Awkward, But Worth It

by bahatumay

That Time You Get Caught Doing Something Unexpected

Applejack stumbled into the house after a long day at work. Harvest time always was a busier time, and she needed to put in all the hours she possibly could.

Unfortunately, that tended to leave her extremely hungry and tired when she did get home. In fact, all she wanted to do now was go take a shower and then sle-

She stopped in her tracks as she saw a bouquet of flowers sitting on her nightstand, along with a card bearing a crude drawing of three apples in the formation of her cutie mark. She slid it open and began to read.

I was thinking of you today, because you're awesome. Don't stop being awesome.
Actually, I don't think that's possible.
Love
From
Love,
Rainbow Dash

Applejack smiled as she took a bite of the flowers. "That's mighty sweet of you, Rainbow Dash," she said softly. "Ah really needed that."

She didn't notice a cyan pegasus watching from a nearby cloud, or see her celebrate at Applejack's reaction.

* * *

Rainbow Dash flew silently through Ponyville. She kept in the shadows, the black outfit she wore helping her blend in. The pegasus couldn't help but grin. Daring Do is fiction, they said. Don't bother trying her stunts at home, they said. They won't work, they said. Well, if that was the case, why had this plan worked out so well? She had been sneaking into the library for almost a month now and had yet to be caught.

She landed by the door of the library and pulled out a screwdriver. With skills that would make Daring herself blush with envy, she jimmied the lock and slid inside.

In all honesty, the lock wasn't that great to begin with (the library was a public building, after all), but it was the thought that counted.

Her eyes quickly adjusted to the dim light of the library. She slowly closed the door, and it swung shut silently on well-oiled hinges. Rainbow paused for a moment to appreciate Twilight's OCDness before quietly slinking over to the couch. She reached a hoof underneath, sliding it to retrieve the book hidden underneath.

Her hoof hit nothing but air.

Rainbow gasped in horror, then shoved a hoof in her mouth and hoped no one had heard.

Silence reigned in the tree, broken only by a ticking clock somewhere in the house.

Rainbow looked over at the bookshelves and suppressed a groan. She had found the book by accident the first time, and really had no idea where to even look for it now that it had been discovered and put away.

She was almost convinced she should just bite the bolt and come back in the morning and ask Twilight where it was when suddenly Twilight's voice rang out, shattering the silence and making Rainbow jump and drop to the ground to hide herself.

"Spike!" the unicorn hissed. It wasn't very loud, but in the silence, her voice seemed amplified.

"Whaaa?" the baby dragon asked blearily.

"I remember what I forgot!"

"Good. Why are you telling me?"

"I need you to go put Rainbow's book back under the couch!"

Rainbow gasped again before shoving a hoof into her mouth. Twilight knew?

"Why?"

"Because she'll probably be coming tonight!"

"You don't even know if she reads it," Spike protested. "She probably just left it there one day and forgot about it."

"That's not the point. As librarian, it is my duty to ensure that all patrons have access to the books they want, no matter the subject matter or how they get them."

Spike grumbled something Rainbow couldn't understand.

"Spiiike..."

"Fine, fine. I'm going."

Rainbow quickly realized that she would need somewhere to hide. Flapping her wings as quietly as she could, she flew up to the ceiling and braced herself against the walls, holding herself up with her hooves.

About two seconds later, she realized that she probably wouldn't be able to hold this position for long. This whole spying slash sneaking thing seemed a lot easier when Daring was doing it.

Heh. Daring doing. Clever.

But Rainbow had no time to celebrate her cleverness, as at that time Spike bumbled into the room. Scrubbing the sleep from his eyes, he scanned the shelves and pulled a book out as if by random chance. He then walked over to the couch and kicked it under.

"There," he mumbled. "Hope you're happy, Rainbow Da-ahh!"

For at that moment he had sarcastically rolled his eyes, and by so doing, caught sight of the pony he was just talking about.

"Spike?" Twilight called, concern in her voice. "You ok down there?"

"Y- yeah," Spike replied. "I just... uh... stubbed my claw on the table. Yeah. Ouchie."

Rainbow had to bite a hoof to suppress a snort of laughter.

"Ok," Twilight said. "Be careful."

Satisfied that she was not going to interrupt him further, Spike turned back to Rainbow and grinned. "I didn't think you were that kind of mare," he said cheekily as he withdrew the book from under the couch with his tail and held it in front of himself like it was the key to the Canterlot vault itself. "This book isn't exactly something I'd think you'd be reading."

"Please don't tell Twilight," Rainbow pleaded, dropping silently to the ground to be at his level. "I'll buy you a gem cupcake tomorrow if you don't. You like those, right?"

"Don't worry," Spike grinned as he gave her the book. "I don't want to prove her right. As far as I'm concerned, I never saw you and this never happened."

"Thanks," Rainbow whispered. "You're the best."

She took the book, waved good bye, and as quietly as she could, flew outside to read it.

Landing on a nearby cloud, she propped her rear hooves up and, after a furtive glance to both sides to ensure that she was still alone, opened the book. Sure enough, it was the book she sought: Special Someponies 101--Answers to All the Mushy Questions About Love, Sex, and Relationships That You Wanted to Know, But Were Too Afraid To Ask. She skipped past the chapters she'd already read, finally stopping after 'The finer art of giving flowers, and when it should be done'. She grinned. That step was definitely worth trying again.

"Taking the next step in your relationship," she read. Taking a deep breath, she began to read. "So, you've been together for a while now, and you think you're both ready to take the next step..."

Author's Note:

This chapter can be considered part one of two.

Also, it's finals week. But I don't want to study. I want to post ponies.
Yeah. I like that.

Comments

[Twilight at Dusk]

D'awww! That was so cute, and funny too!

[Hobbestc]

Posting ponies is better then studying!!! Well, I think so. Twilight might not agree.

[LunaTheFox]

I can't help but find myself with a wide smile after reading every new chapter of this. It's just too amusing/adorable/fluffy.

[Callisto]

Been with each other for a YEAR and want to take the next step? I don't like this book's presumptive-ness...

Very cute chapter! "Heh. Daring Doing." That was cute.\

Keep up the good work!!

Er, I mean.....study, damn you! And stop posting ponies!

[Tchernobog]

Of *course* Twilight knows.

Silly, silly Dash!

Next step? Oh dear...

[DbzOrDie]

[Dark Flame]

Woooooow study damn it I'm just messing... kind of I mean... I mean studying is good.... but posting ponies is awesome! and this was a good chapter, I was expecting a Daring Do book but it's nice to see Rainbow's trying to be more "lovey" to Applejack to prove to her it's not all about sex... no matter how good the sex may be haha

[DerRotSpassvogel]

I dawwed.

[bahatumay]

2458842
Thanks!
2458876
Yeah... times like these, I'm actually glad ponies don't exist in real life. She would be glaring at me right now... :shudder:
2459489
gifrific.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Data-Star-Trek-Fist-Pump.gif
Exactly the reaction I'm trying for!
2459839
I blame accelerated pony growth (horses sexually mature at around three years old, after all) and author inexperience.
(and I totally didn't just change it to 'together for a while now' stop looking at me like that)
2460198
Monitor... everything... and every book in her library.
2460745

2461379
I'm glad my redirection worked, then. I was also expecting someone to think it was a dirty magazine because of Spike's mini-taunt.
Yeah, that's pretty much what I was going for.
2462478
Then my work here is done.

[Silvernis]

D'aawww.

Also, ponies > studying. Search your feelings; you know it to be true.

[Dragaen]

nice Rainbow Dash, nice

[Autumntree]

These authors notes are killing me

[Hesitant Brony]

Spike is such a bro

[LucyHorseThing]

Special Someponies 101--Answers to All the Mushy Questions About Love, Sex, and Relationships That You Wanted to Know, But Were Too Afraid To Ask

I want a hardcover copy of that.