Whump!
Applejack’s hooves crashed into another apple tree, and the fruits tumbled from their boughs. Most of them fell neatly into the waiting baskets, but several more missed their mark entirely. A few of the errant apples rained down on Applejack. She yelped, jumping away from the onslaught.
Applejack sighed as she corralled the stray apples into their buckets. She just couldn't focus at all. Her mind was fixated on a rainbow-maned, blue pegasus. After all, this was the day. Rainbow Dash left for her tryouts to the Wonderbolts nearly a week ago. In a matter of hours she would return—triumphant or defeated.
Who was she kidding?
Rainbow would come soaring back on cloud nine. Victorious and ecstatic, she would insist on celebrating the accomplishment of her lifelong dream with her marefriend.
Applejack grimaced at the thought. Despite the horrendous blow it would deliver to her marefriend, some small part of her wished for Rainbow Dash to have failed. Then, everything would be normal, right?
Probably not.
With a weary sigh, she gathered up the baskets and dumped their apples into a nearby cart. Even working couldn't tame her idle thoughts—those bitter, repugnant thoughts.
“Applejack! There you are!”
Applejack cringed as Pinkie’s energetic voice shattered the relative silence. “Hey, Pinkie Pie,” she said in a measured tone.
“I’ve been looking all over for you! Rainbow Dash is going to be back soon. Everypony is at Sugarcube Corner and everything is all set—except for you! You didn’t forget, did you?” Pinkie grabbed Applejack by the shoulders and lifted her up, pressing their faces together. “We need you there! You're Dashie's marefriend; you gotta be there!”
Applejack squirmed free before tugging her brim down over her face. “I ain’t going.”
Pinkie gasped. “What're you saying? It just won’t be the same without you! Dashie’s been gone a week. I know you've gotta be missing her, too!”
“It’s… personal, Pinkie,” Applejack said as she turned back towards the baskets, stacking them up. “Just give RD my regards and tell her to enjoy herself. When she’s had her fill, tell her to meet me at that place. She’ll know what it means.”
Pinkie blinked once, then twice. “Oooooh, so you're preparing that kind of surprise for her. Don’t worry! Your secret’s safe with Pinkie Pie!”
“Just keep it under your hat, all right?”
Placing a fez atop her head, Pinkie gave a huge smile. “Okie dokie lokie!”
Applejack rolled her eyes as Pinkie bounded off. At least that bit of trouble was taken care of. With any luck, Rainbow would actually enjoy herself at that party, even without her marefriend there to greet her.
After struggling to get any work done for what seemed like hours, Applejack finally gave up. With a head full of blighted thoughts, she found herself on a small, secluded hill overlooking Sweet Apple Acres.
The private knoll held special memories for the farmer—special times she’d shared with her marefriend. They had their first kiss here. Their first date involved a picnic on this very spot. Ever since, this had become their special place. They’d even shared a roll in the hay here a time or two.
Now, those same memories haunted her, wearing at the resolute decision she’d made.
A deafening sound suddenly drew Applejack’s attention to the afternoon sky. A rainbow ring raced across the skies. A single rainbow streaked from the center and headed straight for her.
Applejack sighed as she mentally prepared herself. Sure enough, just a second later, four hooves crashed into the ground. The dust settled to reveal Rainbow Dash in a form-fitting blue and yellow outfit. She wore a triumphant grin as she reared up, striking a pose.
“Hey, Dash,” Applejack listlessly said, forcing a smile. “Enjoy your party?”
“It was pretty cool,” Rainbow said, sauntering towards Applejack. “But really, how could I enjoy myself there when my marefriend was waiting here to congratulate me.” Then, she pounced.
“Omph!” Applejack found herself on her back with a lean, strong pegasus on top of her. Fighting her instincts, she managed to slip a hoof between their muzzles before Dash had a chance to continue. “Wait just a durn minute, Rainbow Dash!” With a mighty shove, Applejack threw Rainbow off of herself.
Rainbow Dash smashed into the ground, but rolled back onto her hooves. Wings bristling, she grimaced at Applejack. “What the hay?”
Applejack sighed as she scooped up her hat and replaced it atop her head. “We need to talk,” she said, keeping her gaze decidedly off of Dash. “About us.”
Dash blinked as her scowl quickly softened into a small frown. She put a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder. “Applejack, did something happen?”
Applejack placed her hoof atop Rainbow Dash’s as she looked her in the eye. “I-I don’t know how else to say this, but… Well, this… us. We’re done,” she said, shaking her head just a bit. “We can’t be marefriends no more.”
Pulling her hoof free, Dash took a step back. Her eyes were wide as she struggled to process Applejack’s words. “Wh-what?”
Tracing her gaze back to the ground, Applejack continued, “I had a lot of time to think while you were away, sug’. And… and every time I think about our future.” Applejack shook her head as she swiped at her eyes. “Dash, there just ain’t a future for us, together.”
“What are you talking about?” Dash shouted back at her. “We’re perfect together! Everypony says so! I’m happy! You’re happy…” She had to stop as her chest heaved, sucking air in and out. “We’re happy, right? Wh-why? Why would you even say something like that!? If this is supposed to be a joke, it’s not funny!”
“It ain’t no joke, sug’.” Applejack pulled her hat low over her face. “I mean it.” Sighing, she looked back up at Dash, her eyes wet with tears. “Think about it. You're a Wonderbolt now. How often’re you gonna be ‘round here?”
“Well… I mean, I know the Wonderbolts tour all of Equestria, but they’re based in Cloudsdale! I fly there all the time from Ponyville. It's not that far,” Rainbow said, pointing in the general direction of Cloudsdale. She sat next to Applejack, putting a foreleg across her withers. “We can make it work, no prob.”
Applejack shrugged her leg off. “It ain't that simple. You’ll be training or touring, what, three out of four days? More? And when you do get a chance to come ‘round, who’s to say I won’t be swamped with taking care of the farm?”
Rainbow shot to her hooves and rounded Applejack to confront her face-to-face. “So we’ll both be busy. So what? We still love each other. We can make it work.”
Applejack shook her head, averting her gaze. “Love ain't enough. Not if we ain't happy, and I just… I don’t see how we can make that happen.” Applejack stood up and walked to the edge of the field. “Look,” she said as Dash arrived at her side, motioning to the nearly endless orchards. “My upbringing, my pride, my heritage, my very cutie mark—they all refuse to let me leave this place. I’m caged here. It’s where I was born. It’s where I’ve always lived—where I always will live. I’ll be buried in this dirt. There just ain’t nothing that's gonna change that. I won't leave this land. I can’t.”
Dash furrowed her brow. “So what? I already knew that. That’s not a problem at all.”
Applejack sighed. “But it is, sug’. Can you be happy being stuck here on the farm, day in and day out. Week after week, month after month, and year after year?” Dash started to speak up, but Applejack didn't give her a chance. “No. You can't. And I can't be happy leaving this place behind. My destiny is right here in these fields, on this land. And your destiny is soaring in the skies, free and untethered. There’s just no changing that.”
She looked Dash in the eye, tears finally slipping down her cheeks. “There ain’t a future for us where we’re both happy. And we both deserve better than that. Now, I love you, and I reckon I always will, but this relationship of ours… It’s gotta come to an end, for both our sakes.”
Rainbow opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. She set her jaw as her brow furrowed. “What? You want me to choose between the Wonderbolts and you? Fine!” Tugging at her costume, she quickly removed it and threw it to the ground. “I choose you!” She stood defiant in front of Applejack.
Applejack just shook her head before wiping away her tears. “You can quit the Wonderbolts if that’s what you really want, but it ain’t gonna change my mind. Don't you understand?”
“No! I don't!” Dash shouted, tears breaking free. “I love you! We've been together for months without a problem. Why’s it gotta change now?”
“I’m just thinking about what’s best for us," Applejack said. "Our futures are going to tear us apart no matter what we do. Can’t you see that? Ain’t it better for us just to end it right here and now?”
“No!”
“Well… I do,” Applejack said, turning away from Rainbow Dash. “And I am. They say if you love something, you have to set it free, and that’s exactly what I'm doing. For your sake and mine. We just ain’t destined to be.”
“Please, Applejack,” Dash said, her voice wavering as she put a hoof on her shoulder. “I’d rather be—”
“No! You wouldn't!” Applejack swatted her hoof away. “It might seem that way now, but you'd never be happy trapped here on this farm with me. And I'd never be happy roaming free with you. It’s just that simple.” Her head hung even lower, tears dripping down onto the grass. “Don’t… don’t make me say something I'll regret, Dash. Just… Go."
The sound of wing beats preceded a powerful gust. Then, another deafening crash sounded from the sky, and Applejack turned around. The only trace of her ex-marefriend was a long rainbow streaking across the sky.
She hung her head again, her tears still dripping down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry.”
