Everfree Meltdown

Chapter 6: Consternation

After about an hour of sorrow and despair, the five ponies finally had to say goodbye to their departed comrade. With heavy hearts, they resumed their original course towards the distant medical center. One pony, however, strayed for a brief moment. It was the fast-paced Rainbow Dash.

The pegasus lowered her head to the earth pony's sleeping body. "I'll never forget you AJ.", she whispered into the wind. She slowly turned to join the rest of her forlorn friends.

"Never."

Many days came to pass. The loss of Applejack, however, lingered in everypony's hearts. Their once colorful posse had been broken. Overwhelmed with feelings of doubt and regret, the six remaining friends began to lose hope in their survival.

Pinkie Pie still hadn't recovered from her fellow earth pony's passing. Her usual carefree smile had fallen into an emotionless scowl. The cotton candy mane which normally floated atop her head now hung in disrepair. The lack of her smiling face only caused further sadness to dwell among the shattered band.

"How much farther?", Pinkamena asked.

"I've already told you Pinkie. We'll get there when we get there.", answered Twilight irritably.

The pink pony grumbled, as she quickened her speed towards the front of the group.

Twilight raised her head up to the warm yellow sun in anguish. "Why Princess?"

Meanwhile, Rainbow and Rarity fell to the tail of the caravan. With the warm little dragon sitting safely atop her back, the white unicorn felt at ease. However, her feelings of content faltered when she peered into the pegasus's glazed over eyes.

"Rainbow, darling...", she began. "Are you feeling alright?"

Dash let out an exaggerated breath of dejection. "No Rarity...", she admitted. "I'm... not."

"Want to talk about it, sweetie?", Rarity asked, trying to shine light on her friend's gloom.

The pegasus's head hung in a disheartening fashion. "It's... I just...", she tripped over her melancholy thoughts.

Rarity put a hoof on Rainbow's vibrant mane. "It's alright darling.", she cut in, tears welling up in her eyes. "I miss her too."

At that instant, Dash lost all control over her emotions, as she through herself upon the ground. "Why'd she have to go Rarity?!" She didn't bother to fight the tears at this point. "How could she leave us like this?!" She paused to catch her breath. "Why couldn't it have been me?"

Rarity's heart melted at the sound of Rainbow's lament. "Oh Dash..." she cooed. "Applejack's happier now."

Rainbow sniffled at the unicorn's words. "I... I know she is..." She loosened her clasp around Rarity's neck. "I just miss her."

"She misses you too Rainbow.", Rarity replied. "And I am sure that she'll be waiting for you on the other side."

Rainbow wiped her eyes. "Thanks Rarity. I'm glad I've still got friends like you."

The group came to a sudden halt.

"Alright everypony!", Twilight announced. "Let's stop here for a while!"

"Yay.", Fluttershy squeaked, as she dropped her flank upon the soft forest moss.

Twilight trotted over next to her and did the same. She let out a long sigh. "This wilderness is so huge."

The pegasus nodded her head timidly in agreement. "It's um... really scary..."

Twilight gave her friend a concerned look. "Fluttershy... Is there something bothering you?"

"Oh... it's just that... well... I've been thinking about Applejack.", replied Fluttershy.

The hair on the back of Twilight's neck sprung up. "What about her?"

Fluttershy shuffled her hooves around. "It's just that... How come AJ got sick and we didn't?"

"I really don't know.", the unicorn shrugged. "Perhaps she ate some radioactive grass before..."

"NOOOOOOO!!", cried a familiar voice.

The pair jumped up from the ground in response to the unexpected scream.

"It's Rarity!", Fluttershy squeaked. "Hurry Twilight!" The two ponies took off towards their friend's distressful screams.

As the two of them apprehensively approached, they were stunned by what they found. There, sitting by a small stream, was Rarity. However, her appearance was quite different than i previously had been. Long strands of her beautiful hair littered the ground around her. Her mane was plagued with several patches of exposed short white fur.

"R.... Rarity....", Twilight yelped.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!!", wailed the tormented unicorn. "I'M HIDEOUS!!" She began to sob hysterically.

Fluttershy spoke up meekly, "J... Just calm down Rarity... um... Everything's gonna be okay."

"Okay!?", Rarity shrieked. "OKAY!?!" She began to twitch and hyperventilate. "MY LIFE IS OVER!!"

Rainbow Dash popped out from behind a rock, with Spike on her back. "Psst!! Twilight!"

Twilight scooted nervously towards the blue pegasus. "Rainbow... What happened?", she whispered. "Why's her mane falling out?"

"You tell me!", Dash hissed back. "One minute she's fixing up her mane over the stream, the next she's screaming her head off."

"It has to be the radiation.", Twilight sighed. "This is getting out of hoof."

"Twilight...", Rainbow began. "I'll fly to Canterlot, and get the Princess to send more soldiers."

"You can't go alone Rainbow.", Twilight returned. "It's far too dangerous out here, even for a pegasus."

Rainbow thought for a moment. "I could bring Fluttershy with me... I guess."

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "I dunno Rainbow... you know she's not very fast."

Dash rolled her eyes in return. "I could fly really slow-like."

Twilight turned her head. "How about it Fluttershy?"

"M... Me?, gasped Fluttershy. "Goodness, I don't know..."

"It's alright Fluttershy, you don't have to go if you don't want to.", said Twilight, as Rainbow put a sour look on her mug.

"No... I'll... I'll do it.", squeaked the timid pegasus.

"That's the spirit!", exclaimed Dash, as she embraced her fellow pegasus. "We'll leave first thing in the morning."

Meanwhile, Rarity was still whimpering to herself beside the creek. Spike stumbled awkwardly over to the depressed unicorn, where he placed a little hand upon her back.

"Rarity...", he began. "I just wanted to let you know..."

Rarity halted her sobs. "Let me know what, darling?"

Spike felt his heart begin to race. "I just wanted you to know... that... I still think you're beautiful."

He heard no response for a few brief moments. He began to regret what he had just said, until he felt a gentle hoof wrap itself around him.

"Oh my precious little Spike.", she said, as she planted a small kiss on his cheek.

At that moment, the two of them felt as though they had never left Ponyville. The warmth which came from their hug sparked new hope in both of their troubled minds.

Unfortunately, the same could not be said about Pinkie Pie, whom at this time needed a hug more than anypony.