The fresh essence of the pine tree entered Rainbow Dash's nostrils while she walked into the Sweet Apple Acre's farmhouse. A mistletoe greeted her on the way into the house, and fresh holy and streamers were strewn across the family room. The tree was as baren as it had been when she'd gone to retrieve the last of her belongings from what was left of her cloud home that hovered lonesomely above Ponyville. Instead, she'd now be living with her fiancée, Applejack, and the other three members of the Apple family.
The bag full of belongs was balanced out on Rainbow Dash's wings, and she walked into the bedroom which she and AJ now shared. An aroma of fresh apples hit her immediately, and she half-levitated half-walked her way into the room, setting the bag down the freshly made bed. Instead of the once wholesome room decorated with apples and flowers, there was a collection of objects that drew the room together into a cozy living arrangment for both of the mares. The bed had been switched into a larger king sized bed, shaped out of an apple, with matching rainbow-colored zap apple prints to match. The bed appeared to be soft to the touch, was soft like a cloud for the pegasus, and firm as a noormal bed for the earth pony. The once familiar painting hanging up above AJ's bed was one of an anonymous pony that appeared to be basking in the sunlight, and instead was a collage of Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and the rest of their friends.
The room had been turned from an earthy green into a warm and inviting dark blue, giving the room a much calmer feeling. Any signs of pink had been stripped from it, and instead complimented the arrangement of the furniture and rooms colors, bringing it all into one welcoming and amazing scene. That had been the terms Rainbow Dash asked for if she'd be sleeping with her marefriend in the same room. No. Girly. Things. Allowed. Period. If the Rainbow Dash was to move into a house of her lover's family, she would at least have an equally awesome scene to where she could relax with the pony that she loved. A little known secret between AJ and Rainbow Dash was that on nights when the stars twinked brightly, Rainbow Dash could simply hover to the ceiling of the room, and unlock a secret latch to unveil the hidden window. There, she and AJ would watch stars for hours in complete silence, entertwined in one another's embrace.
Rainbow Dash's eyes had closed at the memories of the earlier summer months before her and AJ had become engaged, and a hole in her heart swelled at the tender moments between her and the earth pony. While Rainbow Dash longed for the warmness of summer, and for the days where she could fly in the sky and feel the wind in her fur on a warm day, she also enjoyed the winter. The smell of the the fresh baked goods that the family seemed to always have perpared, the warmness of the cider at dinner, the closeness of her and her friends together once more. Including the nights of storms and rain, sometimes even snow, where Rainbow and Applejack could curl up into a warm ball of mingled coats and breaths, and fall asleep to the sound of the wind blowing.
The sound of hooves behind her alerted Rainbow Dash that someone had entered the room and was watching her with gentle eyes. Slowly, the cyan mare turned around and stared intently at her visitor. Magenta eyes met the brilliant green of her lovers, and then the warmth of arms could be felt around her as the two embraced. Applejack's hair smelt of holly as she nuzzled into Rainbow Dash's mane, beginning to coo at how warm the pegasus felt on this evening. The two had not seen the most of each other for the past two weeks, as Rainbow Dash had been busy moving and making arrangments for the wedding, while Applejack remained at home and worked on the farm, perparing for the harsh storms of winter.
"Ya always have had the prettiest of eyes, Rainbow," Applejack commented while her eyes glistened with fresh tears, clearly content that she was at last able to hold her favorite mare in her arms once more,"Ah really do hope that ya can stay around for Heath's Warmin' this year.." Applejack once more closed her eyes as she felt Rainbow Dash reach up to begin to stroke her blonde mane.
"AJ you know that I wish I could stay longer, and I promise I'll be home a lot more than I was for a few weeks. My entire life now is going to be focused on me and you. Forever and until the end of time, but right now, we need to get the wedding and everything else settled out before we can think about us." Rainbow Dash's voice was at a whisper now, and her breath was warm upon the earth pony's ear. Her rainbow mane gently tickled AJ's forehead, but she could feel the other pony beginning to let her body untense.
"Ah suppose you're right, ah just miss ya is all, sugarcube." Applejack moved away from the warm embrace now, and stood up straight, before offering a warm and grateful smile at Dash. The same smile that could always make the pegasus's heart melt and her mind race to distant lands where she would be able to swoop down and have Applejack any way she wished to have her. Rainbow's cheeked blushed and she turned her head away, but the smile was returned shyly. The earth pony still had the same affect on her now as she did when they first met.
"Come on sugarcube, lets start gettin' the decorations on the tree and hangin' the rest of 'em." Applejack turned without another word and exited the room, giving a soft smirk while she felt Rainbow Dash's eyes graze into her backside and watch her from a distance. Rainbow Dash hovered into the air and then perched into the hallway, stopping to stare at the pictures of various settings that decorated the hallways. There were generations of apple trees that had been planted and photographed, each with its own label and title. Other photos were of the Apple family together, some at reunions, and some where it was Big Mac, AJ, Applebloom, and Granny Smith, all beaming at the camera. Some were of birthdays, AJ's and Winona, AJ's first rodeo, Big Mac bucking apple trees, Granny Smith with her tongue out as she was seen talking to a jar with an awe struck baby Applebloom sitting next to her.
She continued to walk alongside the pictures and abruptly paused, her eyes trailing over two ponies in a picture frame. One was a mare who strongly resembled her future wife, a beautiful red with captivating eyes identical to Appleboom's. Her hair was the same fair blonde as AJ's, but next to her stood a rather gentle looking colt. His face was covered in freckles, and he had the same dazzling eyes as AJ's, he was yellow with a vibrant red mane. The picture seemed to stick in her mind for several moments, and Rainbow's eyes opened wider as she realized who these ponies were.. AJ's parents. The same ones that had passed away due to unknown causes several years ago, and had left AJ and her siblings in their grandmother's care.
Rainbow Dash turned her head away, and began to feel a bit sickened at the thouht of what could have happened to them to rip such a gorgeous family apart. The thought of the pain AJ had endured after their deaths caused her right eye to twitch, and she began to grind her teeth. The thought of AJ in any kind of pain was enough to make her lash out at any pony, but she retained the anger and composed herself, continuing to walk down the hallway and into the living room. Granny Smith was sleeping in her rocking chair, while Applebloom pranced around the room, balancing a few scaucers upon her head. Big Mac was nowhere to be found so Rainbow Dash insisted he was in the barn tending to the animals once again before supper time.
Applejack was beginning to decorate the tree, and was balancing herself upon a tall ladder that appeared a bit too unsturdy for her weight. Rainbow Dash watched, a bit amused as she watched AJ wobble around, grumbling under her breath about how the "damned tree was too big". At last, the pegasus took pity upon the earth pony and casually hovered up to her, shifting her posture to a relaxed one, and she pretend to be oblivious to AJ's struggling.
"So Applejack, do you need some help with the decorations?" The cyan pegasus asked casually, looking down at her hoof as if it were the most interesting thing in the world at the moment.
"Ah'm goin' to kill you RD."
