Chapter 9:

Rainbow Dash led Thunder Light down another street in Ponyville, heading away from the main part of the town and out to the outskirts, where there were fewer buildings around and more and more fields beginning to become apparent. Rainbow Dash and Thunder Light were trotting slowly side by side, trying to think of something to say to past the time, though neither of them didn't know what to talk about, since they had talked about most of the things that they wanted to talk about in Sugarcube Corner; this was the point where they had to think of something to talk about, and fast; if they wanted to keep themselves from getting bored during the walks to and fro Ponyville and the various places she had to take Thunder Light to and show. Rainbow Dash kicked up a bit of dirt from the road they were traveling down to Sweet Apple Acres, and said, "So…wanna talk about anything?"

Thunder Light shook his head after a few seconds, saying, "Can't think of anything to talk about, sorry." Rainbow Dash nodded slightly, saying, "OK…" before silence overwhelmed the two again and they continued walking down the dirt path to Applejack and the barn. The walk was starting to get awkward to say the least; the two Pegasi were walking down the dirt road, not a word passing their muzzles as they walked. "Uh, I can't take it anymore," said Rainbow Dash suddenly, before she unfolded her wings and took off a few feet into the air next to Thunder Light, hovering a few feet above where she might have walked. Thunder Light looked up at Rainbow Dash slightly, and said, "I'll be looking forward to when I can start flying again…Being kept on the ground like this is driving me crazy…" Rainbow Dash felt a small pad of sympathy for the grounded Pegasus, but she couldn't help but say, "Well, yeah; flying is pretty good when you're so used to it…be a real pity if you were never able to fly again…" as she slowly allowed a smirk to form on her rounded muzzle. Thunder Light rolled an eye at her sarcastically, but smiled back up at her; again, Rainbow Dash felt that feeling in her gut spreading to her heart slowly, and she really wanted to find out what that feeling was; maybe she'd go to Twilight…

'No! Twi'll think I've gone all mushy over some stallion!' Thought Rainbow Dash, before she felt heat rush to her cheeks as she realised what she just thought; she hadn't gone all mushy over some stallion…had she? And if she did…then who? Rainbow Dash felt her eyes being drawn to the side which had Thunder Light on, and Rainbow Dash instantly looked to the other side again; she couldn't let on to Thunder Light that maybe there was the slightest possible chance she could have gone all mushy over some stallion that she had just met a few days ago. 'I'll never heard the end of it,' thought Rainbow Dash, a bitter look on her face.

Thunder Light seemed to notice the look of bitterness on the mare Pegasus' face and he cleared his throat, saying, "Dash, you alright?" Rainbow Dash quickly turned her head to look down at Thunder Light, instantly trying to change her face from the bitter look to that of a calm look, and said, "Yeah, sure; I'm fine, why'd you ask?" Thunder Light looked up at Rainbow Dash, looking into her rosy red eyes, and noticed how quickly the expression on her face had changed from the bitterness to the calmness, and he said, "…No reason," as he returned to looking forward, still trotting along the dirt road to wherever Rainbow Dash was taking him. Rainbow Dash turned her head around to face in front of her, trying to hide the faint tint of blush on her cheeks; she had looked back into Thunder Light's eyes discreetly, and she felt that same feeling deep in her chest, flowing towards her heart. 'I really need to get this looked at; don't want it to be something that'll prevent me from flying,' thought Rainbow Dash to herself, before she quickly shook her head, rubbing the back of her mane to make it look like she was just ruffling her mane.

"So, who and where're we heading to go?" asked Thunder Light, startling Rainbow Dash had his sudden question, and she lost concentration on her flying; she fell to the ground, kicking up a small cloud of dirt around herself and Thunder Light. Thunder Light waved a hoof in the air, trying to clear the dirt cloud from him before he took a step forward to see Rainbow Dash, shaking the dirt that had landed on her coat when the cloud had settled. Rainbow Dash tried to get up herself, but was stunned to see Thunder Light offering a hoof for her, saying, "Need a hoof up?" Rainbow Dash looked at the offered hoof for a second before she lifted her own hoof up; only to push Thunder Light's hoof away and getting up by herself, shaking her body to get the thin layer of dirt that had landed on her from the cloud. She ruffled her mane to get the dirt out and said, "I'm good," as she quickly began to trot forward again.

Thunder Light looked at her for a second, confused as to why she had acted like that when he had offered a hoof to help her up, but shrugged it off and slowly trotted after her. Rainbow Dash had a slight tint of blush on her cheeks again; she had never been used to stallions or colts offering to help her up, since she had that type of personality that didn't like accepting help from guys, and that she wanted to do things herself and not want help from most people; excluding her friends, of course….Rainbow Dash then saw the place they were all the way out here; Sweet Apple Acres, the red barn standing out against the green leafs and brown fields.

"Now we just need to find Applejack," said Rainbow Dash to Thunder Light, drawing the stallion's attention away from the view in front of him and to Rainbow Dash. "I'm guessing this Applejack is another one of your friends you're gunna introduce me to?" asked Thunder Light with a raised eyebrow, and Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes in response, saying, "Another saying like that and you'll be on your own! And yes, Applejack is another one of my friends; she's also the pony that helps towards the apples that you had in that pie; which you said, if I remember, was the best you've ever had." Thunder Light's eyes shifted to the side for what Rainbow Dash said first, though he looked back at her when she added the second part, and said, "Yeah, I guess you're right…"

With a victorious smirk on her muzzle, Rainbow Dash returned to flapping her wings a few times to get into the air, before continuously flapping them as she hovered a few feet about the air, flying towards Sweet Apple Acres. Thunder Light followed after Rainbow Dash on hoof, keeping an eye out for any pony that could be this 'Applejack' Rainbow Dash was on about.

A few more minutes walking later, they arrived at the arch at the entrance of Sweet Apple Acres, Thunder Light looking around beyond the leaf-covered arch, seeing the red barn, as well as fields of various crops going along for as far as the eye could see; he could also see that quite a few of the fields had apple trees filling them, the fresh red and light green apples standing against the dark green of the leafs on the trees. Rainbow Dash opened her forelegs up while she was still in flight, gesturing to the whole of Sweet Apple Acres, and said to Thunder, "Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres!" Thunder Light whistled in impressment and said, "Impressive place here; really like to meet whoever runs it."

Rainbow Dash said, "Well, you're gunna meet 'em; Applejack for now, but you'll probably meet the rest of the Apple family if you're gunna stay here long enough." With that, Rainbow Dash flew through the arch and into the Sweet Apple Acres, Thunder Light following behind her, looking around the fields and at the barn to see if he could see any of the Apple family that Rainbow Dash was on about. Rainbow Dash looked around; she saw Big Macintosh ploughing one of the fields, ready for some sort of crops to be planted, but she would introduce Thunder Light to him later, or Thunder Light would end up meeting the stallion later; whichever came first. Rainbow Dash suddenly saw the familiar orange coat of her friend and Element of Honesty in one of the fields that was filled with apple trees, bucking her hind legs back against trees and knocking the apples out of the trees, and into baskets.

"There she is," said Rainbow Dash aloud, getting Thunder Light's attention away from looking at the barn, and the cyan Pegasus flew towards the working Earth pony; the black coated Pegasus stallion following behind her. "Yo, Applejack!" said Rainbow Dash loudly, getting the attention of the Earth pony, though at the wrong moment; Applejack had just bucked her hind legs against the tree, and the apples were just falling out of the tree at the same time Rainbow Dash had shouted out. Most of the apples landed in the baskets at the base of the tree, though a few of the apples landed on Applejack's Stetson covered head. "Rainbow Dash! Watch it when y'all 're shoutin' like that!" said Applejack, her southern accent coming through easily in her voice as she rubbed the side of her head, shifting her brown hat to the side slightly as she glared at Rainbow Dash under her hat, not yet noticing the stallion standing a bit behind Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash rolled an eye with a smirk as she said, "Well, pardon me, AJ! I'm just showin' the new pony in town around Ponyville; thought I'd show him here as well, since he thought the apples you sent to the Cakes' were the best he'd ever had." Applejack tilted her head slightly, righting her Stetson on her head and said, "You're showin' somepony 'round Ponyville? And where might this pony be?"

Applejack then looked around Rainbow Dash and saw Thunder Light; Applejack raised an eyebrow slightly at the stallion, who smiled back at Applejack kindly and waved a hoof at her. Applejack then turned back to Rainbow Dash and said, "Never knew you're one tu show som' stallion 'round Ponyville." Rainbow Dash shrugged, saying, "Well, why not? I want to make sure he gets a good impression on him; y'know, makes she he sees how awesome I am!" Applejack rolled an eye as she made a slightly annoyed frown on her muzzle, before she trotted past Rainbow Dash and towards Thunder Light. "Well howdy there, newcomer; name's Applejack, and Sweet Apple Acres," said Applejack when she had reached Thunder Light, tipping her hat forward slightly in greeting to the stallion, smiling at Thunder Light.

Thunder Light smiled back and bowed his head slightly, saying, "Well, thank you very much for the greeting, Mrs Applejack; and I'm guessing you're from the south of Equestria, judging from your accent?" Applejack smiled and tipped her Stetson back, revealing her face fully to Thunder Light and said, "You'd be right in sayin' that, Mr…? Sorry; don't think I caught yer name." Thunder Light replied, "Oh, where are my manners? Name's Thunder Light; though you can just call me Light, Mrs Applejack." The orange coated, long blonde mane and tailed Earth pony flashed a smile at Thunder Light, saying, "Well, thank ya kindly, Light."

As Applejack and Thunder Light shared names and greetings, Rainbow Dash stayed where she had been standing when she had first talked to Applejack that day; she watched the two greeting each other and smile at the other. For some reason, Rainbow Dash felt a slight bitterness in her stomach and heart when she saw Applejack and Thunder Light smiling at each other; she had no idea what was causing the feelings in her stomach, but she felt a great bitterness to the Earth mare. Was she…jealous of Applejack? 'Why would I be jealous of Applejack, of all ponies?! I mean, sure; we've had our differences and such, but…jealous?! Why would I be jealous? Can't be because of…Thunder Light?!' thought Rainbow Dash, startled at the fact that she might be jealous of Applejack, and al because she was…what, just talking to Thunder Light?!

Rainbow Dash shook her head violently, trying to clear it of thinking Applejack was stealing Thunder Light away from her- 'Oh come on! I'm thinking she's stealing him away from me! What is wrong with me?!' thought Rainbow Dash, almost screaming inside her head, and almost creaming on the outside; Rainbow Dash's front hooves instantly flew over her mouth to stop herself from suddenly and randomly screaming in front of Thunder Light and Applejack; she really didn't want to damage her reputation on Applejack, and she didn't want Thunder Light to think that she was different to what she was actually like.

Applejack and Thunder Light didn't seem to notice Rainbow Dash almost letting an outburst; when Rainbow Dash lowered her hoof from her muzzle, she saw that Applejack and Thunder Light were still talking, having slowly started walking away from Rainbow Dash and towards one of the apple trees that still had its apples on it. A disappointed and saddened feeling filled Rainbow Dash's heart; it was almost sure now, that Applejack was taking more and more of Thunder Light's attention away from her; and she was the one who had been showing him around Ponyville all day! With a bitter look on her face and in her heart, Rainbow Dash slowly followed behind Applejack and Thunder Light on hoof.

"Right; so, how do you do that 'apple-bucking' again?" asked Thunder Light, pausing for a moment to make sure that he got the phrase Applejack had told him right. Applejack flashed a smile at him and said, "Just watch and learn," as she trotted forward, closer to the tree and turned her back to it. She then bucked her hind legs back and struck the tree with a great force; the tree shook from the force of the strike and the apples, as well as the leafs, quivered slightly. It didn't take long before the apples began falling from their place on the tree and into the baskets at the foot of the tree. Once the bright green and red apples had settled into the baskets, Applejack turned to look at Thunder Light again and said, "'Right; your turn." Thunder Light nodded, before turning to another tree that still had the apples in it, and walking slowly towards it.

Rainbow Dash continued to watch bitterly as Applejack taught Thunder Light the basics of apple bucking, and she sat down on her haunches; this was going to take a bit of time…


Half an hour had passed since Rainbow Dash had first brought Thunder Light to Sweet Apple Acres to introduce him to Applejack; and she had spent most of the time watching Thunder Light being taught apple bucking by Applejack. Rainbow Dash had this feeling in her stomach and heart that there was something that had sparked between the Earth pony and the Pegasus stallion when they had first been introduced to each other, since they had been talking to each other and smiling at one another. Rainbow Dash sighed heavily and in an annoyed manner, tracing her hoof around in a circle in the dirt for what felt like the millionth time. She glanced over at the sun; it was slowly dipping behind the horizon, and Princess Luna had begun her work in rising the moon.

She sighed heavily again and got up to all four of her hooves, before quickly flying towards Applejack and Thunder Light, who had moved over to one of the trees Applejack had already bucked the apples out of and were talking idly. Rainbow Dash cleared her throat loudly, getting the attention of the Earth and Pegasus ponies. "Oh, sorry 'bout that there, Dash; got caught up talkin' to Light 'ere," said Applejack, gesturing with a hoof to Thunder Light, who smiled sheepishly at Rainbow Dash; the mare Pegasus glaring back at him. "It's alright, AJ; we just really need to get going. Got to get him back to Rarity's before she gets annoyed at him," said Rainbow Dash, still a slight bitterness tone to her words as she folded her forelegs while she hovered. Thunder Light smiled sheepishly at Applejack, saying, "Sorry, AJ; I'd better get goin'."

Applejack smiled and winked at Thunder Light, causing to stallion to blush slightly as Applejack said, "Well, you're welcome here any time, ya hear?" Thunder Light smiled and thanked Applejack one more time before he followed behind Rainbow Dash, who had lowered herself to the ground enough so that she could tap her hoof impatiently against the dirt ground. Applejack waved a hoof at Thunder Light as he and a secretly spiteful Rainbow Dash left Sweet Apple Acres behind as they headed back towards the centre of Ponyville.


Ooh...a little triangle seems to be starting to form...

Anyway, this will be the last chapter until next Wednesday...then again, I'll probably go back on my word and there'll be another chapter up tomorrow. Word of advice; don't hold me to my word.

As always, R&R.

Nf991