Two Weeks Later

Rainbow Dash sighed as she looked into the eyes of her companion, Applejack. Applejack smiled as the cold wind blew her golden locks lightly. She smiled warmly.

"Somethin' on your mind, sugarcube?" The farm mare said. Rainbow shrugged lightly.

"Not really. I'm just happy to be here with you now." Rainbow responded.

"That makes two of us." The two mares had been dating for a while, getting closer and closer with each rondezvous they had. They enjoyed each other's company completely, jumping at the chance to see each other whenever the oppurtunity arose. They had been on several excursions together, including the movies, different restaurants and many others, but the one place the duo always managed to end up in were the fields outside Ponyville. Though both of them enjoyed it there for different reasons. Rainbow Dash enjoyed it because of it's pure scenic beauty. While the pegasus put on a front that she didn't enjoy such things, she honestly did enjoy the natural beauty of places. Applejack loved the fields for the same reasons, but mostly because she could be herself with her lover without very much fear that she would be seen with another mare.

The sun had began to set as the two mares prepared to depart for their homes. Their date had been a fun one, comprising of a nice picnic and a walk along a nature trail. Rainbow Dash had wanted to race more than anything, but Applejack turned down the challenge, much to Dash's suprise. The farm mare had wanted an easygoing day free of excitement for the two of them.

"C'mon, AJ. Just a race back to Ponyville. It'll be quick and fun!" Rainbow said. Rainbow walked up to Applejack and nuzzled her neck. Applejack's stomach tingled. "If you win, you can be on top the next time we-"

"Ah don't think so, Rainbow. Ah'm just not feelin' up to it today. Maybe next time." Applejack said as she began to walk. Rainbow Dash scoffed.

"Seriously? I've never known you to reject a challenge. Especially from me." She said. Applejack shrugged.

"Well, there's a first time for everything." Applejack said. "What's got ya so worked up anyways? Aren't ya content to just have a nice day with me?"

"Well, yeah, of course. But it's been a while since we had anything...how do I put it?...Amazing happen, you know?" Rainbow said.

"You said our time behind that big boulder was Amazing." Applejack quickly said, smirking slyly. Rainbow blushed and rubbed the back of her head.

"Yeeeah...You got a point there..." She said before raising an eyebrow at Applejack. "I guess you're okay with the fact that you're just scared." Applejack's brow furrowed slightly as she continued to walk.

"Ah ain't scared of nothin'." Applejack said, a slight tinge of annoyance in her voice. Rainbow snickered and hovered in front of Applejack as she walked, looking down at her condescendingly.

"I mean, how could you notbe scared? I'm only the most awesome pegasus in Equestria." Rainbow said, putting a hoof on her chest, still looking down at Applejack, aware of her annoyance. "It's okay. I won't tell anyone."

"Listen here, Rainbow." Applejack said sternly. "Ah ain't scared of you, or anypony. We both know Ah can whoop ya in a hoof-race, so you have to overcompensate for it by bein' all smart-alecky and such. Ah'm just not feelin' like it right now."

"Geez, Applejack. You're making Fluttershy look brave."

"Alright, that's it!" Applejack exclaimed before jumping up and tackling Rainbow to the ground, earning a suprised cry from the pegasus. Applejack and Rainbow began to wrestle, turning over and over, struggling to see which one of them was physically superior. They both laughed as they competed, having a grand time. Every time Applejack would manage to get Rainbow into an inescapable hold, the pegasus somehow escaped and countered with her own attempted pin or hold. Applejack's raw strength eventually won out over Rainbow's stamina, however, and Applejack ended up on top, a small, confident smile on her face.

"Gotcha." She said.

"Don't think so!" Dash exclaimed before grabbing the back of Applejack's head and pulling her down into a kiss. Applejack's stomach felt as light as air. Suddenly, Rainbow jumped up and put Applejack on her back, successfully subduing her. Applejack struggled to break free of Rainbow's front hooves, but ultimately failed in her attempt. Rainbow Dash's level of strength was similar to Applejack's, so her holds were just as tough to escape when they were successfully executed.

"No fair..." Applejack said to her, blowing her hair out of her eyes. Rainbow smirked.

"We never said we couldn't kiss." Rainbow said, raising an eyebrow.

"Let's keep it that way. If ah'm gonna lose, Ah'd wanna lose like this." Applejack said, looking into Rainbow's eyes. Rainbow let Applejack free of the hold and began to bend her head down for another kiss, her eyes closed. Applejack began to close her eyes as well, before she heard the distant hoofsteps of two ponies on their way out of Ponyville. Applejack immediately got out from underneath Rainbow and stood up, putting her stetson back on. Her stomach sunk when she had noticed that the couple was looking at the both of them in a very peculiar way, perhaps even seeing their earlier kiss. Applejack blushed heavily and looked up into the sky, whistling a small tune, while Rainbow looked up at her, wide-eyed.

"What the hay-" Rainbow began, stopping when she noticed the ponies walking down the path. Rainbow's brow furrowed as she sighed heavily and stood up. Applejack began walking again, followed by Rainbow. She had done it again. They had been dating for two weeks, and Applejack still didn't want to be seen kissing or even hugging Rainbow in public.

Rainbow Dash had understood completely at first. She had supported Applejack and given her sweet words of encouragement when her lover was worried about what others might think. She had even previously asked Applejack if she wanted to stay with her. Applejack was quick to say "Yes." at that point, so she had assumed that Applejack would overcome her fears eventually. It still had not happened. She had understood Applejack's apprehension at first, but now, frankly, she was fed up. When they were clear of the other couple and had ample space for a conversation, Rainbow looked over at Applejack.

"Hey, AJ?" Rainbow asked.

"Whatcha need, sugarcube?" Applejack responded.

"Why did you just freak out back there all of a sudden?" The pegasus asked. Applejack gulped and looked up at the sky, away from Rainbow's gaze.

"What do ya mean?" Applejack said.

"Well, I was about to kiss you, and you just seemed to...well...freak out. You left me hanging back there. Notcool."

"There was a couple comin' down the path. It's indecent to be kissin' in public." Applejack said. Rainbow frowned.

"Really? Because, I see couples kissing around Ponyville all the time. Just, y'know, a kiss on the lips. That's all I was going to do, really. I wasn't going to have sex with you where anyone could just walk outside and see us." Rainbow said, annoyance lacing her words. Applejack put a hoof on her mouth and shushed her, sparking outrage in the cyan pegasus.

"Quiet! They coulda heard you!" Applejack said, looking down the path. Rainbow Dash shoved Applejack away and threw a hoof into the air.

"They're not even close to us!" Rainbow said. "What're you so scared of? What people think? That you might lose business?"

"Ah ain't scared of nothin'." Applejack said flatly, looking forward and continuing walking.

"Then why won't you even hug me or kiss me in public?" Rainbow said. "I've seen Lyra kiss Bon Bon in public, and nopony says anything to them."

"Ah hug you in public." Applejack said, taking a defensive stance.

"Yeah, the one-hoofed friend hug." Rainbow said.

"Look, Rainbow, Ah-" Applejack stopped when she noticed Rainbow Dash was beginning to tear up.

"Why are you so ashamed of me?" Rainbow said, her voice breaking ever so slightly. Applejack's heart beat in her chest as it told her to embrace Rainbow and hold her tight. Her mind told her not to notice. Applejack began walking down the path again.

"Ah'm not ashamed of you." Applejack said. She wanted to hit herself in the face for not comforting Rainbow.

"Yes you are!" Rainbow said, following her.

"No Ah'm not." Applejack said more sternly, stopping and turning toward Rainbow for a second before continuing down the path. Her heart ached.

"Yes, you are, so stop denying it!" Rainbow said, anger welling up inside her. "If you're not, give me a specific reason why you're just seeming to forget that we're together as soon as just anyone walks by, and I'll stop bothering you about this." Applejack thought for a moment. Her mind was racing, trying to find a believable reason for her behavior. Rainbow Dash wasn't very gullible.

"Ah'm..." Applejack said. "Ah'm...not ashamed of you." Rainbow looked down.

"See? I told you." She said. She wiped a tear from her cheek, to her suprise. "Look at this, Applejack!" The farm mare turned and looked at her lover. "See what you're doing to me? I never cry, and you know that!"

"Ya ain't got no reason to cry." Applejack stated plainly, continuing to walk. Rainbow's eyes narrowed as she clenched her teeth. She grabbed Applejack and turned her around, suprising her.

"You can't do that!" Rainbow said in an elevated tone of voice, fury lacing her words, further stunning Applejack. "You can't just kiss me and start all this and then hide me away like a dirty little secret!"

"Ah t-told ya Ah ain't a-ashamed of ya!" Applejack countered, still slightly stunned.

"Bull!" Rainbow yelled, moving up to Applejack. Applejack took a step back. "We both know that's a lie!"

"Ah'm serious, Rainbow..." Applejack began, trailing off.

"You really are an awful liar..." Rainbow said, lowering her voice. "I guess that really could be said...you're the element of honesty..."

"Rainbow, ah-"

"Applejack, this...this wholething is killing me. It tears me up inside because what we have..." Rainbow stepped toward Applejack, eyes full of hope, a small smile on her face. "I love it so much. I haven't been this happy in a long, long time. Whenever I'm with you...I feel like I can do anything! I feel like I could overcome any obstacle. I want us to be together for the sake of being together, andnot be scared of what anypony else thinks..." Rainbow's smile faded and she looked Applejack in the eyes, who looked down at the ground.

"Ah'm..." Applejack said, looking for something to say.

"I'm just...gonna go home." Rainbow said, beginning to fly away, a look of hurt on her face.

"Rainbow..." Applejack said, her stomach sinking with regret.

"I'll see you later." Rainbow said before finally speeding into the orange sky. Applejack looked on after her, wanting so badly to run and find her, to tell her how much she really did mean to her. Applejack sighed as she turned and left the fields outside Ponyville for Sweet Apple Acres. Upon entering Ponyville, Applejack laid her eyes upon Sugarcube corner, the domain of the couple who seemed to hate fillyfooling more than anything. A feeling of dread entered her as she thought about what could possibly happen if they were to know about her and Rainbow. Would they still even talk to Pinkie Pie, knowing she was a friend of two fillyfoolers? What would the general public think about the number one apple vendor in Ponyville if they discovered she was in a relationship with another mare?

Applejack somberly walked back into Sweet Apple Acres to be greeted by Big Macintosh, who was finishing up his load of work for the day.

"Heya, sis. How was your time with Fluttershy? Get all them rabbits rounded up?" He said, happy to see his sister.

"Uhh...yeah. It was pretty easy once the lil' varmits realized I wasn't gonna hurt 'em." Applejack replied, not stopping to make conversation with her brother. She loped up into the farmhouse, looking upon Granny Smith, sitting in front of the fireplace.

"Evenin', honey. Ya don't look so good." Granny Smith said.

"To tell the truth, Granny, Ah'm not feelin' so good right now." Applejack said, the feeling of dread still coursing through her.

"Wanna talk about it?" Granny said. "Ya can tell me anythin'. Applebloom's asleep, and Big Mac is still finishin' up outside." Applejack regarded her grandmother for a moment before subtly nodding. Granny Smith offered a satisfied smile. "So, sweetie, tell me what's wrong." Applejack sighed lightly before she began.

"Well, Ah'm kinda involved with this pony, who'll remain nameless for right now." Granny Smith nodded. "And this pony...well...not many would approve of our relationship, Ah think. And any time we're alone, Ah really just wanna hold this pony and spend all my time with her-him!" Applejack's stomach leaped as she quickly tried to cover herself. Granny Smith didn't seem to notice Applejack say "her", so she continued. "It's a...him. But whenever anypony even comes close to seein' us together, Ah just...kinda...stop lovin' on him."

"Well, does your time with 'im feel ill spent?" Granny Smith asked. "Like your doin' somethin' wrong?" Applejack considered the question for a moment.

"Uh....Ah...maybe?" Was all she offered as a reply.

"What it could possibly be, is that your gettin' excited by bein' with him." Granny Smith elaborated. "An' so that's why whenever you're alone, you're all happy to be with 'im, but ya don't wanna be seen by anyone else lovin' on 'im."

"Maybe..." Applejack said.

"Do ya feel bad or guilty whenever ya shun 'im in public?" Granny Smith asked.

'Yes.' Applejack thought.

"Uhmm...Ah, uh....no..." Applejack said, looking down at the floor.

"Well, then, what Ah'd say is that alla this is just a phase. It'll pass eventually. Sleep on it. Maybe go spend some time tomorrow with Twilight, or Rarity," Granny smith said. "or Rainbow Dash. Talk to 'em about it."

Rainbow Dash...the name reverberated in her head like a raquetball thrown by Iron Will. It made her elated, and yet sick to her stomach. It reminded her why she felt so awful about herself at that moment. She pushed these feelings aside and looked at her grandmother.

"Thanks, Granny." Applejack said. "Ah'm actually pretty tired...Ah think Ah might turn in early tonight."

"Alright. G'night, sweetie. Ah hope Ah helped." Granny Smith said kindly.

"Ya did. Night." Applejack said as she went to her room. She wouldn't be sleeping on this night however. She had entirely too much to think about.

Ssssssssssss...... Bacon