An Inconvenient Attachment // Appledash

chapter 3

"Yeah!" Rainbow Dash shouted, punching a fist into the air as the soccer ball went straight into the goal. She looked to her right at the row of soccer balls she had lined up. Crystal Prep was coming to Canterlot High in two weeks to compete in a soccer tournament and she was NOT losing. Every minute she got after school, Rainbow spent on the field, making sure she was as awesome as she could be by the time the game rolled around. Rainbow immersed herself into sports, the crowds cheers sustaining her. But recently the crowds have been more silent. Well not really, there were still lots of people there, just less students cheering for HER. Which was insane given she's the best athlete Canterlot has.

Applejack flickered through her mind. She used to go to all of Rainbows games and she would always be the one cheering the loudest. 'Ah'll always be your number one supporter Dash.' She used to say. Of course her other friends were sometimes there too. But Applejack was special. She never missed even one.

But after the incident they never spoke to eachother again. Applejack never turned up to any of her games anymore and without her, Rainbow lost all her confidence. That's when she learnt she could never rely on someone as deeply as she did Applejack. After some time she started to forget everything they had. She kept telling herself Applejack was just holding her back, but in reality... she missed her. It wasn't her stupid bakesale thing that hurt Rainbow, it was the fact Applejack stopped talking to her after that. Rainbow just had to assume they were over, but they were young at the time and lacked the maturity they needed to resolve such a small problem.

'It's in the past now,' Rainbow told herself. She flushed the memories out of her head and took a few steps back, lining herself up with the next ball in the line. She took a few running jumps forward and struck the ball. Unsurprisingly, it went in the goal. A smirk formed on her face, 'Crystal Prep is so going dow-,'

"Hey Rainbow Dash."

'Huh?'

Rainbow almost fell backwards in shock and couldn't believe it. Rainbow knows that voice too well to be in denial of it. Her heart started to beat faster, omygoshomygoshomygosh.

'No no no, play it cool Rainbow Dash.' Rainbow moved down the line of soccer balls and brought her leg back, ready to kick it, completely ignoring Applejack.

"Rainbow?" Applejack repeated.

'Don't give in yet Dash, let her see how awesome you've become without her.' She thought smugly. Rainbow used any energy she had left in her and hit that ball so hard it flew straight to the centre of the goal, punching through the net and breaking through to the other side. 'Wow i've never done that befo-...'

"RAINBOW DASH!" Applejack shouted into her ear.

"WOAH," Rainbow yelled in surprise, falling off balance away from Applejack. "OH hey Apples." Rainbow finally replied, turning to face AJ and placing her hands on her hips as if she never fell.

"Couldn't you hear me?" Applejack asked. She wasn't stupid, Applejack knew that Dash was ignoring her. She's always been full of herself. It was one of the stupid things that made her fall for her years ago. But now she just found it annoying.

"Sorry AJ I was just so focused you know...with the game coming up?"

"Actually ah didn't know there was going to be a game."

"Oh, okay."

An awkward silence followed but then Applejack remembered why she was talking to Rainbow in the first place.

"Ah just wanted to ask why you never turned up for mah bakesale ages ago." Applejack interrogated, looking down at Rainbow.

Dash glanced up and met a pair of green eyes drilling into her magenta ones. "Why are you bringing this up now AJ?"

"Because ah believe Sunset Shimmer has something to do with it." Applejack replied sternly.

Rainbow raised her eyebrows in question. "Why do you think tha-, wait WHAT, I didn't turn up for YOUR bakesale? I brought the whole soft ball team and you weren't even there. I looked like an idiot AJ!"

"Are you sure you went to the right location? On the right day?"

"Yes i'm sure, I got your text about the date change too, I didn't go on the wrong day i'm sure of it." Rainbow argued, insulted that Applejack would question her loyalty. If it's anyones fault here it's hers. Rainbow turned around and positioned herself behind the next ball and prepared to strike.

"I never sent you any text Rainbow Dash." Applejack said in defence, crossing her arms over her chest.

Rainbows leg stopped halfway through the kick. "You DIDNT?" Rainbow hollered, whipping herself around to face AJ.

"Nope."

"So...you think Sunset Shimmer sent me that text, supposedly from you, so I went on the wrong day thinking you cancelled on ME, and so when you went on the ACTUAL DAY you'd think I bailed on YOU?"

"Yeah..." Applejack replied softly tilting her head down. Something was on her mind. Rainbow may not have spoken to AJ in years, but she could still read her like a book. The only book she'd be willing to read honestly.

"What are you thinking AJ...?" Rainbow asked, taking a few steps closer to Applejack.

"It's just...Ah'm a might sorry Rainbow. I should've handled it more maturely and asked you about why you never showed up sooner...Ah never really wanted to lose you, Ah wasn't thinking clearly and-"

"That's not an excuse AJ. You SHOULDVE been more mature about it." Rainbow said bluntly, not accepting Applejacks apology. Dash crossed her arms and turned her head away from AJ, knowing that if she looked at her again, her emotions expose themselves.

"Well you could've said something to me too!" Applejack huffed, narrowing her eyes at Rainbow.

"..."

Rainbow slowly lifted her head up at Applejack, realisation slowly setting in. Not about who's fault it was, but that she was just given the opportunity to be on good terms with AJ again...and she was blowing it big time.

"I'm sorry too AJ."

Rainbow never apologised, not even in all their years of being together. Applejack would take that for now but she'll likely force a better apology out of her later on. At least things were slightly better now.

Not getting a response from Applejack Rainbow broke the silence. "Well anyways I-," but before she could finish, Applejack grabbed Rainbows shoulders and brought her into an embrace, bending her head to rest on top of the other.

Rainbows arms stiffened, taken aback by the sudden action. But the familiarity of her warmth slowly set in and she returned the hug. Rainbow wrapped her arms around Applejacks waist and pulled her closer, smelling the apple scent embedded in her shirt. She would never admit it, but she missed her hugs...
A lot.

In the distance, the four girls were sitting on the bleachers, two pink haired-two purple, trying to read their friends lips and deduce what they were saying.

"They look like they're arguing?" Pinkie guessed, squinting her eyes to get a better view.

"At least they're actually talking, that's a good sign!" Rarity exclaimed.

They continued watching the two girls converse. Twilight was starting to get worried as they seemed to be disagreeing. But then they hugged.

"Oooooo hugs! Hugs are always good!" Pinkie shouted, stating the obvious. Twilight turned towards Pinkie to agree with her, but before she could she was interrupted by Applejack calling across the field as she and Rainbow walked over to the group.

"SOMEONE, and I think we can all guess who...told Rainbow Dash that..."

Applejack continued talking and explaining to the girls what actually happened with the bakesale, but Rainbow Dash started to tune out. She heard all this before already. She turned her head to look at AJ like she was listening to what she was saying, but instead of listening she was just staring at her, admiring her features. 'No Rainbow stop it that's creepy.' She told herself, quickly shifting her gaze away from AJ and to the soccer ball she tucked under her arm that was falling loose. Rainbow slowly joined reality again and heard the end of Applejacks sentence.

"-and thought ah'd cancelled on her."

"That actually makes a lot of sense now..." Fluttershy commented.

Rainbow quickly changed the topic. She had some questions for this new Twilight girl.

"So you're looking to dethrone Sunset Shimmer and become Princess of the Fall Formal huh?" She asked, walking towards her.

Twilight sheepishly nodded her head with a small smile on her face.

"Gotta say...I'd love to see that happen." Rainbow admitted, starting to bounce the soccer ball on her knee repeatedly. "I'll totally help you out. All you gotta do is beat me in a game of one on one." Rainbow finished, letting the soccer ball fall to the floor and resting a foot up on it.

Twilight's smile faded into fear, "What..?"

"First to five goals wins." Rainbow clarified. Rainbow kicked the soccer ball
up onto her head expertly and balanced it there before butting it up. Rainbow eyed the ball and jumped up into the air and prepared to kick it. She brought back her leg and aimed right for the ball. She hit it with so much strength that you could almost see fire trailing behind the ball as it went into the goal.

"One to Zip!" She called to Twilight, running to go get the ball.

Twilight gulped and slowly took a step onto the field. She was terrified, but she had to try...