A Wise Decision

Chapter 3: Ready. . .

Applejack's friends weren’t exactly happy with the decision. Even the perpetual optimist Pinkie Pie was repeating her dislike for the situation. But Applejack stood strong. Her strong green eyes stared into her rivals defiant magenta orbs.

“AJ I know what just happened is difficult to deal with, but you can’t just leave.”

Rainbow’s tone filled the air with finality, but her friend would have none of it.

“I’ll make my own decisions thank you very much!” Applejack shouted in her own defense, as Rainbow Dash dragged her by her hind legs.

        “Did you drink too much cider? You’re going back home and sorting this thing out now. If you want a problem solved you have to confront it!” Rainbow words were muffled behind her struggle with her farm pony friend.

        “They don’t want to see me right now, and frankly, I don’t want to see them!”

        “Applejack you should listen to Rainbow. You can’t just runaway from your problems.” Twilight said moving down to Applejack's prone figure.

        “None of you get it! I can’t do this. Not now!” Applejack buried her head under her hooves.

        A muffled sob barely slipped through Applejack's arms. Rainbow stopped dragging her friend and gently lowered the farm girls lower half back to the ground. She tried to utter words of encouragement to her friends, but the cyan pony’s words fell flat.

        “What are we going to do?” Fluttershy whispered.

        “I don’t know.” Twilight muttered with lowered ears.

        “Ahem, I think that we have a solution.” Flim said in a strangely upbeat tone. “Applejack, seeing as how my brother and I are the cause of the problem, we should be part of the solution.”

        Applejack sniffled as she lifted her tear stained face from the earth. To both her left and her right the brothers stood. Similar to the night of the contract formation, the brothers body heat warmed the farmgirl. Unlike the night before, pleasure couldn’t be derived from this contact. Leaning in, Flam began to sing in a quiet, gentle, and slow tune.

“~You’ve got opportunity~. . .”

“~With us, Applejack, don’t you see?~”

“~He’s Flim, he’s Flam, we’re the world famous Flim Flam brothers! And Aj is going to be nonpareil.” The brothers concluded with a slightly toned down version of what they had performed just a short time ago. Applejack's smile was quickly covered by her confused look.

“‘is going to be. . .’What exactly are you fellas getting at?”

“Isn’t it clear, we want you to hit the road with us!” Flim’s smile couldn’t be wider.

“What!” Everypony else shouted in shock.

“No, no, no! AJ isn’t going anywhere with you guys. She’s going to stay here with her friends, and make up with her family! And then everything will go back to normal” Rainbow Dash flew uncomfortably close to Flim’s face.

“Rainbow Dash is in the right again. Applejack needs to stay with her friends and rectify the problems with her family as soon as she can. There’s no reason why she should put it off. Even when Sweetie Belle and I get in an argument, we don’t go leave each other.” Rarity explained walking over to the growing crowd.

“We respect the fact that you guys want to help Applejack, but she really does need to stay here in Ponyville.” Twilight's words came next.

        Flim tried to rebuttal but the voices of the outspoken mares began to drown his own voice out. A fact that perturbed him to the point of anger. His voice went from smooth and relaxed too loud and abrasive. The open hostility fueled the fire and the aforementioned mares spat venom at the male unicorn. Fluttershy on the other side remained quiet, and Pinkie kept repeating the word ‘argue’.

        “Aren’t you aware that time heals all wound. When Applejack comes back, this entire problem will become a funny memory.”

        “Or it could turn Granny Smith and everypony that stays behind cold. What’s to say that they won’t see Applejack leaving out of nowhere as a slap in the face? Do you really want to risk that?” Rarity asked in an accusatory tone.

        “Of course my brother and I wouldn’t want to see that. We have the best interest of Applejack at heart. We would tell the Apple family ourselves that Applejack is leaving, but still cares for them.” Flim continued to speak in an unhappy and uncouth tone.

        “You’re incredibly naive to think that the Apples would just let one of there’s go without a fight. Flim and Flam understand, we are the same way. We can’t say goodbye to a friend when there’s a much simpler option on the table.” Twilight tried to say with professionalism but ultimately failing.

        “Easier for who, her or for you?” an upset Flam interjected “It’s not any of our decision what happens to Applejack, it’s hers!”

        Everypony turned around and saw  Applejack. She slowly rose to her hooves, mustering up what could be called a scowl. With a deep breath she began.

        “While I’ve never been a mare to avoid a confrontation, especially with my kin, I won’t be forced into a confrontation. I still love my family dearly but I need space, and I think Flim and Flam would be the safest way for me to get that space.”

        “But Applejack, why can’t you just stay with one of us?” Rainbow asked.

        “Everything about Ponyville reminds me about my family, and I what I think I need, is to completely get away. I need time to clear my head, and shake off this feeling I have. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to abandon anypony.” Applejack began to tear up again as her friends approached her with sad smiles of their own.

        “Is this what you truly want?” Fluttershy whispered through the dead silence, tears threatening to break out on her..

        “. . .I think so, yes, this is what I want.” Applejack couldn’t smile, but she did sound certain.

        “Well than we support you wholeheartedly.” Fluttershy embraced the farm girl.

        “Yeah! There’s nothing wrong with a little vacation!” Pinkie jumped in on the hug.

Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight looked at each other with mixed expressions. They approached the rest of their friends. Rainbows attention was mostly drawn to the ground, and Rarity’s was off to the east. Twilight looked dead ahead at her three other close friends who were entirely oblivious of her presence.

“Applejack. . Do you need help packing?”

Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Applejack turned to Twilight, giving her a bright smile and a slight nod to join them. The purple unicorn did so happily.

        “I guess there’s no point in trying to fight it anymore. Girls don’t forget me!” Rarity said as she jumped in on the pile. The rough entrance caused the girls to break out into laughter. Rainbow Dash looked on, a rare look of defeat filling her eyes. She lifted off from the ground and floated over to the group.

        “I. . just don’t want to say goodbye.”

        “It ain’t goodbye Rainbow, just, until we see each other again.”

        Rainbow couldn’t hold back anymore, she dived into the pile, or more accurately Applejacks neck. Her tears soaked the orange earth pony, but nopony cared. They all huddled together, not really wanting to let go.

“Girls, thank you so much.”

“We really just want what’s best for you.” Rainbows muffled voice tickled AJ’s neck.

“What would I do without you guys?” Applejack asked, and then melted back into the moment.

The Flim Flam brothers blubbered in each others arms.