I sat in the tree, staring out at the best view on the farm. The rolling hills of our farm were backlit by the setting sun. There was something peaceful about the sight, something giving me a bit of comfort in the knowledge of something unchanging and immutable in life.
I heard the rustle below me and knew the cause without having to look. Apple Bloom stuck her head into the opening and stared at the sinking orb with me. No words were needed, not for this. We had done this almost daily after a good, hard days work since we were young, something of an Apple sisters ritual.
She broke the silence first.
“So, is it true?”
“What’s that?” I replied absently.
“What you ’n Rainbow Dash are trying to do,” she said, glancing up. “Scoots told me.”
I smiled. “Well, that bit is true,” I said. “Scootaloo is like a little sister to Dash, and it’s important to her. And that makes it important t’me.” I reached down and ruffled her red hair affectionately.
“But sponsoring her fer college? D’ya have any idea what that means fer her?”
“Ah got a fair view,” I said. “She’s got a lot o’ potential ’n deserves a chance to prove it. Ah was glad to write her a recommendation letter. Just as glad as Ah was to write yours.”
She gazed at me, tears in her eyes. “Ah love ya, sis.”
“Ah love ya too, AB,” I said, accepting the hug as she climbed to sit next to me. Silence reigned for a few moments.
“So if you ’n Dash get married,” she asked. “Does that mean Scoot’s and Ah will be sisters?”
I laughed, squeezing her a little. “Ya mean you don’t think ya are already?” I teased. “Ya count Sweetie Belle in and the three of you might as well have been joined at the hip. Ah can’t remember a day when you three weren’t tearing through the orchard playing together.”
“I know she thinks of you as a sister, as a matter of fact,” a raspy voice said from above. I looked up to see Rainbow Dash hovering above us, her sky blue wings spread to their full width. She was dressed as she usually was, baggy tee over a pair of athletic shorts and sneakers.
Somehow, she made it look sexy, but I’ll never admit to it.
“Ya mean it?” AB asked. She was used to Dash showing up with wings. Heck, after the Fall Formal we haven’t kept any secrets about us having magic from family. Too dangerous, I remember thinking.
“Would I lie?” the athlete asked, flashing her brilliant smile.
“Yes,” I stage whispered, gaining a giggle from my sister and a fake scowl from my girlfriend.
“Never about this,” she said with that sincerity that had made a more consistent appearance over the last few years. “Matter of fact, she asked me to come tell you she and Sweetie Belle are waiting for you over at the sweet shop. Something about a master plan?”
Apple Bloom gasped and started to scramble down the tree. “Ah’m going t’be late!” she cried.
“Dash?” I asked conversationally.
“On it,” she said, swooping down and grabbing my little sister and zooming off leaving a rainbow contrail.
I went back to watching the last rays of the sun sink behind the hills. Things were as they should be, and life held simple meaning within the boundaries of Sweet Apple Acres.
I was meandering back to the house when a pair of arms wrapped around my waist.
“You’re awful quiet today,” she said, her tone serious. “You doing ok?”
I nodded, leaning back into her embrace. “It’s always tough this time o’ year,” I said, taking solace in her presence. “Ah can still hear their voices, Dash. It’s like it was just yesterday instead of 10 years ago.”
She held me close. Her voice was slightly different when we were alone together, softer and more considerate.
“I know how you feel,” she said, resting her head against my back. “But at least you can remember your folks. I don’t really have any memories of Mom.”
“Ah can’t imagine how that feels, Dash,” I said, turning slightly and letting her slide into my embrace without losing any of the tightness of hers.
“Can I meet them?” she whispered.
“Say what now?”
“I mean, I know I can’t actually meet them,” she said, a nervous blush working onto her face. “But sometimes when Dad and I visit family in Cloudsdale, I stop by Mom’s grave and just talk. I like to think she’s listening, and I hope she’s proud of me.”
I smiled and kissed the crown of her head. “Ah’m sure she is, Dash. Ya done good things since ya moved here, both here and in the other world.”
I saw the distant look on her face and I had a flash of inspiration. I took her hand and started walking briskly. Dash’s face worked into a frown as I headed for a part of the farm she had never visited before.
“Where’re we going?”
I smiled.
“To introduce you to mah folks.”
I stood off to the side, letting Dash have some privacy as she spoke over the graves of my parents. I didn’t want to intrude on this moment of hers, a personal ritual of hers that I didn’t understand, but knew it was important to her. And like I had said earlier, if it was important to her, it was important to me.
She came back over to me a few minutes later wrapped me in a hug, her soft side on display.
“Thanks,” she whispered.
“Anything fer you, Ace,” I said.
And there we stood, under the moon, just the two of us, enjoying the silence before we heading inside.
I laid in bed that night, Dash’s soft breathing peaceful and soothing beside me. I stared at the ceiling and closed my eyes.
Mom, Dad, I don’t know if you can hear me, but I sure do miss you. I hope you’re proud of your little girl. I know I ain’t always been the best of children, but I try my best, like you told me.
I looked at my sleeping girlfriend for a moment.
Dash is a great gal, and I never thought I’d fall for a gal like her, but I have. I hope you didn’t mind her introducing herself. If she doesn’t mind, I’m thinking about asking her t’marry me. Someday, that is. We’re still awful young for that, I think.
When I woke up, AJ was gone. Which, of course, isn’t an unusual occurrence with her. She’s an early riser, trying to get a few hours of work in at the orchards before school for the longest time. Now, it’s just ingrained in her nature.
Me, I was always a few minutes shy of being an early riser and was always down for a nap - and the orchards were a great place for those.
I got up and meandered my way downstairs, yawning and scratching my bed head into something resembling orderly locks. I looked long into the mirror after using the bathroom and brushing my teeth. Would AJ like it if I grew my hair out a bit or styled it? Or would she be upset if I changed it at all? I had settled on the spiky, feathered locks out of a simplicity. A few seconds in the morning were all I needed to be ready. I once heard Rarity say she spent an hour on her hair some days.
I don’t have the patience for that.
“Hey, Dash,” Apple Bloom said as I walked into the kitchen. “You’re up early.”
“Dangers of sleeping over at a farmgirl’s house,” I said, dropping into a chair. “I’m sure I’ll find a nice tree to nap under later today.”
“Just don’t do it in the west orchard,” she said as she pulled on a wide brimmed hat. “It’s due to get sprayed later today on account of that weevil infestation we found.”
I nodded, another yawn sneaking out as I did. I got up and rummaged in the cupboard for a moment before sitting down with a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice. I tried to focus on planning my workout for today, but I kept thinking about last night. AJ had let me talk at her parent’s graves, and gave me privacy while I did it. That was something that spoke volumes to me, about how she felt about me, how much she trusted me. Trusted me with her parents.
And I was worried. How was I going to screw things up this time?
I ate the cereal in silence, my mood turning the sugary meal slightly sour in my mouth. I had an idea, and I had just enough time to do it before my training session.
I bent over at the waist for a moment, then stood and put my hands on my head, expanding my rib cage which allowed for maximum expansion and let you catch your breath faster. Bending over actually compresses your lungs and takes longer to recover from exertion, and was one of the first things you learn when you’re serious about making a professional team.
I had just done a 500-yard dash, timing myself without using my newfound speed. My time was down two seconds, but it still was too slow for my tastes. I’d never qualify for a starting spot with these times.
I kicked at the grass angrily as I walked up a small hill and plopped down under a weathered old tree that grew next to the racetrack. I couldn’t figure it out. I was fast, no doubt. I had destroyed records back at CHS, but trying to shave another three seconds off a five hundred seemed impossible. I scrubbed my hands across my face and sat there with my eyes closed as my breathing returned to normal.
When I opened my eyes again, they fixed on an icy bottle being held in front of me. I looked at it dumbly for a second, trying to figure out where the bottle of water had come from.
“Ya gonna take it, or am Ah going to have t’ dump it on ya?” a voice came from behind me.
I looked up and saw a peach arm holding the bottle, and the arm was connected to the farm girl I loved, even if I couldn't quite say it to her yet. Her face was split in a grin, the spray of freckles across her face even more evident from the angle I was seeing them from. The ones on her cheeks were what everyone thought of, but there was a smattering of smaller ones across the bridge of her nose. They gave the usually serious woman a girlish charm. And I got to say, they looked good on her.
I took the bottle and sipped it slowly.
“When did you get here?” I asked.
“About the time ya kicked the grass,” she said, sitting next to me and rubbing my shoulders. “What’s eating at ya, Ace?”
I smirked at the nickname. She had started calling me that when I had legit won against her in a dogfight simulator. The first time we played without me worrying about looking bad. It had started as a joke and grew into something more. I hadn’t really picked up on it until our recent outing involving a hang glider.
It was kind of fitting.
I felt the smirk die into a frown and just sipped at the water. “I’m not fast enough,” I said.
“Yer joking, right?” she said, tipping her hat back with her thumb. “Even after that boost at camp?”
“I mean without that,” I said, hoisting the stopwatch around my neck. “I need to get three seconds faster, but I can’t seem to hit it. I think I’m against the wall.”
“Why is it important to be that quick?” she asked. “You already made the quals for the team and you’ll be training against folk who have slower times to begin with.”
I squirmed internally, not wanting to answer, but I also knew that she could read me like one of those Neighponese graphic novels Fluttershy had gotten her into. “I don’t want to just be good,” I said. “I have to be at my best. Otherwise, it’s not worth it.”
“Now, Ah know we’re not having one o’ those fits again,” she said, turning a stern look at me. “It might have been a needed thing on t’ cruise, but Ah don’t see why yer thinking like this again.”
I ran my hands through my sweat-soaked hair, the worry and exasperation overflowing.
“Because I don’t want to screw this up!” I cried, unable to stop some tears from bubbling up.
She looked at me shocked as I started rambling.
“This is the best thing I’ve ever gotten, AJ,” I said. “Between the spot on the team and you, this is the best my life has been in a long time. I’m just worried that if I can’t stand out from the rest of the herd, I won’t get any real play time, and that will hurt my chances on the pro teams. But beyond that, there’s you.”
“Me?" she responded in surprise.
“You are more than a stupid showoff deserves,” I said, staring at my feet. “I just wonder when I’m going to do something to drive you off or make you realize that you deserve better. And even though you have the farm, I still want to be able to contribute if we get super serious like Twi and Sunset. I want to…”
“Ya want to prove you can pull yer own weight,” she finished. “Dash, ya ain't got to impress me, ya know that.”
“I feel like I’m just drifting sometimes, AJ,” I admitted, leaning over and resting my head against her shoulder. “I don’t know what I’m doing sometimes.”
She ran a hand along my shoulders. “Ah know, sugar cube,” she whispered. “Ah know.”
I closed my eyes for a second. “I don’t want to screw this up, AJ.” I felt her hand slow a little. “Us, I mean. I don’t know what I’m doing half the time and the other half I’m scared stiff inside.”
“Ah don’t know what Ah’m doing either,” she said softly. She put a hand under my chin and brought me up to look her in the face. “Rarity’s the one with the dating experience outta all of us, next to Sunny. Ah don’t know for sure how this is supposed to work. Apples, them Ah know.”
She looked over towards the farm, just visible from the hill we were sitting on. “Soil, fields, plowin’ ’n sowin’, harvest time, plantin' season. Them’s things Ah know. But mah heart? It confuses the ever-loving blazes outta me sometimes.”
She looked back at me, her emerald green eyes glittering. “Ah may not understand it, but Ah know when somethin' is important t’ me. And you are, Rainbow Dash,” she whispered. “You are important.”
I smiled a little, but I still felt down. “Thanks, AJ,” I said.
She reached over and nabbed the stopwatch from around my neck, the safety cord popping open as she pulled. She grinned at me and took her hat off and set it to the side. As I watched, she pulled the tie from her hair and ruffled it, it’s fullness causing it to cascade down around her shoulders like liquid gold.
“What…” I started to say.
“Ah’ll make ya a deal,” she said. “If you can run the five hunnert in the time, you get a kiss.” She put a finger on my lips as a grin spread. “But if you don’t, you got to help me harvest the south forty tomorrow, no magic allowed.”
I grimaced. The fact that I could fly in the orchards as I helped pick from time to time was pretty much the only reason I volunteered when I did. That, and the blonde country girl sitting next to me, of course.
“Seems you get all the benefits,” I said with a smirk. “Help with harvesting or kissing a smokin’ hot girl.”
“You going to run,” she said with a smile, holding up the stopwatch. “Or you going to flap yer gums all day?”
“Just say the word,” I said, jogging over to the starting line.
“Go!”
“It’s getting late,” she whispered into my ear as we sat under the tree a few hours later.
I nodded, thinking. “Yeah, it is,” I said.
“Rainbow,” she said. “Why are ya so worried about screwing things up? Ya been doing just fine so far.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Sometimes it feels too good to be true. And you know the old saying.”
“Ah sure do,” she responded, nodding. “Thing is though, neither of us know what we’re doin’, but we seem to be doing just fine.”
I ruffled my hair a little, sighing. “But isn’t love supposed to be this massive flood of emotions?” I asked. “I mean, I keep hearing how people in love can’t stop thinking about each other, doin’ little things for each other, and being generally annoying.” I chuckled. “But we aren’t like that.”
“Oh?” she said. “Ah saw the flowers on mah folks graves today, and Ah know they didn’t come from our garden.”
I blushed. “It seemed appropriate,” I whispered.
“And runnin’ interference for me on AB’s birthday?”
“You worked hard on her surprise party,” I said. “I didn’t want the effort wasted.”
“Ok, then,” she said, plopping her hat on my head. “When you see and apple, what goes through yer mind?”
“You,” I said before realizing what I was saying.
“Sounds like ya got the trifecta,” she said smugly, planting a kiss on the tip of my nose.
“Sides,” she whispered into my ear. “Truth be told, Ah’m moren’ a little infatuated with you mahself.”
We climbed to our feet and started back to the farm. I grabbed her hand and brought it up to kiss it gently.
“AJ,” I said. “You realize we just kinda officially said I love you to each other just now?”
She nodded. “Ah reckon we did,” she said.
“You know,” I said, grinning. “You still owe me a kiss from those timed trials you put me through.”
She grinned and took off sprinting.
“You’ll hafta catch me first, Ace,” she said as she darted away.
I grinned. I may have doubts about things, but I know a sure bet when I see one.
I squinted in the afternoon sun, wound up, and kicked as hard as I could.
A single apple fell down from the branches and didn’t even come close to landing in the basket I had set out for the purpose.
“Crabapples,” I spat. “How does Applejack do this?” I gave the tree another kick and only got a sore foot.
“She's a pony, for one thing,” Dash’s voice came from above as she picked apples and tucked them into a burlap satchel we had made for the task especially. “She can kick harder than you can. Plus she’s done it that way for years, probably.”
I sighed, taking my hat off and wiping some sweat from my brow before putting the stetson back. “She likely gets a lot more done doing it that way,” I mused. “Maybe if Ah tap in a little bit, just a little…”
“Hey, I’m all for using our awesome magic,” Dash said as she drifted down to me, hanging slightly head-down with her wings creating a delightful breeze that smelled of a stormy night, of ozone and rain. “But just don’t expect me to help if you crack a tree.”
I hesitated. She was right, I could easily shatter a trunk if I wasn’t careful about it. I reached up and touched my pendant, still in the habit of wearing it after the war. I felt the magic inside and tapped it, ponying up and feeling the rush of power in my limbs.
“Here goes nothin’,” I said, winding up and kicking the trunk with what I judged was half strength. The trunk shuddered and a few apples dropped free. It was encouraging.
I wound up for another one, swinging a little harder. I heard the bark crunch under my boot and another few apples dropped down, but most stayed stubbornly attached.
“Consarn it,” I said, kicking forward hard. “Drop, will ya?”
The cracking sound was louder, and I felt the impact all the way up my leg. I looked at the tree and winced when I saw a boot-shaped impression in the trunk. I knelt and probed it with my fingers before determining that it would be ok.
Apple Bloom drove up on one of the small tractors we had with a large bed and loaded up the satchels from Dash’s endeavors and my pickings. She looked at the boot mark and glanced at me before starting the tractor up.
“Maybe you should try shaking it instead?” she called out before driving off.
I shrugged and gave the tree a hard shake, watching as the apples started dropping down. I still missed the baskets, but I had no problem collecting them.
“At least it didn’t break,” Dash said, wings furling as she landed. She held out the burlap sack to me and grabbed the other empty one before leaning in and giving me a kiss, brief but not lacking in passion. She winked at me as I stood there in a mild stupor, lips tingling.
“I’ll get going to the next batch, Jackie,” she said, wings spreading again as she took to the tops of the next batch of trees, the apples she picked being deposited into the satchel.
I reached up and touched my lips. We had swapped kisses before, but nothing that felt like that. I stood numbly for a moment, then looked up at the tree beside me and climbed the ladder to pick the last couple of apples left in the branches. I dropped back down just in time for Dash to set another satchel down on the ground.
“Ah tell you what,” I said quietly. “Let’s take a bit of a break.”
“That ain’t like you,” Dash said, coming up and wrapping arms and wings around me.
I smiled as I caught the word slip from her lips. Ever since we had gotten back, I had been hearing more of what the girls called “countryisms” come forth from her. I reached over and trailed a hand along her wing’s primary feathers.
“Maybe you’re rubbing off on me just as much as I’m rubbing off on you,” I smirked. “It’s not full harvest time yet, and we’re just going to head out to the hill.”
She smiled as memories flashed up. The hill in question was one that overlooked one of the small ponds one the farm, a small willow capping the mound. It was also where we had shared our first kiss. It had been just a short while before that business with the harpies, and something that both made me smile and blush.
As we walked, I reached out and hooked our pinkies together, a compromise for when we wanted to be close but were in public. Dash had been initially nervous about public displays, and not wanting to push her, I had suggested this.
She twisted her hand, claiming my fingers with hers as we reached the hill, both of us settling back against the willow’s trunk. The afternoon sun glistened on the pond’s surface and a fresh breeze began to blow, rustling the willow’s limbs.
“I gotta know,” she began. “What’s with the sudden desire for a break? That’s usually my line.”
“We could go back to work iffen ya want,” I countered as I leaned my back against her shoulder. She released her pony form, allowing for a more comfortable arrangement.
“That’s fine,” she said with a laugh. “Just wondering what’s up.”
“Ah don’t know,” I said. “Sometimes, Ah get to thinking about things when Ah work. Picking apples is pretty repetitive, so ya have plenty time fer your mind to work.”
I stared at the pond, feeling a sudden peace come over me. “Yer brash, headstrong, stubborn as a mule, and you don’t think before ya act,” I said slowly.
“I love you too,” she responded sourly.
“Let me finish,” I smirked. “Impatient too, Ah forgot that one.” I kissed her on the cheek. “But for every one of those traits, they are just as much positives as negatives. When it comes to yer friends, you don’t hesitate to offer help and you never go back on yer word. Ya may not always tell it straight, but you don’t fail if one of us need ya.”
I saw her embarrassed blush from the corner of my eye as I sighed contentedly before continuing.
“Me,” I said softly. “Ah’m just as bad. Ah’m overly self-reliant, got trouble asking fer help when Ah’m in a jam, and can be just as headstrong as a certain as a certain athlete Ah know.”
“O…kay?”
“What Ah’m getting at is that we’ve got a lot in common,” I said. “But we’ve got things that we can also come together on. You’ve been getting a bit more dependable when it comes to hard work lately. Ya might be able to keep up with us come harvest time.”
I leaned back, pulling her into my embrace as we watched the sun sink slowly, heralding the evening.
“But yer showing me that maybe, sometimes,” I whispered into her ear as I brushed a bit of rainbow-hued hair back into place. “We need to just lay back and enjoy the time we have, too. Yer learning to buckle down and throw in, and it’s high time that Ah learn to be still.”
We sat there for a short time before she sat up and looked back at me with a look that can only be described as wicked.
“Wanna go for a swim?” she asked.
“Rainbow, Ah ain’t got a suit on,” I said.
“Neither do I,” she smirked, crawling up to me to plant another kiss that set me tingling. I felt a moan slip free, but I wasn’t sure if it was from me or her.
When I came to my senses, she was sitting on her heels, unbuttoning the work shirt she was wearing, her firm middle already showing. My hat was on her head.
I grinned and started unbuttoning my shirt too.
I can learn to be still later. Time to show her how a country girl does things.
I always had liked the rain, and I never knew why. I mean, the pony Dash had told me that her first job was being in charge of the weather for Ponyville. One Pegasus, in charge of directing weather for an entire town! That was awesome, though not as awesome as her post as a Wonderbolt. I had seen them fly, and I gotta tell you, that was the ultimate in cool.
I was sitting in the crook of my favorite tree in Sweet Apple Acres. The entire Apple family was out of town for a rodeo and I had agreed to watch the place for them. Now, I love sports, even people who don’t know me can tell. I can spout off statistics and records for dozens of teams from various different sports types.
But rodeos, I just don’t understand. Mostly from lack of trying, I’ll be the first to admit. Most of what I know had been gleaned from AJ when she was gearing up for it, riding her horse a few extra hours, practicing roping and herding with Winona, and racing around bales of hay set out in an empty paddock. Most of it revolved around time, I think, but I had never been to one.
I really should one of these times, after all. I mean, AJ was my girlfriend and she had been on the sidelines of my trial games for entrance into the Northern Region Soccer academy and the tryouts for the professional teams that paid for your time there. I probably owed it to her.
Actually, no probably about it. Next rodeo, I’ll get Fluttershy to watch the farm while we’re gone.
The rain continued to pour down, not hard but not light either. It was the type of rain that could lull you to sleep listening to it. The tree I was in provided plenty of shade in the day but deflected almost no rain as it came down. My clothes had long since soaked through, but it was a summer’s rain, warm and relaxing.
I stood slightly in the tree, feeling the magic pulsing in me as I ponied up, feeling the strange sensations involved. The warm heat in my skull as my ears repositioned and the ear canals reshaped. My scalp tingled as my hair grew and an itching sensation between my shoulder blades heralded the appearance of my wings. I gave a hard flap of my wings and soared up into the iron gray sky above the orchards.
I tilted my head back, feeling the rain wash over my face and obscure the wetness that had nothing to do with the weather. Today was her birthday. Dad was going to visit her in Cloudsdale, but I wasn’t able to go with him. I’d given my word that I’d watch the place, feed the pigs and make sure the other small daily chores were done. My word. I’d sooner never fly again than break a promise to AJ.
So I floated there, feeling the weight of so many worries washed away and leaving two images in my head. Mom, and AJ.
“Mom,” I whispered, my wings beating gently. “I’m sorry I couldn’t stop by today. I’m sure you’d understand why if you knew. I think you’d like Applejack. She’s a real stand up girl, and she’s been whipping me into shape, both for soccer and in life. Personally, I don’t mind that I’m going a bit country. It’s part of why I like her. She’s hard working and honest, and she’s making me be the same.”
I sighed and wiped some of the mix of rain and tears away. “I hope you’re proud, Mom,” I said, fighting a sob. “I’ve never broken my word till today, and it was between coming to see you or watch the farm. I’ll stop by when the Apples get back, but I just wanted you to know I’m sorry.”
A small break in the clouds let a sunbeam through, spotlighting me in it as the rain continued to pour down. I smiled.
“Happy Birthday, Mom,” I said, unable to stop the sob this time as the rain continued to fall.
A rain to wash the world clean, it seemed.
“Rainbow!” a voice called up to me. Looking down, I saw AJ standing there with an umbrella.
I dropped to the ground. “I thought you had a rodeo,” I started in confusion. “What are you doing back here?”
“Fluttershy told me about yer mom,” she said, a small look of anger crossing her face. “How come ya didn’t tell me today was her birthday?”
“I told you I’d watch the farm,” I said, turning away slightly so she couldn’t tell which of the water on my face was the rain and which were tears. “I don’t go back on my word, AJ. You know that.”
“Yer doing it right now,” she retorted. I winced and glanced down.
I felt a hand on my shoulder.
“C’mon, Ace,” she whispered. “We’ll go together.”
“But your competition,” I said, not looking at her. “Cloudsdale is a good two hours in the wrong direction.”
“Ah got a bye in the first round,” she said. “There ain’t a thing Ah can do till tomorrow, and this is important.”
I stood there for a moment, indecision warring with gratitude inside.
“AJ,” I said, smiling as I released the pony form.
“No need,” she said, smiling and rubbing the back of her fingers across my cheek. She then cupped it and brushed her thumb across it, wiping away some rain and the last few tears.
“No need ta say it.”
We started to walk to the truck she had idling nearby. She glanced at me as she laced her fingers into mine.
“So what’s up with the flyin’ in the rain?” she asked. “Ah know ya got better sense’n that.”
“I dunno,” I answered as we climbed into the truck. “I’ve always been fond of it. I’d go for walks in it, dance in it, sit up for hours watching it. Dad says Mom’s favorite weather was rain, so I guess, maybe when I was little I figured that if I was out with the rain, I’d be with Mom.”
AJ gave a sad little smile at that. “Sugar cube,” she said. “Ah can understand that jus’ fine.”
The truck was quiet as we made our way to wish my mother a happy birthday.
“Say,” I spoke up as the thought entered my head. “We never did introduce you to Dad, did we?”
I smiled as I heard her gulp next to me as the rain continued to pour down.
Windy Whistles Wife and Mother You claimed your wings too early.
I looked at the weathered headstone as the two rainbow-hued heads were bowed over the grassy plot, hat held in my hands.
Dash didn’t know I had forfeited my spot in the competition when Fluttershy had called me. I had been angry up until I saw her hanging in the air, head thrown back as the rain pelted down. Her posture wasn’t as proud as it usually was when she indulged in behavior she enjoyed. She was hunched slightly, probably didn’t even realize it herself. She was at odds with herself over something, and I saw her shudder with what had to be a sob.
And now we were in Cloudsdale, visiting her ma on her birthday. I looked at the dates, doing some quick math in my head. Dash must have been just shy of three when she passed. She had said the other day she didn’t really have any memories of her mom.
Backing away a step, I shot off a quick text message. There was something I might need some advice on.
“So, what’s on your mind, AJ?” Sunset said as she slipped into the booth of the diner. Dash and her dad, Bow Hot Hoof, were off hobnobbing with relatives at a local bar and grill.
“I’m a little curious myself,” Twilight said. “I had a booksortation planned for today, but if it’s for a friend, I’m there!”
I smiled. The Princess Twilight had an excitement for helping that would almost be called zealous.
“Ah wanna do somethin’ for Dash,” I started. “Today’s her mom’s birthday. She’da been forty today.”
“Wait,” Twilight said. “Don’t you mean she is forty today?”
I shook my head, Sunset sighing as she realized. “Dash’s mom passed when we would have been foals. It’s probably why she and her dad moved to Canterlot.”
I nodded. “Too many memories,” I said, looking the shocked royal in the eyes.
“But, I’ve met Windy Whistles,” she said. “I know she’s a very much alive, if overenthusiastic.”
“That’s why Ah had Sunset fetch ya here,” I said. “I want yer help in this.”
And over a cup of coffee, I laid out my plan to them.
“So what’s this thing we gotta do?” Dash asked as we walked to the mirror the next day, the sun slowly streaking the sky orange and violet.
“Twilight didn’t say,” I hedged. I knew I couldn’t lie for my life, but I could stretch a truth. Twilight hadn’t said anything about this trip.
It had all been me.
The portal was strange to describe, the twisting and cold feeling of the void contrasted with the warmth of magic. I tumbled out on the other side, feeling the strange sensation of my hat rubbing against my ears and the sudden feel of fur all over. Looking down to see green instead of my usual skin tone still took a bit even after spending days in the form not too long ago.
Dash popped through and was almost immediately airborne, her wings holding her aloft as she scanned the room, finding it empty. “What gives?” she muttered.
Twilight poked her head into the room. “You’re early,” she said, glancing at the skylight to show the moon slowly rising. “If you’ll come with me?”
We followed Twilight to a small sitting room, where a Pegasus with a short cut mane and tail sat, worrying the cuff of her sweater slightly. She turned when she noticed us.
“Princess,” she said, bowing slightly. “Thank you for the invite to tea, but I’m…” she fell silent as she gazed on Dash. Dash also stared forward for a second.
“Mom?” she whispered, almost not believing it. I was surprised she could make the connection, seeing as how I could barely recognize Granny Smith of this side.
“Rainbow?” Windy Whistles whispered. “Is that you?” You look so different. And what happened to your mane?”
“I can explain everything,” Twilight said as she levitated over a tea service and started setting out saucers. “But it might take a bit of suspension of disbelief.”
“Are you sure ya have to blank her memory?” I asked as Dash talked to her mother. “Seems a mite cruel.”
“If word got out to the common pony that there was a magic gateway leading to another world there’d be mass panic and urging of either destroying it or doing what we must in the name of defending Equestria,” she said. “Besides, the spell doesn’t completely erase memories. They’re tied too closely to emotions to be completely dissipated. She’ll likely assume it was a pleasant dream.” She looked at me. "Besides, our Dash already agreed to play along if need be."
“Ah know,” I grumbled, shifting on my hooves. Why did I feel so much stronger right now?
“Besides, your Dash will remember this for a long time, Jackie,” Twilight said with a smile.
My Dash. My Dash.
Something about that phrase made me feel giddy. Fluttershy came in and nuzzled against Twilight, wings going out to cover each other. It was a pleasant sight to see. I knew how comforting the feel of those feathers could be.
Twilight disengaged herself from her marefriend’s embrace and walked forward slowly.
“I’m terribly sorry to interrupt, but it’s rather late.”
Dash looked at her, but it was Windy that spoke up. “So late already?” she exclaimed as she climbed to her hooves. “I must get going. Thank you so much for the tea, Princess.”
As she gave Twilight a hug, the Alicorn’s horn lit for a few brief moments, the same color of her magic surrounding Windy’s eyes. When they separated, she seemed unaware of the spell that had been cast on her. She turned to my Dash and pulled her into a firm hug.
“Always remember,” she said, loud enough for all to hear. “I’m always proud of you. Just be happy, little one.”
And she turned and left, escorted out by Starlight.
“So,” Dash said, looking at her hooves. “She’s not going to remember me?”
Twilight shook her head. “Not entirely,” she said softly. “She’ll likely pass it off as a conversation with her Dash or a dream.”
Dash seemed satisfied with the answer. “At least I got to hear Mom’s voice and talk with her for a bit, even if it wasn’t exactly my mom.” She looked at us, her eyes misting.
“Thanks,” she said, words failing beyond that simple phrase.
Applejack was still next to me when I woke up, a rare occasion. I smiled as I looked at her sleeping face.
She looked like a dork. Her hair had come undone from the braid she had put it in, one arm thrown up over her head, and her mouth was hanging open. The t-shirt she had borrowed from the handful of things that I had that fit her had hiked up, revealing her trim stomach and the slight line of her hips just over the gym shorts that, if I were to be honest, were too small even for me to wear decently.
She also looked beautiful, because she still had that slight rosy glow to her cheeks that Rarity tried to imitate with makeup, her skin starting to take on a tan from the summer daylight, and the spray of freckles across her nose were becoming more pronounced as the tan progressed.
“Lucky,” I whispered. “I am so freaking lucky.”
I gave her a peck on the cheek and slid out of bed and slunk to the bathroom to take care of the usual things and to run a comb through my hair before heading to the kitchen, finding Dad chewing on a pastry as he skimmed the paper.
“Hey, sport,” he said as he saw me, sliding over the sports pages in an old ritual. “How’d you sleep?”
“Ok, I guess,” I said in a slightly bent truth. “It’s hard this time of year.” I dropped a pair of frozen waffles into the toaster and poured a cup of coffee.
“I know,” he said as I sat and picked up the sports pages he had slid to me. “Your mom loved you, maybe even more than she loved me - hard as that is to believe.”
I smirked. I know where I got my boastfulness from, and the words were an attempt to cheer me up more than any competition between us. “I know, Dad,” I said, wishing I could tell him about meeting Mom’s counterpart.
“Mornin’,” drawled Applejack through a yawn as she came in, already changed into one of her shirts and a pair of Bermuda shorts. She had already admitted to me about forfeiting her place in the competition in favor of helping me.
“Morning, sweetheart,” Dad said, getting a wave in return. “Fresh coffee in the pot and waffles or pastries are available.”
AJ wrapped her hands around the barrel of a mug as she smelled the brew, perking up slightly. “Ya’ll have any eggs?” she asked after glancing at what we each had in front of us.
“Maybe?” Dad said, looking at me with a confused look.
“Farm girl,” I said, sipping my own coffee. He nodded.
Over the next few minutes, with a few requests for locations, Applejack slid a plate of eggs in front of us both and the smell of pancakes filled the room. I couldn’t complain, an Apple family set of pancakes beat frozen waffles any day.
“You didn’t have to do this,” I said as she sat down with her plate. “You’re technically on vacation today.”
“It’s just as easy t’ fix batter fer three as it is one,” she said, dropping a pat of butter on her cakes. “‘Sides, Ah know how you blow through energy, them waffles wouldn’t have made it long.”
“I could have made more,” I said with a grin, scooping up a forkful of scrambled eggs. They weren’t as good as usual as Dad didn’t have any milk - well, milk that we trusted - but still tasty and filling. Dad mumbled a sound of appreciation.
“The little lady sure can cook,” he said, setting his fork down to wipe his mouth with a napkin. His stubble had gone from being five o’clock shadow into ‘forgot where I put my razor’ territory. “Maybe you all should stay over more often.”
“Dad!” I protested.
“What?” he said innocently as he stood and grabbed his briefcase. “It’s true. This is the best breakfast I’ve had at home in a while. And if you two hadn’t slept in we might have been able to talk a while.” He looked at Applejack. "Don't be a stranger, you hear?" He glanced at me.
"Usual rules," he said as he grabbed a blueprint case from by the door.
“I know,” I said. He had to get to the construction site. The foreman had to be there on time otherwise the workers would slack a bit. “We’ll clean up and lock up when we leave.”
As the door closed, I turned to AJ.
“Why did you forfeit?” I asked.
“What d’ya mean, why?” she returned, pointing a fork at me. “Ah put ya in a spot where you had t’ compromise yer own promises.”
“I would have gone the next day anyway,” I said. “It wouldn’t have been the first time I didn’t make it on her birthday.” Technically true, since the first time I was six and had just broken my arm trying to parachute from the roof with a bedsheet.
Lesson learned: parachutes need more than twelve feet to operate correctly.
“The point is,” she continued. “Ya should have told me about yer mom’s birthday. I could have asked Sunset to watch the farm for a day. Or you could have, for that matter.”
I nodded. “I suppose I just didn’t think it through,” I said, eyes falling on the picture of Mom on the wall over a small side table. “I don’t really think things through easily when it comes to her. Too many questions, and not enough answers. I don’t like asking Dad because you can tell it still hurts inside.”
She nodded, and I remembered that she had lost her parents and much more recently than I had in the grand scheme of things.
“Ah know how that can tear at a person,” she said slowly, her country twang fading slightly. “How it can feel like ripping open a scab that covers your whole body. But, Dash, you can’t avoid it just because it hurts.”
She reached over and covered my hand with hers. “Anytime you feel like you need to come talk to yer mom, you do it, even if you promised to work a field with me. Ah’ll understand.” Her grass green eyes twinkled. “Ah might even come with you.”
“Dad’ll just make you cook again,” I said, collecting plates and putting them in the sink, filling it with water. “Neither of us are all that great.”
“Ah’m fine with that arrangement,” she said, standing to help with the dishes. “He’s a likable fella. Iffen he were to cut down on th' jokes, Ah’d have no problem comin’ over more.”
I laughed as I dunked a plate into the soapy water. Dad had a degree in Dad jokes, but asking him to not tell any would basically render him mute. “I’d like that,” I said. “I want you and Dad to spend time together. He likes you well enough.”
“Well, Ah guess that means ya got good taste,” she said, drying a plate with a towel and setting it in the rack.
“Well, you do advertise that your apples are second to none,” I said with a smirk. “I can attest to that.”
She blushed as she got the connotation.
“AJ,” I said. “Thanks for last night. It was nice, and I have kind of a picture of what Mom was like now. I wish I could do something for you in return.”
“Ah got a few ideas,” she said, dropping the towel and grabbing me by the arm, leading me back to the bedroom.
“First part is you getting comfortable,” she said, giving me a slight push. I settled myself and saw her crawl up beside me, reaching across my stomach and settling her head on my shoulder.
“The second is ya hush up and just enjoy,” she said, closing her eyes. “Ah don’t get many days off and I want to enjoy this one.”
“Done,” I said, wrapping my arm around her and settling back to enjoy the quiet.
I knew right then and there, if she ever needed anything, I’d sacrifice anything to be there for her. She’d done so much for me and I’d done a lot for her, but until the last few days, I hadn’t realized how deeply she cared for me.
“Applejack Smith?”
She glanced up at the use of her proper name.
“I love you to the moon and back,” I said, leaning down to kiss her gently.
“Ah had a feeling,” she said with a warm smile as we broke apart. “Ah love you too, Ace.”
“Good,” I said. “Cause Dad has this cabin out by Rainbow Falls,” I said. “I’d like to take you there sometime, just you and me and the mountains. Sometime before I have to leave for the camps.”
She smiled.
“Ah’d like that, Rainbow Danger Dash,” she whispered against my cheek. “Ah’d like that very much.”
It was late and I breached the waters of wakefulness with a groan. I’d been having a great dream about the upcoming trial matches that would determine which team we’d be assigned to. It’s set up sort of like a cross between a draft and a try-out and was only done at the Northern Region Soccer Academy, but I liked it. It made sure we were at our prime going in.
My discomfort was eased by the slight breathing of the tall girl next to me, once again done up in her typical sleepwear - an oversized t-shirt and a pair of gym shorts. I grinned a little as I realized that the shirt had a pair of symbols printed on the sleeve and reached out to trace them with a fingertip.
As my finger glided over the lines of the rainbow-hued laurel leaves, I smiled, remembering every moment we’d had together, especially the recent fundraiser events we’d done to raise money to renovate Camp Everfree. And I was happy that Twilight had mended some fences with her old classmates. I’d always thought they were a decent bunch when they leaped forward and helped us out at the Games.
Doing that video had been fun once all the kinks were worked out, and working with Indigo Zap and Sunset to edit the thing had made all the awkward takes and goofs look like a great little bit.
My finger began to touch the apple tree that rested above a soccer ball when I heard a sleepy voice mutter.
“No, Apple Bloom,” AJ muttered. “dunking yer hair in pottin' soil won’t make it grow any faster.” She rolled over and draped an arm over me, her golden hair sliding over her shoulder and coiling in its braid.
I worry about her sometimes. Mainly cause her dreams are weird. I mean really weird.
The added warmth from her arm was making me drowsy again, and I hoped that I’d dream about her. The occasional - and expected given my age - less than virtuous thoughts aside, almost every moment I thought about AJ made me feel lighter than air. More than once a long, hard kiss from her would cause me to pony up, wings fully spread and my feet not touching the earth.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve caused quite a few similar reactions on her, but her being the aggressor in the acts is a rare thing and it always catches me off guard.
And I liked it.
Oh, whatever deities there are, did I like it. I liked being the small spoon, the pursued, and the subject of her desires, though we’d never acted on some of the more intimate ones. It wasn’t an issue with us, we wanted to take things slow, for the most part. Neither of us were really sure what the hay we were doing, and I felt lucky just being able to call her mine or be called hers.
Dad loved her. He’d caught me on my way to bed the other day to tease me about the ‘pretty country girl’ that could cook so well. I’d never felt like such a girl as in that moment when my face turned beet red.
Her kin had taken a liking to me as well, more than likely because we complimented each other so well and were positive influences on each other now that the feelings were laid bare. Apple Bloom had been excited to get another sister, even if it was jumping the gun a bit. I had started formulating a plan for that, but it had a while to go before I would even consider putting it into play. I had to get through camp and onto a team first, and my number one cheerleader was right next to me.
I sat up to look at her face in the moonlight, the gentle and childlike look as she dozed. I sighed in contentment and was about to lay back down when her hand shot out and grabbed the back of my neck, hauling me forward to touch noses.
“Whatcha lookin’ at?” she whispered, her eyes sparkling as they slid open.
“You," I replied, feeling an electric thrill from our closeness.
“Any reason why?” she said, her voice still in a soft, gentle tone. It was more feminine than her usual speaking voice, something that I figured I was the only one privy to.
“The moonlight made you look really beautiful,” I said, tilting my head so that our foreheads touched as well.
She blushed and turned her head away. “Yer just sayin’ that,” she said, grinning the whole time.
“Cross my heart, and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” I said, reaching to turn her face back to me. “I’m being one hundred percent truthful, Applejack. You look beautiful to me no matter what.”
“Let’s see how you feel after a week at that cabin,” she shot back with a chuckle. “Roughin’ it the whole time, livin’ off the land.”
“I wouldn’t call it roughing it,” I smirked. “It’s got running water, after all.”
She rolled her eyes while I grinned.
“What am Ah going t’do with you?” she asked, bringing her forehead back to mine.
“Be overwhelmed by my sheer awesomeness?” I suggested, going back to the familiar quips.
Her hand slid into my hair and pulled me down into a fierce kiss, and I didn’t think for a second that it was forced.
I felt my wings sprout and spread fully as she pulled me in, resulting in my being slightly above her. I curled the tips of my wings down to shield us out of instinct. When we broke apart, I saw that I wasn’t the only one that had ponied up, her ears flicking in nervous excitement.
“Yer more’n awesome, sugar cube,” she whispered, an excited flush on her face and neck mirroring one I felt on mine. “And yer mine, just the same.”
She kissed me again, and I felt as though I would fly. And I’ll fly as long as she’s there to meet me on the ground.
She's really a softy after all, I thought to myself as she kissed me back.
I never guessed that Dash would have been one for the tender side of things before we started dating. But since then, all the little glances and soft touches had added up to a more complex side to Rainbow. If nothing else, the fact that she went through the lengths that she did to set up that hang gliding session a while back to share her love of flying with me should have cinched it.
Her hands posted themselves on either side of my head and she pulled away. Reluctantly, I might add. I saw her wings gently move above her, giving her a slightly angelic look. I felt my pony ear twitch again.
“You have any idea what that does to me?” she whispered softly to me, a wingtip coming down to brush against my cheek.
I grinned. “Ah think so,” I said just as softly. “Same thing ya do t’me when you kiss me like that.”
She leaned down and rested her forehead against mine, a content smile on her face.
“We’re quite the pair, eh?” she whispered before sliding to the side, her wing stretching out to cover me in its embrace. “The farm girl and the hot shot?”
“”s not that odd,” I replied. “Shoulda seen sooner the amount of similarities we’ve got.”
“Huh?” she grunted, primaries spreading slightly.
“Farmin’ and competition aren’t that different, Ace,” I said, seeing the quirk of her mouth at the nickname. “We both have a goal that we train for in different ways. You train by running and working out, honing yer body into as efficient a machine as you can. And it works, by the way.” I traced a finger along the outline of one of her exposed abs, smiling as she twitches.
“Ah train by tilling the ground and making sure to keep the crops well watered,” I continued. “If the soil doesn’t get the right balance, nothing will grow. Sometimes we add a bit to the soil to help the plants, just like you only eat protein bars close to training sessions.”
“That's more so I don’t hurl after a heavy meal and the heat from exercising,” she said, her eyes flashing. “But I get your point.”
I slid a hand under her neck. “Mah other point is,” I said as she cuddled a little closer. “We both have a lot in common. Like our height.”
“AJ,” she said. “You’re close to six feet! I’m a shrimp compared to you!”
“Ah know that,” I said. “And Ah hate it sometimes. Ya know how hard it is t’find clothes that fit me? Just like you hate being comparatively short. Even though yer not.”
“I’m five five,” she muttered.
“And national average is five three ’n change, hon,” I said. “And you wear it good. Ya got a lot of power and not a lot of mass to have to move.”
Her face became thoughtful. After a few moments, she looked at me. “You really hate being tall?”
“It ain't always awesome,” I said. I kissed her forehead. “Now Ah’m going back to sleep, got to get up early and run out to Sunset’s to help her install that new bookshelf for Twilight.”
She caught my face before I turned away and kissed me in a way that made me wish I could stay up a little longer, her wing brushing against my cheek.
“So you keep me in your dreams, too,” she said cheekily, closing her eyes.
And boy howdy, did I.
I brushed my hands against each other as we stepped back from the bookshelf. Stained with a deep cherry finish, the cabinet sat next to the one built into her wall. I glanced at the fiery haired woman.
“Ya sure that’s where you want it?” I asked.
Sunset nodded. “It’s been decided,” she said, rolling her eyes slightly. “I’ve got my orders, after all.”
“Ah’m only asking ‘cause there may not be any studs behind it to secure it to,” I said. “Knownin’ Twilight, she’ll likely load that thing full t’ the brim with textbooks.”
She pointed to the wall above the shelf and I saw a few lines lightly marked on the wall.
“I know,” she said. “I helped her find the studs before she chose.”
I laughed and picked up my drill.
“Well, then,” I said. “Ah suppose we both got our orders then.”
After securing the shelf and a short lunch with her catching up, I headed back out to my truck and climbed in. On the dash of my truck, tucked against the speedometer, was a small envelope with my initials on it. I picked it up and was mildly surprised at the weight of it.
Opening it, I pulled out the letter.
AJ,
I'm not great at words or expressing my feelings, but you probably already know that. I'm better at showing rather than telling.
So, I got you this. I know it's not much, but I wanted you to have it. I know our anniversary or whatever you want to call it isn't for a few weeks yet, but after the last few days, I don't want to wait any longer.
Love you,
Ace
I smiled at the letter and looked into the envelope and pulled out a small necklace with an apple charm on it. I felt my heart flutter a little and slipped it on, letting it fall against the tank top I wore under my unbuttoned work shirt.
“What a coincidence,” I said, reaching into the compartment under the seat and pulling out a small box, opening it to see the custom bracelet that had both her cutie mark and the symbol she had on everything else engraved on it.
“What a coincidence indeed,” I said as I started the old pickup and shifted into drive.
