"Big Mac just told me you missed the Fantastic Apple Sculpture!" Rainbow Dash, hovering slightly out of reach, asked of Applejack when they met in market the next day. "How? It lasted for eight minutes. It had a coda for pony's sake!"
Tangents. Classic Rainbow trick. "I told him to tell you I was in the cellar. Yes, for eight minutes." She caught herself, and stamped a hoof. "And that's not why I wanted to talk to you! Ever since you saved me from that wagon you've been acting weird, and it's bothering me, and I want to know why!"
Rainbow panicked. "I just thought-" she glanced around, thinking of an excuse. "I just thought our relationship-" she wanted to kick herself. "-Was really... antagonistic! Yeah, that's it."
Applejack cocked an eyebrow. "Antagonistic? You saying I'm hindering you? Why, that's the-"
Rainbow panicked more. "No no no, I mean, all we seem to do together is argue and try to beat the other at games!" she hastily explained. "I just felt like it'd nice to do something for somepony, especially... you." She sighed.
"Huh, well." Applejack said. "And here I thought I had your family held for ransom and didn't know it, or something. So why didn't you tell me?"
"Because it'd be totally lame. 'Oh hey Applejack, I'm going to do Nice Things so we can be pals!'" Rainbow rolled her eyes. "I'd probably barf from how lame it is. And you might think I was being sarcastic if I did that."
Applejack laughed. "Yeah, I could see that. But, you mind being a bit more obvious with the whole 'nice things' thing?"
Applejack thought that was that.
But it wasn't. Things started to happen. When she and her friends got together, Rainbow was always avoiding her. Rainbow sat on the opposite side of the picnic blanket. Every now and then, she saw a flourish in the sky that she was certain Rainbow had left for her. The rain came exactly on time and ended over Sweet Apple Acres before anywhere else. She suddenly started getting a steady stream of anonymous gifts on her doorstep every week. They were always in silver wrapping paper and always arrived on Friday - when the weather team is payed on Thursday. And then she-
"Applejack, something wrong?"
"Oh it's- hi, Apple Bloom," Applejack said. She was sitting on her bed, admiring a small sliver cloud-shaped pendant. "Yeah, and it's about-"
"-Your secret admirer?" Apple Bloom cut in.
Applejack blushed. "Can't a pony just get gifts from somepony who doesn't leave a return address without it having to be all romantic-like?"
"Oh come on!" Apple Bloom whined. "What's so strange about it? I mean, I thought you'd have a few dozen by now, since you're such a neat pony and all."
Applejack sighed. "Because I think they're from Rainbow Dash."
Apple Bloom nodded. "Oh, so you think your secret admirer is-" She gasped in surprise, growing a huge, giddy smile. "Your secret admirer is Ra-"
"Don't say it!" Applejack said sharply.
"Why not?"
"It'd just be really weird. Trust me, I've thought about it a couple of times, it don't make no sense at all. As long as we've been friends it'd... I'm not sure." Applejack shook her head. "Anyway, whatever her reason, it's not like her to do these things. And here I thought we cleared this up."
Apple Bloom frowned a little. "Applejack, are you mad at her?"
Applejack shook her head a little, looked Apple Bloom in the eye, then flopped on her bed. "I don't know, a little, maybe, probably, because I think she might've lied to me. But either way, Apple Bloom, she's hiding something, something really big from me."
Apple Bloom sat on the bed next to her sister. "So, what, you're gonna talk to her again? What if she says the same stuff as last time?"
Applejack, still laying, smirked. "I think you and her both have forgotten who's the undefeated lasso-throwing champion of Equestria, seven years running!"
Apple Bloom turned to Applejack, and they sat in silence for several moments. Applejack's grin never went down.
"...Didn't you get second place that one time?" Apple Bloom finally said.
"Undefeated. I think they bribed that judge. There's no way he thought some rodeo clown could toss a lasso better than me!"
"Applejack, that was Braeburn."
"Then, land's sake, our cousin is a doggone clown!"
They sat in silence for several moments. Then they burst out laughing.
Applejack yawned. She could stay up late every now and then just fine, as long as there was something to do. But all she could do was wait and watch. She couldn't avert her eyes for a second, either, as she was waiting for the fastest pony in Equestria. "Why can't I have a stake-out for Fluttershy, or Rarity?" Applejack quietly muttered to herself. "No, just has to be a pony who brags about being quick and flies everywhere." She realized she was speaking out loud, and frowned. Can't even grumble to break the monotony. Just sit behind the brush, lasso at the ready, and wait.
And wait.
Applejack was about to throw in the towel when she heard a swoosh above her, much different than the trees rustling in the breeze. Readying herself for disappointment, she mustered all her effort into watching the front door one last time.
It was worth the wait. Rainbow Dash was silently stalking towards the door, a package in her mouth. She was as quiet as could be, but a pony as colorful as her stood out from her dark surroundings. The package was a small box in silvery wrapping paper, like all the others. Applejack had caught the anonymous gifter red-hoofed.
That varmit! That lying varmit! Applejack thought to herself through grit teeth. In one swift motion she threw the lasso, hoping to get any part of Rainbow at all. Seven years of championships, or at least close, had to count for something.
"What the- my leg! It's-uh oh." Rainbow said as she saw the lasso around her rear leg - and who was walking towards her, holding the other end. Rainbow's wings spread on instinct.
"Rainbow Dash!" Applejack yelled, brow furrowed. "You liar! You scamp! You... you... If my granny heard the words I want to yell at you, she'd start crying! What are you doing?"
Rainbow fake-laughed nervously. "You know, bringing a gift for a good friend!" she said, mustering her most sheepish smile.
Applejack grit her teeth and yanked the rope, taking Rainbow's leg out from under her and causing her to fall on her side. "That's not what I mean, and you know it! You told me all this sneaky stuff was done! And here after we have that talk I suddenly start getting gifts, and I hoped it would be anypony but you." She walked closer to Rainbow, causing the pegasus to crawl back until she hit a tree. "Rainbow Dash, the only thing I hate more than a liar is a pony who makes a fool out of me, and right now, you're both. So tell me, right now, why you're doing this!"
Rainbow Dash glanced to her sides. "I... I... I just..." she stuttered.
"And if you lie to me again, Celestia help me, they'll spend weeks cleaning up what's left of you," Applejack said, stamping for emphasis.
Rainbow Dash only stared, sweat rolling down her brow. The bark against her back was hurting. "Because-" she gasped, the words refusing to leave. Tears started welling in her eyes.
"Because I love you!!"
Rainbow Dash kept her eyes closed. The tears started to roll down her cheeks. Nothing happened. Time seemed to stop. At least, it felt that way. Every passing second felt like hours, and it all made her hate herself more and more. Everything she dreaded happened anyway. Applejack was as far from swooning as possible. She messed up somewhere, and it was a pretty big mess-up. Nothing persisted. She wished something, anything would just happen, to free her from this tension.
You... love me? That ain't no lie, is it," she finally said.
"Don't make me say it again!" Rainbow sobbed, still refusing to look up. "Please, it nearly killed me."
Applejack's ears drooped. "But, why... then you... why didn't you just tell me?" she finally sputtered out.
Rainbow shook her head, scattering teardrops. "Because I thought it'd be lame! Yeah, sure, like this is so much better!" She buried her face in her hooves.
Silence settled. Rainbow grimaced.
"Applejack, I know this is selfish, but just say something. Anything. I can't stand the quiet."
Applejack's brow furrowed. "What do you want me to say? You lie to me and-"
"I know! I know!" Rainbow interrupted. "It was stupid! I was stupid! I am stupid! Stupid stupid stupid! All I've done is ticked you off!" She kept her face in her hooves, and sobbed softly.
Applejack frowned. "Come on, sugarcube. It wasn't that bad."
"Yes it was!" Rainbow yelled. "I'm so head-over-heels for you I do everything to make you dislike me and all I can to make you mad at me!"
"Rainbow, there's a lot of things I can call you. Stupid ain't on the list nearly as high up as proud is."
"Huh?" Rainbow Dash said. She looked up, and saw Applejack smiling softly.
"Now, I'll agree you ain't the smartest pony, but more than that, it takes a lot just to make you admit you're wrong about a game of horseshoes." Applejack untied the lasso around Rainbow's leg.
"What are you saying?" Rainbow asked.
"I'm saying I can tell you're plenty serious about this. It takes something real strong to make you even consider fault." Applejack thought for a second. "Tell ya what, I know this is real selfish of me, but it's late and you dropped a real bombshell on me. I gotta have time to sleep and think about this." She said.
Rainbow turned away, frowning. "Don't bother. There's no point. You're too good for me. I don't deserve a pony who tells me that after I tick her off so much."
Applejack snickered warmly. "Now now, Rainbow, I don't think so. It takes a mighty strong pony to admit that, so I'd say you're a mighty strong pony."
Rainbow turned to face Applejack. Her warm smile and little freckled cheeks filled Rainbow with a cacophony of emotions she couldn't withstand. She fell forwards, collapsing into Applejack. "I love you," Rainbow said between choked sobs.
Applejack patted her on the back of the head. "I know, I know."