//------------------------------// // Asking for help // Story: Down to Earth Family // by Zenaron //------------------------------// Chapter 12- Asking for help “And then we had a race to come get the girls so I decided to stay and tell you that she feels the same way about me.” Rainbow Dash said as she landed with a flourish to conclude her story of how her and Applejack’s day together went. Fluttershy let out a soft squee of joy and quickly pulled Rainbow Dash into a hug. “Oh I just knew you could do it, I’m so happy for you!” After Fluttershy let go, Rainbow Dash smiled wildly and flipped her mane. “You know it; I am the Dash after all, the most awesome flier in all of Equestria!” Fluttershy smiled and nodded her head in agreement. “So what are you and Applejack doing for your first official date?” Rainbow Dash stopped and thought about it for a few seconds before she nervously scratched the back of her head with her hoof. “Yeah we haven’t really planned out anything yet. I guess we’ll have to talk about that soon.” Rainbow Dash said with a happy smile. Fluttershy nodded her head in understanding. “I’m just glad you both were able to get your feelings out in the open.” Rainbow Dash nodded quickly, before she scratched her chin with her hoof. “Hey Fluttershy, there’s a favor I’d like to ask you.” “Hum, of course anything I can do to help. What is it Rainbow Dash?” “Well I was wondering if you could help me get ready for my first date with Applejack.” Rainbow Dash asked with a slight hint of pink tinting her cheeks. “What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked more than a little confused. “Well I don’t know much about dating, and I don’t want to screw things up. Also I was wondering if you could make me look good.” “Oh Rainbow Dash, there’s no need to do that she likes you just the way you are.” “I know, I know but I want to look good for her. This is a special occasion, and I kinda don’t want to mess it up.” Rainbow Dash said with a slight blush. “Well, Rarity would probably be better at it but I’ll try my very best.” Fluttershy said with a confident nod. “Thanks Fluttershy, for everything.” Rainbow Dash said as she got up to leave. Fluttershy got up and gave Rainbow Dash one last hug. “It was no trouble at all. Just come by before your date with Applejack and I’ll help you get ready.” Rainbow Dash returned the hug and nodded her understanding before she unfurled her wings and gracefully flew out of Fluttershy’s house. Once she gauged she was high enough that nopony would hear her. She started flipping around and yelling at the top of her lungs in pure bliss. Meanwhile on the road to Ponyville Applejack and the Cutie Mark Crusaders were trotting along the path back into Ponyville from Fluttershy’s cottage. Applebloom and Scootaloo both had their saddle bags on containing all the things that they decided were necessary for a Cutie Mark Crusaders sleepover. While on the way Applejack had told them all about the recent events between herself and Rainbow Dash. “So you’re courtin’ Rainbow Dash sis?” Applebloom asked looking up into her older sister’s eyes. “Yep,” Applejack answered with a small nod of her head. “Wow! So you and Rainbow Dash are dating now, does that mean that she’s going to be coming around the house more often?” Scootaloo asked as her wings buzzed from excitement. “Yep,” Applejack responded with another short nod of her head. “Rarity is going to be so excited to hear the news. Oh and thanks again for letting Applebloom and Scootaloo spend the night tonight.” Sweetie Belle said as the group approached there destination. “You’re welcome, well here we are. Ah guess ah should get this over with.” Applejack said as she raised a hoof up and knocked on the front door of Carousel Boutique. After a few seconds there was a noise from the other side of the door and it opened to reveal a frazzled looking Rarity, her hair while still in its normally curled style, had come undone and frayed a little. Her red rimmed glasses were set on the end of her nose, and she had her measuring tape draped over her neck. “Ah yes come in, come in. Please excuse me for a moment, I just finished my last order and I need to freshen up a bit.” Rarity said as she ushered them in and turned to go up the stairs. “Sweetie Belle would you be a dear and entertain our guests until I get back.” “Sure thing sis,” Sweetie Belle called back. “Hey lets go take those bags up to my room then we can do some crusading.” Applebloom and Scootaloo both nodded in agreement before the three of them galloped up the stairs to the second story. After the three were gone Applejack trotted into Rarity’s sitting room and hopped up onto a very expensive looking, comfy couch. After a few minutes Rarity came back down stairs looking more her usual prim and proper self and smiled at the waiting mare. “Thank you for bringing the girls over, can I get you anything to drink?” “Nah ah’m fine, thanks for askin’.” Applejack answered with a shake of her head. Rarity gave a short nod and trotted over to one of her arm chairs and sat down. “So, how did your day off with Rainbow Dash go?” “How did you know about that?” Applejack asked as she raised a questioning eyebrow, even though she had a pretty good idea of what the answer was. “Oh…well Fluttershy came by to get Sweetie Belle, and told me about it.” Rarity replied while sifting her eyes around the room and finishing her explanation with a nervous smile. “Is that the best yah can come up with. Ah bet you and the girls planned the whole thing didn’t yah.” Applejack said with a confident smirk. Rarity let out a nervous laugh. “Why Applejack what gives you that idea…heh heh.” Applejack just continued to give Rarity the same look until her eyes fell and she looked down in defeat. “Alright fine you’re right, but it was mostly Fluttershy’s idea.” Rarity said with a wave of her hoof. Applejack smiled wide in victory and gave a short nod. “Well don’t keep me in suspense, tell me how it went.” “It went pretty good ah guess.” Applejack said with a slight noncommittal shrug of her shoulders a hint of a smile still at the corners of her mouth. “Oh come now Applejack, give me some details darling.” Rarity pleaded with a small whine in her voice. “Did you tell Rainbow Dash how you feel about her?” Applejack’s face started to turn red as she looked down and nodded slowly. “And…What did she say?” Rarity said with a little bit more volume in her voice. “She said that she thinks she loves me too.” Applejack said as her cheeks reached the same color of red as her cutie mark. Rarity let out a very unladylike squeal and leapt out of her seat and started prancing around in a circle announcing. “I told you so,” in a joyful sing song voice. Applejack’s checks darkened even more as she watched her friend make an absolute foal of herself. “Alright Pinkie Pie ah get it, you were right.” Rarity came to a sudden halt as she realized how foolish she must look. She cleared her throat and regained her usual composer. “Sorry I don’t know what came over me.” Applejack waved a hoof in a dismissive gesture as her checks started to return to their usual orange color. “So when is your first date?” Rarity asked as she jumped back up into her chair. “Ah don’t know. We really didn’t talk about it.” Applejack said with a shrug. Rarity nodded in understanding. “Of course, you don’t want to rush things.” “Speakin’ of datin’, do yah think you could help me with that? Ah don’t know much about courtin’, or gussyin’ myself up.” Rarity gave a kind smile. “It would be my honor. Just come by a few hours before your date and I’ll make you look irresistible to Rainbow Dash.” “A few HOURS!” Applejack asked surprised. “Of course darling, there’s hair makeup, etiquette there are so many things to cover and I’ll help you with all of it.” Rarity said as she started to think of the best thing to “Thanks Rarity for helpin’ ah don’t think ah could do it without you.” Applejack said with a sincere smile. “Oh it’s no trouble at all. It’s what friends do for each other after all.” Just then the two mares heard a loud crash form up stairs followed by. “UH…DON’T WORRY WE’RE OK!” Sweetie Belle yelled from the same direction of the loud sound. Rarity let out a heavy sigh as she slowly got up out of her chair to go see what the girls had destroyed this time. “Are yah sure that you’ll be alright with the three of them by yourself?” Applejack asked as she got off the couch. “I think I can manage.” Rarity said before they heard another loud bang. “How do you deal with two of them all the time?” Applejack shrugged her shoulders. “Ah guess yah just get used to it,” She surmised after a few seconds. Rarity gave a short nod in response. “Well I’ll see you tomorrow, now I have to go see what the damage is.” Rarity said as she started to trot up the stairs. “Alright see yah tomorrow Rarity.” Applejack said before she turned around and cantered out of the shop. As she slowly closed the door behind her she heard a slightly softer bang just before the door closed. Applejack shook her head before she looked into the distance to see Sweet Apple Acres in the dimming sunlight, with a large cloud house looming close by. She smiled at the sight, and started off on the path back home. Not being able to contain how happy she was she started to skip home like a school filly. When she arrived she was greeted by her big brother filling up the last of the apple carts with the day’s harvest. “Howdy sis, how was your day off with Rainbow Dash?” He asked with a big smile on his face. “It was alright; did you get all the trees bucked today?” Applejack asked as she walked past him toward the house trying hard not to give away how happy she was. “Eeyup,” Big Macintosh answered with a slow nod of his massive head. “Well alright, ah guess ah’m goanna go take a bath and hit the hay early tonight.” Applejack said as she continued on toward the house. “Alright sis,” Big Macintosh said as he hitched himself up to the large applecart and started to pull it toward the barn. Applejack quickly cantered the rest of the distance to the house and went inside. When she entered the house her nose was assaulted by the smell of Granny Smith putting the finishing touches on supper. Applejack quietly walked into the living room and made for the stairs up to her room but was stopped by a voice form the kitchen. “Applejack is that you?” Granny Smith called sweetly. “Yeah it’s me ah just got back from Rarity’s house.” Applejack responded as she turned and started into the kitchen. Granny Smith nodded her head and motioned for her to come in. “There’s a glass of apple juice on the table for yah.” Applejack walked over to the side of the table with the glass full of the sweet liquid in it and picked it up. “Thanks Granny ah was gettin’ a bit thirsty.” She said before she took a small sip. “So how was your day with Rainbow Dash?” Granny smith asked as she opened the oven to check and see if supper was done. “Great, we had a lot of fun today.” Applejack said as she sloshed the glass around a little before taking another drink. “So you and Rainbow Dash are courtin’ now is that right?” Granny Smith asked with a sly smile. Her question was answered by Applejack’s sudden response of spitting two cheeks full of the liquid out in front of her. “How…how did you know?” Applejack asked with a shocked expression on her face. Granny smith laughed and shook her head. “Now Applejack, ah’ve known you all your life, and ah’ve seen the way you look at her. Ah know you better than anypony else, did yah really think ah wouldn’t have figured it out?” Applejack looked down and nodded her head. “Sorry ah didn’t tell yah sooner.” “Now don’t you fret none, ah understand, Now why don’t yah go get cleaned up, supper will be ready in a few minutes. Applejack nodded her head in understanding and went upstairs to do as Granny had told her. After dinner she went back to her room placed her hat on the bed post and slid under the covers. She looked out at the star filled sky and smiled to herself. She turned over placed her head on her pillow and quickly fell into a deep sleep. Later that night at Carousel Boutique “Ah don’t know about this Scootaloo, do yah really think it’s a good idea to help with Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s first date?" “Of course it’s a good idea; they need all the help they can get. You heard Applejack; she said that she had no experience with dating, so we’ll just lend a helping hoof. Sweetie Belle nodded in agreement. “And maybe we’ll get our cutie marks in match making.” The three nodded in agreement and chorused together “CUTIE MARK CRUSADER MATCH MAKERS YEAH!”