A Rainbow Forms

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 9

Chapter 1

The thick hot air and the intense summer heat caused most ponies to stay inside and shield themselves. The pale green leaves on the trees rustled softly as the breeze blew through them. The earth began to shake, the branches bobbing in all directions knocking loose most of the weaker leaves, allowing them to dance downward to the dusty dirt trail below.

Two ponies galloped past, their hooves landing with a crushing force from each step. Beads of sweat formed on the two ponies they were locked neck and neck in competition. The orange mare pulled forward, letting out a small grin as she took the lead. This hadn't lasted long though; the Pegasus took notice, mustering all her remaining strength she matched her opponent's speed.

The hard dirt they trampled on merged into lush soft grass. They slowed down, eventually coming to a halt. Once again they had ended their race in a tie, the outcome never changed, and the two hardly expected it ever would. They let out small laughs as they attempted to catch their breath.

The orange earth pony enjoyed their races, because of the challenge her friend brought. The games always made her push herself further, testing her limits. She was grateful to have a friend like the Pegasus. One who was as competitive as her, and equally matched as she was.

The sky-blue Pegasus however, had a different reason for why she enjoyed the races. She would never admit it, but truthfully her reason was that it was one of the few chances she had to be alone with her friend. Since they had first met as fillies, strong feelings had developed for her companion. The mere thought of her caused her heart to start racing, and she scarcely thought about anything else.

Rainbow Dash gazed into Applejack's dazzling forest-green eyes. Her golden mane swaying in the breeze, shining like stars as the sunlight beamed down on it. They proceeded towards the lake and sat down in the damp grass, where they continued to rest. The only sounds to be heard, were their heavy breathing as they recovered from their race.

Finally, Rainbow Dash broke the silence, "Hey, Applejack?" she said softly, trying to hide the subtle shaking in her voice.

"Yeah Sugarcube?" Applejack responded in her southern accent.

Rainbow's mind raced as she tried to think of the right words to say. She couldn't wait much longer; she needed to tell Applejack how she really felt about her. Several moments passed while Rainbow Dash stammered unintelligible words, blood flowing rapidly to her cheeks, changing them to a bright red. The Pegasus turned away in an effort to hide her blushes, "Forget about it."

There was an awkward silence the rest of the trip back to the farm. Once arriving, Rainbow Dash parted quickly and quietly, hoping not to raise anymore suspicion from her peculiar behavior.

Secure inside her cloud home, Rainbow Dash allowed herself to begin scolding herself for backing out of confessing again, "Gah! What's wrong with me?" The Pegasus swiped her hooves at her dresser knocking some of her possessions to the fluffy floor. She plopped onto her plush bed, resting her head into her hooves, taking slow breaths to calm herself, "I need to just go up to her, and tell her the truth. Just stare her straight in the eyes and say it! Then it'd be over with and I wouldn't have to hide this anymore."

Rainbow Dash looked out the small window, Sweet Apple Acres was only just visible from where she was. She had spent many nights, just gazing at the farm for hours, dreaming of Applejack and what they could be sharing together. The Pegasus paced around inside her cloud, rehearsing aloud how she would tell the orange pony of her feelings. "Applejack, we've been good friends for such a long time now, but, I want to share more than just friendship with you, and I've been thinking…" the words vanished from her head.

She smacked herself in the face, "Why is this so hard?" she yelled, glancing back through the window; she let out a quiet sigh, "Applejack, I… love you." She lay back down on her bed, and closed her eyes, hoping that maybe her dreams might have an answer for her.

Rainbow Dash exhausted from the race soon fell into a deep relaxing sleep. At first her dream was blank, eventually though, an image began to form. She found herself staring at her reflection through a kind of window. As she continued to observe through the glass Applejack soon joined the two. The Pegasus whispered something into the orange mare's ear and she began to smile. Rainbow wrapped her wing around the orange mare pulling her in close, pressing their lips against one another.

The image seemed to rewind itself just after the Pegasus had whispered her words. However, this time when she had spoken, the orange mare backed away slowly with a look of disapproval and disgust. The Pegasus's eyes began to water as Applejack muttered something just before turning around to run away. Rainbow Dash called out to her pleading for her to stop, but she ignored the calls and kept running.

The dream came to a close, awakening Rainbow Dash with feelings of nausea, "What if she can't accept my feelings…" she thought, "How could she be able to look at me ever again? Our friendship would be ruined!" The idea caused her eyes to swell with tears. She pulled her cloud pillow to her chest and hugged it tightly. "I don't want to lose Applejack as a friend, but I can't keep hiding my feelings for her either." Soon she was unable to contain her emotions any longer, and she began to weep softly into her tightly clutched pillow.

Chapter 2

Applejack watched as Rainbow Dash flew off into the dimming blue sky, "Huh, Rainbow sure was acting mighty strange" she muttered to herself as she trotted back to the farmhouse. The scent of a warm, crisp freshly baked apple pie wafting from the open window. "Ah worry 'bout that pony sometimes, she's always puttin' on a strong face. Ah reckon ah should pay her a visit after supper." she thought to herself as she entered through the front door.

She welcomed the cool and refreshing air from inside her home. A steaming slice of apple pie beckoned for her to enter the kitchen, doing the same with Big Macintosh and Applebloom as they soon came inside and joined her.

Big Mac' made chit-chat about work on the farm, and Applebloom complained about her dozens of failed attempts at getting her cutie mark, but Applejack wasn't able to focus on them, she was still focused on Rainbow Dash. As the night went on her concern for her friend's strange behavior continued to grow.

"What did she want to say to me at the lake, ah bet it was important, but she felt she was 'to radical and awesome' to say it." She whispered to herself out loud without realizing it.

"What'd yah say Applejack?" Applebloom asked, staring suspiciously at her.

"Oh, heh, nothin', don't you sweat 'bout that, ah was just talking tah mahself."

"With how Rainbow is, ah think it's probably best if ah go see her sooner, rather than later. Ah'm sure Twilight won't mind by casting that cloud walking spell, and ah can get Fluttershy to drop me off at Rainbow's place." Applejack having finally made her decision she rose from the table, "Ah'll be back later, love y'all, and see y'all again soon" she called out back to the kitchen as she trotted outside.

Applejack reached the hallowed out tree that was Ponyville's library, and she knocked on the door.
"Just a second!" a pony shouted, books clattering loudly to the floor as the sound of clumsy hooves approached. After a couple minutes the door finally swung open, "Hi Applejack, sorry about that I was just busy studying. It's amazing, did you know that Star-Swirl the-"

Applejack not interested in a history lesson at the moment, interrupted Twilight, "Whoa there Twi, Ah'm sure whatever Star-bearded the Swirler did sure is spectacular. Not to be rude though, but ah'm kind of in a hurry"

Twilight let out a small smile, realizing she had gotten a little carried away, "Heh, sorry. So what do you need?"

"Well, ah'm worried 'bout Rainbow, she's been acting kinda… odd lately, ah thought maybe ah'd go and see if something is bothering her. Anyway, ah was hoping you could cast that spell on me, yah know, the one that lets us earth ponies walk on clouds?"

Twilight's face lit up with the request to perform a spell. Her horn began to let out a lavender aura, as did Applejack's hooves. There was a quiet poofing sound, and Twilight grinned, "All done!"

"Well thank yah kindly, Twilight" Applejack bowed and took off in the opposite direction

"Say 'Hi' to Rainbow for me!" Twilight called out.

Applejack galloped down the road towards Fluttershy's cottage. The sun's light began to peel away from the world, what light remained barely pierced through the graying sky. Crickets began chirping noisily, and owls off in the distance let out their gentle calls. She quickened her pace; the cottage was far from the rest of the town, making navigating to the place somewhat difficult at night.

The sound of rushing water overpowered the critters' noises, indicating she was close to the small river that separated the cottage from the rest of Ponyville. The road branched off onto a tiny wooden bridge; a light-lemon Pegasus crossing it towards the wooden structure up the hill was barely visible.

Applejack waved at her friend, "Hey, Fluttershy, wait! Ah need to talk to yah!"

The yellow Pegasus jumped, her wings locking into place. She calmed herself down once she realized it was one of her friends. "Oh, hello, um, did you need me?" Fluttershy squeaked out nervously.

"Ah need a lift to Rainbow's, ah'm worried 'bout her. An' ah thought maybe yah could help me!" Applejack patted Fluttershy on the head.

"Well, okay, I guess I can try, I'm not a very strong flier you know." Fluttershy's confidence drained from her face as she finished her sentence.

Fluttershy flapped her wings as quickly as she possibly could. Taking Applejack's hooves into her own, she slowly ascended, pulling the earth pony along with her. They travelled through the sky, slowly getting closer to their destination. Her wings starting to become exhausted from the extra weight slowed down their progression even further. Just as Fluttershy thought her wings could go no further, she found Rainbow Dash's cloud home hovering just a few yards away from them.

Applejack reassured Fluttershy that she would be perfectly fine and that she could let her go over the cloud. Doing as she was told Fluttershy let her go watching as the earth pony plopped firmly on the cloud.

"Thanks fer all yer help Sugarcube, Ah'll probably be awhile, if yah don't mind just waiting." Applejack pointed her hoof at one of the nearby floating clouds. Fluttershy nodded and glided over to a small puff of mist that hovered close by and allowed herself to rest in the meantime.

Applejack hopped up to the door, just as she about to knock on it she heard a voice from inside. She had no intentions of eavesdropping, but Rainbow Dash rarely had visitors so curiosity ended up getting the best of her. She scooted closer, placing an ear against the wooden door, and listened in the best she could, "…I love you…" she flinched as she heard this and backed away slowly.

A sudden pain stabbed at Applejack's heart, as well as confusion flooding her mind. She didn't understand why hearing Rainbow Dash utter those three words to somepony hurt her so much. Applejack thought to herself "Maybe… because you love her, and that's why it hurts you" quickly pushing the idea aside, "That's not it, I don't love her… I can't love Rainbow Dash, I mean we're both mares" she told herself letting out a quiet scoff.

When she told herself this, she understood she was just trying to hide from the truth that she felt so ashamed of. Applejack peered back into her mind, looking at her old memories. All the times she had caught herself admiring Rainbow Dash and quickly shifting her focus onto other things to hide it.

On cold nights where she wished to herself wanting somepony near, she realized that she had always wanted that pony to be Rainbow Dash keeping her warm and comforted. All of their heated competitions had always been her secret way of pushing herself, trying to better then she had been before, because of her unquenchable craving for approval and admiration from Rainbow Dash.

Tears started to backup behind her eyes as everything became so much clearer to her. Now, however, it didn't matter, Rainbow Dash had found love with somepony else and not her. Applejack's thoughts of fear and self doubt betrayed her, "How could she love you anyway, you're a MARE" The notion made her feel alone, doomed to never have the pony she truly desired.

Applejack held back the tears for now and called out to Fluttershy, "Rainbows already gone tah sleep, ah'll try her tomorrow!" Applejack crinkled her snout and her pupils shifted around as she avoided eye contact as the lie escaped her lips.

"Oh, okay." Fluttershy replied softly, taking hold of her hooves once again, and glided back down to the Earth's surface, "Are you alright? You seem a little down." She asked innocently.

"Ah'm fine, just a little tired is all, ah'll see ya later" Applejack retorted, nearly crying. She turned her head and hurried away, trying to spare herself the humiliation of her friend witnessing her in such a state.

"Oh, okay then, good night Applejack." Fluttershy had called out in her low volume that couldn't be heard by the retreating pony.

Once Applejack returned to Sweet Apple Acres, she went straight for the barn, quickly scouting inside to make sure it was empty. The pony that was always so strong now convinced she was alone, allowed herself to break down letting her tears flow freely.

Chapter 3

Rainbow Dash rolled around restlessly on her plush cloud bed as she grasped back the sleep that quickly faded from her after she had awoken from the dream she had experienced earlier. A loud piercing ring filled the room scratching at the tired Pegasus's ears.

Rainbow Dash let out an irritated groan, she had gotten next to no sleep, and now it was time for her to pull herself away from her warm bed and go back to work. She swung her hooves at the still ringing alarm clock, the blow did not stop the ringing, instead caused it to fall off the night stand.

Rainbow screamed out in frustration, picking up the clock and smashing it repeatedly on the night stand, breaking it into smaller bits until finally the horrible noise ceased. She grumbled again, scooped up the pieces and threw them into the trash and withdrew another clock from the nightstand dresser.

She pried herself away from the comforts of her bed, making a pose as she passed her mirror, complementing herself as she did so, "Yep, still as awesome as ever!" she hoped saying this would make herself feel better. She ran a hoof through her mane, shaking it about until it was restored to its usual ruffled look.

Rainbow left her bedroom and made her way into the kitchen, opening and shutting cupboards doors as she scanned through her kitchen with haste trying to find a quick breakfast, "Ugh, I really should go grocery shopping more often!" She gave up the search for anything to snack on, letting out yet another annoyed groan.

The Pegasus glanced over at the kitchen clock realizing she was now late for her daily cloud clearing duty, "Great…" she muttered to herself as she rushed out the front door. Usually Rainbow Dash would have taken a few minutes for herself to get in a quick practice session for the tricks she had been working on for the Wonderbolts audition, but she decided against it as she found herself already more late than was typical of her.

She reached her destination to be greeted by an annoyed gray Pegasus yelled at her "C'mon Rainbow, you were supposed to have been here clearing the skies an hour ago! So hurry it up and get to work!" Rainbow Dash forced out a laugh, trying to appear as though she didn't care, "Sorry, but you and I both know awesomeness arrives whenever it feels like!" The gray Pegasus scoffed and left Rainbow Dash to do her work.

Rainbow Dash cracked her wings, preparing herself to move quickly to get caught up with her work. She bolted from her spot, leaving only a multicolored blur that followed her as she shot across the sky, the clouds vanishing as the stream of color came into contact with them. Once she closed in towards her goal, she paced herself and enjoyed the warm sunlight. As always, she decided she would finish the job by clearing the rest of the clouds with the special tricks she was practicing on.

Rainbow Dash flew high up in the air, feeling she was high enough, she dived down, bringing in her hooves close to her body and made a sharp jerk upward, then tucked in her wings. She began to spiral towards the ground. Just a few feet from the ground, she extended her wings once more, angling them upward, charging her back into the sky, plowing straight through the cloud above her.

"That was totally awesome!" she squeaked to herself as she slowed down. After eradicating the last cloud of the clouds, Rainbow landed on a pillow that rested on the branch of her favorite tree. She let herself relax, hoping to catch up on some of her precious sleep she had missed out on.

The thoughts of Applejack returned and continued to eat away at her. Rainbow Dash hummed loudly to herself, hoping that for some reason this would drown out her own words in her head. A second voice soon joined in with the humming. The noise startled Rainbow Dash nearly knocking her off the branch she rested on. She opened her eyes and looked around to find that a pink face was floating just inches above hers.

"Ohmygosh, hi Rainbow, I heard you humming, and I thought, ohmygosh that sounds like fun, so I thought I'd come up here and join you!" Pinkie Pie paused for a moment, "Although now that I think about it, I don't know how I got up here myself."
Rainbow Dash blinked as she tried to properly absorb every word that Pinkie Pie spouted.

"Hey you look kind of hungry, we should get some cupcakes!" Pinkie Pie squeaked joyfully, still not needing even a single moment to catch her breath.

Rainbow Dash blinked again, her brain still catching up with everything Pinkie Pie had just said. "Uh, sure I guess." she replied, although she was unsure she had actually even correctly heard the rapidly spoken words. Milliseconds after her agreement, Pinkie Pie let out an ear-shattering cheer of excitement.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so glad you wanted to come get cupcakes with me Rainbow Dash! When I saw you on that tree, I bet you wanted muffins too!" Pinkie's words still exiting her mouth like rapidfire.

"Pinkie..." Rainbow attempted to squeeze a word in, but was interrupted again by another barrage of randomness.

"I totally saw Applejack earlier, and she looked super sad, so I said to her 'Hey, we should go get cupcakes or something, that'll make you feel better', and she totally was like 'nah ah just want to be left alone'.

"PINKIE!" Rainbow Dash shouted, finally quieting her friend down, giving her head a chance to catch up. She stopped mid-step when she realized her friend had mentioned Applejack, "Wait, what did you say was wrong with Applejack?"

The pink pony giggled, "I don't know, I told you that silly, but she did seem pretty sad." Pinkie Pie pondered silently, trying to piece together what could be upsetting Applejack.

"Sorry, Pinkie Pie, we'll go to Sugar Cube Corner some other time." Rainbow Dash waved her hoof goodbye before launching off into the sky, not giving Pinkie Pie an opportunity to respond, she was worried if she had, she would be there until nightfall.

As she flew away, she was sure she could still hear her crazy friend talking to herself, she felt relieved that she no longer had to listen to whatever silly nonsense was possibly being spouted now.

Chapter 4

Applejack woke up confused as to where she was. She blinked a few times to adjust to the light, the fog in her eyes lifted, permitting her to recognize the surroundings. "Ah musta fell asleep in the barn again" she said aloud groggily. She stepped outside and looked towards the sun's position in the sky to gauge the time. She panicked when she had realized it was much later in the day then she expected.

Applejack located a bucket, grabbed it with her teeth and sprinted to the orchards. Once reaching a long row of apple trees that still carried the shining red fruit, she positioned her hind legs, and delivered a swift and powerful kick to the tree. A loud smack echoed through the orchards frightening away some of the birds in the nearby forest when the pony's strong legs impacted the bark.

As the tremors reverberated through the tree it caused the branches to shake violently. Shortly after the shaking started, the apples detached from the stems that clung to their branches. Satisfied with the result she gathered up the fallen fruits, placed them in the bucket, and moved on to the next tree.

As she worked she began to lose focus and her mind wandered, filling her head with thoughts of Rainbow Dash. A frown formed on her face, her eyes dampened and the corner of her eyes drooped down sadly. Her emotions disheartened her, causing her to work sluggishly. She walked slowly from tree to tree, and her kicks were soft and poorly aimed. Typically only one powerful buck was all that was required from her, but in her current mood, the task was taking three to kicks to shake down all the apples.

"Who could Rainbow Dash have possibly been talking to last night?" she wondered sadly as she continued her work. Applejack started to become angry, "I shouldn't be mad at Rainbow for having these feelings for somepony else."
The anger and jealousy drowned out her sadness and logic completely, "Why couldn't she love me?" She picked up her pace and approached the next tree pounding it with a ferocious kick. A deafening crack shot through the orchard, soon followed by the sound of wood snapping.

Applejack turned around to see she had unintentionally bucked the tree in half, "Ah horseshoes!" she grumbled aloud. "Now ah gotta put up a new tree." She kicked at the dirt, creating a small cloud of dust that hovered towards her snout obscuring her vision. A voice called out, startling Applejack causing her to inhale the dirt that floated near her face.

"Whatcha doing Applejack?" Pinkie Pie called out joyfully as she emerged from the newly made stump. "Is something wrong?
You don't look very Applejacky today. Would cupcakes help? cupcakes make everything better! Oh my gosh, I have an idea, we should go get cupcakes!" she shouted while bouncing up and down, waving her arms around excitedly.

Applejack stilled Pinkie Pie with a hoof while she spoke in a raspy voice as her throat cleared of the dust, "No sugarcube, cupcakes ain't gonna help solve any of mah problems. Now if mah problems were a rumbling stomach, than they might, but that ain't the case. Anyhow, Ah'm fine, Ah appreciate the offer though."

Pinkie Pie gasped, "Cupcakes can't solve your problems? Is that even possible? I can't think of a single problem that I've had that cupcakes couldn't help with." Pinkie Pie said swiftly, the mere notion of cupcakes not being a universal solution baffled her.

Applejack gawked at Pinkie Pie, wondering how a pony could possibly talk that fast, without pausing for breath and not pass out. But that didn't really matter at the moment. Right now she needed to think and that wouldn't be possible with her friend around.

"Anyway… Ah'm fine, Ah promise, ah just got a lot of work to do, so ah'd appreciate it if yah would be on yer way so ah can get back to applebucking" Applejack said with the most truthful sounding tone she could sustain.

Pinkie Pie placed her eye right next to Applejacks and stared into it hard, "Okey-Dokey-Lokey…" she said, bouncing backwards as she did.

"Whew" Applejack sighed.

A large gust of air carrying dirt blew into Applejack's face, "Did you say something?" Pinkie Pie shouted, having returned almost instantly when she heard her friend speak.

"Uh, no ah didn't now go on shoo!" Applejack waved her hooves. The pink pony vanishing again just as quickly as she had appeared, Applejack would love to know how her friend managed to do that.

Applejack returned to work, concentrating hard on any thoughts that weren't of Rainbow Dash. She focused on the next rodeo she would participate in, and who her competition could be this year. Confidence filled her, imagining herself standing on the podium receiving a blue ribbon, everyone cheering at her wildly as she accepted the award. Blushing at her absurd fantasy, she let out a chuckle as she realized how ridiculous she was being.

One last smack rang through the fields, causing the last of the nearby birds to scatter in fear. Applejack gathered up the remaining apples and dropped them in the bucket. Letting out a sigh of relief her work was done for the day she withdrew a handkerchief from her saddlebag and wiped off some of the sweat that covered her face.

Applejack backed up to get a better view of the trees, making sure she hadn't skipped any. Not seeing any apples clinging to the branches. Feeling satisfied with her inspection and the day's work, she dragged the last bucket back to the barn.

A little annoyed she finished her work later than usual due to her oversleeping; she decided to go for a run to let out her aggravation and anger she felt at herself, and a certain rainbow maned pony. Before heading out, Applejack took a quick break to recover some of her strength. She took out an apple from one of the buckets and chewed noisily on an apple. Once she had devoured as much of the fruit as she could, she discarded the core onto the ground beside her, and ran towards the gate of Sweet Apple Acres.

Applejack spotted a blue Pegasus flying straight towards the farm at a blazing speed. She recognized Rainbow Dash immediately as the pony flew closer, leaving a rainbow trail behind her. She didn't feel she was ready to confront Rainbow after what she had heard last night. Quickly, she ducked beneath the cover of the apple trees to avoid being seen by.

Chapter 5

Applejack watched carefully as Rainbow Dash flew towards the farmhouse. She waited for the opportune moment to slip away from the orchards without being seen. She continued observing the Pegasus, when she heard the faint knocking on her door she seized the chance, and made a break for the nearby forest.

Running as fast as she could, she took a quick glance back to see if she had been spotted or not. Fortunately, Rainbow's attention still seemed to be focused on the door by the time she reached the tree line that accompanied the nearby road.
Applejack pushed herself in between the trees, and searched for the trail she had made during one of her many trips through the forest. She located it and trotted over to it with ease. She was quite familiar with the rough terrain that would typically cause any pony trouble to tread through.

Once on the wider part of the dirt trail, she allowed herself a quick stretch and then began to run. It felt nice to be using her legs for something other than kicking she could feel a rewarding light burning sensation in her muscles as she ran.
Applejack pushed herself to run faster quickly using up all her leftover energy that remained from her day of hard physical labor. She slowed herself down to a calming trot, and continued following the pathway, which eventually lead her into a small clear field of grass.

Without being phased in the slightest, Applejack took a sharp turn and continued to walk forward. Soon she was joined with another pathway, which lead her deeper into the forest. She took large breaths, inhaling the sweet smell of tree sap that filled the air. She loved the smell; it made her feel alive and energetic, yet peaceful. She smiled as the last clearing of trees appeared, indicating she had arrived at her destination.

Water plummeted off of a rocky ledge, crashing into the cool liquid below, the ripples from the cascading water continuously disrupting the serene calm of the pool that the falls conjoined with. The sounds of the cold water splashing down, small droplets, catching in the gentle breeze that crept between the trees cooling the air as well as helping the nearby trees grow tall, blocking out the sun with their luminescent leaves, allowing only a thin beam of green light to reach down, all coming together to form what she considered her own personal paradise.

Applejack lied herself down in a tuft of trampled grass where she usually lay, and let herself become submersed in the peaceful bliss provided by her surroundings. This was where she had come whenever she needed to think, or get away from any pony. It was her special place, one she was sure only she knew about, and she fully intended on keeping it her own private spot.

The pale green light that filled her small haven began to fade as the golden sun began to lower from the surface once again. Applejack however, was unwilling to return home and she decided she would stay here for the night instead. She headed over to the small pile of rocks she had placed during a previous visit. Reaching her muzzle inside the small cavern of the stones she removed a blanket she had stored inside for such an occasion.

Applejack returned to her spot in the grass, and lied back down, removing her hat, and placing it down carefully next to her. She swung her head, flipping her hair close to her mouth allowing her to catch the red bow tie that held it together. She scraped the tie off her tail, and untied the other allowing her blonde mane to separate and sway in the soft winds. Pulling the blanket over her body with her teeth, she closed her eyes.

Just as Applejack felt she was going to fall asleep, the sensation some pony was watching her crept across her the idea paralyzing her with a sudden fear. No pony else knew about this spot and the thought of her paradise no longer being secret upset her. Of course that notion was soon drowned out by the idea that maybe a homicidal pony had followed her through the forest and was about to decapitate her.

Applejack took in a sharp breath and peeked out of one eye looking around in front of her, seeing no pony. She closed her eye, rolled herself to the other side as casually as she could, pretending to be asleep, and peeked again and still saw no pony. She let out a quiet sigh of relief and laughed at herself for having been so paranoid.

However, the feeling of eyes monitoring her still lingered. She kept repeating to herself that she was completely alone, and no one knew where she was, let alone know where this place was. The sensation refused to leave, making her unable to relax and feel at ease. Finding herself no longer tired and frightened because of her imagination that was getting the best of her, she decided maybe she would return to the farm after all.

After returning the blanket to its previous location, she headed back towards the trail. The sun well hidden behind the moon made the forest pitch black but the adrenaline and dozens of times she had been through the woods before, it hardly presented as an issue to Applejack. The first clearing lit with silver light from the sky showed itself for a moment and then disappeared as she headed down her next now invisible trail without any hesitation.

The forest parted revealing the main road connected to Ponyville and the farm. The farmhouse was dark; the rest of her family must have already gone to sleep. The fear of a potential imminent danger drifting away made Applejack aware of just how tired she really was. She placed a bit more speed into her steps so she could sooner satisfy desire to crawl into her bed, as well as combat the feeling that she might just fall asleep in the middle of the road if she didn't hurry.

Applejack nudged the door open, and silently climbed the stairs that lead up to her bedroom. She reached the top of the stairs and approached her door, opening that as quietly as she could, catching glimpse of the mattress that beckoned her. She tip-hoofed towards the bed and collapsed onto it, rolling beneath the unmade sheets covering herself, falling asleep almost the same instant she finished. A smile crossed her face as pleasant dreams filled her head while she slept.

Chapter 6

Rainbow Dash flew high above Sweet Apple Acres, hoping to see Applejack as she scouted the fields. To her dismay, she had no such luck. She gave up the search and landed by the house's front door giving it a light knock and received no answer. She knocked again louder this time, and still no one answered.

"Guess no pony is home, must have gone to town." Rainbow Dash thought, turning around a flash of light reflected into her eyes from a golden tail that soon vanished into dark forest just outside the farm.

Rainbow Dash, almost certain that it had been Applejack running into the woods, decided she would go to investigate. Taking off back into the sky, she peered down into the forest from above, but the thick leaves were clumped to close together for her to see anything. Unable to locate the pony from the skies, she landed and cautiously entered inside the forest.

"How am I supposed to find any pony in here?" she wondered aloud as she stumbled through the fallen branches and roots that jabbed at her hooves from the ground.

After wandering around aimlessly, Rainbow Dash finally spotted a clue as to where Applejack may have gone. A small dirt trail bearing fresh hoofprints weaved between the mossy trees. She ventured forth on the trail carefully, keeping a close eye on the tracks in case they trailed off of the course. The winding path continued on for hundreds of yards until merging into a small field of grass.

Rainbow Dash looked around she was hoping to find Applejack nearby, but she was still alone. She flew up to get a better view and began to circle the area, looking for any other hints as to where to go now, locating yet another set of muddy prints leading back into the forest.

"Ah-ha!" she cheered triumphantly. She landed again, and followed the newly discovered trail, expecting that she would soon be caught up. Rainbow Dash grinned excitedly, enjoying the after pursuit of Applejack that continued to elude her. As she galloped down the trail, the light in the forest slowly dwindled away, making it difficult for her to follow the path.

Rainbow Dash squinted to see the dirt as her eyes tried to adjust to the constantly changing lighting of the forest. The pathway felt like it was never going to end. A few minutes drifted by with no indication that she was nearing the end of the trail. Another few minutes passed still with no sign, becoming more frustrated. Just as she was ready to give up the search and fly out of the forest, the end of the trail showed itself to her.

"About time…" She muttered to herself quietly. The sound of rushing water filling her ears as she approached the opening. The air started to cool and dampen as she walked. The last of the trees parted, allowing more of the moonlight to permit her to see the new surroundings which caused the changes to the atmosphere around her.

A nearby waterfall crashed down into a rapidly flowing river which connected itself to a small round lake. The rays of moonlight shining through the small opening in the leaves, reflecting through the entirety of the lake making the silver water sparkle.

Rainbow Dash let out an excited gasp as she observed the beauty that surrounded her. Finding this spot had made the trip worthwhile, even if Applejack hadn't been here afterall. She flew up near the leaves of the trees to get a new perspective of the sight, the new vantage point made the place seem even more gorgeous than before.

Her eyes caught view of a pony that lay down on the grass below her, "Applejack!" Rainbow Dash called out, covering her mouth with a hoof when she realized her friend was most likely asleep. Never having seen Applejack seem so peaceful, she flew closer and watched silently. Nor had she ever seen her mane free from the red ribbon that had always bound it. She gazed at the sleeping pony, blushing slightly when she decided Applejack was more beautiful than the recently discovered lake.

Rainbow Dash, not wanting to disturb Applejack, suppressed a yawn, "I'll talk to her tomorrow" she thought. She took one last mental picture of the pony she adored that slept ever so peacefully below her. She flew back above the trees and looked around for familiar landmarks to help memorize the location. She spotted her cloud home hovering off in the distance, not nearly as far from the forest as she had originally anticipated.

Flying back towards her home, she focused on the mental image of Applejack sleeping next to silver lake. Her cheeks bright red with a large smile spread across her face as she relished in the scene she had been able to witness. Reaching her cloud, Rainbow Dash landed softly and headed inside, walking into her room clumsily, not paying any attention as she continuously blundered into the furniture, her mind too focused on Applejack.

She entered her bedroom wondering what sweet dreams Applejack was dreaming of at that moment. Rainbow Dash's thoughts however, were soon shrouded by her own need for sleep. Climbed into bed, she looked outside of her window into the twinkling yellow stars whispering softly as she fell asleep, "Goodnight Applejack… I love you."

Chapter 7

Applejack pulled at the blanket covering her head to shield herself from the morning light that flooded her bedroom. Faint laughter filled the room coming from downstairs. Letting out a yawn she rolled out of her bed that beckoned her to return to its warm refuge.

Applejack shuddered as she took a look at herself through the bedroom mirror; her mane sprawled about as if a tornado had trailed through it. She took her brush and scraped it back down into place as quickly as possible before joining her family downstairs.

"Hey big sis'!" Applebloom called out excitedly, tackling her sister to the ground when she was safe at the base of the steps. The filly let out a small laugh as a hoof rubbed down into the top of her head.

"Well hi, whatcha been up to?" Applejack asked, her sisters unusual display of affection rousing suspicion.

"Nothin', ah promise!" Applebloom cried sounding offended.

"Uh-huh, sure, so yah don't want anything, yah just love yer big sister that much huh?" Applejack winked.

Applebloom got up and walked in small circles, "Well… alright, yah caught me. Ah was hoping ah could have a sleepover at
Sweetie Belle's tonight." She said, settling down while she waited for an answer.

"Of course yah can have a sleep over, just don't break anything like yah did last time. Rarity lectured me fer hours about how the three of yah had spilled paint all over her precious fabrics." Applejack rolled her eyes at the memory.

"Thanks sis! Yer the best!" Applebloom shouted giving her sister a quick peck on the cheek before trotting out of sight.

Big Macintosh entered the living room, "Rainbow Dash came by earlier, I told her you were a sleep, so she asked me to tell you she stopped by." he spoke as clearly as he could to avoid having to repeat himself.

"Ah see… guess ah should probably go see what she wants than."

"Ee-yup"

Applejack looked around for her saddlebag spotting it on the staircase railing, "Any chance she mentioned what this was all about or where she was going?"

Once again, he kept his answer short, "Mmnope."

Applejack said farewell to her brother, taking a long pause just outside the front door. She had been trying so hard to ignore any thoughts of Rainbow Dash since the conversation she had overheard at the cloud home. Anxiety seeped into her heart as she started walking towards town.

"Maybe ah'll go see Twilight first and talk to her about everything before I find Rainbow." Applejack thought to herself, using it as an excuse to postpone her visit with Rainbow Dash.

The sun beamed down heavily on Applejack as she reached the town. The birds chirping cheerfully and the streets filled with laughter from young colts and fillies at play. The fountain in the center of town glittering in the sun as the streams of water gently crashed into the pool below. Applejack wished she could enjoy the beautiful day, but her unavoidable confrontation with Rainbow Dash put her on edge.

Applejack reached the hollow tree that had been made into Twilight Sparkle's new home. Taking a deep breath forgetting to knock, she walked inside. Unsurprising to her, she found the purple unicorn sitting at her desk her face buried into a thick dusty book, no doubt filled with useless facts about Equestria's history.

Twilight turned around when she heard the sound of hoofsteps approaching her, "Oh hey again Applejack! It's so nice to see you again." Twilight spoke excitedly recalling the last visit with her friend, "Did you need anything? I'm more than happy to help with another spell!"

Applejack shook her head, "Thanks sweetie, but ah'm just here to talk to yah about something this time."
Twilight quickly marked her place in the book before shutting it, "That's great, what did you want to talk about?"

"Well, ah was wondering… do yah know if Rainbow Dash has… a special somepony?" Applejack fumbled the words cautiously, her cheeks starting to grow warm as she talked.

"I don't think so… I'm pretty sure Rainbow Dash probably thinks she is to cool and radical for anypony in town." Twilight made gestures hinting that Applejack should elaborate on the question.

"Well, ah heard her talking to somepony inside her home, and ah heard her say… t-t-that s-she loved them" Applejack tried holding herself together as her voice began to break apart.

"Well, I don't know, I've never seen her with any stallions before…" Twilight said, then took notice that tears were flowing from her friends eyes. "Applejack, what's wrong?" she asked, placing her hoof on Applejack's back hoping to comfort her friend.

"Ah think… Ah… Ah love Rainbow Dash!" Applejack practically screamed, hiding her head from the purple eyes looking at her. Although ashamed of herself, when the secret finally came out, she felt a large weight lifting from her shoulders.
Twilight said nothing; she pulled her friend closer and hugged her to show her support, hoping it would help to soothe her trembling friend.

"When ah heard her say to somepony that she loved them, ah felt like... then ah ran away. Ah can't even look at her now and ah've been avoiding her ever since since." Applejack's crying slowed as her friend squeezed her tightly.

"Applejack, it's okay, but you can't keep running away from the problem, it won't solve anything. You need to tell her the truth about how you feel, or else you will just spend the rest of your life running and hiding from her." Twilight whispered softly in her friend's ear.

Applejack felt a little shocked at how accepting Twilight was being of the strange thoughts and feelings she had just poured onto her. She sniffled and dried her tears, "Yer right Twilight… Ah should… no, Ah need to go tell her." She turned around and ran outside the tree, leaving Twilight Sparkle behind her.

When she started running a tingling sensation began to cover her hooves while they suddenly started glowing purple for a few brief moments. Applejack turned around to find Twilight grinning and winking at her from the doorstep. She let out a smile and started back down the road towards Fluttershy's cottage.

Chapter 8

To Rainbow Dash's surprise she woke up before her alarm clock did. The sleep she had fallen into had been more rejuvenating than was usual. She stretched her wings and hopped off her bed, looking around at her cluttered room, spotting a picture of her and Applejack.

The image was of Applejack wrapping her hoof around Rainbow Dash. The two beamed as they proudly wore their blue ribbons they had both been awarded for placing in first for a team race they participated in.

Rainbow Dash let out a smile as she looked at the photograph and soon started to wonder what Applejack was up to. She set down the picture back where she had found it, and ventured back to her kitchen to forage for some form of food.
"Why the hay don't I ever go to the store?" She asked herself irritably as she flew outside. "I guess I'll just pick something up at Sugar Cube Corner"

Before making her way to Sugar Cube Corner for breakfast, Rainbow Dash wanted to make sure Applejack knew she wanted to speak with her. Flying towards the small house on Sweet Apple Acres, she landed softly by the door and knocked.
Big Macintosh opened the door, "Eeyup?"

Rainbow Dash uttered the phrase she had been silently rehearsing in her head as she made the trip to avoid making her feel stupid, "Hey, could you tell Applejack I want to talk with her?" her nerves making her speak quickly and she launched back off into the sky not even waiting for an answer.

Big Mac' nodded, "Eeyup" he called out to Rainbow as she flew away, returning back inside, shutting the door behind him.
Rainbow Dash landed next to a sign with a carving of a pink painted cupcake. She inhaled deeply taking in the sweet aroma that surrounded the building. She entered the warm building, the smell of icing and cinnamon growing stronger, filling her nostrils.

"Hello Rainbow Dash! Want to try one of our new cinnamon rolls? They just got out of the oven!" Mrs. Cake said excitedly holding out a steaming silver sheet.

"Sure, that'd be awesome!" Rainbow removed one of the sticky treats from the baking sheet.

Hoof steps pounded rapidly down the stairs and Pinkie Pie soon emerged, "Oh my gosh! Hey Rainbow! I was wondering when I would see you again, you know, after you told me we would go to Sugar Cube Corner later." She gasped, "Is this later!"

"Uh… it sure is." Rainbow Dash shrugged while she thought up an excuse to leave, "Sorry Pinkie, I can't hang for long, I gotta go uh… help Fluttershy."

Pinkie Pie looked sad, "Aw, okay, I know you'd stay if you could. I guess I'll play with Gummy for a bit, I'll see you later then Rainbow Dash!" after she finished speaking, she bounced back up the stairs.

"Whew!" Rainbow sighed, quickly heading out of the shop. "Guess now I'm going to have to stop by Fluttershy's, if I don't that crazy pony is going to find out somehow, and then I'll regret it if she does." She thought. Launching back off the ground and flying away quickly, in case Pinkie Pie changed her mind and decided to come with her.

Once Rainbow Dash was sure she was clear of still being within eyesight of Pinkie Pie, she allowed herself to relax a little. She slowed down, enjoying the soft warm breeze that blew through her mane. She looked down towards Sweet Apple Acres and wondered if Applejack was awake yet, and if Big Mac had passed along her message. She made plans to stop by the farm once more after she finished her quick visit to Fluttershy's to validate her alibi in the case Pinkie Pie decided to investigate.

She flew slowly, taking her time to get to the cottage. When she approached closer she saw another pony headed down the road in the same direction. The pony's golden mane glittered in the sunlight as it bouncing lightly while she trotted. She felt pleased, she would finally have the chance to talk to Applejack and there would be no chance of her getting away this time.

Rainbow Dash took in a deep breath, thinking for a few moments as to what she would say to Applejack. Her heart started to pound, and her breathing nearly froze, she knew if she didn't go now, she would back out again. She forced herself to dive down behind the orange mare, landing quietly behind her, "Well, here goes" she thought to herself.

Chapter 10

Applejack smashed her head repeatedly into the red wooden walls of the barn, "What the hay is wrong with me?" She shouted at herself, clobbering her hooves into the barn as her frustration grew. Small dents forming in the wooden planks she repeatedly bludgeoned and she soon stopped only now realizing how sore she was making her head.

She paced back and forth, trying to contain her anger, "How am ah going tah fix this? There ain't no way ah can fix this!" she muttered to herself, paying no attention to the hoofsteps that approached the closed barn doors. The sound of gentle tapping captured Applejack's attention, knowing precisely who it was because of how softly the knocks presented themselves.

"Yeah, yeah, come on in Fluttershy!" Applejack called out.

The door opened quietly, and the timid vanilla Pegasus walked in gracefully. "Um, hi Applejack, um, are you alright?" her small voice barely carrying across to barn.

"Ah'm fine! Don't worry 'bout it." Applejack said waving hoof at her friend to shoo her off.

Fluttershy's bashful face grew a bit more stern, "Um, Applejack, I heard you and Rainbow Dash fighting outside my house. Are you sure everything is alright?" her voice becoming louder, and slightly more confident than before.

Applejack silenced herself for a moment before realizing it was pointless to try and keep this secret, "No everything ain't ok! Ah just made a whole mess of things with RD, and fer no good reason at all. Ah had no reason to say any of those things to her, and ah made her look like ah had just crushed the life outta her. And ah didn't even stop there, ah just kept going." Applejack sat down and covered her face, to ashamed to show that her eyes had swollen to the brink of tears.

"Oh, Applejack… I'm sure Rainbow Dash will forgive you, you're just exaggerating because you're upset." Fluttershy flapped her wings lightly, and floated over to her nearly crying friend so she could comfort her.

"Yah d-don't underst-stand" Applejack stammered the tears burst free from her eyes, she couldn't stop them from escaping any longer.

"Then explain to me. Help me to understand" Fluttershy said caringly, petting her crying friend with a hoof to calm her down.
"Rainbow loves some pony!" Applejack shouted hysterically, the volume of her voice temporarily frightening her friend.

Fluttershy was confused, "What's wrong with Rainbow Dash loving some pony?"

Applejack scooted away from Fluttershy, "Because... because…" she took in a sharp breath, "because it isn't me." She whimpered. When the words escaped her mouth the quiet cries changed into louder sobs.

Fluttershy wasn't sure she could think of anything to say, the news catching her completely off guard. She took a moment to properly process what she had heard. Any wrong word could make the situation much worse than it already was. She grabbed at her friend and pulled her back giving her a tight hug, "Applejack, it's okay." she said softly, patting Applejack's back.

Applejack cried into the comforting Pegasus's shoulders, when Fluttershy spoke again, "But do you really think sitting here is going to help anything? If you hurt Rainbow Dash as much as you think you did, than you need to go apologize, and the sooner, the better."

Applejack nodded in silent agreement.

"Then go!" Fluttershy commanded powerfully, hoping it would be enough to inspire her friend to action.

"Yer right…" Applejack dried her eyes, sprung up off of her friend and sprinted towards the barn door. A heavy rain had started to fall while she and Fluttershy had been talking.

"Um, Applejack, I think I saw Rainbow Dash fly somewhere in the middle of the forest near Sweet Apple Acres." Fluttershy called out.

Applejack had a sudden idea of where Rainbow Dash had gone. She turned around and secured her hat onto her mane, "Thanks Fluttershy" she shouted back from the open barn door before running off outside into the storm.

Chapter 11

Thunder crashed through the skies, rumbling in the nearby mountains. Bolts of electricity flashed, lighting up the dark gray sky. Cold and heavy raindrops plummeted down, pounding at the earth below turning the dusty dirt into a gooey slippery mud. The wind's speed picked up greatly, shaking the trees of the forest violently with each gust.

A stray charge of lightning hit a tree near the waterfall. The tree brightened into a dazzling red and blue before letting out a sizzling noise, followed by a much louder popping as the tree exploded into hundreds of pieces as the force of the discharge bounced around inside it. Pieces of the tree's bark flew through the air like shrapnel as if from a bomb. Soon a sharp, jagged chunk of wood pelted into a crying blue Pegasus just in between the joint of her wing.

Rainbow Dash let out a gasp of pain. She looked back her reddening wound and tried to move her wing, as she did, a pinching sensation ran through her entire wing forcing her to stop. She gave several attempts to try and to remove the chunk of wood with her teeth, but it was too deeply imbedded and she had to give up.

Rainbow Dash turned around and looked for the exit trail, however the dark clouds were covering the moonlight, making it impossible for her to see. While she scanned her surroundings for the way out, the raindrops continued to sleek down the rock formation that held together the waterfall. A powerful surge of wind blew through the trees, hurling a loose boulder towards the unsuspecting pony, drawing closer and closer, until it came to a halt with a loud crunching.

A scream of pure agony escaped Rainbow's lips as the large rock impacted into her leg, rolling over and crushing down. The snapping of bone echoed through the forest as loud as the thunder's crashes. The still solid remains of the shattered leg's bone popped out of the knee's joint as the boulder continued weighing down on it.

Rainbow Dash bit down as hard as she could onto her forehoof trying to alleviate some of the excruciating pain that shot through her blazing nerves. She tried to pace her rapid and shallow breathing, trying to keep herself from blacking out from the disorienting sensations that started to overwhelm her aching body.

The freezing mud slowly encasing her as she lay there completely immobilized from the rock that pinned her down. Her body began to shiver violently from both the frigid air and the searing pain that coursed through her.

In a vain effort to free herself, she tried pulling herself away from the stone slab that restrained her, the fur and skin on her crushed leg feeling as if it was being ripped apart with each tug. As a reflex her body seized back curling into itself, trying to protect itself from any further injuries as well as warm itself.

She began to fill with regrets and fear as her mind told herself that she wouldn't be able to free herself from this place. Desperately she called out to the forest pleading for anything to come and help her. Unsurprisingly though, she received no answers, as she lay there, she silently began to pray to herself that some pony would find her.

Rainbow Dash clenched her jaws and her limbs pushed into the mud as she tried fighting the pain as it kept growing, but soon it became unbearable. She found herself welcoming anything, so long as it would stop the pain that streamed through her. For a few moments she pushed back the overwhelming exhaustion, but combating with it just made her fatigue grow even faster. Her eyelids slowly began to shut, her mind shifting to Applejack, "I forgive you Applejack" she whispered as the painless sleep overtaking her.

Chapter 12

Applejack's suspicions of Rainbow Dash's whereabouts were confirmed when she heard a deafening scream from within forest. An orange light flickered from near the base of the mountain, growing brighter, larger, as well as traveling toward her. A thick gray stream of smog rising up to the sky as the trees became engulfed in flame.

A chill of horror ran through her as she realized that her lover would still be inside the blazing woods. She couldn't lose Rainbow Dash, she refused to lose her, especially not like this. A rush of adrenaline surged through making her heart race. She took a deep breath, and ran into the dark forest.

The usually solid trail had turned into a slick sludge that reduced her speed immensely. The wind shook the trees causing them to shift constantly and block her path which slowed down her progression even further. She rushed past the sounds of animals as they fled the forest and the imminent danger it presented.

Applejack finally reached the first clearing where a fallen tree was now blocking the path that she normally took that would lead her to her destination. The heavy smoke became visible from the empty space in the sky that the fallen tree had provided where it once stood. She backed up a few steps and picked up her pace, running forward, leaping over the obstacle.

The leaves above her grew much closer together here than the rest of the forest, allowing the mud to stay relatively dry in comparison keeping it much less thick, giving her much less resistance than the prior trail had.

Applejack kept on sprinting until she reached the waterfall spotting a boulder that pinned a struggling Pegasus. The orange glow of the rapidly growing fire was visible and approached them quickly. The pinned pony let out a groan of pain as she struggled before curling up and quietly whispering something just prior to when she stopped moving.

Applejack, fearing the worst for her fallen friend, she hurried over quickly. She pounded her front hooves down, burying them deep into the ground. She then placed her hind hooves on the boulder and gathered as much strength as she could find within herself and pushed. The boulder began to roll incredibly slow, the alleviated pressure starting to re-awaken the Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash raised her head and looked up towards the orange pony, "Applejack…?" she asked in disbelief before her head fell back down to the earth and her eyes closed themselves again.

"Ah'm here…" Applejack whispered back under her breath as she kept on pushing.

The stone finally rolled off the rest of the way, freeing the leg. Applejack flinched when she saw the sight of the mangled leg, knowing there would be no way Rainbow Dash would be able to walk. She sprinted over to her self-made rock shelf which sheltered her blanket. She laid it down flat next to her friend and scooted her onto the blanket. She then took two of the corners of the sheet and began to pull.

The orange embers danced in the air as they crackled away from the trees. The smell of smoke filling their nostrils as the wood began to burn. The fire had grown incredibly close now. Applejack pulled harder on the blanket, stepping back as quickly and carefully as she could manage. She left behind the waterfall stepping backward down the muddy trail. As she reached the end of the first trail, she found herself being halted.

Applejack stopped at the fallen tree that once again blocked her path. The feeble obstacle that had been nothing more than a small hiccup before now may as well be a mountain that stood in their way. Applejack looked around carefully, trying to find a way through. She spotted a narrow opening in between the heavily clung trees. She pulled Rainbow Dash along and ventured through it.

The roots that extruded from the ground made moving the Pegasus incredibly difficult. She squeezed in between the tightly clumped trees, not noticing as the blanket caught onto one of the roots that stuck from the dirt. She kept pulling, as she did a large rip spread down the center of the blanket.

Applejack dropped the now useless bits of shredded cloth and adjusted Rainbow Dash. She pushed her head beneath the Pegasus and rolled her onto her back and began carrying her. The extra weight made each step exhausting and her balance dwindled to an almost non-existent level. She slowly worked her way through the trees, until she finally found the way back through to the first clearing that granted her access to the second trail.

She knew this pathway was going be much more difficult to carry her friend through as the mud would be much thicker again and the fire was engulfing nearly all of the trees that stood behind them. Her muscles were completely drained from the thick mud as she kept trudging through it.

Applejack heard a snapping noise come from above the two. Quickly, she flung Rainbow Dash off of her. She had reacted just fast enough to protect the Pegasus, but not herself. A large branch cracked and swung down from a small hinge, smashing hard into Applejack's head, the force flinging her into another tree before bringing her down into the cold wet dirt. There she lay, unconscious, as the fire closed in behind them.

Chapter 13

The shock of the impact as she fell into the cold mud jolted Rainbow Dash awake. At first she didn't move, her mind still grasping at where she was and what was going on, the severe pain in her leg and wing slowing her thoughts. The air around her felt alarmingly warm for how cold the earth beneath her was. The bright glow of the nearby growing flames capturing her attention, her mind finally becoming lucid enough to comprehend what was happening.

Rainbow Dash looked around as she tried to find her bearings. She soon spotted the unconscious orange mare next to her. Quickly, she attempted to shake the pony awake, but unfortunately for her, it did no good, "Applejack, get up!" she screamed into the pony's ear still receiving no response.

The fire grew closer, the heat intensifying as it approached. The air started thinning as it became replaced with the thick ashen smoke. Rainbow Dash braced herself, maneuvered herself beneath the unconscious mare and lifted. Her eyes widened when the pain amplified itself as the extra weight pressed down on her injured wing.

Several minutes passed as she desperately tried to pry herself from the mud and stand up while Applejack's weight pushed down on her. At last she obtained a steady footing and pulled herself off the ground with her remaining three good hooves. The wound on her shoulder gushed with blood, the pain multiplying rapidly with each passing second.

Rainbow Dash was not able to walk normally with the injured leg. She pushed her thoughts past the torment from her injuries and experimented with her movement. She placed her two front hooves in front of her, than she used the muscles in her hips to drag the other two forward through the mud. Pain shooting through her leg as it was slowly pulled forward, her body trying to seize back with every motion, but she kept on.

The clean breathable air was nearly depleted now, the smoke overpowering what was remained. Each breath burned and scratched at her throat. She let out loud retching coughs as it tried to clear each intake of smoke from her lungs. Her leg and wing were screaming in utter agony, the crimson liquid dripping from her every bit of torn flesh that it could squeeze through.

The heat from the flames behind her scorched her tail as the determined Rainbow Dash slowly tried to drag herself away from the licking flames. Her vision started to blur and spin as the lack of oxygen began to disorient her. In front of her a single clear shimmering silver light visible just up ahead.

Rainbow Dash could no longer think, her every last ounce of her willpower was being concentrated into pushing herself forward. The hot flames growing ever nearer, just as did the silver lighting. Her eyes began to dim and blacken. She shook it off and inhaled deeply, trying to draw in even the slightest bit of clean air from the smog. Her injuries pleading for her to cease the torment she continued to place on them, she ignored it their cries and kept on.

The glittering light, she perceived to now be only a few feet away now. The trees surrounding them suddenly engulfed in a rapid flame blazing at Rainbow Dash's eyes and drying the thin layer of sweat that had seeped out from her in attempt to cool her burning body.

"We're almost there, Applejack", she panted aloud to her passenger. She threw aside the limits that her mind had tried to set trying to force her into submission. Her muscles felt as if they were being shredded apart. Her lungs pulverized as they took in each breath of hot unfulfilling smoke. Every step she took was agonizing and her bones felt as if they were splintering when she moved.

Only the sweltering red and orange colors of fire and her small ray of silver light were all her eyes could make out now. She marched on blindly as her vision finally failing her, the colors vanishing from her eyes as they rolled to the back of her head. With one last loud and desperate gasp, Rainbow Dash threw herself into the flames through the clearing and out of the burning forest.

Rainbow Dash collapsed onto the cool wet road, her lungs drinking in the beautifully pure fresh air that hadn't been tarnished by the smoke just meters behind them. She sucked in all the clean air her lungs would allow, ignoring the weight of the orange mare as she pressed down onto the wooden shrapnel, driving it down deeper into Rainbow's body.

Chapter 14

Rainbow Dash continued her gasps for the cleansing air. She was unable to keep in most of what she was inhaling. Her coughing started back up, her lungs had almost completely shut down when it had been trying to filter out the constant intake of smoke. She noticed her pain was still growing in her leg and wing. She rolled Applejack off her side, hoping the removal of the weight would soothe her wounds as well as allow more use of her lungs.

The oxygen slowly filled her, each breath permitting more and more to enter. Her coughing became increasingly stronger, as it cleared out the last remnants of the smoke that resided in her system. Rainbow Dash examined her leg, it lay there bloodied and bruised and dirt that covered the gashes stinging her as it dried.

Rainbow Dash's body now no longer desperately crying for even the slightest breathable air, permitting her mind to use its full capacity which caused the pain to shoot back through her in full force. The mangled shin sat there, the events having rendered it completely useless. The connecting hoof had cracks running through it and the edges were jagged and bleeding. The lodged chunk of debris in between her wing had sunk so far deep into her skin that only a red crater was visible where it had penetrated.

Rainbow Dash turned to the sleeping pony, and shook her but still didn't wake, "WAKE UP APPLEJACK!" she screamed into Applejack's ear. Her friend still did not wake, her chest raising up and down, making her breathing still visible and appearing at a regular pace. Apart from the small lump on her head, Rainbow Dash thought she seemed fine. She looked around and found a nearby puddle, she splashed the water onto Applejack's face and she was soon wide awake.

Applejack rubbed her hoof onto her bruised head, a terrible ache resonating in her skull where she had been hit. She looked around, and spotted Rainbow Dash. Her eyes wide and watering as she gawked at the battered pony, wincing as she only imagined how much pain Rainbow Dash was in.

"Rainbow, uh what happened?" Applejack asked slightly confused as to how they were resting safely on the road near the slowly dying blaze nearby.

"You got hit in the face, and decided to take a nap. So I picked you up, and I carried your lazy flank all the way out here" Rainbow Dash replied triumphantly, with a hint of sarcasm.

Astonishment covered Applejack's face, "And how in the hay did yah manage that?" She silently tried to fathom a way that somepony in that state could have possibly have achieved such a feat.

"Well obviously with my pure awesomeness of course!" Rainbow Dash grinned, but her smile faded quickly, "Uh, look, it doesn't really matter. You maybe wanna take me to the hospital?" Rainbow Dash pointed at her leg. She let out a gasp of pain when she allowed herself even a brief second to focus on the injury, "I'd rather it be sooner rather than later, just saying." Her breathing sped up, trying to cope with the overwhelming pain.

Applejack nodded and said nothing, her head ached dully, but she knew it must be nothing compared to what Rainbow Dash must be feeling at this moment. She knelt down and allowed Rainbow Dash to climb on her back. She stood back up and began galloping down the slippery road as fast as her legs would let her.

Rainbow Dash let out continuous groans of agony as she bounced lightly with each step Applejack made. Her eyes began to blur again and her ears started ringing loudly, she started becoming dizzier by the second. Her stomach beginning to feel nauseous while the wound near her wing's joint started to burn, it was soon overpowering all the other pain she was experiencing, even that of her decimated leg.

The hospital doors were visible now, the double doors of the entrance close. Applejack ran faster, her hat flying off her head; she ignored as her favorite possession blew away, she kept going. Reaching the door, she charged her head straight into the glass pushing it open and rushed inside.The desk attendant ran off the instant she saw the two enter the room.

Soon a doctor pony rolled out a gurney from one of the rooms and wheeled it towards them. Applejack knelt by it and
Rainbow Dash to rolled onto the platform. Soon the gurney began to move away from the orange pony. Rainbow Dash reached out her hoof toward Applejack, "Stay with me, please…" she whimpered.

Applejack ran back towards Rainbow Dash and took her terrified friend's hoof, clasping it tightly with her own, "It's gonna be okay Sugar Cube."

Chapter 15

Applejack was soon halted by a nurse pony as the doctor pushed Rainbow Dash away from her inside an examination room. "You'll need to wait outside." The nurse said before following the doctor, shutting the door behind her.
Applejack walked down the tiled hallway into the waiting room, pacing back and forth near the rows of seats aligned against the walls.

With each minute passing she grew more frantic. "She'll be fine." she thought to herself, taking a seat on one of the dozens of chairs in the waiting room.The minutes crept by slowly with no ponies leaving or entering the examination room. The empty waiting room stayed silent, she was the only pony present. The droning quiet bothered her, it provided her with no distractions, allowing her mind to wander to hundreds possibilities of what was happening behind that closed door.

She stared at the clock plastered onto the wall, watching as the small arrow slowly rotated around the circle twice. Applejack tapped her hooves nervously on the floor as the time snailed past, until finally the nurse pony exited the room that Rainbow Dash was being held in. Applejack stood up, trotting over quickly to the Nurse, "How is she?"

The nurse sighed, "You might want to sit back down."

Applejack shook her head and braced herself for the news.

"The lower half of her Metatarsal and below is shattered. The bone had also been dislocated, so it had to be set back in place. She won't walk again for at least a year."

The orange mare's eyes puffed up as she listened, imagining how Rainbow Dash would take the news, she was hardly able to keep her sanity from an entire day of being pent up, let alone a whole year.

The nurse spoke again, "There is also a large chunk of wood that is lodged deep into the muscle tissue which directly controls the motor function of her left wing. Normally this wouldn't present itself as much of a problem. However, it is also pressing down on a cluster of nerves, which is causing her such severe pain that we were required to sedate her."

Applejack blinked, not quite understanding what the nurse was getting at.

"We have to remove it surgically."

Applejack was still confused, "Well why aren't yah?"

"As it is, Rainbow Dash has no family on record, and you are the only pony she has listed as an emergency contact, before we can operate, we need you to sign a consent form."

"Well if that's the only issue, ah'll be happy to sign the form." Applejack looked at the clipboard the nurse had poking out of her saddlebag.

"Before you can sign the document, I am required to inform you of the dangers of this procedure."
Applejack waved a hoof indicating for the pony to continue.

"Due to how deeply imbedded the object is, and given it's location, there is a high probability that the surgery will cause irreparable muscle and nerve tissue damage, which will as a result prevent full use of her wing ever again."

Applejack stared in horror at the nurse with the information she had just been given. Although she knew she had no choice but to approve of the surgery. Regardless of the surgery, Rainbow Dash would be in constant pain and still would not be able to fly anyway. The problem though, if she did sign the form, she already blamed herself, but there was no doubt in her mind that Rainbow would also blame her as well if she were to never fly again.

"This is my fault…" she thought, "C-can ah talk to her?" she said, holding back most of the stream of tears that rolled their way down her cheeks.

The nurse's voice sounded cold as she spoke, hiding away all hints of emotion, "Unfortunately, no, as I said before, we had to sedate her because of the pain that is being caused by the pressure on the nerve cluster. We need you to sign the consent form because she is not mentally capable of signing it herself, at this time."

Applejack returned to her seat, dropping her head in her hooves, "Is there anything else you can do?" she asked doubtfully.
The nurse shook her head, removed the clipboard from her bag, as well as a quill and handed them over. Applejack thought hard about everything that just this one signature would cause. The thoughts frightened her, but what terrified her the most, was the idea that Rainbow Dash may never forgive her.

Applejack had no choice she took a deep breath and scribbled her signature onto the paper with her uncontrollably shaking hooves. After everything that she and her friend had been through, after all she had said to her, this is what it brought them to. A simple signature that would condemn her beloved Rainbow Dash to a life where she would be severed from her every hope and dream.

The moment she finished jotting down her name the nurse took the document and rushed back into the other room. Applejack returned her face back into her hooves, releasing her grasp on the rest of the tears she had been holding back. Her loyal friend had just saved her life, and she felt she had just signed a paper that would destroy her friend in return.

Chapter 16

A hoof suddenly shook Applejack awake from the chair she rested on in the waiting room. "The operation is finished and Rainbow Dash is awake. You can go see her now if you'd like." The nurse said forcing a weak smile on her face.

Applejack lit up having completely forgotten all of the dangers she had been warned about from the surgery. She sprinted towards her friend's room, pushing open the door excitedly. Reality crashed back down on her hard when her eyes caught glimpse of Rainbow Dash. There she sat in a wheelchair next to the window, her eyes hard and cold, twinkling with sadness as she gazed up toward the cerulean sky.

Applejack, now more than anything, all she wanted was to run away from what she was looking at. Her friend had never before seemed as broken then she did at this moment. Rainbow Dash continued to sit there and stare at the sparkling blue sky, watching as the fluffy white clouds taunted her by floating freely. Her wings were wrapped in a large white bandage and a thick cast covering her mangled leg.

Rainbow's breathing was slow and steady; her face seemingly vacant with the exception of her eyes. Her rose eyes once shining with life now they shared no similarities anymore, they looked hopeless and lost as they sky reflected dimly in her pupils. Applejack knew what she was thinking about, she didn't need anyone to tell her, the silence, and the hallow stare were all any pony needed to know the truth.

"Rainbow Dash… Ah'm so sorry." Applejack whispered from the doorway.

Rainbow Dash heard her, but she didn't turn around, "Applejack, I don't blame you…" she said still staring out the window,
"Without you, I would have still been trapped beneath that rock. Don't blame yourself, it isn't your fault." her voice sounding destroyed and empty as she uttered each word.

Despite the reassurances she had just been given, she still knew she was responsible. She knew she had been the reason Rainbow Dash even went out there in the first place. No matter what any pony could say, deep down she knew she truly was the reason for why this had all happened, and having that knowledge began to eat away at her, filling her with guilt.

Applejack tried to find the right words to say, but she knew she couldn't say anything to make this right. Everything her friend had ever dreamed of was gone now and no amount of heartfelt words would ever change that.

Without any warning Rainbow Dash suddenly began to smash her hooves into the window with, tears rushing from her eyes. She struck at the glass again and again, her eyes burned with rage and hatred as she landed each blow at the cracking glass. When she exhausted the last of her energy she stopped and wept silently in her arms.

"Everything I wanted Applejack… it's gone. Everything… the Wonder Bolts, the sky, the clouds..." Rainbow Dash breathed heavily as her words drifted off, "It's all gone now Applejack." she placed her hoof on the splintered window, her hoof sliding down it as she tried to grasp at the sky.

Applejack approached her defeated friend slowly, resting her hoof on Rainbow Dash's shoulder. Her hoof was swatted away and Rainbow shifted her head the other direction facing away from her.

"Everything I tried for, hundreds of hours spent training for an audition I'll never be able to take part in. My life, my dreams, it's all gone now, all of my work, everything I spent pushing for what I wanted, it's all been for nothing now." Rainbow said bitterly, "Nothing..." she repeated, "I have absolutely nothing left."

"That's not true!" Applejack protested suddenly not even thinking. Knowing now she'd have to finish her thought she took in a deep breath, "Yah still have me, Rainbow." She placed her hoof back on Rainbow and gently stroked her friend's mane offering even the slightest comfort she could.

Rainbow Dash looked at back at Applejack, her eyes seeming to say that it wasn't enough and when Applejack saw them she nearly started to cry again. Rainbow's face no longer emotionless, instead showing sorrow, anger and betrayal, it was the face of a pony whose world had turned its back on, leaving them with nothing to live for.

Rainbow Dash's opened her mouth, her voice choking at the dreaded words that she never thought, or wanted to say. She shut her eyes to block off the tears, hoping to stop herself from crying as she said them. The words stabbed at, shredding at her like daggers and her body shivering as they finally escaped her mouth, "Applejack… I'm never going to fly again…"

Chapter 17

Rainbow Dash wheeled herself back around towards the hospital bed and crawled onto it, hiding herself away as she pulled the blanket over her head. Silence fell through the room once again, Applejack tried to break the silence. "Rainbow, ah'm so sorry." She said again lamely. Rainbow Dash waved a hoof at her with disinterest, saying nothing back.

Applejack frowned and she started heading towards the door, "Maybe ah should go, it looks like yah want tah be left alone"

"No!" Rainbow shouted out from beneath the blanket, "Don't go... please. I want you here, I really do. It's j-just, I-I don't know what t-to do…"

Applejack walked back over and pulled up a seat near the head of the bed, "It's okay sweetie, ah'll stay as long as yah want me tah." she said in a soft and caring tone.

Rainbow Dash thought for a moment, then turned toward her and blew the blanket off her face, "Applejack, about yesterday…"

Applejack knew this was going to come up at some point, but she couldn't help but hoped that it would have been later. Her voice filled with regret and guilt when she spoke up, "Ah'm sorry Rainbow, ah don't know why ah was so upset"

"It's okay Applejack, I understand... I think. I guess it just wasn't fair of me to burden you with how I really feel about you." Rainbow Dash said quietly.

"No-no-no, It's not yer fault Sugarcube." Applejack responded, still not realizing that her friend was talking about her. "Yah did absolutely nothing wrong, ah don't know what came over me, ah was the one being a hay-head."

Rainbow Dash started to feel better that her friend was seemingly more understanding now then she had before. At least she had the consolation that they could continue being friends. Even if she would have to push away her desires of always wanting more. She pulled Applejack in close and hugged her tightly, the embrace bringing in much needed comfort, permitting her to let out a small smile as she held the orange pony.

The guilt started flooding back, pouring in great waves, forcing Applejack to pull away from the hug. She stared at the glossy pink tinted eyes in front of her, a spark of what seemed to almost be hope emitted when their eyes met. "Rainbow…" she muttered under her breath, searching for the right words again.

Rainbow glanced outside the window; a small arc of color cast itself in the sky off in the distance. It filled her with even more hope, the possibility that maybe she hadn't lost everything after all. She turned back towards Applejack, peering back into the deep green eyes in front of her. She looked at the orange mare, the beautiful eyes reminding her just how much she loved and desired Applejack and how much she wanted to be by her side no matter the circumstances.

Rainbow Dash continued to stare into the emerald eyes just inches from her until the thoughts and emotions filled her to the point at which she could no longer take it. She knew she still had this one chance left and she wouldn't let that be taken away from her as everything else had. Her heart started to race as she knew what she was going to do, even if she didn't believe that she was actually going to do it, "Applejack, I'm sorry... but I still love you."

Applejack blinked and opened her mouth to say something but Rainbow Dash interrupted her, she grabbed at Applejack and pulled her in close, she then pressed her lips hard onto her companion's. Rainbow had expected Applejack to have retreated in an instant, however, she found she was met without any resistance at all.

Applejack felt confused, but she didn't care, nor did she break away, she pushed her face back, returning the kiss. The two closed their eyes and began to savor the moment that they were experiencing. Their heart fluttering as their trembling hooves found their way around one another, tightly wrapping around the other, holding each other close and tightly as their kiss went on. Finally, their lips separated from one another and the two locked into each other’s gaze silently, finally Applejack whispered back, "I love you too, Rainbow Dash."

Chapter 18

The smoke slowly filling the cold air, a boulder bouncing towards the blue Pegasus, standing there unsuspecting of what approached. A jagged piece of charred wood impaled into the pony's shoulder as she stood there disoriented. The stone soon crashed down into the pony, forcing out a scream of agony. Rainbow Dash's eyes shot open, covered in a cold sweat as she awoke from the nightmare, the scene still replaying in her head every time she closed her eyes. She tried to calm herself down and relax again.

A sleeping orange pony shifted the direction she had been facing. Still asleep, the pony grabbed at Rainbow Dash, squeezing her tightly. The embrace of her sleeping partner comforting her, making her feel safe in her lovers warm arms. She wrapped her hooves around Applejack and held her, she shut her eyes again and drifted back into sleep.

The morning light bled through the hospital window's thin curtain, a rooster could be heard crowing off in the distance. The faint noise and light combined together was enough to wake up Applejack, as she had trained herself over her life to be a light sleeper, waking up early nearly every morning. She made a vain attempt to get up off the bed, but Rainbow Dash gripped at her tightly, she smiled and gave in, laying silently next to the Pegasus, running her hoof through the sleeping pony's mane.

There was a loud knock on the door that jerked Rainbow Dash awake. She blushed when she noticed her tight clutch on Applejack and released her. Once free of Rainbow's vice, she chuckled quietly and trotted over to the door, pulling it open.
A different nurse pony walked in, "Rainbow Dash, you are being released and you may leave the hospital today whenever you are ready."

Rainbow Dash held a silent celebration inside her head, she didn't know how much longer she could tolerate being here, "Great! We're gonna go now!" she said, trying to suppress her excitement as to not offend the other pony. Applejack grinned at Rainbow Dash's enthusiasm. Despite everything the Pegasus had been through, she still managed to stay strong. The nurse nodded and pushed over the wheelchair, and Rainbow Dash hopped in it.

Applejack smiled politely at the nurse, "Ah'll take her out, thanks fer all yer help." The nurse nodded again and walked away, "So, ah was thinking... since well... yah can't really go home… uh, maybe yah'd want to... stay with me?"

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, she could easily hear the insecurity in Applejack's voice. "Nah, I was thinking I'd stay with the Cakes!" Rainbow Dash laughed, "Of course I want to stay with you, I couldn't think of any other pony I'd want to be with more than you Applejack." Applejack blushed as they stared at each other, she then grinned and playfully bonked Rainbow Dash on the head.

The hallways seemed to go on forever as Applejack rolled Rainbow Dash through the empty hospital. Rainbow couldn't wait to get out of this place, it felt so cramped and she craved for the fresh air outside that blew through the trees outside. The air inside here smelled of cleaning chemicals that burned her nostrils whenever she inhaled. They approached the double glass doors and pushed through them.

Rainbow Dash instantly felt the torment that her useless wing produced as she glanced up at the sky, looking up to clouded sun that tried to shine through the white clouds. A day like today would have been one that she adored flying on. The pleasantly warm air and the gentle wind's breeze as it pushed through her mane. A frown formed on her face when she was unable to satisfy the sudden need to climb into the sky. She was bound to the ground, unable to spread her wings and soar off into the crystal blue sky, the sensations tortured her. The feelings made her feel trapped, her freedom and desires had been ripped away from her.

Applejack could sense as Rainbow Dash's mood began to change. She stopped pushing the chair and walked in front of it, "Hey, sugarcube, ah know it's hard right now, but it'll get better, ah promise. Just keep yer chin up." She squeezed the blue hoof that rested on the chair arm before heading back around and pushing again.

The walk towards Sweet Apple Acres was mostly silent, the occasional small talk was made, but neither of their minds was really there at the moment. Applejack was trying to think of ways to keep the injured Pony's mind occupied and not focused on the new disability. Rainbow Dash couldn't help but dream of leaping off the chair and taking flight one last time, just once more, just long enough to try and memorize the feel of the the adrenaline and the rushing of the cool wind as it blew into her.

When they reached a familiar sight, they both stopped their thoughts and stared. The vast green forest was now nothing more than a pile of ashes. The land was barren, and desolate, everything was charred and torn, the smell of smoke and ash still lingering in the air. The once beautiful rock formation that held together the waterfall had collapsed, blocking off the water that had once cascaded down beautifully into the now dried up lake.

Rainbow Dash looked away, but Applejack couldn't stop staring. "Rainbow, if ya hadn't pulled me out of there…"
Rainbow Dash made an annoyed grunt, "I don't want to talk about it... but we all know, I'd never leave my friends hanging." she winked. Applejack smiled, and started pushing again.

Applejack let out a sigh of relief when she saw how little damage there had been to the farm. Apart from a few trees that had been uprooted from the strong winds of the storm, the orchard remained unscathed. Most of the apples had been knocked off their branches but that was nothing more than a mere inconvenience.

They continued down the trail leading up towards the house. The rooms were dark, and the curtains had been drawn shut. Applejack stumbled inside, aimlessly flailing a hoof around on the wall looking for the light switch. She found it and flicked it upward onto the on position.

The lights brightened up the house, "SURPRISE!" A group of ponies shouted as the lights came on. Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, and Fluttershy all jumped out from various spots in the room. Pinkie Pie jumped out as well, "SURPRISE!" she once again realized she had been late mumbled quietly to herself, "Shoot!"

A small cake rested on the table that had "Get well soon" written on it with red icing. Rainbow Dash put on a fake smile, she appreciated the effort, but now she just wanted to be alone right now. Applejack whispered into her ear and explained that they hadn't been told about her wing yet, "Ah thought it'd be best if yah told them yerself."

"Thanks guy but… I guess there is something you should all know." Rainbow Dash found her lower lip quivering as she spoke. She calmed herself; she didn't want to burst out crying in front of all of her friends, "First of all, as you can probably tell, I can't walk, according to the Doctor; It'll probably be at least another year." Her group of friends faces covered with frowns, and Pinkie Pie bounced over to hug Rainbow Dash.

"There's more…" Rainbow Dash continued. "I… I won't be able to… to" her words broke apart, the tears trying desperately to break free, but she refused to let them, "I won't... I won't be able to fly again…" she spat out the words. The mood of the room quickly changed to sadness. Every pony stared at a loss for words. They walked up and quietly apologized to her, as they tried to think of something real to say.

"Anyway, I don't mean to be rude guys, but I'm not really in a partying kind of mood right now. I appreciate you trying to be here for me and cheer me up... but maybe we can do it some other time." Rainbow dash said hoping they would understand, and they all nodded indicating they did. The ponies said their good-byes, except for Twilight who purposely lagged behind so she could talk to Applejack in private.

"So, AJ, you remember that talk we had a few days ago?" The purple unicorn hinted delicately, in case Rainbow Dash was not yet aware of Applejack's feelings.

"Don't yah worry 'bout that Twi, it's been taken care of." Applejack blushed, and waved as Twilight hopped up and down excitedly letting out little giggles as she hopped away.

Rainbow Dash glanced at Applejack, "What was that about?"

Applejack found herself repeating her words again, "Uh, nothing, don't yah worry 'bout it."

Rainbow Dash pushed the wheel chair over to the cake that still rested on the table, and Applejack followed. They looked at it for a few moments and Rainbow smeared out the words on the cake angrily.

With no warning, Rainbow Dash snatched Applejack's hat off her head and began to wheel herself away, "Hey, give that back!" Applejack shouted, chasing after the wheelchair catching up with ease.

"Drat! You caught me red hoofed" Rainbow Dash grinned.

Applejack smiled back "Yer such a hay-head!"

Rainbow Dash hopped awkwardly off the chair, grabbing at Applejack and tackling her down to the floor with her. The two held each other close, their warmth comforting one another, "I'm glad I still have you, Applejack" Rainbow said quietly, running a hoof through the soft golden mane.

Applejack moved her head closer, staring deeply into Rainbow's eyes, "And ah'm glad to have you too."

Rainbow Dash pushed her lips back against Applejack's once again. As she did, something unexpected happened. What usually would have been considered something insignificant seemed to be one of the most monumental things that could possibly happen for Rainbow Dash. When their lips had met, for the first time in days, she felt something in her immobile light-blue wing, a small spark of electricity tingled through it, causing it to twitch ever so slightly, but it had been enough for her.

Rainbow Dash was suddenly filled with an overpowering sense of hope. Her grin widened as the wing continued its small twitches. Despite everything the other ponies had told her, now it occurred to her that maybe they could be wrong. Her wing still might recover; she may yet once more soar through the blue sky between the silver clouds as the shining gold sun would beam down on her. As the thought crossed her mind, the hope caused her to burst into a quiet laughter.

Chapter 9

Rainbow Dash poked Applejack in the stomach with one of her hooves, causing her friend to jump up in fright. She laughed, however Applejack did not, nor did she say anything, she just stared at her friend, annoyed for startling her. Neither of the two had fully planned out what they would say to one another.

"So…" Rainbow Dash's mind went blank, and only one question popped back into her head, "Why have you been avoiding me?"

"Ah haven't been avoiding you, ah've just been busy." Applejack said her eyes shifting around to avoid eye contact as they always did when she lied.

"I can tell when you're lying you know. I'm pretty sure the whole of Equestria could tell it's so obvious."
Applejack's cheeks turned bright red. "Fine, ah have been avoiding yah, what's it to yah?" she snapped back.

"Well, I just want to know why you won't talk to me. I've been trying to talk with you for almost two days now, I'm pretty sure I even saw you sneaking into the woods just as I came to your house yesterday."

Applejack grew more irritated, the conversation not going anywhere in the direction she had hoped it would, "Well maybe that's cause ah didn't want tah talk with yah."

"Why?" Rainbow Dash asked, knowing she would get the answer if she kept at it.

"Because ah just didn't!" Applejack shouted back

"What aren't you telling me?"

"It's nothing!" Applejack turned her head trying to avoid looking at the Pegasus.

"Just TELL ME!" Rainbow Dash commanded staring hard at Applejack.

Applejack finally caved in, "FINE! Ah heard what yah were saying in yer house the other day."

Rainbow Dash stunned, only managed to say, "Wha-huh?"

"Ah heard you talkin' bout yer feelings back in yer cloud." Applejack's voice burned with anger as she recollected everything she had heard.

Rainbow Dash's heart sank, and she whimpered quietly, "I thought… that… you would at least understand."
"Yeah, well, ah guess ah don't." Applejack snorted back, turning around and leaving her friend.

Rainbow Dash's eyes began to swell and she made no effort to hide it. Feeling broken, she slumped down to the dusty road and let the tears flow freely as she watched as Applejack stomped away. She tried to call out to and plead for her to come back, but her words were drowned out by her sadness, and soon Applejack was out of sight.

Rainbow Dash finally regained enough of her strength to fly away. Now all she wanted was to be some place she couldn't be disturbed. Flying high above the forest she dived into it, landing by the lake and waterfall where she had followed Applejack to just last night.

Rainbow laid there and cried, her body trembling with the emotions that coursed through her. Everything around her felt gray and pointless. Now she had not only lost her best friend, but her friend couldn't even seem to tolerate the way she felt about her. She cried harder as she thought about just how close-minded her friend was.

Rainbow Dash's tears eventually came to a stop, not because she was done crying, but because she had dried up all of the tears. Her body continued quivering and her breath was rapid and short. The world felt like it was falling apart around her. She closed her eyes and lay there, ignoring the increasing cold and the water that splashed down onto her head through the leaves above her.