The next day at Sweet Apple Acres was a Saturday. The sun was shining and it was a cool autumn day. Apple Bloom and the CMC were running around the orchard acting out their favorite scene from the newest movie, while Applejack silently organized some tools in the shed. She looked back when she had heard the door creak open and saw her older brother walk in.
“Mornin’ AJ.” He greeted, and grabbed a rake.
“Mornin’ Big Mac.” Applejack replied, trying not to sound angry.
Ever since she had seen what had happened between Big Macintosh and Rainbow, she couldn’t help but be upset and confused. It was weird for her to think about any of her best friends in a relationship with her brother, especially Dash. Applejack loved Rainbow very much, but she didn’t think that she was the right match for her brother. They were so different. Rainbow was loud and competitive and her brother was quiet and took things slow. Rainbow had a very short temper, while Big Mac had a lot of patience. While Rainbow was a great friend, she did have her flaws, and Applejack was afraid that some of those flaws might rub off on her brother. He was already ditching his chores for her, what else was he willing to leave behind when they got more serious? How does Applejack know they aren’t already serious? Who knows how long the two have had feelings for each other?
Not only was Applejack protective of her brother, she was concerned for Rainbow as well. What if being in a relationship changed her? Sure, she was changing in a good way now, but what about later down the line? What if she separated herself from the group, just to hang out with her brother?
“AJ, you’ve been holdin’ that shovel for two minutes now. Can Ah have it please?” Big Macintosh was looking down at his sister, who was kneeling on the ground.
“Oh, shoot. Sorry, here ya go.” Applejack cursed herself for spacing out like that, and stood up.
“Thanks.” Big Macintosh took the shovel and turned to leave. He took a few steps before stopping and turning back around to face his sister.
“Are ya okay?” He asked.
“Of course Ah am! Now go, you still have some work to do don’t ya?” Applejack brushed her brother off quickly.
“Eeyup...Just...Ah’m right here if ya ever need anything ya hear?”
Applejack looked into her brother’s green eyes and smiled.
“Ah know ya big dummy. Now go, before Granny finds ya slackin’ off!” Applejack and her brother chuckled.
Applejack realized that she was done sorting things out and was free for the next few hours. She took a deep breath in and wondered if she should tell Rainbow Dash that she knew about her little secret. She hasn’t told her yet for a reason, and from the looks of it, none of the other girls seemed to know either. Maybe one of them was not ready to announce anything yet, and even though Applejack was a bit torn with how she felt, she understood. Until one of the two told her themselves, Applejack would act as if she knew nothing. Besides, they’d have to tell her at some point right?
Once again, Applejack’s thoughts were interrupted when she heard the sound of her phone go off. Rainbow Dash and the girls were having a conversation in the group chat that they all had together. There, Rainbow explained that her mother was out of town for a few days and had wanted her to clean out her attic. She asked if any of the girl’s had wanted to help her and come over. It seemed that everyone, not including Sunset, agreed to come over that day, and Applejack typed in her reply as well.
I’ll be right over.
“Mac! Ah’m goin’ over to Dash’s house! Let Granny know for me!” Applejack shouted as she left the shed. Her brother was found in the orchard not too far from where she stood, and he gave her a thumbs up to let her know that she was heard.
Before leaving, Applejack thought that it would be best if she had changed into some jeans. She would have to walk to Rainbow’s house and it would not be fun walking in a skirt considering how cold it was outside. After quickly heading upstairs and changing, Applejack began her jog to Rainbow’s.
In a matter of minutes, Applejack found herself at Rainbow’s front door. She didn’t hesitate before knocking and placing her hands in her pocket. Suddenly, the door opened to reveal Fluttershy, also wearing jeans and having her pink hair tied in a neat ponytail.
“Oh, Applejack! Hi!” Fluttershy smiled sweetly and opened the door wider, allowing Applejack to walk in.
“Hey, Flutters,” Applejack greeted as she made her way into Rainbow’s living room, “Is Dash here?” she asked, confused with the absence of her friend.
“Oh yeah, um...she had a phone call that she had to take. She should be down in a few.” Fluttershy explained.
“Why couldn’t she stay down here and talk?”
“She told me it was kind of personal...I didn’t question her after that.”
“I see.” Applejack said. Her eyebrow was raised as she had an idea of who she was talking to.
It wasn’t long before the girls heard Rainbow coming down the steps.
“Yeah yeah...look I gotta go!” Rainbow was saying with a hushed tone.
“Shut up!” she giggled after a few moments.
Fluttershy smiled while listening to Rainbow, and turned to face Applejack.
“I wonder who she’s talking to.” she said, putting a loose hair behind her ear.
“YeahokayIgottagonowbye!” Rainbow quickly said before finally coming downstairs with a smile on her face, placing her phone in her pocket.
“Hey, sorry Shy that was just-” Rainbow walked in and froze when she had seen Applejack sitting on the couch, “Oh, hey AJ!”
“Howdy.”
The sound of the door knocking caught everyone’s attention.
“I’ll get it.” Fluttershy smiled, standing up and walking out of the room.
Rainbow looked at Applejack with a serious expression on her face. She mouthed the words, “I need to talk to you.” before sitting down herself. Applejack only nodded in response.
“Guys! The rest of the girls are here!” Fluttershy called, and Rainbow had left the room to go and see her friends.
Is she finally gonna tell me? Applejack wondered.
Twilight moved what seemed to be the fiftieth box in the dusty attic. She flinched and coughed as she opened the box and dust came flying towards her face. After the small dust attack, Twilight smiled as she pulled out an old clock.
“Rainbow, I didn’t know you owned so many antiques!” she stated while inspecting the clock.
“A what?” Rainbow questioned from across the room.
“An antique. You know, a valuable-never mind you aren’t even listening.”
“Nope!”
While the other girls giggled, Pinkie found a smaller box. It was different from the others, as it was wrapped in lace and covered in white fabric. She opened the box and at the very top, there was a paper.
“December 5, 2001.” Pinkie recited, reading off of the paper, “7 pounds and 4 ounces.”
Rainbow Dash looked up in horror, realizing what Pinkie had found.
“Oh! It’s your birth certificate!” Pinkie cheered and continued reading, “Rainbow Elizabeth Jennifer Dashall. Aww How cute!”
Twilight perked up from her corner, “Dashall?”
Rarity also spoke up, “Jennifer?”
Applejack wore an evil, sly, smirk as she spoke, “Elizabeth?”
“Alright, enough.” Rainbow stomped over and snatched the paper out of Pinkie’s hands, “I’ll take care of this box.”
“Okie Dokie Lokie, Dashall!” Pinkie cheered again.
The others laughed as Rainbow rolled her eyes and groaned. As the others seemed busy, Rainbow took her chance and grabbed Applejack by the wrist. She pulled her friend to the farthest corner away from her friends.
“What the hay?” Applejack exclaimed.
“Shhh!” Rainbow hushed.
“What is it?” Applejack questioned, a lot quieter now.
“I told you I had to talk to you didn’t I?”
“Well I didn’t think ya meant now!”
“Look. Listen, this isn’t the easiest thing for me to talk about right now. I just want to get it over with.”
Applejack’s hard gaze softened after hearing that. She grabbed a stool that was near and sat down.
“Alright, go on ahead.” she said softly.
“This may sound weird, but it’s just one question.”
“Ah’m listenin.’”
“Let’s say...I did something that made you mad.”
“Ok?”
“Like really mad.”
“Yeah?”
“Like super, crazy, ‘I can’t believe you’ mad.”
“I think I get it, Rainbow.” Applejack rolled her eyes.
“Would you...um...would you still be friends with me?” Rainbow avoided eye contact with Applejack. It was almost as if all of her confidence suddenly disappeared.
Applejack knew exactly why she was asking this question. She was afraid that she and Big Mac together would ruin their friendship! The blonde farm girl bit her bottom lip to keep from hugging her friend immediately. That one question got rid of all of her worries from earlier on in the day. How could she think Rainbow would leave her and the rest of the girls? She had forgotten one of the most important traits of Rainbow; Loyalty. She felt so ashamed to have doubted her friend in the first place. Sure, she may not totally approve of the two together yet, but Rainbow obviously thought about their friendship first.
However, as much as she wanted to say all of that to Rainbow, Applejack had to give a response that wouldn’t give Rainbow any hints that she had known her secret.
“Well...Dash, Ah guess it’d depend on what ya did.” she said as casually as possible.
“Oh..” the rainbow haired girl looked down, her magenta eyes flooded with disappointment.
“But hey. Look at me,” Applejack instructed, and used her hand to prop Rainbow’s chin up, “Just know that Ah’m not gonna let go of ya that easy. If we can make it through Sunset’s reign of terror, then Ah think we can work out whatever made me super mad at ya. Dash, you can be annoyin’ as hell sometimes...but you’re my friend and things aren’t always gonna be perfect between us. The important part is that we get through those problems, no matter how hard headed ya are.”
Rainbow looked as if she were ready to burst into tears, and for a second, Applejack was afraid that she would, but instead she turned and swallowed.
“Thanks, doofus. But all you had to do was say yes.” Rainbow finally said and turned around with a mischievous smirk slapped on her face.
“Ugh, Ah hate you.” Applejack grunted and threw an arm around her friend.
Rainbow stuck her tongue out, “Love ya too.”
The girls shared a laugh before they were interrupted by a loud and horrific shriek coming from across the room. Both girls looked at each other in surprise.
“What was that?” Rainbow questioned and almost ran to find out. However, she was stopped by Applejack grabbing her wrist.
“Ya sure you don’t want to tell me anythin’ else?” Applejack asked, hoping that Rainbow would tell her.
Rainbow looked at where Applejack was grabbing her for a moment before looking into her green eyes,
“I don’t think I’m ready yet. But I’ll tell you soon. I promise.” Rainbow gave a weak smile and received one from Applejack in return.
The girls immediately turned to find out who had screamed, and found the girls all gathered around Rarity.
“What happened?”
“Are y’all okay?”
Applejack and Rainbow ran over to their friends.
“No! This is terrible!” Rarity shrieked.
“Rare, what’s wrong?” Rainbow pushed, very concerned.
“I broke my nail!”
“You’re kiddin’ right?” Applejack deadpanned.
“I wish I was, darling!”
Rainbow turned on her heels and started going through a new box.
“I don’t understand how we are still friends...honestly.” Rainbow mumbled.
Applejack couldn’t help but laugh. She had felt much better now, knowing that she finally had a plan. She would have to wait until Rainbow was ready to tell her about everything going on with her brother. That shouldn’t be too long of a wait.
..Right?