Fallen
Written By The Drunken Sailor
It's a strange thing, fate.
I never really thought about it before. Why would I? Me who lived in a lonely little farmhouse a thousand leagues from anywhere, the simple strawberry farmer that I am. I had no illusions of some grander plan, no thoughts of anything greater than myself. Yet, perhaps if I had, I would have possibly been prepared when an angel fell from the sky and landed in my strawberry field.
My name is Strawberry, just Strawberry. I inherited this little farm from my father who bought it off its previous owner who grew corn I'm told. For years me and my pa lived very straightforward lives in our little corner of Equestria, we farmed, he harvested, and occasionally went into town to sell our goods. We weren't rich, far from it, but I never needed nor wanted anything else for I found myself fully content in those days of my youth. That was until pa came ill.
Wasn't too much of a surprise, he was nearly sixty, could barely even work anymore. So much that I did most of the tending in the fields. His knees pained him often and there were moments, terrifying however brief they were, that he would forget where he was, who he was, who I was. I remember racing into town and begging the doctor to come, he did but only to confirm what I already knew in my heart; it was pa's time.
The funeral was small, just me and the Priest. I could scarcely afford the tombstone. Pa was buried in the town's cemetery. That was two years ago, I still miss him, of course, the pain never really goes away does it? And so the strawberry farm passed onto me, and I've been tending it alone ever since.
As the years went by and I went on with business as usual. A slow creeping cold made it's way into my heart, like the frost of winter pushing against the summer's warmth. It came when I sat alone on the porch of my little house, or when I barely talked to a soul when going into town. An aching of the heart. I could never quite place it, but it was a yearning, for something, what that was I could never know.
Perhaps someone out there wanted to help because in the height of spring I was sent help, well, sort of.
It was Sunday, Fifth of Second Seed, the Year of Celestia 437. The colds of winter a distant memory as the days grew only more warm and bountiful as spring progressed to summer.
I awoke early as I always did. Celestia's glory had just broken the horizon in a splendid array of oranges and yellows that spilled through my window and straight into my eyes. I groaned and stretched in bed, briefly I considered remaining in bed, surely the berries would not suffer terribly from one day of neglect? But I knew it was a fleeting fantasy.
I rose from my bed and stood up, still fighting against my will to sleep. I slept in my pa's old room, a modest place with my bed, a nightstand, a little shelf with some books, and precious little else. Still half asleep I made my way down the hall to the washroom where I spotted myself in the mirror.
I never really thought of myself as a pretty mare, with my curly red hair, red eyes, freckles, and light pink coat. Pa would often joke that I was born in a strawberry patch, but I think that was just his way of making up for not being overly creative when naming me.
I took a quick shower, enough to wash away the last tendrils of sleep. After drying myself I made my way to the kitchen, the sun was properly up now and provided light enough for me to make my breakfast. Nothing major, some baked oats with, of course, strawberries. I munched away with a glass of milk to wash it down. I stared out the window to my strawberry bushels which were almost ready to harvest.
I owned about one acre of land or so, least that's what pa always said, with no one else around it didn't really matter what your actual property lines were. Straight lines of strawberry bushes extended out for quite a ways before ending and giving way to a small river which flowed eastward. After that rolling green hills would go on before coming to the infamous Everfree Forest, a place I only heard bad stories about. To the west lay the main road and some mountains further on that I could see just barely on clear days, and to the east lay Ghastly Gorge and Appleloosa, to the far south were Las Pegasus and the San Plaomino Desert. To the north, past the Everfree, lied Ponyville which was where I often sold my strawberries.
Finishing my breakfast I grabbed my straw hat and watering can and set outside. That was mostly what I did, water, occasionally pluck a deformed berry from the bushes, make sure no rabbits were getting into my crops. The real work came when I had to harvest and haul my entire take all the way to Ponyville by myself. I didn't mind the strain; there was a sort of gratification that came from seeing, well, the literal fruits of my labour.
So I went about it, watering each and every bushel carefully. Tedious but necessary. All in all, it was shaping up to be a normal day like any other, but as the wind picked up in a rather odd manner some part of me foretold that a simple day this was not to be.
A boom thundered through the sky, louder than thunder in fact as it rocked the very foundations of the earth. I nearly jumped right out of my skin the noise was so sudden. My watering can thumped to the ground as I looked about for the source of such a noise before a light, so bright it rivaled the sun, illuminated the early morning sky.
I looked up, shielding my eyes with a hoof, only to be treated with the most spectacular display of colours that I ever witnessed. A spectrum array of blues, yellows, reds, purples, and oranges, all of them filled the sky as they rode a visible shockwave that tore the sky asunder. I was completely captivated, held hostage by this display of power and beauty, so great was it that my mind could scarcely comprehend it. Was it magic? It must have been, but this was a far tier higher than the flashes and tricks of any unicorn, no, this was something greater and a deep welcoming warm washed over me I could not help but smile and feel joy at the sight. What a wondrous world to produce such a sight, yet what was it?
I seemed to get my answer as just faintly I could see something getting closer, falling; yes something was falling from the sky! I had heard that rocks from space sometimes fell from the heavens to crash unto the earth, perhaps that is what I was seeing? As the shape came closer and closer I realized that it was heading straight towards my farm! And before I could even spare a thought to the conditions of my strawberries the object revealed itself to be most certainly not a rock.
“Is that a... pony?” I said aloud.
I had not the time to confirm this before a crash was heard and I looked to see that it had crashed in the east field, throwing up a cloud of dust and dirt in the process. Stunned I hesitated to act, to move, to do anything else but stare.
“Sweet Celestia," I said before running over to where the impact had occurred.
It was a pony, a mare, and a Pegasus. She had a mane with all the colours of the rainbow and a coat of a light blue, her cutie mark was that of a cloud producing a rainbow bolt of lighting. She was unconscious, her mouth hung open loosely and her wings and other limbs were completely limp.
“Uh... miss?” I called out, still trying to process all that had happened in the space of little over a minute. “Miss?”
No reply. So after taking a calming breath, I descended into the small crater. Leaning over the mare it became apparent that somehow she was still breathing, though from a fall of that distance I wasn't sure how. Gently I placed my hoof on her shoulder and gave her a small shake still no response, she was out cold. My concern grew as I looked over the rest of the mare, her right wing was bent at a very awkward angle, definitely sprained, possibly even broken. There was a hint of blood coming from the back of her head, not a lot, but enough to cause me to panic.
I wasn't a doctor, I could bandage a small cut that was about it. This pony could be seriously hurt yet the nearest doctor was two and a half days trip there and back. I tried to think what pa would do, he never mentioned how to handle ponies falling from the sky!
But he did tell me to always keep calm and think before acting.
So I took several deep breaths, to calm myself down and began to think. What do you do Strawberry? What do you do?
"Well I can't leave you here," I said out loud as if giving myself instructions. "So let's get you inside."
That task in of itself posed an issue. I didn't want to do more harm than good, and dragging her across the dirt wasn't going to help. I needed to get her on my back somehow. For one of the few times in my life I cursed the Gods for not making me a unicorn, that would simplify so many things!
A spontaneous horn on my head was of course not coming. So I knelt down next to the mare and leaned my head down next to hers, carefully nudging under her neck so that she was draped over my neck. I then stuck a hoof underneath her and, with great effort, pushed the rest of her limp body so that she sat on my back.
Then came the second biggest issue, this mare was not light. I wouldn't say I was a scrawny mare, after all, I did on occasion haul a cart full of strawberries for a very long distance. But that was quite a bit different than lifting a fully grown mare on my back somehow. For one of the few times in my life I cursed the Gods for not making me a unicorn, that would simplify so many things!
My legs shook slightly as I stood up. Gritting my teeth I slowly and carefully climbed out of the small crater that we both were stuck in, almost dropping the mare a few times. Once I was out it straight walk to my house, yet a trek that previously had seemed like nothing now seemed like a daunting hike. One hoof after the other I struggled to carry the mare all the way to my doorstep.
I pushed through the front door and stumbled down the hall to my bedroom where with a grunt I flopped the mare onto the bed. I collapsed onto my backside, sweat gracing my brow and my breathing hard. While I sat there I looked over the mare again, she lay on her back still, her mouth hanging loosely open but she was still breathing and didn't appear to be any more hurt than when I first picked her up.
The gash on the back of her head had splattered a small amount of blood onto my sheets and I became concerned once more. I didn't have any bandages or anything, but after a moment of thought I went over to my linen closet and pulled out a spare sheet. Using my teeth I tore away several long strips of cloth and brought them back over to the injured mare.
I took one makeshift bandage and wrapped it around her head, tying it as tightly as I dared. That seemed to stop the small amount of bleeding for now. Next, I took another strip and used it to bind her injured right wing snugly to her side. That was all I could do for her, so I positioned her straight on my bed, laying her head gently on the pillow and pulling the blankets up to her chin.
She seemed okay for now, so I sat down next to her and brushed my red curls out of my face. Already I could feel the panic starting to creep it's way back into my chest but I took a breath and collected my thoughts. The important thing was that this mare was safe for now, she was still breathing, I'd bandaged her best I could.
The next big problem I faced was the availability of a doctor. Even assuming I could travel to Ponyville with no interruptions, find the doctor immediately, and the doctor not only being willing to travel but also leave immediately; it would still take no less than two and a half days journey there and back. I simply wasn't comfortable leaving such an injured pony unattended for that long.
Mailing wasn't an option, delivery ponies didn't come here, I didn't send nor receive mail. Why would I need to? And as far as I could recall Pegasi of any sort simply didn't fly within sight of my farm, this mare had been the first I'd seen.
My only option, I decided, was to care for her best I could until she was well enough to travel back home or until someone came looking for her. Surely someone would notice her absence quickly enough.
Taking a last look at the mare I retreated from the bedroom, leaving the door open just a crack. I went into my kitchen and poured myself some water, looking back out to my strawberry bushes. I could see the crater where she landed from here, and where I had dropped my water can.
Oh right, I hadn't finished watering.
Glancing down the hall I decided that I could leave the mare alone for a few hours at least. I doubted she would be waking up any time soon after a crash like that. So I went back outside, a warm breeze tussling my mane as I made my way back to the crater and retrieved my watering can.
I briefly examined the crater. Fortunately, the mare hadn't landed on any of my bushes yet I could still see the ends of a few roots sticking out, the hole would need to be filled at some point. It wasn't urgent though so I left it for the time being.
I carried my water can back to my house and to the water pump where I refilled it. That finished I returned to where I had been watering and continued with my work, the sun beating down on me all the while.
Naturally, my mind wondered to the unconscious pegasus that was lying in my bedroom while my body went through the motions of this tedious work. I recalled the splendorous display of colours that had appeared just before the arrival of this mare, the warm and joyous feeling that I had felt at the sight. What had that been? I was not knowledgeable about magic or a great many things in the world, I knew about farming strawberries. So to comprehend such a sight and what relation it may have to the mysterious crash of this pegasus was beyond me, if she awoke then I hoped she would tell me.
That thought gave me pause. If What if the mare never awoke? And lay there breathing but motionless for days on end? Or worse still what if she stopped breathing all together? I did not enjoy the thought of having a dead pegasus on my farm. Of having to carry her body in my strawberry cart all the way to town and tell her friends and family that she died amongst my strawberry bushes.
I dashed the thought from my mind as I finished my day's work. By the time I made it back to my house, it was just past noon, Celestia's sun making a noticeable dip towards the west. Once back inside I immediately checked up on my impromptu house guest, she looked like she hadn't moved one bit in the past few hours but thankfully she was still breathing. So I left her there and returned to the kitchen.
For a late lunch/early dinner I mixed up a batch of hay cakes, mashing strawberries into a paste and mixing that in as well. I gathered a few logs and some tinder from a small storage space in my kitchen and set them aflame in the wood stove, using a flint and tinder to do so. Soon the hay cakes were frying to a nice brown and a pleasant smell wafted through my kitchen.
I found myself making a few more cakes than I would normally just in case the mare woke up and was hungry. I put the first few aside and served up the rest for myself. I also hung a kettle to boil while I sat down and ate.
I ate in silence, staring out the front window and watching the cloud go by and the sun dip further towards the horizon. I thought about the mare, of course, but tried to think less about the sobering possibility of her recovery and more what I could do to help. There wasn't much, I knew a few plants that when eaten dull pain but I didn't want to leave at this moment to go foraging. Perhaps later if the mare needed them when she awoke.
The kettle began to boil over and I poured myself a cup of mint tea and also grabbed one of my few books that I had laying around. It was some adventure book called Daring Doo and the Curse of the Minotaur Tomb by A.K Yearling. The story was so fantastical and ridiculous that I had to imagine that there were none other like it out there.
As I casually began to read and drink my cup of tea I found myself feeling a wave of sleepiness fall over me. Perhaps it was the excess of excitement today in my otherwise rather event-less life, but I found my eyelids drooping heavily and soon the soft embrace of slumber would take me.
The thing about living in the middle of nowhere is that it's always very quiet. Only the sounds of the wind and occasional animal to be heard. As such my ears tended to pick up anything outside of that.
I awoke to a noise though I was still too sleepy to tell what exactly it was. My eyes slowly opened, my chin resting on the table. The light outside was beginning to wane, the sun taking its last dive towards dusk, I had been asleep for a while. I sat up with a stretch and a yawn, my jaw popping in a satisfying manner.
I listened for a moment but there was nothing out of the ordinary, perhaps I had imagined the sound? But then, faintly, I heard it. Coming down the hall from my bedroom. A moan, a faint and weak voice of a mare calling out!
The grogginess of just waking up immediately vanished as I jumped to my hooves. I hurried down the hall and practically charged into the bedroom. It was there that I saw what I suspected: the mare was awake, she was struggling to sit up, her magenta eyes reflected the dying light of sundown.
“Don't!” I cried out, rushing over to her and placing a gentle hoof on her shoulder. “You're hurt! You shouldn't sit up!”
The mare look at me with wide and confused eyes, hey magenta irises captured my gaze as she opened her mouth and struggled to speak.
“Where-” she coughed and licked her dry lips. “Water.”
"Water, of course, lie down! Lie down! That's it, now stay here and I'll fetch you water," I said soothingly. I quickly ran to the kitchen and grabbed one of my few glasses, filled it, and returned to the mare. I held the cup to her lips as she sipped down the water, stopping only a few times to breathe.
“Where... am I?” she asked, her voice still weak.
"You're on my farm, my name is Strawberry, you had a terrible crash," I said. "Don't fret, you're safe now, just rest, you need to let yourself heal, okay?”
“...Okay,” she said, looking at me with a wide gaze. “Thank you.”
"It's not trouble," I insisted. "Now sleep, I'll check up on you later if you need anything just ask."
“Thank you,” she repeated.
“Like I said, no trouble,” I said, and I left her there.
I returned to the kitchen and sat back down with a sigh of relief. She was awake, that was a good sign. I didn't know the extent of how injured she was still but at least I was sure she wasn't going to die here. With luck she would make a fast and easy recovery, I could only hope.
Although as I poked the smoldering embers back into a small fire and put the kettle back on I realized I had another issue; she was in my bed. I didn't have another bed, or a couch, or anywhere decent to sleep. And as the sun finally disappeared from the world and only the stars and Luna's moon lit the sky I could feel sleepiness creep back to me once more. I stared at the table where I had just previously fallen asleep at and with a sigh I realized it was my only option.
I poured myself a fresh cup of tea and drank it standing up as I watched the stars twinkle in the sky. After finishing my cup I sat down at the table and rested my head down on it's wooden surface. By grace of being very tired, I fell quickly back to sleep.
I awoke a tad bit later than was the norm for me, the sun had already cleared the horizon has orange light cut through the morning mist like daggers. Every inch of me ached from the hooves to my jaw, most likely by virtue of my choice of sleeping quarters. I stretched and cracked every available joint in my body before standing up.
My thoughts were immediately of the injured mare. The extra hay cakes I had made the day prior were still out so I swiftly got a fire going and re-heated them as well as pouring a glass of milk. I re-filled the kettle and set that to boil as I carried the food to the bedroom.
The mare was already awake, sitting up and leaning against the backboard while staring out the window. She turned to me when I entered, her eyes lighting up at the sight of food.
“Feeling better?” I asked, placing the plate on her lap and the glass of milk on the nearby nightstand.
"Yes, just starving," she said, not waiting for a beat to start scarfing down the hay cakes.
I stayed by and watched her eat, not helping but to study her features rather than her injuries. An unevenly cut wild rainbow mane cascaded hung her back and hug around her eyes, she clearly didn't keep the best care of it and yet it was the most unique mane I had ever seen. Her magenta eyes were deep and captivating. And under her rough blue coat was clearly defined muscles from frequent exercise. As I took her in as a whole I realized with a strange feeling in my chest that she was very attractive in many respects, but I quickly dashed the intrusive though from my head.
“How does your head feel?” I asked as she finished the hay cakes and began sipping at the glass of milk.
“Aches real bad, but it's better than it was,” she said.
“And your wing?” I asked.
“Broken, in three places, I'm not flying anywhere for awhile,” she said automatically, I nodded along. I had no idea how she knew it was broken, then again it was her wing.
“That's quite the fall you had,” I commented as she finished her glass of milk. “Came out of nowhere, what were you doing if you don't mind me asking?”
“I...” the mare hesitated, staring at the empty glass in her hooves. “I don't know.”
Dread, cold and sharp. It began to creep into my chest as I licked my lip anxiously.
“You don't remember?” I asked slowly.
“...No,” the mare said, frowning.
“What... is the last thing you remember?” I asked, hoping beyond hope this wasn't bad.
“Waking up in this bed yesterday...”
“You don't remember crashing?”
“I remember being in pain.”
“Do you remember...” I trailed off, trying to find the right words. “Where you live?”
“...No,” the mare's eyes were begging to fill with the panic I was feeling in my chest. I did my best to at least appear calm.
“Your name?” I asked hopefully, and all I got was a crestfallen shake of the head.
I took a very deep breath. Panicking would help no one. I could already see the fear in this mare's eyes, it wouldn't do for me to add to that. I had to appear calm, for her.
“That's... that's okay,” I said, placing a gentle on her shoulder. "You took a pretty bad knock to the head, it's only natural that you'd be a bit... jumbled. I'm sure with enough rest it'll all come back.”
I wasn't sure, at all. But the mare nodded anyway, buying into the false hope.
We sat in silence for a moment, and awkward fear hanging in the air. I couldn't even begin to imagine what this poor mare must have been thinking.
“Would you like some mint tea?” I asked, finally getting her to look up from her empty glass. She offered me a small pretty smile.
“Sure,” she said, clearly thankful. I smiled back. This mare was tough, I was getting that impression.
I returned to her moments later holding two fresh cups of tea one of which she graciously accepted.
We sat together, sipping our tea. She didn't need to talk right now, I think she just appreciated that fact that she wasn't alone.
“Hey... uh, listen,” I spoke up. “I need to go get some work done, I'll be gone most of the day, will you be okay here?”
“Yeah, I think so,” the mare said, looking back at me.
“Okay, just call out if you need anything,” I said. “Try to get some more sleep.”
“I'll try.”
I gathered my water can and straw hat but also a shovel, that crater would need filling. It was already late morning. Today was very warm and moist, sweat and fog clung to my fur and made me feel very gross. I went over to where the crater was and went about piling all the displaced dirt into one big pile first before then re-filling the hole.
It was sweaty and hard work but it mercifully didn't take long, soon there was only a patch of discoloured dirt to mark where the hole had been. I then went about the much easier task of watering the bushes. I quickened my pace for the sake of the nameless mare.
Now that was a strange feeling. Having someone waiting on me. Knowing that there's another pony in the house after a days work. Reminded me of when pa was still around, but different. It was a nice feeling though I quickly tried not to enjoy it, soon enough this mare would be gone anyway.
By the time I was finished my work it was early afternoon, much past midday. Later than I'd usually finish but then I had started later and had extra work to do. I gathered my tools and carried them back. I washed the sweat quickly from my face and mane before drying them roughly with a towel. I swiftly returned to the bedroom where the mare awaited, she was awake when I got there.
“Did you sleep any?” I asked.
“A little,” she answered. “I'm not that tired, just sore.”
“I suppose that can be a good sign," I said, feeling a tad unsure. "Are you in much pain still?"
“No no, nothing to get worried about,” she insisted, I couldn't help but think she may have been stretching the truth.
“Can you... remember anything now?” I asked hopefully.
“Nothing,” she said, crushing my hopes. “It's all a big blank.”
“I'm sorry, it must be frustrating,” I said.
“Hey, I'm lucky to be alive from the sounds of it, and I have you to thank for it,” she said, turning to me with a smile. “I can't thank you enough, Strawberry right?”
“That's right,” I said, smiling back. “What's your na- oh, uh...”
“It's okay,” she said.
“Sorry, uh...” I panicked a bit. “Can I... call you something? Until you... remember?”
“Like what?”
“Well...” I stared at her beautiful mane, and I remembered the miasma of colours that had heralded her arrival. “How about Rainbow?”
“Rainbow...” she repeated, frowning in thought for a moment before grinning. "Yeah, Rainbow, it's fitting, I like it."
“I'm glad you do,” I said, glad to see she was in high spirits.
“So... this is your farm?” Rainbow asked, gesturing to the field that could be seen out the window.
“That's right,” I said with a nod. “Been running it on my own for two years now, was my pa's farm before he passed.”
“And what do you grow here? Apples?” Rainbow asked with a humorous grin.
“What? No!” I said with a chuckle. “Ew, no I grow strawberries of course.”
“I never would have guessed,” Rainbow said innocently but with a grin, getting another laugh from me.
“Alright, well I'm about to make dinner, are you hungry?” I asked.
“Am I ever!” Rainbow exclaimed, and she began climbing out of bed.
“Whoa! Whoa! I don't think you're ready to stand yet!” I said in worry, holding her steady.
“If I have to spend another second cramped in here I'll go crazy,” Rainbow insisted, placing all four hooves on the floor. “I need to stretch my legs.”
“Okay fine but take it easy?” I asked.
“I'm fine, really,” Rainbow said with confidence.
Despite being “fine” Rainbow still leaned heavily on me as we both made our way slowly to the kitchen. Rainbow practically collapsed into the chair, she was clearly trying to hide the pain from showing on her face.
“See? What I tell you? Fine,” she said with forced confidence, I bit my lip.
"I'm going to check that bump on your head okay?" I said, Rainbow nodded and I undid her head bandage. The cut has stopped bleeding and was caked over with dried blood. That was good, I think. So I dipped a cloth in some water and dabbed gently around the wound, washing away some dirt and excess dried blood before cutting away a fresh bandage and securing that around Rainbow's head.
“And your wing? Is the bandage comfortable?” I asked.
“Yeah, it's fine,” Rainbow said, looking at her broken wing before stretching her good one to it's full length. For a moment I was taken aback by the finely muscled, well-preened wing of what must have been a prolific flyer. I was only allowed a brief look before Rainbow pulled her wing back to rest at her side.
“Anyway...” I said, clearing my head. “I hope you like boiled fruit stew.”
“With strawberries?” Rainbow asked teasingly.
“Of course!” I said with mock pride, getting a laugh from her. A sound that was good to hear, it made me smile.
I went about getting dinner ready, pulling out strawberries, blueberries, bananas, and other fruits. Dividing and cutting them up into equal portions to then put into the pot to boil.
“So you've been working on this farm for two years?” Rainbow asked.
“Oh I've worked on this farm all my life, but on my own for two years,” I explained. “My Pa was with me until then, he passed away.”
“I'm sorry to hear that.”
“Thank you,” I said, I missed pa of course, but you learn to let go.
“So... no other family?” Rainbow asked.
“None that pa ever told me about,” I answered.
“Never knew your mom?”
“Pa never mentioned her, I never cared to ask,” I shrugged, it had never been something that bothered me.
“Not many friends?” Rainbow asked. “If you don't mind me prying.”
“It's okay,” I said, smiling. “Nearest town in nearly three days travel away, and I only really travel there after harvest to sell my berries, and there's no one around here, so no real friends... or special somepony either.”
“Really?” Rainbow asked, she sounded surprised. “No special somepony?”
“Why? Is that weird?” I asked, confused as I looked away from the boiling pot that I had been stirring to look at her.
“Uh...” Rainbow rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. “No... it's not weird.”
“Okay,” I said with a shrug and went back to stirring the pot.
We fell back into silence as I served us both helpings of the fruit stew. I sat down and we both dug into the warm dinner, only the sound of our spoons hitting the bowls to accompany us.
“So...” I began after a while. “I told you the nearest town is nearly three days away, that's Ponyville, there is a doctor there but I don't want to leave you here and I don't think you're fit to travel that long.”
“So what's the plan then?” Rainbow asked.
“I think it's best you rest and recover here for a bit, hopefully someone will come looking for you,” I said. “If not then you can travel with me when harvest comes, and we can see about getting you looked at.”
“And what if... what if I don't remember anything? Before then? Or... After?” Rainbow asked, staring down at her food. Without thinking about it I leaned over the table to take Rainbow's hooves in my own, smiling at her.
“I'll make sure you get better, okay?” I said, I didn't know if I could actually achieve that, but I wanted Rainbow to know that I would help her best I could. Pa had always taught me to be kind, and by Celestia I wasn't going to abandon someone in need.
Rainbow smiled back at me and we stared at each other for a long moment before I realized to my embarrassment that I was still holding her hooves. I quickly retreated back, feeling my face heat up just a tad. Though I tried not to think about why.
We finished the rest of our dinner in relative silence, but a comfortable one. I collected our used dishes and quickly washed them, I could feel Rainbow's eyes on me as I did so.
“Usually I go to bed right after dinner,” I said casually, trying to make conversation.
“Ugh, I've been sleeping all day!” Rainbow whined.
“Hush, you need to rest,” I insisted as I dried each dish and put them away.
“But I'm so bored,” Rainbow exclaimed.
“I have some books laying around,” I said, fighting off a laugh. “Reading always helps me sleep.”
“Reading, boring!” Rainbow turned her nose up at the idea.
“Oh come on,” I said, smiling at her. I retrieved the Daring Do book from where I had left it last and placed in front of Rainbow. “Just give it a try.”
“Daring Do and the Curse of the Minotaur's Tomb?” Rainbow read out loud and scoffed. “Sounds lame.”
“Well, I can't make you read it,” I giggled. “But you willgo back to bed, c'mon.”
With Rainbow using me as support I practically carried her back to the bedroom. Once she was safely back in bed I left her the book on the nightstand and bid her a good night. Returning to the kitchen table to what no doubt was going to be another awkward sleep.
I awoke to the sound of thunder and immediately I was overtaken by shivers. I could hear the pattering of rain assaulting my roof and the whistle of the wind outside. Dark clouds ruled the sky, it was unclear if the sun had even risen the world was so dim.
Rubbing my eyes I turned from the window and realized with a small fright that Rainbow was awake and sitting right in front of me. Her nose buried in the Daring Do book.
“Couldn't sleep?” I asked, getting her attention. “I see you got over your hate of reading.”
“The storm woke me up,” Rainbow said, closing the book. “And even reading is better than just sitting around... although this book is really awesome.”
“See? Told you you'd like it,” I said, and shivered again, it was unusually cold for the summer. Before I knew it Rainbow had scooted her chair next to mine and a warm soft weight rested itself across my back and pulled me in close to Rainbow's body. I looked and saw that she had draped a wing over me!
"Maybe we should start a fire?" Rainbow asked casually, I, however was unable to speak right away as my face heated up and words escaped me. I couldn't stop staring at Rainbow's pretty face.
“Uh... yeah,” I stuttered. “Sure.”
We were sat near to the stove so we barely needed to move to light it. Which meant Rainbow remained with her wing around me and her body very close. Soon small flames flickered to life and warmth radiated from my small stove. I couldn't help but scoot closer to Rainbow, she didn't seem to mind.
“Tomorrow I'll have to make sure no bushes got torn up by this storm,” I said with a small huff. “It'll be a long day.”
“Don't you do anything around her except farm?” Rainbow asked.
“Uh...” I faltered. “I guess not?”
“Why'd you never move?” Rainbow asked. “You could probably get a good piece of land nearer to a town, then you wouldn't have to be alone out her all the time.”
“I'm not alone!” I insisted.
“Not right now you aren't,” Rainbow said, nudging me in jest. “But how don't you go crazy cooped up in here all by your lonesome.”
“I dunno?” I said, a little taken aback, I never really thought about such things. "I don't really mind it I guess? And I could never move! This was pa's farm and his pa's farm before him.”
“Okay, I get that,” Rainbow said. “But what about after you?”
“What?” I asked, confused.
“Who's gonna have the farm after you?”
“I... that...” I was stumped, that reality had never occurred to me, not once. The idea of that, of me passing like pa did but with no one around to care terrified me. My mood must have shown on my face.
“Hey, sorry, I didn't want to be mean,” Rainbow said. “It's just...”
“Just what?” I asked.
“You seem like someone who could use a friend is all,” Rainbow said, slowly as if she thought out her words.
“Well... I'm grateful,” I said, feeling a warmth settle in my chest. “To have a friend.”
“I'm grateful to be here,” Rainbow said. That caught me off guard immediately, and I felt guilty.
“Rainbow...” I said slowly. “You have family and friends at home, they miss you.”
“Yeah well...” Rainbow said, shifting awkwardly. “I... can't remember who they are, I would never leave them hanging but If I can't ever remember them what is there to do?”
“You can't give up though,” I insisted.
“I'm not,” Rainbow said, ruffling her feathers. “I never give up, I'm just frustrated because... I dunno, I can't do anything.”
“We'll figure it out,” I said. “I won't give up on you.”
“Why though, you don't even know me?” Rainbow asked.
“It's the right thing to do,” I insisted. “Pa always said that we should always help people whenever we can.”
“Your pa sounds smart,” Rainbow said. “I'm glad he raised such a good pony.”
We sat in silence after that, basking in the combined comfort of each other and the soft glow of the fire. The storm continued to rage outside but became more of a background noise to our comfortable silence.
Eventually, we must have fallen asleep because I found myself opening my eyes to the sun shining in my eyes.
I was lying in my bed, which was odd because I didn't remember walking there. Rainbow was nowhere to be found, I sat up and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. I felt off. There was the sound of hoofsteps at my door and it swung open to show Pa standing there, alive and healthy looking.
Pa looked like I remembered him, reddish grey beard, untidy grey mane, and a face that was worn and sunbaked so much it was wrinkled and cracked like old leather. His aged brown eyes looking at me with wry fondness.
“Git yer flank up, lazybones,” Pa grunted. “We've gotta long day o'workin' ahead of us.”
“Ugh, Pa, can't we take one day off?” I groaned.
“Celestia's sun don't take a day off and neither shall we,” Pa said. “Now come on...”
Pa trailed off, his eyes not focusing properly. I climbed out of bed and stood before him but he didn't look at me, just stared into the distance at nothing with a loose jaw.
“Pa?” I asked in worry, that got his attention. He blinked and looked at me, the usual familiar warmth was replaced with complete confusion and panic.
“Who... who are you?” Pa asked.
Fear totally consumed me as I was dragged back to reality. My heart pumping and gasping for breath I looked around. I was still in my kitchen, Rainbow's warm presence leaning against me and the soft glow of embers warming by hooves. I caught my breath and stilled my fast beating heart, repeating to myself that it had just been a dream, just a dream, just a dream...
I looked over to Rainbow's face, her attractive features somehow greater in sleep. Rainbow, whose memories were gone, just like Pa...
What if she had a daughter that she wouldn't recognize? Could I live with myself to see someone else feel that? Yet, could I even prevent it? I felt so useless. But I knew these anxieties wouldn't help Rainbow in the slightest, so I did my best to bury such thoughts.
I sat and watched the sun rise and shine through the overcast sky left over by last night's storm. Usually, I would be eating breakfast and getting out to work right about now, especially with the storm no doubt doing a number on my strawberry bushes. Yet with Rainbow peacefully sleeping nearly directly on me I found myself unable or unwilling to move.
Rainbow would stir a few hours later, around nine in the morning by my reckoning. She shifting and her eyes slowly opened, stretching but not moving from her position next to me.
“How long have you been awake?” Rainbow asked, laying her head back on my shoulder where it had been, I felt my face heat up.
“A few hours,” I admitted. “I didn't want to wake you up.”
Rainbow hummed in content and snuggled closer to me, making me feel warm all over. Yet, practicality asserted itself as I saw how high the light of the sun had risen already.
“Rainbow I have work to do, who knows what that storm did to my berries?" I said.
“Hm, can't you take one day off?” Rainbow asked sleepily.
“Celestia's sun don't take a day off,” I said automatically. “And nor shall we.”
“Fiiine, but breakfast first?”
“Of course.”
I made us both hot bowls of oatmeal, loaded with sugar and berries. We spooned down our breakfast before I headed outside, Rainbow close behind me.
“I still think you should stay inside,” I said.
“I'll go nuts if I don't get some fresh air,” Rainbow insisted. “Besides, I'm well enough to help you with a few chores, it's the least I can do.”
“Alright, well we don't need to water since the rain did that for us,” I explained, retrieving my trowel and hoe, giving the trowel to Rainbow. “But the storm may have uprooted a few of the bushes, if they're salvageable we'll just put the dirt back on them, if not we'll take the berries now and I'll probably bake a pie with them, that's probably all they'll be good for. Grab that basket would you?"
There was a fair amount of damaged bushes. Fortunately, the damage seemed to be mostly limited to broken branches and the occasionally exposed root, I prayed thanks to Gaia for protecting my crop.
“I've never seen so many strawberries in my life,” Rainbow commented at one point.
“What are you talking about? There's only one of me,” I said, trying and failing to keep a straight face Rainbow stared at me deadpan for a bit before delivering a playful punch to my shoulder.
“Ow!” I said in mock pain, my smile only widening.
“That's for that terrible pun!”
“Hey! I thought it was funny!” I giggled, elated at the smile that graced Rainbow's features.
We joked and laughed all the way back to the house, tossing the equipment back where it belonged and sitting down on the swinging bench on my front porch. We sat very close, Rainbow's wing instantly wrapping around me and while my head found her shoulder. Rainbow took to nuzzling the top of my head which I soon returned with my own affection, or snouts rubbed at each other's faces until after a brief moment of excited tension Rainbow planted a soft kiss between my eyes which was followed swiftly by a kiss stolen from my lips.
Warmth blossomed through every part of me as I opened my eyes and stared into Rainbow's deep magenta ones. A feeling of bliss over me as I saw the tender look in this gorgeous mare's eyes, a look I had never seen directed at me before. So inviting was it that I couldn't help but delightfully steal a kiss of my own, my hooves resting on Rainbow's chest gently.
Yes as we retreated from this shared kiss I was assaulted by a feeling that pushed away the warm bliss. It was icy and sharp and painful, it was shame, and it was guilt. I pulled away.
“Strawberry-” Rainbow began, but I cut her off.
“No,” I said, looking away from her and closing my eyes tight, I was shaking from barely contained sobs and tried my best to hang onto the stinging tears. “No, no, no, we can't... we can't do that Rainbow.”
"Why?" Rainbow asked, all confused and worried as she hopped off the bench and tried to place a comforting hoof on my shoulder, I pulled away.
“You don't remember anything!” I said, louder than I meant, I couldn't look her in the eyes. “For all we know you're married with kids! I can't just take advantage of that!”
“You're not taking advantage of anything,” Rainbow insisted. “And even if... if I have some sort of family, that doesn't make what I feel for you any less real.”
“You're not yourself!” I cried, tears fully falling now. This ached. “You don't remember who you are! Where you come from! Your life!”
“I'm still me, memories don't make up who I am,” Rainbow argued but I shook my head.
“A pony is a sum of their memories,” I said. “Stories you tell your friends, tales you tell yourself. When Pa was nearing the end he couldn't remember who he was or who I was, he was a different person!”
“...So that's what you're afraid of,” Rainbow said after a long pause. “I'm not your Pa, Strawberry.”
“Somewhere out there you have people who love you,” I insisted. “I know what it's like to look into someone you love's eyes and they don't recognize you, it hurts Rainbow, it hurts more than any pulled muscle or broken wing. I don't want that to happen to someone else!"
“Even if it did it wouldn't be your fault!” Rainbow said, she was holding back tears now. “You didn't make me crash! You didn't make me lose my memory! And for all you know I could be all alone!”
“We can't know for sure!” I said, wiping my eyes. “You've known me for three days, you can't choose that on the possibility that you're leaving something behind!”
“Why do I have to choose?” Rainbow grabbed my face and gently held it so I had to look at her. “Say I never get my memory back, we go into town, doc can't do a thing, no one recognizes me? What am I losing? Or what if I do remember? Why does that exclude you?”
“There'll be no room for me...” I insisted.
“Then I'll make room,” Rainbow said strongly. “Like it or not you're part of my life now, I'm not gunna abandon you.”
“But... why?” I asked. “Why would you feel this for... me? For some strawberry farmer in the middle of nowhere?”
“No one deserves to be alone,” Rainbow said. “Being kind enough to help a random stranger aside, you're funny, you're good to be around, you make me feel good just by being near me, and you're beautiful. You've been stuck here alone for so long you think that's all there is, I can't leave you hanging like that after you literally saved my life.”
“What did I do...” I said as I pressed my forehead against Rainbow's. “To deserve you?”
“Just being yourself,” Answered Rainbow, kissing my forehead.
“That's not much,” I said, burying my face in Rainbow's chest, feeling her heartbeat.
“It's enough,” Rainbow insisted, wrapping her hooves around me and planting another kiss on my head.
The show of doubt still hung over my mind, but the warmth of Rainbow's embrace and the sound of her steady heartbeat was enough to calm me. I realized how starved I had been for touch, how long it had been since I had been held? Since I had been kissed? I hadn't even been kissed like this before, by my pa yes but this was different. It almost felt alien to me, and overwhelming, but in a good way.
“Better?” Rainbow asked.
“Yeah,” I answered, my tears had dried. Rainbow lifted my chin gently so she could peck me on the lips. An action which flushed my face and set my chest aflutter.
“It's late already, let's go inside,” Rainbow suggested.
“Okay...” I said slowly, my mind to focused on my tingling lips to really think straight.
Rainbow helped me make dinner. We broke into my small supply of pasta and sauce and made spaghetti, with thick spicy tomato sauce mixed in. We didn't even bother with too plates, preferring to slurp from the same large plate. I couldn't help but think about us both grabbing the same noodle and our lips being brought together once more. Sadly it didn't happen.
Rainbow did, however, tap me playfully on the nose with her hoof before scooping up the dishes and going about washing them. I stood to help but Rainbow stopped me.
“You need to be the one sitting down and doing nothing for once,” she said. I complied and watched her wash the dishes, the view wasn't the worst in the world after all. My face was flushed the entire time.
After Rainbow finished and put away the dishes she turned to me and smiled.
“I think maybe we should share the bed tonight, sleeping at the table can't be comfortable,” Rainbow said. My face burned hot and Rainbow must have noticed because she snickered.
“You're cute when you're speechless,” she teased. “Not like that silly... that comes later.”
Rainbow didn't stop laughing at my face until we were already in bed.
I meant to just sleep facing away from Rainbow and keep a respective distance between us, but Rainbow swiftly drew me into her hooves and enveloped me in her warm embrace. I didn't protest, and my eyes closed swiftly as I fell into what must have been my most comfortable sleep in years.
I woke up very late, judging by how bright the sun was it was almost noon. I turned away from the window and faced Rainbow's sleeping form. I buried my nuzzle in her mane and close my eyes. No amount of agricultural duty could pull me from this moment. A smile grew on my face and stayed there quite comfortably as I dozed, the warmth of the sun at my
back and Rainbow's softness covering me like a breathing blanket.
While time didn't really seem to pass I knew it was hours before Rainbow awoke. I suspected she may have been awake for much longer still but she hadn't wanted to move any more than I did. She only spoke up when I moved my head a bit, and I could feel her voice vibrating through her chest.
“I suppose we have to get up now, huh?” Rainbow asked.
“Well...” I said slowly. “I suppose my plants can go one day without me.”
Rainbow moved so that we were fully face to face, I saw her smile and was captured in her eyes before she captured me in a kiss. Unlike our previous contact this kiss was long, gentle, but not without passion. I returned the affection and soon we were slowly dancing back and forth, taking short breaths in between before diving back in. My face was burning hot, I could barely think it was so intoxicating.
I felt Rainbow caress my cheek, they her hoof trailed down my neck, my chest. She caressed my belly for a moment before going lower, lower, and-
“Stop,” I said, suddenly breaking our trail of kisses and halting Rainbow's hoof with my own. While I was still consumed with warmth a true real fear had risen as Rainbow's hoof had wondered. “I... I'm not ready for that.”
“Okay,” Rainbow said instantly, she removed her hoof at once and actually scooted completely away from me entirely.
“That's okay.”
Immediately I missed her touch so I pulled her back close and nuzzled her gently. I felt embarrassed and ashamed, I had ruined a perfect moment!
“I'm sorry,” I said, shaking a bit. Rainbow stroked my mane.
“Don't be, you don't have to if you don't want to,” Rainbow insisted. “It's my fault, I should have asked.”
“It's just I never... never...” I couldn't think, my mind was in such a jumble.
“It's okay,” Rainbow repeated. “You don't have to explain, you don't need to, you didn't do anything wrong.”
I buried my face in her mane as she stroked my red curls soothingly. Eventually, I felt better, the dangerous heat was gone, the moment past, but I didn't feel ashamed for ending it so quickly anymore. I rested in Rainbow's embrace silently for a moment, thinking, until a thought clawed its way to the forefront of my mind...
“You... called me beautiful,” I said. “...why?”
“You kidding?” Rainbow asked incredulously. Once again moving so we were face to face. She ran a hoof through my mane.
“I love how curly your mane is, it bobs around when you walk, I love the dimples you get when you smile, and...”
Rainbow leaned forward and kissed me just below the eyes.
“Your freckles are adorable,” she said. I flushed and bit my lip, feeling a shy smile grow.
“You're not so bad yourself,” I said.
“Oh?” Rainbow said mockingly. “Go on.”
“Your attitude for one,” I laughed, tapping her on the nose. “It's annoying, but makes me smile.”
“I'll take it,” Rainbow chuckled.
“Your mane,” I continued. “It's gorgeous, unique, soft like silk but I can tell you barely keep good care of it.”
“Hey!”
“I mean that in a good way,” I insisted. “And your eyes... You have beautiful eyes.”
I saw those eyes light up at my words, and that filled me with such an elated feeling that I thought I might burst. The only outlet I had was the pony before me and her lips, which I quickly grabbed for a long kiss. That passion from before returned but it was more subtle, less intimidating.
“Anything else?” Rainbow asked.
“Stop fishing!” I said laughing.
We laid there for hours, wrapped in each other, hungry only for each other's lips. I never wanted to leave this moment. It had been long since I had known a loving comfort like this, ever truly at this level. I fell asleep with a smile on my face.
When I opened my eyes I was sitting on my porch. Looking out across my strawberry field as a bright and glorious sun touched the whole earth. From my fields emerged Rainbow, her mane was tied in a long braid under a straw hat and she was covered in sweat and dirt; I had never seen her more beautiful. She smiled at me as she trotting from the fields.
"Lazybones," she teased as she closes the distance and kissed me lovingly, drawing away only to stare at me with tenderness.
“I love y-”
I awoke to a sound, my ears perking up at once. I barely had time to regain my bearings before I heard it again; loud, sharp, urgent, and a little terrifying came the rapid knocks on my door. They echoed through the whole house and seemed to shake the whole foundation. Rainbow didn't even stir as I reluctantly pulled myself from her warmth and climbed out of bed. Again the knocks came as if trying to break down the door almost, it set fear aflutter in my chest. No one came here, no one knocked on my door.
I went into the kitchen and faced the front door. From the other side emanated some manner of purple glow, it spilled through the cracks brightly as the door shook with another round of knocks. I mustered my courage and pushed open the latch to the door, allowing it to swing open.
Immediately I was blinded by a bright purple light which I recoiled from while shielding my eyes with a hoof. After a moment of adjustment I blinked and was able to make out a silhouette, but as the details made themselves clear I found myself in a state of shock.
In front of me stood a tall mare, she had deep purple eyes, a lavender coat, and a dark purple mane with a streak of pink it it. A long and sharp looking horn was placed upon her head and it was there that the purple light shined magically from. Yet, this was not a unicorn, for at her side's were folded large wings, not unlike Rainbow's own.
An Alicorn, there was an Alicorn in my doorstep. There was only four Alicorns, Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and...
“Hello,” the stranger said. “I'm sorry to disturb you at this hour, my name is Princess Twilight Sparkle.”
“I uh....” I was stunned, taken aback. “...The Twilight Sparkle?”
“Yes,” Princess Twilight Sparkle said with a touch of a chuckle. “I hope I'm not intruding?”
“N-no! Not at all Princess? What... uh... what can I do for you?” I asked, I still wasn't quite understanding what was going on.
"Well, it's a matter of great importance I assure you," Princess Twilight Sparkle said. "You see about three days ago a friend of mine went missing, I believe she may have ended up somewhere in this area. Have you seen an adult mare pegasus, blue coat, magenta eyes, very distinctive rainbow coloured mane?”
That brought me back to reality.
“Oh my Celestia,” I said, eyed widening in realization. “Y-yes, yes I have, she's here!”
“Rainbow Dash is here?!” The Princess asked in excitement, and I found myself in shock once again.
“Wait, wait, wait, she's The Rainbow Dash!?” I asked incredulously.
“You didn't know? Didn't she tell you?” Twilight asked.
“I...” It was really getting hard to think at the moment. Mostly because I was dealing with the reality that Rainbow Dash, Bearer of the Element of Loyalty, Knight of the Order of Friendship, and Hero of Equestria, had been making out with me a few hours ago. "Maybe you should come in... Your Highness, we should talk..."
I led the Princess into the kitchen where I piled some wood into the stove. I struggled with the flint and tinder for a minute before there was a flash and Snap! noise which made me jump in surprise. The wood burst into flame immediately. I turned around to see Princess Sparkle's horn glowing with purple magic, she smiled at me and took the liberty of magically filling the kettle and placing it on the fire. It boiled quickly and I poured us both tea.
“Rainbow crashed into my field four days ago,” I said, sitting down. “Really hard, she was badly hurt and knocked out so I brought her back to my house and did what I could for her...”
“Then you have my thanks," Princess Twilight said, smiling. "But why didn't you send for a doctor? Or bring her to Ponyville, her home?”
“I didn't want to leave her alone while I travelled for almost three days to get a doctor, and she was until recently too hurt to travel on the road for that long,” I explained. “I don't get mail service here either, plus I didn't know she was from Ponyville... or that she was Rainbow Dash...”
"Because...?" Princess Twilight pressed, her face beginning to crease with worry.
“Because... because Rainbow can't remember anything from before the crash,” I admitted, yet I could not meet the Princess' eyes anymore. “Not her name, not her home, nothing, I only called her Rainbow because of her mane... I know about you and all your friends of course, but I've never seen you or her before, I didn't know...”
“It's not your fault,” Princess Twilight said, taking a calming breath. “You did what you could and helped a complete stranger... but Rainbow Dash losing her memory is worrying...”
“Do...” I began but stuttered, there were so many things I wanted to ask, that my heart ached to know, but I knew I could never speak these questions. Did Rainbow have a family? Did she have a love? Was there a chance that what she promised me was true and that there was room in her life for me? I wanted to but couldn't ask these questions. “...Do you think you can restore her memory?”
“The mind is a fickle thing, and magic has its limits," Princess Twilight said thoughtfully. "With careful techniques, I believe I can restore most of her memories, although not everything, she may forget a particular event or two things like her name, her family, and her friends are not easily erased permanently."
Again I had to catch myself once again. I needed to be careful in my wording.
“Will she... remember crashing? And the last three days?” I asked. I tried to sound as casual as I could, fortunately, the Princess didn't seem to notice anything odd.
“That's hard to say, though it's very likely that she won't recollect the crash or anything immediately following it.”
My heart ached like I was stabbed but I kept my face clear. No, I had no right to be upset, I had known Rainbow for less than a week. The bond between Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends was legendary, I had no place with these people. I wouldn't be, I couldn't be so selfish. Yet, I knew Rainbow wouldn't agree...
“I'll go wake Rainbow up,” I said, holding down the emotion burning in my throat. I went to the bedroom where Rainbow
was and found her still asleep, her beautiful mane cascading over the mattress. I just wanted to lay next to her and forget the reality which sat in my kitchen.
“Rainbow...” I said gently, shaking her. Rainbow stirred and opened her eyes sleepily, smiling the moment she saw me. My stomach hurt.
“Good morning, beautiful,” she said, stealing a kiss.
“Rainbow...” I said, my voice breaking as I pushed her away.
“What's the matter?” Rainbow asked, sitting up.
“Nothing,” I said, clearing my throat. “There's someone here, come on.”
I got a confused Rainbow to follow me to the kitchen. When Princess Twilight saw Rainbow her eyes lit up and a wide happy smile grew on her lips.
“Rainbow!” she exclaimed, standing up and quickly closing the distance and pulling her into a warm hug which lasted a long moment. Rainbow noticeably didn't return the hug and looked very confused when the Princess pulled away.
“Who are you?” Rainbow Dash asked.
The look Rainbow had, she didn't recognize her friend. I saw the pain, the utter torture reflected in Twilight's eyes. I had to look away because it hurt me because I knew what that felt like. My thoughts went to the rest of Rainbow's friends, how many hearts would be broken before her mind was fixed?
“My name is Twilight,” the Princess said, masterfully masking her pain. “You don't remember me because of that nasty crash you had, but I'm your friend.”
“Oh...” Rainbow didn't sound overly enthusiastic. “So... you're here to take me home?"
“Yes,” Princess Twilight said. “I'm going to help you get your memory back, but going back to your home is the best way to do that.”
“I...” Rainbow looked at me, her eyes said it all but I spoke up first.
“You need to go, Rainbow,” I said, basically forcing the words.
Rainbow stepped closer, I knew she wanted a kiss, but I cut her off and hugged her instead.
“Come visit, I meant what I said,” Rainbow whispered. I couldn't bring myself to say anything in reply.
“I shall be sure to send a reward here once we return,” Twilight said. “I owe you that much, Strawberry.”
“Oh! That's not needed!” I insisted, I honestly didn't want to be praised for any of this.
“You're a good pony, Strawberry,” Princess Twilight said. “You should know that, and visit Ponyville when you get a chance!”
Rainbow and I shared a look as Twilight placed a hoof on her shoulder, her horn flashed and the both of them disappeared.
I stood there, alone once more. The warmth that I had been feeling for the past few days robbed of me. I walked outside and stared across the dimly lit landscape that was my strawberry farm. The sun had already broken the horizon and the day was beginning.
Princess Twilight said there was been a chance that Rainbow would remember me. Yet when I thought of going to Ponyville... could I risk the chance of seeing that look? I didn't know if I could bear that pain again. Even just seeing how it tore Princess Twilight apart inside, no matter how much she tried to hide it.
Pa forgot me, and now Rainbow would to.... but I was okay, I was, really. I stood up and started walking through my strawberry bushes, I was okay. I'd spent two years on my own, three days of company didn't change that.
My strawberries looked dry, unhealthy. Many of the berries showed wrinkles and the branches they sat on leaned down weakly. Some of the leaves had turned an ugly brown and held on by nary a thread, clinging desperately to life. The salt tears that I dripped on them would only make it worse, but at the moment that was all I could really give my poor plants. I would have to dig up many of the plants, so much less fruit to harvest, just because I had skipped one day of care.
I suppose that's what happens to things when you forget, they wither away.
Author's Note
An idea I've had for a while. Trying to branch out into different genres. Let me know your thoughts.
I drew Strawberry
