//------------------------------// // Ch. 10 - Hamartia // Story: What Would Daring Do? // by CommissarAJ //------------------------------// Chapter Ten: Hamartia Applejack knew that she had nothing to be afraid or ashamed of. Not only was it something that she had done before, but it was something that almost everyone in town did. It was an inevitability in everypony’s life, to be honest, and Applejack wasn’t so arrogant as to presume that it somehow did not apply to her. On top of everything else, it was precisely what everyone would recommend for her to do. There had to be good reason behind it if so many were in favour of it. But despite all the logical reasons that stated Applejack should head inside, the orchard farmer found herself still standing outside the Carousel Boutique, staring at the front with the sort of apprehension one would reserve for a scheduled meeting with the Grim Reaper. It was though stepping through that portal would somehow rob Applejack was a vital part of her essence, which she even knew was an absolute ridiculous notion. Steeling her resolve, the stetson-toting pony opened the door, which chimed an overhanging bell. There went her hope for a subtle entrance. On the bright side, it did not appear that Rarity had any customers or clients at the moment so at least Applejack could keep this to a private affair. As anticipated, the bell’s call brought about the local fashionista in a punctual manner. “Good morning Applejack, what brings you here? If you’re looking for Applebloom, I’m afraid I haven’t seen her,” Rarity greeted in a knowing, suggestive tone. “Nah, Ah ain’t looking for her,” Applejack replied. She noticed quickly that her friend seemed far more enthusiastic to see to see her than was normal, as well as less surprised given how rarely Applejack visited the shop. “I just came by ‘cause I needed to...um...” The farmer paused for a moment when she noticed Rarity’s expectant gaze and eager grin. “Why are you looking at me like that?” “I beg your pardon?” “Oh for Pete’s sake, you already know, don’t you?” Applejack sighed in resignation. While she was excited about her new-found relationship, she had more sense than to shout about it from the rooftops. In fact, as far as she knew, Dash and her immediate family were the only ponies that knew. Now that list had already expanded to include Rarity and the farmer feared for how many others might already know. Truthfully, Applejack had no qualms about ponies knowing who she was dating but Spitfire had repeatedly expressed concerns about paparazzi and photographers harassing them once word spread about them. Neither of them were under any delusion that their relationship would stay hidden from the public forever, but they intended to make the best of their privacy while they could. “Whatever do you mean?” Rarity feigned ignorance but remained unconvincing. “You know about me and Spitfire.” The deadpan stare from the earth pony was enough to convince Rarity that there was little point in continuing the charade. As much as she wanted to avoid depriving Applejack the joy of revealing one’s romantic accomplishments, the other pony seemed intent on pulling out the truth. “Oh fine, yes...I already know,” Rarity pouted. She had figured Applejack would reveal the details in due time and didn’t want to rush her, but she wasn’t going to fret much if the farmer wanted it out in the open now. “I happened to be near the auction when you were on stage,” she explained. Rarity decided to leave Rainbow Dash out of the conversation in order to avoid compromising the pegasus’ secret. “Ah don’t suppose Ah could convince ya to keep this to yerself? Ah’m trying not to make a big deal out of it.” “I shan't say a peep about it,” Rarity did declare, much to the other pony’s relief. As fun as gossip could be, she respected her friend’s desire for privacy. Not to mention it was often a bad business move to earn the scorn of a famous celebrity. “But I digress, what can I do for you today?” For a brief moment, Applejack had almost forgotten the whole reason she came to the boutique in the first place. Given that the reason wasn’t one she was too fond of, it had been easy for her to indulge in tangents in order to delay. But she knew that, like a band-aid, it was best just to get it over with quickly. “Well...um, y’see,” Applejack began, fumbling with her words, “Ah’ve got an engagement to go to next week and Ah thought it would be...uh, proper if Ah had a...uh, y’know...one of those fancy things...with the fabrics n’ such.” “I’m sorry, I’m not entirely sure what you’re talking about.” An obvious lie but a bit of teasing was something that Applejack expected. “Ah...Ah need a dress...” “I beg your pardon?” “Ah need a dress.” “Could you say that again, please? I didn’t quite hear you.” Applejack knew that Rarity was just messing with her all in the name of good fun, but that didn’t stop it from stoking her ire. On the bright side, that fury did give her the necessary boost to get past her previous inhibitions. “Dress! Ah need a dress, dangit!” she shouted. Her admission appeared to placate the unicorn, who simply flashed back a self-congratulatory smile. Even though it wasn’t the first time she had worn a dress made by the seamstress, it would be the first time that Applejack sought her out for one. And this fact was not lost on Rarity either, who was delighted for an opportunity to make the farmer look like a proper lady. A part of her had hoped that Applejack would see the new relationship as motivation to improve one’s appearance but Rarity had not anticipated it happening so soon. If she played her cards right, perhaps she could enlighten Applejack into seeing fashion as more than just a frivolous waste of time. It was a long shot but a pony can dream, can she not? “Oh Applejack, my dear, why didn’t you say so? I would be delighted to help you find the perfect ensemble,” Rarity said as she motioned for her friend to follow along. “Now tell me, what sort of ‘engagement’ will you be attending?” “It’s a...uh, aerobatics competition,” Applejack answered. She did not understand why it mattered where she was going, but she was willing to put her trust in Rarity’s expertise. Applejack was enough of a pony to admit to her shortcomings in the realm of fashion; especially when considering that the last time she made suggestions for her friend, she wound up wearing a ridiculous hat and galoshes. She had, for a time, considered the option of wearing the dress she wore to the Grand Galloping Gala, but that dress was still in ruins as a result of the fiasco at said gala. Besides, that dress was a bit fancier than she wanted for the airshow. “I wasn’t aware there were any shows being held in Ponyville,” Rarity commented with a bit of confusion. While she may have considered fashion an absolute necessity regardless of venue, it seemed odd that Applejack would consider proper attire necessary for some air show in town. “Actually, it’s in Manehattan. Spitfire is taking me there next week.” “To Manehattan, you say? Well this changes everything.” And indeed it did change everything. Manehattan wouldn’t be host to some paltry little county airshow but a grand and extravagant spectacle that would be attended by the rich and the elites. It was a perfect opportunity to once again showcase her talent to the world; to demonstrate to all that Rarity was the first and foremost name in glamour and sophistication. And make her friend look presentable, of course. Rarity led her friend over to the nearby showcase room where a pedestal and a wall of mirrors would help Applejack decide on which colours and styles she preferred. It would be an uphill struggle to convince the typically stubborn mare to venture outside her usual comfort zones, but she relished the challenge. While Applejack continued to fidget in visible discomfort, possibly weighing the pros and cons of bolting for the door, Rarity grabbed a rack containing a number of her base designs to experiment with. “Ah still have that condition against anything that’s too frou-frou,” Applejack reminded her friend. “Oh come now, Applejack,” Rarity said dismissively, “you want to look nice for your date, do you not?” “Uhh...Ah guess so.” A murmured response but loud enough for Rarity to hear. Applejack had always been a firm believer in the ‘don’t let anyone change you’ mentality when it came to relationships (though that may have more to do with her stubborn nature), but life was also about self-improvement. Rarity was correct; she did want to look her best for Spitfire. Maybe that was a sign of just how special Spitfire was to her. There were hardly any other ponies that Applejack would’ve considered sprucing up for. Perhaps Rainbow Dash but that was never necessary. “Trust me, you will look absolutely fabulous once I’m finished.” Rarity’s reassurances did little to ease her worries. She always strove to be honest about herself and wearing fancy duds wasn’t the sort of pony she was. “Ah just don’t want to attract too much attention,” Applejack continued as her friend pulled out the first dress to sample. It was white and puffy and full of lace; it was exactly the kind of dress that she had warned against. “Oh no ya don’t! Ah ain’t trying that on.” “Nonsense. You will look marvelous!” The two ponies had very stark differences in their opinions of what ‘marvelous’ entailed, but before the farmer could muster a counter-argument, Rarity used her magic and uncanny finesse to wrangle Applejack into the ensemble. For a brief moment, Applejack just stared in disbelief at the mirror - now she knew how a wrangled bull felt. “Uh-uh! No way, no how!” she protested. However, so complicated was the dress that no matter where she pulled or tugged, all she managed to accomplish was make the dress tighter. She refused to be upstaged by a bunch of fabrics. Luckily for the both of them, Rarity stepped in and got the dress off, though the unicorn was more concerned about damage to the dress than her friend’s pride. “White isn’t your colour anyways,” Rarity rationalized as she carried on to the next outfit. “Maybe a nice little black dress...you can never go wrong with that.” Applejack would disagree with that sentiment but refrained from making any snide remarks. This time around, she was more compliant with the dress, lest she risk getting mare-handled again. The end product, however, surprised the earth pony. Instead of some gaudy, frilly outfit, what she wore was a simple black gown that ended just under her elbows with two thin straps rounding across her shoulder. It was simple and subdued. “Hey, this actually ain’t half-bad.” “You’re right - it’s all bad!” Rarity proclaimed. “What was I thinking? Oh, the hubris!” Once again, Applejack was left confused and dumbfounded as to the inner workings of the fashionista. The complete lack of reason and common sense was why she could never understand the business. The black dress was exactly the kind of subdued elegance that she had been aiming for. But knowing that any attempts at arguing would only result in getting violently crammed into another dress. It was easier just to lay back and think of Sweet Apple Acres. “How could I be so foolish?” the unicorn continued as she began sifting through the clothes racks. “This is not some backyard social you’re going to. You need something unique; something that screams ‘Applejack.’” “Couldn’t it just whisper that?” The words fell on deaf ears, though, as the unicorn began to pace up and down the racks. She went on and on about how it was springtime, which held some mysterious significance to the decision-making process that eluded Applejack’s understanding. There was something else in the mess of words mentioned how green was her colour and an urgent need for red shoes. “As you are going to Manehattan, I take things between you and Spitfire are going well?” Rarity asked in the midst of a long string of ‘uh-uh’s. It caught the farmer off-guard but she recovered quickly. “Things are going great,” she answered, enjoying the direction of the conversation for a change. “At first Ah was really worried that she’d be all snobbish and stuck up, cause she’s a big-shot athlete at all, but she’s actually very down-to-earth. And this may sound a might funny, but it feels like Ah’ve known her for years.” “Probably because she and Rainbow Dash share so much in common,” Rarity commented. “Ah thought so too,” her friend agreed, “but the more time Ah’ve spent with her, Ah realize that Spitfire’s as similar as she is different from Dash. N-not that Ah would’ve gone out with Dash...c-cause that would be silly, y’know?” Rarity took notice that the farmer did protest a bit too strongly, but made no comments towards it. She did, however, make a mental note to keep that this knowledge to herself. Dash didn’t need to know that her feelings may have been mutual. “Dash hasn’t given you any...trouble has she?” she asked with caution. Though she liked to think the best of her friends, she could not dismiss the possibility that Dash would attempt to run interference of some kind. Jealousy was a powerful force and it had driven lesser ponies to heinous acts out of spite before. She prayed that Dash would not do something that would jeopardize her friendship with Applejack, but she had to be careful how she asked in order to keep Dash’s secrets safe. “Why would she do that after all the trouble she’s gone through to set us up?” Applejack laughed at the very notion. While she suspected Dash played a part in some of the bizarre coincidences that had occurred, there had been nothing troublesome about them. “Now what in tarnation would make you think that?” “Well...you know, Dash can get jealous rather easily,” Rarity explained as she came up with a convenient cover story, “and Spitfire has been a huge role-model and idol to her. I would hate to see this cause friction between you and Dash.” “That’s just stinkin’ thinkin,” Applejack said with a dismissive wave of her hoof. “Dash has been supportive of me during this entire thing. And Ah even got her a little present to show how much Ah’ve appreciated her help.” “I’m glad to hear that then,” Rarity answered as she pulled out a green dress from the rack. Perhaps she had been worried over nothing and Dash had heeded her original advice. Holding up the gown against Applejack’s frame, the fashionista pondered her choice with a quiet hum. “This is almost perfect...but it’s missing something.” “Please tell me it’s not lace.” “One of these days I will get you into a nice, lace outfit and you will thank me for it,” Rarity teased. “But this simply will not do. I will have to make something from scratch, and do not object! I shan't take ‘no’ for an answer.” “If you insist,” Applejack muttered under her breath. It was a good thing she had a few days before the trip to Manehattan so a bit of waiting was not a huge inconvenience. As her friend trotted over to one of her mannequins with several bolts of fabric, Applejack hopped off the pedestal with the intent to continue with her errands for the day. She knew from experience it was poor form to interrupt a pony at work. “Honestly, Applejack, if you had come to me after the auction, we could’ve gotten all this sorted out a long time ago,” Rarity commented as she began unfurling the first bolt. “I even kept the shop open late just for you...but I suppose there’s no point fussing over the past.” “No...there ain’t,” Applejack said as her mind picked apart Rarity’s last words. “But Dash said she was busy that night...that don’t make sense.” Rather than risk a conversation she wasn’t prepared for, Applejack said her goodbyes and headed on her way. ***************************** Applejack was still mulling over the last part of her conversation with Rarity while en route to the library. Maybe Dash had just been mistaken when she had told her that Rarity was busy that night. It didn't make sense for Dash to lie about it considering all the effort she went through to get her the date in the first place. Her instincts told her that there had to be a reasonable explanation for it for Dash to have either forgotten or intentionally withhold the information. Perhaps Dash knew, or suspected at the very least, that Spitfire would not be impressed by a fancy dress on a first date. It was Applejack's modest, country-upbringing that appealed so much to the Wonderbolt Captain. There were no other reasonable explanations unless Dash had been trying to sabotage the date from the start. But that was absurd notion. Why would Dash want to ruin what she had set up? Unless...Spitfire wasn't part of the original plan... She was still undecided whether she should confront Dash about it. Things were still fresh between her and Spitfire, and relationships were fragile in their early days. Applejack didn't want to risk putting herself into an awkward position with her best friend. By the time she reached the library, she had convinced herself that she was reading too much into the situation and that everything would be resolved once she gave Dash her gift. A small pang of guilt troubled the farmer as she approached the library door. She remembered her promise to Twilight to help look after the place and she wound up dumping most of that duty onto Rainbow Dash. It felt very selfish of her to have done so, often with little consultation with her friend beforehand. But that just demonstrated what a supportive friend Dash had been. With that in mind, it seemed like a ridiculous notion that Dash was being anything but helpful. Applejack almost felt bad for doubting her friend for even a moment. Knocking on the library door, Applejack was surprised to see a familiar unicorn answer instead. “Twilight? What are you doing here?” “I live here, remember?” the unicorn deadpanned. “Heh, oh...right,” Applejack said with a sheepish grin. “Ah meant, what are you doing back so soon? You said the convention ended tomorrow.” The mentioning of the convention caused Twilight’s expression to twist in aggravation. A low, barely audible growl served to emphasize the obvious - that things did not end well. “They had to close the convention early,” Twilight explained as the pair headed inside. “Somepony screwed up a spell during their presentation and turned half the audience into chickens. It took Princess Celestia almost the entire day just to change everyone back.” “Sounds like Ah missed quite the party,” Applejack joked. She felt bad that she couldn’t have been there to help out. With Winona’s help, she could have wrangled up the loose chickens with ease. “Well, Ah hope ya still had a good time.” “For the most part. But let me tell you, laying an egg is even less fun than it sounds.” That was a bit more than she needed to know, but Applejack nonetheless had a chuckle at the thought of a purple hen being chased after by the Princess. Perhaps when she had more time, she would sit down with the unicorn and hear more about what happened at the convention. Judging by the large stacks of books that were heaped around the library, Twilight had only recently returned from her convention. To nobody’s surprise, the librarian returned from the convention with even more books than she had departed with. “Anything interesting happen while I was gone?” Twilight asked with her mood swinging back to its normal, cheerful way. “You could say that.” Applejack hadn’t planned on telling all of her friends so soon, but given that Rarity already knew it was unfair to keep it hidden from others. “Ah...um, sorta started seeing somepony...” Twilight had been in the middle of re-organizing a shelf, but the news prompted an immediate gasp, accompanied by several books falling to the ground. “Ohmygoshohmygosh! Really?” Twilight blurted as she raced over to Applejack and got right in her face. “Who is it? Is it anypony I know? Is he nice? How’d you two meet?” In hindsight, perhaps Applejack should have expected the barrage of question. It may have been more sensible to have told all her friends at once in order to avoid having the same questions five times over. Applejack didn’t want to get drawn into a long conversation and become distracted from her errands, but her friend’s overeager grin was impossible to ignore. “Well for starters, it ain’t a he...it’s a she. And it’s Spitfire,” she began. “It’s kind of a funny story, Ah’ll have to tell ya about it later when Ah’ve got more time.” “Wait? Spitfire?” Twilight repeated. “You mean the Spitfire? But...isn’t she a girl?” Her friend flashed a brief, irritated glare in response before quipping, “Whaddya mean by that?” “N-nothing!” the over-inquisitive librarian hastily backpedaled. However, once her friend’s mood had stabilized, Twilight was compelled sate her curiosity. “Seriously though, I didn’t know you were interested in other mares.” “To be honest, Ah was a bit on the fence at first,” Applejack admitted with a bit of reluctance. “But Rainbow Dash talked me into it, and Ah’ve been having a hay of a time. It’s like the saying goes, ‘love is beautiful, no matter its form.’” Twilight had never heard that particular saying, but it made sense to her. Though she could not see herself dating other mares, who was she to say anything against something that made two ponies happy? She was happy for her friend and that was all that mattered in the end. With her curiosity satisfied for the moment, the orderly librarian returned to her previous task of re-sorting the contents of her home. She hadn’t expected Dash or Applejack to maintain the same standards of organization, and after the ordeals of the convention, reorganizing the library felt like a vacation. “I’m glad to hear you’ve found a special somepony,” Twilight said as she began adding her new books to her collection. “And thanks again for taking care of the library for me while I was away.” “It’s Rainbow Dash you really ought to be thanking; she did a lot more than Ah did.” In fact, Applejack felt bad taking any credit whatsoever. "She was even the one who set me up with Spitfire in the first place." “Really now? Dash set it up? Wow...I’m surprised.” “You and me both,” the farmer agreed. “No, I mean setting you up with Spitfire of all ponies. She’s an idol to Dash...I would have thought Dash would have tried asking her out herself rather than setting her up on a date with you. No offense.” To the librarian’s relief, no offense was taken. Yet, Twilight’s concern remained - Dash had all the reasons in the world to make a move on Spitfire. And the fact that they had so much in common made it seem all the more likely to the perceptive unicorn. “I hope Dash doesn’t get jealous.” “Now why would she be jealous?” Applejack scoffed at the notion. Why did everypony worry that her best friend would be jealous of her success? While it was true that high-flying speedster was prone to such moral failings, it made no sense for her to set up a situation that she would in turn become envious of. “Anyways, speaking of Rainbow Dash, have you seen her?” “I think I saw her heading towards Sugarcube Corner.” Twilight was about to make mention that Dash seemed distracted when she last saw her, but the librarian’s attention was distracted by the discovery of a box of books that she had not seen before. “Oh hey, my package of new books,” she said with a delighted smile. She was a bit puzzled as to why the books she had ordered had been stowed away in the corner rather than put on the shelves, but once again she faulted that to Dash and Applejack’s disorganized tendencies. “I have been waiting forever for these new historical fictions to come in. These are all going to be so much fun to read!” Applejack, however, didn’t even need to see what her friend had picked up before realizing what it was. Foreseeing an awkward conversation that she did not want to take part in, the erstwhile library-sitter decided to make herself scarce. “Oh look at the time, Ah’ve got a lot of stuff still to do,” she excused herself before she made a hasty run for the exit. “See ya around, Twilight!” “Bye!” Twilight replied. Eager to indulge in her new additions, she plucked a tome from the box and gave it a quick look-over. “Fifty Grains of Hay? I don’t remember ordering this.” She figured the details of her order had just slipped her mind and began reading some passages in order to jog her memory. The realization hit her along with the surge of heat to her face. “Oh my...this isn’t what I ordered at all...” ***************************** Pinkie Pie had espoused the emotional benefits of Sugarcube Corner when one needed to uplift their spirits, but despite having spent the past few hours at the bakery, Rainbow Dash had yet to feel any better about herself or her situation. The disheartened dare-devil sat at the counter, her shoulders hunched over with the only thing keeping her head aloft was the hoof resting under her chin. Before was a tall but empty mug with the remnants of soda and ice cream still clinging to the frosted interior. The quiet, discouraged sigh that escaped her lips caught the attention of the nearby bakery owner, Carrot Cake. “Everything okay Rainbow Dash? You seem kind of bummed out,” Carrot asked as he set down a fresh pan of cupcake son the counter. Not even waiting for an answer, the baker offered up a free cupcake to the loyal patron. “Just...a lousy week that’s all,” Dash replied. She was reluctant to give any further details out of a combination of shame and embarrassment of driving the pony she desired into the hooves of another. Despite what others might say about the benefits of talking about one’s problems, her ego just couldn’t take any more abuse. “Thanks for the cupcake.  And I’ll take another root beer float. In fact, better make it a double.” “This was your third one...I think you’ve had enough for today, Dash.” “I’ll tell you when I’ve had enough!” she shouted as she slammed a hoof onto the counter. Despite his concerns for the pegasus, Mr. Cake took away the empty mug and returned a few moments later with a fresh root beer float. It didn’t take a psychiatrist to see that something significant was troubling the pegasus, but Carrot Cake was a baker, not a psychoanalyst so there was little more he could do other than provide the only form of comfort he could. He was tempted to send for Pinkie or Twilight as it was plain to see that the pegasus was in dire need of a friend. “Where did it all go wrong?” Dash pondered as she stared at the swirling miasma of vanilla and root beer before her. How could Applejack be falling head over hooves for Spitfire but somehow remain oblivious to Rainbow Dash? Was she just not that important to Applejack? “Who was I kidding thinking I could compete with a Wonderbolt.” Fame...fortune...world-recognized skills...it felt like Rainbow Dash had none of these things to her name. And she would never have guessed that these were the sort of things that Applejack wanted in a relationship. “She’ll probably get Spitfire to endorse her farm or become an official sponsor or something...” From a business standpoint, it made perfect sense for Applejack. Anything that Spitfire touched turned to gold and it would be a huge boon to Sweet Apple Acres to have the endorsement of such a vaunted celebrity. Next cider season, Sweet Apple Acres would likely have ponies rushing from every corner of Equestria. As if Dash didn’t have enough trouble getting cider when she only had Ponyville to contend with. With so many grievances and frustrations clouding her mind, the weary pegasus attempted to drown them out with a hefty dose of ice cream and soda. As the pegasus threw back her fourth float of the day, a chiming bell heralded the arrival of another patron. Unconcerned with others, Dash kept drinking, but the nearby baker was elated to see a familiar stetson-wearing farmer strolling in. “Oh hey Applejack! Haven’t seen you around lately; been busy on the farm?” Carrot Cake’s greeting took Dash by surprise and almost caused the pegasus to choke on her beverage. “A-applejack?” she gasped between violent coughs in a desperate attempt to regain her composure. Clinging to the faint hope that the farmer was just passing by the door, Dash glanced over her shoulder just in time to see her friend plop down in the seat next to her. Of all the times, of all the ponies, why did it have to be now and her? She would trade a kingdom for another horse! She wasn’t ready to deal with Applejack yet - her emotions were still too raw and volatile. There was no getting out of this, though, and Rainbow Dash had no alternative but to put on a brave face and be prepared to lie through her teeth. “Howdy Rainbow Dash,” Applejack greeted with a cheerful grin. “Ah’ve been looking high and low all over Ponyville for ya. What’cha doing here all by yer lonesome knocking back root beer floats like it’s a two-fer-one Friday?” Dash got a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach at what Applejack wanted to talk to her about. It had to be something important for her to track the pegasus all across town, but Dash couldn’t think of anything that would fit that criteria that she wanted to hear. It probably involved Spitfire and didn’t include the phrase ‘we’re not seeing each other anymore.’ “N-no reason,” Dash stammered. “I just...felt like having one, that’s all.” “Or three,” Carrot Cake chimed in. “Wow,” the farmer remarked, “if Ah knew you were going to pack so many back, Ah would’ve joined ya. We could’ve made a contest out of it.” When she failed to elicit a laugh from her rainbow-maned friend, Applejack jovial grin turned into a concerned gaze. She could see her friend concerted effort to hide the scowl and the averted gaze was a tell-tale sign of distress. “Is...everything okay? Yer looking a might bit blue...er, figuratively speaking.” So much for discretion. It appeared that Applejack could smell misery like Winona sniffing out an apple-stealing rabbit. Dash needed to think up a new cover and quickly. “It’s nothing, really,” she insisted. “I’ve just been under a bit of stress lately from...work! Yes, work. Shift supervisor is riding my hindquarter to finish my...um, TPS reports. Speaking of which, I should really get going and finish those TPS reports that totally need to done, like...right away.” Now Applejack was always willing to give ponies the benefit of the doubt, but she knew Rainbow Dash well enough to see through a lie as obvious as that. Since when did Dash ever use work as an excuse to leave? She almost wished that were the case just so she could find comfort in the knowledge that her friend could display a genuine sense of responsibility. Alas, she could also tell when somepony wanted to keep something private and she wasn’t about to start prying in her friend’s business...at least not yet. “Well hold the phone there missy!” Applejack said as she threw a hoof across Dash’s chest when the pegasus tried to leave. “Ah didn’t come all this just to watch you head out the door. Now why don’t you plant your hindquarter down because Ah have got one hay of a surprise for you; might even wipe that frown off yer face.” “Surprise?” Perhaps, Dash though, she had been a bit hasty in reading the situation. Just because Applejack was going out with the personification of everything Dash aspired to be, it didn’t make them any less friends. And if Applejack had tracked her across town just to deliver it, then it must have held great significance to her friend. “Guess who’s got tickets to the 42nd Annual Royal Barnstorming Championship in Manehattan!” Upon seeing the farmer produce the two gold-trimmed tickets from her saddlebag, Dash let out a gasp tremendous that she almost dislocated her jaw. “A three-day celebration of everything that swoops, dives, and soars, and culminating in the grand championship as teams from across Equestria strut their stuff for the coveted Celestial Star trophy!” There wasn’t a great need to sell the competition; any pegasus worth their salt knew about the competitions. It was one of the biggest airshows in all of Equestria, and it was where the Wonderbolts always pulled out their best routines to wow the crowds. “Oh? And what’s this? An extra tickets for a private box in the VIP section for the final competitions. Now where am Ah gonna find a pony to fill that empty seat?” Rainbow Dash couldn’t believe her eyes. Tickets to the event cost a small fortune and that was with seats in the nosebleed sections of the stadium. It was the biggest air show of the year, and a chance to see the Wonderbolts perform pull out their greatest routine. Wait...the Wonderbolts... “How did you get this?” Dash inquired with a sinking feeling of dread in her stomach. “Spitfire gave it to me,” Applejack explained. “We’re going up to Manehattan for the event. Since she’s competing, she always has free tickets to give away to charities or contests. Ah figured since you’ve done so much for us...well, it’s just mah way of saying thanks.” And in an instant, Rainbow Dash felt her heart take a nose dive straight into the deepest pit of her gut. Any other day, she would’ve given anything for these tickets, and even part with her wings if it meant being able to spend it with Applejack. But the name of the Wonderbolt’s Captain lingered on Dash’s mind like a bad migraine. Then a realization hit her - even if she did go, she would rarely, if ever, get time alone with Applejack. She was Spitfire’s mare now and everypony there would know. They would strut into the stadium on the red carpet with cameras flashing from all directions. At best, Dash would be trailing behind them bearing witness to every public display of affection. And that would be how it went the entire airshow with Dash a lingering afterthought to the Applejack-Spitfire party going on up front. She couldn’t go through that kind of torment. Her emotions were still too raw to endure that kind of emotional punishment. Even with the airshow serving as a distraction seeing the pony she yearned for most standing alongside Spitfire would feel like a dagger in the heart, and every contented smile, every affectionate nuzzle, would just twist the blade further. The entire airshow would be spent as a never-ending reminder of her mistakes and that she was just a weak contender against a pegasus like Spitfire. Yet, at the same time this was her best friend of all ponies asking her to go. And as Rainbow Dash’s gaze panned between the tickets and Applejack’s expectant smile, she found herself at a loss. A part of her just wanted to spill her guts and admit the truth. That way, Rainbow Dash would at least have an valid reason why she should decline. But the timing wasn’t right and the bakery was probably one of the least appropriate settings to confess romantic feelings. At best, it would leave Applejack distraught and might strain their friendship; at worse, the realization of all the lies that Dash had built up around her could trigger the farmer’s temper and wreck their friendship altogether. “I’m sorry, Applejack, I’d love to go but I can’t make it,” Rainbow Dash answered after the most agonizing ten second pause in her life. “You’re kidding, right?” Applejack hesitated to press for answers, but she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. This wasn’t Rainbow Dash at all; this was the pegasus that once ran out in the middle of a work shift just because she heard a rumour that the Wonderbolts were passing through Ponyville. “Come on Dash, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Whatever ya got planned, Ah’m sure we can work around it. M-maybe you could just come for the finals on the last day...ya don’t need to attend the whole event.” Rainbow Dash could tell that her friend was confused by her answer and attempted to find a solution to satisfy them both. Yet so long as Applejack remained oblivious as to the real reason, her gestures were commendable but futile. By Celestia’s crown did Dash want to tell her truth, but she couldn’t handle opening that door right now. “I’m really, really sorry AJ...but I just...I’ve got a lot on my plate right now,” Dash reiterated. She needed some plausible excuse but it was hard to think of another lie when staring at her friend’s drawn-back ears and drooping eyes. “Ah don’t understand,” a despondent Applejack replied. Even to the normally unobservant Dash, it was obvious that the farmer was trying her hardest to hide her disappointment. She hadn’t realized the magnitude of what was troubling Dash until then. “What’s wrong, Dash? Ah can tell something’s eatin’ at ya.” “It...it’s nothing, really,” the pegasus insisted with her usual evasiveness. “Just...stuff I have to get settled first. ” “It can’t be nothing. Please, just talk to me.” Applejack was almost pleading with her friend at this point. “I don’t want to talk about it.” “Dash...Ah’m your friend.” “I said I don’t want to talk about it!” Her hoof slamming against the counter brought an abrupt silence to the bakery. Bereft and taken aback by the sudden hostility, Applejack knew she had hit a wall with her friend. If Twilight were present, she would force Rainbow Dash to stay where she was until the truth was brought to light. And while that was within Applejack’s physical capabilities to detain her friend, she feared what the truth could be. Was it possible that her friends were right and that Rainbow Dash was jealous of her new relationship? Celestia knows that Applejack never wanted to have to choose between her relationship and her best friend, and forcing the truth out prematurely could result in such a decision being made. There was another possibility that skirted the farmer’s thoughts, but that truth was one that she feared even more to the point where she dared not give it any further thought. “Okay Dash, you don’t have to say anything you don’t want to,” Applejack said, followed by a heavy sigh. She grabbed the tickets from the counter and placed them back into her saddlebag. “Ah’ll...Ah guess Ah’ll see you around then. Take care Dash.” Though cordial, Dash could hear the dejection in her friend’s voice. And while it broke her heart to see her friend leave in such a sullen state, she knew that it was for the best for both of them. “I am such an idiot,” Dash groaned before slamming her head onto the counter. “Another float?” Carrot chimed in. “Yes, please...”