Honesty and Loyalty chapter 7: Appledash part 2

She looked at her orange mare straight in the eyes, the two knew each other so well, they could talk by just looking at each other.

Applejack read the words from Rainbow’s gaze and suddenly froze. “No… y’all are not thinkin’ that, are y’all? No, Ah’m not letting y’all do it.”

“Come on AJ, just look at her!”

“O-okay… she needs it… J-just make it quick.”

The first thing that made open her eyes and shut up was her confusion and surprise, since she couldn’t make out a word about what her two friends were talking about. The second thing, though, was probably the main reason… Rainbow Dash gave her a peck right on her lips. Something was not right here…

“R-Rainb… Huh? I-I don’t get it… I thought…” She said looking at Applejack quizzically.

“Did you liked it?” asked the cyan pegasus.

“Y-yes?”

Dash groaned “That wasn’t the answer I was looking for… AJ, your turn”

“Now Rainbow, as much as Ah care for her, Ah wont kiss’er. We won’t turn to kiss’er jes to make her understand that’s not the way her barn-door swings, it will only confuse her more.”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened and she felt like fainting. “G-girls?”

“It’s Fluttershy who we’re talkin’ about, she doesn’t need actions, she needs words.”

“But I’m no good at speaking, you know that.” Rainbow Dash replied.

“G-girls?”

“Fer once, y’all gotta get in her hooves. Lemme handle her this time.”

Fluttershy was officially dumbfounded. What was happening around her? She had not a single clue.

“Fluttershy” Applejack said tenderly, looking at her. “Y’all love Rainbow, don’t y’all?”

“Y-yes…?”

“Yes, y’all do, y’all don’t have to hide it. Well, Ah love her too.”

“Fluttershy nervously looked away and said “Oh, I-I’m sorry, I-I can try to stop loving her if you really want me to…”

Applejack waved a hoof in the air and corrected her “No, no, don’t be silly now. Ah’m tryin’ to say we both love’er, she loves us both back, n’ Ah also love y’all.”

Fluttershy blushed and asked “A-are you suggesting we…?”

“NO! No, mah stars, yer getting it all wrong” she hasted to correct “Stop thinkin’ about triangles. Ah’m tryin to get y’all to understand, n’ it’s getting quite hard Ah must say, that there are different kinds of love, n’ different ways to show it.”

Fluttershy’s cheeks burned even brighter and redder.

“No, not that way!” A soft blush crossed her face as well. “Whoa Nelly, Ah’m surprised, Ah didn’t expected to get that kind of reaction from y’all.”

“I-I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be Sugarcube, its natural.”

Rainbow Dash was looking at her lover talk with her long-time friend, trying to decipher what was the orange mare planning.

“Now, what Ah’m trying to say, Luna help me this time, is this: Y’all love Rainbow Dash, here by mah side, but not in the way Ah do, not in the way y’all think y’all do neither.” Fluttershy shot her a confused look but Applejack continued anyways. “Y’all are jes confused ‘cause all the stallions y’all have met ‘til now were mean to y’all n’ to Rainbow, well… All except fer one…” “Maybe that is mah best shot… besides Ah would be killin’ two birds with one stone… Glad Fluttershy can’t listen to mah thoughts, she would faint thinkin’ bout two dead birds.” “Ah’m gonna try sumthin… sumthin a bit more practical. But not like Rainbow’s plan”

“Yeah, yeah I’m not a good planner, get over it already.”

Fluttershy nodded slightly and said “O-okay…”

“Close yer eyes n’ listen to me… make a mental image of what Ah say.”

“Alright.”

“Think about… let’s say… Rarity. She’s good to her friends, caring, generous…” She then changed her voice to a lower and enticing tone. “Well groomed mane, nice-lookin’ legs…”

“Applejack!” Fluttershy said while opening her eyes wide.

“Shush n’ imagine what Ah tell y’all to! N’ y’all” she said pointing a hoof at Dash “Y’all don’t say a word ‘bout this.”

“Okay.”

Applejack looked at her for some seconds, then back to Fluttershy, and continued “nice-lookin’ legs, slim n’ stylized body, kickin’ curves ending in a good, round flank…” She inspected the pink-maned pegasus’s reaction… Nothing, just a bit of confusion and embarrassment.

Rainbow Dash was inspecting Applejack, those commentaries about Rarity were pretty weird and she wanted to know how truth they were. Finding no clue, she relaxed, but knowing that Applejack couldn’t lie made her uneasy.

 “Okay,  that’s what Ah needed fer the first half of the experiment, now… Lets think about…” She stopped a moment to ponder who could be the next test subject. Seconds later she got the perfect one. She slowly said. “BIG Macintosh”

Applejack got the exact reaction she wanted by stressing the ‘big’ part. Fluttershy swallowed hard, and inhaled a bit deeper than normal. Applejack, once again with her tender, nice voice said “He’s tender, cares fer the ones he love, he’s good with animals, very intelligent…” Back with her bedroom voice, she added “Huge muscles, rock-hard body…”

It was more than enough, after a few words she got an overwhelming reaction, just as expected. The usually pale-yellow cheeks were crimson red, her wings were trembling (though Applejack wasn’t very sure if she was trying them not to spring wide open, or if she was unsure if covering  her face with them or not), and she moved her mane away from her face with a hoof and started fanning herself with it.

Rainbow Dash noticed this and victoriously exclaimed “Aha! If that’s not a proof then I don’t know what is it!”

“Now Rainbow, stop fer one more minute, lemme handle this ‘til the end.” She turned towards Fluttershy and said “Now y’all can open yer eyes Sugarcube”

The shy pegasus, who was taking deep breaths to recover her composure did as told, but couldn’t meet those green eyes.

“Sugarcube, y’all care fer RD, n’ y’all do love’er, but as a friend, a sister, maybe even more, but not as a lover, yer not attracted to her. As Ah tried to tell y’all, yer barn-door doesn’t swing that way.”

“Y-you may be r-right… Now that I think about it, I-I never thought about her in that way… and you are right when you say I’ve never met a stallion who wasn’t mean. B-but I still don’t get who’s the one you call ‘t-the only one’.”

“Listen Sugarcube, y’all are very good n’ smart, but sumtimes y’all need a lil’ push. Listen to me, n’ listen closely.”

Fluttershy got closer to her bedridden friend.

“Y’all go home now, fast.”

“W-what? D-did I said something I shouldn’t?”

“Y’all go now n’ prepare yerself fer a date”

“W-what!?”

“What y’all heard, y’all will date a stallion tonite!”

“B-but you just helped me figure myself out, a-and I’m not even sure about my sexuality yet!” said the pegasus, terrified.

“Well y’all are about to find out that then! Now run! Run, groom yerself n’ wait in yer cottage ‘til 7 o’ clock. He’ll be there by then.”

“O-okay, I’ll do that. B-but wait! What do I wear? W-what do I do!”

“Jes wear sumthin nice but not flashy, n’ act natural, be yerself. If he really likes y’all, then make’im like you fer who y’all are, not ‘cause of a masquerade. Now go!”

“O-okay tha-thank you so much Applejack! I’m so happy and excited I could just scream of Joy!” She inhaled ridiculously deeply and “Woohoo” A soft and barely-audible cheer escaped her mouth.

It was actually funny, she always shouted at a lower volume than the one she used for normal talk, probably it was because she was afraid it would be too loud.

As soon as she finished ‘shouting’, she hastily fluttered out the door exclaiming “I’m going to have a date! A date!... wait.” She poked her head through the open door and said “W-who is he?”

“Don’t y’all worry none, Ah know jes the perfect stallion fer y’all”

“O-ok, thank you girls! I love you two, but not in that way!” she said giggling and winked at the girls, finally embracing her newfound reality.

After Fluttershy was out of sight, Rainbow Dash looked at Applejack and asked “How do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“She confessed her undying love for me, a mare, and in less than ten minutes you got her to squeal from happiness because she was about to have a date with a stallion. What the buck AJ!”

“Ah was not gonna let her have y’all”

“Aww, that’s sweet.” She looked upwards, to the ceiling and said “So… Rarity has a ‘delicious flank’?”

Applejack groaned at the comment, rolled her eyes and explained. “Oh c’mon Rainbow, y’all know Ah did it fer Fluttershy. Ah needed to see her reactions.”

“Hmm… I don’t know… your eyes seemed to have a little spark while you talked about it” She said with fake resentment and made a little pout. “It made me a little jealous, I confess…”

“Oh don’t be silly now. Y’all know Ah like yer flank more than any flank around.”

“Oh yeah? Then prove it, give it a kiss.” She said grinning slyly, turning around and looking at the orange mare over her shoulder.

“Rainbow, if y’all really think Ah’m gonna kiss yer flank, in a public hospital, with the door wide open, then y’all belong to the madponies wing of this here hospital.” She replied, laughing. Soon the rainbow-maned mare was on the floor laughing, her muscles ached a lot, but laughing made it all better.

Applejack had to stop laughing because of the pain, but still, she was happy. It was such a relief that they could joke around like this, now that they knew what Rainbow Dash felt for her, and Rainbow knew what she felt. Obviously there was ‘The Big Talk’… they still had to have that one… "But that’s a problem fer future Applejack”

“So… who’s the lucky stallion? Being the Element of Honesty that wasn’t a lie, was it? Besides, hyping her up to let her down after that would be very mean, and the sweetest, most loyal of friends and dependable of all ponies wouldn’t do such a cruel thing.”

“It’s a secret fer now, Ah owe him a favor and he owes me one, so Ah think this will be both a favor to me n’ to him. But… Dashie, could y’all do sumthin’ fer me?”

“Yeah, of course, whatever you want.”

“Could you ask Nurse Redheart to communicate with Rarity?”

Rainbow grinned slyly and raising her eyebrows she asked “What, you want to check her ‘delicious flank’ out again?”

“Would y’all stop it with that joke already? Sayin’ that was as painful fer me as talkin’ all sexy ‘bout mah own brother” She shivered at the fresh memory “That was weird n’ disgustin’… What do fer mah friends…” She sighed.

“So… what do I tell the nurse  to tell Rar?”

“Jes tell’er to bring that pony here, Ah wanna give her a task only she can perform.”

“Shake her ‘deli-”

“Y’all tell that joke once more, n’ Ah swear to Luna Ah’ll give y’all a headache.”

“Okay, okay, I’ll stop it. And I’ll bring her here… but you better not check her bum… Not. Even. Once. You hear?”

“It’s not like Ah wanna neither.”

Dash walked backwards to the door that lead to the hospital’s corridor, gaze fixed on Applejack’s eyes and a stern face. Before reaching the door, she couldn’t help it anymore and burst out laughing.

Applejack sighed relieved and giggled at Rainbow’s actions.

Soon the cyan pegasus was out of sight, which gave the cow-pony time to think.

“’The Big Talk’… Ah need to tell’er tonite… no more escaping, nor waiting fer her to give the first step. Ah know she was ‘bout to talk it with me last night, Ah should have insisted more for her to tell me, Ah should have known she needed a lil’ help, she was always a bit insecure in this kind of emotional stuff. But tonite Ah won’t let it slip again, Ah’ll-”

Her train of thoughts was stopped by a rainbow tail and a cyan rump behind, walking towards her.

“Rainbow, what the hay are y’all doin’?”

“To make you forget about Rarity forever, I will be swinging my flank all day long in front of your face.”

Applejack chuckled at that and said “Well Ah won’t tell y’all not to do so, but Ah’d like y’all to describe what’s goin’ on outside, like y’all did before.”

“Oh, alright, let me just…” She shook her behind in front of Applejack, which made her blush, and continued. “There, now let’s see what’s going on outside…”

After ten minutes of Rainbow Dash talking, the two mares heard a knock on the door. Applejack, who was completely enthralled by Dash’s description, snapped back to reality and opened her eyes.

“Wow Rainbow, that was really lovely, the way you described the scene… It really worked, Ah’m a heap happier now, but Ah reckon y’all should open the door.”

“Yeah, maybe it’s…”

The door opened to reveal a white pony with a royal purple mane.

“My, my, darlings! I came as fast as I could possible do when I learnt you two needed me, is there something wrong?”

“…Rarity.” Finished Rainbow Dash.

“Howdy Rarity, we’re okay, but Ah need y’all to do sumthin’ fer me” Applejack thought about it a second an then corrected herself. “Well, it’s more fer Fluttershy… let’s jes say y’all gotta do it in the name of Love.”

That piqued Rarity’s interest.

“Oh dear, do tell me what is it about!”

Applejack motioned for her to get closer and started whispering to her ear.

Rainbow Dash could just observe and analyze Rarity’s expressions. Intrigue, stupefaction, joy, expectation, and then confusion.

“Him.”

“Eyup, the one and only”

“You told Fluttershy she was going to date Him?”

“Oh no, it’s an absolute secret, even fer her. Besides, what’s so wrong ‘bout him anyways?”

“No, no it is… he is very handsome and everything, but are you one hundred percent sure they will get along and share common interests?” The white mare said with a forced smile and a worried look on her eyes.

“More than y’all think, actually. Besides, Ah heard sum commentaries on his side now n’ then…”

“I still do not get why you need me in this plan of yours.”

“Ah need y’all to go look fer him, y’all know, ‘cause Ah’m bedridden n’ stuff… Drop the news, n’ make a vest fer him.”

“Must I do all those things?”

“Eyup, y’all must. Y’all Must. Y’ALL MUST!” She said, resembling one of Rarity’s various pleads.

“Do you want me to umm… civilize him?”

“Y’all will be surprised by how civilized he is. Ah’m only asking y’all to dress’im, he knows how to handle the rest.” The orange mare said smiling. “In fact, he could talk with y’all n’ with Twilight fer hours ‘bout books, novels, whatever, even maybe fashion…”

“Really? Now that is a revelation. I will most certainly inquire him ‘bout that!”

“Now y’all should go! Jes make sure he gets there at 7 o’ clock.”

“Of course my dear! Goodbye to you two!” She said, but soon after starting to walk away, she stopped and turned around to look at Applejack with a pouting face. “I-I… I know this may sound a little weird, but may I ask you a little question darling?”

Applejack looked at Rainbow Dash to see if she got something, seeing she was shrugging she decided to just answer “Well… Sure partner, what is it?”

“Do… Do you think I’m pretty?” Her eyes seemed like they were about to shed tears.

Applejack blushed and found herself in a predicament. She looked at Rainbow Dash, whose jaw was dropped, almost hitting the floor.

“A-Ah… Ah… Well… yeah? Y’all are… pretty fer stallions Ah guess…? W-why are y’all asking that all of a sudden?” She asked genuinely thinking maybe Rainbow Dash might have talked to her first and planned it all to see what she would say.

“It is just that, look at Fluttershy, here, getting a date, and I am here, alone… Now that I think about it, it has been a long time since I do not have any invitation nor compliment from a stallion…”

“Well… Spike’s always saying sweet things at y’all! He’s not an… stallion exactly, but Ah’m sure he’s not the only one that thinks that… Right   RD?”

Rainbow Dash snapped and thought of something to say, suddenly, she knew exactly what to say.

“Of course Rar! In fact, Applejack here, thinks you have a deli-” Everything turned white for some a few seconds and her ears were ringing, the left one probably because that’s what happens when your head hits the bed, and seeing Applejack’s hoof in the place where her right ear used to be pretty much gave up what happened.

“OUCH!”

“Ah told y’all Ah would give y’all a headache. N’ Rarity, what Rainbow was ‘bout to say, is that Ah think y’all have a very deli-cate personality, n’ that’s very attractive to sum ponies, don’t y’all worry none, y’all find the perfect stallion fer y’all soon.”

“Thank you oh so much Applejack, it’s just what I needed to hear. I will get going now, see you two tomorrow girls!” She hastily ran away.

“So, who is it?” Asked RD, rubbing her head to deal with the pain.

“Mah brother.”

“Big Mac?”

“Eyup. He always talks ‘bout that shy, humble cute pegasus he saw when y’all helped us on the last Applebuck Season, n’ after those two good-fer-nuthin’ twins Flim n’ Flam came to town, he started talkin’ bout her once again.

“Hmm… well, they do love animals and stuff… besides, we already know Big Mac caused… a good impression on Fluttershy.”

Applejack chuckled and nodded.

“So… what are y’all gonna do when y’all get outta this hospital?”

“First of all, fly around, then…”

The two ponies talked for the rest of the day, hoping Fluttershy’s date would have gone alright.

Later that night, Applejack was laying on her side, facing away from her. Her long unbundled golden mane laid spread out on the pillow she laid on. Her Stetson was missing, probably waiting in the Everfree forest for her to get it back. The sun was gone, nevertheless, the golden mane seemed to emanate light itself. Rainbow was hypnotized by this, following the curves of her hair with her eyes. Her glance soon stopped following the hair, and started following her body’s curves. She was so beautiful that the cyan pony could barely resist the temptation of jumping on top of her and hugging her with every ounce of her strength, captivated by that sweet apple scent.

“Applejack?”

“Yeah Sugarcube?” she replied, rolling over to face her.

“I’m so sorry. Really”

“Fer what? Y’all did nothing wrong Sugarcube.”

“Yes I did, I could have stopped that Timberwolf from giving you that scar, but I didn’t. I was just too slow, too weak, too stupid!”

“Sugarcube, y’all know there was nothing y’all could do. Y’all saved mah life and Ah’m forever thankful fer that.”

“But you’re scarred for life” she said, her face starting to tear up.

“Hey” Applejack said, holding her friends face. “It doesn’t matter” she said, luckily remembering something that would make her friend feel better “N’ also, y’all listened to Rarity, she’ll make that fancy dress to cover it up! All that matters is that Ah love y’all. N’ y’all are here by mah side”

Dash looked at her, her cheeks started to turn hot. “I-I love you too Applejack.”

Both ponies grew closer to each other’s faces before they locked lips and kissed.

The kiss seemed to last forever as the memories and the feeling returned to the two.

They felt like they were floating, immersed in a never-ending sea of bliss and love, all the pain and the scars seemed to disappear as the kiss continued, liberating them from the burden that the two mares were carrying, for not being able to together as they wanted to these last few days. Separated by just a bed away, so close and yet so far away.

They finally broke apart, each smiling at each other.

“Sleep with me tonight, would y’all?” AJ asked blushing lightly.

Rainbow nodded and climbed into bed.

Both ponies held each other in their hooves as the night fell, covering the whole land in a dark blue light. They looked at each other’s eyes. Rainbow was lost on those green pools of wisdom, love, patience, and most important of all, Honesty.

Applejack was staring directly to the rose orbs she liked so much. Since they were little fillies Applejack always loved those eyes… those eyes that meant no harm, only willing to care, to protect, they showed Rainbow’s desire for fulfilling her duty with her friends, her Loyalty.

Sleep soon took hold of them. Both were forever happy.

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One week later

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Both ponies sat side by side in the grass with each other as the sun’s warm rays pressed on them. A picnic was laid out in front of them, each of their friends enjoying it one by one. The two had an announcement to make, and neither was ready to do so.

“So why did you two bring us out here?” Rarity asked, stirring her tea with her magic. She was wearing a purple dress with sapphire colored stripes, with a long yet not long enough to be uncomfortable, perfectly sized in a way only Rarity could come up with, no wonder her brand expanded through all of Equestria not many months ago.

“Yeah, you said you needed to tell us something super-duper important!” Pinkie said, bouncing up and down in excitement. “You know I like super-duper important notices! It’s a surprise party? Ooh, did I ruin the surprise?”

“Oh yes, I’m sure whatever you have to tell us is very important.” Fluttershy said with a grin. Even before this moment, she has had that stupid grin plastered in her face all day, maybe her date with Big Macintosh the other day did work out.

“Calm down, calm down, if, as you and I think it is, what they are going to tell us is important, then we should calm down and zip our mouths.” She said sternly, looking seriously at he friends. Then she turned around to look at the couple and winked at them.

“That’s right Sugarcube, this here is very important, n’ y’all should listen and zip yer mouth”

Pinkie Pie put a hoof over her mouth and moved it to the other end, indicating her lips were sealed.

Applejack shifted her weight between her hooves, circling a little rock in the floor with her hoof. She finally decided to push Rainbow Dash forward and say “So… how about you tell Rainbow huh?” Applejack said with a nervous smile.

Applejack could notice Rainbow's anger through her eyes, she didn't expect her to be such a chicken, but Applejack wasn't in condition to tell her friends.

 “Ok fine I’ll tell you guys, but this might come as a shock.”

“I’m sure whatever you two have to say, we can take it” Rarity said before taking another sip of tea.

“Well okay… If you say so” she said, taking a deep breath. “Me and Applejack are dating.”

“WHAT!?” everypony yelled in unison except for Rarity who just spit her tea out at Pinkie, who didn’t seem to mind.

“Yippy! I’m so happy for you two. GASP! I’m gonna have to throw a party for you two!” An big intake of air later she continued “OhmyohmyohmythisisgoingtobesocoolandfunnyandamazinglycuteandsweetandbecauseofthatIhavetomaketheabsolutelyawesomebestpartyeveroftheevereversonEquestriatheuniverseandeverything! GASP!  Oh I’m gonna have to do so much! Get balloons, streamers, party favors-“

“Pinkie, this is private for them, I’m pretty sure they don’t want a big party and all” Twilight interrupted.

“Oh we don’t mind at all right Sugarcube?” AJ asked.

“Well I- OW!” she was cutoff as her friend elbowed her. “Yeah, I don’t mind at all.”

All ponies turned to Rarity, whose mouth was still wide open and eyes big.

“Umm Rarity? Are you okay?” Fluttershy asked.

Nothing. She remained in the same pose.

“Hold on I know how to fix this” Dash said as she got up and walked towards her.

“Rarity” she whispered. “I’m gonna go and do some re-touches to your new dress.”

After those few words, Rarity sprung up, hooves up, about to hit the pegasus, and yelled “I’LL RIP YOU TO PIECES IF YOU DARE TO TOUCH ONE THREAD ON THAT WORK OF ART!”

“And she’s back.” Rainbow Dash said grinning slyly.

“Rarity what do you think of me and Rainbow dating?” Applejack asked.

“Well… I do must say that I am a little bit shocked at this. As much as I know you two, I never expected it, to be honest with you. But well, I shall say, if you’re happy, then I am happy too” she replied. “Besides, I always wanted to try matching couple dresses, I find them so cute but sadly there aren’t many couples I know that are willing to model for my.”

“But Rarit-”

“No, Rainbow Dash, as much as you and Applejack hate it, you will have to model for me, you are close friends and you will not be able to escape from me.” She said giggling in a rather evil way, something that made Rainbow Dash swallow hard. She then turned towards Applejack and asked “But Applejack, dear, aren’t you afraid of what everypony else might think?”

The farmpony walked over to Dash and said. “Well as long as Ah’m with her, Ah’m not afraid of nuthin’.” Applejack grabbed Rainbow and tilted her before locking lips passionately. A chorus of ‘gasps’ and ‘awws’ escaped their friends.

“Ah love y’all Sugarcube”

“I love you too”

THE END

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