100 - 500 word, prompt based mini-fics by the authors from the AppleDash group here on FiMFiction, including Tchernobog, bookplayer, KrazyTheFox, DbzOrDie, ThatPinkPony, BronyNeumo, TwilightUCrazy and more!
Note: word-count is based on program used for writing the fic. Prompt count: 282
Rainbow Dash had determined that there was only one way she would ever get to sleep with a blanket again.
While Applejack was a fine, upstanding citizen of Equestria in every other way, in her sleep she was a low down, dirty, blanket thief. Dash tried everything she could think of. She tucked the blanket under her, she tucked it under the mattress, and she still woke up cold and blanketless the next morning. She had even gone so far as to buy a second blanket, only to find that the blanket score ended up being AJ: 2, RD: cold.
Finally, she gave in. Dash didn't like admitting defeat, but she didn't like waking up cold either. So now, every night, she snuggled as close to AJ as she could, keeping her forelegs wrapped tightly around the earth pony, their rear legs intertwined. Sometimes she even ended up sleeping on top of AJ. It was, after all, impossible for AJ to steal the blanket if they were occupying the same physical space. And when it came down to it, snuggling AJ like a teddy bear all night wasn't a bad solution. At least Dash got her share of the blanket.
Applejack wasn't all that surprised that Dash never caught on.
"Hm?" The blue pegasus opened an eye, glancing at Applejack as the farmer broke the silence.
"You're really a lightweight, y'know?"
"Hey!" Both of Rainbow's eyes flew open as she lifted her head off her hooves, where she'd been napping. "Whaddya mean, lightweight?! I can down just as much drink as you!"
Applejack snorted as she kept moving. "First off, honey, I can drink you under the table any day. Th'stuff goes right up to your pegasus head." She grinned as Rainbow glowered. "And that ain't what I was talking about. I'm sayin' you don't weigh nothin' at all."
Rainbow eyed Applejack, attempting to figure out if she'd been insulted or not. "A pegasus is pretty light, yeah. What brought this on?"
The earth pony stopped walking, and turned her head to face Rainbow. "Sugarcube, you're napping on my back, and I can hardly feel a thing."
"I can't help it that you're so comfy!" The pegasus replied, snuggling into Applejack's back. She nuzzled the farmer's neck, peppering it with kisses.
Applejack rolled her eyes, but was unable to surpress a slight shiver. Rainbow was often impossible to deal with.
But she knew she wouldn't trade the pegasus for any other pony in the world.
A crash sounded out over Sweet Apple Acres—an increasingly common occurrence, and one that Applejack knew all too well by now. Heaving a sigh, she stopped bucking her trees and trotted over to the side of her barn to find her pegasus sitting on the ground, rubbing her head. “Dash, when’ll ya learn that the side of the barn isn’t a cloud?”
Rainbow Dash cradled her head in her hooves and waited for the pain to subside. “Well... I—Applejack?”
Applejack picked Rainbow up off the ground and helped her steady herself. “Yeah?”
“I... I can’t see very well,” whispered Rainbow.
“Ya can’t... see?”
At this point, Rainbow Dash leaned her full weight against Applejack and pressed her face into the earth pony’s shoulder. “I can, just... everything’s fuzzy.”
“Oh, sugarcube...”
Rainbow kicked the ground. “Why do you think I’m not a Wonderbolt yet? And why do you think I crash so much? I’m waaaaay better than that... I just can’t see.” She sniffled and hugged Applejack closer. “They don’t want ponies like me.”
After hugging Rainbow for a few minutes, Applejack broke the hug and sat against the barn, beckoning Rainbow to join her, who crawled into her hooves, receiving a kiss on her forehead. “But what about Daring Do? Ya seem to be alright readin’ those.”
“I can, but I can only see clearly for a few hooves in front of me. After that...”
Applejack massaged deep into Rainbow’s back as she gave her girlfriend comforting kisses. “Well isn’t there some kind of fancy magic that can help with that?”
“No, I already asked Twilight about it. She said I could wear glasses.” Rainbow returned a more aggressive kiss. “I am not wearing glasses.”
Applejack chuckled at this and gave Rainbow a squeeze before frowning. “So what are ya gonna do?”
“I don’t really know. I think about it a lot. The Wonderbolts don’t mean everything to me. Not anymore. I have an amazingly awesome girlfriend who makes the best apples ever.”
“Rainbow, we don’t make apples, we harvest them.”
“Yeah, yeah. Details,” said Rainbow with a wave of her hoof. “Anyway, I like being here, too. It may not be the Wonderbolts, but I still have something to work for. I have a great job with the weather team, I have all our friends... I’m happy, AJ. And I don’t think I need more than that.”
Applejack smiled and pulled Rainbow into a deep kiss, letting it linger before finally pulling away. “You really surprise me sometimes, Rainbow, ya know that?”
“I try.”
A little more than a few kisses and the better part of an hour later, the couple stood up and trotted off into town towards Sugarcube Corner—something about baking a few apple pies to share with their friends. Something that Rainbow wouldn’t trade for the world.
"Why? Because it's awesome. The taste, the flaky crust, and the taste. Did I mention the taste?"
"Three times."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"...Soooooo?"
"Lemme get this straight. You just woke up with a cravin' for apple pie, and you have to have one now or you'll die?"
"I was more thinking along the lines of Discord breaking loose, but that works too."
"I just have one question, Rainbow."
"Yeah?"
"It's three in the morning. Why now?"
"...because I'm hungry?"
Applejack stared at the pony sharing her bed, and sighed. She couldn't go back to sleep anyway, and was bound to get up in a couple hours anyway. Might as well.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack sat on the picnic blanket with their friends, while Dash explained how they almost had hail with the storm yesterday.
“So then Flitter flew into the storm, it was a total Please Celestia, but I knew the playbook and took off to the other side of the park to run defense. The storm clouds tried to pile me, and they weren't that concerned about unnecessary roughness, but I held the line and Flitter pulled that hail cloud right out of the pocket. By then, the clouds I was blocking didn't matter so I squared in and she spiked it to me then re-positioned, I bucked it back to her, and from there on it was a blow out.”
“Way to go, RD!” Applejack said happily, bumping hooves with Dash, while the others looked on confused.
“What. . . did that mean?” Twilight asked cautiously, obviously not used to be lost in a conversation based on vocabulary.
Applejack smiled and rolled her eyes. “They weren't gonna be able to get rid of the hail, but Flitter tried a long shot plan, and Dash figured just what she was up to. So Dash went and kept more'a the storm clouds from pilin' on her while Flitter got that hail cloud. Dash moved away from the clouds she was holdin' back and Flitter bucked the hail cloud to 'er. After that it was easy.”
Dash nodded, and grinned, giving AJ a quick nuzzle. “I'm glad somepony else here speaks hoofball.”
Applejack awoke from her sleep. “Huh? Rainbow, what are you doin’?”
“Nothing, just go back to sleep”
“Are you strokin’ my mane?”
“No, just go back to sleep.” Rainbow said more insistently.
“You ARE strokin’ my mane. What’s goin’ on Rainbow? It’s quite unusual for me to wake up with my marefriend’s hoof in my hair.”
Rainbow searched for a way to still get Applejack to sleep. “I, euh... was sleep-ruffling your mane? So, n-nothing’s wrong here, just go back to sleep.”
“C’mon Rainbow, I know you too well to know when you’re speakin' the truth. Sharin' a bed with somepony will do that for you.” Applejack was getting a bit worried about her, if Dash felt the need to lie about it, it must be some serious matter.
Rainbow took a breath to steady her nerves. “Applejack, remember how I didn’t have a family to grow up with since I was five?” Applejack nodded in confirmation. “Sometimes I just want to touch you, your mane, so I can tell myself this is real, you are real and you’re still with me.”
“Dash, you know that I’d never leave you if I had anythin' to do about it. Our time will eventually come and we’ll stay together, through life and through death. Now just go to sleep and touch as much as you want.”
Dash snuggled closer to AJ and closed her eyes facing her. A snortle sounded through the bedroom.
“What”
“You like my mane”
“Be glad your mane isn’t as awesome as mine, I’d never let go otherwise.”
“I wouldn’t mind that”
Dash ruffled through AJ’s mane for good measure and went to sleep, contented.
“What am I supposed to do while you finish your chores?” Dash asked.
“Well, you could go an talk to Granny Smith. She's always got some great stories,” Applejack suggested.
Dash sighed. “Fine. Just, don't take too long, okay?”
“I'll hurry. You have fun.”
Applejack did hurry. She loved Granny's stories, but she knew there probably wasn't enough rope-swinging and sword fights to keep Dash's attention for long. She got through about half her chores in record time, and was bringing the vegetables in to refill the bins in the kitchen when she overheard part of the conversation from the living room.
“And this one here's from a family reunion. See, Applejack was just a little filly and she sat on a tack the day before. All day she went 'round stickin' her rump in the air and sayin' loud as ya' please, 'I got a boo-boo on my fanny!' Folks just laughed and laughed at that.”
Applejack's eye's went wide in horror. Dash's attempts to hold back her own laughter were clearly audible from the next room.
“Oh, and this is a sweet one, Apple Brown Betty got Applejack and Apple Fritter matchin' frou frou dresses. Don't she look like a little filly-doll?”
Applejack's cheeks were burning as she raced into the living room, “Come on, Dash, the rest of my chores can wait.”
“Awesome! Then you can sit and look at pictures with us! This one with you with a plunger on your head is really cute. I bet there's a great story behind that one.” Dash smiled innocently at Granny.
“Well now, there sure is!” Granny started, “See, Applejack got that stuck there when-”
“Sorry, Granny! We gotta go!” Applejack grabbed Dash's tail in her mouth and started dragging her towards the door.
“You can tell me next time, Granny! I'll come back tomorrow!” Dash called.
Safely outside, Applejack released Dash's tail and turned to face her, pointing a hoof in her face. “You never heard a word of that!”
“Are you kidding? That was hilarious! You were the goofiest little foal. Totally cute.”
“You ain't gonna make fun of me?”
“Nope! Well. . .”
Applejack raised an eyebrow, waiting for the rest.
“Not until I find out how you got that plunger stuck on your head!” Dash said, then she burst into giggles.
Big Mac walked by just then and looked at the giggling pegasus, then questioningly at AJ.
“Never leave your special somepony alone with Granny Smith,” Applejack said dryly.
“Eeyup.” Mac nodded with a knowing smile, then walked away.
“Get ‘er! Over there!” yelled Apple Bloom, pointing up the stairs frantically.
Rainbow Dash dove down the stairs, holding Scootaloo between her front legs. She dropped Scootaloo at the bottom and circled high above the room, stopping only to snatch a few pillows. “They’ve found us! Spread out and draw the enemy fire!”
“Yes, Commander Dash!” said Scootaloo, saluting.
“Straight ahead, Applejack!”
Applejack launched a couple pillows in Scootaloo’s direction before ducking behind the wall of bedsheets. “They’re comin’ at us, duck!”
Apple Bloom ducked just in time for a barrage of pillows to impact the side of Fort Enterprise, collapsing one of the outer walls.
Commander Dash swooped in low and dropped a bunch of pillows in front of Scootaloo. “Get ‘em, Scoots!”
Applejack and Apple Bloom looked at each other. “Retreat!”
“Come on Scoots, let’s storm that fort!”
The pair of pegasi advanced on Fort Enterprise, each grasping a pillow in their mouths.
“Applejack, we’re out of ammo. I think it’s time to surrender!” said Apple Bloom, frantically searching around for one last pillow.
“We’ll never surr—Oof!” Applejack found herself tackled to the ground by Rainbow Dash, who sat on top of her triumphantly.
“How about now?” asked Rainbow, grinning.
Scootaloo had since made her way to Apple Bloom, engaging in one-on-one combat, neither willing to give in.
“I think I could surrender... on one condition,” said Applejack.
Rainbow Dash tilted her head. “What’s that?”
Applejack leaned up and planted a chaste kiss on Rainbow’s lips. “That.”
Rainbow smiled back at AJ and yawned, noticing the two fillies had finally worn themselves out. “All this pillow fighting sure is tiring.” She removed herself from on top of Applejack and snuggled against her inside the remnants of the fort.
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo joined Applejack and Rainbow Dash in the depths of the fort and they all drifted off to sleep.
Celestia’s sun shone through the window of AJ’s bedroom, beaming down upon a cyan Pegasus and an orange Earth Pony with their legs intertwined and their heads together. In the warm summer morning, the blanket lay long forgotten on the floor beside the bed. Neither of them noticed the Pink ball of crazy looking in through the window.
“Awwwwww… how cute! Looks like AJ’s plan worked.”
Rainbow Dash awoke with a start, “PINKIE PIE?!”
“How in the hay did you get up to the second floor?” asked a very bewildered Applejack.
“Oh that’s unimportant,” said Pinkie, “what really matters is—”
“—that you were spying on us!” Interrupted Dash.
“Spying, I wasn’t spying!”
“Kinda seems like you were, Sugarcube.”
There was a short pause, and then,
“… I’m not even here…” and Pinkie slowly sank beneath the window frame.
Dash ran to the window and looked down, to find nothing there. No pony, no tracks, not even a ladder to explain how she was in their bedroom window in the first place…
“How in the hay did she…”
“I have no Idea, Dashie, but we just can’t dwell on how
Pinkie functions or we’ll drive ourselves crazier than an orange pie.”
“Umm…”
“Well, you try makin’ one! It’d be all soggy and mushy, not to mention the level of acid, I mean citrus just wasn’t meant t—”
Dash cut her off by gently putting a hoof over her mouth. “You are so weird AJ”
“Yeah, but you know that’s why you love me.”
“Unfortunately, that’s true.”
“Eeyup. Love you too Dashie.”
Pinkie Pie may have been annoying, but with AJ by her side, Dash always had a shining light…
...how in Equestria did you even manage to do this?!"
"Well, you see, I was gonna make breakfast, but..."
~~~~~~ Rainbow Dash was ocuppied with slicing up the apples when it happened. The pancakes she had been making started to expand, and suddenly exploded, rattling the kitchen and no doubt waking Applejack. ~~~~
"And that's how we ended up with this foamy mess." Dash concluded her story.
"Alright, but how in the HAY did you manage to make pancakes turn to FAOM?!" AJ asked, totally bewildered by the concept.
"I have, no idea..." responded Dash.
"Seriously, come on, lemme see what recipe you were using"
Dash pointed to an old, dusty and now foam covered book laying open on the counter that AJ recognised as one of the Apple Family's old recipe books. Suppressing the urge to yell at Dash for ruining it, she instead opted to allow her right eye a few twitches before coming to a solution. "Well, if you were using that book, I can proudly say it weren't the recipe. So it must have been something in the ingredients"
Dash was now sitting on the floor playing with the massive swirls of white, airy foam that covered AJ's kitchen. "is it really necessary to know EXACTLY what happened? The point is that I suck at cooking."
AJ looked up from the box she was inspecting and trotted over to Dash. "Now, now, sugarcube, it's ok, we can't all be perfect at everything we do, even Ah struggled with cooking at first."
"Really?" Dash looked up hopefully.
"Eh, no, Actually."
"AJ!"
"Well, I can hardly help it if Ah'm perfect!" She goaded playfully.
"Ugh." Rainbow Dash looked down. AJ leaned in, placed a hoof around her marefriend's neck and tilted her head with her other hoof so she could plant a kiss square on Dash's lips.
After a few seconds, the kiss broke. "thanks AJ" said Dash, "you always know just what to say".
AJ beamed. "I know. Besides, I found out why your pancakes, well, exploded."
"Huh? you did?!"
"Mhm" she trotted over to the counter, picked up the box she had been looking at earlier and placed it in front of Dash. "Looks like a certain pink menace decided to swap yer bakin' soda fer something with a little more... Oomf."
The box looked just like any ordinary box of baking soda, except that where the logo and the words "baking soda" are on most boxes, Dash read, "Pinkie Pie's super amazing especially dazing foam making powder!"
Dash broke out laughing, rolling on the floor in the delightful foamy mess.
Rainbow Dash was awoken early in the morning by a rather odd sensation. Somepony was playing with her hair. Not caressing it. Not running their hooves through it. Not trying to style it. No, somepony was playing with her hair, tussling and rubbing and gently pulling at the rainbow-hued locks.
“AJ, what are you doing?” the pegasus asked groggily, her voice partially muffled by the pillow her face was buried in.
“Playin’ with your mane,” Applejack’s accented voice casually replied.
Rainbow Dash picked her face up out of the pillow, and turned to give her marefriend a bemused stare. The orange mare was sitting beside her on the bed, the bedsheet partially draped over her shoulders, with an amused smile on her face. “No, really?” the pegasus deadpanned.
Applejack chuckled, and continued to run her hooves through Dash’s hair, rustling and tussling the polychromatic mane. “I’m just messin’ with the colors.”
Rainbow Dash gave her a slightly confused look. “The colors?”
“Yeah, since ya got all these colors in your hair, I’m tryin’ to see what sort of combinations I can make. See what matches an’ mixes well,” Applejack replied with a smile, never ceasing to play with her lover’s mane.
“Oh. Find any good combinations?” Dash asked curiously. She never really bothered to do anything with her mane. The hair always fell into a natural pattern, even when put up in a ponytail. Mixing it up to find color combinations was something she’d just never really done, so it’d be interesting to see what AJ had found.
AJ ceased her playing for a moment, and leaned down to whisper in Rainbow Dash’s ear. “Well, blue and orange seem to make a pretty good combo…” the blonde mare purred, before nuzzling against Dash’s cheek.
Rainbow Dash giggled and reached up to grab Applejack, quickly pulling her down into a tight embrace. She planted a few small kisses on Applejack's cheek, before looking into her emerald eyes and smiling. "Yeah... I'd say they do…”
Applejack wasn't sure she could take any more shocks today. The first had been how Dash had dragged them to an antique shop. She hadn't pegged the pegasus for one interested in random trinkets that weren't Wonderbolt related.
The second and third shocks had happened at the same time. Not only had Dash managed to find a piano in the shop, she was even belting out a tune, lyrics included.
You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain Too much love drives a pony insane You broke my will! But what a thrill! Goodness gracious great balls of fire!
And she was amazing.
I laughed at love cause I thought it was funny but you came along and moooooved me honey I've changed my mind This love is fine Goodness gracious great balls of fire!
Well. She was maybe a bit off key. Her scratchy voice didn't quite lend itself to quality singing, but to Applejack, it sounded fantastic.
Kiss me baby Mmmm feels good Hold me baby Welll I want to love you like a lover should You're fine, so kind Got to tell this world that you're mine mine mine mine
But more than that, Rainbow Dash was staring at Applejack the entire time she sung, grinning widely. The shop's owner, and the few other ponies in the shop had stopped to listen, but Applejack knew that she was Rainbow's true, and only audience. She couldn't help but tap her hoof in time with the song, swept up in its frenetic energy.
She sincerely hoped the piano wasn't too expensive. She'd just discovered a totally new facet to her rainbow-maned marefriend, and by Celestia, she'd make the most of it.
C'mon baby, drive me crazy Goodness gracious great balls of fire!
For most of her life, Applejack had hated the rain. Aside from the fact that it was cold, wet, and uncomfortable to get caught in, the rain always caused a very specific and very annoying problem for her.
Specifically, when it rained, farmwork ground to a halt.
No apple-bucking, no tending the crops, no doing repairs, no outside work in general could be done. And that lack of productivity frustrated her to no end. Or at least, it used to.
As Applejack stood in the orchard watching the rain fall all around her, she couldn’t help but smirk. Not because she was enjoying the rain, but because she was enjoying the one spot in Ponyville were it wasn’t raining.
Directly above Applejack, somepony had been nice enough to create a hole in the clouds big enough to fit two or three ponies, allowing her to go around Sweet Apple Acres and do her chores without getting soaked to the bone and catching a cold. She just had to tell them when it was time to move the gap. Speaking of… “Hey Rainbow Dash!” Applejack hollered up at the clouds, trying to get her friend’s attention.
A blue face framed by a rainbow-colored mane appeared in the cloud gap. “Whatcha need AJ?” Rainbow Dash asked with a crooked grin.
Applejack returned her friend’s grin. “I’m done checkin’ on everythin’ around the farm. Ya mind helpin’ me on back to the house?”
“Sure thing!” Dash replied with a crisp salute. She gripped the edges of the gap with her hooves, flapped her wings, and began to shift the hole in the clouds towards the farmstead. As the hole began to move, Applejack cantered along beneath it, keeping herself comfortably dry.
Once Applejack made it to the front door, Rainbow Dash flew down through the gap and hovered up alongside the farmer. “Thanks Dash, I appreciate the help,” Applejack told her with a sincere smile.
“Eh, no problem,” Dash shrugged, before giving her friend a roguish grin. “Though, do I get anything for my trouble? Maybe some cider or something?”
Applejack pondered for a moment, before smirking. “Yeah sure. Closer yer eyes and hold out your hooves.”
Rainbow Dash did as she was told… and was caught quite off guard by Applejack’s muzzle pressing against her own, their lips locking in a surprise kiss. The pegasus nearly fell out of the air in shock, but instincts helped her managed to stay aloft. Despite her confusion, though, she didn’t break the kiss, nor did she open her eyes; her ability to think was utterly overwhelmed.
After a few long yet too-short seconds, Applejack pulled back from the kiss, and gave Rainbow Dash a very smug grin. “Good enough for ya?” she asked mischievously.
“Bwuh…” Dash derped, blinking a few times as she tried to regain awareness of her surroundings. After a moment, though, she gave a goofy smile and simply said: “I think I need to do favors for you more often.”
Rainbow Dash rolled over, and extended a hoof to hold her sleeping companion. When she felt nothing but air she felt around the bed for the missing mare she opened her eyes and looked around. Her eyes finally find Applejack setting in front of the window looking out at Luna’s moon.
“Hey Applejack what ya doing?” Rainbow Dash asked setting up in the bed.
“Huh, oh sorry Rainbow ah was just thinkin’ about somethin’.” Applejack responded as she trotted back to the bed, and gently got in.
“What were you thinking about? Was it about me perhaps?” Rainbow Dash asked with a goofy grin.
Applejack chuckled “yes…well kind of.” She said her face returning to a slight frown. “Ah was just thinkin’ about how it will all end.”
Rainbow Dash gave Applejack a puzzled look and asked. “What do you mean end?”
“What ah mean is what’s gonna happen to us?” Applejack asked looking into Rainbow Dash’s eyes. “We won’t live forever sugarcube, and what are we gonna do when one of us passes on?”
Rainbow Dash reaches out and put a reassuring hoof on Applejack’s shoulder. “Applejack don’t worry about it. Yeah sure that might happen, but it doesn’t matter what happens in the end. What does matter is what we do with are time now.” Rainbow said giving Applejack a reassuring smile.
Applejack put her hoof on Rainbow Dash’s and smiled. “Ah guess your right Rainbow. Well ah guess we better get some shut eye ah’ve got a lot of work to do tomorrow.” Applejack said as she laid down to go to sleep.
“Alright well good night Applejack.” Rainbow Dash said as she laid down to go to sleep. “Besides no matter what are ending is it’ll be awesome.”
Applejack’s head shot up when she heard Rainbow Dash’s last words. She looked down at her marefriend and asked “come again?”
Rainbow opened her eyes and looked at Applejack. “You know, it’ll be awesome because it’s about me.” Rainbow Dash said with a smile.
Applejack returned the smile with a blank stare, and remained silent.
“And it’ll also be about you, and what could be more awesome than you and I together?” Rainbow Dash asked still grinning at Applejack.
Applejack smiled and shoved Rainbow Dash playfully and said. “You know Rainbow its times like this that reminds me why ah fell in love with you.”
“You mean because I’m awesome?” Rainbow Dash asked returning the shove with a cocky grin.
“Yeah somthin’ like that, good night Rainbow Dash, ah love you.” Applejack replied as she laid back down.
“I love you to.” Rainbow Dash said as she laid down next to Applejack, and wrapped her front hooves around her in a loving embrace.
“Come on, AJ, what is it? And why couldn't you tell me and the girls at my party?” Dash couldn't see through the blindfold AJ had told her to put on. She guessed they were somewhere on the farm.
“You'll see, sugarcube. We're here.”
“Great. Where's here? Wait, I smell cider. Did you you get me cider?!”
“You can take off the blindfold now.”
In a second, the blindfold was laying on the ground and Dash was taking in the scene around her. She was in the barn at Sweet Apple Acres. There was a large tub in the middle of it. Then her eyes landed on a bright yellow pegasus. Spitfire.
The Wonderbolt grinned. “Happy birthday, Rainbow Dash. I don't usually go for stuff like this, but your marefriend sent a letter asking politely, with a picture of the two of you, and-”
Spitfire stopped, because Dash had fainted.
Applejack nudged Dash, who still seemed to be breathing, then smiled at Spitfire. “Sorry 'bout that. I, uh, think she'll be fine when she wakes up. . . wanna play some cards 'til then?”
“Sure,” Spitfire laughed. “That sounds like fun, too.”
Dash had just finished putting a folded, cool rag over Applejack’s head, which caused the bedridden mare to squirm under the covers. “Really, Rainbow, I’m fine. Ya don’t have ta do all this.”
Dash leaned back from her ministrations, hovering a foot over Applejack’s bed. Her stern expression offered no room for appeal. “Thermometers don’t lie, Applejack. And I heard you this morning. You’re sick. You’re staying in bed. End of discussion.”
Normally, such a commanding tone would have lit a competitive fire in her. Instead, Applejack smiled around the glass tube in her mouth. “Yes, ma’am.”
The smile softened Dash’s features except behind the eyes and she dropped back to the floor. “Your breakfast is almost done. I want you to eat it, but not too fast. Take slow, frequent bites. I got you a book from the library for when you get bored. Twilight said you’d like it. Now your meds are gonna kick in soon, so don’t fight it if you start feeling tired. I pulled some clouds over to the farm a little while ago. If it gets too bright even with the curtains drawn I can fix that.”
“Dash—” Applejack started.
“Don’t worry about your chores either. Big Mac went over your list with me, so I’ve got it covered. Everything will be done by the end of the day.”
“Rainbow—”
“And don’t get up for anything, AJ. You need rest. I’ll be back often to check on you. I’ll get you whatever you need.”
“Rainbow Dash!” It took every last ounce of strength for Applejack to vocally overpower the pegasus. She coughed once and pulled the thermometer from her mouth, putting the instrument by the bedside. She flashed her marefriend a comforting smile.
“Look at you, all responsible-like. You sure yer special talent ain’t bein’ the best nurse in Equestria instead of all this stunt flying?
“Heh, well I had a lot of practice. With mom, you know…” Dash rubbed the back of her mane sheepishly with a hoof. “Your tea should be ready. I’ll be right back.”
When she was gone, Applejack leaned back with a sigh. Nice going, girl, she thought. Real smooth.
Rainbow Dash returned with a breakfast tray balanced on her back. The food was basic and liquid, even the apples, but Dash insisted it was for the best.
Applejack took a slow sip of soup. “It’s delicious, Dash. Yer real sweet for takin’ care of me.”
“I gotta go help Big Mac in the field now, but I’ll see you in two hours,” Dash said, nodding her head firmly to herself. Rather than zooming out the window as usual, she checked the curtains first, made sure the room temperature was comfortable, and then walked to the door after one last feel of Applejack’s forehead. Then she paused at the threshold. “You’re gonna be fine, Applejack.”
Long after Dash left, Applejack whispered, “Love you too, sugarcube.” She sipped her soup again and then opened her book to read.
The farmpony glanced up at the pegasus perched above her, an eyebrow raised as she waited for Rainbow to keep talking. She'd been bucking the trees for the better part of the day, and Rainbow Dash had been helping knock down any apple that had refused to drop down.
This being Applejack, however, Dash found herself rather bored. Each buck had dropped down every apple, which left her with not much to do, except contemplate. Specifically, the orange mare below her.
This was, truthfully, more than enough to keep her entertained. But as she caressed Applejack with her eyes for what felt like the thousandth time, a though struck her as she looked at one particular detail.
"What's the story with your hat, anyway?"
"What about it?" Applejack asked, her eyebrow hiking even higher.
"You never take it off! It's almost impossible to see you without it. Is it like a present from someone or something?"
The farmer laughed. "Nope. It's just comfy."
"Comfy?"
"Comfy."
Rainbow stared at the earth pony, her eyes filled with skepticism. "That's it? No heartfelt story about how your parents gave you that hat, passing on a family legacy that has lasted since time immemorial?"
"I think you've been hangin' around Twilight too much, Dash." Applejack snorted. "Your vocabulary's improvin'."
"That's not an answer!"
"Ah bought it in a shop when I was a filly. Liked it, worn it ever since, simple as that!"
"Then you won't mind if I do this?"
"Do wha-" Applejack blinked as she felt the weight of the hat leave her head, and turned to glare at the floating mare above her."Oi! Give it back!"
"Why?" Rainbow grinned. "You just said it isn't important!"
"Never said that!"
"But-"
Applejack cut off the now confused pegasus. "It ain't some family thing, Dash. Just..." The orange mare paused, blushing. "Just... look inside."
Now curious, Rainbow glanced at the hat's interior. She'd expected just a bland inside of a hat. Maybe even an apple to tumble out.
But instead, she found pictures. Of Applejack's family. Of their four mutual friends.
And, larger than the rest, a picture of herself, arm in arm with Applejack. It was one of their first nights as a couple, and Rarity had taken a picture to commemorate the party pinkie had organized. She remained quiet as she lowered herself to the ground, then placed the hat back on Applejack's head.
The blushing earth pony smiled, and leaned in to nuzzle Rainbow. "That answer your question?"
Rainbow grinned, leaning into the nuzzle. "Yeah. It does."
“Did you seriously think I wouldn’t find out!! I thought you knew me better than that. Once I sink my fangs in a case, I never let go.” Rainbow Dash was circling AJ who sat on a chair in a dimly-lit room.
“I seriously have no idea what you’re talking about.” Applejack was feeling quite uncomfortable, being questioned like this. Rainbow had snatched her from the orchard in the middle of the day, dragged her to this room and just started questioning her.
“Maybe this will jog your memory. You sneaked inside, you committed the terrible act, you disposed of your partner and then you erased all the proof. You tried to anyway.” Rainbow shot a look at AJ, “but you forgot one thing, I’m awesome.”
“Euh, Dash... You’re kinda scaring me,” Applejack said with a slight shiver in her voice.
“You knew how much I wanted it, but you took it for yourself. Did you hope I wouldn’t notice you get up from the bed?”
“Look Dash, I can explain. It won’t happen again, I just couldn’t control myse-”
“Save it. You ate that last piece of pie in cold blood and you know it. You sneaked into the kitchen late at night and ate it. After disposing of the fork used to commit the act with, you went and tried to disrupt the evidence with cleaning chemicals” Dash looked down at the ground. “I just don’t know how I can trust you again.”
“I can make you another apple pie?”
“Deal,” Dash said with a grin. The obsessed accusatory persona dropped completely as Dash said, “see AJ? That’s why it’s easier to just let me have the last piece.”
“But that’s so boring, AJ. Why can’t he just take a picture?”
“Because a photo don’t last as long. And put that helmet down!” Applejack glared at Dash.
“No, I mean, why can’t he just take a photo of us and paint that?”
“Well, I... dunno.”
Impasto, the painter for the evening, set his brush down and picked up a palette knife. “Miss Rainbow Dash, I must capture not just the looks of the ponies, but also the personalities. A photograph is not good for getting to know one another, now is it?”
“I guess not. I still don’t see why I can’t wear my armor.” Dash pouted.
“Rainbow, the princesses were nice enough to pay for this, and as hot as you look in that armor, I think we’d best get a more sensible portrait done, don’t ya think?”
“Alright, but I get to wear it all night after this is done.”
"Cmon, AJ! We gotta go now!" The frantic pegasus fluttered around the farmpony's head.
"Calm down, Sugarcube. It can wait."
"It can- Are you kidding me?" Rainbow Dash asked in disbelief.
Applejack rolled her eyes. Sometimes, the pegasus was impossible. "Dash. What day is it?"
Rainbow tilted her head, not seeing the relevance. "Wednesday, but what does that have to do with anyth-"
"And what do we do on wednesday?"
"What?" Dash's confusion grew by the minute. "Uh. We hang out, like we always do?"
Applejack snorted. "Really, Dash?"
"Yeah, we... oh." Rainbow realized that it was, in fact, wednesday. The busiest day of the week for the Apple family. Most of their weekly chores fell on this day, as well as being the busiest day at the market. It was the one day where AJ would be busy from the moment she got up, to the moment she went to bed. "Oh, ponyfeathers."
Applejack slung a hoof over Rainbow's shoulders. "Don't you worry, Dash. I'm sure one of the other girls would want join. How about Twi'?"
"But..." Rainbow stared at the ground, dejected. "But none of them are you! I want to go with you, AJ!"
"That's mighty sweet of you, Dash." Applejack smiled, leaning in to nuzzle the pegasus' cheek. "I just can't right now. How about Friday?"
"But that's so far away..."
Applejack raised an eyebrow. "Patience is a virtue, Dash. It's just two days."
"Yeah well I'm loyalty, not patience!" The pegasus crossed her arms in frustration. Her annoyance fled as she realized Applejack was staring at her with a disappointed expression. "Fine. Friday. I'll hold you to that!"
Applejack beamed, and leaned in to kiss Rainbow. "Wouldn't miss it for the world, Dash." She said, once they parted.
Rainbow stared as she watched the earth pony trot back towards the farm. If she needed to learn patience for Applejack, she would. She was worth it, a million times over.
After all, she could wait a few days to watch the new Daring Do movie, couldn't she?
“Come on, Applejack, it’s your turn,” Dash pressed after finishing the last of her sandwich.
“I’m still thinkin’,” Applejack replied with a glare that failed to convey any level of annoyance because of the grin underneath it. “All right, new hypothetical: Ya wake up and find you’ve replaced Princess Celestia. Ya got all her talents and royal fanciness. What’s yer first new order to the realm?”
“Easy,” Dash said. “I make naps an official part of the day. One hour, at four o’clock.”
Applejack leveled a deadpan gaze at her marefriend. “Really, naps? That’s gonna be yer first order?”
“Well, I could always declare my birthday to be a national holiday. A first order has to be something that will benefit everypony after all,” Dash crossed her hooves defiantly. “It’s a little something called governing.”
“Naps.”
Dash rolled her eyes and relented. “Fine then. What’s your awesome first order, Princess Applejack?”
Applejack made a showing by tilting her head to one side, a hoof under her chin. Before Dash could ask again, she finally said, “Shoot, this one’s easy too. I’d appoint you my new captain of the Royal Guard.”
Dash owlishly blinked at the response, taking a second to find her voice. “Really? Wow, that’s… yeah, that’s pretty cool actually. Rainbow Dash, captain of the guard. Top defender of Equestria. Heh, guess that means I’d have to follow your orders though, right?”
“Sugarcube, you follow my orders already, but it’s cute ya think differently.” Dash made a face at that. “‘Sides, you’d like some of my orders, you know, bein’ my most trusted and loyal subject after all.”
That got Dash’s attention, though she tried to pass it off with a nonchalant shuffle of her wings. She met Applejack’s eyes with her own intensity. “I suppose being your captain means constant vigilance against any threats. I’d be by your side at all times. Never know where our enemies might be lurking. The courtyard. The throne room…”
“The bedroom,” Applejack said innocently. “You’d haveta guard me alllll night long.”
Dash brought her hooves down on the ground. “Okay, I’m sold. I hereby cast my support for the new Sweet Apple Empire. Time to round up the other girls and march on Canterlot. Celestia’s had a long enough run. Long live Princess Applejack and her awesome royal flank!”
Applejack laughed and grabbed Dash by her tail before she could make a theatrical departure. “Let’s save the rebellion for tomorrow.” She wrapped her hooves around Dash’s neck. “First we gotta test yer qualifications. Make sure yer really up for the job of bein’ my guard captain.”
Dash gave a sideways grin and kissed her on the muzzle with a whisper. “At your service, your majesty.”
"It's fair!" Applejack stated, standing in the middle of Twilight and Fluttershy who backed her up.
"This is so not fair!" Rainbow Dash protested. "Sure I get Pinkie, but Rarity?!"
Rarity simply scoffed.
"It's fair! Look, we've got one earth pony, one unicorn, and one pegasus. You've got one earth pony," the orange mare said as she pointed towards Pinkie Pie, "one unicorn," her hoof moved towards Rarity, "and one pegasus!" Applejack finished with a small shove on Rainbow's chest.
Rainbow's ears nearly fell until a compromise popped in her head. "Can I at least switch Rarity for Twilight?"
Before Applejack could say a word, a purple arm and hoof fell over the country pony's back. "Nope. I'm with Applejack!"
The cyan pegasus kicked the dirt in defeat. "Fine. Let's just start the game."
Arriving at open land, Applejack brushed flanks with Rainbow, giving her a reassuring smile as her tail swept along her lover's side. The pegasus could hear the echoing voice of the mare beside her, "It's all in good fun."
Both teams positioned themselves in the middle of the field, fire in their eyes as one team member looked into an opponent, but none matched the competitive aura between the two athletes, Applejack and Rainbow Dash.
Applejack trotted behind Twilight as the purple unicorn officially started the game. “Shoot! I don’t even know how to play hoofball! Alright, just say random numbers and pretend nothing bad is happening…” When Twilight looked behind her, Applejack, the team’s quarterback, gave her a nod and encouraging smile to begin. “17, 24, 53… HIKE!”
The hoofball shot from under Twilight as Applejack twisted and gave a perfect buck, sending it straight towards their imaginary goal on the other end of the field. After some slight hesitation, Fluttershy started to fly towards the hoofball, but was suddenly tackled, or more so hugged, by Pinkie Pie. Twilight then made a sprint for it, but was, too, then blocked by a sudden shield of magic. Rarity set up a wall of magic in front of her, preventing Twilight from moving anywhere further.
With sudden speed, Rainbow Dash shot towards the missile, turning her back to face the ground and luckily catching the hoofball. Her victory was short lived as she fell against the harsh ground, getting her right hind leg caught in an unseen rock.
An abrupt shriek stole the attention of her friends and sent them sprinting towards their injured friend… or at least they thought she was injured.
“Aah! I chipped a hoof!” Silence fell upon the group until it broke through the laughter of Applejack and Rarity.
Rarity used her magic to envelop a polychromatic tail and started dragging the pegasus out of the field. “Well, it seems like we’re going to the spa!” the white unicorn sang in a sing song voice.
“NOOO!” Rainbow immediately grasped one of Applejack’s forelegs and held on as if for dear life. “NEVERRRR!”
“And I mean, this stuff can’t be hotter than liquid rainbow, right?” Dash scoffed.
Applejack’s smirk grew bigger. She pointed a hoof at the bottle on the table, a little red container with little cartoony flames on the label. “Read the ingredients.”
Rainbow Dash raised a perplexed eyebrow, before leaning in closer to examine the container. The moment she read the first ingredient, her eyes went wide. “Wait, they put pure liquid rainbow in this stuff?”
“Eeyup,” Applejack nodded confidently. “Plus natural spices and other ingredients. That stuff is waaaay hotter than normal liquid rainbow.”
Dash scoffed. “Like anypony would enjoy putting that on their food.”
Dash gave her friend a dubious look. “And you can actually handle it?”
“Eeyup,” Applejack nodded with a smug grin.
Before Applejack even knew what was happening, Rainbow Dash grabbed the bottle off the table and popped the top off. “Alright then!” the pegasus grinned. “Anything you can do-“
“Dash!” Applejack yelped, her eyes going wide. “Wait!”
“I can do better!” Dash proclaimed, lifting the bottle to her lips.
“No, stop!” Applejack frantically pleaded, lunging for her friend. “Don’t-“
But it was too late. Dash had already begun to chug the hellish concoction.
Or rather, she tried. Dash didn’t make it beyond the first gulp before she immediately gagged, spat out everything in her mouth, and let out an agonized scream. Smoke began to pour from her mouth, her coat was instantly drenched in sweat, and her pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks.
Applejack was smart enough to hop out of the way as the pegasus barreled past her to gallop upstairs, frantically leaping into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her. The sounds of much gagging and retching soon followed. With a sigh, Applejack went to pour Dash a glass of milk to gargle…
After Dash had stopped retching and gargled the milk to kill most of the burn, Applejack had practically dragged the half-limp pegasus out of the bathroom and onto her bed so she could be comfortable. And when Dash wouldn’t stop shuddering from the system shock, Applejack had hopped on the bed and held her close to restrain her, and began stroking her mane in an attempt to comfort her.
A half-hour later, Rainbow Dash was mostly recovered from the experience. The pain and heat had mostly dissipated, as had the shakes and tremors, aside from the occasional shudder. Her throat was sore, of course, but overall, she felt a lot better. It also helped that Applejack hadn’t let go or stopped caressing her mane yet, just to be safe.
“That was stupid…” Rainbow Dash finally whispered hoarsely.
Applejack chuckled. “Yeah. It was.” She began to pull her hoof away from Dash’s mane, and loosen her grip on the pegasus, but a small whimper made her pause. She shot Dash a quizzical look; Dash simply averted her gaze.
Applejack smiled softly, pulled Dash closer, and went back to stroking her mane.
Applejack shivered slightly as she trotted through the snow. She'd left her trust hat at home, mostly because Rainbow Dash had dragged her out of the house before she could grab it. She had however managed to lay a hoof on a scarf, and was glad for its warmth. She figured that warmth was half because of the material it was made of, and half because it was the scarf Rainbow had made her, shocking her with the thoughtfulness and the craftmanship. It was like Rainbow had taken her tail, turned it into wool, and knitted a scarf out of it. Not one stitch out of place.
Applejack suspected a white unicorn may have helped, but she kept that idea to herself. The thought and gesture counted for so much more.
Rainbow, who had been jumping around in the snow like an eager foal, stopped her frolicking as her eyes locked on Applejack's. The orange mare recognized the look in the pegasus' eyes a split second before the latter leapt, tackling the earth pony and sending them both rolling into the snow. They laughed as they tussled, wrestling as they often did when alone. The small kisses that pecked each other's faces and necks were another set of gestures that appeared when they were alone.
As they got tired, Rainbow rolled off of Applejack, propping her head on one hoof. Applejack crossed her own forelegs behind her head, and rested it upon the snow as she turned to look at Rainbow.
The pegasus bit her lip, then lifted a hoof, leaning over the earth pony. Applejack shivered, expecting the hoof to touch her belly, but raised an eyebrow as it passed over her. Rainbow's hoof touched the snow, and gently pushed it through, tracing a line upwards from Applejack's body. She repeated the motion two more times, before leaning back to where she'd been resting. There, she went through the same motions, biting her lip the entire time.
Finally, as Rainbow's hoof traced the last path, Applejack recognized the pattern. The pegasus had given her a beautiful gift, only possible in winter, with the land covered as it was.
Applejack lay on the ground, sporting a pair of snow-white wings.
Despite being awful at math, Applejack was good at doing taxes. When it came down to it, it didn't involve any more than adding and subtracting, and following the rules. Subtract line 12 from the total of form 1078; Applejack could do that. So step by step she did the taxes for Sweet Apple Acres every year.
Looking over Dash's taxes was another matter entirely. They were on wrinkled forms in a random stack, and there were what seemed to be hoofprints of cheese powder on the edges. And what was written on them wasn't much better.
“Where in Equestria did ya' get this number?” Applejack asked, confused, looking between papers.
“Huh? Oh, I couldn't find that form. So I guessed.”
Applejack looked up, shocked. “Ya' ain't allowed to guess!”
“They're not gonna know I guessed unless they can find the form.” Dash said with a sneaky smile.
“Dash! You gotta send that form in!”
“Oh, that'll be easy. I'll just get another one and write down the number I put on there.”
Applejack rubbed her face with her hoof. She reminded herself that Dash didn't run a business, that the ERS wasn't likely to notice Dash's return among the millions of other regular working ponies.
She glanced back down at the papers.
“What's all this under 'education expenses'?”
“That?” Dash looked at it and shrugged. “Oh, my Wonderbolts stuff. Tickets, posters, a subscription to the fan club.”
Dash had stumbled upon a key—a key that had her flitting about Applejack’s house all morning, trying to find a lock that fit it, with increasingly little success. The front door? Nope. The back door? Nu-uh. The apple cellar? Not even close. The key wasn’t even that unusual; it was worn from age but otherwise looked exactly like any other key would. And yet, Rainbow Dash just had to figure out what it unlocked. This little key became more and more intriguing—and equal parts frustrating—with every lock she found.
The pegasus huffed and flopped onto the Apple family’s couch after a full two hours of searching high and low for potential locks. Just like the mayor to schedule a day off on one of Applejack’s busy days. It wasn’t like she ever had any real work to do anyway, but the complete lack of it and her girlfriend made this day especially boring.
“Dash, I’m home! We can get that lunch you were talkin’ about!” Applejack called from the door, coated in glistening sweat.
Right, lunch! She had something to look forward to, after all. But not before she uncovered the mysteries of the key cupped in her hooves. “Hey AJ!”
Applejack picked up a towel and dried her face. “How was your mornin’, Rainbow?”
“Ugh, boooooring. And annoying.”
“Borin’, I get, but annoyin’? What’s got ya bothered?”
Rainbow glared at the key she held out for AJ to see. “This. I haven’t been able to figure out what it belongs to.”
Applejack lowered her head and sighed. “You wouldn’t.”
“So you know what it is?”
“I do. I wasn’t gonna show you just yet, but it can’t hurt, I suppose. Come on, follow me.”
Applejack trotted up the stairs while Rainbow hovered just behind her, setting a course for Applejack’s closet. Upon arriving, Applejack lifted up a floorboard and retrieved a small box from under it, motioning for Dash to give her the key. “I’m glad ya found this. Haven’t seen it for a few days and I was really worryin’ I’d lost it.”
“So what is it?”
Applejack slipped the rusty old key into the lock on the box and gave it a turn, the mechanism clicking. She opened the box and pushed it toward Dash.
Inside the box lay a single photograph of a much younger Applejack standing with Big Macintosh, Granny Smith, and two ponies Rainbow didn’t recognize, a mare and a stallion; a pack of playing cards from Las Pegasus, adorned with an unintelligible signature; a certain blue feather that left a blush on Rainbow's cheeks; a wooden bit; and finally, a pair of dice. Dash’s eyes drifted back to the photograph and noticed that the mare and stallion both had apple related cutie marks... and the stallion was wearing a hat, not unlike Applejack’s.
“AJ? Are these your...?”
Nodding, Applejack rested her head on Rainbow’s shoulder. “They are.”
Rainbow set the box down and hugged Applejack. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be, sugarcube.”
“Huh?”
“Ya shouldn’t be sorry, Dash. It hurts sometimes, and yeah, I wish they were still around, but I’m real glad I got to spend the time I had with ‘em.” Applejack smiled and nudged Rainbow’s shoulder gently. “Now, if I remember, ya wanted to go out for lunch? Your treat?”
“Hey! I never said I was paying. You know how much lunch costs with the amount you eat?”
Applejack glared at Rainbow. “And just what is that supposed to mean?”
Rainbow shrank and looked for somewhere to hide. Oops.
Unable to suppress a grin any longer, Applejack pushed Dash over and licked her muzzle. “Relax, Dash, I’m just messin’ with you. I know I eat a lot, but I also work it all off, too. You’re way too serious sometimes, ya know that?”
Dash couldn’t help but... er, forget that. The Rainbow Dash did not just... giggle. “I guess I could spend the bits this one time. I know a certain mare who might just be worth it.”
Applejack closed the box back up, locked it, and stowed the key in her dresser. She helped Dash up off the floor and leaned against her. “Shall we?”
Rainbow spread her wing across Applejack’s back and the pair trotted off into town, already lost in the company of one another.
The growl rolled loudly through the skies above the orchard. Before long, the clouds began to cry onto the lone pegasus who sat in their shadows, on the cold, muddy ground. The weather could not express her own feelings better, she thought.
"Rainbow..."
A soft voice called her from behind, but she ignored it. It had only spoken a single word, and yet, it already irritated her. It carried pity, not concern, she thought.
"Rainbow, the storm's a-startin' up there. You shouldn't stay out in the rain," the voice persisted.
Even if she tried ignoring it, she couldn't. Yet, listening to it hurt too much. She had to find a way to make it stop, she thought.
"Just... leave me alone," she replied with a somber tone that matched that of the sky. Her small body began shivering.
For a moment, she could only hear the loud silence of the rain. She couldn't tell whether or not the voice had gone, nor did she dare turn around, fearing that the clouds' tears would not hide her own.
When lightning struck nearby, however, she did hear the same voice yelp behind her. It spoke again, just as softly, attempting vainly to hide its anxiety.
"Dash, ya'll have been actin' distant for a while now and I wanna know why. C'mon, let's head to th' barn. Maybe we can—"
"No!" she interrupted. She did not want to talk about it, much less hear so. "I wanna be alone," she lied; but the cracking of her voice betrayed her words.
She heard a frustrated huff. Hoofsteps came closer. Then, she felt an encouraging tug on her tail; but she decided not to budge.
...
Perhaps she should have budged after all, as being dragged all the way to the barn by her tail had been most unpleasant. Even so, she remained silent, and so did the voice, until the black clouds consumed the rest of the dim sky. The air had become as heavy as the tension between the two ponies sharing the fragile roof.
"You went on a date with Soarin'," the pegasus finally spoke as she turned to throw an accusive glare at the orange pony. Her tears had long since dried.
"Yeah?" was the reluctant answer she got. "What 'bout it?"
The lethal words, spat out like venom, stung through her heart. "What about it?!" she yelled. She did not remember getting up, even less so closing the distance between herself and the hurtful mare, but there she was, face to face with Applejack. At last.
"Oh, are you serious, Rainbow?!" the earth pony retorted, raising her voice as well. "Are ya jealous jus' 'cause I dated a Wonderbolt once?!"
That was the last straw.
"No, I'm jealous 'cause he dated the mare of my dreams!"
The last thing Rainbow Dash could remember of that night was a thunderclap, and the warm taste of apples.
Applejack silently made her way back to her bedroom when she heard a voice coming from the guest room where Rainbow Dash was staying overnight. Putting an ear against the door, she listened intently for a moment.
The pegasus moaned softly.
Her suspicions having been confirmed, Applejack gently knocked on the door. She rolled her eyes at the unsubtly loud crash preceding the reply.
"Y—yeah?" Rainbow Dash stammered.
"Rainbow, I know what'chu were doin' in here," the farmpony said quietly, opening the door to enter the room.
"What are you talking about? I was... reading this book!" her friend replied almost innocently, gesturing to the open book in front of her.
"So that's what'cha were up to while doin' it?" the orange pony asked, raising an eyebrow and the corner of her mouth.
Rainbow Dash raised her forehooves defensively. "I wasn't doing anything wrong, I swear!"
"Rainbow, I can smell it from here," Applejack flatly stated.
The world seemed to have frozen a thousand times over, yet it was still warm enough in the room for the little pegasus to begin sweating nervously. "Uh, well... that... uh..." she began, until the other mare got close enough to notice something else.
"An' ya wasted some," she added, pointing at the sheets the cyan pony had been sitting on. There was a stain on the bed. The guilty pony's ears dropped in defeat. She knew she was responsible, and there was no denying the evidence.
"Fine, ya got me..." she finally admitted.
Applejack merely raised a hoof towards her expectantly.
Rainbow Dash sighed, reaching under the bed to retrieve the stolen mug of cider. She handed it to its rightful owner, whose frown deepened.
"Oh, come on..." the pegasus whined, reaching down again to recover the second mug she had hidden there.
Applejack shook her head disappointedly, heading back out of the room. "Y'know, Dash, if I gotta tie ya down to th' bed so ya don't go 'round stealin' our cider at night, I'ma do it."
Rainbow Dash blew a raspberry in her friend's direction as the door closed. She did not expect her to come back a moment later. Especially not with a rope in her mouth.
Rainbow Dash flopped on her back and began to roll on the cloud, holding her sides as she cackled with sadistic glee.
Perfect! Absolutely perfect! Applejack had been so distracted bucking apple trees, she hadn’t noticed the dark cloud slowly drifting into position directly above her. Dash had always wanted to pull this trick off, and now that she and AJ were dating, she knew she could finally get away with it without any serious repercussions!
A few quick kicks in the right spot on the cloud, and a small downpour of rain had fallen right on the farmer, leaving her-
A lasso suddenly punched through the cloud and cinched tightly around Dash’s tail. “Uh oh,” the cyan pegasus muttered, before a hard yank on the rope dragged her bodily through the raincloud.
Dash began to frantically flap her wings, fighting back against her attacker. But it was no use. Within moments, she was reeled in, hurled to the ground, and soon found herself pinned down by a drenched and pissed off earth pony. “Uh, hi AJ!” Dash greeted her with a nervous grin.
Applejack glared intently at the pegasus beneath her. Rainwater was dropping down her face and off of her hat, droplets of water falling down onto Dash’s face and chest. “Rainbow Dash,” the farmer growled in response through grit teeth.
“If your plan for revenge is to just drip water on me, it’s kinda pointless. I’m a pegasus who works for the weather patrol,” Dash smirked. “Rain doesn’t bother me.”
Applejack glared intently.
And then stuck out her tongue.
Dash’s eyes went wide. “Wait. Wait. No, no, AJ stop! Don’t-“
Applejack licked Rainbow Dash’s cheek. It was a sloppy, wet lick from jaw to temple, and it caused the pegasus to let out a very undignified shriek of disgust and horror. “AAAAH!! NOO!! GROSS GROSS GROSS GROSS GROSS!!” she squealed.
Dash continued to squirm and protest, until Applejack finally rolled her eyes and was forced to shut the pegasus up with a kiss.
Applejack was trying to sleep. However, a certain plucky pegasus seemed intent on keeping her from sleeping tonight.
“Stop.”
Her warning once again went unheeded, as she felt the gentle touch of a feather slowly grace against her withers and trace a path down her spine. An involuntary shiver followed in its wake.
“Rainbow Dash,” she growled through grit teeth.
Another grazing stroke down her back. Another shudder.
“Dash stop, I’m tryin’ ta go to sleep,” Applejack warned, burying her face in her pillow to try and send a message.
Rainbow Dash, laying on her side next to Applejack, simply smirking wickedly, flexing her wing for another stroke down her lover’s back. “But it’s fun watching you squirm…” the pegasus purred playfully.
“Daaaaash,” Applejack groaned in annoyance, trying to surprise another shudder as weird sensations trailed the feathery touch. “Stooooop. Pleeeeease.”
“Hee,” Dash grinned. “Whining like that makes you sound like Ra-”
Applejack lifted her head up off the pillow, looked Dash dead in the eye, and gave her the most terrifying Death Glare the pegasus had ever seen. “Excuse me?” the earth pony hissed, her voice dripping with venom.
Dash recoiled back a bit. Playtime was over. “Uh… Ra… Radical. You sound radical,” she nervously stated. “Radically awesome. You’re awesome. I love you.”
Applejack rolled her eyes. “I love ya too, Dash,” she murmured with a small, bemused smile, before rolling over to go to bed. Hopefully.
Rainbow Dash’s eyes darted from side to side. She flexed her wing, brought it around to stroke Applejack’s back again… and then thought better of it. She instead retracted her wing, wrapped her hooves around Applejack, and snuggled closer to hold her in warm, comfortable embrace.
“Smart decision…” Applejack whispered, before both lovers drifted off to sleep together.
“Rainbow Dash! You gonna stay in there all morning?” Applejack called through the door.
“Not much longer! I'm on blue!”
Applejack rolled her eyes, thanking Celestia that most mornings she was out of the house by the time Dash got up. It meant that she could usually ignore the surprising ritual Dash had been forced to reveal when she started spending the night at Sweet Apple Acres.
“You still got your tail, too?”
“Yeah, but I can do that in the bedroom.”
One of the things AJ loved about Dash was that neither of them really cared about looking messy. Or she thought she loved that about Dash. It turned out that what she loved was that Dash looked like she didn't care about looking messy, a process that took about as long as AJ's farm chores every morning.
“Why don't ya' just tie it back? I bet even Rarity don't take this long.”
“Rarity doesn't have six colors to keep straight! Besides, Rarity is just trying to look pretty. That's a lot easier than looking awesome. I'm on purple now. It'll just be a sec.”
By “a sec” Applejack knew that she meant at least five minutes to carefully separate any stray blue hairs invading her purple streak, apply mousse, brush out the mousse so it wasn't stiff, use some cream from a jar to scrunch it so it looked just messy enough, then brush the blue and purple streak together so it looked like it flowed. All just to look like she rolled out of bed.
Applejack preferred the rolling out of bed approach for that, herself.
“Ya' know you're just gonna mess it up again when ya' start flyin'.”
“That's the point, AJ. I have to make it look like I've been flying before I start flying. What if somepony saw me taking off, and my mane was all flat and boring?”
“They'd think you just woke up?”
“They would think I wasn't as awesome.”
“They'd be wrong.”
“I'm not about to give anypony the chance to be wrong about my awesomeness. I'll never be a Wonderbolt that way.”
“You do know that your 'awesomeness' don't have a thing to do with how good you are at flyin', right?”
“Sure it does. I fly better when I'm awesome.”
“That don't make a lick of sense.”
“Don't you have chores to do or something?”
“Yeah, I do. Plenty of 'em. But I gotta use the toilet and somepony's been in there for the past ten minutes.”
“Oh, sorry!” Dash said, opening the door with her mane in its carefully crafted state of disarray. “All yours!”
A choking sob escaped Applejack’s throat as she sank down in the corner of her room.
She was so ashamed of herself. All the trouble she’d put her friends through, all the pain she’d caused her family, all the shame she’d caused and felt for herself… And for what? Because she didn’t win? Because she didn’t get a medal?
Applejack let out another small sob. The tears were freely flowing down her cheeks now. She felt so stupid, so ashamed. At the time, she thought she’d been doing the right thing. But now, in retrospect, she realized just how damn wrong she was.
She’d managed to put on a happy, humble face with her friends and family, but now that she was alone, the felt weight of everything was hitting her. And it was hitting hard.
As Applejack’s breakdown began to hit its stride, a certain sound caused her ears to perk up beneath her battered old hat. Something was hitting her window. No… Somepony was knocking on her window.
And she had a sinking feeling she knew exactly who.
Sure enough, the well-familiar form of a blue pegasus was visible in her window, framed by the light of the setting sun. Frantically wiping her tears away and coughing to clear her throat, Applejack staggered to her hooves and trotted to the window. Opening the glass-paned portal, she sighed and averted her gaze from the winged equine hovering in front of her. “Heya Dash, what-”
Applejack found herself staggering backwards as Rainbow Dash slammed into her and hugged her tightly, and was caught off guard by their lips pressing together in a surprise kiss. Applejack’s mind exploded into a thousand different thoughts, ranging from confusion to excitement to fear. After a split-second of being stunned, she managed to wrench her lips away from Dash’s and let out a surprised gasp. “Dash! What are you-”
Applejack’s voice was silenced as her mouth was once against smothered by Dash’s own. This time she didn’t protest. Wrapping her own hooves around the hovering pegasus, the two staggered backwards several steps, eyes closed as they passionately kissed. The even stumbled blindly a few times.
Rainbow Dash suddenly broke the kiss, but didn’t let go of Applejack. “I was scared,” she whimpered, averting her gaze to the side. “You were gone, and… I started thinking, and… I realized… I… You…” The pegasus’ eyes began to well with tears as the words caught in her throat. It was clear she didn’t know what to say. She began to stammer.
Applejack silenced Dash with a kiss, before quickly pulling back. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” she whimpered, tears forming once more in the corners of her own eyes. “I’m an idiot, I’m a darn fool, I-”
It was Rainbow Dash’s turn to interrupt with a kiss. A fierce, passionate kiss which Applejack returned without hesitation. A kiss only grew more intense as the two mares tightened their mutual embrace.
The only thing she remembered was the way she held out her hoof for a bump, and Dash returned it.
Applejack could put together the rest of the scene of their first meeting, she knew it was in the apple orchard, in the spring time, and she knew what the orchard looked like in the spring. She knew what Dash looked like, obviously. She knew they'd smiled at each other. Made some friendly conversation. But if anypony asked if she remembered the first time they'd met, the thing AJ actually remembered, as if she was there, was bumping hooves.
There were a lot of things like that. Saying “I love you” for the first time. She was sure they had said it, they'd said it a million times since, so there must have been a first. It must have been after their first date, and before that night in the barn. But for some reason that first “I love you” had to be put together from hints, while the way Dash looked picking her up for their second date, an uneventful trip to Sugarcube Corner, sometimes popped into her head without anypony bringing it up.
A rough kiss after a race, sitting in the park on a Sunday, a moment from a train ride, these were what Applejack's love was made of. It felt weird that it should have such a flimsy foundation, but those memories were the ones that weren't flimsy. They were strong and true, they were real, while all of the things that were supposed to be important seemed like a play she had seen.
That was comforting, in a way. There were only so many big moments in a life, but there were a million little one, smiles, and touches, and mornings in bed. A million chances for a mind to freeze the world, to grab a feeling and hold it so it was true forever. A million pieces that made her love for Rainbow Dash strong.
“Hey AJ! Wake up!” Dash shouted, hovering just a few feet away.
Applejack blinked. “Huh?”
“I told you three times it's your turn. You were totally zoned out.” Dash nodded to the horseshoes next to her.
“Sorry, just thinkin' on somethin'.” Applejack said, noticing the way that Dash was smirking at her, noticing Dash's mane was falling across her face, and breeze from her flapping wings. The sky was clear and the sun was shining down at her back, and over on the horseshoe stake AJ could see that Dash missed one but the second was laying right next to the stake.
“Thinking about me?” Dash asked with a grin.
“Somethin' like that.” Applejack smirked back, enjoying the moment.
Evening tea was always one of Princess Celestia's favorite pastimes. She could relax from a day of ruling, and enjoy the fine brew. It was also her favored time to read any friendship letters that arrived from Ponyville. She smiled as she opened it, recognizing the mouth-writing. She'd been expecting this letter.
Dear Princess Celestia,
Twilight told us that you'd asked us to write you a letter about our relationship. About if we have learned any friendship lessons from being as close as we are.
Well, Princess, I am not sure if we can answer that.
We don't do much different from before. We still hang out, maybe a bit more than usual, we still have fun, we still get into occasional fights, make up. And we do other things, but I reckon that even if you're the Princess, that there is private. I reckon you understand.
I couldn't quite say where this all started. It just seemed like a natural next step. No awkward stuttering, no embarassing first dates. We just seemed to connect one day. It just flowed naturally. Rarity and the others keep saying that they saw it coming a mile away, but I have no idea what they mean. It just feels like the same as before. But better.
Maybe that is the lesson here. Having someone you love makes things better, even if most of it remains the same.
Your loyal subjects, Applejack & Rainbow Dash
ps: I can't in good conscience write down anything Rainbow Dash said. Except that I am "awesome", apparently.
Applejack bit down harder on the rope and stared across the field at her poly-chromatic foe.
This was it. The final round. The entire competition came down to this.
The first round had been a sprint - an easy victory for Dash; AJ's strength in running was her endurance, not her top speed.
The second and third rounds, hoof wrestling and deadlift respectively, had made up for it. They had both gone to Applejack, no contest. Really, only her brother had ever eaten her in those consistently.
The wrestling match in the fourth round had gone to the pegasus. (AJ blushed at the memory. She didn't care what Rainbow thought; licking her neck and pinning her while she was distracted was cheating.)
Now, it was down to the last event: Tug-of-war.
Applejack set her hooves solidly. That little prankster wasn't going to take this one! She'd just hold her ground, let her opponent exhaust herself, then reel in the blue pony and the victory.
As such, she was understandably surprised when the rope suddenly slacked off. There was nothing she could do as, unbalanced, she slipped backwards. Just as she lost her footing, Rainbow Dash hauled off with all the strength of one of her take-offs, wings beating furiously, and she found herself tumbling over the middle line.
"Well, Ah guess this means you win," she said to the pegasus, who was currently doing an impromptu victory dance.
"Yup!"
The farmer picked herself up. "Our usual forfeit, then?"
"Mmm-hmm..."
AJ blinked at her friend, who was advancing on her with a grin. "Wait, here? Isn't this a mite pubMMMMFFF!" She found herself muffled with a kiss, which she happily returned.
She loved these little contests, these random challanges. As far as she was concerned, it didn't matter who lost - they both won.
Applejack walked down the stairs, rubbing her eyes and slumping unceremoniously into a chair at the table. It was early morning in the Apple homestead, and a loud yawn escaped her mouth, as she finally took the time to look around.
Something wasn't right.
Rather than the bland looks that had surrounded her every morning before, that she had so become accustomed to, she now saw grins from ear to ear of every single pony in the room.
"G'mornin'" she muttered, ignoring the continuing chuckles from her family.
"Mornin'" replied Big Mac, lowering his head to hide the smile that endlessly crept across his face.
She shot everyone another quick glance, and as the grins continued, she finally got fed up.
"What in tarnation are y'all grinnin' about?" she said, irritated.
"Well..." started Applebloom, but Granny hushed her quickly, sending her scooting out the door. This continued for about 10 minutes, and Applejack was starting to really get sick of it. Munching angrily on a piece of toast, she looked up at Big Mac again, fixing him with a glare that just said "Well? What are you laughing at?". He gulped a little, and tried to look away, but in the end was forced to give in to his sister's powerful will.
"We uh... we heard ya last night..." he said, hiding his face again, though this time more to protect it from the items that would no doubt come flying at him any second now.
Granny Smith burst into laughter as Applejack's face reddened up to a hue that matched the apples on her flank. "Well ah can't say ahm dissapointed in ya, for a while there, we thought ya were interested in Mares!"
A plate clattered to the floor and Applejack shot up, a little suprised, but quickly hid it, they mustn't know yet. Picking up the fallen crockery from the ground, she quickly trotted over and put it on the counter, turning away to hide her red, and slightly worried face.
"So what kinda stallion is he? Big? Strong? Fast?" They teased. Applejack tried to shrug nonchalantly.
"Ah guess you could say that" she gulped. Just then, she heard hooves coming down the stairs. Panicking a little, she turned around just in time to see a pale blue pegasus pony with a rainbow mane come slowly down the stairs. Silence prevailed in the room, and two more plates clattered to the floor.
Rainbow Dash's eyes scanned the room, seeing the suprised looks of the older two and the slightly terrified look on the face of her girlfriend and lover.
"Morning!" she said, trying to lighten up the mood.
Applebloom walked in, looked up, and then promptly walked out again, mouth agape.
She would CERTAINLY have something to talk about at school today.
One moment she and Rainbow Dash had been on her bed after a long day of work for both of them, the next moment Rainbow Dash had disappeared. Poof. Gone. In a puff of pink smoke and confetti, her marefriend disappeared from existence.
“Dash?! DASH?!” Applejack screamed, panic rising within her as she frantically looked around the room, desperately trying to determine what was going on. “Dash, where did you-” she froze mid-question as her gaze fell upon the confetti lazily drifting through the air. Yellow, blue, and pink. Which could mean only one thing.
Applejack narrowed her eyes, rage boiling up within her as she hissed the culprit’s name. “Pinke Pie.”
Ignoring her fatigue and sore muscles from a long day in the field, Applejack galloped out of her room, down the stairs, and out of her farmhouse. Like a bat out of Tartarus, she sped off towards Ponyville, intent on finding her lover and berating the tar out of Pinkie Pie for this newest mess of shenanigans.
However, halfway back into town, Applejack noticed a familiar blue blur flying overhead, heading towards the farm. “Dash!” she exclaimed excitedly, skidding to a halt to grin at the sky.
The blue blur changed course, and a moment later Rainbow Dash landed in front of the farmer. However, there was something… off… about her.
Applejack tried not to giggle. “Er, Dash,” she snickered, pointing a hoof at her lover. “Why is there-“
“Long story,” Rainbow Dash groaned. She was covered in confetti from head to toe, and was tangled up in party streamers. There also appeared to be smudges of cake icing around her mouth.
“Alright,” Applejack smirked. “Lemme hear it then. After the freakout I had when you disappeared, I’d rather like to know what happened to ya…”
Rainbow Dash sighed. “Pinkie was hosting a birthday party. She needed a piñata, so she tried to pull one of nowhere. By firing it out of her party cannon,” the pegasus deadpanned. “Unfortunately, instead of a piñata, she got me. So boom, I went flying across the room, all covered in confetti and streamers, slammed into a wall, and smashed down on top of a potted plant. It was not awesome. But Pinkie apologized, so there’s that at least…” she muttered with a roll of her eyes.
Applejack pointed at Dash’s mouth. “And the icing?”
“Oh,” Rainbow Dash grinned. “I managed to snag a slice of cake on the way out.”
Applejack smirked impishly. “Oh what, ya didn’t grab me one? After all the worry you put me through…”
Dash smiled sheepishly, a slight blush rising to her cheeks. “Oops. Um… I love you?”
Applejack rolled her eyes. “Love ya too, Dash.” The farmer turned sharply to return back to her homestead, giving Dash’s face a soft, flirty smack with her tail as she spun about. “C’mon, let’s get back to the farm. You have some snugglin’ to make up on.”
“Ya' know, I'm surprised you don't wanna have foal, Dash. I never seen a mane like yours, it's a shame to not try to pass that on.” Applejack said, as she and Dash laid next to the lake.
“Believe me, I wish I could.” Dash sighed.
“Maybe we'll figure it out someday. Like, with magic or somethin'.”
“Maybe. . .” Dash frowned, and looked away. “It's, um, still not happening.”
“Why not? I know it's real. . .” Applejack considered this and then asked suspiciously, “It is real, right?”
“Hay yeah, it's real! Who's been saying it's not?” Dash looked back to Applejack with narrowed eyes.
“Nopony!” Applejack said quickly, then she cracked under Dash's glare. “Well, maybe a couple folks. But I always told 'em they're wrong.”
“Good.” Dash nodded. “Because my mane colors are real.”
“So why couldn't ya' pass it to a foal?”
“It's. . . I mean. . .” Dash tried to think of how to say it, and finally settled on, “it's kind of a mistake.”
“A mistake?” Applejack asked, confused. “How's your mane a mistake?”
“Well. . . both my parents had white manes. But. . . something happened with me. The doctors called it a genetic fracture.” Dash looked down. “It's, um, a mutation. So all the colors in their manes separated and. . .” She brushed her hoof against her mane, still avoiding AJ's eyes.
“Well, huh. That's interestin'. . . you okay?”
“Yeah. It's just, talking about it. I don't know.” Dash shook her head.
“What 'bout it?”
“It makes me feel like a freak, okay?”Dash looked up, frowning. “I mean, it's awesome to look at. But it's all 'cause something is broken. I can't pass it on to a foal, any other pony's normal color would work better than my broken one. That's what the doctors said, at least.”
“Rainbow Dash.” Applejack said, smiling a little at her marefriend. “You're complainin' cause you got a really amazin' mane, and you're the only pony in the world who's every gonna have one that pretty?”
“'Cause I'm a mutant.”
“'Cause you're special.” Applejack said, leaning in and giving her a kiss.
Dash tried to keep pouting, but a smile crept onto her face. “You know you totally just kissed a mutant.”
Applejack just chuckled. “The prettiest mutant I know.”
Applejack facehooved. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening.
“My love for you is like a red red rose!” Rainbow Dash belted out from below Applejack’s window, one hoof held aloft and raised dramatically, while the other held a small book of poetry – no doubt borrowed or stolen from Twilight. “It shines akin to how the moonlight glows!”
Applejack groaned in exasperation. “Dash. Stop.”
Rainbow Dash didn’t stop. Instead, she simply flipped to a different poem. “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” she dramatically asked. “Thou art more lovely and more temperate!”
Applejack sighed, and propped her elbows up on the windowsill so she could cradle her face. “Daaaaash…”
“Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May!” Dash proclaimed, before pausing to look around in confusion. It wasn’t May. Maybe she needed a better poem? The pegasus gave a small shrug, and went back to reading. “And summer’s lease hath all too short a date!” As soon as the words left her mouth, Dash frowned. “Okay wait, that doesn’t even make any sense.”
Applejack rolled her eyes. “Dash. Ya ain’t gotta sit outside mah window an’ recite a bunch of stuffy old poetry. If yer gonna try to woo me with verse and song, just use yer own words. Not stuff some dead stallion wrote five centuries ago.”
Rainbow Dash looked up at her lover for a moment, before tossing the book over her shoulder and zooming up to the window. “Roses are red, foxes are clever,” the blue pegasus quickly rhymed, smirking mischievously as she hovered face-to-face with Applejack. “I love your flank. Let me touch it forever.”
Applejack stared for a moment, before bursting into giggles. “Wow, what was that?”
“Eh,” Dash shrugged. “Poetry’s not my thing,” she observed, before flashing a roguish grin. “Dirty poetry, though, is a different story.”
Everypony has regrets, AJ thought to herself. Little ones.
"Consarnit, Dash! You ate all the fritters again!"
Big ones.
Applejack flinched at the faint look of disappointment on Apple Bloom's face. She had been off with Rainbow Dash when her brother had been hurt.
There wasn't, in all fairness, anything wrong with that! She had begged off helping him clean the barn that day, and he had cheerfully accepted - just as she had when Pinkie Pie had last come calling. But that had been the day a poorly-balanced hay bale had fallen on him. It had been only luck that he had been only bruised, not seriously injured.
Big Mac had forgiven her immediately, of course. But little Bloom, too young to grasp the appeal of romance, was taking it harder.
And forgiving herself was the hardest part of all.
Some for herself.
"Ah'm sorry, Love. Ah shouldn't take it out on you." "It's fine, AJ. I know this is important to you." "It's just... we Apples have always had big families. Ah have eight aunts and uncles, and thirty-odd cousins. An' two sibling o' my own, of course, and there'd 'ah be a lot more if it weren't for..." She trailed off, and Rainbow pulled her into a gentle, loving hug. Even after all these years, none of the Apples like to talk about the tragedy that had taken her parents shortly after Apple Bloom's birth. "Ah'd always imagined having a big family of mah own some day. But Ah can't carry your foals, Rainbow, and Ah don't want to carry anypony else's. There'll be Big Mac's brood, and maybe we could adopt, but... it just ain't the same."
Some for her love.
"'We, the Wonderbolts, are pleased to inform you that, on the strength of your performance in tryouts, you have been selected to join our ranks-' Sugarcube! This is great! This is what you've always wanted, ain't it?" "Keep reading, AJ." "Uh... Acceptance... report to... training program?" "Yup." "Oh... Las Pegasus. Two years?" "Six days a week. Even I can't fly all the way here and back in one day - not and be ready for training the day after. I wouldn't see you except for holidays." "Oh, Sugar... I understand. I'll miss you too." "No. I've already told them I'm turning it down. They're not worth it. They're not worth you."
She smiled at the mare snuggled up next to her, and stroked the faded, greying mane. 30 years, she though. Time for regrets a-plenty, alright.
But there was one thing she would never regret.
"Rainbow Dash... will ya marry me?" Before the words were out of her mouth, the blue pegasus's lips were plastered to hers, in the fiercest kiss she had ever known. She took that as a 'yes'.
A severely red faced Applejack chased a fleeing, but cackling Rainbow Dash through the town. The chase had begun in the Ponyville market, as her lover had fluttered down from the skies.
Now, Applejack didn't mind public displays of affection. She outright enjoyed them, as a matter of fact.
Nor was their relationship something secret. Said displays of affection had made sure of that, even if she'd minded that other ponies knew. Which she didn't. Sure, they'd been the gossip of town for a few weeks, but that had died out. Especially after Pinkie and Twilight's relationship came to light.
That one had been a shock.
Anyway. There was, however, a point where she had to draw the line. Kissing in public? That was fine. A peck here, a smooch on the lips, all good things.
But a makeout session, in public, right next to her stall, with a kiss deep enough that she forgot where she was? It was all innocent. Dash had merely kissed her, nuzzled her neck, and went back to kissing some more. But it had dragged on. For quite a while. In public.
She'd even lost some sales. She wasn't sure what was worse. The loss of sales, or the utter mortification of having let herself be swept up by the amorous pegasus.
She decided to peg all the blame on the latter.
As she ran, she twisted the lasso with her mouth, then used her tail to get it spinning. She waited for the right moment, and threw it into the air, snagging Rainbow Dash from the skies. It caught the pegasus on the wings, sending her crashing to the ground in a pile of limbs. Applejack knew Dash was solid, so she wasn't worried in the slightest.
In fact, Applejack wasn't done yet.
The pegasus turned towards the earth pony, casually leaning on a hoof as she lay on the ground. "Oh hi Applejack! What's up?"
Applejack's eye twitched. Dash didn't even have the decency to look guilty. Anger had now turned to fury. "Ah know exactly how to deal with the likes of you." She muttered, glaring at the downed pegasus. She then grabbed the loose end of the rope, and swung her body around, putting all her strength into the motion. She spun around, and sent the pegasus flying into the air, straight towards the Ponyville lake. Maybe that would cool the pegasus down a bit. "I REGRET NOTHIIIIIIIINNNNGG!"
Applejack stares at herself in the mirror, running a brush through her mane for the upteenth time that night. She sighs. It’ll never be absolutely perfect, and yet, it has to be. She brushes once more.
“AJ? You ready to go?” comes a voice from the other side of the bathroom door.
“Almost. I just need another minute.”
“You said that fifteen minutes ago. We’re gonna be late if we don’t go soon.”
The brush snags on a knot and Applejack pulls hard to work it out, but it refuses to cooperate. Grunting in frustration, she slams the brush down on the counter and glares at her reflection.
Rainbow pushes the door open and walks in, nudging Applejack’s cheek. “What’s wrong?”
“My dang mane won’t do what I want it to.”
Rainbow gives Applejack a once-over with her eyes. “It looks fine to me.”
“Yeah, fine, but it ain’t perfect.” Picking up the brush again, Applejack attacks the knot until a hoof stops her. She looks at Rainbow and whispers, “It’s gotta be perfect.”
Rainbow kisses Applejack’s forehead, lowering both of their hooves from her mane. “Applejack, you’re already perfect. You don’t need to prove that to me; I already know it.”
Applejack smiles and hugs Rainbow. “Thanks. I guess I got a little caught up in trying to make everything special for you.”
“Well, it’s not gonna be that special if we miss the dance, right?” Rainbow nuzzles Applejack’s cheek and the two share muzzles for a minute, Rainbow wrapping her wing around AJ. “Come on, our chariot’s outside.”
"Now remember, a sophisticated woman never lets her glass clink when she puts it down on the table. Instead she uses her pinkie to cushion it, so it's not noisy. Understand, darling?"
Fist frozen where it was half raised to knock on the door of Carousel Boutique, Applejack pondered the statement she'd just heard from the shrill voice that could only belong to Rarity. Obviously she was giving etiquette lessons, but to whom the farmer couldn't fathom, because as far as she knew the only person in the shop was Rainbow Dash. The possibility of it being a customer was slim to none given that this was normally a day that Rarity took off.
"GOT IT!" Came an enthusiastic reply from Rainbow Dash in response.
Applejack's jaw couldn't have hit the floor harder if Pinkie Pie suddenly grew wings and became a pegasus. Ignoring what little sense of decorum she possessed, she swung the door open, aware of Rarity chastising Rainbow for being 'overly loud and enthusiastic'. Sophisticated woman don't have fun Applejack remembered from her brief stint in Manehattan.
The sight that greeted her when she entered the room was mind boggling. Standing straight as a pole, Rainbow Dash had a pile of books perfectly balanced on her head, and was wearing a yellow sundress that Applejack felt clashed horribly with everything she knew her girlfriend for. In front of the rainbow haired woman stood Rarity, positively beaming that her skills at finery and delicateness were being put to good use, with a long list of proper etiquettes taped to the wall.
"What in the hay is going on in here?" the farmer asked, a little more loudly, and with a tinge more annoyance, than she wanted.
Rainbow Dash screamed. This in turn caused Rarity to scream and the frightened sky child to take to her wings, causing a downpour of smutty romance novels.
"Holy Tartarus, Applejack, don't do that!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she came back down to land of front of Applejack.
"Haven't you heard of knocking?" Rarity questioned, in annoyance, as she bent to pick up her books. "And, Rainbow, darling, sophisticated women don't cuss."
Ignoring Rarity, Applejack crossed her arms, and, giving Dash her most no nonsense look, she asked, to no one in particular, "And why does my awesome girlfriend need to be sophisticated?"
The sky child sighed and, rubbing the back of her head, not daring to meet her girlfriend's eyes, she replied, sheepishly, "I just don't want to be an embarrassment to you when you introduce me to your Aunt and Uncle Orange next week."
"Oh Dash, ya may be the craziest, technicolored woman Ah ever seen, but ya ain't an embarrassment. Not now, not ever." Applejack just sighed and rolled her eyes as she walked over to the sky child and pulled her forward into a chaste, but delightful kiss.
"They love me, and they'll love you," the farmer continued, "Now let's get that durn stupid dress off ya."
Sophisticated In the AU where AJ never left Aunt and Uncle Orange.
Rainbow Dash stared into the crowd, searching for the one pony she knew she had to meet. Their letters had become more than letters, becoming love notes not dissimilar to ones passed between schoolfillies and colts.
Her eyes landed on the mare she was searching for, and she inadvertently let her jaw drop. Sophistication, was the only term her mind could scream as she saw the mare in the distance, sitting in the specially reserved box Dash had fought hard to get tickets for. Her mane was pulled into a high, styled arrangement, and she sat with the posture only a Canterlot native could pull off.
"Mares and stallions, be prepared for the Wonderbolts, and their newest star, Rainbow Dash!"
Dash was thrown from her stupor as her name was called, and she saw the same expression on the mare in the crowd. While Applejack, as Dash knew the mare was called, knew she would be at the show, she hadn't the faintest clue that Dash was the star. Rainbow Dash snickered a bit, then took to the air. Her first formations were simple, leaving a faint rainbow contrail behind her as she glided through the air. As the music approached the ending, Dash was hit with an idea. Completing the ever-complicated star, she froze in the middle and began to glide. She saw the others in the distance, prepared for her old routine, but she ignored them. A careful curve, a sharp twist, and another curve later, Dash hovered in the midst of a rainbow heart. She looked into the audience, found Applejack, and winked. The mare gasped, and Dash continued, rocketing towards the ground and pulling up last minute, scraping alongside the audience.
As she flew near the box Applejack sat in, she flew just a bit closer, and ever so subtly let a note fall into the sophisticated mare's lap.
"Call me," was scrawled in a myriad of colors. "1-800-I'm Yours. Or meet me after the show backstage. You can join me for dinner."
Applejack clenched the hoof of the faded mare next to her, gritting her teeth as her eyes flashed. She stood, shot an apologetic glare to the mare sprawled under a clean white sheet, then turned towards the nurse.
"Now ma'am, ah don' mean to be accus'tory, bu' this 'ere's my marefrien', and ah'm awful partial t'er. So per'aps y' can explain t' a country mare li' me what y'all mean when y' say 'she's probably not gonna make it.' 'cause ah know my Dash, an' she's a fighter. She woul'n' go down without one hell o' a fight, y'see. So what exactly's goin' on 'ere?"
With every other word, Applejack stepped towards the white coated nurse, her eyes flashing as she cornered her.
"Now, miss Applejack. I understand the pain you may be going through right now, and I want you to know. It isn't your fault. So don't blame yourself. I—"
"It is my buckin' fault!" yelled Applejack, smashing her hoof through the thin plaster near the nurse's head. "If ah hadn' tol' 'er she could do it, or if ah hadn' left 'er alone, or somethin', just somethin', it could all be different!"
"Applejack, sweetie. Let's sit do—"
Nurse Redheart was cut off once again by a sharp, warning beep from the machine attached to the bed. They both gasped, and Applejack turned, letting Nurse Redheart rush to the mare's bedside. Applejack stared, her face steadily paling as the beeping became louder and slower, farther apart as the nurse began to pound on her chest, pushing and shoving. A stuttered gasp came from the limp figure in the bed, and Applejack ran towards it, pushing the nurse out of the way.
"Dashie? Ah don' know i' y'all can 'ear me, bu' if y'can, ah wanna say a few thin's. Ah'm so sorry, an ah wish it weren' li' this. Ah love you, Dashie, so please. Please don' go!" she sobbed, collapsing onto the bed and wrapping her hooves around her.
"I love you too," came a hoarse voice from under the covers, and Applejack gasped. "If you truly love something, let it go," she gasped, then the beeping came to a flat tone as Applejack sobbed over the corpse's rainbow mane.
“Enjoyin’ the view?” Applejack suddenly hissed in Rainbow Dash’s ear, nearly causing the pegasus leap out of her dress.
“Oh hey AJ!” Dash replied with a nervous smile. With all the hustle and bustle of the Gala, she hadn’t heard or noticed Applejack sneaking up behind her. “Um, what view? I dunno what you’re-”
Applejack frowned. “Dash, it’s painfully obvious you were checkin’ out that Wonderbolt gal’s flank,” she flatly told her marefriend. Their relationship was actually a relatively recent development, and she’d had a feeling Dash would inevitably have a wandering eye. But she didn’t expect it to be this bad this quickly.
“Oh jeez, was it that obvious?” Dash muttered with a nervous blush.
Applejack nodded. “Got anything to say for yourself?”
Rainbow Dash looked over at the Wonderbolt in question – Spitfire. She was talking to several well-to-do socialites, her back to Applejack and Dash. Her skin-tight jumpsuit left nothing to the imagination, perfectly outlining and even accentuating her body’s athletic build, muscle definition, and alluring curves. The majestic set of wings folded against her sides was also well worth noting. Dash look back at Applejack and grinned sheepishly. “Can you really blame me?”
Applejack stared at Dash for a moment before evenly deadpanning: “Yes.”
Rainbow Dash sighed. “Oh come on Applejack, you know you’re the only mare I actually care about. And plus, it’s not like you never look at other stallions or mares. I’ve seen you do it few times, and it doesn’t bother me.”
“What? I don’t look at any other stallions or mares!” Applejack defended herself, sounding slightly irate now. “An’ you ain’t got no proof of it, neither!”
As if on cue, another Wonderbolt trotted by to join Spitfire in conversation. Applejack’s gaze instantly followed him, studying the blue-suited pegasus as he passed. His strong build, his powerful muscles, his magnificent wings…
Applejack suddenly realized Rainbow Dash was smirking at her. “Thinking about asking Soarin’ for his autograph?” she whispered mischievously. “Or was your mind on other requests?”
Applejack coughed, averting her gaze as dark blush rose to her cheeks. “I, er, I ain’t got any idea what yer talking about…” she indignantly grumbled. “He bought one of my pies earlier. We, uh, just… Professional. Strictly professional.”
“Eh, I don’t care,” Dash replied with a shrug, before stepping aside so a waiter could trot past them. “Besides, I know you don’t mean anything by it. So what if you look at a hot stallion? I know you wouldn’t actually do anything with anypony besides me. No harm, no foul. And I’m sorry if it annoyed you,” Dash apologized with a sigh. “Forgive and forget?”
Applejack smiled softly, and nodded. “Forgive and forget.”
Rainbow Dash cast a curious glance over her shoulder at Wonderbolts, before returning her gaze back to Applejack. “Though, do you think you could maybe-”
Applejack chuckled. “I am not putting on one of them silly outfits for ya anytime soon, Sugarcube.”
Applejack knew it had been Dash, as she'd heard the sound often enough to identify it. But she had no idea what had cause it.
She and Dash were lazing under a tree, cuddling together. This was something that very few ponies knew about - Dash was a complete cuddlebug. She absolutely loved it, even if she didn't admit it. She glanced at the pegasus, whose face was scrunched up, her eyes looking away.
She knew that face. That was a guilty face. A face that meant secrets were being kept.
"What was that about, sugarcube?"
"N-nothing!"
Yep. Dash was hiding something.
Applejack thought back to what they'd just been doing. They'd been sitting under the tree, bodies pressed together for comfort and warmth. Dash had playfully been running her wing over Applejack's back, gently stroking it until the tip of the feather touched Applejack's cutiemark.
Applejack had decided to try and imitate the gesture, and had run her tail over Dash's wing, then her back. She'd continued along Dash's flank, inching down one of Dash's legs, feeling the limb twitch beside her. She'd then touched the tip of her tail to the underside of Dash's hoof.
And that's when Dash had giggled.
Applejack narrowed her eyes, a mischevious smirk forming on her lips. She twisted her tail back towards the pegasus' hooves, and gently touched them again.
Another giggle.
Applejack grinned, and threw a foreleg over Dash's withers in a friendly gesture... and also to keep a hold on the flighty pony. "So I guess that's why you don't like ponies touching your hooves."
Rainbow's eyes widened in fear. "Wh-what are you talking about?"
Applejack leaned closer to Rainbow, and whispered into her ear. "They're ticklish, aren't they?"
Fear had now become terror. Dash realized just why Applejack's foreleg was where it was. "N-nope, you're wrong!"
The farmer grinned as she quickly hopped up, and sat back down on Rainbow, locking her in place. "So you don't mind if I do this?" She asked, once more running her tail over Dash's hoof.
"Not at allOH CELESTIA STOP-"
The laughter was heard accross the entire orchard.
Snuggling closer to Dash, Applejack watched as she pulled out another souvenir from her official Wonderbolt's saddlebag and placed it in on the table in front of them. The coffee table in the living room of the Apple household was a deep brown - made of old mahogany and hand made by Applejack's grandcolt - and currently dotted with various items.
"This one's from the show I just did in Manehattan," Dash began, with that far away look of remembrance in her eyes. In her hooves she held the letter 'A'. The kind that was white and went on billboards to advertise whatever a pony wanted.
"Soarin' was looking at some mares flank, as always and crashed face first into the billboard of this fruit stand. It's always a fruit stand, ya know? You should've seen the owner, he was redder than your brother and all we could do was laugh. Turns out, the owner Banana Split, is a distant cousin of yours and said, 'On account o' me owin' cousin Applejack a favor and cause ya haven't broke 'er heart yet, I'll let y'all off just this once.' Then he handed me the letter Soarin had knocked off, said to say hi for him and we flew off before Mr. Clumsy could do any more damage!" Dash, continued, making exaggerated hoof motions and sound effects as she related the story to Applejack.
Applejack chuckled, enjoying the story, but enjoying more the feel of the hot sweaty pegasus who had just returned to her. Dash raced back as fast as possible after every tour, coming home to regale her with stories of her travels, but mostly just to be with her again.
Applejack, zoning out as Dash went on a tangent about the newest trick Spitfire did at the show - she'd heard it twice already - looked again at the items on the table.
There was a beaded necklace from Little Strongheart as congratulations for both of them when Dash had done a show in Appleloosa, a single slipper that Soarin and Dash had managed to swipe from Celestia when they performed for the Princess herself - of course Luna had helped and promised to cover their tracks - an exploding joke cigar Spitfire had given to Dash in Fillydelphia when she told her teammates she was going to propose to Applejack when she got back and a dozen other little knickknacks that Dash liked to carry with her.
A ray of light shone off something in the saddlebags Dash had placed on the floor in what was probably just dumb luck. From inside the saddlebag Applejack could see a dirty, worn apple pendant hanging from a string double knotted to the inside of the bag. Vaguely she recalled that she'd given it to Dash on their first date, nearly five years ago.
Following her gaze, Dash looked at it and smiled. "That one's my favorite souvenir. It reminds of you and much I love travelling home."
Applejack hesitantly gripped Rainbow Dash's hoof under the table, and Dash smirked, leaning over and whispering discreetly into her ear. Applejack nodded, then turned to her family.
"How's school goin', Apple Bloom?"
"Fine, ah guess..." mused Apple Bloom, her thoughts clearly elsewhere.
"Big Mac? E'rythin' fine 'round the farm?"
"Eeyup," grunted her brother.
"Now, Applejack, what's on yer mind?" creaked Granny Smith, staring at Applejack across the table.
"Well, y'see," blushed Applejack, turning at Dash hesitantly. "Dashie-and-I-are-seeing-each-other," she blurted, her face as red as her cutie mark.
An ominous quiet fell over the dinner table, interrupted by Dash coughing. She rubbed her hoof across the back of her mane awkwardly, then coughed again.
"Yeah, that's it," she admitted, looking towards the blushing Applejack for nonexistent help. Finally, after another silence, Big Macintosh spoke up.
"Nnope," he grunted. "Not here y' ain't."
"Mac..." protested Applejack awkwardly.
"Applejack, yer not welcome here anymore," declared Granny Smith. "Maybe if y'all go take a ice bath, er go sleep with a nice stallion—"
"NO!" roared Applejack, standing up. "This is me! Come on, Dash," she added, grabbing Dash's hoof.
"One second," paused Rainbow Dash, holding a hoof out. "Look at all of you. You got along with Applejack, right?"
"Dashie, please stop," begged Applejack.
"No. She is no different, and I'm, I'm appalled at you. You aren't her family," Dash scoffed, then turned, grabbing Applejack and kissing her passionately. "Good evening," she said coldly, then led Applejack out the door, no hesitations at all.
The heat of several hundred sweaty bodies rammed against Applejack like a wall, raising her heart rate and sending a shudder up her spine. The mile long line of ponies was like a pulsing, roiling inferno. They moved and acted a single being, their bodies and hearts beating in time with the bass thundering through their chests. The only thing that kept Applejack from being swept away was her marefriend beside her, whom she could lean up against. When she did she felt some sanity return and the spinning world come to a halt.
Taking a deep, salty breath in, she waited. The bass was just the beginning, the anticipation of what was to come; the real show wouldn't begin for another five minutes. Looking around, the only stillness in a sea of life, she wondered why she had let Dash talk her into coming. It wasn't the noise that bothered her, or the number of ponies - she'd had her fair share of both at the family reunions - but the fact that she was the deviant. Alone in a storm of ponies, she was not moving, not swaying, not connected to the soul that pounded through everypony else. An anomaly.
Of course, Rainbow Dash, despite being incredibly dense at times, had a wonderful sense of when her marefriend was feeling blue, and she nudged the farm pony accordingly. Leaning into the pegasus, AppleJack felt a bit of her loneliness bubble up and wash away.
Of course, that wasn't good enough for the pegasus. So, as the stage rose, revealing the band that was playing, she pulled Applejack into a deep, pounding kiss. Of course, this made her miss the first glimpse of the newest and biggest band to hit Equestria: KISS. There were four ponies, in full metal, spikes, collars, the works - hoofcrafted by Rarity herself - white faces and course the lead pony - Gems Simmers, the pony best known for a long, lizard like tongue - standing upon the stage.
The moment the band started playing was the moment Rainbow Dash deepened the kiss, and Applejack fell. Fell down out of normality, out of quietness, out of country, and into the throng of ponies. The bass pounded against her chest, fighting against the rhymth of her heart as the music sailed through her, and took everything, but the heat and the light and the noise.
It was a beautiful tail, all the colors of the rainbow.
Applejack and Apple Bloom made the kite together. It was green, with a zap apple on it, and ribbons for a tail like a rainbow trailing behind it. They were both proud of it as they took it to the park that spring day to give it a try.
They found a clear spot, and Apple Bloom held the string while Applejack balanced the kite on her back and took off at a gallop. She felt the kite catch the air and lift from her back, and heard Apple Bloom cheer behind her.
Applejack grinned and ran back to her, admiring the kite in the sky as it bobbed and wove between clouds. “Woo boy, look at that! It looks great, lil' sis!”
“Tank ah.” Apple Bloom said, with kite string held firmly in her mouth as the kite struggled against it. She twisted her head, making the kite dart across the sky and back, and loop around a cloud.
Applejack was just watching and grinning, until a strong gust of wind hit the park. The kite tugged hard, and Apple Bloom gave a little shrike as it pulled from her mouth.
“Applejack! It got away!” Apple Bloom sounded nearly in tears.
“I'll get it! Don't you worry!” Applejack ran after the loose kite, but the string was thin and treacherously hard to grab. She chased it across the park, and finally she got the string between her teeth and gave a firm yank.
The kite dove straight down, into the highest branches of a tall tree.
Apple Bloom caught up with Applejack, frowning at the scene, eyes filling with tears.
“C-can ya' get it down?”
“I'll figure it out, sugarcube.” Applejack looked around, but didn't see any other ponies to help. She gave the string an experimental tug, but the kite was well tangled.
“Hey, did you guys need some help?” A scratchy, unfamiliar voice came from above her.
Applejack looked up, and hovering there was the best looking pony she had ever seen in her life. Toned, athletic blue body, eyes like roses, and that messy rainbow mane and tail. Applejack just stared at her.
“With the kite?” the pony went on.
“Uh- yeah! Yeah, if ya' don't mind.”
“No problem! I'll be back before you can say 'Rainbow Dash.'” the pegasus darted off towards the tree.
“Rainbow Dash.” Applejack whispered under her breath, still staring.
“Thanks!” Apple Bloom squeeled as Rainbow Dash returned with the kite.
“Don't mention it! Your mom almost got it, she's-”
“I ain't her mom!” Applejack blurted out. “I mean, I'm her big sister. I don't got no foals.”
“Oh! Sorry, I just figured. . . well, you're pretty fast. We should totally race sometime. . . um. . .?”
Applejack just stared into those rose eyes.
“Applejack.” Apple Bloom whispered.
“Huh?”
“That's your name. Which she's askin' for?”
“Wha- Oh! Right, yup, I'm Applejack. Pleased to meet you, Miss Rainbow Dash. I'd love to race sometime.”
“Great! Well, I'll see you around.”
“Yeah. Seeya.” Applejack said as Rainbow Dash took off into the sky, that beautiful rainbow tail trailing behind her.
“I'll take one. I'm sorry again.” Applejack picked up a card and glanced at her still passed out marefriend. Dash was laying on a pile of hay, sleeping off the shock of getting a ménage à trios with AJ and Spitfire for her birthday, before they even got to ménage-ing.
“Don't be.” Spitfire said, picking up two cards herself. She glanced up at AJ and blushed, “I had almost the same reaction when I saw your picture. I couldn't believe who was asking me.”
Applejack frowned a little. She always got nervous when other ponies noticed her marefriend. “You recognized Dash? I guess she's pretty memorable.”
“Yeah, I knew her,” Spitfire nodded, then smiled again, slightly embarrassed. “But I couldn't believe you were asking me. I follow rodeo, you know.”
“Ya' do?” Applejack asked, surprised.
“Yeah. Like I said, I get letters like that from a hoof-full of ponies, but I happened to glance at your picture. Then I had to look at the letter again, just to be sure. A chance to get with Applejack? The hottest rookie to take the ring in Canterlot since Bronco? I squealed so loud Soarin' thought I'd pulled a wing.”
It was AJ's turn to blush. “Well. That's, uh, mighty flatterin'.”
“Sorry. I'm trying not to act like a nut. I how creepy that can be, even if you're used to it.”
“I gotta say it's kinda new. Nopony but me is really into the rodeo 'round here. They mostly just think I'm an apple farmer.” Applejack smiled and shrugged.
“You're kidding?” Spitfire raised an eyebrow. “What about Rainbow Dash? She's has to know she's dating the pony who broke the record for most ribbons in a rodeo debut.”
“I, uh, never really mentioned it. I was kinda tore up at not takin' a first.” The attention, and actual interest in her rodeo skills, was making Applejack blush so hard she thought her cheeks would stain. But she couldn't deny that it felt kind of nice.
“With the way you performed, I can see that. Everypony was saying you got robbed in roping. But- I mean, I can't believe she thinks she's dating a normal pony!” Spitfire set down her cards, leaving them forgotten in her shock.
“I guess I kinda like everypony treatin' me normal. I mean, I ain't sayin' I ain't proud of myself, but I dunno what I'd do if ponies were always makin' a big deal over me.”
Spitfire's eye went wide. “Oh goddess, I'm so sorry! Um, forget I said anything.”
Applejack chuckled. “Nah, it's kinda sweet from you. I didn't really know what to think 'bout you, ya' know. Dash makes out like you're second to Princess Celestia, and could probably raise the sun if she got tired of it.”
Spitfire smiled. “I don't know if you could raise it, but I'm pretty sure you could lasso it out of the sky.”
“You better stop, all that's gonna go to my head.” AJ said, grinning. “And speakin' of, could we keep quiet 'bout this when Dash gets up? She can be a little, well, competitive, and I don't want her thinkin' I'm tryin' to take your attention. I'll make sure you get plenty from both of us, but it's her birthday.”
“Yes, ma'am!” Spitfire said, nodding happily. “But, could I ask one little thing?”
“Sure.”
Spitfire gave her a pleading look. “Can I try on your cowpony hat?”
“I reckon ya' can.” Applejack said, chuckling as she flipped it to Spitfire's head. Spitfire gasped and ran her hoof around the brim.
“Uh! That's so hot.” Dash's groggy voice came from over on the hay. Applejack looked over, to see Dash looking at them in wonder.
AJ grinned at Spitfire. “Why don't ya' keep that on, and the three of us hop in that cider?”
Dash's and Spitfire's eyes went wide, and two pairs of wings sprung open, in unison.
After years of training and dreaming, Rainbow Dash finally accomplished her dream – she became a member of Equestria’s top flying force and first line of defense. And she totally loved it. It brought her a sense of accomplishment, something to be proud of, power and prestige… The fortune and fame weren’t bad either. And she especially loved the fact that she didn’t have to leave her Special Somepony behind.
Dash’s income from the Wonderbolt’s was more than generous, and had allowed for Dash to buy a nice penthouse for herself and Applejack in Canterlot. Applejack was apprehensive about leaving Sweet Apple Acres at first, even if it was for her lover. But Dash had more than enough bits to hire a few extra hooves to help out on the farm, which easily made up for the lack of production caused by Applejack’s absence. Everything seemed to be working out.
But there was one thing Dash didn’t like about being a Wonderbolt.
The paparazzi.
Dash didn’t mind giving a few interviews, or posing for some photos. But all the media attention? The photographers constantly hassling her, asking questions, taking pictures? Yeah, she could totally do without that.
Unfortunately, she didn’t have much say in the matter.
No matter how nicely she asked, no matter how harshly she threatened, the paparazzi just didn’t back off. Whatever pleas and threats the Wonderbolt made just weren’t respected, or were worth far less than the facts and photos of her were. For the first few days, they were relentless.
Then Applejack stepped in.
She was not happy about the paparazzi’s lack of respect for Dash’s privacy – and hers as well. She tried to reason with them herself, but they all brushed her off as a “backwoods hick” or “Dash’s marefriend.” At first, she tried to be nice, and asked politely. That didn’t work. Then she tried to be reasonable, and warned that she might call the authorities or even try to contact the Princess. They dismissed her claims. Finally, her patience running thin, she flatly declared that any paparazzi who got too close or too nosey or too invasive would regret that decision. They thought she was bluffing.
Nope! She was being Honest.
The first photographer got bruises. The second got a few cracked ribs. The third had to have his camera surgically removed from his mouth.
There wasn’t a fourth incident. The Princesses issued a royal decree, hardening the laws and rules regarding celebrities and their privacy. Not to guard Rainbow Dash and Applejack from the press, but to guard the press from them.
Rainbow Dash loved being a Wonderbolt. And she loved her super-protective marefriend, as well.
Sometimes when you wake up without your favorite blanket, the bite of a cold morning grips deep in the bones. On those days, Applejack refused to lie in bed and think about what was missing.
Instead, she stretched and padded over to the closet, removing her Stetson off the rack where it always hung, and smiled. The shock of blue tucked against the tan colored material was unmistakable. She brought it close to her nose and inhaled. The edge of the feather tickled her muzzle. The scent was still there: fresh rain and lingering electricity from the inherent magic contained within. And there was an additional hint of pine from when Dash crashed into that tree an hour before offering this latest gift. It had been four days ago but the memory still made Applejack chuckle.
When describing Rainbow Dash’s appearance, her fans often started with an obvious attribute. Her mane, a vibrant kaleidoscope. Her tail, wild and untamed. Those rose-colored eyes. But for Applejack the first thing she thought of was her wings. Those feathers. She was in love with Dash’s feathers. They hummed with energy, expressive and alive like a sentient creature in of itself. They warmed her during the cool days and fanned a current during the warm ones. They teased her body in playful moments. They caressed her in intimate ones that made her ears twitch and her hips shift. They curled around her for protection and blanketed her in safety. They said all the feelings of love Applejack knew Dash felt for her and they did it without saying a word.
It was not a one-sided affair either. Applejack could make those feathers sigh when she groomed them the way Dash showed her once. She could make them stand when she tickled along the edge of each vane. Whenever she softly bit along a ridge she could make them sing, echoing the breathless cry of her lover whose head would toss back, opened mouth and closed eyes. In moments of true happiness she could bury her face into that wall of down, that place where no doubt or worry could ever reach.
Applejack blinked and lowered the Stetson for a moment, reality working its way back in, before expertly flipping it on to her head. In the mirror her image grinned back, the blue feather giving her outline a rakish appearance. She could be a journalist or maybe a pirate. Applejack laughed and shook her head. No, today she would be a farmer, waiting for her marefriend to return this evening from her latest Wonderbolt tour. They would greet with honest smiles. And it would follow; more kisses, more stories, more feathers.
Rainbow Dash chuckled to herself as she laid down in her bed. The cross-country train from Las Pegasus was headed back to Ponyville, and she'd normally have flown there herself, but it was a long flight even for her. Plus, the ticket had been paid for by the Princess, so she kinda felt like she had to take it anyway. Not that she'd say no to a free ride.
It did, however, leave her plenty of time to think. Mostly about home. All her friends always had their little sayings about home, which they often used whenever the gang was in some far off place.
She quite liked Rarity's. "My home is your home." Although she tended to use some weird language to say it. Mi casa e... whatever. But it fit her perfectly. She was a giver, and would offer anypony a place in her home if they needed it, for as long as they needed it.
Fluttershy's was "There's no place like home." Twilight would say something about "comfort zones" and stuff like that, and it mostly flew over Dash's head, but she understood what Fluttershy meant. All these other places across Equestria, none of them felt like home. They didn't feel welcome, or familiar. Home did, and that's what made it special.
Speaking of Twilight, hers was typically some old, long dead stallion's line she picked from a book. "A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body. " Trust Twilight to find an egghead quote. Still, she understood it... at least, once Twilight had explained it. If you didn't keep your brain active, home doesn't feel like home. So if home was boring, then it wasn't a home. Said the pony who lived in a library.
Pinkie's was... well, typically Pinkie. "“Home is where you can scratch where it itches." It sounded weird at first, but she later understood it. Home was where you could do exactly what you wanted, without peering eyes. For such an outgoing pony, that sentiment felt rather private. But sometimes, it's just what you needed to unwind. Even Pinkie needed that.
Applejack's was very much like her: "A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams." You could practically see the words transform into Applejack. The farmer had explained it once, as they'd cuddled on one of their many trips. The house was the blood, sweat and tears it took to build something over your head. But home was where your family was.
Rainbow herself didn't really have such a line... not until recently. But now, she particularly liked one such phrase she'd heard. "Home is where the heart is." As a Pegasus, you'd think it would be in cloudsdale - where she grew up, where her parents were, where she was born and bred.
But no. Her heart was in Ponyville, on a little farm called "Sweet Apple Acres", and she was waiting for her, probably looking up at the sky in anticipation of her return.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash were walking back to Sweet Apple Acres. The sun had set a long time ago, but the night was still young for the two ponies.
"So, how'd you find the movie?" Rainbow Dash asked, excitement still present in her voice.
"Not bad, but it didn't make a lick o' sense. I mean, how'd the barrel not break from that big an explosion? Or how'd Darin' Do even survive in there?" Applejack inquired.
Rainbow Dash threw her hooves in the air. "Who cares! It was awesome! That's all that matters, right?"
Applejack merely chuckled as a response, shaking her head at her friend. She was still a little filly at heart, and that was something the farmpony admired. That, and her rare instants of sappiness.
"You know," continued the pegasus after a moment of hesitation, "maybe I thought the movie was awesome, just because you were there with me."
"Aw shucks, Rainbow..." Applejack whispered as she blushed slightly. She stopped in front of the entrance to Sweet Apple Acres and turned to her nervous friend. "Well, I had fun tonight, too," she added, before slowly leaning forward and closing her eyes.
Rainbow Dash felt her heart stop. Getting ahold of herself, she mirrored the action, her eyes closed, until her lips met her friend's in a tender kiss. Both fillies savored the moment and wished it lasted forever. Unfortunately, all good things had to come to an end.
"So... same time next week?" Rainbow suggested excitedly.
Applejack nodded. "Same time next week."
"Awesome!" The pegasus unfolded her wings, preparing for takeoff. "G'night A.J.!"
The farmpony opened her mouth, but reconsidered it. "Actually, Rainbow..."
Applejack stumbled forward as her hooves sunk into the fine-grained sand layered between the grassy dunes and the wide expanse of ocean. Instinctively she reached upward to grab her hat. This was a bad decision as she nearly toppled face-first into the sand.
Fortunately, a steady pair of hooves grabbed her and gently helped her find her balance. She huffed and stomped her forehoof into the grainy sand beneath. “Now I know I promised to keep my hat over my eyes so you could surprise me Rainbow, but this is getting mighty suspicious.”
Her head swiveled to the right to face her sole companion since this morning. “Now I want to know why you dragged me out of bed before sun-up, shoved me aboard a train, and then begged me to keep my hat over my eyes ever since we got out of town.”
She huffed and resisted the temptation for the hundredth time to lift her hat and see for herself. But she couldn’t. A promise was a promise, especially to a loved one. A loved one with a pretty confounded sense of humor at times. “This better not be one of your pranks Rainbow. This has taken a whole fine summer day which I could be working.”
“Relax AJ, you’ll love it. We’re almost there.”
A gentle nudge at the back of her neck persuaded her forward. Carefully she stepped into the sand, the unfamiliar texture grating against her hooves.
The things I do for you Rainbow. She allowed herself to be led forward at a rapid pace until the steady roar filled her ears. She scrunched up her nose at the salty air, in fact, she could practically taste the briny air. The pressure lifted and she felt the warm ticklish sensation across her neck.
“Hang on a sec while I lay this stuff out.”
Shuffling noises, perhaps a few choice words, she couldn’t quite make it all out.
“All right AJ. You can lift your hat up now.”
She did so slowly as the dim light flooded into his eyes causing her to wince and turn her head away. As her vision slowly adjusted she could see a vast blueness spread out before her. “It’s just water.” She deadpanned and slumped to her rear onto the blanket behind her.
Rainbow settled down next to her and grinned. “That’s not all, just wait a little.”
“Wait?” Applejack laughed and prodded the pegasus in the chest. “When have you waited for anything.”
Rainbow tilted her head up and rubbed the back of her head. “Ah.. well...Trust me, this it’s worth waiting for.”
“Rainbow, I’ve been doing a lot of trust--” A chill wind blew over their coats drawing a slight gasp from Applejack.
The pegasus extended a wing and wrapped it snugly around the earth pony. “Look at the water Applejack, notice anything?”
“Yeah, it’s a whole mess of colors, yellow, red, and orange. Heh, it kind of reminds me of--”
“--of your colors. Yeah. That’s how I feel Applejack.” Rainbow tugged Applejack a little closer with her wing. “I wanted you to see how much you meant to me.”
“Oh Rainbow, you fool pegasus, you didn’t need to drag me all the way out here tell me the sunset reminded you of me.”
Rainbow shook her head and leaned in close. “I needed to, so I could show you how you’re my everything now. Up in the sky and earth below the horizon.”
Applejack nodded and leaned in, her eyes misty from the salty ocean air. “I understand. So, are we done waiting?”
Rainbow did not reply, she closed the gap as their lips met, sky and earth joined. Silhouetted by a brilliant Applejack-colored sunset.
The one thing that was sure to put a stop to everything.
No applebucking, no chores around the farm, no wrestling with her special pegasus. Just sitting. Sitting at the window, watching how the orchards are washed in the waters from the sky.
“C’mon AJ, are you just gonna sit there all day or are you gonna do something fun for a change?” The voice belonged to the one pony allowed to see Applejack when she was grumpy. Rainbow Dash.
“I’d rather stay and sit at this window, thank you very much. Can’t ya, you know, clear the skies? Just this once, for me?” Applejack was content with just moping all day, about how she felt so ineffective with nothing to do.
“That isn’t gonna do it for me AJ, now get in the kitchen and help me.”
Tearing herself away from the window, she made her way to the kitchen, in an agonizing slow rate not very becoming of the farm pony.
Peeking her head inside the room, expecting to see a mess that would make Granny Smith cry, she saw that instead everything was nice and clean. Perhaps a bit too clean.
“There you are, now come and give me a hand with these pies. I think I’ve finally got it down how to make them 120% more awesome.”
Applejack was flabbergasted. “How did you? Last time you were cookin’ the kitchen nearly exploded.”
“Oh, easy-peasy, I can handle everything.” Dash said with her usual air of confidence. “Ok, seriously though, I don’t know how long the pie monster is gonna stay quiet. I managed to keep the kitchen clean by eating everything it threw at me but I’m running out of space. HELP ME!!!.”
“Pie monster?” Applejack asked, hoping she was joking. Right on cue, the batter which Dash was stirring came to life and tossed another blob on the ground.
“Okay, good news: the pie is indeed 120% more awesome. Bad news: the pie wants to eat us"
maybe afternoons inside aren’t so boring after all, thought Applejack, as she jumped into battle.
Some wounds heal quickly, becoming a distant memory after only a few short weeks. Others however, scab over and fester, leaving a permanent mark where there had previously been no blemish.
“Make sense? Oh, what fun is there in making sense?”
This was one of those scars, and one that Rainbow knew well. Beneath her brash, and sometimes reckless demeanor, there lies fear. Fear for what could have been, for what almost was. She had abandoned her friends, her marefriend, and for what? To make sure a cloud didn't fall into chaos? Sure, she had been under his influence, but that only made it worse. What kind of ‘Element of Loyalty’ was she, if words could compel her to up and abandon Applejack? The very thought si--
“Dash, what’s the matter, why are you awake?”
Rainbow was brought back to reality by a voice emanating from beside her.
“Huh, Applejack?” Rainbow began, “I was just thinking about... stuff. Don’t worry about it, go back to sleep.”
“Dash, it’s one o'clock in the morning”, Applejack replied, “What could you have possibly been thinking about that was so important it couldn't wait until we got up?”
Applejack could see right through her, sometimes Rainbow hated that her marefriend was the ‘Element of Honesty’, it made keeping secrets way more difficult than it should be. There was no point in trying to keep her thoughts private now. She sighed, may as well get it over with.
“Discord.”
“Beg pardon?”
“I was thinking about Discord”, she said halfheartedly, “...and about me, about my... element. While you and our friends were off trying to save Equestria, what did I do? I left the first chance that I got. I left our friends... I left you... alone with a psychopath. What is something had happened... what if--”
“It wasn’t your fault sugarcube,” Applejack interrupted, “You were under his spell you didn’t have a choice, we were al--”
She was unable to finish her thought.
“Wasn’t my fault? WASN’T MY FAULT? YOU COULD HAVE BEEN HURT, OR WORSE, AND I’M SUPPOSED TO BE OKAY WITH IT BECAUSE ‘IT WASN’T MY FAULT?” tears were flowing freely from the pegasus’ eyes as she yelled at Applejack, “IF SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO ANY OF YOU, I WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LIVE WITH MYSELF! WHAT IF YOU HAD BEEN KILLED? WHAT IF YOU NEEDED MY HELP? WHAT IF... what if...” Rainbow was sobbing now, curled up into a fetal position on her side of the mattress.
Applejack moved towards and embraced her marefriend, whispering in her ear, “Easy, easy, it’s okay. I love ya, Rainbow, and it doesn’t matter to me that you left us there, that day. All that I care about is the fact that you’re here, right now, lying beside me.”
These words had a soothing effect on the prismatic mare, and she soon drifted asleep, Applejack soon followed. The couple remained in each others’ hooves for the rest of the night.
Applejack blushed as Rainbow Dash continued staring at her. She knew her answer would surprise the pegasus, but she hadn't expected it to shock her into speechlessness.
Then again, when Rainbow asked "What's something you want, but you know is impossible", she probably hadn't expected that response either.
"Sugarcube? You okay there?"
:The pegasus snapped herself out of her daze, blinking as her eyes refocused on the farmpony. "Uh. Yeah. But... Wonderbolt? Really?" Rainbow blinked again as Applejack nodded. "Why?"
"'Cause of you, Dash." Applejack smiled gently.
"Me?"
"Yup. I wish I could fly with ya, Sugarcube."
"You don't need to be a wonderbolt for that!" Rainbow protested, still confused at Applejack's choice.
"Maybe." The farmpony agreed. "But that's your dream, right?" Rainbow nodded, prompting Applejack to continue. "I want to be with ya every step of the way, Dash. Even in your dreams."
Rainbow grinned slyly. "You're already in most of those..."
"You know what I mean." Applejack smirked back. "I wanna fly with you in front of that crowd. We'd wow the crowd, dance in the air, and look great doing so."
"I'll say. We'd have to beat the fans away with a stick!" Rainbow relaxed as she gave the idea more thought. "Ya know what, screw talking."
Applejack frowned, worried. Had she said something to upset the pegasus? "Did I say something wrong?"
"Huh? Oh! No! Sorry." Rainbow leaned in and gave Applejack an apologetic nuzzle. "I'm just saying screw talking. I'm going to Twilight's and demand that she turn you into a pegasus." She said, then flapped off into the air.
Applejack shivered as yet another cold gust of wind blew over her.
"Remind me, again, why it is that y'all are leadin' me into the Everfree forest?" she asked, her head swiveling at every rustle and snap from the surrounding foliage.
Rainbow Dash, who was currently a few paces ahead of the orange mare, turned her head to reply.
"I already told you. I've got a surprise."
She turned to face back towards the path before continuing. "Which, by the way, is going to be awesome. And besides, I thought you of all ponies would be used to the perils of the Everfree forest, what with your timberwolf flank-kicking the other day."
"That was different. Ah was savin' Spike."
"No, I think it's the same thing" was the reply. "You saved Spike by kicking some timberwolf hindquarters." Rainbow took a quick look around. "We're almost there, by the way".
Rainbow's point was accentuated by the fact that Applejack could now faintly hear running water.
They walked for about a minute longer before Dash turned off the path, between some trees, and into a clearing.
"Ta-da!"
Applejack gasped as she took in the sight, all her previous worries about their whereabouts vanishing. The clearing was adorned by thick, lush trees, with golden rays of sunshine piercing through the canopies. The perimeter of the clearing sported majestic, green shrubs and ferns. But the feature that caught the farmpony's eye was the crystal-clear stream running through the middle.
"Whadda ya think? Pretty neat, huh?"
"Rainbow...this is amazing! Ah ain't even seen a place like this in the Whitetail Woods!" she responded, her voice filled with wonder.
The blue pegasus grinned. "I knew you'd like it."
Rainbow lay down near the stream, motioning for Applejack to join her. AJ took a seat next to the other mare, feeling a blue wing wrap around her.
"How in Celestia's name did ya even find this place?" Applejack asked, finally taking her eyes off the scenery to an (equally mesmerizing) alternate target.
The pegasus shrugged. "It was mainly by accident. I was flying above here, and decided to do an 'unplanned landing' into one of the trees. Ended up here."
"Well, Ah'm mighty glad ya did. Not about crashin', obviously, but findin' this place. It's perfect".
“Welcome to the Carousel Boutique, where everything is chic, uni-… Rainbow Dash! What a surprise! What brings you here?”
Rainbow Dash nodded at Rarity as she trotted into the shop, allowing the unicorn to close the door behind her. “Thanks, Rares. D’ya mind if I hang here for a little while?”
“What? I mean… Of course I don’t mind. I must ask however… is something wrong?”
Rainbow Dash glanced quickly away, looking around the store for something. “Nope… I just… needed to get off the farm for a while.”
“You and Applejack didn’t have another squabble, did you?”
“What? No way! I just need to be away from her for a while.”
Rarity stared at her friend, who merely grinned sheepishly for a moment. “Well, I hardly think that’s a good thing to do, Rainbow. Whatever problems you two are having, you should work it out instead of avoiding her,” she deadpanned.
Rainbow Dash sighed. “Rarity, it’s nothing like that. I promise.”
“Then what is it?”
Rainbow Dash smirked. “It’s a surprise.”
Rarity rolled her eyes. “Fine. Don’t tell me. I have some business to attend to, so do be a dear and allow me to work.”
Rainbow Dash brightened. “Sure thing, Rares.” She watched as the unicorn turned and began to trot away. “Oh, wait! I almost forgot!” Rarity turned around, a single plush eyebrow cocked into a questioning look. “You still have that piano in the back room, right?”
“What, that old thing? Why, of course I still have it. I can’t imagine what you might want to do with it, though.”
“Well, play it, of course!” Rainbow Dash galloped off towards the back room.
Rarity grunted her consent and turned back to her sewing machine. She only made it a few stitches before she stopped. “Play… it? What?” She jumped up from the machine, trotting into the back room, where Dash was just brushing dust off the piano bench. “I must know what’s going on, now. Rainbow Dash, I had no idea you played the piano!”
The pegasus looked up, blushing slightly. “Well, it’s not something I do often. I showed AJ this one time - we were at some antique shop - and it’s been something we do together ever since.”
Rarity blinked a few times. “Well, that sounds absolutely divine, Darling. I had no idea you had such a hidden talent.” Rainbow Dash just chuckled. Rarity beamed. “You wouldn’t mind playing something for me, would you?”
“I’d love to, Rares, but I’ve got to get to work.”
“Work? Work on what?”
“Well… You know AJ and my first anniversary is coming up, and I thought I’d make her a really special present…. I’m writing her a song.” Her cheeks turned a slightly deeper shade of pink as she scratched quickly behind her neck. “I know it sound kinda cheesy…”
“What? Cheesy? Darling, I think it’s an absolutely novel idea!”
Rarity beamed, and Rainbow Dash grinned back at her as she sat down and began to play.
Applejack skidded backwards, twisting and landing face-first in the mud. She stood up slowly and brushed off a piece of mud that clung to her hat before putting it back on defiantly.
Rainbow Dash flew triumphantly overhead, apparently oblivious to the pouring rain around her. "There can only be one!" she crowed.
"Stop sayin' that!" Applejack snapped.
Rainbow Dash's only reply was to turn and charge again. Applejack braced herself, waiting until Rainbow was only one foot away before side-stepping, grabbing her tail, and slinging her into the orchard.
"If'n there is only one, it's gonna be me!" Applejack called her own challenge out into the night.
The pounding rain rang in her ears as her only answer. In retrospect, that should have been clue number one, but she too busy peering through the trees looking for Rainbow to notice that she had flown up and around and had snuck up on her from behind.
She did notice, however, when Rainbow Dash physically picked her up and dropped her in one of the many trees that dotted the land.
"Haha!" she yelled, pointing a mocking hoof at the tree. "If you like apple trees so much, why don't you live in them?"
Her only reply was one apple to the face. This stunned her enough that she dropped slightly, giving Applejack the opportunity to tackle her out of the air and slam her down on the ground, sending mud splashing everywhere as the two ponies battled for control. Applejack somehow ended up on top, pinning Rainbow face down in the mud. She held down one of Rainbow's wings with a hoof and said, "Give!"
"Never!" Rainbow spat.
"Ah'll pull out yer pinion feathers!"
"You wouldn't dare!"
"...You're right. Just admit defeat anyways!"
"No!"
"Do it."
Rainbow Dash grumbled before muttering, "...fine. You can have the last slice of pie."
"That wasn't so hard, was it?" Applejack asked as she lifted Rainbow up and helped clean her off.
"It's been one fer one fer a while now," Applejack said flatly.
"Whatever. Let's go inside."
As both wet mares entered the house, they saw Apple Bloom trotting to the kitchen sink with an empty pie tin in her mouth.
Applejack sank a bit, too. "AB? Did ya eat th' last slice of pie?"
Apple Bloom's ears dropped a bit guiltily. "Yeah... there was just one, an' everypony else was gone, so Ah figured nopony'd mind if Ah ate it. Ya ain't mad, are ya?"
Applejack shook her head. "Nah. There'll always be more pie."
Relieved, Apple Bloom continued to the kitchen.
"'Sides," Applejack continued, just loud enough for Rainbow to hear but too quietly for her little sister to hear, "Ah got my own supply of sugar." She accentuated this last sentence with a flick of her tail against Rainbow's cutie mark.
Apple Bloom paused before leaving the kitchen. "Rainbow Dash? Why're yer wings out like that? You're drippin' mud all over the floor!"
“...and that’s how it happened,” Rainbow Dash with a smile.
“So Y’all are sayin’ you was just walkin’ by the table, ya accidentally bumped the table and fell to the ground, only to have the piece of pie fall into yer mouth, which ya then had to eat to make sure ya didn’t choke? What do you think, Apple Bloom?” Applejack eyed Rainbow with suspicion.
“Ah don’t know, her story sounds kinda sketchy.”
“Well, I may have exaggerated a bit,” Dash said
“Which part? the part where ya almost went into a pie-induced coma? Or the part where The Wonderbolts’ tv show told ya that Spitfire was only gonna accept you if you ate more pie?” Applejack said, smirking at how nervous Dash was getting
“That may be part of it.” Dash began backing away to the wall behind her.
“And what about the part where ya managed to make a piece of pie move from the middle of the table to where you were lyin’?”
“H-hey, that really happened. I hit it... really hard?” Dash finished with a questioning tone.
“Okay Dash, the gig is up. We saw ya eat it, right before we came into the room.”
“Oh, ya did? I...uh... I’m sorry?”
Applejack closed in on Rainbow Dash, just far enough so Apple Bloom didn’t hear her. “Ya know what I do to naughty pegasi? I make ‘em feel sorry. Git your flank to the barn, looks like ya need another lesson with my lasso,” AJ said with a mischievous look
Rainbow Dash’s wings sprung open while a blush appeared on her face. She got on her hooves and ran to the barn for all she was worth, AJ following close behind.
Apple Bloom just stayed behind in the kitchen. “I’ll never get grown-ups.”
“Are you sure about this Applejack?” Rainbow Dash peered up from between Applejack’s legs as the farm pony laid back in bed.
“As sure as you are pretty.” Applejack responded with a wink.
“I am not pretty!” Rainbow retorted with a snort. “I think I’m more stylish. Just look at this mane!” Rainbow ran her hoof over her mane. It snapped back into its windswept formation immediately. “That’s stylish.”
“Well, we both are lucky to have such a stylish pony in our lives.” Applejack nudged Rainbow with her back hoof. “Now stop stalling and get your hooves to work. Aren’t you excited?”
“What? Of course I’m excited! I’m just not sure how long I can stay still. It’s so boring.” Rainbow rolled her eyes upward in an exaggerated fashion.
“C’mere you.” Applejack leaned forward and pulled Rainbow to her side and wrapped a forehoof around the pegasus’s shoulders. “Think you can stay in place like this?”
Rainbow huffed and looked up at Applejack. A glimpse of those gorgeous green eyes triggered a chain reaction through her brain.
“You’re blushing.” Applejack remarked dryly and smiled.
“Am not.”
“Rainbow. I can tell when you’re lying. Plus, you’re redder than an apple at harvest time.”
“I don’t want to hear it.” Rainbow muttered as she snuggled closer to Applejack.
Applejack’s smile widened and she gave Rainbow a squeeze. “All right sugarcube. Now how about those hooves?”
“Fine...” Rainbow slowly moved her forehoof down and rested it gently against Applejack’s stomach. She held it there for a few minutes without saying a word. Slowly, her eyelids began to droop. The warmth of Applejack’s body was too alluring for Ponyville’s champion napper. Just as she was slipped into another training exercise at the Wonderbolt’s Academy, she was kicked awake.
“Owch! What did you do that for Applejack?” Rainbow complained rubbing her hoof against the soft orange fur of Applejack’s underbelly.
“That wasn’t me, Rainbow.”
“So you mean that was...”
Applejack nodded as the moisture twinkled at the corners of her eyes.
“Wow... Jackie’s going to be incredible.” Rainbow said with a smile.
“Jackie?”
“I thought we should name her after the pony she seems to be taking after.” Rainbow leaned up and gave Applejack a kiss.
“What about Dashie? She’s ours after all.”
Rainbow grinned. “We can always have two.”
Applejack smirked and shoved Rainbow away playfully. “That’s your job then. No way you’re making me carry another one.”
“Hey AJ!” Rainbow Dash called as she scanned the rows of apple trees. “Applejack!”
Finally Dash spotted the orange pony at the end of a row. She flew towards her fast. Then she stopped, mid-air, as though she hit an invisible forcefield, her eyes wide with pure, utter shock.
Applejack was fine. She was smiling and breathing steadily. She was also laying in the sunlight, her back to a tree, her hat low over her eyes. And her eyes were closed.
Rainbow Dash knew that AJ napped sometimes. At least, AJ had told her that she did. It happened very rarely, when the day was the perfect temperature, and the sun was shining, and the wind was coming from the direction of the meadows and blowing the scent of wildflowers over the farm. This was a rare enough occurrence that Dash had never seen it with her own eyes, and here it was in front of her.
A smile crept over Dash’s face, Applejack looked like the picture of peace. All of those strong muscles relaxed, her mane falling among the roots of the tree, and her tail like a golden ribbon in the green grass. Winona was curled up beside her, joining in on the nap, and Dash thought that seemed like a good idea.
She flew over top AJ, and started to land as gently as she could, but she stopped herself. She glanced at Winona, and grinned, silently taking off towards town.
Dash returned a few minutes later, carrying Tank so that his flying device wouldn’t make any noise, and carefully settled him like an egg in the little nest that the curled up puppy made. She gave him a nuzzle, then held a hoof to her lips. Tank got the picture, and pulled his head into his shell to go to sleep.
Finally, Dash flew up over AJ again, and slowly landed on top of her. AJ stirred a little and barely opened an eye as Dash curled up on her stomach, resting her head on AJ’s shoulder, but the earth pony seemed content with the situation and made no move other than wrapping a forehoof around Dash.
Dash felt the warmth of AJ’s body and leg, and the sun shining down on them. The wind was bringing the scent of wildflowers, and it mingled with the smell of earth and sweat that clung to AJ’s coat. As Dash drifted off to sleep, she had to admit that when AJ napped, she took the best naps ever.
Rarity prided herself on being able to keep secrets. Even if she was a self-labeled gossip, those tidbits tended to be juicy morsels that would have spread through the town like wildfire, regardless of her actions.
And, she had to admit to herself, sometimes it was just much too fun to see the rumors fly, and to observe the various reactions from friends and acquaintances alike.
This secret, however, she had guarded with a fervor that bordered on obsession.
Rainbow had deeply impressed her - she hadn't imagined that the pegasus not only had musical talent, but a far sappier heart than the brash speedster admitted to. But Rainbow had visited her, eager to escape the prying eyes of the Apple family, tartarus-bent on her goal.
To write Applejack a song.
It had all been Rainbow's work. Rarity had merely been a passive, but appreciative observer. A stray comment had given Rainbow the inspiration she needed, and she'd launched herself onto the task in the same way she devoted herself to her practice.
Nopony else knew what the song was. Not Twilight, not Fluttershy, and especially not Pinkie Pie. Bless the pink mare's heart, but something this sweet would have been near impossible for her to hide, even with a Pinkie Promise.
But now, it was finally time. It was Applejack and Rainbow Dash's first anniversary, and they'd organized a party at the barn. Everything had been set up, including a piano that stood off to the side - the one from the antique shop Rainbow had mentioned. Once the party was in full swing, Dash had made her way to the instrument, sat down, and cracked her hooves. She'd taken one look at the smiling Applejack, and had returned it with a grin that rivaled the sun in brightness.
She played.
And then she sang.
Come on everybody clap your hooves Now you're looking good! I'm gonna sing my song and you won't take long We gotta do the twist and it goes like this!
Come on let's twist again like we did last summer Yea, let's twist again like we did last year! Do you remember when things were really hummin' Yea, let's twist again, twistin' time is here!
Yeah round 'n around 'n up 'n down we go again Oh baby make me know you love me so then!
Come on let's twist again like we did last summer Yea, let's twist again, twistin' time is here!
Come on let's twist again like we did last summer Yea, let's twist again like we did last year! Do you remember when things were really hummin' Yea, let's twist again, twistin' time is here!
Yeah round 'n around 'n up 'n down we go again Oh baby make me know you love me so then Come on let's twist again like we did last summer Yea, let's twist again, twistin' time is here
Neither of the pair noticed when Rarity levitated her camera, and snapped a shot of them. Of the orange mare, dancing to the tune of her blue lover, both smiling with the pure joy of living and love.
Twilight Sparkle might have been perfectly comfortable. For instance, she very easily could have remained in bed that morning, curled up with a nice, steaming mug of delicious hot chocolate and a new book to pursue. Or, she could have decided to take an excursion to the spa, a day trip she felt she sorely needed.
But, no. Twilight Sparkle had not done either of those things, and Twilight Sparkle was decidedly uncomfortable.
“Ow! Pinkie! Quit shoving, they’re going to see us!” The purple pony rubbed at her side, where a pink hoof had only just jabbed her.
“Don’t be silly, Twilight! They’re too busy looking at each other!”
As much as it aggravated Twilight, Pinkie Pie was right. Applejack and Rainbow Dash, sitting in a clearing not ten feet from the bush Twilight and her friends had occupied, seemed lost in each other’s eyes. Twilight sighed. “Somepony remind me how you managed to rope me into this.”
“Because, Darling. Two of our dearest friends are having a very romantic picnic, and it is our sworn duty to ensure that their date proceeds flawlessly.” Rarity removed her face from the small gap in the leaves she had been observing through to smile at her fellow unicorn.
Twilight rolled her eyes. “Whatever you say, Rarity.”
“Oh, isn’t this just wonderful? They just look so happy.” Fluttershy sighed as she peered out from beneath another branch, only a few leaves caught in her long mane.
“Ssssshhh! Everypony be quiet! They’re about to kiss!” Twilight winced at Pinkie’s exaggerated shout, but even she could not help but return her gaze to the happy couple as they leaned towards one another. A pair of emerald-green eyes slid closed, as did a magenta pair a split-second later. As their lips touched, a chorus of sighs sounded from the rustling bush as four ponies craned for a better vantage point. Somehow, Pinkie Pie managed to knock into Twilight’s rear with her own. The studious pony frowned at her excitable friend. “Isn’t it beautiful, Twi-Twi?”
“Yeah, yeah, Pinkie. I guess it is. So long as they don’t hear us.” Twilight whispered as she brushed an offending twig from her side.
**~~^~~^~~**
A dopey grin was plastered on Rainbow Dash’s face as her and Applejack’s muzzles separated. The farm pony returned her smile, and then nodded quickly towards a bush that appeared to be moving of its own accord. Rainbow Dash giggled, and Applejack kissed her cheek quickly. “They still think we can't hear 'em.”
“You know, AJ. We may have to find a new place for these picnics before we want to do anything a little more… private.”
“Yeah, or just find some new, less snoopy friends.”
“Whaddya say we give them a show?”
“Right there wit’ ya, Sugarcube.” The pair grinned broadly, and leaned in towards each other once more.
I'm your biggest fan and I have been for a long time. I have posters of you, a ballon animal of you, and a fake rainbow mane (its not as cool as you'res). You've been my hero for a long time. I practically worship the ground you walk on.
You were my hero and you offered to be my big sister. And then you came out of the shed (or barn or whatevs). I didn't no how to feel. You were gay. You were against the grain. A rebel, just liek you'd always been. You never have let other ponie's opinions of you stop you and that's what I admire about you.
But I felt betrayed. I had always seen you as straight and even though you laughed at mushy romance, I always thought you'd marry a colt. And then have kids, and cause I'm like you're little sister I could be there aunt and be super cool and teach them how to fly and be there hero. I guess that's not happening now, huh? You were my hero.
Then you started dating Applejack. I was angry. And jealous of Apple Bloom. Why did she get a second super cool big sister and I didn't? She's actually related to Applejack and is almost you're real sister. We got in a fight about it. We're bros again now though, I never leave my friends hanging!
The worst part was my parents. They hated you for being a fillyfooler. Absolutely hated you. Told me you were gonna rot in Tartarus and that Celestia hated fillyfoolers and to never be like you. They didn't let me see you for a while. It took a lot of convincing but they relented as long as I promised never to live in sin like you. You were my hero.
When you proposed to Applejack I cried in my room for days on end. (Pinkie Promise not too tell anyone that) Somehow I'd thought it'd work out differently. I was wrong, but that's okay. I broke a few things that day. I was in a bad place and I hated you for it. You stopped being my hero that day.
It took me a long time Dash, but I stopped being an idiot and saw how happy you were, especially when you announced you're foal that was coming. I grew up. That day a lot of things changed and I realized again how cool you were. You were my hero.
After that you had a child, and responsibility, the Wonderbolts, the farm, you're life, but you saw I was hurting and you even took time out of you're day to help me. I never would've had the courage to come out if it weren't for you.
Three excited fillies watched as Rainbow Dash flew around the meadow in complicated patterns and gravity-defying corkscrews. More accurately speaking, one little orange pegasus filly watched excitedly as her wings buzzed with desire, but her two friends weren't as impressed.
"Is it just me, or are Rainbow's tricks looking a little lackluster today?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"If'n that means 'she didn't bring her "A" game', then, yeah," Apple Bloom nodded. "Mebbe she's tired?"
"Maybe she's sick?" Sweetie Belle suggested.
"Nah," Scootaloo said, waving a hoof dismissively. "She's too awesome for that. In fact, I bet she's about to do something really cool righ now!"
All three turned back to the meadow, but to their surprise, Rainbow Dash was gone.
* * *
Later that evening, there was a knock on the door of the Sweet Apple Acres farmhouse. Big Mac opened the door, and was mildly surprised to see a dejected Rainbow Dash standing there with a little bag of bits in her mouth and sporting dull, lackluster eyes.
Before he could ask what was going on, she tossed it at his hooves.
"You win," she said.
Big Mac's mind quickly flashed back to the conversation that morning.
"Are you sure you're gonna be ok?" Applejack asked.
Rainbow Dash laughed. "It's just four days! It's not like you're going away forever. Besides, this fruit convention sounds like it could get you guys some good business, and I know you and your 'family first' shpiel."
"Yeah, but I'll be too busy being awesome to even miss you." She held Applejack's head between her front hooves and looked her in the eyes. "Stop worrying, AJ. I'll be fine."
Big Mac snorted.
Rainbow looked up and glared. "Oh yeah? You think different?" she challenged.
Big Mac nodded. "Eeyup. Twenty bits says you cain't last two days without 'er."
"Yeah? You're on, big guy," Rainbow grinned, holding out a hoof for bumping.
"You win," she repeated flatly. "I didn't even last eight hours."
Big Mac nodded and made to give the bits back, but Rainbow held up a hoof. "Bet's a bet," Rainbow said miserably. "I guess I lost more than I thought I would." Sighing, she turned to walk away.
She really did look awful. Big Mac looked down, before looking back at her. "Rainbow?"
She didn't turn around, but she did stop walking and swivel an ear back, so that was kindof the same thing.
"Granny Smith just pulled a' apple cobbler outta th' oven, and you're welcome t' have some. Ah know it ain't Applejack, but mebbe it'll help take the edge off."
A small half-smile flickered across Rainbow's face. "I think I'd like that."
Applejack tread carefully through the thick underbrush of Whitetail Wood. Her ears swiveled around listening for the slightest sound. In her mouth, She carried her trusty rope. One misstep would be disastrous at this point. A starry sound echoed behind her. She whirled around with her lasso ready.
Too late.
She crumpled to the ground under a mess of feathers and fur. Her limbs pressed to either side in the soft loam by an purple glow. Above her, a pair of mischievous rose-colored eyes twinkled down at her. She nearly burst out laughing at the excessive amounts of makeup on Rainbow. The pegasus painted stripes across her face, adorned herself with a feathered headband, and donned an odd looking pinecone necklace.
“What have we here. A cowpony. Trespassing in our forest.” Rainbow growled out playfully. She pressed down just hard enough to wipe the grin off Applejack’s face. “We don’t like trespassers do we?”
“No we don’t.” Twilight stepped into view, her horn glowing ominously.
Applejack trembled with mirth. Twilight painted camouflage across most of her body. If Rarity could see how much the colors clashed, she surely would faint right on the spot.
Completely oblivious to how goofy she looked, Twilight continued. “These ponies keep wandering into our lands. I wonder what they want.”
“I think I know.” Rainbow grinned and pushed her mouth forward against Applejack’s. She forced the orange mare’s mouth open with a savage kiss. She ran her hooves down Applejack’s side which elicited a muffled gasp from the subdued cowpony. After a rough few minutes, she pulled back gasping.
“I think you’re right.” Twilight snickered as she positioned herself next to Rainbow. “Look at her, she’s completely red and out of breath.”
Rainbow nodded and pressed a hoof against Applejack’s snout. “Keep her restrained. I think we need to teach her a lesson about trespassing in our lands.”
Applejack shuddered as the pegasus and unicorn closed in on her.
...
Rainbow yawned and stretched lazily against Applejack. She glanced over at Twilight curled up on the other side of Applejack sleeping peacefully. “Hey AJ, we weren’t too rough were we?”
Applejack turned and kissed Rainbow lightly on the forehead. “Shucks RD, you know I can handle just about anything you two throw at me.”
Rainbow nodded and smiled. “Leave it to Twilight to come up with something as basic as cowponies and wildponies. She probably found it in a book somewhere.”
“I’m glad she came up with it though.” Applejack looked over fondly at the sleeping unicorn before turning back to Rainbow. “Oh and Rainbow? I didn’t learn anything. I might need another lesson.”
"No," Applejack said, shaking her head. "Not til we get there."
"We've been walking for an hour!" Rainbow protested. "We could be anywhere by now."
"Rainbow?"
"Yeah?"
"It's been five minutes."
"Feels longer," Rainbow muttered, but she didn't complain again.
Eventually, they arrived at their destination. "All right, Rainbow, you c'n take it off."
"Finally," Rainbow sighed, pulling off the blindfold. Her eyes widened in surprise as she took in the sight of a blanket spread, set for two, complete with tiny flames of candlelight. "Applejack? Is this an evening picnic?"
"That's what it's supposed to be," Applejack smiled.
"Did you set this up?" Rainbow Dash asked, grinning widely at the spread.
"Nope. Apple Bloom and her friends set this up. They wanted to try their hooves at bein' matchmaker ponies."
"Even though we're already a couple?" Rainbow chuckled. Then she spun around, looking accusingly at the surrounding trees. "They're watching us from a bush or something, aren't they?"
"Nope," Applejack said again. "Big Mac offered to take them campin'; see if they could get their whittlin' cutie marks."
Rainbow Dash gave Applejack an incredulous look. "You're trusting those three with knives?"
Applejack shrugged. "That's Mac's problem. Now sit. Food's gettin' cold."
Rainbow Dash happily did so. She picked up a mug of cider and drank deeply.
"Don't drink it all at once. Ah didn't bring that much cider," Applejack chided gently as she sat down next to Rainbow.
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, but did comply. Pulling over a plate, she quickly began filling it with various foods and began eating voraciously.
Applejack sat demurely on the blanket, not eating anything.
Rainbow Dash looked up from a half-eaten fritter. “Hey Applejack?” she asked, spewing crumbs everywhere as she spoke. “Aren't you hungry?”
“Yup,” Applejack said, “But Ah seem to have a little problem. Ah might have forgotten how to eat.”
Rainbow snorted. “Huh,” she said.
She had taken three more bites before Applejack's meaning became clear. “Oh!” A grin spread across her face. “So I guess I'd better help you, then,” Rainbow Dash said, picking up a fork with her mouth. Rainbow Dash picked up the largest piece left on her plate and gently held it out to Applejack, who leaned forward and pulled it off the fork and into her mouth with her tongue.
The two continued like this for a while, a tender moment shared in the candlelight.
But, eventually, all good things come to an end, and apple pie tins do not regenerate their contents (much to the disappointment of both parties).
“That was awesome, AJ,” Rainbow said. “But now what?”
“Now it's time fer dessert.”
Rainbow cocked her head. “But we just ate desse-”
Tired of having to explain all her innuendos, Applejack settled for tackling Rainbow Dash onto the blanket, sending plates and crumbs flying. Applejack lay a trail of gentle kisses down from Rainbow's forehead to her neck.
Rainbow's mind tried to protest, as it had something very important to say; but her body couldn't help but react to these stimuli. Her breaths became shallower, her cheeks flushed, and her back arced up gently as she instinctively tried to get her body closer to the earth pony's.
"Appl- mmh... Applejack..."
"Shh," Applejack placed a hoof over Rainbow's mouth.
"It's... ngh!... kindof important..."
"You're most important right now."
"I know, but this -ah!- This is important too!"
“It c'n wait.”
“I do- oh, right there, there's good... I- I don't think so!”
“Rainbow,” Applejack scolded, “Ya certainly have the knack fer ruinin' special momen- ...do Ah smell cookies?”
Big Mac sat at the table and stared forward in numb horror.
Never. Again.
He was still determining how much he would have to budget out for counseling when the door opened, bringing in two ponies and a smell of something burnt. He looked curiously over to see Rainbow Dash, looking everywhere but at Applejack; and Applejack, whose hat was pulled down over her eyes and whose golden tail was now missing a large chunk, and what wasn't missing was charred and burnt.
“Not. One. Word,” his sister growled as she marched past him.
“Thanks fer comin’, girls. Ah had a great time.” Applejack waved as Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Twilight left the barn. The four friends bid their own goodbyes as each trotted off for home. Applejack gently closed the barn door behind then, before turning back towards Rainbow Dash. The pegasus smiled at her from the piano bench. Applejack sauntered over to her, swaying her rear rhythmically. “Well, looks like we’ve got the barn to ourselves, now, Sugarcube.”
“Happy Anniversary, AJ.”
“Happy Anniversary, Sugar.” Applejack closed the last remaining distance between the two of them and planted a light kiss on her marefriend’s cheek. “Ah really enjoyed that song ya played, RD. It just made me want to dance somethin’ wonderful.”
“Heh, you really liked that?”
“O’ course Ah did, Sugarcube. Ah’d like anythin’ ya got fixed ta play.”
Rainbow Dash grinned. “Well, in that case, there is something else I’ve been working on a bit. It’s meant just for you, though, so I didn't want to play it in front of the girls.”
“Really?” Applejack felt a surge of heat rush to her cheeks. “Let’s hear it, then.”
Rainbow Dash smirked at her, patting the space beside her on the bench with a hoof. Applejack smiled and sat down, snuggling up close against her, allowing a beautiful wing wrap over her shoulders. “Alright… it’s still a bit of a work in progress, though.” Rainbow Dash coughed twice before she put her hooves to the keys and played a few notes. Pausing only slightly, she set herself to the music with melodic gusto, beginning to sway gently as her hooves on the keys built up a rhythm that resonated in the barn’s very walls. Applejack closed her eyes and leaned back into a comfortable, feathery embrace, lost in the ethereal sound.
After playing one verse, Rainbow’s voice cut in, and Applejack felt herself melt into her lover’s soft vocals.
“Honey you, are a rock... upon which I stand.
And I come here to talk. I hope you understand.
But, the green eyes. Yeah, the spotlight… shines upon you.
And how could anybody deny you?
I came here with a load… and it feels so much lighter… now I met you.
And honey you should now… that I could never go on without you.
Green eyes…
Honey you, are the sea... upon which I float.
And I came here to talk. I think you should know.
That the green eyes, you’re the one that I wanted to find…
And anyone who tried to deny you must be out of their mind…
Because I came here with a load, and it feels so much lighter since I met you,
And honey you should know, that I could never go on without you.
Green eyes… Green eyes… Oh-woh oh oh… Oh-woah oh oh.
Honey you, are a rock... upon which I stand…”
Rainbow Dash finished with a quick flourish and pulled her lover close with one wing, stealing a wayward kiss. “Happy anniversary, Green Eyes.”
Rainbow leaned listlessly against the single-paned glass window of the utility vehicle. Her eyes gazed upward at the muddied sky and she sighed quietly to herself.
“Thinking about her?”
The question was innocuous, but completely unnecessary. “Yeah...” Rainbow whispered. Her mind tried to piece together the memories from days past. The sweet smell of Applejack’s mane, the warmth of her underbelly, the way she’d gasp: “I love you Dashie...” in the moonlight.
Rainbow trembled and squeezed her eyes shut tightly. She resolved to be strong when she agreed to this job. She reminded herself it wasn’t any easier for Applejack. The threat of tears subsided and she opened her eyes again.
“It’s going to be a bit until we get to our next job site, why don’t you take lunch a little early? It might take your mind off her.”
Rainbow glanced over to the driver of the vehicle: Twilight. It was a good idea, Twilight was always full of good ideas. But, this one came up short. Rainbow shook her head slowly and resumed staring out of the window as the tall spiraling buildings passed by them.
“You sent all your money to Applejack again didn’t you?” The voice wasn’t accusatory, it sounded sympathetic if anything.
Rainbow nodded but said nothing.
A purple glow floated a tin lunch pail onto her lap. She looked down at it and then over to Twilight. The unicorn was smiling while keeping her eyes on the road. “It happens at the end of every month. You always send her everything. Luckily our pay comes in on the first of every month.”
Rainbow looked down at the lunch pail. Tentatively, she opened it up.
“I made a few extra sandwiches. You’re welcome to them. Don’t worry. I won’t tell Applejack.”
“Thanks Twilight.” The pegasus picked a sandwich and fell into it voraciously. She’d nearly forgotten her hunger this morning after skipping breakfast.
The metronomic popping sounds of the vehicle’s engine quieted as they stopped at their destination. A massive clocktower on the edge of the city for the train station.
Twilight climbed out of the vehicle and unfurled a list. “Let’s see. We have to replace two of the thermal regulators, oil all the primary and secondary gears, and oil the striking mechanism in the belfry.”
Wordlessly, Rainbow strapped the utility belt to her body in a practiced fashion and slipped two thermal regulators into the holding bag. She followed Twilight to a heavy metal maintenance door which opened into a poorly lit spiral staircase. Their hooffalls on the cold iron stairs echoed ominously around them as they climbed upward to the clock mechanism.
“It must be hard Rainbow. Being more than a day away, the weekends barely leave you enough time to get there and back. And the next long break is fi--”
“Fifty seven days. Twilight. I know.” Rainbow shot out. The frustration in her voice resounded around them.
Twilight’s words died mid sentence.
Rainbow winced. That was harsh. “Sorry Twilight. I’m just a little on edge at the end of each month.”
“I know Rainbow. It’s okay.” Twilight lifted open the hatch above her head and climbed into the top room of the clocktower.
Rainbow stepped through the threshold and gazed in wonder at the two massive clock-hands set against the ornamented glass. A consistent glow shone from the glass, obviously enchanted somehow by magics only Twilight would understand.
“Thermal Regulators. They should be on either side of the primary driving mechanism. Watch out for the gears.”
Her cue. Rainbow pumped her wings and took to the air in the expansive room. She flew carefully around the large interlocked fittings and continued her work. As she oiled the apparatus she glanced down at Twilight. The unicorn was moving from place to place using her trusty horn to check the status of each of the magical enhancements worked into the machinery.
“Rainbow, do you know what time the train arrives from Ponyville?”
The question was sudden. Rainbow nearly over-oiled a gear. “Two.”
“Hmm... Do you mind flying outside and checking how it looks outside? I think I’m done recharging the magic here.”
“Sure.” Rainbow flew to the side and pushed open the access door. Slipping outside, she positioned herself a good distance away and looked over the clock tower. Her eyes drifted downward to the expansive city around her.
Orange?
She looked again, squinting this time. It couldn’t be.
“Rainbow? How does it look out there?”
Rainbow was gone. Diving through the air toward the train station. She swooped down and barreled into the orange pony with red apples upon her flank. Blushing and panting, she looked down at the pony pressed between her and the station platform.
“Applejack...” She gasped.
“Hey Dashie. Harvest season just wrap--”
Rainbow was tired of waiting. She pushed forward with a longing kiss.
Applejack protested. Something about decency of being in public.
Rainbow spread her wings and hid the onlookers away. Her tongue worked into Applejack’s mouth and the farm pony beneath her stopped struggling. Time drifted away, the clocktower’s bells lost upon their ears.
The kisses did not stop until Rainbow felt her tail forcibly yanked. She yelped and turned around. Twilight stood there with a smile.
“Alright you two. Maybe that’s enough public mischief for one day.”
Rainbow glanced down at Applejack. She’d never seen Applejack blush so hard. “Twilight. How did you know?”
“I didn’t. But there was a good statistic chance that Applejack would take the first train to see you at the conclusion of the harvest season.”
“But what if you were wrong?”
“There’s more than one clock-tower in this city. I hope you don’t mind working clocks for the next week.”
Rainbow groaned and looked down at the glimmering green eyes of Applejack.
Applejack stared in wonder at the view from the hotel room. She had been staring in wonder ever since she got to Manehattan.
Her train had been met by an ornate stretch carriage, which then pulled up in front of a huge, fancy hotel with a lobby full of fountains and crystal chandeliers. That's where Dash met her, and lead her up to the top floor penthouse, which was decorated like a room in the palace. It had a hot tub, a huge bed with the softest down comforter that AJ had ever felt, and the aforementioned view of the Manehattan skyline.
“Like it?” Dash asked, joining AJ at the window and wrapping a wing around her.
“Rainbow Dash, this musta cost a fortune! Ya' know you didn't haveta do all this, I only came to see you.”
“Being a Wonderbolt has its perks.” Dash grinned and shrugged.
“It's amazin'.”
“Good.” Dash smirked “'Cause I'm taking you hostage.”
“Huh?” Applejack looked at her marefriend, confused.
“I've got you for three days. You're not leaving this hotel.”
“But Dash, we gotta go out to eat-”
“Room service. Or there's a restaurant in the lobby.”
“You gotta keep in shape!”
“There's a gym and a pool.” Dash pointed out, the smirk still on her face.
“But- why?” AJ asked, bewildered. “You know I ain't gonna leave your side while I'm here.”
“Because you've never had a vacation. So you're taking one.” Dash leaned in and whispered in her ear, “I'm making sure you have everything you could possibly need, and the only thing you're gonna do is relax.”
“I had plenty vacations! I been to Appleloosa-”
Dash rolled her eyes. “To plant trees.”
“And to Canterlot, and the Crystal Kingdom-”
“As an element of harmony. You even worked at the Gala. Everyplace you go, you're working, and I know if I let you out of this hotel you'll find something to do that's work.”
Applejack blinked. “So you expect me to just. . . lay around?”
“Yup! The hotel has a spa too. Seriously, AJ, this place has everything you could ask for, except for work.”
Applejack opened and closed her mouth a few times, looking around at the room. Finally she smiled and shook her head. “Just three days, right?”
Dash giggled. “Yeah. Three days, then you can go home and work all you want.”
Applejack chuckled, and walked over to the bed, hopping up on it and laying back. The soft comforter enveloped her, and she gave a happy sigh. “Right then. I guess I can do a little nothin' for three days. But you gotta keep me from gettin' bored.”
Dash landed next to her, smiling seductively, “I've got a plan for that too. The only thing you need to think about is if you want champagne before, or after?”
“Both?” Applejack asked.
“Awesome choice!” Dash grinned, as she flew over and popped the cork on a bottle of champagne.
Scootaloo crossed her forelegs defiantly and shook her head. "Nuh uh! No way! Not gonna happen!"
Sweetie Belle put on her most convincing look. "But, Scootaloo, it's a dare! You gottta do it!"
"No! I am not kissing Apple Bloom."
From her position under the window, Applejack breathed a slight sigh of relief... which quickly turned into a gasp of horror as Sweetie Belle landed a fatal blow to her resistance.
"I don't know... If kissing an Apple is good enough for Rainbow Dash, it should be good enough for you, right?"
Now horrified, Applejack slowly peeked over the window ledge, and sure enough, Scootaloo gave a begrudging sigh. "All right. C'mere. But it better be quick."
Had it not been her sister and one of her best friends leaning in hesitantly and awkwardly for that first kiss, Applejack might have found it adorable.
Ok. They did it. That was it. Then they should pull back and...
Wait.
No.
Why were their heads tilting?
Why were Scootaloo's tiny wings slowly flaring out?
Was that... Oh Sweet Celestia her sister's tongue was inside Scootaloo's mouth!!
Applejack screamed and sat up in bed, drenched in a cold sweat.
She gasped and tried to regain control of her breathing. Oh, thank goodness, it was just a dream... it had all been a dream...
The pony next to her stirred. "Are you all right, darling?"
"Yeah, 'm fine," Applejack muttered, before freezing in horror.
She slowly turned to see Rarity sit up and lift one corner of her sleeping mask. "Are you sure? It sounded like you had an awful nightmare... would you like to talk about it?"
And for the second time that night, Applejack woke up screaming.
This time, however, she woke up in her own bed. Her own familiar bed, with her own familiar covers, and one familiar rainbow-maned pegasus snoring loudly next to her.
Finally, Applejack managed to calm her breathing and consider sleeping again. She grumbled even as she pulled Rainbow closer. "'Eat the mushrooms,' she said, 'it'll be fun,' she said," she muttered. "That's the last time Ah ever take a dare from you, Rainbow Dash. You're sleepin' outside tomorrow."
Rainbow Dash stared at Applejack, her frown deepening as the orange mare's smirk grew. Something was wrong here.
"How the hay did you get your hat back so fast? I hid it in the barn!"
"Yer just not as good as you think you are, Dash."
"Yeah, right!" The pegasus launched herself at the farmer, who stood by serenely as Rainbow snatched her hat, and flew away to hide the stetson once more.
Applejack could only chuckle. Dash had absolutely no idea.
A minute later, Rainbow landed in front of her, smirking in triumph. "Ha! You'll never find it this ti-"Her words trailed off as she stared at her marefriend. The earth pony stood in front of her, with an innocent expression on her face, legs crossed as she leaned against a tree.
Wearing her hat.
"I- but- HOW?!" Rainbow yelled, pointing at Applejack. "I left that thing on a freaking CLOUD!"
"Secret, sugarcube."
The pegasus dropped to her knees in front of Applejack, her eyes wide with a mixture of confusion and annoyance. "Tell me! Tell meeeee!"
Applejack was shocked. For Dash to beg, the whole thing must have really been gnawing at her. "Alright, Dash. I'll show you." She lifted a hoof to her hat and pulled it off, then nodded towards a tree in the distance. "Keep an eye on my hat."
With a swing of her hoof, the stetson spun into the air, landing a fair distance away. The seconds ticked by as Dash stared at the hat, wondering what exactly she was looking for. A few seconds later, she was bored. "What am I supposed to see here?"
"Look at me, now." Came the reply. Rainbow turned to look at Applejack. The earth pony was still hatless, "Now back at the hat." The pegasus turned again, her eyes latching onto... nothing. The hat was gone.
"Now back t'me."
Rainbow turned once more, and Applejack was once again wearing her hat.
"Wuh."
Applejack chortled, taking the hat off once more, and placed it on Dash's head. "I dunno how, but it always makes its way back t'me. Some fancy magic, I figure. Pa did say it was a special hat."
Rainbow finally snapped herself out of her daze. She pulled the hat off of her head, spinning it in her hooves as she stared at it. "I could learn so much from this thing."
Applejack tilted her head. "Whatcha mean?"
"It'll always find its way back to you, no matter what?" Rainbow asked. Applejack nodded, earning a small smile from the pegasus. "I gotta learn how to do that."
Applejack smiled back, leaning in to nuzzle the other mare. "I reckon you already do, Dash."
“Look at her! She’s perfect!” Dash said, holding out the plush Daring Do for Applejack to see. She came to find AJ in the orchard just as soon as she got the toy. “She’s even got poseable wings!”
Applejack examined the toy. It was a very good likeness of the imaginary adventurer, with a shirt and hat, and embroidered cutie mark. “I didn’t even know they made Darin’ Do dolls-”
“She’s not a doll!” Dash protested. “She’s a plush sculpture.”
“A. . . plush sculpture?” Applejack raised an eyebrow. “What’s that mean?”
“It means that she’s awesomely detailed, with poseable wings and forelegs, and she’ll look really cool on my shelf. Dolls are for playing with, AJ. This is art.” Dash explained haughtily.
“That’s art, huh?” Applejack smirked.
“Yeah. Really awesome art.”
“And you’re not gonna play with her one bit?”
“Pfft. Me? Play with dolls? Do you know who you’re talking to?”
“Can I see her?” Applejack reached out a hoof, and Dash hesitantly handed over the toy.
“La la la, I’m Darin’ Do.” Applejack said, bouncing the toy up and down until Dash snatched it from her hoof.
“She does not talk like that! She talks like this: ‘I’m Daring Do, the awesomest adventurer in the world!’” Dash said, expertly moving the toy so it seemed to toss its mane and flare its wings proudly.
Applejack just smirked. “Oh, is that how ya’ play with it?”
Dash blushed. “Uh. . . that’s- that’s how I would play with it, if I played with dolls. Which I don’t!”
“I know, sugarcube.” Applejack said as she nuzzled the blushing pegasus. “I know just who I’m talkin’ to.”
The two mares were currently working their way through the Everfree Forest, the place where the blue Pegasus had supposedly found buried treasure.
So far, the Earth Pony wasn't convinced.
"I know sugarcube, you've been tell in' me that for the last half-hour, now. But so far all I've seen is a bunch of trees, rocks, and dirt."
At this, the Earth Pony ducked under yet another low hanging branch, trying to keep up with the energetic blue mare.
"In fact, I'm half convinced that you're just trying to lure me away from the farm so that you can have your way with me," Applejack dropped her voice to a suductive tone, "Not that I'd mind, of course."
On most days, a remark like this would have stopped the Pegasus in her tracks, as of right now however, the mare was much too busy excitedly pointing to a point ahead of her.
"We're her! We're here!"
Boasting energy that would have given the Cutie Mark Crusaders a run for their money, the prismatic Pegasus flew towards Applejack, scooping up the pony and flying them both into a small clearing. The clearing was, by all definitions of the word, beautiful. Wild flowers grew in patches throughout the area, a small pond with a diminutive waterfall took up an outer edge of the space, birds and other woodland creatures frolicked through the grass, without a care in the world.
Upon being set down by her marefriend, Applejack simply glanced about in mild bewilderment. For, while the clearing was beautiful, it was lacking a key central figure, the treasure that her marefriend had supposedly found. Upon turning towards Rainbow to address this very problem, she was momentarily confused by the fact that Dash was sitting on her haunches, with a small black box in her outstretched hoof.
In this box was a beautiful necklace, glittering in the fading rays of sunlight, with a red gem in the shape of an Apple hanging from the chain.
"AJ, you know that I'm no good at this mushy stuff, but these last few months have been the happiest of my life. You are the coolest pony I know. Will you marry-- mmph!"
Before she could finish her question, Rainbow found her lips locked in a passionate kiss.
Applejack adjusted her hat nervously and looked over the note: meet me at the tree at 3. Of the numerous trees on her farm, only one was the tree. It had many names: the napping tree, the confession tree, the first kiss tree. Applejack’s cheeks reddened. She looked up at the slowly declining sun. It was almost time.
Getting to the tree was easy. Applejack knew her farm like she knew the beautiful interlaced hairs of Rainbow’s mane. Distinguishing one tree from another was almost subconscious as she paced purposefully through the orchard.
Expectantly, she passed the tree with the hollow a few hooves off the ground. As expectantly as the way Rainbow’s left wing twitched when her hoof trailed between orange and yellow. Completely natural and rooted in Applejack’s mind through years of tenderly nurtured love.
She crested over the the hill and her eyes met with Rainbow’s. She smiled and Rainbow smiled back. Closing the gap between them, she stepped close and nuzzled the pegasus’s neck. This eased the tenseness, as always. The shoulder muscles relaxed and Applejack nibbled at Rainbow’s neck. “Hey sugarcube.”
Applejack knew just the way to say it and the pegasus flushed. She called many ponies sugarcube, but this way was for Rainbow and Rainbow alone. “What’s on your mind?”
She didn’t panic when Rainbow drew away. This was how it always started. The little breath of courage, the slight smile, and the softening expression as their eyes met. “I passed on my stripes today.”
Applejack checked for the trembling front hooves. Her suspicions confirmed, she spread her forehooves--an unspoken invitation. She wrapped her hooves around the pegasus. The invitation was never turned down.
“I think I did a good job. New records almost every year. Most career finishes. A strong and dedicated team.”
The words paused as Applejack trailed her hoof along the base of each wing. She smiled as Rainbow’s breaths steadied a little.
“I...I think I made the right decision too. Scoot’s been the best L.T. I’ve ever had. She’s gonna go far.”
Applejack said nothing, she didn’t need to.
“The papers will know tomorrow. I hope they agree with Spitfire when I first got my stripes. She said I was gonna go far too.”
Applejack slowly moved her hooves to Rainbow’s cheek and smiled one of her most comforting smiles.
“They will, sugarcube.” Applejack leaned in again and kissed the tip of Rainbow’s nose. “Even if they don’t, there’s a mare just for you, with a farm that makes cider just the way you like it, in a town with all your friends. Your safe place to land. Forever.”
It was a new technology, still rather experimental, but Applejack had insisted on trying it. And when Applejack got something serious into her head, there was no one that could talk her out it, not even her wife Rainbow Dash.
For her part Dash was pacing the room anxiously as the doctor and Twilight got set up, remembering Twilight briefing her on all the ways that it could go horribly, terribly wrong. The magical energy could harm both of them, causing a mutation or death. Such a mutation could cause the baby to grow to rapidly killing both it and Applejack. Or the influx of adding powerful, volatile and untested magic to the equation could turn the baby into some abomination of a pony. Rainbow gulped, her hooves sweating.
On a cold metal table lay Applejack, serenely calm and ever patient, her swollen belly facing up toward the ceiling. Absentmindedly, she rubbed it, humming to herself, very clearly lost in thought. It was impossible for her to hold back the bubble of laughter at Rainbow's freak out. Yes, the pegasus had every right to be worried, but Twilight wouldn't have done it if she wasn't sure, and besides Applejack had always believed that these things had a way of working out.
"Ready, Miss Sparkle?" the doctor questioned, holding in his magical grasp a strange metal object that looked like a long tube with an eye on the end. Twilight simply gave a curt nod.
The glow from her horn lit the entire room with purple, and ever so slowing a glowing purple screen was revealed in the air. The room thrummed with energy. The doctor turned on the machine and the glow from Twilight's horn increased ever so slightly. The machine could see through a pony's stomach and show a sort of moving picture of the baby in a mare's belly. The technology was crude and it took an incredibly powerful unicorn, because while the machine could do the work of 'seeing' it needed a unicorn to tap into it's frequency to help project in such a way that all the other ponies could see as well.
The doctor placed the eye against Applejack's belly.
Rainbow was not prepared for what she saw. The doctor had warned them that the image would be crude and it would mostly just look like a blob. But Rainbow could not deny that she was seeing the legs of a little baby pony. As the doctor slowly moved the machine around Applejack's belly, a little head tucked in between two forelegs became visible. They didn't see if it was a colt or filly, or if it was an earth pony or a pegasus because they didn't care.
The little head moved ever so slightly, and though the doctor would later tell them it was a trick of their eyes, Rainbow Dash swore she saw the baby smile.
Lost in emotion, Rainbow Dash didn't see that she was crying tears of joy along with Applejack. Later she would insist a ninja had snuck in the room with onions.
Rainbow Dash somersaulted through the air as she steered towards her usual sunset spot. A day of cloud pushing was done, and she was looking forward to the next part. She spotted her target relaxing under a lone apple tree overlooking Ponyville.
“I heard Twilight pulled another all-night freakout,” Dash said by way of greeting after she landed and draped herself over Applejack’s warm body. “What was it this time?”
Applejack pushed her hat above her eyes and gave Dash a kiss under one ear. “Well, I stopped by fer a book on woodwork initially and we got ta talkin’. One thing led to another and we ended up in a discussion about eggs.”
“Eggs?”
“Yup.”
Dash shrugged and nuzzled Applejack’s neck. “Makes sense for an egghead to think about, I guess. So why’d that freak her out?”
“Ya know how chickens lay eggs?”
“Yeah”
“And ya know how eggs hatch into little baby chickens?”
“Yeah, so?”
“Well, Twilight started thinkin’ back to all them chickens that laid all them eggs, all the way back and back in their lineage. And she got herself into some kinda – what’d she call it – quandary! Some kinda quandary about whether the first chicken came from an egg, or whether it existed and laid an egg.”
Dash sat up and leaned back to look at her marefriend with wide eyes. “Seriously? …We need to find that pony a date,” she added once she resettled.
Applejack grinned, “That’s besides tha point. But think about it fer a sec. Which do you think came first?”
“Well, the egg, obviously,” Dash replied without thinking about it for a sec. “Chickens are hatched from eggs.”
“Ok, but then what animal laid the egg if it wasn’t another chicken?” Applejack countered.
That got a pause out of the pegasus. “Huh.” She furrowed her brows and then squeezed her eyes shut as though fighting off an encroaching headache. “Ok, I get it now. But I still think it’s ridiculous.”
“How come?”
“‘Cause there’s like a zillion chickens in Equestria, AJ! They didn’t all come from some first chicken. They wouldn’t have lasted five minutes in the wild if they started with one. Some dragon or griffon or pony would have eaten it within two minutes.”
“Ya don’t know that. Maybe other creatures wouldn’t know what it was. You eat the first thing ya find off the ground?”
“If it was an egg, sure. Just look at ‘em; eggs are delicious! I eat ten every morning for breakfast.”
Applejack laughed and playfully bumped Dash’s side with her hoof. “Ya do not!”
“I do too. I’m like an egg eating champion. I bet I could eat fifty eggs in an hour.”
“Dash, ain’t nopony can eat fifty eggs in an hour.”
Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?” She spat on one hoof and offered it to Applejack. The earth pony mulled it over for a second, and then returned the gesture with a smirk.
“Phooey,” Applejack said as she walked inside her home. “Today’s applebuckin’ sure gave me a workout.”
Applejack froze. It had sounded like two ponies said that. She turned to her right to find Rainbow standing next to her, exactly the same pose as her but looking at AJ instead. Like a living mirror.
“Dashie, what are ya doin’?” Applejack questioned. Dash copied her sentence perfectly, at the same time with the accompanying gestures. AJ stayed silent, waiting for Rainbow to respond but it soon became clear that Dash was in a determined mood today.
Applejack’s eyes got a gleam to them and she said: “Applejack is way better than Rainbow Dash in everything.”
That had been unexpected. Dash had recreated the sentence word per word and she even seemed happy about it. The momentarily drop of emotion on Dash’s face quickly went away again to make way to an exact copy of Applejack’s facial expression.
“Dangit, yer actin’ like on of ‘em copy...whatchamacallits,”
“Copycats?” Rainbow offered.
“HA!!!” Applejack shouted. She had heard the same shout from Rainbow and she saw that Rainbow was still standing exactly like she was.
Time to bring out the big guns, Applejack thought as she turned to fully to face Rainbow. She moved forwards with a predatory look, one which Rainbow mimicked.
Applejack grabbed Dash’s face with her two hooves, brought it close to her and kissed Rainbow for all she was worth.
Rainbow’s posture started slacking but still Applejack held on. Rainbow’s back leg had started twitching as she fully enjoyed the feeling of Applejack’s tongue claiming the inside of her mouth.
After a full minute, Applejack let Rainbow go and Rainbow fell to the ground in what looked just like a heap of feathers and bliss.
Satisfied that she did a good job, Applejack turned around and continued on to the kitchen, to prepare dinner for the evening.
Rainbow stayed behind with a wide grin on her face, happy that her plan had worked.
"Ugh! The reception's going to be totally lame if we can't find any kind of entertainment!" Dash whined as they trotted down the street. "What the hay is everypony's problem with two mares getting married anyway?"
"Ya got me, sugarcube. 'Least Granny Smith didn't make a fuss." Applejack gave her a reassuring nuzzle. "Well, how about that DJ Pinkie recommended?"
"Are you kidding? The last time I listened to Pinkie Pie, my tongue was green for a week!" Dash pulled a grim face with her tongue lolling out.
Applejack chuckled. "Well, we ain't got much choice left, do we?"
"I guess not." Rainbow sighed and looked around to get her bearings. "At least the place isn't far." She said, pointing to a small building just down the street sporting neon lights of a cello and several vinyl discs above the entrance.
~~~
"So, a wedding reception, huh?" The snow white DJ mare grinned at them from behind her trademark purple glasses and electric blue mane. "No sweat. Who's the bride and who's the maid of honor?"
Dash huffed and started to speak, but AJ cut her off. "Actually, we're both the brides."
"So, double wedding or..." Vinyl Scratch started to ask, but Dash cut across her.
"No we're marrying each other, so go ahead and kick us out like everypony else has." The pegasus fumed.
"Whoa, chill out. Fillyfooler wedding? That's cool." Vinyl lowered her glasses and winked her ruby eye. "I'll even give you a discount."
Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.
"Y'all don't have ta do that." Applejack took Rainbow's hoof in her own. "We're just glad ta find somepony ta take the job."
"Nah, I totally do. I know what it's like." Vinyl pointed across the way to the other office in the small space. The grey earth pony mare with the elegant charcoal mane gave a small wave and then blew Vinyl a kiss with seductive, half lidded violet eyes in return to the one Vinyl sent her way. "Now, let's make this party one to remember."
Applejack and Rainbow Dash grinned at each other and shared a kiss. Problem solved.
"AAAAAAAAAAnnnnnnnnnnd now," shouted the sharply dressed colt with a flick of his hooves and a roll of his tongue, "the moment you've all been waiting for -" he paused for dramatic effect, letting the suspense he'd been building up all night linger and fill the air, "Miss Rainbow Dash is going to find out her super special somepony, (based entirely on chance), on Equestria's first ever Lucky Looney Lover's Lotto!"
The crowd burst into an excited cheer, whooping and screaming with joy. Rainbow looked on at them from her position beside the host, Tom (as in the colt Rarity named the rock after) Hofferon, a smug smile gracing her face. Looking like she cared just enough so it would not be rude, but not enough to seem like any of this mattered, Rainbow Dash was, on the outside, the epitome of cool. But on the inside she was a quivering ball of nerves. There was literally no statistical evidence to point that this would in any way help her find a pony with whom she would share a mutual attraction. Or so Twilight had put it.
Gulping silently, Dash forced those fears back. It was a silly game show after all, and would have no real affect on her at all. Besides, the main attraction was about to begin and she couldn't be caught looking uncool. Regardless, she still wondered how well it would turn out. It was after all Pinkie Pie's idea.
But the wheel was turning and those thoughts would have to wait. Out of the wheel spun a ball with a number, that was read off by some skanky mare in a too tight dress that was most obviously sleeping with the host. Then another came. And another. And more, until finally there were seven numbers total. The pony that had the ticket with those seven numbers would win the chance to be her date and special somepony.
The ponies assembled quickly began checking their tickets. Dash, needing something to look at, cast her eyes to the front row, where her friends were. They were all giving her warm looks of encouragement. Except Applejack. She looked like she just won the lottery. Slowly, eyes on her ticket the cowpony stepped forward until she was face to face with Dash. Their eyes met. And then....
They both kissed passionately, exploding the stage with their love as they began to bang and then all the ponies assembled melted as the heat of their orgasmic bliss scorched them all!
***
... and that's how your parent's met!" concluded Pinkie. She was met back with the dumbstruck look of five foals, the oldest only barely old enough to comprehend the facts of life.
Rainbow faced-hoofed, while Applejack, mortified, pulled their foals into her arms with a soothing whisper. She shot Pinkie a venomous glare that could've made even Celestia wither. But Pinkie was already bouncing out of sight, oblivious to the damage she had wrecked.
"Agent Pinkerton to Agent Dusk. Agent Pinkerton to Agent Dusk. The targets have been spotted in the middle of a field."
Twilight rubbed her temple to try and soothe the oncoming headache. "Pinkie, there's no point in using code names when we're standing right next to each other."
"I know," Pinkie grinned, "but it just makes spying that much more fun!"
"We are not spying!" Twilight hissed. "We are conducting research on the compatibility and love prospects that two of our friends might have with each other. Nothing more."
Pinkie cocked her head. "Then why didn't you tell me to leave my stealth suit at home?" she asked.
"I did. Four times."
"Oh."
Slightly fed up with Pinkie's antics, Twilight put the headphones back on and returned back to studying the pair of ponies sitting in the middle of the park. She levitated a notebook and observed, listening (via magical means) and watching (via physical means), while Pinkie Pie pulled out a deck of cards and began playing solitaire.
"Subjects are talking about current apple harvest." A pause. "Now they've moved to apple products." Another pause. "Now discussing cider." Twilight rolled her eyes. "Now they've devolved into a bragging contest. They are not touching. Neither participant shows the classic signs of arousal or even infatuation, and they haven't for some time."
"What makes you so sure of that?" Pinkie asked, looking up from her game.
"The pegasus's wings are the greatest indicator, and Rainbow Dash's haven't moved once this entire conversation."
"Well, yeah," Pinkie said, placing a red nine on a black ten. "But a wingflare doesn't mean that all the time." She looked up and grinned. "I would know. I was a pegasus in a previous life."
"Pinkie, reincarnation has not been proven and, from a purely scientific stance, is more than likely impossible."
Pinkie just nodded as she slid a card to the king's corner.
"This is getting ridiculous," Twilight complained. She picked up the notebook again and scribbled another note. "Fail to reject the null hypothesis. I guess this just goes to show that gossip is not always based on empirical evidence."
"Huh?"
"The rumors are false. Rainbow and Applejack are not in love."
"That's what you think," Pinkie said. "Got any threes?"
Twilight wasn't even sure how to respond to that, and settled for packing her bag, turning, and leaving Pinkie playing... whatever she was playing.
* * *
"Are they gone?" Rainbow asked.
Applejack closed her eyes to listen. Silence was all she heard. "Yep."
Now knowing that she was in the clear, Rainbow laughed and put her foreleg across Applejack's shoulders and lay back in the grass, pulling Applejack down on top of herself. She smiled as she settled into a comfortable position. "It's been, what, two weeks since she put that magical listening bug on us, and she still doesn't know that we know?"
Applejack couldn't help but smile as she rested her head on Rainbow's chest. "Yeah. It's pretty funny, actually. Nearly runnin' herself ragged tryin' t' see what's right in front of her."
"And translating it into that science-babble? Heh... I wonder how she'd translate what we did last night."
"Ah'd be interested to know how she'd translate..." Applejack reached up to whisper in Rainbow's ear.
Rainbow's ears perked up excitedly. "Right now?"
Applejack shook her head and lay back down, sighing contentedly. "Nah. Not right now. Ah just want t' stay like this fer a while. But tonight..." She let her sentence trail off invitingly as she gently ran a hoof up Rainbow's body.
Rainbow Dash smiled as she brought a hoof up to stroke Applejack's mane. It would be worth the wait.
“The Lunar Court is now in session,” a loud voice bellowed. Princess Luna looked uninterested as the guards used the same old intro they always used.
“Miss Rainbow Dash and Miss Applejack, The Lunar Princess will see you now,” one of the guards said to the unseen ponies behind the door. Luna’s eyes opened wide as Applejack and Rainbow entered the room.
Applejack and Rainbow entered the room, walked to the throne, stopped a meter away from the throne and bowed.
“Rise, my little ponies,” Princess Luna said, gesturing them with a raising hoof. She cleared her throat before saying: “With what may I aid you, my friends.”
Rainbow and Applejack looked a bit unsure until Applejack spoke up: “W-we...uh, we wanna have another baby, Princess. We want to ask ya if-”
“Who shall be bearing the foal this time?” Princess Luna said in a louder voice than Applejack, silencing what she was gonna say.
“Ah will Princess,” Applejack said. “And Ah even brought some bits, to compensate ya for your troub-”
A blast shot from Luna’s horn, hitting Rainbow straight between her eyes. Applejack trailed off her sentence as Rainbow got levitated a few feet in the air while the spell took effect. Rainbow’s jaw widened, muscles were added and the tone of her grunting because of the exhausting spell got deeper.
“Here you go. No payment required. Bye now,” Princess Luna said as she gestured her guards to show the couple to the exit.
With a wink, Luna added a “Have fun” as Applejack and Rainbow Dash pretty much galloped out of the room.
Princess Luna contemplated to herself how happy she was that she had an edge over her sister. As princess of the night, she had taken it upon herself to teach herself in the magic of passion. Something which Celestia never had the time for.
Luna sat with a satisfied smirk on her throne as the guards announced the next guests. Missing the names, Luna focused her look on the door to see a mint-green Unicorn and an Earth pony with a beige coat enter the room. Today’s gonna be a long night she thought to herself as she began readying the spell again.
This wasn't what she dreamed about. No, not at all. This was... this really was something else. She didn't really know how to describe it, but it certainly was different, to say the least. Maybe they should have just stuck to ropes, and simple things. Not the kind of events that could only happen in their 'fantasies', so to speak.
"AJ, I think you got the wrong size." Dash muttered, struggling to move her wings, which was impossible. And not because of the heat of the moment. Right now, it was anything but.
Applejack stifled a laugh and the glare from her fillyfriend who was hovering above her didn't scare her one bit. "Ain't mah fault, sugarcube. Maybe yer wearing it wrong."
"Wearing it...?" the pegasus scowled and rolled her eyes. "This dumb thing is too small. I can't breathe." She paused for a moment and raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you didn't buy a torture device?"
As of now, attempting to straddle Applejack, wearing the tightest cowpony suit known to ponykind, was Rainbow Dash. The only thing that fit her was the hat, and to be honest, it belonged to the real Southerner in their relationship. A new whirl at their 'special time' was what this was supposed to be, but instead it seemed to be nothing but annoying and impossible.
"Seriously, why are we even doing this?" Rainbow spat, obviously frustrated at her limitation to move.
The farmer just shrugged and looked up at her lover, trying to hide her smirk. "Ah reckon you were the one who wouldn't hush up 'bout them dreams ya kept havin'..." she hesitated, quickly inspecting over Dash. "An' t' be honest, Ah don't thank this is gon' end like ya want it to."
"What's that supposed to mean?" the pegasus muttered, as she fidgeted about.
Applejack hesitated, placing a hoof on her chin and thought for a single moment. "Go git th' scissors."
Rainbow Dash let out a sigh and hung her head. Guess the fantasy of the cowpony sheriff teaching the criminal a 'lesson' was going to have to wait until another time.
"Pinkie are you sure about this? It's not in the book." The studious lavender unicorn was frantically consulting her copy of Slumber 101: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Slumber Parties but Were Afraid to Ask.
"Duh, because it's not in that book. It's in this one!" The pink party pony fought to keep her voice low as she pulled a copy of The Big Book of Pranks from out of nowhere, turning immediately to the right page. That seemed to settle the matter.
"Uhm... Are you sure this is a good idea? This seems kind of mean." The yellow pegasus had no trouble keeping her voice low as she spoke from behind her flowing pink mane.
"Not to worry, darling. Rainbow Dash will see the humor at once. And I'm sure Applejack will enjoy the joke almost as fast. She's on top after all." The elegant white unicorn tossed her perfectly styled mane with a chuckle.
In the center of the four friends, two other ponies were asleep on a pile of cushions, cuddled up together thanks to the actions of a pair of pink and white ponies now standing over them with large grins.
The cause of all this mischief stood in the corner. A half empty barrel of Sweet Apple Acres finest hard cider. "I knew Rainbow was a lightweight, pegasi just can't help it, but Applejack passing out after only two mugs... I never would have guessed." Rarity was still sipping her fourth mug.
The orange cowpony emitted a low groan and twitched her hooves. "Ooh ooh, they're about to wake up!" Pinkie Pie bounced on the spot with excitement.
Applejack stretched her legs, or tried to but found them stopped by a warm body, she smiled and leaned down to kiss the blue muzzle in front of her face. "Morning, Sugarcube." She said in a husky bedroom voice.
The action aroused her blue, winged partner who enthusiastically kissed back. "Best kind of morning waking up to my AJ."
The room was silent except for the comical sound of four jaws hitting the ground at once. Two pairs of eyes, emerald and ruby snapped open and looked around. A scratchy voice broke the silence. "Nice prank girls, but I guess Opal's out of the bag now."
Slivers and scars covered Rainbow Dash's forelegs, sweat soaking her fur and matting her mane. There was an absolute tiredness, spoken by the bags under her eyes and the absolute inability to even fly, coursing through her limbs. Despite this, Rainbow could not have been happier and despite the tired grimace twisting across her face, her eyes sparkled with happiness.
Beside her, her wife, Applejack, gave her a soft nuzzle as she leaned against her, equally spent. They both gazed happily at the house they had just built - with help from the rest of the Apple clan of course - for their soon to be growing little family.
The new house was nestled in a little clearing about a half mile away from the old farmhouse Applejack had grown up in and was surrounded by apple trees. The privacy would be welcomed and besides it was quite necessary, given that Big Macintosh and Spitfire had just married and needed a place to raise their family.
Both of their families simply wouldn't fit in Applejack's childhood home, especially not if Applebloom decided to stay on the farm. The card game to decide who got the house had been more than fair, and Mac never lost.
Applejack loved her childhood home and had many hazy memories of happy summer days with her and Mac and her parents. But she also loved the new house she and Dash had built, together. It was built to weather any storm and protect from every monster that could lurk in the shadow of the apple trees. Also, much to Dash's joy, they had built a skylight - easy to for the prismatic pegasus to dash in and out of at a moments notice. It was a soft red, and though it looked a little homely, and a little small, and definitely cozy, it was certainly large enough for the five foals they planned on having.
"It's beautiful!" Applejack exclaimed, voice thick with unspoken emotion.
"Yeah," replied Dash, although she wasn't looking at the house.
"I'm a mess, Dash," Applejack argued, mane plastered awkwardly to her head.
"We both know where this conversation would go if I had the strength to finish it," Dash intoned with a slump of her shoulders.
"Yeah," Applejack bumped her playfully, "with me on top of you!"
Dash could only chuckle as a new wave of exhaustion washed over her. Yawning, she murmured, "The house is finally finished, so we can break in the new bed. If you know what I mean."
"Oh, so sleeping?" Applejack muttered as she forced her hooves forward to their house.
"Yeah," Rainbow was forced to admit as she followed sleepily behind.
As she approached the door Applejack pulled a small brass key from her hat and stuck it in the worn lock with a click. That was the only thing she had taken with her. Recycling the lock from her parent's door had been Rainbow's idea, an 'awesome way to honour the past' as she had put it. As the key turned in the lock, opening the door to her future, Applejack could also feel it opening the door to the past. As she stepped into the house, Dash leaning against her, and placed the key back in her hat, Applejack could swear she heard her mother's laugh and felt her father's hoof pounding her back in encouragement, telling her how proud they were and wishing her and Dash all the happiness in the world.
The first kiss- It was unexpected, in a word. If somepony were to guess how it occurred, the smooch that started it all between the two mares, no one would ever even think twice that it was in the back of the Canterlot Castle, on an impulse, when Applejack and Rainbow Dash had decided to slip away from all the classiness and ponies who had their noses stuck in the air. It was rushed, brief and definitely caught AJ off-guard. Not the fact that a mare had kissed her, no, she was fine with fillyfooling, hay, she was one herself, but out of all the ponies, female or male, in Equestria, Rainbow Dash kissed her? ... She felt like she had won the lottery, even though the pegasi's immediate nervous behavior after the kiss. RD looked so unbelievabley adorable and then it all blossomed into so many other unexpected things.
The first date- As shocking as it was, it was romantic. Like something out of a fairytale book or some cheesy film. The oddest thing of all was that Rainbow Dash had thought it all up by herself. With all of her own bits, time and building up immense courage, the pegasus felt as if asking her beloved friend to go out on a date was more scary than falling off of the highest point in Cloudsdale with her wings tied to her sides. But surprisingly, Applejack had said yes. That one word had changed everything.
The first time- Dash couldn't lie, she had plans for that, but in that moment, when the two of them had became stranded in the woods together; the pegasi with a broken wing, and the earth pony not willing to leave her lover's side, the two had shared passionate hours together by their makeshift fire.
....
Who knew that three little moments could change their relationship?
It was only a little lie, but they all seem little, don't they?
Rainbow Dash punched her in the shoulder lightly. "C'mon? Never?"
"Nope."
"Not even at that little sleepover you had?"
"Ah said no. Ah ain't never kissed no mares Dash!"
Rainbow backed away slightly, "Whoa, calm down there cowgirl! It was just a question, sheesh!"
They poured another draft from the hard cider barrel, Rainbow licking her lips in anticipation. She took a nice deep pull on the drink, her rosy cheeks growing rosier as she drank. This would be her third so far, and Applejack was getting ready to cut her off soon.
She couldn't say what made her ask. If anypony had bothered to ask her why that question in that moment, she would have shrugged and said it was simple curiosity. Only good thing about lies, they got easier as you went.
"So how about you? Gilda maybe? Or Shy? Somepony else from flight school?"
Rainbow spat some of her cider out, then took a long, hard look at the ground, debating whether to retrieve those precious droplets. "Ugh, how about I what?"
Applejack scuffed hoof nervously beneath their impromptu table. "You ever kissed a mare?"
Rainbow waved a hoof and laughed. "Nah, thought about it though."
They were both silent for a time. Rainbow took another long drink and regarded her drinking companion. She pointed her hoof in the general direction of AJ. "Okay, now its your turn! Have you?"
"Have Ah what?"
"Thought about it!"
The farmpony buried her face in her drink again. When her cheeks had cooled, she answered. "Nope."
“Rainbow, have a look at this. We have a letter addressed to us from the princesses.”
Rainbow peaked up and trotted over to the table where Applejack had laid down the letter. She swallowed nervously and moved to read the letter. After a minute she she said: “Oh... That sure is interesting.”
“What do you mean interestin’? Aren’t ya excited? Have you even read the letter completely?”
“Sure, sure, it says...something awesome,” Dash concluded with a hopeful grin at Applejack.
Applejack stared at Dash with a slight frown. “Honey, If you could read it, ya woulda known that our weddin’ is scheduled in five days. Your eyes givin’ you trouble again?” Applejack asked with a concerned tone.
“No, of course not, I was just testing you, to... you know, see if you read it. I-I can read it just fine, I...,” Dash trailed off, knowing full well she wasn’t fooling Applejack. “Y-yeah, It’s all kinda a blur to me.”
“Darlin’, I know you don’t want no glasses but this is gettin’ dangerous. What if ya got into an accident. Can’t ya just get contacts?.
Rainbow Dash walked backwards a bit. “Contacts? no no no, I don’t need them. I’ll handle it just fine. I’m awesome that way and-”
Rainbow stopped talking as she noticed Applejack had tears in her eyes.
“Rainbow, ya know I love ya and I wouldn’t wanna change a thing about ya, but I’m not gonna let ya risk gettin’ in an accident if there’s somethin’ to be done about it.”
Rainbow’s heart felt like it was stuck in her throat. She knew that AJ was right and it must have torn her up, everytime Rainbow was in the hospital after yet another stunt gone wrong. Be it due to eyesight or not.
Finally, Rainbow took a deep breath. “Okay,” she said in little more than a whisper. “For you AJ, I’ll do it. You can make the appointment with the eye doctor.
Applejack trotted forward and grabbed Rainbow in a tight hug. “You have nothin’ to worry about, darlin’. You’ll barely even notice it’s there.”
Dash gave AJ a kiss on her lips. She figured if this made AJ happy, she could learn to be happy about it as well.
I should move. She thought. This isn’t cool, what if somepony sees? She continued to stand stock still. Maybe a little cool, this never happens to me. Fluttershy, better believe it. Rarity, once or twice. Twilight, if she ever takes her head out of a book. Pinkie, probably does it on purpose. AJ, I bet so.
Okay, that’s long enough. Somepony is definitely going to see me. She didn’t move a muscle. This kind of tickles. Maybe just a bit longer. I hope nopony sees me. I’d never live it down.
“Hey there, partner.” That sultry southern drawl was unmistakable. Horseapples.
“Hey there AJ, h.. how are you?” Her scratchy voice cracked.
“Jus’ fine, enjoyin’ a lovely spring day. What’re y’all up to?”
“Oh, nothing.” She felt a breeze rustle her mane and tail, but it didn’t change her situation.
“Nothin’, huh? How long ya been standin’ there like that?”
“A while.” Too long, I got caught.
“Y’all look cute.”
“I d.. do not! The Dash doesn’t do cute!” Oh Tartarus not the squeaky voice, AJ loves the squeaky voice. Still, she did not move.
“Think Ah’ll jus’ sit a while an’ watch this.”
“Suit yourself.” AJ, I’m going to get you for this.
~~~
She felt the breeze again, stronger. Celestia only knows how much time had passed. This time her situation did change. She blinked and tilted her head down to look. AJ was still there with a grin as wide as Pinkie Pie on her best day.
The glare in her eyes and all animosity melted away as Applejack moved up and kissed her deeply, her wings flared like they always did at such times.
“Ah won’t tell a soul, Dashie. But y’all did look cute with a butterfly on yer nose.”
She now practically stank of the alcoholic beverage, her taste buds had slowly decided that the drink was disgusting, her cyan fur was soaked with the cider, and it was obvious that her stomach was also voicing an opinion, due to the immense stomach-ache the pegasus was suffering from. But it really didn't matter right now. She could lay in this field for forever and the keg she had stolen would last her a few days. Praying to Celestia was the only option that the fast flier had, aside from drinking away her sorrows.
... She was the Element of Loyalty, for buck's sake. She wouldn't cheat. Applejack should've known that. But alas, it seemed not. The farmer had only made a decision with what she had saw, despite Rainbow's pleas.
Drinking was how she got into this mess, to be honest, but the cider blurred her thoughts and vision. It could somewhat push away the bad thoughts. Only a little bit, nonetheless, the help was nice. Rainbow lifted up her fifth mug of cider for the evening, and was about to take her first sip from the glass, only before a very warm embrace captured her and held her close.
"Ah'm sorry, sugarcube."
... Applejack.
The pegasus wanted to say something, but words were unable to become formed as she felt the farmer holding her tight and hot tears from her fell onto Rainbow's cyan coat.
"We're both t' blame. Ah shoulda listened t' ya, but Ah di'nt bother an'..."
The fast flier lifted a hoof and patted the hat upon the cowpony's head, giving a goofy smile of drunkenness.
Applejack let out a breathless laugh and rolled her eyes playfully. "C'mon. Ah'll get ya back t' mah place, clean ya up, give ya a nice, warm bed t' sleep in, an' in the mornin', we'll talk it over."
Rainbow could only smile. If she was sober, there'd be so many things she'd say, but that would have to wait for a time when she could only hope that it'd all be back to the way that it was.
“And they lived happily ever after.” Applejack smiled passively and looked over the foal staring at her wide-eyed.
“Is that the end of the story, mommy?” The foal asked pensively.
Applejack nodded and pulled the foal into a sideways hug. “That’s all. Did you like it?”
The little filly nodded vigorously. “It was awesome! I didn’t know you could write words with a rainbow.”
Applejack smiled and brushed a few loose blonde strands away from the filly’s rose-colored eyes. “You sure can. It’s probably the flashiest way to ask a pony to marry you.”
“I’m going to do that when I grow up! I want to be cool just like the pegasus in the story.” The filly exclaimed while her wings buzzed with excitement.
“You’ll make the pony you choose a very happy pony. I’m sure of it.”
The filly nuzzled upward into Applejack’s chest. “Just like in the story?”
“Yeah. Just like in the story.” The words trailed off as Applejack involuntarily pulled the filly closer to her chest.
“Mommy?”
“Yes, sugarcube?”
“I wish there was more to the story. Why did it have to end so soon?”
Applejack’s throat tightened and she kissed the filly’s forehead gently. “Sometimes... that’s how stories are. Just because they end, doesn’t make them any less happy.”
The filly pouted quietly. “I still wish there was more. Did they have more adventures together?”
Applejack blinked and looked to the ceiling. “Yes. Yes, they did my little one. Wonderful adventures.”
This brightened her daughter’s spirits considerably. “What about little foals?”
Applejack looked into those hopeful, beautiful, nostalgic eyes of the filly in her hooves and smiled. She couldn’t lie to her. “Yes, they had a beautiful little filly. A filly they loved more than anything in the world--even themselves.”
“Mommy?” The filly reached up and gently touched Applejack’s cheek. “Mommy, why are you crying?”
Applejack sniffed and squeezed harder. Her hooves gently stroked over the permanent scar on the little filly’s side. “It’s nothing. Just a little dust.”
This didn’t seem to satisfy the little filly as she looked up at her mother questioningly. Spreading her little hooves wide she wrapped them around Applejack’s sides as much as she could.
“I love you mommy.”
Applejack choked and buried her face into the mane of her daughter. She breathed in the comforting scent and hid her tears. “I love you too... my little Dashie. We both love you so much.”
She’s so good lookin’. That mane, those eyes, it just ain’t right for a pony to be that pretty, and not even on purpose. That’s why her darn head’s so big, she’s so amazin’ and she don’t even try. Discipline, hard work, you know that don’t mean nothin’ to her.
. . .No sense in lyin’ to yourself, Applejack. You love that big head. Ya’ tried not to, but you know darn well those eye are gonna keep creepin’ into your mind til ya go ahead and do it. Cause you been standin’ here, starin’ at her nappin’ under your tree, when ya’ know darn well you got work to do. Work that ain’t gonna get done ‘til ya’ walk over there, and lean down, and-
Woah there, girl. That’s mighty nice to think on, but not all that bright. There’s a way to tell a pony that ya’ feel this way, and that sure ain’t it. Wait. Play it safe. Get her alone sometime, and say the words. Just say ‘em, and see what she says. . .
Like the big ol’ chicken ya’ are. If she feels the same, she might be a little surprised at first, but she won’t mind that ya’ didn’t waste words. And if she don’t, she’ll think it was a prank, and ya’ won’t say nothin’ to let her know otherwise. And either way, you’ll know what her lips feel like, and what she tastes like, and a few seconds where ya’ had her right where ya’ want her.
Likely only a few seconds. If you’re lookin’ for a way to spook one ‘a your best friends, this is a good one. She opens her eyes, and sees ya’ there, and ya’ don’t expect her to yell and fly away? What all would you do if ya’ woke up to find Rarity kissin’ ya’?
What all would you do if ya’ woke up to find Rainbow Dash kissin’ ya? You know you’d wrap your forelegs ‘round her and never let her go. You wanna give up the chance she might do that to you? That maybe she feels the same, and she’s just waitin’ on this moment like you are?
Applejack, this is a long shot. It’s darn near impossible. This has gotta be the dumbest thing you ever thought. And what’s at stake ain’t a game, or a ribbon, it’s your friendship and your heart. If ya’ mess it up, you’re gonna know it’s all on you. No questions, you’re fixin’ to mess this up. Don’t be a fool, girl. Please don’t be-
Sweet Celestia, she’s even hotter close up. Stop shakin’. Really, stop shakin’, you’re gonna wake her up. It’s just her breath, warm on your muzzle. Just a few inches more and there’s no turnin’ back. You gotta stop shakin’. Just go on and close your eyes, and press your lips-
So soft. How are her lips so soft? It ain’t fair, she ain’t fair. She’s wakin’ up, you can feel her stirrin’ and you’re gonna regret this in just a second.
But whether ya’ regret it or not, you’re gonna remember it forever.
Seasons. Always they came, always they left, but Applejack still loved them.
She loved spring because the apple trees smelled so good while in bloom. She wasn't the only one that liked them, though. In spring, she had to chase away animals trying to eat the blossoms and also chase away Rainbow Dash from trying to see if they had any cider left over from over the winter.
She loved summer because there was always so much work to do. Trees to prune, trees to care for, and Rainbow Dash sleeping in trees. Big Mac had nearly given her a tailcut on accident one day, and had threatened to do it for real the next time, but she still came back every other day or so to sleep in the trees.
She loved fall because harvest time made her feel so alive. There was nothing like being able to see, hold, and eat the fruits of your labors. Except maybe the feeling when she hit Rainbow Dash with an apple because the pegasus was was too distracted trying to steal one that she didn't notice the earth pony coming up from behind.
But if asked to choose a favorite, she would probably have said winter. Winter because of the beautiful snow, because of the time spent together with family, the wonderful treats she could make, and especially the week when it became apparent that their storage would soon go bad, and so needed to be used as quickly as possible. And, of course, Rainbow Dash would always seem to show up unannounced right as Granny Smith was taking the pie out of the oven.
Applejack paused and bit her lower lip. How was it that every season's memories was tainted with memories of Rainbow Dash?
Rainbow Dash napped happily in a tree. Well, she was napping, until Applejack kicked it and she fell to the ground in a heap of feathers and confused pegasus.
Rainbow Dash looked around, trying to get her bearings. "Wha- what is it? I warn you, don't mess with Equestria's most aweso-"
Applejack gave her a quick smack over the head. "Stay outta mah head," she growled, before turning and walking away.
"Stay out of her... head?" Fluttershy asked, taking a sip of her cup of tea.
"Yeah," Rainbow nodded. "I didn't think I could do that. Like, travel in ponies' minds? That's gotta be weird. I didn't even mean to."
"Oh, it's not like that," Fluttershy smiled. "That just means she thinks about you all the time."
Rainbow raised her head at this stroke of her ego. "Well, yeah. Who wouldn't like thinking about the world's most awesome pegasus all day, every day? I mean, I do. And just look at me!"
"Oh, not like that, either," Fluttershy giggled. "It means she loves you."
Rainbow stared for a good thirty seconds before throwing her head back and laughing. "What? That's ridiculous. She doesn't love me."
"How do you know?"
"Because, that'd be uncool. And it's not like I like her, either."
"You don't?" Fluttershy asked, a knowing look in her eye.
"Of course not! That'd be totally weird. I mean, sure, she's awesome, and dependable, and she's always down for a race. She always drops things to help her friends out--she's almost as loyal as me!--and she makes great cider, and her legs are way toned and she's super attractive, especially with that hat, and..." Rainbow's eyes widened in horror. "Sweet Celestia... I do like her..."
Fluttershy lay a comforting hoof on Rainbow's shoulder. "Then there's only one thing to do," she said brightly.
Applejack threw the last of the barrels into the barn and slammed the door shut.
"Think we're ready for winter now," she said, wiping a bit of sweat off her brow.
She turned to head back inside, but suddenly came face to face with a flying blue pegasus.
Applejack took a step back in surprise. "Rainbow, what're you doin' here?" she demanded.
"Thinkin' about what you said earlier. And here's my answer: No." Dropping to the ground, Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and a step forward--too late to turn back now!--and kissed Applejack, right on the lips.
The farmpony glared at Rainbow Dash, the pegasus quivering under her gaze.
“Look” Applejack began, an undertone of anger present in her quivering voice. “There ain't much Ah'm askin' of y'all...”
“I'm sorry” the Rainbow Dash blurted out, interrupting Applejack. “I didn't mean to... to...”
“Ya didn't mean for me tah find out? Well, it was darn close y'all got away with it!” Applejack cried out; she had been forced to hold back her feelings all day while looking for her marefriend, and her patience had quickly grown thin. “If Ah hadn't ran into Flitter t'day, Ah would have never realized!”
“I didn't...”
“Sure, looking back, ya didn't behave like y'all normally would” Applejack ranted on. “But how would I have known!? Y'all know how good I am at spotting liars!”
“---” Rainbow's mouth moved, but no words were heard. Tears had begun forming in her crimson eyes. Gulping, she opened her mouth to try again.
“I-it wasn't anything s-serious” she whispered. Applejack ignored her.
“Y'all know what upsets me the most?” She was shouting now. “Do y'all know why this is such a big deal?!” Applejack closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Even if y'all wasn't serious with Cloudchaser-” She took another quivering breath, while tears begun rolling down her cheeks. “How could Ah trust ya not to do it again?” Rainbow couldn't answer, so Applejack continued pleadingly.
“There's one thing Ah'm asking of you, Rainbow Dash. One single requirement for y'all to be my marefriend. All Ah'm asking-” Her green eyes met Dash's, and both become still under each others gaze. “-is Honesty. Don't lie to me.”
Rainbow Dash tackled Applejack into a wordless hug, tears again streaming down both their faces. As night fell over Sweet Apple Acres, the two never left each others embrace; and after all was said and done, all that was left was forgiveness.
It came as a whisper, but it meant the world to Rainbow.
Flickers of yellow stained the inky clouds blanketing the sky in jagged forks. A rolling rumble filled the air. The fine hairs of Applejack’s coat stood on end in the stillness; rain had not yet begun to fall and the whole of the orchard was arrested by the anticipation. Branches frozen in place, not a leaf dared to stir in the calm. The farm pony sighed, scanning the sky for a streak of blue.
“Consarnit,” she muttered, “That birdbrain always does this ta me.” She sighed again, rocking back and forth in the old chair on the porch.
The first fat drops of water began slapping the dirt around the front of the building, dark brown circles fading as the ground greedily slurped up the wet, as a color-trailing blur weaved erratically through the air towards the farmhouse. Ten feet from the door, Rainbow Dash dropped rapidly and rolled in a tumbled heap to the edge of the porch. Applejack tensed, a scant moment from bolting to check that her marefriend was okay, before a giggling hiccup froze her in place.
“Blast you, RD! Ya got me all bent outta shape waitin’ for your sorry hide and you were off gettin’ sloshed again!” She stamped a hoof as she stood from the rocking chair, pacing towards the door. She cast a sour look over her shoulder at the tangle of limbs working to right itself.
“Ah, c’mon AJ! You know how Cloud—” a hiccoughing belch interrupted the pegasus’ stream of words, “Kicker can be! We got th’ storm set up an’ next thing you know she’s buyin’ a round of ciders.” She fumblingly got to her hooves, climbing the two steps onto the porch with much less grace than she’d normally exhibit. “Don’t be mad.”
Applejack’s piercing glare slowly faded until she cast her eyes away and huffed. “I’m not mad, Sugar. I just worry ever since ya got struck by lightnin’ that one time. Ya got banged up awfully bad.” She turned her gaze back to the tipsy mare, her eyes alight with concern. An orange hoof cupped the side of Rainbow’s face, gently caressing her cheek. Magenta eyes drifted shut as Rainbow leaned into the limb.
“’M sorry, AJ,” she murmured, “But you don’t haveta worry about me. I’m the Rainbow Dash! A little lightning isn’t gonna take me down.”
Anger flashed through green eyes and she dropped her hoof to the ground. “Uh huh. What’d the doctor say again? Two inches higher in the air an’ it woulda stopped your heart?” Rainbow winced. “This ain’t no game, Rainbow Dash. Your life’s important to some ponies. Why ain’t it important to you?” Applejack turned to go inside, but a blue hoof flashed out and caught her shoulder.
A bit of the cloudiness cleared from the drunken pony’s eyes as her mouth set in a firm line. “You’re important to me, AJ. I’ll try to be better. For you.” She pulled Applejack close, the lingering spice of cider flavoring the yearning kiss she delivered on orange lips. Applejack melted into the embrace, pulling the stupid daredevil close.
When their lips parted, Applejack whispered. “Try for you, Sugar. Please.”
"AJ, AJ lookit what I got!" Rainbow's voice boomed from far away.
The apple farmer looked up from where she had been applebucking to see a blue and rainbow blur streaking towards her. Rainbow's voice could carry from very far away and the little clearing Applejack was in helped with the acoustics. Despite her distance she was approaching fast at what seemed to be a speed just under what was necessary to break the sound barrier.
It took several seconds for Applejack's brain to register the fact that her marefriend was heading right for her and was not slowing down. There were three things she was absolutely certain of at that moment: first Rainbow Dash was coming in too fast to dodge, second there was a part of the pegasus - and she wasn't sure how strong that crazy part was - that totally wanted to tackle her and third, she was unconditionally and irrevocably okay with that.
The pegasus slammed into her, and she flew backwards, letting her body go limp so it could 'be one with the flow' (or whatever Pinkie had said when teaching martial arts). Wrapping her hooves around the blue body she was about to become entangled in, she heard a whoop and a laugh and then Rainbow's hooves came around her to match her own. And then they hit the ground, a ball of tangled limbs. They bounced and shuddered and rolled, coming to rest in a pile of orange and blue, while a few feathers floated lazily down to the ground.
"Consarnit Rainbow, ya gosh durn crazy fool! Yer gonna kill us both one o' these days!" Applejack shouted, only half serious, from where she was pinned under Rainbow Dash.
"Nah," Dash shrugged breezily, a soft tinkling laugh escaping her lips, "I'm too awesome to die!"
"Oh, well what about me?"
"Everypony knows a kiss from an awesome pegasus is enough to bring back even the deadest of the dead!" Rainbow bragged.
"Well, now thatcha mention it Ah'm feelin' a little dead maself," Applejack murmured, raising her eyebrows suggestively.
A few minutes and one passionate kiss later, the two near breathless ponies finally split, Applejack rolling out from under Rainbow as the pegasus caught her breath.
"So," asked Applejack as she gathered her hat that had been knocked from her head, "What did ya wanna tell me?"
Rainbow Dash threw her head back, whipping her rainbow mane majestically about, and thrust her cheek forward. "Check out what Rainbow Awesome Dash has finally acquired!"
Applejack was not sure what she was supposed to be seeing. She squinted her eyes, methodically combing every inch of her marefriend, (not that she minded of course) until at last she saw it. A single blemish upon the pegasus' usually spotless coat. Upon her cheek was a single tiny white spot. A freckle.
"First off, yer middle name ain't 'Awesome', it's 'Leslie' and second, that's what ya knocked me over fer? A freckle?" Applejack asked incredulously.
Dash feigned hurt and explained with another flourish of her mane. "Well, when I realized how awesome and hot your freckles make you I knew I just had to have some for myself, as I could't let you hog all the awesome!"
Looking around to make sure that there was no other soul in sight, Rainbow Dash continued, a little more quietly, "And well, I guess I was jealous a little. You get all these adorable spots to make you look cute. So I wanted some too."
The prismatic pegasus chuckled, hiding her blushing face, her hooves nervously digging a rut in the ground.
"Yer such a foal sometimes, Dash," Applejack commented.
Dash looked crestfallen, until Applejack crossed the distance between them, kissed the blue pony's newly gained freckle and continued, "and I love you for it."
Gentle kisses followed as Applejack led Dash into the barn to continue their conversation and Dash knew that soon she would need to acquire more freckles.
There was no warning. No grand reveal. Rainbow Dash was out in the park tossing a frisbee between Applejack and Apple Bloom like she’d done a hundred times before on clear afternoons, carefree as always. But when the feeling hit, it rooted her legs to the ground, paralyzed, and she barely registered the hard, plastic disc bouncing off her muzzle.
“Heh, gotta keep yer mouth open, sugarcube.” Applejack joked, but when she heard no response her expression turned. “Hey, Rainbow, you ok? I didn’t hit ya that hard.” Dash looked away, unsure how to answer.
“Is everything all right, sis?” Apple Bloom called out a few steps behind.
“Just fine, AB. Mind if I take a quick timeout with Dash here?” After she was gone, Applejack wrapped a foreleg around Dash’s shoulders. “What’s going on?”
“It’s nothing,” Dash finally said, still not meeting her marefriend’s eyes.
“Don’t sound like nothin’ ta me.”
“I’m fine.”
Applejack sighed. “Ya ain’t no good ta me like this, Rainbow. You’ve even said so before.” Dash winced at that last line, so Applejack leaned forward gave a light kiss. “Come on now. Talk ta me. Please.”
At last Dash found the ability to move, if only to sink her body into the fresh grass. “I’m… jealous,” she said after a long pause. “Of you and Apple Bloom.”
Applejack raised her eyebrows in surprise. “‘Cause we was playin’ catch earlier?”
“No, not because of today!” Dash exclaimed, fiercely. “Nothing’s different today than any other day. So maybe I’ve always been jealous, and I didn’t realize it until now. I don’t know.” Her next line was a whisper. “Maybe it’s because I could’ve been a sister too.”
“Could’ve been… oh.” Applejack’s ears wilted at the tips when she realized what Dash was saying. “Oh, Rainbow, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
“I never told you.”
“Well, sure but…”
“It was going to be a boy too. They say you can’t know for sure, but I did. It was going to be an awesome little brother that I could go racing with. And see Wonderbolts shows together. And break curfew all the time. And have big adventures.” Dash’s voice broke, and she squeezed her eyes shut.
“What happened?”
“Mom fell. It was an accident, and it didn’t look bad at first. But they said there was too much damage.” Dash shook her head and lowered it to the ground. “I’m sorry, Applejack. I don’t mean to be jealous. You’re a great sister, but sometimes I feel like I could’ve…”
“None a’ that, now,” Applejack said and kissed the top of Rainbow’s head. “Yer already a great sis, Dash. Apple Bloom loves ya. And I know Scootaloo thinks the world of ya. I promise these things count. Even if it ain’t blood, it’s still family.”
“Heh, yeah. That silly kid,” Dash smiled mirthlessly.
“If ya like I could go find her.”
Dash shook her head. “Stay?”
Applejack held her tight. “‘Course, Rainbow. As long as ya need it.”
“Rainbow Dash! What are ya’ doin down here? I been lookin’ for you everywhere!” Applejack asked as she came to the bottom of the ramp in the apple cellar. Dash was hovering there in the dim light, scowling.
“I found it! You thought you could hide it from me, didn’t you?”
Applejack blinked. “I have no idea what you’re talkin’ ‘bout.”
“Suuuure you don’t. What do you think I found here in the cellar, Applejack? Something you swore to me that you don’t have? Something I trusted you about, because you’d never lie to me about that?”
“Apples?” AJ guessed.
“Yes! I mean, no! Something in a barrel?” Dash hinted.
Realization dawned on Applejack. “You went lookin’ for cider again, after ya’ promised me you’d stop?”
“I caught you lying! There’s a big barrel over there marked ‘cider.’ A barrel you promised me you didn’t have!”
“And you didn’t believe me.” Applejack narrowed her eyes. Then she smirked. “Well, I guess ya’ caught me, Dash. Let’s go get a mug.”
“Really?” Dash’s eyes went wide, and she followed AJ out of the cellar and up to the farmhouse. “Just like that? You’re gonna let me have some?”
“I reckon ya’ deserve it.”
“Ohmygosh! I mean, yeah, I totally deserve it.” Dash paused, considering for a minute. “In fact, I think I deserve the whole barrel.”
“I dunno if ya’ deserve all that.” Applejack said uncertainly as she grabbed a mug from the kitchen, and started towards the cellar.
Dash pouted, and looked at Applejack with the biggest eyes she could manage. “You lied to me, AJ. I’m totally hurt. Wounded, really. You didn’t even trust me not to go looking for your stash of cider.”
“That’s cause ya’ did go lookin’-” Applejack started to snap, then she paused. “Know what Dash? I reckon you do deserve all that. You oughta drink the whole barrel.”
“Woohoo!” Dash noticed AJ’s raised eyebrow. “Um, er, that might be enough to make up for all the heartache you put me through.”
Applejack rolled her eyes as they went back down into the cellar. She walked over to the barrel marked “cider” and filled the mug from the tap. Then she offered it to Dash with a smile. “Here, sugarcube. Go on and drain this mug, there’s another right after.”
Dash put the mug to her lips, and took a long drink, but only swallowed a mouthful before her eyes went wide and she spit out the rest, spraying it across the cellar. “BLARGH! Ugh! That isn’t cider! Yuck!”
“Oh yeah, that’s right. Cider don’t keep, like I told ya’. We sell every single drop of it durin’ the season, like I also told ya’. But we do make a barrel or two of cider vinegar. I might not’a mentioned that part.” AJ smirked and leaned over, kissing Dash on the cheek while the pegasus gagged and tried to wipe the taste off her tongue. “This pony don’t lie, sugarcube.”
Rainbow Dash grinned as she spotted what she was looking for - a behatted orange pony, sitting at one of the tables outside Horte's Cuisine. Applejack had arranged the little date the previous day, insisting that dining out would add a little spice to their lives.
This confused Rainbow somewhat, as she was perfectly fine with Apple family meals. More than fine, really, she could probably live off them the rest of her life and not voice a single complaint. But if Applejack wanted something else, she wouldn't complain.
She'd still raise an eyebrow, though. Applejack loved eating her home cooked meals just as much as she loved cooking them.
But food was food! That was the most important part.
She landed next to the orange pony, who grinned as the pair nuzzled each other. Rainbow pulled back as Applejack giggled, eyeing her marefriend. That was a weird reaction...
"Y'gonna sit down or y'gonna stare at me all day?"
Rainbow blinked, realizing she had, indeed, been staring. She quickly smirked at the other pony. "Would you complain if I chose the second?"
Applejack giggled again, but this one was punctuated by a snort.
Rainbow frowned as she sat down. Okay, that's really weird...
Her train of thought was interrupted by the arrive of Horte himself. "May I have your order?"
"Oh, uh. Hay fries and a daisy sandwich, please."
"I reckon a chocolate cake will do!"
This time, both Horte's and Rainbow's eyebrows rose. The former simply shrugged, as business was business. The latter stared even harder at Applejack, who's grin was wide. Too wide.
"Whatcha thinkin' 'bout, Dashie?"
Rainbow's expression was somber as she gave it some thought. "We gotta talk."
Applejack's smile dimmed as she caught Rainbow's mood. "Wh-what about?"
"I don't think we should see each other anymore."
"Wha-"
"WHAT?!"
Rainbow grinned as a second voice burst from a nearby bush, but she continued staring at the pony sitting with her.
"Wh-why not, Dashie?" Applejack's ears were folded against her head, her lips quivering.
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "'Cause you're not Applejack."
"Yes I a-"
"Pinkie, Applejack doesn't call me Dashie."
"Oh."
"Consarn it Pinkie." The bush said. Rainbow grinned as another Applejack crawled out of it, mock-glaring at the one sitting at the table. "You blew it!" The orange pony turned to Rainbow, fighting a grin. "When did y'figure it out?"
Rainbow shrugged. "The giggle was weird, the gigglesnort was weirder, her calling me Dashie was weirdest." She couldn't stop smirking. "The cake was a dead giveaway."
Applejack's facehoofed. "Pinkie, I told ya to order somethin' else."
"But I wanted caaaake!" The other Applejack said. "Oh! Can I take off the costume now?"
The real Applejack nodded. "No point in it now."
In a split second, Pinkie unzipped herself from the costume, shedding it like a second skin. "YAY! I'M NOT AN EARTH PONY ANYMORE!"
The electric blue glow of a thousand magical monitors lit the starry void where Princess Celestia sat, watching over her little ponies. Some might call it voyeurism, but that was a narrow view. The truth of the matter was that underneath the happy, bubbly surface, Equestria was a dangerous place. Griffins, Diamond Dogs, Cockatrice, Manticores, Hydras and Dragons just to name a few dangerous predators.
But right now, the most dangerous threat to her little ponies was not any sort of predator at all, it was her little ponies themselves. This wasn’t a new situation by any means. In her long life, she had seen this phenomenon come and go, but never so rampantly as it was now. Indeed, the problem should be obvious to anypony. One thousand scenes played out before Celestia’s eyes, acts mundane and exciting, decent and indecent, but one thing they all had in common: every single one showed either two stallions, or two mares. Equestria’s population growth was in trouble.
No, not in trouble. The magic to help was there, just forgotten. It would need to be “rediscovered” and at this rate, she would have to give it a little nudge. Celestia shifted over to a collection of monitors showing couples in Ponyville, an ideal place to start. First, Twilight would be more than capable of finding and grasping the details of the spell. Second, the residents were rather tight-knit and there were an unusually large number of gay couples there for a semi-rural town. And finally, the population’s connections to nearly every corner of Equestria should spread the information quickly.
Now to decide on a couple to kickstart the whole plan. Celestia narrowed her field of vision down to a single monitor which now blinked between various pairs. Most were rejected with hardly a glance, some took a few moments longer. Octavia and Vinyl and Lyra and Bon-Bon took her the longest and she finally noted them down as potentials until the image of an orange earth pony and a blue pegasus took her by surprise.
After picking her jaw up off the floor, she spent a minute or two reviewing some history and confirmed that they had been a couple for some time. She’d have to research how she missed that fact later. Right now she had other matters to think about. How well would they be able to seed this plan?
If they wanted a foal, no doubt they would go straight to Twilight for an answer. Inside Ponyville, Applejack was a prominent citizen, daughter of the town’s founding family; Rainbow Dash was well known and well liked and held down a government job. Outside, Applejack had connections to Manehattan, Appleloosa, Hollow Shades, Galloping Gorge, Foal Mountain and Tall Tale, thanks to her family; Rainbow Dash had a strong connection to Cloudsdale, though her family and her job, which also took her to Fillydelphia and Los Pegasus. Not to mention they were both Element bearers. Yes, that was the place to start.
Applejack strapped the apple-cart to her back and mentally checked off each task she needed to accomplish for the day. She sighed and looked up at the sky. “Common now girl, up and at em. Big Mac’s down with the Flu, and it’s up to me to pick up the slack.” She pressed her body half-heartedly against the harness until the weight gave way. “It’s not like today was supposed to be my day off or anythin’.”
She smiled ruefully to herself and made her way into town. “‘nd Rainbow just had to get all quiet when I told her I couldn’t skip work for her.” Another long sigh. “Darn fool pegasus — always flyin’ off when she can’t get her way.” She couldn’t help to chuckle at the thought of Rainbow’s pouting face. “Now lookit me. Talkin’ to myself like I’m going mad.”
Pausing for a moment to wipe the sweat from her brow, she glanced upwards again and smiled. “I’m sure Rainbow knows I ain’t mad at her. Just because I said work was important doesn’t mean I don’t want to spend as much time as I can with her.” She stretched her hooves and continued down the path into town. “Guess I’ll make it up to her with a kiss and pie — that always brightens her up.”
Once she got to town, she started ticking off her mental checklist in earnest: new baking supplies, another box of nails for the rickety old fence, and a few more candles. She stopped by Twilight’s to pick up a book on pegasus anatomy. She flashed Twilight a predatory smile when asked why, but it’s meaning was completely lost upon the librarian.
Finally, she pulled her apple cart into the market and set up shop. Business was particularly good today and by the time noon rolled around she’d collected a sizable amount of bits. But the sun was absolutely scorching. Luckily, a convenient patch of cloud provided just enough shade for her to stay cool. “Sure is nice having a cloud on a hot day. I’m going to have to thank the weather pegasus the next time I see em’”
The remaining apples sold out pretty quickly which meant all that was left was to get the cart back home. She trotted along easily with the empty cart and a sack full of bits whistling to herself. As she crossed the town’s edge she glanced up again and chuckled. “I guess I’m all done now. And I still have almost half a day left.” No response.
“Rainbow, you can come down now. Clouds don’t just follow ponies around all day.”
After a few moments, a bashful looking Rainbow Dash poked her head out from over the edge of the cloud. “H—hey AJ. Fancy seeing you here.”
“Rainbow, your little cloud’s shadow has been trailing me all day. What were you doing up there?”
Rainbow hopped off her cloud and flew down in front of Applejack. “Uhm... well. When you said you had to work on our day off together. I... I didn’t want to seem like a love-sick filly following you around.”
“Rainbow...” Applejack extended her hooves and pulled Rainbow into a hug. “No one’s going to judge you for spending time with me.” Rainbow didn’t look convinced. A swift and passionate kiss from Applejack solved that problem.
Smiling at the now blushing pegasus, she leaned in conspiratorially, “So, do you want your pie now or later?”
Applejack's throat bobbed and she licked her lips. Sweat was breaking out on her brow and she locked her knees to keep them from trembling. She cast her glance around the town square to see if anypony else was as enraptured as she was, but this scene unfolding was solely for her viewing pleasure.
Blue cheeks bobbed back and forth. Rainbow Dash’s eyes were scrunched tight and her muzzle was crinkled just above her snout from the impish smile on her lips. Her head was pitched forward, letting her chromatic mane spill over her forehead and neck. Hooves drawn close and back arched tall, colorful tail whipping back and forth rapidly, she moaned, “Mmmm…”
The farm pony tipped back her Stetson and dragged a shaky hoof over her hairline. She bit her lower lip.
“AJ,” Rainbow purred between loud slurps, “You were right about these…They’re so good…” A shiver ran down the pegasus’ spine and her folded wings twitched against her sides. Applejack cleared her throat and let out a breath she’d been inexplicably holding. Her green eyes settled on blue ears, swiveling and twitching. Her teeth threatened to break skin as she chomped down on her trembling lip, her hooves pulling her closer step by step.
Rainbow’s mouth swished. Applejack could hear the hard candy lightly click against teeth as it bulged out a cheek. “Mmm…”
Applejack lunged. Muzzle to muzzle, she pried Rainbow’s jaw open with sheer willpower, her tongue racing past pearly whites, tasting the peppery coolness of Rainbow’s mouth. She lapped greedily, pressing forcefully against the wide-eyed mare.
Rainbow stumbled and dragged Applejack on top of her, the fight in her mouth a losing battle. She squeaked, which drove orange muzzle more firmly against her.
Applejack pulled her head up slowly, green eyes drifting open. Rainbow’s magenta orbs were cloudy, a dusky red stain spread across her cheeks and snout. The blue mare panted breathlessly, running a hoof across the earth pony’s muscled chest. “Applejack…When did…huh?”
She smirked. “I like that look on ya, Sugarcube.”
A fluttering chuckle escaped the blue mare. “That was…quite the way to ask a pony to dinner.”
A smirk broke out on Applejack’s face. Her jaw worked and a light click followed by a crunch sounded from her mouth. She chewed slowly and growled, “Maybe I just wanted my mint back.”
This wasn’t like their usual competitions. No physical exertion, no sweating and panting, no need for a shower afterwards. This was worse. Standing still was hard for her to do. And even harder while trying to ignore the tickling sensation of all those little feet against her skin. Rainbow Dash cracked open an eye and peered out toward their officiator. “How much longer?” She hissed, trying hard not to move a muscle beyond her lower jaw.
“Two minutes.” Fluttershy answered, glancing at her stopwatch. Dash grit her teeth and her body quivered. Wings were raised, but she didn’t lose any points.
“Y’all ain’t thinkin’ about quittin’, are ya?” Applejack winked at her marefriend.
“No way! I’m going to win this!” More quivering wings and one butterfly detached and flew away. Rainbow let out a low growl and then took a deep breath, trying to calm herself and stop herself from shaking.
Applejack definitely had the upperhoof here. Sure, she preferred to be moving, working, towing her cart into town, racing, rodeo, you name it, but she was also always the one who wanted to just sit and watch the sunset or laze around on the blanket after a picnic. Not that Dash disliked those things when AJ was involved, they just never occurred to her on her own.
“One minute.” Fluttershy waved her hoof as she made a quick count of the butterflies each of her friends had collected. Tied again, but anything could change in the next 55 seconds.
~~~
“And the final count is, Rainbow Dash: 15, Applejack: 15” Fluttershy announced. Dash’s jaw dropped. “Um, you two were pretty much tied the whole time too.” Fluttershy ducked behind her mane, expecting an outburst from Dash. Applejack caught Dash open mouthed with a kiss that stifled any protest she was about to make as all thirty butterflies took to the sky.
Their kiss broke to the sound of a squeak coming from their officiator. Fluttershy was squirming, covered from head to hoof in butterflies now. “Oh my, that tickles. You didn’t have to, eep!”
“Looks like Fluttershy is the real winner here.” Applejack and Rainbow Dash burst out laughing.
Another buck of powerful orange legs, another rain of colorful red apples.
~wham~
Dash yawned as Applejack continued to beat the tar out of her trees. She hadn’t had any plans for the day, so she’d opted to go see her best friend. Naturally, AJ was busy with chores, but that didn’t mean they still couldn’t hang out. It was just turning out to be kinda boring today.
As Applejack continued to kick the apple trees, too focused her work to chat, Dash found herself feeling somewhat restless. She didn’t want to just go flying off – that would be rude. But she still felt that need to stretch her wings.
She cast a quick glance back over her shoulder. AJ was lining up with another tree, paying no attention to her. Dash frowned a bit, before shrugging. Some ponies might feel a little odd about a pegasus stretching their wings in front of them, but even if AJ did notice, it was highly unlikely she’d be weirded out or something. She was cool like that. So what was the harm?
Applejack lined herself up with the next tree, she cast an idle glance over at Dash to see what she was up to – and found herself instantly freezing mid-buck.
Dash was sitting with her wings fully extended to her sides, her eyes closed in relaxation. Every inch of feather was exposed, showing off the avian limbs in all their glory. For a lot of ponies, there was something undeniably exotic about pegasi wings, and Applejack was no exception. It didn’t help that Dash happened to have a very nice set of wings, with strong musculature, sturdy bone structure, and elegant plumage.
And they were pretty, too.
Applejack immediately found herself blushing at the thought of finding her friend’s wings attractive. In a panicked attempt to divert her attention someplace else, she resumed her bucking, and violently kicked out with her legs.
Unfortunately, that brief moment of wing-gazing had caused her posture to relax, leaving the angle of her kick slightly off target. Rather than hitting that sweet spot and knocking apples loose… she instead spring-boarded off the tree, going airborne in a rather comedic fashion.
With a yelp, the earth mare landed in the grass and slid forward several yards, before coming to rest right next to Rainbow Dash. The blue pegasus looked down at her friend in confusion, and Applejack could only smile back sheepishly.
Dash, her wings still widely extended, noticed Applejack’s blush immediately. While not the academic type, Rainbow Dash was still smart enough to put two and two together and realize what had happened – and what the implications were.
Applejack soon wasn’t the only one blushing.
For a moment, the two friends stared at each other in silence. Finally, Dash broke the silence. “So…”
“Dash, I-“ Applejack tried to speak up, hoping to explain herself. However, she was silenced by a wingtip playfully poking her nose.
“What’re ya talkin’ about? Mah brother wore a tuxedo when he got hitched, an’ y’all stitched it with yer own hooves.”
“Alright, you have a point. One I can understand I suppose, but both of you?”
“Look Rarity, when you’re the one gettin’ hitched, y’all can wear whatever sort of fancy, frou-frouy dress y’all like. But me an’ RD don’t kin ta none of that. Now, are ya gonna make us two tuxedos or should I go tell RD we’re gettin’ married naked? Either way works fer us.”
“Very well, Applejack. Two tuxedos, but I maintain that it’s a waste of two fine mare-ish figures.”
Applejack smirked as Rarity began to take her measurements. “Why thank ya kindly, I’ll be sure ta tell RD ya said that.” She winked. “Should make her fitting a bit more interestin'.”
Rarity dropped her measuring tape with a gasp, knowing full well the torrent of jokes and comments about ‘checking out’ Rainbow Dash’s figure she would have to endure. “50 bits and you don’t say a word to Rainbow.”
Applejack strode confidently through the orchard, finally slowing to a stop amidst a large group of trees. She bit her lower lip, thinking, until she decided which tree would be first. Setting up baskets around the base, she got into position and kicked. She heard the expected sound of apples thunking solidly into the buckets, but she also heard a new, unexpected sound.
A faint whistling flew by her ear. She quickly placed both hooves over her hat and scanned her surroundings, but she was alone, just as she had thought.
"Prolly just a fly or sommat," she said to herself. "Nothin' t' get all worked up about."
Moving her baskets over to the next tree, she kicked again, sending a shower of apples raining down. And once again, a faint whistling rushed by her ear.
Hmm.
Applejack looked around, but heard nothing. Shrugging, she kicked again and felt the now expected whiff of air.
This time, she swiveled her ears and listened carefully. Sure enough, a few seconds later, she had confirmed her suspicions.
Picking up her baskets, she moved over to the tree furthest away in this little section, set up her baskets, and kicked again.
* * *
Up on a cloud high above the ground, a grumbling pegasus blindly swung the pole again. This time, Rainbow Dash felt the hook hit something and find purchase. Giggling evilly, she began to reel in the line.
"Oh, man, AJ will never see this coming," she chortled.
"Wanna bet?"
"Gah!" Rainbow jumped as her vision was suddenly filled with an orange earth pony, still wearing her hat and looking moderately annoyed.
"Applejack! How did you get up here?"
"Ah didn't."
Taking another look, Rainbow realized that Applejack had wrapped the fishing line around her hoof, and Rainbow had not so much reeled in the hat as pulled herself down, and her little black raincloud was now but a foot off the ground.
"So..." Rainbow said awkwardly. "Surprise, huh?"
Applejack pulled the pole out of Rainbow's hooves and tossed it into the grass. She then leaned forward and gave Rainbow a gentle kiss on the nose. "Ah appreciate a good prank, Rainbow." She then gave Rainbow a smack upside her head. "But the hat has been and will always be off limits. Find a different prank next time, ok?"
Rainbow Dash nodded... before hopping up and bouncing once on the cloud, sending a spark of lightning through the air and hitting Applejack right in the cutie mark.
"Better?" she asked cheekily.
* * *
Rainbow Dash pulled her head out of the mud and shook off a few of the leaves that were stuck to her body.
“Okay, what’s all this about?” Applejack sighed. For some reason, Rainbow Dash had asked her if she could borrow her barn for a bit, and then asked if they could have a private, personal discussion. After getting a very dubious look from Applejack, the pegasus had blushed and quickly assured her that it was nothing questionable or dirty. She just needed to show her something important.
And now that she was in the barn, she was quite confused. Dash had a large bucket of water set up, along with several small bottles full of some strange glowing liquids. Potions of some sort, by the look of it.
Rainbow Dash, seated by the bucket, sighed. “Okay, we’ve been dating awhile, right? And you know how we always say communication and honesty and all that jazz is super-important in a relationship, right?”
Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Where ya goin’ with this?”
Rainbow Dash lowered her head, and let out another sigh. “I’ve… kinda been lying to you.”
Applejack, to her credit, did not get angry upon hearing those words. She held her temper in check, and maintained a neutral expression. “Whatcha talkin’ about, Dash?”
Rainbow Dash lifted her face, magenta peeking out meekly from beneath short rainbow locks. “I… don’t know how to say it, really. It’s a long story. I’ll just… show you.”
Applejack raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Dash leaned over to the bucket, and poured one of the potions into the water. She swirled her hoof around in the large container, causing the water to foam up. She then took a deep breath to steady her nerves, and then dunked her head into the water.
A few seconds later, Dash pulled her head out and shook the water off of herself. Her mane was still left dripping wet and clinging to her face – and it was white. Whiter than the freshest, cleanest snow, without a single hint of color.
Applejack tilted her head to the side in confusion. “Did you just dye your mane?”
Rainbow Dash stared at her with a flat deadpan, slightly annoyed that the obvious answer wasn’t quite so obvious. “I undyed it.”
Applejack blinked. “Wait, what?”
The inaccurately-named pegasus let out a slightly frustrated sigh. “See? My name is Rainbow Dash, for crying out loud. I’m supposed to have a rainbow mane, just like my dad, but as I got older…” She turned to look at her reflection in the slightly-foamy water. “It just… kinda went away. Faded out. ‘Rainbows are light reflected through a prism,’ blablabla science and magic babble,” she snorted in irritation.
“So… you dye yer mane so nopony will make fun of you, or what?” Applejack cautiously asked.
“Part of it,” Dash shrugged. “Insults and gossip potential aside, it’s part of my identity. It’s in my name. And you know that rainbow trail I leave when I fly? Yeah, that happens even without the dye. I look weird with the white mane and tail,” she huffed.
Applejack took a step closer. “I don’t think ya look weird. I think it’s kinda cute, actually.”
Dash snorted. “You’re just saying that.”
“Dash,” the earth pony deadpanned, “I can’t lie to save my life.”
Dash blinked. “Oh yeah, right.” She looked at Applejack thoughtfully for a moment, before giving another sigh and shrug. “Still. I don’t like it. But I’m sorry I lied to you about part of me. I just wanted to show you the truth, since you deserved to know. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to mix the dyes to-”
Applejack quickly trotted closer, and took Dash’s face into her own hooves so she could look into her eyes. “I’m not mad, and I appreciate the honesty. Also-“ she paused to give Dash a quick kiss before smirking, “I really do think it’s a good look on ya.”
Dash was silent for a moment, before smiling softly. “Thanks, AJ.”
“No problem, Snowball,” Applejack replied with a roguish grin.
Dash immediately frowned. “Oh no. Don’t you-“
Applejack silenced her with a kiss, before playfully asking: “Snow Dash better?”
Dash frowned again. “AJ, seriously, I-”
Another kiss, another devilish smile. “Snowflake?”
Dash tried to look angry, but couldn’t help but giggle. “I’m warning you!” she tried to threaten, only to be kissed and nicknamed again and again.
t was early morning, after the party, and Applejack was just coming back from her chores. She was humming a tune, as she usually did. This time it seemed to echo faintly.
She stopped humming and blinked, confused as the tune continued. The music wasn’t coming from her, it was coming from the barn. She remembered the piano still there from the previous night and smiled as she quietly walked to the barn door.
Sure enough, Dash was sitting there tapping out the very tune AJ hummed each morning. It was a sweet tune with a slight hint of melancholy.
“Now where’d ya’ learn that?” Applejack spoke up as Dash finished the verse.
“Huh? Nowhere!” Dash turned around, blushing.
“That’s an old earth pony song. You been listenin’ to me hum it?”
“No way! I’ve known it forever, my dad used to sing it to me.” Dash blushed harder as Applejack smiled fondly. Trying to recover her coolness, she continued, “And it is totally not an earth pony song. That doesn’t even make sense.”
“You must not know all the words then,” Applejack said with a smirk.
“Um, yeah, I do. The words are what make it not an earth pony song.”
Applejack just kept smiling. “Hold on a minute. I’ll be back.”
She left and returned just a few minutes later with a fiddle case. She pulled out a beat up old fiddle, and quickly tuned it. “Go on and start.”
Dash played the tune again by herself. It was only after she finished that Applejack sang:
“In this world there's a whole lotta golden In this world there's a whole lotta plain In this world there's a whole lotta trouble But a whole lotta ground to gain Why take when you could be givin’, why watch as the world goes by? It's a hard enough life to be livin’, why walk when you can fly?”
Then she took the bow in her mouth and played. Dash joined in on the piano, but luckily she could play the old song by heart, because she was just staring at Applejack as the earth pony fiddled with a smile on her face until the next verse.
Dash kept playing as Applejack dropped the bow and sang:
“In this world there's a whole lotta sorrow In this world there's a whole lotta shame In this world there's a whole lotta sorrow And a whole lotta ground to gain When you spend your whole life wishin’, wantin’ and wonderin’ why, It's a long enough life to be livin’, why walk when you can fly?”
As Applejack took up her bow again and played, Dash kept playing but shook her head and said, “See? This totally isn’t an earth pony song.
Applejack paid her no mind, and when Dash thought the song should have been finished, Applejack dropped the bow and smiled at Dash, going into another verse that the pegasus didn’t recognize:
“In this world there's a whole lot of cold In this world there's a whole lot of blame In this world you've a soul for a compass And a heart for a pair of wings There's a star on the far horizon, risin’ bright in an azure sky For the rest of the time that you're given, why walk when you can fly?”
Dash smiled, and Applejack picked up the bow again, smiling at her pegasus. The two played together for another few bars, and finished with a flourish.
When Applejack laid her bow down for the last time she walked over to where Dash was sitting at the piano. “That’s an old earth pony song my pa taught me.” She closed her eyes and nuzzled Dash’s cheek, and whispered, “I reckon you and him woulda got along.”
Applejack trotted inside her house, tired from the day’s work in the hot summer sun. All she wanted to do right now was sit back, relax, and spend some time with Rainbow. That always cooled her down.
“Rainbow,” she called out, getting no response. “Rainbow, are ya in here?” yet again, no answer.
Making her way to the living room, she scanned the area for signs of her cyan marefriend. Applejack got more confused as she couldn’t find her anywhere, which was odd because she could’ve sworn she saw Rainbow go to her house when she was on the orchard.
‘Maybe Rainbow dropped somethin ’ off’ she thought, forgetting about her marefriend’s actions and made her way to the couch. Although, she couldn't help but feel like something bad was going to happen.
Before Applejack sat down, she noticed a yellow note with something written in it on top of the couch cushion. Was it from Rainbow? It couldn’t be, she’s not one to write notes – much less write at all.
Picking up the piece of paper, she read it:
Whatever you do, DON’T look behind you.
Not obeying the note, she turned around to see a Rainbow blur crash into her.
Next thing the orange mare knows, her legs were tied together in an unbreakable bond, and Rainbow was laughing her flank off – literally. “What ‘n the hay is this, Rainbow?”
Rainbow’s laughing fit faded as she wiped a tear off her cheek. “I got you.” She said victoriously. “You said I could never catch you off guard. Today, I proved you wrong.” She giggled a little bit more after that.
Applejack struggled to get the ropes untied, but it was impossible for somepony in her condition. “Could ya help me out here?”
“Sure.” Rainbow then simply pulled a loose string out and the ropes fell onto the ground. Rainbow offered a hoof to Applejack for her to grab on. She took it and got up. “Sorry about that.”
“Ain’t a problem.” The farmer pony said, dusting off the dirt on her coat. “Just don’t do that again, alright?” Rainbow nodded. “Good, now, is there anythin’ else ya want to do?”
“No, that was it.” Applejack got a little disappointed in her answer, before Rainbow pecked her cheek. “Bye.” Rainbow then ran off into the entrance and flew onto the afternoon sunshine.
Applejack was left to wonder at how she didn’t see that coming… and how she could get such a wonderful mare like her.
Rainbow Dash entered the room. There, she saw her; the beautiful orange mare, Applejack, sleeping quietly on the bed. She slowly moved forward, her eyes never leaving the other pony. Settling at the bed's side, she kept gazing for a moment. The time had come, and she knew what she had to do. Closing her eyes, she slowly began lowering her muzzle towards her friend's. It felt like an eternity had passed before their lips finally met.
"Whut in tarnation?!" yelled Applejack as she bolted upwards, causing Rainbow Dash to stumble back in surprise. "Ah— I mean— mah hero!" she then quickly added, attempting to recompose herself behind her flushed cheeks.
The two mares embraced each other as the crowd erupted in applause (and a bit of laughter), and the curtains fell upon the stage.
* * *
The play was now over, and the ponies were taking off their costumes backstage. Or, Rainbow Dash was taking off her costume while Applejack stared at her.
"What?" the pegasus finally asked, noticing the glare she was getting.
"You kissed me," the earth pony stated simply.
"Uh, yeah? It was in the script," Dash replied casually, if not with a raised eyebrow.
"You didn't kiss me durin' them rehearsals," Applejack pointed out.
"Well, duh. They were practice sessions, not make-out sessions," her friend retorted.
The two ponies remained silent for a while, before Rainbow spoke again. "… What, did you want me to?"
This caught the farm pony off guard. "Ah, uh, well, no," Applejack stammered, "but uh, it would've given me a chance to uh, ya know, get used to it!"
At that, Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. However, a small smirk made its way to her lips. "Did you enjoy it?"
"Whu— huh?!" was the reply she got.
The cyan mare couldn't help but giggle. "I mean, if you wanted me to kiss you at every rehearsal, you must've liked it."
No matter how flustered by her friend's comment she was, Applejack could not lie to her. "Well, maybe I did!" she said defiantly.
Rainbow Dash, for her part, merely smiled. Not a cocky grin, or a mischievous smirk, but a pure, sincere smile. Stepping closer, she gently wrapped her forelegs around Applejack's neck and touched her nose with her own. Gingerly, the orange lips reached forward to meet the cyan pair, and there they lay for a tender moment neither wished ever ended.
Of course, that is when Pinkie Pie loudly slammed the door open. "Girls, that was totally the most romantic play I've ever—" she began enthusiastically, before stopping in mid-bounce, noticing the two heavily blushing ponies in front of her. Putting on a wide, embarrassed grin, she slowly walked back in her steps and closed the door with an awkward creak. Behind it, she whispered loudly, "I'll see you girls at the party!"
Applejack and Rainbow Dash, for their part, glanced at each other, and burst out laughing.
Above the clouds reminded Applejack of being on the water. She rolled on invisible waves while thin, cool air caressed her skin in a steady current. Cloud heads foamed and crested beneath her, and the horizon stretched into a depthless and encompassing blue. Blue like her coat. A gust of wind kicked up and buffeted Applejack’s face, shocking her with its icy strength and she shivered, a ripple that alerted her marefriend.
“You doing ok, AJ?” Rainbow Dash craned her head around.
“Yes’m,” Applejack replied shortly lest her teeth betray her words.
“I told you to wear Rarity’s scarf. Most ponies aren’t ready for how cold it gets this high up their first time.”
“I’ll take my chances turnin’ into a ponycicle than wear that frilly thing, thank ya kindly.” She smiled when she heard Dash laugh, quick like a dog’s bark but as melodious as anything her ears ever received. The sound faded against the whistle of rushing air and dispersed into the blue.
~
The sky ripened as it set, a gradual but imperceptible shift to red that lit the cloud tips. Applejack lay stretched against Rainbow Dash’s chest and watched, trying to mimic the serene expression of the beautiful mare underneath her.
The cloud carpet certainly looked thick and inviting but Applejack knew better. There was no other safe place to step up here. Rainbow Dash had suggested a ride for their second date, and Applejack said yes. It sounded like fun. And it was, the actual flight anyway. But now, without anyplace to move, with the constant push-pull feeling of vertigo and tranquility, she began to worry.
This was not her world. On the ground there was stability and opportunity for her to meet Dash like an equal. Up here it didn’t exist. Applejack didn’t want that. She didn’t want to feel like they could only date on her terms, where Dash would be forced to always visit Sweet Apple Acres, and they would always go to the same spots and do the same things. She wanted to experience Dash’s freedom, to try and see the world through her eyes. Staring at the gorgeous sunset unfolded before her, Applejack knew that could never happen. One misstep and she’d fall. Dash would catch her. There was no doubt of it. But she would always be the anchor, always be the one that brought Dash back to the ground and away from the sky she loved.
Applejack shivered, and Dash wordlessly wrapped a wing around her for warmth. She buried her face into those feathers so Dash wouldn’t see under her eyes the burning red.
~
“I had a great time,” Dash said after they landed. The sky was black, clear and clean.
Applejack nodded her head, eyes down, “It was a beautiful sunset all right.” That part was true enough.
“Heh, almost half as beautiful as the mare I got to spend it with. I’d never felt so free flying before.”
Applejack looked up, surprised. “Really? Even though I don’t got no wings like you?”
“Of course. Long as I’m with you, we can go anywhere. Even my awesome wings can’t beat that feeling.” Rainbow Dash brought her hoof up to touch Applejack’s cheek. “So what’re we doing for the next date?”
Applejack rolled the question in her head, Dash’s previous words still echoing strongly. She stared back into those luminous rose eyes and saw the love reflected in her own heart, honest and pure. She knew honesty when she saw it. Applejack shivered and buried her muzzle into Dash’s mane, inhaling sharply. She was not an anchor. She was the other half. She would complement her marefriend, earth and sky.
She kissed Dash on the side of her neck while rainbow strands of hair tickled her face. “Don’t know yet. But like ya said, sugarcube, we could do anything.” She closed her eyes while thoughts of her rainbow lover warmed her body. The rest of the world faded to black.
She turned around and bucked the tree with a solid kick, and the apples fell into the bushels around it.
"This is so not fair," she repeated, lifting her hat to wipe her brow. The scorching sun burned high in the hot sky. Letting out an aggravated sigh, she dragged her sweaty self to the next tree. As she turned around, however, her ear twitched as she heard the faint echo of hooves against bark from the opposite side of the next row.
Getting in position again, she assaulted the trunk with a kick or two to harvest the fruits, and proceeded further down the row. Eventually, she came across the other pony working in the fields.
"Hangin' in there?" the latter asked, smiling softly.
"Yeah," the pony answered, visibly exhausted.
"Just one more row," the other pony said, before giggling. "Y'know, Rainbow, you don't look half bad with a hat on."
The pegasus rolled her eyes, then resumed her work.
* * *
"Ha!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash, "the day I work on the farm is the day you beat me in a race, Appleslack!"
"Oh yeah?" retorted Applejack, grinning. "So all I have to do is beat you in a race, y'all are gonna work on the farm fer an entire day?"
"Pfft! Make that an entire week! There's no way I am losing against you!" the pegasus certified.
The orange mare simply spat on her hoof, and presented it to her friend. "From here to the front gate," she bet.
"You're on." A wet cyan hoof met hers, and both ponies got in position.
"Ready set go!" Rainbow swiftly called before taking off into the sky...
... and landing face first into the dirt.
"Egh, what the...?!" she asked, glancing at herself. Her wings were bound by a too-familiar lasso. She turned around, and saw Applejack winking back at her while galloping away in the distance.
"Way ahead o' ya!" she heard.
"Oh, this is not fair," the pegasus muttered, picking herself up and running after her friend.
* * *
"Looks like I captured myself a Rainbow Dash!" the earth pony announced as they walked inside.
Rainbow Dash, however, simply followed with an unamused frown on her face.
"Aw, don't be like that, Rainbow. Tell you what, you don't have to stay all week."
The pegasus still didn't look too happy.
"Uh, here," Applejack continued. She fumbled in a closet, then took out a hat identical to her own, and put it on her friend's rainbow mane. "Now ya look just like a real farm pony!"
Dash blinked, looking up at the tip of her new hat. Despite herself, a giggle escaped her lips.
* * *
"Hooie! Never done buckin' so many rows in a single day. You doin' okay there, pony girl?" Applejack asked as Rainbow Dash was finishing her row.
"Can't feel my legs," the pegasus complained.
"Aw, c'mere, you," the orange mare said softly as she pulled her friend in a supportive embrace. "How 'bout a long bath to relax those muscles? I could use one too, if you don't mind sharin'."
Rainbow Dash felt the heat shift from her sore hooves all the way up into her cheeks. "Uh... y'know, if that's how you end your work days, I... don't mind staying the whole week."
Rainbow Dash truly did love her friends. They were fun, supportive, fun, amazing, fun, and fun. Did she mention fun?
She loved them all, even despite some of their quirks. Take for example, Twilight. The unicorn could sometimes go a bit... gaga,and she'd need help calming down. Rarity was often quite ridiculous. She craved attention in ways even Dash was embarassed of. Fluttershy was still meek and quiet, despite all their friends' efforts. She'd made progress, but there was still a ways to go.
And then there was Pinkie Pie.
Her other friends' quirks were just that - quirks, part of their personalities. They made them more interesting, in an odd way.
But Pinkie was a living manifestation of quirks.
She was arguably one of the most fun ponies to be around, and one of her best friends. There was no doubt about that.
But sometimes, Pinkie just... did things. Rainbow had long sinced stopped questioning it, or even commenting on it. It's why she preferred Pinkie in smaller doses. The pink mare was a great friend, but Rainbow sometimes felt she lost her patience with her.
There was only so much confusion she could deal with.
Right now was a perfect example. Pinkie had hopped from behind the counter of Sugarcube Corner, and zipped right in front of Dash.
But instead of saying anything, Pinkie had just started sniffing her.
Her mane, her neck, even her wings weren't safe from Pinkie's nose. As the earth pony approached Rainbow's cutie mark, she scooted away.
"Pinkie, what the heck are you doing?"
"You smell different!"
What. "What?"
"You normally smell like clouds! Or rain! But you smell different today!"
"R-really?"
"Yeah, you smell just like-oh." Pinkie paused, grinning slyly at Rainbow. "Ooooh."
Rainbow started backing towards the door. "Yeah, I'm just gonna go now-"
"So, Dashie!" Pinkie said, throwing a hoof around the pegasus' whithers. "How's it going between you and Applejack?"
The blush on Rainbow's cheeks was as bright as the farmer's cutie mark. "Wh-I-But-" She stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence. "How?!"
Pinkie simply giggled at her friend. "The nose knows, Dashie." She leaned over to whisper into the pegasus' ear.
The tension in Applejack's bedroom is unbearable. The closed door prevents even air itself to attempt an escape. After a long moment, the mare's fiery voice pierces through the heavy silence.
"An' just who do you think you are?"
She glares coldly straight into the other pony's frightened eyes.
"You ain't good enough for her."
Applejack keeps staring angrily into the quiet pony's sorrowful eyes.
"She's the goldarn prettiest mare in all of Equestria, and what are you?"
The pony wishes she could lower her head in shame, but an orange hoof grabs her mane.
"Jus' look at this plain, borin' ol' mane o' yours. Ain't no way in Tartarus you're gonna impress her with that!"
The mane reluctantly falls back on the pony's shoulder, the hoof releasing it strand by strand, as if to expose each unworthy hair.
"Ain't no way she'll ever be—" Applejack chokes, seeing tears starting to form in the other pony's eyes.
"Don't'cha DARE cry!" she yells at her, slamming her hooves loudly on the desk. Her vision begins to blur.
"Don't'cha dare..." she begins again, her voice losing itself in a whimper.
She closes her eyes for a moment, feeling warm tears soak her own cheeks as she tries in vain to stifle a sob. Suddenly, a gust of air spirals around the room. Her teary eyes shoot open, fixed on the other pony. Her heart skips a beat. The window behind her is open.
"I dunno, AJ", a scratchy voice fills the room. "I think she looks pretty cute."
A cyan and rainbow blur moves closer to the pony and reaches for her chin with a hoof. Gently, it guides Applejack's gaze away from the mirror, and into concerned magenta eyes.
"But she looks even better when she's not sad," Rainbow Dash whispers, a worried look on her face.
Applejack glances back at the mirror and rubs away the haze with her forelegs, attempting a forced smile. As she does so, she sees her friend lean closer, and feels a soft nuzzle on her cheek. Her eyes light up and an honest smile stretches across her muzzle.
“Don’tcha think this is gonna be kinda weird?” Apple Bloom asked.
“What? No, it’ll be great. We hang out all the time anyway, right?” Scootaloo looked up from the forms she was filling out. “It’ll be like a permanent sleepover!”
A white unicorn filly hopped through the clubhouse door in the middle of the conversation. “Hey girls, what’s going on?”
Apple Bloom scooted across the floor of the clubhouse on her chin, propelled by her hind legs. “Nothin’. Scoots has all them forms ta fill out, so no crusadin’ today.” Sweetie Belle couldn’t help but recognize boredom when she saw it.
“Forms?” Sweetie loomed up behind her pegasus friend and stared over her shoulder, reading the name Scootaloo Dash Apple. “Oh! Congratulations, Scootaloo!”
“Heh, thanks.” Scootaloo grinned wide over her shoulder, but it was cut short by the mischievous look she suddenly caught in Apple Bloom’s eye. “Uh, Apple Bloom?..”
“I just thought of somethin'.” The earth filly grinned. “If Applejack is mah sister an’ Rainbow Dash is her wife, an’ they’re adoptin’ ya, is that gonna make ya my niece?”
Scootaloo gulped while Sweetie Belle joined Apple Boom’s cackling laughter. “Okay, now it’s kinda weird.”
Arguably one of the most respected professions in any town. Yes, ponies need timepieces, clothes, and metalwork; but it clearly went without saying that any society that did not know the meaning of a good apple pie could only be considered "uncivilized". While cooking is an art allowing the chef to express herself, baking is a science; requiring a keen eye, a stout heart, and a deep burning desire to create. Anypony and everypony who dared step hoof into a kitchen had better do so with the proper mindset, skills, and attitude to create a masterpiece.
"Rainbow! Quit playin' in the flour and get back to slicing apples!"
...well, almost everypony.
"But Applejaaack," Rainbow whined, "I've been peeling and slicing apples for forever."
"You've done two. Ah need twelve."
"Three now, see?" Rainbow held out a peeled apple for Applejack's consideration.
Applejack wasn't impressed. "Missed a spot."
Rainbow rolled her eyes and picked up the paring knife again. "Ooh, lookit me," she said sarcastically, "I'm Applejack, and I run the kitchen of no fun. Work! Work, slave!" She imitated the sound of a whip cracking as she mimed the motion with the knife. "Apples are serious business, ya convoluting pegasus!"
"Ah do not talk like tha-"
"Serious business!"
A well-thrown apple bounced off Rainbow Dash's head. Rainbow dropped the knife and grabbed her head dramatically, crying out in faux pain.
"See? It's torture, I tell you. Torture!"
"Ya didn't have to come over, ya know."
Rainbow sobered instantly. "Had nothing better to do," she mumbled as she retrieved her knife. It was a flimsy lie, and both knew it; and for once, it was a lie that Applejack didn't really mind.
"All right," she said. "Ah'll give you a break. Go get me the vanilla and the sugar from the pantry."
"I'm guessing you aren't referring to the ice cream," Dash said with a smile.
"Nope. Little black bottle. You'll know it when ya smell it. And don't drink any of it, either. Smells good, tastes awful." Applejack grinned as she returned to sifting the flour. Five... Four... Three... Two...
"Ack! Ugh! Blarghgh!"
Applejack kindly refrained from saying anything, but she couldn't hide a smile spreading across her face or a few silent chuckles from racking her body. A very annoyed Rainbow Dash bitterly stomped in, gently placed the offending bottle next to Applejack, and turned and left the kitchen.
Soon, she returned, dragging a large brown bag.
"Now measure me out three cups when Ah say so."
"Cups are the big ones, right?"
"Yep. And have been for some time now."
As recipes often required that all the dry ingredients be mixed first, Applejack was soon ready. "All right. Gimme some sugar." She turned around to face Rainbow Dash, but was surprised when she realized that she had turned right into Rainbow's lips, and was being kissed.
She pulled back. "Rainbow..."
"Hey," Rainbow shrugged. "Don't ask for sugar unless you really want some."
Applejack processed this. "In a really weird way, that was actually kinda sweet."
Rainbow stepped closer to Applejack, and the earth pony could see that her breathing rate had risen slightly and her pupils had dilated a bit. "Sweet enough to do it again?" she asked. Her voice betrayed no emotion, but her eyes spoke pure desire.
Applejack brought a hoof up to her chin thoughtfully, as if deciding if it were worth it.
"Ah really gotta get these baked," she said finally, before turning and smiling, "but you know there's always time for you in my schedule." Stepping closer still, Applejack tilted her head and leaned forwards, kissing Rainbow gently on the lips. The pegasus responded in kind, breaking the kiss only long enough to give Applejack's lips an affectionate lick.
Five minutes later, Applejack was on her back in the kitchen, breathing raggedly as Rainbow Dash, who was straddling her and pressing her body as close as equinely possible, lay a trail of kisses across her body, pausing only to lick her cheek once before continuing the trail. She closed her eyes and tried--but failed--to remain silent as Rainbow reached up and gently bit her ear. While not Applejack's preferred mode of affection, it felt good to know that Rainbow felt comfortable enough with her lover to express her love in her own way.
This thought was interrupted by the sound of a paper bag crinkling. She opened her eyes, only to have her vision turn white as Rainbow Dash poured something all over Applejack.
Mood. Ruined.
Applejack squealed and shot to her hooves, knocking Rainbow off and sending the cup she was holding flying and sending the white contents all over the kitchen.
"Rainbow!" she hissed, furiously rubbing her eye.
"What?" Rainbow asked worriedly. "You didn't seem to mind when I did it before..."
"This ain't the same as apple cider, Rainbow. It's powdered sugar!"
"Yeah," Applejack griped. "One's used for baking, the other for frosting and decoration. But that ain't important now. What is important is powdered sugar ain't exactly easy to clean up, and now it's in my eye and all over the kitchen and what were you thinking?"
Applejack still rubbed her eye and coughed some powder from her lungs, but she knew she couldn't be angry with Rainbow. "Ah know. Just... Never mind. Ah know you meant no harm." She turned to walk up the stairs. "Ah'm gonna shower real quick if you wanna clean up all the sugar. Use a wet rag; dry ones just spread it."
Rainbow knew enough to know that that had not been a suggestion. She snapped to a salute as Applejack headed upstairs.
As Rainbow Dash dutifully cleaned up, a thought occurred to her.
Applejack had powdered sugar all over her body.
Applejack had told her to clean all the sugar.
Clearly, this instruction included that sugar as well.
And heaven forbid that Rainbow Danger Dash fail to fully complete an assignment. That would be totally uncool.
With a smile on her face, Rainbow Dash scampered after Applejack.
Rainbow Dash stirred fitfully as the bed shifted. Still soaring through the heights of dreamland, she rolled over and curled up next to the warmth beneath the covers. Her contentful rest jolted away from her with the crash of a chair against the floor. Startled, she bolted upright and rubbed her eyes blearily in the dim light.
“Mighty sorry about that RD. Don’t let it bother you none and get yourself some more rest.”
Stretching her limbs, Rainbow Dash yawned and looked out the window. The slightest hint of dawn trickling over the horizon in a thin gleaming line. Awake before dawn, some habits never change. Her eyes swept across the room and found Applejack sitting in front of the vanity with a mane-brush strapped to her hoof.
By now, the warmth of Applejack’s body had long departed the blankets they shared moments earlier. With no further motivation to stay in bed, Rainbow eased herself out and touched her hooves to the cool wooden floor below. The chill bit through her body and drew an involuntary shiver from her wings.
Wordlessly, she padded over to Applejack and smiled at the reflection of her lifelong companion in the polished glass mirror. She was always amazed by how brilliantly Applejack’s green eyes shone even in the dimmest of lights—a shining beacon in her life. Not taking her eyes from their shared reflection, she reached forward and gripped Applejack’s hoof within her own.
“Let me do it Applejack. I know how difficult it is for you.”
A moment’s hesitation, but it quickly passed. She gently eased the mane-brush from Applejack’s hoof and strapped it to her own. Lovingly, she stroked the bristles through the golden mane she had grown hopelessly attached to. She watched in the mirror as the dull morning expression upon Applejack’s face grew to a smile and she smiled back.
Mid-stroke, Applejack’s hoof intercepted her own, and their wedding bands clinked melodiously against one another. Her face in the mirror twisted to a slight frown, but Applejack’s expression did not change.
“Rainbow... Why are you still here?”
Her hoof fell languidly to her side.
“I can’t see none. I bumble around in our home like a lost filly.”
Rainbow bit her lip as the polished glass captured the dimming of those eyes she loved so much. She wrapped her hooves around the chest of her beloved and nuzzled into the soft mane which hadn’t changed since the first day she tumbled into it. “Because I made a promise. To be here for you, for better or worse, through sickness and health, until my last moment.”
The tears formed at her own eyes, reflected plainly in the mirror, but Applejack couldn’t see them. “And, I intend to keep that promise.”
“I’m sorry RD.”
A hoof pulled her down and brought her face to face with her love. No glass could capture the beauty she saw now. Tenderly, they came together and shared a kiss.
The kiss parted, and Applejack whispered to her: “I never should have forgot.”
The yellow pegasus winced at Rainbow Dash's tone. "I know you don't usually drink it... But it's very relaxing."
"Relaxing?" Rainbow frowned. "I'm fine, why would I need to relax?"
"Rainbow..." Fluttershy sighed. "Your wings have been twitching since you came in."
"I-I'm just eager to fly! That's all!" The blue pegasus' forced smile faded under her friend's stare. "I... I just miss her, okay? She's been gone a long time..."
Fluttershy nodded, wrapping a wing around Rainbow as she sat next to her friend. "I'm sure she appreciates what you're doing."
Rainbow blushed as she looked at the floor. "I'm just keeping her family company..."
"And helping with the chores. And applebucking. And keeping the entire farm running." Fluttershy smiled gently. "You're doing more than you realize." The smile disappeared as she stared at Rainbow. "But you're driving yourself too hard."
"But-"
"Please, Dash. If not for me, for her?"
"...fine."
Fluttershy beamed, and stood up to trot to the kitchen, leaving Dash to sit on the couch. The blue pegasus glanced around, pausing to stare at Angel, who seemed... smug. Very smug, today. As she debated wiping that smirk off his muzzle, Fluttershy returned, bearing a tray on her back.
Rainbow rolled her eyes as Fluttershy set the tray down, and poured the tea into the teacup. As Rainbow leaned down to grab the cup, the aroma hit her, freezing her in her tracks.
"Is that...?"
"I think you'll like this blend." Fluttershy said, giggling.
Rainbow lifted the cup to her nose, and took a deep breath. It smelled... delicious. She took a sip, and her eyes widened. It was delicious.
It smelled, and tasted... of apples. She set down the cup on the table, wiping a tear that had formed at the corner of her eye. "Th-thanks, Fluttershy." She smiled at her friend. "I just miss her so much."
"Ah missed you too, Sugarcube."
Rainbow whirled around in shock, staring at the stairs to Fluttershy's room. She was there. In the flesh.
Applejack.
A split second later, the pair were on the ground, having been bowled over by a blue pony shaped missile. "You're home!" Dash murmured, nuzzling Applejack's neck.
"Ah told you, Dash. Ah always come back." Applejack whispered, kissing the top of Rainbow's forehead. "Always."
Twilight Sparkle looked up from her book and did a double-take. Rainbow Dash was walking into the library. Not flying in. Not crashing in through a window. Walking. Her head was slightly downcast, and Twilight could instantly tell all was not right.
"Rainbow? Are you ok?" she had to ask.
"Hey, Twilight. I was hoping you'd be here."
Twilight smiled. "I'm always here."
"Yeah, I know. And here's where Applejack usually isn't, so I figured I'd come by and talk."
"Actually..." Twilight paused as Rainbow's words sank in. "Talk about what, Rainbow?"
"Life."
"That's... mildly unhelpful," Twilight said.
Rainbow sighed. "I'm just so... confused. All these feelings..." After a few false starts, she spoke. Her words came out fast and jumbled. "Do you ever feel like everything makes sense, but nothing makes sense at the same time? Like you're so happy you want to fly east forever, but then so wound up you just want to scream, and then so depressed that all you want to do is take a cold shower?"
"That's a bit more helpful," Twilight said, lowering the checklist she had just made, "and extraordinarily complex. When do you get these feelings?"
"You want me to come out and say it? Fine. Fine, I'll say it." She took a deep breath. "I can't say it."
"Do you feel these feelings around another pony?" Twilight asked.
"Maybe."
Twilight smiled. "Rainbow Dash, you fit the description of a pony in love."
"I know."
Twilight blinked. "If you know, why are you here?"
Rainbow answered with a question of her own. "What do you know about love?"
"I've read plenty about it. In fact..."
Rainbow Dash exploded. She rose into the air, forcing Twilight to take a step backwards. "No! No books, Twilight. This is real life, ok? There is no happy ending, there is no easy way out, there is no everypony winds up satisfied. Look at me, ok? Look at me! My dream for forever has been joining the Wonderbolts. What do they do?"
"Show their flying prowess and act as special forces units?" Twilight answered hesitantly.
"They tour. They visit different places. They're diplocrats from Equestria."
Twilight was tempted to correct her, but quickly decided against it.
"They don't go home. Right?"
Twilight nodded.
"Now imagine that a Wonderbolt which may or may not be me has fallen in love with somepony here in Ponyville who will never leave. She can't leave. What happens then?"
"You'll... drift apart?"
"Exactly! So we're happy for a bit, and then -bam-. Things won't work out. And what if I don't tell her? Then I'm stuck with all these... feelings inside, and it's tearing me apart, Twilight. She is everything I want in a special somepony. She works hard. She's beautiful. She doesn't quit."
Twilight blinked. This was indeed very unusual behavior from Rainbow.
"Celestia help me, she's almost as awesome as me."
Ok, that was a little more appropriate.
"Either way, we both lose." Rainbow Dash sank to the floor. "And that's assuming Applejack even likes me back. What do I do, Twilight? What do I do?"
Ooh, accidental name-drop. Twilight thought quickly. "Well, I..."
"If you're going to say 'read something in a book', I swear I'll leave a raincloud over your library for two weeks."
Twilight kept a flat expression. "I was going to say, 'talked with Princess Celestia'..."
"Oh."
"When I first learned of Hearts and Hooves day, I was so confused as to why that was even a holiday. I asked the princess, and she told me about it."
"How does that help me?"
"Let me finish. I also asked her if she had ever fallen in love."
"Oh, 'cause she's, like, immortal and stuff, right?"
"Right. She went quiet for a moment, and then she said yes. I then asked her who her special somepony was. She said they'd all died."
Rainbow crinkled her nose. "That's... depressing."
"I know, and I told her so. I asked why even bother falling in love if it was just going to hurt. She smiled and said, 'Yes, but Twilight, the good times are worth all the pain'."
"So..."
"So tell her, Rainbow. It'll be awkward, but it'll be worth it."
Rainbow shot to her hooves. "That's just what I needed! Now I just need to go and find Applejack, and..." Her voice trailed off as she saw Twilight's nervous expression, and Rainbow's face fell.
"She's here, isn't she?"
"Kitchen." Twilight said. "Making pies for that parade later."
"She couldn't make them at home?"
"They'd be cold when they got here."
"And she heard all of that, didn't she?"
"Yep. Probably."
Pause.
"I should go talk to her."
"We'll stay out of your way." Twilight turned up the stairs and called, "Spike?"
"What?" he yelled back down.
"I'm going to see Rarity, want to come?"
He could not have been at her side quicker had he been teleported.
Twilight gave a reassuring smile as she led Spike out among questions of 'how do my spines look? do I need a breath mint?'. "Remember, Rainbow. It'll be awkward, but worth it."
Rainbow repeated that mantra as she entered the kitchen.
Sure enough, it described that conversation.
Sure enough, it described that first kiss.
Sure enough, it described those first few days of their relationship, trying to adjust to each other.
Sure enough, it described their first night together.
Sure enough, it described their situation when Apple Bloom walked in on them in the barn.
Sure enough, it described their life when Rainbow got that acceptance letter.
Sure enough, it described it when Rainbow had to miss their fifth anniversary for Wonderbolt detail.
But those are all stories for another time.
This story ends with that awkward first kiss in the middle of somepony else's kitchen inside a building neither often set hoof in.
Rainbow Dash pulled back and smiled as she wiped some flour off of Applejack's cheek. Awkward, but worth it.
A half moon smiled down on Sweet Apple Acres from a cloudless sky. Surrounded by innumerable pinpricks of starlight in a sea of inky night, it bathed the rolling hills and countless swaying treetops in soft, blue light
The ambience provided the perfect cover for a certain troop of three certain fillies, who had gathered in the cover of darkness, each clothed in a black one-piece garment, leaving nothing exposed save for their tails, faces, and in one’s case, a pair of small, orange wings.
“Applebloom, why are we doing this again? These things are itchy.”
“Sssh, Scootaloo, yer gonna blow our cover. Do ya want yer ninja cutie mark or what?”
The little Pegasus filly sighed. “Fine…”
“Alright, girls. Here’s the plan, we need ta infiltrate mah sister’s room, but if we wake anypony up, we won’t get our cutie marks for sure. Got it?”
“Got it.” Her two companions answered in unison.
“Alright, ready? One… two… three…”
“Cutie Mark Crusader Ninjas YAY!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All things considered, they had made it all the way to Applejack’s room without serious mishap, their only scare coming just outside Granny Smith’s room. A particularly loud snore from the elder mare had caused Sweetie Belle to stumble and almost blow their cover. Almost.
Gently, Applebloom put a hoof to her big sis’s door and pushed. It swung open easily. As she and her fellow crusaders slunk into the room, it suddenly dawned on her that she hadn’t really thought of what they were going to do once they got into the room. Maybe they should jump up and surprise Applejack? Or maybe they could steal something of hers and see if she noticed in the morning? Maybe they could…
Unfortunately, as focused as she was on new ideas, she failed to take stock of her surroundings. Namely, the strange noises emanating from the general direction of Applejack’s bed, and the treacherous squeaky floorboard lying in wait just in front of her.
“Gah! Whawazat?”
“Applebloom! What in the hay are ya doin’ in mah room?”
“Aww, sis.. ya weren’t suppose ta… wait, Rainbow Dash? What are ya’ll doin’ here?”
For a moment, neither mare spoke, their worried gazes flicking between each other and the three innocent-eyed fillies before them like two deer caught in the proverbial headlights. Rainbow Dash still had Applejack’s blanket half-draped over her head, her mane in disarray. Se bit her lip, thinking on her hooves was not her strong suit. “I was… uh… giving Applejack a… massage! Yeah, a massage! Her muscles get really sore working outside all day, so she needs one to get to sleep. Yeah.”
“Aww! That’s sweet!” Sweetie Belle chimed in.
“Yeah, Rainbow Dash. You must give the most awesome massages in Ponyville, cause you’re the most awesome pony in Ponyville!” Scootaloo gazed up at her in wonderment, and Rainbow Dash winked at her.
“You bet I do, squirt.”
Applebloom pouted. “Well, tha’s no fair! We’ll never get our ninja cutie marks now!” Without so much as a further inquisitive glance, she stormed out of the room, her friends following on her heels a moment later.
The two elder mares sat in abject silence for a few moments before Rainbow Dash let out a sigh of relief. “Well, that was too close.”
“Ah’ll say…”
“So…. Pick up where we left off?”
Applejack chuckled lightly. “Fine, Sugarcube. Just let me lock the door first this time.”
“Y’all wanna do what now?” Applejack raised an eyebrow at the suggestion.
“Trixie assures you that she means no harm. Please tell them, Twilight Sparkle.”
“It’s just a bit of stage magic you guys. Trixie’s not going to do anything bad, she tried it on me already and I’m just fine. She just needs to practice it on a few more ponies before her next show.” Twilight tried to reassure her friends. “And Trixie, you don’t have to keep calling me by my full name, I thought we were closer than that.”
“Trixie is sorry.” The blue showmare’s ears folded back. “Old habits are hard to break sometimes.”
“Okay, okay, I’ll volunteer.” Rainbow Dash stepped forward. “But it better be awesome!”
Trixie smiled brightly. “Trixie assures you that it will be quite awesome.” Trixie’s horn shone a pale purple as she conjured a watch on a chain out of thin air. “Now, please keep your eyes on this watch, Rainbow Dash.”
Dash’s eyes followed the watch back and forth as Trixie swung it on it’s chain in front of her face. “You are becoming sleepy, Rainbow Dash. Your eyelids are growing heavy.”
As the five other ponies in the room watched, Dash’s eyelids did start to droop, a dopey expression taking over her face. Trixie droned on. “Very sleepy, you cannot keep your eyes open, very sleepy.”
After a few more moments, Dash’s eyes closed completely and Trixie grinned. “You are now under my power Rainbow Dash, you will follow my commands. Acknowledge each one with a nod.”
“I will follow your commands.” Dash responded in a flat monotone.
“When you hear the word ‘wing’, you will...” Trixie pointed at Pinkie for a suggestion.
“Bark like a dog!” Pinkie said, bouncing excitedly.
“Bark like a dog.” Trixie repeated. Dash nodded her head. “When you see your reflection, you will...” Trixie pointed at Rarity this time.
“Groom your mane.” Rarity’s suggestion was rather predictable.
“Groom your mane.” Trixie commanded, earning another nod. “And when you are offered a drink, you will...” Fluttershy was singled out by a blue hoof.
“Oh, um... relive your happiest moment, um... involving that drink?” Fluttershy posed.
Trixie shrugged and repeated. “Relive your happiest moment involving that drink.” Dash nodded a third time. “When I stomp my hoof, you will wake up and remember none of this.”
Dash blinked her eyes as she heard Trixie’s hoof clack against the wood floor of the library. “Did it work?” She asked, quirking her head to the side.
“It seemed to.” Twilight answered. “Stretch out your wing for a moment.”
At the word ‘wing’ Rainbow’s eyes dropped to half mast and she did a very good impression of WInona. “What’s so funny, what’d she do?” Rainbow asked as everypony started laughing for some reason.
“Here, see for yerself.” Applejack hoofed over a small mirror that Trixie had set out, getting into the spirit of the show.
Rainbow’s hoof moved involuntarily to her mane, straightening it out as soon as she caught sight of her reflection. “Seriously, what’s so funny?” Dash couldn’t figure out why everypony was giggling yet again.
“Here Dashie,” Pinkie hoofed over a mug, “some cider will make you feel all better.”
Dash held the mug between her hooves, but she paid it no mind as her eyes were at half mast again. She moaned softly and started to croon. “Ooooh Spitfire, now I’m covered in cider, you’d better clean it all up.”
Five ponies looked over at Applejack, expecting her to be angry, instead finding her blushing a bright red. The next words out of Dash’s mouth cleared up the confusion. “Mmmm, I love you AJ. Best birthday present, ever!”
Applejack pulled her stetson over her face. “Trixie, Ah’d be much obliged if y’all’d undo whatever y’all did ta Rainbow.” She paused for a moment. “An’ let’s never speak of this again.”
Five ponies looked back and forth at each other with nervous grins, nodding silently.
“Um… what?” Applejack asked, not comprehending her marefriend’s slouched statement.
Rainbow stopped in her tracks to spit out the basket handle in her mouth. “I said, this is gonna be so cool.” she repeated what she said before, her voice getting more high-pitched at the end of her sentence. Rainbow noticed it and, with a blush, composed herself, acting like it never happened.
Applejack giggled at Rainbow’s antics. After that little incident, – which Applejack will remember forever - the duo resumed their trip to the hillside, that was located just outside of Ponyville. Both of them were bringing the necessaries for the picnic they were settling, with Rainbow carrying the basket with the drinks – cider, mostly - and AJ carrying the basket with the food, and the blanket in her saddlebag.
Applejack would’ve carried the drinks and the snacks in one basket but her “cider expert” companion wouldn’t have any of it. “It will ruin the flavor of the cider” she would say. The orange mare simply agreed with her on that, as to avoid another argument relative to the beverage. Last time they had one, it wasn’t pretty… not in the least.
“Alright, we’re here.” Applejack announced as they reached the top. Both of them laying the baskets on the grass, the farm pony reached for her saddlebag and unclipped it. She grabbed the squared red and white blanket with her mouth and pulled it out of its resting place. With her marefriend’s help, they gently unfolded the sheet onto the blades of grass, fixing any small bumps left on it.
With that being done Rainbow wasted no time in sprawling on top of the sheet, sighing in relief, with a smile on her face, enjoying the temporary night time. Applejack rolled her eyes at Rainbow’s display as she fetched the drinks.
AJ removed a medium sized barrel out of the basket along with a couple of mugs. The barrel had a tap on its side for easier pouring. AJ placed a mug underneath the tab and twisted the knob. At the sound of cider pouring onto the mug Rainbow quickly raised herself into a sitting position, looking at the cider intensely, with a drool waterfall coming out of her mouth. As the mug got full AJ switched the full mug with the empty one and repeated process, a suddenly thirsty rainbow-maned Pegasus watching her intently.
With the beverages in her grip, she trotted to her marefriend’s side. Seeing the orange come to her with the alcohol of the gods, Rainbow snatched one of the cups, immediately gulping down half of cider.
“Hey,” AJ frowned. ”ya could at least thank me.”
Rainbow wiped the foam mustache off her face and laughed nervously. “Sorry,” instead of a ‘thanks’, Rainbow pulled AJ in with a foreleg on her neck and their lips connection in a half-unexpected, passionate kiss. Applejack’s eyes widened at the contact, but they quickly relaxed, savoring the moment.
This wasn’t one of those sensual kisses that happen before sex, this wasn’t one of those nervous kisses that happen when you don’t know what else to do, this wasn’t one of those kisses involving tongue play.
It was just a normal one. One that’s full of love in each of their hearts.
Their lips parted, having the short and sweet forever kept in their memories. Rainbow was the first to speak. “That good enough?”
Applejack didn’t answer. She just smiled at her marefriend.
But something else caught her eye. “Rainbow, look.” AJ said, pointing at a distance behind the Pegasus. When Rainbow turned, the duo saw something beautiful.
Celestia’s sun rose from the distant horizon, though from their point of view, it looked like it came out from the dark waters of the ocean. The rays of the sun drowned the night and slowly turned it into daytime, the fluffy clouds that Rainbow loved becoming more visible as it climbed the sky. As the star continued its duty, Rainbow unconsciously leaned on Applejack’s shoulder, draping a wing on her back. “Isn’t it beautiful?” Rainbow asked, mesmerized by the change in the sky.
“It sure is, RD,” AJ kissed the pegasus forehead. “It sure is.”
Silence was approaching. Rainbow Dash knew it, and so did Applejack.
Beside her, the blue pegasus heard her companion heave a sigh and shift her position. “This is it,” Applejack said, and gestured to a far distance ahead. “Are ya happy, RD? We’re finally at the end of the world.”
Rainbow Dash’s jaw instinctively tightened as her eyes followed the direction she was being pointed to. Bodies of ponies and animals alike littered the narrow street, and quite a few charred skeletons lay nearby, burned by Celestia’s might. However, the thing that Applejack had called to her attention was not the overwhelming amount of dead surrounding them, but the presence of the forlorn-looking castle hanging over Canterlot. Once upon a time, it had been referred to as the royal palace, residence of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. “If I am to die, I would rather die with you,” she grunted.
Applejack remained unchanged. “You didn’t answer the question.”
“...Equestria’s falling all around us, our friends have fallen, and Nightmare Moon is here, but the only thing we’ve done to ‘help’ was kill. Am I happy...?” Rainbow Dash’s gaze softened as she spoke her next words. “Yes. As long as we are together, I will be happy.”
“You’re gettin’ soft.” Despite her hard tone, Applejack felt herself cracking a small smile. Staying serious around the blue pegasus was becoming increasingly difficult. What a pain. Though she never really minded.
“I guess I am.” Rainbow Dash inclined her head sarcastically. “If we are to die anyway, I thought it would be better for you to know exactly how I felt.”
“I’ll never need to hear you to understand how you’re feelin’, Dash,” Applejack replied smoothly, not missing a beat. “We’re partners, after all.” Then she reached over and drew her sword. “Silence is comin’.”
Rainbow Dash nodded, mimicking her movements. Within a second, her own blade was out. “If we fail to reach Princess L—no, Nightmare Moon, then I say we die trying.”
“Yeah.”
And then they charged ahead to the scene of the main battle raging throughout Ponyville, mowing down the ones who opposed them without a moment's hesitation. But the combined effort of two ponies alone would not save Equestria, and that was what the two realized soon after.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack squared off side by side to face the crowd of enemy ponies. Judging by its massive numbers, the two ponies knew one thing for certain, and the thought rang clear throughout their heads, communicating the one thing they did not want to admit aloud: We aren’t coming out of this alive.
Rainbow Dash nodded once more to Applejack and together, they turned to face the monstrous horde. They weren’t sure which one of the two spoke next, but the words were comforting nonetheless. “We die together.”
...
Moments later, Celestia felt her heart ache as she stared down at the two trinkets that had just materialized in front of her. They were just bronze necklaces, really, but that did not stop the sun princess’ tears from falling at what those ornaments meant. In the middle of the necklaces were crystals engraved into different silhouettes; one had the shape of an orange-colored apple while the other held a red lightning bolt. “The Elements of Harmony,” she murmured. “They’re all together now.”
“I'm gonna miss you guys so much! I’ll write to you every day!” Pinkie said, holding Rainbow Dash and Applejack in a tight hug. They were standing at the Ponyville train station, saying their good-byes.
“Uh, Pinkie, we’re only goin’ for a week, and there ain’t really a post office out there,” Applejack said, as she and Dash freed themselves.
“Don’t worry! I have homing pigeons!” Pinkie chirped.
Dash rolled her eyes. “Great.”
“Pinkie, you can’t write to them this week. This is supposed to be a private, romantic vacation for Applejack and Rainbow.” Rarity smiled, then pursed her lips. “Well, if one can call camping romantic.”
“I think it’s very romantic. The sounds of the birds, and the beautiful forest. . .” Fluttershy trailed off dreamily.
“Nights looking up at the stars. . . did you need another star chart? I have an extra one!” Twilight said, producing a scroll from her saddlebag.
Applejack chuckled and nodded to the packs on her back. “Nope! We’re all set!”
The train whistle blew.
“We’ll miss you guys!” Dash said, flying onto the train and waving back to her friends.
“Seeya soon!” Applejack added, right behind her.
***
A day later, Applejack and Rainbow Dash sat at the campsite on a riverbank.
“Listen,” Applejack said softly.
Dash listened, hearing nothing but the rush of the water. “What?”
“Nothin’,” Applejack said with a happy sigh. “No little sister, no crazy friends. . .”
Dash grinned and leaned against AJ. “I know. I mean, I love the girls, but right now it’s just us. Rarity isn’t here to complain, and Fluttershy isn’t here to worry, and Twilight isn’t here to. . . tell us how rocks were invented or whatever. And Pinkie-” Dash paused and looked around. Nothing happened.
“Pinkie. . .” Dash said cautiously, craning her head and checking in all directions. “Ha! Pinkie really isn’t here! She didn’t pop out of anyplace!”
Applejack chuckled and gave Dash a squeeze. “Nope. Looks like it really is just you and me, we can have fun however we want for once.”
“This is so awesome. Time just for us.” Dash kissed Applejack on the lips, then smiled. “You ready?”
Applejack grinned. “Oh hay yeah.”
“Let’s go!” Dash rose to her hooves, Applejack following. Applejack climbed into the yellow raft and grabbed a paddle, an eager smile on her face as Dash shoved the raft off the river bank into the rough, swirling waters of the Roiling River rapids. The raft started to drift swiftly downstream towards a patch of jutting rocks, as Dash landed right behind AJ and grabbed a paddle.
“This is gonna be awesome! We have the best romantic vacations!” Dash said, just before they went crashing into the whitewater.
The words sounded odd to Applejack's ears. But then again, the entire situation sounded weird to her.
Her memory wandered back to her days as a young filly. With her parents already gone, Granny Smith had been the one to take her aside and tell her about the birds and the bees. She even vaguely remembered that one lesson in school, years ago. But there, too, they'd mostly mentioned a stallion and a mare.
The other ways had been mentioned in their schoolbook, but it had just been a small note, emphasising how rare such an event was.
It was just her luck that it would happen to her.
It had all started a few weeks ago. Waking up early, feeling nauseous, and rushing to the toilet. She'd been there, holding the colorful mane out of the way. There'd been cravings too, not long after. Usually anything except apples. 'Cause that would have been too easy.
The signs had been obvious enough, but confusing. The pair had talked - neither had been with anyone else. How had this happened?
So Applejack had gone to Twilight. If anyone could find an answer, the librarian could.
And she had. Twilight had recognized it immediately, even mentioned that old schoolbook.
"Didn't you get sex-ed in school?" Twilight had asked, tilting her head.
"Yeah, but it didn't really cover this! All the teach talked about was stallions and mares." Applejack blushed, staring at the ground. "Was really awkward around the colts after that."
"Tell me about it." Twilight rolled her eyes. She cleared her throat. "Okay then. When two mares love each other very much..." She began, earning a groan from the orange mare.
"Twilight... I ain't a foal no more."
"Sorry!" Twilight giggled, hugging the earth pony. "I'm just so happy for you two!"
Applejack grinned, nudging the unicorn in the belly. "Don't get sidetracked here!"
"Oh! Sorry. Well. It's why Equestria has so many mares, but we do fine. It's part of everypony's magic. If two mares love each other very much, when things get, uh, passionate, the magic flares up, then meshes together inside one of the two, and forms life." She smiled at her friend. "It even works for infertile ponies."
"What about two stallions? They can't exactly, uh... carry a foal, can they?"
Twilight frowned, considering the question. "I... don't think so? I don't know! I'll have to look that up."
"Don't worry 'bout it, sugarcube." Applejack blushed. She remained silent for a moment, before a thought struck her. "Why Dash, though? Why not me?"
"Princess Celestia once told me about that. The, erm, 'father', in this case, is the one who loves the other pony the most." Twilight's grin took on Pinkie Pie proportions as Applejack's face turned increasingly red. "So, when's the wedding?"
Applejack's thought process came to a screeching halt. "Wedding?"
"You're gonna do the honorable thing and marry Dash, aren't you?" Twilight asked, frowning slightly. "She's carrying your foal, after all."
Applejack stared at her reflection in the mirror, then at the small box next to her hoof.
She was going to do the honorable thing. She loved Dash with all her heart, and she already loved the little bundle that Dash was now carrying. Her lips twitched upwards as she fought the smile. Dash would be absolutely gutted to learn who apparently wore the saddle in the relationship.
But before all of that, there was still something she had to do.
There are many ways to say that a pony has had too much alcohol to drink. "Drunk off her flank" was fairly common, as was "sloshed" or "drunk as a skunk" (this last phrase Fluttershy found mildly offensive, as none if her skunk friends seemed to care for the taste of alcohol.
But no matter how you wanted to say it, there was no denying it.
Rainbow Dash was wasted.
"Hey, have you ever noticed that sometimes Mac has sparkles on his cutie mark and sometimes he doesn't? It's a conspiracy. I'm thinking he doesn't even have a mark."
Big Mac, whose mark had not changed recently, merely rolled his eyes and drank again.
"I cannot believe that Rainbow is so tipsy," Rarity commented. "Why didn't anypony stop her?"
"'Cause she had one drink. Ah didn't know you could get drunk off of just one."
Rainbow figured they were talking about her, and rejoined the conversation. "Allergies," she slurred.
Applejack cocked an ear.
"My mom took me to a doctor and he poked me with needles and now I know I'm allergic to brewers yeast, and that means that just one affects me more. I'm also allergic to three kinds of grass and mother's milk."
Nopony saw any possible way that this conversation could end well, so Twilight changed the subject.
-----
Applejack led Rainbow Dash up to her room.
"Now no fun business, ya hear? You're only here because you can't fly home in your state."
Rainbow Dash nodded. "Thanks, AJ," she said.
"Don't mention it," Applejack said. She helped the staggering Rainbow Dash into the little cot in her room that was there for just this purpose. Applejack always planned ahead.
She pulled the covers up to Rainbow Dash's chin when suddenly the pegasus did something quite unexpected.
She reared up and kissed Applejack, right on the lips. "Good night, AJ," she said.
Applejack could only stare and touch her lips in shock.
------
The next morning found Applejack awake on time, but nursing a small headache. Ah well. It wasn't entirely unexpected. At least she had to be faring better than Rainbow Dash, who was currently doing wing-ups on the floor in the middle of the wait what?
"Morning, AJ!" Rainbow said cheerfully.
"Rainbow? How'd ya get over your hangover so quickly?"
"My what?"
"Hangover. Nature's punishment fer drinking too much."
Rainbow might have hesitated. "I don't get those. I'm just too awesome to be held back by a hangover."
"You're allergic to brewery's yeast," Applejack said flatly. "You have to have a reaction." She froze. "Unless it's actually been a few days or something..."
"Nah. Party was last night. So, did drunk me do anything sober me would regret?"
"We'll..." Applejack hesitated.
"Did I do anything?"
"Not really?" Applejack said.
"Nothing at all," Rainbow deadpanned.
Applejack changed the subject. "Come on. Let's see if anypony else is awake."
-----
Applejack walked out of the Ponyville clinic mildly confused. Turns out that being allergic to brewers' yeast was indeed a thing, and it made the effects of alcohol that much stronger. Every aspect, including the post-drinking part.
So why hadn't Rainbow been affected at all?
Unless...
Applejack growled and set off to find a certain pegasus.
-----
"You lied to me."
Rainbow jumped. "Fine! It was more like ten minutes and forty five seconds, not ten minutes flat!" she blurted.
"Not about that."
Rainbow looked around nervously. "You mean... about the cider thing?"
Applejack stared coldly.
"This is the part where I tell you that I actually am allergic to brewers' yeast and so I was drinking from the kids table all last night which included kissing you, right?" For all her bravado, Rainbow really wasn't that good under pressure.
Applejack stood there. "Why?" she asked.
"Wanted to see how you'd react."
"And?"
Rainbow's face fell. "You didn't even mention it in the morning. I kindof figured you didn't even care."
"Ah care," Applejack said as she stepped forward and lifted Rainbow's chin. "Ah just want to make sure that any pony that kisses me knows what they're getting themselves in to. So it's gotta be sober or no deal. And just so ya know, if it had been anypony else, Ah'd have punched them out, drunk or not."
"You mean..."
"Next time, try it when we're both 'sober', and there might actually be a next time."
Once upon a time, in a far away land, there lived a beautiful pegasus princess whose mane and tail shone with all the colors of the rainbow. Not only was she something pretty, she was also the best flier known to ponykind.
One day, the evil Queen Fussbudget grew mighty jealous of all the praise Princess Rainbow got from everypony. During one of the princess' afternoon naps, the evil queen ponynapped her and threw her in the castle's dungeon.
As a signal of her distress, Princess Rainbow created a beautiful rainbow across the sky that pointed right to the castle in which she was imprisonned.
A great deal away from there, on a modest apple farm, there was a poor but honest mare who saw the rainbow. Legend said that reaching the end of the rainbow could grand one pony infinite whealth, and her family could sure use it, so she chased after it before it disappeared.
She ran and ran, until she reached the castle walls. The rainbow pointed right to some sort of secret entrance that lead down to the dungeon. Down there, she found the beautiful princess in a cage, but the door was locked, and the evil cat monster guarding it had the key.
Feeling it was her duty to rescue the beautiful mare, the apple farmer gathered her courage and jumped at the beast.
"I'm gonna save you, Princess!" she declared.
She spun in midair and bucked the creature's face so hard it exploded! Quickly, she used the key to free Rainbow and both escaped through the secret passage.
The castle then collapsed behind them from how powerful the explosion was, and the ruins caught on fire, making sure Queen Fussbudget doesn't do none of that "returning" business.
"That was so awesome!" squealed Rainbow as they reached the exit.
"Aw, it wasn't nothing," replied the brave farmer bashfully.
"Hey, since I don't have a castle to live in anymore, can I crash at your place?" the Princess asked.
"Sure thing!" the apple farmer answered.
As they reached the house, both ponies were plum tuckered, so they went straight for the bedroom. Rainbow jumped on the bed first to claim it, and shot the humble farmer a suggestive look.
"Don't leave me hangin'!" she called.
The farmer blushed, but obliged the princess and joined her on the bed. As soon as she did, Rainbow grabbed her and kissed her passionately. After a wild make out session, it was heating something fierce between their legs, so Rainbow got on top of Applejack and turned around so they could
If you were to go up to somepony on the streets of Ponyville and ask them to list off the things they think of when they hear the name “Rainbow Dash”, they would likely say that she was reckless, daring, fast, awesome, radical, or even beautiful; one word you would not hear however, is “cuddlebug”. How could a pony like Rainbow Dash like to cuddle?
That is the question Applejack has been asking herself for the past half-hour, after her marefriend had fallen asleep, before proceeding to entangle herself in her hooves. Not that she minded, of course. The whole situation was endearing, showing her a side of Dash, seldom seen by anypony else. And, she had to admit, Dash looked very cute, all wrapped up around her.
So no, that wasn't what the problem was, well not exactly.
“Mmmm... Apples.”
She was talking in her sleep, and her muzzle was so close to Applejack’s ear that it was keeping her awake.
Luckily, at that moment, the pegasus rolled over and began closely hugging one of the various pillows that was on the bed, allowing the earth mare to, finally, fall asleep; one question painting a backdrop for her dreams.
“Seriously, how could a pony like Rainbow Dash like to cuddle?”
Applejack felt wonderful. Surrounded by the sweet scent of apple blossoms, she trekked her way through Sweet Apple Acres on her last chore for the day. Then, she could spend some time with Rainbow Dash before tending to their little filly. Little Dashie was always overflowing with excitement and energy, much like her namesake mother, so, Applejack tended to save the most relaxing chore for the end of the day.
She wound her way through the rows of apple trees and swept her gaze across the innumerable blooming trees. Her practiced eyes more than capable of spotting the slightest irregularities after years of bonding with her orchard. A gentle breeze carried the delicate scent of the flowers through the air and filled her face with a smile. Springtime was so beautiful, so alive, and Applejack loved it.
Her hour-long trek eventually led her to the edge of the farm. She glanced up at the sky, it was clear and beautiful. She couldn’t help the touch of pride which swelled in her heart at the thought of the pony she knew was responsible. A final cursory glance over the trees was more than enough. She quickened her pace to her meeting spot at the end of each workday. Rainbow would probably be sleeping quietly waiting for her.
She trotted up the hill, a little out of breath, and paused beneath a magnificent apple tree. Their tree. She settled down in the cool shade below the vibrant green foliage of the tree and looked up to the sky. “Hey Rainbow,” she started softly, not wanting to disturb the resting pegasus. “It’s a beautiful day again today. I know I’ve told you that you don’t have to do this for me every day.” She paused and smiled, “But, that’s not going to stop you is it?”
Glancing back at the beautiful expanse of pink flowers behind her, her smile widened. “The apple trees are blossoming wonderfully. The weather team is really doing a great job. I think this year’s harvest is going to be the best yet.” She chuckled as the breeze ruffled her mane and carried the sweet scent of the apples to her once more. “And, to think I was worried and you had to assure me the crops would only get better.”
“Mommy!”
Applejack turned her head and saw her little pegasus filly galloping toward her. She opened her forehooves and wrapped her daughter in a warm hug the moment they made contact. “Hey there sugarcube, have a good day at school?”
“I did, I flew a little today! What are you doing mommy? Talking to mama again?”
Applejack closed her eyes and squeezed the filly tight with one hoof while ruffling her mane affectionately with the other. “I was, I bet she’d love to hear about your day too.”
“I can talk to mama too?”
“You sure can. Just think of mama until your heart feels warm and look up at the sky.”
Little Dashie nodded and looked up at the sky with her hopeful eyes. “Hey mama. I know you’re far away, but mommy says you’re always there for me. I was thinking about you today and I flapped my wings really hard and flew just a few seconds! I’m going to be just like you when I grow up.”
Applejack sucked in a quick breath of air and squeezed her daughter tight.
A gentle tranquil breeze washed over them both.
The little pegasus filly giggled in delight and buzzed her wings in the breeze. “I love you mama!” She leaned up and kissed Applejack lightly on the cheek. “I love you too mommy.”
Applejack nuzzled her back gently. “I love you too, my little Dashie.”
Okay, I guess this is kind of weird. I woke up today in your room, and you were already out doing your chores, but the first thing that came into my mind was, “It’s Tuesday! I need to write to Applejack!”
. . . guess this retirement thing is going to take some getting used to.
But I’m so used to telling you stuff in letters, to making sure to tell you stuff, and I’m still not that good at telling you face to face. So I figured, what the hay? I can write you a letter. I’ll just stick it in the mailbox on Thursday night, and you’ll get it Friday like always. You don’t have to write me back, if you don’t want to, you can just tell me stuff.
So here goes. I left the Wonderbolts last Saturday. I don’t really know how to feel about that. I mean, my welcome home party was awesome, and waking up next to you every day has been seriously awesome, and not having to practice or get ready to go someplace new every other day, that’s all cool too. But it’s starting to sink in that I’m not going to be performing any more. I really loved that part, you know. Hearing the cheers, seeing the grins on ponies faces when they saw me flying, the gasps when I did something death defying- how am I going to live without all of that?
But that makes me wonder, why was the part I loved about other ponies? I mean, I could work for weeks on a trick, and if I flew it and the crowd didn’t notice, I just asked to drop the trick. I put all that work into it, but I didn’t care unless other ponies cared.
And that makes me think of you. You put work into all sorts of stuff other ponies don’t care about. I remember your letters last winter, about trying to nurse that tree back to health. Other ponies don’t care if their apples come from one tree or another tree. A lot of ponies don’t even care if their apples taste that good. But you care. You’re proud that tree is healthy again, and I’m proud of you for it.
So, I need to figure out what I’m going to do next, but I decided I want it to be something I’m proud of, even if nopony else cares. Except for you, I want you to be proud of it too. Maybe you can talk to me about it, when you get this letter.
I. . . liked writing this. I’ve been feeling this way since I got home, but I never figured it out in words or stuff, I just felt it. And now I know we’ll both get it, so you can help me. And you’re right here, so I don’t have to wait for you to write back.
I think I’ll keep writing you letters. Every Friday, check the mail, even though I’m waking up next to you. Just, don’t tell the girls because I know this is kind of corny, and I do have a reputation.
I miss you now, so I’m going to go find you and give you a kiss. I think this letter will be a surprise, but when you’ve read it, you should come and give me a kiss too. That’s one thing about retirement that I’m already totally used to.
I love you, Applejack. I kept all my promises, and I guess I’m still keeping them.
Rainbow Dash flitted around town like a little hummingbird, her wings 'vrring' with a mission - find something to do while she hid from her parents, and by extension, avoided chores. The filly hovered over SugarCube Corner, where she managed to pick a cupcake off of somepony's tray when he wasn't looking. All fuel for her little wings to keep zipping her around town.
Over to the fountain. Nothing interesting there. Then to City Hall. The sheer weight of the politics stagnating over the building practically bounced the filly off of the invisible force and in another direction.
Something to do, something to do... She had to keep moving, or her parents might manage to catch up with her. The longer she stayed away, the angrier they got. By now, they must have been fuming. Might as well enjoy her time while it lasted.
Then something red caught her eye. "Hmm, apples," Rainbow Dash said, tapping a hoof to her chin. "Yeah, I could go for an apple!"
-=-=-=-
Macintosh tossed the bits from their latest sale to Applejack. Their new puppy, Winona wagged her tiny tail so hard, it nearly toppled her over. "Not now, Winona," Applejack said as she placed the coins away.
The colt felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked to the side, but nopony was there. After a few seconds, an apple core dropped out of the sky, catching everypony's attention. "What was that?" Applejack asked, looking up.
A small blue Pegasus was hovering over them holding as many apples as possible in her tiny limbs.
"Did she pay for that?" Applejack asked her brother. "Did ya pay for that?"
"These are pretty good!" the Pegasus said. "Next time, make them sweeter."
Another apple core dropped to the ground.
Applejack scoffed. "If ya wanted a sweeter apple, ya shoulda just asked! Now git down here and pay for those!"
"Eh," The Pegasus tossed down the remaining apples she had so they landed in the basket. "They're only two apples! How much is that going to cost? An eighth of a bit?"
"No!" Applejack said to the Pegasus, before looking back to Macintosh. "Right? They don't make those, right?" Macintosh shook his head. "That'll be one bit for the two apples!"
"One bit?" the Pegasus said. "For kinda-sweet apples? In your dreams!"
Applejack furrowed her brows. She reached under the table, pulled out a rope, and twirled it like her father taught her. She could barely keep the lasso swinging in circles over her head.
"Oh, great. What are you gunna do? Lasso me? GYAH!" The Pegasus dropped to the floor between the Apple siblings. Winona bounded up to her and started licking her face. "UGH! Get this thing off of me!"
"Ah will when ya pay for those apples you ate!"
"There's no way - blegh - I'm paying one bit -ugh, yuck! - for TWO apples! EW! It licked me in my mouth!"
"Well, if ya didn't have such a big mouth, that wouldn'ta been a problem!" Applejack placed a few more apples near the Pegasus. "There, now you're gettin' your money's worth. One bit!"
"I don't HAVE any bits!" said the filly, trying to back away from the puppy.
Applejack exchanged a look with her brother. "You know what that means, right?"
The Pegasus' eyes went wide. "You're gunna feed me to the dog?"
-=-=-=-
Rainbow Dash hovered over the apple stand, a rope tied around her waist to keep her from flying away, holding a sign that read 'Ten Apples for Two Bits'.
"Ya gotta smile, Rainbow!" Applejack called up to their new mobile sign.
"Yeah, yeah." Then the Pegasus filly went pale when she heard a familiar voice call, "RAINBOW DASH!"
"Eek!" She dropped the sign and hid behind the young earth filly. "Hide me!"
Two Pegasi landed in front of the apple stand. "We've been searching all over for you! When I say, 'we want you to clean your room,' we expect you to clean your room! Not go gallivanting around Ponyville!"
"Sorry, mom..."
"Ah'm sorry 'bout that, ma'am," answered Applejack, all bright eyes and smiles and freckles. "She was just helpin' us out with our stand!"
"Oh," said the mare, taking in the filly she hadn't noticed before. "And you are?" Applejack remembered her manners as she introduced herself, her brother and her puppy. The mare smiled, looking to her husband. "I'm glad to see Rainbow is making friends here in Ponyville! You seem to be getting along well."
"Well," Applejack wasn't sure how to answer that. "She has helped with business."
"Oh!" To her husband she said, "A business. Responsibility?" The two nodded in understanding. "Well...I suppose you can wait until you get home to clean, but no excuses tonight, young lady."
Rainbow Dash looked up, unsure of what just happened. "O--okay, mom..."
Applejack and Macintosh kindly waved to Rainbow's parents before Applejack looked back at the filly.
"You...got me out of trouble. How did you DO that?"
"Well, ya needed to work off those apples, right?"
"Ah'm sure she's worked it off by now," Macintosh said.
"Right," Applejack nodded, taking her brother's silent suggestion and untying the rope from around the filly. "Now, maybe you'll think twice before stealin' mah apples."
"Yeah, yeah, lesson 'learned'." she said, rolling her eyes.
-=-=-=-=-=-
The Earth pony mare glared at the Pegasus hovering in the air. "Rainbow DASH!"
The mare in question had a mouth full of apple, a smug smile on her face. Every day that Applejack ran the apple stand, she had to be on 'apple thief' watch. Rainbow Dash always defended that she needed the energy for all the flying she did. What's more, she learned over the years the best way to annoy the apple farmer.
Rainbow raised an eyebrow to challenge the earth pony. Applejack flicked her tail to get the lasso spinning in the air.
Rainbow was prepared for any punishment Applejack could dish out...
I’m glad you liked my last letter. And I’m really really glad you decided to show me exactly how much you liked it. If you want to do that every week, it’s totally cool. But this week, it’s probably a long shot.
Okay, so I’m totally not admitting anything. You have no proof. I can’t even move the cider press by myself. But I’ll totally pay to have it fixed, because you know how much I love cider.
Also because if I might have been somehow involved in breaking it, it would only be fair. It would also only be fair for somepony else to help pay for it, not that I would ever rat out a certain pink friend who promised me that she was sure that pineapples would work just as well as apples in a cider press, which they don’t by the way, and that pineapple-apple cider would be awesome. Which it might or might not be, I don’t know, because pineapples do not work in a cider press.
And if I was somehow involved in something like that, I’d also be really really sorry for not telling you, and for breaking it, and for making you mad. I never want to make you mad, and if I thought that something I did would end up making you mad, I would never have done it. Not that I did it.
If I did something that did make you mad, I’d also be really happy that you’re such an awesome and forgiving and cool and forgiving marefriend, who would totally respect that I had to apologize, but wanted to do it in a way that you wouldn’t yell at me. At least not right away.
I’m putting the money in the envelope with this letter. When you get this on Friday, if you’re not mad, I might be someplace in the clouds over the park. You can come and tell me that it’s cool. If you are mad, I went to Cloudsdale for the day.
Either way, even though we both have no idea what exactly happened to the cider press, I’ve learned some very important lessons about not sneaking around behind your back, and not putting pineapples in the cider press.
Writing letters makes telling you all of this a lot easier. Or at least quieter and less painful.
Where did it all go wrong? She couldn't say. It was all so hazy, what had happened. Her mane, adding prismatic flare to the world below her, flickered like tiny whips against her forehead. Only the biting cold prickles of wind beating against her scalp kept her aware, kept her conscious.
Even then, it was all so very hazy. An over-corrected turn, a jagged mountainside, an echoing howl shredding her lungs. It was all so hazy, yet one thing had become nauseatingly clear, as clear as the wing awkwardly twisted at her side. Rainbow Dash was going to die.
It was strange, really, how calming it was. Despite the frosting chill on her flesh, the sinking of her stomach, and the numbness eating away at her chest, Rainbow found herself smiling. And oddly enough, as she fondly made out the shrilling scream that grew ever so loud, Rainbow knew exactly why she was smiling. The more it occurred to her, the more reasons Rainbow had to keep this weird smile. She recognized that scream all too well, having heard it just enough times to be remembered. But perhaps she smiled for other reasons. Perhaps plummeting to her death could only fall moot in the wake of fond memories.
Memories of fresh morning grass.
Memories of straw and rich oaks.
Memories of sweet-scented earth.
Perhaps she didn't have a damn thing to smile about. Perhaps her acceleration toward the unforgiving earth below meant that she would truly die in vain. Or perhaps she smiled, because the earth pony that invoked all of those memories was there to catch her.
It was all so hazy. Rainbow could say that much. A sharp impact into solid flesh, the world spinning and turning, her ears attacked by scratchy, incoherent insults. Hazy as it may have been, one thing became so very, amazingly clear, as clear as droplets patting onto her nose.
Rise or fall, those sweet memories would keep Rainbow Dash alive.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack hit the ground as yet another fireball came from the sky and impacted on one of the many bakeries that littered Canterlot.
Rainbow quickly got back on her hooves and helped Applejack up. She could feel the heat radiating of off the destroyed bakery. The various cakes and pastries in the shop already melting from the intense temperatures.
Rainbow let go of Applejack and adjusted her helmet before turning to her commander and saying: “Sir, two dragons near Canterlot park. Requisting permission to kick flank.”
“Granted,” their commander yelled as he took off his damaged helmet. After a quick salute, he rushed over to the many soldiers still on the ground, trying to get as many back up as he could.
Rainbow and Applejack saluted their commander and turned to the two dragons hovering above the park. Their distance was still great, making the dragons appear as two tiny specks in the sky.
Rainbow bowed and allowed Applejack to climb on board. The two of them combined were argually the best weapon of the entire equestrian army. Rainbow’s speed and Applejack’s strenght made for a devastating combo.
Applejack gave the sign that she was ready and Rainbow took off. Carrying another pony on her back might have been exhausting for her in the beginning but she quickly got used to it.
The beginning, Rainbow thought. Rainbow occasionally had her thoughts wandering about how things could’ve gotten out of hoof like this.
”Equestria... is at war!!” Celestia said, flanked by Luna as she delivered the terrible speech. “Early this morning, the draconian race has officially declared war on ponykind and all its allies. The first reports of attacks on the Griffin Empire and small villages on our borders have already been received.”
A few days later. “we’re looking for volunteers,” a representative of the army said, standing in the middle of Ponyville square.
“I volunteer,” Rainbow said.
“Ah will as well,” Applejack said immediately afterwards.
“We all volunteer,” The other four ponies of their group said.
Rainbow shook her head trying to focus her thoughts back at the task at hand. She often had her thoughts drifting to happier times. A time where they still thought that the Elements of Harmony could solve every problem that got thrown at them. A time where she could be together with Applejack, without the constant danger looming over them.
They were getting close to their targets. Nearly close enough for the dragons to notice them.
Rainbow sped up and the now very familiar cone around her began to form.
“Ready partner?” Rainbow asked.
Applejack checked her back hooves and said: “Ready darlin’”
Rainbow and Applejack were getting dangerously close to them now. Too close to turn back now and call it off. The cone hugging her body even tighter.
"There ain't nothing you can say that'll sway me!"
"I mean, if we just ask him-"
"NO! What part of "I don't wanna" do y'all not understand?"
Dash put a hoof to her chin. "I think it's the "I" and the "don't" and the "wanna", if I were to ballpark."
AJ laughed dryly. "What' your deal with this anyway. Braeburn's my cousin. My flesh and blood.
"I know! That's what makes it exciting!"
"You're sick, you know that!"
"Oh, come on!" Dash dropped a deck of cards to the table. "Where's the competitor in you? Don't you want to see if Braeburn and Little Strongheart can take us on in Euchre?"
"You know that we always get drunk and violent during those things?"
"Okay, so you're fine breaking your beer bottle and holding the glass up to Pinkie's neck, but not Braeburn."
Applejack arrived at Sweet Apple Acres later then she thought. She had spent the past couple days traveling to Canterlot to help Twilight pick out reading glasses with Fluttershy and Rarity. They dropped by the store and picked out tons of hilarious contacts as well with all sorts of silly designs. Applejack was very excited to show off all the colors she had found.
No sooner had she crossed into the house, she was yanked sideways through several walls of pillow fort.
Through the goose feathers, Applejack found Rainbow Dash, in a panic.
"Oh thank Celestia you're home!" The mare exclaimed, gripping her tightly around the hoof. "I've been waiting for hours in here." Applejack's hoofs were starting to become numb, she glared at her marefriend
"What in tarnation? What ‘n Equestria are ya doin’?" She whispered, the rest of the family was probably trying to get some sleep.
"Hiding!" Rainbow said, "Isn't it obvious."
"From what?" At this, Dash shuddered and pointed towards a stack of books in the corner of her poorly constructed fort. Applejack crawled over to the books and took a look at the cover of the first she saw.
“Them.” Dash said, barely audible
“Tha Cybergs Massacre.” She read out loud, “Cyborg’s of Tamorrow.” She rolled her eyes, turning back towards Dash, “You mean ta tell me, this is cause of some silly stories.”
“They’re not silly! All of these books are based on true events.” Dash said, looking around nervously. She leaned in close to the pony opposite her. “You never know who could be one, the only way to tell is with the eyes. All cyborgs have red eyes.
Applejack smirked, “Well, you may be dumber than a sack of rocks after all Rainbow. Ah’m sure there’s no such thing.” She turned around, reaching for her bag and pulling some of the contacts out.
“You don’t know that! I’ve been researching them the whole time you’ve been gone. And these books are scary! I had to make this fort in order to keep the farm safe. That was my job after all, right?” Rainbow rambled, her marefriend was now sitting quite still, “Applejack?”
“You’re right there, Rainbow.” Applejack said at last, trying to hold backs snickers, “But yall’re too late!” She jumped around sporting a wicked grin and blood red eyes.
Needless to say, nopony within a five mile radius got any sleep that night. Rainbow Dash’s screams were too loud
Sweet Apple Acres Barn #3 sat on the edge of the south field, well away from any other structure and most importantly right now, well away from anypony who might complain about the noise. It was no DJ-Pon3 affair, but Pinkie Pie still knew how to throw a pretty loud party.
Pinkie stood by the gramophone, one eye watching Twilight spazzing out on the dance floor, and the other waiting for a signal from Dashie to enact the cunning plan. Or to put on a Llamantinan dance record Dashie had given her earlier and have a little box ready for later. It was part of the cunning plan, so Dashie had said, but that was all she knew.
Pinkie tore her eye away from Twilight as Dashie gave her the signal and fumbled with the record, managing to bounce the needle and plonk Dashie’s record down on top of her own dance music album before it landed.
A lively Llamantinan song flowed silkily out of the gramophone’s horn. Pinkie returned Dashie’s salute and watched as her pegasus friend clasped a rose between her teeth and reared up behind Applejack as the earth pony turned at the change of music.
“Care t’ dance, pretty filly?” Pinkie tried to keep from laughing at Dashie’s horrible Llamantinan accent and funny eyebrow wiggle, but it seemed to work pretty well on Applejack who reared up to join her with a grin.
Pinkie, Twilight, Fluttershy and Rarity all watched in awe as the marefriends tangoed. Dashie led first, taking advantage of Applejack’s strong hind legs to trace rather wild patterns across the dance floor, keeping their chests pressed tightly together and eyes locked on each other.
In time with a key change in the music, Applejack snatched the rose away and took the lead which Dashie didn’t seem to mind at all. All four of them, Rarity not the least, ooh’d and aah’d as Applejack led Dashie into some amazing twirls, Dashie fanning out her wings as she spun around as gracefully as Fluttershy.
Finally, both of them took hold of the rose in their teeth for some rough back and forth hoofwork that almost looked like a fight except for the grins on their faces. All four spectating ponies clopped their hooves together as the pair dropped back to all fours, panting and sweating a bit.
“Whoooeee!” Applejack exclaimed. “After a tango like that, a couple oughta get married.”
Pinkie hoofed over the box at signal number two and watched.
“You read my mind, pony girl.” Dashie sank to her haunches and held up the open box in her forehooves. Inside was a pair of red, yellow and blue hair ties, each with a little cloud clasp. “AJ, will y...”
“Yes Ah will!”
Pinkie’s gasp and cheer was matched in volume and enthusiasm by Rarity, with Twilight and Fluttershy holding a close third and fourth. The resultant group hug was broken by a predictable shout, if somewhat redundant given the circumstances.
To call Rainbow Dash brave would be an understatement.
Her day job as a Wonderbolt made her perform daring tricks, pushing her body to its max and sometimes beyond. You had to be brave in order to perform the tricks she and the other bolts could do.
She was also a bearer of the Elemental of Loyalty, and had stared down many threats to Equestria without even flinching. Nightmare Moon, Discord, the changeling queen, King Sombra and more. Not ever did she back down.
So it made complete and utter sense for her to be found pacing anxiously to and through in the living room of her wife’s house. The orange mare relaxed on the couch, watching with some amusement. However, as she didn’t want the floor to be worn away, she called out.
“Come and join me.” The pegasi would normally shoot over to join the mare on the couch, enjoying snuggling or kissing with her. This time, she hesitated before slowly walking over to the earth pony and climbing onto the couch with her. A pair of hooves soon wrapped themselves around her as her mane was nuzzled.
“Ya worrying over nothing ya know.”
“I know, I know.” Rainbow Dash mumbled, looking away. “I know all of the reasons why I shouldn’t be afraid. But there’s so many reasons that it can go horribly.”
I’m writing this in the apple cellar. I can’t look away from the barrels. You know I’ve been down here every few hours today. The weird thing is that I really love being down here, I love being underground, just because I get to look at them.
There is so much awesomeness in these barrels, AJ. I have to list it.
1) You totally forgave me for the cider press incident.
2) Not only did you forgive me, but you taught me how the press worked so I don’t try something dumb again. And you taught me how to make hard cider, and I promise again, you won’t regret that. I’ll never have more than two mugs of hard cider a day. That was the deal, and you know I keep my promises.
3) This zap apple season I felt for the first time ever like I was helping you in a way that nopony else could. Sometimes I feel like a fifth wheel around here, but when I was able to spread that weather you needed farther around the orchard, I finally could do something for you that you weren't better at doing yourself.
4) Because of my help, you had all those extra zap apples. And you were so happy, and Granny and Mac were so happy. I did that. It’s awesome.
5) You trusted me with the zap apples and the cider press. Since we had too many for jam, you actually trusted me to come up with an idea for how to use them, and you let me try making zap apple cider all by myself.
6) Zap apple cider. I don’t think I need to say anything else.
7) You were totally interested in it, and we got to do it together. You even came up with the idea of making it into hard cider, so selling it wouldn’t overlap with the jam. We had fun, and got messy, and we were both really into it.
8) For the first time in a long time, I’m really excited about something. I used to be excited to perform, or excited to see you again, but those were just cool things. And then I was excited that I was going to retire and spend time with you, but I never really knew what would happen after that.
Now, I’m excited. I’m excited like I used to be about joining the Wonderbolts. You know I’ve been talking to you non-stop about different things we could try next year, different ways of distilling, different fruits we can add into the mix. I’ve told you all the plans I’m making, for what I’m going to call it and for the label. I’ve been talking to Filthy Rich about the marketing and writing to the PR ponies I know about advertising and endorsements.
But it’s not even about that. It’s about having something to work on, something I really love. And I’m working on it with you, with somepony I love. Could this get any more awesome?
It couldn’t, because my life couldn’t get any more awesome. I have an awesome farm and an awesome family and awesome magic apple cider, and the most awesome pony in the world who gave it to me, and shares it with me, and is ready for an awesome amazing future with me. My life is in these barrels.
You should sit down here with me and look at them. They're amazing. And we could do other stuff, too.
The two mares were trotting towards Sweet Apple Acres, looking to the rest of the world as if they were on a friendly stroll together. Their proximity to each other and the smiles they wore certainly reinforced that impression, and whoever knew the pair knew they were close as two ponies could be. Perhaps even closer than that.
However, if one were to listen to their conversation, one could certainly think they were fighting.
"Chickenhawk." The farmer said.
"Fruit fanatic." The weatherpony retorted.
"Turkey vulture." The earth pony replied.
"Tree hugger." The pegasus shot back.
"Bird brain." Applejack countered.
"Stubborn mule." Rainbow Dash answered.
Applejack thought a moment, then grinned. "Featherduster."
Rainbow snorted, holding back her laughter. "Ooh, good one." She too took a moment to think, until her face lit up. "Mud pony."
The lack of response sounded like victory to Rainbow's ears. "I take it from your silence that I win?" As she listened closer, however, she realized that she couldn't hear the sound of Applejack's hooves anymore. She paused and looked back, only to see a pair of green eyes glaring daggers at her.
Actually, considering the strength behind the glare, those daggers felt more like broadswords. Maybe even polearms.
"Is that how y'see me?" The earth pony ground out, her expression a mixture of anger, disgust, and disappointment.
Rainbow wasn't often cowed by much, but for once, she felt rooted to the spot. "Huh?"
"Is that all I am to you? A... mud pony?" Applejack spat out the words, then marched past Rainbow without a second glance.
Seeing the other mare storm past shocked Rainbow out of her daze. "Uh. AJ? AJ! Applejack! Wait!"
"Why should I?"
"What? What's the matter with you?" Rainbow flew ahead of the orange pony and planted herself in Applejack's path. "At least tell me what's wrong?"
Applejack's glare expression relaxed slightly as she looked at the pegasus. Rainbow looked utterly confused and slightly frightened, completely at loss. "Y'don't know what you just said, do ya?"
"Huh? What I said?" Rainbow frowned. "Mud po-"
Applejack's hoof cut her off as it lodged itself in her mouth. "Don't say that, Dash."
Rainbow leaned back. "...is it really that bad?"
Applejack grunted. "Yeah. It's not something used in polite company. Or impolite, either. It's like if I called ya..." she paused, looking away.
"What? Called me what?"
Applejack shook her head. "Can't. Ah know how bad it is to call you pegasi that."
"Call us what?" Rainbow asked again. "C'mon, I won't get upset."
Applejack stared at Rainbow, then looked around for any other pony. Still, she felt unsure, and leaned closer to whisper into Rainbow's ear.
The pegasus jerked back, her face twisted in anger and disgust. But that only lasted a moment. "That's the kind of thing I...?" Her eyes widened in realization. "Oh horsefeathers. Applejack, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-"
Applejack shook her head, laying a hoof on one of Rainbow's own. "I know now you didn't, Dash. It just caught me off guard."
The pegasus sighed in relief, her wings fluttering at her sides as she relaxed. "Man. Here I thought i was being clever."
"Yeah well we both know how that usually goes, don't we?"
"Yeah, we-hey!"
Applejack chuckled as she stood up, swatting the pegasus with her tail. She grinned back at her friend, and tore off at a gallop.
"Hmm, lemme think. They're unicorns, and... that's about it, darlin'."
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Come on, AJ, work with me."
"Well since when the hay do y'all care so much about romance 'n such."
"You know the reason. We have each other, and I want the rest of our friends to find somepony else the way I found you."
Applejack blushed. "Aww, that's mighty sweet of ya, Rainbow."
Dash grinned. "Okay, good, so work with me, here. Who could you see Twilight with? Like... Pinkie for example."
Applejack laughed and slapped the table several times. Wiping away a tear, she proclaimed, "Pinkie? In a relationship? Hoo-boy, that'll be the day."
Dash rolled her eyes. "Come on. She has a lot to offer somepony. I think she and Twilight would be dynamic, and dynamic is part of the Dashionary, so you know it's awesome."
It was AJ's turn to roll her eyes. "Pinkie's way too many kinds of crazy, sugar. There's no way Twilight would be able to reign that filly in."
Dash scoffed. "Gimme a break. Sometimes, two ponies are so different, that they offset each other perfectly. It's like Ying Yang Twins, or whatever."
"Y'all been reading too many of them romance novels..."
"-Oh, one time. ONE TIME!"
AJ grinned devilishly. "That stack o' books under our bed begs ta differ."
Dash frumped as she rose from the table and flew out of the kitchen silently.
"Aw, come on, Dashie, don't leave..." The front door opened and slammed shut. "... and you're gone."
AJ signed and tilted back in her chair.
"Maybe Twilight could talk some sense into her... if she were together with me 'n Dashie, things'd be a lot easier. I think I shoul pay Twi a visit and ask her ta..."
YES YES YES YES YES YES YES
"Rainbow! Wake up."
Rainbow jolted upward in Applejack's bed. It was the dead of the night, and both mares were tired and disoriented.
"What...whassa?"
"Rainbow, y'all alright? You kept shouting "YES YES YES" in whatever dream you was having."
Dash rubbed her forehead. "Uhh... I can't remember," she lied.
"Hmm. Well, don't be havin' them no more." AJ kissed her wife on the forehead. "G'night, sugarcube."
Dash gladly accepted the kiss and giggled. "You too."
Dash lied back and looked over Applejack, slightly disappointed not to see a purple alicorn cuddling up with her wife. Dash sighed.
“Ah dunno, sugarcube. You make it sound like a good idea, but Ah just dunno.” Applejack’s face was an impassive mask as she regarded Dash’s suggestion.
“It’s an awesome idea. All ponies need love, some ponies just need more than others.” Dash hovered a few hooves in the air and pointed in the direction of Ponyville. “Remember how bummed out Rarity was about her love life until Twi and Trixie took her in?”
Applejack nodded in agreement. Rarity had been an absolute wreck after her third visit to the Gala, countless dates in between, and no luck in sight.
Dash landed and lifted Applejack’s chin with a hoof. “We could totally do that for somepony. I remember how much it cheered you up when Pinkie was with us.”
Applejack remembered. It had been three months since Granny Smith passed on and she was still depressed over it. Pinkie had come and stayed with them for a week. Just seven days of having meals with them, helping with chores, sleeping with them, just being another comforting presence.
By the end, Applejack was healed. She was still sad over her loss, but it no longer gnawed at her soul. And as quick as she had come when they needed her, Pinkie left again to lend her aid to other ponies in need.
Applejack nodded, a smile finally cracking her muzzle while the corners of her eyes glinted wet at the memories. “Reckon you’re right, sugarcube.”
“Awesome! Now, we have to figure out who. Any ideas?”
Applejack answered instantly, the name coming to her lips before she even had time to think. “Fluttershy.”
Dash’s eyes went wide and she stammered. “F-Flutters-shy?”
Applejack’s cheeks glowed a soft red, but she nodded with firm conviction.
Dash thought this over for several long minutes, taking to the air again in a lazy circle before landing again in front of Applejack. “Why Fluttershy?” There was no anger or incredulity behind the question, just curiosity.
“She’s our friend an’ she ain’t got a special somepony.” Applejack said plainly. “Twi’s had Trixie and they’ve both got Rares now; you an’ me got each other, an’ Pinkie... Well, Pinkie’s got everypony that needs her. Reckon she’ll settle down when she’s ready.”
Dash nodded, but said nothing.
“We could prob’ly just help her find a special somepony if’n she ain’t interested, but I reckon ‘Shy’s one o’ them ponies that needs more love like ya said. And...” Applejack blushed a deeper red and looked away.
“And what?” Dash looked curiously at Applejack’s reaction.
“It’s selfish, ferget Ah said anythin’.”
“Oh come on, you gotta tell me!” Dash whined.
Applejack winced, took a deep breath and said in a barely audible voice, clicking her forehooves together. “You know how much Ah like wings...”
Dash grinned and laughed, brushing her primaries in Applejack’s face. “Come on, let’s go find ‘Shy, then.”
It was an old tree. Of course, it always had been. For as long as anypony could remember, the tree had stood watch, guarding over Sweet Apple Acres from its perch atop the tallest hill, where it commanded a view of the orchard for miles around.
The tree might as well have gone back to before the day the farm was founded - it was certainly strong enough and sturdy enough. After all, the tree had seen the day the plows had first tilled the black earth of innumerable adjacent fields, and a family began their struggle to squeeze their livelihood from the cruel ground.
The tree had seen floods, droughts, and harvest seasons both boons and busts.
The tree had seen the arrival of three siblings, a new generation of the family.
The tree had seen the departure, so sudden and undeserved, of the generation previous.
The tree had seen the weight of a farm thrust onto the backs of two young ponies, barely out of school.
The tree had seen their struggle, their sacrifice, and their success.
The tree had heard the chime of wedding bells, ringing out to an orchard ceremony that bound Earth with Sky forever.
The tree had seen countless Apple Family Reunions before, and countless more after.
The tree had seen a couple spend their years together. Sometimes they fought, sometimes they kissed beneath its branches, but always they loved.
The tree had seen one half of the whole, Earth, the day she was carried up the hill one last time; her name carved out of the sky and transfixed in a stone beneath unwavering branches.
And the tree had seen the day, only a few years later, when Sky had finally returned to the ground.
~~~~*~~~*~~*~*~~*~~~*~~~~
Slowly, wearily, Apple Bloom ascended the sloping face of the hill. An old, strong, resolute apple tree towered over her, it's uppermost leaves just barely tickling the late autumn sky.
She came to a halt at the hill's crest and bowed her head before the roots of the tree. A wry grin crossed her lips. "Ya know, you two. Ah'm gettin' a bit too old fer this. My bones ain't gonna make this climb many more times."
She shook her head, receiving no response from the pair. "The farm's been fine. Got Big Mac's eldest daughter runnin' th' place now, and Ah can't remember seein' a better harvest than what we got this year."
Brittle bones creaking, she brought a hoof to wipe her eye before reaching even further upward to remove an old, gnarled cowpony's hat form atop her faded pink mane. She brought the Stetson down and held it against her chest. "Ah remember how much ya always loved Applebuck season, Big Sis'. It sure don't feel the same without ya."
She turned to the second stone, and a bit of her smile returned. "Ain't been much the same without you either, Rainbow. Ah'll be sure ta tell Scoots ya said hi. She's comin' ta visit from Manehattan next week. Maybe she'll want ta come see ya, too. Ah bet she'll tell ya all about her big Wonderbolt career."
A breeze picked up, rustling the elder pony's mane. She turned to look out over her orchard. "Well, looks like the sun's goin' down now, so Ah'll leave ya both in peace. Ah know how much ya loved watchin' the sun set from this hill together." She set the hat firmly back atop her head and winked, grinning. "And don't worry, Ah won't tell a soul."
She left the couple to enjoy yet another of infinite sunsets together.
And the tree stood watch over them, and will do so for longer than anypony will remember.
"Hush up." Applejack finished tying the last knot. "Obviously, this is the only way I can keep ya still."
The cowpony stepped back at her work. Tied to the bedposts was a very pregnant Rainbow Dash, her hooves constricted by tight rope.
AJ nodded, pleased at what she had done. "There. Now, y'all can get some much-needed rest."
Rainbow struggled and tried to free herself, but to no avail. "I don't need to rest, AJ. I NEED TO GET OUTTA HERE!"
AJ's eyes narrowed. "Rainbow, the doc says that you gotta stay off your hooves as much as possible 'til the baby comes, aiight?"
Rainbow huffed. "Aiight nothing! You're keeping me prisoner!"
"That's on a count of I can't trust ya to stay still for five minutes without flyin' off and endangerin' y'allself."
"Just a few months ago, you said I was born to fly through the skies freer than all things free."
"Just a few months ago, you weren't weeks away from deliverin' a DANGED FOAL!!!"
Rainbow scoffed. "I fail to see any significance of that," she sarcastically replied.
AJ rolled her eyes before sighing. "Look, can you just take a little rest, please?" AJ armed herself with a set of puppy dog eyes. "For me, sugar?"
Rainbow's lip quivered before she made a resigned sigh. "I knew your sister got that sugary look from somewhere. Alright, for you, I'll take a rest, but on one condition."
AJ arched an eyebrow. "That would be..."
Rainbow smirked. "You gotta lie down with me."
"Aw, come on, honey, I'd love ta, but I got chores to do. Y'all know that."
Rainbow flared her wings to the side and smirked. "Are you sure you're THAT preoccupied?"
Applejack tried to resist, but her inner pegasexual gave way. Begrudgingly, the cowpony untied her wife from the bedposts and snuggled up against her back.
"Ya feelin' better?"
Rainbow giggled. "Oh yeah."
Applejack let out a contented sigh. "Good stuff. Rest easy, sugar."
With that, the two mare lied together in peaceful relaxation, with AJ relieved to finally have the soon-to-be mother of her child settled down...
...and then, the foal began to kick. Thunderously.
Applejack growled loudly as Rainbow Dash snickered.
"You think this is bad? Wait until she's a crying foal."
"AAAAAARRRRRRGGH!!!"
Rainbow grinned. "Oh, come now, AJ, settle down. You should really take a rest. You're so stressed."
Applejack opened her eyes, but then shut them again immediately. That was some serious stuff they drank last night. What the hell was it anyway? She couldn't remember. They were playing cards, then they were playing roulette, then dash wanted to play some pegasus game with dice...
And there were pretty mare bringing them all sorts of drinks. Lots of them. Lots of drinks, too.
AJ finally got her eyes open. It hurt, but so did every morning during apple biucking season. Not usually her eyeballs (who knew eyeballs could even feel pain?) but still.
She looked around the room. The detritus of 'fun' lay everywhere. Twilight would have made the funniest list right now.
Beer cans, assorted.
Bottles, assorted.
Stuffed Celestia doll
Feather Boa, pink.
Feather Boa, Blue
Feather Boa, Celestia knows what color beneath the confetti
Confetti, way to much
Nun's Habit.
AJ's brain stopped at that point for about a minute, and then she uttered her first words of the day. "What the hay is that doing here?"
'At least it's not a wedding veil,' she thought, as she trudged to the bathroom. 'Oh, there's the wedding veil, on mah head.'
AJ didn't even bother taking it off. They had been married for a year already, this was a celebration of the fact that AJ hadn't strangled the impossible pegasus to death yet. Dashie had insisted on Las Pegasus.
"It's the place to go for honeymoons! Everypony does it! Yeah, we had reasons not to do much last year, and I don't shirk responsiblities any faster than you, but this year we can go! It'll be so awesome!"
At the moment, the only thing AJ found awe-inspiring was this headache. 'Why the hell do I put up with her?'
Just then, Dashie opened the hotel room door, carrying in a large basket.
"Where you you so bright and early?"
"Good morning to you too, sweetie. I was at the farmer's market across town." Dashie replied as she put down the basket.
"Why'd y'all go to the farmers'... thingie... this early"
Dashie walked over and gave AJ a quick peck on the cheek. "Hotel didn't have any good apples. Just Red Delicious."
'Oh yeah,' AJ thought with a smile, 'That's why I put up with her.'
“Ready.” I say along with four other voices. Seems easy enough, eat the licorice, no hooves, first to finish and call out wins. All six of us hold our licorice rope to our teeth and wait for the signal.
“GO!”
Should be easy as pie—kinda wish it were pie, I’ve never lost a pie eating contest—but at least the licorice is apple flavored. Okay, this is a bit trickier. The licorice is in a big coil, so I gotta keep tugging from side to side to loosen it, but not so rough that it breaks.
Halfway through, no pony really has a big lead yet. I can’t see how Rarity is keeping up while eating so daintily. Nevermind, gotta keep focused.
I look back and see my licorice start to crack as I tug at it. Quickly, I nibble down the length, dipping my head toward the table to get past the break. It’ll cost me some time to unravel a few coils, but not as much as if I break it and have to fish for the end with my snout.
I can hear a grumble as I’m uncoiling. Looks like Twi ran into the same problem and just bull rushed through it, thought she’d be smarter than that.
Almost done, I can see the table through the last few strands of my coil. I sneak a glance and my eyes go wide. I never would have pegged Fluttershy for an eating contest, but her coil is just a little thinner than mine, gotta pick up the pace.
The rest of my licorice is unravelled, so I close my eyes and get to nibbling as fast as I can. So fast that I can’t stop when I realize that my licorice has changed from apples to some kind of fruit punch and it’s hanging in the air.
I snap open my eyes just in time to see the last of the rainbow colored licorice disappear between us before my lips meet Dashie’s. While we kiss, I vaguely remember that we were supposed to call out when we finish and wonder why Fluttershy didn’t.
I look around with one eye and see why. Flutters is locking lips with Twi and Pinkie and Rares are kissing up a storm. I close my eyes again. I like a game where everypony wins.
The night's diamonds twinkled along the navy blue blanket up above the region of Equestria, and down below, two mares laid in the grass, completely content with just one another's company.
"Make a wish." Rainbow whispered as one of Luna's magnificent stars shot across the sky at a super-sonic speed. "C'mon, AJ." The cyan pegasus nudged her best friend and chuckled. "Do it."
"Y'know," Applejack pondered, her emerald eyes never leaving the sky. "Ah actually don't believe in all that mumbo-jumbo 'bout wishes an' all. Ah believe it's all luck."
"Then wish for something lucky to happen to you." the fast flier countered, with a nonchalant shrug. "It won't hurt ya."
The farmer tipped back her hat and thought for a moment, only before a sly smile crossed her expression. "Why wish when Ah got everythin' Ah need right here?" she smirked.
"Ick." Dash teased, playfully shoving the earth pony. "Very funny. Now hurry up and make a wish already."
"Fine, fine." AJ's charming laugh echoed through the silent night. She closed her eyes and silently wished - much to the pegasus's curiosity.
"What did you wish for?"
"Now, how could it come true if Ah told ya?"
Rainbow shot a playful glare to Applejack and chuckled, placing a passionate kiss on the blonde cowpony's lips. "Now will you tell me?" she inquired.
Blinking slowly, only before letting out a breathless laugh, AJ took her hat off - placing it upon the fast flier's head.
"Come on, Rainbow," Applejack pleaded. "It's just one time!"
"No. I said no."
"Ah'll make it worth your while..."
"It's not about that, AJ," Rainbow said. "I have a gift, and it's not something I can just... squatter, you know?"
Applejack was fairly certain that that hadn't been the correct word.
"I can't just use my pranking skills for evil. Sure, Diamond Tiara is a pain in the flank, and I wouldn't be above a little prank or two--you know, rubber pencil, fake fly ice cube--but a full out pranking? I just can't, AJ. Surely you understand?"
Applejack sighed, but nodded. "Ah guess Ah can respect that."
Rainbow gave Applejack a gentle nuzzle. "Thanks, AJ. Hey, out of curiosity, what did Diamond say to her anyway?"
"Well, she said..." Applejack leaned in and whispered in Rainbow's ear.
Rainbow's eyes narrowed. "AJ? Get the flour and fire up the oven. We've got a prank to bake."
***
Applejack looked at the ingredients gathered. "So what exactly what are we doing here, anyway?"
"It is a little something I like to call, Rainbow's pizza surprise."
"And what's the surprise?"
"That's a surprise. Now mix the dough and I'll grate the cheese."
"The cheese is already grated, Rainbow," Applejack pointed out.
"Then you're running behind, Applejack! Get to work!"
***
"So the dough's ready. Now what?"
"Sauce. And a little bit of rainbow juice."
"What?!?" Applejack spun around to see Rainbow holding a glass jar of rainbow.
"Heh... Get your mind out of the gutter, Applejack. This is actual rainbow straight from the factory."
"Oh. Ah thought you just took a nap while Ah mixed the dough."
"Not while there's pranking to be had. Now spread the sauce over all the pizza except for... this little spot right here."
Applejack obeyed, spreading the sauce with a wooden spoon.
"Good." Rainbow dipped a brush in the rainbow and spread it on one corner of the pizza. "Now we mark it and... spread the cheese... Perfect. Grab me a hotpad."
Applejack pulled one out of the drawer and over.
"Now we bake. Then we slice it, ensuring that the biggest slice is the rainbow one."
"Won't Diamond Tiara know something's up?"
"Nah. She's the kind of pony that wants what's bigger and better just so nopony else can. She'll take it before she can think about it."
"That makes sense."
"But it might look a bit suspicious if we show up... We need somepony who won't raise suspicion just waltzing into the school for no reason."
Both looked at each other and smiled, before turning and calling at the same time.
"Oh Maaaaac?"
***
Rainbow's eyes flew open as Applejack's tongue unexpectedly trailed up her cheek. "It worked, Rainbow," she said. "Ah ain't seen Apple Bloom laughin' so hard in forever."
Rainbow placed her forelegs behind her head. "Yeah, well, what did you expect when you went to a master?"
"Only the best, of course," Applejack grinned. "And Ah got it."
Rainbow smiled and closed her eyes... before Applejack's tongue trailed up her cheek again.
"Ah also said Ah'd make it worth your while."
"Oh, Applejack. You know you don't have t- oh, that's nice... That's really nice..."
“Bank robbery in progress. STOP. Request back-up. STOP. This message will now stop. STOP. … How do I stop this if I type stop after every sentence? STOP. Finito. STOP.”
Applejack read the message out loud. She knew the messengers were a confused bunch but they were vital to her second job. She folded up the note, put it in a box specially made for those and then left the farmhouse.
She galloped into the barn and came to a standstill next to the fifth pole. She knocked three times, moved her hoof in a small circle two times and a small metallic camera came out of the ceiling and Applejack took her usual scanning pose.
The machine made a few beeping sounds and retreated back in the ceiling. Applejack didn’t move an inch as the ground underneath lowered her into the space below the barn. As she looked up, she saw that the hole was already being covered up, like always.
The circular elevator kept moving down into the vast darkness when suddenly big monitors switched on. A program started running and many robotic arms carrying pieces of metal came from the side. Applejack held her breath as the arms crept closer and attached the pieces to her body.
The procedure sped up a little and soon Applejack was fitted in the body armor of her iron alter ego, Iron Mare.
The elevator finally reached the bottom and the big lights switched on. As Applejack stepped off of the elevator platform and towards one of the big screens in front of her, a whole different entrance to the hideout opened up.
If the fact that only two ponies knew of these place didn’t tell her who the visitor was, then her voice certainly did. “There you are, slowpoke. Hurry up! I betcha that the robber is already hightailing it out of there.”
Rainbow Dash. Or the identity she adopted after Applejack took up crime-fighting as Iron Mare. Daring Dash.
“We ‘aint got time to lose then,” Applejack said as she activated her thrusters and levitated up in the air a bit. She rolled her eyes as she saw where Dash was heading however. “That thing again Dash? I thought ya said we needed to hurry up?”
“Hey, a superhero arrives in style,” Dash said as she seated herself in her Dashmobile and buckled up. “Besides, this thing drives faster than you can fly.”
Applejack chuckled. The earthpony flying to the rescue and the pegasus driving for justice. Her brain suddenly registered that Rainbow had actually challenged her. “You’re on,” she said with a threatening gesture.
Rainbow Dash started up the Dashmobile and Applejack activated her boosters. They both sped towards the exit left open by Dash and crossed it’s threshold together.
Two mares. Two lovers. Side by side to fight crime... and boredom.
"This isn't at all what it looks like!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she jumped in front of the giant iron pony she was trying to hide. It looked absolutely comical to Applejack to see her trying to flair out her wings to hide something that was about a hundred times her size.
"Oh, so you're not hiding a giant iron pony, that may or may not be dangerous, from everyone," Applejack said with as much sarcasm as she could muster. "Guess I'll just mosey on then, seeing as you're not hiding anything from your marefriend."
"Applejack, wait!" Dash lunged after her, pulling her back with a hoof. "I didn't say anything, cause I just found him and he saved my life, but everyponies scared of him and I don't want him to be taken away from me. They scare him! Please AJ! Please."
The Rainbow pegasus looked close to tears. It worried Applejack to see her marefriend so uncharacteristically undone. She looked up at the iron giant above her. It's eyes were cold and blue, glowing and thrumming, and seemingly alive. The earth pony knew it was just a hunk of metal, but the way it looked at her - as though sizing her up to see if she threatened Rainbow Dash - reminded her that there was life within it.
"Alright," she murmured softly, so softly she wasn't sure she'd even said anything. "Alright, I reckon I won't say anything. But Dash, I love you and if this thing hurts you or anypony else... I'll..." She gulped unable to say it.
Dash and the giant iron pony both understood immediately. The iron pony let out a noise that sounded like hooves on a chalkboard. It was angry.
Rainbow Dash calmed it down, and Applejack felt the tiniest bit of jealously cloud her thoughts. But this was Dash. The Element of Loyalty. And her marefriend.
"He's so cool, AJ, really, once you get to know him. I named him Steve."
A bit of the normal Rainbow was coming back.
"Alright, show me," Applejack replied, pushing back her hesitation.
Then, as if doing a full 180 the regular Rainbow Dash was back and fully in gear.
"You gotta see him AJ! He's fast! Almost as fast as me! And his corners are amazing! Once he gets going full throttle you'd think he'd be hard to control, but he can turn on a dime! He's fantastic! His loyalty is nothing to scoff at either, he nearly, rusted shut trying to keep me dry in yesterdays storm! I don't think he understands that I'm a pegasus and just...."
Applejack kept nodding, although she wasn't really listening. Rainbow would probably retell all of this more than a few times over the next few days, so it wasn't too big a deal if she missed it. The giant weighed on her mind. It was a big secret to keep. Despite what Rainbow said it could be dangerous. Most importantly, the majority of ponies in Equestria would be afraid of it. And when ponies were afraid of something, they usually destroyed it.
Applejack sighed, and walked over to her crazy marefriend. This wasn't the first time she'd taken a leap of faith for her and it wouldn't be the last.
“Berry lovin’ son of a fruit bat!” Applejack muttered around the needle in her mouth. It was their second day in the barn working on the project, and getting their felt heart dolls finished was proving to be a challenging activity for Applejack and Rainbow Dash.
Dash snorted her amusement. “That one’s awesome. I’m totally remembering tha- ow!” Dash dropped the pieces of fabric, and shook her hoof furiously. “Stupid piece of hailstone!”
“If ya’ got blood on it there’s more blue fabric in the box.” Applejack motioned to the box from Rarity, overflowing with fabric in both of their coat and mane colors.
“No blood. But what cloudheaded jerk made needles so pointy?” Dash stuck her hoof in her mouth, sucking the spot.
“Some unicorn, I bet.” Applejack said, rolling her eyes.
“Probably the same one who decided ponies had to make these things themselves.” Dash picked up her half-attached fabric pieces. “My first one was way cooler.” She glared at the needle before carefully taking it in her teeth and stabbing at the fabric.
“Your first one was a Darin’ Do doll painted to look like you, sugarcube.” Applejack pointed out, biting off a thread. “That ain’t really how it works.”
“I sewed the heart on. And it still looked more like me than this one is going to.” Dash set down the needle and examined the cloth. “I think I just sewed my face to the wrong end.”
Applejack smirked. “I always did say you got your head up your-”
“Shut up,” Dash finished for her, starting to take the misplaced seam out.
“Just sayin’- oh buck my fruit and leave me for winter! Not again!” Applejack stared at her orange fabric in dismay. Dash peeked over, then a smirk grew across her face.
“Ya’ know, the apples on your cutie mark are round,” Dash snickered.
“Thanks, Dash.” Applejack glared.
“No problem.” Dash kissed Applejack on the cheek, ignoring the look. “You know I’m an expert on your flank.”
Applejack chuckled, then looked sadly back at the fabric. “I cut ‘em out round! How'd they end up all funny shaped?”
“Your awesome sewing skills?” Dash suggested, grinning as AJ stuck out her tongue. Dash gave one final tug to the two pieces of her own fabric. “There, I’m- Gah! It ripped!” After glaring at the ripped pieces for a good minute as the tear in the fabric refused to knit itself back together, Dash took a deep breath and asked through gritted teeth, “Where’s that lightning rutting blue fabric, again?”
“In the bag,” Applejack said with a sigh.
Dash flew over to the bag, then stopped, looking down at the fabric. “Um, AJ?”
“Yeah?”
Dash glanced at Applejack over her shoulder. “So, these are supposed to be, like, just for us. . . right?”
“Yeah. . .” Applejack agreed suspiciously.
Dash grinned. “So, what if we just sewed them together the way they are, sewed the hearts on, and never ever showed them to another pony?” Dash flew over and landed next to AJ, giving her a nuzzle. “We still have Rarity’s for looks.”
“Dash, these are a right mess!” Applejack protested. “I can’t give ya’ a symbol of my love that looks like a rotten piece of crabapple.”
“You totally aren’t! I mean, okay, maybe you are.” Dash smiled at AJ. “But you give me way more than that. So what’s a few square-ish apples and crooked eyes, compared to the stuff you give me that’s really important?”
Applejack blushed, and her face melted into a loving smile. “When ya’ put it like that, I reckon if we made ‘em with love, it don’t matter how fancy they look.” She leaned over a nuzzled Dash. “But what all do I give ya’ that’s so important to ya’?”
“Are you kidding? Just from this I got a hundred new fruit-related curses!” Dash giggled, dodging Applejack hoof.
“I reckon I oughta throw a few more at you right now.” Applejack chuckled as Dash gave her big, puppy-dog eyes. "But I'll let ya' off this time."
She hates it because it’s slippery. It slides off her feathers, it slides out of her hooves, and, infuriatingly, it slides around on the bottom of the tub when she tries to pick it up. Instead, she has to pick it up with her mouth. Slippery, disgusting soap held fast between her teeth as she tries, in vain, to cleanse herself. And the worst part is, apple soap does not taste like apples. Not one bit.
But she also loves soap. She loves it because it slides off her feathers, it slides out of her hooves, and, delightfully, it slides around on the bottom of the tub when her girlfriend tries to pick it up. Slippery, amazing smelling soap, held fast between Applejack’s hooves as she rubs it all over her back, neck, along her haunches...
Yeah, what Rainbow would give to have Applejack in the bath with her right now. Because right now she hates soap with a passion. Try as she might, she keeps losing it in the cooling, murky water. She lets out a frustrated growl and hits the side of the tub. She tries several more times, and each time loses her hold on the soap.
The door opens and closes quickly, and before she can turn around, Rainbow feels a pair of hooves around her neck and a muzzle in her mane.
“Rough day?” asks Applejack, rubbing her hooves into Rainbow’s chest and lower neck.
Rainbow sighs. “Yeah, a bit.”
“Anythin’ you want to talk about?”
“Kind of... I guess. Weather team was really bad today. Something was just... off... and they couldn’t keep it together.”
Applejack trails kisses along Rainbow’s ear, hugging her pegasus closer. “That all, or is somethin’ else buggin’ you too?”
Rainbow looks down and glares at the water. “Can’t keep the stupid soap in my mouth.”
Smirking, Applejack leans down and picks up the soap, dragging it through Rainbow’s fur. “Want some help with that?”
Rainbow nods and Applejack cups the soap in her hooves and massages her girlfriend’s back, feeling her muscles relax under her touch. “Well, I think I know just the thing to cheer you up.”
“Applejack, we tried that in the bath already. It didn’t work very well.”
Applejack snorts. “I didn’t mean that, Rainbow. I meant we could go downstairs and bake one of them pies you like so much, then maybe we could go for a walk.”
“Oh, eh-heh. Yeah.”
Applejack turns Rainbow around and presses a kiss into her muzzle, finishing washing under her wings as they flared. “And then maybe we could do... that.”
Rainbow returns the kiss, and presses her nose against Applejack’s, closing her eyes. “I think... I’d like that.”
Stepping out of the bath, the two dry each other off and make their way down to the kitchen, Rainbow leaning heavily against Applejack, wearing a contented smile.
It was a glorious day. The sun was shining through the window of the barn, warming it and casting a cozy light on everything. The hay was clean and the smell was nonexistent. Of course there was nothing so good as the school desk sitting in the middle. It wasn't broken, but the wood was worn so that it was shiny and bright, and someone had scrawled curse words all over in permanent marker. It was not fit for student use anymore. However, that didn't stop Dash from enjoying it while it lasted - Big Mac had planned on destroying it for firewood in a couple day.
It was a tight squeeze, but still enjoyable for the pegasus. Leaning back in the chair, legs up on the table, comic in hoof, Rainbow couldn't have been more content.
Suddenly, she felt a hard whap on her hooves and her comic went flying. Dazedly, she looked up to see a chalkboard - when did that happen? - with math questions on it. Looking around she found the source of the attack.
Applejack was standing in front of her, ruler in hoof, a grim line for a smile. Her mane was tied in a tight bun, with a sober gray ribbon holding it up. On her face were square rimmed glasses which made her look older - but in a good way - that had the lenses popped out. The attire she was wearing was a crisp business shirt and tie that covered her front and matched her curves leaving nothing to the imagination.
"AJ?" Rainbow Dash questioned.
That question earned her another whap, this time across her shins.
"Ow!"
"First of all, missy, that's Ms. Apple to you, a student never calls their teacher by her first name, and secondly you shouldn't be reading comics in my class, you naughty pegasus. And get yer feet offa the table!" A bit of Applejack's accent slipped into the end of her sentence, marring her previously perfect fake Manehattan accent. After she finished yelling, she shoved Rainbow's hooves hard off the desk.
Rainbow Dash was angry, confused, and a tiny bit hurt, but mostly confused. Then with sudden clarity she remembered the conversation she had had with her marefriend only a week prior. A devilish smile graced her lips.
"I don't gotta do nothin' you say, teach," Rainbow mumbled, doing her best to act like a delinquent.
"A troublemaker. Looks like I'm going to have to punish you in detention." Applejack, smacked her with the ruler again, eliciting a yelp from Dash. "You are going to spend the rest of your afternoon polishing apples," Applejack purred seductively.
"Don't feel too bad though, you're not the only student who's been misbehaving. Spitfire is being punished too, so you'll have some help."
As Applejack smacked her again, all Rainbow could do was smile stupidly - BEST. DAY. EVER!!!!
Applejack took another drink from one of her canteens. When Twilight had crossed this desert, she had had magic to help her. Applejack only had her wits, her strength, and the many canteens of water she carried.
Most of which by now were empty. The desert was one unforgiving mistress.
Applejack lifted the hat off her head and wiped the sweat off as she continued climbing the dune. Hopefully, this would be one of the last she'd have to face.
As she peeked over the top, her heart jumped. Sure enough, just like the map had said, she saw the gates of Tartarus.
With newfound strength, she scurried down the dune, not even noticing or caring that she slipped and rolled most of her way down, and trotted over to the gates. Turning to the side, she examined the rocks that made up the wall. They were black, but had red bits ground into it, giving it almost a lava effect that was only augmented by the fact that they glowed in the light. She tentatively brushed it with a hoof, and was pleased to discover that the rocks were not hot. She grabbed one with her mouth and pulled.
Nothing happened.
She pulled again and again until her jaw was sore and sweat poured down her face. Still nothing.
Angry, she spun around and began bucking the wall in an attempt to dislodge at least a piece of it. Nothing happened, and she kicked harder and harder until...
"What are you doing?"
Applejack spun around and saw a young filly staring at her, head cocked, with mild interest in her eyes.
"What are you doing here?" Applejack asked. "This ain't no place for a filly."
"This also 'ain't no place' for live ponies," the filly countered.
"Mebbe not," Applejack conceded, "but Ah had to try."
The filly sat and waved her hoof expectantly, as if awaiting further explanation.
Applejack sighed and sat down as well. "Fine... Rainbow Dash--she's my marefriend--has been real off lately. Somethin's been eating her up inside and Ah can't tell what it is. Ah tried talkin' to her about it but she just said she wanted to be alone. Ah told her Ah'd go to Tartarus and back fer her, but she didn't seem to be listening."
"So now you have," the filly surmised, "and now intend to try and get her to talk by your show of pointless devotion?"
Applejack frowned. "Well, when you put it like that..."
"That is soooo sweet!" The filly popped up and backed herself up to the wall. "Here," she said, giving it a light kick with a single rear hoof. One brick fell and landed right in front of Applejack. "One souvenir from Tartarus, just for you."
Applejack picked it up and slid it into her saddlebag. "Thanks, miss..." she said, prompting for a name.
The filly didn't provide. "Don't mention it."
"Okay..."
"Like, ever. I have a reputation to maintain, you know." She turned and headed towards the gates.
"Ah don't suppose you have any water in there?" Applejack asked.
The filly turned, and for a split second Applejack thought she saw a smiling skeleton where the filly had been. "Dead ponies don't need water," she said, "but there's an oasis about a quarter mile that way that you might find helpful."
* * *
Applejack trotted through Ponyville, going through the town proper and finally ending up on the outskirts, where she found the rainbow tail hanging from a cloud that she had been seeking.
Rainbow Dash sat on that cloud, pondering deeply, when suddenly a glowing brick landed in front of her. She jumped and looked down.
"There," Applejack said. "Ah told you Ah'd go all the way to Tartarus and back for you, and Ah did. That there's a brick from the wall. Now get down here and tell me what's wrong."
"I... I can't," Rainbow said, looking down, embarrassment written on her face.
Applejack's eyes narrowed. She did not just walk through a desert and get a brick from Tartarus' walls just to be told that. She reached into the saddlebags she still wore, pulled out a rope, and with expert marksponyship, she grabbed Rainbow by the tail and pulled her to the ground, slamming her against the dirt.
"Ah did not just walk through a desert and get a brick from Tartarus' walls just to be told that," she snarled, "so you'd better pony up and tell me exactly what is on yer mind."
It was a pair of marefriends who started that conversation that day, but it was a set of fiancées that ended it.
And Applejack would have made that trip to Tartarus daily for that.
Applejack walked along the trail from her farm to Ponyville when she was suddenly assaulted in the face by a wind-propelled piece of paper. She sputtered and smacked the paper off her face and to the ground before she realized it had writing on it. Picking it up, she recognized the choppy penmanship.
Dinner tonight?
The orange mare looked up to see a pair of magenta eyes peering over the edge of a cloud, before pulling back to make the cloud appear to be afflicted with a rainbow-colored growth.
Raising an eyebrow, Applejack smirked and rummaged into her satchel before coming up with a pencil. She used the ground as her writing surface.
Nothing doing.
With great difficulty (as hooves make everything difficult), she folded a paper airplane and gave the paper a gentle launch into the air. It floated along before landing on the rainbow cloud growth.
Rainbow Dash raised her head, grinning from ear to ear, and unfolded the paper.
Then Applejack was met with a glare that threatened to bore straight through her. After wondering if Pegasus magic allowed Rainbow Dash to write on a cloud like a hard surface, she caught the paper airplane tossed down to her and unfolded it.
Why not?
Applejack frowned. She took out her pencil.
Waking early.
The pointy end of the paper airplane caught the Pegasus by surprise. She yelped before retrieving the folded parchment from her tail and read it. Rainbow Dash gave Applejack a look that she was able to decipher before the paper confirmed her response.
You serious?
I am.
Not long.
ALWAYS long.
Short dinner!
Sexy night...
At reading this, Rainbow Dash smiled, getting a dreamy look in her eye. "We don't HAVE to," she yelled down to the orange mare.
"What? Ah can't understand ya! Write it down."
The crumpled, balled up paper hit Applejack straight on the forehead. She chuckled softly. "Our dinners never end with me goin' ta bed early."
"If you REALLY have to get up early, I promise I'll make you go to bed. Even if we're in the throes of a passionate evening!"
"Ya promise?"
Rainbow Dash was quiet for a moment. "You weren't supposed to take me up on that."
"Dash!"
"Okay, okay. I promise. But you better make up for it this weekend."
"Ah'll see what Ah can do."
"Great! So...dinner?"
Applejack took a new sheet of paper out of her satchel and wrote, "Alright, sugarcube," before letting the message take it's flight up to the cloud.
Rainbow Dash smiled at the paper, before writing and sending it back down. Applejack had just unfolded it when she heard the Pegasus laugh in delight and the rustling of feathers that indicated her departure. And then, with a frown, she read why.
Applejack left the fairground with her head high, trying to retain what she felt was the remainder of her dignity. It was a task made difficult thanks to a rainbow-colored leech currently wrapped around one of her back legs in a tightening grip.
“I can’t recall the last time I’ve ever been so insulted.” Applejack said, breaking the tense silence.
Rainbow Dash responded immediately by squeezing tighter around her marefriend’s leg in an attempt to slow her down. Her new career path as a fleshy anchor wasn’t off to a good start, however, as Applejack kept dragging her across the ground with each exaggerated pull. “Come on, Applejack,” Rainbow finally whined. “I said I was sorry. It… it was an accident.”
Applejack didn’t slow down, but she shot Dash a downward glance. “An accident, huh? What, like you tripped and yer mouth just happened to end up there?”
“It was just a one-time thing. It didn’t mean anything, I swear,” Dash defended.
“I reckon I’m the only one who’s allowed ta swear right now, and I’ll have plenty more swears for ya later tonight,” Applejack said with a hard edge in her voice. “Suppose I shouldn’t be surprised none. That mare’s got ‘Tart’ in her name for pony’s sake!”
“Ok, now you’re just being ridiculous.” Dash gritted her teeth. The ground was starting to wear away at her coat. If she kept hanging on, she’d eventually end up with a bald belly.
“Am not.”
“You didn’t mind when our other friends were doing it,” Dash tried to reason.
“They ain’t my marefriend, Rainbow,” Applejack said with an angry huff. “Ya do somethin’ like that in public, how’s it gonna look on me?”
“Okay, okay, I get it,” Dash finally relented. “What’s it going to take to get me out of the doghouse? …I’ll help with farm chores tomorrow. I’ll read bedtime stories to the saplings you just planted.”
That almost got Applejack to smile. Almost. “Don’t you try nunna that fancy sweet talk on me now.” With one last forceful tug, Applejack at last freed her leg, leaving Rainbow Dash face down in the grass. She tilted her head back at the prone pegasus. “We’re havin’ a nice, long talk back at the farmhouse tonight, y’hear?”
Rainbow groaned at Applejack’s receding figure. After a minute, she felt the earth shake from vibrations of steady hoofsteps drawing nearer. From the force of each impact, she guessed who it was.
Big Macintosh nudged Rainbow with a toe as a way of greeting. “AJ saw ya eat one'a Pear Tart’s turnovers, didn’t she?”
“Eeeeeyyyyyyyup.”
“Ya know my sis’ gets mighty particular ‘bout her baking, right? ‘Specially when she’s competin’ fer a blue ribbon?”
“Eeeeeyyyyyyyup.”
Big Mac quickly looked from side to side, making sure no one else was around, before leaning close to Dash. “Were they worth it?”
Dash cracked one eye open and lifted her head, a half smile forming across her muzzle. “So. Bucking. Delicious.”
Rainbow Dash wasn’t much of a thinker, everyone knew that. But she was a reader, and sometimes what she read did make her ponder things that struck her.
Even so, it was odd for her to be thinking about a single word.
Hello was such a simple word, a way of greeting someone, with my others words that could be used. Hi, hallo, hi-ya. Even greetings and hey could work. Yet something about hello was special, though she just didn’t know why.
Maybe it was because it looked similar to ‘hell no’, maybe it was because it was the most common form of greetings. Or maybe she was just being silly...
Maybe it was the word that followed hello that made her so giddy, and not hello itself.
“Hello Grandma.”
Yes, that statement really did her happy when hearing it. Enough so she did mind Applejack shaking her head in amusement even as she stepped forwards to greet their grandfoals.
A part of Applejack's mind--the smallest part--felt awfully sorry for Twilight Sparkle. After all, not many ponies could endure the farmer's flat glare. Twilight, in particular, wasn't in the best stature. Unless shaking apart with copious amounts of sweat counted.
Then, of course, was the rest of Applejack--the parts that crushed all sympathy with a domineering hoof. The parts that twitched and boiled at a foal's piercing cries. Applejack's glare hardened on Twilight, using every shred of discipline she had to resist crushing the blue baby Pegasus in her forehooves.
"Fix it." AJ's voice was hard as diamond. As chilled as ice on Twilight's neck.
"I... I-I--"
"Fix. It."
"I don't think I-"
"Your next words? Choose 'em real smart-like, Twilight," Applejack said with narrowing eyes.
The stomach twisting gulp from Twilight nearly had the farmer smiling. But any enjoyment gained from this died at those damnable, ear-bleeding cries.
“I don’t remember how I—“ Twilight’s eyes shot to her hooves. “I’m sorry, Applejack. R-Rainbow surprised me! She knows how jumpy I am! I just freaked o—“
The baby Pegasus spit up something fierce. Orange fore hooves coated with yellow. Applejack’s teeth bared. Twilight’s words died on her tongue. “So what you’re sayin’ is…” Applejack slid her Stetson’s brim over her eyes. Slowly. “Y’all turned my partner into… this. And ya can’t un-turn her?”
Even through her hat, those sharp, lung-crushing eyes remained on Twilight’s, ignoring the unicorn’s quaking legs. And trying to ignore all the horrible things she could do with bookshelves and desks.
Twilight gave her best smile. Her most convincing, well-patented, horribly crooked smile. “Does it help that Dash is super cute like this?”
-----------
“GAH! Applejack!” Twilight cried, hogtied to her libraries highest tree branch. Every attempt to teleport away, thwarted by the cork on her horn.
Applejack smiled at the squirming unicorn, a bouncy giggly foal sitting on her back. “What’s that, Dashie? She can’t turn ya back if she’s tied up?” Applejack flicked her Stetson’s brim. “Sounds like a personal problem.”
Applejack gave the little foal a side-glance. And somehow, despite every implication, complication, and every doubt that things would be normal again, she couldn’t erase her smile.
“Heh. Sure are a giggler, ain’t ya?” Aj was answered with a dwarfed burp.
Soon, the farmer found herself laughing. She couldn’t help herself as she scooped the little Pegasus into her hoof and nuzzle her to pieces. Sure, Rainbow Dash was a foal. Sure, Twilight didn’t know how to change her back. Sure Applejack wouldn’t untie the poor librarian any time soon.
I had prepared for the worst, of course. I knew what could come. But even I wasn't ready for this.
"But, dad, I..."
"No buts, Rainbow," my father growled as my mother watched with tears in her eyes. "Either break up with that freak of an earth pony, or you're out of the family."
"It ain't worth it, sugarcube," Applejack whispered. "Stay with your family. Ah'll be fine."
"Yeah? Well, I won't be," I hissed back. I turned back to my father. "I've made my choice. The earth pony it is."
His eyes hardened even as my mother wailed. "Then you are dead to us," he growled. "Go. Leave Cloudsdale in your disgraceful exile, and if you ever come back, you won't be welcome here."
I nodded tersely and turned away, gently taking my crying marefriend with m-
"That ain't how it happened, sugarcube."
Rainbow started and looked up from her journal. "Wha-?"
Applejack sat on the bed next to her, smiling and shaking her head. "Ah said, that ain't how it happened."
Rainbow sighed and set down the quill. "Yeah, but 'my parents accepted my fillyfriend instantly and invited her to stay for dinner that night' just really doesn't have the same ring to it. It's not a good story." Rainbow shook her head. "It's lame that my parents had to be so cool..."
Applejack rolled her eyes. "Ah think everything went better than expected and you should be happy." She grinned. "Wonder what your dad would say if'n he read this."
Both mares jumped as a male voice answered. "Read what?"
"Oh, hey, pops," Rainbow answered, quickly trying to conceal her journal under her pillow.
Unfortunately, her dad was faster, and slid it right back out. He read the latest entry with a perfectly flat poker face. Applejack made a mental note to skip out on the game nights she had been invited to.
Then he grinned. "You forgot the part where I drew my dagger and tried to cut out your cutie mark, but your marefriend jumped in front of my blade and took the hit for you, and that's why she has those scars."
Rainbow laughed. "You're pretty cool, dad."
"Well," he said, brushing a hoof against his chest, "you had to get it from somewhere."
Fuzzy shapes filled Applejack's vision as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “Mornin', Sugarcube.”
“Surprise!” Rainbow chirped, laying a platter across Applejack's lap as she sat up in bed. “Breakfast in bed!”
Applejack rubbed her eyes again as she tried to process what Dash had said and the sight in front of her. All around her, trays laden with a smorgasbord of different treats permeated her senses. Pancakes, muffins, apple tarts, biscuits, toast and apple butter, and a large pitcher of ice cold apple juice all contributed to the menagerie.
“Dash... did you make all this?” Applejack was stricken with amazement.
“It was no biggie,” Rainbow answered as she munched on an apple tart.
“Dash, you shouldn't have.”
“You're welcome,” she winked.
Applejack blushed as she situated herself into a more comfortable position. “Thanks, Sugarcube. What's the occasion if you don't mind me askin'.”
“Well, I just thought to myself 'you know who's the most awesome marefriend a pony could ask for, even when I do something I really shouldn't: Applejack. I bet she'd like somepony to cook her breakfast for once'.”
“That's awful sweet of- Wait one apple pickin' minute.” Applejack paused as Rainbow's words sank in, a bite of pancake halfway to her mouth. “What do you mean something you shouldn't do?”
“Dash, what did you do?” Applejack's fork clattered against her plate as she put it down.
“Plan B!” Rainbow declared, scooping up a plate full of apple fritters and making for the open window.
“Rainbow Dash, you get your lying flank back here right now!” Applejack yelled after her, but the pegasus was gone. Unable to move without everything ending up on the floor and not one to let food go to waste, she sighed in resignation. A grin creased her lips as she picked her fork back up; she'd have to eat her way out but at least she'd get a good breakfast before chasing down her evasive marefriend.
It was Wednesday night and Applejack should’ve been in bed. She shouldn’t have hopped over that second stair from the top that always squeaked. She shouldn’t have hidden that pie away in the basket and wandered out into the Southern field beneath the golden delicious apple tree on the hill. She shouldn’t be skipping her sleep and looking up at the moon in abated eagerness. Yet, here she was. Sitting in the soft grass beneath the gentle moonlight with nothing but a pie in a basket to keep her company.
The steady beat of wings in the distance was more than enough to encourage her to do all these things. The tumble and roll in the grass as she fell back from her hooves drove her to do these things. The frantic hooves stroking over her body and nipping at her neck forced her to do these things. Her own hooves pulling and tugging at the flight suit around the pony on top of her was why she loved doing these things.
The stenson and goggles fell away and their lips met. Gasping and writhing against one another, they pushed their mouths together and tangled their tongues. Rainbow tasted like rain and cloud mist, fresh and cool. She gasped and threw her head back as the hooves trailed to her sides and down to her legs. They pressed and massaged her sore muscles until all she could do was groan in the moonlight.
The flight suit slipped away and crumpled against the trunk of the tree. Their exposed bodies rubbed against one another and her hooves found the base of her lover’s wings. She pressed against them expertly and felt the pony above her melt. It was only fair after Rainbow’s gift to her sore apple-bucking legs. Their lips found one another again and they kissed deeply.
The kisses grew lower and more energetic. Rainbow’s heartbeat kept pace with the frantic flight she endured previous to landing. Applejack’s heartbeat followed suit. The moonlight was there to guide their actions, but they knew each other’s bodies better than what any light could show. The chill of the air no match for the heat of their bodies. The distance of their relationship no match for passion of their love.
Applejack planted kisses along Rainbow’s neck as the worn-out pegasus fell into the grass on her back. Panting with each other, they exchanged tender nuzzles and soft coos of delight. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were both busy mares, but Wonderbolts, distance, or work could not keep them apart.
Applejack was always dead tired on Thursday, but she could not be happier.
Rainbow Dash always flew a little slower on Thursday, but she could not be happier.
That’s because, they each shared the other’s burden, and they were happiest together.
Rainbow Dash, newest Wonderbolt, and flyer extraordinaire, flew low. Ever so low around the Fillydelphia Stadium. So low, in fact, that had she flown just a bit lower, she could have touched the ponies she was flying above if they had just raised their hooves.
It was an added challenge to her routine - keeping an eye out for those outstretched hooves, staying above them, watching out for those foolish overeager ponies that tried to jump up to touch her anyways.
All except for one hoof.
She'd spotted her in the crowd within seconds - she'd been searching for her, and the hat had marked her presence immediately. Some copycats had later tried to wear hats of their own in the hopes of touching hooves with Rainbow, and one crazy mare had even gone to the lengths of dying her coat and mane to match, but it hadn't helped. She always recognized the one she was looking for.
The first time they'd touched hooves in the show, she'd gotten a stern talking to from Spitfire, citing numerous safety regulations, and had promised it wouldn't happen again.
The second time it had happened, the entire stadium had recognized the mare, and cheered. Spitfire had narrowed her eyes at Rainbow Dash as they passed in the locker room, but hadn't said a thing.
The third time it happened, the cheers were even louder. Spitfire had started paying for the mare's tickets herself after that.
Rainbow had asked Applejack why she did it. Every new venue, she was there - it was only for the first showing, as she couldn't stay away for too long, but she'd been at those without fail.
So much so, that their hoofbump had become a staple of their routine.
The farmer had grinned, shaking her head gently. I love ya, Rainbow Dash. An' I'd range far and wide to prove it to ya.
Rainbow had worried that her job as a Wonderbolt would keep her away from her love for weeks, even months at a time. She'd have missed her fiercly, begging Spitfire for days off to visit Ponyville.
Lost. So very lost. It's getting dark, too dark to see. How much time has passed? Time falls away. Running, but from what? No, not running. Chasing. Chasing safety from the storm. Running free.
But where to?
It doesn't matter.
Everything for all the wrong things. Yet right at heart. Would they understand the things done? And why? What discouraging days, so much left unsaid. Should suggestion suggest the faint of heart, then sky shall touch earth no more, forever. Only rain and dust carried on the wind.
Old dreams pass in the twilight, a new life with the dawn. Purpose.
On wing and prayer, to lay with the goodness of the soil one last time, flying headfirst into the light. Flying home. A Rainbow in the dark, an Apple fallen far from the tree. Unharmed.
Rainbow Dash sprinted through the forest, taking care to duck under tree branches and not scatter any leaves. She would have been much faster flying away, but she couldn't risk her pursuer seeing her trademark rainbow contrail.
She tried to control her breathing as she leaped over rocks, hopped over a stream, and dodged a low-hanging branch. There would be nothing worse than hiding and being discovered by her heavy breathing.
She continued running. Now feeling comfortable enough with her lead to search for a hiding spot, she started looking around. Not in a tree, that would be too obvious. Not in a cave; those were too unsettling for her pegasi instincts. Maybe under a pile of leaves? Nah, last time she tried that, her tail gave her away.
Rainbow soon spotted the perfect place: an old hollow log, laying on the forest floor, just outside a little meadow--perfect vantage point. She quickly scuttled inside, tossed leaves on herself for camouflage (making especially sure to hide her tail) and waited.
She didn't have to wait long. Soon enough, an orange earth pony entered the clearing. She slowed to a trot as she crossed it, and finally slowed to a stop. She closed her eyes and took a few breaths to calm herself down, and dug a rear hoof into the earth. Whatever she was searching for, she must have found; because she quickly pulled her hoof out and took off running again.
Rainbow suppressed a snicker. Success!
She decided to wait a bit longer before leaving, though. Applejack had doubled back before, and she had no intention of losing because of falling for the sa-
"Hi there."
Rainbow let out a "gah!" of surprise and spun around. At least, she tried to; but being inside a log, she just ended up hitting her head on the top. Groaning and rubbing her head painfully, she opened an eye to see a smiling Applejack, standing on the log and looking down with an undeniably cheeky look on her face.
"Ah do believe Ah'm four for four," she said cheerfully.
"Lucky guess," Rainbow muttered for the fourth time that day as she extracted herself from the log.
“Nothin’ doin’, sugarcube. You know the rules.” Applejack groaned. She had answered this same request at least once a day all season. “Cider is big business, it helps keep the farm in the black over the winter time. Only family members get free cider, and only if we got some to spare.”
“But you hardly ever take yours.” Rainbow did her best puppy dog eyes. “Couldn’t I just-”
“Mac don’t get to give his to Cheerilee, Apple Bloom don’t get to give hers to Scootaloo or Sweetie Belle, I can’t give mine to you.” Applejack paused for a moment. “Unless...”
“Unless you wanted to become a member of the family.”
The wheels inside Rainbow Dash’s mind slowly turned over that statement. Between Applejack’s words, tone of voice, and body language, there was only one possible meaning to that statement. Dash’s pupils shrank to pinpricks.
“AJ, I know what you’re asking, but I... I just.. I don’t know.” Dash’s ears folded flat against her head. “You have to understand, pegasi don’t often get married. It’s traditional to fly free.” Rainbow bowed her head, fearing the worst.
“I do understand.” Applejack said solemnly. “You ain’t the first pegasus marefriend I’ve had, but you have stuck around longer than any of them.” Dash met Applejack’s eyes again, relieved to see no malice in them, only a hint of sadness. “So, I wasn’t askin’.
“It’s up to you, sugarcube. I respect your pegasus customs; I’ll keep on lovin’ you an’ bein’ your marefriend as long as you’ll let me, even if you don’t wanna tie the knot. But, you gotta respect my customs too, an’ one of them is no free cider except family members.”
“I...” Dash returned her gaze to the floor. “I have to think about it. It’s a big decision.” She gasped softly, feeling Applejack’s forelegs wrap around her in a hug. She returned it.
“I know it is. It’s a big enough decision for earth ponies, gotta be really tough for pegasi. Just knowin’ you’re giving it some thought makes me happy.” Applejack held Dash a little tighter. “I love you, sugarcube.”
Dash closed her eyes and stroked Applejack’s long blonde mane. “I love you too, AJ.” It would be a tough decision, but maybe, just maybe, not quite as tough as she first thought.
Rainbow Dash tried not to flinch as the words reached her ears amidst the cacophony of the marketplace. Feigning casualness, she pulled the hood of her cloak further over her head, hiding her blue ears and colorful mane. Her teeth clamped down harder on the paper bag teetering in her mouth, and she cantered through the crowd of shoppers and salesponies in the plaza.
“Help! Guards! It’s that pony in the black cape!”
True to her name, Dash instinctively leaped out from underneath her cloak, earning gasps from the masses of ponies around her. She pounded the air with her broad, azure wings, and soared above the lower homes of Canterlot with her contraband swaying about in her mouth. Her eyes hastily scanned the busy cobblestone streets, searching for a familiar alley. She dove toward a dark passage in between two buildings.
The downtrodden alley was lined with trash, sick beggars and homeless ponies—mostly Pegasi and Earth ponies. Rainbow Dash recognized several of them, and they looked up at her with hopeful, curious eyes as she trotted past them, but she only looked straight ahead. She couldn’t help them all.
She trotted into a disheveled stone shack on the farthest side of the backstreet, and gently pushed the door shut, taking care to slide the lock in behind her. Her excitement growing, she quickly maneuvered over boards of wood, blankets, books, and piles of hay strewn about the floor of the shack, and headed toward the back room.
Dash grinned proudly, dropping the prized paper bag in the doorway. “Look, AJ! I got some of that magic root for—”
Rainbow stopped in her tracks. On a worn mattress in the center of the room lay an orange mare on her side, away from Rainbow, her breathing shallow and strained. Several blankets were amassed around the bed, having long since been kicked to the ground. Her once vibrant coat was now pale and drenched with sweat, sticking to her taut muscles.
Picking up her abandoned cache, Rainbow approached her mate hesitantly. She was reluctant to wake Applejack after she had finally fallen asleep after a long, painful night of migraines and colic.
But Rainbow couldn’t bear to see her marefriend suffer another minute. She never wanted to see Applejack cringing in pain, a forced smile plastered on her face just to try and ease Rainbow’s nerves. She was tired of pacing the shack night after night, hoping against hope that Applejack would make it through until morning.
Rainbow stood above Applejack and nuzzled her neck gently.
“H-hey,” Rainbow uttered softly after she felt her stir. “Feeling any better?”
Applejack rolled sleepily onto her back to face her, and took a deep, trembling breath. Her voice was hoarse as she spoke, “Ah think so. Just a little bit.” She glanced at the paper bag lying beside her on the mattress. “What’s in there?”
“I got you something. They say it’ll make the sickness go away.” Dash opened the bag in question and pulled out what looked like the root of an herb. “It’s magic root. I think you’re just supposed to eat it. Here, it’ll make you better.”
Applejack complied, slowly sitting up. She took the foreign plant from her marefriend’s mouth and began to nibble on it.
She took a few more bites, and frowned at the taste. “’S really bitter. Where’d you find this stuff, anyhow?”
Dash gulped and sat down beside her on the bed. “Well, at the market. This Unicorn was selling them, but he wouldn’t one to give me, so I kinda had to take it myself.”
“Ya didn’t pay for this?”
“I left some bits there, AJ. So technically, I did.”
Applejack looked like she was going to question further, but Dash held a hoof to her mouth.
“And even if I hadn’t paid for it, I’d still take it,” Rainbow continued. “I don’t care what it takes. I’m not going to let you suffer from this any longer than you have to. Now hush up and eat.”
Applejack simply nodded and smiled, finishing up the last of the terribly bitter root. “Thanks, Dash. I’m—”
A raucous knock sounded from the front door of their makeshift home. “Canterlot guard! Open up!”
Applejack glared incredulously at her marefriend. She whispered harshly, “The guards are following you?”
The guards pounded on the door once more. “Open up! Canterlot Guard!”
Months of collected dust, shaken loose by the strength of the knocks, floated down from the rickety wooden rafters onto the anxious pair. The sudden introduction of irritants triggered a series of dry-heaving coughs from Applejack. Rainbow rushed forward, but a firm orange forehoof stopped her. Between a pair of labored gasps, Applejack pushed Rainbow away and issued a single whispered request, “hide.”
When Rainbow hesitated, Applejack narrowed her eyes. An unspoken message formed over years of trust which brooked no argument. As her love fled to the shadows, Applejack crawled to her hooves. Wincing under her own weight, she dragged herself toward the flimsy door between the guards and her life. The going was slow as she limped three-hoofed toward the rattling wooden structure, her rear-left leg achingly lifted from the floor.
No more than a few feet from the door, the aged wood gave way and the door swung open. Applejack winced away from the bright sunlight which flooded in from the open doorway. The forceful entry raised more dust from the already dusty room and Applejack nearly collapsed from the fit of coughs her ailing lungs demanded from her. Her body weak, but her resolve strong, she staggered forward the remaining distance to place herself between the guards and Rainbow.
“Miss, we have reason to believe a thief is hiding in this building. We would like to search the premises.”
Applejack shook her head and imparted the guards with the most pained expression she could muster—if only it was acting. Shuddering in barely controlled agony, she turned her head back toward the emptiness of the room behind her. Relieved not to see Rainbow in plain sight, she returned her attention to the guards. “Only a pony with a death-wish would come in here. I’m incredibly ill.”
She mentally thanked her pitiful state. Her sweating body, the limp of her leg, even her sunken eyes provided more than enough evidence for even the most skeptical guard. She watched the two armored ponies exchange an uncertain look. Her heart raced as they seemed to step forward. Every second was agony and she wasn’t sure how much more she could take. When she realized the guards were only stepping forward to close the door for her she did her best to smile. “Thank you sirs.”
“Get well soon ma’am.”
Applejack nodded and closed her eyes. It was until the door thudded shut did she fall from her hooves onto the dirt floor below. As she lay there panting, her head swirled from the sudden burst of exertion she demanded from her body. Exertion she couldn’t possibly have accomplished without—
She opened her eyes and smiled at her reason, her love. She nestled into the tender hooves which cradled her head gently and wiped the sweat from her brow.
“Applejack... I’m so sorr—”
“Shh...” She interrupted with a hoof, slower and more frail this time. She brushed the dulled, but still colorful, strands of hair from the face of her reason. “It’s okay, sugarcube. I’ll be okay. I don’t need any magical root. I’ll beat this and get better. Don’t feel bad, we all have our fair share of oopsies in life. I’m just happy to share them with you.”
She smiled as the lips touched her forehead. “I’m feelin’ better already, you don’t have to get anymore for me. Okay, sugarcube?”
Drying the tears of her life-long companion, they traded another wordless promise.
Many things were said about the Royal Guardsponies. Some said they were essential for the keeping of the peace, while others said they were nothing more than large ponies in shiny tin cans. While these opinions may or may not have been true, there was one thing they were good at: finding wanted ponies.
Especially when that pony happens to have a very unique and distinguishing mane.
Rainbow Dash tapped her hoof on the table impatiently. She didn't want to be here in court. She didn't want to be here in the city at all. She wanted to be back at the hospital with Applejack, but apparently things like law and order kindof took priority.
And it's hard to be with your marefriend if you're serving three to five months in jail for petty theft. She turned to glare at the shopkeeper with his attorney, and he stuck his tongue out tauntingly at her.
Rainbow rolled her eyes. She had no lawyer, and it totally wasn't because she forgot she was supposed to find one.
Eventually (it had felt like forever, but had probably only been around fifteen minutes), the judge finally showed up.
"All rise," the bailiff intoned.
Rainbow shot to her hooves.
"The honorable Judge Stronghold presiding in the case of Shade, Lemon vs Dash, Rainbow. Miss Dash is accused of petty theft."
"In my defense, I did leav-"
"Miss Dash, do not speak until called upon, or I shall have you removed from my courtroom."
Rainbow Dash was taken aback. The stick up this pony's butt must have been at least a foot wide.
"Mr. Shade, you first. Explain the case you have prepared."
To be perfectly honest, Rainbow kindof tuned out most of his argument. Her mind was otherwise occupied with Applejack, last seen laying on a hospital bed soaked in sweat and twitching feverishly.
"Miss Dash?"
Rainbow flinched and looked up. "Yes?"
"How do you respond?"
"Uh... Not guilty?"
"There were witnesses everywhere!" Shade spat. "You're doing nothing but-!"
"Control yourself," the judge hissed. She looked back at Rainbow. "Did you take the root?"
"Uh... what if I said I had a really good reason to?"
"But did you take the root?"
"I left some bits!"
"But did you take the root?"
"Yes! I did! There, happy?"
"Somewhat." She shuffled the papers on her stand. "Petty theft carries a sentence of..."
"Can I at least explain why?" Rainbow asked.
The judge sighed heavily and set the papers down. "Very well, I suppose."
"So there I was in the market, and I'm there because my marefriend is really sick. I heard this root thingy really helps break fevers and such, and so that's what I wanted it for, because she's really sick. She's actually in the hospital right now, she's doing so bad. I wanted to help her, but he wouldn't sell it to me because I told him why I wanted it!"
"For your marefriend?" the judge clarified.
"Yes! It's not like I wanted to sell it in the streets or anything. I just wanted to make her kindof comfortable, you know?"
"See?" Shade spat. "She's just a crazy fillyfooler ruinin' the town for all of..."
His lawyer facehoofed hard and Judge Stronghold's eyes narrowed.
Lemon Shade wilted. "You're one too, huh?" he asked quietly.
"Mitigating circumstances, judgement for the defendant." She slammed her hoof down on the bench with a bit more force than was absolutely necessary. "Get out of my courtroom."
"So I'm free to go?" Rainbow asked.
"I said out, miss Dash."
Rainbow needed no second invitation. Turning around, she sprinted out of the courtroom as quickly as she could, headed back towards the hospital.
* * *
Sprinting through the doors, she literally flew up the stairs and burst into Applejack's room.
"Applejack! I got great... news..." Her voice trailed off as she realized that the room was empty, with the bed made and everything sanitized and cleaned.
She rushed back outside to check the number, but she had been right the first time. Rainbow began hyperventilating.
"Applejack?" she called. "Applejack?" She grabbed a passing nurse. "Hey! Do you know where the pony that was here is? Orange earth pony, three apples cutie mark?"
"Oh, she's gone," the nurse said, looking back down at her clipboard.
"She's gone?!? That's it?"
The nurse nodded, not looking up from her clipboard... until Rainbow slammed a hoof down on it, sending it crashing to the ground and the papers flying everywhere.
"My marefriend died and you're just so flippant about it? What is wrong with you?"
The nurse backpedaled furiously. "Died? No, no no no! She's gone, as in her fever broke and she checked herself out!"
"She's ok?" Rainbow demanded.
"N- never better!" the nurse stammered. "Helped her outside myself!"
Rainbow sighed in relief and sprinted downstairs. There was only one place Applejack would be.
* * *
Applejack's eyes opened as she heard wingbeats approaching.
"Ah knew you'd find me here," she said, closing her eyes again.
Rainbow grinned as she rocked the hammock gently. "Just leave me a note or something next time," she said. "You scared me half to death."
Applejack chuckled. "Next time Ah have no intention of gettin' sick, so Ah guess that's a moot point. How did it go in court?"
"I got off scot-free, but that's not important right now. How are you feeling?"
"Right now?" Applejack pondered for a second before answering, "Safe."
"Safe?"
"Yep.
"Safe from fever?" Rainbow guessed.
"Yep."
"Safe from dying," Rainbow added.
"Yep."
Rainbow giggled. "Safe from that awful smell of antiseptic that hospitals always smell like?"
"That too."
"You know," Rainbow Dash said, hopping onto the hammock and burying her face into Applejack's chest, "I'm feeling pretty safe right now, too."
"Safe from jail time?" Applejack guessed.
"Safe from ever having to be alone," Rainbow corrected in a tiny whisper.
Rainbow Dash was used to injuries. As Equestria's fastest flier, it was part of the job description to have the occasional bump or scrape. Of course, she never liked anything that kept her from flying for any period longer than a couple of hours, but it was at least tolerable if the injury occurred during some daring stunt or trick, because of the cool stories that came with it.
But she hated being sick.
Applejack frowned as Dash once again tried to convince her that she was fine. "Trust me AJ, I'm not sick at all! It's just...dusty! It's dusty, that's why I'm coughing!"
"Dash, we're outdoors, in an apple orchard. Ain't no more dust here than anywhere else."
Dash had spent the morning out in the fields with Applejack, being moderately helpful as well as eating a portion the apples she was trying to collect, something Applejack had grown used to. However, Dash's constant coughing and sneezing, despite her best efforts to hide it, had begun to worry Applejack and, certain that Dash had caught something, she was now drawing the line.
"You don't know that for sure!" Rainbow retorted, "This place could've gotten dustier!"
She tried to prove her point by pawing at the ground, only to cause a small amount of gravel and grass to be displaced.
Applejack deadpanned.
"Look, AJ" Rainbow sighed, "just because I'm coughing a bit doesn't mean I'm sick. Ponies cough all the time! It's probably nothing."
"Dash, ya'll have been coughin' and sneezin' all mornin'! Ah'm no nurse, but that certainly ain't 'nothin''. Ah don't care what ya say, you're sick, and Ah'm going to Zecora's and gettin' somethin' for ya. Meanwhile, you are gonna go inside and stay in bed, ya hear?" AJ said, indicating towards the Apple residence, "And Ah don't want ya flying! You're in no state to be doin' anythin' like that."
"But AJ-"
"No buts! Go." Applejack interjected firmly.
Rainbow drooped her head and slowly made her way over to the house.
"I hate being sick."
_________
After making a hasty journey through the Everfree Forest, Applejack arrived at Zecora's tribal-styled hut. She rapped her hoof against the door, and was met moments later by the smiling face of the mare herself. "To you, Applejack, I say 'welcome', what brings you here, to my home?"
"Dash's been coughing mighty fierce all morning, and Ah hate ta see her in such a state" Applejack said as she walked into the hut, "And Ah was wonderin' if perhaps ya had somethin' ta get her fixed up?"
Zecora nodded and brought Applejack over to a cupboard, from which she produced a small brown root. "This root here will do the trick, to heal the pony that is sick."
Applejack took the root from her and placed it in her saddlebag. "Thanks, Zecora" she said.
"With this root, there are some side effects - it will make the user eager for-"
"It's no matter, Zecora. The side effects shouldn't be any problem at all, just as long as mah mare's okay" Applejack said, making her way towards the exit. "Ah'd stay longer, but ah wanna get back as soon as possible, make sure Dash ain't gone out or anything. Thanks again!"
Zecora opened her mouth to finish her comment about the side effects, but then reconsidered, a small smile playing on her face. "You are welcome, Applejack. I hope that Dash enjoys her snack."
AJ smiled and waved goodbye to Zecora before shutting the door and making her way back to Ponyville. And as she left, Zecora let out a small chuckle.
"'Shouldn't be a problem', that is true. It will be good for both of you."
______
Applejack returned to Sweet Apple Acres, panting slightly after making a speedy return journey. Cause I wanna get this to Dash. Not cause ah'm scared of the Everfree forest or anything, she told herself as she made her way up the stairs to her room. She opened the door, half expecting Dash not to be there. She was, however, and Applejack mentally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Hey sugarcube, Ah'm back."
Dash sat up at the sound of her marefriend's voice, secretly ecstatic to be called 'sugarcube'. "Hey, AJ" she replied, before unsuccessfully trying to stifle a cough.
Applejack removed the root from her saddlebag and passed it to Dash, before sitting down next to the blue mare on the bed. "Got this for ya. Zecora said it'll get ya back in fightin' form."
Rainbow eyed the root suspiciously. "It looks kinda gross."
Applejack rolled her eyes and asked "Do ya wanna get better or not?"
Rainbow contemplated this briefly, before placing the root in her mouth and beginning to eat it. "Tastes kinda gross too", she said, making a face.
"Well, Ah guess not everythin' can taste as good as apples" she replied with a sly smile.
A few moments passed as Dash chewed and swallowed the root, a plain look on her face, until she started staring at Applejack, a smile growing on her face.
"Well?" Applejack asked hopefully, "Feel any better?"
"Much better!" Dash exclaimed, the grin on her face expanding. "In fact, I feel amazing! I feel like I could fly a marathon! I feel like I could take on the world! I feel like...I feel like I could lick you like a lollipop"
Applejack's eyes widened at hearing the last statement, a look of pure shock on her face. Before she could react however, Dash had pinned her down to the bed, a sultry expression on her face. "I'm going to make you be gasping for air and screaming my name" she said in an exceptionally seductive voice, before beginning to plant kisses down Applejack's body.
Applejack just lay there, as Dash's mouth moved along her body, still trying to process how Rainbow had gone from 'very sick' to 'very horny' in a matter of seconds.
Applejack glowered at the note on her table that sat almost apologetically among her spread of apple pies and apple-related desserts as if it were the source of her problems. To be honest, it wasn't; but it might as well have been.
“'Ah'll be home', she said. 'Ah wouldn't miss our anniversary', she said. Feh!” she grumbled. Rainbow's acceptance into the Wonderbolts had been a bit hard on a lot of ponies, but especially hard on Applejack.
She looked over the note again.
Hey Applejack!
I'm so sorry I'm not going to be able to make it back for our anniversary dinner tonight! I know you've planned something special, because you're awesome like that, but they just don't give rookies first pick of off days! I'm so sorry and I promise I'll make it up to you somehow.
Applejack half heartedly ate a slice of pie and slowly walked upstairs to her bed, too disappointed to think of doing anything but falling asleep.
***
Applejack was having a fairly pleasant dream. In it, she was laying on her back in her bed, with Rainbow Dash laying on her side and tenderly licking her cheek repeatedly. This was one of the most realistic dreams she had ever had. In fact, she could almost hear Rainbow's heavy breathing and feel the moistness of her little tongue.
Applejack jumped out of bed in shock. Rainbow was indeed on her bed, grinning impishly. “Hey there,” she said.
“You!” Applejack said, pointing a hoof accusingly at her. “You said you couldn't make it back!”
“I know. I lied,” Rainbow said, pulling Applejack into a hug.
Applejack pushed her away. “Ah don't even want to look at ya right now. You aren't funny, you know.”
“Aww,” Rainbow faux pouted. “Then I guess I'll just have to do something to make it up to you.” She began circling Applejack, much like a shark circles his prey.
Applejack tensed slightly as she felt Rainbow's wing brush against her cutie mark. “Wh- what kind of something?” Applejack whispered.
Rainbow came close and rested her forehead against Applejack's. “How about 'anything you want'? Tonight, I'm yours.” She chuckled. “But I think I'll start with this.” She leaned forward and began laying a trail of kisses on Applejack, starting on the tip of her muzzle and slowly tracing down, going next to her lips and then down her neck, pausing only to give her a little nip before continuing her trail down Applejack's body.
Needless to say, Applejack and Rainbow Dash quickly worked out their differences, and it was quite the enjoyable evening for the both of them.
“So,” Rainbow grinned as she rested her hooves behind her head. “Did I make it up to you, or did I make it up to you?”
“Yeah,” Applejack panted, still trying to bring her vision back into focus. “A- Ah think we're... about e- even, now.”
Being inside a sandwich. That’s what it felt like to the two ponies crammed in between their friends in the crowded concert hall.
In order to house a larger audience for such an important event, Celestia had temporarily transformed the individual plush seats of the hall into long plush benches. Comfortable on the rump, but not so much on the hips and withers when an entire row of ponies were crushing you into your neighbor.
On Applejack’s side, Rarity and Fluttershy were dabbing at their eyes with hoofkerchiefs, clearly moved by the play. On Rainbow Dash’s side, Twilight was desperately trying to keep Pinkie’s natural exuberance quiet and subdued. Between them, AJ and Dash felt like the hay bacon in a BLT.
Every so often, they shifted uncomfortably against one another. Normally, they didn’t mind bodily contact, but that usually took the form of an impromptu wrestling match, not being crammed in between their friends and being bored out of their minds at a romantic play.
They wouldn’t have been there at all, except that Celestia had insisted on the presence of the Elements of Harmony. After their failed invasion, the changeling hive had done some soul searching and found a way to not only use their shapeshifting abilities for good, but also to safely generate and collect the emotions they required to feed. Celestia was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, provided she had a backup plan, in case things got out of hoof.
After about the twentieth time they shifted positions, trying to get even a little bit more room to breathe, Applejack finally decided on a plan. She moved her right foreleg from between herself and Rainbow and put it around the latter’s withers instead. Dash’s eyes went wide in surprise, then went even wider when AJ suggested she do the same.
In a whisper, Applejack made the case that it would hardly be the first time they’d grabbed each other around the neck and this way, they’d have more room. Dash reluctantly agreed, wrapping her left foreleg around AJ. The shifting and shuffling drew to a halt, leaving both ponies free to make silent gagging noises about the mushy play and to chuckle quietly back and forth at the faces they were each pulling.
After a particularly entertaining round, they found themselves leaning against each other in silent giggles and hugging each other in mirth. But when the giggles coasted to a stop, the giddy feeling still hadn’t quite left their minds, and they stayed huddled close to each other, reflecting that perhaps being sandwiched together wasn’t all that bad after all.
"No. There is no way in Tartarus I'm coming out looking like this."
Applejack let out a sigh and gently knocked on the door. "Ah doubt ya look that bad, sugarcube," she countered. "Jus' step outside fer one second is all Ah ask."
"But, I..." Rainbow Dash was heard letting out a loud, frustrated sigh, only before opening the bedroom door and waltzing out into the hall, with a very annoyed expression as she turned around and lightly groaned.
"I can't even walk in this thing." she muttered. "How am I supposed to fly?"
Rolling her eyes, Applejack shook her head playfully at her marefriend's overdramatic exaggeration. Much to her dismay, Rainbow Dash was wearing a sleek, black dress with an outpuffed skirt that had prismatic colors aligning the border and a tight magenta ribbon secured firmly around the middle of it.
"I'm starting to think I can't even breathe now." the pegasus complained. "I don't even want to go to this stupid Wonderbolts ball - but now, they send me a dress to wear to the thing?" She glanced to her lover, and raised an eyebrow. "AJ, be honest with me here, how stupid do I look?"
Letting out a light chuckle, Applejack leaned forward, placing a sweet little kiss on Dash's cheek. "Well, Ah can't tell a lie an' Ah gotta admit," she smiled. "Ya actually look kinda cute."
Rainbow Dash scowled, although she couldn't hold back the light blush spreading across her cheeks.
Applejack shifted uncomfortably in her garment, pulling at it to straighten out the wrinkles. She had washed it to get the dust off, but there were a few stains she couldn't quite get rid of. Granny Smith assured her they weren't even visible (but also told her to keep her hooves moving so no one could get a good look.) It was a little too tight around the hips, and a little too loose around the stomach. The bright, verdant color the dress once had now faded to a pale moss. Luckily, the dress was simple, so there weren't many other things that could possibly go wrong with it.
It was old, but still strong, much like Winona. If Applejack squinted, she could still see the simple beauty the dress had when Rarity originally made it for her.
If Rarity weren't so busy in opening her new shop in Manehatten, maybe Applejack would have asked her to remake it. But the earth pony had to push that thought aside and focus on the now. It was a rough growing season, and she couldn't go to a tailor in town to have the dress fixed up.
"This'll have to do," she said as she gave her dress a final look over before looking up at the intimidating luxury of the Canterlot ballroom. It never scared her before, but she never cared about what anypony thought about her before.
Tonight was different. Tonight, she would know for sure, and put away her long suffering idea of, "what if?"
Taking a deep breath, Applejack trotted into the ballroom. Her loose mane and tail had slight curls to them from being in a braid all day long, which bobbed up and down with every determined step. She ignored scowls and dirty looks. She pretended that she didn't hear the whispers and chuckles from the more opulent guests. She had to look past all that as she searched the crowd. She could hear her heart beat in her ears out of rhythm to the music that was being played by the band.
And then, she saw her goal. She stopped, took a deep breath, then made a bee line for the familiar rainbow mane, being tossed about as she laughed at a joke.
'She looks so happy', Applejack thought as she got closer, her determination wavering. Suddenly, the entire premise of her visit felt very selfish, and she started to question her right to even be there that night.
Then Applejack stopped cold in her tracks when a pair of magenta eyes locked onto her. She had to fight the desire to run away, and struggled to hear over the sound of the gears in her head screeching to a halt.
They stared at each other for a moment, unsure of what to make of each other.
Then the pegasus left the pony she was talking to in mid-sentence as she made her way to the farmer pony. The crispness of Rainbow's freshly pressed uniform made Applejack all too aware of the small tear at the collar of her own dress.
The Pegasus stopped in front of the apple farmer, and Applejack realized for the first time that Rainbow Dash was smiling.
A moment passed.
The next thing she knew, Applejack was being embraced by Rainbow's strong forelegs. "Oh, my gosh! AJ!" she said, a small quaver in her voice. "I haven't seen you in ages!" She pulled away, looking Applejack up and down. "And you're wearing the dress from my going away party!"
Applejack struggled to fight back her tears. Still, her eyes glistened as she responded, "Well, Ah remember how much ya liked it."
Rainbow hugged her again, not letting go, or worrying about the other ponies staring at the new Wonderbolts Captain having such an intimate moment in such a public place with a bedraggled earth pony. "I'm so glad you're here!"
Applejack didn't care about the questions that had been plaguing her for years, the nights she spent thinking about all the times she could have admitted her feelings, or how she longed to kiss the blue Pegasus. All she knew was that for at least that moment, Rainbow Dash was hers.
Applejack rolled her eyes (again) and slammed her rear hooves against the tree, sending apples cascading down. "Ah'm a little busy at the moment, Rainbow."
"Look, though," Rainbow said, holding out the bag. "Double mint peppermint sticks! That's, like... double the mint! How could you not want one of these?"
Applejack frowned. "Ah don't think so. Double mint just means they distilled the mint twice t' make it extra pure."
Rainbow examined the plain brown packaging and, of course, having bought these at the Ponyville market, found no information there. "How do you know that?" she asked.
"Apples ain't all we grow, Rainbow," Applejack grinned, returning to her work.
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Fine. But still. You gotta try one."
Applejack let out an exaggerated sigh. "Fine. Give me one."
Rainbow pulled one out of the bag with her teeth and flipped it with her tongue before pulling it partially into her mouth, so it rested between her teeth like a red and white bit.
Applejack cocked her head. "Wh-"
But Rainbow just nodded expectantly.
It only took two seconds for Applejack to understand. This was Rainbow's way of saying, 'If you want it, come and take it.'
And that peppermint stick was suddenly looking surprisingly desirable.
It was the work of a second. Applejack exploded forward and tackled her to the ground. She rested a hoof against Rainbow's chest. "Gotcha," she whispered.
Rainbow merely smirked and clenched her teeth defiantly, but she couldn't prevent her wings from spreading against the ground in response to the forcible contact.
Applejack leaned down and tried to pry the peppermint stick away using her nose, even going so far as to try and nudge it out sideways, but Rainbow wasn't having any of that and kept her teeth firmly clenched.
Perfect.
This time, Applejack tried using her tongue as a lever, working it in between Rainbow's lower teeth and the peppermint stick. Rainbow whimpered a bit but tried to play it off as just hard breathing as Applejack's tongue invaded her mouth. The peppermint stick was slick from the combination of saliva and sugar, and Applejack couldn't get a firm grip.
That didn't stop her from trying, though.
Having decided Rainbow's lower lip had had enough, Applejack started at the top, leaning over and tilting her head for the best angle to avoid Dash's muzzle and force her tongue between Rainbow's top teeth and the ever elusive peppermint stick. This was a bit awkward, as she had to push her tongue down to try and fit it between the empty space and that downward movement wasn't one her tongue normally did. She curled her tongue underneath and pulled, trying to retrieve her prize, but Rainbow kept a firm grip.
Applejack felt Rainbow's lips curl up in a defiant little smirk, and she frowned before grinning impishly. Not this time. Applejack lifted a hoof and brushed it against the lower coverts of Rainbow's left wing. Rainbow subconsciously arched her back ever so slightly and let out an involuntary little -nyeh!-, which made her jaw relax ever so slightly and let Applejack grab the peppermint stick with ease.
"'o 'ere," Applejack taunted, crunching the candy deliberately.
Rainbow growled, but her anger didn't reach her eyes. She got to her hooves, pulled out another stick, and clenched it in her mouth again. "'es' 'wo ou' o' 'ree?" she demanded.
Applejack nodded as she swallowed the rest of the peppermint stick, and licked her lips expectantly. Best two out of three sounded wonderful right now.
I thought I'd write you a letter to let you know how flight school's going - and by that, I mean how AWESOME flight school's going!
Training with Spitfire has been so cool - it took a bit to get used to how strict she is, but she's actually the best coach! My technique's already gotten way better now because of her - she gave me some tips on how the "Bernoulli Effect" changes how fast you can fly, and also how the "Coriolis Effect" is taken into account in team flying, and all this other cool Pegasus stuff you probably wouldn't understand. I have to try NOT to do Sonic Rainbooms now!
One of the hardest things is getting up so early (especially because the beds here are made of top-quality Pegasopilis-imported clouds). I don't know how you do it! Oh, speaking of beds, you would not BELIEVE the prank we pulled on Storm Squall! You know that cream you rub on sore muscles, that's so hot it feels cold? Well, we spread that all over his sheets! You could hear the screams all the way down the hall, me and Dusty were rolling on the floor laughing, it was that funny! Soarin made us fly so many laps, but it was worth it. I think Soarin saw the funny side of it too, though.
The other hard thing is being without you.
I know it's only been five or so days, but I really miss you. I hate this mushy stuff, but it's be so nice to just cuddle with you, and nibble your neck, and smell your hair...but hey, at least we'll get to see each other in a few weeks, right? We can make up for lost time then.
Anyways, it's getting kinda late over here. Spitfire makes anyone she catches out of bed after lights out do a hundred laps of the stadium. I'll post this tomorrow morning, so you should get it tomorrow night. Or will it be tonight for you? No, it'll be...ugh. I can't figure it out. Anyways, gotta dash! I'm looking forward to your reply.
Love you,
Rainbow Dash
xoxoxoxox (Dusty told me that means 'hugs and kisses')
She didn't want to believe it was time. She needed more preparation! More practice! She wasn't ready for this night yet! She should just go down there and tell her she wasn't gonna make it...
Emergency cloud duty! ... Even though there weren't any clouds in the sky. Ponyville wasn't even scheduled for rain for two weeks.
Stupid dry season...
“Guh! What is the matter with you, you silly filly?!” Rainbow stared at herself in her cloud-mounted mirror. “You been on a date before! And it wasn't that bad... Even if he ended up in traction for a month...”
The cyan pegasus sighed. “Oh hay... What am I doing?” the normally-confident pony asked herself, wings deflating. “I wouldn't know dating if it threw a horseshoe at my head...”
“Rainbow?” came the call from somewhere far below.
Adrenaline shot through the blue mare's veins. “Oh, horsefeathers! This is it! I'm totally gonna blow it on our first date!” she facehooved. “Applejack'll never talk to me again! I'll be the laughingstock of Ponyville! The laughingstock of Ponyville who blew the most amazing date ever with the most amazing mare ev-”
“Rainbow?” came the Southern Belle accent once again.
“Coming! Just … fixing up a bit...” Rainbow's voice cracked.
She looked in the mirror again, and ran a hoof through her mane to the side, swallowing nervously. Teeth clean? Check. Mane? Amazing-looking. She threw a glance at the clock. Great – late, but just fashionably so!
So far so good...
Rainbow sucked in a breath and released it all at once. “Okay... Here we go.”
She stepped out of her cloud home and gently fluttered to the ground... It didn't feel awesome, but at least it kept her looking awesome.
Applejack was dressed exactly in her outfit she wore at Twilight's brother's wedding.
Speaking of looking awesome...
“Whoa...” she muttered involuntarily.
“'Whoa' yerself – Ah ain't even seen many stallions who wear a suit that nice,” Applejack smiled sweetly. “Y'all look like a regular 'ol dreamboat.”
“Yeah, well, at least it gave me an excuse to stay away from any of Rarity's dresses,” Rainbow shrugged. She grinned. “So, ready to go, gorgeous?”
Applejack blushed. “Y'all don't think the princess'll mind?”
“Pfft! Are you kidding? With how much Twilight talks, I doubt she'll even notice we were even there!” Rainbow laughed, inciting a chuckle from her date for the evening. “Besides, I'd rather take the long way there, if you're up to it... I mean, if you'd rather go there on time, that's cool too...”
Rainbow felt her heart hammering in her chest like an angry jackrabbit. Come on, say yes... Please say yes...
“Well, Ah sure ain't much fer formalities... Ah wouldn't mind all too much bein' late...” Applejack agreed, rubbing her cheek against Dash's neck.
All of Dash's tension evaporated in an instant.
SHE SAID YES! SHE SAID YES! I AM SO BUCKING AWESO-
“Ahem... Uhh, that's cool. Sooo... How 'bout the park?”
Applejack smiled and pressed against her date. “Lead the way handsome.”
Applejack was a simple pony. She cared not for extravagance, flamboyance, or flair - much unlike her rainbow-maned counterpart. She didn't need a lot to keep her happy - just her family, her friends, and her farm. But opportunities like these only came around once in a lifetime, and Applejack figured she may as well give it a shot.
She was beginning to remember why she didn't usually give things like this a shot.
"Come on, AJ, you've almost got it!"
"Ah know, ah know, but it's jus' so...tricky!"
"The AJ I fell in love with wouldn't give up this easy!"
"Ah ain't givin' up, ah'm jus' sayin' how hard it is!"
"Come on, AJ! You can lift your own body weight can't you? That's basically all you're doing here!"
"Course ah can! It's a little harder like this, though! Ah ain't never had wings before!"
Earlier that morning, Twilight had informed them of a new spell she was working on, which allowed rapid healing of minor muscular injuries, and that she needed another two ponies to test it on - choosing Applejack and Rainbow, because their "frequent physical activity and athleticism made muscular injuries likely".
Dash told Twilight she had sore wings, and Applejack a strain in her barrel.
The spell was performed simultaneously on the two of them, and while each were relieved of their injuries, an "executional mistake" led to Applejack being adorned with a large, graceful set of wings.
Fortunately, Twilight had prepared a counter-spell - however Dash insisted AJ at least experiment with her feathered appendages before removing them, conditions to which Applejack eventually agreed.
They'd spent most of the day in the fields of Sweet Apple Acres, Rainbow guiding AJ through the basic steps of flying. It had proved far easier said than done, though, because teaching a fully grown pony to fly was certainly trickier than teaching a foal. They'd gotten there in the end though, and now Rainbow was getting to some of the finer points.
"Okay, from the top: simple corkscrew. You come in, lead with the hooves, one big wing beat, then just rotate your body. It's that easy!"
"Yeah, easy fer you! In case ya didn't notice, I only learnt to fly this morning!" Applejack let out a sigh. "Kay, Ah'll give it one last crack. Then that's it fer me - Ah ain't cut out for trick-flyin'".
Rainbow, although disappointed she'd be losing her flying buddy, decided that was fair enough. She hovered over to Applejack and, with a small kiss to her muzzle, gave her a soft reminder: "No matter what happens, I'll always be here to catch you."
With that, she moved away from the (now slightly redder) orange pony and gave her a signal to start. They were still relatively close to the ground, but high enough that Applejack had to remind herself not to look down from time to time. She took a gulp, and began her run-up.
Lead with the hooves...
Applejack stuck her forehooves out ahead of her, feeling especially vulnerable to the wind.
One big wing beat...
Applejack closed her eyes and focused on getting the most force out of her wings as possible.
...and rotate!
In one quick movement, Applejack twisted her body to her right, and felt the world around her spin. Just as quickly, she brought her left shoulder down and opened her eyes.
She was upside down.
In a panic, she screamed "CATCH ME CATCH ME CATCH ME" before trying desperately to turn herself the right way up, by way of bringing her head and hooves vertical and flapping her wings madly. A moment later, she felt a soft thud and a pair of hooves wrap around her.
"Ah...am not dead! Ah'm not dead!" she exclaimed.
"Not only that, but you just completed a perfect corkscrew into an inverted roll with your eyes closed! AJ, are you sure you aren't a Wonderbolt in disguise?" Rainbow said with a huge grin.
Applejack breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at the compliment. "Thanks, but Ah was jus' tryin' to stop myself going straight into an apple tree..."
"Why? I do that all the time - they're really comfy!"
Applejack just shook her head. "Yeah, well, Ah think Ah prefer bein' under 'em."
At this point, they'd reached the ground, an old friend Applejack embraced dearly. She noted to herself to never take having something solid to stand on for granted.
"Sun's almost going down. Guess we oughta head over to Twi's and get these things off, eh?" Rainbow said, catching Applejack's attention.
She looked back over her shoulder at her newly acquired wings. Then she got an idea, and let a smile creep onto her face.
She stepped towards her marefriend, and, with as much control as a pony who'd had wings for half a day could muster, stroked one down Dash's side and hovered on her cutie mark.
Applejack sighed as she looked over Apple Bloom's homework. At least, Apple Bloom said it was her homework. Applejack hadn't seen this kind of math in a long time, and it showed. Her efforts on deciphering the code were interrupted by a leaf falling right on top of the book. She looked up and saw a grinning pegasus looking back down at her.
“Hey, Applejack,” she said. “Whatcha doin'?”
“Tryin' to help Apple Bloom with her homework, but it ain't making any sense.”
Rainbow dropped to the earth, sending a shower of leaves to the ground. “What is it?”
“Quadratic formula,” Applejack answered, “but Ah can't make heads or tails of it.”
Rainbow leaned over her shoulder and smiled. “Not a problem. You just need to simplify the formula.”
“Meanin'?”
“Look. Negative b here—that means remove the b, the book. Plus or minus means both but we'll start with plus. This b squared inside the radical here? Those two will cancel so all we have is b, which stands for RainBow. The 4ac means she goes four rounds with ApplejaCk. All over 2a means that Applejack is on bottom twice, but she can choose whatever position she wants after that.”
Applejack gave her a look flatter than the desert wasteland. “Is that so?”
Rainbow grinned in what she hoped was an inviting fashion. “Makes sense, right?”
“How long's it been since our last time, Rainbow?”
Rainbow wilted. “Three. Whole. Days,” she whimpered.
Applejack chuckled and turned back to her task. “Ah really have to help Apple Bloom.”
Rainbow decided to take a more physical approach. She leaned forward and gently took Applejack's ear into her mouth and bit down gently. “Come on, AJ,” she whispered into her ear. “You know you want to...”
“Yeah, but...” Applejack was finding it hard to focus. “Ah gotta finish.”
“Five and negative three.”
Applejack looked up. “What?”
“Those are your answers. Five and negative three.”
“You can tell that just by looking at it?”
Rainbow nodded, picked up her pencil, and drew out the solution quickly.
“How do you know that?”
“I didn't sleep through all flight school,” Rainbow answered proudly, now stroking Applejack's mane. “Besides, you provide a great incentive.”
Applejack closed her eyes and let out a relaxed breath. “Ya know... Maybe a little break will do me good.”
"You're not going to stop until I agree, are you?" asked an orange pony with a hat on her head while walking in front of a blue pegasus who was hovering near her. They were walking near one of the barns of Sweet Apple Acres.
"You should have said yes the first time," answered the rainbow maned pegasus as she kicked the wall of the barn, causing a bucket to fall from the ceiling, dropping its contents on the cowpony mare, covering her in green paint.
"YOU! CHEATER!" yelled the mare in question.
Rainbow Dash almost laughed herself to tears, but stopped abruptly at Applejack's outburst. "I did not cheat!" She landed and looked at Applejack, wings flared as if to challenge her.
"Then how do you explain the paint?" demanded Applejack.
"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS MURAL PAINTERS, YAY!" came a scream from somewhere nearby.
"See? It wasn't me," said Rainbow, glaring.
"And you stole a bucket of paint?" questioned Applejack, glaring right back.
"I've been near you the whole time. Besides, I saw it hanging over you," said Rainbow.
"That's a lie!"
"Is not!"
"This is obviously a prank and I know you had something to do with it!"
"It is not!" yelled Rainbow.
"It is-" started Applejack, before she was cut off by a voice nearby.
"Sweetie Belle! Where did you leave the green paint?" asked Apple Bloom. "Oh! Hi Applejack!" She looked around to where her big sister was standing. "Hey, what are you doing covered... in... green... paint...?" Her face paled as she managed to squeak out the last few words.
AJ struggled to keep the anger out of her voice. "Apple Bloom!"
"Hi Applejack, hi Rainbow Dash! What are you guys doing here?" asked Sweetie Belle, who had followed Apple Bloom in search of the missing green paint.
"Rainbow Dash is here!" yelled an excited orange filly.
"Hey girls," said Rainbow, lifting a hoof to point at Applejack. "You should be more careful with that stuff."
The three crusaders paled and shared a glance and yelled "Sorry Applejack!" before fleeing the scene.
Applejack tried to scrape some of the paint from her fur. “Why’d they have to go and try paintin’ today, while I’m around?”
“It’s not that bad,” said Rainbow, trying to reassure her friend.
“And why not?”
“Because! Now you have an excuse to take a day off!” Rainbow Dash grinned and hovered over Applejack.
“I suppose you’re right,” said Applejack resignedly.
“Awesome!” exclaimed Rainbow, doing a victory dance in the air. “Come on AJ! Why don’t we go go get all this paint off of you? I think a nice bath will do.”
Rainbow started towards the house, but stopped when she noticed Applejack hadn’t followed. “Aren't you coming?” she asked Applejack, turning her head back to look at her with a raised eyebrow.
When Applejack still didn’t move, Rainbow asked, “What? Do you want me to join you?”
“No, not this time,” said Applejack.
“You suuuure?” taunted Rainbow.
“Even if that was an invitation for… certain things…”
Rainbow hovered closer to Applejack, just enough to almost touch her. “I don't want to—”
Before she could finish, Applejack launched herself at Rainbow, tackling her to the ground, spreading the paint all over her marefriend.
“AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!” screamed Rainbow Dash as she tried, and failed, to move the cowpony mare off of her before more damage could be done to her wings. She was pinned.
“Now you have to take a bath, too,” said Applejack with a grin as she started towards the house.
“AH! MY WINGS!” yelled Rainbow as she took off towards the house, leaving Applejack in the dust.
After the initial surprise, Applejack started to run after Rainbow Dash to prevent her marefriend from redecorating the bathroom… again.
Applejack lifted the brim of her hat on Rainbow’s head to get a look at her eyes. “Hm? Thought you were sleepin’.”
As if to punctuate her statement, Rainbow yawned widely and nestled her chin into Applejack’s chest, letting the hat settle back over her face. “I was.”
“What’s got ya up, then?”
“You know the other day when I found that key you lost?”
“‘Course I do.”
Rainbow Dash took a deep breath of the cooling afternoon air and flicked her tail, ridding it of a few leaves. “I was just wondering…”
“Yeah?”
“What was your dad like?”
Applejack tightened her hooves around Rainbow. “Uh, that’s a bit of a broad question, ain’t it?”
Rainbow shrugged. “I guess. I mean, you’ve met my parents, but I never got to know yours. You talk about your mom a bit, but I don’t think you’ve ever said anything about your dad.”
“I haven’t? Huh. Well, he was about the nicest stallion I’ve ever met. Kinda like if Big McIntosh talked more. Real strict when he needed to be, but never mean, and was always proud of his work. Loved the farm almost as much as he did us.”
“Sounds like somepony else I know,” said Rainbow, grinning.
Cuffing Rainbow’s ear playfully, Applejack continued, “And he made the best darn apple cider ya ever did taste. You think the cider I make is good… his was somethin’ else.”
At the mention of cider, Rainbow’s ears perked. “He made better cider?”
Applejack chuckled. “Hard to believe, ain’t it? Anyhow, I think ya really would’ve liked him.”
Rainbow nuzzled her way up Applejack’s neck and gave her a soft kiss, then yawned again. “Yeah, I think I would’ve.”
Scootaloo's wings quivered with excitement. “You have a plan?”
“Of course I do,” Rainbow said confidently. “I always have a plan. Now, there's two of us, and two of them. They're going to be expecting us to stick together, so what we're going to do is split up. I'll go first, attack, and draw their fire. Then you come up from behind and pummel them!”
Scootaloo pumped a hoof in triumph. “I'm liking this plan!”
Rainbow chuckled. “I know. I came up with it, didn't I? Now follow me and stay low.”
The two pegasi crept through the tall grass, nearing the barn. Making eye contact, she gestured for Scootaloo to stay back. Drawing her weapon, she slunk forward, trying to stay low.
For now, at least.
Getting close to the barn, she tore open the door and flung the water balloon inside, splattering the interior with water.
“Haha! Take that, Team... Apple?”
The barn was empty, aside from the water puddled on the ground.
Rainbow frowned. “But... You're supposed to be her-”
Applejack returned fire, dropping her own water balloon from her position up in the hay loft. Rainbow let out a strangled gasp as she was drenched with water.
Quickly following the balloon was Applejack herself, tackling Rainbow Dash to the ground.
“Take your punishment like a mare!” Applejack shouted.
Upon hearing Rainbow's cry, Scootaloo came rushing to her aid.
“No, Scootaloo!” Rainbow cried as Scootaloo came into view. “Save yourself!”
“I'm not leaving you, Rainbow Dash!” she called... until she saw what Applejack's 'punishment' entailed.
Applejack had pinned Rainbow Dash to the ground, spreadeagled on her back, and was repeatedly licking Rainbow's face, despite the pegasus's desperate flailing attempts to free herself.
“No, Scootaloo! I- I don't want you to see me like this! It's- Agh! AJ! That one got in my mouth!”
Applejack leaned down. “Don't pretend you didn't like it,” she whispered, before resuming her punishment.
Scootaloo's disgust was so traumatizing that she didn't notice another filly sneaking up behind her.
She did notice, however, when a water balloon exploded on her back.
Apple Bloom laughed at Scootaloo's dismayed expression and soaked feathers. She quickly turned and examined her flank, which was still bare. She frowned... until Scootaloo smashed her own water balloon on Apple Bloom's head.
Both soaking wet fillies stared at each other.
“Ah, water-balloon throwing would be a lame cutie mark, anyway,” Scootaloo huffed.
“Yeah,” Apple Bloom agreed. “Let's go see if those pies are cool enough to eat yet.” She turned to her sister. “Y'all comin'?”
In hindsight, it wasn’t the smartest thing she’d ever done. It needed to be done, of course, so perhaps that wasn’t the problem afterall.
She sighed and wiped her brow; this was tough work.
No, the really stupid thing had been the timing. She’d finally got the nerve up, so she wanted to get it over with as soon as possible.
Breakfast had definitely not been the right time.
Applejack sighed as she scrubbed at the huge splatter of coffee all over the wall. She had definitely made a mistake, telling Big Mac about her and Rainbow Dash during breakfast.
"And just a little bit of this and... voila~!" came Rarity's victorious boast.
"PFFyeagh!" Applejack spat, hacking and backpedaling with watering eyes. "Rarity! Y'all aren't supposed ta aim that right in mah eyes!"
Rarity made a face. "It's perfume darling - you weren't supposed to keep your eyes open. You were supposed to walk INTO it and let it gently glaze your fur." The fashionista sighed. Her work so often went underappreciated.
"Why all the perfume- ah-ah-ACHOO!" SNIFF! "-anyway?" Applejack scowled. "Rainbow ain't gonna care what Ah smell like."
"Applejack, honestly! You two are going to one of the finest shows Ponyville has ever hosted! I had a very hard time getting these tickets! And Rainbow Dash or not," the elegant mare said firmly, "you're STILL courting a lady, and I will not allow you to leave my boutique smelling of sweat, dirt, and whatever other kinds of grime you pick up on that farm of yours."
Applejack took it as something to be grateful for... she guessed.
"Now," Rarity continued, "try to stay tidy for later. It took me a long time to make you so presentable.” Ouch... “I'd rather not have to throw another attempt together at the very last moment if I can avoid it.”
The orange mare sighed, defeated. “Thanks Rarity,” she said softly.
Rarity beamed. “Not at all, darling. Now, scoot-scoot! … Just, not too much 'scoot'.” she nudged the farmer pony towards the door.
Applejack smiled and reached up to open the door. This was great! She and Rainbow Dash were going to have a real, fancy, proper date! Rainbow had resisted at first, but after implying how much fun they'd have laughing it off, the pegasus pony's outlook improved.
The door creaked open, and there, with outstretched hoof in the cowpony's face was the blue, featherbrained flier.
“Oh. Hey Applejack! Twilight said she saw you heading this way, and-”
The rainbow mare paused in mid-hover, and landed, sniffing the air.
“Hey, what's that smell?” she asked.
Applejack blushed.
“Is that... perfume?”
The earth pony's ears flattened. “Maybe...”
“What IS it?” Rainbow came closer, pressing her muzzle into Applejack's cheek. “You smell like...” SNIFF! “Like...” SNIFF!
Rainbow paused, her magenta eyes gleaming.
“... cider.”
Applejack didn't like the look she was getting.
Rainbow sniffed her marefriend some more.
“Heheh! Rainbow! S-stoppit! That tickles!” she protested.
Rainbow ignored her. SNIFF!
Applejack laughed and trotted away from the offending pegasus. “Ah said knock it off!” she giggled.
It was only incentive for Rainbow to hover closer. SNIIIIFF!
Applejack squealed with laughter and took off in a full gallop from the boutique, tossing her fancy dress in the wind as she made for her escape.
“Hey! Get back here!” Rainbow Dash cackled, taking off after the earth pony. “Skip the show! You're gonna be my Cider Squeeze tonight!”
Applejack continued screaming protests as she retreated into the distance...
... while Rarity watched with twitching eyes back at the Carousel Boutique.
Le sigh, she thought, exasperated. All that work...
It was a beautiful day on the small beach. The sand was hot but not too hot, the water was cold but not freezingly so, the wind was calm and the seagulls were actually being fairly polite this day. Everything seemed calm and carefree.
Except, of course, for the two ponies sitting facing each other and glaring angrily. The earth pony's tail twitched, and the pegasus fluffed her wings.
"Pie tin has t' be empty."
"Completely licked clean."
"It's cheatin' to intentionally eat messily to spread pie around so you have to eat less."
Rainbow paused. "That's an oddly specific rule."
Applejack shrugged. "You see a lot of stuff at Apple Family reunions. Somepony once tried to put the rules together."
"Too many?"
Applejack smirked. "We already knew them all. Apples to the core, we are."
"You're just stalling now," Rainbow accused.
"Fine. On my count. Three! Two! One! Eat!"
And both mares shoved their muzzles into the pies before them, furiously devouring it. Some might even say 'demolishing' them, and apple trees a mile away quivered at the carnage.
"Done!"
"Nah!" Applejack lifted her head to see Rainbow Dash brandishing an empty pie tin.
"Haha!" Rainbow crowed. "I win!"
"You cheated!" Applejack accused, slamming her hoof into the air mattress they sat on.
Rainbow flared her wings as she tried to balance. "Did not! They're just really good pies. And don't do that. You'll knock the picnic basket off."
Applejack crossed her forelegs. "Ah don't know why Pinkie insisted we take this air mattress."
"Or why she even has an air mattress. What kind of air mattress emergencies come up in Ponyville?"
It wasn't long before there all that remained on the mattress was an empty picnic basket and two rather full mares, with apple filling in various places along their coats. And everypony knows what happens when you're warm and eat too much.
"I think I know why Pinkie gave it to us," Rainbow said, her eyes beginning to droop.
"Yeah," Applejack agreed, fighting a yawn.
They looked at each other, and with an unspoken agreement, they came together in a tight cuddle. Applejack lay on her back, and Rainbow curled around her head, resting her own on Applejack's stomach. Applejack reached over for the blanket she had originally planned on using, and pulled it on top of them.
Rainbow nuzzled deep into Applejack's stomach, and Applejack brought a hoof up to stroke Rainbow's mane before laying back on the pegasus's tail, using it as a multi-colored pillow, and closed her eyes.
She was soon awakened by movement. "Rainbow," she groaned, "Quit movin'."
"I'm not moving, you're moving," came Rainbow's retort.
"Ah'm moving because you're moving, now cut it out."
There was a pause. The pressure of Rainbow's head disappeared, but her movement did not.
"Rainbow..."
"Applejack? I think you should wake up and take a look at this, but very calmly."
Applejack sighed. "Fine. What's so important that it-" But her voice trailed off as she took in her new location.
In the middle of the water, with no land in sight.
All she could do was stare. It took some time before her mouth began working again. "Is this a prank?" she managed to say.
"Nah," Rainbow said. "I was asleep. I think the tide came in and carried us out to sea."
Applejack lay back down and groaned. "Greaaat," she mumbled. "Now what?"
Rainbow shrugged. "I dunno. I guess we're just going to have to entertain ourselves."
Applejack opened an eye. That innocent phrase sounded oddly suspicious.
"I mean, what can we do? We're all alone, nopony in sight, no land in sight, and all we've got is each other, and a mattress and blanket..."
Applejack turned her head towards Rainbow and glared. "Are you suggestin' we 'do the dirty' here, in the middle of nowhere?"
Rainbow grinned cheekily. "You said it, not me."
Applejack snorted and rolled over onto her stomach.
As expected, Rainbow quickly got on her back, straddling her. She leaned down to her ear and whispered, "So, is that a yes...?"
"It's a 'convince me'," Applejack responded.
Rainbow licked Applejack's ear twice before taking it into her mouth and biting gently. She exhaled gently, smirking at how Applejack's ear twitched under the cooling sensation. "I'll think of some way," she said, bringing her hooves up and beginning to massage Applejack's neck.
Applejack felt herself relax at the touch, and her tail flicked to one side of its own accord. She couldn't suppress a smile. The thought of doing something like this out in a place they couldn't easily hide was new, but not completely unappealing; and Rainbow's hooves were already working magic on her body and they weren't even halfway down her back yet.
And, to be perfectly honest, this wasn't the weirdest place they'd tried.
As Rainbow Dash observed the goings-on, she flinched with every- WHAM!
... Yeah. This was probably going to take awhile. The blue pegasus rolled her eyes, and continued to watch with- WHAM! -somewhat humorous interest. The outright hilarity of it all, though, had left after the first ten minutes.
Her laughter, by now, had been reduced to an annoyed smirk.
WHAM!
The only relief that she got from her clear and growing agitation was the approach of an orange mare coming up behind her.
"Howdy Sugarcube!" the cowpony called in that adorable southern drawl of hers.
Rainbow Dash grinned and looked over her withers at the approaching earth pony, and opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted out of it by yet another loud- WHAM!
The rainbow-maned pony cast a chagrined expression towards the randomly-trembling trees in Applejack's orchard, and then turned back to the farmer mare. "Heya Applejack. How's the family?" she asked with a smile.
WHAM!
Rainbow flinched.
"What in tarnation is that racket?" Applejack blinked, looking up and around at the trees all around the field. "And what's happenin' ta mah trees?"
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Twilight insists she can teach herself to fly by reading a few books on aerodynam-"
WHAM!
The pegasi's blinked at Twilight ramming head-first into a nearby apple tree. She rolled her irritated gaze over to Applejack on her left.
The unicorn-turned-alicorn was sporting what looked like several new horns on her head. Rainbow tapped her hoof on the ground impatiently, while Applejack winced, and couldn't help but chuckle at the display.
“Yeah, it's kinda funny at first?” the pegasus droned. “Then it gets old after the twentieth time.”
Applejack finished chortling and wiped a tear from her eye.
“Well... any idea what she's doin' wrong-?”
WHAM!
“-and ain't she gonna hurt herself doin' that?”
Rainbow shrugged. “Eh, probably.”
Twilight shook the stars out of her vision, and rose again. Despite the funny-looking lumps on her head, she still had a hold of (most) of her mental faculties.
The lavender pony growled in frustration, her horn glowing again as she spread her wings and launched herself-
WHAM!
-right into another tree.
Rainbow didn't even react. Applejack winced, pressing her face into Rainbow's mane to hide the painful sight from herself.
“See? She thinks she can use her unicorn-magic to keep herself in the air. It takes too much concentration, though. She keeps losing focus and crashing.”
WHAM!
“Well, while she tries to figure it out,” the orange mare smiled to Rainbow, “Wouldja care to split these bitin'-hot apple fritters with me?” she nuzzled her marefriend, and reached back to grab the picnic basket perched on her back.
Rainbow's outlook brightened immediately, her wings flaring enthusiastically. “Awesome!” she exclaimed. “You have no idea how tiring it is to watch somepony-” WHAM! “-crash over and over again.
Applejack smiled and grabbed the blanket laid across her withers and spread it out, while Twilight got up for another try...
“Wouldja hold still ya fidgety ninny?” Applejack scolded her friend, knocking her on her noggin with a firm stroke of her forehoof.
Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes and scowled.
“Ugh!” she sighed aloud. “Why are you making me do this Applejack? We could be out doing stuff instead of... working.”
Applejack dragged the harness over to her friend's side and narrowed her gaze.
“Look Rainbow, Ah was the one that helped ya build that hay pyramid to smash the other day, and that took the better part of mah afternoon. Least ya can do to repay me is hush yer mouth and cooperate.”
Rainbow rolled her eyes and looked around at all the full baskets. She'd bucked too many to transport alone that afternoon and had “acquired” her help via skillful lasso toss.
Rainbow peered back as Applejack looked between the harness she was trying to adjust and her sides she was trying to fasten it to. The pegasus had a taller, leaner body than most earth ponies, and it wasn't as simple as it was with Big Mac.
She smirked when Applejack took a peek underneath her to make sure she'd gotten everything nicely adjusted, and pulled the bushel carrying device closer.
“See anything ya like down there?”
Rainbow waggled her flanks flirtily and shot her best bedroom eyes at her friend.
“Ah cut it out 'n hold still.”
“What? I wouldn't blame ya! Wouldn't be the first time I caught a mare staring – won't be the last either. What can I say? I am pretty impressive...”
Rainbow slicked her mane back with one hoof.
“Hard to blame you for having those feelings tho-”
She paused and blinked bewilderingly mid-sentence as she felt the weight of a hoof on her back. She smelled a green apple scent...
“How could ya guess so easy?” Applejack asked in a lusty whisper.
Rainbow's eyes widened. Her wings fluttered involuntarily.
Applejack stepped closer and leaned in.
“See... Granny never really taught me how to deal with...”
There was a pause. Her ear flickered as Applejack leaned in for a whisper.
“... feelin's like these.”
Rainbow's wings shot up straight like an arrow, her wingtips fluttering excitedly. She looked nervously over to her friend.
“Wh-wh-wh-wh-what k-k-kind of feelings?”
Applejack's lips tickled along her eartip.
“Well... it's somethin' like...”
Applejack walked away and out of her field of vision. Rainbow's head wouldn't turn. Every part of her was tensed.
“Ow!”
Rainbow yelped as she felt a hard pull on her tail. She flopped down onto her stomach, and a heavy harness slammed down onto her back and was strapped into place.
“... that,” Applejack grinned mischievously. “Now take those apples up to the barn and git back here when yer done. We ain't finished.”
Rainbow balked at Applejack's sudden change in behavior. A pink glow flooded her face, and heat shot up through her cheeks and ears.
“You're a really cruel pony...” she glowered, and wandered begrudgingly back towards the barn with her fruity cargo.
The brave adventurer eyed her target and licked her lips in anticipation. Soon, it would be hers; the famed prize of the ages. From her hidden place in the leaves, she could see the famed item perfectly in her sights.
Rainbow Dash exploded out of the tree and dove for Applejack's hat. Nearer and nearer she came... until Applejack sidestepped at the last second. Unable to adjust her speed, Rainbow was helpless as Applejack grabbed her tail with her mouth and spun like she was throwing a haybale, flinging Rainbow to the ground and knocking the wind right out of her.
As Rainbow coughed, Applejack daintily trotted around her and sat on her prostrate form. "This little endeavor ain't gonna work, Rainbow," Applejack grinned. "Ah got eyes in the back of my head and a special Hat Sense what tells me when my hat's in danger." She smiled deviously. "Ya know, Ah'm startin' to think that you're more Ahizotyl than Daring Do."
"It's Ahuizotl," Rainbow corrected grumpily, "and I wasn't ready."
"Really? You just so happened to be flying right by my head with your hoof outstretched right at the level of my hat?"
Rainbow's defenses broke. "I must have it!" she wailed. "It's the one challenge that escapes me! It's been three years, Applejack! Three years and I have yet to take it!"
"Ah know," Applejack grinned as she got up. She put on a deep, melodramatic voice. "But the hat must be earned, and it cannot be given lightly. Only those who are worthy may wear the hat."
Rainbow grinned as she recognized that Applejack was quoting from Daring Do and the Crown of Destiny. "Fine," Rainbow said, pushing herself to her hooves. "What do I have to do to earn it?"
"You can start by pickin' up the apples Ah dropped when you attacked me."
Rainbow stepped back, aghast. "Wh- what? You mean, physical labor? My only weakness!" She dropped dramatically to her haunches and screamed her anguish to the sky. "Curse you Applejaaaack!"
Applejack couldn't suppress a laugh. "You're getting better at that."
"Thanks," Rainbow said, popping back up to her hooves. "I've been practicing."
It was Applejack's baby shower, and to be honest... Rainbow really hadn't expected such a huge turnout. Half of Ponyville had come, not to mention all of the Apple family. The crowd flowed right out of the house, into the barnyard, and all over Sweet Apple Acres. The cider stores were getting hard to keep wet. Thankfully some of the Apple family had brought their own along.
Rainbow Dash had needed to do much of the prep work herself. She had finally gotten the hang of fritters, and had spent the better part of the last few days helping Big Mac with making a big enough pile of them for the party.
“Everypony good?” she shouted over the crowd.
All the ponies in the farmhouse turned and offered a cheer to the soon-to-be papa-mother.
Sweet, thought Rainbow, and trotted over to the stairs. Applejack hadn't yet made an appearance. She was about to go up and drag her wife out of bed, when she heard hoofsteps in the hall.
“Applejack! You're up early!” Rainbow smirked sarcastically as the orange mare trudged down the staircase. Her eyes were bloodshot and sleepy. Her hair was a nitroglycerin-fueled train wreck.
Gosh she was pretty.
The crowd raised a happy congratulatory toast to the very-pregnant mother pony. Applejack made no indication she had even noticed them all and stalked with dedicated one-minded purpose to the kitchen door.
She emerged with her mouth gritted around the handle of the filled-to-the-brimmest, most-random-assorted-foodest picnic basket she'd ever seen.
Rainbow drifted over. “Hey gorgeous. Got enough to eat there?” She grinned and kissed her wife on the cheek.
Applejack dropped the basket with a frightened start and looked around in complete disarray.
Her eyes came to rest on Rainbow Dash again, and she took a deep breath.
“Oh, darlin', Ah am so sorry. Mah hormones are on the fritz all over again,” she said, rubbing her eyes with her hoof.
“Aww don't sweat it. Maybe you should go get back to bed. I'll sort out the gifts.”
“Thanks fer bein' so understandin'.” Applejack took another breath, reclaimed the picnic basket from the floor and trotted past her wife to the stairs. “Now if'n ya wouldn't mind gettin' up offa yer lazy *GUNSHOT*ing flank fer a change and goin' to town and buyin' me some *CRASH*ing strawberries at the *POP*ing store for the *NEIGH*ing strawberry cake Ah was gonna *HONK*ing make for this *CHAINSAW-REV*ing baby shower! HOW MANY *DONG*ING TIMES DO AH GOTTA ASK THE SAME *QUACK*ING QUESTION BEFORE AH SEE SOME *BURP*ING RESULTS?! AH GUESS AH'M *SQUEAK*ING GETTIN' WHAT AH *PARTYCANNONBLAST*ING DESERVE FER MARRYIN' A COMPLETE *MOO*-UP OF A WIFE! LUCKY-*BARK*ING-ME!”
SLAM!
Applejack's forceful slamming of the bedroom door upstairs shook the whole farmhouse. The sizable number of guests paled in consummate horror at the display and looked to Rainbow Dash for an explanation.
Rainbow sighed dreamily to the stairway and turned back to her guests with a grin.
“Oh, that's nothin'! You should see her on Tuesdays!”
It was Applejack's baby shower, and to be honest... Rainbow really hadn't expected such a huge turnout. Half of Ponyville had come, not to mention all of the Apple family. The crowd flowed right out of the house, into the barnyard, and all over Sweet Apple Acres. The cider stores were getting hard to keep wet. Thankfully some of the Apple family had brought their own along.
Rainbow Dash had needed to do much of the prep work herself. She had finally gotten the hang of fritters, and had spent the better part of the last few days helping Big Mac with making a big enough pile of them for the party.
“Everypony good?” she shouted over the crowd.
All the ponies in the farmhouse turned and offered a cheer to the soon-to-be papa-mother.
Sweet, thought Rainbow, and trotted over to the stairs. Applejack hadn't yet made an appearance at her own shower, so it was time to fix that.
As she scaled the steps and knocked on the door, she swore she could hear the rustling of bedsheets.
Rainbow entered the room slowly when she didn't get a reply. “Applejack?” she whispered softly.
Her wife lay on her side over on the old twin bed, her face buried in the sheets.
Whatever joke Rainbow had in mind to try and rouse Applejack's annoyance evaporated. Her playful expression was replaced by concern. Her wife looked like she'd taken a Rainboom to the face. Her hair was doing everything but laying straight. An empty picnic basket that had held Rainbow's weight in food lay empty on its side on the floor.
It'd been three nights, and she'd only gotten a few hours of sleep put together. Their child was anxious, and wouldn't stop kicking for anything.
“AJ? You okay?” she asked, closing the door behind her and trotting around the bed.
Judging from her body, Applejack was crying. Again.
Where once it was hard to imagine Applejack ever crying, over the last couple weeks it was becoming more difficult to think of a time she wasn't.
Rainbow settled on the narrow strip of bed left to her and nestled against her wife.
“Hey beautiful,” she whispered softly.
Applejack looked up with bloodshot green eyes, and an orange face stained dark by tears.
Rainbow's heart wrenched in sympathy.
“Rainbow, Ah can't do it...” she wept.
The cyan pegasus blinked. “Whoawhoawhoawhoawhoawhoa, calm down,” she said softly. Rainbow had learned an awful lot about tenderness over the past few months. “Applejack, you're just scared. It's normal, remember? The doctor said it was just your hormones out of whack.”
“No, Rainbow. Ah ain't ready to be a mommy. Ah have no idea what Ah'm doin'...”
Rainbow blinked and frowned, nuzzling in closer and draping a wing over her mate.
“Well, of course you're not,” she said softly. “Come on, do you think anypony is ever ready to be a mom?”
“No, no, no,” Applejack whimpered, burying her face into her hooves. “Ah'm gonna screw it up. Ah'm gonna ruin everything. It'll be all mah fault!”
Rainbow wrapped her hooves around Applejack and pressed a soft kiss to her ear.
“Of course you're gonna screw up,” she smiled gently. “I'm gonna screw up. Hay, I'm the most screw-upingest pony there is!”
It didn't help Applejack's mood as she continued to cry into her bedspread.
“But you know what?” Rainbow asked, moving closer and pressing her forehead to Applejack's. “We'll learn not to screw up. We'll stink at being parents at first. Then we'll get better. When we do screw up, we'll screw up together. And we won't be alone either. Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy? They'll all be there to help us when we need it. And we'll always have each other too.”
Applejack seemed to stop crying as hard, and looked up to her wife.
Rainbow smiled.
“Being a mom is what you wanted, right?”
“Of course it's what Ah wanted! Ah want it more'n anything, but...”
“But what, then?”
Applejack pressed her muzzle into Rainbow's coat and cried more.
They stayed that way for a long time. A trio of birds perched on their window sill and flirted for awhile and then left. The sun cast a slightly different shadow through the glass by the time Applejack dried her eyes.
Rainbow nuzzled her wife's nose.
“Come on. Let's go get you washed up. You'll feel like a whole new pony. Maybe you'll even feel like going to the party. Everypony can't wait to see you!”
Applejack sniffed and smiled.
“Will you wash me?”
Rainbow tinged just the slightest shade of pink as some somewhat-naughty thoughts entered her mind. She banished them quickly, and bit her lip. She didn't want her smile to blind the mother-to-be. “I'll wash you with my own two hooves. You won't even have to do a thing.”
Applejack pressed against her side and nuzzled her cheek against Rainbow's chest.
“Will you hold me while ya do?”
Rainbow grinned and met Applejack's lips with her own in a brief and playful smooch. “I won't even let go of you once.”
It wasn't always easy being awesome. It was hard for crowds. And it was especially hard for your wife. Especially especially when she needed you to be a little mushy for her. But hay, Rainbow didn't mind if it was just between her and Applejack.
Every once in awhile, when it really, really mattered, being awesome just came natural.
“Rainbow Juniper Dash?”
“Hm?” Rainbow looked at her wife as she heard her middle name mentioned.
Applejack kissed her cheek. “Ah love you.”
Rainbow tossed a smug expression her way. “I love me too!”
Applejack made a delightful, irritated smirk that she hadn't seen since this whole pregnancy ordeal began, and her heart absolutely soared. It felt like a return to normalcy. The pony she loved and married was still very much alive and well.
Rainbow chuckled. "But I had to put the Eternity anklet on the pony I love the most..." she said, her hoof nudging the golden band around Applejack's fetlock.
Any signs of Applejack's despair vanished with the glowing smile she wore, and the musical laughter that echoed off the walls of their room.
It was an old swing. The wooden seat had been replaced twice, and the ropes that held it up had been replaced three times and even now were frayed and up for replacement again.
Still, Applejack couldn't help but smile as she slowly drifted back and forth. Mac used to push her on this swing, and she used to push Apple Bloom in turn when she was bigger. Now, though, all she had were memories. She felt the gentle breeze blow through her mane and she closed her eyes and just breathed.
She didn't open her eyes as the sound of wingbeats sounded behind her, or when the pony spoke.
“Aren't you a little old for this?” Rainbow asked teasingly.
“Never too old for some fun,” Applejack responded. “Lots of good memories around here. Used to pretend Ah could fly when Mac pushed me. Good times, Rainbow; good times.”
“And lots of good memories to be made, right?” Rainbow asked, giving Applejack a little nudge as she drifted back.
Applejack smiled. “'Course there are,” she said. “You up for pushing?”
“I'll give you the ride of your life,” Rainbow promised as she reared up to push Applejack.
Applejack rose higher and higher as Rainbow Dash pushed her. Eventually, Rainbow had to get airborne just to be able to reach her and keep pushing.
Applejack couldn't help but laugh as she flew through the air. Simple as it may have been, it was great fun all the same.
“Hey, Applejack!”
“What?”
“Let go next time!”
“What?”
“Let go!”
Applejack hesitated briefly, but when she hit the apex of her next swing, she closed her eyes and let go.
Almost instantly, she felt the presence of another. Rainbow Dash had flown underneath her, catching her, and for a short moment, the two glided, one upside down and one atop the other.
“You really wanna fly?” Rainbow whispered. “I'll show you flying.”
“What?” Applejack called. She hadn't heard Rainbow's words over the wind.
Rainbow laughed and kicked Applejack away, flipping in the air and letting her land on her back. “Hold on tight!”
The past few hours had been a spiraling maelstrom of activity and rushing that had left even Rainbow in a breathless state. The world was spinning around her even before she'd gotten Applejack to the hospital. She'd grabbed everything the doctors had told her she'd need. She'd then sent Big Mac off to tell everypony to get their flanks in gear.
Rainbow walked along the hall of the ward. She skimmed the room numbers as she cantered through the walkways, barely paying attention to where she was going.
28... 30... 32...
There. 34.
Rainbow softly walked up to the door, and nuzzled her nose in through the crack. She peered in first to make sure she wasn't interrupting anything. Rarity was a very close second in line, pressing firmly up against the rainbow-maned pegasi's back to try and get a glimpse of what was happening, while Twilight and Fluttershy tried to rein her back. Pinkie was – surprisingly – quiet and calm, though her anxiousness showed on her face. Granny Smith, Big Mac and Applebloom brought up the rear.
Rainbow had to squint in the sudden darkness. The room's shades were drawn most of the way, and none of the lights were on.
She glimpsed towards the bed and the familiar outline of an orange mare laying on her side and away from the door. A white-coated nurse stood nearby, whispering to her.
Rainbow stepped cautiously and quietly as she could into the room, drawing the nurse's attention. She quietly excused herself and moved towards the door.
“Family?” she asked.
“Friends.”
“And wife,” Rainbow finished for Rarity.
The nurse nodded. “I'd prefer to keep the non-family member's visit to fifteen minutes at most. She'll need her rest.”
Everypony else nodded understandingly and quietly – albeit insistently – followed Rainbow Dash further in.
“Well doesn't this just kick a little flank?” Rainbow said softly. She tip-hoofed over around the bed...
...and got her first look at her newborn filly.
Applejack opened her sleepy bloodshot eyes and smiled, resting her head against the pillow. The rest of the girls and gathered around and offered their congratulations and nuzzles to the new mother.
“Ooh~ she is sooo cute!” Rarity cooed elatedly, squeezing the nearest pony, who just so happened to be Big Mac at the time.
“Eeyup!”
“Does this mean Ah'm an aunt now?”
“It sure does, young'un,” Granny said with a smile and a ruffle of her hair. The Apple matriarch settled into the nearby chair.
Rainbow's chest swelled with immense pride as she looked down on her child in the midst of feeding-time.
She was perfect. Everything about her, from her streaked red, orange and yellow mane and tail, to her orange coat, to her buzzing little wings, was absolutely flawless.
Even Rainbow Dash, in her all-consuming awesomeness, couldn't hold back the tears as they rolled down her cheeks. How many months had it been? How many long and sleepless nights comforting her wife had they had to endure?
Finally, she understood what it had all come together for.
“Oh just look at you!” Rarity broke the silence, leaning down to get a closer look at the infant. “You are absolutely the most beautiful little thing I have ever seen!”
Pinkie was still stuck in back, while Fluttershy cooed in adoration, her wings standing at attention. “Oh, what's the little darling's name?”
Applejack looked up from her position on the bed in surprise, and looked up to the 'father'. Rainbow stared back, her eyes reflecting the same bewilderment.
“Oh... shoot. Right. I... uhh... wh-what did we decide on again?”
“Well, we said we'd decide a little closer to 'er birthday, but Ah... Ah just don't know Sugarcube...”
Rarity and the others looked amongst themselves, then back with a smile to the parents.
“Oh, sweetie, it's nothing to worry about. I'm sure something will come to you eventually.”
“Oh! Oh! How 'bout Pretty Party Pony Princess!”
Everypony looked deadpan at Pinkie.
“What? I was just making a suggestion!”
“Pinkie, please. The decision should be left up to Applejack and Rainbow Dash,” Twilight chided gently.
Pinkie continued to rattle off names to everypony's chagrin, while Rainbow walked around the bed and snuggled up behind her wife. Her chin settled on Applejack's side, and she got her first look at her daughter's face.
What's-her-name unlatched from her mother and looked up with those...
“Whoa!” Rainbow said softly, looking up to Applejack. “Hey AJ! She has both of our eyes!”
Applejack smiled tiredly to her.
“Ah saw 'em earlier darlin'.”
“Heterochromia,” Twilight corrected her with a smile. “I've read that when ponies of two different species mate, they can result in some... minor abnormalities.”
Yeah, yeah, fancy-pants mumbo-jumbo. Whatever, Rainbow dismissed with a grin down to her little filly.
“So what is your name anyway, squirt?”
The filly stared up at her with those cool, awesome, totally radical eyes of hers. She raised her hooves and landed both of them on her 'papa''s muzzle in a rough little kick.
“Ow.”
The others and Applejack laughed at the filly's antics.
Rainbow cast a sidelong smirk at her wife. “Are you already training her to gang up on me with you or something? Seriously, she's already taking after you.”
Applejack smiled slyly and laughed.
There was something though, in what she said, Rainbow realized. The little filly did remind her a lot of Applejack. She saw plenty of herself too, sure, but it wasn't just physical. It was emotional. Spiritual, even.
“So, what are you girls thinking for names?”
“Ooo! Ooo! How about...!” Pinkie rambled in the background.
While the others prattled on amongst themselves, Rainbow continued to share her gaze with her daughter. She could feel Applejack's strength and determination in her stare. She could see her wonder. She felt warmth and light. She saw trust. She felt happiness radiate from her.
So much of it was from Applejack. Sure, some of that was hers too, but for once, Rainbow wasn't at all concerned about what part of her came from who. She only cared about the happiness she felt. It was the same feeling of laying out in one of Sweet Apple Acres' fields in the afternoon sun, and snoozing a lazy day away with her best friend, her lover, her wife to keep her company. It was... completion.
And then, Rainbow Dash knew exactly what her daughter's name was.
“'Plumpkin Pride?' Surely you jest,” scoffed Rarity to Pinkie.
The room went quiet all of a sudden. All eyes in the room were locked onto her, including Applejack as she raised her head from her pillow.
Rainbow looked over to her. In that moment, there was only the three of them.
“Sunshine...?” Rarity turned her gaze from the parents to Fluttershy.
“...Delight?” Fluttershy finished, turning to Pinkie.
“Named after her mother, who helped make a stupid, dumb, lonely, outcast pegasus know what it felt like to really be happy and not-alone again... ”
Applejack stared at her.
Rainbow stared at Applejack.
Time seemed to stand still, until a smile blossomed on Applejack's face. The orange mare reached up with both forelegs and crushed her wife into a powerful hug.
Rainbow had seen many storms in her lifetime - that was kindof a package deal when you were a pegasus. If you didn't create them, you went to see them in class, and you saw even more of them if you had weatherpony training.
Living next to Ponyville had given her even more experience - wild storms were a common thing, even if they were a bit unpredictable.
A good, strong storm helped nature along.
A bad storm caused havoc and destruction.
It was only now that Rainbow truly understood why the word "storm" had turned into a verb.
Never mind the internal flinch - she could just picture a grinning Twilight Sparkle next to her, proud of her friend learning new things.
She shook that away as she beheld hurricane Applejack.
"That no-good, two bit sonofa-"
Rainbow lifted a placating hoof. "Chill, AJ."
"Chill?" Applejack repeated as she rounded on the pegasus. "Dash, Pinkie just tol' me she's pregnant outta wedlock, and my fool of a big brother is the daddy!"
Rainbow grinned. "I know! Isn't that awesome?"
Applejack stared in disbelief. "Awesome? Dash, if y'hadn't held me back, I'd've already tanned his hide from here 'till next week!"
Rainbow tilted her head as she gazed at her marefriend. The storm didn't seem to be abating. But as a weatherpony, she prided herself on her cloudwrangling skills.
This one was just orange, and pony shaped.
"C'mon, AJ, what's got you so wound up?"
"I jus' told you-"
"Yeah, yeah," Rainbow waved a hoof dismissively. "You aren't pissed at the pregnancy before marriage thing. That's, like, really old fashioned."
Applejack continued to glare at her. "We kinda do things th'old fashioned way here, Dash." Applejack growled, sighing as the pegasus merely raised an eyebrow. "Yer right. It ain't that."
With her keen weatherpony senses, Rainbow felt the shift in the current - the mood, dork. Stop reading Twi's dictionary! - and approached the mare. She wrapped a wing around Applejack, hugging her like only she could.
"It's just... they never told us 'bout it." Applejack mumbled, staring at the floor. "Not even Pinkie!"
The pegasus shrugged. "Pinkie probably just forgot about it. Dunno what Mac's excuse is." She prodded Applejack in the side, grinning. "Look on the bright side, though."
"Bright side?"
"One, Granny will be off our backs now-"
"Oh thank sweet Celestia!"
"-and two..." She paused, her grin growing wider. "You're gonna be an aunt."
Applejack blinked at her in surprise. Slowly, a smile spread over her muzzle, impossible to hold back. "I am, aren't I?"
Rainbow's ears pricked from her slumber as her wife's ear-splitting scream echoed through the house.
Applejack's heavy-thudding hoofsteps trampled against wood as she charged down the stairs leading up to the second floor of her home.
"Where is she?! Where's-"
"SHHHHHH!" Rainbow shushed harshly, trying hard not to move too much. "Would you keep it down? Are you trying to wake up everypony in the house... if you haven't already?"
Applejack seemed taken aback by Rainbow's reaction.
With a sigh, "papa" slowly unfurled a wing, and revealed the tiny Sunshine Delight snoozing contentedly on her chest, much to Applejack's visible relief. She was cradled safely in her wife's powerful and protective wings, free from harm. Somehow she had remained asleep despite her birth mother's racket just moments before. She stirred at the noise of hoofsteps, then settled back into an easy warm milk-induced slumber again.
"See? Safe and sound," Rainbow reassured her.
With the softest shaky steps she could manage, Applejack tip-hoofed gently to the side of the couch her mate had taken to nesting upon, and a bashful smile bloomed on her face.
"How long ya been up?" Applejack asked, referencing the late hour. Or, perhaps it was early by then.
"Couldn't tell ya. Probably a couple hours. Not really tired enough to sleep anyway." She paused. "What're you doing up? Shouldn't you be sleeping? You did kinda just push another pony out of you a few hours ago," she said with a grin.
"Well... A-Ah woke up and Ah didn't hear Sunshine breathin'. Then Ah went to 'er room and she weren't in 'er crib and Ah thought maybe she'd gotten out and-"
"Shhh..." Rainbow consoled her wife much more gently the second time around. Her wing settled again around her daughter, just below Sunshine's head in order to give Applejack sight of her.
It was enough to settle her down.
Applejack leaned over, biting her lower lip to try and suppress a grin, but the giggle escaped her anyway. "Yer gonna make such a perfect daddy," she cooed playfully.
Rainbow smirked. "Yeah, well..." She didn't have a clever quip to offer. Her attention was too focused on her little filly.
Applejack leaned in to kiss her cheek.
"She does take after you y'know," Rainbow finally said.
"Hm?"
"Did you see how she tried to bite my tail while we were leaving the hospital?" she finally rotated her magenta gaze over to meet Applejack's emerald.
Applejack smirked. "Get outta town."
"I'm serious!" Rainbow protested softly in a humorous tone. "And she didn't just try to grab on either! No, she bit at my tail! I heard gums making contact! She wanted a piece of me!"
Applejack snorted a soft laugh, and Rainbow managed to suppress her chuckling, lest she disturb the resting foal.
As the mirth subsided, Rainbow's eyes wandered back to her sleeping bundle of joy, and let one of her hooves stroke softly through that sunrise-colored mane of hers. She let out a deep sigh, and leaned forward to kiss her daughter on the forehead. "I think I'm in love all over again..." she muttered happily.
Applejack smiled and snuggled her muzzle underneath her wife's chin.
There, for awhile, there was nothing to be heard but two mares and their foal, breathing in the peace of the evening, with only the stars and the moon peering in through the window to bear witness to the newly-born family. Crickets chirped somewhere off in the distance, but faded into the background noise of a soft breeze stirring the house and causing the old home to creak.
"I want another one."
Applejack had herself a double-take at Rainbow's sudden declaration.
"I mean it." Rainbow turned to her with a serious smile. "I want another one."
Applejack frowned. "Rainbow..."
"I'm serious, Applejack. This is like the most awesome thing in the world to me right now. I'm just laying here watching my foal sleep on my chest, while my wife has an episode, wondering where her baby went."
Applejack made a face. "It was not an episode."
Rainbow grinned. "Totally was."
The orange mare next to her sighed and shook her head.
"Applejack..." Rainbow said again, "seriously, tell me this isn't the most incredible thing ever."
Applejack betrayed the slightest of smiles, but couldn't help keeping a skeptical expression about her.
Rainbow sighed. "Look, I know I said I only ever wanted to have one, but... I'm totally on board with this right now. I mean, I don't think I've ever been this happy in my whole life. I mean, the hay with joining the Wonderbolts. This is it!"
Applejack decided it was her turn to shush her wife, and Rainbow softened her tone.
It took her awhile, sitting, thinking, pondering Rainbow's words, how sincere and genuine they seemed; those eyes of hers full of excitement and happiness, looking forward to a future that hadn't even peeked over the horizon yet.
The hour didn't allow for clear thinking and conversation. It could resume in the morning.
"Tell ya what," Applejack smiled warmly, "we can have us another foal; this time though, yer gonna be the one doin' the carryin'."
Rainbow rolled her eyes.
"Oh, yeah right. Sure. Like you're going to let me carry a foal in my gut. Me, Miss Daredevil Supreme!"
"Fair point." Applejack smiled and sighed, nuzzling her wife's neck again. "Think we could talk about it later though – say, in a couple years?"
Rainbow smiled and nuzzled along over Applejack's forehead and stroked her chin over her golden mane. "I'll hold you to it."
Then the whimpering of Sunshine Delight stirring from her sleep broke the line of conversation. A soft wail emerged from "daddy's" coat as she awoke.
Rainbow smiled. "Alright, alright, I know you're hungry. Mommy's here," she said with a smile, picking the little foal up in her hooves and passing her off to Applejack.
Rainbow cleared a space on the couch while Applejack made herself comfortable. She settled in behind her wife and daughter, and enveloped both in her protective, feathery embrace.
"Remember," she said softly into Applejack's ear.
That earned her a look from the nursing mare.
"Two years," Rainbow winked.
Applejack smiled and met Rainbow's lips with her own in a chaste kiss that spoke volumes more about love than any compilation of poems or novels could ever hope to express.
Rainbow flopped to the porch clumsily. It had been a long flight, non-stop from Fillydelphia. Her uniform had become a wrinkled mess, her hair looked a fright judging from reflection in the window of the door, and she'd lost a pair of her best Aviators because of a downdraft.
But she'd made it home. And that mattered more than anything. The familiar smell of Sweet Apple Acres hung in the air as she turned towards the orchard and inhaled a huge whiff of home. With a delighted sigh, Rainbow crossed her forelegs and surveyed her surroundings. The soft wind drifted through the trees and brought a cooling relief to the hot summer evening.
Some things should never change.
As she turned back to the door and opened it up for a peek she sniffed the familiar scent of fritters, cobblers, pie, and cider. Rainbow's mouth began to water at the sight of the partially-complete spread on the table.
But first, she had a more delicious prize in mind. With nopony in sight, she sneaked into the house, using rugs and carpet to mask her hoofsteps.
Somepony was working in the kitchen. She heard the babble of a little foal, and the beautiful, delicate humming of a young mother, cooking dinner for the homecoming Wonderbolt.
Rainbow heard a noise behind her, and turned to see what had caused. Granny Smith stood at the bottom of the staircase, and blinked in confusion at her granddaughter-in-law's sudden appearance. Rainbow quickly raises a hoof to her lips, and Granny smiled and nodded in understanding.
She tip-hoofed to the kitchen door, and peeked around the threshold.
Applejack was knelt down in front of the oven watching something bake, exposing that gorgeous, muscular, amber flank of hers. Everything in Rainbow wanted to jump her wife right then and there, despite their toddler sitting their in her high-chair nearby.
Sunshine Delight had a healthy amount of applesauce gomming up her freckled cheeks and the tray in front of her. She leaned down for another slurp of her treat and slobbered most of it down her front. Rainbow very nearly lost her element of surprise then and there. It took everything she had to resist snorting out a laugh and revealing her presence. The "papa" in her wanted to grab her foal and squeeze the daylights out of her.
But she'd waited two weeks; she could wait another thirty seconds.
Rainbow waited until she was sure Applejack didn't have a hold of anything dangerous, then pounced. She landed on her wife's back, and gave a single flap of her wings. Applejack's startled scream was interrupted by the brief thud of the two landing on their backsides together.
Rainbow brushed her hoof over her wife's mouth. She leaned up to her ear and whispered, "First your apples... then your apron..."
She bit down on Applejack's ear, extracting a shudder and a moan from her, and causing Applejack to flail around. She shoved Rainbow off of her, much to the latter's amusement, and released a relieved sigh.
"Rainbow! she scolded softly. "You scared me half ta death! Ah didn't expect you back fer another hour!"
Rainbow Dash grinned slyly and swaggered up to Applejack for a nuzzling. "Left an hour early. Couldn't wait to see my two favorite girls in the whole world..." she whispered huskily.
Applejack surrendered her scowl for a smile, and threw her hooves around her long-departed lover. "Ah can't tell ya how much Ah missed ya, darlin'..."
Rainbow rested her chin atop Applejack's head and snuggled in against the cinnamon-scented golden mane.
"I missed you guys too. It was totally lame in Filly without you..." Rainbow began. She would have continued, but Sunshine had grown restless, and had started buzzing her wings and babbling to her papa for attention. Rainbow grinned to herself. "Alright! Alright! I know you're jealous!" she smirked, and slipped out of her wife's grip to trot over to her daughter.
***
Dinner had been an awesome affair. The more times Rainbow found herself being called away to perform and do recruiting drives, the more she found herself missing home every time she had to leave. And the more she did that, the more she realized that nothing beat sitting at the table with her family.
The grown-ups had formed a circle and played Eucher well into the evening. While Sunshine watched on from her chair, Applebloom ran off to her sleepover with the Crusaders. After cards came playtime, and it pleased Rainbow that her daughter, even at a year old, hadn't grown tired of playing “alligator” with her yet.
As Papa tucked in her foal for the night and clicked off the light, a sudden hunger overcame her.
No, not hunger in a literal sense.
She had to bite her lip and make a conscious effort not to bounce back to the bedroom like Pinkie Pie. As she passed Big Mac in the hallway, she grinned at him.
“Better put in those earplugs tonight Mac; we're gonna get loud.”
Big Mac pulled a ball of cotton out of his ear. “Eewhat?”
Rainbow rolled her eyes and smirked. “Never mind.” She looked down at her uniform in the light of the hallway lantern, and adjusted a few things that were out-of-sorts on it, pulled on a spare set of Aviators from her supply chest (she hoped she didn't stub her hoof in the dark like last time), and grabbed the handle of the door.
“Ten-hut!” Applejack chanted softly.
Rainbow blinked over to her wife basking in the low lantern's light, standing at the perfect position of attention. Somepony had been practicing what she'd taught her...
Somepony had also had a bath while she wasn't looking. Applejack's coat still glistened softly from the remaining moisture, and her undone mane and tail still clumped together a bit. One of these days, she would have to get her hooves on a uniform for her wife just to complete the image.
Rainbow's wings fluffed, much as she tried to maintain her professional demeanor.
Time to inspect the troops... or trooper, as such.
“Cadet Applejack!” she scolded softly, so as not to disturb the rest of the house. She drew up in her wife's smiling face. “What in the sweet sweet name of Celestia are you so happy about?”
Applejack, not breaking roleplay, remained stoically silent, though her grin grew marginally.
“You know I'm gonna be making you scream for mercy before I'm done with you, right?”
Applejack straightened up to her full height. “Yes ma'am!”
“And it ain't gonna be quick either. I'm gonna turn that gorgeous orange flank of yours red before the night is over! And you're gonna thank me for it!”
“Yes ma'am!”
“And on top of that... you, Cadet," Rainbow paused and removed her Aviators, tossing them aside and pressing closer, "are out-of-uniform.” She couldn't help the grin that blossomed on her cheeks.
Applejack's gaze and tone became more sultry. “Yes ma'am!”
Rainbow pressed her muzzle firmly against Applejack's. “You aren't standing at attention anymore either, soldier...”
Applejack tried to rein her swishing tail back in, a healthy rosy red creeping into her cheeks. Her muscles tensed, and she stood up as straight as she could. “Sorry ma'a-mmph!”
Rainbow felt satisfied with skipping the bulk of the roleplay that evening. She had a hunger to satisfy, and devoured her wife's lips to quench the pangs she had been feeling since her return. She encircled her lover with her powerful hooves and eagerly levitated them over to their bed with a few swift flaps of her wings.
“Most CO's would throw you in the brig for eyeball-huggin' 'em like that,” Rainbow smirked. "You're pretty lucky I know I'm eye-candy."
Applejack returned the expression. “Are ya?" She rolled her eyes playfully. "Ah hadn't noticed..."
Rainbow leaned in and kissed her again. “Need a reminder?”
It was Applejack's turn to grin, and she enveloped her wife with all four of her hooves. Their eyes locked together, and her hoof stroked along her cheek, up to her ear, and down through her rainbow-colored mane prompting those beautiful wings to poof out in an explosion of feathers.
But just as she had begun to slip her hoof down to the sensitive network of nerves in between the pegasi's feathery appendages, a soft cry echoed through the house, coming from the room just up the hallway.
Rainbow slumped down, resting her head in the crook of Applejack's neck. “Are you kidding me with this?”
Applejack wore a disappointed expression of her own. “Ah thought ya just put 'er to bed, sugarcube.”
“I did! I don't know what she could be whining about!” She sighed and looked up to the stars and moon outside their window. “One hour... that's all I wanted. Just one hour of happy-fun-bedroom time...”
Applejack stroked her hoof down along her wife's side. “Well, nothin' to be done for it, darlin'. Ah'll try and be quick.” She began to sit up.
Rainbow pushed her back down with a smile. “It's okay. Daddy's got it.”
Applejack smiled and nodded. “Ah'll be waitin' for ya then..." Her hoof found the sensitive spot just underneath her wing, and brushed along the tender skin slowly, eliciting a pleasant purr. "And who knows? If'n yer patient and take long enough... Ah just might have a surprise in store fer ya."
Rainbow paused and her ears perked. "What kind of surprise?"
Her wife grinned. "Remember that bridle that Rarity gave us fer our honeymoon?"
The silence was a pregnant one.
"Oh. You mean... you mean that bridle?! The lime-green one with the gold studs and the foamy bit and the saddle with the hoof straps?"
Applejack grinned and rolled her eyes away. "Might be."
Rainbow gaped a few moments as her face tinged toward a scarlet hue, then trotted out of her and Applejack's bedroom with a bit of haste in her gait. "See? I'm going! But patiently going! Not in any rush at all! Totally relaxed! No big deal here! Might even be awhile!"
Her wife sniggered, but eagerly hoped that Rainbow wouldn't take too long...
The purpose of a masquerade, of course, is to get to know ponies without actually knowing who they are. It's a bit of a mixed bag when the masks come off at the end of the night. Many meet new friends they never would have met otherwise. Some ponies find they might actually get along with their enemies. Some ponies find out uncomfortable things about their sexuality.
But those moments would come later.
Right now, a young filly with a red mane was desperately looking for her brother. He wasn't difficult to find, really; mask or no mask he was still the only pony a good head taller than everypony else.
"Mac!" she called when she'd found him.
The large stallion turned around. "Ah don't know anypony by that name," he said.
Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. "You're a terrible liar, ya know that?"
"Uh... nope?" He winced as he realized that he had definitely given himself away that time.
Apple Bloom shook her head. "Look, Ah need your help!"
Mac raised an eyebrow behind his mask. At a party like this? "With what?"
"Applejack's cheatin' on Rainbow Dash!"
Mac paused. "Ah sincerely doubt that."
"No, come and see!"
Mac gave a sheepish smile to his partner, who nodded to let him go. He followed Apple Bloom down the halls, and paused as he realized that they were leaving the ballroom proper, and heading in towards the bedrooms.
This didn't bode too well.
Luckily, she took a left turn, and he saw his sister talking with a pegasus with a jet black mane. How close they were standing left a good indication that this was not a platonic chat. He raised an eyebrow.
"See?" Apple Bloom hissed.
Mac waited, not believing his eyes. Then he smiled. He reached into his saddlebags and pulled out a small bottle of something. He'd been meaning to save it for later, but it would be just fine right now.
They were nuzzling each other, now, with their tails entwined. Mac suppressed a shudder.
"What's that for?" Apple Bloom asked.
"T' see if it's really Rainbow." He popped open the bottle and sloshed it once.
The pegasus froze, and her ears instantly pricked up. She turned around to see Mac with the bottle of cider.
Instantly, she was at his side. "Hey, Mac," she said. "That's a lot of cider, even for you. You sure you can drink that all? 'Cause I can help. No charge!"
Mac chuckled and gave it to her.
Apple Bloom blinked as she recognized the voice and how quickly she was draining the cider. "It was Rainbow," she said, still in shock. "But it doesn't look anything like her!"
Applejack laughed. "Ah know; but when it's true love, you can always see through anything."
Rainbow paused her drinking just long enough to respond. "Or it's because I'm the only one brave enough or stupid enough to swat your flank while you're getting food."
Applejack responded by hitting the bottom of the bottle, sending cider all over Rainbow's face.
It had sounded simple enough, at first. Pretty easy, really. I mean, how hard could it have been? Yeah, maybe Rainbow didn't exactly have the experience or the know-how or the skill or the—
A voice bellowed from across the room, "You okay over there, sugarcube?"
Rainbow Dash blinked back to reality, and looked up to see her marefriend watching her from behind her oven, a soft smirk on her face. Rainbow's jaw dropped as she realised that Applejack wasn't even paying attention to the dough as she kneeled and cut and baked it in quick succession, yet her hooves blurred across the countertop effortlessly.
Rainbow looked down at the wet, dirty, doughy mass that sat on her own countertop. Somehow, she'd managed to burn it.
She hadn't even put it into the oven yet.
Okay, in hindsight, maybe it was a bad idea to accept Applejack's cooking challenge.
"Y-Yeah! I'm gonna kick your... your ass, AJ!" Rainbow shouted back. Smile and wave, Dash. Smile and wave.
To be fair to herself, she hadn't meant to accept the challenge. It just kinda... happened. Yes, maybe she'd been especially cocky that morning, and yes, maaaaaybe she'd told everyone that she was the fastest at everything in the whole world forever and ever, but it's not like she'd actually meant it.
Well, apparently not until AJ exploded and challenged her to a pie-making duel.
Hey, wait... Rainbow Dash stopped. I never said I was good at baking, just fast at it...
Rainbow grinned.
Quickly, she tore open the huge back of flour next to her and threw her pathetic pile of pie into it. Then, she tore her way through the air above it. Faster and faster, higher and higher, until she looked down from the edge of space.
Then, Rainbow Dash dove.
"I'M GONNA KNEAD IT!" she bellowed, seconds before she impacted with the bag of flour.
"You okay there, sugarcube?"
Rainbow Dash opened her eyes and groaned. She was sitting in a mountain of white powder. Tilting her head up, she saw Applejack looking down at her, concern (and flour) painted all over her pretty cheeks. Rainbow Dash gave a hesitant smirk.
A salty aroma awoke Rainbow from her pleasant slumber, bringing her to a stir and wrapping herself up more tightly in her cocoon of sheets.
She groped around blindly in her sleep, feeling around for the warm mass that had been her bed mate last evening. A lukewarm, rumpled spot on the top cover was all that remained of the disappeared specter of a woman.
Rainbow sat up and examined herself in the cracked dresser mirror just across the small clothes-strewn bedroom.
Eh. Only Rarity would care...
She looked down.
They might mind the t-shirt and boxers though.
She snared a pair of nylon shorts from the floor nearby and walked out to the living room where everybody sat at the counter separating it from the kitchen.
"Morning, Rainbow Dash!" chirped the pink-haired party animal nearest her door. Fluttershy waved, Twilight smiled behind her glass of orange juice, and Rarity had fallen in love with a mirror, as usual.
"'Sup Pinkie?" Rainbow smiled, clapping her friend a high-five. She paused. "Gum in your hair. Again."
"Oh! That's what I did with it!" Pinkie reached up and yanked the gum out of her mane before popping it back into her mouth.
Rarity looked up from her self-grooming and spoke a wordless disapproval with her expression. "Really, Rainbow Dash, a brush would not have required much effort."
Rainbow raspberried in the fashionista's direction and made her way around the counter into the kitchen.
There, the orange shirt-wearing love of her life stood over her stove, just where she had expected to find her. Rainbow glided up behind her, snaking one arm around her belly, while the other went fishing for a piece of bacon off the community plate.
A sharp whack from a pair of metal tongs extracted a yelp of pain from her.
"Uh-uh. You can wait 'n eat with ev'rybody else."
That magical Southern drawl ignited a fire in Rainbow's belly, and she slithered up close behind Applejack while encircling her just beneath her chest with both arms. She sniffed the air and breathed a deep sigh of contentment with the fragrance that filled the apartment.
"Mmm... marry me."
Applejack snorted in amusement. "You wish."
Rainbow grinned and bounced her arms beneath her friend's sizable chest a moment to elicit that adorable red tinge in her cheeks she so loved. She then leaned over the shorter girl's shoulder and peered at the dish.
"Lemme guess... 'Applewood' bacon?"
The farm girl looked back at her with smirk. "You got a problem with Applewood, girly?" She threateningly pinched the tongs together a couple times.
"Hey, I got no problems with anything apple-related. Apple-anything is bound to be awesome!"
Applejack rolled her eyes and tried to slip out of Rainbow's arms as her friend's hands slipped upwards and grappled with her breasts. She balled up her free hand and firmly elbowed her friend in the gut. "Milk's in the fridge, ya technicolor perv."
"Mmm... I want mine straight from the source."
"You see this scaldin' hot burner? Sure would be a shame if something were ta happen to yer face..."
A warm and fuzzy feeling surged through Rainbow's veins. Her cheeks hurt from the size of her smile. "Wow! Somebody grew a pair last night!"
A delicate huff from behind made Rainbow's forehead crinkle and drew her ireful stare.
"Tres gauche, darling. At least have the common decency to let Applejack finish making breakfast for the rest of us first before you continue your merciless flirting."
Rainbow rolled her eyes and swaggered across the kitchen to find herself a spot.
"Rarity, you need to find a boyfriend." She pondered a moment. "And get laid." Rainbow paused intently, smiling slyly in Applejack's direction. "Like I was last night."
"Not even in yer dreams, darlin'," Applejack said with a smile as she came over with the plate full of sizzling meat.
"You're right. We get up to much worse there." Rainbow grinned and waggled her eyebrows suggestively.
She was rewarded with a rosy shade overtaking the cowgirl's speckled cheeks.
"Ah'm gonna go take a shower," Applejack huffed, and marched towards the hall.
Rainbow's magenta eyes swiveled and admired her friend's curvy form as she stepped around the counter.
"Mmm. Love to watch her come..." She paused and eyed the farm girl's retreating backside. "Sure don't mind watching her go either."
Applejack turned back with an expression half made of anger, half of embarrassment. She forcefully pulled down her orange shirt, covering her butt the best she could with the undersized garment. "Oh, would you give it a rest already?!"
Rainbow grinned victoriously as her flustered friend scampered into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her. Twilight and Fluttershy giggled to themselves, while Pinkie rolled right off her chair and cackled on the floor. Even Rarity found the capacity to smirk.
With a perfect morning under her belt, Rainbow leaned back in her barstool and sampled the best-tasting bacon she had ever had.
Even so early on in her short career performing with the Wonderbolts, Rainbow Dash had already earned herself a reputation as being one willing to try the boldest of moves. Fans loved her. The tabloids couldn’t get enough of her antics. Yet, as the prismatic mare streaked her way through the starlit sky high above the rolling hills of Equestria, the chill of night air whipping at her face and blowing her mane into a frenzy, she couldn’t help but think that this was her boldest move yet.
Spitfire looked up across her desk from the neatly folded flight suit and tiny golden wings sitting at her hooves. “I don’t understand. You told me being a Wonderbolt was all you ever wanted out of life.”
Rainbow shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess that’s what I’ve been telling myself, too.”
It was late by the time she touched down at Sweet Apple Acres—probably too late, but the rash pegasus had never been much for common courtesy before and she sure didn’t see much reason to start now. Without a second thought, she was at Applejack’s window, releasing a whole flight from Cloudsdale’s worth of nerves into a flurry of little taps against the glass.
The farm mare was there almost immediately—just like Rainbow knew she would be—as if she were waiting by the window, which she very well might have been.
“Well look who’s back. Come to break my heart again?”
Rainbow Dash grimaced. It was a low blow, but a fair one, and she knew it. “Hi, AJ. Can I… can I come in?”
“I don’t see why not. You’ll probably just be gone again in the mornin’ like last time.” Applejack stepped aside from the open window, her eyes as cold as the air outside.
“Look, it’s not like that.” Rainbow Dash fluttered in through the opening, folding her wings against her sides.
“Oh, sure it isn’t! Just like last time! And the time before that! I know you. You just wanna squeeze in another night with me before flying back off to your Wonderbolts. Well it’s not gonna be this time, Dash. I’m done. I’m movin’ on, and so should you.”
“I know, AJ. I read your letter already.”
Applejack blinked. “Good. Then I guess we’re at an understandin’. You get to keep your fame and your stardom and I get to keep my dignity.”
“I quit the Wonderbolts.”
“You… what?”
“I quit the Wonderbolts.”
“But, but it’s your dream.” Applejack stammered, her eyes wide in the pale darkness of the bedroom.
“No, it isn’t.” Rainbow Dash stared at the silent mare before her. “Or, at least, it isn’t anymore. Look, I think I finally figured it out, that after all these years of training and practicing and tryouts and hoping that finally joining the Wonderbolts would finally make me happy, that I really wasn’t happy. I wasn’t at all. And everything, the uniform and the fame and the stardom and everything, none of it is worth it if I can’t have that one thing—the only thing that ever made me happy before… if I can’t have you.”
Applejack just blinked. Rainbow Dash frowned.
“I’m not asking for much. I’d just like you to not hate me. And, if there’s any part of you that thinks your stupid marefriend still deserves anything in this world, I’d like a second chance. I mean it this time.”
The other mare was quite suddenly very close to Rainbow Dash, advancing with a power in her step that made the pegasus flinch, expecting at any moment to feel a hoof strike across her face.
But it never came. Instead, she felt a very familiar pair of lips brush against her cheek. Applejack was climbing into her bed by the time Dash opened her eyes.
“Let me think about it. You get the floor tonight.”
Rainbow Dash grinned, extending her own hoof up to her cheek. Somehow, she could feel the spot tingling. Somehow, she knew things were going to be alright.
It’s usually the boldest moves that pay off the most.
Rainbow Dash lay on the floor, her tail erect and visible. She waited in predatory stance, and slowly glided along the floor, ruffling carpet fibers with her stomach.
Somewhere nearby, her prey waited with little orange wings buzzing in anticipation.
Rainbow couldn't look up though. She acted as the alligator after all. She couldn't look up, climb, or move except for crawling. Those were the rules.
Her stalking slowed to a halt, and she paused, pretending to listen. Rainbow whirled around, charging to the base of the ottoman while "rawring" loudly and gnashing her teeth together.
The surprised Sunshine Delight above screamed. Rainbow grinned and spared a look up at her filly as she dove behind her pregnant mother's large belly. Applejack smiled warmly back at Rainbow before Sunshine poked her head out from her mother's golden tail.
"Daddy looks pretty hungry fer filly-belly," Applejack smiled to her daughter.
Sunshine giggled and waited for her Daddy to continue stalking the carpet swamps once again. She stood at the edge of her perch and waited.
At last, Rainbow turned her back to her, and she heard Sunshine bolt towards the safety of the couch. Rainbow reeled about immediately with a loud roar and scooted across the carpet after her. Sunshine shrieked and ran for the coffee table where Daddy couldn't follow her as easily.
Rainbow pounced, though, and pinned the little filly beneath a hoof. She "gobbled" up her foal, tickling her stomach with nuzzles and nibbles and making decidedly appropriate sound effects. Sunshine giggled and struggled for freedom, kicking at Rainbow's chest and hooves to try and break free.
Rainbow sighed tiredly and rested her chin over her filly's back. "Okay... time for a break," she sighed.
"Nooo! One more!" Sunshine pleaded.
"Sorry sweetie; Daddy's full from gobbling up so many little fillies today," she winked and nuzzled her mane.
Rainbow hated to see Sunshine disappointed, but caring for a child had turned out to be a lot more difficult than any flying marathon. She simply hadn't been prepared for the effort it took to keep up with her foal.
Rainbow frowned to Sunshine's sagging ears, and reached up to raise her daughter's chin with a hoof.
"Tell ya what. Maybe after dinner we can all go for a walk through Whitetail together."
Sunshine's spirits soared immediately, and she happily ran back to the ottoman to snuggle up to her mother, "yaying" all the way. Applejack smiled and tucked her filly beneath her foreleg.
"If I could just fly, the alligator would never catch me!"
Sunshine had meant it playfully, judging from the blissful smile on her face. But Rainbow, however, felt a twinge of dread in her gut, and looked up to Applejack.
As she thought, her wife shifted uncomfortably, as she did whenever the subject came up.
Rainbow knew what it meant. Their little Sunshine Delight had been giving thought to flying. She had been born a pegasus after all. Inevitably it would have occurred to her that she had wings of her own.
Applejack didn't like it, and told her so regularly.
"Daddy, can you take me flying soon?"
Rainbow averted her eyes. "I... that's not up to me Sunshine. Ask your mother."
Since Sunshine had been born, Rainbow had given thought regularly to how she would teach her daughter to fly. She had envisioned taking her to the top of the world, going into a dive, and pulling up at the last moment. She had thought of teaching her how best to flap and shape her wings to achieve optimum lift, and how to feel shifts in the air currents.
It was something Applejack couldn't participate in or understand all that well. And it broke her heart to feel so detached from her child.
Sunshine looked up to her mother with expectant eyes. "Mommy? Can Daddy take me flying?"
Applejack gulped. Rainbow could see how much it hurt her to be asked that question over and over again. The horizon'll be there tomorrow, she would say to her. What's the rush?
That much was true. But Rainbow also understood how hard it must have been for the little filly to deny her birthright for so long. That hunger, that heat, that need to spread her wings and fly.
Applejack unleashed a shuddering sigh and swallowed. "Soon, sugarcube. Real soon," she promised, nuzzling her daughter's mane before giving her a little knock to her flank. "Now. Why don't ya go out and find yer Auntie Applebloom? She might need some help with bringin' in the crop."
Sunshine frowned dejectedly, but obeyed her mother and ran towards the door.
Rainbow stared up to her wife from the floor, magenta eyes swimming with conflict. Applejack couldn't hold her gaze and turned away, shame written all over her features.
She got up and walked over to her wife, knocking her muzzle with her own.
The sky was darkening and the gentle pitter-patter of rain to forewarn the building storm had only just begun to strike the ground as Rainbow Dash and Applejack raced their way across the orchard. The heavens above finally broke open, drenching the surrounding countryside with life-giving nourishment just as the two ponies slammed the barn door behind them.
"Wooo-ee. That storm sure is a mighty strong one. Ya better give me more warnin' next time, Dash."
"Hey, not my fault you distracted me when I came to tell you. Hard to get two words in when all you want is smooches." Rainbow Dash playfully nipped at her marefirend's ear, and Applejack blushed, ducking away. "So, looks like we have a few hours to ourselves in here. Got any ideas?"
"I'm kinda tired, Sugarcube. Maybe we could do somethin' less active for a while?"
"Aww--" Rainbow Dash's ears began to droop, before immediately perking back up, as if an idea had suddenly struck her. "Hey, I've got an idea!" She quickly trotted across the barn, stopping beside something large and indistinct and covered in a faded brown cloth. Without further ceremony, she whisked the dustcover off the old grand piano and beamed at her marefriend. "I could take a whirl on this! I haven't been able to play in ages…"
Applejack smiled. "Sounds like a wonderful idea, Sugarcube."
Rainbow Dash sat herself down on the bench and tested a few keys. Liking what she heard, she settled in to play a song, but only got a few bars into it before Applejack stopped her.
"Hey, I know this one! Hold up a minute and let me grab mah fiddle."
"Ok, but just so you know, I'm gonna be changing up some of the words."
A few minutes later, with Applejack situated comfortably on a pile of hay and her well-worn fiddle cradled in her hooves, Rainbow began to play again. This time, the earth mare cut in with her own music, and the pegasus began to sing.
"Well it's late and it's dark in the summer, as a storm rolls over the farm, But I'm here with my mare, so I shouldn't be scared, for I know it won't do me no harm.
"Now I might just say that I love her, though I'm sure that she already knows, For she's strong and she's fine and her flank is divine, and her heart soaks up all my woes."
Applejack snickered, before jumping in and adding her own voice to the song just as Dash was about to begin the chorus.
"Sing me a song, you're the piano mare. Sing me a song tonight, For ya might just be gettin' some lovin', if ya sing and ya woo me just right."
Rainbow just grinned. "Challenge accepted, Applebutt."
"Now, AJ, she wants me to woo her, though I'm not really sure if I can, But I'll give it my best, I won't give it a rest, at least that's not part of the plan.
"'Cause she told me before that she's tired, and I think just a little bit sore, But I swear by the moon, that I can make her swoon, just so I can get me some more."
"Oh la da di da, da di da da, la da di da, da di da,
"And the storm rages on, just outside, with a zap, and a crack, and a boom, Still I'd rather be, nowhere but with she, cooped up in this cozy old room.
"I like to think she agrees with me, I can see it right now in her smile, that she'd rather be, nowhere but with me, locked up in this barn for a while."
She looked up, and Applejack was indeed smiling, even as she prepared to take the chorus once more.
"Sing me a song, you're the piano mare. Sing me a song tonight, For ya might just be gettin' some lovin', if ya sing and ya woo me just right."
Rainbow Dash laughed, her hooves still dancing across the keys.
"Well I call her my lover, I call her my world, I even call her my best friend, But if this were a list, I'd sure be remiss, if I were to call that the end.
"She's the best thing that I've ever known, and she's at the center of my life, If I could call her anything, and if I had a ring, well I'd sure love to call her my wife!"
Rainbow Dash looked up, and saw Applejack had a heavy tinge of scarlet to her cheeks. The pegasus beamed, and her earth mare began to sing one last time.
"Sing me a song, you're the piano mare. Sing me a song tonight, For I'll be givin' ya some lovin', 'cause ya sang and ya wooed me alright."
Rainbow grinned around the picnic basket in her teeth as she scaled the hill all the way to the top, where a scarlet blanket and a series of lit candles awaited her beneath the moonlight.
"All tucked in!
"Sunshine brushed 'er teeth?"
"Teeth brushed, bedtime story read, house locked up tight. Now it's just you 'n me, babe!"
Applejack smiled from her position on the blanket. Rarity had had to open up her old red dress quite a ways just so she could fit into it so late in term. Likely, it was ruined, but for date night, she had to wear something that complimented Rainbow's tux nicely. Her wife had gone through the trouble of prettying up and even combing that unmanageable mane of hers. She had to at least give it the same effort.
As Rainbow settled down onto the blanket, she reached in and clutched a bottle of wine in her teeth. Grasping it between her hooves, she gave it a few firm shakes and started to wedge her hoof in under the cork.
"Goin' straight fer the wine, huh?" AJ grinned. "Ya sure don't dally much do ya, sugarcube?"
"Eh, who has time to mess around any-"
A sharp loud pop filled the air, interrupting the pegasus with an outpouring of fizz from the mouth of the bottle and pouring onto the blanket.
"Whoa!" she yelped, and pointed it away from the delicate fabric.
Rainbow smirked mischievously.
"I swear to Celestia that never happens," she said with a wink.
Applejack rolled her eyes humorously and bit her lower lip.
"Not every night it don't..." she whispered.
"I heard that, Applerack!"
Applejack simpered at the cruel nickname and draped a hoof over her bulging stomach.
"Yeah, yeah, go 'head and yuck it up Lasermane. Ya can go 'head and make fun if ya want, but it ain't wise to tease the pony who determines whether or not ya get a happy endin' tonight..."
Rainbow's wings flared involuntarily.
"Forgive me m'lady. I know not what I do."
Her wife grinned.
"That's what Ah thought." She turned to regard the picnic basket. "So, didja finally manage to break the cookin' curse placed on ya, or did Granny give ya a hoof?"
"Hey, I can cook if I want to!"
Applejack's mouth curved upward at one side.
"Sugarcube, the last time ya tried to make a bowl of oatmeal, it caught fire..."
Rainbow rolled her eyes and poured a glass of wine for each of them, before taking a styrofoam container out of the basket. She noticed how Applejack's eyes bulged in surprise, then deflated in disappointment.
"Rainbow..."
"Look, I don't know what the deal is, okay! I tried following Granny's directions to the buckin' letter and nothing worked! You like the food from this restaurant anyway!"
The more her wife yelled, the more Applejack smiled.
As the pegasus's rant seemed ready to continue, she reached over and silenced her with her lips.
"As long as ya tried, darlin'," she said warmly, scratching the underside of her chin with her hoof.
Rainbow smiled and squeaked in delight, her colorful tail tenderizing the blanket underneath her.
"Yeah, well, I figured you wouldn't want a completely trashed cobbler anyway, so..." With a flick of her cyan hoof, Rainbow revealed a delectable salad, spiced with some of the Apple family's most expensive apple products and sold only to the finest confectionaries. Having a P-4 paygrade in the Wonderbolts certainly helped her afford some of the nicer things in life.
Applejack's brow raised.
"Hmmm... okay, color me impressed."
"And that's just dinner!"
Rainbow bolted around behind the tree, and reemerged with a stringed instrument. It didn't bother her that Applejack bit her lip and cackled softly.
"Oh you laugh now, but I swear, once you see my sweet moves across all the strings on this guitar, you're just gonna beg me to take you!"
Applejack sniffed her laugh back under control and smirked.
"Ah would... if'n that were a gee-tar."
Rainbow blinked.
"What are you talking about? Look at it! It's an awesome guitar! Picked it out myself at the music shop!"
Her wife had a difficult time keeping from laughing all over again.
"'Cept, it ain't a gee-tar."
Rainbow stared blankly at her. It was the kind of stare that told Applejack just how few clues her wife had. She leaned over and began to chuckle into her hoof.
"Okay, I'll bite..." she admitted, holding up the instrument. "If it's not a gee-ta-... GUITAR, what is it?"
"Can't be sure mahself – Ah'm no instrument expert. But from the look of the rounded back, Ah'd say it's a mandolin."
Rainbow blinked.
"The buck's a 'man-duh-lin'?"
"Ah reckon what yer holdin' right there."
Her wife glared down to the instrument of mistaken identity. She growled and chucked it over her shoulder, landing it in the grass somewhere out of the light of the candles.
"Ah didn't know ya were practicin' playin'," Applejack said over a warm smile.
"Yeah... well... I wanted to make this date romantic. I thought a little guitar solo might help put you in the mood..."
"And ya never thought it was kinda different from the other guitars ya were usin'?"
"I just thought it was something fancy from Germaney or something!" she huffed in frustration.
Applejack chuckled and sidled closer to her lover. She leaned in and nuzzled against Rainbow's neck, while a free hoof found itself gently massaging against her sensitive withers.
Her foul mood evaporated like a raindrop in a fire as small jolts of electricity fired from the tips of her wings up to the base of her brain.
"Don't you worry none, sugarcube," she felt whispered into her ear. "Ah figure ya done surprised me enough fer one night." Her mate's teeth nipped at her eartip.
"Y-yeah? Well... wait 'til you see what I bought for dessert!" she exclaimed.
It was tough. Every synapse in Rainbow's brain screamed to take the date to the next level. The last time she'd tried that kind of thing though, Applejack made quite clear her discontent. She had a hoof-shaped bruise on her cheek for a good week after.
She had to resist... had to seal the deal...
Applejack quirked an eyebrow and cast a sidelong glance towards the basket as her wife dug through the various goodies therein. She smiled and reached for her glass of wine, swirling the crimson beverage in soft circles.
"Well, sweetheart, Ah can safely say that..."
A pause followed.
"Safely say what?" Rainbow asked from her head in the basket. "That I've charmed you? Made you fall in love with me all over again?" She came back out of the basket with a wrapped glazed apple cake in her teeth. "Or that I'm just the most amazing-"
The cake hit the blanket.
"Applejack, what's wrong?"
Rainbow leaned against her wife's side to support her. Applejack had clutched her stomach and doubled over, a wince of pain written across her face.
Applejack smiled up to Rainbow through clenched teeth, her many dots of sweat on her brow reflecting the moon and candlelight.
"Just a cramp. Ain't nothin' to worry about," she reassured, massaging her hoof over her stomach. "See? All better."
"Cramp nothing..." Rainbow said, her magenta eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. "AJ, you're bleeding."
Applejack blinked and looked down at her dress. From the red cloth, it was difficult to tell at first, but realization hit quickly that she was drenched in her own blood.
Rainbow didn't miss a beat, and quickly wrapped her hooves around her mate's chest.
Applejack's face paled several shades, and a look of fear that her lover had never seen before took hold. "Rainbow... the baby..."
With a single motion, she landed on her wife's back, and wrapped herself around her.
"Just hang on. I'll have us at the hospital in a couple minutes."
For all of Applejack's fears of flying and heights, for all her nervousness of her own bravado, for all her reckless stunts from the past, none of it mattered in that moment. She braced herself in Rainbow's grasp, and shut her eyes.
Rainbow had never planned on flying Applejack anywhere quite as fast as she did that evening...
An accident. That’s what it was. Surely, if Rainbow Dash were a scum-sucking, ankle-biting sociopath, she’d actually mean to ruin Applejack’s crop. But she didn’t mean to. She swore that up, down, and in other directions that didn’t even exist as she followed Applejack to the Everfree forest.
Going there was nothing new to them, really. And ever since events that ‘shall not be named outside the bedroom’, it’d become a haven for the two mares. A glade, in particular. More pointedly, a place for Applejack to unleash the roaring beast that stirred within when Rainbow Dash showed off her shamefully sexy athletics.
But even then, past Rainbow’s laughable small talk, horribly timed flirting, and mewling pleas for forgiveness, Rainbow Dash was at least 120% sure she was going to die.
An easy conclusion to draw, of course. A conclusion that blind-sided Dash with a shovel when that lightning bolt bore down on that tree, burning it and all its apples to a crisp. Their blinding gleam, smoky and black. Their ripe smell, thick and burnt. If Rainbow could still see her reflection in those apples, she’d see a dead mare.
A dead mare.
The same dead mare reflecting off Applejack’s bright, warm, beautiful, calculating, plotting, scheming eyes every time they stared at Dash. Why else would Applejack smile when she saw all those burnt apples? Why else would she lead Dash to the Everfree Forest immediately after? Away from Sweet Apple Achres. Away from Ponyville. Away from all traces of civilization.
Even through the forest itself—where it once stiffened the wings and bristled her fur—Dash stared at the one thing she’d ever need to fear: the orange farm pony leading her through beds of dead leaves, poky bushes, and trees that may or may not have been grinning at them.
All Rainbow Dash wanted was to impress and awe the most amazing pony she’s ever met. And it was easy the last 27 times; a flip here, a cork-screw there… a conveniently placed storm cloud right above that tree for her to spectacularly crash into.
It was an accident. That’s what it was. And now, as Applejack stopped in an oddly open, oddly tranquil, oddly secluded, oddly perfect-to-hide-a-body-nopony-would-ever-find glade, Rainbow shouted those words so loud, her throat nearly bled.
Dash begged. Applejack turned to her. Dash shouted. Applejack stepped to her. Dash stumbled away and shrieked for mercy. Applejack smiled. Dash crumbled to the ground and cried like a wingless turkey.
Applejack kissed her forehead. “You know Imma kill ya when we’re done right?” she said.
"You did not knock him out; you just slapped him around a bit," Rainbow Dash said casually to her fiance.
"Ah did knock him out! He fell on the floor... well, clouds, and he was out!" answered Applejack around her toothbrush.
"He got up right after that." The pegasus hovered over to bed and settled into the sheets.
"Yeah, after 'bout ten minutes!" exclaimed the farmpony, flipping off the light of the bathroom and trotting into the bedroom,
Rainbow rolled her eyes and reached over to the nightstand, perching a pair of reading glasses on her muzzle. She flipped to a page in the latest Daring Do novel, and skimmed the pages with muted interest.
"Applejack, if you had put him under, then he probably would have stayed that way for a whole lot longer than he did." She paused, finishing her page and flipping to the next. "Besides, Marigold used to hit him a whole lot harder than you did. Yours was more of a... love tap."
"It still don't feel right about the whole thing," the earth pony muttered, as she crawled onto her side of the bed. She slipped underneath the covers and pulled the comforter up to her chin. "You sure none of them are mad at me?" she asked unsurely.
"AJ, trust me. They're in there fighting for you," her marefriend answered. She set aside the reading glasses, realizing there was very little chance of her ever finishing a chapter that evening, and opted instead to console her wife-to-be. A soft pair of cyan wings and hooves enveloped Applejack, and the smell of rainwater and apples intermingled in an intoxicating mingling.
"What do you mean?" Applejack asked, melting into the embrace beneath the sheets. A rogue blue feather brushed against her stomach and almost extracted a chuckle from her.
"Well, hay, what team in their right mind wouldn't want you for their hoofball team?" asked the pegasus around a yawn.
The farmpony's eyes slanted in confusion. She turned her head to face her mate. "What hoofball team? What the hay are you even talkin' about?"
Rainbow fluttered her magenta eyes.
"Oh, the uh..." She paused, rooting around in her brain's scattered filing cabinets for an answer. "Y'know, the annual reunion hoof ball championship... or something," she replied, bringing her head to rest in the crook of Applejack's neck.
Her lover scratched her ear.
"What the hay are you even talkin' about?"
Rainbow Dash only answered her with the chewing of lumber with a power tool, and a river of drool that flowed down her cheek and along Applejack's amber coat.
"'Ey! Rainbow! You git back up here and talk to me!" urged the blond mare, roughly shrugging her withers to jostle her mate back into consciousness.
The pegasus could have slept through a Force Three hurricane at that point.
Despite her sudden urge to pitch her marefriend out of bed, the cooler half of her head prevailed as she stared at that adorable snoozing face fondly. She sighed.
If there had been one thing that Rainbow Dash had ever learned from Great Granny Smith, it had been how to hold things together in a crisis. And she certainly didn't mean through needlepoint either. If it had been, the pegasus never would have learned a thing from Applejack's grandmother. Earth ponies had a certain amount of dexterity with their hooves pegasi lacked.
No, when she learned to hold things together, it meant keeping tightly-knit as a family. It meant being strong for one another and leaning on one another through the bad times. That's what made family so great.
Wonderful, when it worked out that way.
As Rainbow sat alone in the waiting room of the ER, she couldn't help but ponder the value of Granny's advice. She rocked back and forth on her rump, hugging herself with her hooves and wings, a job normally reserved for her wife, whom she hadn't seen for the better part of an hour.
She had lost consciousness in her forehooves after they had rushed in through the front doors. Applejack had been swarmed by two doctors, four nurses, and strapped to a gurney before being rolled away.
It had been the last time she'd seen her. The pegasus's stomach clenched with worry. She hopped up from the bench she'd been sitting on.
She'd paced. She'd hovered back and forth, kicking off the walls. She eaten at least five candy bars from the stupid vending machine.
She wanted to go for a walk. The ER smelled like vomit and cleaning agents and death. It felt like it could suffocate her if she stayed too long. She needed to get away. She needed air. She needed to feel unconstrained. She needed to stretch her wings.
But she also didn't want to be missing in case a nurse came to give her news. Some things just naturally overwrote instinct.
One hour turned to two, turned to three, turned into lost time. At some point, the pegasus had stopped paying attention to the ticking clock on the wall. Her mind became preoccupied with worry. What had happened? What could make it take so long for somepony to come and give her some peace of mind? A doctor? A nurse? A greeter for pony's sake?!
Rainbow had never been known for her overbearing patience.
She would have stomped out of the waiting room and started screaming at the next hospital staff member she saw if a nurse in surgical garb hadn't come pacing up the hallway.
The pin on her lapel read "Warmheart, RN."
The alien appearance of the unicorn's attire and the air of silence about her as she silently glided across the floor dulled the blade of her fury like a grindstone.
"Mrs. Rainbow Dash, I take it?"
Nurse Warmheart's voice poured from her like it was made entirely out of cream.
Rainbow nodded, disarmed by her benevolent nature. The golden aura that untied the mask straps wrapped around her head seemed analogous to angels, holiness and deliverance. Yet none of it seemed to help the pegasus shake her feeling of despair.
Warmheart motioned to her to have a seat, and Rainbow obeyed, plopping her rump onto the cushion without care of grace.
"The baby is a few weeks premature," the nurse began softly, levitating the mask from around her face. She was aged and experienced, judging from the wrinkles around her muzzle. "It's a girl," she said.
Rainbow gulped and nodded, the bittersweetness of learning she'd had another daughter biting at her eyes.
"A-and? Will she be okay?"
The nurse's furrowed brow smoothed.
"Oh, I've seen foals born far earlier than this that make it through just fine," she said with a soothing smile. "Off the record, I don't think she's in any real danger. That being said, we have sent her to the NICU, just to be sure."
Rainbow's worry eased greatly. She heaved her chest, breathing in deeply. The hospital's vulgar smells seemed so distant when compared to the sweet feeling of relief.
Something still bothered her however, and it chilled her to the core.
As Warmheart gazed to her neutrally, the pegasus felt the icy chill of fear and the heavy weight of dread pull her back down from her euphoric sense of release.
She swallowed, but the painful lump in her throat wouldn't retreat. She could feel the tears stinging her eyes as stress and emotion ate away at the fortress surrounding her heart.
"W-... what about Applejack...?" she asked fearfully. Rainbow could have gone an eternity without asking it, because frankly, she didn't know for sure whether or not she wanted the answer. She wanted to live with the worry in that moment. She wanted to curl up inside that little spot in Eternity and inhabit it forever, and never know the answer.
Warmheart's expression softened, and her eyes shimmered in sympathy.
"Mrs. Applejack is out of surgery. The anesthesia will wear off soon." She paused.
Rainbow couldn't take it. She wanted to scream at the nurse to not tell her. She wanted her to leave her alone.
Yet she couldn't not know now.
"She lost a great deal of blood during the procedure and needed to be resuscitated once. We managed to fix the problem. Unfortunately, it's difficult for me to say at this point what her outcome might be."
She paused again as she considered her words.
Rainbow hated the pauses.
"She's... in a very fragile position," she explained. "We'll need to keep a very close eye on her until she's recovered. I'm sorry to say that she will not bear children again."
The pegasus bit her hoof and nodded. She clenched her eyes to try and stop the hated sensation of hot tears rolling down her cheeks.
As Warmheart wrapped her hooves around her, Rainbow caught a whiff of lilac that shattered her tough-guy front like glass. She leaned into the nurse's hold and squeezed her, crying as she had never known she could before. She felt like a little filly again, helpless against the cruelties of the world. The powerful ties that kept her strong unravelled, and she was made weak.
It was a harsh winter’s evening when Applejack returned home. As usual, Rainbow Dash was lounging on the sofa. She jumped when her wife slapped a newspaper down onto the coffee table.
“How could you do this to me, Dash?”
As Rainbow glanced down at the the sleazy tabloid, her mind went blank, all of her pre-planned excuses fleeing into the ether. With the photographic evidence of her indiscretions sitting right there on the table she knew she was caught.
She floundered for a few seconds before breaking down and confessing everything. What followed was a tawdry tale of long lonely nights on tour with the Wonderbolts. Nights where one of Applejack’s old hats with her wife’s earthy scent of sweat and apples became her only comfort. How she’d smell it every night before going to bed.
The peer pressure she’d felt. How her teammates partied after every show. How booze flowed like untamed river, unceasing until everypony was stupid drunk. How no ‘Bolt ever went to bed with same warm body twice. How she finally gave in to temptation. She hadn’t gone seeking it. The mare had been young, willing, and in love with what Rainbow Dash represented. It was easy for somepony of Dash’s ego to be seduced while intoxicated and vulnerable.
“I didn’t even remember her name the next morning. It didn’t mean anything,” she begged. “You gotta believe me.”
Applejack remained unmoved. “I want to believe you, Dash. I really do, but answer me this. Was it the only time?”
It took Dash another few seconds as she fidgeted, but finally, she choked out a response. “No,” she admitted, ears burning with shame. “I knew it was wrong, but everyone else was doing it, and I just went along anyway.”
Both remained quiet, neither said or did anything for a minute.
After letting out a resigned sigh, Applejack took off her scarf and hung it in the front closet. She removed her Stetson and hung it alongside the others, and reached into the back of the closet, lifting out an old double-barreled shotgun and a box of shells.
“Whoa! Hold on, AJ! Put that down!” Rainbow shouted. “I love you, babe!”
“You remember our wedding vows, dontcha?” Applejack asked her sternly. “‘Cause I do. Remember what I promised would happen if you were ever unfaithful?”
“Applejack c’mon!” Rainbow Dash begged. She’d never been more frightened in her life. When they’d been dating, both Big Macintosh and Granny Smith had insinuated what the Apples did with adulterers. She’d honestly thought they were just joking around with her at the time. “You-you’re not really gonna shoot me, right? Right?!” She sniffled but then felt a tender touch as a hoof warmly cupped her cheek. Dash looked up into her wife’s soft, and she hoped, forgiving eyes.
““Aww…Sugarcube, no.” Her wife shook her head. “Nah, I can’t shoot you. Not when you’re looking at me with those big sorrowful eyes.”
As tears burst forth, Dash felt a great weight leave her stomach.
“You gotta sleep sometime.”
The weight returned, now three times as heavy. She watched as Applejack sat down in the easy-chair. Her favorite chair. It was a custom recliner, dyed all the colors of Rainbow’s mane which Dash had bought as a surprise on their first anniversary. The shotgun lay across her lap, and she waited.
Rainbow Dash didn’t sleep for four days. She knew Applejack wasn’t lying. All day, she sat in her chair, the shotgun never out of reach. “I love you, Applejack,” Dash would tell her. It became a plea, every hour on the dot like clockwork.
“After you’re dead, Rainbow,” Applejack said to her on the third night. “I reckon I’ll bury you out in the orchard. Maybe plant a sapling right on the spot to remember you by.”
Each night Rainbow sat on the sofa across from her. Not once did she try to take the shotgun. She knew it wouldn’t save her. She could’ve flown away, just jump through a window and woosh, she’d be free and clear, the snow wouldn’t hinder a flyer of her caliber. But, in the end, she couldn’t leave Applejack. Not like this. It just wasn’t in her.
Sitting in her chair for so long gave Applejack a lot of time to think. She could see the fear in her wife’s eyes and it hurt her deeply. But what choice did she have? She’d given her word on their wedding day, and an Apple never went back her word.
The morning of the fifth day, Applejack returned the shotgun to the closet. Taking her love into her forelegs she told her in no uncertain terms what was going to happen. “Tomorrow, you’re gonna write that captain of yours and take a leave of absence. Then, for the next two months at least, we’re gonna fix this.” Dash mumbled a tearful “yes” into her wife’s chest. Applejack didn’t mind the wetness matting her fur. “It’s gonna take me a while to trust you again, sugarcube, but…” She held her tighter. “But we’ll make it… I want us to make it.”
Rainbow had found her courage years ago at the Ponyville Social. Extending her hoof to Applejack, she had looked to the ceiling and asked as casually as she could, “So, you wanna dance?”
Applejack’s hoof met hers and the world drifted away. Twirling and spinning in the light of firefly lanterns, they danced with energy and vigor only two young ponies drunk on one another could. By the end of the dance, Rainbow found her eyes locked with Applejack’s and she realized just how much she loved those beautiful, honest, green eyes.
The days slipped by, dull days, exciting days, and one particularly anxious day. Stammering and shuffling on her hooves, Rainbow presented a silver-felted box to Applejack, the contents of which had cost her the entirety of her first Wonderbolt’s paycheck. The memory was clear as day, and her chest thumped just thinking about it. They rolled together into the fresh spring grass and Rainbow found herself lost again in the eyes she had come to love so much.
Then came the tense days. Rainbow sat next to Applejack, her hooves gripped tightly around Applejack’s. Their silver hoof-bands clinking against one another with each issued gasp of pain. The blonde hair plastered across Applejack’s forehead matted by a layer of perspiration made Rainbow’s heart ache. But, the pain couldn’t hide the joy she could see in Applejack’s eyes, and when the pain finally passed Rainbow’s heart found room for another in her life. Together, they shared their love.
Each passing day brought a new surprise, a new experience, and something new to learn. Rainbow lived a life filled with trials, tribulations, and triumphs. The door squeaked behind her, and she didn’t even need to turn her head to see who it was. Wordlessly, she extended her wing and Applejack cuddled up to her side under the warm downy expanse.
Perhaps her muscles ached a little from all the years which had passed. And just maybe, Applejack wasn’t nearly as spry and energetic as she was those days after their first dance. But, when Rainbow gazed into Applejack’s eyes, she could see the same tender, honest, eyes gazing back at her. Sighing wistfully, she drew Applejack closer with her wing.
“You know, I just realized something...” Rainbow began slowly, her eyes drifting down to the pony cuddled up to her side.
“What’s that sugarcube?” Applejack responded, her eyes drifting upward until they met with Rainbow’s.
“Fall in love with their eyes, they’ll never change.”
They drew together for a gentle kiss, knowing their love would never change.
I will love you forever, and even further beyond You're the sun in my day and the heart of my song
You're a cool summer breeze, and a mid-winter's sleep Hooves cradling my heart, my affections you keep
You've brought me great warmth, when times feel so cold You've given me adventure, with your strides great and bold
When you soar up above, and I look to the sky I feel my chest swell, and my soul longs to fly
And however it is that you came into my life I'm grateful to you for taking me as your wife
Oh yes, we may bicker, and yes we may fight But we're each other's everything, come day or come night
You're my greatest of joys, so very precious to me You gave me smiles again, and my spirit you made free
I'll love you forever, and way beyond that You're the wind under my wings and something something fat?
Yeah, sorry AJ. I'm no good at the poem thing. But I love you more than anything! And nothing will ever change that!
-Your awesome wife, RD
Applejack smiled, and looked up from her wedding vows, and the little slip of paper Rainbow had haphazardly taped to the plastic sleeve over them with her little addition. Sometimes, that pegasus could be a real pain, and even an idiot... but beneath it all, she was sweeter than the sweetest of apples.
Her eyes traveled over her withers to her wife resting across the top of her in that ten gallon hat of hers. (She always had to try and one-up her somehow.) With a kiss to her cheek, she closed the album, and lay with her beneath their favorite tree for a nap.
Applejack stood at the edge of the field. The grasses blew in the slight breeze, and she pawed at the ground. She reached up and removed her hat, setting it gently on the ground. Then she shook her head, loosening her mane tie and letting it drop to the ground.
Then she ran.
She ran quickly across the field. She closed her eyes, enjoying the rush of wind through her mane and the feel of the thunderous pounding of her hooves against the hard ground. She felt free.
“Living life in the slow lane, eh?”
Applejack skidded to a stop, and her mane rolled over her face. She lifted a hoof and pushed the golden strands out of her face, and found herself eye to eye with Rainbow Dash, who was hovering in the air.
“Ah beg your pardon?”
“Well, I couldn't help but notice that you were running.”
“Ah like running,” Applejack defended herself. “It feels good, like freedom.” She paused as she realized that Rainbow's first sentence and second sentence didn't seem to mesh.
“Well, yeah; but you're only on the ground,” Rainbow said. “True freedom comes in three dimensions.”
“Rainbow?”
“Yeah?”
“Life is in three dimensions, Rainbow.”
“It is?” Rainbow paused to think about this. “Then true freedom is in four dimensions!”
“Ah'm pretty sure that doesn't mean what you think it means,” Applejack said with a barely-suppressed smile.
Rainbow threw her hooves up in defeat. “What I mean is, true freedom isn't here on the ground; it's up here in the air. Give me life, wings, and wind, and I'm happy.”
“'Ceptin' for when you get hungry,” Applejack deadpanned.
“Give me life, wings, apples, and wind, and I'm happy,” Rainbow grumbled as she corrected herself. “Look, what I mean to say is, I'm a free mare, up in the air, and there's no holding me down.”
Rainbow missed the smirk that crossed Applejack's face.
She didn't miss it when Applejack grabbed her tail and slammed her to the ground. Before Rainbow could recover, Applejack planted her hooves on her splayed wings.
“Oh, Ah dunno,” Applejack whispered. “You seem to be quite ok with being held down sometimes.”
“I have no idea what you're talking about,” Rainbow said staunchly.
Applejack leaned down and extended her tongue. Rainbow tried to suppress the shivers as various little spots on her stomach cycled from warm and wet to cool as Applejack licked her. “Oh, Ah think you do.”
Rainbow crossed her forelegs defiantly. “Nope. There's no way I -nyeh!-” Rainbow involuntarily arced her back as Applejack bit her.
Applejack released her hold. “Sounds like a yes to me,” she said coyly.
“It's… it's still a no,” Rainbow panted.
“So Ah shouldn't go get my rope?”
Silence reigned briefly in the field.
“Nah,” Rainbow muttered quietly as she spread her forelegs to allow Applejack easier access to her body. Sweet defeat; was that even a thing? “You can go get the rope if you want.”
The field of dandelions was a real treat of a find as Applejack snuggled her nose down into the rich, yellow-carpeted ground, taking in their faint but pleasant scent. She had been walking for hours in the same southerly direction, and had begun growing concerned over the lack of changing scenery. Rolling hills and limitless green fields as far as the eye could see. The occasional clovers were a nice little treat but were sparse amongst the taller grasses of the valley.
She knelt low and sampled a few a bit more greedily than she had wanted, swallowing them back to calm the irritated rumble in her gut.
A shadow flashed across the noon sun and drew her attention towards the sky. With a mouthful of flowers, she shielded her green eyes with with hoof and swept the wild blue yonder for any sign of the quick critter that had blotted out her view, before turning back to her lunch.
"Geronimo!" cracked a wild, carefree voice.
Applejack didn't have time to look up before Rainbow Dash cannonballed into her, sending the two tumbling end-over-end-over-end and rolling to a dizzy stop a couple dozen breathless yards away.
Grumbling uncomfortably, the farmpony opened her eyes and got an eyeful of brown Stetson laying in the grass just before her, and her back felt the weight of a full-grown mare sprawled across her back as though the orange pony were Rarity's substitute fainting couch.
"Ptooie!" she heard out of her right ear as the pegasus spat out a clump of turf. "Hey, what's the deal AJ? I thought you said you were gonna wait for me!"
She grunted uncomfortably, slowly standing and letting Rainbow Dash "oof" to the ground. She reclaimed her hat and set it back on her head before shaking herself free of loose grass flakes and flower petals from her hide. Using her tail to dust the more stubborn particles off herself, Applejack turned stare hard at her friend.
"And Ah reckon Ah heard you say to go ahead without 'cha."
Rainbow folded her wings and returned the expression, pressing her muzzle firmly to hers. "And I remember you saying, 'I'd rather wait and leave with you'!" she countered.
"And you went and said you'd be awhile at Pinkie's place!"
"And you said you had a few chores you could do!"
"And you said-"
Applejack paused mid-sentence as she slowly felt the smile tugging at the edge of her lips. She could see an identical twinkle in Rainbow Dash's eyes as the two paused in their back and forth, neither able to keep up their frustrated front.
The kiss came suddenly; a sharp, quick peck on the lips initiated by Rainbow Dash. It was quickly followed up by her charming, toothy smile, and an enthusiastic swish of her tail.
Applejack felt her cheeks begin to sizzle to freckle-boiling point, and she quickly yanked her hat down over her face to try and hide her blush. "Q-quit doin' that!" she protested, biting her lower lip.
She couldn't help her embarrassment. She loved when Rainbow surprised her like that.
"Do what?" the pegasus asked. She paused. "Oh! You mean this?"
Another sneaky kiss left the farmpony delirious and dizzy, and she stumbled backward, ineffectively feigning frustration as she shook her head and squealed in delighted anger. "Would you- UGH!" she growled, trotting over to the dandelion bed once again and scooping up another great big mouthful. "Wemme 'wone. Why'm whyin' wa eet."
"Sorry. Couldn't hear ya over the sound of you piggin' out!" Rainbow chirped, hovering over to stand next to her.
She pretended to ignore her by turning her head away and taking another large bite of dandelions. In her distraction, she came dangerously close to chomping down on an innocent, fat bumblebee.
"Aww, c'mon sugarflanks," the pegasus said playfully, rubbing cutie marks with her on one side and feathermarking her with her wing on the other. "Don't be mad!" she whined. "I picked you something!"
Rainbow held up a dandelion.
Applejack stared at her blankly and forced the half-chewed floral salad down her throat. "You just picked that, didn't 'cha?"
"NO!" A pause. "Yes... but the big batch of clovers I bought back in Ponyville fell apart by the time I got here! It's not good carrying plants at near-sonic speeds!" she pouted, letting her ears hang limp. By Celestia she was adorable when she did that...
She chuckled and nuzzled her muzzle up underneath the other mare's chin, inciting a happy squeak from the feathered fuzzhead. "Yer lucky Ah'm in a good mood..." she muttered, reaching up with her blonde tail and wrapping it in a coil around Rainbow Dash's multihued appendage.
"So... umm... why aren't you eating apple crap?" she asked playfully, leaning down and taking a rude chomp out of the field. "Why fough fou faid fou wer fonna fack food." Gulp.
"Ah packed food!" the earth pony snapped back, turning her nose up. "Ah ain't as simpleminded as you!"
"Hey! I'm not simpleminded!" the pegasus pouted. "I just... let it get lost in the awesome is all..."
She smirked. "Happens way more'n it should if'n ya ask me."
Rainbow pulled another chunk of dandelions up out of the ground. "Fou... how wong do ya fink we-"
"Swallow first, sugarcube."
Her friend blinked, looked down at her mouthful of flower, and without chewing, gulped the entire bouquet down her gullet. "How much farther do you think we have to go?"
Applejack reached up and scratched her mane. "Well, Princess Celestia said to just keep headin' south," she muttered, reaching over to her saddlebags and pulling out a papyrus map. "Ah reckon we've hiked 'bout sixty miles since this mornin'."
"Just sixty miles?!" Rainbow whined in distress, flopping foalishly onto her back and waggling around in the grass. "But it's time for my midday nap! I'm gonna feel like crap all day!"
She chuckled at the pegasus's overdramatic tantrum. "'At's why they call it an 'adventure', sugarcube. They ain't supposed to be easy!" She reached down a plucked one more mouthful of dandelions out of the ground and slipped them into her bags before turning back to Rainbow Dash with a playful flick of her tail. "Now, if'n ya can keep up with me Ah figure this here map says we've got a couple miles before we come 'cross a lake. We can have a dip and a drink and it'll make ya feel tons better!"
Her friend pulled herself back up level-eyed with her and heaved a sigh, leaning against her heavily, and slowly working her way to mount her from behind.
Applejack grinned slyly.
"Think you can you carry meeeeee?" the pegasus asked, emphasizing a yawn.
"Ah dunno, darlin'. Think ya could take me feedin' ya to a chupacabra?"
"A chupacabra?" Rainbow chuckled. She paused. "Uhh... what's a chupacabra?"
The farmpony hid her smirk as she reached to shovel another hoofful of the dandelions into her saddlebags to pad their food supply. "Biiiiiig mean 'ol sharp-teethed critter." She leaned in to whisper ominously, causing her friend's eyes to widen slightly. "Comes on down from the mountains at night to eat the wings offa lazy pegasuses!"
"YEOWCH!" Rainbow shrilly yelped, as she leapt several yards into the air. She cleared her throat quickly and looked around. "I-I mean, big deal! No chupathingie could ever run me down!"
Applejack scooped one more load of dandelions. "Oooooh, they're mighty quick, sugar. Could snatch ya right outta the sky. Better shape up if'n ya don't want one to come and getcha."
"W-well, it's not like I'm lazy anyway!" she huffed with a breaking voice. "I-In fact, I'm feelin' pretty good about that lunch! W-why don't I carry your saddlebags for you?"
Applejack quirked her brow as the pegasus snatched the bags right off her back and trotted onward.
"Well, shoot. If Ah'da known it was that easy, Ah woulda told 'er the boogiepony hunts marefriends who don't help with the apple harvest..."
Rainbow stared back, her eyes mimicking the narrowed green slits that were eyes. Sparks crackled between their two close-in stares, and the atmosphere heated up noticeably in their presence. Twilight and the others had left several minutes ago after this little stare-down had begun, slipping past Rainbow who had been pinned at the front step by her friend.
Rainbow let out of a little puff of hot air from her nose in attempt to cause Applejack to blink, but the other mare only narrowed her eyes further.
"Ah ain't gonna tell you again..." she growled dangerously.
"Good. 'Cause I don't wanna hear it again!" she said back in a low, level register. She wasn't intimidated in the least, though excitement glittered in her eyes.
"Next time Ah gotta say it, Ah'm gonna drag you over there, pin ya down, and do it mahself!" Their muzzles met, and Rainbow pushed back with equal force. "And you ain't gonna like it when Ah'm the one doin' it..."
"Nothing. Doing. AJ."
"Ah'm 'onna count to ten. One..."
Rainbow sneered, though with a hint of playfulness in her voice, she sassed, "Oh. You sure you can count that high?"
"...NINE!"
The pegasus was caught a bit off-guard by the sudden anger in her friend's voice. But she stood her ground and didn't budge an inch. She didn't notice her wings raised. To Applejack, it was her trying to make herself look bigger and more imposing. To Rainbow Dash, there was a nervous-yet-thrilled tingle in her belly.
She leaned in boldly and mushed noses with Applejack, staring her straight in the eyes as she defiantly said, "...Ten."
"Alright, THAT DOES IT!" Applejack roared, launching herself forward. Her face steamed with the fury she felt. Her freckles disappeared in a sea of red, and her green eyes became bloodshot and – Rainbow wasn't afraid to admit – more than a little spooky. It was like spontaneous rabies, but with hooves that threatened to bludgeon her into a fine red and blue-colored paste against the broad side of the barn.
She had to leap back to avoid getting crushed into the orange pony's strong grasp. While she avoided the deadly embrace, Applejack's ever-accurate teeth, she wasn't so fortunate with.
"Hey!" she craned her neck to shout at the farmpony dangling from her long tail. "Lemme go! I don't need my hooves done! Leave me alone!"
To be frank, Rainbow had a bit of a right to be angry as well. Her friend had invited her over with the promises of good old Apple family food. Granny Smith's cooking was to die for compared to her own. Usually, when she tried to cook on her own, it wound up as an exploded mess all over her kitchen.
She still couldn't figure out how a fresh apple could just spontaneously catch fire in her hooves like that...
As furiously as the pegasus beat her wings, she couldn't for the life of her gain any altitude. She was a powerful flier, but when she looked back and saw Applejack tail wrapped around the railing of the front porch, she realized she was trying to take flight with a heavy-set earth pony and part of a house.
She felt a few strands of hair in her tail break and snap, and willed her tail to just let go of her butt. She could grow that back! Anything but her hooves!
A splotch of red appeared from inside the house in her peripheral vision.
"Big Mac!" she squeaked desperately. "Thank goodness! Your sister's gone mental! She's gonna try and go full-blown farrier-mode on me!"
Applejack viciously snarled around her tail, eyes looking as though she could set her on fire with them.
Big Mac blinked and looked towards Rainbow Dash, then his sister. He coolly processed the situation, lifting a mug of cider to his lips and taking a big gulp. She gulped at the sight of it as the liquid therein sloshed back and forth.
Another firm yank on her tail by the psychopathic farmpony below jerked her back to attention. Rainbow beat her wings as hard as she could, determined to remain out of reach.
"Mmmm... eeyup," Mac replied simply, placing his cup down.
"Oh, thank all that's awesome," she sighed breathlessly. "I thought I was-WHOA!" she squeaked as she was yanked down several feet.
When her eyes looked back, Big Mac had pulled his sister down to the ground, and firmly stepped on her tail.
"Wait! NO!" Rainbow flailed like a canary in the paws of a cat. "NOOOOOOO!" she shrieked desperately, before Applejack leapt forward and landed square on her back, knocking the wind out of her.
"T-traitor..." she said breathlessly as he grabbed her by the tail on Applejack's behalf.
Rainbow continued to claw at the ground with her sore hooves, regardless of the painful sensations that reverberated back to her brain. "No! Please! Mercy!" she said shrilly. "I'm sorry! I'll be good! I'll do your chores! Make your bed! Tuck Applebloom in!"
"Aw, would you hush up already?!" Applejack snapped angrily, shoving her friend forcefully against the ground. "Don't let 'er up, Mac."
"Eeyup," he replied.
She felt the stallions massive and heavy rump flop right down on top of her and over her wings, knocking the wind out of her and making it harder to get a full breath. Much as she struggled, she couldn't gain any leverage with her wings to take flight or slip away. Trying to reach up and tickle his cutie mark with a feather proved fruitless too, as the guy seemed unmoved by such foalish tactics.
She resorted to her old standby, and grunted and flailed, trying to tear herself free, when suddenly her back right hoof was shoved forcefully against the ground, and she felt the weight of what felt like Applejack sitting atop her leg.
"Let's get this over with..." she muttered. The familiar sound of metal tools caused Rainbow's heartrate to triple.
"NOOO! Somepony help me! They're crazy! They're the farriers from hhhhhhhhhHA!HAHAHahahahaha!" she squealed, interrupted by the sensation of a scraper descending down into the the central groove. The grinding sensation felt terribly uncomfortable and awkwardly ticklish, as she was seized by a full-body heave.
Then came the clippers. Ohhhh, how she hated the tug of the clippers...
Her uproarious laughter was gradually reduced to squeaky breathing as she felt herself trimmed and ground down to a nice even shoe.
There was a lull in the sensations and she was able to catch her breath.
"One down..." Applejack announced.
Oh, hay...
It took nearly a laugh-filled hour before Rainbow was finished. Both farmponies sighed and released their "victim" from her cruel fate, and Rainbow shot up immediately, darting behind the nearest tree as Applejack and Big Mac finished putting the tools away.
"Ah swear, what would that pegasus do if'n she didn't have wings?" Applejack muttered, rolling her eyes direction as she peeked out from behind the tree.
She had to admit... her hooves sure weren't sore anymore, and she felt a lot more confident in her gait.
Applejack glowered her direction and shook her head as she headed back towards the farmhouse.
Rainbow, not one to miss an opportunity, darted over to a stop in front of the earth pony.
The two shared a bemused stare with each other.
"So... I was promised food..." she snorted in the farmpony's face. "And considering everything I had to go through here, I'd say I deserve some."
Applejack hm'd and rolled her eyes back as she passed around her. "Ah dunno, sugarcube... usually we only feed our guests who behave themselves proper."
"Hey! I told you before I don't like my hooves being touched!" she squeaked. "After that whole thing I had to go through, I say I deserve some grub!" she protested.
"Deserve some, huh?" Applejack said, turning to smile her way. "Y'know, Ah can't even recall Applebloom behavin' that bad."
"Eenope!" Big Mac chimed in as he trotted past her.
"Aww, what do you all know?" she pouted, scuffing a hoof against the ground.
She had to admit, it felt nice being able to do that again without that twinge of pain firing up her leg like a bullet. She examined her freshly-hewn hooves, and had to say that they didn't look half bad.
"Well, if'n yer gonna eat with us, you can stop admirin' yerself and get in here!" she heard the farmpony snap. "The food's already gettin' cold, and we ain't gonna be waitin' forever!"
Rainbow grinned and bolted inside, the terrors of an hour ago already fading into memory.
Applejack stared at the neon lights and steeled herself to enter. It was just a rumor, right? There was no way Rainbow would descend to working in a place like this.
Right?
She swallowed and realized that she would never find out if she never took that first step, so she pulled her hat lower over her eyes and entered.
It was not a classy establishment. She nearly choked on the smoke and stench of stale alcohol and she was fairly certain that the carpets hadn't been cleaned in ages. The flickering lights above head mingled with the flashing neon signs to give the whole atmosphere a slightly contrasting bright yet gloomy feel.
She slid into the barstool and ordered a cider, which she quickly received. Her eyes widened as she drank. It was actually fairly good. She scanned the shelves and then her eyes narrowed as she recognized the Flim-Flam Brothers' label on one of the bottles.
Luckily, she didn't have time to brood on that, as a stallion with a ratty-looking mane stepped out on stage. “Fillies and gentlecolts,” he started. “We've got quite the treat for you tonight. First off, we have our very own Radiance!”
A mare stepped out on stage to thunderous applause. She wore socks on all four legs, a saddle that was a bit tighter than it had to be, and finishing her outfit was a small red bridle glittering with rhinestones. But that's not what surprised Applejack the most.
She knew this mare. Sure, the mane was different, and the cutie mark was disguised, but there was no denying the arrogant strut, the tail flick, or that smug smile.
That was Rainbow Dash on stage, bathed in garish neon lights. And what's more, it looked like she was enjoying herself.
Applejack's jaw dropped even lower as she grasped the pole and began to lift herself, looking as though she were trotting on air. Her muscle control was immaculate, her positioning flawless. Applejack found herself powerless to look away as Rainbow continued her performance.
***
Rainbow Dash was in her dressing room cleaning some of the stage makeup off when there came a loud knock on the door. She rolled her eyes. “What?”
Only another knock answered her.
Rainbow groaned and slid off her stool to go open the door. “Look, I'm not doing an encor- oh.”
Applejack stood in her doorway, and she didn't look particularly happy. Rainbow quickly realized that she wasn't wearing her fake mane or tail and thus was completely exposed, and so decided to do the most logical thing and slam her door shut.
Unfortunately, Applejack had expected this reaction and had placed her hoof in the way. It bounced open and out of Rainbow's hooves, so she went with the pleasant conversation of plan B. “Hey! Uh… how'd you get back here?”
Applejack sidestepped slightly to hide the prone form of the unconscious bouncer. “Earth pony magic,” she said. “What are you doing back here?”
“This is my dressing room,” Rainbow said.
“I gathered,” Applejack said flatly. “I'm askin' why you're here.”
Rainbow hesitantly tapped her hooves together. “Remember when you said I was an idiot for donating all that money to your barn fund?” She grinned sheepishly. “You were right!”
“So you ended up working here?” Applejack couldn't help but feel guilty.
“It started out as just a one-night thing,” Rainbow defended herself. “Then I overslept the next day and it was performance review day with the big shots from Cloudsdale and I kindof got fired from my weather job and-”
“I got you fired?!”
“I got me fired,” Rainbow corrected sternly. “I'm not putting that on you.” Then she smiled sheepishly again. “Rent came due, I needed the bits, and here I am.”
“I would have given the bits back…”
“I can take care of myself,” Rainbow retorted. “They were a gift. It's all cool. Besides, you needed them more.”
“Yeah, but you're here, and-”
“And I kindof like it here,” Rainbow finished. “It's fun and I get to be the center of attention. I get up there and ponies can't look away.”
“I couldn't,” Applejack mumbled.
She didn't mean it as a compliment, but Rainbow took it as one. “You liked it, eh? How about a private show?”
Applejack blushed redder than her cutie mark. “No! Th- that's not what I meant!”
Rainbow just smirked as she reached for her bridle again and slid it over her head. “And just for you, I'll make it extra special.”
"…There! I'm done, Applejack! You can open your eyes now."
"It took ya' long enough. Ah'm freezing my- wow…is that…me?" asked the farmpony, looking over at her marefriend in disbelief.
"Yep. You like?" replied Rainbow Dash, smiling at Applejack. Applejack smiled back, and not just because of the life-size snowpony model of her. Rainbow looked adorable in the snow. White snowflakes caught in her mane, and her cheeks were rosy, and her nose was the tiniest bit red from the cold. Her eyes, too…she was just too cute.
"Ah' love it, Rainbow. You did a real good job on it, too." Applejack looked back over at the snow pony. It really was remarkable at how much it looked like her.
"Thanks." said Rainbow, scooping up a hoof full of powder when AJ wasn't looking. The sound of the scraping snow drew Applejack's attention.
"Was that you?"
"Was what me?"
"Ah' thought ah' heard somepony movin' the snow around." AJ's eyes traveled up and down Rainbow's body, looking for any sign of lying. But before she could find any, Rainbow's face was inches from her own.
"AJ, it's the middle of Winter. Winter makes tons of noises." the Pegasus brought a cold hoof up to Applejack's face, then cupped her cheek.
"You sure, Dash?"
"Calm down, weenie. It's just me and you.." Dash cooed softly, moving her face even closer to Applejack's. Applejack leaned closer as well, and right as she closed her eyes…
SLAM!
Rainbow rammed a snowball into Applejack's face, ginning viciously as it exploded all over her. As soon as Applejack's eyes opened back up, Rainbow took off like a rocket. Applejack's face was twisted with pure rage, and still coated in snow.
"RAINBOW DASH!!" Applejack shouted, throwing her hat on the ground. Rainbow peeked out from the top of a nearby tree, pointed at her, and laughed.
The place was dark, the storm clouds for a few moments let in the moonlight in, it could barely squeeze through the windows that old mansion. The thunder with its lightning outshone the light lacking, at times creaky wood by moisture, or maybe they were vermin that moved through the place, except for that in the environment, the place was quiet, it was a disturbing silence, the one that plays with your mind and makes you believe in things that are not even knowing that they are not real,it just dominates you and makes you react.
In this situation were three fillies, one blue unicorn mane with yellow median lines, with a red body cremated green eyes, the other filly were; one pegasus short dark blue mane with red lines, and a pearly yellow body, green eyes also. The third foal a little older than the other 2 with fearful eyes (the other 2 are looking at the environment with challenging and fun looks) long mane into a high ponytail its bright orange ribbon of the same color is lost easily, blue eyes, and pistachio green body. The three wore a costume of a sweet house, a gingerbread and one of wolf respectively. The three are accompanied by the alicorn princess Twilight Sparkle the latter with a look of determination to get to the bottom of. In front of them is a small door, which behind from it, would end the complaints that she had been getting all night.
Moments before.
It was the night of nightmare and the small town of Ponyville is what was going on in large, diverse types of games flooded the place, laughing and playing for the ponies but of course, some screaming in fright and then laugh at themselves. Pinkie Piñata was running with the kids from one place to another by exclaiming sweet. The mayor in her not so scary costume was presenting Zecora, who would tell a horror story like every year.
We could describe each of the major characters in the series, but our story does not require it, so we will concentrate on only one of the attractions,the haunted house.
Storm clouds were requested to acclimate the old mansion ,recently abandoned by a rich pony and decided loaning for the event, and without saying anything more than to the members of the council, was decorated for tonight, the most anticipated night of the year for foals and fillies. A well-kept house with a small front garden, surrounded by railings with lighting gave a terrifying aspect, with a sign with the following legend:
"Haunted house, enter at your own risk"
There was nothing more, something strange because the pony in charge of the place was knows for her love of well-crafted jokes. And according to the complaint from the ponies, the jokes inside were too heavy, for most of them.
The three fillies went into the place, the smallest 2 found it funny, and laughed with each thunder, with each set of shadows, and listening to every moan of a foreign power, his young curiosity made them go deeper, to the chagrin of their accompanying guardian. the more they were entering the mansion it looks more like the typical place, with its typical oversized rooms, cobwebs everywhere and old furniture.
Of all the thunder groaned continuously repeating, none of the 3 manages to find the source, and if not listened hard, it was pretty clear, the mournful wail that was becoming more and more understandable as more they were venturing into the dark, damp walls of the place.
“Haaaaay mis hijos!” was the cry that sounded pitiful.
"I want to go home!" Cried the older pony quietly about to become hoarse from screaming and tired from running.
“Are you crazy?" Exclaimed the happy unicorn called supernatural understanding.
"This is getting very interesting!" Said the pegasus with the same enthusiasm as the previous one.
Suddenly a light purple glow against them, a figure emerged from it, accompanied by thunder, the silhouette with white eyes suddenly turned toward them while a very bright flash lit up the shadows of the place, the atmosphere is quite suddenly to make way for a while
“haaaay mis hijos!!!!!!!”
The the older of the three ponies couldn’t stand it anymore and with a desperate cry fainted falling on the fillies that collided with her while trying to attack the ghost that appeared.
When the filly woke up, she found her self on the back of the princess, who, along with the smaller 2 keep investigated the place, ruling out the most obvious places like the dining room (previously reviewed by girls) and the central hall, which left the alcoves on the second floor. Since the fourth pony awake, they could cover more ground.
The idea was subsequently to separated, but the princess did not believe it feasible since had 3 littles ponies to care which (she finds it ironic that the younger will care for the oldest).
"Aaaaaah!" suddenly listened again, this one seems familiar voice for the princess, for some reason, from one of the doors and put all their attention on it as soon as prevented the frightened pony scream.
After calming her , they approached slowly and silently to the door. And in this situation were three fillies, one blue unicorn mane with yellow median lines, with a red body cremated green eyes, the other filly were; one pegasus short dark blue mane with red lines, and a pearly yellow body, green eyes also. The third foal a little older than the other 2 with fearful eyes (the other 2 are looking at the environment with challenging and fun looks) long mane into a high ponytail its bright orange ribbon of the same color is lost easily, blue eyes, and pistachio green body. The three wore a costume of a sweet house, a gingerbread and one of a wolf respectively. The three are accompanied with the alicorn princess Twilight Sparkle the latter with a look of determination to get to the bottom of this.
using her magic, she opened the door, the cries of all kinds, less ghostly rang suddenly, this made Twilight react and before fillies knew what was happening, the Princess of friendship delved into the room and closed the door behind of if.
"can you tell me what are you doing!!???" Was the cry that was heard in the voice of the newcomer to the room, whispers were heard, and the nagging voice of royalty was heard again .
"You got one job Applejack, one!" more murmurs, "I don’t care!" Exclaimed new account. "I want both of you, out! right now." was the cry as she left the room, closed the door behind her and forcibly smile to assure the girls that everything was under control and she will take them to the entrance, to the dismay of the smallest.
After that, Nightmare Night pass uneventful, the haunted house mystery solved as a malfunction of the controlled mechanism, Now it was near dawn, the cleanup were run by 2 ponies, Applejack's blonde and colorful Rainbow Dash, the latter was more asleep than awake on one of the empty barrels from the games. They cleaned under the reproachful look of their alicorn’s and funny looks of Mac, Fluttlershy and Rarity
"Honestly, Applejack" the fashionista began, "I did not believe you were able to leave work because hormones"
"..." The shy pegasus did not answer, merely hiding under her hair with a colorful expression on his face.
Her brother said nothing, like the defendant who was still smiling with a look that implied that she did not regret what happened.
"Ghosts, ha! as if that were possible!” emphasize the unicorn.
"Of course not, Rarity" seconded Twilight "but I must admit that the concept of our fears come from ourselves, it was interesting," he admitted, and with a calm and relaxed face "but you still have to clean, both of you" I stress quickly pointing to her friend who was lying still asleep.
"Let her sleep," the blonde finally spoke "I exceed me, I admit" she continued, as he continued collecting garbage ground "by the way Rarity" added work while drawing attention to the aforementioned "the disguise you gave Rainbow ..."
"Oh yes, the costume" interrupted the Unicorn "That happens to who mess with me" with a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes exclaimed.
"About that ..." continued the cowgirl with a distressed tone "how much is it?"
"Pardon me?" Asked the fashion pony while the red stallion and the shy pegasus pony was silent and looked at each other, then back to Applejack.
"How much is it?" She replied in a question, seeing the eyes of her friends and brother added, "I would like to keep the costume, plus I do not think that after tonight you what we can give back" the last thing I said in a murmur that only those who are accustomed to hear what I hear.
"Aaaaaah" Rarity sighed before a Twilight with doubts. "Could that be possible? Will I finally had found a dress that pleases Applejack more than his work clothes?” exclaimed happily, imagining the possibilities.
"Wait a moment!," interrupted the alicorn "none of the 2 of you had their costumes when I found you!" alleged.
"Twilight ..." fluttershy try to speak, but as always it was ignored.
"Did this has to do with the torn rags you gave me to keep?" Was what added the stallion who was silent until now.
"Torn?" That caught the attention of the Unicorn this, "what did you did to my dress!??" While threatening claimed herein.
"I'll pay for it, besides ... it's your fault for putting such a beautiful dress," said the pony having their work interrupted by the words of his brother, flushed face, pointing at Rarity.
"Excuse moi!" asked the applicant for damages.
"Practically you gave her an outfit that said in big letters “rut me” and couldn’t resist it" and said it proceeded to approach her Pegasus and gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead.
"Rarity" Twilight approached to a stunned Unicorn
"Yes, Twilight?" she replied quietly
"What was the costume about?" She asked
"A fairy princess, but I do not understand..." said indifferently and then exclaim with surprise is "oh my!.." red in her face.
"Oh my..." said the alicorn in the same tone
"Indeed..." confirmed the other 2 ponies present, a smile, as they watched a demonstration of obvious affection between those 2 ponies.
Rainbow cursed under her breath as her hoof caught in the fabric. She swayed unsteadily and tried to spread her wings for balance. The constricting kimono she had wormed into, however, had other ideas for her and Rainbow fell to her hotel room floor with a crash and a much louder curse. She fumbled with her hooves, looking for something to grab on to. The door to the bedroom opened and she barely suppressed a groan.
“Havin’ some trouble?” Rainbow heard Applejack chuckle as she stepped into the room. “You know, I don’t think you’re supposed to try ‘n stick yer head through the leg hole.”
“Oh, shut up.” Rainbow growled and tried to stand up, only to flump back down in a mess of kimono and feathers. “How the hay are you supposed to put this thing on, anyways?!”
Applejack shrugged. Or at least, Rainbow thought she shrugged. Her eyes were too busy boring holes into the floor to check. “Search me. But I think the sash is supposed to go on the back.”
“Like you’re some kind of kimono expert,” Rainbow huffed. With a snarl, she shook off what little of the garment was still on her and flapped onto the bed. She scowled and fixed her gaze on the crumpled kimono on the floor, daring it to try something. “Stupid Rarity. Why do we even have to wear these things?”
“Somethin’ ‘bout bein’ invite to some fancy dinner at some palace,” Applejack said noncommittally. “She ‘n Twi are pretty excited about it. They’re yammerin’ like a couple of schoolfillies downstairs.”
“Yeah, but why?”
“I dunno. Rarity said it was only appropriate to wear them while we’re here.” Applejack coughed. “Besides, they’re not all bad, are they?”
Rainbow scoffed. “Why would you even think that—” She turned her head and looked at Applejack. “—Whoa.”
Applejack stood before Rainbow, one hoof behind the other and with a bashful smile on her face, dressed in a light pink kimono. “Rarity and Twi helped me get into it,” she explained. Rainbow watched with a slack-jawed expression as pink dots coloured Applejack’s cheeks. She cleared her throat and looked away. “I thought I looked nice. It’s not my thing really, I just thought that, y’know, while in Roam—”
“AJ,” Rainbow interrupted. Applejack’s mouth snapped shut with an audible click and she swallowed thickly.
“Yeah?”
“You look great,” Rainbow said as she hopped to Applejack’s side. Her eyes wandered up and down Applejack’s frame and she smirked as Applejack’s cheeks continued to redden under Rainbow’s ogling eyes. “Oh yeah, definitely a ten.”
“Oh, shuddup.”
“Lots a ponies are gonna be staring at you tonight.” Rainbow’s smirk grew and she draped a wing over Applejack’s withers. “And they’re all gonna haveta go home disappointed ‘cause you’re my marefriend.”
“Yeah, well, you’re gonna have to get dressed first.” It was Applejack’s turn to smirk as Rainbow’s vanished. She looked down in horror at her kimono.
Rainbow trudged back inside the cosy wooden farmhouse, head held low and her hooves sliding across the welcome mat, the coarse bristles scraping the remnants of a long walk back to the farm off with a grating hiss.
Sound travelled quickly across the thin wooden walls. Rainbow heard Applejack stir from upstairs as much as the farmpony heard her, too.
“Well?” Applejack called as she clattered down the stairs excitedly. Rainbow didn’t reply. Applejack took one look at her, and her face fell. “Oh.”
“There was nothing she could do.” Rainbow told her, before eyeing the pair of tall, thin glasses on the dinner table, accompanied by a dark green bottle, as formal as a soldier on parade. “I see you had a bit more faith in Rarity.” She comments.
Applejack shrugs, and nudges Rainbow playfully.
“Well, my granny always says that in victory, you deserve a drink, but in defeat, you need one.”
Rainbow chuckled, and the pair made their way to the table, the pegasi’s mood lifted somewhat. Applejack twisted the cork twice, and one short, sharp ‘pop’ later, the foamy liquid spilled into the two glasses.
“Did you have more luck on your end?” Rainbow asked.
“Yeah, we pulled out one of our old formal dresses from the attic and dusted it off. It might not be modern, but it’s pretty.”
Rainbow Dash tipped the glass back, the sweet drink tickling her senses. It tasted great.
“I bet you’ll look great.” She told Applejack. It wasn’t so much a bet as a fact, of course. Rainbow knew from experience that Applejack would make almost anything look good. Applejack blushed.
“How did Rarity take it?”
“Oh, you should have seen her! She was desperate. She had tried gels, nets, needles, she even tried moulding it to be any other shape she could make.” Rainbow said, beginning to laugh. “I think she was more annoyed than I was! She must be hitting the drink too, I imagine.”
Applejack could picture it all too well. The thought of her friend driving herself insane over Rainbow’s condition was enough to bring a smile to anypony’s lips.
“I guess that just confirms what I already knew. It just would have been really cool for a change.”
Applejack let her hoof brush against Rainbow’s own as she refilled her glass, a small reassuring gesture she hoped Rainbow would notice.
“You’ll still be able to go. Just because it’s formal doesn't mean you have to have a styled mane.”
Rainbow Dash glanced down at the orange hoof, and smiled properly. She was pretty sure which out of the champagne and Applejack was really making her feel better.
Applejack chewed the inside of her cheek and her brow furrowed in concern. She watched as Rainbow flitted around the barn, taking measurements and muttering under her breath. A growing unease squirmed in Applejack’s stomach as Rainbow chuckled.
“Sweet! At this rate, the room should be finished in like a week or two, tops!” Rainbow landed in front of Applejack, pecked her on the cheek, and beamed at her. “Thanks for talking Granny Smith into this, AJ. You have no idea how much I needed this.”
Applejack’s mouth opened and closed several times, trying desperately to find the right words.
Rainbow turned and gestured to the barn. “Plus, it’s gonna be so awesome when it’s done, don’t you think?”
“Erm, yeah, sure...” Applejack scuffed the barn floor with a hoof. She couldn’t bring herself to meet Rainbow’s eyes.
“AJ?” Rainbow’s voice was tinged with concern. Applejack felt a hoof prod her shoulder. “You okay?”
Applejack shook her head and gave Rainbow a strained smile. “Yeah, I’m fine, it’s just... Nevermind. Not important.”
Rainbow nudged her again and draped a wing over her back. “What’s up?”
Applejack sighed. “Look, Rainbow, I know this is important to ya, and you know I’m more ‘n happy to help, right?”
Rainbow raised an eyebrow. Since dating Applejack, she had gotten rather good at it. “Yeah, and?”
“Well, it’s just...” Applejack’s face scrunched up and she shook her head. “This whole birds nest thing is just a little—”
Rainbow withdrew her wing and scoffed. “This again?” She huffed and stomped over to a set of blueprints spread over a table. “AJ, how many time do I have to tell you that it’s not a birds nest?”
Applejack groaned. This was one talk they have had too many times. In a deadpan voice, Applejack said, “Dash, honey, I love ya, but you’re putting a bird feeder up there.”
“So? Pegasi eat bird seeds sometimes, what’s the big deal?” Rainbow puffed out her chest with as much dignity as she could muster. “Can’t a pony want a snack every now and then?”
“It’s also got one of those round holes for getting in!”
“That doesn’t prove anything!” Rainbow’s determination faltered, Applejack could see it. It was slight, but it was there. “I need a way to get in from outside.”
“What about that round peg-thing that’s stickin’ out of the hole for you to land on?”
“I-I don’t see what that has to do with anything.”
“Okay, then why’re you collecting bits of straw and hay?”
Rainbow deflated. Her throat bobbed uselessly for a moment and her eyes shifted from Applejack to a bundle of straw she had just finished collecting. “...Shuddup.”
After another moment of silence, Applejack coughed. “...Pegasi don’t lay eggs, do they?”
Her bones ached. Her muscles screamed for mercy. Her back felt stretched like a tightrope. Rainbow strained at her physical limits, keeping her vocalizations to a minimum, but couldn’t keep every grunt and snort contained.
Big Mac looked sidelong at her as a misstep caused her to nearly trip. He paused mid-stride to let her catch up.
She glared at him, blinking the sweat out of her eyes. “Don’t you… nngh... say a word, Mac.” After catching another breath a moment, her eyes crossed and she sighed. “Not even a ‘yup’.”
He nodded and let her take the lead.
A rock slipped out from beneath her back hoof, and the log atop her back slipped off her powerful wing joints and down into the weaker small of her back. It nearly cost her her stance, and extracted a yelp of pain from her.
Big Mac quickly lowered himself so Rainbow could hoist the wood back into a more comfortable position, cradling the lumber in the crook of her wings..
“I meant to do that…”
Applejack crested the hill hastily with a bright smile. “There y’all are! I came to tell you that I pulled out a barrel of--” Her wife of a few days looked her way and smiled before blinking between her, her brother, and the large log that she balanced with the stallion. Apparently she caught her strain on her face.
"You doin' okay there, sugarcube?"
The pegasus scowled at her burning legs.
"Fan-flippin'-tastic," Rainbow snarled against the stress, taking short breaths and rigid steps.
Applejack frowned and looked up at Big Mac. "Mac, do you think you could finish draggin' this one back on yer own?"
The large red stallion, who hadn't appeared to have even broken a sweat, gave a simple nod. "Eeyup."
"On his own, nothin'!" Rainbow snapped, frowning at her mate with an irritable flick of her tail. "We got this. It's all downhill from here anyway."
Applejack gave her a once-over and stepped her direction. "You sure? You're lookin' a little tuckered out, darlin'..."
"I'll rest when we get back," she grunted, her neck muscles pulsing with effort. "Then we all sit down and have lunch together." She took another shaky step.
The two siblings shared a worried look.
"Rainbow," her wife said endearingly. A disarming orange hoof swept through the rainbow-patterned tresses, drowning out the achiness of her legs. "It's only ten o'clock."
A pit of despair formed deep in the pegasus's gut.
"You can't be serious!" she voice-broke. "It feels like we've been out here forever!"
Applejack smiled warmly and nuzzled her softly. The farmgirl turned to her brother as she felt the harness strapping the wood to her back slacken, and the sudden weightlessness of the log as it was lifted off her back by her much more solidly-built wife failed to provide any relief.
She slumped to the ground as Big Mac continued on down the hill, his heavy hoofsteps fading into the treeline as he dragged the tree off towards the farmhouse.
Her wife remained behind. She couldn't help wishing she'd followed her big brother. There was nothing Rainbow wanted more in that moment than to be alone; to disappear into her humility and simply cease to exist.
Applejack apparently noticed, and sat cutie mark to cutie mark with her, her softer orange coat soothing against her thicker pelt.
"What can I say, darlin'?" she asked tenderly, slipping her muzzle beneath Rainbow's chin, just where she liked it.
The familiar sensation didn't make her feel any better.
She sniffed. "Why do we gotta build onto the house anyway?!" she squeaked, her voice wavering atop the unstable dam that was holding back her tears. "What's wrong with your room?! It's been good enough for the past two years! Why can't it keep being good enough for us?"
She couldn't cry. Her damaged pride wouldn't survive it.
Applejack’s eyes glistened in sympathy. She reached up and cupped her cheek and gave her a soft smile.
The tears started.
“It’s just not fair,” she whimpered. “Why do I always have to be so useless on this stupid farm?!” She made a desperate attempt to disguise her anguish as anger and yanked at the harness wrapped uselessly around her. She threw it to the ground and stomped it beneath her hooves.
Applejack wrapped her hooves around her to placate her. “Rainbow Dash,” she pleaded, “don’t be upset. You know you ain’t useless here.”
“Then why can’t I help build my own stupid house?!” the pegasus wept, turning away. “I can’t even carry a few pieces of wood back to make it with. It was supposed to be you and me, AJ… Not… you and Big Mac doing all the work.”
She felt a pair of powerful legs engulf her comfortingly. Her breath hitched in her throat, making her sound exactly like the blubbering little foal she felt like.
“Sweetheart, I know you wanna help more than anything, but…” Applejack stopped mid-sentence. “Look, you know there are some things about your job I could never help you with… matter-of-fact, there are parts of my job I can’t even do without ya.”
Rainbow turned to look at her.
“What I’m sayin’ is… maybe heavy-liftin’ just ain’t a pegasus thing.” Her earth pony mate nuzzled her soft, insulated coat. “Maybe you just ain't built for it. Your bones are built for flyin' and bein' all quick-like. Yer better at handlin’ the weather and cold than I ever could. And I sure as hay can’t even touch how you make rain for the farm and everything. And you sure do errands in Ponyville a lot quicker than Applebloom was ever able to.” Her wife crossed her eyes. “Uhhh… usually.”
Rainbow rubbed her snout against the back of her leg and sniffed. “Just that one day when Spitfire was in-town doing autographs…”
“Still, you see what I’m sayin’?” Applejack smiled. The pegasus couldn’t help but chuckle through her tears. “And you’ll see. When we’re ready to put it all together, ain’t nopony gonna get all the nailin’ done quicker than you.” She paused and smirked. “And you’d want it done in time enough for us to have our honeymoon, right?”
She looked at her mate with a confused expression. “Honeymoon?” she asked. “But… you don’t wanna go to Canterlot or Las Pegasus or something?”
Applejack half-lidded her eyes and adopted a thin, sultry smile, stepping around the pegasus. “Now what in heaven’s name could we get up to there that we couldn’t have more privacy and fun doin’ here?”
Rainbow grinned, her bad mood evaporating by a telltale spread of her wings. “Okay. Good point.”
“Now,” she said, kissing her cheek, “why don’t you run and see what’s takin’ Applebloom so long with all that paint while I go and pour you a nice cup of Heaven?”
"Of course I'm right. I'm always right!" Rainbow stuck her nose up in the air, grinning. She blinked as she realised something. "About what?"
"Earth ponies." The other pegasus said, as they both lounged up on a cloud.
Rainbow's head tilted in confusion. "Uuhhh. You're gonna have to refresh my memory here, Dust."
"You said they make the best marefriends, doofus."
"Oh. Heck yeah, they do! Why, what- Ooooh." Rainbow's face brightened in understanding. "Spill! Who is it?"
Lighting Dust grinned. "You know her pretty well," she said, and lazily pointed over her shoulder. "She lives there."
Rainbow leaned to the side to see past the other pegasus, and frowned. "Sweet Apple Acres?" She angrily stepped up to Dust. "What're you doing with Applejack?!"
"Huh?" Lightning leaned back, and looked over her shoulder. Sure enough, the Apple barn was right there. "Oh."
" 'Oh' nothing." Rainbow prodded Lightning's chest with a hoof. "Gimme one good reason not to shove this hoof in your face."
"Behind the barn, birdbrain!"
"What? There's nothing there except Carrot's farm." Rainbow blinked. "Oh. Oh!" She grinned. "How?"
Lightning shrugged. "You remember a few weeks back when I stopped by your house?" She asked, waiting for Rainbow's nod. It had been an awkward moment for both of them, and Lightning couldn't thank the mare enough for forgiving her and giving her a chance. "I was hungry after I left, so I figured I'd go to the market before getting back to Cloudsdale. Then I saw this cute redhead selling carrots, and..."
Rainbow Dash charged toward the ground; Fluttershy had been gone for a couple of hours now, and she refused to believe the alternative. Crying wasn't cool, and depression would only distract her, so she pushed any and all negative thoughts from her mind. Fluttershy was fine; she had landed safely on the ground, maybe she'd just hurt herself, and was simply sheltering somewhere until somepony from Cloudsdale came to pick her up.
The pegasus filly passed over an orchard filled to the brim with apple trees; she slowed down a little, keeping her eyes peeled for any sign of her friend underneath the scrub. It was impossible to get a clear view of the ground from here, so she decided to land.
“Hey,” someone called out to her, “what you doin' round here, stranger?”
Rainbow Dash turned to see who was addressing her. It was a small but tough-looking earth pony with an orange coat and a brown hat pulled over her blonde mane. “I'm looking for a friend. Have you seen her?”
“I ain't seen anypony but my family,” the earth pony replied. “I'm just back, though. I can help you look if you'd like? Name's Applejack.”
“Rainbow Dash,” said the pegasus. “I've been all over town, but I haven't checked the orchard here or that creepy-looking forest.”
“What's she look like?” asked Applejack.
“Small, yellow coat, pink mane. Her name is Fluttershy.”
“Is she a pegasus, too?”
Rainbow Dash nodded.
“What's she doin' down here, then? Don't you guys normally stay in the nest until you're a bit older?”
“It's a long story,” Rainbow Dash said with a sigh. She told the story of the race and Fluttershy's tumble from Cloudsdale as they made their way through the tangle of trees, but she left out the bit about the sonic rainboom and her cutie mark. Now wasn't the time for bragging.
“I don't want to be a Negative Nancy, but uh, it's quite a ways to fall from Cloudsdale to Ponyville. Are you sure she's even-?”
“Yes,” Rainbow Dash stated firmly.
Applejack smiled.
“What?” asked the pegasus.
“Mighty loyal of you, comin' all this way to find somepony you've only just met,” Applejack said.
“It's my fault she fell. Loyalty has nothing to do with it,” replied Rainbow Dash with a shake of her head.
“Just callin' it like I see it. Not many would care so much about a stranger.”
“She wasn't really a stranger. I've seen her around school plenty of times, but up until I saw her being picked on, I'd never spoken to her at all.”
“And you decided to defend her honour, as you put it?” asked Applejack, her muzzle curling up into a smirk.
Rainbow Dash hissed through gritted. “Okay, it wasn't the best choice of words.”
“It's mighty sweet of you, sugarcube.”
Sweet, ew. Rainbow Dash blushed all the same.
Eventually, they came to a clearing by a stream; they found a small yellow filly sitting with her muzzle pressed against the surface of the water, gawping in wonder at the many types of fish flitting back and forth. “Fluttershy!” cried Rainbow Dash, bounding to her friend and pulling her into a tight hug.
“Rainbow, what are you doing here?” asked Fluttershy, awkwardly pulling herself out of the embrace.
“I came looking for you. Why haven't you come home?”
“Oh, sorry if I worried you,” Fluttershy said, cowering behind her mane as Rainbow Dash glared at her, “but I was just so caught up with all the animals down here that I … forgot.”
“We should be getting back. Your parents'll be worried sick,” said Rainbow Dash. She turned to Applejack. “Thanks for your help.” She offered a hoof to the earth pony who bumped her own against it.
“Okay,” Fluttershy said sadly.
Just as the pegasi unfurled their wings, a loud grumbling sound echoed horribly through the glade. Two pairs of eyes turned to Rainbow Dash and she reddened slightly and covered her belly with a foreleg. “Um, I may have skipped lunch.”
Applejack nodded in the direction of the farm. Steam was beginning to rise and the sweet smell of cinnamon floated through the woods. “C'mon, girls. Granny Smith's apple pies are to die for.”
Applejack, dazzled by the kaleidoscope of colours, found it difficult to keep her eyes from wandering to the brightly dressed performers, wonderful animals that rested in between huge tents, and the distractingly large prizes that were displayed at game stands, taunting fillies and foals to join in and play.
Yup, the annual carnival was as interesting as ever, and attracted everypony to go and enjoy the sights. All day, Applejack had watched tightrope walkers, elephant riders, and ponies who could spit fire, and each event was more fun and exiting than the last.
She finally found the small tent she had been looking for. It lacked the magnificent grandeur of the larger tents, but that didn't matter to her: she was there for the performance, and this particular performance did not need a huge arena for animals or acrobats.
Poking her head inside, Applejack became instantly more self conscious as she saw that most of the spectators were much, much younger than she herself was. Most of them were even younger than Applebloom. Still, Applejack decided she'd see this through: she couldn't refuse an invitation from a friend, after all.
She sat down awkwardly in the corner, the wooden benches only just comfortable enough for their intended use. Most of the foals and young ponies were sat on their parent's laps, quite comfortable. Applejack did not have that luxury.
“Quiet down, everypony!” came an announcer, silencing the chatter whilst hidden behind a curtain. Applejack couldn't help but notice how incredibly fake his accent was. Where was it supposed to originate from, she wondered? Prance? Was it supposed to sound like Manedarin?
“Settle down, and open your minds to the extraordinaire! Some of you may think what you will see to be impossible... we tell you now: it is not! We give you, from the depths of the country, a mare, an earth pony like yourselves, fillies and colts, who is born with the improbable, the impossible!”
Applejack couldn't help but smirk. Why would anypony believe this guy? Who did he think he was trying to fool?
“I give you: Madame Boueux, le poney de terre ailé!”
The curtains were pulled back. Applejack's jaw dropped.
I can't believe they ever got her to agree to this...
A finely and exotically dressed Rainbow strode forth from the shadows. Applejack was sure she could see the silhouette of a unicorn in behind the scenes, miming the elegant hoof movements Rainbow was attempting. Her wings were plastered against her back.
“Bienvenue, all ze' young ponies!” Rainbow greeted, assaulting Applejack's ears with her accent, which was about as real as Rarity's eyelashes. “Let me tell you the story of how I, le Earth poney most simple, learned the secret of ze' flight!”
***
Once the show was over, and all the children had left, Rainbow, or 'Madame Boueux', was left alone with Applejack.
“Y'know, when you told me you'd be putting on a show, I assumed it would be... an athletic thing.” Applejack told her friend with a wry smile. Rainbow sprang to life, trying to shake off her act, and only half succeeding.
“You no like? Uh... I mean, ahem, didn't you like it?” Rainbow replied, removing her headdress and shaking out her colourful mane. “Sorry... accent's tough to stop once you've started...”
“Don't get me wrong, I loved seeing you dress up for once, and it was hilarious to see you pretend to be... that. It was nice, for a kid's show.” Applejack explained. “Utterly fake, though: everpony knows that an earth pony with wings is a pegasus.”
Rainbow rolled her eyes.
“Yes, yes, but c'mon! Suspend a little disbelief. It's really fun for kids to think they could fly one day.” she said.
“It's not very honest.” Applejack replied warily. Rainbow snorted, waving her hoof around knowledgeably.
“Yeah, maybe, but they're just foals. It's good for them to be able to dream a little.”
Applejack looked out of the tent at some of the happy and exited foals who had left the show. Most of them were either Earth ponies or Unicorns. Applejack chuckled as she imagined how much of a hoofful they would be for their parents when they got home.
“Never figured you for somepony who'd care much for kids.” she admitted. Those foals did look very happy, after all. The fake earth pony grinned, taking the sudden conversation change as a sign she had won the argument.
“That's 'cause I never grew up!” Rainbow joked, laughing, and threw off the rest of her outfit to somepony in the wings as she leapt down to join the farmpony, leaving the startled exclamations of her aide behing her . “Now c'mon! I've been cooped up in here all day! Allons-y, au cirque!”
"Oh, dang it all to Tartarus! Apple Bloom, fetch me the glue from the shed! Yer lunkhead o' a brother's gone and snapped the axle on the cart again."
Applejack scowled at the broken component, wondering how Big Mac had busted their main cart this time. She swore the giant stallion must hit every pothole in Equestria when he made the deliveries. All it took was a bit of care and paying attention to the road...
"Why don't you just put a new one in?" she heard Apple Bloom ask.
"Apple Bloom," she replied. "You know as well as I do that we ain't doin' so hot, money wise, since them bats ate near a third of our crops. I ain't got the time, nor the money to go replacin' an axle. Now, go get that glue like I asked."
Applejack heard the sound of little hooves scampering out the barn, but paid it no mind. She was far too intent on figuring out how to fix the axle. She was going to have to cut off the broken ends of each half, obviously, she'd need metal brackets and screws for extra support, then cut a piece of wood to length, glue that in place...
So engrossed was Applejack in the planning of her repairs, that she failed to hear the soft "whoosh-fwoomp-fwoomp" of a pair of wings bringing their owner to a halt, followed by the sound of four hooves clomping on the dirt floor of the barn. As a result, when the owner of both the wings and the hooves spoke, Applejack's head made sudden and violent contact with the underside of the cart.
"Hey, AJ. What'cha doing down there?"
"OW! What in tarnation?!" Applejack crawled out from under the cart, rubbing her head, her hat askew. "Rainbow Dash! Why are you sneakin' up on me like that? I could'a been hurt!"
The cyan pegasus just grinned and waved off the admonishment. "Relax, Applejack. I've had worse bumps than that just flying down the street, and I'm fine. Besides, you're the one who challenged me to that scaring competition. What's the score now? 5-3 to me?"
The apple farmer just glared at her and reset her hat. "What're you doin' out here, Dash? I'm kinda busy right now."
"Nothing much," answered Rainbow. "Kind of bored. Isn't much to do until the Wonderbolts show later. I mean, I have two tickets, but I don't suppose a certain gorgeous farmer would want to go with her marefriend, what with being so busy and all."
Applejack rolled her eyes. "I hadn't forgotten, but flattery ain't goin' to get you anywhere with me, Mer."
"Huh?" Rainbow suddenly looked perplexed.
"Oh, thought I'd forgotten that too, huh?" Applejack leaned in towards her partner, drawing her mouth level with one of the other's ears and dropping her voice to a barely audible whisper. "Merriweather."
"H-hey! I told you I don't like that name."
"Should'a thought about that before ya gave me it as ammunition to tease ya with," Applejack shot back, sticking her tongue out and grinning. "Amazin' what sorts of thing pour outta you when I stroke those wings just so..."
"S-s-stop. That's not fair." Rainbow's cheeks were as red as the apples on Applejack's haunches.
"And ya'll still can't take the teasin', neither. My oh my, what are we goin' to do with you, Miss Merriweather "Rainbow" Dash?" Applejack grinned again, barely able to keep herself from giggling as Rainbow tried desperately to keep her wings down and her attitude up. "Yeah, I think ya'll "don't like" being called that name, about as much as ya "don't like" somepony messin' with your hooves."
"That's even l-less fair!" Rainbow cried, jumping to her hooves, her expression a mix of irritation and something that was best left unmentioned in polite company. She started to back towards the barn door, affecting an air of affront that was only partly genuine. "I don't have to stick around and listen to this! Let's see you play dirty when I'm not here!"
During this exchange, neither mare had noticed the return of Apple Bloom, who was now struggling to remove the cap from the bottle of glue she had fetched from the tool shed. The mess of glue that was holding the cap on suddenly broke, sending the now open bottle flying from Apple Bloom's hooves towards Rainbow Dash, who was just turning to leave at that precise moment.
"Well, consider that yer punishment for makin' me hit my head on this cart," Applejack teased again, determined to have the final word. She was turning back to the cart when she suddenly heard Rainbow cry out.
"Ow! What the hay?"
Looking back, Applejack could see Rainbow stood with her back to her, apparently rubbing her nose with a wing. Apple Bloom stood just in front of her, a horrified look on the little filly's face and a hoof covering her mouth. Her eyes looked at Applejack, then back to Rainbow, the expression never leaving her face.
"Rainbow?" asked Applejack. She walked over, and upon seeing the situation, burst into laughter.
Rainbow Dash's face was no longer just blue. It was covered with a large white splash, and mostly obscured by her right wing, the tip of which was resolutely stuck to her muzzle.
"Yer, yer," she mumbled through her feathers. "Rerf 't up."
"I take it back," Applejack gasped out between laughs. "This is your punishment for makin' me bang my head! Come on, let's get you to the hospital."
Rainbow just glared at her as best she could over her wing. This was going to be a long afternoon.
"Sugarcube, really, it's okay. You ain't gotta hover over me like I'm some foal in a manger. I ain't gonna die if'n I'm left alone for a couple hours."
"Yeah?" Rainbow asked, looking inquisitively at her friend. "And what if you wanted something? How would you go get a glass of water without killing yourself on the stairs?"
"Okay, first of all, this little sling thingamahoosit is goin' a tad bit far. It's just a split hoof," Applejack said, wiggling her cast rear leg. "I just need to stay off it a couple weeks and I'll be fine. I sure don't need some fancy stretchy-string, bars and wheels doin' it for me. 'Sides, the bathroom's right there. I can go get a sip whenever I want."
"Really... and what if you get hungry while I'm gone?"
The earth pony sighed, and spoke over the sound of her friend smoothing out her bed covers. "Pretty sure I could live a couple hours without eatin'..." She paused. "Wouldn't be fun, but I could manage..."
"Save your breath, AJ," the pegasus said, fluffing and plopping the pillows down by the headboard. "I'm staying."
"Yer more stubborn than a mule with a broken leg, y'know that?"
"Yeah, well, you are the mule with a broken leg. So what now?"
Snorting, Applejack watched her friend put the finishing touches on her bed, stretching it out military-style just like the Wonderbolt training had taught her. It looked tight enough to bounce a gold bit off of.
"Okay, all done," the pegasus said after inspecting her work. "Ready?"
"Sugarcube, when am I ever not rea--"
She froze mid-sentence as Rainbow Dash stared at her with a raised eyebrow.
Applejack blushed. "D-don't answer that."
Unable to shake her smirk, the pegasus hovered in a circle around the bed and placed her hooves on her flanks, sending a shiver through her.
"One, two, three, giddyup!"
Applejack took the cue and stood as tall as she could, lifting her wounded leg out of the sling and feeling her friend's hooves wrap gently around it for support. Rainbow used a spare hoof to kick the walker out of the way and pushed.
The farmpony rolled onto her back with a grunt and a sigh of satisfaction, but was interrupted when the pegasus slid a pillow beneath her hurt leg.
"Rainbow, it's okay. Really. Go say hi to the girls for me. Pinkie went through a lot of trouble gettin' that party together, and I'd hate for ya to miss it just for my sake. Besides, the Equinenox don't happen every day, and it ain't like Princess Celestia and Princess Luna come to town all that much either."
"The Princesses can take care of themselves, AJ." Rainbow grabbed a blanket from a drawer and draped it over her, earning a smile from her hostess in turn. "I've got a bossy little apple-queen laying in bed right now, though, that can't," she said, sticking her tongue out.
Applejack raised her eyebrow. "'Queen'?" She couldn't hide the smirk creeping onto her face.
Immediately realizing her error, the pegasus shrugged, though she couldn't hide the blush invading her cheeks. "Or... boss... y'know. Whatever..."
"You called me a Queen."
"Yeah, yeah... Queen of Apples and being the monkey on my back..." her friend said, ears sagging and eyes narrowing.
Applejack hiked herself up onto her side, trying and failing to fight the grin spreading across her freckled cheeks. "Rainbow?"
"What?!"
The farmgirl bit her lip. "Am I your Queen?"
"Oh, for feather's sake..."
Applejack clutched her gut and rolled onto her back, cackling and kicking the air.
"Sheesh. You're even more annoying when I'm trying to help you out..."
The farmpony probably would have kept on laughing if her injured leg hadn't collided with the hoofboard of her bed. A sharp pain like she had stepped into an electrified puddle shot up her leg and jolted her brain with blinding agony. Sucking in a sharp breath, she clutched her hurt limb and choked out a pained shout.
It was Rainbow's turn to smirk. "Hah! See? Karma, baby!" Her chuckles were shortlived as she took hold of the orange mare's leg and slowly set it back down on the pillow. "I'll go get some ice."
With a flash of blue and color, her friend was gone and back just in time for the angry throbs to set in. It felt like Applejack's heart had migrated into her hoof, and every pulse was aching misery.
"Here," Rainbow said, pressing the cold bag against her wrapped hoof.
The relief was instantaneous. Applejack likened it unto a pony with a fever jumping into a bathtub full of ice. The numbing sensation was heavenly, and the earth pony finally released a thankful sigh of relief and stared at the ceiling.
"Better?"
"Oh, you got no idea..." the earth pony said with a chuckle.
"See, that'll teach ya to make fun of your friends, Your Majesty!" Rainbow said with a giggle.
The two sat in silence for a moment, before the pegasus left the ice bag beneath Applejack's sore hoof.
"Thanks, darlin'."
"Eh, no biggie." Rainbow looked her over. "Anything else you want?" she asked, fixing the covers that had gotten ruffled.
The pegasus suddenly found herself gripped by a pair of powerful hooves and receiving a nuzzle under her chin.
"Nah. I've got everything I need right here, sugarcube."
The two mares stood back to back, stiff in place, continuously scanning their fields of vision. One of them held a look that would scare off even the toughest of tough ponies.
Just a good morning exercise to work up the muscles, jogging through the forest—or a gallop. That’s all it was, and that’s all it should have been; some friendly competition blended into the mix, but, by the end, no harm was done.
Instead, now, they were faced with a bigger problem. Where had they come from anyway? Sure, timberwolves thrived within the Everfree Forest, but whenever ponies came by, they turned docile in an instant. They had their limits, of course, and would defend their kin with their lives (which happened quite often), but setting a sudden swarm on two innocent ponies without any quarrel was unexpected.
And foolish, in Rainbow Dash’s eyes.
The pegasus glared intensely at all of the creatures she could see, trying to pinpoint their potential ringleader or figure out weak points. “Come on AJ, we can take ‘em!”
Applejack, while empathetic to Dash’s so-called ‘plan’, quickly pushed it to the back of the pile in the quick-thinking cap. “Listen up,” she said, amplifying her voice, “We don’t want any trouble.”
Rainbow Dash quickly jerked her head around. “What?!”
“Work with me here,” Applejack whispered, Rainbow growling in response.
“Look, Ah don’t know what we’ve done to set y’all off, but we don’t mean harm. If y’all let us leave without any trouble, we’ll go and forget this mix-up ever happened.”
Rainbow Dash snorted.
Applejack ignored her, and waited for a response. The only thing that happened after a few seconds was a step towards them both. She rearranged her stetson gingerly. “H-Hey now, don’t get—“
“Oh, for crying out loud! Applejack, look! They’re not paying attention!” Rainbow Dash furiously stabbed and dragged her hoof across the dirt, and a dark grin formed on her muzzle. “And if they don’t want to, then that’s fine with me!”
“What? They’ll listen to reason?” Rainbow Dash said, still leering at the wooden creatures. “Look at them; they’re not responding!” She smashed her forelegs together furiously, sending off a clear and audible message. “That means business!”
Applejack swallowed the load of confidence that had formed in the back of her throat upon eyeing the timberwolves, and backed up into the pegasus. “A-Are ya sure? I don’t want a fight...”
“Oh yeah? Tell that to them!” Rainbow Dash shouted, directing her voice towards the creeping creatures.
Applejack’s heart rate rose with each slow, taunting step the timberwolves on her side took, closing in like darkness. Her emerald orbs locked looks with the green, spectral glows of the timberwolves’, and for a brief moment, she saw nothing but rage instilled inside of the creatures.
She had next to nothing as to what provoked their aggression, or why they were so full of fury. But she recognised that flame the timberwolves had; it wasn’t too dissimilar from how Rainbow Dash got sometimes. Just maybe—
A howl was emitted. Applejack’s ears went limp as a timberwolf leapt from its place, aiming right at her with its maw wide open. Her eyes clamped shut. Her body went cold.
“Applejack!”
The next thing Applejack heard was the clashing of flesh with wood, followed by various clunks. Rainbow Dash’s stone cold stare filled her vision, being offered her hoof. Gingerly, Applejack took it and got off the ground, winding up face to face with Rainbow Dash.
“You know what happens now,” Rainbow said softly, maintaining her icy look, and then turning around.
Applejack nodded in affirmation.
But... that wouldn’t change the regret that would fill her afterwards.
When Applejack heard the beginning of a malicious charge coming from behind her, she hastily dropped that thought and steeled herself.
She had something else more important to deal with. "Why did it come to this?"
The farmpony groaned as the little red light began flashing again. She turned the small metal box over onto it's side. The red light just kept on glaring at the grass, flashing slowly. So matter how hard she tried to block the light out of her mind, Applejack knew that it was still there, waiting for her.
If she kept on fighting her instincts, it would only get worse. She put the basket down half heartedly, and picked the device up, saying goodbye to productivity.
“I swear, Equestria ain't ready for this...” she mumbled to herself as she flicked a series of small switches and dials. When she the light turned green, she forced a smile. “Hi, sugarcube!”
Fisssshhhh... “Hi there! How's it going?” Rainbow's cheerful voice crackled from the speaker, putting a very strong emphasis on 'going', drawing the word out like it was her whole sentence. Her voice was distorted, and somehow grainy. It was no substitute for the original, Applejack thought.
“I'm workin' hard, just like the last two times you called,” Applejack replied, hoping the hint would translate into binary without hindrance. Ever since Twilight had given them that darn radio, Rainbow had been calling incessantly. At first it had been wonderful to hear her voice on a daily basis, but the calls just kept on coming.
“Uh, okay. Is that you telling me to buzz off?”
Applejack sighed. It seemed that ones and zeroes could convey tone. Unfortunately, a little too well.
“I didn't mean it like that, sugar'," she said. "I just have a lot to harvest today is all."
“Naw', it's okay. I guess I've been a little over-enthusiastic,” Rainbow replied. Applejack could tell she had deflated slightly. “I just thought it would be cool to be able to talk and stuff more. Since we're both so busy most of the time.”
Applejack smiled. “Yeah, we are. Weather don't stop just cause' it's night-time, right, partner?”
“You're telling me. When night shift comes I'm usually falling down tired. In fact, I'm always falling down tired: what's up with that?”
Applejack smiled. She wasn't sure she had ever seen Rainbow when she wasn't either working, training, or sleeping like a log. Just like the communications device Applejack held, either Rainbow Dash was active and awake, or asleep. Utterly, completely binary.
“I don't mind too much, though,” she confessed. “I don't think I've seen you in my crops for days.”
“Yeah, I've been at home all day since I finished with the altocumuli,” Rainbow said. She paused, as if deep in thought. “Hey, do you mind if I come over and nap in one of your trees?”
Applejack grinned. She had been hoping Rainbow would say that. “Never seemed to bother you before, sugar'. I'll see you in a bit.”
The cheer, loud and raucous, boomed in with the sunlight. It followed Applejack with every step, plodding along on weary hooves. Her ears lay flat, as if that might block the noise of the crowd. Their hooting, howling cries seemed to dog her as she descended, sand soon replaced by old, worn stone. Suspicious eyes watched her, unkind talons freeing her of her burden. Piecemeal armour returned to its well-guarded store, and blunt axe liberated from her mouth by claws more squeamish about saliva than blood, before she was finally allowed to slump onto her threadbare cot.
"It's not gonna get any easier, ya know," remarked a bored voice, a whisper compared to the shouting that filled in the corridors much the way the stench of blood and desperation did.
Applejack's eyes cracked open. She couldn't even remember getting sleepy. Exhaustion had simply claimed her. She shook her head as she stood, frowning tiredly through the bars. A bowl of slop was thrust through the slim space beneath, hard enough that some of spilled to the floor.
"Ya say that like Ah don't know it." She took the bowl gratefully, setting to devouring it. The tasteless goop slid down her throat with all texture of gritty oatmeal. Applejack ate it anyway. She had never been one to complain, even when she'd had the option. It made it easier to endure when she didn't.
"I don't get you," the griffon grumbled, shaking her head. She idly tapped a claw against the bar. "You're not gonna make it. If you don't get knocked down soon, they'll start throwing even more things at you. Bigger too. I heard they've got a full grown hydra on the way to the city."
Applejack began to stretch, working a cinch out of her neck. "Wonder if the heads regrow it ya smack 'em hard enough," she mused.
The griffon outside her cell shook her head, sighing in disgust. "You won't reach it. No one, nogriffion, nopony, notaur, has ever made it to one hundred. You're only halfway there, and you look more than half-dead."
The farm-pony gave her an infuriating calm, determined smile. "Then Ah guess Ah better get my A-game on, don't Ah?"
Staring at her, eyes clouded with incomprehension, the griffon finally just sighed and turned away. "You won't make. No one does...."
Applejack just shrugged and kept on stretching, preparing herself for the day's trials.
"Still..."
Something bounced off Applejack's head. She blinked, picking up the apple in one hoof before she looked up, curious, to see the guard stalled a few feet away. Another apple landed next to her, a third joining it as the guard emptied her satchel.
"Good luck. You're on at midday again." The guard all but fled, embarrassed by her sentiment. "She'll be watching, dweeb."
Applejack's smiled. It was a weary smile, her eyes showing the scars her orange coat hid, but a faint warmth grew that not all the stones in this bloody kingdom could cover. She still wore it as she was taken, once more, and garbed in ill-fitting armour. Even as her teeth found the familiar grooves in the handle, that spark of light and warmth remained. When she stepped into the burning midday sunlight and looked up, that warmth hardened into determination at the splash of six colours in the grandest seat, and the glint gold collar that bound the blue beneath.
Axe ready, Applejack faced the beasts now.
One hundred days soaked in violence for a single prize. Endless scars and bruises and beatings, for a single slave's freedom. Anything Applejack could pay, to snap that collar from her lover's neck, she would. One hundred days, or one thousand, it didn't matter.
Rainbow Dash sniffed the late afternoon breeze and stared at the flat expanse of green that opened up before her. She hovered a few hundred feet above the ground, giving her a fantastic vantage point of the surrounding landscape. The mountains gave way on either side to gently-sloping foothills and flat grassland even further to the south.
And beneath her, trotting stubbornly that direction, was Applejack.
Nosing over, Rainbow dove and kited to a halt next to her friend, flapping just a few inches off the ground. "Lots of grass, but no temple that I can see. You sure you're reading that map right?"
"'Course I am, darlin'. We should be about right... here..." she said, pointing at the scroll and skimming the papyrus carefully.
"Well, you're wrong... somehow."
"I don't get it," the farmpony said, furrowing her brow and looking around. "We should be able to see it by now. Ain't a hill from here as far as the eye can see..."
"Well, I don't know what to tell you, AJ." Rainbow shrugged and floated down to a rest, leaning back on her haunches and against a dead log. "I flew way up. Sky's clear, and I could see for miles, and I'm telling you right now, if there was a temple out here somewhere, I would've seen it."
"But that can't be right!" the farmpony insisted, laying out her scroll. "Princess Celestia wouldn't've sent us all the way out here if she knew we weren't gonna find nothin'."
"You sure about that?" Rainbow pulled an apple out of her saddlebags and took a bite. "Twilight always told me she liked pranking as much as the next pony." A pause, and flipped out a pair of sunglasses and settled them on her muzzle. "It'd be cool if I wasn't the one getting pranked..."
"It's got to be here somewhere..." her friend continued. "We should be here by now, starin' it straight in the--"
She was rudely interrupted by the sudden sensation of smashing face-first into a brick wall.
"Staring us right in the...?" Rainbow asked from her position a few yards away.
"...in the face..." the farmgirl finished, eyes widening and lips curling upward. She reached up with both hooves and leaned against the invisible barrier, whatever it was. She felt its stone-like surface, pawing at its angles and poring over the details she felt. Pressing her cheek against it, she felt a cold sensation, much like exposed rock. "I think we were closer'n we thought."
"You find something?" the pegasus asked, looking up from her log. She stared a moment, blinking over her glasses. "How are you leaning against thin-air like that?"
"'Cause this here..." Applejack said, tapping on the surface, "is a hidden temple."
Rainbow flipped up her glasses and stowed them away in her bag. "Lemme see..." She hovered forward and held out her hoof, making contact with something firm and rock-like. "Holy balls..."
Her friend grinned and rolled up the map, running back to her saddlebags. "See? I told ya! It was here all this time, and you didn't believe it!"
"Well, bully for you! But what the crap are you doing over there?! The Hall of Rock is right here!"
Applejack dug into the depths of her bags and produced a large amethyst-colored gem that slotted perfectly into her hoof.
"Oh."
"If I can just find the right spot to slot this here sucker in, the temple should be visible again and we can get in!" she said excitedly, running back over to where her pegasus friend hovered.
"Well, what're we waiting for?! Let's find us a... slot... thingy!" Landing, Rainbow Dash began feeling along the base of the structure.
It was smooth, for the most part, with whatever it was constructed of holding up well over the centuries. Only the occasional crack marred the surface, but otherwise the base of the invisible structure was flawless as a cut diamond.
Applejack worked her way around the temple from the opposite side, finding the same flawless surface that her friend did, and before long the two met on the opposite side.
"Anything?"
"Uh uh," the pegasus shook her head.
"Horseshoes..." the farmgirl cursed, scowling at the invisible behemoth. "C'mon, sugar! Ya gotta work with us a little bit!"
Without thinking, Applejack lashed out at the invisible wall with her gem.
A flash of ancient wall appeared around the stone. Startled, the pair stumbled backward, gaping as the cloak enveloped the visible portion of the monument again.
Applejack looked at her hoof, then to Rainbow. The two stared at each other. Respective grins formed on their muzzles.
“You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?”
“Lemme see that.”
Rainbow snatched the gem from her friend's hoof and pressed it against the invisible temple once more, skimming along the base.
It took a few moments of searching, but at last, Applejack heard her friend shout from the opposite side. “Hey! Over here!”
Cornering around to the opposite end of the monument, the earth pony looked skyward. Her friend hovered a several dozen meters in the air, maybe more, and was examining some kind of indentation closely.
She bit her lip and pressed her hoof over a slot.
The energy in the air changed and became filled with what felt like static. Applejack's hairs stood on end, and Rainbow yelped, backpedaling in mid-air as a bright light emitted from the gem.
Then the light grew brighter, blindingly so, and both had to cover their eyes with their hooves.
Gradually, the energy subsided, and a cool, calming wind drifted by. Rainbow uncovered her eyes cautiously and cracked an eyelid.
“Holy Towheato!”
Applejack looked, and gaped as a large, stacked pyramid stood where once there had been only open air. Rainbow Dash hovered near the top of a stack of stairs, leading straight to a closed door. The gem had become lodged in a carved channel specifically designed for it by all appearances.
The “door” ground inwards and lowered, becoming – what Applejack could only guess – was some kind of fancy elevator.
“Wow, AJ... you were right...” the pegasus said, hovering down next to her.
“When're you gonna learn to trust me?” the farmgirl asked smugly, dusting her friend's muzzle with her tail. “I'm tellin' ya, bein' stubborn pays off.” She started up the staircase and bit her lip, admiring the ancient stonework, and how well it had weathered the elements.
She felt like she had traveled higher than she had. The temple could only have been two hundred feet high or so to the platform, but she felt as winded as she had crossing the Great Flats to reach this point.
“So now what do we do?” the pegasus asked, hovering up next to her and eying the opening.
“What do we do?” Applejack repeated. “Well... I reckon we go inside and have a looksee...”
“Whoa! Are you sure that's a good idea?”
The farmgirl turned back to look at her friend.
Rainbow regarded the structure with a nervous suspicion. “I mean... Daring Do's books say these temple places are always full of traps and stuff to protect the treasure that's in 'em.”
Applejack put on a smirk and stopped mid-step, looking over her withers. “Why, Rainbow! I never noticed 'til now that yer belly was yella'!”
Her friend glared at her, her face turning rosy. “It is not!” She flopped to the ground on four hooves and trotted ahead of the earth pony, straight to the threshold of the lift. “I just... do we even know what we're looking for in here... or how we'll get out?” She looked at her friend and fidgeted. “And what if there are traps?”
Smiling at her, the farmgirl nudged her friend onto the lift and stood next to her. “Well, then I guess all that Darin' Do nonsense ya read'll come in handy for a change, won't it?”
Rainbow mumbled a rude reply and looked at the walls of the lift.
“So how the hay do we even work this thiIIII—!”
The pegasus's voice was suddenly drowned out by the sound of stone grinding against stone as the floor dropped out beneath the pair.
The last thing that echoed out of the maw of the temple entrance was their startled yelps before a large, heavy block slid into place, closing off the monument entrance...
As the words left Rainbow's lips, their eyes locked, and the temperature in the room dropped several degrees at once, sapping the air dry of energy. A sickening grin spread across Rainbow's lips, her sharpened teeth glinting brightly in the sunlight.
“What was that about again, sugarcube?” Applejack asked slowly. Twilight interposed herself between the pair, obviously sensing the argument that was about to go down.
“Now, now, girls... this isn't how friends are supposed to behave...”
“I said that I'm probably stronger than you. I do train all the time, after all.”
Applejack seethed. Their fight seemed to be getting more and more regular as time went by, Twilight thought. She could only guess as to why they decided to prod that particular hornets nest. Twilight braced herself for Applejack's inevitable comeback...
“Well, I can make apples fall from trees... just by kickin' 'em!” Applejack retorted. “Seriously. Who else does that?”
After all, it was only last Tuesday that they argued about who was fastest... and the day before that it had been who could eat the most pears...
“Well, I once pushed a whole cart, loaded to the brim with lumber, for a whole five minutes, just to prove I could! Down Sugar Street, too! That isn't easy, let me tell you.”
Rainbow Dash had won, of course. Pears didn't agree with Applejack...
“Draggin' Bloomberg all the way t'town weren't no picnic, neither! That took me a half hour!” Applejack retorted proudly.
“Oh, please. Cart beats tree, ten times out of ten. The cart was way heavier! It had, like, five trees' worth in there.”
Twilight wondered why their lumber carrying capacity was so important to those two. And why did they feel the need to do this every half hour? Why vent their own frustrations in front of everypony? No matter what they had done to each other, it was very inconsiderate, Twilight thought.
“Tree beats cart when I drag it over a longer distance!”
“Yeah, but it took you twenty times longer!”
Twilight finally exploded, wishing to high heaven that they would move their fight some place else.
“Well, maybe you two should try a physical activity over a prolonged period of time in private and stop annoying everypony else with your constant bickering!”
Applejack and Rainbow both went quiet for a moment, as if they had been caught with their hooves in Celestia's private cake stash. It took Twilight a second to realize that she should have perhaps phrased her sentence better. Despite blushing furiously, it was Rainbow who spoke first.
It was a brief moment, really. The tiniest of moments. One of those blink-and-you'll-miss-it kind of moments.
It was Rainbow's absolute favorite.
She was hoping to see it again today. She hid a smile as she pushed the bushels with her head back to the farmhouse.
She arrived and knocked on the door.
Applejack opened it. Her eyebrows raised. “Well, hey there, Rainbow,” she said. “What brings you here today?” She glanced back at the clock on the wall, double checking what she already knew. “And so early, too?”
“I found these,” Rainbow said, gesturing at the bushel in front of her. “Figured you'd want to be the first.”
Applejack squinted. “Are those… zap apples?” she asked. “Well, butter my buns and call me a biscuit.”
“You go first,” Rainbow said.
Applejack picked one up. “Well, thank you, sugarcube,” she said reverently. She took a bite of the apple. The juicy, waxy, dripping…
Wait.
Applejack pulled back. Though the apple was colorful, it had not remained so; the colors had washed off as if they had been…
“Paint?!”
There it was. That moment when she realized she had been pranked. Her face grew red, her nose scrunched up, and her tail flicked erratically.
She looked so cute for that split second.
And then Rainbow had to quite literally flee for her life.
“Rainbow Dash!” Applejack called after her as she flew away, giggling uncontrollably.
Applejack threw her hat to the ground. “I see you again I'm shoving all those apples down your throat see who's laughing then,” she grumbled under her breath as she returned back inside.
But there also might have been the tiniest smile there, too.
Applejack looked down at her watch for what seemed like the thousandth time. Rainbow Dash was late. Again. Her one-pony war against being on time was once again getting in the way of their date.
Sighing softly, the orange earth pony took a moment to gaze at the scene before her. The sun was just approaching the horizon line, casting the sky above and the earth below in ever deepening shades of red and orange. Trees and buildings, intercepting the sun’s warming rays, cast long skeletal shadows along the grass. Dash may not have had a very good time, but she certainly had an eye for beauty.
A small speck growing in the corner of Applejack’s eye caught her attention, and she turned to see a cyan dot approaching from the distance. She smiled as she leaned over and reached into the picnic basket next to her. From its confines, she pulled out an empty pie tin, and set it carefully next to her before reaching back into the basket. Hooves finding what they were looking for, she gently broke off a piece of pie crust from the still warm apple pie inside. Crushing the piece between her hooves, she sprinkled the empty pie tin with crumbs. Leaning back, she attempted to mask her smile to avoid giving any clues that she might be pranking Dash. Not that such a thing was difficult. That filly always thought with her stomach first.
A few moments later, a small gust of wind announced the presence of another pony at the picnic.
“Sorry I’m late AJ!” The cyan pegasus apologized. Applejack merely pulled her stetson down over her eyes, and smiled a bit wider. It wouldn’t be long now.
“Weather stuff. Real busy. Now anyways, you said there would be pie?”
Dash’s eyes darted quickly around the blanket until they fell on the empty tin. Applejack could practically hear her jaw drop, and risked peeking out from under her stetson to see her marefriends eyes widened in horror. She almost swore she could see tears forming.
“YOU ATE ALL THE PIE?!” Rainbow shouted, devastated. She was too distracted to understand why Applejack had all of a sudden burst out laughing. Unable to process what to do next, Dash simply sat there stupefied for nearly a minute before her friend had calmed down enough to start talking again.
“Now don’t you fret, sugarcube.” Applejack said, wiping the tears from her eyes. She pulled the real pie from the picnic basket. Rainbow’s face lit up as she saw the pie, but transformed into a pout as soon as she realized she had been pranked. AJ knew she would get over it though. She always did.
Applejack yawned as she stumbled back into her home, her legs and sides aching with every movement. Nightmare Night or no Nightmare Night, it was autumn, and that meant one of the largest harvests of the year. She had been working around the clock with Big Macintosh whilst everypony else had been out having fun. It wasn't fair, in Applejack's opinion, but right now, she just wanted to make herself some food and go to sleep.
She trudged through the living room over to the kitchen, completely oblivious to the out of place box that sat in the centre of the room, silent as the grave.
Applejack scanned the kitchen for some easy food, but the best she could find was a packet of cereal. She began lazily pouring the contents of the box and some milk into a bowl before chomping down on the crunchy food.
In the meanwhile, the large box , made of heavy mahogany and iron, slid slowly across the carpet, the textile floor brushing against the hard wood of the trunk. It's lid opened slightly as it got closer and closer to Applejack, like the jaws of a venus fly trap waiting for it's prey.
Applejack slurped the rest of her snack down and let the bowl clatter into the sink. She'd clean it up the next day: right now she had to go and face the stairs.
The box was mere inches away from Applejack, the hinges clattering as it crawled towards Applejack's tail. It brushed against her golden hair gently, just enough for Applejack to notice. The farmpony glanced around, and faced the mysterious chest. She leaned in, puzzled.
"I ain't never seen this box before..."
Suddenly, it's lid opened up and snapped Applejack up with a horrifying:
"Rawr!"
The lid snapped shut, trapping Applejack inside the box. Surprisingly, it wasn't as hard as she'd have expected... in fact, the inside of the box was rather soft. Too soft...
Rainbow Dash cackled as her plan came to fruition. "Ha! Bet... bet you didn't see that one coming, huh? Haunted box on legs... You should have seen your—"
Applejack yawned again. "That's nice, sugarcube. I'll just close my eyes a second now..."
Rainbow Dash frowned. This wasn't how scaring ponies was supposed to go.
"Eh? Applejack? Hey, AJ?"
Applejack answered her back by snoring loudly.
"You awake?"
Rainbow realized that it was now she who was trapped underneath Applejack's sleeping form, used as a cushion by the sleeping earth pony. Rainbow shrugged.
"Don't suppose you remembered to grab a lantern or something?" Rainbow's voice echoed in the tight quarters of the musty, underground hallway. A few dozen pinpricks of light of an unknown source interrupted the consistency of the utter darkness, and hooves clopped softly against wet, mossy stone floors to try and find purchase.
"Eheheh..." the pegasus heard her friend laugh nervously. "Don't worry none, sugarcube. We've always got the stone, if'n we need it."
"Then couldja just pull it out so I can see something besides nothing?"
"Nnngh... workin' ... mmph... on it!"
A few more firm pulls, and Applejack managed to free the amethyst gem from its embedded prison in the temple's lift. As it made contact with her hoof, it enveloped the two in a soft, lavender light.
The sound of stone grinding against stone caused both the yelp and jump back. The gem rolled across the floor, and the makeshift elevator rose, sealing the two in the temple depths.
All turned pitch black. The sound of dripping water and breathing was all that reached the pair's ears.
“AJ?”
“Uhhh... yeah?”
“Please tell me you watched where you dropped that rock...”
“Buuuuuh...”
Hooves scuffed the in the darkness. “For serious, AJ! I can't see your butt in front of my face!”
“If you'd gimme half a minute, then I could—” A pause. “Oh, here it is.”
A soft, violet light once again filled the stale-smelling corridors as Applejack lifted the polished stone up above her head. Rainbow's magenta eyes stared back from a few inches away. Looking up the hall, rats hissed in the dark at them, their red eyes reflecting the soft light emanating from the stone before scurrying into their burrows.
“You sure you can keep a hold of that thing? I don't like the thought of you dropping it down a hole somewhere and us being lost forever in here...” Rainbow shivered. "Or the thought of being rat food..."
“Oh, would you give it a rest?” the cowpony replied with a roll of her eyes. “The noise just startled me. I got a hold of it now.”
The pegasus sniffled and sneezed. “Tell me there's some kind of map that came with that glorified Lite Brite so we can hurry up and get outta here. All this dust is bugging the horseapples outta me.”
Applejack turned to her with a dimly-lit smirk. “Awww, does mah little Dashie got dah sniffles?”
Rainbow glared. “Stick to Honesty, AJ. Pinkie's better at Laughter...”
Her friend cackled, leading the way deeper into the sanctum. As their eyes adjusted, the faint light reached farther into the darkness, allowing them to see several meters. A thin haze gathered around their fetlocks from the moisture in the air.
“What're you so nervous for? It ain't like we've never been in some smelly 'ol ruins before. What, with the Castle of the Two Sisters, that little run-in with Darin' Do-Right at that Temple of... heat... or somethin'..."
"Daring Do."
"Yeah, her." Applejack shrugged, leading them around a corner. The straight and cramped path ahead was overrun by moss and the bones of dead rodents.
"And it was the Dark Tower. Not the 'Temple of Heat'. That's just stupid."
The earth pony scowled. "Oh, and 'Dark Tower's' any better?"
"Sure is better than the 'Temple of Heat!'" Rainbow said with a smirk. "Your name sounds like a rut club, not a place to find mysterious artifacts of power!"
Applejack blushed. "So I ain't much of a writer. 'Scuse me..."
The pegasus chuckled and hugged her friend with a wink. "You could be. I hear that Fifty Shades of Hay guy finished his series..."
The farmgirl's blush worsened. "Oh, hush up..."
The duo came upon an intersection, partially collapsed by a pillar that had given out over the years. Applejack leaned up against the collapsed pillar and peered around.
"See anything ya like?" Rainbow asked behind her with an implicit tone.
"You make one more innuendo, sugarcube, and I'm gonna buck ya in the schnoz."
The pegasus cackled, though it was a nervous one.
Applejack sighed. "I can't see nothin'. The one to the left has stairs headin' down from the looks of it. The paths ahead and to the right look like they collapsed." She lowered herself. "Don't see no markin' sayin' which way to go..."
"Uhhh... duh. No temple's gonna tell you where it's treasure is, AJ."
"Thanks, Ms. Know-it-All..."
Sighing, the earth pony pushed herself up over the collapsed barrier and marched down the left path, ducking vines hanging from the ceiling and nearly slipping on the slick, moss-covered floor.
"H-hey! Where are you going?"
"Takin' these here stairs! I don't see any other way..."
The pegasus mumbled a complaint and darted after her friend. The pair descended a decrepit staircase part of the way.
A portion of the stairs dislodged itself and crumbled, taking a section of them with it. The loud crash didn't reach the twos' ears for several long seconds.
"Stairs..." mumbled Rainbow. "Greeeeeat idea..."
"Hush up and fly us down, ya nervous ninny."
"I'm n-not nervous!" the pegasus protested, grabbing her friend about her barrel. "I just... I don't even know what we're looking for, so what're we doing here?"
Applejack grunted in discomfort as Rainbow levitated downward with her. "Well, I assume we'll know it when we see it. How many treasures can one adventure have?"
"Do you want me to go by Daring Do's books?"
"Never mind..."
The two touched down several moments later in a large antechamber. Four paths took off in all four cardinal directions.
"Well, great... now what?"
Applejack scowled at her friend and flicked her tail across the pegasus's nose. "Would you relax a little bit already? What would Darin' do?"
Rainbow blinked and considered the ground for a moment.
"Probably say something awesome, then somehow figure out which way to go..."
"So start figurin', then," the earth pony said, grabbing her friend and pushing her forward. "Think like yer great hero and tell us which way we're supposed to go!"
The pegasus blushed. "It's not that easy... She always knows what to look for. A pattern, a clue, or something..." Rainbow frowned and looked at each of the four doors. "I don't see anything that's a giveaway..."
Applejack hmm'd aloud and examined the archways above the four doors, scratching at her chin. There were no distinguishing marks or characteristics. Each was simply a stone doorway leading north, east, west and south, respectively.
"Well... it ain't like we're in any kind of hurry." Applejack turned south and marched through the door. "C'mon. We'll just try 'em all out 'til we figure out which one's the right one."
"Or... y'know... we could go back and just say we couldn't find this place...?" Rainbow suggested hopefully, beads of sweat on her brow reflecting the purple light.
Despite her marefriend's perspiration, Applejack found it quite chilly down so far.
She paused at the south door.
"Rainbow, you've been more jumpy than a Mexicolt jumpin' bean. What's the matter, sugarcube?"
"N-nothing! I'm not jumpy! I think you're the jumpy one!" The pegasus hovered in-place, crossing her forehooves stubbornly.
"Rainbow..." the earth pony said softly with a smile, turning back and walking up to embrace her friend. "If yer spooked, you can just admit it. I'm a little jumpy 'bout this place too," she admitted.
"I'm not spooked, okay?!" Rainbow took a breath and blew it out. "I just... I don't like tight spaces, okay? I hate not being able to fly..."
Applejack smiled and pulled her friend closer. "Don't worry, sugarcube. You can stay here if ya want. I ain't gonna tell nopony."
Rainbow's ears perked. "You won't?"
"Nah," the earth pony said, shaking her head. A smirk alighted on her lips. "I'll just call ya 'chicken-wings' in private from now on..."
The pegasus scowled, and Applejack swore the air between them began to stink from the stare her friend shot at her. "Hey, you don't see me making fun of you for being afraid of flying, do you?"
"I'm not afraid of flyin'!" her friend replied with a grin. "I'm afraid of fallin' and dyin'."
"Yeah? Well I'm afraid of something jumping out at me in dark, cramped space and not being able to fly away!" the pegasus snorted.
Applejack stared at Rainbow Dash. The two's eyes met for a long series of moments.
Then the pair grinned at each other and burst out laughing.
Suddenly, the dark chambers felt a lot less creepy.
Applejack grunted as she woke up, blinking blearily. A shiver ran down her spine as she reached for the covers that just weren't there. The cold draft her room had been suffering for the last few months made itself readily apparent.
"Whazzat?" She sat up, wrapping herself in a hug. Another shiver followed the first, and the distinct lack soft, familiar covers became obvious. The farm-pony rubbed her eyes as she turned her head. It wasn't exactly hard to work out where her blanket had gone.
Rainbow Dash snored and it was, for wont of a better word, cute. She was all but snuggled with Applejack's covers wrapped around her, the corner having found its way to her mouth at some point only to be soaked in drooled and chewed on by the sleeping pegasus.
A quiet chuckle escaped Applejack as she stared at her marefriend. Seeing Rainbow Dash being unself-consciously adorable was such a rare thing, she didn't mind being woken for it. The draft reminded her a moment later that being woken was one thing, but freezing her teats off was another. Applejack reached for the blankets Dash had stolen, tugging part of it free.
Even asleep, unfortunately, Rainbow Dash turned out to be stubborn. She turned, pulling the blanket tighter. Letting out a groan, Applejack considered the quandrary before her; she could wake up Rainbow Dash, but, gosh darnit, she just looked so happy like that....
A downright devious grin spread across Applejack's muzzle. She chuckled again, coming out with a far more sinister undertone. She slipped off her bed, tiptoeing out of the room. She was relieved to find, upon her return, her 'radical' marefriend still reaching fluffy puppy levels on the cute-scale.
A loud click filled the air, followed by a few more as Applejack circled the bed. After a few minutes of work, Applejack vanished from the room again. This time she returned with a spare blanket, and slept with a wide, wide smile on her face.
*
Rainbow Dash came down pretty early, at least as she counted it. After all, it was her day off, and lunch wasn't for at least ten minutes.
"Morning Mac."
The big red stallion glanced in her direction, nodding slightly and....was it just her imagination, or did he...snicker? Dash blinked. Big Macintosh snickering was odd, but she shrugged it off when her stomach growled.
Rainbow Dash trotted into the ktichen, yawning. She didn't freeze up in shock until she had sat down, by which point it was far too late. She found herself staring at....herself? Rainbow Dash stared at the dark picture, jaw dropping. Moonlight illuminated the figure of the blue pegasus snuggled up, hugging balled up sheets like a teddy bear.
Click!
"Afternoon, sugarcube," Applejack drawled from the door. She lowered the camera, smiling smugly. "Like it? Got it developed express this mornin'. Ah was gonna wait till ya woke, but, well, ya seemed so darn happy sleepin' like that-"
"Give it!"
Applejack ducked under the leaping pegasus, pausing for a moment to snap a shot of the pile of dazed Rainbow Dash on the floor.
"That one's goin' in the album too," she remarked. Her smug grin didn't fade, not even as she bolted out the door, a blur of embarrassed blue pony chasing her. "What's wrong? Ya look adorable! Everypony says so!"
I arrived at my barn after I had finished getting dressed. It felt uncomfortable, but Rainbow Dash had assured me it would make everything more…interesting. I wasn’t convinced, though.
I raised my hoof and knocked at the door, three times, slowly and ponderously.
No answer. I was starting to wonder what would somepony think if they saw me dressed like this. I didn’t want to stay in the open for too long.
Wasn’t she ready yet ?
Just as I was about to knock once more, it opened fast and wide, leaving me surprised, my forelimb half-raised.
A rainbow mane flashed in front of my eyes for just an instant before disappearing. I couldn’t catch more of the pony that had opened the door.
Even though I knew who it was, I needed stay true to my role.
I quickly entered the barn. The door closed behind me, leaving me in complete darkness. Disoriented, I dared not to move. I was starting to be worried. This was not what I expected.
A soft, romantic voice echoed in the air.
“Perhaps you want so more light ?”
The words flew melodiously to my ears. They felt like a gentle caress, trying to invite me to things I dared not imagine.
My heart skipped a beat.
Before I could answer, I heard the crack of a match, and a little spark appeared in front of me, captivating my gaze as it moved and danced in the dark. It seemed as if a fairy had entered the barn.
She was playing her part wonderfully.
It finally landed high above me, before giving birth to a wide blue flame, burning on a candle held by a beautiful rainbow-maned Pegasus. Her purple eyes looked directly into mine. They seemed to read through me as easily as if I was an open book.
Rainbow Dash was soaring a few inches above the ground, her blue wings slowly beating to keep her aloft.
Then, as she approached me, the flame of the candle started to come closer and closer. Her eyes, shining in the dark, were growing bigger, captivating me more with each inch.
She stopped just an step away from my face. I could look at every detail of her muscled body, sculpted by her tireless flying training, half lit by the flickering flame of the candle.
Judging by her malicious smile, it was clear how likeable this was for her.
“Are you my new maid ?” she said, her bewitching voice bypassing my ears entirely and echoing directly in my mind.
Her breath was loud, panting with…excitement ? I couldn’t be sure, as its exotic smell was caressing my face, giving me shivers and slowly sapping my mind.
I could not answer. I had lost control of my body. I was simply hypnotized.
Without a warning, she pressed her lips against mines, her hoof holing my chin against hers.
I was now all but too taken by this. Her soft tongue rubbed against mine, in a passionate, intoxicating touch.
“This…We have’ta play… we ain’t gonna make the game last at this rate…” I panted.
She chuckled in a terribly luscious manner. She came even closer to me.
“Oh, but you’re playing well, Applejack. That maid outfit looks really interesting on you.”
“Well, it's more vibrant than maroon, which is kind of brownish,” Rainbow countered. Applejack tapped her chin thoughtfully.
“Well, what about crimson?”
“Too, um, purple, I guess.”
Applejack leaned in towards Rainbow's mane, squinting furiously, as if the power of her tensed eyelids might reveal the answer.
“It's still mighty pretty, whatever it is,” she declared admiringly. “I wish I had such a nice mane, t'be honest.” Rainbow was quick to agree,.
“Yeah, right, it's just... well... it's always 'rainbow mane'. Nopony ever tries to figure out what the different colours are, you know?”
Applejack nodded. “I get that. Most ponies just call me 'orange'.”
“Brown,” Rainbow corrected. Applejack huffed. Apparently brown was not a colour Applejack approved of.
“I'm way more interestin' than brown!”
Rainbow Dash back-pedalled as Applejack glared at her. She felt a rant coming, and Rainbow wasn't keen to receive one.
“A very nice shade of brown! A very cute shade of brown...”
“Well, what shade is it, specifically?” Applejack asked.
Rainbow hesitated, thinking furiously.
“Mahogany?”
“This ain't no mahogany! It's tangerine orange.”
Their discussion was interrupted by Rarity, who poked her head over the screen, hissing angrily.
“Girls! When I let you wait in my boutique while I dealt with a very important clients coiffure, I had assumed you'd keep quiet!” she snapped. After a brief moment, she added: “And it's red. Rainbow's first mane colour is red: it's not cinnamon, magenta, strawberry or crimson. It is actually red, and will always be red, the primary, inimitable red that comes from breaking the light spectrum! Into red!”
Both Applejack and Rainbow went quiet. Rarity slowly lowered her head behind the screen again and continued working on her customer, who had been scared into silence by Rarity's outburst. Rainbow turned back to Applejack.
“Okay, so that's red figured out. That leaves five more colours to go,” Rainbow said. Applejack grumbled, annoyed.
„Applejack~“ Rainbow Dash wailed once again, desperately clinging to the empty mug in her hoof.
It was the about thirtieth or forthieth time the farmpony’s name echoed through the empty streets that night, but despite the mild annoyance it caused her was Applejack still most sympathetic with her friend.
„I’m listenin‘ Rainbow Dash,“ she calmly replied and leaned a little to the right that the pegasus wouldn’t fall off her back – again. „Just busy walkin‘ ya‘ home and all.“
Rainbow Dash buried her snout even deeper in the blonde mane and a mixture of drool and cider began to slowly run down Applejack’s neck. „I’m not going to sleep in the barn,“ protested Rainbow Dash with more or less unintelligle voice that got followed by a small burp.
„I mean…“ Rainbow Dash wanted to explain her reasons, but got cut off by a long lasting yawn that teared ist way through her throat. Once it was over she smacked her lips for several times, not even remembering that she wanted to say something.
Applejack mildly smiled at the dozy and drunken pegasus. „I already told you, no pony’s gonna‘ have to sleep in the barn,“ she said reassuringly and set hoof on the dirt road that leaded to Sweet Apple Acres. „So just relax and try not to fall off again.“
Rainbow Dash slighly nodded against Applejack’s mane and for the first time since they left the fiesta to Ponyville’s 100th anniversary, a few minutes passed in somewhat of a comfortable silence during which there were just two mares walking home in the blueish light of the new moon. Until the second Rainbow Dash recalled why she didn’t want to sleep in the barn, that was.
„No Applejack, you don’t understand!“ Rainbow at once blurted out, her panicking voice ringing in Applejack’s instantly flat lying ears. „The barn is cold and ugly!“ The pegasus waved the mug up and down in protest. „I’m not going to sleep there!“ she huffed, then clinged to the other pony‘s sides in fear that she would fall off again otherwise.
Applejack sighed. „Okay, I got you don't wanna' sleep in the barn,“ she replied with mildly pained tone. Rainbow Dash digging her hooves in her sides with all strength was not exactly a good feeling. Yet was it something Applejack did also enjoy in some way.
„So, how’s my barn ugly?“ Applejack tried to find a topic they could talk about in hope that it would help Rainbow Dash relax again.
A few moments passed until Rainbow Dash released a long-drawn ‚Uh…‘ that got followed by the sound of a mare trying to clear her throat, but somehow failing in the process. She gave the expression of a foal trying to describe the difference between Ginger Gold and Goldspur apples what elicited a delighted snicker from Applejack’s snout.
„Well…“ Rainbow Dash’s mind worked like one of the weather factorie’s cloud machines during storm season, until it made a click. „It’s not cool!“ she shouted in triumph for having found the best reason there could be in the entire world. But it still was not good enough for causing Applejack to not throw an amused glance at her.
Feeling that her friend was not fully satisfied with the response did Rainbow’s mind resume working, this time however with the intensity of twenty cloud machines during storm season. „I mean… there are just hay… and tools… and…“ Rainbow Dash ran out of ideas and for some reason unknown shot the truth to her mind. The pure thought of it caused her a shudder and her voice decreased to a weak whisper „…and spiders…“
„Hah!“ Applejack’s reaction didn’t take long. „Now don’t you tell me that the great Rainbow Dash, best flier all of Equestria and future Wonderbolt is scared of some tiny spiders?“ With a gloating smile on her face, Applejack craned her neck around to make her eyes meet with those of the pegasus who at first ceased herself in mortified silence.
The thought of the pure possibility of spiders crawling in her plumage and from there on her snout during preening caused a really cold feeling shiver running down Rainbow Dash’s spine. „I’ll also give you back your hat!“ she shouted in despair and already wanted to grab it from her mane to put it back where it belonged to, but couldn’t muster up the courage to remove just one of her hooves from Applejack’s sides. „I mean… I really like it and all, but… I don’t want to sleep in the barn!“ she cried out in hectic, however the next second her lips got gently sealed by a familiar orange hoof.
„Don’t you worry Rainbow Dash,“ Applejack said with soothing tone, gently removed the mug from the other mare’s tight grasp and carefully rolled Rainbow Dash from her back onto the bed. „There are no beds in the barn,“ she added and covered Rainbow Dash under her like fresh apples smelling soft blanket.
„And talkin‘ about my hat,“ Applejack gently patted said headgear and with it Rainbow Dash’s mane below. „You can keep it till’ tomorrow.“
Ruminating where she had stored Apple Bloom’s old spidermane toys, Applejack gave her already sleeping friend a soft nudge and left the room.
Applejack tilted her head against her pillow as she asked Rainbow. They were lying in bed on a lazy Saturday morning, when a bizarre noise interrupted their peaceful silence.
"I didn't hear anything," Rainbow replied, a little too innocently.
Applejack raised an eyebrow suspiciously.
"You didn't? Because Ah could have sworn--"
Suddenly, another bizarre noise interrupted her speech. Applejack's eyes widened as she realized where it generated from. She lifted the covers to check and sure enough, the lovely aroma of last night's baked beans hit her nose. She groaned.
"Daaaaash, gross!"
"What?" Dash cried, "I had to let it out!"
"In the bed?"
"Um..." Dash's eyes shifting around the room, fear of being kicked out of the warm covers showing on her face. "...yes?"
"Why?"
"Because..." Rainbow racked her brain for an answer. She looked from the bathroom door to the bed, then back again. An answer came.
"Because I didn't want to leave you," Dash replied. "I didn't want to leave your warm embrace only to be met by the cold wood floor."
A smile crept onto Applejack's face. It was a weak and sappy excuse, but it was enough.
"Oh Dash," she smiled wider, "you are just too cute."
She then leaned in and met her in a kiss. It was warm and tasted of chapped lips and morning breath, and it was wonderful. It probably would have lasted longer had a new bizarre noise not sounded from the covers, quickly followed by a chuckle from Applejack.
I was thinking about us. About our time together. More than a year already. A whole year…
I still remembered how it started. The whole “Elements of Harmony” business. And everything that followed. Letting my mind wander around whilst I flew, I could not detach my eyes from the rising sun, in front of me.
The huge star took almost all the sky with its rays, like an enormous fire ball. It was blinding, but I didn’t care. Time was flowing differently for me since...
Nothing was keeping me on those lands, now. Applejack left ages ago.
One morning she was there with me, in the hot and comfy bed. Next thing I knew, she had simply vanished. Not a word, not a kiss. It was almost like she let the ache in my heart talk for her. It was a gnawing feeling, stretching and ripping my heart.
A part of myself had been ripped from me. And despite the pain, I could simply not be mad at her.
Me and the others looked everywhere. We begged Celestia to send envoys. Even the Wonderbolts took off to find her. They owed me a favor.
But nothing. They all came back empty hoofed. And I was mad. Oh, I had been mad.
Most of my sanity had died that week.
First, I was simply depressed. Everything was black…and cold. My friends could not find any way to cheer me up. I didn’t laugh. I didn’t smile. I didn’t eat. Whenever they tried something for me, I answered with words of spite and anger.
All day long, I kept my eyes on the pictures. On the little words, written by her, in the house. They were everywhere : on the walls, on the fridge…
But then, it started to make me even more depressed. I tore them apart. Threw the pictures out the window. I yelled all day long, tears running on my coat. I could not understand. I didn’t try to understand.
It never crossed my mind that maybe, she felt like I deserved better. Or that she needed to ponder her feelings. Or any romantic crap they come up with in those books. No, I simply didn’t try.
It was her fault, after all. She had scarred me for life. All the promises ? They were no more. All the vows ? They crumbled to dust. All the happiness ? It had vanished.
One day, Fluttershy came to see me. She said that I was destroying her with my attitude. Her exact words where :
“I...feel the way Applejack was feeling for you !"
I do not remember what crossed my mind. But when she said this, I lunged at her, and hit her. Hard. In a bad spot. She crumbled in my arms, her eyes closed. A simple tear fell on the floor, and she stopped breathing.
I had woken up in a hospital room. I felt like utter crap. I was not me anymore. I was a simple pile of trash. I had killed one of my friend. For what ? My depression, my mutilated love, had spoken for me.
I just exiled myself. Forever. Took off, leant towards the west, and kept at it. I would continue like this until exhaustion, whilst remembering all of our moments together. Not trying to understand anymore. Not trying to hide from the truth anymore.
She needed time for herslef. She didn’t feel like loving me anymore. Her feelings had simply…died out. She was so scared to say it in front of me. She was asking me to wait, to give her time. She would come back, and we would speak about it.
That was her last note. Found it in the stables when I fled from the hospital, going by the house one last time. The one place I didn't have the courage to go to. All this happened because she had stuck it into a stupid place.
Your fault. All your fault. Your turn to live with the pain.
Rainbow donned the best fake smile she could muster, laughing nervously and sweating bullets as she did so.
Applejack wasn't fooled.
The farmgirl's scowl only darkened, and the rest of the girls around her fidgeted nervously. Rarity hugged the cowering Fluttershy close, and Pinkie filed nervously away at her hooves with her teeth. Even Twilight hid beneath her own sheltering wings in fear of the worst that was to come.
"That's y'all's excuse?"
A pair of fiery green eyes darted between the girls and her own girlfriend, everypony flinching in turn.
"S-surprise?" Pinkie stammered, producing a piece of steaming apple pie with a forced grin.
Applejack drew gasps slapping the dish out of the party pony's hoof. Being so callous to apple confections of any kind was highly unusual for the proud earth pony, yet she seemed as entirely unmoved as before.
"Do y'all have any idea what you've done?!"
Fluttershy gulped and whimpered from behind her fashionista friend. "We... have an idea..."
"I mean, what could y'all have possibly been thinkin'?! This is gonna set us behind production schedule for weeks just to get ready, if'n this happens!"
"But we did it with good intentions!" Twilight boldly said, though drawing Applejack's ireful stare caused her to shrink again. She gulped. "W-what I mean is... t-tourism is a very lucrative business, and Ponyville's local economy has been suffering from a lack of visitors lately."
"And y'all just thought it'd be a good idea to turn Sweet Apple Acres into some kind of crummy amusement park fer a bunch of high-falutin' bluebloods?!"
Twilight gulped. "W-we just thought... we just thought that maybe if ponies got to experience what Sweet Apple Acres was like, then perhaps it could increase your revenue and spread word of your orchard!"
Applejack's brow smoothed over slightly, eyes still narrow and accusatory.
"Th-think about it!" the princess continued. "You could hold apple-tasting, tours of the farms, you could show everypony how you create your cider right from scratch, and everypony could buck their own apples to find out just how easy it is."
The farmgirl's glare could have killed a basket of puppies.
Twilight's eyes bulged. "Aaaaaand by 'easy', I meant, how NOT easy at ALL it is and how hard you Apples work to provide your produce to Equestria... is of course what I meant!" she corrected hurriedly. "Eheheheh..."
Applejack turned to Rainbow Dash and stared at her as if she willed her heart to stop beating.
"And you never thought to tell 'em I might have my own ideas about this?"
The pegasus pouted pitifully, which seemed to take a lot of the anger out of her girlfriend's eyes.
"It's as Twilight said, dear! W-we thought it would be a good opportunity for developing interest in Ponyville and could drum up additional business for Sweet Apple Acres! Rainbow Dash assured us you wouldn't mind."
Rainbow's eyes widened and she looked at Rarity with a grave expression.
Applejack grit her teeth and turned to her girlfriend again. "Did she now...?"
Rarity paled even further, if that were possible. "Oops."
For many moments, the cowpony seethed, breaths steady, even, and furious.
"W-we had the best intentions," Fluttershy assured her.
Applejack leveled her eyes at Rainbow again -- eyes that could shake a mountain to its foundation.
"Everypony in the crowd was looking at me!" she squeaked, cowering on the ground as the farmgirl stepped closer. "I wanted to say something cool! They talked up my ego! I GOT CONFUSED!"
Her girlfriend stopped not ten inches away. She stood over her as if a hooded executioner over his next victim. Rainbow Dash flinched and covered herself, expecting well-deserved pain.
She peeked up after several seconds, and instead found an ominous smile.
The other girls shifted uncomfortably.
"Well, it's mighty nice to know I've got such good friends willin' to help us out on the farm and get ready for all these new-fangled tours we're gonna be hostin'! Would sure be nice havin' a few extra sets of farmhooves to get ahead on the harvest 'fore all them tourists get here... Twilight."
The princess's ears fell in a pout.
"And the rest of y'all can help Rarity clean out the barn and barnyard and decorate fer all the guests we'll be gettin'! It's a big job, but I'm awful glad y'all are here to help!"
The girls all looked wincingly amongst one another.
"Sounds good to me!" the pegasus said in relief, darting up mid-hover. "This is gonna be like the most awesome thing for Sweet Apple Acres ever! I'll just go get a head start on that applebucking and--YAIGH!"
"Uh-uh," Rainbow heard, yelping as she was yanked from the sky by her tail. She landed with an "oof". Applejack stepped firmly on her partner's tail to root her in place, leaning in closer. The heat from her breath licked at the pegasus's fur like the flames of Tartauros. "I got darker plans fer you, sugarcube..." An evil grin washed over her girlfriend's lips. "And maybe it'll just shrink that ginormous ego ya got..."
Rainbow Dash's ears pinned and her pupils dilated.
***
"Step right up, folks, and welcome to the grand openin' of Sweet Apple Acres' Barnyard Tours! My name is Applejack, and I'll be your hostess while yer here! And don't forget to say hi to my brother Big Mac...!"
A large red stallion attached to a wagon nearby waved. "Eeyup."
"My baby sister, Applebloom!"
Her younger sibling grinned and saluted.
"My dear Granny Smith!"
Granny looked around dazedly. "Soup's up?"
"And the newest addition to our little slice of home, let's hear it for Sweet Apple Acres' new mascot, Sparky the Wonder-Apple!"
Rainbow Dash scowled nearby, dressed in an oversized zap apple suit. The cause for the flush and sweat on her face was hard to discern, whether it was from humiliation or from the heat. She pouted and sighed.
"Golly gee, wowzers, Applejack..." she droned, dancing limply from side to side, "what a zap-happy day..."
Rainbow Dash landed on Sweet Apple Acres to find Applejack fuming.
“Hey, something wrong?” she asked, giving Applejack a peck on the cheek. “I thought you were clearing out dead trees today.”
“I was clearin’ out dead trees, but somepony is keepin’ me from my work.” Applejack motioned to a nearby tree, leafless and decrepit, with a yellow pegasus chained to it.
“I… um… said I was sorry for the inconvenience, but, um, deforestation is a very serious problem,” Fluttershy said firmly.
Applejack rolled her eyes. “The tree ain’t bein’ deforested, it’s dead! It ain’t forested anymore anyway! And this ain’t a forest, it’s an orchard!”
“That’s no reason to be disrespectful of it,” Fluttershy admonished. “Dead trees provide a habitat for squirrels and woodpeckers.”
“Be that as it may, this is a farm, and livin’ trees provide a better habitat for apples!” Applejack shouted.
“Apples aren’t everything, Applejack. And I’m not budging.” Fluttershy gave a nod. Then she chanted, “Um… no, no, I don’t think I’d really like to go... if you don’t mind.”
“I do mind, come to think of it!” Applejack said, stomping her hoof.
Dash just shook her head and sighed. Then she motioned to Applejack.
“AJ, AJ, come here…” Dash pulled Applejack into a huddle. “Look, she can’t stay there forever. She’s got, like, a million animals to feed. Why don’t we go for a run, and you can cut down the tree when she leaves to give them lunch.”
Applejack considered it a moment, then nodded and whispered, “I reckon you’re right. Lemme go put up my tools.”
As Applejack gathered her axe and saw, she spoke loudly and unconvincingly. “Well, looks like you win, Fluttershy! Yup, I ain’t gonna be cuttin’ down trees no more. I’ll just leave ya’ here in this here habitat and go for a run with Dash.”
Fluttershy smiled. “Good! I hope you both have fun…”
Applejack walked back to the barn. As soon as she was out of sight, Dash flew over to Fluttershy for a hoofbump.
“Thanks, Fluttershy!”
“You’ll be by this weekend to give flying lessons to the baby birds?” Fluttershy asked.
“Yeah, sure.” Dash nodded. “I don’t suppose we could figure out some way for you to protest making apple butter? She’s doing that all day Friday, and I was hoping we could hang out at the lake.”
Fluttershy considered the question. “Um… well… I don’t suppose being mashed up is very comfortable for the apples…”
“Great!” Dash grinned. “You can, like, chain yourself to the stove or something.”
“Dash! You ready?” Applejack’s voice came from the end of the row of trees.
“Yup! Let’s go!” Dash called back. She gave a wink to Fluttershy, then turned and headed off to have an awesome afternoon of fun with her marefirend.
The handful of candles scattered across the room lit Rainbow’s face up with a healthy warm glow, but it was the deliciously cold light of the moon flooding through the open window that really made this evening special to Applejack.
Her plate, scrubbed clean, sat in front of her, only a small pile of lettuce remaining along the edges. Rainbow had polished her own dish so much that it shone, any sign of food forgotten.
The restaurant was quiet, as if the whole building suddenly revolved around them.
Rainbow’s mouth twitched hesitantly. Applejack already knew what was coming: she had been waiting for this all evening: no, all month. All noise from around them died out as Rainbow Dash began forming three very special words.
“Mrph lrph ur,” she grumbled. Applejack grinned sadistically.
“You ain’t getting’ out of it that easy,” she said. “I said it a while back, now it’s your turn.”
“Mmph urvl yrr!”
“Beg ‘pardon?”
“Mmh oph yuh?”
Applejack took another sip of wine, enjoying watching Rainbow’s bluster do battle against what the Pegasus would call ‘mush’.
“Be-eee-eg ‘pardon?” she asked again. Rainbow furrowed her brow, fighting against every cool bone in her body.
“Do I have to? You know it, I know it… do I really have to—“
“Yup. It’s our anniversary, and I want to hear you say it. So go on.”
Rainbow Dash struggled. Her every fiber refused to accept that she had been lowered to the level of spouting sap in the candlelight. Oh, how the mighty had fallen. It was time for a diversionary tactic.
“Would you like apple souffle for desert?” she asked. Applejack snorted.
“Nice try. Say it.”
Rainbow scowled, and her face twisted under the effort of articulation. She eventually managed to produce a small sound.
“I love you.”
Applejack grinned and leaned over the table to kiss her blushing Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow wiped her forehead and gritted her teeth with frustration as she glared at the sketch papers below her. Circles and crosses dotted the crinkled sheets, making her head swim. She had been asked to choreograph the Wonderbolts’ next performance, as she was the captain now.
She had no idea it would be this hard.
As she wrestled with the complicated turns and daring dives in her brain, a gentle knock was heard at the door.
“Come in,” she grumbled softly.
The door opened almost silently, and the sound of four hooves tip-toeing into the room came from behind her. Dash already knew who it was without turning around. She bit down on her pencil as she tried to concentrate. Maybe I should have Fleetfoot turn left instead of loop right…
Two sunset orange hooves draped themselves over her shoulders, and a gentle kiss placed itself on her cheek.
“Hey sugarcube,” Applejack’s voice cut through her thoughts. “How’s it comin’?”
Dash, not wanting her partner to worry, tried to dismiss the truth.
“Fine, but I’m kinda busy. Do you think you could—”
Applejack saw right through her lie as she glanced at the wastebin, full of useless flight plans.
“Rainbow,” Applejack interrupted, concern in her voice, “maybe you should take a break?”
A break sounded nice to Dash’s tired eyes, but she knew she had to get this done in good time if the team was going to have enough time to practice it and work out the kinks. No, she had to keep working.
“No, I got this. Thanks though.” She turned back to the papers, with no desire to continue.
“Alright,” Applejack stepped back, and slowly headed for the door. She was tired, and although her warm bed sounded like a nice idea, it didn’t seem right without Rainbow. If only she could help.
She looked back at the tired pegasus. Her eyelids were drooping, and her teeth were making marks in the pencil they were holding as she scribbled out another paper. There was no way that Rainbow could think straight in this condition. She needed sleep, but she couldn’t afford it. However, Applejack could settle with giving her the next best thing.
Rainbow felt a sudden jerk on her shoulders as she was swiftly turned around to face Applejack. She looked upon her partner with tired eyes, ready to protest the next invitation to go to bed.
But she received no such invitation.
Applejack leaned forward with earnest, kissing her lover with all that she had left in her that day. Rainbow almost jumped back in surprise, but then welcomed the loving gesture. As Applejack transferred her love and energy across the kiss, Rainbow felt all the stress and fogginess in her mind melt away, only to be replaced with happiness and clarity. As the kiss broke, Rainbow opened her eyes with renewed resolve, and smiled.
“Ah want to stay up with you,” Applejack almost declared.
“Are you sure?” Rainbow asked, her eyes still sparkling from the kiss. “This could take a while.”
“Ah don’t mind,” Applejack shrugged with a grin, “Ah want to help.”
Rainbow pulled over another chair for her partner and sat down.
“Thanks,” she blushed sheepishly, “I think I could use your help.”
“Ah noticed,” Applejack gave Rainbow a peck, and then looked down at the paper.
“What if you moved Soarin’ here?”
Rainbow followed Applejack’s hoof, and smiled.
“Yeah, that’s much better! AJ, you’re a genius!”
As the two continued to work throughout the night, Appejack couldn’t help but smile at the success of her little plan. Perhaps Rainbow couldn’t afford sleep, but she could afford a loving kiss and a helping hoof. All this stress and worrying about not getting what she needed when all she really needed was…
Rainbow Dash was a pony who always had dreams – and plans to make these dreams come true; plans that never accepted failure.
When Rainbow Dash was just a filly, her dream was to become a Wonderbolt and her plan to do everything possible to reach it. She trained hard and inexhaustibly improved her abilities for many years and one day she was being accepted as recruit in the Wonderbolt Academy.
However, along with joining the ranks of the most famous flying squadron in all of Equestria, her ambitions also changed. Instead of just becoming a Wonderbolt, she now dreamed of becoming the captain of the Wonderbolts. Her plans had changed and became even more challenging than ever before, but eventually, after many years of hard work, this dream had came true.
With becoming the Captain of the Wonderbolts, Rainbow Dash seeked for a new dream and therefore aspired to become the best flyer ever been - and her plan to achieve this goal was to be the first and only pony who would ever perform not just a double, but a triple Sonic Rainboom.
For many years Rainbow Dash trained harder and harder, but with the high goal she had set for herself, the progress she was making continuously became smaller and smaller. She almost performed a triple Sonic Rainboom on several occassions, yet did she always fail by the length of a hoof - until one day on which she also overcame that last hurdle. For performing a stunt that was thought to be even physically impossible, the pegasus herself became a living legend.
But despite Rainbow Dash had become a hero whose name would be passed on over centuries was there something she was missing. In fact, it was something that had bothered her for a very long time, and the sense something was missing got stronger with every day she lived on.
While the pegasus always strived to make the best of herself and achieve things other ponies could just dream of did a feeling of emptiness slowly, but continuously devour her heart and despite she had reached everything she had ever dreamed of, did Rainbow Dash know exactly that there was another dream she always had pushed back.
Flying was still one oft he best things in the entire world, but setting new records was nothing that could give her the feeling of being fulfilled any longer - and probably also nothing an aging mare who had survived more fatal accidents than any other pony should do any longer.
Over the years Rainbow Dash had grown close to all of her friends who always supported her and helped her getting back on her hooves when she crashed. But to one of them she felt of having grown closer than to all the others and with every day that passed on, the spare room in her bed and the longing for this very special pony to fill it up got bigger and stronger.
Rainbow Dash had a plan - a simple one she had pushed along for already far too long. She wanted to ask that one special friend for a date. At least, that was the plan she once had. But with the seasons passing by over and over again, she added many details to it, and in the meanwhile that simple plan she once had had grown to a really complicated project with countless of facets.
Rainbow Dash didn’t just want to ask that one special pony for a date - she wanted to confess her love to that pony, to buy her a hoofband made of pure gold, to marry the mare she longed for more than words could say – and perhaps one day even settle down and found a family.
But confessing ones true feelings to a friend is not an easy task, and so it never had been for Rainbow Dash. She always feared that her feelings wouldn’t get returned and with her proposal getting rejected, all of her hopes getting shattered like the special friendship she shared with that one special pony, and so she kept those dreams for herself - until one day.
The nurse gave Rainbow Dash another injection that made her not exactly feel calm, but it would at least make the pain go away for another few minutes. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she knew that it was the last one she would get before she would go to sleep, but she wouldn’t mourn for another one.
Despite Rainbow Dash hated needles, especially those that were thrusted into her, did she had a good run, and knowing that the one special pony she needed to talk to was staying with her helped her to find some inner peace.
When Rainbow Dash reopened her eyes, the nurse and all the others were gone, the door closed. The pegasus turned to the side, her turbid magenta eyes meeting the concerned face of a clearly saddened mare.
“I’m right here sugarcube,” said Applejack and gently squeezed Rainbow’s hoof, a strand of gray hair falling into her face. It made a small grin grow on Rainbow’s snout.
“You’ve gotten old, Applejack,” she more coughed than chuckled, yet was the amusement that accompanied her words written on Rainbow Dash’s snout.“But this last iron pony competition, I think you might have a fair chance for winning it,” she complemented with another cough.
Applejack couldn’t hold back a little yet depressed smile as her friend was still thinking of their challenge that had started just a few months earlier. “Pretty sure about that sugarcube,” she sighed, thinking that it in fact was the only one competition she didn’t look forward to win. “Pretty sure…” she said again and let her depressed voice trail off.
For some minutes, their eyes kept just locked with each others and except for the periodically bleeping of the machine standing besides the pegasus’ bed, an oppressive silence filled the room. Rainbow Dash had made many plans to make her nearly lifelong dream come true, probably much more than even a smart pony like Twilight could possibly count. But with her whole body and especially her eyelids slowly beginning to feel heavier and heavier, she knew exactly that if she wanted realize any of them, she had to do so now.
“Applejack…” Rainbow Dash weakly said looking down at her and Applejack’s hooves. “I might be an idiot telling you this now, but…” another short break in which the other mare patiently waited for Rainbow Dash to continue followed. Then Rainbow cocked her head to the side again, her tired and slightly scared, yet at the same time determined glance meeting Applejack’s. “...I love you, okay?”
Once again both mares had fallen into silence, the one more or less expectantly waiting for a reply, the other turning more and more nervous with every second that passed.
“I… - what?” Applejack looked down at her friend, not able to either figure out the right words nor to sort her mind. Not sure if Rainbow Dash was getting senile during her last hours or just suffering from the strong medication, Applejack awkwardly chuckled and let her view abruptly wander from one side of the room to the other, desperately searching for something interesting to look at. After some moments however their eyes met again, and Rainbow Dash wasn’t looking like she would be any less determined than a minute before.
A weak smile grew on Rainbow’s muzzle. “You remember that day when I lost consciousness for a few moments while training for increasing my flying altitude extremely fast and you catched me the last second before I would have hit the ground?” It took a few seconds, but after all Applejack slowly nodded.
“I regained little of my senses just so in time to realize that you saved me, but I never said anything,” Rainbow Dash added with little guilt in her undertone and closed her eyes for a second. She heavily sighed and forced herself with all her remaining strength to open her eyes again. “Perhaps I had these feelings before, but since that day I know for sure that I love you, Applejack.”
Applejack gulped. She knew she had to say something, she just didn’t know what. In fact did Rainbow’s sudden confession stir up quite some feelings she had reppressed a long time ago. “That’s - that was even before you’ve been accepted at the Academy... that must be more than 60 years ago,” replied Applejack as the emotions she had pushed back herself for so long rushed back into her mind and tears started gathering in the corners of her eyes. “Why…”
“Because you don’t ask either the pony who challenges you to the most awesome mudslinging with applepies, the farmer who bucks you from her trees every day at seven, nine and eleven, or the mare who pushes you forward beyond your own limits over and over again to go out with you into a fancy restaurant for the reason that you can make a lame proposal and become something else than the best friend one pony could possibly imagine.” Rainbow Dash explained and slightly abashed looked down at their hooves again. She gently tightened the grasp, then she directed her view back to Applejack. “And especially because you don’t ask exactly that pony - your best friend - for a date,” she added before her expression changed to a questioning one. “What if she says ‘no’?”
“I… I...” Applejack stammered, hot tears running down her cheeks and burning narrow lanes in them. “I never would have said ‘no’ Rainbow Dash,” she whimpered and squinted her eyes. “I... never…” Applejack’s miserable sobs just stopped when at once something warm gently touched her snout and made her open her eyes again. Caught in mild confusion, Applejack looked at Rainbow Dash’s other hoof that was just so touching her muzzle before the pegasus removed it again.
“You don’t have to think about what your reply might have been sixty or more years ago.” Rainbow Dash gently stroked over Applejack’s hoof. “Just tell me, what is it now?”
This time however, Applejack didn’t need more than the glimpse of a second to respond to the other mare’s question. “Yes, Rainbow Dash,” she shot out, almost jumpig from the edge of the bed she was sitting on, at the same time realizing that the sudden haste didn’t fit the otherwise enjoyable atmosphere.
She slowly let herself sink back on her haunches and cleared her throat.. “What I want to say…” Applejack warmly said, eyes locked with her friend. “I... love you too, and...” happiness filled her face. “...in fact, I’d love to be your very special somepony for many years.”
Rainbow Dash genuinely smiled at Applejack, not regretting to having waited for so long to tell the other mare about her feelings, just purely happy about the reply she received. Thinking about her next request, a strong heat stroke her cheeks. “My head is feeling a bit heavy right now,” Rainbow Dash said and pulled Applejack a little closer, eyes filled with hope and expectations. “Might you help me giving my very special somepony a kiss she had deserved for a long time?”
The strong heat that warmed Rainbow’s face and the tingling feeling in her belly both infectiously jumped over to Applejack. Also for the farmpony something she had secretly yearned for much longer than most ponies could probably remember was coming true. “Sure…” Applejack said quietly, shifted closer to Rainbow Dash and leaned forward.
It wasn’t exactly a spectacular one, but it was just as special as a kiss could possibly be, filled with all kind of positive emotions and the strong love the two ponies shared for each other. Once their lips parted again, Rainbow Dash looked up to her marefriend, eyelids half shut and feeling heavy, but the expression on her snout purely happy. „I’m feeling tired Applejack.“
Applejack mildly smiled at her. „I know sugarcube…“ she replied, tightening the grip she had on Rainbow’s hoof once again.
Perhaps not all dreams were meant to get fulfilled and not all plans to become reality. But yet, even if took a while, did for both mares at least the most important one become truth and Rainbow Dash could close her eyes with a warm and happy smile filling her face.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash headed down another row of the orchard. Today Rainbow had stuck around after being awoken from her nap. This was not unusual, but her fidgeting was. Their conversation had been distracted and sparse. As Applejack checked another tree for signs of rot, Rainbow Dash spoke up. "So, Applejack, how does your barn door swing?"
Still paying more attention to Portham (a fine tree that one) Applejack replied "It doesn't swing, you know that Dash. It's on tracks."
"No, I mean, do you like apples or oranges?"
Applejack gave her a flat look. "Apples. The orange is a fine fruit and all, but there's nothing like the snap of a crisp Fuji against your teeth."
"No, why is this so hard? Uh, what side of the field do you play?"
"I don't have much time for hoofball anymore, but I mostly play defense."
Rainbow Dash grit her teeth and then sighed "…What is your orientation?"
Applejack looked confused as she glanced at the sky. "I suppose it's North-west right now. If ya know the sun you can usually figure it pretty easily."
Rainbow made a wordless noise of frustration and smacked her forehead against Portham's bark. She opened one eye and looked at Applejack as she said "Do you want to go out with me to the Power Ponies movie in the park tonight!?"
"Oh, is that what you were on about? Sure, I'll give it a go."
Rainbow Dash's whole demeanor changed as she did a quick loop to excitedly hover in front of Applejack "Awesome! I'll pick you up at 6:00 with dinner, k?" When Applejack nodded, Rainbow whooped and shot off at her characteristic speeds.
Applejack shook her head and kept walking 'I wonder if I should have let on that I was just messin' with her? Nah…'
Rainbow and Applejack were sitting on the couch by the light of the fire, each holding a mug of warm cider. They had been talking for a while until Applejack let out a secret she’d been keeping.
“Yup.”
“Wow,” Rainbow sat back, trying to process this new information. “I knew you liked Rarity, but I didn’t know she—”
“She asked me on a date the same day you did.” Applejack nodded. “She said she was tired of stallions, and wanted to treat me to dinner. Asked me while I was eating breakfast.”
“That’s crazy,” Rainbow marveled, “having two of your friends ask you out on the same day.”
“Well, I liked you both. It was just a matter of which mare I wanted to keep.”
Rainbow sat in silence for a moment, staring at the orange glow of the fire and the flickering shadows. She took a sip of her cider.
“What made the decision?” She finally asked.
“What?”
“What was it that made you choose me?”
Applejack sat back and took a long drink from her cup as she thought of an answer.
“Etiquette,” she finally said.
“Etiquette?” Rainbow echoed.
“Yeah, you and Rarity are polar opposites when it comes to etiquette. If I were to go on a date with Rarity, there would be table manners and polite conversations. All sorts of formalities would be taken as I’d pick her up with flowers and take her home to her doorstep and kiss her on the cheek. Although these would be fun for a little while, they’d get old over time.
“On the flip side, dating you would be, and is, very casual. You come in without knocking, there’s no such thing as curfew, and you don’t care if my mane is brushed before you kiss me. I felt and feel very safe around you, and I am not afraid to be with you without being gussied up. Whether we’re eating a gourmet meal or a couple of hayburgers, we can still have a tender moment. I can be myself around you.”
As she finished, Applejack felt a soft wing around her shoulder pulling her closer. Shivers ran down her spine as she leaned into her partner and smiled. Rainbow looked down at the mare on her chest and gave her a kiss on the forehead.
“I’m glad you picked me,” she said.
“Me too, sugarcube.”
They sat in silence a moment longer, listening to the crackling of the fire.
A smile snuck onto Rainbow’s face, and she broke their stillness.
“Etiquette, huh?”
“Yup.”
Rainbow shifted her wing around Applejack, and wrapped her other around her so the farm mare was blanketed in feathers.
“Are you sure it wasn’t because of these?” Dash smiled as she felt Applejack shiver.
“Well,” Applejack confessed as she turned bright red, “maybe a little bit.”
Rainbow scowled and shook her head, and then her ears pricked up. Maybe this could work. She nodded excitedly. This is the kind of thing Pinkie would do, right? They'd surely understand.
"It is charades, then?" Mrs. Cake asked, slightly confused.
Rainbow nodded and stomped twice.
Mr. Cake nodded. "Two words," he said.
Rainbow trotted over and pointed at a frosted sugar cookie.
"Cookie?"
Rainbow shook her head. She gestured at the whole cookie.
"Frosting?"
Rainbow scowled, but it quickly vanished. She pointed deliberately at each color in her mane, and then pointed at the cookie.
"There was a hair in the cookies?" Mrs. Cake turned to Mr. Cake. "I told you to make sure that the twins didn't go in the kitchen!"
"And I told you, they got hungry!"
"Mph phmph!" Rainbow growled, drawing their attention back.
"Sugar cookie?" Mr. Cake guessed.
Rainbow shook her head and deliberately pointed at each color again.
"Oh... colors?"
Rainbow nodded quickly.
"Pink?"
Rainbow nodded and then gestured at a pie.
"Pink... pie... Pinkie Pie?"
Rainbow nodded quickly again.
"So it has something to do with Pinkie Pie," Mrs. Cake said to confirm.
Rainbow nodded.
Mrs. Cake suppressed a sigh. "What did she do this time?"
Rainbow sat down and made like she were mixing something. Then she poured it on an invisible tray and slid it into the invisible oven nearby, and then held one out. She scampered around to play herself, took it, and then placed it in her mouth. She exaggeratedly pulled at her jaw, but it didn't quite open.
"She gave you a pastry?" Mrs. Cake guessed.
"And it was really good?" Mr. Cake added.
Rainbow paused, but then nodded, agreeing reluctantly. She repeated the complicated chewing gesture.
"She gave you a pastry and... you want another?"
Rainbow shook her head furiously.
"What kind of pastry did she give you?"
Rainbow snorted. This was exactly what she was trying to say. Then she brightened. Pinkie must have left the tray in the sink.
Trotting past them, she entered the kitchen. Her wings drooped when she realized that the kitchen was sparkling clean, even the giant mound of bubbles that...
She darted forward and dug a hoof in, and she felt something underneath. Grinning, she pulled out the tray that had been left to soak. She sniffed it and brightened. Granted, it smelled like soap, but it still had some of the previous contents on it. She held out the tray to the Cakes expectantly.
"She gave you the whole tray?!"
Rainbow valiantly suppressed the urge to facehoof. Then she made broad circling motions over the tray.
"On the tray, we get it," Mrs. Cake said.
Rainbow hit herself with the tray. How had these two ever figured out how to be parents? Ok, she was really going to have to dumb this down.
She stomped three times.
"Three words," Mr. Cake repeated.
She nodded, then stomped twice.
"Two syllables."
She stomped once.
"First syllable."
Rainbow shuffled forward, squatted down, and lifted her tail, as if she were about to...
"Rainbow?!"
Rainbow quickly straightened up as she recognized that voice. Applejack's head was peering around the corner, and she looked, well, surprised, to say the least.
"What exactly are you doing?"
Rainbow scampered up. Applejack would understand. Applejack always understood. She began to explain. "Mh phhrrm phmrpr phrmurrprh! Prh ph prhhrn r prhr brhr urprih rh hr y ouh i hrh!"
Applejack stared, and then burst into laughter. "You ate one of Pinkie Pie's peanut butter surprises and now your mouth is stuck?"
Rainbow Dash's eyes rolled into the back of her head, relieved that she was finally getting her message across, and she seized Applejack in a tight hug.
Applejack grinned and patted her on the back. "That's nice and all; but why didn't you just grab a glass of milk and explain afterwards?"
Rainbow froze. She buried her blushing face deeper into Applejack's mane, apparently trying to disappear inside it. That hadn't even occurred to her.
Applejack chuckled and leaned over to look at Mrs. Cake. "Could I get two glasses of milk? And maybe one of them giant cookies, but the kind without peanut butter."
Rainbow groaned as Applejack could no longer suppress her chuckles.
The camera flickered to life, quickly picking up the sounds of its chuckling wielder without much difficulty. The picture quickly rotated, flashing by a tuft of rainbow-colored mane, and acquiring the disastrous remains of the Apple family kitchen in its viewfinder. It took a moment for the camera to refocus, but the damage came through clear and crisp a moment later.
What appeared to be an entire bag of flour covered the room from floor to ceiling. The mixture of eggs and powdery dust had begun congealing on the walls, cabinets and countertops alike, making for a painfully difficult to clean mess. The milk from the fridge was spilled across the floor, and had seeped through the wood and into the crawlspace below.
Once Rainbow had finished her laughing spell, she took a breath and panned the camera around the room.
"Oh, wow..." she muttered. "This is baaaaad news..."
A mixing bowl half full of the powdery white flour was overturned near the sink, and a stick of butter had been overturned, the tray it usually sat on pressing it at an angle into the floor.
"I know a little filly who's gonna have blisters for cutie marks when her mother's done with her..." Rainbow snickered, barely picked up by the speaker mounted near the camera's eye. "Lessee, we got..."
The camera panned again. "We've got over a half gallon of milk on the floor... half a dozen broken eggs..." Rainbow paused in her movements and stepped closer to the refrigerator, examining the floor. "At least eight bruised apples and a whooooole big can of cinnamon... looks like somepony was trying to make herself an apple pie," the pegasus murmured to herself.
More chuckling.
"And then did a lousy job of trying to clean up the evidence." Rainbow reached around the camera, picking up an empty canister of dish soap sitting atop several dirty towels and washcloths, holding the bottle up for the viewfinder.
"'Citrus salad...' So that's what that fruity smell in here is..."
The recorder discarded the empty soap bottle to the floor and looked around, the camera's view pivoting towards the open door leading out into the barnyard. A series of tiny hoofprints led out into the yard and off towards the barn. The little filly who made them seemed unaware of the trail she was leaving.
Giggling, Rainbow trotted slowly out the door and focused the camera on the smudges of flour and the sticky trails in the grass.
The camera rounded into the barn where it spied the scuffling hoofprints in the dirt. Rainbow followed the trail around to a trough filled to the brim with hay and marred with a thick vertical smudge of flour running up the side. A large mound stirred in the hay pile and then grew still again.
The camera zoomed in on the hay and another faint chuckle could be heard being suppressed.
Rainbow's voice, however, came out clear and firm.
"Alright -- hide and seek's over. Come on outta there."
The hay pile didn't respond.
"Sunshine, don't make me come over there and pull you out..."
Still, the hay pile refused to comply.
"Alright, we'll do this the easy way, then. I'm gonna count to three, and you're gonna be outta there by then. Otherwise you're not gonna like what happens next..." Rainbow warned.
Nothing. No movement.
"One..."
The response was immediate, if somewhat slow. A pair of eyes, one green, one magenta, peered nervously out of the hay at their papa figure.
Growing impatient, Rainbow's voice grew more dire. "Two-and-a-half!" she snapped.
Sunshine Delight quickly scurried her way out of the hay pile and plopped down to the ground, though remained near the relative safety of the trough. Her ears sagged, though were largely hidden by the hay sticking to the residue in her mane. Somehow, it served to make the effect all the more pitiful. The feathers on her tiny wings were matted with a sticky, honey-like substance.
"That's more like it..." Rainbow said, zooming in on the filthy little filly. "Watcha been up to?" she asked expectingly.
Sunshine shrank and looked at the ground.
"Sunny, look at me..." her papa demanded firmly behind the camera.
Sunshine looked away.
"Look. At. Me," she repeated.
The little filly knew better than to disobey a second time and looked at the camera. The angry tone in Rainbow's voice belied her amused sniff.
"What did you do?"
Sunshine's ears wilted and she prostrated herself on the floor. "I'm sorry," she said.
"That's not what I asked," her papa said. "I asked you what you did."
The little pegasus gulped. "I... made a mess..."
"You're darn right, you did," Rainbow affirmed. "Didn't your mom tell you to stay out of the kitchen without somepony around to help you?"
Sunshine whimpered and nodded.
"You knew I was changing your little sister upstairs, right?" Rainbow zoomed the camera in on her daughter's normally-buzzy wings, caked to her sides with the partly-solidified batter and sticky substance sticking to them. "What do you think your mom's gonna say when she gets home?"
The floodgates broke. The young filly loosed her ultimate weapon, quivering her lower lip, before bawling her eyes out.
Rainbow could be heard sighing just behind the receiver. "Gets me every time..." she muttered.
The camera spun through a few awkward angles before resting on its side on the dusty floor.
"Alright, alright," papa said as she trotted into view. "No more crying. Come on..." The elder pegasus reached out her wing and scooped up the little filly into her loving embrace. Sunshine's wailing softened as Rainbow lovingly nuzzled her daughter's nose.
It took only a minute or two of rocking and gentle shushing to placate her.
Rainbow smiled, plucking the hay out of the young filly's mane. "Feel better?"
The little filly sniffled and nodded, her lip still quivering.
Her papa smiled and nuzzled her again, giving her a few pats on the flank. "You know what you did wrong, don't you?"
Sunshine swallowed, the effort seeming to prove painful if the tears glistening down her cheeks had anything to say about it.
"You're not gonna do it again, are you?"
She sniffled and shook her head.
Rainbow smiled and squeezed her daughter tightly in her grip. "Good girl," she said softly, reaching back and resting the filly gently on her withers. "Now, let's go get you cleaned up first, and then maybe we can get the kitchen fixed up a little bit before your mom gets back to yell at us." She winked. "Whaddya say?"
Sunshine rubbed her hooves under her eyes and smiled tearfully, nodding at her papa.
The last thing the camera picked up was the pegasus carrying her daughter back towards the barn entrance, before a short twist and a click reduced the image to snow and static.
Every Saturday after her chores, Applejack would go to the brook.
It was a quiet place, secluded and away from the farm or other civilization. It had willow trees and cool shade and the soft sounds of wildlife. The brook had clean, clear water that cut through the green foliage like a knife, its icy runoff filling the air with cold mist as it trickled between the rocks.
Though the water was cold, the clean water was perfect for washing the golden hair of a sweaty, tired farm mare after laboring in the orchard all day. So was Applejack’s routine, and it provided her a moment of peace and relaxation away from the rest of the world.
However, today she was not alone.
As Applejack untied her hair and stepped to the brook's edge, she heard the sound of something on the other side. Looking up, she saw none other than her friend Rainbow Dash, lowering her head to the edge of the brook opposite her. A little gasp escaped her lips, as she wasn’t expecting company.
Rainbow lifted her head from the water, and caught Applejack’s surprised expression.
“What?” She asked, eyeing Applejack’s reaction to her being there. “Is this a private river of something? Because if so I can wash my hair somewhere else.”
Not wanting to cause a problem, Applejack decided to deal with the fact that she was there.
“No, it’s fahne. Go ahead.”
Rainbow took this as permission and proceeded to dip her hair into the brook.
Rainbow had a very pretty mane, and this showed more as she drenched it in the brook. Rainbow pulled her flowing hair out of the brook, it looking similar to colored glass as the water came streaming down, the brook below creating a rippled reflection.
Applejack watched for a moment, rapt in awe by the beautiful scene. She had never seen her friend as one to be beautiful, and this caused her heart to flutter and her cheeks to warm.
Rainbow looked up, an oblivious and slightly concerned look playing on her rose eyes.
“Is something wrong?” She asked, “I really can move, if you need me to. I get it.”
“No,” Applejack reassured with a smile as her blush worsened. “You’re mane just looks really pretty when you get it wet.”
“Oh, well yours does too.” Rainbow said with a sheepish smile until she realized what she had said.
“What?” Applejack’s eyes widened. She had not dipped her own hair into the water yet.
“N-n-not like I-I’ve se-e-en it wet b-before!” Rainbow sloppily corrected, but the truth was already discovered.
“You’ve been watching me come here every week, haven’t you?”
“N-no,” Rainbow retorted, “Not every week! Just… w-when I’m not busy and I-I want to hang out and I-I can’t find you and then you’re here.”
“Ah see,” Applejack said with a sly smile, “so you’re a stalker.”
“I am not!” Rainbow’s cheeks turned a bright red, and Applejack chuckled.
“Well, thanks for the compliment anyway.”
With that, the two continued to wash their hair in the brook with little conversation. It was very peaceful, except for the frequent glances at one another and the awkward moments of when their eyes met. Finally, both were very clean and rosy cheeked.
Before they parted ways, Applejack broke the silence.
“Hey Rainbow!”
Rainbow winced upon hearing her name, fearing what might come next.
“Y-yes?”
Applejack smiled warmly. As awkward as this all was, it had opened her eyes to a side of Rainbow she hadn’t seen before. A side she could grow to like. She looked up at the nervous pegasus, her hair still wet from the wash.
It was late. The sun had gone down entirely, and the entire household had all gone to bed, minus Applejack herself. Rainbow had told her that she was working late.
So where had that shout come from?
Applejack ran up the stairs as fast as she could. The voice hadn't sounded like her family... and besides, they were all asleep.
Applejack realized with a start that the cry had come from her bedroom. She cautiously swung her door open, ready for anything.
"Oh, shoot! No, wait, I'm not ready!"
Applejack widened her eyes. Not quite ready for everything, she corrected herself.
Rainbow Dash was sitting up on her bed, surrounded by roses, the room barely lit aside from some scented candles. Applejack could not have made the setting more romantic if she had tried... although the fact that Rainbow was bleeding from the mouth did spoil the mood somewhat.
"No! I..." she began, trying to stem the bleeding.
"What... happened?" Applejack asked hesitantly, too many questions bouncing around her skull. "Are you all right? I thought you were at work?"
Rainbow winced in pain. "I was going to surprise you..." she mumbled. "I just wanted it to be perfect..."
She held up one of the roses angrily. "But these things are the worst ever!"
Applejack examined Rainbow's mouth. "You were holdin' the rose in your mouth, weren't you?"
Rainbow Dash nodded glumly. "I saw that in pictures... I just wanted it to be a perfect evening..."
Applejack smiled. "Well, it ain't ruined yet. Just hang on whilst I get you a band-aid... you're bleedin' all over my bed.
And she waited. The plastic bowl was in her hooves. She had held it over her head so long her legs were starting to go numb.
There was only one way out for the mouse. To the front, where she waited. She'd peered along the back side and edges of the refrigerator and not seen any evidence of a hole for the little rodent to escape through. She'd even gone so far to check the internals for evidence of tampering. And she knew for sure that her hawk-like eyes hadn't let it get by her when she wasn't looking.
She spared herself a sip of cider while she waited. She knew mice could be patient little critters. Fluttershy had taught her that. And she was getting impatient.
And hungry. The pegasus's belly growled, and she grimaced. But she couldn't bring herself to eat with a dang mouse in the kitchen, eating and pooping in their food. Applejack had told her about a great aunt of hers that had been eating sugar cookies, and died when she'd consumed what she thought had been a chocolate sprinkle...
Rainbow yawned, disinterested in such a fate. Such common (?) ends were beneath a pegasus of her greatness. She wouldn't allow it.
"Rainbow Dash: Died of mouse turd." Not cool. She wouldn't let that happen to her. She would be able to sit down and eat peacefully soon enough.
But first she had to catch that darn mouse!
Growing frustrated -- and starving -- the pegasus threw the bowl down and wrapped her hooves around the fridge. She shimmied it away from the wall with a grunt, and with no small amount of effort, shoved to the side.
What she saw nearly made her eyes fall out of her head.
A hole. A gaping, monstrous hole had been dug straight through the floorboards, perfectly square in shape. With the light filtering through the kitchen windows, she could see the gap descending well past the foundations of the house and deep underground.
Magenta eyes shifting around the room, Rainbow bit her lip and grabbed a flashlight out of a drawer nearby. She shone it down it down into the gaping maw of the earth. Even with the concentrated light, she couldn't see all the way to the bottom.
Gritting her teeth around the handle, the pegasus descended.
Down, down and down she went, feeling dirt clinging to her body as she crawled deeper. She could hear the squeak of mice rustling around below her, and a cocky smirk crossed her muzzle.
Gotcha now, she thought, without regard for how mice could dig such an elaborate tunnel... or why.
Her hooves met solid ground at last, and she shown the light around what appeared to be an advanced tunnel network. It shot off in all different directions, and seemed just big enough for ponies to trot through without difficulty.
"I never heard of any kind of mice burrow like this..." she muttered. Regardless, she couldn't help but be impressed.
"Sugarcube?" a voice asked behind her.
Rainbow blinked and whipped around, shining the flashlight on the source of the voice. Applejack winced and raised her hoof to block the glare.
"Applejack?!" she squeaked. "What the hay are you doing down here?! I thought you were in town running errands!" She turned and pointed. "And what the heck is... this?!"
"Alright, darlin', alright. Take it easy," her wife said softly. "It ain't really that hard to explain y'know. I mean, we are earth pony folk after all. Every earth pony's got a tunnel leadin' outta their house."
Rainbow blinked and turned back to the tunnel. "Y-... you do?"
"'Course, darlin'! It's all part of the plan."
The pegasus's brow furrowed and she turned the light to where Applejack... had been.
"Uhh... p-plan?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, sugarcube," her mate's voice whispered in her ear suddenly. Rainbow leapt back. "I already toldja more than I should have. 'Shame, really. I really liked you, darlin'. I was hopin' I'd get to keep you."
Rainbow blinked. "K-keep me?"
Applejack looked up at her darkly. "'Fraid I can't let you live now, though, knowin' what you know."
She opened her mouth to question further, but Applejack's muzzle split into four sections, revealing a circular mouth full of serrated teeth. She barely had time to scream before a series of black tendrils leapt from the 'earth pony's' throat and seized her about the hooves, neck and wings.
She bolted upright in bed the next instant. She was drenched in sweat from ears to tail, and was struggling to catch her breath.
"Darlin'?" a soothing voice next to her muttered.
Rainbow looked around, immediately recognizing Applejack's bedroom. She was snuggled into the covers next to the earth pony.
Her eyes drifted down to her stirring mate. "A-AJ! I had the freakiest dream just now! You had a muzzle that could split in four parts, and you had these tentacle thingies, and there was a mouse, and--"
Applejack sat up, and her muzzle separated. "WAS IT SOMETHIN' LIKE THIS?"
Rainbow tore out of sleep a second time. A warm spot on the bed grew just underneath her rump, and she looked frantically around Applejack's room once again.
"Sugarcube?" a soft voice said, brushing a hoof gently up her side.
Rainbow's eyes widened and she leapt out of bed, escaping her mate's touch.
"You move your own dang fridge!" she squeaked, rocketing out of the room.
Applejack sat in bed, green eyes wide in the glare of the midnight moon. Downstairs, she could hear her mate flee out the front door, and the air broke around her as she took to the sky in panicked flight.
Shaking her head, she sighed and poked at her pillow, before snuggling back down to sleep. The Wonderbolt wannabe's wee stain could wait.
At least it hadn't been as bad as when her mate had sworn off cupcakes...
"Fillies and gentlecolts! Please put your hooves together for the greatest flyer to ever come out of Cloudsdale, Rainbow Dash!"
Applejack, being the only one in the audience, stomped her hooves politely.
"I can't hear you!" Rainbow shouted, waving her hooves and inviting the cheers.
"Rainbow, I've gotta get back to work," Applejack pointed out.
Rainbow exhaled. "Fine... Rainbow Dash, the greatest of fliers, will now perform one of the most daring and dangerous stunts in the Wonderbolt repertoire!"
Applejack lifted her hooves to her mouth. "Or she'll sit and jaw for another forty minutes," she heckled.
Rainbow scowled and snorted in Applejack's general direction. Just to prove her wrong, she spread her wings and took off into the sky.
It really was a fantastic trick. Spins and rolls pegasus magic crackling along the edges of her wings. Applejack had to shield her eyes as lightning crawled along Rainbow Dash's body as she forced all her energy into a swirling ball of cloud.
Finally, Rainbow pushed the ball into the ground, and it released its energy with an explosion of color and wind. When the smoke and cloud remnants cleared, Rainbow Dash stood, panting but triumphant, and looking rather unphased. "Don't mind if there's a little collateral damage," Rainbow said, brushing nonexistent dirt off her barrel.
"A- a little?!"
Rainbow opened her eyes and saw Applejack, sitting slackjawed and utterly stunned. And around her, apples were on the ground. Piles and piles of apples. Her little trick had knocked them all clean off their trees.
"Heh heh..." Rainbow scratched at the back of her neck. "Just a little?"
* * *
Rainbow Dash grumbled as she tossed the last apple into the wagon. The sun was going down; she'd been at this all day. But Applejack had sworn to blacklist her from the next cider season if she didn't pick up every single apple, and so here she was hard at work.
She nosed her way into the harness and yanked it tight. When she tried to step forward, though, the wagon remained still.
Rainbow Dash scowled. There was no way she was taking two trips.
Exerting a major effort, she dug her rear hooves in and pulled. Slowly but steadily, the wagon began to roll, and she dragged it one step at a time through the orchard and back towards the barn.
She made her way across the ground and under the open air for the first time in a while. Something about the open sky made her breathe a bit easier. Something about the sky made her wings just...
"Rainbow Dash?"
...clench tightly against her sides. Rainbow's ears pinned against her head. That had sounded oddly like...
Sure enough, when she turned around, there stood Spitfire.
"H- hey, captain," Rainbow said with a nervous smile. "What are you doing here?"
"Just doing a little training." Spitfire jerked her head over her shoulder.
Rainbow's wings drooped as she realized she was looking at the next round of Wonderbolt cadets. She gave a sheepish wave. She was so dead. Her reputation was ruined. She would never perform again-
Spitfire turned back to her cadets. "Now, this is what I was talking about."
Rainbow closed her eyes, bracing for impact.
"Cross-training!"
Rainbow's eyes flew open. Huh?
Spitfire began to pace in front of the panting recruits. "If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times: you can't fly on your wings alone. Your wings are just a part of you; you need full body training if you're going to be a success. This is why Rainbow Dash is a success; and you're still in training." A devious smile crossed her face. "So that's why you're all going to run back to Ponyville on your hooves; and if I catch anypony flying, I'll send you all back here and you can start over!"
Amidst the groans and whimpers of the assembled cadets, Spitfire leaned in and winked. "I've been wanting an excuse to do that," she said. "Keep up the good training, eh?"
Rainbow chuckled sheepishly as she watched them all run off, Spitfire hovering and shouting 'encouragement' from behind. Collateral damage had collateral benefits. Who'd've thought?
Applejack slowly poked her head through the doorway, her eyes narrowed and lips pursed. Balanced on her rump was a basket, filled to the brim with apples, but she didn't look like this was anything to celebrate. This time, something fishy was afoot.
It didn't take her long to notice another apple, laid out on the wooden floorboards, tempting her.
"Another one!" she hissed, picking it up by the stalk and tossing it into her basket. "That's thirty one apples!"
Applejack was by no means a great detective, but she knew enough to know that thirty one apples did not simply get 'dropped'. Not even Applebloom was this clumsy.
And besides, why would they take the crops indoors? Apples had to be processed first, the earth pony way. They had to be checked, and cleaned, then checked again... Quality came first.
Applejack held her nose close to the ground like a bloodhound as she stalked the halls of her house. Not a few moments later did she find the thirty second apple, on the second stair of the staircase. Applejack put it with the others, more suspicious of foul play than ever.
"Who'd be so silly as t'leave all these apples 'round the farm?" she whispered to herself. She briefly wondered why she was being so quiet... she couldn't help but feel manipulated somehow.
And there, right in front of her bedroom door, was the thirty third.
Applejack exploded into the bedroom, driven by the adrenaline of knowing she had found the culprit of this mysterious crime.
"Ah ha!" she shouted. "Found y—oomph!"
She was tackled almost instantly by a blue ball of feathers, knocking her, her apples, and her dignity to the ground.
"Ha! I knew it would work!" Rainbow exclaimed. "You are so predictable!"
All the pieces fell into place. Rainbow left the trail of apples... some silly prank, Applejack imagined, to make fun of her and her apparent (but false, in Applejack's opinion) obsession with her crops.
"Rainbow!" she roared, pushing the exited pegasus off of her. "I'm not... It ain't like I was overwhelmed by the smell of apples!" Her temper began to fly as Rainbow started to giggle childishly. "I'm more than just some apple fiend! I was jes' tryin' to find who'd be so useless as to lose all the crops!"
Applejack yawned, stretching her jaw muscles out as she blinked away the uncomfortable morning light, her eyelids feeling heavy and leaden. She hesitated.
The room was darker than it usually was at this time of the morning. Her window faced the east, after all. When the sun rose, it bathed her room, and her bed, in warm, blinding sunlight, jolting her awake. It was why out of all the Apple Family, she was the first to get up in the morning. But today, bright though it was, the normally yellow sunlight was diluted.
Applejack stood up straight, her vision blurry. Was it a cloudy morning? They were scheduled to have sunny skies all week long, she remembered... had there been a mix-up with the weather community again?
Or perhaps the answer was simpler. Maybe she had pulled her curtains closed that night. Applejack preferred to sleep with the window open, unless it was stormy... she liked the feeling of the breeze brushing through her mane as she fell asleep. Had there been a storm the night before? Applejack couldn't quite remember.
She rubbed her eyes. If there was a problem with the weather, it'd be a fifteen minute walk to Ponyville to get things cleared up. She sighed: living this far from civilization had it's downsides.
She rolled out of bed, stumbling to her hooves. She walked towards the window. Nope, the curtains were definitely open. She stuck her head out the window, trying to find the source of the disturbance.
"Hi there, neighbour," came a familiar voice. Applejack looked up.
Her jaw dropped.
"Y'know you kept on saying you were lonely this far away from Ponyville?" Rainbow Dash asked her, leaning out the window of her cloud-house. "Well, I decided that it'd be a great idea to move my house over here! Y'know? That way we can be neighbours!"
Applejack continued to stare.
"We could have garden parties and picnics and it'd really help with me sneaking over to your place, if you know what I'm saying..."
Applejack managed to pick her jaw off the floor and quietly positioned it closed again. Rainbow tilted her head, a broad, innocent smile plastered to her face.
"Surprised?"
"Y-yeah, I guess you could say that..." Applejack began. "Why're you up so early? It's seven in the mornin'."
"I move my house all the way here, and that's why you're surprised?"
"Well, all things considered..."
Rainbow scratched her head, hesitating briefly.
"Well, uh, I got lonely and couldn't sleep. So... I did this!" She held her hooves out, smiling once again. "Do you like it?"
Applejack scratched her chin.
"Could 'ya move it a little to the left?"
"Like this?"
Sunlight hit Applejack suddenly, almost blinding her. She smiled.
"Perfect. Now get down here so I can thank you proper!"
Applejack chuckled. “You've got your hooves over my eyes – I couldn't peek if I wanted to--” She stumbled on something soft, but didn't fall. “How much farther are we goin'? It's hard enough walkin' on cloud stuff with my eyes open.”
“It's worth it, I promise,” said Dash. “And it's just through here.”
“Through where?”
“Don't peek!”
“I ain't peekin'!” Applejack had a wide grin on her face, even with her eyes still closed. She had no idea what Dash had planned for her, but all the added fuss had already put her in a cheerful mood after the long train ride back from Appleoosa.
Dash led her blindly through what felt like a doorway, before moving her hooves and landing at Applejack's side. “Okay, stop. Open your eyes.”
“You sure?”
“Of course I'm sure,” said Dash. “I can still see, remember?”
“We are still in your house, right?” Applejack teased. “'Cause if you've walked me right up to the edge of your cloud again to scare me, you are not gettin' any--”
“Would you just open your eyes already?”
Still smiling, Applejack did. She was met with the sight of Dash's bathroom, lit only by the gentle light from candles positioned around the bathtub - which was filled with steaming, bubbly water. On a stool at the bathside, there laid a box of assorted flower-candies, a book with a ribbon tied around its middle – indicating that it was a present – and a large bottle of cider.
Applejack's smile grew wider still when she noticed that it was her family's homebrew – good ol' Sweet Apple Acres Apple Cider. “Well, colour me shiny and call me a princess. What's all this?”
Dash wrapped her fetlocks around Applejack's neck and planted a kiss on the back of her head. “You didn't think you could spend a week in Appleoosa without getting a welcome back present, did ya?” She pulled back and looked into Applejack's eyes, with a sincere warmth to her gaze. “I missed you.”
Applejack smiled at Dash for a long moment, before turning to take in the room again. “I do not deserve you,” she mused, stepping up to the bath and testing the water with a hoof. It was just about perfect. “You realise that if I step into this, I ain't movin' for a loooong time. Which means you're gonna have to fly me home in the mornin'.”
“I think I can handle an early rise, just this once,” said Dash. “But only 'cause it's for you.”
Applejack smiled down at the floor, blessing her lucky stars that she'd ended up with somepony who knew how to make her feel so special. After a moment, the warmth of the smile turned to heat, and she turned back to Dash with a sultry look. “Well then... Care to join me?”
Dash grinned. “Thought you'd never ask.”
“Really?” said Applejack, shrugging off her saddlebags. “'Cause I notice there are two glasses with this cider.” Dash just gave her an 'innocent' smile and shrugged her shoulders cutely.
What am I doing here? I kick at the worn wooden planks which made up the station platform. I should be at work. Ponyville needs its best cloud pusher in the sky. I turn, spread my wings, but I just can’t take off. Growling, I turn back around and look to the West.
Where is that train anyways? Is it always this late? Maybe I should fly out there and see. I look at the clock: three twenty seven. Three more minutes. I can do this. I waited three whole days, another three minutes—I can manage. I’m not even sure what I’m going to say to her. What did I say when she left?
I let myself reminisce just for a moment. I gave her a hug, told her to be awesome and off she went. Sure, I was sad, I had plenty of cool things to do while she was gone. I just had to do them alone. I hate being alone. I rub my eyes quickly and glance around. Good. No pony noticed anything.
Where is she? I look at the clock. Three twenty eight. Wow, what’s wrong with this clock? Is it broken too? Maybe that’s what happened. Maybe she wanted me to come but didn’t find the time to ask. I would have gone with her. Sure, I had work, but I could have gotten it off. Why did she have to take the Cutie Mark Crusaders instead of me? I’m totally good at cheering! Heck, I even taught Fluttershy how to cheer. By the time I was done with her, she was cheering as loud as a train.
Train! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, there it is! I flutter up off the platform in excitement. Any minute now. I cover my eyes as the train steams to a halt next to the platform and wait. Not more than thirty seconds later, I’m assaulted by three tiny bodies. They leap onto me, hug me, and jabber at me all at once.
“Look Rainbow Dash! Mah big sister won first place!”
I watch Apple Bloom as she balances the trophy on top of her head. It’s a pretty nice trophy, nice and big. All shiney. I have plenty at home. It wouldn’t be fair if I was the only one with a trophy.
“And we met this huge stallion, he was really clumsy.”
“Clumsy and funny!”
I nod and look around the platform for her sister, the one that totally ditched me and went to the rodeo without me.
“Hey there Sugarcube, miss me?” She nuzzles up against my neck and I feel a wave of heat wash over my face. I stammer out something, I think it’s, “Welcome back”, but I’m not sure. I just feel good to see her, to feel her back. I’m not even mad she ditched me anymore. Well. Maybe still a little.
I pull back, and make up some excuse. I need to get back to work. I’m about to fly off.
A lasso catches me and I slide back down to the ground. Applejack’s muzzle is up against my ear now. She whispers for me to stay. I can hear her telling the fillies about trying to be rodeo clowns. Maybe Rarity can provide some costumes. Wow, they got excited. And in a flash, they’re gone.
I struggle with the rope, but Applejack tightens her grip on me. She’s whispering an apology. I mumble that it was no big deal. Just some dumb rodeo anyways. She isn’t buying it. And then she mentions something about the real prize and I feel her tail trace over my cutie mark.
Oh... Oh!
I follow her back to the barn and we have a real rodeo, together.
"Well... great." Twilight kicked her forehooves around, trying to free herself from the viscous green fluid she was trapped in. Her entire body from her belly to her tail was completely immersed, and she was sinking quickly. "I thought Discord was reformed!"
"Y'might want to stop strugglin', sugarcube," Applejack warned. Her mane was sticky and slick with green goo. "Rarity and Pinkie both tried that, an' look at them now."
She gestured as best she could towards the inside of the monster. Rarity looked petrified, floating around with a permanent look of disgust on her face. Her mane and tail both floated around slowly, like it were underwater. Pinkie, by comparison, looked like she was enjoying the ride. Neither could be heard from inside the Smooze.
Twilight didn't listen, and continued to sink inwards. "I don't care! I have to salvage the evening! For the Princess!" She looked back at the two ponies trapped inside out of morbid curiosity. "How are they still breathing? Is there some kind of stasis field in there? Can you breathe Smooze?" She twisted her face in horror as she contemplated the idea. "Oh, please don't make that be it..."
"Twi', you're strugglin'," Applejack repeated. "Don't. Fluttershy will sort this out, mark my words."
"But we can help!" Twilight argued, flailing her hooves. She was now up to her neck in the gloop. "I'm the Princess of Friendship! We can do—"
With that final, desperate cry, she disappeared completely to join Rarity and Pinkie, floating inside the belly of the beast like a fly trapped in honey. Applejack sighed. "I did tell ya'."
"Hey, AJ..." Rainbow said from above. "I guess it's just us, huh?"
The Smooze rounded a corner out towards the gardens. Applejack nodded, careful not to move too much. The Smooze was like quicksand. "Yup. Some evenin', huh?"
"Yeah. But hey, at least the silver lining is we can spend some time together without the fillies, huh?" Rainbow said. From this angle, Applejack couldn't even see her friend. "Hey, it's a pretty sweet evening, too. Minus the goo-monster."
Applejack looked up at the sky. The Smooze was ambling outside at a leisurely pace, eating up the cutlery and odd potted plant. "Yup. It's mighty pretty."
"Hang on, gimme' a sec'..." Rainbow said. Applejack heard the sound of squishing and squelching from above.
"What're you doin'?"
"I'm getting closer... almost there..."
Applejack suddenly felt the weird sensation of feathers trapped in Smooze brush against her sides. She craned her neck to the right, and there Rainbow was, sticking her tongue out as she concentrated. "How're you movin'?" Applejack asked her, impressed. "Every time I try, I just get trapped even more."
"Uh... the cool answer is five percent pain, ten percent willpower, twenty percent coolness, and... uh..." Rainbow furrowed her brow. "Some other stuff. But really, some more advanced flying training is actually swimming through mud. Weird but true."
Applejack shook her head. Rainbow finally managed to secure her wing around Applejack's waist, pulling the pair together. "There!" she exclaimed happily. "I did it!"
Applejack leant her head against Rainbow as the Smooze continued on his path, heading heavens knew where. "You'll never stop surprisin' me, sugar'," she said with a smile. Rainbow grinned.
"You haven't seen nothing yet!" she said. More squelching later, and Rainbow had pulled out an amourphous shape, drenched in green, sticky fluid. As it dripped off, Applejack recognized her hat. She brightened up.
"My... you got my hat?"
"Yup. I saw you dropped it, so I grabbed it before we were dragged away," Rainbow said, slapping the Stetson on Applejack's head with a revolting splat, showering both of them in goo. "It's a bit messy, but we're all messy right about now, right?"
Radioactive green gloop slid over Applejack's eye as she grinned, and she moved in to nuzzle Rainbow. "You're always thinkin' of me," she said. "Thanks."
"Anytime!" Rainbow said. "Hey, I think we're still sinking in."
Applejack felt it too. The Smooze was slowly, very slowly, sucking her down into the centre. "Yup, looks about right." She sighed. "I don't mind spendin' what time we got peacefully, though. I'm sure Flutters' will talk Discord down."
"Yeah. Might as well enjoy the ride," Rainbow said as the Smooze passed over several small animals and plants, absorbing them all. Pinkie gave a silent, slow motion squeal of delight. Rainbow showed Applejack a sly grin. "Hey, remember the last time we got sticky and wet together?"
Applejack sighed as she looked at Rainbow Dash and gave a weak nod. She knew to trust her marefriend, that Rainbow would study her own way and go great with the exam... but still, she had fear.
“I'm sorry...” Applejack just muttered, looking at Rainbow. The two were sitting outside the barn on a picnic mat, watching the sun set slowly in the distance and the country mare looked at her once more with trepidation. “I just... I don't want you to fail...”
“I won't.” Rainbow said with a half grin arching up her mouth, and she curled a wing around Applejack, pulling her close. “Don't worry...”
“Yeah, I know...” Applejack just muttered, giving a weak laugh and looked at Rainbow Dash with still worried eyes. “I'm just, being... I don't know... it's just...”
She sighed as she looked at Rainbow, who stared into her eyes, waiting for her to finish. “I just... I always went so badly in tests myself, that I fear you could easily stuff up, I only want-”
“AJ.” Dash said quietly, a small smile crawling up her lips. “We may not be the brightest bulbs in the barn, but we shine enough.”
“Yeah, I know... I know...” Applejack said quickly, as if catching her breath as she tried to regain her strength around this subject. “I just... hate... exams...”
She gave a weak laugh, as if trying to make a joke of her worry and Rainbow found this so cute.
“Just admit you're worried.”
“Is it that obvious-?”
Rainbow cracked into laughter as she saw Applejack's strained face, with the pegasus's reply, and the country mare took a few more inhales... trying to recenter herself once more.
“Nah... you are hiding it reeeealy well.” Rainbow just chuckled and Applejack pulled a coy look at that.
“Do ya want a bop on the head?” the country mare asked with a weak grin, her expression relaxing a little as she saw Rainbow Dash laugh.
“Maybe it'll knock some more smarts into me.” Rainbow teased with a giggle, sticking out her tongue playfully and Applejack smiled larger, her eyebrows lowering against her eyes as she examined Rainbow's playfulness and just answered.
“I'd have to get a sledge hammer to give you enough smarts.”
“Definitely.”
“Hmm...” Applejack murmured with a small smile and finally felt all her tenseness vanish as she relaxed against Rainbow, closing her eyes.
It wasn't till a few seconds later that the pegasus said with a grin, snuggling against the mare.
“You know it's a fitness test... not an academic one?”
Applejack's eyes opened and she grimaced, muttering as she got up.
Rainbow yelped in surprise and threw a hoof up over her eyes, as a blinding light assaulted them.
“Rise and shine, Dash,” came Applejack's voice.
“Aw, you've got to be kidding me.” She grabbed Applejack's bedsheets and pulled them up over her head. “We spent the whole of yesterday wrapping up winter, can't we at least lie in a little bit?”
“Firstly, I've already let ya sleep for an extra hour,” said Applejack. “And secondly, you're gonna want to see this.”
“And I couldn't wait to see it 'til later?”
The sheets were abruptly snatched from Dash's head. She grabbed for them, but Applejack had already taken them and tossed them into the laundry basket. “Nope. So come on, before ya miss it.”
“But Applejaaack--”
“Hey.” She fixed Dash with a reassuring smile. “It's worth it. I promise.”
Dash stared at her for a moment, then finally sighed, rolled out of bed and made her way towards Applejack. She leant in for their good morning kiss, but Applejack had already turned and left the room.
“Uh...” Dash managed. Whatever this thing was, it must've been a pretty big deal. At the very least, they always had a morning kiss...
So, keeping to herself that she was a little bummed out, Dash made her way out of Applejack's bedroom, down the stairs and followed her out the front door. It was still early morning out, so the Sun gave the horizon a tangerine glow. Always too early for Dash, but at least it was a pretty sight. She could get why Applejack was a morning pony.
“Hey, over here.”
Turning, Dash saw Applejack trotting up the side of a small hill. She unfurled her wings, but quickly put them back when she realised how much they ached from yesterday. Winter Wrap Up sure made you work for it, as did the celebrations afterwards. Flying was a no-go before a decent breakfast. So she followed AJ on hoof.
“Alright, what am I looking fo...” Dash trailed off as she reached the top of the hillock and stood beside Applejack. “Oh.”
A sea of colour stretched out before them, for what must've been half a mile. They faced eastwards, so the Sun was directly ahead on the horizon, and Dash had to squint to make out the sight. Below them, covering the entire space between the farmhouse and the east orchard, were flowers. An ocean of them.
Some were lifted up into the air by the gentle, spring breeze, whilst the others just swayed softly in time with it. Rippling waves made their way from one end to the other with an almost casual slowness. Clouds of butterflies flew close to the surface, their wings casting flickering shadows over the whole scene. And the morning light from the sky lit the whole thing up with the most beautiful orange glow that she'd ever seen.
It reminded her of AJ.
“Okay. This is worth getting out of bed for,” Dash admitted. A second later, a hoof cupped under her chin and slowly turned her head to face Applejack, whose green eyes caught the light just right, and whose smile felt like a sunrise all of its own.
Applejack leant in, and when Dash realised the idea, she did the same. She closed her eyes as their lips met, and they shared their morning kiss in the warmth of the first light of spring. As early morning wake ups went, it wasn't bad at all.
Applejack dropped a stack of plates into the sink, causing the water to splash around her forehooves. She yawned, her jaw extending far further than she felt it should, stretching her muscles out uncomfortably. Another busy day almost behind her. The house was utterly silent. Big Macintosh and Applebloom had both gone to bed fifteen minutes earlier, and Granny had been asleep long before then.
Applejack had said she'd stay behind and do dishes. She didn't want to sleep just yet, she had said. And yes, she was doing the dishes, and yes, she didn't feel like sleeping just then, but housekeeping was not the reason she wanted to stay awake. She didn't feel like sleeping because she was waiting.
"Always back by twelve..." she said in between tired groans. "No matter what..."
Being a weatherpony had it's downsides. The weather didn't care what time it was, and it certainly didn't care if it disrupted Applejack's life. It didn't care if ponies had to fly out and clear clouds at the dead of night, and it certainly didn't care who was instructed to do the job. Applejack wished it did.
She scrubbed the last plate and looked up at the clock. Quarter to twelve. She sighed. Her eyes felt like lead, and it took more effort to keep them open that it took to stand. There was nothing else for it. Applejack trudged out the kitchen, through the hallway, and began climbing the stairs, each step feeling like a small cliff to scale.
It looked like she'd miss her today. A pity. She woke up so early, after all, meaning whenever she didn't come back during the evening, or when Applejack fell asleep before she came back, they'd often miss each other completely. "Too bad," she muttered, removing her hat as she walked into her room.
She undid her mane-band and threw both her hat and band on her chest of drawers. That left her tail. She collapsed on her bed and twisted her rump around so that she could reach her tail-band properly, and undid it with her teeth. She groaned as her back muscles stretched out. Instead of putting the band with the other where it belonged, she instead let it fall to the floor. She didn't care: she wasn't getting back to her hooves again that day.
Her head hit the pillow with a dull, soft thwump. If she was lucky, Rainbow's schedule would be less busy tomorrow. Maybe they could hang out in the orchard, or...
She smiled. The familiar feeling of feathers sliding across her withers made her heart skip a beat. The gentle sensation was replaced by the more forceful, warm, and comforting presence of hooves and fur wrapping around her back and waist.
"Five to midnight," Rainbow whispered. "Sorry. I really had to rush that last altocumulus to get here."
Applejack's smile fell as she lost the energy to keep it up. "S'fine," she said. She was simply glad that, even if it was just for a minute or two, they were side by side, exchanging words. All the waiting and all the fatigue felt worthwhile. Rainbow nuzzled her mane, the sweet reminder she was there sending Applejack to sleep. She began to snore loudly.
"I never leave a marefriend hanging," Rainbow whispered, closing her eyes. "Sweet dreams."
Applejack spat the black liquid back into the cup, scrunching up her face in disgust. She levelled a look at Rainbow Dash across the breakfast table. “'S bitter.”
“Uh, yeah,” said Rainbow, lifting her own mug. “It's supposed to be bitter. Helps to wake you up in the morning.”
“I'm already up,” Applejack drawled. “You thought of addin' milk or sugar?”
Rainbow rolled her eyes. “If it tasted nice, it wouldn't work.” She took a swig from her own mug, and her face creased a little.
Applejack's mouth quirked up at one side. “You hate it.”
Rainbow snorted. “Do not.”
“Uh, yes you do,” said Applejack. “Why do you bother drinkin' the stuff if you don't even like it?”
“Because my only other options are apple juice, apple cider or apple liqueur?”
Applejack raised a brow at Rainbow's barb. Rainbow either didn't notice, or just ignored it, and took another sip of her coffee. Her eyes, Applejack noticed, were rimmed with red, and her expression was glum and grumpy. It always was in the morning.
“...Hey, Dash,” Applejack said, putting an effort of will behind the words. Rainbow was slow to respond, but she did blink and raise her head, managing a weak smile. “You can go back to bed if ya want. I know I give ya hassle, but I don't mean nothin' by it. If ya need to sleep in, it's alright--”
“I don't,” said Rainbow shortly. She shrugged and shook her head. “I don't.”
Applejack just stared at her. Rainbow never was good at lying, least of all to her. She hated mornings, it was obvious to anyone. It was just as obvious that the only reason she got up this morning was because Applejack did. It made her feel a little guilty.
Rainbow's eyes said that she could hear the thoughts going through Applejack's head. She let out a sigh and turned her eyes down to her mug. There was a long silence.
“I hate coffee,” Rainbow said finally.
“Ya don't say.”
“And yeah, I've never been too fond of mornings, either. Heck, before I met you, I was hardly ever awake to see the sunrise, unless it was because I was out partying all night...”
Applejack let out a breath and raised a hoof. “Then why--”
“That was before I met you,” Rainbow continued. “Since we started dating, mornings are different. They're still a pain in the flank, and they still make me grumpy and tired, I can't help that until the coffee kicks in. But they're something else too.”
A curious frown had made its way onto Applejack's face. “What else?”
“I used to wake up thinking about work, or flight camp, or whatever, and always want to go straight back to sleep.” Rainbow started batting her mug softly between her two hooves. “But now, you know what the first thing on my mind every morning is?”
Applejack said nothing.
“You,” Rainbow confirmed. “If I know I'm gonna be spending time with you, I wake up first thing and can't get back to sleep, no matter how tired I am. Waking up to your voice at five AM might be painful, but if you gave me the choice between two hours of Applejack and two hours of sleep, I'd choose you every time.
“So yeah, I hate coffee. But it wakes me up.” Rainbow lifted the mug again and smiled over it at Applejack. “And I'll take a little bitterness if it means I get to spend more time awake with you.”
Apple Bloom shrugged her shoulders free of a light dusting of snow and resumed peering through her binoculars at a distant hill, atop which sat a tall apple tree and a lone, orange pony. The same orange pony that had been staring at the base of the tree, unmoving, for over half an hour. In the dead of winter.
"How long are we gonna wait here, Apple Bloom?" asked Scootaloo with an exasperated sigh. "I'm bored!"
Apple Bloom lowered her binoculars and frowned at her friend. "Oh, come on Scootaloo, just a little longer. She's gotta do somethin' soon."
"I'm with Scootaloo on this one," said Sweetie Belle. "'Cutie Mark Crusaders Spy Masters' isn't nearly as fun as I thought it'd be." She rubbed her hooves together for warmth, barely keeping her teeth from chattering. "I didn't think t–there'd be so much... waiting."
"Please, girls? Applejack doesn't just sneak out of the house and not tell anypony." Apple Bloom returned to looking at her sister. "I'm tellin' ya, somethin's goin' on."
"Fine," chorused the other two Crusaders.
"But if she doesn't do something soon, I'm outta here," continued Scootaloo. "I want to have fun on my winter break; this isn't fun."
As if on cue, Applejack looked up at the sky and Apple Bloom followed her eyes with her binoculars until Rainbow Dash came into view. Apple Bloom watched as Rainbow Dash landed next to Applejack and the two appeared to exchange words briefly. She opened her mouth to alert her friends, only to have her words catch in her throat.
Rainbow Dash had wrapped her hooves and a wing tightly around Applejack, stroking her back as she... cried?
Applejack's cryin'? Apple Bloom's mouth fell agape as she watched her sister sob into Rainbow Dash's shoulder. Her ears flattened and she bit the edge of her lip as her heart sank. She set down the binoculars. Applejack never cries.
An orange hoof in front of her face startled Apple Bloom out of her thoughts.
"Hey, Apple Bloom!" Scootaloo stepped in front of her friend. "You okay?"
"Oh, uh, yeah, it's uh... nothin'!" Apple Bloom forced a smile and packed away her binoculars. "You were right. This whole spyin' thing really ain't any fun." She stood up and cast a glance back at the hill before shaking her head. "Come on, girls, let's go try somethin' else."
The three would-be spies trotted away, discussing the next cool thing they'd do that day.
The wind howled through the trees, whipping at Rainbow's mane as she forced one hoof in front of the other, battling forwards. She grit her teeth. She enjoyed pretty much every kind of weather. Sun was always a blast. She liked going swimming and diving and having a good time. Snow was cool too. It was maybe her favourite type of weather.
But then there was wind. Not just any wind: gales. She'd be sent a stern letter a week in advance and that was it. No flying for every pegasus in Ponyville. Day officially ruined.
Her hooves ached as she climbed up the hill, the third on her way out of Ponyville. It wouldn't even be so bad, she thought, if she could just stay at home, maybe enjoy a book? Ponies did that, and they found ways to have fun. If they could do it, well, so could Rainbow.
But no. No staying inside for this mare.
After what felt like hours of climbing, she finally reached the top of the hill. Her primaries were plastered to her sides, as safe as they could possibly get from the wind. She breathed a sigh of relief. It was all downhill from here.
And if it hadn't been raining so much, it might have even been easy.
Rainbow's hooves slipped on the grimy, wet earthen path. She wobbled, keeping herself steady. A sudden gust of wind knocked her to the left, and she instinctively spread her wings for balance. A mistake she'd regret.
The wind caught her wings and pulled her up. Her hooves flailed at the muddy ground to no avail and she was propelled forwards like a sailboat caught in a hurricane. She let out a panicked, and very girlish, shriek.
"And then... and then..." Rainbow stammered, her teeth chattering from the cold, "I fell straight into y-your water-bucket-thing..."
Applejack threw another towel onto the soaked and freezing pegasus. "Just hold up one minute," she said. "I got warm cider 'round here somewhere..."
Rainbow clasped the towel between her hooves and wrapped herself as tightly as she could. "Y-you don't think you could make your f-farm a bit easier to get to?" she asked. "The trip takes me forever when I c-can't fly."
Applejack returned from the kitchen with a mug of steaming liquid. Rainbow's nostrils twitched. It smelled spicy, and most importantly, warm.
"You could just not come over for a few days 'til the weather clears itself up," Applejack replied as Rainbow gulped the cider down.
"Or maybe that's a d-dumb idea," she countered. "If I don't m-make it up here, who will?" she asked. Applejack shook her head.
"Well, ain't no arguin' there," she said. "So, now that you're here, what d'you want to do?"
Rainbow continued shivering. Water was even dripping from her nose. The trough had really done a number on her: one of the many trials that came with early spring. "Get another towel," she said. Applejack smiled.
"I got one better," she replied, and rested her hoof and head against Rainbow's ice-cold body. "Careful not to drip on my hat, though."
"Th-thanks," Rainbow stuttered, feeling the warmth of her partner spread across her coat. She was still damp, but at least she was a little warmer.
The sound of four, magical strings wafted on the warm air, intermingling with the pops and crackles of the lit fireplace. The new record album scratched ever-so-softly as the gentle music drifted through the room. The quick snap of a struck match proved the only other interruption as the slow, soothing melody set the mood amongst the draperies of romantic scarlets and burgundies of the hotel room.
Rainbow finished lighting the last of the candles and smirked proudly, turning to admire her work. More candles flickered by the rose petal-covered bed, and steam wafted out of the bathroom, giving the entire room a warm glow.
Applejack smirked on the sofa nearby, her blond tail twitching against the cushion.
"And now..." the pegasus said with a grin. She turned to the door and let loose a shrill whistle.
The door to the suite opened, and in marched a butler pony, pushing a cart covered in silver platters. He exited as quietly as he had come, shutting the door softly behind him.
Applejack arched her brow as Rainbow fluttered across the room and lifted a chromed lid.
"As you can see, we're moving on to the applesauce course of the meal," boasted the uniformed mare. She took a hold of a shaker and poured a fine, tan powder over the blob. "The apples used here are one of my suggestions," she said with a grin. "I specifically ordered that this applesauce be made by only the very best apples in all of Equestria. If you've ever heard of a little place called Sweet Apple Acres..."
Rainbow's brand new wife winked. "Wow. You don't go for the cheap stuff do ya, darlin'?"
"Well I am a lot of stuff, AJ -- awesome being the main thing -- but cheap is something I'm not."
Applejack chuckled.
"And if that's not enough to make you totally swoon for me?" Rainbow picked up the small bowl she had just dusted and set it down in front of her wife. "Pure cinnamon, harvested straight from the Cinna-whinny Valley." She struck a proud pose as she placed a cinnamon straw in the goop. "Only the best for you."
Applejack's eyes widened and her cheeks took on a rosy shade as she smirked at her betrothed. "Hoo-ey," she said, fanning herself. "Did it just get toasty in here?"
The pegasus grinned and pounced on her wife. "Yeah, well... it's gonna get even hotter in a minute."
Applejack chuckled that magical chuckle of hers, rolling onto her back beneath her mate's alluring gaze. "You went through all this trouble just to go and impress me?"
Rainbow bit a grin. "Yeah."
Her mate stared at her with warm, welcoming bedroom eyes and leaned forward to nuzzle noses with her. "M'kay. It's workin'."
"In that case," she said, puffing out her chest, "I'd also like to point out that not only was I the youngest Wonderbolt to ever make the team. I'm also the most requests for interviews since Spitfire joined, I'm the hottest thing on four legs on seven flying sports magazine covers, and I have a book deal. And, by the way, Daring Do said she wanted to come personally congratulate me and do my autobio-thingie." She paused. "I still don't know why her, but back to me and me being awesome...!"
"Okay, darlin', it's startin' to sound less like you 'impressin'' me so much as you just tootin' your own horn," she said with a scowl, reaching for her applesauce.
Rainbow reached over with her wing and scooted the dish just out of reach, mating her her eyes with her wife's.
"Who's your favorite Wonderbolt?" she purred deeply.
Applejack bit back a smile and nuzzled her wife's barrel. "You are," she cooed flightily.
Rainbow's wing's popped. "Buckin' right, I am," she said with a wink and leaned in for a kiss.
"Oh!" Applejack turned her cheek to it. "I almost forgot!"
The earth pony wriggled out from beneath her wife, extracting a squeak of protest. "Buh... but!"
Applejack paused by the door to the bathroom, grabbing her saddlebags and tossing her blonde mane to look at her mate. "I'm gonna slip into somethin' a little more cozy-like. I won't be long."
Rainbow blinked in confusion as the door shut, and looked at her sauce-covered wingtip. Scooping up Applejack's applesauce, she took a liberal slurp, devouring about half of it by the time the front door rang out with a soft knocking.
Who the hay...?
With a quick flap of her wings, Rainbow glided to the threshold and twisted the doorknob. "Yeah?"
The well-dressed butler pony stood straight. "Forgive me, madam."
Rainbow scowled at the sight of the servant. "I thought you and me were on the same page when we checked in and I said I didn't want any interruptions tonight, dude."
"Yes, madam. I apologize, but Captain Spitfire said--"
Rainbow blinked. "Spits wants to talk?"
"Yes, madam."
The pegasus sighed and nodded at the unicorn. "What is it? Ten o'clock?"
"Ten thirty-eight, madam."
"Yeah..." Rainbow smirked. "Jeeves, you look like you've got a little party left in you. Wouldn't you rather be out having the time of your life with some hot little rump right now?"
The butler smiled. "Yes, madam. But I was assigned to you instead this evening."
"Ew... smells like burn..." She peered around the corner. "Spits!"
The butler ducked out of the way, and Spitfire trotted into view, her eyes sweeping the room. "Hey, newbie! Sweet digs!"
"Yeah, thanks."
"Hope I'm not walkin' in on anything."
Rainbow quirked her brow. "Nah. What the hay would ever make you think that?"
The Captain paused and glimpsed around the room. The candles. The burgundies. The fireplace. The music. The applesauce platters.
"Whoa. Somepony's got plans tonight," she said with the hint of a blush.
"Yeah, and none of 'em involve you, so instead of interrupting me at an even worse time, would you make it quick?" Rainbow asked urgently.
"Oh, right! Sure!" Spitfire cleared her throat. "I was just gonna swing by and give you a congratulations... and to let you know that you might be flying center of the formation for the next few shows."
Rainbow gaped. "Me? C-center?"
"Well, I talked it over with Fleetfoot, Soarin' and Fireball, and we thought it might be a good idea to ride your popularity for a little bit. Put you center stage and on all the autograph lines, at least until you made your bones with us."
"I'll do it!" Rainbow squeaked excitedly.
Spitfire arched her brow and smirked. "Yeah, figured you might." She shook her head. "Look--"
"Is there anything I need to know before the next show?!"
"Well, actually that was part of what I wanted to talk to you about. Tomorrow morning at breakfast, I wanted to--"
"Hello, Captain Rainbow Dash~!" a buttery-smooth voice wafted in.
Spitfire and Rainbow immediately turned towards the source to find Applejack standing and leaning on two legs against the steam-shrouded bathroom threshold. She wore a fur-tight Wonderbolt uniform. Her golden mane hung loose, clingy in the humidity, and the bathroom light glistened off her rippling muscles.
She froze on sight.
"N-nice job on that uniform, Applejack," the Captain croaked, her cheeks turning scarlet.
The earth pony shrank and crossed her legs tightly. "Ah, hayseed..."
Rainbow exploded into nervous laughter. "Y-yeah, uhhh... check it out, AJ! Spits stopped by to say hi and stuff!"
"Hi... and... stuff..." the Captain droned, eyes as wide as before.
"Eyes on me, Spits," Rainbow Dash snarled.
Spitfire cleared her throat quickly and turned back to her junior. "U-uhhh... so, yeah, we'll... like, talk about it in the morning... over breakfast... and stuff..."
"Yeah. Let's do that..."
"Yyyyyeah..." The Captain paused at the door. "Is that Octavia Philharmonica's new album?"
"Uh huh."
"You animal, you!"
"OUT."
Spitfire snickered and was gone.
Rainbow quickly snatched the Do Not Disturb sign off the back of the door and hung it before slamming it shut. With a twist of the lock, she turned and eyed Applejack with a sultry stare. "Now... where were we, recruit?"
Changeling drones tore up the slope of the lonely hill upon which Rainbow Dash and Applejack stood, fighting for their lives. Lightning tore from the stormy sky, and rain battered down on the two heroes, matting their coats and muddying the ground beneath them. The sounds of vicious battle echoed from all around.
Rainbow hung behind Applejack, clutching her left forehoof and wing to her side, where they'd taken a severe hit from a pair of claws. There was no way she was going to be able to use them again any time soon, so she fought with a wooden spear that she held in her teeth, backing Applejack up.
Applejack bucked a drone straight in the nose, then shoulder-barged another one, sending them both tumbling down the hill. One came up on her flank, but Rainbow struck it with the spear and held it back, long enough for Applejack to turn and knock it out with a headbutt.
“Too many!” Applejack screamed over the din of battle. She stepped forward and plain pushed two more drones down the slippery hill. “We've gotta get back to the others!”
Rainbow stabbed her spear at another drone, but it was too quick – moving to one side and biting down on the end. Growling around it, Rainbow twisted with all her might and launched the drone off the edge. Her spear split down the middle, and she spat it out to cry negative to Applejack. “I can't run on this hoof, I'd never make it.”
“Then I'll carry you.”
“No chance,” said Rainbow. A drone came for her, and she span to throw out her hinglegs at it. The hit connected, but threw her off balance and sent her tumbling to the ground. Applejack helped her up. Rainbow shrugged her off and shook her head. “I'd slow you down too much, they'd catch up and overrun us.” She looked Applejack in the eye. “You've gotta go without me. Find the others, I'll cover your back.”
Applejack shook her head viciously, but a drone latched onto her back before she could reply. With a snarl, she started bucking it off. “I ain't quittin' you!”
She threw it off into the night, and then there was an eerie sort of quiet. Not complete silence, but there was a definite break in the fighting. Lightning flashed, lighting up the hordes of drones at the base of the hill – waiting, regrouping. They were surrounded.
Rainbow gave Applejack a pleading look. Applejack just shook her head again, a gentle smile on her face. “I ain't quittin' you,” she said quietly.
Rainbow blinked a tear of liquid pride from her eye and returned the smile. “I ain't quitting you either, partner.” She turned her eyes over the battlefield once more, then returned her gaze to Applejack. “Looks like this could be it.”
“Does at that,” said Applejack, nodding.
“I'm glad you're here with me, AJ. Here at the very end.”
“No place I'd rather be, Sugarcube.”
As enemies broke their silence and began tearing up the slopes, Rainbow and Applejack leant in and shared a passionate last kiss – their love burning ever valiant, even in the face of darkness.
Twilight Sparkle lowered the board game screen in front of her and glanced at Applejack and Rainbow. Sure enough, the two of them were locked in an impassioned tongue-wrestling match. Twilight raised a brow and Rarity, Pinkie and Fluttershy, who all mirrored the gesture to one degree or another.
“This is the last time I invite those two to Oubliettes and Obelisks...”
Applejack bit her lip. The door, made of painted oak, loomed in front of her. Never before had her own house seemed so intimidating. She let out a long sigh, calming her nerves. It's fine. She won't mind. She's a reasonable adult. Applejack swallowed. Most of the time.
She turned the handle and gave the door a gentle push. She felt it should have creaked and groaned as it swung open, but it didn't. It was utterly silent.
And beyond lay Rainbow Dash, sprawled on the bed, a book between her hooves. Her eyes flickered towards Applejack as the farmpony trotted inside, distracting her from her reading. "Hey there," she cooed seductively, folding the page of her book. Applejack removed her hat, the very picture of awkwardness.
"Not right... not right now, sugarcube," she said. Rainbow tilted her head for a second and closed her book. "I wanted to talk to you. 'Bout the, uh..."
"The engagement?" guessed Rainbow, narrowing her eyes. Applejack nodded.
"Um, yeah." She took a deep breath. "You know the farm has been doin' well lately, and we've been makin' barrels of money..." she babbled. Rainbow nodded.
"Yeah..."
"And I'm the legal owner of all this... money?"
"Yeah..."
"Well, it's... not that I don't trust you or nuthin'..."
"Yeah..."
Applejack hesitated. "I'd... like a prenup," Applejack blurted, wincing all the while. Please don't be mad, please don't be mad...
Rainbow let out a long, relieved sigh. "Aw, great! I was so worried you'd get angry when I asked."
Applejack paused. Rainbow rolled over onto her hooves.
"What?"
"So, when do we do this? Tomorrow? You know a guy who can make this work? 'Cause I don't know a guy."
Applejack waved her hoof, confused. "Hold your horses. You want a prenup too?"
Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, totally."
Applejack frowned. "Why?"
Rainbow swallowed. "Well, 'cause I have money. Um, lots," she answered.
"When?" Applejack asked, confused as ever. "You've never... uh..." She hesitated, realizing she was delving into uncomfortable territory. "You've never acted like you did."
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Well, I my dad is the archduke of Cloudsd—" she began, before clamping her hoof over her mouth. "I mean, uh, I don't know where the money came from!"
Applejack blinked. "Did ya'll just say what I think you said?"
"No!"
"You were about to say your pa was the archduke of Cloudsdale, weren't you?"
Rainbow looked sheepish. "Uh... yeah." Her wings flared. "But... I'm still Rainbow Dash! I don't want you to think I'm, like, royalty or something!" Her ears flattened against her head. "That's be the opposite of cool."
Applejack remained still, her mouth open. "But ya'll are royalty, ain't you?"
"Um... technically..."
Applejack ran her hoof through her mane. Rainbow peered at her, becoming more concerned as the silence dragged on. "Um... are you mad I'm secretly, uh... nobility?"
"I'm mad ya'll didn't tell me!" Applejack exploded. "Why wouldn't you trust me with something like that?"
"Well... it was never important..."
"Rainbow, we're gettin' married," Applejack said. "And I'm just learning this now? Why?"
Rainbow hung her head. "'Cause I always wanted to be... a pony first, and heiress to Cloudsdale second," she said. At 'heiress to Cloudsdale', Applejack's head swam. "I never earned the title, and I never wanted it to mess with my life until I was ready."
"And I have to learn now?" Applejack asked. "Now, of all times?"
Rainbow sat, her ears folded back and her wings clamped against her sides. She looked the very image of submission. "I'm... sorry?"
Applejack looked at her. She looked for all the world like the same pegasus she had met so many years ago, upset at having done something wrong. She reminded Applejack of a puppy caught chewing on the pillows. A hint of a smile played Applejack's face. Rainbow was exactly the same as she always was.
"It's fine, sugar," Applejack told her extending her hoof towards Rainbow. "I was just taken by surprise is all." Rainbow took Applejack's hoof and was pulled in towards her. Applejack smiled as she trapped Rainbow in a soft, quiet hug. "Ain't no reason to be upset."
There they stayed, Rainbow's heart set aflutter by her near-fight with Applejack. "Sorry I didn't tell you. It was just..."
"Never important," Applejack replied. "I know."
Rainbow nodded, finally smiling again.
"Um... we're still getting the prenup, though, right?" she asked.
Applejack stopped reading and glared at me. "Not right now, Rainbow."
"Oh come ooooon, Applejack!" I matched her glare right back. "What's with you?" My heart pounded as I slowly managed to hover closer to her—almost close enough to steal her book away. The book she was, for some reason, determined to keep out of my hooves. I'd only managed to see the cover. Not that it helped any, seeing as it had nothing on it. What kind of book has a blank cover, anyway?
"For the last time, Rainbow Dash: would ya just leave me be?" Applejack got up, snapped her book closed, and started trotting away from me. Again.
Horseapples.
I followed her, of course. "At least tell me what you're reading."
She only shook her head in response, this time heading up the stairs. First it was the kitchen, then the basement, then the living room...
"Please?" I asked, almost begging.
Applejack paused mid-stride and her shoulders slumped as she heaved a sigh. The kind of sigh that I know means I messed up. "Rainbow Dash?"
She didn't even turn around to look at me.
I frowned. Applejack never does that unless I really did something wrong.
"Sugarcube, I know ya mean well—I really do—"
Phew. Maybe I didn't mess up as bad as I thought.
"—But can we please not do this today?" After a moment, she set the book down and turned around, looking me in the eye.
I cocked my head at her, nonplussed. "Do what today?"
Applejack looked as if she was going to yell at me, but suddenly changed her mind. "Ya know what?"
"What?" Would she finally let me see the stupid book already? I've gotta admit, it was about time. Whatever it is, it must be good.
A pair of lips met my own for barely a second before they'd retreated. I almost leaned in for another taste, but Applejack apparently had other plans.
"I think..." A momentary look of hesitation crossed Applejack's face. "I think I'm ready to tell you... 'bout what's goin' on." She smiled softly, picked up her book, and motioned for me to follow her upstairs.
“You know I like a hug as much as the next girl – 'specially one from you – but ponies are startin' to look.”
Rainbow shook her head, then nuzzled further into Applejack's mane, eyes closed. “I don't care,” she said.
Applejack curled her lip and turned her eyes down to Rainbow's back. She patted it awkwardly. “Everythin' okay, Sugarcube?”
“Just about perfect,” said Rainbow.
“Because you're actin' kinda strange. You didn't break somethin' at home, did ya?”
“Not this time,” said Rainbow, and Applejack heard the smile in her voice. “I just realised something today.”
“Oh? What'd you realise?”
Rainbow shuffled and squeezed Applejack a little tighter. “How much I love you,” she said. “How much I think about you, and how much I miss you when you're gone.”
Applejack found a smile again and hugged Rainbow back. “Aw, RD. I ain't goin' nowhere anytime soon.”
“I know that,” said Rainbow. “I just... wanna make sure.”
Applejack opened her mouth to tell her that didn't make much sense, or to promise that she wouldn't run away if Rainbow let go of her. But something about the honesty of the words, or the gentle desperation of the touch, made her hesitate. It wasn't like Rainbow to act like this, and it felt so out of the blue, but to Rainbow, it probably made sense. And if it made sense to her, then that was enough for Applejack.
So she closed her mouth, then her eyes, and just smiled. “...Okay,” she said.
"Geez, AJ. Only one round?" Rainbow Dash chuckled and softly nudged her partner awake.
Murmuring in response, Applejack tightened her grip around Rainbow Dash.
"I guess that means I'm the best athlete in Equestria, then."
Applejack snorted. "You wish." She briefly nuzzled under Rainbow's chin and yawned. "Just been a rough day for me is all. Any other day I'd have you beat."
"Dream on, cowgirl." Rainbow smirked and reached up to stroke Applejack's ear, trailing her other hoof down her back.
"Ain't no dream if it's true."
"Guess we'll just have to find out tomorrow."
"Guess we will..." A short silence later, Applejack yawned again and closed her eyes, listening to Rainbow's breathing. She pressed a quick kiss against Rainbow's chest and whispered, "thanks for everythin' today, sugarcube."
“Maybe if you did it real quick, she won’t notice? She don’t exactly look like she’s paying attention.” Applejack relaxed her features a bit upon saying this, realizing that she probably could.
“Yeah, I guess you’re rig-”
“STOP MOVING!”
Applejack and Rainbow’s eyes instantly focused on the weird Prench mare on the other side of the room, who was busy immortalizing them on the canvas, but who also looked very annoyed.
“B-but my nose is itching”
The mare obviously wasn’t impressed with Rainbow’s reason for moving. “Wat iz more importent than art, misss Dash?”
“Uhhhh,” came Dash’s dumbfounded answer.
“Exactly, notzing is more important. Itzing will pass, but art lasts forever.” And with a dramatic flourish, she got back to work.
Dash looked slightly more annoyed than before at this answer. “Well, maybe I would be able to stand still if we could wear something cool. Like a cape.”
“NO, NO CAPES!” the Prench mare suddenly bellowed out the blue, surprising both AJ and Rainbow.
“But-”
“No…. capes.” She said in a tone that left no room for arguing.
“Fiiiiine,” Rainbow said as she directed her eyes back to AJ, with AJ looking back at Dash at nearly the same time, as if it was planned. Dash mused that If she was gonna be stuck here, standing still for hours, she was at least glad that she could look at the loveliest mare in all of Equestria.
“Rainbow!” Applejack protested angrily, pulling her hat down harder on her head. “Knock that off!“
Rainbow Dash laughed from her position up in the air. “No way! This is the best game ever!”
Applejack rolled her eyes. “Rainbow, you're about to take a hoof to the-” She grunted and jumped out of the way as Rainbow buzzed her again, keeping her hat safe only by the thinnest of margins.
Rainbow shook a hoof. “Foiled again!” she proclaimed. “But soon the hat will be mine!”
“You don't even like wearing hats,” Applejack protested, maneuvering under a nearby tree to try and prevent Rainbow from diving.
Rainbow merely lowered herself until she was hovering almost at eye level. “I do when they're awesome hats,” she said.
Applejack cracked a smile. “It is a good hat, sure; but-”
“Oh, no. Not this one. This one I'm just taking because I like getting a rise out of you.”
Applejack's jaw dropped… and Rainbow struck. She flew forward and only Applejack's good luck and quick reflexes kept her hat on her head. As it was, Rainbow skimmed the tree and knocked a few apples down in a shower on Applejack's head.
Applejack scowled and pushed her hat up. “If that's the way it's gotta be,” she grumbled. She looked around for something, anything, to use, and her eyes fell on the rope Mac had left in the cart. A devious smile crossed her face, and she reached for it.
Rainbow Dash had looped around and dove back down once more, but Applejack was ready. Without needing to look down, she tied a familiar knot in the rope. As Rainbow dove for her next attempt, Applejack sidestepped at the last moment and threw her rope.
The lasso caught one of Rainbow's forelegs, and Applejack yanked. Rainbow hit the ground hard, and Applejack scampered up. Muscle memory took over, and she wrapped the rope around her other hoof and pulled it tight.
It wasn't until she had completely bound her forelegs together and reached for a hindleg that she realized what she had done. She froze. “Uh…” she stammered.
Rainbow looked down at her bound hooves, and moved her forelegs, attempting to test the knots. Applejack's work had been tight but not crushingly so. It was quite the strange sensation.
And, strangest of all, it was not unpleasant. She found herself wondering if her wings were spread for more than just balance.
“I- I didn't mean- uh… Here. Lemme get you out of that.”
Rainbow held still as Applejack untied her. She stood up and stretched.
“I'm real sorry about that,” Applejack said, blushing furiously. “Just habit, you know? Didn't mean to be trussing you up like an escaped hog.”
“I- it's fine,” Rainbow said, scratching at the back of her neck. “It wasn't that bad. Really.”
“I'm sorry.”
“Don't be,” Rainbow replied quickly.
Applejack looked up and squinted… and then Rainbow leaned forward and snatched the hat off Applejack's head with her teeth. She flew up just out of range. “Come and get it!” she called.
Applejack scowled. Foolhardy pegasus. Flying up and out of range…
Actually, she seemed to be staying closer now. Flying lower. Within range of her lasso, actually.
Applejack shook her head. “Crazier than a sack of rabid weasels, you are,” she grumbled.
Still, she mused as she reached for her lasso again, who was she to deny Rainbow a simple pleasure?
***
Rainbow pulled again, but Applejack's knots held fast. She looked up at the ground, and then back down at the tree she was suspended from by all four legs. “Applejack?” she called, raising her eyes and looking around the darkened orchard. “I'm… I'm not so sure I like this game anymore. Applejack? Applejack?”
Applejack unrolled the large sheet of glossy paper and began sliding it up the wall. All the while, Rainbow stared at her with fixed, blank eyes.
The Rainbow in the room was watching too, but with more apprehension.
"Are you sure you want it in the bedroom?"
"Sure. Why not?"
"It's just that..." Rainbow began, eyeing the poster, her mouth curling in distaste. Applejack didn't leave her time to finish.
"It's like a picture, ain't it? Like me an' my family. We hang those up on the walls."
"Yes, but..." Rainbow continued, looking back at the poster again. The motionless eyes kept looking at her, the fake grin shining with all the glamour of a page made with far too much glue. "Isn't it... just a bit..."
"Not t'mention, it's the first official Rainbow Dash Wonderbolt poster!" Applejack went on, smoothing out the corners. "I know how much it means to you..."
"Well... yeah, I like having posters of me..."
Applejack took out a couple of pins from a box with her teeth.
"Mmh hmm."
"But don't you already have a Rainbow Dash in here that's just as awesome?" Rainbow said. And is much less creepy to look at, she thought.
"That ain't the point."
"And I can't help but think that it may not be the best representation of me..."
There weren't even any natural creases around the eyes when she smiled. It was like the grin and the eyes were from two separate pictures, stuck together on a big blue puppet.
Applejack hesitated.
"Well, it's just that... well, you're gone an awful lot more these days, what with your new job an' all."
"Yeah?"
"I just wouldn't mind a few pictures to compensate."
Rainbow went quiet for a moment.
"Oh."
"Is that all right?"
Rainbow laid her head on Applejack's withers. "I guess," she said. "But can we maybe put up a picture that doesn't make me look like I eat foals for breakfast?"
“Well, could you at least move your elbow? It's lodged in my stomach.”
“If ya don't like it, then quit. Get off my back.”
“Never! Pinkie, spin the thing!”
“Yessir!”
Rainbow strained her neck trying to look over at Pinkie. Or anywhere but at Applejack's butt. While the two of them were struggling to hold their awkward position on the mat, Pinkie was manning the spinner, and Rarity was staring at them in amazement, having forgotten the nail brush she still held in her hand.
“Left foot, green!” Pinkie declared.
“Easy,” said Rainbow, effortlessly shifting her foot from a blue spot to the adjacent green one.
“Applejack... right hand, blue!”
After a moment of struggling, Applejack moved her elbow from Rainbow's stomach. “Done.”
“Yay! Rainbow Dash... right knee, green!”
Rainbow cringed. She took her time to think about it, but there was just no way. In the end, she managed to get her knee half way there, wobbled, and collapsed. As she fell, she knocked her partner off balance, and Applejack fell on top of her.
Rainbow groaned, Pinkie cheered, “Applejack wins!” and Rarity went back to painting her nails, pretending that she hadn't been watching intently for the past however long it'd been.
Applejack rolled off to one side, giving Rainbow room to breathe. “Think that's game, Sugarcube. And no, I ain't goin' best of five. I'm beat.”
Rainbow sat up, rubbing her stiff neck. “Yeah, alright, you win. This time.”
Pinkie clapped excitedly. “Yay, Applejack! How long was it that time, Rarity?”
Rarity didn't look up from painting her nails. “Oh, about twenty minutes after you and I were out.”
“No way!” said Pinkie. “How are you guys so good at this?”
Rainbow shrugged. “We've had practise,” she said, without thinking.
Pinkie cocked her head to one side. Now Rarity looked up, attention perked. “Have you, now? I thought you said you hadn't played Twister in ages.”
Rainbow's eyes glazed over. “We... haven't.”
“But you just said you've had practise, darling.”
Rainbow exchanged a glance with Applejack, who was throwing a panicked look her way. Her face heated up. “Uh, yeah, I meant we haven't played it with you guys. We've practised privately--”
“Separately,” said Applejack hastily. “We both practise privately, on our own. Not together.”
Rarity blinked and deadpanned, “So, you each practise playing Twister, alone, with no other players.”
“That's right,” said Rainbow. “I mean, obviously! Duh. If it was the two of us together then that'd be weird. Yeah we don't do that right AJ?”
“'Course not.”
Rarity and Pinkie stared blankly for a very long moment. A bead of sweat rolled down Rainbow's forehead.
Then Pinkie broke into a grin. “That's brilliant! I am so finding time for a regular private Twister practise session. You guys better be ready next time, 'cause I will be!”
“Heh, great,” said Rainbow, pretending to scratch her head and hiding her face. A long silence followed.
“So, uh, I think that's enough Twister for tonight,” said Applejack. She got to her feet and stretched. “I'm gonna go make a sandwich. Anyone want one?”
“Oh, make me one!” said Pinkie.
Sensing an opportunity to get out of the room, Rainbow got to her feet. “I'll help.”
“Suits me,” said Applejack. As they both crossed out of earshot and into the kitchen, Applejack let out a breath and bumped Rainbow on the arm. “Dodged a bullet there.”
“You said it.”
Back in the living room, Rarity sighed. “Do you think those two are ever going to come out to us?”
“I give 'em two more weeks before they crack,” said Pinkie sagely.
"Hey, great flying today, Rainbow Dash!" chirped the friendly voice of another adoring fan at the rope line.
"Thanks..."
"Please, please! Could I have your hoofprint for my sister?! She's your biggest fan in the whole wide world of Equestria!"
"Sure thing, kid..."
"Do you have any advice for somepony who wants to be in the Wonderbolts?!"
"Uhh... just keep at it, y'know? You'll make it."
Such questions weren't uncommon as she made her way out of the arena to her golden pegasus-drawn carriage. A few dozen camera flashes and a few dozen hoofsteps that took entirely too long later, she rapped a couple times with her hoof on the front rail and waved to the crowd before the pair of Royal Guards took to the sky with them.
"So... good flyin' like always, Newbie," the team captain said, slapping her on the back.
Rainbow spared a glance at Spitfire and nodded.
"Yeah. Thanks."
"Girl, I tell ya, I've never seen a turnout like that before. Never heard a crowd that could deafen me in the middle of a routine either," she said, leaning back and sipping on a glass of sparkling apple cider.
The drink label looked all too familiar.
"Yeah... pretty cool," she muttered.
Rainbow leaned against the side of the carriage and gazed down at the glitzy, sprawling metropolis of Manehattan far below, set beneath the gleaming sunset sky off in the distance. The hairs on the back of her neck tingled, and she knew that Spitfire was staring at her.
"And how 'bout that rope line, huh? Might need to hire more security for our next show if the fan base keeps growin' like it is."
Rainbow did her best to ignore the aroma of the cider tickling her nose. She failed.
"Yeah..." she sighed, closing her eyes.
There was silence for a moment, and Rainbow felt her hackles stand on end with the imminent discussion.
"Y'know, Rainbow Dash... if there's somethin' bugging you, you can always—"
"Mm'fine, Spits."
Her sharp tone apparently caught her captain off-guard, as she had a few more precious moments of silence. Then...
"All I'm saying is that... if there's anything you wanna talk about—"
"There isn't."
"If there's anything you wanna talk about..." Spitfire cut in, "... then we're a team and we're here to help you, y'know? Me, Soarin, Fleetfoot, Rapid Fire... you can talk to any one of us if you need to." A gentle but firm hoof landed on her withers, brushing up and down between her wings.
Her fur bristled. She hated the way it felt.
Taking a calming breath, Rainbow looked at her and said, "I'm fine, Captain. Just a little off my game, that's all..."
"Your game wasn't the only thing that was off, kid." Spitfire was quiet, seemingly selecting her words carefully. "It's your distance from everypony that I don't get."
Dash turned away and pondered her reflection in a passing skyscraper.
"It's my personal life, Spits. It's none of your business, so butt out of it."
Heat flared up on her left, and Rainbow winced at the earful she knew she was about to receive.
"Newbie... it becomes my business when it's affecting how you work with the rest of the squadron. It becomes my business when you're acting like a royal ass to your commanding officer to her face. And it sure as hay becomes my business when I don't even know you anymore!"
A yank on Rainbow's wing joint caused her to wince, and Spitfire angrily spun her in her seat.
"We're talking about this and settling it right now," she hissed in Dash's face before releasing her hold on her. "'Cause I don't know if I can take another three months of you showing your flank like this."
Rainbow Dash leveled her gaze with Spitfire's and the two shared a long, tense silence. She turned away and slumped in her seat, staring ahead, at everything and at nothing.
The atmosphere soothed slightly, and there was nothing but the breeze and the distant bustle of the city far below at first.
“Come on, Rainbow Dash… level with me,” Spitfire said softly. “I thought I was your friend.”
All the tension in Dash released at once, and she deflated, sitting back against her seat. “Yeah… I'm sorry, Spits. I've been a real pain in the rump lately...”
“And it ain't like you,” her captain agreed, brow smoothing over.
“Yeah...”
Silence.
“It wasn't Ocean Wind, was it?”
“Huh?”
“That girl you met at that bar a couple weeks ago. Did that go sour or somethin'? Was she just another one of those money-grubber types?”
“No, no… she… she was great,” Rainbow interrupted quickly, burying her face in her hoof with a sigh.
Ocean Wind had been one of a string of mares she'd dated over the past several months. She'd been nice. A little quiet. Not too interesting. She'd been one of the flower-picker tree-hugging types. Not exactly fifth-date material.
At least that'd gone better than Firebrand – a few ciders too many in that girl and no bedroom was close enough for her…
Rainbow looked at Spitfire. “She just… wasn't the one, y'know?”
“Hmmm… no fun? Too quiet?”
“Nah… just not… right, y'know?”
“Any reason why?”
Rainbow slouched and looked westward, past the glassy towers and shimmering spires towards darker, simpler lands beyond. Off in the distance she could see the occasional light flickering, and she couldn't help but wonder if one of them was her bedroom window…
“She just wasn't the one...”
Rainbow Dash had dated movie stars, fans, fellow celebrities, athletes, and even had a drunken one-night stand with a politician in there somewhere. All had had their own special something, but there was still one problem.
“Dash?”
Rainbow looked ahead as the pegasus carriage descended, sliding to a landing on the street and coming to a halt in front of their hotel. “She just didn't make me feel like… like I had somepony to show off for...” she muttered, pushing herself up out of her seat.
“Where you headed?” Spitfire asked after her. “You look beat. Shouldn't you rest up for our show tomorrow? It's another sold-out. You'll wanna be at your best.”
She slumped, looking at the ground. “Sure… if you say so...” she said, trotting off towards the park.
“Newbie.”
Rainbow stopped and looked at her captain.
“You know, right? You know you have ponies you can talk to about anything...”
She turned away and sighed, continuing to walk.
“Not about this...”
***
Rainbow's walks were always lonely. She could be distracted from it so long as she had some hot piece of rump under her wing, nuzzling her and telling her how great she was and how great it was to be with her.
Everypony knew she was an awesome flier. She'd established that the second she'd been admitted to the Wonderbolts. She'd made it obvious when sixteen different rags called her the best flier to ever perform in the modern era.
She took the photos. She went to the dinners and dances. She hobnobbed, dated the ponies too good for anypony else, got mixed up in the controversies and stayed out late doing things she never remembered doing the next morning. She had all the fame and fortune she could ever want, and could pretty much buy anything short of a magical horn and the throne that came with it.
And all of it rang empty.
Every fan that fawned at her hooves failed to make her heart tick with joy and excitement. Every one was a little slap in the face reminder.
In truth, all the fans in the world couldn't placate Rainbow's empty hunger. Every face she passed by in the park lit up as they recognized her, bouncing in excitement just to catch a glimpse of the Wonderbolts' latest rock star. A number of tourists took pictures, and continued only to further confirm what she already knew.
Then they were gone again, passing away like shadows in a light, like they never even existed in the first place, and Dash knew that she would likely never see them again.
It had been great the first few months. Signing Vinyl Scratch's new platinum album had been neat at the time, and she never lacked for ponies to hang out with. Spitfire and the gang were cool, and all the mares she had dated up to that point had been… well, interesting at least.
But like the parties, the energy she got from them faded too, until she was just as alone as the day she read that letter that Applejack had left her.
At first, she had wanted to be angry. Her entire paycheck, in fact, from that show, had been spent on repairing the hotel room she had thoroughly demolished.
Then she read it again, more carefully this time, and not blinded by the seething rage of being broken up with via letter.
Then she'd tried to read it once more with shaky hooves and hot pouring tears.
Applejack had been clear about it. She simply couldn't maintain the lifestyle of following somepony all across Equestria who never went home. She had a home, family, and friends to attend to, not to mention the farm itself.
Rainbow Dash hated knowing she had no right to complain.
Applejack had been within her right, and it hurt. Because now, whenever she looked down at the stadium, whenever her eyes glazed over the teeming masses far below, she knew she wouldn't see an orange and yellow speck yee-hawing and cheering her heart and soul out for her. She wouldn't see the one pony in all the world that she had to impress above anypony else – the one pony in all of Equestria who could not even try, and still be every bit as awesome as she was at her peak.
She wouldn’t see the one reason in all of Equestria for her to push her skills that extra one percent.
Dash found a dark bench beneath a burned-out streetlamp and draped herself across it, closing her and pushing away sight and sound in favor of memory.
She remembered their first date at the sandwich shop.
It hadn't been the five-star meals that she had grown used to. It hadn't been being waited on hoof one and two. They hadn't gotten into the theater with complimentary backstage access simply for gracing their establishment with her presence.
But it had been the most awesome that Rainbow Dash had ever felt when Applejack had finally broken down and said yes, because at last, she had accomplished something that mattered.
She thought when she became a Wonderbolt, it would have been more of the same. Everypony had been happy for her. Pinkie had thrown the most epic party in the history of partydom. Princesses Celestia, Luna, and even Cadence had made the trip to wish her congratulations. The entire town showed up to see her and Applejack off with cheers and thunderous applause and well wishes.
For months, it had worked. Applejack even got involved during training exercises, keeping time and bringing her drinks. Massages had a way of becoming really fun after shows.
She had returned to her hotel suite one night to a letter. And in that letter, had been Applejack's goodbye. In it, she had learned that Apple Bloom and her friends had received their cutie marks. In it, she learned that Granny Smith had passed away, and that Big Mac and Cheerilee were engaged.
And in it, Applejack had told her how she wasn't angry – she had been happy, in fact, living Rainbow's dream with her, and she wanted her to keep living it. But AJ… she couldn't keep being a part of it.
Rainbow reached into her chest pocket and took out the engagement earring she had bought for her that very night, opened the case, and looked over the apple-shaped rainbow-tinted diamond inside.
She had cried. For weeks, Rainbow Dash had been a locked-up mess in her room. There had even been talk about whether she was quitting the team, and rumors amongst the gossip columns about who the next mare in Rainbow's life would be.
She had tried to answer that question far more times than she cared admit over all these months.
But in truth, there was no new mare in Rainbow's life.
The earring still glinted. There was nothing to tarnish it except for the pain and the anguish that it yet continued to represent.
Her eyes caught focus just past the earring itself. Across the way was a small, lit phone booth.
She looked at the gem once more. Her vision blurred, and a painful choke formed in her throat, seizing her breath.
A sigh escaped her, and Rainbow Dash pushed herself to her hooves, crossed the parkway and stepped up to the phone. She fished through her pockets and deposited a bit into the coin slot. She punched in a number with her hoof.
The phone rang. Somepony answered.
“Manehattan Grande. How may I direct your call?”
“Executive Suite, please.”
“May I ask who's calling?”
“Spitfire’s staying there. Tell her Rainbow Dash wants to talk to her.”
“One moment, please.”
Rainbow looked down at the earring and set it down on the shelf, stroking the jewel with her wingtip. It shimmered brilliantly in the park lighting, and she couldn’t help but smile. It was every bit as beautiful as the day she picked it up in the store
There was some noise on the other end of the receiver.
“Rainbow, what the hay? It's... two o'clock in the morning,” her captain moaned into her receiver. “You didn't get hit with another drunken disorderly conduct charge, did you?”
“Spits… listen…”
There was quiet on the other end of the line. Rainbow knew that Spitfire knew that she would only use such a tone if something were seriously wrong.
She sighed. “Look, I don’t know how I’m gonna soften this any, so I guess I’m just gonna say it.” She inhaled. “I… I can’t make it to the show tomorrow.”
Noise on the other end of the line made it apparent her message had had a big impact.
“Rainbow Dash, what are you talking about? What’s wrong? Where are you? I’ll come and get—”
“Spits, listen… I’m fine, okay?” Rainbow swallowed the painful lump in her throat. “I’m just… I’m not gonna be in town tomorrow. I’ve got… I’ve got something that I need to do.”
“What’s ‘something’? Girl, don’t hang up on me, just tell me what’s going on.”
Dash paused, her ruby eyes reflecting the light of a platinum earring she had bought so long ago, and the warmth of a feeling she had so long wished could have died.
She closed her eyes.
“Spits… I quit.” She breathed. “I’m quitting the team.”
“Dash, hold on! What do you mean you’re quitting? You… can’t just quit the team! What the hay are we supposed to do without you tomorrow?! There’ll be fifty-thousand ponies in the stands! They’re gonna want you, Rainbow Dash, and every single one of them’s going to be wondering where the hay you went!”
“So tell ‘em where I went. Tell ‘em…” She bit her lip, trying so desperately hard to stop from sobbing into the receiver. “Tell ‘em I went back to where I always belonged.”
“Rainbow Dash! Wait! Let’s talk about this first!”
“Sorry, captain,” she said softly with a smile, squeezing her eyes shut. “There’s nothing to talk about anymore. I know why I’ve been hurting so much… and I know the only way I can really fix it...”
“Rainbow Dash!”
“Seeya, Spits…”
“Newbie—”
The receiver slapped down onto the phone box, and Rainbow Dash took one last look at her old present. She hoofed it back into her chest pocket, and stepped away from the phone booth.
Then, with a mighty flap of her wings, Rainbow Dash rocketed into the air, tears of a different sort trailing off her face.
With one last look towards the mighty, wealthy, and adoring city, the pegasus flared her wings, peeled away from the skyline, and exploded westward, and on towards newer, better dreams.
Applejack struggled against the rope around her forehooves, tying her upright so that her back hooves barely touched the ground. The 'struggling' was more a matter of professional courtesy than anything – she knew knots well enough to know she wasn't escaping on her own.
“Struggle as much as you like, Applejack,” the Changeling Queen Chrysalis hissed, stepping around her and into the circle of light. “You're mine, now. You'll never escape.”
Applejack snorted and looked around her. Dozens of eyes stared back at her from the darkness of the room, staying just outside the light. “Quite the party you've got here,” she said. “Suppose you're proud of yourself for jumpin' me in a dark alley, fifty against one?”
“As a matter of fact, I am,” said Chrysalis. And she looked it. She was practically glowing with sneering pride. “However it happened, the fact is that I have you now. I have outmanoeuvred the Element of Honesty, and now I can use you to further my plans to take control of all of Equestria!”
Applejack rolled her eyes.
Chrysalis slid closer to her and ran a chitinous hoof under Applejack's chin. “I'm going to move you out of the city, to somewhere your friends will never be able to track and find you.” Chrysalis grinned darkly. “And then I'm going to use you as a hostage, to trap the other Elements of Harmony and--”
“You sure do love talkin' 'bout your grand plans, don't ya?” said Applejack, earning her a glare from the Queen. “Shouldn't bother goin' over the rest of it though. I've been conscious all of five minutes and I've already found a gapin' hole in your plan.”
“Oh?” Chrysalis bared her teeth in a glower as she hissed and stepped back. “And what would that be?”
Applejack smirked. “I had a date tonight.”
Chrysalis' snarl vanished. Her face was blank for a moment – for dramatic effect, Applejack guessed – before she broke into a bout of maniacal laughter. The other changelings in the room followed suit, creating a clamour of distorted sound that made Applejack cringe.
“Oh, I wouldn't worry about that,” said Chrysalis, finally. “You see, I had my best spy mimic your form and take your place. The drone has studied you for months. I've inspected it myself, and it will be impossible to tell from the real thing.”
“Oh yeah?”
There was a crash of metal as someone literally kicked the door in, right on cue. Several drones scampered aside as it flew from its hinges and slammed to the ground. Sunlight burst in through the hole, lighting up the silhouette of a pony in the doorway.
Chrysalis let out a hiss. “What is this?”
“Your guy did pretty good,” came a familiar, cocky voice. “Almost couldn't tell it from the real thing.” The pony strode into the room, and Applejack grinned as Rainbow Dash's smirking face was illuminated. Rainbow nodded over her shoulder, to where a slightly banged up looking copy of Applejack slumped across her back. “Almost.”
“Mah Queen,” the fake slurred. “Ah'm right sorry. Ah failed ya...”
“What?!” Chrysalis looked on in disbelief. “How is this possible?”
Rainbow spat on the ground and shrugged the fake onto the floor, where it stayed. She met Chrysalis' eyes in challenge and snarled, “Applejack never uses that much tongue.”
The Changeling Queen fell to the ground. All the other changelings watched, stunned, as Rainbow Dash stood over her and shook out her hoof, as if the punch had hurt. “That's for kidnapping my marefriend, jerk.” Rainbow turned to Applejack and smiled. “Hey, you.”
“You took your sweet time,” said Applejack. “Enjoyin' your date with the knock-off?”
“Maybe a little.” Rainbow walked over and started working on the knot holding Applejack up. “Had a tough decision to make. You know that drone was prepared to do anything to keep me from going after you?”
“I'll bet,” said Applejack. The knot came undone, and she dropped down onto all fours again. As Rainbow pulled back, Applejack gave her a sly smile. “Wouldn't want you to feel cheated out of the deal. I'll find some way to repay you later.”
Rainbow grinned, just as Chrysalis pushed herself half-way up off the ground and snarled, “G-get them...” before collapsing again.
The drones all hissed at once, lowering themselves into fighting stances. Applejack and Rainbow did the same, and fell in back to back.
“Girls'll be here in about two minutes,” said Rainbow.
“I reckon that's time enough to have some fun with these folks,” said Applejack. “Whaddya say?”
Applejack tilted her head to the side, a frown spreading across her face.
"...and that's why you're here, is it?"
"Yup."
Rainbow gave Applejack a hopeful look. Applejack sighed.
"And now how about we try the real version of things?" she asked. Rainbow would have held up her hooves defensively, but she couldn't.
"What, don't you believe me?"
"RD, there are dozens of things I'd be willin' to believe. You chasin' a giant pony across the mountains and makin' a deal with a fairy ain't one of them."
"So I embellished. So what?"
"There weren't a single shred o' truth in there."
"The ending is pretty much the same. I am here." Rainbow grinned from her upside-down hanging position. "That's a shred."
"So," Applejack went on, "I'm gonna' ask you again. Why're you here?"
"Here, here?"
"Here. On my farm."
"Or here as in, do we have a purpose? Like, are we alive for a reason?"
"Why. Are. You. Here?"
Rainbow shrugged. "I... wanted to say hi?"
Applejack raised an eyebrow.
"Really?"
"Yeah, kinda'. It's been a few days since you visited town." Rainbow shrugged. "Is that believable enough for you?"
"It'll do. What was wrong with just sayin' that?"
"Well, you know how upset you get when you feel your work is getting in the way of having fun?"
"Yeah."
"Exactly."
Applejack sighed. "I suppose I have been a bit distant lately," she said. "And I'm sorry."
"Hey, I'm not angry. Just wanted to make sure you weren't getting lonely."
Applejack smiled. "That's awful sweet." She narrowed her eyes again. "But it still doesn't explain why you're tangled up in ropes in one of my trees."
Applejack stirred, finding herself in that state that is a mixture of awake and not yet awake. She exhaled. It was the middle of the night, and she shouldn't have been up for another three hours at least.
But that was not the case. Instead, she was awake, and she was sweating. She didn't even need to open her eyes to see why; the weight on her stomach was answer enough.
Rainbow Dash had been using her as a pillow again.
During the winter, it was fine. As a pegasus, Rainbow Dash had a slightly higher body temperature than she did, and her warmth was more than welcome on those cold winter nights.
But now it was summer. And it had just started, but it was definitely gearing up to be a scorcher. Even now, windows all across the farmhouse were wide open to catch any semblance of a breeze, the heat rolled off the sandy ground, the trees required a little more water than usual…
And Rainbow Dash was cuddling tightly against her.
Applejack grunted and shifted her hips, not so subtly telling Rainbow that she needed to leave. Really, she'd lost track of how many times she'd had this conversation with her. Applejack was not a pillow. Why was this so hard to understand?
Rainbow rocked, but she did not wake up. Applejack bucked her hips harder, and was rewarded with a slight intake of breath as Rainbow woke up.
But it was not for long; Rainbow merely rolled over and wrapped her hooves around Applejack's hips. Now face down on Applejack, she exhaled… and promptly fell back asleep.
Applejack frowned even as she suppressed a forceful exhale. Now she was uncomfortably warm and had to deal with Rainbow's tickling light breath on her exposed tummy. She shook Rainbow's head with her hoof. “Rainbow,” she called softly, trying to not wake up anypony else in the house.
Rainbow continued sleeping.
“Rainbow,” Applejack tried again, now escalating to poking with the edge of her hoof.
Rainbow's head shifted with every nudge, but she didn't wake up.
“Raaaainnboooow,” Applejack tried, rocking her whole body.
Still Rainbow slept.
“Aw, ponyfeathers.” And Applejack pressed her hooves against the mattress and quite literally launched Rainbow Dash out of the bed.
Rainbow went face first into the floor, but she still didn’t wake up. She stretched out a little and sleepily reached a hoof out, as if trying to find something that had disappeared, but was unsuccessful (as what she sought was currently still on the bed).
Finally, she woke up. She stood up and stretched out her forelegs like a cat, and then straightened up. She looked around, blinked a few times as she reoriented herself, and then her eyes landed on Applejack. Her lips curled up in an almost predatory smile, and she climbed back onto the bed and reached both hooves out for-
“Nope!” Applejack had had enough. She grabbed Rainbow and pushed her back onto the bed. Rainbow looked up, eyebrows furrowing in confusion, but Applejack was determined. “See how you like it,” she grumbled, pushing Rainbow down and dropping her head a bit harder than strictly necessary on Rainbow’s stomach.
Applejack paused. Actually, this wasn’t so bad. Rainbow’s coat here was really soft. As if compelled, she reached a hoof up and gently brushed it against Rainbow’s stomach.
“That's it,” Rainbow said happily. She curled up, contorting her body so her head was on top of Applejack's flank, and promptly fell back asleep.
Applejack was a little bit warm, now, and it certainly didn’t help when Rainbow spread a wing over her.
But for some reason, she couldn’t pull away. In fact, she seemed to be getting sleepy just laying here.
Huh, she thought to herself as her eyes slowly fluttered shut. So that’s why she does it…
Rainbow Dash coughed as she landed. Another shower of sparks and burning embers rained down to her right, missing here narrowly and causing the strangling smoke to billow and obscure her vision further.
The pegasus draped a wing over her mouth, coughing into her own feathery appendage and pressing on further into the blaze.
"Applejack!" she shouted.
A support beam gave way overhead and collapsed, burning to the ground directly in front of her. Rainbow carefully stepped over the fallen wood and ducked lower beneath the soot and smoke, and surged ahead.
"Applejack, where are you?!" she screamed into the groaning building. Somewhere in the burning Apple home, something major snapped, and the entire structure swayed unsteadily, threatening to collapse on her at any moment. Off to her left, she thought she saw Applebloom's bed come crashing through the floorboards separating the upper and lower floors, and shattered on impact.
Rainbow's eyes burned from the hot ash and soot, and tears did little to help.
Then out of the corner of her vision, her ruby eyes picked up movement. There, about ten yards away, trapped beneath a fallen armoire, an orange and yellow form stirred.
"Applejack!" she shrieked, abandoning her caution and bolting through the burning house.
A surge of hot air and flame nearly scorched the pegasus's left wing off as a window somewhere shattered. She skidded to a halt in the cinders next to the fallen furniture and coughed painfully, peering the dense heat.
Applejack stirred, her freckled cheeks wrinkling as she winced in pain beneath the fallen cabinet.
"AJ... are you okay?" Rainbow struggled to wheeze.
"Th-think so..." the farmpony muttered, opening her eyes to flame, ashes and death. She gritted her teeth and tried to move. "Can't move my leg."
Rainbow shot her eyes to her marefriend's back hoof, pinned beneath the partially-collapsed armoire. She bolted around to the opposite side of Applejack, and shoved with all the might she had left. Applejack attempted to stand, but her crushed leg collapsed under her weight, and a pained yelp left her.
"AJ!" Rainbow coughed. "Just hang on! I'm gonna get you outta here!"
The house groaned ominously, and a floor overhead collapsed nearby, blocking Rainbow's exit on-hoof. The two mares became trapped by another burning bed collapsing through the hole from the second floor.
The only way out was up. Applejack looked at her with a knowing smile.
"Sugar," the earth pony rasped, "sugar, it's okay."
"Just hang on," Rainbow grunted, turning back to the crushing cabinet and strained against it again.
"Rainbow..."
"It's alright. I'm gonna get us outta here," she panted, growling as she stepped back to take another charge at the armoire. She grunted against it, then backed up and charged it again. "Come on you stupid thing!" she yelled breathlessly. She turned and bucked it to no avail.
"Sugarcube..." Applejack said, softly stroking Rainbow's fetlock. "It's okay," she said softly with a knowing smile.
Rainbow felt the blood leave her face, and her adrenaline made her hotter than the flames around her.
She wheezed, trying to catch a breath for another attempt to dislodge the stubborn armoire. But Applejack held tight to her hoof, and offered her a reassuring smile.
"Darlin', it's okay," the farmpony voice-cracked. "It's alright now. You've done all you could do and more. But you need to hurry up and leave me before yer stuck in here too."
Rainbow's ears folded flat, and she knew the implications immediately. Applejack's green eyes had become dull and hopeless, and despite her smile, it was only one of contentment or acceptance.
She would die here...
Rainbow collapsed and panted heavily, the smoke beginning to interfere with her breathing. Her vision grew dizzy and she leaned against Applejack's drooping head. The flames closed in all around them.
"Rainbow, please. Hurry up and--"
"I'm not... I'm not leaving you here alone, AJ."
Applejack looked at her with wide, fearful green eyes, her lower lip quivering. "Rainbow, no! Please... you can't stay here! You gotta get outta here while there's still a chance!"
Rainbow Dash shook her head and nuzzled against her marefriend's forehead, planting a soft kiss between her eyes.
"I'm staying with you, AJ. I won't let you die alone."
Applejack's tears fell in great waterfalls, arcing down her freckled cheeks. "Sugar... please... don't do this..." she choked. "You don't have to do this..."
Rainbow wrapped a sheltering wing around the earth pony, and flinched slightly as the house over their heads buckled. Another series of roof panels caved in, and the structure moaned in protest.
She looked at the earth pony weeping into her chest, and cradled her closely, stroking a hoof through her still-beautiful mane.
"I'm not afraid to face anything when I'm with you, AJ..." she whispered softly, letting her tears fall. "I'm not afraid," she promised softly.
Applejack bit her lip and buried her face.
"Hold me..." she begged desperately, quivering in her grasp.
"Shhhh..." Rainbow hushed softly, clutching her tightly and staring up at the building disintegrating around them.
A sharp crack thundered out somewhere in the house.
"It's okay, AJ. It's okay... Whatever happens next... we'll face it together, okay?" She took a breath and braced Applejack against her for what she knew was coming. "It's okay..."
She never knew whether Applejack heard her before the structure around them finally gave in.
Rainbow sheltered her lover in her protective wings, and clenched her eyes tightly. And the walls came tumbling down atop them.
As if the question, 'Wanna go hang out in my room and stuff?' could lead anywhere else, Rainbow wound up sitting on the edge of her cloud bed, locked in a passionate kiss with Applejack and very much enjoying it.
“How do I keep gettin' myself into these situations?” Applejack said, stealing a pause for air.
“Not your fault you can't keep your hooves off of me,” said Rainbow. “I'm just that irresistible.”
Applejack snorted. “You think you're all that.”
“Aren't I?” said Rainbow, leaning into her again, a little harder. Applejack pushed back, and her kisses got hotter, more fervent...
“Mmph, tell ya after...” After a few too short seconds, Applejack pulled back and shrugged her hat off, making Rainbow frown only until she said, in a husky voice, “Get the curtains?”
Rainbow grinned. She darted across the room, closed the curtains, and was back at Applejack's side on the bed in a flash. “Done.”
Applejack grinned too. “I'm startin' to think you might've planned this.” She moved in to meet Rainbow in another kiss, but stopped short, pulling a double-take at the window.
“What?” said Rainbow.
“...What're those?” said Applejack.
Rainbow glanced at the window. “Curtains. You said to get curtains for my room so we could, you know. So I got curtains.”
“You got those curtains?”
“What's wrong with them?”
“They have your face on,” said Applejack. “When did they even start making curtains with your face on?”
“Shortly after they saw how awesome it was,” said Rainbow. “There's loads of stuff with my face on since I started flying with the Wonderbolts. What's up with that?”
“N-nothin',” said Applejack, shaking her head. “Nothin'. It's just a little distractin', is all. Now, where were we?”
Grateful to be off the weird subject, Rainbow leaned in and kissed her deeply. Their breaths intermingled, and their movements became more and more heated. Rainbow lay down beside her, running a hoof down her marefriend's coat--
Applejack broke out into a fit of laughter.
“What?!” said Rainbow, pushing herself up in exasperation.
Applejack was holding her sides, choking with laughter, but she managed to extend a hoof to point. “The-- The wall!”
Rainbow furrowed a brow, turned her head and, unfortunately, saw what Applejack was laughing at.
Where the Sunlight from outside fell on the curtains, it cast silhouetted shapes against the far wall. If it'd been 'normal' curtains, there'd just be pretty, meaningless patterns swimming around. Such as it was, they were not normal curtains. Rainbow Dash saw her own dopey grin staring back at her from half-a-dozen faces, which twisted and distorted as the curtains moved in the breeze, making them look even more goofy.
Rainbow's actual face grew bright red. “Yup. Mood officially ruined.” She hopped down from the bed and walked over to take the curtains down, viciously.
“A-aw, don't do that,” said Applejack, wiping a tear from her eye. “I'm sorry, it just caught me off guard, is all.”
Rainbow tossed the curtains into the paper bin and made for the door. “I'm gonna go make a sandwich. You want a sandwich?”
“RD, come back here,” Applejack said. “We'll do it without the curtains, okay?”
Rainbow stopped short of opening the door, turning to look blankly back at Applejack. Though she was still smiling beside herself, she seemed to have gotten her laughter under control. Rainbow considered it for a moment. Then cracked the goofy grin.
Applejack pursed her lips as her face lit up, but it did her no good. She burst laughing again and rolled onto the floor in hysterics.
“Yup, no sex for you,” Rainbow confirmed, leaving the room to go and make her sandwich. Though she acted grumpy, and totally was, she still couldn't help a snicker of her own as she started downstairs.
Yet it's twilight out. No, not that Twilight either -- she's somewhere down on Riverside by the Grand Central Hotel, casing a murder scene. Some affluent chick got herself plowed over by a speeder. Probably checking out the witnesses. That's why she ain't here.
I'm talking about the smog and clouds that pour a cold and dreary rain on the pavement outside the window, eclipsing the hope of a bright day ahead. Not many more ominous signs have been witnessed by this godforsaken city. "The city of eternal night," they call it, and for good reason. It's gettin' so you can't even walk around in the daylight anymore without gettin' held up, kidnapped, raped, or just gettin' your head caved in for funsies, as Pinkie'd say. With how much you see the rain, it's amazing you ever get to see daylight.
That's why I relish the little moments like these with you, pardner. I turn from the raindrops pitterpattering on the glass of the coffee shop to your pretty colorful mane as you plops into the seat across from me, setting down the goods. Even as dark as it is out there right now, a little light still glints off that badge of yours. At least not all the light in the world's gone out. That's encouraging at least...
"I can never remember -- you like the apple tarts, right?" you ask with a smirk. Christ, you got a gorgeous smile, sugar. And it irks the hell outta me.
"Shaddup. Where's my creamer?" I ask irritably. My tone lights your face up further as you slide the little plastic cups of flavor across the table to me. Who needs the sun, anyway?
"Been a pretty light morning," you say to me, leaning back and knocking back your cup of joe. "Wonder if we'll get to clock out early today."
"I wish you wouldn't tempt fate like that."
"Come on -- you don't really believe in that whole karmic balance hooey, do ya?"
"Can't say for sure," I say, imbibing myself with my own little pick-me-up. "Alls I know is that it can't hurt."
"Meh..." You shrug, taking a bite out of one of your apple brown betties. Not a bad choice for a mid-morning break. "You buy into that stuff all you want -- I'd rather make my own good luck," you say with a grin, kicking at my shoe playfully.
I roll my eyes. "That how you always wind up broke at the casino needin' me to bail you out?"
"Hey -- landed me an apartment with you, didn't it?"
Sometimes, I swear, I just wanna pour dark roast all over yer face. You bein' cute doesn't make it a hard sell, either. I try not to look too embarrassed, and turn sideways in my seat. Least that way, you'll only see half my blush.
"So, you talk to Fluttershy or Rarity, lately?"
I shrug. "They said the hospital's been pretty busy lately."
"The Sunset Shooter?"
I bite down on my mug and nod, tossing back another healthy gulp. God, I hate the taste of coffee -- if I didn't need to stay awake and sober, I'd take a hot mug of spicy hard cider any day.
"I checked with Lightning Dust -- my pal at the east side precinct?"
"Mm-hm?" I mm-hm from behind my cup.
"She's been tailing a drug dealer down in Teravolt?"
The power station? I nod, knowing where that is.
"She's been buttering him up, and rumor has it that there's some sorta crisis in the mob world. She's saying that she's heard rumor that these aren't just random killings," you say, biting into another betty with a wag of your eyebrows.
"That gal's more nuts than a half-drowned bag of rats. I can smell the crazy on her like cat piss," I retort.
"Hey, just 'cause she's nuts doesn't mean she's wrong."
"Nah, it just means she's nuts," I say.
"Tell you what -- next name to come across that radio," you say, pointing at my breast pocket, "if it's one of our Fat Cats pushin' up daisies, you owe me dinner."
I consider it. Ain't like we'll be sittin' here long. Likely by the end of the day, we'll have settled the bet right proper.
"You got the kinda money to back up that talk, sugar?" I ask with a smile and a raise of my brow. "Or didja burn it all at poker night?"
"You got lucky and you know it."
"That's not what your money says," I say with a wink.
"Okay -- you and me again. Tonight. I want a chance to win it all back." You shift your lips suspiciously. "I still think you cheated."
"Oh yeah?" Ain't nobody but nobody who calls me a cheat. I'm willin' to throw down. One problem though. "Alright, sugar, I'll give ya another shot. But what're you gonna play with?" I take out my wallet -- admittedly not the smartest thing to do in this town -- and wave it in your face. "Last I checked, your paycheck's sittin' pretty right here. Watcha plan on bettin' with?"
You grin. "My clothes."
Damn you. I can't help the big ol' smile that crosses my face. It's hard enough tryin' to keep from bustin' a gut laughin' at the thought of your little peep shows. I'd honestly think you lose on purpose sometimes if it weren't the fact that you're such a bad sport.
I open my mouth to reply, but like I reckoned, my radio crackles to life. The smile vanishes from my face.
"Unit 27, Unit 27, 131 at the corner of 3rd and Market." You're up on your feet, tossing back your coffee an instant before me and boltin' for the door with a pastry in your mouth. "Subject is Big Bone O'Craftsky. Multiple wounds to the torso and head. Medical support is en route. Suspects were last seen eastbound on North Avenue in a blue Cadillac Escalade."
You're across the hood and in the driver's seat the next second. I'm just strapping in and pulling the door shut to the cruiser as you hit the lights and sirens. Then we're squealin' off on burnt rubber.
Well, the coffee wasn't so bad. At least you owe me dinner tonight.
"A book," Applejack replied, giving Rainbow her most unhelpful glare. "Which I'm readin' right now."
"Yeah, but... what's it about?"
"It's about... this guy. Who does things," Applejack said, folding her page as the reality of her inescapable situation dawned upon her. "It's a pretty popular series, y'know."
"Oh, it's a series," Rainbow replied, widening her eyes. Then she snorted. "Meh. I don't have time for them."
"You really should try 'em," Applejack said. Rainbow's tail flicked against Applejack's own as she rearranged the pillow to be more comfortable.
"Yeah, I tried long books once. Somewhere in between the Daring Do stories and the Starblaster books, I think. It was actually pretty cool."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. It was... kind of like this special kind of mare, y'know?"
"Oh?"
"Yeah. See, the story started slow, not giving me much to work with. The character was real cool, and I liked her. And she liked this other pony, right?"
"I follow."
"It was like I was being teased, right? Remember the metaphor I made? 'Bout the mare?"
"Yeah."
"Well, I'm still on that. Anyway. The story went on, an this pony started doing things. It was real cool, and each thing she did, she did for the pony she liked, but without anything really happening. It just... kept going, like I was being strung along. Like the mare knew I liked her, right, knew, and kept on showing off without ever letting me get close, and that only made her seem even cooler."
"Uh-huh," Applejack replied, a sly smile creeping on her lips.
"And then this one... bit happened. The story went into this weird adventure type tone and then, after loads of reading, eventually, the mare was back home, and the story looked like it was about to get good. Like the mare had finally invited me over to drinks. Like I was getting somewhere."
Applejack's grin was rather broad at this point, and Rainbow's hoof crept up Applejack's chest, her wings sliding across her sides. "Go on."
"And then," Rainbow said, "the story didn't actually do anything, and went on for another twenty chapters."
All of a sudden, Rainbow's hooves and wings were gone. In fact, they were flailing rather angrily about her head as she recounted her last experiences with the book. "It just went off on this other dumb adventure and I got fed up and read Starblaster instead. I was like, 'don't string me along like that, you silly donkey! I've got better things to do!"
Applejack's jaw hung open a second.
"And Starblaster was way cooler, and didn't waste hundreds and thousands of pages to get to the point! It was awesome in five minutes and didn't stop until the end. Not like that dumb mare who kept stringing me on." She tapped her chin. "Starblaster was more like you."
Applejack's left eye twitched. "I... I get to be Starblaster?"
"Yeah!"
Applejack's teeth ground against each other for a minute. "Y'know, I can't help but notice that your description of the first book was a mite more classy."
"Pfft. I'll take awesome over classy any day," Rainbow replied, sinking into her pillow. "You knew what you wanted enough to not waste your time to get it. And if you had wasted your time," Rainbow said, biting her lip. "I'd have been a lot less happy." She smiled. "So thanks. Thanks for being Starblaster."
"AJ... n-not to pressure you or nothin'," Rainbow groaned.
"NnnnnnGUH!" the earth pony strained and grunted. She growled and snarled. "WHAT?!"
Rainbow struggled to flex her wing, but it rubberbanded itself right back to the spot it was glued on Applejack's flank. She winced at a cramp twinging at the outer extremity, and moaned uncomfortably.
"I was just wonderin' when this stupid solvent of yours is supposed to start working again?!"
"Rainbow, I done toldja! It takes half-an-hour for this stuff to kick in! It's only been thirty seconds." Wiggling. "I ain't no more comfortable than you are -- believe me!"
"Well, could you maybe just twist your barrel a little itsy-bitsy-bit to the right, 'cause my wing's REALLY starting to hurt!"
"Why should you be comfortable?! You're the whole reason we're in this dagblamed mess in the first place!"
"Yeah, you've told me a hundred times now! It's not like I did it on purpose or anything!"
"How many times I gotta tell ya to not fly so reckless?! You're gonna hurt yourself one of these days! What if I ain't around next time?"
Rainbow sighed, causing Applejack to shudder. "Well, at least you wouldn't be stuck in a situation like this one..." She wriggled around, receiving a sticky hoof-poke to her ticklish gut for her efforts. "I dunno know if you've noticed, but if somepony came to visit right now, this would be pretty tough to explain."
"Thanks for remindin' me," Applejack grunted, moving her muzzle slightly and brushing her cheek against Rainbow's rump. "I toldja we shoulda had cereal. But nooooooo... You had to go and insist on the fancy waffles with eeeeeeextra syrup!" she droned unamusingly.
"Hey, you said it was a good idea!"
"I didn't say goin' flyin' on an empty stomach and gettin' wing cramps was!"
"Well excuuuuuuuse me, Applesnack! Some of us do have dreams we're workin' on!"
"Dream on your own time and when it ain't gonna cause property damage -- and physical harm -- to your best friends!"
"Well, sheesh! If that's the way you feel, I won't fly over the Acres anymore!"
"I never asked ya to in the first place!"
"Coulda fooled me! You're the one always whining about how lonely you get working all by yourself all the time!"
Applejack didn't answer. Rainbow took the silent moment to try and wriggle her cheek out of the pit of Applejack's thigh. At least the farmpony's belly was somewhat comfortable. She found it more difficult to extract her muzzle than she thought.
A hot sigh brushed across the pegasus's stomach, and she shivered.
"I'm sorry, sugar. I didn't mean to snap at you like that."
Rainbow's ears folded and she pouted. "Yeah... well..." She rolled her cheek to the side through the goop to get a breath of air. She ground her teeth and swallowed her pride. "I'm... I'm sorry that I got us into this mess." She shifted with a pout. "You... youwereright."
"And... hay, it ain't like I don't appreciate ya keepin' me company when the work's slow." The farmgirl softly patted her sticky hoof comfortingly against Rainbow's cutie mark. "I just wish ya wouldn't make me worry so much is all."
"Yeah... sorry..." she muttered. She then smiled. "Heh... well, you're always saying how you'd like me to stick around for breakfast more often after my morning cloud-clearing."
Applejack chuckled, her chest vibrating underneath the pegasus. "What can I say? I just like knowin' that you're eatin' enough."
"You eat enough for a yak, AJ."
"Hey!" A swift bap on her nose from a blond tail hushed her chuckles. "Just what's that supposed to mean?"
"No, honest!" She laughed. "I'm always so heavy after breakfast at your place that I can barely get off the ground! My wings can barely flap enough to get me airborne!"
"Yer exaggeratin'."
"Ain't either!"
"Oh, what? Makin' sure you're healthy and fed's a bad thing?"
"I'm serious!" Rainbow giggled. "I swear, it's almost like you guys wanna keep me from leaving, or something."
"Mah stars. Havin' ya around even longer? What a horrifyin' thought," Applejack retorted. The two shared a chuckle.
A shadow loomed over them, killing the merriment immediately.
"...Rainbow?"
"Yeah, AJ?"
"How screwed are we right now?"
Rainbow grunted and smeared her face along Applejack's gut, prompting a laugh as she turned to the pony standing over them. Pinkie's bright-as-a-moonbeam smile grinned back at them.
"No more cider?! Again?!" Rainbow Dash blurted out, anger and frustration within her voice. She slammed the wooden counter with a hoof, as she let out a growl.
"Uh, sorry, Dash. That was the last one here," Applejack scratched the back of her neck as she smiled sheepishly at the fuming Pegasus. "Maybe if 'ya pull yourself outta the covers earlier next time, ya' sure ta' have--"
"That morning was the earliest I've done in my entire life!" The cyan Pegasus flew toward the farm pony, their noses in contact against each other, as the latter stepped a hind leg back. "Are you sure this isn't intentional?!" Rainbow Dash raised a questioning brow as she glared against the earth pony's glimmering emerald eyes.
Applejack scoffed, as she glared back. "Why would I do that? Ya' should try better next time," She smirked and pulled the Pegasus' rainbow mane down the tabletop, as Dash's face made a hard contact with the table and made a rather loud thug.
"Ow!" Rainbow Dash scowled.
Applejack chuckled at what she had done.
The cyan Pegasus flapped her wings rapidly and rose in the air with an angered frown.
The earth pony seemed delighted of how her friend reacted, as she cracked a mischievous smirk.
"Ahm glad your wing still works after that incident," She said, as she turned around, heading the barn.
"Oh yeah. And it's ready to spill the crap outta you!" Rainbow Dash bolted towards Applejack which made the two roll across the ground like a ball. As they struggled, either a hoof or a head would poke from the ball of dust they created.
After a few minutes of rolling, they ended up in an awkward position; Dash on top of Applejack, as both panted in exhaustion. As soon as they noticed their state, both stared at each other's eyes. Their muzzles were merely an inch apart, as Rainbow Dash could hear her heart beating so fast. She somehow felt a warm sensation of wanting to press her muzzle against the earth pony's. She slowly leaned in, closing her eyes.
The orange mare smirked and slowly reached a hoof to her friend's cheek.
"You two should really get a room," An accented voice said behind, who let out an irritated scoff as she trotted away from the pair.
Rainbow Dash stopped from doing something, as she opened her eyes so suddenly and blushed profusely. She instantly jumped away from Applejack as she scratched the back of her neck, still blushing.
The orange mare got up to her hooves and awkwardly looked upward, her bright orange cheek tinted with pink. "Ah guess Ah was carried away."
"E-eh... You and me both. Didn't see that coming," The cyan Pegasus looked at her freckled friend, which made her blush even more.
"What 'bout we take Rarity's suggestion?" Applejack turned to the Pegasus with a grin.
"W-what?!" Rainbow Dash's ears twitched, as if checking if she heard it right.
Applejack chuckled with her friend's reaction.
"Don't get me wrong. We have more cider inside the barn, if ya' want?"
Rainbow Dash composed herself and nodded excitedly. "I thought you wouldn't ask!"
Rainbow splashed around in the little tub, halfheartedly bouncing her hooves across the surface of the liquid.
Applejack sat, watching. “Well?” she asked.
Rainbow looked up and frowned as she put her hooves back down. “I'm… I'm not sure,” she said hesitantly, “but I think I'm disappointed.”
“Disappointed?” Applejack grinned. “You work hard all week and finally get enough cider to take a bath in, something you've always wanted to do; and now you're disappointed?”
“Well, I kinda thought my wildest dreams would come true,” Rainbow said, lifting a hoof, “but instead, all I got was… sticky.”
Applejack pulled her hat down over her face to hide her smile. “Now that's a crying shame, Sugarcube,” she said.
“You're telling me,” Rainbow grumbled, splashing in the cider once more. “I feel so betrayed.”
Applejack stood up and stretched. “So, want me to run you an actual bath?”
“Actually, could you bring me a straw first?”
Applejack raised an eyebrow.
“No sense in letting all this cider go to waste, right?”
Applejack cracked a smile. “I guess; but you're drinking it on your own.”
"Dammit! What words do we know have a 'ph' in them?" Rainbow exclaimed.
On the other side of the table, Twilight and Rarity smirked. "I can think of a few," Twilight teased. "Do you want a hint?"
"Winners don't take hints, 'Twi," Applejack growled, leaning in towards Rainbow Dash conspiratorially. Rarity smirked.
"Neither do losers, coincidentally."
The 'L' word burrowed into Rainbow's brain, splitting her skull like a piledriver until the thought of not being the winner scrambled her brain like morning eggs. Applejack sensed her failing concentration, and gave her a nudge.
"Get yoursel' together, RD! I might not know a whole bunch of fancy words, but there's gotta' be somethin' we can do!"
Rainbow's eyes flickered from left to right, panic taking over. "You don't understand! This game doesn't make sense!"
"It's just spellin'," Applejack retorted. "What words do you know? Let's here 'em."
Rainbow ran her hoof over her eyes. Peering at them from their fortress of vocabulary, Rarity and Twilight were grinning.
"We did offer to split ourselves up to even the vocabulary skills evenly," Twilight said, "but you insisted."
Rainbow groaned. The tiles, each imprinted with a letter, seemed to dance drunkenly across her vision.
"I hate board-games, AJ," she confessed.
Applejack had her hoof on her lower back, below the base of her wing. "I know, sugar-cube."
Rainbow sighed. "I should have known. You can't spell 'bored' without B, O, A, R, and D."
Rainbow squinted as the lights flickered inside her brain. Her face fell.
"Oh."
"Don't forget, you can split up a word you've already made," Twilight said.
"What, get rid of 'mine'?" Applejack snapped. "What of loyalty?!"
"What of microphone?" Rainbow muttered.
Applejack went quiet.
"What 'bout it?"
Rainbow's eyes locked with Applejack's. "A few weeks ago, I got to be a stand-in announcer for the school race, as a kind of celebrity judge," she said. "And I remember getting into an argument with Mayor Mare that there's no way you spelled it with a 'ph' (which is stupid, right?)"
Applejack narrowed her eyes.
"Have we done microphone before?" she asked. "Have the others done microphone?"
Rainbow shook her head. "Nope. It's completely open."
Applejacks' eyes sprang open as the noise reverberated throughout the farmhouse. The lack of warmth at her side told her that a certain pegasus who was supposed to be asleep next to her, very clearly wasn't.
She sighed and closed her eyes again. She was too tired to be dealing with bumps in the night and if Rainbow didn't want to be well rested for clearing clouds tomorrow, it was her own funeral.
THUD
Her eyes snapped open again. She knew exactly what was going on. This wasn't the first time Dash had done this, despite A.J's warnings of what would happen if she kept at it. It was silly, it was immature, it was setting a bad example to Applebloom and Rainbow was darn well old enough to know better!
But logic and reason went about as well with that feather head as a branding iron went with a newborn calf.
She rolled over and closed her eyes. Maybe, just maybe she might get lucky and Rainbow would get bored of-
THUD
Clearly this was a problem that wasn't going to go away by itself. She scowled to herself. Did Dash really think that nopony could hear what she was doing? She knew Applejack had a big day running the market stall tomorrow.
But there was still one desperate chance that she might tire of her midnight activity. One of the worst things about Rainbow Dash was also one of the best. She grew bored so easily that even if she was doing something incredibly annoying and incredibly stupid, she'd likely move onto something else before long.
Honestly, Applejack had met foals who were more mature than that fully grown-
SMASH
"OW!"
That was it. If Applejack didn't put a stop to this now, Rainbow was going to wake up the entire farmhouse and A.J would be the one to get the blame. Reluctantly, she dragged herself out of her warm cosy bed and pretended not to noticed the weight in her head and chill in her body that wanted to do nothing more than lay down and snuggle up under the covers again.
She tip toed out of her room and down the stair. Sure enough, through the darkness of the house, she could make out the form of a pegasus lying prone on the floor, just beyond the staircase. Rainbow was rubbing her head, a small side table lay overturned, and the shards of what was once a china ornament were scattered around the scene.
Despite herself, Applejack smiled a little, approached the dazed Rainbow Dash, and rubbed her head for her, gently as possible. She ought to be angry at the breakage, but there were times when Dash was just too adorable.
Applejack groaned inwardly, cracking her knuckles and scrubbing at another greasy Tupperware. She wanted nothing more than to go to bed, but there was a massive pile of suds, grease, and non-dishwasher-safe plastics in her way.
She and Mac had to get up early for applebuck season, which looked to be one of their biggest yet. While she certainly didn’t mind the farm making its best haul in years, it meant she’d been up since four all week, working her tail off (and herself into exhaustion) just in time for school.
And what a time it was, because some sicko at the board of education had decided that the height of applebuck season was the perfect time for midterm exams. Every moment of her free time not spent gathering, packing, or transporting apples had been spent poring over page after page of notes that, at the time, made so much sense. If she wasn’t working her tail off at home, she was working it off in class.
Today had been particularly grueling. Today’s midterm was a nasty Physics exam (electric fields were the work of the devil), during which she ran out of time and had to turn in an incomplete paper. Back at home, she was in the middle of working her afternoon away when her truck blew a flat in the middle of the orchard, forcing her to hike all the way to the barn and back for the carjack and a spare tire. And then, because fate had decided to conspire against her today, her shower was freezing, Winowa had chewed through another dog bed, and Applebloom and her friends had broken a window in their clubhouse that she’d probably have to fix.
Oh, and it was her night to do dishes. Because working her tail off for the last seventeen hours just wasn’t enough.
She sighed, glancing at the large pile of dirty cookware left to scrub through. Applebloom sat behind her at the dinner table, finishing off a slice of pie while glancing at her own homework. I should probably study tonight, too, thought Applejack, although the thought of another five-hour night’s rest before her Engineering exam tomorrow made her cringe.
‘I’d like to see you,
‘Out in the Moonlight…’
Applebloom checked her phone. “Sis, is that yours?”
“Yup,” Applejack sighed, drying off a hand on a dish towel and pulling out her phone. Who the hay wants me now? She nestled the phone in her shoulder and went back to her work. “H’llo?” she muttered.
As soon as she heard the other voice, she instantly perked up. She wiped her hands off and stepped back from the sink, leaning against the countertop. She held her phone to her ear with one hand while subconsciously running the other through her hair. “Oh!” she said, smiling. “H-hey!”
Applebloom smiled knowingly, dropping her empty pie plate in the sink. “Say hi to miss Rainbow for me,” she said, taking her homework and leaving.
Applejack nodded dismissively, too busy listening to the phone. After a moment’s thought, she covered the receiver. “Howd’ya know it was Rainbow?”
"You think you're more what, now?" Applejack pushed her forehead up again Rainbow's, eyes narrowing in anger.
"You heard me." Rainbow casually pushed back, a smug grin on her lips. "I'm more rebellious than you." She blew a raspberry to punctuate the statement.
"And just why do you think that's somethin' to brag about?"
"Duh! Being a rebel makes you cool! Nopony tells you what to do!"
"Nopony ever tells me what to do! I run this whole farm!"
"Pfft, that just means you're the establishment. It means you're...well..."
Applejack's eyes narrowed further. If only Rainbow knew what thin ice she was treading on.
"It means what exactly?"
Rainbow flashed her teeth in an unfazed smile.
"You know...boring."
"Excuse me?"
Rainbow laughed, seemingly unaware of Applejack's building fury. She casually slung a foreleg over the cow girl's shoulder.
"Did I ever tell you about the time in third grade when I put glue on Ms Mortarboard's chair? She got stuck so bad that when she pulled away, she had a bald spot on her rump for weeks!" Rainbow collapsed into hysterics at the memory. Applejack did not join in.
"That's my point!" A.J raised her voice to be heard over the raucous laughter. "What you're doin' ain't cool, it's just mean spirited! And I don't see how not doin' that make me borin'!"
Rainbow looked her straight in the eye, an eyebrow raised in challenge.
"Name one rebellious thing you ever did in your life."
"How's that s'posed to-"
"Thought so."
"But that don't prove any-"
"Hey, it's okay to admit you lost. Nopony expected you to win this."
Applejack gritted her teeth in fury. If it was a challenge Rainbow wanted, it was a challenge she'd get!
"I ain't losin' nothin'!"
"Fine. Then what's the most rebel thing you've ever done?"
Applejack paused for a moment. She didn't want to admit it, but now she thought about it, it was hard to think of anything. Except...
No. She couldn't tell Rainbow about that. It was too mortifying. She had always been so ashamed...
"Tick tock, tick tock..." Rainbow flashed that cocky smile again.
"Fine." Applejack took a breath and steadied herself. "When I was just a little older than Applebloom is now..." she gulped, "I snuck into Dad's hard cider store and...uh..."
"Woohoo!" Rainbow cheered. "You swiped some booze from your parents? I never knew you had it in you!"
Applejack covered her face with her hat. She wasn't sure what was more shameful: reliving this old memory or the fact that it seemed to have earned Rainbow's approval.
"Well actually it didn' exactly go that far."
"Ooh, he caught you, huh? That's rough, I remember when my Mom caught me looking at-"
"No, I didn' get caught." Applejack cut Rainbow off. "I felt just terrible about what I was doin' so I put the cider back and went and told him everything."
"...What?"
"He told me off somethin' fierce and made me promise to never do anything like it again. Had to spend a week muckin' out the pigs as punishment."
"...You're joking."
"It coulda gone worse." Applejack argued. "It weren't like he tanned me or nothin'."
Rainbow stared for a moment. Her mouth seemed to tighten before her lips peeled apart and the air was filled with laughter once again.
"That's it?" She spluttered. "That's your big rebel moment? Wow, you really are a stick in the mud!"
"I-I am not!" A.J spluttered in fury.
"Come on!" Rainbow choked on her own giggles. "That's not rebelling! I'm talking stuff like sneaking out without telling anypony where you're going! Cutting class! Goofing off when you're supposed to be doing your homework! It doesn't count if you confess before you've done it! A little rebellion is a good thing! Name one real rebel thing you've done!"
Applejack thought for a moment. Then she looked at Rainbow with a somewhat tired smile.
"I fell in love with you."
That shut Rainbow up.
"Huh?"
"Didn' I ever tell you? The Apples are usually kind of...traditional when it comes to courtin'."
Rainbow suddenly felt rather small.
"You mean your family doesn't want you dating a Pegasus?"
Applejack silenced her with a kiss.
"Now don't you fret honey," she whispered softly. "My family love you just fine. There ain't no written rule about who I can and can't date, it just ain't...usual for an Apple to be with a non Earth Pony. But when I fell for you, I decided that this was somethin' I wanted whether my family supported me or not."
"But...what if they like, disowned you or something?" Rainbow was hovering in the air now, almost panic stricken. A.J chuckled.
"I was pretty sure it weren' gonna go down like that. But if it had...well...like you said, sometimes a little rebellion is a good thing." She grabbed Rainbow's face in her hooves and pulled her into a deeper kiss.
Sound did odd things, Applejack reflected. It was more than just vibrations in the air. It could transfer, sometimes, very specific types of energy. If Applejack had to guess, what Rainbow was emitting right now was something called the 'trouble particle'. Applejack had observed it quite enough times to recognize it when it surfaced.
"What is it?" she asked, regretting the very day Rainbow was born. A small, thin box hit her square in the forehead. "Ow!"
"Power up the Pega Dreamcast! I got a game for us!"
Applejack picked the box off the floor where it had landed, still nursing her head. "Really? Now?"
Rainbow snuck up behind her with the stealth and subtlety of a forklift. "It's for a really awesome occasion, I promise!"
Applejack couldn't help but relent. She had learned from experience that it was quicker to just let these things run their course. Besides, Rainbow's 'episodes' were quite possibly the most exciting parts of her week.
The console was plugged in and in went the game.
"So, you know Ponycalibur?" Rainbow asked. Applejack shook her head.
"Nope."
"Well, neither did I. Anyway. Apparently, they have, like these weird 'guest star' characters in their games."
Applejack's past experience was already screaming at her, and her hoof slowly went to rub the area between her eyes. "Uh-huh."
"Well... guess who the guest star is this time!"
"...gimme a minute," Applejack replied, feigning ignorance. Rainbow's patience failed to win out.
"Me! I'm in the game!" As the character roster shot up on-screen, Rainbow flicked the controls to select her character. Which was, as a matter of fact, herself. Applejack's jaw dropped. "Now I can play with myself all day long!"
Red crept across Applejack's cheeks, and her ears flattened as embarrassment took over.
"They've... uh..."
"I look awesome! And apparently, I have a sweet set of fighting moves too. Who knew? I never actually took fighting lessons."
"They changed your look a bit, didn't they?" Applejack said, each word carefully considered. Rainbow nodded.
"I know! My wings are huge!"
"And your, uh... tail is awful small," Applejack pointed out.
Rainbow went quiet for a bit.
"What's wrong with my tail?"
Applejack backpeddaled.
"Nothin's wrong with your tail! It's just a bit, uh..." Her eyes shot away to the side. "Distractin'."
Rainbow tilted her head to the side, frowning. "Why?" she asked.
Applejack swallowed.
"No reason."
Rainbow shrugged to herself. "Anyway! Want to play a round?"
Applejack's eyes kept going back to the area barely concealed by the tiny fragment of what remained of Rainbow's tail. Then her eyes shot to the game box.
Rated M for violence and sexual content, she read. Her blush deepened.
"How about we try story mode?" she asked.
"Uh, sure! I was going to do a practice round first, but if you want story mode... Wait. Can I play as myself in story mode?" She snatched the box up from the ground. "Am I even in story mode?"
Applejack adjusted her position on the couch. Videogames had decent cut-scenes these days, right?
"Maybe we can see if you can select your character. If you can, then we know you're in it."
Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, great idea!" She hovered her selector-thing over a few settings. "Two player... story mode." She lit up with excitement. "Yeah! I'm in it."
Thank heavens, Applejack thought.
Five minutes later, she had selected a character of her own. He looked pretty cool. He had a cowpony hat too. And a cool looking sword.
"Let's go!" Rainbow exclaimed, mashing buttons as soon as the fight began. "Wow! I'm really flexible in this!" She looked over at Applejack. "Hey, are you even playing?"
"Huh?" Applejack stammered, and then began spamming attacks. "Right!"
Applejack sat in a fold-out chair, next to the red pickup truck in her family's barn. She had her guitar in her lap, and was fiddling with the tuning. A few feet away, Rainbow Dash sat in a chair like her own, fitting new strings to her electric, with the old ones discarded beside it. The whole gang was supposed to be meeting there for practise, but Rainbow had turned up early.
“I swear you're fittin' new strings to that thing every time I see you,” Applejack said, picking at a couple of her own to test the sound.
“Uh, that's 'cause I'm always buying better ones,” said Rainbow, as if it was obvious. “You can't just stick with the same old strings all the time, else it just gets boring to play.”
“Heh, speak for yourself – I ain't changed the strings on this gal since I got her.” Applejack patted her guitar, smiling.
“Yeah, well I--”
Snap.
The string Rainbow had been fitting flicked up and caught her right in the mouth. She recoiled and dropped the guitar as she jumped to her feet. “Ow! Son-of-a--”
“Holy Hannah, Dash! You alright?”
“Yeah, I'm fine,” said Rainbow, with a grimace. “Damn it, ow...” She looked down her nose and pinched her lip between her fingers, trying to get a look at it. “Am I bleeding?”
Applejack got up and walked over to her, leaning in to check it over. There was no cut. “Nope. Just grazed ya.”
Rainbow let go of her lip and huffed, rubbing her jaw. “Well, it's sore as hell.”
Applejack smirked. “Want me to kiss it better?” she teased.
Rainbow stopped in the middle of a snarky comeback, mouth hanging part-open and eyes slightly unfocused. Then she looked at Applejack. “W-what?” Rainbow asked.
“I said, do y--” Applejack's face caught fire as she realised what she'd just suggested. “O-oh shoot, I didn't mean, uh--”
“No-no,” said Rainbow, shaking her head. “Just, uh, forget that. I, uh... Yes.”
Applejack stared at her. It took her a moment to pick her way through that 'sentence'. “Yes, what?” she asked.
Rainbow stared back, and there was a glint of nervous fear in her rosy eyes. “Yes, please,” she said.
“No, I mean--” Applejack broke off. Her eyes went wide. “Oh.”
They both fell silent. The air in the barn suddenly became very thick when Applejack realised just how close together they were standing. She gulped, and saw Rainbow do the same. Then, as if watching her body on autopilot, she felt herself drawing in towards Rainbow's lips.
Part of her wanted to slow down and think about what she was doing, but the rest of her would much rather have acted first and thought later. And that part was winning. The closer she got, the less of everything else seemed to matter, and before she knew what was happening, she could only see Rainbow.
Their lips met. Everything melted away for Applejack, and she closed her eyes to revel in the sudden pleasure of the touch. The softness, the warmth, the way they both shook with nervous anticipation. Taken by the moment, she found Rainbow's hand with one of hers, and held it. Right then, the only two people in the world were she and Rainbow...
“Ooo, what's goin' on in here?”
They both broke away with a jolt, and pretended to be interested in anything but one another as Pinkie poked her head into the barn.
It was a simple piece of ribbon really. Half red, half green. One look at it and Rarity would have insisted that it be thrown away and replaced with something with a little more sparkle, and after all, silk and lace were the height of popularity in Manehattan right now and the correct shade of periwinkle would be just darling with-
The point was, Rarity wouldn't appreciate it in the same way Rainbow did. But as she eyed the tattered old piece of ribbon, she admitted to herself that maybe it was because it didn't have any memories for Rarity...
Rainbow still remembered the day she first laid eyes on that piece of ribbon. It had been tied around one of Applejack's birthday presents. The present itself hadn't struck Rainbow as especially amazing. It was one of those old school portable CD players. Second hand, battered and, like the Apple family themselves, hilariously behind the times. Rainbow had been tempted to point out that A.J would do better with a proper mp3 player.
But she couldn't bring herself to say it. Applejack was never one to show off, but on this occasion she couldn't stop raving about her amazing CD player. Rainbow knew the Apples didn't have a lot of money, so this was likely all that Granny, Mac and Applebloom could afford for her. Nonetheless, Applejack was so proud of it, one would think they had given her a top of the range stereo system.
There was one advantage for Rainbow though. She hadn't been able to think of something to get for A.J, but the CD player inspired her. She cut class that afternoon to head into town to buy it. She had forgotten to get anything to wrap it in, but knowing how careful Applejack was about preserving things, she had sneaked into her bedroom and, sure enough, the red and green ribbon had been safely tucked away in her drawer.
She remembered how A.J had walked in to find Rainbow, still frantically tying the gift up. What followed was a lecture about how foolish it was to skip school and something about not breaking into other people's houses (Rainbow hadn't really been paying attention), but that all changed when she finally saw what Rainbow had bought for her.
It was a very simple thing really. It was a small cable that split in two. The idea was to allow two sets of headphones to be plugged into one socket at the same time. Rainbow stilled remembered how Applejack had hugged her. The two then plugged their own headphones (again, Applejack's were hopelessly out of date) into the CD player and spent the evening rocking out together. It probably would have lasted longer had Big Mac not come up to get A.J for her birthday dinner. Not that Rainbow minded. The Apples had naturally offered to let her join them and that was some of the best birthday cake she'd ever had.
After that, something of an unspoken tradition sprang up between them. Whenever one of them had a birthday, the other would give them a new CD, always wrapped up in that same red and green ribbon. A.J would run and get her CD player, Rainbow would get the headphone splitter, and the two would spend hours head-banging and air-guitaring together. Whoever's birthday it was, would then carefully store the red and green ribbon away, waiting for the other's birthday when it would again be brought out. It was probably the one possession that Rainbow had even taken genuine care of.
But the ribbon held other memories. Two of the most important happened one winter morning when the two girls were walking to school together. There was ice on the ground and Applejack wasn't paying attention. She slipped and fell heavily on her side. Rainbow wasn't worried. Applejack was used to rough work on the farm, she had new cuts and bruises practically every day. So a little fall would be something she would laugh off, right?
Not that day. That day was one of the only times in her life that Rainbow had ever seen Applejack cry. She didn't understand at first, not until Applejack pulled out the remains of the broken CD player from her pocket. A.J had spent the rest of the day at school unusually quiet and sullen. Rainbow had broken enough of her own stuff over the years to not care much about it. But seeing how Applejack was affected by this gnawed at her.
So once again, Rainbow ducked out of class. Once again she went into the town and once again she sneaked into Applejack's bedroom for that familiar piece of ribbon (to be fair, if Applejack didn't want Rainbow sneaking into her room, she shouldn't keep leaving the window unlocked, it was her own fault really).
Rainbow waited in that bedroom until Applejack came home, still rather puffy eyed and down in the dumps. After she saw Rainbow, another lecture about playing hookey followed, which once again came to a halt when she saw the item Rainbow had tied up in the red and green ribbon.
Rainbow had been tempted to buy A.J a proper mp3 player this time around, but when she had been at the music store it just felt wrong somehow. Besides, it would be a shame for all of their CDs to go to waste. And so she presented the new CD player. It was a little more expensive, brand new, no scratches and the sound quality was far superior (Rainbow hoped it would make all that country music a little more tolerable).
The first important memory of that day had been seeing Applejack cry. The second memory was the moment Applejack saw the gift wrapped in the red and green ribbon.
Because that was the moment just before Applejack kissed her.
A.J had sprang back, blushing and stammering out an apology, but that was quickly cut off when Rainbow kissed her back.
There were other memories as well. Their relationship had grown from that ribbon over the next few years, but it wasn't all paradise. There was a time when things had been rocky for them. In fact, there was a time when they had decided to break up.
Rainbow had been in Applejack's room again. They hadn't reached the point of moving in together or anything, but both had left things at each other's places. Rainbow was going through the CDs they had bought each other through the years, trying to figure out the best way to split them up. She was glad it was over really. She wouldn't ever have to set foot in this dusty room again. Stupid dust, making her eyes water.
The biggest problem with dividing up the things though was when it came to the music player. The player itself would go to Applejack of course, it had been a gift. And they would each keep their own headphones obviously. But what about the cable splitter? How do you split up something that's already designed to split things up? In that moment, Rainbow imagined what it would be like to never listen to tunes with A.J ever again. The dust made her eyes water again.
When Applejack got home that night, hoping Rainbow would already have come and gone, she found the girl lying on her bed, wearing that old red and green ribbon around her neck like a bowtie and...well, not much else really...
Yes that red and green ribbon had many memories for the two. So as Rainbow looked at it now, tied around that small box on the restaurant table, with Applejack down on one knee...
Twilight has become a princess of Equestria. Rarity is in charge of an international fashion franchise. Fluttershy is out... doing animal-y things, I guess. (Maybe I should pay more attention to Fluttershy?) And Pinkie is heading big events for ponies that make more money than me by a few dozen digits.
And where are you?
Drooling all over my back, that's where.
Oh, you think I don't notice, but what you fail to realize is that I wake up super early. Ha. You only think I'm really lazy, but surprise! I'm not. I'm actually hyperactive and stuff. I'm basically awesome.
So yeah. I notice when you drool all over me in your sleep. You silly thing.
Oh, yeah, one more thing: that stuff doesn't come out easily, y'know. Good thing I shower every morning with special anti-earth-pony shampoo. And you laughed at me when I dragged my bag of special wing-products over. Well, who's laughing now, huh?
Ugh. It's going in-between the feathers again.
This'd all be so much easier if, I dunno, we slept on opposite sides of the bed? Yeah, who'd a' thunk it? Rainbow Dash, solving problems since that year I can't remember that I was born on.
Wait.
How old am I?
Oh, shoot. Now you're chewing on my mane.
Applejack, you're one of the weirdest ponies I've ever slept with.
Short list, I know, but still.
...
Very short list, now that I think about it. Huh.
I guess I've been busy a lot. Ah well. Making up for lost time is cool. Right, AJ?
Right. You're still asleep.
...
You gonna move any time soon?
I'm kinda trapped, here.
Hey.
Let go.
Shoot.
Ah well.
I can think of worse ponies to drool on me.
Sweet dreams, and all that. See you in the morning.
"Recently, I've noticed something," said Twilight as she sat with her friends in front of the horse statue at Canterlot High. "Namely, all of you — excluding Sunset, of course — are a little different than the pony versions of you."
"How so?" Rarity raised an eyebrow. "Please do elaborate, darling."
"Well, there's nothing major from what I've seen, but for example, you seem to be even more gung-ho about dressmaking than your counterpart in Ponyville. In addition, the Equestrian version of Fluttershy has much more trouble with stage fright, though she's gone some way into overcoming it."
This time, it was Sunset Shimmer who spoke up. "That's odd. Do you know what's causing this?"
"Some of it I can pin down to events that have happened in one world or the other, but others are still a mystery. It's quite fascinating, really."
"How about me?" Rainbow asked. "Am I more awesome than the other me?"
"Well..." Twilight pondered the question a little. "While I don't think that's a judgment I can make without your expertise on what, exactly, constitutes as 'awesome', I can say that the pegasus Rainbow Dash has managed to tone down her ego a little bit better. Er, no offence."
"Hey, I only brag about things I know I'm great at. It's not my fault there's so many of them," the girl said with a grin.
Applejack gave her a dull stare. "Rainbow, you've boasted about nearly every other thing you've done. Heck, just last week you said you're the best kisser in the whole school."
"Oh yeah?" Rainbow waggled her eyebrows. "Care to try and prove me wrong?"
Applejack continued staring at the athlete, completely deadpan. She then moved next to her, held her head in her hands, and planted her lips against Rainbow's.
Neither of the girls moved, apart from their mouths.
"Umm... Applejack? Rainbow?"
"Are... you okay, girls?"
"Earth to Dashie!"
After a rather long while during which the other five girls stared in awkward silence, Rainbow Dash and Applejack finally separated, both panting for breath.
"I... I think we can call that one a draw," Rainbow said.
Once she caught her breath, Applejack smirked ever so slightly. "Well, we can't just leave it that, now can we?"
"Huh?"
"Last time I checked, you weren't the kind of person to settle for a draw just like that. Which means we gotta have a tiebreaker, doesn't it?"
As comprehension dawned on her face, Rainbow started to grin.
"So, sugarcube," Applejack said, tossing a flirty gaze at her. "Ready for Round Two?"
Applejack lay with her hooves wrapped around her pony, eyeing her with faint concern. Rainbow was shiverring, and would turn and toss in Applejack's grip. The sheets had become clammy and damp from the sweat and now and then, a whimper punctuated the silence in the bedroom.
"RD?" Applejack whispered, trying to shake her fillyfriend awake. "Having a nightmare?"
Rainbow did not respond. Applejack bit her lip. It hadn't been a question so much as a statement that might wake her up.
"Hey?" she asked, and squeezed Rainbow's barrel. "Hey, c'mon, you're worryin' me."
At last, Rainbow shot up, a shout erupting from her lips. She panted in the dark, her eyes shut tight.
"Oh, jeez..." she whispered. "That was... Oh, boy."
Applejack pulled Rainbow closer to her, and gently massaged Rainbow's shoulders. "It's okay. Bad dream?"
"Mmh..." Rainbow grunted. "Myeah."
"Wanna talk about it?"
"It was silly. There was... Uh... There were cities and towns and... everything was different and creepy. And the puns..."
"Puns?"
"Yeah. Everything... everything was horse puns," Rainbow said. "Like, Manhattan was Manehattan, and Philadelphia was Fillydelphia... and..."
Applejack frowned. "Sugarcube?"
"...yeah?"
"Those are what they're called," Applejack said. "What the hay is a 'Manhattan'?"
Rainbow opened her eyes, swallowing. "Oh, sweet Jesus..." she mouthed, looking at Applejack from hooves to withers.
Applejack tilted her head. "We're ponies, remember?"
Rainbow Dash leapt from the bed with a scream, disentangling herself from Applejack's arms and tripping away from the bed in fright. She held out her hands and began to touch herself furiously.
"Hands... nose... feet... Oh, thank Christ, I'm still human..."
She collapsed against the wall as Applejack flicked the bedside lamp on, looking at Rainbow Dash with wide eyes.
"What is it, sugar'?"
Rainbow Dash slid down to the floor, panting.
"AJ, I'm never letting you take me to the stables ever again if you keep saying those awful puns."
"That's what've been giving you nightmares for the past week?"
Rainbow ran her hands over her face. "I didn't want to say anything, I know it's dumb, but..."
"It's darn-tootin' hilarious."
"Hey! Appreciate my struggles!"
Applejack slid out of bed after Rainbow, and wrapped her hands around Rainbow's hips. She leaned over Rainbow's smaller frame, letting her body press into hers with a smile.
"I appreciate 'em. I promise I won't make fun," she said quietly.
Rainbow brushed her hair out her eyes, and pouted.
"Well... good." She narrowed her eyes. "And no more making me think what it'd be like to be a pony!" she added, prodding Applejack's chest with her finger.
Applejack kissed Rainbow's cheek. "No problem. Wouldn't want you to scream yourself horse."
Rainbow Dash was fast, there was no doubt about that. She was quick, agile, and known to be one of the fastest runners in Equestria. Most ponies could easily tell you this, but those who were closest to her, would tell you she tended to run from most problems.
Rainbow dash sat with her head leaning against a random tree, She slowed her breath, trying to regain her composure. How could it have happened so soon? Sure her and Applejack had been together for years. It was only a matter of time, but still.
She had been ready for any question, any request, but that one question made her insides turn.
“Hey sugarcube, Ah would love for you to move in with me?”
The question still rang through her skull, it was to unexpected. So like always she turned and ran. Running had always been a safety net for her, she did it when Applejack first asked her out, Also when Applejack wanted to tell their friends.
The sound of hooves clattering against the ground brought a smile to her face. She looked to the sky and pondered. Her memories bringing light to her mood. Sure she had run from every problem she had encountered, and maybe if she admitted to herself, she had always been scared of the consequences.
She turned her head to smile at her panting marefriend. Applejack just smiled in between breaths, before she spoke, “ Ah told you once before, Ah won't let you run from me sugarcube”
Rainbow dash could do nothing as she let tears of joy rush down her face. She may have been known as the best runner in equestria, but her lover would always be right behind her.
“As long as you're here with me, Applejack, I can always be strong” Rainbow dash looked to the sky once more. A smile formed once more grabbing onto her marefriend.
Applejack let out a laugh as she nuzzled against her lover, “Dang girl you ran clear across the town,” Rainbow Dash let out a chuckle as Applejack kissed her on the cheek.
“Ah hate to see how far you run, when Ah ask you to marry me?” Rainbow Dash’s color drained from her face once more, As she turned once more and fled.
Applejack just smiled, Rearing back once more to give chase. She always loved catching a rainbow.
The sounds of ponies bustling about the hospital soaked up any conversation that might have been. Both mares sat in silence, one adjusting her recently applied and uncomfortable cast, the other fiddling with her forehoof, unsure of what to say and how to say it. Applejack ran her hoof through her mane, her recent discovery still fresh in her mind.
"So," she said, her voice barely audible over the din of the hospital.
Rainbow Dash pursed her lips.
"Yeah."
"I'm real sorry," Applejack said.
"You said so," Rainbow muttered. "About twenty times."
"Well, I am."
Rainbow sighed. "AJ, can we just... not?"
"But I don't—"
"I mean, what the hay made you think I could do that?!"
"Well..." Applejack began, looking away, "You're usually real bendy, and there was that time ya did that leg trick, an' how you're always braggin' you're flexible in all the right ways and a couple o' wrong ways too..."
"So you thought you'd cripple me for a week?"
"I swear, I didn't know they didn't go that way!"
"Wings face a certain way for a reason, AJ!"
"I figured they were like tails!"
"Tails don't have bones!" Rainbow exclaimed, waving her forelegs about her head. "I know you like to try new things, but c'mon, at least warn me first! Now I can't do my job for a week until my wing resets."
Applejack went quiet, and peered at her hooves. Rainbow breathed in, and looked away down the corridor.
A moment passed.
"I liked what you did with my ears, though," Rainbow admitted. "That was new."
Applejack brightened. "I'd been meanin' to try that one."
"It was cool. I also didn't expect the honey to work out that well either."
"Thanks! I got that one from one o' Rarity's magazines."
"It was a good one. We should do it again sometime."
Rainbow's shoulders sagged.
"So, uh, sorry I yelled. I just needed to let off some steam."
"It's okay. I'm sorry I twisted your wing back to front." Applejack chuckled. "I guess we'll laugh about it sometime down the line, eh?"
Rainbow's expression darkened. "No we won't."
"Ah. Uh, okay, we won't."
"Also, we're using a safety word from now on," Rainbow added. "I'd have suggested 'oh, please no, stop, dear Celestia no', but apparently, you don't respond well to that. We should use something clearer and less ambiguous. Like, I dunno, 'banana'."
Applejack had set out that morning to get an early start at Applebuck Season. She'd left the house with a smile on her face and a cheery swing in her step as she made her way down to the west orchard. She'd set her first basket down beneath the first tree to catch the first apples of the season. She'd kicked out with all her might, felt the familiar tremble of the tree beneath her hooves, and heard the satisfying sound of fruit falling from the branches into the waiting basket.
It was a moment she treasured, each and every year – turning around to see that first harvest of the season, reaching down and taking a bite of Sweet Apple Acres' world-renowned crop, tasting the first of the sweet apples that she'd spent all year cultivating...
This time around, she hadn't gotten as far as the tasting. She was still at the 'seeing the first harvest of the season' part. After a minute spent processing the information in front of her, another to convince herself that she wasn't having a nightmare, and one more minute of blank staring for good measure, the pieces finally fell into place.
“Dash,” she said.
She was met with silence. Unless you counted the poorly-masked snicker from one of the nearby trees. Applejack did. She grit her teeth.
“Dash,” she growled.
The snickering stopped. There was a faint rustling of leaves as Rainbow Dash poked her head out. “How did you know I was here?” she said.
“Why am I lookin' at a basket of bananas?” Applejack asked, in a level tone.
Applejack didn't look at Dash, she just kept staring at the basket, filled to the brim with the yellow fruit that was decidedly not apples. Even without looking, she could picture the look of silent terror dawning on her marefriend's face, as Dash darn well recognised the tone.
Dash dropped out of her tree and stood a 'safe' distance away as she spoke. “Hehe. Uh, okay. So, this is a little obscure, but hear me out,” she said. “Remember April Foals day, when you took me out for lunch? Then we went back to my place and you told me to meet you upstairs, 'cause you had a 'surprise' for me. And then you took a picture of my face when I saw that you'd had Pinkie paint my entire bedroom pink, with hearts? Remember how we had a good old laugh about that and then swept it under the rug?”
“You didn't speak to me for a week,” Applejack pointed out.
“O-oh, right...” Dash gulped. Applejack could practically hear the sweat beading on Dash's forehead as she spoke. “Well, I had this great idea for how to, uh, prank you back, and stuff. So I waited 'til last night, then mentioned to Discord that you wanted to, uh...”
“Wanted to what?”
“...'Mix things up', this season,” Dash said, cringing around her words. “I just asked him to change a couple of trees, but oh wow, would ya look at that, he did the whole orchard and then skipped town. Hehe. What a guy, right?”
Applejack was silent.
Dash took a couple of tentative steps closer. “...Honey? Y-you see the funny side, right? Ha ha. Right?”
Applejack slowly tilted her head up, to look into the branches of her tree. Bananas hung in place of her carefully loved and tended apples. She panned across, looking out over the entire orchard of banana-laden apple trees. Then she looked at her marefriend, whose face was held in a terrified grin.
“H-hey, how 'bout I 'make it up to you',” Dash said, shifting closer. She tried for a husky voice, but desperation made it come out as more of a broken squeak. “What d'you say we, uh, go back to the barn and I'll--”
“This is ain’t right. You do know that, don’tcha?”
“Ugh, why do you have to be difficult about this? Pinkie doesn’t give me this kind of trouble! She buys it for me all the time!”
“So why not ask her to buy it today?”
“I would, but she made her ‘Super Mega Treacle n’ Syrup Ultra Maxi-Ice Cream and Cotton Candy Muffin Milkshake Supreme x 2’ last Thursday!”
“Oh. So she’s gonna be in one of her sugar crashes ‘til...”
“Until next Wednesday, yeah.”
“So why aren’tcha doin’ this youself?”
“It’s just... what if somepony saw me? What if Scootaloo was in there? Or a Wonderbolt? I have a reputation to-“
“Hehehe, you-“
“Don’t you dare call me a wimp!”
“Aw come on Sugar, I weren’t gonna say that.”
“...Really?”
“I mean it’s so obvious, why point it out?”
“Grrr...Applejaaaack...”
“I just gotta know why this is so important to you? I mean do you really think you should be doin’ somethin’ like this?”
“It’s...I...it just makes me feel...look, it’s none of your business, okay? Here’s the money, just get one. One’s all I need.”
“Okay, I’ll take care of it. Don’t you worry none.”
“Hmph.”
Despite the fun she’d had teasing Rainbow a moment ago; Applejack couldn’t help but feel apprehensive as she entered the store. She just felt so...out of place in here. She was a respectable, hard working mare; she shouldn’t have to be in a place like this!
But Rainbow wanted what she wanted, no matter how inappropriate it might be. It got under A.J’s skin at times. Especially when she got dragged into it as well. It was one thing if Rainbow wanted to earn herself the scorn of the entire town, but as much as she might forget, Applejack had a reputation to think of as well.
She could feel eyes on her as she perused the store’s offerings. Watching her. Judging her. She tried her best to pay it no mind. Or at least look like she paid it no mind.
She soon came across the item she was looking for. She balked when she saw the price. Things were getting so expensive these days. She worried about Rainbow’s spending habits at times. She half considered if it might be more practical to make the stuff at home for her. Aside from being cheaper, there wouldn’t have to be this walk of shame every time Rainbow ran out.
Then again, Applejack wasn’t sure she could live with the shame if Big Mac or Applebloom caught her and she had to explain herself to them. The old “it’s just for a friend” excuse never worked, even if it was true in this case...
But she knew there was no way she could leave this place without getting what she came for. For all the trouble Rainbow caused her, she just couldn’t help wanting to see that smile again. She grabbed the item off the shelf, trying to ignoring the warm feeling of blood rushing to her cheeks.
Outside the toy store, the still blushing Applejack handed the bottle of bubble mix over to Rainbow Dash. The pegasus’ face lit up and she grabbed it immediately. Applejack was convinced she was going to cuddle with it in a moment. Still, she smiled despite herself. Embarrassing as the ordeal had been, it was worth it just to see Dash’s smile again. She chuckled as Rainbow took out the small stick and started blowing bubbles.
Rainbow stopped when she saw A.J grinning at her. She looked at the cowpony with an accusing glare.
"What?"
“Heh heh, I swear, you can be so childish sometimes.”
Rainbow's eyes opened. The sunlight pouring into the small bedroom stung her eyes, causing her to roll into the pillow next to her.
Ever heard of curtains, AJ?
Rainbow eyed the old clock resting on the bedside cabinet and groaned. Eight-thirty was not an okay time to wake up. Neither was nine-thirty. Or Ten-thirty. In fact, afternoon-thirty was the only okay-sounding time to get up, and even then that was only because you could only lie in bed for so long before you needed lunch.
Rainbow's brain wasn't fully in gear just yet, but she had woken up in the cosy, comfortable bedroom enough times to know exactly where Applejack would be. Rainbow rolled out of bed, stretched out her back, and trudged out into the corridor outside.
She passed the large, imposing form of Applejack's brother, squeezing between him and the wall. She rubbed her eyes as she went to the stairs.
"Uhm..." Big Macintosh began.
Rainbow never quite understood why the big stallion was quite so shy.
"Mornin', Big Mac," she croaked, and went downstairs.
The sounds of Granny Smith and Applebloom bustling around downstairs were as if they were heard underwater. Rainbow slid by them and into the kitchen. Coffee first, she thought, then Applejack.
Memories from the night before slid into the forefront of her mind. It was still too early to distinguish dream and reality. It was one of the many problems Rainbow had discovered that came with waking up before noon. Did she need to bust some rainclouds today, or had she already done that? Or was it just a figment of her imagination? Rainbow didn't know, or care. Applejack knew her timetable better than even Rainbow's boss: she'd just ask her.
She reached out to bite the kettle handle in her teeth, then stopped. Something wasn't quite right.
Am I supposed to bite this? Rainbow heard footsteps from behind her. Wait, how do I pick stuff up again?
"RD?" came Applejack's voice from the doorway. "What're you doin'?"
The gears in her brain slowly began to turn. Oh yeah, I have hands, right. She grabbed the handle of the kettle whilst pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Morning, AJ. Sorry, I think those weird dreams have been getting to me. Thought I was a horse again."
Wait, if I'm not a horse, shouldn't I be wearing...
Rainbow's eyes widened.
"Sugar, y'all have a problem," Applejack said, her voice strained. Rainbow turned to see not just Applejack, but also Granny Smith and Applebloom in the doorway. Applejack extended her arms, her very human arms in a vain attempt to block their vision. "Hey! No peekin'!"
Rainbow nearly dropped the kettle.
"Shoot!" she exclaimed, and darted behind the fridge. "I'm sorry! I got confused!"
"She gets dreams," Applejack explained.
"I get dreams!" Rainbow repeated. From behind the fridge, she pointed at Applejack. "It's all her fault!"
"It ain't my fault you're goin' madder'n a rattlesnake in July!" Applejack snapped. To her family, she added, "Go on, get! Kitchen's off limits! Ain't nothin' to see here!"
It occurred to Rainbow Dash that unwarranted nudity was a far more effective way to wake up than even coffee.
“Well sweet, sassy molassey, would ya look at this place?”
Rainbow resisted the urge to squee with excitement. One of the first things she had been looking forward to doing after becoming an official Wonderbolt, was to bring her marefriend up to the academy and properly show her around. And judging from her reaction, it was safe to say Applejack was impressed.
“So how’s about we mosey on over to the mess hall and get something to eat?” Applejack was saying. “I’m so hungry I swear I could eat three whole bales o’ hay!”
“Yeah, yeah in a sec,” Rainbow cut her off, “but first you gotta see the coolest part of the compound!”
Without waiting for an answer, Dash picked A.J up by the armpits, ignoring all protests, and flew her over to the barracks. There might technically not have been any need to do so, the barracks were on the same cloud as the one they had started on after all, but darn it, she was excited! She couldn’t wait for Applejack to see everything!
“Aaaand this locker right here belongs to, oh I don’t know, me! How cool is this?” Rainbow stood proudly next to her locker, eagerly waiting for Applejack’s seal of approval. The farmgirl chuckled and leaned forward from her seat on the locker room bench.
“Well lookee there, gotcha name on it an’ everythin’!”
“You know it! They get these name plates specially made! Nothing but the best, for the best of the best-“
“Hehe.” Applejack cut her off with a laugh. ”You get your own personal locker and you’re still too dang lazy to lock it, huh?”
“Huh?”
Applejack got up from the bench and moved forward. She stuck a hoof out, pointing at the padlock lazily hanging off the door by its unlocked hook. “So whatcha keep in this thing anyhow?”
“What? No! Wait, don’t-“
It was too late. Rainbow tried to stop her but Applejack’s curiosity had got the better of her. She reached out and swung open the door, casually ducking past Rainbow’s flailing attempts to stop her from seeing whatever was in there.
“Hoowhee, would ya look at this!” Applejack pulled out a bomber jacket, crisp, new and adorned with flight badges. “They sure give you some fancy gear in this place!”
“Heh, yeah they sure do!” Rainbow sweated. “So hey, how about we head over to the mess hall now? I hear they’re serving cabbage soup today! You know how you love cabbage soup!”
Rainbow made a grab for the bomber jacket, but Applejack pulled away. Clearly sensing that something was up, she started looking over the garment, trying to find what Rainbow was trying to hide.
“No! She can’t see it! She can’t, she-“
“Hey, what’s this badge right here for?”
“She saw it...”
Rainbow sat down in defeat. A.J had seen it. There was no way to make her unsee it.
“Uh, this looks like a picture of your Cutie Mark-“
“Crashing into a sign, I know.” Rainbow sighed heavily and looked down at the floor. This seemed to catch Applejack’s attention.
“Hey there...” A.J sidled up to her and laid a hoof on her shoulder. “You okay partner?”
“Why’d you have to go and look at that stupid badge? Why’d they have to go and put it on the stupid jacket?”
“Aw Sugar, is this about that nickname thing again? I thought you were past that.”
“I am! Really, I am, I just... I hate that stupid name so much!”
“Aw come on now, it’s just a name. So what?”
“So what? It hurts! Have you ever been called names?”
“Well sure, all the time.”
“Wait, what?”
“Yup. Pretty much every day in fact.”
“Every...” Rainbow suddenly turned wrathful. “Who? Who’s doing this? Why didn’t you tell me? If I ever find the punk who-“
She was stopped by A.J’s hoof being shoved in her mouth. The farmer gave her a flat look.
“I was talkin’ about you, genius.”
Rainbow sprung back. “What? I don’t...what’re you talking about?”
“Just the other day you called me ‘Applequack’.”
“I was just... You fell in the pond! You were surrounded by ducks, I was just...” She wasn’t sure what to think. A.J didn’t seem to be mad, heck; she was smiling at her right now.
“Just what, Sugarcube? Making fun? Teasing?” She was still smiling.
“I wasn’t trying to be mean, I was just...I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt your –“
She was cut off as A.J’s lips met hers in a quick kiss.
“You didn’t hurt my feelin’s at all Rainbow. I get it. When you tease me it’s just a bit o’ fun. Heck, I do it to you too. You didn’t mind when I call you ‘Rainbow Rash’, the time Pinkie put itchin’ powder in your flight suit.”
“Well yeah, that’s just...I mean you and me smack talk each other all the time, we’re just... We’re not trying to be jerks to each other...”
“Well that’s how you gotta think o’ your team mates. I know some o’ them colts gave you a hard time at flight school, and that was mean of ‘em. But I reckon most folks don’t really mean the harm they’re causin’. You just gotta try and not take it all too seriously.”
“I...I guess so...”
A.J gave her another quick peck on the lips. “So whaddya say, you wanna head on over to the mess hall, Crash?”
Rainbow’s eyes narrowed. “Hey! Just because we talked this over, it doesn’t mean its okay for you to call me that!”
Applejack rolled her eyes. “Aw come on Sugarcube, we just talked about-“
“I mean it! How would you like it if I started calling you Appleslack?”
Now it was A.J’s turn to narrow her eyes. “Rainbow Dash,” her words were slow and icy, “how do you-“
“Know about that nickname? Let’s just say Granny Smith has some interesting stories to tell. Lemme see, it was something to do with a mud hole, a tree branch and a length of rope, right?
“Shut up Rainbow.”
“Or what?” Rainbow looked directly in Applejack’s face, bearing the smuggest look on her muzzle possible. “You gonna leave me tied upside down from a tree over a mud hole? Oh wait, that was you, wasn’t it...Appleslack?”
“Rainbow Crash!”
“Appleslack!”
“Rainbow Crash!”
“Appleslack!”
“Rainbow Crash!”
“Appleslack!”
And so the two continued to trade barbs with each other all the way to the mess hall.
"Something Olde, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, A Sixbit in your Horseshoe.” Applejack repeated.
“What?” Rainbow Dash deadpanned.
“It’s tradition. You want one of each.” Applejack explained, “Each item is a positive symbol to your continued... love.” Applejack hadn’t meant to pause there, but the word was hard to say—even now.
“I guess I can get one of each from my friends. I don’t suppose you can let me borrow something?”
“Well, shucks, Rainbow. I’d be happy to.” Applejack paused again. It felt strange to say, plus, would it really be counted as borrowing? Especially since Rainbow was marrying into the family. But, she supposed it was the thought that counted in the end. “You can borrow my grandpappy’s old bowtie. It’s been in my family for generations.”
“Uhm, cool. I guess?” Rainbow shrugged. “Anyways, thanks for your help. I’ll pick it up tomorrow before the party.”
“I know.” Rainbow cut her off and waved a hoof. “I got to go, thanks for telling me about this tradition of yours, pegasus just go for a suicide dive and call it good.”
“Alrighty then, I’ll see you later.” Applejack waved a hoof, but Rainbow was already gone. A chromatic streak in the evening sky.
Applejack didn’t sleep that night. How could she? She blamed it on the nerves as she tossed and turned in the bed. She spent the better part of the evening hunting down the bowtie. It rested quietly on her nightstand. Everytime she looked at it, her heart ached and sleep eluded her. Not matter how she felt, she told herself: it was the right thing to do. The crowing of the rooster shook her suddenly from her a fitful night’s sleep into an unhappy dawn.
Clambering out of bed, Applejack did her very best to make herself presentable. She cleaned herself, brushed her mane back, and prepared everything a good pony ought to do days such as today. She traded small talk at breakfast, and maybe a grand total of two words with Big Mac, before making her way to Twilight’s Castle.
She found Rainbow already there, dressed, albeit uncomfortably, in a beautiful flowing gown. She smiled brightly and passed the bowtie to Rainbow. Rainbow accepted it wordlessly and strapped it around her back hoof, just above the hem of the dress. She felt words bubbling forth from within, but Rarity shooed her away before she could speak.
So, instead, she sat quietly in the room and waited. Slowly, but surely, music filled the room. The doors opened, and Rainbow walked through them, her head held high. As beautiful as ever, at least in Applejack’s eyes. As Rainbow passed, Applejack swallowed the lump in her throat and turned her head away.
Rainbow stopped at the front of the room, before Twilight, the princess officiating, and next to her brother, the lucky son of a—. Applejack shook her head and sighed. It was all so sudden, hardly anypony was even here. Just her and her friends.
In deliberate fashion, Twilight delivered the vows. But, Applejack wasn’t listening. All she could do was stare at Rainbow. Stare at the bowtie, just hidden behind the hem of that dress. The dress which hid the beautiful colors, the brightest of blue coats, the sheer spunk and energy she would never find in another.
“...let them speak now, or forever hold their peace.”
Applejack’s chair clattered to the ground. She raised herself to her hooves and locked eyes with Rainbow Dash. “I love her!” She declared, loud and clear. Her chest pounding, she sunk down to the floor. Her mind barely registered what she had done. Her friends, her brother, they crowded around her. She held her hooves together over her head, begging for forgiveness, to be spared for her horrible deed.
“I know.” Rainbow chirped out.
“We all know.” Rarity added with a sigh.
“Yup.” Big Mac nodded.
The words boiled in Applejack’s mind. She sprung to her hooves and leveled a glare at each pony present. “So, the lack of guests, the location here in Twilight’s castle, Rainbow’s visit yesterday, the invitation I got not two days ago.”
“How else was I supposed to get you to admit you had feelings for me?” Rainbow grinned and wrapped her forehooves around Applejack’s neck.
“How about just talking to me?” Applejack shuddered in rage, but couldn’t find it in herself to push Rainbow away. “How about not putting together some sham ceremony to make me come—” Applejack growled, kicked at the floor, before finally exhaling.
“Consarnit Rainbow, how do you manage to make me so happy and so angry at the exact same time?”
“That’s just what being in love is like, darling.” Rarity chimed in.
“Yup.” Big Mac nodded, glad his sister hadn’t torn him a new one.
Applejack pushed the door, the wood sliding against a carpet of papers. Each sheaf was adorned with numbers and symbols that might as well have been alien to her they were so complex. She poked her head into the room.
Past the mountains of ink-splattered calculations and over the rivers of crumpled papers, Rainbow Dash stood in front of the mirror, struggling with a garish red bowtie around her neck. She wore a vest the same colour as pale brown straw and that looked twice as itchy, a checkered shirt and hideous sewage colour skirt.
She had come a long way since having a few strange nightmares a year ago.
"Horseapples!" Rainbow exclaimed as she threw the bowtie across the room.
"Um, sugarcube?" she asked, swimming through the numbers. "You havin' a hard time with that?"
Rainbow turned and faced Applejack. "Oh. Yeah, ties suck." She pulled at her vest. "This whole get-up sucks. Eggheads look uncooler than a polar bear in the Marehave..."
"Mohave," Applejack corrected.
Rainbow bristled.
"Uh, yeah. In the Mohave desert." She looked around at the room. "Uh, sorry about the mess."
Applejack didn't know what to say. Part of her was filled with concern at the memory of Rainbow hunched over paper after paper, her mind moving faster than her already lightning-quick writing. Rainbow had never been good at math. She had never been good at physics or chemistry either. However, it turned out that when you were fast enough to go through several hundred equations in a minute, you could allow for some trial and error... and Rainbow was all about speed.
"I didn't know you took this so seriously," she said. "I just thought y'all were fussin' over nothin'."
'Seriously' was perhaps an understatement. When it wasn't about her day job with the Wonderbolts or anything Applejack-related, all she talked about were her 'theories'.
"I... Rainbow scratched her head. "I dunno any more. The dreams don't go away and I think I'm almost seeing something."
Crazy thing was, people were starting to think something of her crackpot theories.
Applejack wrapped her hands around Rainbow's waist. "Them professors from Switzerland seem to think you've got somethin' worth sayin'."
"Y-yeah," Rainbow muttered. "Because everypony takes me seriously when I talk about things like..."
Applejack leaned down to kiss Rainbow. Concerns aside... there was nothing that wasn't impressive about Rainbow balancing sports and her new 'hobby'. Even if it was nothing like the Rainbow she had found in highschool.
"You've worked real hard to prove what you're thinkin' now, right?" Applejack smiled. "You'll be fine."
Rainbow frowned. "...sure, right." She looked down at her ugly vest. "I just hope that this disguise works. I figure that if I look like a nerd, they'll listen to me more."
Applejack raised her eyebrow. "Yeah, 'bout that..."
"I based it off Twilight and then amped it up to eleven! Looks convincing, right?"
"It looks like somethin', that's for sure."
"I just can't get the bowtie right."
"I reckon' y'all don't need it."
"But Twilight wears a bow-tie."
"Twilight ain't you, sugarcube," Applejack replied. "Like I said, you've worked real, real hard to come up with your theories about gravity an' other... um..."
"I dunno what to call them either. 'Universe' sounds super lame." She shrugged. "I call it Earth Awesome 2."
"Earth Awesome 2?"
"Yeah. Because I'm on it, I think, so it's definitely awesome. It also looks like Earth, so... yeah. But it's only number two because on this one, I get to be with you."
Applejack smiled. "Ain't there an Applejack like me in Earth Awesome 2?" she asked, her hands running up Rainbow's lower back.
"No," Rainbow said, lowering her hands towards Applejack's and bringing them up to her chest. "I can tell the difference. And it's not just the hooves."
Applejack rested her head against Rainbow. The two were quiet for a moment.
"Speaking of hooves," Applejack said after a while, "Y'all can't go to an important science conference wearin' horseshoes tied 'round your feet."
It was the morning after Scootaloo's first sleepover at the Apple family house since Rainbow Dash and Applejack had gotten married, and the orange filly was heading to the kitchen, where a freckled Earth pony was just finishing up a pile of pancakes.
"Hey, Applejack?"
"What is it, Sugarcube?"
"Could you help me with my math homework?" Scootaloo asked.
"Sure," Applejack replied, making space on the table so the filly could place her textbook, notebook, and writing equipment on it. "What's got you confused?"
"Well, Miss Cheerilee just started teaching us about exponents, and I'm not sure I really understand them yet."
"Well, y'know how a multiplication is basically addin' the same number over and over?" Applejack grabbed a pencil. "Try thinkin' of exponents as a sorta step up from that..."
"Thanks a lot, Applejack, I think I get it now!" Scootaloo beamed. "You're really good at math!"
"Aw, shucks. I ain't nothin' special. I just need to be able to handle our finances, that's all."
"Well, Rainbow couldn't have taught me that as well as you did."
Applejack tried and failed to conceal a snort. "Sugarcube, don't take this the wrong way — I love Rainbow to bits, and all — but math ain't exactly one of her strong suits," she said. "In fact, she's… well, pretty bad at it, to be honest."
Scootaloo looking quizzically at the Earth pony. "Really? I mean, I know she doesn't like math, but I always assumed she was still average at it, at least."
The mare gave Scootaloo a look that was half-amused, half-deadpan. "A few months back, when we were plannin' our weddin', she tried to lend a hoof with the budgeting. Let's just say she wasn't very helpful."
"I'll take your word for it, I suppose. Oh, and thanks again for the help."
"Glad to help," Applejack said, then winked and added, "Especially now that we're sisters-in-law."
Scootaloo paused. "…Huh. We are, aren't we? Didn't realize that. Does this I'm part of the Apple family now?"
"Eeyup," Applejack answered. "Which reminds me — we happen to have a bit of a tradition that tends to come up when new ponies join the family."
"Oh?"
"It involves ponies who sleep in late, and a big bucket of freezin' cold water," the orange mare said with a smirk. "And wouldn'tcha know it, it's already nine o'clock, and a certain pegasus is still snoozin' away." She grinned at Scootaloo. "You want in on this?"
Scootaloo struggled to contain her laughter. "Do I ever!"
Despite what I thought as a filly, being a Wonderbolt was no walk in the orchard. My wings felt like lead blocks strapped to my back, and at the end of the day, I was all too grateful to be back on my hooves again. The crunch of the gravel beneath them felt so comforting and familiar that I trudged through the pathway to the farmhouse slowly, enjoying the sensation of rocks lodging themselves in my hooves. It was getting late—the sun had just dipped below the apple trees, and the family had long since wrapped up their daily chores and headed in for dinner.
Mmm, dinner. Oh, how my stomach longed for food that wasn’t from the Wonderbolts cafeteria. I could smell the apples on the trees around me, their sweet scent wafting in the warm evening air, but I held off in hopes of an even better meal.
A tired smile drifted to my face as I approached the farmhouse, and I reached out, already envisioning those freckles and a long, warm hug.
My hoof hadn’t even reached the door before it was shoved open.
“Rainbow Dash!” It was not a voice I expected to hear, and to be honest, not quite the one I wanted to hear right now. “How was your first day as a Wonderbolt? Have you done a show yet? Oh my gosh, you’ll be all over the papers tomorrow!”
“You bet I will be, squirt,” I said, trying to convey my excitement through my weariness. “Though it was only the first day. I’ve got a lot to brush up on before we do any performances.”
The house was thick with the scent of fresh apple pie and cinnamon, and I struggled to focus on the filly’s zealous words through my hunger and tiredness.
“Scootaloo, Sugarcube, give her some space. Dash’s plumb tuckered out after all that flyin’,” Applejack’s voice drawled. She smiled and wrapped me in a strong, warm hug.
“Glad to have you home, Dash. Are you alright?” She whispered into my ear.
“Uh huh,” I said, mumbling softly into her mane. I wrapped my sore lead wings around her. All they seemed good for now is for holding her closer.
Later that night, after a belly full of delicious food, a warm bath, and a mare’s tender affections, I laid on our bed thinking. I had melted into the sheets, spread my wings, and closed my eyes with a sign, enjoying Applejack’s gentle and much-needed preening.
“AJ?” I prompted, a little too timidly than I would have liked.
Between pulling straight my wet flight feathers and fluffing out newly grown ones with her teeth, Applejack responded, “Yeah, hon?”
I wasn’t sure how to tell her how appreciative I was of this, of her giving me a place to come home to after working so hard. Not like my cold, lonesome, fancy cloud house. A real place, full of family, friends, warmth, music, stories, good food, and more love and sappiness than I knew what to do with. I mean, I had everything I dreamed of—impending fame and fortune, awesome talent, and adoring fans. But at the end of the day when none of that mattered, she was still here for me, holding me, cleaning the gunk out of my feathers, and feeding my dumb self who barely knew how to make a hayburger. How in the world was I supposed to thank her for all that?
“…Thanks.” I finally managed. It felt weak and inadequate to my ears.
“’Course, Sugarcube.” She nuzzled into my feathers, a feeling that always brought a smile to my lips. “You know I love preenin’ you.”
“Not… just for that. I mean, for everything. For always being here for me. When I’m up in the clouds for so long, I forget just how much warmer it is near the ground… Near you.”
Two green eyes and a grin popped up from between my half-preened feathers. She slowly slid over me, cupping my cheek with a hoof and drawing nearer.
“Who are you and what have you done with Rainbow Dash?” Applejack said.
She laughed melodically as I shoved her. “Very funny, AJ.”
I knew then I didn’t have to thank her. The world could be ending, and we'd still be here, playing and roughhousing like there's no tomorrow.
“Wait, Applejack was what?” Twilight spluttered, spilling her tea over the floor.
“She was bleeding!” Fluttershy responded, shuffling in her throne as a grumbling Spike tended to the split beverage. “I saw her at her stall in the market and she had a bloodied muzzle. I suppose it was lucky it was the red apples in front of her and not the green ones...”
Twilight set her cup back down on the Cutie Map. “Did she seem like she was in pain?”
“Not really. In fact I don’t think she even noticed.”
“Well she is pretty hardy. It’s probably just some rough work on the farm. You know how she is.”
“But this isn’t the only time!” Fluttershy banged her hoof on the table for emphasis. Well...lightly tapped it anyway. “She seems to have more and more cuts and bruises every day now!”
“Every day?” Twilight tapped her chin thoughtfully. “When did you start noticing this?”
Fluttershy looked down at her own cup, hiding her face within her mane.
“Fluttershy?” Twilight asked more insistently. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Um...I don’t...I don’t want to say...”
“Come on, if there’s a problem, I need to know.”
Fluttershy took a deep breath, after which her words came out all at once. “It was just after she and Rainbow started seeing each other! Oh I know it’s not right to suspect, and I can’t believe Dash would ever-”
“Wait a second!” Twilight cut in. “You’re not seriously suggesting that Dash is...I mean...I feel like that’s not the kind of thing A.J would take lying down...”
“But that’s just it!” Fluttershy sat up straighter in her chair, desperate to make Twilight understand. “I’ve noticed that Dash is also getting more cuts and scrapes lately. Just three days ago she had this horrible looking black eye!”
Twilight sank back into her throne. It seemed unthinkable. The news of her two friends beginning a new relationship had been such a cause for celebration. But now, the idea that two were engaging in...”domestic disputes”... The two had always been rather short tempered, not to mention quick to trade blows if it came to it, but this was another level. If this sort of thing were to happen at the farm, where Applebloom might see...
“That’s it!” She jumped to her hooves. “We’re going to Sweet Apple Acres to get to the bottom of this!”
Down at the farm things seemed peaceful as ever. Twilight, Fluttershy and Spike had asked Mac about his sister’s whereabouts, but he hadn’t seen her since the morning. None of them felt comfortable telling him about their theory regarding his sister and her...special friend. They wanted to make sure they were right before the stallion got his hooves on Rainbow.
They decided to go ahead and search the farm just in case, and were eventually rewarded when they spotted their two targets emerging from the barn.
They each gasped at what they saw. The situation seemed worse than ever. One of Rainbow’s wings looked bent and she was limping. Applejack was sporting a massive bruise on her barrel as well as a split lip. Twilight’s heart sank. The two had seemed so happy at first, but here it was. Evidence that this relationship was clearly not meant to be. There was no other option. She had to intervene and recommend that they break up. It was for their own good.
She approached them with a heavy heart. “Um...hi girls.” Where to even start?
“Well howdy Sugarcube!” A.J greeted her with a wide smile and bright eyes. Poor Applejack. She must be trying to hide what was going on for the sake of everyponys’ feelings. “What brings you round these parts?”
Twilight took a breath and steadied herself. “Applejack. Rainbow Dash. I know what’s been going on. And it has to stop.”
“Um...stop what?” Rainbow asked, a look of confusion on her face. “And what do you thinks’ been going on?”
With no other choice, Twilight steeled herself up and explained everything she and Fluttershy had been discussing. Fluttershy herself soon burst into tears, but Twilight held strong. She had to be. For them.
And yet, when she had finished her story...Applejack and Rainbow just laughed.
“Aw Sugarcube,” Applejack spluttered between guffaws, “y’all seriously think me and Dash would do a thing like that?”
“Yeah Twi!” Rainbow was on her back, hooves in the air, laughing like there was no tomorrow. “You think I’d lay a hoof on A.J? Where’d you come up with an idea like that?”
“Well...” Twilight was honestly a little offended at them not taking her concerns seriously. “Look at the pair of you!”
“Huh?” Rainbow looked up from the ground. “What about us?”
“Y-you’re...you’re hurt!” Fluttershy had calmed down enough to still talk, but the sobs still came through here and there. “You’re always getting hurt! If you aren’t doing this to each other, then who is?”
Applejack and Rainbow stared at the three for a moment. Then they stared at each other. Then they collapsed into hysterics once more.
“Hey come on!” Spike raised his voice. It didn’t seem nice of them to be laughing at their friends’ concerns like this. “We’re worried about you guys!”
“Aw heck, Spike. “A.J wiped a tear from her eye. “Don’t you worry none. Ain’t nopony doin’ anythin’ bad to us. We was just roughhousin’ in the barn a little.”
“What?”
“What!”
“Um...what?”
Rainbow finally got to her hooves. “We just like to wrestle now and then. Y’know, it’s a way to blow off steam. Jeez guys, don’t take everything so seriously!”
“But...but...” Twilight struggled to find the words. “You’re limping! Applejack’s bleeding!”
Applejack shrugged. “Just a scratch or two, ain’t no big deal.”
“Besides A.J started it.” Rainbow added.
The farm girl rounded on her. “I beg your pardon?”
“You stepped on my wing!”
“You punched me in the mouth!”
“Only cuz you kicked me in the leg!”
“That was an accident!” A.J stopped and smirked. “Guess I didn’t realise how delicate you were.”
Rainbow’s eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”
“Ain’t nothin’ to get upset about Sugar. Ain’t your fault if you don’t have the endurance.”
Rainbow shoved her face straight into A.J’s, their noses touching. “Oh yeah? I’ve got like, ten times the endurance you have!”
Applejack pushed back, still smirking. “Wanna put that to the test, Dash?”
Rainbow smirked back. “Always.”
“Fine. First one to say uncle has to do Big Mac’s chores for three days!”
“You’re on!”
Before Twilight and the others could say anything, a blur of orange and blue fur hit the ground and began rolling over the grass.
“So um...maybe we should go?” Spike asked. The other two nodded and they quickly made their exit as the roughhousing continued.
“Hey! No biting!”
“What’s the matter Sugarcube? You goin’ soft on me?”
Twilight could barely contain her excitement. She grinned at her friends, seated as usual around the Cutie Map table, and began speaking. "Last week, an expedition set out to explore a recently discovered tunnel in the caves of Canterlot Mountain. They ended up finding an ancient town — one that dates all the way back to the founding of Equestria!"
This was met around the table with surprised faces and curiousity. Even Rainbow Dash gave an interested eyebrow-raise.
"Gosh, they must be uncovering all sorts'a interesting info about those times!" Applejack said.
"Oh, you bet!" answered Spike from Twilight's right side. "Already, they've found the journal of Clover the Clever herself! It details everything that happened after the Windigo incident — which has previously been a huge blank in history books! Even the Princesses barely remember anything from so far back."
"And that brings us to the reason we've called you here," Twilight said. "You see, Princess Celestia wants a play based on those events to be created." She could practically feel her eyes sparkling as she continued, "After centuries of remaining virtually unchanged, the traditional Hearth's Warming play is going to have a sequel — and since our performance a few years ago was popular, Celestia would like us to act in it!"
Once they found their voices again, the other ponies enthusiastically agreed. Then Rarity wanted to know about the costumes they would wear, Fluttershy asked whether her animal friends could be of any help, and a pleasant buzz of conversation quickly filled the room.
Finally, once the basic details had been sorted out, the others went to return to their homes.
Twilight bit her lip. This was the part she'd been nervous about. "Applejack? Rainbow? Could you stay for a few more minutes?"
The two in question shot a curious glance at each other, then shrugged and returned to their seats. "What is it?" asked Rainbow.
Twilight waited until she heard the front door close behind Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy before responding, "Well, you see… we didn't want to mention it in front of the others so it wouldn't get more awkward than necessary, but…" she trailed off uncomfortably.
"…um, well, it turns out that about a year after Clover and the others all befriended each other…" Spike continued.
"…Commander Hurricane and Smart Cookie… they, um…"
"…they sort of, uh… fell in love?"
Rainbow's jaw dropped a little at that. Applejack's expression showed some kind of emotion — probably several — but Twilight had no idea what.
Applejack opened her mouth to speak. Nervously, Twilight cut her off. "Of course, it's perfectly okay if you want to back out of the play!"
"Yeah, we completely understand if you'd feel awkward with… you know…" Spike added.
"…there being scenes where you'd have to… to…"
"…to kiss each other, and stuff."
Twilight bit her lip again. She tried to monitor her friends' response.
She still couldn't read Applejack's face, and Rainbow was still slack-jawed. Suddenly, the pegasus said, "…I'm okay with that."
Her eyes became slightly dreamy, the corners of her mouth tugged upwards, and her cheeks showed a hint of pink. "…I am definitely okay with that."
"Is that so, sugarcube?"
Rainbow yelped and scrambled off her chair, having seemingly forgotten Applejack was in the room. "Wha— no, I… I mean… I didn't mean it like—"
Applejack cut her off. "'Cuz I was thinkin' we should find a nice, quiet spot, just for the two of us, so we can…" she slowly lifted an eyebrow, "…rehearse."
Rainbow's face turned fuchsia. "Y-Yeah, that sounds good." She made a poor job of concealing her eagerness as she half-trotted, half-galloped outside, and Applejack followed.
Twilight and Spike stared after them in silence for a moment.
Finally, the dragon asked, "So does that count as method acting?"
"You ever get so bored for such a long time that you start forgetting stuff?"
"Like what?"
"Like going completely insane."
"Forget what?"
"I dunno, things, okay?"
"Like what, RD?"
"Like, what day it is, did you feed Tank, what's going on, whether you talked to somepony today..."
"Did y'all feed Tank?"
"I dunno, I think so?"
"Why're y'all so bored, then?"
"Because I'm on fog-duty. Do you know how interesting fog is?"
"Nope."
"Exactly. It's nope levels of interesting. Every day. I just have to sit here looking at stupid thick clouds too heavy to take off. Every day."
"Every day, huh?"
"Yeah. Monday, fog duty. Tuesday, fog duty. Wednesday... is it Wednesday?"
"I dunno. Is it?"
"Maybe. But Wednesday too. And you can't see anything, either. It's just a whole day of nothingness. And boredom."
"Uh-huh."
"Honestly, if it wasn't for you, I'd probably have gone nuts."
"No problem, sugarcube. I'll always be there for you."
"Aw, thanks. Love you."
"Love you too."
"..."
"..."
"Hey AJ?"
"Yeah?"
"You ever get so bored you start to forget things?"
"Like what?"
"Like who you're talking to?"
"Who are you talking to?"
"...Who am I talking to?" Rainbow frowned. "I'm on fog-duty. Nopony can find me whilst I'm on fog duty."
Rainbow shot through the fog and into the air, emerging above the thick milky carpet of clouds that blanketed the countryside. Rainbow scratched her head.
"Huh," she muttered as she drifted back into the fog. "Guess I was talking to myself."
"That's what daily fog-duty'll do to ya."
"Yeah, I guess. Thank Celestia you're here. You keep me sane, AJ. You keep me sane."
"Anytime."
"Hey, uh, RD?" Applejack asked. "Why're ya talkin' to yourself?"
Rainbow frowned. "I'm not talking to myself. I'm talking to..." She stopped, and looked at Applejack, who cut through the fog like a knife. "Oh. Hey AJ. I think I'm going a bit insane. You ever been so bored for so long you start forgetting things?"
Applejack raised an eyebrow.
"Just wanted to say thanks for watchin' the fog. The humidity is great for the crops, y'know," she said. "Dunno why it needs watchin' every single day, though."
"Keeps it from running off. Fog's tricky, y'know."
"And you couldn't send one of the others 'cause..."
"They wouldn't do it right."
Applejack nodded apprehensively.
"Hey, RD?"
"Yeah?"
"I was, uh... listenin' for a while 'fore I said hi, and you were... talkin' in my voice?" Applejack paused. "Ya said somethin' 'bout 'me always bein' there for you'... and stuff..."
“Aw yeah!” Rainbow pumped a hoof in the air in excitement as she leaned back into the farmhouse’ old couch. “You ready for movie night?” She grinned as she smoothly laid a foreleg around the shoulders of her favourite cowgirl.
“I guess.” Applejack grunted in response. She cast a wary glance at the cover of the film Dash had chosen. Daring Do and the Gilded Cage. “Coulda sworn it was my turn to pick the movie though…”
“Ah, ah, ah, ah!” Rainbow cut in hurriedly, almost as though she was trying to discourage Applejack’s train of thought. “Come on, movie’s starting!” She grinned again as Applejack heaved the massive bowl of popcorn into her lap, holding it close enough for Rainbow to share. She couldn’t wait for A.J to see this movie! She was going to love it!
“How much longer is this darn thing?”
She did not love it. Applejack was slouched over, her foreleg leaning on the arm rest, propping up her chin. She regarded the film through half closed eyes. She could not have looked more bored if Twilight were here, giving the two a lecture on the properties of various types of celluloid used in filming.
“What’s wrong?” Dash couldn’t help feeling annoyed. Trust A.J to butt in right at the most exciting part! Daring was hanging off a ledge suspended above lava! How was she going to get out of this one??
Okay, technically Dash already knew how, seeing as she had watched this movie more times than she could count, but still...
“It’s just...”Applejack hesitated.
“Just what?” Rainbow took a gulp of her soda, waiting impatiently for an answer.
“The dialogue in this movie is just plumb awful!”
PFFFFT!
Rainbow could only stare in shock while Applejack cleaned up the soda Dash had spat out, all over the screen.
“Darn thing’s gonna be all sticky now...” Applejack was muttering to herself. The sound helped Rainbow find her voice.
“Whaddya mean, the dialogue’s awful?”
Applejack turned around to find a very angry Pegasus right in her face. Her teeth were gritted, her eyes were narrowed and she was clearly looking for a fight.
“Oh come on Dash.” Applejack rolled her eyes. “That bit where Darin’ talks about her past lovers while flirtin’ with that one feller. Who talks like that?”
“What’s wrong with the way they were talking?”
“Just kinda cheesy, that’s all...”
Rainbow scoffed. “Daring Do isn’t about the talking, Applejack. It’s about the action! The excitement! The explosions!”
“Whatever darlin’...”
“Whatever?! How can you say that?”
“I’m just sayin’ action and excitement’s all well and good, but if you stop and really listen to the way they talk, you have to admit, it ain’t the best written dialogue out there.”
Rainbow just stared.
Applejack sighed. “Look, I’ma head to bed, alright? Gotta big shipment to Seaddle to organise tomorrow.”
Rainbow flinched as Applejack gave her a quick peck on the cheek and left the room. She snorted in defiance and grabbed the remote control. She leapt back onto the couch and pressed play. She didn’t care what Applejack thought! This movie was great and she was going to watch it all the way through, with or without Miss Nitpicky-Pants!
Applejack was still sat up in bed, reading a novel when Rainbow entered the room in a huff. She waited for the Pegasus to speak, but she was surprisingly silent.
“Um...Sugarcube?”
“I’m not talking to you.” That was all Rainbow said before she got into bed and turned to face away from A.J.
“Uh huh.” She turned the page and kept reading.
Wait for it.
...
...
...
Wait for it.
“You’re a jerk, you know that?”
There it was. Applejack rubbed her forehead and set the book aside. “Oh for the love o’... Really? You’re mad at me for not likin’ a movie? You remember the time we went out to see Ponies of the Caribbean? You were whinin’ the whole time, and you walked out halfway through! And on our anniversary...”
A moment’s silence.
“You said you weren’t mad about that anymore.”
“I ain’t!”
“You sound like you are...”
Applejack slapped a hoof over her eyes. Okay. Time to calm things down before they got worse. She laid a hoof on Rainbow’s mane and stroked her gently. The Pegasus seemed to relax slightly at her touch. “C’mon Sugar, it’s just a movie. It don’t matter if we don’t like all the same things, right?”
Rainbow sighed. She sat up to face the other mare. “I know. I don’t care if you don’t like Daring Do.”
Applejack squinted in suspicion. Rainbow stilled looked downcast. “So what’s the real problem?”
Rainbow stared at her pillow for a long time. “Well...”
She leapt back onto the couch and pressed play. She didn’t care what Applejack thought! This movie was great and she was going to watch it all the way through, with or without Miss Nitpicky-Pants! She lay back and the film started and grinned to herself as Daring escaped the lava. This was gonna be awesome!
As Daring faced down Ahuizotl, he made a grand speech about her imminent doom. Rainbow’s grin started to fade away.
During a quiet moment, Daring whispered something romantic to her sidekick, comparing his eyes to stars in the night sky. Rainbow’s teeth clenched and her eye twitched.
As Ahuizotl lay defeated, Daring monologued about the nature of good versus evil and the importance of love and friendship. Rainbow’s jaw hung open in disbelief.
Rainbow sat across from Applejack in the bed, forelegs crossed over her chest. She refused to look A.J in the face as she sulked.
“I just want you to know, you’ve totally ruined Daring Do movies for me now.”
Applejack tried to flash her an apologetic smile. “Hehe...oops?”
Rarity tapped her hoof impatiently. She was pursing her lips so hard she could have used them to die-press steel. The glare she was giving the castle's front door could cut through titanium.
"Rares, give it a rest," Applejack said. "She's only twenty minutes late."
"She was twenty minutes late half an hour ago," Rarity said. "Don't think I've forgotten how tardy you were!"
Applejack backed away. Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie all elected to remain silent on the matter, although by the look on her face, Twilight was definitely siding with Rarity. Punctuality was very important, especially in the Castle of Friendship.
The large double-doors creaked open. A small rainbow maned head peered inside.
Tragically for Rainbow Dash, Rarity was just slightly out of sight.
"Psst? AJ? Is Rarity around?"
Applejack made quick cutting motions across her neck. Rainbow blanched.
"You're late," Rarity snapped with a voice that could freeze solar systems.
"I was, uh, busy with..."
"Busy with what?"
"We did have a meeting scheduled..." Twilight pointed out, visibly not very impressed with Rainbow's timekeeping abilities.
Rainbow's eyebrow twitched.
"Like you needed me to be here to start talking and stuff," she muttered, trotting into the throne room.
"Excuse me, darling?"
Rainbow groaned. "Ugh!" In an instant, her mane changed shape, flowing into a neat, curly style that would have, for a normal pony, taken at least twenty minutes worth of brushing. "Oh, I'm Rarity," she said, her voice patterns matching the fashionista's speaking habits perfectly. "I find it positively dreadful when ponies are even the slightest bit late, even when I don't have anything better to do!"
Rarity spluttered. "Was that supposed to be me?!" she exploded. "It's absolutely..."
"Dreadful! I don't sound anywhere near as stuck up," Rainbow went on.
"Ooh, that's really good!" Pinkie exclaimed. "How'd you make your eyelashes grow longer?"
"It is not 'really good'!" Rarity continued.
"Well, it's not bad," Twilight pointed out, curiosity overriding her annoyance at Rainbow's lack of punctuality.
Rainbow ruffled her mane, getting it back to its normal, unkempt shape.
"Sorry, that just kinda came out," she said.
"I didn't know you were good at imitatin' ponies," Applejack said.
"I saw her do it once!" Pinkie said. "She did Twilight really well!"
"Can you do all of us?" Twilight asked.
Rainbow scratched the back of her neck. "Well, I mean, I prefer some over others..."
"Oh yeah?" Applejack asked. "Do me."
Rainbow coughed.
"I mean, imitate me. Is what I meant."
"Right," Rainbow said. She shook her head, her mane becoming more rounded and soft. It even glistened more golden than usual. She rolled her neck, easing out the cracks, and that's when Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie and Fluttershy all felt very, distinctly uncomfortable.
"What's the deal?" Applejack asked. Or rather, one of them asked.
"That's... a really good imitation," Rarity said, her anger subsiding completely in the wake of utter amazement.
"What? She don't look nothin' like me!" Applejack pointed out.
"Well, neither do you," said the other Applejack.
"We're as different as..."
"...Apples 'n oranges!"
"That's my line!"
"Then how come I said it, sugarcube?"
The feeling the other four ponies felt was an odd one. It was the sum of a thousand tiny things that their minds couldn't properly reconcile, like their eyes telling them that there were two Applejacks whilst their brains said that there was only one. It was the small gestures that Rainbow had to have been imitating that were practically twisting their arms to make them think that she was Applejack.
What was truly eerie, however, was their voices. There was no denying they were identical. A perfect, complete match.
Twilight grunted. With focus, she could make out the differences Rainbow was subtly compelling her to ignore. Things like the cutie mark, the wings, and coat colour.
"You're the real Rainbow," she said, sweat beading on her forehead. "How'd you do that?"
"Misdirection," Applejack said. "Y'all can't see the forest for the trees." She ran her hoof across her mane, ruffling it back to normal. Applejack became Rainbow once more. "Pretty good, huh?"
"Well, I weren't impressed," Applejack said.
"Of course you can't tell," Rainbow said. "You spend all day not looking at yourself."
Applejack coughed.
"I mean, not that I spend all day looking at yourself either. I just, like, do it more. Because my eyes are outside your head."
"Right."
"Right."
"Seriously, though," Twilight interjected, "How?"
"Well, I just, like, watch. You pick up a lot of things when you watch ponies whilst flying," Rainbow said. "Like how ponies walk, how they flick their mane, how they lean to the side, how they kinda tilt their head when they're not quite sure if somepony is..."
"Spyin'?" Applejack asked.
"Passing by unannounced," Rainbow finished. "AJ just happens to be outside a lot."
"And you just happen to fly above my farm a lot."
"R-right."
"Right."
"Ooh! Do Rainbow!" Pinkie said.
Applejack and Rainbow both coughed.
"I mean, imitate Rainbow."
"Sure," Applejack said, and cleared her throat. "Ahem. Uh... I can't do the mane change thing she does, okay?"
"That's fine," Rainbow said. "It's a trick."
Applejack tried loosening her shoulders. "Um, 'kay. Here goes."
Pinkie bounced up and down, excited.
"Uh... hey guys! I'm Rainbow Dash! I'm the fastest pony in Equestria to spend all day watching AJ work. I sure love keeping an eye on her every day, because I'm the most awesome pony ever! I'm totally not lonely."
"I'm not..."
"All I'd have to do is fly down and say hi, but underneath my tough, super-cool exterior, I'm kinda shy, so instead I just keep quiet and hope AJ notices my subtle hints."
"I don't..."
Applejack cleared her throat again. "Sure you don't, sugarcube."
"Well, the voice was spot on..." Twilight pointed out. "Come to think of it, you do have rather similar voices..."
"Sugar, instead of spendin' all day watchin' me, feel free to say hi from time to time," Applejack said.
Rainbow had evidently decided to role-play as Twilight at this point, as her blush turned her a bright shade of purple.
Rainbow sighed as Applejack continued to sit on the ground, forelegs crossed. For a pony who ran an entire farm, she could be surprisingly immature at times.
Not that Dash was any better...
“Look, I said I was sorry! I can’t make things better if we don’t talk it out!” Dash stared at the farm pony straight in the face. She was practically begging at this point. So uncool, but what choice did she have?
“Apologisin’ ain’t enough! I just want some space right now!” Applejack spat back, and promptly turned to face in the other direction. Rainbow slammed her head into the ground in frustration. She never liked ‘talking about feelings’, but she didn’t like dragging things out either. She just wanted this to be over.
“What’s the point in having ‘space’?” She asked Applejack’s back. “That’s not gonna fix this problem any quicker! We may as well hash it out, it’s not like we’re going anywhere!”
Applejack growled. “You’re right about us not goin’ anywhere, but I don’t feel like talkin’ neither! So keep your yap shut and gimme some time!”
“F-fine!” Stung by the harshness of Applejack’s words, Rainbow retreated a little. She lay belly down in the dust and buried her muzzle into her forelegs. She totally wasn’t sniffling or anything! She just...had a stuffy nose! From all the...dust...
After a few moments she heard a sigh. She heard the sound of another pony getting to their feet and felt a soft, warm nose nuzzle against her.
“I’m sorry Sugarcube.” Applejack whispered as soothingly as possible. “I didn’t mean to snap at ya like that. And I guess you’re right, maybe takin’ space instead o’ talkin’ ain’t such a wise idea. I guess I ain’t so quick to change emotions like you are.”
Rainbow perked up. “Did you just admit I was right about something? And that I’m faster than you at something?” She grinned slyly.
Applejack cuffed her lightly. “That don’t mean I ain’t still mad at you! It’s all your fault we’re in this mess!”
Rainbow rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. “I know, I know. I’m sorry. Again. I really didn’t think Princess Celestia would get so mad about some cake! I guess someponies can’t take a prank, huh?”
Applejack huffed. “I still don’t see why I got sent here too. Weren’t my fault...”
“Well...it’s kind of your fault for not stopping me...”
“Excuse me?”
“Well you’re supposed to be the responsible one. Really, this is all because of you.”
“...”
“Hehe...umm...joking?”
Rainbow tried to break the tension with a small kiss to Applejack’s cheek. Mercifully it seemed to calm the mare down a little. Rainbow looked up into space.
“So how long do you think the Princess is gonna keep us up here?”
Applejack looked around the surface of the moon. “Better not be too long. I mean it’s a nice place and all...”
"Do we really have to do this?" Twilight asked as she snuck into the Apples' living room. "Isn't it a little… I dunno, weird, to be doing this to our friends? Besides, how do you even know it'll work?"
"Nonsense!" Rarity whispered. "There's absolutely nothing strange about giving your friends a little shove when it comes to romance. And yes, I am sure this will work." The unicorn gestured at Twilight to climb over the couch and to the small space behind it, where Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were already hiding. "Applejack's far too traditional to ignore a mistletoe right over her head, and I highly doubt Rainbow will resist the chance to kiss her."
"And that's another thing! All this time you've been insisting that you're 'absolutely positive' the two of them are interested in each other, but how can you be sure?" Twilight said. Nevertheless, she crouched down next to her friends, checking to make sure none of their manes or tails would reveal their presence. "I certainly haven't seen anything that would suggest—"
"Oh, darling, are you the romance expert here, or am I?" Rarity interjected.
Twilight sighed. "You are," she reluctantly admitted. "Still, I think you're reading too much into things." Before Rarity could offer a rebuttal, she turned to the other ponies and said, "Okay, look, Pinkie. You don't think there's any point to this, do you?"
Pinkie Pie smiled. "Of course I do, silly! Either it's awkward and funny, or AJ and Dashie end up together! Maybe even both! It can't go wrong!"
"…Why did I even…" Twilight muttered under breath, before saying, "Alright, then. Fluttershy. Please tell me that at least you see what I'm saying here!"
Fluttershy began, "Well, I do see where you're coming from, but…"
Twilight exhaled in relief.
"…But I think Rarity's right about this. I've known Rainbow since we were foals, and the only other time I've ever seen her act the way she's been around Applejack recently, was when she had a crush on another pony in flight school. I think it's worth a shot."
After a moment's dismay, Twilight heaved a deep sigh in resignation. "Alright, alright, fine, let's get this over with. Just know that if this ends disastrously, it's all on you, Rarity. Now, where did you want the mistletoe to be?" she asked the other unicorn.
"Right there," Rarity pointed at the roof, "just below where those three roof boards touch."
As Twilight began to levitate the plant to the indicated spot, Fluttershy peeked over the sofa's edge to check the window, then quickly ducked back down with an eep. "She's here!"
"Quickly!" Rarity hissed at Twilight, who barely managed to get the mistletoe suspended from the ceiling before the door swung open.
"Hey, AJ!" Rainbow Dash called out, shaking some snow off her hooves. "Are you here?"
Rarity and Pinkie Pie wore almost eerily similar grins of anticipation as they listened to hoofsteps descending the stairs.
"What is it, Rainbow?" Applejack asked once she reached the bottom.
"Huh? What do you mean? You're the one who sent me this letter!" the pegasus answered, trotting forward and opening her saddlebag to take out a piece of paper.
Applejack approached to examine it, and Rarity nearly burst with excitement — they were exactly under the mistletoe. "'Come to Sweet Apple Acres, we have stuff to talk about. —AJ'," Applejack read out loud. She gave a quizzical look, then shrugged. "Sorry, Sugarcube, but it wasn't me who wrote this. It's not even my hoofwriting."
"Really? Weird. Maybe it was somepony's idea of a prank or something."
As Rarity spied on the scene, her enthusiasm kept rising. They were here together, alone (as far as they knew, anyway), with beautiful snow banks visible through every window, and they were perfectly in position. Now all they'd have to do was… look up.
Rarity's heart plummeted.
The conversation was nearing its end, and since Applejack and Rainbow were engaged by the fake letter she'd sent, neither of them had thought to look up. Her plan was failing.
Frantically, she whispered to Pinkie, "Quick, do something! Get them to notice the mistletoe!"
Without hesitation, the earth pony stood up, jumped against the wall, rebounded off, then landed on the top of the sofa and used her momentum to leap forward. Cannonballing through the air above Rainbow and Applejack, she yelled out, "Look up, Dashie, there's mistletoe above yooooouuuuuuu!" She bounced off somewhere.
Rarity buried her face in her hooves.
Rainbow Dash, confused, tilted her head upward and noticed the plant hanging from the roof. Applejack, however, turned toward the direction Pinkie had come from. "Is there somepony else there?"
Very sheepishly, Rarity raised her head. She was followed by Twilight, who was glowering at her; and Fluttershy, who was looking desperately like she would do anything to get out of the current situation.
"Alright, what are ya'll doin' hiding behind my couch?" Applejack asked in a stern voice.
"And what's that thing?" Rainbow inquired, pointing up.
"Well, eheh, you see…" Rarity said, "I had just kind of—"
Applejack continued to stared at her.
Rarity decided to change the subject. "What do you mean, Rainbow, darling? Don't you know what mistletoe is?"
"No?" Rainbow tilted her head to the side. "I've never seen one before. Why's it hanging from the ceiling?"
"You… you don't even know the tradition?"
Looking more and more confused by the second, Rainbow said "No. Is this like some kind of weird thing that ponies on the ground do, but never spread to pegasus cities? It's definitely never been a thing in Cloudsdale."
As Rarity sputtered, Applejack cleared her throat to draw attention back to herself. "Rarity, an explanation, please?"
"Er… um, uh… I… oh, would you look at the time!" Rarity said, trying to keep up a façade of normalcy and failing horribly. "I have a client that I must attend to. Right now." She made to climb back over the couch.
"A client? On Hearth's Warming?"
"Um, yes, well, this was a special case. You see, it's for… for… an orphanage!" Rarity exclaimed.
"An orphanage," Applejack repeated with a very flat stare.
"Yes, you see, they contacted me because they need lots of very warm and fashionable clothes for the winter, and they… need them right now, because that way they can give them to the foals as Hearth's Warming presents! It should be quite… er, heartwarming, if you'll pardon the pun."
"There's no orphanages in Ponyville."
Rarity floundered, "Um, yes, well, this is a special request from— from…"
Applejack facehoofed, sighing. "Just go, Rares."
"Oh, um, yes, I'll do that. Right, girls?" She turned back, only to discover that Twilight and Fluttershy had already left while she was distracted. "Oh." She finished clambering over the sofa, then cantered over to the front door. "Onward, to… save Hearth's Warming!" she exclaimed, then rushed outside.
A moment passed in silence as Rainbow and Applejack watched Rarity hurry away through the window.
Then, they turned to each other.
They burst out laughing.
It took a long time for their laughter to start waning, and whenever it did, Rainbow performed an over-exaggeratedly theatrical gesture and said something like "Onward, to save Hearth's Warming!" or "The orphans! They need fashionable clothes!" in her best Rarity impression. As a result, the two were reduced to hysterics again.
Still, they eventually stopped laughing. Their grins didn't disappear, however.
"Okay, that turned out way more funny than I thought," Rainbow said.
Applejack nodded. "I admit I was a mite dubious 'bout tricking them like that at first, but it turned out to be plenty entertainin'." Her face grew a bit more serious as she continued, "They seem to be catching on, though. Should we tell 'em we're seeing each other now?"
"I was considering spilling the beans over the holidays, actually, and now we'll definitely need to tell Flutters so she doesn't beat herself up about it." Sporting a wicked grin, Rainbow added, "As for Rarity… I kind of want to keep it from her for another two weeks and see if she tries any other contrived schemes to hook us up."
Applejack snorted. "You're evil, you know that?"
"Oh yeah," Rainbow kept grinning. "Did you know we're still under the mistletoe?"
Twilight’s 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, “Girls!”
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. “What’s going on here?”
Rainbow Dash flew forward to speak, but Applejack shoved her hat in Rainbow’s face and shouted, “Rainbow Dash used some kind of dark magic on me!”
Having freed herself of the hat, Rainbow interjected back, “I’m innocent Twilight! I didn’t do anything!”
“She most certainly did! I’m all hot and flushed! I can’t get any work done.”
“She’s lying!”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. Applejack seemed no less pleased.
“I wouldn’t lie about somethin’ like this!” Applejack exclaimed.
“Girls!” Twilight shouted. “Can we just calm down and discuss this civilly? I’m sure there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation.”
“Alright, but I want you to represent me in court against this one.” Applejack pointed an accusatory hoof toward Rainbow Dash.
“Me?” Rainbow exclaimed, “I didn’t do anything. Twilight, you gotta defend me against Applejack. Use that brain of yours!”
Twilight groaned and rubbed her temples with her forehooves. “Girls, 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?” Before Rainbow could interject, Twilight raised a hoof to Rainbow, “And Rainbow, please let Applejack tell her side of the story.”
Rainbow crossed her forehooves and grumbled in the air.
Applejack flashed a victorious grin at Rainbow Dash before turning to Twilight. “Well, you see. I was just working in the orchard, keeping an eye on the trees, making sure they’re all warm and comfy during the winter.”
Twilight nodded.
“Because you see it’s been extra cold lately seeing as everypony wanted an extra snowy Hearths Warming. So Big Mac and I’ve been bundling up the trees real nice so the frost don’t hurt them. Plus we like to tell them stories about spring time to keep their spirits up.”
Twilight nodded some more.
“So, I was over in the West orchard this morning because it’s a mite chillier over there seeing as the sun rises in the East, so the trees over there—”
“Could you get to the point?” Rainbow shouted.
Applejack frowned.
“Applejack, maybe tell it from where Rainbow Dash got involved?” Twilight added, almost pleadingly.
“Oh, right. Sure.” Applejack shrugged. “Rainbow Dash swooped in behind me while I was checking a tree and ran her wing over my butt! I’ve been flushed and distracted ever since. I can’t stop feeling it!”
Twilight frowned and looked at Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash looked away—flushed herself.
Twilight sighed. “Applejack, is this the first time Rainbow Dash has done this?”
“Yes!” Applejack exclaimed. “I don’t know what she did, but my mind’s all a-jumble now.”
Nodding, Twilight continued. “And, she hasn’t spoken to you about anything...private prior to this?”
“Not that I’m aware of, no.”
Twilight shook her head. “Well Applejack, you’re in luck. Rainbow Dash has’t cast some kind of black magic spell on you.”
“How do you know? Look at me! Every time I think about it, my face gets all red, and my heart starts beating fast—that’s not right!”
Smiling, Twilight breathed out a sigh of relief. “Well, given what I’ve read about pegasi customs, I think Rainbow has a lot to explain to you. I don’t think it’s worth taking her to court over this.”
Applejack frowned, not entirely convinced.
“How about this. Rainbow Dash, you are going to pick a night of Applejack’s choosing and take her someplace nice and explain to her exactly what and why you did what you did. You should probably apologize too.”
Rainbow Dash huffed, but nodded slowly.
“Good, and Applejack, if you don’t like Rainbow’s explanation, come back and I’ll see about filing the paperwork to file a formal civil suit against Rainbow. I’d hate to have this come between best friends, so I’m expecting Rainbow to be very sincere about this. Everypony agree?”
Applejack looked to Rainbow and then back to Twilight. “I guess.”
“Rainbow?”
“Fine.” 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.
"Well," Twilight said, rubbing her chin. "It has been a while."
Spike scratched the back of his head. "Well, yeah."
Two years, Twilight thought. Give or take a month. Two years since Spike had left on a long, long journey that, as far as Twilight was concerned, seemed to last forever. It turned out organising books all on ones own was tiresome. Over the long two years, Twilight had been forced to become almost disorganised. It had been a nightmare that she had become somewhat comfortable with.
Spike, now older, but no less diminutive in stature (size was apparently a trait that did not feature in his genetic make-up), had left to study. It had been an educational trip, apparently, and one Twilight sorely wished she could have joined him on.
The pair had met at the station. They had said hello, and Twilight had taken Spike back to one of the rooms in the castle, overlooking the park. Outside, the flowers were blooming, the birds were singing. It was outrageously picturesque, and Spike had insisted they go inside before he compulsively picnicked which, he assured Twilight, was in nopony's best interests since he had learned some less orthodox ways in which to picnic from fellow students he had travelled with. Some of which were dragons, minotaurs, and griffons, and none of which were delicate.
"So, ah, what's new?" Spike asked. "I mean, you did write, but they were a bit, ah... light on details."
Twilight frowned. "My letters aren't light on details."
Spike held one up in his claw. His eyebrow raised. "Do you want me to read one?"
"I would rather—"
"Ahem," Spike began, clearing his throat. "Dear Spike..."
Twilight's frown deepened. Her keen mind could already sense where Spike was going. Of course, Spike would already have figured that out. Over the years he had become startlingly academic.
"...today I learned that just because friendship brings us all together, it doesn't mean that circumstances can't cause them to part," Spike went on. He pointed at the paper. "You'll note the conspicuous absence of context, of course." His eyes drifted back to the paper. "Just because you can't change reality doesn't mean you can't still be friends, even from far away."
Twilight snatched the letter from Spike. "It's a habit."
"It's a syndrome," Spike chuckled. He poured a whole bag-ful of letters onto the castle table. "Seriously, they're all like that."
"I think it adds to the letter," Twilight muttered. She smiled. Despite Spike's complaints, she couldn't help but notice he had kept every single letter.
Spike sighed. "Well, perhaps you can help translate them," he said, and took back the letter his former guardian had stolen. "This one is from, what, a year and a half ago? What was it all about?"
"Ah, that one," Twilight said. "Do you remember Applejack and Rainbow Dash?"
"No."
Twilight frowned. "I see your time abroad has done nothing for that sarcasm."
Spike snickered. "Yeah, I remember AJ and RD."
Twilight nodded. "Right. Well, they broke up."
Spike's eyebrows raised. "Huh? How come?" He narrowed his eyes. "Also, how come you couldn't just write that?"
Twilight sighed. "Like I said, it's a habit. Anyway. Do you remember Rainbow Dash joining the Wonderbolts?"
"Yeah?"
"And remember how everypony said that it'd be hard for her to maintain a relationship whilst carrying on having a demanding career in a distant city?"
"Yes."
"And remember how it turned out that it was actually about a ten minute flight from here to Cloudsdale when you're Rainbow Dash and can break the sound barrier, so there actually wasn't any point worrying about it?"
"Yes, I remember that. You were the one that thought they'd have trouble, right?"
"Well, I was proven wrong."
"Okay. So..."
"Well, Applejack had to move to Fillydelphia. Her farm got a branch there which she needed to oversee. They bought it from Wheatland, I think."
"Ah."
"Which is the other side of Equestria."
"...yes."
"And Applejack can't break the sound barrier."
"I believe so."
"So they both decided that it was in their best interests to call it off. That's what I wrote in the letter."
Spike looked down at the letter. Twilight sensed the mood had abruptly become a bit depressing.
"Well, that's sad," Spike said. "I had hoped that everypony would have been, well, happy when I came back." He leaned back. "Now I find AJ and RD aren't together any more, Applejack left Ponyville, and your ability to write letters has gotten way past worrying."
Twilight didn't reply. Spike began to look through the window. He frowned.
"Hey, Twilight..."
"Yes?"
"So, you said Applejack had to move to Fillydelphia?"
"She has. She only comes back for week-ends to see her family."
Spike narrowed his eyes. "So why is it," he asked, "That outside this window, I can see one suspiciously Applejack looking pony sitting on a bench next to a suspiciously Rainbow Dash looking pony, kissing in an alarmingly not-broken-up way?"
Twilight huffed. "I put that in a letter too."
Spike frowned. "Explain."
"Well, they didn't want to break up right away. They wanted to ease into it."
Spike rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I think I know the letter you're talking about."
Twilight smiled. "See? My letters aren't that bad."
Spike picked up one of the other letters. This one was much shorter. It could practically fit on a memo.
"Is this the one?" Spike asked, showing it to Twilight."
"Yes."
"The one that reads, dear Spike, sometimes ponies procrastinate?"
"Yes." Twilight looked out the window. "As you can clearly see, a whole year later, and they're still procrastinating." Twilight leaned back, folding her forelegs. "Demonstrably, nothing I wrote was wrong."
Spike nodded. "I can see that." He put his claws together. "Twilight, I think you should see a professional about that letter thing."
"I don't need a professional."
Spike's eyes drifted back to the window. "Rainbow Dash was always very good at procrastinating. Well, at least they're having fun."
Twilight nodded, and peered outside along with Spike. "Perhaps a little too much fun for a public place, but I'm not going to be the one to tell them to stop." She pointed at a third letter. "As you can clearly read from this letter, which says Rainbow Dash doesn't care what I think." She displayed a triumphant smirk. "I feel that says it all."
Spike rubbed his eyes. If there was one thing that could be said for the Land of the Rising Sun, it was that it didn't lack for daylight. For Spike, this was simply logical. After all, where else was Celestia supposed to put the sun during the night?
Unfortunately, it had the unwanted effect of making it very hard to sleep. Even during the 'day', sunlight still bled out over the horizon, and at night, well, it was like living under a giant light-bulb. Or living in a place with a regular sun.
Spike's claw ran through the seal of an envelope. He'd read one more letter, he thought to himself, before doing his best to block out the sunlight using a supply of wooden planks he had nicked from a junkyard. Despite their... strangeness... Spike always found Twilight's letters reminded him of home. They also reminded him of Twilight's letters to Celestia, many of which he had written as Twilight narrated to him.
He looked at a large pile of neatly arranged, carefully organised (both alphabetically and chronologically) letters. They had started all right... It was perhaps a bit odd to send Spike a detailed account on why your friends never truly left you, but it was sweet, in a way. Something told Spike that Twilight had never truly stopped sending letters to Celestia. All the little things she had learned must have just accumulated in her mind and were now spilling out into everyday letters.
The later ones... Well, Spike assumed she must have ran out of friendship lessons, and moved onto post-it-notes-on-the-fridge territory.
He pulled out this latest letter. Unsurprisingly, it followed the unsettling trend the messages had been following.
Dear Princess Spike,
Today I learned that if you don't clean your fridge, mould begins to grow near the back, an Rarity says it's utterly disgusting.
Your faithful ex-guardian, Twilight Sparkle (P)
PS: I also learned that it's perfectly radical to wear baseball caps backwards, no matter how many decades ago it was in fashion, and that it's okay for other ponies to have awesomer fashion than me no matter what I say.
Spike put the letter down.
It's not that he didn't appreciate Twilight keeping in touch, but a simple 'hello, I'm doing great' would have been much appreciated. Spike couldn't help but feel an uncomfortable sensation of passive-aggressiveness every time he read a Twiletter (or 'twitter' as he liked to call them).
Exam week was starting tomorrow at Canterlot High. With their futures hanging in the balance, students everywhere were busy hunching over text books, revising year’s worth of notes or goofing off while trying to ignore the feeling of guilt in the back of their minds.
Twilight was naturally having a study session at her house and had eagerly invited all her friends to come and join her. While less excited at the prospect as she was, they had agreed and now all of them were gathered in her bedroom eating pizza and giving each other quizzes.
Well...almost all of them.
Applejack had been happy enough to accept Twilight into the group of friends when she had transferred to their school. But if there was one down side to hanging out with a nerd with a near genius level intellect, it was that you tended not to look so smart by comparison. And being less...academically inclined than her friends, A.J was starting to gain a reputation for being the “dumb one” of the group.
Applejack’s pride would not allow her to take such an insult lying down, especially once Applebloom caught wind of the rumours and had gleefully started joining in.
Forcing her to muck out Prince Oinkens, the slobbiest pig on the farm, had quickly put a stop to that.
But more importantly, she had decided to do everything she could to pass exam week without any help whatsoever from Twilight! And so while the others were off having fun with each other, Applejack was alone in her room, pouring over her science notes, desperately trying to make sense of the words in front of her.
Suddenly the door slammed open with a deafening bang.
“Soup’s on!” A certain rainbow-haired girl brayed, brandishing a tray that carried a bowl of soup and a plate of buttered bread rolls.
“Consarn it!” Applejack roared. The shock of the loud noise had caused her pen to slip and gouge a hole right through her notepaper. “What the heck are you playing at Rainbow Dash?”
Rainbow placed the tray down on A.J’s desk, covering up half her notes. “What? Granny Smith caught me coming in, she asked me to bring this up to you. You’re welcome,” she added, in a tone of voice that suggested the whole thing was Applejack’s fault.
Applejack lifted the tray up enough to rescue her notes. “That don’t mean you couldn’ta knocked!”
“Oh what’s the big deal? It’s not like you were naked or anything.”
“I coulda been!”
“...”
“Dash?”
“...”
“Dash!”
“Oh!” The smaller girl jumped. “Sorry, I was just...thinking about...stuff...”
Applejack growled, but returned to her notes. “So why are you here? I thought you and the others were all over at Twilight’s place.”
“Yeah,” Rainbow replied dismissively, stuffing a bread roll into her mouth, “but I had to get out of there. They were doing English revision and Fluttershy started reading out poetry she'd been writing. If I staid any longer I would have thrown up.”
“It’s just poetry Dash,” A.J poked her teasingly in the stomach with her pen, “it ain’t gonna bite you.”
“Whatever. I figured even whatever you were doing couldn’t be as boring as being there.” Dash slurped down a spoonful of soup. “So whatcha doing?”
Applejack let out a groan, now reminded of the task at hand. “I’m tryin’ to figure out this science stuff. I really hate magnets.”
“What’s wrong with magnets?”
“It’s this whole bit about the north and south poles. It keeps yammerin’ about how opposites attract.”
“Uh huh.” Rainbow dunked a roll in the soup.
“That don’t make a lick o’ sense! How can opposites attract?”
“What do you mean?” Rainbow let out a small belch.
“Why would two things that are totally different ever be attracted to each other? Wouldn’t it make more sense if they were the same?”
Rainbow snickered.
Applejack glared at her. “What’s so funny?”
“This isn’t about magnets, is it?”
“What’re you talkin’ about?”
“This is totally about last week when Snips and Snails spread that rumour about you having a crush on Rarity!”
Applejack spluttered as Rainbow laughed out loud, clutching her belly and doubling up. Even being hit in the face by A.J’s hat didn’t stop her. She was tempted to flick a spoonful of soup at her in revenge though. She resisted however. This was good soup.
“That ain’t funny Dash!”
“It was though...”
“It just makes sense when two things have something in common! Like you and me.”
The last chuckles halted as Dash turned red at A.J’s comment.
“Um...” Her voice was suddenly very quiet. “Are you still...talking about magnets, or...”
“I mean you and me hang out all the time!” Applejack ranted on, seeming to not hear Rainbow’s question. “We like the same things and it’s great! So why’s it such a problem when two north poles get put together?”
Rainbow fought to catch her breath. It couldn’t be...was talking about...was this about the rumour or those stupid magnets??
A sigh stirred her and she dared to look over at the farm girl. Applejack was leaning over the desk, her head resting in her hands. Rainbow forced herself to push her own feelings aside for the moment. Getting A.J to chill was more important.
“Well...” she struggled to put her thoughts in to words, “I mean...if you think about it...you and me aren’t exactly alike.”
A.J raised her head up. She looked tired. “What’s that now Sugarcube?”
“I mean sure, we like the same stuff, but maybe that’s like how the north and south poles are both part of the same magnet. But...well...we are different in some ways...”
“Such as?”
Rainbow’s lips peeled away from her gritted teeth. She didn’t want to say it. But she had to ignore her pride for a moment. “You’re...better than me.”
Applejack’s mouth dropped open in surprise.
“O-only in some ways!” Rainbow was quick to verify. “I can still beat you in any sport you want to name!” That felt a little better. “But...I’m lazy. You know it, I know, everybody knows-you don’t have to nod so much y’know!”
Applejack’s head stopped moving. “Sorry.”
“So yeah, I’m lazy. But you’re not. You’re moving all the time. And...you help me. I may be the best at sports, but you’re the one who pushes me to train when I’d rather goof off. You get on my nerves when you do it, but...I wouldn’t be the best if you didn’t make me the best.”
Rainbow kept her eyes planted firmly on the desk. She didn’t want to see how A.J must be reacting to all this mush. Among A.J’s notes, a diagram of a magnet caught her eye. There were lines drawn, marking out a magnetic field. Along each line was an arrow, pointing away from the north and towards the south. She snatched it off the desk and held it up.
“It’s like with these magnets, you see? All of this energy goes from the north pole to the south pole. That’s what makes it all work. That’s us. We’re both part of the same magnet. And you’re the north to my south.”
She allowed the diagram to drop from her hand. Oh jeez, after all that mush she really was about to throw up. Heck, A.J would probably throw up first. Probably all over Rainbow. Still, at least it would end the awkward sile-
Suddenly she felt a number of strange sensations. Eyes blinking open, she saw Applejack right in her field of view. She felt Applejack’s rough hands gently grip her shoulders. She felt Applejack’s warm breath on her face. And then she felt Applejack’s lips against hers.
After taking a much needed moment to let all of these sensations sink in, she wrapped her arms around A.J’s back and leant in for more.
For Applejack, there was one sensation that stood out more than any other. As she gently pushed her tongue into Rainbow’s accepting mouth, she tasted something. It was strange. Rainbow did not taste like she had expected. She tasted like...like...
Minestrone...
Applejack pulled away, despite the small whine that escaped Rainbow’s lips.
ChillyBurrito: i bet she doesn't have attachment issues
ExtremeChampagne: oh, and what would you know? :P
ExtremeChampagne: you're a stallion it's not like you get us ;)
ChillyBurrito: i think this chat is getting out of hand
ExtremeChampagne: she's probably afraid of being left
ChillyBurrito: I
ChillyBurrito: crud
ChillyBurrito: *she
ChillyBurrito: *she's just playing it cool
TheRanchRanger: i don't want to muck this up
TheLostDetective: Just be honest
TheLostDetective: One of my friends is all about honesty. You could stand to try and be more open with her.
ExtremeChampagne: and remove all the dramatic tension? X(
ExtremeChampagne: get her to make the move
ExtremeChampagne: pretend you have an admirer ;D
TheRanchRanger: but I do
TheRanchRanger: we've been talking about her
ChillyBurrito: i bet she'll see right through it
ChillyBurrito: but try anyway it'll be funny
ChillyBurrito: lolololol
ChillyBurrito: get her a present
ChillyBurrito: i bet she'll like that
ExtremeChampagne: you can't just throw money at ponies >:(
ChillyBurrito: can it moneybags
TheLostDetective banned ChillyBurrito
TheLostDetective: So rude sometimes.
TheLostDetective: I'll unban you, just try to keep civil. Just because we're all strangers doesn't mean we can't be polite.
TheLostDetective unbanned ChillyBurrito
ChillyBurrito: sorry
ChillyBurrito: got carried away
ChillyBurrito: like to the moon. I went on a cross-continental trip. it was an adventure, i saw so much of the world being carried away. i saw things you wouldn't believe man
HappyCakeforDays: kfdhjsdkjoopsadnkm
RegalCake: honestly this is hilarious
RegalCake: u have no idea
RegalCake: if i had known the internet would have been this funny i'd have had it invented five-hundred years ago
ChillyBurrito: Rpers...
TheRanchRanger: can we get back on topic?
TheRanchRanger: this is kinda a big deal for me
TheRanchRanger: i hoped strangers would have good, unbiased advice but now i'm just more confused
ChillyBurrito left the chatroom
LoudandProud: bye chilly!
ExtremeChampagne: I still think you should pretend to have an admirer though
TheLostDetective: Surely that's a bit malicious?
TheRanchRanger: guys
TheRanchRanger: she's here
ExtremeChampagne: /o\
ExtremeChampagne: do it! XD
TheLostDetective: Don't do it! Be honest!"
RegalCake: do it
TheRanchRanger: she went to get drinks downstairs
TheRanchRanger: she's acting smug
TheRanchRanger: she knows something!!!
ExtremeChampagne: the plot thickens :3
TheLostDetective: Do you even know how emotes work?
ExtremeChampagne: my emotes are fabulous LostDetective
TheRanchRanger: oh
TheRanchRanger: I just remembered
TheRanchRanger: something important!
TheLostDetective: what is it?
TheRanchRanger: our first meal together, when we hanged out to do horseshoes
TheRanchRanger: we had
TheRanchRanger: that sneaky featherhead!!!!
LoudandProud: what did you have?
TheRanchRanger: leftover burritos
TheRanchRanger left the chatroom
TheLostDetective: I wonder what that was about.
RegalCake: you're all idiots. i'm embarrassed to be ur ruler
TheLostDetective banned RegalCake
RegalCake unbanned RegalCake
RegalCake: u were never the admin
TheLostDetective: O_O
InsolentMooner: | ￣ヘ￣|
RegalCake: ):D
RegalCake: ) :D
RegalCake: ):D
RegalCake: ) :D
RegalCake: (eyebrows)
RegalCake renamed the chatroom Celestia's Happy Cake Parlour For Witless Alicorn Students
"Gonna be late Dash!" Applejack gently but firmly kicked the bottom stair impatiently. Why did she volunteer to do this?
"Hang on!" A voice screeched from upstairs. "Just need my air horn!"
"We ain't got time, just leave it!"
"Leave it?" Rainbow's face appeared, leaning over the bannister at the top of the stairs. "You're joking right? You don't seriously expect me to go to a Wonderbolts game without my Wonderbolts rated air horn?"
Applejack face palmed. She should have known better than to try and part Rainbow with any of her beloved Wonderbolts themed merchandise. Especially any that made an obnoxious amount of noise.
"Just hurry up or I'mma leave you behind!" She smirked as she heard Dash squawk with indignation and return to her packing with more gusto than ever before.
"No! Take the mountain road! The mountain road!"
A.J had to slap Rainbow's hands away from the steering wheel. "Are you crazy? That road'll take an extra ten minutes! I'da thought you'd wanna get to the airport as quick as possible!"
Rainbow flashed her a grin. "Not if you go fast! And going fast is so much cooler on the mountain road!"
Applejack sighed and smiled at the same time. It was dumb but she couldn't say no to that face. Gritting her teeth, she pressed down on the gas. She'd get them there in time.
"Come on! We're gonna miss check in!" Rainbow sprinted to the desk, leaving Applejack to lug the other girl's oversized, Wonderbolts themed suitcase through the crowds. Part of her was actually a little glad to be free of Dash for the week. She had a lot of work to catch up on and it'd be a lot easier without Dash constantly interrupting her. It'd be dull but oh well...
A.J heaved the case onto the conveyor belt with a sigh of relief. The check in lady was scanning Dash's boarding pass.
"Just need some I.D please." The lady said.
Dash looked at A.J.
A.J looked at Dash.
"Well?" Applejack asked.
"Well what?" Rainbow replied.
Applejack closed her eyes and nursed her forehead. She couldn't have.
"Where's your passport?" She really couldn't have.
"Why are you asking me?" She did!
"You dang idiot, you forgot your passport, didn't ya?" As she waited for Dash's response Applejack was already thinking of places on the farm where she could hide a body.
"I did not!" Dash shot back hotly. "I know exactly what I did with it!"
"Oh yeah? Where is it?"
"I gave it to you!"
"..."
"Remember?"
Applejack gulped. She did remember when Rainbow first came to her, raving about the two tickets she had for the Wonderbolts game in Manehattan. She had been disappointed when Applejack said she couldn't come because of a build up of work at the farm lately, but she was horrified when she found she had misplaced her passport for the flight.
She and A.J had spent all afternoon (to the detriment of A.J's farm work) searching her room for it. After finally finding it Applejack had teased her about her tendency to lose things and had offered to look after the passport until the big day, lest she lose it again.
That passport was now currently sitting in a drawer in Applejack's room at home.
Oops.
The two girls sat in the airport cafe in stony silence. Applejack was sick with shame and guilt. Rainbow was too mad to speak. Or she was shocked into silence at the thought of missing the game. Hard to tell.
They kept glancing at the main door. Applejack had called Big Mac, begging him to fetch the passport and drive over with it, but the odds he would get there in time were low. His truck was even slower than A.J's.
Presently a call came in over the P.A.
"Final call for the 20:50 flight to Manehattan. Final call."
Rainbow threw up her hands in anger. "Well I guess that's it." She picked up her suitcase and starting walking back to the truck.
Applejack quickly followed after her. "I'm real sorry Sugarcube! I just don't know how it happened!"
She really didn't. She always prided herself on being reliable and hated herself for making such a simple, yet drastic mistake. She could only guess the stress of helping Dash prepare for the trip while dealing with the extra load at the farm had all gotten on top of her.
"Well I guess it doesn't make a difference now, does it?" Rainbow snapped back.
The sickly feeling of guilt returned. There had to be a way to get Rainbow there in time for the game. She just needed to take a different approach...
She looked over at her truck. Manehattan was about ten hours away by road. And the game wasn't until the day after tomorrow...
A different approach...
A.J slapped Rainbow's feet down from the dashboard as they pulled onto the highway. A quick phone all to Mac to tell him to turn around and go home, and another to Granny to ask permission to leave the farm for a few days and the plan was set in motion.
"Sorry I got mad Jackie," Dash spoke up, "but you didn't have to do this. What about the farm work? I thought it was stressing you out."
"Aw heck it was my screw up. I owe it to ya." Applejack gave Rainbow a smile that lasted possibly just a bit too long. "Besides, maybe gettin' away from the farm and takin' in a game is just what I need."
Rainbow didn't respond. She was already fast asleep, her head resting on Applejack's shoulder. Applejack smiled and placed her hat over the other girl's eyes. She was glad to be alone with Dash for the week. They had a lot of hanging out to catch up on and it would be a lot easier without the farm work constantly interrupting them. She'd fall further behind but oh well...
I'm just keeping a record of all this because I am bored out of my skull. Also if I starve make sure everypony knows it's Applejack's fault. Like, really rub it in. When my funeral happens (btw make sure that's awesome, I left instructions in my fridge) just be sure to say a bit at the end like 'Applejack did it'. You know what, put that on my tombstone. Yeah. I think that'd look awesome. Also a picture of Daring Do.
Anyway, I write what I think, so sorry if this rambles.
I was staying over at AJ's place for mush-related purposes. That was cool. AJ didn't tell her family about me. That is also cool. I think she thinks I think it'd be awkward and stuff, and since I think I don't care, I didn't tell her otherwise. So far, we are one-hundred percent chill. AJ left this morning (whilst I slept, left me a cute note with a drawing on it) to go see some of her family living in a swamp for a week. We are still chill. Just to be super-duper clear, all of this is cool. I am down for this.
What I am not down for is her family locking all the doors, windows, and AJ forgetting to leave me a key.
There is plenty of food and lots of space, and Tank has food for days, so that's fine, but I am kinda furious.
This may be my final entry.
Rainbow's Log, Day 2:
My diet is now apples. Apples used to be great before they were all I could eat. I tried frying them with some paprika I found but it didn't work very well. Ate it anyway. You know what? I might eat all the food here. See how Applejack likes them apples (or no apples, as, like I said, I'll have eaten them).
I re-checked the windows and doors. They're super locked. Like, beyond locked. I think they're afraid of thieves, this far away from Ponyville. Which is ironic, because I mostly always came in through the window. Then again, that was mostly because AJ let me in.
Really wish she'd let me out.
This may be my final entry.
Rainbow's Log, Day 3:
I drew little faces on the apples here so I had something to talk to. I named this one Sir Fruitface. He is a noble knight and my only friend. The other apples are kinda jerks. My diet is no longer apples. Moved onto pears. Pears are evil.
I tried biting through the wall but it just hurt my teeth. I also started wearing Applejack's hats because she can't stop me.
Rainbow's Log, Day 4:
Still no sign of Applejack. For real, I do not think I have ever missed her quite as much as right now. It's weird what being an accidental prisoner will do for a relationship.
The apples have banded together against the pears, but they're lacking strong leadership. I'm considering running for mayor. Sir Fruitface supports me. Sir Fruitface would run himself, but he is a military fruit and too busy trying to do battle against the pear invasion. Fear and distrust is rampant.
This may be my final entry.
Rainbow's Log, Day 5:
Found lots of pictures of me and AJ in her drawer. Also some seriously weird stuff. Must remember to bring them up next time I visit. Which will be never, because this is never going to happen again. Next time, she can come over to my place. I don't care if she needs a stupid rope ladder to get up. I drew moustaches on the pictures. Am considering trying to grow facial hair. I think it'd really make a statement.
In other news, I got elected as mayor. Democracy prevails, and I am super duper proud of Apple Town. I am brokering a peace agreement with the bananas. Though they are few in number, they might make the difference in the battle against the tyrannical pears, who are jerks. We will fight them and we will win and it will be awesome. Applejack will be so happy when she sees what I've done to the place.
Also I'm running out of pears. Due to my relationship with the apples it feels wrong to eat them.
This may be my final entry.
Rainbow's Log, Day Six:
Commissioned a portrait to commemorate the golden days of Apple Town:
On a sadder note, was forced to consume our banana allies. Constructed a monument to their sacrifice out of pillows. In honour of them, it is called Fort Bananarama. I added the 'rama' bit because nopony can stop me. Least of all Applejack.
I really miss her.
This might be my final entry.
Rainbow's Log, Day Seven:
Sir Fruitface fell in battle. The golden days of Apple Town are long behind us.
On a happier note, finally found out how the shower works. Weird Earth pony plumbing.
Applejack slowly put down the jumbled mess of papers.
"Ah."
Granny Smith pursed her lips. "Didn't ya tell 'er there's a spare key under the doormat?"
"..."
"Rope ladders, AJ!" Rainbow exclaimed, still wearing her Mayoral Crown. "We could use rope ladders, and never ever be in this house again!"
"..."
Rainbow's lower lip began to quiver. "We lost Sir Fruitface, AJ. Sir Fruitface was my only friend!"
Applejack put her hoof around Rainbow. "How 'bout we go outside, sugar? I think you could use the outside."
"Sir Fruitface, nooo!"
"Once yer done, make sure ya clean up the mess your marefriend made!" Granny Smith shook her head at the carnage. "Look at this! It's like she went to war with the pears! And the hay is Fort Bananarama?"
"What year is it?"
Applejack sighed. "Let's just get you outside, RD. Let's just get you some fresh air."
