The Rainbows Of Spike

Applejack didn't sleep well the rest of that night. She had so many questions going through her head. Why was that dragon- err, Spike, carrying Rainbow? Why did they seem so... Touchy feely? And why the buck were they in her apple orchard?

Applejack stayed in her bed for the remaining hours of the night. Not being able to tolerate sitting down and doing nothing, she got up to start the days long list of work till Rainbow awoke.

Donning her trademark Stetson atop her head, she took a quick glance at the brush lying atop her dresser.

She quickly disregarded it, telling herself that it could wait till another day. Something she'd told herself for the past week now.

Applejack quietly moved downstairs, making sure as to not wake any of the other ponies.

She quickly poured herself some oatmeal, and letting it cook on the stove. In the meantime, she looked at Rainbow's sleeping form,wondering what was going on in that mind of hers.

After a few silent minutes, she pulled the pot off of the stove.

Although, in Applejack's state of mind, she had forgotten to grab a rag to hold the pot with, and dropped it because of the heat.

The noise had startled Rainbow, causing her to jump into the air, and stay airborne. She tried to fly away from the noise, only to be met by a wooden wall.

Applejack quickly rushed to Rainbow's side, checking to see if she was severely injured. Seeing no major cuts or bruises, she picked up the fallen mate, and cleaned up her oatmeal that was no strewn across the kitchen floor.

Rainbow slowly regained her bearings, and looked around at her surroundings. The poor mare seemed to have no idea as to what was going on.

"Rainbow. How much do ya remember of last night", Applejack asked.

"Last night? Umm, well, me and Spike were training, trying to help him to fly and all. Next thing I know is we're sitting on that little hill right at the edge of your orchard, and then I woke up under his wing. Then I think he carried me home, and I honestly don't know how I got in here... Why did you need to know all that anyways Applejack?" Rainbow gave AJ a quizzical look, not understanding what was going on.

"Well, last night, I saw Spike carry ya here from ma orchard. And you seemed pretty snug there in his arms..." Applejack trailed off at the end of her sentence, trying to not make it sound like an assumption, and more like an observation.

At first, Rainbow just sat there, not moving a muscle, just staring at AJ with a bewildered look. But before AJ could even process what was happening, Rainbow was hyperventilating, and started flittering around the room in circles.

"Woah there sugarcube, you come down now before ya break something", Applejack warned. She didn't want to have to deal with an injured and worried Rainbow Dash.

"Applejack, what am I gonna do! I can't let anyone know about this. My entire reputation will be ruined! Nopony will love me anymore! They'll all think I've gone soft." Despite Applejack's pleas, Rainbow wouldn't stop listing off all of the worst possible scenarios that could happen to her.

Finally, Applejack had had enough. "Consarnit Rainbow, if y'all like the drake, be straight with the feller! No sense in bottling up yer feelings."

Rainbow froze in place, the only sound filling the room the rhythmic beat of her wings. Slowly, she lowered herself to the ground, and faced Applejack.

"like him", she whispered. "I don't like him."

"don't seem that a' way to me", Applejack replied.

"But... How could I like a dragon?"

"Rainbow, if we lived in some kind of place where there was only one master species that was capable of intelligent thoughts and complex emotions, and said thoughts and emotions couldn't be reciprocated be other species, I would be against it. But... This drake of yours, whoever he claims to be... He really seems to like you too."

Rainbow Dash was silent, trying to soak in all Applejack had said. Was it true that Spike actually liked her back? She can't say that he wasn't a sight for sore eyes. The way his scales sparkled in the sun, the way his muscles moved. And she felt like she could stare into his eyes forever. But... Was there actually something there... Not just for her... But for them.

Slowly, Rainbow made her way to the door. Applejack tried to say something, but before she knew it, the rainbow mare was gone.

"Aw pony feathers Rainbow. I wanted to know if you wanted some oatmeal."