Hey, It's Me

by TwilightUCrazy

Party Favor (Part II)

Rainbow got caught up in the thickest part of the crowds at the edge of the sitting area. Try as she did, she couldn't shove herself through. As she pushed one person aside, another would slide in her way. She was close enough to hear the words of Applejack's tormentors, but not quite close enough to reach out and slug one of them across the jawline.

“So, seriously,” Dumb-Bell said, “which one of us do ya wanna ask?” he huffed into Applejack's ear, unsettling several strands of her blonde hair.

“Yeah! Heheh! Which one?”

“Shut up, Hoops. I just said that.”

“Oh, heheh.”

The farmgirl could hold herself against pretty much anyone in a fair fight. Even some of the bigger football players could be given a run for their money if they got locked into an arm wrestle with her. Heck, Rainbow Dash herself could barely take her strengthwise.

Three large guys against one small her, however, no matter how one sliced it, was an ugly situation to be in.

Rainbow could see the irritation written all over her expression mixed with a nervousness. Her hands were clenched, and a faint sheen of sweat lit up her brow.

She was stoically silent, staring straight ahead at a spot on the wall.

“Maybe she just can't choose which one of us she wants the most,” Score grinned, blowing his long hair out of his eyes.

“Oh, please, like she'd be interested in either one of you losers!”

“Well, she ain't asked you yet, either!”

“Shut your trap! She's just nervous.” Dumb-Bell said. He leaned down and whispered into her ear. Rainbow Dash could read his disgusting lips. “C'mon, baby. Don't be shy. You can just ask if ya want. Who knows? I might even say yes.”

“C'mon, Dumbo! Shut up and let her choose already!”

Applejack's lips at last parted, her eyes narrowed. “Ah'm... here with someone,” she muttered.

Dumb-Bell didn't seem pleased with that, his brow furrowing in agitation. “Who the heck could be good enough for that nice ass you got? 'Cept me.”

Rainbow felt like she could breathe fire. With a rude shove of the person in front of her to the floor, she stepped over them and glided across the floor as if she rode on the heat of her own bubbling fury.

Her words came without thought.

“Hey, babe,” she said, addressing the farmgirl.

Applejack looked up, her narrowed eyes widening hopefully as she approached. Her nervousness seemed to erode, until Hoops's giant hand landed on her shoulder. She flinched, at his revolting touch and Rainbow's anger nearly boiled over right then and there.

She put on a barely-convincing smile and swaggered over next to Applejack.

The kiss to her freckled cheek was sudden and deliberate, lasting for several long moments before she leaned back a ways.

“Got the grub,” she said with a wink to Applejack’s stunned expression. “What do ya say to a little dance first before we chow down?”

She then pretended to notice the Dumbbells standing over her.

A “mere” scowl crossed her face. “These fudgeheads botherin’ you?”

The three boys gaped at the spectacle and stepped back.

“U-uhh…” Applejack stammered nervously, her face aglow with a rosy shade as her brain tried to untangle itself from the knots it been twisted into.

Rainbow got right up into their leader’s face and pressed nose-to-nose with him.

Dumb-Bell regained his composure and narrowed his eyes challengingly. Hoops and Score joined in the gesture.

She didn’t flinch.

Suddenly, a smile appeared on her face as she leaned back. “You guys like apples, huh?”

The three blinked in surprise and looked between one another.

“Oh! Oh! I d-”

She didn’t give Hoops a chance to finish his response. A lightning-quick arm emerged from behind Rainbow’s back and fastballed a piece of apple cobbler right into his eyes. The plate she held made forceful contact with Dumb-Bell’s face half a second later and knocked him off-balance, sending him and the chairs he tried to grab clattering to the floor.

Score, the last of the three standing who wasn’t trying to scrape dessert out of his eyes, stared dumbfounded at Rainbow Dash as she glared his way.

“B-but, I didn’t get any apple-”

WHACK!

The kick of a soccer player straight into the ‘nads was enough to fold him like the cheap suit he wore and transform his protests into pitiful whimpering.

“Sorry. Fresh out,” she snorted and turned. Flashing a smile to Applejack, she softly grabbed her by the hand and led her out to the dance floor.

“Hey this is pretty good cobbler,” she heard behind her.

“Shut up, Hoops…” groaned Dumb-Bell.

The crowd that had seen the confrontation parted like water around the two as Rainbow stomped forward. Most people in the school knew not to be in the way of her when she was in a mood, and a hard stare was enough for the pair to work their way out across the gym in relatively short order.

Applejack said nothing as she was led along by the hand. Finding her footing, she caught up to her and matched her swift pace as they emerged in the middle of the gym.

Several couples twisted around each other to a rather energetic set of music.

Rainbow and Applejack lingered on the perimeter of the crowd, boxed in by the waving tide of people. A pink blur caught her attention over by the DJ booth as Pinkie Pie worked her magic on a pair of turntables, impressing even Vinyl Scratch from the looks of it. She caught her attention by accident simply by staring too long, and the party girl waved her arm emphatically towards the two.

Both girls nervously returned the wave, and at last, their ability to formulate cogent sentences returned. The farmgirl looked back through the crowd to where a number of people stood gathering where they had just come from. Her brow wrinkled with thought as the three bullies finally came back to their senses.

“S-sugarcube? What just happened?” she asked.

Rainbow coughed. “What do you mean? I just kicked those guys’ collective asses and saved you from their douchebaggery,” she said with a bright, wide smile, leaning back against the wall of people to try and squeeze their way out. “You’re welcome, by the way.”

“Uhh… but…”

Knowing exactly what her friend was trying to drive at, Rainbow became determined to divert her focus onto other things.

“Don’t worry about those guys,” she said, following Applejack’s nervous gaze back to the angry trio. “I’ve been slappin’ them around since we were kids.”

She didn’t like the way they were prying their way through the crowd towards the dance floor, however, and scowled at their persistence. They were every bit as stubborn as she was. If she didn’t think of something soon, there could be a bigger incident on her conscience... and probably on her permanent record.

Shit.

Rainbow’s eyes darted around for any other recognizable faces short of Pinkie’s that they could get to. The music continued to pound in the background as the song’s rhythm climaxed and faded into background noise, thanks to all the cheering for the many skilled rug-cutting couples.

That gave her an idea.

The cheering obscured the trio’s vision of her, but she was thankful it gave her a moment to put her plan into action. It wouldn’t be long though, and her height combined with her hair would make them painfully difficult to spot.

Pinkie switched the lighting up, turning the electric blue dance area in a soft, rosy color, and the shimmer of the disco ball slowed down.

Vinyl changed records, and a slow, soothing tune came on.

“Alright, all you buncha saps! Let’s see ya get close to that special somebody you found and take things down a bit!”

The crowd cheered in approval of Vinyl’s announcement.

People all around them began turning to their partners and murmuring to one another about the upcoming slow dance.

Rainbow bit her lip and softly squeezed Applejack’s hand. It hadn’t exactly been her plan to hogtie her friend into a romantic gesture, but even the three idiots that were after them weren’t stupid enough to try and start something with her with everyone else watching.

“Sorry about this,” she whispered to her friend, even if technically she was lying a bit.

“F-for what, sugar?” the still-blushing farmgirl asked as she was led out onto the floor. Her green eyes widened in recognition, sparkling like diamonds off the slowly-rotating disco lights.

“This,” she said, with an apologetic smile, as she turned to face her friend. Her free arm slipped around the small of the shorter girl’s back and slowly pulled her closer.

Applejack gaped as her fingers laced with hers.

“D-darlin’, wh-what are you doin’?”

Rainbow bit her lip. “Well… I kinda promised you a dance in front of those creeps,” she said, sliding her magenta stare to the right. “And… well, don’t look now, but…”

Turning her head just slightly so she could see better, the farmgirl immediately saw what she was referring to.

On the edge of the pairing off audience gawked three familiar ugly faces. All three pairs of eyes were glued on them as the music began to pick up, fading into a slow, easy-to-follow rhythm. All other pairings in the room took a hold of their partner, and waited for the song to begin in earnest.

Applejack eyes snapped wide-open and she grabbed her shoulder in panic. “Rainbow! No! Ah can’t do this! Ah’ve got two left feet!”

“Whoawhoawhoa, hey, easy,” she said, softly rubbing her hand in circles along her friend’s back. “I’m not exactly a catch when it comes to dancing either. Just… follow my lead, okay?” she said.

“Ah don’t get how you can be so calm about this…” her voice quivered as she allowed herself to be drawn into Rainbow’s close embrace.

“Easy!” she said smugly, adopting that cocky smile of hers. “’Cause whatever I do, even if it’s failing, I make it look awesome!”

Applejack stared at her flatly and let slip the slightest of smiles.

“Easy fer you to say.” She sighed and buried her face in Rainbow’s chest, trying to hide her embarrassment.

Her heart nearly stopped.

“All Ah’d ever do is look like an idiot,” she muttered into her tux.

Rainbow took a breath to steady herself and stepped to the song slowly enough so that Applejack could match her.

“You look awesome,” she corrected her friend with a playful wink. “But mostly because I’m the one dancing with you!”

Applejack peered up to her with those ocean-deep eyes of hers just so she could roll them.

“Shoulda seen that comin’.” She snickered and smiled, staring back at her appreciatively as Rainbow’s arm encircled her waist tightly.

The two danced in silence for several long moments, before the farmgirl rested her head just beneath the sweet spot under her chin. Rainbow very well thought she could lose consciousness any moment and die of an awesomeness overdose. Whether or not that was a thing or not, she couldn’t be sure.

“Thank you,” muttered Applejack.

Rainbow blinked. “Umm… what for?”

She felt her friend chuckle and squeeze her as she pulled back. “Fer takin’ care of them creeps, of course.” She tossed her eyes to the left, pointing out the three annoyed-looking – and somewhat confused – Dumbbells standing without partners on the sidelines.

“Oh, well… yeah. You know me. It’s in the heroine’s job description and everything. Damsel-in-distress scenario and everything… umm, minus the penis of course.”

Applejack snorted back a laugh. “Ah coulda taken care of mahself y’know.”

While her smile wore confidence and a hint of self-satisfaction, Rainbow’s stomach turned. “Oh… y-yeah, I know. But… you never liked getting your hands dirty with anything like that, so…” she trailed off.

The farmgirl smiled sweetly and reclaimed her hand, before she reached up and wrapped her freckled arms around her neck.

“Thank ya just the same,” she whispered softly above the gentle, harmonious music.

“S-sure thing, babe,” she winked cockily, her hands resting in the comfortable small of Applejack’s back, even as the farmgirl giggled at being called such.

Ignoring all the pairs of eyes they had drawn wasn’t easy, but Rainbow wasn’t about to point it out to her friend when she had found her in such a good mood. Applejack rested her head against her collarbone and closed her eyes, while she brought her chin to rest against the pillow of her soft blonde hair.

She inhaled softly, and the scent of green apples once again greeted her senses. Deliriousness hit her from all of it coming at her at once.

Applejack was in her arms again. So petite… so perfectly-sized for her… Every part of her fit so wonderfully well against her taller, more athletic form. Every tuck of her head was perfectly-placed, no matter where she rested it. Her hands always found her broader shoulders, and the rhythm they were dancing to made her feel as though they were in perfect harmony with one another, down to their very heartbeats.

If this ain’t right, then God sure never invented wrong… she thought, a little chuckle tickling deep in her chest.

She threw her eyes over to where the Dumbbells had been. Apparently, the trio had had enough and split for more oily, grease-slicked pastures, or simply got tired of waiting for the song to be over to harass her some more.

By the time it did end, Rainbow had forgotten about everyone around her, and there was only her and the farmgirl. They had danced in circles for what felt like an eternity that could never have lasted long enough.

She was euphoric. Her heart skipped in joy around her chest, bouncing off her ribcage and tap-dancing against her sternum. Everything about her guilt in stealing a kiss from Applejack earlier had just vanished and was replaced by a sunshiny ecstasy.

It only got worse when she smiled up at her with a wide, and gracious smile. “That was fun, sugar.”

“Y-yeah,” she smiled widely, scratching the back of her head. “It wasn’t too bad, was it? Pretty fun… not too hard… totally uhh… r-radical.” Gulp. “Yeah. Radical.”

The farmgirl quirked her eyebrow up at her.

“You okay, Rainbow? Ya look a little pale. You ain’t getting’ sick, are ya?”

Not unless being nuts about you is an illness.

“It’s uhh… it’s a little toasty in here, isn’t it?” she asked, stretching her collar for emphasis. “Whaddya say we head on over and grab some punch or something?”

“Punch sounds nice.” Applejack smirked. “And maybe some of that grub ya promised me.”

“Food! Right!” she voice-broke rather loudly. “Let’s g-go do that!”

Neither noticed the other couples staring at them.

Comments

[Captain Storm Dash]

The GT500 in the cover picture though.... You got me hooked.

FUCKING LOVE SHELBYS!!

[TwilightUCrazy]

4542382

Those did have convertible versions, right? I wasn't mistaken with that part, was I?

[Lilith Evanson]

Now I wish I was Applejack.

[Captain Storm Dash]

4542389 Yes, there were convertible versions. Keep in mind that there is a FIRM difference between the Shelby and the Mustang. Shelbys are Shelbys and Mustangs are Mustangs. I can recognize a 1965 GT500 Super Snake in an instant, and that's what that is.

[TwilightUCrazy]

4546334

I don't really think it's too incorrect to call them 'Stangs still. They're basically Mustangs except... y'know, made better. Like, a lot better. In every way imaginable.

[TwilightUCrazy]

4543939 Oh? Why's that?

[Lilith Evanson]

4552256 It wasn't when she was being horribly harassed by those awful boys. That part made me uncomfortable and I wouldn't wish that on anyone because I've been in that position.

No, it was when she relaxed and dance with Rainbow. Just dance, nothing else. Sometimes the simpliest of things is the most satisfying. That's why I wanted to be her, she had someone who could hold her, especially when scared. It's a cherished moment I wish I had.

Ahh! Sorry, well, anyway, I absolutely adore this story. I can't wait to read more!