The Dishonest Truth

by Arbiter Balemead

Making an Attempt

It had been two days and apple harvest was under way. Braeburn and Applejack were hard at work bucking the trees and chatting playfully. Applejack seemed in high spirits today. Little did Braeburn realize that it was because the feather was no longer in his hat. She couldn't help but feel curious though. It was, after all, something she thought would not come to an end, ever. But this way, it felt like something had died young. She just had to ask.

"Hey, cuz?"

"Yes?"

"What-uh... what happened to that pretty feather you was wearin' in yer hat the other day?" He glanced at her suspiciously for a moment then answered, simply.

"Me an' Fluttershy decided it wouldn' work out...so we split. We's still friends we just ain't... close is all." Applejack had two separate reactions in her head simultaneously. One of joy and the other of guilt. Joy that Fluttershy WOULDN'T be with Braeburn, and guilt at the joy she was feeling, and that things didn't work out for them.

"Gosh. That's too bad, cuz." She said slowly.

"Oh! Speakin' of Fluttershy, she asked me ta ask ya to meet her at her house. And no, she didn' say why, just that it'd be nice if ya stopped by today." Applejack quirked an eyebrow at him for a moment, but simply shook off her curiosity. So what if he was lying about her mentioning why? He probably just didn't remember the whole reason, or didn't want to explain it himself.

A few hours later, Applejack found herself at Fluttershy's cottage knocking on the door. The door opened immediately, showing an excited Fluttershy at the door.

"Oh, hi, Applejack! I was w-well uhm... waiting for you." Her excitement began to visibly turn into nervousness.

'Play it cool, Applejack. She probably just needs somethin'. She thought to herself and said aloud, "What fer?"

"W-well I was uhm....hoping we c-could go out... sometime. A-as friends... I just w-was hoping we could spend some time j-just the...two of us..." She had been hiding shyly behind her mane the whole time.

'Did she just- no, no this is Fluttershy.' Applejack was almost floored. She was sure this was nothing, but somewhere in the back of her mind, in the really girly part, she was as giddy as a schoolfilly. It was almost like Fluttershy had just asked her out, 'But...that was impossible right?'

"Er-uh...what did ya have in mind, sugarcube?" She asked as calmly as she could manage.

"U-uhm I uh... I was thinking... a uhm- walk or eh...." She started kicking at the floor nervously. She had honestly thought this would've gone a lot more disastrous by now. Her mind was going blank while Applejack's unwavering stare was on her. She looked up for a moment, smiled sheepishly, realized that that must've looked weird, then frowned and looked back down. "I guess a-uh dinner or uh- I eh- what did you want to do?" At least the pressure wasn't on her anymore.

"A walk sounds fine ta me." Applejack said calmly. As an awkward silence spread between them. Fluttershy realized Applejack was still standing outside and quickly motioned for her to come in.

"I'm so sorry. I should've offered tea."

"Uh-no it's fine, sugarcube. I need to get back to the farm anyway. I'll uh...see you tonight?"

"Yes."

"So, Rainbow, you have no idea what either your best friend or your oldest friend would want to do on a first date?" Rarity asked.

"Well... not really. It's not like I ever asked Flutters what she would wanna do on her first date! It just isn't my strong suit..." She rationalized.

Rarity found herself facehoofing again. This constant hoof to face action could NOT be good for her complexion. "It would be so nice if the pony asking for help had some input to go on."

"Well what about you? You've known Fluttershy for years, too, ya know. Don't you know what she would like?"

"Well of course. She would like something quiet and...what's the word for it? Relaxed. But not too high class. A simple dinner or a picnic...maybe a walk... I doubt if a five star restaurant would be either of their styles."

"AJ's the outdoorsy type. She might like a picnic." Rainbow said.

"Finally! Some input from 'Miss Stunts' over here." Rarity exclaimed.

"Hey! It's not like I-"

"Rarity! Rarity I need some help. I just as-" Fluttershy galloped into the room but slid to a halt when she saw Rainbow. "Oh h-hi, Rainbow. Am I interrupting?"

The two glanced at each other quickly, then Rarity spoke up, "Not at all, dear. What did you need?" Fluttershy glanced at Rainbow nervously.

"Well I-uh I don't know if I want to talk about it with uhm..." She decided to stop there so as to not be rude.

"Oh no worries, dear, I'm sure whatever it is, Rainbow can be here for it."

"I-if you say so... Well I uhm... asked Applejack to uhmm..." She muttered the rest of it quietly.

"I'm sorry, what was that, dear?"

"I asked her to go ouwifmhe."

"Hey, speak up Flutters." Rainbow said as she glided over and landed next to her. Fluttershy ducked her head low and took a deep breath.

"Iaskedherout!" She said then ducked her head down again. Rainbow and Rarity glanced at each other again.

"What exactly do you mean?" Rarity asked.

"I mean I asked her out. On a date." Fluttershy said shortly. Then she looked up at Rarity, confused. "Wait, you don't hate me?"

"Hate you? Why would we hate you, Flutters?" Rainbow asked.

"Well I-I just thought that... since I'm a mare and she is too..." She looked back up meaningfully. Rainbow walked over and draped an arm around her shoulders.

"Fluttershy. You have nothing to be ashamed of. How did it go, by the way?"

"W-well... She said yes, but I didn't REALLY ask her out. I just sort of.. suggested... a platonic get together-type...thing." She said glumly.

"So... she doesn't know it's a date?" Rarity asked. This was awkward for her and Rainbow. They'd been trying to approach this from one side in secret, when all along the other side was trying to do the same thing.

"She should." Rainbow said. "She already li-" But she was interrupted by Rarity's hoof in her mouth. She then proceeded to drag Rainbow into an adjacent room, to Fluttershy's confusion.

"What's the matter, Rare?" Rainbow asked.

"Are you insane?"

"Huh?"

"She doesn't know and it's Applejack's job to tell her. You can't just tamper with that! There is nothing worse in a relationship than loosing the chance to tell your partner how you feel. Do NOT tell either of them no matter what you do!" Rainbow just stared at her, wide-eyed. "Got it?"

"Uh...yes?"

"Good!" And with that she walked back over and sat next to Fluttershy. Rainbow followed slowly.

"So...dear. What happened, exactly?" Rarity asked. Fluttershy recounted the short, embarrassing tale to them quietly. When she finished she sat still in an awkward pose that said she was trying to brace for a scolding from the other mares.

"That does sound a little awkward." Rainbow stated bluntly. Her statement was replied to with a swift hoof to the shoulder. "Ouch! C'mon Rarity! Stop doing that!" She quieted down at the sight of Rarity's murderous glare.

"It WAS awkard. B-but what should I do?"

"Go for the walk." Rarity said simply.

"Huh? Rare...that's so...simple! What's going on?" Rainbow asked.

"Well... It seems Fluttershy has already handled it. I just think she should make this attempt. Tell her how you feel, what you think of her, what you like about her, and maybe even why. I'm sure this will go well. And DO tell me all about it tomorrow on our spa date." Rarity said. "Now, go on. GO. Get ready for your date." She made shooing gestures at Fluttershy as the blushing yellow pegasus hovered out the door.

"Rarity?" Rainbow began. "Your plan is so....simple, and... not involving you. Why?"

"Rainbow have you forgotten the major thing Fluttershy doesn't know?" At Rainbow's confused look, she decided to explain. "Applejack returns the feelings." She said slowly, as though explaining the obvious details to a yearling.

"Wha-oh...yeah..."

Comments

[Arbiter Balemead]

Sorry this one took so long I started another story and worked through two chapters for it before I realized this was still here
oh yeah the new one is a twishy i started if your interested feel free to read it I named it Simple Things and im enjoying the writing of it a bit more than this one because... well
I like twilight a bit more than aj sorry

[fallen starr]

I hope you write and finish this one though! I like this chapter, I've been checking every few days of an update and then when I checked today it was there! I really like the set up you have here. Please do at least finish it.

[Arbiter Balemead]

942175 oh i will. what im doing is i write one for this is one then take a break to write for the other one and so on

[Animalman57]

She was sure this was nothing, but somewhere in the back of her mind, in the really girly part, she was as giddy as a schoolfilly.

This is my favorite line in this story. I laugh at that part every time I read this story.