The wedding was finally over, and all of the Ponyville ponies in Canterlot had gone to bed. It was almost one in the morning and it had been a very long day. Rainbow Dash was alone in her room at Canterlot Castle, her dress was in a heap on the floor, and the ribbons had been pulled out of her mane. The wedding was exciting, way more exciting then even she had hoped, but she was ready for things to get back to normal. She couldn't help but grin when she heard a knock at the door.
She flew off the huge canopy bed over to the door and opened it a crack, finding a tired and grumpy looking Applejack on the other side. “I thought it might be you. Didn't you get enough of a work out earlier today?”
“Dash, lemme in.” Applejack said, seriously.
The pegasus grinned, “Hmm, I don't know. I was kinda in the middle of-”
“Lemme in, or I will buck this door down, so help me Celestia.”
Dash sighed a little, still smiling. “Fine, you're no fun tonight.”
Applejack had also lost the dress, and her mane and tail had been brushed straight and tied with her red ribbons, stetson firmly on her head. She was frowning as she walked in, looking around the large bedroom, “Who ya' got in here?”
Rolling her eyes, Dash gestured to the empty room, “The Wonderbolts, a couple of royal guards, and that DJ. . . I don't have anyone in here, I was waiting for you.”
Applejack stared her down for a minute, looking for a lie or half truth, then hopped up on the bed and laid down. Dash joined the earth pony, snuggling against her, but Applejack didn't move.
It was finally getting through Dash's head that something was actually bothering her marefriend. She wasn't sure how to broach the subject, tactful communication was more AJ's thing. So she waited, and nibbled Applejack's neck to keep herself occupied.
“You kissed 'er.” Applejack finally said.
Rainbow Dash stopped her nibbling and looked up into accusing green eyes, “You saw that? It was in the middle of the fight!”
“I keep my eye on you. You ain't denyin' it?”
Dash propped herself up on her front hoof and one wing, her body still pressed against the jealous earth pony. “Well, no. . . but it was just a kiss on the nose! She was hiding her eyes while I took down those changelings, I had to let her know it was the real me somehow.”
“You coulda just said.” Applejack pointed out.
Dash grinned. “Yeah, but it's hilarious when she blushes. I think she has a crush on me.”
“You think everypony has a crush on ya!”
“They all do. It's totally not my fault.” Dash answered, the grin still on her face.
Applejack rolled her eyes, “So, what 'bout Soarin?”
“Oh, Soarin definitely has a crush on me.” Dash teased.
“So ya' spent all evenin' dancin with him?” Applejack said with another accusing glare.
“He's a Wonderbolt!” Dash answered. AJ's look told her that this was not an excuse, so the pegasus added, “And it was just dancing.”
“Yeah? What I saw after y'all had that cider didn't look like just dancin'.”
“Alright, so it wasn't Granny Smith's square dance. But we didn't start rutting on the dance floor or anything.” Seeing the look Applejack was giving her, she tried to dig herself out. “Look, ponies love me. I'm awesome, I'm talented, I'm fun to be around. You of all ponies should know that!”
“Ya' know, Dash, there's no 'element of awesome' in harmony.” Applejack said, still looking way too serious for Dash's comfort.
“Yeah, but if there was. . .” The cyan pegasus said in an attempt to lighten the mood. But Applejack wasn't going to be distracted.
“You're the element of loyalty, is what I'm sayin'. Is it too much to ask that ya try bein' loyal to me once in a while?”
That shocked Rainbow Dash, and she protested forcefully, “I am loyal! In case you didn't notice, I was here alone waiting for you. And it's not like I didn't have offers, believe me.”
AJ sighed, but she shifted to wrap her front leg around the pegasus. “You're flashy, sugarcube. Folks notice flash, I know that. But I love ya' for what's underneath alla that flash, and I gotta know that part's mine.”
Dash relaxed and gave a little snort, and nuzzled AJ's neck. “Of course it's yours. You don't think I'd give my heart to anypony but the second best pony in all of Equestria, do ya?”
Applejack shot her a look, “Second best?”
Dash gave AJ a little grin. “Yeah. I haven't figured out how to date myself yet.”
Applejack chuckled and shook her head. “You coulda asked onea them changelin's.”
“Are you kidding? If any of them had been half as awesome as me, we would've lost.”
“Dash? We did lose.”
Dash sighed, “Yeah, I know. But we took out a lot of them first!”
Applejack just smiled and hugged Dash close, while Dash just enjoyed the feeling of relaxing in AJ's strong legs after a long, dangerous, and confusing day.
Finally, without moving from AJ's arms, Dash asked, “What was your final count?”
“You were countin'?”
Dash smirked at AJ, “Like you weren't.”
Applejack was quiet for a minute. “Forty three. You?”
“Forty-” Dash paused, and eyed Applejack, who she found eyeing her back. Dash deflated a little and finished, “Forty two.”
“How's second best feel, sugarcube?” Applejack smiled and gave her a squeeze. But seeing Dash pouting, she went on. “'Sides, Pinkie got more then either of us.”
“Yeah, but that doesn't count. She had Twilight, and the party cannon. It only counts if you do it with your bare hooves.”
Applejack laughed, “I'll buy that for two bits. Pinkie probably came out cleaner then us, though. I thought I'd never get the changelin' bits outta my hair for the weddin'.”
“Why'd you have to?” Dash joked, running a hoof down AJ's blonde mane. “You looked so cool after that fight, all sweaty and messy. If I hadn't been distracted by failing all of Equestria, I would've pulled you up here right then.”
Applejack had to laugh, “A city fulla changelin's wouldn't a stopped ya, huh?”
“Nope, I would've been like, 'Outta my way guys, I've got a marefriend to make out with,'” Dash laughed. She leaned in and kissed AJ deeply, and AJ kissed her back.
The kiss lasted a long time, it held all of the nervous energy of two ponies who would never say die, but might have had the thought cross their minds once or twice in the past day. When it finally broke, Rainbow Dash found herself looking into those bright green eyes and feeling too many things that she couldn't express.
“I love you, Rainbow Dash.” AJ said.
“I love you too, Applejack.” Dash answered, which wasn't a bad start. But there was more. “If- if anything ever happens to me, I want you to know. . .”
Applejack bit her lip, but waited paitently. Dash tried to put what she was feeling into words, but these kinds of emotions just weren't her thing.
Finally she gave up, and grinned impishly. “You'll make a slightly less awesome best pony in all Equestria.”
For a second, AJ was shocked, then she started laughing and gave Rainbow Dash a shove, “You're the worst, ya know that?”
“You mispronounced 'best.'” Dash said, grabbing the leg AJ used to shove her and pulling her close.
AJ hugged the pegasus, then used her body to push Dash into the bed. “Best pain in my rear end.”
Dash grinned, wrapping her front legs tight around AJ, “I'd better be. It's a great rear end.”
Rainbow Dash wondered if she'd ever actually be able to say all that she needed to before it was too late. But as she laughed and joked and held Applejack close, she wondered if maybe she didn't have to. Maybe nights like this said it all.
