“All ‘am sayin’ is,” Applejack sighed. “It just ain’t right. Ain’t natural. A girl and a girl? Nahp. Shouldn’t happen.” She shrugged, as if apologising for her opinion. The pink haired girl across from her frowned, and tilted her head comically to the left, pondering her answer.
“But Applejack!” Pinkie Pie said after a moment of though. “It doesn’t maaaatter if you’re a girl with a boy OR another girl! Its about what you feel in heeeeeeere!” Her mouth split into a grin, displaying a set of braces, and she threw her hand to her chest dramatically, falling out of her seat and onto the ground, her legs in the air. She wore a large and ridiculous pouffy dress, in an outrageous pink hue that matched her wild and unruly mop of hair that was half-heartedly pulled into a side pony-tail. Applejack snorted, grinning despite herself, and shook her head. Regardless their conflicting views, AJ liked hanging out with Pinkie Pie. She brought a bit of un-predictability into the cowgirls normally tedious and repetitively structured day after working on the farm. She had agreed to meet Pinkie Pie at Sugar Cube Diner, the main haunt for all the local teens. Pinkie had complained over the phone that she wanted one last of the owner’s super-secret-special cherry soda shakes before school started, because, she claimed, that they never tasted quite as good during the school year.
When Applejack had arrived, the sky was starting to cloud, and now it looked as though it threatened to pour. So far, nothing eventful had happened, and she had only watched as Pinkie slurped her third cherry shake. So much for one last one. So they had started to chat, and had somehow gotten onto that topic, something that Applejack didn’t exactly enjoy discussing. All around her, different groups and cliques of teenagers mingled and chatted, ranging from the youngest high school students, who still looked a little uncomfortable around their older brethren, to those who had already graduated, and still looked to the slightly ram shackled, but habitual and cheery glow of the old town diner. Over in the furthest corner, the star footballer of Canterlot High, Bulk Biceps, was excitedly recounting an exaggeration of his last game to a flock of giggling and blushing freshmen. Applejack rolled her eyes. She never did see what half the girls in her school saw in that huge mound of muscle, because all she did could see or hear was at least 60% muscle and 40% voice. She could also hear ‘The Great and Egotistical Trixie’ yelling at a distraught and distressed Derpy, after the latter spilt her drink all down the former’s ‘brand-new-and-worth-more-than-your-miserable-life” jacket. And, of course, like ever other Sunday night, Flash Century and his band mates where devoutly practicing their songs, almost drowning out every other noise in the building with their high pitched wails from electric guitars in such inexperienced hands. It was a wonder Mr and Mrs Cake hadn’t kicked them out, but the couple seemed to enjoy Flash and his friends whole hearted and enthusiastic attempts at producing an actual song, and to be perfectly fair, they had improved a lot from the start of the year. Applejack smiled to herself, surveying the rest of the regular customers of the diner, and recognising most, if not all of them. She waved to Mr and Mrs Cake with a smile as they caught her eye with enthusiastic grins, continuing to serve the flow of hungry and thirsty teenagers. Pinkie Pie had gotten back into her seat, and proceeded to chug the rest of her cherry soda, which was accompanied by a loud slurping noise.
“Whoa there, girlie,” Applejack said as Pinkie’s efforts began to build up speed. “You don’t wanna give yourself a-”
“WHHHHHAAAAAA!” Pinkie Pie suddenly threw her head back, clutching at her scalp, her eyes squeezed shut. “BRAIN-FREEEEEEZE!”
AJ couldn’t stop herself from laughing at Pinkie’s pained expression, as if she couldn’t believe that something she loved so much could hurt her like that. The pink haired girl soon joined in with her friends laughter as the brain freeze faded away, before bouncing up to order yet another cherry soda.
Applejack glanced up at the clock on the diner wall before a huge mass of curly, pink hair constructed her view.
“HEY! There’s Dashie! YOOOHOOOO~! RAINBOW DAAAAASH!” Pinkie Pie hung half out of the booth they were currently sharing, waving her arm frantically towards someone behind AJ. Applejack turned around, spying the leather jacket clad girl looking cooly around from the door. Her strikingly rainbow coloured hair was done in an elaborate, greased style. The swirls of different colours was both disorientating and eye-catching. She rolled her eyes at Pinkie’s eccentric behaviour directed at her, as though it was deteriorating her very reputation. Flicking a ‘be-one-moment’ finger at the group entering behind her, she sauntered over slowly, her hands in her jacket pockets, and a faint scowl on her face. The rest of her group walked the other way, their faces pulled up in smirks of amusement.
“Yo, Pie, quit it would ya? You’re makin’ a scene.” Dash slid into the booth next Pinkie, and pushing the bubbly girl down and into her seat.
“Typical Dash,” Applejack remarked in a deriding voice. Rainbow Dash’s pink eyes flicked towards her challengingly, before noticing the humor in AJ’s light green ones. She smirked, leaning back. “Can’t let anyone potentially destroy your precious rep’, huh?”
“Ey, what ya see is what ya get, cowgirl,” She slammed her feet down on the table top, crossing them over. “Anyways, what did ya want? I got places to be.”
Applejack knew she didn’t, but the rainbow haired rebel had some kind of vendetta against being considered ‘uncool’. And ‘uncool’ was just what was associated with two sitting right before the greaser, who also happened to be her age old friends.
“WELL! I was just going to ask you a question me and AJ were just discussing!” Pinkie Pie flew back up, out of her seat, her hands drumming excitedly on the table top. Dash glanced at her in irritation, then looked around to make sure no one was looking at them. Applejack sighed, not excited about bringing back the topic, taking off her hat, placing it on the table and running her hands through her untidy, straw-like hair. She’d have to wash it tonight… if she remembered after the chores she had to do around the farm. She glanced back at the clock, making note of how much time she had left. It was 2:34pm and she needed to be home in time to do her work, as well as get a good night sleep for the first day back at school tomorrow.
“Yeah? Hit me with it, and make it quick,” the greaser snapped, started to get restless over the ruckus Pinkie was causing. Outside, the thick, grey clouds caused a dim gloom both inside and out of the diner. Thunder rumbled slightly.
“Pinkie asked me if ‘ah thought that two girls in love was normal,” Applejack drawled boredly in her southern accent.
“And?” Dash’s voice cracked, and she sat up straight suddenly, her legs swinging off the table in the blink of an eye. “What about it, huh?” All of a suddenly, the clouds broke and released their load. Rain thundered down on the tin roof of the diner, causing a loud roaring drum.
Applejack blinked, startled. Rainbow Dash glowered back, her gaze sharp and unwavering.
“W-Well, ah said no of course,” AJ began, her voice raised to be heard over the rain. Dash’s eyes narrowed, and her face flushed red. Applejack quickly picked up her hat and put it on her head in an unconscious act of reassurance to herself. Rainbow Dash’s sudden defensiveness startled her, and she wasn’t quite sure how to act. Rainbow Dash started to rise up.
“What the hell is wrong with it, huh, Applejack?” Dash snarled at her, suddenly vicious. A few people around them started to look around, interested in the sudden commotion that wasn’t caused by Pinkie Pie for once, and even Bulk Bicep had caught a slight interest in what was upsetting the infamous rainbow-hair greaser, as he quickly hushed his tittering drove of school girls to watch. Pinkie Pie herself sat quietly, watching in shock at Dash’s sudden outburst. Dash glared defiantly down at AJ. Applejack felt slightly embarrassment rise in her, which twisted into anger and defense.
“Everything is wrong with that! It ain’t natural! Two girls OR two boys together just ain’t right. Now, ‘ah don’t know about you, but that’s the way ‘ah was raised to believe, and that’s what ‘ah’m stickin’ to!”
“U-Uhhahha, you guys-” Pinkie Pie awkwardly piped up, for once at loss for words, but was interrupted as Rainbow Dash suddenly leapt to her feet, aggression rolling off her in waves. She was mad. Applejack had no idea why, but she wasn’t going to back down.
“That’s just what I’d expect, from an inbred, backwashed red-neck like you!” She was basically yelling at the blonde haired farm girl now, and everyone had turned around to watch the disagreement, hearing them above the booming rain. Flash’s wailing guitar shuddered to a silence as he too turned to watch.
Applejack’s eyes widened, her mouth agape in outrage. She flew into a rage, standing up herself and grabbing the collar of Dash’s pretentious leather jacket in a fist.
“I don’t know what the fuck your problem is, but you better take that back right now, or you’ll regret it.” Her voice was a low growl of seething rage. The two girls were now nose to nose, staring daggers into each other’s eyes. “From the way you’re acting, I might start thinking you’re into ladies yourself, you queer.”
Rainbow Dash’s face flushed an even darker red, if it was possible, and Applejack didn’t see the fist until it hit her. She was thrown back into her seat, letting go of Rainbow Dash’s jacket. The rainbow haired greaser then threw herself onto the taller blonde over the table, her fists flying at her in an out-of-control rage fit.
“You stupid FUCKING piece of shit, YOU DON’T KNOW SHIT! COME ON! Get up, you fucking pussy!” Dash was screaming obscenities at her, and Applejack could only cross her raised arms up against them to defend herself, wondering just what the hell was going on with her friend. “Go back to the fucking pig-sty, YOU BIGOTED HICK!”
Applejack suddenly brought her knee up, catching Rainbow Dash in the stomach, temporarily winding her. In the few seconds it bought her, she retaliated, throwing Rainbow Dash out of the booth and onto the floor of the diner. People were starting to gather around, including Dash’s posse of fellow greasers, a few muttering words of concern, glancing wildly around for help. Most of them, however, were chanting. “Fight, fight, fight!” The words spread through the crowd of teenagers like wildfire, and soon the two tussling girls were completely circled.
“What the fuck are you doing, Dash?!” Applejack spat at the smaller girl now beneath her.
Rainbow Dash didn’t reply, struggling to get out from underneath Applejack’s much larger mass. “Get off me!” She shrieked, her voice thin and high from anger. Her eyes were wild, and her face red. Even her carefully combed and styled hair was a mess, tangles falling from their place and into her eyes. Even so, she fought on, despite the fact that she was helplessly losing. Applejack was dimly aware of Pinkie Pie’s frightened and desperate squawks of concern and fear. She felt a ping inside her.
What am I doing? She asked herself, looking down at one of her closest friends, whom she was currently fighting with. She blinked, and seemed to snap out of her anger, giving Rainbow Dash a small gap. She pushed upwards, pushing AJ off of her, before starting to go right back into the fray.
“Rainbow Dash! What the hell are you doing?!” A strong, feminine voice broke through both the commotion and the pounding rain. Rainbow Dash faltered, then halted completely, her face draining of colour, fist raised. A figure pushed through the crowd, and a soft and manicured, yet strong hand grasped Dash’s sleeve. The figure then came into view, her purple hair done up in a elaborately ornate hair-do, and wrapped in a pink head scarf.
“What in heavens is going on here?” She demanded to her friend.
“R-Rarity…” Rainbow Dash stuttered, her face flushing a bright red once again. Applejack stayed sitting on the ground, her hands splayed out behind her. Rarity grabbed Rainbow Dash’s arm and brought the clenched fist down. She then walked over to Applejack, reaching out her hand with an apologetic face. Applejack glanced at it, then pushed it away rather roughly and stood up herself. She glared at Rainbow Dash as she pushed past her and through the crowd, exiting the diner, disappearing into the pouring rain. The crowd was still gathered around Rainbow Dash as she continued to stand frozenly, before Rarity started to shoo them away.
She then turned to Dash, her eyes furious.
“And just what was that about?” She demanded, her hands on her hips. Rainbow Dash just blinked dumbly, staring at her hips, then shook her head and look up into her eyes. Rarity looked down slightly at her, being less than a mere inch taller than the rainbow haired greaser.
Pinkie Pie then emerged from the booth, looking shocked.
“W-Wow… That was… Intense!” She breathed.
“Oh, Pinkie Pie, dear, I’m sorry that had to happen.” Rarity gushed.
“Oh, no. No, no, it’s fine. I-I’ve got to go anyways. Seeya later alligators! Heh heh...” The pink haired girl sounded slightly subdued and in shocked, but bounced out of the diner regardless, not before draining the remainder of her last cherry soda of course. Rarity now turned towards Rainbow Dash, eyebrows drawn in an angry frown, and waited for an answer.
Dash glanced at the ground, her face burning, slightly ashamed.
“S-She was talking shit.” She said quiet. Rarity sighed.
“Which is what lots of people do,” She said impatiently. “Are you going to bash up every single one of them as well?” She waited, and Dash slowly shook her head, looking down, anywhere but Rarity’s eyes. “Goodness, Dash, you’ve simply got to get that temper of yours under control. It could get you in serious trouble. I know Applejack can be… difficult to get along with, what with her ‘loutish’ behaviour and all. But I thought you were friends!” She closed her eyes, and sighed, smoothing out her dress. There was a faint silence, in which Rarity collected herself. Rainbow Dash was starting to regain her composure also, and flipped out a comb, pulling her hair back into a presentable ‘do.
“Eeeeyyy, nice brawl there, Dash!” A snicker came from behind her, and a long and lanky boy slung his arm around her neck, his dark blue hair slicked back crudely. He continued to laugh, and Dash frowned.
“Can it, Soarin’,” She growled, pushing him off her. She turned around, watching the rest of the gang promenade over to them. The leader, a tall girl with flaming red hair pulled into a similar style as Soarin’s looked slightly pissed off.
“Oi, Dash. What was with the little show, eh?” She demanded. Dash snorted, and rolled her shoulder.
“Nothin’. Don’t worry.” She glanced back up at Rarity, who was gauging the greasers posse with an un-readable expression.
“Didn’t even look like you were winning, neither.” The red haired girl remarked.
“I said it was nothin‘, Spitfire. Look, let’s just beat it, this place sucks anyway.” She spun around, turning her back on Rarity. The purple haired beauty huffed, pushing passed Dash and her gang before they could continue on.
“See you at school, then.” She said icily to the rainbow greaser, and exited the diner into the rain.
“Pfft, what’s got her, huh?” Soarin‘ asked, poking Dash in the ribs with his elbow. She flicked him in the head, and pushed forward.
“God, it’s nothing, let’s just get out of here!” Dash stormed out of the diner, making sure to walk the opposite way as Rarity. Spitfire glared at Soarin’, who grinned and shrugged at his leader. “Tch. This rain’s gonna ruin my ‘do.” She grumbled, following her rainbow haired friend into the gloom.
