Rainbow's Inferno

Hours later Rainbow sat on the moist ground near the pond, A.J. stood above her and threw rocks across the surface of the dark water.

“So, they alway bullied you like that?” asked A.J..

“Yeah.”

“Why didn’t you fight back?”

“I did, and I do, but it’s no use, they’ll come back in a week with another slew of insults.”

A.J. flicked her wrist and sent the flat stone spinning.

Four skips.

“Ya’ll are stronger than you look.”

Rainbow dash pulled up her hood to hide her flushed face, she hoped that the cow girl wouldn’t see her pleasure at her complement.

They were silent for awhile. It was a pleasant silence, a silence made by a mutual understanding that all that need to be said had been said.

Then A.J. said something more.

“Why don’t ya’ll come up to my family ranch?”

“What?”

“Spring break starts next week if I’m correct in my thinking. You deserve a break.”

Rainbow was silent. She had never received this much kindness from one person, she doubted if there was anyone else in the world as good as A.J..

“Why don’t ya’ll check it out with your folks?”

“I’m sure my dad wouldn’t mind.”

A.J. was silent, Rainbow was grateful that she didn’t enquire further.

“I’ll pick ya’ll up Saturday then.”

***

Friday passed and Saturday arrived. The time in between was a blessing because of A.J.’s protection during school. Even her stepfather seemed less interested in her, she even got a full night’s sleep.

Rainbow sat on the stairs to her apartment waiting in the cool spring air for a glimpse of her friend. A low grumble came up the street. And a ragged old truck came huffing and puffing down the road. It pulled to a growling stop up in front of the apartment and the door popped open to reveal a smiling A.J.

“Hop in!” She said. And she did just that.

The drive to the farm wasn’t as long as Rainbow had anticipated. They took a turn that lead onto a dirt and gravel road and bumped down it to the ramshackle old farm house that A.J. pulled up next to. Hoping out she signaled to Rainbow to do the same. Climbing down and dropping the considerable distance to the ground was harder than expected but it seemed that she survived the ordeal unharmed.

A.J. lead her to the door and burst in shouting a hearty “we’re home!”

The first person to greet them was a little girl with bright red hair tied with a bow. She dashed up to A.J. and clamped onto her leg.

“Welcome home sis!” She said in the same drawl as her sibling.

“Hey there Applebloom, this here’s ma’ friend Rainbow Dash I was telling’ ya’ll about.”

Applebloom hid behind her sister’s leg muttering a shy hello. Rainbow knelt down to meet her.

“Hey, there Applebloom,” said Rainbow gently. “Where’s Sweetie Belle and Scoots?”

“Who?”

Honestly, Rainbow was just as puzzled about where that came from as Applebloom, luckily enough the awkwardness was interrupted by the arrival of the next member of the family. An elderly woman walked into the hall her hair had long lost it’s color and her body was thin and brittle, regardless she seemed as full of energy and life as any member of A.J.’s family should.

“Hey there sugar cube,” she said in a sharp yet gentle voice, giving A.J. a peck on the cheek.

“How was your last day of school?”

“It was fine, Granny. Where’s Mac?”

“He’s out with some of the work hands, a tree was blown down by this abominable wind, they’ll be back in a bit.”

“Rainbow this is Margaret Smith, she ma’ granny and owns the ranch.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Smith,” Rainbow replied.

“Oh horsefeathers! Call me Granny!”

Suddenly the door swung open and a huge man burst in, rainbow turned with fright, thoughts of her father and her years of abuse flashed through her head. She crumpled up on the floor trying to hide herself from the menacing shape.

“Good Golly Mac, you scared Rainbow half to death!”

Rainbow looked up, the massive figure wasn’t her father, but a young man with the same blonde hair and heavy build that A.J. had.

“Did you move that tree?” A.J. asked.

“Eeyup,” he replied simply.

“And I suppose those good for nothing farm hands went home already?”

“Eeyup,” he replied again.

***

Rainbow scooted into the chair next to A.J. staring at the table. A venerable feast of food lay before her, mashed potatoes, ham, apples of every color, mountains of fresh bread, corn on the cob, dripping in butter. But everyone’s plates lay empty. A.J. leaned over and whispered in Rainbow’s ear.

“No one eats ‘till granny prays,” she explained.

As she finished, the old lady sat down at the head of the table and held out her hands.

“Let’s pray,” she said and A.J. and Mac took her extended hands. A.J. then offered Rainbow her hand. Gingerly Rainbow took it, as her hand touched the soft skin of A.J.’s palm a wave of pleasure shot up her arm and sent shivers down her back. Her hand was calloused from years of hard work but was still soft and gentle. Applebloom took Mac’s hand and they all bowed their heads.

“Lord thank you for this food that you have blessed our family with, and thank you for the family that joins together at this table, both old and new.”

At this A.J. tapped Rainbow’s shin with her foot sending another wave of excitement coursing through Rainbow.

“Protect them a guide them under your saving light, AMEN.”

“AMEN.”

Rainbow wiped a tear from her cheek. She hoped no one would see. Family. She was part of a Family, she hadn’t done anything to deserve the treatment she was receiving. These people were only acting out of the kindness of their hearts. Not asking for anything in return. She didn’t deserve this.

“Aren’t you going to eat anything Rainbow?” A.J. asked as she piled her plate with mashed potatoes. Rainbow’s face flushed red with embarrassment and she began to serve herself.

***

“I can’t move…” Rainbow moaned.

“It’s your fault, you must have eaten twice your weight just in pie!”

Rainbow slumped over and rested her head on A.J. shoulder. She didn’t care how strange the action was, her head was full of images mashed potatoes and apple pie, much too foggy to think about her actions. Luckily it seemed A.J. didn’t mind the sentiment.

“You look plum tuckered out, I reckon we should get ya’ll to bed.”

Rainbow’s eyes flickered and she nodded her head slowly.

“That sounds like a good idea.”

Later rainbow stood in the small downstairs bathroom, dressed now in tank top and pajama pants ready for sleep. She splashed a handful of cool water onto her face, savoring the relief it brought. She looked up at her dripping face. Was this all really happening, she wondered. Was she really in the same house as the girl… the girl…

Rainbow shook her head, she had to keep those thoughts out of her head! But after all this could she really… but those thoughts were dangerous!

She slammed a hand on the sink, damn, what was happening to her, to her mind, what was this?

“WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?”

“Are you alright!?”

Rainbow turned, there she was. The person causing all this, and solving it at the same time. A.J. had changed into an old pair of shorts and a t-shirt.

“I could hear you all the way up stairs, what on earth is wrong?”

Rainbow stood up, she couldn’t face A.J. not now anyway. She had time.

“I’m fine, sorry to worry you.”

She stepped out of the bathroom and turned to go up the stairs to the second floor of the farm house.

“I’m going to bed now, see you in the morning.”

A.J. silently watched her ascend the steps, Rainbow hid her face and walked up to the guest room. She collapsed onto the massive feather bed. Finally after the longest day of her life, she could sleep. But she still had some work to do. She pulled her jornal out of the backpack she had brought with her and began to write in it.

March 13, Saturday,

I have been lifted up out of my hell and placed in paradise. Every moment I’m with A.J. and her family I feel true happiness. I’m now like Dante, ascended to heaven to spend eternity with Beatrice. Only my Beatrice is a farm girl with and not a celestial embodiment of heavenly grace, though she acts like it, heh.

Lately I’ve been have thoughts about A.J. thoughts I’m not sure I want to admit, even hidden away in the private confines of my journal. These thoughts… I’m not supposed to have these thoughts my mind is all wrong I don’t know what to do I LOVE HER!

Rainbow’s pen froze and she stared at the words that her tratoros hand had wrote. I LOVE HER. Still wet with ink from the ball point she held. In a fit of frustration she threw the journal accross the room. It slammed into the wall and slumped to the ground dejectedly. Rainbow covered her face in the pillow and screamed her frustration into it. Slowly she fell asleep, exhausted…

***

“last one, HEAVE!”

Rainbow grunted with frustration and lifted the last crate with A.J. into the back of the truck. It gave a satisfying THUNK as it landed in the metal bed of the truck. A.J. slaped the door of the old pick up to get the farm hand’s attention.

“Alright, Braeburn, hall these suckers out’a here!”

The blonde haired man noded and drove the old 4X4 down the gravel road, kicking up dust in his wake. A.J. collapsed on top of an old dejected lawn chair and sighed.

“Ya’ll don’t have to help with the chores,” she said “ya’ll are supposed to be relaxing!”

“It’s fine,” Rainbow replied, waving the comment away with her hand. “I don’t want to feel like a fifth wheel.”

“Third wheel.”

“No, it’s fifth, we got, me, Granny, Applebloom, Mac, ‘n you, that makes five.”

“DON’T YOU USE YOUR FANCY MATHEMATICS ON ME!” Said A.J. jumping up, pointing an accusing finger at her. “Prepare yourself, ya’ll have awaken’d ma’ wrath!”

A.J. picked up the toy water gun that lay next to the chair and began spraying Rainbow with it. landing a shot right in her mouth.

“Ack! A.J! It’s too cold for water pistols!”

“All the better for your punishment! Have at ye, or whatever!

A.J. continued her assault and Rainbow dove for cover behind the barn, there she found an old bucket sitting next to a spigot, a plan formed in her mind. She filled the bucket and waited around the corner of the barn. Soon A.J. approached, her gun at the ready and Rainbow leapt forward and threw the water at her. A.J. shouted with surprise but her yell was quickly replaced by coffing as the wave splashed into her.

“Dogonit Rainbow,” she laughed. “Now look what ya’ll done!”

“I’m sorry I…” rainbow’s voice trailed off she could see the outline of A.J.’s bra underneath the soaked white shirt she wore. She felt her face flush and looked away, hoping that A.J. didn't notice her strange behavior. But it seemed that A.J.’s attention was focused on the figure coming out of the garage across from the barn.

“Hey, Mac, you get that hunk of metal running yet?”

“Nope,” was his simple reply as he headed up the road to the house.

“Hunk of metal?” Inquired Rainbow.

“Ma’ brother found an old motorcycle in the garage a while back he’s been trying to get the junker to work.”

“Can I try? I know a bit about motorcycles.”

A.J. shrugged.

“Be ma’ guest, I gotta go change. I’ll meet you back at the house.” And with that A.J. skipped up back the road to the farmhouse and rainbow trudged into the garage.

The building was a mess of old car parts and bits of scrap, a molding mounted deer head looked at her with empty eyes from the far wall of the structure. On the wall to her left a large shape was covered by a tarp Rainbow pulled the tarp off and gasped at the treasure it revealed. A 1940 Crocker ‘Big tank’ V-Twin! There were only 61 of these in the world, these were worth a fortune! She carefully examined the bike, the frame and body looked unharmed and while the motor was mostly intact several of the pieces were beyond repair. She slumped dejectedly onto the floor, it would be impossible to fix this thing with most modern parts, and the old ones would cost almost as much as the bike!

She looked around her at the mess of junk that took up the bulk of the room. Maybe she could find some old parts amongst them. She started digging through the jumble of old cylinders and broken hubcaps. She picked up an old pin that lay on the floor, she wiped off some of the dust that had collected on it. ‘Wonderbolts World Tour!’ it read around a picture of a winged lightning bolt.

A flash, a memory, a dream of a wish, a hope a purpose. She knew all their names: Spitfire, Soarin, Fleet foot, High Winds, Lightning Streak, Misty Fly, Rapidfire, Surprise and Crescent Moon. She would fly with them one day she knew it.

As quickly as it came, it vanished back into her mind. She shuddered, it had been awhile since her last faint memory, if she could call it that. What were these thoughts that invaded her head? Were they memories? Or only dreams created of a better place, a place she could escape to?

“How’s it going?”

A.J.’s voice startled Rainbow out of her meditation and brought her back to the dimly lit garage. Rainbow turned. A.J had changed into fresh clothes and had taken off her trademark hat.

“Fine,” Rainbow said, slipping the pin into her pocket.

“Have you gotten this hunk o’ junk running yet?” Asked A.J. as she examined the bike. Rainbow shook her head.

“It’s old, I’ll need a lot of new, old, parts.”

“Do you know where we can get some?”

Rainbow crossed her arms in thought. Supposedly, the Cocker V-Twin had used some Harley parts, if they could find an old Harley bike….

“Is there anyone around her who collects old motorcycles?”

“Well, Braeburn actually has a couple old bikes that he never rides, he might be willing to loan us a few parts.”

Just then, the old 4X4 pulled up into the garage and Braeburn honked the horn at them.

“Speak of the devil!” A.J. intoned, stepping up to the rusty old car.

Braeburn hopped out and landed on the hard packed dirt that made up the floor of the garage.

“I dropped the apples off at the geezer's house,” he said. “Lord, is that man scary!”

A.J. giggled girly.

“You know Brae, you're a real sweety.”

Braeburn looked down at A.J. mistrust written plainly on his face. Then he rolled his eyes and rested his hands in his hips.

“Alright A.J. what do ya’ll need?”

“Oh, nothing much, just a few part from those old junky bikes of yours.”

“YOU WANT WHAT!?”

“Oh come on, you never ride those old clunkers anyway!”

“That’s not the point! There a valuable asset to-.”

“Please,” interrupted Rainbow.

Braeburn looked up at her, paused for a minute then sighed.

“Fine! Just know you’re destroying the one true love of my life!”

***

For days afterward Rainbow would spend the afternoons at the farm working on the bike and fixing it up. Sometimes A.J. would join her and they would talk, other times she would just sit alone, thinking and working.

Soon afterwards she had made enough amateur repairs to get the bike working. She proudly put-putted her way up the drive to the farm house.

“Woo hoo! Way to go Rainbow!” Cheered Applebloom.

“I can’t believe you actually did it!” A.J. said in amazement. She looked up at the disgruntled Mac.

“can you believe it?”

“Nope.”

“Want to go for a ride?” Rainbow asked A.J.

“Right now?”

“You got something better to do?”

A.J. looked down at granny, she smiled reassuringly.

“Go ahead, you’re only young once.”

A.J. smiled she went inside then came back out with her hair tied back and riding chaps on. she sat behind Rainbow.

“Let’s giddy on up!”

She placed her hands on Rainbow’s hips, making rainbow tence up with pleasure. Then they sped off down the dirt road onto the highway.

They drove for a while, not caring where they were or where they were going just that they were together. Eventually Rainbow glanced down at the Gas Meter, only a little sliver separated the indicator from the E at the bottom. She looked up, the sun was going down there was no way that they would make it home before dark.

Up ahead rainbow saw the lights of a small hotel, next to witch was a gas station. Salvation was in view. She steared the bike into the parking lot and parked in front of the door. She reached into her pants and handed A.J. her wallet.

“See If they’ll let us rent a room or not.”

A.J. went into the building and Rainbow costed down to the gas station. She pulled out a few spare bills she had and started to fill up the gas tank. As she waited she pulled out the pin that she had kept with her since that fateful day in the garage. She turned it over in her hand. She felt like she was so close to understanding what the memories ment. She just needed one more piece…

She looked up and saw A.J. signaling to her. she walked the bike back over to the parking lot and propped it up in between to cars.

“They have a spare room we can stay in.”

“Good, we’ll rest up and head back to the farm in the morning.”

“Heh, just like a sleep over.”

“Hasn’t the whole week been like that?”

“We haven’t been in the same room though.”

The two of them walked up the stairs to their room A.J. swinging the key merrily in her hand. they unlocked the door to find a horrifying sight. There was only one bed…

“C-C-Can you see if they have another room?”

“This was the only one she said,” A.J. said plopping onto the stiff materace. “It’s not a big deal, it’s only on night.”

“I-I can sleep on the floor-”

“Don’t be ridiculous! you’ll sleep right here next to me, it’s supposed to get below freezing tonight, I’ll need the extra warmth.”

Rainbow mind went to other thing done in a bed besides sharing warmth… but she shook her head and sat down next to A.J. without changing A.J. rolled over and slid under the covers. Taking a deep breath Rainbow followed A.J.’s example and slid next to her.

This was it, the deciding moment in her life. She watched A.J.’s chest slowly rise and fall as she slept.

“One question,” Rainbow said.

A.J. opened one eye and sighed a response.

“What does A.J. stand for?”

A.J. grinned widely.

“Why do you want to know?”

“I-I want...” say it, say it, damn it! “I want to know the name of the girl I love!”