Apples to Oranges

Chapter 5: Crushed Rainbow

Rainbow Dash flew through the skies with tears flowing down her face, from both sadness and rage. How could Big Mac just go along with her and kiss?! He'd been telling her for days that  he was interested in her, and then to kiss his own sister?! Rainbow didn't even know what to call what she was feeling right now, she was just so angry, but sad at the same time. It's all his fault, why did he have to confess to me?! Rainbow asked inside her head as she flew, her mind slipping back to just a few days before Tangerine appeared...

"Are you sleepin' in our trees again Rainbow?" Big Mac asked as he picked up a pillow that had fallen out of a tree when he bucked it.

"Yeah, but I thought you didn't mind" Rainbow said innocently, almost mocking him as she flew down to pick up the pillow.

"I don't mind because l..." Big Mac began to talk, but his red face turned a darker shade of red, which made Rainbow laugh. She had known the gentle stallion for a long time, and he only blushed like that we something really embarrassing was about to, or had, happened.

"What is it Mac, why don't you mind?" Rainbow mocked him, making him blush even more.

"Rainbow, I, well..." Mac trailed off again, this time gulping so he could muster the courage to say it, "I love you"

"Oh well of course I me-" Rainbow said, starting her 'I'm so awesome' routine before noticing Mac's nervous expression, "You're serious, aren't you?"

"E-Eeyup" Mac stuttered, making Rainbow burst out into a giggle fit. When she calmed down she started apologizing to Mac, having noticed that he had continued on bucking trees, an angry look on his face.

"I'm sorry for laughing like that, it's just that seeing the toughest stallion in town act like a school colt is pretty hilarious" Rainbow said, having to fight back a giggle as she imagine a tiny Mac confessing to her. Mac didn't respond with words, but rather gave Rainbow a look of regret, tugging at her heart. He had come out and admitted something personal to him and she laughed in his face...

"Mac wait!" Rainbow said quickly, flying in front of him. He tried to get away but she stayed in his face as much as she could until he stopped to just stare at her with his sad hurt eyes.

"What is it Rainbow?" Mac asked, his sadness coming through his voice through it's bitterness.

"I didn't mean to laugh at you like that, it was just something stupid, but all the same..." Rainbow trailed off, her own face turning a light shade of red as she moved closer to Mac, finally planting a quick kiss on his lips when she was close enough.

"Rainbow...?" Mac asked slowly, he mind reeling from the kiss.

"I'm kinda interested in you too" Rainbow said with a wink before giving him another quick kiss and then taking off to the skies to leave the stallion alone with his thoughts. Although, his thoughts were mostly of her, as he told her the next time they met up.

"Argh, I was so stupid!" Rainbow shouted as she flew directly over the Carousel Boutique, a crazy idea coming to mind. Rarity was the queen of overreacting, but she could also give some amazing advice, so it couldn't hurt that bad to go and see her, right?

"No, no, no, that just doesn't seem right" Rarity said to herself as she looked at a suit she had been hired to make, the requested colors not blending together in her eyes.

"Rarity?" Rainbow called out from the main floor, quickly gaining Rarity's attention.

"I'm up here dear!" Rarity shouted downstairs, and Rainbow was soon standing next to her.

"Rarity, I need your help" Rainbow said quickly, silently begging behind her eyes.

"Not right now dear, I'm quite busy as you can see" Rarity said in a professional way, making Rainbow turn to look at the suit. It was toned brown, one of Rarity's most hated colors, but she was quickly mix and matching it with accessories to make it work, at one point replacing the suit jacket entirely. Rainbow snapped out of it when she saw the cutie mark embroidered into the suit, a chocolate apple with wings.

"No, Rarity, I need your help..." Rainbow said as she jumped in front of Rarity, "...now"

"Oh, fine Rainbow, what is it?" Rarity asked in an annoyed tone, her mind still mostly focused on the suit.

"You know about Tangerine right?" Rainbow asked, continuing after Rarity nodded, "Well, she apparently has a thing for Big Mac, because she kissed him out on the farm"

"Oh really, and why does this bother you?" Rarity asked, now interested in what was bothering Rainbow.

"Well, because it's gross, of course, I mean, this pony, Tangerine or whatever, being interested in her own brother?" Rainbow paused, trying to hide her real reason for coming to talk to Rarity, "EWW!"

"Doesn't she believe to be one of Manehattan's elite?" Rarity asked, raising an eyebrow to Rainbow.

"Yeah, but what does that have to do with anything?" Rainbow asked flatly, not sure what that had to do with anything.

"Well actually, Rainbow Dash, it's not unusual for wealthy families to marry within the family due to attraction or money, as well as to keep the bloodline pure. She might see Big McIntosh as a prospective husband. It's certainly possible if she thinks she was adopted and raised by the Oranges. Then again she was awfully rude and blunt so she's still the same Applejack we always knew, albeit, a bit more spoiled and, ugh, Blueblood like..." Rarity paused for a moment, thinking about the the old Applejack "It's because she just doesn't remember us...." The two mares stood in silence for a moment as they both thought about what had happened, and of how strange things have been since Tangerine appeared, the silence being broken by a knock at the door.

"Rarity, are you in there?" a stallion's voice called out, snapping Rarity to attention, making her desperately look at the suit she had been working on.

"I'm just up here!" Rarity shouted back, her movements becoming frantic as she attempted to make the suit look presentable in her eyes. Just as she put it together the stallion, a chocolate toned Pegasus, came through the door into the work room.

"Wow Rarity, that looks..." he started to say, his eyes going over every inch of the suit, "Amazing!"

"Oh, why thank you" Rarity said as the stallion moved over to the suit stand and began to put it on, "What are you doing?"

"Oh, something came up and I have to attend" the stallion said as he fought with the shirt, "It's a black tie event as well"

"What's it for?" Rarity asked, having not known about any black tie even happening in Ponyville anytime soon.

"Oh, apparently Big McIntosh and some new pony to town got engaged thanks to Granny Smith" the stallion paused to look in the mirror, giving himself a stupid smile, "Since I work on the farm I have to attend it, but thankfully my marefriend is coming with me, so..." The stallion shrugged before bowing to Rarity and then leaving the room, leaving a destroyed Rainbow Dash and a confused Rarity behind him as he did.