Off To The Races

by applejackofalltrades

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Rainbow Dash was certain that last night was a dream. No, not just last night. The entire previous day had to have been a dream. There was no way in Tartarus that it was real. In fact, she felt so overwhelmed with happiness that she practically shook.

Wait, no, she was shaking. Or rather, her bed was shaking? Rainbow Dash took that moment to fully open her eyes. She wasn't in her room, and was met with a plain white ceiling, although it wasn't made of the same material as her home in Ponyville. Her blankets were different, too. They were still comfortable, but less fluffy than her own.

The sleep grogginess didn't completely disappear until Rainbow Dash suddenly flew into the air and off of her bed as the entire world jumped. She was a lot higher up than she should have been and completely lacked the instinct to catch herself. Instead, she lay on the floor and groaned as she felt the impact in her bones. It wasn't exactly painful, but it was definitely not the most pleasant way to start her morning.

Her morning was instantly ameliorated by the orange earth pony that appeared in her view, though. “Dash, you okay?”

Not only was she infinitely better than okay now that Applejack was in her eyesight, but she was definitely wide awake. Rainbow Dash opted to sit up and look at Applejack, who sat on her own bed below Rainbow Dash’s. She had definitely also just woken up, likely by the sound of her roommate falling onto the floor, and yet she still looked absolutely fantastic in Rainbow Dash’s opinion. To say she was okay would have been a massive understatement.

“Yeah, I’m okay.”

“Well I’m glad yer up since we should be gettin’ back to Ponyville soon,” Applejack noted as they both turned to face the window that had the blinds shut.

Rainbow Dash stood up and pulled them apart. She blinked the sudden light away from her eyes and focused on the trees that blurred past. Trees that meant that they were out of the desert climate. Trees that meant that they’d be back home soon. “Awesome!”

Applejack took a seat next to where Rainbow Dash stood and rested the side of her head on her shoulder. Applejack was taller, so Rainbow Dash had to fidget a little so that they were both more comfortable. “Guess so. Although, I kinda wish it wasn’t over,” Applejack admitted with a sigh. “I was havin’ a great time.”

“Yeah, me too.” Rainbow Dash leaned her head on Applejack’s. The farmer’s yellow mane tickled her nose in a way that didn’t make her outright laugh, but forced her to scrunch up her nose a bit. “Is it… weird that I was kind of nervous? We’ve been friends for so long, so I shouldn’t be.”

Rainbow Dash couldn’t see Applejack’s face very well, but she could feel it adjust into a smile. “Naw, it ain’t weird. Least, not to me. I was nervous too.” She chuckled and set her gaze on their reflection in the glass rather than the outside. “I thought about what Braeburn said. I think I’m gonna tell ‘em. About us.”

“Really?”

Applejack brought her head off of Rainbow Dash’s shoulder to look at her directly. “Eeyup. I’m still kinda nervous, but I wanna be truthful with ‘em.”

The light blue pegasus returned the gaze. “I’ll be right by your side, if you want me there.” She brought her head to Applejack’s and pressed their foreheads together.

“Well, of course I want ya there,” Applejack murmured. “There’s nopony else I’d rather have.” She shuffled back and looked at Rainbow Dash’s eyes again.

Something sparked inside the pegasus. She flicked her eyes down a bit and then back at Applejack’s eyes. If there was a better moment, Rainbow Dash would have loved to see it. “Can I, uh, kiss you?”

One of Applejack’s eyebrows raised, but her smile widened by a fraction of an inch. “Eeyup.”

---

Loyalty was the core value that Rainbow Dash believed in. It was what she dedicated her life to. Celestia knows that she would never give it up, especially as she stood at her marefriend’s side in her family’s living room. The earth pony she called her companion and her closest friend stood beside her, nearly shaking from nerves as she held her hat to her chest with a hoof.

The farmer’s family sat in the room expectantly. The youngest, sporting her signature bow, gazed at her sister with curious eyes. The oldest looked more worried than curious, her aged wrinkles deepening with the worst assumptions of what could be making her kin so nerve-wracked. The one in between was harder to read. To untrained eyes, he was apathetic. To Rainbow Dash, who had spent enough time with the Apples, he was worried as well.

It seemed that the naive curiosity of youth would be evident in Apple Bloom as the young filly spoke up. “What is it you wanted to say, Applejack?”

If anything, Rainbow Dash had enough confidence for the both of them. She pressed up a little closer to Applejack and minutely moved her head to the mare’s ear and murmured, “Don’t worry, it’ll be okay. I’m here, remember?”

It seemed to heighten her spirits enough to get her to stop shaking. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then cleared her throat. “Howdy, y’all. Sorry to drag ya from the farm, but I got a rather important announcement to make.” Rainbow Dash was surprised to hear the deeper voice come out as evenly as it did. Then she remembered that Applejack was always good at masking her emotions.

Granny Smith leaned forward in her rocking chair. She had some reading glasses on and a time-worn notebook on her lap. “Well git on with, then. Ain’t no need to worry so much.”

Applejack muttered something under her breath as she took an interest in something on the floor. Rainbow Dash gave her an encouraging nudge and did her best to ignore the increasingly frequent glances she received from the other Apples. The hat-wearing Apple shook her head and looked at her family, although she was unable to hide the apprehension from her face.

“I know y’all have probably been wonderin’ why Dash an’ I been spending so much time together recently,” Applejack started, her voice barely wavering. She gave Rainbow Dash a quick look which was returned by a nod. She turned her attention back to the listening Apples. “This might come as a shock to ya, but…” Her voice trailed off as her expression changed into the unmistakable one of someone who was afraid. She only showed it for a brief moment before neutralizing her face, but Rainbow Dash caught it. “Well, I’m gay.”

There was silence for a moment as the other ponies contemplated what they had just heard. Applejack had said it so quietly that it would have been easy to miss but the room was deadly silent, and Applejack’s voice sounded like she was yelling in comparison. Rainbow Dash stood firmly, but she looked nervously at the Apples, who each had a different expression. Apple Bloom looked surprised, and a bit confused, but the curiosity of a filly remained the same. Big Mac was almost as stoic as before, except for a small smile that rested across his muzzle. Granny Smith had her eyebrows furrowed as she wore a serious expression, and for a moment, Rainbow Dash was afraid.

“Why didn’t ya say so sooner?” Granny Smith asked, although she sounded more surprised than anything else. “You know the rules about datin’. Gotta get yer work done first.”

Applejack visibly relaxed. “I know, Granny. I have been doin’ that. Nothing to worry about.” Her nervous expression was replaced with one of full joy and relief. It almost looked like she was going to start crying. Rainbow Dash hoped she wouldn’t because then she would start crying too.

Apple Bloom stood up and ran over to her sister. “Oh! So you and Rainbow Dash are dating?” She looked eagerly between the two mares, who looked at each other with a smile.

Applejack nodded at her sister. “That’s right. I know it’s a bit weird, but it ain’t that big of a deal.”

Apple Bloom cocked her head. “Weird? The only thing weird about it is that Rainbow Dash is dating you. I mean, she’s just so cool!”

Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Now, Apple Bloom, don’t be mean to your sister,” she reprimanded jokingly. She looked at Applejack and winked. “Although, you’re right. I am pretty awesome.” Applejack snorted and rolled her eyes in response.

“Just wait ‘til Scootaloo hears about this! She’s going to freak out!”

Applejack tensed next to Rainbow Dash. “Woah, woah. Hold on there Apple Bloom.” She gently put a hoof on her sister’s head before returning it to the ground. “I’m glad y’all are so supportive, but not everyone is gonna be like that,”

Granny Smith rocked in her chair, creating a loud creaking noise. “Well if anyone gets on yer case about it, they’re gon’ hafta deal with a whole lotta Apple, ain’t that right?”

Big Mac nodded firmly. “Eeyup.”

“Besides, ya don’t gotta tell everyone. Just be normal and do normal couple things. It ain’t anyone else’s business,” Apple Bloom pointed out. “I jus’ don’t get why gay ponies hafta tell other ponies about their personal lives. They should be able to just date whoever and everyone should see it like any other relationship, not somethin’ weird and different that needs ta be explained.”

Applejack nodded, tears brimming in her eyes. Rainbow Dash leaned against her and smiled. “You’re right, Bloom,” Applejack said as she ruffled her sister’s mane playfully. “If Dash is okay with it, I think we should tell our friends and then just go on about it normally.”

Rainbow Dash was surprised, to say the least. Applejack had come from being so nervous about anypony knowing to not caring if anypony knew. She chalked it up to the benefits of having a supportive family and was immediately grateful for the Apples. She didn’t miss a beat in nodding her head. “Yeah, that sounds great.” She entertained the thought of what the snobby, close-minded ponies of Cloudsdale would say, and it made the idea seem even more inviting. “I can’t wait to see the look on those stupid purist pegasi’s faces!”

Applejack’s eyes widened in some sort of realization and she turned to Rainbow Dash. “I need to talk to Dash quickly. We’re gonna go outside, I’ll be back soon to do my chores.” She turned around, not looking at her family who nodded and remained awkwardly in the room.

Applejack led a confused Rainbow Dash back out the door and onto the porch. The early morning sun shone on both of them as Applejack stood across from the blue mare.

“What’s up, AJ?” Rainbow Dash sat on the ground and raised an eyebrow at Applejack.

Applejack fidgeted as she took a seat in front of Rainbow Dash. “I guess I’m just worried for ya,” she admitted. At Rainbow Dash’s confused hmm, Applejack sighed in exasperation and looked squarely at the pegasus. “Ya told me the other day that there were certain ponies in Cloudsdale who were very particular about bloodlines and stuff like that.” She frowned as she began her explanation.

Rainbow Dash mirrored the frown, unsure of what Applejack was trying to say. “Sure, I did say that.”

“And you bein’ a Wonderbolt and all…” She trailed off and shook her head suddenly. “It ain’t gonna be a problem, right? You and me?”

Rainbow Dash snorted as she failed to hold back a laugh. She had been expecting Applejack to bring it up sometime, but she wasn’t expecting her to be so genuinely worried. Still, she thought it was endearing for her to care so much. “No, of course not!” She reached out a hoof and brought it to Applejack’s shoulder and pulled her in slightly in an attempt to encourage her. “You’re not my first marefriend. I already came out to my parents, and frankly if anyone has a problem with it, I don’t care.” She plastered a trademark confident grin on her face. “Besides, being a Wonderbolt means facing a bit of controversy no matter what I do. If you happen to get dragged into that, they’ll have to deal with me,” she said as she fake punched the air with her hooves.

Applejack nuzzled Rainbow Dash’s cheek with her own. “Quit messin’ around,” she said with a laugh. They stayed like that in silence for a moment before Applejack brought her head back and glared at Rainbow Dash seriously. “Wait, did ya say I’m not your first marefriend?”

Rainbow Dash coughed as she stretched her wings briefly. “Well I wouldn’t exactly put it that way,” she mumbled. “I went on a few dates with High Winds but we decided we were better as friends. I actually had the biggest crush on Daring Do for a bit, but I obviously got over that. And then I went on a date with Soarin but he was not at all my type, and that is when I figured out I don’t like stallions–”

Applejack cut her off with a quick kiss which left Rainbow Dash stunned. “I was just teasin’ ya. You’re definitely a lot more experienced at datin’ than I am.”

Rainbow Dash scoffed. “Barely! I wouldn’t exactly call any of those real dates. Except for High Winds, maybe. And Surprise. But, uh, surprise! We didn’t work out either.” She couldn’t help but laugh at her own joke, and despite having her fair share of failed relationships in the past, she felt different with Applejack. It might just work after all.

Applejack shook her head with a smile on her face. She looked out into the fields of apple trees, and Rainbow Dash followed her gaze deep into the orchard. After a few moments of silence, Applejack spoke again. “I have one more question for ya.”

Rainbow Dash looked over at her partner, unsure if she should be worried or not. “Shoot.”

Applejack turned her gaze to Rainbow Dash, a genuinely curious expression on her face. “Why on Equestria do they let Wonderbolts compete in races against regular ol’ pegasi?” She brought up a hoof and pushed her hat a bit further up her head. “I mean, it don’t really sound fair. Aren’t Wonderbolts elite fliers? Y’all must win all the time. What’s the point of anypony else competin’ if they’re gon’ lose to a Wonderbolt anyhow?”

It was a valid question, and Rainbow Dash knew that. Of course, being an earth pony, Applejack wouldn’t understand that being a Wonderbolt wasn’t just about speed, but about finesse and skill as well. She wouldn’t get that you could fly faster than a Wonderbolt and still lack the fundamental basics of precise wing control that Wonderbolts require, which means that one could, in theory, win in a race against a Wonderbolt.

And she certainly wouldn’t understand that sometimes, Wonderbolts throw races on purpose to make the show more exciting for the audience and the competitors. Undefeated racers like herself and Hot Shot only existed because they either didn’t race often, or because they were setting up the circumstances for an exciting, genuine race between the two. Despite all that, Rainbow Dash found it incredibly hard to not find Applejack cute. It only solidified her feelings for the mare further.

And so she had to explain that to her. Applejack listened intently, but still remained a bit confused. It did seem to give her the answers she wanted, though, and Rainbow Dash was always eager to answer any questions Wonderbolts related.

She didn’t want to leave, really. But as she had warned her fellow flier after the race the day before, she had to take her job seriously or Spitfire would make her fly laps until she couldn’t move her wings. Again.

“Well, I’d better get going now,” the pegasus reluctantly stated as she approximated the time based on where the sun was. “Spitfire wants us in early to show us a new routine.”

Applejack nodded. “I gotta get goin’ on my chores anyhow. I promised I’d do double, so I gotta get started,” she said. “I’ll see ya around, Dash. I had fun yesterday. You better be ready for the next one, it’s my turn to plan.”

Rainbow Dash stuck out her tongue at Applejack as she walked off the porch and prepared her wings to fly. “I had fun too. I can’t wait for next time though. I wanna see how you plan on out-doing yesterday.”

“I’ll find a way, I’m sure,” Applejack rebutted with a grin. Rainbow Dash launched into the air just in time to hear Applejack yell out, “Say hi to Hot Shot for me!”

As Rainbow Dash flew away, she looked back one last time to see Applejack turn around and open the door to her house to see both Big Mac and Apple Bloom fall forward through the entrance. Applejack started to yell something at them, but Rainbow Dash couldn’t quite make it out. As she got out of viewing range of the farm, she focused on flying as fast as she could to the Wonderbolt airspace. Her mind still circled back to Applejack, though, and Rainbow Dash found herself questioning for the second time that day whether or not their date was a dream.

Applejack was the mare of her dreams, after all. Even if she wasn’t asleep, every moment from there on out was a waking dream. She smiled happily as she whiffed through the air, eager to get back to her work routine with a little extra motivation on her side.

Author's Note:

And we’re done!
This was a fun lil fic to write. I hope you all enjoyed it! This was a nice break from what I’ve been writing recently, which was mostly more serious stuff.

Feels good to be done :) See y’all sometime in the future

Comments

[LegallyFluffy]

Well this was quite the lovely read. Appledash is my favorite ship, and it makes me happy to know that there are still great stories being written about it.

Also, I think you may have forgotten to change the story’s status to “complete”

[applejackofalltrades]

10641129
Thanks :D That really means a lot to me. I love Appledash too (clearly)
Also I totally did forget! Thank you for reminding me lol

[Kessie_amarra]

Thanks for the fic! It was wonderful!

[applejackofalltrades]

10645072
Aw thank you :)

[Nailah]

A review for YOU.