In A Rut
By Ianpiersonjdavis
After completing the day's applebucking, Applejack wiped some sweat from her brow before lifting her Stetson to get a better look at the sky. Rainbow Dash was still up there, kicking clouds but, it was incredibly slow and unenthusiastic. Which, definitely wasn't like the Pegasus at all. Actually, now that she thought about it-RD had been acting weird all week.
She wondered what was up, but after being close friends for so long she also knew that like her; Dash was stubborn and she'd be unwilling to just open up to her if she asked. But still, it was worth a shot-wasn't it? After all sometimes ponies surprised her with their actions.
"Hey, RD!" she called up.
"What?" she asked, with irritation clear in her voice.
This caused the Earth Pony to wince slightly, she knew that her friend was upset-but, from the way she sounded-it was like a hornet got under her saddle and stung her something fierce.
"Uh...Ah've been notice you actin' a mite strange lately and I was just wonderin'...is everythin' okay?" she asked timidly. Much like her friend, it took a lot to scare Applejack-but, one of the things she absolutely hated was having one of her friends mad at her. Besides, while being loyal-Rainbow Dash was known for her short temper and having this discussion while she was working on clearing a few remnant thunder clouds definitely made her a bit nervous. Of course, she'd never do anything like that on purpose-but, she knew from experience what a hot temper could do to you.
"I'm fine." she grumbled.
As she expected, this wasn't going to be easy.
"Um...Are you sure?" she pressed, her speeding up slightly. In hindsight, it probably would have been smarter to wait until the Pegasus was away from hazardous weather materials before having this talk. And despite being a few feet below her, Applejack could see from her expression that she was getting even more agitated with all of this questions.
"Yes." she hissed, before bucking a thunder cloud, triggering the sound of a loud thunder crash and starling Applejack, causing her to jump as electricity was expelled from the dissipating fluff.
Normally after something like that, Rainbow Dash would be rolling on her back in fits of laughter. Instead, she just glared down at her friend. To her, she looked more sour than the bruised apples that they usually fed the pigs, that had been left out in the sun too long.
"Do you want something?" she finally asked, once again startling Applejack out of her thoughts.
"Yeah..." She'd tried asking nicely, but if anything was going to get through RD's thick skull; she was going to have to be more aggressive. "I wanna know what's goin' on with you that's causin' ya to act so sour...and I ain't leavin' 'til you tell me!" She stomped her hoof down for emphasis.
"Guess you're not going anywhere then." Rainbow Dash replied, apathetically.
Applejack stood there, mouth agape.
She was trying to be patient with Dash, she really was-but, her bad attitude was making that patience run thin.
"Hey!" she shouted, beginning to lose her temper. "Ah care about you because Ah'm yer friend-whatever's goin' on Ah can probably help you-if y'all just let me!"
"Ask for help?" she repeated, incredulously.
"That's a laugh coming from you-'Miss Champion Applebucker'!"
Applejack winced at the mention of the time her pride had gotten the better of her and she'd messed up favors that she'd promised to help everypony else with. And now her anger was boiling and getting close to its breaking point. But, she had to stay calm-whatever was going on-Rainbow Dash was probably having the same problem admitting that she needed help with it.
"Yes," she admitted. "Ah should've asked fer help earlier on...but, right now you've gotta do the same thing and open up to me."
"I told you, it's nothing!" she shouted.
Inwardly, Applejack sighed-sometimes RD was her own worst enemy-so hung up on looking cool that she'd never ask for help with any emotional problems she may have been having. But, whatever it was must have been really bad to make her this upset. And one way or another she was determined to find out what it was.
"You know," Rainbow Dash spoke up, landing before the Earth Pony. "Just because I'm the Element of Loyalty, doesn't mean my life revolves around you guys! If the Wonderbolts don't care about me, then you probably shouldn't either. So back off!" she shouted.
The Wonderbolts?
"Aw, sugarcube...is that what this whole thing's been about?" she asked, sympathetically.
"I try my hardest..." she replied softly, looking away. "I created the first ever Sonic Rainboom recorded in history....I'm the Element of Loyalty, I've saved them and Rarity from falling to their deaths-creating a Sonic Rainboom again. I helped save Equestria from Nightmare Moon, Discord, Queen Chrysalis and the Changelings. The Crystal Empire, I made it through the Wondebolts academy, but it's still not enough for them notice me...By the time they're willing to accept me into their ranks I'll probably be to old to fly like them anymore. And even if they do accept me before then, I'll still have to leave you guys behind and never see again. Without my element Equestria will never be safe, and as long as I have it-I can never be happy."
Applejack was shocked, by this sudden confession and was left speechless.
"Even if I do get accepted," she repeated. "I'll have to leave the Squirt and all of you guys behind...my friends."
"But, it's your dream." she finished, sympathetically.
Rainbow Dash nodded sadly.
"There must be solution..." she insisted.
"There isn't...it's either give up my dream or lose my friends. It's actually kinda funny, though. That thought that filled me with such hope and joy before is completely ruining my life now."
She looked back at Applejack.
"Do you know why I try convincing other ponies I'm so tough and cool all the time?" she asked.
She shook her head.
"It's because I'm mostly trying to convince myself...everytime I look into a mirror or see my reflection in a pond, I'm not happy with what I see and I realize-that I hate myself." she admitted.
This revelation came as a shock to her, she thought that Rainbow Dash had gotten into a scrap with one of her old friends from flight school or something, but this...this was something she had been totally unprepared for.
"I don't even care about looking cool anymore...I'm just-I'm just...so tired of trying so hard and getting nothing in return from the Wonderbolts but a 'Good Job!' and 'We'll See.'" she sighed, "I mean, what do I really have to show for all of it? Everypony in town already thinks I'm a big show-off, loudmouth, attention-seeking jerk."
"Ah don't think yer any of those things...Ah think yer a mighty fine athlete-probably the only one in all of Equestria that can give me a run for my money. Sure, you might get a big head sometimes-but, it happens to the best of us...and I happen ta know for a fact that all of our friends feel the same way." she replied, honestly.
"Great, that's like five ponies and one dragon against what-all of Ponyville?" she asked, glumly.
"What about Tank? And Scootaloo, that lil' filly don't hate you-in fact, Ah dare say she looks up to you and cares about you more than anythin' else in the world!"
"Yeah..."
"Hey, listen RD. Ah know what's goin' on now, and it's okay-you're just in a rut-Ah know, Ah've been there." she replied, consolingly. "Besides, yer the best kind a friend anpony could ever ask for and even if you try for the rest of your life and the Wonderbolts still don't want nothin' ta do with you-then that's their loss. We will always be there for you-no matter what." she promised.
"I...I think I'm feeling a bit better." Dash admitted.
"Here, why don't we go back to the farm and Ah get ya'll a nice, tall glass of freshly squeezed Apple Family Cider and Zap Apple Jam sandwhiches-on the house?"
"Yeah...I-I'd like that."
And with that the two friends headed back to the farm and from that day on Rainbow Dash was back to her old self again.
THE END
