Flying at top speed, downhill, through an unfamiliar forest took a lot of concentration.

“Dash, branch!” Applejack shouted, giving Dash the heads up she needed to fly just under it.

Flying at top speed through an unfamiliar forest while occasionally looking down and seeing AJ pull off some awesome jump, her eyes narrowed, her mane and tail whipping behind her, took even more concentration. But Rainbow Dash was up to the challenge.

“AJ, log!” Dash called out, watching AJ never break pace as she leapt cleanly over the fallen tree.

“Thanks! But keep your eyes in front-- tree!”

Dash swerved to the side, feeling the bark scrape the tip of her wing. That was close.

Almost as close as that conversation. About what she and Applejack… were. They were friends. And they kissed. Or at least, they had kissed, twice, and Dash was hoping this would become a regular thing. But if it did, that would probably mean they were more than--

“BRANCH!”

Dash gave a quick flap, boosting herself just enough not to run smack into a large piece of tree. It seemed the concentration needed to fly through a forest, keep an eye on a hot mare, and figure out the details of a relationship might have been a little beyond her. Forest first, mare second. Feelings would have to wait.

On the ground, Applejack was having no problem focusing; she was after her hat. Oh, she had feelings, and they needed to be worked out, but right now she was busy. She had to get through this forest, and she probably needed Rainbow Dash alive on the other side, so that was all of her focus. Good thing, too, or that goofy pegasus would’ve been splattered against half a dozen trees or branches by now.

After a few minutes of running, the forest started to thin out. Applejack glanced through the trees and saw bits of green lawns and yards down the hill.

“Dash, see anythin’ up there?” Applejack called.

“There’s a hedge coming up, around a big yard, and I think your hat might’ve blown in there,” Dash answered.

“That hedge?” Applejack nodded to a wall of green she was rapidly approaching.

“Yup! But AJ, there’s--”

Before Dash could finish, Applejack was in the air, her powerful hind legs launching her over the tall hedge, her rear hooves barely scraping the top. She landed on her hooves.

Unfortunately, those hooves touched down on a swimming pool, making a large splash and sending the earth pony flailing in the water. She was soon able to get her bearings as Dash swooped down to help her out, but as she grasped on the edge of the pool, she looked up into the faces of a whole crowd of fancily dressed ponies.

Applejack just closed her eyes and shook her head, pulling herself out of the water as Dash started to snicker.

“Well, looks like you really--”

“Rainbow Dash.” Applejack growled. “If you say ‘crash’ and ‘party’ in the same sentence, you’re gonna get it.”

“Wasn’t even thinking it,” Dash said, her face full of wide eyed innocence all of a sudden.

“Sure?” Applejack said, eyeing her.

“Yup.”

Applejack turned back to the Applewood ponies, who were still blinking at her, unsure what to do. A unicorn in a servant’s livery floated a towel to her, which she used to dry her face before smiling nervously at the crowd.

“Um, howdy! We’re uh-- just after my hat. We thought it mighta landed here, and--”

“Applejack!” a familiar voice spoke up. “I had no idea you were in town! It’s terrific to see you, I’m so glad you dropped by.” Trenderhoof stepped through the crowd, wearing a yellow shirt with thin white stripes and orange framed sunglasses.

Applejack’s smile turned to a barely noticeable grimace. “Uh, good to see you too, Trend.”

“You should have written, I would have invited you! There are so many ponies here you have to meet. I was just telling Mr. DeMule that earth ponies are the next big thing, so on the radar, and he needs to put one in his next movie.” Trenderhoof slid up next to her and threw a leg around her shoulder. “He’s right over here, let me introduce you.”

“Um-- er--” Applejack shrugged off his foreleg with a glance at Dash. “That’s real nice and all, Trend, but I’m just tryin’ to track down my hat. Then me and Rainbow Dash gotta get outta here. Fast.”

Dash landed next to AJ on the other side and wrapped a wing around her, giving a quick toss of her head to Trenderhoof. “Yeah, have you ponies seen a brown cowpony hat around here?”

Ponies in the crowd shook their heads, and Trenderhoof furrowed his brow. “I’m afraid not, but we’ve been back here chatting by the pool. I know it can be very disturbing to lose a favorite accessory, especially one as authentic as a real cowpony hat…” His face lit up with a grin. “I know! I can have the guards search the grounds, and you girls can enjoy the party!”

“Gee, I dun--” Applejack started, but she was cut off.

“Sure!” Dash said, happily.

“Dash, my hat!” Applejack whispered, glancing at the sky, then Rainbow Dash.

“Your hat is being looked for… it’s just somepony else doing it. And we get to have a party!” Dash pointed out, walking towards a pony who was holding a tray of drinks.

“Well… I guess that’s okay…” Applejack trotted to keep up with her, avoiding Trenderhoof’s eye. “Just ‘til we find out if my hat’s ‘round here.”

As Applejack grabbed a cracker with some kind of gray paste from a tray and popped it into her mouth, Trenderhoof sent a pair of guards off in search of her hat. But just beyond the hedge lurked the black-clad pony, watching the scene closely.