shot length. They could easily be separate stories, but they exist within this timeline. With an established pairing we can also have something Rarity and Fluttshy don't get at this point in the story yet, Fully realized, and very much requited, love. The difference is I am only devoting a single chapter each to show you these pairings. Whereas with 'Shy and Rarity I have a whole story to show you how cute they are now, and will be later.
This is such an interesting and nice contrast with the TwiPie side chapter--which I liked very much--as all the getting-together drama has been resolved, leaving us with a couple happily in love. And I too think of Dodge Junction as a very AppleDash moment.
e621.net/data/sample/26/2f/262f366dfe59a2c733faaab7c89f5aa8.jpg?1338584905 my favorite ship got some spotlight and i couldnt be happier with the out come i adore both your take on TwilightPie and AppleDash. i think both Twilight and Dash just need a break from being themselves. i mean both had a breakdown from not being able to live up to their reputation. i think you showed one of the best ways (if not the best way) for that relief. showing Rainbow more submissive in her relationship is a nice contrast of her normal "acting like shes always on top of the world" personality and Twilight normal serious and logical personality is put on hold during pinkie's "Games" where she can just be silly and illogical for a change. it all just feels so right i wish more shippers did it like this. if nothing else i have this fic still have two chapters left to
Hmmmm I must say, my concerns are beginning to grow. The characters are still portrayed far better than most authors here, and I don't feel the style has started to fall apart. If anything, I've begun to notice a sense of predictability about the story that concerns me. Heavy amounts of the plot line rely upon good old romance story throwbacks, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's adorable and suits the characters well. However, over the past three chapters I've felt like I know what exactly is going to happen, and I'm only continuing to read to see how your style describes the scenes, since I already know what the characters actions will be.
I'm also beginning to notice an odd amount of repetition that bogs down the storyline. There are times I want to hit a fast forward button while Rarity explains the letter to a character or such. We already know what she's done, so I feel like I'm reading the same things over and over when the story could just as easy say 'she told her all about *blank*' and move on to material we haven't seen before. Granted, I understand you want to show us how the characters would tell things themselves, but since we know the voice of the characters in the story so well, it goes back to the predictability.
Critiques aside, I really enjoyed how the physical attraction in the AppleDash relationship is portrayed. It comes very close to crossing a particular line, but retains the romance they share the entire time. I had a hard time with Allegrezza because I saw nothing but physical attraction and no romance, so seeing a balance of the two pleases me greatly. Also, the physical parts of their relationship were very fitting of the characters involved. Playful, sultry, wild, but also passionate, honest, and deep.
"Course that kiss you snuck in front of the camera during your superhero kick kinda told me pretty clearly."
I thought I was the only one who noticed that
1134494 Is that in an episode, if it is could y'all tell me which one?
Steel Resolve:this is truly an awesome fic! You have done such a good job with it and this is vouching for my top 5 fics on this site, good job man!
And I'm commenting again...on an interlude no less. This doesn't mean I don't like the main story (well that should be obvious since I got this far) but it's just these chapters stand out more since it isn't RariShy. Anyway, I can't believe you actually made me like AppleDash...I generally don't go for that sort of thing, but geez, you had been making my heart explode with the regular story, and then you made my blood turn in to sugar with Twinkie and now this...I'm going to be classified as a Jolly Rancher by the end of this. What I'm trying to say is, and excuse me for being crass...fucking awesome, dude. ONWARDS TOWARDS CATCHING UP!
Why did AJ turn beet-red, as you put it, after RD said her job wouldn't have been the first thing she lost because of her? Or is this one of those things on the list my friends say I shouldn't ask about?
1889291
I thought the exact same thing, then I thought HAAARD about it.
Think at the key things that would end your confusion: They're marefriends, flirting a lot, talking about something they'd lose.
Keyword: Lose.
What exactly could they lose to one another?
I'll allow you to think.
1889291 ... You're killing me son. How old are you, exactly?
Wait, nevermind, I don't care. She was talking about virginity. Rainbow Dash was saying that Applejack was her first sexual partner.
All these ponies are perverts. I love it.
Shipping it like FEDEX! Support
Dude, you are awesome and deserve many medals for this fine fic. You have captured each ship perfectly, they all act as they would because you have stuck so closely to their characters.
Okay, so maybe I'm a tad bias but this is my fav chap so far ...
1933934
BACON!
what's dw?
______________________
2555110 To be fair, hoomans aren't too far behind.
3494310 YOU, GOOD SIR, HAVE HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.
HOORAY FOR COMPETENCE!
I see your assembly is sneaking into your story
Awwwww yeeeeeeeeah~
Nicely done! :D I love it!
2920641
I love how Flutters and Rares are the only ones facing each other 8'D
.................................
Ah
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7353960
I play Lich's Mirror and win the game.
gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=174818&type=card
7530100 Ah thought Ah'd gotten all of that there fonetical accent stuff out of the danged story...
7530383
Ah know. Those dang fangled I's all creepin' about. Poppin' out like a bad infestation of Plunder Vines' Ah tell ya. And there darn sneaky to, just like them Flim Flam fellers.
1889291
Dash is implying she lost her virginity to AJ.
Is this story even going anywhere?
What is with all this headhopping to secondary characters that don't provide any essential insight?
It's hard to persevere through a narrative that looks barely different after 20,000 words than it did at the beginning.
9020622
Oh my goodness yes, but I understand if you don't have the patience to find that out. It's a long sit, and I'll admit the person writing it 6 years ago did not have the benefit of present day me's experience. I can tell you the writing got better with time and yes, it did have a point. I hope you find something more to your liking.
So, we ever gonna hear what happened between Flutters and Dash in Flight Camp?
That's kind of strange for me to hear. Considering that rainbow was one of five ponies who went after her. Sure Pinkie and Rarity got knocked away, but RD shared the end of the episode with Twilight and Fluttershy as well. And it was the latter two (and AJ) who had the more memorable lines.