Rainbow Dash sighed, sitting comfortably within the small office. There was someone else there talking to her, but her focus was on the clear blue sky outside the window just past them. It was basically preaching anyway, accented by the scribbles of a quill on paper. They had been droning on for minutes about things Dash could care less about, even if they were important. Her thoughts were with the sky, the freedom it brought, and how little she had left.

“Dash, are you happy?” The question was a hard one to answer, and hardly important to boot. Dash was starting to wonder why she even agreed to come. All the questions and philosophical nothings were a bore, and there wasn’t anything to fix, at least nothing urgent. The couch was uncomfortable now, or she was just feeling cooped up as she shuffled slightly on it.

Dash was silent, still focused on the window. “Why wouldn’t I be?” she said, imagining herself soaring through the blue with the wind in her mane. What she wouldn’t give to be out of this room.

“Because other ponies seem to think you might have some problems in your relationship.”

Right, that was why she was here. Because everyone else wanted to think there was problem. There wasn’t. Things with Applejack were fine. Fine is better than bad, even if it isn’t as great as good. Dash sighed, finally tearing her eyes from the window to look at her inquisitor. “Twilight, do you have to be so formal about this?”

Twilight looked up from the notepad hovering in front of her. “I thought you might benefit from a bit of structure dur—”

“I’d benefit from talking to my friend, not a psychiatrist,” Dash stated as she shuffled in her seat. She stared back at the sky, and a pegasus flying by just outside the window.

Twilight sighed and placed the pad and quill down before waving her hoof in front of the window. “Fine. Then stop ignoring me, Dash.”

Dash shook her head before looking back at Twilight. “Sorry, just... other things on my mind.”

“That aren’t important?”

What’s really important anyway? “I guess,” Dash said, shrugging. “This isn’t exactly a good use of my time so far.”

“Because you spent all of it looking out a window.” Twilight pulled the shades over the window behind her, and all of the other ones within the room. Dash could still see the sliver of blue between the red drapes, but it was enough to take her mind away from it.

“Like you were saying anything insightful to begin with, after dragging me here.”

“I didn’t drag you here,” Twilight replied, scribbling something down on the notepad, now on the desk beside her. “I invited you over after hearing about the problems you’ve ha—”

“Not. Any. Problems,” Dash stated, folding her forelegs as she laid back on the couch. “And AJ suggested it, not you.”

“... After talking about this with Applejack, she thought it would be a good idea if you had a chance to talk about everything... confidentially.”

“Cause I’m sooo good at opening up, right?” Dash stared up at the ceiling. She didn’t even keep anything from Applejack, so what was there to talk about?

“She said things are rough.”

“Nothing is perfect.”

“That you argue.”

“Who doesn’t?” Dash heard more scribbles. Great, Twilight was playing psychiatrist again..

“That you don’t seem as happy as you used to, when you were dating.”

Twilight left the statement hanging for a few moments. Dash didn’t want to respond to it. After all, things change over time, even what makes you happy, and how much it does. She was happy then. She was content now. At least she wasn’t sad, like some ponies are, and marriage... Marriage was different than dating. It was still love; it just wasn’t... exciting? Eventful? Important? No, it was still important.

Dash felt uncomfortable. It was probably the couch again. She sat up, looking down at her hooves for a moment before glancing over to Twilight. “Things are fine. We’re both still happy. We have disagreements, but so does everyone. It’s just how we are. Like a competition.”

Twilight stopped writing when Dash looked up, hoping she wouldn’t notice. She was rather late on that. “Applejack mentioned that.”

“Then that’s all you need to know.” Dash looked up at a clock, tapping her hooves impatiently. “Can I go now?”

“We’ve only been here for ten minutes, Dash. You can stay a while longer.”

“And listen to silence and you talking to yourself?” Dash stated, staring blankly at Twilight.

“... I suppose we can call it a day for now.”

---

Dash groaned, feeling the morning light peeking through her window. She turned over and pulled a pillow over her head. Why couldn’t the sunrise ever be late? She managed to do it often enough, at least when AJ wasn’t—

“Mornin’, sugarcube.”

She knew she felt something while still dreaming. It felt like a head wind, nudging her back and forth as she soared through some new imagined obstacle course. More likely, it was just Applejack getting up before the crack of dawn as usual during harvest time. Dash pulled the pillow off of her head, looking face to face with AJ at the foot of the dead. She stifled a yawn, and stretched for a moment. “Oh, morning AJ.”

“You weren’t thinkin’ ‘bout sleepin’ in again, were ya?”

Dash dragged herself out of the bed, taking a moment to stretch her legs and wings. They were usually a little stiff after sleeping. “I don’t usually think about it, it just happens.”

“I told ya to try workin’ on that... I might need your help soon.” Applejack walked to the door, lingering long enough to watch Dash walk through it.

“I have! I haven’t gotten up past noon in two weeks.” Dash yelped as she felt a hoof jabbed into her side.

“You need to be tryin’ a little harder then.” Applejack trotted past Dash, letting her tail brush against her side. “Come on, I got breakfast ready.”

Dash paused at the top of the stairs, watching Applejack walk down and disappear around a corner into the kitchen. Wake up call. Breakfast ready. Probably the same food as usual, for months on end. Nothing new. She walked down and into the kitchen, not at all surprised at the spread of bread, eggs, fruits, vegetables, and muffins. The muffins were probably from yesterday. There were extras left over yesterday. And there were the two shiny red apples, one by each plate.

Dash sat down at the table, quickly digging into her food. She only stopped when she heard Applejack’s hoof tapping against the table. Rainbow Dash leaned back, licking up some crumbs from her cheek. “Yes?”

“Did you go?” Applejack asked. She took a few bites of food as she waited for Dash to respond.

“Yeah. Don’t see how that’s helping.” “You just need to give it a chance.” Dash idly prodded her food before starting to eat again. Her focus began drifting to the blue sky, just behind Applejack.

“You need to give it a chance, Dash. No one accomplished anything by givin’ up.”

They just find what’s worth trying. “Yeah, whatever. I’ll try again later this week. I have some work to do this afternoon.” That was a lie. Applejack probably already knew it was, and that Dash was going to say it before she did.

“I thought you said the weather team was giving you a few weeks off to help me.”

“Emergency. Trying to get ready for a big storm next week.” That last part was true, thankfully.

Applejack sighed, shrugging her shoulder gently. “Fair ‘nuff. Promise to help tomorrow?”

“Sure.” Compromise. Same as usual. Usually happened three times a week, maybe four.

Breakfast lasted for a few more minutes. Most of the food was gone, except for Dash’s apple. She left it on the table as she got up, walking over to Applejack. She gave her a short kiss and nuzzle. “I’ll be back tonight. Don’t buck too hard. A tree might fall down on you.”

“That’ll probably happen about the time you go crashing into somethin’. Wait, that actually happens now and then.” Applejack smiled after returning the kiss. “Do be careful.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Dash rolled her eyes. She glided across the room, grabbing her saddlebags. After a small pause, she grabbed her apple from the table, dropping it into her bag. She was at the door when Applejack called out to her.

“Oh, and Pinkie is hosting a birthday party this weekend! She invited us, so, make sure not to make any plans.”

“Yeah, I won’t,” Dash muttered to herself. She walked out the front door, taking a moment to look over the orchard of apple trees before soaring above it. It only took her a few minutes to be over the town square in Ponyville, and she quickly found a cloud to sit down on.

It didn’t take Dash long after that to start to doze off again. Letting her thoughts drift to about everything she could imagine. The weather schedule. Wonderbolts try-outs later that year. Old memories. Those didn’t last long. It just wasn’t worth lingering on.

“Dash, are you happy?”

Rainbow Dash turned over on the cloud, trying to push the thought out of mind. She was happy. She didn’t need other ponies questioning that. Especially her friends, and especially with other things to worry about. Fretting and worrying about small things only made them worse anyway, and important; once they were important, you just had to worry about them.

She groaned, sitting up for a moment before bolting into the air. She soared through the sky, weaving between clouds and buzzing rooftops and hills. It only took a minute before she was out of the town entirely, leaving it at her back as she flew towards the mountains. She landed on a cliff on the mountainside and turned back to look at Ponyville. It had grown a bit in the past few years, but it was still just a small town.

Dash pulled the apple from her saddlebags and took a large bite. It was juicier than normal. Probably freshly picked this morning. She didn’t know why Applejack put in so much effort all the time. Wasn’t... important. Dash knew what was important. Getting better. Getting faster. Tryouts. Work... Her work, right?

She dropped the apple and looked out down at Sweet Apple Acres. It had grown, a lot. It was at least twice its size when Twilight had arrived. At least that’s what Applejack had been saying for a few weeks. They’d been living out of their house since the orchard had grown enough. It at least gave them some privacy. Though that was apparently gone with AJ blabbing about there problems.

No, no. There weren’t any problems. Things were fine. She was happy. AJ was happy, mostly. She was happy with work, and happy with family. She wasn’t always happy with Dash, but that was expected, right? Applejack probably changed like Dash did. Even if she didn’t, it was... natural to not be happy all the time. Even Pinkie Pie had rough spots, and that was saying something.

Dash sighed, nudging the half-eaten apple off of the cliff. Maybe she should give Twilight another try, but just once. Maybe she could convince her to just drop it, and then everypony else would just fall in line. After taking a moment to clear her head, she lifted off from the cliff, flying straight to the library.

It had grown, thanks to a few additions Twilight had made. She added two stories and widened the base. That was probably due to ponies actually coming to the library, and that meant she needed more space. That and to keep Spike around. It was weird to see a tree grow while it was being used. That was magic for you, though.

Dash landed at the front door and stepped inside. Twilight was behind the desk she’d placed in the main room, reading over several books floating around her. Spike was across the room, placing some books back on the top shelf. He’d grown... a lot recently. Twilight said it was probably something that happened with most dragons, given how large they end up. Dash could still remember when he’d barely come up to her shoulder, and now he was practically twice as tall as her, and then some.

Twilight looked over as Dash came in. “Rainbow Dash? I... didn’t expect to see you again, at least this soon.” She closed the books and stacked them on the desk before trotting around to meet her.

“Yeah, me neither.” Dash sighed, stretching her wings against her saddlebags. She looked over at Spike. “Can we go upstairs again?”

“Umm, sure. Spike, can you make sure to watch the desk for me?” Spike finished placing the books away and walked over to the desk, grabbing a seat behind it. Twilight led Dash up the stairs to her office, and made sure to close and lock the door behind them.

Dash put her saddlebags down by the door and laid down on the couch once again. It still felt uncomfortable. She stayed quiet as Twilight took her seat near the window. Thankfully, she was smart enough to close the curtains before she started talking this time.

“What did you want to talk about?”

Dash needed a few moments to think. She had to phrase it right. “Why... do you think there’s some problem?” Her hooves were restless, tapping against the couch.

Twilight rubbed a hoof against her chin. “Well, Applejack said that so—”

Dash jabbed her hooves into the couch. “I said you, Twilight. Why do you think there’s a problem.”

Twilight was quiet, opening and closing her mouth without a sound for a few moments. “Well... I guess it would just be an... assumption.”

“Based on what, exactly?”

“Well, there are times where you two have been fighting or arguing.”

“Everyone does,” Dash stated, again, as she rolled onto her back. She thought Twilight would have something new to s—

“Because you both aren’t happy.”

“I am!” Dash shouted, jolting upright on the couch with her wings outstretched. It took a moment of silence before she relaxed and laid back down. “... We both are,” she added, looking down at her hooves.

“Applejack doesn’t think so. She says you’re moody, or off-putting a lot of the time. That you’re not as passionate.”

“Like you’d know anything about... Sorry.” Dash rolled over turning away from Twilight. “Why does everyone have to think that’s a problem?”

Twilight coughed to clear her throat. “Well, most couples are... stable and positive around each other. At least around others.” It was obvious Twilight was trying not to offend Dash.

“And lie.”

“Umm, what do you mean, Dash?” Twilight asked, trying quietly to take notes once again.

“Oh come on!” Dash sat up, hooves raised in the air. “You honestly think every couple in Equestria is all... lovey-dovey every second of their lives? That they walk around happy and cheerful when they aren’t around other ponies?”

Twilight continued writing, even with Dash staring her down. “I would assume most of them are, considering they chose to spend their lives with someone.”

“No, they didn’t. They chose to settle for someone.” Dash tried to look past Twilight to the window, but she could barely see the blue sky behind the drapes.

“Even if they were happy and in love while dating each other?”

“Dating is different.” Dash stood up, trotting back and forth in front of the couch. “When you’re dating, it’s new. You learn about someone, and every date, or moment, or thought with or about them is interesting because you didn’t do it before, even if you don’t learn anything about them. You’re so focused on making impressions or earning their love while they earn yours, that it’s a competition, to see who can make the other fall head over hooves for them. And it’s fun.”

“And, it’s still a competition for the two of you?”

“It wasn’t. Not like that at least, because... we...” Dash looked back at the couch. She felt uncomfortable again, like someone was jabbing her in the back while twisting her stomach into knots. “We knew each other before then. We didn’t have to pretend to be someone to... fall in love.” Dash said it rather flatly, as if the word didn’t mean anything anymore.

“Well, maybe you two should look back on that.”

I do all the time. “Yeah... maybe.” Dash walked towards the door. “Thanks, I guess.”

“Dash... do you really think you’re happy?”

Dash stopped and turned back to face Twilight. “I already said ye—”

“Be honest. As a friend to a friend. Are you happy with Applejack?”

Dash was quiet, tapping her hoof against the ground. “Yes. Yes, I am.”

“Why?”

Dash picked up her saddlebags by the door. “Because... we really do know each other. And even if we aren’t perfect for each other like everypony thinks you need to be, and we fight now and then, we’re still happy.” She opened the door. “Me? I’m happy because we don’t have to lie to each other or anyone else, and if we are messed up as a couple, at least we won’t ever be able to raise a kid in the middle of it.”

Dash shut the door behind her before Twilight could respond. She didn’t waste anytime in leaving, even as Spike tried to say goodbye to her. It was a waste to come back again. It would have been a mistake if she hadn’t left.

---

Dash sat in the living room, looking over the pictures plastered along the walls and mantle while she waited for Applejack. She could see the sun setting just outside the window. The party was soon. She expected AJ to be done already. She was actually surprised she wasn’t. Maybe I should go upstairs, she thought, right before she heard the hoofsteps coming down the stairs.

Dash stood up, looking back at Applejack. “Ready?”

Applejack nodded. “Yeah, let’s go.”

The walk was long just to get out of the orchard. They followed the thin dirt road, twisting in and out of the groves of apple trees and darted by empty carts and baskets. Applejack cleared her throat after a few minutes of silence, and turned to look at Dash. “Dash, Twilight told me about you going to visit her again.”

“And?”

“I thought you said you were busy that day.” Applejack stopped walking, but Dash continued walking forward.

“We... finished up pretty quickly. I had some free time, and thought I’d take your advice,” Dash said, turning to look back at Applejack. “Hurry up, we’re gonna be late.”

“Dash...”

Rainbow Dash groaned, rubbing her hoof against her forehead. “Can we not do this tonight? Let’s just go to Pinkie’s party and enjoy ourselves.”

Applejack frowned and trotted past Dash, knocking into her roughly with her shoulder. “Fine...”

Dash flew past Applejack, hovering next to her. “Applejack! I didn’t mean it like th—”

Applejack stopped, staring at Dash. “No, we’ll talk about it later.” She managed to erase her frown, but it was obvious she had to force even the slightest smile. Dash landed behind her, trotting to keep up as they made their way to Ponyville.

By the time they reached the town, it was night, and most of the ponies on the street were on their way home, unless they were headed towards Sugarcube Corner. The closer they came to the bakery, the more crowded the streets became, and there at the door was Pinkie, trying to funnel the guests.

Applejack leaned over to Dash as they neared the door. “Promise to be good for a while?”

“I am,” Dash whispered back, just before they came to the door.

“Hey guys!” Pinkie shouted as she turned back from the guests she’d just welcomed. “I’m so glad you both made it. I haven’t seen both of you at a party in forever!”

Applejack smiled. “We didn’t wanna go disappointin’ you after ya invited us, Pinkie. I’m sure it’s gonna be a fun get together like always.”

“Well, come on in and have some fun then!” Applejack and Dash smiled and walked into Sugarcube Corner. There were dozens of ponies already enjoying the party games, treats, and punch inside, but Applejack and Dash shuffled past them. They made their way to a corner, finding Rarity and Fluttershy together.

Rarity smiled and sipped from a cup of punch. “... hear that things are going fine for you, Fluttersh— Oh, Applejack, Dash. So good to see you both.” Rarity slid to the side. “Sit down. We haven’t had a chance to talk in ages.”

Applejack and Dash sat down, but Dash quickly ignored the conversation. Rarity and Applejack were playing catch-up about businesses, and Applejack was asking Fluttershy about seeing Winona. She was focused on watching the party, and the ponies still enjoying themselves with someone else. That wasn’t liable to last long.

It wasn’t long before Twilight and Pinkie found their way over to join the four. Twilight had brought over a few cups of punch and a tray of sweets. Someone mentioned Dash’s name; it was just enough to snap her back to reality.

“How are things with you, Dash?” Fluttershy asked.

Dash turned back to the table to see everyone looking at her, and felt a small nudge in her side from Applejack. “I’m fine. Just... been practicing for tryouts, and working with the weather ponies like always.”

“And tryin’ as little as possible to actually help me out,” Applejack added.

“I said I’d start waking up earlier, and I have been,” Dash stated, taking a bite of a cupcake.

Applejack chuckled. “Just be glad I still got Big Mac and Apple Bloom around to help me, or you’d be getting a buck out of bed instead of a nudge.”

“Whatever. It’s not even harvest time yet.”

“Yet bein’ the key word.” The others laughed. Dash forced a chuckle as she looked at Applejack.

“So, you’re both still doing all right then?” Rarity asked.

“Well...” Applejack started before being interrupted by Rainbow Dash.

“Yeah, we’re fine.” Dash grabbed her cup of punch, turning to look back at the party.

Rarity blushed, setting down her cup. “I didn’t mean to offend, Dash.”

“Well, you didn’t. So, let’s just not worry about it,” Dash said with a smile, gulping down her punch.

“R-right...” Rarity rubbed her chin. “How are things with you, Twilight? Are you still planning to back to Canterlot next year?”

Dash felt Applejack’s hoof on her back, nudging her away from the table. “We’re gonna go get some air real quick.” Dash heard Twilight talking about studying at a university as she was led into the crowd, leaving her empty cup on the floor. Applejack only stopped when they reached another empty corner of the room. “Dash...”

“I’m fine, okay? She’s the one that brought up something stupid.” Dash looked back at the table, seeing her friends laughing. She was trying, like always. She knew her friends didn’t mean anything, but everyone else did. She could barely hear them during the walk from the table, but there was more gossip than she could ignore now.

“Do you think they’re fighting again?”

“Wonder what it’s about this time.”

“You think they could find somewhere private.”

Dash glared at the crowd, and as much as she tried to focus on the table with her friends, or Applejack standing just in front of her, she couldn’t. It only took one more comment and chuckle to snap the wire.

“How about you just mind your business, huh?!” Dash shouted at no one.

The entire party went quiet, and Dash could notice Twilight and the others trying to get through the crowd. It took a few moments before someone spoke up from the middle of the crowd. “And why don’t you just take it outside!” There were several “yeah”s that echoed through the crowd.

Dash growled with her wings flared. She could feel Applejack trying to lead her to the door, but she didn’t care anymore. “Why don’t you all just shut up about things you don’t understand, huh?!”

Twilight and the others were trying to get her out of the room, with little success. Twilight was at her side, whispering, “Dash, there’s no reason to make a scene.”

“Yes, there is!” Dash pushed Twilight away, giving the others a chance to start moving her towards the door. She kept struggling to get free from their grip, shouting as she was dragged from the room. “You all think we’re the ones with the problem! We aren’t, because we don’t lie about who we are!” She stopped fighting when she felt Applejack’s hoof over her mouth, stifling her outburst.

“We knew each other before then. We didn’t have to pretend to be someone to... fall in love.”

They’re the ones lying, Dash thought to herself as she saw the night sky above. They’re miserable and stuck, because they have to pretend, and we don’t have to. That has to be how it is. The sky faded to black as she closed her eyes.

---

Dash lay staring at the ceiling in bed. She could hear Applejack talking with the others downstairs, but that was done before too long. She leaned up when she heard the door close, face to face with Applejack. “Applejack—”

“Don’t even start, Dash.” Applejack avoided looking at Dash as she walked over to the other side of the bed. Dash didn’t intend to follow her advice.

“They’re the ones that—”

“Stop blamin’ everyone else, Dash!” Applejack stamped a hoof down. She took a few moments to breathe, relaxing enough to stay calm. “Every. Single. Time. That’s all you do! You’re the one that thinks it’s all about you all the time, and then don’t realise when you’re the problem!”

Dash tried to imagine the night sky above as she stared at the ceiling. “I don’t mean to.”

Applejack sighed. “I know you don’t, but you can’t push your problems on other people because you want to.”

Dash could practically feel the wind blowing through her mane and the cold chill of the night air brushing along her spine. She wanted to be up there now, even if it wasn’t where she needed to be. “I know it’s not always about me...”

“Really? Really?! You yelled at a bunch of people who weren’t even saying anything!”

Dash bolted upright and looked at Applejack. She could still imagine the night sky along the wall behind her. “Yes, they were! They were gossiping and insulting us behind our backs!”

“So what?! Who cares what anyone else says?”

“... I do.” Dash looked down at the bed. She closed her eyes when she started to imagine the faces of everyone talking about them right now. “I do, because they shouldn’t act like they’re any better.”

“Dash, I don’t care what anyone says about us.”

“Then why’d you tell me to talk with Twilight, huh?” Dash slammed her hooves into the bed. “Why was it so important that I talk to her?”

Applejack frowned and shook her head. “Because you’re the one that’s been getting worse, Dash. You keep worrying about the same old things and what people think about you, when you should be focused on us.”

“We’re fine! Things might be repetitive, and boring, and dull, but they’re fine! I don’t need to worry about us, because there’s nothing to worry about!”

“You’re gonna have plenty to worry about soon.”

“Is that about the stupid harvest again?! I told you I’m working on it.” Dash rolled over, turning her back.

“No, it’s not.” Applejack sighed and sat down on the bed. “Twilight told me, about what you said.”

“About what?” Dash kept her back turned and her hooves crossed. She tried to focus on the sky outside the window.

“About you and kids...”

Dash began to relax, slowly turning over. “... Well, it’s not like we can.”

Applejack closed her eyes. “I’ve been talking to a doctor for a few weeks... about doing it, you know, artificially.”

“... Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Why do ya think?” Applejack took a deep breath and turned to face Rainbow Dash. “I know you’ve been practicing more. I know you don’t want to have to worry about something like that now, but...”

“... and if we are messed up as a couple, at least we won’t ever be able to raise a kid in the middle of it.”

Dash crawled over behind Applejack, wrapping her hooves around her. She rested her chin on Applejack’s shoulder, gently nuzzling her.

“You know I’d be a horrible parent,” she said, trying to force a laugh.

“You aren’t that bad RD,” Applejack replied with a smile. She placed a hoof against Dash’s, leaning back against her.

Dash kept trying to think about the sky, but it was no use. It didn’t compare to this, it wasn’t important like this, and it certainly wasn’t warm like this. Dash swallowed hard, trying to stop the dryness in her throat. “Y-you know... I have no idea where that road goes, and I don’t know how bad it will be, or if it’ll end out okay, but...” Ponyfeathers, Dash thought, trying to hold back tears. “If you want to go there, then I’ll go with you.”

“... we really do know each other. And even if we aren’t perfect for each other like everypony thinks you need to be, and we fight now and then, we’re still happy.”

Dash smiled as she sat there, holding on to Applejack. Yeah, we’re happy, when it’s important.