The Colors We All Share

The New(ish) Mare in Town

'Wow, I feel like a...what was the word? Masochist? Yeah, that's it. I feel like a Masochist. Hey AJ! I just rescued our friend from mortal peril, wrecking my body in the process and making my muscles almost useless! Wanna go for a run? …Huh. When did I learn the phrase 'Mortal peril'?'

So after Rainbow's brilliant plan to distract herself by suggesting a run, Applejack had the brilliant thought that it was a good idea. I mean, it's not like common sense would dictate otherwise or anything. No sir, running when injured is definitely a good idea. On the tippy-top of the to-do list, even.

All pain and idiocy aside, the run itself was peaceful enough. They hadn't been running particularly fast, and they didn't say much, but they did enjoy the company of the others presence. It was just one of those special things that they shared between them, the kind of social activity that was special to each individual friend.

Minutes later though, the pain had escalated from a simple 'Hey, pay attention to me!' to something that more or less resembled 'I'm going to start poking you with sharp pointy things now!' It was only bit of a nuisance, but it was enough to make her want to distract herself with some talking.

“So AJ, I've got some things I need to tell you, and I don't really wanna drag this out so I think I'm just gonna say it.”

Applejack didn't respond, but she did look inquisitively at Rainbow Dash, a clear indicator that she would like for her to continue.

The powerful legs of the two ponies beat against the ground for almost a full minute as Dash took this time to gather her rather jumbled thoughts.

“Yesterday after I saved Fluttershy, I think I realized a few things. I'll explain more about our conversation in a minute, but first I just have to say something, something very important.”

Applejack nodded at Rainbow to carry on.

“It's not easy to say, and I might run off as soon as I say it...I f-feel like running off right now and I haven't even started yet! So...pay attention, AJ!

“Well git on with it, then! I promise I won't judge ya for it. And if it's a problem I'd be more than happy to try and help.” she said, completely honestly, of course.

“Well AJ...I think I've finally understood that...well what I'm trying to say is...I really, really like-”

“Fireworks?”

“Firework- what? No! Well, I mean yes, fireworks are cool, but what I really mean is-”

“Not you, ya silly filly, look!”

It took Rainbow Dash a moment to realize Applejack had fallen behind on account of her having stopped running. After back-tracking a couple of feet to the farm pony, she looked past the canopy of trees, through the hole between some of the leaves where Applejack was pointing. Indeed off in the distance there were fireworks. Spectacular ones, at that: there were dozens of them, some streaming straight up, others twirling, some exploding into glorious rainbows, and much more as well.

“That's cool Applejack, but the shows over, let's get moving again.” It was as Rainbow had stated, for the spectacle before them had suddenly ceased as if it had never began.

“Are you kiddin' me Rainbow? Who would go out of their way to blow up some mighty fine fireworks in the middle of the forest where nopony could see them? Maybe they got hurt! Let's go check it out!”

And off Applejack went before Rainbow could even protest...but as Rainbow followed soon after, she realized that it wasn't all bad. After all, the view behind Applejack was much better than the view from alongside her...

***

The two mares were happy to discover that the trail curved around leftwards directly to the location of the fireworks, meaning that they wouldn't have to trek through the thick of the brush.

They were less happy to discover that the field was currently occupied by a large stagecoach wagon which seemed to be practically embedded into a tree.

“Wow. That's no ordinary crash Applejack. It takes a special kind of skill to be THAT terrible.”

As Dash laughed at her own joke, Applejack scoffed. She took a moment to circle round the cart.

Applejack wore an expression of extreme worry on her face. Dash just rolled her eyes as she casually sauntered over, nothing fazing her.

“Applejack, whoever crashed probably set off the fireworks. If they could move then they shouldn't be that badly injure-”

“Shut up and c'mere real quick, we got a pony down over here!”

***

“I absolutely, positively, refuse.”

“Come on, Dash! If you fly her she'll be safe in the hospital before she gets any worse!”

“I absolutely, positively, refuse.” Rainbow Dash repeated, punctuating her remark with the stamp of a hoof.

Between the two bickering ponies lie a third pony, although she was not able to partake any in this conversation being that she was unconscious. Were she awake however, she'd hear just how stupid two stubborn ponies could be.

“Rainbow Dash! I'm surprised at you. You represent the spirit of the Element of Loyalty, now be loyal to ponykind and help THIS pony!” She gestured with an outstretched hoof once again at the unmoving form between them.

“That doesn't even make sense! Just looking at this blue loudmouth brat makes me wanna be sick, why would I have to be loyal to her of all ponies?! She's okay, isn't she? She's breathing, so she has to be! Let's just wait until she wakes up and then we'll take off.”

“And how long will that be? Five minutes? An hour? A week? I don't like her any more'n you do, but it's our duty as civilians of Equestria to take care o' one another.”

Rainbow had to admit, Applejack had a point when it came to the whole 'How long will she be out?' thing. Head trauma was tricky stuff, even tiny injuries could have devastating effects, and if the snarky unicorn between the two of them was unconscious after a crash...

Rainbow took a moment to idly wonder what divine force was wandering around causing cranial injuries everywhere it went.

Then she took another moment to wonder if she's been hanging around Twilight too much. How else would she know the word 'cranial'?

A few minutes pause and Dash sighed in defeat.

“Fine. Just this once, just this once, "The Dash™" will-”

“Please don't call yourself "The Dash™" ever again.”

“HEY! Can't you see that "The Dash™" is trademarked? Say it again and I'll have to sue you.”

Applejack looked...well she didn't really know how to look. Just the preposterous idea that alone made her want to laugh while slapping Rainbow Dash silly.

“I don't rightly think ya can trademark a name, Rainbow. 'Sides, I ain't got nothing. What would you sue me for, anyway? Money? I have none. Labor? I work all day already. Food? Used to feed mah family.”

“How about your body?”

“...”

“Too far?”

Applejack just shook her head, but a smile escaped onto her lips nonetheless. The sight filled Rainbow with motivation.

“Soooooo.....while we're on that topic, I have something to say to you.”

“'While we're on that topic' ya say...Dash, are y’all coming on to me?” Applejack laughed at her own would-be joke.

“No! Uh, actually, yeah. Sorta. Listen Applejack, I tried to say it earlier, but-”

“Doesn't matter right now, Dash. This is more impor'ant. Y'all can tell me later, but first I please need ya to help me.”

Rainbow almost looked angry at being cut off again, but a moment later the look passed. Dejectedly sighing, ears flattening down, she stopped to look at AJ.

With another sigh, this time accompanied by a smile, she spoke.

“Fine. But only because you said please.”

Before Applejack knew it, she was alone on the woods. Helping Dash get Trixie up on her back had only taken a moment, and in the next second a cyan figure could be seen flying away in the distance.

***

“Yes, she's in room 3C. Just please, I'm going to need everypony to be quiet, she's only just got here and she hasn't woken up yet.” Nurse Redheart stated.

After her instructions, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Twilight followed Rainbow silently for a few minutes, but eventually Twilight had to re-ask the question on all the others minds.

“Rainbow, why again won't you tell us who it is that's hurt? We're all really worried!”

“Doesn't matter, her room is right there. Just go inside!”

“Her? So it's a her? Her who?”

Rainbow didn't respond.

Twilight looked quizzically over at Rainbow Dash, but otherwise didn't do anything.

“Well? Go inside!”

Slowly they all, minus Dash, shuffled into the room.

A sudden stroke of inspiration hit Dash. There was an evil glint in her eye as she pondered her nefarious prank. Quickly, she closed the door behind the last pony, she herself waiting outside.

“.......4.....3......2......1......”  Dash slowly counted down.

“.........”

“Huh, Twilight and Rarity must be taking it better than I-”

“TRIXIE!?”

“There it is.”

***

A short time later and a furious Nurse Redheart came into view, her vision filled with Rainbow Dash, who was cackling on the floor and banging her hoof against the wall.

”What did I just get through saying?”

That straightened up Rainbow real quick.

“Sorry, doc, couldn't resist a good prank. You know how it is.” Rainbow sheepishly responded, her wings a little lower than normal and a hoof scratching the back of her head.

“OH well that makes everything just dandy then!”

“......It does?”

“No! It doesn-...I mean, no. It doesn't.” She had to catch herself before she starting shouting.

“Rainbow Dash, what if Trixie'd been woken up by that scream? Everything sounds quiet, so it's probably okay, but how would you respond to being woken up by four ponies, who you assume hate you, in a hospital room not knowing what's going on? And now I have to take time out of my busy schedule to make sure everything's okay!”

Without another word she'd pushed past Dash and made her way into the room, leaving the (now a little faded) rainbow maned Pegasus to sulk by herself.

She didn't have to sulk alone for long though, as a couple of seconds later Applejack rounded the corner.

“Applejack! Good, just the mare I needed to talk to- how did you find me anyway?”

“Well that's an easy one.” Applejack let a hint of a smirk though. “I jus' had to follow the sound of shoutin'. Most of the hollerin' done around these parts is because of you anyway.” By the end of her statement Applejack wore a full smile at Rainbow's expense.

“Well har har, you're so clever.”

The tension settled over the two as they glared at one another for a few moments.

“......”

“......”

“......Heh.”

“......Ha..ahaha....”

“Pfffft- Bahahahaha!”

“Hahahaha....! Why are y'all laughing?! It really wasn't-heh-funny at-HAH-at all!”

“Same to you-Hahhah-you-HAAheh- cowgirl!”

Half a minute later, they started to calm down, the occasional chuckle or giggle escaping from-.

Laugh. The occasional chuckle or laugh escaping. Rainbow Dash did NOT giggle.

“Applejack, this is perfect. There's been something I've been trying to say to you all day, but the...what would Twilight call it? I dunno, Cosmic Forces, or something like that. Whatever, something has been stopping me all day.”

“Rainbow, I-”

“No, shut up you'll ruin it. Applejack, I lo-GAH!”

And as Rainbow Dash put it, the 'Cosmic Forces' at work decided now was not the time. If it WAS the proper time, they wouldn't have opened that door. And they especially wouldn't have opened it right into Rainbow's face.

And from behind that door popped the head of Pinkie Pie.

“Oopsie! Sorry, Dashie! Hey, they rhymed! Kinda. It was more like a half rhyme, like 'orange' and 'door hinge.' I wish 'silver' rhymed with something, then I could write a song about it! Wait, what was I singing? Oh well! La, la la, lalala, laaaaa!” Rainbow couldn't see very well with a wooden door trying to lodge itself in her skull (What IS it with head injuries recently?!) but she could recognize the sound of Pinkie Pie's mind just completely leaving the building, and Pinkie Pie along with it as she bounced off in time with her tune.

“Oh gosh! Rainbow, are you okay?” Fluttershy too peeked around the door, before closing it gently, making sure it hit nopony else.

“I WAS fine, but now my head hurts....and also...” She motioned for Fluttershy to come a little closer. “I was just about to admit my feelings to Applejack when Pinkie slammed me with that door...”

Fluttershy flushed red at hearing what she'd interrupted.

“Oh, my! Uhh, um...Twilight, Rarity, let's go for some tea at my house and you can tell me all about Trixie and who she is. Doesn't that sound fun?”

The two in question exchanged a look that could only mean 'What's up with Fluttershy?'

“But Fluttershy,” Rarity paused, her love of gossip kicking in “You simply must tell us what Rainbow Dash said that could turn you such a shade of red so quickly! It must be absolutely scandalous.”

Fluttershy looked at Rainbow pleadingly. She didn't want to reveal her friend's trusted secret, but she couldn't lie to her friends either!

Glancing over at Rainbow again, Fluttershy saw her wave her hooves toward the door and silently mouth the words 'just go!'

“Uhh....ummmmmm....uhhhhhh......so tea sounds lovely, right? Okay then let's go I'llflyustomyhousewe'llbefasterthatway!”

In an impressive display of speed and strength that Dash was actually very proud of, Fluttershy grabbed the other two ponies by their front hooves, and with a mighty pull she picked them up off the ground, out the window, and towards her house.

No! No, Fluttershy my maaaaaaa [size=8]nnnne!![/size]

“...Wow RD, you ever see Fluttershy move like that?”

“Nope! And I've never been prouder to see her move like that than I am right now.” She beamed, a huge and surprisingly creepy smile plastered to her face.

“So listen Applejack, I-”

“Sorry Rainbow, but I'm really tired. I'm not exactly in the mood for talking. I'm gonna spend the night here in case Trixie wakes up. Bad as she is, I don' want her runnin' off inta Ponyville causing a ruckus-”

“FRACUS!” They heard Pinkie shout from somewhere outside.

“.....Causing a fracus once she gets outta here.”

Rainbow's body seemed to slump a little bit at the news.

“I promise you though, we'll do all the talking you like tomorrow, okay sugarcube?”

Dash did seem to brighten up a little bit at the prospect, but not as much as Applejack hoped, so a moment later she pulled Dash into a tight hug. The smile on Dash's face made it apparent it had the intended effect.

“Now git on home and rest.”

“Yes dear, whatever you say. 'Take out the trash, brush your teeth, go to bed!' Geez, you sound like you're my husband......[size=8]hint hint.[/size]

“What was tha-”

“Nothing, bye Applejack!”

***

It was midnight. Rainbow Dash couldn't sleep.

It was midnight...and Rainbow Dash couldn't sleep. Why, she was almost a professional rester at this point! What ever could keep her from sleep?

Of course she already knew the answer...it was Applejack, and that promised talk they'd have tomorrow. Tomorrow. Tomorrow......tomorrow.....wait a second, tomorrow....was today! Well, not literally, but Applejack promised her a talk tomorrow, but she promised that before midnight, so...it's the next day! She could go talk to her and she'd have no choice but to listen because she promised!

Her plan was foolproof!

***

Being that "The Dash™" was able to easily fly through the window to Trixie's temporary room completely undetected, the last one hundred years of Ponyville hospital's existence suddenly felt much less secure.

Forget that, though. Rainbow Dash was on a mission!

After taking a moment to let her eyes adjust to the new darkness some, she found a safe spot to land on the floor. Hopefully she wouldn't trip over anything in this low lighting...she'd hate to be discovered sneaking in here.

Using the moonlight streaming through the window to her advantage, she looked over to where she knew the bed was. It was rather surprising to see AJ's silhouette sitting up near the edge of the bed, but she hadn't turned to face Rainbow yet. She must not have noticed her. Well, it was time to fix that. Rainbow had something to say, and AJ was going to listen!

“Hey!” She whispered excitedly. “I'm glad to see you're awake, I didn't expect you to be up.”

The other mare jumped slightly. She was obviously surprised that she'd heard Rainbow start talking out of nowhere.

“Now listen, please. I have something to say to you, and it's really, really important.” The desperation in Rainbow's voice was almost tangible. “I've been wanting to tell you this forever but things kept getting in the way. Not this time, though. Not now. I need you to promise me that you won't say anything until I'm done talking. Can you promise me that?”

Rainbow didn't hear a response, instead the target of her affections just nodded her head slowly.

“Good!”

And now Rainbow was free to say whatever she wanted to! She could sing her love for Applejack to the heavens, or she could carve her face in a cloud, or she could regale her with an amazing story sure to win her heart!

…......Or she could stand there like a complete foal. For three minutes. Without saying or doing a single thing.

The silence at this point was almost eerie. Creepy, even...but Rainbow had to break it. She had to say something...

Something relevant to the topic, would be best.

“Yesterday I had a talk with F-Fluttershy, and I-I realized a few things. A-and hey! Just bec-cause I'm stammering and talking fast doesn't m-mean I'm em...embarrassed or anything! "The Dash™" does not get embarrassed!”

Still, Applejack was silent.

'Wow, she's really taking that silence thing seriously. Whatever, it's better that way.

“There's no denying my feelings for you anymore. Fluttershy made me realize that I've felt strongly for you for a while now, but it wasn't until yesterday that I truly understood how I felt.”

Rainbow Dash took a short pause to take a deep breath and prepare herself.

“I guess what I'm trying to say is this: I love you. And it took me until now to admit it. I didn't tell you sooner because I couldn't. I wanted to, but I just...couldn't.”

“......”

“Uhh...I'm done, so...you can talk now. You...probably think I'm weird, a-and want me to go, so...I-I'll see you around.”

Rainbow, with a glimmer of tears in her eyes, backpedaled a step before spreading her wings, preparing for a quick take-off.

“Halt!”

…..What? But that wasn't...

“Nay, one called Rainbow Dash. Your feelings aren't weird at all!”

“......Oh no.”

“In fact, you are just one of many to fall for my astounding, luxurious, and alluring presence.”

“........Oh, *NO*.”

“Yes, it's true! The Great and Powerful Trixie is most certainly the best catch there is!”

“Uhhhhhhh.............”

“Was there ever any doubt?”

********

A/N: Oh Trixie, you so silly.

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