Hitting the Books... or the Hay?
Applejack's weekends weren't usually anything to write home about. Well, not that she would need to—most of them were spent there, anyways.
Her Saturdays would probably be considered boring to any other teenage girl, but she didn't mind them one bit. She typically woke early in the morning, just before the sun rose and the birds began to chirp. The world stood still in that time between dawn and dusk, as if all of nature was still asleep. She considered herself lucky to be one of the few people awake in those moments, reveling in the crisp morning air and admiring the way the stars still twinkled above in their final moments of visibility.
Her chickens loved to see her bright and early, too. They sang to her in clucks and coos when she approached their coop, sprinkling bits of food for them to peck at and greeting them each by name.
The moment the sun began to peek above the horizon was when she would wake her siblings, drawing them into the kitchen with the scent of freshly-cooked eggs and sizzling bacon. Granny Smith was always quick to follow, and the lot of them would gather around the kitchen counter to eat breakfast together, sharing stories from the past week and deliberating on their plans for the weekend.
Applejack loved it. She enjoyed having a routine, chores to attend to, and a family to take care of. Sure, she'd been accused of shouldering too much of the responsibilities of running the household before, but she'd never seen such things as a burden. It was simply what she did.
Yet, on the rare occasion that her everyday schedule was interrupted—be it by magic incident, friendship issue, or something more mundane—she found herself wishing to be back at home; caring for her chickens, sweeping the barn, or cooking meals for her family. Such activities rooted her, kept her grounded.
However, on this specific occasion, the break in her routine was not only tolerated—it was welcomed with open arms.
"How's it hanging?" Rainbow Dash greeted her with a smirk.
Applejack frowned, tilting her head sideways in an attempt to meet the girl's eyes. She lay atop the loft of the barn with her head dangling upside down over the edge, rainbow-colored hair fanning out below her. Upon seeing the farmgirl's no-nonsense expression, she stuck her tongue out at her.
She'd nearly given Applejack a heart attack when she first entered the old building, eliciting a startled yelp at the image of her face popping out from the second floor and leering down at her with a mischievous smile.
"What in tarnation are you doin' in here, Dash?" she asked, returning her attention to the boxes in the corner of the barn she'd been tasked with retrieving.
"Just chillin'," Rainbow said, flipping onto her stomach and resting her head on her elbows while she peered down at the blonde. "Whatcha doin'?"
"Chores."
"Laaame," she drawled. "Why don't you take a break?"
"Wait, how'd you even get in here, anyway?" Applejack ignored her question, staring up at the girl with a quirked eyebrow.
"I have a key." She held up a small silver key attached to a string of rope.
"Wha—"
"Pinkie. Don't ask."
Applejack huffed, glancing over at the storage crates and then back up at the girl that had infiltrated her barn. She put her hands on her hips, tipping her hat up and meeting Rainbow's challenging gaze. "Whaddya reckon we do, anyway?"
The athlete flashed a toothy grin before beckoning her with a wave of her hand and disappearing behind the bales of hay lining the edge of the loft. Applejack shook her head with a mixture of annoyance and amusement, rolling up the sleeves of her flannel shirt and preparing to climb up into the dust-ridden space above.
When she reached the top of the ladder, she couldn't help but pause, blinking in surprise as she took in the unexpected sight before her.
The upstairs had been completely transformed. The space was neatly dusted and organized, and a few strings of fairy lights had been wrapped around the beams above, shining down upon the checkered blanket that had been laid atop the floorboards. On it sat a few snacks, drinks, and a laptop.
"Ta-da!" Rainbow beamed, spreading out her arms and showcasing the newly-renovated attic. The girl wore her typical athletic attire: a sports tee and prismatic leggings, topped with a thin blue bomber jacket.
Applejack joined her on the platform, taking in all the changes that had been made before settling her gaze on Dash.
"Wow, you trespassed, broke in, and rearranged all my stuff," she deadpanned.
Rainbow Dash paled, mouth agape as Applejack held a sternly unamused look before breaking into a fit of giggles. "I'm just messin' with you, sugar cube. This is wonderful."
Her smile returned at the praise, practically vibrating with excitement as she patted the space beside her on the blanket. She was sure her tail would be wagging if she had one.
"When'd you have the time to do all this?" Applejack asked in wonder as she took a seat beside her.
"Oh, y'know, here and there..." Rainbow said, waving her hand nonchalantly.
"Hmm... alrighty, then. Color me impressed." At the girl's questioning look, she confessed, "You ain't exactly the cleanin' type. Or the plannin' type, for that matter."
"You know me well," Dash admitted. "It's not really my thing. BUT surprising people and showing them how awesome I am at grand gestures is."
Applejack chuckled, slinging an arm over her shoulder and pulling her close. "What's the plan, then?"
She opened the laptop and clicked through her browsers. "I was thinking we could watch that movie you like. The one with the cowboys?"
"Oh, really? I thought you didn't like that one."
"It's cool enough," she offered, shooting her hand forward and removing Applejack's hat with a smirk before placing it atop her own head. "Doesn't hold a candle to the Daring Do trilogy, but it's still got plenty of action."
The sight of Rainbow Dash wearing her hat always tugged on the farmgirl's heartstrings, but this, combined with the surprise date and her compromise on their movie selection, left her speechless. She could just kiss her.
So she did.
Her hand was warm in hers as she interlocked their fingers, causing Rainbow to turn towards her just as she leaned in for a quick peck on the lips. "Thanks for this, Dashie."
She sat motionless for a moment, stunned, before that cocky grin of hers returned to her face. "It's no biggie. I'm just awesome like that."
"Sure thing," Applejack replied, shaking her head in amusement.
They started the movie and snuggled close, sharing a bag of popcorn and becoming engrossed in Applejack's favorite western. Rays of sunlight filtered in from the window behind them, illuminating the particles of dust that danced across the air and projecting the illusion of a halo atop Dash's head. If anyone were an angel, it was her—she did, on occasion, have wings, after all.
The sound of gunfire filtered up from the tinny speakers of the laptop, and for a moment she swore she could hear a distant knocking past the popping of bullets.
"Wait, wait," she murmured, prompting Rainbow to pause the movie. "Did you hear that?"
The noise sounded again, and Applejack hopped up to peek over the edge of the loft. Someone was knocking on the barn doors. She shot a questioning look at her girlfriend, who simply shrugged in reply. The farmgirl descended the ladder and made her way to the door, pulling it open to reveal the visitors waiting on the opposite side.
She was greeted by the familiar faces of two of her closest friends—a redhead rocking a leather jacket and a girl with navy blue hair streaked with pink and purple. The latter adjusted the glasses perched atop her nose before offering a small smile.
"Hey, Applejack," said Sunset Shimmer, adjusting the books she held in her arms. Both she and Twilight had backpacks slung over their shoulders, and it wasn't until she met their expectant gazes that the reason behind their sudden presence dawned on her. She'd invited them over that day in order to work on the project the three of them had been assigned in their shared English class.
Consarn it.
"H-Hiya, gals," Applejack laughed nervously, subconsciously pulling the door even closer to block their view from the inside of the barn. "Uhhh... y'know, I totally forgot about our plans today. I'm sorry."
"Oh, that's alright," Twilight assured her, pushing the other barn door open and allowing herself inside. "I've already planned everything out for the assignment in my notebook."
Sunset trailed after her, lugging in their supplies and setting her things down on a makeshift table devised of a few sturdy boxes and a tablecloth. "Are we working in the barn? We went up to the house, but Granny Smith said you were out here."
"See, the thing is..."
"I like the barn. It's cozy," Twilight added, taking a seat on one of the smaller crates beside the table. She unloaded her backpack onto the surface, organizing the papers she'd brought alongside Sunset's books. "Shall we?"
"Um..." Applejack glanced from her friends up to the loft, where Rainbow Dash had shuffled backwards and out of sight in order to prevent herself from being discovered. She clenched the hem of her flannel between her fists, sweat beading on her forehead as she deliberated on what to say. The two of them watched her where she stood beside the entrance, the barn doors slowly clicking shut behind her.
Suddenly, a flash of color overhead caught her attention. Dash's magenta eyes locked onto hers as she shuffled closer to the edge of the loft. As if sensing the blonde's reluctance, she gestured down at the unexpected visitors with a tilt of her head. She gestured wildly with her hands, narrating an entire story with her movements and the facial expressions that accompanied them. When she finished, she grinned at her eagerly.
Applejack blinked a few times before furrowing her brows in confusion and matching her energy with a bewildered expression. Rainbow slapped a hand to her face and dragged it down her face exasperatedly. She pointed to Twilight and Sunset with her finger, then shot her a thumbs up. For good measure, she waved her hand at her as if to say, "Go on. It'll be fine."
She was snapped out of the one-sided nonverbal conversation with her girlfriend by a confused voice.
"Where's your hat?" Sunset asked, cocking an eyebrow in her direction.
"Oh, uh," she reached a hand up to pat the top of her head and confirm for herself that her beloved Stetson was, indeed, absent. "It's around."
"Right..." The girl gave her a dubious look before turning her attention back to the work in front of her. "Well, come and join us."
Reluctantly, she walked over and sat beside them at the table, where Twilight had already begun allotting the responsibilities for their assignment. She looked down at the paper in front of her, outlining the details of the project and what they would be required to present as a group.
Right. All she had to do was hunker down and get things done. Once they finished the project, the two of them could go home without realizing they weren't the only visitors the barn had had that day. They'd be none the wiser. Hopefully.
She and Rainbow Dash had decided when they'd first started dating a few months ago that it was better for all parties involved if they kept their relationship under wraps. Although it pained Applejack to lie to her friends, she knew that it was for the best. Things had been so normal lately, so... peaceful. The last thing she wanted to do was throw off the balance once again and disrupt the structure of their friend group with such a significant development.
They wouldn't keep it hidden forever, of course, but for now, it was just... easier. They were simply prolonging the inevitable, driven by their uncertainty about how their friends would react. So, with one last subtle glance upwards, she plastered a smile on her face and got to work.
It didn't take long for Applejack to realize that finishing their homework hadn't been the only motive the girls harbored for coming over. At least, not for Sunset Shimmer.
"So," she started, cutting into the silence that had previously been permeated only by the occasional sound of pencils scribbling on paper. "What's new, AJ?"
"Nothin'." Her sharp response caused both of them to look up from their work and pin their gazes upon her. She scratched the back of her head awkwardly, chuckling, "I mean, nothin' much. Same old, same old."
"Really?" Sunset rested her chin on the palm of her hand, her eyes shining with suspicion.
"Eeyup."
"You're acting kinda weird."
"Weird? Me? Nah. I'm just, uh," she stretched her arms above her head and forced out a yawn. "Just tired, is all. Been up since the crack of dawn."
"If you say so." Sunset shot a worried glance at Twilight, who gave a small shrug before returning to their assignment.
Just when she thought she was in the clear, the redhead spoke again. "Come to think of it, Rainbow Dash has been acting pretty strange recently, too."
"That's true," Twilight reaffirmed, her eyes not leaving the paper as she continued writing. "Just the other day, she asked me if her outfit looked cool or not. She never questions her coolness level! It's always 20%."
Applejack stifled a laugh at this, and her mind wandered to the girl in question sitting just a few yards above them. She could make an educated guess as to what had prompted her to become self-conscious, but she was drawn out of her thoughts as Sunset hummed, "Weird. I wonder what's going on with her."
"Who knows," Applejack responded, feigning nonchalance. "That one ain't always been the brightest apple in the bushel."
"Hmm," Sunset pursed her lips, attempting to hold back a smirk. "She must have a lot on her mind."
"Or nothin' at all."
"What about you?"
"Whaddya mean?" The blonde leaned back on her stool, crossing her arms over her chest defensively.
Sunset matched her energy, crossing one leg over the other. "Oh, just that there's definitely something going on."
"I don't know what you're—"
"Applejack, you're really sweaty. Are you okay?" Twilight asked, pressing a hand to her forehead to check her temperature.
"I'm fine," she insisted.
Sunset's eyes lit up. "You've got a secret, don't you?"
Applejack froze, her eyes widening. She squeaked, "N-no!"
Her ears caught the faint sound of something shuffling against the floorboards above.
"Ohh, you do," Twilight joined in with renowned interest. "You're sweating, you're fidgety, you won't make eye contact, and your voice just rose in tone. The tell-tale signs of a lie."
Sunset gasped, pressing a hand to her mouth in shock. "Applejack! Lying? I never thought I'd see the day."
"It is unusual," she said, adjusting her glasses and sharing a look with her friend. "Can you believe it?"
"Hardly."
Applejack squirmed in her seat, shrinking under their curious stares and shifting uncomfortably in the sweltering humidity of the enclosed space. They watched her intently as she attempted to look anywhere but at them. It was moments like these that she wished for the comforting weight of Tallulah upon her head, if not to hide under, then to allow her a modicum of familiarity upon which to grasp.
"Well, if you're lying," Sunset tapped a finger to her chin in thought. "Then it has something to do with Rainbow Dash?"
"Why would—"
"Applejack, if I were you, I'd just be as quiet as possible," Twilight warned her benignly. "Whenever you talk, you dig yourself a deeper grave."
"This is kind of fun," Sunset said with a mischievous glee, leaning her elbows on the table and staring down the farmgirl across from her. "What's going on with you and Rainbow Dash?"
"Nothin'." She bit the inside of her cheek, trying to still the racing heart that threatened to burst out of her chest.
"Her pupils are dilated."
"What does that mean?"
"Adrenaline rush. She's either scared, excited, or, well..." Twilight fiddled with her pencil.
"Ohhh, ho ho..." Sunset narrowed her eyes, a smug smirk spreading across her features. "There is something going on. You like her, AJ?"
"I, uh—"
A muffled, tittering noise resounded from above them, along with a soft thump against the floorboards. The two of them looked to the owner of the barn for answers. "We get mice," she managed.
Twilight shuddered and Sunset brought her knees to her chest upon the crate she sat on. After a moment, she pressed, "Well?"
"Uh..." Applejack's eyes scanned the room, desperately searching for any way to escape their conversation. "Say, have y'all met my chickens?"
"BAHAHA!" A roar of laughter sounded above them, and the pounding of feet against the second floor could be heard as Rainbow presumably kicked her legs in reckless abandon. After a moment of raucous guffawing, she became visible over the threshold of the loft, her hair spilling out over the edge as she rolled across the floorboards. Without warning, she jerked to the right and met no resistance as she toppled off the landing and onto the floor of the barn below. She let out a surprised gasp as she fell, and everyone in the room breathed a collective sigh of relief as the pile of hay stationed underneath the platform broke her fall.
"Rainbow!" Applejack shot up from her seat and rushed to the girl's side, brushing off the thin layer of hay that had accumulated atop her as she sunk into the cushiony heap. "Are you okay?"
"That... was... awesome!" She burst forth from the fodder, spraying bits of hay into the air as she emerged like a mummy from its sarcophagus. "Can I do it again?"
Applejack shoved her back into the abyss.
"Hey!" she sputtered, before submerging once more and drowning in the sea of hay.
"Speak of the devil. What is Rainbow doing hiding in your barn?" Sunset stood with her hands on her hips, watching the scene with cool amusement.
"Is she okay?" Twilight asked.
An arm shot up from beneath the avalanche of grain, shooting her a thumbs up.
Applejack debated maintaining her poorly constructed facade, stringing them along with vague answers and mumbled excuses, but she knew she couldn't keep it up for much longer. With a sigh, she resigned herself to revealing the truth. "To be honest..."
"BLEGH!" Dash sat forward abruptly, spitting out a few pieces of hay. She glanced over at Applejack and gave her an encouraging nod.
"I was hidin' her up there in the loft. I'm sorry," she sighed, the words tumbling from her mouth as quickly as Rainbow had fallen from the sky. "I didn't mean to tell y'all a bunch of lies. I completely forgot you were comin' over today, and I panicked."
"But why did you feel the need to hide her from us? We're all friends," Twilight pondered aloud.
The two girls in question exchanged flustered looks before speaking simultaneously:
"We're, um—"
"That's because—"
Sunset cut in. "Stop. You guys are seriously together?"
They paused, then nodded in unison.
"And you haven't told anybody?"
"Well, it's fairly new," said Applejack. "We were gonna hold off until, well, I dunno. Until we felt like it was the right time, I s'pose. But somebody couldn't keep their trap shut."
"I'm sorry, alright? I couldn't help it." Rainbow snickered, coming to stand beside her. "You were all over the place. It was hilarious."
"Yeah, yeah," she scoffed, snatching the hat that had remained miraculously unharmed throughout the entire incident and returning it to its rightful home.
Sunset and Twilight watched fondly as they teased one another, exchanging knowing looks before the latter cleared her throat. "Um, you guys?"
"Huh?" Dash took the opportunity to wrap an arm around her distracted girlfriend's waist, drawing her close and relishing in the fact that she was finally unbarred from public displays of affection.
"We're happy for you," Sunset beamed.
"Really?" The farmgirl asked, suddenly bashful.
"Of course," Twilight responded with a smile. "We can go on double dates now!"
The couple froze for a moment, neither of their minds computing the words she had spoken. "You mean—"
"Oh, yeah, surprise!" Sunset clasped Twilight's hand in her own with a cheeky grin. "We're dating, too."
There was a loud thump and a whoosh of air as Applejack and Rainbow Dash fell backwards into the pile of hay together, completely stunned. Bits of it flew into the air, gracefully floating throughout the room and coming to settle on just about every surface of the barn.
"What in the hay?"
