A Rainbow Cut Short

by Storm Butt

Rating: teen
Tags: Apple Bloom, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rainbow Dash, Romance, Tragedy, Big Macintosh, Gore, Dark, Tank, Granny Smith, Sad, Applejack
Length: 20031

As her ears slowly adjust to the sounds around her, the humming of several monitors surround her body. It is impossible to hear anything, her friends, the doctor's voice, through her blurry eyes, she notices an absence of a certain orange earth-pony. With her entire life ripped from her back, Rainbow Dash must learn how to handle her now earth-pony life, all while Applejack is simply trying to be able to look her dear friend in the eyes without the overpowering guilt bringing her to her knees.

With gloom on the rise and guilt consuming, is there any way these friends can repair themselves without hurting one another?

AppleDash.

Published 2012-03-06 05:34:01 UTC
Last updated 2012-05-26 19:10:30 UTC

A Shattered Rainbow

Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It belongs to The Hub, Hasbro, Studio B, and Lauren Faust. I do not own any of these characters in any way or how, nor do I claim ownership to the pony franchise. These characters are simply my toys.

"I Know you don't want to hear this, but I'm so sorry... You don't know how much I'm hurting."

ainbow Cut Short
Chapter 1: A Shattered Rainbow

Sunlight fell into the window and cast into the room.

The light hurt her eyes.

The sound of a beeping heart monitor gently beeped, there were times when she could hear the screams of agony echoing down the hallway, she briefly wondered where in Equestria they were coming from until the pony realized they were her own.

The sound hurt her ears.

Her back shifted, only for her to gasp in pain big enough to bring her out of her sleep. She would cry and beg for something, anything to take the pain away.

Moving hurt her body.

She would sometimes try and think of soaring through the sky, wing whipping through her rainbow colored main and blue feathers on her wings. She didn't know why, but it always cleared her mind, made her happy to be in the sky, soaring hundreds of feet in the air, her worries were always below her.

She wanted to fly… she wanted to leave all of this pain behind…

Everything made her hurt.

"R…bow….ash…."

The pony with the rainbow colored mane slowly opened her eyes. She could see blurry outlines of figures, a yellow, purple, white, and pink one… she felt like there should be another, but the pain filled her mind as she tried to sit up.

"Rain…..Das…."

Sounds soon became clearer, and she heard the sounds of a place that seemed familiar, she had been here before… when she broke her wing? Was she in a hospital?

"Rainbow Dash," The voice was gentle sounding, kind, and rough and male, it couldn't belong to any of these ponies in front of her "Your friends are all here to see you, are you up for talking a little while?"

Rainbow Dash… yes, that was her name, it was the name that described her so well. She dashed through the sky, her rainbow mane leaving a trail she moved with such speed. She wanted to feel the wind…

She glanced around, the images becoming clearer, as she began to recognize the faces surrounding her. Fluttershy, Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie… all of her friends were here, why? No, wait, somepony was missing, somepony who she wanted badly, wanted her to be there with the others.

"Apple…jack…" She mumbled, but it didn't seem the others heard it, only were listening to the male voice, which Rainbow couldn't turn her neck to see, for she found it restricted.

"Take it easy, and try not to pry too much out of her, she is still recovering, and the pain killers are still in her body so she might be a little dopy if you know what I mean." The voice was so official, she didn't like it…

"Thank you doctor." Twilight called, almost as if the man was exiting the room.

Doctor? So she was in a hospital after all…

The rainbow mane pony groaned. How long do I have to lay here? I have things to do! Then again, maybe it wasn't so bad, she could always re-read Daring Doo again, those books never got old. But then again, she couldn't even move one of her hooves, that would be an issue…

"I banged myself up pretty good, huh guys?" She asked, her voice was hoarse, almost like she hadn't talked in a very long time, her throat was dry, but the very thought of consuming anything at this moment made her want to upchuck her last meal… when was that again?

Twilight glanced uneasily back at her friends, but tried to hide her worry when turning to face the blue pony, however her eyes gave away her worry "I… guess you could say that, yeah you got pretty hurt." She said, her voice soothing.

Rainbow rolled her eyes "Was I trying to do some stunt again?" She asked "Did I look cool at least wiping out?" She grumbled out, if she had to wipe out, it should at least be awesome. The pegasus tried to think to the likely amazing stunt she was trying to pull off, but her mind only drew a blank. Strange, she couldn't remember crash landing at all, in fact it was all a little hazy.

"Well…" Twilight said, however the pink pony jumped forward, changing the subject as quickly as possible with slight worry in her eyes, but unlike Twilight, she could hide it with a smile.

"Hey, you look like a mummy in all these casts, Dashie!" Pinkie Pie said, letting out her usual giggles and snorts as she bounced up and down happily, her hoof pointing to both of the legs belonging to the pegasus.

Rainbow Dash glanced down, seeing both of her legs in casts, which worried her slightly, how long was she going to be in here for broken limbs?

"I guess…" She mumbled, just rolling her eyes at Pinkie's usual strangeness, her head throbbing in pain "But when can I get out of here anyway?" She asked.

Fluttershy was the next to step forward "Not soon I'm afraid," She said, her voice quiet and soft as usual, however Rainbow realized she was using the same tone as when talking to an injured animal "The doctor says he wants you in here for a couple of weeks, maybe a little over a month to help you get better."

"Ahh, man! I'm stuck in this place for a whole month!" The pegasus cried out, lifting the arm she could still move up to her head to hoofpalm herself, only to hiss in pain, but the instant Fluttershy tried to comfort her she glared down, she didn't want help, she wanted to take it like an adult who screwed up and had to face her own consequences. When the pain subsided, she whispered more to herself "I'm gonna die, I can't read Daring Doo that many times, it'll start to suck!"

"Honestly Rainbow Dash, you're just looking at the bad side of things!" Rarity said, her accent unmistakable, the pegasus had never heard anything like it outside of Canterlot "I mean, it'll be fun, just think of all the style you could add to this place!"

"Fun?" Rainbow grumbled "What's fun about being stuck in a bed for a month, I just wanna fly again!"

The moment Rainbow said the word "Fly" the entire room went silent. Rarity let out a dramatic gasp and then hushed, Pinkie looked down in seemingly shame, Fluttershy hid her eyes behind her pink mane, and Twilight had so much guilt and worry on her face that it made the pony with the rainbow mane sick to her empty stomach.

"What's wrong?" Rainbow asked "What's with the awkward silence?"

"We um… wanted to…" Fluttershy began, but couldn't, her eyes welling up in tears.

"We wanted to break it to you… gently…" Twilight finished, looking down as if she couldn't bring herself to face those purple eyes.

"B-Break what?" Rainbow said "W-What's going on? Why did you all get so quiet when I said I wanted to fly?"

The pegasus tried to move her wings, but felt nothing. She was silent for a moment, the others could see the look on her face as she slowly put two and two together.

"Huh?" The blue pony cried, trying with all her might to flap her wings, yet couldn't feel a single thing, couldn't feel the feathers that felt amazing in the wind, couldn't feel the sense of relief from her hot sides from where her wings usually rested, in fact that area felt normal. She tried to turn, but she found the brace on her neck wouldn't let her.

"What's going on, why can't I feel my wings?" She cried out, looking to her friends.

"Rainbow darling… you just came out of surgery…" Rarity said "Doctor said… there was no other way, your wings were just too…"

"Broken…" Pinkie mumbled, her own eyes welling up in tears, unable to bring the smile to everypony's face like she always did.

Rainbow Dash began to breath in and out heavily, her head throbbed, and her heart monitor skyrocketed into bleeps that soon filled all of her mind, the sounds of her friends calling for a doctor was so muffled she couldn't understand them. She tried one last time to flap her wings, yet felt nothing. All that was there under the bandages where her wings should have been, were two sewn up holes, a tiny bump where the wings should have been.

Rainbow Dash, the fastest flier in all of Equestria, the one who was going to join the wonderbolts, had no more wings…

She let out a scream of both fear and simple agony at the realization that hit her like a train.

Everything hurt… except for her wings…

Two bright orange hind legs slammed into the trunk of one of the Apple Families trees, apples fell down and landed neatly in the baskets. An orange pony who owned the strong legs built for apple picking gave a satisfied smile from under her cowpony hat. Her blond mane tied up in a ponytail landed on her shoulder as she lifted her hat to inspect her work.

"Yee doggy, not a singl' one missin' again, I bet two dozen apple carts I beat my new record by the end of today!" She said, her smile wide, however there was a nagging annoyance in the back of her mind asking her if she was really satisfied.

The pony, whose name in reality was Applejack, shook her head, grumbling under her breath about how apple picking was supposed to take her mind off of her friends.

As the pony began to walk toward her baskets full of apples, she heard a certain somepony call her name, and she knew the voice instantly.

"Applejack!" Twilight called, the purple pony suddenly appearing behind her. It still scared her every now and again just how easily Twilight could teleport in front of her, even from miles away if she wanted. She had been excelling on her magic slower than she had back at Canterlot, but she was still improving a little each day.

"Well how yall doin' Sugar Cube, so nice for ya' to stop by, now what can I do ya' for?" The orange pony asked, putting on her best fake smile, which seemed to hurt her since she knew she was supposed to be the element of honesty, and was lying to her own friend with only a smile.

"Applejack, we need to talk." Twilight grumbled.

Applejack swallowed hard "Bout' what?" she asked "I just around here for the past week or so, I reckon that it ain't anything too serious now is it?"

"That's just it," The purple unicorn mumbled "You haven't been around!"

"Well, y'know how it is, the apple pickin' an' all, keeps us Apple folk mighty busy year round, heck, we even got or hooves full in winter, all them plowin' and all, it's hard to find time to spend with yall and the others!" Applejack said, avoiding looking the unicorn in the eye.

"She had surgery today…" Twilight mumbled.

Applejack felt something strike her, not physically, but it struck right through her heart at the simple word of "She".

"Oh, really? She doin' all right?" The orange pony asked, going to pick up her barrel full of apples and put one on each side of her.

"Applejack… she needed her friends with her…" Twilight said "All of her friends… where were you? You promised to come and support her!" The purple unicorn usually didn't get mad, but Applejack had broken a direct promise.

"Well, I forgot the time is all… I'm sure it couldn't of been too bad out there without me!" The orange earth-pony defended, although she didn't even buy her own defensive story, it was horrible.

Twilight's eyes narrowed, however Applejack turned and began walking, however the unicorn materialized in front of her "Applejack, we need to talk, stop trying to avoid the conversation!"

"I ain't avoidin' nothin'!" Applejack said, stamping one hoof on the ground "These here apples 'll go soon unless we do somethin', and I'm just trying to make sure we here don't starve, now could you please move?"

"Applejack, I know apples don't spoil that fast," Twilight grumbled "Look, you need to be there for Rainbow Dash, she needs you, she needs all of us, she's traumatized, she won't even say anything anymore, she's scared, she needs us!"

"Don't yall try and blame this on me!" Applejack shouted, heart pulsing straight into her ears with her own fear rising.

"No, Applejack, I wasn't trying to blame you, I'm just saying she needs yo-"

"Don't give me that, yall just blamin' me for this aren't ya?" she asked accusingly "I know yall don't want to be my friends now, you just need me there for Dash's sake don't ya?"

"Yes… but… AJ, listen!"

"Don't wanna hear it!" Applejack shouted before starting to run off into the apple trees, somewhere were Twilight's magic couldn't find her. When her apples weighed her speed down, she jumped and the baskets flew off, and she could run at full speed.

The wind rushed through her blond hair, she loved to run, but the only thing she was thinking about was her race through the trees with Rainbow Dash, how much fun she was having underneath all of her bitter need to win. She wanted to run with Rainbow Dash again, wanted to see her sonic rainboom.

When she finally reached a place she thought to be safe, she stopped, and began to breathe in and out heavily before crashing down and covering her head with her from legs.

"I'm sorry Dash, I didn' mean to hurt ya…" She whimpered out, tears welling up in her eyes.

The trees blocked out the sunlight above her and covered the orange pony in shade, her wet eyes leaked out a few tears before squeezing them shut.

"I'm sorry…"

ope everything was IC, I don't really like the Applejack moments because I feel it's OOC, but that just may be me, I really do however love the start and end of the Rainbow Dash scene, I thought I played it out well.

Until Next Time, Brony Out!

-Storm

Missing Wings, Missing Friends

WOOT, CHAPTER TWO. I think I finally broke my writers block on this story, that and I beat Kingdom Hearts, so I won't be distracted… though I did order the second game within an hour… hmm…

Anyway, ONWARD TO THE APPLEDASH!

Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It belongs to The Hub, Hasbro, Studio B, and Lauren Faust. I do not own any of these characters in any way or how, nor do I claim ownership to the pony franchise. These characters are simply my toys.

"Listen up, I'm telling you, you won't make it kid, get lost!"

A Rainbow Cut Short
Chapter 2: Broken Wings, Broken Friends

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet… the colors of a rainbow, the colors of her mane, a mane not like a single others in all of Equestria. It made her unique, it made her feel like she stuck out above all others…

And at the current moment, her mane was stuck in her eyes…

Rainbow blew as hard as she could at her mane, forcing her ribs to hurt as she let out a whimper against her own free will. Her rainbow mane fell out of her face, and the cyan pony sighed in relief at the annoyance now being gone.

Her friends were finally forced to leave, she honestly didn't know how much more of their sappy worry for her she could take, she almost threw up when they left she was so disgusted with all this mamby pamby mumbo jumbo that had filled her room.

The cyan pony sighed, she supposed it was her fault for freaking out and going into shock… but…

She couldn't turn, she had found that out the hard way when she wanted to adjust her posture a few minutes beforehand. She was stuck in this position, and she felt like she was going to explode any moment now.

The fact that she couldn't move her hind legs nor her upper arm, which was in a sling, made her feel claustrophobic, she wanted to run freely… but the pain made her forget all about those stupid thoughts. She wanted the pain to stop, she wanted her pain killers… however the doctor told her that she might get addicted to them if she had them too much. Aw, what did he know anyway? She needed something to take the edge off of this pain!

Everything would be more acceptable if her mind was cleared…

I can't be stuck here, I need to move, I gotta fly… She thought, grumbling under her breath words Fluttershy would cry at if she heard her friend speaking them. However she paused her grumbling when she registered she wanted to fly…

The cyan pony tried to flutter her wings, however felt nothing except for an odd shift in the bones in her back that usually came whenever she shot her wings open, however she never really paid much attention until this point, she was too happy to feel the wing beneath her hooves and her mane and tail whipping through the sky. It was strange how she never noticed the small things… when the bigger things were so awesome…

Rainbow breathed in, and then sighed out loudly. She wanted to badly to fly…

It was totally not cool… not cool at all how this choice to chop off her wings without her consent was forced upon her in a moment's notice without her own opinion on the situation. She didn't get a say, she didn't get to voice her concerns, and this entire situation was beyond uncool.

As the cyan pony glanced to her side out the window, straining through the pain in her neck, she eyed the single copy of Daring Doo, the forth in the series. She didn't want to read it… it was her favorite, but even lifting her hooves to turn the page sent ripples of pain through her entire body. What had she even done to end up like this anyway?

Rainbow sighed, wanting nothing more than to escape and fly away, the simple thought of wind whipping by her as she performed a sonic rainboom made her smile, it was the few times of pure joy she felt, and it was awesome, she was awesome! But she was smart for a jock, and she knew that was impossible at this point in life…

It was funny, glancing down at her cutie mark, it really was just a decoration at this point… what was she supposed to do with it? She couldn't fly… would it change if she suddenly found something else she loved to do? Was that even possible? The way ponies gained their cutie marks was still a mystery, it was only chocked up to get a talent, then get your mark, nopony knew what exactly happened in one's body when it happened.

She shook off the thought, thinking about all of this complex pony science was making her head hurt. If she still could, she would go for a nighttime fly through the sky. Those always cleared her head when she couldn't sleep for one reason or another.

As Rainbow glanced around the dark room, all she could think of were new tricks to try out, only to want and hit herself moments later. It was making her insane, her mind was only focused on three things! Flying, being awesome, and being even more awesome than before! The Wonderbolts were in there somewhere, but they likely mixed into numbers two and three.

The Wonderbolts… it would be best to assume that that dream would be gone as well…

The cyan pony closed her eyes, wanting to find sleep… wanting to find the place where she would be able to fly freely without any constrictions to her, her wings would be there, it would be nice and sunny.

However, there was only one single problem with her plans of nice dreams that night… and every night for quite a while come to think of it.

All she had been having were nightmares…

Running, I have to keep running

The orange pony kept charging, the sweat going down her face in beads, getting into her eyes as they mixed in with the tears. She was running as fast as she could, it could have been for a few minutes, or it could have even been for a few hours, time was lost so easily in the state she was in now.

The sounds of growling behind her forced the pony to lean her head down and charge forward even faster than her hooves would allow her, her blond mane whipping behind her.

"Just hang on Dash, AJ's comin'!"

The orange pony's eyes snapped open. She sat bolt upright in her bed and looked around the room quick. She realized her blond mane was covered in sweat, as well as the rest of her body. She felt her face with her hoof.

"What in the name er cinnamon swirls 'ave I been eatin'?" The orange pony asked herself, knowing she only got nightmares when eating too much pie. She shook her head, the nightmare still fresh on her mind, hanging of the edge, ready to strike if she let her guard down. It was so… vivid…

The orange earth pony soon climbed out of her bed, her blond mane falling to her sides, seeing as she put it down at night instead of going to sleep with a ponytail and ponymane. She walked out of her room, glancing down the wooden hallway of the house, seeing pictures of Applebloom, Big Mac, and Granny Smith, of course there was her as well, and a few pictures of her best friends, however she liked to look at her family, they were the most important thing in life to her, even more than her friends.

As the pony walked through the house, making sure not to squeak the floorboards to avoid waking her family, she soon found herself in the kitchen. Her hooves found their way to the faucet and turned the knob. She leaned her head down and took several gulps of water. It went down her throat, but it still felt dry. She wondered just how long it was going to stay like this… was she getting sick?

The orange pony looked into the sky through the window above the faucet. Her large, green eyes stared up as she was silent for several minutes, looking at the bright and shiny moon, surrounded by twinkling starts. She wondered if Rainbow Dash was watching this same sky, seeing the same twinkling.

She had to look away, thinking about her friend made her…

"Oh Dash, I'm sorry." She mumbled to herself, looking down and lightly kicking her hooves on the ground, much like the way Fluttershy when she was shy around new ponies.

"Why dontcha just go an' see her?" A young, southern sounding voice neighed out. Applejack whipped around to see a small red-headed filly with droopy eyes.

"Applebloom, what in the hay are ya' doin' out of bed?" Applejack asked, staring sternly down at her little sister "Don't make me tell Big Mac on you for snoopin' around." She warned, only half joking, for her sister really did surprise her, which she had never done before.

"Calm down AJ, I just needed to use the bathroom…" The young pony mumbled, still half asleep "But why don' you jus' go and see Rainbow Dash, isn't she your friend?"

Applejack sighed out "Ya'll wouldn't understand if I tried telling ya'" The orange pony mumbled, her eyes blinking away the tears as she thought of Rainbow, how she must be feeling at the moment.

"I'm goin' ta go back to sleep now, c'mon, let's get you in bed too." Applejack mumbled, pushing her sister back with her hoof.

"I'm not a baby, I can go myself!" Applebloom protested, although she was still half asleep, she was still stubborn as ever.

After tucking Applebloom in, the mare went back to her own bed, yet stared at it in silence for several moments, pondering on if she should crawl in and attempt to sleep or not.

Her dreams had been nightmares… since the Rainbow incident.

"You're goin' for an entire month?" Applejack asked her red, older brother, who had been chewing on a piece of grass since he woke up this morning.

"Eyyyyup" The red colt said with a nod. He wasn't a mare of many words, which made the only people who could break his poker face his own kin.

"And you're sure Golden Delicious can't handle harvesting on her own this season?" The orange pony asked, trying her best to hold her head up, but she was grumbling to herself so much anypony would think she was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

"Nope!" Big Macintosh said, shaking his head to show that she could not indeed handle it "You know she's new to apple pickin', and ain't nopony around to help her, and the Apples stick together!" He said, saying one of his rare sentences "Plus all dem apples here can wait to be picked, you deserve a break after working nonstop this past week." He said, looking worriedly at his little sister.

The orange pony grumbled to herself "You sayin' I can't handle all of this?" She asked, narrowing her eyes and glaring at her brother.

Big Macintosh shook his head "You need to take a break, you've been workin' harder than ever, go an see your friends for a change." He said.

The orange pony was silent for several moments as her brothers head nuzzled the top of her head to say his goodbyes, she nuzzled back, albeit grumpily. Seeing any of her friends looking at her with those accusing eyes was the last thing she wanted to see…

Big Mac was silent for several moments, so Applejack spoke up first "Well, I guess I'll see you in a month." She said.

"Eyup." Big Macintosh said, going back to his silent self. The orange pony looked at him for several seconds before smiling "Just hurry on back, ya hear?" She asked.

"Eyyyyup."

"It's really gonna leave scars?" Rainbow mumbled, feeling what was left of the place where her wings used to be move under her skin as she tried to flap out of habit. She closed her eyes and grumbled silently of how stupid she was.

The doctor nodded, pointing to the X-ray machine with his hoof at the skeleton of Rainbow Dash, her back showing two small bumps of bone sticking out "All that should be visible should be a scar or two which will fade over time, plus a few bumps on either side," The doctor sounded so official, he didn't care in the slightest that he was explaining each and every reason that the cyan pony's dreams had been crushed "But you should be able to easily pass off as an earth pony unless somepony has some interest in your back." He tried to laugh, making the end seem like a joke.

Rainbow wasn't amused. She crossed her arms, meaning she just put her good upper leg over her sling, and narrowed her eyes at the doctor. The colt blinked, and narrowed his eyes back. Rainbow Dash simply wanted to bite his head off that instant.

"So um… she'll look normal… for an earth pony I mean?" Fluttershy mumbled, hiding most of her face behind her mane, being shy around the unkind colt.

"Yes, she should be able to pass off just fine, however that attitude I'm afraid won't improve." The colt mumbled, making Rainbow grind her teeth. Not cool… not cool at all…

Twilight chuckled drily after seeing Rainbow's annoyance, however she made a small cough to clear her throat "I see, so how about her legs, when will they heal up?"

"Well, the estimated time is around three weeks until she can even leave this hospital, and after that six or so weeks until the casts come off, her arm however was only badly sprained, and the sling will be off when you leave this hospital."

Rainbow made a sound that sounded like a hoarse flapping their lips. "Great," She grumbled "Three more weeks of all this." She moved her upper leg around the room to show all of the "Wonder" the room had.

The doctor simply rolled his eyes at her childish behavior "Well, I need to get to a few more patients, and all of you, visiting hours are almost up, you got that?" He said, looking at both Twilight and Fluttershy.

The mares nodded, and the doctor walked off, leaving the three alone. Fluttershy looked at the former-pegasus and mumbled out her shy little words "Um… Rainbow… I just wanted to say, that if I were… um… If I could switch places with you… I would… I don't really need my wings, I prefer the ground to the sky." She looked down, lightly kicking her hooves on the cold floor.

Rainbow grumbled and grinded her teeth, squeezing her eyes shut "Yeah right, I'd kill to be a pegasus again…" She mumbled "I don't think even you wanna give that up…"

"Oh but I would, I…" However the yellow pony stopped as Twilight put a hoof in front of her "I guess it's about time we left, huh?" She asked. When the pre-pegasus didn't respond, Twilight let out a sad sigh "Rarity and Pinkie both are free tomorrow, so they'll come and check up on you. But don't worry, we'll get a date for all of us to come and see you!" she beamed, smiling happily, although it looked kind of fake.

"Not everypony…" The cyan pony mumbled, her arms still crossed. Both ponies looked at each other "Well… bye I guess…" Twilight mumbled.

"Whatever…" Rainbow Dash grumbled out "This totally isn't cool…"

As the ponies left, confused by their friends negative attitude, the cyan pony slowly opened her eyes. The words that the doctor said began to slowly sink in, the words "Earth-Pony" filled her mind. She wasn't ready to retire yet, the great Rainbow Dash had only just started to rise in fame, she was supposed to join the Wonderbolts, supposed to be the best flier in all of Equestria! Now she was… just a regular old pony who couldn't do anything special anymore… She was boring…

Rainbow bit her lip as a single tear managed to escape her eye, she let out tiny whimpers as she covered her eyes with her good arm.

"Dang it," She whimpered out "E-Everypony's got me acting all sappy!"

The orange pony wasn't sure how exactly she found herself in front of the hospital. She just needed a walk to calm down her vivid thoughts and daydreams of those horrible growling noises still haunting the back of her mind. She just let her hooves carry her, she didn't look up, but when she finally did, she was in front of the very place she wanted to avoid at all costs.

It was twilight… the sun was just setting… visiting hours may have been over by now.

Still, the orange pony still found her hooves taking her along through the doors and looking around at the perfectly white surroundings and the giant red plus sign on most of the nurses flanks. It was strange, these places still creped her out, she couldn't believe Rainbow had to be here for an entire month…

Applejack let herself chuckle at the thought of Dash throwing a fit for having to be held in here a month, likely ready to rip up everypony who ticked her off, the simple thought of being bored to death would run through her mind so much she would go insane.

The orange pony looked up from under the rim of her cowpony hat and walked up to the counter

"Rainbow… Dash?" she asked, not really believing the words coming out of her mouth. Her body was working without her minds consent. It was aggravating to say the least.

As she was directed towards the room Rainbow was supposed to be in, she thought she could hear faint sounds of… whimpering? No, that couldn't be it, Dash never cried.

The sounds grew louder as AJ drew closer, and when she peered into the doorway, she saw what looked to be Rainbow Dash, hunched over the best she could in all of her casts, bandages wrapping around her body and over her wingless back. The orange pony's green eyes grew in surprise. She knew Rainbow would be upset… but to the point of crying?

"You doin' al'ight in there sugarcube?" Applejack asked, as gently as she could, taking a few steps in. Rainbow's head shot up and she looked over to the pony, her teary eyes widening before growing narrow in anger as she wiped her eyes, only for the tears to return "I-I ain't a-a-acting all sappy darn it!" She cried out, tears squeezing out her eyes as she let out horrible choking sounds that were seemingly uncontrollable.

Applejack moved forward, and considered putting a hoof on her friends back, however that might be too sudden. After all she had avoided coming to this place and seeing her for days, who knew how she felt about all of that?

"Rainb-"

"Where were you?" Rainbow asked, sniffling loudly.

Applejack avoided eye contact "Busy…" She mumbled, not ready just yet to add she was busy avoiding this pony herself, her friend who was so upset she was bawling, the one thing she promised to never do. However the orange pony knew that was just a bunch of phooey, everypony had their limits…

"Everything's ruined…" Rainbow mumbled "Now… everything I wanted…" Her eyes filled to the brim again, she was acting out of character, yet Applejack wasn't as stunned as she thought she should be. This pony had her dreams crushed… and it was all… her fault. The cyan pony wiped her eyes, which were spilling over yet again "I'm n-n-not crying dang it!" Rainbow said, trying more to convince herself than Applejack.

Now, now was the time to act. Applejack leaned forward and wrapped her arms gently around the cyan pony, holding her tightly, yet gentle considering her wounds. The cyan pony didn't protest, but tried harder to quit her sobbing.

"Rainbow… now don't you worry sugarcube, I won't tell anypony you were crying, I promise." Applejack said, squeezing her friend until she made an abnormal whimper, then loosed her grip slightly.

"I-I t-t-told you, I'm not crying!" Rainbow said, however the younger rested her head on top of the orange pony's, it hurt so badly just to cry, much less to be hugged, and not just physically, but she still managed it nonetheless.

Applejack closed her eyes a moment, telling herself over and over again that Rainbow shouldn't be here, should be flying through the sky… if it wasn't thanks to her…

Why was she so slow?

A Helping Hoof

To a reviewer … *(\… that is all.

Yay, so I found a AppleDash pic that helped me finally think up how Rainbow lost her wings (I had an idea, but after seeing the pic I finally made the plotline in my head for each scene :p) Not gonna give you people the pic because I'm a little slut :D

So, ONWARD TO THE APPLEDASH!

Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It belongs to The Hub, Hasbro, Studio B, and Lauren Faust. I do not own any of these characters in any way or how, nor do I claim ownership to the pony franchise. These characters are simply my toys.

"Perhaps I can't remember, because I simply want to forget."

A Rainbow Cut Short
Chapter 3: A Helping Hoof

Rainbow gently moved her head from side to side. The crippling pain that came when she first woke up at even a breath had finally subsided. Either that or she had just become used to the constant pain. Now she was able to turn her head, as long as it wasn't too sharply. As twilight filled the room in a warm glow, she glanced out the window, her mind forcing her to remember flying through the cool air.

The sound of gentle snores and warm breath tickling her mane made the pre-pegasus glance back down to the bedside, where an orange pony was resting. She must have fallen asleep… Rainbow couldn't blame her, nor bring herself to get angry. She had been by her side all day, she didn't eat, didn't drink anything, and if Rainbow hadn't forced her, she might not have even went to the bathroom. Strange… how much she wanted all of her friends here, now Applejack felt… rather clingy… it made her grumble a little, but she stopped as the snores grew deeper and she shifted a bit further into her hoof, she almost smiled.

Pinkie and Fluttershy were supposed to come check up on her, but since Applejack could only come once or twice a week with all the farm work she had, they left when they saw the orange pony sitting by her side, simply talking about why she hadn't been there since she woke up. They tried to wander off without being noticed, but Rainbow had learned to keep her ears and eyes open for anything, like birds or higher up trees… now her seemingly built in pegasus senses were useless.

The strange feeling flooded her back once more as the bones shifted. She was so used to flapping them every now and then when she got fidgety with being stuck in one place for too long. She didn't just need to fly, she needed to move. That glorious date that she could leave seemed so very far away… a week was a very long time… two weeks had been the longest, most torturous days of her life. Three days was bad enough… but fourteen? And now she needed another seven! Not cool.

This is how I die…

Her slightly brain-dead thoughts came to a crashing halt as the head on her hoof began to stir. The cyan pony blinked and glanced down and glared a little out of usual annoyance. "Tired much?" She asked.

The earth pony blinked, and then shook the sleep out of her mane. "I-I wasn' sleeping ya' hear? I was jus' restin' my eyes was all." She grumbled out, rubbing her eyes with her hooves. Rainbow rolled her eyes and just wanted her friend sit up once more "Now… what were we talkin' 'bout again?" She mumbled.

"How visiting hours are almost over…" The cyan pony mumbled.

Applejack blinked "Oh…" She mumbled, Rainbow could see that usual look she gave near the end of the day when she had to leave, even though Rainbow thought she was clingy on these days, she couldn't stand that look.

"When can you get off from the acres?" Rainbow mumbled, almost grumbling it out. She didn't want to admit it, but she rather enjoyed these long visits afterwards, after Applejack left of course, when she reflected back on everything.

The earth pony put her hoof to her chin, as if to think "Well… Big Mac isn't 'round, so I reckon it'll be 'bout three days before I can get a break from everythin'."

Rainbow grumbled, crossing her upper leg over her sling. "Big Mac shouldn't just leave you to deal with the farm on your own." She mumbled to herself.

Applejack chuckled "Well, I reckon it'll be two days if Applebloom'll be willin' to help out. So how does two days sit with ya'll sugarcube?"

Rainbow Dash grumbled, but finally nodded, causing the orange pony to chuckle once more at her usual stubbornness "Well, I be willin' to bet Applebloom'll be worried about me, best be goin' I suppose."

Just as she turned to leave, she heard the gentle mumble of "AJ?" She stopped, looking down at her hooves a moment before turning around "Yeah, what's hollering Dash?" She asked.

"Do you… know what happened to me?" She mumbled "I've tried… really I have, but my mind won't give me a clear answer… I just…" The cyan pony paused, her rainbow mane covering her eyes from the orange earth pony with her head held low. Applejack's belly suddenly knotted up so tight she couldn't breathe, her eyes widened as she bit her lower lip.

"N-No… sorry sugarcube, I don't know any such things 'bout nothin' that happened to you…" She mumbled, kicking her hoof lightly onto the ground.

"Nothing?" Rainbow mumbled before looking up and out the window, no doubt imagining flying once more "Thanks anyway…" She mumbled, but Applejack could sense the annoyance and slight sadness lingering on her breath.

The orange pony turned to leave, eyes watering up in tears before she was even out the door.

"Honesty my behind."

Applejack mumbled to herself as she walked out of the hospital. She turned off of the path leading to ponyville, and instead chose to avoid the town and simply take the long way to the farm. She didn't want to see anypony at the moment. Her watering eyes had calmed down, however her belly hadn't unknotted as of yet, and each step hurt to walk.

The guilt of lying when she knew how important it was not just for her, but all of Equestria that she be honest. She had helped save from all of Equestria from Ponyville to Manehattan with her element… and now it all seemed like a lie… irony was a cruel son of a mule…

Her blonde mane hung at her side, bouncing with each and every step she took. It was hard sometimes… just to stay sane with everything on her mind. Even before this whole incident she felt overworked, picking apples, selling them, managing prices, and now add Rainbow and her friends to the situation… she was only one pony pony, sometimes she wanted to break down. But she herself was sanest of her friends. If she remembered correctly, she was one of the few of them who hadn't mentally broken down at least once since they met.

The doctors told her Rainbow Dash didn't remember anything weeks ago, how she had likely blocked out all memory of the incident because it was so traumatic. She would likely never remember unless she went into therapy, however the rainbow maned pony didn't want to answer any "Stupid Doc's questions" as she put it. But Applejack could tell some part of her didn't want relive all of those events.

Applejack looked down, not paying the slightest attention to where she was going, however any road to Apple Acres seemed cemented into her mind, she could spot the apple trees from anywhere in Ponyville if she wanted to.

The twilight sky began to get darker, and the orange pony glanced up at the sky. Applebloom might scold her for being with Rainbow Dash for so long… funny how her little sister had grown up since she met her best friends…

Applejack looked up, and once again her hooves had led her someplace when she hadn't even thought about it. She took in a deep breath, walking down the pathway toward her home as the first nighttime stars appeared, glistening brightly overhead.

Her mind forced a memory of Rainbow Dash flying through the nighttime sky, and it almost made her sick her belly knotted so tightly.

She lowered her head, feeling guilt sink in. She could go to the hospital any day she wanted… Big Mac told her to take a break, so she did, however when she didn't go to the hospital, her thoughts sunk in and she almost lost it… but it took almost everything she had to stay calm when she looked at her friends bandaged back. Her beautiful wings were gone… and it was her fault… neither way had any fully settling side effects.

The orange pony grumbled under her breath, knowing Twilight would tell her she was being way too hard on herself. Twilight always knew reason… but she couldn't exactly pinpoint how Rainbow would react if she remembered. Would she hate the earth pony? Or would she just never be able to look at her the same way? It was all so frustrating, Applejack felt tired.

The orange pony let out a long sigh, and continued her slow pacing, the nighttime sky now fully covered in a starry blanket.

"C'mon…" Rainbow whined, bouncing up and down in place, her eyes wide, and her eyes scanning everything around her.

"Now Darling," Rarity said, placing a hoof on her friends arm, only to have it shrugged off "The doctor needs to run a test or two, to make sure you're fine to leave!"

Rainbow rolled her eyes "Yeah, but I've been ready for weeks… when will these stupid results come in anyway?" She mumbled, upper legs crossed as she sat in her wheelchair.

"These things take time," Fluttershy mumbled, kicking the ground lightly "Like when you wake up animals on Winter Wrap-Up day, if you do it too fast, something could go wrong…"

"Silly, Rainbow isn't an animal, she's a horse!" Pinkie said "But Fluttershy's right, if they don't make the cupcakes correctly, your legs will turn out tasting all nasty."

Everypony stared at Pinkie for a moment, knowing somewhere in her mind that sentence made perfect sense. Rainbow just closed her eyes again and grumbled softly "Still no excuse to keep me waiting, I got things I wanna do…"

"Like what?" Twilight asked "Rainbow, you've sat here for over a month, exactly how is a few minutes any different? If anything, your patience should be a lot longer by no-" the purple unicorn stopped her speaking as she noticed the glare Rainbow Dash was giving her, no doubt pondering in her mind if the distance between her and Twilight were close enough to hoofslap.

Rainbow let out a long sigh, she glanced around at all of her friends… but somepony was missing… again… Where in Equestria was Applejack?

As if to stop her depressing thoughts, a pony came into view with the familiar lab coat. He was holding a sheet of paper using his Unicorn powers. "Well miss… Rainbow Dash was it?" He asked, glancing up at the pony "It seems you're doing just fine, your sling can come off when you leave, however we require you to stay in that wheelchair until you are transported home safely, at which point we require you to return your wheelchair in three to four wee-"

"Yeah yeah yeah, cut the chit-chat, so can I leave now?" She asked, giving off those annoyed eyes, not paying attention to what the unicorn doctor was telling her. Her head was resting on her good hoof and blowing her rainbow mane out of her eyes.

The doctor looked like he was about to smash his head onto the nearby wall. No doubt having a cranky, claustrophobic Rainbow Dash as his patient had aged him a few years too soon.

"Weeks…" He mumbled, using his magic to suddenly pull off the sling from Rainbow's arm, he gave a satisfied smile when she winced in pain "Now take it easy, you may not have the sling anymore, but don't stress it too much." He warned.

"Whatever… can somepony just roll me out of here?" Rainbow mumbled, rubbing her freed arm.

"With pleasure…" The doctor mumbled, pushing her out as two nurse ponies appeared and opened the doors, she was suddenly outside for the first time in a month, sunlight blinded her "PLEASE don't get hurt again…" He begged.

Her friends followed her out "You and doctor's don't really mix…" Twilight said, giving Rainbow Dash a questioning look.

Pinkie came up behind Rainbow's chair "C'mon Dashie, your auntie Pinkie Pie is happy to roll you home!" She said, all perky as usual, putting a hoof against her chest to physically show she meant herself.

"No!" Rainbow cried out, pushing the wheels forward suddenly. Her friends surprised looked made her wince, though only on the inside.

"L-Look guys… I'm happy you all came here to see me and all…" Rainbow mumbled, looking down at her casts "But I need to do this on my own… it'll be bad enough that everypony will see my bandages, but I'm not gonna be pushed around, I'm going home myself, by myself."

All of her friends looked a little disappointed, but they understood. Rainbow Dash was being Rainbow Dash… she wasn't going to show weakness to anypony, even if it killed her.

"Alright Darling, we'll check up on you tomorrow." Rarity said gently, but before she even finished, Rainbow began to roll off, grumbling to herself "Well that was rude…" the unicorn mumbled.

Rainbow turned the wheels, grumbling to herself as she rode off.

She breathed in and out, trying to run as fast as possible, the orange pony whipped her head to get the blond mane out of her eyes. The twilight sky beat down, feeling scorching from how much she had ran. The hospital was in sight, her brow was covered in sweat. She panted as she spotted four of her friends… but no Rainbow.

How could she have forgotten today was the day Rainbow got released?

Her friends saw her, and they eyes widened as she came to a screeching halt. She panted for several moments before finally being able to get a single word out "Ra….R…Rainbow Dash…" She huffed out.

"Dashie decided to be all tough and roll her was back home on her own!" Pinkie said, smiling brightly as usual.

"Yeah, she wouldn't let any of us help her," Twilight said "If I remember correctly from my book, you need to let someone who has lost something important to them work it out in their own way!"

"Dang it Twilight, I don' need your books now…" Applejack sighed out, lowering her head.

"Um… It wasn't long ago… that she left on her own…" Fluttershy mumbled, kicking the dirt up lightly "You could… still catch up… y'know, if you felt like it…"

Applejack didn't even take time to say anything else before charging off again. Her friends behind her sighed, and continued forward.

The orange pony felt like she was about to pass out she was breathing so hard. The twilight sky became blanketed in stars once more. She ran through the night before finally realizing it was likely she was going to be sick if she ran any longer. So she slowed down and simply walked, deciding Rainbow's house was close enough.

She was still panting when the slight sound of the whimpering hit her ears. They stood erect and she glanced around a moment, before seeing several trees. The orange pony blinked and followed the sound, only to find Rainbow Dash sitting there grumbling and whimpering to herself.

"Dash?" She asked, to which the cyan pony jumped and turned her head behind her in a flash, her eyes watering "AJ?" She asked, wiping her eyes. Applejack could tell that the tears hadn't spilled, yet would have if she didn't come along "You're late." She grumbled.

Applejack chuckled, and walked forward, pretending she didn't notice how upset her friend was "I reckon that'll be my fault." She said "Apple pickin' and all." She could fake a smile, at least Rainbow Dash couldn't see through the falsity of her smile. In fact thirty minutes prior she had dozed off and was sleeping for hours on end. It hurt her to lie… but she stayed strong.

"Oh…" Rainbow mumbled, glancing down at her legs covered in casts.

Applejack was silent for several moments before placing a hoof on the wheelchair "C'mon sugarcube, what's bitin' ya?" She asked.

Rainbow glanced over at her before letting out a long sigh and lowering her head, she lifted her upper leg and pointed to the sky. The orange pony followed her eyes toward where the hoof was pointing and saw a large mass of cloud thirty feet in the sky. Her belly knotted so tight she couldn't breathe.

"I can't get home…" Rainbow Dash mumbled, pointing to her house.

Applejack's mind rushed with thoughts on how to handle this. This was her fault… everything was her fault... her friend couldn't even get into her own house because of her. She tried to awkwardly chuckle "Hehe, guess that'll be an issue…" However the cyan pony glared at her, not even trying to hide her watering eyes. Losing her wings was slowly breaking her…

The orange pony sucked in air, the cool night finally cooling down her body from all the running. Rainbow Dash glanced at her, with a look that said she wished to be left alone, she wanted to cry in peace "AJ… can do you mind…" But she couldn't bring herself to say the word.

Applejack forced her belly to unknot, she forced a weak smile "Now don't ya'll worry Rainbow, we can think of something for tomorrow, maybe Fluttershy could take out all your things for you if you asked her."

"But what about now?" The pre-pegasus mumbled.

Applejack put a hoof on her friends back, and Rainbow looked up with watering eyes at her friend "Big Mac won't be comin' back for 'round a week." She said "You're more than welcome to come and stay with me an Applebloom t'night."

Rainbow let out a weak smile "Thanks AJ."

"You're too heavy…" Applejack grumbled, all but slamming her friend into the bed before crashing on the floor and panting heavily.

Rainbow Dash glared "Well I thought you were the second best athlete in Ponyville…" She mumbled, half-jokingly, half-guilty. Applejack looked up "I'm the best, and no way that fancy hospital food without goin' outside been good for ya' health…" She mumbled.

Since Big Macintosh wasn't even in Ponyville anymore, the earth pony decided he wouldn't mind giving up his bed to a good friend for the night, and a friend who needed a helping hoof whether or not she would admit it.

AJ stood up and shook her head, Rainbow's wheelchair wouldn't have been able to go upstairs, and it was beyond difficult to keep quiet with Applebloom still being home and likely asleep.

Rainbow blinked and glanced down, wincing as she tried to turn, and then glanced at the orange pony when she helped, but she didn't protest. Deep down she admitted she couldn't help herself, even if it hadn't registered with her brain yet.

Applejack helped her friend under the covers and Rainbow dash stared out the window, hopefully not thinking about flying…

"Well… I reckon that's all I can do for now I'm afraid." The orange pony mumbled, glancing down. When her cyan friend didn't reply, she let out a long sigh and turned away, but she stopped when her name was called.

"Hey AJ?"

She prayed it wouldn't be about her wings again, she didn't want the horrible guilt to sink in again…

"Yeah Dash?" Applejack asked, turning around to be greeted with her friend's rainbow mane facing her. The pony let out a long sigh before finally asking "I'm still… I'm still awesome… right?"

That single question… that question tore the orange pony up inside. Her eyes widened in shock. She had taken away her friends wings, her home, and now even her pride… she was a monster… However, she forced herself not to start sobbing as she had when all of this happened. She walked forward, and began to rub her friends wingless back.

"Now Dash, remember, you're the Iron Pony… you're still a hundred an' twenty percent cooler than the rest of us." She said. Her friend turned around, wincing as her broken legs throbbed in pain, she looked into Applejacks' eyes. Her own eyes showed shock "Iron Pony?" She asked, her own eyes spilling in tears before she reached forward and hugged her friend in fear of showing weakness.

Applejack was in silence for a moment, however she closed her eyes and held her friend tight, somehow finding herself crawling into the bed with her, running her hooves up and down her back, gently soothing her, wincing every time her hooves ran across those awful bumps where Rainbow Dash used to have her magnificent wings.

Rainbow didn't make a single sound, except for the occasional sniffle, she just held her firend close, saying what her words wouldn't allow her too.

For the first time in weeks, both Rainbow Dash and Applejack slept the night without a single nightmare.

Oki Doki Loki, I finished *Happy Dance* yeah! I feel like I rushed the exiting the hospital, DON'T CARE, I AM TIRED AND WANT THIS UP, WOOT!

Long Days

I realized you can see Dashies wing in the pic for this story… YOU DIDN’T SEE ANYTHING!

On the plus side, I finally went to McDonalds and bought my girl’s happy meal… got Rarity… YEAH!

Also… I added Tank to the characters… yes, just for shits and giggles…

ONWARD TO THE APPLEDASH!

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Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It belongs to The Hub, Hasbro, Studio B, and Lauren Faust. I do not own any of these characters in any way or how, nor do I claim ownership to the pony franchise. These characters are simply my toys.

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“I am the Iron Pony!”
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A Rainbow Cut Short
Chapter 4: Long Day

Rainbow Dash couldn’t help her scowling, nor could she resist keeping her arms from crossing as she heard the quiet, shy ramblings of a certain pegasus pony apologizing over and over.

“Oh Rainbow, I can’t tell you how sorry I am!” Fluttershy said, hiding her face behind her curtain of a mane as she brought another box down to the earth “I should have remembered about your house, but you see I had my mind on little Angel, he’s been having quite a bellyache as of late, and he is such a difficult patient when I try to give him medicine.”

Applejack couldn’t help but let out a chuckle before resting her head on the top of Rainbow’s head, causing the pre-pegaus to grumble deeper and squirm slightly “Not don’t ya’ll worry der Fluttershy, it’s all Rainbow here’s fault, she just had to be a big pony and go home herself, and got all huffin and puffin’ when she couldn’t get home,” Applejack chuckled again “She really needs to be babied more than she lets on.”

Rainbow snarled out so only Applejack could hear, and briefly thought of biting her friends face. “I swear to Celestia, if you tell her anything else about what I did last night!” Rainbow said, looking down with slight worry in her eyes, she couldn’t imagine the way her friends would baby her if they found out how sappy she had become.

“Now calm ya engines there Dash, I was just here teasin’ ya a lit, no need to spoil your der’ apples, I said I wouldn’t tell nopony you acted like that der.” Applejack whispered into her friends ear, Rainbow squirming from the warm breath tickling her mane, she wanted badly to swat at the earth pony’s head just to relieve her annoyance, but she somehow felt a little… safer with Applejack so close.

Rainbow Dash replied with a grumble; however Applejack saw her ears stood erect once more, and her body tensed less. Applejack wouldn’t lie… she could trust the element of honesty on something of course.
The day had begun simply, Rainbow Dash woke up with a teary face and Applejack holding her close, still awake and rubbing her back to soothe her through her sleep, the first time in weeks she hadn’t woken up in a panic and smashing her hoof down on the nurse button. Needless to say she all but fell off the bed when she woke up to that, causing herself pain in the process. After things were explained, it was a little funny how it had happened, and they had a good laugh.

“Oh Rainbow, if I remembered I would have flown here as fast as I could…” Fluttershy mumbled shyly, falling silently to the ground with a handful of posters, likely Wonderbolt ones, and set them on the pile of all the other things Rainbow Dash owned. Applejack shook her head, likely thinking of just how many trips it would take to get the supplies back to Apple Acers.

With the help of Fluttershy, Applejack had rolled Rainbow down to her place and had to explain everything, when they asked for her help in getting all of Rainbow’s things, Fluttershy wouldn’t stop apologizing the entire time about not thinking ahead when she let Rainbow go off on her own.

“Whatever…” Rainbow grumbled, rolling her eyes as she glanced up at her house, the cloud pillars and fountains spitting out rainbows were her own design, she had built it from scratch, and now she could never go in it again. Or at least if she wanted to, with the help of another pegasus of course, she didn’t even know if she could still stand on clouds without her wings. Her memory seemed to be failing her on if this had ever happened before.

Fluttershy flew off once again, and Rainbow silently whined that she had to be pushed around so many times just to get anywhere.

“Don’t ya’ll worry Rainbow, once we drop you off at the farm me an’ Fluttershy’ll get all this stuff there for safe keepin’” Applejack said, placing a hoof over her chest that of course the pre-pegasus couldn’t see since Applejack was behind her.

She blew her mane out of her eyes and folded her arms “I can still help y’know…” She mumbled “I’m not dead weight, it’s not very loyal to let all your friends do the work themselves when it’s your problem…”

Applejack grumbled “Listen Rainbow, ain’t no way I’m lettin’ you help us, Doctor said you need to rest on up if you wanna still be able to walk.”

“Why not lose that ability too while I’m at it…” Rainbow grumbled, but it seemed sad as she felt the shifting in her back once more, she would have let out a whimper if it hadn’t been for the loud squeak coming from her house with Fluttershy’s shy and quiet voice suddenly becoming louder as she squeaked out “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh Celestia!” She cried, suddenly flying out of the house with something large and bulky nestled in her arms.

“Is that?” Applejack mumbled as Fluttershy slowly fell to the ground, holding a green shell in her arms.

“Tank!” Rainbow cried out “Oh Celestia, I forgot about him!” She all but wailed, face-hoofing herself so hard she might have very well given herself a black eye. With all her worry over wings, her time in the hospital, and the nightmares, Tank had totally slipped her mind.

“Is he alright?” Applejack asked, squinting her eyes at the green shell with nothing coming out of any of the holes. Fluttershy was saying some reassuring words as she gently stroked the shell. Rainbow held out her arms and Fluttershy deposited the bulky shell onto Rainbow’s lap. The pre-pegasus then proceeded to knock on the shell, causing Fluttershy to wince “Hey, you even in there, it’s alright to c’mon out little guy!” She said. And sure enough, a small, green head emerged.

“Oh thank goodness…” Fluttershy said, breathing out a sigh of relief “I can’t believe it, is he alright? He hasn’t been eating anything has he?”

Rainbow looked into the turtle’s eyes and he opened his mouth to make his strange noise, and the cyan pony saw a hint of Rainbow on his tongue “I think… I think he’s been drinking from my rainbow fountains…” She said, before chuckling lightly “Y-Yeah, he’s alright, though I don’t know how he coulda stood that!”

“Still, we should really give him some proper food…” Fluttershy mumbled shyly, once again hiding behind her curtain of a mane. She blinked and glanced down at the ground, kicking lightly.

“How was he even up on dat there cloud?” Applejack asked.

“Oh, Twilight cast a cloud walking spell on him…” She glanced down into her lap “Guess you and me are grounded for good, don’t need that helicopter thing anymore do ya?” Rainbow asked.

“Girls, he really needs food…” Fluttershy mumbled again, however the two ponies had stopped paying attention to her and she sighed, flying up gently to go and retrieve more items.

It took surprisingly only three trips to carry everything back to the farm, which sadly did eat up all of their time. Rainbow Dash stayed home the last two times and took care of Tank, who had eaten half a dozen apples. If Rainbow was forced to live on fiery rainbows for a month, she would eat an entire apple tree the first chance she received.

When everything was finally at the apple orchard, Apple jack simply threw most of the things into the barn; everything except tank was outside the real house. Neither of them talked about what was going to happen when Big Macintosh came back in six days, and quite frankly, neither wanted to think about it. Applejack only had three rooms in her house save for hers, Applebloom’s, Granny Smith, and Big Mac’s. Rainbow didn’t really want to talk about having to go someplace alone, not with everything that had happened as of late.

Likely the brightest thing to happen to Applejack in the week was gaining enough courage to go Apple

Picking once again, the harvesting was way behind; if she left it any longer they would spoil right on the trees. Plus Rainbow Dash questioning her on why she constantly kept avoiding working didn’t sound like a very happy time in deep.

Applebloom was excited to have somebody who her friend constantly described as “The coolest pony ever” in her house, and Granny Smith seemingly was too senile to even realize something was off, once or twice referring to her as ‘Big Mac’.

It was on the fourth day in the house however, that Applebloom brought both Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo over to play, and go crusading. Their mission was at first attempting to get chickens to hatch eggs, that was until they learned what was in the eggs and how exactly they needed to be made.

Rainbow Dash was simply busy reading Daring Doo for the billionth time when the three went racing by the door; the little pegasus who idolized Rainbow Dash however caught the flashing rainbow in the doorway that was the pre-pegasus’s mane.

“Rainbow Dash!” She called, suddenly hopping into the room with wide eyes that sparkled; she looked at awe at the pre-pegasus. Tank proceeded to hide in his shell, which he did if a fly so much as buzzed near him. Rainbow liked Scootaloo, she worshipped the ground she flew over, that was a plus, plus most of the time she really wasn’t all that annoying.

“Hey squirt,” Rainbow said, giving a grin that made the tiny pegasus blush. Soon Sweetie Bell and Applebloom found themselves in the room as well, in search of their missing pegasus friend “Scootaloo, Applejack said not ta’ bother Rainbow Dash…” Applebloom said, glancing around nervously.

“It’s fine, I’m cool with it.” Rainbow said “So how are those cutie marks comin’ along?”

All three sighed “Not good…” Sweetie Bell mumbled “Chicken hatching didn’t go so well… we’re still blank flanks…”

“Sure you’ll find somethin’” Rainbow mumbled, wanting to scream that they should open their eyes for three seconds and see they were all good at things already, but she had been told constantly that they had to learn it for themselves.

Scootaloo glanced at Rainbow’s cutie mark. She had heard about the incident, yet something had still been bothering her. Of course, this question just happened to pop up around the same time Applejack came strolling by after a long day of apple picking.

“Hey Rainbow Dash… what does your cutie mark mean now that you can’t fly?”

For some strange reason, Applejack felt a sudden urge to go and hit the young pegasus upside the head. It was the brief flash of Rainbow’s sorrowful eyes that would have set her off, if the pre-pegasus hadn’t spoken up first.

“Don’t really know Scoots… just kinda meaningless I guess…” She mumbled.

“And what about the Wonderbolts, don’t you need to fly to be part of them?” It wasn’t the child’s fault, she was just curious, and likely didn’t see the way Rainbow winced at that question. The pre-pegasus glanced down at the ground “I’m… not really sure… I guess I’ll find a way… or something…” she trailed off, her eyes might as well have been watering she looked upset enough.

“Dash?” Scootaloo asked, until Applejack walked in “All righty girls, I think you’ve all bothered Rainbow nuff for one day.” She said.

All three let out an “Aww” of disappointment before trotting off to do some more crusading. As Applejack looked back at the cyan pony, she looked worried, and couldn’t hold back the guilt in her voice “Ya all righty there Rainbow?”

This seemed to snap the pre-pegasus out of her thoughts. She shook her head to clear her mind and glanced over to Applejack “Y-Yeah… fine…” She mumbled before glancing back down and letting out a tiny sigh.

Once again, Applejack felt a pang of guilt hit her.

Applejack rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she gently trotted through the house, careful not to make a peep in fear of waking Granny Smith or Applebloom, or perhaps worst of all Rainbow Dash, she was always grumpy after naps.

Another nightmare had haunted her dreams, the running, the sweating, the tears flooding her eyes, it had all been there, but the screaming in the distance is what woke her up with watery eyes. She couldn’t get Rainbow’s depressed look out of her mind… couldn’t stop seeing those eyes that faked being happy.

It was easy to see the small light coming from Big Mac’s room. However Applejack thought Rainbow may have simply fell asleep with the light turned on with her head in Daring Doo or something of the mater, however she discovered her pre-pegasus friend inside the room, wide awake and gently rubbing Tank’s shell. She let out a long sigh and her other hoof ran down her mane gently, it was so unlike her to be this depressed all the time, she was so sensitive as of late.

“Ey’ Dash?” Applejack asked, walking into the room. The cyan pony jumped and looked into the doorway “Oh, hey AJ…” She mumbled “Just couldn’t sleep…” She said, avoiding the pony’s eyes. Applejack blinked and looked down, feeling the awkwardness sink in.

“I’ve been thinking…” Rainbow said, making Applejack glance up with wide eyes paying full attention “About what that squirt said…”

Applejack breathed in deeply “Sorry if they upset you or anythin’, I told them to keep their rumps out of ere’ or I’d force em’ to go apple pickin’ with me.”

“No… not really…” Rainbow mumbled “I just… I just think Scootaloo was right… what am I supposed to do now?” Those words made Applejack’s belly knot once more, however she calmed down quicker than usual for once and sighed, climbing onto the bed carefully and sitting next to Rainbow Dash, reaching forward to stroke Tank only for the turtle to hide in his shell.

“Listen up Rainbow… you ain’t useless ya hear?” Applejack asked.

“I’m the Iron Pony, why would I be useless?” Rainbow said, smiling with a sense of devilishness under all that was in her eyes, mostly dark sadness “I’m hundred and twenty percent cooler…” She dropped her head and grumbled for a moment “I’ve just been thinking… I really… don’t know what I’ll even do.”

Applejack glanced at her friend, then back to her hooves “Go on…” She mumbled.

“I just… I have no idea what to do, I can’t fly so my jobs out of the way!” Rainbow growled, being a weather pony pretty much meant that she needed her wings to do anything “And now I can’t even join the Wonderbolts, all because I screwed up on some stupid trick or something… I don’t know!” She cried out, smashing her hoof down on the pillow. She seemed angry, angrier than she had felt in a long time, as angry as she was allowed to be outside the hospital without having some nurse come and stick a tranquilizer in her like her first visit to the hospital.

“Dash…” Applejack began, wanting to tell her that it wasn’t some trick, or anything of her fault she lost her wings, it was the orange pony’s fault, Applejacks! But her mouth went dry as she silently put a hoof around her friends shoulder and pulled her a tad closer, her head resting on her chest as she laid back. If Dash’s head wasn’t on her chest, she might have noticed the blushing. “We can figure out everything, let’s just talk for as long as you need, I swear to ya we’ll think of somethin’ to do…”

Rainbow let out what was a mix between a whimper and a grumble before wrapping an arm, her muscles loosened and her teeth stopped clenching “I hate this…” She put simply “I want… I want everything to go back to normal…” She whined.

Applejack bit her lower lip and buried her face into Rainbows head “Me too Dashie,” She said, using Pinkie’s pet name for Rainbow Dash to calm her down.

“Everything should just go back to normal…”

Sorry if rushed… I am tired… I’ll fix tomorrow… no I won’t…
I AM SO TIRED, FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE THIS EDITING...WE'LL DO IT LIVE!

Chains

I changed my icon… ya'll likey? :D

ONWARD TO THE APPLEDASH!
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Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It belongs to The Hub, Hasbro, Studio B, and Lauren Faust. I do not own any of these characters in any way or how, nor do I claim ownership to the pony franchise. These characters are simply my toys.
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"Perhaps it's only a matter of time before you recall the pain…"
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A Rainbow Cut Short
Chapter 5: Chains

"Big Mac!" Applebloom cried out, galloping up to smash into her older brother in a hug. Big Macintosh smiled softly and began to hug back his youngest sister "Been good to your big sis?" He asked. While Big Macintosh wasn't one for words, he did speak much more around his family.

Granny Smith began to wobble out of the house "Oh the Big Mac is back, did you help with the pickin' and the kickin' and all of dat der' apple sellin'?" She asked.

"Eyyyyup!" Big Macintosh said, giving his grandmother a hug. All of this peace was interrupted however when an orange earth pony in a cowpony hat crashed into his side from seemingly nowhere. She was on his back and was ruffling his hair within seconds of impact.

"C'mon AJ!" He grumbled.

"No can do there Big Mac, all that der time at the other farm made you soft I reckon, so how much did you do on tutoring and how much did you do all the work yourself while they watch'd ya?" Applejack asked playfully.

Big Mac just grumbled and kicked Applejack off of his back; however it was a tad playful.

Rainbow Dash was right up the stairs, in Big Macintosh's room no less. She sat there, gently rubbing Tank's shell in circles with her hoof. She grumbled to herself on how the week had gone by so fast. Her mind kept flashing to Applejack holding her close during the nights with no sleep. She grumbled even more as she realized she couldn't control these thoughts, and they kept coming up.

Staying at Rarity's would be horrible of course, likely forcing her to try on dresses and such. Pinkie Pie would keep her up for all hours of the day with parties, Twilight would make her read till she died, even though she said she only liked the Daring Doo novels, so that left Fluttershy…

"Well little guy," Rainbow said, lifting up Tank's shell "I guess we can't crash here anymore… suppose you mind going to see Fluttershy again, I'm sure she's been missing you…" Rainbow mumbled, forcing herself not to grumble at the thought of asking to crash at Fluttershy's. It's not like she didn't like Fluttershy, the fact that she was one of her best friends was proof enough, but she wanted to jump off a cliff at times when Fluttershy became scared of nothing or upset over little things, not that she didn't care about her friends wellbeing of course, but it was just so… uncool.

She looked down at the window, thinking about how the four family members were close enough to act like complete idiots in front of one another without being embarrassed. The only pony Rainbow had managed to talk to seriously about her feelings on this entire situation, was Applejack, and even that was limited until she thought she would sob, then she couldn't speak no more.

The family disappeared into the house, and Rainbow let out a long sigh "Guess it was nice when it lasted…" She grumbled to herself, looking down at her hooves.

It was a little surprising as the cyan pre-pegasus turned her wheelchair around and noticed a big red stallion standing in the doorway, looking a tad confused. Rainbow blinked and opened her mouth to say something, but she found her words were dry and realized she had no idea what to say. He had appeared out of seemingly nowhere, or maybe she was so lost in thought she hadn't noticed him.

"I…I um…" She began, but was thankfully saved from where the awkwardness of this conversation was leading when a familiar orange earth pony came up behind Big Macintosh "It's alright Big Mac, I'll 'plain everythin' to you in a minute', but can you give the two of us a jiffy?" She asked.

Big Macintosh was silent for a few moments "Eyyyyyup." He finally said before turning around, Rainbow Dash could hear him trotting down the stairs.

Applejack turned back and smiled warmly at the cyan pony "Hey Dashie." She said. That name caused Rainbow to smile, but only when Applejack called her that, and she couldn't point out why. "Hey…" She mumbled.

The pony trotted up and looked out the window Rainbow was previously looking out of "So… how'd you like it here?" She asked.

Rainbow Dash shrugged "I guess it was nice, but it wouldn't be very awesome of me to stick around and be an annoyance… I guess one of the others could take me in or something…" She mumbled, fiddling with her hooves.

Applejack smiled, and stood up and began to push the wheelchair. Rainbow was taken by surprise, she was leaving now? That was quick.

"I mean… it isn't like I liked it here or anything, it was just a place to crash, y'know?" She asked the orange pony.

"I know…" AJ said, rolling her eyes.

Rainbow stayed silent as Applejack turned left "The stairs are the other way…" She mumbled, but Applejack didn't say anything, just turned into another room. The room was old fashion looking, just a simple bed with a hoof-stitched red blanket and lumpy pillows.

"I figured… since I'd been sleeping with ya half the week anyways, wouldn't matter much if it was full time…" Applejack said.

"What?" Was the only word Rainbow could get out before Applejack gently nuzzled her cheek "I mean, you ain't goin' nowhere till you want to go, and don't lie to me, I could see you pouting from upstairs!"

Rainbow blushed "S-Shut up…" She grumbled, but still smiled softly "Who'd want to stay at an old barn house that smells bad anyway?"

Applejack rolled her eyes "Suit yourself, but ya'll ain't going nowhere!" She said "Now I gotta go downstairs and talk to Big Mac 'bout all this, poor feller think we'd kick him out otherwise."

Rainbow bit her lip slightly in frustration. Applejack could read her like a book, and she wasn't sure how she felt about that at this very moment. Should she be frustrated, annoyed, happy, relieved? Her mind was full of so many questions on how she felt she made it shut down.

"Thanks…" She mumbled.

Applejack grinned "No problem RD!"

"So Doc, how'm I looking?" Rainbow asked, wincing slightly as a nurse re-bandaged her waist, stretching back to where her wings were less than six months ago.

"Your legs are healing at a steady rate, you seem to have been good and not been pushing yourself too hard, which is what we recommend." He said, his horn using magic to hold the clipboard up and scribble down notes "Funny, last time you were here I heard you couldn't stay seated!"

Rainbow growled when he said that and snarled when she heard Applejack snicker slightly "Sounds like Rainbow, I'll give ya that!" She mumbled to herself, not meaning for the doctor to hear it in the slightest. She sighed a little "So… I've been a good pony for once…" He rubbed her upper leg "Feels weird… not being a daredevil for once."

There was a silence that nopony could break, until Applejack finally worked up the courage to say something "So Doc, how lon'g till dis here filly can run again?" She asked, nodding toward Rainbow, who seemed to be a little lost in her own thoughts.

"If she stays on good behavior, I presume she can get off a week early, it's odd to not see much stress on somepony's bones for once, are you sure you haven't moved at all?" He asked.

"Only the first day or so…" She mumbled "Then I never left Big Mac's boring old room till AJ here took me into hers, that was about a week ago I reckon…" She paused, shaking her head as she realized she was picking up on Applejack's speech.

The doctor nodded, scribbling down some notes "I take it you miss, Applejack, you've been with her the most often since she got out of the hospital?" He asked. Applejack didn't hesitate a moment before nodding "Shoot, I've been stickin' to her like bark to an apple tree!" she said, putting a hoof to her chest. Rainbow rolled her eyes "A little clingy if you ask me…" she grumbled. Applejack playfully butted her arm and the two chuckled playfully.

The doctor smiled warmly, he seemed nicer than the last, although that could be due to the fact that Rainbow Dash wasn't being annoying and self-centered as usual, at least not as much as she usually was.

"Then, may I please see you in the hall for a moment, alone?" he asked.

"What?" Rainbow asked, annoyance in her voice, she threw the front of the wheelchair back so she was balancing on only the wheels, her balance keeping her in place "Will it take long, I'm bored…" She whined.

Applejack saw her about to fall and caught her, Rainbow chuckling nervously at her the moment she did. The orange pony blew her blonde hair out of her eyes and grumbled "Try not to lose another body part while I'm gone will ya'?" She asked.

"Yes mom." Rainbow grumbled, sitting with her body hunched over in her wheelchair and upper legs crossed. Applejack rolled her eyes and began to follow the chestnut unicorn out of the room, the door closed and he spun around to look her in the eyes. Applejack suddenly felt the seriousness of his stare, he looked serious.

"I need to ask you something, Miss Applejack." He said, holding up the clipboard with his powers "Your friend, Rainbow Dash… has she been having any trouble sleeping?"

Applejack had to think for a moment "None that dis here pony can 'member," She said, holding a hoof up to her chin as she thought a moment "I've seen her sittin' awake, that's 'bout it, just starin' out the window with her turtle."

Something was scribbled on the paper. The orange pony wasn't one to eavesdrop… but everything that happened was her fault after all, and it was killing her to know. "Why?" She asked, trying to sound as innocent as possible.

The doctor glanced up, "Oh, nothing too important, it was just when she was hear, she had a rather hard time sleeping, nothing new, patients who go through trauma are usually uneasy during their dreams, but we always try and make sure they are holding up alright."

Applejack glanced down "Dash had never been one to let her fears get to 'er." She mumbled "Were they… bad, I reckon I might need t'know, case they return is all."

The doctor blinked "I can't compare it to anything really, when patients have nightmares, normal nightmares are sometimes a pleasant stroll through the park compared to them, she would never tell us what she dreamed about, just woke up screaming and sobbing in fear. They haven't caused any physical damage, only some lack of sleep and uneasiness that passed over time."

Applejack felt her belly tighten, the image of such a weak and pitiful Rainbow dash crying and sobbing out for comfort made her eyes well in tears "I… I…" Her mouth was suddenly dry, the words she wanted to speak got lost in her throat and never resurfaced.

The doctor glanced at the door to the doctor's room, they had been talking in hushed whispers, and it simply sounded like Rainbow was grumbling about how board she was. "I feel the need to warn you Applejack," The doctor suddenly said, AJ's head whipping around to the older's ember eyes staring into her green ones "If she awakens with those same nightmares, there isn't any panic button or medicine to calm her down, only you."

Applejack nodded, glancing back at the door. It was her fault anyway, however she couldn't help but feel a sudden ripple of recollecting run through her. She remembered, waking up screaming after the incident, Big Macintosh had to hold her till she stopped sobbing at first, until she learned to wake up and quietly cry herself to sleep. The dreams came, right after the incident, same as the cyan pony who was messing around like her usual self only thirty feet away.

"I'll be there…" Applejack said, her eyes wide as she blinked slowly "I ain't just gunna leave her alone, what kinda friend would I be?" She said it nervously.

The doctor nodded, and Applejack suddenly remembered Rainbow's tired eyes, as if she hadn't been sleeping well.

She suddenly pictured Rainbow running beside her at "The Falling of the Leaves" race, how they promised this year to have a friendlier competition than before. It made her feel better, the thought of her cyan friends gentle teasing as they raced neck and neck toward a goal people would forget about in a week's time.

Comforting, that was the word that described it, like a warm fuzzy feeling, calming her mind so she could face Rainbow Dash without her guilty eyes giving her away.

"Well…" She mumbled, reality hitting her hard "Better get back to her, I bet she's gettin' all fidgety and bored."

Rainbow Dash leaned her body against an apple tree. Her empty wheelchair was next to her after several minutes of adjusting herself to get out. She had no idea how she was going to get back in, she might just have to suck up her pride and let Applejack help her, but that was later.

Right now, the cyan pony was gently nibbling on a sweet apple that had fallen from the tree, the juice made her cheeks hurt, yet she couldn't stop eating it. She loved apples, she wasn't sure why, but the Sweet Apple Acre's apples were amazing, the same as their cider. The cyan pony paused, a tear coming to her eye at the memory of her lack of super-amazing cider.

Hooves stamping into a nearby tree drew the pony back to the world. Rainbow shook her head and blinked several times. She glanced up and saw Applebloom holding a barrel over her head, catching any of the apples that had missed during the falling as Applejack threw them.

"Great job AB, keep up the good work!" Applejack called. The little yellow pony nodded happily, her bow bouncing slightly. Rainbow Dash smirked a little, it looked like a game to the two. The rainbow maned pony watched the apples fall from the trees one after another as they played a one-way catch, or maybe basketball… she wasn't really sure. It almost seemed like fun, certainly better than the stress of keeping every cloud out of the sky at all times.

The cyan pony put her hooves behind her head and chewed on a piece of straw, leaning her back against the tree. Her hind legs cased in the casts made her grumble whenever she wanted to adjust herself, but couldn't. She couldn't wait until the six weeks were up. She paused, thinking "Guess it would be around four weeks now…" She mumbled. Four weeks equaled eternity in her mind, even longer if you counted her version of a second.

After the sixth basket was filled, Applejack chuckled as Applebloom caught the final ripe apple in her mouth. "Alright you little troublemaker, what'ya say we get all these apple's back to the barn?" She asked.

"Alright Applejack, I'll race ya!" Applebloom challenged, wiggling her hind in the air. AJ chuckled and gave her sister a little noogie "Now hold it, don't forgit Dash, we can't just leave her, even you get lost this deep inta the orchard."

Applebloom giggled "Alright AJ, but I still bet I'll make twice as many trips as you!"

"You're on." Applejack said as she watched Applebloom race off with a barrel of apples on her head. The orange earth-pony turned toward the pre-pegasus, Rainbow found herself smirking.

"You two seem to be close." Rainbow mumbled as the orange pony trotted up. Applejack lifted squatted down and lifted the cyan pony up, the breath being knocked out of the pre-pegasus "Easy does it." Applejack mumbled, setting the pre-pegasus down in the wheelchair. She smiled at Rainbow and Rainbow Dash, despite not wanting to; found herself smiling back happily "Thanks." She said. A word she rarely used not came up frequently in day to day conversations with each other.

"No problem RD, not let's say we go and get us some grub, I'm starvin'!" She cried. Rainbow shrugged "I ate nothing but apples, I'm stuffed.

"You would be, you little pig!" Applejack grumbled lightly, locking the cyan pony in a head lock and ruffling her mane playfully. The two of them were getting closer as each day passed, only three months ago they would feel awkward acting like this to one another. Rainbow giggled and felt the cowpony hat be deposited onto her head. She looked up from the brim "Doctor said to get me outside, outside makes me hungry!" She argued.

"Whatever." Applejack said, rolling her eyes once more "N' sugarcube, I think you really lost me this race now that you weight so much."

"Shut up…" Rainbow chuckled. The two sat in silence for several moments as Applejack pleasantly strolled through the apple trees, looking like she had no intent on winning. It was nice… but Rainbow would zoom through these trees in a nanosecond if given the chance.

"So um… Dash?" Applejack suddenly asked.

The cyan pony glanced behind her with wide eyes, the brim of the hat making it impossible to see the earth pony's eyes. "Yeah AJ?"

"So… ya'll have no idea what ya gonna do once you get all healed, do ya?" The orange pony asked. Rainbow growled a little and looked at her cast-covered legs "None of your business…" she grumbled.

"Take it as a yes…" A sigh was heard from the orange pony as she spoke. Several more moments of silence went by "I was thinkin'…" Another long pause "Maybe you could just work on the farm…"

Rainbow felt her gut tighten, she didn't know why but her heart beat a little faster and she blushed. Applejack continued "I mean, we'll pay you and all, even give ya' a place to stay till ya can save up 'nuff money to hightail your way on outta here," Applejack said "We can start off slow, I know pegasus ponies aren't nearly as strong as earth ones, so if you want we can just sell em till you're ready, what'll you say?"

It was the least she could do, because this was all her fault anyway.

Rainbow Dash was silent for several moments "Have… the rest of the Apple Family heard about this?" She asked. Applejack shook her head, but realized Rainbow couldn't see her "Nope, but I can convince Big Mac he was a filly if I tried, he's a little slow if y'know what I mean…" she whispered. Both chuckled and Rainbow thought a moment "Y-Yeah, why not, sure?" She said, puffing out her chest "I'll be the greatest farmer pony in all of Equestria!" She cried.

Applejack chuckled some more "With those weak little hooves, please."

"What are you laughing at!" Rainbow growled, pushing the hat up with her upper leg "lookin' for a fight partner?" She asked, her best Applejack impersonation on hand. Both chuckled lightly once more.

This… in more or less words… was simply the life.

Rainbow Dash found herself crouching down, trembling slightly as the hoots and howls of the forest echoed in her ear. She felt tears run down her cheeks as she tried to flap her wings, yet a large, rippling tremor of pain rippled through her. She looked back to see her bent up wings, horribly twisted and bloody.

She tried to walk, but couldn't do that either. Her legs were trapped, she tried to look behind her yet couldn't see anything except a massive stone. It took her a moment to realize her legs were trapped under there.

She heard a noise. A cracking and her head shot around. The cyan pegasus blinked quickly and scanned the area. "Applejack?" She whimpered out, not trying in the slightest to hide the fear in her voice. Her made that was once Rainbow was now sickly and muddy, covered in filth. She had bruises and cuts all over her body, but she couldn't tell from what, nor could she remember.

The sound came again, this time it was louder. Rainbow curled up in a tiny ball and began to whimper, her body trembling as sobs tore through her body, yet couldn't find an escape through her closed throat. The sound was so loud it might have been right next to her.

"Applejack…" She whimpered "T-This isn't funny…" She whimpered out.

Something scratched her back, and she had to keep her mouth shut as she felt warm blood lead down from her neck to the start of her tail.

"Applejack…" Rainbow whimpered one last time in desperation, something sharp nudged her back, and she whimpered even harder "I… I w-w-want to g-go h-home…" she begged.

A moment later, horrible pain skyrocketed through her body, and she let out a mane-curling scream of agony as blood poured down her body, she could feel her ribs breaking, she tried to put her upper leg in the things mouth to get it away, but its iron jaws clamped on it as well, causing a dull pain on top of the one going on.

"Applejack!" She sobbed, beginning to cry as hard as she could, the creature near her was invisible through her tears that blurred her vision, all she could feel was the pain and the warmth of blood on her skin.

The scream that causing Applejack to jump straight awake was one big enough to reach Cloudsdale. She heard an agonizing screech from the filly next to her as she heard a thump, and somehow knew she had fallen out of bed from the clanking of the casts.

The orange pony sat straight up and saw Rainbow Dash on the floor, curled up in a tiny ball as she openly sobbed, covering her head and ears with her arms as she sobbed incoherent words. She was in a cold sweat, her eyes caused a pool of tears to form around her on the floor touching her head. She whimpered and wailed in fear.

"Applejack!" She suddenly wailed.

The earth pony froze. She heard her name… she heard her name be screamed from a sobbing Rainbow Dash… no… it wasn't right!

Suddenly the door burst open and a red colt was standing in the door, looking like he had been rudely awoken as well, a sleepy looking Applebloom was near the door as well. Big Mac glanced from Applejack to Rainbow, and then back to his sister. It took a moment for Applejack to snap out of her shock, forcing her guilt to settle down as she all but jumped off the bed and crawled near the crying pegasus.

"There are no panic buttons…" She whispered, the Doc's words ringing in her mind. The sound of Dashie's sobs hurt the pony as she got down near the face of the younger "Rainbow?" She asked, with no response "Dashie?"

This time, teary eyes cracked open and Applejack felt legs wrap around her neck as Rainbow sobbed harder "A-A-AJ!" She cried, unaware where she was, still somewhere in her dream.

Flashbacks… flashbacks to her own dreams flashed in the orange pony's mind. She suddenly grabbed the cyan pony and pulled her close as tight as she could, sitting up and pulling Rainbow Dash with her. "I-I-It hurts…" She whimpered "B-Blood… t-t-t-there's so much b-blood…"

"Shhh, it's just a dream Dashie…" Applejack whispered, holding Applejack in her arms as she sat bridal style with upper legs still wrapped around her neck, a sobbing filly's head in her chest. Applejack began to rock back and forth "It's alright, nopony can hurt you, I'm here, you're safe…" She whispered as she nuzzled the younger.

Big Macintosh walked forward as the little pony cried. He leaned his head down to nuzzle her back, and she jumped in fear before turning around with teary eyes. Applebloom walked up too, and nuzzled the cyan pony's cutie mark.

It was horrible, seeing such an… amazing and beautiful pony be brought to such a low level by her fears.

"It'll be a'right now." Applejack stated "Nopony will ever hurt you again… I won't let anypony touch you, I bet my life on it."

Rainbow was still half in a dream, for she didn't even notice as the older absent mindedly kissed her forehead and began stroking her mane "Just a dream…" She whispered, Rainbow still letting out a few choked up sobs in Applejack's arms.

"Apple…Jack…" Rainbow mumbled, squeezing the orange pony tighter than ever before.

Lost

HOLY FUCKBALLS I AM ALIVE!

Disclaimer: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It belongs to The Hub, Hasbro, Studio B, and Lauren Faust. I do not own any of these characters in any way or how, nor do I claim ownership to the pony franchise. These characters are simply my toys.

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"Only a matter of time."
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A Rainbow Cut Short
Chapter 6: Lost

A small light was illuminating the tiny room in the middle of the Apple Family's living room. The sounds of the crickets outside was only audible if the orange filly concentrated long enough and blocked out the sound of her cyan friends gentle sniffling. It would be hours before a single peep was heard, not until the roosters crowed anyway. Rainbow Dash however, had managed to wake up even Big Macintosh, who was perhaps the heaviest sleeper Rainbow herself has ever come across.

It was late. Applebloom has passed out as Big Macintosh gently ran one of his hooves through her cherry colored hair, soothing her from her rude awakening of screams from Applejacks room.

From the red to blue, Rainbow's mane was plastered to her body from her cold sweat. She trembled lightly, and occasionally opened her mouth as if to speak words, but they always seemed to become lost in her body, perhaps being blocked by the wall in her mind where memory of the incident was broken. However, based on Applejacks sightings, the wall has begun to chip away, one pebble at a time.

"Rainbow," Applejack said. She was sitting up, Rainbow being held tightly in her arms. She didn't know why, but she was lightly blushing, and through the tiny light, Rainbow's own cheeks were tinted. "You alrigh'?" she asked, gently tugging Rainbow up closer to her chest, being mindful of her cast covered legs "You gave us a mighty scare there, I'll tell ya that!" she said. It meant to sound jokingly, but it came off as dead serious.

Rainbow looked up at the earth pony holding her, her violet eyes twinkling in tears that she was trying her best not to shed. She looked like she wanted to hit Applejack, and for a moment the filly feared of the wall suddenly being broken, and Rainbow hating her.

"If... If you tell... A-anypony..." she began, but she bit her lower lip and began trembling once more, her eyes silently giving off plead.

"Course not..." Applejack mumbled, resisting the sigh of relief building in her throat. She then instantly felt guilty. Rainbow Dash needed to know how she had her entire world ripped from her. It wasn't fair to her, and all it did was put endless weight on the earth pony's shoulders that only continued to weigh her down as time passed by.

"Dash... I..." She began. Would getting the truth off her chest stop this constant guilt? Likely not, it would just dig the two deeper into this hole of guilt and lies, and before anypony had noticed, Rainbow Dash would hate her. She... She didn't know if she could handle it... If Rainbow hated her.

Rainbow whimpered gently, ever since the incident, her will to look gutsy or daring, or even have a glimmer of her former, strong self, had vanished along with her wings. The cyan pre-Pegasus tightened her hold on the earth pony.

Applejack looked over to Big Macintosh, looking for the answer of what to do from her older kin. She was looking for a single slimmer of emotion to break through his poker face. He gave away none. And starred blankly toward the two.

Applejack grumbled lightly and blew her blonde mane out of her eyes in frustration. Life was too confusing...

Applejack leaned her head down to rest on the rainbow colored mane. She was being selfish... Not only that, but a liar as well.

"AJ?" Rainbow mumbled, nuzzling her face into the orange neck. Applejack blinked and blushed slightly at the touch, but stayed silent, as it Rainbow was one of the chickens in the barn, and could be frightened in the slightest movement.

"I..." Rainbow said, not bothering to wait for the older to answer. "I hope... Y'know... you aren't mad... For me causing so much trouble... Or something..."

Applejack slowly blinked as she took a moment to process this. Rainbow... Was... Apologizing...

No... NO, she shouldn't apologize dammit! Applejack felt like hitting the former pegasus at this moment, but luckily she decided against it.

"Naw... Dash, don't say ya sorry..." she mumbled softy.

The guilt was back...

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"I'm fine." Rainbow stated, her arms folded. She had a look on her face only describable as bored. Every once in a while she would shoot a strike of a glare at her orange filly friend sitting next to her, as if to blame her for bringing her back to the place she hated the most.

Applejack tried her best to ignore her friends grumbling, but was finding it more and more difficult the more time drug on. She was about to simply tell her to shut the buck up before somepony beat her to the punch, albeit in a nicer way.

"Miss Dash, this is not an issue you can just shrug off as nothing more than an abnormal nightmare.". The doctor stated, raising a brow at her "Do you understand this could be your own subconscious..."

"Yeah, yeah, subconscious shmubconscious, it was just a dream," Rainbow Dash growled out, her maroon eyes whipping toward the unicorn "They happened here in the hospital too..." She grew quiet, as if she wasn't able to say loudly she had gotten frightened in a hospital.

"Rainbow..." Applejack said, voice hesitant, mixed with annoyance "The doctor ain't gonna bite ya, he's only tryin' ta help ya, ya hear?"

A deathly glare was fired in her direction, a slight blush had risen to the cyan pony's cheeks "S-Shut up!" she cried out. The closer Applejack looked into the others eyes, the more she realized they were darting around the room. Rainbow wasn't upset with her... She was...

"Miss Dash, your friend is telling the truth." The unicorns eyes were stern, yet held a trace of sympathy. "Perhaps what happened to you is still in your head, this nightmare could help us..."

"What if..." Rainbow mumbled, looking down into her wheel chair, staring at the casts incasing her lower legs "What if I don't want to know what happened?"

The question made Applejack tense up. Should... Should she feel relieved, or dumbfounded at the words uttered by the pre-pegasus. "Hey, Dash, whats up, you've been botherin' me all week 'bout this..." That question seemed safe enough.

The doctor simply cocked up a brow, as if questioning the other's motives. He betrayed not a single emotion, as if he had expected nothing less. "I understand how you might feel, your friend tells me the dream did you in a good one, according to her,"

Another glare shot Applejack's way, although this time it was almost... Pitiful...

"But if you could tell us anything at all you remember, anything at all, it would help us greatly." The unicorn mumbled.

"I told you... I don't remember anything...". Rainbow was being difficult once more.

"Nothing?" He mumbled.

"Y'know... For some place like this, you people aren't quick to believe in your patients." Rainbow mumbled, glancing down. Applejack stared at her. She was trembling.

"Please, just try and recall..."

"Nothing!" Rainbow Dash shouted suddenly. Applejack realized that this entire time, Rainbow has been covering up her fear with anger... It finally broke. "I don't remember a-a-anything from the dream when I w-woke up! Ya hear?"

"Miss Dash..."

Rainbow slammed her her hooves over her ears, eyes welling in those damn tears once more. She bit her lip shut, and made tiny whimpering noises "Shut up..." she begged.

"Miss..."

Applejack stood up on all fours. Rainbow Dash quieted down her whimpering for several moments as she stared at her orange friend. The earth pony glanced at her before taking off her hat and placing it on the other's head, covering her watering eyes. "'Tis okay Dash," she mumbled softly. "Ain't nopony gonna push ya if ya uncomfortable..."

"I don't r-remember." Rainbow whimpered out, pulling the hat down to soak up her now watering eyes. Her chest trembled in convolutions, Applejack reached out a hoof and began to rub her back in circles.

"AJ..." Rainbow mumbled "C-Can we go now?" she looked up, only allowing her eyes to be shown for a brief moment.

"Ya 'eard er Doc," Applejack found herself mumbling with a sigh on the edge of her voice. "I think she's 'ad enough fer today."

A long silence followed as Applejack gently pat the other's mane. "Be best if we go an' drop it for a while... Least till the next nightmare comes.". Strangely enough, Applejack didn't feel as if she was trying to save her own skin. She wanted only to bring Rainbow out of her melancholy mood. Rainbow wasn't dealing with this well, and Applejack didn't want to push her to her breaking point once more.

The doctor sighed "I seem to be unable to get through to you." He said, a sigh on the edge of his voice. "Very well, go on ahead, I won't try and stop you. I only warn you that if this gets any worse, to come and see me."

"Will do Doc." Applejack said, tipping her hat to the older stallion.

Applejack tired her best to get Rainbow out quickly without stirring up a scene. She could tell by the way Rainbow Dash sighed in relief followed by whimpers the moment the hints of a breeze hit her face that her friend would have broken down if more time passed. "You're mean." She mumbled "You know I hate it here... uncool."

Applejack rolled her eyes as she continued down the path to Sweet Apple Acre's. It was easy for her to see Rainbow's anger, and even though she would never want her friend to discover the truth about what happened, she would do anything at this point to put her mind at ease. "You 'aven't slept all week." Applejack mumbled, glancing down "Not after the nightmare..."

Rainbow squeezed the hat tighter over her eyes "So?" She grumbled out "Who needs sleep?"

"Somepony fresh out of the hospital with two broken legs, that's for sure." Applejack mumbled, she decided to take the long way home, knowing that Rainbow preferred to be outside rather than cooped up indoors. Her friend needed things like this, Applejack wasn't sure what she would do if forced to be inside all day long. Perhaps their walks reminded her of sleeping on a cloud or something.

"Shut it." Rainbow growled, sniffling slightly. She had forced herself to calm down enough to talk normally once more. She paused for a long time, as if flipping around in her head what to say next "...thankyou..." She mumbled.

"Huh?" Applejack pondered "What did ya say?"

Rainbow was silent "Thanks... for taking me out back there... I was making a bucking fool of myself... wasn't I?"

"I wouldn't go that far." Applejack assured "Though I gotta admit, even after all this here time, it's still strange ta see ya cry..."

"I guess I'm just a strange pony." Rainbow mumbled, shrugging slightly. she paused a long time after that before continuing. "I never really was able to let myself open up like this to the others, share feelings or mushy things like that." She mumbled. "I always thought that, tough ponies didn't need anypony else to talk to when they were upset... that they should toughen themselves out... that's why I tried to make you leave when you saw me crying."

Applejack blinked "I... Rainbow, we didn't exactly get along before this, we fought each other over every stupid little thing that just darn popped inta our minds, we scuffled for no reason half the time."

"I know..." Rainbow Dash mumbled. "But for some reason... the first time you walked into the hospital and found me crying... I was glad to see you, to see that you weren't hurt or something. Even thought Twilight told me you were fine... I felt like I needed to see it to believe it." She chuckled awkwardly "I sound really stupid right now, don't I?"

"Naw, just... unlike you." Applejack mumbled. She gently wheeled her friend along the path, feeling the breeze in her face. She could see Dash extend her chest and breath in the air with pleasure. She was born to fly. Applejack felt a pang of guilt. The dream just had to be about them, about what happened to them.

"It may sound strange..." Rainbow began "But I feel like... I feel like you're my best friend..." The pre-pegasus grew silent, and blushed deeply. Applejack felt her mouth go dry. Best friend? Everything about this should make them worst enemies... and yet here Applejack trotted, by her friends side through thick and thin these past few weeks.

"Yeah Dash... you're my best friend too."

"Really?" Rainbow asked, lifting her head and turning around "Not Twilight, or Fluttershy or something?"

"Hay no, you're the only one I can really talk ta 'bout work and how hard it is without just smiling and noddin', I 'memeber you used to push me harder by telling me you could buck more apples than me in ten seconds flat than I could do in an hour, that made me really push myself until I impressed you." Applejack found herself mumbling.

Rainbow smiled "Yeah, and you always used to tell me ways I could improve my tricks, and were never easily impressed after I did a sonic rainboom, you made me try and do bigger and more dangerous tricks after that! We always pushed each other." Rainbow said, smirking up at the orange filly.

"Yeah... yeah I guess we did." Applejack mumbled. She was silent for a long time "Rainbow... would you still call me your best friend... if I did something bad?"

"Huh?" Rainbow asked. "Like.... like what?"

Applejack blinked several times "Like I hurt somepony... and they didn't even know it?"

"What, you're telling me you ripped these wings from my back in my sleep?" Rainbow asked, chuckling half-heartily "Yeah, yeah, mushy friendship and all that, I'd still be your friend."

Rainbow Dash didn't see the shock of fear on the orange mare's face when the subject of her wings was brought up. She was so close to the truth, it was right under her nose and she didn't even know it...

"Yeah... mushy friendship..."

It was when Applejack was lying on her back, staring out the window at Princess Luna's moon, did she realize just how much Rainbow Dash's friendship meant to her. She wanted to preserve it, keep it locked deep in her heart where it couldn't escape. The same must be true for all of her friends, but as of late, Rainbow Dash's cage where her friendship for Applejack was kept had begun to rot. The orange filly had done her best to keep the cage sturdy and strong, making makeshift repair jobs and patching up the holes. But it still rotted, a little more each day as the truth seeped nearer and nearer into her friend's heart. The dream was the key wanting to let her friendship with Rainbow escape... and it finding its own way to the keyhole would be what shattered the cage into oblivion.

"Hey AJ, you sleeping?" Rainbow mumbled.

Applejack found herself jumping at the sudden voice. She glanced over to see a pair of violet eyes staring straight at her. It was difficult to see in the darkness, but the vibrant colors from Dash's mane were apparent, even in pitch black. "Yeah, Dashie, 'sup?" The orange filly asked, cocking up a brow.

Rainbow looked down and began to trace circles with her hoof on her chest. "Why do... why do you think all of this happened... I mean, I know there are other ponies in the world who lost their wings and all... but why me?" She asked. Her voice sounded a bit whiny. "I've crashed into everything and anything imaginable, and never had them get a scratch except breaking one of them ONCE." She whimpered out "I... I just don't get why all of this is happening to me..."

Applejack could sense her friend wasn't on the verge of tears, just in need of answers. It must be horrible, having a million and ten questions without a single answer in sight. The orange filly reached out a hoof and stroked her cheek "I kind of wish it had been me." She confessed "I ain't got big dreams, I'm just meant to run the acre's, no fame and fortune was meant for me..."

"Applejack... don't say that..." Rainbow mumbled "I... I know that my goals were set high, but don't put yourself down just because it isn't great on the surface... you feed all of Equestria with your apples, right?" She asked.

"I suppose... we do ship outside of Ponyville..." Applejack mumbled.

"If something happened to you, Big Mac couldn't run the farm on his own, we saw how bad that went for you."

"Don't remind me." Applejack grumbled out, her ears pressing against her scalp. "I know, I know, without me all of Equestria would starve... but I ain't like ya, I didn't have ta push myself each and every day just for some attention from my idols some day."

Rainbow shrugged "I suppose..."

Applejack stared at Rainbow Dash. If she gave the key to Rainbow... would the friendship in their hearts escape and never come back? Or would they choose to stay, and be happy for years to come. She didn't want to take the risk... not yet... not until the guilt building in her was about to swallow her alive.

"I really meant it earlier," Rainbow mumbled out loud. "About you being my best friend... I meant every word I spoke about it." She was silent for a long time "I... I don't know what I would do without you... I almost broke down so many times these past few weeks... and I..."

Rainbow began to shift, as if sitting up. Applejack sat up as well "Woah there Dash, take it easy, just lie back on down an-" The orange filly felt herself be cut off in a sudden moment as hooves wrapped around her head and her lips collided with a cyan pair. Every muscle in her body exploded in both fear and excitement. She couldn't wrap her head around why Rainbow Dash would do something so... strange... The other's lips rubbed against her own as she sat there in shock.

Rainbow broke away, blushing intensely. "I... I'm sorry... I don't know what just happened..." She mumbled "You... you just..."

Applejack found her body working by itself as she all but tackled the other onto the bed, now lying on top of Rainbow Dash as her lips mashed with the others again. Something inside of her had taken over. Rainbow was important to her... Rainbow was her best friend. And every moment she kissed her, she found the guilt seeping in deeper and deeper. She brushed her tongue against the others lips, and was greeted with entrance as her tongue began to fight with Rainbow's. She finally broke apart, realizing she had almost passed out form lack of air. She checked the cage... it was breaking...

Rainbow blinked several times. Applejack decided to speak up as she sat on top of her cyan friend "I... I didn't know yer barn door swung that way."

"I didn't know yours did." Rainbow mumbled.

Applejack blinked, still in a bit of shock. What were... you supposed to do in a time like this... when you were conflicted with feelings of Fillyfooling?

"Yer my best friend, Dashie." Applejack mumbled, before leaning down and kissing her once more.

The guilt grew stronger the longer she stayed that way. She wasn't sure how much longer the cage would hold.