Most ponies would settle for whatever they could get their hooves on, but not Rainbow Dash. Not when it involves her. Not with something so important to their lives.

A thank you to themoontonite, Shaslan and Flashgen for proofreading and editing before publishing.

For those who have played Harvest Moon, hope you get the reference.

Rainbow Dash is the best flier in Equestria. No less an authority than Princess Celestia herself has declared this to be the case, and with the royal seal of approval the fearless pegasus continues on her journey to becoming a Wonderbolt. Which isn't to say that she doesn't still have the occasional accident, however.

And when she does, she isn't the only one that's in pain.

Spitfire has been the captain of the Wonderbolts for a long time, and she has seen many a swaggering pegasus - so convinced that they are the Next Big Thing - come ... and more importantly she has seen them go. Usually in a mangled heap of torn feathers and broken bones. Today, however, she is convinced that this latest candidate is the real deal.

It isn't like Fluttershy to miss anything, but when she is unexpectedly absent from school her friends worry about her; in a world as crazy as the one in which they live, it doesn't take them long to imagine all sorts of horrible scenarios. Even after they assure themselves that she's probably fine and is just ill, one of their number continues to worry all the same.

After being summoned to a meeting with Wonderbolt Commander Spitfire, Rainbow Dash finally learns the truth about why she has been passed over by the Wonderbolts all this time. A little bit of Rainbowfire.

Arriving late at Fluttershy's cottage one night, Rainbow Dash has something on her mind that - for once - has nothing to do with flying or danger, or flying into danger. Fluttershy soon learns that her friend's burgeoning relationship with Scootaloo is growing into something more: they're becoming as close as sisters and Rainbow Dash feels herself to be singularly unsuited for such a role of responsibility. Can Fluttershy convince her otherwise

Applejack promises to spend some time with Rainbow Dash, and naturally the pegasus asks to share some naptime with her in one of the apple trees. Applejack agrees, and even finds herself having fun... until her big brother turns up, as big brothers have a habit of doing, to catch her in a rather compromising position.

Note: not my cover art. https://www.derpibooru.org/380712
Another note: some of you may recognize this as a chapter from one of my other stories. I decided to post it as a stand--alone story as well, because I originally wrote it as a short stand-alone story and just posted it as a chapter on a whim. What you are reading now is how it should have been posted in the first place. (Besides, you can never have enough AppleDash.)

Celestia is tired of ruling Equestria. So she decides to take a day off... using any means possible.
In this case it involves pretending to be sick and tricking her sister into ruling in her stead for the day.
Well, her clever plan succeeds, and Celestia is left to herself all day long. As she is enjoying her time off, she discovers a stack of letters in her bedroom; letters that she hasn't thought about in a very long time.
Letters from Rainbow Dash.
Celestia begins to read these letters from so many years ago. They are full of Rainbow's passions, her hopes, her dreams, and her love - her love for one of her best friends: Applejack. They follow Rainbow's relationship with Applejack, blossoming from friendship into something more, resulting in cuddles and kisses and eventually in Rainbow Dash learning some of the most important lessons that anypony can ever learn.
The last letter from Rainbow had been an invitation to a wedding. And it had been sent a year ago.
So why had Rainbow Dash stopped writing?

Rainbow Dash asks Applejack out on a date for Hearts and Hooves Day.
Long story short, Applejack says yes. And then she says no. Six times in a row.
Applejack tells Rainbow Dash that she'll go go on a date with her if Rainbow asks her the right way. But what the heck does that mean? Rainbow spends the next week trying to find out, employing everything from bribery by chocolate to singing to horrible pickup lines, in her attempt to win Applejack's heart. But it's only on Hearts and Hooves Day itself that she discovers what Applejack really wanted to hear.
(Not my cover art)

The Everfree Forest is a dangerous place. 

Everypony, everypony, who is raised in the surrounding area is warned of the danger. Even the smallest of foals are warned away.

Applejack is trying to make a delivery, taking a route through the forest that lingers on Ponyville's collective consciousness. Rainbow Dash accompanies her. Things happen, and something develops.

_____

Written for the AppleDash Warm and Fuzzy Feelings Event.