Chapters It was a glorious day in Ponyville, the smell of autumn indicated the changing of seasons as summer came to a close. On a lonely high cloud in the sky over Equestria, a cyan-coated pegasus who had an distinctive rainbow mane was sleeping peacefully. Her name was Rainbow Dash and she was in the middle of her daily afternoon nap after a day previously of napping and practicing her tricks for the Wonderbolts. It was Sunday and Dash's day off, but she still had work to do for somepony else.
"Apple bucking with Applejack!" Rainbow Dash screamed as the thought came to her head, waking her up. "Oh no, oh no I'm late!" Rainbow panicked as she scrambled to get up off her cloud. "I'm late, I'm late, I'm late" she told herself as she flew off towards Sweet Apple Acres.
Meanwhile at Sweet Apple Acres, inside its barn the orange coated earth pony with a bundled up golden mane and tail waited impatiently for her friend to arrive. She needed help harvesting apples before winter hit and ruined them.
"Grrr horseapples" Applejack said to herself. "If there's one thing that consarned pony does best, it's sleep" The farm mare started tapping her hoof impatiently on the floor of the barn.
"I'm here! I'm here!" Applejack heard as she saw a rainbow-colored bolt speeding toward her, but before she could get out of the way, the inevitable happened and the pegasus crashed, leaving both mares on the floor.
"Oops, sorry AJ" said Rainbow as she found herself standing over her friend.
"Not a problem Sugarcube. Now won't y'all tell me why are y'all late? Napping again?" Asked Applejack with smirk.
"No, no, no of course not" the Pegasus said with a fake smile and eyes darting back and forth.
"Y'all are a terrible liar y'all know?"
With that comment both ponies broke into laughter that seemed to consume the whole orchard. They rolled on the floor of the barn, wrestled, laughed, and played. After some time the laughter finally died off. The two mares stared at each other for what seemed like forever.
Rainbow had never noticed how beautiful Applejack was, or the sweet scent of fresh apples she had. She never stopped to think how beautiful her golden mane looked when it flowed with the afternoon breeze, or how perfectly her orange coat complimented with her emerald green eyes.
"Wow, she has pretty eyes and that mane… and- wait, why am I thinking this? She's a mare for Celestia's sake!" Rainbow thought. "She and I could never be together, that's… that's unthinkable. Besides I don't even know if I like mares that way, or if she does it, for that matter. I wonder what she's thinking about right now" thought Rainbow as she stared into her eyes.
"She's quite a prize. We are the best of friends and have a lot in common, hard working and competitive." Applejack thought as she stared into Rainbow Dash's violet eyes. "She is also beautiful. Ah wonder why hasn't anypony else asked her out. If nopony ask her, maybe Ah should… Wait, did Ah just called Rainbow beautiful? Do Ah… Ah may have a small crush on'er, but me and Rainbow?" Applejack asked herself. "Ah don't know if mah barn door swings that way, neither if Rainbow likes ponies of the same gender. Ah wish Ah could know what she is thinkin'."
The two mares continued to stare into each other's eyes, slowly moving closer to each other unaware of their actions. Both pony's eyes started closing.
"Hey! Those apples ain't gonna buck 'emselves." It was Big Mac who broke the silence as he walked into the barn.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash, whose lips were mere inches from touching, got up off the barn floor blushing furiously.
"A-Ah'm s-sorry brother we were jes talkin' " stuttered Applejack. "C'mon Rainbow, we got apples to buck."
"Uh… what? Oh yeah, applebucking" the pegasus said snapping back to reality.
The two walked out the barn, the warm light of Celestia's sun and crisp smells of fall filled the noses of the two mares as they walked through the trees of Sweet Apple Acres. Big Macintosh watched them as they disappeared behind the treeline.
"Those two are up to sumthin'."
Ten minutes had passed since they left the barn; the sun was creeping across the sky, indicating that the day was ending soon.
"So uh… how much do we need to harvest today AJ?" Asked Rainbow, trying to forget about what happened in the barn.
"We gotta buck all the trees in the southern section before the sunlight dies out."
"Hey, maybe if we get it done fast we could go for a round of horseshoes, I have improved my skills by 20%."
"He-he, we'll see Dash. Now that was enough talk, we got trees to buck!"
With that said, she dashed to the nearest apple tree landing one swift kick with her hind hooves to it, the apples fell in response. Rainbow Dash flew in a zigzag line though the tree leaves causing the apples to fall. The two ponies worked for what seemed hours, but were only thirty minutes.
"Well, Ah'm mighty glad y'all could help me today Rainbow, Ah couldn't have done it without y'all."
"Anytime AJ, always happy to help my best friend."
"Well Ah'm exhausted, how about we head back up to the house and get some cider?"
"Ooo I love your apple cider!" Rainbow Dash said, bouncing up and down somehow resembling to Pinkie Pie.
"Ah know y'all do Sugarcube, could y'all grab that last apple bucket over there?" Said gesturing with her hoof to a lone apple bucket, that was under a Granny Smith apple tree.
"Sure thing AJ."
Rainbow rushed over and put the bucket on her back, she was running back over when she tumbled over a barely noticeable root that was sticking out of the ground.
"Whoa! AJ! AHHH!" She screamed as she tripped over it and fell onto Applejack.
"Whoa, where did that root came out from? Hey… what? I'm tasting something… is it… an apple? This must be the best apple ever. It's a good thing Applejack was there to catch... me. Oh-no."
"Wha… What happened? N' what's this flavor? It's like… Ah don't even know what is it, but Ah like it. Last thing I remember was Rainbow tripping over some root and landing over... me. Aw horseapples don't tell me tha-"
It seemed like a thousand years before both mares opened their eyes, but when they did, they found themselves doing something that will change their entire lives. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were kissing.
The eyes of the two mares went as wide as Luna's moon and their cheeks went as red as the apples they were bucking when they realized what they were doing.
"I'm kissing Applejack! I'm. Kissing. Apple. jack! Rainbow Dash what are you doing?! She's your friend and you're kissing her? But why does the kiss seem so… Nice? So… Right? No! She's a mare and this is wrong!"
Rainbow Dash continued to fight a losing battle with herself while the earth pony was almost at the same situation.
"Oh no this isn't happening, Applejack why are y'all kissing yer best friend? But… y'all like it don't you? Applejack c'mon, y'all know y'all have had a small crush on'er fer a while! That's.. That's not true! It is, n' y'all know it! B-but anyways, Ah can't do this, it's immoral!"
Both mares broke the kiss and returned to reality. Rainbow Dash slowly climbed off of Applejack, her cheeks were getting warmer and almost as red as the lock in her mane. Applejack just stayed there; unable to stand up, her face resembled her cutie mark. It was Applejack who was the first to speak.
"A-Ah'm mighty sorry fer that Rainbow, I-It w-was an accident."
"N-no AJ it was my fault, I fell and didn't catch myself and landed on... well you."
Both Rainbow Dash and Applejack just stood there, their eyes wandering aimlessly into the twilight sky, unable to meet eyes, as they tried to forget what just happened.
"Well I uh… I better be going; I got to do the thing with the um… other thing."
With that said, Rainbow Dash took off into the dimming sky, leaving a dazed Applejack in her wake.
"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, why did I kiss Applejack? Why did I like it? What is wrong with me?"
The questions raced in Rainbow Dash's head as she flew through the clouds over Ponyville. She flew past some of her fellow weather pony's creating a storm. She didn't have time to talk and the receding light didn't make it much better, she needed help. And she knew exactly who was the indicated to do so.
"I need to see Fluttershy; she'll help me out of this, I know it."
By the time Rainbow Dash arrived at Fluttershy's cottage, the last slimmer of sunlight had disappeared. The smell of moist air hit Dash's nose indicating a storm was near; after all she was a weather pony.
"Fluttershy!" She yelled, banging her hoof on the door roughly. After some seconds the yellow pegasus opened the door.
"O-oh, it's you R-rainbow Dash. What are you doing here at this hour? W-why are you banging the door so loud?" Asked Fluttershy nervously.
"I need your help Fluttershy. Now" she said, her eyes filled with panic.
"Oh my, this sounds serious, please come in and tell me all about it… that is if you want to, of course."
"I do, I need to."
The two walked into the cottage, the smell of forest and woodland creatures combined with the leaf roof and animal homes made it a perfect home for Fluttershy. Fluttershy sat on the red couch in the middle of the room while Rainbow Dash took the opposite side.
"Ok… here it goes; I'll make it quick so it won't hurt that much. I kissed Applejack and I liked it."
Rainbow winced and expected a shock of horror or for Fluttershy to faint, but what happened was not exactly what she expected.
"Oh Rainbow Dash this is just wonderful!" screamed Fluttershy as she jumped up in excitement and hovered in the air for a bit.
"I know its wrong and- wait wonderful?"
"Oh yes it's wonderful that you and Applejack have confessed your feelings for one another. You two seem so perfect for each other."
"Wait, no, that wasn't what happened, I accidentally kissed her. I haven't told her that I love her because I don't even know if I love her! Wait, perfect for each other?"
"Oh please, think about it Dash, you two are best friends and have so much in common. The way you always look at her and the way she looks at you! It was obvious for everypony that one day this would happen."
"Maybe, but I don't know if I even feel that way about her. And what do you mean 'the way I look at her'?"
"When you look at her you always have that silly face… Well anyways, how did you feel when you kissed her?"
The cyan Pegasus recounted the memory at Sweet Apple Acres that happened only twenty minutes ago.
"It was… amazing; it felt like I did my first sonic rainboom all over again, it felt like I did the best prank ever. I felt happy and didn't want it to end" said Rainbow as she started to drift off into thought.
"Well I never kissed anypony before, but that sounds a lot like the spark everypony talks about when they kiss their true love."
"True love… That could be it!" Rainbow yelped as she snapped back to the conversation. "But… how can I be sure? I got nothing to compare it to; Applejack was my first kiss ever."
"Ever? Not even a kiss on the head from your mom?"
"Fluttershy I told you the story about my parents already…"
"Oh… yeah, sorry." Said Fluttershy as she remembered the story of how Rainbow's parents died in a fire when she was just a filly.
Both mares sat in silence as they remembered the story while the sound of lightning sprang outside; filling the room with it's light.
"He-he."
"What?" Rainbow questioned.
"Oh nothing…"
"No, you were thinking something! Tell me!"
"No… it was just a silly idea. I don't even know why did I thought about it."
But Rainbow Dash thought otherwise. As quick as a flash she leaped over and locked lips with her. The yellow Pegasus's eyes instantly grew three times their size and her cheeks glowed pink.
"Oh sweet Celestia, that's the second time I have kissed one of my friends today! Why do I keep doing this? No, but this one it's not the same… this is just a test" thought the cyan pegasus.
As she broke away from the stunned Fluttershy, only one word came to Rainbow Dash.
"Nothing."
"Wh-what?" Fluttershy said, trying her hardest not to faint.
"I felt nothing, no spark, no fire running through my body. That means I really do love Applejack. Oh thank you Fluttershy" she said as she leaped over once more for a hug.
"Y-you're welcome and m-might I say you're a really good kisser Dash."
"Hey let's not get carried away here, remember that I love Applejack alright?"
"I know, I know. I haven't felt anything neither… But, does this mean that you will confess your feelings to Applejack?"
"What? Oh no, I can't! What if she doesn't have the same feelings for me and stops being my friend? I couldn't bare that."
"Rainbow, she is one of the Elements of Harmony and your best friend. Do you really think that she would stop being your friend because of this?"
"Yes! Well… no, but it's just too risky Fluttershy, I don't want to lose her."
"I find that ironic coming from the pony who loves risks" said Fluttershy giggling.
Rainbow herself couldn't help but laugh too at the thought of her not taking a risk.
"Well I can't force you to tell her how you feel, but please Rainbow will you think about it at least?"
"Okay… I will, and thank you for your help; you're always the pony to come to if I need answers."
Rainbow Dash got up off the couch, exchanged a final hug with Fluttershy and headed for the door. She opened the door to her bad luck and found a ravaging storm outside.
"Rainbow it's raining, you'll catch a cold."
"But Fluttershy, I have to go home somehow."
"No buts Rainbow." Her voice was beginning to sound motherly. "You're more than welcome to stay here the night."
"Fluttershy I really need to get home"
"I said you were more than welcome to stay here the night." Repeated the yellow mare with a stern voice. Rainbow Dash knew better than to argue with her when she was like this.
"Thank you Fluttershy. Your kindness and watchful eye over me is like the one of the mother I never had" Rainbow said as she flew up the stairs leading to the bedroom.
Before joining her, Fluttershy couldn't help but to sigh and shed a single tear.
Meanwhile, immediately after seeing Rainbow Dash fly off, Applejack knew she had to speak to somepony, but who?
"Rarity?" No, she knew a lot about love and that kind of things, but she needed somepony wiser. Besides she didn't want to hear Rarity mock her about it.
"Of course" Applejack thought as the perfect pony came to her mind. "Twilight! She's a wise good friend n' will know what to do". Applejack then dashed off towards Twilight's library.
Applejack could see the weather ponies moving storm clouds into position for a nighttime storm by the time she arrived. It was nearly dark, the last shimmer of light last just a speck in the distance.
"Twilight! Ah need yer help!" Yelled Applejack as she banged on the library's door.
"Oh, hey Applejack, what can I help you with?" Twilight said as she opened the door.
"Ah need to talk to y'all 'bout sumthin', sumthin' personal."
"Alright, come on in and make yourself at home."
Applejack came inside the huge tree that was Twilight's library and home. She rested herself on the chair in the center of the room; the smell of parchment both old and new flooded her nose.
"Can I get you something? Tea? Muffins?"
"No, no thank y'all. But all Ah need right now is sumpony to talk to."
"Alright" said Twilight as she sat down next to Applejack "Let's talk then."
"Are we alone?"
"Yes, Spike is away in Canterlot on royal business and Owloysius is sleeping upstairs."
"Y'all must promise not to tell anypony."
"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye" Twilight said performing the Pinkie promise.
"Ok… here goes" nervously said Applejack, her face starting to sweat. "A-Ah kissed Rainbow Dash, b-but Ah liked it."
Applejack felt relived having told somepony about the kiss while Twilight just sat on the chair with a look of surprise. The sound of thunder and lightning seemed to set the mood perfectly.
"He he he."
"Wha- Twilight why are y'all laughing? This ain't funny!"
"I'm sorry Applejack" said Twilight as she tried to contain herself. "It's just that I knew you two would kiss someday. It was meant to happen."
"Wait, y'all knew this would happen?"
"Well I only guessed that you two would end up together, it's just that you two are such good friends and have so much in common. The fact that you're always together, side to side. It would only make sense right?"
"Me n' Rainbow? Well Ah must admit that Ah kind of had a small crush on her since the Running of the Leaves… but she's a mare!"
"So? Love is love isn't it? No matter the gender. Look at Lyra and Bon-Bon for example."
"But Ah don't know if Ah like mares that way, or Rainbow Dash fer that matter. Ah have never had feelings like this for anypony before."
"Well… Then I guess you should have a second experience."
"What fer?"
"Analyze and compare."
"N' how do y'all expect that to happen?"
"Well… Looking at the circumstances, I only deduce there is only one way to find out" said Twilight, as she started to blush.
"What do y'all have in mind?"
"I'm Sorry about this Applejack."
"Sorry fer wha-"
Applejack was then cut off as Twilight lunged over and pressed her lips against hers.
"What the buck is this crazy unicorn doin'?" thought Applejack as the feeling of the sweet kiss returned to her. The kiss was however, not the same. "She couldn't have feelings for me too? This is nice, but feels so wrong; it's not like the kiss from... Rainbow Dash."
The kissed last only a second before Twilight broke away leaving Applejack dazed and lost for words.
"Now, how did that feel?"
"A-Ah liked it, but it was not right. When you kissed me, it was nice, but coming from you felt so wrong… no offence."
"It's ok."
"But why did y'all do that? Y-y'all don't have a crush on me do y'all?"
"Oh no, but it was the only way I thought that could help you, I'm not one for romance and I would do anything for my friends. Did it help?"
"Ah think it did actually, it wasn't the same… But it helped me to realize Ah do like mares, but also that Ah do love Rainbow Dash. Oh thank y'all so much Twilight!" said Applejack as she hugged her friend.
"Anytime, so does this mean you're going to tell her that you love her?"
"Are y'all out of yer little crazy mind? Ah can't tell'er about this. What if she doesn't feel the same way and leaves me? Ah can't live mah life without her as mah friend!"
"Applejack" Twilight said, giving her stern look. "She is the element of loyalty, why would she ever abandon you?"
"Yeah, y'all are right, but that doesn't mean that it couldn't damage our relationship to be..... Un-repairable."
"Thanks for yer help Twilight; y'all are a really good friend."
Applejack hugged her one final time and made her way to the door. She opened the door to find the nighttime storm.
"Are you sure you want to head home in the rain? You're welcome to stay here tonight."
"I'll be fine, bye Twilight" and with that said, the orange pony dashed out the door.
The flash of lightning filled the library and the sound of hoof steps became louder as the door burst open to reveal Applejack again.
"On second thought Ah think Ah'll take yer offer of staying here the night" said Applejack, the tip of her tail burned by the lightning.
"He-he, come on I'll set up the bed."
Both mares headed up the stairs to Twilights bedroom, waiting for whatever tomorrow would hold.
The bright light of Celestia's sun pierced though the storm clouds of last night's rain and beamed down on a leaf roofed cottage on the border of the Everfree forest. The pasty yellow curtains didn't stop the sunlight from waking the sleeping pegasus. Today was a new day, to bad it wasn't her day off.
"Ugh" said Rainbow Dash as she rose up from bed. "Where am I- oh yeah, Fluttershy's."
Rainbow Dash leaped off the bed in her normal fashion and started to make her way downstairs.
"Not bad for a feather bed, but clouds are still #1.It was so nice of her to let me sleep here tonight, let alone her own bed."
Rainbow Dash made her way to the kitchen, expecting a nice warm breakfast to be served. But found the yellow coated Pegasus to be fast asleep on the couch with her pet bunny, Angel.
"Aw well I'll just pick up something on the way to the weather office."
Rainbow Dash left Fluttershy a note of gratitude and made her way to the door. She couldn't help but look back on her friend one last time before departing.
"She looks so peaceful, like an Angle" said Rainbow to herself.
She then opened the door and flew off. The sun shined high in the sky and there wasn't a cloud in the sky, strange since she was on the border of the everfree forest.
"Wow today is just so glorious, I think I might do work first for once and then practice some new tricks."
The sound of her stomach rumbled as she flew high above the clouds.
"He-he, but first breakfast!"
Rainbow Dash flew down the restaurant "Golden clover" and sat down outside enjoying the warm sunlight. The restaurant was a golden color with a clover in front with the name on in. It was known for it's wide variety of food all day long.
"What shall it be mam?" said the waiter as he came over to her.
He was well dressed and looked like a the usual posh pony from Canterlot especially with that curved mustache of his.
"Hmmm" said Rainbow as she gazed at the menu. "I would have a blueberry and rose petal muffin."
She collected the required bits for the meal from her coin purse, hidden in her rainbow mane.
"No charge mam."
"What?"
"The head chef "Goldenfly" is in a really good mood today, so no charge on the first customer."
"Um wow, thanks."
The waiter walked back inside to fetch the meal she had order while Rainbow Dash just sat back and relaxed.
"Wow, free food and a beautiful day? This just keeps getting better and better."
Once she had finished eating, Rainbow Dash flew off towards the weather office, it was already noon and she hoped that they wouldn't be mad at her. If they were that meant more work. She arrived and walked right in, the place was setup to remind pegasi of Cloudsdale. The walls were sky blue and all furniture were clouds, even the front desk.
"Rainbow Dash reporting in for duty sir" she said, saluting the stallion behind the counter. The stallion was a usually grumpy pony, oddly enough he had a huge grin on his face today.
"You got the day off Rainbow Dash."
"Wait what? I do?"
"Yes, we have completely clear skies for miles around after last night's storm."
"This is so awesome!" Squealed Rainbow as she dashed out the door.
She could think of nothing else to do but go practice her flight tricks and she did just that. With one huge flap of her wings Rainbow Dash flew towards her training grounds.
"Free food, nice day and now no work!? What could make this better?"
Rainbow Dash flew off to her personal training grounds, they were hills and flat land east of Whiletail wood, usually her house would float over these, but not today. As she got closer she thought she saw three pegasi already there, they wore blue suits and their mane's were blown back.
"Could it be? No it can't be! It is! The Wonderbolts!" screamed Rainbow as she flew down to meet her idols.
She flew down to the three Wonderbolts; they were even her favorite ones.
"Spitfire, Soarin, and Fleetfoot! What are you all doing here!?"
"Looking for you of course" said Spitfire.
"Yeah, we wanted to make the pie saver an honorary Wonderbolt" said Soarin.
"We tried to speak to you at the Gala, but you were gone before we had a chance" said Fleetfoot.
"So? What do you say?" asked Spitfire.
Inside Rainbow Dash's head felt like a time bomb had gone off. She only had one word to say.
"Yes!" she screamed as she zoomed up in the sky followed by an explosion of Rainbow colors which seemed to come out of nowhere.
"Great" said Spitfire as Rainbow Dash finally landed. "Here's your uniform." She said tossing it over to her. "We'll see you tomorrow morning at your house. So long!"
With that note all three Wonderbolt's flew off. Rainbow Dash had a surprised and bright face as she stared at nothing while holding her uniform in her hoofs. About ten minutes passed before she finally realized it.
"I'm a Wonderbolt!" she screamed as she flew straight up again. "Best Day Ever!
Rainbow Dash slipped on her new uniform and flew off at breakneck speeds towards Sweet Apple Acres.
Applejack was found at her home to be surprisingly, sleeping, she was resting next to her favorite tree "Sir Leaves a lot". Having been done with applebucking season and chores; she found that it was time for a break.
"Applejack!" she heard a scream in the distance.
She flipped up her hat up to see a familiar rainbow blur in the sky speeding towards her.
"I'm a Wonderbolt AJ! Can you believe it?" Said Rainbow Dash, showing off her uniform to her.
"Ah knew you would do Rainbow, congrats."
"And I'm also here to confess something."
"Confess what" said Applejack, eagerly awaiting the news.
"I-I love you Applejack."
Applejack just looked stunned at the news and tears started to well up in her eyes, but they were not the tears Rainbow Dash wanted.
"Ahahahahaha! Wait you loveeeee me? That's hilarious! Wow I can't be friends with a Pegasus who's a filly-fooler!" Laughed Applejack as she ran off.
"Wait, you're not supposed to laugh! I love you! Don't leave me Applejack!"
The hill Dash was standing on started to lose it's color, as well as the sky, it was like Discord had returned. Suddenly a pitch black spot on the horizen started growing and covering every part of her surroundings, she felt the floor she was standing on disappear before her eyes.
"Nooooooooo" she screamed as she fell into the endless black pit.
"Nooooo" she screamed as she jolted awake to the sound of rain and thunder outside. Her body was covered in sweat as she realised what had happened.
"I-It was just a nightmare" stuttered Dash as she realized what had happened.
"Ra-rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy said as she slowly opened the door. "Are you ok?"
"I-I'm fine Fluttershy. Sorry if I woke you."
"That's ok" she said as she walked over to Dash's bed. "Had a nightmare?"
"No... I-I mean yes" she quickly changed her mind when she looked at Fluttershy's sweet and innocent face. A face no pony could lie to.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"N-yes. I dreamed that I told Applejack that I loved her, but she just laughed and called me a fillyfooler. She didn't want to be my friend anymore" said Dash as tears started to fill her eyes.
"Rainbow it was just a dream, it's not real and Applejack would never say that."
"I k-know. It just felt real" sobbed Rainbow as she wiped her tears away.
"Want me to sing you a lullaby to help you sleep?"
"Yes (hic) please" hiccupping a little as the last of her tears dried up.
Fluttershy cleared her throat and started to sing in her soft voice. The tune was the same she used when the Cutie mark crusaders slept over.
"Hush now, quiet now
Fluttershy would have continued but the cyan Pegasus was already fast asleep. She quietly made her way to the door and was about to close it when she gave out one final note.
"Sweet dreams Dash."
"Applejack!" the voice pierced though the earth pony's head as she struggled to wake.
"Applejack!" the voice called again and she responded by jolting awake to the smell of eggs and bacon.
"Where am ah- of yeah, I'm at Twilights. Coming!" she yelled downstairs.
Applejack jumped out of the spare bed, she braided her hair up and put her hat on. She then ran downstairs.
"Well about time you woke up. You're not the one to usually wake last" Twilight said as Applejack opened the door to the kitchen.
"Rough night, couldn't stop thinking about Rainbow Dash" she said as her thoughts drifted off to her.
"Um Applejack, your spacing out" said Twilight as she Applejacks eyes stare into nothing.
"Oh um sorry" she was blushing a little.
"Like I said, go talk to her."
"Not gonna happen Twilight. Now if you excuse me I have to head back home. Applebloom will be missing me."
"Don't you want to stay for breakfast?"
"Sorry no-" she was cut off as she saw the plate of crisp hay bacon and sunny side up eggs that was on the table. "Um maybe just a bite."
She had to admit that the breakfast was probably the best they she ever ate, second to apples that is. The sun was shining through the window of the library-tree house.
"These are delicious Twilight; I didn't know you could cook."
"Yeah, Pinkie pie has been giving me some lessons. She can cook a lot more than sweets you know. Oh that reminds me" said Twilight as she reached for today's issue of Equestria Daily. "There is a one day rodeo going on today."
"What? Gimme that" Applejack said in surprise as she grabbed the newspaper out of her friends hoof. "One day only rodeo going on today east of Whitetail wood. All ponies are allowed with a grand prize of a blue ribbon and 10,000 bits. Yee- haw!" Applejack yelled, nearly falling out of her seat. "If ah win, which ah will, that money will be enough for all the things that the money from the Gala didn't provide!"
"Well you better hurry, it starts at 1:00 and it's already 11:00."
"Oh horseapples ah got a go! Thanks again for letting me stay Twilight!" Applejack yelled as she raced out the door.
Applejack was galloping along the streets of Ponyville towards the fields east of Whitetail wood. The day was beautiful; the storm clouds of last night had all vanished and left a warm and bright day.
After about twenty minutes of non-stop running, Applejack had finally arrived. The rodeo was a makeshift one with stands and games for everypony. She walked over to the sign up stand which was empty of anypony managing it.
"Um, I'm here to sign up for the rodeo" she spoke over the empty stand.
"Hi ya Applejack!" Pinkie pie screamed as she popped up from behind the stand.
"Gah! Pinkie you nearly gave me a heart attack" Applejack said as she fell back.
"Sorry, you here to sign up for the rodeo?"
"Eeyup and I'm guessing you're in charge of signups?" Applejack said, picking herself off the ground.
"And announcing!" she chirped in her cheery voice. "I'm guessing you'll want to know what today's rodeo is all about huh?"
"Um, yeah, sure."
"Well all you have to do is win four challenges and then move onto the final round in tug of war. But for you it'll be easy peasy."
"I hope so Pinkie pie; my family and ah need that money."
"Well good luck!" Pinkie said as she hoped in her announcer balloon which seemed to come out of nowhere and floated off high above the field.
The completion was very easy for Applejack as she nailed four challenges easliy and was on her way to the final round. Her component was this dark blue coated and yellow maned stallion with a pear as a cutie mark. A pear, her arch rivel fruit.
"And now we move onto our final event everypony! We have Applejack vs. Juicy pear in the final match to take home the blue ribbon and 10,000 bits!" yelled Pinkie from her balloon.
Both Applejack and Juicy pear took hold of the rope. Applejack could see her family and friends in the stands, even Rainbow Dash. She was surprised she should up at all after yesterday but no matter, she had a ribbon to win.
"On your mark."
Applejack tightens her grip on the rope.
She dug her hooves into the ground.
"Go!"
Applejack just tugged as hard as she could and waited for either mud or cheers.
Splash!
In only a second had the winner been declared and the loser was taking a mud bath.
"Applejack is the winner!" Pinkie yelled, as well as the crowd.
Everypony that was family and friend ran over to celebrate, crowding around and yelling Applejack! Applejack! Applejack! All but one cyan Pegasus who was slowly walking away. Applejack pushed through the crowd and ran after her.
"Ah won Rainbow, Ah won!" cheered applejack as she caught up with her friend.
"I knew you could A.J"
"And to make this day even better ah think ah should tell ya how ah feel about you. Rainbow Dash….ah love you."
Rainbow Dash started to show tears and started to smile, but instead of saying the same, she simply just laughed.
"Bwhahahah. You love me? A dweeb like you loves me?! Gilda was right I have better things to do than have fillyfooller's crushing on me" and like that she flew off into the clouds.
"Wait, no don't leave me. I'm your friend! You can't just leave me!" screamed Applejack as tears came to her eyes.
Applejack looked up to the sky once more to see a huge storm appear out of nowhere, then suddenly it started to rain. Applejack looked back at the rodeo to see the mud growing and devouring everything, it started to creep towards her but Applejack was frozen to move. The mud started to cover her like a wall of black, Applejack could do nothing but scream as it overtook her.
"Nooooooo" she screamed as she woke up, her face and body were hot with sweat and tears as the night's storm raged on outside.
"You ok Applejack?"
Applejack looked up to see Twilight in the bed across from hers with a very worried look on her face.
"I-I'm f-fine. It was just a dream. Sorry if ah woke ya."
Twilight didn't buy it; she got up out of bed and walked over to her scared friend.
"It was about Rainbow Dash wasn't it?"
Applejack replied with a small nod as her face started to twist up in tears.
"Oh Twilight it was awful!" she found herself melting down and grasping her friend. "Ah told Rainbow how ah felt and see just laughed and flew off."
"There, there, it was just a nightmare, it's not real" Twilight said as she rubbed Applejacks back.
"Ah know, ah just fear that it's what will happen."
"I promise it won't be like that when you tell her."
"Thank you Twilight" Applejack sobbed as she wiped her tears away.
"You gonna be ok?"
"Y-yes" she lied.
"Want me to place a sleep charm on you?"
"Y-yes p-please" Applejack stuttered as the tears started to return.
Twilight's horn glowed white and Applejack was suddenly very sleepy and closed her eyes. Twilight gave her a pat on the head and turned to go back to bed.
"Sweet dreams Applejack."
A cyan pegasus was flying tiredly and slowly towards a little but comfy cloud.
The pony was not far from the truth, this day it has been indeed, very tiring and boring. After her visit to Fluttershy's cottage; she had been working very hard and in various tedious tasks. First she had to clear some stubborn clouds from last night's storm over Golden Harvest's farm. To her surprise, it didn't take ten seconds flat, more like ten minutes flat.
"Stupid clouds, don't know when to stop raining."
Second she had to drive off some rogue weather from the Everfree forest, and they were not friendly little clouds. It was a huge monsoon former, and if it wasn't for Rainbow's work, half of the town would be swimming to work the next day. Third and finally, she had to put a rainbow over the sky for Diamond Tiara's birthday, even if it wasn't a difficult job for her, since she could make rainbows just by moving, it was boring, and she didn't like they way Diamond Tiara and her family treated everypony, just because she had more bits than the rest.
"Stupid brat, she doesn't even deserve it."
Rainbow Dash had finally got done with her work and flown off to her favourite napping cloud, today was not her day to be disturbed. Not even the shining sun cheered her up; in fact, the sun was burning her eyes, so she decided to stick her head further into the cloud. She then tried to drift off to sleep.
"Oh Dashie~!" a faint sing-song voice could be heard in her head.
"Oh Celestia, not now… I'm trying to sleep… why now?" muttered to herself, she knew exactly who it was, and it was not exactly who she wanted to see when she was trying to sleep.
"Dashie~!" The voice insisted, louder each time, like it was getting closer, something impossible since she was on a cloud.
"Pinkie Pie" she thought recognising the high-pitched voice. "Hopefully she won't bother me if I don't talk to her, I'll try too look asleep and she might just become bored and go away."
Nope, today was not Rainbow's day, at all.
"Dashie! Hello!" she felt somepony's hoof tapping her head "Don't you hear me? Or did the cat get your ear? That Opalescence… Wait? Weren't tongues what cat use to get?" she turned around and saw Pinkie Pie standing in the cloud. "I don't even wanna ask how she is standing up here" she thought.
"What do you want Pinkie!?" said Rainbow Dash, very mad because she knew she was not going to be able to get any sleep.
"Oh sorry, were you sleeping?" Pinkie said in her happy voice, unaware of her friend's irritation.
Rainbow Dash just glared daggers at her. "What do you think?"
"Aw, looks like somepony's upset. I know what will cheer you up! A cupcake!" she said as she took a cupcake out of nowhere.
"No."
"A party?" Pinkie said as she was taking some balloons out of her mane
"Pinkie, no."
"A pra-"
"No! Stop it! Please! Gosh, I just wanna sleep, get out of here!" Rainbow snapped at her. She then realized that was a mistake.
Pinkie's hair deflated to half its puffiness and tears started to well up in her eyes. She seemed to be losing her color and brightness.
"I am sorry, I didn't knew I was a bother to you."
"Oh-no, please no, don't cry. Ugh… I'm sorry Pinkie." Rainbow said sighing, she then hugged her tightly. "Forgive me Pinks. I…I just had a long, hard and boring day at work, I'm worn off and I wanted to rest a little bit right now."
"I-It's ok. I forgive you" sobbed Pinkie, her hair returning to its normal state. "I just thought we could go pranking, it is that time of the week you know?" she said pouting theatrically and giving Dash puppy eyes.
"Pranking you say?" Rainbow knew she wouldn't get any sleep, so why not use the free time for pranking? But she didn't wanted half-baked plans, so she asked "What do you have in mind Pinks? Now that you've woken me up, you must have a really good one"
Pinkie Pie responded by pulling out a rainbow colored wig.
"But we'll have to wait until tomorrow's morning, so… do you want to eat something at Sugarcube Corner? It's on me, as an apology gift for waking you up."
"Yeah, why not?"
It was early, very early, Luna's moon was just setting across the light foggy night sky. The dim stars were barely visible as the fog made it hard to see, in a few minutes Celestia's sun will rise from behind the Everfree Forest, giving birth to a new morning. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were creeping up to Carousel Boutique; they were wearing all black to be stealthy, but also because it was a little cold in the early morning.
"Brrrr, it sure is chilly huh Dashie?" A shivering Pinkie Pie said.
"Shhh, quiet, do you want Rarity to hear us?"
"Oopps, sorry" she giggled.
Rainbow looked up at the second floor window of Rarity's home; it was wide open, perfect for them to sneak in.
"Come on I'll lift you up" Rainbow said before grabbing Pinkie Pie and lifting her up and through the window.
They entered the home and looked around; the room they were in was small. It had pink walls with white stripes and pale yellow flooring. Up against the wall in front of them was a small bed with a small shape sitting on it, it stared at them with two green eyes.
"Um, what are you two doing here?"
"Wrong room Dashie" Pinkie said.
"Shhh be quiet Sweetie Belle, we're trying to play a prank on your sister, if you keep talking that loud you'll wake her up!" Rainbow said quietly.
Sweetie Belle's eyes lit up at the plan.
"Oh! Oh! Can I help? Pleaseeeeee!"
"SHHHH! Sorry kiddo, remember the last time you helped us with a prank?"
Sweetie Belle remembered back when she tried to help prank Rarity last month by putting a fake grape juice stain on one of her dresses. There was a itty bitty tiny problem, Sweetie Belle confused the prank grape juice with the real one, and the dress was white… it took ages for Rarity to make that stain unnoticeable, and it also took ages for Rarity to forgive her.
"Well… can I at least watch?" Said Sweetie Belle trying to convince Dash.
"Urgh… Fine, but please be quiet. We don't want to wake her up before it's all set."
The three tip-hoofed their way through the hallway and to Rarity's door, Celestia's sun was slowly rising trough one of the windows, they needed to be fast. It was all about speed, stealth, and caution. So the only one able to do so was Dash and when it came to pranks, she became a completely different pony.
"Wig" Ordered Rainbow, like a surgeon asking for a scalpel.
Pinkie Pie opened her prank bag, somehow hidden inside her stealth suit but without occupying any space, and gave the rainbow colored wig to her. The wig had all the seven colours of the Rainbow, but it had the same manestyle as Rarity's mane.
"She gonna flip when she sees this" Sweetie Belle giggled.
"Ok, I'll fly silently to her bed and put the wig on, you two hide somewhere."
"Aye, aye captain Dashie!" Pinkie said, saluting her before running downstairs, while Sweetie Belle hid behind a fern plant.
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and entered Rarity's room; she saw her sleeping on a red princess size bed. The room was a purple and light purple color with dress supplies along the walls. Rainbow took in a deep breath and flew over. She slowly started putting the wig on her.
"Oh Tom, your so round and… mmm rocky" Rarity muttered in her sleep.
Rainbow froze at the sound of this, she then couldn't help but giggle and resumed putting the wig on.
When she was done, Rarity looked like her mane was dyed rainbow.
"Sweetie Bell was right, she is gonna flip after this" Rainbow said to herself before making her way to the door.
Rainbow walked out of the room and into the hallway, she could see to her left that Pinkies head was somehow popping out of a vase on a corner. Rainbow didn't know when she changed places, or how was she able to enter there. But she didn't care anymore; she stopped asking a lot of things about Pinkie a long time ago.
"Ok Pinkie now is your turn, wake her up" Rainbow said with a mischievous grin.
Pinkie reached in her bag and took out three round balls. They were all pink, two had a blue balloon on it, and the other had a yellow one. All three of them had a white string. Rainbow hoped behind the fern with Sweetie Belle before covering her ears. Pinkie pulled the string off of them, tossed them in the door way and covered her ears.
Bam, pop, whiz! The sounds that emitted from the room were deafening, they were followed by an equally deafening scream.
"Arrgghh… Rainbow Dash! Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow heard what Rarity yelled.
Rainbow heard the stomp of hoofs toward the door before it swung open to reveal a rainbow maned Rarity, who was looking from side to side of the room trying to spot them.
"Come out you little punks! Is that the best you can do?" Rarity said.
The three guilty ponies walked out of their hiding places… Rainbow tried to contain her laughter as she looked at Rarity mane.
"What, what's so funny?" Rarity asked, her friend was on the verge of tears.
"Oh nothing, You… pfff…. You look amazing this morning Rarity"
"I… I really like your mane!" Sweetie Belle said.
The three of them started laughing at Sweetie Belle's punchline.
"Wha- what did you do to my gracious mane? It took me hours to make it look perfect!" Rarity said before rushing back to her room.
Rainbow quickly grabbed Pinkie and flew out the window.
"Wait, take me with you! She's going to kill me, and I didn't participate!" Sweetie Bell called out before being cut off by a scream.
"Sorry Sweetie Belle, you delivered the punchline, you're involved, and it's your turn to take the blame!"
"MY MANE!!!!" Rarity screamed as Rainbow and Pinkie flew off into the clouds.
"Don't worry, it's just a w-mphh" Pinkie started yelling but was stopped by Dash.
"Don't tell'er, Sweetie Belle is probably going to do it anyways, keep her thinking its real" said Rainbow before she and Pinkie laughed their way towards Sugarcube corner.
"Oh that was awesome Pinks!" Rainbow Dash laughed as Pinkie brought out a couple of milkshakes.
The inside of Sugarcube corner was sugary heaven, shelves and tables were stocked with sweets, cakes, chocolate, and other treats. You could see cupcakes, muffins and cookies all over the shop. It was Dash's third favourite place to be, first was of course her home, and then it was Sweet Apple Acres. She had avoided going there because of the recent events.
"Yeah, it was a super duper awesome prank we pulled. Rarity was all like 'Oh my dear! Look at my mane, oh no!' " Pinkie said impersonating Rarity.
"Yeah, it was priceless. Mmmm, nice milkshake Pinkie!"
"Thanks Dashie, it's my Pinkie special, premium milk, pink frosting, and blue and yellow sprinkles with a cheery on top."
"Yeah, so who is next on our list to be pranked?"
"Twilight of course."
"The egghead?" Rainbow questioned.
"No silly, the book!" Pinkie said, winking at you, reader of this story, and tearing apart half of the forth wall in the process.
Rainbow stared at her, and then looked where Pinkie was looking at. There was a wall. She didn't ask.
"Umm… Okaaay… so what prank are we gonna pull on her?"
Pinkie discussed the plan to Rainbow and before long they were dashing off to Twilight's library.
It was already midday by the time Pinkie and Rainbow arrived; Celestia's sun was directly above them. The two went up against the side of the door and peered inside the window.
"Is she home?" Pinkie asked.
"Doesn't look like it" Dash said as she looked around the room through the window. "Let's make this quick. Hmm, seems locked" she said, trying to push open the door.
"Umm Dashie."
"Come on… just a little… ugh push" Rainbow said, she was now trying to kick the door in.
"Dashie!"
"What?"
Pinkie walked up to the door and pulled it open, she then pointed to the sign on it that said pull.
"Oh… I knew that, I wanted to see if you were alert..." she said, her cheeks glowed red.
Pinkie and Rainbow walked into the library and looked around; books filled every bookcase and table in the room. To one side of the room was a staircase to Twilights room, the middle door was to the kitchen and to the left a staircase to the basement.
"I wonder why do this library has so many books, I don't think even half of these books have been read by other pony than Twilight."
"Yeah, I was thinking the same!"
"Well, she's probably coming back home soon, so let's make this quick" Rainbow Dash said before rushing to one of the bookcases.
"Okie dokie lokey" Pinkie said before joining her.
In only ten minutes had Pinkie and Dash cleared out the entire library of books. Every bookcase and table was bare, all that was left was the dust and parchment scraps. They even left an open door and some false hoofprints to make Twilight think it was a robbery.
"Done, oh Twilight is going to be so surprised when she sees this" Rainbow giggled.
"Don't you think the hoofprints were a little bit too much?" Asked a worried Pinkie.
"Nah, well jump out of our hiding places seconds later after she sees this, she won't have time to worry"
"Talking about her, here she comes now" Pinkie said, looking through the window.
"Quick, hide!" Rainbow Dash said as she jumped into a nearby chest.
Pinkie decided to hide behind a nearby vase, but then she was sticking her head out of the vase. Rainbow didn't ask anything, not anymore. Rainbow and Pinkie heard the door open as Twilight was talking to Spike.
"Ok blue ink, that should be everything on our list, now check out 'checking the list' from the other list, and start with the second check of the list" Twilight said.
"Check and... check. Now, can we jus-" Spike stop mid-sentence as he looked at the library, his eyes were like saucers. "Twilight, you should really l-look behind y-you."
She did so and imminently started to panic.
"Wha- where are my books!? What happened to them!? Where are they, where are my books!?" Twilight said as she ran around the room.
Rainbow Dash couldn't hold it anymore and started laughing, soon Pinkie popped out of her hiding place.
"Wha- what have you done with my books!?" Twilight yelled.
"Oh relax your silly littly heady Twilighty! We simply hid them in the basement" Pinkie giggled.
"Do. You. Even. Know. HOW HARD WAS TO ORGANIZE THEM ALL?"
"Oh, you two are gonna get it now. I'm glad that my dragonskin is fireproof" said Spike and laughing as he took out a pair of sunglasses and put them on.
"Oopsie, I think we overdid it, she's like that again..." said Pinkie worriedly and lowering her ears.
"Get what? She's like wha-" Rainbow asked, but it was too late. Twilight's eyes started glowing red; a weak white glow started emanating from Twilight's coat as it started turning white, and her mane exploded in a big blazing fireball.
"YOU DARE TO DISORGANIZE MY LIBRARY!" Twilight yelled at the two pranksters.
"Um, yeah" Rainbow said, her eyes were wide with fear.
"How bout I turn you two into a couple of books and disorganize you, how would you like that!? HUH!?" Twilight yelled, her horn was beginning to glow.
Rainbow quickly grabbed Pinkie Pie and flew out the door before Twilight had a chance to finish her spell.
"Next time, remember me not to overdo it with when I prank the egghead" Rainbow Dash said as she and Pinkie flew above Ponyville.
"Okie dokey lokie" Pinkie responded.
Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash had found themselves behind a bush in the busy Ponyville square after leaving Twilight's tree-house-library; the sun was now heading towards the horizon. They only had a couple hours of sunlight left and a couple hours of pranking left.
"Don't you think this prank is a little… amateur" said Dash.
"Of course not, no prank is amateur as long as you have a good laugh" said Pinkie Pie. She was holding a bit suspended by a string. "All we have to do is throw this bit into the street and wait for a passing pony. Then give it a yank."
"Well then throw it then."
Pinkie Pie threw the bit a good five hoofs into the street and then waited for somepony to notice it. It only took a few seconds for somepony to notice the money on the ground.
"Yeehaw! An old shiny golden bit, must be mah lucky day!" a voice was heard. Rainbow Dash recognized who it was.
"Pinkie wait" Dash tried to warn her.
It was too late, Pinkie gave the string a tug and the voice called out again.
"What in tarnation!" the pony called out again before trying to pick up the bit.
"Pinkie please wait!" Rainbow said quietly as she heard the pony get closer to the bush.
Pinkie Pie pulled the string one more time.
"I said stop Pinkie!" said Dash as she pushed Pinkie so she couldn't make the last pull. Sadly, for her, the push made Pinkie accidentally pull another time and the bit popped through the bush leaves.
"Oh no."
Crashing through the bush was a orange mare with a cowboy hat and a golden mane. It was Applejack.
"I got ya now ya good fer nothing piece of gold" Applejack said as she stomped on the bit.
Pinkie broke out in laughter before Applejack turned her gaze towards her.
"Ah, so it was a prank then huh Pinkie? I suppose it was a good one" Applejack laughed before noticing that Rainbow Dash was there. "Oh um, howdy there Rainbow" She said, as her face started to turn red
"Yeah- uh, hi to you too Applejack" She said, she was also turning a bit red.
The two stood there in silence as while Pinkie sat in the middle wondering what was going on.
"So umm... I got to go, gotta umm... feed Tank" said Rainbow, her cheeks looked they were going to catch fire at any moment.
"Uh yeah, ah need to go as well" Applejack said with her face as red as her cutie mark.
Both ponies ran off in opposite directions, leaving a confused Pinkie Pie behind.
"Was it something I said?"
Celestia's sun beamed through the aged window, lighting up the red and gold striped room. The room was a simple layout, for an apple farmer that is. On one side of the room was a brown desk, it was an old one, passed through generations of apple family members. Next to it was the closet door, white in color with apples painted on it. The only outfit that rested in it was the tattered Gala dress of Applejack. The earth pony in particular was fast asleep on her green cover bed.
"Hey, big sis" Applebloom whispered as she slowly open the door to the room.
Applebloom was pale yellow filly with a red mane and bow to match. She had Granny Smith's eyes, apple color. She was possibly the sweetest thing ever.
Applejack replied with a quiet mutter into her pillow.
"Sis" Applebloom said, her voice was a bit louder this time.
Once again she muttered into her pillow.
Applebloom stomped her hoof on the ground and left the room, only to return with an iron pot in her mouth. She spat it out and started banging on it.
Bang, bang, bang! The pot rang out, it was deafening.
"Wakey, wakey Applejack! It is somepony's birthday today!" She yelled.
"Ugh" Applejack replied as she lifted her head off her pillow. "Applebloom, not so loud" she moaned.
"Sorry sis" Applebloom said as she stopped banging the pot. "That was the only way to wake y'all up; y'all are usually up and early and ah want y'all up to celebrate a very special day today."
"And what's that?" She said, hopping out of bed.
"Applejack!" the yellow filly complained.
"Ah'm only kidding, happy birthday Applebloom, y'all are finally ten years old" she said before giving her a hug.
"Soooo" said the filly, her eyes wide with anticipation. "Where's mah present? What is it?"
"Y'all will find out later."
Applejack didn't want to spoil the surprise party at Sugarcube Corner, hosted by the one and only party pony.
"Awwww."
"Now Ah don't wanna hear any whinin'. Now come on lil sis, we need to pay Pinkie Pie a visit" she said as she put her classic and distinctive Stetson on.
"Why?"
"Uh umm" Applejack stuttered as she tried to think of a lie, which was not her strong suit, being the element of honesty and all was a real impediment for a liar.
"We uh, have to go and pick up… Muffins! Eyup some sweet delicious… Apple muffins? Yeah, apple muffins, we're out… N' y'all know… how much ah like'em" Applejack said, with a half smiling face and eyes that were darting back and forth, hoping that she would buy it.
"OK!"
By some strange design by Celestia, she did. Probably because she was too excited to notice any lie.
The two ponies walked out the door of Sweet Apple Acres and onto the dirt road leading to Ponyville. Applejack saw the apple orchard, you could see to the left, or to the right, and you would still find apple trees. The Apple family kept this growing and growing since their first settlers, Applejack's Ma and Pa made a lot of work and left them most of what they had today, and she was always grateful for that. The sun was shining overhead, in a blue lovely sky, perfectly clear, probably thanks to… Rainbow Dash. Applejack tried to shake those thoughts and to keep walking; she felt deep inside, that the day was not done with her yet. So she tried to steal herself for whatever Celestia or Luna could throw at her.
The pastel yellow filly walked side to side with the orange mare through the streets of the quiet Equestrian town of Ponyville. Some busy shop owners were starting up their business, and opening their stores. Sugarcube Corner came into view as the two ponies walked into town center. A statue of Celestia was in the center, fallen leaves of autumn surrounded it. But the entire square was deserted of all ponies, even the sky was clear of all Pegasus and clouds alike, only someponies at the shop area were there. Applejack knew exactly where everypony else were.
"Where the hay is everypony?" Applebloom questioned.
Applejack started to sweat as she tried to come up with another lie. But she got an idea.
"Applebloom, you shouldn't say 'hay'."
"But y'all say it all the time! Stop treating me like a baby. Ah am a big pony now!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever y'all say mah big pony."
"Anyways, y'all didn't answer me, where's everypony?"
"Uh umm, ah don't know Bloom, m-maybe a h-holiday?"
"What's wrong big sis? Y'all are jumpier than Granny Smith on Zap apple season today."
"It's n-nothing. Hey won't y'all look at that, were here! Time sure flies when y'all are talking!" she said as the two found themselves at the front door of Sugarcube Corner.
"Um, sis… ah don't wanna disappoint y'all, but ah think y'all are not gonna get those muffins…ah think it's closed" Applebloom said looking at her sister.
The windows of the sweet shop were closed and dark, the curtains blocked all view.
"Aww don't worry, its open! Ah… ah told… Pinkie? That ah was comin' early, yeah, it's open, trust yer sis" she said, giving her a little nudge. "Go on in!"
Applebloom opened the door to Sugarcube Corner and walked into the dark room. She was then met by a flick of the lights, an explosion of confetti and a loud 'Surprise!' Applebloom was star struck as she was met by all of her friends. There was a large banner that read Happy Birthday Applebloom in big yellow and red paint. There was food and drinks all over the place, sweets to the right, snacks to the left, and drinks at the back. She could see her fellow crusaders, Sweetie bell and Scootaloo as they rushed to her side.
"Happy birthday Applebloom!" Sweetie Bell's voice cracked as she plopped a party hat on her.
"Y'all threw this party fer me?!" Applebloom said.
"Don't thank just us; it was all Applejack's idea. Pinkie Pie made the preparations, and I bring the awesomeness to the party" Scootaloo said, nudging her friend with her elbow.
Applebloom turned around to see her sister and rushed over for a hug. "Thank y'all so much Applejack, this is the best party ever!"
"Aww, y'all are welcome lil sis, ah would do anything for y'all. Now go have some fun with yer party, y'all only turn ten once y'all know?"
Applebloom broke away from the hug and rushed off to have fun with her friends. Applejack looked around for her own friends, she saw Pinkie serving cupcakes to the party guests near the stairs, and Rarity chatting with Fluttershy over by the punch bowl. Then she also spotted Pinkie serving cupcakes near the door, and on the back, and also next to the bakery's kitchen… Applejack then saw Twilight standing over by the door, trying to keep two fillies out of the party; she walked over to see who they were.
"But you can't keep us out! We are like, Applebloom's best friends! Tell her Silver Spoon" The pink earth filly of the two said, it was Diamond Tiara, the spoiled little brat.
"Yeah, you can't keep us out!" Silver Spoon said.
"I know exactly who you two are; do you think I don't have enough intelligence? You two are Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon" Twilight said in a stern voice. "You are the two fillies who bully Applebloom and her friends all the time and just want to be here to bully her some more. There is no way I'm letting you two in."
"What in tarnation is going on here?" Applejack said as she walked over.
"Oh yes, Applejack!" Diamond said in surprise. "You must let us into Applebloom's party, this mean old Twilight won't let us through. And we are best friends with Applebloom after all."
"Old!?" Twilight yelled. "How dare you? I'm only twenty for your information, twice your age!"
"Nice try Diamond Tiara, ah know exactly who y'all are, but there's no way in hay that y'all getting in mah sis's party" Applejack said.
Diamond Tiara stomped her hoof on the ground in anger. "Wait till my daddy hears about this! He'll bring your business down, you hear! Come on Silver Spoon, we don't need to be at this lame party anyway!" she yelled before she and Silver ran down the street.
"Yer dad won't bring mah family's business down while we keep doing zap jam" Applejack slammed the door and yelled out to them. "And don't be coming back y'all hear!?"
"Thanks for getting rid of them Applejack, they were getting to my nerves" Twilight said as she sat down next to a table with her friend. "I hate those two snooty, stuck up brats; I swear someday I will… great, now I'm sounding like Rainbow Dash."
Applejack opened her eyes wide and started looking at her sides blushing slightly. "Rainbow… he-he yeah, sh-she isn't here is she?"
"Umm… I think she hasn't arrived here yet… Applejack, you're not avoiding her are you? Pinkie came to me a few days ago and told me about you two abandoning her after you saw sight of her."
"Ah can't help it" she got closer to Twilight and whispered "ever since that kiss, ah've been going crazy at the thought of her. Ah can't face'er without thinking 'bout it."
"Applejack you're going to have to tell her soon. You can't avoid her forever."
Pinkie Pie then popped her head out of a nearby vase. "Forever!" she yelled before sinking back in slowly, in a somewhat disturbing way.
Twilight and Applejack stared at the vase for some seconds and went back to talking.
"Ah know ah have to tell her, AH jes don't know when, how, or where" said Applejack as she slumped her head on the table.
Just then, the door of Sugarcube corner burst open and in its wake was a Rainbow-maned pegasus.
"Sorry I'm late everypony!" Rainbow Dash yelled. "Overslept again."
Everypony returned their attention from her and went back to partying, all except a purple-maned and orange coated filly, who rushed over and clung to one of Dash's legs in a death grip.
"Well, that's mah signal, ah'm leaving" said Applejack as she started to walk to the back door.
"Oh no, you're not escaping from your sister's birthday party!" Twilight said as she grabbed her with her magic. "Please stay, for her."
Applejack struggled to move, but it was useless against the unicorn's magic. "Twilight, please, ah'm beggin' y'all, let me go."
"No Applejack, you're not leaving just because Rainbow's here. You don't have to be with her, but that doesn't mean you have to leave Sugarcube Corner."
"Fine then, ah'll jus ask her to leave" Applejack said, trying to walk towards the cyan mare.
"You're not going to do that either, or else I'll bring out the big guns again" Twilight said as she pointed to Pinkie Pie a few hoofs away, who was eating a cupcake.
Applejack shuttered at the memory of what happened last time. "Cherrychanga or chimicherry, or maybe chimycherrychanga" she thought in her head. She instinctively lowered her ears and put her hooves over them to block any sound.
"Fine, jes… jes don't call'er." Applejack said in defeat. She didn't like to lose, but she knew when she was beaten.
"Great, now listen well, you will get your flank over there look at Rainbow's eyes and you will tell her 'hi', understood?"
"W-wait no Twilight! Ah-" she said in panic, but it was too late. The unicorn's magic wrapped around her and thrust her towards Rainbow Dash.
"H-howdy R-Rainbow" Applejack said, finding herself right in front of the mare who had been driving her crazy. She started feeling a little bit dizzy and her face started assimilating her cutie mark's color.
"Oh um, h-hi AJ…" Rainbow stuttered, her cheeks lit up instantly in a fury of dark red.
"Well umm" Applejack stuttered as she searched for the right words to say. "Y-you look mighty dandy to-today. Ah must say."
This only made Dash's cheeks glow even more. "He-he thanks, you too."
Scootaloo who was still attached to Rainbow Dash's leg let out a long "Ohhhhh" knowing that her idol wasn't going to pay her any attention now, and walked away with a sly smile with a hint of frustration.
Applejack froze in fear as she realized what Scootaloo had discovered. "Umm Rainbow, ah am mighty sorry, but ah'll be right back, Ah need to take care of sumthin' " she said before she turned and started running after Scootaloo.
"Hey Scootaloo can ah speak with y'all in private?" she said as she rushed up to her.
"Suuure" she said in a long tone.
The two ponies walked up to Pinkie's room, she had been in her room before, but this time everything was different. The walls were a swirl of pink and blue, with some random yellow polka dots that varied in size across the walls. Applejack and Scootaloo both sat down next to one of the tables in the room. There were some minutes where nopony talked they just looked at each other, then Applejack sternly asked.
"How did you know?"
"Are you kidding?! It is obvious that you have a crush on her! I tried not to make false assumptions at first" Scootaloo said excitingly. "But now, you were blushing more than any other time I saw you two together, so that kinda confirmed it. Oh I can't wait to tell my friends."
"Oh no y'all won't!" Applejack said as she grabbed the filly to stop her from going downstairs. "Y'all can't tell anypony, not Applebloom, not Sweetie Belle, and especially not Pinkie Pie. Please Scootaloo, ah'm beggin' y'all… I-if y'all don't wanna do it fer me, do it fer Rainbow Dash. Please, don't."
"Umm… urgh…fine" she said with a pout and a crestfallen voice "But with one condition! You must tell her soon" she stated.
"What? No, ah can't! wh-what if."
"Relax. I have a feeling that she feels the same for you, you trust me AJ, I'm one of the fillies who know Rainbow Dash the most" she said before turning around and walking downstairs.
Applejack sighed in relief. "Whoa nelly… that was a close one, but luckily it was avoided" she said. She inhaled deeply and started walking down the stairs.
Scootaloo ran towards Applebloom and asked.
"Hey Bloom, don't you wanna play some games? But not 'pin the tail on the pony' or silly games like that" proposed Scootaloo.
"N' what are y'all thinking about?" asked Applebloom.
"Extreme truth or dare" stated the orange filly.
"Extreme truth or dare?" asked again the birthday pony.
"Yeah. It's like truth or dare, but once you've chosen the dare, and they have told you what to do, you can decide to make it extreme. If you complete it, you will gain a bonus, you can choose to change your dare, give a double dare to the other pony, or you can trespass your dare to somepony else you decide, even if they are not playing" explained Scootaloo.
"That sounds fun! Okay everypony! Let's play!" Applebloom shouted, some ponies got closer and sat around the two fillies.
"Well Applebloom, I think the pony's talk without talking… It seems this will be a one on one game."
"Bring it on filly!" provoked the little earth pony.
"Well, let's start, truth or dare?"
"Umm… truth" replied Applebloom.
"Have you ever lied to your sister?" asked grinning the orange pegasus.
"Umm… umm…" Applebloom gulped and closed her eyes "Y-yes."
"APPLEBLOOM!" gasped the farm mare who was sitting behind her.
"Ah'm sorry! Y'all are gonna pay for it Scoots. Truth or dare?"
"Dare. I wanna see what the worst you can throw at me is."
"Remember those spins y'all did to help me when we had to make that show fer school?"
"Yeah."
"Well, why don't y'all do one fer us here, in front of everypony?"
"Just that? Then let's make it extreme!" said Scootaloo.
"Oh, y'all sure? Then y'all will have to spin around fer one whole minute."
Scootaloo stood up, she put one hoof on the floor and lifted the rest of her body and started spinning around. Half a minute later Scootaloo started loosing balance and she was not feeling to well, but she was one tough little filly and kept spinning until she got to one minute, then she collapsed on the floor, here eyes were still spinning and she couldn't focus, but she had won the dare, so she got a bonus. Some of the ponies of the crowd were clapping with their hooves.
"Hah! I told I, um, you can it do!" she said, shaking her head to recover "I mean, I told you I can do it, now I've got a bonus to use!"
"Okay, now's mah turn."
"Well… truth or dare" asked Scootaloo.
"Dare."
"Okay… let's see… I dare you to drink ten glasses of punch."
"Jes that? Make it extreme fer me Scoots."
"Well, if you say so, I dare you to drink the whole bowl."
"Okay…" she walked to the punch table, grabbed the bowl and drunk it all, not leaving a single drop. Everypony looked at her and a chore of "Oohh" were heard. "There, now ah have a bonus too."
"Well, I use my bonus to give you a double dare."
"Okay, and what would that be?"
"I dare you to give Applejack a very close and affective hug, like a very good sister, for a whole minute. Here, in front of everypony" she said smiling slyly.
"Umm…"
"What's the matter sis? Don't Y'all love yer big sister? Come here n' give me a hug!" said Applejack, opening her arms widely and laughing slightly.
"It's not that, but let's use mah bonus, I choose to trespass mah dare to somepony else!" stated Applebloom.
"And that pony would be…" Scootaloo said.
"Umm… let's see…" said Applebloom, looking at the ponies in front of her, there were a lot of ponies there, but there was a mare that stood out of the rest, because of her rainbow-colored mane. "Ah choose Rainbow Dash! Come here Dashie, y'all have to hug mah sister for a whole minute!"
"WHAT!?" shouted Rainbow Dash, her eyes went as wide as saucers.
Applejack closed her arms quickly and froze, then she said "A-Applebloom, ch-choose another pony if she doesn't want to" she said, trying to avoid the situation.
Scootaloo knew that shouldn't happen so she tried to tell Applebloom "C-come on AB, it's an easy dare… won't you like to save this bonus for later?"
"Nah, ah wanna see this! They've been the best of friends in the past few years and miss Rainbow always comes bah mah house to see her. They spend hours playing n' talking, and ah've seen them bump hooves, arm wrestle. Once ah even saw them hit their heads, but ah've never seen them hug. Now Dash, y'all have to do it, y'all heard Scootaloo, even if y'all aren't playing; y'all still have to do the dare" said Applebloom with a mischievous look on her face.
Rainbow Dash tried to hide, but it seems being rainbow colored is not a great camouflage. The whole crowd of ponies started pushing her towards Applejack, and the other side of the crowd did the same with Applejack. Both ponies knew it was going to happen so they just resigned to it and opened their arms and wrapped them around the other pony.
There they were, hugging after all the things that happened. They were there, together, close to each other, and everypony was watching. Applejack was trying to think about Wynona, about tomorrow's chores, and about anything but that sweet, glorious, marvelous kiss they shared a few days ago. The silky, warm coat of Rainbow Dash, which she was so close to, she could even smell that intoxicating perfume that emanated of Dash's body. She failed about not thinking about that. She started to blush so she tilted her Stetson to the front so it could cover her face.
Rainbow Dash was using every single nerve to keep her wings from expanding in the most spectacular way. She loved every second of the embrace, but at the same time she hated it. All that time she spent trying to get away from Applejack so she could think about her quietly, and relaxed. All thrown away by just one hug.
The minute passed and both mares broke the embrace and walked in different directions, returning to their seats. The crowd concentrated on the two fillies again.
"Well… your turn Applebloom, ask me something…"
"Truth or dare?"
"I'll go with truth" said Scootaloo.
"Y'all have been at Pinkie Pie's room, am ah right?"
"Yes I've been there."
"Is it truth that she has a clump of lint, a pile of rocks, a sack of flour, and a bucket of turnips next to her night table?
"Well, well, well! Come on everypony its time to open presents and eat cake!" Pinkie Pie yelled out, while some drops of sweat fell down her forehead and her eyes darted back and forth.
Applebloom and Scootaloo took that as a sign that the game was over and ran over to their tables.
Everypony gathered around the table that Applebloom was sitting at with presents in hand. Applejack made sure to be on the opposite side of the table from Rainbow, Scootaloo told her she might love her back, but why rush? Applebloom decided to open Applejack's friend's presents first. She received a new hoof-stitched bow from Rarity, luckily the white unicorn stuck to the original model and didn't add it any gems, a paint kit from Fluttershy, a delicious apple cake from Pinkie Pie, and a book from Twilight Sparkle. Who would have thought?
"Here you go kiddo, hope you like'em" Rainbow Dash said hoofing her a small box.
Applebloom quickly opened the box and glanced in confusion as she held up a strip of colorful pictures. "Fake cutie marks? Rainbow, are y'all tryin' to tell me sumthin'?" she asked staring at the speedster pegasus.
"What? Oh, it's obvious you're not a professional prankster yet, but look at the possibilities! You could totally pull off a cool prank on those two bullies with those" Rainbow shrugged.
"He-he good point, thanks" Applebloom giggled in a mischievous manner.
"Ah guess its mah turn now then huh? Well, mah lil sis, here y'all go Applebloom, happy birthday" Applejack said, giving her a wrapped box.
It was flat and rectangular… maybe a chocolate box? Sweets? Applebloom decided to stop guessing and shredded the paper in a flash. "A filly's guide to earning yer cutie mark" she said as she read the book cover.
Applebloom looked at her sister and said "Oh… it's jes this?"
"What? Don't y'all like it?" Applejack said, sounding a little disappointed.
The red-maned filly jumped over to Applejack and gave her a hug. "Ah'm jes kiddin'! Oh thank you, thank you, thank you Applejack! Now the crusaders will earn our cutie marks for sure!"
"Y'all are welcome Applebloom, now come on; we got a cake to eat."
Twilight used her magic to cut the cake, giving a slice to each and everypony. It was a big cake, red and yellow frosting spelled out Applebloom while little bits of apple stuck out from it.
Applejack was in the middle of her slice when suddenly she was being magically lifted up in the air. "Gah, Twilight put me down, ah'm not doing anythin!"
"It's not me Applejack" Twilight said.
"Well who is it then?!"
"Pumpkin Cake put her down this instant!" Pinkie gasped.
On the floor were two baby filly's, one of them had her horn glowing and was beginning to pick up Rainbow Dash as well.
"Whoa! Pinkie do something!" Rainbow yelled in terror as she was lifted up in the air.
"I can't, these baby's won't listen to reason! Do you want me to tell you their taste in standup comedy as well?"
"Not now Pinkie, jus get us down" Applejack said.
Scootaloo who was watching and enjoying the show, saw this opportunity and took it; she rushed over to Pumpkin and whispered something in her ear. Pumpkin Cake was a baby, but she knew what other's told her. Pumpkin then had a mischievous grin on her face and started to slowly move Rainbow and Applejack closer and closer.
"Oh no" Applejack thought. "Scootaloo you traitor."
Applejack and Rainbow Dash both started to freak out and blush wildly as they began to float closer to each other they tried to cover their faces. Pumpkin Cake was trying to force them to do something they both didn't and did want, kiss. The two ponies were only a few inches away from each other's face when suddenly.
"Pumpkin Cake put them down this instant, you hear little missy?" It was Cupcake.
The pale yellow coated filly unicorn did as her mother said and let the blushing Applejack and Rainbow Dash down.
Applejack thought she was going to faint in embarrassment at any moment and dashed out the door, Rainbow Dash did the same. Scootaloo felt incredibly guilt for what she had done; she left the party and started to walk.
"What have I done?"
It was a bright and sunny Monday morning; the leaves of the tree house blew lightly in the calm breeze. A purple unicorn fluttered her eyes awake as the sun penetrated the light pink curtains of her bedroom.
"Ugh" she moaned, turning her turn into the pillow. "That stallion lied to me, these curtains don't block sunlight. I must remember to send him a complain letter."
It had been two days since the 'incident' at Applebloom's party. Neither Rainbow Dash nor Applejack had shown their faces in town since then, probably embarrassed to death. Twilight has known that feeling before on several occasions.
Twilight tossed and turned in bed, trying to fall back to sleep, but it was no use.
Twilight crawled out of bed and slumped towards her mirror on the opposite side of the room, groaning in the process.
"Whoa" she said in surprise, looking at the mirror. Her mane was flipped up and sticking out at odd angles in a big mess. "I really need to stop messing up my mane, I still don't understand how can I sleep with my mane perfectly combed and wake up like this" she giggled as she brushed it with her magic.
Twilight proceeded to follow her 'checklist of things to do every morning' checklist by going to the little fillies' room, having breakfast, checking if the checklist of things to do that day was made, and then reading a book.
"Check, now to read that new book I picked up, Doctor Whooves and the Assistant. Hmm, sounds like something Dash would like rea-"
"Twilight!" Spike yelled as he burst through the door.
"Ah! Spike!" she said, grabbing a pillow to cover herself. "I'm not dressed! How dare you to enter a mare's room without knocking?"
"Twilight, first of all, you don't wear clothes. Second, I've been with you since I was born. And third, you're spending too much time with Rarity, which I wouldn't care if you take me with you when you go to see her."
"Oh… yeah" she said, dropping the pillow and blushed a dark red. "So what is it?"
"A letter from Princess Celestia has arrived" the baby dragon said, holding a scroll. "And it's marked urgent!"
"What?! Gimme!" she panicked, nearly knocking over Spike as she rushed over.
Dear Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student
Recently I have discovered a rather disturbing piece of news from one of my ancient library books.
Discord, the god of chaos was imprisoned a little over a year ago by you and the Elements of Harmony as you may now. However, the reason for his escape in the first place was due to the disconnection from them from me and my sister Luna. This means the Elements' power is not strong enough to last after their vessels don't longer contain them.
I want to make sure that never happens again. When you and the other Elements… pass away (Sorry, I know truth may hurt, but that's the way it is) Discord will no longer be bound by the Elements anymore and will break free, again. A risk we can't afford.
I have discovered a powerful stone held deep in the Everfree forest, it's called The Imprisonment Stone. It is a stone of ancient magic from the time of when I was merely a filly (Yes my dear, I was too a filly before). I hate to send the Elements of Harmony to fetch the stone, but it's the only way for Discord to never return.
For extra safety, I will be sending along my sister Luna to assist you in your quest. I await your further reply.
Your teacher, Princess Celestia
"Spike quick, get my quest checklist!"
"I already packed your bags Twilight" Spike said, holding up a pair of saddlebags.
Twilight smiled and rubbed his head. "And that's why you're my number one assistant. Ok Spike, I don't know how long I'll be gone but I need you to watch the library in the meantime. Please, no party nor disorder, I trust you'll leave the library as clean and as organized as it is now?"
"Yes ma'am!" he saluted.
Twilight trotted downstairs and was about to open the door, when suddenly it flung to reveal a dark blue coated alicorn.
"Thy princess of the night has arrived!" she shouted in her royal Canterlot voice.
Twilight quickly fixed her mane, which had been blown back by the princess's voice and said "Umm, princess, it's good to see you again, but remember to lower the volume."
"Oh" she blushed. "We had forgotten to lower our introductions, but we have been improving our voice since we last saw thee."
"It's alright Luna."
"It's good to see thee as well, are thou ready to embark on thy quest?"
"Yes, I'm ready to do anything the princesses demand me to. Let's go!" Twilight said, trotting out the door.
"We appreciate thy enthusiasm, but we need to get those friends of thine."
"Yes, follow me."
"After thee" she said, following her down the road.
High in the sky, above the pleasant town of Ponyville was a cloud home with rainbow pools and waterfalls, very fitting to its owner. Inside slept an exhausted cyan coated pegasus. Rainbow Dash was soundly sleeping on her cloud bed, Daring Do books littered around her and a little stream of drool was escaping from the left corner of her mouth. She had spent a long night of reading once again; it was the only thing that could keep her mind off of the craziness that had happened the past few days. Since the little 'incident' at Applebloom's birthday party, she hadn't left her cloud house. But it seemed that today was not going to be another day of lots of reading and sleeping, this day, was going to be one to never forget. A loud pair of knocks sounded from the door downstairs.
The rainbow maned pegasus's ears perked up "Ugh, five more minutes Scoots, I'll give you an autograph later" Rainbow Dash muttered, pulling her pillow over her head.
The loud knocking continued.
"I'll teach you how to fly later pipsqueak, just one more minute of sleep…"
Once again, a knock was heard on the door.
"Oh fine!" she yelled, tossing up the pillow, which disintegrated into thin air on its way down.
Rainbow Dash flew out of bed and downstairs to the door.
For the fourth time, a knock was heard.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I've heard you the first time! Stop knockin-" she shouted, opening the door but immediately dropping to a bow when she saw who was standing there. "Pr-princess L-luna. Wh-what are you doing here?" She asked while cleaning the dry drool off her face with her hoof.
"Our sister requires us and the other Elements to fetch a stone to help imprison Discord, the god of chaos with."
"B-but… didn't we imprison him a while ago?"
"Yes, thou did, but this is to imprison him forever, to avoid that terrible episode from happening again. Twilight will tell thee the details if thou wish to come with us."
"Twilight? Where is she?"
"She is waiting on the ground below, ready for the quest, if thou accept."
"Sure, anything to stop that Discord forever. I still want revenge for him making me disloyal."
"Then follow us."
The two ponies hopped off of Dash's cloud home and descended down to the floor. Dash could see three of her friends waiting for her, Fluttershy, Twilight, and to her luck, the pretty orange farmpony; reason of her sweetest dreams and of her misfortunes, Applejack.
"Thank Celestia, I'm really glad you decided to come along Dash. Pinkie and Rarity were too busy to join and I'm not sure we could do this without you" Twilight said.
"Yeah, he-he, about that" Dash said, her gaze kept switching between Twilight and Applejack. "I…I-I… On second thought, I might not be able to come after all."
"Wha? Why not?"
"I um, uh-" She was cut off as she saw two deep light-blue eyes looking at her from behind Twilight, Fluttershy was ready to do… The Stare. Dash knew there was no way out of this one.
"I- uh, oh never mind. I'll come along."
"Great" Twilight said in relief. "Just give me a second to look at the map, then we'll be going."
Rainbow Dash slowly trotted over to the yellow pegasus, who has taken notice of her anger and crouched down in fear.
"What. Was. That?" Rainbow demanded.
"I, uh, w-well you h-have to come a-along Dash. We can't do this without you, and you can't let your feelings for Applejack get in the way of saving Equestria." Fluttershy said nervously.
"Shhh, lower your voice, nobody needs to hear that" said Rainbow Dash, looking both ways for any eavesdroppers. "I know, but did you have to use The Stare as a threat? That creeps me out and you know it!"
"I'm sorry. It was the only way to convince you."
"Ok, but next ti-" Dash was cut off as Twilight spoke out
"OK everypony! We have a many day journey ahead of us, so let's go!"
"Many days?" Rainbow Dash thought to herself. "How am I supposed to survive being with Applejack for that long without doing something stupid, or something going wrong?" she thought as she trotted off towards the Everfree Forest with her friends, and as far away from Applejack.
The dark and musty smells of the Everfree Forest along with the occasional wolf howl or odd sound were enough to give even the bravest pony chills. A swift but cold breeze passed as the five ponies trotted slowly through the trees. Luna led the way while Fluttershy and Dash stayed close behind and Twilight and Applejack took up the rear.
"Ah still can't believe Ah let y'all convince me to come along with y'all. What was Ah thinkin'?" Applejack whispered to Twilight.
"You were perfectly fine with coming until I mentioned Dash. Come on Applejack, you know we need you for this quest."
"Ah know, Ah know. Its jes-" Applejack stopped as her eyes focused on the perfect hips that were swinging in front of her.
"Um, AJ, are you with us?" asked Twilight, waving her hoof in front of the mare's green eyes.
"Uh what? Oh sorry, it… it's nuthin' " she said, trying to hide her blush with her Stetson. "Stupid sexy Dash…"she thought.
The gang continued to walk for the next few hours through the ever growing cold of the Everfree Forest. All was silent, not a single sound was made; that is, until Fluttershy spoke.
"Brrr, w-why must the Everfree Forest be s-so cold and d-dark. This isn't normal."
"This forest wasn't always like this. It used to be a lot like Canterlot" Luna said.
"It did?" Twilight asked in surprise. "What happened then?"
"We and our sister built our first castle here, what is now the castle where thou freed us from our terrible curse. After we were banished, we guess our sister built a new castle and the old one fell into disrepair, slowly but steady the forest took over the city and let it in ruins."
"That's fascinating, I'll have to research that when we-"
Twilight was cut off as low growl came from some bushes a few hoofs away from the group. Before they could react; three wolves popped out and started circling the group. They appeared to be made out of wood and their eyes were two glowing yellow orbs.
"T-t-timberwolves!" Fluttershy yelped before fainting like a goat.
Luna and Twilight began to charge up their horns with magic; ready to do anything to protect their friends.
"Rainbow, AJ! I need you two to grab Fluttershy and get out of here! We'll catch up with you later!" Twilight yelled as she flung bolts of magic towards the timberwolves.
Rainbow Dash crouched under Fluttershy's body, putting her on her back, and dashed off into the forest with Applejack in front of her. Her strong and resistant physical structure was used to scratches, so she went in front, clearing the way of branches that could hurt Rainbow Dash or Fluttershy.
"Come at us, foal beasts! We shall destroy thee" Luna yelled, blasting powerful fireballs at the wolves that ignited them on contact.
The wolves winced in pain as the fire burned their bark, but they ignored it and continued to bite and slash at the two ponies.
Twilight projected a force field around herself as she continued with her attacks. Luna fought valiantly as she slashed magic daggers at the wolves. One timberwolf responded by dashing straight at her and ripping half of her tail off.
Luna eyes burned white as she saw what had become of her star blued tail. She flew up into the air, a strong wind started swirling around her, she focused on the creature that had ruined her tail.
"Thou dare to raise thy filthy and wretched claw against us! We shall destroy thee!"
"Huzza! That's how we manage menaces in Equestria!"
"Princess…" Twilight spoke, she was speechless of what she saw. "T-that was amazing!"
Luna dusted herself off as she floated down to the ground. "Thank thee Twilight Sparkle, no pony nor wolf touches our tail an- ugh" Luna groaned in pain.
"Princess! What's wrong?" asked Twilight, running toward the Princess of the night.
"It is nothing for thee to worry, just a scratch on our flank."
Twilight looked over to see a long two inch slash below her cutie mark; it was dripping with blood.
"Luna we must get help immediately!" Twilight said in a worried tone.
"We will be fine, we are an Alicorn, we heal quickly but the pain is the same. We must go after thy friends; we swear we saw a pair of wolves running after them."
"What?! We have to go save them!"
"After thee" Luna said as she and Twilight ran off into the forest.
The leaves and trees rushed past Applejack as she continued to run with Rainbow behind her.
"Y'all think we lost them Rainbow?"
Dash came to a slow trot, caught her breath, and looked behind her. "I-I think so."
"What do we do now?" Applejack said, cautiously looking to her sides.
"Hey, don't worry" said Dash, putting a hoof over AJ's shoulder. "I'm here for you."
Applejack blushed at the fact of her love being so close. "T-thanks, how's Fluttershy?"
"I-I'm f-fine" a timid voice sounded.
"Oh look who's awake" Dash said as the yellow pegasus slid off her back. "Have a nice nap?"
Fluttershy just gives her a sarcastic smile. "Where's Twilight and Luna? And where are the wolves?"
"Ah don't know Sugarcube. They stayed behind to defend us from the timberwolves. And we lost those good fer nuthin' as we ran off" the cowpony said. "Hey Rainbow, can y'all fly up and look fer them?"
Rainbow was about to fly up when the sky flashed and rain started pouring on her.
"Shucks, we'll have to wait 'til it's over. Let's take shelter in that cave!" Applejack shouted through the storm, her hoof pointing an opening, many hoofs away.
The three ponies ran into the cave as the crazy storm raged on. They were unaware of the pair of wolves slowly approaching.
Rainbow shook the rain off her cyan coat as she came into the cave. "Alright, let's just wait out the storm here and then we'll go looking fo-"
She was cut-off as a loud shriek sounded from the pink-maned pegasus. She was staring at two pairs of glowing yellow eyes at the entrance to the cave.
"Timberwolves!" Rainbow yells.
One timberwolf jumped at Applejack with fangs and claws, ready to kill her. Applejack turns around and bucks the timberwolf as hard as she can, propelling him out of the cave and into the woods again. The remaining timberwolf lunges into the cave, chomping down on Applejack's leg, who screamed in pain.
"Applejack no!"
Rainbow Dash flies at full force and smashes into the wolf, slamming it into the wall. The cave shakes and rumbles in response.
"You're going to pay for hurting her you useless piece of kindling!" Dash says, stomping her hoof on the ground.
The timberwolf got up and the two begin to circle one another, neither making a move forward.
Rainbow Dash looks over to Fluttershy who was at the entrance of the cave, shaking in fear.
"Fluttershy get out of here and get help! Fast!"
Fluttershy is hesitant to move at first, but then begins to fly out when she looks over at Applejack. The timberwolf turns away from Rainbow and charges after the yellow pegasus.
"Oh no you don't!" Dash yells, flying and smashing the timberwolf into the wall.
The cave begins to shake more and rocks begin to fall. Rainbow Dash panics and rushes back towards Applejack.
"Applejack come on we got to move! We have to go, the cave is collapsing!"
"Rainbow" Applejack whispered. "Leave me here gal, save yerself."
"No! Never" Rainbow Dash replied.
"Please Dash, if this is mah end, then mah final wish is fer y'all to be safe. Please, if y'all appreciate me, fly away!"
"I won't do that Applejack" she said, sitting by her side. "I'll never leave you AJ, you can count on that."
"C'mon Rainbow, Ah can't stand losing y'all. Ah will never forgive mahself if y'all suffer because of me."
More rocks began to fall, crushing the Timberwolf under piles of rubble until the last drop of light disappeared.
"Applejack?" Rainbow said through the dark silence, moving her hooves about to find her.
"Ah'm here Sugarcube" a voice next to her said. Applejack stretched her right hoof and grabbed her friend to make her know where she was.
"I can't see a thing AJ."
"Me neither gal, it seems we-"
Applejack was cut off as the ceiling began to glow with a strange light-blue light.
"What are those lights?"
"Glowing mushrooms Sugarcube, Ah saw them once when Ah was little. We're lucky they're growing here. At least we can now see our faces" said Applejack smiling at her friend.
"Applejack, your leg" the cyan pegasus said, looking down at the cowpony's hind hoof.
Applejacks leg was bloody and bent at an odd angle, but she felt no pain.
"Don't worry about me Rainbow. Ah don't feel a thing. Ah'm jes glad we're alive, and that Ah'm here with y'all" said Applejack, bringing her friend closer.
"I may not be a doctor AJ, but that can't be good. We need help. I don't want anything bad to happen to you."
Applejack drags herself to the wall and sits, leaning against it. "Ah don't think anypony can dig out that wall of rubble" she sighs. "Ah think this is it. We had our time, Ah guess its jes time fer it to end."
Rainbow lies down next to Applejack and rests her head on the wall. Applejack leans to her side and rests her head on Rainbow's shoulder.
Rainbow Dash sheds a single tear; that falls from her face and into her friend's golden mane. "Well… it's a good thing I'm spending it with my very best friend."
The two ponies sat for a while in the low light of the mushrooms, their breaths getting shallower by the minute.
"Hey Sugarcube, do y'all remember when we first met, long time ago?" Applejack said, breaking the silence.
"Oh yeah, of course I do, how could I ever forget that day? It was only a couple years after we got our cutie marks" Rainbow said, her mind thinking back to that day.
A young cyan filly was flying through the air, doing spins, loop-de-loops and twirls in the sky.
"Such a good idea to skip flight camp for a day of flying" she said to herself as she started to fly lower. "Now, time for some dexterity training."
She flew down further to the tree line and zipped in between each one, avoiding them with relative ease. She was so confident of her skills that she closed her eyes and followed her instinct.
"Hah, they don't call me Rainbow Dash for no-"
The filly was cut off as she felt her right wing go limp and a terrible pain running trough her right side. She saw splinters and pieces of branches fly away in front of his face, before falling to the ground and losing consciousness.
"Y'all heard that big brother?" a young earth pony asked.
"Eeyup" replied the red coated stallion.
"Do y'all know what it was?"
"Eenope."
"Well, can y'all take the apple cart back to the barn? Ah'm gonna have a look" the young farmpony said before trotting off.
"Eeyup." simply answered the big, young stallion, taking her sister's rope and carrying the cart all by himself.
"Now Ah know Ah heard that loud crack noise from somewhere over here" the orange coated filly said as she weaved through the trees of the apple orchard.
She continued to trot through the woods before she saw a speck of color behind one of the trees. She rushed over to see a cyan filly about her age unconscious on the ground with a twisted wing.
Without hesitation, she picks up the filly and carries her off out of the woods.
"Ah better take her to mah clubhouse, Ah'll try to fix'er up there."
Rainbow Dash's eyes fluttered awake as she found herself staring at a wooden ceiling, the sun was almost down, so everything was under an orange light, she felt a warm blanket over her body and a strong but sweet smell of apples.
"W-where am I? W-what happened?"
"Y'all are at mah clubhouse, Ah believe y'all hit a branch while flyin' " a new voice sounded.
Rainbow looked over to see a golden maned, orange coated, earth filly with three white freckles in each cheek, sitting in a chair before her; looking at her with two beautiful and hypnotizing emerald eyes.
"Gah! Who are you? Arghh! Why does my wing hurt so much?" Dash screamed.
"Calm down Sugarcube. Ah found y'all unconscious on our family orchard and brought y'all here to fix y'all up. Y'all seemed to have a twisted wing, Ah've had a lot of twisted ankles and surprisingly, n' luckily fer y'all, pegasus wings aren't that different." she explained. "Oh pardon me, Ah'm Applejack, what's yer name gal, or do Ah keep calling y'all Sugarcube?"
"Rainbow Dash" she said slowly, unsure of the new pony's intentions. Then looked at her bandaged wing.
Applejack took out an apple pie from behind her and set it down next to Rainbow Dash. "Ah brought y'all a pie in case y'all were hungry."
Rainbow Dash just stared at the pie with a look of confusion on her face. "Why are you helping me?"
"Cause y'all were hurt, unconscious and needed help right away. Ah couldn't leave a pony in need like that. The Apple family never refuses to help."
Rainbow looked down at the pie again. It smelt good and she knew better than to reject free food; so she took a bite. After the pie touched her tongue, an explosion of flavor invaded her mouth, she had never ate something like that before. She then dove in and finished it in seconds.
"Well Ah guess y'all liked it, Ah made it mahself y'all know?"
"Really?" asked the amazed young filly.
"Eeyup, Ah brought y'all here, fixed yer wing, put y'all in bed and covered y'all with mah special blanket. Since y'all seemed to be unconscious for a while, Ah went back home to bake it."
"This is amazing! We don't have stuff like this in Cloudsdale."
"Oh y'all are from Cloudsdale huh, no wonder Ah never seen y'all before" Applejack said before looking out the window.
The sun was about to disappear behind the horizon to announce the start of the night.
"It's getting late; y'all should probably get home before yer folks worry" Applejack said , a little crestfallen.
"Oh yeah… my parents…" Dash said before walking out the door.
"Hey, y'all want to come back over tomorrow n' play?" the farmfilly asked.
Rainbow Dash thought about this for a moment before finally saying. "Yes, I'd like that" opening her wings. "Well, gotta go" she said before jumping into the air.
A loud thud was heard as the filly fell to the ground.
"Rainbow, are y'all ok gal?"
"Urggh… y-yeah, it's just that I can't fly this way. My wing still hurts" said Rainbow Dash, standing up with the help of Applejack.
"Well… then let's go back to the clubhouse. Y'all should stay here for a day or two, maybe by then yer wings will be ok" said the cowpony.
"Won't your parents be mad at you? Or at me?"
"They don't have to know y'all are here. And fer me, Ah sleep here now n' then, so they won't care" she explained.
"Well… if you don't mind…"
"Not at all! Ah would love to spend a night with y'all."
Both fillies spent the early night talking about each other and playing truth or dare. After a while Applejack brought some wood and started a bonfire. They sat around it and stargazed. Both fillies felt like they knew each other for years, they talked with complete honesty.
"So, what are yer parent's like Rainbow?"
"M… M-my parents… they…" said the pony, unable to form the words. Tears started forming in her eyes. Applejack ran to her side and gave her a big loving hug.
"Ah'm sorry Ah asked Sugarcube, Ah know how y'all feel. Don't worry, let it go, Ah'm here now."
Rainbow Dash hugged her back and let the tears flow. After a few minutes they went back to talking.
Hours later, the ponies were pretty worn out. Rainbow Dash yawned and fluttered her eyes.
"N-Nah… I'm oka-" The pony's talk was interrupted by another yawn.
The orange pony laughed and stood up, she put out the bonfire and walked towards her friend.
"C'mon Sugarcube, come with me."
Rainbow Dash obliged and followed her inside the clubhouse. "Where are we gonna sleep."
"Well… since Ah don't have two beds, Ah'll take the floor."
"What? No! I can't let you. You're the pony helped me all day, fixed my wing, gave me a pie, and all for free. I'll take the floor."
"Yer wing and body are not okay, y'all need real rest in a real bed."
"No, You will take it."
"Y'all."
"You."
"Y'ALL."
"YOU."
Applejack grabbed her friend and laid her on the bed. "Y'all will take the bed, now don't move from here, y'all hear?"
Rainbow Dash gave her a big grin and decided to let her win this time.
Applejack laid on the floor and looked at her new friend. Rainbow Dash looked back at her and they stayed like that for some time.
The cyan pegasus felt the need to be beside her, she didn't know why, she just wanted to cuddle next to her. So she planned how to make that happen. After a few seconds the pink eyed filly started shivering.
"D-do y'all feel cold gal?"
"A little bit… It makes it difficult to sleep…"
"Well… do y'all want me to go n' sleep with y'all? That way our bodies will feel warmer."
"Well… okay" said the rainbow maned filly, moving aside, making space in bed for Applejack. The orange filly climbed to the bed and laid beside the other filly, and turned around, facing away from her.
The golden-maned farmfilly thought that maybe it would be even better if they were closer, she was unaware of why, she just wanted to be really close with her new friend. Something drove her to think that.
"H-hey…. R-rainbow… are y'all awake?"
"Y-yes…"
"Do y'all still feel cold?"
"Kinda…"
"Then… maybe is better this way" said the cowpony, turning around and looking at her friend's eyes.
They were one inch away from each other's faces, Applejack wrapped her hooves around Rainbow Dash, who replied by doing the same. Their heart started beating faster and faster, their cheeks became progressively pink. Both fillies kept looking into each other's eyes and slept peacefully, warm and comfortable.
"Ah… Ah remember y'all were really better the next morning, n' y'all were able to fly back home." The pony coughed twice, she was starting to feel bad, but was happy "But y'all came back that afternoon, and every week we had one sleepover."
"Yeah… you were my very first friend Applejack..."
"W-wasn't it Fluttersh-shy?" asked the wounded pony.
"Nah, I knew her for the longest time, but she became my friend later. You were first… You know? That was the best day of my life" Rainbow said.
"Best day? Ah thought the best young flyers competition was the best!" Applejack joked.
Rainbow Dash laughed. "Well, it wasn't the truth, 'til today there was no better day than the one where I met you, I was just… I was just too proud to admit it."
"Speakin' 'bout competitions… Remember the first competition we had?" asked Applejack.
It was a sunny afternoon, and the two ponies were meeting at their usual meeting place, Applejack's clubhouse. Two years had passed since they first met, ever since that day their friendship only grew stronger and they got closer and closer. There were many more sleepovers, where they slept tight together, even in the hottest summer nights. Applejack woke up early when the rooster crows to finish her chores, and the rainbow-maned filly lived up to her name and dashed out of flight camp as soon as classes ended, towards the clubhouse, where both fillies met to have a great day together. The clubhouse was made to be just like them, Wonderbolts' posters were covering the walls and a lonely but comfortable cloud was floating besides the bed.
In those two years they had played every possible game, and mastered most of them. But there was one particular game that the orange farmfilly seemed to be avoiding, and the cyan pegasus found that weird and kind of annoying.
"Hey AJ, how come we never play horseshoes? I've seen you play with your brother a thousand times and yet, we never played it. You've been avoiding it but we've played every playable game, can we at least try it out?"
"Umm… A-Ah don't know Dash… Ah wouldn't like playing it with y'all"
"Huh? Why?" the filly asked in surprise.
"Ah've been playin' it fer years, ever since ah was born. It wouldn't be fair with y'all. Ah'm pretty competitive when it comes to horseshoes, so Ah wouldn't make it easier fer y'all."
"So… Are you implying I can't win?"
"Ah'm sorry, A-Ah didn't mean it that way!" hastily replied the emerald eyed pony.
"No, no, you did mean it that way! You're so sure huh!? Well let's go and let me prove you that I'm better. Or are you a chicken?"
Applejack remained calm. "Ah'm not gonna play yer game, y'all know y'all need sumthin' better than that to provoke me with."
"Oh, so that's it? Then I'll just tell everypony about that time you hugged me in fear because you thought there was a monster outside the clubhouse" said Rainbow, exaggeratedly imitating a scared filly.
"Ah remember y'all huggin' me back fer the same reason. N' even taking that out of the scene. If y'all tell'em that, then Ah'll tell them 'bout the time y'all woke me up on the middle of the night screaming because of a sweet lil' spider that was peacefully walking up the wall."
"Hey, I swear I saw somewhere that those spiders were venomous" replied the brash pegasus, her cheeks getting slightly pink.
"Venomous doesn't equal deadly Dash" said Applejack with a smiling. "It just makes you swell a lil' bit."
"Well, then I'll tell them about the time you were asleep and you started nibbling my ear."
"Oh yeah, Ah remember Ah woke up with yer ear in mah mouth and Ah was looking at y'all, but y'all never stopped me. Besides if y'all decide to do that, then Ah'll tell everypony 'bout that night Ah woke up at the sound of y'all sayin' 'I love you'" said the cowpony.
"H-hey, don't f-forget you hugged me tightly and smiled."
"Yeah maybe, but Ah'm not ashamed of it."
"Well… I didn't want it to come to this" Dash said, stretching her muscles. "But it seems that I'll have to do what I was trying to avoid… I'll have to call you Jackie"
"AJ's face cringed at the name and whined "No! C'mon Rainbow, y'all know Ah hate that nickname!"
"I'm sorry gal, but it seems to be the only way."
AJ grit her teeth in annoyance. "Fine, y'all wanna bite the dust, then be mah guest."
Rainbow Dash started trotting towards the barn, Applejack soon followed beside her, Dash started to trot faster. Applejack looked at her in surprise but speed up as well and surpassed her cyan friend. In response, Rainbow narrowed her eyes and started running, the cowpony followed her speed. But in the last twenty hooves, the rainbow-maned pony sprinted to the barn door, getting there first.
"Oh yeah! I won!" Dash celebrated, jumping in the air.
"Wha? Where we racin'? If Ah have known that y'all wouldn't stand a chance."
"Oh yeah? Well that wasn't my best neither, wanna try again cowpony?"
"Ready when y'all are pretty gal."
"Well let's set a finish line" proposed the pink eyed pony.
"How 'bout a whole lap 'round the orchard n' the barn door as the finish line?"
"Sounds good to me" She got to the door and lowered her head, preparing for start.
AJ followed and got ready as well.
"Ready…" the cyan filly said, she waited two seconds and then quickly said "SETGO!" and started running.
The orange farmpony started later, tricked by her friend. She got beside her, the rose-eyed pegasus noticed that and started running faster. They were both going fast, but not at full speed, they knew they would need the energy to the final sprint.
Near halfway of the lap, Rainbow knew she needed to do something "Oh gosh, what can I do? What would a Wonderbolt do? Obviously I must use my wings, but how? I don't know if I'm faster flying than my frien- No, until the finish line, she's my deadly arch-nemesis; anyways, that's not the answer" thought the filly. A mischievous grin formed on her lips as the answer came to her mind.
The pegasus sprinted to position herself in front of the golden maned pony, expanded her wings and started flapping them, it may slow her a little bit but rendered any attempt on surpassing her impossible.
Applejack noticed that and tried to think how to pass her. She ran to one side and lowered herself, trying to go under her friend's wing. Rainbow noticed it and lowered her wings, sending AJ's beloved Stetson flying. With a fast hip movement and great tail dexterity, the emerald eyed cowpony hit the hat and sent it back to her head, with a subtle tilt of her head, she positioned it where it was supposed to be.
"Nopony messes with mah Stetson."
Applejack started gaining speed, skipped behind Dash's tail and, when she was about to hit the ground, kicked it with all her might, her powerful hind hooves sending her flying above Rainbow's head, shouting "Yee-haw!"
Rainbow thought "Next time we have a running competition; I'll rely on my flying skills instead of trying this again…"
Applejack sprinted to the finish line and found out the barn door was closed. She looked at Rainbow Dash and noticed the spark on her eyes. They noded and ran full speed against the door.
A great thud was heard. Both fillies collided and tore the door down, laughing and looking at each other. Moments later Big Macintosh entered the barn with alarm, but when he saw the fillies laughing on the floor, he took a deep breath and look at them sternly. Both fillies were paralyzed and looked back at him.
"Jes fix it bah tomorrow n' Granny Smith will never know…" said the red stallion, walking back to the barn with a smile on his face.
Both fillies thanked him and started right away.
"Oh yeah… I remember we still owe your brother a big one…"
"Eeyup… Ah remember that after that day, we met everyday n' before playin sumthin' we first ran a lap 'round the orchard."
The two pony's breaths grew shallower and weaker as the air began to disappear.
"A-Ah… Ah don't wanna sound sour, but Ah don't think we have must longer Sugarcube... So Ah might as well use it wisely. There's sumthin' Ah want to tell y'all before we go" Applejack said, her cheeks began to turn red.
"I… I do too, something I wanted to say for a while now... I wasn't sure about it at first, but it has been growing and growing and it's pretty obvious now."
Both ponies faced each other under the blue glow.
They both said at the same time:
"I Ah
Love Love
You Y'all"
Both Applejack and Rainbow Dash smiled before locking lips with each other and letting the darkness take over.
The cyan pegasus struggled to open her eyes against the bright light that was above her. The air tasted clean and pure as in entered her mouth.
“A… A-am I dead?” she spoke out.
“No Miss Rainbow Dash, you’re in the hospital.”
Dash leaned up to see a light brown unicorn next to her looking over some papers. She looks around to see that she’s lying in bed in a small room. To her right she sees the morning sun rising through the window.
“T-the hospital, how long have I been out Doc?”
The Doctor flips through the papers he was levitating. “About two days, you have good friends, any longer in that cave and you wouldn’t be waking up.”
At the word cave, Rainbow Dash remembered back to what happened, the Timberwolves, the cave-in… the kiss.
“Applejack… Where’s Applejack?”
“Don’t worry she’s fine, had a nasty bite but she’s okay. She’s in the next room.”
Rainbow Dash breathed a breath of relief.
“Now” the Doctor said as his horn glowed to open the door. “I believe you have some vis-“
“Dashie!” the pink hyperactive pony yelled as she rushed over to Dash’s bed, leaving a dazed unicorn on the floor.
“Pinkie I-”
“Dashie we were so worried we lost you two! We thought you and AJ were gone!” Pinkie cried into Rainbow’s mane, her own mane was dull and flat.
Rainbow looked up from the crying pony to see that Fluttershy had walked into the room.
“What happened?” she asked as she tried to calm down Pinkie.
“Oh it was terrible Rainbow, when we found you two we thought we were too late” Fluttershy said, wiping tears from her eyes. “When you told me to look for help.”
The yellow coated pegasus was flying at full speed through the pounding rain, the bushes and trees flew past her in a blur of green. Nothing was going to stop her from reaching help.
“Help, anypony help me!”
Fluttershy continued to fly faster despite the storm. Lightning flashed but she ignored it.
“Twilight!”
She suddenly stopped as she heard a faint whisper on the wind call out. “Fluttershy!”
The pegasus turned her heard in the direction of the voice and began flying even faster. The voice continued to call her name and she flew as fast as she could towards it. Fluttershy rushed through an approaching bush and was met by a familiar purple unicorn and blue alicorn which, in her haste, she almost collided with.
“Twilight! Rainbow, Applejack, cave, help!” the pegasus yelled in between breaths through the rain.
“Whoa Fluttershy! Calm down and tell me what happened” Twilight said.
“Yes, what are thou so worried about?” Luna joined in.
“R-rainbow D-dash and A-applejack are trapped in a c-cave, we must hurry!”
The unicorn’s eyes widen at the news and said “Quick, show us the way!”
Fluttershy nodded and soon found herself rushing through the forest once more, but this time with help. The storm was picking up, the wind howled louder and the rain pounded harder. The tiny sound of panicking animals was listenable only to the pegasus.
“I’m sorry” she whispered as she flew back to her two trapped friends, leaving a trail of tears behind her, blown by the strong wind that was slowing her.
When she arrived back at the cave, the rubble was piled high and the storm had reached devastating conditions.
“Twilight they’re trapped in there, there must be something you can do!”
The purple unicorn nodded and soon her and Luna were levitating rocks away from the cave in a desperate matter. Fluttershy helped as well, hovering over and taking rubble away little by little.
“We must hurry; they probably don’t have that much time left!” Twilight yelled as she continued levitate rocks away.
By the time enough rubble was cleared away to enter the cave; Fluttershy rushed in.
“Applejack! Rainbow Dash!” she screamed, waving her hoofs around in the darkness.
A light suddenly appeared behind her; she whirled around to see Twilight with her horn glowing and producing a white light.
“Need a light?” she asked with a smile.
Fluttershy smiled back and she continued to trek into the cave.
“Rainbow Dash? Applejack? Oh please be okay.”
The group walked further into the cave before she saw them. Lying on the ground, eyes closed were the bodies of her two friends. Without speaking a word Fluttershy rushed over to the two.
“Applejack? Rainbow Dash?” she asked, her eyes beginning to tear up. “Please, please don’t be dead.”
They were both still and made no sound, but were in each other’s arms and had two big smiles on their faces.
Twilight slowly trotted over to the two, she wasn’t about to give up hope. She put her head on the chest of Rainbow Dash and listened.
Thump… Thump
The unicorns frown quickly grew to a smile at the sound she heard. “She’s alive.”
Fluttershy who had been observing what Twilight had done, moved to Applejack and did the same.
Thump… Thump
“They’re alive!” Fluttershy screamed in delight.
“Yes Fluttershy they’re okay for now, but we need to get them out of here. They need serious medical help and neither of us can give it to them.”
Fluttershy agreed and picked up Rainbow Dash while Twilight levitated Applejack. They looked at each other with a smile and then headed out of the cave.
Tears and a wonder of emotions flooded Rainbow Dash when Fluttershy ended her story. She could only think of one thing to do at this point; she leaped forward and hugged her friend.
“Thank you (sniff) Fluttershy” she said in between gasps of tears. “Without you, I wouldn’t have made it.”
Pinkie, whose mane had re-inflated to its natural curly state, decided to join in on the hug.
“Oh, you guys, that’s so sweet” she said before grabbing a tissue from out of nowhere and blowing her nose.
The three remained locked in the hug before a soft cough interrupted. They looked towards the door to see the doctor standing there, looking un-amused towards Pinkie Pie.
“Oh hi Doc, sorry about my friend here, she can be a bit excited umm… all the time” Rainbow Dash grinned.
“That’s quite alright Ms. Dash. Anyways, I came here to tell you that Ms. Applejack is awake and wishes to see you.”
Dash nearly jolted up at the name of her loved but was stopped by the blue aura of the Doctor.
“Now easy, you need to take it easy and no flying. Take slow steps and use your friends for support.”
The cyan pegasus seemed disappointed at the ‘no flying’ part, and was not pleased about having to be helped by others, but obeyed and slowly got up from bed. As soon as her hooves touched the floor, she realized why she should listen to the doctor’s advice, two days in bed without moving can be really devastating to your muscles. Fluttershy quickly got by her side as she noticed her muscle tensing, while Pinkie Pie moved towards Rainbow’s other side. The rainbow maned pony slowly but steadily made her way to the door along with Pinkie and Fluttershy at her sides.
“Like I said Ms. Dash, she’s in the next room, right across from yours.”
Dash nodded and walked across the hall and opened the door.
The inside of AJ’s room was the same in turn of color and design. Floor was the same, window was the same, and even the decorations were the same. The only thing different from hers was the orange cowpony on the bed with a purple maned unicorn standing beside her.
“Oh dear Applejack, they really need to clean this place better” Rarity said, she was levitating a duster and was removing some dust spots from everything.
“Tis fine Rarity, Ah don’t mind. Y’all don’t need to clean the whole room… four times...”
Applejack looked over to the door from Rarity, to see two of her friends helping a certain cyan pegasus. At the sight of her beloved, she immediately blushed a deep red.
“R-rainbow Dash, h-how are y’all feelin’?”
“I’ve been better, but also I have been worse, how about you?”
“Ah’m j-jes dandy.”
Rainbow and the rest of her friends moved closer to the left side of AJ’s bed. It was not until that moment that Rarity realized that Rainbow had entered. She stopped her fifth room cleaning, let the duster fall to the floor and freaked.
“Oh my! Rainbow Dash, I’m so sorry not to notice you. I must ask you, how are you feeling?”
“I’m fine Rarity, what are you two doing in here?”
“Oh I was just talking to our dear friend Applejack here about making a dress for her, so she could cover that scar. And a specialized applebucking dress to offer support on the area near the scar, so nothing nasty happens to her while she works. But the missy by my side refuses to use a dress, because she thinks it ‘doesn’t go with her style and that the other one would bother her to work on the farm’ instead of helping her, and that she doesn’t need it.”
Rainbow looked down to AJ’s leg to see a long scar stretched 3 inches across on her leg where the Timberwolf bit her. The pony cringed as she remembered the moment.
That’s my fault, I’m so sorry Applejack
“Ah already told you Rarity, Ah don’t need some dress to cover up a scar. It’s not like Ah care ‘bout it. Besides, Ah told y’all once, n’ Ah will tell you twice, it will get between me and mah job!”
“Well you are most certainly NOT going to get out without me making you a dress, so for the sake of your work, I will design a form fitting dress, even though I hate doing that kind of clothes, so that nasty scar on your leg won’t be noticeable and it won’t get in the way of your work. Talking about it, I just got a new order of an experimental porous fabric that it’s supposed to create a coat-like effect and it can be used all day and all night long. You won’t even notice it! It would be like a second skin.”
Applejack sighed and decided to lose this battle, it was useless to keep fighting anyways, and she had more important things to do at the moment. “Okay Rarity, y’all go n’ do what you wanna do.”
Rarity seemed very happy with this statement and levitated up a sketch book, starting on the design.
Rainbow Dash looked to AJ and could read her eyes. They needed to talk about something not too obvious, but not too random either.
“Umm hey, where’s Twilight?” Dash asked.
Pinkie Pie was the one to answer. “Oh yeah, Twilight had to go on a super duper important trip to Canterlot for some reason. She’ll be back tomorrow.”
Rainbow looked back over to the Doctor who was looking at some papers. “How is Applejack Doc? Is she gonna be ok?”
The doctor shifted some papers and very surprised replied. “Dear Scott! I…”
The whole group went pale and held their breath.
“Oh, wait, these are from another patient” The doctor corrected with a nervous chuckle “Well… it looks like you’re not the one who’s pregnant…”
The ponies sighed in relief.
“How’s her leg.” Said Rainbow Dash
After checking some more papers he announced “Oh she’ll be fine, that scar however will be permanent, but luckily won’t affect her work with applebucking and carrying heavy weights. However I must tell you not to do any of the things I mentioned before for some days.”
“Ha!” Applejack yelled. “See Rarity, Ah don’t need some working dress for mah wound.”
The white unicorn looked up from her sketch book and said “I’m sorry darling, did you say something?”
Applejack facehoofed and said “Ugh, never mind.”
The Doc looked un-amused at being interrupted and continued. “Well as I was saying, Ms. Applejack needs her rest so it’s time for visitors to leave.”
“WAIT NO!” Applejack and Rainbow Dash both yelled.
Everypony looked at them with odd looks.
“Look, I see that you two want to be close and look after one another, but you both need your rest, so whatever is that you need to talk about, you will have to do it another time.”
The two ponies hung their heads low at the disappointing news.
“But hey, don’t worry. Tomorrow we’ll be moving you two to a double bed room. That way you’ll be closer. Now, if you excuse me, I have to tell the good news to the new young mother… Sweetie Be…”
Rarity’s eyes contracted until they had the size of two pins, her mane sprung in smaller curls and the sketchbook fell to the floor.
“No, wait… Sweaty Body. Oh yeah, now I recall, she’s the aerobics instructor.”
Everypony looked at Rarity, who was still paralyzed, Pinkie Pie picked up the sketchbook and Fluttershy helped her walk out of the hospital.
The two remaining ponies agreed on the doctor’s decision. Dash said goodbye and made her way back to her room, now able to walk without her friend’s help.
Rainbow Dash sat upright in her bed, the warm rays of the setting sun were absorbed into her mane from the nearby window; they felt good. She looked to her right to see her love fast asleep in her bed. They had moved the pegasus to her room first thing that morning, but Applejack was asleep, and is still asleep now.
“Ms. Rainbow Dash?”
Dash looked in the direction of the door to see the doctor. “Yes?”
“You have some visitors, should I send them in?”
She nodded.
The doctor left and not ten seconds afterward, the door opened once again to reveal a familiar purple unicorn.
“Oh hi Twili-” Dash said but was cutoff as her friend rushed towards her.
“Oh Princesses, are you okay Rainbow? I was so worried about you and Applejack. Oh I’m such a bad friend. I should have been here sooner but the princess kept me in Canterlot for the night. I had-”
“Whoa, whoa, calm down Twilight. Don’t beat yourself up, I’m fine, Applejack’s fine, we’re both fine.”
“What the hay are y’all talkin’ ‘bout? Ah’m tryin to sleep her- oh howdy Twilight, when did y’all get here?”
Both ponies looked over to see Applejack had woken up, her mane was bedridden and messy.
“Oh Applejack, I’m glad to see you, how are you?” Twilight said as she walked over to her bed.
“Ah’m fine thanks to y’all n’ Fluttershy”
“You’re my friend, I couldn’t just leave you”
The two stared at each other for a few seconds. The tension could be cut with a knife, Applejack knew what she was going to ask. Twilight looked back around at Rainbow Dash, who was just staring out the window to her left. Twilight supposed she wasn’t going to turn around soon, so she took the advantage, she returned her gaze to Applejack and spoke in a soft voice.
“So… Applejack, what happened in that cave between you two? Did you…?” she whispered with a raised eyebrow.
“Shhh! Not here while she’s next to us!” shushed the orange pony, putting a hoof in front of her mouth. She signalized to her friend to get closer.
“Sorry, sorry”
“But Ah can say that us two don’t have to keep our feelings from each other anymore” she said with a blush.
Twilight could hardly contain her excitement, but she somehow did.
Rainbow Dash looked over to her two friends as they whispered to each other about something.
Wonder what they’re talking about
She turned her attention back to the window but was stopped a few seconds later as a Knock sounded on the door.
“Come in” she yelled.
The door opened to reveal two iconic ponies. One was pure white with a long flowing mane of different colors, and the other was a dark blue with a mane that seemed to match the stars.
“Princess Celestia and Luna!” Rainbow Dash said with wide eyes.
“Princess!” Twilight yelped as she jumped up from where she was and bowed to them “What are you two doing here?”
“I was worried for what happened to your friends, I came to give my care.”
“And we have also arrived to show thee that we care for them as well” Luna spoke.
Rainbow Dash was still stunned to see them here and looked over to Applejack to see the same look of big eyes and an open mouth.
“No offence princess, but why waste your time with ponies in this small town?”
“Nonsense, I come and look after all my little ponies, especially the friends of my most faithful student.”
The pegasus looked over to see the unicorn beaming with pride.
“I’m so sorry we failed the quest for the stone, Princess. I will personally go look for it as soon as possible.”
Celestia shook her hoof in a nonchalant manner “Oh, that won’t be necessary my dear student.”
All other ponies in the room looked up at her and said “What?” in unison.
“Sister, what do thou mean? Luna asked.
“Oh, he he” she giggled, rubbing the back of neck nervously. She cleared her throat and, unable to see directly into her student’s eyes, she looked towards the roof and carelessly said “Ehem . I might have already had the stone in my power all along, after all.”
All ponies once again shouted “What?” in unison.
“But Princess, where was it?” Twilight asked.
“Under my royal bed of course, so I could remember where it was easily” she said with a grin on her face, her eyes looking away from the ponies.
She regretted asking that as she facehoofed herself.
“Sister!” Luna spoke in a serious tone, backing Celestia up against a wall with her horn almost piercing Celestia’s chest. “We need to have a talk.”
Celestia’s pupils contracted as she looked at her student, terrified. Sweat drops rolled down her forehead and the smile turned into a grimace. Luna’s horn glowed blue and a second later, they were gone.
“Well that was strange…” Dash spoke.
“Y’all don’t say…” Applejack answered.
“Well it’s getting late you two, I better go before Spike gets mad at me for being late again. He’s my assistant but he can get really bossy now and then. I’m a grown mare for Celestia’s sake!” Twilight said.
Dash looked to the right to see that the sun had just set on the horizon and darkness had covered the land.
“Oh, yeah, well take care Twilight” she said goodbye.
“Yeah, take care. Come back soon y’all hear? Ah wouldn’t mind a lil’ bit of company these days.” AJ joined in.
The unicorn waved goodbye and said “Well, you will have Rainbow Dash by your side, that should be more than enough!” she said grinning, her horn glowed and she was gone.
“What did she meant by that?” Rainbow Dash inquired.
Applejack shrugged in response and looked away.
Silence filled the air moments after the lavender unicorn left, neither pony spoke a word.
Come on Rainbow, talk to her, now’s your chance
The pegasus obeyed her mind and slowly and hesitatingly got out of bed and walked over to her friend. Halfway there she stopped and said to herself “ Uh… thinking this thoroughly, maybe this isn’t the best moment to talk about it”
She turned around and went back to the bed. She hopped in and covered herself with the blanket, it was fairly hot inside the hospital, but as a pegasus, she was accustomed to clouds, that were comfier and warmer. She never felt cold when she was walking or trotting on the ground, but she needed warmth when she was sleeping, that’s why she hated when she needed to sleep on the ground and made herself a cloud house.
There were only two situations where she liked the ground:
a) Sleeping at Fluttershy’s cottage, because since she was also a pegasus, she always had several covers.
b) When she slept in the same bed with Applejack, on the clubhouse. She was so warm and comfy. Maybe… maybe they could sleep together once again, one of these days, maybe tomorrow, if she could gather enough strength to talk to her that is.
“Sugarcube?” Suddenly asked the orange earth pony.
“Yeah AJ?”
“What happened?”
“What do you mean?” asked worried the rose-eyed pegasus.
“Ah know y’all came here a spell ago. Ah can sense y’all, n’ hear yer hoofsteps.”
“Uh… Umm… It’s nothing to worry, I was worried about you and went to ask you how were you feeling, but you seemed asleep so I thought it was better to leave you sleeping.” “Good one, that should get me off the hook”
“Oh… ok. Thanks fer worrying Rainbow, but Ah’m okay.”
The two ponies fell asleep soon after that small talk.
White light… once again that stupid, unnatural white light. Yet another reason to hate hospitals.
She liked to be woken by the sunlight, it felt different, like that was the way to wake up.
But she was stuck here, with the stupid, unnatural white light. “At least I’m with AJ” she thought. “Well… it’s not like I’m not thinking about doing other things with AJ…” she sat in her bed, looked to her left and noticed there was a window there. “What a nice view I have” she sarcastically said.
After a roll of her eyes and an irritated sigh she turned towards her emerald-eyed friend. She looked like she was having a good and happy dream, given that goofy smile printed on her face.
“Lucky Applejack, I never get to remember what I dream… Well, except when I dream of you, that is.”
Suddenly the orange mare’s face cringed with pain as her leg made an unintended buck.
“AJ!” a weak desperate shout escaped from her mouth. She got rid of the blankets and she managed, weak as she was, to get to her friend’s side.
All the noise, along with the pain of the buck, woke Applejack up.
“G-gah… H-howdy Sugarcube… How did y’all s-slept?” She asked, trying as hard as she could to act like she was not in pain, but being the Element of Honesty she failed, making the cyan pony even more worried about her well-being.
“I’m okay, but I can’t say the same about you though…”
Applejack giggled a bit before wincing again.
“What’s wrong AJ? You were feeling better yesterday”
“Ah… Ah don’t know wholeheartedly, Ah reckon Ah’m a lil’ depressed. Y’all know me” She stated “Ah like to watch the sun rise n’ set, to be woken by the crow of the rooster, to work ‘til Ah can’t move anymore n’ sleep peacefully on mah bed after knowing Ah did the best Ah could fer the family. Here at this closed lil’ room Ah can’t do any of those.”
“Well, I can’t help you with that, but what I can do is…” Dash paused as she pondered what could she do for her, until suddenly she got struck with it. “I’m a genius! Twilight Sparkle my flank, I wanna see her coming up with this awesome idea.” “I can describe you what’s going on outside so you can feel like you’re out there!” Rainbow Dash proudly said believing that her obviously awesome idea would cheer up her orange beloved.
Applejack stared at her with a quizzical look. “Is this filly fer real?” She looked at her smug and confident face and answered her question herself. “Eyup… she’s fer real.”
She made her best to smile and answered “Well that is a jes dandy idea, Ah would love y’all to…”
“Okay, but I only have one condition.”
“N’ that is…”
“You can’t look towards me, in fact, you have to close your eyes, lay down, and let your imagination and your senses flow and merge.”
Applejack hesitated but soon obliged.
Rainbow sat and started “The sun bathes everything in it’s invigorating and warm light, the foals and fillies spent their time and energy rejoicing and playing under Celestia’s sunrays. A sweet cool breeze…” As she said that, the speedster pegasus swiftly and expertly flapped her wings generating a sweet cool breeze for Applejack to enjoy the moment and really get into it.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold yer horses Dashie” Applejack said, opening her eyes and pointing at Dash.
“What?”
“Since when y’all are better than Twi at story-tellin’ n’ describin’?”
“He, I guess reading too much Daring Do helps at something huh?” she replied with a smile on her face.
Applejack chuckled “Ah reckon it does.”
“May I?”
“Continue missy.”
Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to talk, but found it stuffed with a pink hoof. She was about to scream, when she saw Pinkie Pie besides her, signalizing to shut up and heard an exaggerated
“Shhh!” The pink mare looked both sides and said “It’s not visit time yet, I managed to enter unseen, and I should remain undercover.”
Rainbow Dash nodded and the baker pony took out the hoof of her mouth. Now, free to talk, the rose-eyed flying pony said in a soft tone “Hi Pinks, what are you doing?”
“Oh, I just came here to be with you two and cheer you up! What were you doing?”
“Rainbow here was tellin’ me how beautiful the sight was through that window by yer side”
Pinkie Pie looked to her side uneasily and said “Applejackie… There’s a-”
Rainbow Dash cleared her throat.
Pinkie looked outside once again and continued “a beautiful day out there! Birds chirping, sun shining, everything is lovely”
“I know right? That’s why I was describing it to AJ” Said Rainbow Dash “and soon you’ll be out playing and running under the sunlight on a pretty day like today.”
Applejack smiled widely, which made Rainbow smile widely, and as everypony knew, seeing her friends smile made Pinkie Pie smile a mile-wide smile. She cheerfully said “Soooo… who wants cake!” She pulled out a cyan cake with orange frosting details that read ‘Get better soon Appledash’.
“Appledash?” asked the cow-pony with a smirk.
“I couldn’t fit the two names. Don’t you like it? I think it’s a good mixed name, they complement each other perfectly, it’s like your names were meant to be one in this one awesome name.”
“Well, a cake is a cake, with full names or half names, it will end up in my stomach soon anyways.” Rainbow Dash said before slicing a piece.
They spent the morning talking and eating until Pinkie started having a combo. “E-ear flop… Eye flutter… Knee twitch! Oh no! Opening doors, somepony’s coming!” She cleaned everything, gathered the remaining things and put them on a plastic bag. She then jumped through the window on Applejack’s side saying “I was never hereeee!”
Applejack looked at Rainbow and said “Weren’t we on a second floor?”
“Yeah… but she’s Pinkie, she’ll be fin-”
She was cut mid-sentence by an opening door, revealing Nurse Redheart and Fluttershy, hiding behind her.
“Girls, you have a visitor, should I let her in?”
“Howdy Nurse Redheart. Of course y’all can let Fluttershy in, in fact, y’all can pay us a casual, non-professional visit sometime too.”
“Thank you Miss Applejack.”
“Please, jes call me AJ, or Applejack, drop the ‘Miss’ thingy.”
“Ok. I will pay you to a visit, later today perhaps, if not, maybe some of these days you could let me taste your famous apple treats.”
“Of course, no problem partner!”
“Now I will leave you three alone.” She said stepping aside, letting Fluttershy in.
As soon as Fluttershy entered the room, Nurse Redheart closed the door a bit harshly. Something that made Fluttershy jump up squeaking.
Rainbow chuckled at the sight and asked “What are you doing here Shy?”
“Oh, um… nothing, I was just umm… I just wanted to see you… D-do… Is it a bad time? D-do you want me to go?”
“Nah, don’t get all shaky, come here. We’re fine, how ‘bout y’all”
“I-I’m… fine.”
“Still worried since that day?” asked the rainbow maned pegasus.
“Y-yes… I can’t take it out of my mind.”
Rainbow knew what she needed to do. She walked, as she could, grabbed her friend by the neck and dragged her towards Applejack’s bed.
Applejack knew what she was thinking and as soon as Fluttershy was at hoof-reach, she lunged forward and said “Group hug!” pulling them closer.
Fluttershy tensed up at first but then she let herself go and started crying.
After some minutes of unintelligible squeaks and words, they finally made out some words “Oh girls I’m so sorry, it’s all my fault.” After some more whining and whimpering she continued “I-if only I were strong-”
“Shhh… calm down Sugarcube, it’s not yer fault, N’ we are safe and sound, that’s all that matters now!”
“B-but… what about your leg? N-now you won’t be able to work, and your family will become poor and you will b-”
“Now, now, that’s not gonna happen. N’ besides Kicks McGee has been trough a lot more and took many blows before. N’ y’all heard the doc, Ah’ll be jes dandy.”
Fluttershy finally stopped her crying and sighed relieved. “Thanks girls… I feel so much better now.”
But Rainbow Dash knew it wasn’t true, she has known her since they were little fillies, she knew her, and she knew when she was ok and when she wasn’t. “Shhh Shy, calm down, calm down and stop crying please. I don’t like to see you crying, mostly because… well, even though it’s not exactly my fault, it is because of me. Stop crying, you’re making me feel bad and guilty.”
And with that the dams broke again “B-but Rainbow, I could have lost you that day, and with you, everything I hold dear! What was I supposed to do if you died? I don’t think you get it” She looked at Rainbow Dash in the eyes, sorrow and despair clearly printed in her gaze “You are my oldest friend, my best friend, my confident, my guardian, my savior, my… my…”
And with that Rainbow Dash got it, it all fell into place: Why she always cheered for Rainbow, why she always helped her when she was feeling sick, why she always listened to everything she said, even if she was talking all day about flying and the Wonderbolts, she would listen to every single word, but more important of all… Why she got the idea of kissing her so Rainbow could see if Applejack was actually the love of her life or not…
Fluttershy was in love with Rainbow Dash… Or that was what she thought, but Rainbow was sure it wasn’t the case. She needed to make Fluttershy realize her error, talk her into her senses, and she knew just the thing to do for Fluttershy both stop crying and listen to her.
But first… she needed permission.
She looked at her orange mare straight in the eyes, the two knew each other so well, they could talk by just looking at each other.
Applejack read the words from Rainbow’s gaze and suddenly froze. “No… y’all are not thinkin’ that, are y’all? No, Ah’m not letting y’all do it.”
“Come on AJ, just look at her!”
“O-okay… she needs it… J-just make it quick.”
The first thing that made open her eyes and shut up was her confusion and surprise, since she couldn’t make out a word about what her two friends were talking about. The second thing, though, was probably the main reason… Rainbow Dash gave her a peck right on her lips. Something was not right here…
“R-Rainb… Huh? I-I don’t get it… I thought…” She said looking at Applejack quizzically.
“Did you liked it?” asked the cyan pegasus.
“Y-yes?”
Dash groaned “That wasn’t the answer I was looking for… AJ, your turn”
“Now Rainbow, as much as Ah care for her, Ah wont kiss’er. We won’t turn to kiss’er jes to make her understand that’s not the way her barn-door swings, it will only confuse her more.”
Fluttershy’s eyes widened and she felt like fainting. “G-girls?”
“It’s Fluttershy who we’re talkin’ about, she doesn’t need actions, she needs words.”
“But I’m no good at speaking, you know that.” Rainbow Dash replied.
“G-girls?”
“Fer once, y’all gotta get in her hooves. Lemme handle her this time.”
Fluttershy was officially dumbfounded. What was happening around her? She had not a single clue.
“Fluttershy” Applejack said tenderly, looking at her. “Y’all love Rainbow, don’t y’all?”
“Y-yes…?”
“Yes, y’all do, y’all don’t have to hide it. Well, Ah love her too.”
“Fluttershy nervously looked away and said “Oh, I-I’m sorry, I-I can try to stop loving her if you really want me to…”
Applejack waved a hoof in the air and corrected her “No, no, don’t be silly now. Ah’m tryin’ to say we both love’er, she loves us both back, n’ Ah also love y’all.”
Fluttershy blushed and asked “A-are you suggesting we…?”
“NO! No, mah stars, yer getting it all wrong” she hasted to correct “Stop thinkin’ about triangles. Ah’m tryin to get y’all to understand, n’ it’s getting quite hard Ah must say, that there are different kinds of love, n’ different ways to show it.”
Fluttershy’s cheeks burned even brighter and redder.
“No, not that way!” A soft blush crossed her face as well. “Whoa Nelly, Ah’m surprised, Ah didn’t expected to get that kind of reaction from y’all.”
“I-I’m sorry…”
“Don’t be Sugarcube, its natural.”
Rainbow Dash was looking at her lover talk with her long-time friend, trying to decipher what was the orange mare planning.
“Now, what Ah’m trying to say, Luna help me this time, is this: Y’all love Rainbow Dash, here by mah side, but not in the way Ah do, not in the way y’all think y’all do neither.” Fluttershy shot her a confused look but Applejack continued anyways. “Y’all are jes confused ‘cause all the stallions y’all have met ‘til now were mean to y’all n’ to Rainbow, well… All except fer one…” “Maybe that is mah best shot… besides Ah would be killin’ two birds with one stone… Glad Fluttershy can’t listen to mah thoughts, she would faint thinkin’ bout two dead birds.” “Ah’m gonna try sumthin… sumthin a bit more practical. But not like Rainbow’s plan”
“Yeah, yeah I’m not a good planner, get over it already.”
Fluttershy nodded slightly and said “O-okay…”
“Close yer eyes n’ listen to me… make a mental image of what Ah say.”
“Alright.”
“Think about… let’s say… Rarity. She’s good to her friends, caring, generous…” She then changed her voice to a lower and enticing tone. “Well groomed mane, nice-lookin’ legs…”
“Applejack!” Fluttershy said while opening her eyes wide.
“Shush n’ imagine what Ah tell y’all to! N’ y’all” she said pointing a hoof at Dash “Y’all don’t say a word ‘bout this.”
“Okay.”
Applejack looked at her for some seconds, then back to Fluttershy, and continued “nice-lookin’ legs, slim n’ stylized body, kickin’ curves ending in a good, round flank…” She inspected the pink-maned pegasus’s reaction… Nothing, just a bit of confusion and embarrassment.
Rainbow Dash was inspecting Applejack, those commentaries about Rarity were pretty weird and she wanted to know how truth they were. Finding no clue, she relaxed, but knowing that Applejack couldn’t lie made her uneasy.
“Okay, that’s what Ah needed fer the first half of the experiment, now… Lets think about…” She stopped a moment to ponder who could be the next test subject. Seconds later she got the perfect one. She slowly said. “BIG Macintosh”
Applejack got the exact reaction she wanted by stressing the ‘big’ part. Fluttershy swallowed hard, and inhaled a bit deeper than normal. Applejack, once again with her tender, nice voice said “He’s tender, cares fer the ones he love, he’s good with animals, very intelligent…” Back with her bedroom voice, she added “Huge muscles, rock-hard body…”
It was more than enough, after a few words she got an overwhelming reaction, just as expected. The usually pale-yellow cheeks were crimson red, her wings were trembling (though Applejack wasn’t very sure if she was trying them not to spring wide open, or if she was unsure if covering her face with them or not), and she moved her mane away from her face with a hoof and started fanning herself with it.
Rainbow Dash noticed this and victoriously exclaimed “Aha! If that’s not a proof then I don’t know what is it!”
“Now Rainbow, stop fer one more minute, lemme handle this ‘til the end.” She turned towards Fluttershy and said “Now y’all can open yer eyes Sugarcube”
The shy pegasus, who was taking deep breaths to recover her composure did as told, but couldn’t meet those green eyes.
“Sugarcube, y’all care fer RD, n’ y’all do love’er, but as a friend, a sister, maybe even more, but not as a lover, yer not attracted to her. As Ah tried to tell y’all, yer barn-door doesn’t swing that way.”
“Y-you may be r-right… Now that I think about it, I-I never thought about her in that way… and you are right when you say I’ve never met a stallion who wasn’t mean. B-but I still don’t get who’s the one you call ‘t-the only one’.”
“Listen Sugarcube, y’all are very good n’ smart, but sumtimes y’all need a lil’ push. Listen to me, n’ listen closely.”
Fluttershy got closer to her bedridden friend.
“Y’all go home now, fast.”
“W-what? D-did I said something I shouldn’t?”
“Y’all go now n’ prepare yerself fer a date”
“W-what!?”
“What y’all heard, y’all will date a stallion tonite!”
“B-but you just helped me figure myself out, a-and I’m not even sure about my sexuality yet!” said the pegasus, terrified.
“Well y’all are about to find out that then! Now run! Run, groom yerself n’ wait in yer cottage ‘til 7 o’ clock. He’ll be there by then.”
“O-okay, I’ll do that. B-but wait! What do I wear? W-what do I do!”
“Jes wear sumthin nice but not flashy, n’ act natural, be yerself. If he really likes y’all, then make’im like you fer who y’all are, not ‘cause of a masquerade. Now go!”
“O-okay tha-thank you so much Applejack! I’m so happy and excited I could just scream of Joy!” She inhaled ridiculously deeply and “Woohoo” A soft and barely-audible cheer escaped her mouth.
It was actually funny, she always shouted at a lower volume than the one she used for normal talk, probably it was because she was afraid it would be too loud.
As soon as she finished ‘shouting’, she hastily fluttered out the door exclaiming “I’m going to have a date! A date!... wait.” She poked her head through the open door and said “W-who is he?”
“Don’t y’all worry none, Ah know jes the perfect stallion fer y’all”
“O-ok, thank you girls! I love you two, but not in that way!” she said giggling and winked at the girls, finally embracing her newfound reality.
After Fluttershy was out of sight, Rainbow Dash looked at Applejack and asked “How do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“She confessed her undying love for me, a mare, and in less than ten minutes you got her to squeal from happiness because she was about to have a date with a stallion. What the buck AJ!”
“Ah was not gonna let her have y’all”
“Aww, that’s sweet.” She looked upwards, to the ceiling and said “So… Rarity has a ‘delicious flank’?”
Applejack groaned at the comment, rolled her eyes and explained. “Oh c’mon Rainbow, y’all know Ah did it fer Fluttershy. Ah needed to see her reactions.”
“Hmm… I don’t know… your eyes seemed to have a little spark while you talked about it” She said with fake resentment and made a little pout. “It made me a little jealous, I confess…”
“Oh don’t be silly now. Y’all know Ah like yer flank more than any flank around.”
“Oh yeah? Then prove it, give it a kiss.” She said grinning slyly, turning around and looking at the orange mare over her shoulder.
“Rainbow, if y’all really think Ah’m gonna kiss yer flank, in a public hospital, with the door wide open, then y’all belong to the madponies wing of this here hospital.” She replied, laughing. Soon the rainbow-maned mare was on the floor laughing, her muscles ached a lot, but laughing made it all better.
Applejack had to stop laughing because of the pain, but still, she was happy. It was such a relief that they could joke around like this, now that they knew what Rainbow Dash felt for her, and Rainbow knew what she felt. Obviously there was ‘The Big Talk’… they still had to have that one… "But that’s a problem fer future Applejack”
“So… who’s the lucky stallion? Being the Element of Honesty that wasn’t a lie, was it? Besides, hyping her up to let her down after that would be very mean, and the sweetest, most loyal of friends and dependable of all ponies wouldn’t do such a cruel thing.”
“It’s a secret fer now, Ah owe him a favor and he owes me one, so Ah think this will be both a favor to me n’ to him. But… Dashie, could y’all do sumthin’ fer me?”
“Yeah, of course, whatever you want.”
“Could you ask Nurse Redheart to communicate with Rarity?”
Rainbow grinned slyly and raising her eyebrows she asked “What, you want to check her ‘delicious flank’ out again?”
“Would y’all stop it with that joke already? Sayin’ that was as painful fer me as talkin’ all sexy ‘bout mah own brother” She shivered at the fresh memory “That was weird n’ disgustin’… What do fer mah friends…” She sighed.
“So… what do I tell the nurse to tell Rar?”
“Jes tell’er to bring that pony here, Ah wanna give her a task only she can perform.”
“Shake her ‘deli-”
“Y’all tell that joke once more, n’ Ah swear to Luna Ah’ll give y’all a headache.”
“Okay, okay, I’ll stop it. And I’ll bring her here… but you better not check her bum… Not. Even. Once. You hear?”
“It’s not like Ah wanna neither.”
Dash walked backwards to the door that lead to the hospital’s corridor, gaze fixed on Applejack’s eyes and a stern face. Before reaching the door, she couldn’t help it anymore and burst out laughing.
Applejack sighed relieved and giggled at Rainbow’s actions.
Soon the cyan pegasus was out of sight, which gave the cow-pony time to think.
“’The Big Talk’… Ah need to tell’er tonite… no more escaping, nor waiting fer her to give the first step. Ah know she was ‘bout to talk it with me last night, Ah should have insisted more for her to tell me, Ah should have known she needed a lil’ help, she was always a bit insecure in this kind of emotional stuff. But tonite Ah won’t let it slip again, Ah’ll-”
Her train of thoughts was stopped by a rainbow tail and a cyan rump behind, walking towards her.
“Rainbow, what the hay are y’all doin’?”
“To make you forget about Rarity forever, I will be swinging my flank all day long in front of your face.”
Applejack chuckled at that and said “Well Ah won’t tell y’all not to do so, but Ah’d like y’all to describe what’s goin’ on outside, like y’all did before.”
“Oh, alright, let me just…” She shook her behind in front of Applejack, which made her blush, and continued. “There, now let’s see what’s going on outside…”
After ten minutes of Rainbow Dash talking, the two mares heard a knock on the door. Applejack, who was completely enthralled by Dash’s description, snapped back to reality and opened her eyes.
“Wow Rainbow, that was really lovely, the way you described the scene… It really worked, Ah’m a heap happier now, but Ah reckon y’all should open the door.”
“Yeah, maybe it’s…”
The door opened to reveal a white pony with a royal purple mane.
“My, my, darlings! I came as fast as I could possible do when I learnt you two needed me, is there something wrong?”
“…Rarity.” Finished Rainbow Dash.
“Howdy Rarity, we’re okay, but Ah need y’all to do sumthin’ fer me” Applejack thought about it a second an then corrected herself. “Well, it’s more fer Fluttershy… let’s jes say y’all gotta do it in the name of Love.”
That piqued Rarity’s interest.
“Oh dear, do tell me what is it about!”
Applejack motioned for her to get closer and started whispering to her ear.
Rainbow Dash could just observe and analyze Rarity’s expressions. Intrigue, stupefaction, joy, expectation, and then confusion.
“Him.”
“Eyup, the one and only”
“You told Fluttershy she was going to date Him?”
“Oh no, it’s an absolute secret, even fer her. Besides, what’s so wrong ‘bout him anyways?”
“No, no it is… he is very handsome and everything, but are you one hundred percent sure they will get along and share common interests?” The white mare said with a forced smile and a worried look on her eyes.
“More than y’all think, actually. Besides, Ah heard sum commentaries on his side now n’ then…”
“I still do not get why you need me in this plan of yours.”
“Ah need y’all to go look fer him, y’all know, ‘cause Ah’m bedridden n’ stuff… Drop the news, n’ make a vest fer him.”
“Must I do all those things?”
“Eyup, y’all must. Y’all Must. Y’ALL MUST!” She said, resembling one of Rarity’s various pleads.
“Do you want me to umm… civilize him?”
“Y’all will be surprised by how civilized he is. Ah’m only asking y’all to dress’im, he knows how to handle the rest.” The orange mare said smiling. “In fact, he could talk with y’all n’ with Twilight fer hours ‘bout books, novels, whatever, even maybe fashion…”
“Really? Now that is a revelation. I will most certainly inquire him ‘bout that!”
“Now y’all should go! Jes make sure he gets there at 7 o’ clock.”
“Of course my dear! Goodbye to you two!” She said, but soon after starting to walk away, she stopped and turned around to look at Applejack with a pouting face. “I-I… I know this may sound a little weird, but may I ask you a little question darling?”
Applejack looked at Rainbow Dash to see if she got something, seeing she was shrugging she decided to just answer “Well… Sure partner, what is it?”
“Do… Do you think I’m pretty?” Her eyes seemed like they were about to shed tears.
Applejack blushed and found herself in a predicament. She looked at Rainbow Dash, whose jaw was dropped, almost hitting the floor.
“A-Ah… Ah… Well… yeah? Y’all are… pretty fer stallions Ah guess…? W-why are y’all asking that all of a sudden?” She asked genuinely thinking maybe Rainbow Dash might have talked to her first and planned it all to see what she would say.
“It is just that, look at Fluttershy, here, getting a date, and I am here, alone… Now that I think about it, it has been a long time since I do not have any invitation nor compliment from a stallion…”
“Well… Spike’s always saying sweet things at y’all! He’s not an… stallion exactly, but Ah’m sure he’s not the only one that thinks that… Right RD?”
Rainbow Dash snapped and thought of something to say, suddenly, she knew exactly what to say.
“Of course Rar! In fact, Applejack here, thinks you have a deli-” Everything turned white for some a few seconds and her ears were ringing, the left one probably because that’s what happens when your head hits the bed, and seeing Applejack’s hoof in the place where her right ear used to be pretty much gave up what happened.
“OUCH!”
“Ah told y’all Ah would give y’all a headache. N’ Rarity, what Rainbow was ‘bout to say, is that Ah think y’all have a very deli-cate personality, n’ that’s very attractive to sum ponies, don’t y’all worry none, y’all find the perfect stallion fer y’all soon.”
“Thank you oh so much Applejack, it’s just what I needed to hear. I will get going now, see you two tomorrow girls!” She hastily ran away.
“So, who is it?” Asked RD, rubbing her head to deal with the pain.
“Mah brother.”
“Big Mac?”
“Eyup. He always talks ‘bout that shy, humble cute pegasus he saw when y’all helped us on the last Applebuck Season, n’ after those two good-fer-nuthin’ twins Flim n’ Flam came to town, he started talkin’ bout her once again.
“Hmm… well, they do love animals and stuff… besides, we already know Big Mac caused… a good impression on Fluttershy.”
Applejack chuckled and nodded.
“So… what are y’all gonna do when y’all get outta this hospital?”
“First of all, fly around, then…”
The two ponies talked for the rest of the day, hoping Fluttershy’s date would have gone alright.
Later that night, Applejack was laying on her side, facing away from her. Her long unbundled golden mane laid spread out on the pillow she laid on. Her Stetson was missing, probably waiting in the Everfree forest for her to get it back. The sun was gone, nevertheless, the golden mane seemed to emanate light itself. Rainbow was hypnotized by this, following the curves of her hair with her eyes. Her glance soon stopped following the hair, and started following her body’s curves. She was so beautiful that the cyan pony could barely resist the temptation of jumping on top of her and hugging her with every ounce of her strength, captivated by that sweet apple scent.
“Applejack?”
“Yeah Sugarcube?” she replied, rolling over to face her.
“I’m so sorry. Really”
“Fer what? Y’all did nothing wrong Sugarcube.”
“Yes I did, I could have stopped that Timberwolf from giving you that scar, but I didn’t. I was just too slow, too weak, too stupid!”
“Sugarcube, y’all know there was nothing y’all could do. Y’all saved mah life and Ah’m forever thankful fer that.”
“But you’re scarred for life” she said, her face starting to tear up.
“Hey” Applejack said, holding her friends face. “It doesn’t matter” she said, luckily remembering something that would make her friend feel better “N’ also, y’all listened to Rarity, she’ll make that fancy dress to cover it up! All that matters is that Ah love y’all. N’ y’all are here by mah side”
Dash looked at her, her cheeks started to turn hot. “I-I love you too Applejack.”
Both ponies grew closer to each other’s faces before they locked lips and kissed.
The kiss seemed to last forever as the memories and the feeling returned to the two.
They felt like they were floating, immersed in a never-ending sea of bliss and love, all the pain and the scars seemed to disappear as the kiss continued, liberating them from the burden that the two mares were carrying, for not being able to together as they wanted to these last few days. Separated by just a bed away, so close and yet so far away.
They finally broke apart, each smiling at each other.
“Sleep with me tonight, would y’all?” AJ asked blushing lightly.
Rainbow nodded and climbed into bed.
Both ponies held each other in their hooves as the night fell, covering the whole land in a dark blue light. They looked at each other’s eyes. Rainbow was lost on those green pools of wisdom, love, patience, and most important of all, Honesty.
Applejack was staring directly to the rose orbs she liked so much. Since they were little fillies Applejack always loved those eyes… those eyes that meant no harm, only willing to care, to protect, they showed Rainbow’s desire for fulfilling her duty with her friends, her Loyalty.
Sleep soon took hold of them. Both were forever happy.
One week later
Both ponies sat side by side in the grass with each other as the sun’s warm rays pressed on them. A picnic was laid out in front of them, each of their friends enjoying it one by one. The two had an announcement to make, and neither was ready to do so.
“So why did you two bring us out here?” Rarity asked, stirring her tea with her magic. She was wearing a purple dress with sapphire colored stripes, with a long yet not long enough to be uncomfortable, perfectly sized in a way only Rarity could come up with, no wonder her brand expanded through all of Equestria not many months ago.
“Yeah, you said you needed to tell us something super-duper important!” Pinkie said, bouncing up and down in excitement. “You know I like super-duper important notices! It’s a surprise party? Ooh, did I ruin the surprise?”
“Oh yes, I’m sure whatever you have to tell us is very important.” Fluttershy said with a grin. Even before this moment, she has had that stupid grin plastered in her face all day, maybe her date with Big Macintosh the other day did work out.
“Calm down, calm down, if, as you and I think it is, what they are going to tell us is important, then we should calm down and zip our mouths.” She said sternly, looking seriously at he friends. Then she turned around to look at the couple and winked at them.
“That’s right Sugarcube, this here is very important, n’ y’all should listen and zip yer mouth”
Pinkie Pie put a hoof over her mouth and moved it to the other end, indicating her lips were sealed.
Applejack shifted her weight between her hooves, circling a little rock in the floor with her hoof. She finally decided to push Rainbow Dash forward and say “So… how about you tell Rainbow huh?” Applejack said with a nervous smile.
Applejack could notice Rainbow's anger through her eyes, she didn't expect her to be such a chicken, but Applejack wasn't in condition to tell her friends.
“Ok fine I’ll tell you guys, but this might come as a shock.”
“I’m sure whatever you two have to say, we can take it” Rarity said before taking another sip of tea.
“Well okay… If you say so” she said, taking a deep breath. “Me and Applejack are dating.”
“WHAT!?” everypony yelled in unison except for Rarity who just spit her tea out at Pinkie, who didn’t seem to mind.
“Yippy! I’m so happy for you two. GASP! I’m gonna have to throw a party for you two!” An big intake of air later she continued “OhmyohmyohmythisisgoingtobesocoolandfunnyandamazinglycuteandsweetandbecauseofthatIhavetomaketheabsolutelyawesomebestpartyeveroftheevereversonEquestriatheuniverseandeverything! GASP! Oh I’m gonna have to do so much! Get balloons, streamers, party favors-“
“Pinkie, this is private for them, I’m pretty sure they don’t want a big party and all” Twilight interrupted.
“Oh we don’t mind at all right Sugarcube?” AJ asked.
“Well I- OW!” she was cutoff as her friend elbowed her. “Yeah, I don’t mind at all.”
All ponies turned to Rarity, whose mouth was still wide open and eyes big.
“Umm Rarity? Are you okay?” Fluttershy asked.
Nothing. She remained in the same pose.
“Hold on I know how to fix this” Dash said as she got up and walked towards her.
“Rarity” she whispered. “I’m gonna go and do some re-touches to your new dress.”
After those few words, Rarity sprung up, hooves up, about to hit the pegasus, and yelled “I’LL RIP YOU TO PIECES IF YOU DARE TO TOUCH ONE THREAD ON THAT WORK OF ART!”
“And she’s back.” Rainbow Dash said grinning slyly.
“Rarity what do you think of me and Rainbow dating?” Applejack asked.
“Well… I do must say that I am a little bit shocked at this. As much as I know you two, I never expected it, to be honest with you. But well, I shall say, if you’re happy, then I am happy too” she replied. “Besides, I always wanted to try matching couple dresses, I find them so cute but sadly there aren’t many couples I know that are willing to model for my.”
“But Rarit-”
“No, Rainbow Dash, as much as you and Applejack hate it, you will have to model for me, you are close friends and you will not be able to escape from me.” She said giggling in a rather evil way, something that made Rainbow Dash swallow hard. She then turned towards Applejack and asked “But Applejack, dear, aren’t you afraid of what everypony else might think?”
The farmpony walked over to Dash and said. “Well as long as Ah’m with her, Ah’m not afraid of nuthin’.” Applejack grabbed Rainbow and tilted her before locking lips passionately. A chorus of ‘gasps’ and ‘awws’ escaped their friends.
“Ah love y’all Sugarcube”
“I love you too”
THE END
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