One Night (a.k.a A taste of an Apple)

Applejack needed to find her… what she had finally let herself know was too much to keep hidden anymore.

She went home in a hurry, ripping off her dress and fixing her hair back up in its pony tail… there was no need to impress with that Pegasus, Dash had always loved her for what she was, not what she wasn't.

Why did it take an act of physicality to make her see that she had only been lying to herself for weeks? Why didn't she just admit it a month ago, she and Dash could be already happy now, but she felt she had to go through this… uncertainty something she had to have to know when the time was finally presented, a choice to either pick the norm or the truth.

That she was a fillyfooler, and that she was in love with Rainbow Dash.

She put on her hat and looked at herself in the mirror, breathing in and out with heavy breaths, preparing for the moment she never thought she'd have with another pony.

When she would finally say those words,

"I love you too."

She smiled bravely, preparing to leave the house, the sun sending an orange light across ponyville as the night began its descent but it would be a full hour before everything was dark.

"I'm heading to town!" Applejack called through the house as she headed downstairs but saw Big Mac waiting at the bottom of them confused and she swallowed nervous.

"I thought you were with Buckweed?" he asked with a lost face and Applejack just shook her head, pushing past him and Big Mac turned around confused, "Why you headin' into town?"

Applejack looked at him quietly but said in a strong voice,

"I have to tell Rainbowdash I love her."

Big Mac looked at her shocked, "What are ya talkin' about?"

"I'm in love with a mare, I thought that was gathered."

Big Mac didn't understand what went wrong. She had gotten on so well with Buckweed, he thought he had seen a spark between them and tried to stop saying as reasonably as he could,

"Maybe you should think before you go announcing something like that?"

"No." Applejack said hard, looking at her brother crossly as he wouldn't get out of the way, "I have thought enough about this. Please just let me go."

He looked at her worried… she was going to do it; she was going to be different. But he didn't want to fight her, seeing those eyes, the certainty that was in them he just stepped aside saying quietly,

"Okay."

Applejack almost paused when she heard that answer… she looked at Big Mac slowly… he was letting her go. She didn't know what to do… she still had to tell Dash but said to her brother slowly,

"Thank you…"

Before leaving the house and galloping into town. Her heart beat a thousand times a second… so scared that she was getting closer and closer to reaching that Pegasus, so frightened of admitting those words to Dash's face.

But even more scared if she didn't.

She entered the town, ponies passing her in conversation and she looked around quickly. Every corner she looked at was empty of that blue Pegasus. Even the sky had not a pony in it.

"Where are you?" she said scared, knowing if she didn't get it out of her she would explode. Her heart was nearly paining her the speed it was beating, so happy to let her know, she was glad she had finally accepted it.

She stopped her searching when she spotted Rarity coming out of her house and called quickly her name.

The unicorn looked at her bewildered as Applejack ran to her in gasps asking desperately,

"Where's Rainbow Dash?"

"Oh, I believe she's at Twilight's. She and Pinkie have something to tell us."

"She's at Twilight's?" Applejack said quickly taking in the information and was about to run that direction but Rarity pulled her back by the tail laughing,

"Oh Applejack, no need to take off. Come, walk with me, I haven't seen you in days."

"Well, I've been a might busy…" Applejack said eager to catch Rainbow Dash but sighed when she saw Rarity's pout and said, "I don't suppose you're heading to Twilight's?"

"Yes, I'm eager to know what is so urgent." Rarity said with excited eyes.

"Why… what is going on?"

"I don't know, that's why I'm so eager to find out."

Something seemed to not feel right in Applejack's gut… what was it that Pinkie and Dash had to announce? Were they throwing another party?

She just wanted to run to that house and spill her guts, but now knowing all her friends would be there it made her cautious. She could tell Dash when the news had been given, she honestly didn't think she could admit her feelings in front of a crowd so big, no matter how brave she felt.

The two finally reached the library, Applejack's heart still beating a million miles an hour and she took a breath as she entered into the house, seeing Twilight making tea with a worried look on her face and Dash and Pinkie sitting down at the table, talking quietly… Pinkie and Dash… quiet?

Something didn't sit right with her, Pinkie was never this reserved, Dash never this sullen.

Had she really broke her heart that bad at the party?

She walked nervously over to the table, Dash looking up to see who had arrived and nearly froze when she saw that orange pony… Applejack was not meant to be here.

"Everypony want tea?" Twilight said hesitantly and the others all responded with silent nods, Rarity the only one saying quite honoured,

"Yes of course."

The white unicorn looked at the sullen crowd confused, why had everyone suddenly gone so quiet?

"I can't wait to hear this news," she said to Dash and Pinkie, "Is it something to do with a party?"

"It's better," Pinkie said with a wink, getting a little more life back into her when someone had finally spoken.

"It's fine…" Dash said nervously looking at her friends, looking at Applejack with a gulp, "It won't really affect you."

"Why…" Applejack asked. Looking in Dash's eye she knew it was not something she wanted to hear… somehow she felt like whatever it was was going to break her heart.

"It doesn't matter to you…" Dash said quietly, not even giving the will power to face that earth pony… and tell her what her decision had been… though why would Applejack care? She had always made it plain how she saw her.

The door was knocked on and Twilight opened it with her magic, Fluttershy coming in with a shy smile as she approached her friends and sat down with a little curiosity,

"When you girls said it was big news, it really peaked my interest." She said nervously with a smile and Pinkie smiled back at her happily.

"It really is, but nothing's going to change between us."

"You girls sure have been holding it back," Twilight said coming to the table and floating cups of tea in front of every pony, "Well we're all here now, what is it?"

Pinkie looked at Dash with loving eyes, nudging the Pegasus whispering,

"You tell them."

Dash swallowed, she looked at Applejack, that orange pony watching her with a concentration so hard it scared her.

"Me and Pinkie… are together."

The ponies all grew silent, Applejack nearly feeling tears rise in her eyes as she was the first to speak,

"…what?"

"We're in love…" Pinkie said hugging Dash's hoof and Applejack felt like she had to escape the room… this couldn't be happening.

Dash looked at her friends nervously, adding "We're taking it slow,"

"Are you two sure about this?" Twilight asked worried, "Are you sure this is love?"

"Well I'm sure," Pinkie said with a smile.

"Well… I'm happy for you," she said quietly and Applejack opened her mouth… Twilight was accepting this but had always pushed it on her that mares couldn't be.

"I think it's amazing," Fluttershy said nervously but with a smile, "I always wanted two of my best friends to find the pony of their dreams, and I couldn't think of a better couple."

"Yeah…" Dash replied in a quiet voice… Applejack hadn't said anything yet, at least she could let her know she was glad Dash was with someone now.

"Should we tell others?" Rarity asked a little in wonder, "Or would you prefer some time?"

"Well I want to tell everypony! But Dashie says we should see how we go." Pinkie said kissing Rainbow Dash on the cheek and Applejack just got up, she couldn't take anymore.

"I have to go," was all she said and she walked to the door, her tears nearly falling out and giving her away. How could she be so stupid… how could she think that happiness was meant for her.

The two deserved each other, while she got just what was coming to her. She had waited… she thought Dash would wait, but no… that pony saw how she was, and decided to get someone who wasn't her. Someone who was opened. Someone who had said it first.

"S-stupid door," she muttered as she stumbled to get it opened and the ponies all looked over at her confused.

"You okay AJ?"

"They need me at the f-farm," she lied in tears and finally got the door opened running out in all her speed, Dash looking after her worried.

Something was wrong.

Applejack was sad… that pony could never hide emotions and she got up in a hurry saying to her friends,

"I'll go check on Applejack."

"What, no…" Pinkie said quickly going in front of her, "We have so much more to tell the others…"

"Something's clearly wrong with her," Dash said, her patience wearing thin and her worrying only growing, "I need to make sure we're clear."

Pinkie didn't want Applejack anyway near her marefriend, she knew Dash still had feelings for her, why didn't she care enough about her to not go.

"Pinkie," Dash said fast, and Pinkie only looked at her with worried eyes, "Trust me."

"Alright…" she said quietly, stepping aside as Dash ran out the door and into the sky, looking quickly around for that farm horse.

She soon spotted Applejack running in the distance and flew after her fast.

Applejack could hear the zoom and bit her lip in tears… no, no, no! She couldn't be around her, she couldn't tell her now! She galloped faster trying to outrun that Pegasus but only heard a determined shout,

"APPLEJACK!"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" She cried back, picking up all the speed she could as she entered into the country and felt Rainbow Dash fly right above her yelling,

"WHAT'S WRONG!"

"IT DOESN'T MATTER!" she yelled desperately, but her heartbreak was so much in her voice Dash couldn't stand to just accept that.

"Applejack! Talk to me!"

"NO!" she yelled but Dash couldn't let her go and so grabbed her suddenly pulling her into the air, Applejack fighting desperately to get loose as she saw the ground leave her.

"LET ME GO!" she pleaded in a cry, she couldn't tell her, she couldn't be near her and Dash only fought to hold her hostage in the air,

"Tell me what's wrong!"

"YOU CHOSE HER!" Applejack yelled in tears and Dash nearly dropped her startled by what she said, "You didn't give me time!"

"You told me you didn't want anything!" Rainbow Dash yelled angrily at her, confused and feeling like she would cry if she kept up this lie.

"Please Rainbow! Put me down!" Applejack begged.

"Tell me why you get to choose who I'm with!" Dash demanded nearly dropping Applejack again, the two so high up in the air it was a serious threat.

"B-because…"

"WHY!"

"Because!" she cried, struggling so much in the others hoof, knowing she couldn't keep it in and just screamed "BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!"

Rainbow Dash dropped her with that, Applejack falling through the sky but the Pegasus caught her just as she was about to hit the ground landing them both on the grass and she just looked at Applejack lost and hurt.

"You s-said you didn't want me?" she said so confused… "Why are you saying this…?"

Applejack just wanted to run away… but there was nowhere to run to now, Rainbow Dash knew… she was defenceless… and she just cried.

"I'm s-sorry!" she said, what had she done? Why couldn't she just let it go? Why couldn't she have kept it in, "I love you…!" she cried "I love you! I love you! I LOVE YOU!" she yelled and Dash just looked at her silently.

Applejack felt like she deserved to die… she was never meant to break anyone up… she was never meant to have things go this way.

Dash just stared at her, Applejack crying as they stood in the field.

And just whispered,

"I… love you too."

Applejack gulped when she heard that… she looked up to Dash in tears… a unwanted smile coming across her lips as she wiped her face and whispered,

"You don't mean that…"

But felt Dash approach her and kiss her, Applejack thinking this must all be in her head as she kissed Dash desperately back.

Their lips pushed together hard, Dash tasting some of AJ's tears on her tongue… and even though she knew how wrong this was… the heart she was breaking, she couldn't pull herself away from her, the two kissing for a few minutes in love before Applejack muttered scared,

"What about Pinkie…?"

"What about you?" Dash retorted and Applejack looked at her still with a scared face,

"What about YOU?" she asked back.

"I love you, Applejack…" Dash said in a whisper, hugging the pony tight in her hoofs, Applejack not knowing what else to say before Dash finally said quietly "…and I don't know what to do."

"Stay with me," Applejack said weakly, feeling Dash's warmness… feeling her heart beat against her own, "Let's just stay here for the night."

"What have I done…" Rainbow said quietly realizing now her choice; and she look into Applejack's green eyes… "Why did I do this?"

"Because you love me," Applejack said silently and Dash smiled at her weakly. She knew she would have to face what her decision had been tomorrow, but tonight… she couldn't leave Applejack.

She pushed the orange pony over, lying next to her on the grass as she looked into her sparkling eyes. The night finally here and the two looked up to the sky of stars.

All Rainbow Dash wanted to do was kiss Applejack again and again, but knew she couldn't.

She had to first face Pinkie. She had to face what she had chosen,

…she had to break a heart.