Working Relationships

by Namechanger

Rating: teen
Tags: Slice of Life, Romance, Adventure
Length: 24253

New Relationships start between best friends.

The Shipping has been Doubled!

Rainbow Dash and Applejack have always been friends, so have Fluttershy and Twilight, but what happens when their most important secret isn't kept under wing forever. Magic works in mysterious ways.

Please take the time to give me some feedback, I really appreciate it all!

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2012-09-30 19:53:18 UTC

A Some What Normal Day (Edited)

Working RelationshipsOriginally written on July 9th, 2011Part One: A Miracle Formed From a DisasterApple Buckin'

Applejack was working on the farm, that fine summer day, with the sun shining down, and the temperature going up.  Her job was apple bucking, and she enjoyed it.  Her body would curve up, and her hind legs would stretch out with such a force, they struck the tree's hard, dark bark, and the sweat of her body shook off as the vibration wiggled through.  It was hard work, but it put food on the table, and gave her a good life style, healthy.  She was bucking up to fifty trees a day, and pulling in hundreds of apples.  It seemed like a very normal day, and Twilight was supposed to come over to help her with the wagons.  She continued her job as she waited for Twilight, taking in a good sum of her work.  Twilight came trotting in, with Spike at her side, and she announced that she was ready to lend a helping hoof.

"Howdy Twilight, you ready?" Applejack greeted her, and she showed her were the wagons were.  The baskets on the wagons were hand woven from slick wooden strips, and bound together with a few old rags, stabilizing them.  Applejack hooked up the first wagon they had and she pulled it with ease.  They walked down the dirt path of the apple orchard, streaming by the already bucked trees.  Twilight's horn lit up as they levitated the apples in the air, and into the bucket.  Spike was perched up on Twilight's rear, and was bouncing as she trotted along side Applejack.  They were a great working pair, and they were finishing the job very quick.  Applejack tried to start a conversation with them, to pass they time.

"So, Twi', whatcha' been up to, t'day'?" she asked fondly.

"Oh, well, Spike and I were happy to help you with the apples, and then we planned on going to visit Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash after," she responded.  The cart was getting heavier with every apple put in the barrel, Applejack could th, feel the tension

rising in bath the wagon, and between her and Twilight.

"Uh, how they' been'?"

"They're good, they invited me to a 'private picnic' in the park," she explained.

"A Private Picnic?  Well, ah' hope you have fun, I wish I could go, but I got other chores ta' do."

"Thanks, Applejack."

"Do y'all wan't any of these here' apples to take," she offered.

"No thanks, Applejack, they're yours for the taking."

"We can't forget to bring some food, Twilight, it's on the list," Spike pointed out, checking off the 'apple bucking' picture.

Applejack kept kicking the trees, the bark chipping away on each impact.  They were finishing up the last of the trees, and they worked in silence for the rest of the job.  The sun was rising high in the sky, and clouds started appearing.  They filled up the last wagon, and brought it back to the main house, unlocking the front door, and carrying in the baskets to the storage room.  They exited the house.

"Here's ya' pay, Twi, thank ya' kindly," she extended some money towards Twilight, but she pushed it away.

"Thanks, but no thanks, were friends, Applejack, I don't need money to prove that."

A smile grew on Applejack's face, and she returned the money to herself, shaking Twilight's hoof once more, and said goodbye.  Then, Twilight was gone, what a true friend indeed.

The 'Private Picnic'

Twilight was trotting through Ponyville with Spike on her back, and she didn't pay attention to any of the other ponies passing by, minding their own business.

"Don't forget the food, Twilight," Spike reminded her.

"Don't worry, so what do you think they would like to eat?" she asked.

"What ever ponies eat, I guess," he made a smart remark.

"Don't be a smart mule, seriously, what do you think?" Twilight snapped back.

"I'm sure they would eat anything you bring them."

"Thank's, that makes me feel better," she said sarcastically.

She decided to get a few quick daisy sandwiches, and some hay fries for Spike to munch on.  The sun was still beating down on them, and it kept getting warmer.  Twilight could see the tree where the picnic was being set up, and noticed Rainbow Dash flying around, and Fluttershy taking out the plaid picnic sheet.  She had a basket filled with treats, and so did Rainbow Dash.  She landed next to Fluttershy, as Twilight trotted up with food she brought, and set Spike down on the blanket.

"Hi, Twilight," They both said, happy to see their friend.

Twilight took out the food, and Spike greeted them too.  They started eating, and discussed their day.

"So, what's with the picnic?" Twilight asked,

"Oh, well, I was in Ponyville, and I saw these oranges for sale, I bought so much of them, and I decided to have a picnic," Fluttershy said.

"I was in town, and Fluttershy came over and told me to share these with her."

Twilight had a confused look on her face, "So, you threw this little picnic over some oranges?"

"Yes!"

"But... Why?"

"I thought we could spend some quality time together..." she softened her voice, and pushed her body onto the soft, green grass.

Twilight pulled out the sandwiches, and shared them with her friends.  They munched on them quietly, and there was an awkward silence through out most of the picnic.  Twilight expected Fluttershy to be quiet, because, it was Fluttershy, but Rainbow Dash seemed tired, and didn't speak at all. She expected her to be ranting on about her over confidence, and self respect.  But not a word was spoken...

The wind in the trees were blowing softly, and the only noise they could her, was Spike eating his fries, and belching loudly.  Why were her friends acting like this?  The picnic was an 'odd' occasion, but what was the point.  When she came, she wanted to talk, not sit in silence.

"Wonderful weather, we're having," Twilight broke out the extremely old conversation starter.

"Yes, fine weather," Rainbow Dash said, "but I don't remember those clouds being scheduled, we don't have a storm until next week,"

"Next week?" Fluttershy asked,

"Yes, and those clouds look like the ones that we made for said week."

They finished eating, and helped each other wrap up the picnic, and said goodbye.  There was no other contact, and that was the most awkward picnic Twilight had ever had.  She walked away from the fields, and went back to her house with Spike, and she asked him, "Spike, did you notice anything strange about the picnic?"

"Strange? How?" He asked back,

"I dunno', just a thought, I guess."

"Well, it was pretty quiet," he responded,

Twilight looked at him, "I was thinking the same thing."

But something was still clawing at her flank, and she couldn't put her hoof on it...

"Let's just get back to work, shall we," Spike offered,

"Ya, go ahead, I'll catch up," she sighed.

She sat down on the chair in front of the desk, quill in telekinesis, and tried to work on her message and studies to Princess Celestia.

Fluttershy walked back to her house, after departing with Rainbow Dash, and unlocked her little cottage door, on the outskirts of Ponyville.  Angel was sleeping in his little rabbit house, and Fluttershy lowered herself to the couch, and stretched out on it.  She was in a form of mental stress, her conscious was talking to her, and she could hear it in her noggin.

You can't keep doing this, Fluttershy, you just can't,

"What do you want me to do about it," she asked herself,

Tell her how you feel, tell Twilight how you feel,

"What if she doesn't feel the same way?"

What's the worst that could happen?

"When should I?"

When the time is correct, but this cannot remain a secret.

"But wasn't the picnic good enough?"

A picnic? Just to see Twilight, no, it wasn't

"But how d-" she stopped, and realized that nopony else was in the room, she was just mumbling to herself.  Maybe her conscious was right, is she really that lonely?  Maybe she should just come out of the closet, and say it.  Non of her friends would judge her differently...

She looked at the wall from the couch, and then to the small table next to her.  There was a group picture of the Mane 6  on it, and she picked it up.  She studied the faces of her close friends, and she could remember that long night ago, when she felt so lonely, and decided that it was her, who would be her sole mate, her who would be her lover, that one pale purple pony, with the star on her flank, and her big, gleaming, dark purple eyes.  They sparkled in the photo, Twilight sparkled.  Fluttershy's tear drops rained down from her corneas and onto the thick glass of the photo.

Rainbow Dash flew back to the center of Ponyville, and went to Rarity's Carousel Boutique.  She walked in the room, and the dirt ground changed to floral tile in an instant.  Rarity was obviously working on another dress, she turned her head after hearing the bell on the door ring.

"Rainbow Dash? What's wrong?" noticing the disgruntled face on Rainbow Dash.

"It's nothing big, but I just had the weirdest picnic with Twilight and Fluttershy,"

"Weirdest? How?" Rarity asked her, changing moods,

"It was quiet, too quiet, nopony said anything."

"And? What's the problem?"

"I don't know, is there a problem?" Rainbow Dash started asking the questions,

"You shouldn't sweat the small stuff, Rainbow Dash, now help me with these dresses," Rarity said joyfully, taking RD's mind off the picnic.

They unwrapped some more supplies out of the new boxes, and Rarity noticed the black circles around RD's eyes,

"Are you okay, RD?" she asked out,

"What? I had a late night, last night, I'm just tired, that's all," Rainbow Dash answered hazily,

"What were you doing?"

"Just flying, just flying."

"Where could you possibly be flying at that time?" Rarity spoke,

"Just over town, the forest," she looked to the ground, "and Sweet Apple Acres."

Rarity studied RD, but just like Twilight, she couldn't put her hoof on it.

Rarity started un-boxing some more dresses, they were in brilliant designs, colorful, and vibrant.  Just like Rainbow Dash.

Can't forget Pinkie

For that summer day, Pinkie was just being usual Pinkie, prancing around, making cupcakes, and laughing.  She stepped out from her home at Sugar Cube Corner, and noticed Twilight walking back to her house with Spike on her back.  She looked glum, and wanted to know what was up.  She was about to charge towards Twilight, when she smelt her cupcakes in the oven... They were burning, and she rushed over and threw them in the sink.

She burnt her hooves a bit, and put them under some cold water.  When she finished, she ran back out, and Twilight was already gone.

"Aw shoot," she grunted, but then noticed Fluttershy walking back to her house, and Rainbow Dash heading to Rarity's.  She was about to run towards RD, knowing she would talk to Fluttershy later, but she was called back by the smell of smoke.

She turned her head, and she had left the stove on, and a fire was burning through.

"Horsefeathers!" she called, and ran for the fire extinguisher.  Out went the small stove fire, and she ran back out, they were both gone, just like Twilight.

"Shoot, I really should remember to shut the stove off," she sighed, and went back inside.

She sat on the couch in the living room, and tried to sort things out.  Why did Dash look tired?  Why was Twilight glum?  And why the hay was Fluttershy- well, nothing seemed to be wrong with Fluttershy, but that left the other two.  Pinkie's thoughts were rushing around in her head.  She sat and thought for a few minutes, then it hit her... A party!

She decided to throw a party tomorrow night, just for the hay of it, and maybe that would cheer them up.  She started writing invitations.

Invitations were the most important part of a party, but Pinkie was planning on making this a special party, to make everypony all better.  Pinkie was getting very excited and she was really happy, her body shook as she thought of the future with her friends, dancing, food, games, and parties.  She was completely thrilled, but yet unaware of the actions that would come.

Applejack was finishing her chores, and went back inside to her old house, big and red, like Big Macintosh.  She sat down on her couch, when Apple Bloom came in, she was alone, no CMC today.  She trotted her little filly legs over to her older sister, and spoke,

"Somethin' is up with Rainbow Dash."

Applejack looked at her in bewilderment, "What are you blabberin' about, sugarcube'."

"I woke up last night, and saw here circling the acres, then landed near the house.  I

thought she was goin' crazy or sumthin'!"

"Y'all saw her land near the house?"

"Very close, I thought she was goin' to break in the house."  Apple Bloom continued.

"Hush up, now, I'm sure it was nothin'."

"What ever ya' say, Applejack."

Revealing Secrets (Edited)

Revealing Secrets (Edited)

Revealing Secrets

Pinkie started scribbling out the words of the invitations in neat, black pen.  She was ever so careful in writing as she always does.  The pen leaked out the words:

You're invited!  Pinkie Pie, your true friend is throwing another one of her wonderful parties! This Tuesday, come at five PM with a smile, and enjoy yourselves!

She was speaking in the third person, how clever, she thought.  She mad six of them, one for Spike, and waited for a few hours, until the time was right to give them out.  She felt the need to give them out rather late at night, she hadn't done that before, and started doing the things she enjoyed to pass the time... Baking cupcakes, the right way this time.

After they were finished, she threw them in the fridge to keep them cool for the party, and started making up some hors d'oeuvres for the party.  She never honestly made any real food by herself before, so she looked up in the cook book and tried to find some 'delicious' treats.  Maybe something meaty, but would Rarity eat it...  Maybe something fancy with crab or celery... But Applejack doesn't like celery.  Oh, Pinkie's head started to hurt, and she swam through the pages.

She pulled up one page, and tried to find something to match all of her friends, but wait... Why make something that matches all of them, when she could just make different hors d'oeuvres for all of them?  The perfect plan!  It would take a lot of work, but she knew it would be special.  She wrote down a list of what she would need, and planned out what they would like:

Applejack:

Tiny pieces of apple pie baked in batter, and rolled up

Rainbow Dash:

Baked cupcakes, designed with rainbow frosting, and filled with jam

Twilight:

Dandelion heads, wrapped in daisy stems, and deep fried

Spike:

Gems, lots and lots of gems

Fluttershy:

Small tree leaves, tied with green grass shaving, tossed in a small salad

Rarity:

Grass cakes, roasted, with a side of rose pedals, coated in small sugar rocks

That was that, and she checked to see what she had in her fridge.  She already had the cupcakes made, so she pulled out the jam, and rainbow frosting, and then warmed up her deep fryer and poured in the vat.  She did have a bucket of crabs that were going to be used for a special dish, but only two missing wouldn't matter.

She had a small garden of daisies, and roses, but she still needed to find some gems for Spike.  Where could she find gems?  She did know that gems usually grow in small fragments of rock, out back in the of Sugar Cube Corner, so she dug some up.  Soon, she had a whole pile of colorful gems, and they were perfect for him.

Pinkie pulled out a big, sharp knife, and set a crab down on the cutting board on the counter in the kitchen.  She started slicing up large heaps of fresh green grass and rolled them up into balls...

Twilight's house was silent, and Spike was sleeping, after all the chores he had completed.  Twilight sat silently writing about her findings in friendship, but she was too bored to think of anything.  She wasn't just going to lie about it, so she had to complete it.  She rested her hoof on her head, and took the quill with her magic.  All she could write was the introduction sentence, but that was it.  Twenty five minutes had passed, when their was a knock on the door.  Twilight lifted her head, thinking she imagined it, when a voice came from outside the wooden door, "Twilight!" it sounded.

She got up from her chair, and trotted across the library, and opened the door.  It was Pinkie, but she was covered in sweat.  She pulled out a piece of paper, wrapped in a pink bow, and it said 'You're invited!' on it.

"Pinkie?  You look tense, whats up?"

"Nothin', I-I just ran over hear as fast as I can, I'm making some food right now, and I needed to give you this," Pinkie held out the paper.

Twilight took it from her, and by the time she got time to open it, Pinkie was already running off to Sweat Apple Acres.  She looked at the paper, and it was her invitation.  A party?  How could she not refuse it, that would cheer up her boredom.

Just as she returned back to the chair, Spike walked down the steps, holding his chest and stomach in his hands.

He was making a funny gurgling noise, and he moaned out, "Twilight, I think you have a m-m-message coming from the Princess!"

A flame of fire burst out from his mouth, and a message swirled up from the ashes.  It unwrapped and flew over to Twilight.  She read it, and it was from the Princess...

My Dearest, Most Faithful Student Twilight,

I would like you to know that I have made some arrangements for you to stay away from the town of Ponyville for a while.  No need to worry, it's only for a few weeks, so your train will arrive tomorrow afternoon, so pack your things and say goodbye to your friends.  Your destination is the high mountain valley city of Timberwoods, how lucky!

Twilight bowed her head, and tried to understand what was happening,

"T-Timberwoods?" she said to Spike.

"Isn't that the huge city in the middle of Mount Swayback, isn't that west of here, in the Great Pony Desert, next to Appaloosa?" he asked.

"Yes, but Mount Swayback gets colder as you go higher, so it will probably be snowing, I have a few classmates who moved up there after they graduated."

"Aren't you going to miss your friends, Twilight?" he asked,

"Of course, but this is so exciting, I have never personally gone there myself, I guess I will tell them at the party," she returned.

"Party?" Spike asked.

"Oh, yes, Pinkie is throwing one tonight, and your invited too, so get ready."

Pinkie ran down the road, almost bumping into the other ponies, minding their own business, with the rest of the invitations in her pouch she wore.  She was off to Rarity's home, to deliver the wrapped up piece of paper inviting her to Pinkie's party.  The sun was still rising, but was getting ready to lower itself, and the pink hair ball pranced hastily down to Carousel Boutique.

Pinkie used her head to bang on the door, being typical Pinkie Pie, and Rarity creaked the door open.

"Rarity!  Quick, take this," and she held out the invitation,

"What's this?" Rarity grasped the invitation out of Pinkie's mouth, and started unfolding it.

Rainbow Dash walked into view from behind Rarity, and looked at Pinkie in a confusing way.

"Pinkie?  What are you doing here?" RD asked.

"Dashie?  What are YOU doing here?" she returned.

"I was helping out Rarity with the dresses."

"OH, well, I have this for you," Pinkie took out another invitation, but then remembered that she still had her food baking in the ovens and fryers.

Before Rainbow Dash and Rarity could finish opening the papers, Pinkie ran off to Sweet Apple Acres to give Applejack her invitation.

Rarity finished reading her invitation, and smiled.  She couldn't wait, but the one thing that she still pondered over why Rainbow Dash was so hesitant to fly over Sweet Apple Acres at such a late time.  She looked over to Dash, and spoke up, as she was looking at the dresses.

"So, Dash, tell me again why you were flying over The Acres at such a late time?"

"I-uh, just thought, I would, uh, take a night fly," she came up with an explanation.

"But why at such a late time, are you sure you weren't up to anything," Rarity pondered.

"Nothing at all Rarity, look, I have to go, and uh, clear the clouds now," she nervously said, and dashed out the door.

Rarity watched as Dash flew out the door, and saw her dive into the sky.  As she disappeared, she studied the sky... Not a single cloud was there.

Rarity sat down on her fashion sofa, and put her hoof on her chin.  She sat down, and tried to make a connection of the events she had just learned about:

Rainbow Dash was flying over Sweet Apple Acres, nothing out of the ordinary, but at such a late time?  Very strange... Hmm, maybe she was doing something over there, but the question is what?  Rainbow Dash was uncomfortable to talk about that, so that must mean something... Maybe she- no, that's not it.  What if she wa- no... That's not it either. Hmm... The only thing I can think of is... No, that's silly, Rainbow Dash couldn't have those feelings... could she?

Rarity came to her conclusion, Rainbow Dash must have been watching Applejack.  She must have feelings for her, but if Rarity knows, would she tell somepony?  She had to, but who?  She tried to think who could keep a secret.  Twilight? No, she would spread the word faster than RD could fly... Fluttershy? Fluttershy, really? No... That only left... Pinkie Pie! Of course!

"Cross my heart, and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye" Pinkie's sworn oath, but when could she tell her?  The party, that's when.

Pinkie still had enough time to give Applejack and Fluttershy their invitations, before the food would be burned.  She headed up the dirt path, and through the apple orchards, under the old, wooden banner that read: Sweet Apple Acres.  Pinkie, walking up to the entrance, banged her head on the door, and extended the invitation from her mouth, to the orange pony opening the door.

"Applejack!  Take this, quick, I have food in the oven!"

"Uh, thank ya' kindly, Pinkie, what is it?" she asked, but Pinkie was already gone.

Applejack unwrapped the paper and read it to herself.

"A party?" she thought, how wonderful.  It had been a while since she had thrown one, just the thing Applejack needed.

Pinkie was galloping down to Fluttershy's cottage, it was just over the tree line.  All she had to do was give this invitation to her, and then she could get back to her food.  She banged on the door, but there was no answer.

"FLUTTERSHY!" Pinkie called out, "I have something for you!"

Still no answer, but Pinkie couldn't wait.  She lifted up the mail opening in the door, and plopped the invitation in there.  Pinkie was getting curious if she was even home.  She walked around the cottage, and peaked through the window, looking into her living room, how stalker-ish of Pinkie...

Fluttershy was home, she was lying on the couch, sleeping.  But she was holding something, it looked like a photograph... It wasn't the group photograph of all of them, that was resting on the table, but there was some sort of liquid on the glass.  Pinkie tried to get a better look at the picture, and with such luck, Fluttershy yawned, and turned over, revealing the picture...

On the picture, was a sole figure, one of their closets friends... Twilight.  Pinkie couldn't believe her eyes, and Fluttershy's secret was out, known to Pinkie.  Could Fluttershy secretly like Twilight?!  Pinkie had to tell somepony, but who.  She sat there for a minute and thought, but then she remembered: the food!  She charged off to pull out the rest of the hors d'oeuvres.

The party was very soon, and what would happen?  All of these secrets, known by some ponies, but unknown to the ones they are about.  It's all very confusing, but only time will tell the tale...

A Party To Remember (Edited)

A Party To Remember (Edited)

A Party To Remember

Pinkie was so frantic about the situation, she could barley breath... What would become of their friendship?  Would it be ruined?  Or would it improve?  The first thing she could do, was get the food out from the oven and fryers.  She caught her breath, underneath Fluttershy’s window, and silently galloped down the road, dodging the ponies of Ponyville, and reaching the front door to Sugar Cube Corner.  She pulled out all the trays, and fryer pans, lying them out on the large counter in the middle of the kitchen.

She wiped the sweat off of her brow, and made a big platter of her newly cooked hors d’oeuvres.  She smiled for less than a few seconds, soon remembering the new known secret.  What was to become of it?  She put the steamed dishes down, and looked at the time.  It was almost time for the party, and the sun was setting.  It was about 4:27 PM when she checked, and she had to tell sompony, but the only pony she could actually trust, was Rarity.

Rarity had a secret of her own too, about Rainbow Dash and Applejack.  What if Applejack didn’t think the same way?  That would surely tear their friendship apart.  All they could do was hope for the best, and with Twilight leaving, that would only disrupt Fluttershy’s plans.  It would be a one-in-a-million shot, and everyponies hopes for the best hung on only a small piece of flesh off the backbone of a crooked and unforgiving road they called life.  This was serious...

Pinkie trotted out of her home with a hood over her, concealing her identity, and wearing boots, covering her hoofs.  She quietly went over to Rarity’s, and knocked on the door.  There was no answer.  She knocked again, but still no answer.

“Rarity!” she whispered loudly, she knew she was home, she just talked to her an hour ago.

She banged again, this time, getting an answer of an open door.  Rarity was hiding behind it, and peaked her head over the edge, to examine Pinkie.

“Come in... Quick,” she ordered.

They pulled up a few chairs and sat in the kitchen.  A single over head lamp lit the room, and Pinkie pulled off her hood.  She had a serious face on, and so did Rarity.  Rarity started talking first.

“Pinkie, I have a secret to tell you,” she whispered.

“What?  So do I,” she returned.

“Let me go first,” she looked around the room, checked the windows, and shut the shades, “I think," she paused, “Rainbow Dash likes...” she looked once more around the room, and Pinkie leaned in, her hair almost touching Rarity’s nose, “Applejack.”

Pinkie looked at her.

“Another one?” she asked.

“Another what?” Rarity asked.

“I think Fluttershy likes Twilight.”

“Really?” Rarity looked at her in amazement, almost disbelief, and spoke up, “What are we going to do?”

“I dunno’, maybe we should let this take it’s own course,” Pinkie suggested,

“That’s it?  Just wait?” Rarity got a little louder, putting a hoof down on the table.

“Well, we don’t want to disrupt things, would we?” Pinkie stubbornly asked.

“Well, no, but if they don’t say anything, we should at least... help them...” Rarity looked into the pink pony's eyes.

“I guess so, but maybe they will, we still have the party to look forward to!”

“Oh, yes, the party, I forgot about that.”

The clock was striking five, and it was already getting dark.  They weren’t surprised of how dark it would get, Princess Celestia accidentally forgot to lower the sun a few days back, and Luna had to get some extra time.  It was only fair, but what Pinkie and Rarity were going through was the exact opposite of fair.

They departed Rarity’s house, and made their way to Pinkie’s, there were rain clouds over head, but the Pegasus ponies were only planning on a shower, not a storm.  Only a few drops started to fall by the time they got up to Sugar Cube Corner, and the stands outside were shutting down, covering their produce.  Pinkie opened the door for Rarity, and she followed the whit horse in.  Rarity gazed at the platter, all set up nicely, and the aroma mixed in the room.

“Pinkie, I didn’t know you could cook like this, when did you get this all done?” she asked.

“When I was handing out your invitations, silly,” she shut the door behind her, and the rain started falling a bit harder.

Rarity looked out the window, placing a hoof under her chin, and asked, “Pinkie, what makes you so sure that they will come?”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s raining, what if they don’t show up?”

“They will, they will, they never miss any of my parties!”

It was only a few minutes later, and after Pinkie set up the streamers, balloons, and punch, there came a knock at the door.  That must be her friends, Rarity got the door open, and it was wet Twilight, wearing a coat, and rain was dripping down off the rubber.  Pinkie knew she would come.

“Twilight!  How wonderful of you to come!” Pinkie exclaimed, putting on a happy face.

She showed her the drinks and the food.  Twilight took of her coat, and turned to Pinkie form the coat rack.

“Thanks, Pinkie.  I didn’t know you could cook like this.”

“That’s funny, Rarity said the same thing, help yourself!”

Rarity trotted over to Pinkie, and took her over to the corner of the room while Twilight started taking some food off of the platters.

“So what’s the plan?” Rarity asked.

“Plan?  What plan, I thought we were going to keep this secret?” she nudged.

“I know that, but what if they don’t confess?” Rarity responded.

“Well, we have to make them then,” Pinkie looked at her with an evil smile.

“You sound so rushed about this, Pinkie.  Are you alright?” Rarity lowered her voice.

“I-I,” she exaled softly, “oh, Rarity, I’m just afraid...”

“Afraid of what?  Nothing bad will happen,” she calmed effortlessly.

“Easy for you to say, Rarity, but I have special connections with each of my friends, I don’t want to loose them...” Pinkie sighed.

“Loose them?  Pinkie, even if things don’t work out, we will all still be your friends,” Rarity confirmed.

“Thanks, Rarity, that felt better,” Pinkie grew a small smile.

Twilight looked over her back, and noticed the two conversing.

“Hey!  Pinkie, Rarity, come try this food,” she said with her mouth full, and drew them over.  They started eating, and talking about their early day.  Twilight told Rarity and Pinkie about the the help at Sweet Apple Acres, and the picnic she had.

“Ha! Twilight, your crazy, you know that? It seems like you have gone everywhere today,” Pinkie teased.

“Oh, don’t flatter me, Pinkie, this party is for everypony,” Twilight blushed.

Rarity looked around the room, only three ponies?  Where was Spike?

“Twilight, where’s Spike?” she asked.

“Oh, he’s back at the house, he should be here in a few, he forgot to do some chores."

Spike was cleaning up the rest of the library, huffing under his breath, getting ready to go to the party.  He picked up the last set of books, and set them on the shelves.  He turned to grab a small coat from the rack.  He pulled one off, it was getting warmer, but the rain was getting colder, funky weather.

Spike hated the cold water, it was like poison to his skin, and he was not planning on getting soaked, so her pulled the strapped on his coat tight, and popped on a hat, flat rimmed.  He walked over to the door, and reached up to the knob, but right as he was about to turn it, his ‘dragon senses’ started erupting, and he got out of the way of the door.

He was right, the door suddenly busted open, and Rainbow Dash came tumbling in, wings up.  She crashed into the bookcase, and Spike ran as fast as he could to catch the falling books.  Only a few fell, an easy clean up, but Rainbow Dash looked like a mess.  Her hair was all mangled, and her eye’s were kind of sunken in, but still purple.  She looked around the room, extending her neck, and her pupils dilated,

“Twilight!  Twilight!  Where are you!” she exclaimed frantically.

Spike looked at her, his mouth opened, and his brow rose.

“She went to the party at Pinkie’s” he returned, “You should be too, I was just leaving!”

“Forget the party! I need to tell somepony!” she blurted out.

“Tell somepony what?” Spike asked.

“Oh, Spike, can I trust you?” she returned.

“Of course!”

“No, trust you, trust you, honest to Celestia?”

“Yes, Rainbow Dash!”

“Okay, this has been eating me, but I haven’t told anypony...”

“A secret?” Spike anxiously asked.

“A SECRET?! This is more than a SECRET, Spike!”

“Just tell me, I’m sure it’s not bad,” Spike tried calming her.

“It’s not bad!  Or, well, I don’t think it is, but here goes nothing,” she took a deep breath.

“Yes?” Spike went on.

“I Li-li-”

“You... Like? Like what?”

“I like... Applejack.”

The room went silent, Spike had a puzzled look on his face, put his claws up to his chin, and supported his elbow with his other hand.  He looked at Rainbow Dash, she had a ‘I can’t believe I just said that’ type of face.

“You’re right, this isn’t just a secret, Dash?” he finally said.  He was at a loss of his words and didn't know what to say after that.

“What do I do?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Spike thought hard, what would Twilight do?  Oh, if only she was actually here!  What to do?  Maybe, the party?

“Dash, if you like Applejack, why don’t you tell her?”

“Tell Applejack?”

“No, Orangejohn, no duh, Applejack,”  Spike said sarcastically, he wanted to end this conversation now, he had a party to go to.  He tried to get Rainbow Dash to come.

“Here, take this comb, fix your hair, and come with me to the party,” he offered.

“I don’t know, Spike,” Rainbow Dash nervously said, combing her mane back to normal.

This was a small secret of epic proportions.  The rain only got worse, it looked like it was turning into a storm, the Pegasus ponies must have mess up up something in the clouds, over done it a bit.

“Okay, I’m gonna’ trust you on this, Spike,” and they departed out the door, as Spike put the key in, and locked it.

Multiple Events Happening At Once

Applejack arrived right after Twilight, then Spike and Rainbow Dash came, but no Fluttershy?  That was a disappointment to them.  They continued as Rainbow Dash tried to keep away from Applejack, who was eating and conversing.

Fluttershy was still lying on her couch, having no idea that the invitation was lying on the floor from where her front door was.  The rain was running down, off the windows.  Why was she acting like this?  She had liked Twilight since she first met her, but it didn’t seem to bother her until only a few days ago.  Maybe she realized that the really was lonely, living up in her cottage in Ponyville, only to have the woodland critters comfort her.

From departing the couch, she hazily walked to the front door, only to notice the piece of folded paper, with the ‘You’re Invited’ on it.  She picked it up, and unwrapped it.

“A party?  Well, I do love parties just as much as the next pony,” she thought, and checked the time.

“5 PM,”  Uh oh, she turned around and looked at the clock: 6:23 PM.

She was missing the party!  Her friends would be so disappointed, she grabbed her coat, and rushed out the door.

The party was truly pumping, and Rainbow Dash sat, with a cupcake in her hand, looking across the room, at Applejack.

You should tell her,

Spikes words came up in her mind, and she got that type of feeling you get, when you know something big is about to happen, and a shock goes down your spine.  This was it, tonight was the night she was going to take Spike’s words into play.

Fluttershy tried to make her way through the empty streets of Ponyville, with the street lights dim, and the rain splattering upon the muddy ground.

Rainbow Dash looked up, got out of her chair, and started making her way to Applejack.

Fluttershy found the right street, and she could she the lights of Sugarcube Corner a few streets down.  She started slowly, pacing herself, and her wings were tucked under her coat.

Twilight put her plate down, and was going to tell everypony her great news, so she raised her glass of punch, “Everypony, may I have your attention?”

Rainbow Dash turned for a second, to notice Applejack trotting towards Twilight, getting ready to listen.

Fluttershy was only two streets down, the lights stretching at her hooves, and she could see the silhouettes of her friends gathering around Twilight.

Rainbow Dash got around the circle and nudged Applejack, making her turn around.

“Hush up, RD’, Twi’s gonna’ say sumtin’!” she whispered loudly.

“Applejack, I need to tell you something,” she returned.

Twilight spoke, “I have some news I would like you all to hear, I wanted to tell you all together...”

Spike was watching RD and Applejack, smiling, he knew this would make Rainbow Dash feel better, or he could be wrong...

Fluttershy was one street away, and she was nearing the door, which was shut, but unlocked.  The balloons were blowing in the wind, and the shutters were swaying back and forth.

“Make it quick,” Applejack said.

“Okay, here really goes nothing,” she sighed.

“I have some important business to do in Timberwoods!" Twilight finally announced.

“Timberwoods?” Rarity asked,

Fluttershy reached for the knob.

“I have had some feelings about you, Applejack,”  RD said, Applejack’s eyes widening.

“What are you trying to say, Twilight?” Rarity asked.

“I really like you, Applejack,” Dash confessed.

Fluttershy opened the door, and Pinkie stood up, “Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy looked at Twilight first, and Twilight said,

“I’m leaving Ponyville, for a while,” Twilight said just as Fluttershy entered.

Twilight’s words echoed as everypony went quiet.  Applejack looked at RD with a smile, and Fluttershy looked at Twilight with a sad face, fighting back tears, and faking a smile.

Pinkie Pie looked confused all over, she wanted everypony to confess, but not all at once!

Pinkie looked down and sighed.

“Oh ponyfeathers.”

Hailstorms (Edited)

Hailstorms (Edited)

Hailstorms

Fluttershy stepped over towards Twilight, completely ignoring Pinkie’s question.

“You’re leaving, Twilight?” she shyly asked, “Where are you go-go-going?”

“Fluttershy?  You came, I was just telling everypony that I was heading to Timberwoods for a few weeks, I have important  studies to do there,” Twilight explained.

“T-t-timberwoods? That’s really far away,” she squeed.

Her chances were ruined at the party, she was really planning on hanging out with Twilight more, and possibly even telling her secret, but that was all ruined.  Why?  Why in Equestria did this have to happen to poor little Fluttershy?

Applejack looked at Rainbow with a smile, and Rainbow Dash was blushing up like crazy.  She told her, and she followed Spike’s advice.  The rain outside the window started changing, very strangely.  It was hailing out, but it was still summer.

“Listen here’, RD, come upstairs and talk,” she nudged, pointing to the steps where Pinkie Pie was observing the room.

Pinkie hopped off the steps and looked outside, she nudged Twilight,

“Twilight, what’s wrong with the wacky weather?”

Twilight turned away from Fluttershy, but she stayed behind her.

“That’s the... hail?  Hail?  That IS some wacky weather, how will we get home?” she explained, then asked.

Fluttershy heard her last comment, there was still hope.  If they were all stuck at Pinkie’s home, she would be able to get Twilight alone.  This could be her night, better not let it slip by, and this was where Rainbow Dash and Applejack ascended the steps.

Applejack shut the door to the guest room behind Rainbow Dash, they were alone, and tears were already starting to swell up in Dash’s eyes.  Applejack lit up a few lanterns that were hanging up, the lights stretched across the room, reaching both of their hooves that were almost touching, how close they were.

Rainbow Dash wanted to just lean forward, just a few inches more, and feel Applejack’s breathing on her snout.  Why must this taunt her so?  Applejack was about to begin speaking, what words would come out of her mouth.  Rainbow could only try to block out her words by the tapping of the hail on the window, but they were coming loud and clear.

“Ya’ like me?” she asked, good start.

“Yes,” Dash said, basically breaking up, with her hot tears streaming down her face.

“How long’, sugarcube?”

“How long, what?” RD sobbed, her head bowed.

“Have ya’ liked me?” she returned.

“Applejack,” she looked up, “I have always liked you, maybe even lov-”

“Loved me?  Rainbow Dash, Ah' don’t really know what to say,”

“Tell me how you feel, Applejack, please!” she sobbed harder.

Rainbow Dash leaned forward, not towards Applejack’s face, but to her shoulder, and leaned upon it.  Applejack’s fur became wet from the tears that were dripping out of Rainbow’s eyes.  She put a hoof on RD’s back, trying to comfort her, and she whispered in her ear.

“Rainbow, I don’t know how I feel’, but if I told y’all that I felt the same way here, what would happen next?”

“I don’t care, Applejack, I don’t care,” more sobs.

“Please, stop yer’ cryin’, please Dash,” tears started to form up in her eyes too,

“please stop.”

This isn’t what Rainbow Dash expected to happen, she thought that Applejack would feel one hundred percent the same way, but she was wrong, how sad.  As long as she knew she was sharing the same type of sorrow, it made her feel a little better.  But not at all near what Applejack must have felt.

“I’m sorry, Applejack,” she cried over her friend’s shoulder.  Applejack lowered her head down onto Dash’s shoulder too, locked in a head rest, and tears poured through her eyes, onto Dash’s back.

“Sorry, fer’ what, Dash?” Applejack moaned,

“I don’t know, I’m just sorry for all of this, the secrets, I don’t know why it has to happen like this,” she answered.

“Why didn’t y’all tell me sooner, then Dash?”

“I always have tried to, but I was never truly able to work up the nerve to tell you face to face.”

“Always?” Applejack asked.

“Always, I always liked you, nopony else, but that’s what I was afraid of, telling you might have meant losing you,” Rainbow Dash teared.

Applejack needed a second to sort this out.  She let go Rainbow Dash, told her to take a seat on the bed, and sat next to her.  She put her hoof on her chin, and Rainbow Dash spoke up, as she was concentrating on her thought, “I can’t believe I did what Spike told me.”

“Spike?”

“He convinced me it was better if I told you, not to keep it a secret.”

“He was right,” Applejack corrected her.

“What?”

Applejack took a deep breath, and tried to make up her mind,

“Listen Dash, I AM quite lonely at the farm, I have never been in a serious relationship, before, but if you want too...”

“Yes?” Dash looked up.

“If you want to... We could give it a try...”

Fluttershy looked around the room, frantically, everything was happening to fast, but she had a plan, she had to get Twilight alone.  She went over to Pinkie, and asked her a question.

“Pinkie, do you have any spare rooms?”

What an odd question, most obvious of all reasons, really...

“Spare rooms?”

“I thought that we might have to stay here a while, since the hail storm, and I was worried you wouldn’t have any extra rooms we could find shelter in, if the windows break,” she lied, but Fluttershy was an awful liar, and Pinkie Pie caught on to what she was referencing,

“Uh, ya, we have a spare room, it’s upstairs, down the hall, and to the right,” she smiled.

Fluttershy was getting ready to talk to Twilight, but know was not the right time, she was being bombarded with questions from Rarity about the Timberwoods.

“Yes, yes, my train is leaving tomorrow, and I will have to pack my things early,” Twilight answered.

Fluttershy tried to calm herself down, she cheered herself up by slowly chewing on the food that was spread upon the table.  Spike was finally up from his corner of the room, he had to use the restroom, and the bathroom was upstairs, on the left...

He creaked up the stairs into the dark hallway, where he was accompanied by hail hitting the roof.  The hallway only had one lantern hanging from the ceiling, and Spike mad his way to the restroom.  He opened the door, and shut it slightly behind him, leaving a crack open.  The bathroom had a shower, nice sink, and a lone while alabaster toilet, where he walked over and relieved himself.

After he was finished, he flicked the sink on, and washed his hands, looking at the mirror in front of him, but something caught his eye.  From the crack in the door, he could see outside, across the hallway, was the door leading to the guest room.  There were lights coming from the crevice of the door, and Spike could here the hoof steps from the other side, over the rushing water and hail.  He shut the water off, and opened the bathroom door, and put his ear up the the shut guest room door.

“Really, Applejack, you mean it?” Rainbow Dash’s muffled voice pronounced.

“Why not, Dash, if Ah’ feel the same way y’all do, then Ah'm willin’ to find out,” Applejack’s muffled voice spoke.

Spike thought for a second, then leaned up, to hear some more.

“How do we tell the other girls, Applejack, I mean, Twilight is leaving tomorrow?” she asked.

“Ah’ don’t know, Dash, but we’ll find a way, we always do,” Applejack answered.

Spike tried to back away from the door, but accidentally smacked into the small table lying in the hall.  It rocked back, and Spike cupped his mouth, only to be seen by a confused Applejack and Rainbow Dash, who opened the door after hearing his mess up.

“We have to talk,” Spike said.

They walked back in the room, and Spike pinched the scaly skin between his eyes, and pulled up a chair from the corner of the small guest room.  He began to speak.

“Look, I don’t know what happened, but from looking outside, I think we’re going to be stuck here until the storm clears.  That means we might have to stay the night, and I have no clue what you were talking about."

“We said some things here Spike,” Applejack said.

“Did you tell her, Dash, be honest with me?” Spike turned to Rainbow,

“Yes, Spike, I did,”

Spike left them alone to sort everything out, and Spike ran downstairs to tell Twilight what happened, who was still being covered by Rarity’s never ending questions.

“Twilight, I need to talk to you.”

“Rainbow Dash and Applejack?” Twilight was stunned.

“Don’t take it as a bad thing, but this is a working relationship, it’s still in progress.”

“I’m not, Spike, but I wish I could stay here to watch it grow,” Twilight shuddered.

“Twilight, Timberwoods may not be as important as this, but, maybe, if you leave, and come back in the next few weeks, they will be a happy couple,” Spike suggested.

“Taking time away from my friends, to watch their bonds grow stronger?” Twilight thought, “You’re right, Spike."

Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy overheard their conversation, so now, Dash and Applejack’s secret was out, between the group.  Fluttershy’s secret was known by Pinkie, and Rarity, but unknown to Applejack, Dash, Spike, and Twilight.  She wasn’t too sure about this now, telling Twilight, she had to be alone, and with Applejack and Dash’s  relationship, there would be to much hassle.

There was one, crazy idea that popped in her small, little head, but what if she were to follow Twilight... to Timberwoods.  Would it work? Who would take care of her animals?  She had to tell someone if she wanted to go, to take care of Angle and her woodland friends.  The only person she could trust was Rarity and Pinkie, and unaware to her, they already knew her secret.

The night was just getting started, and it looks like they would all have to spend the night.  Pinkie confirmed, and pulled out a bunch of pillows, sheets, and mattresses.  She lined up the sleeping arrangements along the upstairs rooms.  There were two guest rooms, Pinkie’s room, and the bathroom.  So, it would be Pinkie in her room, Twilight, Rarity, and Spike in the guest room, and Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash in the last guest room.  Fluttershy didn’t handle stress very well, and it only made matters worse as she was put with the two ponies they were all talking about.  Only because of her shyness, she couldn’t speak up to change arrangements.

What a party!  This seemingly harmless night brought Pinkie’s sanity on hinges, this was supposed to cheer up everyponies feelings, when all it did was reveal secrets that were possibly supposed to be kept tucked away.  Maybe this was for the better, though, maybe everything would work out.  Applejack and Rainbow Dash slept in the same bed, saying it was because ‘of a shortage of mattresses’, or just Pinkie Pie trying to get them closer.

Fluttershy slept on a mattress located at the foot of the bed, on the floor.  More hail began to fall, as Pinkie locked the door, shut the shutters, and took in a deep breath.

“Here goes everything,” and she shut the light switch off.

9:27 PM

It was pitch black by the time everything was finished, and the ponies were getting ready to slumber, but Spike was still curious.

10:01 PM

About 30 minutes had passed, no sounds, no a peep, but Spike was up to no good, trying to hear more about the relationship.  He had to ensure that it would grow stronger to ensure a happy life.  Nopony knew that Spike ‘thought’ it was up to him, but in plain sense, it was truly non of his business.  He got up, out of his mattress, after making sure Twilight and Rarity were asleep, then he tip-clawed out the door.

10:12 PM

After making his way through the hallway, taking a short amount of steps by the minute, and planned out his way to eavesdrop.  The attic was one way, because he couldn’t just lean up against the door, he would easily be caught.

10:19 PM

Fluttershy had her head sideways, pointing away from the bed Applejack and Dash were sharing.  The bed was a good size, and it left some space between them, but they were facing away from each other.  Spike climbed up the ladder to the attic, and looked through the cracks in the floor boards, until he found the spot were he was right under them.  He camped out there for a few minutes, waiting for one of them to turn heads.

10:28 PM

The hail was hitting hard, and it was even louder as you got closer to the roof.  Spike peaked his eye through the cracks in the floor, and through the plaster and wood, he watched them, very ‘stakerish’ like.  Spike breathed hard, but not any movement from both ponies, and Fluttershy was still too.  He had to get one of their attentions, but how?  He thought of the closet thing that would make a loud noise.  He slammed his fist down on the floorboards and some dust fell down onto Applejack’s hat less head.

10:29 PM

Applejack turned, torqued her head head upwards, but couldn’t see Spike from the other end.  She turned her head over to Rainbow Dash, and started talking.  Spike couldn’t hear them through the floor, but he knew they were speaking.  His’ job’ was done, so he climbed back down, and got onto the mattress.

10:34 PM

“Hey, Applejack?”

“What’s that, sugarcube?”

“Your hoof is rubbing up against my mine,”

“Ah’ know, darlin’, just sumthin’ new,”

Fluttershy pretended to be asleep, but she could hear them loud and clear.

“Thank you, Applejack.”

“Fer’ what?”

“For giving us a chance, I’m not use to all this mushy stuff, but I’m gad I’m doing it with you,”

Fluttershy got tears in her eyes, and they started dripping down on her little pillow.  How lonely she felt, all alone in a big world, not feeling the warmth that Aj and RD’s bodies were giving off to the covers.  How she wish she could feel that, what she would give.  Her frustration with love was overcoming her own personality, soon, if she didn’t find her love interests soft spots, she would change completely, and just the thoughts of this gave her chills down her spine, and more tears that flowed down on the pillows.

1:45 AM

This was turning into a sleepless night for Pinkie Pie, not good at all, she was stressed, still afraid, but Rarity already told her not to.  Maybe after Twilight leaves, she could focus on the Apple/Dash situation.

2:31 AM

Everypony but Fluttershy was asleep...

4:52 AM

Hailing stopped, sun was about to start rising,

5:30 AM

Ponies wake up. Even Spike, strange, Spike usually likes to stay in bed, but there were many reasons why he would like to get up, Twilight was leaving by train today.

Morning

This was it, Pinkie put everything she had into the parts, and the hail was starting to melt by the hot, morning summer sun.  Fluttershy was ready, and after Pinkie finished cooking breakfast, they all met at the table.  RD and Aj were next to one another, their tails entwined, making a yellow and rainbow colored twist.  They sat the farthest away, so it was unnoticable.

Twilight was first to departure, with Spike.

“Thanks again, Pinkie for the wonderful party.”

“Sure thing, Twilight!” she shook her friends hoof, ten Pinkie put both hooves around her, and hugged.  This would be the last contact she would have with Pinkie until she returned.

“Uh, Pinkie, you’re crushing me,” Twilight squeezed out.

“Sorry, I’ll miss you,” Pinkie teared up.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back, why don’t you all come see me before I leave, at the train station.”

They all agreed, and she told them the time, only a couple of hours.

Twilight waved good bye to her other friends, and left Sugar Cube Corner.  Fluttershy watched as her only chance of true happiness walked out, and then pulled Rarity aside from the other ponies.

“Uh, Rarity, would it be to much to ask of you, if you would watch my animals?”

“Why?  Are you going somewhere?” Rarity asked.

Fluttershy thought for a second, and came up with a lie.

“Yes, I’m heading to Manehatten for an... important medicinal care center for animals.”

Rarity thought for a second, then spoke, as Fluttershy held her breath,

“Okay, Fluttershy, Twilight’s going, now you.  It must be a coincidence, these random appointments keep popping up! I hope to see you soon.”

“You will...” she hushed.

She waved goodbye to her friends, and walked out to pack her things, just as Twilight was.  Out the door, the ground was wet, the liquid of the hail was melting, but the queerest thing was that it was still summer!  The days were short, yes, but still they had a pair of weeks to go until autumn.  The Pegasus ponies really must have messed up, they will never hear the end of this.

Twilight packed her things away.  She packed heavy, thick coating with the furry rims of the hoods, and multiple candles.  Timberwoods may not sound like a big place, but it was huge!  It was located in between four mountain ranges, all named the Swayback Mountains.  The city was built in the center of the four sided mountain valley, and spread around five hundred miles of the valley.  The valley itself was a thick, lush area of timber wood, from where the city gets its name.  It was always snowing, but the most dangerous part were the woods themselves.  Blizzards were always occurring, and they say the trees are so tall, when you get lost, and there is a ninety nine percent chance you will, you can’t see the sky.

That was the main caution she had to worry about, getting lost, but she wasn’t too worried, as she packed her things.

Spike walked down the steps from upstairs, holding a note from the Princess, and he spoke up, making Twilight turn in his direction.

“Uh, Twilight.”

“Yes, Spike?”

“I just got this note from the Princess, and it says...”

“It says what, Spike?” Twilight got more interested.

“It says, for my safety, that I can’t go with you,”

“What?” she asked.

“I knew this was going to happen, but I really can’t go, Princess's orders.”

“You seem so calm about this, Spike.”

“Honestly, Twilight, I’m about to break into tears,” he lowered his head.

Twilight felt as if she was punched right in the gut.  No Spike?  How could she survive without her faithful assistant?

“Spike? You can’t come... But why?”

“I’m a dragon, Twilight, I can’t go out into the blizzards, I would freeze to death up there.”

“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?” Twilight choked up, small tears swelling in her eyes.

“You were hanging out with your friends at the party,” he rubbed his claw up on his other arm, “and this would be the last time you saw them before you left.”

“And?” she teared,

“And, I didn’t want to ruin your time you had, with me staying.” Spike said, hoy tears developing in his eyes.

So, Spike was to stay there, in Ponyville, while Twilight left for a few weeks, to study in Timberwoods.

Spike ran over to Twilight, and they hugged each other.

“Don’t worry, Twilight, you’ll be back soon,” Spike ensured.

Spike’s fire tears leaked out, and burned tiny holes into the wood floor of the center of the library, and mixed with Twilight’s tears, making small imprints.  When they connected, small pockets of steam rose up, and surrounded the embracing purple pony, and scaly purple dragon.

“I’m really gonna’ miss you, Spike,” Twilight exhaled, and started packing her things again.  Spike turned around, put his claws up to his stomach, and yanked a scale off.  He handed it to Twilight,

“Just so you don’t forget me,” he joked.

Twilight put the scale on top of her coat pocket, and locked the case shut.  In the distance, the train whistle was very faintly whistling through the crisp, summer air.

The Day The Laughter Died (Edited)

The Day The Laughter Died

“C’mon, darlins’,” Applejack nudged Rainbow and Rarity.

“Now?  She’s leaving right now?” Rarity asked.

“Yes, Twilight’s train is arrivin’, and we all promised her we’d be there!” she exclaimed, pointing towards the door.

They walked through the now crowded streets of Ponyville.

“How long will the trip be?” Dash asked,

“From here to Timberwoods? Roughly 10 hours, give or take,” Applejack answered, not stopping her slight gallop.  They were starting to pick the pace, dodging the pedestrian ponies, and made their way to the station.

Pinkie was already waiting for them, alone.  Her hair wasn’t poofy like normal, but drab and low, like the time she thought her friends didn’t want to be her friends anymore.

“Why so glum, Pinkie Pie?” Rarity asked, catching her breath from the jog.

“I’m gonna’ miss Twilight, you guys,” she cried out.  Her head sagged, as she sat down on the bench facing the cross ties of the rail road.  The train blew off in the distance, and her heart sank a little every time it did.

She thought she would be able to pull through, and get over it, but by the time she started walking towards the train station, it hit her hard.  Rarity sat down next to her, and comforted her, saying soft things in her ear.

Rainbow Dash looked at Applejack, and thought of the future.  She was happy Applejack was giving her a chance, but sad that Twilight was leaving and how sad Pinkie was.  It was hard enough last time Pinkie got sad, now it was like deja vu all over again.

Twilight came holding some of her bags, Spike the rest.  Pinkie started to cry, but the others stood their with welcoming, sad smiles.

“Hi, girls, I’m so glad you came... but where is Fluttershy?” she asked, and they looked around.

“I’m here,” she said, flying over, “I’m sorry I’m late, I just, I-”

“Calm down, Fluttershy, it’s a sad time for all of us,” Twilight stopped her.  They all looked at Twilight, even Spike with big, gleaming eyes, as Twilight broke the short silence.

“Well, I guess this is it...”

Pinkie hopped from the bench and from Rarity’s grasp, and lunged herself towards Twilight.  Embracing her, she cried all over her mane, “I’m gonna’ miss you, Twilight,” she feebly whined out.

“I’m going to miss you to, Pinkie,” she said softly.

“You really have to go?” she asked, no reason why she shouldn’t.

“Yes, Pinkie, it’ll only be a few weeks,” Twilight stammered, feeling Pinkie’s pain,

“A few weeks is to long to be without you, Twi’, goodbye.”

Next was Dash and Applejack, they hugged each other, and said their goodbyes, getting teary eyed, and then Rarity.  They did the same, leaving only Fluttershy left.

“Goodbye, Fluttershy.”

“Goodbye, Twilight,” she said, lying.  She was about to hop on the train with her, so she played out the act.  Even thought Fluttershy never felt this devious before, it was in the name of her love, and nothing was stopping her.  She had a mission, and she was going to complete it.

They hugged, and then they all watched as the train pulled up at the station.  Pinkie hung her head again, and Spike walked up to Twilight after loading the luggage.  Spike embraced Twilight, and all of the ponies looked in awe.

“Spike? Arn’t you going?” they all asked,

“No... I’m staying.”

There was no answers, just questions.

“But wh-”

“ALL ABOARD!” the conductor shouted, and Twilight hopped on.  While no pony was looking, Fluttershy made a quick excuse, and ran to the back of the train, in the caboose.  With a quick turn of her head to see if anypony spotted her, and hopped on the red cart.

There they all were, watching Twilight from the station, as the train pulled out.  They all waved. Pinkie was crying, Applejack’s arm was around Dash’s back, and Rarity ran to comfort Pinkie.

What an exit...

Twilight watched as her friends and Ponyville disappeared into the background, and she started making her way towards Timberwoods, in the Swayback Mountains.  The train rocked slowly, and the luggage was hung high above her head.  The train was small only four carts, strange, they normally have about six.

This was a one way trip.  Last train to Timberwoods until her ETD a few weeks later.  Twilight leaned her head up against the glass, her horn slightly scraping it.

Fluttershy sat down in the caboose’s inner room.  She knew it was going to get very hot, and then very cold, so she had to make her way up to the car before Twilight’s, to keep her from being seen.

Everypony but Pinkie left the station, leaving her to wallow on her bench.  It seemed when her friends left, everypony left, leaving a blank silence wrapped around her.  Her heart was like a ship, cracked and sinking into a deep, underwater depression.

“Why?” she thought.  Her hair leaning over her shoulders, wet from her tears.  She pulled out a tissue and dried her face, but they still kept coming.

It was a beautiful day out, but no parties, no laughter, no fun, only Dash and Applejack’s relationship.  They were growing closer, Pinkie could sense it, which put down her insecurity, but didn’t help her emotions.

No help sitting her, she got up, and walked away from the station where they were once were, together.  She wandered the streets of Ponyville, so drab.

Maybe a muffin or a cupcake would help her.  Yeah, a muffin sounded better than a cupcake, Ditzy Doo would have some.  She decided to head to Ditzy’s home, not just for the food, but for the company.  The streets were full of ponies now, but they paid no attention to Pinkie Pie, as she moved slowly through the crowed, her head bowed, an her hair dragging across the dirt.

When she arrived, she knocked on the door, and the cross eyed Pegasus pony opened the door.

“Ditzy, I-”

“Call me Derpy, I changed it, Pinkie, remember?” she stopped her.

“Sorry... Derpy... I feel really bad, I thought you had a muffin or two,” she said.

Derpy looked into Pinkie’s eyes, she could see the sorrow, like a pony who lost a pet... Or a friend.

“Come on in, Pinkie,” Derpy answered.  They sat down in the tiny kitchen, and she pulled out a tray.

“Let me put these in the oven,” she said.

Pinkie never really talked to Ditzy, or Derpy as she would call herself, since the last Winter Wrap Up they had.  Derpy’s relatives lived all over Equestria, places like Manehatten and Stalliongrad.  She could never tell who Derpy was talking to, either, on account of her eyes looking all over the room.

“Derpy, I’m sorry to burst in here, I don’t want to be a burden,” she said.  Derpy put the batter in the oven, and sat down across from Pinkie.

“Why so glum, Pinkie Pie?”

“Twilight left today.”

“Where did she go, I wasn’t told,” Derpy got more interested.

“To Timberwoods,” Pinkie squeed.

“Timberwoods? That’s a long way from here.  When did she leave?”

“Just a few moments ago,” her hair draped on the table, curling into tiny knots.

“Why don’t you put your hair up?” Derpy tried to comfort her.

“I don’t want to,” Pinkie shot back.

“I can help you, Pinkie,” Derpy got up, and searched for a comb.

Pinkie just sat there, and mumbled, signaling a ‘what ever’ sign.  She combed the pink hair down across her back, and then bumped it all up.  After she was finished combing, she ran her hooves rapidly across Pinkie’s head, and frizzed it up.

“Perfect!” Derpy exclaimed, and the muffins were ready.  She pulled them out and lay them on the table.

“Butter?” she offered Pinkie, and Pinkie took it.  They ate them slowly, and Pinkie spoke up.

“I don’t know what to do, Derpy, I hate feeling this way.”

“Why do you?” Derpy said.

“I already told you, Twilight left!”

“So, what's so bad, she’s coming back, right?” Derpy guessed.

“Well, yes, but-”

“But nothing! Just keep your head up, and you will be able to pull through,” Derpy stopped her.

“You’re very smart, Derpy, I don’t know why people think differently,” Pinkie said, finishing the muffin.

“Think differently about what?” Derpy asked.

Pinkie laughed a bit to herself, “Nothing, nothing at all.”

Poor Rarity (Edited)

Poor Rarity

Vacation is coming soon.

Rarity rushed to Pinkie’s side of the bench, that one bench, lone at the train station, with Dash and Applejack by her side.  Twilight’s train was being pushed down the tracks, and Spike hung his head in sorrow, putting his claws up to his face, as tears strung down his face.  Rarity’s foreleg wrapped around Pinkie’s sobbing self, and tried to comfort her.

“Calm down, Pinkie, she’ll be back,” she calmed.

“No, it won’t be the same,” she cried out.

“What do you mean, darling?”

“Don’t you see what will happen?” Pinkie rose her head.

“Tell me, please do.”

“With Twilight gone, Spike will be alone, Applejack and Dash won’t be around anymore, and Fluttershy will stay lonely for ever,” Pinkie lowered her head again.

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that, Pinkie,” Rarity leaned in, “I think Fluttershy got on the train with Twilight.”

Pinkie rose her head up, her eyes widened, “Wha-? How do you know that?”

Applejack and Dash were already walking away.

“She told me she was leaving for a doctor or something like that, but I think she was lying,” Rarity informed her.  Pinkie wanted to believe her, but she didn’t have enough proof to show it.

“I don’t know if  I can trust you on that, Rarity.”

“Okay, Pinkie, but take it easy, just slow down for a bit,” and with that, Rarity got up, and left.  Spike already returned to Twilight’s library home.

Rarity walked down the street, noticing all of the other ponies minding themselves, paying no attention to Rarity.  The sun was lowering as she walked back to her home.

The door opened up, and everything was still.  Rarity went over to her ‘thinking’ couch, and laid down.  Her eye lids slowly began to close, and she tried to sort everything out.  She was almost about to get some rest, when the click clack of hooves came down, and caught her attention.

“Rarity, why are you so glum?” the small pony asked.

“What? Oh, it’s nothing to big,” Rarity answered.

“Well, it must be, you never sit down on your thinking couch, unless its important,” Sweetie pointed out, approaching her sister.

“It’s everything, Sweetie, everything is falling apart.”

“Everything?”

“All of my friends are having a hard time dealing with Twilight’s leaving,” Rarity lowered.

“Isn’t she coming back?” she asked,

“Of course, but I think that Pinkie would have already gone crazy by that time,” Rarity answered.

“Want me to call the asylum?” Sweetie Belle joked.

“No, but we should keep them on standby.”

Sweetie’s expression changed, “You’re serious? I was just joking!  If it’s that bad, then this really is important!”

“Listen, I need some time to think, without you right now, I’m going out for a bit, I don’t know when I’ll be back,” she said, getting up.

“I’ll just go to Apple Bloom’s house, then,” Sweetie said.

“Fine, but I’ll just stay this,” she said as she walked out the door, “You’re to young to know, so stay away from Applejack and Rainbow Dash for a while.”

Rarity walked in though the dusty saloon doors, only a few ponies were present, sitting at the small tables, and the bar was centered in the back of the room.  The lights were hung from thick wire.  Rarity walked up to the bar stools lined up nicely, and ordered.

“Water, just water.”

Her forelegs were up on the bar, her hooves in her face, after three glasses of water, another one coming.  Slow music was playing, on a grand piano, and the moon was rising up into the sky, at it’s peak.  The music sounded nice, but she paid no attention to the lyrics, out of frustration.

A few of the ponies were starting to leave the bar, as he time was getting very late.  She practically had the bar to herself, except for the pianist and the bar tender.  She gulped down more water, and turned her stool to face the piano.  She never learned how to play it, but that was just one thing in a long list of things she never got to do.

“Play me a sad song,” she said, giving a stare to the pianist.

“How sad?” he asked up.

“The saddest one you know.”

The music started out very slow, and mellow.  It stayed that way the whole time through, notes dripping of the strings as the small hammers vibrated them through the room.  Only her, the white pony, was paying attention, and was the only one listening.  The only patron in the bar, and the only pony probably in all of Equestria who was feeling her kind of sorrow.  The one problem was that it was somepony else’s problem.

Pinkie was the sole pony Rarity worried about, she knew that Pinkie’s self depression, even if it only lasted a few days or weeks, could take a major toll on her sanity.  Why did Twilight have to go?  She could have refused, couldn’t she?  Was she trying to get away from them?  So many questions were left unanswered, and maybe the could never be answered...

All Rarity knew was that Twilight and Fluttershy were gone, Pinkie was depressed, and Spike is going to get even more lonely as the days were creeping up.  Poor Rarity, all alone, in a cold world, but the strange thing was: it was still summer.  The notes were still going, ringing in her ears, and she bowed her head down on the bar, her snout barley touching the top of the wooden surface, and tears strummed down the bridge of her nose, out from the corners of her blue eyes.

Sobbing, she went to the bathroom, for peace and quiet, even though the music was still coming through the wall.  She leaned over the sink, and bit her tongue, trying to hold back the tears.  She could remember Pinkie’s straight hair, how it sagged down, as she handed the tissues towards Pinkamina’s face.  And how Applejack and Dash’s tails were entwined, realizing that their relationship was growing every second, but the one thing that bugged her most, was Spike, and how lonely he will be.

Her tears stopped, but they were still dripping of the ends of her cheeks, dripping into the sink.  She wiped the rest of the salty water off of her face, and exited the bathroom, leaving a trial of dust in her wake.  The song finally ended, that song, the song that made her realize what the gravity of the situation was.

“That,” she sniffed, “was wonderful.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” he tilted his head, wrapping up his belongings, and proceeded out the door.

That was enough of the bar, it was only her, the bar tender had left.  The streets were deserted too, it was past midnight, and the street lights lit the avenues.  Maybe she would go visit Spike, see how he was doing.  She started making her way to the large, tree library, where only one light in the downstairs floor was on.

Spike was reading a book from the shelves, when he heard the knock on the door.  He peeked through the looking glass of the door, and sighed at the figure standing outside.  He opened the door, and slowly, she walked in.

“Hey, Rarity,” his words ran off, “what are you doing here?”

“I just thought I would come by and see how you were doing, you seemed a little down.”

“Yeah, I was, and still am.”

“Are you okay? Physically, I mean,” Rarity asked, curiously, “do you need anything?”

“No, I’m fine, I’m just a bit bummed out that I wasn’t able to go,” Spike turned away, “I mean, I miss Twilight, a lot, but I just wish I could go around where ever I pleased, it’s always ‘No, Spike, stay here’ or ‘Take a note, Spike’,” he imitated.

Rarity paused, then spoke, “If you want to go, or take some time off, why don’t you tell her?”

“I couldn’t, I shouldn’t, it’s wrong, and I’m her assistant,” Spike stuttered.

“So, maybe you do need a break.”

“Why did you come here, really?” Spike asked.

“It’s Pinkie, I’m worried about her, she seems like she’s going to take this the hardest.”

“Oh?”

“I’m worried.”

“Don’t be,” Spike turned back around, “it’s Pinkie Pie, she’ll calm down eventually.”

Rarity wanted to believe him,

“Ya, your probably right, I’m sorry I bothered you.”

Spike opened the front door, “If you don’t mind, I have to get some sleep,”

“Right, sorry,” she said, as she walked out of the door.

Still, something bugged her, and she started to think weather Fluttershy was doing the right thing.  The she thought of maybe even going out to bring her back.

He took one glance back, and shut it behind her, then, Rarity proceeded back to her home, with a somewhat clear mind, and Spike’s advice.

"What Makes You So Sure..." (Edited)

“What Makes You So Sure...”

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and Happy Hearth Warming's Eve (and a Happy New Year!)

/)^3^(\

Twilight woke up in a cold sweat, the moon was high, and the soft vibration of the train was tapping throughout the cars.  She looked out across the barren wasteland of desert, as the train went across the tracks at a medium speed.  She had some drool slipping out of her not so dry lips, and wiped it off.  There was only two other ponies in the car with her, holding their luggage, which seemed to be filled with thick, heavy coating.

She wondered about Spike, and Pinkie, but mostly Spike.  How would he act when she returned?  She tried not to think about it.  The dust from the ground was slightly kicking up from the train wheels, causing a line of thin soot around the horizon.

Her luggage was hanging above her, on the metal rack, and the cart consisted of about fifteen seats before leading into the other one.  All the way back to the caboose, and then miles and miles of open land, filled with creatures of all shapes and sizes, wolves and dogs.

Twilight decided to start up a conversation with the pony sitting across from her.  She was rugged, tough, and strong for a pony.  Twilight opened her mouth;

“Were are you heading?”

The pony looked up, it seemed that she was taking a nap.

“What?” her voice was a little low, almost like Rainbow Dash’s, and tom-boyish.

“I’m getting off at the base of the mountain,” she said, looking back down, and shutting her eyes.

“I’m going to Timberwoods, on royal business.”

“Royal?” the pony asked, getting more interested.

“I’m the private student for the Princess,” Twilight said, almost bragging.

“Well, up in Timberwoods, that wont matter,” the pony said, laughing silently.

“Oh? Why?” Twilight asked.

“I bet I can already pick out your type: smart, book worm, not to tough... Am I right?”

She was totally right.

“And what does that have to do with Timberwoods?” Twilight asked, getting annoyed.

“After you get out past those walls of the city, it’s everypony for themselves,” she gave the answer.

“What makes you so sure I will go outside the walls?”

“You will, curiosity kills the pony, so just watch yourself out there,” the pony said, and fell back asleep.

That sent a shiver down Twilight’s spine, and she stayed quiet for a long time.

Fluttershy’s caboose was dropping in temperature fast, her wings were tucked underneath their flaps.  Her nose and most of her face was frozen up.  Her mouth formed an ‘O’ shape, as she breathed cold breaths out of her frozen and chattering mouth.  She looked around for a way of warmth, such as a heater or piece of clothing.  There were a few trunks, in a row.  She opened each one gently.

The first one contained a scarf, she threw it on, and the next was a pair of mittens and a blanket.  They would do her good and keep her alive, but it would be a nightmare.  She couldn’t shut her eyes, her eye lashes would freeze over each other, so she took short blinks.

Her whole body was shivering, but out of all this dismal look of all things, it was for Twilight (how sweet).

The thing that bugged her the most, was that Twilight was right next door, on the other car, but she couldn’t go, this would ruin her plan.

“I’m so sorry, Twilight,” she whispered, frozen tears leaking down her face, she was sorry for everything, and nothing.

How would she break this to her?  It would be hard, but she was destined to do it, her heart ached for nopony else.  Her coughs were very slow, and hurt her throat, even though the scarf was wrapped tight around her long neck.  Her hair, long purple hair was wrapped around the top of her head, and pulled down into the scarf.  All four of her legs were wrapped up, clenched together.  Pulled tightly to her body, they bent over, and she was huddled in the corner of the rocking car.

Twilight, alone, held her head against the glass, as she could see the climate changing, as the sun started to rise upon the horizon.  The snow wasn’t seen yet, not for another amount of miles, maybe thirty or twenty five, but it became colder.  The cart became hotter too, as the sun beams were glistening from the windows.  They started climbing the mountain, as they could feel the gravity change in a very small amount.

The beams hit the pony sitting across from Twilight, the one she talked to the night before, and she woke up, nudging her hat down, to block it.  Twilight got no sleep, but circles didn’t form around her eyes, she was to eager to get to Timberwoods.

Fluttershy, on the other hand, was able to get some sleep, for only an hour, and her eye lashes did freeze shut, only to be entangled by the cold chill that came through.  Actually, her whole body was sweating, until she realized she still had her blanket and scarf on. It was getting colder, but it wasn’t that cold anymore She discarded them carefully, and waited for their arrival.  She got up, stretching her bones and joints, and looked out the back of the car, seeing the bright, blue sky that spread all over the desert.

She remembered the time she invited Dash and Twilight to that small picnic, the one with the oranges, and such.

“What a stupid idea,” her conscience said.

“How?” she talked back to herself.

“Look what you got yourself into,” it returned.

“I know, I know, but there are no other ways,” she sighed.

“Yes there are, you could go out there, right now and tell her,” her mind barked.

“Really?”

“Yes, yes, the door is right there, go out and tell her,” it commanded.

“But... what if others hear us?”

“To hay with them!  You see how they do it in the movies!” her childish side was taking her over.

“Really, I guess it could work.”

Fluttershy turned around and face the door, but hadn’t started towards it.

“Really?”

“Really.”

She took her first hoof step towards the door, then another, her face disgruntled, and her mouth making the same ‘O’ shape, and her hair was flowing back down, and she was reaching for the knob, she could see three silhouettes in their seats.

“Open it.”

“I’m going.”

“Open it, now, now, do it!”

“Okay!”

“OPEN IT!”

“ALRIGHT!” she flutteryelled, soft, but loud enough to hear under a rain shower,

As her hoof was about to hit the handle, she realized, she was just talking to herself.

Her nerves in her brain were sent up from her arm, as she could feel the cold metal of the door, even though she felt like a million degrees.  She slowly turned it, and right there, she could hear the locks flick open from the door, even over the hum of the engine, then it happened.

“Uh oh,” the engineer of the train said, looking nervously at the engine letting out way too much steam, then smoke, the fire, not from the pit of coals.  It was nothing to bad, all he had to do was release the steam, push away the fire.  He reached over to the shovel, which was place upon the wall, but as he reached for it, his attention was caught by a large pop coming from the furnace, causing him to miss the shovel, and smack the high pressure valve, causing the pressure of the air, and Co2 to engulf the fire.  The engineers eyes got wider, as he hugged himself in terror,

“Oops,”

A big explosion went off in the front of the car, and everypony was thrust forward, and Twilight was hit on her noggin, knocking her unconscious.  Ouch.

Fluttershy was thrown forward, smacking her fore arm into the glass of the door, smashing it, sending her over the door, through the broken window, just dodging the the glass.  The engine blew up, that’s what happened, and the engineer bailed out, just in time, rolling down the small hill, leaving him stranded out, halfway up the first mountain, even though they still had another one to volley.  The train brakes started kicking in, after a few seconds from the initial damage.

They finally stopped, and Fluttershy tried shaking her head, only to find herself next to the limp body of Twilight.  She shuttered at it, and noticed the smoke coming from the car in front of them, and the fire was spreading out too.

“Hey, you, yellow one!” the pony with the hat yelled, as she was departing the car, “get out of there!”

Fluttershy paid no attention to her, as she bit down on Twilight’s neck, dragging her off, as the fire roared up, from the car, dropping her limp body a few feet away from it.  There was now a little group of ponies out there, the pony with the hat, Fluttershy, Twilight, and one other, who was obviously having a nervous breakdown of some sort, mumbling to himself.

“Now who are you?” the pony asked, “I never saw you get on before.”

“I got on last,” Fluttershy returned,

“Well, we got to go back,” the pony returned,

“No, Timberwoods is closer.”

“Are you crazy? We’ll get killed up there.”

Fluttershy thought to herself for a second, but knew Timberwoods was their best bet.

“Timberwoods is better, we need to go there, I need to, and she needs to,” Fluttershy pointed at Twilight.

“What?! You ARE crazy, I’m going back across that desert, and I’m taking him with me!” the pony pointed towards the still mumbling stallion.

She dragged him away, and Fluttershy nudged towards Twilight, and slung her over her back.  She was light for a little pony, and Fluttershy gained extra strength with her satisfaction knowing Twilight was out of harms way, for now.

The snow started to fall, after a long mile of walking up hill, the trees started getting thicker and thicker.  The tall pines were starting to form, as Fluttershy started growing a bit weaker in her effort to take Twilight to safety.  She finally reached where the tracks turned, but the path upwards to the first peak of the mountain was.  The wind would blow hard, and after they made it over (if they made it over), the next mountain would be miles away, surrounded by trees, creatures, caves, and other dangers an adventurer would love, but this was Fluttershy.  Just Fluttershy and Twilight, alone.  That was the one thought she had, as she started ascending the mountain trail.

The rocks were medium size, and the wind was blowing harshly against the, pushing Fluttershy down, with Twilight on her back.  Her hair was whisking around everywhere, but they were lucky this wasn’t the tallest mountain.  She made it to the top, after an hour of merciless climbing, only leaving the snow in her tracks.

She could see the mountain up ahead, and she was right, they had another possible sixty miles to walk.  The trees were thick, very thick, and tall.  The snow started falling heavier now, and it flew down onto Fluttershy’s head and Twilight’s whole body.  They needed to find shelter fast.  A cave, perhaps, but she had to find one fast, as she galloped, but balanced herself down the mountain.

The base of the mountain has a small spot of no trees, but then, the tree line was right in front of it.  Fluttershy stared at the tree line, scared to continue, but it’s just like what Pinkie Pie once said, its just like a Hop, a Skip, and a Jump, through the incredibly scary, incredibly large, and ever so incredibly dangerous woods.

She trekked through, watching Twilight’s head bob up and down.  She got very lucky that day, as when she found a cave very early into the woods.  It was enclosed, and could fit the both of them.  She walked in, stepping over the objects she couldn’t see without the light.  The trees were so tall and the snow was so thick, she couldn’t see the sun at all, and it was getting darker.

She needed wood, which was sitting in a pile in the cave, and a stick that she could rub against it, to start a spark... or she could use some of Twilight’s magic...

“How can I do this?” she asked herself, she knew, as if anypony knew, that unicorn horns were extremely sensitive to touch, and sends shocks of energy to a unicorns brain, releasing nervous amounts of magic.

“So all I have to do is touch it?” she guessed.

She brought her hoof closer to Twilight’s horn, and gently tapped at it with the tip.  It sparked out a little bit of ‘magic’ from the top, and it fell to the floor.  I guess that worked, so she started poking at it some more, until her arms got tired.  Tapping didn’t seem to do much, it only released small fragments of magic, so Fluttershy put Twilight’s head in a position, aimed towards the pile of wood in the center of the cave, and put both hoofs on the horn.

She started rubbing it frantically, friction was building up in her hoofs.  Twilight’s unconscious head was being pushed in all directions by Fluttershy’s efforts.  Fluttershy’s arms were getting tired, but she couldn’t stop, she bit her lip to keep from losing strength, and didn’t stop.

Her hoofs felt like they were on fire, and the horn started to glow wildly, as Fluttershy aimed Twilight’s head.

“C’mon! Work!” Fluttershy exclaimed, sweat started rolling down her temples, even though it was cold.  Faster, and faster, she rubbed out the magic, Twilight’s mouth started to drool out some saliva, as her horn finally shot out a small beam of energy towards the wood, and BAM! A fire was started.

Twilight’s body began to seize up, and, out of most embarrassment, her liquids were released from between her legs.

“Uh oh,” Fluttershy said, upon seeing the sight, thinking that she did something wrong, possibly hurting Twilight, but then relaxed as Twilight began to take deep, sturdy breaths near the now lit fire.

Fluttershy gathered next to the fire, and wrapped her long hair around Twilight, keeping her warm.  She would do anything for Twilight, anything in the world for her.  Not long had passed, as every second seemed the same, and the fire was starting the crackle more, as the whistling of the wind flew around the cave.

Fluttershy began to shut her eyes, seeing at what good she had done that day.  Her eyes shut tight, safely away from having them frozen.  She slept for a good time, after carrying Twilight for hours.  Her breath was brushing against Twilight’s face, being covered by Fluttershy’s purple hair.  She didn’t dream, it was only darkness, like the woods.

When she woke up, she couldn’t honestly tell what time it was, but the wind stopped blowing.  The snow was just falling very slowly, down in a straight pattern.  She checked if Twilight was okay.  She pushed the hair of her face, but could only see the unconscious body of her friend.

She got back up, to kindle the fire.  Then something startled her, in a terrible way.  The light stretched away into the back of the cave, and there was a big pile of bones.  Bones of all kinds of animals, and Fluttershy’s ears were pricked up, from the sound of steps in the snow, nearing the cave.

She had to hide Twilight, quick.  Fluttershy dragged Twilight all the way to the back of the cave, right behind the bones, and the fire started dying out.  These were all bad signs, as shadows started emerging from the trees.  Here they come.  They looked like coyotes, but bigger, so they had to be a pack of wolves.  Hungry wolves, very hungry wolves, and Fluttershy couldn't believe her eyes, besides dragons, wolves were her worst fears!

“This, this here cave is ours, pony,” the possible leader said, “you don’t belong here.”

“But I need this cave for my friend, she’s hurt very bad,” Fluttershy’s voice trailed off.

“Pony, you can’t throw us out of our own home, my kin belong here, you don’t,” the leader said.

This was bad, and wasn’t going to end well.

“My friend needs this cave,” Fluttershy tried standing her ground.

“You will die here, pony.”

“Please, let us stay!”

“My kin will rip you apart!” the leader sent one towards Fluttershy, and she did the quickest thing she did, and she tossed the still lit wood towards the wolf.  It caught on the fur of him, and started burning him alive.  The wolf quickly rolled in the snow, almost bare, and retreated.

“You were lucky, pony, but not for long!”

Fluttershy clenched up, and shut her eyes, waiting for the attack.

“Kin, attack!” the wolf shouted, and all of them, maybe seven or eight, rushed her.

Fluttershy was knocked off her hoofs, and was hastily slashed across the face by a claw, and almost hit by another one, when a large eruption shook the ground, and a bright light started from the pile of bones.  It was Twilight, who started to get up, on her hoofs, and sent a spell across the cave, to all of the wolves.

The spell burst out, grabbing each wolf, and quickly turning them to dust, outside the cave.  Fluttershy was safe, finally.  Twilight fell back down, over with a thud, and Fluttershy rushed over to her side.  Twilight’s violet eyes opened up, and the first thing she saw was Fluttershy’s smiling, bruised face.  She was so confused, she looked around, she still thought she was on the train, or in Timberwoods.

“Fluttershy?  What happened?  Where are we?”

Fluttershy held Twilight’s head, and hugged her friend.

“It’s okay, you’re safe now, with me.”

Happy Holidays, everypony, I am having a great time writing this fanfiction for you all, and there is much more to come!  Hope you get what you want and I would like to thank all my fans, you guys make the fic the way it is!

-APB

Pinkie Pie Is So Random! (Edited)

Pinkie Pie Is So Random!

“Safe?” Twilight asked, “Safe, where?”

“In the woods,” Fluttershy said.

“That doesn’t help, Fluttershy, which woods?”

“The mountain woods, across the desert, away from Apploosa, or any other civilization besides Timberwoods.”

Twilight needed a second to recollect her thoughts, and she dispatched from Fluttershy’s grasp.  She paced hazily around the room, and tried to remember what happened, and how Fluttershy got there.  She thought she was going to Timberwoods, but now, she was miles away, stuck in a deserted forest, with Fluttershy, the shyest pony of all.

Twilight had no idea what Fluttershy did to keep her safe from harm, for all she knew, she could have made it all the way to the cave herself, and passed out, but why was she here?  Twilight’s head still hurt, and was probably cut open a bit, by the jagged end of the train bench.

“Fluttershy,” Twilight started, “tell me everything, how did I get here?”

“Well, um, Twilight, I, uh, I brought you here after the train wreck.”

“Train wreck!” Twilight exclaimed.

“You’re with who?” Apple Bloom asked,

“Ah’m hookin’ up with Rainbow Dash.” Applejack blushed,

“Is that why she was flyin’ ‘round the house, those few days ago?”

“Technically, yes darlin’.”

‘Going out’ was a few words that seemed lesser to Applejack.  She thought she would give Dash a try, thinking it was nothing special, but when she finally realized how caring, light hearted, and soft Dash was on the inside, physically and emotionally, she knew this was something more.

“So, does this mean y’all be seein’ Dash a lot more now?”  She asked.

“Yes, sugarcube, but mostly me,” Applejack answered.

Apple Bloom had a quick expression of simple thought, but agreed to the facts, and shrugged, “Okay, Applejack, ‘Ah feel good for you!”

That was easy, easier than what AJ planned out, and it was even better when the rest of her family agreed (not outside of Ponyville).  To be honest to Applejack, this was the first serious relationship she thought that was coming from Dash, even though it had only been two days, she expected great things from it.  They were the perfect match, hard working, strong, kind, the only difference was Dash’s laziness.  Applejack returned outside, her jobs were all done, after finishing them up with Twilight those few days ago.

Dash landed her hoofs down on the cloud base of her home on the outskirts of Cloudsdale.  Her home was abnormally close to the ground, but she liked it that way.  She normally never really slept, she would rest up in the trees with a pillow, and stay awake at night, which was the opposite of what she did last night.  She opened the door, cloud door, as I might add, to her cloud room, with the cloud bed, barely used, and cloud cabinets, shut tight.  She dropped of the rest of her things, and locked up her cloud house, with her cloud key.

She rushed back to Applejack’s home, only to meet her halfway, heading down the trail, to Dash’s own home.

“So, y’all mentioned goin’ to see Pinkie first?” AJ asked,

Dash nodded.

“Let’s go then.”

The sun was high, a good start, and Applejack tried to keep up with Dash’s slow and steady wing flaps, that levitated her inches of the ground.

“Hold yer’ hay, Rainbow Dash, not to fast.”

“Okay, Okay,” Dash said, lowering herself to the dirt trail.

“Do you think Pinkie is feeling better?  She seemed really down,” Dash trailed off.

Applejack could only think of some happy thoughts, and spoke;

“Ah’ll bet ya’ she’s just bein’ typical Pinkie, she’ll be fine.”

“I sure do hope so, without Pinkie, life seems a little dull, eh?”

“That’s why you got’ me,” Applejack smiled, so did Dash (I just love those moments).

“Shucks, thanks a lot, AJ.”

Well, Pinkie’s store was looking better, and it seemed that maybe Pinkie Pie was feeling better along with it.  The couple approached the door, and knocked together.  Pinkie opened the door, and as they held their breaths, they sighed in relief to notice Pinkie’s hair was up, and frizzy.

“Hi, girls!” the pink mare greeted.

“Howdy, Pinkie Pie, Ah’m glad that you feel better,” Applejack answered, hoping she actually did.

“Of course! C’mon in!”

The rooms were neat, the damage from the wacky hailstorm was repaired, and everything just seemed fine and dandy!  There were a few cupcakes out on a platter, and they helped themselves to all of them.  They sat around the table, and had a discussion:

“So, how have you been, Pinkie Pie?” Dash asked,

“Great, after Twilight left, I felt terrible, so that’s when I decided to go to Derpy’s house,”

“Derpy?”

“That’s Ditzy’s new name... Anyways, I went to her house, and I had a short conversation with her.  She helped me see that everything would work out better in the end.  She’s real smart, you ever notice that?” Pinkie explained.

Dash and AJ were happy for her, but were dumbfounded at the same time.  How could Pinkie change emotions like that.  They were afraid she might have killed herself over this, as childish as that sounded, but now, she’s fine...  Pinkie Pie truly is random.

“I never noticed that... Ditzy would be so helpful,” Dash said.

“Derpy.”

“Right, right, Derpy.”

Dash felt bad for her, Derpy, I mean, she and Derpy never saw eye to eye, literally, and metaphorically speaking, of course.  She always blamed her for the Pegasus mess ups during the Winter Wrap Ups, and maybe even used her as a cover up for her own problems.  Seeing how she helped one of her best friends out of a deep depression, it just made her feel good.

“So, Pinkie,” Applejack started, getting ready to tell Pinkie the news about her and Dash, “Dash and ah' have some good news to tell ya’,”  Rainbow Dash knew what she was getting at.

“Good news?  Like what?” Pinkie asked, stuffing her face with multiple cupcakes.

“It’s about Dash and I...”

Pinkie looked up, her face covered with frosting.

“What? About you and Dashie’s relationship?”

Wow, Pinkie already knew...

“Yes, and how did you know?” Dash asked, queering at Pinkie vast knowledge of it.

“I knew because Rarity told me a few days ago,” Pinkie smiled, continuing to eat.

Typical Pinkie Pie, how she could take this so easy, but couldn’t stand to watch Twilight leave.

“Rarity?” Dash asked.

“Yup, when you went to Rarity’s home, she could tell that something was up with you, after you mentioned those late night flights over Sweet Apple Acres, and when I went to go deliver your invitations, I noticed something was up, too.

Then, during the party, she told me, and I told her.  We both agreed, and we still have reasons to believe that Twilight and Spike know, too.  We are all very happy for you, and there honestly is no need to tell everypony else," she finished, with a warm smile.

“Woah,” and that was all Rainbow Dash could mutter, Pinkie knew, everypony knew.  They kept their secret a secret from them.  That’s like secret inception, how odd, but it was like a weight was brought from their backs, knowing they all approved of their stern and forceful relationship.  Pinkie continued eating, and looked up,

“Why do you look so dismal?” She exclaimed, but she was being such a hypocrite.  She did the same thing yesterday.

“I just guess we didn’t really... Expect this,” Dash answered for both of them.

“I understand, sillyfilly!” Pinkie exclaimed, finishing the last cupcake.  Now that they finished everything, there wasn’t really anything to talk about.  Pinkie thought that it might be a good idea to let them be on their way,

“Soooooo....” she trailed, “it’s great seeing you ponies again,”

“You to, Pinkie Pie,” Applejack said, getting ready to leave the door, and had Rainbow get up with her.

“So, I guess you’re leaving?” Pinkie asked, they answered, and they left, saying good bye.

That wasn’t as awkward as they thought it was, Pinkie knew, they all knew, problems solved! I just wish I could say the same with Twilight and Fluttershy.

Hot Zone, Cold Territory (Edited)

Hot Zone, Cold Territory

Fluttershy could see it happening before her eyes, her shut eyes, slowly frozen over.

She was galloping, through a misty field, she felt as if she were having deja vu, her hoofs pranced lightly as her wings levitated her up and down.  In the middle of the open field, there was a lone tree, her hair was slightly covering her filly face, and she could see a small figure on the other side of the brown bark.

She pranced to the other side to only see a slouched filly, Twilight Sparkle leaning up against the wood.  She tried to call out, but only faintly, “Twilight?”

No answer, only Twilight’s lowered head to great her.  She tried again, no avail, and the filly began to get worried, her heart started pounding.  She waltzed over to her, shaking the motionless body of her friend.

“Please, wake up Twilight, wake up,” she teared, repeatedly moving Twilight.

“No, no, no, no,”

“Wake up,”

“Please,”

Suddenly, Twilight showed signs of life, twitching, and Fluttershy hugged her in joy, their small bodies pressed against each other.  Fluttershy nuzzled her nose into Twilight’s long, purple and dark pink stripped mane.  She retracted her head to get a better look at Twilight, but was shocked to see only a burnt face of her friend, slowly leaning over, crumbling on her shoulder.

Like Philomena, the remains of the small filly blew out of her hooves, and she was gone.

A cold splash hit her face, and Fluttershy woke up in the cave.  She couldn’t bare to bring herself to tell Twilight how she felt, not just yet, and lied about why she came on the train.  She didn’t know how long had passed, or if she even wanted to know.  She was alone, crippled by the cold, and chilled to the bone.  After regretting leaving the blanket on the train, she tried to stand, just barley, and leaned herself up against the wall, the cold cave wall.  Wishing she had been waking up in her warm bed by the fire, with a nice sweater on, and socks going up to her haunches.  The outside was dark, night, and the snow was plowing down, and Twilight came from that darkness, bearing wood on her back.

“I see that you are awake,” she said, limping down, still sore.

“You have been out for a good day... or bad day in these circumstances,” she placed the wood down on the almost extinguished fire, kindling it.

Fluttershy didn’t answer, but could only look.  She did this, she dragged Twilight out into the middle of nowhere, and is know thinking maybe she should have gone the other way, with the pony wearing the hat.  That one reminded her of Applejack, and she reminded her of the rest of them.  But they weren’t coming...

Nopony was.

“What do you think the rest of them are doing?” Finally asked, but Twilight wasn’t extremely hesitant to answer right away.  She had a mix of feelings for Fluttershy, some where bad, but some where good.  Others were fear, anger, doubt, and pain.  What in Equestria were they going to do?

“I don’t know, Fluttershy.”

“But what if we don’t get over the next mountain?”

“I don’t know, Fluttershy,” she leaned over the fire to get warmer, even as her temper started to boil.

“Do you think this is the end, Twilight?”

A tear shed out of Twilight’s eye, afraid of the answer she already knew, but hated to admit, “I don’t know, Fluttershy...”

Fluttershy had just realized her face was wet, covered in cold sweat.  She slowly went to Twilight, and wrapped a hoof around her, “It’s okay, Twilight,”

“No, Fluttershy, it’s not...”

“You tried teleporting?”

“Of course, too much magical interference, and besides...”

“Besides?” Fluttershy asked.

“Besides, if I did, I couldn’t take you with me.”

Knowing that teleportation only works on the caster, and it would take a much more larger spell to take them both, if they only had the book it was inscribed in.  It seemed like that was the one boundary keeping them from harm, returning home, enjoying life, together.  The warm, crisp air of summer breezing through each other’s mane, and Fluttershy’s vision of a small cottage, where she and Twilight could live.

As Twilight’s senses became more dull, and Fluttershy’s moral was depleting at an rising rate, they both couldn’t stay there much longer.  They had to leave, fast, but the question still remained; when?  Also, how would they survive?  Saying ‘I’m sorry’ is not going to make things better, and even Celestia wouldn’t be able to save them.  There was nowhere to go, but up, so they went: Up.

“Twilight, we need to go, now,” Fluttershy said;

“That is one thing, I do know,” Twilight returned, “but, I’m not sure I want to go out like this.”

“We go together, you and I.”

With that, they had nothing but the skin and hair on their backs to take with them, and they gripped out into the cold night.  The wind was harsh, the snow harsher, and about two feet deep.  They were dancing with death, and it called their names in the wind, stroking their manes low, and tugged on them, tripping them, but they still pushed on.

“Twilight, we need to move towards the mountain!” Fluttershy commanded, that was one of the loudest times she had ever yelled, and Twilight agreed.

Discovering a dark path, they traveled down it, using their sense of direction to find where the mountain was.  Yellow eyes were gazing a death stare down at them, and they knew the rest of the wolves will come for them.  Realizing that they might, and just might, make it out gave them hope.

“Fluttershy, you must stick close to me,” she said, pulling Fluttershy closer, “any kind of animal could pull you away in a second, and you would be lost, for good.”

“Oh, please, don’t tell me about it,” Fluttershy moaned, rubbing her side against Twilight, making a connection between them.

They started turning into a slow trot, having their ears pricked, hearing the owls calling from hundreds of feet away over the winds, only to be startled by a quick snap of a twig under their hooves, and sent them head over hoof.

They pranced over the snow, jumping and galloping at the same time, wings having no effect in the blowing climate.  Their stomachs growled louder than the wolves themselves, gaining closer and closer with ever step they took.

Hot zone, cold territory.  Funny, the colder it got, the closer they got to the mountain, and the farther they got away from home.  Timberwoods was not even an option anymore, they only wished to be back home.  Fluttershy got stuck in the frying pan, and hopped out into the fire, carrying Twilight with her.  If only she had left Twilight with that pony with the hat, maybe she could have woken up, out luck (something they were out of), and gone home.  Quick nerve shocks sprung up their backs as they continued, and the trees began to get thicker.

“How much further, Twilight,” Fluttershy asked, unaware of the correct distance.

“I can’t rightly tell, maybe another one, one and a half miles?”

“Mile? Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, Twilight, I don't think we will last another hundred yards!” Fluttershy announced.

“Then we better pick up the pace, start galloping!” Twilight said, as she rand as fast as she could.

They tripped a few times, but regained their steps.  Weaker they grew, and their hair began to freeze, and frost over.  Their eyes were getting hazy, and were lowering slowly.  They continued, and finally were able to see the peak of the mountain.  Only a few hundred yards, like she said, remained.  A cold grin grew on Fluttershy face and so did the wolves, the unseen enemy chasing them.

“Twilight, the wolves, they’re coming back,” Fluttershy yelped, heavily breathing in the cold air, shutting down her lungs slowly.  Twilight cocked her head backwards, taking a look at her friends.

“Keep going!” Twilight returned as she hopped over a few fallen trees.

Twilight kept looking forward, accompanied by the sound of Fluttershy’s light hoofsteps in the snow, then silence.  Twilight stopped, barely able to see the mountain top, and turned, only to see an empty hall of trees and leaves.  Only prints leading of to the left, then nothing.  Twilight called out for Fluttershy, and listened after the echo, no answer.

Twilight began to make her way following the trail of tracks into the deep woods.  The tracks soon turned into a large array of dragged marks.  Then a few more prints came, paw prints, and horse feathers.  Darkness consumed her, as she stumbled blindly into the snow.  Heavy breathing came, and sounds of hacking brought her closer.  Out of the tree line, into a small circle of only snow fell.  The sky was visible, and it was day, only the tree’s blocked out the sun, and the clouds were looming out, covering the rays of the warmth.  Fluttershy laid in the center, paw prints all around, but she was seemingly unharmed.

“F-f-fluttershy?” Twilight whispered, not daring to step in the circle, knowing what might happen, “Are you alright?”

“Twilight... help, quick,” she moaned, trying to stand up, “they might come back,”

Twilight ran over, and helped her up.  Twilight told her they had to hurry, even if they don’t make it to the mountain, they at least need to be out of the woods.

“Ready?” Applejack asked,

“Ready,” Rainbow Dash answered, proceeding to Rarity’s home.

The sun was out, they had packed their essentials, and were ready.  The only part that was most frightening is not knowing where they might pop up.  Twilight could be anywhere and Fluttershy could be anywhere.

Get The Hay Out Of The Woods (Edited)

Get The Hay Out Of The Woods

Rarity read out of the book and watched as Applejack and Rainbow Dash joined hoofs with her.  They watched as Rarity’s horn became engulfed in a white glow, and it swallowed the whole room with them.  Teleportation is extremely easy when only one subject is being moved, but it is the exact opposite when there is more than two.  They fell through the teleportation tunnel filled with the magic energy that connected Rarity to Twilight.

It feels like being in a twister, turning around very fast, and your spine will shake as you are transported faster than sound, but as slow as a snail.  Like a dream, teleportation feels like it takes a couple seconds to do, but in real time, it takes less than a blink of an eye.  Everything went hazey as Rarity became less conscious from the intense strain of the magic fibers deep within her mind.

Applejack and Dash also let go, and were taken out, this being the first time they ever teleported too.

When they hit the ground, Applejack was the first to wake up.  A sudden rush of cold air and skin that was hard as bone and sensitive as raw nerves hit her like a splash of water.  She split open her eyes, and searched the remote area filled with trees and bad moments.

She could barley stand on her hooves, and the first thing she noticed was that a few of Rarity’s items feel with them.  The spell was much more powerful than they thought, and it took half the room’s contents with them.

She found Rarity next to her, still out, but... where is Rainbow?

Next, panic hit her, and she quickly shook Rarity with her frozen forehooves.  Rarity’s head was flying back and forth, and frozen saliva was dripping down her face.

“Rarity! Wake up, c’mon!”

Rarity’s eyes opened up, and she shivered as she wiped her face, and askedd what the problem was.

“What th’ problem is? Y’all are out ‘n th’ middle of nowhere!” Applejack announced.

Rarity scanned around, and quickly came up with an idea to keep her from the climate, mainly because she was afraid of her complexion.  She grabbed a few blankets from her bag, and cut them into sections that would cover only the most important parts of the body.

Applejack grabbed one of the makeshift blankets, and brought the missing Dash to attention.  Rarity and Applejack walked slowly and checked the branches, until they found the cyan Pegasus hanging upside down, her tail caught on a thick bark stick, carefully clinging onto her.

Rarity pulled her down using her magic, and levitated her to the snow below.  Applejack checked whether she was breathing or not, and thank Celestia she was.  Applejack remained calm as she wrapped Dash in another few blankets.  They waited for Dash to wake up, and they started a fire as the blizzard began to lighten up.  Where could Twilight be?  Where could Fluttershy be?

“So, did Twilight say anything before she left?” Rarity asked.

“What kinda question is tha’? She was supposed ta’ go to that town of hers’, special fancy shmancy ‘Princess’ business an’ what not,” AJ returned.

“Sorry, my brain is absolutely frozen darling, and is still thawing,” Rarity said sarcastically.

Multiple thoughts started popping up in Applejack’s head about her friends, lost in the woods.  It would take something short of a miracle to find them.  She held her hat down as the wind started to kick in and blow Dash’s hair out of her face.

A howl tore through the dark tree’s, and they were getting closer.

“Rarity, ya’ hear that?”

“I sure did,” Rarity quickly pulled Dash and herself behind Applejack, and curled herself up into a ball to ‘protect’ herself.  Applejack looked off into the darkness of the woods and it came clear they were in a large amount of danger as the horizon lit up with ten pairs of eyes.

“Ah’m not sure ah can hold ‘em off.”

“Just long enough until Dash wakes up!”

The first wolf hopped out and rushed towards them.  Applejack quickly took him out with a kick across the face.  That happened to the next two who tried to catch a prey.  Dash’s eyes started fluttering and she gulped a big gasp of air.  Confused, she was in no way to protect themselves, so they high tailed it out of there, their predators on there backs.

Dash, flying through the tree’s, watched as her friends galloped away.  Coming up with a quick plan to stop the chasers, she bounced repeatedly off of the multiple snow covered trees, causing a thick sheet to drop down.  It fell on another three of them, but it left four still chasing.

Rarity turned, used her magic to illuminate a few smaller trees and brought them down, hitting another.  Charging faster, Rainbow Dash didn’t see where she was flying, and smacked hard into a pine tree.  She hurdled back down into the snow and was covered by more of the frozen precipitation.

The wolves passed right by her, being covered by a few inches of snow.

“Where in th’ hay is Dash?!”

“Darling, I would tell you if I knew! Keep running!”

“NO! WE GOTTA’ FIND HER!”

Applejack stopped and turned around fast and was tackled by two wolves.  Rarity was launched over by another one.  Struggling through the weight of one wolf, Rarity pushed him off, and ran to help Applejack after sending a sleeping spell on him.  Applejack got one off, but was scratched hard on her stomach, sending a shock of white hot pain purging through her whole body.  Rarity pushed him off, and sent the same spell.

Applejack clenched her stomach and was in need of some bandages.  Rarity pulled out some from her bag, but Applejack got up and welched through the woods looking for Dash.

“DASH! DASH! WERE ARE YA’?”

“Over her!” Dash yelled, digging herself out of the snow laughing.  She continued laughing as she slowly flew over, but stopped as Applejack smiled then crashed to the ground, red forming a small pool around her.

Then everything went black.

When Applejack woke up, they were out of the woods, thank Celestia, and Twilight was with them! But where was Fluttershy?

“Applejack, stay down,” Twilight calmed, as AJ noticed that her stomach  was wrapped in gauze.

“Where’s Dash?”

“Over here, AJ,” She came into view.

They were outside, over the next mountain, and only a few miles to that ‘fancy shmancy village’.  Now where was Fluttershy?

“That’s why we can’t leave,” Twilight answered.

“What? Ah thought Fluttershy was with ya’,”

“You see, you passed out, but I told everypony else,” Twilight started, “Our train was destroyed in an accident, and we were stranded out on the slope of the mountain.  I hit my head as the train stopped, an Fluttershy took me in the woods to try and get me closer to civilization.  It didn’t last.  We were forced to seek shelter in a cave, one that belonged to a pack of wolves, where your little scrap happened.  We took out the first wolves and made our way to the slope of the next mountain.  That’s when Fluttershy was attacked and injured.

I went back to get her but we were surrounded.  I grabbed her, and ran for the mountain.  She and I reached the slope and we could finally see the sky, but I was tackled by another wolf.  This one held me down but didn’t attack.  They took Fluttershy and let me go.  They obviously found something special in her, and brought her back in the woods.  I passed out and awoke to Rarity poking me and Dash carrying you.  Then we got here,” Twilight took a deep breath finishing her story.

Dash spoke up, “So, what about your trip?”

“I think the Princess will let this one slip, Fluttershy is my most important goal right now,” Twilight said.

“Don’t you mean our goal, darling?” Rarity said, smiling.

“Uh, yes, our goal,” Twilight blushed.

Irony

Irony

No comment, just read, mah boi.

Applejack lugged herself over, trying not to spread her wound any farther.  The bandage was barley holding together.  Rainbow Dash tried to help, but she said she was fine.  They had to find Twilight as soon as possible, who knew what evil things they could be doing to her down in their dens.

Twilight was last in the line when something hit her like a smack in the face.

"Hey girls, where is Pinkie Pie?"

They all stopped and a silence over took them.  They didn't even bring Pinkie in their rush.

"You forgot?" Twilight asked.

"Well, darling, you must understand that we were in a rush to get to you, Pinkie wasn't their when we casted the spell, and I guess she just... missed the train, figuratively speaking," Rarity said.

"I just hope she doesn't do anything to drastic," Twilight returned and they all agreed.

The snow was piling up heavily as they searched for a cave entrance, but there was no luck after five minutes of searching.  Applejack had stopped dripping her life force from the cold, but they were all at risk of a dangerous frost bite.

"Twilight, maybe if the wolves are smart enough to talk, do you think they have been able to start a fire or something?" Dash asked.

"I don't fully know, why?"

"Well, if they have, maybe you can use a spell to sense heat, where they could have their den set up underground.  The entrance should at least have some sort of light source."

"I'll try."

Twilight sensed around the open world and to her amazement, there was a heat source only a few yards in front of them.

"Ah' don't see anythin'!" Applejack exclaimed.

"Look harder, it should be right in front of us!"

Rainbow Dash slowly hovered around, but when she stopped flapping and dripped a few feet, her impact to the ground was postponed when she fell through a sinkhole in the ground, a gust of warm air erupting from it as she fell in.

"Dash, are you okay?" Rarity yelled out.

There was a short silence, then her voice came from the hole in the ground.

"Yeah! I think I'm in the tunnel, come down!"

They all followed, Applejack last as they helped her down, but the pressure under  their heads was becoming a little more intense, now that they were maybe six feet under ground.  The tunnel was probably a complex system of dens and based on the wolves of these forests, there had to be an inner sanctum where the alpha male would be.

"The wolves must have taken Fluttershy to the sanctum, they must want something from her..." Twilight started.

"Or it could be because of Fluttershy's amazing skills with all kinds of animals," Rarity guessed.

"Either way, we need to keep going and hopefully we won't run into any problems on the way."

They started traveling deep into the lairs, quietly dodging patrols of wolves behind piles of bones, and crawling their way deeper and deeper.  The wolves were adapted to the lack of air in the tunnels, but for ponies, it was a different story.  With every step they took, it became hotter and hotter as sweat began to drip from their noses.

It was ironic how they wished that they were back up in the snow, just wishing for one gust of cool wind to take them away, but the thought of their friend kept them going.

About after an hour of lurking through mud, sweat, and bones, they stopped when Twilight started talking after an hour of hoof signals and mouthing words.

"I think we're here... You hear that?"

They all pricked up their ears and a faint chanting could be heard around the corner.

When they turned that corner, the space widened as the walls expanded for a hundred feet.  It was a dug out auditorium with hundreds of wolves chanting out some ancient language.  At the center, their was a stand made of piled up wood where too figures were, the alpha male, and a creamy yellow colored pony with light pink hair.\

Rainbow Dash stuck her head out, "They got her hostage!" she whispered to her friends in a hoarse tone.

"Wait a sec', what'r they doin'?" Applejack asked, taking a closer look.

Fluttershy, from the looks of it, was not hurt, but instead was sitting on some sort of throne.  A few wolves started trotting up and laid put a few fruits at her hooves, which she picked up in her mouth and ate.

"Are they... Pampering her?" Rarity asked.

"I think they think she is an alpha female," Twilight said.

"But I thought wolves were supposed to be smart, she clearly doesn't look like a wolf, like at all," Dash said.

"Well, maybe this pack doesn't rank by appearance, I mean, the alpha male is the largest wolf, and Fluttershy is the largest female from the looks of it," Twilight concluded, leaning in to get a better look.

Twilight leaned over a bit to much, and the ledge gave way that they were standing on, and she tumbled into the inner sanctum.

"Twilight?" Fluttershy asked as all the wolves stopped their chanting and started ferociously growling as the rest of the group came tumbling down with Twi.

They all had their flanks against the walls as a hundred wolves conversed on them, teeth showing, but Fluttershy's voice shot up.

"Stop, please.  These are my friends, you can't hurt them."

She was yelling softly at them, and they all stopped and returned to their posts.

"That was a lovely song you all sang for me, but please don't harm these four, we're very close.  Now... Say your sorry," she said, giving all of them a glancing stare.

They all said in unison 'we are sorry'.  Fluttershy was treating these vicious dogs like little foals, but she did have a way with animals.  The four of them made their way to Fluttershy and the alpha male, who was beside her.

"Fluttershy, is that a... Crown, you're wearing?  It's not the best fashion, but when you squint, it looks kind of nice," Rarity, even when surrounded by danger would be able to criticize the looks of others.

"It's been a while, girls, and yes, this is a crown," she pointed to her head, where a crown made of twigs and leaves was perched on her head, "they think I am some sort of queen of the wolves, and this is the alpha male."

He was an extremely large wolf who could easily swallow a pony in one gulp, but he didn't seem hostile at the moment.

"Fluttershy, can we all talk alone, without your friend here?" Dash said, nudging towards the alpha male.

"I suppose, Mr. Alpha, would you kindly leave us alone for a few moments?"

He growled and shifted his way down to the rest of the wolves who were conversing with each other.

Twilight leaned closer towards Fluttershy, "Fluttershy, are you crazy! We need to get out of here, now!"

"Oh Twilight, these wolves are just confused little puppies without a proper queen.  They just need some proper leadership."

"That's what the alpha male is for, we need to get to Timberwoods and call for help!  This is insane!"

"Please, Twilight, it's compassion, and anyways, I know that I can't stay here, but I don't think they will let me go."

"Why th' hay won't they?" Applejack came in.

"They are wolves, they cling to leadership, if I were to leave, they would have no proper leader, I think they are planning on turning the alpha into an omega and naming me the leader," Fluttershy explained, looking out to the sea of gray fur.

"Ah' don't think it works that way, sugar cube..."

"Neither do I, but they are so confused, it's all the alpha's fault, he's lost his touch, he's just a grumpy dog," Fluttershy pointed to him.

"So what?" Dash exclaimed.

"The other wolves said that he lost his touch when his brother didn't return from the... Daily hunt."

A shiver sent down Twilight's back as she realized what she had done to protect Fluttershy and herself as they were lost in the woods.  She disintegrated the alpha male's brother into dust while sleeping in the cave.

"Fluttershy, he doesn't know what we did to his brother back in the woods, we need to get that dust back," Twilight said, seriously.

"Well, I can't leave here, you're going to have to find it without me and bring it back, or the wolves are going to find out sooner or later," Fluttershy told, "You're also going to have to tell the alpha male that you can bring his brother back.  You can bring him back, right Twilight?"

"Disintegration was like putting him in a block of ice, his sub conscience is magically being held together, but we need a good portion of his dust particles to bring him back."

"I trust you, Twilight, if we have gotten this far on the trip, we can easily make it to Timberwoods," Fluttershy smiled.  She wasn't afraid to talk to Twilight about her feelings, but she never got the proper chance to say 'I love you' to her, she would have to wait for the right moment to do that.

Fluttershy called over the alpha male and Twilight introduced herself and the rest of the ponies.

"Now, I know that you must be grieving since your brother hasn't returned, but would you let our friend Fluttershy go if we find him?"

"You know of his location?" he asked.

"Maybe, was he with anypony?"

"He went with a group of others on a hunt many hours ago and hasn't returned.  I just don't see the point of leading when I can't lead with my best friend."

"I understand, so... Do we have a deal?" Twilight stuck her hoof out.

There was a hesitation at first, but soon the alpha succumbed to the too-good-to-be-true deal, and rose his paw and put it on top of her hoof.

They dispatched and Twilight returned to her friends.

"So, what now, sugar cube?" Applejack asked.

"Applejack, I would recommend you stay here with Fluttershy, she can tend to your wounds while Dash and Rarity go with me."

"Oh, no way 'm ah' leavin' Dash again!  Ah' got hurt out there, n' ah' ain't lettin' Dash get hurt too!"

"Don't worry, Applejack, I'll be fine, trust me.  I'm the trotting representation of Loyalty, I can take care of myself, not saying that you can't, we just got a little unlucky, that's all," Dash put a leg around Applejack, and she snuggled he head under Dash's chin.

"Y'all 'member when we slept over Rarity's?"

"Ya', like three days ago?"

"It all jus' seems like it's been months, n' how you wanted to be with me.  Ya' said ya' couldn't stand being without me, but now, it's me who can't live without you."

"Trust me, Applejack, I'm gonna' come back in a jiffy." Dash assured her and started trotting with Rarity and Twilight.

"So how are things actually going with you and AJ?" Rarity asked.

"It's a working relationship, we have to travel a long and bumpy road to find true happiness, but we'll make it," Dash returned.

End Part One

The Date (Edited)

The Date (Edited)

Applejack and Rainbow Dash watched as the train disappeared from sight.  They all stood at the train station.  Pinkie was crying, Rarity was comforting her, and Dash’s tail was entwined with Applejack’s, forelegs around one another.

“C’mon, Applejack, let me take you to dinner,” Dash said,

“Ya’ mean like a date?” AJ asked,

“Exactly.”

They left the sobbing Pinkie and Rarity to themselves, and trotted slowly down the street, looking for a bite to eat.  It was late afternoon, so the sun was going down slowly.

“Let’s go to the fanciest place we can find!” Dash said, excitedly,

“That’s there is a lot of moneh’, RD, you sure?” Applejack had a quick second thought,

“Yes I am! I’m paying!” she returned.

They entered the fanciest restaurant they could find, a very expensive, high social status place with all of the works.

They walked in through the doors, and the place really did live up to the name.  The lobby was made of thick, white marble and had jewel encrusted benches for the waiting participants of the eatery.  The desk had a super fancy dressed stallion, with a blue and red rose stuck in his coat, holding a pen and clipboard with the names of reserved seats.

“Can I help you?” he spoke with a thick french accent,

“Table for two,” Dash said, almost demanding it, she was so nervous,

“The wait will be about an hour,” he said, not even looking up from the clipboard.

“An hour!” Dash said, raising her voice wildly, causing someponies to look up.

“Dash, c’mon, we can wait,” Applejack put a hoof on her friends back, causing her to cool down,

“Fine.”

They took a seat on the bench, time went by SO SLOW.  Rainbow Dash was pulling her eye lids down, proceeding to her cheeks, stretching out her lips across her face.  Applejack just sat there, and took out a magazine from the waiting box.  The clock was ticking, and the chatter of the ponies in the actual restaurant part of the building were just rambling away of there totally boring lives.

Dash started gently banging her head against the wall.

“Bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored,” she said as she rhythmically banged.

“Quit it, RD!” Applejack snapped, “The more y’all keep doin’ that, the longer it’ll take!”

She stopped, and actually, the time passed faster.  The hour flew by quick, and now, they were starving.  They got up, asked if the table was ready, it was, and they were seated.  The room was huge, about 70 tables, almost all of them filled up, and had flowers stuck in every one of them.

The waiter came up, and they decided to get drinks first.

“The hardest, and finest wine you guys got,” RD said, pulling out the money.

Applejack was looking through the menu, “Rainbow, that wine is over a hundred and twenty!”

“And?”

“Heh, I’m glad Ah’ have you round’!” she said, as the bottle was emptied into two separate glasses.

“Leave the bottle, I know we’ll be having a few more,” Dash said, as their actual orders were taken.

Again, they ordered a large amount of food, fit for kings.  They finished off the first bottle within the next hour, as their food took an extremely long time to make.  They ordered another, cheaper bottle, and their food came with it.

The sun was lowering quick, and night time was crawling up, as Twilight’s train was still chugging along.  After the second bottle was done, they had one more.  There food was already gone by the halfway point of the second bottle, but they had another one, just for the heck of it.

“Boy oh boy, that there is sum’ strong wine’” AJ blurted out, “What the hay’s the time?”

“From the looks of it.... late, really late.” and Dash started to randomly laugh, letting Applejack know she was under the influence

of her drinks.  She was too, and she admitted it.

Dash looked around the room, and the restaurant was closing, it was just them and two other couples.  The waiter came over, and informed them,

“Ladies, we are closing now, I’m afraid you have to leave,”

“Afraid? Don’t be so silly, AJ, let’s bust this joint,” she got up with her, and took the rest of the bottle.

They made their way back to Applejack’s home.  As they approached the main house, Applejack spoke up,

“Shoot! We can’t go in, mah’ families in there!”

“Hmm?”

“Lets go to the guest cottage,” AJ suggested,

“Good thinkin’, your smart, arn’t you?” Dash hazily said,

“Yeah, Ah’ am,”

The door opened to the small cottage, it was built around the back of the house, used for visitors.  It had a closed bathroom, and a small to medium sized bed.  There was a night stand, and a lamp on the side of the bed.

“I gotta’ use the bathroom, Applejack,” she said, and shut the bathroom door behind her.

After releasing herself of the wine, she faced the door, flushing.  She went over to the sink, facing away from the small shower, and flipped on the water from the spout.  The door suddenly creaked open.  Applejack was standing in the doorway.

“Applejack, I’m in the bathroom!” Dash exclaimed,

“So am I,” she shut the door behind her.

“Applejack, this fast?” she asked,

“Ah' wish it was faster,” Applejack cooed, her drink was talking for her.

She leaned in, almost knocking RD over, and landing her lips smack onto hers, her tongue slipped around the inside of her mouth.  She tasted like apples, and Rainbow Dash lost her balance, falling backwards, hitting the shower handle of the walk in shower, and started the warm water.  They both lied on the floor and held their lip lock, tongues hugging each other.  The shower water went down the drain, but the steam rose up, and mixed with the still running sink, creating a blanket of white steam through out the room.

Applejack let go of RD’s lips, and sunk down lower, letting her tongue graze Dash’s furry tummy, stopping right below her pelvis.  Rainbow’s hoofs laid atop Applejack’s head, brushing off her cowboy hat, and sending it to the side of both of them.  It was becoming very hard to breath from the steam.  Applejack proceeded lower down, past her pelvis, and reached the location between her partner’s legs, stopping there for quite some time.  A sensation of happiness and pleasure rose up Dash’s spine.  It lasted for a long time, until the steam became a thick fog, and the room was becoming uncomfortably hot.  Her hair mixed in with the steam, forming a rainbow in the evaporation

“Let’s t-take this to the b-bed,” Dash quivered, biting her bottom lip from the pleasure mixing in with the steam.

The door slowly opened, all the steam leaving the room, mixing with the cool summer night breeze from the screen door.  When the cold air hit the two ponies hot and sweaty bodies, their nerves shook them to the core.  The bed was neatly made, but came undone as they brought themselves to the front covers.  They took off the pillows and Applejack laid out Rainbow Dash on the soft mattress.  She did the same thing, letting her head seep down past Dash’s pelvis, giving her that feeling.  More breezes came in through the window, and it felt like she was being electrocuted.

As Applejack continued more, Dash started forming teeth marks on the outside of her bottom lip.  How she loved this, she didn’t want to stop, and it was her turn to return the favor,

“Stop, Applejack, its my turn,” she said smiling.

Applejack’s face was wet, sweaty. Rainbow Dash did the same, it soothed her, and Applejack twisted slightly, her head resting on the back of the bed.  Her hat was still lying on the bathroom floor, and the wine bottle was next to her on the night stand.

The night was young, and brought the chilling winds back again.  Applejack and Rainbow Dash laid in bed, arms wrapped around each other,

“That was great, Applejack.”

“Ya’ think so?”

“I know so.”

“Ah’ think this is gonna’ work out just fine,” she said, emphasis on the ‘fine’.

“Really, I’m so glad to hear that, Applejack,” Dash said, snuggling her head under the chin of a very sleepy Applejack.  Only a few minutes went by until they were both asleep.

The sun rose up, and Dash was the first to wake up, releasing her grip of the still sleeping Applejack.  She threw out the old wine bottle, and took a shower.  She brushed her teeth, and finished about twenty minutes later.  Applejack was still asleep.  She decided to wait for her to wake up.

It was only a few minutes until Applejack woke up to Rainbow Dash’s smiling face.

“Mornin’, darlin’,” she said, wiping the material that built up in her eyes over night.

“Good morning, Applejack,” she said, “So, what do you want to do today?”

“What y’all have in mind?”

“Well... We could go see what Pinkie’s doing, or we could go see Rarity,” Dash brought up some ideas that didn’t involve flying.

“I guess we could go see how Pinkie’s doing, and then we’ll go see Rarity,” Applejack agreed.

“Sure, let me just go to my house, and drop off a few things,” Dash said, already exiting the cottage.  Then, she left, and she went over to her house to tell everypony the good news.

Right at that moment, Twilight’s train was probably pulling in the Timberwoods station.

Taking Matters Into Their Own Hooves (Edited)

Taking Matters Into Their Own Hooves

“Let’s head to Rarity’s, see how she’s been doing,” Rainbow Dash said, pointing in the direction of their friends home.  They decided to follow their plan they made in the morning, and proceeded towards Carousel Boutique.  The flowers outside of the store were blooming, a good sign, and it brought a smile to their faces.  A quick knock on the door brought it open, and to their surprise, Rarity wasn’t all that happy.  I mean, she was happy, don’t get me wrong, but she wasn’t that happy, like she had a little secret, another one.

“Rarity, how y’all holdin’ up?” Applejack asked, trying to brighten the mood, remembering the flowers.  She looked disgruntled, scared.

“Fine, just fine, but... it’s not me you should be worrying about,” she returned.

“Oh?  What’s that mean?” Dash asked.

“It’s Fluttershy, I think she going to cause you, and me some trouble.”

“Fluttershy?” they thought, they just realized they hadn’t seen Fluttershy since yesterday, which is odd because she is usually strolling around town, buying things to take care of her animals early, to avoid the crowd that consumes the market in the afternoon.

“What could happen to Fluttershy?”

“That’s it, I don’t think she will be hurting herself, but others in the process,” Rarity informed.

“Why? What is Fluttershy doing?” Dash asked.

Rarity took a deep breath, about to break truths, “Listen, back at the party, we heard that you two were in a relationship, which is good, but we kept... another one was possibly starting to stir, an we kept it away from you both.”

Rarity stopped, gave them a second to think it over, process it,

“Fluttershy? But with who?” AJ asked.

“Twilight.”

Twilight, maybe for some readers would be the more obvious choice for Fluttershy, they both like to work alone, with the exception of Spike, and they both care for their friends dearly, like them all.  They didn’t know weather to be worried, or happy, and first of all, where was she?

“Rarity, where is Fluttershy?” Dash asked.

“She left to follow Twilight, she believes she can make Twilight feel the same way she does.”

“She went to follow Twilight! She got on the train?!” Dash exclaimed, in disbelief.  What can they do?  They both bombarded Rarity with multiple questions, filling her mind with worries.

“Listen, I don’t know, we can’t do anything to stop it, destiny must take it’s course,” Rarity finally stopped the questions, and laid down the law.

“When did you become so... prophetic?” Dash asked, nodding her head in fear.

“I’m not, I’m just saying, I think we should go after her,” she stated, and she was serious, she had that squinted face, “Last night, I thought hard of it, and out of all the things that could possibly happen, I had to think of the worst,”

“Go ta’ Timberwoods?” How?  That there’ is some extremely dangerous stuff!” AJ said.

Rarity turned and had to find a way to convince them.

“I thought you were tough, strong, and faithful, Applejack? Don’t you want to help out Fluttershy?” Rarity cooed.

“C’mon, Applejack, let’s help out!” Dash said.

Applejack was stuck between her decisions.  Out of the kindness in her heart, she knew that going to get her friend was the right thing to do.  I would like to say that Applejack wasn’t too sure about the trip though, so she took her precautions carfully, and agreed.  The next train would come back in two days, so (to their knowledge) Fluttershy would have already done her deed, but they had to get her back, or at least see how they are doing.  It only seemed right, in such crazy times they had been living in.

"To go faster, darling, I think I can teleport us with one of Twilight's books.  You need to be here, tomorrow morning," Rarity commanded, and then let them be.

To make things ‘less odd’, Equestria has always been so peaceful, everypony knew that, but with such crazy things going on, nopony really seemed to care about the Mane 6’s ‘problems’ or ‘gifts’, whether anypony would to call it that.  Applejack trotted out, with Dash, returning back to the small cottage they stayed in, and laid down on the soft bed.  They needed to have a long conversation.

Dash held AJ under her hooves, and let her partner begin.

“What do you think about this?” looking upwards. Dash ran her hooves through Applejack’s long, blond hair, exhaling.

“I don’t know, Applejack, maybe it is for the better,”

“Yeah, but did ya’ see the way Rarity looked at me, like ah' was unsure whether ‘not ah' was loyal to my friends?”

“Listen, AJ, we have only been together for two days, I don’t want to start a commotion over you and Rarity, all over again,” Dash sighed

“Ah'm sorry, Dashie, think we could just, sleep this off?”

“Tonight, yes, but tomorrow, we better start packing.”

Applejack snuggled closer, and started to whisper.

“Dashie, ah'm scared.”

“You? How can you be scared?”

“Ah'm scared ‘bout Fluttershy, Ah don’t know how y’all can deal with this so easily, but Ah just realized, Fluttershy could be in some serious trouble.”

Dash knew what she was talking about, she was scared too, fearful of this whole operation, she held on tight to Applejack and stroked her mane.

“Don’t go into detail, don’t think I’m not scared, it’s just... I know Twilight, and I’m sure she will understand.  I don’t know why Rarity had to make it sound do grave.”

“So, do ya’ still want ta’ go?” Applejack asked.

“Of course, AJ,” and that brought Applejack farther down, moving away from Dash, “but I will be with you the whole time and that’s all that matters.”

That made Applejack feel a little better, she couldn’t believe herself.  Something, inside her wanted to not go, to leave them, and it was a strong doubt.  She really was afraid of something.  Like an accident, but not concerning Twilight or Fluttershy, but of herself.