It's Not Easy Being In Love (Anachronic Version)

by Gutovi

Chapter 2

Date: A year prior to Nightmare Moon’s Return
Rainbow Dash’s first visit to Ghastly Gorge
Location: Ghastly Gorge, Ponyville’s Outskirts.
Point of View: Rainbow Dash

“Wa…What the hay happened? My head is spinning…” said Rainbow Dash as she regained consciousness.
Applejack looked at her tenderly, smiled and hugged her. Rainbow Dash thought she even saw a tear run down her cheek before the orange cowpony hugged her.
“Don’t y’all ever scare me like that again! Best flyer of Equestria my flank, getting wing-locked from a lil’ rockslide. Never thought Ah’d live to see the day y’all get wing-locked from fear.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
“Y’all walked next to the cliff even after Ah told y’all not to. A rockslide started under yer hooves n’ yer wing stuck to yer body, n’ y’all froze in place.” She took a deep breath, it seemed to Rainbow Dash, that the blond mare was still quite in shock. “After that, Ah had to jump, risking mah life to save yers. Luckily fer both, Ah had mah rope, n’ a very good aim. Y’all almost knocked on heaven’s doors n’ left me here all alone. Y’all gotta pay fer that.”
Rainbow Dash was speechless. It was too much information for such a short time.
“I almost died? I got wing-locked? That never happens to me! I mean, I’ve performed the most amazing aerobatic ever, broke the sound barrier... how can I get wing-locked!?” She looked at Applejack. There was a slightly pink aura surrounding her. “And AJ… she… she saved my life! And she was crying because she almost lost me… And I haven’t said anything yet! The hay is wrong with me?” “You saved my life?”
“Ain’t much of a big deal RD,” she replied, blushing while wiping her tears with a hoof.
“Of course it is! How can I ever repay you?”
“How ‘bout never talking of this again n’ lookin’ fer some help… unlike y’all Ah don’t have wings to get mahself up there.”
“Why look for help? I’ll give you a ride!” She turned around and lowered her body and looking over her shoulder she said, “Hop on!”
“Ah… Ah’d rather not do that.” Applejack looked nervous and was trying to look away from Dash.
“You’re coming with me, the good way or the hard way.” She stated as she flew in a loop to end up behind Applejack, grabbing her forcefully from the barrel and carrying her to Sweet Apple Acres.
Noticing her friend was frozen she asked snickering “Afraid of heights, AJ?”
“Not exactly… but Ah feel a bit uncomfortable, still a bit shocked ‘bout sum recent revelation, n’ y’all aren’t helping.”
“Care to share that ‘recent revelation’?”
“Not the time Dash, but maybe sumtime, Ah’ll tell y’all.”
“Fair enough for me. Hey! I can spot the barn! We’re getting closer.”
“N’ its getting mighty dark… I-if y’all feel tired or… Ah dunno, there’s always the guest’s room if y’all wanna… dunno have a sleepover?”
“That’d be awesome! I love waking up in the same room as you…”
“Huh!?”
“Yeah, ‘cause that means you’ll make breakfast, and you make the best breakfasts ever!”
“Oh… y’all meant that.”

Date: Two years after King Sombra’s Failed attempt to take Crystal Empire back.
Two weeks before “The Games”.
Location: Sugarcube Corner, Ponyville.
Point of View: Applejack

“N-no! Y-you can’t go away for that long!” Rainbow Dash frantically said.
Applejack couldn’t make out what was wrong with Rainbow Dash “What’s wrong with her? Ah knew she would be a bit surprised, but this?”
“Why are you so worried, darling?” asked Rarity, there was a certain sparkle in her eyes, like she was expecting something, and she was very happy about it.
“I just... Uh... C’mon aren’t you girls worried, too?”
“Well... maybe a month is a bit of a long time, but she has to do it, Rainbow. And she will come back, it’s not such a big deal,” Twilight replied.
Fluttershy was frozen in place, her gaze frantically moving from Rainbow Dash to Applejack.
“I’m with you, Rainbow. How can you leave us this way, AJ?” the pink mare said, looking at the green-eyed farmpony.
“Ah’m not leavin’ y’all, Pinkie, Ah’m jes goin’ to Canterlot fer a month fer an important Apple Family Meeting. It’s not the same as the other family meetings, there’s some ‘important things to discuss’ n’ Ah gotta go in representation of the Sweet Apple Acres’ part of the family. Don’t y’all be so exaggerated, it’s jes a month.”
She noticed Rainbow Dash was still looking worried so she got closer and hugged her. “Darn it, Ah hope nopony notice how much Ah’m blushin’. What am Ah gonna do without y’all fer a month, Rainbow? Ah hope I get to build up the courage to tell y’all how Ah feel... N’ Ah hope nopony makes the move first.” That thought made her gulp loudly.
She noticed the rose-eyed pony was hugging her back, and judging by the wetness Applejack was feeling in her shoulder, she was crying.
No, it was time. She had wasted too much time building up courage, it was time for actually saying something. She barely moved, just to get her mouth next to Dash’s ear and she whispered so the only pony that could listen her words was the cyan pegasus.
“Ah love y’all Rainbow Dash. Ah’ve always had, n’ Ah always will. Ah cherish every second we’ve spent together. N’ even if Ah’m going fer a spell, Ah believe it’s a good moment to tell y’all. Ah sense this is a new phase in mah life... N’ Ah hope y’all will be part of it, but Ah understand if y’all don’t wanna. Ah must go, don’t forget me in this month, would y’all?”
She un-wrapped her arms off Rainbow Dash, raised her hoof up to her hat, taking it off and resting it on Dash’s head.
“Would y’all take care of this fer me till Ah come back, sweetie?”
She gave her a quick peck on her cheek that luckily, nopony saw. She then walked away from Rainbow and looked up to the rest of her friends, with tears in her eyes.
“Ah love y’all girls, all of y’all. N’ Ah won’t let sumthin’ like the Rodeo episode happen again.” She chuckled at her old mistakes and gathered all of her friends, except Rainbow Dash, in a group hug. “Now Ah must go, the train’s leaving in ten minutes, n’ Ah gotta look fer mah stuff at home. See y’all in a month.”
A choir of “Goodbye and good luck Applejack!” was heard as she walked out the door, with tears in her eyes.

Date: Nightmare Moon’s Return.
Moments after Luna and Celestia re-unite
Location: Ancient Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, Everfree Forest.
Point of View: Rainbow Dash

She learnt as a kid, that she was the only pony that could see these “auras” around each pony, so she never talked about it with others anymore, but she found it quite useful to help her during certain situations.
After all these years Rainbow Dash could partly understand what each colour meant. Orange was confusion, yellow was concern and fear, blue was sadness, red was anger, green was joy... but there was one colour she still couldn’t get, mostly because it was usually mixed with some of the other colours. It was Applejack’s pink. She first noticed it a year ago, and since that day, every time Applejack looked at her, her aura changed, getting slightly pink. Green with pink, red with pink, blue with pink... but she could never get what it meant. She never saw that aura on some of her other friends and if she saw another pony with that colour, she barely knew them and Rainbow was not going to ask a stranger. “What are you feeling right now?” She was inconsiderate sometimes, but not THAT much.
She tried asking Applejack what was her problem, or what was she feeling subtly, but the orange mare never got the hint, or didn’t want to tell her.
She needed to talk to somepony, but not just anypony, the only pony that could always tell her the exact words she needed. Her oldest friend, Fluttershy. Applejack was avoiding her, again, so it was the best moment to talk to the yellow pegasus.
When she was in front of the pink-maned mare, she noticed the yellow around her.
“I know you’re worried, and yes, I am here to talk to you about something, but I’m not dying nor something that tragic, chillax.”
Fluttershy sighed and then said, “I still can’t get used to you knowing what I’m going to say, could you... uhm... not tell me next time? If you don’t mind.”
“Okay, I’m sorry, won’t do it again.”
“Thank you. Now, what is your problem? If you don’t mind me asking.”
“Uhh... no, I don’t mind, that’s why I came here to talk to you,” Rainbow Dash said, trying not to laugh.
“Oh... well, that makes sense.”
“Anyways, I have this little problem with Applejack a-”
“Oh no! You two had a fight?” Fluttershy asked, worry visible in her frown.
“No, no! It’s just that... she’s kind of avoiding me, and she acts all weird whenever I’m around. It’s been like this like... for a year. Ever since that day when...”
“W-when?”
“Uh... sorry, she told me never to tell anypony what happened .”
“Oh... it’s okay but... can’t you tell me something about what happened to her or something?”
“Well... she did something very important for me, and she said she had a ‘revelation’, and she has been acting this way since then. I’m not sure, but I think her ‘revelation’ involved me somehow.”
“Oh...” Fluttershy exclaimed, and she seemed to be thinking, but made no other sound.
“You... you got something?”
“I... maybe, but I’m not sure... I-I’m not sure enough, and if it is what I think, is something very important so... I better not risk it.”
“Ok, I trust you Flutters.”
“Well, you read ponies very well, couldn’t you get anything from her?”
“That’s the thing, I don’t know what she’s feeling. She’s not mad or disappointed at me or anything. In fact, since that day, she seems to enjoy our get-togethers even more, and we hang out more often, which I thought it wasn’t even possible. And the other thing, is that I can’t find that feeling on any of you guys, so I can’t ask you about it.
“Oh... Oh dear.”
“What is it, are you sure now?”
“Uhm... I think I am... but I can’t tell you, sorry.”
“Huh? Why not?” asked the rose-eyed pegasus.
“It is something really, really important, and I really want to see you two happy. But if I tell you what is it, you may not be ready to hear it and you may act in a way you would regret later. And it could hurt both you and Applejack, and I could never forgive myself if that happens.”
“Wow... it’s that important? Then tell me what can I do!”
“Oops, you know? You should forget what I just said, unnecessary pressure. J-just... keep having get-togethers with Applejack, and spend as much time as you can with her. Oh and... uh... you should pay close attention to her, and how you feel about her. How much you care for her. Think about what you two are... You may discover things about yourself you don’t even know.”
“Huh? What do you mean? She’s my best friend, I already know that!”
Fluttershy simply walked away, towards Twilight, the new girl.
“That was an strange chat... What did Fluttershy meant by that?”

Date: King Sombra’s Attack to the Crystal Empire
The Mane Six and Shining Armour enter the castle
Location: Inside the Crystal Castle, Crystal Empire.
Point of View: Applejack

“Hey, Rarity, can Ah talk to y’all?”
“Oh, so now that you need me, you come and talk to me after pulling a prank? How rude of you,” the fashionista said, feigning being insulted and giggling.
Applejack sighed and said, “Sorry Rare, Ah’m jes trying to get close to her, but Ah can’t get to her. Ah think it’s a lost cause.”
The white pony gasped and then looked at her with a sympathetic smile. “Do not say such things, darling, never give up on love if you are not completely sure she does not love you back, or love another pony.”
“Ah dunno anymore, Rare. Ah guess Ah’m not good enough fer her… Ah’m not good enough fer nopony...”
Rarity looked at her worried. “No! It is not like that dear! Do not let me ever catch you say something like that again.” She looked down to the floor, it looked like she was pondering what to do next. Then she looked at her again, got really close and whispered.
“I will tell you what we are going to do. It is my last resource, so if this fails, I do not know what else can we try.”
“What is it?”
“Every time you see her around, try to say something flirty to me, compliment me or something. Maybe that could make her feel a bit jealous, and gets her thinking about your relationship.”
“Ah don’t like the idea, Rare, Ah hate deceiving RD. N’ y’all know Ah can’t lie!”
Rarity’s eye cringed and Applejack could swear her curls were frizzing. Between her gritted teeth said, “Are you saying you can not say anything good or pretty about me without lying?”
“Ah didn’t meant that, Rare, it’s jes that Ah don’t feel that way ‘bout y’all, so it makes it harder fer me to say sumthin’ pretty that Ah really feel. Ah ain’t saying yer not pretty.”
“Alright then, but it’s our last resource.”
“Ah guess y’all are right…” Applejack replied while walking sombrely towards the throne chamber, where Cadence was waiting.

Date: The year after Discord’s return
The day after the Equestria’s Rodeo Competition.
Location: Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville.
Point of View: Rainbow Dash

“So…What are we waiting for? Let’s go find her!” Rainbow Dash said, dashing out the main door of Sweet Apple Acres’ barn.
“Don’t worry, we will search all of Equestria if we have to. We will bring her back!” said Twilight Sparkle to the Apple family members.
“Y’all are the best,” Applebloom said grateful.
“Thank y’all girls,” said Granny Smith with tears forming in her eyes.
After they left the barn, Rainbow Dash asked, “Why would Applejack stay there?”
“Well… maybe there’s some trouble with the trains and she can’t come back, or… Uhm…” Twilight pondered.
“Or maybe there was certain trouble with the competition, maybe it rained in Canterlot and they had to re-schedule it for another day, or there is a problem with the contest juries or the money. I have been in some contest, of fashion of course, and there is always a problem with the jury or the prize money.”
“I just hope she’s not hurt, in trouble… o-or worse.” The yellow pegasus prayed.
“Maybe she just met a nice stallion and now they are coltfriend and marefriend and they are living together in Canterlot!” Pinkie said.
“NO! I mean… she wouldn’t do that, right?” Rainbow Dash was surprised of her own reaction. “Where did that come from? Since when did I care so much if AJ gets a coltfriend or not… I mean, I have the hots for her… but nothing more right? No, I said it because she couldn’t leave us like that… yeah, that was why. Nothing to do with my feelings for her.”
Rarity smiled nervously and said, “Oh no, no. I am pretty sure that didn’t happen.”
“What, are you saying Applejack’s not good enough to get a colt?” the speedster pegasus stopped mid-air. “Wait, what?” “Seriously, what’s wrong with me today?
“Are you okay, Rainbow?” asked Fluttershy who was flying behind her.
“I… I-Argh, I don’t know! I’m stressed with AJ running away I guess.”
“Anyways,” Twilight said trying to save everypony from the recent awkward moment. “I’m quite sure Applejack didn’t leave us just to be with a colt in Canterlot.”
“Yeah, you’re right, those fancy ponies aren’t good enough for her. I mean… Ugh what is wrong with me!”
“Well, we all know you prefer AJ, Dashie, you’re obviously more worried than us, that’s all,” Pinkie Pie said, smiling at her.
“I-I don’t prefer her over you guys! You’re all my best friends!”
“Oh puh-lease, Rainbow, like you would come help me with my dresses or going to the spa, over going to Sweet Apple Acres to play or even work, with Applejack,” Rarity exclaimed.
“Or going to the library.”
“Or pranking! Oh, wait, you do like pranking… ok, or baking!”
“Hey, it’s not like I choose being with her over you guys, it’s just…” Rainbow tried to say.
“Save it darling, it is not the only reason we know it. Your smile never gets as big when I enter the room as it gets when you see Applejack enter the room.”
“In fact, if I didn’t knew you two better I’d say you two wer-” Twilight Sparkle was stopped by both Rarity and Fluttershy at the same time.
Rarity and Fluttershy stared at each other and Rainbow could notice an orange aura all around, even around her. But soon, the orange in Rarity and Fluttershy disappeared, and as the two looked at Twilight and whispered something, Twilight’s too.
“What? You thought what, Twi?”
“Nothing, don’t mind me, I was just being silly.”
“Oh! I love being silly!” exclaimed Pinkie Pie, but then she asked, “Wait, weren’t we hurrying to get in a train to Canterlot?”
“Right! We should go now!” said the pink-maned pegasus, the purple unicorn, and the blue-eyed unicorn, while running, trying not to look at Rainbow Dash.
“Hey, wait for me!”

Date: Seven years prior to Nightmare Moon’s Return
The day Applejack esdefscno 43R olʌǝ for Rainbow Dash .
Location: Outside Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville’s Outskirts
Point of View: Applejack

BLANK SPACE - BLANK SPACE

Date: The year of Nightmare Moon’s Return.
The second run, after the Running of the Leaves.
Location: White Tail Woods, Ponyville’s Outskirts.
Point of View: Rainbow Dash

“Applejack! Are you okay?” There came no answer. “Applejack?” The rainbow maned pony walked to the orange pony. “Oh no,no,no,no,no,no! Please be alright.” She walked towards her and checked if she was breathing. “Thank Celestia… I still should make sure nothing happened.”
Rainbow Dash managed to get the farmpony on her back and flew to Twilight’s house.

After an explanation and a “Body check spell she had been working on,” Twilight gave her verdict: “She’ll be fine, just get her a bed to rest on and tell the Apples to give her something to ease the pain when she comes back.”
Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her head and said, “Actually… I kinda feel bad and responsible for this, so I wanna take care of her, can you do something to make her be on clouds? You know only pegasai can walk on them…”
“I believe there is a spell, but I haven’t found it yet, I’d say you should take her home, Dash.”
“Darn. Ok, I’ll ask the Apples to let me stay and help her.”
“I don’t think they’ll object to that,” Twilight replied smiling.

After a short flight, both ponies were in front of the Apple family house on Sweet Apple Acres.
Rainbow Dash knocked on the door. “Is somepony in?” she asked, trying to get some attention of the ponies inside.
A red coated stallion opened the door soon after.
“Miss Rainbow, have y’all see-” from the look in his face, Rainbow deduced he noticed the orange pony on her back.
“She’s alright, she just needs some rest.”
“Lemme take her to her room.”
“Actually Mac… I wanted to ask you something.”
The green eyed colt looked at her quizzically. “What is it, Miss Rainbow?”
“I… kinda feel responsible for it, can I stay here and tend to her?”
“Uh… alright, Ah can get the guest room ready in sum mins,” he said turning around.
“Can I just take a mattress to her room? I don’t want to be far if she needs something.”
“Okay, get her there, Ah’ll get the mattress.” He walked up the stairs and turned to the left on the first door.
Rainbow Dash followed up the stairs, but turned on the left on the second door, Applejack’s room.
Dash tucked Applejack in her bed, and waited patiently for her to wake up.
Big Mac entered the room, laid the mattress next to the bed, and said, “Well, Ah’ll leave y’all two alone, Ah’m glad y’all are stayin’ here, Miss Rainbow. Applebloom is with her new friends, and Granny Smith is visiting kin on Manehattan. N’ Ah was s’possed to go there n’ look fer her. There’s plenty of stuff in the kitchen to cook, if y’all feel hungry. Please take good care of mah sis, n’ tell’er where we are.”
“No prob, Mac, see ya!”
“See y’all, too, Miss Rainbow.”
“Please stop calling me ‘Miss’, I’ve been AJ’s friend for years, you must have seen me a billion times by now.”
“Sorry, Miss Rainbow, that’s the way Ah’ve been raised. Goodbye.”
Rainbow Dash shook her head, grinning at her friend’s brother’s manners, and went back to the ‘waiting patiently for Applejack to wake up’ mission.

Her patience lasted for five whole minutes, and then she started poking the blonde earth pony with her hoof. “AJ… Wake up”
She repeated the whispering and poking, until half a minute later, proved to be a not-at-all useless method, since the orange farmpony woke up, batting her eyelashes.
“Finally!”

Date: Ten years prior to Nightmare Moon’s Return

Rainbow’s first visit to Fluttershy’s house.

Location: Town centre, Ponyville

Point of View: Applejack

“So… you’re from Cloudsdale, huh?” Applejack asked the rainbow-maned pony who was walking by her side, towards a certain shy pegasus’ cottage near the Everfree Forest.
“Yeah, born and raised. You’re from here, aren’t you?”
“Eeyup. Where do y’all know Fluttershy from?”
“From flight camp. I met her there and we became friends, but since she lived here, I couldn’t see her anymore, but then she sent me a letter, and well, here I am.”
“Ah…” Applejack felt that the pegasus was friendly, and she liked her, but she was getting short on topics to talk about. Luckily, they were getting close to the cottage, but still, it would be a minute until they got there. “Ah won’t take an awkward silence minute, better think of sumthin’” “So… do y’all like sports?”
The filly’s eyes seemed to sparkle when she mentioned sports and a grin appeared on her face. “Like them? I love them! I’m a speedster, my life is a race and my cutie mark proves it!”
“Now that y’all speak of it, Ah haven’t asked y’all ‘bout yer cutie mark, how did y’all got it?”
"Well I got it in that flight camp I was telling you about. I was doing my usual aero-”
“Sorry to interrupt y’all, but we’re here.”
“Oh, great!” She looked at the door some seconds, then she smirked and asked Applejack.
“Could you knock the door for me? I’ll hide behind you and scare her!”
Applejack rolled her eyes and giggling she knocked the door. Rainbow Dash didn’t know what her plans were.
After a few seconds, the shy filly opened the door and after eyeing Applejack, she exclaimed, a little concerned, “Oh, I’m sorry, Applejack, but I can’t hang out today, I have a friend from Cloudsdale coming over. I’m sorry, we can hang out the day after tomorrow, if that’s okay with you…”
“It’s okay Flutters, Ah jes came here to escort yer lil’ friend,” she said, moving aside, revealing a surprised Rainbow Dash. “This sweetie got lost n’ Ah helped her.”
“R-Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy asked.
“Awww, you’re such a buzzkill,” said Rainbow Dash, huffing, disappointed and glaring daggers at the emerald-eyed farm-filly.
“Sorry, Rainbow, but Ah know Shy gets scared easily, Ah don’t want y’all givin’ her a heart attack.”
“I’m glad you’re finally here, Rainbow, but trying to scare me is not very nice… Just saying…”
“It was just a prank! And I didn’t even get the chance… thanks to some pony.”
“Ah’ll make it up to y’all.” She looked at Fluttershy and asked, “Would y’all n’ this crazy filly be free for an hour at six?”
“Huh?”
“See, this pegasus in a blue n’ yellow uniform came to the stall yesterday n’ bought an apple pie for his son. He was short on bits, but he gave me three tickets to his show, n’ Ah thought we could go.”
“Wait… pegasus, blue and yellow uniform, show, today at six… THE WONDERBOLTS!” squealed ecstatic.
“The what now?”
“The Wonderbolts! The greatest group of performing pegasi ever! I absolutely love them! I hope I can be one of them when I grow up.”
“Well… y’all could learn watching’em, ever been to one of them shows?”
“Sadly, no. Getting a ticket to their show is almost impossible.”
“Well, can’t wait fer a better opportunity, can y’all? Are y’all comin’?”
“Oh, I’m so going to be there!”
“N y’all Flutters?”
“Oh no, no. I don’t like crowds… or shows… or ponies doing dangerous speed stunts. You… you two go together, alone, I’ll wait for you here, Rainbow.”
“Hey, Fluttershy, not so fast, there’s still a long time until six.”
“Eeyup. Ah still gotta sell those apples… Ah’ll come here n’ get y’all at five thirty, that okay with y’all, Rainbow?”
“Sure!”
Fluttershy giggled and said, “You two sound like Applejack is asking you on a date.”
Rainbow looked at Applejack, they both grinned and follow the game.
“I must tell you, my dear Applejack, that I don’t give kisses on my first date…”
Applejack tried her best not to laugh and said, “Well Ah’m gonna prove y’all that there’s a first time fer everythin’, Sugarcube!” She then got close to her and rested a hoof on Rainbow’s back.
“Hey, hey! Hooves off the merchandise,” Fluttershy said sternly, looking at them with a stare that could freeze the flames of Tartarus.
The two other ponies looked at her surprised, until the pink-maned pony started giggling.
Soon after, the three ponies were rolling on the floor laughing to their hearts content.
“Okay, too much jokin’ fer me. Ah gotta go.”
“See ya later, AJ!” replied Rainbow Dash
“Don’t be late for your date!” joked Fluttershy.
“Don’t worry ma’am, Shy, Ah’ll be here fer yer daughter at five thirty,” she said, giving an exaggerated bow.
As she walked back to the market she thought, “That Rainbow gal sure is sumthin’! Ah never felt so in sync with somepony Ah barely know!

Some hours later, Applejack found herself in front of Fluttershy’s cottage door again. She knocked thrice and waited for an answer.
Some seconds later, Fluttershy appeared looking sternly at Applejack.
“What are you doing here?”
Applejack noticed she was following their silly little play from before, so she followed suit.
“Ah’m here fer yer daughter, ma’am. Is she ready fer our date?”
“Rainbow!” Fluttershy yelled.
“Wow, she really got into her character, Ah’ve never seen Fluttershy yell that way.”
After a few seconds, Rainbow Dash appeared, wearing a nice blue dress, it was some tones darker than her coat, but she looked really good.
But a question lingered in Applejack’s mind. “Uh… why the dress?”
Rainbow Dash cleared her throat and said, with a silky voice “Well, my dear mother, Fluttershy, had this idea and I totally agree with her because I despise leaving half-baked plans… if they involve fun.” And before the earth-pony could ask she continued, “She said ‘If you’re pretending to have a date, why don’t pretend it thoroughly?’. So… here I am, making my mother proud,” she said barely containing her snickers.
“Oh, okay then.” Applejack also cleared her voice, and with a deeper voice she said, “May Ah take yer daughter ma’am?”
“Okay, I trust you will take good care of my sweetheart.”
“Ah’ll bring her back before midnight, Ah promise!”
As the two fillies walked towards town giggling about their absurd game, they heard Fluttershy add.
“And don’t get too sweet you two! Keep your distance!”
“Sure thing ma’am!” Applejack said, snickering.
After a few more steps, she noticed Dash was looking at her worried.
“What’s wrong, Sugarcube?”
“I really hope you play your gentlemare role really good, ‘cause I forgot to bring any bits…”

Date: Two years after King Sombra’s Failed attempt to take Crystal Empire back.
During “The Games”.
Location: Unknown.
Point of View: Rainbow Dash

Rainbow Dash was blind, she couldn’t see a thing, but she knew something very bad was chasing her, so she started flying forward.
“Ah’ll be yer eyes, Dashie, but y’all gotta trust me wholeheartedly.”
“Of course, Applejack, tell me what to do.”
“Okay, the whole place is coming down, so we gotta escape fast, y’all go forward and pay close attention to mah directions.”
Rainbow Dash obliged and flew forward as fast as she could, trying to sense something, anything, but she was completely blind, and since there was such a ruckus around her, she could only listen to Applejack’s voice.
“Okay, go up!”
Rainbow Dash knew they were in a cave, so she knew ‘up’ meant ‘rise a few hooves’, and so she did.
“Up again!”
Rainbow Dash felt a rock brush her belly. “That was close!”
“Now go down! And down again!”
Judging by the sound, a vacuum suddenly generated, Dash considered they were now in a tunnel or something similar.
“Darn it! We’re getting close to a full rockslide! Lean left! Right!”
Dash could feel the rocks brush her primary feathers. “This is bad, if one single tiny rock hits my wing, we’re doomed!”
“Left again! Now Right!”
A loud rumble was heard.
“Beware! Agh!”
Dash felt a slight pressure. “Oh no! A rock hit, AJ!” “Are you alright AJ?”
“Enter!”
“Enter what?”
“The tunnel, just in front of you! He won’t follow us there!”