A Long Trek
The cart stopped, Applejack threw her all her money at the stallions on the carriage, and leaped. She sprinted and sprinted until finally she found a little rock spire to hide behind. Applejack leaned against the side opposite the train tracks, her breath coming in halting gasps. She saw the carriage containing her best friends fly over the train.
Glad I didn't wait she thought to herself as she heard a light crunch of wood on sand when the contraption landed. Dust shot from the wagon wheels as they dragged through the grit of the desert landscape. As it came to a halt applejack could make out the figure of twilight jumping off the wagon and untying Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy from their bonds.
They all looked around, Twilight turned to the stallions at the other cart and AJ saw her mouth move. Whatever she had asked the stallions only shrugged and continued to count their gold. A sad look came to light on the three mare's faces. The harshness of what she had done began to settle into the already confused cowpony, and she began to question if what she was doing was truly best. She leaned against the overhanging rock and thought about the past the past events that had transpired since the rodeo failure. It was too much. Her family was worried sick, her friends were now heartbroken, she'd lost her only job to make up the money she needed for repairing town hall, and here she now was trapped between a rock and a hard place.
She risked another peek, instantly regretting it at the heart-wrenching sight before her. Fluttershy had her face crammed into Rainbow's wings, giving sobs that were audible even from the great distance between her and her friends. Rainbow herself was giving a desperate look to Twilight, who stared out over the desert with an even greater look of sadness. Applejack found tears welling to her eyes at the sight of it. She fell to her knees in dismay, her face rubbing against the rock in sheer disbelief of how much pain she was causing her friends, of how proud she was of them for trying to find her, and how much she hated herself for avoiding them.
She pulled her eyes away from her friends and found herself looking at the saddlebag slung over her back. Sniffling slightly, she dragged a hoof through the dirt to open it up and reveal it's contents. A water bottle, some apples, a now empty coin purse, and underneath it all: a picture. In it stood the joyful figures of her family and friends. There was Twilight, along with Rainbow Dash striking a pose, Pinkie Pie with a tooth filled grin, and Fluttershy laying a little ways in front of them, looking softly at the camera.
There, next to them, stood Big Macintosh, Granny smith leaned against him. On top of his golden mane lay Apple Bloom, sending a sweet little smile that would make any big sister proud. While the sight brought a smile to her face it also made her eyes sting all the more. She was reminded why she had done all this. It wasn't for no reason. Applejack couldn't fathom a pony who could do such a thing intentionally. No, she had to earn back the money she needed. She wouldn't go back a loser. She wouldn't damage her family's reputation.
A determined will reborn, Applejack put the picture away, and rose from the dust to peek at her friends. All she saw was nothing. They had gone. A small trail of dust upon the horizon marked where they were. Applejack let loose a sigh of relief, wiped her eyes, and stepped out from the spire.
"WELL BOYS, TIME TO GET-" She stopped mid-sentence as she realized that her carriage was gone.
Oh no.. she thought as she began to see the situation she was in. She had no ride back to town, it was too far to walk, and the sun's heat was already beginning to strain her body. A blue streak of curses shot through her mind and out her mouth. Then it dawned that she wouldn't even want to get back to town, where her friends were surely expecting her.
Applejack gulped. There was only one choice to make then. She turned behind her and looked at the far plain of desert that stretched as far as she could see. Naught for a green prick at the very edge of the horizon.
"Aww shoot" she said dejectedly under her breath. A sigh escaped her as she turned to the green dot, and began to walk.
Meanwhile, in a far away place. Someone woke up from a fitful day of sleep.
