The Story of the Apple Spectrum

***Chapter 2:4:

Walking and Departing***

The sun peered in through the window, waking Rainbow Dash from her sleep. Tossing and turning did nothing to prevent the light from entering the room, and soon, she found herself sitting up in her bed. She stared across the room, blinking several times as she focused on the shady wall. She looked to her left to see Applejack’s bed empty, and heard a shower running in the hotel room.

Rainbow sighed, forcing herself to her hooves atop the mattress. She groaned as she stepped off the end of the bed, the sun hitting her in the face. She didn’t even try to block the sunbeams assaulting her eyes and she quickly turned towards the kitchen part of the room. She stumbled around a bit before stopping at the separator of the kitchen and sleeping areas, leaning against the wall. She yawned just as the shower turned off.

A few minutes later, Applejack stepped out, a towel draped over her head, to find Rainbow Dash sleeping against the wall. She chuckled, bit the tip of the towel, and whipped Rainbow’s flank, shocking her out of her sleep.

“AUGH!” Rainbow shrieked, darting her head back and forth in her drowsiness.

“A’ight, now that yer awake, shower is hot ‘n ready if’n ya up t’ it,” Applejack chortled.

Rainbow frowned at the farmer, swore revenge in her head, and grudgingly stumbled into the bathroom. She heard something behind her, causing her to pause and stick her head out the door.

“Did you say something Applejack?” Rainbow asked,

“Ah asked if ya wanna go straight home when we get back t’ Ponyville? There’s somethin’ I’d like t’ talk to ya about,” Applejack asked.

“Why not now, or on the train?” Rainbow asked, tapping her hooves on the ground.

“Go have your shower, we can talk after.”

Rainbow shrugged before closing the door.

[*][*][*]

After packing up, lunch, and checking on the contest grounds once more, the two ponies left on the hours long train ride. It wasn’t before long that the train came to a screeching halt as it slowed into Ponyville Train Station. Outside, the moon was peeking out over a cloud high above, a waxing gibbous. A clock in Ponyville station stated it was 9:13 PM. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were the only ponies to exit onto the platform. They stared at the rest of the station, spotting only the mare at the front desk and a janitor in the relatively quiet station.

They quickly left the station, only to find Ponyville’s streets just as empty. Rainbow looked up to the sky, then to the streets, then back at the sky.

Rainbow cleared her throat, looking around awkwardly. “Luna sure knows how to make the nights, well, nice.”

Applejack paused to look up at the sky, her eyes widening as she took in the sight herself. It was a breathtaking view for Rainbow, and she looked over to see Applejack’s eyes wide, her mouth agape. Rainbow smirked, looking back to the sky.

“Sometimes, I wonder how high I can fly. If I keep flying, could I go to the stars? That would be the day. Fly high, rearrange the stars into my cutie mark. I've never tried to go too high because I was taught to not fly, well, too high,” Rainbow said as she stared.

Applejack smiled. Neither noticed the train leaving and soon, they were left in quiet. “Flyin' can be a great thing, Rainbow, ah'll admit. Even sometimes, Ah wish Ah could fly t' some places. It’d be easier t’ see my family in Appleoosa, and Manehatten, and Applewood. Ah haven’t seen ‘em in quite a while, and although it’s great havin’ Apple Bloom, Big Macintosh, and Granny Smith at home, but...” She looked back to the ground.

Silence took over once more, and Rainbow looked over to Applejack. She smirked while reaching out a hoof, and knocking the tip of Applejack’s hat over her eyes. Rainbow chuckled and the farm mare pushed it back up, revealing her furrowed brow.

“So, where to?” Rainbow asked.

[*][*][*]

A quiet night was a rare one indeed for Ponyville, and the instigators of most loud nights do enjoy them from time to time. Applejack and Rainbow Dash walked up a steep hill with no verbal exchange or signs of exhaustion. The latter examined the hill closely as if she were looking for something. Letting out a sharp breath, she exhaled.

“That was a good buck, Applejack,” she said suddenly.

Applejack looked over at Rainbow, brow lowered. “Hmm? Well ah'm usually th’ best, RD,” she boasted while pounding her chest.

Shaking her head, Rainbow sped up the pace to the top of the hill. “I mean during the whole Mare Do Well thing. I couldn't stop the cart from falling. You were able to, and that angered me a lot. Everything piled up. ‘Oh! Mare Do Well is stronger than me? Well I’m faster. Oh snap! Mare Do Well can predict the future! Well at least I have wings. EENOPE! Mare Do Well can flippin’ fly!’ And you know what? I never let it in until I unmasked Mare Do Well.”

Rainbow sighed upon finishing, met with Applejack’s giggle. Raising her brow, Rainbow looked towards her friend.

“Rainbow, that was th' past and in the end, everything turned out fine. Ya learned a lesson an’ grew from it,” she said with a pause, “and Ah’m sorry, too.”

Instead of replying, Rainbow looked ahead of her. A few seconds of silence, and she spoke. “Why?”

“We embarrassed ya, made a fool of ya in front of everypony” Applejack said.

“But I deserved it. I was being a knucklehead,” the Pegasus replied.

“Nopony deserves embarrassment, sugar cube,” Applejack retorted.

“Everypony does at some point, AJ.”

“Everypony is a big ol' fool then, RD.”

“Nopony is a bigger fool.”

No more words were said. The two ponies walked upwards on the hill, both lost in thoughts. They reached the top of the hill and stopped, sitting on a bench. The hill overlooked the entirety of Ponyville as well as Sweet Apple Acres in the distance. The moon above gave the town an interesting blue hue with a spectacular set of lights from numerous building giving it a spectral atmosphere; like a rainbow.

“Applejack, we’re stupid in a sense, y’know?” Rainbow said. She looked over to her cloud home above several fields near Ponyville. “They're a bundled mess of emotions. It's rivalry; bickering, arguing, competing, biting each others tail off. It's tedious; repetitive gnashing at each other, bruising each other constantly.”

Sniffing the air, Rainbow took the time to think, or let Applejack respond.

“I don't want to be strong, and tough, and egotistical and famous and a brash little air headed, cloud walking, rainbow maned Pegasus if my friends have to listen to my constant bragging and arrogant attitude.”

Rainbow held her breath now. These past few days, Applejack has let me be an emotional water fountain without interruption. I’m turning into a flying blue sap, but at least I’m not growing aggravated because I’m keeping it in, she thought. Waiting for a reply she scratched her left back leg with her right backhoof.

“Ya don’t have t’ do anythin’ fer me, Rainbow. Ah don’t want t’ be happy if my friends aren’t happy,” Applejack said, freezing Rainbow.

It’s a stalemate. I’m only happy if I have attention and recognition for my skills. If not, I’m just the captain of the Weather Team with big dreams... Rainbow arched her back, feeling the cracks go along her spine.

Applejack cleared her throat, catching Rainbow’s attention. “Now, what d'ya say we get on t' my house an ah can introduce ya t' yer room, or, yer section of the room.”

[*][*][*]

Minutes later, they entered Sweet Apple Acres with a bag draped over Rainbow’s barrel. Inside, Big Macintosh sat in the living room, munching away on an apple. Rainbow stopped inside, squeaking at the sudden warmth in contrast to the chilled night.

“Alright, I brought my medals for bragging, a poster out of my, like, 2,000 Wonderbolts posters, my copy of the newest Daring Do novel, my pj's just in case, a~nd I brought a bunch of other things I don't really care about enough to mention.” Rainbow dropped her saddlebags off her back

“Rainbow spendin' th' night?” Big Macintosh asked as he began chewing the apple core.

“Yup.” Applejack looked around for the rest of her family. “Stayin' indefinitely. She wanted t' get used t' our schedule,” she said.

“Mmm hmm.” Big Macintosh finished eating the core.

“Rainbow, go take yer stuff t' mah room. Ya'll should know where it is. Jus' be quiet because Apple Bloom is sleepin',” Applejack said as she walked over to the couch.

“Gotcha.” Rainbow did a quick stretch and placed her saddlebags back on her back and trotted slowly up the stairs.

Getting to the top, she crossed the hallway and opened up Applejack’s door. Opening it, she saw the usual clean room Applejack kept, regardless of her gritty work life. She turned the light on, walked to the centre of the room, and dropped her saddlebags on the small carpet. She looked around, spotting Applejack’s bed. One idea was all that was needed for Rainbow to trot over to the bed and plump down on it. This bed is much softer than I thought. Rainbow sprawled out across the bed, practically sinking into it. Long day, stiff body, this is perfect.

Rolling over, she stared up at the ceiling, vision meeting the dull brown of the boards. Frowning, she moved her head so she lay on the pillow, noticing it’s smell of apples and sweet leaves. Rainbow took a big whiff of the pillow, exhaling coarsely. What an earthly scent, she thought. Nothing could describe this feeling...

[*][*][*]

Several minutes later, Applejack up the stairs quietly to not disturb the others. The first thing she saw was the door agape and the light still on... but there was no noise. She gently pushed the door open, spotting Rainbow's saddlebags lie in the centre of the room. Turning her head, she finally spotted Rainbow, curled up on her bed, and nuzzling her pillows. She removed her hat and set it on a hanger next to the door before taking Rainbow’s saddlebags and setting it on a table. Finally, she turned off the light and walked over to her bed.

She nudged Rainbow's wing, watching her twitch with another shiver. Applejack sighed, bit the blanket, and pulled it gently as Rainbow rolled over to let the blanket slip out from under. Applejack crawled on top of the bed, tossing the blanket over her and her bed mate. Attempting to stay comfy failed, so she gave Rainbow a small shove until they had an even portion of the bed.

The scent of Rainbow’s mane lingered on the pillow, reminding Applejack of the intruder on her bed. She blew at the few strands of rainbow hair on the pillow before sighing, and allowing herself to sleep.

[*][*][*]

The next morning, Rainbow fluttered her eyes until her drowsiness vanished. The first thing she noticed was the blanket surrounding her, and the scent of apples. She sat up in the bed, rubbing her eyes before removing the blankets and rolling off the bed. The golden light of the new day streamed into the room. She observed the room, looking for her saddlebags before spotting them on a table across the room. Seconds later, the door creaked open and Applejack walked in, her mane, tail, and coat a bit damp with a towel draped over her head.

“G'mornin', sugar cube.” Applejack smiled at Rainbow while drying off her hair.

Rainbow gave her a lazy smile as she did a few more stretches.

“Good morning, A~ppleja~ck,” Rainbow said through her stretch. “Got out of the tub, I take it?” She asked as arched her back and extended her wings.

“Yup, it's all free fer ya,” Applejack said while she walked over and placed her stetson on her head.

Rainbow thought for a moment. “Nah. I'm fresh as I'll ever be. Never got much of a workout yesterday.” She walked towards the door.

Applejack chuckled, looking at a clock next to her bed. “Th' time is 6:48 am. Y'all are gettin' use t' the schedule subconsciously.” She followed Rainbow to the door.

Rainbow chuckled as well. “Yeah. I'm gonna fly a few laps around the acres before heading over to Sugar Cube Corner.” She gave her

“Ah got ya,” Applejack said.

The two ponies trotted downstairs and walked over to the table. There was several dishes down already, with food being set by Big Macintosh.

“Dunno about you but I'm going to skip out on breakfast.” Rainbow said while passing the table for the door.

Applejack cocked her head to the side. “Ya sure?” she said as she trotted to the dining room.

“I'm sure, I'll eat when I've actually done some work,” Rainbow said as she approached the door. “If you don’t work, you don’t eat, right?”

“Well.” Applejack sat down, nodding as Apple Bloom came down from upstairs, drowsily slumping down at the table. “If y'all want anythin', just come on over 'ere. Our kitchen's open t' ya.” Applejack waved at Rainbow.

Smiling, Rainbow opened the door. “I will. Thanks Applejack.” She waved with a wing.

“G'bye, Miss Dash,” Big Mac said as he set a small bowl of apples on the table.

“By~e, Ra~inbow,” Apple Bloom said as she face planted into her plate.

“See ya later,” Rainbow said while closing the door behind her.

She closed the door, and took off, starting her flight around Sweet Apple Acres. Big Macintosh finished setting the table, Applejack opened up a newspaper, and Apple Bloom’s head finally shot up with widened eyes.

“Wait, Rainbow Dash was here?”