“The Whispering Tears”
By: BrastaAura17 and Jason
Chapter I: The Fateful Letter
If I don't send him a letter by sundown, I'll be... tardy!
To say Dusk Shine was having a bad day was the understatement of the millenium. The ordinarily, calm, cool and collected stallion was currently on the point of near-mental breakdown from sheer anxiety. It really was amazing how a single letter could drive the poor librarian into a state of semi-coherent, single-minded obsession, ignoring everything else going on but his one goal.
It wasn’t a particularly difficult situation, by most ponies’ standards; he just had to write a letter to Prince Solaris on what he had learned on friendship recently. If another pony were unable to compose one in time, they would have just shrugged and waited until they actually had something to write about. Not so with Dusk Shine.
One could suppose his crippling fear of failure might have something to do with it. Or the crippling fear of disappointing his mentor. Or his tendency to cram everything within a set-in-stone schedule that held the same power over his mind as a royal decree had for the whole principality. Either way Dusk only had one thing in mind and that was finding a friendship lesson to write to his mentor about by any means necessary. Dusk knew he had to find somepony with some sort of friendship problem to be solved-- come Tartarus or high water.
Just as Dusk was ready to leave to put his plan into action their was a knock at the door.
*KNOCK* *KNOCK*
Dusk opened the door to find his good friend Applejack standing in the doorway of the library.
“Oh, hello Applejack.” Dusk said, eye twitching.
“Oh, heya Dusk... are you feelin’ alright?” Applejack asked, eyes widened in slight confusion at Dusk’s current state.
“Of course, AJ; everything is just fine.” Dusk said, in a way that would strike fear into anypony’s heart.
“Uuh, Dusk? Are you sure everythin’ is ok? Dusk, you're actin’ mighty strange; even for you.” Applejack said, concern replacing the confusion in his voice.
“Yes, everything is just fine, Applejack. Is everything alright with you? Do you have some kind of problem a good friend can help you solve?” Dusk Shine asked, eye still twitching in a way that was rather unnerving.
Applejack took a small step back, away from the questionably sane stallion. “Well, no Sugarcube; no problems that I can think of. I’m more concerned about you. You seem a little bit... twitchy, and different than usual.” Applejack said with clear worry about his friend.
“No AJ, I’m just fine.” *twitch* “Well, it was nice to see you Applejack, but I really must be going. Do you know of anypony else who might need some help?” Dusk asked with his mind back on the objective at hoof finding a problem for his friendship report to Solaris.
“Yeah, sure, Dusk; I think I heard Butterscotch asking for help with his critters or something . Maybe you can ask him.” Applejack suggested, as he quickly left the library in confusion.
“Yes, of course; Butterscotch is sure to need help with his animals. I will write this friendship report one way or another!”
Dusk Shine left the library in search of Butterscotch to find the lesson for his friendship report to Solaris. Dusk hurried, galloping down the winding roads of Ponyville looking for his friend; and hopefully, the problem he sought.
Dusk Shine arrived shortly in the bustling market of Ponyville, searching for the yellow pegasus. Unbeknownst to Dusk, Butterscotch was nearby buying some groceries and supplies for his animals. Dusk didn’t notice this, and simply kept running through the market like a frenzied rabbit pursuing a bowl of carrot stew on the end of a fishing line. Not even noticing where he was going, Dusk found himself careening right into Butterscotch, knocking him over and spilling all of Butterscotch’s belongings onto the cobblestones of the Ponyville Marketplace. For a moment, all of Dusk’s worry about the soon-to-be written friendship report, replaced by sudden guilt and concern for the forenamed overturned pegasus.
“Oh, I am so sorry, Butterscotch! I was in such a big hurry to…” Dusk stopped for a moment before he reminded himself exactly what he was planning to do. “Nevermind, are you okay?” Dusk asked, mentally beating himself for not even looking where he was going.
“Umm, I’m fine Dusk; it was an accident after all. If you don’t mind me asking... what were you in such a hurry for?” Butterscotch asked as Dusk helped him gather up his belongings.
Once Dusk found out his friend was okay, however, he had regressed back into his state of obsessive determination.
“I heard from Applejack that you may have a dilemma that a good friend could help you solve.” Dusk’s eye twitched again. “So, here I am. Do you a problem I can help with? Please have a problem, please have a problem! You HAVE to have a problem, for Solaris’s sake! Dusk’s manic grin and slight muttering to himself as he talked was starting to worry Butterscotch. His appearance didn’t help much, either.
“Well, Um... no, I don’t have anything I need help with right now, Dusk. But...” Butterscotch said nervously, trying to avoid eye contact with the possibly unstable stallion. “I think you may need some help from a friend if you don’t mind me saying that is.” Butterscotch said, the second part of the sentence being said at a pitch only dogs could hear.
“Ugh! Why is everypony today saying that I’m crazy or in need of help?” Dusk demanded of his timid friend rhetorically.
“Eeeepp! Ermm, I meant no offence, but you're acting a little bit strange. Is everything okay?” Butterscotch asked, terrified of his friend’s rather unnerving behavior.
“Well, do you know of anypony who may need some friendly assistance?” Dusk asked brusquely, worrying his yellow pegasus friend even more.
“Ermm... *eeeppp* Well, I-I just meant that you’re... errm... you're acting a little bit different than usual. You just seem nervous about something, and that’s coming from me.” Butterscotch said before he quickly flew off towards Sweet Apple Acres, not wanting to upset Dusk more.
“Uggh, what a day! First, I don’t have a friendship report to send to Solaris; then, not a single one of my friends need any kind of help. Wait, Rainbow Blitz; he always needs help with his tricks, or at least an audience to watch him so he can gloat. Does helping Rainbow by giving him someone to gloat to really helping a friend with a problem? Meh, It’ll have to do.”
Dusk Shine rushed off again in a huff, leaving the marketplace, a trail of dust, and the awkward situation with Butterscotch behind in search of the elusive Rainbow Blitz (Rainbow Blitz, not Elusive, and- oh, you get my point). He had to render some form assistance unto somepony, anypony; and Rainbow Blitz was next on the list. Dusk tore from one end of Ponyville to another, not finding Rainbow Blitz anywhere; only to see a cyan figure napping on a cloud above the library.
“Heyyy, Rainbow wake up!” Dusk yelled up to the cloud, trying to wake his sleeping friend up.
The pegasus twitched for a moment, before opening one eye to look down at the ground and the shouting unicorn. He barely stifled a snicker as he saw Dusk’s clearly distressed state. “Uh huh… Oh, hey Dusk what’s up?” Rainbow Blitz asked with a yawn as he hovered down off the cloud he was sleeping on.
“Oh, nothing Rainbow; just seeing if you needed any help from a goood friend. Maybe someone to watch you practice a new trick or help with a trick or something?” Dusk asked with rising enthusiasm, eager and hopeful that he finally found someone with a problem.
Rainbow took one look at Dusk before bursting into hysterical laughter. “Yikes! Bwahahahahahaha… what is wrong with you? You look like you’ve gone through another one of my Rainblow Dries.” Rainbow Blitz said, now literally rolling around on the ground laughing.
The laughter was only serving to frustrate the lavender unicorn further. “What’s so funny? You're like the third pony today to either laugh at me, say I’m crazy or accuse me about something being wrong!” Dusk said, angrily stomping a hoof on the ground. Why was everypony acting like he was either going to turn into an inferno of fiery rage, or had escaped from the Canterlot Psychiatric Hospital?
“What’s so funny? Have you seen yourself recently? You look like you haven’t brushed your mane and tail- or showered in days.” Rainbow added, wiping the tears out of his eyes with his hoof.
“Rainbow, what are you talking about? My mane and tail looks perfectly fine.” Dusk Shine said, immediately looking his tail coat and mane over for imperfections. Well, he didn’t see anything wrong.
“I’m talking about the fact that your tail and mane are knotted and matted, you look like you had a fight with a dustpan and lost, and you smell a little.. ripe.” Rainbow said looking at Dusk with a look of concern as he covered his muzzle with his hooves as he walked back towards Ponyville’s high street.
“Rainbow, what do you mean? I look perfectly fine don’t I?” Dusk asked concerned with the way he was being perceived.
“What do I mean? Dusk, look in a mirror.” Rainbow said leading his friend to the window of a nearby mirror store.
“What are you going on abo- WHAT HAPPENED TO ME?” Dusk gasped, horrified by his appearance. His coat was covered in dust, and his mane and tail looked like they had been attacked by a deranged hairdresser trying to curl with a salad fork.
“I would say you haven’t showered, brushed your coat, mane, or tail, or slept in three days. What has gotten into you; is something wrong?” Rainbow questioned, his jovial attitude slowly being replaced by concern for his friend’s current appearance and behaviour.
“Is this what everypony was talking about earlier? What was I thinking? Oh, right; about the Prince Solaris Friendship Report... and I stilldon’t have a report to send in! What am I going to do?”
Dusk was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn’t even notice Rainbow waving a hoof in front of his face. “Erm, Hey, Dusk? Are you okay? You seem a little weird; and not that good kinda weird like normal you.” Rainbow asked gently, trying to figure out what was up with the unicorn.
“Huh? Sorry Rainbow, I just zoned out.” Dusk thought for a moment, before looking down with a sigh. “No, Rainbow everything isn’t alright. You see, I have a friendship report to send to Prince Solaris by the end of today about what I learned about friendship in Ponyville this week; but there's only one problem.” Dusk Shine paused for a moment. “Ihaven’tlearnedany
-thingaboutfriendship.”, he said with such speed even Bubble Berry would be impressed.
“Okay Dusk, so you don’t have a friendship report for Solaris. And thats a problem... why?” Rainbow asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Well, it’s a huge problem because if I don’t send that report, Solaris will be disappointed in me; and if he’s disappointed with me, then he won’t want me to be his student anymore. And if he doesn’t want me to be his student anymore, he’ll hate me. And if he hates me, he’ll send me back to magic kindergarten. Then I’ll FAIL magic kindergarten, and he’ll expel me from Canterlot. And when I’m expelled from Canterlot, I’ll be banished from Equestria, and then I’ll spend the rest of my days as a penniless nomad doing parlour tricks for kids in the Griffin Dominion!” Dusk said, out of breath once again. He really needed to come up with shorter explanations.
“Dusk, is that what all this crazy running around, worrying everypony half to death is about?” Rainbow asked with a large devious grin on his face.
“What do you mean is that why I’ve been acting so crazy? I have been the same as usual. I am acting perfectly logical and sane.” *twitch*
“Well, besides the fact that you haven’t showered, brushed your tail, coat and mane in days, and you have a slight twitch you don’t usually have.” Rainbow said, pointing to the window and reminding Dusk of his current state. The only thing that followed from Dusk was silence.
Rainbow grinned in triumph for a moment. “See, I told you. Now, do you really think Prince Solaris will banish you from Equestria or stop mentoring you?”
Dusk sighed. “Well, yes, because Prince Solaris expects a friendship report from me every week; which is why he allowed me to stay in Ponyville with you guys.” Dusk was nervously pulling at strands of his mane at this point, looking like he was about to crack. “If I don’t send my report, then he will banish me from Ponyville and maybe even all of Equestria!”
“Dusk, I swear; sometimes for being such an egghead you can be so dense. Solaris is not only your mentor, he’s also a good friend of yours; and let’s face it, he’s pretty understanding. I think you're just overreacting over absolutely nothing.” Rainbow said, shaking his head. “But since you probably won’t listen to me, why don’t we head over to Sweet Apple Acres? I’m pretty sure Applejack and Butterscotch will be able to help you with this little problem; and plus, they're probably worried about the crazy way you’ve been acting today. What do you say Dusk; will you let your friends help you with your problem, or will you keep obsessing over the worst case scenario?” Rainbow asked, hoping his confused friend would let their friends help him.
Dusk looked like he wanted to tell him off, but restrained himself with a frown. “Okay, fine Rainbow! If it will really make you guys feel better then I will tell you guys about it.” He didn’t particularly want to, but if it would get them off his back about it...
While Dusk was absorbed in his thoughts, the cyan pegasus across from him was musing on things of a far more sentimental nature. He couldn’t help but smile at Dusk’s antics- he was rather cute once he calmed down. Then again, to him, Dusk was cute most of the time. Not that he would ever admit that out loud. Ever. I just wish Dusk could know what I really think about. Unbeknownst to Dusk, Rainbow had a softer, more fragile side beneath his tough and arrogant exterior. And it was that side that he had never let anyone know existed. No one; but if things went as he hoped, that would soon change. That’s it; I’ll tell him my true feelings today... I hope.” Rainbow thought, hoping Dusk wouldn't notice him not paying attention.
Unfortunately for Rainbow, Dusk had in fact noticed Rainbow had suddenly withdrawn to himself for a moment. Dusk raised a puzzled eyebrow; what in Equestria could make Rainbow Blitz of all ponies so quiet and pensive-looking, if only for a minute? Granted, the thoughtful look on his face was a bit endearing, some would say adorable-- but of course, Dusk would never think that. Of course. Right. “Rainbow, I know I’ve been acting a little crazy lately; but is everything alright? You seem a little bit antsy.” He said, a note of concern evident in his voice.
Upon hearing Dusk’s voice, Rainbow snapped himself out of his contemplative mood. “Huh? Oh, no Dusk I’m perfectly fine.” *gulp* “It’s just...” Rainbow trailed off; could he tell him? No, the time wasn’t right. Not yet, anyway. “Nevermind, let’s solve your little problem.”
Dusk looked a little skeptic, but then realised that if Rainbow didn’t want to tell him, he didn’t have to. After all, Dusk himself hadn’t wanted to reveal his own worries to his friend. “Okay, Rainbow; if you're sure everything is perfectly fine, then let’s head to Sweet Apple Acres.”
“Yeah, sure Dusk...” Rainbow said with a nod. Just as Dusk turned to go, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see Rainbow giving him frankly the most indecipherable look he had ever seen on the cyan pegasus’s face. “Oh, and Dusk? Remind me we need to talk about something else once we get this problem solved.” Rainbow added. There was something strange about his tone-- it wasn’t confident and bold, but timid, fragile, and... was it possible? Scared? Dusk could tell that something was obviously bothering Rainbow-- but Dusk knew he couldn’t help at this point. He had his own inner conflict; not just about the friendship report, but about certain feelings in his heart of rather different nature. Rainbow and Dusk left, heading to Sweet Apple Acres; and each of them hoping they left the odd feelings they had been having behind as well.
***
Rainbow Blitz and Dusk arrived at Sweet Apple Acres not much later with one goal in mind; to talk to Applejack and Butterscotch about Dusk’s erratic behavior as of late. However, that was not to say they arrived at the same time or in the same manner. Rainbow was in the air, flying leisurely flying over to the barn while Dusk approached from the ground.
From his vantage point on high, Rainbow saw Applejack and Butterscotch talking to each other through the barn window-- but he couldn’t make out what was being said. In an impulsive and split-second moment of “who gives a buck?”, Rainbow Blitz decided to drop in-- whether there was anything in his way or not. So naturally, he mentally shrugged and flew right into the barn, smashing through the creaky aged barn door and onto an unexpecting Applejack and Butterscotch.
In the cloud of splinters and dust, Rainbow heard a loud high pitched squeak and yelp from his dent in the barn floor, and looked up to see Butterscotch clinging onto a support beam of the barn in complete and utter terror. “Eeeep!”
Standing on the other side of the barn from the yellow pegasus was a rather angry-looking Applejack. “Rainbow, what the hay did ya do that fer, crashin’ in through the door and scaring the colour outa’ Butterscotch like that?” AJ demanded furiously, wanting answers from the winged cyan cruise missile that happened to be his friend.
A flash of guilt went across Rainbows face, as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish chuckle. “Oh, yeah... Sorry about that, Butterscotch; I didn’t mean to scare you. It’s just...” Rainbow sighed and looked directly at Applejack. “We have a little problem with our dear friend Dusk; he’s been acting a little weird today, if nopony else has noticed.”
Applejack snorted. “Yeah, Sugarcube; I’m pretty sure everypony in Ponyville has seen Dusk’s bizarre behaviour.”
Naturally, Butterscotch threw in his own shilling’s worth in, from his spot clinging to the ceiling beam. “Come to think of it, Dusk has been acting rather strangely; when I bumped into him earlier, he seemed very twitchy and more than a little anxious.” He lowered his tone to a whisper. “Errm, If you don’t mind me saying so, that is.”
At the moment, Dusk made his way through what was left of the barn doors, a scowl on his face. “I have not been acting crazy! I’ve just been a little nervous about my friendship report to Prince Solaris.” Dusk's scowl subsided slightly, and soon found himself looking towards the ground, as his tone gradually increased in pitch, speed and volume. “It’s due by the end of the day, and I haven’t learned anything about friendship.” The absolute dismay on his face would have been comical, if it weren’t for how seriously the poor unicorn was affected. “And if I don’t send in a friendship report, then he may not want to be my mentor anymore and if he doesn’t want to be my mentor anymore, then... then...” His voice lowered to a squeaky, nervous whisper worthy of Butterscotch. “Then he will banish me to the Griffin Dominion for all eternity!”
Applejack, Rainbow, and Butterscotch looked at each other for a moment, then, to Dusk’s surprise and hurt, burst out laughing. Dusk could only look on in shock as his three friends, including one previously suspended yellow pegasus, soon found themselves acquainted with the barn floor in their hysterics.
Once Applejack managed to stop laughing, he pushed himself off the floor with a more sober expression; he knew that despite how funny the situation seemed, he had to go and comfort his anxious friend. Making sure the last of his chuckles were gone, he spoke to his friend in a reassuring tone. “Dusk, do ya really think Solaris would do any of that stuff to ya just for missing one little friendship report?”
Dusk managed to open his mouth, then stammered, “W-Well yes-” He stopped at the pointed look directed at him, and groaned, burying his face in his hooves. “Okay, maybe he won’t banish me from Ponyville and Equestria for all eternity or stop mentoring me, but ...” Dusk’s voice became a bit ashamed, and very, very small. “I just... I don’t want to disappoint him.” Dusk stated, tears beginning to form in his eyes.
Applejack smiled. “Well Dusk, if ya ask me, I think ya learned a great lesson about friendship today if ya really think bout it.”
Dusk Shine looked confused for a moment. But then he began thinking to himself; had he really had an answer in front of him the whole time, and he was just too blind to see it? What could the lesson Applejack was talking about be?
Then Dusk began to understand, and his sharp mind finally figured out the answer to the problem that had been plaguing him all day. “I think I understand now, Applejack; you're saying that the lesson I learned about friendship today is one I should have learned a long time ago; that no matter what situation I may find myself in, no matter how insurmountable a task may seem, I can always look to my friends to be there for me through thick and thin; no matter what the situation is.” For a moment, Dusk’s self-assuredness faltered, and he gulped. “Right?”
Before Applejack could answer, Rainbow blurted out what everypony else had been thinking, in his usual blunt-as-a-hammer way. “See Dusk? That’s what I was trying to tell you for the past 2 hours! We’re your friends, and we will always be there for you in any kind of problem you may face; just know all of us will always be right by your side.” Rainbow immediately shut his mouth, glancing at the other ponies in the room. “Not a word. Not a snicker. Not the tiniest little hint to any pony, griffin, draconequus, zebra, or any other living creature that I ever said that, are we clear?” He was feeling a bit nauseous from the horrible display of sappiness that had just exited his mouth.
Applejack barely suppressed his smirk at Rainbow’s attitude before his expression inexplicably changed into a frown. “Ok, well guys, I’m glad we were able to solve yer problem there, Sugarcube, but I really gotta get back to work; them apples ain’t gonna buck themselves outta the trees after all.” Applejack said, unable to disguise the distress now in his own voice as walked out of the barn, leaving Dusk, Rainbow and Butterscotch to wonder what new problem could possibly have arisen now.
Rainbow broke the sudden silence as quickly as possible. “Well Dusk, I think you have a letter to write to the Prince about what you’ve learned about friendship today.” Rainbow said cheerily, as if he was completely oblivious to Applejack’s sudden mood swing.
Butterscotch frowned and turned to Rainbow, brushing his pink mane out of his eyes as he said exactly what was on his and Dusk’s minds. “Hey Rainbow, does... does something seem different about Applejack to you? He doesn’t seem to be his usual happy self; something seems wrong. What do you think?”
Rainbow’s falsely cheerful smile dropped slightly, and he just nodded solemnly. “Yeah, you’re right; AJ didn’t seem to be his normal self.” He looked away from Butterscotch and towards the lavender unicorn. “Dusk, I think he might have a real friendship problem that he needs help with.” Rainbow’s smirk came back by a smidgen. “Do you think you can put your lesson into practise?”
Dusk stood confidently, a look of grim determination in his purple eyes. “You're absolutely right Rainbow; Applejack has something on his mind, and I’m going to get it out of him one way or another.The friendship report to Solaris will have to wait; Applejack helped me out when I was in need, and now it’s time for me to return the favour.”
With that, Dusk Shine rushed out of the barn, leaving Rainbow, Butterscotch and yet another trail of dust behind as he hurried in search of the orange farm pony-- and the problem causing him such distress.
***
Thump. Thump. The only sound in Sweet Apple Acres’ south orchard was the sound of falling apples. For Applejack, this was blessed silence, he thought as he kicked at the nearest apple tree. Sweat ran down his face, but it didn’t seem to phase the farm pony-- he just wiped the sweat away before moving onto a new tree. The same routine, difficult but calming, and repeated as many times as necessary. Buck apples; move on to a new tree. Buck apples; move on to a new tree. It was therapeutic in a way; it helped him get away from the unpleasant thoughts looming over his shoulder like a thundercloud fresh out of Cloudsdale. Buck. Move on. Buck. Move on. Buck. Move on-
“Hey, Applejack?” The farm pony froze where he was, not expecting his blessed time to himself to be disturbed-- much less by the purple unicorn hejust knew was behind him. He had to act the same as usual-- maybe Dusk being here had nothing to do with the way he had left. Maybe he wanted to ask for a fresh bottle of cider or something. There’s no way it could possibly be about him. Of course not. “Is everything okay? You didn’t seem like your normal... you know, get-up-and-go self before you left. You seemed a little upset-- and Solaris knows I would know what that looks like by now.” Dusk said gently, concerned for his friend’s own problems now. Unlike his own, Applejack’s were quite likely not as trivial. “What could AJ’s problem possibly be? He’s always so honest and easy-going when it comes to emotions. There was a haunted look in Applejack’s green eyes-- a fragile, piercing look, like somepony peering curiously through a window, only to find, to their horror, that a tragedy has occurred inside. But this Applejack seems.. broken, and beaten down. What could be wrong? Dusk thought to himself, waiting for his friend to answer.
Applejack was visibly sweating profusely, and not from exertion either. “Huh? Oh, Dusk it’s you. Ah... ah don’t know what yer talkin’ about; ah just got a lot of work to do on the farm.” Applejack turned away, beginning to start walking towards one of the trees. “So if ya don’t mind, could ya please let me get back to work?”
Dusk sighed in frustration, becoming slightly annoyed. “Come on Applejack; something’s bothering you. I know, Butterscotch and Rainbow know, and you know it. Could you please just put your stubborn pride aside for once and let one of your friends help you? After all, I let you help me out, didn’t I?”
The orange farm pony was less than convinced, and was quickly getting tired of the questioning. He just wanted to get back to work, and forget... “Dusk, I told ya nothing’s the matter!” Applejack shouted, clearly more than a little ticked off.
Instead of shouting back, Dusk stood his ground and lowered his own voice. “AJ, there's no need to shout; I’m only trying to help.” He was openly pleading now, but he didn’t care. “Why won’t you let somepony help you? You’re always so willing to help everypony else anytime they need it. So why won’t you let me help you, when you clearly have a problem far worse than my own was?”
Applejack sighed, eyes glancing shiftily from side to side. “Dusk, like ah said; there's nothin’ wrong with me. W-What gives you the idea that something is wrong with me?”
Dusk’s eyes took on the cold, calculating look he was known for using when observing a test subject and writing down his observations in a paper. “Well, besides that usually when somepony gets extremely defensive about something,” He met Applejack's eyes for a moment. “Like now, it means that the assumption being made is true. Also, you’re a worse liar then me.” He said with a slight chuckle to lighten the mood. “Come on, Applejack; you’re the Element of Honesty. You know you want to talk about what’s going on. It might make you feel better, and I may be able to help like you helped me.” He moved closer, laying a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder. “Now, please tell what’s wrong with you; why will you help everypony else, but not let anypony help you in return?”
Applejack tried to keep eye contact with Dusk, but failed. He just groaned, a look of defeat as he kicked one leg absentmindedly at the ground. “Dusk, is it really that, errm, ‘ohb-vee-us?’ Am I that bad of a liar?”
Dusk just nodded. “Yes, it is; and the word is ‘obvious’.”
“So yer tryin’ to help me with a problem and next ya go off and gonna correct my grammar too?” Applejack questioned, a little annoyed with Dusk for correcting him.
Dusk’s ears folded back for a moment. “Yeah, sorry Applejack; force of habit.” He chuckled dryly before continuing the conversation at hoof. “So there's something bothering you. Would you like to talk about it? If so, I’m all ears.”
Applejack looked from side to side, as if hunting for a way out of this situation, before his eyes finally settled on a spot on the ground. “Ok, fine Dusk! But only ‘cause I know ya won’t leave me alone until I tell ya.”
Applejack took a deep breath; whether he wanted to or not, he couldn’t hide this from somepony any longer. It was time to tell the problem he had been hiding from all their friends for the past few years. Dusk sat down against a nearby apple tree, awaiting Applejack to spill the whole story.
“Alright, Dusk. So I guess all this started back when I was really young. Years before I met any of y’all guys. Dusk, have you ever noticed how it’s just me, Applebuck, Grandpa Smith and Macarena? Well it wasn’t always that way; ya see my parent’s use to run Sweet Apple Acres when I was younger. Then one day, my parents became so successful, they started goin’ around plantin’ orchards all over Equestria. Business was boomin’; but with my parent’s away on business so much, me and Macarena…”
Dusk instinctively cut him off. “Erm, excuse me AJ; not meaning to interrupt your story, but it’s Macarena and I, not me and Macarena.”
Applejack glared at the purple unicorn “Nevermind, Dusk; if yer gonna keep interrupting, correctin’ mah words every tahm they're wrong, there’s no need to even try tellin’ ya the story.”
Dusk defensively backed up a few paces.“Hey, I’m sorry, Applejack; please continue. I promise I won’t interrupt anymore.” Dusk said in embarrassment, concerned that he may have offended his friend-- who was already dealing with what seemed like an enormous issue.
Applejack rolled his eyes slightly, but nodded. “Ok, fine; but the next time you interrupt I’m done, got it?”
Dusk nodded sheepishly back. “Yes, Applejack; of course. I won’t interrupt anymore, I promise.”
Applejack thought for a moment. “Fine. Now where was I- Oh yeah; so, with the business boomin’ ma and pa weren’t around, so Macarena and I had to take over most of the chores on the farm.”
At this point Applejack became very, very quiet, though his expression was attempting to be stoic. Dusk leaned in closer to ask the first question that came to his mind. “Weren’t you and Macarena lonely without your parents around? Didn’t you miss them?”
Applejack’s attempt at stoicism slipped, as a very pained look flashed across his face. “For Macarena, maybe. It didn’t change much for me though, ‘cause my parent’s never really noticed me.” He gave a bitter, mirthless chuckle. “It was more like I was just part of the furniture. Only pony who did notice was my big sis; and let’s just say it wasn’t in a way most ponies want to be noticed,” he added, mumbling under his breath, prompting a slight frown from Dusk. “Ya see, Macarena might seem all quiet and nice; but behind closed doors... she is more than a tad unpleasant.” He let out another forced chuckle, distinctly ignoring the slight look of shock on Dusk’s face. “And that’s putting it lightly. She was... is, a little intemperate at times. Ya see, with our parents gone my sister decided to take her anger out on me so…”
Applejack sighed heavily and leaned forward, burying his head in his hooves. A few seconds of tense silence stretched into a minute, until broken by the faintest choking sound. Though Dusk couldn’t see his face, he could hear Applejack’s small sobs. He wasn’t entirely sure what to do, and merely looked on with sympathy.
Face hidden from the world, the sobs became louder and louder as Applejack began letting out all of the pain of the past few years for the first time ever to his friend. How would he take it? Would Dusk be angry, look down on him, pity him? Applejack began to regret revealing this; it was too shameful, too painful, too... pathetic. What did Dusk think of the most honest pony he knew hiding something from him? Maybe Applejack wasn’t the pony everyone thought he was. Maybe, somehow he had deserved the way Macarena had treated him...
Suddenly he felt a warm hoof on his shoulder, and he looked up as he felt himself brought into a slight embrace. “It’s okay, AJ; go on. What happened next? The more you get out and express your feelings the better you will feel.” Dusk said soothingly, trying to comfort his obviously hurting friend, and hoping his friend will continue the story.
Applejack sniffed, wiping away the tears forming at the corner of his eyes. “Alright Dusk. thanks.” He took a deep, slightly ragged breath, and continued. “Well, as I was saying, she... she would let her temper get away with her, I suppose, and there was nopony else around to take out her frustrations out on but me.” Either oblivious to or ignoring Dusk’s look of horror, he shrugged and continued. “It started with just name callin’ and stuff like that like that. I just thought she was just stressed, and couldn’t see anywhere else to take it. At first I tried to ignore her; but then it changed from just name callin’ to more... physical abuse.” Dusk’s look of horror was slowly turning to anger, unbeknownst to the still-talking Applejack. “Well, yer probably wondering why I haven’t told you guys about this. Well, ya see... when my parents came home for the first time after I told my ma and pa about Macarena, they just shrugged it off- as if nothin was wrong.” The hurt in Applejack voice was poorly disguised, and he probably realised it, but didn’t seem to care. “So after that, I decided to keep this problem... Well, most of my problems to myself so I don’t get hurt anymore than I already have.”
Dusk finally took the sudden moment of silence as an opportunity to voice the thoughts that Applejack’s explanation had arisen in him. “Applejack, that sounds horrible.” The anger on his own face was quite blatant, but Dusk tried his best to restrain himself. He had to be as compassionate and understand of Applejack as possible, and blowing up in anger, even if directed towards the stallions abuser, would not help at this point. So, he swallowed his sudden urge to give a certain mare a magical blast to the face, and said, “Well, I can see why you didn’t want to tell us about this. I mean, with your paren…”
Applejack cut him off gently, gesturing that he wasn’t finished yet. “Actually, Dusk there's a little bit more to the story.” He didn’t particularly look like he wanted to continue, but Dusk recognised the look of grim determination in his green eyes-- he had started telling, and by Solaris, he would hide nothing now. “Ya see, after my parents left on another one of their trips around Equestria to check on the other orchards.. I made a decision that I had to get out of Ponyville. So, I decided to move in with my Aunt and Uncle Orange in Manehattan; to get away from my problem’s with my family.” Dusk frowned-- this was not the reasons he had heard about him moving before. Had he been lying then as well?
Applejack seemed to have seen Dusk’s frown, and quickly continued. “But not just that I thought that hopefully I could prove my sister wrong showing her what I could do-- and also for the reasons I originally told you-- to try my hoof at the sophisticated life. Because frankly, what’s more sophisticated than a painless, comfortable day and a lack of bruises?” he said, chuckling in an attempt to lighten the situation- and failing miserably. “Right, anyway; well, as you know, I stayed with Aunt and Uncle Orange until I saw a Rainbow pointing me back home, then realised where I belonged.” Despite the pains Ah’ve endured, home is home, Applejack thought. “But the night before I saw the Rainbow, it was a starry night.” He suddenly became much more quiet, his voice almost... pleading? “It was silly of me-- foalish in hindsight. I was just a little colt, and thought it would be a good idea. Just a hope, a chance...” He shook his head for a moment, before he resuming speaking at his normal volume. “Sorry, I was just recollectin’ there. Anyway, I decided to make a wish on a star. It was kinda silly, I know. I didn’t expect it to come true; but when I got home…”
There was a long, anxious pause, broken only by the sound of sniffling, as Applejack began tearing up again. Dang it, Applejack, he thought to himself. Now yer goin’ and worryin’ Dusk again. Be strong- I know damn well it’s painful, but you’ve gotta stay strong. Yer the one they all they can rely on, so show it. The tears were still threatening to flow freely, but Applejack almost violently wiped them away and cleared his throat.
“Anyways, Dusk; I made a wish. And do you know what I wished?” Dusk shook his head dumbly, and Applejack’s tone became bitter once more. “I wished that, if only for a moment, my parents could possibly know the same pain I was in. That if only for one measly second, they could possibly feel the suffering they hadn’t stopped. That they wouldn’t stop.” He looked over at Dusk with a suddenly desperate expression. “Does that make me a bad pony?”
Surprised at the audacity of even asking such a question, Dusk shook his head violently. “Of course not! AJ, your parents let your sister treat you like scum; a minute of feeling your own sufferings-- which they indirectly put you through in the first place-- would certainly not be underserved.” And that was exactly what he thought; for Solaris’s sake, if his own parents had been that neglectful, they would have been arrested by law for foal endangerment. But of course, this was little old Ponyville, where the closest jail was forty miles away in Canterlot; and the only guard presence was weekly patrols along the Royal Road. And of course, Applejack had never come out with this to anyone- until now, that is.
Applejack just nodded, if for some reason a tad unconvincingly, and continued once more. “So after returnin’ to Ponyville, we got a letter from my parents sayin’ they would be comin’ home for a few weeks to stay. I hadn’t seen my parents in a while; I was so excited to see them once more. But you know what happened?” Dusk shook his head. “Well, I never got the chance to see them again. Mah wish came true, in a way. My ma and pa were on their way back from Canterlot when they got into a horrible carriage accident; neither of them made it.”
Dusk was... speechless. For so many reasons, he couldn’t just pick one. “Does he really blame himself for this? Just because of one silly wish? Why doesn’t he realise that his wish had nothing to do with it? I mean, stars have no magical power in the first place-- they’re solely under the control of Artemis, and back then, Solaris. I highly doubt he would have granted such a wish, even if he had the ability to. Does he grant wishes? I’m not sure-- I need to ask him- okay, back on subject. Applejack- I need to think of a way to help Applejack. Dusk mentally sighed. I don’t really think there’s anything I can possibly say to him to make him feel any better about this... No, I have to try. AppleJack has always been there for everypony else when they’ve needed him; now I have to be there for him.
While Dusk was having his internal monologue, Applejack had laid down on the ground once more, staring at the ground with a look of dejection. “Well, Dusk; I better get outta here. Ya probably don’t want to have anything to do with me, now that ya know I’ve been lyin to ya.” Applejack stated resignedly, with clear fear in his voice.
Dusk blinked, and shot Applejack a look of disbelief. “Huh? Wait, what? Applejack, what are you talking about? Of course I still want to be friends with you. Sure you might have lied to all of us, but it is for a pretty good reason. A secret like that is painful to tell, and I would have probably hidden something like myself-- hay, who am I kidding? I hid something as petty as a friendship report issue, so I have no reason to judge you for feeling the need to hide a real , deeply hurtful problem. At least you did finally tell me; I mean AJ, I’m kind of surprised you would think that I wouldn’t want anything to do with you. We all have problems; and you have not only helped me through my share of problems, but you expect nothing in return for your assistance.” Dusk stopped for a moment, looking right at Applejack incredulously. “And then when you have a problem and you tell somepony about it, you don’t expect us to stick by you and help you out?”
Applejack snorted. “Well of course I help y'all with your problems; I know how it feels to have nopony their that cares, so I don’t want any of ya’ll to feel the same way I feel. But I don’t want to have to burden y’all with my stuff.”
Dusk groaned in frustration. “Applejack, you sound just as crazy as I did today- and that’s saying something.You have five best friends who would do anything for you.” Dusk’s own voice lowered at this point, to drive the next point home. “To be honest, AJ-- as you know, before coming to Ponyville I... I didn’t really care about making friends. But then, I met you guys; and I wouldn’t trade any of you guys for anything. So I think I can say, at least for myself that I’m happy you finally told me. And I don’t think any of the others will care either; let’s face it, we all likely have our own hidden dark secrets and lies we told friends before.”
The last part of Dusk’s little speech was not missed by Applejack, and he began to wonder to himself. “Hmm... so, I’m not the only pony who’s has a little dark secret. I wonder what Dusk’s secret could possibly be. I mean, I doubt he’ll tell me if I just jump out asking, ‘Hey Dusk what is your hidden dark secret?’ Yeah, that’ll go over sowell- Applejack thought, snorting sarcastically. Still... darn it, it can't hurt to ask-- maybe it’s something not so bad. “Well, no offence Dusk, but I don’t think any of ya’ll have some dark secret that you haven’t told anypony else.” He said carefully.
Dusk rolled his eyes. “Actually, Applejack, everypony has those little skeletons in their closets-- even you, obviously.”
A sudden thought came to Applejack’s mind, and looked down, pawing at the ground nervously. “Well, since we are being honest, I actually have somethin’ else to tell ya Dusk..This is a secret that nopony knows about me.” Dusk raised an eyebrow, but gave an encouraging go on gesture. “Well, I sorta have a little crush on a special somepony.”
Dusk just smiled at that. “Well, that’s great AJ! Who is this very special somepony? Is it somepony I might know?” He stopped for a moment. “Wait, why would this be a problem if you found somepony you like? Have you not told her yet, or has she rejected you?” Dusk asked with a grimace, curious of the answer to come.
Applejack glanced around shiftily. “That’s just the problem, Dusk... it’s not exactly like that. Ya see… It’s not a mare. I’m not attracted to mares-- I’m always been attracted to stallions.” Applejack said, with slight fear and disgust at himself, wondering how his friend would take the news. A sudden panic went through him-- he shouldn’t have told Dusk. He shouldn’t have said that. He was bound to be turned away, he knew. He tried to fight it, but he felt the dam of tears threatening to burst once again. No, he told himself. He couldn’t cry. He wouldn’t cry. He. Would. Not. CRY.
Before Dusk Shine was able to answer, he was cut off by the sounds of loud sobs. Dusk looked around, for some reason suddenly thinking he would find Butterscotch standing somewhere nearby. But the yellow pegasus was nowhere in sight. Instead, it was only Applejack, his head was more buried in his hooves as he tried his best to hide himself from Dusk’s eyes.
Dusk was flabbergasted by this reaction. “What is up with AJ? I mean, I understand about the family problems and everything. But.. wait does he think I might resent or hate him for liking stallions?”
Confidently, Dusk stepped forward. “Applejack?” The orange stallion looked up to see a hoof extended to him, and look up to see Dusk’s face, devoid of malice or disgust. Applejack tentatively took the hoof as Dusk helped pull him back to his hooves. “Hey Applejack, it’s okay. I don’t think any differently of you.” Dusk’s expression became more solemn. “In fact, I respect in even more now than ever before; it’s pretty hard for somepony to come out and be honest to somepony that they’re different.” Dusk’s eyes had a strange glint to them. “Not that liking stallions means you're different in a bad way; just that you’re not like everyone else. And even though you're not the same, you don’t care what everypony else thinks.”
Applejack’s mouth formed a small “o” in surprise. “Ohh... well, I guess- Wait, you're not disgusted with me and weirded out about me liking stallions? I’ve been really worried to tell anypony because...” His voice lowered to a near whisper. “I didn’t want any of you guys to hate me.”
Dusk looked at him like he’d suggested his friends would cut out his heart and nail it to a door with a rusty sewing needle. “AJ, our friends wouldn’t be that close-minded. We’re like a family; we stick together and accept each other, no matter what. Why don’t you go tell the others about this; I’m sure they’ll accept and support you.” Despite the confidence in his tone, something sounded a little off to Applejack. He could tell Dusk wasn’t completely sure of what he was saying-- why, he couldn’t fathom.
Applejack shrugged it off, and smiled briefly. “Ok Dusk; I’ll tell everypony this in due time.” He chuckled nervously, a slight redness in his face that wasn't from working. “But there is one pony I’ve got to go talk to now.” The moment passed, and he smiled oncegratefully once more. “Thanks for all your help Dusk; I couldn’t have got through this without you. I don’t know how I can repay you for all your help.”
“Applejack, we’re a family. Even if Macarena and your parents didn’t treat you like family, we always will. Real families help each other; so the only thing you have to do for me is next time you have a problem, you come and talk to one of us about it. We’ll help you ; and that’s all I ask from you.”
For once that evening, Applejack looked... happy. “Okay, Dusk; I’ll remember that.” He glanced back towards the farmhouse for a moment. “For now, I gotta get going... and tell somepony something really important.”
Dusk watched as Applejack ran off in a hurry. Dusk felt good that he helped a friend out. But... he couldn’t help but feel guilty. Though Applejack had told him both of his secrets, Dusk hadn’t told him his own- specifically, the secret involving a possible special somepony of his own. He had feelings for a certain pony slowly bubbling up inside his heart and mind, ready to burst at any point. But Dusk, being Dusk, despite having had these... feelings for a while now, he just couldn’t put his hoof on what it was, exactly. Would he ever realise what they were? Would he reveal them to the object of those feelings when he found out for himself? Only time could tell.