Can't Lie to Myself

“Sooo,  let me get this straight…. This camping trip, the same camping trip we’ve been planning for weeks, is gonna be over at your place?” Rainbow Dash repeated back her friend’s words in such a blunt tone.

“Uh, AJ, I thought you of all people would get the point of the whole ‘camping’ thing.” The rainbow maned pony brought herself up a bit with just the flap of her wings. A cross of the forehooves also indicating a not so amused reaction.

“It isn’t exactly camping if we’re literally this many feet away from home.” Emphasizing the closeness of the apple fields from her home with a small hoof to hoof inch. “And we’re not much farther from Ponyville either, I mean! C’mon!”

“Ah know, Ah know…” Was all Applejack could muster up at the moment. After all, she was feeling bad for making such, what is now, a joke out of this camping trip.

“This was supposed to be our time! Two of the coolest ponies in Ponyville roughing it and doing whatever the hay they thought was awesome and fun!” Normally, such dramatic reactions were left to Rarity, but it seemed it was Rainbows job this time around. Perhaps it was more of like a young filly throwing a tantrum, but really? It was dramatic all the same. Frustration was all she could feel at the moment too, so it wasn’t exactly her fault.

“Aw shucks, sugar cube…. Ah’m awf’lly sorry ‘bout this, but ya know how it is! Apple buckin’ season starts tomorrow and Ah can’t afford to miss the first day. Ah’d feel mighty bad too if Ah left Big Mac to do all that work by himself. Can’t exactly lie to myself ‘bout what Ah feel.” What kind of Element of Honesty would she be anyway?

If it wasn’t one thing too, it was another. Even Applejack couldn’t believe that the all important apple bucking season slipped her mind. She usually took pride in keeping up with the demanding farms schedule, but all her free time had been pre-occupied in making the best camping trip for her and Rainbow Dash. Well, mostly Rainbow Dash. After all, she cared for the mare deeply. Of course, she wouldn’t be able to say that out loud.

Until tonight that is.

She had seen this camping trip, for just the two of them, to finally confess her feelings to the athlete pony.  The pony that she had feelings for all along, but never realized it herself until recently. How she’d feel a tinge of jealously when Pinkie Pie would surprise hug her, but could never explain such a feeling?  How she’d catch herself staring at Rainbow a little longer than she should?

When she’d feel some sort of little excitement in her heart when Rainbow Dash would come and visit her while she worked? When she’d unintentionally flirt with her when it was supposed to be fun banter between two friends? Which thankfully went unnoticed by the other.

Along with so many other things just?

Sheesh, she wouldn’t say she full on loved the other mare, but she definitely had it bad. A real good crush going on here and, again, she couldn’t lie when it came to her feelings.

Applejack brought her head up to look at her flying friend once more for some sort of change in mood. It had looked like Rainbow Dash at least looked calmer.

“I guess you’re right…. Wouldn’t want Big Mac to end up like how you did when you tried to do the bucking yourself, huh?” Rainbow snickered and nudged Applejack.

“Well! Excuse me fer bein’ a stubborn pony!  ….Ah will admit though if’n it wasn’t fer Twi and the others…. Yes, and you. The, usually lazily nappin’ on a cloud, Rainbow Dash—“

“Hey!!” The rainbow maned pony exclaimed loud enough to get a giggle from the orange mare.

“Ah would’a worked mahself sick.” It still wasn’t a proud moment of her display in stubbornness, but the past is the past.

“Yeah, yeah... No problem, AJ. What are friends for, right?”

“Yeah…. Friends.” Applejack suddenly shaking her head knowing where her thoughts were going. Not here. Not now. Later.

Back to business anyway.

“…As Ah I was sayin’ ‘fore ya had yer lil filly fit: Ah know it ain’t much, but Ah can set up a little campin’ site on a hill in the fields. We’ll have Ah fire and everythin’ and we’ll be sleepin’ under the starry sky. We can even do everythin’ ya wanted to do. Racin’? Makin’ smores?” She playfully shoved her friend’s shoulder.

“Tell a hankerin’ of a ghost story?”

Oh did she know too well how much her friend loved telling ghost stories. She could even see that love for them now in that small smile Rainbow was flashing. Well, that was better to see than an upset face.

“Tell ya what! Ah’ll even make us a fresh barrel of Apple family cider?”

“Woah-ho-ho! Cider?! You know I’d never miss that!” Not even wanting to mention the many times she had actually missed getting to taste that sweet cider.

The blonde maned pony suddenly turned around and looked back at her friend.

“Knew that would cheer ya up. Ah’ve got some cider to make since the sun’s ‘bout to set. Ah’ll  see ya after sundown?”

“You know it!” With that last statement, Rainbow Dash zipped off back to her cloud home. There wasn’t much to pack, not being much of a camping trip, but she at least needed the essentials.

--

The night had arrived in no time, but not that such was a problem. Applejack already had everything set up: A fire starting, a cozy little area for them to set and later set up their place to sleep, and of course, the big barrel of cider.

As if on cue, the teal pony had arrived and made a quick landing.

“Howdy there, pardner!”

There it was again: That excitement in her heart from just seeing that beautiful pegasus.  There was no way she could chicken out of saying it. How could she bring up that subject though? It was such a delicate topic, and such a topic needed the right atmosphere for that. Applejack will admit to not knowing too much about romance, but enough of it. From those old tales she’d used to read as a filly and well, common sense. It was common sense that there was a time and place for everything.

Sure, since they were alone, Applejack could very well go up to Rainbow Dash and go, hey! So maybe I’ve had a crush on you for the longest time?

She was going to trust her heart on this one though: It just wasn’t the right time to say it. When was the right time? She’d probably feel it or something. Hopefully, this wasn’t her excuse to stall.

“Apple…… Applejack….!”

Wait.

“…..Yo, AJ! You there? AJ!!”

“Wha—huh? Oh! Sorry ‘bout that. What were ya sayin’…?” Thinking to herself how smooth of her it was to space out like that.

“I was talking about feeling a bit pumped for a race! I even have a wager in mind!”

“Woah nelly! A wager? Ya got my attention, RD.”

“Okay! Which ever pony loses has to serve the other pony for the rest of the night.” She proudly said as if she was the first to ever come up with that kind of wager.

“The ol’ servin’ bet…? Yer on!”

The two did the ceremonial spit on to their hooves and shook on it. In no time they lined themselves and looked at each other.

“Ya do know Ah’m gonna be winnin’ this thing, right? Ah’ve got home advantage.” Digging her hoof in to the dirt a bit.

“That has nothing to do this! You can say what you want, but I’m going to beat you either way.”

They gave each other one last grin, and then looked ahead.

“First one to the barn wins!” Rainbow Dash excitedly exclaimed as she started running off with an equally matched Applejack.

The thumps of running hooves and a couple of friends laughing every now then at each other’s comments could be heard.

Twist and turns had to be made for the sake of not crashing in to apple trees, but it made the race all the more fun and challenging.  Of course, Applejack had ran through these fields before, so maneuvering the fields was all too easy.

Rainbow Dash fell behind every now and then, but she wasn’t about to let a few trees get in the way of her victory! Yet, she was starting to understand what the blonde maned pony meant by “home advantage.”

“C’mon Rainbow Dash! You can go way faster than this!” The rainbow maned pony mumbled to herself. This was her self-motivation to try and get used to this maneuvering. She had to.  Mostly because, maybe she could finally beat Applejack at something! It always ended in a tie with them and that streak had to be broken sometime.

Rainbow Dash pushed herself more and more until she was about the same pace as Applejack. If not, extremely close.

“I’ve got you now, Applebutt!”

“In yer dreams, ya featherbrained varmint!”

As they finally exited out of the apple fields, it was nothing but a straight path from here to the barn. This was it.

This was the final stretch.

It was now… or never!

With a sudden burst of the energy she could barely conjure up at this point, Rainbow passed Applejack and was on the verge of winning.

“Outta the way! Equestria’s number one racer coming through!”

“Oh? Ya mean me?” Applejack found that energy of her own and was now head to head once more with her friend.

“Oh c’mon!!”  The teal pony groaned.

Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, the suspense! They were only a few steps away from the finish line.

Somehow though, Rainbow Dash felt she couldn’t take another tie, and with a completely impulsive move she tackled the farm pony.

“Woah th--!” Was all Applejack could manage to blurt out before her face met dirt.

It was just the rainbow maned mare’s luck too that she had tackled them both to the finish line.

“Ha! I win!!” Rainbow Dash said now pinning down Applejack.

Applejack was speechless, considering the position the other had put her in. Now who was the real winner again?

Okay, even that was a bit of a tasteless thought from her. Maybe she could try saying something soon instead of spacing out like earlier? Hopefully a blush didn’t show too much either.

“T-Thi—“ Oh dang she was stuttering! She had to keep it together here. “This is yer idea of winnin’?! Ya dern near gave me a bruisin’!”

Applejack reluctantly pushed off Rainbow Dash.

“Guess we got ourselves another tie.” The blonde maned mare said through stretches to unwind from that run.

“No way! I beat you by an inch!”

“There ain’t no inch if’n we landed in the finish line at the same time!”

“Says you!”

Applejack simply sighed. Sometimes she forgot Rainbow Dash could match her stubbornness usually.  She knew all too well that it was definitely a tie. Perhaps though, for the sake of no fighting and maybe giving her stubbornness a rest for once…. She could let the other have her way.

“….Fine, fine. You win.”

It took a moment for Rainbow Dash to take in what she just heard. Of course, it only took her another moment to get a stupid grin on her face.

“Yes! I finally beat you!” Rainbow Dash swiftly brought herself up in the air and did little flips. Just one of her ways to express her happiness.

“I’m the fastest flyer and runner!”

Someone was getting a bit cocky, Applejack thought with a roll of her eyes.

“Whatever ya say, sugar cube. Anyhoo, Ah’m plum tuckered out. Why don’t we head on back and you can tell me a good ghost story or two?”

“Hey, hey, hey! Who’s serving who? Sure, I’ll tell the ghost stories since I’m good at telling them, but you’re making all the smores! I’m feeling pretty hungry after that race.”

Oh, right. The bet.

“Yeah, yeah….”

“And give me a massage while you’re at it, Applebutt!”

--

“And he vowed to haunt them for all eternity because of their disrespect for his dying wish! …..The End.”

“Hoowee! Got a chill or two up and down mah spine that time. Probably scarier than the last!”

“I’ll be here all night!” The pegasus bowed in mid-air.

“Ah know.” The farm pony said with a giggle.

“Hey, AJ, thanks again for the smores. They were pretty sweet…. But you know what’s sweeter?”

Applejack wanted to answer “You” as a lighthearted joke, but she decided against it.

“Ah reckon I know the answer to this one.”

“Alright then, my servant! Chop, chop!” The teal pony went as far as to clap her hooves mockingly.

“Ah swear to Celestia she’s startin’ ta milk this more than a cow with a full udder of the stuff….”  Mumbling under her breath.

Applejack only took a few seconds to pull out a couple mugs and fill them up with cider.

“Here ya go. Drink up.”

Rainbow definitely took her up on that offer and drank more than half in one swig. A very satisfied “Ahhhhh!” sound coming after.

“Now that’s the good stuff!”

“Thank ya kindly. Didn’t even get help from nobody with this batch. All mah doin’.” Taking in a sip for herself.

“So it’s one hundred percent Applejack cider? Awesome!” Drinking the rest and handing the mug right back to the other.

“Ah know.” Refilling the mug with ease.

“Slow down with the drinkin’ there, pardner. This barrel ain’t goin’ nowhere.”

The two snickered at each other and started talking.

--

“Oh man! Wait! Ha! Wait! Give me… a second to breathe!!” Rainbow Dash said through gasping breath.  She was laughing way too hard for her own good.

“And then! Braeburn….! Hoowee! Ah can’t even say it I’m laughin’ just thinkin’ bout it!”

Applejack always had a million stories to tell about her family. They were, after all, a lively bunch.

“Oh, man…! Oh, man! This is my second time hearing this story, but it’s still funny!” Falling on to the ground, the teal pony held her now in pain gut.

What great atmosphere. Just two of the best buds in Ponyville sharing a drink on an open fire. Making little conversation here and there. Even silence wasn’t awkward between the two because they were just that comfortable with each other. When there wasn’t silence though, they’d be laughing up a storm.

Wait. Was this… the right time?

Applejack suddenly looked over at Rainbow and wiping tears from her eyes. After a few minutes, said pony had calmed down from the laughing and was simply sitting down to ease the pain. The farm pony’s eyes scrutinized the details of her friend, but Rainbow’s magenta eyes caught her dead in her tracks. The pair looked especially beautiful in the dark of night with only the flicker of flames to give them light. The light rested upon the right spots to make those eyes all the more special. Joy was still dancing in those eyes, and her face in general after all that laughter. That definitely gave life to her being and made it all the more real to Applejack that, yes, this was all real and happening right now.

The orange mare could’ve sworn though, if it wasn’t the camp fire warming her up, it was her own thoughts. These thoughts were pretty embarrassing, but she couldn’t help it. She was sure her blush was only getting stronger at this point for it to bleed right through.

“Ah…. Ah’ve gotta say it…” The blonde maned pony suddenly blurted out barely above a whisper.

The Pegasus suddenly looked over to the other.

“Say what?” Looking over with a bit of concern.

“….Well shoot.” Applejack pulled her hat a little over her eyes.

“Guess that’s one way to bring it up.” Fixing it back up to prop nicely again on her head.

“Rainbow…. Ah can trust ya to tell you anythin’, right?” Yelling in her head on how much of a stupid question that was to ask. Of course she could!

“…Huh? Course you can. Not like I’m one to blurt out secrets.”

A knowing laugh and a mental “I know” was all she could come up with.

“Ya see….” You can do this, Applejack!

“Ah, might’ve realized somethin’ recently…”

“Well then, spit it out, AJ! You’re kinda beating around the bush here. That’s unlike you.” Concern growing even more and hoping this wasn’t something bad.

“….Yer right.” Applejack suddenly took in a deep breath and stared right back at the other.

“Know how Ah say ah can’t lie to myself on how Ah feel? Well, sugar cube, Ah can’t lie to myself ‘bout mah feelins fer ya. Ya know…. The lovey-dovey stuff….” Darting her head suddenly.

“And Ah….. Ah understand if ya don’t feel the same way ‘bout me.” She could only shake her head.

“But I had to be honest with ya.”

Rainbow Dash had a neutral look on her face. Not saying anything, now showing anything, not even moving.

“Ah get if ya wanna leave too…. Seein’ how Ah just made things all awkward-like.”

Yet, she then felt a nudge on her shoulder and could only react with a turn of her head. If only slightly.

“Hey…. You think I’d leave after we had planned this out for weeks? That’d be totally lame and not loyal of me!”

“Hehe…. Ah know.” Flashing a small, knowing smile again.

“And….” It was now Rainbow’s turn to blush.

“I’m surprised about all this, but I’m not finding it weird or anything…?”

Did she just.

Applejack couldn’t help, but stare straight on at this point.

“Hey, hey! I mean! You’re awesome! The most awesome pony I know! Probably about as awesome as me!” Maybe she was blabbing on just a bit here.

“Since I don’t feel weird about this either? Maybe I feel something for you back? ….Woah, just. I don’t know yet! I’ve never really paid attention to romance junk, so I’m confused, but…” Emphasizing her words with silly movements of her forehooves. She was honestly trying her best to keep cool, but even she was feeling a bit nervous right now.

“What I do know is though…. That’d I’d never leave you. I’d hate to lose you, even over something like this, ‘cause you just mean a lot to me. Sure, we’ve got the others too and they’re pretty important and all, but you…. Something about you is different. Like I said! You’re pretty awesome, so I always have this need to be just as awesome, if not more, around you! And—“

Suddenly being interrupted from when she head a small laugh from Applejack.

“RD, that’s fine if ya wanna be like that, but even awesome ponies need down time. Ya don’t always have to put up an act ‘round lil ol’ me.”

“See! That’s what I mean! That’s what I was just about to say! That I also know that I can also be super chill around you and just… well, myself. That I know you won’t judge me and will be honest with me when I’m being not so cool.”

“Aw shucks, ain’t you gettin’ mushy.”

“Shut up! I’m just doing what you’re doing! Being honest about my feelings.”

Applejack yawned in response.

“Ah know…. Ah know.”

“But…. Yeah. I’m not accepting your feelings, but at the same time I’m not, not accepting them. Get it?”

The orange mare rolled her eyes at that terrible explanation.

“Eeyup.”

A silence was met. Crackling of fire and nature’s natural night sounds met their ears within. This would’ve been awkward, but even then, with these calming sounds, it just wasn’t.

“Hehe, Ah at least know yer sayin’ yer willin’ to givin’ me a chance…. Why don’t we start now?”

“Huh?” The teal pony tilted her head.

“It’s getting’ late so Ah think it’s ‘bout time we hit the hay….” Looking down at the ground and digging a hoof at the dirt absentmindedly.

“…..Wanna share sleepin’ bags? It’s not like Ah’m gonna do anythin’ either.”

Rainbow Dash stared for a only a few seconds, before giving a nod of approval.

“Sure, why not?”

“Thanks, sugar cube.”

“For what?”

Another giggle was all that could be heard.

“Oh, nothin’. C’mon.”

Applejack grabbed went over to get herself comfortable in her spot, then tapped the spot next to her to invite the other over.

Rainbow Dash got a sudden smirk and flew up high up in to the air.

“Cannonball!!” Was all she yelled out before, in no time, started diving straight for Applejack.

“W-woah there, Rainbow!” Applejack tried her best to escape, but her sleeping bag had her in good enough.

“Fer lan sakes!” She groaned out. All she could do at this point was cover her head with her forehooves and hope the crash wouldn’t be too bad.

Strangely enough though, the impact never came. Her green eyes peeked ever so slightly and it met magenta eyes easily.

Something like an “Eep!” To almost rival Fluttershy’s came out of the farm pony, along with a spazzing of her hooves. The next minute, she found herself lying back on her bed.

Rainbow felt rather proud of herself for getting such a great reaction, and stared down at Applejack.

“That. Was. Priceless!” Falling over next to Applejack and laughing harder than earlier.

“You should’ve seen that face you made! And that noise! Even better!!”

“Hardy har har. Very funny.” Applejack found her chance for revenge and snuggled up close to the other pony. Maybe even a small ruffling of that rainbow mane for an added effect.

“Now go to sleep! Some of us actually has a lotta work to do tomorrow.”

It was Rainbow Dash’s turn to blush from this contact.

“Yeah, yeah….. Hey! Why don’t I help you with the apple bucking tomorrow?”

The teal pony was met with a smug grin from the other.

“Sure…. If’n ya think ya can handle it.”

“That another challenge?”

“Ya know it.”

“Deal.” The two said in unison giggled to each other one last time.

“….Hey, Applejack?”

“Yes, sugar cube—“

With no warning, her lips met Rainbow’s, but it took her no time to respond by sinking in to the loving kiss. Wow, even she couldn’t believe this was happening.

When the pegasus finally broke off the kiss, Applejack brought a hoof gently to her lips and stared on.

“…What was that fer…?”

“For being you. Hehe. You promised too you wouldn’t do anything, but I didn’t.”

They simply smiled at each other and snuggled closer in for a nice, warm, sleep.