Applejack floated in the void, her hooves moving restlessly as she tried to get her bearings. The darkness around her was suffocating, pressing in like a weight she couldn’t push off. There was no light, no sound, only the oppressive silence and the faint rhythm of a heartbeat reverberating in her ears.

She didn’t know where she was, and fear had started to creep in. She remembered falling asleep next to Rainbow Dash, but since then, it had been this—a heavy, disorienting blackness. Every so often, she thought she felt a presence—like Princess Luna trying to reach her through the dreamscape—but each time, it slipped away before she could latch onto it.

Her thoughts were a jumbled mess. She tried to think like Twilight might, to analyze her situation and come up with a plan. But planning wasn’t her strong suit, and exhaustion clouded her usually sharp mind. She tried running, her legs pumping as though she could escape, but no matter how far or fast she ran, the darkness remained.

The comforting heartbeat that had been her only solace vanished suddenly, leaving her feeling colder and more isolated than ever. Panic surged in her chest as she called out into the void. “Rainbow? Granny? Apple Bloom?” Her voice echoed back to her, sounding hollow and small. She stopped running, her legs trembling beneath her.

If only someone were here... she thought desperately. She longed for comfort—for strong, steady arms to hold her, for a soft voice to tell her she wasn’t alone. For the first time in a long while, Applejack allowed herself to feel vulnerable, and a single tear rolled down her cheek.

Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash was growing increasingly uneasy. Nine hours had passed since Applejack had fallen asleep on her shoulder in the park. At first, Rainbow had been content to let her rest, thinking a little nap might do her some good. But now... now she was worried.

“She’s out cold,” Rainbow muttered, glancing at the sleeping mare slumped against her. AJ’s face was pale, her breaths shallow. Something wasn’t right. Rainbow knew it was time to act.

Carefully, Rainbow scooped Applejack up in her hooves, her usual bravado faltering as she looked down at her friend’s slack expression. “You’re always so strong, AJ,” she whispered. “Guess it’s my turn to be the strong one.”

With a powerful beat of her wings, Rainbow took to the sky, heading straight for her cloud home. The journey was quick—her urgency fueling her speed—but it felt like forever. By the time she arrived, her heart was pounding harder than it had during any of her Wonderbolts training sessions.

Rainbow laid Applejack gently on her bed, brushing a strand of golden mane from her face. She looked so fragile lying there, and it sent an unfamiliar ache through Rainbow’s chest. AJ was supposed to be unshakable, the pillar of strength that everypony could lean on. Seeing her like this felt... wrong.

When Rainbow tried to step away, Applejack stirred, her body trembling and a light sheen of sweat forming on her brow. A soft whimper escaped her lips, and Rainbow froze.

“Aw, c’mon, AJ. Don’t do this,” she muttered, her voice cracking slightly. She didn’t know what to do, but she knew she couldn’t leave Applejack like this.

After a moment of hesitation, Rainbow climbed onto the bed, lying down beside her. Tentatively, she draped a wing over Applejack, pulling her close. It was awkward at first—Rainbow wasn’t used to this kind of physical closeness—but when Applejack’s trembling eased and her breathing steadied, Rainbow felt a wave of relief wash over her.

“Guess cuddling isn’t just for eggheads after all,” she murmured, a small smile tugging at her lips.

Rainbow let herself relax, her head resting lightly against Applejack’s. Her own breathing slowed to match the steady rhythm of AJ’s. For a moment, everything felt... right.

Back at Sweet Apple Acres, Apple Bloom was in a full-blown panic. She had waited all day for Applejack to come home, but night had fallen, and there was still no sign of her sister.

“WHERE IS SHE?!” Apple Bloom cried, her voice cracking with desperation as she tried to push past Spike.

Spike, despite his small size, held firm, blocking her path. “Apple Bloom, stop! You’re still recovering, and you’re gonna hurt yourself if you keep this up!”

“I don’t care!” Apple Bloom shouted, tears streaming down her face. “I have to find her! What if something’s happened to her? What if she’s hurt?”

Spike’s expression softened, and he knelt down to her level. “Look, I’ll send a message to Twilight, okay? She’ll know what to do. But you need to rest. Applejack wouldn’t want you making yourself worse.”

Apple Bloom hesitated, her lip quivering as she glanced toward the window. The moonlight cast a pale glow over the orchard, and the sight of the empty fields only made her heart ache more.

After a long moment, she relented, her small body sagging with exhaustion. “Fine,” she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Spike gently scooped her up and carried her back to bed. “I promise I’ll do everything I can to find her,” he said softly, tucking her in.

Apple Bloom nodded weakly, her eyes red and puffy. “She has to be okay... she just has to be.”

In Rainbow Dash’s cloud home, the night passed in silence. Rainbow stayed awake long after Applejack had settled, her eyes tracing the contours of the other mare’s face.

“You’re really something, AJ,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the soft rustle of the clouds. “You don’t even realize how much you mean to everypony. How much you mean to... me.”

Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly looked away, as though admitting it aloud might make it too real. But as she glanced back at Applejack, her heart swelled.

Maybe she’d tell her someday. Maybe. But for now, Rainbow was content to stay by her side, holding her close and keeping the darkness at bay.

Author's Note

Freaky 😜😜