Rarity Writes is a monthly article featured in the Hooves and Hemlines magazine, and Rarity couldn't be prouder. After all, if there was one thing she could talk about, it was fashion, right? And free publicity is always great.

Unfortunately, it didn't take long for her to run out of ideas. Luckily for her, she finds some interesting subject material in her best friend's relationship.

Proofread by Apple Cinnamon and docontra. Written for the AppleDash contest featuring the themes 'Exploring the Past' and 'A Special Event'

Applejack realizes one morning that Rainbow Dash has apparently moved in with her. This discovery surprises Dash more than a little, too, and sets off a chain of events neither could have imagined.

The original minific version of this story came in fifth in the Dec. 2015 Writeoff Association contest, "Things Left Unsaid." And the full, three-chapter-and-an-epilogue version won 3rd place in The Fourth AppleDash Contest: A Little Twist of Lemon using the categories "A Life-Changing Event" and "An Important or Memorable Date."

(8/24/2020 update - I commissioned new cover art for the story from https://twitter.com/Marstruc ! I've wanted an image like this for a long time and finally got it.)

Applejack has tried everything she can think of to turn things around at her family farm, but every month brings disappointing sales and further expenses. She feels the weight of responsibility for the farm and its imminent failure bearing down on her harder every day, and every failed attempt to fix things drives her deeper into depression.

Old habits kick in, and friends' searching questions are deflected, sidestepped, and eventually even answered with outright lies.

Sweet Apple Acres, the Apple family, and even the Elements of Harmony are all in greater danger than all but one mare knows, or will admit.

(Approved by Twilight's Library once upon a time.)

"Awkward, but worth it."
This is the phrase Twilight Sparkle used when Rainbow Dash first attempted to work up the courage to confess her love for Applejack. Rainbow quickly realized that she was right--it was awkward, but worth it. What she didn't realize was just how applicable that statement would be throughout all her life. That first conversation. That first kiss. That first night spent together. That time Apple Bloom walked in on them. That first apology after their first argument. The arrival of that acceptance letter. And on so many more occasions.
Throughout it all, Rainbow kept smiling.
It was awkward, yes. At times so much so that she wished she could sink into the ground and disappear forever.
But in the end, every time--every time--it was always so very, very worth it.