Author's Note

IT IS FINALLY HERE!
I finally finished my first smut story... I'm so proud.
And a shout out to my beta who read over this even though she doesn't even like MLP. You da real MVP.
Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this, please R&R!

-Dawn

One

“Are you sure I can come, AJ?” Rainbow Dash fidgeted in her seat nervously, “I mean, I know you invited me and all, but you’ve always said that the Apple family camping trips were for, well, family only…”

Applejack flipped on her blinker as she slowed down and steered her Wrangler off of the highway and onto a barely visible dirt road.

Rainbow had to duck when a tree branch near the entrance scraped along the orange Jeep and into the doorless and roofless vehicle, scratching her arm.

She laughed. “O’course I am, darlin’, I wouldn’t’ve brought you if I wasn’t. Had to pull a few strings t’be able t’drag y’along, but it was worth it.”

“Why’d you do that? You haven’t brought any of our other friends out here.” Not that I’m complaining of course, Rainbow thought, this is like a dream come true.

“W-well,” the blonde faltered for a moment, “I just thought maybe you’d wanna, and you’re my best friend, why wouldn’t I take you with me? And it’s just for the night, we weren’t able t’stay a few days like we normally do, what with everyone’s schedules bein’ so hectic and school startin‘ back up this week. We just wanted t’squeeze in a short trip ‘fore everybody was too busy. Did y’not want t’come?”

“No! I mean, that’s not it, I was just wondering. Hell, I feel special being the only one out of our group that you’ve taken with you, even if it is the butt crack of dawn. I mean, we’ve got all day to hang out. It‘s like, three in the morning.”

She snorted. “It’s after nine, Dash. I’ve been up since five thirty, so quit your whinin’. ‘Sides, Granny and Mac are already up at the campsite and I ain’t about t’miss out on Granny’s breakfast tacos, she only makes them when we’re out here.”

The morning sun was already shining brightly and Rainbow was glad she remembered her sunglasses, it protected her eyes from the glare and allowed her to sneak glances at her beautifully tanned and freckled friend.

Applejack was wearing an oversized grey t-shirt she had probably borrowed from Big Mac and a pair of jean cutoffs that showed her perfectly toned thighs. Her boots were missing and a pair brown flip flops took their place. Her long golden hair was back in her usual style, although some of it had escaped her ponytail and was whipping around her face which was covered with silver aviators.

Rainbow felt almost insecure next to her as she looked down at her own appearance. Black athletic shorts partially covered by a loose, faded Metallica tank top and her own pair of flip flops. She could never fill anything out as good as Applejack could but she did have a better sense of style… not that she cared.

“Looks like it came a good rain last night, the road’s still muddy, but it’s gorgeous as ever out here,” the blonde interrupted her less than innocent thoughts.

Rainbow grunted her reply and looked at the drying road and the surrounding wilderness. She had to admit, it was gorgeous. The thick abundance of trees and the tall foliage growing every direction created a peaceful atmosphere and even over the loud hum of the car motor, she could still hear the birds chirping.

“Hey Dash,” Applejack smirked, “y’wanna do somethin’ dirty?”

The prismatic girl spun her head around to look at her friend. “Uh, w-what?” she managed to squeak out, her raspy voice betraying her, “I m-mean, wha-AAAH!”

Her words turned into a scream as Applejack stepped on the gas and turned the steering wheel sharply to the right, causing the Jeep to go partially off the road and through a large muddy spot, the tires ripping up mud, some of it coming up into the open vehicle and splattering a bit on Rainbow.

“Wee-hoo!” Applejack hollered before bringing them back onto the path, smiling widely.

The farmer noticed the large amount mud that had landed on the other girl and let out a chuckle. “Guess you really do like bein’ dirty,” the comment causing Rainbow’s face to heat up.

“Oh yeah? Well, if I like it, you’re gonna love it!” Dash scooped up a bit of mud off her shorts and reached over, wiping her hand across Applejack’s cheek, smearing it. The cowgirl laughed and swatted her away.

The woods around them opened up as they finally got their first look at the lake. It surrounded a peninsula of land on the other side and in some spots the water was almost touching the road.

“Woah,” was all Rainbow could say as she looked at the breathtaking view around them. The waves were crashing slowly into the shore and there were already a few boats out enjoying the warm summer air.

They crossed the land bridge and made their way down the road.

Campsites dotted the lakeside on both sides, most of them occupied by people.

“So where’s your family?” Rainbow asked curiously, peering around them, watching some of the other campers.

“We camp at the same spot every time,” Applejack explained, “it has the best spot for swimmin’.”

After passing a few roads that broke off into different directions, they came to a dirt loop, signifying the end of the peninsula. Applejack took a left and after a few moments came up to a campsite where Granny and Big Mac were running around fixing breakfast.

She pulled her Jeep behind Mac’s black diesel and cut the engine.

“You sure it’s alright for me to be here AJ? I’m probably gonna be the only non-family here, I don’t want it to be awkward…”

“I done told you, it’s fine, everyone knows you’re comin’, so hush up and stop worryin’, y’hear? Now come on, lets see if we can help Granny set up.”

Rainbow followed Applejack to the two connected picnic tables where Granny Smith sat down a plate of tortillas and Mac was bent over the campfire, stirring something in a large cast iron pot.

“Mornin’ Granny,” the blonde reached down to the older woman and gave her a side hug, “y’needin’ any help?”

“O-oh, mornin’ there Jackie dear, I think we got the food covered, but if y’could get out the paper plates and salsa, t-that’d be mighty kind o’ you,” Applejack’s grandmother said before turning to look at Rainbow, “an’ who’s this? Rainbow Dash if’n I ain’t mistaken! What’re y’doin’ way o’er there? Don’t pretend you’re shy, get on o’er here an’ give Granny a hug!”

Dash grinned and walked over, giving her a proper hug. “Hey there, Mrs. Smith.”

The younger girl jumped back when she was popped on the side of the head. “Ow!”

“Why I outta tan your hide for callin’ me that! Granny is jus’ fine, an’ don’t make me r’peat myself. Now have a seat, Mac‘ll make you a plate, ain‘t that right, Big Mac?”

“Y-yes ma’am,” she stuttered before clumsily climbing over the long seat and sitting down as Applejack set a plate down in front of her.

“Y’best hold on to that, the wind’ll blow it away right quick.”

Mac came over with the pot and grabbed a couple tortillas from the stack, and put them on her plate before loading them up with an egg, sausage, potato and cheese mix.

“Thanks big guy,” Rainbow said gratefully.

Big Mac rolled his eyes jokingly and looked over to his sister. “Hey! Is that my shirt?” he asked, eyeing the garment suspiciously.

The cowgirl sat the homemade salsa down in front of her friend. “Maybe… Ain’t like you were usin’ it!”

Her brother stuck his tongue out and put the heavy lid on to conserve heat.

“Hey Granny, where’s Apple Bloom?” Applejack asked, sitting down next to Rainbow so close that their thighs touched and grabbed a tortilla. The shorter girl did her best to fight off the blush that was rushing to her cheeks when the taller girl smiled at her.

“She done run off t’her secret hidin’ spot, didn’t even wanna wait for breakfast, the lil’ whipper-”

“
Yee-haw!” Everyone spun around in their seats as they heard the yell and saw Braeburn hanging halfway out the window of his truck, another bigger truck behind him pulling a double jet ski trailer.

He parked in a grassy area and hopped down out of his vehicle.

“Howdy, y’all! Sorry ‘bout bein’ late, got lost on the way down here, Strong ain’t the best navigatin’ buddy.”

He walked over to the table and gave Granny a hug. Rainbow wondered who Strong was, but she didn’t have to wait long to find out.

A stunning, slim Native American woman made her way around the truck, holding hands with a little dark haired boy who was no older than four.

As soon as the boy saw Big Macintosh, he yelled and wiggled out of his mother’s grip, running up to Mac and into his open arms.

Big Mac chuckled and picked him up.

As Braeburn finished greeting his family, he spotted Rainbow and grinned.

“Well now, you ain’t an Apple! What’s your name?”

“Uh, Rainbow Dash, duh! Only the fastest runner this side of the country!” Rainbow smirked and puffed her chest out proudly.

Applejack rolled her eyes.

“Ain’t you cheeky… You must be pretty special t’be here, ‘cause usually this here’s an Apples only sorta deal! Someone must really like you,” he winked.

“Oh, leave her alone Brae,” Strong told him before smiling at the athlete, “Don‘t listen to him, he’s just teasing. My name is Little Strongheart, it is nice to meet you.”

“Oh, you too!”

A door slammed behind Strong and Rainbow peered around her to look at the four people walking up carrying ice chests and tote bags.

“Thanks for helping out, you guys,” the brown-haired girl of the group teased as she sat her load down at the end of the table.

Braeburn snorted. “You’re carryin’ one bag, Fritter. If anything, Del and Wild should be the ones complainin’, they’ve got the ice chest.”

“Naw, me and Wild got this. We ain’t wimps like you, Frit,” said Del, setting the chest down in the dirt before running a hand through his messy blue hair.

He then shook hands with Macintosh, giving him a pat on the back.

“Man, that’s the last time I’m followin’ you anywhere Brae,” Del told him, “we woulda been here thirty minutes ago if I’d just had Wildwood navigate.”

A teenage girl with dirty blonde hair sat her pink bag down by Rainbow, giving her a pretty smile and waving.

Rainbow nodded and smiled back. “Hi!”

The girl seemed to ignore her and turned away to Granny Smith, who started to slowly sign something with her shaking hands.

“Uh, okay then…”

Applejack poked Dash in the ribs to get her attention.

“That there’s Jonagold. She ain’t ignorin' you, she’s deaf. Nicest girl you’ll ever meet.”

“She’s pretty young, was she born that way?”

Applejack shook her head. “When she was little she got a really bad ear infection and it took her hearin’.”

“Really? That’s awful.”

“Yeah, but she deals with it real well. She’s a tough girl.”

“Applejack!” The girl who Rainbow could now recognize as Fritter interrupted and came up behind her, giving her a quick hug.

“How are you? I haven’t talked to you in ages!”

“I’ve been alright, just runnin’ the farm, gettin’ Bloom ready for school this week. She’s gonna be in eighth grade, if y’can believe it!”

“Oh, she’s getting so big! Did she come today? I have something to give her!”

“Yeah, dunno where she ran off to though. She’s ‘round here somewhere. How’re you?”

She shrugged. “Could be better. Did you hear that I broke it off with Thane last month?”

“No?! What happened? Weren’t y’all engaged?”

“We were, until I found out he was cheating on me with my next-door neighbor.”

“Aww, I’m mighty sorry t’hear ‘bout that! He seemed like a swell guy.”

“I thought so too. Can you believe, two years down the drain and he walked away like it was nothing! Wild’s been a real sweetheart about the whole thing, staying with me and being my support… I couldn’t have made it through without her. Anyways, enough about that, who’s this?” Fritter asked, looking down at Rainbow.

“Oh, sorry, this is Rainbow Dash, my best friend. Rainbow, this is Fritter, my… second cousin, right?”

She laughed. “Something like that. Nice to meet you, hon! Any friend Applejack is a friend of mine!”

“Thanks! You too!”

“I’ll talk to you later AJ, Granny’s givin’ me the stink eye, better go say hello.”

Rainbow watched as everyone mingled, catching up on each others lives, cracking up and carrying on, making sure to grab a taco or two as they chatted.

Del, Wildwood, and Jonagold stopped to talk to Applejack a bit and Rainbow was content for the most part to sit and listen, even if she was feeling extremely out of place.

Applejack seemed to notice her unease as Rainbow flicked at a bit of egg that was on the picnic table.

“Say, Rae, y’wanna go on a walk? I could show you around if y’want.”

Rainbow smiled thankfully, “yeah, I’d like that.”

They got up and threw their plates into a garbage bag.

“We’ll be back y’all,” Applejack called out to them, “gonna take a walk!”

“Alrighty dear!” Granny yelled back, “and if’n y’see Apple Bloom, tell ‘er t’get back t’camp and eat!”

They made their way down the dirt road, taking in the scenery as they went.

“Y’okay Rainbow? I saw y’gettin’ sorta uncomfortable back there.”

“Oh no, I’m… I’m okay. I didn’t know you and your family knew sign language!” She said, changing the subject.

Applejack looked at her questionably but let it go. “I don’t know much, just enough t’be able t’chat with Jona. She used t’come down and help on the farm durin’ the summer and it was easier t’learn how t’sign rather than write everythin’ down on a white board all the time.”

“Still! That’s a pretty awesome thing to know! Not many people can do it!”

The road in front of them split in a couple different directions and Applejack went right.

“So, you really come here every year?”

“Yepp. Since before I was born. Ma and Pa used to come out here two or three times a year. It’s a family tradition. I know this whole place like the back of my hand. Me and Mac would run through the woods barefoot and he’d hafta carry me back to camp after I got a thorn stuck in my heel.”

As they passed by a large cluster of rocks on the side of the road, Applejack pointed at them and gave a small chuckle. “Heh, I’ll never forget the time that Mac was mad at me for eatin' all the fritters he had hid in his tent so he convinced me that no one loved me and that he wished I wasn‘t his sister. It made me real upset so I decided to run away. I took off and hid between those rocks, I dunno how I even did it.

“He didn’t know where I went so he freaked out and told our parents what he said and they spent the better part of the day lookin’ for me. It was almost supper time by the time I came out of hidin’ and I only came out ‘cause I was hungry.

“When I got back to the campsite, pa yelled at me and whooped my butt. Mac though… He started cryin’, the big lug. Told me he was sorry, that he was the worst big brother and promised that from then on, I could have all of his fritters I wanted.

“So the next time ma made fritters, I took all of his and ate them in front of his face at the supper table. Even though I was stuffed, I made sure to eat every last one o’ those things. It’s been fourteen years and he’ll still give them to me if I ask.”

Rainbow grinned. “Remember to invite me over the next time you guys have fritters.”

The blonde snorted and elbowed her.

They walked around for a little bit, Applejack occasionally pointing different things out and telling the silly little stories behind them.

They kept an eye out for Apple Bloom but by the time they made it back to camp, she was already there, munching on a taco while behind her, Del and Wildwood were pulling the jet skis up to shore.

As soon as Apple Bloom spotted her sister she said, “guess what AJ! Del said that me and Jona get to go first on the jet ski!”

“Oh yeah? Well that’s nice of him! Y’ever been on a jet ski, Dash?” Applejack asked as she pulled a cooler open and grabbed two sodas, tossing one to Rainbow.

“No, but I’ve wanted to, I bet it’s lots of fun.”

“I’ll take y’when Bloom gets back.”

“Hey, AB! Y’ready to go?” The blue-haired man yelled out, helping Jona up on the watercraft.

Apple Bloom hurriedly set her food down on a plate before running off to grab a lifejacket and join her cousin.

Applejack sat on the side of the picnic table that was closer to the water and propped her elbows up on the table top behind her, letting the breeze blow past her.

Rainbow sat beside her, cracking open her drink and taking a sip.

She and Applejack watched the two girls drive off, Wildwood and Fritter right behind them.

“Gosh, I’m glad we got to come today, I’ve been missin’ this somethin’ fierce. There’s somethin’ ‘bout campin’ that just does the soul good, y’know?”

Although Rainbow wasn’t as much of a camper as Applejack, she still did appreciate the wild beauty of the outdoors… and of the woman sitting next to her.

“Heh, yeah, I’m glad you invited me Jacks. Haven’t done something like this in a while.”

“Glad y’came. I was worried y’might not want to.”

“Of course I’d want to! You’re my best friend, and as totally cheesy as it sounds, I love hanging out with you anytime I can. Even if it’s just something small like getting lunch.”

Applejack smiled warmly. “Happy t’hear that, Rae. Honestly. But y’won’t be sayin’ that in a bit when I fling y’off the jet ski!”