Rainbow Dash normally never thought about getting together with somepony. But in recent weeks, one pony just wouldn’t leave her mind. Said pony occupied her mind so much, she found herself so distracted from her game of Horseshoes with Applejack.

“You alright sugar cube? Ya seem a might distant today. Ya’ll even lost at 3 rounds without so much as even a word.” she asked, genuinely concerned.

Looking up, Rainbow shook her head. “Yeah, I’m fine.” she lied with a forced smile. Applejack of course saw straight through the lie.

“Hun, something’s botherin’ ya. C’mon. lets go talk about it over a mug o’ cider.” Applejack gently wrapped a hoof around Rainbow, ushering her to the barn. With a deep sigh, Rainbow complied, her head and ears low.

Rainbow sat in the warm midday sun. the cool autumn breeze gently flowing through her coat, mane and feathers. The sound of Applejack walking over with two mugs of cider filled her ears.

“Here ya go sugar. Now, what’s on yer mind?” Applejack asked as she sipped her cider with Rainbow.

With a deep breath, a quick thought went through her head. ‘She is the Element of Honesty… no sense in hiding it.’ “You ever have a crush AJ? One where you see that crush everywhere you go?” she asked. Applejack choked lightly on her cider with a small giggle.

“C’mon RD. You? With that big of a crush? Ah mean, Ah can see ya doin a one night stand, but-” AJ stopped her words dead as she saw the look of honesty and sincerity in Rainbow’s eyes. “Mah stars Rainbow… yer not joking are ya?”

“No AJ. I’m not. I don’t know what to do. I see her everyday. Everywhere I go. I… I want to ask her out but… I don’t know…” Rainbow said as she hardly touched her cider, which was quickly going flat. Applejack placed a comforting hoof around Rainbow pulling her into a gentle hug.

“Sugarcube… Ah’m not gonna lie to ya… not like Ah could if Ah tried… Ah wouldn’t know what at do. Sorry Ah cant help ya there. But Ah gotta say this. Ah didn’t know ya’ll was into mares.”

“I experimented with a few ponies right around Pegasi Academy. It was a fling with Flutters where I found I was a fillyfooler. I admit to eyeballing your flank every so often. But recently, only one mare has been on my mind… she’s literally all I can think about…” she explained, finally taking a large gulp of her flat cider, hardly caring.

“So… who is this crush?” AJ asked. A light blush sported on her face from Rainbow’s admission to ogling her flank.

“Twilight.” Rainbow said simply.

AJ once again choked on her cider. “As in OUR Twi? Princess of Friendship?”

“Yep. I… I know. It’s gone through my head before. That I might not be good enough for her, if she’s into mares… she might not wanna be my friend anymore…” the pain and fear in Rainbow’s voice made Applejack want to hug her more. AJ couldn’t help but notice tears start to roll down Rainbow’s cheek.

“Now sugarcube, Don’t let that eat away at ya. Yer a good pony. If’n a bit reckless, and tactless. If Ah were ya’ll Ah’d write my folks and ask for advise.” Applejack offered as she wiped the tears away with a hoofercheif.

Rainbow sniffed, closing her eyes and looking the other way. “I did. I even explained my fears about possibly asking Twi out. All my mom said was ‘Follow your heart,’ and ‘Do whatever makes you happiest.’… I don’t know what my heart tells me…”

Applejack couldn’t believe what she was hearing. This was a side of Rainbow Dash very few ponies had ever seen (Fluttershy being one of them). Rainbow on a normal day to day basis was self absorbed up to a point, nearly tactless, always calling it as it was, and most of all, reckless. Yet here she was, on the edge of crying, over a subject one would most likely hear from Rarity. Love.

And that was when it hit Applejack. Twilight was Princess of Friendship, Celestia and Luna were the Princesses of the Sun and Moon, leaving out only Cadence. The Princess of Love.

“Ok, why don’t ya write to Princess Cadence?” she offered.

“Cadence? Why- oh Celestia I am so stupid!” Rainbow face hoofed. “Why don’t I ask if I can see her face to face?” she asked.

“That’d be even better sugarcube. And don’t tell yerself that your not good enough for Twi. If yer this reserved around her, than you’d be a great mare friend. As long as ya treated her right, Ah’d say power to ya.” AJ explained with a warm smile.

“Thanks AJ. I’m glad you did this for me. Now I got one more question for ya.” Rainbow smiled happily.

“Go ahead sugarcube.”

“Got any more cider?” Rainbow asked playfully holding up her mug.

“You know it sugarcube.” Applejack giggled as she poured a few more mugs.

As Applejack and Rainbow talked, Twilight, Fluttershy and Rarity were gently sipping tea in the dining room of Carousel Boutique.

“So, Rarity, I cant help but notice your seeming a bit calmer around AJ. Is there something your hiding?” the young princess inquired.

“Am I that obvious dear?” Rarity answered. Much to her disappointment, both Twilight, and Fluttershy nodded. “Oh very well dears. I’m going to tell you both something very personal, but I need a Pinkie Pie promise that you wont say a word to anypony else. Especially Applejack.” she demanded.

“Cross our hearts and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in our eye!” the both sang, while going through the motions.

Satisfied, Rarity continued with a sigh. “Thank you girls. I admit… I fancy Applejack. Something about her… That Prince Blueblood ruined stallions for me, Suri... She was just a, pardon the language, a dyke, and Trenderhoof, well… I guess it would never have worked. But something about Applejack, I don’t know how to describe it. Oh look at me, a fashion designer, babbling on about fancying a rough and tumble country mare…”

“Rarity…” Fluttershy gasped. Twilight simply sat there, frozen in place.

“Do you think she’ll hate me? I wouldn’t even know how to tell her…”

“Rarity, Applejack was the Element of Honesty, and still is. I’m sure she’d appreciate a straight forward confession.” Fluttershy explained, wrapping a wing around her white unicorn friend.

Shaking her head, Twilight finally regained her composure. “Maybe If you’d write Cadence, she might give you some advise.”

“Twilight, that’s a wonderful idea!” Fluttershy almost (almost) shouted.

As Rarity composed her letter, Rainbow was doing the same.  As they wrote, Cadence sensed a strong magic. Of two love struck hearts.

“Do you think Spike could send this letter to Princess Cadence?” Rarity asked.

“Sure! I’ll have him do so when he gets back from playing with the Crusaders.” she explained. As luck would have it, Sweetie Belle and Spike, both walked in, covered in cake batter, baking powder and honey.

“Well, no baking cutie mark, but that was fun.” Sweetie squeaked. She stood at odds with her sisters shoulder at the top of her head(horn excluded.), her mane and tail a fluffy mess from an accidental baking of explosive cupcake ingredients. Spike stood to her left, also covered in miscellaneous baking ingredients. He however stood even with Twilight, and a touch taller than Rarity. The spikes on his head had grown pointier and begun to droop forward in front of his eyes, his tail longer, even the fangs in his mouth had become a touch longer.

“Yeah it was. I could do more for gems in the batter personally. Hey Twilight.”

Upon the sight of the two showing up, covered in baking ingredients, they paused.

“Sweetie, dear would you kindly clean that stuff off of yourself?” Rarity asked, her left eye gently twitching.

“You too Spike. Your taking a shower when we get home.” Twilight said with a gentle smile.

“Okay.” they chorused.

The three mares each looked at each other. “Well, it seems this ‘Mare time’ was cut short. Sorry dears. Twilight dear, would you be interested in joining Fluttershy and I at our weekly spa appointment?”

“I don’t see why not. What time is it?” she smiled.

“11:30 every Wednesday.” the yellow Pegasus answered.

“ Sure. I’m open then. See ya later.” Twilight smiled, carrying Rarity’s scroll in her magic. “C’mon Spike.”

As Twilight and Spike wandered back to the library, they couldn’t help but notice three royal chariots fly towards her home.

“What’re the Princesses doing coming down to us?” Spike inquired.

“Good question. And speaking of-” Twilight began before she was interrupted.

“Hey Twi, can I ask a small favor?” Rainbow asked as she hovered above Twilight.

“Sure Rainbow. What is it?” her curiosity piquing.

“Can you have Spike send this to Princess Cadence? It’s… from a friend in Cloudsdale.” she said with a light blush matched with a weak chuckle.

“You too? that’s the second one today.”

Tilting her head, Rainbow asked “Second? Who else is sending Cadence a letter?”

Thinking, Twilight debated whether or not talking about the letter was included in the Pinkie Promise. Correctly deducing that the letter itself, wasn’t under the protection of said promise, while the topic and subject of said letter, must remain secret.

“Rarity, but I cant say why.” she explained.

“Pinkie Promise?” Rainbow chided, receiving a nod in return. “Then I wont ask any more. Mind me askin why the three princesses are headed towards where Logan and his other human friends are?”

As if by magic, their answer came in the sound of a loud belch, and a large flume of green flame. Twilight quickly caught the now materialized scroll, and began to read. Her expression quickly becoming serious.

The young drake of course noticed, having lived with Twilight for almost 14 years. He asked “What’s up Twilight?”

“Royal business. Head on back to the Library Spike. I’ll be back when I can.” The said simply, and watched as he walked back to the Library.

“Mind if I tag along?” Rainbow asked, her voice full of hope.

Twilight shrugged. “I don’t see why not. Just try to stay out of the way. This is a ‘Firing demonstration’, and could be dangerous.”

“You got it Twilight.”