Friends and Lovers

by Donnys Boy

Lovesick (AppleDash)

“Lovesick”
(AppleDash)

Rainbow Dash is pretty sure she’s about three seconds away from hurling.

At the beginning of this little trip of the damned, she might have thought it was because she planned to tell Applejack that she loves her. And that’s probably still some small part of why her lunch from earlier is threatening to make a return appearance. But the greater reason is probably because the boat they’re on is rocking back and forth as though they’re in the middle of a hurricane or something.

Dash isn’t seasick, though. There’s no way she’s seasick, because getting seasick when you’re planning to turn one of your best friends into your marefriend is not cool. It is very, very not cool.

Okay. Two seconds away from hurling, now.

“Rainbow?” Applejack’s got an eyebrow raised, and a frown’s tugging down on her lips. “You all right over there, sugarcube?”

Rainbow Dash loves it when Applejack calls her “sugarcube.” Even though Applejack calls everypony “sugarcube,” it doesn’t matter. It sounds different when she says it to Dash. It sounds special.

The pegasus forces a grin. She can feel the corners of her mouth trembling. “Yeah, sure! Of course I am! Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

“Well, to tell the truth, you’re lookin’ a little green around the gills.”

So very, very not cool.

“I’m fine,” says Dash. “It’s just … I don’t think Captain Pegleg knows how to steer the boat right.”

It’s not a very big boat they’re on--though it’s the biggest Rainbow Dash could afford to charter--and Captain Pegleg’s standing just a few feet away at the wheel. The grizzled old unicorn glances over his shoulder with a glare that could curdle milk.

“It ain’t my fault you’ve got the wibbly-wobblies.” He grunts for emphasis before turning back around. “I gave fair warning, landlubber, but as I recall, ye weren’t interested in good old Pegleg’s advice.”

Applejack laughs. “Yeah, that sounds like Dash, all right.”

Rainbow kind of wants to kick the boat captain for making her look stupid, and she kind of wants to hug him because Applejack has a really nice-sounding laugh. Mostly, though, Rainbow wants to be back on nice, stationary solid land. Which is really saying something about how much this stupid boat is rocking, given how usually she’d really rather be in the air than on the ground.

Still chuckling a little, Applejack glances back towards her. Applejack’s smiling now, a lazy sort of grin that Rainbow doesn’t often see, and the breeze coming off the water is blowing through her mane. Dash can’t remember the last time she’s seen Applejack look so peaceful--the last time they’ve spent this long together without yelling or arguing or getting into a wrestling match--and it’s worth it. If only for this one moment, this whole long, awful day has been worth it.

And then Rainbow Dash throws up.

She makes it to the side of the boat in time to hang her head over, retching loudly. Her stomach clenches repeatedly, like a boa constrictor wrapping around her prey, and Dash just closes her eyes as the misery washes over. Just as she thinks things can’t possibly get worse, she feels a hoof on her shoulder.

“Dang it, RD, I knew you weren’t fine. I ain’t stupid, y’know.” Applejack begins rubbing gentle circles on her back. “Why didn’t you say something, for Celestia’s sake? We can just tell the captain to head back for the dock if’n you ain’t feelin’ right.”

Rainbow Dash opens her eyes. The waters below the boat, churning in time with her stomach, are a deep and familiar of green. A shade of green she knows like the feathers in her own wings and a shade of green she never grows tired of.

Not bothering to lift her head, Rainbow mutters, “I love you.”

“Well, I love ya, too, darlin’, but I don’t reckon that--”

“No, I mean …” She swipes her foreleg across her mouth and glances up at Applejack. Applejack’s still smiling at her, though those green eyes hold a hint of worry. “I mean, I’m in love with you.”

Applejack’s smile doesn’t even flicker. The earth pony wraps a leg around Dash’s torso and helps her back up on her hooves. Rainbow leans heavily against the other pony, and it’s only partly because of how nice and warm Applejack’s chest feels against her cheek.

“Like I said, I ain’t stupid,” Applejack finally replies, her voice as soft as the breeze still blowing across the water. “And that ain’t all I said, neither. If’n you’ll remember, I believe I told ya that I love you, too.”

It takes a second to sink in. Rainbow’s just barfed up the entire contents of her stomach, and she’s still feeling a little off, a little shaky. But when it does sink in, when it finally clicks just what Applejack’s telling her, she feels a fierce, wide grin take over her whole face. She feels a giddy sort of rush go through her, the kind she gets when she’s pulled off a completely awesome flying trick, and she almost doesn’t even mind that her mane smells a little like seaweed and her mouth tastes worse than death.

“Best … date … ever.”

Author's Note:

This is a slightly revised version of a story I wrote for the Thirty Minute Pony Stories writing prompt "Rainbow Dash on the seas" (http://thirtyminuteponies.tumblr.com/post/60555029376/prompt-464-the-big-blue-theme-week-day-six).

Comments

[TheTwientist]

I would hate to just say "first", so i will add that I found this story to be very cute. Also, thank you for not making them kiss right after she threw up; that would have been too much.

[Jumpitydude]

Every time I read another entry in this, I have to remind myself that I've already faved and up-voted this.

[Donnys Boy]

3258387
Yes, vomit kisses are perhaps not so much romantic, heh. Glad you liked it!

3261530
Then you haven't watched "Applebuck Season," because that line is a direct quote from the episode. Which is why I phrased it exactly the way I did.

3263189
Aww, that's really sweet of you to say. Thanks!

[Donnys Boy]

3440065
Actually, her pain and suffering are proof that I do like her. Notice that all of her suffering is there to show how good and noble white fashion horse is? The more I like a character, the more terrible things I do to them in my writing.

I am a monster.

[Donnys Boy]

3661089
Ha, ha! We shall see.

[Donnys Boy]

3816449
Sorry. Though really it's all moot anyway, since Daring Do's author has been revealed in-show.

[Donnys Boy]

3983678
Glad you liked it even though the ship's not your cup of tea!

[schmitthappens21]

Well after reading another chapter of this story. "Death By A Thousand Cuts"
This chapter is more 'down in the dumps' lifting. Plus, AppleDash is my favorite ship.

[Avid Reader]

Commence read.

Getting seasick is never fun.

[Titanium Dragon]

This was a very cute story, and Applejack being very matter of fact about it is eminently believable, especially if Rainbow Dash hasn't been subtle about it.

And let's face it; Rainbow Dash's middle name isn't subtlety.