Trapped in a cave with seemingly noway out. Applejack and Rainbow Dash admit they like each other... in a round about kind of way.
If you want to you can skip to Freedom and still have a general jist of what is going down.
Rainbow Dash, Applejack and the others find themselves traveling to a far away land to find a stolen statue. When Applejack and Rainbow Dash are trapped in a cavern and need to find a way out the others tell them there is another way out. Feelings will surface, but not be told. Advice will be asked for and given and then in a very long story will they find out they are made for each other? Join me and lets find out together.
In the early morning hours, the faint light blue of the first stages of dawn slowly enveloping the sleeping town of Ponyville. Standing on her front porch overlooking the orchards of Sweet Apple Acres was Applejack with her long yellow mane and tail brushed and tied and the end with a red rubber band, and her trade mark stetson hat adorning her head.
The orange pony closed her eyes and inhaled deeply the fresh crisp morning air " Ahh, what a great day fer applebuckin'" Applejack said quietly to herself. She looked over to see the front door swing open and out came a red stallion, twice the size of Applejack herself,
“Mornin’ Mac,” said Applejack smiling at him “, fine day fer applebuckin’ wouldn’t ya say?”
“Eeyup” he said cheerfully and started walking down the stairs off the front porch and started walking to the barn and she followed. Once at the barn Big Mac hitched himself up their wagon they use as Applejack loaded it up with baskets and headed out to the orchard to begin their days work.
It was early afternoon when Applejack and Big Mac were taking their fourth wagon full of apples back to the barn. After off loading the wagon Applejack said “ What’a ya say we break for lunch?”
“Eeyup.” he said, wiping sweat off his brow.
Walking back to the house Apple Bloom came running up to her big sister and brother
“Applejack there you are, there’s someone at the house ta see ya.” she said, as she caught her breath.
“ Who is it?” Applejack asked
“She didn’t say, just that she really needs ta talk ta ya.”
“Alright then” Applejack said with a shrug, and followed her sister to their farm house.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
On the front porch stood a white pegasus mare with a tail of red, like that of a fully ripe apple, the end freckled with black, her cutie mark a quill and a book opened up to a blank page adorned her flank, and flowing down from her head the same shade of red with a jet black streak running from above her left eye the full length of her mane.
“You must be Applejack,” she said cheerfully “my name is PaperBack Novel and I am currently writing a story on Princess Twilight, a biography if you will, about her becoming the Princess of Friendship and I am going around to all of you and getting a look into the lives of the ponies behind the throne, so to speak.” she smiled “ Do you have a few minutes, however if you are busy I can come back another time.”
Applejack looked at her with a look of curiosity plastered on her face ‘Yeah, sure Ah got a few minutes, we were just commin’ in for lunch why don’t ya join us Miss. . . uh. . . Novel was it?”
“Oh no please call me PaperBack, Miss. Novel is my sister.” she said with a small chuckle
“Alright then PaperBack come on inside and Ah’ll fix us up some lunch.” said Applejack with a small smile and lead the way into the house.
They all followed Applejack into the farmhouse and into the kitchen where Big Mac and Apple Bloom sat together on one side of the table and PaperBack sat at the head, where she could see almost the entire first floor, with the exception of the front door.
Applejack walked into the pantry and came out with a small basket of apples in her mouth and set it on the table.
“Apple Bloom” said Applejack
“Yes, Applejack” she squeaked
“Would you go to the cellar and bring up some cider, please?” asked Applejack
“Sure, be right back” and she trotted off to the outside
“So, did Twilight ask you to write this biography or are you writing it because she is the newest princess?” Applejack said with a smile.
PaperBack looked at her, smiled and said “Princess Celestia asked me to write a biography about her, with her permission of course. Twilight and I met for lunch yesterday, and I must say she is really quite the character. What I found most interesting is the way she talks about you, her friends, with such admiration and passion I just had to know more about you all. So her and I talked for hours after lunch and she told me of some of your adventures, I particularly enjoyed the various Discord encounters. However I am not here to for that, I’m here to see what makes Applejack tick, what makes you, well you.” she finished as Apple Bloom came back in from the outside.
“What y’all been talking ‘bout?” she asked as she handed Applejack the bottles of cider
“Well PaperBack, here, is writin’ a book ‘bout Twilight, me and the others.” Applejack said smiling at her little sister
“Wow, cool Ah can’t wait till Ah get asked questions ‘bout mah friends” she said smiling up at her big sister.
PaperBack looked at the small filly and smiled, then looked up to see Applejack putting several plates on the table topped with all manner of apple food products: apple fritters, apple pie, apple dumplings, apple crisp, apple cobbler, there seemed to be a never ending barrage of plates being set on the table.
“Is all of this really necessary just for lunch?” she asked a concerned look on her face as her eye traveled around the table at all of the tantalizing options in front of her.
“ I take it yer not around farms much?” asked Applejack taking a bite out of an apple fritter
“Well no I lived in Manetana most of my live, and yes I lived by farms and walked by them all of the time but no I was not raised on one.”
“So yer from Manetana huh,” Applejack asked in amazement “Ah have always wanted to visit, I hear it’s absolutely beautiful this time of year especially Glacier Park.”
“Yes Manetana is gorgeous this time of year, indeed Glacier is also very beautiful but I’ve never been even after all these years living there and traveling all of Equestria, I am sure I’ll make it there someday.” PaperBack finished and looked down at her plate, a solemn look in her eyes, Applejack walked over and put a hoof on her shoulder, PaperBack looked up into her eye and shook her head “never the less my work keeps my mind and the rest of me busy. I normally don’t have time to think about home very much, but don’t let my new found homesickness ruin this lovely lunch you have laid out before us.” she finished forcing a smile.
After lunch they stood on the front porch finishing their conversation.
“Well thank you Applejack for an absolutely delicious lunch I think I may have to go and lay down for a few minutes.” PaperBack said with a small laugh “ Anyway I really should get going, also we really need to chat more there is a whole chapter just on you, dear.”
“Well Ah’m mighty flattered PaperBack” said Applejack with a chuckle, pulling her stetson hat over her face to hide her slightly red cheeks.
“Now I know that there are six of you,” PaperBack said as she put a hoof to her chin and thought of the ponies she has met “Now let’s see I’ve met Rarity, you, Twilight of course.”
“Well if Ah can get Rainbow ta sit still long Ah’ll bring her along for lunch tomorrow.”
“That sounds great I look forward to tomorrow.” PaperBack said with a smile
“Thanks fer comin’” Applejack waved and turned back to see Big Mac walking up to her “Ready to get back to the orchard and finish out the day?”
“Eeyup” he said a small smile on his face.
As soon as they arrived at the rows of trees they had left before lunch Applejack heard soft snoring coming from one of the trees. Walking up to the tree where the snoring emanated from she caught a glimpse of a rainbow colored tail hanging down lazily from the branches above her head. Applejack followed it up to the pony it was attached to fast asleep. She nickered quietly to herself, turned around and proceed to give the tree a hard, swift kick with her hind legs.
THWAACK!!
The cyan pegasus' eyes opened as she came falling out of the tree and colliding with the hard soil below. Applejack couldn't help but laugh at the pegasus' expense.
“HEY, what gives AJ!” she yelled massaging her foreleg while an apple landed on her head. Dash looked at the orange mare still rolling on the ground laughing so hard tears were streaming down her face.
Applejack finally got up holding her stomach with her foreleg “ You shoulda seen the look on yer face, absolutely priceless!” she said through a mouth full of giggles “Anyway it’s a good thing Ah found ya, there’s a lady writin’ a book ‘bout Twilight.”
“Yeah, I heard,” Rainbow said sitting back on her haunches and crossing her legs on her chest, “what of it”
“Well she's a goin’ around to all of us and getting to know us and a little snipit of our daily lives is goin’ into the book. She has met me and Rarity and Ah’m havin’ lunch with her tomorrow and Ah said if Ah could get ya ta sit still long enough Ah’d bring ya along.”
“‘Alright where will you guys be at?”
“Ah thought we would meet at that new cafe in town, Ah can’t remember the name of it.” said Applejack rubbing her chin with her hoof.
“Oh… Uh the Milky Way Cafe!” Dash exclaimed standing up.
“Yeah,” Applejack confirmed “ that’s the place.”
“Okay,” she said as she turned and spread her wings and sprang into the air taking flight only to be stopped, falling back to the hard dirt, Rainbow Dash whipped her head around and stared right into the emerald eyes of the orange pony standing on her tail.
“If you keep stepping on my tail it’s gonna fall out one of these days.”
“ Ya fergot yer pillow” Applejack said pointing a hoof at the branch Rainbow was sleeping on.
“Heh… right” Dash said flying up to retrieve her pillow turned and said “Now I’ll see ya tomorrow. and shot up into the bright blue sky.
Applejack looked on at the fading blue coat of her pegasus friend as she shook her head and smiled saying to herself.
“Ah’ll never fully understand that pegasus.”
The rest of the day was uneventful and quiet save the sounds of hooves against the wood of the apple trees. On their way back to the barn to off load the wagon for the final time for the day Applejack and Big Mac looked to the west at the pinks, oranges, and yellows of the sunset they were witnessing.
Standing and staring awestruck Applejack was the first to speak almost startling Mac
“Wow, Celestia has really outdone herself with the sunset tonight, wouldn’t ya say Mac?”
“Eeyup” was the only word he could utter tears welling up in his eyes.
The evening hours seemed to fly by, after they had dinner and discussed the events of the day and their the Apples were in their beds doing their night time activities; reading, doing a crossword puzzle. The orange farm pony lay in her bed reading a book when.
SSSSSS...BOOOM!!!!
She jumped right out of her bed sending her book flying across the room.
“ Holy hroseapples Rainbow Ah know ya like makin’ thunderstorms and all but do ya have ta scare the daylights outta everypony?” she asked out loud, went and picked up her book, got back in bed finished her chapter and fell asleep.
The next morning Applejack awoke the way she normally did, with the rooster cockadoodleing just before the sun rose. After breakfast Applejack and Big Mac made their way to the barn to get the wagon and baskets and headed out to where they had left off the day before. As the day progressed Applejack grew more and more antsy for midday to come so she could go and have lunch with PaperBack.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Applejack looked to the sky and saw the sun almost at its peak, she took her hat off and wiped the sweat from her brow.
“Finally… noon” she said putting her hat back on her head “ Hey Mac Ah’m gonna take the cart back and go to town. Ah’ll be back later.”
“Eeyup.” he said with an affirmative nod and she walked back to the barn with the wagon in tow.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Oh, Applejack, over here” shouted somepony.
The orange pony tore her eyes away from the ceiling of the cafe and looked around to find the source of the voice, she looked over the small half wall that separated the entrance from the dining room of the Milky Way Cafe, to find a white hoof waving eagerly to get her attention.
“ Well Hi Rarity, Ah didn’t know y’all were gonna be here.”
“ Oh I was just finishing up telling PaperBack about myself,” she said flicking her mane “ and now that you are here I’ll leave you two to chat. I have some much needed things I need to do before I unveil my new line in Manehatten in a few days, ta ta", waived the white unicorn, and she was off her chair and out the door before Applejack could argue.
PaperBack looked to the still standing earth pony, “Have a seat” she motioned to the chair directly across from her, “ Where is Rainbow Dash?” she asked
“ Running late as usual.” said Applejack
“ Well, while we are waiting why don’t you tell me about yourself, give me the life story of Applejack.”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
As Applejack was starting in on the story of her life, outside landing in front of the cafe was a cyan pegasus folding her wings and walking in the door. The orange coat of her friend caught her eye as she made her way through the dining room.
"And speaking of the pony responsible for mah cutie mark. It's 'bout time ya got here." Applejack teased
"Heh... Sorry", Rainbow Dash said rubbing the back of her neck with her hoof sheepishly.
"It's quite alright, Applejack was just telling me how she got her cutie mark. I am finding that all of you around the same time received your cutie marks," Said PaperBack " all due to you Rainbow Dash!"
Dash's ears drooped as she smiled meekly and said " Heh I guess so" she turned and looked into Applejack's emerald eyes and was instantly lost in a sea of green and black. Doing so must have caused an awkward moment, because she snapped out of the trance AJ's eyes caused her to fall into when AJ waved a hoof in front of her face.
"Everythin' alright RD?" asked AJ setting her hoof back down of the table.
Rainbow Dash shook her head then answered "Huh... Yeah I'm alright."
With the awkward moment in the passed PaperBack asked Applejack to continue with her story. When the farm pony was finished PaperBack turned to Rainbow Dash and asked for her point of view in the great cutie mark discovery.
Two weeks have passed since PaperBack Novel had arrived in Ponyville with the sole purpose of learning about the princess of friendship and her friend.
“Are you sure you have to go? You can’t stay for a few more days, PaperBack? asked a lavender alicorn.
“Yes I am sure Twilight,” said the white pegasus as she reached down and swung her saddlebags onto her back, “I really must thank you for all of your hospitality, and the stories, from both you and your friends. Now I must return home and write the first draft of your biography.”
“Well alright then if you really have to go, I’ll walk you to the train station” Twilight said sounding disappointed then started walking to the front door of her castle.
The ponies inside the castle arrived at the large front doors the castle of the Princess of Friendship. A purple aura wrapped itself around the handles of the doors, they opened to reveal a light pink mare bouncing impatiently, her hot pink mane bouncing along with the rest of her.
Looking surprised at who it was. Twilight smiled and said “Hi Pinkie,”
“Hi Twilight!” squeaked Pinkie
“What brings you by?”
“Well… I heard that PaperBack was leaving today… sooooooo I decided to throw her a farewell party! Everypony is at Sugarcube Corner waiting for her to arrive.” she finished closing her eyes and smiling.
“OH!” PaperBacks eyes widened in surprise “You didn’t have to do that, Pinkie.” her cheeks turned a light pink as she put a hoof to her chin and turned her head, flattered at the gesture.
“It wasn’t a problem at all.” the pink pony said smiling.
“Well thank you Pinkie for throwing me a farewell party… however I do plan to return in the near future.” PaperBack stated
Pinkie stared at the snow white pegasus, eyes crossed “Oh… well then when you come back I’ll throw you a welcome back party, or an unfarewell party, or a not goodbye party!” she rattled off gasping for air at when the pink mare finished her sentence.
“We should get down there then,” Twilight said closing her eyes and smiling “ We don’t want to keep them waiting.”
“You’re absolutely right dear, let’s get going” PaperBack retorted, smiling along with the lavender alicorn.
The two winged mares started walking down the flawless glass stairs of of the castle, while Pinkie bounced eagerly behind them.
“When will you come back to Ponyville?” Pinkie asked
“I’m not sure, I want to get a rough draft of Twilights biography finished before I return to have her read it.”
“Okie dokie lokie,” the pink maned mare squeaked
The rest of their walk to Sugarcube Corner was surprisingly quiet, given the nature of the bouncing pink pony tagging along behind the other two. Arriving at the bakery Pinkie pushed past PaperBack and Twilight to get to the door first, and open it revealing...
“SURPRISE!!!!” yelled the group of ponies gathered inside the bakery.
PaperBack shot straight into the sky through several layers of cloud before gently floating back down to in front of the doorway to the bakery.
“Good lord, I’ve had my fair share of surprises, but I have to say that is one of the biggest ones I have ever had in my live.” the white pegasus said upon her landing on the ground with a hoof to her chest.
“Sorry ‘bout that sugarcube,” said an orange earth pony “ didn’t mean ta give a fright.”
“Oh, no I thoroughly enjoy having the hell scared out of me, which is why aside from biographies I also write horror novels for a living and I take great pride in doing so.”
“Enough of this jibber-jabber, LET’S PARTY!!!!!” squeaked Pinkie wrapping a hoof around PaperBacks neck and spinning her into the center of the room, as all of the ponies present cheered and began to dance as a needle was dropped on a vinyl record playing music.
Shaking her head to reorient herself PaperBack looked around at all of the ponies in attendance, and couldn’t help but smile and break out into a dance. At this sight other ponies who were dancing took notice stopped to form a circle around the red maned pegasus as she continued to dance her heart out. Making a certain on looking cyan pegasus jealous of her “sick moves,” and couldn’t resist the urge to join her. PaperBack took notice of Rainbow Dash joining her on the dance floor. Dash watched her every move closely, and when she felt comfortable she began to mimic almost every move the writer could dish out. This went on for a good five, ten minutes then exhaustion set in,both pegasi looked at each other panting and shook wings, and were offered glasses of cider to quench the thirst they had worked up during their “dance off.”
PaperBack looked at the rainbow maned pegasus and said “Wow Rainbow you are a really great dancer.”
“Thanks PaperBack. you’re a great dancer too.” she complimented the red maned writer.
“ Ah didn’t know ya could dance RD,” said Applejack
“Everypony knows that Rainbow Dash is the greatest dancer in all of Ponyville.” a bouncing pink mare with a red and white party hat sticking out of her mane.
“Neither did I Applejack,” Rarity said walking up to the group of ponies standing around next to the food and beverage table, “that was a wonderful display.”
“Heh.. Thanks Rarity,” Dash said rubbing the back of her neck with her foreleg.
“Well how about we all get on the dance floor and show off our moves!” squeaked Pinkie
“ Well that sounds like a mighty fahne idea Pinkie.” AppleJack said smiling
They all then proceed to the dance floor where other ponies were taking part in jammin’ out to the sick beats of Vinyl Scratch. Now as I too am at the party I would like to enjoy myself. Thanks you for reading, stick around, because Leather Bound Novel, is not finished telling this story.
A week has now passed since the farewell party for PaperBack, The ponies all going about their daily lives: working of the farm, planning parties, caring for animals… ect. However, within the confines of the castle of the Princess of Friendship, things were not alright.
“Where is it Spike?” the lavender alicorn said, frantically tossing books from their shelves, “I can’t find it anywhere!”
The young purple dragon, also looking for the book Twilight was after looked up from the pile of books he was digging through, “I don’t know Twi, did you leave it in Canterlot when we were there last?”
“Oh I hope I didn’t, I really need that book. PaperBack wanted to borrow it, and I was going to give it to her before she left for Manetana.”
“Well why doesn’t one of us write a letter to Celestia asking if she could check around for it?” Spike asked shrugging his shoulders
“NO Spike!” she shouted, turning around to face him, “Celestia is very busy with other things and probably doesn’t have time to look for a book that may or may not be there.” more books came flying off the shelves they were resting peacefully on.
Her thoughts and frantic searching were interrupted by a loud knocking that echoed through the castle, making Twilight jump at the suddenness of the sound assaulting her ears.
“Now who could that be?” the lavender princess asked out loud releasing the dozens of books levitating above, and around her letting them fall to the floor walking out of her library.
Arriving at the front door to Castle Friendship, wrapping the dors in a faint lavender glow and forcing them open, revealing…
“ TWILIGHT, MY CUTIE MARK IS BLINKING!.” shouted a bouncing pink mare pointing to the three balloons that adorned her flank.
“Huh…” Twilight questioned, her mind still wandering looking for the book she was going to lend PaperBack, “Oh, I didn’t notice.. heh.” turning to look at her own cutie mark too was flashing.
“Well come on y’all let’s see where the map is sending us this time.” a orange earth pony said walking through the gold doors and into the castle.
A blur of rainbow color flashed by Twilight and landed next to the orange earth pony, “Yeah, come on Twilight, I’m itchen’ to kick some tail.” she punched the air to emphasise her point. “TO THE MAP ROOM!” shouted Pinkie pointing a hoof in the general direction of the map in question.
“Wait where’s Fluttershy and Rarity?” she asked looking back to four of her friends that were already there, “We can’t go anywhere without them.”
“I am right behind you darling” said the white unicorn
The startled alicorn whipped around to look her friend, “ Well that answers where one of you is, now all we need is Fluttershy. Anypony know where she could be?” she asked hoping one of them would know the answer.
“Well is it Tuesday, isn’t it?” Asked Rainbow Dash, now hovering in the air.
“I think so,” Twilight said putting a hoof to her chin recalling if today was actually was Tuesday, “Yes I believe it is” she finished nodding in confirmation.
“Then she is prb’ly havin’ tea with Discord right ‘bout now, rahght?” asked Applejack
“Well, somepony should go to her cottage and see if she is there.” said the hovering rainbow maned pegasus.
A flash of pink and a gust of wind accompanied the end of Dashes statement.
Twilight just stood, and blinked, “Well I guess Pinkie is going to see if she is there. While we are waiting on them to get here why don’t we go and see where the map is sending us this time?” smiling at her friends, who were present.
“That sounds like a mighty fine idea.” said Applejack, returning Twilights smile.
Closing the doors Twilight and the others made their way down the hallway to the room that held the map of all of Equestria. Each of the ponies present, so far, seated themselves in their chairs surrounding it.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“... and then my right paw brought me back a stick instead of my left leg hahahaha.”
“Hehehe. Oh Discord that has to be the funniest story I have heard yet.” the light yellow mare said sipping her tea from her purple tea cup she balanced in her hooves.
“Yes I must say it was rather amusing to be apart of the antics my paw got into.” Discord said waving his eagle arm around in the air, “I was just lucky enough to I didn’t--”
Discord was cut off by the door suddenly bursting open and a pink mare standing in the center of the room panting.
Fluttershy peeking out from behind the chair she was sitting in, with her hooves covering her eyes, and timidly said, “Rainbow, I said not to practice your tricks near my house.” slowly uncovering her eyes to see if in fact it was Rainbow Dash who had crashed into her house again only to find Pinkie Pie standing in her living room,” Oh, I’m sorry Pinkie, I thought you were Rainbow Dash.”
“Nope, I’m just Pinkie” squeaked the pink party pony “ Have you looked at your cutie mark lately?”
The shy pegasus looked at Pinkie curiously cocking her head to the side “No, I haven’t, should I be?” she said turning to look at the three small, pink butterflies that adorned her light yellow flank, “Oh my” was all she could say before she was grabbed by Pinkie and tossed over back.
“Sorry Discord but-- yip” was all Fluttershy could say before the pink pony she was on started running to Castle Friendship.
Discord stared blankly trying to come to terms with what he has just seen.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Where’s Pinkie? She should be back by now, hopefully with Fluttershy.” Twilight said looking down at her hooves.
“Ah’m sure they’re on their way.;” Applejack reassured her
As soon as she said that the doors burst open, a pink pony trotting in with a light yellow pegasus on her back.
“There you guys are, where have you been Fluttershy?” asked a rainbow maned pegasus
Dismounting Pinkie she turned to Dash, “I was having tea with Discord, like I do every Tuesday.”
“Oh… I didn’t mean to interrupt your time with Discord, but this is important. Have you looked at your cutie mark at all today?” Twilight said to the timid pegasus.
Fluttershy looked at the lavender alicorn through her light pink mane that hid one of her beautiful light blue eyes, “....Well…. No I haven’t” she turned to look at the three pink butterflies on her flank “ Oh.. my”
Twilight waved her hoof dismissively and smiled, “Well you’re here now and that is all that matters.”
Now that the Princess of Friendship and her friends were gathered around the map, all now sitting in their respective chairs, their cutie marks still flashing. Holograms of said cutie marks flew from their flanks floating above it, Twilights in the center with her friends marks circling hers as they floated down the surface and hovered above an unknown location. The topography of the location was a bowl, with mountains on all sides. And right smack up against one side of the valley was a town, about three times the size of Ponyville.
“Where in Equestria is that place?” asked Rainbow Dash pointing a hoof to the mountain surrounded town. All of the ponies present looked at one another, with puzzled looks on their faces, hoping somepony would know the answer.
After a long silence Twilight was the first to shatter it, “I don’t know, maybe it’s--”
“Oh, Ah know that place!” Applejack interrupted waving a hoof to get their attention, and scaring Fluttershy right out of her chair.
“Well then tell us, darling, what is that place?” Rarity asked
The farm pony felt the entire room look at her, “It’s Bozemane, Manetana.” she said matter-of-factly. The ponies seated around the map looked at her confused, her happy expression soon turned to one of annoyance, at her friends forgetting they all knew a pegasus that lived there.
“Where PaperBack is from!” squeaked Pinkie, smiling with her eyes closed.
“Oh.. that’s where she said she was from?” asked Dash
Everypony looked at her in shock that she didn’t already know this information.
“Really RD, ya didn’t hear her talk for hours about how much she missed her hometown, and that she was going there after her visit was done here?” Applejacks voice heavy with sarcasm.
Twilight raised a hoof hushing her friends, “Well now that we know where we’re going let’s get ready for our journey. I’ll write to Princess Celestia, and tell her where we are going, incase she should need me and wonder where I am.” With that said the princess of Friendship jumped down from her chair and started her preparations for their journey.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Applejack was trotting into her family's farmhouse, after her and her friends had gone to gather things they would need for their journey west to Bozemane.
“Hey Applejack,” her little sister squeaked upon her entering their humble abode,” where ya been?”
Applejack looked at her little sister and said, “Ah’ve been with Twilight an’ the girls. The fancy map in her castle has the ability to make our cutie marks flash ‘er somethin’ like that, and it shows us where someponies may need friendship an’ whatnot.” she said smiling at her.
Apple Bloom looked up at her big sister, eyes as big as dinner plates with wonder, “Wow, where y’all goin’?”she asked quickly, not wasting a second.
“Bozemane.” AJ said matter-of-factly.
Apple Bloom cocked her head to the side and said, “Bozemane? Where in Equestria is that?”
“Manetana” AJ said with a small nod.
“Oh...Okay!” Apple Bloom quipped and then promptly ran out of the door Applejack had come in moments ago.
Applejack just smiled after her little sister, and walked upstairs to her room to get her saddlebags and a few essential items that she would need.
Not long after she had arrived at her home she had the things she thought she would need for their trip. Such things included a mane brush, spare mane ties, a good book or two and many other miscellaneous items needed for travel by train. She descended to the main floor of her house and said goodbye to Granny Smith, and Big Mac, telling them she would be back soon. Opening the front door she was surprised to see a certain cyan pegasus standing on the other side.
“Hi ya Rainbow,” the farm mare said upon laying her beautiful emerald eyes on her, “What are y’all doin’ here, I thought we were supposed to meet at Twilights as soon as we were ready?” she gave Rainbow a curious look.
“Yeah, we are, but I figured I would fly over here and walk with you back to Twi’s.” She said. “Well that’s mighty nice of ya,” said AJ a small smile cracking her face.
Rainbow looked around the front porch avoiding eye contact with the orange mare, “ Sooo, shall we get going?” she asked at last.
“Yeah Ah reckon so,” she said and closed the door behind her.
Once they were out of earshot of the farm house, Applejacks eyes wandered all over, from the clouds above her, to the trees she loved and cared for so much before finally landing on the flank the rainbow maned pony in front of her.
‘Man Ah never noticed Rainbows flank before, Ah mean Ah know she’s an athlete an’ all but, Ah mean somepony musta noticed by now. just look at her tail bounce. Wait a second Rainbow Dash is mah best friend... Ah've known her fer years. Ah can't have feelin's fer her plus she's a mare. Git yer mind outta gutter Applejack sa matter with ya?’
Her thoughts were interrupted when the pony, who’s flank she was admiring, turned around.
“Uh… AJ watcha staring at?” asked Rainbow
Shaking her head to clear it from the fog Rainbow’s falank had cast upon it.
“Uh… Nothin’” she said quickly averting her gaze away from Rainbows general vicinity.
She glared at the farmer, “Oh no, you were lookin’ at something, and I wanna know what it was.” the cyan pegasus could tell that she was lying, which everypony knew AJ wasn’t the greatest at.
“Fahne, Ah was starin’ at yer cutie mark.” she confessed, which wasn’t a total lie.
“Can I ask why, you’ve seen, like, a million times. What makes so interesting this time?”
Aj blinked nervously, but managed to say, “Ah how it’s lightningbolt shaped, ‘cause it reminds me of thunder, and rain, and Ah just love the smell of rain.” she finished grinning sheepishly.
“I know, right, isn’t the smell of rain awesome? Heck it’s almost as awesome as me!” she said putting a hoof to her chest, closing her eyes and pridefully raising her head.
Applejack just rolled her eyes, and started walking past the beaming pegasus, “If yer done feedin’ yer ego? We have a train ta catch.”
Rainbow Dash opened her eyes, and lowered her hoof, “Right, let’s get moving then.” and together they walked to the rest of the way o the train station in silence.
Arriving at the station they meet up with their other friends and together they all boarded the train, having an entire car just for the six of them… oh and Spike. Once they were all settled in their seats, their saddlebags safely stowed under them, the train lot out a long whistle, and the conductor yelled loud enough to be heard over the whistle, “AAAALLLLLL AAAAAABOOOOAAARRD!” And a few seconds later the train shifted forward, along with its contents,and passengers, slowly gaining speed as it left the Ponyville station heading to faraway lands,and unknown destinations.
In the wee morning hours for their train was pulling into the Bozemane station. The conductor pony shouted into their car “BOZEMANE STATION!” startled at the suddenness of the wake up call Rarity, Fluttershy and Twilight jumped right out out of their seats.
“Do you think he could have yelled any louder?” asked the lavender alicorn, getting up off the floor of the car rubbing her cheek with a hoof.
“Ah’m sure he could, sugarcube,” answered Applejack, standing up from her seat and putting on her stetson hat.
Once they all had gathered their saddlebags, and other things they had lying about, they headed for the door leading to the platform. The doors opened and a cool gust of fresh mountain air filled their nostrils. Stepping off onto the platform they saw hardly anypony, except the three that boarded after they exited. The conductor shouted “AAAAALLLL AAAAABBBOOARD!” and the train took off, slowly gaining speed. Once the train left the station the six friends were left in relative silence the only sound was a creek off in the distance.
“Well isn’t this just a lovely place.” said Rarity brushing her mane out of her face.
“Yes, and the view isn’t bad either.” Fluttershy said gently, pointing a hoof at the mountains surrounding the town.
‘Yeah,” squeaked the bouncing pink mare that was Pinkie Pie, “It feels a lot like Ponyville!” she finished walking around the station to where the rest of Bozemane came into view. The town was seated right smack up against the the bowl that the surrounding mountains made.
GGGRRRROOOOOOOOWWWWWLLLLL
Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash turned around and looked at the bounding pink pony, inquisitive looks on their faces.
Pinkie looked back at them sheepishly, “Whaaaat, I’m, hungry!”
“Well then let’s find a cafe or a bakery, if they are even open at this hour.” Twilight agreed. and they walked down the stairs leading to the street and started looking for a bakery to grab a bite to eat.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Man, those muffins were ta die fer,” said Applejack “,Ah think they may rival yer's Pinkie.” she looked back smiling at the pink mare.
“Yes I agree they were absolutely divine,” Rarity agreed
“Yeah, and it was really nice of them to give us some for later.” a light yellow pegasus said lightly.
“HEY, LOOK OVER THERE!,” shouted a rainbow maned pony, making Fluttershy jump and hide behind the closest pony she could find.
“Uh… sugarcube ya mind lettin’ go of mah hind end.” Applejack asked Fluttershy who blushed furiously, let go and backed away.
“Sorry,” she said hiding her face behind her light pink mane.
Applejack gave her a soft smile, “ It’s fahne, sugarcube.”
“What is it, darling?” asked Rarity
Rainbow pointed a cyan hoof at a red maned, snow white pegasus, sporting a sand colored fedora with a black band wrapped around where the brim meets the rest of the hat, walking out of a cafe three blocks down the street from where the bakery they were standing in front of.
Before anypony could say, or do anything a gust of wind and a streak of rainbow color fly by them right up to the pegasus.
“HI, PaperBack!” she said landing just off to the side of her.
PaperBack jumped in surprise at the sudden friendly greeting and turned to meet the gaze from the cyan mare next to her.
“Oh… Well hi Rainbow Dash.” she said, realizing who it was that said her, “What are you--,” Before she could finish the rest of her question,the ponies Dash walked up to see who she was talking to.
“Hi ya PaperBack.” Applejack said smiling at the writer pegasus.
“Well isn’t this a pleasant surprise.” PaperBack said closing her eyes and smiling at them, “What are you all doing here?”
“Weeelllll there`s this--ouch,” Pinkie started to say, but received a hoof to the shoulder from Twilight.
“Well we heard you say you were from here, and we all wanted to spend some time together. So we thought we would take a trip here for a visit and to see you, if we ran into you.” she said happily.
“Alright, why don’t y’all follow me and I’ll show you around Bozemane.” PaperBack said cheerfully, “But first I have to go and see my husband, then we’ll get started.”
They all walked down the street to a tall, fat looking building. A fenced in patio taking up most of the front, and a good portion of the sidewalk. The sign out front read ‘Welcome to the Andromeda Steak House. Walking inside the first thing they all noticed was the ceiling, hoof painted to look like the Andromeda galaxy, according to PaperBack.
“Honey!” she said as soon at the door closed behind her.
“Yeeees,” said the disembodied voice of a stallion from further in the restaurant, then the loud metallic sound of a pan being dropped, “MOTHER OF LUNA!” he yelled “, NOPONY MOVE! PaperBack would you bring me a mop from the bar... and some burn cream. Please?”
“Of course dear,” she said quickly going to a closet that was behind a beautiful polished black marble bar. Once she had the mop inhoof she walked through the set of double doors that separated the dining room and bar from the kitchen.
“Thank you honey,” the stallion said
“Now after all of that cleaned up, maybe you can take a few minutes to treat your burns, and meet a few of my friends from Ponyville?” she asked walking out of the kitchen to see her friends still standing near the bar “Why don’t you all take a seat, this will take just a second.”
The six friends sat at a long table, able to seat fourteen, and waited for paperBack and her husband to finish cleaning the mess he had made.
They didn’t have to wait long before the squeak of door hinges grabbed their attention. Turning their heads to see who had made the doors move was PaperBack accompanied by a rusty red unicorn stallion, whose caramel colored mane,styled much like Rainbows, was kept within the confines of a black and white checkered fedora, which he had removed upon entering the dining room. A cutie mark of a skillet of some sort adorned his flank.
“There now that that is done with, everypony this is my husband, Cast Iron Skillet, he own this restaurant and he also own The Milky Way Cafe in Ponyville, and several other places here in Bozemane.” said the snow pegasus as the two of them sat down at the table. “And Cast Iron these are the ponies I had the great pleasure of getting to know while I was in Ponyville writing Princess Twilights biography, that’s here there.” she said pointing a hoof at the lavender alicorn, “ and these are her friends Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash.”
The Rusty unicorn nodded as they were each introduced, “ It’s great to finally meet and put faces to the ponies my wife has not stopped talking about since she’s been home.” he ended with a smile.
“It’s great to meet you,too Cast Iron.” Twilight said smiling as well.
“You own The Milky Way Cafe?” a bouncing pink mare asked
“Yes indeed I do, Pinkie I also own the PaperBack Bakery that is across from the train station.”
They all looked at each other shocked that the very pony who owned the bakery they were, in earlier this morning, and that owned the cafe in Ponyville was sitting in front of them enjoying their company.
Cast Iron looked down at the table in front of him and sighed, “I just wish you had come at a better time.”
“Hush dear,” Paperback said punching her him with her hoof, “that does not concern them, they will find it soon enough.” she looked back to the group of friends sitting before her. Their heads tilted to the side in confusion.
Applejack was the first to break the silence that ensued after PaperBack had finished speaking, “What’s happened? has somethin’ gone missin’?”
PaperBack looked at the orange farm pony and sighed, “Yes, something has. I don’t know if you are familiar with ‘Our Mare of the Rockies’?” she asked
They all shook their heads, not even Twilight, knew who, or what Our Mare of the Rockies was.
“Well about five years ago Our Mare of the Rockies was moved from Butte to here because Butte long ago was a mining town and the Berkeley pit, which was a copper mine years ago, finally overflowed. Washing major parts of the town away and leaving the rest unfit for ponies to live on. and so the governor had the statue to here as well as most of the residents from Butte. Now somepony had gone and stolen it. I can’t see how given that the statute is ninety feet tall and made of over four hundred tons of concrete.” PaperBack said waving a hoof to emphasise her point.
“How long has it been missing?” Twilight asked
PaperBack and Cast Iron looked at each other trying to recall when they had heard the news.
Cast Iron was the first to speak, “ I guess she disappeared around the time PaperBack left for Ponyville. Which was what,” he looked at his snow white wife, “ about a month ago.” she nodded in agreement.
“Well then girls,” said the lavender princess, “ I say we look for the statute as well.” she turned back to the adorable couple in front of them, “ Do the police police ponies have and leads of where she might be?”
The couple looked at eachother, hooves to their chins in thought, “ I heard somepony say that they thought they saw the floating away toward Saddle Peak,” said the rusty colored stallion, “I’ve been all around that area, in my younger years, however I do vaguely remember there being a cave somewhere out there. I just happened to stumble upon it one day, and when I went back to try and find it again, I couldn’t.” he looked down at his hooves seaming defeated that he couldn;t be of more use to the Princess of Friendship and her friends.
“I would suggest you get a map of the area before y’all head out --”
PaperBack interrupted her husband, “ I would also wait until tomorrow, because it looks like the weather team is gathering a storm together. If there is one thing I know, it;s not to be caught in a Manetana storm.”
“Well, if that’s the case y’all are more then welcome to stay with us, we have more then enough room for everypony, and anypony that is a friend of Paperbacks is a friend of mine.” the couple held a hoof from the other and smiled at the group of friends.
“Well that’s mighty nice o’ ya.” Applejack smiled
“Yeah we really appreciate your hospitality.” Twilight joined Applejack in smiling
Cast Iron perked up, “How would you all like to have dinner here tonight? On me.” he said cheerfully.
The six mares looked at each other, they had only been in a restaurant like this once before. They all nodded in unison. The chef pony practically jumped with joy, “ Fantastic! You will be the first princess to have eaten here, I’ve been trying to get the other princesses to come here for years. Any way Paperback why don’t you give our friends, here, a tour of the town.”
PaperBack smiled at him, “Of course dear!”
“And be back around six-ish.” he said as he walked back into the kitchen, and cracked his hypothetical whip at the other ponies that were back there.
Turning to the group PaperBack stood and started for the door, “ We’ll stop by the house first, so y’all can drop off your saddlebags and then I’ll take you downtown.”
They all stood and followed her out into the now cloudy street of Bozemane.
Walking down main street of Bozemane six of the mares were moving their heads left to right as PaperBack pointed out various landmarks and points of interest.
“...And those buildings over there are the dorms for Manetana University, and just beyond that in the Museum of The Rockies, and ov--” she was cut off by a certain lavender alicorn.
“Museum!” Twilight said fluffing her wings with delight, “There’s a museum here? Can we--”
“Twilight,” interrupted a orange farm pony, “We are here to find a statue. Not go galavantin’ around in a museum.”
She gave the mare a look of disappointment, then she nodded, “ You are right Applejack. We can go after we find the statue.”
A rumble of thunder rolled genitally into their ears, and well into the ears of the other ponies walking past them.
They all looked to the sky as PaperBack piped up and said, “We should get moving, trust me when I say you don’t wanna get caught in a Manetana thunderstorm.”
They all happily followed the snow white pegasus away from the university, not before Rarity took a few seconds to pull a tasteful looking rain coat out of her saddlebags and put it on. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were the only ones who saw the unicorn don her rain protection.
Continuing to follow PaperBack, they came upon what they assumed was her and Cast Iron Skillets home. Their home was a wondrous piece of architecture it looked like it should be floating in the skies above Bozemane, but it also had an air of royalty about it, like the buildings in Canterlot had. The three floors of the smashed architecture style house towered above them, and on the left side of the house was a tower that stood taller than the rest of the house, only by a little but still noticeably taller. The outside of the house was cloud white, the roof was red, much like PaperBacks mane, as well as the shutters that adorned the windows.
Paperback looked back to see all of the ponies with their jaws wide open. She let out a small chuckle,“ Welcome to our humble abode,” she said opening the red door revealing a wide spiral staircase leading to the upper floors of the house.
“This is a real nice house ya got here PaperBack.” Applejack said
“Thank you Applejack, Cast and I have very similar tastes when it came to the inside, however the outside is where we had to compromise.” she said, smiling as the thought of her husband crossed her mind, “ Now I’ll show you all to your rooms, right this--,”
“You have rooms for all of us?” asked Twilight, interrupted
“Of course we do, both of us come from big families. Follow me upstairs and I’ll tell you along the way.” PaperBack started to climb the stairs as she continued her story, “Like I said Cast Iron and I come from big families this was a problem when we were dating, and when we got engaged because members from both of our families would visit at the same time and many of them had to stay in a hotel. That did not make for a very happy Cast Iron, but he managed to suffer through it for a few years, while the restaurant was being built. About two years after it was finished he had drawn the first plan for our house. Even though he isn’t much of an engineer, or architect but he took his drawing to Jackson and Colt and they looked at him and offered him a partnership, he respectfully declined, weather he had accepted the offer to work for them they offered to fund the construction of our house, which he happily accepted, and ever since then Cast Iron had used Jackson and Colt, to design and build all of his businesses, including the cafe in Ponyville.”
“How many rooms does your house have?” asked Twilight looking down from to the first floor from the second.
PaperBack took a second to think as she put a hoof to her chin, “Seven bedrooms.” she said, “Not including the master room, and the two in the basement. So I guess we have ten… Bedrooms that is. Now which three of you want to be here?” she asked
“But are not there four rooms on this level?” asked Rarity
PaperBack nodded, “There are, but Cast likes to have one always ready for his mother.”
The other ponies looked at her curiously
“She’s a traveling nurse” she said, and they all nodded
“I would like to be as low to the ground as possible.” Rarity said, “I have a fear of heights.” she finished sheepishly
“I’ll stay down here too” said Fluttershy quietly
“I CALL THIS ROOM!” Pinkie said, bouncing on the bed tossing the pillows all over the place.
“Alright then,” PaperBack said smiling at the bouncing pink mare, “That leaves you three on the third floor. follow me.” and they followed her up the stairs. “Here we are, go ahead and pick a room, Now when you are all settled it go ahead and go down stairs and we’ll head for the steak house.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Applejack said smiling at their gracious host
“I call that room!” shouted a certain rainbow maned pegasus right into the ear of the orange pony next to her.
She punched the pegasus in the foreleg, “Was yellin’ in my ear really necessary RD?” she asked glaring at her friend.
Rainbow Dash gave her a shrug and glided over to the room diagonal to the staircase and opened to door to the room, “Awww, man” she said upon opening the door to the room she had so adamantly called. Twilight looked at the now distraught pegasus, “What’s wrong Rainbow Dash?” she asked as Applejack erupted into laughter
“ Just look” she said pointing a hoof into the room and covering her eyes with the other
The lavender alicorn looked into the room in question, and looked back at Dash with an eyebrow raised, “ What’s wrong with it?” she asked
“Are for real, the room is pink.” Rainbow huffed
“Really,” Twilight looked at the cyan pegasus, “ you’re making a big deal out of the color of the room.”
“Well… yeah” she said
“Oh fer Celestias sake!” Applejack said now thoroughly annoyed with her pegasus friend, “ If yer that upset with the color of the room you can take the one Ah was going to take.”
Rainbow looked at the farmer pony taken aback, “ No AJ it’s fine I guess I can deal with the color, I mean we aren’t going to be here for that long are we?” she looked to Twilight for confirmation.
“I don’t know Rainbow we could be here for a day or two, or longer. It just depends on how long it takes to find the statue.” the lavender alicorn said, confirming the pegasus`s suspicions.
“Hay, you ponies all settled in it’s five o’clock we are supposed to be at the restaurant in an hour!” shouted PaperBack from the bottom of the spiral staircase.
“Yeah guys hurry up!” Pinkie’s voice followed PaperBacks into their ears.
“We’ll be right down, just give us a second.” Twilight answered then turned and walked into her own room and put her saddlebags on the bed, the same went for Applejack and Rainbow Dash, then descended the stairs to join the others and start heading to the restaurant.
“Alright are we all ready?” asked their host, looking to see that everypony was there, “Before we go does anypony have to use the bathroom?” they all shook their heads, “Alright then let’s get to gettin’.”
When they left PaperBacks house there was a light rain gently wetting their coats, with the exception of Rarity being the only one with a rain coat.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Rounding the corner and coming muzzle to muzzle with the storefront of The Andromeda Steak House. Outside the front doors was a large group of ponie. As soon as Twilight, PaperBack and the others were close enough to the door somepony shouted
“Hey look it's Princess Twilight!” she said and the ponies around her turned to catch a glimpse of the lavender alicorn.
Twilight smiled and blushed at the crowd of ponies standing outside the restaurant awaiting entry. All she could do was give a quick wave before she was rushed inside by her friends. The inside of the restaurant was completely quiet, save the rather epic music emanating from the speakers hidden in the ceiling.
Cast Iron Skillet stood to greet them upon their arrival as well as the majority of his staff, “ Welcome Princess Twilight to The Andromeda Steak House,” he said getting to one knee
“Oh no please stand and don’t bow. I don’t like it when ponies bow before me.” she said.
“Oh… Okay. This is Five Star,” he said as a sapphire blue unicorn stallion with a sap green mane flecked with snow white here and there, wearing a white bowtie stepped forward and stood next to the rusty red chef pony.
“It’s an absolute pleasure to meet you Princess Twilight, and your friends as well.” he said sounding excited to be apart of the action.
“Well it’s a pleasure to meet you too, Five Star.” she smiled at the waiter pony
“If you all will follow me this way I’ll show you to your table.”
After they were stated at their table and Five Star had taken their drink orders Cast Iron allowed the waiting ponies standing outside to come in and be seated, many of them saying hello to Twilight and her friends as they passed by her table.
Not long after they received their beverages their food arrived, though Five Star had not taken their orders. Out of the kitchen came a platter of steamed carrots covered in butter and brown sugar, as well as a plate of what looked like apples, from Applejack could see “ Here is a little something to start you all off with tonight.” he said as he levitated the platter into the middle of the table, making sure that the seven ponies could all reach it with ease, “ First we have our homegrown steamed carrots smothered in a brown sugar butter sauce with a hint of red pepper flakes and to compliment that we have sauteed apples and onions topped with a caramel drizzle and oats for some added texture.”
“Thank you Five Star.” PaperBack said motioning to the others to dig right in.
“ Enjoy.” he said and trotted off to another table
“OHMYGOSH OHMYGOSH OHMYGOSH OHMYGOSH OHMYGOSH!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash biting into a carrot,” This is the best thing I have ever eaten!”
“I have to agree these carrots are absolutely divine, darling.” Rarity commented
“They sure are, and the apples are really good too.” Applejack said swallowing the fruit in question.
“Well,” PaperBack said smiling at the fact that they all were enjoying the food her husband took such great care in preparing, “ I am just tickled that you all are loving the appetizers.”
Applejack looked at the white pegasus slightly confused, “ Wait this is just the first course?” she asked
“Yes it is, Applejack.” PaperBack answered her
Once they were finished with the appetizers, and the plates were taken back into the kitchen, Five Star came back to their table with lemon sherbert, “to clean your palate.” Paperback said to all but Rarity, who was familiar with multi course meals.
The next course to arrive at their table was a daisy and daylily salad topped with the Cast Irons dressing of choice the house made ranch. After that was another round of sherbert, vanilla flavor.
While waiting for the main course Five Star filled everyponies drink. Not long after which the main course arrived at their table served on a gleaming silver platter.
“And now for the main course.” he said placing the platter on the table, “Tonight Cast Iron has prepared for you a prime hay ribeye roast seasoned with only salt and pepper.” they all ood and odd at the platter sitting before them, “ Enjoy.”
“That looks wonderful,” Rarity commented staring at the platter greedly, “ I do hope Cast Iron will be joining us at some point.”
“He will,” PaperBack assured her,” He would never give up the chance to have dinner with a princess.” Twilight blushed at the comment.
They were almost finished with the main course when Cast Iron and Five Star sat down at the table.
PaperBack gave him a peck on the cheek, “ Glad you could finally join dear,”
He removed his fedora and wiped the sweat from his brow, “Yeah me too, I thought I would never be able to join you guys, but I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”
He then helped himself to what remained of the roast and joined in the conversation they were engaged in.
“--and I said to him ‘well I have the heart of a lion and a ban from my local zoo.” Five Star said and the whole table erupted into laughter, as well as a few surrounding tables who heard the story.
“Ahh. stallion I love that story,” Cast Iron said clutching one of his sides, “ it gets better and better every time I hear it. Well are you all ready for dessert?” he asked looking around the table, to which they all nodded their heads, “ Fantastic, Five Star, give me a hoof?”
Five Star stood and followed Cast Iron, “Sure”
“I wonder what dessert is?” asked Twilight
“I hope it will be as divine as the rest of it was.” Rarity commented
The two stallions came out ten minutes later bearing nine plates held in the glow of their magic. On the plate was a piece of cake, from what they could tell as the plates levitated their way into the front of the ponies gathered around the table.
Once all of the plates were in front of everypony Cast Iron proceeded to say what it was, “ For dessert tonight we have our homemade apple cake topped with our house made salted caramel and chocolate sauces , and served with local made vanilla oat swirl ice cream.”
They all looked at the cake before them and dug right in, muffled moans of delight could be heard as they devoured their cake.
“My that cake was marvelous darling.” Rarity said leaning back in her chair
“Yeah, Ah might have ta borrow yer recipe.” Applejack chuckled
“Well I’m glad you all liked the cake.” Cast Iron said smiling
“Well dear I think we’ll head home and let you close up.” PaperBack
Cast Iron looked at his winged wife and smiled, “Alright honey I’ll see you at home. Y’all be safe going home.” he gave PaperBack a kiss on the cheek and disappeared into the kitchen.
Twilight and the others got up from their chairs, thanked Five Star for such great service and walked through the mostly empty dining room and out into the rain soaked street.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Reaching the front door to the house PaperBack opened the door letting the everypony else go in ahead of her. All of them, save Rarity, was soaked to the bone.
“Y’all wait here, I’ll go and get some towels.” she said once they were all inside and she headed off to the bathroom.
“So what did all of you think of dinner?” asked Twilight looking at her rain soaked friends.
“Ah thought it was great. Ah really enjoyed that apple cake.” Applejack said
“Yeah,” squeaked Pinkie, “ That cake was to die for!”
Rarity while taking off her rain coat said, “I have to say that hay roast was the best I’ve ever had, so tender and juicy.”
“I enjoyed the steamed carrots and apples, myself.” came the quiet voice of Fluttershy
“Yeah I agree with Fluttershy, the carrots and the apples were fantastic, and so was the roast, it’s even better than my dad’s hay roast.” exclaimed Rainbow Dash now hovering in the air.
With that the door opened behind them, “ Glad to hear you all enjoyed the food and yourselves,” said a drenched Cast Iron closing the door behind him.
“Oh honey you’re home...that was fast.”
“Sautee and Dutch oven told me to go home and that they could handle closing.”
“Well that was offley nice of them.” she said walking over and planting a kiss on her husband's cheek.
Cast Iron looked at the clock that hung from the wall above the door, “ Wow, ten o’clock already… where does the time go?”
“I have no idea dear.” Paperback answered, “ Well everypony we are going to turn in for the evening. Good night all.” she said before going to the living room and turning to the left and disappearing into the darkness of her room Cast Iron followed her after he bid the six friends the same.
They all began to climb the spiral staircase that lead to the room that they would be using while they would be staying there. Rarity, Pinkie and Fluttershy each took to their room on the second floor of the Skillet house while Applejack, Twilight and Rainbow Dash continued to the third after bidding their friends good night.
Twilight yawned, “Well good night girls and,...ahhhhI’ll see you in the morning.” and she took to her room and closed the door.
Applejack turned to her rainbow maned friend, “ Well g’night RD, see ya in th--” a clap of thunder cut her off.
Rainbow jumped and let out a little squeal then landing on the floor covering herself with her wings.
Applejack looked at her friend cowering on the floor. she raised an eyebrow and asked, “Uh… RD everythin’ alright?” she put a hoof on her shoulder.
Dash opened one magenta eye and pointed it at Applejack, “Uh… yeah I’m alright.” she said slowly regaining her fearless demeanor, “ ...Hey AJ... “
“Yeah sugarcube?”
Dash looked down at her hooves, as if she were ashamed of what she was going to say, “Could... I sleep... in ...your room tonight?” she asked sheepishly rubbing her hooves together.
AJ’s eye widened in surprise that her normally reckless and fearless friend was scared of something, though she didn’t know what, “ Don’t tell me yer afraid o’ a lil’ lightnin’ and thunder! ‘Casue I know fer a fact that ya love makin’ thunderstorms in Ponyville.”
“I do love doing that… But this is different lightning and different thunder then what I’m used to dealing with in in Ponyville. This lightning feels like it has more power to it.” she said shielding herself from another clap of thunder.
“Alright y’all can sleep in my oof--,” was all she could say before being tackled into a hug by Rainbow
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” RD squealed wrapping her hooves around her farmer friend, "Just don't tell anypony I'm scared of a little lightning, okay?"
The farmer mare smiled, returning the embrace, “Sure RD...Now would ya mind lettin’ go o’ me?”
“Oh right... heh... sorry.” she said as she followed AJ into her room.
“Alright now I don’t mind sharing the same bed and all. Just so long as you stay or yer side of it. Got it?” AJ asked as she rolled down the top blanket and sheet getting ready to get in it.
“Got it.” RD said doing the same to her side of the bed.
Applejack removed her stetson hat from her head, placing it on the nightstand next to her, “ Alright then, G’night RD.”
Dash smiled and looked at her orange friend, “Good night AJ.” she said then rolled over and fell asleep.
Rainbow Dash woke up to the sound of thunder that sounded louder than it should have been. She looked over the foot of the bed to see that one of the four windows was in fact open about a hoof wide, letting the smell of fresh mountain rain permeate the room.
‘Huh, AJ must’ve open the window.’ RD thought to herself gently tossing the covers off her, so as to not wake the mare sleeping next to her. She tiphooved over to the window and closed it to half of what it was before.
She stared out the window at the inky blackness of the rainy night, the occasional flash of lightning lighting up its surrounding, if only for a moment. A shiver ran down her spine the fear of unfamiliar lightning still present. Eyes focused, on every bolt striking the ground, studying them, trying to learn what frightened her about it.
‘Is it because it’s not mine. or what?,’ she asked herself, ‘I don’t know but this lighting it feels like it has a lot more power. But all of the weather for all of Equestria comes from Cloudsdale...Right?,’ a hoof touched her shoulder making her jump, and almost yell as she turned to see who it was.
“You alright, sugarcube?” asked Applejack.
Rainbow looked at the silhouette of the farm mare, then back to the window, “ Yeah…,” was all she wanted to say
Applejack, too, looked at the pegasus’s silhouette and shook her head, “ Rainbow, ya don’t have ta lie ta me. Ah can tell when somethin’s wrong… care ta share?” she gave a small smile.
Rainbow continued to stare out the window, “... Well it’s the lightning…,” she said turning to about where AJ was sitting.
AJ looked at her friend slightly confused, “Ya mean ta tell me that you, a pegasus, is scared of a li’l lightnin’?” she asked
“... Well no… But there’s something different about this lightning. I don’t know what, but it feels different, I don’t know what other word to use other than different.” she turned back to the window just in time to see three flashes of lightning and cringe at the claps of thunder that followed.
“Well, sugarcube, Ah don’t know what ta say. Ah’m just an earth pony.” she said pulling her frightened friend into a warm hug.
Rainbow didn’t know what to do, at first, but soon melted into the embrace.
A small barely audible knock on the door interrupted the tender moment. They both let go of one another and Applejack walked over to the door, opening it quietly.
“...Um… Rainbow Dash, could I talk to you?” asked the faint timid voice of Fluttershy
Applejack invited the light yellow pegasus in as Rainbow walked over to her tearing herself away from the window, “Yeah, “ she said upon reaching her friend, “what’s up?”
“Um… well… it’s the-- eep,” she started to say but another clap of thunder interrupted her, she melted into the floor cowering behind her hooves and wings.
Rainbow whent to lay next to her frightened friend, “ You’re scared of the lightning too, huh?” she asked putting a hoof around her.
Fluttershy simply nodded slowly in response as Applejack joined them on the floor, comforting her as well.
“Wow this lightnin’ must be somethin’ fierce for you to be scared of it, Fluttershy.” AJ commented
Fluttershy looked her in the eyes, “Well all pegasi are taught the ins and outs of weather, even if some of us don’t go into a weather career.” she said with a nod of confirmation from Rainbow.
Applejack looked at them both and asked, “Do ya think this strange weather might have somethin’ to do with that missin’ statue?”
Rainbow blinded and stared at her, “ I never thought about that.”
Applejack looked at her and smiled.
“I think the storm has stopped!” said Fluttershy as she stood and walked over to the window, the others followed.
“Yeah, Ah think yer right Fluttershy.” Applejack said not seeing a single flash of lightning, nor the sound of thunder that would accompany it.
“I can still feel the static electricity from the clouds.” the rainbow maned mare said looking off into the darkness.
“Ah wouldn’t worry about it so much, sugarcube. If the storm’s past then it’s past.”
Rainbow sighed tearing her eyes away from the night drenched window making eye contact with the earth mare falling deep into the emeralds nestled within their sockets, a small smile crept across her face.
“WOW!!! AJ has really pretty eyes even in the dark, I never noticed them before.”
A light pink color rose up onto Applejacks orange cheeks as her friend stared into her eyes, “Uh...RD? Are you okay?” she asked, but she continued to received nothing but a blank stare. “Um Rainbow Dash, are you okay?” Fluttershy asked waving a hoof in front of her face.
She shook her head coming back to Equestria from the depths of Applejacks eyes, “Uh… yeah I’m fine,” she answered quickly looking in another direction that Applejack wasn’t.
“Oh...okay then.” the light yellow pegasus replied then turned to AJ, “Well I’m going to go back to bed, now that the storm had passed. Good night Applejack and,” she turned to RD, “ good night Rainbow.” then she left the room quietly, after receiving a ‘good night’ from the two mares, closing the door behind her.
Applejack continued to give Rainbow Dash an inquisitive look trying to come to a reasonable conclusion as to why she was staring at her.
After a few moments of looking around the room, desperately trying to avoid AJ's eyes, she finally made eye contact once again falling into the emerald abyss.
“RD?” she asked, noticing that the cyan pegasus was staring at her again, “Are you okay?” AJ waved a hoof in front of her face to get her attention and after a minute or so she got what she was after.
“Uh...What?” RD said frantically looking around the room, then realising where she was.
“Are you okay Rainbow?,” she asked, “ Cause ya keep starin’ at me… do Ah have somethin’ on mah face?” Aj put her a hoof to her face to try and feel if in fact there was something on her face.
“What...no there isn’t something your face.” the rainbow maned mare finally speaking
“Well what about in mah mane… or mah teeth?” she asked as she moved her hooves to the respective places.
“No nothing in your mane or teeth either.” she reassured her orange friend.
“... Well then why were y’all staring at me?”
“I don’t-- look, AJ it’s late and I’m still a little scared of that storm. Can we please just go back to bed?” she pleaded.
AJ sighed and looked down at the floor, “ Yeah sure, Ah’m sorry.”
RD smiled, “ It’s okay.” she said as the two mares walked back over to the bed they were sharing, reestablished the borders and fell asleep.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Well that’s not fault I can’t feel changes in the weather I’m not a pegasus.” the annoyed voice of somepony from out in the hall.
“It isn’t mine either Rarity!” came another voice, “ Let’s just wake Applejack and ask her if she knows where Rainbow Dash is.”
Rarity let out a sigh, “Very well, Twilight,” she said as she opened the door to the room that contained said pony, “but I don’t think that-- oh my.”
“What? What is-- Applejack?”
The orange farm mare scrunched up her face at the sound of the lavender mare's voice, then opened her eyes, “What do y’all want? Can’t anypony get…” she stopped herself as she looked down to see a light blue hoof and foreleg wrapped around her. She turned her head to look at the still sleeping pegasus, her face buried in AJs blonde mane.
“Rainbow?” AJ asked ,only to receive a sleepy moan, as RD tightened her grip around her friend, “RAINBOW!” she yelled
She shot up looking around the room, “Uh.. what, who’s, where?”
“Ya mind explainin’ why you were holding onto me?”
Rainbow rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof as she avoided eye contact with the other ponies in the room, “Um… Well when I’m sleeping, or so I’ve been told by my parents, I hold onto something. Most of the time when I’m at home I hold onto a pillow, I couldn’t tell you why, but my dad thinks it’s a comfort thing.” she looked up to see her friends still staring at her, “ But I didn’t even mean to do it! I just-- ugh never mind, you guys probably don’t even believe me.” she looked back down to her hooves.
AJ blinked, “ No, it’s not that Ah don’t believe ya… it’s just that y’all neglected ta tell me that little tidbit last night.” she smiled
“Heh..sorry.”
“S’fine,” AJ said then turned to Rarity and Twilight, “ Now what do y’all need?”
Rarity spoke first, “ Paperback sent us up here to fetch to two for breakfast.” Twilight nodded in agreement.
RD jumped out of the bed flaring her wings and leapt for the door, “ Why didn’t you say so! Come on AJ” she said and AJ too got out of the be and followed her friends out of the room and down the stairs, Rarity and Twilight leading the way to the dining room where Fluttershy and Pinkie were already seated enjoying waffles and french toast.
Rainbow Dash sighed and leaned back in her chair, “ That was the best french toast I’ve ever had.”
“Yes, darling, it was absolutely devine. I think Fluttershy may have some competition for who has the best waffles.” Rarity chimed in.
“Ah’ll say,” Applejack said taking a sip from the coffee mug she held in her hoof, “ and the coffee is really good too. Ah never thought ta put cinnamon and nutmeg in with the grounds. Ah’ll have ta try that at home sometime.”
“Well thank you, I’m sure Cast Iron thanks you too.” PaperBack said smiling at her guests
“Speaking of,” Twilight said, “ Where is he? I would like to have thanked him for a fantastic dinner last night.” the others nodded, agreeing with what she said
PaperBack looked at the six ponies gathered around her kitchen table, “ Well he opens the PaperBack Bakery everyday, then at noon he goes to the steakhouse for the rest of the day.”
“He’s a hard workin stallion, Ah can respect that.” AJ smiled back at their host
“Thank you Applejack, I’ll be sure to tell him that. Now are you girls ready to get going?
Twilight looked around at her friends who all nodded in unison,” I guess we are, PaperBack.”
“Great, I’ll go and get a map then we can leave.”
Rarity turned to look RD square in the eye, “ So Rainbow Dash,” she said eyeing the pegasus suspiciously, “ Why were you sleeping with Applejack?” those words caught the attention of the four others around the table.
Rainbow Dash stopped mid-bite letting the piece of toast she had in her hoof fall onto the plate below. She looked at the white unicorn, a slight blush rising into her cheeks,” Um…. W-why do you ask, Rarity. We weren’t doing anything weird.” she looked at AJ who nodded in confirmation, ” I… was just… uncomfortable sleeping in an unfamiliar bed, is all.”
“Oh...I thought you said that you were scared of the lightning from the storm last night.” Fluttershy said, “ Isn’t that what you, Applejack and I talked about last night, at least I was scared... that’s why I came to talk to you.”
“Alright I found the map!” PaperBack said walking into the kitchen making everypony almost jump out of their skin, “ Is everypony ready for walking?”
They all laughed and nodded getting up from their chairs and following their host to the front door and down the slightly damp sidewalk to the edge of town.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Okay…” PaperBack said looking down at the map she held in her hoof, “ I think we need to follow Pine Creek...” she looked down at the map again, her brow furrowed, “ Which is… thiiiiiiss oooooonnnee?” she asked out loud looking at the creek that was on the left, “Yes we need to follow the one on the left, Come on y’all.” They all walked up the mountainside in silence, with the exception of the creek they were following babbling along beside them.
After about an hour and a half of walking the group of mares came to where the creek came out of the mountain. They stopped to rest and have a bit of lunch.
As they were laying out a blanket and fishing out the food Cast Iron so kindly prepared for them, Rarity asked, “ PaperBack if you don’t mind my asking how did you and Cast Iron meat? Since you two seem to come from very different places.”
“Rarity!” Twilight yelled at her, “ You just don’t ask somepony that!”
PaperBack looked at the alicorn, “ It’s alright Twilight, Cast Iron and I get asked that quite a bit.” she turned to Rarity, “ Cast and I met at my first ever book release, this was when I still lived in Billings. When I first saw him walk in to the store where I was having the signing he glanced over at the table, like all the other ponies that walked in, just to see what the book was. Then after that first sighting he kept coming back into my line of sight for what seemed like an hour or so, until he finally worked up some sort of courage and walked up to the table with a copy of my book held in the white aura of his magic, but instead of asking me to sign it he set it down in front of me and walked away. I just stared at him as he walked out of the bookstore in confusion. So I turned to the book he had set in front of me and opened up the front cover to read,
‘Would you like to have coffee sometime? If so meet me at Off the Leaf at eleven tomorrow.
“And simply out of curiosity I went to the coffee shop and sure enough he was there, and much more confident than he had been the night before, because he walked right up to me and introduced himself asked if I wanted some coffee and, to make a long story short, we spent the rest of the day sitting and talking, until they had to close the shop. So needless to say we started dating after that and after about a year and a half of dating he finally proposed, not long after we were married we moved to Maresoula where he opened a brewery, where he made the best beer I have ever had to this day.”
Rarity staring at her faintly green with envy, “ I hope my husband and I meet like you and Cast Iron did. That would be just marvelous… Ahhh I can just picture it now.” she said as she started drifting off into the recesses of her fantasies.
After lunch was done and over with the seven mares continued their walk to find this cave that nopony can seem to find.
“... and that’s how Twilight defeated The Ursa Minor!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed
“Wow,” commented PaperBack turning to Twilight, “ You never told me you took on an Ursa Minor when I visited you.”
The alicorn smiled meekly, “ I was going to... eventually”
“HEY! LOOK OVER THERE!” shouted Pinkie Pie, “ Is that the cave Cast Iron was talking about?” she pointed a hoof to a hole in the side of the mountain.
PaperBack looked at the entrance and then to the map, where there was a vague description of what the surroundings of the cave entrance looked like, “ Okay there is the fallen tree with the boulder in the middle of the trunk. I think this is the place.” she said folding the map and putting it into her saddlebags she set on the ground.
“Well why don’t we set up camp and do a little bit of exploring.” Twilight said setting down her own saddlebags.
Applejack and the others nodded in agreement, “ Ah say some of us should take a look in that cave, so we know what we’re up against.”
“Okay,” Twilight agreed, “ Rainbow Dash why don’t you and Applejack go and see if you can find any clues to where the statue is.”
“Okay, come on AJ!” and in the blink of an eye she took off toward the entrance of the cave with Applejack following close behind her.
Landing at the threshold of the cold, dark cave entrance the faint sound of dripping water could be heard. Rainbow turned to see her orange friend arriving at her side.
“Well…. are ya gonna go in er what?” asked the farm pony
The light blue pegasus was taken aback by what her friend had just said, “Pffft, Yeah I’m going in, I just wanted to wait for you.” she lightly punched AJ in the shoulder playfully.
“Alright then,” she said returning the gesture, “ You first.”
“Ohhh No you first” she said nudging AJ forward.
AJ sighed, “Fahne, Ah’ll go first.” and she took her first step into the cave.
“HEY! WHERE ARE YOU GUYS GOING?!” yelled Pinkie, “ CAN I COME!”
She no sooner said that she received an answer, but not from her friends. The sound of shifting, and falling rocks was her answer. AJ and RD looked above them to see small rocks and, sure enough, huge boulders sliding toward, and falling to the ground around and on them.
Shock and horror filled their eyes as Applejack shouted to Rainbow, “ QUICK GET INSIDE!” as the two mares ran for cover the cave provided, The shouts and screams of the others could not be heard over the rocks and other debris crashing to the ground blocking off access to the cave. They all took cover until all that could be heard was the sound of the wind through the swaying tree tops.
Once on their hooves they rushed over to where the cave entrance used to be.
“ARE YOU GUYS OKAY! APPLEJACK, RAINBOW DASH! CAN YOU HEAR ME!” Twilight screamed desperately into the pile of rubble separating her from her friends.
Applejack was lying on her side covering her face with her hooves heard the sound of Twilights voice. Opening her eyes she couldn’t see anything, not even her own hoof in front of her face.
Sitting back of her haunches she shouted back to Twilight, “ YEAH, AH’M FAHNE. THOUGH AH DON’T KNOW ABOUT RAINBOW. AH CAN’T SEE A DERN THING.”
“I’M FINE TOO, TWILIGHT!” she shouted elighting an audible scream from AJ.
The two trapped mares heard Twilight shout back, “ GOOD I’M GLAD YOU TWO ARE OKAY! NOW I’M GOING TO CAST A LIGHT SPELL ON BOTH OF YOU, SO YOU CAN SEE!” before she finished her sentence AJ and RD were enveloped in a faint purple aura and they began to glow with light.
Now they could see the two trapped mares took time to look at their surroundings. It was then that Applejack noticed Rainbow Dashes wing.
“RD, what happened to yer wing!?”
“Huh,” said the pegasus looking at her wing twisted at an odd angle
“ARE YOU GUYS HURT IN ANY WAY?” PaperBack shouted at them, to which Aj answered.
“YEAH, RAINBOW HAS A BROKEN WING, AND AH DON’T SEE ANYTHIN’ AH CAN USE TA PATCH IT UP.”
The sound of rocks shifting and being moved echoed throughout the cave walls as a small beam of daylight punctured the blackness that surrounded them. “Applejack, can you hear me?” asked a disembodied PaperBack.
“Yeah Ah can hear ya,” she replied
“Good, Now I need you to come over here and take this.” she said as Applejack walked over to the small beam of daylight, “ Here is an ACE wrap and some safety pins are tucked inside for Rainbows wing. Now here’s the plan, on the opposite side of the mountain there is another way into this cave, at least according to the park ranger Cast Iron talked to, okay?”
“Why don’t y’all try and dig us out through here?” she asked
“Because every time we move a rock or attempt to move a boulder more of the mountainside comes sliding down, we had a hard enough time making this hole. Now here’s a compass just go west until you find the other entrance. Also if you guys should get there before we do, wait there, because we need to go and get Cast Iron and a few other ponies to find the other side.”
“Alright, but y’all don’t take ferever, ya hear.” Applejack shouted through the small the others made.
“Heard!” was PaperBacks reply.
Apple jack stared at the small hole filled with daylight, then to the compass and the ACE wrap in her hooves, as Rainbow Dash walked up to her, “So….looks like we’re stuck together for a while.”
Applejack turned to look her friend in the face, more importantly her eyes, her big gorgeous ruby-like magenta eyes that, if she wasn’t careful she could get lost in and never return, “ I guess y’all heard that huh,”
“Yeah... I did, but it’s not all bad while you were talking to PaperBack I took a look around the cave and look what I found.” Rainbow held up a pair of tan saddlebags with an orange apple for the buckle that kept the contents from falling out.
Applejack looked at the bags dumbstruck, “ Mah saddlebags!” she exclaimed taking them from the light blue hoof they were held in, she opened them up to look at the contents, “ Well Ah’ve got some good news.” she said turning her head up toward the pegasus, who looked at her curiously.
“What?”
“We don’t have to worry about food anymore.”
A broad smile nearly split her face in two, “ Well that is good news.” she said looking up from the saddlebags to see AJ staring at her, a small blush rising in her cheeks, Rainbow waved a hoof in front of her friends face trying to get her attention.
‘Rainbow looks so cute when she smiles. Ah would do anything ta keep it there.’ AJ thought to herself staring at her pegasus friend, only to have her thoughts interrupted by a blue hoof invading her vision.
“Youhoo AJ, anypony home?”
She closed her eyes and shook her head, “Sorry Ah was somewhere else. Why don’t Ah wrap up yer wing, then we’ll git goin’?” AJ said smiling at her friend.
Rainbow Dash sat down in front of her friend, “ Alright, AJ I should ask have you ever bandaged a--Ahhh!” Rainbow let out a yell of surprise as he felt her wing slide back into its socket, she collapsed to the floor giving a mixed sigh of pleasure and relief.
“There, “ AJ nodded at her handy work, “ Now this might hurt a little.” she said as she started straightening out Rainbows wing starting close to her body she grabbed the tip of the feathery appendage between her teeth, being careful not to bite down too hard, and pulled slowly. After pulling for only a second Rainbow moved yanking her feathers out of AJ’s mouth, but one stayed behind
“Mmph… Fer Celestia's sake Rainbow Could ya hold still?” AJ she said through the feather still in her mouth.
“...Sorry AJ...it’s just that I’m not use to having ponies touch my wings.” The rainbow maned mare said sheepishly
AJ took the feather out of her mouth at the same time she took off her stetson, she put the long light blue feather in a loop in the band that connected the head portion of the hat to the brim, “ Well to answer yer question, yes Ah have taken care of wings before, but Ah’ll tell ya about that later. Now hold still.” she said as she gently gripped the feathers in her teeth again,
Rainbow Dash winced, not daring to move a single muscle as she lay on the cold, hard stone floor of the cave, expecting pain from some other dimension to rip its way through her wing… but nothing happened. The only sensation was relief mixed with pleasure as she felt a satisfying *CRACK* as her wing was now straight again.
Applejack heard two sounds, the first being the crack of the joints being relieved of their stress, and the second was a small moan, and shudder from the pegasus she was tending to. She then moved to sit beside Rainbows face as she placed her hooves at the base of the feathered limb on either side and slowly moved them back and forth messaging the residual stiffness in the muscle elighting more small moans from the cyan mare.
She now moved onto the feathers themselves fanning them all out, which was easier now that both of her wings were sticking straight up in the air. Gingerly gripping each feather, she moved it until it was in line with the one next to it, and they all were facing the same direction, with the exception of a hole one feather was missing, on the outside of the wing.
When Applejack had finished preening her friends wing, she walked around and sat in front of her as she slowly stood, her rainbow mane covering her eyes. “ Mmph,” was all AJ heard before she was pushed onto her back with RD standing on her chest, their faces just centimeters apart.
AJ could feel the breath from her friend, hot against the cold of the cave, a heavy blush rising up into her face, unsure at what the brash pegasus would do, she was at her mercy.
“...Uh...RD…” she said looking Rainbow in the eye
Rainbow blinked, returning to reality, realising where she was, “...Uh…” she said getting off AJ’s chest and sitting down on the ground in front of her trying to hide her own blush that was turning her light blue fur red, “...Sorry AJ… I don’t know what came over me.”
The farm mare got to her hooves, walked over and put a hoof on her friend's shoulder, “S’ fahne, sugarcube. I know how y’all felt when Ah was doin’ what Ah was doin’.”
Rainbow looked at her friend inquisitively, “Wait what?,”
AJ nodded, “Eeyup. Ah’ve never told anypony this, ‘cept mah family, but Ah dated a pegasus once.”
A look of shock spread itself across Dashes face, “You dated a pegasus! What was his name? Please oh please oh please tell me!”
AJ sighed, smiled and shook her head, “ Alright fahne, Ah’ll tell ya, on one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“You can’t go ‘round blabin’ it ta everypony...okay?”
“Okay, I won’t tell a single soul.”
“Pinkie Promise?”
“Pinkie Promise.” said the pegasus, going through the motions the promise entailed
“ Stormbreaker” she said shyly, preparing her self for the inevitable laughter from Rainbow Dash… which never came.
Rainbow just cocked her head to the side and asked, “ How did you get him, and more importantly why?”
“How ‘bout we start walking and Ah’ll tell ya the story of how we met.”
They started walking when Rainbow said, “ Okay so tell me how did you get that featherbrain, Stormbreaker?”
“Well it was about four and a half years ago now, after Ah had met y’all and before we started hangin’ out more, and Ah’ll also say you aren’t the first pegasus ta crash into one o’ mah apple trees. Ah remember it like it was yesterday…”
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Applejack was finishing up the row of trees she was pruning when she heard a loud thunk and a male voice say “AOW!”
Coiling up her lasso she went to see who had crashed into one of her beloved apple trees. Trotting over to where the voice emanated from, she came upon a light lilac stallion with a wheat colored mane and tail, dangling from a branch by both of his wings.
“Well howdy stranger.” she said
“Huh...what...who said that?” he said looking around frantically for the voice. He tilted his head back looking at an orange earth mare with golden blond hair, a stetson on her head and a coiled rope around her neck. He felt the heat rising in his face the longer he stared at her.
“Mah names Applejack.” she said kindly
“Uhhh…. Mine’s Stormbreaker.” he said
Applejack then uncoiled her lasso and tossed the loop around one of his legs, “Are ya able ta fold yer wings?” she asked the dangling stallion
“I-I don’t know I’ll try.” he said straining to fold his feathered appendages, “I don’t think I can .” he said sounding defeated.
Applejack chuckled and gave the rope a good hardy yank, springing the pegasus from his temporary prison. He landed hard on his hooves then collapsed to the ground, somewhat unable to move.
“Ugh.. Thanks,” he said getting to his hooves, “ Say you seem pretty handy with that rope, would ya mind giving me a hoof with my wings?” he asked
The farmer mare just stared at the pegasus flabbergasted that he asked her to help with his wings, “Sure,” was all she could say
“Okay first off have you ever touched a wing before?” Stormbreaker asked lying down on the ground beneath the tree he crashed into.
“No, not since Ah was a little filly horsein’ ‘round with one o’ mah cousins.” she said
“Oh...well have you given anypony a message?” was his next question
“Yeah plenty o’ times.” she answered
“Okay good. Now what I’m going to have you do is give both of my wings a message, then pull them out so the leading edge is at a ninety degree angle to my body, okay?”
she gave a quick nod and gripped the frist wing in her teeth.
“OUCH! Don’t bite down so hard.”
“Sorry.” she said trying again to straighten out the cramped wing.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“...And after Ah preened his wings he said that Ah was the only pony ta preen his wings the way Ah did, then he asked me out. To which Ah said yes. We dated fer ‘bout four months after that. Ah ended it before the Running of the Leaves, because later Ah found out he was only after one thing, an’ it certainly wasn’t mah heart.” she huffed out furrowing her brow at the last few words of her story.
“What a horses ass,” Rainbow said, “ I would never just want one thing from anypony, no matter how good it felt, and it felt amazing by the way.”
AJ blushed and turned away so that Rainbow could see her face, “ Aww, thanks sugarcube. Glad ta see that mah time with him wasn’t all fer nothin’.”
“You’re welcome.” she said with nod
The orange mare turned to her friend, “ So… have you ever dated anypony?” she no sooner finished the question Rainbow’s face lit up as red as the apples on AJ’s flank. She saw this gave a small chuckle and said, “ Oops, sorry Ah asked.”
Dash shook her head, still blushing she said, “ No, I’ve never dated anypony… but I have had my fair share of crushes.” she finished sheepishly
AJ stifled a giggle and responded, “ Really who have ya had a crush on?”
The rainbow maned mare blushed even more furiously as she lowered her head, “Promise you won’t laugh at me?”
Looking her friend in the in the face she said with a straight one, “ Ah Pinkie Promise.” as the motions and phrase were said.
Dash sighed and braced herself for laughter, despite the promise, “...Cloud Kicker…” she said softly.
Blinking in surprise at the name she had heard, “...Uh...Wow RD Ah never pegged you fer swingin’ that way.”
Dash too blinked in surprise opening and closing her mouth, wanting to say something, but no sound came out. She just stared at her orange friend.
Applejack finally taking notice turned to the pegasus, “ What?” she said giving Rainbow a confused look
“Nothing.” she finally managed to say, “ I just expected you to laugh, or make fun of me for liking … but I like colts too!” she added quickly
“ Well, Ah am a little shocked, you likin’ mares and all, but Ah should be one ta talk. Ah know Ah’ve caught mahself starin’ at a mare or two. Just thinking if it would workout... Don’t you be gettin' any ideas, Rainbow Dash!” she quickly added noticing the small smirk on her face. “It’s not that Ah haven’t thought about fancyin' a mare, it’s just that we aren’t in the best of places ta be askin’ each other out an’ all.”
With that said they walked on in silence for a while, taking fleeting glances at each other, hoping the other would not notice, but when they did so happen to look at each other they both quickly looked away, their cheeks a light pink color.
Applejack let a big yawn take over the functioning of her mouth she looked over to see her friend finishing her own yawn,
“Well Dash, Ah reckon we should try ta get some sleep, wouldn’t ya say?” the orange mare asked letting out another yawn
The cyan pegasus yawned again before answering, “ Yeah that sounds like a good idea.” she said as they both stopped walking at about the same time and sat down in front of a column, yawning again.
Applejack took her saddlebags off and opened one, “ Are ya hungry at all?” she asked taking out a few of the apples she had stashed in there before her and the others set out on their journey.
Dash smiled softly, “ Yeah, a little.” she said walking over to take the fruit from her friend.
“Now Ah know we’re pretty deep in the cave, but do ya think there might be any sort a burnable material around?” Applejack asked biting into an apple of her own.
Rainbow shrugged swallowing the apple she was chewing, “ Dunno, but it might be as good idea, the whole ‘better safe then sorry’ thing ya know.”
“Alright then, Ah think we should look by ourselves. That way we cover more ground.”
“Okay then.” RD said flatly, “I’ll go this way.” pointing to the left of the column.
“Alright then Ah’ll go the opposite, and we’ll meet back here, or shout ifn either of us find somethin’.”
Dash nodded, “ Sounds good to me.”
With that they finished their mock dinner and set off in search of any burnable material, their still glowing bodies lighting their way.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
After a few minutes of walking Rainbow Dash let her mind think back to what she had told AJ earlier.
“I can’t believe that AJ knows how to preen! Oh man that felt sooo good I can kinda see why Stormbreaker was only after…” she felt her wings begin to flare at the thought.
“...Come on Dash get your mind out of the gutter, she’s your best friend. But do I think of her, like, more then a friend after what she did, or is that just my hormones, and emotions talking? Even after I told her I had a crush on Cloud Kicker I still get the feeling she is creeped out, and worried I’ll do something to her in her sleep. That first time was an accident, I can’t help I do that in my sleep. I’m just happy she understood that whole situation. But what if she--,” she returned to reality when her face connected with a hard smooth stone-like surface…
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Meanwhile Applejack was lost within the confines of her own mind as well, “ Ah hope Dash isn’t beatin’ herself up ‘cause Ah’m not into mares, but she is very attractive. Her streamlined body, her wings so well taken care of… her flank…,” AJ smiled at the thought of her friends flank, ”... the way in jiggles slightly when she-- WAIT what am Ah thinkin’ Ah can’t really be that into her… could Ah? Ah mean she does have all the qualities Ah’m lookin’ fer in mah special somepony. She’s loyal, obviously, she’s competitive, darin’, willin’ ta work hard… when she wants to, she can be honest. But would it even work out, if Ah did decide that Ah was into mares, but then what would Twilight and the others think more importantly what would mah family think of me fancyin’ a mare…. at least we would have an honest and loyal relationship… Ah can’t really be considerin’ this can Ah? Ah mean sure mares our age do experiment with their sexuality, but if it doesn’t work out--,” her thoughts were also interrupted by her face meeting a smooth stone-like surface.
AJ shook her head, “ What in tarnation?” she said to herself taking a second to look at what her face had collided with.
Looking up she saw that it was a large front leg made of concrete polished smooth after decades of being out in the elements.
Her eyes widened as she realized what she was looking at, “ Oh, Ah found the statue… but where’s its head?” she asked the darkness surrounding her, “Ah’ve gotta go find Rainbow.” she turned quickly trotting away from the statue, attempting to try and remember about where it was.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Shaking her head to rid it of the throbbing pain Rainbow Dash took a step back to look at what she had walked into.
Staring directly into a stone face of a mare pony, “ Hey I found the head of the statue...But where’s the rest of it?” she too asked to herself into the darkness of the cave. Walking around the severed head of the statue Rainbow notices that it was cleanly cut through, not a single chip, nick, or crack. “Wow, the ponies who stole this were really careful not to break anything.”
Rainbow walked back to the front of the head looking close at the face of the pony whom the statue was modeled after. She moved closer to the underside of the nose and looked up into the shallow nostrils.
“Rainbow!” said a voice from behind her, making her jump, smashing her face into one of the nostrils of the statue then fell to the stone floor.
Rubbing her muzzle she turned to where the voice came from ,” Holy hell AJ did you have to scare me like that?” she asked her
“Well Ah thought ya could hear me comin’, with the echo of mah hoof steps off the walls.”
“Okay maybe I was thinking about other things, like where the rest of the statue is, ‘cause I found the head.” she said pointing to the object in question.
AJ blinked and looked over at the head of the statue, “ Well that’ll save us a lot o’ time, ‘cause Ah found the rest of it. It’s over there.” she said pointing off in a seemingly random direction, “ Ah tried to mark where is it the best Ah could. so we can find it later. Ah suggest that you do the same. There’s no way you and Ah can carry either part out of here by ourselves.”
Rainbow simply nodded, “Well how did you mark the way to the body?”
“Ah used rocks like breadcrumbs leadin’; over here to you.”
“But how did you find… Oh never mind.”
“Yeah we glow remember?” AJ deadpanned
Now the two mares began searching for rocks, leaving a trail for them to follow as they made their way back to about where AJ’s saddlebags were.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
“Wow I can’t believe we we managed to find your saddlebags.”
AJ looked at her friend and gave a small smile, “ Yeah Ah can’t either, but Ah’m happy we did.” she yawned and laid down next to a column.
“Hey do mind if I grab an apple from your saddlebags?” Rainbow asked
“Not at all,” AJ answered, “ Hey grab me one too, please.”
Rainbow turned her head around, “ Sure thing AJ.” she said upon reaching said bags
Opening the tan leather of one of them Rainbow saw no fruit or any other food-like items, what she found was a round metal tin with Applejacks cutie mark on the lid and a thick notebook. She took out the notebook and opened it.
The first page had a rough pencil sketch of a tree with three windows and a door with a path leading up to the door. Mountains, a single cloud, a flock of birds and what looked like a river completed the drawing. Turning the page over revealed another drawing, this time in color, depicting light purple mountains, a royal blue river and a black silhouette of a pegasus sitting on the banks of the river.
“...Uh AJ what’s this?” asked the light blue pegasus holding up the book to show her.
Applejack lifted her head off the ground to get a better look at what Rainbow was asking about.
“Oh that’s mah sketchbook.”
The pegasus blinked and stared at the earth mare unable to grasp that she could do anything else besides farm work all day and sometimes into the evening hours.
“You draw?!” she finally said looking back to the drawing of the pegasus by the river.
“Yeah Ah do,” she eyed her friend inquisitively, “ what of it?”
Rainbow sat back on her haunches and waved a hoof dismissively, “ Nothing… I just never expected you to be the artistic type.”
AJ now glared at her, “ What just because Ah live on a farm Ah should always be thinkin’ er doin’ somethin’ related to it? Ah bet you don’t even think about the weather all the time.”
And she was right Rainbow did not think about the weather all the time, she mostly thought about what new trick she would come up with next.
Apple got up from where she lay and walked over to her and put a hoof on her shoulder, “ Ah’m sorry fer snappin’ atcha, but AH do like havin’ somethin’ that takes mah mind off the farm even fer just a little while.”
Rainbow looked up from the pegasus drawing, “ Sorry…” she said sheepishly.
“ It’s okay, sugarcube.” AJ said apologetically grabbing her saddlebags, “ Hay why don’t Ah show ya some of mah other drawings?”
Rainbow smiled, “ Sure, I would actually like to see more of what you can do.”
The two mares walked back over to the column, laid down and turned to the third page of the sketchbook.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Applejack let out a small sigh and raised her head to look around the cave.
“Why can’t Ah fall asleep?...Well Ah could draw Ah guess, ta pass a little time.” she said to herself as she got up and leaned against the column opening her sketchbook to a blank page, “ Now what do Ah draw?” she looked around the darkness of the cave, hoping to find something to inspire her until her eyes landed on the glowing, sleeping pegasus next to her. She reached into her saddlebags and grabbed out the tin with her cutie mark on the lid, popped it open and removed a light blue pencil and began drawing. With light pencil marks she sketched out the pegasus’s lean athletic body, switching to royal blue to outline her mane and tail. In normal pencil she drew and shaded the cave that she could see from the glow that emanated from the both of them. Next she moved to shading in her mane and tail switching the colors and trying to match them as best she could, blending them into one another. She continued to define and redefine some of the features that Rainbows body had until she was satisfied then she moved on to her face, her beautiful light blue face. AJ shifted her eyes from the page to Rainbows face then back to the page as she began to draw her gorgeous magenta eyes… wait what?
Applejack stopped drawing and looked over to find Rainbow, still in the position she was in when she was asleep, looking at her with wide curious eyes.
“Whatcha drawing?” the rainbow maned mare asked lifting her head to get a better look at the page.
Applejack felt a small amount of heat rising up into her cheeks as she turned the book to show the pegasus.
Rainbow looked at the paper in her friends hooves, a look of surprise spread itself across her face, she too felt a little heat rise up in her face.
“Ah couldn’t sleep...So Ah decided ta draw somethin’... and since there isn’t much ta see in the darkness….” she trailed off and broke eye contact with the pegasus.
Rainbow smiled and looked back to the drawing of her, “ It’s not finished.” she laid her head back down in the exact position it was in before she awoke to see her friend drawing her,
Applejack looked at Rainbow, stunned that the pegasus had said nothing or even over reacted, she just calmly laid her head down to let her finish her work. Turning back to the paper Applejack and Rainbow Dash sat in silence and she continued to draw the eyes, looking up every so often.
Rainbow stared at the mare drawing her, “Could AJ really be into me? She didn’t freak out when I told her I was into mares… Maybe it would workout, her and I being together, but I think she is more worried about what her family would think of her if she was dating a mare.But she did say she had caught herself ‘eyeing a mare or two just wondering if it would workout.’ So… if anything else I have a chance. But on the other hoo--”
“Somethin’ wrong, sugarcube?” Applejack asked
“Uhhhhh… no.” she said quickly sitting up and averting her gaze.
Applejack narrowed her eyes, but decided not to press the issue, as she went back to put some finishing touches on the drawing of Rainbow.
When she was truly finished with drawing her friend, Applejack turned the page so Rainbow could see it.
Rainbow stared at the drawing in stunned silence. After a few minutes she spoke, “Wow AJ you’re really good at that.”
Applejack smiled, “Thanks sugarcube, Ah try ta be.”
Rainbow let out a small sigh and felt her face becoming warm, “AJ…?”
“Yeah” she said flipping to a fresh page in her sketchbook
“...Would you… ever… you know…,” she look away from the orange mare sheepishly
Applejack looked over at her rainbow friend raising an eyebrow, “Would Ah ever what, sugarcube?”
Rainbows face was practically red with no hint of the blue that was underneath, “Gooutwithaponylikeme?” she said blending the words together hoping that would ease some of the awkwardness she felt.
The orange farm pony just stared at her friend, “Would Ah ever go out with a pony like you?” she asked
The rainbow maned pegasus nodded shyly.
Applejack saw the glint of a single tear flow down her face, “Aw Rainbow there’s no need ta cry.” she said sliding over and put a comforting hoof on her shoulder.
At hearing she was crying Rainbow sniffed and looked up at her friend, her eyes full of worry, “... well… would you?” she asked again
“Well… Ah don’t right know…” she put a hoof to her chin
Rainbow tried not to shed another tear as she turned away from her friend, “...Oh…” she said quietly, her voice heavy with disappointment.
Looking at her sad friend Applejack felt awful, “ Now Rainbow, Ah did say that Ah don’t know if Ah would be into datin’ ya. Also Ah don’t think bein’ in this here cave is the right place ta ask me that type o’ thing.”
Rainbow looked back into the emerald eyes of her friend, “...So are you saying yes?”
“Ah’m not sayin’ yes, but Ah’m not saying no either...Ah’m sayin’ maybe.”
Rainbow cheered up a little at hearing her say that, and sat up to give her farmer friend a hug, which Applejack happily returned.
Applejack was the first to break the hug, “ Now wadda ya say we find our way outta here?”
Rainbow sniffed, wiping the residual tears from her eyes, “ Yeah, that sounds like a plan. But don't tell anypony about me crying...would ya” she said looking at her friend.
Applejack smiled and started putting her sketchbook and pencils away into her saddlebags, "Would'nt dream of it,sugarcube." she said strapping them to her body and putting her stetson on her head when Rainbow noticed one of her feathers sticking out of where the brim met the head of the hat.
She unfolded her uninjured wing and examined it for any missing feathers, of which there were none missing.
“AJ why do you have one of my primaries in your hat?” she asked her orange friend.
The orange farm pony turned around, “ One a yer what?” she asked
“One of my feathers, why do you have one in your hat?”
“Oh. yeah… sorry ‘bout that Ah ment ta tell ya that one a yer feathers came out. It just came out so easily and without any effort and when ya didn’t yelp out in pain Ah just assumed that it was gettin’ ready ta fall out anyway, ‘cause Ah’ve see ya lose feathers before.”
“Yeah I guess you’re right, but it’s going to take, like, forever for that feather to grow back. Which means that I can’t do any of my awesome stunts… and it’ll be hard for me to fly in general.”
“Well if Ah were you Ah would take me pullin’ out that loose feather as a service, ‘cause what woulda happened if you had been flying around and it just fell out?”
The rainbow maned pegasus just blinked at her friend, “ Oh… I didn’t think about it like that.” she moved closer to Applejack and gave her a thankful hug, “ Thanks AJ for watching out for me.”
AJ returned the embrace, “ Yer welcome, sugarcube. How am I supposed ta beat ya when yer lyin’ in a hospital bed?”
“Hah, you beat me? Psssh, in your dreams.”
The two mares looked at each other and busted out laughing, letting it echo off the cave walls, as they continued to walk down their set path.
A long silence followed their laughter, which Rainbow Dash could not stand.
“… AJ?”
“Yeah RD.”
“Just out of curiosity… what are you looking for in your special somepony?”
Applejack looked at her friend, surprised that she would even think to ask such a question, “... Well Ah’ve never thought about that before, nor have Ah had the time ta think about it. But if Ah were lookin’ fer a special somepony, Ah guess they would have ta be honest, not only with me, but with themselves, they’d have ta be loyal meaning they can’t go messin’ around behind mah back.” she finished, her voice heavy with anger.
“I would never go behind your back AJ.” Rainbow said trying to ease her friends anger
“Ah know ya wouldn’t, sugarcube. You and Ah have been friends too long fer anything like that ta be a big deal.” said the orange mare, calming down if only slightly
Silence fell upon the glowing mares once again, as they made their way down the dark empty tunnel, in hopes of reaching fresh air and sunlight.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Out in the forest out surrounding Bozeman six ponies a trudged through fallen pine needles,tree branches and the occasional fallen tree all eyes searching for the smaller entrance to the cave with their friends trapped inside.
“How much further, Cast Iron.” shouted a lavender alicorn
“Not much further Twilight, y’all just keep your eyes open. The outlet for that cave is barely wide enough for me to fit through.” “PaperBack!” Cast Iron shouted to the sky, searching for his wife.
“Yes dear!” she shouted in return, flying into his line of sight
“Have you found the outlet,”
“No, but I… OH wait I think I see the waterfall you said was next to it. I’ll fly over there and check it out!” she said as she veered off to the right.
Cast Iron looked behind him at the four mares following him, “ Come on guys PaperBack thinks she’s found it. Let’s get going.” he said breaking out into a gallop to keep up with his airborne wife.
Flying over the tree tops PaperBack could see the waterfall that Cast Iron said was next to the outlet of the cave Applejack and Rainbow Dash were currently trapped in. She hovered in the air for a moment or two then she turned around and landed just ahead of her husband.
As he slowed to a trot and walked up to her she asked, “ So are they there?”
“No, they still must be inside.” answered the snow white pegasus
The four other ponies caught up with them, “So did they make it out?” asked Twilight
PaperBack shook her head, “ No they’re still inside.”
“Do you think, maybe if we shout their names, that they would hear it, and find their way out?” Fluttershy asked
“I don’t know… I guess we could give it a try.” Cast Iron said putting a hoof to his chin thoughtfully.
“How much further till we reach the outlet?” asked Rarity
“Not much further, about five minutes.” PaperBack said turning around and beginning to walk toward the waterfall.
Meanwhile on the inside of the cave the two mares continued to walk in silence. This time Applejack shattered it.
“Hey RD?” she said
“Yeah AJ.” the pegasus said shyly
“Why would you wanna date a pony like me?”
Rainbow stopped in her tracks and stared at her friend, “...W-why would y-you ask me something like that?” she said her voice cracking on a few words
“Well… Ah’ve noticed fer a long time now that you get a little nervous around me when it’s just the two of us… and you stare at me when Ah’n not lookin’.”
The cyan pegasus looked at the farm pony is shock, “ How could she have noticed me staring at her, I know I’m not the most subtle of ponies, but come on.” she thought to herself. “Well...um…” she stammered
“Ah’m not sayin’ Ah it’s creepy or anythin’. Ah just wanna know why ya do it?”
“Well do you remember when I asked you what you are looking for in your special somepony?” asked the nervous and blushing mare
“How could Ah ferget, when it happened not that long ago.”
“And when you said you caught yourself ‘starin’ at a mare or two. Just thinking if it would workout,’” she said impersonating her friends southern drawl
“Yeah, and Ah also remember when you, PaperBack and Ah had lunch that one day and you just stared at me, till a waived mah hoof in yer face.”
“Oh yeah heh… sorry about that… Hey I thought you didn’t want to talk about this while we are trapped in here?” .
“Yeah yer right...Ah’m--” Applejack was interrupted by a disembodied voice that made both ponies jump.
“RAINBOW DASH! APPLEJACK!”
The two mares looked at eachother and said at the sametime, “ Is that Pinkie?”
Then the two ponies started walking a little faster toward where their pink friend's voice was coming from. They rounded a corner and saw daylight through a slit in the cave wall, barely wide enough for a stallion to fit through.
The pink party pony shouted again, “RAINBOW DASH, APPLEJACK!”
They started running for the slit in the mountain, and Applejack shouted “WE’RE HERE PINKIE!” as both mares arrived at their only way out.
“Ohhh great,” squeaked the pink mare, “ Hey I can see you.”
“That’s great Pinkie now move.” said the farm mare as she tossed her saddlebags out first then she herself squeezed through the gap, followed by Rainbow Dash. All of the ponies rushed to embrace them in a group hug.
Upon breaking the tender moment PaperBack asked, “Did you happen to find the statue while you were in there?” she said trying not to be insincere.
“Yeah we did.” Rainbow said
“Yeah, if ya go through here then take a left you’ll come to a column and if ya look down there are two rock trails leadin’ to the head and the body.” Applejack said as the snow white pegasus wrote down her directions.
“Great! I’ll take this to the mayor after we get back.” she said sounding very happy.
At the office of the mayor of Bozemane the eight ponies stood ready to give him the good news.
The doors opened and out stepped two stallions. The first was dark blue with a Spitfire-like mane of white, the second was jet black with his grey mane combed to one side in a very professional manner.
“... Yes Greyson I’ll see to it that will never happen again.” said the jet black pony “Oh thank you mayor Black thank you so much. “ and Greyson trotted away with a smile on his face.
“PaperBack and Cast Iron Skillet,” he said upon noticing the two ponies, “ What brings you here on such a beautiful day?”
“ Well we have some news about Our Mare of the Rockies, Jet.” PaperBack said trying to keep her voice low.
His eyes widened at the mentioning of the statue, “ Well then all of you please come in.” he said beckoning them into his office. He walked over to his desk and sat down behind it, “Now before we get started I believe introductions are in order.”
“Ah yes, this is Princess Twilight Sparkle, and her friends Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash.” they all stepped forward as PaperBack called their names.
“ Well it is very nice to finally meet all of you after reading about your adventures in the paper. I am Mayor Jet Black, you all can call me Jet.” he said standing up to bow to Twilight
“ It’s very nice to meet you too, Jet…. and please don’t bow.” said Twilight sheepishly
“Now down to business, you say you know something about Our Mare of the Rockies?”
“Indeed we do Jet” Cast Iron said
“Well then out with where is it?”
“It’s in two pieces in Saddleback cave.” said PaperBack
“Saddleback cave?” Jet Black repeated
“Yes indeed, but the main entrance to the cave is blocked thanks to a landslide. We tried to clear a way for Applejack and Rainbow Dash to get out when they were trapped in there after it had already happened, but more of the mountain just kept piling itself on. However we managed to get a hole big enough to fit an ACE wrap through and so we could talk back and forth. So I told them to just follow the cave and at some point they would reach the other side. When they came out they said they found her.” PaperBack explained
“Good.” was Jets only response, “ I’ll start getting an excavation team together, and by tomorrow night She will be back in her place of prominence.” declared the jet black mayor stallion.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
After they all left the mayor's office they all went back to PaperBacks house for the night.
The next day, after they had gathered up all of their things, the six mares and their gracious hosts sat outside the PaperBack cafe and waited for the train back to Ponyville to arrive.
“So what happened while you two were in the cave?” asked Pinkie
“Yes, did you two do anything… scandalous?” Rarity asked, her eyes half lidded
Applejack and Rainbow both blushed, “ No! We did nothin’ of the sort, we just talked about ponies we’ve dated in the past and what we were lookin’ fer in our special somepony… Well Ah did at least... but that’s all that happened.” Applejack finished matter-of-factly
“Yeah, that’s all that happened.” Rainbow agreed, though her mind wandered back to the drawing Applejack did of her. To Rainbow the drawing made her look more attractive, and feminine, even though she hated using the word to describe herself.
She looked across the table to the orange mare as the thought to herself, “Is that how AJ sees me? I mean I know I’m awesome looking, and I know I have a sensitive side… even though I don’t show it. And I do get scared sometimes… and AJ is the only pony I’ve actually showed my feelings to. Not just this time but when she let me sleep with her cause I was scared of the lightning from the storm a couple of days ago, and what we talked about in the cave...What if she does have a crush on me but is afraid to admit it? Do I have a crush on her? Ohmygosh… what if she finds out… will we be able to still be friends…. what if the others find out I have a crush on AJ? Will they laugh at me or… what if they don’t wanna be friends anymore? I’ll have to---”
Her thoughts were interrupted by a white hoof invading her long stare at the orange farm mare, “ Hello... PaperBack to Rainbow Dash… come in Rainbow Dash.” said the snow white pegasus
Rainbow shook her head and looked around frantically getting her bearings, “ Huh… what… what happened?” she asked
“You zoned out dear.” replied Rarity
“Yeah and you just stared at Applejack” squeaked Pinkie shoving two beagles into her mouth at once
All of the ponies sitting around the table looked back at her curiously, making the cyan pegasus shrink down in her chair and blush slightly, “ Heh… Sorry AJ… I was just thinking about what happened in the cave.” she said rubbing her hooves together
“S’Fahine sugarcube.” was all she said
PaperBack turned looked at the ponies gathered around the table and sighed, “ I’m sorry you all have to leave so soon.”
“Yeah, we are sad we have to leave too, but we all have our duties to take care of back home. I’m sure I speak for all of us when I say thank you both for your hospitality, and kindness.” Twilight said as her friends nodded
“Well you all are welcome at our house any time.” said Cast Iron turning to give PaperBack a quick peck on the cheek, “ I have to go now dear, and it was really nice to meet you all.” and the rusty unicorn turned and walked in the direction of his restaurant.
“Hmm, he’s so sweet,” she said looking at her husband walking away, “ He doesn't even I’m pregnant.” she said chuckling to herself as she looked at the surprised faces of the ponies at the table, “ But don’t worry I’ll tell him tonight.”
“Well congratulations my dear.” Rarity said gleaning a nod of approval from everypony else.
“Well you all had best get to the station, the train will be here any moment.” said the red maned pegasus mare
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The train was just arriving at the station when they all arrived, “Well I wish you all the safest of travels, and hope you all come back soon and stay a bit longer. never the less I’ll be returning to Ponyville soon, and maybe my dear husband will join me!”
“That would be marvelous darling!” chimed Rarity
They all gave PaperBack a hug and, with their saddlebags in tow, boarded the train for Ponyville.
Applejack looked out of her window to see the Our Mare of the Rockies back where it belonged. Smiling she moved to get her sketchbook out. Flipping the pages to a blank one she stopped at the one she drew of Rainbow in the cave. Staring at the page Applejack began to feel a sense of desire, a sense of want, a sense of belonging, “Do Ah belong with Rainbow?” she asked herself, “Ah know she’s loyal… and she cares fer me and mah family… Maybe…” she looked over to her cyan friend, who was staring out at the majestic Manetana scenery, “Maybe it would be worth giving it a try with’er… she did say she was into mares… but what will the others think?” she glanced around at the three friends who were present, “ More importantly what will mah family think, Big Mac probably wouldn’t think much it, AppleBloom might think it weird and gross at first, But then there’s Granny… Ah don’t know how she’ll react ta me fancyin’ a mare over a stallion...Well Ah’ll have a talk with Rainbow after we get back.” she let out a small sigh and turned the page and started drawing a rainbow maned pegasus without even taking notice.
“Applejack where are you!?”, yelled a cyan pegasus through the wind, rain and thunder. Applejack could see and hear the pegasus calling out for her, and searching the trees for her orange friend. The orange mare started to gallop to her friend, but she didn’t seem to get any closer. This only made her run faster. A bright flash of light made her stop dead in her tracks. She looked up to see that lightning had struck a tree branch right above the cyan pegasus as it began to fall toward its unsuspecting victim.
Applejack gasped and sat straight up in her seat and looked around the train car. She then looked out the window into the inky blackness that surrounded her, she sighed and looked around the car once again, this time searching for her rainbow maned friend. The rainbow maned mare in question was in the seat across the aisle from AJ. The orange farm pony stood and silently walked over to her sleeping friend, giving her a quick once over to be sure she was alright, and put her mind at ease after the nightmare she had. As she sat in the seat across from the sleeping mare, she thought back to their conversation they had in the cave.
“Could Rainbow really wanna go out with me?” She asked herself “Ah mean… Oh Tartarus just pony up and ask her out. Quit actin’ like a scared little filly… Alright fine but if Ah’m gonna do this Ah have ta do it right... Ugh fine why don’t ya tell somepony about ya likin’ her and maybe they’ll have an idea about how you could ask her out… But who should Ah ask Rarity is out cause if Ah tell her the whole town’ll know before Rainbow does… Well what about Pi--NO! Pinkie can’t keep a secret ta save her life… Ugh fine...well how about Fluttershy? Hey yeah that's a great idea she'll either be too shy, or embarrassed ta tell anypony. But when should Ah tell Fluttershy?... As soon as you get back take her aside or go to her house and tell her… Okay.”
As she finished the argument with herself she felt a hoof touch her shoulder. She jumped and turned to see whom the hoof belonged to.
“Um… Is everything alright Applejack?” asked the pale yellow pegasus
“Ferget everithin’ tell her now!”
She blinked and stared at her friend and sighed, “ No everithin’s not alright.” she said uncertain of how her friend would take her having feelings for their rainbow maned friend.
“Care to share?” Fluttershy asked taking a seat next to her friend, “ I Pinkie promise I won’t tell anypony.” she finished as she went through the motions.
Applejack sighed once more and avoided eye contact with Fluttershy, “ Well… Ah think Ah have a crush on somepony.” she said quietly
“You have a crush?! Applejack that’s wonderful, I’m so happy for you.” Fluttershy said giving Applejack a gentle hug, “Who is it… your crush I mean?”
Applejack didn’t know what to say she simply stared at Fluttershy.
“Oh.. I’m sorry… if you don’t want to share I understand.” she said putting a reassuring hoof on AJ's shoulder
“Well Ah don’t think she even knows Ah like her.” said the farm mare
“Oh your crush in a mare?”
“...Yeah...why… don’t tell me you are the kind of folk that hates mares who like other mares.” she said now worried
“I never said I was. Besides I swing both ways.” said the pink maned pegasus
Applejack looked her in the eye shocked at what her friend had just said, “ You swing both ways?”
“Yeah… Actually you’re the first pony I’ve told this to.”
Applejack continued to stare at her.
“...Would it make you feel better if I told you my crush is?”
“...Sure… Ah mean if ya wanna.”
“Rarity.” Fluttershy said confidently
“Really?” said Applejack
“Yep, I haven’t told her yet… but I will… Now that I told you who my crush is, it’s your turn.” Fluttershy said smiling broadly
Applejack sighed as felt her face begin to flush. Too embarrassed to say who it was she simply pointed a hoof at the sleeping pegasus across from her and Fluttershy.
Fluttershy put a hoof to her lips and let out a small gasp, “ You have a crush on Rainbow Dash?”
Applejack nodded slowly and waited for something to happen… nothing did, except another hug from Fluttershy.
“Oh I’m really happy for you know. I tried to go out with her a while ago … but either I was too subtle or she just wasn’t into me.”
At those words Applejack felt a huge weight being lifted off her shoulders. She turned to Fluttershy and said, “ Thanks Shy, Ah really needed ta hear that. But how am Ah goin’ ta get her attention?”
“Well...I don’t know, but the way I am going to get Raritys attention is by leaving a rose out side her door every night until she has eleven, then with the last one, if I don’t talk myself out of it, going to knock on the door and with it in my mouth and give it to her in person.” the timid pegasus said seaming confident that she was going to go through with her plan.
“ But you know as well as Ah do that Dash isn’t the best on pickin’ up on the subtle things… and Ah don’t wanna just outright ask her. Ah wanna do somethin’ romantic, then at the end of whatever tell her how Ah feel, and ta tell ya the truth Ah think she has a crush on me too.”
“...Well when we were in the cave she asked me if Ah would ever go out with a pony like her.”
“Oh.. so what did you say?”
“ Ah said Ah didn’t know if Ah would go out with somepony like her, but then she asked me what Ah was lookin’ fer in my special somepony, and Ah darn near described her to a tee.” Applejack finished now staring longingly at said blue pegasus, still asleep across from her.
“Oh my… Well...um you--” the light yellow pegasus was stopped mid sentence
“ And while we were in there Ah couldn’t catch a wink a sleep so,” Applejack got up and walked back over to her original seat and opened her sketchbook to the drawing of Rainbow in the cave,” Ah drew this, “ she turned the book to show Fluttershy
“Oh wow that’s really good Applejack. I didn’t know you could draw.”
“Neither did Rainbow,” she sighed “ It’s one of mah little obsessions.” she turned the drawing back to look at it again and smiled, “and ever since we got on the train Ah can’t seem ta stop drawin’ her.” AJ turned the page to reveal yet another drawing of the cyan pegasus, “Here have a look… Ah don’t mind.” she said handing the book to fluttershy
Fluttershy took the book and began flipping through the pages, on the front and back of every page, except the first drawing, was one or two drawings of the rainbow maned mare depicted in all sorts of landscapes, some with her wings flared showing off her feathers, and others had their artist drawn either kinning her,which made the light yellow observer blush lightly, hugging her, or in some other affectionate embrace.
“Oh my Applejack you really like Rainbow.” Fluttershy said handing the book back to Applejack.
“ Yeah Ah know Ah do… and Ah wanna ask her out but Ah’m too scared ta do it.”
“Well I would take your favorite drawing of her and on the back I would write a date, time and place and have something really romantic set up, and mail her the drawing asking her to meet you there. Or… if you don’t want to you can always find another way to ask her.” Fluttershy suggested.
Applejack looked at her friend in surprise, “ Wow Shy that’s a really good idea, where did ya come up with that?”
As silence now surrounded the two talking mares, neither one wanted to break it. They both sat staring of the window in their own contemplation, wondering how, well Applejack was, they would get the mare they longed for.
While they continued to stare out the window they could see the faint light grey and light peach colors of early dawn, though nopony took notice.
“Are you guys alright?” asked a quiet yet excited voice.
Applejack jumped a little and turned to see how the voice came from, “ Yeah we’re alright Pinkie, just couldn’t sleep… Why are you awake?”
“Oh I’m always awake at this hour!” she squeaked, “ I work in a bakery remember?” she giggled, “ Plus I think we’re close to Ponyville.”
“Yeah, I think that’s Canterlot off over there.” said Fluttershy noticing the faint glow of the lavish city.
Applejack let out a content sigh and smiled, “ It’ll be good ta be home.” she said
“Oh...Applejack.” said the shy pegasus
The orange farmpony turned to her friend, “Yeah?”
“You might want to take that feather out of your hat.”
Applejack looked at the light yellow pegasus with a confused look on her face, “ Huh, why. It’s not like it’s hurtin’ anythin”
“Well...it’s just that it’s a primary…” Fluttershy said taking the feather out of Applejacks hat.
“Yeah… that’s what Rainbow said. What’re ya gettin’ at Flutters?” she asked now a little concerned.
“Well you know how how Pegasi lose their feathers, right?” Fluttershy asked.
To which Applejack nodded and said, “ Yeah, I’ve got a few more of Rainbows feathers... come ta think of it I also have a few of yers and Twis as well.” Fluttershy stared at her orange friend, and Pinkie did as well, “ Um.. are any of my feathers you have… primaries?” she asked
“Will ya just tell me what the big deal with primaries is.” Applejack said getting rather annoyed at her light yellow friend for beating around the bush.
“Well Pegasi don’t lose their primaries that often, but when we do we try and keep them in hopes that someday we will give them to our special somepony that we are really serious about. The gift of a primary feather is one way a pegasus can let their somepony know that they are serious about their relationship with that pony.” Fluttershy finished with a small nod
Applejack was silent for a moment, then she looked at the feather in her hat Fluttershy was still holding.
“Oh…” she said shyly, “ Ah had no idea, although Ah do know that feathers are real important and special. But Ah didn’t know that primaries were even more so.”
“Oh yes all of our feathers are a way we can show affection to our special some pony. So if you don’t want to give ponies the wrong idea I would take the feather out of your hat, I’m sure Rainbow won’t mind if you add it to your collection.” Fluttershy said giving Applejack her hat back with a wink that only the earth pony noticed.
Applejack looked down at her hat in her hooves and sighed, “Ah guess yer right, Ah don’t want ponies gettin’ the wrong idea ‘bout me and Rainbow.” she said as she removed the feather from her stetson and stowed it safely in her saddlebags, she then looked over at the sleeping pegasus, “ It would a been nice ta know that before I stuck it in mah hat… but there’s nothin’ Ah can do ‘bout it now. Thanks fer tellin’ me ‘bout the feather before Ah made a foal of mahself when we get home.”
Fluttershy smiled and leaned over to hug her friend, “It was no trouble at all.” she then whispered if AJs ear so quietly she could barely hear her, “ I won’t tell anypony about anything.” then she released the hug and gave Applejack a soft smile.
The rest of the train ride was uneventful as the others three sleeping ponies woke from their slumber. The next after Pinkie was Twilight, then an hour or so after her was Rarity, who greeted her friends with an annoyed glare. Fluttershy then suggested they all go to the dining car and get some breakfast and some coffee, to which Rarity softened her glare immensely, and happily followed the other mares.
They all returned to the car they had been in for their journey home, to find Rainbow Dash still asleep. With nopony wanting to disturb the pegasus they all decided to move to the next car, even though they could see Canterlot they would not arrive in Ponyville until late in the evening.
“Hang on girls,” Applejack said in a loud whisper as she stopped at her seat and grabbed a second smaller sketchbook and her colored pencils out of her saddlebags, “ Okay, let’s go.” she said turned back to look her sleeping crush, “ This sleeping ‘til noon thing is gonna change if you and Ah start datin’, sugarcube.” she said to herself. She felt a hoof on her shoulder she turned around quickly to see who it was, luckily it was just Fluttershy, who gave her a knowing smile, and the cowpony sighed and smiled again then followed her friend into the next car, leaving their friend to sleep.
An hour or so passed by relatively slowly for the other mares chatting away the rest of their long journey. As for a certain cyan pegasus the rest of the journey was passing by even slower, given she was still asleep, or so everypony thought.
As Rainbow Dash continued to lay on her side acting as though she was still asleep, though she was awake, and her eye were open staring at the back of the seat she was lying on, lost in her thoughts, “WOW!!! I still can’t believe AJ has a crush on me! I wonder how long she’s had it? And did our time in the cave make it finally make her realise it? I know I’ve had a crush on her since we first met after me and my parents moved to Ponyville… I wish they didn’t have to move… But if AJ and I start dating then they’ll have to come by for a visit!!! But wait… How am I going to ask her out I can’t just walk up to her and ask, ‘ Hey, AJ I heard you wanted to ask me out,’ ‘ Really where ja hear that?’ ‘ I heard you talking to Fluttershy’... No… that she wouldn’t like that very much… What if I do something super special for her to show her that I feel the same way about her as she does about me?... THAT’S A GREAT IDEA...But how or what am I going to do...maybe I should talk to somepony, Fluttershy maybe, cause AJ already talked to her about her crush on me, and I can’t believe that Fluttershy like Rarity… well maybe I can. But wait AJ said she had some drawings of me in her sketchbook.” she rolled over onto her hooves and walked over to where Applejack had left her saddlebags, but instead of finding the book she found the feather she let her friend keep.
“Oh… heh... I guess I did forget to tell how special primaries were… “ she said quietly to herself out loud as she removed the feather from its resting place to examine it, “ Wow, this is a really awesome feather. I think that’s the-” she was cut off be the sound of the door to the car ahead of her opening.
She looked up in horror as if to see Applejack catching her rifling around in her stuff, “Oh, Rainbow you’re awake, how did you-”
“Shush Flutters, and come over here I have to show you this.” Rainbow said to the light yellow mare, who did as she was asked.
“Okay… what do you want to show me?” she asked as she sat down next to her cyan friend.
“This!” she said holding up the feather
Fluttershy looked at the feather and gasped, “ Oh wow Rainbow! That is the best feather of yours I’ve ever seen.” she said getting a really good look at it.
“I know, that’s the straightest rachis I’ve ever seen one of my feathers have! Normally they’re a little bent.” she said holding it perfectly up and down.
“Yes and look at the barbs, not a single one of them is overlapping or missing!”
“I know and just look at the way the after feather forms it into a raindrop, and the downy coming out at that forty-five degree angle I’ve been trying to achieve for such a long time!”
Fluttershy looked at her light blue friend feeling very happy for her, “ I’m really happy for you Rainbow, I’ve had my perfect feather for a while, and it’s nice to finally see you get yours.” said the light yellow pegasus grabbing her friend and giving her a gentle hug. Rainbow returned it happily.
“Yeah and I know the pony who’s gonna get that feather.” she said with a sly smile
Fluttershy quickly let go of her and stared at the cyan mare in shock, “...Y-you h-heard th-that?...”
Rainbow gave an affirmative nod, “ Yep every word, even the part where AJ told you she had a crush on me. Which I can understand, I mean who wouldn’t wanna go out with me.” she said with her usual cocky smile, “ But don’t worry Flutters I won’t tell anypony unless you tell them first… which reminds me you can not tell AJ I overheard you guys talking, got it?”
Fluttershy nodded sternly and said, “ Got it, I won’t say a word.”
“Good. Now I want to look at the drawings AJ did of me. “
Lifting the flap to look inside the other bag, she quickly found what she was looking for.
“Are you sure you want to do that Rainbow? I don’t think Applejack would like that very much.” Fluttershy said looking at the door to the car she had come from, as if expecting the orange mare to come trotting through there at any moment.
“Yeah….but I saw the drawing she did of me in the cave, and I heard she did more, so I’m curious, nothing wrong with satisfying it is there?” she asked her yellow friend.
“Well no I guess not… but I’m going to go back now before one of them comes looking for me and catches you here.” she said turning and heading back the way she had came.
“Okay I’ll be there when I’m done looking through this.” the rainbow maned mare said taking the book out of it’s hiding place.
Once she was certain nopony was coming through any door she sat down and opened the book. She flipped to the page with her in the cave, she gave a small blushing smile at the drawing, she turned the page over to find nothing on the back. Turning the book over she saw herself lying on a light cyan and pink cloud, the sun was either setting or rising she couldn’t tell. On the cloud with her was an orange pony with a stetson on her head lying under one of her wings, there was no ground beneath them, it was Rainbow and Applejack lying on a cloud together enjoying the sunrise or sunset. The next drawing Rainbow came to was ,again of her, only this time she was in the barn at Sweet Apple Acres. She was lying next to the orange mare who was lying on her back with a small blue- green foal with a rainbow streaked blond mane, and tiny wings curled up on her chest, and a loving smile on her face. Rainbow stared at this one for a long while, pondering the meaning the drawing had.
“Does AJ really think about me that way? Does she want to have foals with me someday?” she asked herself as she continued to stare at the drawing, “...Well it is just a drawing… but could it be more than that?...” she shoved those thoughts aside and closed the sketchbook she held in her hooves. Putting it back in the saddlebag she got it from she decided to join her friends in the next car. When she got to the door to the next car she looked back to where AJs seat was, “AJ… I love you.” she said to herself, then she turned and opened the door and walked in.
“ Why good morning darling.” cooed Rarity upon seeing Rainbow enter the car, all of her other friends turned to see who Rarity was referring to, AJ looked up from her other sketchbook she was currently using and smiled at her friend. Rainbow caught her gaze and immediately lost herself in her emerald eyes for a moment,... she blinked and tore her eyes away from the orange farm pony, trying desperately to hide her reddening face. Which she apparently managed to do, because nopony had said anything, or they didn’t notice, or perhaps they did notice, but they were not going to say anything about it.
Thus this is how they were finishing their wonderful journey to Manetana, with the exchange of stories from both sides of the cave, what Applejack and Rainbow Dash had gone through, and what the other ponies had to go through to find where they would hopefully come out, and of course they all knew the rest of their adventure.
A week has now passed since their trip to Manetana, and a week has passed since Applejack and Rainbow Dash found out they each had feelings for the other. Life had gone back to normal except for one small thing. Since their return a certain cyan pegasus has been avoiding her orange friend, and the farm mare can not for the life of her figure out why.
The sun was around high noon when she decided to take a break from her usual farm chores.
As she loaded the last basket full of apples on to the cart she turned to her brother and said, “ Hey Mac,” she said to the red stallion a few feet away from her. “ Ah’m gonna and see Twilight, Ah’ve gotta talk ta her ‘bout somethin’.”
The large stallion looked to his sister and gave her an understanding nod, and she started for her friends castle, knowing her alicorn friend would most likely be in the library.
Her trot to Twilight's castle was rather uneventful, the only thing she would note was seeing Pinkie chasing after a rogue bundle of balloons she needed for a party or some other event she was planing.
The orange farm pony arrived at the castle doorstep and knocked on the door, harder than she should have, and waited for a few seconds before the large crystal door swung open revealing Twilights number one assistant.
“Hey Spike, is Twi here?” Applejack asked him
“Yeah she’s in the library.” he said standing aside allowing her to enter the massive yet some how cozy entrance hall
“Ah thought she would,” she said as he closed the door behind her.
“Okay then enjoy your chat.” he said turning to go back into bed, “Oh Applejack Twilight doesn't-” but he was too late Applejack had already rounded a corner and was well out of earshot, he simply shrugged and decided to go to the kitchen.
After walking up two flights of stairs and down a needlessly long hallway the farmer mare arrived at her destination, and nudged the door open with a loud creak.
“Spike I thought I told you I didn’t want to be disturbed?” asked the disembodied voice of the Princess of Friendship, “ You can go to Raritys if you-” Twilight stopped mid-sentence as she turned around from her desk to confront her guard, but soon realized it was only one of her friends, “Oh hi Applejack, What brings you by?”
“ Well Ah came ta ask ya somethin’ but Ah can see yer busy Ah can come back later in ya want me to?”
The lavender alicorn waved a hoof dismissively, “ No it’s fine… I was hoping a distraction anyway,... but anyway what do you need?”
“Well… It’s about… well…” Applejack continued to stammer
Twilight walked over and put a reassuring hoof on her shoulder, “ It’s okay Applejack you can tell me anything.” she smiled
Applejack took a deep breath and started again, “Well Ah have a crush on somepony.” she said, her face turning light pink.
Twilight hugged her orange friend vigorously, “Oh Applejack that’s wonderful. WHo is it, when to I get to meet him.” she asked letting Applejack recover.
The orange mare rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof, “Ah haven’t asked her out yet.” she said sheepishly
“Oh he is a she…” Twilight said sounded disapproving
“Yeah… but for the record Ah do swing both ways.”
“Oh… I’m sorry if it sounded like I was creeped out by it. I can’t tell you who you can and can not love. ” Twilight said reassuringly
Applejack started rubbing her hooves together nervously, “So uh… Ah came ta ask how you would ask somepony out, or show her that ya like him or her?”
“Why did you come ask me and not Rarity? You and I both know she knows more about romance out of all of us.” Twilight asked trying to ease her friend.
“Cause you and Pinkie are the only ones outta all of us that have a special somepony.” she said acting a little hurt, which she quickly brushed off, “ Pinkie has that Doopie, Dingy fella,”
“You mean Doomie?” asked Twilight, mentally facehoofing
“Yeah him, and you have Flash.” she said pointing in the direction of Canterlot.
Twilight smiled at the thought of her coltfriend, “ Yeah I do, “ she said dreamily, “ But did I ever tell you how we got together?” she asked
“All’s Ah remember is that you had a crush on him after ya came back from that mirror world, or whatever it was, and bumped inta him.” Applejack said waving a hoof around in a circle.
“ Well… yes that true, but did I ever tell you what happened after that?”
“...Well no Ah don’t think Ah’ve had the pleasure of hearin’ that story.” Applejack said sitting back on her haunches.
“Alright then I’ll tell you.” Twilight said pulling up two floor pillows, “ Now after I came back from that other world and I bumped into Flash, that night he and I snuck off to the royal library and we laid there and talked about a huge number of things, I’ll spare you the details. After many hours I looked out one of the windows and noticed that the sun was just starting coming up, he and I spent the whole night talking, “ she giggled at the memory, “ Anyway when Flash saw the sun rising he shot to all fours and apologized non-stop for keeping me up all night. I told him not to worry about it,” she looked at Applejack, who seemed to lost in her own thoughts, “ ...Do you want to know what did next?” Twilight asked shattering the earth mares concentration of her own thoughts.
Shaking her head the farmer pony asked, “ What did he do next?”
“ He hastily kissed me on the cheek and ran off to his morning roll call.” she said giggling at the look of surprise of her friends face. “Then everyday for about two months after that I kept getting these letters filled with love poems that would make Rarity green with envy. and once a week I would get a lavender, and orange rose, which I still do. Then one day I received a letter asking one simple question, Will you be my marefriend? but instead of writing him back, I just teleported to the barracks he was staying at and gave him a long kiss, and said yes right in front of his commanding officers. Needless to say Flash was the one leased surprised ” she said tilting her head in a love struck manner, “ Does that help you out with how you want to ask this mare out?”
“ Yeah, Twi, Ah think that does help me out a lot,” she said walking over to the lavender alicorn and gave her a hug.
“ What else are friends for?” she asked returning the embrace
“ Well Ah think Ah’m gonna go and leave ya to yer studin’.”
“Bye Applejack.” Twilight called after her, “... Oh Applejack, “
“Yeah, “ she said
“I could send a letter to Cadence if you want me to.”
“Nah Ah don’t ta bother her… but Ah’ll think ‘bout it.”
“Alright then good luck with your somepony.”
“Thanks Twi.” said Applejack in complete sincerity, as Twilight went back to her studies
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Applejack left the castle a little more sure of how she was going to show Rainbow she has feelings for the cyan pegasus.
"Ah think Ah’m goin’ ta mail her the drawing Ah did of her one at a time and then… Nah Ah don’t think she’d like that. Hmm… What if Ah ask’ er to a picnic?... Yeah that sounds like a great idea!! Ah’ll go and ask her right now!” and with that she began trotting back to her farm, knowing that there would be a sleeping pegasus in one of her trees.
Once back amongst the trees she cared for Applejack began searching the lower branched for the rainbow colored tail of the mare she loved? cared for more than any other pony? she wasn’t quite sure .
“Where are you ya lazy pegasus.” she said out loud to herself, “Ha, there ya are.” a wicked grin began to spread itself across her face as she silently trotted over to the tree, squared her hind legs up with the trunk and …
*THWACK*
Applejack was showered with twigs, leaves and…
“Oof…” said the cyan pegasus as she landed on the hard ground beneath her. Sitting up rubbing the back of her head and neck Rainbow looked Applejack right in the eye and said, “Awww, come on AJ was sleeping in an already bucked tree. What gives?”
The orange farm pone just chuckled at her friend, “ Cause Ah just wanted to, and Ah need ta ask ya a question.”
Rainbow Dash looked at Applejack with curiosity, “ Okay, what’s up?” she asked sitting back on her haunches.
“Well Ah am havin’ a picnic this Friday and Ah wanted ta know if’n ya wanna come?” she asked confidently, showing no sign of her actual intent.
“Uhh… sure I’d love to… but why are you telling me about this now? You know I forget stuff easily, and on top of that today is only Monday.”
“ Oh trust me you won’t forget it that easily.” Applejack said matter-of-factly, emphasising her point with a firm nod.
“Alright then, whatever you say Applejack.” Rainbow said with a shrug.
“Great, you can go back to yer nap… if ya want to.” Applejack said blushing a little and turning to go to her farm house, leaving a bewildered Rainbow Dash in her wake.
“Um that was weird,” Rainbow said to herself, “ but hey at least I get to finish my nap.” she fluttered back up to the branch she was napping on before Applejack came along and bucked her off.
As the rainbow maned mare started to drift off to sleep she suddenly sat straight up realizing what the farm pony asked her,practically yelling, “OHMYGOSH OHMYGOSH OHMYGOSH!!! AJ JUST ASKED ME TO A PICNIC!!!” her heart began to soar as much as she was,if it were not for the tree branch in her way, “AOW!!,” she descended slightly then exclaimed, “ I gotta go tell Fluttershy!” and she was off to go visit her light yellow friend
Applejack on the other hoof was trotting marily to her family's farm house, her heart also taking to the skies, a huge smile on her face and a joyful hitch in her step.
Fluttershy was outside her cottage, giving a family of racoons a bath, when her chromatic maned foal hood friend landed roughly thirty feet away and galloped to the light yellow pegasus, embracing her in a hug that was both frightening and comforting.
“EEP… oh hi Rainbow Dash! What brings you here?” she asked after being let go from Rainbows hug.
“ I just came by to tell you AJ just asked me out to a picnic!” she said very enthusiastically
“ Oh that’s great Rainbow, is it like a first date?” asked the shy mare
“Well… she didn’t use the word ‘date’ so… I don’t know what to expect.” Rainbow said rubbing her hooves together.
“ She might have asked you to the picnic to tell you how she feels about you.” suggested Fluttershy
Rainbow looked at her and said, “ Yeah you’re probably right… “
“Oh Rainbow don’t look so glum… Oh if she does ask you to be her marefriend you should get her a gift.”
“Like what? I just can’t get her a Daring Do poster or whatever.” she said waving a hoof around, ”She’s not into that stuff.”
“Well you just need to find something she will like, or you could give her something more personal like a feather. “
Rainbow sighed a little, “ She already has a feather, and it’s a primary, and I don’t want to give her another one then it’ll feel like I’m proposing to her… and I am not ready for that… yet.”
“Then why don’t you sneak onto her room and find the one she has and give it to her?” Fluttershy asked
Rainbow blinked at the suggestion her friend made, “ But wouldn’t I just be re gifting something I already gave her?”
“I thought you didn’t notice she had it until we were almost home?” said the light yellow pony.
“ Well I didn’t notice it was a primary til you and her had that talk on the train. That’s when I looked at it and saw how awesome it was.”
“ Then it looks like you can re gift it, and you can tell her what it means, and that you love her.” Fluttershy said giving Rainbow an affirmative nod. “ Oh when is the picnic?”
“Uh… Friday.” Rainbow said sounding unsure of what she had said.
“ Perfect that gives you enough time to get it then.” Fluttershy smiled
Rainbow smiled and hugged her friend once more,” Thanks Flutters, now if you’ll excuse me I have a feather to find, and an orange mare that needs my attention.” at that she launched herself into the air, flying in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres.
Light snoring came from the second floor of the only cloud house in Ponyville. Then the shrill ringing of an alram clock shattered the calm blissful silence, but the sound didn’t last long.
The cyan pegasus slowly sat up in her bed, yawned, and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She looked over at the clock, which read 8:01. She groaned a little, tossed her covers of her and made her way to the bathroom. Once there the cyan mare looked at herself in the mirror, opened her mouth gave it a once over and then moved on to her morning constitutional. Once done she closed the lid to the toilet, flushed it, and turned on the shower. Letting the hot water come through first, she then turned on the cold water a little, so as not to scald herself. Getting in and pulling the curtain closed Rainbow Dash let the slightly hot water cascade over her tired, and slightly sleep deprived body.
For the past two days Rainbow Dash has pushed herself in her training, which she is used to, but lately her rigorous routine has left her feeling drained at the end of the day.
After she scrubbed her mane, tail and coat with their respective shampoos and conditioners, despite what Rarity and the others think about the brash pegasus, she does like to take care of herself in that she does use separate shampoo and conditioner for her coat, mane and tail. She has to look awesome since she awesome. She also has to style her mane and tail to keep all of the colors separate and from making her mane from looking like a tangled mess.
She stepped out of her bathroom and looked over at a clock she had on her wall, which read 9:58. she smirked a little at her impeccable timing. Walking down the stairs and into the kitchen she heard her doorbell ring.
Curious she walked over to her door and opened it, “Oh hi Derpy.” she said to the grey mail mare
“Hi Rainbow Dash, I have this for you.” she said as she pulled a medium sized box from her mail bag and gave it to Rainbow Dash. Taking the box and looking at it she noticed it didn’t have a return address, “ Uhh.. Derpy there’s no return address on this.”
“ Oh… yeah I know… but the pony who gave it to me just said she didn’t care that it wasn’t on there so I just took it and brought right to you.” she said
“She?” repeated the light blue mare
“Yeah she… at least I think she was a she, her hat kinda threw me.”
“ Can I know who she is so I can thank her later?” Rainbow asked Derpy
“No she told me to tell you that you can thank her tomorrow.” Derpy said giving the rainbow maned pegasus an affirmative nod, “ Well I have to go now Rainbow I’ll see you later.” said Derpy walking off the edge of Rainbows cloud house and taking flight backwards.
Rainbow sighed and went back into her house, “ I will never understand how she is able to fly backwards.” she said to herself as she made her way back to her kitchen.
Setting the box on the counter Rainbow grabbed a knife and cut the tape on either side and across the top of it and opened the flaps. Inside was a single bottle of cider wrapped in bubblewrap, and a note that read:
Rainbow Dash,
Please bring this bottle of cider to the hill
where you , me, and the gals usually hang out
tomorrow at seven.
Your friend Applejack.
“Why did Applejack send me a bottle of cid-- oh yeah that’s right her and I have a picnic tomorrow! I forgot about that…” she said to nopony in particular as she was reminded of the feather she had taken from Applejack in order to give it right back. Looking into her living room on her coffee table was the perfect blue feather Applejack had accidentally pulled out from Rainbows right wing. Setting the bottle down on the counter, Rainbow walked over to where the feather lay on the table and picked it up examining it for what felt like the thousandth time in the three days she has had it.
She sighed, “ Tank…” she said, setting down the feather upon seeing, her tortoise glide down the stairs with the grace of well a tortoise, “ What am I gonna do if AJ does ask me out?”
He slowly blinked,
“Well what do you know about love you’re a tortoise,” she picked him up and gave him a hug, “ I love you Tank. I have to go now Tank, so you be a good tortoise and maybe we’ll go and see AJ later. That sound like fun?”
Tank blinked and began to smile slowly.
Rainbow smiled back, “ Great,” she set him down on the cloud floor walked over to the refrigerator grabbed out some tomatoes and lettuce leaves and put them in his bowl, “ Here’s your breakfast, Tank, I’ll be back at four to get you, then we’ll go to AJs.” she said then opened the front door and took off for the Ponyville weather office.
On her way to the weather office Rainbow decided to fly over the market square to see if Applejack was working the stall.
From her vantage point in the sky she could make out Carrot Top, an empty flower stall, and a little further to the east was the apple stall with the orange mare she wanted to see.
Landing a few feet away from her, Rainbow greeted her, “ Hey AJ!”
The orange mare turned around to see whom it was, “Oh hi RD, how’s it goin’?” she asked
“Pretty good… I came by to ask you something.” she said walking up to and standing next to her friend.
A look of curiosity spread across Applejacks face, “Oh… what’s up?”
“Why did you send me a bottle of cider in the mail? You could’ve just told me in person.” Rainbow said
“Well Ah wasn’t sure if Ah would see ya before Friday.” she answered avoiding eye contact
“Uh huh sure. Well I just came by to ask you that, and to also ask if it was okay if Tank and I came by later today, like around four?”
Applejack looked at her friend and smiled, “ Why sure that’d be great.”
Rainbow smiled, “ Great I’ll see you then.” she turned to go, but before she leapt into the sky Rainbow turned to Applejack, who was now tending to a customer. The rainbow maned pegasus looked at her friends cutie mark, beads of sweat began to present themselves on her face.
“ Come on you scaredy pony it’s either now or never!” she yelled to herself.
She inhaled sharply and extended her left wing toward the three apples on Applejacks flank. Holding her breath and moved her eyes quickly between her target and Applejacks face. Her wing was now just fractions of inches from touching the orange fur, inhaling once more Rainbow moved in for the kill. She placed the tip of her light blue wing on the top of Applejacks hip and moved down brushing over the three apples with the tip, letting the feathers flow where they may, within reason,. Once half way down her leg, Rainbow retracted her wing and looked over to see if AJ had noticed… Breathing a sigh of relief the orange farm mare didn’t feel what she had just done she looked around the market to see if anypony else noticed her action, of which there were.
Bulk Biceps, Cloud Kicker, and White Lightning had noticed. Bulk Biceps had his jaw hanging open, Cloud Kicker and White Lightning just had smiles on their faces. The two mares simply nodded, seeming happy for their boss, Rainbow smiled back at them and took off into the sky bound once again for the weather office.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
In the early hours of the afternoon Rainbow Dash could be found napping in a tree somewhere, usually in one of the many trees on Sweet Apple Acres. However today she was at her house getting ready to go there and take Tank with her.
“Ohmygosh ohmygosh, Tank, I’m so excited to go and see AJ, it feels like I haven’t hung out with her in, like, forever… Whadda ya think?” she asked as she turned around from her mirror to show Tank what she had been doing for the last ten minutes. Simply put, her mane was in a ponytail, even though she spent an hour and a half on her mane everyday, she didn’t care for styling it in other ways, and it took her longer then most mares to do so.
The tortoise just blinked slowly.
The light blue pegasus just scoffed and said, “ Ugh… I’m trying to impress her Tank… you think she’ll like my mane this way?”
Again he blinked slowly.
She sighed, “ Yeah… you’re probably right… she might not like it… but I don’t know if I don’t try right?” she asked
He blinked.
“ Yeah,” she looked back into the mirror, “ I think I will leave my mane like this… don’t tell anypony, Tank, but I think I like my mane this way.” she finished turning her head in all combinations of directions to get a better look and find the angle she liked the best.
Suddenly from downstairs, in her living room, she heard her grandfather clock, her dad gave her, start to ring.
Quickly rushing to the cloud railing overlooking the room she could see the clock read three thirty.
Gasping she returned to the bathroom to retrieve Tank, “ Come on Tank we’re gonna be late.”
She then launched herself off the top of the stairs and burst through her front door toward the Apple family farm, tortoise in tow.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
At Sweet Apple Acres Applejack was just arriving at the barn when her trusty dog Winona came running up to her and barked happily.
“Hi Winona” said Applejack, “ Rainbow’s commin’ over,” the dog perked up but did not seem too thrilled, “ And she’s bringin’ Tank.” as soon as she said that Winona lept up and started wagging her tail furiously, and barking excitedly. Applejack chuckled, “ Ah knew that’d make ya happy. Now come on they're gonna be here any minute.”
As soon as she said that she heard the gentle flapping of well trained and taken care of wings behind her, also the sound of a flight device attached to a certain tortoise was also a dead giveaway as to whom it might be.
“Sup AJ.” said the voice from behind her
Applejack unhitched herself from the apple cart and turned around to face the voice.
She smiled with her eyes closed, “Well howdy RD, how are--” AJ opened her eyes to see her friend and was dumbfounded at what she saw, “ Uh RD you know yer mane’s in a ponytail right?” she asked
The pegasus nodded, “ Yeah I do. “
“Did Rarity so it?” was her next question
“No,” she said confidently, “ I did it”
“ Oh wow Rainbow looks so hot with her mane like that… Ah wish she would do it more often” Applejack said to herself, “ Well... Ah like it,” she said aloud, “ looks good on ya”
Rainbow blushed a little at the complement, “ Aw, thanks AJ,” she said kicking a pebble next to her hoof, “YES she likes it,”
“Why don’t you and Tank head up to the house while Ah put the cart away.” said the orange mare
“Okay” Rainbow said and made her way to the Apple family house.
It had only taken Applejack a moment to put the apple cart in the barn, and started for the house.
Rainbow was just sitting down on one of the chairs when she looked over to see her crush trotting up to the house with two bottles of cider in her mouth.
Applejack came up the steps and over to Rainbow, giving her a bottle of cider.
She smiled and said, “ Thanks AJ”
“Not a problem RD,” she said smiling as well
“So… why did you want me and Tank to come by today?” asked the cyan pegasus
“Ah don’t know.. Ah guess you and Ah don’ hang out as much as we should, and Ah think Winona likes havin’ Tank around… fer somepony ta play with,” said the orange mare smiled and looked over to to see her dog pushing Tank around like a large ball, Tank for the most part seemed to be enjoying it.
Rainbow did the same and she too smiled, “ Yeah I think Tank likes being around Winona too.” she said turning back to her friend.
Upon doing so her jaw dropped at what she was seeing. Applejack had pulled the red mane tie she always wore out of her mane and now her golden locks were flowing freely down her back and around her face.
“OHMYGOSH OHMYGOSH OHMYGOSH OHMYGOSH!!!!! AJ is sooo hot with her mane down!!!!!! But I can’t tell her that… not yet… soon though.” she said to herself.
The two mares sat in the quiet of the early evening, enjoying the sight of their pets playing with one another.
After about an hour or so Rainbow shattered the silence, “ Alright AJ I think Tank and I are gonna get going.”
“Ah don’t suppose Ah could talk ya inta stayin’ fer dinner, could Ah?” she asked
“Not tonight, AJ, I have to go home and get something ready for our picnic tomorrow.” she said sounding a little sad she couldn't stay for dinner.
“Alright then, Ah’ll see ya tomorrow.” Applejack stood to give her friend a hug.
“Good night AJ.”
“Night, sugarcube” AJ said
Grabbing Tank the light blue maree turned to her orange friend and smiled… then leaped into the sky and headed for home.
Applejack sighed, smiled and said out loud to herself, “ Ah do hope ya love me back.” she sniffed and whistled for Winona and went inside for dinner, hopeful for what tomorrow will bring.
Applejack was starting her usual Friday morning ritual of first tending to the west fields, then getting on with bucking the south orchard. Normally she would have thoughts of apples and bucking and the occasional thought of one of her friends, but today her thoughts were entirely consumed by a certain light blue, rainbow maned pegasus with a lightning bolt cutie mark. As well as their plans for that night.
“Oh Ah hope Rainbow is gonna say yes.” the farmer mare said to herself
“Hope Rainbow is gonna say yes to what, Applejack?” asked a sweet young voice from behind her.
Applejack jumped a little and turned to look her little sister in the face, “Oh nothin’, sugarcube.” she said
“Pleeeeaaaaasssseeeeee, can’cha tell me.” the red maned filly wined.
“No.” the older mare said flatly, “ ‘Sides you’ll know soon enough. Now where’s Mac Ah need ta ask him somethin’?”
“Ah saw him over by the barn with somepony, Ah couldn’t make out who it was.”
The orange mare smiled at her younger sister, “Thanks Apple Bloom” she ruffled her mane and walked in the direction of the barn.
Making her way to the barn the orange looked to the sky just in time to see a rainbow streak fading from the sky.
She smiled and said to herself aloud, “ Just you wait till tonight sugarcube. Ah’m gonna make you mine.” With renewed vigor in her step, her trot to the barn turned into a full on gallop.
Reaching the barn in no time at all. She walked around the to the left side of the building, seeing he was not there she continued around to the apple red building, finding no sign of her big brother, on the outside anyway. Walking around to the front of the barn she put a hoof to the handle of the large wooden door and pulled it open.
“Mac ya in-- AAAAAHHH. SWEET CELESTIA MAC! COULD YA HAVE PUT A TIE OR A HAT ON THE DOOR!?” she yelled as she slammed the door to the barn.
The moaning and grunting from inside stopped as the two lovers were forced to stop their love making.
On the other side of the door Applejack could hear a sweet female voice say something then a male voice gave out a loud “OUCH”. A moment later the door opened and a red stallion stepped out into the sunlight, promptly greeted with a punch to the shoulder gleaning another “AOW” from the stallion.
“That’s fer not leavin’ a hat on the door, and second ya should only do that at night. What if Ah had been Apple Bloom and she found her teacher and brother gittin’ it on in the barn, Hmm? Ah know her, Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell gotcha together, but that is no excuse fer doin’ it during the day. Thirdly and the reason Ah came ta find ya, can Ah borrow yer record player tonight, RD and Ah have a picnic tonight and Ah want ta have some music playin.”
“Uh.. sure. Are any other of yer friends gonna be there?” he asked.
“Eenope,” she said confidently, “Just Rainbow and Ah are.. just hangin’ out… like uh… Rarity and Fluttershy.” she grinned sheepishly.
“Uh huh, likely story.” was all he needed to say
“Ugh fine Ah only asked Rainbow cause Ah plan ta ask her ta be mah marefriend! There ya happy?” she said crossing her hooves, not wanting to look her brother in the eye.
“Hm. Well then Ah hope ya have a great time and Ah hope Rainbow’ll treat cha right.” was all he said
Applejacks eyes shot open and she looked him square in the face, “ Ya mean yer not gonna give me a lecture on how unnatural me datin’ a mare is?”
“Eenope, cause it’s not mah place ta say who somepony can and cannot date. So if’n ya need mah blessin’ ya have it, and don’t worry Ah’ll keep this a secret from Granny and Apple Bloom.” he smiled and hugged his little sister.
Returning the embrace the mare said, “Thanks Mac,” she sniffed, “ Now Ah’ll let ya get back ta Cheerilee.”
After that talk with Mac, Applejack went to get his record player and take it to the hill, where she hid it behind a tree along with one of her favorite records. Then she returned to her chores.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Looking to the sky Applejack saw that it was close to five in the afternoon. She finished gathering up the baskets full of apples and loading them onto the cart.
After storing the apples in the barn she made for the house, grabbing her picnic basket on the way out.
“Hiya Granny,” she said upon entering the humble family home, walking quickly top the kitchen and opened the refrigerator getting out the food she had made for her and Rainbow for tonight, placing everything into the basket and then ran up stairs and into her room.
She opened the door and walked over to the dresser, there was not much on top except for a lamp and a photo consisting of a lime green stallion with a short light blond mane and a certain stetson hat, an orange mare with a mane of a rainbow of different hues of orange, in front of them and slightly off to the side trying to get a better look at a something was a young Big Mac, and there in her mother's hooves was an infant Applejack. Both of her parents wore looks of pride and admiration for their newest little foal.
Applejack picked the photograph up and held it in her hooved for a short while, smiling at the ponies in the picture. As she did so she moved one of her hooved to said stetson that was currently resting atop her head, shedding a single tear as she held a memory of her parents in her hooves.
The orange mare sniffed upon hearing a soft knock on her door. She looked over to see who it was.
“Ya alright AJ?” asked a large red stallion
She sniffed again, “Yeah Ah’m alright…” she looked back to the picture still in her hooves, “Do… do ya think Ma and Pa woulda liked her?” she asked, her eyes full of hope.
Big Mac looked at his little sister, a small smile on his face, “They pro’ly woulda been weirded out by you fancyin’ a mare… but Ah’m sure in time they woulda came round.” he said putting a foreleg around her and pulling her into a side hug.
Greatfully returning the sign of affection she said, “ Thanks Mac… hearin’ that means the world ta me.”
After that they shared another hug and Applejack started making her way to the hill.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Applejacks walk to the hill was uneventful, save for an energetic pink mare wanting to play twenty questions.
After ascending to the top Applejack began to lay out the picnic she had made for her and Rainbow Dash, who had yet to arrive.
From within the confines of the basket she had brought forth two apple pies, a dozen or so fritters, dumplings and some apple cinnamon rolls, all of which were made to suit the cyan mare who was going to be enjoying them. The last to be removed from the basket were six bottles of special made cider.
Just as she was setting the last bottle down on the red and white checkered blanket Applejack heard the soft flapping of pegasus wings above her.
Looking up she was greeted with two large magenta eye staring right into hers, “ Hey AJ.” said the pony who the eyes belonged to.
“Howdy RD!” Applejack said to the pegasus, “ Care ta land and sit a spell?”
Landing softly on the blanket across from the farmer mare, Rainbow said, “ Oh here’s the bottle of cider ya wanted me to bring, which I don’t know why since you already have cider here.” pointing a hoof at the six bottles.
“Just you wait and see.” Applejack said walking over to the tree where she hid the record player earlier.
Dash looked at her friend slightly confused, “ Uh AJ… why did you bring a record player here?” she asked as the orange mare began to wind it up.
Carefully pulling the record out of its sleeve and placing it on the turntable, she said, “Cause Ah wanted a great song ta remember this night with,” she flicked the needle over onto the record and the sound of a guitar started playing, she sighed happily and said, “This is one of mah favorite songs, “ she looked over to Rainbow, “It’s called ‘Sundown’ by Gordon Lighthoof.”
As the song began to get into the meat of its duration the two mares lied down on the blanket and began to indulge themselves in the goodies Applejack had made.
Half way through her first apple cinnamon roll Rainbow couldn’t help but lot out a moan that said ‘this tastes AWESOME!!!’ to which Applejack giggled momentarily.
“Ah take it ya like the cinnamon rolls?” she asked
“You bet your flank I do!” Rainbow exclaimed, “Why don’t you sell these? I bet you would make a killing.”
Applejack giggled again, “Well Ah am the only one who makes ‘em, and Ah only make ‘em fer special occasions, or fer friends who want some.”
“Oh… well do ya think I could get some sometime?” she asked
“Sure, sugarcube. Ah’ll make ya some.”
Rainbow brought a hoof up to below her chin, “ Awesome!” she said and went back to eating her roll.
The two mares sat in quiet contemplation for a few minutes, enjoying the music and the sounds of early evening.
“COME ON JUST DO IT ALREADY! SHE’S RIGHT THERE JUST ASK HER!” Applejack yelled to herself.
She sighed and looked over to the light blue mare and said, “Rainbow… Ah have a question ta ask ya.”
Rainbow looked up from her current victim of her hunger and asked, “What is it AJ?”
Applejack inhaled sharply and closed her eyes, “Will you be mah marefriend?"
Rainbow Dash looked Applejack square in her emerald eyes, a blank expression on her face.
Applejack stared back into Rainbows light ruby ones, biting her lower lip nervously.
The two mares sat like this for ten seconds, no more, no less. In a flash of rainbow colors and orange fur. Applejack found herself on her back with Dash standing on her chest, still lost in the magenta sea of Rainbows eyes.
Rainbow gave a small smile, “ Does this answer your question?” she asked as she closed her eyes, and pressed her lips to Applejacks.
Applejacks eyes widened in shock at the sudden move as she felt her entire body respond to Rainbows lips against hers. The sensation felt like she was flying in a lightning storm.
“OH SWEET CELESTIA THIS FEELS AMAZIN’!” Applejack said to herself, “And Dash tastes kinda spicy and sweet at the same time. Ah could get used ta that.” she finished her thought and wrapped her hooves around Rainbow's neck.
Rainbow also had the same feeling as Applejack, only she compared to performing a sonic rainboom.
“OH MAN THIS FEEL A THOUSAND TIMES MORE AWESOME THEN PERFORMING A SONIC RAINBOOM! And AJ tastes like apples and… cinnamon and something else I can’t recognize… but I’m sure I’ll get the chance to find out.” Rainbow thought to herself.
The two mares continued to lay in silence, enjoying the taste of one another.
After what seemed like an eternity Applejack and Rainbow Dash reluctantly broke their kiss, each savoring the taste of the other.
“Yeah, that does answer mah question, but now Ah need an answer to mine.” said the orange earth pony.
“What is it, AJ?” asked the cyan pegasus getting off her friend's chest and sitting back on her haunches.
“What was with ya brushin’ mah cutie mark with yer wing yesterday? From what Ah could see, ya got a few odd looks from some of the pegasi at the market after ya did it.” she asked Rainbow sitting up and adjusting her hat.
Rainbow looked at Applejack surprised, “ Oh… you felt that?”
“Yeah Ah felt it, it was kinda hard not ta.” AJ deadpanned
“Oh well its called feather marking.” she said ruffling her wings a little
“Feather what?”
Rainbow chuckled a little, “ Feather marking, it’s where a pegasus takes a wing and brushes it over their special someponies cutie mark. Showing other ponies that they mean business with the pony they feather mark. Like when I did it to you, I sent a message to the other pegasi that you are mine.” she finished, letting a smile spread across her face and going over and sitting next to Applejack. “ and if they want you they have to fight me for you.”
Applejack looked at her rainbow maned friend, “ Oh… am Ah the first pony ya feather marked?” she asked
Rainbow looked at Applejack thinking back to all of the ponies she had dated… then she smiled, “ Yeah, actually, you are the first pony I’ve ever feather marked.” she said draping a wing over her orange friend.
Applejack smiled and gave her a small short kiss, “Ah’m glad Ah got ta be the first.” she said pulling away from Rainbow and giving her an affectionate nuzzle.
Rainbow smiled and turned to look at the setting sun. Marveling at the peach, light orange and deep pink colors.
Applejack took this opportunity to lay her head on Rainbow's shoulder.
Dash, noticing this, laid her own head on Applejacks, “I love you AJ.”
“Ah love you too, RD.”
The two mares remained like this for the duration of the sunset and well after darkness had consumed them.
“AJ?” Rainbow asked, assisting her marefriend in gathering up the remnants of their picnic.
Applejack looked up from the basket straight into a pair of magenta eyes, and her lips were met with a light, yet still passion filled kiss.
Pulling away from her orange mare Rainbow said, “I really am happy you asked me out…. but to be perfectly honest I already kinda knew you had a crush on me”
Applejacks emerald eyes widened at this, “How?” was all she said.
“Well… there was the running of the laves a few years ago, and a bunch of times after that… then we were trapped in that cave in Manetana, and on the way home I couldn’t sleep…. and I kinda overheard you and Fluttershy talking….” she said sheepishly looking down to the soft grass beneath her hooves.
The farmer mare did nothing but sit and take in Rainbows confession.
“... So when I heard that the feather you accidentally pulled out was a primary I… kinda snuck into your room…” from under her left wing Rainbow pulled out a small light orange box with her cutie mark on the lid, “After I snuck into your house and got the feather and I made this box for it.”
Applejack took the small box from Rainbow and opened it and let out a small gasp. The inside of the box was lined in rainbow colored silk, and lying in among the folds was a single light blue feather.
“I also heard what Fluttershy told you about what primaries mean… So do you like it?” asked the rainbow maned mare, twiddling her hooves.
The orange mare simply stared at the lone feather in the orange box, dumbfounded at the meaning it now held.
“AJ are you going to say--,” Rainbow was interrupted by a pair of orange lips pressing firmly against hers, and she melted into the kiss.
After a moment or two they surfaced for air, Applejack finally spoke, “ Ah am just so darn happy you said yes, sugarcube. And now yer givin’ me a feather… Ah just don’t know what ta say… “ she said starting to choke up with tears.
Rainbow wrapped her hooves around Applejack and pulled her into a tight hug and said nothing.
Applejack sniffed and leaned further into her marefriends shoulder, “ Ah just... “
“Shh… it’s okay AJ I know how you feel, I’m glad you asked first… I don’t know what I was going to say if I had to be the one to ask you out.” Rainbow said pulling away to look Applejack in the face, which was slightly damp from her tears, and her eye were red from the crying, seeing her like this made the rainbow maned pegasus tear up herself.
The farmer mare smiled gently, “Ah love you Rainbow Dash.”
Rainbow also smiled, “I love you too AJ.”
“Well… Ah suppose,” she sniffed, “ Ah should be gettin’ home. Ah have a lotta buckin’ ta do tomorrow.”
“ I’ll walk ya home.” said Rainbow getting to her hooves and draping a wing over her marefriend and, with basket inhoof, made their way to the Apple family home.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Arriving at the front porch to of the house the two mares separated and faced one another.
“Well… this is me.” Applejack said solemnly, “ So… I guess Ah’ll see ya tomorr--” once again she was cut short by the mare she longed for and now had.
Catching Applejack off guard, and with her mouth slightly open, Rainbow pressed her lips to those delicious orange ones, and seizing the opportunity she slipped her tongue into AJ's mouth. Applejacks eyes opened wide in surprise at the fact her mouth was now being probed by her love. Noting the feeling she began to push back against Rainbow, both with her body and tongue.
Minutes ticked by and after five minutes or so the two mares broke their long and passionate kiss.
Rainbow smiled, “I couldn’t let you go in… without a good night kiss.” she said and playfully licked AJs nose.
Applejack smiled and said “ Ah guess ya couldn’t.” and she kissed her marefriend much the same way Rainbow had kissed her.
Breaking their passion once again, Applejack moved a little further away from her rainbow maned pegasus.
“ Night AJ.” said Rainbow, “ I love you.”
“ Night, Dash, Ah love you too.” she said now hugging Rainbow. Before she separated from the embrace she gave Dash a quick peck on the cheek.
As she turned to go inside the house, Dash unfurled a wing and traced AJs flank, making sure to run her feathers over the three apples adorning it.
Making sure she was safe in the house, Rainbow launched herself into the air, doing a round of backflips and barrel rolls, she too headed for home.
A few days after her confession of love to her rainbow maned marefriend, Applejack lies in her bed wide awake, when heard the sound of pebbles being thrown against of her window, almost making her jump out of her fur.
She jumped out of her bed and quickly walked over to the window. Hoping it was her beloved Rainbow Dash throwing the tiny stones, because the farm mare had not seen hide nor tail of her in the past couple days. On the opposite side of the window was Rainbow, hovering with a small hoofful of pebbles.
Reaching out Applejack pulled her into a hug, “ Where have ya been Rainbow? Ah haven’t seen ya in two days.” said the orange farm mare.
“Well all of the weather teams were making a colossal thunderstorm that is stretching from Canterlot to Cloudsdale… I hope it doesn't blow up in the face of whoever came up with the idea.?”
“Sounds like a real gully washer… but Ah get ta see ya now and that’s all that matters.” Applejack said pulling the still hovering Rainbow into her room and giving her a peck on her muzzle, still having her hooves wrapped around her neck.
“I love you AJ.” Dash said smiling her and giving her a playful lick on her nose
“So what brings ya by at this hour… not that Ah’m complainin’ or anythin’.” said the farm mare
“Well I just wanted to see you...cause I haven’t since told me you loved me. That’s all.’ Rainbow said wrapping a wing around Applejack
Applejack smiled and said, “ Thanks sugarcube. Ah love you too.” she gave Dash a small kiss of the cheek, “ but now that yer here… maybe you could… Ah don’t know… stay the night?”
Rainbow looked at Applejack with a blank expression, “ Sure.. I could stay here, I’m too tired to fly home any way.”
The two mares made their way to Applejacks bed and climbed in both lying on their backs, “So… aren’t we supposed ta… ya know… be cuddlin’ er somethin’?” asked the orange mare turning her head to look at Dash.
Rainbow sighed and rolled over to look her in the eye, “ AJ have you ever had another pony in your bed?” she asked
AJ flattened her ears, feeling ashamed, “ No… no Ah haven’t.”
Dash was a little taken aback at this, “ You mean you have never had the pony you were dating in your bed?”
The orange mare shook her head, “ Yer the first Dash.”
Dash rolled over and smiled at Applejack, “Well roll over AJ,” Dash said
Applejack did as she asked and rolled over, at the same time Rainbow slid herself closer to her and wrapped a light blue leg around chest of the orange farmer, and laid her head gently on hers. At this Applejack snuggled closer to her marefriend enjoying the feeling of being held close by another pony, and slowly began to drift off to sleep.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The next morning, just as the sun began to peak over the mountains, Applejack awoke to the sound of light snoring in her ear. she flicked once trying to rouse the pony producing the sound, though her efforts were in vain.
Slightly annoyed she rolled over to confront the mare snoring in her ear.
“Rainbow” she whispered
No response.
“Rainbow!” she whispered a little louder and nudged the sleeping pegasus elighting a small moan of disapproval as the rainbow maned mare turned away from the orange pony trying to get her attention.
Applejack furrowed her brow and nudged her harder, “Rainbow Dash! Wake up!” she said
Rainbow submerged her head with the blanket that covered the two mares, “Mmm… just five more minutes AJ.” she whined in sleepy annoyance
“ Ugh fine” she said as she slid under the covers and wrapped a hoof around Rainbow, returning the embrace she was given last night, in return Rainbow moved closer to her marefriend.
The two mares remained like this for a short while, until Applejack heard the door to her bedroom creak open.
Applejack surfaced in a panic to see who had entered. She looked over her shoulder to see a red stallion standing in the doorway.
She let out a huge sigh of relief at seeing him, “ Mornin’ Mac.”
“Eeyup,” he said eyeing patch of rainbow sticking out from beneath the covers.
Applejack thought this was a good time to ready herself for the day, and hopefully get Rainbow out of the house before Granny Smith or Apple Bloom find her.
Feeling a shift in the weight and hearing the male voice Rainbow peeled back the blanket to see Big Mac standing there, and Applejack heading out the door, “ Um… hi Big Mac,” she said, “Mornin’” said the stallion
“So… you’re not weirded out by this?” she asked
Mac took a step into the room and closed the door behind him, “ No this does not bother me in the slightest. All Ah want is fer AJ ta be happy, and if that means datin’ you, then so be it. Ah just ask one thing from ya.” he said putting a hoof on the bed, and looking deep into Rainbows magenta eyes.
Rainbow, unsure what to do, said, “ Um… okay, what would that be?”
“That ya take good care of her, and do not hurt her in any way, shape or form. Got it?” he said seaming very threatening
Dash simply nodded, “ Are you kidding, hurting AJ is the last thing I would want to do, plus I’m the element of loyalty… so I couldn’t even if I wanted to.”
Mac nodded in response and pulled her into a tight hug, “ Ah thank ya Rainbow, that is all Ah ask.” he said and let her go.
“ I know Mac.” she said, smiling at him as he left the room and Applejack came back in.
She gave her rainbow maned marefriend a curious look, “ What did Mac say to ya?” she asked picking up a brush and running it through her mane.
“Oh nothing, he’s just being a protective brother is all.” Rainbow said getting out of bed and walking over to AJ to give her a reassuring kiss on the cheek.
The orange mare giggled and returned the kiss, “Ah love you Rainbow Dash.”
