The Book of AppleDash

Chapters

Chapter 1- The Book of AppleDash
Chapter 2- The Dinner
Chapter 3- Treehouse Talk
Chapter 4- The Oatson
Chapter 5- Penny
Chapter 6- The Conversation
Chapter 7- Ice Cream
Chapter 8- Nightmare Night Part 1

Chapter 1- The Book of AppleDash

“Huh?”

Apple Bloom dropped the apple buckets from her back. She cautiously glanced around the tree she was working on to investigate the quiet plop she just heard. From the faint sound the object drew, Apple Bloom guessed it wasn’t an apple and was probably much lighter than one. Apple Bloom was surprised she heard a sound that low in volume, but then again, Apple Bloom seemed to have better hearing than most fillies her age. Apple Bloom didn’t necessarily know why exactly, she just guessed it had to do with her farm upbringing. That usually explained it.

At first, she didn’t see it. The grass was growing tall this year, and Apple Bloom often had trouble finding pens and bits in the stuff. After closer inspection, however, she finally spotted a small area of grass where the leaves seemed to bend from holding the weight of a solid object. What made this area so interesting to Apple Bloom was that it was located directly under Celestia’s sun, which meant that the object couldn’t have been an apple, unless the apple rolled down from a tree which the yellow filly doubted.

‘Ah wonder what that thing can be? Maybe a bird? Something from a pegasus? Well, there’s only one way to find out.’ Carefully, Apple Bloom began to creep towards the unidentifiable object that lay only feet ahead of her, her excitement, and irrational fear, brimming.

As she got closer to the object, she spotted what for a second she thought was claws, which caused her to stop moving and start breaking into a cold sweat. After she forced herself to continue pressing forward, Apple Bloom saw they were just metal spirals connected to a slightly larger rectangular object. Finally, when Apple Bloom was close enough to get a good view of the thing, she sighed a breath of relief.

It was just a purple spiral notebook, nothing special about it all. Nothing really seemed off about it, just something a Pegasus probably dropped from their saddlebags on their way home. She noticed there were large black letters located on the purple cover, so she repositioned herself around the book to read them.

The filly gingerly picked up the notebook with her hooves, and read out loud, ‘The Book Of AppleDash: The Guide to Forming a True Pairing With The Ponies Rainbow Dash and Applejack.’

Apple Bloom froze, causing the notebook to fall forward from her hooves, landing letter side up on the tall, green grass. ‘Why does this book mention my sister? And Rainbow? Is somepony here pulling mah leg?’ Apple Bloom looked around her farm, but only saw green-red apple trees ripe for the picking. ‘Maybe there’s somepony hiding behind one of these here trees. Maybe Sweetie or Scoots or something. This would be their style of a prank. Lousy prank includin’ my sister in it.’

“This ain’t funny!” Apple Bloom called out to the apples, shaking her hoof for emphasis. Yet nothing but the gentle October breeze seemed to respond to her outbursts. Lowering her hoof, she looked back down at the notebook, and thoughts of rage and betrayal were quickly replaced with those of curiosity.

What was in that notebook? Did it truly contain a guide to romance, specifically the romance of her sister and Rainbow Dash? She never really spotted anything going on between the two mares, yet she seemed to lack certain realizations when it came to love. That Hearts and Hooves Day disaster certainly came to mind. The only time Apple Bloom ever truly learned about romance was from those comedic renditions of Rarity’s sappy romance that Sweetie Belle mocked at the CMC Official Sleepovers. Maybe, just maybe, this book could give her some pointers. Just because the young Apple wasn’t too knowledgeable about romance didn’t mean she didn’t care about impressing the colts at the Ponyville schoolhouse.

Apple Bloom also struggled to comprehend that her big sister may be gay. Now obviously, Apple Bloom had no problem with lesbian relationships. Same-sex relationships were just a natural part of society in Equestria, especially in Ponyville. But Rainbow Dash and Applejack behaved like stallions so much Apple Bloom like to joke they were stallions stuck in a mare’s body. Was that just an example of lebianism? Would the book tell her that? Could the book contain answers to all of her lesbian centered questions?

Even as her mind argued with herself to leave the stupid book alone, Apple Bloom saw her hoof extending towards the fallen notebook, determined to read it’s contents.

“APPLE BLOOM! SOUPS READY! COME ON BACK TO THE HOUSE FOR SOME LUNCH!”

Apple Bloom’s hooves jolted back up and instinctively trotted towards the house. She made it past the tree she was working on until the distraction before stopping. She looked back over towards the general direction of the book. Even though she couldn’t see it, she could still feel it’s intriguing allure calling to her curiosity. Why couldn’t she just take it? It would only be as an experiment to prove it’s legitimacy. What’s the harm in that? She’d be like Twilight Sparkle. She was always experimenting with new and exciting things when she first came to Ponyville, and now she was a princess. So what if it was dropped by a passing pegasus? If they really cared about it so much, they should have taken better care of it.

Apple Bloom stomped her hoof on the ground. “Oh Tartarus, fine!” she cursed. She quickly trotted back to the flat plain of grass where the notebook dropped and picked it up with her mouth. Turning back around, she trotted back to the apple barrels and began to haphazardly shove the book into the piles of multi-colored apples. This book needed to avoid the detection of Applejack. There was NO WAY that would turn into anything other than a disaster.

“The purpose of this book is to help initiate the romantic pairing between the mares Applejack and Rainbow Dash. The rules of the book are the following:

“1-The following steps will start on the next page. Once the step is completed, it will be crossed out and the next step will appear. There can be no skipping steps, the steps must be completed in order. There is no time limit to complete the steps unless specified otherwise. The steps will mostly involve some form of participation to achieve romantic success.

“That concludes the rule of the notebook. Don’t screw up. Don’t know how you could really mess it up, just follow the steps you silly filli- I-I mean random mares who found this book. Or stallions!”

Scootaloo looked up from the notebook she was reading from and turned to the bed which Apple Bloom was laying in. “Uh, Apple Bloom? Those final few sentences were really weird. I’m kinda convinced somepony’s pulling your hind-leg here.”

Apple Bloom raised a hoof to the ceiling. “If you think that’s weird Scoots, just turn to the next page.” Instead, Scootaloo closed the book and gently layed it on the floor before giving it a pat.

“You know what Apple Bloom, I’m actually good. This is WAY too weird for me, and I have no intention of talking about this thing any- HEY, SWEETIE!”

Mid-sentence, Sweetie Belle reached over Scootaloo to grab the notebook. She was now quickly opening it again and flipping to the next page. “Sweetie, give it back!”

The unicorn filly briefly looked up from the book to address the orange pegasus. “Oh come on, you can’t tell me you don’t want to know what the first step is! In a potentially magical book!?”

Scootaloo stubbornly stomped her right forehoof on the ground. “Hay no! Why should I care about Rainbow Dash’s personal life?” Several seconds passed. “Okay, fine, yes I do care about Rainbow Dash’s personal life.” Scootaloo hurriedly walked over to Sweetie Belle’s position on the floor of Apple Bloom’s bedroom, and together they silently read out the single line on the 2nd page.

It was a good solid minute of silence after the two fillies read the step, and Apple Bloom stared at the silent ponies from her bed, waiting for a surprising response any moment. Sweetie Belle finally broke the silence by looking up from the book, her brow furrowed. “Wait, what does ‘come out’ mean?”

Apple Bloom rolled off her bed on the floor and threw her hooves in the air. “How should ah know? Ah thought you two would tell me!”

Scootaloo rubbed her forehead with both hooves, her small wings twitching on habit. “Wait, wait. Why does Applejack need to ‘come out’ to get this AppleDash name? Stupid name by the way. Real clever, idiot.”

Sweetie Belle lightly smacked Scootaloo on the back of the head before giving her own thought on the strange term. “I think Rarity said something about Lyra and Bon Bon coming out, and that was around the time their relationship became public in Ponyville. Maybe that has something to do with it?”

Apple Bloom walked over to Sweetie Belle and snatched the book from the floor. She then walked back near her bed and struggled to cram the spiral notebook in the unorganized, messy drawer of her nightstand. After several unsuccessful tries, she finally managed to jam the book in the drawer, and pushed the drawer back closed. She then turned back around to face the sitting Sweetie Belle.

“Alright, now we’re getting somewhere, but ah still have no idea what it means!”

“OOH OOH OOH! I THINK I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS!” Scootaloo yelled, smacking Sweetie in the face with a flailing hoof. Her wings were on the fritz, flapping so fast Scootalo hovered a bit off the ground

“OW! Be careful with that hoof, will you?” the unicorn scolded, rubbing her now sore muzzle as if to try to rub the pain out of it.

Scootaloo stooped hovering for a bit, and a sheepish smile appeared on her face. “Heh heh, sorry about that Sweetie. Got a little carried away there.” With the apology covered, Scootaloo turned to Apple Bloom, who was leaning against her mattress with her hooves crossed, excitement once again taking hold. “I think I know what ‘coming out’ means!”

Apple Bloom raised her eyebrow, intrigued. “What?”

Scoots also stood up on all fours and began to pace around the room, her wings once again flapping with a vengeance. “Well think about it. Apparently, Sweetie’s sister said that Lyra and Bon Bon came out when their relationship became known to all of Ponyville. This means that it can mean only one thing!”

Scootaloo stopped pacing when she was only inches away from Apple Bloom’s face, her smile brimming with excitement. “Do you see where I’m going with this?”

Apple Bloom began to lean her own face away from Scootaloo’s, sweat forming on her brow. “Uhhhhh, nooo?”

Scootaloo took a few steps back, then jumped in the air, almost smashing her head on the wooden roof of the bedroom. Her wings were able to suspend Scootaloo in the air for a couple more seconds, enough to let out her following message: “It means it’s when a pony finally decides to enter a public relationship!” Pleased with her conclusion, Scootaloo gently landed back down on the floor, eagerly anticipating Apple Bloom’s response with big eyes and a wide smile.

Apple Bloom rubbed her chin with a hoof, letting the words sink in. “You know, that actually makes some sense.” Scootaloo’s smile widened, her pride skyrocketing.”

Momentarily forgetting about her sore nose, Sweetie Belle shot up on all fours and clapped her forehooves together. “I think you’re right Scootaloo. It all makes sense considering Applejack. Think Apple Bloom, how private is Applejack about her romantic life? Don't you think she needs some confidence to search out for love?”

Apple Bloom walked on over to her window, gazing out towards the many, many trees that occupied Sweet Apple Acres. Sure enough, she found Applejack working on a cluster of particularly ripe looking trees, nothing but concentration carved on her face. She always seemed to be infatuated with work and friendship. Maybe she needed some convincing to pursue romance. Apple Bloom looked back at Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, who were both looking back at her with anticipation. “You know what girls? Ah think you have a point”

“Yes!” Scootaloo exclaimed as she pumped her fists in the air, leaving one hanging. “Give me a bump Sweetie!” Sweetie enthusiastically accepted the offer, the bump echoing across the room.

Apple Bloom raised a hoof to try to calm the girls down. “When should ah try to get mah sister to ‘come out’ then?”

“Why not tonight?” Sweetie offered.

“Tonight!?” Apple Bloom exclaimed, taken aback. “Why should ah do it so soon? The book said there ain’t no rush to get it done, and besides, the book could still be a load of hooey, let’s not forget. How do we know it will actually work?”

Scootaloo raised her hand up for an answer as if that would actually accomplish anything. “Come on, Apple Bloom. Even if this book doesn’t mean anything, there’s no harm done really if you make your sister ‘come out’. So why not tonight? It’s not like this could get complicated or anything. What do you say?” Done with her explanation, Sweetie and Scootaloo eagerly awaited Apple Bloom’s answer.

With a reluctant sigh, the earth filly gave in. “Fine, ah’ll do it.”

“Yes!”

“But girls, you have to promise not to tell anypony else about this plan and the notebook. If anypony else were to find out about that there notebook, it would cause a whole mess of trouble. And whatever happens, we won’t make this a repeat of Hearts and Hooves Day.”

The mere mention of that day caused the three to shudder. Apple Bloom stretched her hoof out, a wide smile on her face. “Crusader promise on three?”

“Yeah!” exclaimed the two fillies simultaneously as they joined their hooves with Apple Bloom’s.

“One.”

“Two.”

“Three!”

At once the fillies all threw their outstretched hooves in the air, yelling “CUTIE MARK CRUSADER PROMISE, YEAH!”

Chapter 2- The Dinner

“Uh, sis? Can ah ask you a question?”

Applejack looked up from her early dinner of leftover apple soup and across the table to Apple Bloom. She smiled, “What kind of question is that? Of course, you can ask me a question, we’re sisters! You don’t need to ask!”

Instead of asking the intended question, Apple Bloom fixed her gaze on the floor, tapping her hooves diligently together. “Uh, what if it’s kinda personal?”

This got Big Mac’s attention as he now looked up from the other end of his table and stared at Apple Bloom with newfound curiosity. Granny Smith still remained oblivious to all surroundings, choosing instead to take small sips of her soup.

Applejack's smile didn’t waver. She leaned across the table and layed a gentle hoof on Apple Bloom’s slumping shoulders. “C’mon sugarcube! We’ve lived together for fourteen years now! Ain’t nothing going to be too personal to ask me!” Apple Bloom looked up from her gaze on the floor, staring at Applejack with wide eyes.

“Are you sure sis?”

Applejack’s smile somehow managed to widen even further. “Ah’m sure!” Applejack leaned back into her chair and lifted a mug of cider. “Now, run that question by me.”

Big Mac was leaning on the edge of his seat, hanging on to every word between his two sisters. He had to know what was on his little sis’s mind! Granny Smith still paid no attention to her grandchildren’s intensity.

Apple Bloom shakily exhaled. Well, here goes nothing. All at once, Apple Bloom slammed her tiny hooves on the table, hoisted herself up a couple of inches, and loudly asked “Applejack, do you need to come out!?”

“PBBBBFFFFFFTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!”

“BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH!”

“Ah come on sis!” Apple Bloom complained as she wiped away the apple juice dripping from her face. “I didn’t expect a reaction like that. An’ Big Mac! What’s so funny?” The red stallion was hanging on the wooden table for dear life, his laughing fit threatening to cause him to crash on the floor below. He rarley ever lost control of his emotions so violently, especially when it came to humor. Quite frankly, it terrified both Apple sisters. Granny Smith looked up from her soup to her grandchildren, watching the chaos unfold as a silent observer.

“Ah- ah’m sor-sorry, hehe,” MacIntosh stammered out trying, and failing miserably, at keeping his laughter in check. Finally, the red stallion managed to compose himself to a certain degree of calm, letting loose shaky breath after shaky breath. Meanwhile, Applejack was coughing madly from her sudden spit-take. She finally managed to turn to Apple Bloom and asked a simple question: “What in the hay do you mean ‘I didn’t expect a reaction like that?’ You can’t just ask that type of question willy-nilly to anypony!”

Apple Bloom felt herself getting defensive. “C’mon sis! Ah get you don’t like anypony messin’ around in your personal business, but you comin’ out has been a long time comin’.”

“A long time com-” Applejack face hoofed. Another burst of giggles arose from Mac’s side of the table but was silenced quickly with a glare from his little sis. Applejack then turned to Granny Smith, who still maintained her stance as a silent observer. In fact, she looked as if she would return to her now cool soup any minute.

Applejack turned her glare back at her little sister. “Apple Bloom, now you listen here young filly. You know I ain’t comfortable with talkin’ about my personal life. If I had anything to say, then ah’ll say it on my own darn time. But you listen here Apple Bloom, I ain’t-”

Applejack’s explanation was cut short with Apple Bloom’s own hurried retort. “Y’know sis, I find it kinda ironic I’m more comfortable with my own personal life than you.”

Applejack cocked a curious eyebrow. “Oh yeah? An’ whatever do you mean by that?”

“That ah’m comin’ out before you!”

WHAT!?” the older siblings yelled in unison. Big Mac, who after his brief giggling fit, was now stuck in the middle between anger and confusion, glaring at Apple Bloom with big green eyes. Meanwhile, Granny Smith finally did something different than staring. She leaned back into her rocking chair, which she always brought to the dinner table, and watched Apple Bloom, and only Apple Bloom, with a sense of curiosity.

“Apple Bloom, what in the hay would make you say such things? You can’t actually be serious?” The orange earth pony struggled to keep her sudden anger from leaking into her words.

Most fillies would have caved in by now. They would have apologized and promised they would refrain from asking such stupid topics ever again. However, Apple Bloom was not like most fillies. She had a question to ask and darn it she would get answers.

“Applejack, ah’ve been thinking about this for a while, and I’m sure as sure can be that I’m ready to get into the dating game. Ah’m fourteen years old! Not only that but ah’ve got a cutie mark now! You’re older than me by several years now, an’ I’m more in touch with my romantic life than you are. It’s time to confess now Applejack, and ah’m not going to take no for an answer!”

Shock. That was probably the best way to describe the Apple siblings, especially the mare in question. Applejack’s mouth was hanging wide open, only able to stutter the beginnings of some sort of retort. A ruby red blush began to blossom quickly away from her orange muzzle across her face. Big Mac had his face planted on the dinner table, threatening to send it crashing on his forgotten soup bowl at any moment.

Even Apple Bloom herself was in shock. She fell back into the chair in a daze, not even feeling her flank hit the seat. She began wondering if she took it too far. She lost herself in her outburst, and she didn’t even feel like it was her who actually said any of it. Besides, the book could still be a load of hooey for all she knew, and she was still acting all wild with it. Not only that, but that word, “coming out”, seemed to pack a lot more emotional bite than Apple Bloom thought it would. Sure, she expected Applejack to get a little embarrassed, but Applejack was as red as her namesake right now. Apple Bloom wondered if she should apologize, and hope to Celestia this wouldn’t put a permanent dent in their sisterly relationship.

The awkward atmosphere finally ended by none other than Granny Smith, who couldn’t keep herself from chuckling as she rocked. “Well, ah havta say ah sure wasn’t prepared for that. But it was neva’ mah business what Apples did in their free time. If’n you’re sure about this Apple Bloom, I guess it’s aright with me. I take it it’s alright with everypony else around this here table?”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac apologized, a kindly smile on his face as he slowly lifted his muzzle from the tabletop. He then, like every other pony around the table, turned to look at Applejack for a similar answer. The orange pony seemed unaware of her sudden placement in the spotlight, instead preferring to watch herself twist her hooves together and mumble something incoherent.

“Applejack? Your answer?” Granny Smith croaked. She tapped her hooves impatiently against the table, waiting for Applejack to answer. Finally, after a couple more tense seconds, Applejack looked up, noticeably pale and sweaty.

“Uh actually I have somethin’ I need to get off mah chest, an’ I think if I don’t say it now, I may never give myself this chance again.”

Despite herself, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but smile victoriously. ‘It worked! See, why did ah ever doubt mahself? Ah jus’ convinced mah sister to come out. Ah better check on that book after dinner then, see if anythin’ changed.

Granny Smith raised an eyebrow at the sweaty Applejack, before giving her a nod for her to start talking. Mug Mac was leaning on the edge of his chair, desperately waiting to hear his sister's new secret.

Applejack sighed before nervously laying her hooves down on the table, and spoke. “Ah’ve known about this since I was maybe Apple Bloom's age, an’ I’ve been keepin it to myself for around a decade now. Ah was gonna tell y'all eventually, and under less… hostile conditions, but ah think if I don’t spill it out now, it’s going to be a long while before I bring up the courage to confess again. Ah’m… ah'm gay.”

‘Yes! Yes! Ah did it! She came out! She came… wait. What did she say now?’ Apple Bloom’s smile vanished and was replaced with a frown of confusion. “Uh, Applejack? Why did you-” She was cut off with a venomous glare from Granny, and the filly collapsed back into the chair. Her mind was racing a mile a minute, trying to find the mistake she made.

Apple Bloom’s frantic inner thoughts were cut off as Applejack began to speak once again with a shaky breath. “Y’know, ah always thought that when ah eventually came out, I would have a lot of things to tell y'all about it. Now ah’ve finally done it, an’ honestly? Ah can’t think of anything to say! Ah just…

“... it’s just that ah’ve kept from telling everyone for so long now because ah was afraid of what y'all would say. Now I know how supportive you seem to be of this now, but back then… ah was scared of how you react. Even then ah kinda’ knew ya’ll would be fine with it, but there was this... doubt ah still had. Kinda like mah own lie ah’ guess, just this irrational fear yall would hate me if ah told ya’ll ah was a fillyfooler.”

After several seconds of silence, Apple Bloom decided now was a good time to dispel this confusion about her being a fillyfooler. She lifted her gaze from the floor to across the dinner table and was shocked to find big green, tear-stained eyes staring at her. Applejack bore a small smile and when she spoke, it was with a grateful tone, as if somepony had just lifted a great burden from her mind.

“Apple Bloom, ah can’t thank you enough for tonight. Even if you kind of put me on edge with your yellin’ and all, the end result certainly helped me out a ton. Mentally, maybe even physically. An’ hey, ah just want to let you know ah’ve got your flank here little sis. Now you're young, so still keep your options open, but ah’m proud you were able to come out at such an earlier age than me. You’re a bigger pony than ah ever was in that regard” Applejack then reached across the table and gently ruffled Apple Bloom’s hair, straightened her bow, and fell back into her chair without a sound

Apple Bloom kept her mouth shut based on basic principles. She finally understood the mistake she made, an’ some stupid pegasus was going to sure get it tomorrow. However, now was not the time to correct it. Applejack needed familial support right now, and she decided telling everypony she wasn’t actually gay wouldn’t help in any way for Applejack. Still, it nearly broke the filly’s heart that her sister’s newfound trust in her was built on a misunderstanding of words. A lie.

Applejack blinked her eyes several times in surprise. “Heh heh, guess ah said a lot about it after all.”

Big Mac chuckled on Applejack’s left side. “Heh, ah guess you did sis.”

“Don’ worry about it none Applejack. Jus’ like lil Apple Bloom over yonder, we’re all fine with it. Apples are meant to support each other, after all.’ Granny Smith grinned wildly, and Applejack couldn’t help but feel a sudden rush of calm wash over her. The apple fell off the tree, and her family was okay with it, even supportive. Even Apple Bloom and she now had something new in common, something they could both relate to. Sure, Apple Bloom was still young, and this could be just experimentation, but it wasn’t right to dwell on such matters now. What mattered was that now, after ten years, Applejack was finally comfortable with her sexuality. There were just some other ponies that needed to know.

Applejack wiped the flow of tears from her eyes, and trotted over to the opposite side towards the front exit, lifting her hat from the metal coat rack.

“Where you goin’ sis?” MacIntosh called from the other room.

“It’s still early evening out,” Applejack called back. “I reckon I can get to all mah friends' houses before it gets too dark, an’ make some arrangements for brunch at SugarCube Corner tomorrow mornin’. To tell them about this whole thing. About damn time ah did so.” With one final glance and smile at the dinner table, Applejack finally made her leave.

Big Mac left the table soon after, giving some excuse about closing the barn for the night. Maybe he just needed some to think about dinner. Apple Bloom then helped Granny Smith to her favorite napping chair in the small but cozy living room.

“Now you be a doll dearie and head to bed right after you're done tucking me in, you hear? It’s been a long day for everyon’”.

“Yes Granny,” Apple Bloom replied obediently. After making sure the blanket was firmly wrapped around Granny, Apple Bloom wasted no time dragging herself up the oak stairs and sliding under her covers. Even when comparing it to harvest season, Apple Bloom swore her bed never felt more comfortable than that night. In the midst of her current mood, the little filly forgot all about the book in her nightstand next to her bed. The next morning, drowsiness would give way to excitement as she would fling open the nightstand for the notebook, hoping for proof that the book was the real deal. For now, Apple Bloom would give herself to sleep, hoping that tomorrow, things would make so much more sense than they did now.

Chapter 3- Treehouse Talk

‘Whack’

“Ow! What the heck was that for?” Scootaloo complained while rubbing her now throbbing forehead with a hoof.

“I’ll tell ya what that was for ya varmint! You embarrassed me yesterday! To think I ever trusted you!” Apple Bloom raised a hoof up in anger, which Sweetie Belle slowly lowered. These fights broke so often between Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle could rival Twilight Sparkle with her peacemaking abilities. Even before they found that notebook, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom just couldn’t see eye to eye on anything. Just that week, the two got into an argument about what the best Ice Cream flavor was at a party. Sweetie Belle personally enjoyed Rum Raisin but apparently, an argument over Vanilla and Chocolate could nearly spawn a entire school war.

“Hey Apple Bloom, just calm down,” Sweetie Belle soothed. “I’m sure that whatever happened last night, Scootaloo didn’t mean it.”

“Didn’t mean it? I didn’t even do anything!”

“Ya sure did! How about you stop giving me stupid answers from now on?”

“How about I give you a big ol’ sock in the muzzle?” Scootaloo threatened as she began to storm towards Apple Bloom.

“Sounds good to me!” Apple Bloom spat right back, straightening her bow like it was some ancient fighting exercise.

“Now hold on, just wait. Wait! WAIT!” Sweetie Belle slammed her hoof on the wooden floor, causing the whole treehouse to shake from the impact. When two idiots won’t listen, sometimes you have to take a more… direct approach. It certainly worked, as Scootaloo stopped in her tracks and Apple Bloom dropped her hooves from her hair.

When she was confident that she had everypony’s attention, she pulled out that same sweet smile she always pulled during situations like this. If she learned anything from Rarity, it was how to break up a dramatic situation, even if more drama was required. “Now Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and I were just sitting here quietly waiting for Pipsqueak to show up to his appointment. Then you came in here and started hitting on Scootaloo without telling us what’s the matter. Now let me take a wild guess: it’s about the book isn’t it?”

Apple Bloom kept quiet for a couple of seconds before cracking, giving out a wordless nod. Before Sweetie Belle could continue her questioning, Scootaloo spoke up. “Uh, Sweetie Belle?”

“Yes, Scootalo?”

“When you said she was hitting on me, I don’t think that was the right term. You see when you say that-”

Scootaloo’s ramblings were promptly cut off with a yelp as a green magical aura took hold of her right forearm. Scootaloo looked up to see Sweetie Belle frowning, her horn aglow with a green light.

“Scootaloo,” the white unicorn said with a touch of authority in her voice, “if you ask another stupid question, I’m going to drag you over here, and somepony might or might not get hurt. Understand?”

“But I didn’t ask a quest-”

“Understand?”

“Uh, y-yes?” Scootaloo whimpered.

“Good!” Sweetie Belle released her magic from Scootaloo, her smile reappearing as if it never left her face at all. “Now then…

“Apple Bloom, what happened with the book yesterday?” Sweetie Belle gasped as a sudden thought came to her mind. “No! Don’t tell me the book’s fake! That was going to be the one exciting thing this week! I mean, Rarity was going to take me gem hunting, but she never lets me touch any of them. They’re so shiny!” Sweetie whined.

Apple Bloom lifted up a hoof to calm her friend down. “Woah, relax there Sweetie Belle. The notebook worked out just fine.”

The other fillies gasped in excitement. A slight buzzing sound could be heard from the rapid flapping of Scootaloo’s stubby wings. “Wow!” the orange pegasus exclaimed. “It really does work! We found something magical!’ The buzzing sound suddenly began to decrease in volume as Scootaloo became confused. “Wait… then what did I do wrong? Your sister coming out was a great success, right?”

“Yeah about that…” Apple Bloom trailed off, returning her hostility to the orange filly with a steely-eyed glare. “You got that definition wrong. Comin’ out doesn’t mean admitting to public relationships. Well, not really. It means if you’re a fillyfooler or not.” A couple of seconds went by for the others to process what that truly meant. Before they were able to ask any more questions, however, Apple Bloom spoke back up. ”An’ ah may have kinda... told my family that ah was comin’ out before ah realized what it really meant.”

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were left speechless for several seconds, struggling to process what they just heard. Apple Bloom couldn’t help but glance at each of them trying to figure out how they would respond to her misery. Most likely through laughter. Lots of it.
Sure enough, after what seemed like hours, a sound broke the silence: “Pbftttttttttt!”

“Oh come on Sweetie! Ah thought you would at least try to hold it in?”

“I-I’m sorry, I just c-HAAAAAAHAHAHAH.” Sweetie Belle put a shaking hoof in front of her smiling face while backing away from Apple Bloom as if that would do anything to help. “I’m really sorry I just-“

Her words were cut off as she bumped into a giggling Scootaloo, and that was it. Both fell to the floor, laughing at their tumble before remembering why they were laughing in the first place. This only caused them to laugh even harder. The treehouse echoed gales of laughter that Apple Bloom bet all of Ponyville could hear. A buzzing sound could be heard throughout the treehouse’s interior but was mostly drowned out by the laughing. Each attempt to get back up was simply in vain as their shaking bodies seemed to fail the two fillies.

Apple Bloom patiently waited for the two “friends” to stop, blushing slightly. She knew trying to get them to stop herself would just be a losing effort. Surely her situation couldn’t be that hilarious. After several years of continuing laughter, Scootaoo and Sweetie Belle returned to their hooves, their fits of laughter reduced to small bursts of chuckles. Scootaloo was the first to speak out, and it was the obvious question: “Why did you do that?”

“Ah thought if ah came out first, it would get mah sister to be more comfortable, an’ she would come out after. An’ guess what? It worked!”

“Wait, Apple Bloom,” Sweetie Belle snickered as she trotted over to Apple Bloom’s position near the treehouse’s left window and laid a hoof across her shoulder. “Do you have something to tell us?”

Apple Bloom shoved the hoof away. “ Come on now Sweetie Belle, knock it off! Ah’m not gay. Now let’s talk about that b-“

“You know, Diamond Tiara’s gay.”

“Scootaloo! How the hay does that have to do with anything?”

“Really? How do you know? Who told you?” Sweetie Belle questioned rapidly. The humor in her voice was gone, relaxed with a hunger for gossip.

Scootaloo shrugged. “She told me herself.”

“WHAT?!” gasped the other two together. “When?”

“She told me at that random Dessert Party in Sugarcube Corner last week. I saw her kissing somepony in secret. I asked her about it, she told me I didn’t need to know, I told her yes I do, she told me fine, I said spill me the goods, then she said-“

“Just get to the point!” Sweetie rushed.

“Jeez, I was just about to! Anyways, turns out she and Gold Case have a little thing going on.” Scootaloo winked.

“The daughter of the Cases? The ones that sell those antiques in the upper-class part of Ponyville?”

“Those are the ones!”

“Wow, ah never knew that. Diamond’s stopped asking to hang out lately, but she never told me she had a girlfriend.”

“Scootaloo, why didn’t you tell us earlier?”

Scootaloo squinted her face in thought. “ I'm pretty sure I told you guys actually. At the party. Why didn’t you…” Her facial features dropped as she remembered what happened. She turned to glare at Apple Bloom as if she just did something terribly wrong. “Oh, right that party.”

Apple Bloom seemed to remember as well, returning Scootaloo’s glare. “ Yeah, where we had that argument.”

“Right, because somepony doesn’t know how to eat ice cream.”

“Ahm thinking the same thing.”

“Heh heh heh, well the past is in the past. No need to get worked up over it!” Sweetie Belle imposed herself between the other two the second time that day, a nervous smile on her face. It seemed to work, as both fillies relaxed and relieved their glares from each other.

Sweetie Belle let out a sigh of relief before asking Apple Bloom, “So Apple Bloom, why don’t you show us the book? I’m sure you brought it, right?”

Apple Bloom nodded. “Uh yeah, that’s kinda what I wanted to show you girls.”

Sweetie Belle clapped her hooves together in excitement. “Great! Why don’t you show it to us. If this book is the real deal, that’s great news for Applejack and Rainbow Dash! Oh, I can already imagine them…”

“Uh yeah…” Apple Bloom responded awkwardly. She left Sweetie Belle and her daydreams and swiftly walked over to the entrance of the treehouse, where a saddlebag was propped up against one of the wooden door’s corners. There she rummaged through the packed bag, throwing random things here and there to make room for her search. These included several uneaten apple cores, two tickets to a year-old hoofball game, and a tennis racket. Finally, Apple Bloom found what she was looking for and pulled out a battered and beaten purple spiral notebook.

“Sheesh,” Scootaloo muttered. “How the heck is it that damaged already? And how was there so much stuff in there?”

“Hm?” Apple Bloom tilted her head towards the pegasus, unsure of what she just heard. The notebook was hanging from her mouth, a paper near the end threatening to fall through the cracks of the floor’s wooden planks.

“Nothing!” Scootaloo spurted out a little too quickly. Luckily, Apple Bloom only shrugged and walked to the center of the treehouse, kicking a few stray marbles on the way, and dropped the book on the floor with a plop.

This seemed to snap Sweetie Belle out of her daze and joined the rest of the Crusaders around the magical book. Apple Bloom opened the book and turned the first page, revealing the other side with the steps. Sure enough, the step that read “Get Applejack to come out” with what appeared to be black ink, and below it was a new step.

“Have Applejack buy Rainbow Dash an Oatson”

Scootaloo scratched her head after reading. “An Oatson? What’s that?”

Apple Bloom gasped as if Scootaloo just admitted strawberries were her favorite fruit. “Don’t tell me you don’t know what an Oatson is?”

Scootaloo just shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know, should I?”

Apple Bloom turned to Sweetie Belle, her mouth agape, “Come on Sweetie, you have to know what an Oatson is, right?”

Sweetie Belle tapped her chin in thought. “Hmmm, those are the expensive cowboy hats, right?”

Apple Bloom recoiled in shock, nearly banging into Scootaloo and almost tripping over a twirling pole. “They ain’t just ANY cowboy hats. Those things are made of only the finest material, an’ they feel like a sheepdog taking a big ol’ nap on your hair. Sis never let me get one though. Too expensive and unnecessary she says. Well ah’ll tell her… heh. Guess I got a little carried away there.”

“Wait, I’m confused. What would buying a hat for Rainbow Dash do for Applejack?”

Apple Bloom deadpanned at Scootaloo. “It’s a gift featherbrain. That’s what couples do.”

“Ooooooh, right.” Scootaloo didn’t catch Sweetie Belle at the corner of her eye pointing her horn at her leg.

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes, then turned to look out the window. “Ah’m a little cautious though about this whole thing though. Ah mean, Applejack’s at Sugarcube corner right now telling everypony the same thing she told us. Ah’m sure it’s too late now, but do you think… do you think that… wait.” Apple Bloom squinted through the window. “Hol’ on”

Apple Bloom rested her hoof on the entrances doorknob, and in a sudden yank pulled the door open. The door flung to the other side in a flash, leaving the colt against it leaning on air. The white and brown colt failed to keep his balance and fell on his stomach in the middle of the doorway. “Oh rats!” the colt replied in a very heavy and distinct accent.

Apple Bloom tried her hardest to keep from glaring at the newcomer. “Pip, what are you doing here?”

“What do you mean?” Pipsqueak asked. He began to stand back up and started brushing off the dust off his coat. “I was coming here for my appointment. It’s not my fault you weren’t ready!” He blinked in surprise. “...Why is there such a mess in here?”

“Pip,” Sweetie Belle said carefully, “how much did you hear?”

“Yeah Pipsqueak, what did you hear? Why were you listening to us, huh? What were you trying to do?” Scootaloo followed her interrogation by stretching out her undersized wings and arranging her body in an attacking form (“The Rainbow Dash Wild Animal Defense Form™”).

Pipsqueak began to tremble with fear. “ I swear, I just wondered why you all were laughing so much. I only listened to you a little bit, and I don’t even really understand it. Excluding the Diamond Tiara thing of course. I could see that coming a mile away. Just please don’t hurt me...” Pip squeaked out.

“Pip, relax. You’re fine. We ain’t goin’ to hurt you, so Scootaloo you can cut out.” Scootaloo snorted in protest but nonetheless relaxed her standing position.

Sweetie Belle walked over and laid a friendly hoof across Pip’s neck. “We’re so sorry Pip. We forgot about your appointment because of an argument. So why don’t we-“

“Say,” Pip interrupted. “I also heard something about an Oatson. If you need one of those, there’s this small little place downtown that sells those pretty cheap. Good condition too.

“Really?” Apple Bloom asked, excitement in her voice. “Ah’ve looked all over this place for an Oatson at a decent price an’ ah couldn’t find one. How did you find this place?”

“I don’t know. I’ve always been good at finding good discounts, even back at Trottingham.”

Sweetie Belle ruffled the colts brown mane as a friendly gesture. “I bet you are. Would you mind showing us this place?”

Pip nodded enthusiastically and pointed a hoof towards Ponyville. “Come on Crusaders! Follow me to the store!”

“Sure thing Pip!” Apple Bloom said with an equal amount of enthusiasm. Apple Bloom waved a hoof over her back. “Come on Scootaloo, let’s go!” With that, the three foals ran off.

“Wait! Who’s going to clean up this… mess…” She looked over the treehouse. Junk was littered all over the floor that Sweetie Belle tried so hard to clean. The notebook remained in the center of the room, teasing Scootaloo’s with its magical mystique. Scootaloo glared at the inanimate object. “How many messes am I going to clean up because of you?”

Chapter 4- The Oatson

“How many times do ah have to tell ya, Apple Bloom? Ah ain’t gettin’ Rainbow that hat!” Applejack snapped at her little sister. With that, Applejack focused her attention back on the tree in front of her. She reared her legs up and, with an incredible amount of force, bucked them hard against the ripe apple tree. As if on a schedule, the apples all fell at the same time, landing neatly into the surrounding apple baskets. “Alright Apple Bloom, pick em’ up!”

Apple Bloom grumbled something unintelligible before going around to collect all the baskets. Unfortunately for her, Applejack heard. “Now what did ah hear you say there?”

“Nothin’ Applejack,” Apple Bloom murmured.

Still, Applejack persisted. “Now ah heard you say somethin’ an’ I want to know what it was.”

“Really Applejack, I didn’t say anythin’. Ah, swear,” Apple Bloom said with the basket in her teeth.

Applejack sighed and locked eyes with the little filly. “Apple Bloom, ah know you want me to be happy, but ah’m still not comfortable getting into a relationship right now.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Mah friends have accepted me an’ all when ah told them, but ah think ah jus’ need to… explore my options before I start dating, ya know?”

“Yep.”

“Don’t get me wrong, Rainbow’s a fine mare an’ all, but I don’t think it would work out. She’s lazy, ah’m hard working. She’s an egomaniac, and I prefer to stay humble. Ah appreciate you lookin’ out for me, but it just wouldn’t work out.”

“Sure.”

Applejack sighed. “Apple Bloom, are you even listening to me?”

Apple Bloom was now carrying one full basket, heading towards the apple cart a few feet behind Applejack. There was a distant look in her eyes as if somepony just snatched all her hope and dreams away from her. “Of course. Let’s just go to the next tree”

Applejack shook her head sadly. “When will that filly learn she can’t control everything she ain’t happy with?”

“This makes no sense. How could she refuse? Everything was going according to plan!” Scootaloo was pacing around the walls of the CMC treehouse, freaking out. Her mane was a mess from the constant pulling she inflicted on it due to stress. Sweetie Belle was sitting in a corner, a hoof over her mouth in a thinking motion, and Apple Bloom was lying on her back near the exit, staring up at the wooden ceiling.

“You told her everything, right? You said that Rainbow Dash mentioned she wanted an Oatson? Did you tell her the price? 40 bits! That has to be cheap, right?”

“I told her everything Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom said in a defeated tone. She never took her eyes off the ceiling. “She still said no. Just forget about it.”

“Forget about it?” Scootaloo stopped her pacing to instead glare at Apple Bloom. “AB, this is the most exciting thing that’s happened to me in a month! Now you’re just going to quit because of one little speed bump?”

“It’s not just going to be just one speed bump for long.”

Scootaloo threw her hooves out in exasperation. “You don’t know that Apple Bloom! C’mon now, get your head back in the game an-“

“Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom spoke again, this time with enough bite to it to get Scootaloo to shut it. Apple Bloom finally turned to face Scootaloo, her face sunken and her eyes distant.

“Scoots, you don’t understand. Ah know mah sister, an’ that just reminded me how this whole thing is goin' to go down. My sister is so incredibly stubborn Scootaloo, an’ ah mean really stubborn. If she doesn’t have a good feelin’ about somethin’ then she ain’t goin’ to do that somethin’.”

“What are you talking about Apple Bloom? You got her to come out, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, ah did. After ah came out. It was a friendly environment then, so she finally felt comfortable tellin’ us. She never tried tellin’ us before because she was sure it would end up badly.

“Mah sister jumps into danger and helps out any pony she can. Ah’ve lived with her mah entire life and ah’ve always admired her selflessness. But she’s so… familiar with all those situations she gets herself into. When somethin’ new happens… she panics.”

Apple Bloom had long returned her gaze back to the ceiling of the treehouse, but she didn’t need to look at Scootaloo anymore to hold her attention.

“She has never been in a relationship before. She focuses too much on her work, cause that’s familiar. You’re right Scoots, this is just one-speed bump. But how many more are we goin’ to face? We don’t even know about Rainbow yet, what if she’s the same way! Ah’m done interfering with my sister and her love life. Ah’ve finally realized there’s no use tryin’.”

Scootaloo's mouth fumbled for words, anything to argue back with Apple Bloom. Scootaloo knew it would work out eventually, they just needed to keep trying. She believed it would get easier, and she wanted Apple Bloom to believe that too.

It was during this tense thought process that Sweetie Belle let loose the loudest “A-HA” either fillies have ever heard. It even managed to snap Apple Bloom back from her bout of depression, who was now rubbing at her throbbing ears.

“Sweetie Belle!” Scootaloo shouted, covering her ears in case of another barrage of ear shouting exclamations. “Calm down, you scared the crap out of me!”

Sweetie smiled apologetically. “Heh, sorry about that. Anyways, I figured out how to get past this step!”

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow. “Go on,” Scootaloo said cautiously.

Sweetie Belle was back to full excitement as she explained her master plan. “What if we brought the Oatson for Rainbow Dash and told her Applejack got it for her?”

Scootaloo shook her head in disappointment, causing Sweetie Belle's wide smile to fall. “Sweetie Belle, it said Applejack needed to buy Rainbow Dash the hat, not us.”

“A-HA!” Sweetie Belle shouted in her defense, causing a tremor to shake the treehouse. “It also said most of the rules would require some sort of participation from us. So we should be in the clear!” She banged her hoof against the floor, proud of her deductive reasoning.

Needless to say, today was not the treehouse’s day.

Scootaloo’s wings began to twitch, and she felt a stupidly wide grin coming on. “You really think so?”

“Makes sense to me,” Apple Bloom said, apparently deciding to add herself back into the conversation with a healthy dose of melancholy. The sulking filly was now back on her hooves and already had her saddlebags hitched on her back.

“That’s the spirit, Apple Bloom!” Scootaloo patted her friend on the back as a friendly gesture. Apple Bloom didn’t even seem to register the contact. “I knew you’d snap out of that funk and get back into this. Now-“

“Ah’m still not doing this Scoots, ah was just sayin you’re right.”

“...what?”

Apple Bloom sighed and pointed at one of her bags. “Just take the book from my saddlebag. Ah don’t want anything to do with this right now. Ahm just gonna go back to my room and, I dunno, think.”

Scootaloo gulped at the bulging saddlebags that hung down Apple Bloom’s sides. “Um, okay then.”

After five minutes of rummaging, and after everything was smashed back in the cramped bags, Apple Bloom bid her two friends a wordless goodbye and left them with the magical notebook to head back to the farm.

“Jeez!” Sweetie Belle spoke up from the corner. “It looks like Applejack’s rejection really did something to her. She’s never been this down before! I wonder why…”

Scootaloo stared in disbelief at the oblivious unicorn. “Did you not just hear anything she told me? Like, anything at all?”

Sweetie Belle rolled it over in her brain, then shrugged. “No, not really. I was too busy trying to find out how to give Rainbow the hat.”

“It took you that long to figure that out?”

“Well if it’s so easy to figure out, then why didn’t you think it up before me?” Sweetie Belle retorted.

“You know what? How about I’ll tell you later and instead we’ll conduct this grand plan of yours for Applejack to give that Oatson to Rainbow Dash without Applejack even knowing about it?”

Sweetie Belle jumped back up on all four hooves to walk on over to Scootaloo. “You know,” Sweetie Belle said as she casually draped an arm over Scootaloo’s back, “I think that sounds like a great idea.”

“Fine, I guess,” Scootaloo sighed. Let’s just go.

‘Great!” Sweetie cheered as she began to trot towards the entrance, magical notebook in magical tow, before stopping to turn back around to Scootaloo with a sheepish grin. “So uh, can you pay? Heh, I’m kind of broke at the moment.”

Scootaloo facehooved.

“It’s just so unlike her, ya know? I get she’s upset, but she’s taking it harder than I thought. I mean, she never talks like that! She’s usually so down to earth, but now she’s speaking a lot like you, Sweetie Belle!”

“I… don’t know if that’s a compliment or an insult.”

“How about both? See, there’s a mind screw for you. Anyways, I’m worried about her. I don’t think she expected this whole thing to be this challenging. She just needs to give this whole thing a chance. It’s like she’s trying to be more mature about this whole thing than she really needs to be. Why do you have to think about this so much? Just get two mares together, make them happy, and call it quits. She shouldn’t be taking this so seriously

“She does have a good point though. We still don’t know what’s going to happen with Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash is awesome, she’s a Wonderbolt, Equestria’s fastest flyer, she knows where to get the greatest nachos, and… and… I forgot where I was going with this.”

“Ok Scoots, this is interesting and all, but-”

“And I thought she was going to tell her family she wasn’t gay? But she didn’t tell me she told them yet. You think something’s up. Because if she’s gay, well then I’ve got a pony for her if you know what I mean. I mean D-”

“Scootaloo! This is truly fascinating here, top-notch stuff, but now’s not the best time. You didn’t say a word about it when we were buying the darn Oatson, but now when we’re hiding in these bushes to surprise Rainbow with the hat, thanks for paying by the way, you decide to tell me everything. Just keep your voice down, she might hear us.”

“Oh please, she’s not going to hear us!”

“Hey, who’s talking in those bushes over there?”

“...Well I guess she can.”

“Go out there Scootaloo!”

“Okay okay, I’m going!

“Hey Rainbow Dash! You won’t believe what Applejack got you!”

Applejack was gay, and Rainbow Dash didn’t exactly know how to feel about that. She had no idea that’s what that breakfast at Sugarcube Corner really meant. She was expecting anything based on how serious Applejack was when she invited her to breakfast. That certainly opened up a lot of options, but Rainbow still didn’t exactly know how to handle it. She was used to mares pining after her, but never the opposite. Rainbow just wished she could find the “one” randomly one day. Zero effort at all. She worked so hard at flying and maintaining her friendships, so why did she have to do the same for a girlfriend? Couldn’t she just be given a break just for once?

No, of course, it wouldn’t. Like most things in her life, Rainbow would need to work hard. She just needed to think about her options, and then she’d win.

So ponies whispering in bushes while she was on the thinking cloud didn’t really help at all. She was going to show these eavesdropping ponies what happens when you interrupt Rainbow ‘Thinking’ Dash in thought. Why she would-

“Hey Rainbow Dash! You won’t believe what Applejack got you!”

Rainbow Dash’s whole body relaxed as the small orange filly came trotting happily out of the forest. “Hey, Scoots? What you got on your back there?” Rainbow Dash flew gently down to get a better look at the box on Scootaloo’s back. And by flew gently down, I mean she took off at blazing speed complete with figure eights and loop-de-loops before crashing down into the earth without a scratch. As usual, Scootaloo was struck in awe and began to clap her hooves together. So of course the poorly wrapped cardboard box fell from the little filly’s back and onto the grass below.

“Woah, a gift! Is it for me?”

“Oh, uh yeah,” Scootaloo stammered. “Well you see, it’s from Applejack, and-”

“Applejack, huh? Sweet!” Rainbow Dash wasted no time unwrapping the green and black striped wrapping paper and throwing the box’s lid to the side. Inside the box was… a hat. A black cowboy hat, to be exact. With some gold string around the peak. Huh.

Rainbow Dash brought the hat closer to her eye and began to examine it, as if there was some magical item hidden inside. “Uh is this it?”

“Uh yeahhh?” Scootaloo began to dig a hoof at the ground in embarrassment.

“It’s from AJ you said, right?”

“Y-yeah?”

“Huh.” Rainbow Dash inspected the black stetson before shrugging. “Well okay then. That’s pretty cool I guess. Tell AJ I said thanks.” With that, the cyan pegasus spread her wings open and sped back towards the thinking cloud, the black and gold stetson clinging closely to her chest.

Scootaloo stared up at the sky in disbelief before turning towards the forest and shrugging at it. For some weird reason.

Rainbow Dash waited until Scootaloo retreated back into the bush before squeeing in delight. She made sure the black stetson was still in perfect condition before trying it on. Perfect.

Maybe she would get a break after all.

Chapter 5- Penny

Nightmare Night was still 2 weeks away. To most ponies, they wouldn’t stress over it in the slightest. They’d take their time with the holiday; picking out candy, choosing costumes, and putting up decorations. Besides, not many ponies took Nightmare Night seriously in the first place. It was a day of fun and sweets, nothing serious. So they didn’t need to be serious about it either.

Applejack was not like most ponies.

To her, there was never much time at all to get ready before the holiday. The Apples were a major part of the holiday in Ponyville. They used apples for bobbing, gave out apple treats for the little fillies and colts, and held events in the orchard. And Applejack needed everything to be perfect. She owed it to the town.

Big Mac was busy trimming the corn maze, but he had to promise he wasn’t going to add some random booby trap, no matter how many times anypony, even Fluttershy, politely asked. Apple Bloom should be helping him, but she seemed to be dealing with some personal thing on her own.

Applejack could appreciate Apple Bloom trying to help her out but now wasn’t the time. This was harvest season, and the Apples had a lot of stuff to do. Weekly meetings at Twilight's castle with the rest of her friends were the sole escape from work that she allowed herself.

Besides yesterday, but that was very important, not very relaxing. She’d always be grateful to Apple Bloom for getting her to come out, but she didn’t need any other help. She was her own mare, and she would find her own mare. In her own time. So why did Apple Bloom have to take everything so seriously?

It was these thoughts that kept Applejack company in the orchard, bucking the ripe apples that would soon be turned into fritters for the little ones. She was sure they were the only company she had in the orchard.

’Whoosh’

She was wrong.

Something quick and fast whizzed just over the top of Applejacks head. A very noticeable pocket of air replaced the area of mane where her prized hat used to be not moments before. Quickly patting around the now hatless area, Applejack swung her head around the orchard. Yet she saw no runner who could have taken the hat. So it was a pegasus who took it.

Applejack groaned. “Haha, Rainbow. Very funny! Now give me back mah hat!”

Applejacks keen ears picked up a faint giggle from up above. She barley had time to look up, however, before the Pegasus swooped back down just over the top of Applejacks head, this time, putting the hat back on her yellow mane.

Except this wasn’t her hat. There was something noticeably different about this hat. It wasn’t as comfortable or broken in, and the insides definitely seemed to be of a much higher quality then hers. She brought the hat down in front of her eyes and froze.

Her eyes widened as she took in its features, it’s appearance exactly the same as the hat Apple Bloom described yesterday. She should know, as the filly only repeated its appearance around twenty times.

As she lowered the hat, Applejack saw Rainbow Dash only a few feet away, grinning wildly with Applejack’s hat resting neatly atop her multi-colored mane.

“Heh, you have yourself to thank for that hat.”

When Applejack didn’t say anything or even move, Rainbow decided to go for a much different approach.

She began walking slowly towards the confused earth pony, taking care to wiggle her hips for Applejack to see, and keeping her wings in an upright position. Once in grabbing distance, Rainbow gently picked up the black Oatson and replaced it with Applejack’s old brown one. The black one found residence on Rainbow’s own head, and she smirked. Her muzzle was only inches away from Applejacks.

“No offense, but I think it looks better on me. You should know after all.”

It was at this point Applejack finally snapped out of her confused daze. She stumbled away from Rainbow, her mouth refusing to work.

Now it was Rainbows turn to be confused. “Uh, Applejack? Are you okay? Was I a little too strong?”

“S-sorry,” Applejack finally managed to get out. “Ah-uh, have to go somewhere.”

Okay, seriously. What was going on with Applejack? “Go? Where? You sure didn’t seem to be in a hurry a minute ago.”

Applejack gulped hard. “Yeah, uh, ah-ah’m sorry Rainbow. Ah, have to be, uh, honest here. Ah didn’t get you that hat.”

Rainbow’s wings slowly collapsed back down on her sides, one of her eyebrows raised. “Uh, sorry?”

Another gulp. “Apple Bloom told me yesterday she wanted me to get you that hat. Ah told her no, but obviously, she went ahead and brought it anyway.”

“...oh.”

“Ah’m sorry now Rainbow. I don’t know what was going through that filly’s mind.” Applejack turned to leave, missing Rainbow’s drooping head.

“Applejack, wait…” Rainbow said softly, but Applejack was already beginning to walk the other way. Back towards the barn.

“Ah’ll give her a stern talking to though, that’s for sure. Ah’m jus’ sorry Rainbow. This was a whole misunderstanding.”

“Wait, Applejack.”

“Wonder if her friends had anything to do with this. Ah’ll have a little talk with Rarity, tell ‘er what they’ve been up to.”

“APPLEJACK!”

The shout finally got Applejack to stop dead in her tracks and turn back. Rainbow Dash didn’t move at all since Applejack started moving away. Her flank loosely sat on the grass below, and her teary eyes looked down at the gro- wait. Was Rainbow… crying? Sure, Rainbow cried before, but over something like this?

Shock quickly gave way to concern as Applejack began to slowly trot over to Rainbow. “Easy there, sugar cube. It ain’t your fault. You didn’t know.”

“That’s n-not what I’m yelling about.”

Applejack tilted her head in confusion. “Ah beg your pardon?”

“It’s not about the kids or whatever, don’t you understand?” Rainbow kept her teary eyes staring at the silent orange mare the whole time, refusing to even blink. “It’s the fact that you always have to question and refuse literally anything!”

“Now Rainbow, listen-”

“NO!” Rainbow’s wings suddenly sprang back up, the top feathers pointing at the blue October sky. “No Applejack, just listen to me!

“I really should have known you were going to do this. Who cares if the kids gave me the hat? You have to storm off without telling me anything? I don’t even care if you don’t have any feelings for me. Not anymore. Because you can’t take a chance on anything, especially if it’s something you know nothing about.

“You know why I’m so awesome? Because I always try to do something new. Even if I’m scared of doing something, I’ll still try it at least once. But you can’t do that, can you AJ?”

“Ah-ah...” Applejack struggled for words.

Rainbow’s wings slowly folded themselves back at her sides. Her head leaned forward, waiting for an answer.

Finally, Applejack lowered her head in shame. “Ah’m sorry Rainbow. Ah jus… don’t know what ah’m doin, and ah still don’t know what to do.”

Rainbow blinked. “Wait, are you serious? You still don’t know what to do?” Applejack shook her head, and the pegasus face-hooved.

“Wow, just… you know what? I need to think about this, and when you figure out what you did wrong, then talk to me. Besides that, leave me alone.”

Rainbow turned to take her leave, her wings once again outstretched for the third and final time, and zoomed out of Sweet Apple Acres.

Applejack was silent.

Knock Knock

“Hey Apple Bloom, you in there?”

No response. Either she seriously couldn’t hear her or, more likely, was just ignoring the knocks. Either way, Applejack definitely wasn’t going to get in that room.

She sighed and slumped her back on the door, her flank resting on the floorboards below. “Ah jus’... wanted to tell ya somethin.”

Still, no words came from the other side. The silence seemed almost welcoming to Applejack, and she began to speak after a deep breath.

“Ah jus want to say ah’m sorry for ignoring you so much yesterday. Ah should have talked to you about that more, and not just yelled at you without any discussion like that. I guess you’re right then.

“The way you argued with me at that dinner, and the way you acted all day today, ah can tell what you’ve been thinking. Ah ain’t stupid. Ah’ve never been a fan of tryin’ new stuff out. The girls definitely helped with that type of stuff, but still, it’s not easy. Cause, if ah’m bein’ honest here, ah’m afraid ah’ll mess up. Ah guess that’s why ah did what I did after I lost in that rodeo in Junction Town. Ah was never used to losing like that, an’ ah assumed the worst.

“Ah ain’t proud of those moments, but ah jus’ can’t help it. It’s somethin’ ah need to work on ah guess.”

Apple Bloom remaining silent was probably the smartest thing to do by now. Applejack took a deep breath once again. Now for the hard part.

“Listen Apple Bloom, ah know you got that hat for Rainbow Dash. Or maybe your friends did or somethin’, but ah’m sure you were a part of it somehow. Ah don’t really mind anymore. I had a… run-in with Rainbow a while ago, an’ ah’m starting to think ah’ve been looking at this thing wrong.

“Now keep this between me and you, but Rainbow Dash… is more than jus’ a fine mare. Dare I say, she’s an option. So ah should have taken that whole hat thing in stride, an’ actually done somethin’ about it. But ah didn’t, an’ ah may have jus’ ruined it. Because ah’ve never been in that type of relationship before. Not really.

“...Ah never told ya’ll about how ah found out ah was a fillyfooler, did I? Heh, guess now’s a good time as any. It was a couple of years after ah returned from the big city. Ah was really gettin’ into the groove of the orchard, an’ ah started handling it on my own. Ma and Pa were still around, and you would come in a year, ah think. Anywho, there were these delivery ponies that would come every week or so to give us equipment and such for the harvests.

“There was this pegasus stallion named Heavy Duty that would always give us the deliveries, an’ he always brought along his daughter. Her name was Penny, she was good with money and such. She began joining her pops on his deliveries around the time ah turned sixteen.

“Woo nelly, was she a fine mare! She had this incredible, pure copper hair and a light, yellow coat. She was somethin’ else, ah’ll tell ya what! Ah didn’t know exactly what ah thought of her at the time, but it sure was somethin’ different. An’ she would definitely capture my curiosity, givin’ me winks an’ all. It didn’t take long before we started to hit it off; hidin’ in the orchard, talkin’ about our day.

“She sure was special, an’ ah think she saw somethin in me too. We were like two apples in a turnover during the summer. It helped that Heavy Duty and pops hit it off so well, an’ we would get these regular swimming meets in the lake over yonder. Ah was decent at swimming, but Penny was just incredible. She sure was a talent. Smart, funny, athletic. She told me about her friends an’ all, an’ ah began to envy her. Ah had a couple of friends in school, but nothin too serious. Most of her friends were great ponies; ah met them later on.”

Applejack let loose a dry cough and wiped the newly blossoming tears from her eyes. “Anyways, ah’ suppose ah oughta get to the point. There were a couple of weeks she didn’t show up with her dad, an’ when ah went on over to her house, her father would tell me she wanted to be left alone. So ah did, an finally she showed back up. She seemed like a different mare, more shy an’ all. It sure took a lot of coaxing, but eventually, ah got her to open back up.

“She told me one of her friends found out she was a fillyfooler and ended their friendship, but not without some harsh words. Ah can’t remember exactly which friend, so don’t ask. Anyways, ah wasn’t quite sure what a fillyfooler was at the time, so I asked her. And she… well, she told me. Then ah told her it don’t matter who she dates or not, and that she shouldn’t worry about what others think about that nonsense.

“Ah… might’ve let it slip that ah was pretty sure ah was a fillyfooler, an’ told her ah had some sorta feelings for her. Next thang ah know, we’re kissing all sweet like, and somethin’ jus clicked. It jus felt so amazing and… right.

“Ah guess she was technically a filly friend, but all we really did was talk and kiss in the woods. We never really had a serious relationship or anything, because she ended up moving to Trottingham. Her pa found better business there, and they were goin to move.

“...An ah didn’t do a damn thing.” Applejack didn’t realize she was raising her voice, which was now filled with spite. “Ah just said goodbye, and that’s it. Ah don’t think ah could’ve convinced them to say, but ah could’ve done something. Instead, ah jus said good bye, hugged her a little bit, and that was it. Like she was jus somepony I happened to know. There’s nothing completely wrong with that, but when it’s with Penny… ah think I broke her heart. She saw us as something more, an’ she was terrified of movin’. When ah showed zero interest in her move, she took it hard. Ah never saw her again in her final week here in Ponyville. Ah jus didn’t know what to do. Her friends cut ties with me, told me how ah broke her heart an’ all.”

The soft pitter patter of tears on the floor snapped Applejack from her self loathing monologue, and she chuckled while rubbing a runny muzzle.

“Heh, look at me gettin all emotional. Guess ahm growin up a bit, an so are you. Please Apple Bloom, keep your friends close, and don’t lose the filly you end up loving. You still seem uncertain about this whole thing, an I would usually say wait til you’re sure, but not today. Go out there an you get a fillyfriend or whatever. Because that’s what you deserve. A fillyfriend before it’s too late. Because ah just blew mine.”

Knock knock

“Applejack, git tha door!” Granny Smith hollered from downstairs.

“Ah’ll get it, Granny!” Applejack hollered back. She got back to her hooves, rubbed the remaining tears off her eyes, and straightened her hat. “Ah hope you listened to that whole thing, because ah never know when that’s coming out again.” Applejack began to part for the stairs until she heard a creak behind her. She turned back around to see Apple Bloom’s door wide open, and the titular filly stood in front of it, tears staining her dusty cheeks. It only took a few seconds for Apple Bloom to run up to her big sis and give her a loving hug, which Applejack graciously returned.

Apple Bloom had listened, and she understood.

Chapter 6- The Conversation

Ring Ring

“C’mon Rainbow, ah know you’re in there!” Applejack yelled. Still, no response came from the large cloud house. Not that it could really be called a cloud house, seeing as it looked more like a mansion. What with its flowing rainbow waterfalls and palace domes, the whole place seemed to be built just to contain the awesomeness that was Rainbow Dash. Or maybe just to contain her massive ego.

Applejack was starting to lose patience with Rainbow. It was getting dark out, and the longer she stayed on the clouds, the less time she had before Twilight’s spell ran out.

“Darn it Rainbow, ah jus’ wanna talk!”

Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring Ring Rung Ring-

The door flew backward and a certain blue Pegasus stood in the opening. Her eyes were puffy and her mane a mess. Her bathrobe was wrapped loosely around her body, and distant mechanical whirring suggested Tank was nearby. It was quite obvious that Rainbow Dash was crying in her bed with her pet turtle before Applejack got here.

“What do you want?” Rainbow spat in a hoarse and strained voice that was obviously the result of crying fits. Applejack tried to keep herself from jumping right off the cloud steps right then and there out of guilt. So instead she just chuckled.

“Heh, come on Rainbow. It’s what ah was yellin’ about. Ah jus’ wanna talk about what happened. Now let me inside and we’ll jus’ talk this out.”

Rainbow instead kept her position in front of the door, preferring to ask another question. “Okay, well how are you even walking on these clouds? Did Twilight have something to do with this?”

“As a matter of fact, she did. She said somethin’ about Spike tellin’ her Apple Bloom needed some advice for her and the crusaders. She certainly helped me though more than she helped mah sister.”

“Did you tell her anything specific?”

Applejack shook her head. “Nah, just that you and I were havin’ friendship problems. That sure convinced her. Listen, can we jus’ talk about this whole thing inside? Mare to mare?”

Rainbow Dash just eyed Applejack up and down as if looking to see if this was some big prank for some reason. Applejack couldn’t help but fidget with her hat as Rainbow silently watched her.

“Listen Rainbow, it’s fine if you don’t want to talk to me if you’re still angry, but at least tell me you want nothin’ to do with me. It’s gettin’ late, and I don’t want the spell to run out. Heh, that wouldn’t be good, now would it?”

Rainbow didn’t seem to care. She seemed perfectly content on just glaring at Applejack, keeping the situation tense. Finally, after what seemed like hours. Rainbow sighed and moved to the side of the foyer to make way for Applejack.

“Fine,” Rainbow grunted. “Though I can’t promise I’ll listen to anything you have to say. I’ll meet you in my living room.”

Applejack smiled and nodded. “Ah appreciate it sugarcube.” Hey, she’d take anything she could get right now. With that, she entered Rainbow’s house to talk.

Applejack visited Rainbow’s home several times before, and yet it still amazed her how incredibly bland her house really was on the inside. You’d think, from the view on the outside, that the inside of the house would be heaven on Equestria. Yet one only needed to step one hoof in her foyer to realize that was just a fantasy.

Everything interesting or decorative went to Rainbows bedroom. That’s where she spent the most time in her house when not practicing with the Wonderbolts or showing off in front of Scootaloo. The rest of the house was left in the wind. Literally.

The cloud floor and walls were horribly unkempt, with a crack and even a hole appearing every few feet on the surfaces. Applejack was fairly certain that the stove hadn’t even be used, let alone cleaned, in years. She didn’t need to even see the second floor to know that it was probably in a similar shape.

The lights were working fine, but would it kill her to leave the lights on? Only the foyer light was left Applejack hated to think she’d been crying in the dark. And where was Tank? Probably in the kitchen, but Applejack wasn’t going in there if she didn’t have to.

The “living room” sure was a sorry sight. While the clouds were better kept in here than the other rooms, it was also essentially barren of anything remotely interesting. After turning on the lights herself, Applejack saw… nothing much. There was just a cloud sofa against the right wall, a cloud armchair facing the sofa a couple of feet away, and a cracked glass coffee table in the middle. It was as if somepony told Rainbow that ponies had conversations in living rooms, so she went and put in the most minimal effort to fit the bill. Applejack was no Rarity, but she knew a badly furnished room when she saw one.

“Alright, go ahead and take a seat,” Rainbow Dash, causing Applejack to jump. She’d been so lost in her own thoughts that she forgot about the blue Pegasus she was supposed to be talking to.

Nodding her head, Applejack made her way over to the armchair (at least it was comfy) and gently sat in it. She watched as Rainbow shuffled over to the sofa before plopping on it and laying down on her back.

Good to know she was looking forward to this conversation.

“Alright, well ah guess ah’ll get this thing started,” Applejack started nervously. ‘Come on Applejack. Just like you rehearsed.’ Clearing her throat, Applejack continued. “Ah’m… ah’m sorry with what ah did back at the farm.”

“Oh, yippee,” Rainbow Dash said, sarcasm dripping from her voice. “You apologized. Now everything can go back to normal again. What joy. Look how happy I am.” Rainbow then clapped her hooves together with the least amount of enthusiasm possible.

Applejack fought the urge to face hoof and storm out of the house. She knew Rainbow would be difficult to talk to, but did she have to be so… Rainbow about it?

“Alright, let me try that again,” Applejack said, losing patience. “Everythin’ you said about me was true. Apple Bloom made me realize that, in a way. Throughout mah life, ah’ve struggled with my stubbornness. With mah work, mah hobbies… mah friends. All of those ah’ve affected with mah stubborn attitude. Far back as a teen, ah was too scared to make decisions ah was afraid wouldn't turn out too good. And they all cost me too much.

“This is just another example, and now it got one of mah friends hurt. Ah shouldn’t have said that to you. Not like that. Ah was too focused on how the whole hat thing affected me that ah forgot you were a part of it too.” That made Applejack remember something. “By the way, where did you put that Oatson?”

“Huh? Oh, it’s in my room. Why?”

“So you didn’t get rid of it?”

Rainbow Dash didn’t answer, but the silence spoke for her. Applejack smiled in the armchair, certain Rainbow Dash was listening to her even if she hadn’t taken her eyes off her ceiling since she laid down.

“So ah guess what ah mean by all of that is ah really understand this problem now. And ah promise ah will do mah best to change, and keep ponies from gettin’ hurt.”

Rainbow Dash chuckled without any humor added. “Well, I bet you’ll try to do better. But how do I know you’re actually going to keep your word? Because I’m sure we’ve gone through this whole conversation before. What makes this the last time?”

Applejacks smile faded. So she was going to have to say it. “Ah can’t promise you ah won’t ever do it again, but ah can promise you I’ll do my best to stop it. And I know one thing that ah should be honest with you about now.”

For the first time in the whole conversation, Rainbow turned to look at Applejack, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. “Oh yeah? And what would that be?”

Well, here goes nothin.’

“I like you.”

To say that sentence made Rainbow Dash happy would be a cosmic understatement. In one swift motion, she was in the air, wings flapping madly. A wide grin was plastered on her face, and even her mane and bathrobe seemed cleaner than they were mere seconds ago.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“You actually like me?”

“Ah jus’ said that.”

Like, ME me?”

“Darn it Rainbow, how many times do I have to tell ya? Ah like ya, okay?”

Rainbow gently lowered herself down on the floor while muttering to herself in her own language. Once she landed, she finally began speaking Equestrian again.

“Why didn’t you tell me before?”

Okay, NOW Applejack facehooved. “We just went over this sugar cube.”

Rainbow paused before rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment. “Heh, oh yeah. Guess I kinda forgot why I was mad at you in the first place. Just excited is all.

“Well, what do we do now? We both know we like each other, so are we a couple now, or…”

Applejack shrugged. “Well ah don’t know about bein’ a couple, considerin’ we haven’t even gone on a date yet.” Applejack looked down on the floor feigning disappointment before looking up at Rainbow with only her eyes while smiling smugly.

For once, Rainbow took the hint, and her grin somehow grew even wider. “Oh ho HO! Well then, I think we could arrange one d-“ Rainbow abruptly stopped speaking, her bottom lip quivering and face flushed.

Applejack had a worried expression on her face, and reached over a comforting hoof towards the Pegasus. “Uh, you okay there sugarcube? Is there somethin’ wrong?”

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

“Okay, that can’t be good.”

Rainbow was back in the air, her body nearly hanging limp as Rainbow muttered: “I’m not available for, like, two weeks. The Wonderbolts have to practice for a special performance in Canterlot for Nightmare Night. I’m going to be swamped with practices all week.”

Applejack nodded sadly. “Come to think of it, ah have to work at the farm also for Nightmare Night. Ah guess we should wait till after, when we find a day all to ourselves so we could talk more about this.”

Rainbows head drooped even further. “Yeah, okay. I guess that makes sense.” Rainbow then lifted her head and tilted it slightly to her left. “ “Hey, why are you sinking in my chair?”

“Sinking into your chair? Rainbow, what in Tartarus are y-GAAAAAAHH!”

Applejack quickly shot out of the armchair. She had been sinking in the seat, nearly reaching her stomach. And she hadn’t even noticed! Darn it, of course Twilight’s spell had to stop working now! Couldn’t it just give her a few more minutes?

Before she could start panicking, Applejack felt something wrap around her armpits and lift her effortlessly in the air.

“Hey, dont panic,” Rainbow said calmly. “It’s getting late anyway. Why don’t I fly you back to Sweet Apple Acres, and we’ll talk about the date another time?”

There was nothing stopping Applejack from refusing. Most days, she would have. If she moved quickly, she could get down the cloud steps before the spell just stopped working altogether. It wasn’t even that far from the farm, so there would be no real danger in walking alone.

The big reason why Applejack would refuse would be the flying itself. Applejack was an earth pony, and on the earth she liked to stay. It took a lot of convincing from Twilight to even come up to the cloud house in the first place. Being up in the air just didn’t sit right with her. She didn’t trust it, so she tended to avoid it at all costs.

But today was different. Maybe she should give it a shot. She trusted Rainbow, so she surely would be alright. Maybe she would even like it in a weird sort of way. It was worth a try at least.

“Sure sugarcube,” Applejack said, relaxing in Rainbows arms. “Let’s try it.”

Chapter 7- Ice Cream

~~Make Applejack Come Out~~

~~Have Applejack Get Rainbow Dash a Stetson~~

~~Tell Twilight Sparkle To Visit Sweet Apple Acres to give Apple Bloom Friendship Advice~~

Throw An Apple At Rainbow Dash During the Nightmare Night Party at Sugarcube Corner. Must Be When Walking Towards Applejack, Make Sure You Are Not Seen.

“Can we trust Apple Bloom to do it? I mean, she did give up on this whole book thing a week ago.”

“Scootaloo, she said she’ll give it a shot. So stop complaining about her.”

“Okay, well I also still think we should focus on the length of this step. It’s never been this direct before. Do you think we’re leveling up now?”

“Leveling up? Seriously? Who says that?”

“I mean, do you think things are going to get harder and more difficult? Maybe the closer Applejack and Rainbow Dash get together, the harder it is to keep them that way.”

“Maybe, but we just started this whole thing. I don’t think there’s a difficulty spike just yet. Apple Bloom, didn’t you say Applejack and Rainbow Dash are getting a lot closer?”

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked across the diners' booth to Apple Bloom. More specifically, a sleeping Apple Bloom.

Scootaloo searched around the table, looking for something to wake Apple Bloom up. Finding a container of sugar packets in the middle, Scootaloo grabbed a hoof full of them and flung them at the sleeping filly. Some found their mark on Apple Bloom's head, while others bounced harmlessly on the chair or the floor.

That seemed to do the trick. Apple Bloom slowly raised her head up, rubbing at her eyes. “Huh? Wha? Is it mornin already?” When she finally returned to most of her senses and realized it was not, in fact, morning, she began to look around at her surroundings. They were at a table in Sugarcube Corner, which was at its usual full capacity. Apple Bloom remembered they came here for some after-school shakes. She must have fallen asleep because of… something. Hopefully nothing important.

“Ah-ah’m sorry, ah must have dozed off. What were y'all talking about?”

“We were talking about the book,” Sweetie Belle replied. “Didn’t you say Applejack and Rainbow Dash were getting a lot closer?”

Apple Bloom groaned. “Y’all gotta be kiddin’ me! No wonder ah fell asleep. Ah don wanna hear this nonsense!”

“Then why did you agree to help us with the book again?” Scootaloo asked somewhat confrontationally.

“Ah’m fine with this doin this whole thang again, but that’s all you girls are talkin about! What about recess the other day?”

“Rainbow told me she was going to Canterlot on Nightmare Night, so I don’t know how she could be at Sugarcube Corner.”

“I don’t know Scoots. The book seems like it knows what it’s doing.”

“Hmm, I wonder…”

“Wonder what?”

“Huh?”

“What were you just wondering about?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Sweetie.”

“Are you serious? You just said ‘I wonder' and then looked at the sky for a couple of seconds! Do you not remember that?”

“...I don’t know what you think you’re gaining from lying like this, but you could stop now.”

“So you’re accusing me of lying?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, wow. I’m trying really hard to remain calm here. Apple Bloom, what do you have to say about all this?”

“Aww, cmon! Can’t y’all leave me out of this? Just let me enjoy my swing in peace. Besides, everypony's starin at us, and ah don’t want to get in tr-“

“Scootaloo, just admit you forgot what you were thinking about.”

“But I wasn’t thinking about anything, you stupid… silly… graham cracker!”

“...what?”

“Sorry. When I get mad, I yell at ponies the first insult that comes to my head. So, uh… you bitch!”

“Oh wow, I’m wounded!”

“Uh, girls? Ah think Miss Cheerilee’s lookin at us. She looks mighty upset.”

“Okay fine. If I said it, then show me the evidence.”

“Well, I don’t have any evidence, bu-“

“Ha! So that means I never said anything! I win!”

“That’s not. How it. WOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRKKKKKK-“

Apple Bloom shuddered. “We all got in trouble because of that, even me! Ah wasn’t even doin anything! So now you know why… that, uh… girls?”

“I swear, if this is going to be as difficult as convincing Twilight to go to the farm, I’m going to punch something.”

“Yeah, and if Apple Bloom messes up, then I’m-“

“THAT’S IT!” Apple Bloom yelled, throwing her hooves up in exasperation. “Ah’m done with this talk. ah’m leavin. See you girls later!”

Scootaloo waved a limp hoof in Apple Bloom's general direction. She didn’t even take her eyes off of Sweetie Belle. “Yeah, okay. Bye. So anyway, I’m starting to wonder how long it will be until this is finished. Are we going to be using up the whole book or…?”

Apple Bloom grumbled and pushed herself out of her chair, only to find everypony in Sugarcube Corner staring at her with confused expressions. Mrs. Cake was glaring at the filly, and Mr. Cake was doing his best to act like there was nothing awkward going on. He wasn’t doing a very good job.

Normally, Apple Bloom would be red with embarrassment in a situation like this, but her anger from the table hadn’t quite run out yet.

“Don’t y’all look at me like that. Haven't you heard of an argument?”

Nopony said nothing, and Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “Okay, ah’ll leave. Ah didn’t even get to finish my shake, so how do you think I feel?”

With that, Apple Bloom stormed out of Sugarcube Corner.

Slam

“Another one.”

The cream-colored mare behind the bar stared at Apple Bloom with concern. “Hey, c'mon kid. You’ve already had two fudge sundaes, I think you’ve had enough.”

Apple Bloom slammed her empty sundae glass against the bar table again, looking at the mare with tired yet angry eyes. “Hey now, you’re supposed to be getting me ice cream, not ask me questions.” The filly pushed a couple of bits across the bar.

The mare took the bits and Apple Bloom's empty sundae glass with a roll of her eyes before making Apple Bloom's third sundae of the day.

‘Milk and Cream Ice Cream Bar’ was a nice alternative to Sugarcube Corner. The ice cream was phenomenal, and it never got nearly as crowded as Sugarcube Corner. Apple Bloom liked to sit right up close to the counter so she could see all the Ice Cream up close. And in this case, she could order the mare behind the counter to give her more ice cream easier.

Apple Bloom's stomach gurgled, and she winced. Okay, maybe she did have too much ice cream. But she still didn’t want to stop. She didn’t get to finish her shake, so this was what she had to do. She slumped her head into her arms on the bar and tried her best not to fall asleep while waiting for her sundae. She didn’t even look up when she heard the clank of glass on the bar. She’d get to it once her stomach stopped hurting so bad.

“Bad day, huh?”

The voice came from Apple Bloom's right, and it bore a familiarity to it, though in her state, Apple Bloom couldn’t settle it on exactly who it was. In fact, it took a solid couple of seconds before she realized the voice was addressing her.

“Yeah, ah guess you could say that,” Apple Bloom muttered, struggling to lift her head up.

“Heh, I hate to say my day hasn’t been so great either.”

“Oh?”

The voice sighed. “I’m trying to talk to a friend, but she just won’t listen. I just… have no idea what to do anymore.”

With her head fully raised, Apple Bloom blinked a couple of times to clear her vision. She didn’t really feel her stomach ache anymore. “Yeah, ah guess you could say ah’ve been in somethin similar.”

“You have?”

“Yeah, ah guess ah have. Me and mah friends have been doin somethin for a while now, and ah’m startin to think of quitting.”

“Huh, quitting is probably a little brash, isn’t it?”

Apple Bloom shrugged. “Ah mean, ah guess it kinda is, but everythin has just been so frustratin recently. Like, Scootaloo just isn’t taking anything seriously, and then Sweetie Belle acts like she’s been serious, but she’s actin just as stupid as Scootaloo.

“An there’s nothing to be stupid about. We’re-“ Apple Bloom suddenly faked a cough, realizing she almost gave out way too much information. “Uh, we’re… helpin out mah sister with somethin personal.”

Apple Bloom wondered if mentioning Applejack was a good idea, but she decided it was probably harmless. As long as she didn’t mention the book, she’d probably be fine.

“Ah actually quit a while ago, and ah was pretty sure ah wasn’t goin to come back.”

“Well, what made you change your mind?”

“...ah realized somethin about mah sister. Ah was always mad at her stubbornness, but ah realized that it’s so much more… ah don’t know, complex then I thought it would be. There’s so much more to mah sis than ah ever thought there was, and ah guess ah just… wanted to help her with it.

“...ah mean, this is mah sis we’re talkin about!” Apple Bloom said, her temper suddenly rising. “This ain’t some experiment, this is a pony’s emotions! This is goin to be like Hearts and Hooves Day all over again, an ah don’t want to be a part of it again.”

“Sounds like you’ve been thinking about this for a while now.”

Apple Bloom sighed, her temper now lowering. “Yeah, ah guess. There’s jus been so many crazy happenings in mah life in such a short amount of time, ah jus don’t know how to deal with any of this. Ah’m even startin to question mahself now.”
Apple Bloom slumped her head back on the bar, her ears drooped.

The voice took a while to respond, so much so that Apple Bloom wondered if the voice just left and she didn’t know it. Then, finally, it answered, it’s voice l like a therapist comforting a distraught patient.

“Apple Bloom, I understand what you’re going through. Ever since I first ditched Diamond, I had no idea what to even do. There were just so many changes, so many things to do. How to make new friendships, what to do with my parents, just so many things. I was scared for a while, but then I realized something.”

Apple Bloom's ears perked up just a bit. “What was it?”

“I realized there was no point in fearing things that I couldn’t solve right away. This is a world full of exceptions, and I don’t think there’s one way to do anything. There’s always answers, Apple Bloom, but if we spend so long asking questions, we’ll never find them.

Apple Bloom raised her head up, replaying the voice's words in her mind. “Ah’m… still not entirely sure what you’re sayin.”

The voice sighed. “Just do something. Talk to your friends, confront your feelings, just do something that actually helps. I’m certain that everything will make sense for you in the end. It mostly did for me, and I’m happier than I’ve been for a long time. You just have to do something.”

Apple Bloom smiled, and she finally understood. You know what? Maybe she was gay! And Sweetie and Scoots had no idea about Penny, so no wonder they weren’t taking this seriously. Sitting here in her misery wasn’t going to do anything.

Apple Bloom turned her head towards the voice next to her. “Y’know, ah think that’s some goo-“

And then her jaw dropped.

“WHA- SILVER SPOON!”

The silver filly raised an eyebrow. “Wait, did you just realize who I was?”

“YES!”

“I mentioned Diamond Tiara in my whole monologue! How did you not catch that?”

“Ah was just tryin to understand the overall theme of the story, I wasn’t focusing on individual names! And since when did you get all philosophical like that?”

Now Silver Spoon looked offended. “Hey, I’ve always enjoyed monologuing about the inner workings of life! You’ve only heard my insults before.”

Apple Bloom was about to yell about something else before she suddenly realized that they were both in a public place. Blushing with embarrassment, Apple Bloom looked over Silver Spoons body for what she thought would be ponies glaring daggers at the two. Instead, to her surprise, nopony seemed to care, not even the bartender, who was too busy at the cash register.

“Huh,” Apple Bloom muttered as she looked at Silver Spoon again. This place must hear this type of stuff often.

“So,” Apple Bloom continued, taking careful attention to speak much more quietly than before, “you mentioned somethin about having trouble with a friend. Ah’m guessin that's Diamond Tiara?”

Silver Spoon's eyes widened at the mention of Diamond Tiara, and she hung her head. “Yeah,” she mumbled sadly.

Apple Bloom decided to press on. “You just told me there was no point in quittin when you haven’t don anythin about it. Now, how’s your situation different?”

“I can’t tell you how many times I talked to her, but she just won’t listen to me! She’s too infatuated with that Gold Case.”
Silver Spoon spat out that name like it was venom.

“Gold Case? Her girlfriend?”

Silver Spoon sneered. “Oh, she’s a total bitch! She just forces DT to do everything for her, and Diamond’s too infatuated with her that she doesn’t see how much of a bitch she really is.”

Huh, nopony was telling them to shut it yet. Apple Bloom was beginning to like this place more and more.

Silver Spoon still wasn’t done with her rant. She was now shaking her hooves with anger, and her glasses were sliding down her muzzle. “She doesn’t even talk about Buckball anymore, not even with me!”

Apple Bloom tilted her head. “Uh, Buckball?”

“Yeah, Buckball! The thing she won’t shut up about? You hung out with her for a while, she must have mentioned it to you, right?”

Apple Bloom shook her head, and somehow that was all it took to get rid of Silver Spoon's anger, and she dropped her arms and head on the bar in front of her. “Wow, I didn’t realize it was this bad with her.

“I’ve tried all I can to help DT, but I have nothing left to do. Maybe the answer to this is to let this whole thing die.”

Apple Bloom didn’t know exactly what was going on with Diamond Tiara, but she knew what to do with Silver Spoon: be a friend.

Apple Bloom gently tapped the sulking filly’s shoulders. “Hey, it’ll be fine. Ah’m sure there’s another option or whatever,” she said. “Say, ah got some leftover bits, how about ah buy you an Ice Cream?”

Silver Spoon slowly looked up at Apple Bloom, the barest of smiles on her face. “Y-yeah. I-I’d like that.”

Apple Bloom couldn’t help but grin as she loudly tapped the bar. The cream-colored mare walked towards the two fillies, wearing her own smile.

“One ice cream please!” Apple Bloom said cheerfully.

The waitress gestured towards the forgotten sundae in front of Apple Bloom, partially melted. “You gon eat that?”

Apple Bloom's stomach ache returned with a vengeance, making her body pay for its frosty transgressions. She winced and waved the waitress off.

“Ah… think ah’m good.”

Chapter 8- Nightmare Night Part 1

The piercing chime rang throughout its entire household, yet the golden filly did not put down her paper. Of course, she heard the bell. Who couldn’t? She lived in one of the most expensive houses in all of Ponyville, and yet her parents still refused to fix the doorbell. Every time that accursed bell rang, it yanked everypony's attention to the door just to shut it up.

But this time, Gold Case refused to pay attention to it, even as it continued its infernal blaring. Because she knew who was behind that door, and that pony was not worth her time right now. Not even to stop the ringing.

She most likely would have continued sitting on that couch until the pony behind the door just gave up, but somepony had other plans. Her newspaper was suddenly lifted from her hooves and away from her grasp.

She snapped her head up, growling. “Hey, I was still reading that!”

The elderly stallion in front of her just shook his head sadly, folding the newspaper against his chest. “Miss Gold Case,” he said softly but sternly, “I’m quite sure you know who that is ringing the bell, and I think you should go and greet her.

Gold Case was more annoyed than angry now as she crossed her hooves and put on her best pouting face. “I don’t wanna.”

The stallion sighed as he lightly tossed the folded paper behind him onto a glass coffee table. He was an earth pony, his coat gray yet adorned with several black splotches as a sign of his age. His mane, if one could call it that, was entirely white, uncombed, sticking out every which way in random tufts. Quite frankly, he looked like the textbook definition of old, but his athletic ability was anything but. That was why he kept his job as a butler for as long as he had. It was no small feat to pull anything away from Gold Case. That filly had the grip of an adult Manticore.

The wrinkles on his cheeks sagged as he frowned. “May I advise you that you were the one who invited Miss Tiara over to this house to go out for the day? So it would be quite rude to ignore her, no?”

The filly just rolled her eyes, barely listening to a word the butler said. “Yeah, but who really cares? A whole day with her? She’s tolerable and all, but I don’t want to waste the whole day, know?”

The doorbell rang again. Gold Case was lucky her parents were out, or else they would be screaming louder than the bell room at her to end the horrid sound. Both ponies tried to ignore it, but based on the winces off their faces, it was getting increasingly hard to do so.

“Can’t she take a hint and just go away? How long has she been at it?” Gold Case did her best to speak over the ringing, but she was still afraid her words wouldn’t reach the old pony in front of her. Luckily, he heard it very clearly.

“Miss Gold Case, for the last time, please go to your marefriend!” It was just short of a shout, just enough to get the filly to listen. He had the most experience with the young Case than anypony else, yet he still had no idea what to do when she got like this. Sometimes, all he could do was hope he somehow got through to her. More often than not, he didn’t.

He finally got somewhere in this case, as Gold Case lifted herself off the soft, velvet couch and stood on the polished marble floor. Her muzzle was only inches away from the stallion's chest until she turned around with a huff, and began to walk away.

“Fine, I’ll get the door!” She shouted over her shoulder as the bell’s sound began to fade. “But only to stop that noise!” She turned her head back in front of her and walked out of her living room into her foyer, but not before yelling, “And so you can get off my back!”

The stallion watched her go, a small smile playing on his lips. Take it slow Cobbles. You’ll be able to help her again, just take it slow. Glancing down at the coffee table behind him, he noticed a very thin layer of dust on its glass tabletop. It could do with good dusting. Whistling a random tune, Cobble shuffled out of the room through a different doorway, ready to fetch the duster from the laundry.

Meanwhile, Gold Case hurried down the foyer, her body tense. The sound was finally gone, but for how much longer the silence would stay depended entirely on how fast Gold Case reached her house's large, oak doors.

Finally reaching the double doors, she instantly reached out a hoof and grasped the door's handle, before throwing it open so hard it nearly banged the foyer's walls.

“How many times are you going to ring the damn bell? I heard you the first time!” Gold Case spat at the filly on the porch in front of her. Wait… that wasn’t a fill- no, that’s her size, but what is tha- how… what was she wearing?

Gold Case could identify Diamond Tiara by her lavender and white mane. Besides that, she looked like a complete idiot. She was wearing a big white shirt that was way too big for her, a red Hoofball cap with the initials “PV”, and… was that black grease under her eyes? Ew. To make matters worse, one of her hooves was outstretched, pointing to a spot right next to the doors.

The ridiculous-looking filly snapped her forehoof back under her, yelping in surprise at the sudden arrival of her marefriend. Diamond Tiara opened her mouth to say something, but Gold Case beat her to it.

“What are you wearing? You look ridiculous!” She said, the distaste in her voice clear.

Diamond Tiara backed up a bit, clearly surprised by Gold Case’s anger. She didn’t know how she would react, but certainly not like this.

“W-well, i-it’s Nightmare N-n-night, and, uh, y’know… I wanted to j-just, kinda w-wear a-a costume so I’m g-going as a B-Buckball p-player because-“

Okay, this was getting insufferable. Gold Case stomped out of the doorway and gave the stammering fool her best glare. It worked wonders. Diamond clamped her mouth shut and fixed her gaze down at the white patio below.

As she should. Gold Case's parents spent a lot of money making that patio look nice. Ponies should appreciate it more.

“Buckball? Since when were you interested in… that?”

Instead of giving an answer, Diamond Tiara whimpered softly, shutting her eyes tight as she kept her head down towards the ground.

Gold Case could have done a number of things, and smacking that ridiculous hat off her head was not beneath her. But she realized she needed to calm down. She was scaring her marefriend right now. What would other ponies think of her?

Sighing, Gold Case walked past the quivering filly, tapping lightly on her shoulder as she passed her. Diamond Tiara’s head immediately snapped up, jerking left and right to see who was attacking her.

“Come on,” Gold Case said, trying to keep the annoyance out of her tone. “We’ll go to the park and hang out there for the afternoon. Then we’ll go to that Sugarcube Corner place in the evening. The place looks horrid, but the food there is pretty good.”

Then she heard a whisper behind her. The words were barely audible, but she could make out one word that told her all: ‘candy.’

Turning at once, Gold Case glared once again at Diamond Tiara. Even though her back was turned towards her, Gold Case knew Diamond could feel her glare burning holes in her head.

“What did you just say?” Gold Case sneered. Candy. Seriously? What, was she five? Diamond needed to grow up, especially since her family was just as rich as hers. She had a reputation to maintain.

Gold Case waited for an answer, but all she got were a few whimpers, until finally, Gold Case could make out a “Nothing,” so soft she wouldn’t have heard it if she wasn’t waiting for Diamond to speak.

“Thought so,” Gold Case said, her lips stretching in a small smile. She began descending the patio's steps and onto the road. “Now come on, love. We’ll have a great time together. I’ll even let you wear your costume. It’ll be a blast.

Why not make the most of this day? If Cobbles was going to force her outside, she might as well have fun. She wondered if the stock ponies were in the park, enjoying their lunch. It was worth a shot. Without looking back, Gold Case began walking in the direction of the town park.

The patio steps creaked as a pony slowly descended down them. Wiping at her eyes, she felt she had no choice but to follow.

A bumblebee and an oddly shaped banana waited at the gates of Sweet Apple Acres for their friend.

Of course, the banana was not a banana at all, and I would argue with you until the end of time to clarify that. Indeed, the original inspiration for the outfit was Tracy Yellowhat, a grizzled detective who solved mysteries every week in the Stories Weekly comic book. Every Yellowhat- as his fans so proudly called themselves- was infatuated with the bright yellow trench coat he wore, complimenting the equally yellow fedora with a black stripe along the top.

So yes, in theory, the banana was actually a fictional detective adored by many. However, the wearer forgot the most important part: the dark yellow color of Tracy Yellowhat's garments. Instead, she asked Rarity to make it with “the best yellow you have.” Without any further foundation to build upon, Rarity made the dress with her favorite yellow. She only realized the mistake once the excited filly tried it on, and no amount of passive-aggressive comments – “It looks grand darling, but I think it could look even better if I made some extra touches'”– could fix it.

So now, the filly looked like a banana, and the way-too-thin black stripe only further cemented the picture.

It was also a frustrated banana.

“Why is she taking so long? We’ve been here for hours!”

“It’s been half an hour,” the bumblebee replied bluntly.

“Exactly, that’s what I said.”

“It’s not.”

“Whatever,” the banana said with a roll of its eyes. “I just wish she was ready. We got a whole adventure awaiting us.”

“Well, there’s no reason to rush her. We’ve got the whole day until we have to follow the notebook.”

The banana shook her head. “I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about trick or treating!”

The bumblebee, for just one second, wanted to die. “Fine Scootaloo. Whatever.”

Scootaloo shrugged. “Okay Sweetie Belle, be like that. You won’t be getting much candy with that attitude.”

It was only noon, so there wouldn’t be many houses ready with candy anyways; that was for the night when all the little fillies and colts really felt like they were walking in a fun, sweet nightmare. Of course, that wasn’t what was waiting for the three fillies with the book. They would have to be at Sugarcube Corner to throw an Apple clean at Rainbow Dash’s face, a pony who wasn’t even in Ponyville at the moment.

Sweetie Belle knew this was all terribly absurd, and she should by all accounts be tearing apart all the details to look for the hidden meaning. Who was behind this book? Why Applejack and Rainbow Dash? Why them?

Sweetie Belle knew it was normal to obsess over these things, and normally she would stay awake for a full week to hunt down these answers. However, for some reason Sweetie Belle herself didn’t know, she didn’t have that urge now. The only thing she was concerned about was following the book, and all questions that surrounded that topic were inexplicably ignored. It felt good though, Sweetie Belle thought, to take something at surface level. It was a lot less stressful that way.

Sweetie Belle was thinking about this when she spotted Apple Bloom walking out of the house up on the hill. She couldn’t really see any of her friends' features from her current position, but she could see the barest outline of a bow on the back of her head.

“Hey Scootaloo, Apple Bloom’s coming.”

“Wha.”

“Apple Bloom’s coming, you moron,” Sweetie Belle hissed.

“Okay geez, sorry. I just wasn’t paying attention.”

“You never do.”

Sweetie Belle expected a biting retort that would launch the two into a long and senseless argument, but it didn’t happen. Scootaloo was staring at the approaching Apple Bloom. Sweetie Belle saw the corners of Scootaloo’s mouth stretched down into a frown, but the unicorn didn’t know what for. Then she looked up.

Coming down the hill was not a vampire, a scarecrow, or a bumblebee. Not even a banana detective. It was just Apple Bloom, looking like Apple Bloom did every day, besides those saddle bags she had firmly strapped on her sides.

“Hey, girls!” Apple Bloom called out to them cheerfully as she approached the gate. “Ah got everything we need in these bags right here, so we should be all set to go.”

Apple Bloom's hoof started to open the gate until she finally caught the shocked expressions of both her friends. All movement stopped.

“Uh, girls? Did ah do somethin’ wrong?” Given no answer, she slid through the crack in the open gate and closed it gently behind her. “Ah’m sorry ah didn’t apologize for that whole mess at Sugarcube Corner yet. Ah’ve been busy all week, and ah guess ah’ve just been kinda out of it.”

“You’re naked,” the other two said in unison. This sudden statement startled Apple Bloom so much she actually took a step back as if she were facing down two hungry lions.

“What?”

“Where’s you’re costume?” Scootaloo replied. She lowered the brim of her hat over her eyes, apparently in the belief that this would make her seem more intimidating. “It’s Nightmare Night. Wearing a costume is, like, a rule!”

“Yeah!” Sweetie Belle piped in. “You’ll look silly compared to all the other fillies and colts just like that.”

“We couldn’t find one that fit me,” Apple Bloom replied quite simply. “My last costume was too tight, and we didn’t have time to go out to town and get something. So Applejack just told me to go out and have fun.” She flashed an uneasy smile. “Isn’t having fun all that matters?”

Sweetie Bell returned the smile, her features softening. “Of course Apple Blo-“

“No!” Scootaloo wasn’t quite as forgiving. “You need a costume. Heck, anything can be a costume if you try hard enough. You can stuff yourself inside a potato sack and go as a… a potato sack!”

“A potato sack?” Apple Bloom glanced at Sweetie Belle, who was doing her very best not to fall on the ground laughing.

“Yes!” Scootaloo said, excitement rising in her voice. Her eyes shone as her mind rushed with the possibility of a potato sack-themed costume.

“That’s stupid,” Apple Bloom replied bluntly.

Scootaloo frowned as her enthusiasm dissipated. She kicked away a lone pebble. “Yeah well, you may call it stupid, but I call it creative.”

Apple Bloom just rolled her eyes as she started to make her way down the road to town. “Alright, come on ponies.” Everything was remarkably silent, save for the clinking of her saddlebags.

She almost left the entire orchard before she looked back to find her friends still standing near the fence, giving each other a serious look.

“Hey girls, you coming?”

The bumblebee and banana looked at each other with a shared expression of worry, then nodded before they began trotting up to Apple Bloom.

It was at that moment that Apple Bloom suddenly felt a strong sense of guilt that she couldn’t quite shake off. She couldn’t find the chance to tell her friends about Applejack- she was too busy helping at the farm. Now they were right there in front of her, and what a perfect chance to tell them right here, right now.

Apple Bloom held her tongue when they stopped at her side.

“Are you sure you want to do this Apple Bloom?” Sweetie Belle asked.

Say something.

Apple Bloom attempted a smile, and it unsurprisingly sucked. “Of course, girls. Ah’m just tired, that's all.” She nodded to her own excuse and began trekking down the path once again. This time, her friends followed.

Apple Bloom mentally kicked herself for her fib. Some other time, she told herself. Just not now.

There were things to do.

It was a surprise to no one other than Scootaloo that nopony else was trick or treating. At the first house, the mare that showed up at the door just gave an annoyed expression and told the Crusaders to leave her alone. The second house just threw breath mint at them. So, despite Scootaloo’s harshest curses, the three made a trip over to Bon Bon’s confectionery and brought some delicious, homemade candy to hold them over.

Where they were going now was anypony’s guess.

“I say we get some Ice Cream,” Scootaloo said as she vigorously sucked on a lemon drop.

“Yeah, but then I’d have to go back to the Boutique to grab some extra bits.”

“Okay, then go. We’ll wait.”

Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes. “Whatever you want, my queen.”

“Okay, fine. Be that way. Let’s all starve then.”

“Scootaloo, we already have all this candy. Curb your sweet tooth with that.”

“Okay, fine. So we don’t have to go anywhere to eat. So where do we go?”

Sweetie Belle shrugged. “I don’t know. Where do you think we should go, Apple Bloom?” she asked, craning her head back to look at her silent friend.

Apple Bloom seemed neither here nor there. She kept her head bent low, and her eye focused on the ground. It was a wonder she wasn't bumping into every pony and wall down the street.

Sweetie Belle sighed, as she turned her gaze back to her front. “Yeah, thought so. Let’s just walk around a little more. I’m sure we’ll find something to do.”

Scootaloo groaned. “Yeah, great. Let’s just wander around. I bet that’ll do wonders.”

Despite what Scootaloo sarcastically predicted, wandering around town did not, in fact, do any wonders. Thirty minutes had passed, and the fillies had walked at least a mile now, and yet they still had no idea what to do. Scootaloo had almost committed thievery by picking up a bit-pouch a passing pony had dropped, but Apple Bloom had held her back as Sweetie Belle nobly returned the pouch to its owner. Worst yet, they were even farther from the Boutique now than they had been before, a fact that Sweetie Belle made more than sure to point out to Scootaloo.

They had stopped at the Ponyville Park and Gardens so that Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle could take some time to yell their heads off at each other. Apple Bloom took this time to get some much-needed relaxation.

Ponyville Park and Gardens may have been the nicest looking part of all of Ponyville, which was saying a lot. The officials of Ponyville made sure to make the most out of the town's close proximity to the barren yet picturesque countryside of Southern Equestria. So what better way to showcase this awesome natural beauty to the world than to build a park for all to enjoy? From the large, looming trees adorned with leaves that were just beginning to change color to the ponds whose surfaces were so clear and reflective that they could have just as well been glass. Even the constant birdsong overhead never got old. It only added to the perfect serenity of it all.

Apple Bloom adored the park, a love that was passed down from her big sister. She vividly remembered the picnics she’d have with Applejack here on the weekends. She’d watch the nature around her, in between bites of daffodil sandwich and sips of apple cider, with the awe and wonder common in young foals. Apple Bloom would give anything to return to that time when everything was calm, and nothing was wrong.

That’s why Apple Bloom walked away from her bickering friends to one of the many ponds that populated the park. She stood only a step away from the water, staring down at her perfect reflection. The harder she stared at herself, the more she felt relaxed until she felt like she was in another world entirely. Gone were the sounds of ponies playing and arguing. Apple Bloom couldn’t even hear the gentle wind anymore. There was complete silence between her and the reflection.

For the first time in a long while, Apple Bloom felt truly alone, and if she could keep the loneliness forever, maybe she would. There she was, calm underneath the water, with no ripples or waves to disturb her. Apple Bloom, the real Apple Bloom, the tangible being that sat on the edge of this pond in a daze, felt dirty somehow. Dirty in a way the reflection wasn’t. Apple Bloom leaned her head closer to the water, and maybe if she just looked closer, she would have solved something. But instead, she felt something brush past her fur, and just like that, she snapped out of her moment of reflection, and the her in the water looked no different than the real her was. Dirtiness and all.

Slowly, Apple Bloom craned her neck upward and looked for the source of the contact. She didn’t have to look far; Diamond Tiara sat only a few inches away, her head bent to the ground and wearing a neutral expression.

Apple Bloom supposed she should have been more shocked to see her, but she didn’t. She felt as if she talked to her just the other day. She didn’t even seem to worry too much about the strange, sport-like uniform that she wore.

“Hey,” Apple Bloom said softly.

“Hey,” replied Diamond Tiara. She didn’t move. “I didn’t think I’d see you here.”

Apple Bloom shrugged. “Me and the Crusaders were just passing through. Nice costume by the way. Buckball?”

Diamond Tiara nodded, and Apple Bloom could see the start of a smile tug at the filly’s lips. “Yeah, I’ve been getting into it recently. I went to one of the games a few months ago and I’ve just been hooked.” She chuckled. “I know you probably didn’t expect me to be into something like that.”

“Can’t say ah ever would’ve guessed that buckball would be something you’d fancy. So, what brings you to the park?”

Apple Bloom noticed Daimond’s face dropped just a bit at that question. “Oh, um, Gold Case brought me here. Then we recognized your friends, so I decided to introduce them to her. Then I wanted to go find you.”

Apple Bloom nodded. “So I’m supposin’ she’s up on the hill talkin’ mah friend's ears off?”

“Yeah, I’d guess so. By the way, Gold Case isn’t just my friend. She’s…well…”

Apple Bloom raised a hoof to cut her off. “Ah know.”

Diamond Tiara sighed a breath of relief, and she smiled. “Oh, thank Celestia. I don’t know why but I always find it so hard to tell ponies that.”

“Yeah, ah get that.”

“Everything is going well ah hope?”

Diamond Tiara shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. School’s easy, and the weather is nice. Nothing much to complain about.”

“I was asking about you and Gold Case.”

“Oh. I mean… yeah I guess everything’s great between us. She’s great, you know? Just great. She’s very patient with me.”

It was an obvious lie, Apple Bloom could tell. Even if Diamond’s hushed delivery and darting of her eyes weren’t obvious clues, the information Silver Spoon told her pretty much confirmed that Diamond Tiara was hiding the truth.

“Ah get it if you don’t want to tell me, but if there’s somethin’ wrong, I’d like to try to help you.”

Diamond Tiara fell silent at that and turned her head away. Apple Bloom sighed. “Diamond, ah’d like for you to tell me how things are really going with Gold Case.”

Diamond Tiara sighed and rubbed at her own shoulder. “I’m being serious! Everything’s just fine with me and Gold Case. Sure we may have problems here and there, but that’s just normal!”

“If you’re having problems with Gold Case, you should try and talk about them. Ah would be more than happy to listen.”

“They’re not even worth talking about. It’s no big deal. I appreciate what you’re trying to do but… I just don’t want to go over it right now.”

Apple Bloom wanted to press further but stopped herself. If Diamond wanted to set up a boundary about her marefriend, then it was up to her to respect it. “Okay, ah understand. If you ever want to talk about it–”

“Yeah, yeah,” she mumbled with a roll of her head. Apple Bloom noticed her gaze was concentrated on her reflection in the lake. Apple Bloom chuckled and looked at her own reflection.

“Well ah guess this is still nice, right? Just looking at our reflections like this in our own silence. It’s kinda nice to spend this moment with you.”

Diamond Tiara’s reflection smiled softly at that last part and Apple Bloom watched Diamond Tiara shuffle just a smidge closer to her. Apple Bloom couldn’t help but smile back and just then, she felt an unfamiliar warmness in her muzzle that came from a feeling she couldn’t find the words to describe. It at least seemed okay. She let the feeling get stronger, and she watched in the lake as Diamond get closer and closer. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in, unable to shake that content smile, and she grew restless with anticipation of a new bliss waiting for her. Diamond just had to get a little closer…

Then she heard a few twigs crack behind her sounding as loud as a firecracker in this quiet moment. With a startled gasp, Applejack turned to look behind her

Approaching them was a golden filly with a tightly brushed copper mane that shone slightly in the afternoon sun. She also appeared without a costume, wearing instead an arrogant smirk paired with a walk that just screamed: “upper-class.” Apple Bloom didn’t recognize this filly, yet by Diamond Tiara’s embarrassed expression, she could put a name on this intruder.

“Yo, DT! Don’t tell me you thought you could get away so easily.” She chuckled as she loomed over Diamond Tiara and gave her a fierce noogie. Diamond murmured something that may have been a protest but yet did nothing. Gold Case suddenly seemed to notice Apple Bloom for the first time. Her smirk became a tight-lipped frown as she sat up and looked at the country filly with a hoff under her chin, like she was some fine art piece she didn’t quite understand.

“Have I seen you before?”

Apple Bloom stammered. “Uh no, no actually ah don’t believe we have.”

“Oh.”

Apple Bloom nodded and tried to think of something to say to possibly save this meeting from careening into the pit of awkwardness. “Ah’m Apple Bloom.”

“I didn’t ask.”

“Oh.”

It was futile. The meeting was bound to be awkward from the get-go and the three could only stare at each other, waiting for the conversation to die.

“Well, I hope you gave this lil sweetie a good conversation! This one likes to wander. And talk.”

Apple Bloom nodded. “Yeah, we had a real nice conversation.”

“Good. That’s good. I talked to your friends back there. They’re a real hoot, especially that orange pegasus. Now that one has a sense of humor.”

“Scootaloo? Yeah, she’s a riot that one.”

“You got that right. Oh hey, you said your name was Apple Bloom? So are you related to the apples over in that farm?”

Apple Bloom nodded and cracked a prideful smile. Ha-ha! Finally, some genuine respect!

“You always have that lame festival thing at your farm, right? Always thought that was super lame, no offense. We’ll pass.”

Oh.

“Ha! Only busting your chops! I like you. I like to see someone who also ditches the stupid costumes.”

“Oh, ah just didn’t have time to pick one out.”

“Riiiiiight.”

“No, I’m serious.”

“Suuuuuure. Stay humble, I like that. Well, I think me and my filly are gonna head out. Maybe we’ll catch you sometime later.” Yet even with that cheery goodbye, Apple Bloom still felt as if they weren’t equal. Gold Case had an arrogant aura around her that intimidated her even if she was just being ‘nice.’ She saw Diamond Tiara and her face fell. Diamond looked… sad behind those eyes and forced a smile. Apple Bloom remembered when Diamond Tiara was like that. Scarily similar, actually. So Apple Bloom couldn’t process how Diamond could run back into someone like that when she was trying so hard to change?

Gold Case wheeled Diamond Tiara around and walked away. Apple Bloom watched them go and expected some final glance from Diamond Tiara, anything that would tell her something more. There was nothing.

She heard a voice that she knew belonged to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo behind her, and she turned around to meet her friends climbing down the hill. Both fillies seemed to be quite lively, and Apple Bloom tried to match their energy with an energetic wave.

“Apple Bloom! Imagine leaving your friends all alone to sulk. Couldn’t be me.” Scootaloo chuckled and flung a shoulder around her friend. Apple Bloom’s shallow enthusiasm seemed to work on the fillies as neither one seemed to sense anything was wrong. “Did you meet Gold Case?”

Apple Bloom nodded. “Yeah.”

Scootaloo grinned and chuckled to herself. “Let me tell you, that’s a filly who knows a good joke.”

Sweetie Bell rolled her eyes. “Oh please. Crudeness does not equal comedy.”

Scootaloo scoffed and waved the complainer off. “Oh please, you wouldn’t know what comedy was if it smacked you in the face.” Sweetie Belle simply stuck her tongue out, and Scootaloo took that to mean her surrender. Turning back towards Apple Bloom with a dumb grin and newfound pride, she said, “Anyway, we saw Diamond Tiara too but she just wandered off, just like you. Did you talk to her?”

Apple Bloom nodded. “I did.”

“Oh, neat. Well, what’d you two gals talk about?”

It was a question that Apple Bloom found trouble answering. She couldn’t ignore the fact that there was something strange about their encounter, though she was unsure why. It was the way Diamond Tiara looked at her with that small smile, and how their muzzles were practically touching. The simple words exchanged between the two held more power than at the surface. Apple Bloom knew this for sure, but the power that was there was too unfamiliar to her to properly put into words. She could only hope that she’d figure out what was happening to her sometime soon. For now, she just didn’t know.

So with a sigh, Apple Bloom muttered just a single word: “Nothing.”

–
Applejack was tired. This was normal.

Nightmare Night was always a busy holiday for her, busier than most. She had to buck how many trees for barrels of apple cider and trays of fritters, not to mention the rows of bobbing for apple games and that damned hedge maze they had to get trimmed every year. It broke her back, puffed out her eyes, and made her hooves ache. At the end of it all, Applejack was quite frankly sick of everything.

Though it was worth it, it would always be worth it, because the town depended on her work. Now, sitting on her porch with a tall glass of Iced Apple Cider beside her, she could watch the whole town of Ponyville collectively line up outside her gates.

She sighed heavily as she looked behind her at the presently empty house; Big Mac was in front of the gates keeping order in the line, Granny Smith was out inspecting the hedge maze, and Apple Bloom was somewhere out in town with her friends.

She looked back out at her orchard and all the trees that now stood bare. Their fruits were now in barrels, ready to be broken and poured into eager ponies’ cups. The ponies in question were getting louder, letting loose yelps of excitement. Applejack caught eyes with Big Macintosh and gave him the big okay with a nod. Nodding back, Big Macintosh undid the ropes closed the gates, and allowed the sea of ponies to storm inside.

When all those ponies were clustered together like that, it was hard to spot any sort of individuality. Nearly the whole town had converged into one mass hungry for cider and games, and it was all up to the Apples to provide that for them. Even in that crowd, Applejack knew certain ponies to be crowded in there. Yet the only pony she really cared about being there, wasn’t.

Applejack shook that thought out of her head. Okay, so what if Rainbow Dash was in Canterlot for Nightmare Night? Was she moving there? Was she going to cut off all contact with her? No, absolutely not. After the night is over, Rainbow would come back to Ponyville, and then it’d be just her outside those gates.

Until then Applejack would make herself wait. Patience was as much a virtue as honesty, and she intended to master it. Getting up from her spot on the porch, Applejack decided the only way to truly get Rainbow out of her mind was to get to work. She started to stretch and noticed her bare hooves. Right, she needed to get her costume on. She’d been distracted more than usual this time around, so she’d have to reuse one of her old ones. She was thinking her scarecrow outfit would do just fine. Not that it really mattered anyway.

She took one last look at the crowd of ponies, now scattering throughout the orchard and a sizable portion of them walking up the path to the house, towards the cider stand. Applejack sighed and entered the farmhouse. She had to hurry. There was work to do.

–

Never in her life had Rainbow Dash wanted to fly less than tonight. This was preposterous, she knew. Even traitorous to her own ego. In less than an hour, she would be flying in an arena in front of thousands of excited ponies with the princesses themselves watching. Meanwhile, she’d be one of the stars of the show, responsible for the final spectacle, the Sonic Rainboom that would illuminate the night sky above Canterlot with all the colors of the rainbow.

It was her life to bask in the showmanship of her actions and to play it all with supreme pride and confidence. She’d ignore everything else just to show off for one moment, one jaw-dropping moment for everypony else to gawk at. But now, she was sitting in the Wonderbolts locker room alone, her uniform crumpled up in her hooves, and she could only think of her.

She’s just some mare! That was what her younger self would say, theRainbow Dashbefore Wonderbolts. Back when she had something to prove. When she only cared about the applause and cheers from the awestruck ponies watching her tricks, with no emotional distinction between her and the fans. So why couldn’t she stop thinking about this single goddamn mare?

Because it was Applejack.

That was why, despite how tough Rainbow Dash tried to act, she couldn’t concentrate on the show. Because Applejack, of all ponies, said she like her. Not once did Dash ever think she’d ever admit anything so intimate, and yet last week Aj said exactly that. Now what, she was supposed to go back to flying like nothing had happened? Like they couldn’t have a date right now if they just had time? Stupid life doing stupid things. Rainbow never understood why she always had to get the short end of the stick when it came to luck.

She didn’t even want to put on this damn uniform either. To wear this uniform was to be a Wonderbolt. But Rainbow didn't feel like a Wonderbolt right now. Could she even perform the Sonic Rainboom out there? Would she get booed? Sacked from the Wonderbolts? Live the rest of her life depressed and a recluse in a secluded wooden shack with a diet of nothing but microwaveable dinners? Oh, but then she could have Applejack… wait, no! Applejack would never go for her if she was like that! She’ll kick her to the side like trash. She was doomed. Doomed! Dooooooooo–

“DASH! What in Tartarus is taking you so long?”

Rainbow’s heart shot out of her damn chest and her uniform fell to the floor in a sad heap. Even in her shocked state, Rainbow recognized that gruff and aggressive voice from anywhere.

“Spitfire!” Rainbow collected herself quickly and collected her uniform off of the floor to save some face. “I’m sorry ma’am! I lost track of time.”

“Lost track of time my flank! You’ve been moping around practice for the last two weeks and making the rest of the team look like amateurs. I swear to Celestia, if you mess up tonight, I’ll have you running laps until your wings fall off!”

Even from across the room, Spitfire’s voice had the volume of a megaphone. It was terrifying. “N-no, ma’am. I mean, I’ll do fine, trust me! I got it all figured out! You can call me Reliable Rainbow tonight, I promise you that! Everything is under control!”

Spitfire gave her a stare like she’d chew into her again, but finally dropped it and just sighed like she didn’t have time for any of this. “Dash, look, whatever you have going on, just save it for later, okay? You’ll have time to settle it out, but we need you now. So I want to see you out with the rest of the team in five and I expect you to pull the greatest Sonic Rainboom the world has ever seen. Then you have my permission to mope around.” Without waiting for an answer, Spitfire barged out of the room and once again, Rainbow was left alone.

Rainbow knew Spitfire was right. Her head needed to be in the game now. She had ponies out there depending on her. Sure, she didn’t know them, but she owed them all the same. Applejack had to wait for later. Though as Rainbow finally relented and slid her uniform over herself, she couldn’t help but think that, by some miracle, something could go wrong. Something completely unrelated to the Wonderbolts themselves, but would still affect the show, like a power outage or a stadium malfunction. Then it could be canceled, and Rainbow could get to Ponyville early in the night and have hours upon hours of valuable conversation with Applejack. Yes, it was a stupid thought. Maybe even cruel. Yet Rainbow Dash couldn’t stop thinking about it.

She flipped the goggles over her eyes and did her routine stretches. She’d do her best to put on a great show, but she couldn’t help but hope for something to go wrong.