Okay, Applejack. Calm down. You can handle this. After all, she's your friend and you should be there for her. Applejack pondered for a moment on what to do to avoid the seemingly inevitable. Rainbow Dash had a suave, sly act going on and it made her very uncomfortable, although what kind of uncomfortable she couldn't quite pin down. If Applejack could help it, she would avoid the subject as best she could. So long as Rainbow Dash didn't directly ask her a question, she wouldn't be forced to answer with honesty thanks to her sometimes inconvenient personality trait.

But Rainbow Dash wasn't going to make this easy for her. "So, AJ, wanna play truth or dare?" she asked with another sly grin as Applejack picked up the pile of firewood she had just dropped.

"Isn't that game just for fillies?" Applejack replied, hoping Rainbow Dash would be off-put by the mention of something being childish.

"Aw, who cares if it's just for fillies," said Rainbow Dash, "it's just us out here anyways. Nopony has to know."

Applejack had no retort, possibly because her mind was already racing through all of the dares that Rainbow Dash might ask her to do. Or any of the truths.

"I'm not really one for fun 'n games, Dash, you know me."

"Aw, come on Applejack," whined Rainbow Dash, "don't be such a chicken."

Applejack's reputation was suddenly on the line. She would never hear the end of it from Rainbow Dash if she refused now, and that was all that was needed to push Applejack over the edge and accept the invitation. She wasn't arrogant and in constant need to win, but she was prideful. She wasn't going to let Rainbow Dash get away with calling her a coward and replied sternly. "Alright, I'll play."

And there's that extra push you needed,  thought Rainbow Dash menacingly. She knew exactly how to push Applejack's buttons, and that was a knowledge that only a close friend would have. Rainbow Dash knew Applejack wasn't going to admit her feelings easily, but in one move, she had just gotten through one more layer of her tough skin. Applejack tossed the firewood into the fire and the flame crackled and sizzled for a few moments. She shuffled over to the log that Rainbow Dash was sprawled out comfortably on and sat gingerly on the very edge.

"Okay," started Rainbow Dash, "you first. Truth or dare."

"Uhh..."

As much as Applejack wanted to deny it, she'd rather go with a dare than a truth. She couldn't lie even if she wanted to, without looking like a sweaty fool at least.

"...dare" she replied hesitantly.

Rainbow Dash smiled. "Okay, I dare you to tell me your deepest secret."

Rainbow Dash wasn't wasting any time apparently. Applejack raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Now I a'int familiar with the rules and nuances of this game on account of I've never played it before, but isn't it cheatin' for that t' be a dare?"

"It's legal, trust me. I've played this tons of times. I mean, if you want to forfeit..."

"Alright, alright. I'll take yer word for it."

Applejack sat in contemplation for several long moments. Meanwhile, Dash eyed her with anticipation. She was actually really enjoying this, she started to realize. It was fun pretending to be really into Applejack, and it wasn't as if they didn't have a lot in common. They were practically best friends. There really was a lot Rainbow Dash admired about the pony. Her hard-working attitude, her pragmatic approach to dealing with problems, and of course, her similar attitude towards competition. Nopony else humored Dash's competitive nature like her. Applejack was also a lot like Rainbow Dash in that they both didn't care much for fashion or anything fancy. They were both simple ponies with simple desires. Catching herself by surprise, Rainbow Dash found herself thinking fondly of her friend for a few moments.

Oh no, Rainbow Dash thought. Am I...no, I'm just getting really into character...

Meanwhile, Applejack wasn't thinking about Dash's so-called dare at all. Every few moments, she darted her eyes over to the pegasus, only to see her grinning from ear to ear with a seductive expression on her face. She had never seen that face appear on her friend before, and it terrified her. Or did it? Maybe I should just humor the poor gal, thought Applejack. After all, she was her friend, and if Rainbow Dash was in her place, she'd probably be loyal enough to accept her feelings for her. But how could she lie to her friend? Why should she? It wasn't honest to say something you didn't mean even if it would make them happy. But Applejack felt oddly confused, and decided to give it a try anyways.

Consarn it, Applejack cursed inwardly. She was going to have to lie. "RD..."

"Yes, AJ?" she replied and raised her eyebrows twice in quick succession.

"I...uh...well, ya see...I...hmm..."

"Just spit it out already, it's getting colder out here."

Applejack felt short of breath. Could she lie and say she had feelings for Rainbow Dash if it meant making her happy? Any time Applejack lied, anypony could tell without a second glance. Rainbow Dash would surely see through it...wouldn't she? What was that question again? Applejack thought. Feeling a bead of sweat roll down her face, Applejack took a big sigh and let it out slowly. "Rainbow Dash, I love you."

That came out surprisingly easy, Applejack thought to herself. In fact, it came out smooth as butter. Under literally every other circumstance when she lied, Applejack would have broken down immediately, but she felt nothing of the sort. Applejack's thoughts raced in her mind. That would mean that I actually...

"YES, I KNEW IT!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed excitedly, jumping into the air and hovering with her wings like a hyperactive hummingbird before finally coming down and settling on the ground.

"Wait..." said Applejack. "What do you mean, you knew it?"

"I could tell you had special feelings ever since you invited me on this camping trip," Dash replied with her hooves crossed. "The whole thing about accidentally forgetting to tell me to pack two blankets, calling me sugarcube and darlin," Rainbow Dash said the two petnames with an odd southern accent.

"Rainbow Dash, those were just coincidences. And I call everypony sugarcube," she replied.

"And the tent? What's wrong with my tent?"

"I told you, I just thought it'd be safer to have a tent that blends in more than one that has pictures of Wonderbolts plastered all over it."

"Alright, alright," Rainbow Dash replied. "I'll accept that one. But you just told me you loved me," she replied.

Oh...yeah, thought Applejack. Rainbow Dash's accusal of her having feelings for her caught her off guard so much she forgot what she had just said. Did I really say that? "I...I don't know what I was thinkin' sugarcube--"

"--There you go again!"

Applejack was starting to get flustered and her cheeks turned almost as red as the apples on her cutie mark. "Well I was sure pickin' up a lot of signals from you today!"

"What? Come on, don't project your own feelings onto me."

"What was all that complimentin' about earlier? I don't think I've ever heard y'all complimentin' anypony so nice and proper before. And what about just a few minutes ago, you sittin' pretty next to me givin' me googly eyes like some sort of schoolpony. If anypony here's attracted to somepony, it's you."

Rainbow Dash was suddenly confused. She had been reading signals from Applejack all night, but now she was acting like she didn't have any at all, but just a minute ago, she had confessed her love for her. "Me, attracted to you? Come on, if anypony's like that it's Pinkie Pie. That mare's a total mixed bag, there's no telling what kind of stuff she's into."

But Rainbow Dash hadn't convinced even herself, let alone Applejack. Just minutes ago, she caught herself thinking fondly about her friend, and she couldn't deny that fact. "Applejack," said Rainbow Dash, "what in the hay is going on?"

Applejack snorted, "Beats me. I thought you were the one fixin' t' get with me and not the other way 'round."

"Then why would you say something like that?" she asked and paused for a moment. "Come to think of it, how could you say something like that if you didn't mean it?"

"I said it 'cause I thought it would make you happy. I don't know...I...usually I wouldn't be able t' say somethin'...like that without it being the truth."

"So..."

"--But it a'int! It can't be, RD! I don't think I really feel that way. You don't feel that way 'bout me, do you?"

"No way!" Rainbow Dash replied instantly. "Well...I dunno. I mean, you're basically my best friend. It's not like we don't have a lot in common..."

Applejack sighed. "This must just be all in our heads, Dash. We've both been pickin' up signals where there weren't any in the first place. My mind's runnin' a million miles an hour and I can't even think straight."

Rainbow Dash paused for a moment before continuing the conversation. "Well...there is one way we could find out for sure..."

Applejack looked at her with a mixture of shock on worry on her face. "You don't mean..."

"Yeah...I do..."

"Oh, come on, Rainbow Dash. That's crazy talk. We're two grown mares, for Celestia's sake. Don'tcha think we'd know if we were like...that...by now?"

"I'd think so. But have you ever actually tried it before? I haven't."

Rainbow Dash was acting oddly serious and unlike her normal self, Applejack realized. Rainbow Dash was being completely serious about this. "No, but..."

"It'll just be a little peck. Nothing more. Believe me, I don't want to do this just as much as you."

"Well..." Applejack paused for several seconds, "...alright."

Rainbow Dash leaned in closer to Applejack's face only to be stopped by a hoof. "But nopony else can know! Ever."

"I Pinkie Promise," said Rainbow Dash, moving in closer.

But she was stopped again. "And what if somepony asks me about any of this?" Applejack queried. "You know I can't lie."

"Well," said Rainbow Dash, "if it turns out you don't like it, then that shouldn't be a problem then."

"I suppose..."

Rainbow Dash and Applejack inched closer and could feel each other's warmth radiating onto the other's face. Applejack winced, trying her hardest to keep herself from pulling back. Rainbow Dash had closed her eyes and seemed to be closing in like a slow-moving cloud. Applejack closed her eyes in preparation for the dreaded moment. This has got to be one of the most ridiculous things I've ever done, thought Applejack. With a determination to push through her restraint, Applejack thrust her face forward into Rainbow Dash's, completely missing the target and bonking heads painfully.

Rainbow Dash opened her eyes with a look of bewilderment on her face. "What in the hay was that? You call that a kiss?"

Applejack was too dazed to say anything other than a jumble of incoherent words.

"Oh, gimme a break," said Rainbow Dash as she put her hoof around the pony, pulled her in, planted a kiss and let her go all in one swift motion.

Applejack came immediately to her senses and her mind became clear as crystal. She now knew definitively how she felt about Rainbow Dash, without a doubt in her mind. The pony's lips tasted like a sugary soft drink, her breath smelled like she hadn't brushed her teeth in weeks, and Applejack felt nothing more than the physical pressure of the pegasus' lips on her own. All of the feelings she had thought she felt before washed away.

After a few moments, Rainbow Dash broke the silence. "So...what are you thinking?"

"Sorry, RD, I definitely don't feel that way. I know now fer sure."

Rainbow Dash looked somewhat taken aback, but quickly stifled her immediate response before Applejack could notice. "Yeah, me too," she replied.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. And would it kill you to use some chapstick every once and awhile? That felt like kissing a wrinkly piece of paper."

Applejack chuckled nervously, still trying to compose herself. "Sure thing, sugarcube. As long as you start brushin' your teeth more often."

The two ponies laughed off the awkwardness around the slowly dying campfire and began to set themselves up for the night. Applejack went off towards the tent to go to bed, but Rainbow Dash stayed behind sitting on the log, watching the fire slowly burn out just like the receding romance between them. But the embers of the campfire stuck around, smoldering intensely, just like Rainbow Dash's newfound romantic feelings for her best friend.