The Mare of Your Dreams - Chapter 1

Being the newly back in service Princess of the Night is hard. Luna was having a really stressful time trying to learn the new ways. Lots of things had changed in the last one thousand years, and she was still not used to some of them. Luckily for her subjects’ ears, she had learnt how to talk in a decent volume, although the use of ancient expressions was proving to be something she wouldn’t change anytime soon.

“We don’t get this, dear sister.”

Celestia raised her royal head from the soft silk pillow it was resting on. “Luna… it’s… very late, I have to raise the sun tomorrow… What do you want?”

Although it was true that before Luna got back from her imprisonment, and back to her good-natured former self, Celestia had to raise and set both sun and moon. She was getting used to the well deserved rest.

But, as most nights, she was awake in the middle of the night by her sister, in order to answer a certain question about something they didn’t get.

“It is just that… back in the days we were attacked by…” Luna started but looked down in shame.

The sun princess got up from her bed and moved closer to her sister. “I understand, sister, you don’t need to say anything. I know you… weren’t yourself in that moment. Y-you don’t need to name it if you don’t want to… continue.”

Luna looked back at her sister and nuzzled her with affection. “Thank thee, dearest sister. What we were trying to say is that back then, ponies didn’t enjoy the night. They were all sleeping and resting, it was a time of tranquillity, and silence. Yet nowadays it seems that our subjects use the night to have fun!” she exclaimed.

Celestia eyed the dark azure mare quizzically. “Fun?”

“As thou know, we are able to sense what is happening under our moonlight. And we can definitely see parties, and little fillies talking together in the same house. We can also observe couples performing a rather strange activity that seems quite enjoyable judging by the look on their faces a-”

“Look away next time you see something like that Luna… i-it’s  rather private.”

“Private? But we have seen them invite others sometimes, and sometimes there is picture evidence captured in paper that others re-”

“Just don’t look okay!? Don’t look at the ones who read them neither! I’ll explain it to you some other day…”Celestia said rushed. Even though Luna was a full grown mare, she never got to experience certain things, and the white princess was not in the mood for explaining the birds and the bees to her sister right now. “Nor the birds and the birds, bees and bees… or birds and the whole beehive…

“Sister, art thou feeling fine? Thy cheeks are red, do thou need Us to lower the temperature of the room?”

As the blush deepened in Celestia’s face, her eyes went wide open. “No, no! It’s quite alright sister. Is that everything? Can I go back to sleep? I was having a nice dream…”

“We know… And yes, we believe that was ever-” she abruptly stopped and looked behind her alarmed.

“What is it?”

Suddenly, Celestia was left alone in her room, with a black smoke and a couple of bats where her sister used to be.

“Always the one for dramatic entrances and disappearances…”

“Says Miss ‘I have a Golden Chariot carried by Royal Pegasi Guards and I’ll use it even if I can just fly or teleport anywhere’.” A voice was heard behind Celestia, in the bed next to hers.

“Twilight? My most faithful student would have never said anything like that to her Princess and Teacher… Is the crown already getting to your head?”

The reply came as a groan followed by an “I’m sorry Princess… I appreciate the fact that you let me stay on the castle for some days, and I’m honoured that you allowed me to stay in the Royal Princesses shared room… but you and Luna talk too much at night… and I get grumpy when I’m awaken abruptly… ask Spike if you don’t believe me…”

A giggle escaped the ruler’s mouth and she smiled at Equestria’s new princess. “I’m sorry, and I’m sure Luna is, too. She just needs some time to get used to the new ways of life of Equestria.”

“Any clue where she went right n-”

A black shadow from under Celestia’s bed started growing and forming a mare-like shape in the middle of the room. With an eerie sound, and a whirlwind of dark smoke, the shadow transformed into Princess Luna.

“…You have a point, her entrances are dramatic, but I’m sorry to say it… they’re better than yours…” the purple alicorn said.

With a slightly hurt ego, Celestia looked at her sister and asked, “So… where was the bat mare?”

“We were helping another child with their nightmares. That is another thing We do not get. Why do young colts go to see horror-inducing films, telling their friends they enjoy it, if they have nightmares at night… Art they enjoyable nowadays?”

“Nah, they’re just acting tough to impress somepony, probably,” Twilight replied, laying her head back in the pillow.

Celestia nodded but was intrigued by her sister’s quick response. “How were you able to do that? Notice that somepony was having nightmares? We never could during our years of night-guarding…”

“We designed a spell years ago. It allows us to notice when a pony has certain symptoms that usually mean a nightmare: faster heartbeat, tossing and rolling, talking in their sleep…”

“Impressive! Very clever indeed…”

The dark mare’s ears perked up. “There it is again! Heartbeats, tossing and… screaming! And this time is one of our friends.”

Once again, the Princess of the Night disappeared leaving a trail of smoke and bats.

Twilight woke up groaning, “Not the bats again! They’re so noisy!” and with a flash of purple magic, the flying creatures disappeared.

“Where did you send them?”

“Tartarus… where they belong,” Twilight hissed, slumping down on the mattress once again. “Good night, Princess.”

Celestia looked scared at her usually chirpy and loving student. She’d give Spike a big nice ruby next time she sees him. “He’s one tough and enduring dragon.”

She then focused on the place her sister was a minute ago and tried to sense where did the teleportation spell lead. “Ponyville…”





“Where are we?” The Moon Goddess asked to herself, taking a look at her surroundings. “Everything seems so… dull and vague… whatever is happening in this dream is probably very detailed and focused, if the rest is so sketchy…”

The mare walked forward down a road full of apple trees. “Well… saying these green blobs with red spots art apple trees is a rather generous overstatement…”

Slowly, the trees and road next to her started to get more detailed. “Ah… now we’re getting closer to the source!” She started trotting towards a big barn, which seemingly was where the dreamer was.

Upon arriving she could hear groans and screams from the inside.

“Rainbow! S-stop it, Ah… Ah…”

“ Oh no! She must be having a nightmare about her fellow elements! Maybe the classic zombies? Turned into vampires? We should help her nevertheless!” Hastily barging through the door, the princess exclaimed, “Worry no more dearest Applejack! We are he-…” she stopped half sentence to take in the scene in front of her.

Applejack was most certainly dreaming of a fellow element, but it was just one alone. And it didn’t look menacing at all. She quickly looked away as she recognized the scene.

“Ah! Princess Luna what are y’all doin’ here!?” Applejack scaredy exclaimed while covering herself and looked at her friend, who was just frozen in the same position, with a blank expression. “R-Rainbow Dash, cover yerself!”

As the words escaped her mouth, the cyan pegasus did so.

“We art most sorry, Applejack. Sister told us we shouldn’t look at these activities, that they were private. W-we didn’t know! We thought it was a nightmare, thou presented all the symptoms…”

“Nightmare? Wait, is this..?” she exclaimed as she tried to touch Rainbow Dash, but found her hoof going right through her. “Ah’m dreamin’?”

“Yes. We were trying to look over thine safety for you to have a pleasant sleep.”

Blushing lightly the farmer pony replied “Well, Ah was sure havin’ a pleasant time…”

“We art sorry, again. Is it permitted for us to look up again?” the princess asked.

“O-of course, yer Highness.”

As the starry maned mare looked back at the orange filly and her friend she started walking towards them. “We can see now why thy dream was sketchy and unfinished… thy whole mind worked on this faux Rainbow Dash.” She got closer and inspected the dream creation. “It is remarkable! Down to the tiniest coat hair… Thou must look at your friend a lot! Almost perfect.”

As she tried to move the hoof Rainbow Dash used for covering, Applejack exclaimed. “A-Ah think y’all inspected enough! T-thank y’all fer the compliment on the… realistic version of Rainbow Dash… Ah guess?”

“Thou art quite welcome. Now… we have recently learned that we shouldn’t look at ponies when they art performing this activity… So we must ask for forgiveness. We would do anything to repay thee.”

Slowly, the blush left Applejack’s cheeks as she eased and felt sorry for the princess. “I-it’s okay, Luna, no harsh feelins, y’all don’t need to do anything fer me… Though Ah gotta ask… how did y’all get here? To mah dream, Ah mean. Is that ‘cause of yer alicorn magic abilities?”

“Nay. The dream realm is a place we have created, and we control it, but we also leave a designated area for everypony to create and change. We simply teleported to thine to arrive faster.”

“So everypony could enter mah dreams!?”

“Technically speaking… yes. Every time thou go to sleep, thy conscience is transported here, but as any place, thou can walk it, thus travel to another pony’s area. If thou are capable of being conscious during thy sleep, and can learn where another certain pony’s area is, thou could get there.”

“Is that so… Say princess… Y’all said y’all wanted to apologize fer watchin’ me… do that stuff. Right?”

“Yes, thee have decided something We can help thee with?”

“Yeah… Is there any way y’all could give me a compass or sumthin’ that tells where RD’s dreams are?”

Luna looked at her subject quizzically, but magically cast a dark blue compass with a white star in the middle. One of the points of said star was longer, and started pointing in a certain direction. “Here it is. This shall guide thee there. Why did thou ask for such a thing? Are thou interested in your fellow elements’ dreams? Would thou like a compass to point at thy other friends too?”

“Y-y’all could say Ah’m interested n’ her dreams… b-but just hers, Ah’m okay with this one, thanks, Luna! Ah swear not to tell anypony y’all were spyin’ me while Ah was…”

“We appreciate it, Dearest Applejack!” the mare exclaimed hugging the orange cowpony tightly. “We shall go now. Have a pleasant night.”

“Sure thing Princess, good night to y’all too! Send Twi n’ Princess Celestia mah regards. B-but please don’t tell ’em Ah was… uhm… dreaming about, y’all know.”

“We shall do that. Worry not. Thy secret is safe.” And suddenly, the Princess of the Night was gone in a flash.

“So…” the orange mare grinned to herself. “Ah can get in her dreams, huh?”




It was another nice morning in Ponyville for Rainbow Dash. And as every other morning in Ponyville for Rainbow Dash… it was the middle of the afternoon. The cyan pony rolled and fell on the cloud floor next to her bed. It became a habit once she realized the floor was as soft as the bed, many years ago. “Wakes you up, and doesn’t hurt at all! You’re a genius, Dash.”

She got up and walked towards the bathroom. It was always good to have a nice rain cloud inside the house for a nice, short, cold shower. A gentle kick, and the reduced downpour started chilling her to the bone and getting her soaking wet. “Brrr! It doesn’t matter how many times I do this… I never get used to it! But it’s one hay of a wake up method. Now I’m ready to show Ponyville the share of daily awesomeness it deserves!”

Rainbow Dash looked at the window and jumped through it. Letting herself freefall for a while to let all the droplets of water leave her, she approached the ground. Having done this countless times, she had the timing down to the millisecond, opening her wings in the right time, at the right angle, creating the right curve to gently touch the grass with her hooves and get back up in the blue sky.

“Awww Yeah!” A loud holler left her throat as she took in the feel of Celestia’s sunlight in her coat, warming her very soul and lifting her mood.

A loud rumble coming from her stomach reminded her that sunlight didn’t feed her. So she closed her wings to win momentum and fly down towards Sugarcube Corner. Slowly landing in front of the building, she walked the few steps to the door and entered.

As usual, Pinkie Pie appeared next to her smiling and chirping a “Gooood After-morning Dash! I hope you had a good night-ning sleep! What are you having today? The usual?”

“You got that right, Pinkie!”

“One Rainbow Soda with a rainbow-sprinkled donut coming right away!” the bubbly mare exclaimed before rushing to the kitchen.

“Howdy, Rainbow!” Rainbow heard somepony say, so she turned around to find Applejack sitting in one of Sugarcube Corner’s tables.

“Oh hey, AJ! What you doing here?”

“Jes’ havin’ a muffin before goin’ back to work… Apple trees won’t buck themselves, will they?”

“Guess they won’t! Neither do clouds, but I gotta have breakfast first.” She said winking.

“Breakfast? After lunchtime?”

“Hey, we don’t need a special morning weather schedule until past next month when Carrot Top’s crops need some rain and sunlight in the morning. So, I’m sleeping ‘til late and come here every time I wake up, which is around this time,” Rainbow Dash replied with a huff. “Got a problem with that?”

“Hey, Ah’m jes’ asking! Don’t get mad at me, RD,” Applejack replied smiling. “Everyday the same place, same time fer a couple months? Gotta remember that.” “C’mere y’all lazy pegasus, why don’t y’all sit down with me n’ we share this… breakfast together?”

The colourful maned pegasus smirked and sat down in front of her friend. “Just ‘cause you need your daily share of Rainbow Dash, for it to be a good day.”

“Darn right Ah need a piece of y’all everyday,” Applejack retorted grinning. “ N’ soon Ah’ll get a piece of y’all at night… Once Ah figure how the whole thing works…” “So… any interestin’ dreams last night, Sugarcube?”

Rainbow Dash scratched her head for a couple of seconds before answering, “Nah… not really. Well… I never remember my dreams, you know? I only have a vague glimpse of them, and I usually tend to do something related to what I can remember… I like to think it’s like a message my brain is sending me or something.”

As soon as she finished saying that, Pinkie Pie came with a tray, holding a sprinkled donut, and a can of Rainbow Soda imported from Cloudsdale especially to Pinkie Pie, before she went back to the kitchen to have a glass of soda herself.

After that one time for the Best Young Flyer competition, she asked Dash if there were any rainbow-flavored drinks. The pegasus told her they used to sell a soda that she loved when she was a kid, but was not sure if it was still on the market. Luckily for both Pinkie and the Cakes, it was. And now they delivered a few boxes to Sugarcube Corner.

It was quite strange and exotic, so it soon became a very commonly ordered drink in Ponyville, which was great for business.

“Ah see…” Applejack said, making a mental note of that. “So… did y’all dream tell y’all what to do today?”

“Well… it was about me being with the Wonderbolts! So I’ll go practice my tricks, after taking care of the clouds up there, which I’ll do in Ten. Seconds. Flat!” she replied winking and taking the last bite of the donut. “Well… I’ll pay Pinks and get those clouds down… See ya later, Apples!”

“Don’t worry, RD, this one is on me, y’all jes get those clouds down n’ practice those nice tricks y’all do!”

The rose-eyed pony looked at her and quickly said “You sure? Well gee, thanks, AJ!”

“Don’t mind it, Sugarcube… how ‘bout a game of Horseshoes tomorrow to repay? We got a deal?” she winked and extended a hoof.

Rainbow smirked and bumped her friend’s hoof with one of her own. “You got yourself a deal to get your flank kicked, and for a session of dust-biting, Jackie!”




Applejack spent the rest of the day trying to come up with a way to test how the dream realm works, and how the whole going into others’ dreams thing was. And how to notice if it had any interesting results.




“What do Ah wanna accomplish with gettin’ in her dreams anyways? Seein’ her at night? Ah could do a perfect re-creation of her in mah dreams, accordin’ to the princess…” she pondered before sighing. “But it ain’t her. Ah want her. The real deal, n’ not in mah wet dreams… Ah want her beside me every mornin’, watch her peaceful face when Ah wake up, look at the sunset together cuddling in the park, kiss her goodnight when Ah’m ‘bout to sleep…” yet another sigh escaped her mouth.

“Why can’t Ah jes’ simply ask’er out? Why come up with strange plans like this? She’s a straightforward gal, n’ Ah’m sure she’d like a straightforward proposal! AH’M a straightforward farmpony mahself, n’ Ah know Ah’d like to be jes’ asked out!” Applejack stomped her hoof on the ground but then groaned, irritated. “Gotta be honest with mahself… that ain’t happening. Ah won’t take the risk unless Ah’m at least half sure she’d accept to at least a date…”

It was unfair, that’s what she kept telling herself. It was not right that she had to have all these dreams about her since that one night in Applejack’s barn…





“Oh, Applejack, I can’t tell you how much I love you right now! I swear I could totally kiss you right now. A whole barrel of cider, just for the two of us!?” The cyan pegasus has finally stopped her barrage of ‘Ohmygoshes’ and decided to hug her best friend.

“Ain’t nothing, Sugarcube… don’t go all sappy on me,” the farmer pony chuckled and patted her friend’s back.

Quickly, Rainbow Dash kissed Applejack’s cheek and backed away looking away. “You have never, I repeat, never seen or felt me do that. Have you now?”

Applejack laughed at her friend’s attitude. “It’s okay to show affection once in a while, Sugarcube, we’re friends! A hug, a hoofbump, a playful punch, or even a small peck on the cheek can be delivered once in a while…”

“Thanks, AJ.” Rainbow Dash  smiled.

“It’s nuthin’, we had an extra barrel anyways…”

“No… not that. I mean that I can be a mushy and cheesy friend with you, but it’s okay, ‘cause you don’t think less of me…”

“Y’all will always be the same brash, brave n’ quite foolish pegasus in mah eyes, RD,” Applejack said, earning a playful glare from the rose-eyed pony.

“Enough mushiness! Let’s start chugging apple cider!” Dash said before diving her head in the cider and drinking like a dehydrated pony that found an oasis in the desert.

“Luckily fer both of us, it’s non-alcoholic…” Applejack said before mimicking her friend.




After a few hours of cider drinking and meaningless talking, sleep’s grasp got a hold on both mares.

With a yawn and a slow blink, Rainbow Dash asked, “So, AJ… its okay if I just crash here for the night, right?”

“Sure is… truth be told, Ah’m exhausted too, n’ Ah’m not even willin’ to go back to mah room. Guess we’ll be takin’ the hay tonight huh?”

“Sounds good to me.”

Both mares stood up and started walking towards a large pile of hay that seemed quite comfortable and laid down.

“G’night Apples.”

“Sweet dreams, Sugarcube,” Applejack said before closing her eyes and decided to let herself be taken by dreamland. That is, until she heard a certain pegasus groaning. “Y’all okay there, partner?”

“Yeah it’s just that… you don’t happen to have a blanket around, do you? I’m kinda cold…”

“Applejack opened her eyes and looked at her friend worriedly. “Ah’m sorry, we don’t keep one in this barn… but Ah got an idea. Jes’…” She stood up and got closer to her friend, laying right next to her, and hugging her tightly.

“H-hey, what are you-”

“Relax, Ah’m jes tryin’ to keep y’all warm. Basic survival tip, if y’all are in a cold place, n’ with nuthin’ to cover, if y’all are with somepony else, get real close n’ share body warmth. So unless y’all liked the chilliness better…”

“No, it’s okay, it’s just kinda weird… We were talking about mushiness and all… but this is a whole new level.”

“Shut yer pie hole n’ go to sleep, sugar.”



That night, so many months ago now… was the first night of many, that she dreamt of Rainbow Dash. At first she was uneasy with them, she didn’t manage to understand what they mean. But it didn’t take long to realize what was going on.

“When y’all start dreamin’ ‘bout a pony every single night… y’all know y’all have a thing fer her…” And that’s when the idea struck her. “That’s it! Ah know what Ah can do with RD’s dreams! She said she took ’em as messages… What if Ah try to get her to dream ‘bout me? ‘bout us goin’ on a date… or kissin’… that way, she’d surely accept mah date proposal right away!”

With a smile so wide it would have made Pinkie Pie worry, the apple-bucker pony trotted back to her house smiling to herself and humming.




The rest of the day was uneventful for Rainbow Dash. After kicking some clouds, she started practicing her tricks.  Loop-de-loops, cloud spins and barrel rolls were nice and everything… but not Wonderbolt material. She needed to work on her most impressive tricks, like the Final Atomic Rainbuster, or the Cross Tornado Rainbow, even if both left her dizzy after so many twists and turns. She’d die before somepony heard her say it, but she knew the Sonic Rainboom was getting old, after doing it so many times. It wouldn’t impress the judges anymore.

“Gah! Why is coming up with new ideas for a trick so hard?” “I need something everypony can relate to. When performing a show, even if it’s a flying one, you can’t aim for just pegasi, you have to think about unicorns and earth ponies… Also, if you want it to be a real masterpiece, then it can’t be mechanic, or studied, it has to come from the inside, you gotta feel it!” The cyan pony sighed and lowered to the ground.

She had been floating over a hill for an hour and a half now, trying to come up with something new and creative, but idea after another was shot down for being unoriginal or not awesome enough, and she was starting to get really frustrated and tired.

“It’s no use, I won’t get any ideas sitting here, nor somewhere else, seems like today is not my ‘awesome ideas’ day… And the sun is setting, might as well grab something to eat in town, and go to sleep.”




Applejack was sitting on her bed in Sweet Apple Acres. She had already prepared dinner for her family and excused herself. She was too busy thinking to eat anything.

“Can’t go outta the blue n’ start flirtin’ or kissin’er. What if she finds out? Or if she doesn’t remember it tomorrow? Ah should first try with sumthin’ simple, simple n’ that Ah can check, see if it worked or not…”

The blonde mare took off her ribbons and her hat, placing them on the night stand.

“But first Ah gotta sleep, if Ah wanna go to Dashie’s dream.”

Sighing and hopping onto the bed, the apple bucker drifted to sleep, not even caring to get under the blankets.





“Jacksie! Wake up!” a voice she knew all to well said… but there was something strange about it…

“Huh?”

“C’mon, silly girl!” the voice was heard again. “The janitor is coming! If he catches us like this, there’ll be hell to pay! Here, I’ll give you a hand.”

Applejack accepted the helping light cyan hand and got up on her two feet. Out of instinct, she tried to check if her skirt was on place, finding she was wearing none.

“Forget the clothes, we don’t have time to put them on right now! Follow me.”

Applejack finally looked in front of her, looking at her girlfriend, Rainbow Dash, naked from the waist up. They probably sneaked into the school’s gymnasium and had some fun under the bleachers. Suddenly, she felt her being dragged by her lover’s hand.

“C’mon hurry up! We gotta make it to an empty classroom! I just hope no one sees us on the hallway. The Principal will kill us if so! Two of the last year students found naked and skipping classes? Celestia will have our heads on a plate…”

“Naked? Classes? Principal? Sumthin’s wrong here…”

“Man, you passed out. It was so awesome! A new record for Dash Magic Fingers.”

Suddenly, it all became clear. “Wait… fingers? Ah’m not this. Ah’m a pony! N’ Ah already finished scho- Gosh darn it, it’s a dream!”

As soon as those words left her mouth, everything around her became a white room. As soon as her original form returned, and her hooves touched the ground she facehoofed. “C’mon! Ah went to sleep with the sole purpose of knowin’ Ah’d be dreamin’, in order to get to Dash’s, n’ Ah forget it…”

Grumbling a few swears, Applejack decided to go and look for Rainbow’s dreams.

“Ah need that thing the Princess gave me… how do Ah get it back now?”

“Eh… Ah wish fer the compass!”

“…Well that didn’t accomplish anythin’…”

“Uh… Huzzah!... nuthin’? How ‘bout… We beseech thy compass? Pretty please?”

“Eenope… Wait… it’s mah dream. Ah can do what Ah want!” With a second facehoof, she extended her hoof and thought about the compass hard enough to make it appear.

“So that’s how things work ‘round here, no wish, no magic word… jes’ thinkin? Okay, let’s get goin’!”

The orange cowpony walked, consulting the compass from time to time. She walked down a lonely road, a white road between dreams. To her left she could see a jungle, while the infinity of space was to her right, Canterlot was in a dream far away, and she could spot Ponyville’s kindergarten somewhere between the jungle trees. From where she stood, it all looked like a film set, ready to roll a movie scene.

“Must be real fun for the Princess to go ‘round lookin’ at all these…” a blush covered her face as she realized “N’ that includes mine too... how embarrassing…”

After some minutes of walking, Applejack noticed a blank space between dreams. “Why is this blank? Is this nopony’s space? Well… the compass points this way, maybe Dash’s is on the other side…”

As she reached the middle of the square, the compass turned around and pointed backwards. “Wha? Is this thing broken?” Shaking it a bit, she decided to follow it anyways, and walked back, just to get the compass to point back to the original place. “What’s wrong with thi…Oh… this MUST be Dash’s dream, but why is it blank?” once again, her right hoof met her face as she yelled to herself “Ah’m so silly! She said she was stayin’ up late these days, she’s still awake… Now what do Ah do?”

The mare sat and looked around. Finding nothing to do, she decided to think of a ball, so at least she could play with something until RD came back, but to her surprise, nothing appeared. “Does this mean that Ah can’t change RD’s dreams? Well that’s a bummer… Unless…”

Applejack ran back to her space and started planning. “Ah gotta think of everythin’ right here, n’ then take it back to Dash’s dream… Now what should Ah do? Something silly, something unimportant, something Ah can check tomorrow… will Ah see her tomorrow? Oh yeah, she’ll be at Sugarcube Corner n’ then go n’ play sum horseshoes! She’ll order the usual, a donut n’ a soda. That’s it! What if Ah made this dream to be ‘bout sumthin’ else?”

Thinking hard, Applejack summoned a just-out-of-the-oven apple muffins, and a big mug of apple juice, and turned around to go back to Dash’s dream. “Wait, wait… there’s no harm on givin’ subtle hints…” In a few seconds, Applejack had a shinier, cleaner coat, her mane was flowing in a constant breeze that came out of nowhere, and a golden aura surrounded her along with a subtle, chorus of angels that followed her around. “Now this should do the trick… let’s get this goin’!” Right before walking back to her friend’s dream Applejack stopped and thought, “Wait… what if Ah do one last change? It might kick this up a notch… Ah sure am glad dreams are freaky n’ we don’t notice sumthin’ is wrong till we wake up.” A pair of colourful butterfly wings appeared on Applejack’s back “Eww no, Rarity wings no, no… Ah need ones like Rainbow’s… Gosh darn it mind! Not blue! Ah’d look real weird with those blue wings…Okay, orange, that’s better.”




“That’s an academy record!”

How many times had Dash heard that already? She couldn’t remember. What was so exciting about them anyways? If everything she did was a new record, that meant that the prior ones weren’t that good at all. “Not cool. I’m tired of this… I’ll ask for a break and take a flight around…” “Ma’am since I’ve finished my task, can I have a break?”

“Okay, but make it a quick one, your wingpony will need your help in the next exercise.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Rainbow Dash got out of the Wonderbolts Academy’s building fast as a lightning bolt, eager to take a deep breath of fresh air and just fly around with no technique or destination. And a friendly face is always welcomed in times like these. “Hello, Applejack! What are you doing up here? Flying… over the Wonderbolts academy?”

“Ah jes’ came up here to bring y’all sum apple muffins n’ apple juice, how ‘bout we have a lil’ picnic?”

“Sure, follow me.”

Rainbow led her winged friend towards the top of the academy and sat down. “It’s not exactly the top of a nice hill while the sun sets in the background… but at least here nopony will see us and scold me for skipping practice…”

“It’s okay by me, Sugarcube, as long as Ah’m with y’all.”

Those words elicited a blush to appear in both ponies’ cheeks.

“Hey, Applejack, your mane looks really nice when it’s loose…”

“Is that so…” Applejack seemed to be thinking about something for a second, before continuing “Well… why don’t y’all remind me to let mah mane loose whenever we see each other again? Jes’ tell me that y’all like it that way…”

“Sure! I’ll try to remember that.” As the cyan mare took a bite of the muffin her eyes rolled back and her taste buds went to heaven. “Oh gal! These are good muffins!”

“Thank y’all, Ah made’em mahself. Here, have a drink.”

Apparently, Applejack was able to steal the drink of the goddesses, because Rainbow Dash was sure that was exactly what she was drinking right now. “How… where did you get this!?”

“It’s jes’ Sweet Apple Acres apple juice, nuthin’ y’all can’t get back at Ponyville… why don’t y’all ask fer’em at Sugarcube Corner? Ah’m sure y’all find’em…”

“I seriously need to have these more often…”

“Okay, Rainbow Dash… Ah think it’s time fer me to go. Got stuff to do… see y’all soon, okay? N’ remember, y’all like it when mah mane is loose, n’ apple muffins with apple juice taste good.”

“Sure, AJ, see you soon.”

“RAINBOW DASH, WHERE ARE YOU!” Spitfire roared.

“Is there no free time here?”



“Alright! That seemed to go real smooth! Ah hope Dash remembers it though…” Applejack got up from the bed and started brushing her mane. “Jes’ in case she does… Ah gotta try to have mah mane as nice as possible… N’ Ah have to make muffins! N’ have an excuse fer it… Think Applejack… think!”

A smile covered her face as she grabbed the pair of red manebands.

“Time to gather the girls to have a nice chat…”




Sunlight. Sunlight is mean. Sunlight burns Rainbow Dash’s eyes; therefore it must not exist, at least not for five more minutes. “Ugh… I guess I gotta wake up…”

As every single day, she repeated the same old routine. “If it ain’t broke…”

Fall of the bed, take a cold shower, pummel to the seemingly certain death, be awesome, arrive at Sugarcube Corner and open the…

“Howdy, Sugarcube! Come on in.”

“Applejack? What are you doing here?”

“The gals are all here, we’re havin’ an afternoon get-together.”

The rainbow maned pony felt her heart stop for a second. “And you didn’t invite me?”

The orange apple bucker chuckled and hugged her best friend. “Y’all said y’all came here every day ‘round this time. Ah was countin’ on that… Ah’d never forget ‘bout you, Sugarcube.”

“Hey!” a voice was heard a few feet away from them. “Don’t hold Rainbow for yourself, Applejack, we haven’t seen her in a while either.”

“Twilight! You’re here! How are you?”

“I’m fine, Rainbow, why don’t you come here and sit down with all of us!”

Rainbow Dash looked at Fluttershy and Rarity. “Hey, girls, how are you two?”

“Quite fine, darling, we just came back from our weekly spa meeting.”

“Oh, Rainbow Da-ash!” a bubbly hyperactive pink pony said, suddenly appearing next to the pegasus. “What are you having? The usual?”

“Not today Pinks…” Applejack eyed her curiously. “By any chance… do you have any apple muffins?”

A spark ignited in Pinkie’s eyes as she exclaimed “Oh my gosh! This is like, so freaky! I can’t believe my Pinkie Sense didn’t catch it. As a matter of fact, I do have apple muffins! Applejack had to try a new recipe and she asked for my help, so we just baked a batch! Oooh, and she also brought this amazing apple juice you just HAVE to taste!”

“Awesome! I had a strange craving for these today…” She looked back at the table where her friends were chatting among them “So… how come you all decided to get together today?”

“It was, Applejack, darling, the one who asked us to come over around this time.”

“She said we had to taste her new recipe of apple muffins,” Fluttershy added.

Applejack chuckled and said, “Aww shucks, y’all know that’s a silly excuse, Ah jes’ wanted to be with y’all. Ah missed y’all. Livin’ in the farm n’ everythin’, Ah don’t see y’all around that often. Even if its fer jes’ a ‘Hello’!”

“D’aww!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed “This calls for a group hug!”

Soon enough everypony was being strangled to their deaths by the vice-like hooves of the party animal.

“Air. Pinks. We need it!”

“Oops, sorry, Dashie! I’ll go bring you the muffin and the juice, it should be all ready by now!”

“Say Rainbow… y’all still up for this afternoon?”

“This afternoon? ...Oh yeah! Sure am, anxiously waiting for it.” She said grinning “I’m so gonna mop the floor with you at horseshoes Apples”

“Perfect! Ah’ll be waitin’ fer y’all…”

Rainbow Dash stared at Applejack for a couple of seconds. Something was off… it was common, but she wanted it to be different… “Applejack…”

“Yes Sugarcube?”

“Why don’t you take off those manebands? I like it when your mane is loose…” “What the… did I seriously said that aloud?”

Applejack blushed as she took off her manebands. “L-like this?” she slowly and carefully shook her head to make her mane float around and land gracefully over her shoulders.

Luckily for Rainbow Dash, she had the wall behind her which prevented her wings from springing wide open “What’s this!? Oh my gosh I hope nopony notices! I never had one of these in front of Applejack, what’s wrong with me?”

The rest of the ponies were looking at both Applejack and Rainbow Dash with a surprised look in their faces. Rarity cleared her throat and inquired. “I am sorry to pry, my darlings, but is there something we are missing here?”

“And what exactly did that mean?” “Huh? What are you talking about Rarity?”

After looking into Rainbow Dash’s eyes for a while, the pristine white mare looked away smiling. “It’s nothing darling, I guess I was mistaken. Forget I said anything.”

“Well…you do look prettier with your mane loose!” Pinkie said smiling sharing a knowing look with Rarity. “Don’t you all agree?”

A chorus of yeahs was heard by the rest of the girls.

“Don’t worry dear, we got you covered.” Rarity whispered and smiled.

“I have no idea how to answer to that… I don’t even know what’s going on.” “Thanks, I guess?”





“It’s workin’! Oh it’s workin’! Ah get her to choose what Ah wanted, n’ even made’er say she likes when mah mane is loose! N’ Ah even think Ah saw her wings tremble. Ah ain’t no pegasus, but Ah know what that means. Is mah plan workin’ better than expected?” It was hard to suppress her happiness, but she couldn’t just smile wickedly out of the blue, she needed something to cover the real reason.

“So… how do y’all like our new recipe Dash?” Applejack said, grabbing Pinkie by the side, and smiling at Dash.

“Ah wonder if grabbin’ Pinks will make her jealous. If it does, then Ah made a major step last night!”

As Rainbow’s confuse expression changed into one of a mild frown, Applejack’s smile grew wider.

“I haven’t even tasted yet… But I guess if you baked them, and you used Sweet Apple Acres’ apples, then they must be awesome.”

“Hey, I also he-” Rarity glared at Pinkie Pie silencing her. “I mean… Applejack is a fantastic cook, isn’t she?” Pinkie said, returning the hug and getting cheek to cheek.

“Wait… she complimented mah mane, she’s huggin’ me tighter than usual… Ah didn’t get the undesired effect on Pinks, did Ah?”

Across the table Rarity grabbed Rainbow’s side getting closer and smiling widely.

“N-no! W-what’s goin’ on?”





“Compliment her cooking, tell her which is your favourite dish she ever made” Rarity whispered to Rainbow’s ears, maintaining the smile.

Rainbow looked at her and whispered back “Why shou-Ow!”

“Keep your smile, darling! I said nothing to you… get it?”

“What’s going on? Why is everypony expecting me to say nice things to AJ? Is she mad at me for something?  Is Applejack kinda down, so we’re all trying to cheer her up or what? I… I kinda want to make her happy, as long as I possibly can. That’s what a friend would do, right?” “Sh-she is! I specially love her apple pies… but let me taste these muffins and then we’ll see.”

This... this was something she had tasted before. She knew she had, but she couldn’t remember. And Applejack said it was a new recipe. But those thoughts didn’t stayed on her mind for long, because soon she was lifted higher than her wings could ever lift her before. She was in a place of pure flavory pleasure.

“Oh. My. Gosh Girls! You seriously need to taste these.”  The brash pegasus moaned. “What… what’s the secret? What did you add?”

Soon everypony had taken a muffin and proceeded to taste it.

“Oooh Applejack please, you have to tell us! She didn’t even want to tell me! I had to turn around while she poured the ingredient. And I baked with her!” Pinkie Pie pouted.




“Oh, it’s nuthin’ special, but it’d ruin it all if Ah tell…” “It is not sumthin’ that special, so tellin’em will probably ruin the hype fer the muffins…

“Well then. I’ll have to guess! Was it cinnamon? Powdered sugar? Cider? Or may-”

“Ah’ll tell y’all later! Please, let’s not waste our time together with a guessin’ game…” Applejack said nervously, remember the events in Dodge Junction.

“Anyways, well get goin’ in a couple of minutes with Dash, so why don’t y’all girls tell us how yer weeks went? Ah sense we’ll have more than enough time with Dash to catch up.”





Rarity, along with Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Equestria new Princess were waving at their two friends, walking down the lane towards Sweet Apple Acres.

As soon as they were out of sight, Rarity turned around and smiles wickedly. “Please do tell me Pinkie and I were not the only ponies to notice the way Rainbow Dash acted today!”

“What do you mean?” Fluttershy inquired.

“Oh come on, the way she wanted Applejack to let her mane loose, the way her eyes sparkled whenever she saw her, how she was blindly convinced anything made by her would be delightful…”

“Rarity, we’ve talked about this before… We know you like to make pairings in your mind, and we’ve put up with it before, but you promised not to do it with our group of friends!”

“Oh, but Twilie, I also saw it this time! She even glared at me when I got close to Applejack!”

“Pinkie, I don’t mean to be uhm well… mean, but you sometimes tend to exaggerate… a lot.”

“Oh but it’s not the case this time. And I swear her wings went sproing when Applejack took off her mane bands!”

Fluttershy blushed at the comment and looked away uttering a “Oh… My.”

Twilight sighed and looked seriously at her friends “You two are really sure about this? It’s something big and important, not just some strangers you saw across the street, these are our two best friends…”

“Quite sure.”

“Yeah, I’m sure!”

“Okay then…”she looked around and asked “Now, should we help them out, or stay away?”

“B-but… we don’t know if Applejack wants to be with Rainbow…”

“Oh Puh-lease dear Fluttershy! They’re a perfect match, why wouldn’t she?”

Fluttershy blushed and looked down “W-what if she doesn’t like mares…”

The white unicorn felt a bucket of ice cold water hit her. “Oh… I guess you may be right darling, I did not think about that particular detail…”

“Besides, we don’t actually know what Applejack likes, how could we help Rainbow?” Twilight asked.

“Well… I believe I can help her with some… ‘totally-not-dating tips’… And regarding the Applejack subject, I would suggest gathering information, but the acres are too muddy for me to go…”

“Ooh! Ooh! Choose me, I’ll go. Sounds like fun!” Pinkie said jumping in place.

“Uhm girls? I’d like to say that if we do end up doing this… we should be subtle. Don’t tell Rainbow we know about her… she’s very proud, but also scaredy, so if she knows we discovered her secret… she’ll deny everything related to it, and she might even get away from Applejack, if she’s not ready to tell us…”

“So…” Pinkie  Pie checked her surroundings “This is an undercover mission huh? I’ll go get my costumes.”

“No Pinkie Pie! No weird costumes, and no spying. You’ll go and just ask her, casually. Oh, and try not to be obvious. Try to spend some time with her tomorrow… ask about her love life, about things she like… try to sound interested.”

“I gotta act like I’m interested in Applejack?”

“Interested in her love life, but as a friend darling, not a lover. That might be counterproductive…” She tapped her chin with her hoof for a couple of seconds and continued. “Though I would advise to compliment them, both when we are alone, and whenever we are all together. It would boost their self-esteem in private, and it would make each other notice things about the other when we are together…”

“Okie Dokie lokie! I’ll stop by the acres tomorrow before my shift starts… I have to work on an excuse though… Well, see you tomorrow girls!”

“Oh, may you wait a little more please? I have a plan…”





“You’re going down AJ!”

“We’ll see ‘bout that Sugarcube. Y’all are still down, n’ this is the last throw. A ringer or y’all lose!”

“Just watch me turn this match around AJ!”

“Ah know this might count as cheatin’… but Ah ain’t doin’ it to win the match… Ah’m tryin’ to see if Ah’m getting’ closer to mah goal…” The orange mare walked forward, next to the sandbox, swaying her hips enticingly. Her ears were expectant, waiting to see if it was working.

“Hey AJ, you won’t be able to see when I bea-”

A loud pomf was heard and a smirk appeared on Applejack’s face “Everythin’ is goin’ according to the plan!”





“NO, NO, NO! Go down you two! What the hay is wrong with me today!? W-was Applejack always this pretty?” She gulped as her eyes focused on the hardworking mare’s well toned applebucking legs and… “W-why can’t I look away from her round, nice and big…”

“What’s wrong Rainbow? Ready to fly away from defeat?”

“W-what?”

“Jes’ sayin’, since yer wings look ready to go n’ all…”

A deep crimson blush covered Rainbow Dash’s face. “No! It’s just… I’m preparing to fly and do an amazing victory pose when I beat you!” “Nice one!”

The cyan mare prepared the horseshoe and tried to aim. Soon enough her eyes drifted to the right. Applejack was casually looking away, while she played with her loose mane with one hoof.

“She looks so cute right now…” Rainbow Dash shook her head violently “F-focus Rainbow Dash!” Not risking to get more distracted, she blindly threw the horseshoe, which ended up a few feet away from the stake. “Sh-”