If you had to ask Applejack what she thought of Rainbow Dash the first time they met, she would have told you that “darn lazy, arrogant pegasus” was one of the most stubborn ponies she ever met. If you were to ask her what she thought of the daring flyer now, Applejack would tell you the same, but she would also tell you that Dash was the most loyal, brave, and dedicated pony she knew; and the best kisser she ever fell in love with. Some of their friends still found it hard to believe that the two who used to rival themselves in everything were now so in love that it could feed a changeling for a year.

The couple was currently doing the one thing they loved most in the world: making out. Whenever the two locked lips it was a war to see who would become the dominant force while the other was forced to become a slave to their every desire. Neither would admit they liked the latter more, of course. Currently, Applejack was pressed against one of her trees while Rainbow Dash was sucking the life out of her. She moaned as she felt the rainbow-maned pony shove her tongue in, opening her jaws as wide as they could go while her slippery tongue moved from cheek to cheek. Every nook and cranny in her mouth could feel the electricity in Rainbow’s actions.

Whenever Applejack felt Dash’s kiss, it was like biting into a zap apple coated with maple syrup. Even a simple peck on the cheek was enough to send shockwaves down through her hooves. If there was one advantage she had while being the submissive, it was that her hooves were free to travel. Applejack would rub the edges of Dash’s wings, making her howl like a wolf from the sensitive touch. Her hooves would then travel downward, stroking her lover’s sides until she reached her firm, muscular flanks. She’d slap and grip those thunderbolt cheeks and make Dash more energized. Which meant a lot more kissing.

Rainbow Dash finally broke the kiss away as she gasped for air, but continued to nuzzle the earth pony’s neck. “One of these days, I’m going to die kissing you. Seriously, the way you make me lose my breath? You’re gonna make me kick the bucket while I’m still young.”

“Ah thought ya always said y’all wanted to go out that way rather then buy the farm at old age,” chuckled Applejack as she slid down her tree, Rainbow Dash following her as she still gripped her sides and nuzzled.

“Yeah, but that was before I met you. Now I never want to leave you,” whispered Rainbow Dash, kissing her cheek.

Applejack’s response was a quick kissing on her lips. Really came a long way to bein’ a romantic, Dash. Guess Rarity's lessons were good for somethin’.

“So ya never want to leave me, huh?” asked Applejack, grinning. She had been waiting for a moment like this and, while it was no perfect moment, she thought this was the perfect mood.

“Nope. Yer stuck with me like tape,” said Rainbow Dash, sticking her tongue out.

“Then... why don’t we make it forever?” asked Applejack, closing her eyes. She had told her family what she had planned to do today and already they were preparing a big feast to celebrate for the soon to be newest member of their family. “Why don’t we.. make it official?”

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. “I thought we made it official when we both got drunk on Twilight’s birthday and had sex on her bed? You know, that was when you used your hoof to jam up my-”

“Rainbow!” shouted Applejack, turning red. She was okay with rolling in the hay as it were, but that night she had way too much to drink. Sure that stuff we did is sacrilegious in some religions. Clearing her thoughts, Applejack took a deep breath. “Ah mean marriage.”

She saw Dash’s eyes widen as she backed away in shock. Her jaw dropped all the way and she fell right on her flank. “Wh-what?”

“Marriage,” repeated Applejack as she placed a hoof on Dash’s cheek making the latter blush. “Ah wanna marry ya, Sugarcube. Ah’ve not been in love with anypony like you before. Not even with Rara did Ah feel such a tight warmth in mah heart. Ya take mah breath away, yer there when Ah need ya, and yer always in mah thoughts every moment of mah life. Ah wanna spend it with ya until we're both cold in the ground and singing choirs with angels.” She got on one knee and raised Dash’s hoof. “Ah know Ah ain’t got no ring, those were lost when mah parents... died and Ah can’t afford one, but Ah’m still gonna ask it. Will y’all marry me, Rainbow Dash? And become Rainbow Apple-Dash?”

Staring at her hoof, Rainbow Dash looked down into the eyes of Applejack where the former expected to find love and joy.

Instead, she saw only fear.

“I... I can’t...” whispered Rainbow Dash.

“W-wha?” asked Applejack, whose voice was cracked.

“I... I can’t marry you, Applejack. I’m sorry,” whispered Rainbow Dash as she pulled her hoof away. “I like things as they are now. We don’t have to get married... we don’t have to have any of that. I love you and we’re fine as we are!”

“But... but... Dash, it’s marriage! Don’t ya wanna take holy vows on being together forever? Don’t you want to live together? Have kids, well adopt them, but still? Grow old together?” asked Applejack, desperately

“I do want all that, but not married!” shouted Rainbow Dash, growling.
Applejack felt sweat drip down her forehead. This was not was suppose to happen. “W-why not?! Why don’t ya wanna get married?!”

“It’s personal, okay,” grumbled Rainbow Dash, glaring at the ground. “It’s none of your business.”

“Mah business?! Ah just proposed to spend the rest of mah life and give everythin’ for ya! I’m pretty sure this is mah business now!”

“Look it doesn’t matter! I don’t want to get married!” shouted Dash, getting up. “Just take the stupid idea out of your head and just... just.. ugh, I’m going home!”

“Dash!” shouted Applejack, but Rainbow Dash had already kicked off and gone. Applejack just stood there, shocked and silent.

Then came the tears.

***

Granny Smith had been alive for many years, and had developed an instinct to know when something was wrong. She felt it in her gut just as she set down the apple pie and wondered what it was when she heard the door slam open. Turning quicker than a pig learning it was feeding time, she saw her granddaughter rush up the stairs with tears in her eyes. Granny’s heart sank as she knew this only meant one thing. Oh, dear.

“Big Macintosh,” said Granny in a stern yet tiring tone. “Apple Bloom and y’all eat without us. No sense in dinner gettin’ cold.”

The two worried siblings looked at each other as Granny forced herself up the stairs. Not for the first time did she curse being so old. Years ago when Applejack was still a filly she still had the strength to walk these stairs without a single crack in her legs. Now it was a trial just to get up in the morning. This didn’t deter her from being where she needed to be at that moment, and that was comforting her oldest granddaughter.

Applejack was a strong girl, but when her heart was shattered she fell into a heap of mess. She could still remember that crying little girl who couldn’t understand why her parents were gone forever. It took years to help her recover, but Granny Smith did it every day. She only hoped that this wasn’t going to end up in a similar situation.

The door was unlocked and when she opened it, she saw Applejack crying into her pillow as hard as he could. Granny didn’t say anything, she just walked over, sat on the bed, and placed her hoof on her crying granddaughter's back. Applejack slowly turned her head and stared at her granny.

“She... she said... she can’t...”

“It’s okay, darlin’... it's okay...”

***

Having been doing this for about four years now, the girls were used to the map calling them for a friendship emergency. Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy simply greeted each other and rushed for the map in the throne room. They were expecting to see Applejack and Rainbow Dash with them, but the two weren’t in the room.
“I wonder what the map wants us to do that requires all four of us?” asked Twilight as she sat down on her throne.

“Whatever it is, I hope we’re going someplace exciting! I really want to go back to Neighpony! They have such cute cartoons!” said Pinkie Pie with a squee. “Oh, and really dirty ones too.”

“Please don’t remind us,” muttered Rarity, rubbing her temples. “I only just got the word hentai out of my head these past few months.”

The girls watched as the cutie marks began to spin around and moved.... to Sweet Apple Acres. “Huh?!” they all shouted in surprise.

“Do you think something is wrong with Applejack and her family?” asked Fluttershy, biting her hooves. “It would be so terrible if they were hurt.”

“Let’s not waste any time! Come on, girls!” shouted Twilight as she flew forward alongside Fluttershy with Rarity and Pinkie Pie right behind them.

***

It didn’t take long for the girls to arrive at the farm, Big Macintosh was already waiting for them outside of the Apple residence. Twilight, leading the group, stopped in front of Big Macintosh. “Big Mac, is Applejack okay?”

A saddened Big Mac as he shook his head back and forth. “Eenope.”

“Oh, dear,” said Rarity, holding her hoof close to her heart. “What could be wrong?”

“Rainbow Dash did something to make her cry,” said Apple Bloom, coming outside. The girls turned to the filly with wide eyes. “She must have done somethin’, because Ah ain’t never seen Big Sis cry so much in all mah life.”

“But Rainbow Dash loves Applejack,” said Pinkie Pie, shaking her head in disbelief. “There is no way she would hurt AJ on purpose.”

“Perhaps she said something without thinking first,” Rarity sighed and rolled her eyes. “Celestia knows that pony has often put her mouth first before her brain.”

“Or it could just be a misunderstanding,” defended Fluttershy.

“Either way, we need to see Applejack,” declared Twilight as the gang rushed in without a moment to waste. They headed up the stairs where Granny Smith saw them and nodded, pointing to the half opened door where they could hear the sobs of a heartbroken farmer. Thanking her, the four went inside and saw the state of their good friend. Applejack was looking at a picture of her and Rainbow Dash, making faces at the camera, while her teardrops were falling down upon it. She looked up and, wiping her red eyes, she turned to the group with a confused look. “W-what are... what are y’a-a-all...”

She didn’t get a chance to finish as the four of them wrapped their hooves around her. This only made Applejack burst into tears again, but this time she was surrounded by a cone of love that only came from the magic known as friendship. The girls each felt their own hearts nearly tear up from the sorrowful cries of Applejack. It was like they felt her pain as well.

When Applejack began to calm down, they slowly broke their hold, yet nuzzled near to keep her calm. “Thanks y’all... Ah needed t-that...”

“What happened Applejack?” asked Twilight, placing her hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “Apple Bloom said something happen between you and Rainbow Dash.”

“Did you two break up?” whimpered Pinkie Pie, her mane slowly deflating.

“A-ah don’t know,” muttered Applejack as she proceeded to tell them everything. Each of the girls reacted just as Applejack expected when she told them she proposed to Rainbow Dash and her denial. They couldn’t believe and were so shocked that they stood there with their moouths open. “Ah just couldn’t believe it... Ah thought... Ah thought she loved me. Love me enough we could be together forever.”

“Applejack,” said Twilight as she, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie all hugged the teary-eyed farmer. However, she noticed that Fluttershy wasn’t joining and instead was looking down at the floor with her mouth scrunched up. “Fluttershy? What’s wrong?”

The shy pegasus was silent for a bit until she sighed. “I think I know what this is about.”

Applejack gasped and jumped out of her bed before grabbing a startled Fluttershy by the shoulders. “Ya know?! What is it?! Did Ah do somethin’ wrong?!”

“N-n-no! It’s not you,” said Fluttershy as she got out of Applejack’s grip before shutting her eyes and looking away. “It’s something with Rainbow Dash. Applejack, it’s not that she wouldn’t marry you. She’s just afraid of being married.”

“What’s so scary about marriages? Lots of ponies get married and they have great weddings! And a wedding is one of the best parties to have!” said Pinkie Pie, throwing some rice and confetti into the air.

“It’s not that she’s scared of marriages... but of herself being married,” muttered Fluttershy, shaking her head. “It has to do with... her parents.”

“Parents? I don’t think we’ve ever met her parents,” said Twilight, rubbing her chin. The others began to realize it too. Out of all the times they had been to Cloudsdale they had never once met Rainbow Dash’s family. They had met Fluttershy’s mother and father, and her older brother. But never had they met Dash’s. She never brought it up or always said they were too busy.

“That’s because Rainbow Dash hasn’t spoken to them since she turned eighteen,” revealed Fluttershy, making the other’s eyes widen.

“Hold up, that would mean she hadn’t seen her Ma and Pa for over ten years?! Why would she do that?” asked Applejack.

“Because she hates them,” muttered Fluttershy. “For getting a divorce when she was ten.”

The group was dead quiet for a few minutes as the revelation of a painful past of their high flying and loyal friend sunk in. Applejack’s eyes then narrowed as she asked, “Tell me everything’.”

It had been two days since Applejack learned what she needed to from Fluttershy. She had used the time to think on what to do and decided it was best to talk to Rainbow about it and get her to open up. After learning how to use the air balloon Twilight had let her borrow, not to mention giving her the cloudwalking spell, Applejack made haste for Rainbow Dash’s house. Because she kept her home in the sky, unlike a lot of other pegasi who were okay living on the ground, it had become more routine for the couple to meet up at the farm.

Landing the balloon, she jumped out and made her way to the front door, eyeing the decorative house with rainbows coming out of it. Dash said she made it herself, something that Applejack still had a hard time believing since her marefriend wasn’t known for being artistic. She paused in her steps upon reaching the front door and took a deep breath. She raised her hoof and knocked on it.

A few minutes later, Rainbow Dash’s head poked out of the door before fully opening. The two stared at each other for a long time, Dash biting her lip while Applejack remained as still-faced as possible. Ah think this is the first time since we got together that we haven’t kissed upon seein’ each other.

Applejack decided to break the silence by asking, “Can Ah come in? We need to talk.”

“Y-yeah, sorry,” whispered Rainbow Dash, stepping aside so that her marefriend could enter. Closing the door, Rainbow Dash lead Applejack towards the living room, but stopped halfway. “I’m sorry.”

“Dashie,” whispered Applejack with her hoof out, but Rainbow Dash shook her head and turned away.

Gritting her teeth, Dash said, “Don’t Dashie me, AJ! I hurt you! I hurt you so much! I... I didn’t even stay to tell you why! I was a bucking coward! If... if you’re here to break up with me then I’m okay with that! Hay, I deser-”

Rainbow Dash didn’t get a second longer to talk as Applejack turned her around and pressed her lips forward. Rainbow Dash nearly toppled over from the surprise kiss, but soon relaxed and let a few tears drip down her cheeks before the lips parted. Applejack looked at the pegasus straight in the eye. “Sugarcube, listen to me. Yeah, ya hurt me. But it’s gonna take a lot more than that to make me stop lovin’ ya. Ya made be the most stubborn flank head in the world, and sometime ya ain’t the brightest, but yer the only mare on this green and blue planet we got that Ah wanna be with. Not even the gods themselves can tell me no or else I’d kick them in the groins.”

“Applejack...” whispered Rainbow Dash before she smiled.

“Fluttershy told us about yer parents...” said Applejack which made that smile go away. “She didn’t tell us everythin’... but Ah take it they’re the reason ya hate marriage?”

“I don’t hate marriage, Applejack,” said Rainbow Dash as she turned around. She went to her couch and laid on her stomach and all fours. “I just don’t think I’d be suitable for marriage. I don’t have anything to learn from it by! What if... what if because of that I end up being a worse spouse to you then my parents were to each other! I can’t even think about following in their same hoofsteps!”

Applejack walked over and sat down beside her, stroking her wings for comfort. “Why don’t ya tell me everythin’ in yer own words?”

Rainbow Dash looked up at her lover and nodded. With a big sigh, she replied, “The only reason my parents got together was because they had me. I learned from my grandfather that in those days if ya got a mare pregnant you had to marry her. My dad and mom were dating, but it had only been a few months. Nevertheless, they loved me when I was born and treasured me. For the first few years, things were awesome as far as I can tell.”

“What changed?” asked Applejack.

“I don’t know,” whispered Rainbow Dash, shaking her head. “Maybe they just stopped loving each other. Maybe it was stress. But they started arguing. And not the kind of arguing all couples have, but the really loud and scary ones. I sometimes used to think it was monsters in my house that was causing all that noise, but it was just my parents. Sometimes they smashed things against the wall like vases, plates, and even my toys. There were days they refused to even talk to each other. I felt like it was my fault, but they always told me it was each other’s.”

“That doesn’t sound like a nice fillyhood,” whispered Applejack, who couldn’t remember her parents ever having a fight. Just the thought of her Pa and Ma doing what Dash’s parents did was unthinkable and went against everything the Apple Family believed in family values.

“It sucked,” huffed Rainbow Dash, growling. “I sometimes even enjoyed school more than I did staying at home. Sometimes I used to wish Fluttershy’s parents were my real ones.”

“Dash, I’m sure they loved ya,” whispered Applejack.

Rainbow Dash got up and closed her eyes. “I know... but whatever love they had for me was outweighed by their hate for each other.” She opened her eyes and turned to Applejack. “Do you know how scary it is to be eight years old and keep hearing your parents fight over everything that you’re afraid they’ll come to blows? I spent most of my time at home hiding in the covers of my bed. Do you know how horrible it is to hear that the only reason they got together was because you were an accident? Or that you blame yourself and wish you were never born? The day I got my cutie mark was the last time I remember my parents celebrating anything with me! Because a month after that... they... they...” She grit her teeth as hard as she could while her left hoof shook violently.

“Divorced?” asked Applejack as Rainbow Dash nodded and silently cried. Applejack wrapped her forelegs around her, letting Dash rest her head on her chest.

“I begged them not to, but they said there wasn’t any more love between them. It was over,” Dash wiped her eyes. “I hated them. I told them I hated them both. Afterwards, I was just bounced over from one parent to the next. They did their best to raise me on their own, give me whatever I wanted, but they were only doing it to still one up each other. Trying to prove who was the better parent each time. Even divorced they still hated each other.”

“That’s just... horrible...” whispered Applejack, who couldn’t blame Dash for wanting to get out. Applejack had heard of such things with families who didn’t have it all that good, but very rarely did it ever happen in Ponyville.

“When I was eighteen, I left them both. I haven’t even seen them in ten years. I just couldn’t take it anymore,” whispered Dash as she stood up and looked at Applejack with teary eyes. “That’s why I’m afraid of marrying you, AJ. My parents screwed it up and I had to deal with it for eighteen years. What if I follow in their same path? What if one day I hate you for something so stupid and leave you because I just want to spite you? What if we have foals and I just use them as pawns to hurt you? I’d rather rip off my own wings!”

“And that right there is why you will not!” shouted Applejack, making Dash’s lean back. “Rainbow Dash. What are you?”

“Um, a pegasus?”

“And?”

“Awesome?”

“And?”

“Loyal?” asked Rainbow Dash which earned her a smile.

“Exactly, loyal. You're the Element of Loyalty. In every situation we have found ourselves in, you have always stood by the side of your friends. You even once threatened to quit the Wonderbolts by standing up for what is right. You even made up with Gilda after all that had happened between you two,” explained Applejack as she poked Dash each time in the chest. “And what’s more, ya love me. Now yer parents, there might have been love at some point but they let that slip away. We’ve been together for nearly three years now and Ah’h can’t think of a more honest and loyal pony that Ah want to spend mah life with then y’all.”

“But... what if we fight?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Then we fight. We fight even now as a couple. That ain’t gonna change no matter what we do,” whispered Applejack. “It’s only by keeping our love strong even when we fight that we’ll be able to overcome it.” She placed her hoof over Dash’s and held it. “Dash, Granny told me that in all marriage ya need five things: love, friendship, trust, dependence, and a good time in the bed.”

The last one made Dash snort, “Well, we got that last one down right.”

“The point is,” continued Applejack, although she had a smirk herself. “That we have all those things. Ah love ya, yer one of mah best friends, Ah trust ya enough that Ah’d follow ya into the gates of Tartarus, and when Ah need ya the most yer always there for me. Is it not the same with you?”

“Y-yeah,” replied a blushing Rainbow Dash.

“If it also means so much to ya, the fact that yer so determined to not make the mistakes of yer parents proves that ya know better. Learn from what ya had in yer fillyhood and make sure to not let it happen,” said Applejack as she leaned forward and kissed Rainbow Dash. “Yer the light of mah life, Rainbow. And Ah’ll wait if ya want for us to be married until yer ready, but there ain’t no other pony Ah want but y’all. Swear on mah mother’s grave.”

Hugging the earth pony as strong as she could, Dash whispered, “What did I ever do to deserve a wonderful mare like you as a lover?”

“Yah made that big boom in the sky?” joked Applejack as she hugged back.

“... yes,” whispered Rainbow Dash.

“Yeah, Ah think so. When ya really think-” Applejack was cut off as Dash put her hoof on mouth.

“No, silly pony,” whispered Rainbow Dash, as he began to tear up again. “I mean yes to the big question.”

“W-wait, ya mean,” whispered Applejack as Rainbow Dash kissed her hoof.

“It means yes. I’ll marry you, Applejack,” whispered Rainbow Dash as he leaned forward and kissed her. Once again, Applejack was as still as she could be as Dash slowly took over, getting on top and grinding their bodies closer together. “I want to wear a white gown... I want to have the biggest party ever... I want all our friends to be there... all of our family, even if it means I may have to bring my parents...”

Applejack moaned as she felt Dash’s wings tickle her sides, while the pegasus’s lips began kissing her neck, occasionally biting. She took the cowpony hat on top of her head and tossed it away. “I want to have flowers and cake and presents. I want us to say vows that will have us be together until death do us part. And even then we stay together in the afterlife.” She began to nibble on the ear, Applejack giving a cry as her tail swept underneath Dash’s thighs, making her moan as well.

“I want to us to have a family. Foals, Ah don’t care what gender or race. Ah wanna raise them, teach them, and spoil them rotten with as much love as we can give,” begged Rainbow Dash as he spread her legs apart, inches from Applejack’s own as she gave AJ one last smirk. “And I want to have sex with you every single day.”

“Then let’s start now, partner,” said Applejack as she grabbed Dash down and wrestled her lips against her own as they fell to the cloudy floor.

Needless to say, Dash would need to make a few repairs to her cloud home the next morning.

Author's Notes:

This was made for the Monthly Ships Group, where we make a new ship one shot each month and this was AppleDash month.

Thanks to DBZorDie for editing.