//------------------------------// // i’ll make it up to you // Story: The Magic of Love // by ashley-luv //------------------------------// Rara and Rainbow Dash entered the ballroom side-by-side, the party in full swing. Ponies and other creatures were eating, dancing, and socializing. At the end of the ballroom, a stage was set up with a large performance curtain. Huh, Rainbow noted. That's new. Spotting Applejack with their larger group of friends, Rara nudged Rainbow and beckoned in their direction. "Come on, let's go join them," Rara suggested, but Rainbow Dash shook her head vigorously. Rainbow Dash owed AJ an apology, not just for tonight, but for her behavior these last few weeks. But it was an apology that had to wait. Rara and Rainbow Dash had come up with a plan, agreeing to send express letters every day after she left to work out the details. Until then, Rainbow Dash couldn't face AJ without collapsing in embarrassment from their fight. She just couldn't. "Oh come on, Rainbow Dash," Rara chastised. She put a reassuring hoof on Rainbow's shoulder, a gesture that half an hour ago would have caused Rainbow Dash to smack the earth pony. But after tonight's conversation, the action didn't even trigger a flinch. "You don't want AJ to leave without at least having said goodbye. You won't get to see her till next week." Rainbow Dash sighed. Rara had a point. A few days without AJ had spun Rainbow Dash into a panic. Another week— and without a goodbye, no less— would do horrors onto her emotional health. Rainbow Dash trailed after Rara, who headed in Applejack's direction. Many ponies and creatures greeted them, though some gave Rainbow Dash a funny look. Rainbow caught Spitfire's eye in passing, her captain shaking her head disapprovingly; Dash will definitely get some sort of reprimand for embarrasing herself and, by extension, the Wonderbolts later. Maybe I should sleep at my place tonight... Rara and Rainbow Dash reached the larger group. Voices rose in greeting, though everypony had the same awkward expression. AJ was looking back and forth between Rara and Rainbow Dash suspiciously. After Rainbow's declarations tonight, how are they even together? "It's alright, everypony," Rara reassured them cheerfully. "Rainbow Dash and I talked it out. No harm, no foul." Rara statement relaxed the entire group, besides Applejack of course. Rainbow Dash felt a pang of gratitude for Rara. Her jealousy had definitely clouded her from seeing just how generally nice Rara was. Even if she wasn't a super famous pony, Rainbow suspected ponies would have adored her anyways. "I'm glad at least y'all two are good now," Applejack muttered under her breath, giving Rainbow an annoyed look. "Let it go, Applejack," Rara said sternly. Everyone's head swirled to look at Rara with varied expressions of surprise, including Rainbow Dash. "You two can sort it out later. Right now, we're at a party." Rara smiled warmly at AJ, nudging her. "So enjoy it." Another pang of gratitude. Rainbow Dash knew Applejack well; the cowgirl's stubbornness would have kept her mad at Rainbow Dash all night. But under Rara's influence, Applejack seemed resigned to the fact that she couldn't be upset with Dash. For now, at least. Applejack sighed in defeat. "Fine." Applejack looked at Rainbow Dash solemnly, trotting towards her. She spat on her hoof and put it forward for Rainbow Dash to shake. The gesture, which AJ and RD had done countless times before several competitions, seemed out of place at the formal party. But it was familiar, and it was so... So Applejack. And Rainbow Dash loved it. Rainbow had a small grin on her face as she spat on her hoof and knocked it against AJ's, sealing the deal. No fighting tonight. "Gross," Rara snickered, getting many giggles from the group. Applejack cracked a smile at the comment. She put her hoof down and sighed incredulously. "I don't know what trick you pulled on Rara, but don't think I'ma let this go just as easily," AJ warned Rainbow. "I'll wait for you to be honest, no matter how long it takes." Rainbow Dash flew a bit lower to be eye level with Applejack. "I know," she said with a soft smile. "I'll make it up to you. Truth and all." "You better," AJ warned, before Rara was at her side again. She draped a hoof around AJ, nudging her. "We should start getting ready to go up," Rara murmured. "We'll need a few minutes to prep DJ Pon-3." "DJ Pon-3?" Rainbow Dash repeated. Why did they need to talk to her? Applejack looked back at Rainbow Dash, a slight blush on her face again. It made her freckles more pronounced, which was really cute... Hold on. Rainbow paused. Since when did Rainbow Dash notice AJ's freckles, let alone any other particular aspect of her face? "Rara here convinced me to give y'all a sneak peek of what we can do," AJ explained. "An exclusive, one-time showing of two songs we wrote together. One in pop, Rara's usual genre—" "And one in country," Rara finished the mare's sentence with a grin. "AJ's favorite." A loud reaction of excitement errupted from the group. "I didn't know you two were performing!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed in glee. "How ever did you keep it a secret?" Rarity asked in amazement. Applejack winked at Rarity. "I may be the element of honesty, but I know how to plan a good surprise." Rainbow Dash said nothing, gawking at Applejack. She had seen AJ dance, sing, and play instruments... But she had never seen her actually perform in a formal setting. And did she plan to do so in that dress? If so, Rainbow Dash might actually faint. "Will you girls head out afterwards?" Rarity asked, her question rising among the chatter of the group. "Yup," Applejack nodded, getting a clamor of protests. "But you won't even be here for the cake," Pinkie Pie complained. "You can't miss the cake!" Applejack chuckled, giving Pinkie a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. There are plenty of guests here who will enjoy it." "Exactly," Rara beamed. "Besides," she winked at Pinkie Pie. "We'll take plenty of slices to go." Applejack gave a quick wave to the group. "I'll see y'all in the foyer after we're done." Applejack's gaze fell on Rainbow Dash last. Rainbow smiled encouragingly, giving a small salute. Applejack gave the pegasus a hesitant smile back. The mares held their gaze until Applejack turned to follow Rara into the crowd. The smile gave Rainbow Dash hope. At least for tonight, they were okay. Once Applejack left, everypony in the group (Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Starlight Glimmer) turned to Rainbow Dash. Their voices mixed until, finally, Rarity stepped forward with a frown and took the lead in the conversation. "Excuse my language everypony, but Rainbow Dash," Rarity said. "What the hay happened out there? You and Applejack just... Lost it at each other! And then you come back in hoof-in-hoof with Rara like you didn't explicitly state you detest the poor mare." Rainbow Dash couldn't help it: she snickered. Who would have thought she'd live to see the day where classy Rarity cursed? "I know, I know, it's not funny," Rainbow Dash put two hooves up in surrender, still flying mid-air. Gaining her composure, she cleared her throat. "Look, I know it wasn't my best moment—" "That's the understatement of the year," Starlight grumbled. "Anyways," Rainbow Dash raised her voice, ignoring Starlight. "Me and Rara talked afterwards, and she helped me get my head straight. And don't worry, I apologized to her because, well," Rainbow gave a sheepish smile. "She's actually really nice. And I promise you all, I will make it right with Applejack, too." "'But how?" Starlight exclaimed. "We could hear you two arguing from all the way in here! It sounded really... Intense. How are you going to apologize for all that?" "Don't worry," Rainbow Dash reassured her friend. "I got a plan. You'll see." "So you're okay, Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy murmured, giving Rainbow an anxious glance. "The argument sounded... Serious. And personal. I know I wouldn't like knowing that every creature heard something like that." Rainbow Dash opened her mouth and closed it. Am I okay? Truth be told, after her conversation with Rara, she was. Rara's plan to make up for her behavior was overdramatic and showy and very, very out-there— just like Rainbow Dash. And even though she wouldn't be able to execute it until next week, that was okay. Knowing she was only saying a goodbye-for-now to Applejack and that her apology would (hopefully) win her was enough. Rainbow Dash could live with everything else. Besides, Rainbow Dash admitted. I've done loads more embarrassing stuff before. An argument is fine by me. Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Eh, it happened. And even though I wish I could take it back, it's too late. All I can do is make it up to AJ." "That's a really mature way to look at it," Starlight noted. Everypony in the group nodded, proud of Rainbow Dash. Whatever was going on between her and Applejack, it was going to be okay. Before the conversation could continue, the lights in the room dimmed. "If I may have your attention please!" Trixie's voice echoed in the ballroom. She was onstage with her familiar magician's cape, but it was over a blue dress. Smoke covered the the stage slowly, giving her an eerie aura. But it didn't exactly wow the crowd. By now, everypony was familiar with Trixie's overdramatic antics. "I am honored to introduce Ponyville's very own Applejack, performing with international pop star, Rara!" Shouts and stomps eruped in the hallway. Rainbow Dash felt a weird wave of excitement. Tonight had been a rollercoaster of emotions, and seeing AJ perform was going to be the icing on the cake. "Ponyville is honored to have welcomed Rara these last few weeks, where she remained at Sweet Apple Acres as Applejack's guest. The childhood friends will be giving us an exclusive sneak peek of their onstage chemistry before riding off to Canterlot to perform next weekend!" More shouts and stomps. "And so, without further ado, Applejack and Rara!" In a puff of smoke, Trixie was gone, and so were the lights in the room. Shrouded in darkness, there was a moment of silence. And then the show began.