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Rainbow Dash was going to ask her out. She was going to do it. Ask out Applejack.
Waking up with a feeling of nervousness and excitement settled deep within her, she got out of bed and started the day.
She combed her hair and cleaned her face with soap and all, picked out an outfit that consisted of something other than her usual gym shorts and jersey — just to end up wearing said shorts and shirt anyway. She didn’t need to look all that formal.
Rainbow jumped onto her skateboard and went off to school. Gah- how she WISHES the principal would just jump off a roof or something so it’d be an off day.
Arriving, Pinkie almost tackles her to the ground amidst the crowd of students walking into their ‘personal hell’.
“Oh my god, Rainbow hii!” She squeals and links arms with her.
“The others aren’t here yet — or at least I think soo!” She giggles and goes on a rant about government conspiracies that Rainbow Dash zones out of pretty quickly.
With Pinkie as white sound, she stalks the crowd for her friends. Well, mostly Applejack. Not that she doesn’t love all her friends, but, you know —it’s fucking Applejack.
Having tuned out completely apparently, she’s suddenly at a bench in a hallway with all her friends, wait- not all, AJ and Rarity were the only ones yet to show.
15 minutes later, and the two were still nowhere to be seen. Twilight had already gone off to make her class, even if they still had a good 10 minutes to go before the bell rang.
Just as Rainbow Dash presumed the two were just complete no-shows today, the sound of heels clacking and the oh-so-familiar voice of one awesome girl (Applejack, duh) rounded the corner and both Rarity and Applejack waltzed over to them.
“Darlings!” Rarity said and gave Rainbow a kiss on the cheek. “You’ve all been anticipating our arrival I see.” She jokes. Or at least Rainbow think she was joking.
“Hey y’all.” AJ smiles and gives a wave. “Had to pick up sugar-pie over here, but someone was far from ready upon our agreed time.” Applejack rolls her eyes and nods to Rarity.
Odd, Rarity’s house wasn’t on Applejack’s route to school.
Rainbow brushes it off and just chuckles and hides the faint blush creeping onto her cheeks as AJ rests a hand on her shoulder absentmindedly.
As the last bell of the day rang, Fluttershy was off to her ‘Save the trees’ club or whatever, lord knows where Pinkie went, and Twilight had study group. Which left Rainbow and Applejack all alone. Well, almost. Rarity was still there too.
Anyways, as the two of them — fine, three — were walking down the hallways, Rainbow Dash tries to start up a conversation with them.
“So, Rarity, heard there was one of those, erh,,, fire? sales down at the boutique today? You planning to check that out eh?” She asks, trying to lead Rarity off to whatever clothing store she fancies so she and Applejack could be alone.
“Mhm, yeah. But that store’s just full of cheap last year’s fashion. I’m surprised they can still afford being open and all. No sane person shops there.” Rarity replies and flicks her hair off her shoulder. “Not even a basic statement piece is to find there.”
Of-fucking-course. Today just HAD to be the one day that the like close to singular shop Rarity finds absolutely hopeless was the one to have a sale. Now she’s probably going to ruin Rainbow’s genius plan of confessing in the parking lot and fleeing on her skateboard if things go south. Now she had to come to the farm and all. No easy way out there.
Rainbow gets quiet after that and zones out debating whether she should just wait till next week to do her parking lot plan or go for it today. She settles with today. She’d just chicken out if she waits till Monday.
Snapping back to reality when the sound of the school’s doors slamming shut interrupted her thoughts, a jumpscare and the conversation Rarity and Applejack apparently had followed.
“Ye need to take my measures again? Don’t ye got those from last time?” AJ says.
Measures? What? What were they talking about?
“Applejack, those are 2 years old! You’ve grown since then. I can’t put in all that work for a dress that may not fit!” Rarity rolls her eyes. “Besides, it’ll be fun! We’ll hang out!”
“Ehh.. alreight then.” Applejack scratches her head.
It clicks for Rainbow. They were talking about clothes! Obviously. What other measures would Rarity be taking. Wait- they wouldn’t be doing that today right? Is the world just out for her ass or something?
“What was that about measures?” She says, trying to glide her way into the conversation smoothly.
“Oh, well, er… Rarity’s making me a dress for granny’s birthday. Since it’s the big eight-zero she convinced me to dress up a lil’.” She blushes slightly at the confession and Rarity (once again) flings her hair over her shoulder and flashes a proud smirk.
“Can’t have her looking like a tired farmer on her grandma’s birthday, can we?”
Rainbow nods. (in a cool-chill-slow way might she add) “Yeah.” “Now when are you taking her, eh, measures?”
“Oh soon. Applejack is driving us to my house so we’ll get it over with. It’ll be quick.”
Oh my god Rainbow Dash is actually going to crash out. It’s determined. The Cupid baby hates her. Has some one-sided beef with her or something.
“Oh. Okay.” “Cool.” She nods in that slow chill cool way again. Not today then. Tomorrow.
Tomorrow is now. It’s today she’ll confess. For real this time.
Same routine as yesterday. Wake up, wash face, and find an outfit to wear just to end up in same old shorts and shirt. And then leave for school on the skateboard. Except she’s not going to school. She’s going to Sweet Apple Acres.
By the time she’s at the farm the skies have cleared up and the sun is shining. Perfect confession weather. Maybe Cupid is at her side anyway.
After staring at the big red farm for a while, mustering up courage, she steps off her skateboard and heads for the farmhouse.
While trekking through the squishy dirt path, she hears voices. She recognises one of them as Applejack (swoon) pretty quickly. Perfect. She doesn’t have to walk the rest of the way to the house and has an easier escape route. In case something goes wrong, you know. Best be prepared.
Not paying the other voice enough mind to recognise it, she walks towards them.
As Rainbow finally gets close enough to see the edge of AJ’s hat, she actually starts to listen to what the voices are saying. And starts to wonder who the other voice might be. It’s probably Apple Bloom. Big Mac doesn’t talk much. Maybe gran has made it out here?
She should probably just peek in on who it is before busting in to confess her undying love for Applejack. Would be awkward for that to happen in front of Apple Bloom and have her running to tell Scootaloo all about it.
Rustling through some leaves to take a peek, she feels her heart sink.
It’s not Apple Bloom, or gran. Not even Big Mac. It’s Rarity. With her head in Applejack’s lap. Said girl’s hands in her hair. Looking very comfortable where she lays. Applejack looks as good as everyday. She always looks good. Even with someone else in her lap.
Maybe they’re just hanging out. They’ve always been close and Rarity’s affectionate like that with everyone.
It’s probably just that. She brushes it off as just that.
But then- then they’re kissing. She can’t brush that off as friendly. She can’t brush that off at all.
She stares for a while. She stares at them until they stop kissing and talking and doze off. She leaves after that. She got the hint.
