Applejack groaned with weariness. She was so tired, but she couldn't sleep. Not yet. Not while -they- were still awake.
As she came out of the small, dark corner of her mind where she found some peace, the sound of thunder returned to her senses. Not real thunder of course, but the kind of sound that assaults you at one in the morning when you're babysitting the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
The three restless girls absolutely refused to get in bed. Applejack had foolishly allowed them to help applebuck right before bed. This of course had resulted in the girls gaining a kick that just wouldn't die down.
Applebloom was running around like her tail was on fire, Sweetie Belle was singing at deafening volumes, and Scootaloo was jumping around in the living room from the furniture, calling out her wicked stunts.
It was more than Applejack was prepared to handle. Normally, it wouldn't be too hard, she usually had the girls under more control than this. But Applebuck season was in full force.
Big Mac was out of town visiting Braeburn, and Granny Smith was asleep. She could certainly sleep through anything, as evidenced by the train-wreck that was happening downstairs.
Applejack herself looked she was going to collapse at any time. "Girls! Girls, please! Ya gotta calm down, it's time fer bed!" she called over the noise. She was getting desperate, nothing was working.
Applebloom stopped running in circles long enough to give her older sister a pout. "But Applejack!" She bounced in place, her energy still going strong. "Ah can't! Ah'm so-so-so...Ah just can't! There's no way Ah'm gettin' to sleep tonight!"
She then proceeded to run up to her room, but an instant later she came back down, then went back up again. It was like they'd all drank strong coffee right before bed. There certainly wouldn't be much of a difference.
Applejack groaned once more. She wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight at this rate, and getting the day's work done depended on her rest! She lumbered towards the door. She knew it was a bad idea to leave them alone, but she needed some air.
She gave a small shriek of surprise when she opened the door to a big dark form at the door. It took her addled brain a moment to realize that it was Spark Storm, who looked nearly as surprised as she did.
"Spark Storm! What in blazes are ya doin' at mah door, like yer just waitin' to surprise me?!" Spark Storm laughed and waved a hoof at her dismissively.
"Applejack, I just came by to ask, what is that noise?!" He stepped inside to glare at his old friend when a blur of orange and purple came flying around the corner.
It leapt up into the air, propelled by buzzing wings. "Time to take the stunts outside!" it called. "Don't let her outside!" Applejack yelled in a panic.
Spark's wings immediately snapped over his head, catching the little bundle of energy into a stop that slid onto his back. Scootaloo looked dazed for a moment before looking down at the big dark Pegasus.
"Whoa! Cool! Your wings must be made of brick, 'cause that hurt!" She jumped up and down on his back excitedly, having never seen a Pegasus that looked like him.
Spark Storm looked down at Applejack, and gave her a look of understanding. So this is what the noise was all about. He watched as both Applebloom and Sweetie Belle approached.
Applebloom's face lit up in recognition, and she latched herself onto Spark's right foreleg. "Uncle Spark Storm!"
"'Uncle'?" asked Scootaloo. She knew from the Cake family that Earth ponies could have Pegasi in the family, but Spark Storm hardly looked like an Apple.
Spark nodded and grabbed Scootaloo and set her on the floor, then gave Applebloom a big hug. "Not by blood, no. I'm an old friend of Applejack's. Her family kind of adopted me, heh. Also, my wings aren't made of brick, kid..."
He made sure Applebloom was no longer touching him before he raised his wings and ignited the bright, wriggling lines of electricity that his cutie mark displayed on his flanks. "...They're made of lightning."
All three children stared at the display like they were hypnotized. In that moment, inspiration and a feeling of desperation that had been escalating all night struck Applekjack.
"Spark Storm! You're helpin' me babysit tonight and get these three troublemakers to bed!"
Spark's wings faltered and he looked at his old friend in horror. "Ahhhh what?"
This of course was enough to get the girls hollering again in absolute agreement. They danced around the floor, darting inbetween the adult's legs and into the kitchen. Spark Storm glared at Applejack, his eyes narrowing.
"Applejack, what are you thinking?! I can't babysit! I've never- " Applejack cut him off as she poked him with a hoof.
"You owe me, Spark." Before he could make another sound, she continued. "Ya didn't show up last time Ah asked ya to help out around the farm!"
Spark opened his mouth to retort. That pause was enough to spell the truth, but he had his dignity to try to preserve. "I...I had stuff to do. Monsters! You know, on the...farm..." He finished lamely. He knew he wouldn't be getting out of this one. He should've just kept right on walking past the farmhouse. He always came around if the lights were still on this late.
Applejack gave him the flattest glare he'd ever seen. She leaned close, her hat tipped just enough to give her a threatening look. "Help. Me. Now."
Normally that didn't work with Spark Storm, but her Stetson accenting her eyes allowed him to really see the dark circles there. She was exhausted.
"Yeah, all right, AJ. I'll help you." Applejack sighed, the last of her strength giving out as she fell forward. Spark offered her his side. She leaned against him and closed her eyes.
"Geez, AJ. Bad night for a train wreck." He stepped inside enough to close the door. "C'mon, let's get you to bed."
"Nuh uh," she said, and pushed herself up to her feet. She stood her ground shakily, but she had that determined look in her eye that just told you that she was going to do something stupid. Stubborn and stupid.
"Applejack..." The cowmare shook her head, resulting in her nearly loosing her footing. "Nnnnope. Them's my responsibility, Spark. Ya help me, not take mah place. It's that or get on back out there." She stared at him good and hard, making sure he got the picture.
"Is this your way of punishing me, or yourself?" He asked incredulously. He waited one break, then shrugged. "Whatever. C'mon, let's see if we can get those kids to bed."
Applejack nodded and plodded off towards the whirling storm of fillies causing havoc in the next room. "All right, lil fillies, it's time fer bed!"
A chorus of both 'awww's and negatives filled the air. Applejack was just too tired to make an argument. She felt herself deflate until there was a loud snap! She and girls jumped and looked to the source of the sound.
Spark Storm's wings had been raised, and the faintest trace of smoke left his feathers. "All right kids, here's what's gonna happen. We're gonna take this party to Applebloom's room."
"And then?" called Applebloom, a big smile on her face. The Apple family hadn't had Spark Storm spend the night in months, this was going to be fun!
"And then, uh...we'll see. Just get up there and wait for us!" He shooed them with his wings. The girls giggled and shot upstairs. Applejack stared at the big Pegasus, indignity and weariness both displayed loudly on her face.
"How in the hay did ya do that? I've been tryin' to get them up in their room fer hours!"
Spark shrugged, then made for the stairs. "I dunno. Did you ever try asking them nicely?"
"Yes!"
After nearly an hour of trying to get the girls to brush their teeth, wash their faces and get in bed, Applejack was ready to call it a night. But her charges still weren't asleep, and until they were, she wouldn't rest.
"Tell us a story!" The vote was unanimous. All three girls wanted a story. Applejack glanced at Spark Storm, her eyes pleading. He returned the look with a laugh in his eyes. This he could do.
Suddenly, Sweetie Belle had a change of heart. She put her hooves together in a pleading motion. "Wait!...What about a song?" The two others groaned their displeasure.
"Oh, Sweetie Belle, you always ask for a song!" Scootaloo complained. Sweetie Belle huffed and crossed her forelegs. "Yeah, and I never get a song...Just this once?" She gave her two friends a pleading look.
With Sweetie Belle in the middle, Scootaloo and Applebloom glanced over her to have a conversation with their expressions. Song and a story? Said Scootaloo's expression. Song and a story. Applebloom answered.
"Fine," Scootaloo said. "But we get a story after the song!" Sweetie Belle bounced a little in place, clopping her hooves together.
Spark Storm, however, looked like he wanted to die. He looked over at Applejack, who was just barely awake at her corner of the bed.
Spark didn't want to do this, and he had a good reason: There was only one song he had committed to memory, and it only brought horrible memories to mind.
"Welp" Yawned Applejack. She stared at Spark blearily. She was only minutes away from falling asleep. "Better get on with that song, Spark Storm, so's we can all get some sleep, y'hear?"
Spark Storm sighed and nodded as he geared himself up for what he was about to do. "Yeah, heh...yeah. Time for a...bit of shut-eye.
He turned to look at the girls. They looked like they had absolutely no inclination of going to sleep until they had their song and story.
How familiar this whole situation felt...
"But Moooooom, I don't wanna go to bed!" Spark complained to Cherry Joy.
She grinned down at him. As much trouble as he could be, every time he called her 'mom' or 'mother', her heart just burst. She had only gotten him to start calling her that a month ago, and it was the most beautiful sound that ever came out of his mouth.
"Sparky, you have school tomorrow. You know you're not going to do well if you stay up all night."
Spark frowned and crossed his forelegs. His wings snapped up again, like they did sometimes before he learned how to control them. It gave him the look of an dark, huffy peacock. Cherry Joy couldn't help but giggle.
She smoothed his wings back for him and took his chin in her forelegs. "Young colt, if you don't get to bed, I'm just going to have to sit right here and pout with you."
Spark reeled back from her, pushing her forelegs away. "I'm not pouting, I'm arguing!"
Cherry Joy laughed and sighed softly, resting a hoof on her cheek as she looked at her son sideways, her mane spilling from her back and down. "What am I going to do with you, Sparky? No, seriously. What am I gonna do with you?"
Spark huffed once more and turned away from her, his forelegs remaining crossed. "I don't wanna go go school. And you can't make me sleep!"
"Well...I bet I can."
Spark wanted to look at back at his mother and ask her how she planned to do that, but then he remembered he was pouting. Er, arguing. "...Bet ya can't."
Cherry Joy smiled and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath, let it out, and then began to sing.
Why are there so many
Songs about rainbows
And what's on the other side
Rainbows are visions
They're only illusions
And rainbows have nothing to hide
So we've been told and some chose to
Believe it
But I know they're wrong wait and see
Spark frowned. Not because his mother was singing, but because her words and the sound of her voice was so beautiful that he just might crack and lose this argument.
Someday we'll find it
The Rainbow Connection
The lovers, the dreamers and me
Spark chanced a glance back at his mother. She paused in her singing, and opened her forelegs to him. He let out a little sigh, and climbed into her lap. Cherry Joy smiled and closed her eyes, hugging her son warmly, and continued.
Who said that every wish
Would be heard and answered
When wished on the morning star
Somebody thought of that
And someone believed it
And look what it's done so far
What's so amazing
That keeps us star gazing
What do we think we might see
Spark closed his eyes, lest his mother see the tears in his eyes. The words, the very words his mother was singing. They spoke of magic and imagination and hopes and dreams. After what River had said to him, no other song could mean more to him. He listened carefully, taking all the words and putting them somewhere safe in his mind.
Someday we'll find it
That Rainbow Connection
The lovers the dreamers and me
Have you been half asleep
And have you heard voices
I've heard them calling my name
Are these the sweet sounds that called
The young sailors
I think they're one and the same
I've heard it too many times to ignore it
There's something that I'm supposed to be
Someday we'll find it
The Rainbow Connection
The lovers, the dreamers and me
Applejack stared at Spark Storm in awe. The song he'd just sang had been the most beautiful, awe-inspiring song that she'd ever heard, and she'd heard some good ones. But the look in Spark's eyes told her that singing that song had been one of the more difficult things he'd ever done. The tears falling from his eyes were evident of that.
The girls had fallen asleep halfway through the song. No contest.
Applejack swallowed hard as she watched Spark Storm. His eyes were distant and pained. With a barely audible sigh, he left the room, and the farmhouse.
The cowmare quickly tucked the girls in, shut off the lights, and left the farmhouse to look for Spark Storm. It didn't take too long to find him. He was at the tree on the hill, and he was singing again.
Applejack watched him from afar. It didn't look like he was in pain. In fact, he was singing much too loudly to be sad, and there was a smile in his voice. Once he was finished, Applejack sauntered up beside him, and sat under the light of the moon.
They sat in companionable silence for a moment before she looked over at him. Tears still fell from his eyes, but he was smiling. He looked happy. He turned to look at her. It was a look that said 'Thank you.'
Applejack returned the smile. Whatever that song meant to him, it was something that he'd needed to sing, perhaps something that he'd been needing to sing for a long time.
Spark stepped over to Applejack and hugged her. She leaned into the hug, and was soon fast asleep. Spark Storm kept watch over her throughout the night.
The Rainbow Connection belongs to Kenneth Ascher and Paul Williams.
