//------------------------------// // Plan A // Story: Shipwrights // by PonyAmorous //------------------------------// "Rainbow Dash!" The pegasus in question opened a bleary eye. "Rainbow Dash! Are you in there?" With a sigh, she rolled out of bed and made her way to the door to see who had decided to prevent her taking full advantage of having the day off by sleeping in late. She pushed open the cloud door to see a grinning purple face. "Twilight?" "Good! You're up. There's something important we need to take care of. You don't have anything special planned for Hearts and Hooves Day, right?" "Huh? I guess it's not particularly special, but I was planning to—" "Well cancel it! Whatever it is, this is definitely a higher priority!" "It's really that important?" "It could be the most important thing in your life!" "Well, okay then." Rainbow Dash stifled a yawn, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Just give me a sec and I'll go clear my schedule." She gave a few stretches before taking to the air. "Alright, but hurry back!" Twilight called out after her. A few seconds of the wind racing through her mane, and any remaining grogginess had been blown away. Or maybe it was because she always had a bit of extra spring in her step when approaching her current destination. Spotting her target, she set down in the orchards of Sweet Apple Acres. "Hey, AJ." "Heya, Dash. Didn't expect to see you up before noon today." "Yeah, it's not by choice. Look, I'm sorry but I don't think I'll be able to make our planned game of horseshoes. Twilight needs my help with something and says it's pretty important. You don't mind if we reschedule, do you?" "No problem at all. In fact, something just came up on my end as well. Turns out Cadence of all ponies needs my help with something." "Seriously?" "I know. No idea why she'd need my help with anything. I'd think she'd usually go to Twi first. Anyway, we can just reschedule for tomorrow." "Cool, see ya then!" With the matter resolved, Rainbow Dash returned to the air and made her way back to her house in short order to find Twilight still pacing on her doorstep. "You're back! Good." "Okay, so what's this all about, Twilight?" "Applejack." "Applejack? What about her?" "She's a pretty amazing pony, right?" "Yeah, no argument here." "Strong, athletic, cool under pressure." "Yeah, that's her. "And pretty nice flanks, right?" "Uh...I mean you're not wrong, but that's a little—" "And the way the sunlight shines off her golden mane! The cute freckles. Those deep emerald eyes you could just get lost in. That warm and welcoming voice that sends your heart fluttering and makes your wings feel like they're going to vault you up into the heavens and never bring you down. That strong and powerful physique, perfect for wrestling in the barn, pinning you down in the hay and—!" "Okay!" A blue hoof pressed against her mouth to cut her off. "I think I get the point!" Both ponies were flushed bright red, and Twilight looked like she was about to start drooling. "Sorry. But you see what I'm getting at here?" "Kinda hard not to." "Good. Because today's the day that all comes out." "Look, Twilight, I'm not sure that's really such a great idea." "Nonsense! It'll all work out great." "I dunno...I really don't think—" "Trust me. I know exactly what I'm doing. Now," Twilight pulled out a bouquet of roses with an attached card, on which was written 'For the apple of my eye'. "Take this and go give Applejack the confession she deserves." "What?! Me?" "Of course, you! Who else?" "Well, off the top of my head I was thinking...you?" "Don't be ridiculous, of course I can't do it! It has to be you!" Rainbow Dash gave a deep sigh. "Alright. I guess I'll do it." Twilght clapped her hooves together in giddy excitement. "Excellent! Just give that to her and tell her everything!" "Okay. Guess I better get this over with." She took once more to the air and heard Twilight call out after her. "Don't worry, you're gonna do great! I believe in you!" *** Rainbow Dash had only made it halfway to Sweet Apple Acres when she spotted Applejack heading up the road in her direction and carrying something on her back. She quickly landed and approached to see that it was a bouquet of roses almost identical to her own. Both ponies stopped and stared at each other in confusion. "RD, what in the name of applesauce is going on?" "I have no idea, other than Twilight apparently has the hots for you." "Come again?" "Yeah, she wouldn't shut up about your shapely flanks and stuff. She wanted me to come and give you this." She passed over the bouquet. "Well if that don't beat all. The exact same thing just happened with me and Cadence. She told me to give you this." Applejack passed over her own bouquet, the card to which read 'You bring color to my world'. "Seriously?!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "Isn't she, like, married to Twilight's brother?!" "Yeah, last I checked. Maybe she's got a spot open for a royal concubine or something?" "Is that a thing?" "I have no idea." "This is crazy!" "Sure is." A minute passed as both ponies stood in silence trying to take it all in. Rainbow Dash was the first to resume speaking. "So...what are you gonna do about Twilight?" "I, uh...well what do you think I should do?" "Well, it seems a little weird to me, but you do what you want. If you're actually interested in trying it, then go for it." "I dunno, it seems kinda weird to me too. Twilight's sweet and all, but I feel like it would just make things too complicated, you know?" "Totally." "So, how about you? What's your take on Cadence?" "Yikes. That's...well that's a lot. I'm definitely flattered, but talk about making things complicated!" "Yeah, particularly if you had to move up to the Crystal Empire." "I know, it would really mess with our ability to see each other. You can't exactly pack up your farm and move up with me, and even if I stayed here, I'd still be flying back and forth all the time." "So that's a no, then?" "Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's just not gonna work out." "Probably for the best. Can you imagine if we both said yes? We could be in-laws!" "Oh, Celestia! That would be so weird! Yeah, that's definitely a no to that!" "Alright, then. I guess we'll just go back and explain to each of them that we appreciate the interest, but neither of us is ready for that kinda relationship at the moment." "Agreed." Both ponies nodded then glanced down at their bouquets. Applejack was first to break the silence. "So...do you think we...? I mean, are we supposed to...?" A rumbling stomach alerted Rainbow Dash to the fact that she still had yet to eat breakfast. "I mean...I don't think they do returns, and it'd be rude not too, right?" "I'm not sure that—" Rainbow Dash was already busy stuffing her face with delicious rose heads. "Rainbow!" "What? If you don't want yours, I'll take them." She reached out a hoof only to have it slapped away. "Hooves off, missy!" Applejack scolded before tucking into her own treat. Their snacks devoured, the two gave each other a final affirmative nod and turned to go their separate ways. With her back turned, Rainbow Dash didn't see a pink hoof snake out and yank Applejack into a bush partway down the road. As for herself, she had just barely gotten into the air when a purple figure shot from a nearby cloud and tackled her into another. "WHAT HAPPENED?!" "Well...you see..." Rainbow Dash tried to find the words as she fidgeted in discomfort. "I'm sorry, Twilight. The whole thing was really awkward and we both just kinda agreed that would be too weird, you know? Just too complicated." "What?! But...but that makes no sense!" "Look, I know you and Cadence are probably real disappointed, but that's just the way it is." "You told her everything, right? About the heart fluttering and stuff?" "I mean, I paraphrased a bit, but more or less, yeah." "And she told you everything?" "Yeah, I got the gist of it." "And you both LIKE each other, right?!" "Well, yeah. That hasn't changed, and I don't see it doing so anytime soon. But I don't see what that—" "THEN WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?!" "Look, Twilight. I know it can be difficult to hear, but sometimes these things just don't work out, you know? It's nopony's fault. It might hurt, but you just gotta pick yourself up and move on, and find somepony else." "Somepony else? But–But Applejack is right there! And you both already—" "Yes, but that's a dead end. It's time to look elsewhere. Do you understand?" "I...No! I can't accept this! I won't accept this! And you shouldn't either!" "Me?" "Don't worry, Rainbow! I'll find a way to make this work!" Before Rainbow Dash could say anything further, Twilight had already taken off, head still reeling with the unexpected development. She approached the designated rendezvous point to find Cadence already waiting for her. "What in Tartarus happened?!" Cadence exclaimed while waving an angry hoof. "I don't know! I couldn't hear anything they said from my spot. You?" "Nothing! But they were definitely talking, and you saw them trade flowers, right?" "Yeah, they definitely did. So what went wrong?" "No clue. Applejack said she told her about the 'secret feelings' she and I discussed earlier." "Yeah, same with Rainbow Dash. I don't know how, but those two adorable idiots must have found some way to screw it up. It's obvious they're both still interested in each other." "SO obvious!" "So what do we do?" "Hmm..." Cadence rubbed a hoof beneath her chin as she summoned every ounce of her expertise in the subject. "Well, Applejack mentioned something about the whole thing just being too weird and awkward." "Rainbow Dash said the same thing." "Maybe we just have the wrong atmosphere. Maybe we need to set the mood a little." "Right. Hang on." Twilight stepped closer, illuminated her horn, and teleported them both to the highly restricted section of her laboratory used for...micro-sociological studies. One wall featured a chart with numerous ponies connected by a maze of lines, with compatibility indices and speculative notes and sketches regarding possible phenotypical traits of any future offspring. One locked drawer contained manuscripts of...hypothetical social scenarios. More important than all of that, however, was the ample supply of chalk and expansive blackboard space. Space that was soon covered in complex mathematical equations, diagrams, and crude stick figure ponies with hearts floating above their heads. Twilight and Cadence took turns trading off between furious scribbling and either nodding pensively or idly tossing a pen up to stick in the ceiling while leaning back in a chair. Miniature figures were arranged and rearranged on the grid lined tactical planning table. Twilight's tongue stuck out of the corner of her mouth as she carefully levitated the dropper to release a single drop of pink liquid into the large flask, watching as the solution fizzed and changed color. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she poured it into two waiting glasses, and they both enjoyed a quick break for fruit punch before getting back to work. Finally, after two hours of montaging, they turned to each other and shared a high hoof of victory. Plan B was ready.