“Hey, Shy! What's up?” Rainbow Dash finished locking her bike up, then made her way into the courtyard of Canterlot High.

Fluttershy looked up from where she rested against the big horse statue, smiled weakly, then waved. “Hi.”

Rainbow Dash plopped down next to her, feeling the cool stone against the back of her neck. “Bell hasn't rung yet, right?”

“Nope.”

“You’re saying I'm actually early? Jeez, way for me to give the wrong first impression here.”

Fluttershy giggled. “You live a lot closer to CHS than you did to our school back home.”

“That just means more time to sleep in.” Rainbow Dash folded her arms behind her head and stretched her legs out. A silent moment passed between them, and they watched the horde of new students slowly file towards the building. “You're nervous, huh?”

“Of course I am.” Fluttershy bit her lip, and pulled her legs in close. “Middle school was bad enough, but high school… It always seems so scary on TV.”

“Relax. I'll be looking out for you. And I'm not worried at all. This place will be a piece of cake.” Rainbow Dash sure hoped she looked as confident as she sounded. Her gut twisted into knots, and not even just about the Applejack thing. New school, new town. She hardly knew anyone here. No telling what to expect.

Someone kicked Rainbow Dash in the shin.

“Ow, what the hell!”

It would be more accurate to say that someone tripped over her leg painfully. A girl a leather jacket lay sprawled on the pavement, red and gold hair splayed about her face. She muttered curse words under her breath.

“Ohmygosh, are you okay?” Fluttershy asked, leaning forward.

“Watch where you're going!” Rainbow Dash grumbled, and rubbed her leg.

The girl pushed herself up, and glared at them, murder in her eyes. “Me, watch where I'm going? You’re the one with your legs sticking out in a crowded walkway! And don't touch me!” The girl batted away Fluttershy’s attempts to help, smoothed her skirt, and stormed off.

Rainbow Dash sighed. “See? First lesson of high school right there, Shy. Avoid people like Ketchup McMustard Hair over there.”

The girl stiffened at the comment, stopping for a moment before she kept walking.

The school bell rang.

Fluttershy glanced back at the girl, and twiddled her thumbs. “Um. Are you okay?”

Rainbow Dash pulled herself to her feet. She'd have to try not to limp. It was a good thing tryouts weren't until next week. “Never been better.”

The final bell rang.

Rainbow silently pumped her fist, then stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder. So far, high school seemed exactly as lame as middle school. New teachers, same boring classes.

She yawned, then fished her phone out of her pocket. She'd agreed to meet up with Fluttershy by the statue. The poor girl was probably a nervous wreck by now, even with such a boring day.

They could go get ice cream together. Hardly anything worth celebrating, but hey. Ice cream.

“Hey Rares. How did classes go?”

A familiar southern drawl cut through the din of the students around her, and Rainbow Dash froze. It was just a coincidence, of course. Plenty of people had accents.

“Hmm. Decent enough, I suppose. Albeit a bit disappointing. I was really looking forward to the idea of a home ec class, but it's so… basic. We spent our entire first day learning how to thread a needle! Can you even imagine?”

“Heck, even I can manage that much. I know what you mean though. Had a shop class, and they spent thirty minutes explaining the difference between a Phillips and a flat head screwdriver.”

Rainbow Dash crept forward, the voices growing louder with every step. Her heart raced in her chest, and she pressed herself tight against the lockers before peering around the corner.

It was her. Applejack stood there in the hall, talking with a pretty purple haired girl. Same long blonde hair, same freckles. It was hard to tell at her angle, but she looked to be an inch or two taller than Rainbow Dash.

Well, that answered her question. Applejack was still alive, and going to the same school. Rainbow Dash clenched her fists, and she trembled. All sorts of emotions she'd long thought buried bubbled to the surface. She didn't know whether she wanted to storm out there and punch her or kiss her.

Rainbow Dash blinked. That last thought was weird, she didn't—

Something slammed into Rainbow Dash from behind, sending her sprawling to the floor.

“Oops,” came the smug voice of Ketchup McMustard Hair. “I'm so sorry. I didn't see where I was going. Guess we just keep running into each other today.”

Rainbow Dash groaned, and pushed herself up. That bitch. There was going to be a swift ass kicking happening in the immediate future.

“Oh my goodness! Darling, are you alright?” The purple haired girl rushed over to offer a supportive arm and helped Rainbow Dash to her feet.

“I'm fine. Uh, thanks.” Rainbow Dash looked around to see where her assailant had gone too, and saw her already at the other end of the hall. She grit her teeth, took half a step forward, then her eyes met Applejack's and she froze.

“I swear, some people have no manners at all. Though I must say, your hairstyle is absolutely beautiful. Is that dye, or au natural?” The girl waited expectedly for a few moments, and when no response came, looked between the two of them. “Erm, do you two know each other?”

Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to speak, but no words came to her. She'd thought about this, imagined what it would finally be like to see her again. Run through a hundred different conversations in her head.

She seemed to have forgotten all of them.

Applejack winced. Her expression seemed strange. Maybe even guilty. She blinked first, and cleared her throat. “Uh, hey there, Rainbow Dash. Been a long time. Never uh, expected to see you here at CHS.”

“Yeah…” Rainbow Dash found herself saying. “Moved to town like a month ago.”

The other girl tapped a finger against her lips and looked between the two of them. “Well then. Rainbow Dash, is it? I'm Rarity, and any friend of Applejack’s is a friend of mine. I hope you're enjoying this town so far. I know it's not much, but it does at least have a certain charm to it.”

Rainbow Dash could barely register her words. She mumbled something in reply, probably a vague greeting.

Applejack licked her lips. “You maybe wanna go out for ice-cream sometime? Catch up on things?”

“That sounds… nice.” Her heart felt numb. Was that all there was to it? Six years of nothing, then hey, ice cream?

Applejack nodded, and let out a soft sigh. “That's good. Great. I know a great place downtown where we can—”

Something in Rainbow Dash chose that moment to boil over. She slammed her fist into a nearby locker. Everyone around them jumped. “Great? Great? It's so fucking great, huh? It's been six goddamn years! What the hell happened to you! You wouldn't answer my texts, my phone calls, my emails. I wrote you a fucking handwritten letter! I waited for the postman every day for three straight weeks! And what, we just get ice cream and everything is cool? Fuck you!”

Rarity clapped her hands over her mouth. “Oh dear…”

Applejack shrunk back from the verbal tirade, and looked away. “Listen, Dash, I'm sorry for that, I really am, but after what happened… It ain't like you think it is.”

“No,” Rainbow Dash spat. “I don't want your excuses. Fuck off.” She flipped Applejack the bird, then stomped past her. She could feel tears beginning to well up in her eyes, and she quickened her step. She didn't want to be seen crying on her first day of school.

“Dash, hold up! I just wanna talk!”

Rainbow Dash ignored her, and pushed open the front door of the school.

Fluttershy was waiting for her, of course. She smiled and waved, then her face grew concerned as they drew closer. “Rainbow Dash? Is something wrong?”

She couldn't deal with Fluttershy right now. Rainbow Dash walked passed her, not saying anything, biting her lip to hold back her tears. She fumbled with her bike lock, let it clatter to the pavement, and hopped on.

“Rainbow Dash, please, what's wrong?”

Nobody would be able to catch up to her while she was on her bike. And right now, she wanted nothing more than to be alone.

Applejack stood on the steps of Canterlot High, watching Rainbow Dash bike off into the distance. She sighed, then took off her hat and held it over her chest.

Rarity stepped up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Are you alright?”

“Nope. Can’t really say I am.” A cool breeze blew her bangs into her eyes, carrying with it the first hints of autumn. “I reckon she’s having a worse time of it right now, though.”

“All that stuff she shouted at you… was it actually true?”

Applejack bit her lip. “Yeah. I mean, kind of. It’s complicated. We stopped talking when… same reason you and I stopped talking for a while.”

“Oh.” Rarity squeezed, then took a step back. “Now that I think about it, I do remember you mentioning some girl you had met at one of your summer camps or whatever. Well, what now then? Are you going to go after her?”

“What’s the point? She clearly don’t want nothing to do with me, and for good reason.” Applejack put her hat back on her head, then stepped to the side as a student jostled passed her, oblivious to the recent drama.

Rarity crossed her arms over her chest, frowning deeply. “Applejack, please. What else are you going to do? Ignore her, look away from each other every time you happen to pass in the halls? Pretend she doesn’t exist if you ever happen to share a class together?”

Applejack clenched her fists. “If she wants to talk, I’ll talk. I owe her an apology and all. But there ain’t no good to come from chasing her when her blood's up. Besides, I ain’t got the slightest clue where she might’ve gone to.”

“Um, excuse me.”

“I didn’t literally mean that you chase her down. Talk to her. If you still have her number, call her. Or make the effort next time you see her at school.” Rarity clicked her tongue, then grinned. “Really now, I never figured you to be the type to ghost someone.”

“It’s complicated, and… nevermind.”

“Um… excuse me?”

Applejack blinked at the soft spoken voice, then turned to see a slender, pink haired girl looking at them. “Pardon?”

The girl winced, and looked away. “I’m, um. My name is Fluttershy, and… you’re Applejack, right?”

“Well then, aren’t you popular today,” Rarity said with a smirk.

Applejack rubbed at the back of her neck. “Er, yeah, that’s me. Nice to meet ya, Fluttershy. You’re Dash’s friend, right?”

Fluttershy nodded, and let out a held breath. “Right. Um, she’s… talked a lot about you, and. She’s been really stressed out when moving here because of… well, what I’m trying to say is…” Fluttershy grimaced, and twiddled her fingers together. “I think I know where she ran off to.”

Rainbow Dash skidded to a stop, her bike tires kicking up gravel.

She'd only been living here for a month so far, but it was a month of summer break. That meant she’d had all the free time to wander and explore the humble little town, and to figure out good places to hang out.

The sky darkened with thick clouds up above, and Rainbow Dash walked her bike through the old junkyard, navigating her way past stacks of tires and rusted heaps of metal.

Her new hideout, at least for the time being, was an old van from the seventies. The engine was missing, but the back was full of shag carpeting, and even a stained mattress. Cigarette butts and other teenage detritus marked a legacy of delinquency that stretched back for decades.

And for now, it was hers.

The van shifted under her weight as Rainbow Dash climbed in. She leaned against the carpeted wall, ignored the smell, and opened up her backpack. She fished out her headphones and her iPod, slipped them on, and hit shuffle. Punk rock blasted her eardrums, and she finally relaxed a bit.

Her anger seemed to have boiled away, leaving an empty ache behind. If she'd never met Applejack on the farm six years ago, would they somehow have become friends as freshman anyway?

She let out a bitter laugh, then formed her backpack into a makeshift pillow and closed her eyes. She didn't want to think about this right now. She cranked the volume to its absolute maximum.

Three songs later, a drop of water splashed against her nose.

Rainbow Dash opened her eyes just in time to catch another drop in them.

“Gah!” She sat up straight, rubbing at her eye and blinking rapidly. A drop from the roof of the van was probably carrying all sorts of nasty stuff with it.

Her headphones slipped out as she moved around, letting her hear the thunderous patter of rain on the roof.

Along with a flash of light through the windshield, followed by actual thunder.

Rainbow Dash sighed, and scooted away from the leaky roof. The back doors were still open, and she could see the rain already forming puddles in the dirt. The storm settled the dust, leaving an oddly pleasant smell in the air, tinged with that of rust.

It made her think of the country.

Why did she care so much, anyway? She'd only ever spent time with Applejack the once, and after that she was just a texting buddy. Could hardly even call it a friendship. After all, she had Fluttershy. They'd stayed loyal to each other for years and years.

Applejack’s expression seemed seared into Rainbow Dash’s mind. Surprised, unsure, and guilty. She obviously knew what she did was wrong, but she'd done it anyway.

Rainbow Dash shook her head, then fished around for her headphones.

Movement caught her attention out of the corner of her eye.

Someone was coming down the path towards the van, heedless of the pouring rain. The dim lighting made it hard to see, but in silhouette, the cowboy hat made for a pretty easy guess.

“That idiot,” Rainbow Dash muttered. “And that freaking snitch, too.” Fluttershy must have ratted her out. Nobody else knew about her hiding spot. Her heart pounded in her chest. Applejack had come all this way looking for her.

“Dash? Are you here?” Applejack called out, her voice barely audible over the storm.

Rainbow Dash grit her teeth. It'd be easy enough to just duck down and hide, and Applejack would probably walk right past the van.

“Hey, dumbass!” Rainbow Dash shouted. She stuck her head out the back, a torrent of water drenching her in seconds, and waved at Applejack. “In here!”

Applejack grinned broadly, then rushed over to the van, holding onto her hat. She hopped into the back, then wiped some of the water out of her eyes. “Hoo boy. That's quite a doozy. Knew it was gonna rain today, but didn't expect it to come on so sudden.”

Rainbow Dash grunted, and turned away. She started digging underneath one of the front seats, until she found the heavy roll of fabric that was stashed there. “Dry yourself off with this.”

Applejack caught it and let it unroll before raising an eyebrow. “Pretty sure this a rug.”

“Pretty sure someone pissed on it once too. Do I look like I have a towel on me?” Rainbow Dash turned away again, and ran her hands down her ponytail, squeezing out the accumulated water.

“Fair enough.” Applejack dabbed at her face with the rug, then started wringing out her clothes. “Nice place you got here.”

“Uh-huh.” A particularly loud clap of thunder shook the van, and Rainbow Dash licked her lips. Her mouth seemed abnormally dry for some reason. She fished a bottle of water out of her backpack and drank greedily, still doing her best to avoid looking at Applejack.

Applejack set her hat next to her on the floor and cleared her throat. “Listen, Dash. I done you wrong, and you have every right to be upset about it. I have my reasons. Dunno that they're good reasons, and I don't like using them as an excuse, but, well. If you wanna listen, I'll tell you what happened.”

What happened. The big question that had haunted her for years. Why? “Is it going to change anything if you do tell me?”

“It ain't going to erase what happened. Nothing can do that.” Applejack sighed, and shook her head. “But if you find it in yourself to forgive me, then, I dunno. I’d like to be your friend again.”

Rainbow Dash’s heart skipped a beat. Just the brief, flickering thought of them being friends again, as if nothing had happened, made her unreasonably happy. Which was stupid. She was supposed to be angry. “Whatever. Do what you want.”

“Right. I should just told you all this ages ago. But by the time I was in the right state of mind again, you were already pissed at me, and I didn't want to use what happened as a crutch and, well, I just didn't think I could be a very good friend to you.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Rainbow Dash glanced back at Applejack, and was struck by just how melancholy she looked. “What the heck happened? Was it something I said?”

“No. Ain't nothing to do with you.” Applejack tugged on her braid, and took a deep breath. “The night, I uh, stopped responding to you. Well… That night Mom and Dad died in a car accident.”

Rainbow Dash’s whole world dropped out from underneath her. She felt like she was free falling at a thousand miles per hour, straight into hell. “You… you're fucking kidding me.”

Applejack narrowed her eyes. “You think I'd joke about something like that? Joke about losing the most important people in the world to me? Joke about having to take care of my baby sister when I was still just a kid myself? Joke about working my ass off on the farm so we could still put food on the table?”

“No, I didn't… fuck!” Rainbow Dash’s gut twisted itself into knots. Bright Mac and Buttercup were dead. She barely knew them, but they had been some of the sweetest and kindest parents Rainbow Dash had ever met. And Applejack had to go through all of that? “You really…?”

“Oh, come on now, Dash, don't look at me like that.” Applejack winced. “Pity don't make it any easier to deal with.”

Rainbow Dash half extended a hand, as if she were going to offer a hug, but her efforts faltered before she could get very far. “I'm sorry.”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “You ain't got nothing to be sorry about. You didn't know. Because I didn't tell you.”

“Yeah, but…” Rainbow Dash bit her lip. Closest she'd ever come to death was a pet goldfish when she was six. How the hell was she supposed to react? “I don't know. Your parents were really cool. It just… that sucks.”

“Sure were.” Applejack rubbed at her eyes, then chuckled weakly. “But I didn't come here to get all sad about it. I came to explain and to apologize. I'm sorry for not telling you, Dash. It was wrong of me, and I was a coward.”

Rainbow Dash blinked, finding herself on the verge of tears for the second time today. She was supposed to be tougher then this. It was all too much to handle right now. She needed a distraction. With a grunt, she fished in the back pocket of the driver's seat and pulled out an old packet of cigarettes. “Wanna smoke?”

Applejack tilted her head to the side. “You serious?”

With a flourish, Rainbow Dash flipped one out of the pack and into her mouth. “Looks cool, doesn't it?”

“Grizzled old cowboys look cool when they're smoking. But that's about it.” Applejack scowled. “Ain't you an athlete? Can't be much of a runner if your lungs are crap.”

Rainbow Dash laughed, then put the cigarette back. “Of course I don't smoke. Just messing with you.”

“Oh.” Applejack stared blankly at her for several moments, then her eyes lit up. “Right. Good one.” She grinned, then glanced outside. “Rain’s letting up. Will probably be over in a little bit. I ain't never been to this junkyard before. There anything cool?”

A surge of warmth bubbled up from Rainbow Dash’s chest, and she did her best to keep her cool. “There's a deer skull in a ditch nearby.”

“I live on a farm, seen a million of them. What else you got?”

“Hmm. Some old abandoned mining equipment up on a hill.”

“Cool.” Applejack stretched. “Let's check it out when the rain stops.”

“Pfft.” Rainbow Dash crawled to the back of the van, and poked her head out. A light drizzle sprinkled against her face. “Why wait? It's just a little water, and you're already soaked.”

Applejack chuckled, then climbed out of the van. “Can't argue with that.”

Rainbow Dash led the way, ignoring the rain and stepping over a rusty girder.

“So, things have sucked for me and all, but how's life been for you? You still the best and the fastest?”

“Well, I mean, duh.” Rainbow Dash puffed her chest out. Then she grimaced. “Well, I guess it's a bit harder to prove it right now.”

“Oh? How come?”

Rainbow Dash scratched at her cheek. “In middle school I decided I wanted a change of pace, so I joined the baseball team instead.”

Applejack nodded. “Sure, why not. How'd that go for you?”

“I got kicked off the baseball team.”

“Oh.” Applejack hesitated for a moment, then jumped over a drainage ditch. “How'd that happen? Though if you don't wanna talk about it I understand.”

Rainbow Dash sighed, then made the same jump. “No, it's fine. The whole thing was just...
dumb. One of my teammates was a raging bitch. We ended up fighting a lot. Apparently too much. One of the reasons I came out here, wanted a fresh start.”

“Shoot. Must've been rough. Forget sports then, you do any dating in middle school? Got a boyfriend?”

“Had a girlfriend for a while.”

“Is that so?” Something flickered behind Applejack’s eyes, but she kept her expression neutral. “How'd that turn out?”

“I got kicked off the baseball team.”

“Wait.” Applejack blinked. “You don't mean…?”

“Eyup.” Rainbow Dash felt her cheeks heat up, and she rubbed at the back of her head. “Uh, the way my uncle puts it, never shit where you eat.”

Applejack burst out laughing. “Aww, shucks, sorry, it probably ain't that funny to you.”

“Nah, it's cool. New town, I ain't gotta worry about it anymore.” They came to a stop near an old water pump, and Rainbow Dash pointed up the hill. “Should be just up there.”

“Gotcha.” Applejack took off her hat and wiped away some water from her eyes. “Looks a bit steep.”

“There’s a smoother path around back, but you gotta hop a chain link fence and screw that.” A thought occurred to Rainbow Dash, and she grinned. “Wanna race?”

“Up a steep hill in a junkyard while it's raining?” Applejack cracked her neck. “Heck yeah I do. But let's do it proper.”

“Fair is fair.” Rainbow Dash rolled her shoulders, then did a few quick stretches for her legs. They both crouched in a starting position. “First one to the top is the winner.”

Applejack nodded. “Ready.”

Rainbow Dash took a deep breath. “Set.”

“Go!”

Both took off and reached the base of the hill in seconds, but once they started going up, running speed counted for a lot less.

It quickly became more of a scramble, and Rainbow Dash’s fingers dug into the soft earth as they raced, neck and neck.

Applejack’s limbs, honed from years of farm work, seem well suited to climbing. She pulled ahead.

Rainbow Dash growled, and doubled her efforts. The top wasn't far off now, it was going to be a pretty short race.

Her foot hit a particularly slick patch of mud, and Rainbow Dash started to slide backwards. “Shit!”

Applejack caught her wrist, while holding onto a large rock embedded in the side of the hill.

Rainbow Dash hung there, looking up at Applejack and panting heavily. “We're not good at actually finishing races, are we?”

Applejack laughed, then climbed the final hump to the top, dragging Rainbow Dash with her. “No, I don't suppose we are.”

Rainbow Dash lay on her back, staring up at the sky, the rainwater trickling across her face. A gap in the clouds let through the orange light of the setting sun, and she could see a band of multicolored radiance stretching across the sky. “Are you kidding me? That's so freaking cheesy.”

“What's that now?”

“There.” Rainbow Dash pointed to the rainbow.

“Shoot. Must be a good sign, if you ask me.” Applejack sat up, then looked down at Rainbow Dash, an odd expression on her face. “Say, what's it like kissing a girl?”

Rainbow Dash blinked. “I dunno. Like kissing a boy, but softer? Not that I've kissed any boys for comparison. Why, you wanna find out?”

“Uh…” Applejack’s face turned bright red, and she looked away. “I mean, yeah, kind of.”

“Oh.” Wait, what? Rainbow Dash’s heart accelerated faster than she could run. Wasn't this all too sudden? From a friend she'd been abandoned by, tentatively made up with, then now what, making out? But the idea of kissing Applejack… Rainbow Dash licked her lips, and sat up. “I guess, if that's what you want.”

“I mean, I'm not trying to force you or anything.”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “No, it's cool. I love kissing girls. Total lesbo.”

Applejack nodded. “Right, of course. I'm just curious, is all.”

“No problem. Anything for a friend.”

“Eyup. Friend.” Applejack bit her lip, and stared at the ground.

They sat there in silence for several long moments before Applejack cleared her throat. “So how do we, uh…”

“Right! Sorry.” Rainbow Dash swallowed, then scooted closer to Applejack. This wasn't fair, Lightning Dust had usually taken the initiative back in middle school. But she couldn't back out now. She licked her lips again. “You just kind of lean in close, close your eyes and…

Their lips pressed together. She tasted like rainwater. And apples.

They pulled apart a few seconds later, both of them blushing furiously.

“Wow.” Applejack muttered. “Guess it's pretty good after all.”

“Yeah, nothing to it.” The kiss had done little to slow Rainbow Dash’s heartbeat. Could this really be happening?

Applejack ran her fingers through the dirt, and mumbled, “Do you wanna—”

A sharp buzz from Applejack’s pocket cut off whatever she was about to say, and she cursed. She pulled out her phone, then sighed. “Aww shoot. I forgot that I promised to help my little sister with her homework tonight.”

Rainbow Dash blinked, then took a deep breath. “Oh. That's cool. Wow, I bet she's grown a lot. Apple Bloom, right?”

“Eyup. She's a real sweetheart.” Applejack smiled, then turned to face her. “Look, after everything… We got time to just take it slow, and be ourselves, right? I like you, Rainbow Dash. And I ain't gonna disappear on you again. I promise.”

“Yeah. All the time in the world.”

Applejack smiled, then sighed. “Right. I better get going. I'll uh, see you tomorrow at school?”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “See you tomorrow.”

“I still have the same number, if you need to get ahold of me. Later!”

Rainbow Dash watched her slide down the hill. What an amazing day. That made it two for two on days spent with Applejack. And that kiss… Well, she could figure that out later. She should probably be getting home soon anyway. She probably had a billion texts from a worried Fluttershy to deal with too.

Which was a bit odd, because she presumably would have noticed some by now. Rainbow Dash fished in her pockets and came up empty. Where had her phone gone? Maybe it had fallen out of her pocket in the van?

Applejack made her way through the halls of Canterlot High, a spring in her step. It had been a long day of classes, none of which she shared with Rainbow Dash. They even had separate lunch periods. But the text she’d received earlier that morning gave her something to look forward to.

08/31/10 9:52 AM - RD: Hey. Meet me on the school roof after classes.

What a way to start the new school year. Rainbow Dash had forgiven her. Or at the very least, was willing to give her another chance. They could be friends again.

Or maybe something more.

Applejack bit her lip. A shroud of lingering guilt still hung over her, even as she climbed the steps. Was it really okay for things to be that easy? Did she really deserve this?

The door to the roof stood open, bright light shining in from outside. Applejack stepped through, pulling down the brim of her hat to shield her eyes. Her heart pounded in her chest. “Rainbow Dash? Ya up here yet?”

No answer came. Applejack made her way across the roof then stopped at the railing.

Her lips tingled, and Applejack couldn’t help but smile.”Not gonna lie, this is a good place for talking,” she muttered to herself.

A stiff breeze threatened to steal her hat, and Applejack grabbed onto it tightly. Rainbow Dash must’ve gotten held up in class or something. She started fishing through her pockets for her phone.

The door to the roof slammed shut, followed by an ominous click.

Applejack turned around. Nobody was there. “Rainbow Dash? That you?”

She walked over to the door, and tried the handle. Locked. “Har har, real funny. Come on, Dash.”

Her phone buzzed. Applejack flipped it open. One new message blinked on the screen.

08/31/10 3:14 PM - RD: Dumbass. Did you really think I’d let you off the hook that easily? Fuck off and die up there.

Oh. So it really was all too good to be true.

Sunset smirked, then slid the phone she’d lifted from Rainbow Dash back into her pocket. “One down. I’ll show you Ketchup McMustard,” she grumbled, then started down the stairs.

Author's Note

Special thanks to Novel Idea, r5h, Posh, Undómë Tinwë, and Kalan for editing.

Thanks to wordsandpunctuation for the fantastic coverart!

My entry into Tchernobog's Appledash Contest "Second Chances."