Diamond Tiara and Apple Bloom lay in a park together, making fun of rich ponies as they pass them by.

It's funny how much can change in a few years.

Pre-read by the still alive shortskirtsandexplosions.

Applejack needs a full night of sleep for apple bucking tomorrow. It's too bad that Rainbow Dash's restlessness isn't letting her get a single wink.

Look, I heard you the first time! Yeesh, I wish you'd stop staring at me, as if you're reading my thoughts. 'Cuz if you could, then you'd know that while this is the first thing I'd want to do, it's also the last! I mean, horseapples, things would be a heck of a lot easier if I'd known ahead of time that Twilight and the rest of the girls had only packed three sleeping bags instead of six for this mountain hike! For realsies, if you had any friggin' clue how many restless nights I've spent thinking about you, fantasizing situations like this, then you'd know... you would freaking know how impossible it is for me to actually... sh-share a sleeping bag with my totally not-sexy-in-any-way best friend... (*ULP*) ... overnight... s-so that we could keep our bodies warm in the cold, cold forest. Grnnnng! Alright... alright! I'll do it! Of c-course I'll do it! I'm awesome! I'm not afraid of anything! Okay... I can do this... I can totally do this... I can... I can... I-I...

Applejack and Rainbow Dash share a moment together while apple bucking.

Applejack stumbles upon Rainbow Dash while she's fitting a wedding dress for Rarity.

Sunset Shimmer drives Twilight Sparkle home after a late night at the movies.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash are Canterlot High's most athletic, most competitive, and most stubborn students.
They're also the most oblivious.
Rainbow Dash is head-over-heels in love with her best friend, Applejack. Applejack has one hell of a crush on Rainbow Dash. And, naturally, neither one of them knows how the other feels.
Who knew saying 'I love you' could be so hard?
But they'll manage it in the end. And when they do, they'll go on to tackle the rest of the school year hand-in-hand, side by side. They'll laugh and cry; they'll be hurt and be healed; they'll live their life to the fullest with their best friends and encounter all sorts of surprises. They won't realize it, but their experiences - their love, their kisses, even their stupid competitions - will be documented by Pinkie Pie with her trusty camera, trying to immortalize the slow and sweet and sometimes stormy romance of her best friends.
And when she shows them her album at the end of the year, when they prepare to step out into the big wide world, Applejack and Rainbow will realize that, well...
It truly was their year.

Link to cover artist's page:
http://ranbluesue.lofter.com/post/39ebde_cf8e4b1

You'd be an absolute fool to miss out on such a party...

Applejack bites Rainbow Dash's tail off.

Special Thanks to: Vimbert, Ponky, and Pilate

Fluttershy comes to Rarity looking for advice on what to do about an unrequited crush ... but Rarity has a few secrets of her own, and may not be the right mare to ask after all.