Overdriveby Crimson MistChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 1This was it. The chance I’d been waiting for my entire life. I pulled my knees into my chest and practiced deep breathing. Everything was on the line. If I screwed this up... Well, I just couldn’t screw it up. It’s that simple. “Rainbow Dash?” I perked up at the sound of my name. The assistant coach of the Canterlot Wondercolts female volleyball team was glancing around at all of us, the young girls who had been waiting for this moment to show off their stuff, in search of whoever belonged to that particular name. “That’s me,” I said, waving my hands enthusiastically. He nodded, taking a pen to his clipboard and scratching off my name on the attendance list before continuing with the roll call. “Hey, you’re the girl from Cloudsdale Middle School who won the doubles badminton tournament last year,” I heard someone whisper. Glancing over my shoulder, I noticed a girl I had never seen before staring at me in awe. “Yep, that’s me!” I said with a grin, jerking my thumb back to myself to emphasize the point. “I was there watching the entire tournament. You guys were awesome. Your partner, Lightning Dust, even gave me her autograph!” “Do you want my autograph?” I inquired. “They’re going to be in great demand once I become the captain of the Canterlot Wondercolts!” The girl laughed. “Maybe. What about your partner? I thought that she said in an interview that she was going to be the team captain.” I attempted to smile and casually shrug the remark away, but the truth was, Lightning Dust probably would become the team captain. She was really fast, and strong, and as much as I hated to admit it, she was a better player than me. The final game of the badminton tournament flashed through my mind. She had had the final serve, and had smoked it right over the net so fast that the other team didn’t even have time to blink. The referee had blown the whistle, signaling our victory. It, put simply, was the best moment of my life. Winning was everything, and that was a win that Cloudsdale Middle School would be flaunting forever. The entire room fell quiet as the door opened and closed with a dramatic thud. Excited murmurs started buzzing around as everyone caught sight of the girl who had just entered. Her short blonde hair was perfectly combed, and she had her usual arrogant smirk across her face. “Hey, Rainbow Dash,” she said as soon as she caught sight of me. “Hey, Lightning Dust,” I mumbled back. The assistant coach glanced up from his clipboard. “Alright, I guess now that everyone’s here, tryouts will begin. Remember, try your best, but play safe,” he said, opening the gym doors. I adjusted the number on my back and took my place on the court. Lightning Dust stood beside me. “Good luck, Rainbow Dash, you’ll need it!” she told me, winking. I gritted my teeth, remembering what she had told me earlier, as soon as she found out I was trying out for the team: “Wow, you wanna be a Wondercolt? Good luck with that, freshmen never make the team.” “But what about you?” I had responded. “You’re a freshman, too.” “I know,” she had said. “But I’m a special case. I won the badminton tournament, remember?” “We won.” “Face it, Rainbow Dash. Without me, you’d be good, but with me, you’re great. I doubt you’d have won with anyone else.” “Listen, Lightning Dust...” I started to say, but the sound of a whistle blowing interrupted me. “Girls, take your positions,” barked the team’s coach, Coach Spitfire. We all lined up and waited for our chances to shine. The first activities were easy, the typical bumping, setting, serving, and spiking evaluations. I aced those fine. The next part focused on basic athletics, such as sprinting and agility. Again, I barely broke a sweat. It wasn’t until the third section of the tryouts that I started to worry. A one-on-one game against another player. Please don’t put me with Lightning Dust. Anyone but her, a small voice in my head begged. “Rainbow Dash, you will play against... Lightning Dust.” Curse my luck. Lightning Dust grinned arrogantly as she sent the volleyball soaring over the net, leaving me with a small amount of time to react. Catching it before it hit the floor, I bumped it back over the net. Take that, Lightning Dust! She simply sent it back over the net with a gentle set. I did the same back, and we rallied back and forth, neither of us willing to let the ball drop. Come on, Rainbow Dash! This is your time to shine, not hers! For once, let yourself be in the spotlight instead of Lightning Dust! I gritted my teeth and whacked the ball as hard as I could. Lightning Dust reached for it, but it flew mere inches away from her fingertips and bounced on the ground. She looked stunned. “Yes!” I cried out, pumping my fist in the air. “First point of the game!” “It’s not over yet, Rainbow Dash!” Lightning Dust hissed angrily. I served the ball towards her, gently, yet controlled. She smacked it back, a little too hard. It bounced right out of the boundary lines. “The ball is out, Rainbow Dash’s point,” Coach Spitfire announced. “Two nothing me!” I yelled, doing another fist pump. Lightning Dust looked mad enough to chew nails. “You just wait,” she muttered underneath her breath. I served it again, this time with more force. Lightning Dust watched it sail over her head, certain it was going to go foul. Alas, the ball had other ideas. It bounced on the line, fortunately, giving me another point. “Rainbow Dash’s point again,” the coach said. She handed me the ball for my next serve. “I’ll go easy on you this time,” I told my opponent. “Hurry up, then,” she snapped, grimacing bitterly at me. I ignored her and lightly tapped it over the net. This time, Lightning Dust was more than ready. She whacked the ball with all the force she could muster, sending it flying at me. Before I could even blink, I felt the smooth texture of the ball collide with my face. Stunned, it took me a moment to realize what had happened. And when I did, I was livid. “You! You just... hit me!” I sputtered out. “So? Whatcha going to do about it, Dashie?” Lightning Dust challenged. I balled my hand into a fist. “This!” I cried out as I ran over to her side of the net and punched her in the face. “You jerk!” Now, it was Lightning Dust’s turn to get upset. She slammed me against the floor and smacked my face. I leapt back to my feet and shoved her as hard as I could. TWEET! TWEET! TWEET! “Time out now! Both of you, in my office this instant!” Coach Spitfire shouted. Lightning Dust and I immediately broke apart. “Yes, coach,” we muttered. “I can’t believe it! Two of the most talented athletes in the school, and I can’t even permit you to be on my team because of some silly rivalry that’s emerged all of a sudden...” “But she hit me with the ball!” I interrupted. “Yeah, but you were also the one who threw the first punch!” Lightning Dust argued. “I only did that because you started it!” “But you started the fight!” “GIRLS! THAT IS ENOUGH!” We both stopped arguing and turned our attention back to the coach. She did not look pleased. “I don’t care about your petty problems. What I saw on the court today was absolutely unacceptable. I have to let you know that you both would’ve made the Wondercolts if you hadn’t acted so stupid! Now I have to give your positions to some girls who can hold their tempers in. What happened to the team that won the middle school badminton tournament, huh?” I slammed my fist down on her desk. “We never were a team. It was all Lightning Dust and her birdie hogging. I was only her backup.” “Birdie hogging? I was appointed by our old coach to be the team leader!” Lightning Dust said angrily. “Some leader you were,” I muttered. Coach Spitfire sighed. “Listen, girls. You are both amazing players, and I would hate to see you both quit volleyball completely. It sounds to me like you need a break from each other. There is a freshman beach volleyball league that the school runs, but since it’s drop in, there are no tryouts. Anyone can play, and that includes the both of you. My recommendation would be to find new partners, and start working on your skills through that. Maybe next year, if the pair of you have proved to me that you are mature enough to handle being a Canterlot High Wondercolt, then I’ll let you try out for the team again.” “That sounds good to me,” I said. “Me too,” Lightning Dust agreed. “First session is next Wednesday. Show up at 3:30 in this gym,” Coach Spitfire informed us. “Oh, and since it is doubles, if you don’t have a partner, you won’t be playing. Also, one last thing. There are championships that take place in June. The winning team gets a trophy for their school and five hundred dollars each. Win it, and I’ll definitely reconsider my decision. In fact, I’ll even make room in the team.” As soon as we were out of the office, I started thinking about what the coach had said. All I had to do to become a Wondercolt was win this stupid beach volleyball championship. Not only would I get a trophy, prize money, and a spot on my dream team, I would show Lightning Dust that I was a better player than her after all! “Don’t worry, Rainbow Dash, I’ll take that silly prize money and trophy off your hands so you can worry about how you’re possibly going to make the Wondercolts next year!” Lightning Dust hissed. I sighed. Right when I had forgotten that she was still there. “Oh yeah? If I were you, I’d be trembling. I’ll win the championships and become a Wondercolt, just you wait!” I snapped at her. She smiled cruelly. “Here’s the deal, Rainbow Crash. Whoever wins the tournament becomes a Wondercolt, and whoever doesn’t... can never try out for the volleyball team again!” “Fine!” I told her. We shook on it, finalizing the deal. “See you on the court,” she said, walking away. “See you on the court,” I mimicked after she had left. “What a jerk! Does she actually think she’s going to win this? I can’t believe how self-centered she is! She’d do anything just to win, even block her own teammate.” I stomped down the hallway, imagining the crushed look on Lightning Dust’s face when I won the championships. I was so perturbed that I didn’t even realize that there was anyone else around. “Woah, there!” A girl’s voice brought me back to reality. I was somehow sprawled out on the ground, papers scattered around me everywhere. “Are ya alright there, sugarcube?” “What happened?” I asked blearily. “Ya bumped intah me when Ah was walkin’ down the hall here, tryin’ tah get to the office,” the voice explained. I felt someone’s hand take mine and pull me to my feet. Only then did I see the girl who was with me in the light. Her soft blonde hair was done up in a loose ponytail that draped over her shoulder, and she wore a Stetson atop her head. There was a cluster of freckles underneath both of her deep, emerald green eyes. She smiled softly at me, brushing a strand of her messy hair out of her face. “Wow...” I breathed. I had never met a girl this pretty before in my life. Snapping back to reality, I immediately got down on my hands and knees and began collecting up the papers she had dropped during our collision. “There’s no need tah clean up fer me,” she said, picking up the rest. “N-no, it’s my fault, I should help fix the, uh, damage,” I stammered out. “Thanks very much.” She tipped her hat at me respectfully as she took the papers I had gathered up for her. “Um, you’re welcome...” “Ah’ll see ya around then...” “Rainbow Dash. My name’s Rainbow Dash.” “Okay, then, Rainbow Dash. Ah’ll see ya around, like Ah said.” I watched as she walked away, her hair gently flowing behind her. Only then did I realize that I never got her name. Author's Note This is my take on what Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust's relationship would've been like if they had really gotten to know each other and had to work as a team for several years. I tried to really elaborate on their competitive natures so I apologize if they seem too OOC. About cover art: I hopefully will have some soon for this piece since it will be longish. Chapter 2“So, how did the tryouts go, honey?” my mom asked as soon as I got home. “Fine,” I muttered, not wanting to discuss it further. Mom placed her hands on her hips. “I may not be around much, but I do know when you’re upset about something. Let me guess, you didn’t make it?” “Nope.” “Oh, that’s too bad. I’m really sorry to hear that. So, are you going to try out for any other sports?” “I dunno.” I walked over to the fridge, pushing stray cardboard boxes that hadn’t yet been unpacked from the move over to the side. Opening the door, I grabbed a can of Diet Coke and cracked it open. Chugging it down, I let it wash away the frustrated emotions that had been boiling up inside me. “Don’t worry about it too much, honey. I’m sure you’ll think of something that’ll take volleyball’s place as your number one go-to sport. Anyways, I have to get back to work now. My clients won’t be pleased if I’m late.” I watched as Mom adjusted her purse, tucked a stray hair behind her ear, and slipped on her polished black high-heeled boots before opening the front door and closing it gently behind her. She and Dad hardly got any time off work, so I was mostly on my own for hours on end. We rarely had family meals, and when we did, they came straight out of a pizza box. The house itself was surprisingly organized, but that was more due to my obsessive-compulsive aunt who lived in Cloudsdale coming over on the weekends to make sure the house was still running. Things, I guess, had been messed-up for her, too, ever since we moved. My family, meaning my parents and I, used to live in Cloudsdale, which is where I attended both Middle and Elementary school. We had a nice house in a nice neighborhood that was very rarely plagued by crime or drugs, the kind of atmosphere that was perfect for growing up in. But all that changed when my dad got a job in Canterlot, making a move inevitable. Since Canterlot is a really upper-class city, my parents decided that it would be better to settle in the outskirts of Ponyville, a quiet little town with a train that ran direct to the city, meaning that travel wouldn’t be so much of an issue. My mom was a realtor, and it didn’t take much for her to get her career back on track by selling real estate in Ponyville as opposed to Cloudsdale. The house itself was rather large, and situated on a hill that overlooked a valley. It was in a private neighborhood much like the one in Cloudsdale that was devoid of nasty stuff. Since my parents worked almost nonstop, there wasn’t much done in the way of unpacking. Cardboard boxes were neatly stacked to the side, with the odd one or two scattered about around the house. All the basic necessities were taken out, but things such as Christmas decorations and our numerous family photo albums were still stashed away. Heading up to my room, I locked my door behind me and threw myself down on my soft-as-a-cloud bed. “I can’t believe it, Tank!” I moaned, venting my anger to my audience of one pet tortoise. Tank lifted his head at me as if to indicate that he was listening. “It was all Lightning Dust’s fault! Ugh, I don’t know how I put up with her on the badminton team last year. She’s such a pain, and so full of it, too! And now, the only thing I can do is play beach volleyball, a crappy rip-off version of what I’d always dreamed about! Even worse, I have to find a partner or else I can’t play! This is definitely. Not. Awesome.” I buried my head into my pillow and screamed until my lungs hurt. How in Equestria was I going to find a partner who was as awesome as I? Wait a second... Coach Spitfire said that I just needed a partner to compete... Someone... Anyone would do... It doesn’t matter if they can play or not... I’ll just do all the winning, and they don’t need to worry about a thing... In that case... I whipped out my cell phone and went straight to the text message app. Maybe I could talk one of my old Elementary or Middle school friends into playing. Desperately, I reviewed everyone who I could think of that was a possible candidate. The first person I thought of was Gilda, an old friend of mine from camp. She went to different schools than I did, until this year, when she transferred to Canterlot High. Even though she was a competitive rival of mine, I had no problem with being on the same team, if it meant that we could beat Lightning Dust. Hey Gilda, it’s RD. Heard about the beach volleyball tourney? If so wanna be a team? A few minutes later, I got a response. RD, someone already asked me. thx for the invite tho :) {Dammit!} I cursed. Oh well. The next person I thought that I might be able to convince was Fluttershy, one of my oldest friends from Cloudsdale Elementary. We were both bullying targets as kids, so I often found myself standing up for the two of us. Since I thwarted many of the mean plans that other people had for her, I figured that she owed me a few favours. Plus, she was attending Canterlot High too, qualifying us as a potential team. Fluttershy, do u have any interest in playing volleyball? I need a partner. 1st session is next Weds @ 3:30 – RD Fluttershy was pretty timid, so I doubted that she’d be willing to play a tough, competitive sport. Still, it was worth the try. She replied nearly immediately. So sorry but I’m volunteering at the local animal shelter on Weds. Plus, volleyball is a rough sport. I wouldn’t want to get hurt. Good luck with finding a partner, though! I sighed. So far, not so good. Arriving early for school the next day, I considered going to the gym to see if I could talk Coach Spitfire into changing her mind. Since that likely would never happen, I sat down in front of my locker and pondered the few other options I had. Freshmen weren’t allowed to play for the soccer team, and the softball team’s tryouts had been three days ago. My parents, although supportive of my athletic endeavours, likely wouldn’t let me play rugby or wrestle. Track, however, was still a good part of my alternative plan. Maybe I would try out for it next. Of course, volleyball was my current favourite sport, but since I wasn’t allowed on the team this year, and I couldn’t find a partner for the beach volleyball league, it looked more and more like I’d have to go to plan B. Time to focus my efforts towards the Track team. I was determined to become a Canterlot Wondercolt, and there was no way that I’d let a couple negative events turn me away from my dream. Getting up, I made my way towards the gym in order to sign up for the Track and Field tryouts. It was too early in the morning for there to be large crowds of people, so I moved through the hallways with ease. Stopping right outside the gym, I pushed the heavy door open and walked in. There were a few other kids around, since Coach Spitfire allowed anyone to come in before class to practice. It didn’t matter if they were a Wondercolt or not; in fact, I’d seen quite a few people in there that I never would’ve imagined. I spotted the tryout sign-ups on the wall outside the door that led to the coach’s office. Maneuvering my way over, I picked up the pencil that hung by a string next to the paper and pressed down, ready to sign. Until something caught my eye. Something I never would’ve expected... In the corner of the room, there was a strong-looking blonde-haired girl wearing a Stetson. She was intently bouncing a volleyball against the wall. Could it possibly be...? I wondered, dropping the pencil and striding up to her, standing slightly behind. She was so caught up in her game that she didn’t even notice me. “Hey,” I said, and she whipped around. “Howdy, Rainbow Dash,” she responded, turning her attention back onto the ball. “So, you play volleyball,” I said as casually as I could manage. “No, not officially. Ah don’t really play sports,” she corrected. “You look pretty good, though. Wanna play me?” “Sure.” She stopped bouncing the ball and tucked it under her arm as I led her to the center of the gym. Beginning with a hard serve, she sent it over the net with an amazing amount of force. Surprised, I watched it as it hit the very corner of the boundary lines, giving her the point. “Yahoo!” she cried out. “First point is fer me!” “Don’t worry, I’ll catch up,” I told her intently as she served again. This time, I was prepared, and was able to volley it back over the net. My opponent reacted with lightning speed, setting the ball lightly towards me. With all the strength I could muster, I smashed it back into her court, tying the game. We continued on like this for the next five minutes or so as a race to three points, with me eventually emerging as the victor. “Whew-ee! That was quite the match!” the blonde-haired girl said, wiping sweat off of her brow as we went to sit down. “Yeah,” I agreed. “I’m one of the best volleyball players around, but you sure gave me a run for the money! For a second there, I thought that I might actually have a slim chance of losing!” She laughed and brushed her hair out of her eyes. “That was the most fun Ah’ve had in ages!” “Me too.” I thought for a moment. She was certainly a good player, maybe even good enough to be a teammate! You’re getting ahead of yourself here, I reminded myself. You don’t even know her name. Speaking of which... “Hey, what’s your name?” “Applejack,” she told me. “Applejack,” I repeated. It definitely suited her. We sat down over on one of the bleachers that was stored on the side of the gym. There was less than ten minutes until class began, but I was in no rush to go anywhere. “So, Applejack, what Elementary school did you go to?” I asked, curious to find out a little more about my new friend. “Ah never went tah Elementary school. Mah granny homeschooled me and mah siblings at our family’s farm,” she answered me. “This whole highschool thing is brand new tah me.” “Oh, that’s cool. I wish I was homeschooled, but my parents don’t have the time. What about your parents? Were they too busy, too?” “Mah parents are dead.” “Oh.” I awkwardly shifted over. “I’m sorry.” “Don’t worry ‘bout it. They died in a car accident when Ah was little. Ah’ve been raised by mah Granny Smith ever since.” “My grandma died of cancer when I was four,” I offered. “I never really got to know her.” “That’s terrible,” Applejack said, her eyes portraying a look of sorrow. “This is one darned awful conversation we’re havin’.” “Yeah it is. Uh, so, how did you learn to play volleyball?” I asked, quickly changing the subject. “Ah always played with mah siblings ‘round the farm. Somethin’ to do other than farmin’, ya know. Ah play soccer and baseball, too, sorta.” “That’s cool. I play pretty much any sport you throw at me, except golf. I hate golf,” I said, making a face. Applejack laughed. “What’s wrong with golf?” “It’s for really boring old people.” “Ah suppose yer right. Never liked that sport much. Course, Ah’ve never played it, but that’s beside the point.” We both laughed merrily, the depressing conversation of earlier now almost completely forgotten. I checked my watch. There was only three minutes until class started, and the warning bell was set to go off any moment now. “Listen, Applejack,” I started to say. “I have something to ask you, something very important.” “Yes?” she asked, tilting her head so that the glow of the fluorescent ceiling lights gave her blonde hair a lovely backlight. She looked so pretty that I lost my train of thought. “Uh... um...” Oh shoot. I couldn’t even remember what I was going to say. She stared at me with her deep emerald green eyes, which were widening in anticipation of my words. “Uh... well... Can I have your number?” I suddenly blurted out, instantly wanting to shove the words back in my mouth as soon as they slipped away from me. “Mah... phone number?” There was a slight blush on Applejack’s cheeks. “Um, yeah. Home or cell, I don’t care. Uh, listen, Applejack, I have something important to discuss with you, and I don’t have enough time now. Do you think I could have some contact information so I could get in touch with you to talk about this?” I said, quickly trying to save face after my embarrassing slip. “Yeah, sure. Ah’ll give ya mah home number ‘cause Ah don’t own a cell phone. Hold on just a sec...” She opened up her backpack and rummaged through until she produced a piece of scrap paper and a pen. I watched as she scribbled down her number, handing it to me when she was done. There was a blush on her face, and she looked away as I took it and put it in my pocket. “Thanks,” I said gratefully. “Don’t mention it,” she said, still refusing to make eye contact. The bell rang just then, signifying the beginning of the school day. I got up, slinging my backpack over my back. “See you later,” I said as I dashed away. Applejack waved in response before getting up and heading off in a different direction. It was only until I was halfway to my class that I let the embarrassed redness seep onto my face. She must think I’m such a loser, I thought. Why, oh why, did I have to make a fool of myself in front of the person who I hoped to convince to become my volleyball partner? I was 20% more pathetic in 10 seconds flat. Definitely not awesome. Author's Note About this chapter... I decided to give RD parents because it seems unrealistic to have a real life setting where so many of the characters are orphans. Or it's just another take on real world MLP that hasn't been done that often. By now I've sorta accepted that this is a story that some people will really like, and others really won't. Whatever you think is okay by me :) Chapter 3The minute I got home from school, I grabbed the phone, raced up the stairs, and locked myself in my room. Throwing my backpack down on my bed, I unzipped it and rooted around for Applejack’s number. Cursing my lack of organizational skills, it took what felt like nearly an hour before I actually found what I was looking for. “Ah ha!” I cried out triumphantly, sticking the piece of scrap paper in the air as if it were a treasure from one of my favourite Daring Do adventure books. Tank slowly lifted his wrinkly head, staring at me as if I had lost my mind. “What’re you looking at?” I snapped at him, and he turned away on cue. “Lightning Dust, be prepared to be pulverized!” Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep, went the phone as I pressed my fingers into the keypad. I held it to my ear as it dialed, each ring increasing the rate of my pulse. {Please pick up, please pick up, come on Applejack, don’t be busy}, I silently willed. “Er, hello?” The voice at the other end of the phone startled me, and it took me a moment to reply. “Um, hi, I’m looking for, uh, Applejack?” I said, trying my hardest to sound polite. “Who?” “Applejack. Does she live here?” “Oh, yes. Applejack. She’s out in the fields right now. Can she call you back later?” “Yeah, that’s fine.” As long as she did actually call... There was a pause on the other end of the line. I tapped my foot on the floor, waiting for whomever it was (I was going to guess Applejack’s grandmother since the voice was high-pitched and rather shaky) to speak. “Who is this again? Ah’m sorry, Ah seem tah ferget these things in mah old age...” I cleared my throat. “The name’s Rainbow Dash. I’m a, uh, friend of Applejack’s from school.” “Okay, then, Rainbow Dash. Ah’ll have Applejack call ya back later once today’s chores are done. Nice talkin’ to ya, dear.” “Nice talking to you, too.” The words felt weird in my mouth, especially because I had never had the experience of having a grandma, and didn’t really know what to say to one. “Alrighty then. Bye now.” “Bye.” I clicked the off button and placed the phone down on my bed. Kicking my backpack off so that it spewed my stuff all over the floor, I grabbed one of my textbooks and began to do a little bit of homework. Usually I would never bother with anything so time consuming and boring, the only exception there was if my grades were in jeopardy. But now, it gave me something to do while waiting for Applejack to call. I had nearly done half my math by the time my mom got home on her short break. She knocked on my door after trying the handle and realizing that it was locked. “Honey, are you in there?” I sighed and got up, walking over to unlock it. Crawling back onto my bed, I pretended to be engrossed in my studies when she turned the doorknob and peeked inside. “Wow, Rainbow, I’m so glad to see that you’re actually working,” Mom said, impressed. I shrugged. “Yeah, whatever. No big deal. The assignment’s about half as lame as yesterday’s.” Her eyes wandered over to where the phone lay. “Expecting a call?” “Yeah,” I answered, deciding that it was better not to lie. The one thing about my mom is that if you lie to her when the truth is easier to tell, it’ll just lead to more annoying questions and perhaps even a stupid punishment. “Ooh! Is it a boy?” “No.” Yeah, about that... I was sort of at the crossroads there... I mean, I used to be one hundred percent sure that I was straight, but then I met some girls that were just so... attractive. Applejack was definitely one of them, but that’s beside the point. I guess what I’m trying to say is that over the last few years, my attraction to the opposite sex had sort of faded, as if it had never been there in the first place, but I still felt a bit insecure about the whole thing. Even though I was usually very straightforward, I just didn’t have the guts to tell my slightly homophobic parents about how I really felt. I just thought I’d make that clear. “A friend?” Mom guessed, not willing to let the topic drop. “I guess you could call her that.” “Are you trying to arrange something?” “Well, sorta.” “What is it?” “Look, are you going to just stand here and pester me all night? Don’t you have work to do or something?” I snapped, the incessant questions finally wearing me down. Mom looked slightly hurt as she slowly closed the door. “Fine, I’ll just leave you to your homework, then.” I let out a relieved sigh. Even though my parents weren’t around that much, they sure annoyed me when they were. After about another hour of halfhearted math, I gave up and went downstairs for a snack. Mom had already left, so the house was all mine again. Part of me wished that I hadn’t been so mean to her, but I pushed that feeling aside as I opened up the cupboard and grabbed a granola bar. Munching on my snack, I thought about what I was possibly going to say to Applejack in order to get her to be my teammate. {Oh, hey, AJ. Mind if I call you that? You know, because your name’s Apple-Jack. Get it? AJ? Oh, man that’s lame. Let’s start again.} {Hello? This is Rainbow Dash speaking. Oh, Applejack? Yeah, of course I remember you! You’re the one who’s good at volleyball. Speaking of which, would you be interested in the honour of becoming my partner in the beach volleyball doubles tournament? You’d be thrilled? Oh, that’s totally awesome! I knew I could count on you! Wait a minute... What happens if she says no?} I sighed. This was gonna be harder than I originally thought. Riiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnngggggggg!!! Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggg!!! The harsh noise instantly jolted me to life. I pushed back the kitchen stool I was sitting on and scurried up the stairs, tripping over the occasional step in my haste. Whipping the door to my room open, I launched myself at the phone and pressed the “talk” button. “Hello?” I asked breathlessly. “Er, howdy. Ah’m, uh, lookin’ fer Rainbow Dash? Is she in right now?” My heart skipped a beat as I heard the unmistakable voice on the other end of the line. It was her. “Yeah, that’s me,” I said, barely able to contain my nervous energy. “Howdy, there, Rainbow. This is Applejack. Ya wanted tah talk with me ‘bout somethin’ important?” “Yeah I did...” This was the crucial moment. I could not screw up. “Um, IwaswonderingifyouwantedtoplayvolleyballwithmeasateambecauseIneedapartnerinordertobeatLightningDustatthechampionshipsandyou’rereallygoodsoareyouin?” “Pardon? Ah didn’t catch a word of that, sugarcube.” I took a deep breath. “Okay. So, I’m going to enter this beach volleyball doubles thing, and there’s a championship in June with a trophy and everything! It sounds pretty awesome, but I need someone to be my partner. You were pretty good when we played earlier, so, are you in?” There was a pause on the other end of the line. {Pleasesayyespleasesayyespleasesayyes}, I silently begged. “Um, Ah dunno, Rainbow. There’s a mighty lot o’ work tah be done ‘round the farm, and Ah’m not sure that Granny Smith will jus’ let me walk away from all mah duties...” “Come on! Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease? I don’t make these offers lightly, you know.” Another pause. I took the phone off my ear and switched it to the other side. My hands were getting all sweaty from clutching it so hard. But I was not going to let her go so easily. Not when it meant beating Lightning Dust and becoming a Canterlot High Wondercolt. “Listen, Rainbow. Can ya give me a few days jus’ tah think this over an’ ask permission an’ stuff? Ah hafta admit, this does sound interestin’, but Ah jus’ don’t know how mah family’s gonna react tah me missin’ a whole buncha work. Ah’ll talk tah ya soon, okay?” “So is that a yes?” I asked hopefully. “It’s a maybe. That’s all Ah can honestly give ya right now.” “Okay, then. See you soon!” “See ya later, sugarcube.” And with that, I clicked the off button. Placing the phone on my dresser, I mulled over Applejack’s words. A maybe. That was the best answer I had gotten so far. It wasn’t a yes, but I would just have to do a few extra things to make sure it would be. Author's Note Finally updated... As always, if you see any mistakes, feel free to point them out to me :) Chapter 4It was the final period of the first Friday of the school year, and the hands of the clock were moving agonizingly slowly. I tried to concentrate on reading my dull History textbook, but my mind had other ideas. Operation Applejack would be entering phase two over the weekend, and I was anticipating it with every second that ticked by. Suddenly, I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. I turned around to look at the kid in the desk behind me. He waved a piece of folded up paper in front of my face. “It’s from them.” Leaning out of my desk, I glanced over to see Lightning Dust and a group of her new friends at the back of the classroom, all looking at me and giggling maliciously. I scowled at them as I opened the paper. [Got a partner yet?] It read. “Working on it,” I mouthed to her. “I’m one step ahead of you already, RD,” she mouthed back. “You might as well just give up.” “Oh yeah, I’ll never quit!” I said, a little too loudly. “Quiet down, Rainbow Dash,” the teacher reminded me. “Sorry,” I muttered. The weekend rolled in without any other talk of the volleyball thing. I was glad to be away from school and Lightning Dust for a few days. Even if she was only in one of my classes, it made things a lot worse than they had to be. Besides, I didn’t have any classes with Applejack, and that just downright sucked. Saturday morning was the only time that both of my parents were home, so my mom cooked a decent pancake breakfast before heading off to work for the afternoon. My dad had a little longer, since he wasn’t due in a meeting until 2:00. “Uh oh, looks like we’re out of fresh fruit,” Dad said as he closed the fridge. “Too bad. I was planning on bringing one of your mother’s lovely fruit salads to a luncheon tomorrow.” “That sucks,” I commiserated. “Do you think you can stop by that new supermarket and grab a couple apples or something?” I thought for a moment before a sudden, brilliant idea dawned on me. “I could always go to, say, a nice organic farm or something instead. I heard that there’s a good one around here that sells apples.” Dad looked surprised. “Wow, Rainbow. I never thought you were the type to worry about organic produce.” “Yeah, well, I’m an athlete. I have to stay in top form. Anyways, do you think you could drop me off there on the way to work?” “Alrighty, then. I suppose that organic apples will impress my boss, too. I think that there’s that Sweet Apple Acres place down the road a little ways. Do you want to stop there?” “Is that the only farm around?” “As far as I’m aware, yes.” “Then that has to be the place!” I cried out triumphantly. “Uh... okay, then,” Dad said, sounding totally confused by the outburst. “We’ll leave in an hour or so. Is that okay for you, Miss Apple Expert?” “Yeah, yeah. Just don’t make me wait too long,” I said, yawning. True to his words, my dad was ready to go within an hour. We piled into our SUV and drove down into the rural area of Ponyville. I rolled down the windows, the last of the warm summer air rushing through the car. “Look! There it is!” I said, pointing to a driveway that had a sign hanging over with a large apple on it. “Good eyes,” Dad said approvingly as he turned onto the bumpy road. Within mere minutes, I caught sight of a big red barn and a few other smaller buildings next to it. Apple trees were everywhere all over the property as well as covering the surrounding fields. {Wow}, I thought. {This is one serious apple farm. Shut up. Her name’s APPLE jack, isn’t it?} Getting out of the car, I waved goodbye to my dad as he drove off. Pushing open the gate to the main building, a nice, large house that was typical for a farm, I looked around to see if anyone was nearby. The apple stand in front of the house was temporarily abandoned, even though the “open” sign still flashed. “Hello? Anyone home?” I called out. A young, pink-haired girl with a large bow in her hair stuck her head out the door. “Howdy, miss. Anythin’ we can do fer ya today? The Apple family has the best apples in the whole world!” she announced. “Yeah, I’d like to buy some of your apples,” I told her. She grinned at me and hopped over to the apple stand. Gesturing to a row of neatly labeled buckets, all filled with different varieties of the fruit, she asked, “So, what kind do ya want?” “Well...” I took a closer look. “We have Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala, Spartan, Macintosh, Pink Ladies, Granny Smith, Braeburn, basically, if it’s an apple, we have it!” “I’ll take a dozen of those red apples, please,” I said. The little girl nodded and handed me a bag, letting me select the ones I liked. “Thank ya kindly very much,” she said as I paid for them. “So, where’s Applejack?” I asked. The little girl looked confused. “Mah sister? She’s workin’ in the fields harvestin’ apples right now.” “Oh. Can I talk to her for a minute?” “Sure, Ah guess. This way.” The little girl led me through another gate and down into one of the apple groves. I spotted Applejack and a tall, rather muscular guy with ginger hair picking apples off the trees. “Hi, Applejack!” I called out, waving. She waved back and dropped the basket she was holding to come greet me. “Howdy, Rainbow Dash,” she said. “Ah never expected tah see y’all ‘round here today.” I shrugged casually. “Well, I was out of fresh fruit, so instead of going to that new superstore in downtown Ponyville, I came here hoping to talk to you as well as buy some apples.” Applejack’s expression darkened at the mention of the new supermarket. “Those darn no-good big business Flim Flam fakers! Y’all made the right decision tah come here instead.” Then she brightened up. “Ah’m glad tah have yer business. We could really use the profits fer when winter comes.” “Well, that’s what friends do, right? They support each other,” I said, causing Applejack to smile. “Ah’m honestly lucky, then, tah have such a loyal friend.” We were silent for a moment. Then, finally, she said, “Hey, RD. Have ya met the rest o’ mah family yet?” I shook my head. “No, not officially, but I did talk to your grandma on the phone and buy apples from your sister.” “Well, then, Ah’ll jus’ hafta introduce y’all. This is mah sister, Apple Bloom, mah brother, Big Macintosh, an’ Granny Smith is still inside the house. Oh, an’ this is Winona, mah dog. Everyone else, this is mah friend from school, Rainbow Dash.” “Nice to meet you guys,” I said, shaking hands with Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom before petting Winona on the head. “Eeyup,” said Big Mac. Applejack laughed. “He’s sorta shy. He doesn’t really talk much, that’s fer sure.” “Nope,” her brother confirmed. “Anyways, Ah hafta get back tah work, now. Apples don’t pluck themselves from trees, well, not the good ‘uns, anyways. You can stay if ya like, Rainbow Dash. Ah wouldn’t mind havin’ some company while Ah work,” Applejack said. “Sure,” I agreed. I still had to talk to her about the volleyball thing, and besides, I didn’t have anything to do today, anyways. She picked up a large basket and we headed over to a different field. Setting up by one of the apple trees, I was surprised by her diligence as she shook a few of the apples off the branches with a large amount of force. “So, about the whole volleyball thing...” I started. “Have you made up your mind yet?” Applejack stopped and let out a sigh. “Ah tried, Rainbow. Ah really did. But winter will be here in a few months, an’ there’s still plenty of work tah be done. Plus there’s that fancy-shmancy new Flim Flam supermarket that specializes in producin’ a lot o’ food in a very short time. With their business lastin’ through the winter, if we don’t have enough food tah keep our sales afloat, we could be in some serious trouble.” My heart sank as I took in what she was saying. “So... you can’t play?” “That’s not what Ah said. Granny Smith sure ain’t too keen on the idea, but Ah think that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Ah want to play, Ah’m jus’ doubtful ‘bout whether Ah’ll get to or not.” “It’s okay. If it’s too much, I’ll just find someone else.” I couldn’t help but sound immensely disappointed. “Ah’m sorry, RD. Ah really, truly, honestly am.” Applejack bit her lip. She looked as sincere as she sounded. “Heh heh, don’t worry about it,” I told her, pretending to laugh in order to disguise my hurt. “I’ll be fine without you. Heck, there are lots of people who can play volleyball at our school. I don’t need to rely on one person.” I checked my watch. If I walked home now, I could probably make it back before dinner. “I should probably go now. My mom will freak out if she gets home and I’m not there.” “Okay, then. Ah hope you enjoy yer apples,” Applejack said, sounding strangely unenthusiastic. “I will,” I promised. “I’ll catch you later, I guess.” “Yeah, later.” The farm girl went back to picking apples, though this time with much less energy than before. I let my shoulders sag as I began my walk home, thinking about the conversation Applejack and I had just had. Sure, it was true what I said about there being lots of other people who could easily become my volleyball partner, but that wasn’t the problem. The problem was that I wanted Applejack. There was something, buried deep inside me that wouldn’t accept anyone else but her. I couldn’t explain it, and I didn’t think I ever would be able to, but it was there, and it certainly wouldn’t leave me alone. Author's Note Don't be fooled by this chapter, I actually really like Lightning Dust. But I needed a good antagonist, and she definitely fits the bill. I'll try to continue with this story more than I have been since I have so many ideas for it... Mwahahaha!!! (insert crazy Pinkie face) *Clears throat* Ahem. Anyways, enjoy. Or don't. It's up to you, after all. Chapter 5I was about halfway down Applejack’s driveway when a thought hit me. There still was an hour or two before I had to be at home. Even though we couldn’t be partners... We could still be friends, right? I could still hang around with Applejack, maybe even help her with some work... Wait a minute. What was I thinking? Me, work? I shook that idea out of my head. Work, no. But talk? That sounded a lot more do-able. Besides, I didn’t want to go home yet. Home was boring. I didn’t want to risk being on Facebook at the same time as Lightning Dust, anyways. I un-friended her last week, and from what I knew about her, it was safe to assume she was out for revenge. Sighing, I turned around and headed back to Sweet Apple Acres. Once I reached the farm, I glanced around, looking for anyone who could tell me where Applejack was. Spying a barn with its door hanging slightly ajar, I walked up to it and pushed it open farther. Big Mac was inside; trying to fix something that I could only guess was farm equipment. “Hey,” I said as loudly as I could. Startled, he glanced up. “Where’s Applejack?” Big Mac stood up and pointed behind me. I looked over my shoulder, noticing a large hill that oversaw the entire apple grove. “Try up there. It’s where she goes whenever she needs to think about important stuff,” he informed me. “Thanks,” I said, waving as I dashed out of the barn. I slowly climbed up the hill towards where Applejack sat. She was gazing out at the myriad of apple trees that were all visible from the top. A few feet behind her lay a tattered old volleyball. {So she does practice quite a bit...} I thought, pushing away the nagging disappointment that had risen up inside me at the sight of it. Picking it up, I gently tossed it into the air. It was a good, solid ball, even if it looked all gross and old. Glancing back at Applejack, who apparently hadn’t noticed I was behind her, I bounced the ball lightly off my forearm and watched as it hit her squarely on the head. “What in tarnation...?” She whipped around, a startled look on her face. Finally, I couldn’t contain my giggles any longer. “Pfft... hahaha... you... ahahaha didn’t...hahaha... even... hehehe... notice... ahahahahaha!” “Rainbow Dash!” she said in a mock angry voice. “I just couldn’t resist... Your face was priceless...” “Are ya done?” “Ahem. Yeah.” I motioned to the volleyball that now lay on the ground slightly behind her. “Wanna play?” Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Are ya still goin’ on ‘bout that competition thingy?” “No, no, no.” I raised my hands defensively. “Just for fun. As friends. No strings attached.” “Well, okay then. Ah’m sure Ah could manage that...” “Yay! I mean, awesome! Let’s go! Last one down the hill is a rotten apple!” “Oh, you’re so on, sugarcube!” We sprinted down the hill, both of us equally content on claiming the victory. Stumbling onto a nice dirt-packed area that would make a decent court, we both fell down, giggling. I propelled myself to my feet, grabbed the volleyball and whacked it towards her. She reached for it, but it sailed over her head. “My point!” I yelled. Applejack didn’t say anything; she merely tossed the ball back to me so I could serve again. I extended my arm and delivered a straight, clean serve. She bumped it back towards me lightly. Seizing the opportunity, I pounded the ball into the dirt. It bounced in, giving me yet another point, before rolling away. Applejack looked dazed. “Ah’ll get that.” She walked over and picked up the ball, tapping it back towards me. Instead of catching it, I let it collide with my forearms, sending it over to her. She reached towards it, but not fast enough. I furrowed my brow. That was an easy hit. She should’ve had it for sure! Being competitive was only fun when both people involved were actually trying to win. Despite Applejack’s lack of enthusiasm, we kept on playing. Sort of. “That’s, like, the fifth time!” I hissed under my breath when my friend halfheartedly swiped at the volleyball, apologizing as she missed it yet again. Applejack smiled wearily at me as she sent the ball flying over my head with a terrible serve. Finally, I had enough. “Hey, Applejack, are you okay?” I asked, glaring at her. “Uh, yeah. Ah’m perfectly fine,” she replied stubbornly. I let out an exasperated sigh. There was only one thing I could think of that would make her act so despondent. “Look... don’t worry about the whole volleyball thing. I don’t want to pressure you or your family to make a serious commitment to it and neglect your farm.” Applejack looked down at the ground. “Ah know. Ah jus’ hate lettin’ other people down, even if it may be all too much fer me tah handle.” “Hey, like I said, it’s totally cool. Besides, my awesomeness can get a bit overwhelming,” I told her with a grin, trying to emphasize my point. She cracked a small smile. “Don’t flatter yerself, sugarcube.” We both burst out in a fit of giggles. “You do really want to play, don’t you?” I murmured after the laughter had died down. “Ah’d be lyin’ if Ah said no.” Suddenly, I stood up and walked over to where the volleyball lay neglected. “Well, what’s stopping us? First to ten points wins!” XXX After about an hour or so of intense barnyard volleyball, both of us were too exhausted to continue any further. Tucking the ball underneath my arm, I began to make my way home. Applejack walked with me back to the gate that led out of Sweet Apple Acres to the main road. “That sure was fun, wasn’t it?” Applejack commented. “Yeah,” I agreed. “Maybe we could play again some other time!” “Ah’m willin’ to let that happen as long as certain conditions are fulfilled,” a voice from behind us said. Applejack and I whipped around, startled. “Granny Smith...?” Applejack gasped out. The old woman smiled at her granddaughter. “Yer silblings and Ah jus’ made a deal. Any time spent on the court will have to be made up on the farm whenever you can. Isn’t that right, Big Mac?” “Eeyup,” Applejack’s brother confirmed, coming up behind Granny Smith with Apple Bloom in tow. “And we decided tah split yer chores so you don’t have tah worry about ‘em while you practice!” the younger girl said excitedly. Applejack wrinkled her brow. “Ah’m confused. Practice what?” “Volleyball, of course! Isn’t that what ya wanted?” Apple Bloom said, gazing up at her elder sister. “That’s jus’ too kind, y’all. Ah can’t let ya do this for me,” Applejack said, blushing. “AJ, please. It’s the least we can do for you,” Big Mac told her, placing his hand on her shoulder. I grinned. This had worked out better than I had dreamed! “So, all you guys are willing to let her play, huh? How about you, AJ? Whaddaya think?” “Why, me?” Applejack said, smiling. She grabbed the ball out of my hands. “Ah’m game, sugarcube!” Author's Note To those of you who are enjoying this story, I am so sorry I did not get this done sooner. I have the intention to finish this story even if it takes me like a million years to do so. This chapter was originally written in script form to be made into a comic, but I just decided to write it all out like this instead. Might sound a little off though. Meh. I dunno. Enjoy! :)
Chapter 1This was it. The chance I’d been waiting for my entire life. I pulled my knees into my chest and practiced deep breathing. Everything was on the line. If I screwed this up... Well, I just couldn’t screw it up. It’s that simple. “Rainbow Dash?” I perked up at the sound of my name. The assistant coach of the Canterlot Wondercolts female volleyball team was glancing around at all of us, the young girls who had been waiting for this moment to show off their stuff, in search of whoever belonged to that particular name. “That’s me,” I said, waving my hands enthusiastically. He nodded, taking a pen to his clipboard and scratching off my name on the attendance list before continuing with the roll call. “Hey, you’re the girl from Cloudsdale Middle School who won the doubles badminton tournament last year,” I heard someone whisper. Glancing over my shoulder, I noticed a girl I had never seen before staring at me in awe. “Yep, that’s me!” I said with a grin, jerking my thumb back to myself to emphasize the point. “I was there watching the entire tournament. You guys were awesome. Your partner, Lightning Dust, even gave me her autograph!” “Do you want my autograph?” I inquired. “They’re going to be in great demand once I become the captain of the Canterlot Wondercolts!” The girl laughed. “Maybe. What about your partner? I thought that she said in an interview that she was going to be the team captain.” I attempted to smile and casually shrug the remark away, but the truth was, Lightning Dust probably would become the team captain. She was really fast, and strong, and as much as I hated to admit it, she was a better player than me. The final game of the badminton tournament flashed through my mind. She had had the final serve, and had smoked it right over the net so fast that the other team didn’t even have time to blink. The referee had blown the whistle, signaling our victory. It, put simply, was the best moment of my life. Winning was everything, and that was a win that Cloudsdale Middle School would be flaunting forever. The entire room fell quiet as the door opened and closed with a dramatic thud. Excited murmurs started buzzing around as everyone caught sight of the girl who had just entered. Her short blonde hair was perfectly combed, and she had her usual arrogant smirk across her face. “Hey, Rainbow Dash,” she said as soon as she caught sight of me. “Hey, Lightning Dust,” I mumbled back. The assistant coach glanced up from his clipboard. “Alright, I guess now that everyone’s here, tryouts will begin. Remember, try your best, but play safe,” he said, opening the gym doors. I adjusted the number on my back and took my place on the court. Lightning Dust stood beside me. “Good luck, Rainbow Dash, you’ll need it!” she told me, winking. I gritted my teeth, remembering what she had told me earlier, as soon as she found out I was trying out for the team: “Wow, you wanna be a Wondercolt? Good luck with that, freshmen never make the team.” “But what about you?” I had responded. “You’re a freshman, too.” “I know,” she had said. “But I’m a special case. I won the badminton tournament, remember?” “We won.” “Face it, Rainbow Dash. Without me, you’d be good, but with me, you’re great. I doubt you’d have won with anyone else.” “Listen, Lightning Dust...” I started to say, but the sound of a whistle blowing interrupted me. “Girls, take your positions,” barked the team’s coach, Coach Spitfire. We all lined up and waited for our chances to shine. The first activities were easy, the typical bumping, setting, serving, and spiking evaluations. I aced those fine. The next part focused on basic athletics, such as sprinting and agility. Again, I barely broke a sweat. It wasn’t until the third section of the tryouts that I started to worry. A one-on-one game against another player. Please don’t put me with Lightning Dust. Anyone but her, a small voice in my head begged. “Rainbow Dash, you will play against... Lightning Dust.” Curse my luck. Lightning Dust grinned arrogantly as she sent the volleyball soaring over the net, leaving me with a small amount of time to react. Catching it before it hit the floor, I bumped it back over the net. Take that, Lightning Dust! She simply sent it back over the net with a gentle set. I did the same back, and we rallied back and forth, neither of us willing to let the ball drop. Come on, Rainbow Dash! This is your time to shine, not hers! For once, let yourself be in the spotlight instead of Lightning Dust! I gritted my teeth and whacked the ball as hard as I could. Lightning Dust reached for it, but it flew mere inches away from her fingertips and bounced on the ground. She looked stunned. “Yes!” I cried out, pumping my fist in the air. “First point of the game!” “It’s not over yet, Rainbow Dash!” Lightning Dust hissed angrily. I served the ball towards her, gently, yet controlled. She smacked it back, a little too hard. It bounced right out of the boundary lines. “The ball is out, Rainbow Dash’s point,” Coach Spitfire announced. “Two nothing me!” I yelled, doing another fist pump. Lightning Dust looked mad enough to chew nails. “You just wait,” she muttered underneath her breath. I served it again, this time with more force. Lightning Dust watched it sail over her head, certain it was going to go foul. Alas, the ball had other ideas. It bounced on the line, fortunately, giving me another point. “Rainbow Dash’s point again,” the coach said. She handed me the ball for my next serve. “I’ll go easy on you this time,” I told my opponent. “Hurry up, then,” she snapped, grimacing bitterly at me. I ignored her and lightly tapped it over the net. This time, Lightning Dust was more than ready. She whacked the ball with all the force she could muster, sending it flying at me. Before I could even blink, I felt the smooth texture of the ball collide with my face. Stunned, it took me a moment to realize what had happened. And when I did, I was livid. “You! You just... hit me!” I sputtered out. “So? Whatcha going to do about it, Dashie?” Lightning Dust challenged. I balled my hand into a fist. “This!” I cried out as I ran over to her side of the net and punched her in the face. “You jerk!” Now, it was Lightning Dust’s turn to get upset. She slammed me against the floor and smacked my face. I leapt back to my feet and shoved her as hard as I could. TWEET! TWEET! TWEET! “Time out now! Both of you, in my office this instant!” Coach Spitfire shouted. Lightning Dust and I immediately broke apart. “Yes, coach,” we muttered. “I can’t believe it! Two of the most talented athletes in the school, and I can’t even permit you to be on my team because of some silly rivalry that’s emerged all of a sudden...” “But she hit me with the ball!” I interrupted. “Yeah, but you were also the one who threw the first punch!” Lightning Dust argued. “I only did that because you started it!” “But you started the fight!” “GIRLS! THAT IS ENOUGH!” We both stopped arguing and turned our attention back to the coach. She did not look pleased. “I don’t care about your petty problems. What I saw on the court today was absolutely unacceptable. I have to let you know that you both would’ve made the Wondercolts if you hadn’t acted so stupid! Now I have to give your positions to some girls who can hold their tempers in. What happened to the team that won the middle school badminton tournament, huh?” I slammed my fist down on her desk. “We never were a team. It was all Lightning Dust and her birdie hogging. I was only her backup.” “Birdie hogging? I was appointed by our old coach to be the team leader!” Lightning Dust said angrily. “Some leader you were,” I muttered. Coach Spitfire sighed. “Listen, girls. You are both amazing players, and I would hate to see you both quit volleyball completely. It sounds to me like you need a break from each other. There is a freshman beach volleyball league that the school runs, but since it’s drop in, there are no tryouts. Anyone can play, and that includes the both of you. My recommendation would be to find new partners, and start working on your skills through that. Maybe next year, if the pair of you have proved to me that you are mature enough to handle being a Canterlot High Wondercolt, then I’ll let you try out for the team again.” “That sounds good to me,” I said. “Me too,” Lightning Dust agreed. “First session is next Wednesday. Show up at 3:30 in this gym,” Coach Spitfire informed us. “Oh, and since it is doubles, if you don’t have a partner, you won’t be playing. Also, one last thing. There are championships that take place in June. The winning team gets a trophy for their school and five hundred dollars each. Win it, and I’ll definitely reconsider my decision. In fact, I’ll even make room in the team.” As soon as we were out of the office, I started thinking about what the coach had said. All I had to do to become a Wondercolt was win this stupid beach volleyball championship. Not only would I get a trophy, prize money, and a spot on my dream team, I would show Lightning Dust that I was a better player than her after all! “Don’t worry, Rainbow Dash, I’ll take that silly prize money and trophy off your hands so you can worry about how you’re possibly going to make the Wondercolts next year!” Lightning Dust hissed. I sighed. Right when I had forgotten that she was still there. “Oh yeah? If I were you, I’d be trembling. I’ll win the championships and become a Wondercolt, just you wait!” I snapped at her. She smiled cruelly. “Here’s the deal, Rainbow Crash. Whoever wins the tournament becomes a Wondercolt, and whoever doesn’t... can never try out for the volleyball team again!” “Fine!” I told her. We shook on it, finalizing the deal. “See you on the court,” she said, walking away. “See you on the court,” I mimicked after she had left. “What a jerk! Does she actually think she’s going to win this? I can’t believe how self-centered she is! She’d do anything just to win, even block her own teammate.” I stomped down the hallway, imagining the crushed look on Lightning Dust’s face when I won the championships. I was so perturbed that I didn’t even realize that there was anyone else around. “Woah, there!” A girl’s voice brought me back to reality. I was somehow sprawled out on the ground, papers scattered around me everywhere. “Are ya alright there, sugarcube?” “What happened?” I asked blearily. “Ya bumped intah me when Ah was walkin’ down the hall here, tryin’ tah get to the office,” the voice explained. I felt someone’s hand take mine and pull me to my feet. Only then did I see the girl who was with me in the light. Her soft blonde hair was done up in a loose ponytail that draped over her shoulder, and she wore a Stetson atop her head. There was a cluster of freckles underneath both of her deep, emerald green eyes. She smiled softly at me, brushing a strand of her messy hair out of her face. “Wow...” I breathed. I had never met a girl this pretty before in my life. Snapping back to reality, I immediately got down on my hands and knees and began collecting up the papers she had dropped during our collision. “There’s no need tah clean up fer me,” she said, picking up the rest. “N-no, it’s my fault, I should help fix the, uh, damage,” I stammered out. “Thanks very much.” She tipped her hat at me respectfully as she took the papers I had gathered up for her. “Um, you’re welcome...” “Ah’ll see ya around then...” “Rainbow Dash. My name’s Rainbow Dash.” “Okay, then, Rainbow Dash. Ah’ll see ya around, like Ah said.” I watched as she walked away, her hair gently flowing behind her. Only then did I realize that I never got her name. Author's Note This is my take on what Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust's relationship would've been like if they had really gotten to know each other and had to work as a team for several years. I tried to really elaborate on their competitive natures so I apologize if they seem too OOC. About cover art: I hopefully will have some soon for this piece since it will be longish.
Chapter 2“So, how did the tryouts go, honey?” my mom asked as soon as I got home. “Fine,” I muttered, not wanting to discuss it further. Mom placed her hands on her hips. “I may not be around much, but I do know when you’re upset about something. Let me guess, you didn’t make it?” “Nope.” “Oh, that’s too bad. I’m really sorry to hear that. So, are you going to try out for any other sports?” “I dunno.” I walked over to the fridge, pushing stray cardboard boxes that hadn’t yet been unpacked from the move over to the side. Opening the door, I grabbed a can of Diet Coke and cracked it open. Chugging it down, I let it wash away the frustrated emotions that had been boiling up inside me. “Don’t worry about it too much, honey. I’m sure you’ll think of something that’ll take volleyball’s place as your number one go-to sport. Anyways, I have to get back to work now. My clients won’t be pleased if I’m late.” I watched as Mom adjusted her purse, tucked a stray hair behind her ear, and slipped on her polished black high-heeled boots before opening the front door and closing it gently behind her. She and Dad hardly got any time off work, so I was mostly on my own for hours on end. We rarely had family meals, and when we did, they came straight out of a pizza box. The house itself was surprisingly organized, but that was more due to my obsessive-compulsive aunt who lived in Cloudsdale coming over on the weekends to make sure the house was still running. Things, I guess, had been messed-up for her, too, ever since we moved. My family, meaning my parents and I, used to live in Cloudsdale, which is where I attended both Middle and Elementary school. We had a nice house in a nice neighborhood that was very rarely plagued by crime or drugs, the kind of atmosphere that was perfect for growing up in. But all that changed when my dad got a job in Canterlot, making a move inevitable. Since Canterlot is a really upper-class city, my parents decided that it would be better to settle in the outskirts of Ponyville, a quiet little town with a train that ran direct to the city, meaning that travel wouldn’t be so much of an issue. My mom was a realtor, and it didn’t take much for her to get her career back on track by selling real estate in Ponyville as opposed to Cloudsdale. The house itself was rather large, and situated on a hill that overlooked a valley. It was in a private neighborhood much like the one in Cloudsdale that was devoid of nasty stuff. Since my parents worked almost nonstop, there wasn’t much done in the way of unpacking. Cardboard boxes were neatly stacked to the side, with the odd one or two scattered about around the house. All the basic necessities were taken out, but things such as Christmas decorations and our numerous family photo albums were still stashed away. Heading up to my room, I locked my door behind me and threw myself down on my soft-as-a-cloud bed. “I can’t believe it, Tank!” I moaned, venting my anger to my audience of one pet tortoise. Tank lifted his head at me as if to indicate that he was listening. “It was all Lightning Dust’s fault! Ugh, I don’t know how I put up with her on the badminton team last year. She’s such a pain, and so full of it, too! And now, the only thing I can do is play beach volleyball, a crappy rip-off version of what I’d always dreamed about! Even worse, I have to find a partner or else I can’t play! This is definitely. Not. Awesome.” I buried my head into my pillow and screamed until my lungs hurt. How in Equestria was I going to find a partner who was as awesome as I? Wait a second... Coach Spitfire said that I just needed a partner to compete... Someone... Anyone would do... It doesn’t matter if they can play or not... I’ll just do all the winning, and they don’t need to worry about a thing... In that case... I whipped out my cell phone and went straight to the text message app. Maybe I could talk one of my old Elementary or Middle school friends into playing. Desperately, I reviewed everyone who I could think of that was a possible candidate. The first person I thought of was Gilda, an old friend of mine from camp. She went to different schools than I did, until this year, when she transferred to Canterlot High. Even though she was a competitive rival of mine, I had no problem with being on the same team, if it meant that we could beat Lightning Dust. Hey Gilda, it’s RD. Heard about the beach volleyball tourney? If so wanna be a team? A few minutes later, I got a response. RD, someone already asked me. thx for the invite tho :) {Dammit!} I cursed. Oh well. The next person I thought that I might be able to convince was Fluttershy, one of my oldest friends from Cloudsdale Elementary. We were both bullying targets as kids, so I often found myself standing up for the two of us. Since I thwarted many of the mean plans that other people had for her, I figured that she owed me a few favours. Plus, she was attending Canterlot High too, qualifying us as a potential team. Fluttershy, do u have any interest in playing volleyball? I need a partner. 1st session is next Weds @ 3:30 – RD Fluttershy was pretty timid, so I doubted that she’d be willing to play a tough, competitive sport. Still, it was worth the try. She replied nearly immediately. So sorry but I’m volunteering at the local animal shelter on Weds. Plus, volleyball is a rough sport. I wouldn’t want to get hurt. Good luck with finding a partner, though! I sighed. So far, not so good. Arriving early for school the next day, I considered going to the gym to see if I could talk Coach Spitfire into changing her mind. Since that likely would never happen, I sat down in front of my locker and pondered the few other options I had. Freshmen weren’t allowed to play for the soccer team, and the softball team’s tryouts had been three days ago. My parents, although supportive of my athletic endeavours, likely wouldn’t let me play rugby or wrestle. Track, however, was still a good part of my alternative plan. Maybe I would try out for it next. Of course, volleyball was my current favourite sport, but since I wasn’t allowed on the team this year, and I couldn’t find a partner for the beach volleyball league, it looked more and more like I’d have to go to plan B. Time to focus my efforts towards the Track team. I was determined to become a Canterlot Wondercolt, and there was no way that I’d let a couple negative events turn me away from my dream. Getting up, I made my way towards the gym in order to sign up for the Track and Field tryouts. It was too early in the morning for there to be large crowds of people, so I moved through the hallways with ease. Stopping right outside the gym, I pushed the heavy door open and walked in. There were a few other kids around, since Coach Spitfire allowed anyone to come in before class to practice. It didn’t matter if they were a Wondercolt or not; in fact, I’d seen quite a few people in there that I never would’ve imagined. I spotted the tryout sign-ups on the wall outside the door that led to the coach’s office. Maneuvering my way over, I picked up the pencil that hung by a string next to the paper and pressed down, ready to sign. Until something caught my eye. Something I never would’ve expected... In the corner of the room, there was a strong-looking blonde-haired girl wearing a Stetson. She was intently bouncing a volleyball against the wall. Could it possibly be...? I wondered, dropping the pencil and striding up to her, standing slightly behind. She was so caught up in her game that she didn’t even notice me. “Hey,” I said, and she whipped around. “Howdy, Rainbow Dash,” she responded, turning her attention back onto the ball. “So, you play volleyball,” I said as casually as I could manage. “No, not officially. Ah don’t really play sports,” she corrected. “You look pretty good, though. Wanna play me?” “Sure.” She stopped bouncing the ball and tucked it under her arm as I led her to the center of the gym. Beginning with a hard serve, she sent it over the net with an amazing amount of force. Surprised, I watched it as it hit the very corner of the boundary lines, giving her the point. “Yahoo!” she cried out. “First point is fer me!” “Don’t worry, I’ll catch up,” I told her intently as she served again. This time, I was prepared, and was able to volley it back over the net. My opponent reacted with lightning speed, setting the ball lightly towards me. With all the strength I could muster, I smashed it back into her court, tying the game. We continued on like this for the next five minutes or so as a race to three points, with me eventually emerging as the victor. “Whew-ee! That was quite the match!” the blonde-haired girl said, wiping sweat off of her brow as we went to sit down. “Yeah,” I agreed. “I’m one of the best volleyball players around, but you sure gave me a run for the money! For a second there, I thought that I might actually have a slim chance of losing!” She laughed and brushed her hair out of her eyes. “That was the most fun Ah’ve had in ages!” “Me too.” I thought for a moment. She was certainly a good player, maybe even good enough to be a teammate! You’re getting ahead of yourself here, I reminded myself. You don’t even know her name. Speaking of which... “Hey, what’s your name?” “Applejack,” she told me. “Applejack,” I repeated. It definitely suited her. We sat down over on one of the bleachers that was stored on the side of the gym. There was less than ten minutes until class began, but I was in no rush to go anywhere. “So, Applejack, what Elementary school did you go to?” I asked, curious to find out a little more about my new friend. “Ah never went tah Elementary school. Mah granny homeschooled me and mah siblings at our family’s farm,” she answered me. “This whole highschool thing is brand new tah me.” “Oh, that’s cool. I wish I was homeschooled, but my parents don’t have the time. What about your parents? Were they too busy, too?” “Mah parents are dead.” “Oh.” I awkwardly shifted over. “I’m sorry.” “Don’t worry ‘bout it. They died in a car accident when Ah was little. Ah’ve been raised by mah Granny Smith ever since.” “My grandma died of cancer when I was four,” I offered. “I never really got to know her.” “That’s terrible,” Applejack said, her eyes portraying a look of sorrow. “This is one darned awful conversation we’re havin’.” “Yeah it is. Uh, so, how did you learn to play volleyball?” I asked, quickly changing the subject. “Ah always played with mah siblings ‘round the farm. Somethin’ to do other than farmin’, ya know. Ah play soccer and baseball, too, sorta.” “That’s cool. I play pretty much any sport you throw at me, except golf. I hate golf,” I said, making a face. Applejack laughed. “What’s wrong with golf?” “It’s for really boring old people.” “Ah suppose yer right. Never liked that sport much. Course, Ah’ve never played it, but that’s beside the point.” We both laughed merrily, the depressing conversation of earlier now almost completely forgotten. I checked my watch. There was only three minutes until class started, and the warning bell was set to go off any moment now. “Listen, Applejack,” I started to say. “I have something to ask you, something very important.” “Yes?” she asked, tilting her head so that the glow of the fluorescent ceiling lights gave her blonde hair a lovely backlight. She looked so pretty that I lost my train of thought. “Uh... um...” Oh shoot. I couldn’t even remember what I was going to say. She stared at me with her deep emerald green eyes, which were widening in anticipation of my words. “Uh... well... Can I have your number?” I suddenly blurted out, instantly wanting to shove the words back in my mouth as soon as they slipped away from me. “Mah... phone number?” There was a slight blush on Applejack’s cheeks. “Um, yeah. Home or cell, I don’t care. Uh, listen, Applejack, I have something important to discuss with you, and I don’t have enough time now. Do you think I could have some contact information so I could get in touch with you to talk about this?” I said, quickly trying to save face after my embarrassing slip. “Yeah, sure. Ah’ll give ya mah home number ‘cause Ah don’t own a cell phone. Hold on just a sec...” She opened up her backpack and rummaged through until she produced a piece of scrap paper and a pen. I watched as she scribbled down her number, handing it to me when she was done. There was a blush on her face, and she looked away as I took it and put it in my pocket. “Thanks,” I said gratefully. “Don’t mention it,” she said, still refusing to make eye contact. The bell rang just then, signifying the beginning of the school day. I got up, slinging my backpack over my back. “See you later,” I said as I dashed away. Applejack waved in response before getting up and heading off in a different direction. It was only until I was halfway to my class that I let the embarrassed redness seep onto my face. She must think I’m such a loser, I thought. Why, oh why, did I have to make a fool of myself in front of the person who I hoped to convince to become my volleyball partner? I was 20% more pathetic in 10 seconds flat. Definitely not awesome. Author's Note About this chapter... I decided to give RD parents because it seems unrealistic to have a real life setting where so many of the characters are orphans. Or it's just another take on real world MLP that hasn't been done that often. By now I've sorta accepted that this is a story that some people will really like, and others really won't. Whatever you think is okay by me :)
Chapter 3The minute I got home from school, I grabbed the phone, raced up the stairs, and locked myself in my room. Throwing my backpack down on my bed, I unzipped it and rooted around for Applejack’s number. Cursing my lack of organizational skills, it took what felt like nearly an hour before I actually found what I was looking for. “Ah ha!” I cried out triumphantly, sticking the piece of scrap paper in the air as if it were a treasure from one of my favourite Daring Do adventure books. Tank slowly lifted his wrinkly head, staring at me as if I had lost my mind. “What’re you looking at?” I snapped at him, and he turned away on cue. “Lightning Dust, be prepared to be pulverized!” Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep, went the phone as I pressed my fingers into the keypad. I held it to my ear as it dialed, each ring increasing the rate of my pulse. {Please pick up, please pick up, come on Applejack, don’t be busy}, I silently willed. “Er, hello?” The voice at the other end of the phone startled me, and it took me a moment to reply. “Um, hi, I’m looking for, uh, Applejack?” I said, trying my hardest to sound polite. “Who?” “Applejack. Does she live here?” “Oh, yes. Applejack. She’s out in the fields right now. Can she call you back later?” “Yeah, that’s fine.” As long as she did actually call... There was a pause on the other end of the line. I tapped my foot on the floor, waiting for whomever it was (I was going to guess Applejack’s grandmother since the voice was high-pitched and rather shaky) to speak. “Who is this again? Ah’m sorry, Ah seem tah ferget these things in mah old age...” I cleared my throat. “The name’s Rainbow Dash. I’m a, uh, friend of Applejack’s from school.” “Okay, then, Rainbow Dash. Ah’ll have Applejack call ya back later once today’s chores are done. Nice talkin’ to ya, dear.” “Nice talking to you, too.” The words felt weird in my mouth, especially because I had never had the experience of having a grandma, and didn’t really know what to say to one. “Alrighty then. Bye now.” “Bye.” I clicked the off button and placed the phone down on my bed. Kicking my backpack off so that it spewed my stuff all over the floor, I grabbed one of my textbooks and began to do a little bit of homework. Usually I would never bother with anything so time consuming and boring, the only exception there was if my grades were in jeopardy. But now, it gave me something to do while waiting for Applejack to call. I had nearly done half my math by the time my mom got home on her short break. She knocked on my door after trying the handle and realizing that it was locked. “Honey, are you in there?” I sighed and got up, walking over to unlock it. Crawling back onto my bed, I pretended to be engrossed in my studies when she turned the doorknob and peeked inside. “Wow, Rainbow, I’m so glad to see that you’re actually working,” Mom said, impressed. I shrugged. “Yeah, whatever. No big deal. The assignment’s about half as lame as yesterday’s.” Her eyes wandered over to where the phone lay. “Expecting a call?” “Yeah,” I answered, deciding that it was better not to lie. The one thing about my mom is that if you lie to her when the truth is easier to tell, it’ll just lead to more annoying questions and perhaps even a stupid punishment. “Ooh! Is it a boy?” “No.” Yeah, about that... I was sort of at the crossroads there... I mean, I used to be one hundred percent sure that I was straight, but then I met some girls that were just so... attractive. Applejack was definitely one of them, but that’s beside the point. I guess what I’m trying to say is that over the last few years, my attraction to the opposite sex had sort of faded, as if it had never been there in the first place, but I still felt a bit insecure about the whole thing. Even though I was usually very straightforward, I just didn’t have the guts to tell my slightly homophobic parents about how I really felt. I just thought I’d make that clear. “A friend?” Mom guessed, not willing to let the topic drop. “I guess you could call her that.” “Are you trying to arrange something?” “Well, sorta.” “What is it?” “Look, are you going to just stand here and pester me all night? Don’t you have work to do or something?” I snapped, the incessant questions finally wearing me down. Mom looked slightly hurt as she slowly closed the door. “Fine, I’ll just leave you to your homework, then.” I let out a relieved sigh. Even though my parents weren’t around that much, they sure annoyed me when they were. After about another hour of halfhearted math, I gave up and went downstairs for a snack. Mom had already left, so the house was all mine again. Part of me wished that I hadn’t been so mean to her, but I pushed that feeling aside as I opened up the cupboard and grabbed a granola bar. Munching on my snack, I thought about what I was possibly going to say to Applejack in order to get her to be my teammate. {Oh, hey, AJ. Mind if I call you that? You know, because your name’s Apple-Jack. Get it? AJ? Oh, man that’s lame. Let’s start again.} {Hello? This is Rainbow Dash speaking. Oh, Applejack? Yeah, of course I remember you! You’re the one who’s good at volleyball. Speaking of which, would you be interested in the honour of becoming my partner in the beach volleyball doubles tournament? You’d be thrilled? Oh, that’s totally awesome! I knew I could count on you! Wait a minute... What happens if she says no?} I sighed. This was gonna be harder than I originally thought. Riiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnngggggggg!!! Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggg!!! The harsh noise instantly jolted me to life. I pushed back the kitchen stool I was sitting on and scurried up the stairs, tripping over the occasional step in my haste. Whipping the door to my room open, I launched myself at the phone and pressed the “talk” button. “Hello?” I asked breathlessly. “Er, howdy. Ah’m, uh, lookin’ fer Rainbow Dash? Is she in right now?” My heart skipped a beat as I heard the unmistakable voice on the other end of the line. It was her. “Yeah, that’s me,” I said, barely able to contain my nervous energy. “Howdy, there, Rainbow. This is Applejack. Ya wanted tah talk with me ‘bout somethin’ important?” “Yeah I did...” This was the crucial moment. I could not screw up. “Um, IwaswonderingifyouwantedtoplayvolleyballwithmeasateambecauseIneedapartnerinordertobeatLightningDustatthechampionshipsandyou’rereallygoodsoareyouin?” “Pardon? Ah didn’t catch a word of that, sugarcube.” I took a deep breath. “Okay. So, I’m going to enter this beach volleyball doubles thing, and there’s a championship in June with a trophy and everything! It sounds pretty awesome, but I need someone to be my partner. You were pretty good when we played earlier, so, are you in?” There was a pause on the other end of the line. {Pleasesayyespleasesayyespleasesayyes}, I silently begged. “Um, Ah dunno, Rainbow. There’s a mighty lot o’ work tah be done ‘round the farm, and Ah’m not sure that Granny Smith will jus’ let me walk away from all mah duties...” “Come on! Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease? I don’t make these offers lightly, you know.” Another pause. I took the phone off my ear and switched it to the other side. My hands were getting all sweaty from clutching it so hard. But I was not going to let her go so easily. Not when it meant beating Lightning Dust and becoming a Canterlot High Wondercolt. “Listen, Rainbow. Can ya give me a few days jus’ tah think this over an’ ask permission an’ stuff? Ah hafta admit, this does sound interestin’, but Ah jus’ don’t know how mah family’s gonna react tah me missin’ a whole buncha work. Ah’ll talk tah ya soon, okay?” “So is that a yes?” I asked hopefully. “It’s a maybe. That’s all Ah can honestly give ya right now.” “Okay, then. See you soon!” “See ya later, sugarcube.” And with that, I clicked the off button. Placing the phone on my dresser, I mulled over Applejack’s words. A maybe. That was the best answer I had gotten so far. It wasn’t a yes, but I would just have to do a few extra things to make sure it would be. Author's Note Finally updated... As always, if you see any mistakes, feel free to point them out to me :)
Chapter 4It was the final period of the first Friday of the school year, and the hands of the clock were moving agonizingly slowly. I tried to concentrate on reading my dull History textbook, but my mind had other ideas. Operation Applejack would be entering phase two over the weekend, and I was anticipating it with every second that ticked by. Suddenly, I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. I turned around to look at the kid in the desk behind me. He waved a piece of folded up paper in front of my face. “It’s from them.” Leaning out of my desk, I glanced over to see Lightning Dust and a group of her new friends at the back of the classroom, all looking at me and giggling maliciously. I scowled at them as I opened the paper. [Got a partner yet?] It read. “Working on it,” I mouthed to her. “I’m one step ahead of you already, RD,” she mouthed back. “You might as well just give up.” “Oh yeah, I’ll never quit!” I said, a little too loudly. “Quiet down, Rainbow Dash,” the teacher reminded me. “Sorry,” I muttered. The weekend rolled in without any other talk of the volleyball thing. I was glad to be away from school and Lightning Dust for a few days. Even if she was only in one of my classes, it made things a lot worse than they had to be. Besides, I didn’t have any classes with Applejack, and that just downright sucked. Saturday morning was the only time that both of my parents were home, so my mom cooked a decent pancake breakfast before heading off to work for the afternoon. My dad had a little longer, since he wasn’t due in a meeting until 2:00. “Uh oh, looks like we’re out of fresh fruit,” Dad said as he closed the fridge. “Too bad. I was planning on bringing one of your mother’s lovely fruit salads to a luncheon tomorrow.” “That sucks,” I commiserated. “Do you think you can stop by that new supermarket and grab a couple apples or something?” I thought for a moment before a sudden, brilliant idea dawned on me. “I could always go to, say, a nice organic farm or something instead. I heard that there’s a good one around here that sells apples.” Dad looked surprised. “Wow, Rainbow. I never thought you were the type to worry about organic produce.” “Yeah, well, I’m an athlete. I have to stay in top form. Anyways, do you think you could drop me off there on the way to work?” “Alrighty, then. I suppose that organic apples will impress my boss, too. I think that there’s that Sweet Apple Acres place down the road a little ways. Do you want to stop there?” “Is that the only farm around?” “As far as I’m aware, yes.” “Then that has to be the place!” I cried out triumphantly. “Uh... okay, then,” Dad said, sounding totally confused by the outburst. “We’ll leave in an hour or so. Is that okay for you, Miss Apple Expert?” “Yeah, yeah. Just don’t make me wait too long,” I said, yawning. True to his words, my dad was ready to go within an hour. We piled into our SUV and drove down into the rural area of Ponyville. I rolled down the windows, the last of the warm summer air rushing through the car. “Look! There it is!” I said, pointing to a driveway that had a sign hanging over with a large apple on it. “Good eyes,” Dad said approvingly as he turned onto the bumpy road. Within mere minutes, I caught sight of a big red barn and a few other smaller buildings next to it. Apple trees were everywhere all over the property as well as covering the surrounding fields. {Wow}, I thought. {This is one serious apple farm. Shut up. Her name’s APPLE jack, isn’t it?} Getting out of the car, I waved goodbye to my dad as he drove off. Pushing open the gate to the main building, a nice, large house that was typical for a farm, I looked around to see if anyone was nearby. The apple stand in front of the house was temporarily abandoned, even though the “open” sign still flashed. “Hello? Anyone home?” I called out. A young, pink-haired girl with a large bow in her hair stuck her head out the door. “Howdy, miss. Anythin’ we can do fer ya today? The Apple family has the best apples in the whole world!” she announced. “Yeah, I’d like to buy some of your apples,” I told her. She grinned at me and hopped over to the apple stand. Gesturing to a row of neatly labeled buckets, all filled with different varieties of the fruit, she asked, “So, what kind do ya want?” “Well...” I took a closer look. “We have Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala, Spartan, Macintosh, Pink Ladies, Granny Smith, Braeburn, basically, if it’s an apple, we have it!” “I’ll take a dozen of those red apples, please,” I said. The little girl nodded and handed me a bag, letting me select the ones I liked. “Thank ya kindly very much,” she said as I paid for them. “So, where’s Applejack?” I asked. The little girl looked confused. “Mah sister? She’s workin’ in the fields harvestin’ apples right now.” “Oh. Can I talk to her for a minute?” “Sure, Ah guess. This way.” The little girl led me through another gate and down into one of the apple groves. I spotted Applejack and a tall, rather muscular guy with ginger hair picking apples off the trees. “Hi, Applejack!” I called out, waving. She waved back and dropped the basket she was holding to come greet me. “Howdy, Rainbow Dash,” she said. “Ah never expected tah see y’all ‘round here today.” I shrugged casually. “Well, I was out of fresh fruit, so instead of going to that new superstore in downtown Ponyville, I came here hoping to talk to you as well as buy some apples.” Applejack’s expression darkened at the mention of the new supermarket. “Those darn no-good big business Flim Flam fakers! Y’all made the right decision tah come here instead.” Then she brightened up. “Ah’m glad tah have yer business. We could really use the profits fer when winter comes.” “Well, that’s what friends do, right? They support each other,” I said, causing Applejack to smile. “Ah’m honestly lucky, then, tah have such a loyal friend.” We were silent for a moment. Then, finally, she said, “Hey, RD. Have ya met the rest o’ mah family yet?” I shook my head. “No, not officially, but I did talk to your grandma on the phone and buy apples from your sister.” “Well, then, Ah’ll jus’ hafta introduce y’all. This is mah sister, Apple Bloom, mah brother, Big Macintosh, an’ Granny Smith is still inside the house. Oh, an’ this is Winona, mah dog. Everyone else, this is mah friend from school, Rainbow Dash.” “Nice to meet you guys,” I said, shaking hands with Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom before petting Winona on the head. “Eeyup,” said Big Mac. Applejack laughed. “He’s sorta shy. He doesn’t really talk much, that’s fer sure.” “Nope,” her brother confirmed. “Anyways, Ah hafta get back tah work, now. Apples don’t pluck themselves from trees, well, not the good ‘uns, anyways. You can stay if ya like, Rainbow Dash. Ah wouldn’t mind havin’ some company while Ah work,” Applejack said. “Sure,” I agreed. I still had to talk to her about the volleyball thing, and besides, I didn’t have anything to do today, anyways. She picked up a large basket and we headed over to a different field. Setting up by one of the apple trees, I was surprised by her diligence as she shook a few of the apples off the branches with a large amount of force. “So, about the whole volleyball thing...” I started. “Have you made up your mind yet?” Applejack stopped and let out a sigh. “Ah tried, Rainbow. Ah really did. But winter will be here in a few months, an’ there’s still plenty of work tah be done. Plus there’s that fancy-shmancy new Flim Flam supermarket that specializes in producin’ a lot o’ food in a very short time. With their business lastin’ through the winter, if we don’t have enough food tah keep our sales afloat, we could be in some serious trouble.” My heart sank as I took in what she was saying. “So... you can’t play?” “That’s not what Ah said. Granny Smith sure ain’t too keen on the idea, but Ah think that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Ah want to play, Ah’m jus’ doubtful ‘bout whether Ah’ll get to or not.” “It’s okay. If it’s too much, I’ll just find someone else.” I couldn’t help but sound immensely disappointed. “Ah’m sorry, RD. Ah really, truly, honestly am.” Applejack bit her lip. She looked as sincere as she sounded. “Heh heh, don’t worry about it,” I told her, pretending to laugh in order to disguise my hurt. “I’ll be fine without you. Heck, there are lots of people who can play volleyball at our school. I don’t need to rely on one person.” I checked my watch. If I walked home now, I could probably make it back before dinner. “I should probably go now. My mom will freak out if she gets home and I’m not there.” “Okay, then. Ah hope you enjoy yer apples,” Applejack said, sounding strangely unenthusiastic. “I will,” I promised. “I’ll catch you later, I guess.” “Yeah, later.” The farm girl went back to picking apples, though this time with much less energy than before. I let my shoulders sag as I began my walk home, thinking about the conversation Applejack and I had just had. Sure, it was true what I said about there being lots of other people who could easily become my volleyball partner, but that wasn’t the problem. The problem was that I wanted Applejack. There was something, buried deep inside me that wouldn’t accept anyone else but her. I couldn’t explain it, and I didn’t think I ever would be able to, but it was there, and it certainly wouldn’t leave me alone. Author's Note Don't be fooled by this chapter, I actually really like Lightning Dust. But I needed a good antagonist, and she definitely fits the bill. I'll try to continue with this story more than I have been since I have so many ideas for it... Mwahahaha!!! (insert crazy Pinkie face) *Clears throat* Ahem. Anyways, enjoy. Or don't. It's up to you, after all.
Chapter 5I was about halfway down Applejack’s driveway when a thought hit me. There still was an hour or two before I had to be at home. Even though we couldn’t be partners... We could still be friends, right? I could still hang around with Applejack, maybe even help her with some work... Wait a minute. What was I thinking? Me, work? I shook that idea out of my head. Work, no. But talk? That sounded a lot more do-able. Besides, I didn’t want to go home yet. Home was boring. I didn’t want to risk being on Facebook at the same time as Lightning Dust, anyways. I un-friended her last week, and from what I knew about her, it was safe to assume she was out for revenge. Sighing, I turned around and headed back to Sweet Apple Acres. Once I reached the farm, I glanced around, looking for anyone who could tell me where Applejack was. Spying a barn with its door hanging slightly ajar, I walked up to it and pushed it open farther. Big Mac was inside; trying to fix something that I could only guess was farm equipment. “Hey,” I said as loudly as I could. Startled, he glanced up. “Where’s Applejack?” Big Mac stood up and pointed behind me. I looked over my shoulder, noticing a large hill that oversaw the entire apple grove. “Try up there. It’s where she goes whenever she needs to think about important stuff,” he informed me. “Thanks,” I said, waving as I dashed out of the barn. I slowly climbed up the hill towards where Applejack sat. She was gazing out at the myriad of apple trees that were all visible from the top. A few feet behind her lay a tattered old volleyball. {So she does practice quite a bit...} I thought, pushing away the nagging disappointment that had risen up inside me at the sight of it. Picking it up, I gently tossed it into the air. It was a good, solid ball, even if it looked all gross and old. Glancing back at Applejack, who apparently hadn’t noticed I was behind her, I bounced the ball lightly off my forearm and watched as it hit her squarely on the head. “What in tarnation...?” She whipped around, a startled look on her face. Finally, I couldn’t contain my giggles any longer. “Pfft... hahaha... you... ahahaha didn’t...hahaha... even... hehehe... notice... ahahahahaha!” “Rainbow Dash!” she said in a mock angry voice. “I just couldn’t resist... Your face was priceless...” “Are ya done?” “Ahem. Yeah.” I motioned to the volleyball that now lay on the ground slightly behind her. “Wanna play?” Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Are ya still goin’ on ‘bout that competition thingy?” “No, no, no.” I raised my hands defensively. “Just for fun. As friends. No strings attached.” “Well, okay then. Ah’m sure Ah could manage that...” “Yay! I mean, awesome! Let’s go! Last one down the hill is a rotten apple!” “Oh, you’re so on, sugarcube!” We sprinted down the hill, both of us equally content on claiming the victory. Stumbling onto a nice dirt-packed area that would make a decent court, we both fell down, giggling. I propelled myself to my feet, grabbed the volleyball and whacked it towards her. She reached for it, but it sailed over her head. “My point!” I yelled. Applejack didn’t say anything; she merely tossed the ball back to me so I could serve again. I extended my arm and delivered a straight, clean serve. She bumped it back towards me lightly. Seizing the opportunity, I pounded the ball into the dirt. It bounced in, giving me yet another point, before rolling away. Applejack looked dazed. “Ah’ll get that.” She walked over and picked up the ball, tapping it back towards me. Instead of catching it, I let it collide with my forearms, sending it over to her. She reached towards it, but not fast enough. I furrowed my brow. That was an easy hit. She should’ve had it for sure! Being competitive was only fun when both people involved were actually trying to win. Despite Applejack’s lack of enthusiasm, we kept on playing. Sort of. “That’s, like, the fifth time!” I hissed under my breath when my friend halfheartedly swiped at the volleyball, apologizing as she missed it yet again. Applejack smiled wearily at me as she sent the ball flying over my head with a terrible serve. Finally, I had enough. “Hey, Applejack, are you okay?” I asked, glaring at her. “Uh, yeah. Ah’m perfectly fine,” she replied stubbornly. I let out an exasperated sigh. There was only one thing I could think of that would make her act so despondent. “Look... don’t worry about the whole volleyball thing. I don’t want to pressure you or your family to make a serious commitment to it and neglect your farm.” Applejack looked down at the ground. “Ah know. Ah jus’ hate lettin’ other people down, even if it may be all too much fer me tah handle.” “Hey, like I said, it’s totally cool. Besides, my awesomeness can get a bit overwhelming,” I told her with a grin, trying to emphasize my point. She cracked a small smile. “Don’t flatter yerself, sugarcube.” We both burst out in a fit of giggles. “You do really want to play, don’t you?” I murmured after the laughter had died down. “Ah’d be lyin’ if Ah said no.” Suddenly, I stood up and walked over to where the volleyball lay neglected. “Well, what’s stopping us? First to ten points wins!” XXX After about an hour or so of intense barnyard volleyball, both of us were too exhausted to continue any further. Tucking the ball underneath my arm, I began to make my way home. Applejack walked with me back to the gate that led out of Sweet Apple Acres to the main road. “That sure was fun, wasn’t it?” Applejack commented. “Yeah,” I agreed. “Maybe we could play again some other time!” “Ah’m willin’ to let that happen as long as certain conditions are fulfilled,” a voice from behind us said. Applejack and I whipped around, startled. “Granny Smith...?” Applejack gasped out. The old woman smiled at her granddaughter. “Yer silblings and Ah jus’ made a deal. Any time spent on the court will have to be made up on the farm whenever you can. Isn’t that right, Big Mac?” “Eeyup,” Applejack’s brother confirmed, coming up behind Granny Smith with Apple Bloom in tow. “And we decided tah split yer chores so you don’t have tah worry about ‘em while you practice!” the younger girl said excitedly. Applejack wrinkled her brow. “Ah’m confused. Practice what?” “Volleyball, of course! Isn’t that what ya wanted?” Apple Bloom said, gazing up at her elder sister. “That’s jus’ too kind, y’all. Ah can’t let ya do this for me,” Applejack said, blushing. “AJ, please. It’s the least we can do for you,” Big Mac told her, placing his hand on her shoulder. I grinned. This had worked out better than I had dreamed! “So, all you guys are willing to let her play, huh? How about you, AJ? Whaddaya think?” “Why, me?” Applejack said, smiling. She grabbed the ball out of my hands. “Ah’m game, sugarcube!” Author's Note To those of you who are enjoying this story, I am so sorry I did not get this done sooner. I have the intention to finish this story even if it takes me like a million years to do so. This chapter was originally written in script form to be made into a comic, but I just decided to write it all out like this instead. Might sound a little off though. Meh. I dunno. Enjoy! :)
