"Oh, I see.  You've already been, then?"  Moonsong asks, then after a little pause for though she smiles and shrugs her shoulders.  "Maybe she thought the two of you would enjoy it."  She listens as Silver goes on, and as a race is mentioned Moonsong thinks briefly of Rainbow Dash's she'd spotted on her quick fly-over on the way here.  Coming back to the present, Moonsong wears a smile as she nods her head in agreement.  "Last night she seemed so worried about how everyone would receive her, and about wanting everyone to enjoy the moon-raising; I can't imagine she'd be the sort to shirk or slack off after seeing that."

She blinks at the last, then makes a soft 'oh' sound as she gathers her thoughts.  "Well, really, I'd hoped that you'd let me ask you a bunch of probably very silly questions and answer whichever of them that you were comfortable with."  She wears an embarrassed but hopeful smile.  "My parents and grandparents don't remember anyone like me in the family, but our family tree isn't very well kept on my father's side so we can't really be sure there.  What are we?  Are we an offshoot of normal pegasi?  Are we related?  Distantly, I mean.  Are your parents like us?"  Catching herself before she can go on, Moonsong instead takes a breath and waits to see what Silver Crescent will say.

Rarity continued to study Applejack closely when that whoosh rattled her windows. She blinked, her mane getting slightly out of place as her house gently shook followed by the brilliant glow of rainbow colors from the boom. Her friend was clearly bothered by the blatant show of force, a feeling which Rarity shared, but perhaps for a different reason. Sighing, she levitated over the brush she had used on Moonsong, fixing her own mane quickly.

'Ponies might get the wrong idea.' Rarity mulled that phrase over a few times in her head. Was it really the wrong idea? Why would Applejack be so worried about what other ponies thought? I mean, Rarity was that type, but... not this stubborn farm pony.

"But there's something else, isn't there?" Rarity asked, putting a hoof to her chin, "What aren't you telling me, Applejack?"

Applejack looked at her, an ear flopping. "Ah don't know what ya mean, Rarity. Ah've told ya' everythin' ah kin' think of." she said. "So... uhh.. what should ah do?" she asked, folding her hooves and laying her head on the folded cross, closing her eyes to rest a moment. Stress was more exhausting than a day's labor on the farm.

Suddenly, it all seemed to click for the unicorn, exemplified by a huge gasp. It all made sense! The blushing, the way the contest irritated her, her reaction to Pinkie joining the competition, her willingness to protect her. Why had she not seen it before? Rarity must have just been so distracted, or centered on her self to pay much attention! It was as plain as her hooves in front of her face.

"Why, Applejack," she exclaimed, eyes wide with realization, "You have feelings for Rainbow Dash!"

Rarity drew herself an annpyed and disbelieving glance rather than the sensational, awestruck reply she might have anticipated. "Ah course ah care about RD, she's one ah' our best friends." She said, and gestured a hoof lightly in front of her. "See, Rarity, this is exactly what Twi was fussin' about, ponies tryin' ta make this out ta be..." she trailed a little, "Ah ain't all goo-gooey over Rainbow Dash, Rarity~" she insisted.

Just who was she trying to convince, anyway?

"No, I haven't been to the spa yet.  I imagine the Captain is going to send me off there with a kick to the flank later today." the stallion chuckled.  When Moonsong hit him with a barrage of questions regarding their kin, he just waited passively until she'd finished... or at least paused long enough to breathe for a bit.  He was surprised at how little she knew though.  Had she really gone so long without ever meeting one of her own kind?

"Don't worry, Miss Moonsong.  I'm a soldier; patience is sort of a thing for us.  Feel free to ask me whatever you like, okay?" he reassured her before tending the curiosities she'd leveled his way.  "As for genetics?  Well, it wouldn't be accurate to say we're an off-shoot of Pegasi any more than it would be to say that Pegasi are an off-shoot of Earth Pony.  We're just another breed like any other.  It's not like being a Bat Pony is a mutation or anything."

Silver Crescent took a seat at the kitchen table as he continued to explain things.  He didn't seem to have taken insult over anything Moonsong had said and merely clarified because he feared she may have thought herself an anomaly because of what she was.  That was no way to live, especially for someone as gentle as her.  "The genetic traits that produce Bat Ponies are carried on the father's side of the bloodline, and it's unfortunately a highly recessive one.  My old man is a Bat Pony as well while my mother is a Pegasus.  One of my great, great Grandfathers is one, but none of the family until my dad and I are.  Frankly, the fact that there were two of us in a row is pretty weird these days.  Female Bat Ponies like yourself are actually pretty uncommon as well.  The majority of Bat Ponies are male." he explained at length.  "I sincerely doubt there's any direct blood relation between you and I.  Sorry if I confused you by calling you 'cousin' earlier... I was just being friendly, and it's rare to see other Bat Ponies outside of Canterlot."

"I see!  I hope you have a good time, then."  She offers with a laugh and a genuine smile without a trace of teasing or mockery.

As the stallion takes a seat Moonsong figures she can probably assume that liberty too, even if it is someone else's home, and delicately settles herself with much very careful and very quiet fuss to make sure she doesn't wrinkle the dress.  She pays her full attention to Silver Crescent's answers to her questions, and as such the rattling of the house and the flare of rainbow light that filters in through the windows goes entirely unnoticed by the mare.

"No, no, it's alright.  It was actually nice to think about having some extended family.  Do you mind if I continue to think of you as a cousin?  How common are we in Canterlot?  Are they all members of Princess Luna's guard as well?"  She almost asks, 'Is that what I should do, too?' and then stops herself: Moonsong wouldn't make a very good guard and she knows it, not as timid as she tends to be.  Then again, maybe a little soldiering would toughen her up and make her more outgoing.

"Sure, I don't mind.  Just make sure you don't fall in love with me, 'cause then it'd be a bit awkward." Silver Crescent chuckled in a roguish manner.  Normally he didn't get a chance to relax at all while on duty, so he made the most of it to jest a bit.  "Bat Ponies aren't really common anywhere, to be honest.  A lot of us have immigrated to Canterlot though, especially since Princess Luna's return.  I think there's about thirty or so living in Canterlot right now, myself included, though only a very small number of us are soldiers.  It's not that we're nomads or anything, but just that we're so uncommon that there aren't any Bat Pony communities.  Not like, for instance, Cloudsdale and its Pegasi community.  I'm sure there's plenty more Bat Ponies out there as well who just never came to Canterlot, or maybe don't live in Equestria."

Rarity gave her friend a distinct look of disbelief, followed by an excited little giggle. Denial was usually the first stage, after-all! What an exciting discovery! If only she could get her friend to admit it! Moving her face in towards Applejack a little bit, she narrowed her eyes, almost looking comically suspicious.

"Maybe not goo-gooey," she grinned, "But there is -something-. An attraction! You both have just so much in common, and, while rough around the edges, Rainbow Dash is quite beautiful. What with her brilliant rainbow mane and athletic figure. You've obviously noticed, dear."

Moonsong laughs and gives a shake of her head, but she catches herself in time to keep it a delicate gesture--she wouldn't want to shake loose the gem dust Rarity had so painstakingly brushed in to her grey mane.  "I promise to do my very best," she assures with another soft giggle.

Subsiding to listen as Silver Crescent continues, Moonsong gives a thoughtful nod of her head.  "We used to travel quite a bit when I was a filly, but I don't remember ever seeing any others like us.  I suppose I just never was at the right place at the right time."  Moonsong shrugs her shoulders and smiles.

"Well, like I said, we're not exactly commonplace.  You can see a herd of a thousand ponies and not spot a single Bat Pony anywhere in the bunch." Silver Crescent shrugged.  There had never really been any major effort to develop a census, after all, so there was no way to know how many of their kind was in Equestria.  "Still, if you ever get the chance to come to Canterlot, you should take it.  You'll be able to meet others there and maybe find some more information.  Though speaking of which, did you have any other questions?"

Rising to her hooves, Applejack gestured across the room, then trotted along to  pick up and right her stetson back on top of her head. "Now, look here, Rarity. ah came here ta' get away from all that crazy talk, not walk right inta' somethin' like that." she said, and gave her friend an earnest glance.

She?  Feelings for Rainbow Dash? This was ridiculous, silly, stupid...

---

She was going to leave? She couldn't leave yet! Rarity just had to know the truth, and she was sure she could get it out. It was the only thing that would make Applejack feel better, to get it out into the open! Getting to her hooves, she quickly trotted over her friend.

"But it isn't crazy talk!" Rarity exclaimed, "Believe me, Applejack, you'll feel so much better once its in the open air! You won't be all grumpy like you've been all morning. Come along, what about honesty? You can trust me completely, darling! Please? Please?!"

---

She could trust Rarity, Applejack knew. Rarity was her oldest friend, even if they never really became close until they'd grown up a bit.  And...  Rarity did  look out for her, and had been there for her in the past. Applejack looked at her, again, and frowned.

"Ah do trust ya', but yer' kinda goin' pretty far with this, ah think. I dunno where yer' gettin' this idea, Rarity..." she put a hoof out onto her shoulder, then stepped away again, back across the room toward the couch and window. She pushed her hat up slightly on her head, her voice singsongy, but soft.

♪ ♫ ♪ ♫
No need ta rush into conclusions
No need ta make it 'bout romance
Gal, don't go makin' yer presumptions
Cause me an' her? Ain't no way, no chance~!
♪ ♫ ♪ ♫

As soon as Applejack began to softly sing in her distinct southern drawl, Rarity was quick to jump on the bandwagon, as it were. This was her chance, after-all! Quickly trotting to her side, she took in a calm breath and began to sing in her lovely voice.

♪ ♫ ♪ ♫
Who, dear, are you kidding?
She's the Earth and heaven to you!
Try to keep it hidden.
Darling, I can see right through you.
Friend, you can't conceal it;
I know how you feel and
Who you're thinking of!
♪ ♫ ♪ ♫

While singing, she began to work her magic, pulling in a rainbow of fabrics to swirl around the two of them to create an enchanting, Rainbow Dash inspired, atmosphere.

♪ ♫ ♪ ♫
No chance, no way
I won't say it, no, no
♪ ♫ ♪ ♫

As she retorted musically, Applejack stubbornly batted a ream of sky blue from her path, and stubbornly slumped by the window, folding her legs and leaning against it with a stubborn shake of her head.

♪ ♫ ♪ ♫
You swoon, you sigh,
Why deny it? Uh-oh.
♪ ♫ ♪ ♫

As the sky blue fabric was batted away, Rarity flexed her magic a bit, horn sparkling brilliantly as it shaped into a distinct Pegasus shape. It circled around Applejack a few times before attempting to leave a little kiss on her cheek.

♪ ♫ ♪ ♫
It's too cliche
I won't say I'm in love
♪ ♫ ♪ ♫

Applejack rolled her eyes,  and without turning, raised a hoof and shoved it through the fabric pony's face, as if she were shoving a cupcake through it's eye.  She turned her back on it and stepped away from the window, over the scattered reams of color, past Rarity, and shook her head as she continued.

♪ ♫ ♪ ♫
Ah thought mah heart was so much wiser
But now it's like it wants to shout
Mah head is screamin' get a grip, gal
Unless ye're dyin' ta cry your heart out

O-ohhhhhhhh~hhhhhhhhh~
♪ ♫ ♪ ♫

As she sang, she made it to Rarity's couch, and sat upon it. She pulled her hat from her head, and as she warbled in her pretty southern drawl, she laid back across the couch, resting her hat over her heart, feeling how it was racing... Her cheeks tinted red, and she turned her back away to Rarity and her singing.

Rarity frowned a little as her little pony creation was poked in the "eye." Her little visual presentation wasn't doing much for her friend, so she decided to put the beautiful display away for the moment, the reams of color going over the couch that Applejack had laid herself on. Following the reams, Rarity popped up from behind her wonderful fainting couch and inclined her head, bobbing it slightly as she musically retorted.

♪ ♫ ♪ ♫
You keep on denying
Who you are and how you're feeling.
Darling, I'm not buying.
Dear, I saw you hit the ceiling!
Face it like a grown-up.
It is time to own up
That you've got, got, got it bad!
♪ ♫ ♪ ♫

Opening an eye to look up at Rarity's crooning face, Applejack's cheeks burned redder as Rarity serenaded her with this imagined romance between her and Rainbow Dash. They were friends, they were close allies, they were...

♪ ♫ ♪ ♫
Whoa, now; No chance, now way
Ah won't say it, no, no
♪ ♫ ♪ ♫
Give up, give in
Check the grin, you're in love
♪ ♫ ♪ ♫

Applejack’s blush was very apparent to the unicorn, a sort of confirmation that she was on the right track. Of course, it could have been a sign of embarrassment, but look at the face she was making! She was thinking of something, something close and personal! Was it really her business? Not terribly, but her first  and more sincere goal was to make her friend feel better by admitting her feelings. To help show Applejack her tell-tale expression, Rarity brought over a mirror and set it right in front of the stubborn Earth pony.

Last night, they'd been together when everyone else was on their own dates. Applejack blushed a shade darker as she realized how wonderful letting Rainbow carry her had been, flying, and she rolled slightly aside, off the couch and to her hooves, trying to escape Rarity's gaze.

Though Applejack tried to escape both her and the truth, Rarity was adamant and on top of her, bringing over the other two mirrors from her display. Trotting over next to Applejack, she tried her best to box her in using three of the mirrors, showing off her blush, as she herself climbed over one of the mirrors, continuing to sing.

♪ ♫ ♪ ♫
This scene won't play,
Ah won't say I'm in love
♪ ♫ ♪ ♫
You're doing flips, read my lips
You're in love
♪ ♫ ♪ ♫

Applejack stumbled to a halt as the mirrors floated in on all sides. She was faced with her own reflection, all about her now, as Rarity surrounded her and accused her of being in love. Could Rarity really be right? Could she really not notice it herself?

No, no. This wasn’t the case. She cared about her, loved her, but she wasn’t in love with her. Right. Right! As Rarity joined her in the middle of the mirrors, Applejack stepped up toward her, pointing a hoof at her as she answered.

♪ ♫ ♪ ♫
Yer way off base
Ah won't say it
Get off mah case
Ah won't say it
♪ ♫ ♪ ♫
Dear, don't be proud.
It's O.K. You're in love.
♪ ♫ ♪ ♫

It seemed that Applejack’s stubbornness was going to win out in this little bout, but she had at least made good progress which satisfied the unicorn quite a bit. She lifted the mirrors again and moved them back to the display area, content to leave the earth pony alone with her own musings. She sang her final retort as she started to trot her way back to her fainting couch, resting on it, still facing her friend as she felt the song slowly coming to a close.

♪ ♫ ♪ ♫
O-ohhhhhhhh~hhhhhhhhh~
At least out loud,
Ah won't say Ah'm in love
♪ ♫ ♪ ♫

As the mirrors, and Rarity both relented, Applejack walked away from them both, resting a hoof over her chest as she sang, her voice softening as she reached the window, and folded her forelegs against the sill, looking out at the race taking place over the square. Rarity could hear her trailing the song off to a close, with a faint touch of longing to her voice.

The moment lingered as Applejack trued to sort it all out. Rarity was right... but... what of it? What could she do now?

"That is rare,"  Moonsong replies in awed agreement.  She nods eagerly at the suggestion, though when asked if she has further questions the mare laughs and shakes her head.  "I know I did.  A million more of them.  But I'm sure I'll remember them all later on, so I'll just have to pester you... later... on...?"

Moonsong's words trail off to questioning silence as her head turns toward the doorway.  Is that singing she hears?  Muffled, to be sure, but even if she can't make out the words the melody is there.  "Do you suppose they're practising for something?  It sounds so lovely."

Rarity's pointed ear perked a little to catch those last few notes, bringing her a satisfied smile. So, it was true! Even if she had to wrestle it out from her, but... it was all for her friend, after-all! She sighed in victory as she relaxed on her couch, eye on Applejack as her head bopped to the little tune they had both improvisationally created. It was pretty catchy!

"Now was that so hard, darling?" she asked, rather casually in contrast to how desperate she sounded during the song, "And to think, all it took was a song and dance bit. Is that why Pinkie has made a habit of it, do you think? I mean, we all get into our moods, but that mare... She must have, what, a whole collection of things to sing?"

Applejack poked the window frame with a hoof, nudging it open to let in some fresh air, a light breeze lifting her ponytail. With a sigh, she shrugged both shoulders. "Ah dunno. Seems like she's got a tune fer' everythin'." She commented quietly. Leaving the window, she cantered slowly back over to Rarity, and let out a heavy sigh, sitting next to her.

"So... what kin' ah do from here? Ah'm definitely competin' in Rainbow's contest. Ah don't guess ah kin avoid that at this point."

Getting up from her leisurely lying down position to sit next to Applejack, she considered the situation for a moment. Competing in the contest was obvious, but she had to do much more than compete, she had to win! It wouldn't be much of an issue for the athletic earth pony, of course, but she needed that determination.

"Well, of course you'll be competing!" Rarity agreed, putting her hoof on Applejack's shoulder, "And you will do the best you have ever done in your life, Applejack! If you have feelings for her, then you simply must win. Don't let anypony else swoop in and take her from you!"

Applejack's cheeks were still warm and red,but the comfort from he roldest friend's reassurance did help. She brightened as Rarity encouraged her. "Yer right, Rarity. Ah can't lose now, when it counts most!" Applejack put a hoof down, smiling. She seemed to be over this stumbling block, or at least in the process of dealing with it. "Ah ain't pullin mah apple bucks at a time like this!"

She grinned at the fashionista. "Ah hope you an' the other girls will come out an' support me. Ah don't know what Rainbow will think a' me competin'..."

"She will be absolutely beside herself with excitement, I'll bet you that much," Rarity beamed, happy that her encouraging words seemed to work on her friend, "In fact, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if she called off the whole contest upon your arrival and asked you on a date right there!"

Maybe she was laying it on a bit thick with that last quip, but it might as well be true. Rarity had already seen the attraction between the two ponies, at least on Rainbow Dash's side. She always seemed to favor mares when it came to this sort of thing, but Rarity didn't comment on it too often.

"Of course we'll be there to support you, darling," Rarity nodded, "Besides, we'll need to make sure this whole thing doesn't spiral out of control."

The farmpony had nearly gotten her glowing cheeks to quit before Rarity chimed that Rainbow might call the whole thing off for her if she said she was competing. Now, she had no chance of stopping her beaming anytime soon as Rarity sent it the other way.
"Ehhh... yer probably right about that, Rarity... Ah mean... everypony likes Rainbow..." she said, softly, her cheeks flush. Even she did? how could she have been this blind for so long...? "So.. uhhh..  it might get a little crazy if she don't cancel the contest for me. Ah mean... Pinkie's competing too..."

"Yes, everypony does seem to love that mare," Rarity muttered quietly to herself. When she was honest with herself, the unicorn was rather jealous of all the attention Rainbow Dash got for her amazing feats of speed. Much like Rogue Heart, Dash didn't need to put much effort to be adored, stunning, beautiful. Well, besides her constant training, but her frequent naps up in the clouds could make a certain fashionista forget how hard she worked. Even deeper down, Rarity probably couldn't help but adore the pegasus, despite all that roughness around the edges.

"If it gets crazy, darling, then you have to get crazy!" Rarity encouraged adamantly, before pulling her hoof from off of Applejack's shoulder in disbelief, "What am I saying? Oh, horsefeathers with it, there are some occasions where you need to get rough and dirty and crazy. Fighting for love counts as one of them! I think. Yes! Now, you promise me, Applejack, Pinkie Promise if you must, that you will get rough, and dirty, and crazy, and win this contest! Promise me!"

"Hey, you can pester me whenever you like.  You're still welcome to come get my attention when I'm fully off-duty too." the stallion chuckled.  The mention of music did indeed catch his attention as he turned a ruffled ear to the song coming in from the other room.  He'd heard that Ponyville was a musical town, but he hadn't quite realized it was such a literally case.  Musical breaks were a bit rarer in Canterlot... crowd control, after all.

"Huh... catchy though.  Reminds me a bit of the Sea Ponies' greeting." Silver Crescent observed.  What had all that been about?

"Thanks so much, Silver Crescent."  Moonsong replies.  She hasn't heard a Sea Pony greeting to know if it's similar or not, though that does trip the mare onto another train of thought:  'Maybe I should go travelling again, like I did with my parents, but instead of just going one place for a week I should take...  Six months?  Maybe eight?  And go everywhere I can!  Only once I'm really settled here, though.  I don't want to up and leave my new friends so soon.'  The thought is exciting, and immediately derails her from wondering what Rarity and her guest Applejack might have been serenading one-another about.

Her mind doesn't stay gone for too long, however, and in just a few seconds she's back to wondering about Sea Ponies.  "Have you had much experience with Sea Ponies?"

Silver Crescent seemed momentarily bemused by the question and his gaze grew distant as if he were recalling some far-flung memory.  A good one, too.  He chuckled and gave a shrug before he spoke up.  "You can say that, sure.  There's not a lot of naval excursions out of Equestria because... well, yeah..." he demonstratively flexed his wings.  When air travel was so easy and abundant, why face the treacherous ocean waves?  "...But there have been some efforts.  I was stationed out in a sleepy little bay town in the south a few years ago called Los Maredo since they were having trouble with one of those rogue bands of Diamond Dogs that pop up every now and then.  Wasn't much trouble to handle it and we had a lot of down-time afterward, so we got to have a little vacation before we had to head back up north again.

"As it turns out, the bay had a large coral reef that was home to a whole colony of Sea Ponies.  They're really friendly, actually.  Helpful too.  Half the time it seems like they don't want to do anything but lend a hoof to us surface ponies and make sure we can travel the seas safely.  There wasn't a single pony in the entire community ever in danger of drowning.  The locals would have parties on the shores and piers, and the Sea Ponies would come right out of the water to join them." he explained with a laugh.  "And oh, their singing... Sea Ponies have the most beautiful voices.  If you dunk your head underwater and listen, the ocean carries the sound like nothing you've ever heard before.  Though, it turns out, you really need to learn the difference between a Sea Pony and a Siren.  That gets messy really fast."
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:05, Mon 09 July 2012.

Her bright, pastel-orange hooves wrapped about the unicorn at her encouragement. "haha.. Yer right! Ah ain't goin' ta lose this. Thanks, Rarity. Ah'll do whatever I gotta do."

She laughed a little, and nudged Rarity lightly. "Who'd ever thought you'd be the one tellin' me ta' get dirty fer once?"

In reply to Silver Crescent (msg # 177):

Moonsong listens with interest as the stallion speaks, nodding her understanding at the gesture of his wings.  She smiles as she tries to imagine the parties and the Sea Ponies coming up to participate in the revelry, and the idea of listening to a Sea Pony's song under the water solidifies Moonsong's idea of travel at a later date.  The mention of Sirens, however, makes her giggle before speaking with a hopeful tone.  "I hope it wasn't too harsh a lesson."

Another thought occurs to the bat-winged mare as the conversation continues--that she should visit the library and see what she can read on the other uncommon kinds of pony.  'Maybe I might even find more information about my kind of pony--I could share what I find with Silver!'