Spitfire led a hardcore workout that, by the end, had the Wonderbolts collapsed in exhaustion. As Spitfire went into one of her infamous 'pep talks' (code for 'shouting a lot of insults'), Rainbow Dash concentrated on not looking away from Spitfire to look into the room across from their's.
But she couldn't help herself.
She looked.
And that was enough to hold her attention, her jaw dropping in awe.
Applejack and Rara were on the dance floor. AJ's hat was gone, and her mane in a high ponytail. While Rara had spent the majority of the time mimicking AJ as they worked out (Not that Rainbow Dash would know, of course. Not that she accidentally-on-purpose looked every few minutes), AJ's eyes were now trained on Rara. The choreography was complex and, by the looks of it, meant for two.
Drowning out Spitfire, Rainbow's tired wings lifted her from the ground to get a better look.
Wow, she thought to herself as her eyes widened in fascination. AJ's got moves...
"RAINBOW DASH!"
Rainbow was, again, snapped back to reality. Spitfire was flying in front of her, blocking her eyeline.
"Is there somewhere else you want to be?" Spitfire spat.
"No ma'am! I'm, ah, happy to be here," Rainbow replied, stuttering in the second sentence. Years of friendship with Applejack had done her no good: she couldn't even lie anymore.
Spitfire sighed. "This is useless. You and Soarin need to just go over there and say hi."
Though Rainbow wasn't looking, she guessed that the high-pitched squeak came from Soarin.
Spitfire looked at her teammates, who were still on the floor.
"Let's go team! Crash is going to say hi to Applejack, who will then introduce Soarin to Rara." Soarin looked unimpressed at Rainbow Dash and Soarin. "Will that make you two happy?"
"Yes!" Soarin shouted, life jumping back into him. The hope of meeting Rara brought the Wonderbolts to their hooves. They flew off the floor and rushed to the door, excited at the opportunity to meet a fellow celebrity.
Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash dragged her hooves as she flew after them, an annoyed look on her face. She didn't want to introduce Coloratura to anypony, thank you very much. She thought about sneaking off... But her desire to see Applejack outweighed her desire to avoid Coloratura.
Sighing, Rainbow followed her team out the door and across the hall. Spitfire gestured her forward, and Rainbow Dash unwillingly flew forward to knock.
After a few seconds, the door swung open. And after a day of spying on her friend, Rainbow Dash was finally face-to-face with Applejack.
Up close, AJ's cheeks were flushed from exercise, and small beads of sweat lined her hairline. Her bangs had escaped from her ponytail, giving them an extra fluffy look.
'Earth pony fun' my flank. I've seen AJ sweat like this before, Rainbow thought as she grinned at her friend. It was a snide comment that made her feel better, as if AJ's time with Rara was nothing special.
"Rainbow Dash!" Applejack grinned and stepped forward for a hug before stopping herself with a sheepish smile. "I'd give you a hug, but I'm a little sweat—"
A blur of rainbow launched itself at Applejack. Rainbow Dash has never in her life cared how sweaty or dirty AJ was. And this certainly wasn't going to be the day she started to.
"APPLEJACK!"
Rainbow Dash and Applejack crashed onto the floor in a tight embrace. Applejack let out a hearty chuckle, giving Rainbow a fond smile as she reciprocated the hug. Applejack stood up, closing her eyes as she snuggled against Rainbow.
"I've missed you too, sugarcube," she said. "Sorry for missing today's brunch. I'm entertaining a guest."
AJ's apology snapped Rainbow out of her euphoric daze. Right— Coloratura was there.
Rainbow Dash's embrace loosened as she huffed. "Oh yeah. I heard," she grunted with narrowed eyes. "Not that you told me, of course. Bet you didn't want to tell a pegasus all about the 'earth pony fun' you and your best friend are gonna have."
Applejack frowned at the sudden change in Dash's mood. But before she could ask about it, Rara's voice interrupted.
"You must be Rainbow Dash," the pony said with a smile as she got closer to the pair. "AJ's told me all about you. She can't stop bragging about her awesome Wonderbolt friend."
AJ and Rara exchanged a look, with Rara having a slight smirk and AJ a warning glare. But the look went unnoticed by Rainbow Dash, who was busy focusing on the fact that Applejack had bragged about her.
And to Coloratura, of all ponies, Rainbow thought, a pleased expression crossing her face. Take that, Countess.
AJ trotted besides Rara, putting a hoof around the mare's neck. It was meant to seem as a hug, but Rainbow could have sworn Applejack was pinching Rara.
"Speaking of the Wonderbolts," Applejack changed the subject, glancing towards the doorway. The team was nervously huddled there, with Soarin peeking behind an unamused Spitfire. "Everypony, I'd like y'all to meet Rara. I'm sure y'all know who she is, with her being a big-name singer and all."
Rara blushed, but was pleased at the compliment. "And Rara, I'd like you to meet Rainbow Dash and the rest of the Wonderbolts."
Before Rainbow could give a nasty quip about not knowing who Rara was, Soarin rushed inside the room.
"Hi Rara I'm Soarin," he said in a rushed tone. He extended his hoof and grabbed Rara's, shaking it fast. "It's so nice to meet you. Well, better than nice. It's great. So cool. Amazing."
Applejack stepped away as the rest of the Wonderbolts entered the room to introduce themselves. Her eyes went to an annoyed Dash. What had gotten into her friend?
Dash felt a sudden pull of her tail, strong enough to yank her from the sky onto the ground. She landed right in front of Applejack, and their eyes met in a mutual annoyed look.
"Can I have a word, Rainbow Dash?" AJ asked, her tone indicating that she wasn't going to take no for an answer.
Rainbow Dash flared her nostrils.
"Not like I have a choice," she grumbled, following AJ away from the larger group and to the doorway.
"Rainbow, what is up with the attitude?" Applejack demanded in a low voice, her eyes drilling into Rainbow.
Rainbow slumped against the doorway and crossed her arms, meeting AJ's gaze defiantly.
"I don't have any attitude."
"Rainbow Dash..."
"Yes A.J.?"
"What is your problem?"
"Oh, I have a problem?" Rainbow finally snapped, her wings flapping to levitate her off the ground. She gestured with her front hooves back towards Rara and the Wonderbolts. "No, AJ, I think it's you who has a problem. How come you didn't tell me Coloratura was coming to Ponyville?"
Applejack frowned. "Sugarcube, I didn't know myself until a few days ago. And I hadn't seen you close enough to the ground to tell you, with you being so busy."
Rainbow opened her mouth and closed it. That is... A valid explanation.
So why am I still mad?
"Okay, well, why didn't you come to today's breakfast? Is Coloratura and her 'earth pony fun' more important than me?"
Applejack raised an eyebrow. Yikes. That was a slip up Rainbow herself didn't expect.
Rainbow Dash quickly corrected, "Me and the other girls. Is Coloratura more important than me and the other girls?"
AJ couldn't help it: a small, knowing smile grew on her face.
So this was what Rainbow Dash was upset about.
"Sugarcube, you know you're one of the most important ponies in my life. I've missed you, and not seeing you around these last few weeks has been worse than a spoiled zap apple season," Applejack's tone had softened, which calmed Rainbow. Besides, the reassurance of Applejack's affection made her feel a bit better. No— a lot better. "I just haven't seen Rara in so many moons, I decided to skip brunch. I want to soak up all the time I can get to be with her and catch up, since she's always so busy. She's kind of like you in that way," AJ flicked Rainbow's bangs affectionately, "Busy chasing a dream."
Rainbow Dash felt a heavy weight in her stomach. Put that way, she kind of was like Coloratura: two celebrities whose careers kept them away from their friends.
But I don't want to be like her, Rainbow Dash gulped. The mere thought of only getting to see AJ once every few moons made her nauseous.
"Applejack, I am never too busy for you," Rainbow Dash flicked Applejack's ponytail, mimicking how AJ had flicked her bangs. "I'd rather quit the Wonderbolts than not have time to hang out. Or nap in your trees. Or drink your cider. Or prove to you that I'm the better athlete."
The last comment drew a sly grin from Rainbow, but before AJ could playfully disagree, Rainbow Dash flew a little lower to put a hoof to the mare's mouth.
"I'm not finished," Rainbow Dash said. The words poured out after that.
"I guess I have been caught up with the team. It's probably why I was so upset when I heard you were with somepony else when I finally had free time. I, ahem," Rainbow looked away and rubbed the back of her head, a faint pink going to her cheeks. "I even ditched the girls and flew to Sweet Apple Acres this morning to confront you. But when I saw you all happy with Coloratura in the barn, it felt like you were happier... Without me."
This time, Applejack cut in.
"Now hold on a pony minute Dash," Applejack said a bit taken aback, as if offended by the mere suggestion. "I understand why you were upset. Believe me, these past few weeks, I also haven't been myself. You can ask Big Mac or Granny Smith." A matching blush grew AJ's face. "Or Rara. All day, I'd keep my eyes to the sky while I worked the farm, hoping I'd see you flyin' down. I'd write to Rara about how proud I was of you, but how I missed you all the same."
It was Applejack's turn to look away from Rainbow Dash's unreadable expression. But Rainbow Dash wasn't upset.
I was on her mind this whole time?
"You're right, I could've found time to go at least for a few minutes to brunch. But I had seen all the girls recently, so I would only have gone to see you."
Rainbow Dash pouted. So much for being on Applejack's mind.
"Well?" Rainbow demanded, crossing her hooves. Her accusing tone was back, despite the mushy, warm feeling she had in her heart as a result of AJ's admission of missing her. "If you missed me so much, why didn't you go?"
"Same reason you didn't barge in on me and Rara this morning," Applejack met Rainbow's eyes. "I thought you were just as happy with me as without me."
Rainbow's heart dropped.
How could Applejack think that, even for a second? Rainbow thought in shock. If anything, I'm probably the most happy with AJ.
And it was true. Rainbow Dash preferred the cowgirl's company over anypony else's. Heck, that morning's breakfast became unimportant when Applejack hadn't shown up, even though Rainbow Dash had also not seen the rest of her friends.
Suddenly, it all clicked in Rainbow's head.
She had felt everything Applejack had felt, except AJ had felt this way for weeks and said nothing. She didn't march up to the Wonderbolts compound to spy on Rainbow Dash. She didn't trash-talk the Wonderbolts to their friends. She didn't even treat Rainbow Dash any different when she first saw her at the door. AJ took the imaginary slight in silence, hiding her pain while Rainbow Dash had worn it on her sleeve.
"AJ, I'm so sorry. You're right. I—" Rainbow Dash let out a heavy sigh, flouncing onto her flank in defeat. "It was kind of hypocritical of me to get mad at you for missing today's breakfast when I haven't made time to see you either. I shouldn't have gotten mad like that. But I Pinkie Promise AJ," Rainbow Dash recreated the movements for the famous promise, "From now on, I'll find time. And if not, I'll make time."
Rainbow Dash suddenly felt two hooves around her neck. A faint blush spread on her cheeks as she registered that Applejack was... Hugging her. It's not as if the two friends hadn't hugged before. If anything, Rainbow was the most physically comfortable with her friend and occasional rival.
But not having talked to AJ in so long made the hug so much more awesome.
Rainbow Dash's body relaxed against AJ's, and she closed her eyes as she snuggled against the earth pony's shoulder. This close to her, Rainbow Dash recognized the familiar scent of AJ's body (the slight smell of sweat was almost unnoticeable, due to being overpowered by a natural sweet smell) and mane (this one was easy: apples and cider and happiness).
After a long moment, the two ponies separated.
AJ smiled at Dash, and made the gestures of the Pinkie Promise.
"Rainbow Dash, I Pinkie Promise that from now on, I'll let you know when I miss you. I can't exactly fly up to your fancy house or training grounds, but I'll find some way to let you know."
Rainbow Dash beamed, her wings flapping to fly her off the ground. She was weirdly at peace, calm even. Knowing AJ missed her as much as she did felt good.
Take that, Coloratura.
Nothing could bother Rainbow Dash right now. Not even the strange smirks exchanged by Spitfire and Fleetfoot, or the knowing smile on Rara's face. They had all been watching the interaction, and it was enough to confirm their suspicions.
Rainbow Dash had fallen (though crashed is a better term) for Applejack.