"Girl, that night was just like you..."
“No offense, Dash,” Applejack said as they walked through the doors, “but are ya so broke that we can’t go someplace else for our two-year anniversary?”
“Ah, come on, AJ,” Dash turned and grinned through the dim light of the bar, “this’ll be fun. Trust me!”
“Ah have up to this point, and now Ah’m startin' to have doubts.” The blonde-haired girl deadpanned.
Dash suddenly leaned forward and stole a kiss from her girlfriend’s lips, “How about now? Any more faith in me?”
Applejack rolled her eyes, but the smile on her face told Dash everything she needed to know as she gripped the other girl’s hand tighter.
The rainbow-haired girl led them to the bar, where they both sat down on the wooden stools and ordered apple ciders from the bartender. Once the frosty mugs of cider arrived a few moments later, Applejack immediately began to down hers. Dash, however, just looked down at hers for a moment in silent thought.
“Somethin' wrong with yers, Dash?” Applejack asked, chugging on her cider.
“Nah, it just...takes me back.” Dash smiled at her, “We DID first hook up here, you know?”
Applejack blinked, setting her drink down, “Gosh, Ah…” She looked guilty, “Ah had almost forgotten that. Yeah..Yeah, Ah suppose we did.”
She looked behind them with a frown at the rest of the room, where every other table in the dimly-lit main room of the bar was either full or close to getting there, “Ah don’t remember it being this crowded on that night, though…”
Dash laughed.
Inside, though, she was quietly panicking. AJ’s comment on the crowd- the AUDIENCE- that night only served to remind her on what the two of them were there for in the first place. That, by itself, made every single one of Rainbow’s self-conscious doubts from weeks before come back, full-force.
Should I really do this? In front of all these people…? Dash wondered, looking around them, It’s just such a sappy thing to do and….
At the other end of the large tavern room, opposite the bar, was a small stage upon which rested some assorted amplifiers and a drummer’s set as well as a keyboard. Dash knew that this bar allowed various musicians- novice or more professional- to reserve nights to play their songs to the patrons, though if they weren't drummers of pianists they would have to bring their own instruments. Judging from the lights shining from the front onto the microphone- where the lead singer would usually stand- Rainbow could tell that there was definitely going to be a band on that night.
Her plan was officially set in motion.
It’s too late to back out, now… Making sure that Applejack was still looking elsewhere, Rainbow dug her hand into the pocket of her blue hoodie and felt the black velvet box with her hand- the box that, when opened, would change everything about their relationship- for better or for worse.
Dash didn’t even want to think about the worst that could happen, and she gulped, Maybe this WAS a bad idea. Maybe neither of us are ready for this...
Again, she was reminded that it was too late as the tables starting applauding the few silhouettes that had gathered at the edge of the stage- the band that was about to play. Rainbow knew that it was too dim and too great a distance for Applejack to see the band members clearly, but she herself knew EXACTLY who was standing there.
Subtlety, she raised her arm and flashed a peace sign- the signal that she was ready.
Here goes nothing…
The band members assembled on stage at her cue, and readied their instruments. One sat at the drums, one stood next to the set, one behind the keyboard, and two more lifted guitars. Finally, the lead singer stepped into the spotlight and behind the microphone- a college-aged boy with messy brown hair, blue eyes, and wearing a black cut-off vest over jeans and a t-shirt. Using a music stand, the boy drew out a few pages of sheet music from his pocket and placed them up so he could see the notes and, of course, the lyrics- not that he would need them, Dash knew. Behind him, there was the sound of paper rustling as the rest of the band did the same.
Does he have the right music!? Dash panicked, then mentally slapped herself, Of COURSE he has the right music, you idiot! Rocky wouldn’t leave you hanging, not even after you pulled all those pranks and teased him and his brother...back in...Cloudsdale...Oh man, I hope he’s not planning his revenge, tonight! Nono, he woudn't. You apologized, remember…!
Rock Smasher stepped up to the mic and tapped it, calling for attention from the crowd.
“Hey, Dash,” Applejack leaned over, her tone inquisitive, “isn’t his name Rock Smasher or somethin'? Didn’t you know him in middle school back in yer old hometown?” She pointed at Rocky.
“Back in Cloudsdale, yeah.” Then came the lie, “I wonder why he’s here.”
Because you thought a male singer was better for this song of yours, that's why.
Quiet!
“Well, whatever the reason is,” AJ nodded to the stage, “looks like he’s about to tell us somethin'.”
“Attention, folks.” Rocky’s voice- sounding slightly older than its owner actually was, as always- echoed throughout the room, “Thank you all for being here tonight.”
To watch Rainbow ‘Danger’ Dash fail epically… Dash thought, bitterly, though she quickly silenced that line of thought.
A brief round of applause.
“Thank you, thank you. Now then,” Rocky’s eyes wandered around, looking at his audience, “this song was written by an old ‘friend’ of mine from middle school...”
The emphasis on ‘friend’ made Dash roll her eyes despite herself, especially when a few chuckles were heard around the room, but still she smiled in relief, Yep, he’s forgiven me. I stand corrected!
“She came to me a few weeks ago, we talked a bit about days past, and then she asked me if I could team up with her band here to sing a song of hers tonight.” The other silhouettes behind Rocky waved.
So far, so good…
“Now then, with all the ancient history out of the way, I now present a song by Rainbow Dash,” Rocky looked directly at the bar- and grinned at the two of them, “and dedicated to her special somebody.”
As applause rang out, Applejack’s jaw dropped and she looked at Dash, “What…?”
Dash smiled nervously, “Enjoy.”
“Dash, you-?” Before the blonde-haired girl could fully respond, Rocky readied his blue acoustic, counted off to the other band members, and almost immediately a rhythm of two-note segments came from the stage before launching into a rhythm of soft percussion and secondary guitar notes that could only be described as a mixture of pop and country.
Then came the lyrics. Dash’s lyrics:
It was the 14th of October, cowgirl hat right on your head there.
I was drunk, said I was sober, and you said, ‘yeah right!’
Dash’s mind flashed back to that night, two years ago. The same night that she had somehow managed to get prematurely drunk on hard cider during what started out as just another friendly outing with Applejack.
We were talking for a minute, then some guy tried to cut in.
You took my hand, and we pretended like I was your girl!
Dash smirked at the reference to Zephyr Breeze, who had come that night to once again bother Dash and ask her to go out with him, only for AJ to think fast and claim Dash as her own- something that had brought blushes to both their cheeks. She had never seen Fluttershy’s brother beat it so fast.
Oh, and you tried to guess my middle name.
For thirty minutes, babe, we played that game!
Rainbow ELIZABETH Dash, Dash shook her head, and thankfully, she STILL hasn’t figured it out…
Applejack’s eyes, and open jaw, remained directed at the stage. Rocky continued to sing softly.
That apple cider you were drinking,
And that DJ’s song that you were singing.
And I bet right now, you’re prob’ly thinking
That’s it’s crazy I remember every detail but I do.
From your jean-skirt to your boots.
Girl, that night was just like you:
Unforgettable…
Dash stole another glance at Applejack. She could’ve sworn that she saw a tear at the corner of those green eyes.
She gulped, Next verse. The next verse...This is it!
Dash didn’t allow herself to remember the past too much as she waited for her cue in the lyrics.
Rocky smiled as he continued singing:
We were dancin’, we were buzzin’
Taking shots like it was nothin’.
Then we're runnin’ and you loved it, yeah.
You laughed out loud.
Then you brushed away your blonde hair,
And you kissed me outta nowhere.
I can still show you the spot where everything went down.
Wait for it...! A spotlight suddenly flickered to life and focused on the bar- and the two girls- at the same moment that Dash fished out the black box from her pocket and got down on one knee in front of everybody including her wide-eyed girlfriend.
Ooh, I told you I was gonna marry you-
Now! Rainbow opened the box, revealing a sight that- along with the revealing lyrics- made Applejack gasp, the cowgirl’s hands going to her mouth to stifle her cry of surprise.
You prob’ly didn’t think that it was true…!
The music softly faded, leaving a silence in the room that was filled with tension as Dash knelt before Applejack, a gold ring in the box that the rainbow-haired girl was presenting to her.
“Applejack,” Dash asked, smiling to the best of her ability, “will you marry me?”
Applejack didn’t speak at first, she was too surprised to. Instead, her answer started to come as she, too, slowly knelt on the floor in front of Dash.
Everyone in the bar seemed to hold their breath. Dash knew that Rocky, Sunset, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rarity were all grinning from where they stood onstage as they all awaited their other friend’s response.
Applejack had once told them that she only cried on the inside, but that was quickly proven to be a complete lie the second her tears started flowing freely down her cheeks. Then all at once, she lunged forward and hugged Dash tightly, almost knocking her over.
Her whispered, trembling voice made its way to Dash’s ears, “Y-yes...”
The whole room of patrons erupted into congratulations and applause as Applejack leaned back and, like two years earlier, brushed away her bangs so she could give Dash a loving kiss on the lips. As they wrapped their arms around each other in a liplock, Rocky resumed singing the rest of the song.
Oh apple cider you were drinking,
And that DJ’s song that you were singing.
And I bet right now you’re prob’ly thinking,
That it’s crazy I remember every detail but I do!
I can still smell your perfume.
Girl, that night was just like you.
Unforgettable…
Sunset stepped up next to him from out of the shadows, and sang the final verse.
I can taste that Apple Cider you were drinking.
Man, it feels just like it was last weekend.
That we jumped in...
Right off the deep-end...
Then both singers’ voices carried the final chorus, just as the newly-engaged couples’ kiss ended.
Oh, that co-old apple cider you were drinkin’,
And that DJ’s song that you were singing,
And I bet right now you’re prob’ly thinking
That it’s crazy I remember every detail but I do.
I can still smell your perfume, girl, that night was just like you.
Unforgettable…
Dash smiled as she took the ring from the box and slid it slowly onto Applejack’s outstretched finger. Still softly crying, but with the most touched smile on her face that the rainbow-haired girl had ever seen, the cowgirl brought her into another embrace.
Then they just knelt there, on the floor of the bar, holding each other as the final lyrics were softly sung by the duet of friends both old and new.
From your jean-skirt to your boots.
Girl, that night was just like you.
Unforgettable…
Author's Note
I was,listening to the Thomas Rhett song of the same name as I was working one day, and then the idea for a song-inspired proposal popped into my head outta nowhere. After modifying the lyrics somewhat to better fit the situation, and waiting three weeks to finally write it, THIS was the result. I really like it, myself.
And also, yes, Rock Smasher is one of my two twin OC's. Unoriginal name, I know, but I like it just fine. This is what he looks like as a pony, but without a cutie mark:
