Go Big AND Go Home

by Omegathyst

The Final Touch

Rainbow Dash flew onward, covering the distance between her and her destination with long flaps of her wings. Applejack raced forward in an attempt to keep up with her marefriend.

The others glanced at one another as they continued walking forward.

“Should...should we go after them?” Apple Bloom asked her big brother.

“We’ll reach ‘em eventually,” Big Mac responded, staring at the blue and orange figures disappearing from sight.

“We throw together this whole perfected barn, and they’re still worried about their little competition!” Rarity rolled her eyes.

“Rarity, is there something you want to talk about?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Whatever do you mean? All I want is a simple thank you from Applejack, that’s all,” Rarity sighed. Sweetie Belle leaned forward, resting her hoof on her older sister’s shoulder as they kept walking.

---

“Here it is!”

Applejack felt sweat flying from her fur and her mane as she stopped and stared at the flower bushes surrounding the merged apple-pear tree. Blue, orange, and red flowers surrounded the tree in a diverse display. Applejack’s jaw hung open, as heat tickled her cheeks and flickered within her chest.

“I forget what flowers Twilight said they were. Hi-dran-as? Something like that,” Dash rolled her eyes, before flying over to Applejack’s side with a forced grin. “Sorry for lying about where Twilight was. It was for the surprise, y’know?”

Dash looked up at the sky, smiling as she saw Twilight steadily flapping her wings as she landed in front of her colorful creations.

“They’re called Hydrangeas, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight smirked. “They were Dash’s idea in a way, she wanted to find flowers that symbolize true feelings. And I couldn’t think of a better type of flower to express that.”

“Heh, I don’t think Applejack’s said a word since she got here,” Dash snickered, glancing back at her marefriend. “Well? You told me to top your plans, now I topped you! As usual, that is.”

“I don’t need to know that…” Twilight covered her blush with one of her wings.

“Oh my, this is lovely.”

Applejack turned to look over her shoulder, seeing Fluttershy walk past her and stop to look down at the flowers. Pinkie came next, bouncing carefully over the bushes with wide blue eyes and an even wider smile. Big Mac and Sugar Belle arrived, the latter pointing to the red bushes and whispering in her husband’s ear. The Cutie Mark Crusaders arrived next, Apple Bloom chatting up the two about the history of the apple/pear tree. Behind Sweetie Belle, came Rarity. The white unicorn’s narrowed eyes widened as she stared at the bushes that she knew weren’t there before. Then, her sapphire eyes landed on the hoof Rainbow Dash had behind her back. Rarity froze.

“Oh my, I really should be going, this is just astounding though darling, really,” Rarity waved her hoof at the pegasus. “Couldn’t have thought of it myself. The keys will be under the carpet for you, Sweetie Belle. I-”

“Applejack, will you marry me?” Dash asked, taking the sapphire ring behind her back and holding it up in front of the farm pony. Applejack felt time itself freeze over as the other ponies stood speechless, like her.

Oh hay, she’s right! I still haven’t spoke a peep!

“Oh m-my…” Applejack gulped, staring at the blue ring gleaming at her. “Really, sugarcube?”

“Of course, you goof,” Dash pressed her muzzle against Applejack’s. “I know my pranks can be a bit much sometimes, but this isn’t one of them. I promise.”

“Ah’ll marry ya then,” Applejack felt her chest warming up, at this incredibly sculpted moment where her marefriend proposed to her at the tree her parents planted. Not only that, but she could hear their friends cheering and stomping their hooves around them. She felt Rainbow Dash crash into her, dropping the ring and kissing the side of Applejack’s face multiple times, embracing her.

"The first marriage of Elements of Harmony!" Twilight stood on her hind legs, waving her front ones in excitement. "I'll have to send a note to the Sisters, I'm sure they'd love to attend!"

"We should invite the whole Apple family to the wedding!" Sugar Belle added. Feeling a hoof gently prodding her own, she looked up at Big Mac's stare. A hint of a smile appeared on his face, Sugar Belle returned it, knowing very well it was time.

"I have an announcement of my own," Sugar said as the cheering began to die down. "I'm expecting Big Mac's foal."

Applejack looked over her shoulder while embracing Dash, her jaw dropping a second time.

"Ah'm...ah'm gonna be an aunt?" Applejack whispered. Sugar Belle leaned closer to Big Mac and nodded her head.

"Woohoo!" Applejack held Rainbow Dash tighter, nuzzling her mane. "This is just the best gosh-darn day of my life! We must celebrate!"

"As much as your apple pies are delicious darling, perhaps this occasion requires a more...grand location," Rarity suggested, causing her younger sister to give her a look.

"But I thought you were leav-" Sweetie Belle felt a hoof covering her mouth.

"Nonsense, my sister. Clearly these two have their hearts set on having it all, so let them," Rarity whispered, while Sweetie Belle looked away.

"I couldn't agree more, Rarity," Twilight nodded. "And what better location than the castle of the ruler herself?"

Twilight closed her eyes, spreading her wings and enveloping the entire group of ponies and draconequus in her magic. Applejack lifted Rainbow Dash's face in her hooves, pressing her lips against the pegasus' lips before they all disappeared.

---

Applejack and Rainbow Dash felt themselves land outside the castles of Canterlot alongside their friends and family. Applejack looked over at Rarity.

Just as Rarity stood up and opened her eyes, Applejack looked away.

"Hey, don't ya think Rarity's been acting a bit…" Applejack looked into Dash's eyes. "Off?"

"Isn't she always?" Dash blew some strands of her mane out of her eyes. "I mean, if anything, she seems calmer than usual. She didn't even bring her fainting couch!"

“That’s true,” Applejack shrugged. “Ah’m gonna check up on her later, I got a hot fiancee to be with.”

“Is she as hot as me?” Dash winked, leaning forward and giggling.

“Maybe~” Applejack pressed her lips against Dash’s nose. The orange mare chuckled as she noticed Twilight speaking to Spike, who was writing away with a quill pen on paper. “Heh, some things never change.”

“You’re a lucky mare,” Dash winked, getting up and following the alicorn. “You get to be bride to the coolest wedding in all of Equestria!”

“So do you,” Applejack smirked, trotting beside her flying marefriend. “With apple fritters, pies, cider, slices, and more, you’ll have the best damn food around.”

“Y’know I can’t resist your apple pie,” Dash purred, leaning forward. “I was thinking, the best fall weather will be in four months. Maybe we can plan the wedding for then?”

“That soon?” Applejack tilted her head, her ears perking up. “Ah, I remember our Iron Pony competition now.”

“Don’t forget the Running of the Leaves,” Dash pointed out. “Twilight can grow some trees around our ceremony, and then she can marry us under the leaves.”

“You’ve thought about this?” Applejack asked.

“A little bit,” Dash replied as the two entered the castle. “And maaaaaybe I talked to Twilight about it too. Hey, when you get to chatting up Rarity, maybe ask her about wedding dresses.”

“Who said anythin’ about wedding dresses?” Applejack chuckled. “Ah’m wearing a tuxedo to mah wedding, what about you?”

“Maybe, I think we’d look pretty awesome in tuxes together,” Dash pondered, a hoof pressing against her chin. “Wait, are we going to have two Maids of Honor?”

“Well, Rarity will be busy with our dresses, so we can make Pinkie and Fluttershy our Maids of Honor,” Applejack suggested. “Pinkie can be mine, cousin and all. Fluttershy can be yours, naturally.”

“Maybe you can make Rarity your Maid of Honor! Extend the olive branch, I think it’ll ease the tension on ya,” Dash hugged Applejack, flying away to join Twilight. “Just think about it!”

“Oh Celestia,” Applejack sighed, rolling her eyes. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Rarity trailing behind, watching her younger sister talking to Apple Bloom. When Applejack turned around and began trotting over, Rarity’s ears perked up as she stepped back.

“Oh no, darling, go be with your fiancee,” Rarity pointed her hoof ahead. “Don’t mind me none, I’m just paying compliment to the castle renovations.”

“You’re important to me, Rarity,” Applejack held her hoof. “It means a lot to me that you can be with us and help with the barn, but ah don’t want ya to do it at the expense of your feelins’. Ah’m not even sure I understand it, you ended it when I couldn’t make time as often as I did. We’re very busy mares with our businesses, ah don’t think it was ever gonna work out. But do you still think about what could’ve been…?”

Applejack stared at the white unicorn, feeling time stop for the second time that day. Motion, her thoughts, snapped back into reality as Rarity laughed.

“Oh darling, everypony thinks about what could’ve been. But fate is a cruel mistress, playing with our hearts and words like puppets on a string,” Rarity explained. “Celestia knows what ties your heart to that hot-headed pegasus, but it isn’t in my place to say really. Worry not Applejack, I’m surrounded by many lovely ponies regardless.”

“Y-You sure, Rarity?” Applejack asked. “Ah want ya to find somepony to talk to about your problems, sugarcube. Letting it build up, it ain’t good for ya.”

“Darling,” Rarity leaned forward. “Why do you fret so much about me? I’m not your fiancee. You made your choice, now carry on.”

“I-”

“I’m not asking you, Applejack.”

Applejack’s words died on her lips, and she sighed as her head lowered.

“Take care, Rarity,” Applejack nodded, turning away. Chills running down her spine as she heard the words creeping up behind her.

“I always do.”

---

“Ooh! I can make 68 flavors of cupcakes! How does that sound?!”

“I dunno Pinkie, maybe one more flavor will make this wedding perfect,” Dash smirked at the hopping pink pony.

“69 flavors of cupcakes!” Pinkie shouted, an extra hop in her step.

“Nice,” Dash snickered before she looked over. “Oh hey, Applejack. How’d everything go?”

“Um, could’ve gone a lot better,” Applejack sighed as Pinkie hopped ahead. “Ah told Twilight to have a word with Rarity, she won’t talk about what’s wrong. Ah hope she can make it to the wedding.”

“Want me to talk to her?” Dash asked. “I can tell her that there’s way cooler stuff to do besides moping.”

“It’s okay,” Applejack waved her hoof. “Ah don’t want this to take away from the life we’re building for ourselves and perhaps…”

Dash stopped flying, landing on the carpet as she stared into Applejack’s emerald green eyes.

“Perhaps our future foals, if you’d make me so lucky,” Applejack pressed her lips against Dash’s briefly, before pulling away. “No rush.”

“Who am I to deprive you of a bunch of tiny ruffians running around the barn?” Dash joked, resting her hoof on Applejack’s shoulder. “Foals that can buck trees and fly like the Wonderbolts? I’d be remiss if I didn’t let that happen.”

Applejack and Rainbow Dash sat at the table, glancing at Twilight as she leaned over and spoke to Rarity. Pinkie bounced past all of them, sitting at the chair at the end. Fluttershy sat at the other end of the table while Discord stretched himself around her like an oversized scarf. Big Mac nudged one of the chairs for his wife, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders took their seats right next to each other.

“Y’know sugarcube?” Applejack looked at Rainbow Dash, wrapping her hoof around the blue pegasus’ shoulders. “Ah think everything will be alright.”

Comments

[Assembler]

“69 flavors of cupcakes!” Pinkie shouted, an extra hop in her step.

“Nice,” Dash snickered before she looked over.

ICWUDT

Nice and sweet ending.

[SnowOriole]

This is really sweet and cute! Though Rarity being sad made me sad :((( Masterfully written, well done.

[LurkingToRead]

“Applejack, will you marry me?” Dash asked, taking the sapphire ring behind her back and holding it up in front of the farm pony. Applejack felt time itself freeze over as the other ponies stood speechless, like her.

Well, that was quick. No declaration of love first or heartfelt speech of any kind, huh? Dash even interrupted someone else with her clumsy proposal.

[LurkingToRead]

"We should invite the whole Apple family to the wedding!" Sugar Belle added. Feeling a hoof gently prodding her own, she looked up at Big Mac's stare. A hint of a smile appeared on his face, Sugar Belle returned it, knowing very well it was time.

Ahem… not really. It was decidedly not time to upstage a proposal that had happened minutes ago. I feel like you have little sense for the dramatic.

[LurkingToRead]

“Who am I to deprive you of a bunch of tiny ruffians running around the barn?” Dash joked, resting her hoof on Applejack’s shoulder. “Foals that can buck trees and fly like the Wonderbolts? I’d be remiss if I didn’t let that happen.”

Are we just assuming Twi can McGuffin up some conception spell like in other fanfics? Rainbow seems pretty confident about the possibility of passing on genes from both of them…