Day Four - Confrontation
Rainbow Dash woke the next morning feeling miserable. A brief reflection reminded her of why. She’d upset her friend, overstepped her boundaries, and made a foal of herself. On top of that, she was hungry, and unable to bring herself to brave Applejack’s home just yet.
She sighed heavily, getting up to scrounge around for what food still remained at her house. Her efforts were rewarded by a bowl of cereal, which was just as well, as she doubted she could stomach much else.
Rainbow looked around her empty home as she nibbled on her cereal. Normally at this time, she would be feeding Tank and, more recently, sitting down at the Apple family table for a hearty breakfast. But both lay amongst a vast orchard of apple trees on the outskirts of Ponyville. One, she remembered, she had pledged a month’s service to.
Rainbow groaned as she considered her options. She couldn’t hope to assist Applejack today, and she couldn’t just sit today out. Maybe Big Mac needed some help.
Swallowing her last bite of cereal, Rainbow resolved to do whatever she could to help out at the orchard that didn’t involve direct contact with Applejack. Why did this have to happen?
Applejack was awoken by an object colliding with her stomach. Rainbow Dash? But upon sitting up, she determined that the yelp of surprise and small body rolling off of her did not belong to the pegasus.
“Sorry, Winona.” Applejack reached out to give her canine companion a chin scratch. Winona barked excitedly in response, wagging her tail and darting out of her room.
What’s gotten her all worked up today? Applejack thought back on recent events, soon wishing she hadn’t. Oh, right.
Significantly less cheerful than when she had woken up, Applejack made her way downstairs to an empty-feeling kitchen table where breakfast sat, extravagant as ever.
“Ya feelin’ alright, sis?” Big Mac asked once Applejack had taken her seat.
“Ah’ll manage,” Applejack mumbled in response, taking only a single pancake from the stack. Foregoing syrup, Applejack immediately began her incredibly slow consumption of the normally-tasty treat.
Before she could make more than a visible mark on the pancake, she felt her throat clench as her stomach refused further nourishment. Applejack released her meal with a sigh, rising from her seat and heading outside without a word.
Big Mac shared glances with Apple Bloom and Granny Smith before excusing himself from the table to follow his remarkably depressed sister. Ah gotta know what’s makin’ her this way.
Mac found Applejack sitting at the base of a tree, trying to work up the strength to give it a proper buck. “AJ, this is gettin’ silly. Why don’t ya tell me what’s wrong?”
“Don’ wanna,” Applejack replied curtly, walking off to find another suitable tree.
Big Mac followed. “Sometimes ya gotta do things ya don’ wanna do.”
Applejack snorted. “Don’ care.”
“C’mon, AJ, yer startin’ ta worry me here. This ain’t like you. Whatever it is, Ah promise Ah won’ judge; Apple’s honor.”
Applejack turned to face her brother, exasperated. “Yer not gonna leave me alone, are ya?”
Big Mac shook his head stubbornly, a wry smile gracing his lips.
Applejack sighed heavily, plopping down into a sitting position. “Alright, if ya gotta know, things got outta hoof with Rainbow an’ me.”
Big Mac urged her on with a hoof, unsatisfied.
Applejack scowled. “She kissed me.”
Big Mac’s eyes widened. “Yer kiddin’? That’s great!”
“No it’s not great! It was awkward, an’ weird, an’…” Applejack sighed, losing her will to argue. “An’ Ah liked it.”
Big Mac advanced on Applejack, offering a hoof in support, placed soothingly across her shoulders. “So why’s that got ya down? Sounds like things are goin’ great.”
“They were,” Applejack insisted, “but Ah messed it up.”
Big Mac squeezed Applejack tighter when her voice faltered.
“Ah… Ah yelled at her, an’ chased her away. Ah’m not even sure it was on purpose. It was just so…”
“Unexpected?” Big Mac suggested.
“Yeah.” Applejack leaned against Mac’s side. “An’ now she probably don’ want anything ta do with me.”
“Sounds ta me like yer makin’ this bigger ‘n it is, AJ. Ya said ya weren’t sure she kissed ya on purpose?”
“Probably not,” Applejack admitted.
“Then she’s probably just as shaken up ‘bout it as you.” Big Mac focused on some distant spot in the sky. Applejack tried to follow his gaze, but whatever he had seen was no longer in sight. “Ah won’ make ya do anythin’ ya don’ wanna. But ya really should talk to her.”
“Ah’ll try,” Applejack promised.
With nothing left to say, Big Mac gave Applejack a hug, which she returned gratefully. He offered his sister a reassuring smile before heading back inside to finish his meal. Applejack merely sat where she was, collecting her thoughts for another attempt to buck the tree before her.
After a few more minutes offered no more conviction, Applejack righted herself, taking a deep breath. She spun in place to deliver a buck to the tree only to scuff it with a single hoof before collapsing in a heap. While such a failure usually frustrated her and emboldened her to try again, she found it now only made her feel worse.
“What chance do Ah got with Rainbow if Ah can’t even buck a tree right?”
Rainbow Dash circled high above Sweet Apple Acres, searching for a big, red stallion amongst trees that had developed a frustrating number of red fruit. “How am I gonna do this if I can’t even find him?” Rainbow didn’t dare fly any lower for risk of being spotted, but she was getting impatient.
Just as she was about ready to fly off, she caught sight of a red shape emerging from the tree-line, headed for the fields. Rainbow didn’t need more of a lead than that to rush down to investigate.
Big Macintosh turned as Rainbow landed behind him. “Thought Ah saw ya up there.”
“Hey, Mac. I was wondering if you needed any help today, since…” Rainbow struggled to come up with a convincing lie.
Big Macintosh smiled sadly. “Ah heard what happened with you an’ AJ. She’s pretty broken up ‘bout it herself.”
Rainbow sighed. “I just don’t know how it all went so wrong.”
“It might not be as bad as ya think,” Big Mac pointed out.
“Are you kidding? I kissed her, totally by accident, and she yelled at me! I don’t know how you’re supposed to send a clearer message.”
“Way Ah heard it, she was just surprised.”
“I would be, too, if Applejack suddenly decided to kiss me. But I wouldn’t have yelled at her for that.”
“Applejack handles things differently than you do,” Big Mac insisted.
“Yeah, and she only ever yells when I screw something up.”
“Ah ain’t debatin’ that. But yer missin’ the point here.”
Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Oh, so there’s a point to being yelled at by your best friend.”
“Are y’all gonna listen or not?” Big Mac demanded.
“Are we gonna do anything else but lecture me all day?”
“Ah ain’t tryin’ ta lecture ya!”
“And I’m not listening.” Rainbow shot back before Mac could continue. “So if you don’t need my help, and I don’t need this, then I’m out.”
With that, she was gone, and Big Mac sagged. If he could barely get his sister to listen, why did he think he could convince her flighty friend? He could only hope that they’d work this out on their own.
Rainbow touched down at Ponyville’s weather headquarters in a huff. A quick glance at the bulletin board told her her assignment, and for once she was glad it wasn’t Sweet Apple Acres. Ignoring the curious glances from her co-workers, she set off towards Ponyville’s park, thankfully one of the more quiet areas the town offered.
Upon her arrival, Rainbow was baffled to see that the park was almost completely overcast. It seemed that she was the one to pick up the slack today. With a cocky grin, Rainbow set about clearing the skies, grateful for the outlet for her frustrations. Fueled by a need for distraction, she pushed herself harder, losing herself completely in her conquest. While not as entertaining as her previous days on the farm, it was certainly satisfying.
So caught up was she in her destruction of all things white, it didn’t strike her as odd when she spotted a cloud near the ground. With a battle cry, she hurtled after the stray cloud, preparing to give it a firm kick in the-
“Ah!” the cloud cried out in pain. “What in Equestria- Rainbow Dash! Would you care to explain why you are assaulting me?”
That wasn’t right. Clouds couldn’t talk. And they certainly didn’t know her name, or speak in such a high-class accent. In fact, Rainbow could only think of two ponies who fit both of those specifications. And only one of them was white.
“Rainbow Dash, I don’t have time for your games. Now are you going to apologize or not?”
“I…” Rainbow shook her head. “Sorry, Rarity.” She took off without another word, leaving behind a very confused, and slightly bruised, fashionista.
“Well, that was certainly… different,” Rarity said, rubbing the sensitive part of her flank where she had been kicked. “I wonder if Twilight would know what’s gotten into her.” Rarity changed her course to the Golden Oaks Library. Breakfast could wait.
“C’mon you damned apples. Fall already!” Applejack was trying everything in her power, but no matter what she did, she still couldn’t get a single apple for her efforts.
Applejack collapsed after another failed attempt to connect a buck to a trunk. Panting, she wondered, not for the first time, why she had been so stupid. Her stomach gurgled as if to taunt her, as every attempt to fill it ended in pain. Why can’t Ah do nothin’ right?
As Applejack scanned the trees for another suitable tree to attempt to harvest, something yellow caught her eye. Curious, she got up on shaky legs to investigate. The figure was in the direction of the farmhouse, sparking some vague worry in Applejack that made her quicken her pace.
Applejack burst out into the clearing to find Fluttershy waiting patiently by the barn. Intrigued, Applejack approached her. “Fluttershy?”
Fluttershy turned to face her. “Oh, hello, Applejack.”
“What are you doin’ here?”
“Well, Big Macintosh told me that one of your animals had come down with a fever, so I’m here to take him over to my cottage to treat him.” Fluttershy inspected Applejack closer. “You don’t look so good either. Is something wrong?”
Applejack sighed. “It’s a long story. Ah wouldn’t want ta trouble ya.”
“Oh, it’s no trouble at all. If you want to talk about it, you can come with me back to my cottage. I’ll just have to get him settled first.”
“Ah think Ah will,” Applejack said, falling onto her haunches.
Fluttershy smiled. “Oh, good. I’ll make tea, and we can have a nice chat.”
“Ah hope so,” Applejack muttered.
Rarity composed herself before knocking on Twilight’s door. It was answered promptly by Spike.
“Oh, hi, Rarity,” Spike greeted her nervously. “It’s not time to go hunting for gems again already is it?”
Rarity smiled. “Not yet, Spike. I’m simply here to talk to Twilight about a… troubling encounter with Rainbow Dash.”
“She’s not hitting on you, too, is she?” Spike demanded.
Rarity blinked. “What? Heavens, no. Not unless you mean physically.” Rarity paused. “Why? Is she getting into relationship troubles, now? With whom?”
Spike stepped back to let her inside. “Twilight knows more than I do. She’s up on the balcony.”
Rarity halted to place a gentle kiss on Spike’s forehead. “Thank you, Spike.”
“Any time,” Spike said, wobbling in place before inevitably crashing to the floor.
Rarity shook her head and giggled, continuing on to where Twilight was said to be. She was indeed found where Spike had told her to look, gazing up into the sky absently.
“Good morning, Twilight,” Rarity began, gaining Twilight’s attention. “Apologies if I’m interrupting anything. But I just had an odd run-in with Rainbow Dash at the park, and Spike told me that she’d been having problems you would know about.”
“Why, what did she do?” Twilight asked, hoping her first suspicion was invalid.
“Well, I was merely walking along to my favorite breakfast location, when Rainbow Dash flew down and… well, kicked my flank,” Rarity turned to show Twilight the bruise, just below her cutie mark.
“I… I don’t understand. Why would Rainbow just suddenly decide to kick you?”
Rarity turned her gaze to the sky. “I thought about it, and it seemed that she was on one of her weather jobs early. Clearing clouds, I believe.”
Twilight frowned. “So… she thought you were a cloud?”
“It’s the only possibility I dare consider, though she must be terribly disconcerted to make such an error.”
“Well, I talked to her yesterday.” Twilight thought. “I didn’t think I’d given her that much to think about.”
“What about? Spike seemed to think it was something to do with a relationship.”
Twilight sighed. “Well, if he’s already said that much, I guess it can’t hurt to tell you she’s been having an awkward time with Applejack.”
Rarity gasped. “So the rumors are true, then?”
“Not quite, though they may be soon.” Twilight frowned. “You said she was out at the park?”
Rarity nodded.
“She’s supposed to be helping Applejack at the farm. Something must have happened. Do you have any idea where she might have gone?”
“Not in the slightest. Did she mention anything else she’d gotten herself involved with?”
Twilight shook her head. “She wouldn’t talk about anything except Applejack.”
“Then if something bad happened between them…” Rarity paused.
“I just hope she doesn’t do anything stupid.” Twilight hung her head.
“If our only lead on Rainbow Dash is Applejack, do you think it would be a good idea to look for her instead?” Rarity inquired.
“Possibly. She’d probably still be at the Acres somewhere.” Twilight flinched. “But are we sure we should be meddling in their relationship? It might just be something small that was blown out of proportion, and we’d only be making it worse. Neither of them have any prior experience, and you know how stubborn they can be.”
Rarity sighed. “Perhaps you’re right, Twilight. But if something happens…”
Twilight stepped forward. “Then we’ll be there to support them.” Twilight offered Rarity a hug, which was accepted. “They might be stubborn, but they’re also very close. I’m sure they can work out whatever it is that’s happened. I know it’s hard to stand by and do nothing, but we have to give them their space.”
Rarity sighed again. “Why do you always have to be right, Twilight?”
Twilight smiled. “Because in this town, somepony has to be.”
Fluttershy brought tea to her guest as soon as she had her patient settled. It smelled of apples, and Applejack was able to drink a few invigorating gulps.
“Now, tell me what’s wrong,” Fluttershy commanded.
Applejack smiled weakly. “Yes, ma’am.” She took a deep breath. “It’s about Rainbow. Me n’ her have been goin’ through a time together. It’s been all kinds o’ awkward, fun, n’ more ‘n a little confusin’. Rainbow went an’ got it in her head ta start a band together, an’ that’s been a bit of a hoot. She done bought some fancy expensive guitar. Damn well left her broke. So we agreed she would spend a month workin’ the farm in exchange fer food.”
“And how’s that been going?” Fluttershy prodded.
Applejack smiled. “It’s been a great time. She’s a real big help ‘round the Acres, an’ she helps make it fun in her own way. She even got the idea ta ask ta be assigned as the orchard’s sole weatherpony. Never exactly got around to it.
“She’d come up with the idea ta go see Twilight fer advice after a… an incident in the shower.” Applejack blushed. “She was a great help. Let me in on some long lost spell that lets mares have foals together. Gave me a book on it an’ all. Everythin’ was goin’ great. But then Ah did somethin’ stupid.
“We were headin’ home from talkin’ ta Twilight. She was gettin’ all rowdy tryin’a figure out what Twilight gave me. And then somethin’ happened an’ she crashed inta me. ‘Fore Ah knew what was goin’ on, our lips were touchin’ an’ she was leanin’ in all sexy like.”
“Oh my,” Fluttershy murmured.
“Ah didn’ know what ta do, so Ah panicked. Chased her right away like a damn fool.” Applejack sighed. “Stupidest judgment call Ah ever done made.”
“You didn’t say anything hurtful, did you?” Fluttershy fretted.
Applejack thought. “No, ah just asked her what she was doin’ all frantic-like.”
Fluttershy sighed. “Oh, good.”
“Pardon?”
“Applejack, you didn’t do anything wrong. You were just confused and needed more time to think.” Fluttershy took a deep breath. “This is easy to fix. All you need to do is talk to her, apologize for overreacting, and tell her how you really feel.”
Applejack frowned. “Is it really that easy?”
Fluttershy nodded. “It seems like more than it is because you care about her so much. But you’re forgetting how much she cares about you. She’s not going to give up on you so easily. That’s not the Rainbow Dash I grew up with. Just give her time and she’ll come to you, probably to tell you it was her fault. But don’t let her take the blame. She can be just as hard on herself as you.”
“Don’ Ah know it,” Applejack sighed. “Ya sure ‘bout this now? Ah don’ wanna make this worse ‘n it is.”
“Positive,” Fluttershy insisted. “Now you should get on back to the farm. Rainbow Dash could show up any minute.”
“Thanks fer the help, Fluttershy. Ah really appreciate it.” Applejack smiled.
Fluttershy wrapped her in a hug. “Don’t mention it. Get out there and win her back.”
“Yes ma’am.”
Rainbow Dash was wandering around the city, looking for nothing in particular when she found herself in front of Vinyl Scratch’s residence. That’s right. I have guitar lessons today. Rainbow groaned, letting herself in. “I’m here for my lessons, Scratch!”
Just inside the room, Octavia and Vinyl froze mid-make out session on the living room couch. They quickly moved to compose themselves for their sudden guest. “Oh, uh, hey, Rainbow. You’re here early.”
Rainbow looked for a clock dubiously. It read… “It’s only 10?”
“Yeah. Long day?” Vinyl asked.
“You could say that.” Rainbow sighed.
Vinyl shifted on the couch. “Where’s your guitar?”
Rainbow opened her mouth before closing it again, feeling along her back. She sighed again. “It’s back at Applejack’s.”
“Is everything alright?” Octavia asked.
“I…” Rainbow stopped herself short. “No, I can’t do this. Go back to what you were doing. I’m sorry for disturbing you.”
Before Rainbow could more than turn around, Vinyl had locked the door with her magic. “The hell is wrong with you, mare? You’re never polite.”
Octavia glared at her marefriend. “That’s Vinyl’s way of expressing concern. We can both tell something’s bothering you.”
Rainbow sighed, turning back around and seating herself on a chair. “I screwed up with Applejack. She hates me now.”
Vinyl cocked an eyebrow. “What’d you do, kill her sister?”
“Vinyl!” Octavia scolded. “I’m sure it’s nothing so bad, Rainbow.”
“But I kissed her!” Rainbow blurted.
“So? I kiss Tavi all the time, and we’re still going strong.”
“But she doesn’t yell at you!”
Vinyl laughed. “Are you kidding? She yells at me every day.”
“Only because I love you, Vinyl,” Octavia assured.
“So, let’s get this straight. You kissed her, so she yelled at you, and now you think your life is over?” Vinyl summarized.
Rainbow’s face became contemplative. That… didn’t sound quite right stated so plainly.
Vinyl laughed again. “You really are new at this, aren’t you?”
Rainbow averted her gaze, face reddening in embarrassment.
“Tell ya what; all you need to do is go talk to her. She’ll understand, I’m sure.” Vinyl smirked.
Rainbow nodded, feeling very sheepish and more than a little stupid. “I…”
“Don’t mention it,” Vinyl cut her off. “Just let me know when you’ve got your awesome new marefriend.”
Rainbow smiled. “Sure thing. Thanks, Scratch.” She stood up and saw herself out. “Be sure to use protection!”
Vinyl rolled her eyes. “Now, where were we?”
“Kissing, I believe,” Octavia said before re-instigating.
“Awesome.”
Alright. I just have to get to Sweet Apple Acres and apologize to Applejack. I can do this. Rainbow Dash strode confidently out Vinyl’s front door, closing it behind her. She took to the sky, angling for Applejack’s farm, and rocketed off. The wind in her face offered her comforting familiarity. If all went well, she’d be-
“Hey, Rainbow Dash! What’s up?” A pink mare burst out of a nearby cloud.
“Not now, Pinkie. I’m on a mission.”
“Ooh, what kind of mission?” Pinkie put a hoof to her chin. “Is it some kind of super-secret spy mission from Princess Celestia?”
“No, it’s a mission to…” Rainbow shook her head. “No, it’s not that. And it’s not something you would guess, so don’t.”
“Not something I would guess, huh?” Pinkie thought harder. “Does it have to do with flying pigs?”
“No.”
“Evil bananas?”
“No!”
“Applejack?”
“No-“ Rainbow stopped.
“Aha! I knew it! You’re going to go ask Applejack on a date, aren’t you?”
“No, and I’d like to do it on my own if you wouldn’t mind.” Rainbow narrowed her eyes at Pinkie.
“Oh, I get it.” Pinkie winked. “Good luck getting Applejack to not go on a date with you!”
“Pinkie!” Rainbow tried to explain, but she was already gone. “I swear it’s always at the worst times.”
With no other recourse, she continued on to Sweet Apple Acres, slightly more flustered than before.
Applejack sat out on the porch of the farmhouse, waiting patiently for Rainbow to make her appearance. It only took a few minutes before she saw that rainbow trail she knew so well dart into her view. She stepped down from the porch to make herself seen and called out. “Hey, Rainbow!”
Above, Rainbow Dash froze. Oh Luna I’m not ready! She made to dart off again, but was stopped by another call from Applejack.
“Rainbow, wait! Ah need ta talk to ya. It’s important.”
Sighing, Rainbow accepted her fate, coming to land in front of Applejack. “Alright, just let it out. Don’t hold back.” Rainbow stood rigid, eyes firmly closed as she braced herself for a tongue-lashing.
Applejack couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight. And the more she looked at her, the harder it was to resist doing something potentially stupid. In a streak of boldness, Applejack made sure not to hold back as she planted a kiss firmly upon Rainbow’s unsuspecting lips.
Rainbow’s eyes bugged out at the touch. “I… Applejack?” Rainbow managed.
Applejack giggled. “That makes us even, right?”
Rainbow’s face fell. “Oh, yeah. I guess.”
Applejack panicked when she realized her misstep. Her subconscious told her it had worked before, so she reached her head down to kiss Rainbow again. “Now you owe me!” Applejack squeaked.
A smile grew on Rainbow’s face as she started up in snorts. She soon devolved into full-blown laughter as she gripped Applejack in a vice.
“Can’t breathe,” Applejack wheezed, causing Rainbow to release her entirely. Before Applejack could miss the contact, Rainbow’s lips were on hers. Applejack giddily kissed her back, cherishing the moment that made the last few days worth it.
Rainbow pulled away from the kiss with a gasp. “AJ, I thought-“
“Ah thought Ah messed up, too,” Applejack cut in. “Ah wanted to apologize fer yellin’ at ya. It was stupid o’ me.”
Rainbow giggled. “Yeah, that wouldn’t have even happened if I had noticed that tree branch.”
“Was that what happened?”
Rainbow nodded. “I was so caught up I didn’t even notice we made it into the orchard.”
“Well, Ah didn’t even know ‘till just now.”
“Yeah, let’s not do all that again. Like, ever.”
Applejack smiled. “Sounds good ta me.”
They were silent for a time, just holding each other close, until a thought occurred to Rainbow.
“Wait a minute.” Rainbow frowned. “You… You just kissed me, right?”
Applejack blushed, nodding.
“So, that means…?”
Applejack took a steadying breath, blush deepening. “Ah like you, Rainbow. And Ah’d be honored if ya’d go out with me sometime.”
“Yes!” Rainbow answered instantly. “Oh, this is so awesome! So I guess you don’t really care about the whole family thing after all?”
Applejack chuckled. “Let’s not get ahead o’ ourselves, now. But yeah, Ah guess you could say Ah don’ have much to worry about anymore.”
“Did Twilight tell you about that ‘other way’, too?”
Applejack smirked. “She did more ‘n that, sugarcube. That thing Ah was carryin’ in Twilight’s saddlebags? It’s a book all about the spell that makes it work.”
Rainbow’s eyes lit up. “How does it work, then? Is it, like, kinky?”
Applejack pulled her head back. “Ah don’ know, Ah haven’t even read it yet!”
“Well what’s stopping you?” Rainbow prodded.
Applejack frowned. “Ah… kinda spent alla the time since ya kissed me thinkin’ Ah’d messed everythin’ up. It never really crossed mah mind.”
“Right. Sorry,” Rainbow apologized, nuzzling Applejack’s cheek.
“It’s alright, sugarcube. We got it all worked out now, don’t we?”
Rainbow put a hoof to her chin. “Well, we still have to figure out who’s top and who’s bottom.”
“Rainbow!” Applejack pushed Rainbow off of her, blushing and giggling.
“I know, I know, there’s time for that later, geez,” Rainbow placated. Despite her best efforts, she couldn’t restrain her wings as they flared open. “Look at what you do to me, AJ.”
Applejack grinned deviously, crawling up to whisper sensually in Rainbow’s ear, “Only fer you, Rainbow.”
“Dammit, AJ,” Rainbow giggled. “Now I’ll never get my wings folded.”
“Good, ‘cuz in case y’all fergot, we still got apples ta buck!” Applejack declared.
“Actually, I’ve got an Apple to buck, you’ve got a Rainbow,” Rainbow snickered.
Applejack blushed heavily. “Dammit, Rainbow!” She tackled Rainbow in retaliation, pinning her to the ground.
“Eager, are we?” Rainbow countered.
Applejack frowned. “Ah’m gonna kill you one day.”
“You know you love it.” Rainbow gave Applejack a placating peck on the nose.
Applejack, suddenly feeling weak, collapsed on top of Rainbow.
“You alright?”
A growling stomach answered Rainbow’s question. “Late breakfast?” Applejack offered.
“Yes please.” Rainbow felt her own stomach growl in agreement.
Applejack stood up shakily, having to lean on Rainbow for support once she had stood as well. “Sorry, Ah never had dinner last night.”
“Me neither,” Rainbow chuckled. “But I did have a bowl of cereal earlier.”
Applejack chuckled along. “Tha’s not ‘nough.” She wobbled.
“Enough to keep you walking straight,” Rainbow chided.
“Shut up,” Applejack muttered.
Rainbow merely giggled in response.
Rainbow managed to heave the door open while ensuring Applejack didn’t fall, though the effort left her shaky. Together, the two mares hobbled into the kitchen, leaning against each other for support. As luck would have it, freshly-made pancakes awaited them. “Good ta see ya back,” Granny Smith greeted them.
Rainbow grinned sheepishly. “Um…”
The knowing glint in Granny Smith’s eye was hard to ignore. Both mares sat and busied themselves in their meals to hide their embarrassment. Across the table, they could hear Granny Smith chuckling good-naturedly.
Well, that could have gone worse, Rainbow decided. She and Applejack tore through their pancakes with ravenous abandon, each bite lending them strength. Both were thankful that Granny Smith had set aside extra-large portions for them.
Soon, their meal was devoured, and their limbs could support them again. Their throats were wet, and their stomachs were full. They were ready to start this awesome new day. They shared a glance, grinning before rushing out the door with simple good-byes and thank yous to Granny Smith.
“Don’ get too carried away now, y’hear?” Granny Smith called after them.
Rainbow paused mid-stride, falling down the steps of the short porch and landing in a confused heap.
“You alright there, sugarcube?” Applejack asked, fighting giggles.
Rainbow stood up sheepishly. “Yeah, great.”
“Y’know Apple Bloom’s gonna wanna know ‘bout us,” Applejack sighed.
Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “I thought she already convinced herself.”
“Maybe, but Ah’d feel better if we talked to her.” Applejack averted her gaze guiltily. “She’s feelin’ a little unimportant right now.”
Rainbow frowned. “AJ, you told me you’d stop doing this.”
“Well Ah am now,” Applejack assured. “An’ Ah promise ta ask yer permission ‘fore Ah get down on mahself again.”
Rainbow laughed, shaking her head. “You know I’m never gonna give you that.”
“Maybe that’s why Ah need ya in mah life.” Applejack smiled. “Still thinkin’ ‘bout that whole weather thing?”
Rainbow smiled, too. “You kidding? At this rate I’ll have to move my house over yours.”
“What, and have a place Ah can’t get to ya so’s you can start usin’ hit n’ run tactics?” Applejack challenged.
“Maybe.” Rainbow grinned deviously.
Applejack sighed. “What am Ah gonna do with ya?”
“Buck some apples?” Rainbow suggested.
“We’re already doin’ that.”
Rainbow grinned. “Then how about a kiss?"
Applejack laughed, unable to resist giving Rainbow a peck on the nose. “Yer impossible.”
“Well, if anypony can do the impossible, it’s you,” Rainbow waggled her brow.
Applejack snorted in mirth. “That was terrible.”
“Well then which is it?”
Applejack swatted at Rainbow playfully. “Both.”
Rainbow caught Applejack’s hoof, giving it a quick kiss. “Awesome.”
“We gonna start buckin’ or not?”
“Not even gonna set the mood first?”
Applejack snorted. “Ah meant the apples.”
“So did I,” Rainbow snickered.
Applejack’s hoof met her face, unable to grace Rainbow’s antics with a response. She decided that she’d have to start choosing her words more carefully around her new marefriend. Applejack paused, considering the word. Did it really describe what she now had with Rainbow? Or was it too early to use the term? She figured she’d ask Twilight when she-
“Oh, ponyfeathers, Ah fergot ta give Twilight her saddlebags back,” Applejack blurted.
Rainbow rolled her eyes, chuckling. “We’ll stop by when we head out for lunch.” She paused. “Does that count as a date now?”
“Ah guess it would.” Applejack shrugged. “Don’ mean we gotta make a big deal of it.”
A thought occurred to Rainbow. “Oh Celestia, imagine the gossip if the town finds out we really are dating now. And I have lessons with Scratch today.”
“Want me ta come with?” Applejack offered. “We could break the ice before Vinyl gets any ideas.”
Rainbow shrugged. “She did say to let her know when I get my awesome new marefriend.”
“When was that?” Applejack asked, unable to contain her blush at the new title.
“Earlier today. Like, half an hour ago actually.”
“Was Octavia there?” Applejack asked.
“Yeah, but something seemed off.” Rainbow thought
Applejack cocked her head. “Off how?”
“She was really going at it with Scratch. I think she was using her super sexy earth pony seduction powers.”
“Ah thought she just had super earth pony cello powers.”
“That’s what she wants us to think!” Rainbow insisted, starting up another one of her tangents. “Maybe she’s actually some super badass superhero with crazy powers, and that’s what she uses to play the cello like that!”
Applejack paused. “No, Ah think she just practices a lot.”
“But you don’t know that!”
“Ya can ask her yerself if we see her.”
Rainbow huffed. “I don’t think you realize how serious this could be.”
Applejack eyed Rainbow. “Ah don’t think you understand how ta be serious.”
“Sure I do!” Rainbow pecked Applejack on the cheek. “See?”
Applejack blushed. “Yeah.”
“You know, we should probably get to applebucking.”
“That’s what Ah said ‘fore ya muddied the issue with yer…” Applejack searched for the word, “shenanigans.”
“But you love my shenanigans,” Rainbow pointed out.
“That’s not the point! Now are we gonna do this or not?”
Rainbow laughed. “Sure, why not.”
Applejack let out a heavy sigh, leading the tangential pegasus to the barn for saddle basket equipment. Somehow, the day was getting dragged out even more than before. Applejack hoped she still had her sanity at the end of the month.
“Just be sure to be gentle if you use your super sexy earth pony seduction powers on me,” Rainbow quipped.
Not likely, Applejack decided.
“You know, AJ. Now that we’re gonna be dating, we can be even more like Daring and Blondie,” Rainbow commented as they were strapping on their saddle baskets. She reached over to grab her pith helmet from the wall for emphasis.
“You know that only leaves one thing, right?” Applejack asked, sliding over to whisper sensually into Rainbow’s ear. “An’ that’s our first roll in the hay.”
Rainbow’s wings shot out as her face reddened. “Okay, you win,” she murmured, eliciting a laugh from Applejack.
“Gotta try harder ‘n that, sugarcube,” Applejack taunted.
Rainbow grinned, brandishing her wings. “I know one way to get you flustered.”
Applejack’s eyes shrunk. “Ya wouldn’ dare.”
Rainbow leapt at Applejack, pinning her down and tickling her along her sides with her feathered appendages. Applejack fell into a helpless fit of laughter.
“Knock it off, Rainbow!” Applejack demanded between laughs.
“Okay.” Rainbow lowered her wings abruptly, catching Applejack’s open mouth in a kiss.
Applejack moaned happily into the kiss. This was something she could get used to. She shifted her hips slightly, gasping as Rainbow’s wings brushed against her flanks.
Rainbow shot up from the embrace as soon as she registered the touch. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean- It was an accident! N-not to say that I don’t…” Rainbow trailed off at Applejack’s puzzled expression.
“Sorry fer what, sugarcube?” Applejack asked with a small chuckle. “Not the kiss, Ah hope.”
“I…” Rainbow blushed. “Never mind. I’ll tell you later.”
Applejack propped herself up with a foreleg. “Tell me what?”
“I’m not comfortable with-“
“C’mon, Rainbow; Ah don’ bite.” Applejack smiled.
“AJ, please. I’d rather…” Rainbow sighed. “I’d rather tell you when I’m ready. Can we just… get to bucking and talk about this later?”
Applejack frowned, wondering what had caused the sudden change. “Alright. We’ve wasted enough time as it is… Er, well, Ah wouldn’t call it wasted…”
“Come on, Blondie. There’s more treasure out there.” Rainbow smiled.
Applejack smiled back. “Right there with ya, Daring.”
Out in the orchard, there were significantly more trees with ripened fruit, which meant less time scouting, and a whole lot more time harvesting. Applejack took care of most of the bucking, while Rainbow ferried the harvested apples to the barn.
“Got another shipment fer ya, Daring!” Applejack called out, dropping off one set of saddle baskets and donning another.
“I’m on it!” Rainbow swooped in to nab their plunder to stow it back at the base. There, Granny Smith waited to sort through the spoils and organize them properly. “Got some more for ya, boss.”
“Much obliged, Daring,” Granny Smith rattled, barely taking her eyes off her task.
Splitting the workload made things far more efficient, and eliminated the arduous hauling period that usually marked the end of the day. So Applejack didn’t need to conserve as much energy and could work longer without consequence. Granny Smith had an easier time of sorting the apples in a steady stream as opposed to all at once. And with Big Mac free to assist in the bucking, the harvest was moving along at a brisk pace.
“You know, maybe we should try this more often,” Rainbow suggested upon rendezvous with Applejack.
“Which, the system er the goofin’ around?” Applejack chuckled.
“I have to choose just one?”
Applejack shook her head, moving to another tree.
“Though it might be nice to just take it easy and go at our own pace together some time,” Rainbow admitted. “You know, on a less hectic day, just to get some more time to talk and stuff.”
Applejack grinned. “Do Ah gotta ask just what that stuff is?”
Rainbow laughed. “That wasn’t quite what I meant, but I’m sure we could squeeze that in, too.”
“Sounds good ta me,” Applejack said, giving Rainbow a kiss on the nose. “Ah can’t say enough how much Ah appreciate havin’ ya here, Rainbow.”
“Hey, keep this up and I might have to really think about moving in.”
“Ya weren’t already?” Applejack playfully accused.
“Well, more than usual.”
Applejack laughed, offering her filled saddle baskets. “We’d love ta have ya.” She blushed. “’Specially me.”
“You drive a hard bargain.” Rainbow took Applejack’s saddle baskets. “I’ll have to get back to ya.”
“Don’ keep me waitin’ too long, now,” Applejack cautioned.
Rainbow smiled. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” She took off with a wink, leaving Applejack to watch her fondly until she left sight.
“What a strange few days it’s been,” Applejack mused, smiling brightly.
“Alright, that’s the last of ‘em.” Rainbow reached the barn with a smile, having walked back with Applejack on the final trip.
“Ya do good work together, you two,” Granny Smith praised. “Might have ta keep ya ‘round, Rainbow Dash.”
Applejack chuckled. “We’re sure thinkin’ about it, Granny Smith.”
“Happy ta hear it.” Granny Smith looked away from her work to smile at the two mares. “Now run along, y’all; Ah’ll take it from here.”
Applejack stepped up, placing a hoof on Granny Smith’s shoulder. “Thanks fer bein’ so understandin’, Granny.”
“Aw, ain’t nothin’ but a thing, Applejack.” Granny Smith chuckled. “Ah saw this ‘un comin’ a long ways away.”
“Seems the whole town did, too,” Rainbow put in.
“Don’ let it get ta ya none. Jes’ make sure ta show ‘em jes’ how right they were.” Granny Smith winked.
“Will do, Granny Smith.” Applejack nodded.
“Now git along. Ah’ve got apples ta sort.”
Nodding, the two mares waved good-bye, stopping by the farmhouse to pick up Twilight’s saddlebags before setting off on the road towards Ponyville.
On their way to Twilight’s, they passed Octavia in the marketplace, gathering ingredients for a hearty lunch.
“Hey, you two. Get everything sorted out?”
Rainbow nodded bashfully. “Yeah. I’ll tell Scratch when I come over for guitar lessons. Applejack just has to return Twilight’s saddlebags before we head out for lunch.”
“You could join Vinyl and I. I’m making a casserole,” Octavia offered. “You could talk over lunch.”
Rainbow looked to Applejack, who nodded. “Sounds great. Thanks, Tavi.”
“It’s no trouble at all, Rainbow Dash. I look forward to talking with the two of you.” Octavia paused. “And congratulations on finding each other.”
The two grinned nervously, gaining blushes. “Thanks,” they chorused.
Octavia shook her head, remarking on how cute they were together before bidding them a good day.
“Well, that takes care of lunch,” Rainbow said.
Applejack chuckled. “It’ll be nice ta talk to ‘em again. But first, we gotta drop this off at Twilight’s.”
“Yep. We can tell her about us, too.” Rainbow giggled. “I’m sure she’ll go on some long speech about how she helped us out.”
“Ah hope not. We might miss lunch!” Applejack quipped.
“If she keeps it short, yeah,” Rainbow joked.
Applejack laughed. “Come on, that lunch is soundin’ mighty fine ‘bout now.”
Rainbow followed as Applejack made her way to Twilight’s library, falling into step beside her and nuzzling her sneakily. Applejack smiled, reciprocating the gesture happily, not caring how many heads they might turn.
Among ponies to notice the exchange were another similarly inclined couple, Lyra and Bon Bon. “So, Rainbow’s finally got her mare,” Lyra observed. “Took her long enough.”
Bon Bon rolled her eyes. “Not everypony’s blessed with your disregard for society, dear.”
“The hay is that supposed to mean?” Lyra frowned. “If this is about that whole wedding fiasco again…”
“Did you hear something?” Rainbow asked suddenly.
Applejack stopped, looking around her. “Uh, no. Why?”
Rainbow shrugged. “Just thought I heard my name somewhere.”
Applejack hummed, falling back into step with Rainbow. “Ah’m sure it weren’t nothin’ important.”
“Hey, if it’s about me, it’s bound to be important,” Rainbow bragged.
Applejack smirked. “And here Ah thought Ah beat that outta ya.”
Rainbow grinned. “Nope! Not even your sexy powers can hold me back!”
“Oh yeah? What about mah other powers, then?” Applejack cocked a leg mid-stride.
“I thought that was part of your sexy powers.”
Applejack blushed. “Not that! Ah meant mah buckin’ powers.”
Rainbow smirked, “So did-“
Rainbow never got to finish her statement as she was given a whap on the rump by Applejack’s tail. “We ain’t discussin’ that in public.”
“Fine.” Rainbow was quiet for a few steps. “But that was pretty hot.”
“Ah’m still tryin’a figure out what ta do with ya,” Applejack mused.
“And I’m still full of awesome ideas. We can go on like this all day.”
Applejack snorted. “We better not. We’re here.” Applejack gestured to the door in front of them.
Rainbow needed no further invitation as she threw the door open. “Hey, Twilight!”
As it turned out, Twilight was already besieged by a hyperactive pink mare, bouncing around and apparently asking for something.
“-all about Rainbow and Apple-“ Pinkie cut herself off with a dramatic gasp, darting to greet them animatedly. “Ohmigosh, I heard all about it! Is it really true?”
Rainbow blinked. “What?”
“I saw you guys, you were in the marketplace, and you were talking to Octavia, and she was all ‘Hey, you two. Get everything sorted out?’ and you were like ‘Yeah.’ So I was thinking what you were talking about, and then Octavia congratulated you, so I knew something was going on, so I followed you guys, and Dashie got all up close to Applejack. And then I saw Lyra and Bon Bon in front of their sweet shop, and Lyra was like, ‘So, Rainbow’s finally got her mare’ and that’s when it all made sense! Ooh, I’m so happy for you guys! I guess the rumors were true after all, huh?”
Rainbow blinked again, trying to process Pinkie’s rambling. She thought she had been asked a question, but wasn’t quite sure.
Sometime in the interim, Twilight had walked up, and having understood Pinkie a little better, spoke in turn. “I have to admit, I didn’t think you guys were gonna pair up overnight. But I suppose there might have been some development I’m not aware of.”
“Oh, yeah! I saw Rainbow Dash earlier, and she said something happened with Applejack, and she was all sad. She told me she’d tell me what it is later, and now it’s later so what was it?” Pinkie batted her eyelashes.
“Uh… I…”
“Rainbow and Ah had a bit of a run-in last night.” Applejack explained. “We somehow ended up kissin’, an’ Ah overreacted. We talked about it earlier, an’ decided we’d give it a shot.”
“Uh… yeah.” Rainbow shook her head, giving up on deciphering Pinkie’s babbling. “Anyway, we just came here to give you back your saddlebags, Twilight. We have to go meet Scratch and Tavi for lunch, so…”
“Of course.” Twilight smiled. “Thanks for returning them. And congratulations, you two.”
Pinkie jumped. “Oh, and have lots and lots of fun!”
“Sure thing. We’ll see y’all later.” Applejack waved, leading Rainbow out the door.
“Okay. That happened,” Rainbow said once they were on their way to Vinyl’s house.
Applejack shrugged. “Good ta have Pinkie’s antics outta the way.”
Rainbow rolled her eyes. “For now, at least. She’s gonna be all over us later.”
“Ain’t all that bad, sugarcube,” Applejack consoled. “Not like she’s tryin’a get between us er nothin’.”
“I guess not. Just… let’s try to avoid her for a while. At least until she calms down.”
Applejack cocked a brow. “That’ll only take a hundred years.”
Rainbow frowned. “You’re right. We’re doomed.”
Applejack chuckled, nuzzling under Rainbow’s chin. Rainbow smiled at the touch, breaking out of her momentary despair.
Rainbow gave Applejack a peck on the cheek. “Thanks.”
“Any time, sugarcube.” Applejack gestured ahead to Vinyl’s house.
Rainbow came to a halt before Vinyl’s door. “Alright, let’s get this over with.” Rainbow strode into Vinyl’s house with an air of confidence. “Hey, Vinyl, guess who’s got a super awesome new marefriend!”
Applejack looked at Rainbow incredulously.
“What?”
“Rainbow, Ah said ta break the ice, not…”
“Well it’s broken now!”
“Ya coulda at least shut the door first!”
“Well which is it, AJ? Do you want me to go for it or not?”
“Ah told ya already, Ah-“
“Oh, look, Tavi. It’s the lovebirds again,” Vinyl called, waltzing in from the kitchen.
Rainbow pointed a hoof at Vinyl. “Hey, I came in here to you two making out. You got nothing.”
“Nah, I’ve got Tavi,” Vinyl made a downward motion with her hoof.
Rainbow snorted. “So if you’ve got Tavi, and you’re calling us lovebirds-“
“Oh, that’s easy. We’re love dinosaurs now.”
“Love what now?” Applejack interjected.
“I think it means their love is destined to an explosive end far in the future,” Rainbow stated.
“No! It means we’ve been lovebird-ing for way longer than you!” Vinyl shot back.
Octavia entered the room with a bemused grin on her face. “What I think she’s trying to say is that, since birds are thought to have descended from dinosaurs, that we in some way influenced your relationship with our own.”
Vinyl stared blankly at Octavia. “Actually I was just going off the fact that dinosaurs were around since way before birds, but that sounds pretty good too.”
Octavia rolled her eyes. “Forgive Vinyl’s antics. She’s been rather… excited since you came by last, Rainbow Dash.”
“I was not!” Vinyl argued. “That totally had nothing to do with it at all!”
“What, so Scratch secretly has the hots for me?” Rainbow raised an eyebrow.
“No, I was just happy that you two were finally gonna do something about all those shenanigans!” Vinyl snapped. “Oh, Luna, dammit.”
“Aha! So you admit it!” Rainbow grinned triumphantly.
Vinyl turned to Octavia. “Help me, please.”
Octavia shook her head. “You got yourself into this Vinyl, and you’ll get yourself out.”
“Dammit, Tavi!” Vinyl groaned. “Fine, I’ve kinda been cheering for you two for a while now, and seeing you so messed up about Applejack made me think it was gonna happen finally. And now it did, so Tavi’s gonna hang it over my head for a million years.”
“One for every time you’ve overstepped your bounds,” Octavia clarified.
Rainbow snickered. “So you’re telling me you haven’t gotten Tavi to bed since that first day?”
Octavia giggled. “Three days can do a lot to a mare’s constitution.”
“I hate you, Tavi,” Vinyl grumped, “just so you know.”
Octavia placed a kiss on the tip of Vinyl’s horn. “I love you, too, dear.”
“Well, ain’t that jes’ the cutest thing ya ever did see,” Applejack mused.
“Nope! I had my eyes closed,” Rainbow asserted.
“Ah saw you watch the whole thing, ya liar,” Applejack chuckled.
“Oh? So you were enjoying the view? Of me watching the…” Rainbow paused. “Wait, does that count as second-hoof voyeurism?”
“Don’ it have ta be a bit sexier ta count?”
Rainbow raised a brow. “I don’t know where you’ve been, but horn play definitely counts as sexy.”
Applejack snorted, flustered. “Well Ah ain’t a master o’ sexy stuff like you.”
“You kidding? I’m just as clueless as you!” Rainbow paused. “Okay, maybe not that much, but I still have no idea what I’m doing here.”
Applejack’s eyes grew sultry. “Aw, then who’s gonna teach me all Ah need ta know ‘bout pleasin’ a pegasus?”
Rainbow grinned. “Don’t worry, AJ, I can teach you all about wings.”
Applejack chuckled. “Good, ‘cuz Ah might be needin’ it pretty soon with-“
“Okay, guys, can you just hurry up and buck already? We got lunch ready,” Vinyl cut across.
Both mares whipped their heads around with wide eyes and heavy blushes.
“Oh, yeah, right. Lunch.” Rainbow laughed nervously.
Applejack donned a sheepish grin. “Yeah, we’ll get right on that.”
“I don’t always call things adorable, but when I do, it’s that,” Octavia commented.
Vinyl face-hoofed. “Come on, Tavi. That joke is so played out.”
Octavia frowned. “What joke?”
“Never mind.” Vinyl rolled her eyes and led the way into the kitchen.
Applejack looked at Rainbow, who shrugged. “Hey, she’s the most interesting cellist I know.”
Applejack frowned. “What?”
Rainbow shook her head, following Vinyl and Octavia to the promised lunch.
“Alright, help yourselves. I made as much as I could,” Octavia revealed a massive, delicious-looking casserole that made one question why Octavia had a treble clef for a cutie mark. Well, more than usual anyway. It also begged another question entirely.
“If this is lunch, what do you do for dinner?” Rainbow marveled.
Octavia chuckled. “Most days, lunch is our dinner. Vinyl and I get so busy some nights; we don’t have time for a big supper. And before you say anything smart, I did not mean it like that. It’s actually becoming the norm for us, now.”
“So many gigs, so little time,” Vinyl commented between bites.
Octavia shot a glare at Vinyl. “Who said you could start eating?”
Vinyl swallowed her mouthful. “I thought you did.”
“I said help yourself, not dig in!”
“There’s a difference?”
Octavia huffed. “There is when we have guests, dear.”
“Yep! We get first dibs!” Rainbow snarked, reaching for a second helping.
Applejack grabbed Rainbow’s hoof. “No. We have ta mind our manners.”
Rainbow frowned. “When did you get manners?”
“In mah time in Manehattan,” Applejack answered smoothly.
“Wow, and it’s taken you so long to use them?” Rainbow teased.
“Don’ make me hit ya with this spoon.”
“You know what, forget this whole manners thing,” Octavia said. “We’re getting completely sidetracked here, let’s just eat.”
“We weren’t doing that already?” Vinyl quipped.
Octavia frowned. “You’re still not off the hook.”
“But you bait it with such awesome food!” Vinyl protested.
“Be that as it may, shut up and eat,” Octavia commanded.
Vinyl snorted. “Yes, Mom.”
Rainbow barely managed to keep from choking on her food. Applejack just shook her head and started eating as Octavia did the same. Applejack wondered how long she had before Rainbow’s lack of table manners got her in trouble, and how many times Vinyl’s had gotten Octavia in trouble.
Least we don’ go ta no fancy parties, Applejack mused.
“Oh, that reminds me!” Vinyl spoke up. “Me and Tavi have this big music awards thing coming up. You guys wanna come?”
Applejack frowned. She didn’t know which possibility worried her more; that Vinyl had mind-reading powers, or that she had just gone through the same thought process as the erratic DJ.
Rainbow swallowed her mouthful. “Hay yeah! When is it?”
“Some time at the end of the month. It’s up in Canterlot somewhere.” Vinyl gestured upwards. “Lyra and Bon are going. Colgate and Berry, too. Still have to ask Derp and C-Top.”
“So, you’re just inviting all your friends who also happen to be fillyfooling couples,” Rainbow observed.
“Hey, gotta show Canterlot what’s up somehow, right?” Vinyl shrugged.
“What about you, Applejack?” Octavia asked. “Will you be able to attend?”
“Sounds like a good time,” Applejack said. “An’ it’ll be a nice way ta celebrate yer month o’ service, Dash. Ah’ll have ta ask Granny Smith ‘bout the particulars.”
“Why bother? We already know she’s gonna say yes. With me helping out around the farm, we could take like a week off and still be good.”
“Great! The ceremonies take three days.” Octavia smiled.
Applejack frowned. “Now that might be trouble. But if we work real hard…”
“Yeah, yeah, motivation and all that stuff. We’ll be there.” Rainbow spat on her hoof and offered it to Vinyl, who reciprocated the gesture with a cocky smirk.
“Who knows, we might have you playing a chord or two by then,” Vinyl teased.
“Please, give me a month and they’ll be dying to have us play at the closing ceremonies,” Rainbow bragged. “Right, AJ?”
“Ah’m not sure a month is enough time ta-“
“Lessons!” Rainbow cut in. “How about those guitar lessons?”
“Shouldn’t we wait ‘till AJ and Tavi are done?” Vinyl asked consciously.
Rainbow snorted. “They’re big fillies, they can handle themselves.”
“Wish I could say the same for you two,” Octavia remarked, taking a sip of water.
“Not listening!” Vinyl called back in a singsong voice.
Octavia shook her head, watching as Rainbow Dash exited the room. “It’s good to see you two getting along so nicely.”
Applejack chuckled. “Wouldn’ be fun any other way.”
Octavia chucked as well. “Well, they do have their ways of keeping things interesting.”
“Yeah.” Applejack paused. “So have ya really not had a roll in the hay with Vinyl since that first time?”
Octavia blushed. “There have been a few encounters, but nothing on the scale of the first. I take it you haven’t yet with Rainbow Dash?”
Applejack adopted a similar blush. “N-no! Ah… Ah’m not ready ta… We just got this all settled. Ah mean, Ah think Ah wanna, but…”
“But you want to take it slow,” Octavia finished. “I understand. I did the same with Vinyl. It was well worth the wait. Have you ever…?”
“No, she’ll be mah first.” Applejack sighed wistfully. “Ah mean, when Ah’m… When we… Hers, too.”
Octavia giggled. “How cute. Vinyl was my first, though she apparently fooled around with Lyra in the past.”
“Ah can only imagine how that ended,” Applejack mused.
“It actually went surprisingly well. They’re still friends now, obviously.” Octavia leaned back in her seat. “Vinyl told me they came to the agreement that, while it was fun while it lasted, there just wasn’t anything to stick around for, as she put it.”
“What did she mean by that?”
Octavia smiled. “Basically that she enjoyed the sex and make-out sessions, but they just didn’t mesh properly to create that spark. They never got past ‘I like you,’ in other words. I’m thinking it could have ended differently were either of them more responsible. From what I heard, their relationship was taken much too fast.”
“Definitely tryin’a steer clear o’ that with Rainbow.” Applejack turned her head to watch Vinyl and Rainbow’s shenanigans in the living room.
Octavia followed Applejack’s gaze, smiling at what she saw. “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that. Rainbow may be brash, but she’s also loyal.”
“Don’ Ah know it,” Applejack chuckled. “She’s stuck with me this long.”
“Don’t be down on yourself, Applejack,” Octavia chided. “There’s far more than loyalty that keeps her amorous.”
Applejack shook her head. “Ah know. It just hasn’t really hit me yet that this all is real.”
Octavia smiled. “Don’t hold your breath.”
“No promises,” Applejack quipped, swallowing her last bite of casserole with a satisfied sigh. She downed the last of her apple juice, looking back up to see that Octavia had also finished her meal.
“Shall we go see what trouble our marefriends have managed to get into?” Octavia suggested, rising from her seat and stacking the dishes in the sink for later washing.
Applejack waited patiently for Octavia to reach her side. “If Ah see Rainbow caught up in a ball o’ guitar strings, Ah’m blamin’ Vinyl.”
Octavia laughed. “I would, too, Applejack. I would, too.”
As luck would have it, Rainbow Dash was not in fact being assaulted by guitar strings. Well, not physically at least. “How the hell am I supposed to do that with hooves?” Rainbow demanded, trying to replicate some chord that Vinyl had demonstrated.
Vinyl released the pick she had in her magical grasp, playing the same chord again with her hooves.
Rainbow scowled. “You don’t have to rub it in.”
“No, but I wanted to.” Vinyl played a short riff for bonus points.
Octavia was on Vinyl immediately, smacking her upside the head.
“Ow! What the hell was that for, Tavi?”
Octavia frowned. “You’re teaching her, Vinyl, not antagonizing her. I thought we moved you past this.”
“Well, sure seems she’s gone back on that now,” Applejack commented.
Vinyl looked offended. “You really expect me to work with Dash and not get in a few shots of my own?”
“T’aint really as hard as all that,” Applejack stated.
“Yeah, maybe for her marefriend,” Vinyl groused. “What am I supposed to do, just sit around and be her bitch?”
“Nope,” Applejack said plainly, advancing on Rainbow. “We ain’t havin’ none o’ that, neither.”
Vinyl groaned. “See what you did, Dash? Now they’re gonna start sitting in on all our lessons.”
“You’re just as much to blame as she is, Vinyl,” Octavia said, looking thoughtful. “Perhaps even more. And I appreciate the suggestion. We may just have to take you up on it.”
“Shucks, with Rainbow helpin’ out ‘round the farm, Ah don’ suppose Ah’ll have much trouble findin’ the time,” Applejack said a bit bashfully.
Rainbow smiled at her, saying nothing for fear of backlash.
Vinyl, on the other hoof, had no issue expressing her disdain. “Luna dammit, Tavi. If I wasn’t already hooked on you…”
Octavia laughed. “Then I’d find a way to make you mine.”
Vinyl pouted, saying nothing more as Octavia came over to console her. Vinyl immediately softened at her touch, reciprocating a hug without complaint.
“It’s amazing how much power Tavi has over Scratch,” Rainbow whispered to Applejack after shedding her guitar. “You starting to believe me now about those earth pony super powers?”
Applejack chuckled. “Maybe just a bit there.”
Rainbow licked her lips. “You should show me your super powers sometime.”
Applejack smirked. “Ah will when ya earned the right, sugarcube.”
“Can’t wait.” Rainbow nuzzled Applejack’s shoulder.
Applejack giggled at the touch, placing a kiss on Rainbow’s nose. “Now you play nice with Vinyl, y’hear?”
“Only for you,” Rainbow recited, placing a foreleg over Applejack’s shoulders.
Applejack nuzzled into Rainbow’s chest contentedly.
“Okay, are we gonna do this or not?” Vinyl demanded.
Rainbow rolled her eyes, reluctantly releasing Applejack from her grasp. “Yeah, yeah.” She retrieved her guitar and slung the strap back over her shoulder.
“So you asked me how to play this with hooves, right?”
Rainbow nodded curtly.
Vinyl demonstrated her motions. “Well, first you have to make sure your hoof is in front of the strings, not above them. You kinda have to bend your leg over the side and have your knee sticking out, and use your ankle to pluck the strings. It’s a little uncomfortable, but you’ll get used to it.”
Rainbow emulated Vinyl’s hoof position before awkwardly dragging her hoof along the strings. “Like that?”
“No, not like that you…” Vinyl stopped herself at a glare from Octavia. “You’re using too much of your hoof. You have to use just the tip of it, so your hoof isn’t actually touching the body of the guitar.”
Rainbow frowned, stretching her leg forward until she no longer had contact with the body of the guitar. It was an odd position, tiring to maintain for an extended period of time. She plucked a few strings with the tip of her hoof between many failed attempts where she missed entirely. She grunted in frustration. “This is stupid! Why can’t I just do it my way?”
Vinyl studied Rainbow’s form critically. “Because your way is way too clumsy; not every chord you play is going to have you playing multiple strings. And it’s damn near impossible not to screw up a note like that.”
“Well, you use your magic to play, right? Why can’t I use my wings?” Rainbow challenged.
Vinyl frowned. “Are you crazy? These are steel strings. You’d tear them up trying to play like that.”
“Actually, Rainbow may be on to something,” Octavia cut across. “If we could fit picks onto each of her primaries, it could offer her greater precision. It would also solve the predicament of strumming multiple strings that are separated by others at the same time.”
“See? Tavi’s got my back.” Rainbow smirked. “Maybe you should listen to me more often, Scratch.”
Vinyl huffed, crossing her forelegs.
“Ya don’ gotta be rude, Rainbow,” Applejack chided.
Rainbow’s shoulders slumped. “Sorry.”
“You shouldn’t be,” Octavia said. “I think this might do Vinyl some good to be bested by her student for once.”
Vinyl grumbled in response, flicking her eyes to Octavia briefly.
“But I’m afraid we don’t have the means for this method of yours at hoof. And Vinyl will need some time to cool off.” Octavia paused, thinking. “I’m sure you can find the appropriate equipment at the music shop. They have much everything else there, already.”
“Alright.” Rainbow packed away her guitar, hefting the case onto her back. “Well, it was nice talking to you anyway. Even if we didn’t really get anywhere with the lessons.”
“I’ll be sure to set up a time for another lesson after Vinyl stops ignoring me.” Octavia rolled her eyes. “Or if she doesn’t, then I’m sure something can be arranged.”
“Don’ go too hard on ‘er, now.” Applejack winked.
Octavia chuckled. “I’m not sure Vinyl has a limit, to be honest. Though I’m sure I’ll find it eventually.”
Rainbow smirked. “Abuse is only foul play when she doesn’t deserve it.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“If Ah’m gonna be dragged along ta Rainbow’s lessons now, we should do this again,” Applejack suggested.
“It would be my pleasure,” Octavia replied. “It’s always fun to have you two around.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Rainbow led the way to the front door. “See ya later, Scratch!” she called back.
“Piss off!” Vinyl shot back.
“A real charmer, ta be sure,” Applejack joked. “Nice talkin’ ta the two of ya.”
Octavia nodded. “Be sure not to get ahead of yourselves.”
“We’ll try,” Applejack promised.
“Later,” Rainbow added.
Octavia waved, closing the door behind the two as they made their way back home.
“So what are we gonna do now?” Rainbow asked. “I’ve already got all my weather jobs taken care of, so we’ve got the rest of the day to ourselves.”
Applejack thought. “We could head on over ta the weather center an’ try gettin’ that special assignment worked out.”
“I think I’d like to go over that with Twilight first. She’s way better at negotiating than either of us.”
“Then we could go pay her another visit,” Applejack suggested.
Rainbow frowned. “And risk running into Pinkie again?”
“Ah’m sure she’s run off somewheres by now. Besides, we still gotta drop yer guitar off back home.” Applejack grinned hopefully.
Rainbow chuckled. “Why so eager to go see her again?”
“Well, we never did get a chance ta thank her.”
“I guess not.” Rainbow glanced sideways at Applejack. “But if we run into Pinkie again, I’m blaming you.”
Applejack chuckled, shaking her head for lack of a proper response.
Applejack and Rainbow came back to a quiet farmhouse. A quick look around showed it to be empty. Rainbow smiled, giving Applejack a quick peck on the nose before darting upstairs to stow her guitar. Applejack walked into the den to wait for Rainbow on the couch.
“Applejack!”
Applejack froze at her little sister’s accusatory tone. “Uh…”
“Sis, are y’all gonna tell me already what’s been goin’ on?” Apple Bloom frowned. “Ah know Ah saw Rainbow kiss ya out there.”
Applejack took a deep breath before gesturing to the couch. “Sit down, AB.”
Apple Bloom did so, joined shortly by Applejack. “Yer not really datin’ ‘er, are ya?”
Applejack nodded. “Ah am now, Apple Bloom. We done had a bit of a misunderstandin’’ yesterday, but it all worked out jes’ fine.”
“So yer a… fillyfooler, AJ?”
“Ah guess ya could say that.” Applejack looked up as Rainbow entered the room.
Rainbow smiled gently, walking over to sit on the other side of Apple Bloom.
Apple Bloom looked at Rainbow with big eyes. “So it’s okay ta have feelings fer another filly?”
“Perfectly normal, kiddo,” Rainbow confirmed. “Actually, I know five couples like that right here in Ponyville.”
Applejack frowned. “Five? Ah only know four. There’s Vinyl an’ Octavia, Lyra an’ Bon Bon, Colgate an’ Berry Punch, an’ Derpy and Golden Harvest.”
“You’re forgetting us, silly,” Rainbow laughed, pecking Applejack on the cheek.
Apple Bloom smiled at the gesture. “An’ those are just the ones ya know, right?”
“Yep. There’s probably tons more we don’t know about.” Rainbow paused, grinning. “Why, you got your eye on some lucky filly?”
“No!” Apple Bloom answered almost instantaneously, red in the face.
Applejack smiled. “Well ain’t that cute. Mah little sister’s got her first crush.”
“It ain’t a crush, AJ! An’ it’s…” Apple Bloom averted her gaze. “It ain’t jes’ one.”
Rainbow chuckled. “You know, when we were talking about this, I never really would have thought Apple Bloom would have been the one to really think about it.”
“Ya sure seemed convinced it’d be Scoot with all the questions,” Applejack observed.
Apple Bloom was on Applejack immediately. “Scoot’s got these feelings, too? What about Sweetie Belle?”
Rainbow’s smile grew exponentially. “That… is the cutest thing ever.”
Applejack laughed. “Never woulda thought ya kept track.”
“Don’t judge me!” Rainbow shot back.
“Wouldn’t dream of it, sugarcube,” Applejack said, smiling.
Rainbow relaxed, returning her attention to Apple Bloom. “So, you’ve got crushes on your fellow crusaders?”
“Ah’m not- Ah don’-” Apple Bloom made herself small. “Is that bad?”
“Not at all, Apple Bloom,” Applejack answered. “But Ah don’ know if it’s safe ta assume either of ‘em feel the same way.”
“But what if they both do? Would Ah have ta choose?” Apple Bloom questioned.
Rainbow frowned. “Well, then it would get complicated. I suppose it is possible for you all to have mutual feelings for each other, but I haven’t heard of many successful three-way relationships.”
“So yer sayin’ Ah can’t be happy with both of ‘em?” Applebloom asked in a quivering voice.
Rainbow threw a hoof around Apple Bloom’s shoulders. “I never said that. I just don’t want you to get your hopes up and risk having them crushed later. You three have one of the strongest bonds I’ve ever seen at your age. I’m sure that if anypony could make it work, you could.”
“Ya really think so?”
Rainbow nodded. “But we don’t know how Scoot and Sweetie feel just yet. Try bringing it up next time you’re all together.”
“Well, Scoot did call a Crusader meeting tomorrow,” Apple Bloom relayed.
“Did she say what about?” Applejack asked.
Apple Bloom shook her head. “She just said it was important.”
Rainbow and Applejack shared a glance. “Sounds like as good a chance as you’ll get,” Rainbow said.
Applejack nodded. “Don’ get yer hopes up too high, but don’ be afraid ta ask.”
“Try to keep a level head, basically,” Rainbow clarified. “You might just get lucky.”
“Ah’ll try,” Apple Bloom said, jumping up to give each of them a hug in turn. “Thanks, y’all.”
“Any time, AB.” Rainbow grinned.
“We’re always here ta talk,” Applejack added.
“Now go get planning!” Rainbow exclaimed. “You’ve got two fillies to woo and one chance to do it. You think you’ve got what it takes?”
“Yes, ma’am!” Apple Bloom answered confidently, rushing up the stairs to her room.
Applejack sighed when she heard Apple Bloom’s door close. “Ya think she’ll be alright?”
Rainbow smiled. “She’s a smart filly. I’m sure she can figure it out.”
Applejack nodded, rising from the couch. Rainbow followed her out the front door and out onto the path toward Ponyville. They passed Granny Smith coming back from grocery shopping, but still found no sign of Big Macintosh.
“I’m sure he’s just out in the fields somewhere,” Rainbow suggested.
“Ah hope so,” Applejack sighed. “Ah’m not sure Ah can take many more talks today.”
“Well this one was your idea, so come on,” Rainbow laughed, quickening her pace toward Ponyville.
Applejack chuckled, matching Rainbow’s pace. They cantered through Ponyville, drawing the attention of many a passerby. All that mattered to the two friends, though, was the mare they ran with. It was becoming easier and easier to ignore the ponies around them and not care for their judgment. For the only opinions they needed were their own, and maybe those of a few close friends. One of which they were on their way to see for the third time in two days.
“Twilight!” Rainbow burst through the library’s front door, followed closely by Applejack.
Twilight turned to regard the intruders. “If you two want to move in here-“
“No, we’re good,” Rainbow interrupted. “Anyway, Applejack wanted us to come over here so we could thank you for helping us out yesterday.”
“Well, you’re certainly welcome.”
“Y’all jes’ did so much fer mah confidence, Twi. And Ah haven’t even started on that book yet!”
Twilight shifted. “I’m flattered, really, but is all this really necessary?”
“O’ course it is! With Pinkie muddyin’ the issue we never got ta thank ya before,” Applejack pressed.
Twilight averted her gaze. “It was nothing, really. Anything to help a friend in need.”
“I think you’re making her uncomfortable, AJ,” Rainbow observed.
“Oh, Ah’m sorry, Twi. Ah didn’t mean ta-“
“It’s okay, Applejack. It’s all in the past now, so can we please just leave it at that?” Twilight asked in an odd tone of voice.
Applejack frowned. “Uh, Ah guess so-“
“Great! Now, if you wouldn’t mind, I have a lot of stuff to do before my trip to Canterlot tomorrow.”
“Oh, uh, sure. No problem, Twi. We’ll get outta yer way.” Applejack paused before leading Rainbow out of the library.
Rainbow blinked. “Okay then. Now what?”
Applejack thought. “Well, Ah’ve still gotta thank Fluttershy fer makin’ me stop actin’ like a damn fool this mornin’. An’ Ah’m not sure Rarity knows about us yet.”
“So more walking and talking,” Rainbow observed.
“Somethin’ wrong, sugarcube?” Applejack asked.
Rainbow sighed. “No, I’m just wondering when we’re gonna run out of boring stuff and get back to the excitement.”
“Well we ain’t exactly got a shortage of stuff ta do, at least,” Applejack said. “And Ah’d say the whole thing with Apple Bloom was plenty excitin’.”
Rainbow shrugged. “I guess, but when you spend the whole day doing one thing…”
Applejack frowned. “Well, what else do ya wanna do? We still got plenty of time ‘fore dinner.”
“I don’t know. I guess it’s just that we’ve spent more time going around town today than we’ve spent just you and me. And, well, this is our first day as a real… couple.”
Applejack smiled. “So ya wanna do somethin’ special?”
“It doesn’t have to be anything special, just… you know, spend some more time alone.”
“Well, we can do that before an’ after dinner. It won’t take too long ta go talk ta Fluttershy at least. She ain’t exactly the most talkative pony,” Applejack chuckled.
“Yeah, I guess I kinda do owe it to her after all we’ve been through.” Rainbow sighed. “Alright, let’s get going. The faster we get this done the more time we get to spend alone, right?”
“That’s the idea.”
“Then come on!” Rainbow surprised Applejack by grabbing her by the waist and taking to the air.
“Rainbow, what the hay, put me down!”
“It’s faster this way,” Rainbow explained.
Applejack looked down at the ground falling away from them. “An’ a whole lot more dangerous! What if ya drop me?”
Rainbow laughed. “Why would I do something stupid like that? I’ve got you, don’t worry.”
Applejack gulped, staring straight ahead stoically. Within a couple of minutes, Applejack felt the ground beneath her hooves again.
“See? That wasn’t that bad, was it?”
Applejack tested the ground with a few scuffs. “Ah guess not. Warn me next time ya do somethin’ like that.”
“Sure thing,” Rainbow said absently, going to knock on Fluttershy’s door.
“And next time, Ah ride on top,” Applejack continued.
Rainbow froze, hoof inches from the door. A blush spread across her cheeks, showing plainly through her fur.
Applejack leaned in to whisper in Rainbow’s ear, “That’s payback fer yesterday.”
Rainbow shoved Applejack, smirking. “Dammit, Applejack.”
Applejack stuck her tongue out, raising a hoof to knock at the door when it suddenly opened.
“Hi, girls. I heard you from inside, so I came to see what was wrong,” Fluttershy explained.
“Nothing’s wrong, Fluttershy.” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Applejack here is just insisting on going around thanking everypony in Ponyville for helping her bag the coolest mare in Equestria.”
“Ah’m awful grateful fer the talk, Fluttershy,” Applejack said. “Ya got mah head back on straight.”
Fluttershy smiled. “Well, I’m happy everything worked out for you two. But, uh, I’m a little busy taking care of your sick animal.”
“Oh, right, no problem. Ah just wanted ta say thanks.” Applejack smiled.
“You’re very welcome. Bye, girls,” Fluttershy waved before closing the door and returning to her task.
Applejack spun in place, facing the road again. “See? Nice an’ easy. Now we just gotta find Rarity.”
“And then we can head home?” Rainbow asked hopefully.
“You got it, sugarcube.”
“Great! Let’s go.”
Carousel Boutique wasn’t too far from Fluttershy’s cottage, so Applejack was allowed to walk. They did have to pass by the orchard on the way, however, which meant Applejack had to act fast to stop Rainbow from escaping.
“Why are you so good at that?” Rainbow asked irritably.
Applejack grinned around Rainbow’s tail. “Because this tail’s mine now, sugarcube.”
“I don’t see your name on it,” Rainbow said, touching back down.
“It don’ need ta be. Ah’m sure ya’ll understand once Ah get ya ta bed,” Applejack quipped.
“Hot.”
“Always, sugarcube.” Applejack walked away with a sway in her hips.
“You get back here!” Rainbow called, giving chase.
Applejack flicked her tail in Rainbow’s face before breaking into a gallop. “Gotta catch me first!”
Rainbow grinned as she chased her marefriend through Ponyville, closing in slowly without the use of her wings. But Carousel Boutique was getting closer, and she was running out of time. So Rainbow took to the sky, dive-bombing Applejack barely ten hooves from Rarity’s doorstep. A startled Applejack and a victorious Rainbow Dash tumbled into Rarity’s front door, which swung open with little resistance.
Rainbow got up, glancing around the Boutique. The lights were out, and there was no sign of Rarity. “Did she forget to lock her door?”
Applejack ducked into the kitchen and listened at Rarity’s bedroom door. When no sound was heard, Applejack opened it. Again, Rarity was nowhere to be found. Frowning, Applejack exited the room and walked back downstairs. “She ain’t home, it don’ look like. Nothin’s missin’, but we should lock the door just in case.”
Rainbow nodded, exiting the Boutique after Applejack. “Well, you wanna go looking for her, or can we head home now?”
“We can head on home. It’s gettin’ late, an’ Ah’m not sure where she’d be.” Applejack relented. “Ah don’ think this is one o’ her spa days.”
“We’ll ask her next time we see her. Now come on, I’m not about to miss an Apple family dinner.”
Applejack chuckled, following Rainbow back home again.
“Soup’s on, everypony! Come an’ get it!”
Applejack and Rainbow Dash were first to the table, followed shortly by Apple Bloom. Big Macintosh was still nowhere to be found, which was certainly cause for concern.
“Where do you think he went?” Rainbow asked.
“Ah’m not sure. It ain’t like him ta miss dinner.” Applejack thought.
Rainbow frowned. “Well, he’s missing and so is Rarity, and it’s dinner time. You don’t think they’re going out, do you?”
“He never told any o’ us he’d been seein’ anypony. Definitely not one of our friends.”
Rainbow shrugged. “Maybe he’s worried you’d be upset. Or maybe it’s the first date and nothing’s really happened yet.”
“Or maybe we shouldn’t jump ta conclusions,” Granny Smith cut in.
“Yeah, Big Mac would never do nothin’ behind our backs!” Apple Bloom piped up.
“Just throwing it out there,” Rainbow apologized.
“Ah’m a little worried Rainbow might be onta somethin’, mahself,” Applejack said.
Rainbow made an idle gesture with a hoof. “I’m sure everything’s fine, AJ. Let’s just eat so we can get to that alone time you promised me.”
Applejack frowned, but complied nonetheless.
The air at the table was decidedly uncomfortable. Not much talk was had over dinner as they all felt the conspicuous absence of the oldest Apple sibling. He did not make an appearance over dinner, nor for a good while afterwards.
Applejack and Rainbow went into the den to cuddle on the couch, though Applejack seemed distant.
“You alright, Applejack?” Rainbow asked, nuzzling her cheek.
Applejack sighed. “Ah’m just worried somethin’s goin’ on with Mac. He seemed fine this mornin’.”
Rainbow wrapped her hooves around Applejack’s neck. “Rarity probably just asked him out, and now they’re off having fun.”
“We don’t even know if Rarity fits inta any o’ this,” Applejack pointed out.
“But it does make sense. I said it before dinner. They’re a mare and a stallion, they’re both missing at the same time, which happens to be the time most ponies eat dinner…”
“But Mac done told me he…” Applejack stopped herself.
Rainbow cocked a brow. “Told you what?”
Applejack sighed. “Can we talk about this upstairs?”
“Sure.” Rainbow released Applejack and stood up, following as Applejack made her way to her room.
Applejack sat on her bed, thinking. Rainbow sat next to her, comforting.
“So what’s going on with Mac now?” Rainbow asked.
Applejack averted her gaze briefly before making eye contact. “Couple days ago he told me he was, well… inta stallions.”
Rainbow grinned. “No way. Top or bottom?”
Applejack couldn’t hold back a laugh. “Ah asked the same thing.”
“And?” Rainbow prodded.
“Ah didn’t get a straight answer, but he was all embarrassed about it, so Ah think Ah can guess.”
Rainbow giggled, picturing the big stallion in a submissive role. She soon burst out laughing, unable to stop herself. It was just too weird. “So… so you’re thinking… he can’t be involved with Rarity because she’s a… a mare?”
“Well, he said he ain’t strictly inta just stallions, but Ah’m not sure how much interest he has in mares,” Applejack pondered. “He seemed pretty self-conscious about it all, though.”
“I wouldn’t blame him. Coltcuddling tends to get a lot of hate.” Rainbow paused. “So you’re saying it sounded like he was leaning more towards stallions?”
Applejack nodded. “Ah don’ know the whole o’ it, but he sounded pretty serious.”
Rainbow threw a hoof around Applejack’s midsection. “So what, then? You worried he wouldn’t be happy with Rarity?”
“Ah don’ know. Just, ta think Mac might be goin’ out with one o’ our friends without even tellin’ us about it…”
“Hey, I’m sure it’s nothing like that.” Rainbow gave Applejack a squeeze. “He’s just as much of a romantic train wreck as us, right?”
Applejack chuckled. “Ah guess ya could say that.”
“Then what do you have to worry about? If he came clean to you that he likes colts, I’m pretty sure we can rule out the possibility he’s living a second life behind your back.”
Applejack smiled. “No, yer right. Ah’m jes’ worryin’ about nothin’ again.”
Rainbow kissed Applejack on the cheek. “Come on. Let’s just relax. It’s been a hell of a day, and we’ve finally got some time to ourselves.”
“Okay,” Applejack said, giving Rainbow a kiss on the nose.
Rainbow responded with a kiss on Applejack’s lips. Applejack blushed, returning the gesture with a small lick at the end. Rainbow narrowed her eyes, grinning deviously. Applejack smiled nervously.
“Ah’ve never really kissed anypony proper-like before,” Applejack mumbled.
Rainbow giggled. “Neither have I. But what better way to learn, right?”
Applejack nodded, blush deepening as she brought her lips to Rainbow’s. Rainbow licked the outside of Applejack’s lips, requesting entry. After a brief hesitation, she parted her lips, and Rainbow’s tongue invaded her mouth.
Applejack gasped as Rainbow bumped her tongue clumsily against hers. She made to reciprocate the gesture, meeting Rainbow’s advance in the neutral space between their locked lips. Applejack attempted to grasp Rainbow’s tongue in hers, succeeding only in drawing her tongue along the roof of Rainbow’s mouth in one particularly botched attempt. Rainbow moaned appreciatively at the unexpected touch, reciprocating it in turn.
Before either could do much more, the need for air made them separate, panting.
“That was… pretty awesome,” Rainbow gasped.
Applejack chuckled. “Ah’m sure we just… need a little more practice.”
“I… kinda wanna do that again,” Rainbow squeaked.
Applejack smiled. “What better way ta learn, right?”
“Awesome.”
Applejack and Rainbow Dash spent much of the evening practicing their kissing techniques. Their tongues were still quite unskilled, though that would come with time. Mostly by accident, they found numerous pleasurable motions, repeating them until they were committed to memory. They tried multiple times to entwine their tongues, though never quite got it down. Either they would both turn their tongues in the same direction – or sometimes opposite – or their tongues would slip and collide with the sides of their mouths.
But despite all their failures, both mares thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and knew it would only get better.
“If this is just kissing, I can’t imagine how good sex is,” Rainbow commented.
“We’ll be sure ta try that out some time,” Applejack said. “But not before we’re ready.”
Rainbow nodded. “Doesn’t stop me from looking forward to it.”
“Good, ‘cause Ah am, too.” Applejack disentangled herself from Rainbow’s limbs and sat up.
“Where are you going?” Rainbow whined.
Applejack smiled. “Ta take a shower, ya silly filly. Ah ain’t goin’ ta bed like this.” Applejack looked back over her shoulder as she opened the door. “Yer free ta join me, if ya like.”
Rainbow needed no further invitation, jumping out of bed and racing Applejack to the washroom.
“Thought ya might like that idea,” Applejack chuckled.
“I’m never turning down an opportunity for a shower scene.” Rainbow grinned.
Applejack smirked, releasing her hair and tail ties as Rainbow started the hot water.
“Have I ever told you how sexy you look with your mane down?” Rainbow asked.
Applejack blushed. “Ya like it?”
Rainbow nodded. “You should wear it like that more often.”
Applejack smiled, looking at the tiled floor. “Well, it kinda gets in the way durin’ farm work. But Ah guess if it’s just around the house…”
“Awesome,” Rainbow said, stepping into the now-hot shower.
Applejack joined her shortly, blushing harder as she remembered the last time she had shared a shower with Rainbow.
Rainbow grinned “Don’t worry, baby. I’ll take it nice and slow.”
“What a gentlemare,” Applejack joked, pressing her lips to Rainbow’s.
After a short exchange, the kiss was broken by a mutual need to wash. Rainbow made sure to utilize her wings in the process far more than was necessary, running her wet feathers along Applejack’s back. Applejack shivered at the touch, bringing her tail around to begin her own sensual wash of her marefriend’s back.
Rainbow giggled at the touch, brushing a strand of Applejack’s mane out of her face with a hoof. Feeling adventurous, Rainbow lightly nipped at one of Applejack’s ears. Taken by surprise, Applejack jumped at the touch, losing her footing and tripping Rainbow Dash, causing both to end up in a pile of limbs on the floor of the shower.
“What the hay was that?” Applejack laughed.
Rainbow chortled. “Sorry. I wasn’t expecting you to jump like that.”
“Let’s just get washed up so we can do this somewhere a little less… slippery,” Applejack suggested.
Rainbow smirked. “I don’t know, AJ. Those sheets can get pretty tricky.”
“Just shut up and take the shampoo,” Applejack giggled.
The rest of their shower was mostly devoid of further antics, though there were a few kisses shared when neither could resist. Something about having water cascading around you made it feel so different.
Rainbow escaped the shower first, followed closely by Applejack. Rainbow threw a towel at her pursuant to slow her progress before taking one for herself. Rainbow took first use of the mane brush as Applejack watched, still taken by the novelty of the concept. She was snapped out of her daze as the brush flew through the air and connected with her nose.
“Ow! Rainbow!”
“That’s what you get for staring,” Rainbow stated before receiving a smack across the face.
“That’s what you get fer future starin’,” Applejack chided, grinning as she felt Rainbow’s eyes on her.
“I’m not staring!” Rainbow protested. “I’m… observing!”
“So am Ah, sugarcube,” Applejack chuckled. “So am Ah.”
Rainbow continued to observe Applejack’s mane brushing until its completion, saying nothing more on the subject.
Applejack, unable to stay mad at the pegasus, kissed Rainbow on the nose before throwing their towels in the hamper. Rainbow snuck into Applejack’s room while she wasn’t looking, posing seductively on her bed. When Applejack opened the door, the blush that spread across her cheeks was almost too rich for Rainbow.
“Hey, sexy. Wanna have a good time?” Rainbow managed to say before breaking out into giggles.
Applejack swatted at Rainbow playfully before pulling back the covers. Applejack slipped into bed, making sure to leave room for Rainbow. “Not gonna make a mare sleep alone, are ya?”
“When she’s offering super sexy sleepy time cuddles? No way!” Rainbow joined Applejack under the covers, wrapping herself around her marefriend.
Applejack giggled, returning Rainbow’s embrace happily, giving her a kiss on the nose. “Good night, sugarcube.”
“Night, AJ.”
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Hngg, that was entirely too sweet!
The octascratch is wonderful in this. Can't help but wonder what was up with everyone... Flutters, Twi seem evasive, Rarity and Big mac aren't there, Pinkie vanished... they're organizing shenanigans for day five, aren't they?
Yay, AppleDash achieved
2769908 Come, now. I have to spread them out a little more than that, don't I?
But yes, expect all the shenanigans for day five.
i noticed that Aj forgot about what hapenned in the barn, Got out of that one easy Rainbow.
P.S. great story btw
2769908 Pinkie's throwing the one kind of party she's never been able to throw before, obviously.
i'm thinking macshy/twixrarity or a 3 way somewhere
hhmmmmm
Okay, I'm getting a little worried here. Day Five is 20k words... yeah, at this rate, I'm gonna end up with almost 400k words at the end of the first arc. Which would be the initial month. I think I'm making this way too big. But there's just so much to write about... Blargh! I'm sure I'll get a handle on it eventually... Or not, I have no idea. Don't kill me!
Note: It's still in editing, so don't expect it for a couple more days. Edited description of story slightly to reflect my current thoughts. It truly did asplode. Like, for reals.
2810602
Eh, usually longer stories have more impact, but there are some, like 'Beautiful Freak' that really strike you in the feels, or in the wood if your into that.
