All Coupled Up

by tomColt15

Don't Apologize

AppleJack woke up early as usual and got out of her bed. She never bothered to do much with herself in the morning, in fact, she never untied her mane before going to sleep in the first place. She slowly trotted downstairs in order to fix something up for a quick breakfast before starting her work. As she opened the cupboard to get some food she cringed at the site of the zap apple Jam. The brilliant rainbow colors it held were too similar to her rainbow friend. However, she couldn't let this keep her down, especially not in front of her family. The only pony who it wouldn't be awkward talking with and knew enough about the situation she could talk to was Rarity. She always seemed to know what to say and was always respectful to AppleJack's ways. 'You need some pony who can respect you for who you are.' Rarity's words rang in her head. AppleJack thought for a while before finally heading out to work. She needed to get her head out of the gutter and start bucking.

Rainbow knocked on Fluttershy's door early in the morning. She had made sure she came a bit late so that Fluttershy would have time to feed most of her animals. Fluttershy opened the door soon after Rainbow had knocked and greeted the younger pegasus. Rainbow waltzed in without premission and plopped on the couch. She had been meaning to talk to her timid friend for and didn't want to waste time with greetings.

“Hey, uh, Fluttershy,” Rainbow said weakly. Fluttershy only stared at the racer. “Can we talk, about yesterday I mean.”

“Oh, um, if you really want to I guess so,” Fluttershy stuttered obviously not wanting to talk about it.

“Really Fluttershy, I mean if you don;t want to talk now that's fine, but we will have to later. And the later we talk, the more awkward it becomes,” Rainbow insisted.

“Okay, I supposed we should talk,” Fluttershy finally gave in. For a moment there was an awkward silence, as if they were both waiting for one another to confess properly. Fluttershy, unexpectedly, was the one to start fussing up. “You know, I meant what I said back there,” she whispered.

“What do you mean?”

“When I said I drank to be brave. I-I meant it because I really do like you,” Fluttershy squeaked, drifting off towards the end.

“Really, because I was really hoping we'd be able to, you know hand out more. Maybe, sort of like, a thing now?” Rainbow suggested afraid of the upcoming answer. This time, Fluttershy didn't even have to think about it. She'd been wanting to spend more time with the mare she loved for quite some time, now was her chance.

“I'd love to Rainbow.”

“Awesome! I mean, great, how does lunch this afternoon sound?”

“Perfect.”

It had been a week since the couple had their first date and they were happily together now. Pinkie moved on and joined Twilight in the joy for the two pegasi. Rarity was happy for the two, however, her mind was really set on AppleJack. She hadn't been herself ever since Dash and Fluttershy had gotten together, and Rainbow could tell. She planned on going to AppleJack's to talk to her once more, but she was told not to by Rarity. Rarity would do anything for AppleJack at the time, and she knew that Rainbow talking to AJ and apologizing more would only make things worse. She had to take matters into her own hooves. Whether or not AppleJack loved Rarity back, it didn't matter, she just couldn't bear seeing AppleJack so torn up. It was obvious she had was the only one who would be able to put her back together. To Rainbow, however, it wasn't obvious. Her loyalty wouldn't allow her to stand by while on of her best friends was being chewed up by jealousy. It had seemed like a good idea to Dash at the time, but Rainbow's face was one AppleJack wanted to see any time soo.

Rarity was working on her latest creation when she glanced at her clock. It was a little after noon, which meant Dash was already awake. She peeked out her window and made sure no pony was walking towards the orchard. She then stepped outside for a little while and glanced up at the sky to make sure she saw no moving rainbows. The coast was clear, it seemed like Rarity had finally gotten to the stubborn pegasus. Now that she knew Dash wasn't going to see AppleJack, she could focus and get back to work. However, Rainbow was well aware of the unicorn's tricks. She had hidden on the side of Rarity's store while she checked for her. Dash flew up to the sky and made sure Rarity wasn't around to stop her. She had to talk to AppleJack no matter what Rarity said. Dash finally made her way to Sweet Apple Acres and it was drizzling. She didn't know what she was going to do yet, but she had to talk to her friend. Nothing would stop her as she made her way to the old hammock she'd last talked to AppleJack at. 'Come on Dash, you have to do this. What kind of element of loyalty would you be if you let you're friend chew herself up like this. Its now or never Dash.' Dash thought confidently as AppleJack came into her sight.

xXx

Rarity couldn't stop working, she had to finish her design before the end of the week. This was her most important dress yet. If this dress were a success, she could finally become a big shot fashion designer in Canterlot. Things could finally turn around, nothing could stop her. Wait. There was always something stopping her. Something crashing into her room and the worst times, where was it. 'Oh great!' Rarity thought as soon as she figured it out. 'Every time something important happens she has to go and do something.' There was no time for putting anything away so Rarity simply dropped everything and raced off to the farm of her loved one. She could only hope Rainbow hadn't apologized yet.
~ ~ ~

Rainbow slowly approached the hammock. Just as she had thought, that country mare sat on its edge in that same weird position. She tried saying something, but nothing came out. It was as if she were afraid to confront her friend, like she shouldn't. Dash stepped a little closer to the hammock and the rustling grass gave her location away. AppleJack didn't even so much as flinch, instead she stayed sitting and quite calm.

“What'd ya want?” AppleJack asked obviously not wanting to talk.

“I-uh, well,” Rainbow stopped to clear her throat. “I came to, uh, talk.” Silence. “Look, I know you might be upset about me and Fluttershy, but don't be. There's a pony out there for everyone, especially awesome ponies.” Rainbow smirked, then realized what she had said. AppleJack turned around and stared at the blue pegasus. “And, uh, you're one of those ponies. I mean, there's a great big list of cool things you can do, but uh, its just that uh...”

“Jus' that what?” AppleJack asked impatiently.

“I mean, you're great and all, its just that uh...” Rainbow wandered off looking for words. Now she knew why Rarity hadn't wanted her to talk to AppleJack.

“Jus' what? Ah'm not as good as Fluttershy? Fluttershy is better than me? What is it? Why the hay would ya come here to tell me that? What was the whole poin't o' comin' here jus' to make me feel worse?” AppleJack screamed boiling with anger. “Ah mean, Ah jus'...” Rainbow felt bad now. She didn't know what to AppleJack. She only had two choices. Tell AJ what she wanted to hear and basically throw Fluttershy away, or lose one of her closest friends.
~ ~ ~

Rarity was almost at the hammock, she could see her friends already there, but they couldn't see her. She stepped a bit closer and got a better view of what was going on. She had almost dared to take one more step closer before hearing an angry mare.

“Jus' what? Ah'm not as good as Fluttershy? Fluttershy is better than me? What is it? Why the hay would ya come here to tell me that? What was the whole poin't o' comin' here jus' to make me feel worse?” The voice was seething with anger, but there was a country drawl to it. Rarity stepped a little closer to see what was going on. Rainbow had done it. She knew she should leave while she had the chance, but she had to make sure everything would turn out fine. Obviously, it wouldn't.
~ ~ ~

“AppleJack, I didn't say that,” Rainbow protested. There was no way out. She was in a deadlock, either way a friend was going to be lost.

“But that's what cha' meant to say,” AppleJack screamed back in furry.

“AppleJack, listen, I'm sorry that-”

“That what? We cain't be together 'cause of Fluttershy?”

“No, that-”

“Fluttershy is better than me?”

“No-”

“That what then? There ain't an excuse now!”

“Well... I don't even know why,” Rainbow said, leaving a confused AppleJack in front of her.

“Why what?”

“Why you like me. There are plenty of other ponies out there like me I mean, why haven't you gotten over this?”

“Rainbow, there ain't other ponies out there like yerself. You're special, you can actually respect mah ways. Ah don't think there's anyone like you.”

“AppleJack don't do this, please. You're tearing yourself apart and you need to stop,” Rainbow yelled. She stopped to sigh heavily before things got worse. “I... I'm sor-” That was all she could say. She was cut off by the taste of apples. So sweet and innocent, yet so wrong. Rainbow didn't know what to do, this was completely unexpected. There was only one thing Rainbow knew and that was that she didn't know what the hay she was doing. Meanwhile, a pair of sapphire eyes went wide with horror. Why hadn't Rainbow ended the connection? Why wasn't she doing anything, she has a girlfriend. Rarity stood meters away not knowing what to do herself. She couldn't do anything, but cry. Finally, Rarity could no longer watch. She ran making the grass crumble beneath her feet. Rainbow shifted her eyes upon hearing the grass falter under Rarity's hooves and finally pushed away from AppleJack. She glanced at the running white unicorn then back at her lover. They stared at each other with two contradicting expressions. AppleJack stared worried and sorry, while Dash stared with anger and confusion.

“Ah'm sorry...”

A/N; So I write all my stories while listening to music. That's why there are a few song references. Anyway, hope you enjoy ^_^

Comments

[TimbukTurnip]

Thought I'd seen this somewhere before; this is on FanFiction.net isn't it?

It's a good story. Would be interested to see something more about Pinkie's reaction to RD being with Fluttershy though, seeing as she also seems to love Dash.

[tomColt15]

239480
Yeah its on fanfiction too. I'm actually working on a much later chapter where Pinkie does make another appearance, I've just had a lot of alternate ending ideas that I need to pick out of and a lot of school work