PART I
CHAPTER 1
Applejack stood before her glorious farm. Two baskets were holstered to her side as she set out to collect some apples for the day.
When she was younger she had tried to deny that being a farmer was in her blood. But her heart had always been in this farm and that is where it would always stay.
She loved nothing more than her farm and family.
They were country ponies, they lived to watch their land grow and thrive.
But every now and then she just liked to have a relaxing work day, picking the apples at a calm pace and to spend the evening just looking after her home, her heart.
She bucked one of the trees lightly and collected the few apples that fell. Sometimes nothing was better than a lazy day of work.
"Heya, Applejack!"
She looked up in hearing that loud cheerful voice and saw Rainbow Dash hovering above her, her blue wings gusting out wind in easy pants.
"Well good evening, Rainbow Dash. What brings you round here this time of day?"
"Just gotta warn everypony about the upcoming storm, we're making sure everypony gets inside."
"Jeeze, really?" Applejack said disappointed. "But I gotta pick all the loose apples off today or else they'll be completely blown away."
"Look, Applejack." Rainbow Dash said hesitantly looking at the dark clouds in the distance. "You have probably an hour, an hour and a half tops to get these apples down, but you better hurry."
"Thanks," Applejack said with a smile but sighed. "I guess this'll have to be a hectic work day after all."
Rainbow Dash saluted her before flying off and Applejack blew out annoyed getting her wit about her and hurried on faster in her work.
The work was tedious and hard, but worth it all the same. She was down half the acre when she felt some damp pats of rain on her back and frowned annoyed.
"Oh no!" she said hasty. "It can't be time already!"
She knew Rainbow Dash said it would be a big storm but she couldn't stand seeing so many apples going to waste! She hurried on her way, bucking more loose apples off the trees.
Rainbow Dash stood on her cloud a little worried. The storm had started, but knowing Applejack, if she hadn't picked all those apples yet than she wouldn't stop, even in this rain.
She couldn't let her friend get throttled by the wind and rain, she had to help.
She nodded her head hard and began her unsteady flight back to the farm. The wind gushed on her sides pulling her back. She must be crazy.
Applejack was soaking wet from the down pour. Branches were falling everywhere, one hitting her back and she yelped in pain.
"Stupid damn wind! But I can't lose any harvest!"
"Applejack!"
She looked up fast seeing Rainbow Dash flying toward her. The wind pushed the pegasus this way and that fiercely but she landed beside the injured Applejack with heavy exhausted panting.
"How did I know that you wouldn't listen to my warning!"
"Well stop complaining, I just picked the last loose apple!"
"You're a stupid apple!"
"HUH!" Applejack said in anger. The two jumped as lightning struck behind them.
"You better get inside, Rainbow Dash! Come on!" Applejack yelled and directed her to her house, Rainbow Dash nodded and the two ran low to avoid getting hit by lightning.
They reached the house and Applejack slammed the door closed with a hard buck. The two panted as water dripped off them and splashed to the ground.
"Jeeze, Rainbow Dash. Why did you Pegasus arrange such a fierce storm?" Applejack asked flabbergasted.
"We have to clear out all this storage of water in the air so we arranged one night to do it."
"Well I don't think you can go back out into that weather." Applejack said worriedly looking through the window to the gusting wind and rain outside.
"Hey, it's better for me in here than there… though I'm not too fond of inside houses."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing…" Rainbow Dash said, not really feeling like getting into a row and looked around the farmhouse slowly saying confused.
"So where's the rest of your family?"
"They went to visit cousin Jefferson down the valley."
"So it's just you tonight?"
"Why do you think I was the only one picking apples?"
"I don't know, stubbornness?"
"Righto… enough outta you."
Rainbow Dash smirked friendly and sat down at the table.
"So what do you do for fun?"
"I don't know, play games, you?"
"Oh you know me, always racing against the wind. My wings need extra exercise to keep me in tip top shape."
"Someone's a little proud." Applejack said teasingly. "Maybe that there should've been your element."
Rainbow Dash stuck her tongue out in response, Applejack grinning.
These two always had a small banter about them. Applejack felt out of all her friends she seemed to always empathise the most with Rainbow Dash. The two never had that much alone time together so she only really knew the outside of her friend… but even with that she felt like she really knew the blue pegasus.
"Whatcha thinking?" Applejack aspired to know and Rainbow Dash looked at her confused.
"Why you wanna know?"
"I don't know… I've always I suppose just wanted to know what goes on inside that thick skull of yours?"
"Look, is this going to be some kind of bonding experience?"
"Got a problem with that?" Applejack asked blankly. Rainbow Dash blinked surprised. Applejack always had a tricky way about her, and she usually did manage to get her way with persistence.
"Alright," Rainbow Dash said grinning. "I was just thinking about how much fun it would be swooping through the air in this storm… though I know it would be dangerous."
"You really love speed don't you?" Applejack asked slowly and Rainbow Dash nodded.
"It's what I was born with, in my blood… I know that sounds stupid."
"No it ain't." Applejack said smiling and sat down beside her. "Farming's in my blood, couldn't live without it."
"But if you had to give up farming for something... If your happiness depended on it... What would it be?"
"Are we playing truth or dare now?" Applejack questioned smiling, Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Well I wouldn't give up farming for anything."
"Not even to save your family?"
"Well yeah, of course then." Applejack said in an obvious voice.
"Do you ever get annoyed?" Rainbow Dash asked nervously and Applejack looked at her confused.
"About what?"
"Living with your family still?"
Applejack didn't see that coming. She smiled kindly.
"No Rainbow Dash, I love my family. I love this farm. I was born to stay here forever."
"But what if you met a handsome stallion?" Rainbow Dash countered.
"And what's that got to do with anything?"
"Well, what if he wanted you to move away to somewhere far far away?"
"Wouldn't do it."
"But what if you loved him…?"
Applejack was silent then… she never really had been in love before… to be honest, she wouldn't know what she'd do. But she didn't have to admit that to Rainbow Dash.
"Look if a handsome stallion comes into my life then who knows what I'd do. But it ain't gonna happen at this moment."
"What? Falling in love or meeting a stallion?"
"Both… I've got too much work to fall in love."
"Yeah, me too." Rainbow Dash said absent minded "I mean, love is all around us but we don't even generally give the blokes in our town a second look."
"Yep. That's it, sister."
Rainbow Dash giggled looking at Applejack with a small smile that lingered longer than a normal one and Applejack looked off nervously.
"Well, anyway." she said a little shy for once. "How about you help me make dinner."
"Well what do you usually have?"
"Apples."
"Wow, exotic." Rainbow Dash said plainly.
"Oh come on, we also got cider?"
"Cider!" Rainbow Dash said in ecstasy and jumped up in the air in joy. "Well let's get eating!"
Applejack laid out the apple treats on the table. Apple casserole was the main with apple pie being the desert.
Rainbow Dash's mouth salivated with lust as Applejack poured two points of cider and Rainbow Dash swallowed hers down eagerly in two gulps.
"Wow, thirsty."
"Are you kidding? Your family makes the best cider in all of EQUESTIA!" Rainbow Dash said in glee and gave a small bubbly burp. Applejack giggled at that but was also a little taken back from the praise.
"Thank Rainbow Dash, it's nice to get your stamp of approval."
"Why do I not often give it?" the Pegasus asked confused and Applejack shook her head softly. "Really?"
"Well, you don't hide it well when your disappointed I'll tell you that much."
"Oh sorry." Rainbow Dash said nervously.
"Don't be. One thing with you is that you always show your emotions on your shoulder."
"I didn't realise that I was so transparent."
"That's a good thing, take it as a praise."
"I guess…" Rainbow Dash said with a small unsure smile. She didn't know why it mattered to her, but she suddenly worried about how Applejack saw her.
Applejack was always honest, which was something Rainbow Dash really admired about her, but she wondered if Applejack liked anything specifically about her or worse… disliked something.
"Hey Applejack, what do you think of me?"
"Why, I think you're a good friend with a strong heart."
"Be honest."
"But I am?"
"No about my bad points… I know I come off as a little obnoxious sometimes."
"Okay…" Applejack said honestly. "Sometimes you do think you're a bit all that."
"Really?"
"And… sometimes, if something ain't cool you automatically label it as not worth your time."
That really hurt.
"Look I'm making you sad!" Applejack said in grief, "Say something about me, for Pony sake!"
"Well… you can be awfully stubborn."
"I can?"
"You haven't notice?"
"I think you're mistaking stubbornness for not giving in to what I think is wrong."
"No you're pretty stubborn. You wouldn't even go in when the storm started."
"Oh…. Yeah."
"But you are the nicest pony I know, I even think you are nicer- and don't tell her I said this- nicer than Fluttershy."
"Really? Why…?"
"Well you always tell the truth whereas Fluttershy might lie just to be nice."
"You know, you have some qualities I admire too, Rainbow Dash."
"Like what?"
"Like your unwavering bravery, your pure loyalty, how you stick by your friends."
"Really?" Rainbow Dash said shyly, a smile going up her lips and her heart then beat a little hard… as if a realisation had suddenly dawned on her. She had never thought Applejack saw her that way, and she admired that pony so much… she never admired anyone unless they were famous or fast… but Applejack had always gotten her admiration simply for being her.
And the way her heart was fluttering now while she looked at the orange pony, it made her nervous… so nervous she almost wanted to escape.
"You okay there Rainbow Dash?"
"Me, oh yeah… but you know, I think that storm i-is settling. I should leave."
"What? But it's like a hurricane out there!"
"Look, it's probably not that bad."
Just as she said that a giant bolt of lightning struck outside flickering on and off the lights and Applejack looked at her stubbornly saying plain and simply.
"You're staying."
Rainbow Dash's smile sunk in nervousness… she really did want to spend the night with Applejack… but she felt so shy around her old friend… and especially now, after all that Applejack had said… she didn't know how to feel… cos' this feeling was really strange.
"Well come on," Applejack said as they finished the desert and the dishes were piled on the counter. "Time to clear up this mess."
"Right on." Rainbow Dash said and got up beside her. Applejack turned on the tap and water poured into the sink.
The two smiled and joked as they did the dishes before it grew dark and Rainbow Dash asked in a nervous smile.
"So where am I sleeping?"
Applejack looking at her confused, replying unsure.
"Applebloom's room?"