Twilightās ears perked at the sound of a significant fracas emanating from just outside her castle. She winced as the doors to her study slammed open and Applejack charged in, looking rather flushed. Seconds later, Rainbow Dash flew in, looking no better than Applejack. They argued loudly with one another while gesturing dramatically with both forehooves toward each other and then Twilight.
Pushing her book aside with a sigh, Twilight cleared her throat and rose to her full princessly posture and delivered a magically enhanced, āGirls!ā
Royal Ponyville Voice was perfectly effective. Applejack and Rainbow Dash stopped arguing and turned to look at her. Glad to have their attention finally, Twilight settled back down on her cushion to ask the obvious question. āWhatās going on here?ā
Rainbow Dash flew forward to speak, but Applejack shoved her hat in Rainbowās face and shouted, āRainbow Dash used some kind of dark magic on me!ā
Having freed herself of the hat, Rainbow interjected back, āIām innocent Twilight! I didnāt do anything!ā
āShe most certainly did! Iām all hot and flushed! I canāt get any work done.ā
āSheās lying!ā
Twilight raised an eyebrow. Applejack seemed no less pleased.
āI wouldnāt lie about somethinā like this!ā Applejack exclaimed.
āGirls!ā Twilight shouted. āCan we just calm down and discuss this civilly? Iām sure thereās a perfectly reasonable explanation.ā
āAlright, but I want you to represent me in court against this one.ā Applejack pointed an accusatory hoof toward Rainbow Dash.
āMe?ā Rainbow exclaimed, āI didnāt do anything. Twilight, you gotta defend me against Applejack. Use that brain of yours!ā
Twilight groaned and rubbed her temples with her forehooves. āGirls, please. All these accusations are getting us nowhere. Applejack, can you please tell me what happened that makes you think Rainbow Dash used black magic on you?ā Before Rainbow could interject, Twilight raised a hoof to Rainbow, āAnd Rainbow, please let Applejack tell her side of the story.ā
Rainbow crossed her forehooves and grumbled in the air.
Applejack flashed a victorious grin at Rainbow Dash before turning to Twilight. āWell, you see. I was just working in the orchard, keeping an eye on the trees, making sure theyāre all warm and comfy during the winter.ā
Twilight nodded.
āBecause you see itās been extra cold lately seeing as everypony wanted an extra snowy Hearths Warming. So Big Mac and Iāve been bundling up the trees real nice so the frost donāt hurt them. Plus we like to tell them stories about spring time to keep their spirits up.ā
Twilight nodded some more.
āSo, I was over in the West orchard this morning because itās a mite chillier over there seeing as the sun rises in the East, so the trees over thereāā
āCould you get to the point?ā Rainbow shouted.
Applejack frowned.
āApplejack, maybe tell it from where Rainbow Dash got involved?ā Twilight added, almost pleadingly.
āOh, right. Sure.ā Applejack shrugged. āRainbow Dash swooped in behind me while I was checking a tree and ran her wing over my butt! Iāve been flushed and distracted ever since. I canāt stop feeling it!ā
Twilight frowned and looked at Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash looked awayāflushed herself.
Twilight sighed. āApplejack, is this the first time Rainbow Dash has done this?ā
āYes!ā Applejack exclaimed. āI donāt know what she did, but my mindās all a-jumble now.ā
Nodding, Twilight continued. āAnd, she hasnāt spoken to you about anything...private prior to this?ā
āNot that Iām aware of, no.ā
Twilight shook her head. āWell Applejack, youāre in luck. Rainbow Dash hasāt cast some kind of black magic spell on you.ā
āHow do you know? Look at me! Every time I think about it, my face gets all red, and my heart starts beating fastāthatās not right!ā
Smiling, Twilight breathed out a sigh of relief. āWell, given what Iāve read about pegasi customs, I think Rainbow has a lot to explain to you. I donāt think itās worth taking her to court over this.ā
Applejack frowned, not entirely convinced.
āHow about this. Rainbow Dash, you are going to pick a night of Applejackās choosing and take her someplace nice and explain to her exactly what and why you did what you did. You should probably apologize too.ā
Rainbow Dash huffed, but nodded slowly.
āGood, and Applejack, if you donāt like Rainbowās explanation, come back and Iāll see about filing the paperwork to file a formal civil suit against Rainbow. Iād hate to have this come between best friends, so Iām expecting Rainbow to be very sincere about this. Everypony agree?ā
Applejack looked to Rainbow and then back to Twilight. āI guess.ā
āRainbow?ā
āFine.ā Rainbow huffed some more.
With the issue resolved, Applejack and Rainbow went their separate ways and Twilight resumed her studies.
A few days later, Twilight heard through the grapevine (Rarity) that a certain pair of ponies had gotten along fabulously one evening. Applejack never did come back to file that paperwork either.