The Bubbly Mare

"Perspectives"
3, 7

With her eyes closed, things didn't bother Derpy so much. She lay there, trying not to think about anything... which was both easy and hard to do at the same time.

You're okay, you're okay... her head kept echoing, and this was true. She did feel safe.

She knew what Applejack was doing, and didn't want to think about it. She was happy it was happening, though, because it really needed to happen. Her friend was being gentle, but she could tell it was being done quickly, and that helped her think about it even less. Whatever was on her she knew Applejack cleaned off, and she felt okay with that... but mostly because it was gone. It was nice to have a pony just not say anything after what happened with Thunderlane, and especially nice it was Applejack.

"Just 'bout done...," the farm pony said, as Derpy felt her legs being opened slightly. Seconds later soothing, cool powder fell on her thighs.

The pegasus lay perfectly still as she felt Applejack pull the garment up between her legs, taping it in place... bottom tapes first, just like Mom had said a long time ago was the best way to prevent a leak. It was so neat Applejack knew that trick.

"Okay..." Derpy heard some rustling of what she knew to be a plastic bag. "Sit tight... Ah'm gunna get this out of here, empty yer pail. Then, if you're up to it... you and Ah are gunna talk. Ah don't want ya feelin' like ya gotta, if you jus' wanna sleep."

Derpy finally opened up her eyes. It felt nice to have them closed, but also good to look up at her friend. She couldn't help smiling as Applejack hefted the wastepaper basket she had thrown up in.

"Aw, hey..." Applejack grinned slightly. "Ya all ready look much better... just gimme a sec, I'll be back. Promise."

Applejack turned around with the basket and bag in hoof, opening the door with her mouth. She then left Derpy... alone, once again, with the door wide open.

Derpy lay back, listening to Applejack's hoofsteps go further and further down the hall, until she opened the front door to the outside. She then closed her eyes, again in silence. It was quiet for a bit and she liked that.

* * *

There was a soft creak, just enough to get Derpy's attention. She bolted up from her back and looked in the direction of the noise to see Applejack looking back at her, the door nearly closed.

"Sorry, Derpy... ya looked so tired Ah thought you might jus' wanna rest."

Despite feeling like Applejack almost tricked her, Derpy knew her friend just wanted to see her rested and happy. She smiled.

"Um, I still wanna talk," Derpy said, softly. "A lot."

"Hey, we can talk about anything, Derpy," Applejack replied, opening the door a bit. "Anything ya like."

The farm pony stepped inside, closing the door and pushing the wastepaper basket in closer, which was just by the bed.

Derpy shook her head, laying back... the dizziness of being upright already starting to set in. She looked at Applejack.

"I wanna talk about what happened... if it's okay."

Applejack sat on the side of the bed, putting a hoof towards Derpy. She turned away and felt Applejack retracting her hoof, down to her own lap.

"'course it is... talk as much or as little as ya want. Granny Smith always said sharing things'll makes you feel better, and to be honest... well, Ah guess Ah rightly agree. Ya came all the way here for something, after all. Right?"

Derpy rocked a bit on her side, nodding.

"Uh-huh."

"Ah'm guessing he- ..., he must've hurt ya real bad. Ain't like a normal fight... kinda figured that out already. You were right to come looking for your friends. Jus' want you to know that."

Swallowing, Derpy felt moisture on her eyes as images flashed in her head. Images of the angry stallion's mouth twisting in so many mean ways. She squinted, hoping that would help... it didn't, it just made things worse. She still answered:

"Yeah..."

"Derpy... whatever he did, whatever he said, Ah juss want you to know something before ya start. Ya gotta look at me first, up here." Slowly Derpy did as she was told, not entirely able to see, but she could tell Applejack was smiling. "Even if Ah think something ya did was plain wrong, which Ah can't 'cause you haven't told me yet... Ah'm still gonna be here for ya. Promise." Derpy couldn't help grinning. That was what she knew would always happen with Applejack. "Now, there's one thing Ah gotta know off the bat, though... did he hit you or anything like that?"

Going back to resting her head, Derpy found that easy to answer:

"Nope."

She heard Applejack sigh.

"That's good... one more concern pops up now that Ah think about it, though..."

Derpy looked up. Her eyes weren't as moist, she could see Applejack clearly.

"Yeah?"

"Did he make ya do anything, well... ya didn't wanna? Ah hope ya know what Ah mean, Ah... don't wanna have to spell it out." Derpy went back to staring at the wall. "You do... know what Ah mean, right? Derpy?" Swallowing, Derpy slowly nodded. "He did... didn't he?" Breathing for both became heavy. "Derpy, please dun tell me he did something bad to you..."

"He did," Derpy said, looking up. She could feel herself scowling. "But... not like you think. It was later that things weren't so good. I promise nothing bad happened like that."

Applejack heaved yet another heavy sigh.

"Well, that's good...," she said, Derpy felt she was shaking her head. "Very good. Not that things went bad, but that he didn't hurt ya like that. That would've been... well, pretty awful."

"He did hurt me, Applejack. Really!"

Derpy looked up to see Applejack placing both hooves on her head and rubbing circles.

"Okay, please, jus'... tell me what happened, 'fore I get a headache." She chuckled. "This is starting to go in circles, and I'm not likin' that."

Derpy reached out and gently touched Applejack's hind leg with a hoof.

"I'm sorry, Applejack... I don't want to make you mad or give you a headache."

Applejack smiled, patting Derpy's hoof before pulling back a couple inches.

"You're not, Derpy... guess Ah'm jus' confused, is all. Must be nothing compared to what you went through, though."

Derpy pulled her hoof back and rested in a ball, looking up again to see Applejack looking at her with a smile. Derpy took a breath.

"I guess it started a couple days ago... I don't really know, though. I think Thunderlane always hated me. Really."

"That's really... terrible, Derpy." She felt Applejack patting her on the shoulder. "Look, jus' tell me what you think happened. Ah'm a smart mare... Ah can help ya figure it out when you're done, if it'll make you feel better."

"Okay."

The two looked at each other. Derpy trusted Applejack, and could already feel all those words wanting to come out. Even drunk as she was, she wanted to make sure she said them right. She knew it was the only way she'd feel better.

* * *

It was a cool night for the season as Rainbow Dash flew higher and higher towards Thunderlane's house in the clouds. She had one thing on her mind, and that was getting to the bottom of what happened with him and everypony.

"Come on, come on," she hissed, despite already being a blur. If she flew much faster, half of Equestria would hate her for months due to the Sonic Rainboom she'd set off in the middle of the night. She couldn't think about that, though... Thunderlane's home was in sight.

Coming to a screeching halt, Rainbow let out a sigh. She couldn't do it like this.

Okay, Rainbow. It's the middle of the night and you're not going to get anywhere yelling... as much as you might want to. She gritted her teeth. But... you know Thunderlane is there, so just go up and knock already!

She didn't even realize she'd already stopped in front of his steps.

Okay, so... I guess here we go.

Ascending the few steps, she tapped on his door. In her opinion her knocking wasn't that hard, just hard enough to wake him up... it she'd tapped much harder, though, she'd have left a dent. She put an ear to the door.

I am sooo gunna start shouting soon. She paused, taking a breath. No... you're supposed to be the boss, remember? Act professional, like Miss Harshwhinny said.

She tapped again, a few more times and towards the middle of the door... thinking because of the way it was constructed it might resonate better. It anything that muffled it, just slightly.

"Grrr..." Rainbow took in some air, getting ready to yell, when she heard the most gentle of hoofsteps trotting behind the door. That can't be Thunderlane.

The door opened and, before it was even open enough for Dash to see the pony behind it, she heard a familiar voice.

"Derpy, just go home," said Spring Step, softly but firmly. "I know you're probably very sorry for what you did, but he just wants you to go aw-"

The two were looking directly at each other.

"Hi," Rainbow Dash said, feeling lip lip twitch. "Remember me?" Spring Step's eyes were a bit wide, but not enough to suggest that she was scared. She wore a bathrobe, but didn't look wet. Not that Rainbow even noticed. "So, um... where were you?"

As Spring Step took a breath to speak, Rainbow found herself looking beyond the mare to see Thunderlane sitting down the hall, she guessed in a kitchen chair. Lilac Sky was to his left holding what looked like an icepack to the side of his face.

"We're sick, Rainbow," Lilac answered for her friend.

"Yes, sick," Thunderlane said. "Go home, Rainbow Dash... you don't want it, and I'm in no mood for you and your grating voice right now."

Rainbow stood there, looking at Thunderlane down the hall... feeling the door gradually close. She put up a hoof against it.

"H-hey!" She pushed back and the door snapped against the wall, Spring Step backing up.

"You'd better not have just put a hole in my wall," said Thunderlane, shaking his head. "So... I guess you wanna come over here and chat for a bit, huh? Well, then, okay... if it means you'll go away. We can talk."

Rainbow found her hooves taking her inside. She looked over as Spring Step hung back, then at Thunderlane. She felt almost antsy, as much as she didn't want to admit it, but this needed to be figured out.

"Why couldn't I find these two?" she asked Thunderlane, getting up to the table, noticing all the ponies were in their bathrobes.

The stallion smiled.

"Why're you asking me, Rainbow?" He gestured to the two, on both sides of the room. "Ask them. I'm not responsible for what other ponies do."

She looked over at Lilac Sky, as Thunderlane took the icepack from her and held it firmly. Rainbow found herself tapping a hoof.

"Well? I'm waiting."

"We, um... got really sick today. Thunderlane had talked about the three of us getting together last night, and well... I guess we all slept in when you came to the door."

Rainbow couldn't help scowling.

"I heard from him. My question was why didn't I hear from either of you?"

"They were passed out when you came to my door, Rainbow. How was I supposed to know they weren't going to come in? Both were due in four hours after me."

"You could've at least told me they were here with you!"

"Come on, Rainbow...," Thunderlane smiled, looking past Rainbow Dash to Spring Step, then over at Lilac Sky. "I'm not going to do that to these two. We're all in... let's call it a 'quarantine'. At least we were together, not spreading it around."

"I missed lunch because of all of you! Twelve hours in the sky with no food and no extra hooves! That's- ... that's not right!"

Thunderlane nodded, removing the ice pack for a moment.

"I'm really sorry, Rainbow. I never meant for you to go without food. Honest."

Rainbow opened her mouth again in preparation to speak when she saw, between Thunderlane's left eye and ear, a small, horseshoe-shaped bruise.

"Um, wow... somepony clocked you pretty good, there, buddy."

He placed the ice pack back on his face.

"Yeah, I found out Derpy's got a pretty nasty haymaker."

Rainbow swallowed hard.

"Wh- ... what?"

Thunderlane let out a sigh.

"Derpy did this, Rainbow. The same Derpy we all work with." He removed the icepack again to show her the damage. "I broke up with her yesterday, she barged in here despite my telling her to go away, over and over, with a present for me thinking that would magically make everything okay. When I got angry enough to start name-calling, which was completely my fault by the way... she hit me square in the face. I could've easily stopped it, but I didn't think it was going to hurt as much as it did or leave this nasty bruise."

Rainbow stared at the mark on the stallion's face. It wasn't big, but it was prominently visible. It looked like a blow a hoof boxer might've dealt.

"She was harassing me, Rainbow." Thunderlane sighed. "Even you would have told her where to go. I just wanted peace and to get on with business as usual... but she was too dense to take the hint. You know how she can be."

Rainbow didn't realize it, but her face had softened. She was nodding. She forced the scowl back up... this wasn't right.

"This wasn't an accident, Rainbow," said Lilac Sky, standing beside Thunderlane, leaning on his table. "She didn't throw her gift at him, she hit him in the face. Hard. I was asleep, but Springy heard their voices."

Rainbow's eyes drifted toward Spring Step, who nodded, taking a sudden interest in her hooves.

"He said some really... hurtful things to her." She looked at Thunderlane. "You really did. I'm still kind of mad at you for all that, and... I could've helped you, but by the time I wanted to get up you were saying all this bad stuff to her and it was too late. It was stuff I'd probably hit somepony if they said to me, and I don't like hitting." She looked back at Rainbow. "Um... it took him a long time to get that angry, though. He just kept telling her to go home and go away. He wasn't even hinting."

"With Derpy, I wouldn't," Thunderlane added, plainly. "I was quite clear that she was not welcome in my home and that I was sick and didn't want to give it to her."

Spring Step sighed, scowling over at Thunderlane, before rolling her eyes and turning back to Rainbow.

"Okay, so thinking about what I heard Derpy say, maybe he didn't make it super clear they'd broken up when they did, and that does seem kind of cruel, but I don't know. I wasn't there... I just heard stuff through the door, half-asleep after I felt cold when Thunderlane left. I'm not feeling well, Rainbow... none of us are. We were throwing up most of the afternoon and I'd be cranky if Derpy was pestering me like that. I might even say something mean after a while."

Rainbow stood there, in the middle of Thunderlane's kitchen, slack-jawed.

What do I say? What do I say? What do I say...? Suddenly she had, as the griffin expression goes, bigger fish to fry than just a few ponies who didn't show up for work. Thunderlane smiled in his typical way... a way that made Rainbow always want to wipe it off with a hoof. She scowled. Not helping.

Thunderlane removed the ice pack again, looking over at the two mares in his kitchen.

"Tell Rainbow the truth here, Spring... you heard Derpy hit me, right?"

Spring Step turned to Thunderlane again. Dash saw her bearing down on her teeth.

"I heard Derpy yelling and I heard you stumble... shouting that Derpy hit you in the ear, or something. It didn't make a whole lot of sense until I came out and saw you laid out on the floor and the door wide open."

"Did I mention Derpy made a mess Springy just barely got to cleaning up before you arrived?" He smiled at her, Rainbow noted, more tolerably than he usually would. "Thanks, by the way."

"Yeah, sure." She leaned into him lightly, smiling. Lilac sky, leaned over the table towards him as well.

"You know, Thunderlane isn't that bad of a guy if you spend a little time with him," she said, reaching over and rubbing his back. "He can be a pretty arrogant lug, but if you know that and call him out on it when he goes too far... he's a total teddy bear." She kissed the back of his head, Spring Step looking over and smiling, with a blush, at the display.

Rainbow found herself wanting to gag.

"Keep that to yourself," she said, taking a deep breath. "You three want to share a bed, that's fine. But I don't want to know about it! Not even a little."

"Okay, fair enough," said Thunderlane. "How is Applejack doing, by the way? Cider season's a good six months away, I'm sure she has to work a lot lately."

Rainbow took a deep breath, holding it in for a second.

"H- hey, I did not come here to talk about Applejack!" she replied through gritted teeth. "Just don't... don't mention her again, okay?"

Thunderlane put up his hoof.

"Okay, sorry..." he said, plainly. "I just hope you're doing okay, that's all. Cider season's like a regular party. I'm sure you and a few of your friends are looking forward to it. Actually, I could totally go for one right now, but I'm still kind of sick and, I'm sure you know, drinking when you're sick is no good."

Rainbow's eyes went wide. They narrowed on Thunderlane. She wasn't always quickest on the uptake, but she knew when she was being poked and prodded. She got an idea... a very reasonable idea:

"Just prove to me that you're sick," she said, looking at the three. "Any one of you. If you can prove that, I won't bother you again about it. Deal?"

Thunderlane nodded.

"Okay..." Thunderlane looked over at Spring Step, who pulled back from the table then headed down the hall to a room on the side. "Our barf bucket was flushed after I got up. We stopped puking a bit after lunchtime... not that we ate. It's in the bathroom, waiting to be washed out. You can smell it, if you want."

Rainbow shuttered.

"Erf... No, thank you!"

"All of our tissues ended up in the same place, down the toilet..." Rainbow felt Spring Step come up behind her and made way as she crossed in front of Thunderlane, a small glass thermometer in hoof, she was shaking. "We are feeling a lot better, I'd say, but... if it would help for me to show you that I'm sick, we can do that." Thunderlane opened his mouth and Spring Step stuck the thermometer under his tongue. "Can't talk for a minute, you know."

"Something isn't adding up here," Rainbow Dash said. "This doesn't feel right... none of you even look sick."

"Rainbow," said Lilac Sky, looking directly at the mare. Thunderlane looked, too. "We got together last night, we had some grown-up fun, you know what happened. We went to sleep afterwards and all woke up sweaty and sick in the middle of the day. We've been asleep most of today and we're just starting to feel better now. Honest."

"It's true," said Spring Step, leaning on the table. "It would be pretty stupid of us to continue sleeping with a sick stallion if we weren't sick, too."

Rainbow Dash looked at Thunderlane.

"Well, you were pretty sweaty this morning, but... if you're really sick, then it's going to show up. Temperatures always rise at night! Especially for pegasus."

Thunderlane shrugged.

Rainbow stood silently as she heard the clock ticking in Thunderlane's kitchen. All three ponies in front of her exchanged glances, Spring Step looking the most troubled to Rainbow, but Lilac Sky put a hoof on her shoulder and the look melted away. She then reached out to Thunderlane, rubbing his upper barrel, and Spring Step again giggled.

Ick.

Thunderlane pulled out the thermometer and passed it directly to Rainbow Dash.

"I don't even have to look at it. I know it's around 100 degrees. I'm still feeling kind of achy, so if you don't mind, after you eye-ball that I think we've been disturbed enough for tonight. Though I do have one more thing I'd like to talk about... as your underling. We all would, actually, and it shouldn't take very long."

As Thunderlane was talking, Rainbow looked into the thermometer. It took a bit of turning to see the mercury inside (she preferred the digital type, quicker, plus they beeped) but she saw the line plain as day. It was just over 100 degrees, as Thunderlane had said.

"What?" Rainbow said, setting thermometer down on the stallion's table. "What do you want?"

"We were going to talk to you when we went in to work," said Spring Step. "I thought it would be better if we just showed up early."

"But since you're already here...," added Lilac Sky.

"Would you just fill me in already?" Rainbow rubbed her temples. "You're being so... gosh darn cryptic it's driving me nuts. This is the time to just say what's on your mind."

Thunderlane sighed.

"Rainbow, I won't beat around the bush anymore -- Derpy assaulted me." Thunderlane took the icepack down again, reminding her of the bruise. "That's pretty serious. I've got a witness who heard enough, too. I think you know what that means, and I think it's fair for you to tell me what we're going to do about this tonight, because I have a couple of thoughts, and I need to know that things are going to be okay." The stallion coughed, then pushed out a seat with one of his hind legs to where Rainbow was standing. "You can sit if you want." He looked around the table. "I think we all should."

"Can't this wait?" Rainbow asked, looking down at the short stool. "I can just tell her not to come in for a few more days... she looked pretty terrible this morning, so I believe you already. You're all sick, okay?"

"Sit. Please... I'm sick, and it will calm me down."

Rainbow shifted, looking towards the exit behind her, which seemed so far off.. but she could make it there in a dash. Too bad it was closed, it would be too awkward if she couldn't just bolt leaving a rainbow trail.

"Um... I don't want to get sick," she said, continuing to look back. "I'll do something, just don't make me have to decide right now. You're hitting me with a lot at once. It's... it's not right to throw all this at me."

"Rainbow, Derpy assaulted me," Thunderlane repeated, more slowly this time. "If you don't sit I'm going to have to go to down to Ponyville tomorrow morning to talk to a different type of blue pony... one that will do something. I'll repeat what happened -- she forced her way in here, then didn't leave when I told her I was sick and asked her very nicely to go. When I finally got mad enough to start insulting her she hit me. Hard. This does not look good for her... and you're trying to wiggle out of helping isn't going to look good either. It doesn't matter what I said to her, and you know it."

Rainbow felt herself scowling. She shook, grinding her hooves against the stallion's floor. She let out a hard breath.

"Fine!" Sitting down in the stool Dash found herself scowling. "But I'm only doing this because I don't want to see her get in that kind of trouble. She's... well, she's really nice. Maybe even okay. Besides, you're, like, twice her size, anyway."

"I didn't fight back because I'm sick and I didn't want to hurt her." Rainbow looked at Thunderlane. He had that same smile she saw every day she just couldn't stand... smug, arrogant, mean. "This won't take long... I just want to know I'm safe at work. She's probably going to harass me, you know, unless we can all agree on something."

Looking between the stallion and mares, she realized seated on either side of him, Rainbow knew this wasn't going to be good. Even though she didn't want to be involved in all this she'd still try. She didn't exactly like Derpy..., but she didn't hate her, either.

The mare took a breath and sighed, tempted to slam her head into Thunderlane's table all ready.

"Just tell me your ideas, already."

* * *

Applejack took a breath and let it out slowly. Derpy had said a lot, very slowly and deliberately... Applejack had given her ample time, because she knew it would be tough. Derpy had been talking for almost an hour, but she had finally come to a natural stopping point, and it wasn't just because she was tired. While Applejack could understand where Derpy was coming from, she didn't exactly like what she had heard. Though, from the sound of things, Derpy had not done anything malicious. They lay beside each other on the big bed, like they used to on the fields outside as fillies.

She was able to come to a similar conclusion to what everypony in Thunderlane's kitchen had... well, everypony except for Rainbow Dash, who was still listening, and their conversation was wrapping up by this point. Not that Applejack would have known that. It was just herself and her friend... alone. Applejack certainly felt more than an ounce of the alienation Derpy had spent almost two days walking around with. She barely even knew Thunderlane, but if at one time Derpy had said he was okay, and if at worst he had rubbed Rainbow the wrong way, that wasn't cause for alarm... Dash was pretty selective about ponies she liked to keep as friends, anyway, and she could over react sometimes.

"Whew," the farm pony said. "Derpy... it sounds like he did some pretty awful things to ya and, from what yer tellin' me, didn't even say you two weren't together anymore, but... yeah. Ya got mad, real mad. That's pretty normal. Even Ah probably would've done what you did, especially after all that work for him." She took a breath, looking over at her gray friend. "Look... there ain't a whole lot Ah can actually do here, but don't worry about that bottle. Ya told me how much it cost and I'll gladly give ya a few bits to make up for it. It's the least Ah can do after what you've been through. Don't mean to brag, but it ain't nothing to us, really."

Derpy's face twitched and Applejack realized she was smiling. She still looked pale and tired, but was genuinely smiling.

"You're really nice, Applejack," she said.

"Yeah, yeah...," the farm pony replied. "Ah just... don't wanna see ya hurt. Ya gotta move on. There'll be other ponies for you to like, and if they get to know you half as well as Ah do they're just gunna love-... err, they're gunna like ya a lot. Love comes later... ya gotta know a pony a while first. Sometimes it takes years, other times not so long. You can't jump into these things, though."

Derpy blinked.

"But you and Rainbow Dash only knew each other for a month when you first dated."

"That's what Ah meant by 'sometimes'... it's hard to predict these things. Ya jus'... let 'em happen. Gotta have an open heart." Applejack smiled. "Ah believed for a long time Ah'd be too busy to have another pony in ma life. Rainbow's feisty, carefree personality and lifestyle... well, it just meshes with mine so well. You'll find a pony like that. You'll love him like Ah love Rainbow, and he'll love you so much back... Ah promise. You're too wonderful a mare to just pass up."

Derpy looked away, turning so her side was facing Applejack.

"I thought I'd found a pony like that..."

It was Applejack's turn to blink.

"What'd ya mean? ... from what you've told me you're much better off without Thunderlane. Like, a whole lot. Somepony who ain't gunna take you to places you can't afford jus' so he can lord it over ya and act all magnanimous-like. That's what Ah think he was doin'. Honest."

Derpy winced, taking a breath.

"Aww, hey, now... I jus' kinda got angry there and-"

"It's okee." Derpy nodded. "You- ... you're right. I was pretty silly not to see that."

"Derpy..." Applejack tapped her side. "Look at me." Slowly, Derpy did as she was told. "Derpy, you were caught up in the moment... you thought you'd found somepony special and, well... you got misled into a mistake. Life is about makin' those. Ah know it hurts, and I know it hurts even worse thinking that he might've done some of those things on purpose just 'cause he wanted to see how far he could take things... but you're a good mare, a strong one. Ah wish I was more like you, 'cause you can bounce back from anything. Ya just thought he was something he wasn't... it's a lesson, and he was practice for the next who truly deserves ya."

"I really thought he was going to be like Rainbow Dash." Derpy sighed. "He seemed so confident and neat, and I liked that."

"W- what?" Applejack blinked again. "Derpy, from what you just told me he's nothing like Rainbow. If anything... he seems like some sorta brash narcissist."

"But Rainbow Dash is so sure of herself, and not afraid to be tough, or do anything to get stuff done... he's really big and I felt like he could do anything. I- I really liked that about him. Maybe... well, I thought I did. I felt safe, and I know that... and maybe like I could be more like that if I spent time with him." Derpy sighed. "I think maybe it might've made me happy to know I was being like you, Applejack. You and Rainbow always look so nice together, and you always manage to plan a little time for each other, just like I was trying to do for him."

Again, though with one hoof this time, Applejack rubbed circles by her temple.

"Slow down, there, sugarcube..." She sighed. "Ah get what you're sayin', and Ah why you're sayin' it... but..." The farm pony let out a deep breath, reaching over and giving her gray friend a tight hug, before patting her on the bottom and hearing her diapers crinkle. She pulled away, looking Derpy directly in the eyes. "Okay... here's the thing. What's done is done, all right? Ya learned somethin' from this, and that's what's important. Now I'm gunna get up in a minute, 'cause I think we're both talked out, but Ah want you to tell me two things before Ah go... and Ah want one to be a promise. Ya got me?"

Derpy nodded, and Applejack smiled, getting up and collecting her hat. She put the package of diapers on the foot of the bed.

"Firstly, and this is important... did you have any plans for tomorrow? I'm gunna get you Doctor Stable, bring him here, but Ah gotta know so Ah can cancel your plans for you and tell any ponies you're completely indisposed. That means sick as all get out."

Derpy paused for a moment.

"Um... I was just going to see Doctor Stable about what happened with Thunderlane."

"You told me that earlier while we were talkin'. That's all you were gunna do. Right?"

Again, Derpy nodded.

"Okay, then. This second one ya don't gotta do, but Ah really want you to promise me this 'cause I think it's a good idea. Heck, Ah think it's a great idea, and it'll probably be somethin' you'll be perfectly alright with."

Derpy sat up a bit, looking slightly better than she had when Applejack first came in.

"What's that?"

"When you find another stallion you wanna date and spend time with, it might not hurt to bring him over here for dinner, after a date or two. Show him off and all that. Just ask me, and I'll work it out with Granny Smith and everypony else. Deal?"

Derpy smiled.

"Deal."

Applejack sighed.

"Okay, then... you need sleep, and so do I. How 'bout we see how you're feeling in the morning, and if you're up to it, either me or Granny Smith'll bring you a little breakfast in bed before Doctor Stable arrives. It'll prolly be me, as Ah can't speak for Granny, but after what she did for you earlier... Ah don't think she's gunna mind. In fact, she's prolly expectin' it, which means Ah jus' gotta beat her to it."

Derpy blushed, but then giggled. Applejack smiled.

"Already, you're lookin' so much better." She turned towards the door and approached, looking back one final time. "Lights on, or off?"

"On, please... I wanna know where I am if I wake up suddenly like that again."

Applejack laughed.

"Fair enough. Night, Derpy. Rest up... ya got all the time in Equestria now. We ain't gunna let anything bad happen to ya. Promise."

"I know. Good night Applejack... and thank you so much for talking to me."

"Don't mention it."

The farm pony then opened the door and closed it behind herself, not looking back. She stood in the hallway for a moment, listening to her own breath, the house completely dark save the living room and the bathroom's nightlight down the hall. Putting on her hat, she lowered her head, shaking.

Holy cow.

She looked up and down the hall, focusing on her own bedroom door for a while. It was something that was dark and not moving... it felt good. Though she acted calm with Derpy, there were times she could feel her heart racing in her chest. It was just starting to slow down. There were also times she wanted to yell... not at her little, gray friend, but just in general. She was able to figure out so much just from what Derpy had told her, and knowing Thunderlane wasn't honest with her was enough. Derpy didn't lie, but she could misunderstand... which is what got her where she was, but that didn't matter. Derpy didn't feel bad about losing anything to him, and that's what did matter. It was just too bad she'd hit him in his own home.

Applejack slowly crept into the living room, past Granny Smith who was still snoring in the rocking chair. Click. The light was off. She then crept to the foyer and towards the front door, which she gently opened, stepping outside... then down the porch where she gently pushed open the screen door. There she looked up on the stars and the moon, straightening her hat. At least it had become a pretty clear night.

A little space would do her some good. At this point Applejack was sure she'd be alone -- no Derpy, no Apple Bloom, Granny Smith, or Rainbow Dash. The silence was nice. No thoughts, either. Maybe in fifteen minutes she'd head in and to bed, but... that wouldn't be for a while yet.