//------------------------------//
// Win - Lycan_01 
// Story: AppleDash Group Collab 
// by DbzOrDie 
//------------------------------//

A choking sob escaped Applejack’s throat as she sank down in the corner of her room.  

She was so ashamed of herself.  All the trouble she’d put her friends through, all the pain she’d caused her family, all the shame she’d caused and felt for herself…  And for what?  Because she didn’t win?  Because she didn’t get a medal?  

Applejack let out another small sob.  The tears were freely flowing down her cheeks now.  She felt so stupid, so ashamed.  At the time, she thought she’d been doing the right thing.  But now, in retrospect, she realized just how damn wrong she was.  

She’d managed to put on a happy, humble face with her friends and family, but now that she was alone, the felt weight of everything was hitting her.  And it was hitting hard.  

As Applejack’s breakdown began to hit its stride, a certain sound caused her ears to perk up beneath her battered old hat.  Something was hitting her window.  No…  Somepony was knocking on her window.  

And she had a sinking feeling she knew exactly who.  

Sure enough, the well-familiar form of a blue pegasus was visible in her window, framed by the light of the setting sun.  Frantically wiping her tears away and coughing to clear her throat, Applejack staggered to her hooves and trotted to the window.  Opening the glass-paned portal, she sighed and averted her gaze from the winged equine hovering in front of her.  “Heya Dash, what-”

Applejack found herself staggering backwards as Rainbow Dash slammed into her and hugged her tightly, and was caught off guard by their lips pressing together in a surprise kiss.  Applejack’s mind exploded into a thousand different thoughts, ranging from confusion to excitement to fear.  After a split-second of being stunned, she managed to wrench her lips away from Dash’s and let out a surprised gasp.  “Dash!  What are you-”

Applejack’s voice was silenced as her mouth was once against smothered by Dash’s own.  This time she didn’t protest.  Wrapping her own hooves around the hovering pegasus, the two staggered backwards several steps, eyes closed as they passionately kissed.  The even stumbled blindly a few times.  

Rainbow Dash suddenly broke the kiss, but didn’t let go of Applejack.  “I was scared,” she whimpered, averting her gaze to the side.  “You were gone, and…  I started thinking, and… I realized… I… You…”  The pegasus’ eyes began to well with tears as the words caught in her throat.  It was clear she didn’t know what to say.  She began to stammer.  

Applejack silenced Dash with a kiss, before quickly pulling back.  “I’m sorry.  I’m so sorry,” she whimpered, tears forming once more in the corners of her own eyes.  “I’m an idiot, I’m a darn fool, I-”

It was Rainbow Dash’s turn to interrupt with a kiss.  A fierce, passionate kiss which Applejack returned without hesitation.   A kiss only grew more intense as the two mares tightened their mutual embrace.  

A kiss that said what words could not.