Rainbow Dash and Applejack were walking on a road towards the Carousel Boutique, Actually they already saw the building. They were only couple of blocks away from it. the sun had begun to fall and the town had less ponies than when they left to the park. Rainbow was walking next to Applejack. They were going to meet Rarity now. Rainbow was so happy that she could just scream. Applejack had agreed for a trial run as her marefriend, even though Rainbow almost messed everything up.
"I promised her that it will work, so I have to make it work!"
Rainbow saw that AJ was smiling while they walked side by side. AJ turned her head towards and saw Rainbow watching her.
"Whatcha looking at?" she asked.
"You," Rainbow replied right away.
"Can't keep yar eyes off me, huh?" AJ asked with a smirk.
"Just thinking if you would like to go there and have an ice cream with me?" Rainbow asked and pointed her hoof towards the ice cream stand.
"Ah do not have the money, or did you forget it already," Applejack said and looked annoyed.
"Sorry I forgot you have never been on a date before," Rainbow said teasingly.
"Whaddya mean?" Applejack asked.
"On a date, gentlecolt always pays everything for the lady. Or in this case I pay everything for you," Rainbow said with imitating Rarity's voice. It made Applejack giggle.
"Ah didn't know we were on a date," Applejack said while they walked towards the ice cream stand. "What do ponies do when they are on date anyways?" AJ asked.
"Well, something like this," Rainbow said and pulled AJ against herself with her wing. The sudden move made AJ yelp. Rainbow chuckled at her reaction. "Got you off the guard there."
"You sure did... heh," Applejack said blushing. Rainbow liked the way AJ was pressed against her side. Rainbow could tell that Applejack was new to these things. She always tensed up when ponies walked past them. AJ saw the watching her and Rainbow.
"Don't care about them," Rainbow said. Applejack turned to her and smiled.
Rainbow bought an ice cream cone for both of them an they sat around a small table.
"So what do you want to do after we go see Rarity?" Rainbow asked.
"Ah dunno, if we have time, we could go see Fluttershy," Applejack said and licked her ice cream.
"Yeah, we could do that."
While eating her ice cream, Rainbow noticed something. Applejack was looking puzzled.
"What's wrong AJ? You look upset?" she asked. AJ winced when Rainbow spoke to her.
"Oh, Ah'm not upset. Ah was just thinking that Ah have never done... you know, any romantic stuff," Applejack said so shyly that even Fluttershy couldn't do that.
Rainbow stopped eating her ice cream and looked at her friend.
"She want's to do something romantic? I don't know anything about being romantic!
But I know someone who does."
"Maybe we can work out something after we visit Rarity?" Rainbow said. Applejack's eyes brightened and a wide smile formed on her face when she asked: "Really? Could we do that?"
"Sure, if you want to!" Rainbow answered and held Applejack's hoof in her own. AJ looked at Rainbow, who was holding her hoof and smiled at her. "We should get going then. We can't keep Rarity waiting!" Applejack said with a smile on her face. Rainbow was smiling too. They rose from the table and started walking towards the Carousel Boutique. This time AJ was like glued to Rainbows side, which she thought was awesome. Rainbow could again smell the apples form Applejack's mane.
"I like the scent of your mane," Rainbow said. Applejack looked surprised.
"Ah didn't expect you to notice," Applejack said.
"It really fits you," Rainbow said and moved her muzzle in AJ's mane. Applejack blushed and said: "Stop it! Everypony is watching."
Rainbow did as AJ asked.
They were now at the Carousel Boutique. Applejack went to the front door and knocked on the door. They heard muffled sound behind the door, followed by hoofsteps. The door was opened by a teenager pony.
"Oh hi Applejack!" Sweetie Belle greeted her. "Hi Rainbow Dash! We haven't seen in a long time!" Sweetie Belle said and hugged them both. "Hey there kid! Is Rarity home?" Rainbow asked.
"She has been under a lot of work pressure lately, and she told me to say that she isn't home if somepony comes asking for her. But I think she wont mind if I let you guys in," Sweetie Belle said and let them in.
"Rarity! You have visitors!" Sweetie Belle shouted. They heard hoofsteps coming from Rarity's work room.
"Sweetie Belle! I told you I wont have any visitors today! Why is it so hard to..." Rarity came in the lounge and stopped on her tracks when she saw Rainbow Dash and Applejack. She let a girlish squeal and ran to hug them.
"Oh girls! It's been almost a life time since saw you!" Rarity said excited.
"More like two weeks actually," Applejack said.
"But it felt like a life time to me!" Rarity said with a dramatic voice. Rarity shooed Sweetie Belle away to make some tea for them before continuing: "So what are you two doing here? Hm?"
"We just wanted to see you, we already met Pinkie Pie," Rainbow answered. Rarity then noticed that they were still standing in the lounge. "oh, where are my matters! Please come to the living room and sit down," she said.
They all made their way trough Rarity's working room, which was full of beautiful dresses made by Rarity.. "Whoo-wee Rarity! These dresses are really amazing!" Applejack admired.
"Oh, these are just some old rags. You should see the ones I already sent to Canterlot," Rarity said with a little pride in her voice. They arrived to the living room where they sat down around Rarity's tea table. They talked about what they had done since the last time they had seen each other. Soon Sweetie Belle brought their tea to them.
"So how is it going with the wonderbolts?" Rarity asked from Rainbow Dash. "Well I think its going good. Half the team has approved me but..." Rainbow started explaining. While Rainbow talked, Rarity noticed how Applejack was sitting right next to Rainbow, and she was looking Rainbow with pretty strange way too. Little gears in Rarity's head started spinning, after all she was professional in these things. Also the little gossip queen in her started to wake up.
"...And that's good thing, right?" Rainbow finished. Rarity was still in her thoughts. She snapped from her thought's when Applejack asked: "Are you alright?"
"Oh yes, I just remembered I had to get something from the kitchen. Um, Rainbow? Could you come and give me a helping hoof, if you don't mind," Rarity said and rose from the table.
"Okay, sure."
"Ah can help, if you need me," Applejack said.
"Oh no dear, you just sit here. This won't take long at all," Rarity said to AJ and walked to the kitchen with Rainbow Dash.
In the kitchen Rarity suddenly pressed Rainbow against the wall. Rainbow was surprised and tried to yell: "Hey what the..."
"Shh!" Rarity hushed her. Rainbow stopped yelling and looked at Rarity. "What the hay Rarity?" she said, a bit quieter this time. "What's going on between you two?" Rarity asked playfully.
"What do you mean?" Rainbow asked.
"Don't try to fool me. I saw how Applejack looked at you while you were talking, so tell me what's going on!" Rarity said with a smirk. Rainbow was silent for a while. Then she put on a face that said 'I surrender' and said: "We're together."
Rarity's smile widened and she said: "I knew it! Since when?"
"We started today," Rainbow answered.
"Today? So nopony else knows?" Rarity asked with a doubtful look on her face.
"Yeah," Rainbow said, then she remembered that she needed some help from Rarity.
"I actually need your help."
"My help? With Applejack?" Rarity asked surprised.
"Yes! She want's to do something romantic, and I don't know anything about being romantic!" Rainbow said. Rarity looked puzzled. She thought for a moment and said: "It would take hours to tell you how be romantic, so I have to give you a crash course."
"Okay, just make it quick!"
Rarity thought what to tell. Then she brightened up as she got an idea.
"You're going to go have a lovely, romantic picnic with her!"
"A picnic?" Rainbow asked with a small hint of suspicion in her voice.
"It's the best I can think of on such a short notice!" Rarity said with slight annoyance.
"Okay okay! Just tell me what I need to do!"
"Okay, here's the plan: "You are going to get a basket and a big blanket. Meanwhile I will go to Sucargube Corner and get you some treats. After that you come back here and I give you the treats and you go find some nice place to watch the sunset. Am I clear?" Rarity explained to Rainbow with voice that made her sound like the captain of Celestia's guards.
"Yes. But I can't let you buy those treats for us! They'll cost a lot," Rainbow tried to protest.
"Nonsense! Now we will go back to your new marefriend and act like this conversation never happened."
"Right, and Rarity. I would really appreciate if you kept this thing for yourself. Applejack is still pretty nervous about this," Rainbow said and gave Rarity a pleading look. Rarity thought for a moment. She didn't want to miss such a juicy gossip, but Rainbow and Applejack were her friends after all.
"You got my word."
Rainbow and Rarity returned from the kitchen and saw Applejack drinking tea with Sweetie Belle. Applejack turned her head towards them and said: "You were there pretty long time. Everything okay?" Rainbow and Rarity changed a nervous looks with each other, but AJ and Sweetie Belle didn't seem to notice.
"Oh yes, everything's fine, the thing was just heavier than I excepted," Rainbow said and sat down next to AJ. Rarity sat down next to Sweetie Belle. They had a little chatter about Sweetie Belle's studies. Rarity then a smirk on her face and asked: "How about your new coltfriend Sweetie Belle? I never met him." This made Sweetie Belle blush.
"It's not your business!" she said, stumbling in her words. Then she rose from the table and ran upstairs.
"Is she okay, she looked pretty upset," Applejack said and watched as Sweetie Belle slammed the door shut behind her.
"She will be fine, she is just being a drama queen," Rarity said. Rainbow and Applejack looked at her with a small smile on their faces. Rarity noticed that and put a sheepish smile on her face.
Talk about Sweetie Belle's coltfriend reminded AJ of something. "Speaking of coltfriends and stuff. Have you seen mah brother lately?" Applejack asked. Rarity's expression changed immediately.
"No.. no I haven't... why you ask?" she said clearly nervous about the situation. AJ saw that and narrowed her eyes. She then asked: "Well, he's been dating somepony for a week now." Rarity was now silent. Her expression went from shocked to a bit sad. "Oh, I.. I didn't know that. Who is she?"
Applejack noticed Rarity's sudden change of mood and said: "We don't know... Rarity, Are you alright?"
"No. I mean yes! -" Rarity looked at the clock "- Oh, but I have to get back to work," She said. They stood up and Rarity escorted them back to the front door. They said good byes and after AJ left, Rarity quickly whispered into Rainbows ear: "Remember our little plan, au revoir!"
After they left, Applejack turned to face Rainbow.. "Uhm, Rainbow. Did you see that?," she asked.
"I did. Why was Rarity acting so weird? Is she the one dating Bic Mac?" Rainbow said and turned her head to look at the Carousel Boutique. Applejack was silent for a moment before answering: "No. I don't think so. She looked a bit disappointed when I said he was dating somepony."
Rainbow turned her had back to AJ, she had puzzled look on her face.
"Are you saying that she has a crush on Big Mac?" Rainbow asked.
"Maybe," Applejack said.
They were silent for a moment. Then Applejack cleared her voice and asked: "You still remember what you said before we went to see Rarity?" Rainbow smiled and said: "Yep. But we need to get something first." Rainbow said and started walking.
"What's that?" Applejack asked.
"A basket and a blanket, we're going to have a 'romantic' picnic," Rainbow said. Applejack giggled and asked: "Did you plan that all by yourself?."
Rainbow put on a sheepish smile and said: "Well... Rarity helped a little."
Applejack looked at Rainbow.
"Did ya tell her!?"
"No! She already knew! You know you can't keep these things from her!" Rainbow tried to calm AJ down. AJ gave her a skeptical look. Then it turned into a smile. "Ah believe you. Don't worry," she said and nuzzled Rainbows neck. A wide grin spread across her face. After AJ finished, she asked: "So where are we going to get a basket and a blanket? We also need something to fill the basket I recon."
"Rarity promised to get us something from the Sucargube Corner. And don't worry, I made her promise that she won't tell anypony," Rainbow said. Applejack sighed in relief. Then she asked: "Where are we going to get a basket? We have one at the farm, but it's pretty far away from here." Rainbow had forgotten that they actually had to find the basket. She thought for a moment and then she got a idea.
"I bet that Fluttershy has a basket! Her place is not too far either!" She said to Applejack.
"Okay, that sounds good."
Rainbow nodded and they started to walk towards the edge of the Everfree forest.