The AppleDash Project

by bookplayer

A Very Long Day (A Canterlot Wedding)

Authors note: This is a rewrite of the stand alone fic “A Very Long Day.” The beginning and ending are the same, but some of the middle is completely different to fit with the history AJ and Dash share now, and themes I've addressed along the way.

The wedding was finally over, and all of the Ponyville ponies in Canterlot had gone to bed. It was almost one in the morning and it had been a very long day. Rainbow Dash was alone in her room at Canterlot Castle, her dress was in a heap on the floor, and the ribbons had been pulled out of her mane. The wedding was exciting, way more exciting than even she had hoped, but she was ready for things to get back to normal. She couldn't help but grin when she heard a knock at the door.

She flew off the huge canopy bed over to the door and opened it a crack, finding a tired and grumpy looking Applejack on the other side. “I thought it might be you. Didn't you get enough of a workout earlier today?”

“Dash, lemme in.” Applejack said, seriously.

The pegasus grinned, “Hmm, I don't know. I was kinda in the middle of-”

“Lemme in, or I will buck this door down, so help me Celestia.”

Dash sighed a little, still smiling. “Fine, you're no fun tonight.”

Applejack had also lost the dress, and her mane and tail had been brushed straight and tied with her red ribbons, stetson firmly on her head. She was frowning as she walked in, looking around the large bedroom, “Who ya' got in here?”

Rolling her eyes, Dash gestured to the empty room, “The Wonderbolts, a couple of royal guards, and that DJ. . . I don't have anyone in here, I was waiting for you.”

Applejack stared her down for a minute, looking for a lie or half truth, then hopped up on the bed and laid down. Dash joined the earth pony, snuggling against her, but Applejack didn't move.

Dash knew the signs by now, something was bothering AJ. With any luck, AJ would decide to talk to her about it. All Dash had to do was give her some time.

“You kissed 'er.” Applejack finally said.

Rainbow Dash stopped her nibbling and looked up into accusing green eyes, “You saw that? It was in the middle of the fight!”

“I keep my eye on you. You ain't denyin' it?”

Dash propped herself up on her front hoof and one wing, her body still pressed against the jealous earth pony. “Well, no. . . but it was just a kiss on the nose! She was hiding her eyes while I took down those changelings, I had to let her know it was the real me somehow.”

“You coulda just said.” Applejack pointed out.

“She's like my sister, AJ. I was trying to say a little more than 'it's me.' I was trying to say that, and 'I've got your back', and. . . and 'if we go down here, you know I care about you'. And I was kinda short on time. If it had been Apple Bloom you would have done the same thing.”

Applejack nodded, seeming to accept that. But then she got that suspicious look again. “So, what 'bout Soarin?”

“Well, Spitfire wasn't here, and you didn't bring enough cider anyway.” Dash teased.

“So ya' spent all evenin' dancin with him?” Applejack said with another accusing glare.

“He's a Wonderbolt!” Dash answered. AJ's look told her that this was not an excuse, so the pegasus added, “And it was just dancing. What's got you all worked up?”

“Noth-” She started to huff. Then she sighed. “I just. . . I wanna know you love me.”

“Well duh,” Dash rested her head on AJ's shoulder. “Of course I love you. I tell you that all the time.”

Applejack rolled her eyes.

“What?”

“I love ya too, but. . . you think we coulda done what Princess Cadance and Shining Armor did?” Applejack asked, nuzzling Dash behind the ear.

“Since we're not unicorns, I'm gonna go with no.”

“Rainbow Dash. You know what I mean. That true love stuff. Do ya think those two bicker and roll their eyes at one another, or have times when they're so fed up they could hogtie the other and toss 'em in the cellar?”

“I doubt either of them knows how to hogtie a pony.” Dash said with a teasing smirk. “But she's a princess, so she probably has a dungeon.”

Applejack gave a snort, but Dash could tell she was smiling as she said, “You better be glad I don't got a dungeon right now.”

“Seriously, they probably aren't much different from us. Weddings are for pretending those times don't happen, but nopony is perfect.”

“You sayin' you ain't perfect?” AJ teased.

Dash grinned, “I might have a tiny flaw or two. But you did get really lucky when you caught me.”

“I did.” Applejack whispered.

Dash nuzzled her neck. “So did I.”

“Glad ya' know it.”

Dash looked up with a smirk, “You don't think I'd give my heart to anypony but the second best pony in all of Equestria, do ya?”

Applejack shot her a look, “Second best?”

Dash gave AJ a little grin. “Yeah. I haven't figured out how to date myself yet.”

Applejack chuckled and shook her head. “You coulda asked onea them changelin's.”

“Are you kidding? If any of them had been half as awesome as me, we would've lost.”

“Dash? We did lose.”

Dash sighed, “Yeah, I know. But we took out a lot of them first!”

“Yeah.” Applejack said softly.

“You okay?” Dash asked, just as soft. She knew AJ took failure hard.

“I guess. . .” Applejack shifted, wrapping her forelegs around Dash. “I mean, what woulda happened if Cadance and Shinin' Armor weren't there?”

Thinking about the potential damage, of Ponyville looking like Canterlot after the changeling invasion, Dash was very glad AJ's legs were around her. It made her feel stronger, and it reminded her how strong Applejack was. “It would have been bad. . . but we would have made it.”

“How do ya' know?” Applejack asked.

“We were alive.” Dash said softly. “As long as we're alive, me, you, the rest of the girls, we'll keep fighting, and we'll win someday. Those guys were no Discord, there were just a ton of them. We would have beat them eventually.”

There was a short silence, then AJ said, “Guess the Elements of Harmony ain't gettin' a holiday this time.”

Dash laughed a little. “Yeah. That totally sucks. But Cadance and Shining Armor better not get one. They're still on 'stained glass window,' I don't care if she is a princess.”

Applejack just chuckled softly and hugged Dash close, while Dash just enjoyed the feeling of relaxing in AJ's strong legs after a long, dangerous, and confusing day.

Finally, without moving from AJ's forelegs, Dash asked, “What was your final count?”

“You were countin'?”

Dash smirked at AJ, “Like you weren't.”

Applejack was quiet for a minute. “Forty three. You?”

“Forty-” Dash paused, and eyed Applejack, who she found eyeing her back. Dash deflated a little and finished, “Forty two.”

“How's second best feel, sugarcube?” Applejack smiled and gave her a squeeze. But seeing Dash pouting, she went on. “'Sides, Pinkie got more then either of us.”

“Yeah, but that doesn't count. She had Twilight, and the party cannon. It only counts if you do it with your bare hooves.”

Applejack laughed, “I'll buy that for two bits. Pinkie probably came out cleaner then us, though. I thought I'd never get the changelin' bits outta my hair for the weddin'.”

“Why'd you have to?” Dash joked, running a hoof down AJ's blonde mane. “You looked so cool after that fight, all sweaty and messy. If I hadn't been distracted by failing all of Equestria, I would've pulled you up here right then.”

Applejack had to laugh, “A city fulla changelin's wouldn't a stopped ya, huh?”

“Nope, I would've been like, 'Outta my way guys, I've got a hot marefriend to make out with,'” Dash laughed. She leaned in and kissed AJ deeply, and AJ kissed her back.

The kiss lasted a long time, it held all of the nervous energy of two ponies who would never say die, but might have had the thought cross their minds once or twice in the past day. When it finally broke, Rainbow Dash found herself looking into those bright green eyes and feeling too many things that she couldn't express.

“I love you, Rainbow Dash.” AJ said.

“I love you too, Applejack.” Dash answered, which wasn't a bad start. But there was more. “If- if anything ever happens to me, I want you to know. . .”

Applejack bit her lip, but waited patiently. Dash tried to put what she was feeling into words, but these kinds of emotions just weren't her thing.

Finally she gave up, and grinned impishly. “You'll make a slightly less awesome best pony in all Equestria.”

For a second, AJ was shocked, then she started laughing and gave Rainbow Dash a shove, “You're the worst, ya know that?”

“You mispronounced 'best.'” Dash said, grabbing the leg AJ used to shove her and pulling her close.

AJ hugged the pegasus, then used her body to push Dash into the bed. “Best pain in my rear end.”

Dash grinned, wrapping her front legs tight around AJ, “I'd better be. It's a great rear end.”

Rainbow Dash wondered if she'd ever actually be able to say all that she needed to before it was too late. But as she laughed and joked and held Applejack close, she wondered if maybe she didn't have to. Maybe nights like this said it all.

Comments

[Brawney Hooves]

Dash may be a pain sometimes I admit it, but she's still my favorite pony.

And now... on to the last chapter.

[WereWolfGod]

Great Chapter! Love The Changes! Yeah!

[Church]

Oh whoah whoa, it's magic! Ya Kno-o-oh!

Okay. I love this. Neat way to go about the whole "OH GEEZ DID THEY KISS?" thing.

bookplayer, yet again, you have done it. I want your talents.

[Vhett]

Ah that was awesome....btw anyone else cathc the LotR reference?

[youtube=bh2tUipUnaI]

[Orrianna Dyre]

this is one of my all time favorite AppleDash fics. But i must say that your second chapter was ultimatly one of my most favorite ones. you are a very good writer and my fave when it comes to AppleDash. Thank-You for the entertainment, and the great story lining my fave mlp couple.

[DiscordDraconequus]

1281076 Yeah, I can totally see AJ and RD having Legolas & Gimly syndrome. *RD shoots changling* "Fourty-three!"
"It was already dead!"
"I saw it twitch."
"It twitched because my AXE IS IMBEDED IN IT'S NERVOUS SYSTEM!
And Chrysalis still only counts as one.

[MLPlover22]

Dash gave AJ a little grin. “Yeah. I haven't figured out how to date myself yet.”

I mean...
You're technically dating yourself since Ashleigh does both of your voices so she basically "dates" herself but...
They obviously don't know that