Applejack sat on the porch of the farmhouse, glowering at the sky.
She had glowered at the sunset (the sunset really hadn't deserved the glower, even though Princess Celestia was still enjoying her 'purple' phase). She had glowered at the moonrise (despite Princess Luna's impeccable timing).
She was now glowering at the stars. The stars had definitely earned their glowering: the 'Gardener' constellation was both unusually orange, and suspiciously close to the rather blue 'Wings' constellation.
Applejack briefly contemplated plucking the pony responsible for telling Princess Luna about their date tonight, and then got to back to glowering at the stars.
It beat glowering at herself.
Big McIntosh came in from the fields half an hour after moonrise. He carried a pitchfork in his mouth, which he propped up against the wall next to Applejack, and then turned to head inside.
"McIntosh?"
"Eeyup?"
"I do not need a pitchfork for this date, you hear?"
"Eeyup."
Big Mac disappeared into the farmhouse. The pitchfork lay propped against the wall. Applejack glowered at it. And the stars.
Applejack perked up when she saw a pony coming up the path from Ponyville, but slumped again when she saw who it was.
"Good evening– Applebloom?"
"Er, yes?"
"Why are you covered in tree sap?"
"We were helping Pipsqueak try to get his cutie mark. We don't think he's going to be a tree surgeon, though. Or a timberwolf surgeon neither. It ran off before we barely got started."
"Timber– I don't want to know. Why don't you head indoors and clean up. Granny will have supper out soon."
"Okay. Um, I really hope you have a nice date, Applejack. You mane's really pretty, and I like your dress."
"Thank you, sugarcube. Now head on inside and wash up."
"Okay."
Applebloom trotted inside.
Applejack glowered.
"You're late, Rainbow Dash!"
Applejack had spent a lot of time on the porch, trying to remember why she was giving Rainbow a second chance. Seeing Rainbow reminded Applejack of one reason that she wasn't so proud of. Even when wearing only a tatty old bomber jacket, Rainbow was smoking hot.
"Err, oops?" said Rainbow, running a hoof through her unkempt mane, "Sorry Applejack. I guess I lost track of the time."
Applejack held back a sigh, "It's alright, Rainbow. You can say you overslept," Applejack held up a hoof, forestalling Rainbow's objection, "It don't matter either way. You're here now. You ready to get going?"
Hurt briefly flashed across Rainbow's face, to be replaced with an honest smile.
"I was born ready! Oh! Wait a minute; I got you something."
Applejack stood up, swished her braided tail and ran a hoof through her fancy mane. Rainbow didn't notice, as she was reaching around for the box she presented to Applejack.
"'Posable Spitfire Action Figurine'?" asked Applejack, reading the lid.
"No, no. I just needed a box to put them in, and that was lying around. Open it!"
Applejack opened the box, encouraged by Rainbow's eager smile. Applejack's face fell when she saw the contents.
"Shoes? Rainbow–"
"Applejack? What's wrong? They're really good shoes..."
"I'm sorry, sugarcube. You weren't to know. Rainbow, you promised me dancing, so I went out and bought me some dancing shoes. They weren't cheap, neither."
"Oh! Um, maybe you can wear your dancing shoes next time?" she said hopefully, "Because you kinda need to wear these shoes for our date. I'll take you somewhere to go dancing on our next date, I swear."
Applejack sighed, and laboriously swapped shoes, setting her glittery new dancing shoes on the shoerack, and wearing the much plainer shoes that Rainbow had bought her.
"Thanks, Applejack. I really appreciate you giving me this second chance. This date will be awesome, I swear."
"Alright, sugarcube. Let's see."
"Follow me!" said Rainbow, confidently leading Applejack away from the path down to Ponyville and towards the farmyard.
"Rainbow, you're heading straight to my barn. Just so you know, it ain't proper dancing if it's just the two of us doing it."
"I parked behind the barn. I wanted it to be a surprise."
"Parked? Parked what? What do you–"
Applejack froze as she rounded the corner. Standing shiny and proud behind the cover of her barn was a silver air chariot.
"What are you waiting for? Hop on!" said Rainbow, flitting to the front of the chariot.
As Applejack got closer, she took in the detail on the chariot scrollwork. The size of the hoofplate. The sun and moon symbols on the side. The faint smell of opossum widdle. This wasn't a normal air chariot.
"Rainbow Dash, I can't get in this thing. This is Princess Luna's chariot!"
"It's totally fine. Twilight asked Princess Luna if I could borrow it."
"I can't ride around in a state chariot! Ponies would think that I'm staging a coup."
"Relax. This is just her one-pony personal phaeton. Or one-thesta-whatsit guys, or whatever. Besides, you've always been a princess to me."
Applejack gave Rainbow a level look, "That line was so cheesy I could sell it at market."
Nevertheless, Applejack stepped on board.
"Actually, could you give me a hoof here?" asked Rainbow, "The chariot mare made the hitch look a cinch, but there's a catch..."
Applejack got back off the chariot and helped Rainbow tighten the chariot straps around her barrel; it had clearly been designed for stallions twice Rainbow's size.
"Thanks, Applejack," said Rainbow as she tested her wings and lowered her goggles.
Rainbow watched Applejack climb back on and grinned with excitement, "Ready? Hold on tight, 'cos here we go!"
Applejack yelped in surprise as the phaeton surged forward.
The chariot blazed across the farm, leaving a bright rainbow contrail. It juked around trees, barely cleared fences, and never got more than four hoofs above the ground. They passed a barn faster than Applejack could turn her head. Applejack held on to the chariot hoof-rail for dear life as her farm flashed before her eyes.
Then it was gone, the ground fell away, and the chariot took to the sky. Applejack closed her eyes tight with terror as the chariot flew higher and higher.
Rainbow may have misinterpreted Applejack's shrieks as encouragement, or she may have merely forgotten that her marefriend was there. Either way, she launched into a series of acrobatic tricks, twisting, turning, and diving in ways that defied gravity.
The brief moment of weightlessness, as Rainbow performed a loop-the-loop while in the middle of a barrel-roll, would live long in Applejack's memories, however much she wished it wouldn't.
Eventually, blessedly, the chariot levelled out. Applejack raised her head above the crest of the chariot and bravely opened her eyes for the first time in minutes. The chariot was rocketing towards a thick and heavy cloudbank.
"Rainbow!" cried Applejack in alarm, but Rainbow barely slowed down. They were going to smash into the cloud. Applejack raised her arms to shield herself. Everything went dark. The phaeton screeched to a halt.
"Am I awesome, or what?" shouted Rainbow triumphantly.
Applejack declined to answer.
Applejack's eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light seeping into the hollow cloud they were in. It was a large cloud, but there wasn't much to see beyond a faint glowing crescent symbol at the far end, illuminating some stairs leading upwards.
Applejack's disorientation was quickly replaced by panic when the chariot jerkily started moving again. Rainbow was struggling to unhitch herself.
"What in Tarnation? Rainbow Dash, you are not going to leave me stranded here!"
"Applejack, what are you talking about?" asked Rainbow resentfully, pausing in her fight with the straps, "I'd never abandon you. You know that. Why are you shouting at me?"
"After that hare-brained stunt you just pulled, you're lucky I'm just shouting, sugarcube!"
"Hey! Those stunts were some of my best! Why–" Rainbow tugged at the straps hitching her to the chariot in frustration, "Darn it! Applejack, could you give me a hoof here, please?"
"Have you lost your mind, Rainbow? If I step off this chariot, I won't stop falling until there's a me-shaped hole right through Equestria."
"Oh, yeah, those are cloud-walking boots. You'll be fine."
Startled, Applejack tentatively lowered a hoof and prodded at the cloudbase below. Slightly bouncy. She put a bit more weight on the hoof, and the cloud held firm. Satisfied, Applejack stepped out of the chariot, one leg at a time, and went to free Rainbow.
"Thanks, AJ," said Rainbow. She stretched a wing wide, to chance throwing it over Applejack's back, but stopped on seeing Applejack's expression. Instead she swung her head round started to preen. Rainbow tried to pretended that she had intended to preen it all along. Applejack politely pretended that as well.
"There! Felt a primary coming loose back there," lied Rainbow, "All good now. Let's go."
"And whose fault is that? And where are we going anyway?"
"Dancing, like I promised."
"Dancing? On this dingy little cloud?"
"Dingy?!" Rainbow recoiled from Applejack, "'Dingy'? Hmph!"
Rainbow stuck her head up proud and zipped up the stairs, out of sight. Applejack hurried to follow behind.
"Well, how else would you describe–" the words caught in Applejack's throat as she left the darkness of the parking bay behind, and stepped out into a busy Cloudsdale street.
"Awesome?" suggested Rainbow, hooves and wings thrown wide to encompass the city, "Spectacular? Come on, Applejack! This is Cloudsdale! Please don't call my home town 'dingy'."
"Uh, sorry, Rainbow. Didn't know where I was."
Rainbow stared at Applejack, stupefied.
"Didn't– Applejack! I just gave you a first-class flying tour of the city! We buzzed every major landmark! Do you know how much paperwork– Which cloud city did you think we were flying through?"
"I, uh, had my eyes closed. On account of the mind-numbing terror."
Rainbow groaned, her ears drooping in defeat, as she face-hoofed.
"Okay. Fine. Let's go dancing."
"Sorry, Rainbow. Maybe if you–"
"It's okay. Let's go."
Applejack watched Rainbow turn tail and trudge up the road towards the bright lights ahead of them. She squared her withers, and marched in front of Rainbow Dash. Rainbow looked up at her, almost angry, but Applejack spoke before Rainbow could say anything.
"No. It's not okay. I was fascinated by Cloudsdale as a filly, and here I am standing in the middle of it. Have we got time for you to show me around on hoof?"
Rainbow perked up.
"Sure thing! The dance hall thingy isn't going anywhere. Not tonight, anyway. Come on! This cloud is just one of the low-down boring places where swanky ponies live. Let me show you the docks; they're not far from the dance hall. There's a mare with a food cart up there that sells these delicious flavoured snowballs, if we hurry we might catch her. Come on!"
Navigating Cloudsdale without an air chariot was harder than Applejack had thought. Rather than being one large cloud, it was dozens of them. There were walkways between some clouds, but they were often at steep angles, and poorly maintained.
Applejack carefully followed the walkways, admiring the ionic columns that seemed to sprout up like mushrooms wherever pegasi made their homes, and tried to see where Rainbow Dash was. Her date had offered to scout ahead to find the best path to the docks, and had zipped off before Applejack could reply. She wanted to feel disappointed, or surprised, but had to settle for frustrated. And abandoned.
The city was beautiful, with floating lights and some clouds glowing with lightning, but it was cold and lonely too. She didn't pass too many ponies using the walkways.
"Here you go! Sorry about the wait, there was a bit of a queue."
Applejack almost leapt off the walkway when Rainbow Dash flew up from behind her and presented her with a flavoured snowball.
"Ah! Don't do that!"
"Sorry, sorry. Um, do you want a snowball?"
"Thanks."
Applejack took the off-white snowball carefully. She remembered fillyhood warnings about yellow snow and, suppressing them, took a bite. It was just as she feared. It was apple flavoured.
"Don't you like it?"
"Sorry, Sugarcube, it's just fine, but for some reason most ponies just can't get apple-flavours right. Every other fruit is just fine, but they always use apples that wouldn't sell at market, and you can taste it. Don't know why, when there's never a problem with oranges or strawberries."
"Oh, well we can get another one, if you want. Only one sliiiight problem."
Applejack closed her eyes.
"Do tell."
"The walkway to the docks is out. They're moving the docks tonight to the south side, for some airships that are coming in from Canterlot tomorrow morning."
"I see. So we need a taxi?"
"Pretty much, yeah. Some unicorns tried to set up a catapult system once, to get ground ponies between clouds, but it wasn't very popular. They kept missing."
"Ouch."
"Hey, nopony got as far as the ground. Anyway, don't worry, stay there, and I'll get a taxi."
Rainbow Dash zipped off, leaving Applejack holding a quickly-melting ball of mush that had a faint aftertaste of rotten apples.
"That's the parliament building, I think," shouted Rainbow Dash, pointing a hoof over Applejack's head.
It was hard to be heard over the sound of air rushing past their taxi as it soared upwards, but Rainbow Was trying to give Applejack a tour-guide's spiel anyway.
Applejack obediently craned her head at a large cloud that was almost indistinguishable from the other large clouds surrounding it.
"That cloud over there in the distance is the Wonderbolt's training ground. That one's the weather factory. Oh, and that's the cloud which Commander Hurricane stood on when mustering the troops to attack Griffonstan."
Applejack raised an eyebrow.
"That same cloud? Really?"
"Well, somepony might have fluffed it up a bit, you know, every now and then. But yeah. Oh look, that cloud over there is the coliseum! Don't let the name fool you, it's not a museum for columns, it's an arena!"
"Really?" asked Applejack with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh yeah, you've been there. Oops. Oh hey! That cloud over there is the warehouse where they store hailstones!"
The snowball food cart was gone by the time they reached the docks. Applejack was willing to forgive Rainbow when she looked up and saw the stars. They seemed closer, brighter, and warmer.
"So why are the important ponies at the bottom of the city and the docks at the top? Aren't they afraid of stuff falling down onto them?"
"Eh, it's just fashionable to be down there right now. Some pony will soon get bored and move the mansion district back up top. Anyway dropping stuff on ponies below is strictly forbidden. They shout at you and call your parents and everything. Apparently they put in a load of laws after the First Poop War. That was before the unification, but ponies still get mad if you accidentally drop paint bombs on them from above."
"'Accidentally', huh? Wait, First Poop War? How many–"
"Just the two. History got really boring after the unification."
The club marquee advertised 'GroundsPony Waltz', which probably explained why so many earth ponies and unicorns were queuing to get in, alongside their pegasi and griffon partners.
If pressed, Applejack would confess that her fancy hairstyle that had cost ten bits made her feel very pretty. It was not, however, any good at all at hiding her face from all the ponies in the queue that Rainbow Dash was blithely pulling her past. She should have gone with her hat.
Applejack felt the eyes of everypony in the queue staring at her as Rainbow argued with the bouncers.
"So you're Rainbow Dash, and you left your proof of ID in your Wonderbolt flightsuit? Which you chose not to wear on your important date. How convenient," said a placid-looking bouncer with a velvet rope cutiemark.
"Yeah!" said her colleague, a Pegasus with an orange coat and green mane, "You haven't even got the colours of her mane right."
"Hay, he's right. Everypony knows there are seven colours in the rainbow. You missed one. Pfft."
"What?!" said Rainbow Dash, glaring into the placid bouncer's unimpressed eyes.
"Yeah!" said the orange stallion, "I don't see no pink in your mane, No-Rainbow No-Dash."
"There is no pink in the rainbow!" shouted Rainbow.
"Nah nah," said the other bouncer, "She's missing the other one. Purple. You know."
"See this?" shouted Rainbow, holding her tail in one hoof up to the bouncers, pointing to the violet band, "This is purple!"
"Wait, there are seven colours in a rainbow, right? And there are six in this fake Rainbow Dash's tail," the mare ignored Rainbow's outrage, "So which one is missing? Is it the 'V'?"
"Vermillion?" asked her colleague, "Viridian? I don't know."
"Ugh, this is why I don't work in the weather factory. Too complicated."
"She's missing indigo," said an extremely bored unicorn mare, "Can we please go in now?"
"Just a moment love," said the calm bouncer, before turning back to Rainbow Dash, "Look, you haven't got the rainbow right, and you haven't got the flight suit, and you haven't got proof of ID, so how's about you fly home, and you can try again next week, love?"
"Argh!" shouted Rainbow, "I am Rainbow Dash! I don't need to prove anything to any pony!"
"Oh yeah?" said the male bouncer, "Prove it!"
Rainbow's Sonic Rainboom destroyed the bouncers' arguments and several municipally important clouds. Applejack and Rainbow fled into the club, the cheers of queueing ponies ringing in their ears, before the authorities could show up.
Applejack forgot about wishing she'd worn her hat, and instead wished that she'd worn a mask.
The vast cloud chamber they found themselves in was lit by bottles of lightning hanging from the ceiling. The outer circumference had chairs and tables waited upon by number of formally-dressed waiters and waitresses. The rest of the room was dedicated to a dance floor large enough for dozens of ponies. A free-floating cloud platform above the dance floor supported a small band of musicians, lead by an elderly looking pony playing a trombone.
Applejack and Rainbow settled into seats to watch the ponies dance.
"What was that back there?"
"Come on, Applejack, you saw how unreasonable those bouncers were! I clearly needed to prove my identity to get in."
"So why aren't you wearing your flight suit? I admit it looked pretty cheap when I saw it up close on our last date, but, uh, you do look good in it."
"Aheh. Thaaat wasn't the proper Wonderbolt's flight suit. It was a Wonderbolts costume. That I had in my closet. For no reason. No reason at all."
"Wait. You're a provisional Wonderbolt. You have got the real flight suit, right?"
"Oh, for sure. They gave me three of them. It's just that, um, I'm not allowed to wear any of them. On dates."
"Why's that?"
"Um, it'sjustthatwe'renotallowedtowearthesuitifthere'sachanceofsexincaseitgetsdamaged."
"What was that?"
Rainbow sighed, and hung her head.
"We're not allowed to wear the suit during 'carnal relations', 'cos it might get damaged."
"That makes– Wait! You wore that tacky Wonderbolt costume on our first date because you thought you were going to get lucky? What kind of pony do you take me for?"
"I didn't– I was worried that you might not be able to help yourself–"
Applejack threw back her head and laughed.
"I seem to recall it wasn't me who had a problem with self-control. You're hot, Rainbow Dash, but you ain't that hot. Wait– you're not wearing the flight suit tonight either?"
"Hey, it's not so bad to have a little fun on the second date."
"The dancing's for fun, Rainbow Dash. Although I didn't know you were into this fru-fru ballroom dancing stuff."
"Eh, not really. I just thought it would be a good compromise between your 'Square dancing' thing and, y'know, proper dancing."
"'Proper' dancing? Watch yourself, Rainbow. This date ain't shaping up to be any better than the last one."
Rainbow hung her head.
"I'll be good, promise," her remorse didn't last long, and she quickly perked up, "Oh hey, they're just finishing up this number. Wanna dance?"
Rainbow Dash was good.
Applejack wasn't as comfortable with waltzes as she was with square dancing, and had reluctantly surrendered the lead to Rainbow for the first dance. Her trust had been repaid: Rainbow was an agile dancer, and easily made up for any slight mistakes in Applejack's hoofwork as they moved across the floor.
Square dancing was a social thing, where you could be a living, breathing, part of your community as you all moved together as one. When waltzing, Applejack found herself to be part of something smaller than her community, and far more intimate.
Dash's eyes were deep, and as Applejack looked into them she saw for the first time, somewhere past the mischief, excitement, and energy, the hint of a future. And as she moved with the music and let the dance flow, she started to relax and, for the first time that day, enjoy the date.
The music for the first dance finished. Applejack's eyes lit up with eagerness. It was her turn to take the lead, and she was going to show her marefriend how it was done.
The MC stepped up to the microphone beside the lead trombonist.
"Ladies and Gentlecolts!" said the MC, "Now is the moment you've all been waiting for! The GroundsPony Dance championship!"
"What?" said Rainbow, surprised, above some genteel cheers.
"Yes," continued the announcer, "tonight we celebrate grace and harmony between friends! The best dancers of our next dance will be awarded this magnificent trophy," the white-maned, yellow-coated mare next to him held aloft a glittering trophy, "and the title of GroundsPony Dancers Supreme!"
"Uh, let's skip this dance," said Applejack, "don't want to spoil the date."
"Good idea," agreed Rainbow Dash, tearing her eyes away from the shiny trophy.
"Wise," commented a nearby unicorn, "Giving more space for better dancers to show their grace and charm. You may watch my partner and me from the sidelines. You might learn something."
Applejack and Rainbow locked eyes.
"Let's win this!"
Out of deference to their celebrity status, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were tossed out of the back door, away from the crowds.
Applejack waited for the door to slam shut behind them before turning to Dash. They were sitting in an unlit street, amidst crates of empty bottles and sacks of refuse that somehow complied with pony laws, rather than the laws of physics, and so hadn't fallen through the clouds and onto some unsuspecting pony below.
"Darn it, Rainbow! This is exactly what went wrong on the first date!"
"No it's not! Cloud buildings don't burn. Wait, why are you blaming me? You were the one they said got 'over-competitive'."
"We were going lose to that snooty unicorn if I hadn't done something."
"It was a competition for the most graceful dancing, not the best body slam!"
"I know! I know! It's just– This is why it just won't work between us, Rainbow Dash. You bring out the worst in me."
"What!" Rainbow launched herself into the air and hovered in front of her date, pleading, "C'mon, Applejack! It was just a dance contest."
"That's the problem, sugarcube," said Applejack, meeting Rainbow's gaze with tears in her eyes, "It was just a dance contest, and I still got us thrown out. We gotta face facts. It just ain't gonna work between us."
"You can't just give up! No like this! Maybe we could–"
"IT'S NOT GONNA WORK!"
Rainbow fell back, head over tail, with the force of Applejack's bellow, and slumped to the cloud level, her back to Applejack.
"I knew it on our first date. It was stupid of me to let you think we stood a chance. Sorry, sugarcube."
Applejack sat down on the soft cloud road and looked away.
The moon was distant, tonight. Princess Luna had set it further back, to give the stars a chance to shine. Applejack looked up at it, and sighed.
A pegasus flew by, laden with groceries. He didn't seem to notice the two ponies slumped on the street, and was soon gone.
The backstreet they were on was quiet. The loudest noise Applejack could hear was the faint sounds of music and laughter coming from inside the club.
"Why?" asked Rainbow Dash, still with her back to Applejack.
"Come again?"
"Why?" asked Rainbow, turning around, "Why did you accept a second date, if you didn't think we stood a chance?"
"Because... Because I really wanted to be wrong. Because you're friendship has always meant a lot to me. Because you're honest, as well as loyal. Because when you look at me the way you do, I feel more beautiful than Rarity."
"Yeah?" said Rainbow, "And I guess all that stuff isn't enough?"
"Well, I mean, why did you keep trying? What do you see in me?"
"Aw, come on, AJ. You're my best friend, you're always up for a contest, you've always been loyal as well as honest–"
"Keep going, sugarcube. I can tell when you're avoiding something."
Rainbow hung her head in defeat.
"It's because you're hot, alright? Because I always had a crush on you," Rainbow closed her eyes, "Because I challenged myself that we would be together. Losing you would mean losing that challenge."
"I'm a challenge, huh?" said Applejack, amusement in her voice.
"Darn it, Applejack, what do you want me to say?" said Rainbow, leaning close to Applejack, "I've always had a crush on you? I have. That I come up with 'competitions', just so that I can spend time with you? I do. That–"
Applejack stopped her with a hoof.
"I don't mind being a challenge, Rainbow. Just so long as you take it seriously. And to tell the truth, you're kinda hot yourself. I– I just want to know that I'm not making a mistake. You're always flitting about, pulling pranks, getting into trouble..."
"Yeah, that's true," said Rainbow, rubbing the back of her neck with a hoof, "But I'm trying to do better. It's not just about me anymore, I need to be a role model for Scoots, like you are for Applebloom."
"Heh. You're a pretty good role model already, Rainbow Dash. I know I look up to you. Sometimes."
"Really?" said Rainbow, perking up.
"Sure. It isn't just honesty, or loyalty, it's integrity. It means a lot to me. I admire your strength. I try to hold myself to the same standard. I– I don't always succeed, but– Oh, wipe that smirk off your face."
"Sorry, can't help it."
"Hey! Don't think for one darn tooting second that I'm not a better role model than you."
"Oh yeah?" challenged Rainbow.
Applejack rose to her hooves, her nose practically touching Rainbow's, a fierce grin on her muzzle. Their eyes locked.
"Yeah! And I'm gonna prove it! Just you wait–" Applejack snorted, shook her head, and pulled back. "You see? You're doing it again. You're always doing it. Making me all competitive. Bringing out the worst in me."
Rainbow was still grinning. "You love it."
"Maybe so, but that doesn't make it good. How can we have a relationship when we're always trying to out-do one another?"
"Just think how great it would be if we were both competing to be the better marefriend."
Applejack laughed. "Alright, sugarcube. So maybe it could work out. If we somehow figure out to call a truce every now and then."
"We wouldn't be doing it alone, Applejack. Our friends would help."
Applejack sighed in defeat.
"Okay. Okay; let's give it a try. It going to be difficult, but I'll say one thing sugarcube: nopony else makes me push myself as hard as you do."
"I'm awesome. I know."
Applejack shut her up with a kiss.
Rainbow closed her eyes and enveloped her wings around Applejack, cutting out the rest of the world.
Applejack wrapped her hooves around Rainbow's neck, pulling her close, kissing more deeply.
Rainbow leant forward into the kiss, flapping her wings gently for height.
Applejack soon found herself on her haunches, and then her back, as Rainbow pressed her advantage. Not one to surrender so easily, she wrapped all four hooves around Rainbow's barrel, and rolled, pinning Rainbow beneath her.
Their bodies were so close that Applejack could feel the heat of Rainbow's body through her dress.
Rainbow squirmed this way and that, but her attempts to escape lacked any strength. All her passion was reserved for the kiss. Their tails entwined.
Applejack broke the kiss and pulled back, breathing hard.
Rainbow looked up at her, waiting.
"I reckon... I reckon it ain't proper to be doing this in the middle of the street. Especially not on our second date."
"Yeah, you're probably right."
"Yup."
...
Applejack gazed into Rainbow's bottomless eyes.
...
"Sooooo, you going to let me up?" asked Rainbow.
"Wha? Oh! Yes. Yes ma'am."
Applejack scrambled off Rainbow, and turned away to hide her blush. Applejack had no doubt that Rainbow was as aware of her blush as Applejack was of Rainbow's smirk.
"Right. So. I don't think they'd let us back in to dance some more, even if we promised to behave. Anyway, truth is, I'm kinda famished."
"No problemo. There's a fancy restaurant not far from here. I booked a table, and we're only a little late. Let's go."
"Rainbow Dash, my dress is dirty, wet, and crumpled from sitting in the street. You're wearing a bomber jacket. Do you really think we'll be able to get in?"
"Oh sure. You might be kinda over-dressed, but I'm sure I can overwhelm them with my awesomeness."
"Not the point I was trying to make, sugarcube."
"Oh! It's a pegasus fancy restaurant. They've got folded napkins that aren't even made of paper, and everything. The waiters are a bit snooty, but the food is really good."
Applejack laughed.
"Lead on, then."
Applejack ambled companionably close to Rainbow as they headed back down to the chariot, from the restaurant.
"So, what was your worst date ever, not counting our last date?" asked Applejack.
"Um, well..."
...
"Wait, does that mean our last date was your first date ever?"
"What?! No! I've been on loads of dates! The Rainbow Dash does not– Okay, so there aren't that many good catches in Ponyville, alright?"
"Tell me about. Mares or stallions. I hadn't been on a date since Hugh, last year."
"Hughbert Jellious, that jam guy? Ooh, you gotta tell me how that went."
"Hey, he was a gentlecolt. We had some fascinating conversations about chutneys. And well, it's not as if I saw any other good prospects on the horizon, so, on the third date, I let him take me home. It was nice enough, but I called it off."
"What! You can't stop there! I have got to know about the jam! Tell me about the jam. I mean, you did, y'know... in the jars?"
Applejack smirked.
"Oh, we did alright. It was... slow. You had to take your time. It was a bit like dancing, really. Complete with the bodyslams. Honest truth: I loved it. Cleaning up in the shower afterwards was pretty nice too."
"So why did you call it off? I mean if you like the jam and all..."
"If you must know, and this doesn't go any further, Rainbow Dash-"
"Pinkie Promise. Cross my heart..."
Applejack watched the full ritual carefully.
"Okay, so between you and me, the jars of jam were fine, but Hugh has a fetish I only found out about after. It was just too weird for me, so I backed away."
"Wait, he's got a fetish that's weirder than the jam jars?"
"Eeyup. I think it's a self-esteem thing. He's got a basement. Hidden at the back there's a pony-sized jar of peanut butter."
Rainbow stared at her aghast, and fell to the ground, laughing.
"Yeah, I feel sorry for the poor guy, but that was just a step too far. Plus, I think he was mainly courting me to get first pick of our Zap Apple jam."
Rainbow's laughter died. She looked a little shifty and embarrassed as she rose to her hooves. Rainbow rubbed a hoof behind her neck. "Uh, well, you know.."
"Yes, Rainbow, I do know what happens to the apples in the trees that you've been sleeping in. Apple thief. And I know who's going to try and drink more than her fair share, come cider season, too. If we're still dating then."
"Aheh. Um..."
"Relax, Rainbow," here Applejack looked a little uneasy too, "I'd not be honest if I didn't say that I had motives too. The farm could benefit from some dedicated weatherpony work. Uh, after hours, of course."
"No problem, Applejack. You know you just have to ask, if we're dating or not."
"Thank you, Rainbow, but I'd happier accepting your help about the farm if you had a stake in it. If you know what I mean. And..." Applejack looked pained, "Well, money can get a mite tight at times. Having a Wonderbolt in the family... I'm trying to come clean here, Rainbow. Not all the reasons why I said 'yes' to this date were the right ones."
"Don't sweat it, AJ," said Rainbow, putting a friendly wing on Applejack's back, "I was kinda worried that the Wonderbolt stuff might, y'know, go to my head–"
Rainbow waited patiently for Applejack to stop laughing.
"Yeah. Anyway, I thought that helping out around the Apple farm might help keep me 'grounded'. Help remind me what’s important. Besides being awesome. So it'd be helping me too."
Applejack leaned up against Rainbow, wither to wither.
"It's a relief to hear it, sugarcube. That it? Have we put all our cards down, now? 'Cause if it comes out later that you had an eye on a threesome with my brother, I'll buck you all the way to the Crystal Kingdom."
"Hey, I only got eyes for you, AJ. Promise. Although if Granny Smith starts making passes then I might have to reconsider my options, of course."
Applejack swayed her hips and knocked Rainbow through a nearby wall.
"Sorry, sorry," said Rainbow with a grin, after she had flown out of the hole she'd made, and repaired the damage, "I couldn't resist."
"Well, just so long as you can resist Granny. Nothing else, then? Sugarcube?"
"Wellllll..."
"Spit it out, Rainbow Dash."
"Do you remember, when we first met Twilight, and you stopped me from attacking Nightmare Moon by holding me back by my tail?"
"Yeah," said Applejack cautiously, "where are you going with this?"
"And you remember the time Discord messed with our minds, and you had to lasso me so that Twilight could cast her spell?"
"Yes–"
"And the time we switched cutiemarks and Fluttershy's critters tied me up and put me in a cooking pot?"
"If you say so–"
"And that prison on the moon, and do you remember when those yaks destroyed Pinkie's party and I ended tangled up in the decorations?"
"Heh, you sure do get 'tangled up' quite a lot, sugarcube. It's almost as if..."
"Uh, yeah. I mean, I'm totally cool if it never happens again. But, you know, if maybe–"
Rainbow's awkward verbal manoeuvres were interrupted by Applejack spinning her around for a kiss.
Applejack was staring her in the eye when they finally broke for air.
"Might as well plan our third date now, sugarcube. It'll be in the south barn."
"The one that was destroyed by parasprites?"
"No, the one that got stomped on by Tirek. It's nice and new. Lots of strong beams. That fake Wonderbolt's outfit: was it expensive?"
"Nah, not really."
"Good, because it ain't gonna survive the night. You wear it, I'll bring my rope, and I'll show you what we do to apple thieves, down on the farm."
"You- are you serious? I mean, do you really mean it?"
"What can I say, Sugarcube? You bring out the best in me."
Rainbow's answering grin was feral.
"Awesome!"
