Applejack wondered aloud how long they had before the next act came on. Sunset answered her plainly. “Usually it takes twenty-five to thirty minutes. They cleared the stage a while ago, so I’d say we have maybe fifteen before Red Rooster starts. These blues guys aren’t like punk bands. They need everything to be just so.” Sunset winked at her. “Should be more than enough time for a song or two.”

That’s how the country girl found herself leaning on an old-fashioned jukebox and openly admiring Sunset as her friend perused song choices. The light of the machine lit up the former Equestrian’s features, giving a twinkle to her eyes. Sunset glanced at Applejack, then went back to searching with a smirk. “Can I help you?” she asked, laughter evident in her voice.

Applejack shook her head as she pushed her hat back and hooked her other thumb through a loop on her jeans. “Sure can. Do this hick a favor and keep it simple, hmm?”

“Not a hick,” Sunset returned with a quick frown. But she was still smiling. “And don’t sell yourself short, AJ. You’re a pretty good dancer!”

“Well, according to Sugarcoat, I dance stiffer’n a broom in cement,” Applejack chortled. The then-student of Crystal Prep had leaned on all of the Rainbooms during their brief creative collaboration for a music video contest put on by Canterlot Mall.

Sunset scoffed. “Please! That was before they helped us with our dance moves for that contest. We’ve all gotten better since then. Especially you! You’ve actually got a great sense of rhythm!”

Applejack shrugged, blushing a little. “Shoot, I am a bassist, Sun.”

“Well, listen, does 80s pop rock disagree with you? I’m seeing a few good songs from movies on here.”

“Yeah? Like what?”

“That one from Flashdance.”

“Girl, I would rather die.”

Sunset threw her head back and laughed, and Applejack joined her. A few people glanced their way, which made the cowgirl a little self-conscious… But she told herself she had better get over that quick, because in a second they were gonna be drawing more eyes than that.

At the thought, Applejack began to sweat a little. It was ironic. She’d participated in her fair share of school dances, and line dancing events, and yes, she’d even danced on stage. What was so different this time?

Her.

She licked her lips as she looked Sunset up and down. Yes, her. This exciting girl who had many around them looking twice. Applejack had never danced with a girl before in front of other people. Was it really like Sunset and Sherry said? Would no one care?

Her experiences in the countryside screamed that, yes, people would absolutely care. And then it would hurt her family’s bottom line. Applejack had never aspired to more than the success of Sweet Apple Acres, and she was quite content with that goal. Was this simple act jeopardizing that?

If she were cast into some alternate dimension, and it was Fluttershy asking her to dance out in the open like this, would she feel apprehensive too?

The thought sobered her.

She didn’t want to hesitate. Not when Sunset had been so open and vulnerable. Applejack hadn’t realized it, but she’d asked much of her friend when she’d prompted for the story of the other girl’s past.

Dance with Sunset in front of others? It was such a simple and earnest request. How could Applejack deny her?

Sunset didn’t notice the somber shift in her companion and continued sifting through songs. She tapped the glass, giggling. “Wow. They’ve even got Thriller on here!”

Applejack smirked with chagrin. “If you want me to shuffle around looking like a zombie, I think I can accommodate. Otherwise, all them fancy moves are a bit beyond me.”

“Fair enough. I think I only remember half of the dance anyway. Hmm, maybe something more modern, then. Post Crush? Songbird Serenade? Oh, ew, they’ve got the Dazzlings…”

Applejack made a face. “Hard pass.”

Sunset puckered her lips. “Maybe we need to look for something you’re more familiar with.” She tapped the jukebox buttons for another moment, then her eyes widened. “Oh, that’s perfect!”

Applejack leaned in to look. “What’d ya find?” When her eyes read the words on the title strip on display, she grinned.

Footloose.

“Well, ain’t that the berries!” Applejack said with a deep chuckle. “Sunset, you managed to find the one song in history that showed the world us rednecks can cut a rug!”

“Great, I’m selecting this one.” After slipping in some coins, she reached for the enter button and paused. “Hey AJ, before I start this, I was wondering… Ya wanna make this interesting?” Sunset asked.

The cowgirl blinked at her. “How so?”

Sunset bit her lip and jerked her head to the side. “I bet we could get some of the crowd to join us.”

Applejack frowned at her for a moment. Then her eyes widened. “Oh. You mean like that.”

One strange facet of their Equestrian magic was the often spontaneous ability to turn their lives into a musical and get others to dance and sing with them. Usually with an accompanying phantom soundtrack playing from somewhere. When a song snuck up on them, it sometimes led to uncomfortable situations in which they had to conceal why such a bewildering flash mob had occurred. During high school, their classmates, who were in on their secret, didn't mind. Those days were long gone.

Thankfully, just before college, it was discovered by Twilight that they could control the phenomenon, and even remove the need to enchant people with some false explanation as to how they could suddenly dance in sync with total strangers. Apparently, this was what Sunset Shimmer wanted to do.

The redhead held up a placating hand. “We wouldn’t force anyone who doesn’t already kinda want to.” She shrugged, an innocent expression on her face. “We’d just help nudge along anyone who was feeling too nervous. A boost in confidence, let’s say.”

“It’s just us two, though, Sun,” Applejack pointed out as she scratched her eyebrow with her pinkie. “I mean, would it even work? Usually, any magicky stuff happened cuz you, Twi, and Rares worked together. Heck, even Pinkie is more magical than I am!”

Sunset shook her head, smiling gently. “You may not have as much practice, but your powers are no less potent than ours, AJ. Besides, worst-case scenario, it’ll just be us dancing.” She held her hand out. “Wanna try?” She wagged her eyebrows. “It’d mean less eyes on us…” she sing-songed softly, her lips curling up like a Cheshire cat’s.

Applejack licked her lips, then slowly placed her hand in Sunset’s. “Okay. I’ll do my gol’darned best. But, uh… what do I gotta do?”

Sunset pulled her closer till their hips were touching, one knee nudging between as she snaked an arm around Applejack’s waist. The cowgirl’s heart started to speed up.

The redhead placed a warm hand over the top of Applejack’s left breast, no doubt feeling that frantic heartbeat, and breathed, “Keep your eyes on me and follow my lead. Imagine everyone joining us and enjoying themselves. Let yourself have fun, but be honest about who you are. Don’t try to emulate someone else’s style.” She leaned in and pressed her forehead to Applejack’s and murmured next, “I’ll reach my magic out to you. You’ll know it because your skin will tingle and you’ll feel warmth inside of your chest. Let your magic respond. Let it mix with mine. It’s our friendship, our… feelings for one another that will give this strength. Just make sure to keep from triggering a full transformation.”

“Like we practiced back in high school?” Applejack asked breathlessly. She recalled countless hours spent after school trying to learn how to avoid sprouting pony ears. It was the one aspect of her magic she had any kind of handle on. They’d all had to learn this, to keep their secret. But Sunset was asking her to use this skill on a higher level of control than she ever had before… Even the part about fueling their magic via their goodwill and friendship toward one another sounded familiar, but never had they needed to control the flow. Could she do it?

“Yes.” Sunset smiled gently at her. “If you think you’re losing a handle on things, or if you start to feel uncomfortable, don’t hesitate to tell me. Okay? I’ll break my connection and pull back my power. That should be enough for you to reel it all back.”

The cowgirl swallowed hard, then nodded once. Sunset smiled as she hit the button on the jukebox.

There was a whir as the machine sought the disc, and then slotted it in. There had been some jazz music playing softly in the background, barely distinguishable among the dull roar of conversation within the pub. That cut away, and the establishment’s speakers began to play the opening drums of Footloose at a higher volume.

Biting her lip, Sunset began to sway to the beat, and Applejack followed her lead, her skin flushing as their bodies rocked together, a sweet but gentle grind that was already making the country girl shiver. But then the bass set in, and the guitar, and just like that, Sunset was pulling away, throwing her hands up in the air as she did a fancy step then twirled with a dramatic swish of her hair.

Some of the other patrons were glancing over at her appreciatively. A girl somewhere whooped. Applejack took a deep breath and kept up a simple two-step, but she’d been to enough country line dances to know how to add some flair to even the simplest of dances. Rocking her shoulders, she matched Sunset’s energy with swaying hips and a shaky smirk.

After the funky synths showed up, some of the people around them started clapping. A few other women swayed in place while a fellow or two bobbed his head. More and more heads turned. Applejack felt the sweat already collecting at her hairline. When would she feel—?

Then it hit her. A warmth in her chest. Like getting an A-plus on a difficult test. Or every time they overcame a magical problem. All of those times riding a Bronco. Like when she’d raced against Sunset with Brooke, and she’d felt exhilarated and free.

Applejack gasped, her eyes slipping shut. She almost missed the lyrics as they cut in, the singer feistily carrying on about feeling frustrated and unsatisfied after a long day’s work, but when she registered what she was hearing, she balled her fists and raised them up. As if to push against this injustice, because heck, wasn’t this her life story? But it felt good to have someone singing it to her. It felt good to have a beat and a melody to soundtrack her woes.

Sunny. Applejack felt so damn sunny, she didn’t know how else to say it!

When she found Sunset’s gaze again, her friend’s eyes were glowing a little. Unnoticeable in the pub light to anyone else, but to Applejack, who knew the way Equestrian magic made the other girl’s stare burn richer and more vibrant than any other time, it was clear as day. She wanted Sunset to feel her power too. Applejack let her natural strength surge, her arms and chest flexing as she willed her magic to come.

She wanted everyone here to feel the good of their power. Applejack imagined the other patrons relaxing, any negativity they may have been feeling seeping away, instead being replaced with the simple joy of hearing a damn good song.

Applejack removed her hat with a sweep and let out her best country holler as she stomped her boots and did a fancy box step she’d once learned in a line dance.

Sunset laughed with delight and twirled closer, her features flush as she danced. Applejack held out her hand, and with sparkling eyes, the other girl took it, and just like that they were more in sync than they had any reason to be, unrehearsed as they were. Applejack became dimly aware that other people had started dancing too, and laughter and whoops filled the air. But she only had eyes for the girl in front of her.

They swayed and twirled, rocked and shimmied. Sweat gleamed on their brows. Applejack knew her eyes must be aglow the same as Sunset’s, and she had to devote some of her mind to keeping the power from overflowing into a pony transformation. They all had their unique ways of doing it. For Applejack it was a matter of breathing steady and digging her toes into her boots.

But just as the song neared its apex, Sunset’s eyes went wide. “Uh oh.”

“Uh oh?” Applejack’s joy wavered. “Sunset, that better be on account o’ you steppin’ in something and not—!”

Sunset winced and looked around them quickly. “I’ve been controlling the flow of our power, but it’s slipping away from me!”

“Say what?” Applejack turned and saw that the dancing had spread like wildfire. Everyone was dancing. The sound people on stage. The people playing pool. Heck, even through the swaying sea of bodies the blonde could see Sherry Kiss cutting a rug behind the bar!

“Oh horseapples,” she wheezed with a paling face.

Sunset clapped her hands on Applejack’s shoulders, her lips drawn. “Listen, we can still regain control, but it’s gonna take some doing!”

“Name it! Quick!”

“Synchronicity! We burn it out with a dance number!”

Applejack made a face. “Sunset Shimmer, not again!”

Sunset winced. “I know, I know, but it’s the only thing I can think of! But Harmony isn’t giving me any ideas, and I have no idea what to lead them with.”

The country girl pursed her lips. “I do. Watch and mind my steps, y’hear?”

She stepped back and with a deep breath, she started doing the Footloose line dance. Sunset was so startled she actually stopped dancing for a moment before her face lit up with delight and she quickly fell in to step, mirroring Applejack’s every move.

Like any redneck, Applejack had gone to plenty of country line dances, but more than that, what she’d neglected to tell her dance partner was that she’d watched Footloose an unfathomable number of times with her mother, Pear Butter. It had been her mother’s favorite film.

Without even having to turn her head, Applejack could feel rather than see that others were joining in behind her. Behind Sunset was much the same. They performed every move from the film, right down to the final group shuffle across the floor. Somehow the song went on longer than it should have, almost as if their magic had looped the middle and extended it just to let them finish the entirety of their dance.

But the second the final note finished, there was a muted pop, and a small rush of breeze that swept through the establishment. All the patrons, from the pool players, to the bartenders, to the sound crew, and the patrons on the dance floor blinked and straightened, staring at each other. The silence fell over them all like a thick blanket.

Applejack could feel a thick dew of sweat roll down her pulsing neck as she looked around, waiting for the other shoe to drop. What if they all realized what had happened? What if they looked back at them and saw that—

Then Sunset Shimmer grabbed her by the waist and the back of the neck and kissed her hard. Applejack’s eyes popped, a little cry erupting from deep within her throat as she held Sunset by the shoulders. The other girl pulled away with a smack of their lips, laughing jovially. “You’re amazing!”

She stepped away, gesturing at Applejack with both her hands. “You never told me you knew the line dance!”

Applejack stared at her flabbergasted. “Uh, well, I… Yeah?” She tugged her hat down low over her eyes as she scuffed her boots. “It was Ma’s favorite movie, so we jes’...”

“Rocked it hard?” Sunset asked with a massive grin. She leaned over and nudged a short man with thick floppy blonde hair next to her. “It was really nice of her to show everyone how to do the dance, right?”

Applejack’s head snapped up, her eyes going round. Now wait a darned minute—!

The man blinked at Sunset, then returned her grin. “Hell yeah! I’ve always wanted to do that dance!”

He reached over and clapped Applejack on the shoulder, making her stumble a little. “That was awesome! Thanks!”

Applejack stared at him, then looked around wildly as the people began to shift and speak once more. Some were laughing and chatting excitedly. A few reached over and thanked Applejack like the man had, as if she’d somehow led the whole thing. Soft pop music fuzzed through the pub speakers at low volume, returning Pandora’s Box to its original dull roar of sound. The cowgirl just gazed around dazedly, her mouth hinged open like she was going to protest but couldn’t think of the words.

As the throng of people mingling and exulting over the unexpected group dance pressed in, Sunset slid through them to put her arms around Applejack’s neck once more. She put her lips to Applejack’s ear and murmured, “Sorry. Please roll with it. I cast a quick spell to soothe the crowd. You were the most logical reason for everything happening, so I spread the idea around.”

Applejack felt the tension in her shoulders ease a little. “So… It’s like that spell ya’ll cast at that lil’ outdoor shopping mall two years ago?”

Sunset nodded, her cheek brushing against the country girl’s. “Yep. But I only traced the runes in the area with my hand while I said the spell, so it’s much weaker. It’ll wear off in a few minutes.”

“What do you gotta do?”

“I’m going to get something to write with from Sherry, then I’m going to every corner of this place and marking the runes I used in the spell somewhere discreet on the walls.”

Applejack winced. “Uh, need help?”

Sunset shook her head quickly. “No, I think I can get this done before Red Rooster comes on stage. Wanna save a spot for me at the front?”

“Sure.” Then Applejack licked her lips and voiced the fear that was eating away at her. “Sunset, what just happened… That wasn’t on account o’ me, was it?”

Sunset pulled back and looked into Applejack’s eyes, their noses almost touching. She shook her head gently, and her smile was kind. Maybe even a touch amused. “No, AJ,” she said. “If anything, it was my fault.”

“Yours?” Applejack frowned. “How? Seems to me like you saved our be-hinds!”

Sunset’s smile turned crooked and Applejack was surprised to see her friend’s cheeks color a little. The redhead coughed. “Earlier, I may have underestimated our, uh… chemistry.”

This only made the cowgirl’s frown deepen. Their chemistry? What in tarnation did that—? Her face cleared as understanding crashed down on her. What had Sunset said before all of this?

Let your magic respond. Let it mix with mine. It’s our friendship, our… feelings for one another that will give this strength.

Now her face burned a bright red.

Sunset snickered and patted Applejack’s cheek. “I’ll be back. Maybe get some fresh air if you need it? We can meet in front of those speakers.” She indicated the speakers she meant on the right side of the stage.

“All righty,” Applejack said with a brisk nod. “You sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Her stomach tightened a little. Damn, that was right. That Goldfang feller had it in for Sunset, didn’t he?

Just when Applejack was going to insist on coming, Sunset waved a hand and started to pull away. “It’ll be easier and faster if I go by myself. I promise I’ll be quick, even if I have to step on a few toes!”

Applejack tried to catch her hand. “But Sunset—!”

“I’ll be back before you know it!” Sunset said, grinning as she delved into the throng of people surrounding them.

Applejack took a step forward, but was cut off by a stream of people heading for the pooltables. “Sun, do me a favor and mind your pockets, all right?” she barked over the heads of those around her.

She saw Sunset stand on her tiptoes and wave at her. “Sure thing!”

Applejack watched through the sea of people as the flash of her friend’s fiery hair gradually vanished from sight.

Rocking back onto her heels, the cowgirl lifted her hat and wiped at her damp forehead. “Heck, that girl’s gonna be the death o’ me,” she muttered. It was something Bright Mac often jokingly said about Pear Butter.

Then she stilled and murmured even quieter, “And a sweet death t’would be… Right, Pa?” It had been the man’s usual refrain to stave off Pear’s feigned outrage. Perhaps if he’d known the future, he wouldn’t have been so blithe. Was Applejack baiting the same fate?

She didn’t like to think things were written in stone. Things just… happened. Chance and circumstance culminated in a bubbling soup called life.

Because what weaver of fate could have dreamed up this evening? All the things that would be said, all the things that would be done—and what did it all mean?

Sunset had underestimated their chemistry?

What the hell did that mean?

Applejack took a deep breath and returned her hat to her head. She looked one last time in the direction Sunset had gone, then turned her head toward the stage and gingerly made her way towards the rightmost stage speakers. It took her a minute or two to find the path of least resistance, but usually, all it took for the obstinate ones to move out of the way was to look over and see the musclebound girl requesting to sidle on by.

On her way up, she passed by one of the tables. These had been pushed to the side to clear the space in front of the stage. She reached over and snagged an ashtray, then resumed her trek.

Once she arrived at the front, she set the tray on the stage and reached into her pocket. She took out her cigarettes and lighter. She lit up a stick and ashed into the dirty little glass dish, feeling some of her nerves ease at the fresh nicotine hit. Still, her mind churned.

When her magic had mingled with Sunset’s it had felt amazing. Electrifying. Joyful. As far as Applejack had understood it, whenever her power joined with those of her friends, it was an affirmation of their friendship. She’d never really considered that anything else could be conveyed through that connection. All these years, had Fluttershy felt Applejack’s attraction? Had that put the other girl off? Was that why she couldn’t look at her the way she did—

Applejack nearly chewed her cigarette filter off, her jaw clenched so hard. Drawing hard through the smashed end of her cigarette, the cowgirl leaned on the stage with her head in her hand.

What was wrong with her? She had just had this amazing experience with Sunset Shimmer and here she was thinking about Fluttershy again!

Lip curling in self-disgust, Applejack pulled out her cell phone to try and distract herself.

She saw much of the same missed text messages Sunset had earlier. The others imploring her to join them for a night out on the town. Unlike Sunset, she didn’t really feel any need to respond. By now the others were probably aware she wasn’t going to join them, and she really didn’t want to go through the bother.

But as she swiped away the texts from her phone’s notification feed, she paused when she came to Rainbow’s text. The preview of the message text made Applejack draw up straight.

Tapping on the notification, her phone opened her message thread with Rainbow, displaying the tomboy’s latest message in full.

>RD: Hey dude, I kno maybe ur not rly in the mood right now, but I think we could hav fun tonite. Or we could talk sum more over a few beers instead if u prefer. Ur my buddy, y’know? I kno we’ll meet up Sat, but it’d be awesome if we could hang.

Applejack’s forehead creased and she sighed heavily. Then she read the next text.

>RD: Also this is the girl I was thinkin of introducing u 2, so hurry up with ur answer already! U mighta met last weekend, but I dunno if u chatted much. That was her house we did the meeting at. Sassaflash, remember?

Attached to the text was a picture of a light blonde-haired girl with black short shorts, fishnet stockings, a light blue crop top, and a thin gray overcoat. She had on several layered necklaces, and her face was done up in stunning makeup.

Applejack blushed. “Oh. Her.”

She chewed on the corner of her lip.

Well.

She could send a picture, she supposed. Sassaflash had seemed nice, and she certainly was beautiful. Only…

She pursed her lips. Only now it was too late. She was on a date now, wasn’t she? Not just an outing with a friend. She couldn’t think of anything less considerate than to go fishing for other lovers whilst out with somebody else. Though, given the nature of Sunset’s relationships, would she even mind?

Applejack rubbed the back of her neck and heaved another sigh. When did dating become so complicated? Were she and Sunset even dating now? What was this?

After another moment’s deliberation, she shook her head and put the phone away. She’d talk to Sunset about that later. Rainbow would just have to wait and understand.

Applejack was just a simple country girl, after all.

Sunset made her rounds around the pub, scribbling a tiny line of runes in every corner that she could reach, all the while muttering these words:

“Sudden dances, sudden chances,
Let no fear despoil the masses,
Provide answers, safe and subtle,
Time for smiles, not anxious huddles.”

She tried to focus on her work. She tried to be fast. But hampering her efforts was a barely tamped-down freakout of what had just happened.

How could she have lost control of the spell?!

What was she, a first-year magic student? It was supposed to be so simple! Heck, she’d even done it enough times before that all she’d had to do was recycle an old spell for the occasion! And yet, things had gone crazy! How?

But Sunset Shimmer already had her answer before she’d even reached the second corner of the pub.

Applejack. It was Applejack. In the past, Sunset had connected with the others magically in much the same fashion, but something about diffusing their power through several links watered down the feedback one got from a single person. In this way, the only ones she'd connected to on this level were Twilight and Rarity, the groups spellcasters. Those times, the only thing communicated to her through the magical link was friendship, compassion, respect, and happiness.

But she’d never felt so connected with the country girl before. And the feelings… It was like a seed breaking through tough soil. Like being handed a massive trophy. Like the sun was rising in her chest.

Thrumming quietly under the sense of release and unexpected joy was a simmering frustration, too. The kind of frustration Sunset felt at seeing money come in, only to see it fly right back out. To feel stuck and burdened with no end in sight.

It had been alot. But Sunset’s heart had rejoiced at the happiness she’d felt in her friend. And she’d empathized greatly with Applejack’s frustration, too. Felt a strange cathartic release from it.

And the affection that came through. The attraction. It made Sunset think of her best hugs. Her best climaxes. It had been heady. She still felt short of breath.

The connection had sparked something. Just like fire meeting dry brush, the flame had erupted and spread. Fast. It had leapt away, igniting the wills of those around them. There had been a handful of bystanders who had hidden desires to dance along with them before, but with the magic getting out of control, the desire spread through everyone like an infection.

Sunset felt bad. She scanned those around her as she made her way through the crowd, checking for anyone who may have injured themselves during the dance. That had happened at least once before when a Pinkie musical number led to a pulled hip. Circle kicks were no joke.

But as she went around, she didn’t see anyone limping, wincing, or covering cuts. True, some of the patrons might still feel it in the morning, especially if they’d found themselves doing really demanding moves. But at least no one was calling for a hospital. Sunset counted her blessings.

Moving around wasn’t proving too much of a problem, thankfully. People got out of the way for her without much fuss. Some were only too happy to have her slide by them, and she found herself grimacing between the choice of sacrificing ass or tits to the endeavor. Sometimes she couldn’t avoid offering up both to the delight of wolves. But still, she pressed on.

Just as she was making her way to the final corner of the pub, she heard cheers and applause break out. Sunset whirled around with wide eyes as she saw movement on the stage. “Damn!” she hissed. She thought she’d had more time! Then again, she supposed Footloose had carried on a bit longer than it was supposed to.

“Sorry, s’cuse me!” Sunset said as she pressed forward with a wince. This was terrible! She didn’t want to miss this!

“Dagnabbit, where’s that girl at?” Applejack breathed. She stood on her tiptoes and looked around, sweat forming on the nape of her neck and in her armpits. She prayed and prayed her deodorant did its job.

All around her people pressed in closer, the crowd surging toward the stage.

And on it, several sharply dressed people were moving towards instruments. A bass guitarist, a keyboardist, a drummer, what looked like some backup singers, and even a small horns section. Then Applejack’s eyes fell on the man himself.

Red Rooster.

He was a tall black man. Slim, but with his own lean power. But unlike his supporting band, Red wasn’t dressed all that flashy. Sure, he had his own style and presence, but it wasn’t ostentatious. He had on a simple, short-sleeved white button-up shirt tucked into a pair of blue jeans with a black belt and black loafers. He did wear a gold chain and what looked like diamond earrings, but none of his jewelry was especially large or thick. Small accents to his outfit, really.

The most standout thing about the man was his crop of thick red hair, styled up into a kind of afro-mohawk that lent to his namesake.

When he approached the center mic and flashed a blinding smile at the crowd, there was a lot of whistling and outcries from the women. One such woman shrieked loudly in Applejack’s ear, making the cowgirl wince and lean away.

“Hey there. How ya’ll doin’ tonight?” Red Rooster asked into the mic.

Thunderous cheers were the response.

The man laughed, glancing back at his amused bandmates, before turning his head back to the microphone. “I bet! Goddayum! I heard all kinds of commotion out here! No one told me Canterlot City could break it down! Ya’ll really went Footloose up in here?”

“Literally!” someone in the crowd hollered back. Everyone laughed.

Red Rooster looked over toward the pub’s bar, his expression turning bemused. “Was that planned or something? Cuz that was real smooth.”

Applejack could feel her heart beating hard in her chest as a sweat drop rolled down between her shoulder blades.

There was some indistinct yelling, then Red Rooster frowned as he cupped his ear and leaned forward. “Huh? No? It wasn’t planned?” Now his face screwed up. He was still smiling but looking around like someone had done something truly insane. “What the hell? Well, who started it?”

There was some murmuring, then to Applejack’s horror, she saw and felt eyes turn her way. The cowgirl tried to duck. Pulled her hat down over her eyes. But she heard laughter over the mic.

“Ex-cuse me? Ya’ll trying to tell me this cowgirl started it all?” Then Red Rooster chuckled. “Come on, girl, don’t be shy. You got this place hoppin’, and that’s something to be proud of! What’s your name?”

Reluctantly, Applejack lifted her head. “Um… Applejack, sir. But uh, see it wasn’t just me. My friend, she… uh…” she looked around again, desperate to find Sunset.

Red Rooster blinked down at her, then looked over as he spotted one hand waving desperately over the sea of heads.

“AJ! I’m over here! Sorry, s’cuse me—”

The blues musician grinned and waved at the audience. “All right, guys, stop being assholes. Let the poor girl through. She trying to get to her friend!”

There was a confused jumble as the audience to Applejack’s right awkwardly shuffled out of the way—and Sunset Shimmer sidled her way up to her, blushing hard and staring wide-eyed.

“Is this real life?” she breathed at Applejack hoarsely.

The cowgirl leaned toward her and breathed back. “Depends. You finish your gosh darned spell?”

“I did, but—!”

“Ladies, ladies, what’s with the nervousness? You did a hell of a thing! And what's your name, miss?”

Sunset stared pale-faced up at Red Rooster. Her jaw worked open a few times before she actually managed to say anything. “Th-Thank you! I'm Sunset Shimmer. But we didn’t do anything! N-Not really.” She laughed nervously and gestured around. “I dunno how so many people knew the dance!”

Applejack pursed her lips tightly shut, hard enough that even she could feel the blood fleeing them. This was a straight-up lie, and while her Element of Harmony didn’t prevent her from conjuring up fabrications, it certainly seemed to make it harder for her to be a very convincing liar. Usually, that wasn’t a problem. But in situations like these, when revealing their magic was at stake…?

Hoo boy, she wasn’t gonna say a goddamn word.

“Applejack, Sunset Shimmer, you both trying to tell me all that was just a happy accident?” Red Rooster asked them both incredulously.

Behind him, the keyboardist played a dramatic sting, and this earned a few laughs from the crowd. Applejack let out a tight chuckle but kept her lip zipped. Sunset just shrugged. She was smiling, albeit shakily, but she leaned into the humor.

“What can I say? Footloose is a good movie,” she called up to him. This earned some scattered cheers and whistles.

“I’ve watched that movie hundreds of times!” One rowdy woman shouted from the back.

Another man to the left of the stage waved his hands and called, “Hell, my buddies had to show my dumb ass how to do it! I stumbled the whole way through.”

Red Rooster laughed raucously along with the crowd. Then the man pointed towards the bar. “Hey! I saw you bartenders back there getting swept up into it, too. How’d ya’ll know it? Especially you!” Applejack stood on her tiptoes and twisted around. Then she saw Sherry Kiss stand up on what she guessed was a stool and throw her hands wide open as she thrust her chest forward and stared cock-eyed at the man. But her lips were tilted towards a smile.

“Me? What, a black woman can’t enjoy Footloose? Brother, I ate that dance up! Where you think them white kids got them moves in the first place?” Then as if to prove her point, she tossed her hair and shimmied her shoulders like some of the women did in the film.

The crowd cheered and clapped. Red Rooster put his hand up, laughing, and closed his eyes. “Preach, sister! Preach! All right, all right. Everyone is just talented up in this motherfucker. Fine. Fine. I can dig that. But lemme ask ya’ll something.” He put a hand to his ear and looked around mischievously at the crowd, “Canterlot City, ya’ll may have brought the spices, but I got the meat! Ya’ll ready for me to cook a little somethin’?”

There was more applause, along with some catcalls and whistles.

Red Rooster shook his head, glancing back at his bandmates in feigned disappointment. “Nah, nah. Canterlot City, I said, are ya’ll ready for me to cook a little somethin’?”

The applause and cheering grew louder. Red Rooster nodded his head vigorously, sweat already on his brow and his red thick hair shifting with every bob. “That’s what I thought.” He held his arm out and a roadie walked up and handed him an electric guitar with a cherry sunburst design. He pulled the strap over his head, and after a few quick checks of his tuners, he launched into a song.

As this went on, Applejack let go of the breath she’d been holding. She grabbed Sunset’s arm and leaned in close to her friend’s ear. “Your spell musta worked! Thank you!” she shouted.

Sunset laughed, though the sound was swallowed by the wave of music now washing over them. This close to the stage, the speakers weren’t just loud, the cowgirl could literally feel them in her bones.

The redhead wrapped her arms around Applejack’s waist and pulled in close to shout back. “I made it so that everyone believed the most logical explanation they could come up with!”

Applejack grinned. She pulled her hat off and put it on Sunset’s head, and the other girl beamed at her, blushing. The cowgirl gently turned Sunset by the hips so that she was facing the stage and held the redhead from behind, her strong arms encircling the girl’s torso. Sunset hugged her arms to her and leaned her head against Applejack’s.

They both looked up as Red Rooster began to sing, his guitar playing an intricate and funky tune.

The night wore on, and Red Rooster’s performance was everything Sunset Shimmer had hoped it to be. And then some. The musician sang to the crowd about illness and poverty. Corruption from greed. Sex under the stars. Hope amidst disaster. And yes, of heartbreak.

Between songs, Red cracked jokes and shared anecdotes about his life. He’d grown up in a farming community in the countryside, hence the inspiration for his name. His father had been a barber, his mother an optometrist. Despite being away from some of the common strife of the city, his family had known their share of tragedy. Red’s older brother had become paralyzed after a terrible car accident. His father had died suddenly from a heart attack when the musician was just a young teen. His mother became addicted to opioids following a major surgery.

Red Rooster always kept his chatter focused. He implored the audience to care for one another, to talk to loved ones openly and to have compassion for others going through a hard time. Sunset became choked several times throughout the concert. She’d known Red Rooster was an intelligent and introspective person, but she hadn’t any idea the kind of passion that drove him! She fervently hoped she could become half the musician he was someday.

On and on the performance went until it reached its inevitable conclusion. Red and his supporting band left the stage to roaring applause, but after nearly five straight minutes of chants for an encore, the performer and his team had obliged the crowd with another riveting song.

“Oh, I got a pretty little girl I love so bad
Oh, I got a pretty little girl I love so bad
She on my mind always
Yeah, but she don’t want me back”

He sang over a jaunty beat and bluesy melodies. It was one of his contemporary twists on classic blues that blended in rock and jazz elements for a sonic sledgehammer to the heart. Anyone who had suffered unrequited love would no doubt—

She could feel Applejack’s arms tense.

Sunset’s brow tightened as she turned her head just a fraction toward the girl behind her.

Oh.

Of course, this one would be a tough listen for the cowgirl. Red Rooster had such a broad catalog of music, and this wasn’t one of his more recent tracks, but it certainly was one of his most popular.

Sunset gently pried away Applejack’s arms from her body, turning to look straight at her friend. Applejack dropped her gaze, her red face tight with apparent guilt as Red Rooster crooned on.

“Heaven help me!
My heart can’t stay this way
Heaven help me!
My bones just crumblin’ gray
Soul's gonna fade
Just gotta walk away”

Sunset placed her hands on either side of Applejack’s face, and reluctantly the country girl looked up. Sorry, she mouthed. The redhead only shook her head, then pressed in slowly for a kiss. She felt AJ stiffen against her, but never did she step away or turn her head. Their lips connected. It was a full beat before Sunset felt the other girl’s arms wrap around her waist.

One thing to kiss in the mixed chaos of a pub. Another thing to kiss in the thick of a crowd with everyone technically looking in their direction. But as before, Applejack seemed to realize that everyone around them was too preoccupied with some other spectacle to mind two girls kissing amongst them. Still, Sunset pulled back and gazed into Applejack’s green eyes with a wealth of caring affection.

Okay? She mouthed at the blonde.

She felt and saw Applejack heave a great big sigh and shrug her shoulders. Her eyes creased with the weight of so many worries and unfulfilled desires. There was so much pain there… So much shame and frustration.

Sunset had felt it all. Literally, thanks to their magic.

And oh, how it ached.

“Sweet girl don’t see what she do to me
Sweet girl don’t see what she do to me
I’m just a ghost to her
But she keep haunting me

Heaven help me!
My heart can’t stay this way
Heaven help me!
My strength just won’t stay
Soul's gonna fade
Just gotta walk away”

Sunset snaked her arms around Applejack’s neck and pressed in close again, this time hovering close enough that she could feel the other girl’s breath on her parted mouth. The cowgirl closed the distance herself and kissed Sunset again. Deeper this time. So deep. Sunset felt her heartbeat quicken, the pulse throbbing in her throat as she tried to breathe steadily. Applejack’s tongue in her mouth didn’t help.

She knew this was out of the norm. She knew she wasn’t following the tried and true blueprint that made her sprawling love life functional. But Sunset couldn’t think about that right then. Not when Applejack’s eyes said so much. Not when her touch made her feel like she was burning from the inside out. Not when the music brought out all their joys and hopes, their heartaches and pain.

This song… How many times had Sunset listened to it, thinking of the very girl she was kissing? How many times had she gone to bed, restless and frustrated at how helpless she felt, watching the cowgirl pine with anguish? Sunset Shimmer, the newcomer, the unredeemed, the troublemaker… She’d never felt good enough. And the opportunity had never arrived to try.

Until now.

“See her eyes in the dark
See her eyes in the dark
White phantom over me
Just won’t let me sleep”

Because Sunset had wanted this. For so long. And now her affection could be something more than just selfish gratification. Now she could do something with it.

Red Rooster made his guitar squeal as he said into the mic in a weary voice:

“Yeah, my bed is a grave
So dead tired, darlin’
I don’t ever want to leave”

The song concluded with a haunting closing melody. The crowd erupted into applause. Sunset broke off the kiss and leaned into Applejack’s ear. Despite the mild ringing in her ears from being so close to the speakers, and despite the ruckus of the audience, it was still easier to hear. So in a normal voice, Sunset asked breathlessly, “Wanna stay up with me tonight?”

She could almost feel Applejack’s temperature rise as the country girl shifted against her. But after only a short pause, she gave a gentle squeeze and replied, “I’d love to.”

Then Red Rooster played his final song. A more upbeat number, this time. It was a song about overcoming, and Sunset thought it was such an appropriate send-off, that she threw her head back and laughed as those around her drunkenly sang along.

“I’m a dogwood bloomin’
Risen up from the rocks
Floods tried to move me
But I can take some hard knocks

“You think I’ll keep cryin’
Sheddin’ petals to your name?
Darlin’ my branches are reachin’
This son won’t stay the same

“Lost my mama, lost my daddy
Lost my money, lost my ride
But if you think I’m wiltin’ for you
Then you wastin’ your damn time

“I’ve got roots
Yeah, I’ve got roots
I’ve got roots that go deep
And baby, they tell me to keep growin’
With my eyes turned to the sky
Cuz’ so long as my heart keep beatin’
Ain’t no way I’ll wither and die.”

And then, when the song ended, and Red Rooster took his final bow. When the crowd began to steadily stream back onto the street towards their cars. Then…

Then Applejack took Sunset home.

Author's Note

Bless Beyoncé's timing!

Did you guys think this was dead? Sorry, had a challenging couple of months, but your favorite rarepair is back! I appreciate everyone tuning back in.

Was the dance scene a bit cringe? I dunno. I leaned into it. I embraced the cringe. I also really like Footloose and I felt like that was a sufficient reason.

The lyrics featured in this chapter were written by me.