//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: MOAR PONIES // by wasp9277 //------------------------------// From this altitude I could see her sitting, staring at nothing….thinking probably. I landed silently behind her and cleared my throat. She turned around, startled and frantically wiped a tear from her face. I inhaled deeply and stepped towards her. “W-what’re y’all doin’ here?” she sniffed, “Shouldn’t ya be at Pinkie’s helping clean up?” A sob shook her body as she turned away. I felt like shit. I had treated her like she was disgusting! A mature pony would’ve just talked it out! I was just as responsible for what had happened as she was...I kissed her back. I took another breath and shook my head. “I told her I’d help next time…” I gave a weak smile and approached her. As she turned away from me I couldn’t help but study her. Her posture, her mane….the way it blew in the cool night air…I slowly walked to her and sat down a few feet to her left. “Dash, Ah’m sorry for tonight. Ah just really thought…well…Ah’m not sure what Ah was thinkin’…” “About that, Applejack-‘’ I managed to get out before she cut me off. “Ya don’t have to say it Dash, Ah can take a hint. Ah reckon what happened in the barn was a one-time thing.” She whispered. “Applejack, tonight, at the party-‘’ “Now dang it sugarcube! Ah get what yer sayin’! Ah’ll leave ya alone! Just go on now...” “I don’t want you to leave me alone!-‘’ “Dash, ya don’t have to patronize me, I-‘’ “Damn it Applejack! I didn’t fly all the way here just to tell you to leave me alone! I have something important to say! Are you going to listen to me?!” I was panting after yelling this a bit more angrily than I had intended. She pinned her ears back and in a hushed tone uttered “Well, Ah reckon Ah’ll listen….” “Good...” I exhaled. “Applejack, in the barn last week…..I’ve never done anything like that before...ever…I…don’t like mares.” “Dash, do we really have to—‘’ “Please, just let me finish…At the party, I was so relieved when I saw that you weren’t there...” I watched Applejack’s expression darken and realized how insensitive I sounded. I sighed and stared at the pony, the mare that I for some reason, against my better judgment, was attracted to. There was a strand of her blonde mane resting over her right eye. I slowly advanced and brushed the hair away from her face as she looked up at me. “Rainbow Dash?” she whispered. I smiled gently and took her face in my hooves “Somepony doesn’t know how to be quiet” I saw the corners of her mouth pull up slightly forming a very hesitant smile as I leaned forward and kissed her. Again, my conscience was screaming at me to stop, but how could I? Applejack resisted at first, very confused, but then relented as we fell into a passionate kiss. As our lips parted Applejack’s eyes were the size of dinner plates. “Dash! What the hay was all that about?! The barn? And the party!” she half yelled. “Ah don’t reckon Ah understand.” I fell back into the tall grass and breathed a sigh of relief. I found myself laughing. “What’s so darn funny?” she looked at me quizzically. I smiled, “Nothing, I’m just relieved….I was so mad at first…I decided to blame you.” I looked at her very seriously “I was wrong for that. I’m sorry….I just didn’t know that I…felt this way” Applejack grinned at me then looked into the sky as her smile faded “Shoot Dash…Ah’m sorry too…Ah shoulda thought about how you’d feel…Ah was actin’ a bit selfish.” I paced over to her and nuzzled my face into her neck. She looked up in surprise, not expecting my affection and then rested her head on mine. It was silent for a long while. “Hey Applejack?” I looked up at her. “Yeah sugarcube?” She smiled down at me. “What happens now?” She heaved a sigh and got to her feet, “well, it’s pretty late. Yer free to stay the night if ya want” I stood beside her for a moment before nodding. I followed her to the loft of the barn where she sat, looking at me. I trotted over to her and looked her in the eye before giving her a kiss on the cheek and taking my place next to her. We both bedded down in the hay, her head resting on my chest. “Applejack….” “Hmm?” “What happens now?” She opened her eyes and exhaled. “Reckon everypony will want to know what that kiss was about at the party” I winced at the thought of this but I felt her tighten her grip on me and snuggled closer to her. “What will we tell them?” She looked at me again, searching for an answer. “Well, what do ya wanna tell them?” I thought about this for several minutes before answering. “Well…I don’t know what to tell them…but Applejack…” “Yeah sugarcube?” “I don’t care what happens…I…L….” I stuttered. Applejack sat up with me, the hint of a smile on her face and reassuringly replied “Ah love you too Rainbow Dash.” Warmth spread throughout my body and I sank into the hay with her lying close to me as we fell fast asleep.