Applejack awoke to the slight noise of the crickets. She noticed their lack of noise and knew it was time to begin her day. She stood up slowly yawning a bit making her way out into the kitchen. The light was already on reveling someone was already awake within the house. Applejack smiled as she saw Big Macintosh moving within the kitchen trying to make breakfast. She began helping, receiving a warm smile from her brother.
They made breakfast and waited for the others in their family to awake. Applejack was fully dressed and ready to face her day. Her heart fluttered happily with anticipation. She was anxious for meeting up with her friends in a little while. It had been a few days since she had seen any of them. The harvesting season was the busiest time of the year for the Apple family which meant Applejack was out in the fields gathering apples. But today was special and she would be going on a small trip with her best friends.
With a wave to her brother she rushed out of the house and down the path that would take her to her friends. The morning air was crisp and the sun was just beginning to spread its warmth and light over the lands of Pony Ville. With more anticipation than ever Applejack began galloping over the trail with an unyielding pace.
She stopped by a large tree, huffing and panting a bit from her run but was ready to continue at any moment. She looked around the park for anyone. She blushed a bit and let out a small laugh, “Woopsies. I guess I’m a little too early!”
“Not at all Applejack!” giggled Twilight. She trotted from the path ahead and smiled.
The ponies began talking, waiting for the others, which wasn’t a long wait. The next to appear was Fluttershy. The timid pony smiled and crept closer and listened as they talked. They heard more voices trailing from the path. Giggles and elegant laughs sang through the still morning. The birds were even oddly quiet, but that didn’t worry any of the friends. They were all too excited for the trip ahead of them to notice much besides the facts that they still had ponies missing.
“I told you Pinkie Pie, I’m sure you can stop by later and we can have a sleep over. I think Fluttershy wouldn’t mind having the girls over for awhile.” The white coat of Rarity became visible, along with the bouncing blur of Pinkie Pie.
“That sounds great Rarity! We’ll have so much fun, we can have a party. Ooo- What if we have a super doper slumber party? I guess it is a party if you have two, though it would be better if we had more ponies- Hi Twilight!” The pink pony rushed over leaving Rarity trailing behind.
“Hi Pinkie Pie, you look great this morning, same for you Rarity! I guess we only need Rainbow Dash now.” Twilight smiled. As if by cue Rainbow Dash soared into view landing easily beside Applejack and Fluttershy in the lush green forest.
“Come on every pony, let’s get moving!” Twilight began marching forward, the other ponies happily following. Immediately Pinkie Pie began filling up the silence with her giggles and silly ideas and stories of recent parties.
Applejack looked up at the flying Rainbow Dash watching the colored pony soar through the wind currents in content. “Hey Dash, how have ya been? I haven’t heard much from you lately.”
Rainbow Dash shrugged, “I’ve been pretty good lately, just working on some new moves.” The pony kept flying but then grinned, her eyes narrowing and she shot up into the clouds vanishing from every pony’s sight. Applejack waited for the Pegasus pony to come back into view. Rainbow Dash began speeding towards the ground, her wings closed. The Pegasus pony snapped open her wings at the last moment and soared back up and began flying into loops and playing with clouds. Applejack felt her heart slowly lower from her throat as Rainbow Dash continued the show. It always worried her a bit when Rainbow Dash would wait until the last possible moment to open her wings. She knew her friend could perform the move flawlessly but it didn’t stop her mind from wondering to what could happen if she didn’t open her wings. Applejack shook her head, desperately trying to get the images out of her mind. Finally her mind refocused onto the wonderful day ahead of them.
The friends giggled and laughed happily as the highest point of the sun came. Rainbow Dash sat beside Applejack, making the pony lift her head. The main reason Dash had gone over was to make sure her friend was alright. Applejack’s eyes were distant and her laugh wasn’t as hearty as usual.
“Hey Applejack, you okay?” Rainbow Dash looked at her.
“Yeah, sorry there Dash. How are ya?” Applejack met her eyes and Rainbow Dash could hardly answer. All she could think about was how Applejack could play off the worst of moments if needed. But something within her green eyes said she was actually okay. Rainbow Dash gazed into her green eyes, never actually stopping to look before.
“I’m pretty good.” Dash mumbled dreamily. “How is those- I mean, how are the apples?”
“Aw, shoot Dash! You’d have a heck of a time harvesting 'em with me.” Applejack grinned. “The season is really good this year.”
“Uh, yeah, well, I’ll talk to you later Applejack.” Rainbow Dash moved away from the pony. Rainbow Dash began talking with Pinkie Pie in a desperate attempt to hide how ruffled she was. How could she have never noticed this about her friend? Why was she noticing now? All Rainbow Dash could do was look and nod trying to laugh with Pinkie Pie while trying to look normal. Her mind was flustered and ruffled and she could hardly make out black from white and down from up.
Rainbow Dash began mentally kicking herself. She didn’t understand why she was behaving like she was. It wasn’t like her normal self. She tried to calm down and analyze why she could possibly be feeling this way. She had spent plenty of time with Applejack and she had never felt anything near what she was feeling now.
Eventually Rainbow Dash calmed down enough to push the episode about Applejack from her mind. Though the shadow lurked in the edge of her mind, she was able to keep it at bay. Rainbow Dash did everything she could, trying to keep the pony from her mind. But finally, their fun day way spinning to a close, and the friends began their long trek home. Rainbow Dash flew high in the clouds, feeling the wind whip her mane and tail back.
“Hey Dash!” Called Applejack’s voice, it seemed to cut through the noise of the wind and the clouds and straight to her un-wanting ears. She groaned a bit and flew down low to the other ponies. “Well howdy. Rainbow, where are ya headin’ after this ‘ere get together?”
“Home.” Rainbow Dash growled. The rainbow pony had fun with her friends but now, she wasn’t feeling too well. She desperately wanted to go to her home within the clouds and rest. She was sorry for not feeling well but something just wasn’t right to her.
“How ‘bout a sleep over at Rarity’s?” Applejack smiled, trotting along beside her.
“No, I just want to go home today. Sorry guys.” Rainbow Dash lifted away from the other ponies trying to get into her safe haven once more.
“Well alrighty.” Applejack sounded disappointed and a bit hurt. “D’ya think you could help me with my cart tomorrow at the Wonderbolts show?”
Rainbow Dash was caught in a panic. She couldn’t say no because she was going to be there and she would be considered a bad friend if she lied to Applejack. She also wanted to spend time away from her and clear her mind. “I don’t know Applejack. I’m really busy tomorrow…” Rainbow Dash began
“Oh come on RD. You ain’t never missed a show by those ponies! Please, fer me?” Applejack smiled a tender smile that on any other day would have made Rainbow Dash cave and agree. However, today wasn’t an average day and that smile seemed bitter sweet.
“No, I haven’t. I just don’t want to get involved Applejack, nothing personal.” Rainbow Dash looked away from her friend and up towards the clouds.
“Oh… I see, nothing personal.” The pain in Applejack’s voice felt like a thousand knives to her ears.
“Ugh, just stop Applejack! I’m so sick of hearing-” Rainbow Dash began
“Rainbow Dash, that wasn’t nice!” Twilight cut in, “Apologize to Applejack!”
“No Twilight, I don’t owe anything to this pony. All she does is get on my nerves, day in and day out all I hear is her asking me to do things.” Rainbow Dash growled
“Rainbow Dash, all I ask to do is hang out and spend time with ya. I’m sorry that you don’t like it.” Applejack cringed, looking away.
“I don’t care how much you apologize Applejack. Hanging out doesn’t involve your farm or working.” Rainbow Dash stood in front of the pony.
“Sorry,” Applejack’s voice was growing heated and sharp. “Some of us ponies have to work for a living. Not Every pony is as perfect as you or has wings to just go and play around all day.”
“Wings have nothing to do with it.” Rainbow Dash defended.
“Fine, then just go away Rainbow. I’m not gonna stand here and be ridiculed by ya. You have no idea what it is like to be me!” Applejack shoved her snout at Rainbow Dash, stopping but an inch away from the other pony.
“You’re right, because I don’t care about you, you stupid hick pony!” Rainbow Dash yelled.
Applejack gasped in horror and drew back, her eyes narrowing. Rainbow Dash flapped her wings in anger. Her heart was aflame with unsettling emotions. She couldn’t stop and apologize now; it was too late for that. She would deal the damage and be done with it. Rainbow Dash moved forward to continue the verbal bombardment.
“Girls, stop it!” Twilight burst in again. “You two are forgetting the basics of friendship. Can’t you two just stop fighting and apologize and talk through it? You two have never acted this bad before!”
“No Twilight, I’m not going to work with her. Nopony has ever insulted me like that and it sure as hay isn’t happening again!” Applejack withdrew and turned away from the other ponies.
“Come on everypony!” Pinkie Pie bounced around and stood up gathering a deep breath and picking a note. “Friendship is grand-”
“Shut up Pinkie Pie, nopony likes your singing!” Rainbow Dash fumed.
“You’re silly Dash!” Pinkie Pie giggled.
“Ugh! I’m so out of here.” Rainbow Dash flew high into the sky ignoring her friends and flying quickly back to her cloud house. She had no idea what she had just done, but she sure wasn’t going back to find out.
Applejack whimpered and tried to hide her tears. She didn’t understand why Rainbow Dash had just hurt her like she had. Her friends pressed close to her. She took deep breaths trying to hold back her tears. Her heart flared with a mixture of pain and anger. Applejack dug a hoof into the ground and tried to focus.
“Come now Applejack, do not mourn. I’m sure that she didn’t mean it.” Rarity tossed her hair and pressed closer to her friend.
“Yeah, Rainbow Dash hasn’t been herself much today.” Twilight offered a gentle smile. “I’m sure she’ll apologize soon.”
“No Twilight, I don’t think I can be friends with ‘er anymore.” Applejack stood tall, trying to comfort herself. “Not until I hear a very well lined apology at very least.”
“Applejack, don’t you think-” Twilight began
“Oh come now Twilight, our friend was just hurt. I think being a good friend requires us to be supportive and try to make her feel better, not keep making it worse.” Rarity spoke again.
Twilight sighed and moved closer to her friends trying to comfort Applejack. The pony moved away. She looked at them with sorrowful eyes.
“Thank you everypony… but I think I just need to be alone right now.” Applejack moved away from them. She moved away, off into the near-by trees to think and be alone. She kept moving, long after her friends were out of sight. She had very little idea of where she was but it didn’t matter. She was desperate to get away from everypony to begin clearing her thoughts.
Applejack rested under a tree awhile later. She looked around at the unfamiliar lands and rested her head against the tree. How could Rainbow Dash behave like that? Applejack sighed and stomped a hoof on the ground in front of her. She glanced up at the darkening sky with wonder. It was too late to get back to Ponyville safely. Applejack looked around trying to figure out what she would do for safe accommodations through the horror-filled night. She began moving towards a large gaping cave mouth.
“Anypony home?” Applejack called into the darkness and began waiting for an answer. When nothing met her ears she moved in further. “Well I recon that’s my answer.”
Applejack began looking for fallen tree limbs for a fire. Despite herself, in the silent wilderness, she began speaking to herself. “That stupid Rainbow Dash,” she gathered a few twigs, “how could she? All I’ve ever done was be friendly. And fer what? To be called a hick pony…” she gathered a few more twigs, “Why, I aint never been called that before. What could I have done that was so bad that my best friend would leave? I’ve never done her any wrong… and if I did, I sure didn’t mean to.”
Applejack stopped outside of the mouth of the cave her mind stopping in horror. What if she had been being mean to all of her friends without her knowledge? What if they were all acting and they were all angry with her? Even Twilight had seemed to defend Rainbow Dash after she had seen how it had hurt her.
“No…” Applejack whispered, “That’s impossible… they wouldn’t lie to me like that!” Applejack continued her trek into the cave with her findings. “…right?”
As the night wore on, a bitter wind began blowing. Applejack shivered deep within the cave, the fire ablaze with her offering of twigs and fallen tree limbs. She looked into the flames, her mind sifting through the wreckage. She felt like a damp rag hug out to dry on a cloudy day. The longer she stared into the flames; she began feeling herself ebbing away, only to be replaced with her dawning realization. Rainbow Dash had finally said what everypony else was thinking.
“Well if that’s how they want it, I won’t go back!” she stood up, her eyes narrowed. “They’ll all be better off with ol’ AJ out of the picture. Well since I’m the only honest pony in all of Ponyville, I’ll take care of myself from now on!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rainbow Dash sat in the stands, the blaring signs of the Wonderbolts before her. Her mind had finally caught up with her, her conscience screaming and making her feel like a hollowed out tree. She couldn’t help but look towards the Apple Family’s cart. Applebloom stood beside the large figure of Big Macintosh. Her eyes scowered the area, desperately searching for the hated figure of her friend. The apology for Applejack was already on her lips, desperate to escape.
Rainbow Dash turned away and back towards the open arena trying to escape her guilt. She saw Spitfire approach the audience and wave, her goggles resting on the top of her head ready for action. Her fiery mane rested along her neck as she began speaking.
“Hello everypony-” Spitfire’s voice began echoing through the stands gathering the attention of every pony in the audience.
Rainbow Dash gazed upon her idol. She smiled and began cheering with the crowd, her wings quivering. She felt the hollow sensation return. She stopped a moment, quickly glancing back at the Apple Family cart. The figure of Applejack was still absent. Rainbow Dash sighed and turned back toward Spitfire, trying to hear her. She gasped in shock as her friend stood before the microphone talking loudly, the fans drinking in every word.
Rainbow Dash stared all out trying to figure out where Spitfire had gone and why Applejack was in her place. She hurriedly looked around at the crowd. None of them seemed to be able to tell. She turned back to the Wonderbolts and blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision. Applejack reared up beside the other Wonderbolts and unfurled her wings.
Applejack didn’t have wings! What was going on? Rainbow Dash stared blankly at Applejack. This didn’t make any sense. Nothing was adding up. The hollow feeling grew worse as she lost focus of the Wonderbolts and could do nothing but stare at her hooves. The feeling within her gut began twisting and sinking deeper into her being. She didn’t understand why she had said those things to her friend. She felt the air around her turn cold as it pressed in closer. She shivered slightly and could see nothing but her hooves. Soon, even the image of her hooves began fogging over and losing focus. All Rainbow Dash could feel was the dark gnawing pit of guilt within her. At ever moment that passed it seemed to get worse.
“Hey RD!” Her voice rang through her body, drawing Rainbow Dash deeper into the abyss. The sound of her voice added a needle-like pang to her darkness. Her mind began flooding with images of her friend. Rainbow Dash drank it in as if she was there before her. The freckles on her face seemed to shimmer; her golden pelt seemed to shine even brighter than the sun. Her little laugh caught in the air and made her world swim. Rainbow Dash’s mind drew towards her eyes. The green pools of her very being drug her through sharp, jagged glass sending the poison of her guilt even deeper.
Her eyes shone finer than the prettiest apple ever plucked. Everything about her friend was there, yet the cold drone of guilty and sorrow held on more than anything. The figure of her best friend began falling away like grains of sand, her sweet cheery laugh coming to an end. The image turned gray and the sands fell away completely, leaving her begging for the image to save her from her own problems.
A sharp kick to the back shove her from her daze. She gasped, feeling the darkness recede and the guilt concentrate back into her chest. She turned around trying to find the source of the blow. A young filly stood with her mother, her eyes wide.
“Why aren’t you watching the show?” The filly asked.
“Huh? Show…?” Rainbow Dash looked around, her memory returning. The stands of ponies cheering began dying down as a few of them began getting up. She looked towards the sky and tried to find the fast pegasi. Only clouds began floating into view as the heat of the bodies around her left. She sighed and looked at her hooves again. She had missed her first Wonderbolts show in all of her life. She sat in silence, her emotions still gnawing through her being. She hardly noticed the soft fwap of air against her back.
“Hey…” spoke a soft voice from behind her. “Mind if I sit down?”
“Sure… why not.” Rainbow Dash noticed the empty sound of her voice.
“How was the show?” An orange pony sat beside her. Rainbow Dash glanced over at the figure trying to place a name with them.
“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!” Rainbow Dash squealed. “Spitfire!”
“Hey there Rainbow Dash,” Spitfire sat before her, natural. No suit or goggles there on her, she was just herself. “you alright?”
“Oh, yeah, I’m fine. What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be signing autographs?” Rainbow Dash eyed her a bit before sighing loudly. She sat still again feeling as if all of her energy was gone.
“Yeah, you sure act alright.” Spitfire’s sarcastic tone flowed into her ears. “What’s wrong? Usually I can see you cheering and jumping from the clouds. Today I saw a heap of a pony sitting there like she was dead.”
“Oh…” Rainbow Dash trailed off.
“Mind if I ask what’s wrong?” Spitfire glanced over at her.
“Sure.” She answered dully.
Spitfire giggled faintly, the rich sound mixing with Rainbow Dash’s shadow over her heart. “Cute. Now, What’s wrong?”
“Well…” Rainbow Dash began.
“Wait, let’s go somewhere more private. Not everypony needs to hear about your issues.” Spitfire stoop up, waiting for Rainbow Dash to follow suit.
Rainbow Dash realized that Spitfire wasn’t going to just go away. She gathered a breath and stood up, her legs stiff. The fiery pony smiled kindly and began walking out of the stands, Rainbow Dash following sorrowfully.
