Dresses and Desireby One True ThrondChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 1Rarity looked through the pile of sketches on her desk. Sometimes, when she had spare time, she would whip up designs for herself, or for her friends. Of course, she didn’t want to impose upon her friends to wear these dresses, so many of them were yet to come to fruition. Sometimes, she would have the opportunity to give them away as birthday presents, usually to Twilight, Fluttershy or Pinkie, who would most appreciate it. Twilight would be able to make use of them when visiting Canterlot, whereas Fluttershy enjoyed trying them on from time to time. Rarity was unsure if Pinkie ever actually wore them or if she was just enthusiastic about every gift she was given, but she preferred to think the former. Applejack and Rainbow Dash, however? Rarity perished the thought. Those two only reluctantly wore dresses on some very special occasions, like the Gala or the Royal Wedding. She knew them well enough to know that they’d only be disappointed by such a gift. At the same time, she occasionally allowed herself to imagine actually making these dresses; actually realizing these concepts. So many ideas she had, and yet she would never get a chance to actually make them. Rarity looked over to her side to see her cat Opal laying on the carpet. “Oh Opal, if only there was some way I could convince them to wear it,” Rarity said with a sigh, “They’d look so dazzling in them too, I’m sure of it.” The cat showed no sign that it was taking any interest in what Rarity was saying, though it did look at her for a moment. “But it’s not meant to happen. They wouldn’t even have any need for dresses, anyways. They’re always getting dirty and roughhousing. I swear they’re more like beasts than ponies sometimes.” Suddenly, an idea crossed Rarity’s mind. Perhaps she could utilize that competitive nature of theirs. If she goaded them, they just might inadvertently agree to wear one of those dresses, allowing her the opportunity to see her creations in action. Oh, she’d have to get to work right away! Rarity could hardly contain her excitement. She sat down at her sewing desk. “Opal, I have a plan.” The skies were clear. Not a cloud in sight. Applejack relished in such a day. It was perfect weather for selling apples, of course, and she could use some time in town after a long work week. “That’ll be 1 bit,” Applejack said. Her customer dropped down a golden coin on her desk, before leaving with her bag of apples. Applejack looked around for more customers. Instead, she spotted the pegasus likely responsible for the nice weather. “Howdy, Rainbow!” “Hi, Applejack! What’s up?” Rainbow Dash replied. “Oh, you know, just selling apples.” “Cool. It’s a nice day for that, isn’t it?” Rainbow said with a smug grin. Obviously, she was the one responsible for the day, being a weather pony and all. “Yes, it sure is, Rainbow,” Applejack responded. Rainbow was quite the arrogant one, that’s for sure. Suddenly, a third voice chimed in. “Oh, hi, Rainbow. Hi, Applejack,” Rarity said. “Selling apples, I see?” “Well, I am,” Applejack said, “want one?” “Don’t mind if I do,” Rarity replied. Applejack handed her an apple. “So, Rarity, how about yourself? What are you up to?” Rainbow asked. “Actually, I was hoping to ask a favour of you two.” “Oh? What kind of favour, sugarcube?” asked Applejack. “I was hoping that you might be able to try on some dresses for me,” Rarity asked. Rainbow immediately broke into laughter, and Applejack quickly followed. Rarity only smiled. Everything was going according to plan. “That is, if you’re not scared.” The effect was instantaneous. Both ponies stopped laughing, their mouths hanging open. They were shocked. Did Rarity just challenge them? Rainbow was the first to talk. “Scared? Yeah, right!” Rarity turned her head to Applejack. “I’m not scared of any dresses!” Applejack said. “Good, then we can get started,” Rarity said. “Fine! Let’s go!” Rainbow said. Applejack nodded in agreement. Rarity turned around, headed towards her boutique. Rainbow and Applejack looked at each other, just now realizing what they’d just agreed to, and reluctantly followed. The three mares stepped inside the Carousel Boutique. By this point, Rainbow and Applejack had their heads lowered in anticipation of the embarrassment to come. “Well, girls, here we are. The dresses should be right in the back rooms. Applejack, would you please follow me?” Rarity said. Applejack raised her head, shrugged, and followed Rarity to a back room. As Rainbow waited, her mind began to wander. How had she gotten into this? She didn’t like any of that girly dress-up stuff. Oh, right, Rarity had challenged her. She couldn’t back away from that. She wasn’t scared of anything, and of course Applejack wasn’t either. Besides, she’d worn dresses before, at the Gala and the wedding. Still, those were special situations. She didn’t exactly go around wearing dresses in her spare time. That wouldn’t be cool, would it? Would it? Rainbow’s thoughts were interrupted by Rarity calling her name. “Rainbow, dear, could you follow me?” Rainbow shrugged and walked towards her friend. Rarity led her towards a different back room, on the other side of the main room. Meanwhile, Applejack stood in the other room. Rarity had shown her the dress she’d be wearing, which she must admit looked pretty nice-not that she cared about such things. Rarity had also insisted on doing up her mane, which Applejack had initially resisted but eventually gave in to. She bet she looked ridiculous. Rainbow’d probably laugh at her. Applejack frowned. Really, she just wanted this to be over with so she could get back home with her profits. But she wasn’t scared. A little embarrassed, maybe, but not scared. “Alright, girls, you can come out now,” Rarity said. After she had gotten Rainbow into her dress and worked her magic on Rainbow’s hair, she had walked out of the room to call her two newest customers out. She had then prepared mirrors so the two could admire her handiwork. Applejack and Rainbow slowly made their way out of their respective rooms, almost at the same time. The first thing Rainbow saw as she re-entered the main room was her own reflection staring back at her. Rainbow grinned. She looked awesome. The dress she wore wasn’t entirely dissimilar to the other ones Rarity had made her, but the design was quite different. The cloak was dominated by a spiralling rainbow lightning bolt on a light blue background, seemingly inspired by Rainbow’s cutie mark. Like her previous dresses, it ended in clouds. It was held on around her neck by a collar resembling a golden wreath, ending in a pendant molded into the shape of her cutie mark. Her mane was brushed down, falling neatly over her neck. However, instead of falling over her face, Rarity had combed it to the side to fall more over her ear. Rainbow posed in the mirror. She had to admit, she looked really good. Applejack, on the other hand, had a dress not like her previous one. Whereas the previous design had a cowboy-ish design, with a saddle and all, she now had a more regular-seeming dress. If anything, the design reminded her of an apple tree. It was a bright green colour, ending with a stitch that resembled a line of leaves. At regular intervals on the dress were elaborate apple designs. The cloth itself was more basic, resembling Rainbow's. Also like Rainbow’s, it came together around her neck with a wreath-like collar and a pendant of her cutie mark. As for her mane, it was braided up around the back, while around the front it was combed not entirely unlike it was at the Gala, falling nicely over her the side of her face. Rarity really did know what she was doing, which helped Applejack relax somewhat. Besides, if Rainbow did laugh at her, she could always just laugh back. The two ponies hesitantly turned their heads towards each other. They held each other’s gaze for a while, before relaxing as neither laughed at the other. “Well, what do you think?” Rarity asked. “I think they looks gorgeous, Rarity,” Applejack said. “Yeah, I look awesome in this!” Rainbow added. Applejack raised an eyebrow at her. “Okay, WE look awesome in these.” Rarity positively beamed. “Oh, I’m so glad you love them. I worked so hard on them, and I’d hate to see them go to waste,” Rarity said. “Why DID you make dresses for us, Rarity? You know we’re not interested in all that fashion stuff,” Applejack queried, raising an eyebrow. “I was bored.” Applejack stared at Rarity for a few more moments with a befuddled expression. “Well, alrighty then,” she said. “This wasn’t so bad, was it, girls?” Rarity asked. “Well…” Rainbow began, but Applejack cut her off. “I suppose not.” “Well, then, perhaps you’d be courageous enough to try again?” Rarity asked. “Please, that was easy. It didn’t require any ‘courage’,” Rainbow replied. “Then you will have no problem coming again next week.” “Not at all!” “Applejack?” The cowpony had some idea of what she was getting herself into, but she wasn’t about to let herself look like she was afraid of some silly dresses. Especially not now that Rainbow had agreed to it. “Alright. This time next week.” “Deal!” Rarity exclaimed. Applejack looked over at Dash. “What’d we just get ourselves into?” Author's Note Here's the first chapter of Dresses and Desire, now on FiMFiction! It too Chapter 2It had been a week. Rainbow Dash stood before the door to the Carousel Boutique, contemplating what she’d gotten herself into. She wasn’t afraid, of course. Nothing to fear about some dresses. She just didn’t really like them. Rainbow always found dresses to feel restrictive and to not allow for much movement. They weren’t something she regularly chose to wear. So how is it that this is the second time in the past couple of weeks that she’d found herself at this doorstep, about to be fitted into one? Then she remembered. Rarity had accused her of being afraid. Her? Afraid? The thought made her laugh. She wasn’t afraid of dresses. Fuelled by this thought, she walked into the boutique. She was almost immediately greeted by Rarity’s presence. Rarity could hardly contain her excitement. She’d thought she’d never get Rainbow all dressed up, yet here she was again. “Rainbow, darling! I’m so glad you showed up! Shall we wait for Applejack?” she blabbered excitedly. “Sure,” Rainbow replied. Her apple-farming friend was sure to show up. She wasn’t one to go back on her word. Surely enough, the door soon opened to reveal the mare in question entering the boutique. At the sight of her friends, Applejack’s expression broke into a small smile. “Hi, Rainbow. Hi, Rarity,” she said, not entirely enthused. Rainbow could relate. Rarity piped up. “Alright, girls, I’ll get you to your change rooms. Rainbow, since you arrived first, I’ll attend to you first.” With that, Rarity showed Rainbow to a dressing room. Before she knew it, Rainbow was dressed up. The outfit was surprisingly loose, and Rainbow felt she’d have a lot of room for movement. Rarity showed her a mirror, and Rainbow saw how she wore the dress. Her mane was trimmed and short, falling just above her eyes and neatly along Rainbow’s neck. The dress itself was buttoned up just below her neck, with strong pieces of fabric wrapping over her shoulders to bring the buttons to the holes. The pattern was one of a rainbow spiral - something which would look very good in the air. The dress had a lightness to it almost like a cape. Rainbow’s tail, too, was trimmed and combed. No longer was it a scraggly mess. Now it was something more presentable. “So, what do you think?” Rarity asked. “It’s awesome!” Rainbow replied enthusiastically. She’d expected something more girly, perhaps more constricted. This was a pleasant surprise. “It’s like a cape!” “Now, Rainbow, don’t get too carried away. It may resemble a cape, but it isn’t one,” Rarity said. “Yeah, yeah, I know.” “I’d better get to Applejack now. I’ll see you in a few minutes.” Applejack was waiting patiently in the foyer. Alone with her thoughts, she considered her current predicament. She didn’t really like dresses. A practical pony like herself rarely had much need for them. She didn’t really like the idea of wearing something so girly either. It’d make her look ridiculous. That said, Rarity had challenged her. She didn’t want Rarity to think she was afraid of something as frivolous as dresses, and she especially didn’t want to look like a coward next to Rainbow Dash. Applejack’s thoughts were interrupted by Rarity calling her name. “Would you follow me to the dressing room?” Rarity asked. Applejack nodded and was led to the room in question. After a few minutes had transpired, Applejack looked in a mirror at Rarity’s work. The outfit had a somewhat humble appearance, seeming less designed around frills and lace than around simple colours and bands. The predominant colour was red, with bands of gold at the bottom and top of the dress. In addition, one gold band was at a more diagonal angle and stretched across the dress like a sash. Applejack’s bangs were neatly pinned to the side, while her mane and tail were braided. “So, what do you think?” Rarity asked. Even if Applejack didn’t care much for wearing dresses herself, she could at least appreciate the designs. “It looks nice, Rarity. I like it.” “Thank you so much. Now, if you could wait in the foyer for just a moment, I’ll get Rainbow Dash.” Applejack returned to the foyer, watching Rarity enter the other room. Rainbow walked out. Applejack thought she looked pretty nice. Perhaps more than pretty nice, even. As Rainbow got closer, AJ realized just how well Rarity had brushed her up. Rainbow’s trimmed mane and tail complemented her sleek, athletic body. The dress itself also caught Applejack’s eye, its stunning spiral pattern making a striking impression. Applejack continued to take a look at Rainbow’s outfit, until realizing she was staring. She looked away and blushed. Rainbow found AJ’s outfit similarly striking, but her attention was drawn to AJ’s blush. The thought crossed her mind that her friend looked cute while blushing, but she hastily dismissed it. She didn’t think of her friends as “cute”. That was uncool. Rainbow felt a heat in her cheeks, and she saw Applejack’s blush deepen. Rarity left the room Rainbow was using, having been briefly distracted by a mess Rainbow made in her impatience. She was prepared to ask her two models about each other’s dresses, when the sight of their reddened faces answered her question before she asked. “Enjoying each other’s company?” she asked. Rainbow and Applejack jumped. “I… um… uh…” Rainbow stammered. “Yeah. Can we get on with our lives now?” Applejack interjected. Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Well, if you’re so eager to leave…” she mumbled. Just put the dresses back on their hooks. But, wait, you HAVE to let me take a few pictures first.” Rainbow and Applejack merely nodded simultaneously. About an hour later, Rainbow Dash and Applejack were leaving the boutique. Rainbow decided now would be the best time to bring up what happened earlier. “Hey, Applejack, what was that back in the boutique?” “What was what?” Applejack asked. “You know. You were totally checking me out.” “Ah don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Applejack, you’re a terrible liar.” “Ah was fixated on Rarity’s dress.” “Then why the blush?” “It was embarrassing to be caught staring. Besides, you were sporting quite the blush yourself.” Rainbow remembered what had caused that. She had thought of Applejack as ‘cute’. She still didn’t have any idea where that had come from. “Oh… right,” Rainbow said, “Well, um, see you later, AJ.” Applejack noted Rainbow’s sudden change of topic, but let her be. “See you, Rainbow,” she said. However, as Rainbow flew off, Applejack noticed something strange about her face. Rainbow was blushing again. Chapter 3Rainbow Dash lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling. Why was this bothering her so much? It was a brief slip. Nothing wrong with it. Applejack was her friend. She was cool, dependable, confident. Rainbow admired those traits. But cute? She didn’t think of Applejack that way. Rainbow knew it was silly, but she couldn’t stop thinking about that word. It must have been this whole dress ordea. It was making her think weirdly. This must just be because of how beautiful Applejack looks with her mane braided up like- Wait, where did that come from? Rainbow felt confused. She didn’t know why this was bothering her so much. or what was causing these thoughts. She was, however, aware of a warmth in her cheeks. She couldn’t deal with this on her own, but who should she turn to? She needed a close friend to help her understand her feelings. With a sigh, she got off the bed and turned towards the door. Meanwhile, Applejack was enjoying a moment’s respite from her work. She was glad to be done with all that dress business for the week, but she knew Rarity wasn’t done with her yet. She and Rainbow would probably need to try on yet more outfits next week. The thought of Rainbow Dash reminded her of the incident earlier today. She told Rainbow the dress held her attention, but that wasn’t all of it. Rainbow looked good. Really good. It wasn’t weird to think that of her best friend, was it? Applejack knew it wasn’t, but she couldn’t keep from feeling weird. And then Rainbow had blushed at her. Twice, in fact. Rainbow had avoided talking about it, but AJ knew it was about her. “Something bothering ya, sis?” Big Macintosh asked. “It’s nothin’. Just been feeling a bit weird since ah was talked into that dress thing with Rarity today,” she replied. “Do you wanna talk about it?” Applejack didn’t, really, but she knew her big brother just wanted to help. “ah dunno. Just, somethin’ weird happened today. Rarity made Rainbow look really good, an’ I dunno, seems weird to think of my friend like that. An’ then, when she noticed, sh started blushin’ somethin’ fierce, and wouldn’t talk about it later.” Big Mac raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. “Ah just dunno what to think. Rainbow’s a good friend, an’ I just don’ know what any of this means. I just wanna understand.” Big Mac nodded. “How do you feel about Rainbow?” he asked. Applejack was surprised by the question. “Well, she’s my best friend. We’ve been through quite a bit together. We have a sort of bond, I suppose,” Applejack said. Big Mac smiled. “Seems like you two are pretty close.” “Yeah, you could say that. Ah suppose of my friends she’s the one I can relate to the most. Strong, not girly, athletic…” “Well, clearly you and Rainbow are very good friends. There’s nothin’ odd about acknowledging your friend looks good.” Applejack looked up. “Ya think?” “Of course.” Applejack smiled and nodded. “Thanks, Mac.” “Though, maybe there’s more to it…” Mac mumbled. “What was that?” AJ asked, not quite hearing him. “Nothin’, AJ. Go on and get some rest,” he said. Applejack nodded and entered the farm house. Elsewhere, Fluttershy was enjoying a quiet evening when she heard a knock on her door. Opening it, she saw Rainbow Dash. “Hi, Rainbow. What brings you here?” she asked, softly as always. “I just need someone to talk to,” Rainbow said. “Well then, come in,” Fluttershy invited. Rainbow complied, and sat down on the couch. Fluttershy did the same. “So, Rainbow, what did you want to talk about?” Fluttershy asked. Rainbow told Fluttershy about about the dares, about the dresses, about the incident, and about the weird thoughts. “Oh my,” Fluttershy said. It occurred to her that she owed Rarity 10 bits. “It sounds like you have feelings for Applejack.” “Feelings?” Rainbow asked, trying to comprehend what her friend was saying. “I mean, you know, you like her.” “Are you saying…” Fluttershy nodded. “I do NOT have a crush on Applejack!” Rainbow shouted. “I’m sorry, it just sounded like…” Fluttershy began, looking for the right words. Rainbow felt even more confused. She didn’t have a crush on Applejack. Did she? “I’m sorry, Fluttershy. It’s just… I don’t know.” “I bet what you’re feeling is very confusing. It may take some time to understand,” Fluttershy said. “Yeah.. Thanks anyways, Fluttershy.” “You’re very welcome, Rainbow Dash.” Rainbow nodded and walked towards the door of Fluttershy’s cottage. “See you,” she said. As Fluttershy replied, Rainbow knew one thing for certain. It was going to be a long week. Back at Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack’s thoughts were echoing that sentiment. The more she thought about the incident with Rainbow Dash, the more confused she was. How did she feel about Rainbow? How did Rainbow feel about her? The questions became harder to answer. She knew they were close, but… how close? The events at the boutique replayed over and over in her mind. What had happened? What did it mean? Applejack considered what she thought of Rainbow. “Rainbow’s strong, confident, loyal,” she whispered to herself. She admired those traits. Rainbow Dash was a good friend… but was that all? Applejack shook her hand slightly. She was tired. She could always think about this tomorrow. For now, she needed some sleep. As the sun went down, Applejack closed her eyes, knowing that the following days were not going to be easy. Chapter 4Applejack awoke from yet another dream of a certain rainbow-maned pegasus. They had begun a few days after the incident, and for Applejack they contained answers. They were visions of her friend’s bravery, confidence, and loyalty. Visions of a friend who’d never let down those important to her. Visions of one of the greatest ponies Applejack knew. Applejack found a happiness in these dreams that she hadn’t expected.A sort of pleasure that was new to her, yet at the same time felt familiar. It brought good memories. Memories of a pony who was there for her before anyone else. Memories of the time spend with the friend she felt closest to. In this, Applejack found clarity. While she didn’t entirely understand what happened with Rainbow, she knew how she felt about it. The closeness she felt to her friend...That was something special. Perhaps it was mere infatuation, but it was vivid nonetheless. However, she and Rainbow hadn’t had much communication in the past week. She’d felt too awkward and confused, and clearly Rainbow felt the same. Suddenly, Applejack remembered something else. It’d been a week since her last appointment with Rarity. Which meant today Rarity would want her to come by for more dress-wearing. Applejack was still not entirely enthused by wearing dresses, but maybe now would be the time to tell Rainbow how she felt. That’d have to be later, though. Now she had work to do. A few hours later Applejack and Rainbow arrived at the same time to the Carousel Boutique. The two remained silent as they entered. Rarity was typically enthusiastic. She’d forgotten to convince them to return last week, and was delighted that they’d returned of their own accord. Just in case this was a mistake, though, Rarity said nothing. “Applejack, would you come with me to the dressing room?” she asked. Applejack nodded and went to the room she was now familiar with. Rarity was fitting her a new dress, and she considered what she’d say to Rainbow. Soon, she found herself looking in a mirror, and her jaw dropped. The dress was a sort of brown colour. It was a bit shorter than the previous ones, and ended at Applejack’s ankles. The dress was fastened by a few buttons at the top. Applejack’s hair was brushed up and tied around the back, not so much in a ponytail as in a series of clips and short braids. This time, Rarity elected to leave her tail alone, instead choosing to simply keep it trimmed above the dress’ bottom. However, what was the most notable was how Rarity had accessorized her. On Applejack’s hooves were tight, stylized boots. They were fancy, yet seemingly practical. Applejack was also given a stylized stetson with a white strip sewn on around the brim. “Wow, Rarity, This is amazing,” Applejack said. “Thank you so much, darling,” Rarity said. “Now, come out when I’ve taken Rainbow in. I want this to be a surprise for both of you.” Applejack blushed at Rainbow’s name. Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Alright, Rarity, go deal with Rainbow Dash. I’ll be out in a moment,” Applejack said. Rarity found Rainbow in the foyer. Rainbow had been thinking about Applejack, as she’d taken to doing rather frequently lately. Fluttershy was right. She did have a crush. But she didn’t know if she should tell anyone, or if AJ felt the same way. “Rainbow, would you come with me to the change room?” Rarity asked. Rainbow, happy for the distraction, followed Rarity to the room in question. Soon, Rainbow found herself in a breezy white dress, with the occasional splash of sky blue. It looked like Rainbow was wearing a cloudy sky. Her mane had grown back, so Rarity had brushed it down and out of her eyes. “Wow,” Rainbow said, looking at her reflection. Applejack was going to see her like this. The thought both excited and scared her. Rarity picked up on her nervousness. “What’s bothering you, darling?” she asked. “I… I don’t know. This dress thing… it started off as a stupid dare, y’know? But…” Rainbow paused, looking for the right words. “It’s like… I didn’t want to look uncool, especially in front of Applejack, but now it’s like… like I want her to see me. I dunno.” “Rainbow… do you have feelings for Applejack?” Rainbow’s face flushed a deep red. She looked away and simply nodded. Rarity raised a hoof to her mouth, eyes wide open. This whole situation had become much more than she had intended. “So, are you going to tell her?” Rarity asked. Now, it was Rainbow’s turn to don a shocked expression. “I don’t know. What if she doesn’t feel the same? I don’t want to hurt our friendship.” “Rainbow, you need to tell her. Applejack would want you to be honest with her.” “Yeah… I guess she would.” Rainbow paused. “I don’t… I don’t even know where these feelings came from. How did I get a crush…” Rainbow winced slightly. “...on Applejack?” Rarity smiled. “Darling, you two were always close. After all you’ve done together, this almost doesn’t come as a surprise.” Rarity was right. Applejack was Rainbow’s closest friend. The two had always brought something out in each other that only surfaced when they were together, and now Rainbow saw how special that was. “Yeah, you’re right,” she said. “So, go out there and tell her! I have a feeling it’ll go better than you expect.” “Thanks, Rarity,” Rainbow said with a smile, before heading out. Rainbow left the room. Applejack stood right across from her. When the two noticed each other, they both stood with their mouths agape, staring at each other’s dresses. After they had spent a minute admiring each other’s appearance, Applejack spoke. “Rainbow, I have something I need to tell you.” Rainbow’s heart skipped a beat. Applejack continued. “I think I have feelings for you, Rainbow. This whole dress thing started off as something we were tricked into, but over time I’ve come to care about how I look to you. I…” Applejack paused, seemingly deciding what to do next. Her thoughts were interrupted by Rainbow’s hoof on her mouth. Rainbow had tears streaming down her face, but she was smiling. Applejack soon matched Rainbow’s smile with one of her own, and the two met each other’s lips. Rarity stood in the entrance to the dressing room, smiling at her friends. Fluttershy owed her 10 bits. It occurred to her that the two might like some privacy, so she slipped quietly into her idea room. Applejack and Rainbow Dash finally pulled apart and looked into each other’s eyes. “You look great,” Applejack said. “You do too,” Rainbow replied. To Rainbow, that was an understatement. In that moment, Applejack looked gorgeous. The two smiled at each other. “So, uh… would you maybe like to go out for dinner sometime?” Rainbow asked. Applejack grinned. “Sure thing, sugarcube.” Both knew that this was the start of something wonderful.
Chapter 1Rarity looked through the pile of sketches on her desk. Sometimes, when she had spare time, she would whip up designs for herself, or for her friends. Of course, she didn’t want to impose upon her friends to wear these dresses, so many of them were yet to come to fruition. Sometimes, she would have the opportunity to give them away as birthday presents, usually to Twilight, Fluttershy or Pinkie, who would most appreciate it. Twilight would be able to make use of them when visiting Canterlot, whereas Fluttershy enjoyed trying them on from time to time. Rarity was unsure if Pinkie ever actually wore them or if she was just enthusiastic about every gift she was given, but she preferred to think the former. Applejack and Rainbow Dash, however? Rarity perished the thought. Those two only reluctantly wore dresses on some very special occasions, like the Gala or the Royal Wedding. She knew them well enough to know that they’d only be disappointed by such a gift. At the same time, she occasionally allowed herself to imagine actually making these dresses; actually realizing these concepts. So many ideas she had, and yet she would never get a chance to actually make them. Rarity looked over to her side to see her cat Opal laying on the carpet. “Oh Opal, if only there was some way I could convince them to wear it,” Rarity said with a sigh, “They’d look so dazzling in them too, I’m sure of it.” The cat showed no sign that it was taking any interest in what Rarity was saying, though it did look at her for a moment. “But it’s not meant to happen. They wouldn’t even have any need for dresses, anyways. They’re always getting dirty and roughhousing. I swear they’re more like beasts than ponies sometimes.” Suddenly, an idea crossed Rarity’s mind. Perhaps she could utilize that competitive nature of theirs. If she goaded them, they just might inadvertently agree to wear one of those dresses, allowing her the opportunity to see her creations in action. Oh, she’d have to get to work right away! Rarity could hardly contain her excitement. She sat down at her sewing desk. “Opal, I have a plan.” The skies were clear. Not a cloud in sight. Applejack relished in such a day. It was perfect weather for selling apples, of course, and she could use some time in town after a long work week. “That’ll be 1 bit,” Applejack said. Her customer dropped down a golden coin on her desk, before leaving with her bag of apples. Applejack looked around for more customers. Instead, she spotted the pegasus likely responsible for the nice weather. “Howdy, Rainbow!” “Hi, Applejack! What’s up?” Rainbow Dash replied. “Oh, you know, just selling apples.” “Cool. It’s a nice day for that, isn’t it?” Rainbow said with a smug grin. Obviously, she was the one responsible for the day, being a weather pony and all. “Yes, it sure is, Rainbow,” Applejack responded. Rainbow was quite the arrogant one, that’s for sure. Suddenly, a third voice chimed in. “Oh, hi, Rainbow. Hi, Applejack,” Rarity said. “Selling apples, I see?” “Well, I am,” Applejack said, “want one?” “Don’t mind if I do,” Rarity replied. Applejack handed her an apple. “So, Rarity, how about yourself? What are you up to?” Rainbow asked. “Actually, I was hoping to ask a favour of you two.” “Oh? What kind of favour, sugarcube?” asked Applejack. “I was hoping that you might be able to try on some dresses for me,” Rarity asked. Rainbow immediately broke into laughter, and Applejack quickly followed. Rarity only smiled. Everything was going according to plan. “That is, if you’re not scared.” The effect was instantaneous. Both ponies stopped laughing, their mouths hanging open. They were shocked. Did Rarity just challenge them? Rainbow was the first to talk. “Scared? Yeah, right!” Rarity turned her head to Applejack. “I’m not scared of any dresses!” Applejack said. “Good, then we can get started,” Rarity said. “Fine! Let’s go!” Rainbow said. Applejack nodded in agreement. Rarity turned around, headed towards her boutique. Rainbow and Applejack looked at each other, just now realizing what they’d just agreed to, and reluctantly followed. The three mares stepped inside the Carousel Boutique. By this point, Rainbow and Applejack had their heads lowered in anticipation of the embarrassment to come. “Well, girls, here we are. The dresses should be right in the back rooms. Applejack, would you please follow me?” Rarity said. Applejack raised her head, shrugged, and followed Rarity to a back room. As Rainbow waited, her mind began to wander. How had she gotten into this? She didn’t like any of that girly dress-up stuff. Oh, right, Rarity had challenged her. She couldn’t back away from that. She wasn’t scared of anything, and of course Applejack wasn’t either. Besides, she’d worn dresses before, at the Gala and the wedding. Still, those were special situations. She didn’t exactly go around wearing dresses in her spare time. That wouldn’t be cool, would it? Would it? Rainbow’s thoughts were interrupted by Rarity calling her name. “Rainbow, dear, could you follow me?” Rainbow shrugged and walked towards her friend. Rarity led her towards a different back room, on the other side of the main room. Meanwhile, Applejack stood in the other room. Rarity had shown her the dress she’d be wearing, which she must admit looked pretty nice-not that she cared about such things. Rarity had also insisted on doing up her mane, which Applejack had initially resisted but eventually gave in to. She bet she looked ridiculous. Rainbow’d probably laugh at her. Applejack frowned. Really, she just wanted this to be over with so she could get back home with her profits. But she wasn’t scared. A little embarrassed, maybe, but not scared. “Alright, girls, you can come out now,” Rarity said. After she had gotten Rainbow into her dress and worked her magic on Rainbow’s hair, she had walked out of the room to call her two newest customers out. She had then prepared mirrors so the two could admire her handiwork. Applejack and Rainbow slowly made their way out of their respective rooms, almost at the same time. The first thing Rainbow saw as she re-entered the main room was her own reflection staring back at her. Rainbow grinned. She looked awesome. The dress she wore wasn’t entirely dissimilar to the other ones Rarity had made her, but the design was quite different. The cloak was dominated by a spiralling rainbow lightning bolt on a light blue background, seemingly inspired by Rainbow’s cutie mark. Like her previous dresses, it ended in clouds. It was held on around her neck by a collar resembling a golden wreath, ending in a pendant molded into the shape of her cutie mark. Her mane was brushed down, falling neatly over her neck. However, instead of falling over her face, Rarity had combed it to the side to fall more over her ear. Rainbow posed in the mirror. She had to admit, she looked really good. Applejack, on the other hand, had a dress not like her previous one. Whereas the previous design had a cowboy-ish design, with a saddle and all, she now had a more regular-seeming dress. If anything, the design reminded her of an apple tree. It was a bright green colour, ending with a stitch that resembled a line of leaves. At regular intervals on the dress were elaborate apple designs. The cloth itself was more basic, resembling Rainbow's. Also like Rainbow’s, it came together around her neck with a wreath-like collar and a pendant of her cutie mark. As for her mane, it was braided up around the back, while around the front it was combed not entirely unlike it was at the Gala, falling nicely over her the side of her face. Rarity really did know what she was doing, which helped Applejack relax somewhat. Besides, if Rainbow did laugh at her, she could always just laugh back. The two ponies hesitantly turned their heads towards each other. They held each other’s gaze for a while, before relaxing as neither laughed at the other. “Well, what do you think?” Rarity asked. “I think they looks gorgeous, Rarity,” Applejack said. “Yeah, I look awesome in this!” Rainbow added. Applejack raised an eyebrow at her. “Okay, WE look awesome in these.” Rarity positively beamed. “Oh, I’m so glad you love them. I worked so hard on them, and I’d hate to see them go to waste,” Rarity said. “Why DID you make dresses for us, Rarity? You know we’re not interested in all that fashion stuff,” Applejack queried, raising an eyebrow. “I was bored.” Applejack stared at Rarity for a few more moments with a befuddled expression. “Well, alrighty then,” she said. “This wasn’t so bad, was it, girls?” Rarity asked. “Well…” Rainbow began, but Applejack cut her off. “I suppose not.” “Well, then, perhaps you’d be courageous enough to try again?” Rarity asked. “Please, that was easy. It didn’t require any ‘courage’,” Rainbow replied. “Then you will have no problem coming again next week.” “Not at all!” “Applejack?” The cowpony had some idea of what she was getting herself into, but she wasn’t about to let herself look like she was afraid of some silly dresses. Especially not now that Rainbow had agreed to it. “Alright. This time next week.” “Deal!” Rarity exclaimed. Applejack looked over at Dash. “What’d we just get ourselves into?” Author's Note Here's the first chapter of Dresses and Desire, now on FiMFiction! It too
Chapter 2It had been a week. Rainbow Dash stood before the door to the Carousel Boutique, contemplating what she’d gotten herself into. She wasn’t afraid, of course. Nothing to fear about some dresses. She just didn’t really like them. Rainbow always found dresses to feel restrictive and to not allow for much movement. They weren’t something she regularly chose to wear. So how is it that this is the second time in the past couple of weeks that she’d found herself at this doorstep, about to be fitted into one? Then she remembered. Rarity had accused her of being afraid. Her? Afraid? The thought made her laugh. She wasn’t afraid of dresses. Fuelled by this thought, she walked into the boutique. She was almost immediately greeted by Rarity’s presence. Rarity could hardly contain her excitement. She’d thought she’d never get Rainbow all dressed up, yet here she was again. “Rainbow, darling! I’m so glad you showed up! Shall we wait for Applejack?” she blabbered excitedly. “Sure,” Rainbow replied. Her apple-farming friend was sure to show up. She wasn’t one to go back on her word. Surely enough, the door soon opened to reveal the mare in question entering the boutique. At the sight of her friends, Applejack’s expression broke into a small smile. “Hi, Rainbow. Hi, Rarity,” she said, not entirely enthused. Rainbow could relate. Rarity piped up. “Alright, girls, I’ll get you to your change rooms. Rainbow, since you arrived first, I’ll attend to you first.” With that, Rarity showed Rainbow to a dressing room. Before she knew it, Rainbow was dressed up. The outfit was surprisingly loose, and Rainbow felt she’d have a lot of room for movement. Rarity showed her a mirror, and Rainbow saw how she wore the dress. Her mane was trimmed and short, falling just above her eyes and neatly along Rainbow’s neck. The dress itself was buttoned up just below her neck, with strong pieces of fabric wrapping over her shoulders to bring the buttons to the holes. The pattern was one of a rainbow spiral - something which would look very good in the air. The dress had a lightness to it almost like a cape. Rainbow’s tail, too, was trimmed and combed. No longer was it a scraggly mess. Now it was something more presentable. “So, what do you think?” Rarity asked. “It’s awesome!” Rainbow replied enthusiastically. She’d expected something more girly, perhaps more constricted. This was a pleasant surprise. “It’s like a cape!” “Now, Rainbow, don’t get too carried away. It may resemble a cape, but it isn’t one,” Rarity said. “Yeah, yeah, I know.” “I’d better get to Applejack now. I’ll see you in a few minutes.” Applejack was waiting patiently in the foyer. Alone with her thoughts, she considered her current predicament. She didn’t really like dresses. A practical pony like herself rarely had much need for them. She didn’t really like the idea of wearing something so girly either. It’d make her look ridiculous. That said, Rarity had challenged her. She didn’t want Rarity to think she was afraid of something as frivolous as dresses, and she especially didn’t want to look like a coward next to Rainbow Dash. Applejack’s thoughts were interrupted by Rarity calling her name. “Would you follow me to the dressing room?” Rarity asked. Applejack nodded and was led to the room in question. After a few minutes had transpired, Applejack looked in a mirror at Rarity’s work. The outfit had a somewhat humble appearance, seeming less designed around frills and lace than around simple colours and bands. The predominant colour was red, with bands of gold at the bottom and top of the dress. In addition, one gold band was at a more diagonal angle and stretched across the dress like a sash. Applejack’s bangs were neatly pinned to the side, while her mane and tail were braided. “So, what do you think?” Rarity asked. Even if Applejack didn’t care much for wearing dresses herself, she could at least appreciate the designs. “It looks nice, Rarity. I like it.” “Thank you so much. Now, if you could wait in the foyer for just a moment, I’ll get Rainbow Dash.” Applejack returned to the foyer, watching Rarity enter the other room. Rainbow walked out. Applejack thought she looked pretty nice. Perhaps more than pretty nice, even. As Rainbow got closer, AJ realized just how well Rarity had brushed her up. Rainbow’s trimmed mane and tail complemented her sleek, athletic body. The dress itself also caught Applejack’s eye, its stunning spiral pattern making a striking impression. Applejack continued to take a look at Rainbow’s outfit, until realizing she was staring. She looked away and blushed. Rainbow found AJ’s outfit similarly striking, but her attention was drawn to AJ’s blush. The thought crossed her mind that her friend looked cute while blushing, but she hastily dismissed it. She didn’t think of her friends as “cute”. That was uncool. Rainbow felt a heat in her cheeks, and she saw Applejack’s blush deepen. Rarity left the room Rainbow was using, having been briefly distracted by a mess Rainbow made in her impatience. She was prepared to ask her two models about each other’s dresses, when the sight of their reddened faces answered her question before she asked. “Enjoying each other’s company?” she asked. Rainbow and Applejack jumped. “I… um… uh…” Rainbow stammered. “Yeah. Can we get on with our lives now?” Applejack interjected. Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Well, if you’re so eager to leave…” she mumbled. Just put the dresses back on their hooks. But, wait, you HAVE to let me take a few pictures first.” Rainbow and Applejack merely nodded simultaneously. About an hour later, Rainbow Dash and Applejack were leaving the boutique. Rainbow decided now would be the best time to bring up what happened earlier. “Hey, Applejack, what was that back in the boutique?” “What was what?” Applejack asked. “You know. You were totally checking me out.” “Ah don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Applejack, you’re a terrible liar.” “Ah was fixated on Rarity’s dress.” “Then why the blush?” “It was embarrassing to be caught staring. Besides, you were sporting quite the blush yourself.” Rainbow remembered what had caused that. She had thought of Applejack as ‘cute’. She still didn’t have any idea where that had come from. “Oh… right,” Rainbow said, “Well, um, see you later, AJ.” Applejack noted Rainbow’s sudden change of topic, but let her be. “See you, Rainbow,” she said. However, as Rainbow flew off, Applejack noticed something strange about her face. Rainbow was blushing again.
Chapter 3Rainbow Dash lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling. Why was this bothering her so much? It was a brief slip. Nothing wrong with it. Applejack was her friend. She was cool, dependable, confident. Rainbow admired those traits. But cute? She didn’t think of Applejack that way. Rainbow knew it was silly, but she couldn’t stop thinking about that word. It must have been this whole dress ordea. It was making her think weirdly. This must just be because of how beautiful Applejack looks with her mane braided up like- Wait, where did that come from? Rainbow felt confused. She didn’t know why this was bothering her so much. or what was causing these thoughts. She was, however, aware of a warmth in her cheeks. She couldn’t deal with this on her own, but who should she turn to? She needed a close friend to help her understand her feelings. With a sigh, she got off the bed and turned towards the door. Meanwhile, Applejack was enjoying a moment’s respite from her work. She was glad to be done with all that dress business for the week, but she knew Rarity wasn’t done with her yet. She and Rainbow would probably need to try on yet more outfits next week. The thought of Rainbow Dash reminded her of the incident earlier today. She told Rainbow the dress held her attention, but that wasn’t all of it. Rainbow looked good. Really good. It wasn’t weird to think that of her best friend, was it? Applejack knew it wasn’t, but she couldn’t keep from feeling weird. And then Rainbow had blushed at her. Twice, in fact. Rainbow had avoided talking about it, but AJ knew it was about her. “Something bothering ya, sis?” Big Macintosh asked. “It’s nothin’. Just been feeling a bit weird since ah was talked into that dress thing with Rarity today,” she replied. “Do you wanna talk about it?” Applejack didn’t, really, but she knew her big brother just wanted to help. “ah dunno. Just, somethin’ weird happened today. Rarity made Rainbow look really good, an’ I dunno, seems weird to think of my friend like that. An’ then, when she noticed, sh started blushin’ somethin’ fierce, and wouldn’t talk about it later.” Big Mac raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. “Ah just dunno what to think. Rainbow’s a good friend, an’ I just don’ know what any of this means. I just wanna understand.” Big Mac nodded. “How do you feel about Rainbow?” he asked. Applejack was surprised by the question. “Well, she’s my best friend. We’ve been through quite a bit together. We have a sort of bond, I suppose,” Applejack said. Big Mac smiled. “Seems like you two are pretty close.” “Yeah, you could say that. Ah suppose of my friends she’s the one I can relate to the most. Strong, not girly, athletic…” “Well, clearly you and Rainbow are very good friends. There’s nothin’ odd about acknowledging your friend looks good.” Applejack looked up. “Ya think?” “Of course.” Applejack smiled and nodded. “Thanks, Mac.” “Though, maybe there’s more to it…” Mac mumbled. “What was that?” AJ asked, not quite hearing him. “Nothin’, AJ. Go on and get some rest,” he said. Applejack nodded and entered the farm house. Elsewhere, Fluttershy was enjoying a quiet evening when she heard a knock on her door. Opening it, she saw Rainbow Dash. “Hi, Rainbow. What brings you here?” she asked, softly as always. “I just need someone to talk to,” Rainbow said. “Well then, come in,” Fluttershy invited. Rainbow complied, and sat down on the couch. Fluttershy did the same. “So, Rainbow, what did you want to talk about?” Fluttershy asked. Rainbow told Fluttershy about about the dares, about the dresses, about the incident, and about the weird thoughts. “Oh my,” Fluttershy said. It occurred to her that she owed Rarity 10 bits. “It sounds like you have feelings for Applejack.” “Feelings?” Rainbow asked, trying to comprehend what her friend was saying. “I mean, you know, you like her.” “Are you saying…” Fluttershy nodded. “I do NOT have a crush on Applejack!” Rainbow shouted. “I’m sorry, it just sounded like…” Fluttershy began, looking for the right words. Rainbow felt even more confused. She didn’t have a crush on Applejack. Did she? “I’m sorry, Fluttershy. It’s just… I don’t know.” “I bet what you’re feeling is very confusing. It may take some time to understand,” Fluttershy said. “Yeah.. Thanks anyways, Fluttershy.” “You’re very welcome, Rainbow Dash.” Rainbow nodded and walked towards the door of Fluttershy’s cottage. “See you,” she said. As Fluttershy replied, Rainbow knew one thing for certain. It was going to be a long week. Back at Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack’s thoughts were echoing that sentiment. The more she thought about the incident with Rainbow Dash, the more confused she was. How did she feel about Rainbow? How did Rainbow feel about her? The questions became harder to answer. She knew they were close, but… how close? The events at the boutique replayed over and over in her mind. What had happened? What did it mean? Applejack considered what she thought of Rainbow. “Rainbow’s strong, confident, loyal,” she whispered to herself. She admired those traits. Rainbow Dash was a good friend… but was that all? Applejack shook her hand slightly. She was tired. She could always think about this tomorrow. For now, she needed some sleep. As the sun went down, Applejack closed her eyes, knowing that the following days were not going to be easy.
Chapter 4Applejack awoke from yet another dream of a certain rainbow-maned pegasus. They had begun a few days after the incident, and for Applejack they contained answers. They were visions of her friend’s bravery, confidence, and loyalty. Visions of a friend who’d never let down those important to her. Visions of one of the greatest ponies Applejack knew. Applejack found a happiness in these dreams that she hadn’t expected.A sort of pleasure that was new to her, yet at the same time felt familiar. It brought good memories. Memories of a pony who was there for her before anyone else. Memories of the time spend with the friend she felt closest to. In this, Applejack found clarity. While she didn’t entirely understand what happened with Rainbow, she knew how she felt about it. The closeness she felt to her friend...That was something special. Perhaps it was mere infatuation, but it was vivid nonetheless. However, she and Rainbow hadn’t had much communication in the past week. She’d felt too awkward and confused, and clearly Rainbow felt the same. Suddenly, Applejack remembered something else. It’d been a week since her last appointment with Rarity. Which meant today Rarity would want her to come by for more dress-wearing. Applejack was still not entirely enthused by wearing dresses, but maybe now would be the time to tell Rainbow how she felt. That’d have to be later, though. Now she had work to do. A few hours later Applejack and Rainbow arrived at the same time to the Carousel Boutique. The two remained silent as they entered. Rarity was typically enthusiastic. She’d forgotten to convince them to return last week, and was delighted that they’d returned of their own accord. Just in case this was a mistake, though, Rarity said nothing. “Applejack, would you come with me to the dressing room?” she asked. Applejack nodded and went to the room she was now familiar with. Rarity was fitting her a new dress, and she considered what she’d say to Rainbow. Soon, she found herself looking in a mirror, and her jaw dropped. The dress was a sort of brown colour. It was a bit shorter than the previous ones, and ended at Applejack’s ankles. The dress was fastened by a few buttons at the top. Applejack’s hair was brushed up and tied around the back, not so much in a ponytail as in a series of clips and short braids. This time, Rarity elected to leave her tail alone, instead choosing to simply keep it trimmed above the dress’ bottom. However, what was the most notable was how Rarity had accessorized her. On Applejack’s hooves were tight, stylized boots. They were fancy, yet seemingly practical. Applejack was also given a stylized stetson with a white strip sewn on around the brim. “Wow, Rarity, This is amazing,” Applejack said. “Thank you so much, darling,” Rarity said. “Now, come out when I’ve taken Rainbow in. I want this to be a surprise for both of you.” Applejack blushed at Rainbow’s name. Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Alright, Rarity, go deal with Rainbow Dash. I’ll be out in a moment,” Applejack said. Rarity found Rainbow in the foyer. Rainbow had been thinking about Applejack, as she’d taken to doing rather frequently lately. Fluttershy was right. She did have a crush. But she didn’t know if she should tell anyone, or if AJ felt the same way. “Rainbow, would you come with me to the change room?” Rarity asked. Rainbow, happy for the distraction, followed Rarity to the room in question. Soon, Rainbow found herself in a breezy white dress, with the occasional splash of sky blue. It looked like Rainbow was wearing a cloudy sky. Her mane had grown back, so Rarity had brushed it down and out of her eyes. “Wow,” Rainbow said, looking at her reflection. Applejack was going to see her like this. The thought both excited and scared her. Rarity picked up on her nervousness. “What’s bothering you, darling?” she asked. “I… I don’t know. This dress thing… it started off as a stupid dare, y’know? But…” Rainbow paused, looking for the right words. “It’s like… I didn’t want to look uncool, especially in front of Applejack, but now it’s like… like I want her to see me. I dunno.” “Rainbow… do you have feelings for Applejack?” Rainbow’s face flushed a deep red. She looked away and simply nodded. Rarity raised a hoof to her mouth, eyes wide open. This whole situation had become much more than she had intended. “So, are you going to tell her?” Rarity asked. Now, it was Rainbow’s turn to don a shocked expression. “I don’t know. What if she doesn’t feel the same? I don’t want to hurt our friendship.” “Rainbow, you need to tell her. Applejack would want you to be honest with her.” “Yeah… I guess she would.” Rainbow paused. “I don’t… I don’t even know where these feelings came from. How did I get a crush…” Rainbow winced slightly. “...on Applejack?” Rarity smiled. “Darling, you two were always close. After all you’ve done together, this almost doesn’t come as a surprise.” Rarity was right. Applejack was Rainbow’s closest friend. The two had always brought something out in each other that only surfaced when they were together, and now Rainbow saw how special that was. “Yeah, you’re right,” she said. “So, go out there and tell her! I have a feeling it’ll go better than you expect.” “Thanks, Rarity,” Rainbow said with a smile, before heading out. Rainbow left the room. Applejack stood right across from her. When the two noticed each other, they both stood with their mouths agape, staring at each other’s dresses. After they had spent a minute admiring each other’s appearance, Applejack spoke. “Rainbow, I have something I need to tell you.” Rainbow’s heart skipped a beat. Applejack continued. “I think I have feelings for you, Rainbow. This whole dress thing started off as something we were tricked into, but over time I’ve come to care about how I look to you. I…” Applejack paused, seemingly deciding what to do next. Her thoughts were interrupted by Rainbow’s hoof on her mouth. Rainbow had tears streaming down her face, but she was smiling. Applejack soon matched Rainbow’s smile with one of her own, and the two met each other’s lips. Rarity stood in the entrance to the dressing room, smiling at her friends. Fluttershy owed her 10 bits. It occurred to her that the two might like some privacy, so she slipped quietly into her idea room. Applejack and Rainbow Dash finally pulled apart and looked into each other’s eyes. “You look great,” Applejack said. “You do too,” Rainbow replied. To Rainbow, that was an understatement. In that moment, Applejack looked gorgeous. The two smiled at each other. “So, uh… would you maybe like to go out for dinner sometime?” Rainbow asked. Applejack grinned. “Sure thing, sugarcube.” Both knew that this was the start of something wonderful.
