A Dash of Passion: The Applethology

by LunaTheFox

HoofBitingActionOverload and Tchernobog

After the Flame, by HoofBitingActionOverload

Rainbow Dash looked in the mirror, and she didn’t recognize the mare who looked back. Deep, lines traced along that mare’s face and chin and neck. She looked back out at herself from a face that had once been bright, flushed, and full of life, but that was now wrinkled and spotted. The skin under that mare’s eyes sagged and creased when she blinked, and her eyes, that had once been vivid, that had blazed with an inner intensity, stared dully back at Rainbow Dash, tired and old. Their flame had long since been choked out. Rainbow Dash had trouble reading without her glasses nowadays, and nothing looked as clear as it once had, even the mare in the mirror.

She stood in the upstairs bathroom of the same home that Granny Smith had lived in years before, peering with a kind of macabre fascination at the mare in the mirror. That mare’s coat, that had once been sleek and had shone in the sunlight, had become rough, splotched, and would never again shine as it once had. Her muscles, that had once been strong, taut, lithe, now hung loosely over her bones, flabby and weak. She, who had once journeyed to the summit of a mountain to a dragon’s lair and kicked that dragon in the nose, could barely kick open a door on her way to the kitchen anymore. Her figure, that had once turned the heads of mares and stallions alike, had spoiled as she became more tired and less active. Her stomach bulged slightly and each of her limbs had an extra layer of padding that would have embarrassed her as filly. Her mane, whose colors had once flared so vividly, that had been so distinctive, that she had been so proud of, had faded and grayed. Its colors were gone, and she felt as if she were being mocked every time somepony called her Rainbow.

Her wings—she unfolded them, slowly, and watched them rise on either side of the mare in the mirror—her wings were the worst of all. They had been beautiful once, resplendent, perfect. When Rainbow Dash had noticed her first gray hair, her first wrinkle, so many years before, she had begun to meticulously, obsessively preen her wings. From morning till night, she had spent more time preening than she had spent flying, in a futile attempt to postpone the inevitable, to care for them as she had never cared for them in her youth. She tried to save them, but too late. No amount of preening could stave off the merciless march of time, and her wings had been the first to truly succomb to her age. Twilight had explained to her that their rapid deterioration had been a result of the tremendous stress she had subjected them to over her lifetime, and it wouldn’t make any difference how well she took care of them now. Apparently it happened to most former Wonderbolts. She had simply worn them out.

Some of her primary feathers began to stop regrowing after molting, and their absences showed as great gaps in her wingspan. The downy feathers underneath had become matted and tangled. They would never feel as soft to the touch as they had in her youth. No matter how long she preened, her feathers would no longer all stay in alignment. Always, some would stick out at odd angles from the rest. Flared out at her sides, her wings looked more like raggedy, torn sheets held up with sticks than a pegasus’s wings. Unable to support her own weight as she had before, she couldn’t fly on them for more than short distances or short periods of time. She could barely manage a flight from one end of the farm to the other. She couldn’t call herself Rainbow or Dash anymore.

She sighed and lowered her wings. She kept them folded at her sides most of the time now, always when in public. The only other pony she ever allowed to see them was Applejack, and Rainbow Dash took great pains to make sure even she never discovered the true extent of their degradation. Dash only ever fully unfolded them after she had made certain she was alone, and then only to make a few short laps around the barn.

She had once been the fastest pegasus in Equestria, and now she was old. And everyone else knew it. The foals called her Granny, the little bastards. But she knew that name fit her better than her own did now.

“Rainbow Dash?” Applejack’s voice called from downstairs.

Dash didn’t answer. She heard the sounds of the family reunion outside, the one she should have been attending. She didn’t want her family and friends to see her like this. She didn’t want to be remembered like this. She wanted them to remember her as she had been. She wanted them to see her as the bright, happy, strong, agile pegasus who had stood down dragons, changelings, manticores, and even fallen tyrants without so much as flinching.

Not like this. Not this washed out, lost-looking, pitiful old mare she saw in the mirror. That wasn’t her.

She heard the clomping of what must have been Applejack slowly climbing the stairs of their home. Dash contemplated running back into their bedroom, throwing the door closed, and locking it behind her. She could close out the blinds. She could fall into the bed and pull the covers up over her head. She could shut out the whole world, if she wanted. No one would ever have to see her like this again, and she would never have to hear another bratty little foal call her Granny.

“Rainbow?”

There was that name again. Dash knew Applejack had reached to top of the stairs. She must have been in the hall, looking into the open bathroom door at the lonely old mare standing within.

Rainbow Dash didn’t feel like Rainbow anymore. She felt old, used up, and the mare in the mirror looked it, too. She closed her eyes. She didn’t want to see herself like this anymore. She wanted to go back and be the Rainbow Dash she had been before, or to simply lie in bed and forget about the reunion outside.

Suddenly, a hoof reached beneath her chin and turned her head. She opened her eyes just as Applejack’s lips met her own. She squeaked in surprise, but Applejack held her mouth with her own. Applejack pressed forward, and the kiss deepened. As pleasant warmth spread through Dash’s chest, she lost herself in Applejack.

To Dash’s surprise, the kiss, Applejack’s lips, didn’t feel old like everything else. Applejack didn’t feel old. It still felt the same as the very first time she and Applejack had kissed.

It had been so long ago, the same day she had become a Wonderbolt. After years of striving, practicing, and working, she had finally been welcomed into the ranks of the Wonderbolts by way of a simple letter. Later that same night, after the celebration with her friends, high on success and drunk on triumph, she took Applejack into the air and introduced her to the sky. She carried her into the cool breeze and the stars. In the glowing moonlight, she rested Applejack on a cloud and awkwardly, clumsily, kissed her for the first time. Applejack, finally, after so many tries, accepted her advances. Their love sparked then, burned as an open flame that shone in the night sky like a newborn star. They burned together on that cloud, chased away the night’s cold, and lost themselves in each other.

This kiss felt just the same. It felt young. Dash began to feel like herself again, like Rainbow Dash. With Applejack, her coat felt fresh again, unblemished. Her vision cleared, her muscles strengthened, her figure thinned. She was who she used to be.

She felt like the same filly who had moved to Ponyville so many years before, away from her parents and the mare they wanted her to become. On her first day in town, she had met a farm pony mare, Applejack, and she was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Rainbow Dash had always wanted the best. She wanted to be the best and she wanted the best for herself, and she had been so certain then that she would get it. It seemed natural to her that she would get Applejack, too. Rainbow Dash had openly and excitedly pursued her, only to be turned down again and again. Applejack, it had seemed, didn’t have any interest in being hers. Eventually, Rainbow had given up, and she developed an amiable, if cool, friendship with Applejack instead.

Applejack moved from Dash’s lips down to her neck, and Rainbow Dash let out a strained gasp of pleasure. With Applejack, she felt like herself again. She felt like the same filly who had journeyed into the Everfree Forest with five friends in search of the sun, and then there accepted her role as the Element of Loyalty. From that night on, her friendship with Applejack had changed, become warmer. They spent more and more time together, learned together, played together, fought together, and grew together. They, along with their other friends, sealed Discord away together, battled against the changeling army together, faced and overcame innumerable other obstacles together, and ultimately watched their friend ascend to Princesshood, together.

Applejack’s lips glided back up Dash’s neck and found her lips again. She gripped Dash in a heady, intimate embrace. Dash felt Applejack’s hooves reach out and brush her wings. Applejack gently kneaded her wings, caressing up and down their length. Rainbow Dash didn’t pull away.

With Applejack, her wings became beautiful again, strong, soft. They were the same wings of the mare who had been a Wonderbolt. She had streaked through the skies, through loops and twirls and dives, in tight formation with her teammates. She had heard the cheers of her friends among the cheers of a thousand other ponies in the crowds below.

Rainbow Dash slowly unfolded her wings and wrapped them around Applejack. She let Applejack feel them and see her as she was, and still Applejack didn’t back away. With her wings, Rainbow Dash pulled Applejack closer to her, never once breaking the kiss. She was young again, strong again. Applejack showed her, told her without words, that it hadn’t all changed. She was still Rainbow Dash.

She was the same mare who had later been named the new captain of the Wonderbolts, the youngest in their long history. She still streaked through the skies in tight formation with her teammates, but she flew at the front of the formation from then on. Immediately after leading her team through her first performance as their captain, as the crowds applauded, she flew into the stands, straight for Applejack. There, among the cheering crowd, she proposed to her marefriend. Then, later, she married her in a quiet ceremony in Sweet Apple Acres in front of their friends.

That life had been hard on her, traveling between the Wonderbolts and family, which became more than just Applejack, eventually. She went months at a time without seeing either, and she always missed both. She found ways to make make time for both. She made mistakes, stupid, young mistakes. She had to apologize to Applejack more times than she could count. Still, their love had burned as a pyre then, whose flames licked the sky, burned so fiercely and so high that everyone could see for miles around.

She was the same mare who had grown older and wearier with each circuit of performances. She didn’t notice then, but the fire behind her eyes dulled with each passing year. Finally, when her long tenure as captain had come to an end, she happily retired and returned home to Applejack. She never left again.

Applejack pulled back, breaking the kiss but still holding her close. Rainbow Dash screwed her eyes shut. She clutched the feeling the kiss had brought her close to her chest so she wouldn’t lose it. Inside, with Applejack, she still felt like Rainbow Dash.

She opened her eyes.

She glanced at the mirror, and an old mare glanced back, tired and gray. She sighed. It didn’t matter how she felt inside. Outside, she was still old, and that was what everyone else would see.

Applejack nuzzled her neck. “You know you’re still the most beautiful mare I’ve ever seen, right?”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “But… look at me. Look at my wings…” She raised her wings for Applejack so she could see clearly what they had become.

Applejack grimaced, reaching out and touching one of them. She held the wing in her hoof as gently as if she worried it would shatter into dust at the lightest touch. “Why didn’t ya tell me they’d gotten this bad?”

“Because it doesn’t matter.” Rainbow sniffled. “I talked to Twilight. She said there’s nothing I can do.”

Applejack dropped her wing and wrapped her forelegs around Dash’s neck. “I’m sorry.”

Rainbow Dash leaned into the embrace. She simply enjoyed the feeling of being warmed and comforted by another pony for a time. She cherished feeling Applejack’s still-strong forelegs hold her. She knew that at least one pony still saw her as Rainbow Dash.

“Is that why you don’t want to come out?” Applejack asked, whispering.

Dash tilted her head in the barest of nods.

“Is that all?” Applejack chuckled, her laugh creaking a little. She pulled back. “Sugarcube, you know no one cares about that. No one out there cares how you look. They just want to see you—”

Dash pushed her away. “If this is some speech about how all that matters is what’s on the inside and not what’s on the outside, save it. I’ve heard it before and we both know it isn’t true anyway.”

Applejack frowned. “Hey, just because you’re in a sour mood, doesn’t mean you should go ignorin’ good advice.”

“I said save it, Applejack. No one wants to see me like this, and you know it. I don’t even want to see me like this.” Dash halfheartedly kicked at the floor. “I look terrible, and I wish I was back how I was before.”

“Hush now. Don’t talk like that.”

Dash shook her head. “I hate this. I hate who I’ve become—”

“I said hush!” Applejack shouted. Her mouth formed a thin, wrinkled line and she gave Rainbow Dash a look that dared her to see what would happen if she didn’t comply. “Now, you’re gonna be quiet and listen to what I have to say, and you’re not gonna say one more thing like that ‘til I’m finished.”

No matter how old they both might have been and how laughable the idea of either of them physically hurting each other was, Applejack still scared Dash when she got angry. She nodded dumbly.

“Good. I swear, you’re thicker than a barn door sometimes.” Applejack’s face softened a little. “Do you really think me or anyone out there cares at all about how you look? Do you really think that matters at all? When I turned you down all those times way back when ya couldn’t keep your hooves off me, do you think it had anything to do with how ya looked? ‘Cause I can tell you this, you didn’t look any different that night you got that letter from the Wonderbolts than ya did back then. So, do you know why I turned you down?” Applejack glowered at her. “Well?”

“Um…” Rainbow Dash didn’t have the faintest clue. She had never fully understood why Applejack rejected her.

“I’ll tell ya why!” Applejack declared, pressing on before Dash had a chance to think of an answer. “You were good lookin’, there’s no denyin’ that. You looked good, and we both knew it. But I didn’t care about that. I turned ya down because I didn’t like you. Sure, I liked how ya looked well enough, but I didn’t like who you were on the inside.” Applejack punctuated her statement with a jab to Dash’s chest. “You understand?”

“Um…”

“I didn’t like you, Rainbow Dash,” Applejack repeated. “You were selfish. You were full of yourself. Your head was so big I couldn’t even figure out how ya were able to keep in the air with that big weight stuck on your shoulders. You only cared about yourself and where you were goin’ and what you wanted. You didn’t care about anypony else. I didn’t like you.”

“Gee, thanks,” Dash muttered.

Applejack shushed her again, but then her face softened. “Ya know, most ponies never change. Most ponies would have stayed that way for their whole lives. They would have stayed selfish and big-headed. But you never stopped changing. Like no pony I’ve ever met, you always wanted to be better. You always tried to be better. Every year I knew you I liked ya more, because after every year you were a new pony.” Applejack reached out and touched Dash’s cheek. “That night you got your letter from the Wonderbolts, I saw how far you’d come. I still didn’t care anymore how ya looked, but I loved the pony you were on the inside. And even after that, you didn’t stop growing.”

Applejack’s face hardened again. “So, don’t you tell me that you hate the mare you’ve become, because I love the mare you’ve become, and so does everypony out there. Don’t tell me that you want to go back to bein’ the pony you were before, because I wouldn’t trade the Rainbow Dash you are now for the Rainbow Dash you were then for all the years I have left, and neither would anypony else.

“I love the mare you’ve become.” Applejack smiled and gently nuzzled her cheek. “The mare you’ve become is beautiful, inside and out. The mare you’ve become is caring, and thoughtful, and kind, and smart. You are beautiful, more beautiful than you’ve ever been before. Everypony sees that. When they look at you, when I look at you, we don’t even think about the mare you were before, we only see ya how you are now. That’s the mare they love, not the mare you were before. And I can’t wait to see who you become next, because I know you’ll never stop growing.

“Sugarcube”—Applejack leaned forward and kissed her on the tip of her muzzle—“can’t you see how wonderful the pony you’ve grown into is? Please don’t take that pony for granted. Please don’t sell that pony short by wishing she was somepony else. I’m tellin’ you, I love who you’ve become, and so does each and every single pony outside right now.”

Rainbow Dash rested her forehead against Applejack’s. Wet tears slipped down her cheeks, and Applejack held her. “Thank you,” she finally managed to whisper.

“Anytime, sugarcube.” Applejack smiled and wiped her tears away. “You get so caught up thinkin’ ‘bout who you used to be, ya forget how wonderful you are now.”

Rainbow Dash sniffled. “I’m sorry.”

Applejack laughed. “Nah, s‘nothin’ you need to say sorry for.”

“Thanks,” Dash said, wiping her eyes. “I, um, think you’re really beautiful on the inside, too. And I love who you’ve become, too.”

Applejack kissed her, lightly, warmly. She pulled back, and Dash saw that her face was just as wrinkled as her own. “Now c’mon. Everypony’s still waitin’ for ya outside.”

Rainbow Dash glanced back at the mirror. She saw herself, Rainbow Dash, look back at her. She was old, but she was so much more than that. Her eyes might have been a little blurry, but behind those eyes she saw all the lessons she had learned, all the friends she had made, all she had accomplished, all the good she had done.

Her muscles might have been weaker, but they were still the same muscles that had carried her across Equestria on more adventures than she could count, up mountains, deep into forests, and across oceans. Those were the same legs with which she had kicked a dragon in the nose, thrashed changelings, and done battle with ancient despots. Those were the same legs with which she ran alongside Applejack each and every year for the Running of the Leaves.

Her figure might not have looked as good as it once had, and her mane might not have shone with as many colors as it once did, but it was still the same figure of who she was certain was one of the greatest looking mares to have ever flown in the skies of Equestria. Her colors hadn’t faded and disappeared, she realized. She had simply given them to foals and grandfoals. She still had every color of the rainbow, but they had spread out some over the years, passed over to other generations.

Her wings—she flared them so they rose high over the mare in the mirror’s back—her wings were the best of all. They might have been a little worse for wear now, but those were the wings of a Wonderbolt. No, not just a Wonderbolt, she reminded herself. The captain of the Wonderbolts. Those were the wings that had led the greatest, most famous flight team in the world through their performances. Those were the only wings in the history of Equestria that had ever performed a Sonic Rainboom. Those were the wings of the fastest pegasus in Equestria. Those were the wings of Rainbow Dash.

Applejack jabbed her in the chest, disrupting her thoughts. “Y’know, Appleseed is out there sayin’ the reason you won’t come out is because you’re afraid he’s finally gonna beat you at horseshoes this year.”

Rainbow Dash’s eyes went wide. “What?! He couldn’t beat me at horseshoes even if I was tied down to a board and blindfolded. He’ll never beat me!”

“What are ya tellin’ me for?” Applejack smirked. “Go tell him that.”

“I will!” Rainbow Dash declared, stomping to the stairs.

Applejack laughed and followed after her. They took the stairs together, slowly, one step at a time.

---

Homesick, by Tchernobog

I miss the farm, Dash.

It’s funny how easily you can miss things. Things you’d think you’d have learned to notice.

I mean, I’ve been with Applejack for a while now. A good while. An awesome while, really.

We first met when I came to Ponyville after, uh, skipping on flight school. High speed apples were involved, and I don’t mean the four legged kind.

Hey, I was hungry.

Still, we started talking, and we hung out a bit after that. That was once I paid for the apples I’d eaten. After Twilight started living in Ponyville, we hung out even more. Dunno what it was about her but, it just drew A.J. and me even closer.

Probably that whole life-in-danger-but-save-the-world thing, actually.

Anyway.

It was about a year after Twilight turned into a Princess. That’s when Applejack got me out of some bad times. I mean, all the girls were there, even Spike and the Crusaders were trying to cheer me up, and it kinda worked, but Applejack’s the one that really got me back on my hooves.

I kinda needed it, too. It’s not every day you do your best, and try for your life’s dream, but fail.

I was so close. My scores were perfect. But they didn’t choose me.

Instead, the Wonderbolts picked some nobody. Somepony I’d never even heard of before, who hadn’t done anything even close to as awesome as what I’d done, and he still got in instead of me.

I know, I know, I shouldn’t be angry. I’m not, really. I’m past that. I can’t help but still be a little ticked off though.

But back then, I was ticked off. No, I was pissed. And I was horrible to my friends because of it. I stayed at home for a week, barely going out for anything. And when I did, I was a total… well, I won’t say it. But it wasn’t pretty.

I even snapped at the Crusaders, which pissed off Rarity and Applejack.

That day was awesome.

Hah, you thought I’d say it was the worst day ever, right? Well, it was for a while. I hated the ‘Bolts, I hated everything, and I was getting yelled at. I flew off before I hurt somebody.

I still don’t know how, but Applejack tracked me down. And we talked. Or rather, I talked, and yelled, and maybe shouted a bit, and she listened.

And then she just belted out this line.

Your value doesn’t decrease based on somepony’s inability to see your worth.

I think I stared at her for a good minute, then I nearly died laughing. Okay, it wasn’t really all that funny, but I totally thought Applejack had turned into Twilight or something. Turns out she’d just been borrowing a few books instead, and she’d seen it in there. Once she stopped glaring at me for laughing at her, she explained it in her usual way.

If somepony can’t see that you’re worth somethin’, that don’t mean that you’re worth nothing.

The only pony who truly knew what I was worth was myself. Applejack showed me that, and I think it’s at that point where I started looking at her differently.

Really differently.

I kinda forgot about the ‘Bolts completely for a while. My head was too filled with Applejack. I guess I was filling hers too, ‘cause it turned out she had the same feelings I did.

Our so called friends teased us for weeks. Saw it coming miles away, they say.

Yeah, well, I bet they didn’t see the engagement coming like a year later. Ha! Actually, neither did Applejack. I guess that’s kinda the point, surprising your partner with the proposal.

She said yes, of course. Best day of my life. Until the wedding day. Which was also the best day of my life, and the most terrifying one too. Not that I’d ever admit that to anypony. But yeah. Nightmare Moon? Discord? Sombra?

Nothing compared to this.

But I wouldn’t change it for anything.

The letter from the Wonderbolts asking me to try again came out of nowhere, though. That was a big shock.

I kinda figure Twilight had a hoof in that, but whatever it was, they asked a few ponies to try again.

AJ and the girls came to watch me again. I guess it really made a difference this time, ‘cause it was an absolute breeze.

Soarin’ later told me that the only ‘Bolts that got in on the first try are the ones who created the Bolts in the first place. Any new recruit only gets in on the third or fourth try. Shows your determination or something.

Only the best get in on the second try.

After that second try, I was - am - a Wonderbolt.

A freaking Wonderbolt!

You wouldn’t believe it but, it actually got even better after that.

Rookie training was tough, even for me. It took a while to get the routines down, but after a few weeks I was ready for my first show.

Fifteen minutes before showtime, Spitfire pulls me aside and tells me I have a special guest. Which was really weird, usually we keep them away for a good half hour before going out.

I don’t know how she did it, but when I saw that stetson, you couldn’t have wiped the smile off my face if you tried. She gave me a kiss for good luck, and a quick nuzzle (which feels weird with a flight suit, lemme tell you), and told me she had another surprise for me after the show.

My wings had never felt lighter. They never saw that Rainboom coming. The crowd went wild.

She was waiting for me when I came back. Put her hat on my head and gave me another kiss while my teammates were whistling at us.

And then she tells me she’s joining me.

What, for this show? I asked.

Nope. She was gonna spend the next few months with us. Since I’m sending most of my bits back to the farm, we can afford a few helping hooves while AJ took some time off. She said she was doing it for me.

That, and time off never hurt nopony.

You’d think she’d get bored while I’m training and stuff, but nope. While I was busy, she’d be visiting family. Like, all the Apple clan members throughout Equestria. They’re everywhere. It’s like you throw an apple in any direction and you’ll hit an Apple. It’s like a law or something.

I even got to visit them too when I had time off. Not that I hadn’t met them before - the entire clan came to the wedding - but it was really fun hanging out with them. I gotta do that more with my own family, now that I think of it.

So, yeah. The last six months have been awesome. With A.J. there, I’ve never flown better. When I tell her it’s because of her, she gets the cutest blush on her face.

But…

I miss the farm, Dash.

I gotta admit, I do too. I miss seeing Big Mac, Granny, and Bloom. Heck, I even miss Winona and Tank. And I miss the other girls too.

But I think it’s different for Applejack. She makes… she makes a face when she talks about them. About the farm, and her - our- family. I don’t know how I missed it before, but it’s there.

I don’t know what it is though. I tried asking, but she said not to worry. I let it slide for another day or two, but then I saw her looking sad and I asked again.

She kept saying not to worry again, and even pushed me away.

That hurt. And I couldn’t get it out of my mind.

That was Sunday. I guess that was part of the reason why I was looking at Spitfire’s office door Tuesday morning. I didn’t really mess up the routine the previous night, but I wasn’t anywhere near my best. I think most of the audience couldn’t tell, but Spitfire and the others sure did.

I knocked, waiting for Spitfire’s “Come in,” then pushed the door open. She looked up from all the paperwork, and frowned as she saw me. I don’t think that’s a good sign.

“I’ll be blunt,” she said. “What the hay was that all about, Rainbow?”

“I dunno,” I said. That just earned me a glare.

“Oh for-Do not do this, rookie,” she said, practically growling the last word. “The entire team could see it, and I bet a few tabloids did too.”

My ears went flat, and I couldn’t help but look down at the floor. “It’s private, Ma’am.” I mumbled.

Apparently I was channeling Fluttershy, ‘cause Spitfire clearly hadn’t heard me. “Louder, rookie. I can’t hear you.” When I didn’t say anything, she started tapping a hoof on the table. “I’m waiting.”

“It’s private, Captain.” I growled back, glaring daggers at her. To my surprise, her eyebrows went up and her expression softened. She glanced behind me, and seemed to make a decision.

“Close the door, Rainbow,” She ordered. I blinked, but did it anyway. When I turned back to her, Spitfire had gotten much closer. Practically within touching distance. “Off the books. Mare to mare. What’s going on?” She asked. “Is Applejack alright?”

If my ears weren’t already flat, they would have been now. I should’ve figured that wouldn’t throw her off. Applejack had gotten to know the rest of the team after a while - it was kinda a given, since we were married, and she followed me - and the team - to every new venue. She’d hit off really well with Spitfire, something about a shared farming upbringing. Never would’ve figured a flying ace would have come from farmers, but hey. Weirder things have happened.

But anyway, she’d zero’ed in on the issue pretty quickly. “Sh-she’s fine.” I said. I was still hoping I could still walk out and deal with it myself.

No such luck, though. “Yeah, and my name is Soarin’.”

I couldn’t help myself. “What, he finally proposed?” I asked. The blush on her face was worth it. They’d been dancing around the subject for years, and the rest of the team heckled them all the time. Heck, I was guilty of it myself.

“Oh, shut up,” she said, stomping the floor with a hoof. “Focus.”

“I…” Okay, this wasn’t easy. I barely even knew what was going on myself, much less trying to explain it. “She’s kinda clamming up on me.”

“Really?” Spitfire asked. Her eyebrows had shot up. “You guys are usually so disgustingly happy with each other,” she said, grinning as I stuck my tongue out at her. But the grin vanished as she kept looking at me. “Did you guys fight?”

I shook my head. “No! Well… No. Maybe? I dunno.” I shrugged. I still didn’t know how to describe what that was.

Clearly, I hadn’t done a good job describing it to Spitfire either, because she just gave me a flat look and scooted closer. “Okay. Just start from the beginning. Figure this out.”

So I did. Or at least, I tried. “She said she misses the farm.” Spitfire raised an eyebrow. “I know! That’s all she’s said! But…”

“But?”

“She makes this face when she’s talking about it. It’s like she’s… sad, I guess.” I shrugged. “She won’t tell me why. Kinda pushed me away too,” I said, looking away.

“Well, that’s easy,” she said. “She’s homesick.”

I stared at her in annoyance, my ears twitching. “Duh. I got that. I miss the place too, but I’m not moping. There’s something else.”

Spitfire was silent for long enough that I turned back to look at her. She was just staring at me with this… contemplative expression.

Yeah, yeah. I hung out with Twilight just as much as the rest of the girls. Between her and Rarity, it rubs off on ya.

Anyway. Spitfire just looked at me, then leaned back, tilting her head back to stare at the ceiling. She had this far off look, like she wasn’t actually looking at the ceiling, but something else.

“When I first started as a ‘Bolt, I was completely dedicated to the job.”

“Like you aren’t now?” I asked.

She just chuckled, and glanced at me. “I’ve mellowed out some. Trust me on that.”

“I’d pay to see you mellowed out,” I said, grinning. But I frowned right after. “Wait, what’s this have to do with-”

“Humor me, Dash.” She interrupted, straightening herself to stare at me. “Just listen.”

As much as I wanted to quip back at her, I kept my mouth shut. Seemed like a good idea.

“Like I was saying, I was completely dedicated. I stayed on board for months and months. Years.”

I wanted to interrupt. Say something about-

“I even skipped vacation time.”

… Yeah. That. Every ‘Bolt, from the seniors to the rookies, and even the academy cadets, got some vacation time during their tours. Usually enforced, even if you didn’t want to.

Spitfire just grinned at me. “I know what you’re thinking. I’m the reason they’re enforced now.” She closed her eyes, smirking to herself. “I ran myself ragged. D’you know why?”

I shook my head. She’d never talked about this before.

“I thought I was doing it to be noticed. To be the best. And I was,” she said, puffing her chest out a teeny bit. “But the longer I did it, the more it was to try to get away from this… this ache.”

“Ache?” I asked, unable to hold it in anymore.

She nodded, pointing at her chest. “Yeah. Right there. Just got stronger with time. Only went away when I was exhausted. Docs said I was in perfect health though.” She shrugged. “At least until I showed up so tired I fell asleep on my hooves.”

She chuckled, and I fought back a grin of my own. I knew exactly what she meant.

“They sent me home for a week. Forced vacation under threat of expulsion, actually.” Okay, maybe I didn’t. I’d never taken it that far. “So I visited my family, back at the farm.” She smiled, staring me in the eye. “And just like that, the ache went away.”

I blinked, and tilted my head at her. “Wait, how? I don’t get it.”

She stared at me incredulously, and I had to duck to avoid a hoof swatting my head. It still flicked an ear though. “Damnit Rainbow, think. How long has Applejack been following us?”

“Uh, six months? Give or take a few weeks?”

“And how often has she gone home?”

I shook my head. She knew as well as I did. Why was she even asking? “She hasn’t.”

“There’s the problem, then.” She said. “She’s just reached the end of her rope.”

This was just confusing me even more. “But why now? What’s different?”

Spitfire shrugged. “She’s not you, Rookie. Different ponies act differently.”

“I could’ve figured that part alone, thanks,” I said, earning an eyeroll from her. “I just… why isn’t she talking to me?” My wings twitched, as I fought to keep them from flaring. “She could go home if she’s hurting!”

Unfortunately, Spitfire didn’t have the answers. As much as I wanted her to. “Don’t know what to tell you. She’s probably got her reasons.”

“Yeah?” I grunted. “What are those?”

“That’s not my job to find out, Rookie.” Spitfire smirked, and made a shooing motion with a hoof. “You go figure it out. With your wife.”

“But-”

“Dismissed.”

I ground my teeth, but snapped off a salute and marched off. I had a mare to find.

I giggled to myself as I flew to the hotel room Applejack and I shared. I’d just realized I’d just left an orange-maned yellow pony to find a yellow-maned orange pony. No wonder they’d hit off so well.

Once the hotel came into view, I sobered up pretty quick. For the second time that day, I was rooted in front of a door. Part of me hoped that she wasn’t there, maybe still off with some of the other Apples. I never liked arguing with her.

The other half yelled at me to face the problem. We’d gotten through so much together, this wouldn’t be that hard to deal with.

Right?

My hoof definitely wasn’t shaking as I grabbed my key and let myself in.

There she was, lying on the bed. She’d been reading a book, but was smiling at me. Must’ve heard me come in. “Howdy, Sugarcube.”

I couldn’t help but smile back. Her voice just did that to me. “Hey.” She leaned in as I trotted closer, nuzzling into my neck as I returned the favor. But all too soon, I pulled back and stared her in the eyes. She looked curious, and a bit confused. “What’s going on back home, Applejack?”

The confusion vanished as her eyes widened. “Wh-What’re you talkin’ about?”

I stared at her and huffed. “Oh come on, we both know you’ve been clamming up about it. I even had Spitfire on my backside about it.”

“What?” Applejack gasped. “Oh horseapples, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to get you in tr-” I stopped her with a hoof, shaking my head.

“She’s the one who figured it out, dummy. She’s cool.” I dropped my hoof and looked into her eyes. “You weren’t this bad until recently. What happened?”

She broke eye contact as she looked down. She took a moment to speak, then nodded towards her hat, sitting on the desk. “I got a letter from Apple Bloom a few days ago.”

Immediately, my eyes went wide. “Is she okay? Big Mac? Granny?” I grabbed her by the shoulders. “Oh Celestia, Granny’s finally bought it?”

“Wha-No!” she said, pushing my hooves off. “Dash, d’ya think if that happened I’d still be here?”

I blinked, and actually thought about it. “Huh. Probably not.”

“Nice to know y’worry.” She smirked, punching me lightly in the shoulder. “Everyone’s fine. Better than fine, even.”

“Eh?”

“Sweetie Belle got her cutie mark.”

My mouth dropped open, then split into the biggest grin. “No way! How’d she get it?”

Applejack gave me a strange look. “Really, Dash?”

“Oh. Right.” I grinned sheepishly. “I kinda meant where! Gimme details!” I said, jumping on the bed and leaning into her.

“Some school thing. A fundraiser concert or somethin’, and she got the main event. Bloom said the crowd went wild when she finished.”

“About time!” I cackled. My laughter died as a thought struck me. “What’s that gotta do with you moping?”

“I wasn’t mopin’!” She glared at me, but it faded as I stared back with a deadpan expression. “Okay, maybe a lil’,” she said, a sheepish grin on her face. “It’s just… I don’t wanna miss Apple Bloom’s. Feels like I’m missin’ so much.”

“That’s it then. Y-you’ve gotta go home,” I said. My voice hitched a second, but I hoped she wouldn’t notice. I didn’t actually want her to leave.

Unfortunately, she knew me too well to let that slip. “Ya sure you want me to go?”

“Yeah… Totally sure.”

She stared back at me. “That don’t sound too sure, hon.”

“I-I just want you to be happy, A.J. You gotta go.” I tried grinning, but it felt weak. She just shook her head, looking determined. I knew that look.

“I ain’t going.”

I couldn’t stop a frustrated sigh. “Why not?”

She poked me in the nose with a hoof. “‘Cause you need me here, silly.”

“I don’t! I’m fine without you!” I said, before my brain caught up to what I said. “That didn’t come out right.”

“No, really?” Applejack asked, smirking at my slip up. I smiled back, thankful that she understood me even when I ran my mouth off.

“I can be on my own, A.J. I’m a big pony.”

“I always thought you were kinda lanky and petite, m’self,” she said, nudging me in the side.

I smirked back, swatting her in the cutie mark with my tail. “Yeah, well, one of us’s gotta be skinny. All those apple fritters go right to your flanks.”

“Are you callin’ me fat?”

“I was thinking ‘cuddly’ instead.”

That got a chuckle out of her. “I’ll take that.”

My smile faded as I looked at her. “Seriously, though. I’m okay. I just want you to be happy.”

I could see she was still conflicted. “Y’sure? I feel like I’d be leavin’ you behind.”

“I’m okay. Your-” I paused. “Our family needs you.”

She frowned again. “I’m your wife, Dash. I gotta be there for you.”

“And I’m your wife too, A.J. And I gotta make my wife happy.”

“I dunno…”

I huffed. “Look, I get ya. I really do.” I looked at her, hoping she’d understand. “I don’t want to miss Scoots getting her cutie mark either. But I will, and I’ve accepted that. Doesn’t mean you have to, though.”

“Dash…”

“One of us should be there. And I’m kinda busy here,” I said, pointing a hoof at the goggles that still hung from my neck. I’d just realized I still had them on. “Please, A.J.? For me?”

Applejack sighed and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, I knew she’d made a decision.

“Okay. I’ll go. But just promise me one thing?”

“Anything!” I said, smiling wide. She caught me by surprise as she leaned in and kissed me again, even harder than before. We were both breathless when it stopped.

“Come see us as much as you can.”

I nodded. “Every chance I get.”

“Good.” She smirked, and stood up on the bed. Before I could say anything, she pushed me over until I lay on my back, staring up at her. Her eyes were half lidded as she grinned down at me, straddling me. “Lemme show you what’ll be waitin’ at home…”

And she did.

Lemme tell you, my next vacation couldn’t come soon enough.

Comments

[Rated Ponystar]

We seem to get one of them being older with each update. I'm not complaining, just noticing. Nice work for both writers

[Peachy Moon]

Damnit! These are amazing!

[Killabyte]

Nicely done

[DbzOrDie]

Goddamn, I love fics of them having grown old together. This was masterfully done.

[The Yaoi Mistress]

I'm really sorry, but I love HoofBitingActionOverload's story more than Tchernobog

[Salad king]

Im filling up buckets of feels.

And that ending!

[Titanium Dragon]

I wasn't too enamored with the previous couple chapters, but these two were much stronger.

Also, I hadn't realized when I looked at the "Rainbow Dash is getting old" story that it was for this, HoofBiting. Glad you found my comments on it helpful.

Out of curiousity, Krazy, how did you decide what order to put these in, and which stories to group together?

[SHL]

Daaaaaamn, so much feelings!!! Nooooo, my perv senses are weakening for thiiiis!!! Noooo, I have a sooouuuuul!!!!!!

Ehem. Anyway, great, great work.

3491038
I undestand you. That start with old Dash.... Uf, almost cried there.

[Tchernobog]

3491038>>3491945

No worries, even I like his better than mine!

[LunaTheFox]

3491934
I'm picking any non-written entries first, then going in the order people signed up in.

[JetstreamGW]

*poke Krazy* Oi, Krazy. Lots of implied screwin' here. I think this is teen, not everyone ;)

3491934 I totes recognized the passage you asked our advice on and then ignored us :P

[LunaTheFox]

3492955
Hmm, good point. I'll fix that once I get to my Friday writing spot.

[SHL]

3492167
But you did an excellent work with the Spitfire's part!

[Fury of the Tempest]

Bah. Spitfire and Soarin need to marry already.

[Renard Dashie Prower]

Most of the works in this compilation so far have been pretty average in my opinion, if not even somewhat subpar. No intended offense to the other writers. But this last one - Homesick - hit me right in the soft spot. If I could favourite it separately from the rest, such would've already come to pass. Truly a wonderful job.