The things that really matter.....

by keam

Rating: teen
Tags: Romance, Slice of Life, Applejack, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rainbow Dash
Length: 6351

We all compete, but it's not the competing it self that is important, it's the things we compete for.

My entry to AppleDash competition #3: Competition!
We all compete in something, but it's not the competing it self that is important, it's the reasons we compete. Rainbow Dash was going to Canterlot to watch Applejack compete in the Canterlot rodeo, and then enjoy as peaceful 1 year anniversary dinner with her mare-friend. But as you might guess, things didn't turn out the way they were supposed to, and instead, Rainbow Dash ended up learning a valuable lesson about competing and the things we compete for....

This story was originally based on this promt by Bookplayer:

Another already together story-- AJ goes back to the Canterlot rodeo, and does much better this time. Dash is there, and thinks that AJ should focus less on the farm because it's obvious that AJ could be a world champion rodeo pony if she focused on it. The conflict comes from the differences in how they see competition and how important it is to them.

But I don't really know how much of it that made it in the end.....
Thanks to my friend Follow Focus for prereading this and wasting so much of his precious free time to read my stories! :P

Published 2014-09-26 15:40:03 UTC
Last updated 2014-09-26 15:40:03 UTC

Why we compete....

*BOOM!*

“Ouch!”

“How many times do Ah have to tell you not to sleep in our apple trees?”

“But they're so comfortable! Perfect for napping in!”

Rainbow Dash looked deep into the emerald eyes of her angry mare friend with a sheepish smile plastered across her face. This continued for another minute or two with none of them moving, before they both broke into laughter.

It was a perfectly normal day at Sweet Apple Acres. While Apple Bloom was at school and Granny Smith was sleeping in her rocking chair, Big Macintosh and Applejack were out in the fields and bucking apples. Though sometimes Applejack got more than just apples to fall out of the tree when she was bucking. All to often, she found a certain beautiful, rainbow colored pegasus taking a nap in the trees she was bucking, which usually was quite annoying.
However, this day was special, and Applejack didn't mind finding a certain rainbow colored pegasus in her apple three. Quite the opposite actually, this made her job all the easier.

“Sugar cube, Ah want to talk to you about something.” Applejack said seriously.

“W-what is it, Aj?” Rainbow Dash nervously asked. What if AJ wanted to break up? She knew that she could be quite a handful sometimes, but she never wished for it to end like this!

“In two weeks, it's time for the annual Canterlot rodeo again, and Ah am wondering if you'd like to come with me and support me while Ah compete?”

Rainbow Dash sighed in relief. She wasn't going to break up after all!

“Of course Applejack! If you want me to, I'll be there! I'll be cheering at you and you'll win every single thing!”

Rainbow Dash wrapped her wings around Applejack and hugged her, but something was wrong. Applejack didn't look her in the eyes and pushed away Rainbow Dash's wings.

“Applejack?” Rainbow Dash softly said.

“W-what if Ah don't win anything?” Applejack whispered. “What if Ah loose every single thing!”

“Then I think the judges are idiots!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “It's obvious that you're better than any of them would ever be!”

Applejack didn't answer. After a minute of silence, Rainbow Dash got an idea.

“Hey, AJ?” She said. “Wasn't Twily and Rarity looking for something to do for their 1 year anniversary?”

“Ah think so, and?” Applejack said, before realizing what Rainbow Dash was thinking. “You mean we'd invite them to come with us to the rodeo?”

“Yes! I mean, why not? I'm sure they'd love to see you compete!” Rainbow Dash said. Why was Applejack looking so disappointed, like she'd forgot something?

Idiot! Applejack thought. She remembered that Twilight and Rarity were having their 1 year anniversary soon, but she couldn't remember that they were having theirs! It's even the same date! Applejack forced a smile on to her face.

“But can't you go and ask Twilight and Rarity right away, then? Ah'd love to come with you, but Ah'm quite busy right now....” She motioned to all the apple trees waiting to be bucked.

Rainbow Dash gave her a strange look, but took off into the sky without an other word.

At Rarity's house, 10 minutes later...

“You idiot! Of course AJ is acting weird, when you remember mine and Twilight's 1 year anniversary, but not AJ and yours!They're even THE SAME DATE!” Rarity scolded.

“B-but..” Rainbow Dash started.

“No buts. You'd better find something really nice for AJ to give to her on your anniversary!” Rarity exclaimed.

“B-but you'll come and watch AJ compete, right?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“IDIOT!” Rarity screamed loud enough for all of Ponyville to hear it. “No. No we won't. We've already planned to do something else. Now leave, Rainbow Cloudia Dash!”

Rainbow Dash quickly flew out the door.

Okay, Rainbow Dash thought. Then Rarity and Twilight was out. Pinkie Pie was off with Cheese Sandwich to plan a party in Fillydelphia or something. You never really know with those two. Zecora would feel utterly uncomfortable in the big crowd, so she and Flutters were out. Rainbow Dash sighed. Guess it would just be her, then....But maybe, just maybe, Twilight and Rarity could join them later? Rainbow Dash thought about what Rarity said about making up for forgetting their 1 year anniversary, and then about that Emerald green dress that had been standing in a corner back at carousel boutique and suddenly came up with a great idea. She smiled. That dress had been collecting dust for far too long, and it was time that someone used it. Preferably the mare who looked the very best in it.....

Two weeks later, at Ponyville station.

“Do you have the tickets? And your bags? And....”

Applejack showed a hoof into Rainbow Dash mouth in order to get her to shut up.

“Geez Rainbow, Ah'm starting to wonder who's going to compete, you or me?”

“Mph?” Rainbow Dash said, Applejack's hoof still stuffed into her mouth.

“Fine, Ah'll let you speak, but first” Applejack said playfully. “You'll need to kiss me!”

And with that, Applejack removed her hoof and lend in for a kiss. Rainbow Dash wrapped her wings around her mare friend, returning the kiss and looking into the wonderful pare of emeralds that were here eyes, ignoring the giggles from the ponies passing by. She knew they didn’t mean anything by it, no one ever did in this town.

“All on board for the train to Crystal Empire via Canterlot!” a conductor shouted.

“That's our train! Quick, grab the bags RD! Applejack said and broke the kiss.

Rainbow had no other choice but to grab the bags and followed her mare friend on to the train.

When Rainbow Dash was going to put away the bags, she accidentally dropped one of them. With a *click* the bag opened up.

“What is this, Rainbow?” Applejack said and bent down to take a closer look at the piece of Emerald green fabric that was sticking out of the bag on the floor. Somehow, it felt very familiar, and she was sure she'd seen it before, but couldn't remember where....

“N-nothing! No need to care about, it's just some boring old....towels?” Rainbow Dash said, quickly packing the fabric back into the bag, and Applejack knew that, even she, as the terrible liar she was, could have come up with a more believable lie than Rainbow Dash precisely did.

And so, everypony was finally on board and the train was put in motion. Rainbow Dash was awfully quiet, staring out the window and watching the capital coming closer and closer.

“Is something wrong, Sugar cube?” Applejack said, resting her head in Rainbow Dash's lap.

“Do you remember, Applejack?” Rainbow Dash said, still looking out the window at the big city of Canterlot. “On the train back from Manehattan, late at night, exactly 1 year ago tomorrow, you said you loved me for the first time....”

“It was that night when you decided to come with me and deliver some pies and then our train home was cancelled so we had to eat dinner in Manehattan and the waiter mistook us for a romantic couple?” Applejack said. “I barely remember it....I was so tired on the train back.”

“I remember it....I didn't know what to think, since you were half asleep..” Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Guess what a shock it was for me when you came by and asked me out on a date a week later! ”

“Hehe, Ah guess Ah never thought about that...”

They where quiet for a couple of minutes, until a conductor came in and said :

“1 minute until we're arriving in Canterlot! All passengers to Canterlot take their belongings!”

Applejack and Rainbow Dash got up on their hooves and took their bags. Rainbow Dash made sure to take the bag containing the mystical, Emerald Green fabric herself. It was obvious she didn't want AJ to know what was in it.

When they stepped down on the train station platform, Rainbow Dash realized that she had no idea where they where going to stay during the two days they where going to spend in Canterlot. When she tried to ask Applejack about it, she didn't answer, apparently too concentrated on looking for somepony in the crowd....

“There they are!” Applejack shouted, dragging Rainbow Dash with her to a group of five ponies standing about 300 meters away.

The group was made up of two grown-ups, one stallion and one mare, and three foals, two fillies and one colt. The three foals, all of them with apple green coat, bright red manes and sunset colored eyes, were obviously triplets. The grown up mare, probably the children's mother, had the same apple green coat and sunset colored eyes, but her mane was golden instead of the bright red. Instead, it seemed to like the foals got their mane color from their father, a pale blue earth pony stallion with green eyes and bright red mane.

“Should've guessed AJ had some family in Canterlot who could offer us a place to sleep.” Rainbow Dash mumbled, taking a look at the Apple-themed cutiemarks on the families flanks.

“Everypony, this is mah mare-friend Rainbow Dash” Applejack said. “And Rainbow Dash, this is Uncle Apple Slices, his wife, Honey Glaze Apple, and their triplets Red Gala, Johnny and Cinnamon Bun Apple.”

“Nice to meet you Rainbow Dash, Applejack have told us a lot about you!” The mare with the honey glazed Apple as cutiemark, Honey Glaze Apple, said.

“Ah'm sure you're tired after the trip, so Ah suggest we get going at once.” Apple Slices said, revealing to have the same southern accent as Applejack.

On the way to their house, the Canterlot Apples told Rainbow Dash that they owned a bakery where they sold fresh baked apple treats made on apples from the family farms and made from traditional family recipes.

When they said 'bakery', Rainbow Dash didn't know what to expect. She knew it would be childish and silly of her to expect something like Sugar Cube Corner in Canterlot, and in Cloudsdale, everything was made of clouds, which was just as unlikely as a Sugar Cube Corner styled house in Canterlot. Because of this, Rainbow Dash was unprepared for the sight that met her when they reached the bakery. The bakery was a 3 story building in the same bright, Apple-green color as all of the three foals and their mother's coat.

“The bakery is on floor one, we live on floor two, and floor three is rented to different ponies.” Honey Glaze said. “Right now, it's a pegasus mare who use to help us with deliveries, Ginger Snack, her stallion-friend Cobble Stone, and their daughter Cloudy Angle who rent it.”

They then entered the bakery, and you would've had to be blind to miss what family was owning the place. Almost every surface was coved with carvings and decorations of apples.

They were lead up a couple of stairs that were hidden in a broom closet up to the second floor. When they reached the second floor, they where showed into the guest room and told that dinner would be served at six o'clock.

While unpacking their things, Rainbow tried to start a casual conversation with Applejack.

“Nice relatives you have, there” she started. “though I wasn't actually aware that you had any relatives in Canterlot...”

“Yeah there nice, though Ah don't see them so often.....they've never really felt so comfortable on a farm. Uncle left home as soon as he could, and the only time Ah really see them is at the reunions.”

A tense silence filled the room, and Rainbow Dash was happy for the distraction when one of the fillies, either Red Gala or Cinnamon Bun, came and told them that dinner was ready.

Dinner was, surprise, surprise, apple themed, though delicious. The family asked Applejack about how things were working out at the farm, Apple Slices asked how Granny Smith was doing, and then they asked about Applejack and Rainbow Dash plans for the next day, reminding Rainbow Dash that she'd need to involve the family in her plans for giving Applejack the perfect one year anniversary...

They went to bed early that night, since it was a big day tomorrow. Rainbow Dash slept peacefully, finally allowing herself to relax. Directly after dinner Rainbow Dash had pulled Honey Glaze and Apple Slices aside and explained her plans for her and AJ's 1 year anniversary, and they’d promised to not say anything to Applejack that might spoil the surprise.

Applejack had never heard so many people cheer at her before. She was standing in the middle of the arena with a golden ribbon in her hoof. When she raised her hoof to the sky, the crowd cheered even more. The two runners up patted her on the back, congratulating her on winning first prize.

The only thing, she thought, that could've made all of this even better, was if Rainbow Dash only had remembered their 1 year anniversary....

“Applejack!”

Applejack looked up, seeing Rainbow Dash approach, carrying a big bouquet of roses under her wing. Applejack couldn't believe her eyes! Rainbow Dash had never been much for romantic movie clichés, making the hole thing worth so much more to Applejack. She jumped off the stage and ran up to Rainbow Dash, kissing her on the muzzle, all while the crowd were cheering happily at them.

“Oh Sugar cube! You remembered! And I thought you forgot about it!” Applejack said, breaking the kiss.

“Of course I remember, AJ! How could I ever forget?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Now” Rainbow Dash then continued. “I hope you have don't have any plans for the evening, because I want you to go back to our room, and there you'll find instructions for the rest of the evening.”

When Applejack entered the guest room in her uncle's house, she didn't know what she was expecting, but she sure as hay wasn't expecting to see the emerald green Dress that was laying on her bed. On top of the dress, there was a pair of green shoes, a white necklace with an emerald in the middle and a pair of matching emerald ear clips, some green mane and tale ribbons, and an envelope with Applejack's name written on it in Rainbow Dash familiar mouth-writing.

Applejack immediately grabbed the envelope and opened it up. Inside, she found a small note:

By the time you read this, I'm guessing you're waiting for an explanation about the dress and stuff...

You're damn right Ah am, Applejack thought before continuing reading.

However, I'm not going to tell you my plans just yet. Instead, I ask you to trust me on this. Put on the dress and walk down to the bakery. More instructions will be given then.

Applejack looked at the dress on the bed. It was obviously a work of Rarity, and one of her better works, too. The Emerald Green fabric was clearly specially designed to match her eyes, and no matter how hard Applejack thought about it, the reason the dress seemed so familiar escaped her.

Applejack put on the dress, shoes, necklace and ear clips before fixing her mane and tale with help of the green ribbons. Once done with this, she walked down the stairs to the bakery, where she met Cinnamon Bun.

“You look pretty. Like a princess!” Cinnamon Bun said, her sunset colored eyes beaming with excitement as she looked up at her elder cousin, reminding Applejack of Apple Bloom when she was younger.

Applejack looked down at her little cousin, and said.

“Thanks. You don't happen to know where I can find your parents?”

“They're in the kitchen with Johnny and Gala!” She said before running off to clean one of the tables in the other end of the bakery.

Applejack walked over to the kitchen, looking in and seeing Apple Slices, Honey Glaze, Red Gala and Johnny cleaning up after a day of baking. It was Honey Glaze who was the first to notice her.

“Wow, what fine folks do we got here?” She said in a mocking tone.

“Um..it was Rainbow Dash who said I should wear this...” Applejack explained, blushing.

“We know, dear. She's just teasing you!” Apple Slices said. “Oh, and by the way, Rainbow Dash said I should give this to you if you showed up in a dress.” He handed over a blank envelope.

Applejack opened the envelope, finding a small note, similar to the last one.

Okay, if you've got this note, I know you trust me AJ, because I told them to only give the note to you if you followed the instructions on the last one.

Applejack frowned a bit at this, but continued reading.

So, you do remember all those times you imitated that stuck-up Manehattan accent? Well, it's time to put that imitation to the test! I'll be waiting for you at the corner of the street, and then we're gonna go to some fancy restaurant and see if we can trick them into thinking that you're from Manehattan!

Applejack looked up from the note and out on the street, a goofy smile spreading across her face. This was going to be fun!

Without another word, she walked out of the shop and looked around in both directions. At the left end of the street, she saw a rainbow colored tale that stuck out from around the corner. She quickly trotted over to the owner of the tale.

“Pardon monsieur? Are you my date?” She said in a snobbish, stuck-up Manehattan accent, looking at her beautiful mare friend. Rainbow Dash was dressed in a Black Suite, complete with a blue tie.

“Ah! There you are! Our taxi is already waiting for us, baby!” Rainbow Dash put her wings around Applejack and gave her a passionate kiss on the mouth before helping her up in the cab.

“I do hope you chose a restaurant that’s worthy of ponies of our class, darling!” Applejack said in the taxi, adopting Rarity's way of speaking to make it all more convincing.

“ Well, of course love! Only the best is good enough for a Manehattan mare!” Rainbow Dash said, leaning in for another kiss, that Applejack answered, wrapping her hooves around Rainbow Dash neck.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Applejack was in for a surprise.

“I've booked a table for 2 at 5 o'clock.” Rainbow Dash told the waiter.

“Name, um, sir?” The waiter said, looking down at Rainbow Dash's suit.

“Humph! Can't even see the difference between a mare and a stallion!” Applejack commented.

The waiter gave her surprised look, but didn't say anything.

“It's okay honey” Rainbow Dash said to Applejack. “Twilight Sparkle.”

“What?” The waiter, obviously caught off-guard, asked.

“You idiot! It is booked in the name of Princess Twilight Sparkle, a personal friend of ours!” Applejack exclaimed even though she was just as surprised as the waiter.

The waiter didn't say another word, instead he quickly showed them to a table near one of the giant windows in the luxurious restaurant and giving them their menus.

Moments later a waiter appeared and took their orders, and Rainbow Dash order some champagne while they were waiting for the food.

“After all, only the best are good enough for a Manehattan mare!” Rainbow Dash said after the waiter left the table, and they both laughed.

The dinner turned out to be delicious. They both greatly enjoyed their roasted daisy sandwiches with apple jelly. The apple jelly gave Applejack a weird sort of nostalgia feeling, since most of the food she ate contained apple jelly that Granny Smith Made. For brief moment, Applejack thought about her mother, who used to make the best Apple Jelly Sweet Apple Acres had ever seen....

“Ah! There he is!” Rainbow Dash suddenly said, snapping Applejack out of her depressing train of thoughts.

Rainbow Dash was waving her hoof at a big, fat unicorn stallion with a disgusting, smelly cigar in his mouth.

“What is this, Rainbow Dash? Who is that?” Applejack exclaimed.

The big, fat unicorn with the smelly cigar took a chair and sat down at the table with Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

“This is Perfect Measure. He's a talent Scout.” Rainbow Dash said, introducing the unicorn.

“I saw you earlier today at the rodeo, Miss Apple, and I got to say, you're one of the most talented young rodeo ponies I've seen in a long time! You're also a mare, which is always coveted on the market. I and your mate here have already worked out a contract she though would suit you, so all you need to do is look it over, sign here, and then you're officially in business.”

“Isn't it great, Applejack? You get the chance to become the best of them all! Of course you'll need to reduce the time working on the farm, but it's a small price for the chance of being the best, right Applejack? Applejack?

Rainbow Dash stopped talking and looked at Applejack, who was sitting there, starring blankly my front of her.

“honey, are you okay?” Rainbow Dash said, waving a hoof in front of Applejack's face, snapping Applejack back reality.

“NO!!!” Applejack screamed, standing and making her chair tripping over in the process.

“H-How could you even think Ah'd.....and Ah who thought..." Applejack could even finish the sentence.

Tears where forming in her eyes as she turned around and ran for it. Rainbow Dash quickly got up from her chair and started running in an attempt to follow Applejack.

As Applejack exit the restaurant, she obtained that Twilight and Rarity were waiting outside. Instead of giving them time to ask any questions, she ran pass them at top speed.

Applejack!? What the...” She heard Twilight's voice behind her as she ran.

As Applejack ran, she tried sort out what had happened, but all her thoughts where a tangled mess. They had been eating a delicious dinner, and the taste of Apple Jelly had given her some kind of nostalgia-feeling. So far everything had been perfect. But then, that fat unicorn had walked in to the Restaurant, and RD had waved her hoof at him, and he came to their table. He said he was a talent scout, a-and then, he picked up a contract he and RD had worked out. Next, Rainbow Dash had started talking about how she could be the best of them all, if only she cute the time she spent on the farm short....that's when the memories got blurred, and she suspected that she'd been totally blank for a couple of moments, and then Rainbow Dash ad waved her hoof in front of her face, and she started to come back to her senses. She had stood up, making the chair trip over, and then ran out of the resturant.

She stopped to look around . She hadn't been thinking of where she was running, and now she noticed that she was just outside the bakery.

Once in the room she and RD shared, she continued sorting through her memories. When she ran outside the restaurant, she had discovered that Twilight and Rarity had been waiting for them, probably to continue party together with them. Twilight's word still rung in her ears...

“Applejack!? What the...”

Yes, the more Applejack thought about it, the more she started to ask her self the same question; what had she been doing, running away like that? It had been Rainbow Dash's fault, all of it. She thought she knew her, she thought she cared about her. B-but no one who cared could say something like that, right? And the way she said it, like it's the most obvius thing in the world. Like she didn't have a choice. She hated not having a choice.

“Applejack? Are you in there? Please sugar cube, let me in.” She heard her uncle's voice from the other side of the locked door.

Applejack sighed. She knew that she could chose to ignore her uncle, but she also knew that they both was stubborn enough that by the time she'll give up and open the door, he'll precisely be about to leave, meaning that he'll come in, one way or another.

And so it come that she opened that door and let her uncle in.

“Thanks for letting me in, Applejack” Apple slices said, putting a hoof around his beloved niece. “Now, what is the problem? Weren't you supposed to be out there and enjoying you're 1 year anniversary?”

“She's a big idiot! She saw that Ah was good at rodeo and fixed some fancy contract for performing at rodeo shows and do commercials and stuff!” Applejack screamed, making her uncle jump in surprise.

Apple Slices started to understand what have happened. The farm was Applejack's life, and with a contract of the type she mentioned, she'd probably have to cut down on her work on the farm in order to have time train and perform.

“Applejack....” Apple slices started, before being cut off by his niece.

“A-and then she said, just like Ah would love a contract for Rodeo, “Isn't it great, Applejack? You get the chance to become the best of them all! Of course you'll need to reduce the time working on the farm, but it's a small price for the chance of being the best, right Applejack?”!!! Can you believe it? And Ah thought she knew me!”

“She know you, it just that she haven't grown up on a farm! She haven't realized just how important the farm is to you.” Apple Slices said, trying to shield His ears when Applejack screamed.

“Anyway” He then continued. “What are you going to do now? Go classical and make Rainbow Dash sleep on the couch before having a stern talk with her tomorrow morning?”

“Actually, Ah was thinking fetching the train home tonight, and have some time to think things through before facing her tomorrow." Applejack said, no longer screaming.

Apple Slices nodded. It seemed like a good idea, based on the situation.

"Tell mom Ah said Hi...."

And so, Applejack was sitting on the late night train form Canterlot to Manehattan, which stopped in Ponyville. The train had traveled all day from The Crystal Empire and left most of it's passengers on Canterlot Station before picking up new passengers on the way to Manehattan.

Applejack scanned the cart. There weren't many passengers. A mare with a small foal sleeping on her knee. Two college stallions on the way back to school after the Summer break.

Last but not least, a young mare in Applejack's own age, that, Applejack realized, looked very similar to her. The mare was an earth pony with orange coat and golden colored mane.
The unknown mare was seemingly very tired. She was sitting on the seat, curled in to a ball and absentmindedly looking out the window. She looked lost, like she didn't belong, but long since given up to try and get right. Instead, she let her mind wander, dreaming about a world long lost.
And, Applejack realized, that was just how she was feeling to. Lost. Abandoned by the one she loved and left to her self. But she could make it. She didn't have to become what that mare was. Didn't need to let it shin through. She could conceal it, didn't need to feel it. Right?

"Ponyville Next!" A voice called out in the speakers, snapping Applejack out of her train of thoughts. The young mare across the hall seemed startled at first, but then it was like all life returned to her, like she finally manages to take her self where she wanted to go all alone, because what she was really meant to do was to tag alone on a ride that appeared to go in the wrong direction.

Applejack got up as well, quickly grabbing her bag and checking that she hadn't forgotten something.

Then, suddenly, the train cringed, making an abrupt turn and causing Applejack to loose her balance, crashing face first into the mysterious mare.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" The mare exclaimed, and a small part of Applejack's brain registered that she spoke with a Manehattian accent.

"Oh! A-Ah'm so sorry, Ah wasn't prepared for the train to turn!" Applejack excused her self.

"N-no, it's okay....I should've watched out, too.." The mare then said, suddenly much more quite and shy.

The doors of the train opened and Applejack and The unknown Mare stepped out on the platform, were she immediately ran up to a brown Pegasus stallion with a White mane and tail and a ginger bread house for cutiemark, kissing him on the mouth.

"She had a lover of her own all along" Applejack thought.

When they had been on the train, the mare had appeared to be just as lonely and abandoned as Applejack had felt after abandoning RD in the restaurant, but in the end, she weren't alone. It was just Applejack.

Applejack started walking in direction of the Macintosh hill, which could be seen in the distance, dragging her hooves after her in the mud. She didn't really want to return home. Not yet. She changed direction slightly and started walking towards the soft lights of Ponyville.

On the streets, everything was quiet and peaceful. Most ponies were sleeping and all the shops were closed....or? Further down the street, there was a small café that still seemed to be open.

Applejack walked up to the door to the café. Above it, there was a sign that read " Bluberry's Pancake House". Applejack hesitated. Maybe it was better to just head home after all? But on the other side, she could use some company. Especially somepony who didn't knew everything about her. She opened the door, hearing a bell jingle as she stepped inside.

Bluberry Pancakes, a peach colored earth pony with Bluberry blue mane and a pancake with Bluberry's as cutiemark, were just about to go upstairs and head to bed when the door bell jingled.

"Who can it be at this hour?" Bluberry thought as she walked out of the kitchen to see who it was.
She surprised when saw Applejack, a local farmer who used to come to her café and eat pancakes with her friends, all Dressed up in a beautiful emerald green dress.

"Ah saw the light's were on, so Ah thought it was open. Do you mind if Ah come in? Ah could use some company right now."

"Sure" Bluberry Said, motioning at a table. "Sit down. So, tell me, what's happened?"

So Applejack told Bluberry Pancakes what happened. How everything had started out great with a nice little dinner in a wonderful restaurant, and about the rodeo contract and how Rainbow Dash told her that she could be the best of the best if she started spending less time working on the farm.

"I see. The problem is that Rainbow Dash want you to compete, right?" Blueberry said when Applejack finished. "But you don't want to compete."

"No, Ah don't wanna compete. Not like that. Ah do it for the fun of it, and as a break from all the farm work, not for the ribbons."

"Then why don't you tell her that? As I see it, if you're unhappy, you should say so! To survive in the world, you need to be egotistic. If you always try and bend to other ponies will, you'll eventually break."

"Ah guess you're right...." Applejack slowly said. She had a hard time wrapping her mind Around the concept of Being egoistisk and putting your own needs first. "Thanks for the advice, Blubbery. Ah really appreciate it!"

Applejack stood up and walked out the door. Bluberry looked after her as she left. She hopped everything would be alright with her and Rainbow Dash. Slowly, she turned off the light's and walked up stairs to finally head to bed.

Rainbow Dash rolled over in the bed, attempting to get some sleep. It was useless. All since Applejack ran away from her in the restaurant, Rainbow Dash's brain had been trying to figure out what she did wrong. She thought AJ would be happy. After all, if you're good at something, then you'd want to compete, right? But Rainbow Dash knew it wasn't true.
She thought back to the conversation they'd had in the restaurant. Of all ponies Rainbow Dash knew, Applejack was the most free spirited of them all. She did what was best for her and her family and hated to be forced in to doing something. The realization was like cold shower. She had been so wrong. She had tried to force Applejack into a cage, she tried to force Applejack to be what she wanted her to be....
She needed to make it up to her. She needed to tell her how wrong she'd been. Finally finding some peace at mind, Rainbow Dash faded in to a dream less sleep.

Applejack woke up early after spending the night in the barn as to not wake up her family. Before going to bed, she had take off the beautiful green dress.

She picked a couple of apples to breakfast and sat down by the base of her favorite tree to eat them. Once she finished her breakfast, she started bucking apples. Soon, though, she found her self looking up into the sky for the nth time, hoping to see a blur of colores flying across it. She didn't. After another hour or two, she realized that something was wrong. Big Macintosh should be awake and out in the fields, bucking apples, but she couldn't hear anything. First when she listened really close, she heard the fading sound if someone bucking apple trees in the distance. It was like he stayed away from her on purpose, which, she realizied, would be very typical him, leaving her alone and only approaching if she hadn't shown her face by night fall.

Rainbow Dash saw the Apple fields of Sweet Apple Acres come closer in the distance, and forced her self to fly faster. She needed to reach Applejack in time and tell her all the things she never got the chance to tell her last night, that she were too much of a feather brain to realise that she should've said. The Western orchard was spreading out below her now, but she still couldn't see Applejack anywhere. Where could she be?

[hlr]

Applejack had almost stopped looking up into the sky. She wouldn't see her there. Yet still, just as a final farewell, she looked up into the sky one more time. And there she was!

Inwardly, Applejack almost exploded with happiness as she saw the blur of colors approaching. Rainbow Dash landed beside her and opened her mouth, letting out everything at the same time.

"I'msosorryApplejackI'vebeensuchafoolhowcouldyoueverforgivmeIonlywantedyoutobehappyI'msososorrypleaseforgivemeIdidn'tmeanto....

Applejack promptly shoved a hoof in to Rainbow Dash's mouth.

"Easy there sugar cube, Ah got things to apologize for, too. Though if you want to, you can start."

She removed her hoof, letting Rainbow Dash speak.

"I'm sorry. I tried to force you into doing something you didn't want to do." Rainbow Dash closed her eyes for a second, preparing for what would come.

"For me, it's always been natural that if you are good at something, you'll wanna compete. I think it's connected to how I was raised. My mom was a Pegasus mare who failed getting into the Wonderbolts in favor of her best friend and got a child before she was ready. My dad was a racer who quite his career to take care of me when mom left. As soon as I learned to fly, he started to train me. I guess he didn't want me to end up like mom."

Applejack didn't knew what to say. Rainbow Dash rarely talked about her child hood and her parents.

"A-Ah'm sorry to here that your mom left you."

Rainbow Dash didn't answer. Instead, she walked up beside Applejack and wrapped her wing around her. Applejack knew it was her turn to appolegise.

"Ah'm sorry Ah ran away from you at the restaurant, but the mare thought of cutting down my working hours at the farm..." Applejack shivered. "Ah couldn't do that. It wouldn't be fare. Besides, rodeo is something Ah do for fun, as a break from all the farm work, not for the ribbons. Ah know you only wanted to do what was best for me, but I was too caught up in the situation to realize that."

Slowly, Rainbow Dash bent forward and kissed Applejack on the muzzles. They lay down in the grass beneath an Apple tree, enjoying each other's company..... But Rainbow Dash had one more thing to do. She needed to give her the photo.

"Applejack." She poke her in the ribs, getting her attention. From her saddlebag, she pulled out a photo.

Applejack looked down at the photo. It was a picture of her, standing in a dressing room, dressed in a beautiful, emerald green dress....

"You were modeling for Rarity, and I took a picture of you in the dress I liked the most. The same dress you wear last night."

"Ah remember that. I was so angry with you for taking that photo....Ah recognized the dress last night, but could remember exactly were Ah had seen it before."

They went quite, taking in the beautiful site before them, and deep down in there hearts, they knew that this was something they'd never forget.

Author's Note

Blueberry Pancakes belong to Duskchaser123 on Fimfiction, who was kind enough to let me borrow her for my story! :twilightsmile:
Ginger Snack, Cobble Stone, Cloudy Angel and the unnamed couple on the train/train station when Applejack was heading back to Ponyville is all OCs that belong to me!
Anyway, hope you enjoyed the story and please leave a comment, if so only an emotion icon, in the comments below so that I know what you thought of the story! ^^