Bombastic Bookpony's Bazaar of Oneshots

by Bombastic Bookpony

Barred (AppleDash, Romance)

“Ugh!” Dash and Applejack simultaneously grunted as the bartender threw them out onto the hard concrete.

“This is the twelfth time you two busted up my bar! Twelfth time! Stay out, or next time I’ll call the cops!” he screamed before turning back into his bar.

“Heh, he says that every time but he never commits. Not the first stallion to do that, right AJ?” Dash joked. Eh, so they got kicked out of the bar. So what? AJ had a few drinks, they beat up a couple of jerks, and had the Dodge angst beaten out. Or, so she hoped. She spit out a tooth or two. That’s gonna need a visit to Zecora’s.

“Dash?” AJ asked out of concern.

Dash waved her off. “Just the usual damage, AJ. Don’t worry about it.”

“Well, I am worried! And as if spitting out teeth isn’t enough, you’ve got a shiner forming!”

“I do? Cool,” she breathed out with a grin. But AJ didn’t seem amused. “What’s wrong, AJ?”

“What’s wrong?” Applejack repeated sarcastically. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe the fact that I left town and put my family and friends through heck! Applebloom must’ve been scared, and I heard Big Mac even cried! Cried! Because of me!”

“AJ-” Dash began, but the farmer continued before she could say anything.

“I forced my friends to come after me, then lied to em despite how much they wanted to help. I forgot Pinkie and Rarity back there, on top of that, and now I just led my best friend to a bar fight that knocked out some teeth and gave her a black eye! Why can’t I stop hurting everypony I care about!?” Applejack shouted, tears in her eyes.

In normal circumstances, AJ would never cry. She’d be too proud to, especially in front of her rival. So either this was the alcohol at work, or AJ really did feel awful about all this. Probably both. “AJ-”

“I just- I just don’t see why anypony should want to be around me!” And thus began the waterworks. Not all out bawling, but sniffles and some tears. This was so wrong.

“Now stop right there, AJ! You know I have a no bullcrap policy, and that is the biggest pile of bullcrap I’ve ever heard! Who wouldn’t want to be around you? You’re awesome! Who pushed herself to the limits trying to help her friends? Well?”

“Me,” she murmured.

“And who has saved the world twice?”

“Me.”

“But even that’s not the biggest reason why ponies should hang out with you, AJ! At least, it’s not mine. I hang out with you because, well, you… you make me a better pony.” She flushed slightly. “I look at you, and I see everything I hope to be. You’re loyal, honest, determined. You never give up on your friends, and you’re really patient with them. Heh, just the fact you’ve hung around me for this long proves that! And I know I’m not the best friend to have. I make fun of you guys, I get cocky, I get selfish. But I look at you and all of a sudden I just do all these amazing things!”

“Like-like getting me back home?” Applejack commented hopefully.

“Yeah! Before you came around, I wouldn’t have gone that far for anypony! But for you? I would have gone to the gates of Tartarus, Applejack! I would’ve bucked Cerberus in his snouts! So don’t you ask why anypony should hang out with you, because it should be dang obvious!” she huffed, crossing her hooves.

“Dash?”

“Yeah?” she responded irritably.

“Thank you. For everything.”

“Nah, forget about it. I mean, really, forget about it. If the Wonderbolts heard I gave out mushy heartwarming speeches, I’d lose all my street cred and any chance of joining them!”

Applejack snorted as they finally got on their feet, brushing themselves off. AJ trotted over to Dash. “But you were wrong about one other thing, Rainbow.”

“Yeah?” she asked, turning around to face an Applejack who was way too close to her mouth.

“You are the best friend a pony could have, and I bet you could be a fine something else, if you catch my meaning?”

“I-I-I...” Dash stuttered.

AJ leaned in, closed her eyes, and … nearly tumbled over as Dash sidestepped her and took her by the neck. “Dash?!”

“You are definitely way too drunk right now. I’m getting you home.”

“But Daaaaash!” she whined.

“Sorry, kinda a policy of mine not to take advantage of drunk ponies. I’m not a complete scumbag, after all.” She paused. “I’m not exactly sure how I feel about you … almost doing what you did, but I want to see if you still feel the same way sober and we’ll see how things go.”

“Fine,” the cowgirl grumbled as Dash supported her into the street.

“And besides,” Dash began, leaning into Applejack’s ear, “I bet you’d enjoy it a lot more sober anyway.”

AJ turned beet red, and Dash’s laugh echoed in the night.

Author's Note:

This one isn't a TMP one shot; it was just inspired by the last one, and I felt like writing a conclusion. I like the dynamic here even more, and I think it's pretty sweet.