Chapters Author's Note
This is like the first story of my series Bookends in that it is a short (yes and rushed) story to see how it is received. That way I know if any sequels are to be attempted.
ACT ONE: Applejack
Applejack was finishing up the apple bucking for the day. It was a long day because Rainbow had warned that the next several days would be very rainy. It was the end of summer and there was the Fall weather to think of.
“Just in time, sis,” said Apple Bloom. “Granny just put dinner on the table.”
Apple Bloom watched as her big sister walked slowly up the stairs to her room.
Applejack went to the bathroom and took a quick shower. And in spite of it being early evening, she climbed under the covers of her bed and lay there looking out her window. The view was toward town, she could barely make out some details of the rooftops above the trees that were between Sweet Apple Acres and Ponyville. She could see the occasional Pegasus flying above the town or flying off toward Cloudsdale. As she did, she let out a deep sigh.
She reflected on what Pinkie had once said:
‘Applejack cries on the inside, Twilight!’
But from the dampness on her cheeks and pillow, Applejack wished that was true.
“Dagnabit!” said AJ to herself, “why am Ah doin’ this to myself again? Why can’t Ah just be happy with the way things are? Why do Ah have to feel this way?”
Applejack looked out the window again. There by the window was her dresser, and on it was several picture of she and her friends. As she scanned these, she started to cry harder.
Applejack heroically stopped her sobbing and called out;
“Yeah?”
Applejack turned away from the door as not to face Granny. Granny sat on the edge of the bed and placed a hoof on AJ’s shoulder.
“What botherin’ ya sweetie?” said the old pony.
“’Kay Granny, Ah’ll tell her in the mornin’,” said Applejack.
The door opened and there stood Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom had heard most of this, as apparent by the tears on her cheeks.
“Don’t ya love us no more,” said the little sister.
The sister looked cross and very hurt. Applejack knew her sister was right. It was the reason she was going to just slip away. She wasn’t sure how to say goodbye.
“AB, come up here.”
Apple Bloom climbed on the bed with her sister. Applejack hugged her sister tightly.
“Apple Bloom,” said Applejack, “this ain’t got nothin’ to do with lovin’ or not lovin’ ya or Granny or Big Mac.”
“Is that all? Are ya sayin’ yer horny?” asked AB.
“Where did ya hear that word?” asked the big sister amused.
Applejack thought, should she say more? There was a pony she wished was her special somepony. But she’d never said anything to anypony. Or to that pony especially. And Applejack wasn’t sure what her sister would think if she found out who that pony might be.
“Apple Bloom,” said Applejack, “yeah, there’s a pony that Ah might want to be that special somepony. But Ah ain’t never said anythin’ to her…
Ah mean them.”
It was too late to take back. Applejack expected AB to react to this. Strangely enough, she didn’t.
“Do Ah know her,” said Apple Bloom.
It was another clue for AB. The little sister thought she’d play a hunch.
“So she’s one of yer friends,” said Apple Bloom. “Ah don’t think Rainbow Dash would react badly. She’s such a nice pony. She even gives my friends and Ah rides sometimes.”
Applejack knew her sister was right. But Applejack wasn’t ready to make such a pronouncement. Maybe it would be losing her ‘only chance’, but she didn’t know if she could live with Rainbow laughing at her.
“Ah ain’t sayin’ Ah’m goin’ away ferever, Ah just need to get my head straight.”
That was it. Applejack had let it go so far out of hoof that she’d just lied to her sister. Applejack had no intention of returning. She wasn’t even sure that Dodge Junction was where she’d be going.
ACT TWO: Friendship Castle
Apple Bloom had promised her sister, not that she wanted to, not to tell her friends that AJ had left until an hour after she had left on the train.
“Apple Bloom,” said Rarity coming down the path, “what’re you doing here at this time, Darling. Shouldn’t you be getting ready for school?”
“Ah’m sorry Rarity,” said Apple Bloom, “Ah can’t say nothin’ to anypony fer ‘nother 10 minutes.”
“Then why don’t you come inside with me and wait there.” Said the white Unicorn, “you’ll be more comfortable.”
Apple Bloom followed Rarity into the castle. They went to the dining room. There were Twilight, Spike, Starlight Glimmer, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. They turned to see Rarity enter along with Apple Bloom. Rarity went to sit down. The friends usually had breakfast together on Wednesday.
“Apple Bloom,” said Twilight, seeing the look on the filly’s face “what’s wrong? Where’s Applejack?”
AB was about to say she couldn’t say anything yet when a clock chimed.
“Applejack has left fer good!” shouted Apple Bloom, tears starting to pour from her eyes.
“What?” was the collective response.
Twilight flew over to the filly.
“What do you mean, ‘Applejack has left for good’?” said Twilight.
“She said she had to go to find a special somepony,” said Apple Bloom, the rest of the friends gathered around her.
“She went to do what ?” said the blue Pegasus. She was trying to hide her panic.
Rarity looked at Rainbow and whispered;
Rainbow remembered a conversation with Rarity where the Unicorn warned if she didn’t stop acting so coy, she’d one day lose her chance.
“We have to go after her!” said Rainbow. Then turning back to Apple Bloom. “Where did she go?”
“Ah promised not to tell,” said the sister, tears still pouring.
The friends all looked concerned.
“Let me handle this,” said Pinkie Pie. “Apple Bloom, you said you promised Applejack not to tell where she was going?”wasn’t going?”
“She’s gone to Dodge Junction,” said Rainbow, “we have to go after her!”
“Certainly Rainbow,” said Twilight, “let’s get our things together and we’ll leave right away.”
“No Twilight,” said Rarity, “we aren’t going after her.”
“Why?” asked Twilight.
“Because just Rainbow needs to go,” said the white Unicorn.
“Why just Rainbow,” asked Pinkie.
“Because she’s the only pony that can help Applejack right now,” said Rarity, “you’re going to have to trust me on this one.”
The rest of the friends didn’t understand this, but Rainbow did.
“Thank you Rare,” said Rainbow.
“What’s that all about,” asked Twilight.
Unbelievable, I know…
To tell Applejack that she’s had feelings for her for some time.”
“An’ that’s why Applejack left,” said Apple Bloom. Then she realized she said something she promised not to. “Ah wasn’t supposed to say that.”Princess of Friendship instead.”
Apple Bloom smiled, Rainbow was going after her sister and Twilight was covering her backside.
Rainbow streaked to her cloud house, gathered a few items in a saddlebag. She was glad that it was between air show seasons so she wouldn’t have to miss Wonderbolt practice. Then she took to the sky. She was going to fly the whole way but she decided that she needed to conserve her strength, no telling how long this was going to take. So she decided to take the train.
Several hours later…
Rainbow was now halfway between Ponyville and Appleloosa. She’d leaned against the window and was asleep, it was so easy for Rainbow to take another catnap. There was a rough section of track that jostled her awake. Letting the cobwebs clear, she noticed a couple ponies on the train with her. There, on the bench in front of her, holding hooves were Lyra Heartstrings and Sweetie “Bonbon” Drops. Rainbow overheard that they were going to the snack car, so she got up and followed them.
Rainbow approached the two mares sitting at a table.
“Lyra, Bonbon,” said Rainbow, “I know the two of you have kept it a low profile, but it isn’t hard to figure out your relationship with each other.”
“Rainbow,” said Lyra, “Bonnie and I’ve known you for some time now. We know that you’ve always kept up a front of having to be cool at all times.”
There were tears in RD’s eyes, being alone for the rest of your life really stung.
ACT THREE: Spirits in the Desert
It was so hard saying goodbye to her family. She was glad that her friends weren’t there. She didn’t know if she could have said goodbye to Rainbow Dash.
Applejack had packed a saddlebag with enough supplies for an extend trek in the desert. She’d taken the train to Appleloosa, but she was going to walk the several days to Dodge Junction. She’d told Cherry Jubilee that she might be needing a job while she tried to figure where she was going for sure.
The sight of the stone brought a smile to AJ’s face. Perhaps the first smile since she left Sweet Apple Acres several days ago.
Applejack built a small fire and ate some apples and carrots she’d brought with her. After eating, she got in her sleeping bag and looked at the sky. A sky she knew was the home of a very special pony. She was thinking of how many times she’d see RD fly overhead and the feeling in her heart when she did. She thought of all her interactions with this special friend. Perhaps all the adversarial interactions was a way she didn’t have to face the real feelings she had.
No pony knew of the evening walks AJ would take. She’d ‘just happen’ to walk out to where Rainbow’s cloud house was hovering. AJ would sit and look at the lights in the windows, occasionally a shadow would pass across a curtain and her heart would skip a beat. Applejack thought how unfair it was that she couldn’t just drop in on her friend. Knock at her door and spend an evening with her. Perhaps if she could have, she might have been able to tell Rainbow how she really felt. But the whole Earth Pony not walking on clouds and getting up to the cloud house (without Unicorn help) made it next to impossible. She had thought about calling out to Rainbow, but she never could work up the nerve.
“Dagnabit!” said Applejack out loud, noticing she was crying again, “Ah ain’t cried this much since Ah was a foal!”
‘Applejack,’ her inner mind said, ‘ya ain’t gotta put up with this! Get yer chicken self up, grow a set o’ ovaries and get yer flanks home!Then tell her how ya feel.
Applejack didn’t sleep much that night. Variations of the conversation in her head continued. She knew it was the right thing to do. She didn’t know why she was fighting it so much. She didn’t like the feeling of fear and she didn’t like the tears.
As she lay there in the deepest part of the night, the only sounds were crickets, the occasional coyote and once was the faint sound of a train whistle. She saw two shooting stars go overhead. She always had thought when she saw two shooting stars in the sky, that it was the spirits of Bright Mac and Buttercup, her parents.
“Oh ma, pa what do Ah do? Ah need yer help so bad!
What do Ah do? Ah’m in love, an’ Ah know it now. So why am Ah so ‘fraid to admit it to the pony Ah love?”
Applejack suddenly got a slight chill. There sitting on either side of her were ghostly forms of her parents. AJ sat up straight.
“Am Ah goin’ crazy?” said AJ out loud.
“No honey,” said Buttercup. AJ wasn’t sure if she heard it in her mind or with her ears. “Yer not crazy. An’ we’ve always been right beside ya all along.”
“That’s right,” said Bright Mac, “ya can’t believe how proud ya’ve made us feel. Yer friends and ya have done so much fer so many other ponies, fer Equestria and fer the world.”
Applejack wiped the tears from her eyes.
“Ah don’t know,” said Applejack.
“Jackie,” said Bright Mac, with a bit of sympathy in his voice, Applejack had goosebumps, she had almost forgotten the nickname her father used to call her, “yer the Element o’ Honesty. Ya can’t be dishonest with us, or ‘specially yerself.”
“Ah’m ’fraid to love,” said Applejack, “because… Because…”
“Because of us,” said Buttercup hugging Applejack. Bright Mac hugged her too.
Now Applejack was really concerned. She really felt her parent’s forelegs around herself. She started crying harder than she ever had. Not since that day of the accident that took her parents away.
“Mommy! Daddy!” said AJ between sobs, “Ah can’t ever go through that again. What if’n something happened to Rainbow during an air show? Or caught in bad weather. Or somethin’ like when she was caught in that avalanche in Ghastly Gorge?”
“So ya wouldn’t feel bad if’n yer closest friend was killed, ’cause ya never told her ya loved her?” asked Bright Mac.
“Of course Ah would,” said AJ.
“So, honey,” said Buttercup, “yer ‘kay with hurtin’ over yer friend. But are ya ‘kay with missin’ all chance of feeling love with her.”
“Yes, Ah… Ah mean no!” said Applejack more confused than ever. “Ah don’t know.”
“Jackie,” said Bright Mac, “we know ya met Grand Pare. Ya know yer mother’s an’ my story o’ how we met. The troubles we went through. And then deciding to step out of our comfort zones, follow our hearts and not do the safe thing and just live as our parents told us.
“But what if’n she don’t love me?”
“Honey,” said Buttercup, “yer still tryin’ to find a reason not to tell her. Instead, ask yerself; what if’n she does love ya?”
“Yer strong, Jackie,” said Bright Mac, “an’ ya need to be strong fer yerself and fer yer sister. But ya need to be strong fer Rainbow Dash as well. An’ if’n she does love ya, imagine what she’s goin’ through right now.”
“She’s probably at home, tryin’ to be cool ‘bout all this,” said AJ.
There were odd looks on her parent’s faces.
“No honey,” said Buttercup, “she’s not.”
“She’s not?”
“What would you be doing if’n ya were her?” asked Buttercup.
“I’d be lookin’ fer her…
So what am Ah doin’ here?” said AJ, but then something struck her, “but…
Ah don’t wanna go…
An’ leave ya, again.”
“Jackie,” said Bright Mac, “yer mother an’ Ah’ll never leave ya. Ya can be certain o’ that.”
“But…”
“Honey,” said Buttercup, “ya have to go. An’ we do too.”
“Will Ah ever see ya again? This side o’ life?”
“We can’t tell ya that,” said Bright Mac, “’cause we don’t know. But when ya feel that slight breeze on yer cheek in a still room. Or that ray o’ sunshine when it’s cloudy. Or you have a warm feeling in yer soul for no apparent reason.”
“But…”
“Go to sleep, our darlin’ daughter. ’Member we love ya so much. Tell yer brother an’ sister that.” Said Buttercup.
She and Bright Mac kissed her. Buttercup took the flower from behind her ear and put it in Applejack’s mane. Then the parents, lay AJ back to the sleeping bag and faded from sight as AJ drifted off to a dreamless sleep.
The sun awoke Applejack. She opened her eyes, sat up and saw she was in the desert, alone.
“Just a dream,” said Applejack, a tear running down her cheek.
As she went to put her hat on, something fell from her mane. Looking down, AJ saw it was a buttercup. She quickly looked all around her. No flowers were blooming anywhere near her.
“Sweet mother of Celestia an’ Luna!” said AJ. “Ah need to get goin’!”
Applejack wanted to gallop all the way back to Appleloosa, but it was just too far. So she trotted as much as she could. But it felt as if it was going to take forever. Two days in the desert and another day and a half on the train.
“Hang on Rainbow!” said AJ, “Ah’m a comin’.”
ACT FOUR: Cherry Hill Ranch
Rainbow first went to see AJ’s cousin Braeburn and see if Applejack stopped by there. Unfortunately, Braeburn informed the blue Pegasus that she had not. In fact, he didn’t even know that AJ had been through Appleoosa.
The next morning, Rainbow went back to the train station and checked to see if any previous trains to Dodge Junction had Applejack listed as being onboard; they didn’t. The next for Dodge Junction was about to leave, so she climbed on.
Rainbow tried to fight the feeling that everything was falling apart. She’d always told herself that there would be time to tell Applejack how she felt.
She had it planed out. It’d be a Wonderbolt’s Air Show. There’d be the usual ovation and cheering. Rainbow would then swoop down, in front of everypony, she’d produce a bouquet of cornflowers, AJ’s favorite. There, in front of everypony, Rainbow would kneel down and ask her favorite cowpony to be her Very Special Somepony because she was in love with her.
Rainbow sat there watching the almost featureless desert go by. Even with a couple of trips to the snack car, it was wearisome. So much so, she found herself dozing off so many times.
“Dodge Junction, next stop,” said a conductor coming through the car, “end of the line, Dodge Junction.”
Rainbow woke up, she’d dreamed that Applejack was near in the desert as the train was going through the night. The train’s whistle calling out to her.
Shaking the cobwebs from her head, she made sure her saddlebag was near. Right after the train came to a stop, Rainbow was the first off the train and was immediately headed out of town to the Cherry Hill Ranch.
Even early, Rainbow found the farm abuzz with workers. Rainbow approached one of the workers and asked where Cherry Jubilee might be. She was directed to the main house.
At the door, Rainbow knocked. It wasn’t long when Cherry opened the door.
“Rainbow Dash!” said Cherry, “as I live and breathe! What brings ya by these here parts?”
“Sorry to bother you Cherry,” said Rainbow, “but I’m here to see Applejack.”
“Sorry Rainbow,” said Cherry, “I ain’t seen hide nor hair of Applejack fer a spell now.”
“Cherry, it don’t matter what you promised her. I really need to see her. I have something I need to tell her!”
“I’d really like to help ya, Rainbow. But I got a message that she might come by and need a job fer a short spell. Be she ain’t showed up here yet.”
Cherry could see that Rainbow was distressed.
“Come on in here,” said Cherry, “I was just about to eat. Ya look like ya need to take a load off. It won’t do ya no favors if’n ya have to run around lookin’ fer Applejack with an empty belly.”
“Thank you Cherry,” said Rainbow coming in the house.
As they ate, Rainbow explained about why she was looking for Applejack. She was a little afraid that Cherry might have some aversion to a mare with mare relationship.
Cherry chuckled.
“Rainbow!” said Cherry with a sly grin, “what do ya think we all are? Bumpkins and hayseeds? All a pony has to do is take a look at any barn dance in Equestria and see there ain’t enough stallions to dance with all the mares.
He knew what a mare needed in bed! (The two mares snickered.)
But when the fever took him, I was devastated. I must’ve cried fer three moons.
That next morning, I found two things.
I had a hangover.
And I had Cactus Flower in my bed.
And we were snuggled together closer than just two friends sharing a bed.
‘Cactus,’ I said to her waking up. ‘What happened?’
Rainbow giggled with Cherry.
“Whatever happened between you and Cactus Flower after that?” asked Rainbow.
At that moment a pale blue mare with red mane and tail and a blooming cactus cutie mark walked into the kitchen.
“Well this has been nice catchin’ up, Rainbow.” Said Cherry, “But ya’ve got a mare yer gonna have to wrangle and tell her like it is.”
Rainbow sat on the train, it was driving her bonkers. Usually when she’d ride the train she’d be with one or all of her friends. Otherwise she’d fly herself. But this was a long trip and she wouldn’t be in any shape to look for AJ, or have the time to collect her thoughts. Rainbow liked to be on the first bench in the front of the first car after the engine. Somehow, it gave her the feeling that she’d get there before anypony else.
AJ made it into town in time to see the train from Dodge Junction pull into the station. By the time she’d purchased her ticket to Ponyville, the conductor was calling:
Applejack climbed on the snack car and walked through to the coach in front of the snack car, not before getting a cup of coffee.
Unfortunately, the coffee ‘went right through her’ and she had to go to the restroom not even an hour into the trip. Luckily, the lavatory was at the front of the car so she went forward.
Rainbow realized that she didn’t have any food with her. And in spite of breakfast with Cherry, she was still a little peckish, so she decided to go to the snack car to get a pastry and coffee. She got up to go back to the snack car.
By now, AJ had returned to her seat on the last bench of the car she was in. She leaned back against the corner of the wall and window, hat slouched over her eyes and was soon asleep, she really didn’t get much sleep since she left Ponyville.
Rainbow was returning from the snack car. The door to the car opened inward and bumped up against the bench AJ was sleeping on and blocked any good view of the occupant. Truthfully, Rainbow’s attention was forward and not on who might be in the car.
There were no more crossing paths for the rest of the trip. Anytime Rainbow had to use the restroom, AJ was still asleep and Rainbow was focused on the lavatory and not who was in the car.
The trip was wearisome for two mares in particular, united in their mission to find the other yet separated by one car.
After a fitful night of sleep for both mares, plagued by dreams of what could go wrong when confronting the object of their affection, the train pulled into Ponyville Station. AJ exited the car, turned left and walked to the steps leading off the platform where she was soon galloping to Rainbow’s cloud house.
In Ponyville, on the way to Rainbow’s place, AJ ran into her friend Muffins.
“Muffins!” said Applejack, realizing she was going to need the Pegasus’ abilities. “Can you please come with me, I need your help.”
They galloped to where Rainbow’s cloud house was hovering. Muffins flew up and looked into several open windows, calling out Rainbow’s name. Finally, she flew back down to AJ.
“I’m sorry Applejack,” said Muffins, “nopony is home. There’s a note on the door saying that she had to leave town and didn’t know when she’d be back.”
Rainbow came streaking down to Sweet Apple Acres, she saw Apple Bloom outside so she headed straight to the filly.buck being cool !
Applejack walked slowly to Friendship Castle. She was afraid, confused and sick at what she’d caused. Her only hope was that Twilight would know exactly where and when Rainbow had left and if there was any hope that she could catch up.
AJ walked slowly up the steps to the door of the castle. Her heart was hurting. The door opened and she walked the familiar halls to the Throne Room. It was empty so she had a seat, she wanted to get herself together before she looked for Twilight.
Apple Bloom was understanding why Scootaloo wanted to fly so badly. In spite of the situation, this was fun. Soon Friendship castle was in view and Rainbow went into a dive. Apple Bloom assumed that Rainbow would land at the front door. But instead she flew around to the back of the castle and headed straight to the open doors of the library balcony.
Twilight and Starlight were doing some morning reading when they were surprised by Rainbow Dash flying into the room from the balcony. Apple Bloom was on her back.
“Twilight!” said Rainbow without preamble, AB climbing off her back, “I went to Dodge Junction, Cherry Jubilee hadn’t see AJ, neither has Braeburn. What do we do Twilight! What do we do?”
Twilight didn’t get to finish. At that moment Spike came running into the library.
“Twi! Starlight,” said the dragon, breathlessly. “Come quick, there’s somepony crying in the Map Room!”
Everypony exchanged glances and then ran out of the library to go down to the Throne Room.
“Rainbow?” said AJ looking at the ponies at the door. Applejack stood and ran toward AJ.
The stopped just feet from each other looking in the other’s eyes.
“How dare you!” said Rainbow crying, “how dare you run off and not even say goodbye! Do you know how worried you made ponies?”
“Know that I love you!” said Rainbow shouting.
“Well Ah love ya too!” said AJ shouting back.
Both mares went silent. Twilight, Starlight, Apple Bloom and Spike, still at the door smiled, backed away and closed the door.
“I love you Applejack,” said Rainbow, her tears starting to come again. “I thought I lost you forever. I thought I’d blown my chance to let you know how much you mean to me.”
The two embraced and cried hard.
Soon they had control of themselves.
“Let’s go to Sweet Apple Acres,” said AJ, working up a smile. “We can have some privacy and talk this out.”
Rainbow put a wing around AJ’s neck and pulled her close. Applejack’s foreleg wrapped around Rainbow’s neck as well. They pulled close and kissed a kiss they both had dreamed of.
Author's Note
This is like the first story of my series Bookends in that it is a short (yes and rushed) story to see how it is received. That way I know if any sequels are to be attempted.
