The Lady of the Lake

by Merc the Jerk

Rating: mature
Tags: Alternate Universe, Human, Sad, Applejack, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Rainbow Dash, Romance, Big Macintosh, Slice of Life
Length: 6789

The girls made it through the living hell of blood and bullets that was the bank heist, and they struggled and succeeded at their goals at the soiree. What Jack has found out, though, that the worst hell is the hell within.

She didn't talk much about what happened. Never saw a reason to do it. Kept it all inside. That was a mistake. Keeping how you feel away from people eats at you. Not doing anything about it is like watching a storm come crawling from the horizon. No matter how hard you fight it, it's going to come, and when it hits, it will blow you over. Your only hope is making it to refuge. A safe spot to protect you from the hell.

With Dash, Jack may have just found hers.

Collab with Jake the Ginger
Preread by Bookplayer
Edited by Peregrine Caged

Published 2015-02-09 18:00:02 UTC
Last updated 2015-02-09 18:00:02 UTC

Safe

Jack swallowed, staring up at the off-white ceiling as she lay on a chaise lounge. The plain clock on the wall constantly ticked and tocked.

“A pegasus,” she stated, staring at the ink-splattered paper the balding man held in his palms. He gave a noncommittal nod, shuffling it behind another one. She flicked her eyes at the black splotch and tightly clenched her hands together as they rested on her stomach. “A-a gun.”

He put the ink blots down for a moment and pulled out a notepad from his breast pocket. After jotting something quickly down, he raised the blots once more and shuffled to another picture.

“Blood,” she stated, sucking in a shaking breath as she looked over the abstract lines. She squinted her eyes shut and swallowed again. “Blood.”

The psychologist’s expression softened. “Time for a break?” he asked.

“Y-yeah.” The farmer rose to a sitting position, swiveling her legs over and onto the floor. Jack felt sick; she clutched her knees and took steady mouthfuls of air to calm herself. Her doctor passed her a glass of water, holding it within arm’s reach. With a small nod of thanks, she took it and wolfed it down, then wiped her sweating forehead with the back of a hand.

He gave her a few moments to recover, before gently clearing his throat. “Well, it’s obvious that there’s nothing physically wrong with you, Ms. Apple--the physician you visited last week gave you a perfect bill of health, so that leaves it as a mental issue.”

She gave a defensive shake of her head. “I ain’t crazy.”

“Nobody said you were. Rather, from my observations of you over the past two days, I believe your symptoms are a clear-cut example of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It explains the mood swings, general aloof nature, and loss of appetite.”

“I see.” Though she really didn’t. “So what can we do ta fix this? Pills, or...?”

He gave a shake of his head as he crossed his legs. “There are anxiety pills I could prescribe you to. However, I prefer those to be a last resort. Rather, we’ll continue to talk until we discover the root of your issue.”

I have a feelin’ I know what it is... an’ I have a feelin’ you’d toss me in prison the instant I started talkin’ about it. Jack offered a smile she hoped was sincere. “Gotcha, doc.” Looking up, she noticed the time. “Guess it’s ‘bout time fer yer next appointment.”

He turned to the clock and quirked an eyebrow, then flipped through the notes on his clipboard. “Seems so,” he said neutrally. He rose and guided Jack towards the door. “Just talk to the receptionist to make another appointment, Ms. Apple. Do take care of yourself, and stay close to your family and friends.”

Jack nodded, plodding down the hallway, then taking an elevator down to the lobby. Dash was sitting on one of the faded green chairs, her eyes lazily reading a worn magazine about cars. She quickly snapped to attention when she heard the elevator doors open, and she straightened herself, throwing away her reading material.

“You alright?”

Jack weakly smiled. “‘Course. Dandy.”

A frown crossed Dash’s face. “Bullshit. What did the shrink say?”

“Nothin’ major. I’ll get over this lil’ funk any day.”

Isabelle stood up, opened her mouth, then fell silent. She waved her hand dismissively. “Whatever. Let’s get back.”

Jack nodded, following after the lithe woman. She tossed open the glass doors and stepped out into the bright afternoon, putting a hand to shade her eyes and wincing slightly at the sudden light. Walking to the passenger door out of habit and tossing it open, she glanced briefly over the roof of the car as Dash got in herself, wordlessly slamming her door shut.

Oh boy, here we go, Jack thought. She’d been around Isabelle for years now—she could tell when shit was about to go south. Jack got into the car and didn’t bother with the seatbelt, instead crossing her arms over her chest and looking out the window.

Putting the key in the ignition, Dash locked the doors. She squirmed, digging into her jean pocket and getting out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. She nudged Jack with the pack.

Jack compiled with a slow nod. She leaned over, letting Isabelle light her up.

Rolling down the window next to Jack to let the smoke free, Dash looked at her with a annoyed twitch of her brow. “I’m gonna ask again: ‘What did the shrink say?’” she finally asked, her words strained.

Jack opened her mouth, then shut it again. Finally, the woman glanced out the window again with a frown. “We gotta talk about this now?”

“Nothing else to talk about.” She turned the key, and the car roared to life. “We’re doing this right now, so too damn bad.”

“It ain’t nothin’ worth mentionin’,” Jack defensively snapped, taking a heavy drag on her smoke. “Why ya gotta pick and dig at this? Me an’ the guy jus’ talked a bit, nothin’ much else.”

Dash started to pull out onto the road proper. “Yeah, and I’m sure you told him everything, just like you’re doing right now,” she said, sarcasm lacing her words. Her grip on the wheel tightened, her knuckles turning white. “God’s sake, Jack, you can’t even be honest with me?”

“An’ what the hell should I say?” she snapped back. “That there’s somethin’ wrong with me?”

“The fucking truth!!” Isabelle cried, going through a light just as it turned red. “You’re seriously telling me you think you’re okay when you’re not eating or sleeping? Don’t get me started, you ass.”

“I’ll get better,” Jack replied, shaking her head with a scowl. “This here ain’t nothin’ that I can’t get through on my own!”

“So there is something wrong with you. You just admitted that much.” She took a turn, the wheels underneath them squealing in protest. “ Lemme guess: there aren’t any magical pills you can take to feel better? No prayers to say? No operations on your head?” She spat out of the window. “‘Cause you might need one at this rate—you’re fuckin’ delusional.”

“Fuck you, Izzy!” she snapped back, hitting the dash in front of her with the palm of her hand. “What about the time you freaked out ‘cause of this shit?! Did I drag you ta a Goddamn shink?! No!” she roared at the top of her lungs. After a long-drawn out pause, her tone became slightly quieter. “I took care of ya. I knew you’d be fine with jus’ a bit of time. I didn’t need some fancy-pants doc ta diagnose ya with somethin’, an’-an’, all-a that...” She wiped furiously at her eyes.

“Then why can’t you let me take care of you?!” Dash shouted, slamming her hand on the wheel, cursing to herself. She breathed deeply, saying nothing more, only keeping her eyes on the road.

Iroquoi was a small town, comparable to Mansfield in that regard, only with a more bizarre architecture style. Three main streets, a few casual dining halls, a theater, a couple of churches built in an odd, leveled design in what the locals called ‘pagodas,’ small mom and pop businesses—including a clothing store that Rarity would probably burn to the ground in a panic on seeing—it was geared towards farmers and had some clothing that was tacky even in Jack’s less picky nature. One thing the town had in spades, however, were festivals and gatherings. Maybe it was because they were in strange times compared to Mansfield’s holidays, but it seemed like every time Jack turned around over the past few months, the citizens were celebrating something or another. In fact, tomorrow was the yearly ‘Sage of the lake’ festival—an event to honor the Somani men and women who crossed the ocean and helped construct the small, sleepy hamlet countless years before the Somani people fell under Torani protection and command.

Dash drove a little ways out from the center of the town and turned onto a dirt road. It was a good fifteen minutes later, and two more turns, when they finally arrived home. Or, at least their home away from home.

It was a worn thing, having seen more winters than Jack had in her lifetime, with dozens of missing shingles on the rooftop, and a few spots of chipped paint on the splintered wood of the porch’s railing. But Jack knew it was sturdy—her late Grandma had grown up for a spell here as a child, and, considering how long ago that was, a few missing shingles was nothing against the two-story home. They drove up the hill the building rested on, and Jack paused briefly at the sight of the lake hundreds of feet below. Granny Smith said she used to have a bucket and hundreds of feet of rope out back--they’d throw it off the cliff and hoist it back up for a drink with a hand-powered crank, if they didn’t feel the urge to walk down the hill and around to the water. Now though, that was gone, as was the apparently precariously placed outhouse that used to reside nearby. The corpse of it was buried deep in one of the garden patches Jack cared for, but she never dug deep enough to find it. Thankfully.

Dash parked just in front of the porch, where Alice and Mac were out waiting for them.

“Girls,” Mac addressed with a nod, going back and forth on a rocking chair as he whittled, his large hands precisely adjusting the small lump of wood he was working on.

Alice ran out to the car, wrapping her arms around Jack the moment the tall woman stepped out of the car. She only got them around her waist. “Sis!” She squeezed her tightly. “You okay?”

“I’ll manage,” Jack evasively said, returning the hug. She crouched down to meet Alice’s gaze. “You doin’ alright, sweet pea?”

“Yeah. Mac’s cookin’ dinner. Sweet potatoes, carrots, peas and chicken,” Alice replied, leading Jack to the house. “Should be ready soon!”

Dash stayed put.

Jack paused, glancing over her shoulder. “Go inside, sug. I’ll be there in a second.”

“Alright, but don’t be too long. You ain’t skipping out on laying the table.” Alice smirked, then ran inside. Mac glanced over at his sister. On seeing the expression she and Dash had, he sighed, rising off the chair and wordlessly entering the house himself.

The farmer quickly moved to the driver’s side window. “Dash?”

She looked at Jack, but not into her eyes. “Yeah, what?”

“Ain’t ya comin’ inside?”

Isabelle looked at the dashboard. The gas meter was more than halfway full. “Nah. Gonna drive a bit. Do some thinking.”

A part of her wanted to protest. Jack, however, knew it’d be a losing battle. Besides, it wasn’t like this was the first time Dash needed to be alone. Probably wouldn’t be the last either.

“I understand,” Jack quietly said. She held out her hand through the window. “Jus’... be careful. I know it was a while back, but it still kinda scares me when yer off drivin’ by yerself.”

“I’ll be fine, hayseed,” Izzy shot back, brow furrowed. She sighed, then relaxed and took hold of Jack’s hand, giving it a tight squeeze. “Look after yourself. Enjoy dinner.”

Jack nodded, stepping back and watching Dash reverse and take off down the road. Once her partner was nothing but a small dot on the horizon, Jack adjusted her stetson and went inside.

000

Thunder rumbled across the horizon of the small lakeside property. Jack groaned, reaching across the bed for Dash. On not feeling her, she woke up a bit more. “Izzy?” she slurred out, glancing over at the clock.

Three a.m. Where in the hell...?

A heavy thud shot across the house, again and again it pounded against the front door. Jack sprung out of bed in a panic.

Those fuckin’ things. They found me. I shoulda killed ‘em all. They’re at the Goddamn door.

She heard a voice, murmured behind the walls of the house. It sounded angry. Jack dove for the gun at her nightstand and took a few panicked breaths to try and calm her heart rate down.

The woman crept downstairs, her hands—her whole body sweating hard as she rounded the corner and crept closer and closer to the front door. She leveled her gun and cocked the hammer back, then grasped the door’s handle.

“For fuck’s sake...” muttered the voice. Then came a very loud slam, making the whole door tremble.

Jack took action; she threw the door open and held the gun in her shaking hands, her eyes wide and panicked.

“Shit! Jack, it’s me!” Dash cried, holding up her hands. Her normally vibrant hair looked dulled and was flattened due to the pounding rain, and her clothes were damp.

Jack’s gun arm went numb; she let it drop to the side as she dumbly tried to register what was in front of her. “I...” She sank to her knees, taking in shallow, frantic breaths “I...”

“Jack...” Dash’s face slackened and her eyebrows rose. She quickly stepped in, kicked the door shut behind her then knelt down and wrapped her arms around Jack, keeping firm. “It’s me, hayseed: Izzy.”

She said nothing, shivering violently and clutching Dash as if her life depended on it. The farmer bawled, tears ran down her earthen skin as she wept openly onto Dash’s shoulder, rocking back and forth with the woman held as tight as she could. “God...” she bitterly choked out, crying so hard snot ran down her nose, and she was reduced to hiccuping. “Fuck.”

“C’mon, let’s...” Isabelle trailed off and was silent for awhile, the only thing she could bring herself to do was watching Jack sob. She looked more than upset. She looked broken. “Let’s sleep this off,” she lamely finished, trying hard to keep her voice sounding strong. Carefully, she helped Jack up and took her back to their room. She laid Jack as gently as she could onto the mattress and sat down at the edge of the bed.

“Izzy,” Jack quietly whispered, her voice raw from weeping.

“Still here,” she replied, stripping down to just her shirt and boxer shorts. She tossed her clothes in a pile, then sighed and rubbed her forehead with her palm.

“I’m sorry. F-fer everythin’.”

“It’s fine, Jack. You’re...” She let out a quiet, shuddered breath. “You’re just a little messed up right now. But...” She lay down on the bed and faced Jack, eyes focused on her. “We’ll make you right again.”

Jack reached for Dash’s hand and entwined her fingers with it, then brought it to her heart. “I trust ya more than I do myself.”

Dash gave her a weak grin. “I know you do, hayseed.” She shuffled just a little bit closer towards her, then looked crestfallen. “I should’ve fuckin’ stayed here and not...” Her expression hardened and she clenched her free hand. “Doesn’t matter. I’m back now.”

The farmer slowly nodded, kissing Dash on the forehead. “Get some sleep.”

“Yeah. You first,” she replied, not letting go of Jack’s hand.

The woman weakly smiled, the expression not even close to its usual vibrancy, but it was at least a start. She gently shut her eyes and leaned into the other’s body, dozing off within moments. Dash watched over her, planting a soft peck on her forehead. When she closed her eyes, sleep came quickly, her head slumping over and resting against Jack’s.

000

A loud rumbling pulled Jack away from slumber. Her clouded mind tried to process what was happening as she looked wearily around the room, pausing only when she glanced across the bed, and a small, quiet laugh crossed her lips.

Dash lay in her arms, mouth open wide and drooling, her snoring loud enough to rattle the windowpane. Jack gave some thought about covering the woman’s mouth with a pillow, but decided against it, instead prying herself from Isabelle, shutting the blinds to block out the morning sun, and tossing on some clothes. She made her way downstairs, where Mac was cooking porridge.

“Mornin’,” he said.

“Mornin’.”

“Dash make it back alright?”

Jack paused, putting a hand to her arm. “More or less.”

He gave a pondering nod, still focused on the morning’s meal. “Well, I ‘more-or-less’ heard ya last night.”

She froze. Her brother didn’t even spare her a glance. Leaning onto the counter, Jack watched as his powerful frame continued to stir the pot. “What do ya want me ta say?”

“Nothin’, I reckon.” He put a hand to his hip, staring far too intently at the food. “Jus’... we’re all here fer ya. Me, Izzy, Alice. We’re family. Understand?”

Jack nodded as she heard footsteps tromp downstairs. “Loud an’ clear, Mac.”

Dash rubbed her nose as she entered the room, glancing around with a groggy expression. “‘Sup? What’s for breakfast?”

“Porridge,” Mac answered. “Gonna add cinnamon ta it.”

“Mornin’, sug,” Jack said, glancing over at the woman and her unkempt appearance. Her disheveled hair and crumpled shirt brought a smile to the farmer’s face. “Wasn’t expectin’ ya up so early.”

Dash sniffed and sat down at the scratched covered table. “Yeah, well, I got things to do today. We need more food, right?”

“Eyup. ‘Less ya want more potatoes fer lunch. Got plenty of them growin’ in the garden,” Mac commented, glancing out the window to the small patch of vegetables by the house.

“Guess I’m getting fast-food for me...” Dash said to herself, resting her head on her hands.

“What sorta things ya got goin’ on today?” Jack asked.

“I’ll get the food shopping done. Then there’s some locals I’m meeting later.” She waved her hand lazily. “Y’know, seeing what they know about the situation in Torani. Might come up with something useful.”

“Need me ta come with?”

Isabelle shook her head, rubbing Jack’s arm, then patting it. “Nah. I want you to get some rest today, alright?”

The farmer bit at her lip. “A-alright. Ya gonna be back in time for that ‘Sage of the Lake’ deal? Alice wanted all of us ta head ta town fer it.”

Dash looked up at Jack, giving her a smile. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world. Besides,” she crossed her arms, leant back in her chair and smirked, “it’d probably be a total borefest if we didn’t go.”

“Ya are kinda the life of the party—jus’ don’t tell Pinkie I said that,” Jack quietly said with a smile.

“You think I’d tell her what she already knows?” Dash shot back smugly.

That one even got to Mac, he gave a small snort of amusement at the two. Jack rose from the counter, walking past Isabelle. She trailed a finger down Dash’s arm and headed towards the stairs. “Gotta use the bathroom, back in a second.”

Dash nodded at her. “Alright. Take your time.”

Jack quickly climbed up the stairs as Mac leaned back from their meal to watch her go.

“She alright?” he asked once the coast was clear.

Dash sighed, standing up and going next to Mac, keeping her voice low. “Hear me come in last night?”

“Eyup.” He nodded somberly. “Jus’ was hopin’ that maybe ya talked a bit more ta her in ya’lls room or somethin’.”

“I calmed her down, but...” She ran her hand through her multi-colored hair. “That was about it. Uh...” She licked her lips, then peered about searchingly. “Y’know that holiday thing today?”

“Eyup.”

“I’m gonna... y’know...” She coughed, fiddling with her hands. “Treat her right. You get me?”

It took a moment, but it finally clicked for the man. “Ya mean...?” A smile stretched across his face. “‘Bout damn time.”

“Hey! I would’ve done it earlier, if we weren’t in this fuckin’ mess...” she growled. “But, yeah... hopefully it’ll be enough to help her a bit.”

“Well... guess ya don’t need it, but ya got my blessin’.” Mac nodded. “Ain’t like it’ll change much ‘round here anyway.”

Dash smirked and lightly punched him in the shoulder. “Thanks, Mac. You’re a pretty cool guy.”

“The coolest,” he said with a smile, a joke a rare commodity coming from him. “Grab some bowls fer everyone. Soup’s on.”

“Gotcha.” She grabbed a couple bowls, then set them on the table, sided by spoons. “Everyone! Breakfast!” she called out.

Jack came back down, rolling her shoulder and cracking her fingers, followed by a groggy Alice. She rubbed her eyes and glanced at everyone. Then she mumbled something. No one could really tell what it was.

“Who’s sayin’ grace’?” Mac asked, sitting down and trying to ignore the loud creaking protest the chair gave from his weight. A small smirk crossed his face as he picked someone that usually got out of it. “Dash?”

“Oh, er, okay then...” Sitting back down, she put her hands together and leant her arms on the table. “Thanks for giving us the strength to keep going and stuff... er... thanks for this awesome food, and finally...” She glanced over at Jack. “Thanks for keeping us safe. And together.” She put her hands back on the table. “So... yeah. Done.”

“That’ll do.” Mac nodded. “Dig in, girls. Got a big day ahead of us.”

Dash gingerly scooped up some porridge, grimacing at it. Did she call it awesome? Well, it was awesome… maybe as a caulk for bathroom tile or something. Regardless, she soldiered on. Wasn’t much better food in the house anyway.

“Yer givin’ me a hand with some of the trees downriver today, right?” Mac asked, glancing over at Jack.

“Planned on it.” She nodded, stirring her food absentmindedly.

“Good. Jus’ make sure ta tidy up ‘fore the festival. Maybe braid yer hair. I know quite a few people like it that way.” Mac spared a small glance Dash’s way, his poker face unreadable.

“Do I have to wear anything fancy...?” Alice moaned.

“We’ll get ya dolled up too. Maybe we’ll find ya a cute boy ta dance with.” Jack laughed with a wink.

“Boys?” Mac swallowed hard, the color draining from his brown face. “Don’t ya think she’s a lil’ young fer that?”

“Not like I’ll find some anyway. We’ll probably be moving again soon...” Alice lamented, stabbing her porridge with the spoon. “I miss home...” she muttered under her breath.

“We all do, sweet pea,” Mac quietly agreed. “I’m sure we’ll be back before we know it.”

“Mac’s right. We’ll get back there soon,” Jack said.

Dash moved to take another mouthful, hesitated, then resumed her action without saying anything. She shoveled more into her mouth, trying her best to keep it down, then rose and said, “Well, gotta get ready. Shower’s mine first!” Then she rushed into the bathroom, the sound of running water audible a few moments later.

“Ain’t never seen that girl move so fast in the mornin’,” Jack commented, taking a sip of water.

“I bet she’s jus’ excited ‘bout the festival. Gonna be a bit different than one of Mansfield’s, after all.” Mac shrugged, looking down at his meal. “Now, polish yer food up, I wanna get our work done an’ us all gussed up ‘fore sundown.”

“You weren’t serious about dolling me up, right?” Alice asked.

“Eyup.” Mac nodded.

Alice blinked. “... so you were serious, or you weren’t?”

“Yer gonna look like a purdy lil’ china doll tonight. Even got y’all some clothin’.” Mac smiled behind his cup.

Alice let out an annoyed huff. “I’ll just stay in and read then...”

“I think ya should go, sweet pea. I think Dash’d appreciate ya taggin’ along,” Mac said. “She seemed excited about it.”

“First I’ve heard of that,” Jack replied, raising a brow.

“Ya know she likes ta play stuff that excites her off like it ain’t nothin’. Wonderbolt’s exceptin’.”

“Reckon so...”

“Alright,” Mac started, rising from his seat. “Ya ready?”

“Yeah,” Jack answered, standing herself and not even giving a second glance to her untouched food. “Let me jus’ grab a coat.”

000

It was early dusk when the Apple clan finished up their chores and started to get ready for the festival. Macintosh took the first shower and after a quick shave, he went to his room and looked over the ‘traditional wear’ he bought from a store in town. He gave it a hard glance as he stood there in his briefs.

“I-Is this thing a dress?” he muttered to himself, picking it up and looking over the pieces of clothing. If the fella that sold this ta me was playin’ some kinda joke, I’ma bust his teeth.

It took him a bit, but he finally managed to awkwardly adorn it. He frowned at the long, loose sleeves of the piece, and the odd feeling of fabric swishing against his ankles. Mac gave a few experimental movements of his legs and arms, then called it good. Whoever thought of this hakama thing, or whatever it was called, should've just stuck to pants and shirts. The giant man walked back down the hallway.

“Y’all ‘bout ready?” he called out, turning back into the bathroom to throw some aftershave on.

“If y’all told me we’d be wearing this, I would’ve been a lot more excited,” Alice said from the other room, straightening the sleeves of her rose colored kimono. “I feel like a ninja or somethin’!”

“Well, I feel dang near retarded,” Jack bemoaned from her room. “Ya know I don’t like this kinda stuff.”

“An’ I ain’t a fan of wearin’ a dress, but I’m doin’ it.” Mac frowned in the mirror and rubbed at a cheek. He must of nicked himself shaving and not realized it. “It’s jus’ fer tonight.” Mac glanced down at his clothing. “Ain’t like I’d be caught dead in this kinda thing back in Mansfield,” he muttered under his breath. Mac walked out just as Jack left her room. He paused.

Her dress--a furisode, the tailor here called it, was an off-white, decorated thing with a golden trim that complemented her dark brown skin. A dull red sash tightly secured the piece together, bringing attention to her large bust and giving the illusion of an hourglass figure that didn’t really exist on the woman. She ran a finger behind her ear, the long, oversized sleeves making her hands seem just a bit less calloused and leathery, more feminine and slender. She looked at Mac and waited. After a beat, she rolled her eyes.

“Go on, say it.”

“Say what?” he asked, shuffling on his feet slightly, feeling paranoid that his skirt-pants would fall off his torso at any moment, despite being secured.

“I look weird in somethin’ like this.” She looked down at the sleeve of the kimono. “Way too girly fer me.”

Mac raised a brow. “Ya look fine, Jack. Hell, I’d even say downright purdy.” He gave a small snort. “Though ya might wanna lose the hat.”

She took off her stetson and ran her fingers over its rough and battered edges. “Guess it don’t, uh... how’d Rarity say somethin’ like this... ‘complement the ensemble?’”

“Somethin’ like that, I reckon. Plus what’s the point of braidin’ yer hair if ya jus’ hide it under that hat?”

“Alright, alright.” She turned, walking back to her room. “But the boots stay on!”

“Damn right they do,” Mac muttered in agreement. He sure as hell wasn’t gonna wear those wooden slipper things the merchant sold with the clothes.

Alice did though, jumping into Mac’s view with a yell, landing on all fours. “Crouching tiger...” She leapt up and kicked into the air. “Hidden Apple! Man, this is gonna be somethin’, ain’t it?”

“Somethin’,” Mac agreed.

A car horn sounded outside.

Jack quickly stepped out into the hallway. “Shootfire, she’s here already?! Alice, ya brush yer teeth?”

“Yes...” Alice groaned, rolling her eyes, before speeding out to the front door. “Now quit yer gibberin’ and let’s go!”

“She’s gonna be buzzin’ round this thing like a bee in a flower field,” Jack said, scratching at her neck.

“Eyup.”

They made their way downstairs and outside, the air sweet from the nearby water, and the sun giving a tranquil warmth to the place. Dash sat in her car, wearing a simple baby blue iromuji, with a rainbow colored sash around her. She rolled down the window as Alice ran to the car and let herself in the back seat. “Looking good, kid.”

“Thanks!” Alice strapped herself in, the peered at her driver. “Ya look a bit weird.”

Dash snorted, looking at herself in the rear-view mirror. “Tell me about it...”

“Well, I think ya look jus’ fine,” Jack said, getting ready to sit in the passenger's seat, only to pause at the giant of a man behind her. She quickly took one of the backseats, hunching over from her height as Mac wordlessly squeezed himself inside. “Though neither of us have any business in skirts.”

“Yeah.” Dash casually looked at the huge man next to her, then blinked and looked again. “Especially Mac,” she said, biting her lip and trying not to laugh.

He opened his mouth to argue, then clamped it shut, cracking the knuckles of his sausage-fingers. “Eyup.”

Isabelle then peered at Jack through the mirror. “Where’s the hat?”

“Didn’t really mesh with the...” She lifted up the sleeve of her clothes.

Dash shrugged, then the car rumbled to life and she drove away from the old house. “Alright then. Still...” She brought her eyes to the road. “You look cool.”

Jack gave a small, surprisingly timid smile. “Thanks, sug.”

The group pulled to the outskirts of town, where a large collection of cars lined a parking lot. Up ahead, a large crowd of people wandered the streets, where dozens of vendors were flush against the sidewalks.

“Looks like we’re walkin’,” Jack said.

“Yeah, and spending half an hour trying to find a parking spot,” Dash grumbled, slowly driving through.

Alice rose and pointed out of the window. “There’s one!”

Isabelle gave it a passing glance. “Nah. Gonna find a better one.”

Alice scowled, sitting back down and folding her arms. In the end, it only took them ten minutes to find the spot.

Dash stepped out, patting down her clothes, then locking the car once everyone was ready. She jerked a thumb over to the festivities. “Hey Mac, why don’t you take Alice and find something awesome?”

“Eyup,” he quickly agreed, holding out his hand to the girl. “Let’s go, sweetpea.”

Alice almost ignored him, running off as fast as she could in her get up. “C’mon, Mac! I wanna see if they have any sparklers!”

He gave a small laugh, moving towards the girl. “Alright, alright. Don’t ya blow a gasket.”

Jack watched them go, then glanced over at Dash. “Well, guess we should take a look ‘round the place. Anywhere sound good ta ya?”

She gave her a noncommittal shrug. “Let’s hang around for a bit, see what we find. We can watch the fireworks when they show up later.”

“Jus’ where the wind takes us? Alright.”

They wandered through the crowd for a bit, making their way closer to the town square. As they passed under a large, wooden archway, Jack looked over at Dash, giving a small, wistful smile her way. She finally laughed a bit under her breath.

“What’s so funny?” Isabelle asked,

“Ain’t nothin’ big, sug. Jus’... kinda reminds me of our first date, s’all.” She gestured around them. “I mean, we had a festival goin’ on back at Mansfield then too.”

“Yeah, I remember.” Dash smirked, nudging Jack lightly. “I remember you being really nervous too.”

“Ain’t like I asked people livin’ in my home out ta dates often, sug.” Jack sighed. “I was scared it might make things... weird, if it didn’t work out.” She wiped at her mouth. “I wasn’t even sure if ya were inta... ya know...”

“Well, you know I am now,” she replied with a grin. “Besides, of course it would’ve worked out. We’re both awesome together, and that date was only to start things off officially.”

“Damn right we’re awesome.” Jack laughed. “I--”

Dozens of loud blasts erupted beside them. The farmer whipped to the side, twisting and slapping her hand down to her waist, her other arm horizontal and ready to support her shooting arm. Jack clawed futilely at her nonexistent holster. She stared at a few kids setting off firecrackers and, after a moment to process it, relaxed her fist, letting it retreat into the long sleeves of her kimono. She wiped at the sweat coming down her forehead with a shaking hand and let out the breath she just now realized she was holding.

“Jack, relax,” Dash said soothingly, grabbing Jack’s hand and pulling it out of her sleeve. “Nothing’s gonna hurt you here. I promise.”

Jack clutched Dash’s arm, wrapping it around her own. “I know that,” she snapped, then paused, catching herself. “I mean--I-I know. But I jus’ hear stuff, somethin’ clicks, an’...”

“Look, how about we go somewhere a bit quieter and chill for a bit?” She looked at the children, who were running off, laughing. “I think I might prefer that than to deal with fucking brats, know what I’m sayin’?”

“I hear ya,” Jack agreed, still latched onto Dash and trying to calm down her racing heart. “‘Lead the way, sug.”

Isabelle nodded, then took Jack through the hustle and bustle, keeping her close and never letting go. They eventually arrived on a small incline that overlooked the sea, waves crashing onto the beach just in front of them. The sounds of the festival were drowned out by the waves, which were a lot more calming.

Dash sat down, grumbling and fidgeting as her kimono limited her movement. Sighing, she resorted to lying down straight on the grass, putting one hand behind her head and propping it up.

Jack joined her, laying right next to the athlete and gazing up at the stars. She spared a look Dash’s way and paused, her eyes trailing up and down the woman’s figure. “Yer beautiful.”

“Didn’t think we’d start with the mushy stuff right away,” she replied with a short snicker. She rolled over, resting on her arm and gazing at Jack. “But yeah, you look amazing.”

“I ain’t exactly pretty, but... I’m glad ya put up with me anyway.” She lifted up a few strands of Dash’s hair and let it fall through her fingers. “Ya ever think ‘bout growin’ it out a bit more?”

“I dunno,” Dash said bluntly, then grimaced. “If I did, Rarity would probably be all over it...”

“Jus’ say that there’s a stain on her clothes an’ get outta there. It’s how I deal with her over my hair.” The farmer quietly laughed. After another pause, she grew silent and returned her gaze back to the stars. “Yer a good person, Izzy. I ain’t sure if anyone else’d stick ‘round me as tight as ya do.” She blew out air from her mouth. “I mean, there’s the girls an’ Spike, but it’s different with them. I gotta be a rock.”

“So what does that make me?”

“Yer my rock,” Jack stated without even a pause. “I might give ya a word or two of help every now an’ again, but yer always the one that takes care of me. Of us.”

“Damn right I do, and don’t you forget it.” After a pause, she rose, awkwardly reaching a hand under her kimono and getting out something from the pocket on her shorts. She swallowed, fidgeting. “Look, Jack, I—there’s something I gotta do...”

The farmer sat up, resting her arms on her knees and waiting for Dash to continue.

Her voice suddenly went quiet, almost inaudible. “I mean, it’s... you and me. We’re all but... you know...” She rolled her eyes, took Jack’s hand, and shoved a golden ring on her finger. “Everyone was telling me I should do this to, uh, make it official...”

Jack looked at Dash, then at her hand. Then back at Dash again. “Isabelle...” she trailed off in surprise, the formal name odd coming from Jack’s mouth. She sniffed, her grin threatening to overtake her cheeks. “I-it’s beautiful.”

“I didn’t get something with diamonds or anything lame like that,” Dash said, rubbing her thumb over the ring. “I got something that looked strong, durable and had awesomeness in its simplicity.” She scratched at her neck, giving Jack a coy smile. “Just like the woman who’s wearing it...”

Jack wiped at her eye, her smile trembling. “Y-ya know I ain’t good at this kinda stuff,” she choked out with a small laugh, wiping again at her eyes. “...but, yer the best thing that’s ever happened ta me.” She rose to her knees, wrapping her tall frame around Dash’s stomach. “I-I love ya, Izzy.”

Dash returned the embrace and gave Jack a quick peck on the top of her head. “Love you too, hayseed.” They were like that for a while, no words needed to be said. But eventually, Dash grabbed Jack’s shoulders and slowly pulled her away. “There’s one condition, though.”

“Name it.”

“You’re going to be honest with me from now on.” A knowing look crossed her face. “You know what I’m talking about.”

“I do,” Jack admitted. Her fingers fluttered across her mouth once more. “I-it’s jus’... I didn’t know it was gonna be this hard springin’ back from all-a...” She swallowed. “All-a this. The bank, that Goddamn vault. Those things we fought.” Jack met Isabelle’s eyes. “I-I ain’t sure how much more I can take with it. You’ve seen me the past few days. I’m scared I’mma snap, Izzy.”

Dash put a hand on Jack’s shoulder and gave her a hard look in the eye. “If there’s one thing that I’m sure of, Jack, it’s that you won’t snap. You care about me, your family, and everyone else too much to do that.” She brought her closer again, rubbing her back comfortingly. “You’re right. You will get better. But I’m gonna help you do it, every step of the way.”

Jack looked towards the ground and nodded. “You an’ me, sug? Ain’t nothin’ stoppin’ us.” She smiled again as she glanced over the ring. “Guess we gotta get you one too, Isabelle Apple.”

Dash looked at her hand, flexing her fingers. “Alright. But nothing too flashy; don’t want it getting fucking nicked or anything.”

Overhead, a shrill noise drew their attention. Jack calmly glanced towards it, just as the two were blinded by a dazzling array of colors that flooded the heavens. The colors were soon joined by dozens of other fireworks, each one erupting and showering their world with beauty. Jack rose, joining Isabelle’s side and wordlessly entwining their hands together.

Dash gazed at the beautiful display, beaming. “This is awesome.”

Jack was drawn once more down at her hand and the golden band around her finger. “Yeah,” she thoughtfully agreed. “It is.”

“It ain’t gonna be easy, but...” She smiled warmly at Jack, caressing her hand with a thumb. “I think we’re gonna be alright.”

“I know we will.”

The two sat there together, gradually leaning against one another as they took in the light show above. However, a rumbling did ruin the moment somewhat, prompting a sheepish laugh from Dash. “Heh, sorry... kinda hungry...”

“Guess we need ta get ya back home soon,” the farmer teased, poking Dash’s well-toned stomach. “Plus...” Jack trailed off, her fingers spider-crawling up the athlete’s body to finally come to rest cupping Dash’s cheek. “I reckon we ought ta... consummate this here engagement.”

Dash blinked once. “You what? Twila been teaching you weird words again?” She pouted, blowing a strand of hair from her face. “Besides, we haven’t even done all the cool stuff at the festival yet!”

Jack paused, then with a sigh, she quickly leaned forward, hungrily devouring Dash’s lips with her own. She grasped Isabelle’s hand and forced it to the sash holding the piece secure on her body, loosening it and exposing the faintest start of her deep, expansive cleavage. Jack leaned forward, showcasing even more of her body to her partner. “Consummate,” she said, as if that word and a coy, sideways smile explained it all.

Dash’s mouth formed a small ‘o’ shape, as she slowly nodded. “Ooooh, yeah, that. I totally was gonna do that. Besides,” she recklessly opened up her kimono, revealing her lean body. “was getting tired of these stuffy, weird-ass clothes anyways.”

“Great minds think alike,” Jack agreed, throwing her own to the side and crawling forward, meeting Dash’s waiting embrace.

Overhead, the fireworks continued to erupt, showering the land in a sea of beautiful, vibrant colors.