Chapter 2 - The Moment

Edited by Clavier

Rainbow Dash's hooves dug at the dirt road.  

She was hitched to the empty apple wagon and was moving it back to the orchard.  She was giving herself a chance to get out of the market and have some time to think.  Moving the unwieldy and heavy cart was hard work, but Rainbow Dash was making good time back to Applejack's farm.  

She was glad to be out of the square and to be doing something active.  Things usually seemed to snap into focus for her when she was exercising, but even so, she couldn't quite wrap her head around her feelings in the square as she had pitched the Apple family apples.  She had seen so many different ponies come up to Applejack and talk to her, make her smile, make her laugh, make her blush...

Ugh.  That feeling again.  That tightness in her chest.

Rainbow Dash was baffled.  Why was she feeling this way?  Was she just feeling protective of one of her closest friends?  

Or was it something more?

After she and Fluttershy had sold all the apples, she had quietly hitched herself to the wagon without Applejack noticing.  She just wanted some time alone to think.  To figure this out.  

"Rainbow!" yelled a voice, far off behind her.  "Rainbow Dash!"

Well, so much for time alone.  She stopped the cart and craned her neck to see Applejack in a full gallop, trying to catch up with her.  It took very little time for the mare to catch her.  Rainbow Dash may have been the fastest pony in the air, but Applejack could very well have been the fastest pony on land.

"Hiya, Applejack," muttered Rainbow Dash as the country pony trotted up to her.

"Rainbow, you didn't have to drag my wagon all this way for me!" she said with a smile.  "Thank you, though.  Ah appreciate it."

"Well, it seemed like you were having a good time hanging around the market," said Rainbow.  "I didn't want to stop you!"

"Ah was having a nice time, yes," she said, the smile still on her face.  "Ah have to say, when ah looked over and the wagon was gone, ah panicked for a second.  Ah reckoned you two had lost it somehow!"  She laughed, and Rainbow Dash could not help laughing herself, realizing how much happier Applejack seemed since their talk yesterday.  

"Nope, I told you we'd do well!  Every last apple sold.  Fluttershy gave you the bits, right?"

"She sure did," said Applejack.  "And a heavy bag of bits at that.  Ah should never have worried about you two running the cart!"

"So, how was your time off?" asked Rainbow, starting to pull the cart again.  Applejack walked alongside her.

"It was very nice, not having to think about work and all.  Ah didn't buy nothin, but it was great just to browse."  Applejack hesitated before adding with a blush, "And... ah guess I was wrong, the other day.  Ah guess... ah do have some admirers."

Rainbow Dash laughed at how shy she seemed on this subject.  "I know you do!  I told you!  You were totally, one hundred percent wrong."  Rainbow Dash wasn't sure how she felt about it, though.  Suddenly she wished Applejack had been right.  Rainbow Dash almost kicked herself for her selfish thoughts, but simply bit her bottom lip instead.  "So," she started, trying to sound light and casual, "any dates lined up?"  Her friendly tone sounded forced, but Applejack did not notice.  

"Nah," said Applejack.  Rainbow's heart jumped with joy, contrary to her completely neutral face.  "Ah mean, a few asked, but... it was too much to handle, all of them asking on the same day!”  There was an edge in her voice, making it seem as though she suspected Rainbow Dash had a hoof in her experience.  “Maybe next time I get some free time, I'll ask one of them out."

Rainbow's heart dropped again, but she still tried not to let it show.  She bit her lip again.  What in Equestria was going on with her feelings today?

"Wait, what am ah doin?" asked Applejack to herself.  "Walkin next to you while you carry my wagon!  Get out of there and let me pull it the rest of the way."

"No way!  I'm giving you time off from your work, remember?"

"Rainbow, that was just for a while in the square!  Come on, let me pull it back to the barn."

"Nuh-uh."

"Rainbow, come on, ah had enough time off."

"That was probably your only hour off in the last month!"  

"Rainbow Dash, it was more than an hour.  Get out of the harness right now!"

"Make me!" quipped the cyan pony with a smile.

Applejack's serious expression was quickly replaced with a sly one.  "Fine," she said, moving in closer to Rainbow Dash.  "Ah seem to recall you telling me once you were very ticklish in one spot... now, where was it again?" she asked, knowing full well the answer.

"Applejack... don't you dare!" begged Rainbow Dash, the smile vanishing from her face.

"Oh yeah... now ah remember.  Under your wings!"  With that, she pounced, reaching her hooves under Rainbow Dash’s strong wings.  At first Rainbow Dash yelled protests, but soon she was howling with laughter, her eyes were watering, and she was doing everything she could to get out of the harness to escape the country pony's attack.  She managed to get out of it after a few seconds of struggling, and flopped onto the ground, relieved to have escaped the assault.  Applejack took this time to strap herself to the wagon.

"That's what I'm good for, Rainbow," said Applejack, with a big smile on her face.  "Helping to pull the load!  You gotta..." She stopped when she met Rainbow's eyes.  “...why are you looking at me like that?"

This was it.  This was the moment Rainbow Dash would never forget for the rest of her life.

Somehow, in the tussle, both Applejack's hat and her hair tie had fallen off of her head, letting her mane flow freely.  As Rainbow Dash lay on the ground, looking up at Applejack, she realized that she had never seen it like this, and promptly decided that she had never observed anything quite so beautiful.  The sun behind her made Applejack seem to glow, and as Rainbow Dash looked up into her big, green eyes, she had an epiphany.

She was in love with Applejack.

It was so obvious.  How could she have missed it?  All the time they spent together, all the teasing they did... what other pony was more admirable, more hard working, more clever, and more honest than she was?  Who else did Rainbow Dash have as much fun with?  Who else could keep up with her?  Who else in Equestria was this beautiful?

In other words, who could compare to Applejack in any way, shape or form?  Nopony.  Nopony in the whole world.

Rainbow Dash could hear her heart beating in her ears, and her chest felt ten times as tight as it had been before.  

Applejack broke eye contact as she spotted her hair tie on the ground.  "Oh, did my mane come undone?  Is that why you're lookin at me like that?" she said, and blushed.  "It must look awful bad..."

Rainbow Dash almost groaned.  How in Equestria, thought the pegasus, did she not know how sexy she looked right now?  There was a big part of Rainbow Dash that just wanted to jump up and kiss her.  What's the worst that could happen?  Rainbow was willing to bet her life that she tasted like apples...

"Applejack," said the cyan pony, carefully, "I..."  She didn't know what to say.  Should she tell her?  Just come clean?  Or would it ruin their friendship?  Should she just ignore it?

"What is it, sugarcube?" Applejack asked in a concerned voice, cocking her head slightly.  The sun was shining through her blonde hair, making her look angelic.

Rainbow Dash shook off these new feelings and stood up.  "Nothing, I just... realized something."  Applejack looked on quizzically as Rainbow Dash walked over to the hat on the ground.  She bit the brim of the hat and flipped it onto her head with as much skill as Applejack.  "I'd probably look pretty damn good in your hat!"

"Rainbow Dash, gimme back my hat," said Applejack in a low voice, a small smile on her face.

"Whoa, you think you can just attack me and get away with it?  No way!  I think I'll be holding onto it for a while."

"Don't make me come over there again!"

"Think you can catch me, strapped to that wagon?"  Rainbow Dash laughed and started a gentle trot towards Applejack's house.  "I don't think so!"

"Oh no you don't!" yelled the country pony, and started pulling the wagon at a surprisingly fast pace.  

Rainbow Dash had to switch to a full gallop.  She almost laughed at how easily Applejack pulled the heavy cart.

"Okay, okay!" said the cyan pony, turning her head to look at Applejack as she ran.  "I'll give it back if you admit I look better in your hat than you do."

"What?!" said Applejack with a laugh.  "Never!"

"Guess I'm keeping it, then!"

"Get back here!"

The pair ran back to the Apple family barn, teasing each other and laughing the whole way.  Once they got inside, Applejack ripped herself out of the harness, and jumped on Rainbow Dash, tackling her into a pile of hay.

Applejack bit the rim of the hat, flipped it into the air and smiled down at Rainbow Dash as it landed perfectly on her head.

"Let this be a lesson to you, Rainbow.  Ain't nopony in Equestria that looks as good in my hat... as ah do."  Her smile was crooked and her eyes had laughter in them.

Well, thought Rainbow Dash, looking up at her from the hay... I can't argue with that.

She couldn't help it.  She was so close... Rainbow Dash was a pony of action.  She had to just... do it.  So she quickly leaned up and kissed Applejack.

Just like she thought.  Apples.

The kiss lingered for a few seconds.  Rainbow Dash never wanted it to end.  She knew that once it was over, they would have to deal with the consequences.  Who knew how Applejack felt?

For those moments, Rainbow Dash was in heaven.  She had kissed mares before, sure... but she knew this was different.  This confirmed it: she was totally, completely in love.  And it was awesome.

But as she let the kiss go, it became clear to Rainbow Dash that Applejack did not feel the same way.  A look of absolute horror was frozen on her face.

"Rainbow, what... what are you doin?" asked Applejack quietly, backing off her slowly.

Rainbow Dash felt her heart drop a thousand feet.  "I... I just..."  No, this couldn't be happening.  Worst case scenario. "I wanted to..."  Was there any way to explain it away?  Of course not.  

Suddenly the weight of what she did hit her like bricks.  Stupid stupid STUPID STUPID WHY DID YOU KISS HER

"Applejack, I'm..." she reached a hoof out, but Applejack looked at it so strangely that she quickly recoiled it.  "I'm sorry.  I'm sorry!  I don't know why I did that, I'm so..."

What was she doing?  All of these weird emotions were bubbling inside her.  She was so in love with Applejack, so mad she didn’t feel the same way, and so stupid for thinking that she would.

Would their friendship ever be the same?  It might not be.  Rainbow Dash might have just thrown away her best friend.

"I've... I've got to..." Rainbow Dash stammered, but she was incapable of finishing any sentences.  She felt tears welling up in her eyes.  "I'm so sorry, Applejack..."

She leapt out of the hay and ran for the door.  She pushed opened her wings, and suddenly was flying anywhere else in the world other than the barn with Applejack.

Applejack watched as the blur of colors shot off towards the mountains, too shocked to even know what to think.

***

As always, please let me know what you think!  

-Gold