Rainbow Dash stood before a crowd of screaming ponies. Looking down, she saw not a Wonderbolts uniform, but an electric guitar. Looking across from her, she saw something that made everything fall into place. A smile came to her face as she realized that it didn’t matter what she did, but who she did it with…
Rainbow Dash shot up in bed, looking around apprehensively…. hopefully…. fearfully… She held a hoof to her head, trying to organize the rush of questions suddenly surfacing. It was a losing fight, as she signified by slamming her face into her headboard with a resounding pomf.
Oh, right, clouds, Rainbow mused. It did result in disrupting her thoughts, at least. She sighed as she regarded the sky outside her window and found it tinted orange. She trotted over to her window to better inspect the anomaly and found that it was sunrise. I never wake up this early.
Rainbow returned to her bed and flopped down on it, but try as she might, sleep would not come. Resigned to an early morning, she gave her pillow a half-hearted punch as she made her way to her bathroom.
Stupid dream…
The sun beat down on Sweet Apple Acres, the heat torturous reminder of how even Princess Celestia herself could be a bitch at times. Or at least, that was the gist of the thoughts harbored by a certain orange farmpony toiling away on an unusually blistering spring morning.
“Fer Celestia’s sake, Ah’m burnin’ up faster n’ a pig over a bonfire.” Applejack muttered. Before she had time to consider everything wrong with such a statement, she was unceremoniously bowled over by some unknown force. Though, if she had to guess, she was entirely sure who-
“AJ!” Came the scratchy voice of the pegasus responsible. “Hey, AJ, you’re cool right?”
As Applejack shifted to a sitting position, she recalled the last conversation she’d had with Rainbow Dash that had started along these lines. With a frown, she sighed and grumbled, “What’d ya break this time, Dash?”
“What? No, I didn’t do anything, I swear! This is something completely different!” Rainbow said in a rush.
Applejack was not convinced, and hardened her glare. “Dash…”
“Anyway, you’re cool, right? Of course I’m right, I’m always right. So, I just had the coolest idea and you’re the only pony I trust not to screw it up!”
Applejack tilted her head. “If this is another one a’ yer distractions-“
“Come on, AJ, would you just drop it already? I Pinkie promise I didn’t break anything. Unless we’re talking about records, cuz I break those all the time. So, how would you like to start a band with me?”
The question was met with a long silence as Applejack considered this latest potentially disastrous idea the pegasus had come up with. But those previous ones had usually been some kind of stunt that left Rainbow in the hospital with a broken bone of some sort. This… this was new. She knew Rainbow was rather fond of music in her own right, but this had come entirely out of left field. It still held its risks, but Applejack couldn’t think of any that might lead to physical injury this time, though you could never put anything past the brash Dash.
“AJ?”
Applejack sighed in defeat. No matter how stupid the idea, she could never say no to Rainbow. “Alright, Ah’ll do it. But ya gotta promise me ya won’t run the whole thing.”
“What, me? No, I already got all this figured out. I figured you wouldn’t want to do something awesome, so I’ll let you do what you want with the vocals and I’ll do my thing with the guitars and stuff.
“And just where are ya gonna get a guitar?”
“Way ahead of you!” Rainbow opened a case strapped to her side that had been hidden behind her wings and pulled out a state-of-the-art electric guitar.
Applejack looked the guitar up and down, prodding it a few times to make sure it wasn’t made of paper or some such. But despite her scrutiny, it appeared to be just that, a state-of-the-art electric guitar. “Where exactly did you get-“
“Pinkie.”
“…Okay, where exactly did Pinkie-“
“AJ, she gathered enough instruments for a one-mare band during a parasprite invasion. What makes this so different?”
“Ah suppose so…” Applejack trailed off. “But even Pinkie can’t make things outta nothin, so she musta gotten it somewheres…”
Meanwhile, in Ponyville.
Vinyl Scratch yawned and stretched her limbs, still sore after a night of shenanigans. She regarded the mare sleeping beside her who assisted in said shenanigans with a smile on her face. Not one to wait, Vinyl nuzzled her bedmate incessantly until she began to stir.
“Bwuh… Vinyl-“
“Morning, Tavi!” Vinyl cut her marefriend off.
Octavia had come to expect such antics from the DJ she had become so attached to, rubbing her eyes and accepting her fate of an early rise. She was still exhausted from the previous night and could have admittedly used a couple more hours. “Good morning, Vinyl.”
“Have fun last night?” Vinyl asked, entirely too energetic for having just woken up.
“Yes, I-“ Octavia cut herself off as she noticed something amiss.
“Tavi? Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?”
“Yes,” Octavia answered simply.
Vinyl furrowed her brow, certain Octavia was teasing her. Or at least she was before the movement made her aware of something papery stuck to her forehead. She ripped off the offending object and was about to discard it when she saw that it was in fact a sticky note.
“Hey, Scratchie! I hope you don’t mind, but I borrowed your guitar for a bit. I promise I’ll get it back to you soon! Hugs!
-Pinkie”
Vinyl tossed the note away unceremoniously and rushed over to where she kept her prized Coltson guitar, only to find it conspicuously missing.
“Vinyl?” Octavia’s voice followed the perturbed mare.
“Dammit, Pinkie!”
Rainbow shrugged. “Who knows? Anyway, the thing is I have it and now we can get started!”
Applejack frowned. “In case ya hadn’t noticed, Ah’m still workin, Dash. We can do this later.”
Rainbow sagged, crossing her forelegs and adopting a pout. “You’re no fun,” she groused, flying away slowly.
Applejack sighed, catching the pegasus’ tail before she flew out of reach. Rainbow responded with an exclamation of pain at the tug, followed by a hopeful glance behind her.
“So?”
Applejack sighed again. “Ah guess Ah can come back ta this tomorrow.”
“Yes! This is gonna be so awesome! Come on, let’s get to the barn, it’s way too hot out here.”
For the first time this morning, Applejack had to agree with Rainbow. She shook her head, wondering not for the first time why she put up with the pegasus. Rainbow giddily led Applejack to the barn, imagining the look on her face when she laid down a sick riff.
“Alright, let’s do this!” Rainbow shouted once she had gotten set up, having somehow deposited amps in the barn without Applejack noticing. Before she could question this development, her ears were assaulted by an awkward, screeching riff.
Once her ears had stopped ringing, Applejack accosted her would-be bandmate. “What in tarnation was that?”
Rainbow responded with a nervous smile. “I have no idea how to play the guitar.”
Applejack brought her hoof to her face, unable to dignify any other response. This was going to be a long day. But even with that thought, she couldn’t help the smile that came to her muzzle.
“Well, unless ya learn right quick, this ain’t gonna work,” Applejack stated.
“No, wait, I got this!” Rainbow carefully plucked the strings one at a time, working from the bottom up. The result was akin to a foal attempting a glissando on a piano, minus the falling flat on her face. “Ha, see? Easy peasy!”
“Yeah,” Applejack joked, “that’s a beat Ah can sing to. Ah’m sure everypony in Equestria would pay to see that.”
“Geez, you don’t have to rub it in,” Rainbow mumbled. “Just gimme a sec, I’ll figure it out.”
“Unless ya mean that literally, Ah got a better idea.” With that, Applejack took Rainbow’s guitar, put it back in its case, turned around and walked out of the barn.
Rainbow was quick to follow. “What? Hey, get back here! You can’t just give up!”
Applejack smirked, but kept walking.
“I know you’ve got stuff to do, but this won’t take long. I promise!”
Applejack made no effort to shoo the pegasus away, merely continuing on her path toward town. Rainbow huffed and followed along for a distance. If Applejack was anything, she was stubborn, and Rainbow knew that better than anypony. She began to wonder where exactly Applejack was going without actually paying attention to her surroundings.
Maybe she’s going to Twilight to ask for help. But what does that egghead know about music? I guess Fluttershy knows a little about leading a choir of birds, but that’s not really the same. Oh, maybe she’s going to Rarity to get us some cool band gear! Wait, does Rarity actually make that stuff? Ugh, she’d probably just put us in dresses. That’d really fit the scene. She could also be going to Pinkie to… Rainbow looked again at the guitar case on Applejack’s back. Oh crap, she’s probably going to give the guitar back to Pinkie!
“Come on, AJ, I can do this! Just give me some more time!” Rainbow protested.
Applejack smirked. “No can do, sugarcube. Everypony has her limits.”
“But… but… this was gonna be so awesome,” Rainbow deflated, falling to the ground with a soft thud.
Applejack’s smirk became a genuine smile. “Ah never said Ah was givin’ up.”
At that remark, Rainbow noticed for the first time where they were heading. Sugarcube Corner was on the other side of town. She also noticed whose house they stood before. “What are we doing at Scratch’s place?”
“Ah figure she knows so much about these kinda fancy instruments that she’d be able ta give ya some lessons.” Applejack shifted the guitar case on her back for emphasis. She confidently knocked on the door and backed up a step.
Inside, they could hear a muffled commotion in response, though neither could make out any words. As the door opened, they could hear the voice of Vinyl cry out, “Tavi, no!”
Before the pair of bemused visitors stood not the expected resident, but the world-renowned cellist, Octavia Melody. While not alien to them, Octavia’s presence at such an hour…
“No way,” Rainbow squeaked. “Way to go, Scratch!”
A very red Vinyl Scratch appeared at the door, shoving her marefriend out of the way. She lacked her trademark glasses, which added a bit more red to her face by way of her eyes. In all, not a very familiar expression adorned the cocky DJ’s face.
“Of all the ponies…” Vinyl mumbled. She shook her head. “Well, at least you won’t hold it over my head as much as Lyra would, Dash.” Vinyl finally took notice of the other pony at her door, and the object on her back. “My Coltson!” Vinyl wrested her guitar off the farmer’s back and cradled it. From off to the side, they could hear Octavia snicker as Vinyl cooed softly to her instrument.
“So it was yours. I thought it looked familiar,” Dash chortled.
“Why did you have it? I thought Pinkie took it.”
“How did y-“
“She left a note on my forehead,” Vinyl her off.
Dash suppressed another giggle. “I bet that was quite a surprise for Octavia.”
Looking back and forth at Rainbow’s mirth and Vinyl’s embarrassment, Applejack spoke up. “I feel like I’m missing something here.”
“Good, I don’t need more ponies to-“
“Don’t you know? Scratch and Octavia finally started going out a few months ago, and now Scratch got her to bed!”
“-know,” Vinyl finished sheepishly, her blush darkening.
Applejack gained a similar redness to her cheeks as she finally understood the situation. “Oh,” was Applejack’s simple reply.
Vinyl looked over their heads to make sure nopony else was watching before ushering the pair of them inside. “So, what else are you doing here?”
“Well, AJ and I…”
Vinyl and Rainbow were soon lost in a conversation of epic proportions, judging by their wild gesticulations and raucous laughter, but Applejack could only see Rainbow’s half as she found she could look at nothing else. Seeing Rainbow enjoying herself so much always gave Applejack a surge of some emotion she had yet to identify.
“It’s hard to understand those two sometimes,” Octavia mused, finally breaking Applejack’s fixation on Rainbow as she noticed Octavia had been standing beside her for some time.
“Whaddya mean by that?” Applejack asked, flicking her gaze briefly to Octavia before resettling on the conversation before her.
“Have you told her yet?” Octavia answered with her own question.
“Told her what?”
Octavia smiled sadly. “So you still haven’t even figured it out yet? Such a shame.”
Applejack pondered what Octavia was going on about while she fell back into observing Dash’s face and movements. Rainbow’s gaze broke off from Vinyl’s as she offered Applejack a quick smile and wave before returning to her exchange of tales. Applejack felt heat rise to her face at the sentiment, but quickly shook the feeling off. Octavia giggled beside her, shaking her head slowly.
Once Rainbow and Vinyl ran out of things to talk about, the four of them went to have breakfast at Sugarcube Corner. Rainbow was quick to relay the goings-on in Vinyl’s bedroom to Pinkie, much to Vinyl’s chagrin. Pinkie thankfully merely offered a wink in lieu of a flood of teasing remarks. They found themselves a booth while Pinkie fetched them breakfast, Vinyl and Octavia on one side and Rainbow and Applejack on the other. Vinyl gave Octavia a subtle squeeze and raised an eyebrow at Rainbow in question. Rainbow merely blushed and shook her head in response.
“Mind if I join you guys?” Pinkie asked after she had returned with food, pulling up a chair. They all naturally acquiesced, and soon more tales were being told from all parties. Applejack caught a few glances of Rainbow through the conversation, though managed to avoid the gazes she was unwittingly receiving in return.
What was it that Octavia was goin’ on about? Does she know somethin’ Ah don’t? Applejack pondered, flicking her gaze between Octavia and Rainbow. She said something about me tellin’ somethin’ ta Rainbow; somethin’ that Ah don’t even know yet. But she does? Applejack shook her head. No, Ah’m a simple pony, and Ah don’t keep secrets. ‘Specially from mahself.
“So, AJ,” Rainbow started, “you said we weren’t quite through yet, right?”
“Ah’m willing to keep at it as long as you are, sugarcube.”
“Still thinking we can get Vinyl in on this?”
“Ah’m sure she won’t mind.”
“Woah woah woah woah,” Vinyl cut in suddenly. “I never remember agreeing to any of this.”
“Aw, c’mon, Scratch. Who else am I gonna learn guitar from?” Rainbow raised an eyebrow teasingly.
“Wait, what?” Vinyl repeated the exchange in her head. “Oh, right, yeah, sure.” Vinyl offered in response, fighting to keep down her rising blush. Maybe later, Vinyl reminded herself, glancing in Octavia’s direction. Octavia raised a brow at her, a smirk and a playful shove given when she took in Vinyl’s blush.
“Maybe later,” Octavia repeated Vinyl’s thought in a whisper to Vinyl’s perked ear.
I have the greatest marefriend ever, Vinyl thought with a giggle. “So, you wanna learn to play guitar, huh?”
“Yeah, I had this awesome idea for me and AJ to start a band!” Rainbow gushed. “Because, you know, I’m awesome, she’s awesome, and music’s awesome; so that’s like, three awesomes!”
“I never knew you could count that high,” Vinyl teased.
“You’re one to talk, dear,” Octavia cut in before Rainbow could protest. “Though, I must agree with Vinyl. None of Ponyville is unfamiliar with your ‘awesome ideas’ by this point, but this seems… odd.”
“Ah said the same thing,” Applejack mused. “If Ah didn’t know any better, Ah’d say she’s goin’ soft.”
“Hey! This is plenty dangerous! What if I electrocute myself with some wires, or something?”
Vinyl raised an eyebrow. “Then you’ll get a little tingly feeling in your hoof.”
“Who asked you?” Rainbow accused.
“I thought you were asking her for guitar lessons!”
“Shut up, Pinkie!” Rainbow and Vinyl chorused.
In spite of their demands, Pinkie rebelliously erupted into a fit of gigglesnorts, which soon grew infectious. Octavia was left to shake her head at the typical breakfast antics, though unable to keep from chuckling, herself.
“Alright, you got a deal,” Vinyl said, “but no touching my Coltson. That thing’s too damn special to me, okay?”
Pinkie laughed nervously, rubbing an ear with a hoof, mostly to hide the redness that had appeared from nowhere at the roundabout accusations.
“Yes! This is gonna be so awesome, AJ!” Rainbow threw a hoof around a bemused Applejack. “We’re gonna be famous for sure! The Wonderbolts will have to notice me!”
“What does music have to do with flying?” Vinyl asked.
“Plenty of stuff. Like awesomeness. And me!”
“Wow, they’re sure to be begging you to join them, then. Ow! Tavi!”
“Behave, Vinyl,” Octavia admonished, lowering her hoof.
Rainbow and Applejack laughed at Vinyl’s expense. Pinkie seemed to have vanished at some point, along with their empty plates and the chair she had pulled up. Vinyl rubbed her cheek, muttering something under her breath, undoubtedly plotting her revenge.
“So, when do I start?”
“I have some free time tomorrow around noon.” Vinyl leaned back in her seat with a cocky smirk. Octavia shook her head, wondering what she was in for this time.
“Sounds good.” Rainbow looked to Applejack. “You free today?”
“Ah can be if ya let me get some work done tomorrow.”
“Awesome!” Applejack narrowed her eyes at Rainbow’s outburst. “I mean, yeah, no problem.” Rainbow smiled hopefully. Applejack met it with a playful shove before climbing out of the booth.
“We’ll see y’all later. Ah think Rainbow has somethin’ planned fer me.”
“Later!” Vinyl called, lazing around until Octavia pulled her out of the confectionery shop. “Hey!”
“I have something planned for you, too, dear,” Octavia said in a dangerous whisper that Vinyl met with fearful eyes.
“Be gentle,” Vinyl squeaked.
“I’ll be right back, gotta get something real quick,” Rainbow said after she and Applejack had walked about three hooves, rocketing off into the sky without giving Applejack a chance to protest.
Applejack sighed and sat down. “Okay, Ah’ll wait.” Applejack was at least thankful she wouldn’t have to wait long, because if Rainbow was one thing, she was fast. And mild-mannered, cocky, brash, awesome, cute, loyal, softer than she let on, infuriating at times, highly competitive, a very sore loser… Okay, trick question. She was a lot of things, including being presently sneaking up on Applejack after quickly retrieving the bag of bits she went to fetch. She was waiting for just the right…
“Rainbow, what are ya doin’ on the roof there?”
“Remembering how hard it is to get the jump on you,” Rainbow pouted, flying down next to Applejack. “Stupid earth pony hearing. Anyway, let’s go! I figure we can head over to the music store and stock up on awesome band stuff. And a guitar, since Scratch won’t let me use hers.”
“You sure you brought enough bits?” Applejack joked, eying the comically large bag Rainbow had slung across her side.
“Yeah, I brought plenty. I was planning on using it on food and stuff, but I figured I could always just head on over to the acres and nab a few free apples, right?”
Applejack shook her head in bemusement. “Ah worry ‘bout ya sometimes, sugarcube.”
“Well quit your worrying and let’s go already!” Rainbow pranced around, eager to be off.
Applejack chuckled and let Rainbow lead her to the local music shop. Being as it was in the same direction as Octavia’s house, Rainbow caught a glimpse of an intimidating-looking Octavia marching a terrified Vinyl back to her house for apparent punishment.
“Heh, looks like Octavia’s ready for round two already,” Rainbow snickered.
“What makes ya say that?” Applejack asked obliviously.
Rainbow turned Applejack’s head to look at the small parade. While Applejack had different thoughts on the matter, she couldn’t help but laugh at the sight.
“Making up for lost time, I guess,” Rainbow said with a waggle of her brow.
Applejack smirked. “Yer terrible, Dash.”
“I know, isn’t it great?” Rainbow reached out a wing to give Applejack a little nudge for emphasis.
Applejack just shook her head, at a loss for words. Thankfully, none needed to be said as Rainbow caught sight of their destination and rocketed ahead, immediately disappearing through the door. Applejack approached and entered at a saner pace, to find Rainbow already darting around the back room, inspecting various electric guitars.
Suddenly, she heard Rainbow gasp dramatically. “This is the one!” Rainbow proclaimed, practically salivating at the sight of a Coltson painted blue with yellow lightning bolts. While it wasn’t necessarily a Wonderbolts pattern, it was close enough for Rainbow. Applejack walked up to inspect the guitar, and the first thing she noticed was the price tag.
“Rainbow, this thing costs over a thousand bits. How’re ya gonna afford this?”
“I can live on apples for a month,” Rainbow shrugged.
Applejack raised a brow. “Y’all know Ah can only afford ta give ya so many fer free.”
“Then I’ll pay it off, whatever. I need this guitar!” Rainbow pleaded.
“Wait, yer offerin’ labor now?”
“Yes, I’ll have your babies or whatever, so please let me get this!”
Applejack blinked. “Not that kinda labor, Dash.”
“Well what do you want from me, then?” Rainbow was frantic.
Applejack pondered the possibilities for a few moments before deciding against anything particularly degrading. “Well, ya could spend that month helpin’ out ‘round the farm, for starters.”
“You want me to work two jobs?”
“You want that guitar?”
“Fine!” Rainbow relented. “I’ll do it, just…” Rainbow grabbed the guitar and case from the display and ran over to the counter. She counted out the bits and secured the guitar in the case before slinging it over her back and running out of the store cheering.
Applejack shook her head for the eleventeenth time that day and followed Rainbow outside. No sooner than she had done so was she rammed into and hugged violently by a rainbow colored blur that promptly began a chorus of thank yous.
“Okay, okay, Rainbow. Yer welcome,” Applejack chuckled, patting Rainbow on the back in an attempt to calm her down. “Now, don’t we have more ta buy?”
Rainbow breathed in to speak, then took in her deflated sack of bits. “I’m gonna need to get more money.”
Applejack laughed at Rainbow’s antics, settling herself down to wait for the pegasus to make another trip home. She thought of the day’s developments and found that she was actually excited about all of it. Rainbow had all sorts of musical shenanigans planned out for them, and in between she’d have her best friend helping out on the farm for a month. They could get so much done around there. She’d finally be able to have an excess of free time, and even when she was working, she could still be hanging out with Rainbow! Things were really looking up for the apple farmer.
Rainbow returned with another bag of bits to find Applejack looking up at the sky away from her. Applejack seemed to have not noticed her approach for once. With a devious grin, Rainbow tensed up and pounced, knocking a very surprised Applejack off her hooves and into a tumble for a few hooves, the end of which saw Rainbow pinning Applejack down triumphantly.
“Ha! Can’t let your guard down around me, AJ!” Rainbow boasted.
Applejack suddenly burst out laughing, much to Rainbow’s confusion. Usually this sort of approach was met with resistance in the form of a wrestling match that left only one standing. Rainbow felt herself starting to laugh as well, marveling at the novelty of the moment.
As their laughter died down, Rainbow regarded Applejack and found that she looked happier than when she’d left her. Happier than she’d seen her in a while, actually. Seeing Applejack smiling just made Rainbow want to smile. Rainbow began to giggle again. “Cut that out, AJ.”
“Cut what out, sugarcube?”
“Being cute,” Rainbow giggled. “It’s making me act funny.”
Applejack opened her mouth to respond, only to close it again. Did she just say I’m…? “Pardon?”
“Huh?” Rainbow snapped out of her mirth upon seeing Applejack’s look of bewildered embarrassment. She repeated the exchange in her head, trying to figure out what had prompted the response. Her face began to heat up as she recalled her previous choice of words. “Uh… N-never mind that.”
Despite Rainbow’s command, Applejack could not dislodge the thought. It just seemed to stick out as something… different. Something she’d never seen from Rainbow before. She knew that Rainbow did have a gentler side, but… This was…
“Um, so… Weren’t we gonna do some uh, shopping?”
“Y-yeah, right,” Applejack muttered, “shoppin’.”
The rest of said shopping was completed mostly in awkward silence with few words exchanged. Many items Rainbow intended to purchase were left untouched; instead they mostly bought some new farming equipment for Rainbow’s stint on the Acres. This was met with yet more awkwardness as they had to ask for each other’s input.
“Does this look alright?” Applejack asked, pulling down a bit for Rainbow to inspect.
“Well, it’s colorful,” Rainbow commented.
“Thought it would go well with yer mane. Since, y’know, it’ll be in yer mouth.”
“I have to put this in my mouth?” Rainbow asked incredulously, inspecting the bit closer. “Wait, this thing’s called a bit? And it costs more than a bit? Isn’t that a rip-off?”
“No, Dash this is… It’s a different kinda bit,” Applejack explained.
“I know that, but you’d think you’d buy a bit for a bit. You know, fair trade and all that.”
“And Ah’m sure that’d be a great sales pitch, but that’s what it costs. Do you like it or not?” Applejack shifted uncomfortably.
“Yeah, it’s fine, just overpriced.”
Applejack rolled her eyes and continued on, registering all their items while Rainbow paid the tab. Once they were outside again, Applejack let out a deep breath. “Now all we need ta get ya is a hat. Apple Bloom’s too young and Mac’s too stubborn, but that don’t mean you gotta go hatless.”
“Oh! I know the perfect hat!” With that, Rainbow shot off into the sky, towards her house. Again. Applejack sighed. At least it would give her time to sort out her thoughts. Or so she thought.
“Back!” Rainbow declared, coming to a stop before Applejack. On her head was a familiar-looking pith helmet. “See? Now I can be Daring, and you can be Blondie! Except we’ll be bucking apples instead of looking for treasure, but that’s cool too.”
Applejack inspected Rainbow. Even without the jacket, Applejack could clearly see the resemblance between Rainbow and her fictional hero, and she was already told repeatedly by Rainbow that she looked like Daring Do’s rival/love interest. Applejack resolved to humor Rainbow’s future shenanigans.
Applejack smirked. “Well, that’s taken care of, Ah guess. Now, while we’re out here, how’s about we grab some lunch?”
Rainbow perked up at the mention of food. “Sounds good to me!”
Applejack chuckled, marveling again how much power food had over the pegasus. Thinking about it more, she wondered if she could get Rainbow to room on the farm for the month. Rainbow always loved Apple family meals when she could get them and it’d give Applejack more control over Rainbow’s schedule, not to mention a little extra time together.
Rainbow quickened her pace as they neared their destination, but didn’t quite run off this time. Café du Mane was moderately populated, so she found no reason to rush overly much. Applejack made no move to keep up as Rainbow claimed a table and sat eagerly. Just as Applejack sat down at the table, a waiter came by to take their orders. Hay fries for Rainbow and an apple salad for Applejack.
As the waiter departed, silence fell over the pair. Applejack looked for a way to strike up a conversation without seeming too awkward or forward. Getting Rainbow to commit a month’s service to the farm was a feat itself. Surely she wouldn’t want to be tied down to the farm, right?
“So, about this whole farm thing… When do I start?” Rainbow asked unexpectedly.
Applejack blinked. “Uh, tomorrow, Ah guess. We could getcha started in the mornin’ ‘fore ya gotta get ta Vinyl’s.” Applejack shifted nervously. “But um, it’d be a might easier if ya could get used ta the schedule…”
“As long as it doesn’t get in the way of my weather duties I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Rainbow said nonchalantly.
“That’s the thing, though. We get started right about the crack o’ dawn, an’ Ah’m not sure how Ah can hold ya to that when ya live up in the clouds,” Applejack tried to hint.
“I’ll be there, don’t worry about it. Never leave my friends hangin’, right?”
Applejack looked away. “If’n yer really gonna help out, Ah’m gonna need more’n yer word, sugarcube.”
Rainbow frowned. “Then what do you want from me?”
“Well, Ah um… Fer this ta work Ah’d need ya to, well, stay at the farm, so’s you can get used ta the uh… schedule.“ Applejack finished unconvincingly, blushing sheepishly. She sighed, mentally preparing herself for Rainbow’s protests, which she knew she’d be incapable of dealing with.
“Oh. Yeah, I guess I could do that,” Rainbow said without a hint of fuss in her tone. “I get free meals with this, right?”
Applejack blinked again. “Uh, yeah. ‘S long as ya do the work…. Yer really okay with this?”
“Yeah, why not, I mean it’s only a month, right? Might be kinda fun, and we could hang out some more.” Rainbow tilted her head. “Why?”
“Oh, uh… no reason, no reason whatsoever, heh,” Applejack smiled hopefully. Rainbow eyed her strangely but didn’t comment further as their food was brought out.
“Finally, I’m starving!” Rainbow exclaimed, digging into her meal before the waiter had even set Applejack’s down, earning a raised eyebrow from the waiter and a chuckle from Applejack.
Applejack shook her head once the waiter had departed a second time. What’s goin’ on today? Octavia says somethin’ funny, then Rainbow starts actin’ weird, an’ now Ah’m actin’ all funny too. An’ what was it that Rainbow said? Cute? Does she really think that?
“AJ? You gonna eat or what?”
“Huh?” Applejack shook her head again.
“Yeah, you’re doing that a lot today, huh?” Rainbow observed between bites. “More than usual,” she mumbled.
“What?”
“Nothing, just… Never mind,” Rainbow returned to her meal.
Applejack eyed Rainbow for a moment before her stomach reminded her of her hunger. She hesitantly began to eat, a troubled look on her face. The day kept getting weirder and weirder.
“Ah know it’s just a month, but Ah’m expectin’ yer best, y’hear?” Applejack walked with Rainbow over to the farm to get Rainbow situated. Applejack felt a bit better after eating and found it easier to concentrate on the task at hand.
Rainbow scoffed. “It’s just farm work. How hard could it be?”
“Famous last words, sugarcube,” Applejack admonished.
“Yeah, yeah.” Rainbow took a look around, examining the vast expanses of apple trees she’d be working with for the next month. Weather duties, guitar lessons, and farm work. This is gonna be one crazy month. “You know, we have all this figured out between us, but we haven’t even run it past your family yet. What if they don’t want me around?”
“Yer not getting’ outta this one, Dash; we really could use the help this season,” Applejack warned. “This year’s crop’s lookin’ ta be one a’ the biggest we’ve had since Ah started buckin’.”
“And that’s supposed to reassure me how?”
“It’s not,” Applejack said simply, opening the door to the farmhouse as they stepped up onto the porch. Rainbow couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread despite the usually welcoming air of the quaint abode. This time, she really didn’t know just what she was getting into. She could only wonder at how the month would unfold. But with that dread came some excitement. This was something totally new, just like her band idea. Also just like her band idea, she’d be doing it with her best friend. That thought brought a smile to her face as she entered the house.
“So, do I get a room or something? Or do I have to sleep on the couch?” Rainbow asked as Applejack followed her inside. “And where is everypony?”
Applejack smiled. “We got a guest room we don’t normally use, so that can be yours fer the month. Big Mac’s out in the fields, Apple Bloom’s still at school, and Granny Smith… Ah don’t know where she is. She’s usually asleep on her rocker this time a’ day.”
“So… do I have to wait for them to come back, or…?”
“Nah, you’ll be fine. C’mon, Ah’ll show ya to the guest room.” Applejack started up the stairs, leaving Rainbow to follow along sheepishly. The room itself, being a guest room, was sparsely furnished, affording Rainbow plenty of room for her stuff. The bed, while not as plush as the clouds she was used to, was comfortable in its own right. Applejack left Rainbow to get settled, sitting down on her own bed and trying to gather her thoughts. This proved fruitless, as she heard a loud thump from the guest room, followed by Rainbow’s voice.
“Stupid clouds!” Rainbow had attempted to set down something made of said clouds only to have it fall through the wood floor, causing her to lose her balance and crash down onto said floor. She stomped downstairs to retrieve the fallen item and compact it to a wood-friendly density. The second time, it cooperated, coming to rest on the floor instead of falling through it. She gave it a kick for good measure, causing the cloud to slip slightly through the floor. This time she caught it, though, and avoided having to make a second trip downstairs. She refrained from kicking it a second time.
Rainbow continued to set up without further outbursts, finally giving Applejack some time to think. For about a minute before Apple Bloom burst loudly through the front door with two other boisterous fillies in tow. Applejack sighed. She had forgotten that the acres were hosting this week’s Cutie Mark Crusaders sleepover. That explained why Granny Smith was in her room catching up on sleep, because with those three fillies around, the night was sure to be restless. Sweet Celestia, does it ever end?
“Alright, gals, what are we gonna try first?” Apple Bloom asked.
“How about cooking? I’m hungry,” Sweetie Belle suggested.
“Haven’t we already tried that before?” Scootaloo shot back.
“We tried bakin’, but that’s different.”
“Yeah! Totally different!” Sweetie Belle pressed, her stomach growling its agreement.
“Yer not thinkin’ a’ doin’ anythin’ destructive down there, are ya?” Applejack asked from the staircase as she descended.
“Sis? Why aren’t you out in the fields?”
“’Cus Ah gotta help Rainbow get settled,” Applejack explained.
“Wha-“
“Rainbow Dash? She’s here?” Scootaloo cut off Apple Bloom, darting forward to come nose to nose with Applejack.
Applejack blinked. “Uh, yeah. She should be up-“
Scootaloo was off the second she was given a direction, up the stairs before Applejack could finish.
“In the guest room,” Applejack completed a little sheepishly.
“Why’s Rainbow Dash stayin’ in the guest room?” Apple Bloom inquired. “She decide not to fly off after dinner this time?”
“It’s a might more complicated n’ that, AB. The short of it is Rainbow’s gonna be around fer the next month,” Applejack said distractedly as she searched for something or other in the closet.
“Doin’ what?”
“Helpin’ out, an’ hopefully not complainin’ too much,” Applejack said after pulling out a hat rack for Rainbow. “Where’d Sweetie Belle get off to?”
“Prolly went ta look fer Scoot, so Ah guess that’s where Ah’m goin, too,” Apple Bloom said, turning to walk up the stairs, muttering. “Ah swear, ya’d think that filly was tryin’a get a rainbow chasin’ cutie mark.”
Applejack chuckled, following her sister up to their impromptu gathering site. Upon entering said site, the atmosphere was decidedly chaotic. Scootaloo was alternating between darting around to look at Rainbow’s stuff and sitting beside Rainbow with a big grin on her face. Sweetie Belle was attempting to help out in setting up and promptly knocking everything over. And Rainbow sat in the middle of her bed with a panicked look on her face as she curled up into a fetal position.
At the sound of the door opening again, Rainbow cast a fearful eye at the intruders and immediately brightened. “Applejack! You’ve gotta help me!” Rainbow pleaded, rushing over to grab Applejack’s hooves. Applejack found herself quite literally flung into the fray, successfully disrupting both Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle’s antics by knocking them over in her flight before coming to rest on the guest bed.
That was less painful than Ah expected, Applejack mused as she sat up to examine the damage done to the room. Apart from a few pieces of wayward furniture, however, the room seemed remarkably intact.
Apple Bloom quickly moved to right the offending structures and march her fellow crusaders out of the guest room, apologizing for their behavior. In her wake, she left a bewildered pair of mares both wondering when Apple Bloom had begun taking responsibility.
“Every day gonna be this exciting?” Rainbow asked at length.
Applejack looked up at Rainbow with a critical eye. “Ah sure hope not.”
Rainbow chuckled nervously, rubbing a hoof against the back of her head. “Sorry, I guess I kinda panicked.”
“So yer first thought was to throw me at them,” Applejack stated flatly.
“Uh… Earth ponies make good weapons?” Rainbow offered. “Besides, it worked, didn’t it?”
Applejack shook her head in disapproval, though she couldn’t stop the traitorous smile coming to her lips. “Stop makin’ it so hard to be mad at ya.”
“Uh, no thanks, I like my wings where they are.”
Applejack chuckled, moving to give Rainbow a playful shove which was answered with what Rainbow deemed to be appropriate response; tackling Applejack onto the bed and instigating a wrestling match.
Applejack managed to pin Rainbow Dash, declaring, “Ha! Ah’ve got you right where Ah want ya!”
“You’ll never take me alive!” Rainbow said, using her wings to tickle Applejack.
“Ya dirty little cheater!” Applejack giggled as she lost her grip and found herself pinned in turn.
“Only for you, AJ,” Rainbow said, flashing a grin.
“Well two can play at that game! C’mere you!”
Outside the room, the Cutie Mark Crusaders sat uneasily at the door, privy to Rainbow’s squeaks of terror between giggles, accompanied by the same from Applejack. The door remained closed, and none of the fillies could muster the courage to open it.
“You think they’re alright?” Scootaloo asked.
“Ah think so. Whaddya think they’re doin’?”
“Well, whatever it is sounds fun!” Sweetie Belle piped up, confidently sitting up to enter the room.
“Sweetie Belle, no!” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo chorused, but the door swung open to reveal Applejack pinning Rainbow’s wings to the headboard with her forelegs, nose inches from Rainbow’s. Both wore an expression similar to that of a deer caught in the headlights. Without moving her head, Applejack looked to see who had intruded on their compromising position. She didn’t know whether to be relieved or panicked when she saw the curious gazes of Apple Bloom and her friends on them.
Okay, at least it’s not Big Mac or Granny Smith. Ah can explain this one away, Applejack thought, before the rough squeak that Rainbow’s voice had become broke her contemplation.
“It’s not what it looks like!” Rainbow blurted out, face flushed.
Applejack nearly facehoofed as Rainbow succeeded in planting the thought in her sister’s young mind.
Apple Bloom’s brain worked infuriatingly quickly as she spoke. “But Ah thought that stuff was just fer a filly and a colt.”
“No way, Rainbow Dash told me about this stuff!” Scootaloo began to explain, to the combined horror of the two mares. Rainbow very much regretted this conversation. “She called it fillyfooling, and she said it’s perfectly normal and awesome, and that it had to be awesome because she does it herself!”
Applejack froze, looking down at the pegasus she had pinned to the bed. Rainbow offered a nervous smile, chuckling weakly. “Girls,” Applejack said calmly, “Ah’d like to speak with Rainbow Dash alone.”
Apple Bloom’s eyes widened at Applejack’s tone, quickly ushering her friends all the way downstairs, leaving the two mares alone.
Once the door had closed, Applejack lifted herself off of Rainbow Dash and sat with an odd look on her face Rainbow could not decipher. “Why didn’t ya tell me?” Applejack asked.
Rainbow tucked her hooves in modestly and hung her head. “You hate me now, don’t you?”
Applejack studied Rainbow for a second before responding. “Ah’m a little hurt ya would keep somethin’ like that a secret… but Ah don’t hate ya, Dash.”
“What?” was all Rainbow could muster in response for a long while.
Applejack gave Rainbow time to process the situation, using the time to sort out her own thoughts.
Rainbow spoke up after a few minutes, “I thought you farmponies didn’t like that kind of stuff.”
“Where’d ya get a silly idea like that?” Applejack asked.
“Well, you’re all about work and family. And, well, two mares can’t exactly… you know.”
“Rainbow,” Applejack said, turning the pegasus’ head to face her, “Ah’ve never been one to judge a pony if Ah can see she has a good heart. And Ah’m not usually wrong about that sorta stuff. Ah know you’ve got a good heart, Rainbow, and there’s no way Ah’d let somethin’ like this change how Ah look at ya, or anythin’ between us. Ah’m still yer friend, and Ah always will be, and that’s the honest truth, sugarcube.”
“Really?” Rainbow asked tentatively.
“Mhmm. And while Ah can’t say mah barn door swings that way,” Applejack blushed, “Ah can’t say Ah have a problem with it.”
Rainbow smiled, looking at Applejack with a certain degree of reverence. “You’re too damn good to me, Applejack.”
“Only as good as ya deserve, Rainbow.” Applejack smiled back.
Rainbow donned a blush and drew circles in the quilt with a hoof. “You know, you’re the first pony I’ve told… sorta.”
“Quite a way to come out,” Applejack chuckled in response, before becoming more serious. “There isn’t anythin’ else yer not tellin’ me, is there?”
“What? No, of course not, AJ.” Rainbow averted her gaze briefly. “And the only reason I didn’t tell you this was because I thought you’d think less of me.”
“Well we can’t have that, now. Then ya wouldn’ be the coolest mare in Ponyville,” Applejack said.
Rainbow blushed more heavily. “You really think that?”
“Always,” Applejack assured. “Though Ah am curious where all this humility’s comin’ from.”
Rainbow smiled. “Only for you, AJ.”
Applejack chuckled and pulled Rainbow into a brief hug before slipping off of the bed. “Now, we ain’t quite done settin’ you up yet, are we?”
“I guess not.” Rainbow got up off the bed after a few more seconds, reaching into her box of stuff to sort through what was left. Most were just small knickknacks that she put on her dresser, but there was one more treasure that she had yet to unpack.
Applejack watched in awe as Rainbow pulled out a framed photograph and set it on her nightstand. It was of the two of them after their second Running of the Leaves, where they had inevitably tied for first. The two of them were surrounded by falling leaves; Rainbow had a hoof over Applejack’s withers as they stood proudly with their matching first place medals.
“It’s the only award that I’ve won with somepony I really care about,” Rainbow said, pulling the medal itself out of her box to hold reverently in her hooves.
Deeply touched by the unexpected sentiment from the normally rowdy pegasus, Applejack had to excuse herself while she retrieved her own medal from the occasion from where it rested above a matching photograph on the wall over her nightstand. Rainbow smiled as Applejack returned with it around her neck, donning her own in response.
“Ya haven’t even been here a whole day an’ yer already goin’ soft on me,” Applejack joked. “What am Ah gonna do with a sap of a pegasus like you?”
Rainbow thought of a few things that she decided to keep to herself, answering instead with, “Hey, I’m still the fastest pegasus alive, and don’t you forget it.”
“Never plan to, sugarcube,” Applejack said, coming to sit next to Rainbow as she sorted the last few items she had brought.
Unknown to them, Granny Smith had risen during the commotion and saw Applejack’s transit between her room and the guest room. She had followed behind to witness the scene of closeness between the two friends, a smile on her face. Before she could be noticed, she slipped downstairs to get dinner started.
Ah think she’s finally startin’ ta get it.
“Soup’s on, y’all! Come n’ get it!” Granny Smith called from the kitchen. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were the first to the table, followed closely by Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Big Macintosh came in moments later, mildly surprised to see the flighty pegasus at the table.
“Howdy, Miss Rainbow Dash,” Big Mac said as he sat down. “Y’all joinin’ us fer supper?”
“She’s doin’ a bit more n’ that, Mac,” Applejack responded. “Rainbow’s gonna be stayin’ over ta help ‘round the farm fer the next month.”
“Really?” Big Mac asked skeptically. “Well, Celestia knows we need the help this year.”
“Yeah, I guess I picked a bad time to be in debt,” Rainbow joked, earning a good-natured eye roll from Applejack.
“Any particular reason yer wearin’ yer medals from the Runnin’ o’ the Leaves?” Big Mac inquired.
Applejack shared a glance with Rainbow. “There is, but Ah’d like ta keep that between us.”
“Oh, that reminds me! You guys won’t believe me, but Applejack and Rainbow Dash are totally-“
Apple Bloom barely managed to stick a hoof in Scootaloo’s mouth before she could drop the ball.
Big Mac raised a brow. “Totally what?”
“Totally awesome?” Rainbow suggested.
That seemed to be enough for Big Mac as he didn’t comment further, though Applejack fretted that her brother had gotten the wrong idea. Rainbow merely offered a shrug in response to Applejack’s worried gaze.
Food came to the table as a welcome distraction, and the meal went over without any further outbursts from the crusaders. Or at least not any about the scene they had stumbled upon in the guest room.
“You’re lucky, Apple Bloom. You get to have Rainbow Dash staying at your house for a whole month!” Scootaloo said with a mixture of adoration and jealousy.
“Ah’m not gonna have to raise the fence ‘round the farm, am Ah?” Apple Bloom asked in between bites as though it was a regular occurrence.
“You know that’ll only work for so long, Apple Bloom,” Scootaloo grumbled. “Rainbow Dash promised she’d help me learn how to fly!”
“I did?” Rainbow asked.
“Yeah, after that camping trip, remember?” Scootaloo prodded.
Rainbow furrowed her brow. “I guess. I’ve kinda got a lot to do right now, though, Scoot. I don’t know if I’m gonna be able to find the time between weather duties, farm work and guitar lessons. I suppose I’ll give it a shot, though.”
“Guitar lessons?” Scootaloo asked.
“It’s a long story,” Rainbow said.
“No it’s not,” Applejack asserted. “Ya came up to me with the idea to start a band, then remembered ya couldn’ play the guitar, so now yer takin’ lessons from Vinyl.”
“You’re making a band?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Yep! And it’s gonna be the most awesome, metal band ever!” Rainbow gushed.
Applejack quirked a brow. “Ah thought y’all said Ah could do what Ah wanted with the vocals.”
“Okay, well, like… country metal or something like that then. But it’s still metal!” Rainbow whipped her hair back dramatically and played the air guitar for emphasis.
“If you say so, sugarcube,” Applejack said.
“It’s gonna be awesome and you know it!” Rainbow pointed an accusing hoof at Applejack.
Applejack chuckled. “Ah never said it wasn’t.”
“Well, then, stop messing with my head!” Rainbow ordered.
“No promises, sugarcube.”
Applejack and Rainbow Dash were cleaning up after dinner at Applejack’s insistence. The work was done mostly in silence, but near the end Applejack spoke up. “Ya think yer gonna be alright teachin’ Scoot how ta fly?”
“I think so,” Rainbow said. “She’s made a lot of progress on her own, so it shouldn’t take too long. And I can’t count on Vinyl having time for lessons every day, so that should give me some time then.”
“Speakin’ a’ yer schedule, how’re we gonna do this?” Applejack asked as she finished washing the last plate.
“Well, it usually doesn’t matter too much when I get my weather stuff done so long as it gets done, so I have a bit of flexibility there. Probably hold off on that ‘till we’re done with most of the farm stuff.”
“Sure you’ll have enough left in ya? Farm work can get pretty exhausting,” Applejack advised.
“Yeah, cloud busting’s no problem and that’s the most demanding thing I’d have to do. We’ll just have to get stuff done before noon for my guitar lessons. I guess I could teach Scoot around that time just to keep it consistent.”
“That’d be fer the best,” Applejack agreed. She looked out the window to regard the position of the sun. “We still got a couple hours ‘fore we gotta hit the hay. Anythin’ ya wanna do?”
“Aside from sleep? Not much I can think of. Tomorrow’s gonna be pretty busy, so we should probably rest up, right?”
“Ah hear ya,” Applejack breathed. “Well, g’night then. Ah’ll come by ta wake ya ‘round six.”
“Alright,” Rainbow said as they walked upstairs. Coming to the door to her room, Rainbow noticed something different. On the door rested a plate with her name on it. It matched the ones hanging from the rooms of the Apple Family, all of which were crafted by Apple Bloom. Rainbow smiled at the sentiment. “You think Scoot put her up to this?”
“Ah don’t think she’d a’ need ta. Apple Bloom looks up to ya, too, Rainbow,” Applejack said. “And Ah always did think of ya like family, Dash. It’s just a bit more official for a month.”
“Thanks, AJ. That means a lot, especially from you.”
Applejack smiled, pulling Rainbow into a hug. “Welcome to the family, Rainbow.”
“Thanks.” Rainbow Dash released her at length, whispering, “Good night, Applejack.”
“G’night, Rainbow,” Applejack returned, walking to her room across the hall. Rainbow entered hers to fall heavily onto the mattress and just look up at the ceiling for a time. Applejack did the same a room away. The day had been busy and filled with many emotions, and the next promised more. Neither mare knew what lay ahead of them, but both were excited to find out. They each tucked themselves under their covers and fell asleep.