Appledash: The Magic of True Friendship
The First Act- A tale of betrayal
Spending a hot and sultry Friday afternoon, sitting in a non-air conditioned room wasn’t exactly the best way I would choose to spend my time. Glancing to my left, I saw that Applejack was enjoying the lecture even less than I was, slumped over, eyes half shut.
It was 3rd Period Science and Professor Discord was droning on about the hazards of genetic fusion. Most of the class were either half-asleep or absently doodling. Everyone that is, except for Twilight, who was completely engrossed in the lecture and was hastily scrawling note after note.
As I watched her, Applejack sat up and yawned. “How much longer do we have to sit through this?” She mumbled, lazily placing her head upon my shoulder. As we were sat at the very back, we didn’t have to hide our affection.
A.J and I have been going out for about 4 months now, but we haven’t said a thing to anybody, not even to Twilight and the others. It’s mostly because A.J’s afraid of what people will think about us, but as I’ve tried telling her a thousand times before, even if people do choose to make a big fuss over the fact that we’re dating, it will eventually die down. Besides, I know that our friends will be ok about it, and even if they aren’t, they’ll still respect our choice. That’s what makes a true friend.
“I would say about, fifteen minutes, sugarcube.” I replied softly, and she smiled and pecked me upon the cheek as I used her term of endearment.
I rested my hand gently upon her thigh and weaved the other through her soft, blonde mane of hair. Up until we started going out, Applejack had almost always worn her hair in a neat ponytail. Now, knowing that I preferred it, she let it grow out, framing her soft green eyes and rosy face.
She shivered a little, but rested her head against my shoulder again.
It doesn’t bother me in the slightest that she wants to wait before coming out. I care for her and I respect her wishes. Hell, there’s not many people out there that wouldn’t be nervous about announcing to their closest friends that their barn doors swing a different way. I’m not afraid of what anybody thinks about me, I’ve got my fair share of haters, but then not everybody can be as awesome as I am.
“If you’re not going to wear your hat,” I said to her teasingly, grabbing her Stetson and flipping it upon my head. “Then I guess I’m gonna have to!”
A.J chuckled and taking her head off my shoulder, began packing up her kit and getting ready to go home. “Ah suppose that y’all can wear it, ‘till tomorrow that is.”
“Attention class!” Called out Professor Discord, hanging from the ceiling to demonstrate why not to genetically combine your DNA with a bat’s. “I hope you have all been listening attentively, because I expect a 1000, word essay on genetic fusion no-no’s handed to me by next Thursday!”
The bell suddenly rang, amid the groans and complaints. Applejack waited for me as I quickly gathered up my gear and stuffed it all into my bag. As we walked down the hall, towards the cafeteria, we bumped into Twilight, who was stopped by her locker. Her freshman friend, Spike was standing beside her, looking majorly overladen with books and equipment. As we neared, we heard them talking heatedly about something, though I didn’t quite hear.
“Relax, Twi.” I heard Spike tell her, apparently trying to console her.
“Relax? Relax?!” She exclaimed, shrilly, throwing a couple more books on top of the pile Spike was carrying, nose still buried in her locker. “It’s completely disgusting! I can’t believe that they could do something like this to us!”
“Well what’s the big deal with it anyway?” Spike countered, sounding frustrated and sagging further as his pile grew larger and larger. “I don’t see anything wrong with it. Personally I think it’s great that they’ve found an interest in each other!”
“Hey Spike, ya need a hand there buddy?” I asked, coming up to the pair. To my surprise, Spike went deathly pale as he saw us and could only stutter.
Uh, h-hey Rainbow D-d-dash.” He mumbled. “N-nah I’m a-a-all g-good.”
I frowned, noticing his alarmed face. I was about to question him further, but suddenly Twilight whirled around and faced us, I noticed her cheeks were flushed. She stared at us aggressively, eyes narrowed.
“What do you want, Rainbow?”
“Heyup Twi, what’s happening?” Applejack asked, and glancing over at her, I saw that she looked just as confused as I did. “Are y’all alright?”
“Oh I am absolutely fine, Applejack.” Spat Twilight venomously, slamming her locker shut with a sharp bang. “Well I was, until you guys showed up!”
Applejack looked down at her feet, a hurt and confused look upon her face, and anger surged through me.
“Twilight!” I asked forcefully. “What is your problem, why are you acting like this? We were just seeing how you and Spike were doing. We just saw you two in a heated argument.”
“So you want to know my problem, huh?” Twi responded angrily, squaring up to me. “You really wanna know why I’m mad?!”
“Twilight, stop this,” Spike quietly pleaded, trying to make her see reason. “Please Twi, before one of you says something you regret.”
Unfortunately, both of us ignored his words, something that would come to haunt me for the rest of my days.
“Nah, actually I already figured it out.” I replied contemptuously, anger getting the better of me. I shook Applejack off when she tried to restrain me. “You’re just a moody, snobby bitch who gets out of bed on the wrong side one day and takes it out on her friends!”
Applejack and Twilight both gasped in shock and my cheek flushed a fiery red as Twilight slapped me across the face, a loud smack echoing in the hall, and my head snapped back, reeling and causing me to lose my balance.
For a couple of moments, complete silence reigned in the main hall. Everyone had frozen around us, watching as Applejack helped me up, concern in her eyes. I stared at Twilight in shock, as she glared at me, a blend of shock, sadness and rage upon her face and Spike just stood beside her, face in his hands.
I gingerly rubbed my cheek and with Applejacks help, stood up, still watching Twilight.
“My problem is that you and Applejack are together.” She hissed. “You filthy lesbians will tear our group of friends apart, it’s not natural!”
At that moment and time, I honestly might have been capable of murder.
In fact, if it weren’t for Applejack still holding me and whispering restraint into my ear, I might have finished it, then and there. As it was, she was glaring at Twilight and I found myself, restraining her as much as she me.
Spike, however wasn’t as cool.
“What the fuck Twilight!” He yelled at her, dropping her books and she quailed as he stood before her. “Are you seriously that shallow and hideous that you can’t simply accept people for who they are? So what if they're in love? What the hell does it matter to you! I thought you were better than that. I thought I knew you better than that. It seems I was wrong.”
With that he shot an apologetic glance towards us and walked off, leaving Twilight still standing there, more shock and hurt than anger now registering upon her face.
Around us, whispered comments ran through the assembled crowd like wildfire, mutterings and snickers. I stared at them defiantly, Applejack in my arms. Right then, worrying about what the school thinks about our relationship wasn’t exactly on my priority list. Not even close.
However, as I watched the students, it dawned on me that they weren’t making fun of me and Applejack, but were taunting and laughing at Twilight who stood there, bright red and gazing down at the ground now.
A part of me felt like standing up for her, and telling the crowd to quit it. I mean that’s what friends do, they help each other out.
But there was another part of me, far greater than the sympathetic side that laughed in glee as Twilight’s reputation crashed and burned around her. She broke the friendship, my mind rationalised. It wasn’t her slap that bothered me. That I’m fine with, could take it any day. But she hurt Applejack, made her feel bad about herself, and that’s something I will not stand for.
So I remained quiet, as the rest of our friends sprinted into view.
“Hey, what’s happening, is there a party that no-one told me about?” Complained Pinkie Pie, stomping her foot and pouting. “I’m the party girl at this school! The least somebody could have done was tell me if there was a party going on, I mean, how rude!”
“Rainbow, Twi, A.J, what’s going on” Sunset Shimmer demanded, walking over to us, followed by Pinkie and the others. “Why is your cheek all flushed Rainbow, did you get into a fight?”
“Hardly a fight Sunset.” Applejack exclaimed. “Twilight slapped her!”
There were shocked gasps from the others as Twilight tried to back away from us, shame clouding her face. She stopped struggling as I removed my arms from A.J, (Making sure that I was in control of myself.) and striding over to Twi, grabbed her shoulders and wheeled her round to face us.
“Whatever made Twilight hit you, Rainbow darling?” asked Rarity, shock upon her face.
I just looked at A.J, keeping my mouth shut, not trusting myself to speak. I felt nauseous as the events of the last few minutes caught up to me, and staggering for balance, grabbed A.J’s shoulder for support.
“Rainbow and Ah were jest walking out of Discord’s class, when we came upon Twi and Spike, arguing something fierce. Ah asked Twi what was up and she snapped at me.” A.J narrated still looking nervous. “Weel Rainbow being Rainbow, said something she probably shouldn’t have, and Twilight here, slapped her.”
“But why, A.J?” Fluttershy asked anxiously. “Surely there’s more to it than that. I mean, Twilight’s your best friend.”
“That was what ah thought.” Continued A.J sadly, with a touch of anger. “After she hit Rainbow, she had this rant about how she hated our guts and thought we were unnatural.” “Those sorts of things tend to break friendships.” She finished coldly.
“What is so unnatural about you two, exactly?” Said Pinkie, serious for once, all thoughts of cupcakes/parties/whatever she thought about, forgotten.
Applejack opened her mouth to speak, but I stopped her. “It’s better that I say this.” I whispered to her, and patted her shoulder.
She nodded, eyes wide and, in each other’s embrace, we confronted our dearest friends.
Previously, I had believed for certain that our friends would accept us and be happy. That was until I bumped into Twi today. So I thought that it was best that I speak the truth, because A.J isn’t used to rejection, isn’t used to being hated her whole life by multiple people like I was.
“Applejack and I love each other very much and are dating.” I growled flatly, a touch more coldly than I should’ve been, I guessed. I wrapped my arms around my true love tighter, as if my love alone could shield her against the criticism and hate that was surely coming.
There was silence for a few seconds and I closed my eyes, feeling A.J tremble slightly against me. Then, to mine and Applejacks surprise, we felt four pairs of arms wrapped around us.
I opened my eyes and beheld a scene that definitely fixed my views on the magic of friendship.
We were enveloped in a warm hug by Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy.
And Sunset Shimmer.
The crowd broke into loud cheers and applause as I smiled in unexpected joy.
When we broke up, Applejack wasn’t entirely convinced about our true friends’ acceptances.
“Y’all mean to say, that you’re all ok with having lesbians as friends?” She asked, shoulders hunched, waiting for reprimand.
“Applejack, Darling, if that hug didn’t make it clear, then yes we don’t care about your ….er sexual preferences.” Rarity said, stammering a little. “We love and accept you for who you and Rainbow Dash are, just as we know you two would accept any one of us.”
Here she stopped and glared at Twilight Sparkle who was shrunk against the wall, tears misting her eyes. “That’s what true friends are for!”
“Are you all sure that you can handle us together?” I said shortly, but in a tone of rapidly flowing happiness. “You all will be comfortable?”
“Rainbow, you’re my oldest friend.” Fluttershy piped up, a warm smile upon her face. “I know that I can tell you anything and you won’t make a big fuss, and you should know by now that you can do the same with me. I will always be here to support you, and Applejack.”
“Me too!” Chimed in Pinkie, jumping up and down. “Because true friends help friends!”
I heard a sniffling sound and turning, saw that Twilight had slumped onto the floor and tears were streaming down her face. The hate and vicious satisfaction that had previously dwelled within me had gone, to be replaced with a sense of deep sorrow and pity.
I separated myself from Applejack and made to walk over to Twi, but A.J’s hands restrained me, wrapping around my body softly but firmly.
“It’s alright Jackie.” I murmured into her ear and she flushed as I used my special pet name for her. “I’m just going to talk to her.”
She nodded and released me, but still had a worried look in her eyes as she watched me go.
“Twilight.” She looked up from where she had sat, wiping the tears from her eyes.
Appledash: The Magic of True Friendship
The Second Act, Part 1- Rejection
“Twilight.” She looked up from where she had sat, wiping the tears from her eyes.
I walked over to where she had slumped against the wall.
"Twilight, I'm sorry that you feel this way about our choice, but I guess you're entitled to your own opinion and I can't change it." I said to her, kneeling down so that my eyes were level to hers. "While I'm not impressed by it, the least I can do is to respect it, and so I will."
She tried to look away, but I held her chin and directed her gaze back upon me. I had something that I needed her to know, or else I would never forgive myself.
"Twilight, I personally hope that it doesn't have to come down to that. We were best friends once, long before the others came, even before Applejack came. I had your back and you had mine, remember? I took a beating and a detention to save you, and you made it up by helping me with my Mathematics and English."
"We were best friends up until we came to high school. What with meeting the others, you taking on all those extra-curricular classes and me entering in all those sports, me and you kinda drifted apart. I regret not putting in the time to establish and re-new our friendship, because I miss hanging out with you sometimes. I mean, sure we hang out with the others, but when was the last time we ever did something together, just you and me?"
As I looked into her lilac eyes, I saw them fill with tears and I was aware of my own eyes getting damp.
"I really want to stay friends with you Twilight, not even just friends. I want us, you and me to be the best friends we used to be. The one thing standing in the way, is the fact that I love Applejack and I know she loves me too. If we're going to be friends, then your going to have to get over your fear." I continued, a little huskily. "Twilight, I want you to be my friend again, I want to forget about this."
So saying, I extended my hand out towards her, a little hesitant. "So what do you say?"
I don't know what I expected from her. Maybe in my naivety, I had thought that she would overcome a lifelong fear just to remain friends with people that she would most likely lose contact with, after college.
Whatever I may have though, I was definitely not expecting what did happen next.
She jumped to her feet, knocking my hand aside and threw herself at me, her hands locking around my throat.
In the suddenness of the attack, I hadn't time to react, and fell backwards onto my back, desperately scrabbling at her arms as I tried to break her grip.
Apparently, no one had expected it, including the girls, because for a moment, everyone was still, shocked into statues.
I fruitlessly tugged at her hands, as my vision began to blacken, I became aware of screams breaking out. Surely I can't be dieing! I had so many dreams! I cried in my mind. Boy, I sure overestimated our friendship.
As my vision faded to black, my hands fell away from my throat, and the last thing that I heard was Applejack screaming. "Get an exercise book!"