"Well, if you don't need my help in rolling things into the barn, then I guess this is where I get off." Stu hopped out of the cart. Flexing his wings, he turned around where he stood on the edge of town and smiled at Applejack and Rainbow Dash in the starlight. "Whew! Those were some stories, AJ. You gotta share 'em again sometime when I've got more of a solid head on my shoulders. They're totally worth writing down!"
"Dun y'all even dare!" Applejack said, pointing a mean hoof. "Them's too embarrassing for the likes of paper!"
Stu raised an eyebrow. "Especially the ones where little filly Applejack almost had to be papertrained in Manehattan?"
"Rrrrgh..." Applejack rolled her eyes. "I knew this was a bad idea."
Stu chuckled. "I won't share with anypony." He crossed his heart with a hoof. "Promise. I'm sure the secret's safe with Rainbow Dash too. Isn't that right, Rainbow?"
"Zzzzzzzz..." Rainbow leaned back in the cart, her muzzle wide open.
Applejack barked: "Hey! Rainbow!"
"Snkkkt—gah!" Rainbow Dash jolted in place. "Secrets?! I-I haven't any secrets!" She gulped. "To tell, that is... th-they're safe with me." She smiled awkwardly. "Eheheheh..."
"Goddess have mercy..." Applejack rolled her eyes. "See ya next time, Stu. I've got some chores with feedin' the livestock the next two days, so..."
"Right..." Stu saluted. "I know when to stay out of your hair."
Rainbow nearly bit on her own tongue.
"It's been a blast! And I'll be training extra hard, weather captain!"
"Uh huh..."
And as Stu trotted off towards his apartment, the wagon rolled along, taking a bend down the dirt road leading to Sweet Apple Acres.
"Whew... that silly stallion..." Applejack shook her head with a smirk. "Honestly dunno how he drags them tales out of me."
"Jee, I dunno, AJ..." Rainbow Dash stretched, yawning on the seat of the wagon above Applejack. "Maybe cuz you open your mouth and tell him?"
"Heh. Plain'n'simple truth. I'm usually a lot more guarded than that. But... I dunno what it is. I guess he just tickles the tongue into tap-dancin', if ya catch my drift."
"No, I don't."
"You've been awfully quiet this whole time, RD. Everythang good?"
"Well, the two of you have been awfully unquiet."
Applejack blinked. "Oh... uhm..." She fidgeted, her hooves dragging slightly in the dirt. "Shucks. I... I-I guess I just wasn't payin' attention to how much I was gabbin' like a schoolfilly.' She gulped. "Rainbow, I'm awful sorry. And here I invited you to sit along with us too."
"It's... it's..." Rainbow took a deep breath. "It's okay. I mean... erm..." She brushed the back of her head. "Is it really a sin to enjoy yourself that much?"
"Well, not if my friends ain't enjoyin' themselves too."
"Hmmmm..." Rainbow Dash sighed out of a lazy smile. "Guess you can never take the 'A-OK' out of 'AJ.'" She waved a hoof, winking slyly. "No big whoop, girl. I've hung out with the likes of Rarity and Fluttershy before. I know what it's like to be the third mare looking in."
"Oh land's sakes... do ya mean actually visitin' Aloe and Lotus' Spa? The whole nine yards?"
"One time. I tried it one time." Rainbow Dash stifled a giggle. "I sat on the sidelines, hugging my hooves, giving the twins a death glare if they came within so much as a brick-toss of my hooves! Poor Rarity and Fluttershy laid on their backs with wet hooves for two hours. They couldn't think of anything to say. I swear—you could hear a housefly gagging to death on a breadcrumb in that place. Whew!"
"Hahahah... oh gosh, that sounds mighty awkward!"
"With a capital C... for 'Coronary'."
"Hah hah hah hah..." Applejack guffawed.
Rainbow Dash reveled in it. For a brief moment, she sighed...
And then... "Whew... Rainbow?"
"Yeah, AJ?"
"Do... d-do you think I've been hangin' out with Stu a bit too much as of late?"
"... ... ..." Rainbow Dash blinked. Wide. "Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."
"Like... almost every day, we've been doin' chores together. Chattin'. Relaxin'. Like... real good friends, y'know?" Applejack cleared her throat. Her trot shuffled a bit, weaving left and right across the road in sway with her inner thoughts. "Just... I-I sometimes wonder if it comes across as real... real sudden—like. Ya reckon?"
Rainbow blinked again. She teetered left... then right. Her ears flicked. "...uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."
"Eugh... will ya just listen to me? I'm puttin' ya on the gul-durn spot and for no reason! Heavens to betsy..." Applejack face-hoofed. "I never thought I'd live to say this..."
"Uhhhh... say what?"
"But... b-but I think I'm startin' to sound like Rarity."
Rainbow arched an eyebrow. "Like Rarity?"
"Cuz... y'know how she is." Applejack grumbled. The pace of the wagon picked up slightly, bumping along the road. "Ramblin' on and on all melodramatic-like about some silly stallion she fancies. Shovin' it all into other pony's faces for no darn good reason."
"Well... it's... uh..." Rainbow cleared her throat. "I guess it's just cuz she simply... fancies a stallion from time to time." She gulped, then squinted out one eye. "Y'know...?"
"I... I..." Just then, the apple cart stopped.
Silence.
"...do I know?" Applejack exhaled.
Rainbow Dash fidgeted... nearly shivering.
More silence.
"Mmmmff... tarnation..." Applejack started grinding her hooves against the dirt road again. She pulled the wagon up a steep hill. The candlelights in the windows of the Apple Family Farmhouse blinked over the grassy crest. "I've said it before... and I'll say it again. All I need from life is some good, honest, hard work." She huffed and puffed. "And to know that my friends and family are safe."
Rainbow Dash gulped. "Y'know... friends and family both come from somewhere."
"Huh?"
Rainbow winced. "Nothing, I just..." She sighed, brushing her bangs back. "Just thinking out loud."
"Well, so long as one of us is."
"Yeah... I guess..."
"Eheheheh..."
"Heh heh heh..."
More silence... this time deafening.
"Uhm... I-I think I'll fly on home now," Rainbow Dash squeaked. She flapped her wings, lifting up off the wagon. "Thanks for the lift... even if... heh... it was in the opposite direction."
"Erm... my pleasure."
"Have a good night's sleep, AJ," Rainbow said, taking off. "And wish Apple Bloom good night for me as well—"
"Rainbow..."
Rainbow's heart stopped. It anchored her body in place. She looked back, shivering slightly.
Applejack unhitched herself from the wagon. Trotting about, she turned and glanced up. Warm green eyes sparkled in the starlight. "I meant what I said earlier... even if I was too plum giddy to stick to it."
"Erm... stick to what?"
"You and me," Applejack said. A thunderous breath later: "Hangin' out like we used to. Just... dun seem proper for us not to, y'know? I mean... last thing I wanna do in life is... is turn my back on my friends." She gulped. "Ya reckon?"
Rainbow Dash stared down at her. She gulped, then put on a brave smile. "No matter what happens, Applejack, I know that I can always... always count on you being the... b-best friend ever."
Applejack opened her muzzle. Gradually, she exhaled. It was a soft breath, followed by an even softer smile. Then a nod. "Yeah... and back at ya, sugarcube."
Rainbow smiled. Her teeth showed, and she spun east before it could turn into a grimace. Rainbow rocketed her way across town, clenching her eyes tightly shut against the wind.
They stayed dry for as long as they needed to. And then Rainbow Dash reached home.