Chapters one and two, pre-date

AppleDash
CHAPTER ONE...
(narrated POV)
"AJ, do you like him?," Rainbow asked curiously. Applejack had liked Braeburn for as long as Rainbow had known her.

"Yeah," AJ said. "What's wrong, is there something on your mind sugar cube?"

"Nothing," Rainbow replied. "It's just that, you don't deserve him!", Rainbow said suddenly.

"Pardon!" Applejack said.

"Sorry," Rainbow said. "It's just that I don't think he deserves you." AJ had a puzzled look on her face. "Let me sum it up for ya AJ. Braeburn doesn't deserve you. You don't deserve Braeburn. You are way too good a person to be hung up on that jerk!", Rainbow said. Her face relaxed a bit. "It's just that, you need someone with integrity, and loyalty. And awesomeness and respect. You don't need him," Rainbow said staring into the sunset happening by sweet apple acres. For one serious second, Applejack looked at Rainbow Dash, really looked. The usually relaxed pony had a tense look on her face, and her magenta eyes were serious, staring off into the distance. Oh my Celestial stars, she's serious, AJ realized. This moment didn't last very long. Rainbow dash cracked a smirk and said, "For example you need someone like me." Applejack was slack jawed as she took in what rainbow had said.

"Now, now Rainbow", she heard herself say, "you ain't implying that you'd be a better match for me than Braeburn, are ya?"

"That's exactly what I'm implying," Rainbow said stubbornly with a determined twinkle in her eye.

"Well then we'll just have to see bout that, won't we?", AJ said.

"What are YOU implying?" Rainbow asked quizzically. "Wait, is that a challenge?", she asked, a determined gleam lurking in her eyes.

"Yes, I s'pose it is," AJ said playfully yet pleasantly shocked.

"Okay then," Rainbow said, "let's go on a date." AJ became slack jawed for the second time that night. "What? Are you afraid?", RD said.

"Nope!", AJ said.

"Good," Rainbow said with a smirk. "I'll see you at six."

CHAPTER TWO... Before the Date...
(Rainbow POV)
I had to do this. This was my one chance with her and I didn't want to blow it. Add in the fact that Braeburn was a female Winona. I didn't wanna do that math. I was never very good with math anyway. It was my worst subject. I didn't wanna think about the odds. About what i could lose. I didn't wanna think about losing our friendship over my crush on her...
But above all, I didn't want to even consider the fact that my best friend made me all giggly and weak in the knees. I'm not giggly and ditzy, it's just not in my personality. I'm tough and at times a little girly, but nobody makes me as giddy as AJ. It's just confusing and frustrating. Besides, nobody makes me so protective. When somebody threatens her, or insults her, I feel like I want to mangle them. I feel like an overly protective boyfriend. Ugh. I had to meet her soon. We were going to the place of her choice. If she ever responded! It felt like a thousand little bullets were raining onto my pelt as the shower turned on. My pelt was dirty, so I scrubbed it, especially around the my wings. Celestia, why do I even consider perfume? A shower is good enough. Why do I care about impressing her so much? Is it competitive spirit? Do I really like her enough to challenge Braeburn. I mean she likes Braeburn. Maybe I should just let her have him.. Either it's Braeburn, or me. And I know that if she doesn't choose me, she'll choose Braeburn, which will not only decrease my confidence by several decibels, but will plunge her into something she can't handle without coming out scarred. And she is too good a person to bear those bruises. I mean, me, maybe I deserve blacks and blues for pining after her like this, not doing it completely for her benefit. But AJ? She deserves so much more. And I'm gonna show her just how much she deserves...

(AJ POV)
What on Earth was that silly pegasus thinking? Ah liked Braeburn! She shouldn't ah meddled! Darn it! If it weren't for my Celestia darned stubborn family roots I could back down from something like this! What in Equestria was that mare thinking about? Just then I got a knock on the door. I opened it up, to see Derpy standing there like a darned Cow. "Rainbow wanted me to give you this.", she said, and gave me a letter. I opened it up halfway, and surprisingly, the letter talked. No, ah mean I'm not goosing ya, Rainbow's face up an appeared above the letter like some sorta holographic magic thingy that Twilight would make. And then Rainbow's face started to talk, and it was just too much. I closed the scroll. I didn't want Derpy to see how touched and slightly weirded out I was that Rainbow would go through all the trouble to deal with our friend Twilight who she frequently calls a quote un-quote egghead! So ah said "Thank ya kindly Derpy. Bye now!" And then I closed the door real fast like and opened it up completely. Here's what it said...

"Hey AJ! I just wanted to make sure you weren't going into our date blind, so here are a few things I have to tell you.
Do not wear anything fancy. Just come as you are. Unless you want to wear something fancy... ( Rainbow wiggling eyebrows ) 2. I promise it won't be about you, it'll be about me. (Rainbow face-hoofs herself ) Horse Apples that came out wrong! You're probably rolling your eyes right about now, aren't you? Aw c'mon, you know I meant that it'll be about you and not me! Ah ah ah. You can't roll up this letter! I'm not done yet! AJ! I know you, you're gonna roll this up if you're not satisfied! 3. We can go anywhere you want. Do anything you want. Eat anything you want! 4. Please don't compare me with Braeburn, it makes no sense to... And 5. I'm all out of info, I just thought five was better than four. Oh yeah, I really like you. Rainbow out!"
By number two I was face-hoofing myself. But number five, that was a shocker. Did Rainbow really like me like that? And she did know me real well considering all the things we've been through. In fact I reckon she knows more about me than Braeburn! So, maybe she does deserve a shot, I mean I have been attached to him for a mighty long time! Then again, it might be good for a change, I mean, my family might not approve, and I might not be all so sure about it myself, and Braeburn may hate me, but at least I'm gonna try! Right? I don't know! Here ah am, covering my face with my hooves, and trying ta get Braeburn, when he really is a jerk. Maybe I should go with that pegasus! Ah mean she just might be a pretty darn good pony for a mare friend! Ah mean like she said, she's loyal, she's brutally honest, and I can't think of a single darned time that pony left me high and dry. Well I'll be! I'm gonna do this! I'm gonna- my train of thought is interrupted by a knock on the door. Celestia Darn it! I clop over to the door and open it to see Derpy standing there again. "Ah, Derpy whatcha doin here time an time again?", I said through gritted teeth. "Another letter for you, AppleJack, from Rainbow", she said raising her eyebrows. I ain't ever seen Derpy raise her eyebrows, and let's just say I hope I never see it again, no offense ta Derpy. But I did want the letter, and I am a decent pony, so ah played nice. "Thank ya kindly Derpy, again.", ah said. Then I shook her hoof, and closed the door, opening up the scroll, and seeing Rainbow's face pop up again. Here's what this here one said...

"Hello Apples! Knowing Derpy, she gave this one to you an hour after the last one. (Rolling eyes) So try not to be mad. All I need to say in this one, is to let me know one way or another what ya wanna do tonight at six. Sound good? Oh wait, we can't talk when I'm sending this? Shoot! (Rainbow said to a pony who was probably Twilight) No Rainbow, for the 12th time, you cannot talk to your date through the magical hologram spell! (Yep, that's Twilight) Alrighty then, fine, egghead. (Rainbow ) What was that? (Twilight ) Just let me know! ( Rainbow )"

The scroll show ended, and so did my sanity. I laughed my head off at the hilarity of it all. Rainbow Dash? Go through all this for me? This must be one a her famous pranks. I'll be Pinkie Pie's in on it too! Woah! I mean wow! That crazy awesome pegasus must not like me! I mean Rainbow Dash is not going to want to be my mare friend. The same Rainbow Dash that did a sonic rain-boom, and saved Equestria by my side like a bazillion times. The same Rainbow that challenges me constantly, and pushes ma flank sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worst, an always takes it in her same old stride. Is this the same mare who for once was nervous on that scroll thingy, and almost afraid for an entire second? Does this mare really like me? All the evidence points to it being real, but ah just can't picture it. I mean, I can picture us being together, watching the sunset over the Apple Family Farm, and getting down and dirty. Her helping with farm work, our wedding day. And of course a filly that Twilight gives us with all her fancy magic thingy powers. And I could also picture- wait. This doesn't sound like me. Do I like her? Yeah, I think she's mighty awesome and all but don't every pony? Have I always liked her? I mean, yes, I have checked out her flank from time to time. Payed attention to her lips when she licked them before every race. Looked at how fast she was and wished I could keep up with her and spend some more time with her. She was hotter than a summer day on the farm when she wanted to be. Yes, I did like her. I liked her a lot. How had I not seen this before? I guess I was hung up on Braeburn. Braeburn. That rusty horseshoe had used me an broke ma heart! I was so darned over him! And I knew exactly where to go for our date.
Rainbow POV...

"Celestia that was such a wimp move!", I yelled, as I sat on Fluttershy's couch as she tended to her animals. I mean, could it be more lame!", I spat. "Ugh!", I groaned as I sat back on her couch.

"Rainbow, could you keep your voice down, the animals are getting riled up.", she said airily, and quietly.

"I mean come on! The least I could do is tell her how I feel personally, and genuinely! WHY AM I SO INTIMIDATED BY THIS DATING THING!"

The animals reached their breaking point. A bird knocked down a lamp, and a bear trampled one of Fluttershy's bird houses. Then the birds barely made it out, and one flew into the toilet in her bathroom.

"RAINBOW DASH STOP! EVERYBODY STOP!", Fluttershy shouted. Fluttershy cleared her throat as all the things in the room looked at her in shock. "Animals, calm down. How about we have a lunch break?", the animals looked at her, then crept cautiously forward to their food. Then they began to eat ravenously. I had barely made a wtf face, when Fluttershy yanked me outside. "Rainbow Dash! When I tell you to stop, you stop! That was unacceptable! How dare you freak out my poor babies like that!" I pawed at the ground, shamefully.

"Sorry Flutters.", I mumbled.

"It's perfectly fine, Rainbow, but if you want to vent you have to go somewhere else! You may not come into my cottage and get all my animals riled up.", she said forcefully, yet in a whisper.

"Okay Flutters. I need to go anyway...", I said, trailing off as I thought about how I could not believe what I was about to do to prepare for the farm pony's date with me. If the circumstances allowed...
AJ POV...
I need to make this short and sweet, I thought as I picked the feathered pen up in my mouth, and wrote to Rainbow. Below is my first try...
Trial #1...
Dear Rainbow,

It has come to my attention that you like me, and here's the truth, you could be a great mare friend. But as I'm not quite done with Braeburn, I might need some convincing. Why don't out come up to the orchard at six, and we'll see where it goes?

Sincerely,

Your future mare friend, AJ
That one sounds too desperate. So onto trial two...
Trial #2...
Hey Rainbow,

I just wanted to let ya know that I'm over Braeburn and I really like ya. A lot. In fact, I like ya enough to kiss ya forever and ever until the day Celestia dies! And maybe Luna too. But if you hate Braeburn as much as I do, you'll want to be in on this date plan. Here's the idea. We all go to his house, and get some good old fashioned revenge. Want some quality time after? I'll make ya a promise. Ya help me get back Braeburn, and you can have me all night long.

Sincerely,

Your partner in crime and all night girl, AJ
Oh ma Celestia that one's desperate and diabolical. I can't do this... It's best to just get it over with, and be honest...

Trial #3...

Hey RD,
I just wanted to say that ah'm not too sure bout this, but ah'm willing ta give it a try. If you want me as much as I want you, come to the north orchard at six p.m. Ah'm promising some fizzy hard apple cider. See ya then, (if ya haven't chickened out yet)..

-yer long time friend AJ
Needless to say, I ended up sending trial three. Yep. Hopefully she's good with the idea. Of course I promised cider, so I've basically got her wrapped around ma finger. I'll have Derpy find her, an give her this here letter! We've got this!
Rainbow POV...
There was only one thing to do. But was it worth my reputation as most awesome pony in Ponyville? I guess for AJ, anything was worth it. So I marched down to Rarity's, half of me hoping she wasn't presently there in her boutique. So I could run away and maybe file my dirty hooves at home. In the privacy and secrecy of my own cool house. But sure enough, the prissy pony answered.

"Rainbow Dash!", Rarity said, her already mascara lined eyes widening ever so slightly.

"Yeah, hi.", I said. "Whatever could you be here for?", she said, tilting her head, like a clueless young Winona when she as a puppy. Thinking about this, of course made me laugh my head off. So of course there I stood on her doormat, thinking, this is probably the only thing I'll have fun doing the entire time I'm with her today. And then she gets upset and shuts the door.

"Aw c'mon!", I shout. "I need your help, I need a disguise."

"A disguise", she said, her curiosity piqued, as she peeked out her door. "Let me come in and I'll tell you what for," I said a blush growing across my cheeks.

"Rainbow Dash you're not hitting on me are you?", Rarity asked, a profound redness creeping across her cheeks.

"No!" I said. "Look, I just need a disguise to go to the spa, to get cleaned up, for a date." Once she heard that, she practically shoved me through her boutique door, and pushed me onto ear fainting couch.

"Details!", Rarity practically screeched. But then she cleared her throat and said, "I mean, if you would like to share."

"Uh, well Rare, it's not exactly a date with a stallion...", I said trailing off.

"Well", she said. "They had better be worthy!"

"What!?", I said.

"Well, Rainbow Darling, the first thing you should know, is that you hold expectations for someone who respects you, and knows just how truly special you are. Never expect any less. Mare or stallion."

"Okay.", I said. "And she's the best, she really is.", I said adding.

"Now why do you need a disguise for the spa?", Rarity asked, cringing because she already knew the answer.

"What the buck do you mean, 'why do you need a disguise'? I have a reputation! I'm the most awesome, hardcore, daring Pony in all of Ponyville. Despite what my date says!", I said, realizing that while I was explaining and bragging, I had revealed that I was dating AJ. I burned in the cheeks.

"Rainbow Dash," she said after a second to recover, "You like AppleJack?"

"What!? No!", I said stammering, and averting my eyes.

"Yes you do!", she said. "Oh my Celestia! You like AJ!", she screamed joyfully.

"Would you keep it down!", I said angrily, jamming my hoof into her mouth.

"And you're absolutely sure you want to do this?", she asked, as I took my hoof out of her mouth, and wiped it on her curtains, and she made a yuck face.

"Normally I wouldn't, but since I want an actual commitment, I'm going to have to say yes.", and then got off of her bed. I started pacing. "I mean, all I need is one of your magical appearance changing thingies that you and Twilight made. Is that okay?"

"Of course darling!", Rarity said. "Here, take these sunglasses." I tried them on, and my coat was instantly a dull brown, and my mane was a green and gray mop of swirly hair. My cutie mark was an alligator. Now I just needed a name. And an explanation for this cutie mark. What was I gonna say? That I was an alligator whisperer? And when they asked how that worked, I would tell them that I hailed from Colt-ifornia? Gah! This is so confusing! I frowned at my reflection.

"I'll take it," I said. The things I'm doing for this mare!...

AJ POV...

I do not have this! What if cider doesn't hold the old country allure it did for her once upon a time? What if she changes her mind? What if she's in on a plan with Braeburn? Naw, AppleJack, that's crazy talk, I tell myself as I pick myself up off my bed and get to fixing up the north orchard for out little "date." I start to clop down the stairs, and needless to say this loudness wakes up Granny Smith. "Hmm?!", she says, yelling. Once she sees it's me, she says, "hi there young whippersnapper!", then she falls back asleep, and mumbles "how you doing?" I continue down the stairs, more quietly. As soon as I think I'm in the clear, I race out the door. Celestia knows how ma family would react if they knew that ah was going out with a mare. Ah mean my family would accept any pony who they feel is right for me. And as impressive as Rainbow's track record is, she hasn't set any records in integrity. I mean, again, she's brutally honest, but then again... I trail off thinking about how much I want this to work... And how much worrying ain't gonna fix nothing... So I make my way to the barn to grab a blanket when all of a sudden I see Big Mac. Dang it! Horse Apples! He'll wanna know bout the picnic blanket for sure! There's only one option! And that is, to try to sneak past him. I'm not gonna stoop so low to lying. Not yet anyway...
Rainbow POV...

"I don't see how in Equestria you could possibly be not completely excited about this!", Rarity said as she kept trying out names for me. "I mean, you get a new coat, and a new mane, and a new cutie mark, and you also get a new name! It's like dress up!", she squealed for the fifth time and I had to remind myself that this was all for Apples. My apples. Oh great, a mushy nickname. Ya know actually that doesn't sound all too bad... "Rainbow Dash! Rainbow! Are you paying attention to me?", Rarity asked, flustered.

"Huh?", I asked. "Yes!", I said playing along. "In fact I think the last name you said sounded great!"

"Really?", Rarity said. "Because the last name I said was Alligator Suzy."

"Yeah," I said forcing a smile, "See? I'm paying plenty of attention!" And also majorly cursing my stubborn false side, I thought to myself.

"Okay, then you're all set, just let me make an appointment with Aloe and Lotus and we can go together!", she said, writing a letter.

"Yeah, Rares, I only have like an hour...", I said trailing off when she gave me the face she gave ponies who were wearing horrible outfits, or who were just plain uncouth.

"Well then, you could have mentioned that earlier, couldn't you!", she yelled. "We'll need to get to the spa, right now!", she yelled dragging me along, me barely being able to hold onto the fancy magical sunglasses.

"Hey," I yelled! "You're dragging me! And how am I going to fly, if my wings won't even work because some crazy unicorn is dragging them from here to Canterlot!?", I yelled. Every single pony in the street looked at me. Thankfully, my voice had changed. So know I sounded like Daring Do instead. "Hehehe.", I laughed. "Let's just get to the spa.", I said dragging her instead while she covered her face with her hooves. By the time we got to the spa, Rarity had regained her class, and was busy whisper yelling at me Fluttershy style. By the time we reached the front desk, she was not afraid to beg and plead for Aloe and Lotus. She even enlisted the tear ducts. I was impressed in a weird, funny kinda way. So eventually the front desk pony gave, and called for Aloe and Lotus.

"Aloe, Lotus!", Rarity practically screamed. "We need a hooficure, mud bath, and sauna appointment stat! In less than-", Rarity said pausing for dramatic effect, "45 minutes!" Aloe and Lotus gasped. Then they each ran a separate way, panting as they did. But then Aloe ran back and grabbed me. Help, I mouthed as I was rushed away. Rarity just smugly smiled. And that was the last thing I saw...
AJ POV...
I ran toward the barn doors, ducking behind them. Huffing with exertion from the speed I had just ran at, I breathed heavily, which completely gave me away to Big Mac. "Whatcha doing little sis? Sneaking round like this ain't your style.", he said, smiling.

"I just need to do something on ma own without no watchful eyes, big brother.", I said.

"Oh okay", he said, chuckling. Then he walked away, simple as Rhubarb pie. Ah couldn't believe ma eyes! But all the same, I cautiously entered the barn. The picnic blanket was on the second floor of the barn, and I could probably make it, being if I tried hard enough.

So I jumped to the first rafter, and then was about to jump to the second one, when what should I hear but a little voice saying "hey ya big sis!" Any other time I would love to talk to ma sister, but not now.

"Do ya like Rainbow Dash?", my sister Apple Bloom asked, and I fell onto the floor, groaning.

"No! No! No! No! I don't like that troublemaking pegasus!", I aid yelling.

"Oh," Apple Bloom said, disappointed, "I thought that you guys were best friends forever!"

"No Apple Bloom! We are!", I yelled again. "I love Rainbow, I just-", and I was cut off while she yelled, "I knew it", and ran out of the barn. I picked myself up, and tried to get to the second floor again...
RAINBOW POV...

After a while of the ground eating up all of my dignity, I arrive in a room outside a sauna. "Now miss Dash, you must put on zis robe, and pick up your hooves like zis.", Aloe said instructing me on how to enter and act in a sauna. "And then after you are done, you put ze robe back on, and follow me to ze hooficure.", she finished. I guess I might have zoned out a bit. "Now in you go!", Aloe said to me, plopping a robe on me and pushing me inside the hot steamy room. "You have ze 5 minutes to do ze relaxing.", she said popping open the door, then closing it hard. The steam enveloped me. What was I supposed to do in this room? Oh, I must have to take a shower. I'll bet this is one of those freaky relaxation thingies that Rarity does. So I set about finding the soap, and shampoo. And when Aloe came with Lotus, to bring me to my next station, I couldn't figure out why they were laughing so hard! I mean all I did was ask where the soap was. And then I may have dropped my glasses when they tried to explain to me that it was in fact, not a shower. Yep, there my glasses were, on the floor, just laying there. They continued to laugh. I cursed my temporary cluelessness. I glared at them, and picked my glasses back up. The. My appearance changed again.

"What?", I asked in my alligator Suzy voice.

"Nothing," Lotus said, "let's get you to your hooficure." And then she let me walk like a normal pony behind her. I stuck my tongue out at Aloe. She stuck her tongue out back and giggled. Ugh, I said inwardly, before turning around and walking away. Okay, hooficure, I thought as I entered the room. "Please Rainbow Dash, lay on ze seat, I promise zis will not hurt zat much.", she said with her puppy eyes.

"Yeah. Thanks. Let's just get this over with.", I said, laying down in the seat. She got out the file, and went to give me a hooficure, but my hooves darted away each time she went toward them to give me one.

Eventually, she just gave up, and said, "Rainbow Dash, be still for one moment, I promise zat everything will be just fine.", and then I laid still and my vision went black...

AJ POV...
During my second attempt to get the blanket, I ended up spraining my hoof. Which was just great, and I was about to get up there to try a third time, when something shiny caught my eye. It was a ladder, a shiny new ladder! All I was thinking, as why did no pony tell me this, and why in Equestria wouldn't Big Mac tell me bout the ladder? I was so puzzled, that I just plum quit trying to figure it out, and just climbed up, got the blanket, and laid it in the North Orchard. By the time I was done preparing the food, I was plum tuckered out, and so I laid down for a quick bit of shut eye. But when I opened up my eyes, it was time for some good old fashioned farm work...
RAINBOW POV...
The last thing I remember is something pointy in my arm, and one of those creepy hooficure files coming at my hooves. Now, I have a headache, and I'm being dragged half asleep to the mud bath. "I thought it would help her relax!", a prench voice yelled.

"Whatever do you mean?I'm all for getting ponies to relax, but drugging Dash? That was a little overkill!", a dramatic voice I quickly realized as Rarity's shouted. The other pony must be Lotus, I thought as I rubbed my head groggily. "She's moving! Sweet Celestia she's moving!", Rarity shouted.

"Rares, why so loud?", I mumbled.

"Keep it down Rainbow don't move so fast!", Lotus said.

"What?", I said panicking. "My name is Gator Greta!", I said shooting up. "Or something like that," I said laying back down.

"Ma'am, would you still like ze mud bath?", Aloe asked.

"What do you think!", I growled. I lifted my hoof to check the time, four o'clock. But wait, my hoof was so shiny. It was like a mirror. I could see my reflection in it. "Whoah! Thanks guys, this is so cool!", I said. "I gotta go, but Rares I'll see ya around.", I yelled as I zipped out of the spa, with a pounding headache and a really big ego because of my new shiny hooves... And bumped right into Derpy. "

"Rainbow Dash", she said. "I gotta letter for you!", she added cheerfully. It was then that I realized it was probably from Apples.

I grabbed it from her with a loud, "thanks!", as I flew away. I read it while flying, and found out that it wasn't anything special, just like we were normally hanging out, but there was, and get this, hard cider! I mean cider is good! But alcoholic, good old fashioned hard cider! That was nothing to mess around with! Plus she wants me! Yeah! Woo hoo! I flew even faster, preparing to fly home as fast as I can.
AJ POV...
I got up, getting ready to buck the trees. I had ran from my bedroom when I realized what time it was. I lifted up my hooves, getting ready to strike, only to find that the tree wasn't where I thought it was. Yep, I was that distracted. And it was taking a mighty toll on the farm chores.

"AppleJack, are you okay?", Big Mac asked.

"Yep", I said.

"She's just distracted cuz she has a date with her very special some pony!", Apple Bloom sang.

"Oh really?", Big Mac asked. "And who might this very special pony be?", he said nonchalantly.

"Ya wouldn't believe me if I told ya," I said. "How are ya getting this kinda info anyway, Apple Bloom?", I said, changing the topic.

"Scootaloo!", she said cheerfully. "She said that you had a date tonight with-" I rushed over and jammed my hoof into her mouth before she could say who. Big Max raised an eyebrow.

"Ah need ta talk to ma sister for a second, if y'all don't mind," I said, and promptly yanked away Apple Bloom.

"Apple Bloom! What in the hay are ya doing? Are ya trying ta ruin my night?", I asked frustratedly.

"No," she said. "I just really want this ta work out cuz if it did, then maybe Scootaloo and I could be sisters and such," she said, dragging her hoof in the dirt.

"Aww, Apple Bloom," I said. "I admire your dedication to this. But if ya don't keep it a secret, it won't work at all!", I said.

"Ohh,", she said. "Sorry big sis." "It's okay", I said, and we both went back out to work...

RAINBOW POV...
I had to get home. Like right now. It was like 5:30 and I still hadn't taken a good nap. I needed a fifteen minute nap, and I needed it now.

"Rainbow Dash!", a young voice called from behind me. "Do you have a sec?" It was Scootaloo. And as much as I adored the little filly, I had no time for this!

"No, not really. Sorry kid," I said turning around and halting for a second. "But Rainbow, it's important!", she said.

"Fine," I said, "what is it?" "Well, um...", she said stalling.

"C'mon kid spit it out," I said, a little more harsh than intended.

"Okay," she said nervously. "Applebloomknowsthatyoulikeapplesoimreallysorrypleasedontbemad!", she said. Luckily, I hung around Pinkie so I understood perfectly. But then she burst into tears. "I'm so sorry Rainbow I spilled the beans! I know you confided in me and I am so, so sorry!", she sob spoke. I walked over to her. She cringed as if I would hit her. But after a disapproving look, I sat down, and hugged her. I put my wing around her, and held her.

"Let's go to my house," I whispered, "Okay?" She nodded yes. She knew the drill. She got on my back, and I took off.

As she sat on my couch and blew her nose, I got ready for my date with Apples. I actually brushed my coat for once, and once I was done, it was amazing how soft it was. And when I actually brushed my mane, well it was incredible. I looked almost as good as the Wonderbolts at their press conferences. Almost. I peeked out the door of the bathroom, to see Scoot sitting on the couch crying. Softly now.

"Aw, cmon, don't get upset on me.", I said. "What would make you feel better?", I asked. She pointed to me and her, and made a cuddling motion. I sighed, and scooted over, and put my wing around her, resting my chin on top of her purple mane. Then out of habit, I checked my watch. "Horse Apples! My date with AJ!", I shouted.

"Huh?", she said looking up. Groggily. Crap, she'd been sleeping!

"Hey Scootaloo.", I said, "just stay here tonight, I'll be back in the morning. In the meantime, you can watch some tv." Her face lit up, and she woke right up.

"Do you have Netmare?", she asked.

"Yes,", I said. I made my way down the hall, and called out, "but get some sleep!" And then I flew fast as hay to Sweet Apple Acres...

AJ POV...

All the farm work had been done. All of the preparations had been prepared. And hard cider had been lugged up the hill, and everything was good. Everything was good. Very good. And this is what I though as I stood on top of the hill that was in the North Orchard. Everything was good, but everything was better, when I saw a rainbow colored streak flying toward me...