(Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Applebloom, and Rainbow Dash are property of Hasbro, Lauren Faust I guess, and whoever else made Friendship is Magic. All your base, however, belong to us.)

Chapter 1: An Apple for your thoughts.

'It's a wonder I never noticed it before,' Applejack thought to herself as she trotted slowly down a row of trees in her orchard. 'At that party, when Rainbow Dash…' the earth pony blushed as the pegasus' face came into focus in her mind's eye.

Suddenly above her she noticed something dart quickly overhead. Applejack looked up smiling, thinking it might be Rainbow, but it was only a bird.

'Tarnation, girl, you've gotta get yer mind off it… No way she's the least bit innerested in you, anyhow,' the orange pony sighed and walked on, head a little closer to the ground.

…..

Meanwhile Rainbow Dash was busy clearing clouds out of the sky, with her usual high speed and exuberance.

'That sure was a great party Pinkie threw last night,' the powder blue Pegasus mused. 'But her parties are always great. I wonder if she's ever gonna ask me to go pranking again. That sure was fun… Gilda…' Rainbow sighed out loud, slowing to a hover above Twilight's library.

'Stop it, Dash. If she's gonna be a jerk to your new friends, let her! We don't need her, anyway. We've got Pinkie, and Applejack, and Twilight, and Fluttershy…' Rainbow Dash sighed again, sinking to the ground. 'But none of them can make me feel the way Gilda did…'

….

"Hi Applejack!" Pinkie Pie bounded over to her, with her usual almost manic grin.

"Uh, howdy there, Pinkie Pie," Applejack smiled back, a little shaky. The pink pony's overly-excited nature never did sit well with her. "Um, I jus' came in fer some cupcakes. I'm gonna throw Applebloom a little surprise party, since it's her birthday t'morra."

"Oh oh oh!" Pinkie Pie hopped with delight. "Party party party! Okay Applejack, I've got just the kind for you around here somewhere. Back in a flash!"

As the party-obsessed pony disappeared into the kitchen of the pastry shop, Rainbow Dash entered through the front door, shaking her head and looking down.

'Maybe something sweet will cheer me up,' she thought.

"Oh, hay there, Rainbow Dash," Applejack turned to greet the Pegasus.

"Huh? Oh, hi Applejack," she smiled weakly, obviously distracted.

"What's the matter? Somethin' on yer mind?" the earth pony asked, concerned.

"No, it's nothing… I'm fine," she sighed, not making eye contact.

"Doesn't take much t' see that yer not," Applejack frowned. "Why won'tcha talk t' me about it, sugarcube?"

"It's not something you could help with," Rainbow Dash sighed.

"Cupcakes! Cupcakes cupcakes cupcakes!" Pinkie Pie sang out, returning with a tray of the small pastries. "Here ya go, Applejack! Twelve cupcakes for little Applebloom's birthday!"

"Thank ya kindly, Pinkie Pie," she nodded. "Rainbow, you know where t' find me if you ever wanna talk about anythin'," Applejack said, looking at her sympathetically.

"Thanks, Applejack," the Pegasus nodded, watching the cowboy hat wearing pony leave with her cupcakes.

"So Rainbow Dash, what can I do for you?" Pinkamina asked cheerfully.

"I don't know, just gimme something sweet," Rainbow replied.

….

Applebloom's party went off without a hitch; everypony there had a great time, especially the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Finding an excuse to leave for a while, Applejack went back to her orchard, and thought about the colorful Pegasus. She sighed, wondering if Rainbow Dash would ever know how she felt, and if she found out, would she feel the same way? Applejack idly kicked a tree, causing an apple to fall onto her back. Smiling, the earth pony turned to eat it when she heard a voice cry out in protest.

"Hay! What're you doin' down there?" Rainbow Dash, who had been napping in that very tree, poked her head through the foliage to look at Applejack. "Oh, Applejack, you woke me up. Sorry about sleepin' in your tree," she blushed lightly.

"Ah, that's okay, Rainbow," the cowpony smiled. "My apple trees are always welcome to my friends."

"Applejack? I didn't want to talk about it in front of Pinkie Pie, but… there's been somethin' on my mind lately…" the tree-borne pegasus hesitated.

"Well shoot, sugarcube, y' weren't keepin' that t' yerself too well," Applejack smiled. "Get on down here so we can talk."

Rainbow fluttered down to earth, scratching her leg with her hoof a little awkwardly.

"I've um, been thinking about what happened at the party last night, and about, like, stuff," Rainbow Dash looked away, blushing.

Applejack noticed a bit of white frosting clinging to the side of the pegasus' mouth and quickly licked it off, causing Rainbow to blush more deeply.

"Y' had a bit a somethin' there," Applejack explained, turning red herself.

"Th-thanks," Rainbow stuttered, shifting, uncomfortable. "U-um, so what're you doin' out here? Shouldn't you be at Applebloom's party?"

"Well I was, but to be honest, havin' all them little fillies around was wearin' on my nerves. And hay now! I could ask you the same question, missy!"

"Oh well, I was um, in the neighborhood, and… You don't really wanna hear all about my boring story do ya?"

Applejack frowned at her friend's nervous grin.

"Fine…" Rainbow sighed. "I wanted to talk to you, and I got tired, so I took a little nap, waiting for the party to be over, and… that's it."

"What'd you wanna talk about?"

"Well, I've just been a little… lonely, I guess. I mean, Gilda was a really good friend, and sometimes I miss her. And… it's great being with you guys and all, but…"

"But what?" Applejack tilted her head, confused.

"But… Nopony has ever made me… feel the way Gilda did… She um… did… things… that felt… really good…" Rainbow blushed, turning redder as she spoke.

The earth pony tilted her head. "Alright, ya lost me."

The light blue pegasus sighed. "AJ? I uh… I like… other mares…" she trembled, looking away.

"O-oh," it was the earth pony's turn to blush. "U-um… N-never knew that about you…" she fidgeted.

"Yeah, so, um… Can I… Aw geez, this isn't cool," Rainbow sighed and turned to fly off.

"Wait!" AJ called out. "What were ya gonna say?"

"Ohhh!" the pegasus whined, returning to land. "Gah, I was just gonna ask you to *mumble-mumble*."

"How's that?"

She took a breath. "I wanted to have somepony *further mumbling*."

"Come again?"

"Never mind, I'm outta here!" Rainbow Dash flew off, frustrated by all the mixed feelings coursing through her.

"But… Rainbow!" Applejack called after her. "I just… wanted to help…" she sighed, and reluctantly returned to the party, which had begun to wind down.