//------------------------------// // An Image (Ponyville Confidential) // Story: The AppleDash Project // by bookplayer //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash landed in the orchard at Sweet Apple Acres and posed heroically. Her eyes darted around, then she tossed her mane to make sure she really had that active, windswept look before trotting over to where AJ was bucking apples and resuming her pose. “You still at this?” AJ said before giving the tree a buck. “What do you mean?” Dash said as she crouched down like she was ready to take off, then glanced around. “I mean that the Gabby Gums thing is over. You don't really gotta worry about paparazzi no more.” Applejack said, rolling her eyes. “You never know, AJ. They could be lurking anywhere.” Dash said, suddenly looking over her shoulder with a big grin. “I've mentioned that you're crazy, right?” “Sure, call me crazy. But the next time anypony takes a picture of me, I'm gonna be looking awesome.” AJ raised an eyebrow. “Can ya' look awesome and kiss me?” “Of course!” Dash said happily. She started to lean in, then she stopped. “Um, just gimme a minute to figure out how.” Applejack did not look impressed. “Hey, you know kissing's kinda mushy. That why we don't do it in public, cause you don't like to look mushy.” Dash pointed out. “But we ain't in public, Dash. We're on my farm, miles from anypony. And I'd kinda like a kiss without worryin' 'bout some imaginary camera gettin' your good side.” “Well I figured it out!” Dash said with a grin. Dash used her wings to hold herself upright as she wrapped her forelegs around AJ, bent her back backwards and kissed her deeply. Applejack pulled back from the kiss. “Put me down, ya' fool!” Dash put Applejack on her hooves and nodded to herself, grinning proudly. “Yeah, I think that looks awesome enough.” Applejack glared at Dash. “You're gonna look awesome with a black eye in a second.” “Actually, that might make me look pretty tough. Or a scar!” Dash said, only half teasing. “Rainbow Dash, you're gettin' on my last nerve.” “An eyepatch?” Dash asked, nuzzling her annoyed marefriend. "I think Pinkie has some extras." Applejack had to chuckle as she sat under an apple tree. “Will ya' just sit down here with me? “Sure.” Dash sat down next to AJ and leaned against her. “Those little life-wreckers aren't around anywhere, are they?” “I think Apple Bloom and her friends are off somewhere, if that's what ya' mean. They said they're sorry, Dash.” Applejack said, giving Dash a nuzzle. “And I stopped making it rain on them. That doesn't mean I wanna see them.” Dash said with a huff. “Everypony else forgave 'em.” Applejack pointed out. “They didn't ruin everypony else's life.” Dash said, pouting. “It's that bad up in Cloudsdale?” “I haven't been back. I can't show my face there again!” Dash cringed, imagining how she must be the biggest joke there right now. Applejack just raised an eyebrow. “Cause they think ya' got a hooficure? “I have an image, AJ! And it definitely does not include hooficures.” “Yeah, well, so do I, but I reckon I can still show my face 'round Ponyville, even if they caught me sleepin.” Applejack pointed out, then she smiled and nudged Dash. “And I'm blamin' you for that, by the way. Dash blinked. “Me? What did I do?” Applejack smirked. “Somepony kept me up to all hours that night, if I recall. Somethin' about the barn and my lasso.” “Heh. Oh yeah.” Dash grinned. “It's a good thing those kids didn't catch that one.” Applejack's eyes went wide. “Oh my. Maybe we oughta find someplace more private than the barn.” “Anyway, we were talking about my life? And how it's ruined?” Dash said with a sigh. “Why yes, we were. You know, Spitfire's wearin' hoof polish in that magazine picture you got of her.” Applejack pointed out. Dash tried to remember the picture, a centerfold in Flyers Illustrated: Wet Feathers Edition. “You can see her hooves in that picture?” “Yeah, they're a ways below her flank, that's why you didn't notice.” Applejack said with a smirk. “It doesn't matter,” Dash said. “Wonderbolts can do whatever they want, but I'm not a Wonderbolt yet, I have to look good. “I thought you always look good?” Applejack teased. “Not when somepony spreads lies about me! No matter how cool you are, you can't look good if somepony lies and says you aren't cool.” Dash argued. “Sugarcube, you always look good to me. I don't care if you let Rarity put make-up and a frilly dress on ya', the real you would still be there shinin' through.” “I know.” Dash sighed. “But all those other ponies. . .” “Remember after you tried bein' a hero? When you were all worried that nopony thought you were awesome?” Applejack asked, wrapping a foreleg around Dash. “Yeah.” “You remember what I told ya' then?” Dash smiled. “You told me I'm awesome, and it didn't matter what other ponies thought 'cause it's just a fact.” Applejack smiled back. “It's just as true today. And all ya' gotta do is keep on bein' awesome, and they'll see the truth.” “Okay.” Dash grinned. “I was going to keep being awesome anyway.” “And ya' might as well let it go with the fillies, Dash.” Applejack added. “They did somethin' a little dumb, but they're just kids.” Dash's grin turned to a frown. “They're not kids. They're traitors.” “They ain't traitors.” Applejack sighed. “Folks told 'em they were doin' good, up till those same folks got a taste of it. Weren't you goin' on 'bout how cool Gabby Gums was?” “Well. . . yeah.” “So Scootaloo hears that, what do ya' think she's gonna do? She's just a filly and you're a pony she looks up to.” Applejack pointed out. “Weeell. . .” Dash hemmed. AJ had a point. “It ain't really fair to expect 'em to have more sense then we do.” AJ said reasonably. “I guess. . . you're right.” Dash admitted. Applejack chuckled. “Can I get that in writin'?” “No way, but I'll tell the kids it's all cool next time I see them.” Dash said. Then she grinned, “And I'll give you a really mushy kiss.” “I guess that's good 'nough for me.” Applejack said with a grin as their lips met.