"It's not a prank!"
"Soooo... you're going to do it, right?" Pinkie Pie said, pushing a box across the counter slowly with a coy grin on her face.
Rainbow picked up the bright pink box and opened it. The delicious aroma of freshly baked muffins wafted out, tickling her nose. "I think so. I mean, of course I am! I just don't know if I should..."
Grabbing a nearby washcloth, Pinkie started wiping down the counter. "What do you mean?”
Rainbow's gaze lowered to the ground and her wings fell limp to her side. "I don't think this is gonna work. She'll probably just say no. Even worse, she might just laugh me off. She just thinks I'm some lazy slacker. There's no way she'll say yes."
Tossing her washcloth aside, Pinkie Pie wasted no time in hopping the counter and throwing her arms around the crestfallen pegasus. "Oh, no! You've come so far, you can't talk yourself out of it now. Besides, then you'd have to take those muffins home and eat them all yourself!"
Rainbow let out a small chuckle. "So cool of you to think of the muffins before me."
Snatching the box out of Rainbow's hooves, Pinkie closed and slid it into Rainbow's saddlebags. "Psh. I don't need to worry about you. You're the coolest pony in Equestria." Pinkie's eyes flew to the wall clock. "But if you don't get there soon, she's going to wonder if you got stuck in quicksand, or if you ran off to start a career in politics!"
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure that's exactly what she'll think happened. Wish me luck, Pinkie."
Pinkie let her friend go and waved as Rainbow bolted to the door.
"Bye, Dashie! Good luck!"
The evening sun hung low in the sky, warning everyone of the coming night. Rainbow cut through the wind like Rarity's scissors cut through fabric. The good pair of scissors that Rainbow wasn't allowed to use.
What kind of weirdo has different scissors for cutting different things, anyway?
She soared across the massive apple orchards that covered much of Sweet Apple Acres until she found what she was looking for; a small clearing inside a circle of trees. There, in the center, sat an orange pony staring out at the setting sun.
Okay, Rainbow. Just be your normal awesome self, and you've got this.
She folded her wings and swooped down until she was about ten feet from the ground. With a couple quick flaps of her wings, she slowed her speed, landing gracefully on the grass.
Just be cool.
"Hey uhhh, Applejack. Whatcha doin?"
Applejack raised an eyebrow. "Uhhh, ya told me to meet ya here, remember?"
"Yeah, of course. I remember because, ya know... I'm here."
Okay, so that wasn't very cool. Just shake it off.
Applejack stared at Rainbow for a moment. "So, what's this about, sugarcube?"
"Nothing much. Just wanted to hang out with one of my coolest friends. I also brought these," Rainbow said as she removed the box from her saddlebags and opened it.
Applejack's eyes lit up. "Apple cinnamon and walnut muffins! Those are my favorite!"
I owe you one, Pinkie.
Rainbow put the box between them and curled up on the ground.
"Let's dig in. I don't know about you, but I skipped lunch today. I'm starving!"
Applejack smiled and snatched up one of the muffins. "A sunset picnic. Not exactly what I figured coming from you, but alright. Why not?"
Rainbow stared in rapt fascination. She wasn't sure when exactly she started becoming quite so interested in every little thing Applejack did. After catching herself staring at Applejack's long blonde hair, and gorgeous smile for the last few months, she finally realized her feelings weren't going to just go away.
"So, uhhhh, how's work?" Rainbow asked.
Applejack finished her muffin and dug out another one. "I could tell ya, but it's long story. Ya might be here awhile.
No other place I'd rather be.
"So Big Mac had to go dig another ditch. You'd think a pony as quiet as he is would be a good listener."
The sun had long since set, and the fireflies lit up the night with their irregular bursts of light. Rainbow listened intently, hanging on every word Applejack said. She was content just being by her side, but she knew sooner or later she would have to pony up and do what she came to do in the first place.
"Well, these muffins have plum spoiled my dinner, that's for sure. I think it's about time I headed back," Applejack said as she stood up to leave.
Showtime.
"Applejack, wait," Rainbow called out as she too stood up.
The orange pony froze in her tracks. "Huh?"
"I... I gotta tell you something. I didn't call you here just to hang out... though that was pretty cool."
Applejack turned and took a step toward her. "I already figured as much. How about an explanation?"
Rainbow caught herself holding her breath. Her confidence had long since vanished. The only thing keeping her going was the possibility Applejack might say yes.
"Listen, I asked you here because I have to tell you something, and I'm not sure how you're going to take it."
"Y'all didn't break another sapling did you? Ya gotta be more careful flying round here with your crazy stu-"
"No, it's nothing like that," Rainbow interrupted her.
Applejack shifted her hat and bowed up to Rainbow. "Well ya dragged me out here for a sunset picnic with one of my favorite desserts, and you've been acting fidgety all night. I gotta assume you did something wrong."
Rainbow locked her eyes on the pony in front of her. "I didn't do anything wrong. I just have to tell you... Applejack... I like you."
Applejack blinked, looking at the pony in front of her. She smiled and scratched her neck. "Well shucks, Rainbow, I like you too. You've always been a great friend of mine."
The pegasus shook her head. "No, no, no. I don't mean that kind of like... I mean... I wanna go out with you. I wanna take you out on a date. You know... all that mushy stuff."
Applejack stared at her for a moment, her expression blank.
Silence filled the air.
Rainbow watched as the cowpony fell to the ground, laughing and clutching her stomach. She even kicked her legs in the air. In any other situation, it would have been cute.
But this wasn't any other situation. Rainbow poured her heart out, and now she cringed, pinning her ears to her head. Every laugh, every chuckle cut her like a knife. Tears started at the corner of her eyes.
"Gee whizz, Rainbow. Ya didn't need to go through all this trouble if you wanted to pull a prank!"
The pegasus clenched her eyes shut. Against her will, the tears finally came and started down her cheeks. Every time she thought about how this would all go so horribly wrong, it always ended up with Applejack laughing in her face.
As she feared, it had come true. There was only one way for her to handle the pain. She turned and ran as a sob escaped her throat and a quick flap of her wings took her into the night sky. All she wanted now was to escape; to go home and lick her wounds. Tomorrow she'd be back to weather duty and give Applejack a friendly wave as usual and everything would be back to normal.
She wouldn't make this mistake again.
Her night flight was cut short. Rainbow let out a yelp as something grabbed her tail and yanked her back. She braced for impact, but instead of solid ground, she fell back into a strong embrace. She knew exactly what happened when she felt the rope tug her back.
"Lemme go!" Rainbow screamed. She thrashed about, kicking her legs and flapping her wings. Angry and heartbroken, she fought with every ounce of strength she had. The two powerful hooves wrapped around her barrel held tight, weathering the storm of fury and feathers until the pegasus finally tired out.
Rainbow stopped struggling and quieted her sniffling. It was embarrassing enough to have Applejack laugh at her, even worse to let the cowpony hear her cry. It didn't take long for her to melt in the hooves of the pony she had dreamed about for months now as fatigue set in.
"You were serious, weren't ya?" Applejack asked.
"What do you think?" Rainbow muttered.
"I think you don't cry for nothing, that's for sure. I didn't expect you to go hauling off into the night. I just laughed, that-"
"I'm not a joke!" Rainbow screamed, kicking once again. Applejack tightened her grip once more.
"Shhhh, It's alright," Applejack said, trying to calm the struggling pegasus. "I know you're not a joke, hun."
The thrashing and anger ceased once more as Rainbow finally calmed down.
"I'm sorry, sugarcube. I just thought you and Pinkie were trying to pull a fast one on me or something. I mean, you did just so happen to arrange a secret meeting with me, and ended up bringing my favorite dessert outta the blue."
Rainbow kept silent. She had finally gotten her sniffling under control. She and Applejack sat on the grass beneath the night sky, neither one wishing to break the silence.
"Why me?"
Rainbow's ears perked up. "Huh?"
"I'm no special kinda pony. I don't live in a big house, don't have any big dreams or plans... all I know is dirt and hard work." Applejack's voice fell with each word, until it was a barely audible mumble. Rainbow spun around with a resolute gleam in her eye.
"You don't need any of that stuff. I've got a big house, stupid thing's empty all the time. And who says you have to be famous or anything? If I wanted some uptight jerkhole to date, I'd hang around with Rarity's snobby pals."
Both ponies laughed heartily as memories of Rarity's past targets of affection came rushing back.
"I still don't really believe it. I mean, you're an honorary wonderbolt in training. You're loyalty for pony's sakes. You got the best element of all."
Rainbow looked toward her questioningly. "Huh?"
Loosening her hold on Rainbow, Applejack instead softly stroked the pegasus' chest. "Pinkie told me when I didn't come back to Ponyville, you were the first one out the door. You didn't even think twice. It's always the same. You won't stop if one of your friends are in danger."
Rainbow finally felt a smile return to her lips. "As much as I like talking about me, I think we were talking about you."
"Yeah, I guess we were. I never imagined a pony like you could see themselves with a simple one like me," Applejack admitted.
Rainbow scoffed and grabbed Applejack's hooves even tighter."My life is already crazy. I gotta remember turning angles, weather patterns, immelmans... it's good to have somepony who isn't a puzzle around. I'm fast, I'm strong, kinda smart... but even then, it feels like everypony else is moving in slow motion. You're the only pony who seems to give me a run for my money."
Applejack turned her head, trying in vain to keep her blush from showing. "Shucks, Rainbow. I don't rightly know if I can give you what ya need, but I'm not against us trying either."
Rainbow lifted her head, meeting Applejack's gaze. It wasn't a lie, nor was it out of pity or deceit. "You mean, You actually want to go out with me? You don't think I'm lazy, or dumb?"
Rainbow felt the cowpony wrap an arm around her and pull her into Applejack's chest. Rainbow melted like candy floss. She heard the thumping of a strong and honest heart. She smelled the aroma of sweat and hard work mingle with the pony's natural sweet scent.
"These here apple trees are proof enough of your hard work. None of this would be possible if you slacked off as a weather pony, and while ya do come off as a bit thick at times, I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed either. You're like me. Ya just feel your way through, taking life as it comes. There's a lot to admire in ya, hun."
The darkness of the night hid Rainbow's blush. She gently pushed her head beneath Applejack's neck.
"So... what happens now? Do we go to some crazy restaurant where they serve you tiny amounts of food while a piano pony plays in the background?"
Applejack laughed derisively. "Hah! If that's what you think's gonna happen, you sure are dating the wrong pony."
Rainbow chuckled in agreement. "Good. Eating contest tomorrow at The Hay Burger."
"Ya know," started Applejack, "Last time we had a competition like this, we ended up learning a new friendship lesson, in front of Celestia no less."
"What lesson do you think we'll learn this time?" Rainbow asked coyly.
Applejack rubbed her chin. "Hmmm, given your skill at biting off more than you can chew, I'm guessing it'll be, 'always keep a trashcan by your table during an eating contest'."
Rainbow smiled but kept silent in Applejack's embrace for a few minutes.
"I thought you had to get back home?" Rainbow finally asked, breaking the silence.
Applejack played with Rainbow's mane, running her hooves through it's wild and untamed styling. "I'm not in such a hurry anymore. Maybe it's cause I found something worth staying for."
Rainbow smiled and buried her head in Applejack's strong and powerful chest, listening to her heart beat. "Yeah. I'm cool here too."