Friendship
Applejack opened her eyes as the sunlight shone through her window. The sky was clear, the breeze was cool and the morning was beautiful. She sat up in her bed and as she felt the warmth of the sun on her face, she had a feeling that her day was going to be great, not just because the weather was nice, but because of what she had planned to do. She was finally going to confess her feelings to her friend and rival, Rainbow Dash.
She got up, stowed her pajamas and walked down the stairs of her barn-house to the kitchen, a skip in her step. Well, maybe a bit too much of a skip. Not watching where she was going, she tripped over her own hooves on the way downstairs and tumbled over the remaining part of the flight of stairs, landing face first in an orange bundle of pony at the bottom. She was already moving slowly due to the fact that she had just woken up and the stars swirling around her head were doing nothing to help her condition. After several minutes, Applejack's younger sister, Applebloom, came down from her bedroom only to find her still in a heap at the bottom of the stairs.
“AJ, what in the hay are you doing?” Applebloom said, confused. “You're blockin' to whole stairway for the rest of us.”
“Sorry, Applebloom,” Applejack apologized, “Ah sorta' tripped over something an' fell.”
“Well, what did ya trip over?”
“Ah dunno.” Applejack said as she turned her head to look back at the stairs she had so clumsily descended in search of whatever object caused her to slip up as she had done. But, to her dismay, she found nothing and nopony to blame save for herself. “Muh own hooves, Ah guess...”
“You silly pony,” Applebloom teased as she helped her sister up, “C'mon, let's get some breakfast cookin'. Speakin' of breakfast, can Ah help you cook? Actually, can Ah cook it myself? Ah've been takin' lessons on baking from Pinkie and Ah just know Ah can cook something good to eat all by myself!”
“Whoa there, AB,” Applejack stopped her. “Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Not after what happened last week.” The two sisters took a brief pause to think back to an earlier memory and both internally cringed a little bit.
“Okay, Ah won't take full control, but can Ah still help?” Applebloom looked to her sister with the most pleading look on her face and the most adorable eyes she could muster, giving Applejack no other option but to say yes.
“Alright, you can help,” Applejack said, smiling down on her younger sister. “So what are ya in the mood for?”
“How about waffles?”
♠♠♠♠♠
All throughout her waffles, Applejack couldn't keep herself from smiling, thinking about her plans for the day. That day was the day she was going to tell Rainbow Dash about how she felt for her. It wasn't going to be the only thing, though. First, she was going to stop by Fluttershy's cottage and talk with her. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash had been dating for a while back when they lived in Cloudsdale and Applejack reasoned that it would be best to check and make sure that they didn't still have something going on between them before asking Rainbow Dash out on a date.
“Hey AJ,” Applebloom said to get Applejack's attention, breaking her out of her thoughts, “what's with that big smile you've had on your face all morning? You got a hot date tonight?”
At this, Applejack blushed. “It's none of your business, Applebloom.”
“Oooh, mah sister's got a crush on somepony! Who's the lucky coltfriend?”
“Not a colt... Ah mean it's none of your business.” Applejack blushed harder than before.
“So who's your fillyfriend, huh?”
Applejack looked off into the distance. “Ah don't have a fillyfriend. She doesn't know that Ah have feelings for her.”
“Aha, so it's a secret crush, then,” Applebloom said, deviously. “Tell me all about it.”
“Listen, Applebloom. Ah know you wanna be in on all of the gossip and juicy stories, but this isn't anything you should be worrying about. This is grown-up stuff.”
“Pleeease?” Applebloom pleaded, her face already starting to form into its adorable state of being able to get anypony to do anything for her.
“Don't you use them big ol' eyes on me! Tell ya what, Ah'll tell you who Ah have a crush on and in return, you have to not go and blab this to yer friends, deal?”
“Applejack, you should know by now that no matter what I say, nothin's gonna stop me from telling Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.”
Applejack wasn't surprised. “Okay, how about instead, I tell you who I have a crush on and you don't use that face on me,” Applejack offered. “I swear, sometimes that face is almost as powerful as Fluttershy's stare.”
“Deal!” Applebloom exclaimed excitedly.
“Okay, here goes.” Applejack took a breath. “I have a crush on Rainbow Dash.”
♠♠♠♠♠
“And that's why we should totally try and get our cutie marks in extreme pencil sharpening!” Scootaloo said eagerly to Sweetie Belle within the Cutie Mark Crusaders' clubhouse. Sweetie Belle did not quite share in Scootaloo's enthusiasm and was about to make a rebuttal. Or perhaps she was going to offer another idea for how the Crusaders should attempt, once again, to get their cutie marks. But I guess nopony will ever know because as she was about to do so, Applebloom burst in through the clubhouse door.
“Girls, I know what we are gonna get our cutie marks in!”
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, having been bummed out from trying to come up with ideas and having uneventful results such as pencil sharpening, immediately perked up at the arrival of their friend.
“What did you have in mind?”
“What are we gonna do?”
“We're gonna get our cutie marks in,” Applebloom took a dramatic pause, “matchmaking!”
“Ugh, we already tried that,” Scootaloo pointed out, “and our plan failed.”
“Besides,” Sweetie Belle added, “this wouldn't just be us beating a dead horse with no hope for any of us getting our cutie marks. We already learned our lesson not to meddle in the romantic lives of other ponies.”
“I'm with Sweetie Belle,” Scootaloo said. “Let's actually learn from our mistakes for once.”
“This would be different,” Applebloom said. “When we tried to get Ms. Cheerilee and mah brother together for Hearts an' Hooves Day, we took a shortcut. We tried to use a love potion to add love where it did not already exist.” Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo exchanged a glance, pondering where Applebloom was going with this. “But now Ah know of a romance in the making where one pony already likes the other. If we play our cards right, we can make this work. Now who is with me!”
“Well, I guess it's worth a shot,” Scootaloo said, rationalizing her decision to join in on Applebloom's idea with the thought that if at least one pony already was in love with another, then it must be worthy of at least an attempt. “Besides, we can't seem to come up with any other good ideas and we have to try something to get our cutie marks, right.”
“You forget that we don't have any chance of getting our cutie marks in matchmaking anymore, Scootaloo,” Sweetie Belle said. “But if it's for a good cause, well... I guess I'm in. But if either of you decide you want to back out and abort mission, I'll be right there with you.”
“It's settled!” Scootaloo shouted. “We will try to get... Um, who are we trying to get together again, Applebloom?”
“Ah never said who it was,” Applebloom told Scootaloo.
“Well duh, that's why I asked.”
“The ponies we are gonna get together are,” Applebloom waited, starting to like the use of dramatic pauses, “Applejack and Rainbow Dash!”
“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS APPLEDASH ONE TRUE PAIRING MATCHMAKERS! YAY!”
♠♠♠♠♠
After finishing her chores for the day, Applejack departed for Fluttershy's cottage. She made her way through the streets of Ponyville and spent the time it took to travel from her house to Fluttershy's to think of how she wanted to bring up the subject of Rainbow Dash. On one hoof, she could be to the point and start by asking the questions she needed to ask without delay. On the other hoof, she could engage Fluttershy in casual conversation and ask about Fluttershy's relationship with Rainbow Dash after their friendly spirits had warmed up. Applejack settled on the latter as she had not seen her yellow pegasus friend in a few days and some friendly discussion seemed like a nice way to spend some time with her. Sure, Fluttershy was the reserved type and not very predisposed to passing her time by talking to other ponies, but Applejack figured that they were friends. They had been for years. Surely she wouldn't mind some company with a familiar pony she knew and trusted.
At last, Applejack came upon Fluttershy's house at the edge of the Everfree Forest and, after approaching the door, knocked three times on the door with her hoof.
“Why hello, Applejack,” Fluttershy said in her soft, gentle voice. Her face had lit up and she was giving her friend a welcoming smile. “How have you been doing?”
“Ah've been doing great, thanks,” Applejack replied.
“Would you like to come inside?”
“I'd love to.”
“Can I offer you something to drink? I have a pot of tea already prepared in the kitchen.”
After Applejack accepted a cup of tea and thanked her host for her hospitality, the two ponies began talking about all that they had done since last they had seen each other. Eventually, the conversation died down and the two mares were just staring at each other awkwardly. Applejack decided that it was as good a time as any to bring up the subject of Rainbow Dash.
“So,” Applejack looked away from Fluttershy in an attempt to make her question less awkward, “how are things between you and Dash?”
“Whatever do you mean?” she responded, a little confused and unsure where Applejack was going with her question.
“Well, what Ah mean to say is, Ah mean what Ah'm tryin' to ask is...” Applejack was having no luck getting the words out of her mouth. “You and Rainbow used to be goin' out, right?”
Fluttershy thought of her former lover. The two of them had grown up together in Cloudsdale and they had become close friends. Very close friends. Before long, they had grown attached and had accidentally kissed each other one seemingly random day. It was at that moment that they had realized their affection towards one another and had altered their friendship into a relationship. They had been together for many happy years and had even moved to Ponyville together at Fluttershy's request. Fluttershy had been in love with the ground and wanted to spend her life taking care of animals. But she had also loved her marefriend. Rainbow Dash, who had always dreamed of training in Cloudsdale to become a Wonderbolt, chose that she would rather be with somepony she loved than live her dream but live alone. And so the two marefriends had moved into an earth pony town and had settled down in a small cottage by the Everfree Forest. But Rainbow Dash could never find comfort in a home on the ground and had moved out of Fluttershy's cottage for a cloud house. No longer living under the same roof, they had started to grow apart and one day, after already having reduced to simply being friends and nothing more, officially ended their relationship.
“Yes, we dated for a while. Why did you want to know?” Fluttershy asked.
“Ah have feelings for her and Ah wanted to make sure you and her didn't still have somethin' going on before I went and asked her out.”
Fluttershy thought about how even though Rainbow Dash moved out of her home and lost her feelings for her, she had not faltered. Rainbow Dash had once again become a pony of her own purposes, but Fluttershy still loved Rainbow Dash. Of course, Rainbow Dash had no idea that her old marefriend still loved her. Fluttershy was too afraid that she would come across as overly obsessive and would lose her friend if she continued to express how she really felt. And here Applejack was, saying that she was about to ask Rainbow Dash out on a date. Deep down, Fluttershy wanted to, someday, get back together with her former lover and try again and the only way that was going to happen was obviously if Applejack did not date Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy had to do something to prevent Rainbow Dash and Applejack from getting together.
“So would it be alright by you if me 'n' Rainbow went out for a while?” Applejack asked Fluttershy.
“Yes,” Fluttershy lied. It would certainly not be alright by her for Applejack to date Rainbow Dash.
“And neither you or Dash still have feelings for each other?” Applejack asked again.
“No,” Fluttershy lied again.
“Great!” Applejack exclaimed. “Next time Ah see Rainbow Dash, Ah'm gonna ask her out. Thanks for your help, 'Shy.”
“Sure,” she said, trying her best to be supportive of Applejack as she would seek romance with their rainbow colored friend. But deep down, Fluttershy was panicking. Applejack was her friend and she meant her no harm. But she was about to take Rainbow Dash away from her. Not that Rainbow was being taken away from her since Rainbow and Fluttershy were already apart. But Applejack was going to take away Fluttershy's chances of getting back together with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy didn't want that to happen.
Fluttershy really wanted to get back together with her marefriend. She had planned to get around to doing so at some point and it looked like it was now or never. If she delayed any longer, then Applejack would be with Rainbow Dash and she would have no chance. Maybe Applejack and Rainbow Dash would make their relationship permanent. Maybe they would get married! No, there was no way Fluttershy would let that happen. She was going to do something to stop Applejack and Rainbow Dash from getting together. But what would she do?
The easy thing to do would be to just tell Applejack, right then and there, that she did still have feelings for her old marefriend and to ask Applejack not to date her. But what if that would hurt Applejack's feelings? What if Applejack got angry with Fluttershy from keeping her from the mare of her dreams? Fluttershy was too afraid of what would happen if her friend got mad. Even if she didn't get mad, she could be saddened by the fact that she couldn't become romantically involved with Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy didn't want to see her friend all down in the dumps because of her.
And so Fluttershy decided that she would find a way to keep Applejack and Rainbow Dash apart without directly involving herself. One day, Fluttershy planned, after everyone forgot about whatever kept Rainbow Dash from Applejack, she would finally make her move and reunite with her love. But for now, patience.
♠♠♠♠♠
“Applebloom,” Scootaloo said, “do you happen to have a plan for how we are gonna do this?”
“Well,” Applebloom considered as she scrunched her face in thought, “no. Ah was kinda hoping one of you could help to come up with one.”
“Any details Sweetie Belle and I don't have that might help?” Scootaloo said in an attempt to get more information out of her fellow Crusader.
“Well, AJ told me at breakfast this mornin' that she's in love with Rainbow Dash but that she doesn't know if Rainbow Dash feels the same for her. And Ah think Applejack mentioned that she was plannin' on seein' her at some point today. Does that help?”
“So as far as we know, it could just be a one-sided thing, right?” Sweetie Belle pondered.
“Don't ya even think about makin' some excuse to abandon our quest so soon,” Applebloom accused. “We're already too invested in this mission to back out.”
“What? But we haven't even made a plan yet,” Sweetie Belle tried to reason.
“Too heavily invested!” Applebloom asserted.
“Right...” Sweetie Belle dared not argue further. “Anyway, what I was getting at is that Rainbow Dash might or might not have a crush on Applejack. But what if we could make her have a crush on Applejack?” Applebloom and Scootaloo started to consider that Sweetie Belle might be on to something. “What if we could somehow convince Rainbow Dash to fall in love with Applejack, thus making the love mutual? Oh, oh! What if we could get Rainbow Dash to ask Applejack out? That would be a pleasant surprise!”
“I'm liking this idea,” Scootaloo pointed out.
“Same,” Applebloom said. “But how do you plan to get Rainbow Dash to fall in love with mah sister? Seems like a lofty goal.”
“We could just do the easy thing and talk to her,” Sweetie Belle offered.
“But that's booooriiiing!” Scootaloo protested. “Where's the action? The explosions?”
“Right next to the tree sap, Scootaloo,” Sweetie Belle retorted. “We've got to stop making things harder than they have to be. It really can be as simple as just talking things out and we really should avoid unnecessary conflicts.”
“Okay,” Scootaloo said, defeated. “And you said that Applejack was going to talk to Dash today, right, Applebloom?”
“Ah did,” Applebloom responded.
“Then we need to have at least one of us keep Applejack distracted so that she doesn't talk to Dash too soon,” Scootaloo planned. “We need to have all of the pieces in place before those two meet.”
“Well, Ah sure as hay can't be the one to distract Applejack. She kinda told me not to tell anyone that she has a crush on Rainbow Dash and if Ah tried to stall her, she'd know instantly that we were plannin' something,” Applebloom said. “It's probably for the best if I talk to Rainbow Dash.”
“I think I should also talk to Rainbow Dash,” the orange pegasus said. “I'm like a sister to her. She'll listen to me.”
“I guess that means I'll follow Applejack and stall her,” Sweetie Belle said, concluding the Cutie Mark Crusaders' planning session.
“Then we know what to do,” Scootaloo proclaimed. “Let's move, Crusaders. Go. Go! GO!”
♠♠♠♠♠
Sweetie Belle walked through ponyville on her way to Sweet Apple Acres. She walked alone and without company, for her part in the scheme of the Cutie Mark Crusaders required her to act without the company of the other fillies. In most towns and cities, it might be a suspicious sight to see a young pony walking through an urban or suburban area by themself, but Ponyville was a small and quiet town without much worry. The residents were trusted and caring individuals and it was generally assumed that a filly or a colt had nothing to fear, even if they were unattended.
“Hi, Big Macintosh,” Sweetie Belle said as she approached the red stallion who was busy bucking apples. “Is your sister here?”
“Which one?”
“Applejack.”
“Nope,” he said plainly before adding, “She left this morning after saying somethin' about goin' to talk to Fluttershy.”
Sweetie Belle had a new heading. She would go to Fluttershy's cottage. And so she did after saying farewell to Big Macintosh. Upon arriving at Fluttershy's abode, she saw Applejack walking away from the house and approached her.
“Hi, Applejack,” she said.
“Howdy, Sweetie Belle. What brings you around here?”
“I want to get my cutie mark in baking, but I don't know how to bake. Could you teach me how my helping me make a homemade apple pie?” This was the Cutie Mark Crusaders' plan: to distract Applejack by having her help Sweetie Belle bake an apple pie. But it would not just be a single apple pie. It would be many apple pies, for Sweetie Belle was a terrible cook, always leaving the kitchen in some sort of ruin and covered in a big mess. The two ponies would bake many apple pies and each one would leave the kitchen covered in flour and apples and tree sap. Each time Sweetie Belle would botch the desert, it would take time to clean up the kitchen and try again, thus stalling Applejack and giving the other Crusaders time to convince Rainbow Dash to fall in love with Applejack. With any luck, Sweetie Belle would burn down everything and the time it would take to rebuild Applejack's home would be all the time Applebloom and Scootaloo would need.
“You wanna bake a pie?” Applejack said, unimpressed. Usually, the Cutie Mark Crusaders would have some sort of crazy plan which involved fire hazards, skydiving and danger in general. And here was a single filly who wanted to do nothing more than bake a pie. Applejack was suspicious that there was something that nopony was telling her, but she ended up deciding not to turn up an offer to help the Cutie Mark Crusaders do something which did not risk life and limb. Speaking of Crusaders in the plural, where were the other two? Usually, these fillies did everything in their group of three. When Applejack inquired as to the whereabouts of the other Crusaders, Sweetie Belle explained that they were trying something new. They were trying to split up and try as many things on their own as the could to cover more metaphysical ground in a shorter amount of time in the pursuit of finding their cutie marks as quickly as possible. Applejack did not question the logic of the Crusaders and the two ponies went to the kitchen so that they could start baking. It would be a long day and many pies before Sweetie Belle's task was completed.
♠♠♠♠♠
It was afternoon in Ponyville and Rainbow Dash was napping on a cloud. She was awoken when Fluttershy flew up to her and got her attention. Rainbow Dash opened her eyes and pointed her ears toward her friend. They had been romantically involved once, but that was a long time ago and Rainbow Dash had come to think of the yellow pegasus as merely a friend.
But Fluttershy felt more strongly for Rainbow Dash than she felt for Fluttershy. And so, Fluttershy mustered all the courage she could find within herself and asked Rainbow Dash if she would go on a date with her, skipping all the formalities of saying hello and making small talk as they would only allow her anxiety to build and place undue pressure on her.
Rainbow Dash smiled when she was asked out on a date. She remembered that her years with Fluttershy had been good years and decided that it would be nice to go out with her again for old time's sake and because she thought that their relationship deserved a second chance.
Feeling very relieved that she had not been rejected by her marefriend from years past, Fluttershy thanked Rainbow Dash and nearly injured her in a tight embrace. When she realized that she was squishing her friend, her marefriend, she released Rainbow Dash from her death grip and, blushing, flew home to get ready.
Rainbow Dash went back to her nap, only to be woken again by more ponies. She got up to find that Scootaloo and Applebloom were getting her attention.
“Hi, Rainbow Dash,” Scootaloo said.
“Cut to the chase, kid,” Rainbow Dash responded, grogily. “It's three in the afternoon. Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?”
“Okay, long story short,” Scootaloo began, unfazed by Rainbow Dash's bluntness, “You should totally go out with Applejack!”
Rainbow Dash thought about what Scootaloo had said. She had never really considered a relationship with Applejack, but upon pondering the concept, she reasoned that they had been great friends for some time and taking their friendship to a whole other level could be radical. Rainbow Dash concluded that she could probably be very happy in a loving relationship with the stetson-wearing farmer pony. But it was only moments ago that she had accepted Fluttershy's request for a date. With reluctance, she told the two fillies before her where she was with Fluttershy.
“Awww...” Applebloom said, dejected. “You an' mah sister could've made such a cute couple...”
“Sorry, Applebloom. I'm just not in any state to be thinking about other ponies like that right now,” Rainbow Dash told her. “Maybe some other day if Fluttershy and I go our separate ways again.”
And so the two Crusaders left, their plan no longer with any hope for success.
♠♠♠♠♠
Applebloom and Scootaloo traveled from where they were to Sweet Apple Acres where they found Sweetie Belle and Applejack standing outside of a doorway, smoke pouring out through the window. They appeared to be having some sort of argument.
“That's it!” Applejack told Sweetie Belle firmly, “Ah can't have you bakin' no more pies. Ah understand you wanna get your cutie mark, but Ah need go get this kitchen back in order,” she said, knowing that if Sweetie Belle continued to “help,” then the disaster would only get worse.
Sweetie Belle looked as if she was about to cry, for she had done her best to do a good job on several accounts only to ruin the pie and destroy the kitchen each time. She was about to plead Applejack to let her try one last time, but then she saw her fellow Crusaders standing a distance away and suddenly, all of her misery left her as she zipped to her other friends in a flash.
Applejack simply disregarded the three fillies who were gathering to return to her place of cooking and to set it into proper order.
“How did it go girls?” Sweetie Belle asked excitedly. “Is our plan coming to fruition?”
“Alas no,” Applebloom told Sweetie Belle, thus breaking her excitement.
“Why is that?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Because...” Applebloom started, “because... Because Rainbow Dash is involved with someone else!” Applebloom shouted before covering her muzzle with her hooves. She realized that her sister was not far away and could overhear, causing her to discover that Applebloom had indeed told her friends about Applejack's love for Rainbow Dash.
At her sister's outburst, Applejack walked back outside to see what was going on. She had some idea what Applebloom and her friends were discussing and while she didn't have time to be angry with her sister, it sounded like there was some important information to which she should pay attention. “What's this about Rainbow Dash?” she asked. If it turned out that Rainbow Dash was not available, then it seemed to her that the best course of action was not to try and start a relationship with her.
“Ah ha ha, hey AJ,” Applebloom stuttered nervously for she knew that she had been caught telling her friends about her sister's secrets and there was no hiding it any longer. “Ah'm sorry Ah went behind your back, but here is what happened.” Applebloom proceeded to tell her sister the whole story of how the three of them planned to get Rainbow Dash to ask her out and how Rainbow Dash was involved with Fluttershy.
Upon hearing this news, Applejack became very angry. Her face grew red. Her blood boiled. Steam shot out from both of her ears. Her entire being was a vessel of rage directed at one pony in particular.
“No, Applejack, Ahm really sorry, please don't be be angry!” Applebloom pleaded with her steaming sister.
Collecting herself, Applejack said “Ah'm not angry at you, AB. Well, Ah sorta am but only a little. If you're wondering why Ah'm raging, it's 'cause Fluttershy lied to me!”
“What? What happened?” Scootaloo asked.
“This morning, Ah was talking to Fluttershy and she told me that she 'n' Rainbow weren't still together. However, as Ah can see, that ain't the case.”
“Are you sure she intentionally lied to you?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Maybe you just misunderstood something she said.”
“Ah doubt it,” Applejack said flatly.
“I think that before you do something you might regret, you should go and talk to Fluttershy. Make sure the two of you are on the same page,” Sweetie Belle said.
“Okay,” Applejack conceded, “Ah'll try that first.”
♠♠♠♠♠
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were walking away from Rainbow Dash's cloud house towards Ponyville on their first date in years. But they only make it ten meters before they saw none other than Applejack walking towards them.
Rainbow Dash thought nothing of it as she was on good terms with the mare.
Fluttershy on the other hoof, began to feel guilty and started sweating. Earlier that day, she had told Applejack that she was not still involved with Rainbow Dash. She had the intent of getting back together with her marefriend and eventually getting around to telling Applejack when it was convenient. She would have told Applejack of her feelings for Rainbow Dash when they were talking in her cottage, but she was afraid that Applejack might become jealous or would be immediately saddened by the fact that her love for her lover was still strong. Fluttershy put telling Applejack about her relationship with Rainbow Dash off to some later date, but now Applejack had come and could clearly see that Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash did still have something between them. Fluttershy, now, realized that she had done wrong by her friend and spoke up before Applejack had a chance to say anything.
“I'm sorry, Applejack. I'm really sorry. When you came to my cottage this morning, you reminded me that I still love Rainbow Dash, so I went and got back together with her. And Rainbow, even though we broke up a long time ago, I could never stop loving you. I had always dreamed that one day, we would get back together and try again, but when Applejack said that she has feelings for you as well, I felt threatened so I came to you so that I could be with you again. I'm really sorry for not telling you the truth, Applejack, but I was so scared that I would either depress you or make you mad at me, which would scare me, so I took the easy way out. I lied to you because I was scared and because I didn't want to hurt your feelings.” As Fluttershy said all of this, she was so overcome by regret that she broke down and fell to her haunches, tears streaming from her eyes. “I don't deserve to be your marefriend, Rainbow Dash. And I certainly don't deserve to be your friend anymore, Applejack.”
“Whoa there, girl,” Applejack said to calm her friend. “Ah'm a little angry that you lied to me, but not angry enough to stop being your friend.”
“I'm with AJ,” Rainbow Dash said, “I don't hate you. But I don't think we should go out if our relationship would have started on a lie.”
Fluttershy, who was now feeling very comforted by the kindness of her friends, nodded in agreement. It was painful for her to do so, but she had to accept that she chose to do the wrong thing in an attempt to reach her desired end and that was no way to live.
“How about for now, we just be friends?” Rainbow Dash proposed. She was met by a grateful smile from her pegasus friend.
“That sounds perfect,” Fluttershy said. The three friends stood in each others' company for several minutes, none of them knowing what to say or do next, until Fluttershy spoke again, saying, “I think I should go now. I should probably check and see if any of my animal friends need anything.” At this, she departed, leaving Applejack and Rainbow Dash together.
"So," Applejack began, "you're single now, right?"
"I am," she replied.
"And if anypony were to, say, ask you out on a date, then you would have nothing stopping you?"
"Correct again. I might even say yes depending on who was asking."
"What if I were asking? Would you go out with me?"
Rainbow Dash smiled. She had just been asked out by a close and trusted friend and she had planned to spend that evening with her special somepony anyway. She just hadn't expected that her special somepony would turn out to be Applejack. It was a pleasant surprise.
"Yes," Rainbow Dash said.
"Where to, Rainbow?"
“Wherever this new golden romance takes us!”
The orange farmer pony wondered when her blue, feathered friend had become so poetic that she could speak of gilded love before even a first date. Perhaps that was a side effect of all of the books which she was now reading. It mattered not to her, for she had found love and, in the end, all ponies had found peace and cordial Friendship.
Fin.