Burning Bridges

Chapters

I

Author's Note

New note 11/29/14

Presentperfect's recent review of this fic makes me want to take a second go at it. I'll be doing some proof reading and editing some scenes for improved understanding but overall it will be the same story.

I

Applejack tapped a hoof against the ground in impatience. She knew she couldn’t exactly be surprised that Rainbow Dash, Wonderbolt-to-be and nap connoisseur would be late to work, but she had hoped that today would be different, given it was the first help she had asked for in a while. She glanced up at the barn. Two hours ago, it was bare wood, and now it sat half painted. At first, she started because she figured Rainbow Dash would be a little late. She worked faster than she realized, channeling some of her irritation into her work, only stopping when she saw a tell-tale rainbow trail in the sky, a sure-fire sign that the cyan pegasus would be arriving in moments.

Sure enough, Dash appeared, a gust of wind behind the farmer. Before she could turn to admonish her friend, she felt the hair of a tail brush over her cutie mark, causing the farmer to stiffen up by the unexpected contact. She felt a hot breath on the back of her ear and heard the pegasus whisper, “Hey Jackie.”

Suddenly coming to her senses, she pushed Dash back in an instant. “Whoa there! Ah figured ya were comin’ down, but that was a bit... close.”

“Sorry,” Rainbow Dash said, “I just figured, ‘oh, here’s my marefriend out here all alone. I better greet her like her mate would greet her.”

“What if somepony’s lookin’, Dash?”

“So what?” She said defensively as she approached the farmer. “All they’ll see is a couple enjoying a personal moment together.”

“More like a private moment,” Applejack retorted quietly, “and ya know ah ain’t comfortable doin’ that yet. Ah don’t—”

“Yeah yeah,” Dash waved off her marefriend’s concerns with a hoof. “I know you don’t wanna tell anypony that we’re dating yet. I just don’t get why.”

“Well...” Applejack rubbed a hoof against her neck. “I already explained it to ya Dash. Ah’m not sure if, ya know, this’ll work.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “That’s why ponies, you know, date. So it isn’t a lifelong commitment from the get-go. Besides, didn’t you tell me last night that you lo—”

“Ah-ah was drunk!” Applejack interrupted, a blush emerging onto her cheeks. “Ah didn’t know what ah was sayin’!

Rainbow Dash chuckled at her marefriend’s deflection. “So you didn’t mean it?”

“Th-that’s not what ah meant... ah just...” Applejack sighed.

“Hey, don’t worry about it.” Rainbow Dash walked up next to Applejack, throwing an arm over her shoulder. “I mean, yeah, I’d prefer if I could tell everypony. I’m sure Pinkie would throw a great party. And not-kissing you is really hard when we’re in a bar drinking.” Applejack blushed a bit. “But if you want to wait, that’s cool. Gotta know where we’re at, right?” Dash offered.

Applejack looked up at her marefriend’s face. Despite the smile, she could see some worry hidden behind her eyes. Applejack took in a deep breath, then let it out, and with a nod, quickly pecked Dash on the cheek, the action making the pegasus cease all movement. “Tell ya, what, we tell them this week, okay?”

Dash was unmoving for only a moment before she exploded into the air, doing a quick flip and landing right next to Applejack. “Sounds good to me!” Once still, she glanced around. “So, uh, what are you doing out here anyway? You look really lonely next to this half-painted barn.”

Applejack blinked. “Why’d ya come by if ya didn’t know what was up?”

“I was just flying by, and I saw my marefriend that I was out bar-crawling with last night! All, uh, one, bars in Ponyville. But yeah, so I thought I’d come by and say hi.” Rainbow grinned. “You seemed happy to see me. Did I miss something?”

“Take a wild guess,” Applejack said. Rainbow Dash glanced around for a few seconds, then turned her head to her back. Still not finding what she was looking for, she looked to Applejack, then past her. The barn sat tall, the front not yet painted, the bare wood showing, and a side of it painted a bright red. She then glanced at the base of the barn, noticing some paint cans and two paint brushes.

“Oh.”

With one last swipe, Applejack covered the last of the barn in the crimson paint. “All done,” Applejack said. “Would ya like to come by for a snack? I know how much hard work can leave a pony like yerself short of breath.”

“Haha, very funny AJ,” Dash said as she landed next to the farmer, the two then making a steady trot towards Applejack’s house. “I need to scrub these paint blotches out of my wing, eugh. The feathers feel like they’re clumping together.”

The sun may have been beating down on them in such a cloudless sky, but given that it was just September, and that the running of the leaves was merely weeks away, the air felt chilled compared to the summer months. Easily cool enough to work all day outside and not break much of a sweat. The paint job only took a little less time with the pegasus helping, mostly due to her lack of experience. She had to stop several times when her wings would accidentally brush against a section of the barn she had just painted, and tried to brush the paint off of her feathers with a hoof, but it seemed to only make it worse every time. Applejack didn’t mind; painting was mind-numbingly boring to the farmer. It wasn’t like apple-bucking or any other kind of labor that she usually engaged in: those required raw strength. Sure, a little finesse, but mostly strength. When it came to painting the side of a barn, it just took time. Time she could be putting into, say, harvesting apples or something, anything else. Like spending time with Rainbow Dash.

Spending time with Dash under the guise of farm work that was actually still farm work sat just fine with the farmer, even if was less ideal to the pegasus. It was two weeks ago that the cyan mare had asked Applejack out, and it had thankfully been when she was home alone. The farmer had been laying bare some worries about how the farm was doing, and Rainbow Dash threw them by the wayside with a long, direct kiss to Applejack’s lips.

The farmer still remembered her emotions vividly. The smallest sprinkles of surprise topping off the somewhat anxious frosting, all atop a grand cupcake of bliss. She felt like it was something she was missing her whole life; she needed somepony closer than family, somepony she could come to with anything and everything, somepony she could rely on, instead of being the one others relied on. Who else but the only pony who could keep up with her in a hoof-race?

Yet afterwards, she had to tell Dash that she wasn’t sure if... dating would even work. Her entire life spent occupying the farm and fending off invading platoons of desolation and neglect, she was always working. She needed time to know if that this was something she really wanted, not just something different that she liked.

Dash didn’t seem to get it, and Applejack wondered if it was still unclear to her. Even now, the two walked close together, but Dash kept trying to close the distance, something the farmer would react to by moving an inch further. She said earlier that she was willing to open up to her friends, but was that to quiet Dash, or to quiet her own worries about the matter? She didn’t even know now.

Her train of thought was interrupted by Rainbow Dash speaking. Applejack cleared her throat and asked, “Sorry, didn’t catch that.”

“I said, when do you wanna tell the others?”

Applejack glanced around at her surroundings. She saw her home visible in the distance, and nothing but apple trees and blue sky in sight. “Hey, don’t you think I looked around before asking that?” Dash said. “Come on, you know I don’t mind keeping it a secret.”

Applejack was skeptical. “Don’t mind? Dash, ya ask me every time we meet when ya can tell everypony. If it weren’t for the fact that ah know you so well, ah’d be worried ya might accidentally blab it to Pinkie Pie. Then this half of Equestria’d know we’re datin’ in minutes.”

“Hmm, yeah, they probably would.” A glare from the farmer put those words right back in Dash’s mouth. “Look, I’m just trying to get why you don’t wanna brag to everypony that you’re dating me! Future Wonderbolt and master of the Sonic Rainboom, able to pull them off at will, whether rising or falling!” She jumped up with a quick flip, and landed softly on Applejack’s back, who continued walking at her normal pace, the pegasus supporting most of her own weight with the flapping of her wings. “Why wouldn’t you want to tell everypony you’re dating somepony as awesome as me?”

“Well, first off, just now you made it look like ah had to get you, when you really made the first move.”

“Well, sure, but that just means that you won me over without even trying!” Applejack looked up to find Dash beaming so brightly that she wondered if the weather pegasus could get a part time job replacing the sun. “Come on, tell me what’s up.”

“Ah’ve tried.”

“Try harder.” The pegasus, almost effortlessly, hovered off of the farmer’s back and landed in front of her, turning to meet her snout-to-snout. “I wanna know why my marefriend doesn’t want to let the whole world know that she’s totally into me.”

Applejack chuckled. “Ya know, ya can be pretty cute when yer gloatin’ left and right.”

“See?! It’s stuff like that that just confuses me more. It isn’t like you thought you liked stallions or something, right?” Dash asked, throwing the question into the air with as much effort as one throws tissue paper into a hurricane.

“Nah, nothin’ like that,” Applejack answered. “It’s nothin’ to do with you, and everythin’ to do with me.” Rainbow Dash sat down, and Applejack took that as a sign to continue. “Ever since ah got mah cutie mark, ah’ve just put mah entire life into the farm, ya know that.” Rainbow Dash nodded. “When yer workin’ an entire orchard that supports an entire town almost single-hoofedly, it takes a lot of work. Not just hard work, but lots of work, work that takes time. Without time, ah ain’t ever thought of, well, not the farm. Ah mean, ah gotta make time for friends. Everypony needs friends. Then there’s savin’ Equestria from mortal peril. That’s a newer thing, but still somethin’ that needs to be done. Ah never even thought that there might be more to my life than mah work on the farm and a few friends. A special somepony? Not even an idea ah can relate to. It’s just, out there, outside of mah brain, sittin’ around like a lazy good-fer-nothin’, but then yer kiss that night...”

“Which was totally an awesome first kiss, right?”

“...woke me up to the fact that there is more to life than this farm. Not just mah life, but life in general as ah thought of it, which is why this is hard. Ah don’t know if ah like, uh, you, because it’s new, because it’s what ah really want, because ah’m closer to a friend, because of... other wants, or any of that kind of stuff. So ah just... ah wanna make sure. Make sure this is what ah want, and not chasing some other... emotion, or somethin’. It’s hard to explain. Ah probably should have started with that.” Applejack forced a smile to her face, unsure how Dash would react to such a slew of thoughts.

Initially, she was quiet. Not angry, ashamed, sad, or even thoughtful, just quietly looking up at the farmer. Eventually, Applejack’s false smile faded and she found herself returning the gaze, the two staring at each other like looking at anything else might blind them.

Dash broke the silence with a simple utterance. “Oh.”

“Oh?” Applejack echoed.

“You’ve thought a lot harder about this than me, that’s all.”

“What do ya mean?”

“I just asked you out because, you know, you’re nice and honest and competitive and stuff. And hot.” Applejack blushed, which caused Dash to giggle. “Well, that’s cool. So, what you said earlier—”

“Ah’m thinkin’ about it Dash. Ah mean, why keep datin’ ya if ah don’t think it’s what ah want? And Celestia knows ah love seein’ ya every day,” Applejack said, stepping forward and nuzzling her marefriend.

Dash returned the gesture and said, “I just wanna make sure you’re cool with it,” Dash said, rubbing a hoof against the back of her neck. “Actually, I kinda feel bad for asking so much now. I just thought you were nervous or something...”

“It’s alright, sugarcube. Ah don’t mind one bit that yer so excited about all of this. Wouldn’t be you otherwise.”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “Great, glad we had this talk, but—” she was interrupted by her stomach growling.

Applejack chuckled. “Well, come on then, ah’ll get us some grub back home.”

The moods of the two mares renewed, they both made for Applejack’s home at a speedy trot, arriving in minutes. They chatted idly away as they went, Applejack’s anxiety lifted by Dash’s high spirits.

Once inside, Dash promptly took off for the kitchen, apparently heading for the fridge. Applejack took a moment to sit on a bench at the entrance.

Was that all it took to make her happy? A single talk with Rainbow Dash? The farmer was confused at her own comfort. Was she guilty for not having said anything before-hand when Dash had questioned her so often? She was starting to wonder if it mattered. She was happy—happy that she was on the same ground as Dash.

“Oh, to hay with it.” Applejack said as she leapt off of the bench and made for the kitchen. She found Dash already cramming half a pie into her mouth. When then pegasus saw the farmer, she froze up, some of the pie balanced on her hooves, some in her mouth.

“Let’s tell ‘em tomorrow,” Applejack said, causing Dash’s eyes to go wide. “Ah can’t act like we’re not datin’ cause ah may not be sure about it. It ain’t fair to you.”

In one gulp, she finished what pie was in her mouth, then leapt to the farmer, their snouts crashing into each other. “Really?”

Applejack blushed from the close contact, but smiled and nodded. “Yup.”

Without warning, Dash took her into a kiss, the two closing their eyes as they savored the moment. It was the same bliss she felt that night, two weeks prior, but now there was no surprise or anxiety behind what she did. When they pulled apart from the kiss, it was half-hearted. Their eyes opened in sync, and while Applejack was smiling softly, Rainbow Dash seemed to be smirking. “You’re gonna have to kiss better than that if you wanna be my marefriend.”

Before Applejack could respond, she heard the front door slam open. “AJ? AJ, you there?”

“Applebloom?” the farmer called back as she walked towards the entrance. She immediately saw the yellow and red filly charging towards here, then glanced at the clock. “Yer home early, somethin’ happen at school?”

“Uh, well no, not exactly—oh, hey Rainbow Dash!” She did a quick wave to the pegasus, who was standing at the table again. She nodded in response, and continued eating her pie. “But AJ! A mailpony brought a letter to me personally, and ya won’t believe who it was from!”

“Who then?” Applejack asked

“Ma!”

The farmer froze. “Ya mean... our mom? Our mom Apple Butter?”

“Yeah!” Applebloom said with a beam, “She said she’ll be back in a week to visit!”

“A week?! Is that all the warning she gave us?!”

Applebloom shrugged. “Ah guess...”

Applejack took a deep breath. “Heavens to Betsy...”

“What’s the big deal?” Rainbow Dash asked from behind. “So your mom’s coming to visit?”

Applejack turned around towards the pegasus. “Dash, have ya ever even seen her before?”

“Uhhh,” Dash tapped her chin in thought, “not that I know of, actually.”

“Because she ain’t been here for ten years, Rainbow Dash. Not since... well...” she tilted her head back at Applebloom. Applejack turned back to her little sister and asked, “Hey, you seen Big Mac yet?” When the filly shook her head, Applejack continued, “well, go find him!” Applebloom nodded, then turned and darted out the front door.

Applejack turned and gave a long exhale. “You okay, AJ?” Dash asked from the table.

“Ah think... ah’m just relieved, ah think.”

The pegasus raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“Dash... our mama left Applebloom here when she was two years old. She works for Equestria and Sweet Apple Acres, settling new towns and helpin’ build them up. She’s been gone ten years for one of them. She wrote a few times maybe.” Applejack’s eyes fell to the ground. “Ah’m not sure what to think, other than ah’m glad she still remembers us.”

“But what about all those reunions you guys have? Didn’t you host a huge one a while back?”

“They always send the same letter, sayin’ they can’t come. It’s almost like gettin’ form letters.” Applejack stepped back a few steps back to sit down on a nearby couch. “Ah’m not mad. Ah can’t get mad at them, they’re mah folks! But... how can they not come see us in such a long time? Applebloom barely remembers them...”

“So are you gonna be happy to see them?” Dash asked bluntly.

Applejack gave her a confused glance. “’Course ah am!”

“Then be happy to see them when they get into town!” Dash threw her arms up in example. “Give them the best party they can get!”

“B-but they’ve been gone so long...”

“So?” Rainbow Dash sat down next to Applejack. “Are you gonna tell her off when she gets here?”

Applejack spun towards her. “Why would ah do somethin’ like that?”

“I’m just saying,” Dash said. “I mean, remember when Twilight first got back to Canterlot for the wedding? She was mad at first, but they still were brother and sister.”

“But—”

“I just don’t think you should only be mad or only be happy. Just, tell her how you really feel.” Rainbow Dash threw an arm around Applejack. “I mean, it isn’t like she hates you.”

Applejack nodded. “Yeah... ah just... ah’m her family. We’re family, and she hasn’t even...” Applejack shook her head. “Ah don’t know. Just, go tell everypony, okay? Ah need some time to figure this out.”

“You sure AJ? I could—”

Applejack stepped off of the couch and turned towards the staircase at the other end of the room. “I just need a bit to myself. Ah’ll see ya later, okay Dash?” Dash raised a hoof as if to protest, but thought better of it, and decided to fly out the front door. Applejack wondered briefly if she had been too sudden in asking her to leave, but she figured that Dash would understand. She had listened to her ramble on all day, after all.

Moments later, Applejack entered her room on the second story. She darted to her night stand next to her bed, retrieving a framed photograph from the lower compartment, and tossing it on her bed to be examined.

It was an old photograph of her family. Applejack, Big Macintosh, Granny Smith, a baby Applebloom, and... her parents. Applejack looked to herself and her big brother first. Ten and eleven years old, the two hadn’t changed much in their appearance over the years, except for growing several inches, given that they both had their cutie marks at the time. Granny Smith looked like she hadn’t changed even a smidgeon.

And then there were her parents: her father, Haralson Apple, and her mother, Apple Butter. Her dad had a bright red coat that bordered on a hot pink, and his mane was a dirt-brown. His cutie mark was a solid, dark red apple, similar in shape to Big Mac’s cutie mark, without the cross-section.

Her mother... she had almost forgotten what she looked like. Her dad seemed stuck in her mind, probably because of how similar her brother looked, but her mom was always harder to remember. She had a green coat, only a few shades darker than Granny Smith’s. Her mane was a bright pink, tied up into two separate ponytails, and her tail bound much like Applejack’s. Her cutie mark was simple: two apples, yellow and blushed red, set side by side. She was rather tall, almost as tall as Haralson, and a bit lanky as well, but she was every bit a strong apple bucker that Applejack’s father was.

Applejack sat herself on the bed and picked up the picture in both hooves. After a few seconds, she felt her eyes watering up. She hugged the picture close and blinked the tears away.

Just a few more days, Applejack, and then Ma’ll be here, and everythin’ will be fine. She’ll tell you why she hasn’t talked to you in ten years, why she’s comin’ back alone, and maybe why she ain’t even stayin’.

Applejack took the photograph, placed it back under her night stand, and slammed it shut. She wiped away a few remaining tears, and decided to make for Ponyville to help everypony plan for her mom’s arrival.

When the farmer awoke, the first thing she felt was the prickly feel of hay on her back side and something soft nudging at her back. Her eyes shot open and she leapt off of whatever surface she had been sleeping on, spinning around to see what it was.

She was only a tiny bit surprised by her surroundings. It was the morning of her mother’s arrival, and for some reason, sleeping in her own bed had begun to be a challenge for her as the week went on. She vaguely recalled deciding to spend the night in the barn on a bale of hay, though she didn’t feel as sore that day as she usually did in her own bed, which was odd given that she knew that by all rights hay was not nearly as comfortable as her mattress.

What really surprised her was the rainbow-maned pegasus that had moved another bale over next to hers, and then had apparently decided to spend the night there, snoring nice and loud. Applejack idly wondered how she managed to sleep through Rainbow Dash’s monster of a snore, but she figured she had done it once before—while in a cave, no less—and so disregarded the thought.

She walked over beside the pegasus, and lowered her head so she’d be only inches away from her marefriend’s, and said, “Rainbow!”

It was only an indoor voice, but due to being so startled, Rainbow Dash shot up into the air, her head smacking into the roof. She came down to earth slowly, rubbing the top of her head in an attempt to ease the pain. “Hey, what gives?!”

“Ah’m just wonderin’ why ya decided to sleep next to me. In the barn.” Applejack tapped a hoof impatiently.

“Oh. That.” She her gaze darted back and forth, probably making sure the coast was clear, before she said, “Well, I was just worried about you. I checked your window and didn’t see you—”

“Ya check on me through my window?” Applejack asked.

“N-not usually! O-or ever! I just did it last night because I was worried about you, okay? I found you in the barn, and I couldn’t wake you up. You looked,” Rainbow Dash mused for a second, “Peaceful, I guess. So I just figured I could keep you company.”

“While I slept,” Applejack clarified.

“Yeah.”

“Right.” Applejack cleared her throat. “So what has ya so worried? The planning seems like it’s been goin’ good and all—”

“Because we—” Dash walked forward, poked herself in the chest, and then Applejack, “—haven’t spent any time together this week!”

Applejack took a step back, avoiding her marefriend’s gaze. “Well, that’s not entirely true, sugarcube.”

“We sure as heck never spent any time alone!” Dash said, stepping forward to match the farmer. “If we were ever in the same room, Pinkie or Fluttershy or somepony else would be there. Why haven’t we hung out? Heck, why haven’t we told the girls about us? I thought you said we’d do that this week?!”

“Ah did say that, but mom’s more important than that right now!” Applejack yelled. Rainbow Dash fell back on her rump at the voice, but Applejack’s angered expression dissolved in an instant. “Sorry. Ah’m just a bit stressed. That’s why ah couldn’t sleep in mah bed. This just... felt more comfortable last night.”

“You sure you didn’t feel me sleeping next to you?” Rainbow Dash said with a wink. Applejack jabbed her in the chest. “Ow! Look, just tell me why you’ve been avoiding spending time with me!”

“Ah haven’t been tryin’ to Dash, that’s what ah’m sayin’. Ah’m just thinkin’ about the party and mom and everythin’ so ah never thought about... well, uh, us. Ah’m sorry Dash. It’s just, right now, family comes first.”

“So what am I? Chopped liver?” Rainbow Dash asked. There was a moment of silence between the two mares as Rainbow Dash studied her marefriend’s expression.

Applejack returned the gaze, not worrying about what she was thinking, or how she looked. Dash’s expression intrigued her. The pegasus was almost always smiling in some manner. Smugly, excitedly, happily. She tended to smile a lot. Applejack loved that about Rainbow Dash. But at this moment, she had a cross of a few expressions. She supposed some of it was anger—the pegasus wore a mighty frown, paired with her narrow eyebrows. Yet, something in her eyes was flickering. She was unsure. Anxiety? Was that her worry presenting itself?

Applejack’s thoughts returned to herself. Why didn’t she tell her friends that week? Why did she keep herself from Rainbow Dash? Applejack wasn’t entirely sure either. Most of the week had been spent with Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle, both of whom were an overwhelming help to setting up the celebration for her mom. Rainbow Dash had been there most days, but she hadn’t been over bearing, simply present to do her best to help, and she had been a help. Did Dash really hold herself back so much during the week? Applejack had been so focused on her mom that she didn’t’ even realize that Dash had been so passive that week. The usually abrasive pegasus had really held herself back, just for Applejack.

Something inside of her ticked. She couldn’t stand seeing Rainbow Dash like that, that weak veil of anger, barely hiding her concern for the farmer. She was starting to hate it even, and decided to do something about it.

She quickly took a few steps forward, bringing her face dangerously close to Dash’s. Her face fell and surprise was quickly propped up in its place. “AJ, what are—”

She was silenced by Applejack’s lips meeting hers. The kiss was sudden but no less powerful, and Applejack pushed Dash back with both mouth and body until she hit the hay that had been their beds the previous night. After another moment, the farmer pulled back, leaving Dash with a stunned expression.

“Wh-what was that about?” Dash asked.

“That’s just me apologizin’, ‘sall,” Appejack said. “Yer right. Ah haven’t been focusin’ on the right ponies lately. If yer gonna be mah marefriend, ah gotta realize yer as important as family.”

“Uhm.” Rainbow Dash blushed for some reason unbeknownst to the farmer. “Th-thanks AJ. But it’s no big deal, really. Stuff, you know, happens sometimes. Can’t always be ready for it.”

Applejack shook her head. “It still ain’t right, so—” she pecked Dash on the cheek and continued, “—how about we tell them tomorrow, after everythin’s died down? Heck, let’s make it tonight. Ma’s gonna arrive today, but that don’t mean that we’re any less important. Ah could even introduce ya to the family, Dashie.”

“Dashie, huh?” Rainbow Dash only pondered her marefriend’s response for a moment before nodding. “Sure sure, that’s fine. I mean, I get it. It’s your mom and all.”

Applejack nodded. “So, until we tell everypony, we probably won’t have a lot of time together. I’ll probably be at the party today, then spendin’ time with family tomorrow, and after that ah’m not sure—”

“So let’s put this time to good use,” Dash interrupted, stopping Applejack with a kiss. Dash didn’t push back like the farmer did earlier, and instead she brought her in close, leaning back against the hay bales. After the initial shock, she became lost in the kiss, closing her eyes and relishing the closeness she had never once felt before with the athletic pegasus.

They pulled apart after countless moments, Applejack slowly opened her eyes. She was smiling that same smug smile she was missing that morning. She forgot how... sexy it made Rainbow Dash.

“Hmmmm,” Applejack said.

“You aren’t worried about anyone coming out to the barn, are you?” Dash asked.

Applejack shook her head. “Nah, not today. So ah think...” she planted a quick peck on Dash’s snout. “Ah think a mornin’ with you’d be perfect.”

III

The familiar sound of hooves smacking against tree trunk rang out across the orchard that morning as Applejack proceeded with harvesting apples. It may have been seven in the morning, but Applejack knew an early start would lead to less work later in the day. She had cleared half an acre, and definitely didn’t feel remotely tired at all, especially after the previous night, where she had lied to both her mother and her now ex-marefriend about who she was really dating, giving her mom hopes that she knew wouldn’t last, and losing not only her marefriend, but probably her closest friend as well.

No, it was a lot easier to just work the farm. The farm that she would basically be inheriting. That she would have to manage without her brother’s help. And now it looked like, without her marefriend.

She choked back a sudden onslaught of tears, causing her to miss her buck, her hind legs swinging through the air, the farmer then losing her balance and falling flat on her stomach.

The impact knocked the air out of her chest and made her hat fall over her face. She coughed in an attempt to catch her breath, then reached up with a hoof to raise her hat, but somehow found another hoof already raising it.

“Ya’ll okay, Jackie?” Apple Butter asked.

Applejack looked up at the lime-green mare, slowly getting to all fours. “Ah’m fine, ma.”

“Where did ya learn to think that ya could lie to yer mother, Jackie?”

“Honest, ma, ah feel fine. Fit as a fiddle.”

Apple Butter shook her head. “It ain’t no use Jackie. After... last night, with Rainbow Dash, ah had a talk with everypony else. Big Mag, Applebloom, and Granny Smith.”

“What happened?”

“When ah mentioned Rainbow Dash, and the fact that ya blew her off, they all, uh, had a look on their face. Ah think scared describes it pretty good.”

“Scared?”

Apple Butter nodded. “Ah asked them if it meant anythin’, and the first thing that happened was Apple Bloom explained that ya both were great friends. Racin’ every year in the Runnin’ of the Leaves, competin’ all the time, even goin’ campin’ together.”

“Ah coulda told ya that Rainbow Dash was mah best friend,” Applejack said. “That ain’t no big deal.”

“Then Granny Smith told us,” Apple Butter continued, “That she’s been seeing the pegasus around a lot more often, and that last week she even helped paint a barn. Said she saw you two talkin’ real close like sometimes too.”

Applejack didn’t know how Granny Smith could have possibly seen them “close up” all the way from the house, but she didn’t want to give up. “Th-that doesn’t mean anythin’.”

“Then Big Macintosh decided to tell us that he knew, for a fact, that both of ya’ll had been datin’ for a while, and ya had even talked about it just before ah got to yer room last night.”

Applejack flinched. “Oh.”

“Now, one last try, Applejack. After lyin’ to yer mother and throwin’ out yer marefriend like she was nothin’, are ya okay? Are ya really okay?”

Applejack suddenly felt exhausted. Not just out of energy, but out of everything. She was out of sadness for her tears, out of anger for her kicks, out of everything. She wanted to run into one of her farm’s apple cellars, hide alone in the dark, and let whatever monsters her mind created in the blackness come to life and take her away. What did it matter anyway? She lost her best friend and a lover, and possibly her mother. Ponies had run away after losing less, right?

Applejack lowered her gaze to the ground, her hat blocking her mother from her view. “Ah-ah told you, everythin’s fine.”

Without warning, her hat was removed from her head. She blinked, and looked up to see Apple Butter had taken the hat, and now wearing it herself. “H-hey!”

“Ah gave this hat to my daughter when ah left her in the town of her birth. Ah was leavin’ to settle a new town, and ah couldn’t bring her along. Ah gave it to her to remember me by, as well as to keep her cool in the long, hard day’s she’d be workin’, days that ah had no right to force on her. But ah guess it was misplaced. This hat belongs to my daughter, not the likes of you.” She calmly turned around and started a slow trot back home.

Applejack was gritting her teeth. Somehow, somewhere in the reserves of her mind, she uncovered a last pail of anger, and decided that now was as good a time as any to use it. She charged forward and slowed to a stop, turning as she slid so that she was directly in front of and facing her mother. “Ya wanna know why ah lied to ya? Ya wanna know why ah lied to somepony who was both my closest friend in all the years ya’ve been gone, and then one day, when ah needed it the most, told me she cared about me, loved me, and wanted to be my marefriend?”

Apple Butter stood in utter silence in response to her daugher’s tirade.

“Ah did it because you had just ripped yer own heart out, right in front of my face! Ya told me every mistake ya made, every regret ya had, and how ah had done everythin’ so much better than ya could have hoped for! So ya start askin’ me about a coltfriend, and yer really surprised that ah couldn’t tell ya that that was the one thing ah couldn’t do for ya? That ah wouldn’t be startin’ a family with a nice stallion, havin’ kids, doing it right where you did it wrong?! You didn’t even have to tell me how much it mattered. It shone on yer face plainer than a full moon in the dead of night! Ya had been askin’ me all day about mah special somepony, so who was ah to take that from ya?” Applejack reached up and grabbed the hat off of her mother’s head, the staggered mare not moving an inch in response. “So ah’m gonna take my hat that ya rightfully gave me when ya left me to the wolves, find a nice stallion in Ponyville, have me some foals, and run Sweet Apple Acres for the rest of my life, because that’s what my ma deserves.” She ended her rant by putting her hat back snugly on her head.

At first, Apple Butter didn’t move. She was still as stone, and Applejack felt oddly smug about it. Her anger was clouding her judgement, but she didn’t care. She felt relieved. But after a few moments, her mother’s face darkened. Applejack swore she saw it turn a few shades darker. Her eyes were glued to the ground, and after another moment, she got up and started making her way towards the house. Applejack, perplexed, followed behind her.

“Hey. Hey, ma?” Applejack asked.

“Yer right.”

Apple Butter’s voice was barely above a whisper. Applejack trotted up, side-by-side to her mother, and asked, “Say that again?”

“Yer right. Every word. Again.” Applejack saw a few stray tears fall from her mother’s face, which was hidden by her hair. “Ah come to what ah thought could be home... to ponies who ah thought had long ago forgotten who ah was, only to find that they loved me still. After all ah put them through, every mistake of my whole life, they still thought ah could be one of the family. If not their mother, then somethin’ still. But yer right. Ah don’t even deserve a place in the broom closet, or alone in the cellars.”

Applejack’s anger was slowly running out, but her mind was quickly realizing what she had said mere moments ago. “Mama—”

“But ya know what? Ya wanna know why ah even hoped that ya had a coltfriend?” Her voice was weak, cracking on nearly every other word. “Ah don’t hate you. Ah don’t want ya to lose yer friends. Ah just thought that ya’d be happy that way, that’s all! Consarnit, girl, yer my daughter, and ah love ya!”

“B-but—”

“Ah didn’t know that ya liked mares!” She turned to Applejack, her eyes a torrential downpour. “Ah didn’t know that ya were datin’ yer best friend! Ah didn’t want ya to break up with ’em just for me!”

“But yer my mom!” Applejack blurted out.

She scoffed. “And that means ya have to ruin yer life just to make me happy?!”

“Maybe, if ah want you to be happy!” Applejack shouted.

There was a deafening pause. Applejack was panting, as if she had just ran a marathon, and her mother was looking at her with a curious face, tears no longer falling, but their trails still present.

Suddenly, her mom laughed.

Not such a laugh that could have been mistaken for sarcasm or arrogance. No, this was a laugh Applejack recognized. It was like a Pinkie Pie laugh. Full of energy, and even a few snorts. Had she missed a joke? What was so funny, she had no idea, but despite herself, she started smiling anyway.

“Ma.”

The laughing continued.

Applejack chuckled. “Ma, stop.”

She did not stop.

Applejack was holding back snorts of laugher. “Okay, ya’ll better stop before ah tackle ya and make ya stop.”

She apparently didn’t mind being tackled.

Applejack soon found herself on the ground in an uproar as well, both mares filling the sky with the beautiful sound of laughter. Applejack tried to give her mother more warnings, but it was to no avail, as she had to make sure she had enough air to laugh, lest she stop and let this close mother-daughter moment pass her by.

After what had to have been a few minutes, both mares started to settle down, each wiping tears from their eyes and letting their lungs catch up to their brains. When it was finally calm enough, Applejack asked the obvious. “So, uh, what was that?”

Apple Butter again made the unexpected move, lunging forward to hug her daughter, keeping her head close to her bosom. Again, the hug was more of an abrupt, Pinkie-Pie hug. Applejack really had no other way of explaining a hug that made you gasp for air.

“That was me realizin’ that ya really inherited all of yer father and ah’s stubborn attitudes combined,” Apple Butter said.

“So what does that mean?” Applejack asked.

“Applejack... ah really appreciate what ya just said. That ya want me to be happy. But ya absolutely, positively, cannot go about it by destroyin’ yer own life! Just like it ain’t right for me to be pushin’ things on ya, it ain’t right for ya to drop everythin’ ya have goin’ for me. And both of us are too stubborn to see the other’s side of it. And ah just think that that is the darnedest thing about us Apples. That’s all.”

Applejack nodded. She understood her mom just fine. Both of them were so focused on trying to make the other pony happy, that they inadvertently made themselves miserable. All because they focused so much on family, that they lost sight of anything else. Actually, Applejack figured that was mostly her fault.

Was there really anything to say other than that? Applejack knew her mom loved her and she still loved her mom. Her mom was the one who had come out to tell her that she didn’t need to lie to her. Did that mean she wanted her to see Rainbow Dash again? She felt her mind open up, the consequences of the previous night starting to pour into her mind. Rainbow Dash had left her home thinking she’d never be her marefriend again.

Applejack gulped, and became completely aware of how worried she looked. “Ma, I—”

“Not another word!” Apple Butter interrupted, as if reading her mind. “Whatever ya got to say to me can’t be as important as what ya should be sayin’ to yer friend.”

Applejack didn’t need to be told twice.

Applejack stood awkwardly before the cloud door of Rainbow Dash’s home in the sky.

It was almost eleven now, and there had been great reason for taking so long to get to Rainbow Dash’s home. First off, it had been moved. After arriving at Twilight’s home a bit too early for the unicorn and asking for a cloud walking spell, and then preparing the balloon for takeoff, they spent the rest of the morning searching for the home in question. They eventually found it, almost halfway to Cloudsdale.

Of course, the question also inevitably came up: Why was Applejack looking to talk to Rainbow Dash so early in the morning, and so urgently?

At first, Applejack didn’t know how to respond. She wanted very desperately to tell her everything, about dating Rainbow Dash, about how stupid she had been to the pegasus, but she realized a few things, the first of which being that if Dash and here were still together, the pegasus would still want to tell all their friends together. The second was that they might not still be together.

That thought made her gulp. For a pony like Rainbow Dash, Applejack was of two minds about the situation at hand. The pegasus had seen ponies before, Applejack knew that. It had been a few years, but she wasn’t as inexperienced as the farmer was. She’d been through a break up or two, break ups usually consisting of “I don’t like you anymore,” or Rainbow Dash kicking them in the jaw. But what Applejack did? That didn’t even constitute a break up. That was a “I can’t acknowledge we ever liked each other, ever.”

She hoped that Rainbow Dash’s loyalty would win out though. But she had no reason to think it would.

She knocked against the door, a few quick solid hits, like she did anywhere else. She wasn’t sure if Rainbow Dash was awake or not, so she held nothing back. She heard a few muffled sounds inside which sounded like shuffling hooves. She was always surprised by how solid clouds could be. The way Dash made them, they were like hardwood floors, not like some of the fluffier textures she had walked on at Cloudsdale in the past.

The door swung open a moment later, a very sleepy Rainbow Dash at the entrance. Her mane was disheveled and a hoof was rubbing at her eyes. Applejack noticed they were slightly pink. “Who knocks on ponies’ doors so—you!” Rainbow Dash pointed an accusing hoof at the farmer. “What are... wait, how did you get up here?”

“Twilight’s Balloon.”

“But the clouds—”

“Twilight’s Magic.”

Rainbow Dash blinked. “I... haven’t we done that before? Augh, forget it. What are you doing here, Applejack?”

Rainbow Dash hadn’t hit her yet, or yelled at her. Applejack thought that gave her some hope. “Ah... ah wanted to... no, ah need to apologize to ya, about last night.”

“Apologize?” Rainbow Dash repeated. “Is that it? You think an apology is all it’ll take?” Her voice was now firmly raised, her anger growing with every word. “An apology is nothing, because what you did last night wasn’t even a break up. You blew me off like some love-sick filly who didn’t know what she was saying, right in front of your mom! How in Equestria do you think that an apology makes up for that?!”

Applejack gulped. She had said it word for word exactly how the farmer though about it earlier. “Ah... well...”

“It doesn’t!” Rainbow Dash’s voice was cracking more than usual, and something told Applejack that while this was hard for her to do, she thought she had to do it. “So go! Leave me alone! I don’t wanna see you... until... I don’t wanna see you until forever!” She slammed the door shut, nearly hitting Applejack’s snout.

“Now come on, Dash!” Applejack yelled through the door. “Let me have my say!”

“You don’t have any say,” Rainbow Dash shouted back, “so why don’t you go find your coltfriend and show him off to your mom already!”

“Because she sent me out here to begin with!”

Somehow, there was utter silence. What Applejack would call silence, back on the ground, would not be utter silence. There were always sounds: maybe that of a nearby stream, a pony talking in the distance, trees rustling, critters making tiny bits of sound. Up in the sky, though, you needed wind. Birds were not guaranteed to be close, and pegasi weren’t everywhere. So there was only the wind to give comfort to those used to at least the tiniest bits of sound. But right now, the air was dead, and the silence was audible.

The door opened. Applejack didn’t know how long she stood alone in that silence. It could have been ten seconds, or ten minutes. Just seeing another pony relieved the tension that was building inside of her. Rainbow Dash looked bewildered. “What?”

“Ma knows everythin’. That ah lied, that ah wasn’t seein’ no stallion, that ah really... ah really loved you.”

Her world was sent spinning. She caught a glimpse of the sky and saw that it was growing distant with every second. There was a sharp pain in her face from the impact of a cyan hoof, the pain of which was already numbing her to the sensation of falling. When she came to her senses, she saw she was already halfway to the ground. Before she could even start to scream, a rainbow-colored blur caught up with her, and soon the earth stopped approaching her at breakneck speeds.

“You don’t get to say something like that after what you did last night!” Rainbow Dash shouted. She was effortlessly holding Applejack by both of her forelegs. She raced up to her cloud home, putting Applejack in the front step again. Still floating above the farmer, she said, “Th-that isn’t fair!”

“Well, it’s the truth!” Applejack said. She had fallen plenty of times, and this didn’t shock her in the slightest, though somewhere in her mind she figured she deserved that hit. “Ah know ah ain’t done nothin’ to deserve it, but... but ah need ya back, Dash. Ya’ll were the best thing to ever happen to me. Better than mah folks, better than all this hero stuff... better than all of it.”

“Applejack, stop it.”

“Yer loyal, funny, ready to throw yerself at anythin’ that threatens yer friends, and ya work hard, even if ya complain a bit much. If there’s anypony among my friends that ah trust, it’s you, with anythin’ and everythin’. Yer as stubborn and headstrong as ah am, and yer the only pony that can keep up with me. And dangit if ya don’t look like one of the prettiest mares in Ponyville when ya don’t even try.” That line caused Rainbow Dash to blush. “But... ah did wrong by you, and if yer sure ya don’t want me back, then it ain’t my place to try. Ah’ve caused you enough pain, anyway.”

Applejack turned from Rainbow Dash and made her way back to the balloon. The pegasus didn’t say anything at first, and Applejack took that as a sign that it was done. When she was about to jump into the basket, she looked back at her. Rainbow Dash’s expression was unreadable to the farmer. She was thinking, but Applejack didn’t have anything to say. She had said all she could. She made a mistake. She apologized. There wasn’t anything else she could do, and knew that it was up to the pegasus to decide if she was worth it. Applejack couldn’t do squat.

She pushed the basket over the edge, and then jumped in. The balloon still had enough hot air to slow the descent, so Applejack didn’t bother to light the flame, since she’d be down in maybe a minute at most. When she was about halfway down, she felt her chest tighten suddenly. She felt a wetness on her face, and she had to hold back a sob. That was it, then. Rainbow Dash really wasn’t her marefriend anymore. The farmer took a deep breath, holding back the rushing water with continuous blinks like a makeshift dam.

By the time she landed, the dam had already broke, and she was letting out the periodic sob as she felt tears stream down her face. She lit the flame and jumped out, letting the balloon get a tiny bit of altitude before tying a rope that was attached to the balloon to herself. With one last sniffle, she swallowed the sadness and started making for Ponyville.

That was when a gust of wind blew in from behind her. She swung around to see Rainbow Dash there once again, wearing an oddly neutral expression.

“Do you remember the day I got to Ponyville?” Rainbow Dash asked. She didn’t seem to care at all that Applejack was crying.

Applejack rubbed away a few tears. “Wh-what?”

“Do you?”

“Uhhhh, yeah, ah think so.” Quickly composing herself from this strange turn of events, she said, “Ah was haulin’ an apple cart back to Sweet Apple Acres, and ya called out to me, right?”

“Yup,” Rainbow Dash said with a grin, “and I asked you if you wanted to race. I hadn’t seen many earth ponies, so I wondered if they were any bit as fast as I was. You said you’d race me, but that I couldn’t use my wings, since you couldn’t fly.”

“Heh, some things never change, ah guess.” Applejack didn’t know what Rainbow Dash was getting at, but she was happy as ever to at least be talking with her. “Ah set the finish line for Sweet Apple Acres, which ya said ya knew the way too.”

“And then we raced.”

“And ah totally beat you.”

“Yup!” Rainbow Dash didn’t seem the least bit offended. “You totally creamed me. I hadn’t really raced with my legs before, so when you sped ahead of me so suddenly, I was kind of left in awe. That’s when I decided to get better at racing, both on the ground, and through the air. I don’t think I would have given it much thought if it was anypony else, since I would have beaten them.”

Applejack nodded, remembering the day more clearly now. “Yeah, ah remember that. That happened around September too, ah think.”

“So wanna race again?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Dash, c’mon, ya just let me leave yer house after ah begged to have ya back, and yer askin’ me for a race?!”

Rainbow Dash ignored Applejack’s protests. “Come on, it’ll be fun!”

Applejack sighed, and nodded. She took the hot air balloon’s rope and tied it to a nearby tree. She then took her place on the path, standing right next to the pegasus. “Where to, then?” Applejack asked.

“Sweet Apple Acres. Just like the first time. So you’re up for it?”

“Ah’m... ah think...” she looked over at Rainbow Dash.

There it was again. That smile she looked for whenever she was with her. A smug, confident smile that made her light up like a lamp. Applejack got all she needed from a smile like that, given how well she knew the her. She had no intent on hurting Applejack, no malicious reason behind this. She wanted a race, pure and simple. So that’s what Applejack would give her.

“On my mark!” Rainbow Dash said, not waiting for Applejack to finish her thought. “Three-two-one-go!”

Rainbow Dash took off in a blur, but Applejack was ready for it, and sped off right beside her. In a moment, she was neck and neck with the Equestria’s number one flier, but she had no intention of staying there. It would be about seven minutes of full sprinting before they reached the farm, and Applejack had the advantage: she had been up early, and had been bucking apples all morning to boot. She was warmed up. She guessed Rainbow Dash had been in her house most of the morning, and that she hadn’t had a chance to warm up, let alone wake up.

Applejack let the race focus her mind, feeling every step and every breeze around her body. It wasn’t just her competitive spirit that kept her interested in sports, racing especially, but it was partially the confidence that she could run a race, that made her push onward. She could run a farm, support her family, and win a race. Her athleticism was just another part of herself that she made sure to keep going, and she was proud of it. And after two sharp turns that were about halfway to their destination, Applejack knew she was still as athletic as ever, as she started pulling ahead of Rainbow Dash. She looked back and flashed one confident smile before turning her focus forward again, making sure to keep up the pace.

It occurred to her once that maybe she should let Rainbow Dash win. Let her feel some confidence again. But Applejack dismissed it as quickly as she was running. Rainbow Dash wanted an honest race, that much she could tell from her attitude, and Applejack was gonna give it to her. The pegasus definitely deserved that much. It also wouldn’t have been the most honest thing, and Applejack was done with all this not-honesty.

After another turn, Applejack knew she was on the final stretch, and the rest of the way to Sweet Apple Acres was a straight line. Unfortunately, Rainbow Dash had caught up with her, and the two were neck-and-neck again. Applejack chanced a glance at her, and saw her face was one of complete concentration. Applejack gathered that she was working as hard as she could to keep up, and Applejack wasn’t even sure she had gone full-tilt yet.

They crested a hill, and the front entrance of Sweet Apple Acres came into view, maybe a thousand feet in front of them. Rainbow Dash suddenly pulled forward with a burst of speed that took Applejack by total surprise. Rainbow Dash turned her head and stuck her tongue out at the farmer. “Think you can keep up with me?” She taunted.

“Ah know ah can.” With one last burst of energy, the farmer charged forward. She completely overtook the pegasus and zoomed past her, leaving a hefty dust trail in her wake, and mere seconds later, she crossed the front gate.

She had won. Applejack let out an internal cheer, and turned around to see how the defeated pegasus’s response. She was met by Rainbow Dash crashing into her, her momentum carrying the two as the rolled along the ground, until they finally stopped with Rainbow Dash standing over an Applejack lying flat on her back.

“What in the—” Her eyes went wide as Rainbow Dash interrupted her protests with a kiss. Dash pulled back a moment later, and Applejack was still as surprised as ever. “Uh, Dash?”

“I love you, Applejack,” Rainbow Dash said.

Applejack blinked. “W-what?!”

“Last night... after you kicked me out, and I got home... I did a lot of thinking, and realized that you were the only pony I’ve ever even given a second thought to when I thought we were over. I was scared that we’d never talk to each other again, or something dumb like that. I got... really worked up over it. You’re so great. I think that race I just made you do showed it too. For some reason, I wanted you to beat me, but I couldn’t hold back. So when you charged forward, something about it told me that... that you’ll really try again, just like now. I mean, Always helping everypony you can. Always putting all the blame on yourself and taking so much responsibility. I couldn’t do that. I don’t do that. And it’s all you ever do. Even last night... I realized earlier that you didn’t want to hurt me, but you were just trying to make your mom happy. Even in the worst of times, you just wanted to do the right thing. It was the wrong thing, but you thought it was the right thing.”

Applejack nodded cautiously. “Ah... ah’m glad ya understand, but—”

“But that’s just it! I want to stay mad at you! I ought to hate you! But... but somewhere in my stupid, stupid brain, I know you wouldn’t do something like that on purpose. Not just to get me mad, or just to make me feel worse. I don’t know if that’s worse or better, but I can’t hate you for it. So... I’ll give it another shot, if you’re still up for it. Just promise me you won’t do something like that again.”

Applejack nodded. The last day had been one of the hardest days of her life, and not for any physical reasons. Her mother’s confessions of regret, Applejack herself nearly losing her closest friend, but now she felt... that it was over. Somehow, everything had worked out. Her mom no longer bore those regrets, knowing full well her family not only prevailed, but still loved her. She had Rainbow Dash again, even if she didn’t feel that she deserved somepony like her.

And so she smiled, her heart restored to its rightful state. “Ah promise.” With those words, she reached up to kiss Rainbow Dash, their lips only just meeting when she heard a shuffling of hooves approaching them. Both ponies looked up, still attached at the mouth, to find a bemused Apple Butter looking down at both of them.

Both mares scrambled to their hooves, Applejack blushing furiously and Rainbow Dash looking proud of herself. “Ah’m all for both of ya bein’ happy,” Apple Butter said, “but careful where ya decide to show it. Ya never know who might be watchin’.”

“No problem, Mrs. Apple. Thanks for the advice.” Applejack looked over to a slyly smiling Rainbow Dash.

Apple Butter snickered. “Wow, no one’s called me that in a loooong time.” She motioned with a hoof towards Applejack’s home. “How about ya join us for lunch, Miss Dash? Get ya used to life in the Apple Family and all? It’s just about lunch time by now, ah reckon.”

“Huh?” Rainbow Dash looked over at Applejack, who replied with a shrug.

Apple Butter walked over to her daughter, draping an arm over her shoulder. “Well, sure! Ah mean, ah can only assume if my daughter’s datin’ ya, that she thinks ya’d make a good wife. Right, sugar?” She said, turning to Applejack, who started blushing even harder than before. “Ah’ll see ya’ll inside then, ah hope.” Apple Butter then started trotting toward the house, not even bothering to glance back at the two mares.

An awkward silence hung in the air, and was broken just as quickly as it settled by Rainbow Dash. “What... was that?”

“Ah think that was her way of makin’ a joke, and sayin’ that she’s okay with you.” Applejack nodded, reassuring herself. “Yeah, that’s gotta be it.”

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. And your mom totally just offered me some free food. So let’s go. As marefriend and marefriend.” She threw an arm over Applejack’s shoulder.

The farmer closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, exhaling it as slowly as she could. She felt no pressure on her shoulders—not metaphorically at least. She wasn’t worried about her relationship with Rainbow Dash, she wasn’t worried about her mother, her brother, nothing. In that moment, all her worries had ceased to be, and she was purely happy. She almost felt like she could cry again, but there wasn’t any need. She had done enough of that the last day or so. No, now it was time to celebrate, and be happy, and when the next big worry came, she’d worry about it.

But for now, she’d spend some time with her family, and her loved ones, all one and the same.

Applejack walked out from under Rainbow Dash’s grip, and looked back at her. “Hey, Rainbow Dash.”

“Yeah?”

“Race ya.”

II

The air of the Ponyville train station was unusually heavy, as if laced with lead. The station itself was a five minute walk from all of Ponyville, and she was completely alone. Not that she minded. After what had happened that morning, she didn’t mind one bit. Spending all morning making out with your marefriend, she figured, weighed on the heart a little bit. At least, it weighed on hers.

Just, letting it all go like that... it felt amazing. She still shivered when she thought back to it, and even parting ways proved difficult for the farmer. She’d been a busy, nervous wreck most of the week, and having Dash there at the end of all of it was the best thing she could have asked for. They had gone out on dates, despite not really being able to do much in public besides talk, and they hadn’t ever come close to, uh, spending the night. Even the thought made Applejack blush, making her glad she was alone on that platform. That morning was probably the longest time they had ever had privately, let alone intimately. And it was on the day her mother arrived.

The whole thing still felt surreal. If she hadn’t seen the letter with her own eyes, and read it over what was probably fifty times during that week, she wouldn’t have. And besides that, pretty much all of Ponyville was glad to have her back. Mayor Mare, among some of the other ponies around or older than Applejack’s age, all remembered her fairly well. She had been more than just the pony who ran Sweet Apple Acres in her years there. She had helped in various public projects for the town, and was a crucial organizer, not unlike her friend Twilight Sparkle, and as such she had made many friends in Ponyville. Applejack wondered idly if her mother had any plans for the family. She was a pretty active mare, very excitable and easily enthused, but she had always managed to at least keep a list of chores up for the family when she was in Ponyville. A thought drifted into her mind that Pinkie Pie reminded her of her mom, which caused her to smile. She couldn’t wait for those two to meet.

All this brainstorming brought her to a worrying conclusion: she hadn’t thought of her mom in years. She may as well have not existed. But that letter reminded her that she did, and that she was coming back, even if it was only for a while. She didn’t know if everything would be better with her back, or if it would simply hurt to have her back, but she did know that if nothing else, she really did miss her dearly, and that was how she was gonna greet her: like a daughter who hasn’t seen her mom in years and misses her more than the whole world.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the approaching train, the engine turning the silence around her into mechanical ambience. Applejack gulped, and remembered the plan: try and convince her to go to Sugar Cube Corner. She figured she had any number of ways to convince her to as well: as she recalled, her mother had been good friends with the Cakes, and she was probably hungry on the train ride over.

Soon, the train had come to a complete stop, only a couple cars in front of the tiny Ponyville train station. Applejack gulped again as the doors opened. There was an eerie few seconds of silence, and then her mother stepped off of the train.

Applejack’s heart stopped. It felt like time had stopped as well. Any worries she had, any lingering doubts she hadn’t come to terms with, she felt them melt away, as if they hadn’t ever been there in the first place. She appeared just how Applejack remembered her: a faint, lime green coat and a light pink mane and tail. Her mane was styled differently now, worn down and slightly curled, but only long enough to reach half-way down her neck.

She looked at Applejack from the train, eyes glued on her daughter as she took two steps onto the platform, examining every aspect she could find of the mare. Her eyes went from studying to realization when she spoke. “... Jackie?”

Whatever walls held Applejack in place instantly crumbled as she dashed forward and threw her arms around her mother. “Ma!”

“Jackie!” The two embraced each other only as mother and daughter could, Applejack on the brink of tears as she held onto her mom as if she would fall away forever if she let go. After a few moments, she felt a hoof tab her head and she looked up into her mother’s face. “Sweetheart, lemme see yer face.”

Applejack complied without thinking, perplexed by the request. She looked up into her mother’s eyes, remembering how they used to comfort her when she was little. She always loved the color, just because it set her apart from the rest of her apple-colored family. Most of her relatives had anywhere from yellow, red, orange, green coats, all manners of colors related to their fruit-inspired name, but her mom was special. She had dark yet calming blue eyes, more like the ocean than the sky, and she still remembered those, and she felt those memories wash over her as she looked into them now.

“Ya’ve done a lot of growin’ up while ah was gone...” she finally said. “Ah... ah’ve missed all of it.”

Applejack wasn’t sure how to respond. That very fact was the only reason she was anything but purely happy to see her again, and her mom just brought it up. Her gaze shifted downward as she said, “Mama, it’s...”

“No. No whatever you don’t wanna say needs to be said. Ah shoulda never left for 10 years.”

Applejack pushed herself back from Apple Butter. “M-mama.” She realized she stuttered. She hadn’t spoken directly to her mom in... years. Half of her life. “Mom, it’s okay. Ah know that ya don’t hate us, and that ya miss us. Any mom would. So ah ain’t gonna have mah own mom guilt trippin’ herself into Tartarus before she’s even off of the station.”

Apple Butter nodded. “Right. There’s a time and a place for everythin’ after all.” She glanced around the station. “So where is everypony?”

“They’re busy at the farm, but you’ll be seein’ ‘em soon enough,” Applejack said. Somehow she had no issue lying to her mom about this. It was for a party after all. It served no purpose to spoil a surprise party. “But, why don’t we stop by Sugar Cube Corner? Ya gotta be hungry after that long train ride right?” Applejack started making her way down from the station and towards Ponyville, Apple Butter following right behind her.

“That bakery run by Mr. and Mrs. Cake? They still own that?”

“Yup! They had themselves some young’ns too! A matching pair, to boot.”

“Twins! Oh, I can’t wait to see the little darlings!” She squealed in utter excitement.

Applejack laughed. “I’m sure you’ll have time to catch up with everypony, ma. After all, this is your...” Applejack paused. The letter said visit. So what did that make it? A vacation? A week long stay? Checking up on the family? She didn’t actually know.

Her thoughts were cut off by Apple Butter speaking up again. “Ah don’t expect you to hold mah hoof all around town, but ah am gonna need yer help in catching up a little bit, hehe. But enough about me,” she stopped and turned to face her daughter and said, “Do you have a special somepony?”

Applejack stopped and blinked. “Uhm, what?”

“You know,” Apple Butter said, “A somepony in your life that’s... really special?”

Applejack gulped. “Uhm, ah wouldn’t exactly, uh...”

Apple Butter gave a laugh that interrupted Applejack’s stammering. “Say no more sugar, ah recognize a stutter like that anywhere. Ya’ll already got yerself a stallion, don’tchya?”

“W-well, uh, actually uh—”

“Oh, he must be a real good one if he has ya so speechless. So what’s his name?”

Now Applejack was just confused. She had plans to tell her mom about Rainbow Dash, but that was twice that her mom had specified that she was seeing a stallion. She normally wouldn’t think anything of it, except that this line of questioning had come out of nowhere, and that made her pause. Did her mom have some hidden expectation that she had to date a stallion?

It wasn’t that that was bad a bad thing either. She wasn’t ever one to think about dating or the idea of a relationship, but to say she had never seen what she considered a handsome stallion or a good-looking mare would be a lie. This was simply very much the last thing on her mind when she knew her mom was coming to visit.

Applejack decided she’d probe her mom’s mind a bit more, hoping to get a glimpse at what she was thinking about. “Why’re you pryin’ all of a sudden?”

Apple Butter giggled like a school filly. “Sorry sugar, just, ya know, havin’ a bit of fun with ya. Yer father and ah don’t get a lot of free time down in Hooveston, so we gotta make our fun. Ah’m sure it’ll come up sometime while ah’m here, right?” Her eyes glowed in anticipation.

Applejack could only giggle at her mother’s antics. “Ah’m sure the whole family will have time to talk, mama.”

The two continued their walk, Applejack never letting on what would happen at Sugar Cube Corner, and her mom probing her for as much information about the town or her family as she could. Their pace was meticulously slow, both ponies matching their progressively slower and slower speeds so that they could continue sharing each other’s company. Applejack almost felt bad for taking so much private time with her, but it would be a long stay on her mother’s part, and there would be plenty of time.

Eventually, Sugar Cube Corner came into view. Applejack knew the party would start as soon as they walked in, so she decided to figure out if her mom was even able to attend what would likely be an all day party.

“So, ma?” Applejack asked.

“Yes?”

“Yer not tired or nothin’, right? Ah haven’t really given ya a moment’s rest since ya got off the train.”

Apple Butter giggled. “Ah only woke up a bit before ah arrived, and seein’ you positively woke me up in ways ah never thought could happen again.” She gave her daughter a full on bear hug, something Applejack might have expected from Pinkie Pie. “So ah’m quite fine, and ah mighty appreciate ya askin’.”

Applejack nodded. “Just makin’ sure.” The two ponies reached the bakery, but Applejack stopped her mom from going in. “This is kinda a weird question, but do ya remember any of mah friends? From before you left?”

“Well,” she said as she brought a hoof to her chin, “Ah kinda remember yer little white unicorn friend. Rarely or something. Not really anypony else though.”

“So you didn’t meet Pinkie Pie?” Her mother shook her head. “See, Pinkie Pie was this little filly that came down to Ponyville from a rock farm. The pink one?” She shook her head again. “Well, then I think you’re in for a surprise, because she’s a very special pony to Ponyville.” She slowly pushed the door open, and motioned for her mom to step forward. After all, her special talent is parties.”

“What are you on about Apple—”

“SURPRISE!

Apple Butter jumped backwards out of fright, slamming into Applejack and then into the now closed door. The collective yell was the product of the lights of the entire bakery all coming on at once and ponies from every conceivable hiding place jumping out with a shout. Applejack watched her mom’s recovering gaze jump to and fro between all the ponies, and then to the banner, which said “WELCOME HOME APPLE BUTTER.”

It was then that Mayor Mare approached the two ponies in the entrance way. Apple Butter recognized her instantly, charging forward to grab her in a hug, the mayor raising her own forelegs to meet her, but a blur of pink threw itself between the two, Pinkie Pie appearing to shove the two aside, as if they had been fighting. “Sorry girls, but there’s no time! We have an emergency!”

“What is it?!” Apple Butter asked, looking somewhat confused that the mayor wasn’t in a similar state of worry. “Wait, aren’t you Pink—”

“Applejack’s, own, mother, is in town,” Pinkie cried, “and we’re just sitting here in Sugar Cube Corner, not doing anything! So let’s get this SHOW ON THE ROAD!” She threw a hoof in the air, and somewhere beyond the line of sight of Applejack, music started playing, and confetti shot into the air. Apple Butter looked back at Applejack, throwing her a sly smile, and all Applejack could do was chuckle in response.

The day had gone perfectly so far for Applejack.

While the initial party focused on her mother, even prompting her to give a speech which wowed what seemed like the entirety of Ponyville, she looked like she enjoyed it. Applejack figured her roles in Hooveston probably gave her some public speaking practice, and she figured her mother would like the attention. The food was great and there was even singing, all of which she took in perfect stride. Applejack felt like her mom was desiring such treatment, figuring that she didn’t get much in the way of parties or fun in Hooveston. Partway into the afternoon, it really turned into a town-wide celebration, though why it was so big Applejack wasn’t particularly sure. Her mom was a big deal, she’d admit that any day, but to give the whole town a day off to party? It was probably Pinkie’s doing and she decided to give it no further thought.

It was around then when Applejack lost all track of her mother’s whereabouts. She had a vague recollection of seeing her mom with her brother and sister, but that was it. Applejack had had an upwards of half an hour with her that morning, and figured she could, and should, leave her to her own devices for once.

Applejack was just leaving Sugar Cube Corner when she felt a gust of wind from behind her and instantly realized the cause. “Hey Rainbow,” Applejack said as she turned towards the pegasus.

“’Sup. Where’s your mom?” Rainbow Dash asked, looking back and forth for Apple Butter.

“Off with Big Mac and Applebloom, ah think. Ah didn’t actually see her leave, but it’s no big deal. Is there, uh, somethin’ up then?” Applejack asked.

“I was just wonderin’ when we’d tell the girls about us, that’s all,” she answered.

Applejack glanced back and forth. Seeing they had somehow come to found an empty spot in town, she continued unabated. “Didn’t ah tell you that we could to it tomorrow?”

“Look here, Applesmack,” Rainbow Dash said, “A week ago, you said we could tell our friends. Then you delayed it until your mom got here. Who’s to say you won’t delay it again?!”

“If there’s soemthin’ on yer mind Dash, just say it.”

“I just think you’re worried more about your mom than us.”

“You’re surprised? If Pinkie Pie was gone for ten years then came back, would you just ignore her until a couple days later? That ain’t fair.” Applejack sighed. “Besides, that ain’t the problem. When ah was leadin’ her to Sugar Cube Corner, she kept askin’ me weird question. She thought ah was seein’ stallion, kept asking about him.”

“Oh, so your mom cares who you’re dating now?” Rainbow Dash retorted, “You don’t wanna tell our friends because she doesn’t want you to date a mare?”

“That ain’t it, Rainbow,” Applejack said, but the pegasus seemed content in continuing her rant.

“We aren’t telling her, we don’t even have to tell her if you want. I just want our friends to know at least!”

“Ah’m tellin’ ya, that ain’t the issue RD!” Applejack yelled. The pegasus was still gritting her teeth, but she quieted down. Another quick glance around showed that nopony Applejack could see had heard her. She sighed, and said, “Ah ain’t gonna be choosin’ you or mom. Ah just wanna figure out what her side of this all is before ah do anythin’. Ah don’t wanna leave mah family in the dark about this, and if she finds out, ah don’t want it to break her heart or nothin’, okay?”

“Still sounds like picking her over me,” Dash snorted. “I mean, I’m like 20% more manly than any stallion in Ponyville anyway.”

“Just, gimme a day and ah’ll get around to askin’ her about it, figure it out,” Applejack said. “Ah mean, if she really wants me to date a stallion, heck if ah’m gonna change for her. Ah like you.”

“Glad to hear you say it, at least,” Rainbow Dash said.

Applejack ignored her snide attitude and continued. “Ah just don’t wanna ruin her stay here, all right? Ah still want us to be—”

“Look,” Dash interrupted. “Fine. Whatever. I’m not gonna say you don’t like me. I’m just tired of how we’re beating around the bush when you’ve already admitted that we’re cool. So I’m going to do like we originally planned and tell them TONIGHT.” She took a few steps away from the farmer and lifted off, hovering only a foot or so above the ground.

“Wait just a minute RD—”

“I’ll come by and pick you up sometime tonight. We can all go out to eat and tell them. I’ll even pay! I just want our friends to know because I’m tired of keeping them in the dark and tired of keeping us in the dark! I’m gonna hope you agree and hope you come with me and hope that you do the right damned thing.” With that, she sped off into the sky.

“RAINBOW!” Applejack called out, but it was to no avail, as the pegasus wasn’t even in sight anymore. “Consarnit,” Applejack swore as she threw her hat to the ground in frustration. “Where does she get off, cursin’ at me?”

Applejack put her hat back on and made her way for home, figuring she had gone there after the party started dying down.. Her heart was racing and her back legs were twitching, making her only hope she didn’t kick the next pony that spoke a word to her. What the hell was fair about anything Rainbow Dash just said to her? Applejack loved her, she sure as heck didn’t need to say it. That morning should have made it clear enough.

“Picking” her mom over RD? The thought made her gag. Rainbow Dash was her marefriend, and one of her oldest friends in Ponyville. Her mom... what was her mom, then? Just some pony that gave birth to her then left her to fend for herself and Sweet Apple Acres? Did the fact that she was her mother suddenly become so lost to her just because her marefriend didn’t like her? She knew that she couldn’t throw her mom under the bus so easily, yet she also couldn’t betray Rainbow Dash like that.

Whatever anger she felt in her chest now felt like it was rushing up to her head, as if her heart didn’t have room for it all. She found herself sitting down on the dirt path from Ponyville to Sweet Apple Acres, and wanted to scream. She loved her mom, but she couldn’t just ignore what she thought of her, could she? And where would that leave Rainbow Dash?

After nearly a minute, whatever feeling she felt passed, and she no longer felt like smashing through the ground and screaming into the late aftrernoon air. It was all made worse by the fact that she was probably worrying over nothing. Her mom was probably just assuming. No reason to think her mom was suddenly scared of her falling for a mare. She’d get home, find her there, ask what was up, find nothing wrong, and go tell all her friends. She was getting worked up over a ton of hypotheticals that wouldn’t happen, and she was delaying herself from finding her mom.

She had every reason to think it would continue being the perfect day.

“Hey, you okay AJ?”

“Ah’m fine Big Mac, why wouldn’t ah be?”

“’Cause you ain’t left yer room since dinner.”

“So?”

“Well, that’s also when our ma broke the news about how I might be headin’ to Hooveston soon.”

“That’s in a few years.”

“So it’s somethin’ else then?”

“Ah’m just thinkin’, all right?”

“Is it about Dash?”

Applejack spun on her seat on her bed around to face her brother, who stood in her bedroom’s doorway. “What do you know about Dash?

“I know I saw you and her, as Pinkie Pie might say, ‘face hugging,’ in the barn this mornin’.” Her brother wore a weak smile.

Applejack’s face immediately turned a bright red, much like the barn she had painted a week ago. She knew he didn’t wanna hurt her in finding out or asking her about it, but the fact that he knew before she intended made her feel worse somehow. Guilt, she supposed. “O-oh, ya saw that...”

“Ah didn’t see ya two hang out at all after ma got here. Is somethin’ goin’ on?”

Applejack shook her head. “N-not exactly. Ah mean, that’s part of it, but it’s just... everythin’. Ah mean, why the heck do ya have to go to Hooveston? We can barely keep the farm going as it is!”

“I don’t have to go, you know.”

“But ya wanna.”

Her brother remained silent.

“Ah mean, ah don’t blame ya. Ya’d be a great help, and ya’d be with ma and pa.

“AJ...”

“But yer right, that isn’t all of it. Part if it is Dash. She wanted to tell our friends today that we’ve been datin’.”

“Well, how long have you two been datin’?”

“Just about three weeks now. She wanted to tell everypony a week ago, but, ya know, mom’s letter came that day.”

Big Mac nodded. “So she decided to tell them today?”

“Yeah. Tonight, actually.”

“So why’d ya say no?”

“Cause ma was askin’ me weird questions. She kept asking me if ah was datin’ a stallion, and who he was, and stuff.”

Big Mac raised an eyebrow. “So?”

“What do ya mean ‘so?’”

“Maybe she just thinks ya need somepony and just took a guess that ya liked stallions.”

Applejack made a spitting motion. “Ah doubt it. She’s got plans for you, why wouldn’t she have plans for me?”

“Just ask her. Believe it or not, your ma ain’t gonna bite you if you ask her a question.”

“Mhmm.” Applejack turned around again, now facing her window. “Ah know yer worried about me, but it’s okay. Ah’ll get around to askin’ her, it’s no big deal.”

Big Mac shook his head. “Ah know you too well to know that you fully mean what you say. But I also know that you’re too stubborn to listen to me. So ah’ll leave you too it, cause I know you’ll do the right thing.”

“And what do you think is ‘the right thing,’ big brother?” She asked snidely.

“Just think about what’s important to you sis, it ain’t that hard.” With that, he left her room, gently shutting the door behind himself.

Applejack continued to stare forward, straight out her bedroom window. It was dark now, well past dinner. With Rainbow Dash’s promise of coming to pick her up, she hadn’t eaten much. It didn’t help that her mom had dropped a bombshell on the entire house: she was hoping that in about three years, Big Mac would come up to Hooveston to help them with planning the town and with some manual labor. Then, after who knows how long, they’d all come back to Sweet Apple Acres. So far, though, it was the plan to leave Applejack, Applebloom, and Granny Smith behind at Sweet Apple Acres in Ponyville, maybe getting some help from another farm for a few years.

The news sickened Applejack. Yes, it was confirmation that her parents would be returning. But that paled in comparison to the fact that her brother would have to leave her family for a few years. Her parents had already been gone ten, and now her brother had to leave? Something inside of her burned, and she currently had no way of dealing with it.

Applejack had a temper, yes. But she normally had a way to work it off: work. Now, she was sitting in her room at six in the evening, waiting for her marefriend to pick her up, while she just learned that her brother might be leaving for several years. That another close member of her family might be leaving. At some point, she’d probably have a huge argument with him about it. She knew that her opinion wouldn’t change anytime soon, and that she didn’t want him to go, but she couldn’t force him to stay, and that burned at her core.

There was a sudden knock at her door. “Sugar, are you alright in there? Ya haven’t come out since dinner.”

“Everythin’s fine, Apple Butter.”

There wasn’t even a pause. “Can ah come in? Ah think we should have a talk.”

Applejack paused to think, and figured it was as good a time as any to try and figure out what was going on. “Sure, that’s fine.”

She heard the door open, her mom stepping through the door way, then the door close. Applejack continued to look out the window, mostly for any sign of Rainbow Dash.

“Jackie, sweetie,” Apple Butter started, “If ya aren’t going to address me as yer mom, then at least have the decency to look at me like ah’m another pony.”

Applejack sighed, and turned on her bed to face the mare she called mama. Her deep, blue eyes were a perfect portrait of worry and fear, two emotions she had never seen on her mom’s face before. Yet, somehow, in whatever anger she was feeling, she didn’t find herself caring too much.

“Ya... seem a little mad,” Apple Butter finally said.

“Ah think ‘a little’ is a big understatement.”.

“Is this... is this about what we talked about over dinner? With yer dad and ah askin’ yer brother to come up to Hooveston?”

Applejack waved a hoof. “Nah, how could that be the issue? Ah ain’t never had family leave me before. ‘tain’t no big deal.”

“Now that ain’t fair Jackie, and ya’ll know it.”

“No, mama, ah got it exactly right, so ah’m gonna tell ya straight.” Applejack pointed a hoof accusingly at her mother. “Ya left an eleven, a ten, and a two year old here, all to be taken care of by your mother, our grandmother, for ten whole years, with only a few farm helpers that lived here until Big Mac and ah were old enough to do all the farm work. That was hard. When we were old enough, we may have had our cutie marks, but we went from just buckin’ a couple acres we each had to do on our own, to doin’ the entire farm by our lonesome. That was daunting. Then, we figured out what we were best at. Big Mac was good at apple buckin’. Granny was good at workin’ the book and zap apple harvests. Ah had to work the farm, the market, marketing, and pretty much every other darned aspect of this farm, just to keep it alive, while also makin’ sure Applebloom had a proper upraisin’, good schoolin’, everythin’. Ah had to hold this farm, this family together. That was impossible.”

“And yet ya did it. Ya did it all so well,” Apple Butter said.

Applejack ignored her. “That’s why ah ain’t scared when mah friends and ah gotta go tackle some ginormous beast, or some kinda demigod. Us, living through everything ah just listed, is impossible. And ah’ve done the impossible. Ah took YOUR place when YOU left us. Ya were such an influence on me and ya weren’t even damned here to see me grow. Ah say ‘sugarcube’ all the time, ya know? Like how ya say ‘sugar.’ Ya’ve seen Applebloom, haven’t ya? She’s... she’s like a little me. It’s like ah was her mom, and she’s my little sister. Because ah had to raise her like she was mah own. Ah... ah had to do all of this. Ah had to hold this family together.”

“Jackie...” Her mother said, with an unreadable expression. Applejack couldn’t really see it; it was like there was water pouring all over her eyes, and she wasn’t quite sure why.

“When ah got mah cutie mark and came all the way back here from Manehattan, it wasn’t just about me realizin’ ah loved the farm. It was about us. It was about mah family. Ah loved all of ya and ah couldn’t stand bein’ apart from ya’ll, not even for a few days. And then ya just up and left. It was like ya tore out half of mah heart, and ah had to rebuild it here, with this little makeshift group of brother and sisters and grandma and somehow we made it through everythin’ that was thrown at us through all these years, and the day ya come back, ah hear that mah brother may have to leave? What do ah gotta take away from that, ma? That ya can’t do anythin’ about yer Family? That they all just up and leave and ya can’t stay do anythin’ about it?” Applejack was bawling all out now, her sheets already soaked with tears, but her words continued unabated. “What am ah gonna do without my family, ma?! WHAT DO AH DO WHEN YA’LL KEEP LEAVIN’ ME?!”

Applejack tried to leap forward at her mother. She had no idea what she was planning, but her body wasn’t in her control anymore. She moved forward, but she her hooves weren’t extended to land a blow. She tried to swat her away, but her hooves hit with about as much force as a fly landing on her shoulder. So she did all she could do, and cried against her mother’s shoulder like a new born filly. She didn’t care how loud or how long she wept, but wept she did, her mother not saying a single word as the farmer let loose every bit of caged up sadness, frustration, and anger.

After what had to have been a few minutes, Applejack said, “Ah don’t wanna lose ya again, mama. Ah don’t think ah can take any more of this.”

Apple Butter simply nodded. “Ah’m sorry Jackie, for puttin’ ya through all of that. But... we can’t come back now. Not yet.”

“But why? Why can’t... why can’t ya just stay?”

“Because that wouldn’t be right to Hooveston. Your father and I made very stupid decisions, and those decisions led us to responsibility, and we have a responsibility now to an entire city.”

“What do ya mean ‘stupid decisions?’” Applejack finally pulled herself away from her mother’s grasp.

“Well, that’s easy. We decided to have three foals and leave them to fend for themselves for a majority of their lives,” she said.

“So ya regret havin’ us the, is that it?!”

“Jackie, don’t even joke about such a thing. What ah regret is not thinkin’ too much about what it means to have kids. We just though we could take ya around with us, no matter where we went, like ya’ll were luggage, when ya’d need a caring family, a town full of support, everythin’, and we didn’t give ya jack of that.”

“But... that’s...”

“Everythin’ ya just said... nopony should have to do so much with so little. That ain’t right. Yer pa and ah ain’t done nothin’ right by you.” Apple Butter looked down in shame. “We knew we would go and help build a town—no, even a city—someday, and we decided that we could have kids anyway. Bring them with us. That it would be like an adventure.”

“Y-you could have!” Applejack pleaded, “Why didn’t you?”

“Because while we helped the city of Ponyville, we also didn’t have much on the farm. Yer father and ah basically ran it, just like you and Big Mac do now. No farm hooves, no nothing. Just us two and a whole lot of apple bucking. We didn’t even plan for when we left, we just... we very stupidly thought that if there wasn’t an orchard yet, and with an entire town of ponies ready to work, that maybe we wouldn’t be as busy as we were here. So when we found out that we would be planning the building of the city ourselves, and that we wouldn’t have any help with the orchard, and that Sweet Apple Acres needed ponies to run it, well, only one solution came up.”

“B-but... how could ya just toss us aside like that?!”

“Ya think that was easy for me to do? Just leave my kids in their hometown and go off without them? You were separated from us as much as we were from you!” Apple Butter shouted. “It was the only solution at the time, but... but I still regret it every day. Because like I said, ya were right. It left this family for the worse. I wouldn’t even consider your father or I a part of it anymore. Applebloom doesn’t even remember me.” She looked up into her daughter’s eyes. “Yer so strong now... ah can’t see how ya could forgie us...”

She leaned forward and hugged her mom, the older mare not ready for it this time. “Ah may be mad at ya, but yer my ma. Even after all these years, ya came back, hopin’ to see the kids ya left at the door, and we were there for ya. Family’s... what matters, and yer family, so you matter. So don’t be surprised that we’re willin’ to be so forgivin’.”

She heard her mom choke back a tear, and pull back to see her face. “What’s wrong?”

“Applejack... ah’m... ah’m positively thankful that ya don’t hate me, but don’t... be so eager to accept me back, all right?”

“Big Mac leaving was only half of the story, wasn’t it?”

When she nodded, Applejack found herself taking a deep breath, exhaling as slow as she could. “All right. Ah guess whatever else ya have to say is about me, right?” Another weak nod. “So what is it?”

“It... it isn’t a big deal, really. We only worked this out a few months ago, and given what ya told me this mornin’, you don’t have to do anythin’, ah promise.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow at her mom’s vague descriptions. “What are ya on about?”

“Well, here’s how we see it. If Big Mac don’t got much time for Ponyville, we figure that he also don’t got much time beyond makin’ friends, right?”

Applejack could already see where this was going.

“So that leaves you and Applebloom to continue the farm here in Ponyville. From the sounds of it, Applebloom may not exactly be getting a purely-apple related mark... which means that you may have to run the entire farm.”

And here it comes.

“So we thought that if ya had somepony... special, to you, that the farm would still be kept alive. That ya both could run it even.” Apple Butter breathed out as if she had been holding it in for minutes. “Ah-ah’m sorry, ah had that much better prepared in mah head.”

“So, what yer sayin’ is... ya wan’t me to marry somepony nice and continue running Sweet Apple Acres?!”

Apple Butter winced. “With... kids?”

Applejack felt her heart bottom out. Everything fell into place. She had basically been the head of the house for years now, and if Big Macintosh was leaving, that’d leave her and Apple Bloom to run the place, and there’s no way the two of them could do it. If she had a husband to help with the farm, having kids wouldn’t be an issue at all. She could ensure that Sweet Apple Acres ran for another generation, all by herself. Applebloom was too young to have kids, but Applejack fit the bill perfectly.

And her mom thought she already had a nice stallion.

With that thought, her heart crashed through the wooden planks of her chest, and deep into the sea of doubt. She didn’t need to ask to know how important this was to her—her mom had just finished telling her how she regretted not being there for her own family, how she had kids without thinking, leaving them to their own devices. Applejack was in the perfect position to avoid such a situation. She wasn’t leaving Ponyville anytime soon, for an entire myriad of reasons. Settling down and having kids... that’s not only the easiest thing for her to do, but it’s what her mom never got to do right. It’s what she failed at.

But she was already seeing a mare.

Applejack’s stomach was full of that sick feeling again, as if she wanted to throw up. How could she break it to her mom, who came crawling back to the kids she just basically admitted to abandoning, that she was hoping for grandkids to continue the family business, a business that Applejack herself loved just as much as her mom and her family?

Applejack sat back onto her bed. “You... you are seeing somepony, right?” Apple Butter asked. “You told me you had a special stallion already, right? If you don’t wanna talk about it, that’s okay, but—”

“Ma, ah don’t think ya quite understand.”

“Oh, it’s okay if you aren’t sure if he’s the one!” She said, chuckling. “I mean, there’s plenty of fish in the sea! Ponyville especially has some nice looking stallions, you know.”

“Ma, ah really don’t need you tellin’ me that. But that ain’t it.” Applejack started rubbing her temples with her hooves. “It’s... it’s more that he’s just... he’s really...”

It was then that an all too familiar gust of wind blew through the room, causing both earth ponies to have. Wherever Applejack’s heart had landed at the bottom of the sea of doubt, it now fell farther, consumed by the panic that was the sea floor, swallowing it up like a mad beast.

“Why am I not surprised that you need a reminder about how awesome I am?” Rainbow Dash said, hovering between the two ponies while she shook her head.

Once Apple Butter could breath normally again, she said, “And who in tarnation is this?!”

“Oh, you wanna know who I am?” The pegasus said as she turned to face Apple Butter. “I’m Rainbow Dash. I’m Equestria’s Number One, fastest flier, and Applejack’s marefriend.”

“Marefriend? Ah hate to break it to ya, but Applejack was just tellin’ me about the stallion she was seein’, right Jackie?”

“Tch, as if,” Rainbow Dash replied. “We’ve been going steady for three weeks now. Right, Jackie?”

Applejack looked up from her hooves, a complete blank expression on her face. Both ponies were staring dead into her eyes, and she couldn’t say a word. “C’mon, you aren’t gonna lie to your mom, are you?” Dash said.

“Mah daughter ain’t tellin’ no lies, and she sure as heck ain’t been lyin’ to me all day and evenin’. Go on, tell her ya’ve been seein’ a stallion, Jackie.” Apple Butter said, clear anger building in her voice.

“I think you need to shut up before you start filling her head with stupid ideas!” Dash said, turning to face Apple Butter, taking an aggressive stance.

She gasped. “The day ah believe my daughter is datin’ somepony as rude as you is the day this family stops carin’ for apples!”

“JUST STOP ALREADY!” Applejack yelled. Both ponies ceased all movement and arguing and looked the orange mare. “Just hold yer horses, okay?! Ah ain’t gonna have any fightin’ in mah room, ya hear? Just settle down now and let me figure this out.”

“I don’t see much to figure out. All you gotta do is tell us the truth.” Rainbow Dash leveled a glare at her, eyes fixed on her. “So, tell her. Are you seeing me or not?”

Applejack looked between the two ponies before her. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. The two ponies before her were possibly the two most important ones in her life, and she had to choose. She had to damn well choose one. Yet, after a few moments, she already knew what she was going to say. She was all outta heart, after all. And her honesty came from her heart.

Applejack got off of her bed, and started walking towards her mom. “Sorry ma... but...” she could already see the expressions forming on their faces. Dash’s glee, her mom’s surprise. She’d be cutting them so short.

Damnit, girl, just say it. Tell her what she’s been waiting all day to hear. Don’t let her down now, when she needs you the most.

Applejack gulped. “...but Rainbow Dash can get a little excited sometimes. She’s, uh, just over eager sometimes is all. Ah told her, ya know, we could try it for a while, but when I found him, it all just, well, as Rarity might put it, fell into place, ya know?” She threw an arm around her mother’s shoulder.

She looked again between the two mares. Apple Butter had a glowing smile, no longer seeming to care that there was a pegasus just floating in front of them. Rainbow Dash had...

She was utterly defeated. Her eyes were already leaking, and even her wing flaps weren’t consistent. “F-f-fine! H-have it that way! I g-guess you didn’t m-mean anything to me either! After all, what am I c-compared to your mom, right?” She said, almost fully crying now. Applejack reached out with a hoof, but the pegasus slapped it away so hard that if it had been another pony, it might have left a bruise. She, sloppily, flew out of the window, making carefully towards her home in the sky

“Ah’m glad that is over with.” Apple Butter slinked out from under Applejack’s foreleg. “That... tonight’s been rough on me. Ah’m sorry for... hey, you okay?”

Applejack gave a dumb nod.

“Are ya sure? Ya look... a little pale...”

Another nod. “Ah just... need some time to myself. Feelin’ a bit tired too. Ah’ll see ya in the morning.” Apple Butter was hesitant, but decided to listen to her daughter, leaving her room quickly and quietly.

Applejack stood there for several seconds, dumbfounded. What... what had just happened? Did she just lie to everypony in the room? Did she just toss her marefriend out like she didn’t matter? Because her mom had some high expectation of her to start a family?

Oh Celestia what was she doing?

Applejack fell to the floor and curled up into a ball, crying silently over how many bridges she may have just burnt down.