Sweetie Belle and Applejack

Chapter 2

Earlier that day.
Sweetie Belle had just witnessed Applejack fly off the edge of a cliff. A lizard passed by and distracted Sweetie Belle. Sweetie Belle followed it, feeling as though the small reptile might play a role in determining her own destiny. The lizard eyed a massive nest, mounted on a hill at the bottom of a nearby canyon.

Alas, Sweetie Belle loses track of the lizard as it climbs down a hole in the stone beneath her. Sweetie Belle hears the clopping of an approaching pony. Sweetie Belle jumps in excitement, wondering who it could be. She turns and sees Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash exclaims "Rain-bow Da-sh!".

Sweetie Belle thought Rainbow Dash was the right pony to help her track down the mysterious lizard. Rainbow Dash had no time for simple lizard-tracking, given that she was busy traveling through time. Rainbow Dash spoke "I'm from the near-future and I've come back to stop Discord from recruiting you as his element of violence".

Sweetie Belle responded "Well, please don't tell Twilight Sparkle. You know how she gets about time paradoxes".

Rainbow Dash laughed "When I time-travel, it's paradox-free". Rainbow Dash flexed her wings "Just don't go doing everything Discord tells you".

With a flash of rainbows, the awesome pegasus disappeared. Sweetie Belle pondered this occurrence. Sweetie Belle deduced that if she continued to make Applejack's life a misery, then her cutie-mark would probably say violence. Sweetie Belle resolved to channel her violent tendencies into fighting those with cruel intentions, rather than those she was jealous of.

Sweetie Belle leapt forward, hoping to pass into the invisible time rift that had no doubt been left by Rainbow Dash. In Sweetie Belle's mind, the chaotic future was the right place to earn her cutie-mark. Unfortunately the rift merely teleported Sweetie Belle to a river bed at the bottom of a canyon. Sweetie Belle was promptly grabbed by Applejack.

Bringing the story to the present, Sweetie Belle has just recounted her experiences to Applejack. Applejack is nervous "If I recall correctly, this canyon will flood later today. I really think we should get somewhere safer".

Sweetie Belle is confident, she knows the flood couldn't possibly fill the entire width of the canyon "We would be safe back at the eagle's nest". Applejack's rejected this idea.

Sweetie Belle pushed more ideas "We could get airlifted by the eagle. Better yet Rainbow Dash could fly us out of here. Look, she's currently lying in the river. She's dressed as a crocodile". Sweetie Belle pointed at a distant crocodile, causing it to flinch.

Applejack didn't like Sweetie Belle's ideas, she decided to stand up for herself "No Sweetie Belle. I'm the adult. I'll make all the decisions, all by myself". Applejack grabbed her rope and fastened Sweetie Belle to her back. Applejack ran for higher ground. Soon enough she passed a gargantuan eagle's nest by the cliffs edge. Applejack didn't know the hatchlings or their mother; but if she left them to drown, Fluttershy wouldn't let her hear the end of it.

Applejack saw a large ledge a short way up the cliff, it was high enough to be clear of the floodwaters. Applejack wondered if the mother eagle had originally intended to build the nest there. Tying the rope to the nest Applejack was eventually able to lift the nest up to the ledge.

It was difficult with Sweetie Belle tied to her back. Sweetie Belle struggled to escape and thrashed at Applejack, but Applejack remained stubborn. In the end the nest was in place and fit the ledge perfectly. Applejack was worn out, but she wouldn't stop to rest "The floodwaters will be here very soon, we'll be stranded if I can't find a way out soon!".

The eagle mother appeared from the sky and seemed to thank Applejack for her deeds. After using its beak to free Sweetie Belle, the eagle offered Applejack a bundle of hay it had been keeping in it's nest. Applejack chewed on the hay, it tasted alright. Applejack thought the hay was a little dry and salty, but she wasn't the type to complain. Ultimately the hay caused Applejack to change into a pegasus, enabling her to airlift a furious Sweetie Belle to safety.

As this story draws to an end; Applejack and Sweetie Belle are fading into the distance. They have much left to debate and contemplate. Sweetie Belle had heard of earth ponies being transformed into pegasi, but she understood it was only a privileged few. Sweetie Belle was quickly regaining her jealousy of Applejack. Now that Sweetie Belle had earned her cutie mark, she would have to step up and earn her own set of wings.