Okay, today’s the day I’m going to tell her! Sure, I’ve had this conversation with myself about fifty times already, but this time I really mean it! Rainbow Dash rolled over onto her back, looking up into the cloud-filled sky. I have to clear those clouds before Mayor Mare gets onto me again.
She sighed. Didn’t they have any other Pegasi on duty? Besides, cloud kicking duty is always so boring! A Pegasus with my speed should be in the Wonderbolts, not clearing tiny clouds in Ponyville!
She huffed in frustration, then paused and closed her eyes. But if I did leave that would mean I wouldn’t see AJ as much as I do now… Rainbow sat up on the cloud and stretched her wings. She looked towards Ponyville’s clock tower. It’s almost noon, which means AJ is on a break. Perfect.
She zipped off the cloud, dissipate into the air, and headed straight for Sweet Apple Acres. In the flap of a dragon’s wing, she landed a few feet in front of the Apple’s barn. Rainbow trotted up to the house, only to see Applejack pacing back and forth through the living room window. Maybe this isn’t a good time…
She turned around to leave, but then glanced over her shoulder at the irritated looking mare. What if she needs me?
Rainbow paused and then threw her hooves into the air. “Aw, what the heck?”
Rainbow barged into the front door causing it to slam into the green wall, making Applejack jump a good three feet into the air.
Applejack landed with a thud. “What the hay?!”
She looked up to see Rainbow standing in the doorway and quickly got to her hooves. “Oh, thank goodness it’s only you, Dash! You ‘bout scared the horseshoes off of me!”
Applejack smiled, causing Rainbow’s butterflies to flutter on the inside.
Rainbow rubbed the back of her head with a hoof. “Uh, yeah, sorry about that. I guess I should work on not trying to break your door.” She walked over to AJ “So, what’s bothering you?”
Applejack shrugged and went over to the kitchen table. She picked up a newspaper with her tail and threw it in Rainbow’s direction.
Rainbow caught it mid-air and looked down at it. She read aloud “Mr. Rich builds new company outside Manehatten?”
She snatched the paper from Rainbow’s hooves “No, no, no! It’s on page B4, hun.” Turning to the page, Applejack stretched it open so Dash could see what it said.
Coltcuddler to be Recognized as a Contestant in Father & Foal Competition.
By Ink Streak
Published: September 20, 2012
This morning in Open Wing County, the Las Pegasus mayor, Lilly Cup, announced the ruling on the profiling concerning Mr. Regal's status as an eligible parent to compete in this year’s sports competition with his adopted foal. His partner agreed to let him fill the spot as the ‘father’ of the young foal, but much commotion was raised as accusations were made against the stallion. Thus, a trial was issued and the mayor took it into her own hooves to rule Mr. Regal “just as eligible as any parent to compete with his young foal.”
“Mr. Regal is a father that just wishes to try his hardest to have fun with his son just like all the other fathers and we as ponies have no right to take that right away from him,” the mayor said this morning, refusing to answer any questions following her statement.
Rainbow Dash read the last line and pushed the paper down to look at Applejack’s face. “What does this have to do with anything?”
Applejack threw her hooves up in the air. “What in tarnation do ya’ mean?” She smacked her hoof against the paper for emphasis. “This just ain’t right!”
Rainbow Dash gave Applejack a confused expression. "What ain't right?"
Applejack facehoofed. “That coltcuddler being able to enter that contest! It’s not fair to the other contestants to have to put up with that!”
Rainbow Dash stomped a hoof on the oak floor. “This father just wanted to have a good time with his son!”
She rolled her eyes and snatched the paper from Rainbow’s hooves. “Yeah, I bet they always have a ‘good time’.”
That's it! Rainbow was an inch away from Applejack’s face, breathing heavily. “And what exactly is that supposed to mean, Applejack?”
She scoffed and looked Rainbow straight in the eye. “Why don't ya' figure it out, Dash?”
Rainbow Dash’s face felt hot as the blood boiled in her body. Through gritted teeth she growled, “AJ, there's nothing wrong with fillyfoolers or coltcuddlers.”
Applejack stood there with her mouth open, then it turned into a tight frown. Her eyes narrowed as she pointed a hoof at Rainbow Dash. “Well, lemme’ tell you somethin’, Rainbow; those fillyfoolers don’t love anypony, they just doin’ it for the attention! They ain't no better than wild timberwo–”
A loud slap rang out. Applejack stood there stunned for a moment as she felt a stinging creep up the side of her face where her friend’s hoof had just connected. She was silent for a moment, then she glared at Rainbow. Her eyes brimming with tears, she turned her face away from Dash and mumbled. “Get out of my house.”
Rainbow put her hoof down. “Applejack…”
Applejack turned towards Rainbow Dash, her now red cheek stained with a freshly fallen tear. “Leave.”
Rainbow took a step forward. “Applejack, I have to tell you something.”
Applejack was a silent for a moment, then she turned and began trotting towards the kitchen.
Rainbow Dash felt on the verge of crying. She closed her eyes and pounded her hooves on the wooden floor. “Applejack, I love you! I don’t care if you hate me! I do, okay?”
She turned and flew out the door right past a surprised Big Macintosh. Rainbow wiped the tears away from her eyes as she flew towards the schoolyard. I was such a idiot to think she would ever feel like I did.
She landed on a puffy cloud and cried into it, causing it to turn gray. After a few moments—or hours—of crying, she looked up at the sky with reddened eyes. I sure do miss Scootaloo’s fan club. I wonder how those fillies are faring in Neigh York on the trip…
She began to ponder on the thought. That is, until a high-pitched, happy voice rang out. “Oh, Rainbow Dassshhh!”
Rainbow buried her head in the darkened cloud, trying to block out the voice.
“Hey… there… Rainbow… Dash!”
Of course she would bring the trampoline. Rainbow Dash brought her head up out of the cloud but refused to look at Pinkie Pie as she wiped a few stray tears away with her hoof.
“Hi, Pinkie,” she responded dejectedly.
“What's… wrong?” Pinkie asked, wearing an extra frowny–frowny face.
Rainbow rolled her eyes and decided to give her a break from jumping and flew down onto the playground. Pinkie bounced over right next to her, giving Dash a quizzical look.
Rainbow Dash pawed at the soft ground with the tip of her hoof. “Nothing,” she said, barely audible.
Pinkie bounced in front of Rainbow Dash, pressing her nose up to Rainbow’s, while staring at her with her big, blue eyes. “Do you Pinkie Pie promise nothing’s wrong?”
Rainbow groaned inwardly. Nopony could break a Pinkie Promise, and if I didn't promise then she’d pull everypony else into this. Rainbow Dash sighed “Pinkie, me and AJ just had a fight, okay?”
She gasped, putting both of her hooves over her mouth, and then put them on my shoulders. “What were you two fighting about? Who was best at athletics?”
“Pinkie...”
She made a zippy movement with her hooves. “Or who was best in the Wonderbolts?”
“Pinkie, no–”
She gasped really loud, then made some indescribable movement like it was charades. “Or was it–”
“Pinkie!” Rainbow Dash yelled.
Pinkie Pie stopped mid-air, and settled down on the grass. “Yeah?”
Rainbow sighed and trotted over to the swing set and sat down, gesturing Pinkie to sit on the one beside her.
Pinkie Pie sat and began dangling her hooves playfully off the ground.
They sat there and swung for a little bit before Rainbow Dash cleared her throat. “Pinkie... Applejack hates me.”
Pinkie giggled, causing Rainbow to glare. “What’s so funny?”
Pinkie Pie waved a hoof. “Oh, come on, Dashie! Applejack doesn’t hate you!”
Rainbow Dash scoffed. “You didn’t hear what she said.” She remembered the look on AJ’s face in the barn. “Or how she looked at me.”
Pinkie stopped giggling and thrust her hooves, causing the swing to jerk forward. “So why don’t you tell me, Dashie?”
Rainbow sighed and looked at the ground below her hooves. “I guess I should start from the beginning…”
Pinkie Pie sat there, swinging, while listening to everything that Rainbow had to say. Her crush on Applejack when she first offered to race against Dash, how their friendship blossomed after that, all of signs she thought were real, and then what happened in the barn.
Pinkie gasped when Rainbow told her that she had hit Applejack. Rainbow tried to drift away from the bad memories and shared the good ones; how she would pretend to sleep in Applejack’s apple trees but secretly watching AJ work, then eventually growing the courage to help. The time she bought AJ tickets to see a rodeo just outside the city of Baltimare…
By the time Rainbow finished telling Pinkie Pie everything, Celestia’s sun was far across the sky, settling into its place in the horizon.
“... And AJ was so mad that the judges had been paid off, she nearly went up there and bucked them off their pedestals! So, yeah, that’s pretty much everything I can think of.” Rainbow Dash sighed, realizing she had been talking for almost an hour straight.
“Well, you two are friends, right?” Pinkie said, flailing her hindlegs violently, trying to make herself go higher on the swing.
“Of course! Nothing could stop us from being friends–” Rainbow stopped and saw Pinkie grinning from ear to ear. Of course! One fight doesn't mean everything is over! Sure, AJ doesn't feel the same way, but we could still hang out and talk.
Pinkie Pie hopped off her swing mid-air and managed to do a cartwheel landing.
Rainbow Dash stopped her swing and chose to walk to Pinkie instead of trying herself at a cartwheel. Applejack would always be my friend and I’d go over to her place tomorrow and make it up to her somehow… Suddenly, her stomach growled.
Rainbow Dash smirked at the bouncy pink pony. “You know, Pinkie, I think I’m in the mood for a sweet. Why don’t we head over to Sugar Cube Corner and see if Mrs. Cake has anything for us?”
Pinkie’s eyes lit up at the possibility of getting something sugary. “Oh, well, they have carrot cake, rainbow berry muffins, and a new lemon shaving cupcake!”
Rainbow laughed warmly as they walked together towards the bakery. Pinkie went on about her extensive knowledge about deserts. She nudged Rainbow’s side when she rolled her eyes at saying they were coming out with a dazzle razzle flavor.
They soon arrived at Sugar Cube Corner. They stood in front of the display counter, Pinkie nearly drooling over all the cakes and goodies behind the glass. Rainbow was looking at one of the menus.
Mrs. Cake shuffled out of the kitchen. “Anything I can get you dearies?”
Pinkie Pie nodded vigorously. “Oh, let’s see… I want a strawberry milkshake with some snickerdoodles!”
Rainbow Dash tapped her hoof on her chin. “Well, I guess a mint-chocolate milkshake wouldn’t hurt.”
Pinkie Pie began to giggle.
Rainbow raised her eyebrow. “What’s so funny, Pinkie?”
She stuck her tongue out at Dash. “Just didn’t peg you for a minty coco milkshake type!”
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and sat some bits on the counter along with the menu. “An athlete doesn’t always have to stick to water and salads, you know.”
They took a seat at a table near the front window of the bakery. Their drinks and cookies were brought to them a few minutes later by Mrs. Cake. With a few “thank you’s” the two mares were sipping away at their milkshakes.
Suddenly, Rainbow felt something kick her leg. She looked up to see Pinkie Pie violently jerking her head to the right.
Rainbow Dash cocked her head. “Um, Pinkie, you okay?”
Pinkie Pie whispered. “Psst, Dash! There’s a mare checking you out!”
Rainbow rolled her eyes and took a sip of her milkshake. “Pinkie, this is no time for games. I’m not in the mood for that.”
Pinkie Pie was still jerking her head. “Come on, go say hi!”
Rainbow Dash facehoofed and followed the direction where Pinkie Pie’s head was pointing. Was that— No…
Rainbow Dash got up from her seat and trotted across the bakery towards a table in the back where a mare was hiding her face behind her mane. “Fluttershy?”
The mare pushed her pink strands away from her face revealing her blushing cheeks. “Oh, um, hi, Rainbow Dash.”
Rainbow Dash threw her hooves around Fluttershy. “Where have you been? They said you dropped out of flight school and I couldn’t find a soul who knew where you went!”
Fluttershy looked down. “Oh, sorry. I, um, have been living here since I... dropped out.”
Rainbow Dash took a seat across from Fluttershy. “In Ponyville? How come I’ve never seen you?”
Fluttershy brushed her mane behind one of her ears. “Well, my home is kind of secluded… It’s on the edge of the Everfree Forest.”
Rainbow rubbed her head. “That makes sense. Dang, I can’t believe you live here! We can hang out just like old times!”
Fluttershy smiled. “Really?”
Rainbow Dash nodded. “Of course! It’s gonna be sweet! Nice to have a Pegasus I know in Ponyville for once.”
She laughed, causing Fluttershy to blush. “Um, Rainbow? It was nice talking to you but I really have to get home before, um, dark…”
Rainbow looked back at Pinkie gobbling down half a cake that somehow appeared on their table in her absence. She turned to Fluttershy and nodded. “That’s fine. We’ll hang out soon, okay? I’m with one of my friends anyway. I’m pretty sure you’ve met her.”
Fluttershy looked over at the cake eating pony and nodded. “That’s fine. And yes, I’ve met Pinkie.”
Rainbow laughed. “I’m pretty sure, everypony has!” She got up and hugged Fluttershy, soliciting a soft ‘eep’. “See you soon, okay?”
Fluttershy’s cheeks were burning as she nodded quickly. As soon as Rainbow Dash let her go, she was out of the door and down a dirt road.
Rainbow Dash trotted back to the table where Pinkie Pie was making little kissy faces at her. “What?” she asked.
Pinkie Pie giggled. “Somepony has a fresh blush on them.”
Rainbow’s blush deepened and she snatched her drink from the table and took a seat. “Whatever.” She looked out the window, watching a pale yellow pony trot down the path until she disappeared from sight.
Author's Note
I found this in the abyss of my Gdocs files, last time I worked on this was September 24, 2012. I decided to try and make it publishable.
If your opinion of A.J.'s attitude is like "Oh, she would never act like that!" I wrote this when I was mad at people around me cause they were always so judgmental (and yes I live in the south and they were VERY southern people). That's not my opinion of what A.J. is like but she was a good example to use in the story, 'cause she's southern and all. ALSO I'm not saying all southerners are judgmental a lot aren't! Just the ones I'm surrounded by are....
Thanks to my editors! Really, Thank you guys for doing all of that with the fixing, and typing, and readin', and all.
P.S. Have a cookie: https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/3nkAtjQFChQigDmuE0OPXVq9kArKEYk_VFgpJh0k54MrZ4sQ2VySUk2oaUZIeHVmmXvraUZLb4cr-ebwyPWraQRbzuAuL2-Em3M8WhGTxtV4S706rfFT
