Down to Earth Family

by Zenaron

Plan F

Chapter 11-Plan F

Ponyville Library

“Why is it so hard to get them to just admit their feelings for each other?” Twilight said as she threw her hooves up in the air in an exasperated gesture.

She was sitting at the large round table in the center of the library, surrounded by three of her best friends. To her right was Rarity, her head resting on one of her majestic hoofs as she twirled her hair with the other.

To Twilight’s left was Pinkie Pie, hunched over the table and rubbing both sides of her temple with her hooves.

And at the other side of the table was Fluttershy, sitting back and waiting patiently for the other three to voice their ideas.

“I never knew it would be this hard to get two ponies who obviously like each other to admit it.” Rarity chimed in with a heavy sigh, glancing around at the others.

The other three nodded their heads in agreement, before looking back down to continue to ponder their collective problem.

“I thought your last idea would work for sure.” Fluttershy said as she looked over at Rarity.

“I thought so too, but apparently someponies don’t see the glamor in a day at the spa.” Rarity said with a shrug of her shoulders.

“Yeah it was definitely better than my idea of having them both help me with baking.” Pinkie Pie said with wide grin. “Applejack can bake just fine, but Rainbow Dash needs some work.”

The other three chuckled lightly remembering the massive mess that Rainbow Dash had managed to make of the kitchen at Sugarcube Corner.

“The Cakes are still finding bits of batter in some of the nooks and crannies around the shop.” Pinkie Pie said with a contagious giggling.

The other three joined in, as the feeling of tension at their continued failures left the room.

“And don’t get me started on the other ideas that I came up with.” Twilight said with a smile.

The other three nodded their agreement. “But this doesn’t solve what we’re going to do next.” Twilight said with a shake of her head.

The other three nodded their heads before they returned to trying to come up with any new ideas.

Rarity’s head came up suddenly as a thought struck her. “Fluttershy, have you had any good ideas?”

Fluttershy looked over at her and smiled sweetly. “Well I may have come up with a few ideas.”

“WHAT! WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY ANYTHING SOONER!?” Twilight yelled as she glared at Fluttershy.

Fluttershy let out a squeak and quickly hid behind her mane. “I’m sorry, you all had such great ideas and I didn’t want to interrupt.”

Twilight let out a heavy sigh and looked down. “I’m sorry Fluttershy, I didn’t mean to yell.”

Fluttershy slowly peaked out of her mane and smiled softly. “It’s okay Twilight.”

“Well don’t keep us in suspense, let’s hear this super awesome, amazing idea.” Pinkie Pie said as she bounced up and down happily.

“Well ok, so we need them to spend time together to have an opportunity to admit their feelings for each other right?”

The other three nodded and waited for her to continue.

“Well then I thought that we’ve been trying to have them do things that we like to do. So instead maybe we should try something that they both like to do?” Fluttershy reasoned with a small wave of her hoof.

The other three sat back and thought about it, and after a few seconds they all nodded their heads.

“So do you have any ideas of something that they would both enjoy doing?” Twilight asked as she tapped her chin with her hoof.

Fluttershy smiled and nodded. “Actually I asked a certain somepony if he would help out, and help me come up with some ideas.” Fluttershy said as she got up from her spot and trotted over to the front door of the library.

The other three quickly looked at each other, each of them simply shrugging in reply to the unspoken question.

When Fluttershy opened the door, the light from outside was blocked by the large red form of Big Macintosh.

Big Macintosh smiled and tilted his head at Fluttershy, before he walked in and joined the rest of the group around the table.

“Big Macintosh has been helping me work out the finer points of my plan.” Fluttershy said as she walked up and stood next to Big Macintosh.

“What makes you so sure that they both will like it?” Twilight asked as she raised an eyebrow in question.

“Well, no pony knows Applejack better than her family.” Fluttershy said as she looked over at Big Mac.

“Eeyup,” Big Mac agreed with a nod of his head.

“And I’ve known Rainbow Dash the longest, and I think she’ll like it.” Fluttershy said as she looked around at the rest of her friends.

“Well don’t keep us waiting darling, tell us what the plan is.” Rarity said with twinkle in her eyes.

“Alright here’s the plan...”

Latter At Outskirts of Ponyville

“I have a bad feeling about this.” Rainbow Dash said with a hint of apprehension in her voice as she flew slowly next to Applejack.

Applejack smiled over at the pegasus flying next to her and gave her a playful nudge causing Rainbow Dash to blush slightly.

“Hey it can’t be all that bad, at least it can’t be any worse than the kitchen incident.” Applejack said as she started to pull ahead of her companion, a mischievous smile on her face.

“Hey that wasn’t my fault, how was I supposed to know that mixing baking powder in with vinegar would make the batter explode.” Rainbow Dash said as she landed next to Applejack and started trotting along the path with her.

“Sure thing sugarcube, ah believe yah.” Applejack said with sly smile. “Hey look! There’s Fluttershy and Big Macintosh; let’s go see why they called us out here.”

Rainbow Dash nodded, and the two of them doubled their pace.

Fluttershy smiled and waved a hoof as the two mares came closer, “Hi girls.”

“Hey Fluttershy, so why did you call us all the way out here to the middle of nowhere?” Rainbow Dash asked as she came to a stop in front of the yellow pegasus.

“Well, Big Macintosh and I were talking about how you both have been working so hard recently. So we decided that we wanted to give you two a day off.” Fluttershy said with a kind smile.

Rainbow Dash and Applejacks eyes grew wide, and they quickly looked back and forth between Big Macintosh and Fluttershy.

“Well that’s mighty kind of yah, but ah don’t think…”

“Now sis we insist, you’ve earned it.” Big Macintosh interrupted with a non-argumentative tone.

“Well, ah guess so.” Applejack said with a note of apprehension in her voice.

Big Macintosh raised an eyebrow and tilted his head over to the side.

Applejack nodded her head understanding of the unsaid message and followed her brother a short distance away to talk.

Once they were far enough away Applejack looked at her brother with concern in her eyes. “Are you sure about this, there’s a whole lot of harvestin' that needs to be done.”

Big Macintosh just smiled and nodded his head.

“But what about Scootaloo and Applebloom, ah can’t have you watchin’ them and doin’ all of the harvestin’ by yourself”

“Fluttershy is gonna take care of the girls. She’s done it before, and she’s good at it.”

“Ah guess you’re right.” Applejack conceded with a shrug of her shoulders.

Big Macintosh nodded his head once again before a sly grin spread across his muzzle. “Besides, this might just give you the perfect opportunity to tell Rainbow Dash how you feel about her.”

Applejack’s cheeks darkened and she glared momentarily at her older brother, but after a few seconds of thinking about she smiled a little. “Yah know what, you might just be on to somthin’”

Meanwhile while the Apple siblings were having their discussion. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were talking amongst very similar lines.

“I just don’t know if I can go through with it Fluttershy.” Rainbow Dash said in worried tone.

“Don’t worry Rainbow Dash; I know you can do it. I have faith in you.” Fluttershy said in an unusually strong tone.

Rainbow Dash smiled slightly. If her meek childhood friend could have faith in her, and show her this much encouragement, then there was no way she was going to let her down.

“Alright I’ll do it.” Rainbow Dash said with renewed confidence.

“That’s the spirit Rainbow Dash! I know you can do it.” Fluttershy said with a flutter of her wings. “Oh here they come, good luck and come over and tell me how it goes later.”

Rainbow Dash nodded as her and Fluttershy were joined by the other two.

Fluttershy and Big Macintosh made their goodbyes and left the two mares standing there next to each other, a similar mission in each of their minds.

“So what do you want to do first?” Rainbow Dash asked as she looked over at Applejack.

Applejack tapped her chin with her front hoof as she thought about, before she smiled having a fun idea. “Well there’s a creek a little ways away from here that leads to a small lake that we could go swimmin’ in.”

Rainbow Dash smiled widely and flapped her wings in excitement. “That sounds awesome, bet I can beat you there.”

Applejack scraped her hoof against the ground. “Alright partner let’s see if all that time up in the clouds has helped speed your legs up.”

Rainbow Dash lined up next to Applejack and hunched down in a ready position. “Alright on your mark, get set…GO!” Rainbow Dash shouted as the two of them sped off neck and neck in the direction of the lake.

The rest of the day went much the same way as this, swimming, racing, sitting under a nice shady tree and relaxing. Both of them stealing the occasional glance at each other, but quickly looking away whenever they were close to being caught.

Neither of them could find a proper time or opportunity to breach the subject that was on both of their minds. Even with the tension and the occasional frustration, they both enjoyed the other’s company.

After a while the sun started to set and the two of them started making their way back to Ponyville.

“Come on Rainbow Dash, it can’t be that hard. All I’ve got to do is tell her I like her.” Rainbow Dash thought to herself as she nervously cleared her throat. “Hey Applejack, can I talk to you about something?”

Applejack paused as her heart started to thump harder and faster in her chest. “Sure thing sugarcube, what’s on your mind?”

Rainbow Dash stopped and turned to face Applejack, trying her hardest not to blush at the sight of the orange mare almost seeming to glow in the late afternoon sun.

“Applejack, I…I like you.” Rainbow Dash said quietly before she quickly looked down to avoid eye contact.

Applejack gulped nervously as Rainbow Dash said the words that she had been trying to say all afternoon, but she wasn’t sure of her intent. “Best play it safe.” Applejack thought to herself before nervously saying.
“Of course, I like you too. Ah mean we’ve had our ups and downs but were still friends.”

Rainbow Dash looked up and shook her head. “No, no that’s not what I meant. What I mean is I…I think I love you.”

Applejack’s eyes grew wide and her cheeks became the same color of red as her cutie mark as she finally fully understood what Rainbow Dash meant.

“Oh...wow Rainbow, ah don’t know what to say, but ah don’t…”

“Nah its cool, don’t worry about it, it was dumb anyway. Heh heh, well I’ll see you later.” Rainbow Dash interrupted as she tried to force the tears back as she quickly unfurled her wings and took off.

Fortunately for her she didn’t make it very far. Before she could get more than five feet off the ground she felt a hard tug on her tail. She turned her head to see Applejack holding onto her tail with her teeth, with a fierce look in her eyes.

Before Rainbow Dash could say anything, Applejack pulled hard on Rainbow Dash’s tale bringing her back down to the ground with a slight thud, landing flat on her back. Applejack quickly stood over her so that she couldn’t get away.

“Now wait just a minute, y’all didn’t even let me finish.” Applejack said as she looked down at the mare beneath her. “Now what ah was gonna say was, ah don’t know how I feel. Ah’ve never been in love with somepony, but ah think ah might love you too, and ah’m willin’ to give it a shot if you are.”

Rainbow Dash looked up at Applejack with a shocked expression. “You…you do?”

“Yap ah sure do.” Applejack said as she bent down and gave Rainbow Dash a little peck on the cheek.

Rainbow Dash’s wings suddenly shot out from the soft touch of Applejack’s lips, and she blushed furiously.

Applejack chuckled lightly as she got off of Rainbow Dash and helped her back onto her hooves.

“Soooo, I guess this means that you and I are going to have to go on dates and stuff now huh.” Rainbow Dash said with a smile.

Applejack smiled back and nodded “Ah recon so, will come on partner. Last one back to the farm has to watch the crusaders for a week.” Applejack said as she took off running back to Ponyville.

“Hey no fair!” Rainbow Dash yelled after her as she galloped to catch up.

Comments

[Seether00]

Well thank goodness. Was getting tired of the constant teasing.

[Grey Warden]

finely!!!! I was beginning to think they would never admit they loved each other.

[Tarascha]

Just like Discord said it before
"Well played, Fluttershy. Well played"

[BenRG]

I think I agree with the notion that Rainbow's cocksure attitude covers an enormous reserve of self-doubt to a degree that's close to emotionally crippling. With this in mind, her flying off in a panic at an even slightly ambiguous reply makes sense

It also makes sense that:

1) Fluttershy would be the only pony smart enough to suggest just putting AJ and RD together and letting them talk;
2) She would be too polite to mention this to her more assertive friends;
3) She would be the only one nice enough to actually not engage in stupid mind games but out-and-out tell Rainbow "I know, so don't bother denying it, even to yourself".

It was nice that she got Big Mac to help her by double-teaming him against AJ.

[Zenaron]

2240592
Well thank you very much, because that's exactly what I was going for. And I'm very glad you liked it.

[Cold Spike]

D'AWWWWWWWWWWWWW MOAR!

[Drifting Heart]

now i cant wait for pinkie and twilight to get together.

[ImaBearRawr]

*in the next chapter*

And it was all a dream...

[Zenaron]

2252920 Oh now come on I'm not that mean, or am I...Nah.

[AppleFire-Fan99]

Cant wait to see how the relationship plays out for AppleJack and Rainbow Dash. Plus the how it plays out with Scootaloo and AJ. Cant wait for the next update.

[DarkDasher]

[youtube=MInWSfauazg]

can't wait for the other pairings to develop