//------------------------------// // Giving In (Read it and Weep) // Story: The AppleDash Project // by bookplayer //------------------------------// “Just a little tighter.” Rainbow Dash said as Applejack dropped the rope from her mouth. The pegasus was tied firmly to a tree in the sunny apple orchard. Applejack just shook her head. “Nope. I'm the one that's gonna be untyin' these ropes later, no way am I makin' it harder than I haveta.” “You don't think I can get out?” “I know you can't get out.” Applejack smirked. “Ha! You just wait!” Dash said with a cocky grin. “What about the fire?” “Nope. Might hurt the tree. Not to mention burn my idiot marefriend to death.” Applejack said dryly. She was being as patient as she could with Dash's new hobby. While her wings recovered Dash had torn though the Daring Do books. Now that she was out of books, Dash had decided to live the Daring life, which apparently involved recreating scenes from the books and proving that she could do anything Daring Do did. If this involved risking her neck, that was a bonus. Applejack just tried to make sure that death defying stunts stayed death defying. “I totally read the book. I'll be perfectly safe.” Dash said, rolling her eyes. “It's fiction, Dash. Not a how-to guide for bein' crazy.” “Whatever. It's not as cool without the fire.” “You go on and get outta that, and we'll talk about the fire next time.” Applejack relaxed against a tree across the row to watch. “Fine,” Dash said, grinning. “Here I go.” Dash squirmed and struggled against the ropes, but AJ had tied them tight. She'd roped enough critters in her time to keep a pegasus from going anywhere, and sure enough twenty minute later Dash was still trying to get the knot to budge. “Urmph! Unrh. . . almost. . . got it. . .” Applejack was grinning by now. “So, 'bout that fire.” “Shut up.” Dash said with a glare, trying to bite at the ropes. “Hello, Applejack. . .” Fluttershy said as she walked up the row of apple trees. Then her cheeks turned pink as she caught sight of Dash. “Oh my. I'm, um, interrupting something, aren't I?” Applejack chuckled, “Nope. Nothin' like that. Dash is just showin' me an amazin' trick she picked up from Darin' Do.” “I said shut up.” Fluttershy looked concerned. “Should you. . . untie her, maybe?” “Dunno. Hey Darin', you ready to admit defeat?” “Never!” Dash shouted with renewed determination. “I'd say she's gonna be there for a while.” Applejack told Fluttershy with a grin. “What can I help ya' with?” “Well, I know that Rainbow Dash said it was fine, but I just wanted to check and make sure you were really okay with the butterfly migration.” “Butterfly migration?” Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow. “Oh yeah.” Dash paused in her escape and looked up. “AJ, you don't care if I go with Fluttershy to watch some butterflies fly around, do you?” Applejack shrugged. “No, can't say I mind that. Why would ya' ask?” “Well, because. . . I know I'm not supposed to say, but. . . well. . .” Fluttershy looked over to Rainbow Dash, hoping for help, but Dash had returned her attention to trying to shimmy out of the ropes, so Fluttershy went on. “It's on Hearts and Hooves day this year. I wasn't sure if you had plans.” “Oh.” Applejack blinked. She hadn't given a thought to what, if anything, she was doing for Hearts and Hooves day now that she had a serious marefriend. “Well, as a matter of fact we didn't have no plans, did we Dash?” “Urrn!” Dash responded with a piece of rope between her teeth, but no closer to being free. “I mean, I hadn't really been thinkin' that far.” AJ explained to Fluttershy. “Oh, well if you were going to make plans, then. . .” Dash spit out the rope, “Fluttershy, she said she's okay with it.” Applejack blinked. “Well. . . yeah, I reckon I did. Y'all go on and have a good time.” “Oh! Thank you!” Fluttershy squealed softly. She hugged AJ, then trotted over and hugged Dash before heading back towards the road. Applejack watched the hug closely, and replayed it after Fluttershy was gone. Was Dash blushing? Did it last longer than when Fluttershy hugged her? She looked at Dash for a few moments, but there were no hints from the pegasus, who was tied up with trying not to be tied up. “So, you said you'd go out with Fluttershy on Hearts and Hooves day before ya' asked me?” Applejack asked. “Sure. You don't go for that mushy stuff. Why did you tie this dumb rope so tight?” Dash said, pausing in her struggles to catch her breath. “We didn't haveta do nothin' mushy.” Applejack said absently. “Do you not want me to go with Fluttershy?” “Nah, I said it.” Applejack said with a shrug. “I ain't about to go back on my word. I guess I'm just a little disappointed that you didn't think of me.” “I did think of you. I thought you wouldn't care.” Dash said, looking a little worried. “Well, okay then.” “It doesn't sound okay.” Dash said suspiciously. “We're not doing the hiding stuff thing again, AJ.” “Well, it oughta be okay.” Applejack said with a sigh. “You're right, you had no reason to think I'd care 'bout Hearts and Hooves day. I don't really care 'bout Hearts and Hooves day, and it'd be just silly for me to be jealous of Fluttershy, wouldn't it?” “Yup.” Dash nodded. “I mean, Fluttershy is pretty but . . . butterfly migrations? You'd never ask me to go to something as lame as a butterfly migration.” Applejack glared at Dash suspiciously. “Am I pretty too?” “Yeah? Since when do you care about that?” “I- I don't.” Applejack said, almost surprised. “I just care if you care.” Dash sighed, “AJ. . . okay, first, Fluttershy is pretty, but you're amazingly hot. Second, you're way more fun. And third, I love you. I've known Fluttershy since we were fillies, but for a marefriend I think I'm gonna stick with the hot, fun pony that I love.” Applejack smiled, “I love ya too, Sugarcube.” “Great. Now, to prove how awesome you are you could untie me without saying a single word about this.” Dash said hopefully. Applejack chuckled. “Nope. Don't think I can.” “Um, why not?” “Cause the sun's goin' down, and I got a beautiful pony all helpless and tied to a tree.” Applejack said with a seductive grin. She walked up to the bound pegasus and rested her forehooves on Dash's shoulders, kissing her deeply. Dash's eyes widened. Applejack pulled away from the kiss, still grinning. “You're gonna be sorry ya' crossed me, Darin' Do.” Dash's look of shock turned to an excited grin as AJ ran a hoof down to her flank. “I have the coolest marefriend.” She squirmed against the ropes.“Do your worst, evil temptress!” “Don't you worry 'bout that, I sure will.” Applejack said, licking Dash next to the ear.