//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Catch And Release // by ShadowSprint //------------------------------// Entering into the restaurant, Dash took one look around and soaked in the country air. Stained and varnished oak boards lined the walls, and the floor. Up above, the rafters were visible, forming a neat line down the center of the barn. Red and white wooden gates hung up at the entrance to the kitchen, and ponies sat on everything from wooden benches to bales of hay to enjoy their meals. A golden-brown earth pony trotted on up to the two, wearing an apron, and sporting a green pencil tucked away between her ears. “I’m Dusty Star and I’ll be yer waitress for the evening. Do ya have a reservation?” She asked, her chocolate mane brushed back into a ponytail to keep the hair out of her freckled face. “Sure do!” Applejack said, “Reservation for two. Under Applejack.” Dusty Star pulled out a small pad of paper and glanced over its contents. “Ah yes Applejack! Right this way!” The waitress led them over to a quieter corner of the barn. A corner booth for two, done up with padded seats taken straight outta some old tractors. The table put together using dark cherry wood, featuring a napkin holder resembling the Country Cooking barn. Wagon wheels nailed up for display along the walls, accompanied by a couple of lanterns hanging from the wooden beams above for a soft, mood-setting light. Dusty deposited a couple of menus onto the table and took her leave. Rainbow Dash just stared for a moment. At the table, at the lights, at everything. She glanced over everything that Applejack had put together. Well, obviously Applejack didn't put this together, but she paid for it. It was sweet of her. “Would ya like to sit down?” Came Applejack’s voice. And when Dash looked, she found her mare-friend next to one of the tractor-style chairs, pulling it out for her. A real gentle-colt that one! Especially for a mare. Rainbow Dash hurried on over to the chair and allowed herself to be scooted in. A moment later and Applejack took the seat across from her. And for a little a while, the two were silent. Rainbow Dash didn’t know what to say. Guess she should’ve been saying, “thank you”, but couldn’t quite get the words out of her throat. That and she had to ruffle around a bit in the chair to get comfy. She kept accidentally tugging and pulling on different parts of her dress, and certainly did not want a scolding from Rarity for ruining it. “Ya challenged me on purpose, didn't ya?” Applejack suddenly asked. She’d been staring at Rainbow for some time now, with this weird little smile on her face; like she knew something. “Come again?” “The apple bucking. Ya challenged me to apple bucking cause ya knew I’d win.” Applejack explained matter-of-factly. That smile still stuck to her face. Rainbow Dash found herself speechless. She could feel the makeup plastered to her face beginning to crack when she opened her mouth. “W-What do you mean? Saying I threw the match?!” “Yep.” “Well I certainly did not! Why in Celestia would I throw the match?” “Come on Rainbow.” Applejack said, as she let out a chuckle. “I’ve been apple bucking nearly my whole life. And you couldn’t even clear one field. Ya can’t tell me ya really expected to win.” Dash felt her cheeks burning. “Doesn't mean I threw the match! Just never thought apple bucking was so hard.” Applejack just smiled, leaned forward and rested her chin in her front hooves. “W-What?” Applejack smiled. “I think ya like being all prettied up for me. Yer stubborn as a mule sometimes, but how many times have ya lost to me in these lil bets? How many in a row?” Rainbow’s mouth ‘bout dropped open at hearing her lover’s words. The nerve of that pony to suggest that she enjoyed being done up like this! Or that she enjoyed being in clothing that limited movement, and restricted her wings. Or that she enjoyed being turned into a coloring book for Rarity to play color by number. It certainly wasn’t that she enjoyed the alluring gaze from Applejack every time she walked out of Rarity’s boutique all done up, or the way Applejack treated her whenever they went out like this. Like how Applejack held the door open for her, or pulled out the chair for her. Or even how Applejack allowed less space between the two whenever they were out together. No, that wasn’t fun . . . Okay, maybe it was a little fun. But soo not the point! Dusty Star returned with some drinks, and both Rainbow Dash and Applejack had to scramble together some form of an order for the cook to start working on. But the moment the distraction passed; Applejack had her eyes back on Rainbow. “You know why I brought ya here dumpling?” And before Dash could even begin to respond, Applejack said, “All them ponies know ya as Rainbow Dash, the Wonderbolt! Coolest pony in Equestria! They know ya for yer Sonic Rainboom and all the times ya helped save the world. I just want them to see ya like I do sometimes. See ya for the beautiful mare that ya are. The softer, warmer side of Rainbow Dash . . . That’s what I want them all to see.” By the end of her little spiel, Rainbow Dash couldn’t stop blushing. She had averted her gaze and let her eyes take interest in the little barn napkin holder. “I just . . .” and she cursed herself for letting her voice squeak out the way it did. “I just feel really silly in all this. Feels like some-pony took a paintbrush to my face. Do you really like me looking like this?” Applejack smiled. “Well, maybe Rarity did go a tad overboard on the makeup.” “See! I knew it . . .” But Dash stopped. Because at that moment, Applejack had grabbed a napkin, and after dipping it in her water, had leaned forward and begun to clean off Dash’s face. Rainbow’s eyes opened up wide, staring into the focused gaze of her lover. She felt the wet napkin scraping away the layers of gunk from her cheeks, and from around her eyes. She could breathe again. And yet, at the same time, Rainbow Dash found herself short of breath. She gulped, watching as Applejack tossed aside one napkin stained in all manner of colors, before grabbing another one. When finally Applejack pulled away, Rainbow Dash finally understood the purpose of makeup. It was for hiding the shades of red a mare turned when placed face to face with their love. Maybe makeup wasn’t such a bad thing after all. And to top it off, Applejack finished with, “There. Now ya look perfect.” Rainbow Dash rubbed her lips together, trying to think of something to say. That’s when she realized something. “You missed some.” Dash pointed at her lips. “I can still taste the lipstick.” Applejack just rolled her eyes. “Well come on then!” She said, but Rainbow Dash was ready. She leaned in, and as Applejack moved up close, Dash executed her attack. She shoved her lips forward, catching the earth pony off guard. Delivering a swift and mangled kiss to her lover’s lips, Rainbow Dash made certain that she smeared that lipstick around Applejack’s mouth as much as she could. The kiss was just a bonus. And when Rainbow Dash pulled away, the stunned look on Applejack’s face was priceless. Rainbow Dash bit her lip. Just seeing that cherry red lipstick on Applejack’s face made it look like a pen had exploded in her mouth. Rainbow Dash started to giggle. She tried to stop, but seeing Applejack all flustered, and with a coat of paint to boot, was too much. She started to laugh, and before Dash could worry whether or not she was hurting Applejack’s feelings, the farmer started laughing too. The laughing continued, harder and harder, until the pegasus could feel her ribs aching under her coat of fur. Only when Dusty Star returned with their food, did Rainbow Dash stop laughing. The waitress stared awkwardly between them, pulling their food off her cart. “OOOkaaay” She finally said, “Enjoy your meal.” And then she was gone. Rainbow Dash could’ve burst into laughter once more, except hunger found the best of her. She started gobbling down her food, exchanging a mischievous glance with Applejack. The farmer returned in kind, rolled her eyes and went back to eating. Rainbow Dash had won the round. “You know, I really do intend to beat you.” Rainbow Dash said after she finished her meal. “I wanna show ponies the soft and sexy mare that I know and love.” Applejack snorted into her drink. “And just how the hay ya planning on doing that?” This was it. Rainbow Dash pulled out the two entry tickets into the upcoming fishing tournament. “With these of course!” She said. “Whoever makes the biggest catch wins the date of a lifetime!” Applejack pulled the tickets closer so that she could read. Then with a smile, the farmer kicked back, rested her front hooves behind her head, and raised an eyebrow. “Think Rarity’ll double the frills on that there dress?” “I’m not gonna lose!” Applejack just chuckled. “Sure ya aren’t.” She said, and Rainbow couldn't help but catch the smugness in the farmer’s eyes. “I grew up out in the country Dash. Been fishing since I was a small filly. It's my bread and butter, just like apple bucking.” Rainbow Dash leaned back, and in a show of confidence, mimicked her lover’s pose and winked at Applejack. “hehe that may be, but fishing is just as much about luck as it is about skill. I don't have the experience, so I’ll just need to have the luck.” “Yeah,” Applejack countered, “I bet ya catch nothing but minnows and seaweed!” Leaning forward, Rainbow Dash just pushed the tickets closer to her mare-friend. “Then say yes. Or you worried you won’t even catch a minnow?” Applejack snatched up a ticket. “You’re on dumpling!” The pegasus just smiled. Rainbow Dash had this match in the bag; hook, line, and sinker.