October 5th

Applejack stepped off the train at the Ponyville station, smiling at how instantly familiar it was. She was home, and the feeling just got stronger when she heard the bark of a dog, and looked over to see Winona, and behind her stood Granny, Apple Bloom, and Big Macintosh, all grinning at her.

There was a short race to see if Apple Bloom or Winona would crash into her first, but they both arrived at the same time, almost bowling her over with an excited hug from the filly and a face full of licks from the dog.

“I missed you so much, big sis! I gotta tell ya’ everythin’ ‘bout everythin’! School started last week and I got a A on my spellin’ test, and me and Scoots and Sweetie are buildin’ a go-kart, and Granny’s started on knittin’ a sweater for—”

Big Macintosh cleared his throat. “Uh... sis? Ya might wanna let AJ, you know, breathe.”

Applejack took a deep breath as she was released from the tight hug. “I’m real glad to see you too, I swear you must’ve grown three inches over the summer! And I’m glad to see you, too, Mac. I missed ya’.” She offered her brother a hug.

Mac simply nodded as he failed to conceive his grin. “Mmmhmm.”

“Now, don’t ya’ go leavin’ me outta this,” Granny said, making her way over to the group. Applejack grinned and parted from Mac to hug her grandmother.

“I’m so glad to be home, y’all. I can’t wait to get started on cider season. It’s gonna be great workin’ with the ponies I love again.” Applejack looked over her family. But the ‘ponies she loved’ had added a few members over the summer, and while she knew that Twilight was still away, confusion clouded her face as she realized that Rainbow Dash wasn’t here to welcome her home. “Uh, y’all wouldn’t happen to have seen Rainbow Dash around, have ya’?”

“Eeyup.” Big Mac fiddled around a knapsack he was carrying to pull out what appeared to be a cocktail napkin, presenting it to Applejack. “RD wanted ya to read it.”

Applejack gave a relieved smile. Even though Dash oughta know that she’d had more than enough notes and couldn’t wait for a hug or a kiss, at least she hadn’t totally forgotten her. Applejack looked at the note, and read:

Boss, Whitetail Woods. Come Alone.

She shook her head at that crazy bunch of ponyfeathers. Alone, huh? That did sound promising. Applejack blushed at the thoughts that ran through her mind.

“If ya’ got plans, don’t let us keep ya’, missy.” Granny smiled and winked, which just made Applejack blush harder.

“But, I wanna talk to AJ more! I haven’t seen her in forever!” Apple Bloom cried.

Applejack smiled at her sister. “I know it, sugarcube. How ‘bout if I give my word I’ll be back for dinner, and I’ll tuck ya’ in myself tonight. We can have a good long talk then.”

“Okay,” Apple Bloom conceded with a nod. “It’s just so great to have ya’ home!”

“It’s great to be home. I’ll see you folks this evenin’, I promise.” Applejack hugged everypony again.

“I’ll have an extra place set,” Granny said. “Just in case ya’ bring somepony along.”

“Thanks, Granny.” The smile never fell from Applejack’s face as she turned to the town and headed in the direction of the Whitetail Woods. “I’ll see y’all later!”

Applejack slowed as she came upon the Whitetail Woods and looked around as she followed the path into the forest. Rainbow Dash’s attention to detail, like where in the Whitetail Woods they were meeting, left something to be desired. It was fall, though, and before the running of the leaves, so the view wasn’t exactly dull. Even that reminded her of Dash; the red, yellow, and orange leaves, with the blue sky peeking between them brought to mind a certain face topped with a bright mane that made Applejack smile as she searched for it through the trees.

Off in the distance, in the corner of Applejack’s eye, was a checkered row with a ribbon hung over it between two trees. Nopony else seemed to be around. Applejack raised an eyebrow and headed in that direction, keeping her eyes peeled and wondering what Dash was up to.

“Do you know what that is, Boss?”

Applejack jerked her head around and saw her. She was lazily laying back on a tree branch, with one foreleg dangling from the side. The top half of her face was mostly obscured by the shading of the tree and its falling leaves.

“Looks kinda like a finish line…” Applejack said, a smile forming on her lips.

“Well, it’s actually a starting line. Any guess as to where the finish line is?” Her grin was growing ever wider.

“Can’t imagine.” Applejack raised her eyebrows.

Dash swooped down, a gust of wind slapping AJ’s face. As Dash strutted to the starting line, her cocky grin started to elicit a few giggles. “Oh, no place special. It just so happens to be in a building in Ponyville. That building just so happens to be called Golden Oaks Library, which just so happens to have a bed, and that bed just so happens to be owned by a pony who wouldn’t mind having the two of us take a victory lap in it.” As Dash reached the finish line, she arched herself into the starting position, clamping her wings to her side tightly. She looked to AJ and said, “I remember your thing about no wings.”

“Whoa there, partner. Twilight ain’t even home yet, and you think we’re just gonna go to town in her bed without her?”

Dash stood up and cocked an eyebrow. “Uh... yeah, what about it?”

Applejack shook her head. “Dash, ya’ can’t just go an have sex in somepony else’s bed… that ain’t right.”

“I used to think having sex in a jacuzzi wasn’t right, but Twilight showed me how blind I was, AJ. Girl’s a super-freak.”

The thought of Twilight and Dash in a jacuzzi brought a fierce blush to Applejack’s cheeks. It can’t be all that bad… we’re gonna be messin’ around there soon enough…

“Boss...” Dash sighed. “Look... I know you just wanna do things right, and... I kinda wish I thought like that, too. It’s who you are, AJ. So... if you’re not down for it, we’ll stay clear of the library.” She shook her head. “You know what? Imma start this over.”

Rainbow ran up and grabbed Applejack in a forceful hug, which knocked off the cowpony’s stetson. Dash whispered into her her, “How the hell have you been?”

“Uh… good.” Applejack took a deep breath and wrapped her forelegs around Dash, the sudden proximity just deepening her blush. “How ‘bout you?”

“Let me tell you something, boss... this town is seriously dull.” Dash couldn’t help but break into laughter at that last part as she broke away from AJ. “Hoo, boy. I’ve just been bumming around here for weeks trying to think of something to do. I’m just sitting on top of a pile of money at the library bored out of my skull. I mean, Fluttershy, Rarity and Pinkie have their own mess of problems that I’m not touching with a stick, and so, I’ve got nopony to hang out with. There’s no fans of Daring Do, no one as good at horse shoes as me, and worst of all, I’ve got no girlfriends to love...” Dash grinned widely. “Except, now I do. Welcome home, Boss. I love the crap out of you.”

Applejack smiled. “I love ya’ too, Dash. And I sure am glad to be back here with ya’. Not that I’m likely to be bored, I got plenty work to keep me busy. But I’m, uh, hopin’ you’ll keep me busy too.” Applejack bit her lip, still blushing.

“Believe me, I’ll keep you busy until you can’t walk... although, you’ll probably need to walk to put cider in my mouth, so that’s a no-go.” Dash cleared her throat and began trotting back to the starting line. “The point being: I’m here. You’re here. I see a starting line, and it’s fall. Whaddya say, cowgirl?” Dash arched herself into the starting position once more. “You name the finish line, and we’re go!”

Applejack eyed Dash’s tail as she walked over to the starting line, trying to think of a finish that offered the same benefits as the library. None sprang to mind, and she considered that Twilight would certainly tell them she didn’t mind, if she were here. That was almost like asking permission, Applejack decided, though the decision might have had to do with Dash’s crouched body and taut muscles.

Applejack took her place beside Dash. “I guess the library’s as good a finish as any.” She glanced over at Dash and smirked. “Loser’s gotta change the sheets when we’re done.”

“Joke’s on you. That’s a Spike job.” Dash chucked to herself, but immediately snapped back into composure, narrowing her eyes at sights ahead. “One. Two. THREE!”

And the two bolted, a sense a nostalgia rushing through their minds. They had raced before as friends, and now they raced as lovers. Things would never be the same again, as far as they were concerned. Everything had changed, as things that had once been had taken on new, important meaning.

As far as Applejack and Rainbow Dash were concerned, it was pretty great.

“I gotta say, Boss...” Rainbow sighed as she rested her head on her warm new pillow. “I heard Twilight talk big about sleeping on your chest and...” Dash yawned, stretching out her legs and wings before curdling up snug against her lover and looking up at her with a smirk. “She wasn’t overselling.”

Applejack chuckled, and stroked the rainbow mane falling against her body. “Glad I didn’t disappoint.”

Dash rolled her eyes, grinning insatiably. “You know, she’s totally crazy about you. I could see it in the way you came up in conversation. You got her by the tail, AJ.”

“I dunno ‘bout all that. I just know I’m lucky I got the both of y’all to gimme a chance to show ya’ how much I love you.” Applejack blushed. “Twilight’s a special pony, no doubt, maybe I oughta be thankin’ my lucky stars she likes me. But I also gotta be thankin’ you. Like I said in that letter, I couldn’t do a bit of this if I didn’t have you, Dash.”

Dash patted Applejack’s cheek before lightly stroking it. “I’ve got you, Boss. Don’t worry. You know, it’s funny... you always have a way of pulling me around like some kind of puppet. You keep making me feel ways I didn’t think of feeling... if that makes any sense. Like, there was...” Dash looked away before sighing. “Ugh, nevermind.”

Shifting, Applejack wrapped her forelegs around Dash. “I think ya’ think of feelin’ a lotta ways, but I reckon you don’t let yourself feel ‘em a lot. But ya’ know I got ya’, whenever ya’ need me. I might need you to help keep me brave ‘nough to be wild, but I got some strong shoulders, and they’re here for you when you need ‘em.”

“I know that, believe me, I do, it’s just...” She sighed. “Darn it, I’ll just tell you. You were the one who got me thinking about my dad again. Your last letter... when you got to your folks and, you know... it’s a lot of what I’ve been thinking about now. I wish I had some kind of sappy, cheesy last moment with Dad, but I didn’t.” Rainbow crawled away from Applejack and scooted to the opposite end of Twilight’s bed, not caring about the sunlight shining in her face. “Sorry if I bummed you out, I just had to say something.”

“You loved your pa, right?” Applejack said calmly, watching Dash.

Dash looked away, staring into space. “I did, but I didn’t act like it. The last thing I remember saying to him was telling him that I was going travelling with Gilda and that I’d be back whenever... I don’t think I even hugged him goodbye. And yeah, I know, I never once blamed myself when I found out he died. Dude had a lot of health problems, he smoked a pack a day, and believe it or not, got around more than I did, with pretty sketchy mares. He would have dropped dead any day, but...” Dash looked right into Applejack’s eyes with genuine sadness. “It still hurts, you know?”

“I know it hurts, sugarcube. It always hurts, no matter what. But none’a that matters. Your pa knew ya’ loved him… and he still does. And everypony has times that were good, and times they wished they had. The ones ya’ wished ya’ had don’t matter, whether it’s sayin’ one last time how ya’ loved ‘em, or never gettin’ to show ‘em your first ribbon. That’s all the same, and all ya’ can think is that…” Applejack’s voice caught in her throat, and she went on in a whisper, “That they know it, somehow.”

Rainbow winced away a tear and sighed deeply, muttering under her breath, “What am I doing?" In a flash, she leaned forward, and pulled Applejack into a tight hug, stroking her mane. Dash whispered, “I’m sorry, AJ. I love you too much to see you like this. It’s okay. It really is. I’ve got you, and we’ve got Twilight, and...” Dash chuckled to herself, grinning. “And we’ve got our friends, and it’ll really, really okay. More okay than anything in the world.”

Applejack smiled and returned the hug. “Rainbow Dash, I know all that. But you gotta know there ain’t no shame in feelin’ sad, and there’s nothin’ wrong with sharin’ it with somepony who understands. And I understand, Dash. I really do.”

Dash smiled. “I know, and I love that I got you for that... still, I’m not used to this whole ‘crying after sex’ thing. I just thought that was just for really bad grope-fests in the quarterback’s carriage after prom.”

“Well there’s another reason I’m glad I skipped all that,” Applejack laughed.

Dash pulled away, beaming and throwing her forelegs in the air. “Mine was awesome! He was the star quarterback and prom king. And, lemme tell you, AJ, when you get asked to the prom by a guy named Champion, you don’t say no... well, unless you’re you, I guess... and Twilight.”

Applejack chuckled and shook her head. “I didn’t get asked by no ponies named Champion, or anythin’ else, really. Rarity asked if I wanted to tag along with her group, but you better believe she had a date, and I didn’t wanna be in the way. Besides, it saved me a bundle on a fancy dress I didn’t want.”

Dash rolled her eyes. “Pfft. You should have had me around. I would have totally gone with you, and I wouldn’t have made you wear a dress, anyway.” She craned her neck to get a look at Applejack’s flank. “Truth be told, I wanna see how you pull off skinny jeans... I’ll talk to Rarity later.” Dash chuckled deviously.

“I shoulda had you ‘round for a lotta my life.” Applejack pulled Dash close again, and nuzzled her cheek. “But I’d rather have ya’ just like you are. Makes it easier to get get my hooves everywhere.” She reached down and rubbed Dash’s cutie mark with a hoof to demonstrate.

“You know... I worry.” She grinned mischievously at her girlfriend. “I was fine with turning Twilight into a super freak, but you... I’m not sure what to make of you.” Dash wrapped her forelegs around AJ’s neck. “But I’m gonna have fun finding out.”

Applejack gave Dash’s neck a nibble, then pulled away smirking. “I’ll teach ya’. First thing to remember…” Applejack rolled over on top of Dash and grinned down at her. “A pony gets to play as hard as she works.”

Dash began breathing heavily. “Never let somepony take control before. I... uh...” Rainbow squinted her eyes shut before moaning out. “This is too hot.” She opened her eyes turned her head, looking directly into her lover’s gaze. “Boss. Take me.”

“Sure thing.” Applejack leaned down and planted a kiss on Dash’s lips as she pressed her body against her lover. She barely pulled away, and whispered with their lips still touching. “Ya’ hold on there, sugarcube. This is gonna get rough.”

With that, Applejack began to show Dash just how hard she deserved to play.

Rainbow had reminded Applejack that her family was making dinner, so they soon made their way back to the Acres. Dash had never seen such spirit shine from AJ, and she felt a tinge of pride knowing that something as mundane as dinner with the family was made better with their newfound love. Beyond that, Rainbow herself couldn’t deny that, despite all the sappiness that Applejack had forced her to spew over the summer, she was in complete contentment being in the presence of a real family.

Perhaps it couldn’t hurt for one more round of saccharine sentimentality.

Later, outside and in a field on the outskirts of the Acres, Dash stumbled up a hill, slightly tipsy from dinner. Applejack’s family did not actually carry the hard cider in their home, opting instead to sell all of it for profit, but that didn’t stop Dash from having a trusty flask with her meal. The sky was clear on this night, with the stars shining with utmost clarity. If Rainbow Dash had ever opened one of Twilight’s astronomy books, she might have been able to recognize the various constellations, but instead, she contented herself to gazing at the dazzling individual stars.

As Dash reached the top of the hill, she found a soft patch of grass to take a seat. She didn’t tell Applejack where she was going or what she was doing, but she promised to be back soon. Besides, this wouldn’t take long. Dash craned her neck and looked upward to the sky.

“You know, I’m not really sure what I’m doing, but I know Applejack would want me to do this, so... hey, Dad. How’s it going?”

The only response was the crickets in the distance.

“That’s good, that’s... good. Not really sure if you got that, but here’s hoping you did. I’ll admit, I’m not really into the whole freaky supernatural ghost stuff, but hey, AJ wants to believe that somewhere, her folks know that she misses them, so I figured, ‘why not’?”

Dash fidgeted in the grass and cleared her throat. “I-I’ve been good. I did another sonic rainboom.” She smiled as she snickered to herself. “You used to say all the time that would never happen in another million years. Yeah, how about ten, buddy?”

Rainbow sighed as her smile turned to a frown. “It would have been cool for you to have seen it, and see where I am, now. I’ve got some of the best friends a pony could ask for... and some of the best girlfriends, and I’m not even talking about all your ‘girlfriends’ you would bring home after a show at that Lucky’s joint. I mean like, I am in love, Dad. Like you and Mom.”

Dash sighed once more and cleared her throat. “You know... you never really talked about her that much. Looking back, something tells me it’s ‘cause you were all torn up about her. I gotta be honest, I’ve been the same way with you for a long time. It’s not even like I was trying that hard, it’s that I didn’t realize I had all this inside me the whole time. It was bottled-up, and I let it just burst at a sucky time. Long story, there: I got a job in Las Pegasus, and a bunch pent-up emotions came up between me, Twilight and Applejack... and then, I rejected an acceptance from the Wonderbolts, and the three of us all had sex and decided to date each other, and now, we’re all in love.”

After a long silence, Dash cleared her throat. “My life is kind of weird, in case it wasn’t clear.”
She looked up to the sky once more, with renewed gravitas. “I should have been there for you, Dad. All that time, you didn’t have someone to comfort you and be your rock, and you died alone. I don’t think that’ll ever leave my mind, but I want you to know this, if you can hear me: I love you, Rainbow Blitz, and I’m sorry I never said that enough. All I can do now is be a better pony with Twilight and Applejack’s help... and I know I can do it. They’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’m gonna share stuff with them, and I’ll be there for them when they need me. I’ll be the best lover in the history of Equestria.”

Dash beamed with pride as she stood tall. Sucking in a deep breath, she bolted into the air, reaching the point to where she saw all of Ponyville, which was illuminated only by the lights in their homes and Luna’s night sky.

“And I’ll do it for you, Dad! I’ll make you proud!”

“Hey!” A voiced called from a cloud home in the distance. “Shut up, Dash! It’s late!”

Dash recognized the voice. “Up yours, Cloud Kicker! I’m having an awesome moment of self-realization and renewal of my sense of purpose!”

“Go have your emotional catharsis when we’re not trying to sleep, ass!”

“YOU’RE THE ASS! ASS!”

“GO HOME!”

“FINE!”

And with that, Rainbow Dash descended to the ground and trotted back to Sweet Apple Acres. Getting back at Cloud Kicker could wait another day...

Boss was probably waiting in the bed, after all. With that thought, Dash’s mood returned to that of determination of excitement.

It was time to go home.

Author's Note

Hi. I didn't actually write any of this; this side story is entirely written by bookplayer and Jake R to wrap up the character arc for Rainbow Dash and Applejack while Twilight was still away from Ponyville. It was asked of me to post it as a Scribbled Note, since that's where we've been putting up all our little collab stories.

Jake's note: Three months, and three thousand words to show for it. I blame it on Cloud Kicker, who is totally an ass.