Rainbow Dash sighed, sitting comfortably within the small office. There was someone else there talking to her, but her focus was on the clear blue sky outside the window behind them. They were just preaching anyway, accented by the scribbles of a quill which echoed off the bookcases and photo-covered walls. It was about things Dash couldn’t care less about, even if they were important. Instead, her thoughts were with the sky, the freedom it brought, and how little she seemed to have left.
“Dash, are you happy?” The question was a hard one to answer, but hardly important. Dash was starting to wonder why she even agreed to come here. All these questions and philosophical nothings were a bore, and there wasn’t even anything to fix, at least nothing urgent. The couch was getting uncomfortable now, or she was just feeling cooped up; it made her back ache, her wings stiff and her legs restless, but no matter how much she squirmed and stretched in search of comfort, she didn’t find any.
Dash went still and silent for a few moments, still focused on the window. “Why wouldn’t I be?” she asked, imagining herself soaring through the open air with the wind in her mane. What she wouldn’t give to be out of this room, flying past the clouds with nothing but a breeze in her ears.
“Because some ponies seem to think you might have some problems in your relationship.”
That was why she was here, because everyone else wanted to think there was a problem, especially Applejack. Things with Applejack are fine.Fine is better than bad, even if it isn’t as great as good. With a sigh, Dash finally tore her eyes from the window to look at her inquisitor. “Twilight, do you have to be so formal about this?”
Across the room, Twilight looked up from the notepad hovering in front of her. “I thought you might benefit from a bit of structure dur—”
“I’d benefit from talking to my friend, not a psychiatrist.” Dash felt like a pillow was digging into her side and pushed it away. She glimpsed a pegasus as they flew by outside the window.
Twilight sighed and placed the pad and quill down before waving her hoof in front of the window. “Fine. Then at least stop ignoring me, Dash.”
Dash shook her head before looking back at Twilight. “Sorry, just... other things on my mind.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow in response. “That are more important?”
What’s really important anyway? “I guess,” Dash said, shrugging. “This isn’t exactly a good use of my time so far.”
“Because you’ve spent all of it looking out of a window.” Twilight pulled the curtains shut on the window behind her and all of the others in the room.
Between the red drapes, Dash could see a sliver of blue, but it wasn’t enough to take her mind out of the room. “Like you were saying anything insightful to begin with, after dragging me down here.”
“I didn’t drag you here,” Twilight replied, scribbling something down on the notepad, now on the desk beside her. “I invited you over after hearing about the problems you’ve ha—”
“Not. Any. Problems,” Dash stated, folding her forelegs as she lay back on the couch, resting her head on another pillow. “And Applejack suggested it, not you.”
Twilight took a few slow breaths before continuing. “After discussing it with Applejack, we thought it would be a good idea if you had a chance to talk about everything—” Twilight tapped her chin for a moment “—confidentially, with a friend. At least before going to a real therapist together.”
“Cause I’m sooo good at opening up, right?” Dash stared up at the ceiling. I don’t even keep anything from Applejack, so what’s there to talk about?
“She said things are rough,” Twilight answered with a slight smile.
“Nothing is perfect,” Dash shot back, unfazed.
“...That you argue,” Twilight added, glancing to her notes.
“Who doesn’t?” Dash heard more scribbles. Great, Twilight’s back to playing psychiatrist.
Dash tried to fluff the pillow under her head, but it didn’t make things any more comfortable.
After a few moments of silence and tapping her quill against the table, Twilight ground things even further to a halt. “...That you don’t seem as happy as you were when you were dating.”
The statement hung in the air as Twilight waited for an answer, but Dash didn’t want to respond. That’s stupid, she thought, trying to imagine the sky beyond the ceiling.It’s normal to change—everypony does it! What they enjoy, what makes them happy, how much it makes them happy... Dash crossed her forelegs and sighed. I was happy then, so it was natural I’d change, and at least I’m not sad like some ponies; I’m content, which is fine. Dash shook her head as a pang of doubt emerged. Marriage is different than dating was. I mean, it’s still love, but it’s not as... exciting? Eventful? Important? No, it’s kinda still important. Dating just felt more important.
~*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*~
Dash tapped her hoof on the floor as she stared into the mirror. Every few moments, she would glance down at a brush or an incredibly small assortment of mane care products before looking back at herself. Her tapping grew more rapid with each second as she repeated to herself, “Normal? Different?” She picked up the brush for a moment, tempted to move it towards her mane, but quickly set it back down in front of the mirror and turned away.
She paced back and forth rapidly in her bedroom, glancing at a cluster of Wonderbolts posters and a pile of borrowed adventure books. Stopping in place, she sighed and took a few deep breaths to calm herself. “Stop being nervous. It’s just... something new. You can handle new, ’cause you’ve handled new before. You’re Rainbow Dash: unstoppable.” Turning back to the mirror, she glanced down at the brush before knocking it to the side. “I hate changing anyway.”
Dash stared herself down and started the pep talk she usually reserved for ponies that needed it, like Fluttershy. “You can do this. Just play it cool, like usual. Yeah, just like usual.” She nodded to herself several times before shaking her head gently. “No, no, don’t go doubting like that! You can do it!” With a leap, she flew over her bed and struck a pose for an audience she knew wasn’t there. “You’re Rainbow Dash: the toughest, fastest pony around! Dating is totally easy, even if you don’t know anything about it.”
“Dash!” The shout came from the ground below and floated over to the mirror. Prep time’s over. It’s do or d—embarrassment. Not as bad as dying, right? Right? Well, you have to live with embarrassment, but no time to worry about that anymore.
Dash flew out of her open window and saw Applejack standing on the dirt road underneath her home. Taking her time, she flew around while making a slow descent, coupled with a little more internal pep-talking, before landing in front of Applejack. She coughed, trying not to smile too hard. “Hey, Applejack.” Play it cool.
Applejack smiled in return. “Howdy, Dash. All set to go?”
“Yeah, yeah. Are you?” She scraped a hoof across the ground, but stopped as she kicked up some dust.
“That’d be why I’m here like I said I’d be,” Applejack answered with a tip of her hat.
“Right, that... makes sense,” Dash said, smiling a bit wider and giving a gentle chuckle. “So, umm, where are we going again?”
Applejack rubbed a hoof across the back of her neck, “Well, I thought maybe you’d have someplace in mind.”
Right, somewhere to go. Where’s someplace romantic? That place Rarity keeps rambling on about? Dash noticed Applejack tapping her hoof. “How about that new cafe Rarity’s been talking about? I hear it’s got—” Dash tried to recall one of the dozens of fanciful descriptions Rarity had used “—food.”
“Well, grub is grub,” Applejack said, turning towards Ponyville. “Race you there?”
“Oh, you are on!” Dash walked next to Applejack, scraping the ground with a hoof. Okay Dash, showtime. Try to win, or lose on purpose? Applejack wouldn’t care about that sort of thing, would she? She’d probably say I was getting soft. But is just winning fair? I mean it’s obvious I’d—
“Go!” By the time Rainbow Dash snapped out of her head, Applejack was already a few yards ahead, but Dash aimed to close that gap in no time. Kicking up dirt behind her, she sped ahead, and was on Applejack’s heels in seconds.
Dash laughed once as she came up alongside Applejack. “Have to get a head start just to compete, Applejack?”
“Ain’t my fault you were starin’ out at nothin’, is it?” Applejack replied, turning to look at Dash.
“You can tell me when you get there after me.” Dash edged ahead of Applejack as they entered town. The street wasn’t heavily populated, but those ponies on the edge of the road knew well enough to get out of the way as the two came barrelling through the streets. Some of them even started cheering.
“Nah, I’ll just leave it on a note for you,” Applejack added as she took the lead back from Dash. “Maybe I’ll finish my food by the time you read it.”
The two zoomed past ponies and buildings alike, barely even aware of what was going on around them as they swapped places every few seconds. Finally, Dash managed to hold onto her lead. She turned to stick her tongue out at Applejack, and then tripped over a rock in the middle of the road.
Dash tumbled and rolled through the air, trying her best to regain control of her path as she careened down the street. With a loud clash and shout, she crashed into the front of the cafe and a cluster of luckily unoccupied tables. Ponies from around the street ran over but kept their distance as Applejack ran up to the wreckage. The pile of wood let out a cough, shuddered, and shook away splintered bits of itself onto the ground. Following a few more grunts, Dash poked her head out from underneath, chuckling as several ponies stared at her from around the street and cafe. Applejack helped Dash out from under the debris as the onlookers went back to their business.
“Told you I’d win,” Dash whispered as she stood up, kicking a lone plank of wood back onto the pile.
A waiter trotted over, clearing his throat when he was a few feet away from the two. “Are you... alright, madame?”
Dash brushed a few slivers of wood and some dust from her wings and offered a crooked smile to the waiter. “Yeah, umm, can we get a table?” She widened her smile and looked to Applejack out of the corner of her eye, who was busy holding back a laugh with little success.
The waiter merely raised his eyebrow, then sighed as he waved a hoof in the air before leading Applejack and Dash into the cafe. The cafe’s interior was more lavishly decorated than its plain exterior, with a few decorative lanterns hanging over the tables, a fireplace, and the sound of violin music emanating from a record player in the far corner. It wasn’t crowded, since most of the customers were seated outside, far enough away from Dash’s crash-landing to stay where they were.
Their waiter led them to a table by the window, which already had menus laid out. Luckily, Applejack’s snicker had died off, and Dash started to look over the menu as the waiter left them to attend to other customers. She couldn’t comprehend some of the menu’s more fanciful dishes, and from a short glance, Applejack seemed to be having a similar issue. Dash rubbed her forehead before flipping to the menu’s page of more common dishes. “So, what are you thinking of having?”
“I’m not exactly sure, to be honest with you. I haven’t even heard of half of these...” Applejack squinted at the menu and scratched her head. “I’m not even sure how to pronounce ‘em.”
“The other page has some simpler stuff,” Dash said, turning her menu to show Applejack. “I guess they’re trying to cater to fancy tourists or something. I don’t know anyone in Ponyville that would order some of these things... except Rarity.” She and Applejack chuckled before looking back at the menus. “Hmmm, any ideas now?”
Applejack scanned the page. “Well, this daffodil and apple sandwich sounds pretty delicious. How about you?” She placed the menu down and looked at Dash.
“Eh, I usually have a daisy and hay sandwich when I go out, so I guess that’ll be okay.” Dash put the menu down, and noticed another one labeled ‘Drinks’ at the edge of the table. “Wait, they have a menu just for drinks?” She grabbed it and placed it on the table in front of her.
Applejack leaned over the table to get a better look.“Woah nelly, that thing’s bigger than the food one. What exactly’s in it?”
Dash flipped open the menu on the table. “It looks like a bunch of wine and coffee, I guess—Oh, and some juice.”
“Huh, well, I ain’t exactly the fancy beverage type. I’ll just have some apple juice.” Applejack sat back down as the waiter returned to the table.
“Are you both ready to order?” he asked, taking out a pad and pencil.
Applejack looked up and smiled. “Sure am, mister. I’ll have the daffodil and apple sandwich with a glass of apple juice.”
The waiter scribbled it down and then turned to Rainbow Dash. “...And you, madame?”
“A daisy and hay sandwich, with water, I guess,” Dash replied, putting the menu down.
The waiter nodded, taking the menus with him before he trotted to the back.
As the two waited, Dash stared out of the window at the sunset-painted sky, tapping a hoof gently against the floor. Just say something, Rainbow Dash. Don’t be quiet. She’s sitting there waiting for you to say something—
“So, been keepin’ up on your practice, Dash?”
With a grin, Dash looked back at Applejack. “Yeah, same as usual. You know, gotta be ready for the chance to make it big.” Try to change the subject. She doesn’t care about that stuff.
“Well, you know we’re all rootin’ for ya. If anypony could do it, it’s you.” Applejack’s smile looked bright and sincere, and as welcoming as the orange sunset sky outside. It was a few moments before Dash looked down and saw that her hoof was touching Applejack’s.
Dash jumped in her seat and pulled her hoof back. Applejack slid hers away in response, her smile shifting into a frown. “Oh, I-I’m sorry, Dash. I didn’t mean to—”
“No, no, no. I... wasn’t expecting it is all,” Dash replied, followed by a chuckle. With a bit of hesitation, she put her hoof back on the table, and Applejack reached out to touch her again. Y-yeah. I can handle this new stuff, no problem. Dash blushed in response to the touch, and looked past Applejack to the waiter approaching, hoping she didn’t see the red on her cheeks.
“Oh, umm, f-food’s here,” Dash stammered, pulling her hoof away slowly. She heard Applejack giggle in response, but Dash focused on the food to try and beat back her growing blush.
“You should lighten and loosen up there, sugarcube,” Applejack said, before taking a bite of her sandwich.
“Yeah...” Dash looked out the window, seeing the blue sky and orange sunset mixing together. “Yeah, I should.” With a smile, she turned back to Applejack and started to dig in.
~*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*~
Dash felt even more uncomfortable. Must be this couch. She sat up and looked down at her hooves for a moment before glancing over to Twilight. “Things are fine. We’re both still happy. We argue, but so does everypony. It’s just how we are: like a competition.”
Twilight stopped writing, probably hoping Dash wouldn’t notice. “Applejack mentioned something like that.”
“Then that’s all you need to know.” Dash glanced at a clock, tapping her hooves. “Can I go now?”
With a glimpse at the clock and down at her notes, Twilight nodded. “We’ve only been here for twenty minutes, Dash. You can stay a while longer.”
“And listen to you talking to yourself for half an hour?” Dash stared blankly at Twilight.
After a few moments of contemplation, Twilight coughed and placed her quill down. “I suppose we can call it a day for now.”
Dash didn’t wait for more than that; she said her short goodbyes and flew home. The ache in her wings and legs faded as she soared through the air, and the only thing she wanted was to sleep and stop thinking about problems.
Dash groaned as she was roused from her sleep by the morning light on her eyelids. In a hopeful attempt to drift off again, she quickly turned her back to the source and pulled a pillow over her face. Why can’t the sunrise ever be late? I manage to be late all the time, at least when Applejack isn’t—
“Mornin’, sugarcube.”
Dash’s eyes bolted open. I knew I felt something while I was dreaming, but I thought it was a headwind during that nose dive. Must have been Applejack, up at the crack of dawn as always. Dash pulled the pillow off of her head and squinted at the foot of the bed. Stifling a yawn, she sat up and stretched. “Oh, morning, AJ.”
Applejack walked from the foot of the bed to Dash’s side. “You weren’t thinkin’ ’bout sleepin’ in again, were ya?”
Dash dragged herself out of the bed, taking a moment to stretch her legs and wings, which felt stiffer than usual. “I don’t usually think about it. It just happens.”
“I told ya to try workin’ on that. I might need your help soon.” After moving to the door, Applejack lingered and waited for Dash to pass her.
“I have! I haven’t gotten up past noon in two weeks.” Dash yelped as she felt a hoof jabbed into her side.
“You need to be tryin’ a little harder then.” Applejack trotted past Dash and downstairs. “Come on, I got breakfast ready downstairs.”
Dash paused at the top of the stairs, watching Applejack walk down and disappear around a corner into the kitchen. Wake-up call. Breakfast ready. Probably the same food as the last few months. Nothing new. Slowly, she walked down and into the kitchen, not as surprised or happy as she used to be at the spread of bread, eggs, fruits, vegetables, and muffins. The muffins were leftover from yesterday, but the fruits and vegetables were as fresh as always. Finally, next to each plate sat a shiny red apple.
Dash sat down at the table and dug into her food without a second thought, and only stopped when she heard Applejack’s hoof tapping against the table. Leaning back, she lapped up some crumbs from her cheek. “Yes?”
“Did you go?” Applejack asked. Waiting for Dash to respond, she took a bite from her apple.
“Yeah, but I don’t see how it’s helping.” You just need to give it a chance, Dash mimicked in her head as she idly prodded her food. Her focus drifted to the blue sky behind Applejack, slightly tinted with orange from the sunrise.
Applejack sighed and took another bite of her apple before replying “You need to give it a chance, Dash. No one accomplished anything by givin’ up.”
They find out what’s worth trying. “Yeah, whatever. I’ll try again later this week. I have some work to do this afternoon.” That was a lie. Applejack probably already knew it was, and that Dash was going to say it before she did; she always knew.
Applejack raised an eyebrow. “I thought you said the weather team was giving you a few weeks off to help me.”
“Emergency. Trying to get ready for a big storm next week is all.” That last part was true, thankfully.
Applejack sighed, shrugging her shoulders gently. “Fair ’nuff. Promise to help tomorrow?”
“Sure.” Another compromise. Is that the third or fourth this week? Talking to Twilight was definitely the first.
Breakfast lasted for a few more minutes, which Dash wished had gone by faster. Most of the food was gone, except for Dash’s apple. She left it on the table as she walked over to Applejack, giving her a short kiss and nuzzle. “I’ll be back tonight. Take it easy.”
“Don’t take it easy.” Applejack smiled after returning the kiss. “And do be careful. I don’t want you in the hospital over some trick when you should be workin’.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Dash rolled her eyes. She glided to the other side of the room and grabbed her saddlebags. After a small pause, she took her apple from the table and dropped it into her bag. She was at the front door when Applejack called out to her.
“Oh, and Pinkie’s hosting a party this weekend! She invited us, so don’t go makin’ any plans.”
“Yeah, I won’t,” Dash muttered to herself. You always do for us. She walked out the front door and took a moment to look at the orchard of apple trees before lifting off into the air. In minutes, she was above the town square in Ponyville, searching for a cloud to rest on. She found a good-sized one near the edge of town, but quickly moved it above the town square and took a seat.
She watched the ponies going about their days in the streets below, but let her thoughts drift. The weather schedule. Wonderbolts tryouts later in year. Too many old memories. She pushed those thoughts away. It’s not worth lingering on that mopey stuff.
Twilight’s voice echoed in her head, Dash, are you happy?
Rainbow Dash turned over on the cloud, trying to get the question out of her mind. Ugh! Why do I keep thinking about that? I am happy! I don’t need anyone questioning that, especially Twilight, or Applejack... There are more important things to worry about anyway. She glanced back down at the streets. When you worry about the little stuff, you only make things worse and important, and when they’re important, you have to worry about them even more.
With a groan, she bolted into the air. Soaring through the sky, weaving between clouds, and buzzing rooftops and hills, Dash flew out of the town in under a minute and headed towards the nearby mountains. With a bit of searching, she found and landed on a solitary cliff on the mountainside and turned back to look at Ponyville. It had grown quite a bit in the past few years, but it was still a small town in her mind.
Dash pulled the apple from her saddlebag and took a large bite; it was juicier than normal. Applejack must have picked it this morning. I don’t get why she puts in so much effort all the time. Apples aren’t that important. Dash knew what was important: getting better, getting faster, tryouts, work, practice... My work’s important, right? I mean, Applejack is just working hard until I can make it.
She dropped the apple and spied Sweet Apple Acres in the distance. It had grown a lot as well, and was at least twice the size it had been when Twilight had arrived. At least that’s what Applejack had been saying for a few months. The two of them had been living out of their own house since the orchard had grown enough to consider building one. It was on the edge when they built it, together; now it was surrounded by dozens upon dozens of trees. At least it gave them some privacy, though Applejack’s blabbering about problems to their friends didn’t help.
Dash grabbed her head and shook it from side to side. No. No! There aren’t any problems! Things are fine. I’m happy, and Applejack’s happy, mostly. She’s happy with her work, and happy with her family, at least. She let go of her head and stared down at the apple, sitting inches from the edge of the cliff.She’s not always happy with me, but that’s natural, right? I mean, Applejack’s probably changed as much as I have. Even if she hasn’t, it’s natural not to be happy all the time. Even Pinkie has rough spots, and that’s saying something.
~*------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*~
Rainbow Dash landed on the cliff, taking in the view that lay before her. It always looked wonderful, but she had gone above and beyond to make sure that it was better than perfect. There was the slightest breeze to offset, but not defeat, the summer heat that hung even as the sun began to descend on the horizon, and in the distance were a delicately arranged set of clouds to accent the sunset over Ponyville. While Applejack had taken care of the food, as well as hauling most of it up the mountainside, the scenery was all Dash’s.
Dash put down the half-full saddlebags at her side and peered over the edge of the cliff. The path up the side of the mountain was certainly steep, but not a challenge, especially for her, or Applejack at the moment. That was good, because Dash wasn’t excited about the idea of flying a dozen trips up and down, at least if one trip involved carrying Applejack. Dash saw her getting close to the top and offered an encouraging smile that she probably couldn’t see. “You’re almost there, AJ!”
“So, couldn’t you help then?!” Applejack yelled back with a scowl as she trudged along the path.
Tapping a hoof on her chin, Dash muttered to herself, “Well, I suppose I could, but I’ve spent most of the day napping, and my wings are still a little—”
“That means now, Miss Daydream!”
“Spoilsport,” Dash grumbled, smiling as she jumped off of the ledge and soared down to Applejack’s side. “Besides, you need the workout more than m— Ow!” She yelped when Applejack dug a hoof into her side.
Applejack shook her head as she lay down. “Just take a bag, Dash.”
Rainbow Dash rubbed her side before helping Applejack remove one of the saddlebags. After the bag was secured, she and Applejack finished the trip up the path and set the bags down next to the others.
Applejack sighed and plopped down on the ground, wiping the sweat from her brow. “Your work again, huh?”
Dash chewed on an apple she had plucked from a saddlebag. “Mah bef ye.” She stopped when she saw Applejack glaring at her. Smiling with a mouthful of apple, Dash swallowed slowly. “'Scuse me.”
Applejack kept her glare for a few moments before laughing. “Better. Now get the rest of it out onto the blanket.” Dash pulled the packed meals from her saddlebag while Applejack set up the blanket. There were plenty of choices, each with some hint of apple included, ranging from simple sandwiches to fruit to a small tray of desserts. They laid the feast out on the blanket, and then sat down across from one another. Fidgeting slightly, Dash tapped her hooves against the ground and waited patiently for Applejack to grab something to eat. Once she did, however, Dash wasted no time digging in.
The evening was filled with small talk, conversation about some recent events around town, and Dash’s attempts at retelling some of Pinkie’s newest jokes. The hours passed by like enjoyable seconds, and before long, the sun had vanished over the horizon, and the night sky that emerged was as perfectly framed by Dash’s scenery as the sunset had been.
Dash finished eating a third apple fritter before she started to pack everything up, while Applejack sat looking down at Ponyville and Sweet Apple Acres, which lay beyond.
“Dash?” Applejack asked, not turning to Dash.
Dash closed one of the saddlebags and looked back at Applejack, “Yeah, AJ?” She started to trot over to Applejack, but quickly stopped in her tracks.
“Have you thought about marriage?” Applejack glanced over her shoulder for a moment before adjusting her hat and tapping her hooves together.
Dash swallowed hard. What do I say? I mean, it’s been a few months, and I’ve enjoyed our time together even more than before, but... marriage just seems so far off. “I...” Come on, say something. You’ve been thinking about this a little, maybe more than a little, just say something! Dash scraped a hoof back and forth across the ground. “Well, it’s a big decision, and we’re both busy with important things, and—”
“It’s not a test, Dash,” Applejack said as she looked back over her shoulder at Dash. “I’m just curious what you think about it is all.”
Dash was silent for a moment. Okay, no pressure then. Take some time. Dash crossed her front legs and laughed. “Well, it’s a big decision is all.” Not bad, but it could have been better, Dash.
“That’s all you think it is then?” Applejack asked, trying to stifle a giggle.
“No, I mean, it’s just dating, but permanent, right?” Come on! Think up something better, quick! Dash rubbed the back of her neck, sweating bullets before she felt Applejack’s hooves on her cheeks. She relaxed when she saw Applejack smiling at her, though she couldn’t hold back the blush on her checks. M-maybe I can blame that on the embarrassment from before.
“Dash, I’m not tryin’ to rush you or us. I just want you to keep the future in mind. I know you’re a mare o’ the present, but take some time to think about it or sleep on it.” Applejack gave Dash a gentle kiss and walked over to the saddlebags, putting hers onto her back. “It’s getting late. Did you want to head home on your own?”
Dash looked out at Ponyville and her cloud house in the distance, and then down at her saddlebags. Just like she did at the beginning of a race, she flexed her legs and wings, and took a deep breath. You gotta take the lead this time. With a smile, she picked the bags up. “Nah. I think I’ll stick with you tonight.”
“Well, let’s get headed there th—”
“No, I mean—” Dash took a deep breath and closed her eyes “—spend the night, with you.”
Applejack was silent momentarily before clearing her throat. “I guess we can, umm, get the spare bedroom ready for you.”
Dash laughed as she started to trot ahead. “Whatever works for you.” Guess I’mthe one further ahead now. Dash smirked and held her head high as she led the way.
~*------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*~
Dash sighed and nudged the half-eaten apple off of the cliff. Maybe... I can give Twilight one more try. Then she and everypony else can just drop it. After taking a moment to clear her head, she lifted off from the cliff and flew straight to the library.
It had certainly grown over the years, thanks to a few additions Twilight had made; she had added two stories and widened the ground floor, at least tripling the space inside. Twilight definitely needed the space, now that more ponies actually came to visit the library—that and to keep Spike around. It was weird to see a tree grow while it was being used as a library, but that was magic for you.
Dash landed at the front door, but waited a few minutes before she stepped inside. Twilight was behind the desk she’d placed in the main lobby, reading over several books floating around her, while Spike was across the room, busy placing some books back on the top shelf. He’d grown almost as much as the library. Twilight said the spurt was probably something that happened with most dragons, given how large they’re supposed end up. It was hard to believe that he barely came up to her shoulder two years ago, and now he was practically twice as tall as her, and then some.
Twilight looked up as Dash came in. “Rainbow Dash? I didn’t expect to see you again, at least not this soon.” She closed the books and stacked them on the desk before trotting over to meet her.
“Yeah, me neither.” Dash sighed, stretching her wings against her saddlebags. She looked over at Spike. “Can we go upstairs again, please?”
“Umm, sure. Spike?” Twilight turned towards him. “Can you make sure to watch the desk for me?”
“Sure thing, Twilight.” Spike finished placing the books away and walked over to the desk, taking a seat on the floor behind it. Twilight led Dash up the stairs to her office on the third floor and made sure to close the door soundly behind them, probably to give Dash some assurance that they were in private.
Dash put her saddlebags down by the door and lay down on the couch once again, and kept quiet as Twilight took her seat near the window. Thankfully, Twilight was smart enough to close the curtains this time before she started talking. Still feels uncomfortable, Dash thought as she rolled and squirmed in place.
Twilight picked up her quill once again and cleared her throat. “Now then, what did you want to talk about?”
“Why do you think there’s some problem with me and Applejack?” Her hooves were restless, tapping against the couch.
Twilight rubbed a hoof against her chin. “Well, Applejack said that—”
Shooting a glare at Twilight, Dash groaned and slammed her hooves into the couch. “I said you, Twilight! Why do you think there’s a problem?”
Twilight was quiet, opening and closing her mouth without a sound for a few moments. “Well, I guess it would just be an... assumption based on some observations.”
Dash raised an eyebrow and narrowed her gaze at Twilight. “What observations, exactly?”
Twilight looked down as she twiddled her hooves. “Well, there are times where you two have been fighting or arguing, in public.”
“Everyone does,” Dash insisted as she rolled onto her back. Of course she doesn’t have anything new to sa—
“Because, you both aren’t happy.”
“I am!” Dash shouted, jolting upright on the couch with her wings outstretched. Twilight was glaring back at her with a slight frown. It took a moment of dead air for Dash to relax and lie back down. “We both are,” she added, looking down at her hooves.
Twilight’s frown shifted back into a small smile. “Applejack doesn’t think so. She says you’re moody or off-putting a lot of the time. That you’re not as passionate.”
“Like you’d know anything abou—Sorry.” Dash rolled over, turning away from Twilight. “Why does everyone have to think that’s a problem?” She heard Twilight clear her throat.
“Well, most couples are stable and positive around each other. At least around others.”
“And lie,” Dash added, shaking her head.
“What do you mean, Dash?” Twilight asked.
“Oh come on!” Dash sat up, hooves raised in the air, and was welcomed with the sight of Twilight quietly taking notes once again. “You honestly think every couple in Equestria is all lovey-dovey every second of their lives? That they walk around happy and cheerful when they aren’t around other ponies?”
Twilight continued writing, even with Dash staring her down. “I would assume most of them are, considering they chose to spend their lives with someone.”
“No, they didn’t. They chose to settle.” Dash tried to look past Twilight to the window, but she could barely see the blue sky behind the drapes. She tried to envision it, calm and peaceful outside, but Twilight was making it difficult.
Twilight tilted her head to the side and placed her quill down. “Even if they were happy and in love while dating each other?” She leaned forward in her seat, most likely eager for Dash’s response.
“Dating is different.” Dash stood up, trotting back and forth in front of the couch. “When you’re dating, it’s new. You learn about someone, and every date, every moment with them or thought about them is interesting because you didn’t do it before, even when you don’t learn anything about them. You’re so focused on making impressions or earning their love while they earn yours that it’s a competition to see who can make the other fall head over hooves for them. And it’s fun.” It was fun for me.
Her eyes locked on Dash, Twilight scribbled a few short notes before placing her quill back down. “And it’s still a competition for the two of you, after all this time?” She glanced down at her for notes for a moment, frowning once again.
“It wasn’t. Not like that, at least, because we...” Dash looked back at the couch. She felt uncomfortable again, like someone was jabbing her in the haunches while twisting her stomach into knots. “We knew each other before then. We didn’t have to pretend to be someone to fall in love.” Dash stated it rather flatly, as if the word didn’t mean anything anymore. But it does mean something, right?
Twilight got up from her seat, walking towards Dash with a smile. “Well, maybe you two should look back on that, to find what you lost or—”
I do all the time. “Yeah, maybe.” Dash sighed and walked towards the door. “Thanks, I guess.”
“Wait,” Twilight called out, “Rainbow Dash, do you really think you’re happy?”
Dash stopped and turned back to face Twilight. “I already said ye—”
“Be honest. As a friend to a friend, are you happy with Applejack?” Twilight took a few steps forward as she asked.
Dash was quiet for a few moments, tapping her hoof against the ground. “Yes. Yes, I am.”
Twilight stood her ground, her quill noticeably still on the table. “Why?”
Dash picked up her saddlebags by the door. “Because we really do know each other. It doesn’t have to be perfect like everypony thinks it needs to be, it just has to be. Even though we may fight now and then we’re still happy.” She opened the door. “Me? I’m happy because we don’t have to lie to each other or anyone else, and if we are messed up as a couple, at least we won’t ever be able to raise a kid in the middle of it like some ponies.”
Dash shut the door behind her before Twilight could respond, then bolted down the stairs and out the front door, even as Spike tried to say goodbye to her. I knew it would be a mistake to go back! And it would have been a mistake to stay any longer. Dash smiled and closed her eyes as she soared through the sky towards Sweet Apple Acres, holding back a few tears. This is all I need: the wind in my mane.
Quietly, Dash sat in the living room, looking over the pictures placed along the walls and on the mantle as she waited for Applejack. She peeked at the clock over her shoulder as she tapped her hooves against the couch; the party was going to start soon, and she expected Applejack to be ready any second. After one more glance to the staircase, and not hearing Applejack’s hooves, she stood up and walked to the fireplace.
Some of the photos along the mantle were of friends or family at gatherings Applejack had hosted over the years, but most of them were of her and Applejack. The only reason they had most of the pictures was because they were both in them, especially the wedding photos. Applejack was always fond of keeping those out for company, probably because there weren’t many portraits of just them since that day.
She picked up one of the reception, with Applejack and Dash smiling and dancing together, but her eyes drifted to one that had been sitting behind it. It was of her and Applejack on a sunny day, in front of an apple tree and inches from the camera, with ignorantly happy smiles. Dash had tried to set up the timer on the camera for a far away shot, but took the photo after the slip of a hoof. She offered to try and take another one, but Applejack insisted it would look more natural the way it was. That was what made it so horrible to keep around; it was too different from everything else.
Dash put the wedding picture in the back and placed the other photograph at the edge of the mantle. With a small smile, she walked back over to the couch. Maybe I should go upstairs, she thought, right before she heard the hoofsteps coming down the stairs.
Dash turned Applejack. “Ready?”
Applejack grabbed her hat from a rack at the foot of the staircase and nodded. “Yeah, let’s go.”
The walk was long to get out of the orchard, and decidedly quiet. They followed the thin dirt road, twisting through the groves of apple trees, littered with empty carts and baskets. Applejack cleared her throat after a few minutes of silent walking, and glanced over her shoulder at Dash. “Dash, Twilight told me about you going to visit her again.”
Oh boy. Dash sighed, trotting to get closer to Applejack. “And?”
“I thought you said you were busy that day.” Applejack stopped in her tracks, but Dash continued forward.
“We... finished up pretty quickly. I had some free time, and thought I’d take your advice.” Dash took a deep breath and turned back to Applejack. “Hurry up we’re gonna be late.”
Applejack stayed put. “Dash.”
With a groan, Dash rubbed a hoof against her forehead. “Can we not do this tonight? Let’s just go to Pinkie’s party and enjoy ourselves.”
Applejack frowned and trotted past Dash, knocking into her roughly with her shoulder. “Fine... We’ll talk later.”
Kicking up a bit of dust, Dash flew past Applejack, blocking her path. “Applejack! I didn’t mean it like th—”
Applejack stopped, staring at Dash with her eyes narrowed. “No, we’ll talk about it later.” She took a breath and managed to erase her frown, but it was obvious that she had to force the smile that replaced it. Reluctantly, Dash landed behind her, trotting to keep up as they made their way into Ponyville.
By the time they reached the town, it was night, and most of the ponies on the street were on their way home or headed to Sugarcube Corner. The closer they came to the bakery, the more crowded the streets became, and there at the door was Pinkie, trying to funnel the guests inside. Pinkie’s shouts and greetings managed to reach them at the end of the line, and it seemed that each guest was greeted with either a smile, hug, kazoo, confetti, or some combination of them.
Applejack leaned over to Dash as they neared the door. “Promise to be good for a while?”
“I will,” Dash whispered back as they came to the door.
“Hey, girls!” Pinkie shouted as she turned back from the ponies she’d just welcomed inside. She blew a kazoo and flung confetti into the air. “I’m so glad you both made it. I haven’t seen both of you at a party in forever!” Applejack and Dash brushed off the confetti that landed on them and offered a smile to Pinkie.
Applejack laughed, taking off her hat to shake some more confetti free. “We didn’t wanna go disappointin’ you after ya invited us, Pinkie. I’m sure it’s gonna be a fun get-together like always.”
“Well, come on in and have some fun then!” Applejack and Dash nodded and walked into Sugarcube Corner. There were dozens of ponies already enjoying the party games, treats, and punch inside, but the two shuffled past them. They spotted Fluttershy and Rarity at a table in a far corner, and made their way through the crowd towards them.
Rarity smiled and took a few sips from a cup of punch while talking to Fluttershy. “... So good to hear that things are going fine for you, Fluttersh—” With a gasp and a wave, Rarity put down her cup. “Oh, Applejack, Rainbow Dash! So good to see you both!” Rarity slid to the side. “Sit down. We haven’t had a chance to talk in ages.”
They both sat down, but Dash quickly ignored the conversation. Rarity and Applejack were playing catch-up about businesses, and Applejack was asking Fluttershy about seeing Winona before the end of the month. Dash was focused on the party and the ponies still enjoying themselves with someone else. A couple, maybe, on the far side of the room were grabbing punch and snacks while talking, probably about their days. There were several others dancing together to music in the middle of the room as well, and in another corner, a colt spun a blindfolded mare around before letting her loose with a pin-on ponytail. Enjoy it while you can.
It wasn’t long before Twilight and Pinkie showed up and joined them, with Twilight carrying a few cups of punch and a tray of sweets with her. Someone mentioned Dash’s name; it was enough to snap her back to reality.
“How are things with you, Dash?” Fluttershy asked.
Dash turned back to the table to see everyone looking at her, and felt a small nudge in her side from Applejack. “I’m fine. Just been practicing for tryouts and working with the weather ponies, you know, like always.” Her tone was gruff as she eyed the tray of sweets, reaching out for a cupcake.
“And tryin’ as little as possible to actually help me out around the farm,” Applejack added with a smirk and chuckle, but her glare seemed much more serious.
“I said I’d start waking up earlier, and I have been.” Dash took a bite of a cupcake.
Applejack laughed. “Well, just be glad I still got Big Mac and Apple Bloom around to help me, or you’d be gettin’ a buck out of bed instead of a nudge.”
Dash went back to spying couples around the party, laughing and happy. “Whatever. It’s not even harvest time yet.”
“Yet bein’ the key word.” The others laughed, and Dash forced a chuckle as she looked at Applejack.
“So, you’re both still doing all right then?” Rarity asked, taking a quick sip of punch.
Applejack tapped her chin. “Well—”
“Yeah, we’re fine.” Dash grabbed her cup of punch, still focused on the party. The mare playing pin the tail managed to miss the target completely, getting a playful laugh from the colt with her.
Rarity blushed, setting down her cup with a gentle gasp. “I didn’t mean to offend, Dash.”
“Well, you didn’t, so let’s just not worry about it, okay?” Turning back to the table, Dash gulped down her punch and smiled as brightly as she could manage.
“R-right.” Rarity rubbed her chin for a moment before turning to Twilight. “Ummm, how are things with you, Twilight? Are you still planning to go back to Canterlot next year?”
Dash felt Applejack’s hoof on her back, pushing her away from the table. “We’re gonna go get some air real quick.” Dash heard Twilight talking about studying at university as she was led into the crowd, dropping her empty cup onto the floor. Applejack only stopped when they reached a vacant corner of the room. “Dash.”
“I’m fine, okay? She’s the one that brought up something stupid.” Dash looked back at the table, seeing her friends laughing. “I’m trying, okay?” I know Rarity didn’t mean anything, but theydo. Dash could barely hear the crowd during the walk from the table, but there was more gossip than she could ignore now.
“Do you think they’re fighting again?”
“Wonder what it’s about this time.”
“You think they could find somewhere private.”
Dash glared at the crowd, and as much as she tried to focus on the table with her friends, or Applejack standing next to her and trying to calm her, she couldn’t. It only took one more comment and a chuckle to make her snap.
“How about you just mind your business, huh?!” Dash shouted at no one in particular.
The entire party went quiet, and Dash could see Twilight and the others trying to get through the crowd. Everyone just kept staring at her, but she swore she heard snickers and whispers from them. It was more fuel on the blaze.
Dash growled and flared out her wings. If she cared, she might have stopped when she felt Applejack tugging her towards the door. “Why don’t you all just shut up about things you don’t understand, huh?!”
Her friends tried to help drag Dash out of the room with little success as she pushed back even harder. Twilight was at her side, whispering, “Dash, there’s no reason to make a scene.”
“Yes, there is!” Dash pushed Twilight away, giving the others a chance to start moving her towards the door. The entire way she struggled and shouted, “You all think we’re the ones with the problem! We aren’t, because we don’t lie about who we are!” She stopped fighting when she felt Applejack’s hoof over her mouth, stifling her outburst.
We knew each other before then. We didn’t have to pretend to be someone to fall in love.
They’re the ones lying, Dash thought as she saw the night sky above. They’re miserable and stuck, because they have to pretend, but we don’t have to. That has to be how it is. It has to be. The sky faded to blue as she closed her eyes. It felt good to let it out; it felt free.
Dash lay staring at the ceiling in the bedroom upstairs. She could hear Applejack giving muffled excuses and apologies to their friends downstairs, who in turn gave as much reassurance as they could muster. The night sky outside the open window was so appealing that she felt tempted to take flight and leave all this behind for a while. With timid steps, she left the bed and walked towards the window, only to close it with a gentle click and head to the top of the stairs.
The sound of the door closing shut drifted up before she saw Applejack, dried tears matted on her cheeks, at the foot of the stairs with one hoof on the first step. Applejack stared her down like a parent would their child, and swallowed a lump in her throat.
Dash took a step down the stairs. “Applejack—”
“Don’t even start, Dash.” Applejack turned away and walked into the living room.
Dash rushed down to follow her. “They’re the ones that—”
Applejack turned around with her teeth bared, shouting with abandon, “Stop blamin’ everypony else, Dash!” She took a deep breath. “Every. Single. Time. That’s all you do! You’re the one that thinks it’s all about you all the time, and then don’t even realise when you’re the problem!”
Dash stood still, mouth agape for a few moments. I’m not the problem, they are. “I don’t mean to...”
Applejack sighed and faced away from her. “I... I know you don’t, Dash. But you can’t keep pushin’ your problems on other ponies because you can’t handle ’em.”
Dash stamped a hoof down as her wings flared out. “I can handle my problems, and I know it’s not always about me!”
Applejack took more deep, slow breaths. Rainbow Dash started to relax, folding her wings and taking a step forward, until Applejack shouted, “Really? Really?!” She turned around. “You yelled at a crowd of ponies that weren’t sayin’ anything!”
She flared her wings again and stepped back. “They were too! They were gossiping and insulting us right there, behind our backs!” Glancing away, she shook her head for a moment. At least I think they—no! No, they were!
Applejack rubbed her forehead and sat down on the floor. “So what if they were, Dash? Who cares what they have to say?”
“I do!” Dash shouted, breathing deep through her nose before she shut her jaw. I do, because they say them about you. “I do, because they shouldn’t act like they’re better than us.”
Applejack shook her head and offered a slight smile to Rainbow Dash. Her voice softened when she said, “Dash, you know I don’t care about what anyone says about us.”
“Then why’d you insist I go talk with Twilight, huh?” Dash’s legs were shaking. “Why was it so important that I talk to her? Why is it that we need to talk to someone about nothing?”
Applejack frowned and shook her head. “Because it ain’t nothin’, Dash! You’re the one that’s been gettin’ worse. You keep worryin’ about the same old things and what people think about you, when you should be focused on us.”
Dash backed away and then paced around the room, talking, but it wasn’t to Applejack. “We’re fine! Things might be repetitive, and boring, and dull, but they’re fine! I don’t need to worry about us, because there’s nothing to worry about!” She stopped for a moment, Wait, I know what this whole stupid thing is about! “Is this all about the stupid harvest again?! I told you I’m working on it.” She started pacing again, circling around Applejack.
“No, it’s not.” Applejack closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath. “Twilight... told me about what you said.”
“About what?” Raising an eyebrow, Dash stopped on the other side of the couch, near the fireplace.
Applejack’s face contorted as she tried to keep tears at bay. “A-about you and kids.”
Dash blinked. “Well, it’s not like we can.” Applejack kept taking long breaths, like she had to fight to stay calm. Why is she making this a big deal?
“There are other ways, Dash. Did you ever think about how I felt about it?”
Dash tilted her head. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Why do ya think?” Applejack turned away from Dash, pulling off her hat. “I know you’ve been practicin’ more. I know you don’t want to have to worry about something like that now, but...”
...And if we are messed up as a couple, at least we won’t ever be able to raise a kid in the middle of it.
Dash felt like she was choking as she stared, mouth agape at Applejack. She swallowed, breaths rasping in her throat. Her mind raced for words as she slowly backed into the mantle. She heard the sound of a frame’s glass break and its wood splinter, but she still stared at Applejack. She started to laugh between breaths, looking down at the floor. She tried to wipe the tears away before she looked up. “You know, I’d be an awful parent.”
Applejack was silent for a few moments but quickly started laughing, tears in her eyes. “Y-you wouldn’t be that bad.”
Dash kept laughing, sitting down in front of the fireplace with tears falling onto her hooves. She soon felt Applejack’s forelegs wrapped around her and their cheeks together. It felt warm and welcoming, like the breeze on a summer day, right before sunset, and she could see that orange-tinted sky when she closed her eyes. Wrapping her hooves around Applejack, Dash held her close and nuzzled against her neck.
It was a few minutes before Dash swallowed hard, trying to quench the dryness in her throat. “Applejack. Y-you know, I have no idea where that road goes, and I don’t know how bad it will be, or if it’ll end out okay, but...” Ponyfeathers, Dash thought, trying to keep the tears she’d conquered held back. “If you want to go there, then I’ll go with you.”
...We really do know each other. And even if we aren’t perfect for each other like everypony thinks you need to be, and we fight now and then, we’re still happy.
Dash smiled as she sat there, holding onto Applejack. Yeah, we’re happy, when it’s important.
