I don't want to be here. I don't deserve to be here.
Twilight Sparkle sat at a table within Sugarcube Corner, surrounded by Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy as they celebrated her imminent date with Big Macintosh. The lavender mare had hoped and prayed that such a thing would have remained a secret, but that hadn't been possible once Apple Bloom had been involved. The filly had told Sweetie Belle, who then told her sister... and the rest was history.
"I'm shocked that Applejack isn't happier for Twilight and her brother. You'd think that this would be good news, but the girl looked extremely agitated instead." Rarity rolled her eyes as she plucked another cookie from the plate sitting in the middle of the table, and Fluttershy tapped her hooves together while Pinkie Pie helped herself to said cookies.
"I dunno... I mean, what if something's bothering her and we just don't know it? You know how she gets when something's on her mind..."
"Or maybe Applejack is being a grumpypants. Ooh, I know! We should bring her some cookies!"
As Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie continued to talk, Twilight tried to distance herself as much as possible from the conversation. Nearly every line they spoke was about Applejack, and it was a constant reminder as to why she felt as bad as she did - because it was her fault. Asking Big Macintosh on a date had been a total cop-out on her part, and she had gone against Applejack's wishes in the process. All so she could avoid talking with the orange earth pony again.
I can go up against Night Mare Moon and Discord, but I can't even be honest with my closest friend. What does that even say about me?
Somepony feels guilty.
Guilty and remorseful. I shouldn't have just left like that.
But you did. And it's too late to take it back now.
What was I supposed to do, though?! What do I even say?
You speak what's on your mind, and what's on your heart.
"Twilight, dear? Are you feeling alright? You look a little... out of it."
Twilight Sparkle blinked and quickly shook her head as Rarity's question pulled her out of her thoughts. She seized the opportunity in front of herself and feigned illness, anything to get her away from this place and back to the solitude of her library. "No, not really... I think I ate too much. I... appreciate the party, girls, but I'm gonna head home. Thanks, though."
Before they could even bid her farewell, there was a bright flash of light, and the space where Twilight had been standing at was left vacant. The only thing marking her departure was a faint scorch mark upon the floor.
She was gone.
-----
"Ow, ow... okay, stop. Just... stop." Rainbow Dash hopped around briefly, wincing and breathing through gritted teeth as she attempted to walk off her injury. Her and Applejack were sparring, something they had started up in an effort to vent their frustrations in a relatively constructive manner. Though the earth pony normally kept her strength well in-check, she had made no such attempts to hold back. It had resulted in a rather rough kick to the cyan pegasus' ribs, and though it had already begun to bruise, it thankfully hadn't been enough to break bones - pegasi skeletons, given their lighter nature, were also more fragile. "Damn, AJ... I'm gonna feel that one tomorrow. Mind tellin' me why you're being so rough on me?"
Applejack took a quick look at the bruise and sighed, slowly shaking her head as she took a seat upon the grass. "I'm awful sorry, Rainbow. I'm jus'... stressed out right now. Busy thinkin' about somethin'."
"Well, c'mon. Spit it out." The pegasus took a seat beside the earth pony, wincing once more as she sat down. "Oww... remind me to never get on your bad side, Applejack."
"Noted. I ain't gonna talk about it, though. Too personal." The orange mare sighed once more and glanced over at her friend. "I need a favor."
Rainbow Dash grinned and briefly chuckled, though even that was enough to cause further pain and discomfort, and she quickly decided not to ask any further. She had known Applejack long enough to know that the earth pony did not like prying when it wasn't welcome. "You know the rules, AJ - cider for a favor."
"Fine, I'll getcha a bottle of cider. But I really need this favor, an' ya gotta promise me that yer gonna stay as quiet about it as ya can. Got it?"
"Yeah, yeah. So what do ya need?"
Applejack turned to stare the cyan pegasus straight in the eye, and her tone made it clear that she wasn't kidding around. "Go talk ta Soarin'. Tell 'im that I wanna go out on a date with 'im, this Friday."
"Um... wow. You're... you're totally serious about this too, aren't you?" The stern glare and complete silence from the earth pony made that quiet clear, and Rainbow Dash continued. "Alright... I'm gonna have to really pull some strings, but I'll see what I can do. If I can get through to him, I'll have him contact you personally."
"Thanks, Rainbow. Really." Applejack had already stood back up and was preparing to leave - she planned on wandering around for a bit. She needed time to herself to think, to clear her head a bit.
"Hold on, AJ. Before you go, I just gotta ask..." Rainbow Dash's statement had been enough to give the earth pony pause, and Applejack stopped and glanced over her shoulder, listening patiently as the pegasus continued. "You've only talked to the guy... what, once? At the Gala, when you sold him a pie? Why do you wanna go on a date with him so badly?"
"Jus' somethin' I need ta do, Rainbow. Ya know how it goes."
"Yeah... I do. Good luck with everything, AJ. I gotta go nurse this bruise a bit, and then I'll see what I can do for ya." With that, the pegasus took off to return to her home, leaving Applejack to wander around by her lonesome. Rainbow Dash had a good point - why did she want to go on a date with Soarin'? Soarin' was still a fairly attractive stallion, but they had met once, and only briefly. Why ask him out?
The answers she got hadn't been what she had been hoping for. Time and time again, both her mind and her heart told her the same thing. She had done it out of spite, out of petty revenge for Twilight asking her brother out, and she had done it out of jealousy.
The Element of Honesty, so well known for being kind and considerate, had resorted to this - just so she could attempt to get even. The thought of such a thing was enough to give her pause, and Applejack stopped and took a seat upon the grass once more as she stared up towards the sky.
"...what th' hay is wrong with me?"
Hurr durr, another update. Just a small interlude of sorts, giving a brief glimpse into the effects of Twilight's 'choice'. It didn't feel right to include this with chapter five, nor did it fit properly with the next 'true' chapter I have planned, so you all get it on its own instead.
120696
Oh trust me, Twi's just as disappointed in herself. She's stuck with her choices for the time being, though.
120702
Things will pick up! Next chapter oughta help with that a bit.
Double update in one day? I think I can get used to this...
Gotta say, it's not often people take the long route into a shipping, most just get straight to it. A sad route, sure. But makes for better suspense and drama. =3
I really like this feeling you've got for Dash and Applejack, with them being friends/bros.
120790
I think not enough people take the long route into shipping. Far too often that I see stories that have already penned the pairing as 'being in love'. They're missing out on a lot of potential characterization, as well as development of the relationship itself between those involved in the pairing.
120792
I'm probably gonna catch a ton of flak for saying this, but the AppleDash pairing has never felt quite right to me. I've always seen them as having a greater potential for being good friends, rather than... well, anything beyond that.
Then again, I'm shipping Twilight and Applejack, which you don't see every day. Seems kinda hypocritical of me.
120696
Yup they are "going into deep water ."
This story is fantastic because both Applejack and Twilight Sparkle has got difficulties. Twilight has know experiences about love and deeper relationships meanwhile Applejack has some expreieces but those experiences of an unworking relationship.
120814
I'd disagree. AppleDash is my favorite ship, that being said I do like an interesting in between to them being lovers and them being complete rivals.
uh oh... things aren't going to go down well...
I have a baaaaaaad feeling about this, I mean to be fair. Twilight did ask Big Mac out, but ditched. Now Applejack is asking Soarin'?... My emotions. They are confused. I hope the next chapter eases my anxiousness.
120814
I for one am all for unconventional ships!
i just hope it'll be alright... for the both of them
also, i hope mac doesn't do anything too radical...
....
hold this: "Peace visits not the guilty mind."
(Nemo Malus Felix) ~Juvenal
121039
She hasn't ditched on the date she set up just yet. It was still a cop-out though, because she did it to give herself some space from Applejack, and not because she truly wanted to go out with Macintosh.
It'll be resolved. Just wait and see.
In any case I'd love to see more of Applejack and Dash as bros in upcoming chapters and fics, if you're up for it that is.
121546
I was planning on writing them as such in Stuck In The Middle With You.
I like that Applejack is trying to get revenge and feels bad about it, adds more drama to the story. But why Soarin'? Why not another... colt... um... There aren't too many, are there?
But still, Twilight is going with someone dear to AJ- her brother. Soarin' is completely unrelated to Twilight. It would have been hilarious if AJ went with the one closest to Twilight- Spike. Funny, but not realistic, seeing as he's a dragon. But yeah, I'm liking where this is going and I'm about halfway through Hiatus now, planning on reading more today. Keep it up!
122005
Well, Ponyville is rather sparse when it comes to males anyways. Probably the only ones Applejack even knows are those within her family, Caramel, Mr. Cake, and Soarin'. Soarin' seemed like a relatively safe bet, as far as dates go, and it let me work Rainbow Dash into the fic as well.
And as funny as it would have been for AJ to ask Spike on a date, it's not very realistic.
123331
To be fair, Twilight thought she was still dreaming, which meant no real consequences for giving AJ a little smooch.
Once she found out otherwise, well...
Face hooves for both the stupid ponies
123344
damned soap opera. (grumbles )
123367
And yet you're no doubt looking forward to the next update.
123410
I can ether tell you to.
A. Dont tell me how to feel.
B. Get out of my mind.
C. And I'm like, oatmeal are you crazy?
and now I Give you Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle.
and Now they will kiss in front of everypony.
Come on you two, you know you have dont it before.
: Dwaaaaaaaaa:
Heh, like Bellum_Civille said before me, my thought as to why Applejack chose Soarin' was because he's the only named, non-married stallion who's not Big Macintosh that's available.
Needless to say, her options are a little on the low side.
At least you have a personality to work with in Soarin'. You'd have to come up with a character for any others like Caramel.
Got to love how these two are digging themselves deeper the longer they deny their feelings. How harmonious is that?!
Moving onward!