Chapters It all started when a mare named Twilight Sparkle moved into Ponyville from Canterlot. Pinkie Pie had decided to throw her a welcome party in the library and she invited everypony in Ponyville. At the party, Applejack spoke with all the ponies who had met Twilight that day. In that group was Pinkie Pie, of course, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash.
Applejack had never spoken to any of these ponies before, except Pinkie Pie. She had taken a particular liking to one of them. The cyan pegasus with the rainbow mane and tail. She reminded her of herself, but slightly different. Applejack thought she might want to get to know her better since they had so many things in common.
Applejack pulled Rainbow Dash outside of the library so they could talk without being interrupted. "Howdy, Ah'm Applejack." She said, sticking out a hoof.
Rainbow Dash looked at her awkwardly for a moment and placed her hoof in Applejack's. "I'm Rainbow Dash." She said.
"Yer probably wondern' why Ah brought you out here." Applejack said.
"Yeah..." Rainbow said.
"Well, Ah just thought we had so much in common and Ah wanted to talk to ya." She said.
"Really?" Rainbow Dash said.
"Yup."
"You work on a farm, right?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"That's right."
"And you buck apples all day?"
"Yup." Applejack took her signature stance, crossing her front legs.
"That sounds like a good work out. I bet you have extremely strong hind legs."
Applejack laughed. "Ah do. But my brother's are much stronger. He's been buckin' apples since I was a youngin'."
Rainbow Dash nodded, seeming disinterested. "You want to hang out sometime?"
"That'd be great, I'd love to." Applejack said.
"Awesome." Rainbow Dash said. "So what kind of things do you like doing during your free time?"
"Ah like trainin' and participatin' in rodeos. One day, Ah'd like to be a professional in some kinda rodeo."
"Really? I've always wanted to be in the Wonderbolts." Rainbow Dash said.
"Ah bet you could do it if you tried." Applejack said.
"Thanks. I totally think you could become a professional in doing things at rodeos. I'm sure you're great at it." Rainbow Dash said comfortingly.
"Thank ya kindly."
"Did I mention that I really like your accent? I don't know why, I just have a soft spot for ponies with thick country accents. Call me crazy."
Applejack chuckled, "Thanks."
Applejack and Rainbow Dash stood outside awkwardly, neither of them saying anything and not making eye contact. Suddenly Pinkie jumped out of the library door and yelled, "It's time for the Summer Sun Celebration everypony!" She hopped out and tons of other ponies followed her. Rainbow Dash flew up and to the front of the crowd. Applejack was left to the back of the crowd to make it there by herself.
Rainbow Dash flew over to Sweet Apple Acres so she could hang out with her new found friend, Applejack. She couldn't see the bright orange earth pony anywhere. She landed and walked around for a bit, still looking for her. She heard something that sounded like somepony crying. She followed her ears until she found the source of the noise. It was Applejack, she was sitting huddled under a tree holding her hat and sobbing.
"Applejack, are you ok?" Rainbow Dash asked as sweetly as she could manage.
Applejack turned to see Rainbow Dash. She quickly wiped her tears away and put her hat back on. She gave Dash a fake smile and said, "Yeah, Ah'm fine."
"You're not fine, you were just crying. You can tell me what's wrong." Rainbow Dash said, putting her leg over AJ's shoulders. Applejack sighed and sat back down underneath the tree. Rainbow sat down next to her.
"Well you see, when Ah was a youngin' my mom and dad were killed in some kinda freak accident. Granny never told me what happened because she said Ah would blame myself. Ah still remember them a little bit and Ah remember how much they loved me and my brother." Applejack had started crying again, tears slowly rolled out of her eyes. Rainbow Dash wiped them away with her hoof. Applejack looked at her and gave her a weak smile.
"Is that all?" Rainbow Dash asked, using a sweet, calm voice.
"No, it ain't. Do you know why Ah always wear this hat, Dash?" Applejack asked.
"No, why do you wear it?"
"It was my dad's. Granny said that Ah was closest to him, not Big Mac." She paused. "Big Mac's my brother. Anyway, Granny said she was with them when the accident happened. She told me that my dad gave her his hat and told her to give it to me when Ah was older. She gave it to me the day Ah got my cutie mark." Applejack said, smiling at the memory.
"Applejack, I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do?" Rainbow Dash asked, wrapping her leg around Applejack in a side hug.
"Nothing Ah can think of. Ah just need some comfort right now." She sniffed and more tears rolled down her cheeks.
Rainbow Dash hugged her again, and wiped away her tears, doing her best to keep herself from crying as well. "Everything is going to be ok now, Applejack." Rainbow Dash said, patting her back gently.
"Thanks Rainbow Dash." She paused and fiddled with her mane a little. "There's ummm... There's something Ah want to tell you."
"What is it?" Rainbow Dash asked, not realizing that her wings had shot out by themselves.
Before Applejack could confess, thunder and lightning flashed through the sky.
"Oh no! I totally forgot there was supposed to be a storm today." Rainbow Dash said.
"Come on, you can stay here for the night." Applejack said, she stood up and started galloping towards the barn. Rainbow Dash followed her, though not of hoof.
The rain had started just before they made it into the barn. It was pouring really bad, so even though they were only in it for a brief second, they were already soaking wet. "Looks like we'll have to sleep in the hay tonight." Applejack said.
Rainbow Dash shook the water off her like a dog would, leaving Applejack even more soaked than she was before. "Oh, sorry Applejack." Rainbow Dash chuckled.
Applejack shook the water off as well, none of it hitting Rainbow Dash. She took her hat off and set it on a hook. Her hair tie had fallen out while they were running inside from the storm and her mane hung down over her face. She shook it slightly to get it out of her way. Rainbow Dash just stared at her with her mouth wide open.
Rainbow Dash stared at Applejack as she squeezed the water out of her long, blonde mane.
"What's wrong Rainbow?" She asked.
"What? Oh, nothing, it's nothing." Rainbow Dash said.
"You look like there's something you want to say." Applejack said, shaking her head once more to get the remaining water out of her mane, and leaving it in tangled strands all over her face and neck.
"No, it's nothing, really. But weren't you about to tell me something before that storm interrupted you?" Rainbow asked.
"That's right, Ah was." Applejack said. Rainbow Dash could have sworn that Applejack's face had gone to a light shade of red, but perhaps it was just the lighting in the barn.
"Well... Dash.. Ya see..... Since Ah first saw you at that party that Pinkie Pah threw, I thought I liked you. And now, I know that I really do like you, Dash. Would you like to be my filly?"
"Oh, Applejack." Rainbow Dash said, her face was red and tears were piling up in her eyes. "I feel the same way."
Applejack smiled and hugged Rainbow Dash, planting a delicate kiss on her cheek. Rainbow Dash's face turned as red as a ripe apple. Applejack chuckled and hugged Rainbow tighter.
