(Authors note: Credit to dbzordie for the idea for this one, and for proofreading it for me, and for being generally awesome all the darn time.)

So, what all did DbzOrDie do for me here that was so awesome? Well, I PMed him whining as I often do. This time, it was about how I had planned to make this a Fluttershy jealousy fic, but I felt like I resolved that plot in Team Players, so what was I going to do? He just PMed me back and told me that AJ isn't jealous of Fluttershy this time, she's just jealous that Fluttershy has wings and she doesn't.

And the heavens opened up and rays of light shone through as angels sang. I sent him back an all caps PM informing him that he's a genius. As for why the idea excited me as much. . . well more on that later.

Of course there was a party that evening. Ponies were happy that something happened, and Rainbow Dash knew that Pinkie couldn't resist throwing a party for that anymore than she and AJ could resist a challenge. Dash stayed by Fluttershy for most of it, making sure that she didn't hide and that other ponies knew that they couldn't have done it without her. After spending most of her life getting laughed at for her poor flying, she knew how important this was to Fluttershy.

But a few hours into the party, Dash noticed a conspicuous absence. She knew Applejack was around here somewhere, but she hadn't seen her in a while. So she left Fluttershy with Pinkie, and went searching for her marefriend.

It took a while, but Dash found her outside of the party, leaning against a wall and looking at the night sky.

“Hey AJ, you okay?” Dash asked, worried.

Applejack didn't seem to have noticed the question. “Fluttershy really came through for ya' today, huh?”

“Yeah. I wasn't sure she had it in her, but she did great.” Dash answered, a little confused.

“Good.” Applejack said with a nod, still looking at the sky.

“Wanna go inside and get some cake?” Dash said, really hoping that they weren't getting ready for another game of 'guess what's bothering AJ.'

“Maybe in a bit. First, I gotta tell ya' somethin'. Cause, ya' know, we're a team and all.”

Dash breathed a huge sigh of relief, and made a mental note to fix the humidity around the Carousel Boutique to be exactly right for a good mane day. “I'm listening.”

There is nothing as awesome as being about to have to go through the same annoying thing your signifigant other always does, and having them pull out of it and act like a rational person. Or pony, in this instance.

Applejack bit her lip, then said, “I'm jealous. Of Fluttershy.”

Dash rolled her eyes, “Again? Sheesh AJ, how many times do I have to say it-”

“Not like that.” Applejack interrupted quickly. Then she sighed and went on, “It's just, when I saw how hard you were workin', how much it meant to you to do this thing right, well. . . there's nothin' in this world I wanted more than to help you. And in the end, it was Fluttershy who could come through for ya, not me. All cause I don't have. . .”

Dash wasn't sure what that last word was until she followed AJ's gaze to the wing resting at her side. “Oh Applejack. . .”

Applejack blushed. “I never wanted 'em before in my life. I don't even like bein' in the air, you know that. But I wanted so bad to be there for you, and I couldn't. I'm sorry, Dash. After all the times you been there for me. . .”

Okay, I have a deep interest in pony social structure as it relates to different types of ponies, especially earth ponies. I love the questions of self-esteem and equality it raises. So when DbzOrDie was like "Write about AJ feeling bad because she's an earth pony, I was like YES!

AJ seemed close to crying, and Dash knew better than to say anything that might make her cry. AJ hated crying almost as much as Dash did. She decided it would be best to keep her mouth shut, so she just walked up next to AJ and nuzzled her cheek.

“Ya' know, normally anypony that said I was just an earth pony would be wipin' my hoofprint off their face, but that's how I'm feelin' right now. I'm just an earth pony, and Fluttershy's a pegasus, so of course she's gonna be more help to ya'. 'Course she's the one who's gonna be there with ya', the one you're gonna be proud of.”

I see this as a huge things for AJ. I always see her as being an extremely proud earth pony, who would be insulted by the idea that earth ponies weren't as good as other ponies. So for her to admit that she envies a pegasus is a huge deal for her.

“AJ, come on, we both need help from other ponies sometimes, and it can't always be each other. I mean, most of the time when you need help you get Big Mac, 'cause it's stuff I'm nowhere near strong enough to do.” Dash said quietly.

“Mac's my brother. That's different.” Applejack said with a huff.

“Fluttershy is practically my sister. It's the same thing.” Dash pointed out.

“You sayin' you never wished I had wings?”

“I- I-” Dash wanted to say something to make AJ feel better, but she knew that her answer wouldn't do that. She knew that AJ knew the answer already, her hesitation had confirmed it, so she went on honestly. “I've thought about it. But not because I want you to be more help, and not because I'm not proud of you. Just because it would be fun, ya' know? I love flying, and I love you, and it'd be so amazingly awesome to fly with you.”

This goes back to the chapter Ropes and Feathers, where I had Dash fantasizing about AJ with wings. It seems natural to me that Dash would wish AJ had wings, even outside of shipping. AJ is the only pony who can keep up with Dash, but she can't fly. If she could fly Dash would have that much more fun.

“Fluttershy can fly with ya.” Applejack said with a sigh.

“That not what I dream about, AJ.” Dash said, nuzzling her cheek. “Even if I'd love to have you in the sky, I love you more on the ground than any other pony anywhere.”

“But you'd love me more in the sky. I bet you were wishin' I could be there for ya' today. . . and I let ya' down.”

Dash considered that for a long time. “I was thinking about you. A lot. But I wasn't thinking for a second about you having wings.”

So I had to find a happy ending here. AJ wasn't going to get wings, Dash wasn't going to stop wishing AJ had wings. . . but I had to find something to cheer AJ up. Then I watched the episode again.

“What do ya' mean?”

“When I found out that we'd never break that record, and we might not even have the wing power to raise the water, I thought about just quitting. I mean, what's the point if I couldn't be awesome, right?” Dash said, raising her eyebrows.

Applejack just rolled her eyes.

Rainbow Dash smiled. “But there was this little voice in my head, saying 'Dash, ya' can't let Cloudsdale down. There's gotta be somepony everypony can depend on, and right now that's you.' And that voice had a cute cowpony accent.”

This is a subplot in Hurricane Fluttershy that's pretty much glanced over. When Twilight figures out that they don't have enough wing power to raise the water and everyone looks to Dash, and she decides to go for it anyway. It's such an AJ thing to do, to give her all for such a civic minded thing, we've never really seen Dash do something for Cloudsdale or Ponyville before.

Applejack gave her an almost hopeful look.

Dash thought about that moment, when everypony turned to her to make the call, and how she felt like AJ was there inside her, a part of herself that she couldn't let down. “You didn't even have to be there to help me, AJ. You helped me without ever leaving the farm. Being with you has made me a better pony. . . a pony I hope you're proud of?”

Applejack beamed and nuzzled Dash's cheek happily. “Oh Dash, you know I'm proud of ya'. You worked your tail off for this, and even if ya' didn't get all that glory you wanted you came through for everypony, and that's what matters in the end. You really think I helped ya' do that?”

“Do I usually give credit to other ponies for cool stuff I did by myself?” Dash said with a teasing grin.

Applejack chuckled, “Fair 'nough.”

“Let Fluttershy help with the flying, AJ. That's not the important part of this, not to me. It's awesome that we managed to get the job done, but we never would have started the job if it wasn't for your voice in my head. Fluttershy helped me today, but you've changed me forever. So, thanks Applejack. I couldn't have done this without you.”

Applejack just blushed and smiled, “Aww shucks. I didn't change ya', Dash. This was in you the whole time, I reckon I just helped ya' see it.”

“Whatever you did, it worked. Does that make you feel a little better?”

“A lot better.” Applejack said smiling. “This talkin' bout stuff ain't that bad.”

“Great!” Dash smiled. “Oh, and while Spitfire was here I brought up the whole you and her and a tub of cider idea. She's totally cool with it, she said to meet her in her hotel room later.”

I had the Spitfire joke planned for What's So Great About Cider, but this one was a surprise.

“You did what now?!” Applejack said, eyes wide.

Dash tried to keep the smile, but it only lasted a few second before she burst out laughing. “Oh Celestia, your face. I totally got you.”

Applejack just smiled at her. “Did I say I was proud of you? Cause I meant to say that you're a great big pain in my rear end.”

“Yeah, but I'm a dependable pain in your rear end.” Dash said, still snickering.

“Yup. I can always depend on that.” Applejack chuckled.

I use a variation on this gag a lot, but I never reuse the same one.