Rainbow Dash stared at the ceiling in her bedroom, mind abuzz. It wasn't on the purple alien she saw, but on Applejack. Still can't believe it. I can't believe that she killed.

You didn't listen.

Rainbow Dash blinked at that sudden thought before shaking her head. She turned over on her side, closing her eyes in an attempt to take a nap.

You didn't listen.

Rainbow Dash ignored that thought, but more came.

You're not the Element of Loyalty; you left her. You abandoned her.

She killed. That's bad.

She was your closest friend.

There's no excuse.

She was gone for one and a half years. All alone from any of you.

She...she killed though.

And you left her at a drop of a hat.

There...there's still no excuse.

The voice went silent. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and tried to sleep, "Is that all that concerns you? The lack of sleep?"

Rainbow Dash's eyes bugged out at Princess Luna's voice. She bolted up, "P-Princess Luna?!"

Princess Luna stood in the corner of the room were there were the most shadows present, "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"You tell me, Rainbow Dash."

"Uh...to give me good dreams?"

Luna sighed, "...I am here to talk about Applejack."

"Are you gonna arrest her?"

"No," said Luna, frowning.

"Why the hay not...uh, your majesty?"

"Because that pony does not deserve to be put in jail."

"Uh, Princess Luna? You do know what she did, right?"

"Yes. And I can understand why she did it."

Rainbow Dash blinked, "Are...you defending killing, your majesty?"

Luna took a few steps forward, "What you and so many other ponies seem to forget is what Equestria was like. It was not nearly as peaceful as today. Monsters roamed freely. Many ponies were...ill tempered. Enough so to commit what is considered today to be the most vile act possible. Daily. In the thousands. We were just like humans, Rainbow Dash. We let our emotions get the better of us."

"But we're better than them now. And Applejack should have known that! She shouldn't have killed!"

Luna tilted her head, "Tell me, if a chimera came running into town, what would you do?"

"I'd beat the tar outta it, 'course. But I wouldn't kill it, if that's what you mean."

"The beast is inconsolable."

Rainbow Dash blinked, "Huh?"

"It will not back down. It is in a rage. It will kill every last stallion, mare, and foal. Unless you or somepony else puts it down."

"I-"

"These are the things Applejack 'killed'. I couldn't even begin to consider actual killing. That would imply these monsters have a soul. I would put it more akin to...pest control."

"That's horrible."

"Yes. It is."

"No, it's horrible that you would say things like that!"

Luna pursed her lips. Her horn glowed and an apparition of...an alien appeared. It was different than the one Applejack showed them. It looked like a spider and a crab mated, "This...thing is an affront of life. Its...mating habits are simply barbaric. Do you know what they do?"

"U-Uh...n-no..." The alien had no...soul in its beady eyes.

"It lays an egg in your corpse, turning it into a revenant. That...what's the word you ponies today use?

"Z-zombie?"

"Yes. This...zombie turns on your friends before bursting into another fully grown monster. Can you imagine that, Rainbow Dash? Can you imagine being force to turn on your friend's corpse, to deface it, so the egg never reaches maturity?"

"N-n-no..."

"Well do, Rainbow Dash. Then imagine that your so-called 'murderer' of a friend, had to deal with things of this caliber day. After day. After day. She lost so many friends over there. I'm surprise she's not a nervous wreck."

"H-how do you k-know this?"

"While Applejack may decline my offer to help her get rid of these nightmares, I still observe them. And let me tell you, Rainbow Dash, they are not pretty. The battles Applejack partook in are by far more violent than any battle Equestria has ever fought."

"I-I'm sorry..."

Princess Luna tilted her head, "Why are you sorry? Applejack is a 'murderer', is she not?"

"M-maybe...maybe I should have stayed..."

"Maybe you should have...You have no idea how disappointed I am in you. In all of you. You taught me so much about friendship, and yet you fail to show it. What is the saying nowadays? 'Practice what you teach'?"

Rainbow Dash felt like dirt. Luna was right. She did make a mistake. They all made a mistake, "I-I gotta go."

Rainbow rushed past Luna, missing the small smile on her face.

"Do you want anything? A snack? A blanket maybe?"

"Ah'm fine, Rares."

"What about coffee? I can make a cup really quick."

"Really, Twi, it's okay."

"What about chocolate milk?! I can get some really quick!"

"Pinkie, seriously. Ah'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Are you really sure?"

"Yes!"

"Are you surely sure?"

"Don't call me Shirley," said Jarle, a cheeky grin on his face.

"But..." said Fluttershy, "she wasn't talking to you."

"It was a reference. To an old movie."

"Oh."

They were in the family room. Arthur was absent, instead talking to Granny in the kitchen. Mox had his helmet off, standing by the window. His large eyes scanned the outside. He frowned, "Is it a normal occurrence for a circular rainbow appear in Equestria?"

Sweetie Belle stood up on her hind legs to get a better view, "Uh oh."

"What?" asked Amiyah.

"I think that's Rainbow Dash."

Applejack suddenly got very uncomfortable, "Is, uh, is she commin' this way?"

"Yeah."

Applejack sighed, "Might as well git it over wit'."

She got up and went out the door. Sure enough, Rainbow Dash flew down in front of the house. Applejack stopped at Rainbow Dash's face. Rainbow Dash wouldn't look at her, and had mild frown on her face, "Hey...AJ..."

"..."

Rainbow Dash clearly didn't like Applejack's silence. She grimaced, "Hey, uh...just wanted to tell that I probably shoulda stayed and listen to you. I'm sorry."

"..."

Rainbow Dash sighed, "I was a jerk, and I understand if you don't want to see me again."

"Y'hurt meh real bad, RD."

"I-I know."

"But Ah fergive ya."

Rainbow Dash blinked and finally looked at Applejack, "Huh?"

"...it's whut mah friends woulda wanted."

"Are you sure? I can leave, really."

"...no, Rainbow. Dun leave. Please. Ah..." Applejack sighed, "Mah friends gave all that they had ta git meh home. Their pain woulda be fer nothin' if Ah kicked all o' ya'll from mah life ferever."

Princess Luna's words came back to Rainbow Dash, "...I'm sorry, AJ...about your friends."

Applejack smiled sadly, "They woulda loved ta meet ya'll. Especially Yoko. She was pretty fast."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Saved a lotta us from th' Assassin. She would zip 'round and help us back on our feet. Or hooves."

"Who's the Assassin?"

Applejack's smile faded and she looked down, "Ah'll tell ya later. Y'wanna come inside?"

"Yeah."

Applejack turned around and led her inside. Rainbow Dash froze when she saw Jarle, "On second thought, I should probably leave..."

"Why?" said Applejack.

"Uh..."

"Rainbow Dash here and I had a little confrontation," said Jarle.

"Dash, you fought Jarle?!" exclaimed Twilight.

"Uh..."

Jarle waved his hand, "It's fine. Only thing that was hurt was her pride," he grinned, "Totally woulda smoked you if I wanted to."

"I dunno!" said Pinkie, "Dashie's pretty fast!"

"Jarle is psionic," said Mox.

Dash glanced at his face and did a double take, "Whoa, what's wrong with your face?"

Twilight winced and turned to Mox, "I'm sorry. Some times she speaks before she thinks about it."

Mox noted that Twilight wouldn't look at his face for too long, either, "It is alright," he turned to Rainbow Dash, "We are ADVENT, freed. This is how the Elders made us."

"O-oh."

Arthur came into the room, Granny Smith following. The Commander smiled, "You have a very interesting family, Applejack."

"Thanks. Uh, whut do ya'll wanna do now?"

"Ah wanna hear more 'bout yer story!" said Applebloom.

"...alright...uh, Amiyah, y'wanna take over fer now? So they all get 'nother point o' view?"

Amiyah nodded, "Okay."

Amiyah resumed the story.

Author's Note

Eh, kinda just wanna resume AJ's story. If the chapter is weak, I'll go and edit it later.