Rainbow Dash became somewhat used to life in the Stallion Universe. True, she really wanted to go back home and see her friends again. But since she was going to be stuck here for a week, there was no reason why she couldn't make friends with the ponies here.
Yes, she was going to be stuck here a week. At least, that's what Dusk Shine said.
"What do you mean, a week?!" Rainbow Dash asked. "Wonderbolts tryouts are in two days!"
Dusk shrugged. "I'm sorry, but unless you can duplicate the Double Sonic Rainboom, it's probably going to be a while."
"I can't spend all day doing Rainbooms!" Rainbow Dash said. "I gotta conserve my energy. Like I said, tryouts are in TWO DAYS! I can't miss them!"
"I'm sorry, but I can't do anything to speed up the process!" Dusk Shine said. "We don't know where you came from! That makes sending you back there really, really hard!"
"I told you, I came from Ponyville! The Mare Ponyville!" Rainbow Dash said.
"A Ponyville filled with mares..." Dusk Shine said wistfully. "Yes, Rainbow, I do believe in Heaven, but getting you back there isn't going to be easy. I tried contacting a parallel universe yesterday, and it was sort of a huge failure."
Rainbow Dash had a vague idea of parallel universe theory, from reading the fifth Daring Do book. "Wait...you were messing around with parallel universes, the same day that I came here?" she asked.
"Well...yes..." Dusk Shine said. "And I know what you're thinking, but it's not my fault you're here! All I did was send a letter to the other universe. No living things went through the wormhole at all."
Rainbow Dash shook her head. "I don't get it," she said. "You opened a hole to another universe, so you could send them a letter?"
"I want to have an inter-dimensional pen pal!" Dusk Shine said. "Somepony who loves reading as much as I do! They could even send me new books, ones which only exist in their dimension!"
"Of all the ridiculous things..." Rainbow Dash.
Two hours later, Elusive hummed to himself, as he worked on Rainbow Dash's outfit.
Snip by snip, putting it together...
Make sure...uh...colors...matching...
Something something...
And that's the Art of the Dress...
He didn't make dresses very often, so he wasn't quite sure how the song went. Fortunately, he was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Coming!" he said, putting his work down. He trotted to the door and opened it to see his friend Butterscotch.
"Hello there, Butterscotch," Elusive said. "I've been waiting for you."
"Hello," Butterscotch said. "Why'd you ask to see me?"
"I was hoping to help you," Elusive said.
"That's very generous of you," Butterscotch said. "But what do you want to help me with? Feeding my animals?"
"Oh, no, nothing like that," Elusive said. "I want to help with your shyness problem."
"Oh..." Butterscotch said. He immediately looked down and pawed the ground. "I...I'm sorry, I don't think that's a good idea."
Elusive's face fell. "You...you don't?"
"I've always been like this, and...and I like myself for who I am," Butterscotch said.
"I like you, too," Elusive said, reassuringly. "We all love you, Butterscotch, and we don't want you to change. No, I'm talking about a specific type of shyness."
Butterscotch looked up, confused. "Specific type?" he asked. "What are you talking about?"
"Rainbow!" Elusive called out the window. Not long after, Rainbow Dash flew inside.
"Hey!" Rainbow Dash said. "We ready to rock and roll?"
"Eep!" Butterscotch said. He instinctively backed away. "What—what's she doing here?"
"She's going to help me teach you how to deal with mares," Elusive said. "Won't this be fun?"
Rainbow Dash winked at Butterscotch, who was frozen with horror. "How's it going, stud?" she asked saucily.
Butterscotch screamed loudly, then ran out the door at top speed.
"Butterscotch, no!" Elusive called after him. "Come back!"
"Ha, told you it wouldn't work!" Rainbow Dash said. "Pay up, buddy!"
Elusive grumbled as he gave Rainbow Dash her five bits.
About an hour and a half before sundown, Applejack and his sister gathered near one of the fences. The two of them watched Rainbow Dash as she zipped around the sky, practicing her moves for the upcoming tryouts.
"Ah like her, y'know," Applejack commented.
"Eeeyup," said Applejack's big sister, Red Gala.
"She's real amazing," Applejack said. "Ain't never seen a gal like her before."
"Eeeyup."
"Reckon Ah should ask her out sometime before she leaves town," Applejack said.
"Eeenope," Red Gala said.
"Whaddaya mean, nope?" Applejack asked.
"Bad idea," Red Gala said.
"Shucks, it ain't a bad idea!" Applejack said. "Just because she looks like the twin sister of mah friend doesn't mean that Ah—that Ah—she really does look like Rainbow Blitz, doesn't she?"
"Eeeyup," Red Gala said. "Which means you oughta stay away from her. It's a bad idea to get involved with your best friend's doppleganger."
"Where'd you learn a fancy word like that?" Applejack asked. "You been hangin' out with that schoolteacher again?"
"Eeeyup."
"Figures," Applejack grumbled. "Anyway, Ah get the message. Ah'll keep mah distance from her. Ah can do that, right?"
"Eenope."
The following night, Rainbow Dash was given an official Bubble Berry "Welcome to Ponyville" Bash.
"Everypony new in town gets a Bubble Bash!" Bubble Berry said, excitedly. "You have to come!"
Rainbow Dash knew it'd be rude to ditch her own party, and besides, she wanted to see what the stallion version of a Pinkie Pie Party was. When she arrived at Sugarcube Corner, she was surprised to see it was jam-packed with ponies, except for a small dance area in a corner.
"Why'd you invite so many ponies?" Rainbow Dash asked Bubble Berry.
"I didn't!" he said. "I only invited about ten guests."
"There are at least forty ponies here," Rainbow Dash said. "It's kind of...full."
"Word got around that there was a new mare in town," Bubble Berry said. "I guess a lot of the stallions decided to invite themselves, so they could meet you."
Bubble Berry's guess wasn't too far from the mark. There was a bachelor party in town that night, and some of the ponies who couldn't go to that decided to go to Bubble Berry's party instead. Bubble's bashes were legendary, after all.
"Well, that stinks," Rainbow Dash said. "This place is way too crowded!"
"I agree," a voice said. "I don't like crowds."
Rainbow Dash turned her head to see the male Fluttershy, standing there. He looked uncomfortable and out-of-place with all the others there.
"Oh, it's you," Rainbow said. "Uh...Buttery Scratch."
"Butterscotch," Butterscotch said. "I...I kind of want to go home where it's quiet, but...everypony's blocking the exit..."
"Don't you know how to deal with big crowds, though?" Bubble Berry asked. "What did that minotaur say?"
Butterscotch smiled as he recalled those days he had become more aggressive. "When somepony tries to block, show them that you rock!" he said.
"Huh?" Rainbow Dash asked. There was a minotaur poet in the stallion world?
"It means I know how to push my way through a big crowd," Butterscotch said.
"If ponies are in your way, can't you just fly over them?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Oh," Butterscotch said. "I never thought of that."
"Well, I did," Rainbow Dash said, taking to the air. "I'm gonna hit the snack bar. Nice seeing you two!"
Rainbow Dash flew over to where the snacks were, and got herself some twisted pretzels. That was when she found the poster child for wallflowers, the male Twilight Sparkle.
"Hey, Twili—I mean, uh...Evening Glow," Rainbow Dash said. "How goes the research?"
"The name is Dusk Shine," Dusk said. "And it's not good. Rainbow Blitz still hasn't answered any of my letters since you appeared."
"I told you I have nothing to do with that," Rainbow Dash said.
"Yeah, I know," Dusk said. "I sent a letter about your situation to the Prince. He thinks he can help."
"Really?" Rainbow Dash asked. "What does Prince...uh...what does he say?"
"He says he'll contact somepony he knows, then get back to me," Dusk said. "When I tried asking for more information, his letter seemed kind of...evasive. Like he knows more than he's letting on."
"Did you try asking again?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Yes, but..." Dusk Shine turned a little red. "All he did was make a joke. He said you'd help me find a marefriend."
"Yeah, you're not the only stallion who's said that," Rainbow Dash said, feeling discouraged. What was she supposed to be, a dating service? She had better things to do than help stallions find marefriends. Besides, the only unicorn mare who'd date Dusk Shine was probably the Great and Powerful Trixie.
Speaking of unicorns, a white unicorn stallion with a stylish purple mane squeezed his way through the crowd and almost stumbled in front of Dusk and Dash. He was wearing a purple tuxedo, with matching saddlebags.
"There you are!" Elusive said. "I've been looking all over for you!"
"Hey there, Hard-to-Find," Rainbow Dash said. "What's the saddlebags?"
"Elusive," Elusive said. "And I brought the outfit I designed for you! It's a nice little welcoming gift for our new friend."
"Ah, gee, you shouldn't have," Rainbow Dash said.
"No trouble at all," Elusive said, using his magic to pull the dress out of his saddlebags. "Here you go."
"Uh...yeah," Rainbow Dash said. The dress was covered in frilly lace, which was not Rainbow Dash's style. "I'll, uh, take it home with me."
"Put it on! Put it on!" Elusive said. "Everypony should see how marvelous you look!"
"I'm not really into dresses and things," Rainbow Dash said.
"She doesn't need to try it on right now," Dusk Shine said.
"Try what on?" Applejack asked, joining the conversation. Rainbow Dash gulped as she saw the handsome stallion.
"The dress I made for her," Elusive said.
"Shucks, Ah think she's pretty enough already," Applejack said. He eyed the dress. "Of course, she'd probably look nice in that."
Rainbow Dash looked into Applejack's big green eyes. The apple farmer smiled at her.
"I'll do it if you dance with me," Rainbow Dash said quickly.
"D-do it?!" Dusk Shine asked.
"Wear the dress, that is," Rainbow Dash said. "What do you say, AJ?"
"O-Of course!" Applejack said. He held out a hoof to Rainbow Dash. "Shall we?"
The two of them made their way to the dance corner, leaving a pair of confused unicorns behind them.
"...Looks like Applejack has a new marefriend," Dusk Shine commented.
"I don't understand," Elusive said. "I'm the pony who got her a gift. Applejack didn't do anything for her!"
"Yeah, well, mares are weird," Dusk said.
"Tell me about it," Elusive said.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack went home together that night, walking side by side.
"Thanks fer walking with me to Sweet Apple Acres," Applejack said. "It's always nice to have company."
"No problem," Rainbow Dash said. She'd probably ruin her new dress this way, but she didn't care. "You're pretty cool. Uh, for a stallion, that is."
Applejack chuckled. "You're a real peach," he said. "And we apple farmers don't use the word 'peach' lightly."
Rainbow's heart fluttered, and she immediately cursed herself for getting all girly, over a guy. It wasn't like her to act this way, but she moved closer to Applejack and nuzzled him gently.
"This place is so weird," she said. "I swear, if it wasn't for you, I'd go crazy."
"Ah'm...glad to help," Applejack said. He gulped slightly. "Ah really like you, too. Life on the farm can be so dull and repetitive, but you bring a lot of color to mah life."
"Oh, Applejack..." Rainbow Dash said.
Applejack stopped walking and turned toward Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow...Ah...Ah l-l..."
"I know," Rainbow Dash said. She leaned forward to bring her lips to his. Rainbow Dash was no stranger to kissing, and judging by the way he responded, neither was Applejack. The two of them shared a three-second kiss, when Rainbow Dash's brain suddenly decided to join the party.
"Sorry I was ten minutes late," her brain said. "What'd I miss? Did you—oh my Celestia, what are you doing?! Kissing somepony without consulting me, AGAIN?!"
"AUGH!" Rainbow Dash screamed.
"Huh?" Applejack asked.
"I...I can't do this!" Rainbow Dash said, backing away. Her wings flared up. "I know somepony else named Applejack! She'd kill me if she learned about this!"
"And Ah know somepony else named Rainbow," Applejack said. "Doesn't mean we can't be together."
"Together nothing!" Rainbow Dash said. "When the week is over, I'm gone. I'm never coming back here, and I'll never see any of you again!"
"Yer...yer leaving?" Applejack asked. "Ah...Ah'm sorry, I didn't know that."
Her heart was still pounding, and Rainbow Dash caught her breath. "So I can't start any relationships here," she said. "I...It's unfair to both of us, if I string you along."
"Ah...Ah understand," Applejack said. "Ah should...Ah should go."
Applejack ran off into the night, as fast as he could. Rainbow Dash screamed and hit the nearest tree, before leaving for her house.
The next day, Rainbow Dash sighed, as she thought about Applejack. She still had no idea why she found him so irresistible. Sure, he was good-looking, but Rainbow Dash liked to think that she wasn't a shallow girl who would chase after any guy, as long as he was cute.
Besides, Rainbow Dash didn't think her female friend Applejack was attractive at all. The two Applejacks were pretty much the same. Why, then, could she not get Male Applejack out of her mind?
Forget it, Rainbow Dash thought. Applejack and the others are back in Ponyville. That's like a gazillion miles from here.
Rainbow Dash, of course, was in Cloudsdale's amphitheater. Being in Stallion Universe would not stop her from trying out for the Wonderbolts. Nothing short of a griffon invasion would stop Rainbow Dash from attending Wonderbolt Tryouts.
But now that Rainbow Dash had signed up, and she still had twenty minutes to kill before tryouts started, she was getting anxious.
The tryouts are supposed to be ridiculously hard, Rainbow thought. What if I ate too much food last night, and that'll slow me down? What if I was supposed to practice flying in formation with a team? What if I—
"Hellooooo!" a regal voice said. "Rainbow Dash!"
Rainbow Dash turned around in confusion. She was surprised to see a big balloon, sticking out of the clouds. The male versions of her friends were all inside.
"You...what are you doing here?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"We came here to support you, of course!" Dusk Shine said.
"Yeah, we're not going to let our friend compete without us to cheer for her!" Bubble Berry said.
"Um...I thought we came because you thought Rainbow Blitz would be here..." Butterscotch muttered.
"Shhh!" Dusk Shine said.
The friends all got out of the balloon and walked towards Rainbow Dash.
"Thanks, guys," Rainbow Dash said. "Since my real friends can't be here, this means a lot."
Bubble Berry's face fell. "We're not real friends?" he asked.
"We are!" Rainbow Dash said. "I just meant, you know, my mare friends from my hometown."
"Where are you from, anyway?" Applejack asked.
"Uh...far away," Rainbow Dash said. "Far, far away. I just came here for the Wonderbolts tryouts."
"Why do you keep calling them 'the Wonderbolts', when they're the Wondercolts?" Elusive asked.
"They're the Wondercolts?" Rainbow Dash asked. "That's not fair to their female members! When I join, I'll have to convince them to change the name."
Dusk Shine laughed. "Well, we should get good seats," he said. "Good luck, Rainbow!"
The Elements of Harmony all wished Rainbow Dash well, before leaving. The last pony to leave was Applejack, and Rainbow Dash was sure that wasn't on purpose. There was a moment of silence, as Applejack looked at her. Finally, he tilted his hat and said, "Look, about that kiss last night—"
Gah! Rainbow Dash thought.
"Look, AJ, we'll talk about that later, okay?" she asked. "I really don't need any distractions right now."
Applejack snorted. He was a nice stallion, and he wanted to respect Rainbow Dash's wishes, but pretending nothing happened was a bit too much.
"Fine," he said in a gruff voice. "But Ah'll hold you to that promise. We will talk about it."
Rainbow felt annoyed at his accusatory tone. "We will," she confirmed. "I'm not the kind of mare who kisses somepony and leaves him."
"Seems to me that's exactly what yer doing," Applejack said. He turned around so he didn't have to look at her. "Good luck with the tryouts, Miss Dash."