//------------------------------//
// Chapter Six 
// Story: Our Year 
// by AJtheRaven 
//------------------------------//

         For a brief moment of heart-stopping terror, Fluttershy looked abjectly terrified, and Rainbow Dash was worried that she had broken the poor girl or, worse, completely disgusted her. 
Then Fluttershy's eyes softened and she stepped forwards and wrapped Rainbow in a warm hug, standing on her tiptoes in order to reach Dash's ears. "Oh, Dashie, I'm so proud of you," she murmured gently, her small hands pressing into Rainbow's shoulders. "I've been waiting for you to tell me for so long..."
Rainbow's hands dangled lamely at her sides. She couldn't lift them to hug Fluttershy back. In fact, she couldn't move at all. "But... y-you knew?" she stuttered, nearly forgetting to keep her voice down in her shock. 
Fluttershy cast a fearful glance at the four girls in the living room. "Shhh.. yes, I knew. I've seen the way you look at her, Rainbow. Like you could look at her for days and days on end and still not be satisfied. Like the whole world is in her eyes... and no, I don't think anyone else has noticed," she added, in response to the unanswered question that lurked in Rainbow's eyes. "Just me. Because I know you." 
"Because you're my first friend," Dash realized aloud. "My oldest friend... oh, 'Shy... but you aren't grossed out?" Her hands began to tremble. "You sounded so scared..."
"About what?" The svelte young girl drew back and stared at Rainbow in innocent bewilderment. 
"About me being... you know... gay?" Rainbow choked over the last word and had to turn her face away to hide the shameful stinging in her eyes. This was the first time she had ever used that word to describe herself; the first time she had claimed it as her own. She had been terrified of that word since she was young - her aunt and uncle had been very vocal about exactly what they thought of such 'vile behavior', as they so kindly put it. Rainbow had never had the courage to tell them. And her fear of telling them had eventually morphed into a fear of telling everyone, her best friends included. 
Fluttershy only hugged her all the tighter. "Oh, Rainbow Dash, if there's one thing I've learned, it's that who you love doesn't matter... it's how you love. And I know that you love your friends - and Applejack - with all of your heart. You have nothing to be ashamed about. I was only scared because... I wasn't expecting you to tell me today..." she glanced down with a shy smile. Everyone knew she didn't like surprises. "But I would never, ever be scared of you. You're the kindest and loyalest person I know, and Applejack would be lucky to be your girlfriend."
Tears of joy sprang unbidden into Rainbow's eyes, and she was finally able to lift her arms and slide them around Fluttershy's back in a crushing embrace. What had she done to deserve a friend like her? "Thank you," she breathed hoarsely, pressing a sisterly kiss to the top of Fluttershy's mousy hair, all of the inner conflict she hadn't even known she'd been carrying around with her vanishing in an instant. "Thank you so much."
Fluttershy squeaked. "Can't... breathe..."
"Oh, sorry..." Fearing for her delicate friend's ribs, Rainbow hastily set her down and backed away. She gave Fluttershy a watery smile, swiping moisture out of her eyes. "I - I really needed to hear that."
"I know," Fluttershy answered softly, tucking her mussed hair behind her ears. "I know you did."
Rainbow sighed and twisted her fingers around each other, some of her sudden elation fading back into despair. "I - I don't know how to tell her I like her. Part of me really wants to tell her, and the other part just wants to - I don't know, run away and never come back so I don't have to worry about it at all! What do I do? How do I do this? And what if she doesn't like me back?" Her eyes brightened as a thought struck her. "Can you help me tell her?" she asked hopefully. 
Fluttershy shook her head gently but firmly. "No, Dashie. I won't tell her for you. This just needs to be something you do on your own. But I can give you advice."
Dash twisted her lips into a pout. Fluttershy was usually a total pushover, but on the rare occasions when she said no, she really meant it. She could be quite adamant when she needed to be. "Fine. Can you at least promise not to tell anyone else? Yet? I just don't think I'm ready." This was one instance where Rainbow wasn't at all embarrassed to be holding back. This time, she just wanted to take things slow and easy. 
"If you don't want me to, I won't," she replied readily. "Although I'm sure they won't think of you any differently after they know. And speaking of the others, I'm sure they're getting suspicious by now..."
Right on cue, Pinkie Pie's ebullient voice floated into the kitchen (or, more accurately, rocketed into the kitchen at a pitch loud enough to shatter glass). "HEY, GUYS! What's taking you so long?! Did you find hidden cupcakes under the floorboards or something?! OH MY GOODNESS, DID YOU FIND HIDDEN CUPCAKES AND NOT SHARE ANY WITH ME? DO I NEED TO COME IN THERE?!"
"NO!" Rainbow yelped. "Um, I mean, no, no cupcakes, sorry. We'll be out there in a second." She poured herself and Fluttershy a mug of cider. "Okay, coming back out." We can finish this conversation later, she mouthed to Fluttershy. 
Fluttershy nodded in understanding. "Just one last thing..." She worked up all of her courage and said, in a voice that was somehow small and assured at the same time, "I don't know if Applejack likes you, or if she even likes girls at all. But I think you two are perfect for each other." Blushing at her own boldness, she shot Rainbow a parting smile and exited the kitchen, cradling her cider mug against her chest.  
Rainbow Dash stared after Fluttershy with her mouth open, a giddy smile tugging at her lips. Really? She thinks we'd be perfect together? 
Fluttershy was a remarkably adept judge of character, so maybe there was some hope after all. Her confidence bolstered by the conversation of the past few minutes and her heart flipping in joyous loop-de-loops, Rainbow trailed slowly after her friend, feeling happier than she had in years. 

***

Rarity gave Applejack a warm hug and stepped out of the house. "I'll see you tomorrow. Make sure your study those French verbs! Your pronunciation is simply atrocious. Also, work on your spelling."
"Thanks fer the enlightenin' commentary on mah inadequacies, Rarity," Applejack replied dryly, rolling her eyes in annoyance. 
"My pleasure, darling." She didn't seem to be picking up on the sarcasm. 
"Work on your polar form to rectangular coordinates conversions too," Twilight chimed in. "You're really good at it, and I know you're good at polar form and vectors in general, but you'll need to be even better to ace the test we have coming up. I've already used one of my probability formulae to put together what I think is a fairly accurate model of a practice exam, and polar form takes up 37 percent of it."
This time, AJ and Rainbow rolled their eyes simultaneously. Applejack's voice was resigned but tinged with amusement as she responded. Twilight was never going to change. "Will do, Twi."
Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Twilight filed out of the front door after Rarity, pausing to thank Applejack for inviting them to her house and feeding them cider (Pinkie paused only to snap a photo, the subject of which remained undetermined). Applejack and Rainbow watched from the doorway as the four girls piled into their respective cars, backed down the driveway, and drove away, their headlights throwing whorls of light onto the dusky road. 
Applejack closed the front door with a sigh as her friends' vehicles were swallowed up by the darkening sky. This was the longest time she and Rainbow had been able to spend with their friends outside of school for a while. Their friends had been at Applejack's house for at least two hours, doing homework together, chatting about life, and in Pinkie's case, producing random baked goods from nowhere. 
Well, if Rainbow was being honest with herself, she hadn't done any homework at all. Fluttershy's words had been ringing distractedly in her ears for an hour and a half. The kindest and loyalest person I know. Applejack would be lucky... It was no wonder that Dash had been distracted. For the first time in her life, she'd felt encouraged. Justified. Comfortable in her own skin. In comparison to that feeling, homework rated at like a negative thousand on the Scale of Relative Importance. 
Although, in retrospect, perhaps Rainbow should have tried to focus a bit harder. Now her and Fluttershy's English report was going to consist solely of animal pictures and anecdotes from Fluttershy's afternoons at the pet shelter. 
Rainbow Dash shook herself out of her reverie, not wanting to be caught zoning out, and reopened the front door. The sun was sinking lower and lower, and she wanted to get back home as soon as possible so that she could continue her conversation with Fluttershy over the phone. "Well, thanks for having me over, AJ. I'm gonna head out."
"Wait," Applejack blurted out, her face red. "Rainbow... will ya stay fer dinner?" Seeing Rainbow staring at her in shock, she hastily pressed on. "It's jus'... Ah hardly git t' see ya anymore. It would be real nice t' have some more time t'gether. We used t' be best friends," she added softly, her tone pained. The implications were clear. 
Dash felt guilty at once. Ironically, her infatuation with Applejack had ended up leading her to spend as little time around the farmgirl as possible, outside of school. But now, with Fluttershy's words of encouragement fresh in her mind, Rainbow felt like she could do anything... even willingly spend a whole evening with the girl she loved but would never get, something she'd balked at before. It had been too painful. "We still are best friends," she corrected her firmly. "And... yes. I'd love to stay for dinner."
Applejack's eyes brightened. "Really?"
"Really." Rainbow spread her hands innocently. "Do I look like the kind of person who would lie to you?"
"Uh..." Applejack arched an eyebrow. "Yes."
"Okay, I asked for that one." Rainbow peered beyond Applejack into the kitchen. "I don't see any dinner..."
"Don' be rude," Applejack chided her. "Dinner'll come when it comes. Granny has t' make it first."
"Well, where's Granny? And don't you help with dinner?"
"She's upstairs, nappin'. Like Ah told ya when ya got here. An' yeah, sometimes, but we're havin' quiche t'night an' Granny always likes t' make that herself." Applejack strode over to the coffee table and effortlessly collected all six cider mugs, looping a finger through each handle. "Ya wanna help me with th' chores?" she called over her shoulder as she took them to the kitchen.
"If they involve scooping up poop or giving the pigs slop, no," Rainbow answered cheekily. 
A loud sigh emanated from the kitchen. "Ah don' know why Ah put up with ya. No, it don' involve any o' that. Ah jus' have t' go out, bring in some more firewood, an' feed th' horses. Big Mac shoulda taken care o' th' other animals by now."
"Oh. Yeah, I guess I'll come." Rainbow wasn't really interested in performing farm chores, but she knew better than to say so in front of AJ. 
Applejack returned from the kitchen, dusting her hands off, and shot Rainbow Dash a slightly dimpled smile. "Ah'm gonna go git a jacket an' wake up Granny... an' tie mah hair back, now that Rarity's finally gone."
Rainbow wanted to protest - she was enjoying seeing her hair down far more than was healthy - but she knew that doing so would sound extremely suspicious. "Sure. I'll wait here."
Applejack darted nimbly up the stairs and headed to her bedroom, the ceiling creaking slightly beneath the thudding of her boots. Rainbow shoved her hands in her pockets and wandered idly around the living room. She definitely didn't steal a tiny framed picture of Applejack that was perched crookedly on the mantelpiece. There were so many pictures of the Apple family children up there that Rainbow figured no one would notice one's absence. Well, she hoped. 
Just as she was bending down to peer at a faded photo of a much younger, gap-toothed Applejack with her arms and legs thrown around her already tall and stocky big brother Mac, Applejack came pattering down the stairs again. Rainbow Dash hastily withdrew and crossed over to the front door, whistling tunelessly in an attempt to seem casual. She glanced over at her friend, grinning as she caught sight of a red bandana tied around Applejack's neck for warmth. "Hey, I remember that bandana!"
"Yup." Applejack swung her hair, now loosely ponytailed and tied with a red ribbon, over the left shoulder of her red and white plaid jacket. "Remember when Ah wore it on th' first day o' high school an' ya told me ya hated it?"
"What?" the tall athlete protested. "No I didn't. I never said -"
"Rainbow, ya said, an' Ah quote, 'That bandana makes you look like even more of a hayseed.'" She had managed a passable imitation of Rainbow's voice. 
Rainbow flushed. Now that Applejack mentioned it, she did seem to remember making such a comment. Still... had she really said that to her best friend? Especially considering how amazing the bandana looked on her now? "Yeah... I was kind of a jerk, sorry..."  She scratched the back of her head awkwardly. 
Applejack placed a warm hand on her shoulder and gave her a rough pat. "S'okay, sugar plum. We were young. Besides, Ah forgave ya right after Ah punched ya in the face, so we're even."
Rainbow grimaced. She remembered that too. "Yeah, that hurt... Applejack, what's a sugar plum?" It was a term of endearment that she used only rarely, but Rainbow had been wondering for a while. She suspected that Applejack had been called that by her parents and had borrowed the phrase from them, but she was reluctant to ask Applejack for confirmation and bring back sad memories. 
Applejack gave a low chuckle, her eyes crinkling with amusement. "They're little hard candies."
"But are they sour? Is it an insult to be called a sugar plum?" Rainbow flashed Applejack a small grin to let her know that she was joking (mostly). 
Applejack rolled her eyes. "No, Dash. They're sweet an' tasty."
Rainbow wiggled her eyebrows. 
It took Applejack a few seconds to realize how what she had said could be misconstrued. Mortified, she groaned and pulled her Stetson down over her eyes. "Not like that, ya idiot!" She turned away to hide her growing blush and opened the front door. "C'mon, we better go outside. B'fore it gets any darker. An before ya start talkin' any dirtier."
Rainbow Dash chortled under her breath and followed her onto the front porch. Applejack closed the front door behind her and descended down the porch steps. Rainbow made as if to clamber onto the porch railing and slide down, but Applejack halted her with a single glare. "Don' even think about it. Dang thing's shaky enough as it is without yore extra weight."
"You calling me fat?" Rainbow demanded, swinging her legs over the railing and sliding down anyway. 
Applejack looked unsurprised. When you told Rainbow not to do something, she was going to do it. It was a fact of life. "If that's what it'll take t' get ya t' stop, then yes." She swung around and walked off around the side of the house, heading for the barn a hundred or so feet away.
Rainbow jogged lightly after her and fell into step at her side, wisps of their breath hanging faintly in the air before them. The two of them crunched through swirls of the first fall leaves to the barn in silence, taking in the scenery. A stinging mid-September breeze nipped at their faces, whispering through the evening sky, and Rainbow hugged her arms to her chest, beginning to wish that she had brought a jacket with her (but she was way too cool to ever admit that she was cold). Hints of deep blue night were beginning to show through, curling wispily above the splashy reds and oranges of the setting sun like paint running down a canvas. The apple trees were visible in the distance as dark smudges swaying slowly in the wind. 
Within a minute, they had reached the barn. Applejack opened both halves of the bright red Dutch door and slipped inside, Rainbow hot on her heels. The temperature warmed considerably as they entered, and Rainbow dropped her arms to her sides in relief. The air smelled strongly of horse sweat and hay - not altogether a bad smell. Applejack stamped her feet on the hay floor, wiping off mud, and grabbed a rusty pitchfork that was hanging on the wall. "Well, c'mon. Horses ain't gonna feed 'emselves," she declared, crooking her fingers in Dash's direction and marching off to the back of the barn. 
As Rainbow followed her and her eyes slowly adjusted to the dimmer lighting, she was able to make out the barn's inhabitants - four horses, pacing patiently in their stalls and snorting softly as they waited for food. Rainbow's face split into a grin. She remembered these horses - back when she used to spend every spare minute of her time at Applejack's horses, they had spent many of their days playing in the barn with them. "Hello, beautiful," she crooned, stepping closer to a small dun mare and scratching the underside of her neck. The mare whinnied with pleasure and nuzzled closer to Dash, her eyes dark, liquid pools of wisdom. This was February, Apple Bloom's personal horse - so named because the horse had been born in February (well, duh). "Remember me? I know I haven't been here in a while, but I'm back now, and... well... it's good to be back," she finished lamely. "Yeah. I'm talking to a horse." 
"Ah'm sure she's listenin'," Applejack murmured from behind. Rainbow jumped and spun around, unaware that her friend had been listening. "Y'know, sometimes I think horses are smarter 'n humans... th' way they look at ya... ya know, Dash, ya should come back on th' weekend sometime. We can go ridin'." She brushed a hand along February's muzzle, patterned with a thin blaze, and nudged the stall door open with her foot. In her right hand, she was still gripping the pitchfork, the prongs of which were stuck firmly into a hay bale. Applejack must have been incredibly strong to hold all of that weight with one hand. And Rainbow definitely didn't find the casual way in which she managed to do everything one-handed attractive... or the way her arm muscles rippled... nope, definitely not...
Alright, losing battle. Moving on. 
Rainbow continued to stroke the mare's side as Applejack went about her business almost effortlessly, her years of practice and expertise asserting themselves. She planted the hay bale down on the ground, stuck her foot on it, and yanked the pitchfork out. Then she twisted a squeaky tap in the wall, producing a stream of water that flowed into the horse's trough, and refilled the oats bag dangling against the wall from a large sack of oats leaning against the wall outside the stall. She spoke as she moved, although Rainbow wasn't sure who Applejack was talking to. "February ain't gonna eat this hay all in one sittin'. She's been trained not to - all th' horses have. It'll last her a day or two - or maybe three, 'cause we'll be sendin' her out t' pasture tomorrow like we usually do... Normally, Bloom would be takin' care o' all this, but with her gone it's mah job t' help with th' horses. Ah don't think Brue minds though, do ya, girl?" She gave the horse's side a rough pat. Rainbow normally would have objected to having to listen to so much 'farm talk', but here, with the comforting scent of animals and the soft lighting and Applejack's slow, rich voice... she didn't want this moment to end. 
Applejack kissed February's muzzle and slipped out of the stall. It was clearly time to feed the other horses. Dash, tired of feeling useless, hurried over to the back wall and scrutinized the neatly stacked bales of hay. Picking one up couldn't be that hard. She wrapped her arms around a bale, lifted it into the air, and promptly dropped it on her foot. Barely suppressing a yelp of pain, Rainbow prayed that Applejack hadn't noticed. 
She had no such luck, however. Applejack snorted into her fist. "Lookin' real fine, sugarcube."
Rainbow flushed. "Hey! These things are heavy! I mean, holy crap! It was like a hundred pounds!"
"Ah know they're heavy," she chuckled. "That's why Ah didn't ask ya to help."
"Well, we can't all be good at heavy-lifting," Rainbow fired back sulkily, crossing her arms and looking pointedly away. 
Applejack's laugh sounded like warm apple pie. "Ah don't want ya t' be. Ah like ya jus' th' way ya are." An observer might have noticed the way her cheeks reddened as she said this, or the way she couldn't quite meet Rainbow's eyes, but Rainbow Dash was far too preoccupied with regaining her composure to pay attention to these things. 
What? You thought Dash was actually going to notice? Haha. Think again. 
Applejack picked up the hay bale on the ground, stacked it on top of another, and gathered them both into her arms at the same time, grunting slightly from the effort. Then she carried them over to the stall opposite February's and dropped them inside. 
This stall was home to two strapping Clydesdales named Clyde and Dale. Very original. They were family-owned horses, but Big Mac usually took it upon himself to care for them. He used them to plow the fields in the spring (yes, the Apples were rather old-fashioned when it came to farming). 
Clyde and Dale nuzzled at Rainbow's fingers as Applejack entered the stall, prepared their food, and shoveled up a small pile of manure, which she chucked out of the window into a compost bin outside the barn. "Good fer fertilizer," she explained with a crooked grin in response to Rainbow's expression of disgust. 
Dash wandered over to look at the next stall. There was a horse in it that she didn't remember seeing before - a graceful but sturdy coal-black mare about as tall as Rainbow Dash. "Who's this?" she asked, putting her fingers out to the horse's muzzle. Hot breath steamed over them as the horse arched her head and snuffled at Rainbow's hand. 
"She's mine," Applejack answered proudly. She'd finished with the draft horses and was now leaning over the stall door next to Rainbow, stroking the black horse's mane. "A Friesian. Ah got her a few months ago." Applejack went into the stall and threw her arms around the mare's neck, rubbing her withers and humming soft words against her muzzle. "Hey there, mah girl... Ah missed ya..." The mare whickered lovingly at her owner and bent her head so that she could nuzzle AJ's back. 
Rainbow Dash loved watching Applejack talk to horses. She was so attuned to animals - perhaps not as deeply as Fluttershy, but she had her own unique way of dealing with them. Gentle but firm, rough but loving... they loved her and she loved them back (Unless they were 'varmints', as she put it. Much to 'Shy's sadness, Applejack no longer had any patience for such creatures. They had made nuisances of themselves around the farm one too many times). 
"What's her name?" Rainbow inquired, her lips twitching in a smile as the horse nibbled gently on her fingers. She really was a beautiful creature. 
Applejack blushed and moved abruptly to the horse's other side, where Dash couldn't see her anymore. She mumbled something that Rainbow couldn't quite make out. Rainbow frowned. "Uh... AJ?"
A muffled sigh came from the mare's other side as Applejack realized that she couldn't dodge the question. "Dash," she whispered, and Rainbow knew her well enough to know by the tone of her voice that she was mortified. "Her name is Dash."
Rainbow blinked. "Whoa. Did you name a horse after me?"
"Uh... maybe..." Still refusing to meet Rainbow's eyes, Applejack unhooked a brush from its spot on the wall and ran it over her horse's coat. A rain of thin black hairs drifted onto her plaid jacket. 
"Is that an insult? Are you saying I'm big and smelly and poop a lot?" 
This accusation was finally enough to force Applejack out of her silence. "No, 'course not! Ah - Ah named her after ya 'cause yore, well, mah best friend. An' she reminds me o' ya... tall an' strong an' proud an'... beautiful." Her emerald eyes flicked upwards to meet Rainbow's gaze, and Rainbow saw the uncertainty in them. Applejack was always honest, but this was a different level of honesty. She rarely ever let people see her be this vulnerable. 
Suddenly, what AJ had said sank in. "Y-you think I'm... beautiful?" Rainbow stuttered, her eyes wide. 
Applejack sucked in her cheeks. This conversation was growing rapidly more and more awkward. "Uh... well... yes, Ah do." Her voice shook a little, but she kept her composure. "An' Ah know An ain't th' only one. Half th' school's in love with ya an' th' other half wants t' be ya." She turned away, her blonde ponytail swinging around her shoulders, and hung up the grooming brush. 
Rainbow's mouth hung open, and she could feel her cheeks growing redder and redder. Did she just tell me she thinks I'm pretty? For a wild moment, she considered returning the compliment... she had wanted to tell Applejack how pretty she was for years. Maybe this was the perfect opportunity. 
No... no. There was nothing romantic about what she said. Just a compliment from one best friend to another. That's all it was. Just a compliment. 
Dash felt her heart sink a little, and she hated herself for it. Applejack had just proven, yet again, what an amazing friend she was, and all Rainbow could do was stand there and mope?
A slow smile came to her face. She did just name a horse after me. I mean, that's pretty cool. Rainbow was suddenly overcome by a wave of affection for her friend. In a single, smooth motion, she swung her legs over the stall gate and wrapped Applejack in a hug. "I'm not weirded out at all by having a horse named after me, in case you were worried," she promised. "I think it's great. Thank you. Just, you know, don't let your horse replace me or anything."
Applejack noticeably relaxed and gave her a rough pat on her shoulder. "Don' worry. Yore rudeness an' gen'ral obnoxiousness is irreplaceable."
"It better be." Laughing, Rainbow ran her fingertips along Applejack's neck, where she knew she was ticklish, and backed away. "Okay. Can we get going? I'm starving."
"Hold yore horses, Dash. Ah gotta finish givin' her her food." Applejack made sure her horse had enough hay and oats, and then bid her farewell for the evening with a kiss on the muzzle and a whisper in her ear. "Alraght, Rainbow. Jus' gotta hang up th' pitchfork an' Ah'm good t' go."
Rainbow Dash lingered behind as Applejack strode over to the barn door. "So, your name is Dash, huh?" she murmured to the Friesian mare, fondling her ears. "You must be one heck of a horse... but not as awesome as me, of course." As if the horse had heard her, she huffed and stamped her hoof. Rainbow laughed softly. "What would you do about Applejack? Would you tell her?"
The horse quieted down and stared Rainbow directly in the eye, and Rainbow felt an uncannily powerful sense that the horse was trying to tell her 'yes'. 
"Well, we can't all be as brave as you..." Rainbow whispered. "You're more of a Rainbow Dash than I ever was."
"Ya comin', R.D.?" Applejack called, her piercing grass-green eyes scanning her critically. "Ah'm ready t' head out."
Nodding her assent, Rainbow cast a final wistful glance back at the mare that bore her name and then followed AJ out of the barn. 

***

By the time they reached the house, each bearing an armload of firewood, a full meal had been set out on the table and Granny Smith was sitting patiently at the table, waiting for everybody else to arrive, her slightly twisted cane leaning against the table next to her. "Did your Granny just cook a whole meal in like ten minutes?" Rainbow breathed into Applejack's ear. 
"Yep," she answered with a hint of pride. 
"She must be magic..." Boy, if Rainbow could have cooking powers like Granny's, she'd be set for life. 
Granny gave her granddaughter a toothy smile, her eyes crinkling like Applejack's sometimes did when she laughed, and waved a hand. "There ya are, Jackie! Ah was jus' about t' call ya in! Yer dinner's ready." She patted a few strands of her silvery-white bun back into place. "Ah see ya brought a guest," she added, staring hard at Rainbow. "Well, if it ain't Miss Dash! Been a good long time since ya been here! Suddenly decided ya didn't like us no more, is that it?"
"Granny!" Applejack chided her, wide-eyed, while Rainbow stuttered and fumbled for an answer. 
"Oh, hush, child," Granny cackled. "Ah'm jus' messin' with ya young un's! It's good t' have ya back, Rainbroom! Now sit yer can down at th' table an' dig in! Get some meat on those bones o' yers!"
Applejack groaned and facepalmed. She'd been trying to tell Granny for years that her name was 'Rainbow', but the old woman stubbornly persisted in referring to her as a cleaning instrument anyway. Rainbow smiled shakily in Granny's direction, desperately hoping that she wouldn't have to answer any more awkward questions, and sank into a seat across from Granny. Applejack washed her hands at the kitchen sink, dried them on her denim skirt, and plopped into the chair next to Dash, hanging her Stetson over the back of her seat. 
Granny Smith's eyes narrowed at Rainbow. "Didja wash yer hands?"
"Uh..." She stared down at her horse fur and dirt covered fingernails. "I'm gonna say... no?"
"Better do it, sugarcube," Applejack chuckled. "Granny ain't gonna let ya eat otherwise."
Grimacing, Rainbow got up, jogged into the kitchen, and stuck her hands under the tap. She didn't see any soap out, so maybe she could get away with just rinsing her hands with water. 
"An' don't do a shoddy job, neither!" Granny called out. "Soap bottle's in th' drawer t' yer left."
Rainbow's jaw dropped. Time to add mind-reading to the list of Granny Smith's creepy fake-but-possibly-real-powers. 
As she strode back to the dining table, the back door in the kitchen opened and a burly, muscular young man with huge, heavyset shoulders and carrot-orange hair strode in. This was Applejack's twenty-year old brother, Big Mac. He had green eyes like hers, similar facial structure, and only a tiny bit more muscle, but that was where all similarities to Applejack ended. Big Mac was at least six foot four, and was thick and sturdy while Applejack was slender and graceful. 
Also, he almost never spoke. In fact, Rainbow had no clue what his voice sounded like. He was friendly enough, but didn't seem to like talking to company much, and Rainbow knew almost about nothing him except that he'd stayed back on the farm instead of going to college and that he was the one who managed the more manual aspects of farming such as plowing and cider pressing. 
Stamping his enormous black boots on the rug, Mac glanced up and caught sight of Rainbow watching him. He looked mildly uncomfortable for a second, but his eyes softened as he recognized her. He gave her a simple nod and then seated himself at the head of the table after smiling at Granny and ruffling his sister's golden hair with his huge hand. 
Winona shot through the door after him, barking her head off, almost bowling Rainbow Dash over completely. She made a beeline for Applejack, jumping up on her chair and slavering all over her face. "Down, girl!" AJ shouted, laughing despite herself. "Easy, easy!"
Rainbow took her chair, warding off a few slobber baths from Winona, who eventually quieted down and thumped to the floor by Applejack's seat, her eyes bright and her tail wagging. Dash expected some sort of table blessing, but all Granny said was, "Eat up b'fore th' dog gits it all!"
Almost drooling in her enthusiasm, Rainbow Dash reached out and shoveled just about everything within reach onto her earthenware plate. She hadn't had a real, old-fashioned Apple family meal in way too long. 
Then she hesitated. Would Granny Smith think that she was being rude?
Much to Rainbow's relief, the old woman beamed at her and nodded proudly. "Nice t' see someone doin' mah food justice!"
Applejack shook her head fondly at her grandmother and then eyed her friend's plate. "Here, Dash, try some o' these 'taters. Granny cooked 'em in butter an' rosemary."
When her plate was fully loaded, Dash tapped AJ's elbow to get her attention and grinned slyly. "Eating contest?"
Applejack didn't hesitate for a second. She flashed Rainbow a confident smile, her eyes brimming with boldness. "Ah can eat ya under th' table, ya lightweight."
"Oh yeah?" Rainbow challenged. "Bring it on."

***

Well, Rainbow lost, but it was the most satisfying defeat that she had ever experienced. 
In the past half-an-hour, she'd eaten her way through a slice of delicious cheese and spinach quiche, four helpings of potatoes, a bowl of salad, half a loaf of bread, and two pieces of incredible apple pie that Applejack had made the day before. Everything had been amazing. If Rainbow had to lose the contest, at least she lost it while eating the most mouthwatering home-cooked fare in the world. Which counted as a win in her book. 
However, Applejack had still eaten her under the table, as promised. She'd eaten perhaps slightly less than twice the amount Rainbow had, and looked ready to keep going. She'd told Rainbow before that the Apples had the most prodigious appetites in all of Canterlot, but Rainbow hadn't believed it until now. 
Applejack smirked at Dash, who had leaned back in her chair and loosened her shorts. "Done already?"
"Yes, I'm done. I can't eat another bite. I have no idea how you pack all that food away. Granny, everything was amazing... and AJ, your apple pie was incredible. That crust was, like, the best pie crust I've ever had. What was in it?"
"Lots o' love an' butter, darlin'," she answered, carving herself another slice of said pie. 
Rainbow Dash stared around at the ancient, scuffed dining table, feeling more warm and content than she had in years. Everyone looked so happy: Granny was happy that all of her dinner guests were enjoying her food, Applejack was happy just to be surrounded by her family and friends, and Big Mac... well... Dash assumed that he was happy, but she couldn't really tell, as his head was still bent over his dinner (the big guy had already eaten at least four platefuls of food, and was still going strong. Farming, apparently, gave one the appetite of a horse). Even Winona looked happy, her muzzle stretched in a crooked grin. She'd scored a sizable amount of choice tidbits from Applejack and Rainbow. 
Yes, Rainbow was truly enjoying herself, in this house where everyone treated her with so much kindness that she felt comfortable calling someone else's grandmother Granny. But just as Rainbow was really starting to relax, she froze up again. Crap. It's dark out and I still have to get home. 
If that dump where I live can still be called a home. 
She ran through some quick mental calculations. She was no Twilight, but anything that had to do with athleticism, particularly running, was her forte. Okay, I know I can run a mile in five minutes, so that's a hundred and twenty-five minutes... with a rest every few miles...
Her face fell. Allowing some time for rests, and taking into consideration the fact that she wouldn't be able to keep up her pace as she got more and more tired, Rainbow was looking at more than three hours of running in total darkness. Why, oh why, hadn't she realized this sooner?
Inwardly kicking herself but trying to appear casual, Rainbow scraped her chair back and stood up, dropping her napkin on the table. "I better be going. My aunt and uncle will be worried. Thanks for the amazing dinner."
"Mah pleasure. Come back soon, ya hear? Ah ain't done feedin' ya up yet; yer thinner'n a feather! What've ya been eatin'?"
Not much, believe me. If only Granny knew. 
Big Mac gave Dash another pleasant nod and Winona licked her knees as she made her way to the front door. Applejack accompanied her, grabbing her Stetson as well as her car keys, which she'd thrown onto the coffee table. "Right, let's get ya home, R.D."
What?! She can't see where I live! "NO!" Rainbow yelped frantically, her voice cracking. 
Applejack scrutinized her strangely. "Pardon? Ya don' want me t' take ya home?"
"Uh... I mean..." Her brain was abruptly jolted out of the lovely vacation it had been on during dinner. "I - I -um, I already texted my uncle. While you were feeding the horses. He's going to come pick me up at the bus stop near your house. It's just a fifteen minute walk."
"Ah'd feel more comfortable drivin' ya there, sugarcube," Applejack said slowly. "Ah mean, its dark, an'... well, not that ya can't take care o' yoreself, but... anythin' could be out there. We've heard wolves and coyotes an' th' like b'fore."
Rainbow appreciated her friend's concern, but why did she have to be so damn honorable all the time? She was really screwing with Rainbow's plans, albeit unknowingly. "It's fine, Applejack. If something tries to kill me, I'll kick its butt. Besides, all the traps in the woods have probably scared everything away. I'll enjoy walking to the bus stop on my own. I'm a bit of a loner anyway." She tried to smile and probably failed miserably. 
"No, yore not," Applejack whispered. "Trust me..." She stepped forwards and placed her hands on Rainbow's shoulders. "Rainbow Dash... did ya really text yore uncle?" Applejack only ever used Dash's full name when she was really worried for her. 
"For God's sake, Applejack!" Rainbow snapped, her emotions suddenly boiling over. She just wanted to get out of there and get back home. "Yes, I did! Okay? And even if I hadn't, I don't want you coming over to my place anyway! It's a total mess right now!" That was the first even mildly true statement she had made in the past few minutes. "Just leave me alone, okay? I'll be fine!"
Applejack recoiled, looking hurt, and Rainbow realized that was the first time she had snapped at her like that in years. Her anger was replaced by crushing guilt. "Oh God, I'm sorry," she whispered, sweeping Applejack up in a hug and burying her nose in her golden mane. "I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to yell... I'm just a little stressed right now..." A single tear trickled down her cheek and slipped into AJ's hair, but if she felt it, she didn't say anything. The only good thing about his conversation was that, somehow, neither Granny nor Big Mac had heard any of it. 
Applejack hesitated to hug her back, probably still feeling stung, but when she finally did it was gentle and loving. "Shhh, it's okay," she murmured into Rainbow's ear, the front of her hat pressing into Rainbow's chin. She had to stand on her tiptoes to do it, which Rainbow would have found hilarious at a less distressing moment. "Ya didn't mean it, Ah know... Ah'm jus' worried, is all."
Rainbow collected herself and withdrew, setting her jaw. She needed to stop behaving like a wimp. "I know. I'm sorry. I know you're worried. But I swear it's only fifteen minutes to the bus stop, I'll be fine."
	I hate all this lying I hate it I hate it I hate it but I can't tell her... I can't tell anyone...
"Pinkie Promise?" Applejack asked softly, regarding Rainbow with sad, long-lashed eyes. She was smiling, but her heart clearly wasn't in it. 
Rainbow choked up and turned away. She couldn't bring herself to say the words 'Pinkie Promise' in return, and both she and Applejack knew it. "Yeah," she croaked. "Okay." She opened the front door and slipped outside, taking a deep breath. I need to act normal. Like I'm not terrified of having to spend three hours running through the dark. She turned around to give Applejack a much-too-wide parting smile. "I'll tell my aunt and uncle you said hi. Thanks for having me over. Later, gator." Before Applejack could respond, she gave her a cocky wink, closed the door behind her, and tore down the driveway, little more than a barely visible silhouette in the torpid darkness. If she really hurried, maybe she could still talk to Fluttershy before bed. 
Applejack watched her best friend's receding figure from the window, her eyes pained but thoughtful. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was very, very wrong. Rainbow Dash clearly needed help, although Applejack didn't know what kind. But perhaps she could give it somehow. She was Dash's best friend, after all. 
Then again, Applejack knew that she wouldn't be able to help anyone until her own problem was fixed, especially Dash, the source of her problem in the first place. Applejack was finding it harder and harder to focus on anything, period. From French to farmwork. A certain rainbow-haired athlete had completely invaded her thoughts. To help Rainbow, Applejack needed to be able to give her her full, undivided attention, and she couldn't do that... ironically, because of Rainbow. Funny how life works sometimes. 
Applejack's eyes brightened. Good gravy, why didn't Ah think o' this before? Ah know jus' who t' talk to. 
But then... she'd actually have to tell someone about her crush...
Steeling herself, Applejack marched away from the window and into the dining room. She wasn't going to allow herself to hesitate. She was going to do the dishes, and then she was going to go upstairs and call someone - perhaps the only person who would be able to understand her feelings and then help her understand her feelings. 
After all, if Rarity couldn't help her, then Applejack didn't know who could. 
And if she couldn't help?
She has to. She jus' has to. 
'Cause Ah got nowhere else t' go.