Friends and Family
Restful Hills Cemetery. If ever there were a place in all of Ponyville that Applejack would rather not come to, this was most definitely it, no doubt about it. Every single time she had to come here, it left her depressed, questioning her own mortality, and filled with dread over the next time she'd have to show up. She knew that eventually she'd have to make a trip out here for the purpose of saying goodbye to Granny Smith, and nothing she could do was going to change that fact. Those were the thoughts that plagued her mind everytime she came out here, and they'd continue to haunt her for days after she left.
The old wrought iron gates always looked so intimidating and unwelcoming to those that approached, and the sign worn with age, in need of a good sanding and a new coat of paint. She had more than a few relatives buried out here, long since dead and passed away before she was ever born or old enough to know them. Usually Granny Smith visited them to pay her respects and talk to them about whatever older ponies talked about.
But that was enough dwelling on her thoughts, she had business to take care of. Very important business. She had a friend inside that needed visiting right now, and it'd be rude to keep them waiting. So steeling her nerves, she stepped past the old iron gates, and made her way toward the one hill without a tree on it, where her friend was waiting.
"Hey there RD," she greeted and sat down on her haunches. "How ya holdin' up?" she asked. No response but that was to be expected. With a sigh she turned her eyes upward at the sky. "Sure is nice an' sunny today, not a cloud in the sky."
No response. Then again Rainbow Dash didn't say much these days to those that visited her out here. She looked at the flowers their friends had brought by in order to pay their respects to the fallen, each one easy to identify. Rarity's bouquet was all organized, color coordinated and fashionable. Fluttershy's was simple and down to earth, and was planted in the ground off to the side where it could grow and flourish. Pinkie's was cheerful except for the card that read "Life is a party, even when the party had to end." Twilight's looked like it took cues from everypony else, not having an original idea of her own. The one she herself brought out had been simple and straight forward, decorated with some apple blooms from the orchard. Each of them were starting to show their age and wither by now.
"We sure do miss ya 'round Ponyville. Jus' ain' the same without ya flyin' about an' practicin' yer Sonic Rainboom an'-"
"Whadda you want Applejack?" Rainbow Dash asked and broke her silence, finally acknowledging her friend's presence.
Finally some signs of life from a cyan pegasus. Applejack felt a sense of relief at hearing her friend finally speak up. After so long amongst the dead, she couldn't help but worry about her sanity. But talking was good, talking meant she could still interact with the world around her.
"We're all worried about ya Sugarcube. Ya've been here every single day since the service was held," Applejack pointed out, still remembering it all just like it was yesterday. Then again it was only two weeks ago that it happened. Two weeks ago it was the day that changed everything forever. The day when Rainbow Dash had gone from being so happy and carefree and self absorbed and become... what she was today.
They'd all been together at Sugarcube Corner when they got the news, when Spike belched up the scroll from Princess Celestia herself, addressed specifically to Rainbow Dash. It was exceedingly rare that any of them got a message that was intended for them directly, usually they all went to Twilight. She still remembered how Rainbow Dash had needed Spike to read the message to her out loud, informing them all of the news; Rainbow Dash's parents were dead.
It had been an accident at the weather factory where they both worked. One of the generators responsible for charging the rainclouds with their lightning had overheated and resulted in an explosion, killing them both, and three other factory workers. By the time Spike got to the part of the princess offering her condolences for her loss, Rainbow Dash was beyond the point of being consoled. She'd bolted right out the door heading for parts unknown.
The service had been held at Restful Hills with a good portion of Cloudsdale, and even half of Ponyville being present. There was some irony to it, being born in the clouds, and buried in the ground. They'd all been there too, to offer their condolences, and leave their bouquets behind; all of them that is except for Rainbow Dash. Her appearance had been hesitant and even passively hostile, with no flowers or goodbyes to offer. When she'd been offered a chance to speak a few words to those gathered she'd only had one thing to say, the words still ringing in her head:
"They don't deserve any words of kindness!"
That was the last time they'd heard Rainbow Dash speak. Immediately after, she'd taken to the skies and locked herself in her cloud home the rest of the day, not letting another pony in for anything.
After that day the only time they saw Rainbow Dash out and about was when she was tending to her weather duties and that was it. Nopony knew where Rainbow Dash had disappeared to during her down time, but if Applejack was a betting pony, she'd wager a good amount that it'd been out here, sitting by her parent's graves, going by her worn and tired and even dirty appearance. She looked like she'd barely eaten in days, if at all, and dried tear stains on her cyan coat.
"Tell them not to, I'm fine," Rainbow Dash replied with a grumble and looked away.
"Sometimes ah think you shoulda been the Element o' Honesty, yer an even worse liar than ah am RD," Applejack stated, earning an unseen scowl from the pegasus. "Ya blew up at their funeral like Twilight at the royal weddin' with Queen Chrysalis in Cadance's form, an' then ya been out here every day since. Ah know that it ain' any o' my business, but ah'd sure appreciate it if ya felt like unloadin'."
"You're right, it's none of your business," Rainbow Dash stated a lot more harshly than she'd originally intended, but she didn't feel like apologizing for it. "You wouldn't understand," she mumbled.
"Ah know ah'm not as well read as Twilight, but don' let that fool ya. Ah can still tell which end o' the apple is up," she replied, completely unfazed by her friend's tone. "Jus' try me. Ah'm willin' to provide an ear ta bend."
She paused a moment, letting her words sink in some before continuing. "Of course if ya don't wanna talk, all ya gotta say is fer me ta get, an' ah'll go an' leave ya ta yerself, out here all alone. But ah reckon ya don' wan' that or ya woulda said so earlier on," she reasoned.
"Nopony ever could get anything past you could they?" Rainbow Dash muttered, highly annoyed by her clarity that Applejack seemed to have. Element of Honesty indeed. She sighed and lowered her head in defeat, preparing to tell what had to be told. "... I never had the best relationship with my parents. They weren't cruel or anything like that, but... they weren't all that loving either. They were... detached, they had their own ideas of what was important and what wasn't and... I think most of the time I was on the latter. They're the reason I came to Ponyville and took a job with the weather bureau, and been on my own since I got here. I don't come here to mourn them, AJ, I come here to try and find answers to life," she paused and took a breath, closing her eyes for a while. "When I left Cloudsdale all those years ago and came here, I was happy to be on my own and away from them, I didn't need all the yelling and hostility. But... I still always kinda hoped that one day we could patch things up and be a family again. But now that's never gonna happen," she stopped and sniffed, "now I'm... all alone in the world..."
Applejack had been silent as she let Rainbow Dash tell her story, giving her the appropriate space. Now that it seemed she was done talking she felt it was time to step in closer and offer a shoulder of support in addition to her ear.
"Ya ain't all alone when ya got yer friends with ya," Applejack pointed out.
"You don't get it Applejack!" she snapped furiously. "Friends aren't the same as family! You come from a big family with seemingly more cousins than I have feathers, so you wouldn't know what it's like. I only had my mom and dad, they were my only family and now..." she paused and sniffed again, her voice dropping from its previous pitch, "and now they're gone..."
"Ah understand better than ya might think ah do Sugarcube," Applejack replied, not even flinching when Rainbow Dash yelled, "ah know how important family can be. Ah probably know better than anypony."
Rainbow Dash remained silent, staring down at the markers to the grave before her, unconvinced and unmoved by Applejack's words.
"We're all here for ya if ya need us Sugarcube, we always will be," she said and paused. Rainbow Dash nodded, just a bit though. It was the kind of nod that was given when one was agreeing that they heard something, but didn't truly believe in it. Undaunted, Applejack continued with what she had to say. "An' with that in mind, if it helps any ah'd... like ta extend ta ya the invitation ta... become a part of the Apple family."
"Huh?" Rainbow Dash as she looked up and blinked, completely dumbfounded by Applejack's words.
Applejack winced at seeing her friend's face. She looked a lot worse from the front than she did the side. But she brushed it off, there were bigger matters to tend to right now. "Ah said-" she began but was interrupted by Rainbow Dash.
"I know what you said Applejack I was sitting right here. But what I don't get is why. We're not related, we're not even the same species," she was quick to point out.
"That really don' matter none. Family ain' somethin' that's determined by blood or who yer born ta. Family is ponies who cares for each other an' looks out for each other. Remember the cider wars with the brothers Flim and Flam? Y'all pitched in an' helped us out when we needed it the most. Anypony coulda but only you girls did, tha's family," she pointed out. She saw Rainbow Dash flinch at her words. "An ah'll tell ya something else. Ya wouldn' exactly be the first outside pony tha' the Apple family's adopted as one o' their own, tha's why most o' them're cousins. An' ya wouldn' even be the last either."
"But I'm a pegasus. Can a family of earth ponies really consider a pegasus as a family member?" Rainbow Dash asked, still unconvinced by Applejack's words.
"Why don' ya' ask Mistah and Missus Cake abou' that one an' come back wit' the answer," Applejack suggested, earning something that looked like a smile in response. A smile in this situation was very good.
"You're really serious about wanting me to join your family, just like that? But we always fight, and I'm not a farm pony I'm a weather pony, and my home is up in the clouds, and-"
"So we scuffle from time ta time, big deal. Ya ever see how ah get wit' Apple Bloom when she gets a wild idea in 'er head? Don' mean we don't still love each other," Applejack pointed out. Rainbow Dash nodded absentmindedly. "An' nopony's askin' ya ta change who ya are RD. We got family all over Equestria doin' all sorts o' things where they live. Ya wouldn't have ta give up cloud wranglin' fer applebuckin'. Ya wouldn't even have ta live at Sweet Apple Acres if ya didn' want ta. Ah'm just sayin' that ya don' have ta be alone anymore. We'll be yer family if ya let us," she said as she moved closer still. Close enough to put a foreleg around Rainbow Dash's shaking shoulders to steady and comfort her. "It's yer choice on the matter, whatever ya wanna do. But ah'd love ta have another sister. Ah'm sure Apple Bloom and Big Macintosh would too."
She remained silent and just let her words sink in, giving Rainbow Dash plenty of time to think things over. But from the way the cyan pegasus was shaking right now it was safe to assume her words were sinking in pretty quick. It was the kind of shaking born from one's resolve breaking apart.
"I... I wanna say something... to my parents," Rainbow Dash said as evenly as she could.
"Ah' understand RD, ah'll give ya some privacy," Applejack said and stood to leave.
"You don't have to AJ, what I have to say isn't mushy or anything like that. You can stay," she stated, making the earth pony stop in her tracks and turn back to face her. She turned back to the marker and took a deep breath in an attempt to steady herself for what she was about to say. "Mom, Dad, I never thought we'd be meeting up again like this. I never thought we'd be meeting up again at all. I wanted to at some point down the line, I really did, but I never held out much hope of that ever happening," she paused and took another breath. "You two... you two were never there for me! And it hurt me a lot! It hurt me more than you could ever imagine! When I got kicked out of flight school you never once stopped to ask why, all you ever cared about what the fact that I was kicked out! You two are the reason I ran away from my home and friends back in Cloudsdale, you're the reason I came to Ponyville to start over, you're the reason I've been alone all these years!" she shouted, unable to control the flow of emotions that were pouring out right now. Sadness had quickly given way to anger.
"You two... you two were... you weren't family! You didn't love me, or you would've come looking for me to bring me back home! You didn't look and I hated you for that! I hated you then and I still hate you even now! Do you even hear me!? I HATE YOU!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, howling in emotional torment. "I hate you... and I love you... and all at the exact same time. I wanted to get back and be a family again, I wanted you to be my parents again. But now that's never going to happen, and I never even got to tell you goodbye when you were still alive to hear it. And now you're gone..."
Tears were starting to flow freely and drip down her cheeks now. Her voice was cracking as anger was giving way to sorrow again. Applejack knew it wouldn't be much longer at the rate she was going.
"Why didn't you ever come looking for me after I left? Where were you when your little filly was off on her own? Were you both that busy with your work, that neither one of you could try and find your missing foal?" she asked, her voice growing more and more unsteady. "What'd I do that was so wrong? Why didn't you..." she paused and sniffed, unable to hold back any longer as she asked the question that she needed to ask more than any other. "Why didn't you love me?"
She was crying now, all out bawling really, but she didn't care. She didn't care if all of Ponyville was standing behind her and watching as she bawled like a foal, or even if Scootaloo was there to watch her hero fall apart emotionally, she was too far gone for that now. She didn't even notice the foreleg stroking her back in a comforting manner.
"Let it all out RD, ya been keepin' all that hurt inside, all by yerself this whole time, and now ya don' have ta anymore," Applejack told her as she cried helplessly. She couldn't even begin to imagine what her friend had been going through all these years, constantly wearing the mask of somepony that was happy and caring only about grabbing a nap and doing aerial stunts.
Had it all really been a mask to hide the fact that she was a scared filly who craved the love and affection of her parents? Or maybe that really was Rainbow Dash through and through, and she just didn't think about the pain. She didn't know either way and it wasn't her place to pry, and now really wasn't the time either.
She stayed by Rainbow Dash's side as she cried, letting her lean against her for support, and even cling to her like shelter in the middle of a raging storm. She stayed even as her coat was getting soaked by her friend's tears, and she'd stay no matter how much crying she had left to her. As long as she was needed, she was just gonna sit there and hug her. Her job was the easy part, she just had to be there and be patient, Rainbow Dash was the one who had all the hard stuff to get through.
But in the end her patience paid off, and Rainbow Dash's crying eventually let up, tapering off to the point of just being occasional sobbing punctuated by hiccups, before finally coming to a complete stop, her quaking body becoming eerily still in Applejack's forelegs. The only thing that kept her from panicking was the fact that she could still feel her heart beating against her own chest. Looking down at her she looked like she was sleeping now. She looked almost peaceful right now. Messy, but peaceful.
"Applejack?"
"Wha's up Sugarcube?" she asked, noting that Rainbow Dash's voice was so quiet when she finally broke her silence. Had she cried herself hoarse?
"Did you... did you mean what you said earlier?" she asked with half closed eyes looking in no particular direction.
"Every word of it, ah promise," she said as she stroked her messy mane. "The Apple family's here for ya."
"I think I'd like that," she finally admitted in a whisper as she closed her eyes.
Applejack just smiled and helped her back up onto her hooves. And now that she was looking at her eye to eye, she was an absolute mess! Snot and tear stains atop bags under her eyes and sunken features, a messy coat and an unkempt mane, along with ruffled feathers, she definitely needed a bath. Then again she could probably use one too after holding onto Rainbow Dash the whole time and getting her mess on her own coat.
"Yer gettin' a bath as soon as ah get ya home," Applejack told her firmly. "But first, would ya mind if ah said a few words of mah own since we're here?" she asked.
Rainbow Dash shook her head and stepped back so she could step forward and address the marker. She really didn't know just what kind of words Applejack had to say to a couple of ponies that she wasn't related to and were already gone.
"A'right. Sir, Ma'am, sorry we didn' get the opportunity ta meet under better circumstances," she began as she addressed the markers, "ah don' rightly know wha' all went on in yer family, it ain' mah place ta be pryin' er nothin'. Fer right er wrong ya did wha' ya did, an' there ain' no way ta change it now," she paused again to glance back at Rainbow Dash before turning back to the markers. "Ah jus' wanna let ya know that ya don' have ta worry none, yer daughter's gonna be in good hooves now, an' we'll take good care of her... ah reckon a lot better care than y'all did yerself," she finished, muttering the last part with an obvious tone of hostility.
With that said she turned back to Rainbow Dash and began walking towards the exit, her friend keeping pace with her so as to not be left behind.
"AJ?" Rainbow Dash spoke up, bringing Applejack's focus to her. "Are you sure your family would really want me?"
"Ah'm positive Sugarcube," Applejack replied. "If ya wanna be our kin we'll take ya in and love ya, jus' like yer one o' our own."
"This is gonna take some getting used to," Rainbow Dash stated.
"We'll be there ta help ya wit' tha' too," Applejack reassured her, before stopping in her tracks to flip off her stetson, catch it by the brim, and set it down on Rainbow Dash's head. "Looks pretty good on ya. If yer really gonna be mah sister, maybe we should look inta gettin' ya one o' yer own."
"Yeah?" Rainbow Dash asked, caught off guard by the sudden gesture of Applejack actually parting with her hat. "Hey... what's it like to be sisters with somepony?"
"Pretty much like now, just more of a sense of belongin' together. Now come on, le's get ya back ta the farm an' get ya inta a warm bath ,and then get some good food inta ya," Applejack told her. Rainbow Dash didn't object at all to that, other than her stomach growling at the prospect of food.
The sun was already beginning its late afternoon descent by the time they reached Sweet Apple Acres. It was a long journey from Restful Hills, but it wasn't one that was filled with sad and depressing thoughts, those had been abandoned back at the cemetery gates in favor of a more upbeat outlook on things. At least that was the case for Applejack, Rainbow Dash on the other hoof was just bubbling with worry, and every step closer they took to the Apple house just made it worse. But not being the most subtle of ponies in Equestria it was easy for Applejack to pick up on that nervousness.
"Jus' relax RD everythin's gonna be a'right, don' worry," Applejack told her as she stepped into the house first. "We're home!" she called out.
"We're in the parlor Sis'!" Apple Bloom's voice called back in greeting.
"Are you really sure about this?" Rainbow Dash whispered.
"Sure as a worm in an apple. Come on," Applejack replied and lead her to the parlor where everypony was gathered.
Granny Smith was sitting in her rocker, idly rocking back and forth at her own leisure, Big Macintosh was standing off to the side and looking out the window, while Apple Bloom stood in the middle of the room and facing the doorway, her eyes as big and wide open as saucers and overall looking like she was about to burst any minute; like she was the one who got to yell "surprise" at somepony's surprise party.
"Uh, hi everypony," Rainbow Dash greeted hesitantly.
"Why hello there Rainbow Dash, ya stayin' fer dinner?" Granny Smith greeted back.
"Uh, y-yeah if that's alright," she replied.
"Well o' course it's a'right, we always got plenty o' food fer a guest er two," the older pony reassured her as she eased herself out of her rocker. "Now then, ah take it my granddaughter's asked ya about becomin' a part o' the Apple family?"
"Yeah she did and..." Rainbow Dash began before she could even think otherwise but quickly stopped in her tracks, eyes going wide at hearing the elder pony's words, "wait, you knew already? How?"
"Like ah said RD ah was just extendin' the invitation, not issuin' the invitation," Applejack pointed out. "We all decided on the issue right after the funeral when we saw ya there. We woulda asked ya a lot sooner but figured ya needed some space ta think after yer partin' words an' all."
"Eeyup," Big Macintosh replied as he turned away from the window.
Rainbow Dash was silent as she looked about the room. The whole way back from the cemetery she'd been afraid of how things could go wrong with this proposal, and suddenly it turned out that everything had been worked out on their part even before she'd been approached in the first place. They were all...really serious about wanting her. She didn't have any reason to worry.
"You...you really mean it?" she asked, "you want me to be part of the family? You don't care that I'm a pegasus and not a farm pony?"
"Rainbow Dash dearie it don' make no difference at all," Granny Smith said as she stepped forward. "Family don' have to be all the same ta be family. Ah've been around fer a long, long time and ah've seem this family get a massive influx o' ponies over the years an' decades. Pegasi, unicorns, we've even had a few donkeys an' zebras share our name," she added and chuckled. "We've got all kind o' kin all over Equestria. They didn' all turn out ta be farmers either but work all kinds of professions. Bankers, doctors, lawyers, law enforcement, scientists, why some o' them even went on ta serve in the royal guard up in Caterlot," she explained, leaving Rainbow Dash visibly stunned, eyes again wide.
She chuckled and brushed a hoof against the cyan pony's cheek. "You an' yer friends are already like family the way ya care fer each other so much and help each other out when the chips're down an' all. Y'all pitched in when Applejack needed help for the applebuckin' season, ya pitched in ta aid us agains' the Flim Flam brothers, ya even pitched in on matters tha' ya didn' need ta help with simply because ya cared enough ta get involved. If that ain' family then I don' know what is."
"It's yer decision RD, whatever ya wanna do is fine by us," Applejack told her.
"Ah'd love to have another big sister around," Apple Bloom stated as she looked up at her with her big doe eyes. "Please Rainbow Dash?" she all but pleaded and leaned against her foreleg.
Rainbow Dash was definitely not prepared for such a large outpouring of love and support. She'd walked in expecting to have to defend not only herself but Applejack from objections by the others. But this...she could've been floored with one of her own feathers at hearing that it was everypony behind it. She was...overjoyed.
"Why're ya cryin' Rainbow Dash, did we say somethin' wrong? Are ya sad?" Apple Bloom asked, being the first to notice the new tears starting to fall.
"I'm not crying kid I'm happy," she sniffed as she tried to wipe her eyes dry. "I'm happy and lucky, I'm...probably the luckiest pegasus in all of Equestria right now because..." she paused to try and compose herself for what she was going to say next, "because I've got a family to be with that actually loves me and wants me," she finally admitted.
"Family hug y'all," Applejack called, and the next thing Rainbow Dash knew she was surrounded and wrapped in one of the biggest embraces she'd ever been at the center of. "Welcome ta the family RD."
"Now 20% cooler than we was yesterday," Apple Bloom added, referring to one of Rainbow Dash's favorite boastful statements about herself. That earned an amused laugh from everypony present.
"Thanks you guys," Rainbow Dash replied and closed her eyes, content to just enjoy the embrace right now.
"And now down ta business," Applejack announced as she pulled away, the others soon joining. "Yer gettin' a nice hot bath and washed up 'cause yer a real sight. An' then right after that yer getting a good meal in ya 'cause ya look like yer just skin an' bones an' feathers. An' then after that's all said an' done yer gonna get a good night's sleep in a real bed 'cause yer spending the night," she explained and instructed.
"An' we ain' takin' no fer an answer either," Apple Bloom informed her.
"Alright, alright," Rainbow Dash replied as she happily chuckled at the sudden turn of events, amused at how things were progressing. "You Apples are sure a bossy bunch."
"Ya ain' seen nothin' yet. Now get ta movin' before ah have to scrub ya down myself," Applejack stated and faux annoyance, prodding Rainbow Dash in the direction of the tub.
"I'm goin' already I'm goin'. I tell you what Applejack you sure are a bossy sister," Rainbow Dash stated as she started walking, all the while trying not to laugh.
"Ya really ain' seen nothin' yet," Apple Bloom added as she followed close behind.
Granny Smith just smiled a knowing smile and gently shook her head as she watched everything unfold. It was times like this that made her happy to be an Apple.
"What say we get started on dinner for 'em?" she suggested to Big Macintosh.
"Eeyup."
+++
"Whadda ya still doin' up RD?" Applejack asked as she turned over in her bed to face the door.
"How'd you know?" Rainbow Dash asked as she opened the door and poked her head in.
"Ya' ain' the quietest pegasus ah ever been aroun'," Applejack explained as she sat up in bed. "Now wha's up exactly?"
"Just thinking about everything I guess. Trying to make sense of it all, it's been a crazy day; crazier than when Discord was on the loose," she explained and sat down on her haunches on the floor.
It had been a long and emotionally tiring day for everypony involved. What had started out with sorrow and suffering had ended on a high note. But just because things were better didn't mean they were any less complicated. There were still a lot of things to sort out and make sense of.
Earlier in the evening it had been a wild spectacle of an event. Applejack and Apple Bloom had been only too willing to assist their new sister in getting cleaned up good, and with Applejack armed with the scrub brush and aggressive in her approach the pegasus had been driven into a fit of hysterics that results in the earth pony being flipped into the tub right along with her. Never being one to miss out on the fun Apple Bloom had been only too willing to dive in after them. Laughter and soap suds naturally flew in every direction.
After the bath (and the resulting mess was cleaned up properly) was the biggest, most filling meal she'd been made privy to in a long, long time. In addition to a number of apple delicacies that were presented before her there was also a stack of fresh hay fries, and as hungry as she was she eagerly gobbled up everything that was put in front of her, earning the wisecrack that she had as big an appetite as Applejack. And to top everything off was the treat of Apple family cider from their private stock, which in her mind was the highlight of the meal.
But as the evening gave way to night and Luna's moon was in full view it was eventually time for the Apple family to turn in, meaning all of the Apple family. Rainbow Dash had naturally been offered the guest room; although if she said the word they'd make it into her room. However while sleep came easy for some others weren't so lucky, which was where they were at right now.
"Ah guess it's been a might bit disorderly an' all," Applejack agreed.
"Things just seemed to move so...so...suddenly. Not that I've got a problem with fast, it's what I'm good at. But...what can I say, wow."
"Would ya've preferred months o' discussion and paperwork and whatnot like some big city ponies would insist on?" Applejack asked her rhetorically, knowing full well Rainbow Dash wouldn't approve of such a slow pace of doing things. "Ah reckon ya wouldn't have accepted if ya didn' want it in the first place, ya just had to accept that fact with yerself first," she theorized.
"You're starting to sound like Twilight and her Egghead way of explaining things out," Rainbow Dash pointed out, Applejack chuckled. "Well I...guess I'd better get back to bed now. Got a lot of clouds to deal with tomorrow and they won't move on their own," she said as she stood up and turned to leave.
"Rainbow Dash," Applejack spoke up and caused her to pause. "Do ya wanna spend the night er somethin'?" she asked, the tone not exactly fit for asking a question.
"Well..." she paused and looked out the door, "I am awful tired. And it is a long walk back to the guest room just to go to sleep..." she said.
Second worst liar in Equestria, no doubt about it. She and Applejack both knew the guest room was just down the hall and to the right and even the most tired of ponies could cross it if they wanted to. Applejack said nothing in response to the exaggeration, instead just scooting over some and pulling back the covers, giving room for Rainbow Dash to climb up and lay down beside her. If the pegasus needed some personal comfort but didn't want to admit it she could go along with it.
"Better?" she asked as she flipped the covers back into place.
"Better," Rainbow Dash replied as she made herself comfortable under the covers. "And thanks. Goodnight."
Applejack was silent as she watched Rainbow Dash get into a comfortable position and settle in for the evening. Once she was certain she was ready to sleep she leaned over and placed a kiss on her forehead, making her eyes flutter in response. "Goodnight sis'," Applejack told her and laid back down on her side of the bed and closed her eyes.
"...Goodnight sis'..."
+++
Dear Princess Celestia,
I wanna thank you for being present for the funeral, I know you're busy and all and it was touching that you took the time to attend. What you had to say about my parents was nice.
I managed to learn an important lesson, but not exactly about friendship. Sometimes the line separating friends and family isn't well defined and if you aren't looking the two tend to overlap. When you experience more love and caring from ponies you've just met than you do from ponies who're supposed to love you it makes things difficult to figure out and makes you reconsider previous notions.
I may have lost my parents and that makes me sad. But that's alright because being sad doesn't mean being alone. I learned that I still have a family that loves me, and I...what the hay I'll say it, I love them too.
Signed, your faithful subject, and the newest member of the Apple family,
Rainbow Dash
P.S. Twilight helped me with writing this a little. Composing really isn't my strong point.
Author's Note
This entire story was inspired by several AppleDash pics. However instead of pairing them up as lovers I felt there was a certain chemistry between the two that would conceivably allow for a different interpretation of the two.
"So...this is it? All I have to do is sign on the dotted line?" Rainbow Dash asked as she looked over the form before her, all written out in terms and words that she didn't fully understand.
It had been a full seven months to the day when she'd been welcomed into the Apple family after losing her own family, and in those seven months she really couldn't remember being happier.
At first things really weren't much different than they were any other from any other day. Rainbow Dash tended to the weather, Applejack tended to Sweet Apple Acres and when they weren't busy they hung out with their friends in Ponyville. The only difference to be had was Rainbow Dash would occasionally stop in for a home cooked dinner and share the events and stories of her day with the Apples and hear about what they did throughout the day. Sometimes she'd even stay the night and sleep in the guest room before eventually leaving in the morning to tend to the matters of her job and carry about as usual with the day.
It was a very slow, very gradual transition that occurred over the many months. At first it was just the occasional dinner and overnight but slowly it became more frequent. Rather than just occasionally dropping in it was soon once a week that Rainbow Dash would come for dinner and wind up staying late into the evening, playing games with Apple Bloom until it was time to turn in, more often than not she'd retire to the guest room. Eventually it reached the point where she was spending every other night at the Apple family residence rather than sleeping at her cloud castle home by herself.
As time went on though the shift became more noticeable even to their friends. Somewhere down the line Rainbow Dash had gone from tending to her weather duties, being a lazy slacker and obsessed with the Wonderbolts and her own aerial stunts, to still being all that and yet caring about the conditions at Sweet Apple Acres, lending a hoof where she could to help make things go easier.
However Rainbow Dash trying to learn how to do things on the farm hadn't been something easy to try and teach. She was as stubborn as any of the Apples and believed that she could adapt her cloud managing skills to manage the trees in the orchard; not that she didn't try her hardest, but sometimes a flying kick ended very badly and the results weren't pretty; either for the tree or for Rainbow Dash herself. Her heart was in it, but sometimes it sure seemed like her brain wasn't.
Other than the trouble of teaching Rainbow Dash proper apple harvesting techniques for when she helped out things went rather smoothly; most of the time anyway. As predicted there were spats resulting from a clashing of opinions, like what was the best course of action to go about getting Apple Bloom her cutie mark or some other matter. More than once she and Applejack would find themselves engaging in all out yelling for what seemed like hours on end, treating each other like the bitterest of enemies.
But they always made up and apologized for what they said to one another, always forgiving the other and going on to do some sisterly bonding, and more than once sharing the same bed and holding each other close for comfort as the tensions of the day were allowed to melt away and be forgotten. And the next day they'd act like nothing had happened and go about their day like it was business as usual.
Eventually though they'd reached a point that Rainbow Dash had secretly been dreading and trying to avoid. It was a recent development, but at the same time an uncomfortable one where she began to question (both herself as well as others) if she was simply a mooch living off the generosity of the Apple family like some sort of parasite. Despite their insistence that no such thing was occurring she still had her own doubts; doubt that just didn't want to get shaken no matter how hard she tried. She'd come to love the Apples far too much to just leaves things as they were, they'd taken her in when she was alone, given her a sense of stability when before all she knew was a sense of haphazardness. And after much thinking and soul searching (not her strongest points, she was the first to admit that fact) she'd finally reached a conclusion; she didn't want to stay an Apple in name only, she wanted to be adopted into the family for real and officially.
That lead to even more searching and eventually (as much as she hated to do it) going to Twilight for help since she'd know better than anypony how to go about it. That was what had brought her here now, staring at this piece of parchment before her. As it turned out the adoption process was a lot more complicated than she first believed, it was mainly used for foals rather than grown mares, that fact alone leading to what had turned into weeks of red tape and paperwork all on its own. The lack of legal guardians didn't help matters much either, Granny Smith being the only one present. But finally the end was within sight right before her.
"That's pretty much it. You sign right here," Twilight began as she telekinetically moved the quill about to emphasize the blank area of parchment below the other signatures included amongst all the legal jargon. "Then I sign on the bottom line to signify that as a notary pony I actually witnessed the above signing take place as detailed in the document. Then we file the form at the town hall where it all goes on record, and once it's all finalized everything is nice and legal and official, you'll be the newest member of the Apple family," she explained.
"So...this is it? All I have to do is sign on the dotted line?" Rainbow Dash asked again, not understanding most of what Twilight was talking about. Twilight frowned in annoyance.
"Yes, Rainbow Dash, all you have to do is sign on the dotted line and your part is done with," she replied, deciding to use simpler terms to address her friend.
There had been a fair bit of concern on her part about how her friends would take the news that she was a part of Applejack's family now. That had been an awkward announcement for her to make that day so many months back. But despite her concerns everypony thought that it was wonderful news; the only one objecting to the idea being Pinkie Pie, her gripe being that it wasn't fair that Applejack had asked first and she wanted to have a sister too. But after that initial bit of friction she'd been back in full Pinkie Pie swing, insisting that they needed to have a party to celebrate.
"Well then let's do this," Rainbow Dash said after a pause and took the quill in her teeth. She hesitated for only a moment, looking over at Applejack, before scribbling in her signature and giving the quill back for Twilight to use. Now it was finally over. "There. All done."
Applejack didn't say anything, rather she just stepped over and pulled her sister into a hug, who did her best to awkwardly return it despite still not liking to do the mushy displays in public. "Welcome ta the family, again," Applejack told her, before adding, "sister."
"Thanks...sister," Rainbow Dash replied somewhat awkwardly, still finding it difficult to get accustomed to the title. "So...now what do we do?"
There were chores to be done back at Sweet Apple Acres, chores that had to be interrupted and put on hold so they could actually go through with all this ridiculous paperwork just to ease Rainbow Dash's mind. They really needed to get back to them so they could be done before it got dark.
At least that's what the practical part of Applejack's mind told her. The compassionate part was telling her something else.
"Well Rarity said she got the alterations ta yer vest made, le's go check 'er out," Applejack suggested, referring to the vest like the one their cousin Braeburn wore. The last time Rainbow Dash had seem him during the most recent visit to Appleoosa she'd really wanted one to go along with the stetson she'd gotten five months back. But first it had to be altered to take her wings into account, which Rarity was only too glad to do for her friends.
"Sounds good to me. See ya later Twilight, and thanks for all your help." Rainbow Dash called as they left the library.
"Anytime girls," Twilight called back.
"...Hey...AJ?" Rainbow Dash spoke up once they were about halfway to the Carousel Boutique.
"Wha's up RD?" Applejack asked.
"Well I've been thinking about this ever since I started this whole process and found out about all that paperwork and...after we get my vest I'd like to go and see my parent's marker again. I've...got something to tell them."
"Mind if ah ask what?" Applejack asked, now curious about this change of events.
"Well I...wanna tell them that I forgive them," she paused, "and...I wanna tell them goodbye too, now that I'm a part of your family and all."
"Ya sure about tha' last part there Sugarcube? We ain' replaced 'em er nothin', nopony could do that an' we didn' bother ta try none," Applejack pointed out.
"I know that Applejack. But I'm sure on it, really. I've given it a lot of thought by now. You're my family now and that's all there is to it. I need to do this for closure's sake," she explained.
"Shoot Sugarcube yer really puttin' too much thought inta this, makin' it all more complicated then need be," Applejack told her. "But if thar's what ya want then that's what we'll do."
"Thanks AJ," Rainbow Dash replied and leaned against her. Applejack closed her eyes and leaned back. "Oh yeah before I forget there's one more thing."
"An' wha's that?" Applejack asked.
"Race ya!" she yelled and took off at full gallop, leaving Applejack behind in the dust.
"Darn ya Rainbow Dash y'all is without a doubt the orneriest sister ah ever did have! Get back here righ' now ya big cheat!" she yelled and galloped off after her, all the while trying hard not to laugh.
After the credits roll...
One year later...
"Yer really sure about this, RD? This is what ya want?" Applejack asked as she looked about the former guest room, now adorned with the decor from Rainbow Dash's cloud castle. "Ya sure ya wanna move outta the clouds an' live down with a buncha earth ponies? Ain' ya gonna miss yer cloud castle and the view ya had from up there?"
A full year from the day Rainbow Dash had become an official member of Applejack's family. How time seemed to fly by so fast, and at the same time be filled with so many changes that it didn't seem possible to squeeze them all into a measured time frame. Since that day Rainbow Dash had been spending more and more time hanging around Sweet Apple Acres, still sleeping over every other night...at first anyway...that amount gradually increasing as time went on, until one day when she made the announcement to everypony that she was going to move in at Sweet Apple Acres and live there exclusively.
It turned out to be a big deal to the Apple family to have her move in with them on a permanent basis; apparently something they'd been planning on for quite some time now. When she made the announcement she was presented with a name plaque for her door that Apple Bloom had painted by herself. Originally it was supposed to read Rainbow Dash's Bedroom, but there hadn't been enough room for all that and eventually she just settled on Rainbow's Room; not that she minded one bit, she was touched all the same.
The move itself had hardly been arduous or burdensome, most of what she had to bring along was simple enough. Her gown and tiara from the Grand Galloping Gala that Rarity had put so much under-appreciated work into, the two nightshirts she'd gotten around the time she made her announcement, the award for winning the Best Young Flyer's Competition, some posters of the Wonderbolts, the Daring Do series she enjoyed reading so much, a jar full of liquid rainbow from her fountain, and of course Tank, she could never forget him.
In the end it hadn't been a difficult move, but it had definitely served as a sad reminded of just how empty Rainbow Dash's life had been beforehoof.
"Yeah I'm sure AJ, this is what I want. The cloud castle might've been my house, but this is my home and it's where my family is now. This is where I wanna be from now on," Rainbow Dash replied and nodded. "It's not like I'm giving up anything important, just a bunch of isolation. I've still got my job with the weather bureau and my aerial stunts so I'll always have a view. And as long as there's clouds around I can always grab a snooze when I'm tired," she explained, earning a playful frown and a hoof bump to the shoulder from Applejack at the last bit. "And besides, now I can help contribute something to Sweet Apple Acres."
"Aw shoot Sugarcube how many times do we have ta tell ya tha' ya contribute plenty enough already. Ya make sure the weather stays stable for our orchards ta grow proper an' all, nopony else can do tha' like you," Applejack told her. "It ain' like we're keepin' a tally o' who puts in how much work compared ta the others. Even if ya was dead last we'd still love ya jus' the same. Tha's what family does, ya ain' no hired hoof er nothin' like that."
"I know, I know. I just...well I'm just so happy to have a family and I wanna contribute. I never got the chance to before," Rainbow Dash replied.
"Ah already told ya, ya contribute plenty aroun' here, remember the last Zap Apple harvest? Wit' yer help we managed to harvest more than we ever did before, an' quicker too what with ya flying back an' forth from tree ta tree," Applejack pointed out.
"Well...I guess you're right about that..." Rainbow Dash finally admitted, knowing she was right about what she said. "I guess I do help out an awful lot around here, making the Apple family 20% cooler and all just by being here," she boasted and laughed.
"Well ya certainly ain't short on opinion about yerself, thinkin' yer somethin' mighty special for a lightweight pegasus an' all. Ah reckon ya couldn't buck half as many apple trees as ah could in the same amount o' time if we was ta compete on it," Applejack shot back.
"Oh really now? You think you can buck better than me? You and what army?" Rainbow Dash asked at the challenge to her abilities.
"Jus' me. Army o' one, city slicker," Applejack replied without missing a beat.
"City slicker! Them's fightin' words right there Freckles!" Rainbow Dash shouted back, doing her best to imitate Applejack's accent.
"Freckles!? Now ya went too far!" Applejack stated and hunched down, bearing her teeth and growling in a hostile manner. Rainbow Dash adopted a similar posture and faced her down.
The two were mere inches apart, eyes locked, teeth exposed, each ready to pounce on the other at a moment's notice to dominate what could prove to be a messy knock down drag out fight. At least it would've been had Rainbow Dash been able to maintain a poker face and not start snickering, before breaking into uncontrollable laughter that nearly sent her to the floor. Applejack was soon to follow, consumed by hysterics and leaning against Rainbow Dash for support in staying up and wound up tipping the both of them over, sending them to the floor in a fit of hysterical laughter. Such bragging, boasting, insults and open hostility had become a regular part of their interaction with each other, never amounting to more than just banter and a way to entertain themselves when they were bored.
"Ah yer too much sometimes Sugarcube," Applejack stated as the laughter eventually died down enough to talk. "But ah still love ya even if ya are the biggest bragger in all o' Equestria," she said and wrapped her forelegs about Rainbow Dash to pull her into an embrace.
"Well I did learn from the best bragger in Equestria who just believes in quality over quantity," Rainbow Dash shot back, looking directly at her with an accusing look. "But I love you too AJ, you're a great sister."
"Flattery'll get ya nowhere," Applejack replied, before kissing her on the cheek. "But thanks anyways."
"Anytime," she replied and returned the kiss.
Neither one of them was in too big of a hurry to get up off the floor now that they'd gotten into a comfortable position, embracing each other and just letting things sink in. That is until they heard Granny Smith ringing the dinner bell and issuing the call to come and get it, that was enough to get them up and moving.
"Race ya downstairs? Loser does the dishes?" Rainbow Dash proposed.
"Ya know better than tha', no racin' in the house," Applejack pointed out. "And 'sides that its yer turn tonight anyway."
"Alright, alright," Rainbow Dash mumbled, all the while trying not to crack a smile.
If there was one thing she was going to miss more than anything about living in her cloud castle it was going to be her cloud bedding. Cotton fabrics might be comfortable in their own right, but they just weren't clouds and nothing was going to change that. But considering what all she had she was alright with that. She had a brother, two sister and a grandmother who loved her and who she loved right back, not to mention a mess of new cousins all over Equestria, and no cloud bed could compare to that.
She was content to just lay there under the covers, listening to the patter of rain from the night's storm landing against the glass panes to the window, barely noticing the rumble of the the thunder in the distance. However she was unable to ignore the bright flash of lightning that briefly illuminated the room, drawing her attention to one of the framed pictures now hanging on the wall. Amongst them was the picture from the last Apple family reunion; her first ever family reunion.
She remembered that well, it only being a couple of months ago, but she would've remembered it even if it'd been years ago. She remembered being so nervous about meeting everypony as they gathered at Sweet Apple Acres for the reunion. But out of the lot that showed up not one of them had a problem with her being a member of the Apple Family; well except for that one uncle who said she was too scrawny to do any real farm work on her own, but he was mainly just giving her a hard time, he was alright overall. Despite the initial discomfort things progressed smoothly, there being games and good treats, swapping tales of everypony's experience, and finally the family photo in front of the barn, with Applejack insisting she be in the front where everypony would see her in her stetson and fringed vest. Good times indeed.
"Hey RD, everything a'right in there?" came Applejack's voice from outside the door and a light knocking, followed by the door being pushed open and her poking her head inside to look around. "Ya still up?"
"Yeah, I've just been thinking. Got a lot on my mind, first night and all," Rainbow Dash replied and waved her in. "What brings you by? Aren't you usually sound asleep by this time?"
"Normally ah am but ah figured ah'd check on ya, make sure everything's a'right an' all, see if there's anythin' ya need," she paused as another rumble of thunder was heard. "Plus there's that. Had ta make sure Apple Bloom's sleepin' fine, she don' take ta storms too well, all the thunder and lightnin' an' all," she explained.
"Ah," Rainbow Dash replied and nodded in understanding. "I'm fine AJ, I've slept through storms before, nothing I can't deal with. Although I appreciate you checking."
They remained silent for a while, simply sharing each other's company during a quiet moment. Rainbow Dash was about ready to say her goodnights again try to get some sleep, when a particularly loud crash of thunder sounded, followed immediately by a bright flash of lightning that illuminated the room. She couldn't be sure if it was an optical illusion caused by the light and the shadow, but she could almost swear she saw Applejack flinch.
"Hey Rainbow Dash...seein' as this is yer first night in yer new home an' all, do ya wan' me ta stay an'...maybe keep ya company?" she asked.
"What's really up Applejack?" Rainbow Dash finally asked and looked directly at her. "You didn't come here just to make sure I'm sleeping fine did you?" she paused and eyed her, "Apple Bloom not the only one who doesn't take to storms too well?" she asked in a knowing tone, presenting it like a rhetorical question.
"Not since ah was a little filly," Applejack hesitantly admitted and left it at that, suddenly finding something on the floor very interesting.
"Well...you know it is kinda different, this being the first night of a permanent basis, I guess it is kinda overwhelming and all," Rainbow Dash mused as she rubbed at her chin and looked at the ceiling, using one of her wings to raise the covers off the mattress. "Would you mind staying over just for tonight?" she asked.
"Heh, anythin' fer mah sister," Applejack replied and climbed up into the bed and laid down next to Rainbow Dash.
"Cozy?"
"Mmhmm, all nice an' cozy," she said as she settled in for the evening.
"...Hey Applejack, we've got some firefly lanterns don't we?" Rainbow Dash asked before Applejack could turn in for the night.
"Yea but why?" Applejack asked, mildly curious as to what she was up to.
"You wanna fire one up, burrow under the covers and read the tale of Daring Do and the Jeweled Temple of Amigdalon?" she asked.
"Ain' tha' just a bit juvenile even fer you RD?" Applejack asked.
"Hey it was worth a shot," Rainbow Dash replied before shrugging and getting comfortable in the bed. "But just so yo know I am so getting you back tomorrow for calling me juvenile," she warned.
"Wouldn' have it any other way," she yawned, "goodnight."
"Goodnight. And don't worry about that storm out there, your big sister Rainbow Dash is here to protect you," she teased, earning a tired but amused chuckle.
"Ya ain' mah big sister. And the day ah need ya ta protect me is the day ah let Rarity gimme a full makeover an' stick me in one o' her fru-fru dresses," Applejack replied.
"It's a date then," Rainbow Dash declared as she shut her eyes. "Goodnight sis'."
"Goodnight sis'," she yawned, "love ya."
"Love you too. Now would you please go to sleep already? I'm tired," Rainbow Dash replied, only to be met by the sound of gentle breathing, indicating Applejack had done just that. She smiled and rolled over, wrapping her forelegs about Applejack and holding her close.
If there was one thing she was going to miss more than anything about living in her cloud castle it was going to be her cloud bedding. But considering all she had right now she wouldn't give it up for all the cloud beds in Cloudsdale. Right now as she laid there, cuddling with her caring sister, she had what mattered most of all and could sleep peacefully without any regrets, and she wouldn't trade that for anything; not even acceptance into the Wonderbolts.
END
Author's Note
So this is the end of the "Friends and Family" storyline, and although it's been a short run I have to say that I've enjoyed writing it, and I hope others have enjoyed reading it.
Special thanks goes to the author Milesprower86 and his work on the Cupcake Chronicles, which I've deeply enjoyed reading and admit that it was a source of inspiration for my own work. If it weren't for the excellent work he did I don't know if I would've been able to write this piece.
My favorite pony pairing in MLP:FIM has always been Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle. As a result I never gave much thought to any of the other possible pairings. It wasn't until 'prower's works that I started to reconsider that and I'm glad I finally did as it allowed me to see so many different things. Having my eyes opened allowed me to see the unique chemistry that existed between Rainbow Dash and Applejack that was devoid from the rest of the Mane Six. A natural rivalry exists between the two due to their competitive and similar natures which is complicated by their obvious differences of opinion, but that rivalry is what makes them work together so well as it doesn't get in the way of them realizing the bigger picture and putting their differences aside when the chips are down. Their ability to put their rivalry aside and learn from each other seemingly makes them much stronger together than with any other pony in the cast. Plus that rivalry works well regardless of how they're portrayed, whether they're cast as just friends, as lovers, or in my case as family. They may have their disagreements but in the end it doesn't stop them, rather it has the potential to make their bond all the stronger as their friendship is fire forged and field tested.
