Chapters A week had passed since that second night in bed when Applejack and Rainbow Dash had acted on their feelings for each other and it had been nothing short of magical. For the three days the storm lasted, the two mares spent just about every waking moment together. They did some cleaning around the Apple family home. They went for walks, while carefully avoiding mailmare infested storm clouds. They had their first date at Ponyville's fanciest restaurant: The Silver Stirrup. Each night they returned to Applejack's bed, held each other in their hooves, and shared a soft conversation as they drifted off to sleep.
The end of the storm coincided with Rainbow Dash's recovery. Her wing was a little stiff, but it no longer pained her. After a short test flight, circling the Apple family house while Applejack watched her admiringly, she flew her marefriend up to the roof and the two of them set to work patching the leak.
"Ah kinda feel bad patchin' up this hole, but I guess it had ta be done." Applejack mused as they finished, half to herself but still loud enough that the blue pegasus beside her could hear.
"What's there to feel bad about, AJ? It looks like you've had to patch this roof quite a bit." Rainbow Dash said, sweeping a hoof across the air toward the rest of the roof.
"Ah know, but If'n it weren't fer this one leak here soakin' all yer pretty feathers the other night, Ah don't reckon Ah'd be half as happy as Ah am today." Applejack blushed a bit as she crossed both her fore and hind legs, her red cheeks making her white freckles stand out even more than usual.
Rainbow Dash giggled, her wings slowly spreading as she took in Applejack's beautiful blushing face. She turned and pointed out toward the south field, Applejack sliding up beside her and looking in the direction of her forehoof. "If we're going to start thanking objects," she began, draping her healed right wing over Applejack's back, "then we should mount that tree branch like a trophy." Rainbow Dash nuzzled her snout against Applejack's cheek. "I've never been so happy to be grounded in all my life."
The two mares sat, enjoying both the view of the brightening sky as the weather pegasi cleared up the clouds and the sheer joy they each felt just being close to one another. Rainbow Dash wrapped a wing around her marefriend while Applejack gently stroked the soft feathers with a forehoof. The only thought that marred such a perfect moment was the unspoken knowledge that Rainbow Dash's healed wing meant that she would have to go back to work the next day.
For the rest of that week, life returned to relative normalcy, but with a few important differences. Applejack resumed working her fields after the mud had a day to dry out and firm up a bit. She didn't mind the mud, but it did make bucking apples slow and tedious. There were plenty of other farm chores to do in the meantime anyway. Rainbow Dash resumed her weather duties, not making top speed quite yet, but her wing was recovering fast. The other pegasi couldn't help noticing though that her lazy streak was a thing of the past.
Before the accident, Rainbow Dash could be counted on to lounge about all day and then rush through her work at the last minute. Though her work was never anything less than perfect, the habit still irked most of the other weather pegasi at least a little. Now however, Rainbow Dash would do the same mad dash work routine except she would do it first thing in the morning and zip off toward the outskirts of town. If anypony was curious enough to follow the rainbow trail she left in her wake, it would have led them straight to Sweet Apple Acres where she would touch down and start helping a certain orange earth pony with the farm chores. Each night after several exhausting, but fun filled hours together, the two marefriends would retire to Applejack's bed and share some intimate conversation.
At the end of that week though, the situation changed.
"Sugarcube," Applejack began with a sigh as she lay her head on the pillow that night, "Ah think we need ta have a little talk."
"I'm not sure I like the sound of that." Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. "You're not having second thoughts about us, are you?" She said with a worried squeak.
Applejack's eyes widened. "No, 'course not, but we may need ta cool our heels a bit with mah family comin' back ta the farm tomorrow."
"So you are having second thoughts!?" Rainbow Dash was doing her best not to tear up. Applejack was the one and only pony she trusted with her innermost emotions, but if their relationship was heading downhill, she'd have to bottle it all up again.
"Ah didn't say that." Applejack stroked the multicolored mane of her marefriend reassuringly. "This has been the happiest week of mah life an' Ah ain't about ta give it up fer nothin', but Ah do have a family ta consider." Applejack pulled Rainbow Dash close, pressing her forehead against her marefriend's. "Ah know ya ain't too big on family, bein' all independent like ya are, but Ah am. Mah family's a big part of mah life here."
Rainbow Dash was quite relieved, wrapping her hooves and wings around Applejack and trying to comfort her now that she understood a little better. "You don't think they'll accept us as marefriends?"
"Ah don't rightly know ta be honest." Applejack said, closing her eyes to try and think. "Apple Bloom's just a filly, Ah think she'll be alright with it with Princess Celestia herself bein' fer it." Applejack tried to think like her brother for a moment. "Big Mac'll probably take the news alright, least I hope he will, he's a might hard ta read sometimes." Applejack sighed. "But Granny Smith is a whole other apple tree."
Applejack pulled back, looking Rainbow Dash in the eye. "If'n Princess Celestia's right about that hundred years ago thing then Granny Smith woulda been born about the same time they was takin' their vows." Applejack closed her eyes. "I jus' don't know if'n she'll be fer it or against it, no matter what the Princess says."
Rainbow Dash stroked Applejack's long blonde mane now that it seemed she was the one needing reassurance. "But we're going to have to tell them sooner or later. It's not like we can keep something like this a secret forever."
"Nah, sugarcube. Ah don't think we could. But it ain't just mah family neither." Applejack's brilliant green eyes opened, looking sharply into Rainbow Dash's tense raspberry ones. "It's other ponies too."
"What do you mean? What other ponies?" Rainbow Dash squeaked again.
"Other ponies around town, them ones that was neigh-sayin' Lyra an' Bon-Bon mostly." Applejack looked pained as she recalled. "Ya know Fresh Stock, the pony that runs the produce stand at the north end of town?"
"Yeah, kinda." Rainbow Dash didn't always have time for fresh produce in her fast-paced lifestyle.
"Well, he's been buyin' Apple Family apples fer years. But when Ah went ta drop off a cartload yesterday, he said it'd be the last one, said he found himself a new supplier." Applejack winced. "Ah was disappointed but not too much, business is business after all, until Ah heard him mutterin' 'damn fillyfoolers' ta himself as Ah was leavin'." Now Applejack's eyes looked positively angry at the memory. "Ah had half a mind ta make a scene, but instead Ah just hitched up mah empty cart an' didn't stop runnin' 'til Ah was back here. He musta seen us comin' back from our date at the restaurant or somethin'."
Rainbow Dash scooted forward, taking Applejack into her hooves again and hugging her close. "I'm sorry dear, I had no idea." Her eyes flashed, reflecting the gleam of the moonlight outside the window. "Do you want me to rough him up?" Her scratchy voice had a dangerous hint of anger in it.
"Nah, sugarcube. That wouldn't do no good, but ta get ya in trouble." Applejack sighed. "But ya see what Ah mean? Fer some ponies it don't matter deep down even what the Princess herself says. Ah wouldn'ta believed it 'til it happened ta me all personal like. Ah don't know which side mah family'll come down on and Ah don't want ta lose them any more'n Ah want ta lose you."
Rainbow Dash frowned, this time pulling back herself to look Applejack in the eye. "I guess this means no more late night pillow talks for a while, huh?"
Applejack frowned as well. "S'pose so." She gently traced a hoof along the feathers of Rainbow Dash's wing. "Shame Ah ain't a pegasus. Bet yer cloud house is pretty private."
Rainbow Dash's eyes lit up. "That's it! We'll go to my place."
"Uh, Dashie? Ain't ya fergettin'?" Applejack flexed her shoulders as the closest muscles she could think of. "No wings. An' that means Ah can't stand on clouds neither."
"We can get Twilight to help!" Rainbow Dash stuck out her tongue as realization dawned on Applejack. "If that wing spell she used on Rarity is still too much for her, there's always the cloud-walking spell. That's good for a whole day, yeah?"
"Ah reckon so, but ain't that a might suspicious askin' Twi ta cast that on me every day? We ain't even told her we're datin' yet."
Rainbow Dash waved a hoof in a horizontal line as if ending any debate. "So we tell her. In fact, we'll tell all four of our closest friends tomorrow. It's going to be hard enough keeping it from them for much longer anyway, right? Heck, if some random shoppony caught on, I bet at least one of them has probably caught on too."
"S'pose yer right, they ain't about ta shun us fer lovin' each other. Maybe we should go have a talk with Lyra an' Bon-Bon too. Ah reckon they might know a thing or two 'bout how ta break the news ta everypony." Applejack was starting to yawn.
"Yeah, we'll do that. We'll work our way up to telling your family, okay?" Rainbow Dash held Applejack close again as they both snuggled into the pillow.
"Alright, Ah think Ah can handle it like that. Night sugarcube, love ya."
Rainbow Dash yawned. "I love you too. Good night, dear."
Both ponies were racked with nervousness and doubt, but despite that they were as always able to sleep soundly in each other's hooves.
The next day, all six friends were gathered in the library. They sat in a wide circle as Spike passed out mugs of tea. Pinkie Pie was her usual bouncy self, eager to hear the mystery news. Rarity was cool and collected as usual, daintily sipping tea from her magically held cup. Fluttershy patiently awaited the news, looking neither excited nor bored. Twilight managed to be all three at once, or at least in turn, barely failing to hide her eagerness under a cracking facade of collected patience.
"Ooh, ooh, ooh, so what's this super-awesome-special news you wanted to tell us? Do I need to start working on party invitations?" Pinkie Pie asked in her high pitched, fast paced, excited manner as they all settled down.
"Yes darlings, you made it sound like quite a juicy item, give us the scoop." Rarity added after a sip of tea.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack looked at each other, each hoping the other would be the one to actually say it now that the time had come. The result was a few seconds of silence before two voices spoke together.
"Rainbow Dash/Applejack and I are dating!" They chorused, blushing. However, only Rainbow Dash continued, the confession proved to be too much for the orange farmpony who seemed determined to turn herself scarlet instead. "Since you four are our best friends, we wanted you guys to know." She slid a wing and a foreleg around Applejack, hoping to steady her marefriend's nerves.
Pinkie Pie gasped comically and Rarity nearly dropped her teacup in surprise, but Fluttershy was the first to get any actual words out.
"Oh, that's wonderful. You make a really cute couple, if you don't mind me saying so." Fluttershy breathed, watching them from behind her mane.
Twilight was right behind her, squealing a bit as she voiced her thoughts. "Oh this is exciting! I'll have to write Princess Celestia a letter right away to tell her what a wonderful effect her speech had!"
Rainbow Dash and Applejack glanced at each other, knowing that things weren't all together wonderful beneath the surface, but not wishing to ruin the moment.
Rarity chimed in as she regained her composure. "I must say I am amazed, but now that I consider it, not altogether surprised. You two dears are quite made for each other."
The relatively subdued excitement of the other ponies was suddenly overpowered by a burst of glee and rapid fire speech from Pinkie Pie. "Oh I thought you two were dating! I saw you walking around town after the storm and it didn't look like a 'just friends' walk, but I didn't want to say anything, but now you have and I'm super excited! How long have you been together? Is it too late for an anniversary party? Does Dashie taste super spicy like rainbows when you kiss her? What about foals, I'd love to foalsit them, I've gotten so good at foalsitting for the Cakes, I bet your foals will be super cute!"
Applejack finally found her voice again after hearing the positive responses from their friends and shushed the manic pink pony with a hoof. "Whoa, slow down there, sugarcube. We've only been datin' fer a week now, so it's a little early ta be talkin' 'bout foals or parties just yet."
"Awwww..." Pinkie Pie looked a little sad and her hair deflated a bit as she tucked her party cannon back into the hammerspace from which it had mysteriously appeared a moment before. "Oh well, that gives me plenty of time to start planning for your monthiversary!" Her mood and hair suddenly perked right back up.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack chuckled a little. "Y'all do that, Pinkie. Bet it'll be a blast."
"Wow, so how'd you two hook up anyway? I mean you've been best friends for as long as I've known you, but I didn't think you were that close." Spike said, finally speaking up with a curious look on his face.
"Well, it might have crossed my mind once or twice, and maybe a few more times after Lyra and Bon-Bon's wedding." Rainbow Dash scratched her mane with a hoof. "I guess it was Applejack talking about how unhappy she was still being single that really made up my mind, then I just had to find the right moment to ask."
"So you asked her out and she said yes?" Spike asked curiously.
"Naw, she didn't get the chance." Applejack grinned, speaking up before Rainbow Dash could answer. "Ah was still feelin' a mite loopy after RD here saved me from gettin' fried by a lightning bolt an' all that talk Ah did 'bout mah future an' startin' a family was in mah head, Ah just took over all giddy like a schoolfilly an' kissed her." Applejack blushed a bit and both mares grinned. "An' RD kissed me right back, an' let me tell you, that is a treat, better'n spicy rainbows." The two shared a soft kiss at the memory. Spike's jaw just dropped while all four mares made approving noises from whistles to sighs of happiness.
The friends all caught up on the other details of their lives for an hour or so before most of them had to go their separate ways. Rarity to her boutique, Fluttershy to her home and her animals, Pinkie Pie to foalsit for the Cakes, Spike to run some errands, and Rainbow Dash to check in at the Weather Office in Cloudsdale.
Soon, only Applejack and Twilight Sparkle remained in the library. "Uh, Twi? There were a couple things Ah wanted ta talk ta ya 'bout in private."
"Well everyone else is gone, so what's up?"
"This is a mite embarrassing, but Pinkie Pie hit pretty close ta the mark earlier. Ah am kinda thinkin' 'bout foals already." Applejack clicked her hooves together nervously. "Ah don't reckon RD is yet, but it couldn't hurt ta know if'n it's at least possible. Ah don't relish the thought of askin' Big Mac ta stand at stud fer mah marefriend an' RD ain't got a brother ta do the same fer me. 'Sides Ah'd much rather our foals were ours, ya know? A little of each of us."
"Oh!" Twilight stifled a giggle as she imagined the implications for a moment. "Well, that's no trouble, or not much. I did some studying on that very subject for Lyra and Bon-Bon." Twilight sat up proudly. "Of course, it's a lot easier if the 'father'" Twilight hoof-quoted "is a unicorn herself, but Princess Celestia wasn't kidding when she said that love was a kind of magic. If you and Rainbow Dash truly love each other when the time comes that you want a foal, then all it takes is one simple spell. Either one of you could be the mother; I think I might even be able to have you both father each other's foal at the same time." Twilight actually giggled this time imagining both of her friends pregnant together.
Applejack chuckled a little at that as well. "Alright, we'll let ya know when the time comes. There's another favor Ah wanted ta ask too, somethin' more fer now."
"Of course, anything for two of my best friends." Twilight said helpfully.
"Ya think ya can manage that wing spell ya used on Rarity? Or maybe that cloud walkin' spell? Not right this second, later in the evening?"
"If not the wings then definitely cloud walking, but why?"
Applejack swallowed, feeling her mouth drying with embarrassment at revealing something so personal. "Well, see RD an' Ah have sorta gotten used ta sharin' the same bed, just cuddlin' an' talk is all, but mah family's back from Appleloosa today an' we ain't sure quite how ta tell them 'bout our relationship yet, so we thought we'd spend our nights at RD's cloud house 'til we got that all figured out." Applejack had turned almost as red as Big Mac.
Twilight frowned. "I don't understand, why can't you just tell them?"
"Ah'm a little scared ta be honest." Applejack sighed. "An' before ya say anythin', Ah know they was at the weddin' an' heard the Princess' speech." Applejack looked levelly at Twilight. "Twi, maybe ya don't see it, but things ain't exactly all hunky-dory out there as ya seem ta think." Applejack related her experience with Fresh Stock again for Twilight's benefit.
When she finished, Twilight looked sad. "That's horrible... And you're worried that your family will react the same way?"
"Ah just don't know, Twi. Granny Smith and maybe Big Mac; Ah'd just like some time ta try an' find out what they think before I wallop them with it. Apple Bloom Ah ain't so worried 'bout, but Ah don't need her blabbin' ta the rest of the family before Ah'm ready."
"That makes sense." Twilight nodded. "I think I'll also ask Princess Celestia for advice when I write to her."
"Me an' Dashie were thinkin' 'bout askin' Lyra an' Bon-Bon fer advice too."
"Good plan." Twilight concluded. "Alright, come back this evening and I'll do my best to give you wings. They'll last three days, as long as you don't destroy them like Rarity did. Otherwise, cloud walking is good for a full day and Dash should have no trouble flying you up there once you're under it's influence."
"Thanks Twi, you're a real pal." Applejack smiled and hugged her.
"I'm glad to help, especially helping out two friends at the same time. It feels twice as good." Twilight Sparkle practically glowed, having the opportunity to express her feelings of friendship still tended to make her a little giddy, as if making up for lost time.
Applejack waved goodbye as she left to arrange a time with Bon-Bon when she and Rainbow Dash could have a talk with the newlyweds, while Twilight got to work on her letter to Princess Celestia.
Later that evening, Rainbow Dash sat on a cushion in the library while Applejack scraped her hooves a little nervously along the floor. Twilight was rereading the temporary wing spell to make sure she pulled it off without a hitch.
"Alright, you may want to shield your eyes, Dash. This spell gets kind of bright." Twilight closed her eyes as her horn began to glow a brilliant lavender. Applejack reared as ribbons of magic cocooned her, lifting her off the ground. Rainbow Dash held a hoof to her forehead, shading her eyes a bit; her curiosity stronger than her fear of being blinded.
Twilight groaned a bit with the effort of the powerful spell before the cocoon around Applejack burst in a brilliant flash of light. Rainbow Dash and Twilight watched as Applejack's hooves touched down. She stepped from hoof to hoof, strangely feeling only about a third of her normal weight. Growing out of her back, a little behind her shoulders were two large feathered wings, brown mottled with white, they cradled either side of her body fully rather than folding tight like normal pegasus wings. The spell gave wings according to the personality and disposition of the recipient. Rarity was concerned with fashion and style, but could be a bit shallow at times. She gained beautiful, but fragile butterfly wings made from gossamer and morning dew. Applejack was a no nonsense farm pony, rugged, dependable. Her wings were practical, durable, made from the salt of the earth and would have looked right at home on a lean wild turkey hen.
Rainbow Dash barely contained a snicker. Part of her wanted to roll on the floor laughing at the sight of Applejack with those big turkey wings, but a bigger part of her wanted Applejack's sleek, toned body cuddled against her own athletic form all night, wings or no. And she was almost certain that she'd have to hold her tongue for that to happen. She settled her face in what she hoped was an encouraging expression. Applejack had wings and she'd be able to fly; that was the important part, she told herself.
Twilight had no such concerns and was a little loopy from the effort of casting the spell, but she was intrigued rather than amused. "Wow, I never would have expected that after seeing Rarity's wings."
"Huh? What, is there somethin' wrong with 'em?" Applejack could turn her head and see her wings were there and that they looked like a bird's wings, but couldn't tell much more. She spread them and instinctively flapped them, taking off and hovering in the middle of the room. "Ah can fly just fine, don't see what the fuss is about."
Rainbow Dash was still doing her stoneface to keep from laughing while Twilight magicked a mirror over so Applejack could see herself. "Take a look."
Applejack landed in front of the mirror and turned this way and that, looking over her shoulder to see the reflection of her wings. "Well, if that ain't just the darn tootinest thing Ah ever did see. Ah look like a big 'ol turkey! Gobble gobble!" Applejack busted up with laughter, and she was a little surprised Rainbow Dash wasn't laughing right along with her. "Come on Dashie, ain't this just hilarious?"
Rainbow Dash's heart swelled with affection for her marefriend. She was afraid for a moment that Applejack would be horrified or disgusted, but this was just another thing she admired about her orange furred love, she could take a joke and laugh with the best of them. "Hehe, yeah you do look pretty funny." Rainbow Dash laughed softly and moved forward to stroke Applejack's temporary wings with a hoof. "Not too soft, but they feel nice and strong." She decided. "Three days, huh? Maybe we can cruise the air waves for a while tomorrow."
"Sounds fun, but we'd better not be late ta Lyra an' Bon-Bon's. They're expectin' us at five o'clock sharp fer dinner an' advice."
The two winged ponies left the library with a wave back to Twilight and a promise to come see her when she got a response from the Princess to her letter. They headed straight for Rainbow Dash's cloud home and her inviting Cumulus Comfort bed. It was late, so they'd save the grand tour of the house for the light of day. Applejack had a few things on her mind in any case; things that she'd only ever share with her marefriend and only when they were snuggled in the private comfort of a soft bed and each other's hooves.
Keeping up with the Heartstrings
Rainbow Dash lay muzzle to muzzle with Applejack on her soft cloud bed. Her wings were unfolded, and the tips of her feathers lazily touched those on Applejack's temporary magical wings, causing both ponies to coo softly whenever their feathers brushed each other from any sort of small movement.
"If this is what ya'd get with another pegasus, it must be kinda disappointin' ta be stuck with a regular ol' earth pony like me." Applejack sighed softly.
"Hay, hay. I thought you weren't going to be so mopey anymore now that you've got some Dash in your life." Rainbow nuzzled Applejack under her chin. "Wings or no wings, you're the only pony that can even come close to matching me for awesomeness." Rainbow Dash traced a hindhoof along Applejack's well muscled hindlegs, provoking a blush from her bedmate. "I wish I had legs like yours. I HAVE to use my wings to keep up when you're galloping flat out AND you're super strong on top of it."
"Mighty kind of ya ta say, an' Ah reckon its all true, but speed an' strength ain't much use durin' tender moments." Applejack smiled a little, but was still feeling a bit inadequate despite the praise.
"You didn't let me finish, I haven't gotten to the best part. You can out athlete and even out tomcolt me when you want to." Rainbow Dash stroked Applejack's mane, spreading out her long flowing blonde hair now free of the little red hairties sitting on the nightstand. "But when we're all alone and we let that all go, you become the most beautiful mare I've ever seen. And that's worth more to me than all the feathers of all the pegasi in all of Equestria."
"Dashie, ya don't know how much it means ta me ta hear ya say that." Applejack's eyes swelled with tears.
Rainbow Dash held her marefriend close, stroking her mane as tears of happiness dripped one by one onto her shoulder. "I think you just showed me, dear."
When her sobs finally quieted down, Applejack managed to continue. "Nah Dashie, that ain't all of it. Growin' up on the farm like Ah did, ya gotta be tough an' strong, 'specially bein' the mare of the household with mah parents bein' gone." Applejack sniffled, Rainbow Dash seemed to have a knack for uncorking all of her bottled up feelings. "It don't leave much time ta be marely. Ah don't mean all frou-frouy like Rarity, but Ah always hoped one day Ah'd find mah stallion and once in a while be able ta ferget bein' a cowpony, let mah hair down an' just be plain ol' mare fer him."
Rainbow Dash started to speak up, but Applejack was a step ahead of her and shushed her with a hoof.
"Ah know what you're gonna say, Dashie. An' you're right, ya ain't no stallion. You're mah beautiful blue-feathered marefriend, an Ah love ya more'n any stallion Ah ever set eyes on or ever will." Applejack placed a hoof gently against Rainbow Dash's signature mane and pulled her into a long, loving kiss that left no doubt about the honesty of her words. Their wingtips brushed each other as they kissed, sending gentle, pleasurable shocks through both ponies. "An' Ah reckon ya understand me better'n any stallion ever could."
Rainbow Dash smiled as they broke the kiss. "Yeah, I think I do." Rainbow Dash jerked her eyes from side to side as if checking for eavesdroppers. "Because sometimes I feel the same way, wanting to just be a mare sometimes. Like when we dressed up for the Gala and for the wedding in Canterlot, that was a lot of fun for me. But don't go telling anypony, especially Rarity, keep that under your hat okay?"
Applejack giggled. "Ah promise."
"Pinkie Pie promise?" Rainbow Dash squeaked.
Applejack mimed the promise with her free hoof. "Jacqueline Susanne Apple is a mare of her word."
"Jacqueline Susanne Apple?" Rainbow Dash barely stifled a giggle.
Applejack blushed a deep red, causing her freckles to stand out sharply. "Don't ya go makin' fun. Ya were brave an' trusting ta tell me yer secret, Ah'll tell ya mine so we're even." Applejack looked sharply into Rainbow Dash's raspberry eyes. "Yeah, that's mah full name, only mah own kin know it. Ah've been 'Applejack' ta everypony else since Ah was a filly, an' Ah'd like ta keep it that way, except with mah marefriend."
"I think I can handle that. You've got yourself a deal, AJ."
"An'..." Applejack fell back into her mareish persona again, looking away with a blush. "If ya want ta, just between us, ya can call me Jackie."
Rainbow Dash giggled a little, earning a reproving look from Applejack which she waved a hoof at in her defense. "No no, I like it. Jackie, it fits you like this." Rainbow Dash smiled, stroking Applejack's mane.
Applejack snuggled against Rainbow Dash, feeling content. "Dashie n' Jackie, tomcolts by day, mares by night. Better'n Ah ever hoped fer."
Rainbow Dash chuckled softly until a yawn cracked her face. "Ugh, so sleepy.. I missed my nap today."
Applejack chuckled. "That's mah Dashie. Let's get some rest, but don't ya ferget 'bout dinner with Lyra an' Bon-Bon tomorrow." Applejack snuggled her head down into the cloud pillow as Rainbow Dash did the same. "Love ya, sugarcube."
Rainbow Dash yawned again, her eyelids drooping to close. "Night Jackie, love you too." With that, the marefriends drifted off together into another untroubled sleep in spite of everything that lay ahead of them.
"Come on AJ!" Rainbow Dash yelled over her shoulder as she buzzed the main street of Ponyville.
"Ah'm doin' mah best!" Applejack followed fairly precisely behind the rainbow trail that was left in the wake of her fast marefriend, but at a much slower pace and she seemed slightly out of breath. "These wings go right where Ah want 'em to, but they don't make yer kinda speed!"
As Rainbow Dash went into a climb and slowed down, Applejack was able to catch up. The two winged ponies flew up and perched on a nearby cloud.
"An Ah ain't got a lot of practice with wings, neither." Applejack finished as she fluffed her turkey wings and settled on the cloud.
"Yeah I know, I'm sorry." Rainbow Dash looked a little sheepish. "I just have trouble flying slow, you know. I get that itch for speed and I gotta take off!" She posed, hindhooves supporting her entire weight as she stuck her forehooves out in front of her, her back rigid.
"Come here, ya varmit." Applejack chuckled. "Ah can cure that itch fer ya." She rolled over on the cloud, sliding under Rainbow Dash's outstretched torso and pressing her muzzle against her marefriend's.
Rainbow Dash's stiff pose melted at once, her body flowing cat-like over the orange, temporarily winged earth pony beneath her as they kissed.
As the two mares made out on the cloud, shielded from the eyes of earth ponies and unicorns, a lone grey pegasus in a blue hat and saddlebags bulging with letters flew by and spotted them after she passed the cloud. Only afterwards because she happened to be flying backwards.
"Hi, Rainbow Dash! Sorry about the lightning!" Derpy called out as she passed by, then she giggled as she saw what was going on. "Hehe, looks like you're still making sparks!" She laughed at her own joke as she flew lazily away to finish her postal rounds.
The two marefriends broke apart and stared in stunned amazement as they watched the mailmare fly off. "How in Equestria does she do that?" Applejack asked.
"Beats me." Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Cloud Kicker thinks she must have a lot of unicorn in her."
"Yeah maybe. Sometimes Ah think the same thing 'bout Pinkie." Applejack mused as she gave one last look at the retreating mailmare, then looked up at the position of the sun in the sky. "Shoot, we'd best be gettin' ta Lyra an' Bon-Bon's. Don't want ta be late."
The two took off from the cloud and soared toward the home of the newlyweds, touching down on the street just outside the door. The door glowed with a golden hue as it opened moments after they knocked. Lyra welcomed them inside.
"Come on in, have a seat." Lyra said, offering them each a hoofbump as they stepped inside. Her voice and manner had a brash, almost coltish quality. "Bonnie's putting the finishing touches on dinner." She took a closer look at Applejack and seemed puzzled. "What the hay? Since when do you have wings, Applejack?"
"Oh, that? Since last night. Twi made 'em fer me with a spell." Applejack did her best to tuck them against her sides, for fear of knocking things over without realizing. "Big Mac owed me a favor, so he's tendin' the farm fer a couple days. An Ah'm stayin' with RD while we work out how ta tell mah family 'bout us."
"Lyra dear, could you come help me set the table?" Bon-Bon's sweet voice came from the kitchen.
"That's cool, probably beats the pants off the cloud-walking spell. Sounds like dinner will be ready in just a moment." Lyra said to her guests as she got up. "Coming, Bonnie~" Speaking to her wife, her voice became as lyrical as her signature instrument and all of her coltish manner was dropped in an instant.
The two marefriends watched as first the tableware and then the food floated from kitchen to dining room, wrapped in Lyra's golden magical aura. Soon after, all four ponies were seated on cushions around the table and chatting over a dinner of dandelion greens, braised carrots and hay tots. Bon-Bon very obviously had the air of a happily expectant mother, even though her pregnancy would not show physically for another few months.
"How's yer young'un comin' along, Bon-Bon?"
"Growing, slowly but surely." Bon-Bon smiled, putting a hoof to her belly. "Dr. Truehorn used a rather complicated spell, I know Lyra was certainly excited to see it in action. I don't know how it worked exactly, but it let him draw a picture of our little filly." Bon-Bon pointed out the framed drawing on the wall, a black-and-white pencil drawing almost like picking out shapes in the clouds, but in the center was an almost unmistakable image of a tiny foal. "The whole hospital staff are as excited as we are actually. 'The first confirmed magical conception of our generation.'" Bon-Bon giggled and sighed happily. "I'm just glad to be having a foal with my dear, sweet wife."
Lyra grinned and toyed with Bon-Bon's mane with a hoof. Rainbow Dash smiled, she was happy for them but didn't want to get too gushy. Applejack was a little more forthcoming with her feelings.
"That's real good ta hear, Ah'm happy fer all three of ya. Ah wonder if Twi could do anything fer me an' RD when the time came ta think 'bout young'uns?" Applejack knew the answer of course, but she glanced sideways at Rainbow Dash to see what her reaction would be.
Rainbow Dash gave a nervous laugh. Lyra and Bon-Bon giggled in unison.
"So how long have you two been dating?" Lyra asked, bringing her water glass to her lips with her magic.
"About a week now." Applejack related the story of their recent courtship with many helpful and unhelpful side comments from Rainbow Dash, starting with the apple tree and ending with their flight just that afternoon.
"So that explains the wings. Couldn't bear to sleep alone anymore, huh?" Lyra grinned and Applejack blushed.
Rainbow Dash cast about for a new subject to cover her own embarrassment. She was here mainly just for Applejack's sake, and didn't really care what her family thought about fillyfoolers or about her being one, but a thought had piqued her curiosity. "Hey, Bon-Bon? How'd you two get together anyway? I mean I sort of thought I might like AJ, but I didn't really realize it until Princess Celestia's speech at your wedding."
"Oh that's simple." Bon-Bon giggled. "When Lyra first asked me out, I thought she was a colt."
"Bonnie.." Lyra murmured, a sour look on her face. Their guests just looked stunned.
"Well, it's true. But I didn't stop dating you once I found out, did I?" Bon-Bon nuzzled Lyra and her sour expression melted immediately, replaced with a warm smile. "Well okay, it did take me a couple days, but I realized that she was still the same pony I'd fallen in love with and I would be a complete fool to give that up over something I should have noticed from the start."
"Yeah, but how'd you miss that? Sure Lyra's about as big a tomcolt as AJ and I, no offense, but actually mistaking her for a colt?" Rainbow Dash was perplexed.
"Ah, but you're missing an important piece of the puzzle." Bon-Bon giggled again. "You see, I met her on Nightmare Night and she was dressed up as Leonard Hofstadter from My Little Human: The Science of Friendship."
Applejack and Rainbow Dash suppressed a giggle.
"Yeah yeah I love that show, I'm a shameless Equisapien." Lyra admitted, waving a hoof. "I was just visiting Ponyville at the time, part of my final project before I graduated. I figured no one knew me, I could get away with pretending to be a colt and show some nice girl a good time. I never really expected it would go beyond just the one date, but Bonnie turned out to be something extra special." She gave Bon-Bon a nuzzle. "So I gave her my address in Canterlot, and we wrote back and forth. I just hoped I'd make a lasting impression, even though I knew I'd have to come clean the next time we met in person." Lyra grinned wide. "Best decision ever."
Bon-Bon placed a hoof on Lyra's cheek and gave her a kiss that made both of their guests blush and giggle softly to each other. Rainbow Dash's wings very nearly flared, but she managed to maintain control. "We've been together ever since and I love my Lyra more than any colt or stallion I ever met."
"Aww, y'all sure do make a cute couple, an' there's no denyin' yer made fer each other right down deep, but how do y'all deal with neigh-sayers like Fresh Stock?" Applejack told them about losing his business and his prejudiced remark.
Lyra sighed. "It isn't always easy. The Princess' words helped, but you're right, some ponies just refuse to open their eyes."
"The only thing you really can do is hold your heads high and live your life the way you want to in spite of them." Bon-Bon chimed in. "There are more than enough supportive ponies out there, the neigh-sayers now will probably find themselves outnumbered by the time our foals are grown up."
"Yeah, we'll show them we mean business." Rainbow Dash clopped her forehooves together. The other three chuckled.
"Ah guess mah biggest question is how'd yer families take the news?" Applejack asked. "An' y'all got any advice fer tellin' mah family?"
"Lyra will have to tell you about her family, she was already out to them for a couple years when we met. But my family?.." Bon-Bon trailed off, a slightly pained expression on her face.
Applejack grimaced. "That bad?"
Bon-Bon sighed softly. "Getting better, especially now that we're having a foal together. We didn't tell them until we'd already put our wedding plans in motion." She tapped her chin with her hoof. "If I had to do it over again, I probably would have gotten it out of the way sooner. The wedding was pretty awkward behind the scenes until the Princess made her speech. Then they still had the hardest time understanding that I still like stallions on the whole, but I love Lyra even more." Bon-Bon turned to her wife. "Lyra, why don't you tell them your story?"
"You think it will help?" Lyra didn't seem enthusiastic. "It's not something I like to remember."
"I know dear, but it helped me a lot when I was unsure of myself and when we decided to tell my family."
"Alright, I guess the best advice I can give is not to wait too long. It might work out eventually, but it's at least ten times worse if your family finds out from someone else." Lyra sighed. "I was unlucky that way and it took a long time for them to come to terms with who I am." Lyra quickly cleared the used dinner dishes and leftovers away with her magic and replaced them with dessert dishes and a carrot cake Bon-Bon had prepared. "It's a rough story, so grab some cake to go with it."
Lyra magically sliced and served the cake as she began to tell her story. "It all happened back in Canterlot when I was enrolled in Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. I dated a couple boys, but I realized pretty quickly that I wasn't interested in them. Actually, I was envious of them. I started to wish that I was a boy when I realized that I was getting excited over the other girls."
All four mares nibbled slowly at their slices of cake as Lyra went on. "I just didn't have the courage to ask another girl out, and risk being labeled as a fillyfooler by the whole school. Then one day I got assigned to work with this other girl as partners on a project, I don't even remember what it was. Anyway, after a couple days of working together, Bella and I realized that we were both attracted to girls and to each other." Lyra looked especially sad. "Dating her made me realize that being a mare was just fine. I didn't need to be a colt to date another mare, and in any case I've got my horn." Lyra tapped her horn with a hoof and winked. The other three blushed a little. Bon-Bon from embarrassment, Rainbow Dash and Applejack from the innuendo.
"We had three great months together, but she started getting super paranoid about being outed. I was a little worried too, but I guess it was harder on her. She was top of the class and from a pretty well connected family, while I was on a scholarship and just cruising along at above average." Lyra scowled. "I think she snapped, the pressure and the paranoia got to her. And she couldn't have picked a worse day, the annual talent show when everyone's families were visiting. She got up on stage and announced that she was leaving school because 'no one would ever take her seriously as a fillyfooler'. Before I could hide she'd pointed the finger at me, mumbled something that could have been an accusation or an apology, and took off running."
Applejack and Rainbow Dash's jaws dropped in stunned silence.
Lyra paused for a moment as she gathered herself and Bon-Bon gently wiped a tear from Lyra's face. "I was devastated. Not only had I lost my girlfriend, I thought for sure Princess Celestia would kick me out of school. But I found out that day just how wise and kind she is. She took me aside and told me that it is never wrong for two people to love each other, no matter what their gender." She looked admiringly at Bon-Bon. "I've always wondered if she somehow knew that I'd be half of the first same-sex marriage in a hundred years." The two wives shared a quick kiss that cheered Lyra up before she continued. "Still, it took me months on end to convince my parents that it wasn't just a phase and that it didn't make me any less of a person."
"Jeez, that is rough. Good thing the Princess had your back." Rainbow Dash said with a frown on her face.
"Yes. I'm really grateful to the Princess for that and for speaking at our wedding." Lyra sighed. "So yeah, don't make that mistake. Tell your family up front. Even if they don't like it, it's better they hear it from you."
"Yeah, Ah reckoned it'd come ta that." Applejack sighed as she finished her slice of cake. "Ah've got a couple more days before Ah'm needed back at the farm, unless Big Mac hurts himself again. Guess Ah've got some thinkin' ta do, an' RD an' me'll just have ta tone it down in public until then."
Rainbow Dash, sensing Applejack's mood falling again, hesitated a moment before she wrapped a wing around Applejack's shoulders. "We both will. Your family means a lot to you, I know. I'll help you get through this." Part of her disliked showing her compassion in front of onlookers, but her concern for Applejack outweighed her concern for herself at that moment.
"Thanks, Dashie." Applejack replied, nuzzling and softly kissing her marefriend. Lyra and Bon-Bon exchanged grins with each other, but said nothing to avoid ruining the moment. When they broke, Applejack turned back to their hosts. "Ah thank ya both kindly fer a delicious dinner an' plenty of good advice. Y'all've given me lots ta think about."
"Our pleasure." Bon-Bon said as all four ponies stood up and moved toward the living room and the front door. "I hope you'll let us know how it turns out. And if you need any help, we'll be glad to pitch in." Bon-Bon gave each of her guests a quick hug.
"Yeah, take care of yourselves and good luck." Lyra added, offering her guests each a hoofbump to cap off the night.
"Thank ya again, an' keep us posted 'bout yer foal. Maybe if Twi's got the magic ta do it, we'll give yer young'un a playmate." Applejack winked and gave Rainbow Dash a poke.
"Hehe, yeah maybe." Rainbow Dash chuckled a little nervously. "Stay cool, Lyra. See ya around Bon-Bon."
Both ponies stepped out into the quickly darkening evening and took flight, heading for Rainbow Dash's cloud home and their warm bed.
The next two days saw Rainbow Dash and Applejack spending most of their time together soaring the skies and finding out of the way spots where nopony would catch them together. Rainbow Dash still had her weather duties to attend to and Applejack was all too happy to repay her marefriend for her help around the farm and lend a hoof, so long as they avoided any lightning charged clouds.
On the fourth night after her family returned, Applejack asked Twilight to cast the cloud walking spell on her not long after her wings poofed away in a flash of lavender. She had made sure to stay on the ground since the late afternoon, not wanting to be caught in the air when the spell ended, remembering what happened to Rarity. Applejack felt that wings would be one too many things to have to explain to her family and the whole thing was already going to be enough trouble as it was.
Twilight had been happy to help and also let her know that the Princess was planning to make a visit to Ponyville in a few weeks. "She said she wanted to come sooner, but royal duties call." She said apologetically.
"No need ta apologize Twi, Ah'm grateful she's takin' the time ta come in the first place."
The clop of hooves and a swish of wings was heard outside as Rainbow Dash arrived, for once landing on the street and using the door rather than dive-bombing the bookshelves. "Hey Twilight, hey AJ. All ready to go?"
"Light as a feather. Thanks again Twi, Ah really appreciate all the help."
"My pleasure you two. After all, what are friends for?"
"See ya Twilight! Oh, I'll probably be back tomorrow for the next Daring Do book." Rainbow Dash said over her shoulder as she hovered and scooped the magically lightened Applejack up in her forehooves.
Twilight giggled watching the two marefriends. "Sure thing, Rainbow. I'll make sure it's here for you."
Applejack wrapped her hooves around Rainbow Dash's shoulders as she was flown up to what had become their home for the past few days. She wasn't exactly looking forward to tomorrow, but spending the night with her love would at least assure her a good sleep.
"Have you decided on a plan, Jackie?" Rainbow Dash asked, using Applejack's pet name now that they were snuggled safely in bed and completely alone together.
"Yeah, Ah think so Dashie." Applejack was the little spoon that night, it helped her feel safe and loved. "Tomorrow Ah'll just try and find out what Big Mac an' Granny Smith think. 'Course subtlety ain't mah strong suit, but Ah gotta try, right?"
Rainbow Dash held her marefriend a little closer and nuzzled against her mane, as usual she'd let it down for the night. "You'll do fine, better than I would, I bet."
"Thanks, sugarcube." Applejack closed her eyes and just enjoyed the intimacy for a moment. "Alright, so Ah sound 'em out tomorrow, then we'll tell 'em the next day. Ah know it ain't much time, but Ah don't want ta risk Applebloom catchin' us in public an' blowin' our cover."
"Yeah, you're probably right." Rainbow Dash sighed. "I guess that means you're sleeping at your home tomorrow night, and no cuddling for us. Are you going to be okay?"
Applejack pulled a grim face that went unseen by the pony behind her. "Ah didn't think of that. And on the one night Ah'm goin' ta need it the most."
"Maybe you could say you're having a sleepover? Get Twilight to cover us or something?" Rainbow Dash suggested.
"Ah'm already usin' that excuse. Ah didn't exactly lie, Ah just didn't tell 'em who Ah'm sleepin' over with." Applejack sighed. "It ain't gonna hold up anymore after Ah go back ta workin' the farm tomorrow."
"You could sneak out after everypony goes to bed, or I could sneak in? I'm pretty good at that." Rainbow Dash chose to remember her assault on the hospital to rescue the first Daring Do book as more successful than it actually had been.
Applejack was about to respond when a sudden, gut wrenching thought occurred to her. "Dashie, what if Granny Smith kicks me outta Sweet Apple Acres? Where am Ah goin' ta go?" Her eyes began to swim with tears.
Rainbow Dash held Applejack and stroked her mane until her sobs died down a bit. "Shh.. Calm down, dear. Your Dash has got your back. You can stay here with me, forever."
Applejack still sobbed softly. "But, Ah can't keep askin' Twi ta magic me up so Ah can stay here. What if she's got ta be off in Canterlot or somethin' an' ain't here ta cast the spell?"
"That's easy, I'll just move. The whole house."
"What? Ya ain't serious?" Applejack's sobs stopped abruptly as she tried to make sense of what she was hearing.
"I mean it. It's been done. Derpy had her cloud home moved to the ground when her filly turned out to be a unicorn instead of a pegasus." Rainbow Dash buried her face in Applejack's mane, nuzzling the back of her neck. "The loft will still be sky-like enough for me and the ground floor will be solid enough for you."
Fresh tears welled up in Applejack's eyes. "Ah don't know what ta say, Dashie... Yer gonna give Rarity a run fer her money when it comes ta generosity."
"You don't have to say anything, Jackie. I love you, that's all there is to it."
Applejack rolled over, muzzle to muzzle with her love. "Ah love ya too, Dashie. Ah'll leave mah bedroom window open tomorrow night."
Rainbow Dash had not more than one second in which to grin before Applejack embraced her, hooves, bodies and lips all pressed against or wrapped around the blue pegasus.
The pair fell into another untroubled sleep even though the next two days were sure to be a doozy.
"Thanks fer givin' me a couple days off, Big Mac. Ah really appreciated it." Applejack and Big McIntosh had spent most of the early morning finishing the last of the applebucking and were making a start on sewing the winter crops, barley and ryegrass. As long as Winter wasn't too cold, they would be ready for harvest early in Spring and would stretch the Winter food stores until next year's crops were ready.
"Eeyup." Big McIntosh used his signature two syllable affirmative reply. He was pulling the plow along, tilling up fresh earth for the crops.
"Y'all have any trouble while Ah was away?" Applejack was following along behind her brother, dropping the seeds in neat rows and covering them with the soft soil.
"Nope."
"Good ta hear." Applejack replied, then lapsed into silence. Her brother had always been a stallion of very few words and that wasn't making this any easier. She and Rainbow Dash had worked out a skeleton plan, but no matter how much she had prepared, this was still going to be awkward.
"Hey, Big Mac? What do ya think of Lyra an' Bon-Bon?" She asked, trying to keep her voice from trembling. She'd finally gotten the question out, there was no turning back now.
The plow stopped as the red stallion turned to look at his sister. "What do ya mean, AJ?" It was a rather vague question, not the sort that could be answered easily without some kind of clarification.
Applejack tried her best to look calm and collected. "What do ya think of them? Ya know, them bein' two mares gettin' hitched an' havin' a foal."
Her still vague inquiry was met with a strange look from her brother. Applejack was afraid he might be coming to the wrong conclusion, which unfortunately for her was actually the correct one.
"Ah’m just curious, see Ah thought Ah might invite 'em over fer dinner some night." Applejack began into the excuse she had rehearsed, but hoped not to have to use. She spoke suspiciously quickly, trying to get it all out before her conscience caught up with her. "See, Twi was writin' a letter ta the Princess 'bout couples like them, an' me an' Dashi-, err Rainbow Dash ended up havin' dinner with 'em. They're decent folks, but some ponies ain't so nice ta them behind their backs, so Ah wanted ta ask before Ah invited 'em here." It wasn't quite a lie and it left a lot out, but Rainbow Dash had convinced her it would work. Applejack silently hoped she was right.
"Oh, Ah see." Big McIntosh considered that rather long winded explanation for a moment before shrugging. "Ah ain't never gave it much thought before. Guess Ah don't mind."
Applejack sighed with relief inwardly. "And ya don't mind 'em bein'... fillyfoolers?" Somehow saying that word aloud to her brother left a foul taste in her mouth, unlike the loving feeling it brought when she was alone with Rainbow Dash.
"Ain't mah place ta say one way er the other." He shrugged a second time and turned back to pull the plow again. "But ya might ask Granny Smith just ta be sure."
"Yeah..." Applejack resumed planting seeds, slipping back into silence as she retreated into her own thoughts. It wasn't exactly the affirmative response she had held out some hope for, albeit a ridiculously slim hope, but it was far cry better than her worst fears of unadulterated rejection. On the other hoof, his mention of asking Granny Smith for her opinion did not give her hope on that score.
Unnoticed by either sibling, a pair of red-orange eyes, pale yellow ears and the filly they were attached to had seen and heard their entire conversation from behind a nearby bush. As the older siblings both lapsed into silence, Apple Bloom snuck away. She tried to piece together some of the odd things she'd been seeing and hearing lately as she moved far enough away to break into a gallop. She was heading back to the house to find a good stakeout spot to watch Granny Smith and discover what her sister was going to ask next.
The elderly light green mare was snoozing in her rocking chair, but blinked awake as she was addressed. "Soup's on.. Huh? Oh Applejack, whatcha need young'un?"
"Ah was just curious 'bout somethin', wanted ta ask." Applejack shuffled her hooves, her anxiety growing. She wished she hadn't spoken up, but now that she had, she'd better see it through.
"Well go on, spit it out. Ah ain't gettin' any younger ya know."
"Okay, uh..." Applejack started. "Ya remember what the Princess said at Lyra an' Bon-Bon's wedding?"
"Who?" Granny Smith stared at Applejack, but her eyes seemed a little unfocused.
"The Princess, Princess Celestia." Applejack repeated.
"Ah know who the Princess is, young'un. Ah mean the other two ya mentioned. Fire an' Ping Pong?"
"Lyra an' Bon-Bon. Green unicorn an' cream colored earth pony." Applejack gulped. "The two mares that got hitched."
"Oh! Them fillyfoolers!" Granny Smith blurted out. Applejack cringed and started to speak, but Granny Smith kept talking. "Ain't seen nothin' like that since Ah was a filly.
"Way back in Fillydelphia it was; before we settled down here an' got Ponyville started. Now back then Fillydelphia weren't much bigger than Ponyville is today, but as we was passin' through Ah saw they was holdin' a weddin' in the town square. An' mah eyes nearly bugged right outta mah head. There was a right pretty pegasus filly in a wedding dress at the altar, an' right next ta her in a tuxedo plain as day wouldn't yah know, another filly. Unicorn, Ah think she was.
"There was lots of ponies there an' ain't none of them makin' a fuss, so Ah just trotted along. We wasn't stayin' long anyway. Now that Ah think 'bout it, Ah think Princess Celestia might have been there too. Mah memory's a might fuzzy, but that mane of hers is pretty memorable..." Granny Smith tapped her chin with a hoof as she trailed off. "What was it ya wanted ta ask young'un?"
"Ah think that there story just answered it." Applejack was stunned, she didn't expect asking Granny Smith to go so smoothly. "Ah just wondered if Celestia was tellin' the truth about when the last time two mares gettin' hitched was. She does like her little jokes sometimes."
"Ya shouldn't talk 'bout the Princess like that, young'un! If'n it weren't for her grace and wisdom, Ponyville wouldn't even be here today!" Scolding Applejack seemed to have been a little too much for her and Granny Smith leaned back in the rocking chair and dozed off again, muttering in her sleep. “Princess marryin’ two fillyfoolers... Ain’t hurtin’ no pony, Ah guess...”
Applejack stood stunned for a moment, wondering what to do, then took advantage of the situation to escape gracefully. Maybe more questions would have given her a better idea of Granny Smith's views, but pressing her further didn't seem like a good idea right now, nervous as she already was and Granny Smith having gone back to her nap.
Unnoticed again, Apple Bloom snuck away from her hiding place behind the sofa. Something was definitely up with her big sister. She seemed to be really curious about Miss Lyra and Miss Bon-Bon, and she had been spending a lot of time with Rainbow Dash lately, lots more than her other friends. And just what had she seen on top of that cloud?
A shadowy figure in a black catsuit perched in a nearby apple tree, watching the big farmhouse in the dim Autumn evening. Her raspberry eyes and blue muzzle sticking out of her mask reflected the light from the rising moon. Once the last of the lights went out, she spread her blue wings and flicked her rainbow colored tail. These four telltales were the only clues to her identity, but it was just as well she had no spectators as they would be unmistakable to just about anypony who saw her.
Rainbow Dash lept from the tree branch, barely rustling the leaves as if nothing but a light breeze had touched them. She glided silently toward the open window where the last of the lights had just been extinguished. She raked her wings back sharply to clear the window frame, then quickly snapped them forward into a braking maneuver and landed with a nearly silent plop on the bed inside the room. It was a great departure from her usual entrances pretty much anywhere, but she'd spent all day practicing and it amounted to a pretty cool trick.
The orange earth pony laying on the impromptu landing strip watched with a smile as the disguised pegasus snuck in. She was not surprised in the least by the intruder and leaned up to plant a soft kiss on the exposed muzzle when she landed. "Glad ya could make it, Dashie. I betcha spent all day practicing that entrance." Applejack whispered with a smirk.
Rainbow Dash just grinned in return and the two ponies spent an eternity in ten seconds flat, just gazing into each other's eyes. Unfortunately, the moment was shattered by a the soft tap of a small hoof on the bedroom door. They broke their gaze and both stared at the door in stunned silence. Applejack secretly hoped the silence would be taken as a sign that she was sound asleep, but luck was not with her as the door began to open with the barest of creaks. Quick as lightning, Rainbow Dash slipped off the bed and hid herself under it instead, leaving Applejack alone and still stunned on top of the bed.
A light yellow muzzle poked in through the barely open door. "Applejack? Ya asleep?"
The sound of her little sister's voice and her marefriend's quick action in hiding herself gave Applejack her voice back. "Ah was just 'bout ta be. Ya should be in bed too."
"But Applejack I've got a question, it's important.." Apple Bloom moaned from the doorway. The tip of her muzzle was still the only part of her actually in the room for which Applejack was grateful, she wanted to keep it that way.
"Alright, alright. Ask me quick an' git back ta bed, then." Applejack's voice was quite a bit sharper than it usually would have been addressing her sister, but she never really was herself when trying to keep a secret and to top it off, at least part of her was trying to get rid of Apple Bloom for the night.
To Applejack's lasting horror however, rather than asking her question through the mostly closed door, Apple Bloom nosed the door open and stepped inside. The young filly certainly seemed to have something heavy weighing on her mind, she kept her head bowed as she cantered toward the bed where her sister was. "Applejack..." The question had just started to pass her lips when a glimmer of moonlight caused something on the floor to catch her eye and stopped her voice in it's tracks. That something was a pony's tail and the hair came in six distinct colors.
"Well go on, spit it out so we can git ta bed." The young filly didn't know it, but she was really trying Applejack's patience by barging into her room and wasting the precious minutes the latter had planned to spend being comforted by her marefriend. Despite her harsh words at the moment, Applejack really did love her little sister and part of her knew that she would regret acting this way in the morning.
Eight words turned the situation on it's head as Apple Bloom, staring at the distinctive chromatic tail, put an entirely different question to Applejack than she had originally planned. "Why is Rainbow Dash hidin' under your bed?"
Both on the bed and under it, two sets of lungs took in a sharp breath of cold night air and felt like they had turned instantly to ice. Applejack knew she couldn't lie to her little sister when the question was put to her directly like that, but she wasn't sure she could tell her the truth yet either. Under the bed, Rainbow Dash thought to herself that she had hidden herself quite well under the circumstances and hoped Applejack would think of something quick. After a telling and altogether too long pause, Applejack decided to stall for time. "What the hay are ya talkin' 'bout?"
Apple Bloom looked up with a huff. "Rainbow Dash is hidin' under yer bed. Ah can see her tail stickin' out, ain't nopony else with a rainbow tail like that." As Apple Bloom spoke, this final piece of the puzzle fit itself into place in her head and her eyes lit up. She gave a loud gasp that threatened to wake up the other members of the household which made both Applejack and Rainbow Dash cringe at the thought. "That's why ya've been spendin' so much time with Rainbow Dash an' askin' all them questions 'bout Miss Lyra an' Miss Bon-Bon." Apple Bloom said in a loud whisper.
Applejack looked mad and had a fierce light in her eyes for a moment before her ears drooped; she let out a sigh. "Fine... Ain't no use hidin' it, Ah was gonna tell y'all tomorrow anyway. But close that door an' keep yer voice down so ya don't wake Big Mac an' Granny Smith." There was no point in denying it any further, better to give Apple Bloom the truth rather than to let her wild imagination invent all kinds of nonsense overnight. Applejack leaned over the side of the bed as Apple Bloom turned to close the door. "Might as well come on outta there, Dashie."
Rainbow Dash slid out from under the bed and started tugging off the dusty catsuit as if it was nothing out of the ordinary. She'd been almost as shaken as Applejack at being caught, but wasn't about to show it in the open. "You really should dust under there more often, AJ." She said, trying to sound nonchalant as she brushed her muzzle clean and shook the dirt out of her wings.
"Soon as applebuckin' season's over, if somepony else don't take up all of mah free time." Applejack whispered at her marefriend and stuck out her tongue. She was feeling more like herself now that she wasn't having to cover up anything. Rainbow Dash gave her a knowing grin back.
Applejack turned back to Apple Bloom who had just hopped up next to her on the bed. "Now Ah know ya weren't here ta ask why Rainbow Dash was hiding under mah bed." The older Apple sister stated. "What was so important fer ya ta barge in here?"
"Ah already got it figured out. It all makes sense now." Apple Bloom began as Rainbow Dash hopped on the bed herself and sat by Applejack to listen, curling a wing around her for reassurance. “Ya’ve been actin’ funny every since we came back from Appleloosa.”
“What do ya mean?” Applejack asked, folding her ears back because she knew full well just how different she had been acting lately.
"Ya spent three whole days away from the farm. Ya never do that." The young filly began. "Goin' everywhere with Rainbow Dash, an' you had wings! Ah saw y'all flyin' together, an'..." Apple Bloom broke off her ears drooping at what she almost said.
"And what?!" Applejack and Rainbow Dash exclaimed together, barely keeping their voices to a whisper.
"An' Ah saw y'all kissin' on top of a cloud." Apple Bloom's ears drooped. She hadn't wanted to admit that she had spied on them even accidentally.
Both Applejack and Rainbow Dash just stared, their jaws hanging open. Rainbow Dash found her voice first as usual. "You saw that?"
"Yeah! Me an' the Cutie Mark Crusaders were tryin' ta get a bird watchin' cutie mark. Ah was gettin' kinda bored until Ah saw Miss Derpy flyin' backwards, so Ah started watchin' her instead. An' then Ah saw ya on a cloud kissin' some orange pony with big brown wings." Apple Bloom chattered. "Ah didn't know what ta think just then, but now it all makes sense!"
Applejack's ears were still down. "Ah knew it weren't a good idea ta be kissin' in public."
"What's wrong Applejack, ain't ya happy ya found yer very special somepony?"
Rainbow Dash put a hoof around Applejack's shoulders to join her wing in reassurance. "Of course she's happy, tell her AJ?"
"Ah am happy, but it ain't that simple. Ah've still got Big Mac an' Granny Smith ta deal with. Ah just don't know what they'll say 'bout it." Applejack sighed.
"What do ya mean?" Apple Bloom asked, confused.
"Ah'm afraid they'll kick me out fer being a... a fillyfooler."
"But Princess Celestia says it's alright fer two mares ta love each other." Apple Bloom's eyes lit up again. “Are ya gonna get hitched like Miss Lyra an’ Miss Bon-Bon?”
Rainbow Dash chuckled nervously. "Heh. Maybe some day, sprout." Applejack smiled back at her.
"Oh man! Scootaloo's gonna be so jealous that Ah get Rainbow Dash fer a big sister!" Apple Bloom said a bit too loud.
Rainbow Dash laughed more openly and ruffled Apple Bloom's mane before Applejack shushed them both. “Ah still don’t want ta wake up Big Mac or Granny Smith.” Applejack turned back to her little sister. “Ready for bed now AB, or are ya still as curious as a cat?”
Apple Bloom yawned in answer. “That’s what I thought.” Applejack hugged her sister before gently shooing her toward the door. “Alright, go on and get ta bed like a good filly. An’ Apple Bloom?..”
“Yeah, AJ?” Apple Bloom replied around a yawn.
“Thanks fer makin’ me feel better.” Both sisters smiled at each other before Apple Bloom slipped back into the hall and shut the door noiselessly behind her. Applejack lay down in her bed and Rainbow Dash cuddled up to her back, holding her close.
“Still nervous about tomorrow?” Rainbow Dash asked scratchily.
“Nervous as a hen raisin’ ducklings.” Applejack admitted. “But Ah think Ah can get ta sleep now.”
"Ah ain't havin' it!" The elderly mare stamped her hoof then winced at the strain it placed on her aging shoulder. "Ah ain't havin' no fillyfoolers under this roof!"
Granny Smith looked fierce. Big Mac had on his usual unreadable poker face. Apple Bloom sat on the sofa looking worried. In the middle of the sitting room stood Applejack, facing her grandmother and looking a mixture of angry and depressed. Hovering outside the window and unnoticed by the family inside Rainbow Dash watched, her ears raked back at the way the encounter was going.
"But Granny, Pr..." Apple Bloom began but was cut short by a fierce look from her grandmother.
"You hush, child! Ain’t yer place ta say nothin’!" Granny Smith would not be gainsaid. She turned back to her older, wayward granddaughter as Apple Bloom sank against the sofa cushions. "Ain't y'all given any thought ta yer family's livelihood once word gets out?"
"Times have changed, it ain't like when you were a filly..." Applejack started to say before she too was cut off by her fierce grandmother.
"Y'all care ta explain what happened with Fresh Stock? McIntosh told him he didn’t believe a word of it, an’ now y’all made a liar outta him." Big Mac flinched but didn’t say anything. Granny Smith gave Applejack a piercing look. Applejack sank to her haunches as her grandmother continued. "That's just how it'll start, losin' business on account'a yer wild ways. This ain’t Fillydelphia ‘er Manehatten. Might as well just sell the farm ta them Shim Sham high faloutin' cider unicorns an’ pack our bags fer Appleoosa."
Applejack's ears folded flat against her head, she had hoped to avoid the subject of Fresh Stock and now she knew she was defeated. Nothing she could say now was going to change Granny Smith's mind.
“You’ve got two choices young’un. Either you shape up an’ change yer ways, or you git an’ don’t come back ‘til you found yerself a stallion like a respectable mare.” Granny Smith stomped her hoof again, no longer aware of any discomfort. Big Mac looked pained. Whether that was out of concern for her or for how he would manage all the farm chores without here, Applejack couldn’t tell. She had hoped he might offer some defense, but nothing came. The fact that he hadn’t rallied to their grandmother’s old fashioned ways was no comfort to her. Apple Bloom had tried, but her objection hadn’t carried any weight.
The last two weeks flashed through Applejack’s mind. The quiet, slow paced life she’d been accustomed to had been leaving her dissatisfied when it came to romance and fate had conspired to dump a completely unexpected solution right into her lap. A week of unparalleled bliss with her best friend turned lover followed by three more days of stolen delight and now everything had come crashing down around her.
On the one hoof, her family, her farm, the only life she’d ever known. On the other hoof, happiness of a quality she’d never expected to find and true love that knew no bounds. Applejack looked up, looked at her family, scared, stoic and disapproving gazes meeting hers, then caught a glint of raspberry and cyan behind them, sympathetic and determined. If there was ever a time to be honest with herself, it was now. Either decision was going to cause her immense pain.
Applejack chose.
In her room, Applejack tossed a few essentials and keepsakes into her saddlebag. Apple Bloom stepped through the open door, tears in her eyes, and nuzzled against her big sister’s foreleg. “Applejack...” She started to speak, but her sister hushed her with a gentle hoof against her lips.
Applejack had not said a word, had not answered Granny Smith’s ultimatum verbally. She simply stood up and walked out of the room, head bowed. Nor did she speak now. Instead she gave her sister a small hug and lifted the old, but well cared for stetson hat from her head, placing it atop her sister’s bow-tied mane as Apple Bloom silently dripped tears on the floor. She slung her saddlebag across her back, not caring that it snagged her mane-tie and let her long tresses fall free. She left, head still bowed with her loose mane covering her face.
Rainbow Dash met her a few paces down the path from the farmhouse and fell into step beside her. She opened her mouth to speak, to comfort her distraught marefriend, but no words came to her lips. She simply rested a wing across her back and they walked along slowly toward the town in silence.
Long minutes later, many more than the usual ten or so, Rainbow Dash tapped her hoof on the door of Golden Oaks Library. They hadn’t discussed their destination, Applejack just silently followed where Rainbow Dash lead. As much as she wanted to just take Applejack home and do what she could to comfort her marefriend in peace, the only house they had to go to was made of cloud and that meant a stop for magical help.
Twilight’s smile quickly faded when she saw the scene before her door and she hurried them inside. Applejack sank onto her haunches on a floor cushion, giving no sign of acknowledgement nor indication that she knew where she was. It fell to Rainbow Dash to bring Twilight up to date and explain why they were there.
“That’s just awful.. Oh, Applejack..” The somber orange pony made no move, no response to the voice, the words or the lavender hoof on her shoulder. Twilight frowned harder and turned back to Rainbow.
“Sorry, Twi. I don’t think anything’s going to help right now.” Rainbow Dash led Twilight a few paces away, but never once let her eyes leave her distraught lover. “Probably best if I just take AJ home and get a good night’s sleep, which is kinda why we stopped here.”
The lavender unicorn nodded in agreement. “Alright Rainbow, wings or cloud walking?”
“Better make it cloud walking, AJ’s not in any condition to fly.” Dash grimaced. “Oh, and we’ll need a favor tomorrow too. At least, I hope tomorrow. In fact we’ll need all the girls and maybe Lyra and Bon-Bon too. Lyra’s pretty good at magic, right?”
“Yeah, she is. Uhh, this sounds like a pretty big favor. Am I going to need a checklist?”
“It’s a promise I made to AJ, if she got, well.. If what happened, happened.” Rainbow Dash couldn’t bring herself to say it a second time. “I promised her I’d move my cloudominium down to the ground so she’d have solid floors to stand on. You know, in case you’re not around to do the magic thing.”
Twilight’s eyes nearly bugged out, her intellectual curiosity getting the better of her sympathy. “I didn’t even know that was possible.”
“Really? Oh, I guess you hadn’t moved here yet when we all pitched in to move Derpy’s house after she had Dinky.” Rainbow tapped a hoof to her chin trying to remember. “It’s all in.. Pegasus Architecture and Engineering, volume 3... I think. You’ll find it. Took us a dozen unicorns and pegasi to get it done that day. But I dunno, you might be able to do it all by yourself in ten seconds flat.”
Twilight almost giggled, catching the unmoving orange and blonde pony out of the corner of her eye and stopping herself as she remembered just why they were discussing this subject. Her horn began to glow with the deeper purple of her eyes as a similar glow enveloped Applejack, beginning as an oblong bubble, then shrinking skin-tight, ending with a twinkle on the tip of each of four hooves. “All set, I’ll look up that book. Good night and uhh, good luck I guess.”
“Thanks Twi, for everything.” Rainbow Dash carefully took Applejack in her forehooves, wings beating softly as she hovered out the door. For the first time since leaving her hat with her sister, Applejack made a small gesture of acknowledgement; she leaned her head ever so slightly against Dash’s chest. It was a tiny movement, barely noticeable, but it was noticed and the blue pegasus who noticed felt a small bit of relief as she flew home.
“AJ?..” The scratchy pegasus voice cut through the silence. “Jackie, AJ, please. Talk to me...” Rainbow Dash held her lover close. From the library she’d flown straight here. Not even bothering with the front door, she’d flown straight in the bedroom window and cuddled Applejack in her bed. “I don’t know what to do to help...” Somehow she’d hoped that the privacy of their shared bed, the place where they’d shared secrets no pony else needed to know, would coax Applejack out of her silence. Then it had been early afternoon, now the last rays of Celestia’s setting sun dimmed out of sight behind the hills. “I.. love you AJ, please let me help...”
“Love me, Dashie.” Her voice was hoarse and choked even though she hadn’t yet shed a single tear. Rainbow Dash let go and sat up as Applejack stirred and rolled over. “Love me, Dashie.” She repeated, sprawling on her back. Her tail-tie was gone, lost Celestia knows where. Her mane and tail alike spread out like a fan brush, every ounce of despair and helplessness that she felt was plain to see. “You’re all I have now, Dashie. Love me, I need all of your love.” Applejack’s eyes finally glinted with the tears that she’d been denying all day.
Tears welled up in Dash’s eyes as well, in some ways this was worse than the silence, but at least she knew what to do now. Tomorrow Applejack would see they still had their friends, things weren’t as hopeless as they seemed, but for now... Rainbow Dash leaned down and kissed Applejack softly. “I do love you, AJ. With all of my heart.” Applejack was barely responsive at first, but Rainbow Dash set out to prove that she loved AJ, mind, body and soul.
By the time they fell asleep, with Luna’s moon high in the night sky, both ponies were utterly convinced of the other’s love and they slept peacefully.
The skies above Ponyville quickly filled with dark rain clouds, covering up the bright sun and dimming the blue sky to a dull grey. Suddenly, a light blue streak broke free from the clouds and flew across the darkening sky followed immediately by a prismatic trail. Anypony who looked up could tell that Rainbow Dash was on the move, and fast. She only slowed as she neared the orchards of Sweet Apple Acres where her orange coated friend Applejack was busy at work bucking as many apple trees as possible before the scheduled downpour of the next few days.
"Hey, AJ! I finished up all my cloud work, I thought we were gonna go race today!"
Applejack looked up at the hovering pegasus, trying to keep the worry out of her face. She'd had quite a lot on her mind lately. "Aw shoot, Ah'm sorry sugarcube. Ah've been so busy with applebuckin', Ah plum fergot." Applejack said with a sigh. "Ah gotta buck as many as Ah can before the storm starts tomorrow and this whole field turns ta mud. Apple Bloom an' Big Mac ain't here to help, neither. They're off in Appleloosa with Granny Smith visitin' cousin Braeburn." Applejack looked a little sheepishly at Rainbow Dash. "Ah don't suppose you can delay the storm, can ya?"
"No can do, but maybe I can lend you a helping hoof instead." Rainbow Dash said. "Think we can clear this field before sunset?"
Applejack smiled. "Ah'd appreciate it mightily, grab a bucket and let's get ta buckin'!" She still had trouble asking for help, but had definitely learned not to turn it down when it was offered.
The two friends quickly got to work, Applejack running from tree to tree bucking each one without stopping while Rainbow Dash flew loops around each tree, bucket in hoof, catching the falling fruit and zipping it to the cart before rushing to the next tree. Applejack's worries felt less important with her best friend by her side. Laughing and joking with each other, the two mares just started filling their tenth cartload when disaster struck. Rainbow Dash suddenly crashed to the ground with a cry of pain as along with the apples, a large broken branch rained down on her right side, pinning her and bending her wing in the wrong direction.
"Rainbow Dash! You okay?!" Yelled Applejack as she rushed over, carefully lifting the branch off of her injured friend.
Rainbow Dash curled up in pain, her body twitching as she gingerly tried flexing her right wing. "It's my wing! I think it's broken!"
Applejack carefully nosed the injured pegasus onto her back, setting her gently in the hay of the nearly empty apple cart. "Sit tight sugarcube, Ah'll get you to the hospital as quick as Ah can!" Applejack slipped herself into the harness and took off toward the hospital, hooves flying. An hour and a thorough examination later, the doctor broke the news to a much calmer and slightly sedated Rainbow Dash.
"Lucky for you it's mostly just a bad bruise and some bent feathers, but you'll need to stay off of your wing for a few days so it can heal properly." The doctor said, pointing out the sling now cradling her injured wing.
Rainbow Dash groaned, flopping back against the bed and pulling a grim face. "Grounded again! Just wonderful! And I was supposed to be in charge of this storm!" Applejack grimaced, hearing the news. She knew how much being able to fly meant to her friend and she couldn't help feeling completely responsible for the mishap.
"Other than letting your wing heal, you're in perfect health and free to go."
"Go?! Go where? I can't get home without flying!" Rainbow Dash moaned.
Applejack fidgeted, this whole mess adding to her worries. "Ah'm awful sorry, sugarcube. It's mah fault ya got hurt, the least I can do is let ya stay in the guest room until you're healed up." She offered.
"Yeah, okay. Thanks, AJ. Tomorrow I'll have to get Fluttershy to go tell Cloud Kicker she's heading up the storm team until I can fly again." Rainbow Dash looked a little happier, if still mopey.
"We better go quick if we're gonna get back before yer rain storm starts." Applejack said while Rainbow Dash got out of bed, walking gingerly beside the earth pony.
Rainbow Dash snuggled into bed in the Apple family's guest room just as the rain began to fall. The soft pitter-patter of raindrops on the roof sending her to sleep almost at once. Applejack closed the door and lay down in her own bed, tossing a bit, but eventually drifting off to sleep from the exhaustion of a hard day's work despite the distracting noise of the rain and all the worries still running through her mind. A couple hours later her uneasy sleep was abruptly ended by a shout from the adjoining room. Rushing to see what was wrong, Applejack flung open the guest room door to find a spluttering Rainbow Dash laying on what now looked like a burst waterbed. A quick glance at the ceiling showed a steady leak of rainwater.
"I wasn't planning on a shower until the morning!" Rainbow Dash said, frowning up at the ceiling.
"Aw, horsefeathers. As if tonight couldn't get any worse..." Applejack grimaced, helping Rainbow Dash out of the soaked bed. "Go get yerself dried off while Ah get a bucket ta catch all this water fer the night. Figure out what ta do about it in the mornin'."
A few minutes later, Applejack offered a now dry Rainbow Dash her own bed. "Roof's fine in here, take mah bed and Ah'll go camp out in the sittin' room."
"I don't want to kick you out of your own bed, AJ." Rainbow Dash said apologetically. "It's big enough for two, why don't we share?"
"Ya sure? Ah don't mind ya taking the bed. Ah feel bad enough what with your wing and the leaky roof and all. Ah just wanna make sure yer comfortable."
"Come on, it'll be fun. Like the slumber parties we had as fillies when I first moved to Ponyville." Rainbow Dash grinned and snuggled into the closer left side of the bed, facing the middle so that she wasn't laying on her injured wing. Applejack shrugged and slid in the opposite side, wondering what her pegasus friend would want to talk about. As she lay down however, she noticed that Rainbow Dash had already fallen asleep again, snoring softly.
"Night, Dash." Applejack said softly with a slight smile, rolling over to face the wall and attempting to sleep again.
Some time later Rainbow Dash was stirred awake by movement in the bed. Applejack was tossing and turning, apparently unable to find a comfortable position. Rainbow Dash extended a hoof and shook her friend's shoulder. "Hey, AJ." She said softly. "You're rocking the boat. Something wrong?"
"Huh? Oh, sorry. Just restless, sorry Ah woke ya." Applejack sighed. "Maybe Ah should go camp out on the sofa after all." Applejack started to get out of the bed, but Rainbow Dash held her back.
"Hey AJ, I'm your best friend. Something's bothering you, I can tell. What's wrong?" It was a rare moment of empathy from Rainbow Dash, the kind of thing she usually kept to herself, but Applejack really did seem down, and she and her injury just might be the reason.
Applejack lay back in bed, staring up at the ceiling for a moment as if weighing things in her mind before finally rolling over to face Rainbow Dash. "You're right, RD. If'n Ah can't trust ya, then Ah can't trust nopony." Applejack started, closing her eyes. "Ah'm just gettin' a mite worried about mah future, ya know. Ah spend so much time workin' the fields an' keepin' the farm runnin' that Ah just don't have the time ta go courtin'. Ah thought Ah'd be raisin' a family of mah own by now, but here Ah am, still a single filly livin' with mah siblings and Ah ain't gettin' any younger." Applejack blushed a little, embarrassed to be putting forward her innermost thoughts. "Ah'd just like to meet somepony special, ya know?"
Rainbow Dash felt a pang in her chest. She usually avoided this kind of mushy stuff, but Applejack really was feeling bad. She put a hoof gently on Applejack's shoulder, smiling to her as the orange earth pony sniffed, fighting to hold back her tears. "I'm sorry AJ, I didn't realize still being single was bothering you so bad..."
Applejack smiled, perhaps a bit sourly, but chuckled all the same as she recovered with the perfect lighthearted jab. "Course not, high flyer. The way yer always on the move, Ah wouldn't expect ya to give much thought ta settlin' down."
Now it was Rainbow Dash's turn to blush, caught with her emotions showing, she managed a quick comeback. "Hey now, it's not like I'm not looking! Of course I want to find somepony special too. I just don't get all mushy about it." Rainbow Dash stuck out her tongue to hide her embarrassment and Applejack laughed softly, cheering up considerably. Rainbow Dash puffed her cheeks a bit at Applejack's reaction before speaking up again, trying to get back the advantage in the conversation. "So... You got your eye on anypony in particular yet? Any stallions caught your eye?" A sudden thought and a devilish grin. "Or mares, maybe?"
Applejack flushed again, knowing that Rainbow Dash must be thinking the same thoughts that were now running through her head. Three months ago, Ponyville's first mare-mare wedding had taken place. In fact, the first mare-mare wedding in Equestria in almost 100 years. Lyra Heartstrings and Bon-Bon had tied the knot and almost all of Ponyville had been in attendance for such a unique event. While there had been a few neigh-sayers around town before the wedding, Princess Celestia herself had come to wish the new couple well and afterwards had delivered a heart warming speech to the crowd, one which was soon echoed across all of Equestria. She reminded everypony that like friendship, love was it's own special kind of magic and should never be shunned, no matter if that love was the more usual kind between a mare and a stallion, or the rare and unique bond between two mares or two stallions.
Almost overnight a dozen or more similar couples sprang up, whether they had been keeping the fact secret or finally acting on feelings they had been trying to ignore. And thanks to Princess Celestia's moving words, the entire community showed the new couples the same courtesy as any of the more usual couples. Now Bon-Bon was even carrying Lyra's foal thanks to her wife's magic, unicorn mares having the unique ability to impregnate other mares as well as mating with stallions in the usual fashion. These new possibilities lingered in the back of everypony's mind, stronger in some, less so in others, right now they were on the minds of two ponies engaged in some midnight pillow talk.
"Nopony in particular yet. Ah'd prefer a stallion, Ah think, but shoot Ah ain't so old-fashioned... If'n Ah found my somepony special and she happened to be a mare, Ah guess that'd be alright." Applejack admitted, then grinned. "How 'bout you, missy?"
Rainbow Dash froze mid-giggle, but quickly regained her composure. "Yeah sure, same here. Stallions are my thing, but I guess I could settle for a mare if she were as cool as me." Rainbow Dash waved a hoof as if the matter weren't important.
Applejack gave a smirk at Rainbow Dash's attempt to cover up her feelings then yawned, sleep finally overtaking her senses. "Reckon Ah can get ta sleep now. Thanks for listening, RD. Ah feel loads better." Applejack patted her friend's shoulder and rolled over, pulling the blanket up around her shoulders and snuggling into the pillow.
Rainbow Dash put a hoof to her own shoulder where Applejack has touched it and stared longingly at her back for a moment before answering with her usual bravado. "No prob, AJ. Good night." Rainbow Dash lay her head back down on the pillow, but didn't close her eyes.
"Night, Dash. Sweet dreams." Applejack waved a hoof lazily in the air and within moments was snoring softly.
Rainbow Dash just lay there, her magenta eyes fixed on the silhouette of her sleeping friend. "If she were as cool as me..." She whispered the thought out loud before finally falling asleep.
Rainbow Dash slept fitfully. In her dream, all in greyscale, she walked alone through an apple orchard. Seemingly wandering aimlessly, she was instead being inexorably drawn toward a shadowy figure at the base of a particularly large apple tree.
"Well, Rainbow Dash?" The shadow asked in a familiar voice.
"Well what?"
"Are you ready to admit it?"
"Admit what? Who are you?" Rainbow Dash said with a frown, skeptical of the shadowy stranger.
"Your feelings about Applejack. Don't pretend you don't know what I mean."
Rainbow Dash flinched. "Come on, I don't do that mushy stuff. Besides, Applejack's just my friend."
"Are you sure? Ever since Lyra and Bon-Bon's wedding, you've been toying with the idea. Even longer than that, though it took Celestia's blessing to make you realize it."
"Me? In love with Applejack? Jeez, come off your high horse. Who are you and where do you get this stuff?"
"Why did you want to share a bed with her?"
"Huh? Please, Applejack was having a bad day. First her apple bucking, then my wing, and then her guest room. She was being so nice to me, I didn't want to make the night any worse for her."
"What about asking her if she liked other mares?" The shadow said scornfully. "Certainly no ulterior motives there."
"Hey, I was losing that conversation. Applejack had the upper hoof, I had to get back on top."
"You'd certainly like to be on top of Applejack, but you didn't stay there long. You admitted to liking mares when she shot the question back at you. That doesn't sound like you were trying to 'win'."
"Well, I... Well..." Rainbow Dash stammered.
"Applejack's honesty is rubbing off on you." The shadowy figure stepped into the grey light. Unlike everything else in this dream world, she was shining with color, a perfect mirror image of Rainbow Dash but in full color and without injuries. "You COULD settle for a mare as cool as yourself. A mare as cool as Applejack."
The greyscale Dash, still with her right wing in a sling, seemed small and pitiable as her dream doppleganger advanced on her, shining with vibrant color, both wings spread full. "But we're just friends." She said meekly.
"You could be more, you want to be more, you felt it. Tonight more strongly than ever." The doppleganger flapped her wings, hovering in the air before her scared, but bemused counterpart. "That lightning in your heart when she mentioned finding somepony special." The world began to colorize, slowly at first, just the apples in the trees. "That second jolt when she said she could settle down with the right mare." More color, the sky, trees and ground becoming more vibrant. "That could be you, Rainbow Dash."
The greyscale Dash began to colorize as well. "With me? Me and AJ?" The colors of her mane and tail became more distinct.
"Yes, Rainbow Dash and Applejack, the coolest couple in Equestria." Her doppleganger landed, putting a hoof to her shoulder as Rainbow Dash slowly regained all of her color.
"Hey, yeah..." Rainbow Dash's eyes lit up as she imagined it.
"Are you pony enough to make Applejack yours?"
The now fully colorized Rainbow Dash spread her wings, the sling flying away. "Yeah I am! I'm coming for you Applejack!" Rainbow Dash took flight, shooting toward the sky, then doubling back into a sonic rainboom, the shockwave forming a giant rainbow heart above the apple grove as her dream faded to darkness.
The internal debate finally over, Rainbow Dash yawned and her eyes opened to the dim grey light, slowly focusing on the sleeping face in front of her. Applejack must have rolled over in her sleep, her face was just inches away. Rainbow Dash smiled, she was so close, her lips right there... No, that would be too awkward, too sudden. Rainbow Dash needed a place to stay until her wing healed, she wanted that place to be here by Applejack's side. Stealing a kiss could ruin everything, but maybe... Rainbow Dash carefully scooted a little closer to Applejack, closing the distance between them until their lips were just barely parted and closed her eyes again, feigning sleep and waiting. She could feel Applejack's warm breath against her nose, a pleasant feeling, she suppressed a giggle. She hoped Applejack would wake soon and if she was lucky, she would steal a kiss by "accident". She could laugh and pass off the faux pas and test the waters for real later. The perfect plan.
Applejack's sleep, though her anxieties had been greatly calmed by talking with her friend, was not entirely without worry. Nothing as vivid as Rainbow Dash's dream, Applejack was simply brooding over the state of the guest room, Rainbow Dash's injury and in the back of her mind, pondering just why the pegasus had brought up mares when asking if she had her eye on somepony special. She supposed that was probably just her competitive streak trying to come back with a good jab. Still, the way she answered when Applejack threw the question back at her was odd. Well, she would buck that apple tree when she came to it.
Applejack also woke slowly, not long after Rainbow Dash. As usual, she started to stretch out her forelegs and yawn, but something was different. Her hooves met something soft and as they parted, her lips met another set of lips. Her eyes snapped open and she scrambled backwards. "Whoa, Nelly!" She cried, falling out bed and sprawling on the floor.
Rainbow Dash clicked her tongue as Applejack disappeared off the side of the bed, that hadn't exactly gone as planned. She rolled over, sticking her head over the side of the bed and tried to look innocent. "You okay? What happened?"
"Jus' startled." Applejack said, her eyes rolling around in her head. "Ah must've rolled over in mah sleep, was dang near kissin' ya there." Applejack blushed, unable to look at her friend. After their talk last night, the thought of kissing Rainbow Dash excited her a little, but that thought shocked her in return.
"Hey, no sweat. "Rainbow Dash said, extending a hoof to help Applejack up. "If you wanted a kiss from The Dash, all you had to do was ask." She grinned wide at Applejack.
Applejack shook her head to clear it, trying to cover up her embarrassment. "Certainly got yer feisty, fightin' spirit back. Ah'm gonna go check on the guest room an' get breakfast ready, help yerself ta the shower if'n that downpour last night weren't enough fer ya." Applejack trotted off as Rainbow Dash rolled lazily out of bed, adjusting the fit of the sling with her teeth.
An hour later, both mares were sitting over the remains of a country breakfast, deciding what to do with their day. "First things first, I need to get that message to Cloud Kicker, so let's go see Fluttershy." Rainbow Dash said. "After that, I dunno."
"Ah usually stay in an' do some cleanin' on rainy days. Prob'ly bore ya right outta yer mind." Applejack stuck out her tongue and Rainbow Dash pulled a face in return. "How 'bout we go fer a walk. If'n ya can't head up the storm, ya can at least watch it."
"Yeah, okay that sounds good."
Applejack got out two umbrella saddles, carefully strapping one onto Rainbow Dash before slipping into her own. Rainbow Dash stood still, her good wing twitching slightly as she enjoyed feeling Applejack's hooves brush her coat. The two friends trotted off into the storm, chatting as they walked.
After a few "oh my"s and "oh dear"s, Fluttershy took off, heading for a small break in the clouds and the bright day above them to deliver Rainbow Dash's message to Cloud Kicker. They had agreed to wait until she returned to keep her animals company. Thankfully, most of the animals were napping. Angel was hopping in circles around the room, looking bored. Rainbow Dash's eyes followed the bunny as he went, sneaking glances over at Applejack when she wasn't looking. She'd been trying her best to keep Applejack's spirits up, but it was becoming more and more difficult to maintain her facade of simple friendship when she really wanted much more.
Applejack frowned, Rainbow Dash looked just as bored as Angel. She was trying to keep Rainbow Dash happy after everything that happened yesterday, but her own confused feelings were making it difficult to find topics of conversation. She too kept sneaking glances at Rainbow Dash, but they never quite caught each other's eye. "Ah'm sorry again... Ah know yer prob'ly wishin' ta be on the other side of them storm clouds. Corrallin' them an' makin' sure they rain just the right amount. All cuz of some dang apples and a stupid branch." Applejack put her face in her hooves.
"AJ... stop beating yourself up so much." Rainbow Dash put a hoof on her friend's shoulder. She wanted to kiss Applejack and let her know how she felt, let her know it would all be okay, but she didn't quite have the courage yet. "I was the one who offered to help you, you couldn't have known that branch was broken. Besides, we don't hang out enough anymore. Now I get to spend the whole day with you." Rainbow Dash smiled and hugged Applejack, her heart racing a little at the contact.
Applejack sniffed, trying not to cry and reflected how good and warm it felt to have Rainbow Dash's hooves wrapped around her. "That's sweet of ya ta say, RD. Thanks."
Rainbow Dash playfully brushed Applejack's nose with her tail after they broke. "Good, now quit being so mopey and let's enjoy our day off."
Applejack perked up and snapped playfully at the colorful tail being waved in her face. The two mares spent their remaining minutes at Fluttershy's cottage joking with each other again and laughing. Fluttershy returned to find them both sprawled on their backs, laughing together at an apparently enormously funny joke.
Having thanked Fluttershy and donned their umbrellas again, the two friends walked slowly through the town. Few ponies were out on a day like this, all of them either under umbrella saddles or wearing raincoats, or both. Pinkie Pie with her umbrella hat bounced by, shooting them a greeting in passing.
Everything seemed peaceful, if quite damp, until the two mares heard a roll of thunder and several sharp crashes. Lightning bolts were crashing down from the rain clouds. Not randomly, but in a line, running down the main street of Ponyville and heading right for where Applejack and Rainbow Dash were standing. The ponies that were on the street were diving for cover as the lightning bolts fell.
Applejack started to run, but Rainbow Dash stopped her, shouting out loud above the sound of the rain, thunder and lightning. "DERPY! IS THAT YOU?!"
The lightning stopped as a blonde-maned, grey coated pony peeked cutely over the side of the cloud right above Rainbow Dash's head, one eye focusing on the grounded pegasus while the other stared off into space, her mane frizzed with a static charge.
"Hi, Rainbow Dash!" Derpy said in her slightly husky voice.
"Derpy! What are you doing!?"
Derpy grinned down. "Cloud Kicker needed somepony to fill in after you gots hurt. She told me to make lightning 'cause I'm the best at it!"
"Rrrr... Well, be careful, please! You don't need to make every single cloud shoot a lightning bolt, and please, please, please try not to damage anything!" Rainbow Dash shrugged at Applejack who grimaced.
Derpy saluted, even more wall-eyed than usual. "You gots it boss!" She started bouncing on the cloud like a trampoline, preparing to take off.
"Derpy, NO!!!" Rainbow Dash leapt into the air at the same instant an intensely powerful lightning bolt struck from the cloud, heading straight for Applejack. The bolt caught Rainbow Dash in mid-air, lighting her up like a Hearth's Warming tree. Applejack caught her as she fell, her mane and tail were totally frizzed and a bit singed and her umbrella was nothing but a smoking skeleton, but otherwise she looked relatively unhurt.
"Rainbow Dash!" Applejack cried, unable to stand the idea that her friend had been hurt twice in two days on her account.
Rainbow Dash coughed a small puff of smoke and smiled up at Applejack. "AJ, I'm fine. But you wouldn't have been. Takes WAY more lightning than that to take down a pegasus." She looked away for a moment, blushing. "Besides, I didn't want to see you getting hurt. That lightning would have fried an earth pony."
"Shucks... Ah don't know what ta say, RD." Applejack stammered.
"You don't have to say anything, AJ." Again, Rainbow Dash wanted nothing more than to lean up and kiss Applejack, but that lightning bolt had almost been too much for her. "Um... Let's go back to your place, that lightning bolt may not have hurt me, but I still feel a bit woozy."
"Alright, RD. Looks like we'll have ta share an umbrella, though. Yers is toast." The remains of Rainbow Dash's umbrella crumbled, falling to the ground.
"Yeah, pegasi can take lightning. Umbrellas, not so much."
The two mares walked flank to flank back toward Sweet Apple Acres. Rainbow Dash walked on Applejack's right, her unhurt left wing was draped over her friend's shoulders. Her excuse was for support, still feeling woozy from the lightning bolt. That was partly true, but she enjoyed the physical contact much more.
Even though it was only late afternoon, Rainbow Dash was ready to lay down. That lightning bolt had knocked the wind out of her, despite the brave face she put on it. Applejack had rigged up a complicated drain system using some buckets and a couple troughs to save the guest room, but it didn't leave the bed accessible and the roof couldn't be patched until the storm ended. She offered Rainbow Dash her bed again, intending to go downstairs and do some of her usual rainy day cleaning while she slept.
"Don't go. I thought we were going to spend the day together." Rainbow Dash said, trying to keep the begging note out of her voice.
"Ya need yer rest after that lightning an' fer yer wing, ah don't want ta keep ya awake."
"Come on, I just want to lay down, not sleep yet. Besides, I like talking with you and I don't want you getting all mopey on me again." Rainbow Dash hugged Applejack again. "I have eyes and ears you know, I can tell you've been feeling down, but I can also tell you feel better when you're hanging out with me."
Applejack sheepishly admitted that was true as they climbed into the bed again.
Rainbow Dash put a hoof on her friend's shoulder. "I sorry things haven't been going your way, AJ. I know you've been worried about your future, and my wing and the guest room and the lightning haven't helped." Her magenta eyes fixed on Applejack's beautiful green ones. "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"
Applejack wasn't exactly sure why she did it, maybe it was because Rainbow Dash had risked her life to save her and that fact was just now sinking in. Whatever the reason, instead of answering, Applejack leaned over and kissed Rainbow Dash. It began as just a short and fairly innocent kiss, but it didn't stop. Rainbow Dash was stunned for a moment, her wings would have flared to full if she wasn't laying on the good one and the other secured by a sling. She had been trying to find the right time for this all day, but she'd never expected that Applejack would make the first move. Recovering from the shock, Rainbow Dash pulled Applejack closer with the hoof still slung over her shoulder, letting her know that this was exactly what she wanted.
"Whoa, Nelly!" Applejack exclaimed as they finally came up for air several minutes later. "My, but ya are a good kisser! If Ah had known that this mornin', well..."
"Mmm, I wish you had. You looked so cute sleeping, but I didn't think you'd stay asleep if I stole a kiss."
"Why ya little varmit!" Applejack stuck out her tongue and tousled Rainbow Dash's mane. "Ya snuck up on me an' hoped Ah'd do the stealin' fer ya."
Rainbow Dash giggled and ran a hoof along Applejack's blond mane. "It almost worked. So, anything still worrying you... dear?"
Applejack blushed and her heart skipped a beat hearing that. "Ah like the sound of that. Nah sugarcube, Ah think ya just solved all mah worries. Well, maybe the guest room, but we can sort that out later." Applejack scooted closer to her new love, hugging her close. Soon they fell asleep despite the early hour. Both slept soundly. Whatever may come, that was the future's problem. For now, they had each other.
