Applejack sat on the back platform of the caboose, watching the desert flash by. Her friends were all inside, but she had a lot to think about. She'd made up with Dash, she guessed. Or they'd made up for the fight they technically had, over the buffalo's stampeding grounds. But the problem Applejack had noticed before they left was still there.
She was the element of honesty, she'd never lie, but she did have a very hard and fast definition of what was her business and what was other ponies business. Something worrying her that nopony could change was her business, her problem to deal with. That was clear.
But these past few days had shown her all too well what could happen if ponies weren't open enough with their problems. And they had shown her that there are ways out of even the toughest places. And she had Pinkie's darn song stuck in her head, and she likely wasn't getting it out without somepony to distract her.
She was relieved the hear the door behind her open, and even more to hear Rainbow Dash's voice.
“Hey.”
“Howdy. Can ya' sit a spell? I need a word with ya',” she said, still looking at the desert.
“That's why I came out here.” Dash sat down next to AJ. Applejack felt the pegasus's wing twitch, but it didn't wrap around her. Instead Dash just looked at her, “What's wrong?”
“I oughta admit. . . was a little upset with ya' already, before we even left for Appleoosa.”
Dash nodded. “You know, I kinda figured that when you spent a few days talking to a tree and didn't say anything to me.”
“Well, I was wrong to act like that. It wasn't even your fault.” She sighed, “Remember the other night, when we were talkin' bout foals? You were sayin' you didn't want 'em, cause of joinin' The Wonderbolts, and I was sayin' how I did one day?”
“Hold up! You're saying this is because I don't want foals? AJ, I-”
“No, it ain't just that. It's you and The Wonderbolts and me and Sweet Apple Acres. I been fallin for ya', and I plumb forgot. . . it can't last. You're gonna fly off and join The Wonderbolts one day, and I ain't about to leave my farm and run off chasin' rainbows. Rememberin' that made me a bit prickly, and I couldn't see a way out.” Applejack sighed. She glanced over at Dash, who was starting to look panicked by the conversation.
AJ gave her a nuzzle on the cheek and went on. “But then this here trip got me thinkin'. . . maybe we'll find a way through this. Maybe one day we can find a compromise we can both live with. And maybe it's worth takin' that chance. What do ya' think?”
Dash gave a relieved sigh and smiled. “AJ, where's my house?”
Applejack stared at her for a second, confused by the question. “You went and lost it? I knew that was gonna happen onea these days! That's the first thing I thought when I saw it floatin' up there, that thing's just gonna blow off one day, and-”
She stopped because Dash was laughing at her. “You are such an earth pony. That's not how cloud houses work, AJ. I'm pretty sure it's where I left it, which is. . .?”
“Ponyville?”
Dash nodded, “Right. And where do all of my friends live?”
“Ponyville.”
“Yup. And where will I always be able to find you?”
Applejack just smiled, understanding what Dash was getting at.
Rainbow Dash smiled too. “Right. No matter what happens I'll be around Ponyville as much as I can, and I'll always be there whenever you need me. Of course we can find a way through.”
Applejack grinned, “Thanks, sugarcube. You sayin' that makes me a lot more sure.”
“And, for the record? I said I didn't want to have foals. That's like, a year per kid I'd have to take off from being a Wonderbolt. I never thought about being a mom if somepony I love wanted to have the foals. . . but that sounds like it might be a pretty cool deal, someday.”
Applejack smiled and nuzzled Dash's cheek, “I still think you'd make a good ma. Maybe not quite as good as me, but-”
Dash grinned and kissed AJ's nose, “Oh, it's on now.”
Applejack laughed, “We got a ways to go before we buck them apples.”
“Yeah. And plenty of time until then, just you and me running and playing and-” Dash finished by kissing AJ on the neck.
“Mmm. . .” Applejack moaned softly, closing her eyes and nuzzling Dash as the pegasus kissed and nibbled on her.
Dash pulled away a little, and grinned.“Yeah, lots of 'mmm.'”
Applejack caught Dash's lips, putting her weight behind the kiss and forcing the entirely willing pegasus to lay back on the platform. Dash wrapped her forelegs around Applejack, running her hooves over her marefriend's body until they reached her flank.
Applejack felt a hoof run over her cutie mark and broke the kiss quickly, “If you think we're doin' that on the back of a movin' train, you lost your darn mind.”
Dash smirked. “Can't blame a pony for trying.”
“Hooves in front of the cutie mark, or I'll buck ya offa here.”
“Got it.” Dash said, as Applejack's lips met hers again, and the two settled into nice long make out session.
By the time they looked up, laying in one anothers legs, the scenery had changed and Celestia was lowering the sun in the sky. There was still enough light to see the green hills and farmland, and those warmed Applejack's heart. It meant that they were closer to home, closer to her farm and family, closer to where she belonged. She smiled and sighed in happy contentment.
Dash grinned at her, “Kissing usually makes everything better, doesn't it?”
“It ain't just that. I'm just happy to be near the fields I know again. But I'm glad I got the chance to see the desert, and go runnin' with you and that buffalo gal.”
“Yeah, Little Strongheart is cool. I think she had a crush on me,” Dash said with a little smile.
AJ eyed Rainbow Dash, “What's that supposed to mean?”
“It's not like I did anything.” Dash laughed. “Just that I probably could've done something if I didn't have a marefriend already.”
“So, is that why you were so quick to side with the buffalo?” Applejack asked, a little accusingly.
“No. It was totally unfair what was happening to the buffalo. But also. . . I really hated that tree.” Dash admitted.
“Bloomberg?” Applejack asked in surprise, “How could ya' hate Bloomberg?
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “You spent three days talking to it! And the other night in the orchard, the tree got a good night kiss and I didn't!”
“You're sayin' you were jealous?”
“No!” Dash protested. “Well, maybe a little.”
Applejack side eyed her. “He's a tree, Dash.”
Dash pouted a minute, then smirked, “Hey, we haven't gotten past heavy petting, I don't know what kinda stuff you're into.”
Applejack's mouth fell open as her brain refused to understand Dash's implication. “What do ya'. . . How's that. . . That's. . . I think I'm just gonna pretend you didn't say that.”
Dash started giggling, “No, I understand. It's lonely on the farm, and there's this big strong apple tree-”
“I'm not listenin' to you!” AJ said, rising to her hooves.
“A pony has urges after all.” Dash said.
AJ opened the door and started back into the train, “I wonder if Pinkie wants to sing that song again. It's better than thinkin' 'bout this.”
“Hope you use protection! You don't wanna get splinters!” Dash called, rolling on the platform with laughter as AJ slammed the door behind her.