A Catalyst in Time

Chapter 4

Applejack sat on her bed, trying to convince herself that she wasn't hungry. She'd eaten very little that afternoon and her stomach was rumbling. I could sure go for one of Granny's pies right now. I could probably eat the whole thing! She shook off that thought. She didn't need all those calories. She looked at herself. She was pretty thin. One pie wouldn't hurt...

CRASH!!!

Applejack leaped off her bed, scared out of her wits, to see a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane laying on the floor, Aunt Orange's antique lamp broken on top of her. In her shock, years of ladylike behavior were momentarily stripped away.

"GOOD GRAVY GIRL!! WHAT THE HAY ARE Y'ALL...I mean, good heavens what ever are you doing?" Applejack realized she'd reverted back to her country accent, and quickly switched back to her cultured Manehattenite speech.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I was flying and sort of ran out of steam. I'm the worst flier in Equestria...I'm such a loser," the pegasus said.

For some reason Applejack felt incredibly sorry for this pegasus lying on her floor.
"Don't worry about it, dear. I'll replace it," she said.

The pony looked relieved, and exhausted.

"What's your name, dear?" Applejack asked.
"Rainbow Dash, pegasus failure of the century," the pony introduced herself, looking away.
Applejack felt another twinge of pity for Rainbow Dash.
"Alright, Rainbow Dash, you look like you need a place to stay the night. Let me go talk to my Aunt and Uncle."

And with that Applejack swept out of the room.

"Of course she can stay, as long as she doesn't break any more of our furniture. If she stays longer than a week she must be taught how to be a lady, of course, but she can stay for now," Aunt Orange said when Applejack questioned her.
"Thanks Aunt Orange, I appreciate it," Applejack said, and went back into her bedroom to tell Rainbow Dash.

"Alright, if you refrain from breaking anymore furniture, you can stay, though they don't want you here longer than a week," Applejack explained to the multicolored pegasus.

Rainbow Dash let out a whoop. "Thanks, you're the best! What did you say your name was again?"
"I didn't. It's Applejack, though my Aunt and Uncle call me Appletini for this," she said, gesturing to her cutie mark. Rainbow looked away. It was then that Applejack realized that Rainbow Dash was a blank flank, one of the oldest blank flanks Applejack had ever seen.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up a sore spot!" Applejack said quickly.
Rainbow Dash shrugged. "It's fine. Doesn't really bother me. Hey, wait, when I first crashed in here, I totally heard you talk in a country pony accent. What happened to that? I liked that voice better!"
Applejack looked stunned. That slip was her first in twelve years and the pony she'd said it to liked it?
"Um...well, I speak like this now, that accent was a slip from my days in Ponyville," Applejack explained, careful not to slip up again.
"Oh, Ponyville....right..." for some reason Applejack couldn't fathom, the mention of Ponyville seemed to depress Rainbow Dash.
"So, where are you from, dear?" Applejack asked, eager to get out of the awkward silence that had followed the mention of her hometown.
"Cloudsdale. I used to work in the Rainbow Factory, but...well...I don't wanna talk about it," Rainbow Dash answered. Applejack decided not to push it.
"Hey Applejack?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Yes?"
"Can I call you AJ?"
Applejack's breath caught. She hadn't been called AJ in years.
"I...suppose," Applejack said.
"Cool, hey look, it's getting late, I guess we better hit the hay," Rainbow Dash answered.
"Yes, I suppose..." Applejack said.
"Night, AJ!"
"Goodnight, Rainbow Dash," Applejack said, suddenly filled with homesickness upon hearing her nickname, even if it did come from the lips of a stranger.

***

Twilight awoke suddenly when Spike belched loudly. Thinking her new friend was being an obnoxious boy, she got out of bed to scold him, then realized he held a letter. From Princess Celestia. For her. Twilight nearly fainted.
"You've got mail, Twilight!" Spike announced.
Twilight levitated it from Spike's hands and read aloud.

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

I would like to thank you for taking on the responsibility of caring for the baby dragon Spike. I am beginning to believe that I may have been sorely mistaken in your ability. You have great potential, Ms. Sparkle, and I would like to help you reach your full potential. All though it may seem suspicious if I become your personal mentor immediately, I would like to send you on something of a personal quest. You see, there are magical relics known as the Elements of Harmony that Equestria may need soon. I am giving you a guide, but her appearance is strange. She will be at your door soon. I wish you luck.

Her Royal Highness

Princess Celestia

Twilight read and reread the letter. A quest to find ancient magical relics? If somepony had told her last week, heck, yesterday, that she'd be going on a private quest for Celestia she would have thought they were playing a sick prank on her. Now she had a baby dragon, a quest for lost magic, and Princess Celestia's trust. Her life was getting better and better.

A knock sounded on the door.
That must be my guide Twilight thought. She opened the door. In the doorway stood a gray pegasus with a blond mane and bubbles for a cutie mark. Her yellow eyes went in opposite directions, giving her a very strange appearance. Twilight paused. This was supposed to be her guide?
"Um....hi?" Twilight said nervously. She wasn't really used to interacting with ponies,especially not strange, walleyed ponies, as she'd spent most of her life friendless and alone.
"You must be Twilight Sparkle, correct? I am Ditsy Doo, your guide for your quest. Do not be put off by my appearance. I am a very useful pony," the strange pegasus said.
Twilight just nodded.
"Now, I'll need to you pack your saddlebags immediately. I've brought you a map of Equestria. Celestia has reason to believe that the book containing the information you need to know about the Elements is in your personal library," Ditsy instructed. Twilight magically called her bags to her, stuffed some essentials in the bags, and began rifling through her book shelf.
"What book, what book?" Twilight said frantically.
"Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide," Spike said. Twilight blushed at not looking for the obvious title, and stuffed the book in her bag along with Ditsy's map.
"Ready?" the gray pegasus asked. Twilight nodded. She was as ready as she'd ever be, even though she'd only had about two minutes to pack. She nodded to Spike.
"We're going on an adventure, Spike!" she said, looking forward to the next day for the first time in years.

***

Pinkamena stared around Canterlot, having never seen a city this big in all of her life. She couldn't help but be impressed as she noticed the buildings made of pure marble, adorned with amethysts and garnets. Not precious stones, but pretty none the less. Pinkamena noticed Rarity looking around as well, though the unicorn was trying a lot harder NOT to be impressed.
"So, where are we going from here?" Pinkamena asked.
"I don't know, I thought this was your trip. Aren't you planning to return to your farm?"
"No," Pinkamena replied, and realized how very true this was.
"Then I don't know, perhaps we should...WAHAHAHA!!!" Rarity exclaimed, then was bowled over by a gray pegasus.
Pinkamena blinked, not entirely sure what to do.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I probably shouldn't fly, but I was searching for...things...and had to fly ahead of my traveling companion," the mare said. It was then Pinkamena noticed the pony's eyes. They were pointing in opposite directions.
"Ditsy!" a voice said from behind the group as Pinkamena was helping Rarity to her feet.
A purple unicorn trotted up beside the gray mare, a baby dragon on her back. "I told you not to fly ahead!"
"Sorry, I saw something I needed to be in the air to understand," Ditsy said. Pinkamena and Rarity were completely bewildered by this. The purple unicorn seemed a little uneasy as well.
"It's a long story," said Ditsy. "Sorry, 'bout that. Flying isn't really my thing."
"Really, I never would have guessed," Rarity remarked, rolling her blue eyes.
"Ok, so now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's get back to our adventure," the purple unicorn said.
"Wait!" Pinkamena said. "What's your name?"
The unicorn sighed. "I'm Twilight Sparkle, the dragon is Spike, and the crazy eyed pegasus is Ditsy Doo, now if you'll excuse us..." Twilight tried to push past Pinkamena, but the pink earth pony was having none of it.
"You said you were going on an adventure, what kind?"
"Pinkamena, please stop harassing the poor girl, obviously she has places to go and people to see," Rarity interjected, trying to pull Pinkamena away.
But Pinkamena could not shake the idea that she was supposed to go with Twilight and her strange companion. Probably Rarity too.
"No! I...want to help," Pinkamena spit out.
Twilight stared. Spike stared. Ditsy...uh...a pony couldn't really tell if she was staring.
"Um...thanks but..." Twilight began.
"No, really, I want to go, I don't want to go back to my rock farm and I don't really have anywhere else to go," Pinkamena said, almost pleading.
"Sorry," Twilight said, and began to walk off.
"Leave it be, Pinkamena," Rarity said, almost gently. "I think you frightened her."
Pinkamena tried to shake the feeling that she was supposed to go with Twilight Sparkle. But she couldn't, she really couldn't.
"We're going to follow her," Pinkamena declared, ignoring the look Rarity was giving her.

***

Rainbow Dash woke in a soft bed, in a strange room feeling groggy. She couldn't quit remember what had happened the day before...there was something about flying for a long time, then crashing, then...the orange earth pony, Applejack, the strange country-Manehattenite. Rainbow Dash looked around the room for the pony.
"AJ?" she called when she didn't see Applejack anywhere.
"In here, Miss Rainbow," she said.
Rainbow Dash pulled herself out of bed feeling her joints crack as she did. Oops. Guess she really did over do it yesterday, the adrenaline rush being only enough to sustain her for that one day, not to keep her from overextending and being sore the next day.
She hobbled into the living room and pulled herself up into an armchair.
"How are you this morning, Rainbow?" Applejack asked.
"Awful, I feel like I flew straight at a griffon and then hit a manticore on the head then barreled through a window." \
"Oh dear, I ought to get you something for the pain," Applejack said.
Something about AJ's voice really irked Rainbow Dash. It just seemed so...forced.
"Nah, I'll be fine, I'm used to it. I'm a terrible flier so, you know, I crash all the time. Hey Applejack?"
"Hmm?"
Could you do me a favor?"
Of course, dear."
"Could you talk in your country voice, just for a little while?"
Applejack inhaled sharply.
"I...I'm afraid not...yesterday was slip up, nothing more," Applejack said. But Rainbow Dash noticed that the earth pony didn't meet her eyes, and her lips were puckered strangely, in a terrible poker face, probably the worst Dash had ever seen. She was lying, and she was terrible at it.
"Oh, ok then," Dash said, deciding to pretend she fell for it.
They sat in awkward silence for a moment. Then Dash broke it.
"Tell me about your family," she asked, thinking that it would be a safe topic. Apparently not as Applejack's eyes watered slightly and she looked away.
"I mean, if you don't want to, that's fine," Dash said quickly, afraid she might have brought up a sore topic.
"No, no, It's fine. It's just that...I haven't seen my immediate family in a long time. Aunt and Uncle Orange are really the only family I have contact with right now, outside of the occasional letter home. They don't even go to family reunions," Applejack smiled slightly, as if remembering an occasion at a family reunion that may have caused the Oranges to stop going.
"Aunt Orange is my mother's sister Clementine. My mother, Apple Crisp, married into the Apple Family, the family with most of the apple trade," there was just a touch of pride in Applejack's voice as she said this, not arrogant, but true pride in her family's accomplishments."My father, Appleseed, or Pony Appleseed as he likes to call himself, travels Equestria with my mother planting apple trees and helping my cousins with their orchards. At home, I have an older brother, Big Macintosh, and a younger sister whom I've never met, Apple Bloom. They live with our Granny Smith, my father's mother. They run Sweet Apple Acres in Ponyville."
Applejack's eyes began to tear up. Rainbow Dash, suddenly uncomfortable, put a hoof around her new friend's shoulders.
"Hey, don't cry, you'll totally mess up your make up or whatever, and that would be so not cool."
Applejack managed a weak chuckle.
Rainbow Dash felt a huge wave of guilt as Applejack cried on her shoulder. Applejack loved her family, even if she was far away from them. She was clearly loyal to even the sister she'd never met, and took pride in her family's accomplishments. Dash was running away from a job transfer to the very town AJ had been born in. More guilt washed over her as she remembered that Ponyville was located almost directly below Cloudsdale, making her think of Fluttershy. It was then that Dash realized that she wasn't running away from her job, but running away from the awful memories surrounding Cloudsdale. That shamed her. She always thought she was pretty loyal to her few friends and her job. But she'd betrayed that by running away.
Applejack finally stopped crying and managed a weak smile.
"I just..." she began
"Miss them, I know," finished Dash, thinking of Fluttershy, a pony she had always thought of as a sister.
"I want to go home, but I'm..."
"Scared," finished Rainbow Dash.
It was then that Rainbow realized that she had to help Applejack. Her new friend needed her, and she suspected that she needed Applejack too. Maybe together they could help each other better than apart.