//------------------------------//
// Celestia - First_Down 
// Story: AppleDash Group Collab 
// by DbzOrDie 
//------------------------------//

“Come on, Applejack, it’s your turn,” Dash pressed after finishing the last of her sandwich.

“I’m still thinkin’,” Applejack replied with a glare that failed to convey any level of annoyance because of the grin underneath it. “All right, new hypothetical: Ya wake up and find you’ve replaced Princess Celestia. Ya got all her talents and royal fanciness. What’s yer first new order to the realm?”

“Easy,” Dash said. “I make naps an official part of the day. One hour, at four o’clock.”

Applejack leveled a deadpan gaze at her marefriend. “Really, naps? That’s gonna be yer first order?”

“Well, I could always declare my birthday to be a national holiday. A first order has to be something that will benefit everypony after all,” Dash crossed her hooves defiantly. “It’s a little something called governing.”

“Naps.”

Dash rolled her eyes and relented. “Fine then. What’s your awesome first order, Princess Applejack?”

Applejack made a showing by tilting her head to one side, a hoof under her chin. Before Dash could ask again, she finally said, “Shoot, this one’s easy too. I’d appoint you my new captain of the Royal Guard.”

Dash owlishly blinked at the response, taking a second to find her voice. “Really? Wow, that’s… yeah, that’s pretty cool actually. Rainbow Dash, captain of the guard. Top defender of Equestria. Heh, guess that means I’d have to follow your orders though, right?”

“Sugarcube, you follow my orders already, but it’s cute ya think differently.” Dash made a face at that. “‘Sides, you’d like some of my orders, you know, bein’ my most trusted and loyal subject after all.”

That got Dash’s attention, though she tried to pass it off with a nonchalant shuffle of her wings. She met Applejack’s eyes with her own intensity. “I suppose being your captain means constant vigilance against any threats. I’d be by your side at all times. Never know where our enemies might be lurking. The courtyard. The throne room…”

“The bedroom,” Applejack said innocently. “You’d haveta guard me alllll night long.”

Dash brought her hooves down on the ground. “Okay, I’m sold. I hereby cast my support for the new Sweet Apple Empire. Time to round up the other girls and march on Canterlot. Celestia’s had a long enough run. Long live Princess Applejack and her awesome royal flank!”

Applejack laughed and grabbed Dash by her tail before she could make a theatrical departure. “Let’s save the rebellion for tomorrow.” She wrapped her hooves around Dash’s neck. “First we gotta test yer qualifications. Make sure yer really up for the job of bein’ my guard captain.”

Dash gave a sideways grin and kissed her on the muzzle with a whisper. “At your service, your majesty.”