“Come on, Rainbow Dash. You fought a bunch of scary monsters. You dive headfirst into disasters. For Celestia’s sake, you perform death-defying routines in front of hundreds of ponies every day. How hard can this be compared to all that?”
Apparently, it could be quite hard.
Rainbow Dash paced back and forth across her cloud. On any other day, she would by lounging around, watching Ponyville down below as she drifted across the sky on her fluffy white bed. Today wasn’t a normal day, though.
She reached back toward her flank, double-checking that she still felt the gift packed in her saddlebag. To her relief, it was there, just as it had been less than three minutes ago. With a deep breath, she glanced down at the clock on the town hall. Only ten more minutes to go. She could survive ten more minutes, right?
As she searched for something below to take her mind off her mounting anxiety, she spotted something rather strange. She leaned forward over the edge for a better look. When that didn’t help, she leapt from the edge, working her way down gliding from cloud to cloud.
Upon closer inspection, she realized that her eyes were, in fact, not lying to her. From here, she could see Applejack down below. Wait. What was Applejack doing here? She should be at her farm. Rainbow Dash checked the clock once again. Nine minutes.
For a pegasus of her skill, nine minutes was more than enough time to make it to the Sweet Apple Acres on the outskirts of town. But for an earth pony like Applejack? It would’ve taken hours, at least.
No. This didn’t make any sense. She pulled the invite from her bag. It took all the brain power she could muster to decipher Pinkie’s illegible writing, but she figured it out. Today was the today. Eight minutes from now was the time.
But perhaps it hadn’t been Applejack she spotted below. Maybe it had been another orange pony with a glowing golden mane that just so happened to be wearing a hat identical to Applejack’s.
Rainbow shook her head, pushing that thought all the way to the back. Despite where she should be, that was definitely Applejack walking alone through the streets below. Then another thought struck. Alone. She was alone. Perhaps this confusion could be a miracle in disguise.
Tasting her heartbeat in her throat, Rainbow leapt from the edge of her cloud, allowing her wings to catch her. She glided slowly over the town, high enough to escape notice, but not quite so high that she couldn’t track her target. She followed Applejack through each and every turn she took through the cobblestone streets.
Before she could work up enough nerve to approach, though, Applejack took a strange turn, making her way into a building that Rainbow didn’t recognize. She folded in her wings, allowing her to land safely out in the front yard.
Now with a better view, Rainbow could say for sure that she had never seen this building before. Of course, she had never had a reason to look for it until now, so it didn’t surprise her that she had simply glossed over it in her previous flights.
Unlike the rest of Ponyville, this particular building looked like something out of an old western movie. Walls made of rough-hewn lumber planks, windows covered with enough dirt to block out any view of the inside, and a fair few rocking chairs out front, creaking back and forth in a steady rhythm. On the second story, above a broken balcony railing, a name had been painted in large, white letters.
Saltlick Saloon. Didn’t ring any bells.
Shaking off her skepticism, Rainbow bounded up the front steps onto the porch. The planks under her hooves protested fiercely under her weight. Instead of a front door, the saloon had the stereotypical wooden flaps that swung constantly in the breeze. She pushed them aside and stepped through the doorway.
Inside, the shop looked exactly as she had imagined. Uneven wooden tables, various fake animal skulls, and lighting provided by a heap of lights shaped like cast-iron oil lamps. A bar lined the far wall, where a spiffy looking tender mixed drinks with a dramatic flair. Faint jukebox music and the smell of dirt lingered in the air.
“Well howdy there, Missy. Anything I can do for you this fine afternoon?”
Rainbow Dash jerked toward the voice. A young mare stood behind a short podium, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, a blue handkerchief tied around her neck, and a nearly blinding smile.
“Uhh . . . hi,” Rainbow Dash said. “I could use some help, yeah. Did you see a mare come through here recently? She’s kind of hard to miss. Big hat? Strange accent? Sounding familiar?”
The hostess turned to the crowd of customers behind her, over half of which fit the description to a degree. “Think ya could narrow that down a bit for me, Honey?”
“Orange fur? Yellow mane? An apple Cutie Mark?” Rainbow pointed to her own flank, as if to provide an example to the waitress.
“You know what, I think I did see someone like that come through here recently. She came through here looking more down then a rodeo without a bull. A mite concerning, iffin you ask me.”
Rainbow Dash stared blankly at the other pony.
The hostess sighed. “Yeah, I’ve seen your friend. She seemed upset about something. She’s in the back, if you want to go talk to her.” Any trace of her accent had vanished like the flip of a switch.
“Oh. Thanks.” Rainbow started to walk off. She made it less than two steps before she stopped and turned back to the mare. “Could you point me toward the back?”
The mare said nothing, but pointed her hoof toward a hallway tucked away in the back corner. Rainbow Dash thanked her with a quick nod and sped off in the indicated direction. Only one light lit the back hall, whining and flickering like one from a Nightmare Night film. Down the hall, past a pair of bathrooms and a branching hallway marked Kitchen, sat an unmarked door.
Rainbow Dash stopped. She could hear her own heartbeat. Her hooves were shaky as she reached for the door handle. With a surge of confidence, she pushed forward, throwing open the door and stepping into the dark room beyond.
Unlike the main room, there were no lights here. Whatever illumination existed filtered in through the layer of grime on each of the four windows. Much of the furniture appeared damaged, if not completely unusable. A thick layer of dust covered everything. A line of booths lined the back wall. A familiar figure sat in the farthest one.
Rainbow crept forward, but half of her steps resulted in an angry shriek from the loose boards. As she neared the table, she saw Applejack glance sideways at her. She said nothing, but returned her focus to the rectangular bottle in her hooves.
“Is this seat taken?” Rainbow asked.
Applejack still didn’t answer, but gestured to the seat with a flourish of her hoof.
Taking a short running start, Rainbow hopped up onto the seat. It was little more than a wooden bench, with an equally uncomfortable wooden back to lean up against. She noticed the label on Applejack’s bottle. It depicted an apple in black ink. Above that, a near undecipherable font likely spelled out the product’s name. Whatever the yellow liquid in the bottle was, Applejack had already drained half of it.
“What are you drinking?” Rainbow asked. Applejack turned her gaze on her.
In all the years of their friendship, Rainbow Dash had seen a wide range of emotions cross Applejack’s features. Anger. Concern. Sadness. Fear. The whole gambit. But the look in her eyes now was something foreign. Something that didn’t fit Applejack’s face.
It was a look of absolute dread.
“What are you doing here, Rainbow Dash? Shouldn’t you be on your way to the party?”
“Me?” Rainbow put a hoof to her chest. “Shouldn’t you be at the party? I may not be an expert, but I’m pretty sure the birthday girl is kind of important for a birthday party.”
Applejack winced. “Stop saying that word. I’m gettin right sick of hearing it.”
Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “Party?” Applejack shook her head. “Birthday?” This time, she nodded. “What’s wrong with celebrating a birthday? You get cake, presents, and everyone is focused on you. What’s not to like?”
Applejack glared at her from under the brim of her hat. She swiped her bottle and threw her head back, guzzling the drink down in an impressive time. As soon as the last drop had fallen, she tossed the bottle aside, sending it rolling across the floor. She wiped her face with a foreleg.
“I told Pinkie that I didn’t want a party this year. But she insisted.” Applejack disappeared under the table. After a few seconds, she reemerged with a second bottle. She yanked the cork from the neck and took a sip.
“Is that why you’re here?” Rainbow asked.
“Something like that,” Applejack muttered.
“Alright.” Rainbow leaned forward. She propped her head up off the table with her hooves. “I’m not the most observant, but even I can tell something’s upsetting you. Want to talk about it?”
“Nope.”
Another long swig.
“You sure?”
“Eeyup.”
Rainbow crossed her hooves over her chest. “You're just planning to sit by yourself in the dark and drink, instead of wasting time getting presents, eating snacks, and enjoying cake with your closest friends and family?” Her voice dripped with sarcasm.
“That’s the plan.”
“That sounds like one of my plans, Applejack. And that isn’t a compliment.”
“I told ya, I ain’t in the mood for a party!” She moved the bottle toward her lips, but stopped halfway. “Rainbow . . . you ever wake up in the morning, look in the mirror, and realize that you don’t recognize the mare lookin back at you anymore?”
“I can’t say I do. The rainbow mane makes it really hard to mistake me for anyone else.”
Rainbow felt a chill in the air at Applejack’s glare. “You know darn well that ain’t what I meant. You know what? Forget it.” The duo slipped back in silence. Bells chimed in the distance, signalling the new hour.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“Then why don’t you leave me alone?” Applejack slammed her bottle down against the table. Rainbow retreated as far as she could in her sink, the furious mare in front of her suddenly unrecognizable. Another long pause. This time, the quiet was marred by a constant dripping. A dark spot spread across the table, originating from a long, thin crack Applejack’s bottle.
“Fine. If you want me to leave so badly,” Rainbow said, trying her best to hide the pain in her voice. “I just thought you might want some company. But if you’d rather just sit here by yourself, then that’s fine with me.”
Applejack deflated. The anger melted from her face. “I’m sorry, Rainbow. I . . . I didn’t mean to yell like that. I . . . I just . . .”
“Look, I get it, Applejack. I know I’m not the best to help with this kind of situation.” Rainbow leaned forward, reaching out to take Applejack’s hoof in her own. “But I want to help you. I’m trying my best. But I can’t do anything if you’re not going to talk to me.”
“I just . . .” Applejack didn’t pull away from her touch, but refused to meet her gaze. “You know, you never actually answered my question. Why are you here, Rainbow?”
Rainbow nodded. “I just so happened to see you while I was taking my daily nap on a cloud outside. I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to tell you something . . .” Her mouth turned dry. “I saw you walk in here. The hostess out front pointed me back here. This definitely seems like your kind of place.”
Applejack chuckled. “Yeah. I’ve been here a few times. Even before I was some big celebrity, I used to make deliveries here all the time. I know most of the crew on a first-name basis. They’re a friendly bunch.” She took a long look at her bottle, watching the fluid leak out. “What were you wanting to say to me?”
“What?” Rainbow’s heart pounded.
“You said you wanted to say something to me. Sounded important. What was it?”
Rainbow’s cheeks flushed pink. “Nope. That isn’t how this game works. It’s my turn to ask a question. Keeps everything fair.”
“Alright.” Applejack nodded tentatively. “Shoot.”
“What’s the real problem here, Applejack? I’ve never seen you this upset.”
The farm pony turned away, looking at the dark room as though the answers were written on the wall. “I was working in the orchard the other day. You remember we had that big storm the other day? It was right after that.”
“I remember.” Rainbow smiled hesitantly. “I might have been part of the team that moved it over the farm. I’m sorry in advance for wherever this story goes.”
Her plan worked. The sound of Applejack’s laugh made her feel warm.
“No, this ain’t your fault. To tell ya the truth, the farm really needed the rain. This was all my fault. The ground was still damp and muddy. Tried to buck a tree. Was too unsteady.” Applejack’s eyes unfocused, as though she were trying to watch the memories playing in her head. “Slipped. Hit the tree at a bad angle. Hurt my leg something fierce.” Her lips moved, trying to continue the story, but her words were quiet.
“Is that what you’re so upset about? Are you hurt?”
“Nah. Doctor told me it was a strained muscle, or some such nonsense. I was fine by the next day. Granny Smith made a joke when I told her my hip hurt.” Applejack pitched her voice upward, mimicking her grandmother’s mannerisms. “Well now you know how I feel all day long. I laughed at the time. But it got me to thinking.”
Applejack’s grip tightened around Rainbow’s hoof.
“I ain’t gonna be young forever. Someday, I’ll be the granny on the farm.” The dread returned to her face. “And it feels like that day’s comin all too fast. ‘Fore I know it, Applebloom will be all grown up and running the farm. Even my mane is starting to gray. And I don’t look good in gray.”
“Applejack . . .” Rainbow frowned.
“I know, I sound like Rarity. I used to think I wouldn’t mind bein’ old. Spending all day relaxing in my chair, just like Granny. Sounded like a dream come true. But now that it’s happening, I just feel like I missed out on so much.” Applejack winced. “And there certainly ain’t no stallion looking for an old maid like me--”
“That’s a load of crap!” Rainbow Dash slammed her free hoof down on the table, rattling the booth. Applejack shot up, startled by the sudden outburst. “You’re a young, healthy, beautiful mare. And yeah, some day, you’ll get old. We all will. But even when that happens, you’ll still be one of most kind-hearted, generous mares I know. You’re my best friend, Applejack. And no gray mane is going to change that.”
Rainbow flopped back down in her seat, shoulders heaving as she tried to catch her breath. It took a moment for her to realize the shocked stare Applejack was giving her. Shards of ice punched through her heart as she realized what she just said. She scratched nervously at her mane.
“That came out a little angrier than I meant it--”
“You think I’m beautiful?” Applejack asked, her eyes locked on Rainbow’s.
“What?” Rainbow’s cheeks burned like wildfire. “I . . . Did I say that? I don’t think I said that. I don’t know what you mean.” She tried to turn away, but Applejack’s stare held her in place.
“Did you really mean that?”
“I . . . I also said that . . .” Though Applejack was the one drinking, Rainbow was the one starting to slur her words. Or, as she called it, Code Red. “Fine. I guess stumbling headfirst into this isn’t the best start . . . but yes. I meant it.”
Applejack raised an eyebrow. “The best start to what, exactly?”
“Applejack . . . here.” Rainbow pulled her hoof back. She reached into her saddlebags, producing a small gift box that she set on the table between them. The wrapping was sloppy and uneven, and the bow was off-center. “I’m not the greatest at wrapping, but I wanted to do it myself. Seemed like the right choice. At least, it seemed like it at the time. Looking back now--”
Applejack interrupted her, cutting the ribbon with her teeth before tearing into the paper. She lifted the box lid slowly, revealing a small picture frame. “Rainbow, what is this?” she asked, holding up the picture for a better view.
“It’s us.” Even though she couldn’t see it, Rainbow Dash knew the picture by heart. It was her and Applejack on Nightmare Night. It was an old memory, from a time before Twilight’s arrival in Ponyville.
“I remember this,” Applejack chuckled. “You messed up your Wonderbolt costume flying. You asked me if I could patch it up for you. Wasn’t pretty, but it got the job done. That’s the night we met.”
The memory of that night brought a gentle warmth to Rainbow. “Yeah. We were best of friends by the end of the night. And that was the night that I decided that . . .” Her and Applejack locked eyes. “That I decided that I liked you. Like . . . liked you liked you.”
“Rainbow--”
“Before you say anything, let me explain? Please?” Applejack hesitated for a time, but eventually nodded. “Despite how long I lived there, I didn’t have many friends in Ponyville. You were the first real one. And you were so nice to me. You were always willing to lend me a helping hoof, whether I was trying out a new stunt, or just having a plain bad day.”
“Well, I--”
“Look.” Rainbow buried her head in her hooves. “I know it’s crazy. If you don’t like it--”
Rainbow nearly shrieked as Applejack took her hoof. “Rainbow, listen to me. This is a fantastic gift. I . . . I didn’t know you felt that way about me. Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
“I thought it would make things awkward between us.” Rainbow’s voice cracked. “You were my best friend. I didn’t want to ruin something great. But I couldn’t take it anymore. Now you know the truth. I know you probably don’t feel the same way. Can we at least stay friends?” She dared a sideways glance at the other mare.
Applejack looked back and forth between the picture and the mare across from her. Every second of silence drained a few years off Rainbow’s life. “No, Rainbow. We can’t stay friends.”
Rainbow’s world shattered. Her head felt light, her vision swimming.
“Oh.”
“You’ve spent all these years with me just working up the nerve to tell me this. What kind of friend does something like that. If you ask me, that sounds more like something a Special Somepony would do.” She squeezed Rainbow’s hoof.
It took a moment for the pegasus’ brain to process the statement. Tears gathered in her eyes. “What? What are you saying?”
“I’ve felt the same way for a long time, Rainbow.”
“You . . . you what?” A gambit of different reactions raced through Rainbow’s head. This must have been some sort of joke. Or maybe she hadn’t heard right. She briefly considered the possibility that she had died.
Applejack smiled. “I said, I feel the same way about you, Rainbow Dash.”
“You . . . You do?”
“Of course. How could any pony not like you? You’re loyal, you’re funny, and you always know how to keep things interesting. I always thought that you were holding out for some superstar flier. I never imagined you would feel the same way about me.”
Rainbow’s shoulders heaved. For a brief moment, she worried she might be about to be sick, but surprised herself by laughing. Applejack tried to hold it in, but she couldn’t resist joining in on Rainbow’s laughter.
“You have no idea how happy I am to hear that, Applejack. I’ve spent all morning trying to work myself up to tell you the truth. I was terrified of what our friends would say. And, of course, that was only once I stopped being terrified of what you might say.” Rainbow took a deep breath for what felt like the first time in years.
“You’ve made this the best birthday ever, Rainbow Dash. I just want you to know.” Applejack reached out with her other hoof, allowing Rainbow to hold it. The two of them sat for a long time, staring into one another’s eyes as they held hooves.
“You know,” Rainbow said, tilting her head to the side. “Your party started a while ago. It would take us hours to walk there.”
“Dash, it takes twenty minutes,” Applejack giggled.
Rainbow blinked. “It would take us a whole twenty minutes to walk there.”
“You know what,” Applejack nodded. “I don’t really feel up for that long of a walk right now. Besides, Twilight and Fluttershy are off in Canterlot. Rarity is in Manehattan for her show. The rest of my family will be partying with Pinkie.”
“And I’m sure they would understand.”
“Then, are you thinking what I’m thinking, My Sweet Rainbow?” Applejack asked in a dramatic accent.
“Indeed, I think I am, Dear Applejack,” Rainbow answered in an equally silly tone.
Together, the two of them sat in their booth for hours. They shared their drinks, they even ordered food from the main room. Most importantly, they enjoyed one another’s company.
They were a party of two.
Author's Note
A short story to tide over while I work on longer projects. I wrote this in a few hours while half-asleep. Please feel free to either make corrections or berate me in the comments below.
