“Now this is what I’m talking about!” Rainbow Dash said, taking off her sunglasses as she and Applejack stepped into the hotel lobby.
The lobby was all white and beige, with lots of potted ferns and small palm trees, and a wall of open glass doors on the opposite side. A breeze blew in from the ocean, and outside she could see volleyball courts and a wide stretch of sandy white beach, with crystal blue water on the other side. Across from the hotel desk was the door to what looked like a really swanky restaurant.
Applejack whistled next to her. “This sure is somethin’. Now I feel extra bad Rarity had to give up these tickets.”
“You know she cares more about the fashion spread in Bridle Magazine than the trip she won with it,” Rainbow pointed out, spreading her wings to feel the warm ocean breeze. The salt air was going to be rough on her feathers, but so totally worth it.
“Yup. But it was right nice of her to give us the tickets. Guess we oughta bring her some coconuts or somethin’.” Applejack grinned and nudged Rainbow. “And somethin’ for whoever scheduled them rainy days, huh?”
“Uh, yeah. Totally!” Rainbow gave a nervous smile.
It had been a stroke of genius, really. Four days of rain in a row meant that Sugarcube Corner would be a madhouse, Fluttershy’s cottage would be full of animals, and Twilight would be buried under her usual pile of books. But a farmer and a weather pony would have a nice long weekend to take advantage of a trip for two to St. Maretinique, which was just how Rainbow wanted it.
There would be tons of awesome stuff to do — water skiing, wind surfing, snorkeling, volleyball — and she’d get to have an awesome time with an awesome pony. She found her eyes lingering on Applejack, who was distracted by a display of brochures. A very awesome pony. Maybe Rainbow would even find some awesome, totally not sappy way to tell that awesome pony how awesome she thought she really was.
“Hey, Dash, ever tried onea these here jet ski thingies?” Applejack asked, snapping Rainbow back to the present.
Rainbow yanked the brochure away and looked at it. She grinned. “Nope, but you bet we’re gonna!”
Applejack nodded. “It does look fun, even if it’s onea them magic doohickies.”
“We’ll try it tomorrow.” Rainbow stuck the brochure in her saddle bags. “Let’s get our room, then hit the beach.”
“Sounds like a plan!” Applejack said as they headed across the lobby and stepped up to the front desk.
“Howdy!” Applejack greeted the nicely dressed pegasus stallion behind the counter with a grin.
“Welcome,” he said, with a thick island accent. “Do you ladies ‘ave reservations?”
“We got these here passes from a contest.” Applejack produced the tickets Rarity gave them.
“Ah, yes.” He nodded and grinned. He turned to a wall of keys behind him, then turned back and set a key on the counter. “‘Ere you go. Top floor. And keep dose passes to show at de restaurant for your complimentary dinner.”
“Thank ya’ kindly!” Applejack said, taking the keys and tossing one to Rainbow with a flick of her head. Rainbow caught it in a hoof and dropped it in her saddlebag.
He just nodded, still grinning. “Let me know if you need anyting. And congratulations!”
“Uh, thanks!” Rainbow said with a wave as they trotted towards the stairs. Once they were on the stairwell, she turned to Applejack. “What’d he mean by congratulations?”
Applejack shrugged. “Maybe on winnin’ the contest? Think we shoulda told him it was Rarity that won?”
“Maybe next time we talk to him.” Rainbow said.
They climbed up five flights of stairs to the very top floor, then stepped into a hallway. They located the door with their room number, and Rainbow fumbled her key out of her saddlebag. She unlocked the door and opened it, stepping inside.
Then her mouth dropped open.
The first thing that really struck her was the bed. The room was big and airy, with a glass door leading to a balcony with an amazing view of the ocean, framed with gauzy white curtains, and a huge bed in the middle of the room. One huge bed, covered with a crisp white bedspread folded over to reveal white satin sheets.
And it was sprinkled with rose petals.
That wasn’t the only thing, though. There were candles on the surfaces, also surrounded with rose petals, and a bottle of champagne with two flutes sitting on a small table by the balcony. Through a door to one side she could see a big bathtub, easily big enough for two ponies.
The whole thing was the most lovey-dovey, romantic room she could imagine. No, it would be worse at night, with the candles lit, and the moon and stars shining through the window, and Applejack lying on the bed, surrounded by rose petals, her mane and tail down, looking at her with a seductive smile…
Rainbow’s eyes went wide and she tried to keep the blush from her cheeks.
“Pfft!” Applejack started to laugh. Then she nudged Rainbow. “They think we just got hitched! That’s why the pony congratulated us! That contest Rarity won was for a weddin’ magazine, I reckon they mostly give out tickets for honeymoons.”
The blush won, burning Rainbow face, but Applejack was already trotting into the room.
“Yeah… we should go tell them that’s totally not what happend, so they can put us in a non-lame room. I mean, look at this stuff!” Rainbow flew over to a silver candlestick and wrinkled her nose at it. “Who needs all these candles when there are perfectly good, bright lights that don’t make you look all sexy!”
Applejack was still chuckling. “We’ll let ‘em know we ain’t honeymoonin’, but we might as well keep the room. It’s got a nice view, and champagne, and plenty of snacks.” She popped a rose petal in her mouth.
“You want to stay here?” Rainbow tilted her head in confusion. “But… it’s got satin sheets! I mean, it’s so... fussy and… romantic!”
“It’s just a few nights.” Applejack shrugged. “No point in puttin’ ponies through trouble on our account.”
Rainbow rolled her eyes. It was totally unfair that Applejack could be so cool about this. But then, that was what made Applejack so… cool. “Fine. I guess we can stay here. But no lighting any candles or anything!”
“Why would I do somethin’ like that? Like you said, we got perfectly good lights.” She tossed her saddlebags on the floor and swept the rose petals off the bed into a basket.
Rainbow smiled and relaxed, walking over to look down at the beach. “I dunno. Ponies are weird sometimes.”
“That’s the truth. I bet Rarity’d light everyone one of them candles for no good reason. Wooo-eee, look at this tub!”
Glancing over her shoulder, Rainbow saw Applejack heading into the bathroom.
“It’s big ‘nough for a manticore. Say, Dash, wanna take a bath together?”
Rainbow’s eyes went wide. “I— uh— what?”
“I’m jokin’. You always get feathers all in the tub at the spa anyhow.”
“That was one time!” Rainbow rolled her eyes. “I was molting!”
“You want this fancy little feather oil? I got dibs on the shampoo.”
“That little bottle isn’t gonna get all the dirt outta your mane, cowpony.” Rainbow giggled, trotting over to the bathroom to grab the sample of oil.
Applejack shot her a look. Then she chuckled. “Guess it’ll be sand for the next few days. And you’re probably right, too.” She trotted over to her saddlebag and pulled out a towel, tossing it over her shoulder. “Come’on, we got some time before dinner, let’s go swimmin’!”
“Sounds great!” Rainbow stuck the feather oil in her bag and pulled out her towel. Then a thought crossed her mind and she smirked. She looked over at Applejack and crouched for takeoff.
“Last one there’s a parasprite!” She jumped into the air, flew towards the glass door, and opened it, soaring off the balcony and towards the ocean. She giggled as she heard the shout of “Dagnabbit!” and the door to the hallway slamming.
***
They didn’t get back to the room until after dinner. They had eaten in the fancy restaurant downstairs, and Rainbow had to tell three different ponies there they weren’t actually together. And she still had to blow out the stupid romantic candles in the middle of the table. The food was good, though, some kind of coconut and fruit soup. Or maybe fruit and other fruit… was coconut a fruit?
“Hey, AJ?” Rainbow said, as Applejack came out of the bathroom into the unflickering non-candlelight. Rainbow tossed some rose petals in her mouth. “Is coconut a fruit?”
“It’s a nut. Like you,” Applejack chuckled. “It’s right in the name.” She walked over to the bed and pulled back the blankets, climbing in.
Rainbow rolled her eyes and flew over to the light switch. “Like that means anything. It’s not cocoa, and that’s in the name, too.”
“Well, it’s a nut. Pineapple’s a fruit.” Applejack yawned and laid her head on the pillow. “I got an Aunt Pineapple, as a matter of fact.”
“Of course you do.” Rainbow snorted and turned off the light. “If it’s got apple in it, you’ve got a relative. I bet you even have an Uncle Crab Apple.”
“He’s a cousin. Ya’ don’t wanna catch him on a bad day, lemme tell you,” Applejack muttered half into the pillow.
Rainbow flew over to the other side of the bed. It was a big bed, there was plenty of room for two ponies. And she’d shared beds with her friends before, at sleepovers, or on trips.
She took a deep breath and jumped into the bed, quickly pulling up the covers. The sheets felt sleek and smooth against her body, and Rainbow tried to pretend they were some kind of flightsuit. Like, for flying. Not for rubbing against while she cuddled a toned, sexy pony who wasn’t even into dumb stuff like satin sheets.
“G’night,” Applejack said, already half asleep.
“Night.” Rainbow rolled away from Applejack until her hooves were almost sticking off the bed, and tried to forget she was there.
Rainbow was almost falling out of bed. She scooted towards the middle, and felt something brush her back, so she turned around to see what it was.
It was just Applejack’s mane, she was asleep on the other side of the bed. The bed was in some kind of tropical clearing, with flowers all around and colorful birds in the trees. Rainbow shrugged and pushed Applejack’s mane away, trying to go back to sleep.
She felt the edge of the bed move, and almost fell off again. Again, she moved towards the middle, but now she was close enough to feel the warmth of Applejack’s body a few inches away. She blinked, and didn’t even try to go back to sleep again.
She caught sight of something red fluttering around the edge of the clearing. Squinting, it looked like some kind of red butterflies were flapping around over there.
The edge of the bed moved again. Rainbow’s eyes went wide. She had to scoot over, but she’d be pressed up against Applejack if she did. She sat up and turned to Applejack.
“Applejack, wake up! The bed is getting smaller!”
Applejack didn’t roll over. “So? Scootch on over here.”
“But… what if it keeps getting smaller and I fall out?” Rainbow asked, eyeing the bed.
“It ain’t gettin’ smaller on my side. You’ll be safe over here,” Applejack said.
“Uh…” Rainbow hesitated, looking at the precious inches of space between her and Applejack’s perfect body.
Applejack looked over at her. “You scared or somethin’?”
Rainbow felt a blush burning her cheeks. “N- no! Of course not!”
She scooted over, her back pressed against Applejack’s. The red butterflies started flapping into the clearing, and as they flew closer Rainbow could make out that their wings made them look like little red hearts. She shifted, trying to get comfortable.
The side of the bed moved, just a few inches this time. But there was nowhere for Rainbow to go. She didn’t want to bother Applejack with it, she’d just tell her to move over again. But the only way to take up less space would be for Rainbow to turn over and wrap her forelegs around Applejack.
Her heart started beating fast. She shifted in the bed, rolling over. Around her, the heart-shaped butterflies started humming something softly.
Rainbow held her breath, shaking as she gently, carefully, laid a foreleg over Applejack’s side, pressing her body against Applejack’s soft coat. Her muzzle was next to Applejack’s mane, almost buried in it. Rainbow closed her eyes and tried to think about anything else, but her heart wouldn’t stop pounding.
“Rainbow Dash, are you tryin’ to cuddle me?” Applejack asked suspiciously.
Rainbow tried to jerk away without any room to move back. “No! I’m trying to sleep with you! I— I mean, next to you! But the bed is small!”
“Why’d you make it so small if ya’ don’t wanna cuddle me?” Applejack asked.
The humming of the little flying hearts grew louder, until Rainbow could make out words in tiny, sing-songy voices, “Cuddlebug~~ Cuddlebug~~”
“You shut up!” she yelled at the hearts. Then she said to Applejack, her voice squeaking, “I didn’t make it small! It just started shrinking and— and I—”
“Dash, there’s plenty bed over there. But you’re here, all snuggled up on me.”
Rainbow looked over. The bed was all there again, as big as ever. And she was all the way over on Applejack’s side, her forelegs around her, muzzle in her mane.
“Cuddlebug~~ cuddlebug~~” the hearts sang, fluttering closer, in a circle around them.
Rainbow sat up, her eyes wide. “AAH! Shut up! I’m not trying to cuddle! The bed is— it was—” She flailed her hooves as the bugs began to circle around her head. “Get away! Stop it!”
Applejack looked over at her, a smirk spreading across her face. “Ain’t that cute…”
“NOOOOOO!” Rainbow Dash opened her eyes and looked around the room. The sun was shining through the open glass door.
“Dash? Did you say somethin’?” Applejack called from the balcony.
Rainbow shook her head. “I said, um, no… way am I missing out on jet skiing! We, um, wanted to try that!” She pulled herself out of bed. Rubbing her eyes and yawning she walked out to the balcony to join Applejack.
“You okay? You were tossin’ and turnin’ all night.” Applejack said, leaning against the railing with a cup of coffee sitting on the ledge.
“I slept just fine, that’s totally normal! I just sometimes have to… um… stretch out my wings while I sleep.” Rainbow blinked, her eyes refusing to focus in the bright light. “Coffee. I need coffee.”
“There’s a pot made in there. How ‘bout you drink up, and we’ll get in a few games of volleyball before we head to the fella with the jet skis?”
While getting in a nap would have sounded better to Rainbow at this point, she nodded and headed to the coffee pot. “I guess kicking your flank at a game sounds like a good way to start the day.”
“Is that what you think?” Applejack chuckled. “Hope ya’ like eatin’ sand.”
“You mean when it sprays into the air when you faceplant trying to return one of my wicked spikes?” Rainbow started to grin as she got her cup of coffee and headed back out.
“I mean when ya’ got your head buried in it to keep from admittin’ you lost.” Applejack grinned back.
“Losing is a thing that happens to other ponies. Usually the ones who go up against me.” Rainbow took a long drink of her coffee, feeling more awake already. Her brain was still a little foggy, but now she could take a deep breath of sea air, and relax to the sound of the waves below and the view of ponies laying on the beach and walking along the shoreline.
“Then I reckon I’ll have to give ya’ some practice.” Applejack walked over and leaned against her.
Rainbow relaxed even more. Everything seemed beautiful and peaceful and perfect.
Her eyes went wide. No, everything was awesome and exciting and cool… or, it should be. This was sappy and boring. Applejack wanted to go play volleyball, which was awesome, and she was sitting here while Rainbow enjoyed... this stuff.
Rainbow jerked herself away from Applejack and chugged the rest of her coffee. “Alright! Let’s go see who’s got her game!”
Applejack blinked, then shrugged with a grin. “Long as you’re all woke up, I’m ready!”
***
After a quick lunch of hay fries, Rainbow and Applejack made their way to the docks to rent some jet skis. The food in her belly cheered Rainbow up, which was good because when she lost the tiebreaker volleyball match she had been in an extra bad mood. Now they could actually pick apart the game without her snorting and brushing it off.
“You oughta stay closer to the ground when you’re playin’ me,” Applejack pointed out.
“Yeah, yeah. What’s the fun in that?” Rainbow rolled her eyes.
“Winnin’?” Applejack suggested. “I know darn well to aim low and close to the net when you’re all up in the air.”
“Well, see? If you’d play right, I would’ve won,” Rainbow said with a smirk.
Applejack smiled and rolled her eyes. “If playin’ smart means playin’ wrong, I’ll keep messin’ up by gettin’ points off you.”
Rainbow shook her head as they stepped onto the wooden planks of the pier. She knew that the only reason she lost was that she was tired, but she couldn’t tell AJ that. So she’d let her think that her game was a little better, at least until Rainbow got a good night’s sleep and showed her how to really play.
They reached the weathered-looking unicorn who was sitting at the end of the pier with a cashbox. In the water next to the walkway were a row of shiny jet skis.
“Hey, you rent these out?” Rainbow said with a smile.
“Yup. Fifty bits an hour,” he replied with a nod.
“Fifty bits!” Applejack frowned. “Rainbow, no way can I pay fifty bits to play on a fancy boat.”
Rainbow’s ears drooped. It was stretching her budget, too. Then she raised her eyebrows. “No discount for newlyweds, huh?”
Applejack shot her a disapproving look, but the unicorn shook his head anyway.
Rainbow sighed and turned to leave. “Thanks…”
“‘Course, they fit two. You could rent one together,” the unicorn suggested.
Rainbow looked at them. Fitting two would mean one of them had to hang on the back. Like, hugging, and not driving and being cool.
“Hey, we could do that!” Applejack said, perking up. She nudged Rainbow. “We could take turns drivin’. We couldn’t race or nothin’, but we could ride around a bit.”
“But… we’d have to, like, hug each other,” Rainbow said, trying to sound calm while her heart started beating faster.
“So? We hug each other all the darn time,” Applejack pointed out.
“Not for a half an hour! I mean, that’s almost like cuddling!” She felt that stupid blush starting in her cheeks.
Applejack chuckled. “It’s holdin’ on. Like if you needed to fly me someplace.”
Rainbow hesitated. Applejack was right, holding on was way better than cuddling. Sometimes even cool ponies just had to hold on to somepony if they wanted to get someplace exciting. The blush faded from her cheeks and she nodded.
“Okay. Let’s do it.”
They paid their bits and got some quick instructions, and then stood looking at magic-powered machine they had for the next hour.
Applejack smiled. “You can drive first. Ya’ know, since ya’ lost earlier.”
Rainbow smirked and raised an eyebrow. “You’re asking for it, ya’ know. One of us has wings if we go flying off.”
Applejack laughed. “Let’s see what ya’ got.”
Rainbow flew over and landed on the driver’s seat. She put her hooves on the steering bars and glanced at the meters in front of her. It seemed simple enough. She felt the jet ski rock as Applejack climbed on behind her.
“Ready to go?” Applejack asked.
“I’m always ready to go!” Rainbow put her hoof on the ignition button and they started to drift forward.
Then Applejack’s forelegs wrapped around her. She swallowed, and her eyes went wide. It didn’t feel like holding on. Holding on was tight, because the pony might fall off. This was gentle; something warm and strong resting around her body, like ponies who totally didn’t care about looking cool might sit and nuzzle each other. Her coat stood on end, and she might have been shaking, she couldn’t tell with the engine running beneath her.
“Hey, Dash!” Applejack said over the sound of the jet ski. “Ya’ gonna go sometime today?”
Rainbow blinked. “Oh, yeah! Uh, let’s see what this thing can do!”
She hit the throttle and gave it juice, and it roared forward, out towards the open sea. Applejack’s forelegs tightened around her— now this was holding on. Rainbow grinned and jammed down the lever that pumped the magic, pushing the machine as fast as it could go.
The wind whipped her mane like she was flying, but it was kind of cool to let the jet ski do all the work. This was definitely somewhere on the awesome scale. As the speed maxed out she decided to test the maneuverability, jerking the handle around to try to head back towards the island.
The jet ski lilted, and Applejack’s hooves dug into her chest.
“Sweet Celestia, Dash! You’re goin’ too fast to turn like that!”
“There’s no such thing as too fast!” Dash yelled, grinning.
“There is if we end up in the water!”
“You mean if you end up in the water!” She laughed. “I told you you were asking for it!” To make her point, she steered the thing in a figure eight.
When the jet ski didn’t capsize, she heard Applejack start to laugh. “I reckon this is pretty fun!”
“Yeah, it is!” She caught sight of the island and got a wicked grin.
Rainbow turned the jet ski toward the island, still going top speed.
“What’re you doin’?” Applejack yelled.
“Seeing how close I can get before I have to turn!”
This part of the island was lined with piers, most of them next to expensive looking boats. Rainbow raced towards them, her trained eye judging the distance and the last possible second the machine would have to turn.
“You’re gonna get us killed!” Applejack yelled.
“I do stuff like this all the time, AJ! I never die!” Rainbow pointed out.
The thought crossed her mind that this was moving towards peak awesomeness, and maybe after this trick would be a good time to mention to Applejack that she was cool and they should hook up. They’d both look hot, with windblown manes, and Applejack would be totally impressed that they weren’t dead because Rainbow was so good at stuff like this. It was perfect.
“We’re gonna hit that boat!” Applejack insisted.
Suddenly, she felt Applejack’s chin on her shoulder, their cheeks pressed together. She turned her head slightly, the sides of their muzzled brushed, and for a second Rainbow felt Applejack’s warm breath. Applejack’s forelegs were still wrapped around her tight. Being held so close, by a pony she cared about, everything else fell away.
Rainbow realized how dumb that sounded and her eyes went wide. She flew straight up into the air, throwing off the dangerously mushy thoughts.
Applejack screamed, and Rainbow’s head snapped down as she remembered the even more dangerously speeding vehicle she was supposed to be driving.
“Oh shoot!” she started to dive.
Luckily, when she flew off she released the throttle, and the jet ski slowed to a stop. By the time Rainbow reached the jet ski, Applejack was sitting in the driver’s seat and she didn’t look happy.
“What in the hay was that?!” Applejack yelled.
Rainbow hovered next to where she was bobbing on the waves. “I… uh… you were holding me too tight!”
Applejack rolled her eyes. “Well you shoulda said somethin’! Not just flown off!”
“I wasn’t thinking...” Rainbow said with a sigh. “I’m really, really sorry.”
Applejack sighed too, and the anger drained from her face. “It’s okay, sugarcube. Just startled me.” She smiled. “Why don’t ya’ hop on and let me drive for a bit?”
“Sure.” Rainbow landed on the back of the jet ski. She looked at Applejack in front of her, and tried to think about how to touch her in the least hug-like way possible. Eventually she settled on grabbing her sides loosely with her hooves.
“Don’t fall off now, hear?” Applejack said as she started the jet ski again.
Applejack tooled around the ocean for a while. She never hit the top speed, despite Rainbow’s constant urging, but Rainbow had to admit it was kind of neat going this fast with somepony else steering.
She didn’t even notice that her forelegs had slipped tighter around Applejack to deal with the unexpected turns until they stopped by the pier at the end of their time. As soon as she realized, she pulled away fast. But Applejack didn’t seem to notice, she just climbed back onto the pier.
Rainbow flew up next to her. “That was pretty cool!”
“‘Cept the part where ya’ tried to kill me.” Applejack laughed.
“I said I was sorry!” Rainbow insisted.
“I know. I forgive ya’.” She smiled and nodded in the direction of the town. “Wanna go pick up some souvenirs before dinner?”
“Sounds good,” Rainbow agreed. They made their way down the pier towards the island’s little town.
***
In the hotel room that night, they stowed the items they’d bought for the ponies back home.
Rainbow bought Fluttershy a hair clip with a butterfly on it, and she found Pinkie a seashell you could blow and make a really loud noise. Applejack got Twilight a book on the history of the island, and together they picked out a scarf for Rarity that they were pretty sure looked exactly like a scarf she already had. Applejack also picked up bright yellow shirt with pineapples and parrots all over it for Mac, a tropical flower hairclip for Apple Bloom, and big straw hat for Granny.
“You know nopony is gonna use any of this stuff,” Rainbow pointed out as she stuffed her purchases in her saddlebag.
“‘Course not. That ain’t the point of souvenirs,” Applejack said, lifting her saddlebags to make sure they’d close with all the stuff in there.
“What’s the point then?” Rainbow tilted her head.
“Just to let ponies know ya’ spent some time thinkin’ about them.” Applejack struggled, but finally got the bag closed, then tossed it in a corner.
“Well I’m glad we got thinking about other ponies out of the way. Now we don’t have to worry about it tomorrow.” Rainbow flew over and lay on the bed. She was dead tired, between all of the activities and the lack of sleep the previous night.
“Real nice, Dash.” Applejack smiled and rolled her eyes. “But I know what ya’ mean. Shoppin’ ain’t at the top of my list of fun, neither.”
“Yeah, but tomorrow’s going to be totally, 100% awesome.” Rainbow closed her eyes.
“Sure is!” Applejack agreed.
Rainbow felt the covers move, and glanced over. Applejack had turned out the light and was climbing into bed next to her. Rainbow closed her eyes and tried to ignore it when the bed shifted under Applejack’s weight as she rolled over and got comfortable.
“G’night, Dash.”
“Night.”
Then everything was silent, except for the ocean outside and the soft sound of Applejack breathing next to her. Just a few feet away. Trying not to think about that just brought to mind Applejack’s breath on her cheek earlier, and Applejack’s forelegs around her, and their muzzles brushing…
Rainbow rolled to her side away from Applejack, biting her lip. She thought about the awesome parts of the day. Playing volleyball, having fun on the jet ski. She was way more into that than warm, strong forelegs almost cuddling her.
Way more into that…
Rainbow was sitting on a jet ski, but not in the ocean. It was a river, with tropical plants along the banks. Big, bright flowers bloomed everywhere. The water below them seemed to glow blue, and the jet ski was turned off, just floating along.
She felt forelegs wrap around her from behind, and heard Applejack say softly in her ear, “Why’d you bring us here? Don’t ya’ wanna show off some awesome tricks?”
“Yeah! I totally want to show off awesome tricks!” Rainbow said nervously, trying to start the jet ski. It wouldn’t start. “I— I don’t know why we’re here.”
She glanced back at Applejack, who looked amazing in the shadowy blue light, her mane streaming down her back. Their muzzles almost touched, and Rainbow whipped her head back to the front, frantically pressing the button. “Come on!”
Then the music started; soft, slow island music coming from all around them.
Somepony started singing in a deep island accent, “Now’s de moment~~ floating in a blue lagoon~~ Girl, you better do it soon, no time will be better~~”
Rainbow looked around everywhere until her eyes fell on the source: a red crab sitting on a log. As they floated by, she casually stuck out her leg and knocked him into the water with a plop. As they continued down the river, she heard him mutter sadly, “Dat never works.”
That took care of the singing, but there was still soft music, and flowers, and Applejack’s legs around her.
“Ya’ know, Dash… if I didn’t know better, I’d think ya’ wanted me to cuddle ya’ in some sappy, romantic place.”
Rainbow’s eyes went wide, and she shook her head. “No! No I don’t! I don’t wanna be here!”
“You brought us here, sugarcube. On the jet ski.”
“I- it was a mistake!” Her breath started to come in heavy pants.
Applejack chuckled. “You’re cute when ya’ get all flustered like that.”
“I’m not cute!” Rainbow screamed. “And I’m not sappy, and I’m not romantic, and I don’t want you to cuddle me! I just wanna show you awesome stuff!”
Applejack whispered in her ear again, a hoof stroking her wing, “Ya’ sure about that? Maybe you’re just a cute lil’ softy.”
Rainbow tried to fly away, but she was frozen in place. She shut her eyes tight and tried not to feel any of it. “I’M NOT! I’M AWESOME! I’M—
“I’M AWESOME!” Rainbow blinked, panting. It was still dark out. And Applejack was looking down at her.
Applejack blinked. Then she burst out laughing.
“You’re awesome, huh?” she gasped through her laughter. “Do I even wanna know what that dream was about?”
Rainbow blushed and stammered, “It was about… um… jet skiing! Totally cool jet skiing.” It was the best she could do. It felt like she was thinking through fog.
“And you were just shoutin’ how awesome ya’ are outta nowhere?” She calmed herself to a chuckle. “Yeah, I guess that sounds like Rainbow Dash.”
“What’re you doing up?” Rainbow asked, hoping to change the subject.
“Somepony was tossin’ and turnin’ like crazy again. Those darn wings must be more trouble than they’re worth.” Applejack rolled her eyes. “Anyhow, it’s almost sunrise, what do ya’ say to a run on the beach?”
Rainbow imagined a run on the wet sand by the sea, the morning colors catching catching Applejack’s mane… She narrowed her eyes at the real Applejack, but it felt like they were closing on their own, and her words came out with a giant yawn. “You’re not asking ‘cause it’s all beautiful and peaceful and stuff, are you?”
Applejack raised an eyebrow. “I’m askin’ ‘cause there ain’t a lot of ponies out, so we won’t be botherin’ anypony. But if you wanna go back to bed...”
Rainbow did, in fact, want to go back to bed. She wasn’t a morning pony under the best of circumstances, and this was her second night tossing and turning. But a run with Applejack was always awesome… She pulled herself out of bed, using more strength than even she thought she had.
“Nah. I’m good. Let’s go!”
***
It was late afternoon, and Rainbow was floating along on the water. After the early morning run, they spent the rest of the morning on the beach. During lunch they decided to give snorkeling a shot. So Rainbow floated along on the clear blue water, looking at fish. It wasn’t as boring as it sounded.
As far as animals went, fish were actually kind of awesome. First, they looked cool, at least these ones did. Neon and black stripes were an awesome fashion statement, no matter what Rarity said. Second, they could move fast. It was kind of frustrating, because in the water Rainbow couldn’t move fast, but she had to respect the fish. Especially because, third, it was kind of like they were flying all the time. They didn’t even land like birds. There should totally have been air fish, that would be awesome. Maybe she should be an air fish, at least for a while. She made a mental note to ask Twilight about that.
There was other stuff down here too, crazy looking rocks and tentacle-y things on the bottom, but they were just background for the bunches of fish darting through the water and being cool.
Rainbow tried staying still for a while, to get a bunch of the fish to swim around her, but that was harder than it seemed. Mostly because if she was still too long she started to fall asleep, and while there were many activities where you got a surprising number of chances to nap — setting up the weather and helping Applejack on the farm came to mind — floating face down in the water didn’t present a lot of chances for it if you didn’t want to drown.
So instead Rainbow focused on trying to get as close as she could to schools of fish before they scattered like sparks of magic. Sometimes they rushed around her in their hurry and it even felt kind of like having a spell cast on her.
Applejack was a few yards away. She seemed more interested in all the weird looking rock things and the stuff on the bottom, but Rainbow thought that was kind of cool too. It meant Applejack spent a lot of time diving underwater, her mane and tail floating and swirling around her while the fish darted out of the way. That was even cooler looking than the fish.
She watched as Applejack swam back to the surface and cleared her snorkel, then she started to swim over to Rainbow. She gently laid a hoof on Rainbow’s foreleg, then motioned for her to follow and dove down again towards the same spot. Rainbow took a deep breath and held it, and followed her down.
At first it looked like a bunch of fancy rocks, but then she saw Applejack pointing at something about twenty feet away. There, cruising along the bottom, was a live shark.
Okay, it wasn’t a very big shark. It was about the size of a pony’s leg. But it had a pointy fin, and it probably had teeth. Rainbow was pretty sure it could eat a pony. Maybe the pony would have to help him out some, but there was no reason to tell the ponies back home that.
Rainbow considered that swimming with a shark, and this totally counted, was probably awesome enough to make this a good time to talk to Applejack. They couldn’t stay down there for long holding their breath, and both swam for the surface. Rainbow stuck her head up, and Applejack’s came up right after.
“We saw a shark!” Rainbow grinned.
Applejack grinned. “Yup! Thought you’d wanna see that. I reckon we come face to face with a lotta dangerous stuff, but I never seen a real shark before.”
“Thanks for getting me. That was cool of you.” She offered her hoof for a bump, and Applejack knocked it. “So, I was wondering—”
Rainbow felt something bump into her back. She glanced over her shoulder and froze when she saw the fin sticking out of the water.
“Ahh!” A second later her wings were spread and flapping against the water in the least graceful takeoff she’d ever managed.
She glanced down, ready to save Applejack, but Applejack was giggling. Then the dolphin jumped out of the water a few feet away from them.
“I don’t think they eat ponies,” Applejack said with a smirk.
“Well, they shouldn’t go around pretending to be sharks!” Rainbow said, glaring at the friendly and totally uncool mammal.
“He ain’t pretendin’ to be a shark, he just wanted to play with you.” Applejack stuck out her hoof as the dolphin swam by her. “I think he’s kinda cute.”
Rainbow sighed. “Sure. Whatever.”
Applejack smiled and rolled her eyes. “How ‘bout I swim on in and we get in a game of mini-golf before dinner?”
Rainbow thought about it. There was a chance that mini-golf would be awesome enough to offer another chance to tell Applejack. Not much of one, but more than snorkeling, if there were going to be all these cute dolphins cramping her style.
“Sounds good!”
Applejack nodded and started for the shore, and Rainbow flew overhead, admiring her as she swam.
***
Late that evening, Rainbow was laying on her stomach on the bed, her eyes almost closing. Mini-golf had been fun, but not exactly awesome. Neither of them was very good, but Rainbow pulled out the victory after Applejack hit her ball into the moat around the giant sandcastle.
It had been a long day, so from there they came back to the room, calling down to the restaurant to have their dinner delivered. They ate and talked about work and sports, then played a game of cards with the deck they’d gotten on the airship. But now they were just laying, Rainbow on the bed and Applejack on the floor.
Applejack sighed, a smile on her face. “Ya’ know, I don’t get away much unless it’s for family or somethin’ with all the girls. This was real fun.“
“Yeah,” Rainbow nodded, trying to keep her eyes open.
“Anythin’ you wanted to do that ya’ think we missed out on?” Applejack asked.
Rainbow frowned. “Maybe. But it’s more I wanted to do the stuff we did cooler. We were at, like, 93.2% cool.”
Applejack considered that. “I dunno, Dash. We did a lot of cool stuff, but I reckon we also did some funny stuff, and some relaxin’ stuff, and I thought all of it was fun with you.” She smiled. “It takes more than one spice to make a meal, ya’ know?”
“Yeah.” Rainbow nodded. “You got really mad that time I tried to put allspice in everything.”
“Well there ya’ go.” Applejack chuckled. “Cool ain’t any better than allspice. It might make things pretty tasty, but sometimes you oughta have some other flavors.”
“I’m not sure you understand—” Rainbow yawned. “—cool.”
Applejack shook her head. “Why don’t we get some sleep? We got an airship to catch tomorrow.”
“Okay,” Rainbow let her head drop on the pillow. “I’m gonna sleep right here.”
“Then I’m gonna be sleepin’ on top of you. You’re right in the middle of the darn bed,” Applejack pointed out.
Rainbow’s eyes shot open wide and she flew off the bed. “Or, my side is good!”
Applejack raised an eyebrow as she trotted over to her side of the bed and hopped in. “Sometimes I dunno what gets into you. G’night, Dash.”
“Night!” Rainbow flew over and hit the light switch. Then, on her way back to the bed, she caught sight of Applejack sleeping. She looked so pretty— awesome! She looked pretty awesome, and Rainbow was just going to lay down next to her now.
Rainbow looked down at her spot. It looked so close to Applejack. This whole trip, she’d been that close, in every way possible. And now she had to lay down, that close again, and sleep. Thinking that just made her think of her dreams again, and she bit her lip. She suddenly didn’t feel very sleepy anymore.
She needed to brush her teeth again, she decided, turning away and heading into the bathroom. She brushed them thoroughly, and when she turned to head to bed, she considered brushing them again.
Or she could oil her feathers. Vacation was no excuse to neglect proper wing care! She grabbed the hotel feather oil from her bag and trotted back to the bathroom.
It wasn’t until after she shook a few drops on her wing and started to spread it with her muzzle that she realized it was scented like some island flower. She wrinkled her muzzle at the delicate scent.
“Ugh!” she grunted, hopping in the shower. She turned on the water trying to wash off as much of the sweet scent as she could. It didn’t do much, the water mostly rolled off the freshly oiled feathers, and she didn’t have any wing soap with her. With a sigh, she turned off the shower before she used up all the hot water for the whole island.
Finally, she walked back over to the bed, dreading every step, and layed down as far from Applejack as she could get. The smell of her wings reminded her what she knew she would find when she fell asleep, but she couldn’t keep her eyes open a second longer. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Rainbow stood in the middle of the hotel room. The candles were lit, and rose petals were sprinkled around the room and on the bed.
She blinked. “Oh, shoot!”
Taking off, she zoomed around the room, letting the wind in her trail blow out the row on the dresser, and the two on the table, and the group on the nightstand. She landed and looked back.
The candles were still lit. Not only that, but the rose petals hadn’t moved an inch either.
Her heart started to pound. She knew Applejack would be here soon. What if she thought Rainbow set this up? That this stupid, sappy, romantic scene was Rainbow's idea?
“No! Nonono.” Rainbow grabbed a wastebasket and started sweeping rose petals into it, but no matter how much she swept they were still there.
The candles still flickered, mocking her. She flew over to one and blew it out. The flame burst back to life. She blew again, the flame relit. She blew again and again until she was hyperventilating and stumbled backwards.
Finally she turned away, but she shot a glare over her shoulder. “Just don’t start singing or anything, okay?”
The door to the balcony was open, the white curtains wafting in the sea breeze, parting to reveal the moon shining like a path across the ocean.
She could feel Applejack coming closer. She heard hoofsteps in the hallway. A key in the door. She looked up, her eyes wide as the door started to open. She was frozen in front of that dumb sign, and all she could do is scream.
“NOOOOOO—”
The door opened to reveal Princess Luna standing in a field of stars. She surveyed the room.
“You have the most peaceful nightmares, Rainbow Dash.”
Rainbow panted and felt the terror drain from her. “You’re not AJ… this is a nightmare.” As it sunk in, she found she could move again and threw herself at Luna, wrapping her forelegs around her leg. “Thank you thank you thank you thank you…”
“Rainbow Dash.”
“Thank you thank you thank you…”
“You are welcome,” Luna said firmly, shaking Rainbow from her leg. “But I’m afraid I can not relieve you of all of your fears. Though this may be a dream, I am… doubtful that candles and rose petals are what scare you most.”
“Well, it’s worse when stuff starts singing,” Rainbow admitted.
“That is not what I meant.” Luna arched an eyebrow.
A blush rose to Rainbow’s cheeks. “N-no idea what you’re talking about.”
Luna gave a snort. “It was not I who you expected to come through that door.”
“I was waiting for room service?” Rainbow tried, checking to see if Luna was buying it.
Luna just stared at her.
“I was afraid Applejack would see this,” Rainbow admitted, looking at the floor. “I was afraid she’d think I did it.”
“And why do you seek to shield Applejack from rose petals and candlelight?”
Rainbow didn’t look up. “Because I’m in love with her, okay? I’m in love with AJ, and it makes me feel all dumb and mushy, and… that scares me. ‘Cause I want her to think I’m cool, more than anything, and this is, like, the opposite of cool.”
Luna nuzzled her. “I understand, it is not an uncommon fear.”
Rainbow looked up and raised an eyebrow. “Other ponies are in love with AJ?”
Luna sighed and pressed a hoof to her face. “Pay no mind. Just know that this is a fear you must face in the waking world. If you do not, your nightmares will continue; you cannot hide from your emotions here.”
“You mean I have to tell her about this?” Rainbow looked up at Luna, hoping she’d say no.
“I would suggest relating your feelings honestly. Perhaps in the form of a sonnet.” Luna considered for a moment. “You may wish to present it with an intimate gift. Silk hose, or some gay dress lacings—”
“I think she already knows I’m a mare,” Rainbow pointed out.
Luna just went on, “And do remember to speak to her family about the courtship and dowry arrangements.”
“Uh… oh-kay,” Rainbow said slowly. “I’ll do that. But I think Twilight needs to have a talk with you about dating.”
Luna cocked her head. “Perhaps. However, the important thing is that you face your fears.”
Rainbow Dash swallowed what felt like a big lump in her throat, as Luna and the room faded away...
Rainbow sat up in bed, the lump still in her throat. The room was dark and quiet, the only light coming from the moon outside. She stared at the moon for a moment, then slowly turned to the pony next to her.
Applejack was sleeping peacefully. And she looked beautiful. No, she looked— Rainbow stopped herself, and made herself really look at Applejack. Her mane silky and silvery in the moonlight, her lips parted just slightly, her eyelashes gently brushing her freckled cheek. So beautiful it almost hurt.
It wasn’t dumb that she thought that, it was just what was there. It was what she saw when she looked at Applejack. And it was always there, no matter how cool or awesome they were being. Just like Rainbow always liked feeling her close, and always liked a quiet, peaceful moment with her.
But how could she tell Applejack that, and not feel like a sappy loser? And how could she let herself feel like a sappy loser saying the only thing that mattered to the most amazing pony in the world? She couldn’t do it. Nopony could do it. The total impossibility of it, combined with how stupidly beautiful Applejack looked, brought tears of frustration to her eyes.
Applejack opened her eyes halfway. “It’s the middle of the night, Dash. What’re you doin’ up?”
Rainbow ran a hoof over her eyes and looked around for an excuse. She saw the moon.
Cringing, she turned back to Applejack. She opened her mouth, and blurted out, “I have feelings!”
Applejack blinked. “I’m gonna have to get up for this, ain’t I?” She shifted to a halfway sitting position, leaning against the pillows. “Okay, run that one by me again.”
Rainbow closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I mean… I have romantic feelings. For you. And I wanted them to be cool and tough and not-sappy. Like you are… like I’m supposed to be. But then there were candles and touching and your mane being all soft and beautiful in the moonlight… I’m pathetic! And I was scared you’d find out, and know I’m pathetic.”
Applejack just stared at her for a moment. “Rainbow Dash… havin’ romantic feelin’s don’t make you pathetic. I reckon that’s just part of bein’ in—” Applejack paused, then said the next words softly, “In love. And whatever happens, there’s nothin’ wrong with that. If anypony tells you different, you can kick their tail.”
“Yeah, I can.” Rainbow gave a weak smile.
“Now…” Applejack cleared her throat. “Those, er, feelin’s… are for me?”
Even in the moonlight, Rainbow could see the shadow of a blush on Applejack’s cheeks. She knew her own face was no better, and she looked down, running her hooves over the blanket.
“Yeah… this isn’t exactly how I wanted this to go. We can pretend it never happened.”
She felt Applejack’s foreleg wrap around her back as Applejack scooted closer, leaning against her. “How about instead we go out some time, and you show me a bit of that romantic side? I reckon I might be able to work up some sappy feelin’s of my own.”
Rainbow dared to look up, and saw an almost shy smile on Applejack’s face. She blinked, but it was still there. She couldn’t let herself move. She opened her mouth to say something, but there were no words.
She stopped thinking, and some force seemed to draw her to Applejack, nuzzling her cheek. She whispered, “I’d like that.”
Applejack nuzzled her back, and they sat there for a long time. Almost like— Exactly like two ponies who were cuddling.
Applejack finally broke the silence. “Dash? Why do your wings smell like flowers?”
“It’s the hotel feather oil. Shut up,” Rainbow said, remaining happily nestled against Applejack. Applejack chuckled softly, and everything was perfect.
***
Rainbow stepped off the train in Ponyville and sighed. She had a lot of work to do, the sky was overcast with rainclouds that had emptied themselves.
Then she hit the ground hard, with pink forelegs like a vise around her. “You’re back! Did you miss us? Did you have fun? Did you have yummy candy? Do you miss the candy? I have some candy you can have, actually, I made a lot of taffy the other day, and—”
As Rainbow squirmed helplessly under the onslaught, she heard Applejack laughing. “Pinkie, ya’ might wanna let her breathe.”
Then she hit the ground hard, with pink forelegs like a vise around her. “You’re back! Did you miss us? Did you have fun? Did you have yummy candy? Do you miss the candy? I have some candy you can have, actually, I made a lot of taffy the other day, and—”
“Welcome back,” Twilight said, hugging Applejack as Fluttershy and Rarity joined them.
Rarity smiled. “I hope you both had a lovely time. I do wish I could have gone, but I got ever so much done.”
“It was awesome!” Rainbow grinned. “Rarity, thanks. I really, really mean that.”
“That goes double.” Applejack smiled, then turned to her friends. “And we got stuff for everypony! How about we head on back to the castle and pass it out?”
As they started towards the castle, Fluttershy turned to Rainbow. “I’m afraid I have a tiny bit of bad news… while you were gone, there’s been a kind of… infestation?”
“An infestation?” Rainbow cocked her head at Fluttershy as they rounded the train station and Ponyville came into view.
Fluttershy nodded. “It seems with the rainy weather, and everypony staying inside, the town attracted a swarm of cuddlebugs.”
Rainbow looked up slowly. All over the town, heart-shaped red butterflies flitted from pony to pony, circling around their heads. Her eyes went wide, and her pupils shrank to pinpricks.
“Rainbow?” Fluttershy looked at her concerned. “They’re perfectly harmless, they—”
She wasn’t listening. A cuddlebug had landed on her nose and spread its wings to show off its shape. She could hear it humming.
“Aww, ain’t that cute!” Applejack said.
Rainbow just set her jaw and narrowed her eyes. “Somepony get me a flamethrower!”
Author's Note
Thanks to DbzOrDie and Tchernobog for prereading (most of) this!
