There Are No Ties In Love And War
Apple Jack was always well known for a couple things; honesty and competition. Both weren't mutually exclusive to her personality and while they characterized her well, they didn't define her. For most of her life, she was honest then competitive. Neither helped when paired, and she never had any need to do so.
That was until she met her girlfriend.
Initially, all Applejack could think of was how many events she could beat Rainbow Dash in to show her prowess. Her friend had pushed her to the limit, in sports, baking, musical prowess, and even occasionally school academics. You couldn't stay on the teams if you didn't have good grades.
It turned out that spending at least once a day duking it out in whatever new bet they had for lunch or dinner on the line that day quickly turned into a realization that they were one romantic gesture away from a date. That realization had come from the simple close to a deal with a rather brash kiss from Rainbow Dash after a putt putt win.
On the surface, at least to everyone that wasn't their close friends, nothing changed. Both continued their constant competitions, their personalities still clashed, and they refused to be publicly showy about their newfound relationship. It was a serious shift for their friends however, where they had originally brought all of them for various shenanigans now became ruses for gift giving.
Out of the many things that the couple refused to admit they had in common, one specific trait was avoided as well; their love language was both gifting.
"I'm tellin' ya Twi, this ain't it." Apple Jack told her friend while she stirred a chocolate mix in a bowl.
Twilight pushed her glasses higher up on her nose, "Listen Apple Jack, this is statistically the most widely accepted gift in the world. Especially if it is hand made, then the effectiveness of it increases by twenty three percent. Another fifteen percent if it is received on Valentine's Day."
"Well shucks," Apple Jack stopped stirring, "Looks like we should wait till Valentine's Day then. Shame Twi, guess we'll put it in the freezer till then."
"First, it's already May, so that won't be happening." Twilight sighed, "And second, I thought this was supposed to knock Dash's boots off. What happened to that motivation?"
The motivation had begun from another win from Canterlot High's team from Rainbow Dash, and such a significant event had given Apple Jack the idea to bake something for her girlfriend. However, she had only made apple flavored things for her life, completely neglecting any attempts at anything else.
Enlisting the help of Twilight had kept her hopes high, and motivation too, but several failed attempts later had slowed much of their progress. Apple Jack hated how honest she was with herself sometimes, because then she could at least lie for a bit about how they had a chance of creating something presentable.
That didn't stop her from trying. She didn't get her farm where it was by giving up at the sign of a problem, or even after she couldn't solve it after multiple tries. And with Twlight's help on keeping to the recipe, to keep Apple Jack from attempting to "feel it out with 'er gut", they should be able to finish a few chocolates to present to Rainbow Dash.
Emphasis on should be able to.
And they did. Only after about seven extra tries, four burnt pans, and scratching the idea for cutie mark chocolates to an amalgamation that could probably pass as a cloud. Yet, to Apple Jack, it was everything. She had made something that represented more than a gift, it was a promise of the work that she would continue to put in the relationship. It was earned, and one of a kind because of the hand crafted effort.
All Apple Jack had to do was the last, hardest, part of the attempt to woo her girlfriend; she needed to actually give the chocolates to Rainbow Dash.
The worries and stresses came to a head when the couple finally had a weekend to themselves. Every one of their friends had conveniently had some sort of scheduled thing or errands to run. This left the two alone, to themselves, with a perfect chance for Apple Jack.
"So sweetheart..." Apple Jack began. The two had headed to the school's nearby soccer field, which just so happened to have football posts as well. A compromise came about from Apple Jack's inaccuracy on goal, and Rainbow Dash still wanting to prove her skill. Thus they played essentially a game of horse with the soccer ball and goal.
Rainbow Dash stopped herself from kicking the ball, "What's up Apple Jack?"
"Well..." Apple Jack couldn't quite put together her words. "I was mighty proud of yer last game. And with all the hoop la from it the last week I never got to give mah present for it."
"Really? Cool!" Rainbow Dash strode over and grabbed one of her girlfriend's hands, "Let's see it, you're like the second best gift giver I know. After me of course."
There was a second of pause as Apple Jack shuffled in her pockets to grab the bag, her other hand still held tight to her girlfriend's hand. "Ah think by now you know that my best way to tell you that ah love you is from gifts. So, to celebrate your real stump-kickin' of a game ah made you somethin'."
Apple Jack presented the bag of chocolates with her free hand, now rubbing her thumb over Rainbow Dash's hand in anticipation.
"No way they're soccer balls." Rainbow Dash said, popping one in her mouth. "And they taste pretty sweet too! Well, cool, not that they're not sweet. You get my point."
"Right, soccer balls..."
"Shit, Twi! I'm screwed."
"Pray tell, what could have you in such a bind Rainbow Dash?" Twilight said from her desk.
Rainbow Dash swiveled around, bumping into a bedpost before orienting herself to her friend. "Chocolate soccer balls Twilight! How the heck am I gonna top that!"
"Right, soccer balls..."
"Here's what I'm thinking." Rainbow Dash flailed her arms around animatedly, a byproduct of her unending energy. "You can never go wrong with apple stuff. That's a safe bet. But I need to go risky with the execution, something apple that I can make."
"Like food?"
"Nope!" Rainbow Dash swiveled the chair over to her backpack, pulling out a box. "I'll make her an apple themed pot for some like windowsill flower or whatever she puts in those things."
"That's... actually pretty thoughtful." Twilight got up from her desk, "You're going to need some supervision anyway, let's get it set up in the kitchen. Somewhere easier to clean."
The setup didn't take long, Twilight had found an old pottery wheel she had bought. A failed attempt at trying to save money for future experiments, she knew now to only by anything of the sort from stores. But Rainbow Dash had a chance, a natural ability to be good with anything athletic.
Maybe also because it involved using your hands? At least the other Twilight had said that anything with their counterparts' cutie marks meant they had an affinity for such things.
Eventually they had something presentable, maybe a bit leaning and not really cylindrical, nonetheless still something that could be gifted. Rainbow Dash looked over to Twilight, grinning from ear to ear. "This is looking awesome Twi! I'll throw some paint on it and I think it'll look professional."
"It's passable," Twilight admitted, having come back with some color choices for Rainbow Dash. "Hopefully more after you paint it some."
"Pshh, watch." Rainbow Dash selected a couple colors, and with surprising accuracy began painting. Within an hour, she was finished. And with her completion came an actually nice orange and red pot for flowers.
"This isn't terrible at all Dash, good job." Twilight commended, "When do you plan on giving it to Apple Jack?"
"As soon as I can!" Rainbow Dash looked like she was going to begin to vibrate in anticipation. "You no I'm terrible as surprises and secrets, I have to give it so I don't spoil it for myself."
The opportunity to gift the pottery came the next day. The couple were on Apple Jack's farm, where Rainbow Dash had offered to help for the day. Once they had settled down for a break, Dash shuffled through her backpack for the gift. Stored in a smaller bag, she hadn't even attempted wrapping it because she knew it would've been a disaster. Though, maybe it would have been bad enough for Apple Jack to not be able to guess what it was.
"Whatcha got there Dashie?" Apple Jack looked inquisitively at the bag her girlfriend held.
"Well, since you gave me that gift I'd been wanting to do something in return." Rainbow Dash placed the bag into her girlfriend's hands. "And since you've been working so hard around here I thought maybe this would be nice."
Apple Jack began to open her bag, "Shucks Dashie, you know you don't have to do anything like this. And especially a pot so nice! Ah hope you didn't spend too much on this."
Dash grinned, "Nah, I maybe, possibily, could have made it myself!"
"Now that really deserves some payment." Apple Jack said, pressing her lips against Rainbow Dash's. "But really sugarcube, there's no need to give me anything whenever I give you something. I do it because I love you."
"I love you too, Apple Jack."
"Shoot, Twi! This is lookin' about as straight as a circle right about now."
"I think I need to stop asking this now." Twilight said as she walked up to Apple Jack to see what she was working on. "But do tell what has you so nervous?"
"Mah three dee thank you card." Apple Jack said, holding up what looked to be the beginning of a paper snowflake. "Mah meemah always said to give a thank ya card for gifts. But ah can't jus' give somethin' shoddy to Dashie."
Twilight sighed, "Alright let's see what I can do to help..."
"Thanks, Twi! Ah won't forget this!"
"I need to start charging for all of this."
"Whadya say sugar?"
"Nothing."
Author's Note
Something short and, well, sweet for the one-shot. I varied Apple Jack's accent because I attempted to make it come out more when she's nervous or, in cases of my friends and roommates angry.
