Chapters Apple in the Sky
By: Nathan Charles Cornett
Chapter 1
It was a peaceful day in Equestria and everypony was attending to their chores diligently. Rainbow Dash was clearing the clouds for some much needed sun, Pinkie Pie was baking cupcakes for her next big party, and Rarity was frantically stressing to finish her new line of dresses by the deadline. Why, looking at Ponyville right then and there you would have seen the regular goings on of a bright spring day. On this day however, an event would set in motion the destiny of two very close friends.
“Big Macintosh! I need ta know what our next order is if ya want me ta get the apples in time!” Applejack exclaimed from deep within the apple orchard.
“Sis, I thought I done gone and told ya we ain’t got any orders today!” Big Macintosh bellowed through the trees.
“Well don’t that just beat all.” Applejack said bucking the nearest apple tree she could find.
Applejack was a bit off that day, and for good reason. She had no work, and way too much free time on her hands. To most other ponies that wouldn’t have been a problem, but to Applejack it was like her world was coming to an end. She believed that hard work and diligence kept a mare strong and healthy. In her eyes not working was on equal grounds as lies and sin.
Applejack, knowing she had nothing else to do that day, begrudgingly lay down on the soft, cool grass and began to watch the sky. As she watched the sun beam proudly down upon her, she could make out a figure kicking away the remaining clouds in the sky. It was Rainbow Dash as always, doing her job on her own time and not caring who had a complaint with it.
“Why gosh darn it Rainbow, why did you have ta choose today ta be on time with your work?” Applejack said as she kicked at the ground with her hoof, “I was hopin’ ta catch a nap in the shade.” Applejack muttered a few other complaints to herself then realized it was a wasted effort and gave up. After a few minutes of sky watching Applejack lay her head down on the grass and drifted off into a peaceful nap.
On the other end of the spectrum however, Rainbow Dash was not so keen to napping. She flew through the sky at blazing speeds, performing various spins and flips as she went. She flew into the blades of the windmill at the center of town, circled once or twice, then burst out of the windmill like a rocket straight up into the sky. Her speeds were reaching highs that they never had before and she felt that today was the day. Today she would perform a sonic rainboom for only the third time in her life.
“Oh yeah, this is gonna be so awesome!” Rainbow exclaimed as she reached the peak of her climb and began to plummet towards the town below her.
Ever since Rainbow Dash could fly she had been the fastest and most daring in her class. She lived off of speed; the thrill, the adrenaline, the pure enjoyment of being in the air. The feeling came natural to her, and she made it her goal to be the greatest she could be. She practiced long hours each day, working to make herself faster and more agile in the air than she ever could imagine. She was by far the greatest flyer in Ponyville, and possibly in all of Equestria. Not to mention one of the two best athletes in all of Equestria, tied only with Applejack.
Her thoughts drifted to Applejack for a moment, not sure where her thoughts were taking her. Applejack was by far the strongest earth pony there was. Her years of apple bucking had made her hind legs more powerful than anything natural in Equestria, and in turn made her faster than the locomotive that ran through Ponyville everyday. She was smart, honest, and kind-hearted, and she always put her friends above herself. She was the prized pony of Ponyville, and Rainbow Dash secretly envied her for it.
Rainbow Dash forced herself back into reality, focusing more importantly on the goal at hand. Rainbow Dash snapped back into reality too late however, and in turn caused the sound barrier to snap back against her violently. She lost control of her wings and body and was sent spiraling into the distance. She fought to regain control but it was no use, her body refused to function properly and she was left screaming for help as she flew into whatever unknown situation was coming next.
Back at Sweet Apple Acres Applejack was just waking up from her nap. She stretched out her legs as she stood up and shook her head to bring the world around her back into focus. After a few quick seconds of stretching Applejack was wide awake and ready to do something.
“Ah, now that’s what ah call a nice nap.” Applejack said as she threw her hooves against the nearest tree. The apples fell quickly around the base and she smiled at them. In the distance Applejack could make out screaming, not the playful, fun type but the fearful, hopeless type.
“Somepony, anypony, help me!” The voice screamed as it grew closer to Applejack.
“Now what in tarnation is...” Applejack didn’t even get to finish her sentence as a blue Pegasus pony tore through the leaves of the apple tree in front of her and slammed into her.
The two ponies collided with a powerful shock and were sent tumbling through the large expanse of the apple orchard. End over end the ponies rolled, each kicking in every direction in an attempt to stop the frantic rotation. Their efforts were in vain however, as they continued to roll on and on, deeper into the orchard.
Applejack was the first to stop, mostly due to the massive oak she slammed into as she separated herself from Rainbow Dash. She landed in an upright sitting position against the tree, her body snapping and popping at the sudden stop of motion. Applejack tried to make sense of her surroundings through her foggy vision, but was unable to make out exactly where in the orchard she was. As she attempted to regain her senses a large apple fell from the tree and hit Applejack right on the top of the head. The force of the Apple hitting her in the head was just enough, and Applejack’s vision faded to pure nothing.
Rainbow Dash had been more fortunate than Applejack and had come to a skidding halt in a small clearing a few hundred yards away from Applejack.
“Ow, that was definitely NOT awesome. ” Rainbow Dash groaned to herself as she stood up and shook the leaves off of her coat. She made an attempt to stretch her wings out but was met only by a sharp, intense pain. Her wings were locked up and sore and there would be no way she could fly until they loosened up.
“Wow, I forgot how powerful the sound barrier actually was.” Rainbow Dash said as she surveyed the damage left behind her. Apples had been knocked from tree limbs, branches were strewn all over the place, and in certain cases whole trees had been felled. She thought for a moment how much work she was going to have to do to clean the mess up, but then shifted her thoughts back to Applejack and began to walk towards the spot where Applejack had come to a stop.
“Alright Applejack, now that we’re both wide awake how are you today?” Rainbow teased as she trotted up to Applejack.
Applejack did not answer, nor did she move a muscle. Rainbow Dash’s patience quickly died out and she turned to speak to her friend again.
“Okay Applejack, you got me. Now lets get going before the Pegasi move the clouds back in.” Rainbow chuckled nervously as she kicked at the ground.
Applejack once more lay motionless and silent in front of Rainbow Dash, her hat tipped down as if greeting a close friend. Rainbow Dash was frantic now and tried once more to get Applejack to stop.
“Come on Applejack, this isn’t funny anymore! You’re really starting to worry me.” Rainbow Dash said as she stomped at the ground furiously.
At the sudden vibrations pulsing through the ground Applejack’s weight shifted and she fell over on the ground, her hat rolling to a stop a few feet away from her. When Rainbow Dash realized why Applejack had not moved, her nervousness changed to horror, and she was struck with a fear like nothing she had ever experienced before. Her world began to spin and she felt sick in the pit of her stomach. She acted on instinct and threw Applejack onto her back. She might not be able to fly right now, but she sure could run.
Rainbow Dash tore through Sweet Apple Acres at breakneck speed, the wind violently lashing against her face as she ran. She had grown used to flying into the wind, it was natural for her. When it came to running against the wind however, that was a different story that Rainbow Dash was just now learning. She did not stop as she left Sweet Apple Acres, not even to tell the Apple family what had happened. They would find out soon enough, the only thing that mattered now was Applejack.
Inside Rainbow Dash blamed herself. Had she not been trying to perform a sonic rainboom then this never would have happened in the first place. But Rainbow Dash was stubborn; she just could not stand the thought of this being all her fault, so she tried to blame it on something else.
“Honestly, had Applejack not been napping in the orchard she wouldn’t have been hurt anyway.” Rainbow Dash thought to herself, “who takes a nap in the woods anyway? That’s just crazy!”
As much as she tried, Rainbow Dash could not make herself believe the words she was thinking. She knew that it was her fault, there was no doubt in her mind. Of all of Rainbow Dash’s friends Applejack was her best friend, and she had just, well, she did not know what she had done to Applejack but she knew it was bad.
“Huh? Where in the hay am I?” Applejack asked aloud.
The world around Applejack was bright and colorful, filled with wonderful blues and dazzling greens. To her it was the same world she had always lived in. It was a colorful spring day on the farm and the flowers were in full bloom. There were apples starting to bud on the trees and the symphony of birds made the whole thing that much more surreal.
“Hey Big Macintosh, where y'all at?” Applejack called out as she began to trot towards the house. There was an eerie silence and Applejack felt a shiver run down her spine. As she approached the door something inside her told her not to go in, but she ignored it and went inside anyway.
Once inside Applejack was shocked at what she found. The living room looked nothing like a room, but more like a scattered mess of objects and furniture. There were broken pictures on the floor, the couch had been torn apart, and there was shattered glass everywhere.
The kitchen was the second verse of an already harrowing composition, just with more glass and destroyed furniture. Applejack was starting to get worried about her family, and wondered where they were. Applejack loved her family and she hoped against hope that they had not been in the house during this rampage. Then, like a knife to the heart, she heard shuffling from Apple Blooms room above her.
Applejack moved off of pure instinct and adrenaline, tearing through the house in a blind fury. She galloped up the stairs at tremendous speeds and burst through the door to Apple Blooms room. Her eyes searched rapidly for some sign of the shuffling she had heard. There in front of her was a small mouse, searching for even the tiniest crumb for its next meal.
“Oh thank Celestia...” before applejack could finish her sentence a searing pain exploded across the back of her head. The last thing she saw before everything went black was the little mouse scurrying into the corner.
When Applejack awoke she found herself tied to Apple Blooms bed. Her head was pounding and she wasn’t quite sure what had happened. As she looked around the room her eyes fell upon a dark figure frantically searching through chests and drawers.
“Hey! That ain’t your stuff, get out of it!” Applejack yelled at the mysterious figure. The dark figure jumped and turned slowly revealing a young, dark blue colt.
“Did you just say something to me?” The dark blue colt hissed towards Applejack.
Applejack was stunned, unsure of what to say next. The venom and malice of the colts words showed that he was not afraid of her, but in her position very few ponies would be afraid of her. Clearly he was not to be taken lightly. Applejack started to think, stumbling through possibilities of what she could say next.
“So um, what brings ya ta my quiet farm sir?” Applejack asked nervously.
“Well I was looking for something I could make a few bits off of, but nothing here seems useful.” He spat out in frustration
“Well, ah won’t report ya if ya just let me go and leave. It’ll be like nothin’ ever happened here.” Applejack said as a sheepish smile crept onto her face.
“Hmmmm.... is that so?” The dark blue colt said devilishly, “You know, you are an awfully cute mare. You seem young too, probably about 16 or 17.”
Applejack was starting to grow fearful, and with good reason. This dark blue colt, this masked robber, was deranged, and he had his eyes set on her. She was starting to run out of options, and she knew it wouldn’t be long before he grew tired of toying with her.
“Why thank ya kindly sir, that's awfully nice of ya ta say.” Applejack said, trying to force a smile to her face.
Suddenly the dark blue colt jumped on top of Applejack and placed his hoof against her throat.
Chapter 2
“Somepony, anypony, I need help now!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she burst through the door of the hospital.
“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” a nurse pony asked Rainbow Dash as she trotted up.
“No, I’m fine. It’s my friend, she ran into a tree as we tumbled through the apple orchard and when I found her she was like this.” Rainbow said worriedly as she set Applejack down in front of her.
“Oh my! I need a room set up quick! We have an unconscious pony that’s not breathing very well!” the nurse pony said as she picked Applejack up off the floor. She wanted to ask Rainbow Dash for the full story, but decided that the patient was more important at the time. “Now miss, thank you for bringing her here as quickly as you did. It will take some time to get her vitals straightened out and have her breathing right again. Come back in about two hours if you wish to see her.” With that final remark, the nurse pony turned around and galloped down the hallway, Applejack riding peacefully on her back.
Rainbow Dash was lost, she had no real idea where to begin. She could always tell her friends what had happened, but it probably would not be a good idea to have so many ponies bothering Applejack so quickly. She also did not want her friends to worry, one worried pony was enough for the time being. She could tell the Apple family the situation, they were Applejack’s family after all. The problem was they might not take too kindly to hearing news like that from Rainbow Dash.
In the end Rainbow Dash remembered that Applejack’s hat had fallen off in the orchard, and she resolved to go back and get it. She ran out of the door to the hospital and looked up to the sky. After a bit of math she had figured out that it would take roughly an hour and a half to get to the orchard and back on foot. The muscles in her wings were still locked up and she elected to just hoof it.
As Rainbow Dash began to run she realized just how tired she really was. The failed attempt at a sonic rainboom had taken nearly all of her energy, and the run to get Applejack to the hospital really did not help. She grimaced, realizing that she still had to run to the orchard and back. Normally Rainbow Dash would have given up, went and taken a nap or something like that, but there was something different about this situation. She was not really sure why, or how it had happened, but in the past few hours Applejack had become the only thing that mattered to Rainbow Dash.
Ever since the running of the leaves Rainbow Dash had been having strange feelings towards Applejack. They had not been very pronounced, and with ease Rainbow Dash could push them out of her head, but in the past few months she had found it harder and harder to do so. Every time the duo were together, Rainbow Dash felt her heart race. Her breathing became quick and random, and she found it hard to concentrate on things. Applejack was cute, and Rainbow Dash had even said it to her a time or two. Of course at the time there was no real meaning in the words, but now the simple thought of Rainbow Dash saying it made her stomach flip.
“Maybe there’s something more to my feelings for Applejack than I thought. I’ll have to ask Twilight later if she can explain it to me, but right now I’ve got to get Applejack’s hat for her.” Rainbow said aloud as she raced through Ponyville. “The only thing is, if I like her so much then why do I always compete at my highest level against her?” Rainbow Dash shrugged off the thought and continued her race for the orchard.
Applejack was silent, stone-faced, and unmoving as the dark blue colt stood over her, his hoof dangerously close to crushing her neck.
“Well, I’m impressed, it seems you do listen after all.” the colt said as he brought his hoof up from Applejack’s neck and hopped back down onto the floor.
“Well thank ya kindly sir, but you haven’t really given’ me much of a choice.” Applejack said, hoping not to anger her captor any further than she already had.
“Yes, I do suppose you have a point. If I let you go though, you’ll surely tell somepony what I’ve done.” the dark blue colt said as a fiendish smile found its way to his lips. “And for my safety and well-being I can’t have you run and tell other ponies.”
Applejack wanted to argue with him, tell him he was wrong in hopes to get out of this horrible situation. The problem was Applejack was the spirit of honesty, and when her family came home and asked what had happened she would have to tell them. Things had only grown worse for Applejack, her only hope now was that it was all a nightmare that she would wake up from soon.
“Then what the hay’s the point of keeping me alive anyway!?” Applejack asked forcefully as she tried to move her body.
“Well my dear, to put it in as simple of terms as possible, I want to have a bit of fun with you.” the colt said maniacally as he jumped back on top of Applejack and placed his hoof on her throat again. “I think I’ll make you my pet, a fun little toy to toss around as I please.” He pushed against Applejack’s throat, her breathing becoming audibly more difficult as he did so.
A look of terror exploded across Applejack’s face as the words left his lips. She knew there was no hope of escape now, the only thing keeping her going was her family. Her thoughts raced, desperately trying to find a way out of her pitiful fate. Suddenly a dark thought entered her mind, and she clung to it with everything she had. If she could not escape her fate, then she would just change it. She thought back to what the dark colt had said, the words he uttered so frenziedly before. He had said he would kill her if he had to, and she intended to make him do just that. A life as a play toy was no life for a farmpony, and Applejack had no desire to be one. She would fight to the last, forcing him to kill her. She closed her eyes and said a quiet goodbye to her family, then with fire in her heart she twisted her body and prepared for the wildest rodeo she had ever had the pleasure to compete in.
Rainbow had spent the last ten minutes looking for Applejack’s hat. she found it right where it had fallen off of Applejack’s head, under the same tree that she had found Applejack under. She picked the hat up off of the ground, looking at it intently as she turned it over a few times in her hoof. It was a beautiful hat, and Rainbow Dash had wanted to wear it for quite sometime. Now that she had the chance to wear it, she could not bring herself to put it on. It was not her hat after all, it was Applejack’s, and Rainbow Dash did not deserve to wear it right now.
Rainbow Dash began to walk towards the exit to Sweet Apple Acres. She had recovered the hat, now it was time to return it to its rightful owner. She took a few steps forward and then stopped, collapsing to a kneel. A sharp, searing pain blazed through her head. She buried her head in her hooves, hoping that she could make the pain stop. Suddenly pictures and images began to form in her head, and she knew that the pain was far from over.
The first of the images was Applejack being knocked unconscious by a dark blue hoof. The next image was Applejack, tied to her sisters bed, the same dark blue hoof pressed against her throat. The final image in the barrage was a single, solitary tear rolling down Applejack’s face as she prepared to meet her untimely demise. The images played in Rainbow’s mind, bouncing like pin balls from one side to the other.
After several minutes of the hell in her head Rainbow Dash forced herself to stand up. On her face was an unmoving, unwavering grimace and confusion had set itself in her eyes. She tried, desperately to make sense of what had just happened but was met only by failure. The images of Applejack’s final moments flashed into her mind once again, her world spinning and shaking in front of her as she was assaulted with these reproductions of something grim.
Why was she having these visions? Was she seeing the future? No, the ability to see the future was reserved for very special unicorns like Twilight Sparkle. Rainbow Dash mulled over it more, hoping that something would eventually click. All of a sudden her thoughts turned to Applejack in the hospital. Rainbow let her mind wander through this little thought, hoping that she would be able to piece together an answer from it. Applejack was unconscious, There was no way that this could all be happening right now.
"Come on Rainbow, damn it, think!" She shouted as she stamped her hoof against the ground. There had to be an answer for why she was seeing these images, and she would not rest until she found it. There was the possibility that Applejack was dreaming, having a nightmare during her absence from the conscious world. It would make sense, and right now it was the best answer she could come up with.
Rainbow's mind now turned to the images themselves, a new question rising to fill the place of the old one. How was it possible that Rainbow Dash could see Applejack’s dreams? if in fact that is what they were. Was it the elements of harmony? That would make sense, but that would fail to explain why it had just started now.
“Maybe there’s more to my feelings for Applejack than I thought.” the thought reverberated through the deepest levels of Rainbow’s mind. It still was not coming together, and it just frustrated her even more. Applejack was important, she mattered in a way that no other pony had to Rainbow Dash. There was no fighting her feelings for Applejack, she knew that for a fact, she had been thinking about them for a good part of the day and was secure in them. She cared about Applejack deeply, and wanted nothing more than to be there with her.
Rainbow Dash was in tears now, the solitude of the apple orchard allowing her to weep freely. The pony she cared the most for was in the hospital, and she was not there to be with her. Rainbow Dash forced her wings open, yelping in pain as the muscles bent against their will. As Rainbow’s wings reached full length she stopped for a moment to let the pain subside. Her heart was racing, and her breathing was not very far behind. She took a second to catch a breath and then jumped into the air. In ten seconds flat Rainbow Dash was gone.
Rainbow Dash arrived back at the hospital in record time, her speed pulling young leaves from their homely branches. She landed forcefully in front of the hospital entrance and raced inside, unafraid of what anypony else thought of her. She galloped through the hallways in a mad dash, taking turns with frightening accuracy. She was running to Applejack, intuition and instinct telling her exactly where to go.
When Rainbow Dash had reached Applejack’s room she stopped to regain herself. She opened the door slowly, hoping that the chaos she had caused outside had not spilled inside. As she entered she was greeted with the sight of Applejack sleeping peacefully in the bed, her friends surrounding her on every side.
“Oh Rainbow Dash, thank Celestia you’re here!” Twilight quietly exclaimed as she pulled Rainbow Dash into a tight hug.
“Yeah, I’m the one that brought her here.” Rainbow said quietly, “I’m actually the reason why she’s here in the first place.”
“Oh now that is simply preposterous. How could you possibly be the reason that dear old Applejack is in the hospital?” Rarity asked Rainbow Dash in her artificial accent.
Rainbow Dash spent the next few minutes explaining what had happened just a few short hours before. She explained the attempted rainboom, and the crash landing, and how she found Applejack when the calamity subsided. The only thing that Rainbow Dash left out was the part where she had seen Applejack’s dreams, but that was not important right now.
“Hmmmm... well, accidents happen. Don’t blame yourself for what happened, you didn’t know that she would be in the orchard.” Twilight said to Rainbow Dash as she placed a hoof on her shoulder to comfort her.
“Hey look everypony, Applejack is waking up!” Pinkie exclaimed as she bounced up and down in place.
Applejack awoke slowly and groggily, the light searing her retinas as she did so. She slowly turned her head from side to side, loosening the stiff muscles in her neck and taking in the sight of her friends. It was always a wonderful experience to wake up to the sight of friends all around, and Applejack drank it in like the finest cider.
"Ah just had the worst dream ever." Applejack said as she cleared the sleep from her eyes.
“Applejack, you’re awake!” Twilight Sparkle exclaimed with a sigh of relief, “are you alright?”
“Huh? oh, yeah, I’m fine sugarcube. Thanks for askin’, it means a lot.” Applejack said as a smile warmed her face.
“Oh Applejack, we were all so worried about you.” Fluttershy whispered shyly, hiding her face as the attention of everypony in the room shifted to her.
“Yes dear, we did not know what had happened to you until your good friend Rainbow Dash told us.” Rarity said as she smiled at the blue Pegasus pony beside her.
The smile that had warmed Applejack’s face disappeared, leaving behind a stern, unmoving scowl. After the nightmare she had just been forced to suffer through, the last pony she wanted to see was Rainbow Dash. Just the thought of the blue Pegasus pony standing there with her twisted, malicious smile made Applejack’s stomach turn.
“Um Rarity, did ya just say Rainbow Dash?” Applejack asked Rarity, venom layered in every syllable.
“Why yes dear. See? She’s right here.” Rarity replied as she pushed Rainbow Dash into the spotlight.
There, standing right at the foot of Applejack’s bed, was the atrocity that had given her the worst scare of her life. Rage filled her, her mind racing through the dream she hoped she never had to relive. Applejack swallowed, fighting back the explosion forming in her throat. When she finally suppressed it she let out a sigh of relief and looked Rainbow Dash in the eyes.
“Get out.” the words fell cold and harsh out of Applejack’s mouth and buried themselves deep into Rainbow’s heart.
“Now dear, this is not...” Rarity began, but was silenced by Twilight.
“Rarity, ah don’t think ah asked for y’all ta say anything.” Applejack said with a stern voice, “And as for you Rainbow Dash, y’all just need ta get out. Ah don’t want ya in this room right now.”
The words were like knives, cutting Rainbow’s heart into thin, string-like pieces. She had expected Applejack to be upset, but she did not expect the words to hurt as bad as they did. Rainbow Dash knew that she wanted to be here, helping Applejack recover. This just was not fair! She had seen the things Applejack had seen in her dreams, the horrible nightmare she had just endured.
“Fine, if that’s how you want to be Applejack then be that way. I sure hope that dark blue colt in your dream doesn’t turn out to be real though, for your sake.” Rainbow dash remarked coldly as she threw Applejack’s hat down on the ground and stormed out of the room.
Applejack froze, fear plastered on her tired features. How did Rainbow Dash know about the dark blue colt from her dream? Was it a spell of Twilight’s? Maybe it had to do with the elements. Applejack turned the thought over a few times in her head, but was unable to piece it all together. It did not make any sense to her, and she hated it. If Rainbow Dash had seen this dream then what others had she seen? Applejack hoped Rainbow had not seen the other dreams that she had had.
Applejack envied Rainbow Dash. Her skill in the air was second to none and she was always so confident in herself. Applejack would never be able to admit it, but she liked Rainbow Dash around her and loved when she showed off. There was a sense of security with Rainbow Dash and Applejack liked her for it. It was more than a rivalry, or a friendship. To Applejack, Rainbow Dash was someone she could connect with, and she wanted to be more than “just friends” with Rainbow Dash. In Applejack’s head it seemed so wrong, but in her heart it felt so right.
“Well, is anypony up for a party?” Pinkie Pie said as she pulled out a balloon and blew it up.
“No thanks sugarcube, ah’m not quite in the mood.” Applejack said as she rolled over on her side.
“Well Applejack, what was that all about?” Twilight asked the stubborn farm pony.
“Ah don’t want ta talk about it. Now if you’ll excuse me I’d like ta get some shut eye.” Applejack said closing her eyes.
“But darling, you can’t just leave this growing drama on such a drastic cliffhanger.” Rarity said, Twilight nudging her as she finished her sentence.
“Look, I’ll tell y’all what ya want ta know tomorrow, now leave me alone before I have ta call in the nurse.” Applejack said with frustration building in her tone.
“Alright Applejack, We’ll see you tomorrow.” Twilight sighed, leading the rest of the ponies out of the room.
When Applejack was alone she took some time to think. She was apprehensive about sleeping, knowing that Rainbow Dash could see her dreams. She had to sleep though, and knew it was only a matter of time before she was out. Her thoughts were focused on only one thing right now, and it helped her to stay awake. She wanted Rainbow Dash, there was no more fighting that fact. The only question was how could she prove to Rainbow Dash that she was worth it? As her body gave way to exhaustion a thought crept into her head, and she fell asleep with a smile. She had a plan for the future, and there was no way she was going to stop trying.
Chapter 3
Rainbow Dash woke up screaming, sweat dripping from her mane.
“Ugh, these stupid images just won’t leave me alone.” Rainbow Dash said to herself as she hopped out of bed. “Maybe I just need to get out for a bit, flying always helps me calm down.”
Rainbow Dash whispered a short goodbye to Tank as she passed by him and then took off out the window. Outside the wind was light, but it pounded into Rainbow Dash as she flew, the feeling like thousands of tiny needles burying themselves in her soul. Her nerves were fried, she was tired, and her head was a mess of things that she failed to understand. She wanted to make sense of it all, put all the pieces together and look at the big picture. The problem was not all of the pieces had been found, and many holes were left in the picture. It left her feeling empty and incomplete, a feeling she was tired of by this point.
Rainbow Dash thought back to where it had all started, where this roller-coaster of feelings had began. It was with a thought of Applejack, and how strong and good-hearted she was. In moments like these it was common of Rainbow Dash to place the blame on the other party, make them the victim so she did not have to feel guilty for what had happened. This time though it had been no ponies fault, just a series of unfortunate and consequential events. This helped to soothe Rainbow’s mind, but her conscious was still wrought with guilt. She knew where the fault deserved to be placed, and she had come to accept it, even if no pony would place it on her.
Rainbow Dash flew over Ponyville for hours, taking in the serenity of the sleeping town below her. Very few ponies were up and the silence was as beautiful as a waterfall glimmering in the moonlight. After flying over Ponyville for a little longer Rainbow Dash decided to head towards Canterlot. She knew the princess would still be awake and hoped that a council with her would help to ease her troubled mind.
Ever since the defeat of Discord Rainbow Dash had stopped speaking with the princess all together. She blamed it on her rebellious side, always saying that she did not need to be led by a stuck-up princess like Celestia. The real reason behind the disconnect between Celestia and Rainbow Dash was that they never truly got along. Princess Celestia was royalty, and had made it a habit to parade this fact any time she was able to. As time went on Rainbow Dash found herself more and more disgusted by the needless flaunting of power and tried her best to keep away from it. Rainbow Dash did want to be friends with the princess, that fact was a certainty; it seemed though that every time she tried her ego got the best of her.
Rainbow Dash willed herself to remove the thoughts about the princess from her head and went back to focusing on her flying. She was nearing the castle and she hoped not to wake anypony up with her entrance. There was an eerie silence over Canterlot, and it felt distorted and foreign in the peaceful bliss of the sleeping city. Canterlot never slept, there was always something going on in town. From fashion shows to art galleries there was almost always some festivity to partake in at any time. This silence and peacefulness was uncommon, and it caught Rainbow Dash off guard.
Suddenly an all to familiar pain erupted inside Rainbow’s head. Images began to form at the corners of her mind, and she tried desperately to push them away. The pain grew sharper and more focused, penetrating her deepest thoughts and leaving her mentally paralyzed. The images swirled like miniature tornadoes, their dreary scenes lining up in a chronologically disturbed manor. As the pain grew more fierce Rainbow Dash succumbed to it and allowed the images, now one long and harrowing dream, to play itself out for her.
The setting of this dream was not in the Apple family home, but instead in a cemetery on the outskirts of Ponyville. The apple family was standing in a circle surrounding a small coffin, the letters A and B etched into the rough cut wood. There was a priest pony at the head of the coffin delivering a solemn sermon while the apple’s stood and cried. It was a scene unlike any Rainbow Dash had experienced before, and she struggled to escape it.
As the priest pony finished his sermon he turned to the rest of the Apple family and asked them if they would like to say their final goodbyes. Each went down the line speaking a few words that Rainbow Dash could not hear then burying their heads in their hooves and crying. When Applejack’s time had come Rainbow Dash was able to hear the words she spoke, and she soon came to regret that she could.
“Our sweet little apple Bloom, taken at such a young age. Ya always knew how ta make us smile, and never ran short on cute stories.” Applejack said, choking back tears at every word. “Ya lived free, and ya weren’t afraid ta take risks. Ah love ya sugarcube, and next time we’re together, we’re gonna make the sweetest jam anypony ever did taste.”
Rainbow Dash lost it, her wings and mind unable to cooperate any longer. She had been able to handle the previous dream that Applejack had had, but this was much deeper than the one before it. Tears flowed freely from the blue Pegasus ponies eyes as she made a futile effort to stay in the air. If she could reach the castle then she could talk with Celestia and possibly find an answer to this whole situation.
Rainbow Dash would not be so lucky as to make it to the castle though. The lack of sleep mixed with the overwhelming power of Applejack’s dream was too much for her and she gave up. Her body fell limp and she began a ghastly plummet towards the ground below her. As she approached the forest below a pleasant thought found its way into her head. Now she could finally get a good nights sleep.
Applejack awoke quickly, hoping that by doing so she would be able to block out the dream she had just had. It was early morning, and the crows were singing their morning song. The sun was just rising above the trees in the horizon, and it glazed all in its path with a beautiful golden hue. It was a morning like no other, rare in the peaceful town of Ponyville. Applejack only wished that she could relax and enjoy such a morning.
“Ah really got ta get ta sleep earlier. These dreams ah’m havin’ are starting ta get ridiculous.” Applejack said as she rolled over and sat up in her bed.
“Sis, you’re awake!” Apple Bloom said as she hopped up on the bed beside Applejack.
Yeah, ah’m up.” Applejack replied. She took a moment to swallow hard and regain her composure at the sight of Apple Bloom, still perfectly alive, beside her. “It’s so great to see you Apple Bloom.” She wrapped Apple Bloom in a tight hug and squeezed her hard.
“Aw, stop it sis, you’re embarrassin’ me.” Apple Bloom said, her cheeks coloring brightly.
“Well ah’m sorry Apple Bloom, ah just missed ya is all.” Applejack lied, hoping to hide the pain in her voice. “Ah missed ya too Big Mac, it’s nice ta see ya again as well.”
“Eeyup.” Big Macintosh uttered with a smile. Applejack took it to mean “ah missed ya too sis.” and she continued on.
“So me and Rainbow Dash made quite a mess of the orchard yesterday.” Applejack said with a nervous smile.
“Don’t worry bout it sis, me an Big Mac will clean it all up.” Apple Bloom replied excitedly.
“Eeyup.” Big Mac said haughtily in the background.
“Well then thank y’all. It means a lot ta me ta have such wonderful family as y’all.” Applejack said genuinely, for the first time in over twenty four hours.
“Well, we best be getting back ta the orchard, we got quite a mess ta clean up. We’ll be seein’ ya back on the farm.” Apple Bloom exclaimed as she raced out of the tiny hospital room.
“Ya sure it’s not too much trouble ta clean up the orchard?” Applejack asked Big Macintosh, keeping her tone soft and polite.
“Eeyup, ya just need ta stay off the farm for a bit. It’ll do ya some good ta take a break, ya wouldn’t take one otherwise.” Big Macintosh said smiling as he turned and left the room.
Applejack took a minute to think about what Big Macintosh had said. Had it really been that long since she had taken some time off from the farm? She could have swore it was just a few weeks ago that she took a day off. She thought back and realized that she had not taken a day off, but the farm was just dead on that day. It really had been a long time since she last took a break from the farm. It was her life though, her cutie mark even showed it. She loved the farm with all her heart, and she never wanted to take time away from it. After a few more minutes of thinking on it she had made a decision.
“Ah guess Big Mac is right. Ah really need some time off, and ah really need ta go talk to Twilight.” Applejack sighed as she hopped out of the bed and put her hat back on. Applejack knew that Twilight could answer her questions, and that was the first place she planned to go.
Rainbow Dash awoke to the sight of a tiny, white bunny staring at her. There was a scent of pine in the air and a soft breeze blew quietly around her. Rainbow Dash took a minute to gather herself and then hopped up to survey her surroundings.
“Where am I?” Rainbow Dash asked herself as she looked around.
Rainbow Dash was in a room, it was something that looked like a living room but smelled like a tree. There were birds sitting on the window sill and the bunnies and mice were playing on the floor at her hooves. It was a wonderland of cuteness rolled into one vibrant room, and it did not take Rainbow Dash long to figure out where she was.
“Hey Fluttershy, I’m awake.” Rainbow Dash called out as she hovered through the house.
“Oh, you are? That’s just wonderful.” Fluttershy whispered quietly as she appeared from around the corner. She hovered over in front of Rainbow Dash and planted her hooves on the ground underneath her.
“Yeah, so how long have I been out?” Rainbow Dash asked Fluttershy as she placed her hooves back on the ground.
“Well, you’ve been out for awhile, its around mid-morning now.” Fluttershy replied softly.
“Wow, I’ve been out for awhile. Oh, one more question, how did you find me?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Well, I heard a loud crash in the forest a little way out and went to see what it was.” Fluttershy said.
“Really? wait, what were you doing up that late anyway?” Rainbow Dash questioned Fluttershy.
“Well, I wasn’t awake. The sound of you landing woke me up. I was curious as to what happened so I went to investigate.” Fluttershy whispered dimly, lowering her head to protect herself from Rainbow Dash. “I hope you aren’t mad, I’m sorry if I made you mad.”
“It’s okay Fluttershy, I’m not mad.” Rainbow Dash replied. hopeing that she had not inadvertently upset Fluttershy in any way.
“Oh that’s good, I was worried you would be.” Fluttershy whispered, raising her head to look at Rainbow Dash again.
A smile crossed Rainbow Dashes face as Fluttershy looked up at her. It was funny that Fluttershy thought she had upset Rainbow Dash even though she had just saved her life. If anything rainbow Dash should be eternally grateful to Fluttershy, and she vowed to give the idea a try. At the same time though Rainbow dash was filled with remorse, and she figured she had failed at not letting it sneak into her words. There was still uncertainty between her and Applejack after the accident in the orchard, and she wanted to speak with Applejack about her most recent dream. Watching loved ones die was always hard, whether it be in a dream or not, and she wanted to be there to comfort Applejack.
“Hey, I’d love to stay a little longer Fluttershy, but I really need to go take care of something.” Rainbow Dash said as she began to trot towards the door.
“Okay, I understand. Applejack did seem a bit distressed yesterday, you should probably go talk to her.” Fluttershy said, a slight smile playing on her lips.
Rainbow Dash stopped for a moment to let that last statement from Fluttershy sink in. How was it that Fluttershy knew about her and Applejack? It did not take much thinking for Rainbow Dash to figure it out, and she felt stupid when she did. Fluttershy had been in the hospital room when Applejack had told Rainbow Dash to leave. It was not that Fluttershy knew about Rainbow Dashes feelings, she was just worried that Applejack was mad at Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash chuckled and walked outside into the open. She stretched her wings and then took off; she was like a bullet leaving a barrel, and for a faint second Fluttershy’s jaw dropped.
Applejack arrived at Twilight Sparkles library near the start of the afternoon. The heat of the day had set in and it was taking its toll on Applejack. Yes, she was a farmpony who spent lots of time working on the farm in the summer, but the heat today was different. It was a choking, suffocating heat, and there were moments where Applejack had found it hard to breathe. After taking a moment to regain her breath Applejack knocked on the door.
“Who is it?” Twilight asked professionally from the other side of the door.
“It’s your good pal Applejack, now can ah come in?” Applejack replied.
“Oh, of course.” the door slowly opened revealing a purple unicorn with magic flowing from her horn. Twilight stepped out from in front of the doorway and allowed Applejack to enter. “So what brings you to the library today?”
“Well, ah got the day off and decided ta stop by and say hello.” Applejack said.
“Oh, that’s nice. I was just finishing up practice on a new spell.” Twilight Sparkle replied enthusiastically. Applejack looked at her with a wondering expression and she went on. “It’s a growth spell. It makes fruit grow to larger sizes than they normally could grow on their own.”
“Sounds a lot like that spell Discord used during his last visit.” Applejack remarked.
“That’s exactly the spell I modeled this one after. The goal of this spell is to increase food supply and output here in Ponyville!” Twilight exclaimed excitedly.
“Well it sounds great. Can ah see a demonstration?” Applejack asked.
“Why of course, do you happen to have an apple?” Twilight asked Applejack.
“Now what member of the Apple family doesn’t carry an apple on em’?” Applejack retorted as she pulled an apple out of her saddlebag. She set it down on the table and took a step back.
“Alright, here goes nothing.” Twilight said as magic began to build at the tip of her horn. After a few seconds of preparation a purple beam shot off of Twilights horn and into the apple resting on the table. Nothing happened at first and Applejack believed that Twilights spell had failed. After a few seconds a purple static surrounded the apple and it grew to twice its original size.
“Oh my, that’s a lot bigger than I expected it to be.” Twilight said surprised.
“It’s too big for me ta know what ta do with.” Applejack uttered out in amazement. “Apples like this would more than cover the monthly apple output. You’ve really outdone yourself this time.”
Well thanks Applejack, that means a lot to me.” Twilight said as a streak of red shot across her face.
“No problem, anytime.” Applejack replied with a smile. “So, there’s somethin’ I’ve been meaning to ask ya.”
“Yeah? what’s up?” Twilight said as she placed the apple she had grown in a glass case.
“Well, ah wanted to ask ya about somethin’ that happened yesterday.” Applejack said.
“Hmmmm, about why you sent Rainbow Dash out of the room I presume?” Twilight replied, taking a seat at the table.
“Yeah, somethin’ along those lines.” Applejack replied as she took a seat beside Twilight.
Over the next couple of minutes Applejack opened up like never before. She told Twilight things that she could not tell anypony else, and it shocked her that the words flowed with such ease. She explained the dream she had had, replaying every last second in her head. She told Twilight about what Rainbow Dash had said at the hospital, and even about her feelings towards Rainbow Dash. By the time she had finished she was shaking, and she hoped that Twilight had been able to make sense of it all.
“Well, that’s definitely an interesting occurrence.” Twilight said thoughtfully.
“Ah guess it is.” Applejack replied. “Do ya think ya can tell me how it happened?”
“Well, I’ll have to do some research. I can’t promise you anything but I’ll do my best.” Twilight put forth, hoping to keep Applejacks spirits up.
“Thanks Twilight, it would mean the world to me.” Applejack said appreciatively. “Ah do have another question for you, that is if y’all are willing to hear it.”
“Well, i don’t see where it could hurt anything. what is it?” Twilight asked, shifting her weight to rest her head on her hoof.
“Ah was wondering if ya could use that spell that gives ponies wings on me.” Applejack said.
The look on Twilights face at the question Applejack had just asked was one of astonishment. Applejack did not know how to take the look, and just sat there waiting for an answer. It took Twilight a few seconds to make it back to reality, but when she did she had an answer for Applejack.
“I wish I could Applejack, but the spell only works on unicorns.” Twilight said solemnly.
“Are ya sure? Have ya tested it on any earth ponies yet?” Applejack asked hopefully.
“Yes, I’m afraid I have. Pinkie Pie was all to willing to test the spell when she saw that it worked on Rarity.” Twilight retorted. “It didn’t work, and that’s why we went up in the balloon.”
“Well, ah thank ya for tryin’ sugarcube. Ah guess ah’ll just go try somewhere else.” Applejack said as she galloped out the door.
“I hope she doesn’t do anything stupid.” Twilight muttered as she went back to practicing her magic.
As Rainbow Dash trotted through Ponyville she took some time to enjoy the sights and sounds. Ponyville was a very rural city, stuck in a valley between Manehattan and Canterlot. This meant that there were not any famous celebrities like hoity toity in Ponyville, and there were also no famous athletes either....yet... . It was a quiet, peaceful city, and Rainbow Dash enjoyed being a part of it.
Rainbow Dash arrived at Twilights library shortly after Applejacks departure. It was late afternoon and the sun had begun its descent towards the earth. It was a breathtaking sight, and Rainbow Dash took the opportunity to soak it in. After a few seconds Rainbow Dash gave two powerful knocks on the door to the library and waited patiently for an answer.
“Yes? Who is it?” Twilight asked, annoyed, from the other side of the door.
“It’s Rainbow Dash, now will you hurry up and open the door?” Rainbow Dash replied brashly.
Alright, alright.” Twilight said as she opened the door. “How may I help you this evening?”
“Have you seen Applejack today?” Rainbow Dash asked as she muscled her way into the library and began to search the room.
“Yes, she was here a few hours ago, why?” Twilight retorted.
“Darn it!” Rainbow Dash said as she landed and stamped at the ground.
“Why do you want to know?” Twilight asked as she returned to the center of the room.
“I need to talk to her.” Rainbow Dash responded unhappily.
“Ah, I suppose it’s about yesterday’s events?” Twilight asked as she levitated a piece of paper and quill up onto the table.
“Yeah, I really want to clear things up between us. I also need to talk to her about...something else.” Rainbow Dash replied.
“Hmmm, well I hope you can find her. you guys seem like you have a lot to work out.” Twilight said optimistically.
Thanks Twi, but I’m here for another reason as well. I wanted to ask you something too.” Rainbow Dash said, putting an emphasis on the word you.
“No kidding, what is it?” Twilight asked the blue Pegasus in front of her.
Twilight chuckled lightly and then spoke. “You know, Applejack was asking me about that exact same thing.” She slowly moved the quill from one side of the table to the other and lined the edge of the paper up with the edge of the table.
“She was? What did you tell her?” Rainbow Dash asked as hope exploded into her eyes.
“I told her I would have to do some research. It’s a rare occurrence when something like this happens, so there isn’t much in the books about it.” Twilight replied calmly.
“Ugh, but that could take forever!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, kicking her hind legs out behind her.
“You know Rainbow Dash, patience is a virtue. If you want something like this done, then you have to be willing to wait on it.” Twilight uttered thoughtfully.
Yeah, yeah, no need to get phili-filo-pilosofti- don’t get smart with me. I guess I’ll just go and look for Applejack some more.” Rainbow Dash said as she made her way to the door.
“Good luck Rainbow Dash, I hope you can find her out there. Be careful though, it’s getting late.” Twilight called out as she picked up the quill and started writing.
The walk through the everfree forest was a long one, and it always left Applejack feeling insecure. when she left Twilight Sparkles place without a way to make herself fly she decided to head to Zecoras’. Zecora always had a brew cooking, and could help the townsponies with nearly any problem. When Applejack arrived Zecora was already waiting for her outside.
“Ah it’s just as I did forsee, my orange pony friend has come to see me.” Zecora said as Applejack trotted up.
“Hey there Zecora, how ya doin’?” Applejack asked lightly.
“I’m as fine as the beautiful cresent moon; and now I’ll ask, what about you?” the zebra paced back and forth awaiting an answer.
“Ah, straight to the point. Ah always did admire that about ya Zecora.” Applejack mused playfully, a smile on her face.
“No, it’s not about Big mac, or any of the Apple family for that matter. Its actually got ta do with a certain ability ah’d like ta have.” Applejack said as she entered the hut behind Zecora.
“Ah, so is it super pony strength you wish? Or maybe the skill to swim like a fish.” Zecora asked as she began to siphon through different concoctions.
“Actually, ah was hopin’ ya could give me the ability ta fly.” Applejack replied sternly.
Zecora froze for a moment, her mind lost in deep thought. When she did return she stepped over to the vial box and reached in. After several unsuccessful attempts at getting the right vial she finally pulled the right one out and handed it to Applejack.
“Here in my hoof is the brew that you seek, but be warned it is not for a pony whose will is weak.” Zecora said grimly. “If you drink this concoction then flight you shall have, but in return an ability of yours you will no longer have.”
“What do ya mean Zecora?” Applejack asked apprehensively.
“In order to have the flight which you desire, you must give up the power in your hind hooves, your fire.” Zecora remarked as she turned her head from Applejack.
“So ya mean ta tell me that in order ta fly ah have to give up my earth pony strength?” Applejack asked gravely.
That’s exactly what I meant to say, now if you don’t mind I bid you good day.” Zecora pushed the vial into Applejacks hoof and then shut the door to her hut.
Applejack stood there, thinking over the choice that lay before her. Give up her strength? The mere thought of that idea was insane! Yet something inside applejack told her to do it. Applejack cared deeply for Rainbow Dash, and she wanted nothing more than to prove that she was worth it. The farm was important to Applejack, but not as important as Rainbow Dash. With a gulp Applejack swallowed the contents of the vial and closed her eyes. From here on out there would be no going back, it was all or nothing.
