Let's Rock!

Chapters

Running away to apples and hot chocolate
Mother of breakfast and things to come
Pinkie Parties, party cannons and Russian spirit

Running away to apples and hot chocolate

Rainbow Dash looked at her new home with a feeling of both pride and disgust. The rent was dirt cheap, but for a reason, as every part of the flat and even the very well worn furniture screamed of disrepair. Still, she did not care, because it was now her home. For the first time she could lock the door and live how she chose to.

She sat down on an ancient couch and looked at the cloud of dust that now surrounded her. She looked back in her memories to her old bedroom, her old house, but she didn't feel any regret for abandoning the cushioned lifestyle. Rainbow did not need to take much when she left home. It was almost as though her entire life was really did fit in the small duffel bag placed now on her floor. There were no photos, no mementos, just some washed out clothes and her laptop. She felt very tired, having been on the road for so long, as she traveled across the state, as far as she could from her old home. She slept in seedy motels and on a road side under the sky, but carried on again at dawn to get as far as her motorcycle could carry her, but now, she found a perfect place to stay.

Ponyville was a tiny town down south, barely registered on any map. It was far away from everything, meaning visitors rarely crossed the border. It suited Rainbow just fine. She didn't want to be found for a while. In the meantime however her mind was just wondering off to sleep as the strain of the past few days finally settled in her body.

***

Rainbow woke up on the dusty couch cursing her own laziness. The first chance to sleep on a bed this week and I wake up with a neck cramp she thought. She slowly moved towards the tiny bathroom and at the sight of her own reflection she winced. Although Rainbow didn't like to admit it she always was viewed as attractive. Oh, who am I kidding. She was fully aware of the fact and loved herself and the attention she would get from crowds of both men and women chasing after her beauty. She was gifted with marble white skin, symmetric and cute features and one of a kind magenta eyes. She loved to run, and her perfectly sculpted muscles became an object of envy to anyone fortunate to have seen her bare skin. However she now only saw perfectly symmetrical bags under her bloodshot tired eyes. Her usually vibrant rainbow dyed hair clinged to her face covered with dust and grime collected on the road.

She immediately took off her old black t-shirt and ripped pair of jeans and jumped in the shower. The cold water pleasantly cooled her tired muscles and sore ribs as she watched the dirt of a week long travel flow down the drain. Rainbow was not looking forward to today, but she planned to make the best of the first day of real freedom in 18 years. Having finished her almost enjoyable cold shower, Rainbow jumped straight to the living room without even looking for a towel. She let the water droplets launch themselves in the air as she shook her hair in an attempt to dry them. Rainbow looked out of her window, looking over one of the Ponyville’s back streets, as the sun warmed her bare skin.

Today Rainbow was going to have to call on a favor from an old friend, something she would not do unless forced to. She had kept in touch with her old pal even after her family moved here due to her father’s transfer, and now she had to thank her for finding her a place to stay. They have not seen each other face to face for over 2 years, and this brought a small giggle from Rainbow’s lips. Although in bad circumstances, she was going to see her best friend, Fluttershy, again.

Rainbow Dash grabbed her bag and threw all its contents on her bed, picking up some black tight trousers, the only that were not ripped on the knees, and a white t-shirt. Don’t want to scare Flutters by looking my usual screwed-up mess. While remembering her friend during their childhood days, Rainbow could not help but smile. She picked up her leather jacket, picturing Fluttershy’s soft dark hair covering her face as the last border between her and the rest of the scary world. She remembered how Shy would jump hearing an unexpected noise and how easily she’d blush at the smallest remark from Rainbow.

By the time Rainbow Dash stopped reminiscing, she was already outside, holding her helmet in front of her pride and joy, the Sonic Rainboom. She had saved all the money from her part time jobs for individual parts of the cyan and black machine, and herself build, painted and tended to the masterpiece. She hand painted the thundercloud with a rainbow bolt on the tank, the same symbol as on her tattoo she got as a 16th birthday from her questionable but good friend Ink Crest. She touched her shoulder bearing the symbol, the same way she always did while worrying. Shy would not rat me out. Rainbow felt a wave of confidence radiating from her little ritual. There is no space for uncool things like doubt in my life. LET’S ROCK!

Rainbow revved up her engine and shot down the tiny street, turning heads of the sleepy residents who just set about their daily ordeals. She was still unfamiliar with the town, and after the initial burst of speed, Rainbow slowed down and observed her new neighborhood with a childlike curiosity. The first thing to catch her attention was the town square, where a market was setting up for the day’s business. She parked the Sonic Rainboom close to one of the stalls and decided to look for a breakfast. The place was full of the most delicious smells of freshly baked pastries, perfectly ripe fruit and hand made sweets; all the scents usually lost in the city smog.

Just as Rainbow drifted off towards an awesome looking collections of hot doughnuts on one of the stalls, when she felt something hard hit her side, and the next thing she knew, she was on the ground and felt a rain of apples hit every inch of her body. A tall blonde girl in a Stetson hat soon followed the apple’s suit and fell straight onto Rainbow’s stomach, which punched the air out of her lungs. Rainbow cried out and the other girl groaned in pain, but upon seeing what she landed on, she quickly scuttled back on her feet.

“Pinkie, what in tarnation are ya doin’?! Ah’m so sorry Sugarcube. Here, let me help ya up.”

“Oww...” Rainbow quickly grabbed her ribs. She broke two of them a week ago in a fight with Gilda, and the bruising hasn't disappeared yet. The pain brought a tear to Rainbow’s eye, but after a while she sat up and looked straight into her assailant’s eyes. “Watch it blondie! What the fuck were you thinking?”

“Look, Ah’m sorry, but Pinkie Pie here has been causing a mighty lot of trouble by trying to help me set up the apple stall. Are ya okay? Ya seem to have gone pale.”

Rainbow lifted her shirt and checked her ribs, unknowingly showing her dark blue bruises spreading across the left side of her ribs, down to her hip bone. The pain was excruciating, but it had began to slowly fade. She gently stood up, dusted off her trousers and looked towards the now concerned Cowgirl, joined by a clearly sugar-fueled girl with a bouncing storm of pink hair. “I’m fine. Let’s just leave it, ‘kay?”

“Are you okay? You look really, really, really in pain right now. I know! You totally need something sweet right now! Like, when I had a broken arm, all the time it was just sugar and caramel and chocolate, ‘cuz it really made me happy, and happy and pain don’t mix, so you’d be left with just happy!” Pinkie Pie finally took a breath and continued the rapid fire of words. “But maybe you don’t like sweets. Nah, not possible, ‘cuz everyone likes sweets. Unless you never had nice sweets, or any sweets at all... You poor thing! I’ll show you how amazing they are! You’ll see, it’s like eating happiness! It’s gonna be awe...” At this point the blond girl silenced the hyperactive kid with her hand.

“Want me to call an ambulance for yah, Sugarcube?”

“No need! I mean... I have broken my ribs recently, but it’s fine now. Now, let me just get on my way.” Rainbow said and slowly limped towards her bike. Just as she sat on it and grabbed her helmet the cowgirl caught up to her.

“Ah’m very sorry. Here, it’s mah number if ya have any problems ‘cause of me. Just ask for Applejack. What’s yer name, Sugar?”

Then, she gave a radiant smile that caused Rainbow’s heart to skip a beat. She noticed for the first time that Applejack was very attractive, in a rural, country sort of way. She had a strong, tall statue with muscles sculpted by a lot of hard work. Her skin was tanned a golden shade, but her freckles still drew the attention to her face. The blond hair fell onto Applejack’s back in a loose ponytail, while the fringe covered her shining emerald eyes. Rainbow Dash felt her cheeks heat up as he mumbled a reply through her helmet.

“Rainbow Dash.”

And with that Rainbow fired up her engine and sped away from the Square in direction she hoped was Fluttershy’s home.

***

After about half an hour of looking, Rainbow Dash finally found the right address. She drove right up to a small country style cottage surrounded by an extremely well kept garden filled with delicate looking flowers. So like her Rainbow thought. She walked up to wooden door, knocked three times and stood back.

The door opened just a few centimeters wide and Rainbow saw inside a pair of large teal eyes looking at the visitor. Upon recognizing who it was, Fluttershy immediately opened her door and jumped into her friend’s embrace. Rainbow felt a new wave of soreness run through her ribs but didn't even squeak as she returned the hug. Rainbow patted the soft brown hair of the slightly taller girl before speaking.

“Missed me Shy?”

“Dashie!” Fluttershy spoke gently, which for her quiet voice was the same as shouting. “I am so glad to see you. When did you arrive? Oh, I’m so sorry...” She released her childhood friend from her embrace. “How are you feeling... you know... with your parents and Gilda and all...”

Rainbow flashed her signature grin when answering. “Don’t worry about it Shy. My parents should by now have noticed me gone and probably called the police to say I was kidnapped or something, so I had to keep my cell switched off. Gilda however...” At this point a flash of sadness appeared in Rainbow’s eyes. “We fought. It looks like it’s over now.”

While saying the last sentence Rainbow felt her throat tighten. Gilda was by no means a good girlfriend to Rainbow Dash and even she realized this. Nonetheless she truly loved her the past three years they were together. Even when her friends warned her from the dark skinned ruffian that Gilda was, Rainbow couldn't help but keep coming back to her. The night she left home Rainbow went to Gilda’s flat with a surprise visit, only to catch her sleeping with some guy. She ended up punching Gilda square in the face, which led to a long fight and injuries on both sides. It was all too much for Rainbow. She hated her oppressive family and the only reason she had stuck at home for so long was Gilda, but with her gone, Rainbow finally left the life she hated so much.

When Rainbow Dash finished reminiscing, she realized a few tears fell from her eyes. Fluttershy wiped them before Rainbow had a chance to think of an excuse. She silently hugged her best friend and led her inside the house without breaking the contact. Fluttershy knew how much Rainbow sacrificed in order to stay with Gilda, and how this betrayal shook her very foundations.

Rainbow had mostly calmed down by the time she sat on Fluttershy’s bed. Her room was a perfect reflection of the owner; very calm and neutral colours provided a relaxing and warm surrounding. The few personal items scattered tended to be of cuddly nature, such as teddy bears or extra soft sweaters. Altogether the room felt like one big blanket, a feeling deeply appreciated by Rainbow right now. She looked towards the door through which Fluttershy was entering while holding two mugs of hot chocolate. She remembered Rainbow was never fond of tea as much as she was, and the drink always brought unpleasant memories of her parents. Hot chocolate on the other hand as all the readers know, is a cure for all known ailments, be it physical, or as in this case, also emotional.

They settled next to each other and talked about their life apart. Even though they kept in touch, it was a different experience hearing your best friend talking about her adventures in person. You saw all the small changes in expression, the cracking of her voice when she gets excited, though this was displayed by Rainbow only, and the small bursts of energy when words alone cannot convey the information, and had to be joined by chaotic hand gestures. At some point Fluttershy began to talk about her friends here in Ponyville and one name caught Rainbow’s attention.

“Hold on! What name was that?”

“Applejack. Why are you asking Dashie?” Rainbow took out the piece of paper she got from the cowgirl in the morning, and written on it in neat handwriting was the same name.

“I bumped... no, SHE bumped into me this morning. Got her number too.” She lifted up the piece of paper. “Seemed nice, of course apart from showering me in apples. There was another... pink hair, pink clothes and hell lot of energy.” Fluttershy chuckled at this description.

“This was most certainly Pinkie Pie. She is... well she is very nice once you understand what she is talking about.” Fluttershy visibly blushed, embarrassed by her own description of her friend. “I think you would get really well along with her Dashie. She loves to party even more than you and she is fond of pranks too.”

“Sweet! I was scared of getting bored in here, just trying to avoid my parents.”

“Do you want me to introduce you Dashie?”

“Nah.” Rainbow waved around the piece of paper with the phone number. “I think I got this one.”

Mother of breakfast and things to come

Applejack jumped onto her bed with an audible grunt. It was a very hard day for her on the market. Although the work was nowhere as exhausting as the chores out in the orchard, the monotonous nature and mind-numbing boredom sucked all the energy out of Applejack. She took of her Stetson and hung it on her bed post, and proceeded to unbutton her shirt, without moving from the bed. She winced as the shirt touched her scraped forearm. It stung considerably whole day, but Applejack felt even worse about the girl she fell on when sustaining this injury. Her rib cage was seriously bruised and must have caused a great deal of pain to that kid. Maybe not a kid... she must have been roughly the same age as AJ, but she was much shorter, making her appear younger. What in the world did she do to hurt herself so much? She thought.

Applejack let her mind wonder as she gave up on taking off any more of her clothes and just laid in her bed, letting herself drift off to sleep. However, just as her eyelids began to close in peaceful slumber, the cellphone in her jeans loudly rung, causing AJ to jump. She moaned while thinking It better be ‘bout world crisis, or Ah’m gonna make them regret wakin’ me up. She sat up and answered the call.

“Who is callin’ at this time of the night?”

“Hi Applejack!” Answered a slightly cracking feminine voice. “It’s Rainbow Dash from this morning; you know, we crashed into each other on the market.”

“Ah, it’s ya, Sugarcube! Ah’m sorry for shouting. How can Ah help ya?”

“Well... my friend who lives here is too busy tomorrow to show me around Ponyville and I still don’t know my way around. She said that if I asked you really nicely, you’d give me a tour. I mean, if you don’t wanna it’s fine.”

“Nah, sugarcube, it’d be a pleasure to show ya around mah hometown.” Applejack said while falling back onto her bed.

“Sweet, it’s a date! What time do you want to meet up?”

“Depends how early ya can get up. Ah have to do some work on the Sweet Apple Acres tomorrow afternoon, but Ah’m free in the mornin’.”

“Cool. I’ll be at there at 7.” And with that Rainbow Dash hung up.

Applejack spent half a minute longer still listening to the signal before she realized what just happened. She jumped back on her legs when she ran through the conversation in her head. A date? Nah, it was probably just a joke. Hey, does she even know where Sweet Apple acres is?

***

Just before dawn Rainbow went outside once again with her hair still dripping with water. She wore skin tight gray jeans ripped throughout, but the mostly on her knees, a cyan tank top and her favorite leather jacket. It was black and well worn, but she loved how it fitted around all her curves like a second skin. She shook her head sending the water into the air and sat on her motorbike not bothering to put on a helmet, instead opting for a pair of goggles she always kept in her pocket. She fired up the Sonic Rainboom and let the wind dry her hair while speeding towards the Ponyville outskirts.

It was 4 in the morning, still plenty of time to meet Applejack, so Rainbow took the opportunity to go for a drive in the empty roads leading out of Ponyville. Rainbow twisted the throttle and felt her machine purr underneath her. The Sonic Rainboom took off even faster, cutting through the distance and leaving the landscape as a blur far behind in a cloud of dust. Rainbow looked at the speedometer, 80 mph, 90, 100... the speed climbed higher, causing a mad rush of adrenaline to shoot through her veins. The wind whipped her hair, causing water from it to disperse into nothing. Unfortunately, the roads changed from asphalt to beaten dirt, forcing Rainbow to slow down, but not by a lot. She continued to cut through the roads, leaning with her bike at every turn so deep, her knees occasionally grazed the ground.

She smiled like a madman. Nothing comes anywhere near the excitement caused by speed. No one could ever understand Rainbow’s need for the wind in her hair. She did not think about anything, just how to increase her speed and all her worries were left behind in the dust. She loved the smell of petrol, the burning of the steel, the cries of every fiber of her body, begging to slow down. This is what she was born for.

Finally, Rainbow stopped on the roadside and admired the view that came to her eyes. The sun rose enough to illuminate the forest growing a couple of miles from Ponyville. The town itself was a small speck in the green hills Rainbow has just rushed past. It made the place look so insignificant, but so beautiful it took her breath away. The windows reflected tiny sun rays like a kaleidoscope. Small streams and rivers cutting the countryside similarly threw the light back, creating their small shows. It felt similar to Rainbow’s home city at night, when the streets were illuminated by neon lights and billboards, but this nature made landscape was so much more innocent and touching, Rainbow felt for the first time in a while like at home. Of course she wouldn't ever admit that she loved to look at such disgustingly romantic views. It was Rainbow’s guilty pleasure that not even Gilda knew about. She’d say it was stupid and ride off on her bike every time.

She had spent few more minutes admiring the view before the sun moved further in the sky, dispelling the earlier magic. A quick look at her watch confirmed it was time to start looking for the Sweet Apple Acres if Rainbow wanted to make it on time to pick up Applejack. She turned around and once again drove at breakneck speed towards the town.

After half an hour of reckless fun, Rainbow reached the town square. Fluttershy told her how to reach her destination from there, but she still did not know in which direction she should head. Ponyfeathers... Rainbow cursed under her breath. How hard can it be to find a huge farm? She slowly rode past some shops where owners were preparing for their day.

***

In one of the shops a girl dressed in pink poncho and even pinker leggings spotted a cyan motorcycle stopping in front of her window. She scratched her head thinking who could possibly drive such a bad ass looking machine. Then she noticed a rainbow colored head of hair and it clicked. It was that girl from yesterday morning. Wait, I don’t know her name! That is unacceptable for you Pinkie! Get your shapely ass over there and introduce yourself to that stud, you stud. With that thought she skipped towards the mysterious stranger.

“Hey there!” Pinkie shouted right next to Rainbow’s ear, causing her to jump high in the air.

“Whoah!” She looked at her attacker and broke into laughter. The combination of Pinkie’s clothes and her dyed pink hair caused a sensory overload to Rainbow and created nothing short of a comic fashion crime. “Let me guess, You must be Pinkie Pie.”

“Ooooh! How did you know? Are you a mind reader? That’s sooo cool! What am I thinking now?”

“Let me think... You’re thinking about my awesome hair, wondering about why a talented mind reader is in the tiny town that is Ponyville and from what Fluttershy told me about you... probably also about a welcoming party.” Rainbow looked in satisfaction as the pink tornado’s eyes grew wider and a grin spread across her face.

“O my gosh! You are a mind reader! That is soooo awesome. Hold on, you even know Fluttershy?! So you are like already my friend, ‘cuz if Fluttershy likes you, you must be at least half as awesome as your indeed fabulous hair.” Pinkie replied, winking at the last part of the sentence. “But you did miss out some parts of my thoughts. When you stared at me I was also thinking about cupcakes and Gummy and while looking at your hair I thought about rainbows and then Skittles. Still, you gave it a pretty good shot, Hun. What’s your name?”

“Rainbow Dash. Genus racer, athlete extraordinaire, a ruthless heartbreaker and of course the craziest party animal around.”

“Well handsome, I think you might have met your match. Meet Pinkamena Diane Pie, known as sugar maestro, the embodiment of chaos, the craziest party animal in history or also as Pinkie Pie. I am not planning on releasing my title yet, but from your introduction I can tell you’re going to become a worthy opponent.”

“Well, I guess Fluttershy did not predict just how well we’d click.” Rainbow said showing her signature grin. “Now with the introductions over I was hoping to ask for your help Pinkie.” The pink girl jumped in excitement. “I need to get to the Sweet Apple Acres but I seem to be temporarily lost.”

“You’re going to meet with Applejack? You know her too? It’s like you’re one of my best friends already! I can show you the way, but it will cost you a ride on this mother of all motorbikes. Is it a custom build?”

“Yeah, I call it Sonic Rainboom. Built and painted it with my own hands.” Rainbow looked at her watch and immediately turned to the pink companion. “Look man, I’m gonna be late. How do I get to that orchard?”

“Silly filly, it’s easy. Go past the furniture and quills store over there and turn left. After that there is a straight road all the way to Applejack’s front gate.”

“Thanks Pinkie!” Rainbow shouted while firing up her baby. “If you want a ride, I’m pretty much free every day right now. See you at the ‘surprise’ welcoming party!” And with that Rainbow dash was gone in a cloud of dust, leaving behind smell of petrol and roar of her engine.

“Wait a minute... How did she know about the surprise party?! She is a mind reader!”

***

Applejack did not know what to expect in the morning. She went through her morning routine like every day, not bothering to dry herself before putting on her clothes. The orange shirt clung to her body, soaking up the moisture. She got downstairs at 6:55 and headed towards her fridge. Applebloom had a day off school and Big Mac was already out in the orchard collecting apples, meaning a nice and lazy morning for AJ. At some point Applejack began to hear a quiet buzz, which quickly turned into a deafening roar of an engine, which stopped abruptly, by the sound of things, right in front of the front door of the Apple Family. She looked at the wall clocked which just struck 7 o’clock. At least she’s punctual. She stepped towards the door and opened it before her guest had a chance to knock.

“Howdy partner. Ya sure made a grand entrance with all that noise.”

“What can I say, a guest as awesome as me needs to announce their presence. Are you ready to rock the town today?”

“Sure thing Sugarcube. Let me just grab mah wallet and we can make run for it.”

“Cool. Mind if we take my motorcycle for the tour?” Applejack looked apprehensively at the cyan monster parked behind the strong, but tiny girl in front of her. “I promise not to rev the engine so loud and we can get around much faster than in a car.”

“Fine. Got any places you wanna visit in particular?” Applejack retreated back into the house while Rainbow waited near the door. She soon returned with a small red leather walled in her hand. She shoved it in the back pocket of her jeans and walked outside with her prismatic companion.

“Not really. I wouldn't know where to start, seeing as I have never been to Ponyville. You can say my move was quite abrupt. I could kill for a breakfast though. My treat.”

“That’s mighty kind of ya Rainbow Dash. Ah’m sure we can find something out there.”

“Sweet. Are you ready to rock, Sugarcube?”

Applejack cringed slightly hearing her signature phrase used by the city girl in front of her. She shook that off quickly and sat behind her new friend. She received the previously neglected by Rainbow helmet and wrapped her hands around Rainbow’s waist.

“Which way do I go?”

“Head to the market. We can eat there.”

And with that Rainbow sped off towards Ponyville. The initial burst of speed scared Applejack, causing her to grasp at Rainbow’s waist for her dear life. She relaxed soon though when she felt Rainbow's chest shaking in laughter through the thin leather jacket, and realized the awkward position she had put herself in; thankful for the helmet covering an apple red blush. The hair of the driver danced in the wind in front of Applejack, distracting her from the quickly shifting landscape by their colorful dance. After what seemed like hours of holding to Rainbow Dash, she felt the bike slowing down until becoming completely stationary.

“Well, where do we eat? I’m starving!”

“Let’s go to the Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie Pie will fix ya a breakfast that will keep ya on a sugar rush ‘till Monday.”

“Sounds like my kind of food.” Rainbow replied, grinning at her guide. AJ took off the helmet and returned it to Rainbow, who hung it from the motorbike handle. She took off the goggles and let them hang from her neck instead of putting them back in her pocket.

They both walked towards a building that looked as though made out of gingerbread. It took every ounce of self control from the hungry Rainbow Dash not to take a bite out of the door, which was decorated with absolutely delicious looking frosting. If the wicked witch lives here, hell, I’ll let her fatten me up.

They were welcomed by a small bell fixed above the door, followed by rib-crushingly strong hug from a pink tornado. Rainbow yelped in pain and was quickly released and she held her battered sides again. Don’t get me wrong. She was used to batterings and injuries through her colorful past and dangerous hobbies, making her able to deal with the constant ache of broken ribs, but even a healthy person would struggle if captured by a Pinkie Hug.

“Upsy daisy. Sorry about that Rainbow Dash. Long time no see. Did you miss me that much?”

“Of course Pinkie. Can’t get enough of your charms.” Rainbow replied, winking at her attacker.

“Ya both know each other? Are ya the friend Rainbow knew before comin’ here?”

“Nope, we’ve met today morning silly. Rainbow is actually Fluttershy’s bestie.”

“Wha?” Shocked Applejack gave Rainbow Dash a look-over, failing to believe that the girl in front of her could possibly have anything to do with the shy and fragile creature that is Fluttershy. I mean look at her! She might be quite short and slim, but the skin tight trousers revealed chiseled muscles and tendons made for running. She had many piercings, including one silver stretcher in her right ear and one black ring in her bottom lip; and the quite eye catching shoulder length hair was styled by the wind into a chaotic thunder of color. She had one of the most beautiful eyes AJ ever saw, bordering between purple and rose. They must be contacts she thought. Applejack had to agree that the sight was breathtaking, from a purely objective point of view, but it also seemed to define the type of person Fluttershy would usually avoid.

“How have ya met?” Applejack asked while taking a seat at one of the scattered tables.

“In middle school. After she moved I haven’t seen her face for what, 2 years? But we kept in touch and she’s still my best gal. Anyway, Pinkie, what’d you recommend for a person that has not eaten for two days? I am about to die from hunger.”

“On it, handsome!” Pinkie seemingly disappeared from the table and returned in less than a minute with tray full of cupcakes, pancakes, and other cakes, topped with two humongous milkshakes.

“Whoa...” Both AJ and Rainbow looked at the food with the eyes of a famished predators, waiting for the first opportunity to pounce upon the prey. The instant the tray touched the table, they both attacked the treats, with a mumbled thanks aimed roughly where Pinkie stood.

“Glad to see you both like it.”

“You kidding me? Those are the best cupcakes I have tasted in whole life! What did you add to them? An extract of awesome or something?”

“Well, you really are a mind reader Dash. But a magician cannot reveal her secrets like that. Let’s say you are pretty close.”

“Ah don’t care how ya make them Pinkie, so long as ya keep ‘em comin’.”

After couple more minutes of scoffing the food presented to them, Applejack and Rainbow Dash sat back in their chairs, both with a content smiles across their faces.

“Man Pinkie, will you marry me?”

“Oh Rainbow Dash, this is so sudden... Fine, but it’s going to cost you. Which reminds me, Applejack, are you free this evening?”

“Ah suppose. But it’d be mighty late Pinkie.”

“That’s okay. The party would last until the morning anyway. Rainbow, can you show up here at nine?”

“Yeah. Want me to pick up Flutters too?”

“Perfect. Your welcoming party is officially on tonight then.” Pinkie said while chuckling and rubbing her hands in a sinister manner. Oh boy. It’s gonna be a night to remember, or rather one everyone will forget Applejack thought. Pinkie’s parties were famous, for all the good and bad reasons. No denying, everyone was always catered to, and all the nights were a blast, but Pinkie Pie’s famous bar tending skills meant many guests would fail to remember what good fun they had. Not that anyone complained.

“Ah think it’s time for us Rainbow. Ah wanna show ya around before Ah have to come back to the orchard. Thank ya kindly for the breakfast Pinkie.”

“Yeah, how much do I owe you?” Rainbow said while taking a battered wallet from a hidden pocket in her jacket.

“Nothing Sweetie. Consider this a welcome gift. Plus, you really looked starved, and I couldn't let a new best friend walk around like an angry zombie, giving hungry eyes to all the people of Ponyville. But how awesome would it be if you were actually a zombie! You would be all green and with brain and guts sticking out. It would be sooooo funny!”

“I’ll take your word for it, Pinks. Thanks for breakfast.”

“See you later guys!” Pinkie Pie shouted, causing many customers in the Sugarcube Corner to cover their ears in an attempt to protect them. She watched her guests leave with a wicked smile on her face. This night is going to be beyond legendary.

Pinkie Parties, party cannons and Russian spirit

The rest of the morning for Applejack and Rainbow Dash was pleasantly lazy. They walked around Ponyville, AJ pointing out the best stalls for fresh produce, recalling short anecdotes set in the shops they passed, and highlighting the best bars and clubs in town. Applejack may not have been the greatest party girl in the town, this title is held by Pinkie Pie, but if you wanted to find the best place to get hammered, she was your gal. Altogether the day was considered a success for Rainbow Dash, who grew really fond of the young farmer. Not romantically fond or anything, it’s just that AJ’s company felt... right? Like a relative or a friend you've known for years. They passed their time with competitions and stories, and didn't even realize how quickly the time had gone, and they had to part ways.

When they both sat on the Sonic Rainboom and drove off towards the Sweet Apple Acres. On the way back Applejack relaxed more into the embrace around Rainbow’s waist. She also felt comfortable around the new girl. AJ let her hands feel Rainbow’s flat stomach muscles through her tank top while her thoughts drifted off. She didn't think about anything specific, instead, she had just let the ordeals of the day sink in, and enjoyed the feeling of the girl in front of her. Once again her daydreaming was stopped when they arrived at their destination. The sun was still high in the sky; it couldn't have been later than 2 in the afternoon when the new friends parted in front of AJ’s home.

“See you at Pinkie’s tonight!” Rainbow said while receiving her helmet back.

“See ya there, Rainbow.”

And with that Rainbow Dash sped back towards the town, leaving behind a large cloud of dust. Tonight is gonna be awesome! She thought, while dodging cars in a manner practically asking for an accident. She whizzed past the streets in the rough direction she remembered Fluttershy’s home being. Another sharp turn left, a slalom between cars waiting for a green light, and the final straight before arriving in front of the cottage on the town’s outskirts. Rainbow knocked on the door, but didn't wait for it to open, instead shouted loudly as she entered.

“Shy! Are you in?”

A small squeak was heard from the kitchen, before a faint reply reached Rainbow’s ears.

“I’m here Dashie. Hold on a minute.” Fluttershy soon entered the hallway holding a small bowl filled with lettuce and carrots, which she laid in a cage containing an irritated looking bunny. “I was just making a lunch for Angel. Sorry I couldn't give you a tour this morning, but Rarity and I have been planning to go to the spa for days now. I didn't want to disappoint her... Were you disappointed Dashie?” She looked at her friend with eyes full of worry and fear.

“I don’t know...” Rainbow replied with a mocking pout on her face. ”I was sooo lonely I had to ask Applejack out for a date. Don’t worry Shy, you can make it up to me tonight. Pinkie said she’s throwing me a welcoming party. Wanna come with?”

“A P-pinkie Party t-today?” Fluttershy’s voice was shaking a little. “If, if you w-want to go Dashie...”

“Relax Shy. It’s gonna be rad and I get to meet all your friends I've heard so much about. Also, you were right about Pinkie, she’s mental. I love that kid.”

“Glad to hear. But don’t be surprised if she goes wild tonight. Everyone knows Pinkie Parties are famous for two reasons.”

“What are they?” Rainbow asked, clearly amused by Fluttershy’s reluctance to go out tonight.

“Number one is the open door policy. Often she will actually drag random people from the street, saying that they have dangerously low levels of fun in their bloodstream.”

“That’s cool. What is the fun you’re talking about?”

“That’s the point number two. No one has ever left a Pinkie Party sober, or at least not since her 18th birthday.” At this point the embarrassed girl’s cheeks flushed red. “Her drinks are very sweet, but rarely below 60% proof. If she had the patience to stand at the door, she would probably do breath tests and refuse to let out anyone who can drive home.”

“Whoah. This. Is. Gonna. Be. Awesome!”

***

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy walked together to the Sugarcube Corner at a leisurely pace, enjoying the nightscape of Ponyville. It wasn't as impressive as their home city, to which Fluttershy affectionately referred to as Manehattan, but it had a very cute, country charm. The night air blew through their hair while stars and the moon shone high above their heads, brightening up the path. Rainbow held Fluttershy’s hand, the same way as she did since school, intertwining their fingers together, while laughing to her heart’s content at Fluttershy’s relation of her day. Along the way, Rainbow kept stealing glances at her friend. Shy was wearing a tight fitting canary yellow dress from Rarity, which showed off her slim, pretty figure. Her flowing brown hair was tied up in a loose bun, from which a few flirtatious dark locks already escaped and framed her delicate face. It made Rainbow chuckle every time Fluttershy would pull on the dress, embarrassed by her own body being shown by the revealing clothing. Rainbow herself hadn't changed for the party, staying in her old leather jacket and ripped grey jeans. It was almost a shame the walk had to end when they arrived at the Sugarcube Corner.

Very quickly Rainbow understood why the Pinkie Parties were so famous. The entire street was shaking due to speakers blasting some jumpy nightcore number, sending vibrations down Rainbow’s spine. The windows leaked shifting rays of light, hues ranging from green to orange, and the doors revealed the entire ground floor packed with people. Just as Fluttershy predicted, the new arrivals were greeted by Pinkie handing them both shots of a neon pink liquid, a similar shade to her own hair.

“Good to see you guys. Rarity and Twilight are already inside, getting some fun in their system.”

“What are those, Pinkie?” Fluttershy asked while holding up her glass.

“Try it first.” The girls drank the strange potion, Rainbow in one gulp, while Shy slowly sipped at hers. Both let out a loud gasp and began to cough, before looking at tonight’s host in awe. “I call them the Party Cannons. Gives a kick start to the party, don’t you think?”

“Dude, it tastes great, but burns like hell. You could knock out a horse (or a pony) with this.”

“Not quite. From the way Caramel drank I can say it takes roughly 6 of these for you to take an unexpected nap on the dance floor. Anyway, get inside guys. Applejack will be here soon and we can begin the introductions.”

Rainbow Dash nodded and walked straight onto the dance floor, dragging Fluttershy along by her hand. Once in the center, she released the grip and began to move in rhythm with the music. Shy looked rather uncomfortable at the beginning, but soon joined her partner and jumped to the beat thrown by DJ Pon-3. When the soundtrack slowed down, Rainbow wrapped her hands around the childhood friend, who blushed in a brilliant shade of red. The new song was calmer than the previous track, aimed at the couples that came to the party, but the girls enjoyed themselves, trying to catch up on the experiences missed over the past two years. Fluttershy’s hands slowly made their way behind Rainbow’s neck, bringing her close enough for their breath to mix. They kept on slowly shaking their hips in time with the music, adding an occasional skip or a twirl. One Rainbow’s hands landed on Fluttershy’s hip, and the other’s fingers drew circles between her partner's shoulder blades.

“I really missed out on a lot. Where did you learn to dance like that, Shy?”

“Rarity enjoys this sort of thing. She said that dancing can be one of the best weapons for a girl during a ball.”

“I really have to meet this girl, but now, I want another dance, Shy.” Rainbow said softly into Fluttershy’s ear. They kept this intimate position for a few more minutes, before the music changed and they separated, but both kept dancing close to each other. Eventually the music stopped and the lights moved to a small ball of pink energy next to the blue haired DJ’s table, holding up a microphone.

“Hi Guys!” Pinkie Pie shouted into the mike, causing the floor to vibrate. “Today we say a huuuge welcome to a new Ponyvillian, Rainbow Dash. Babe, you are awesome, and officially our friend, so let’s get smashed and celebrate!” Pinkie gave a signal to the DJ, and the loud music filled the room.

“Gotta admit, she has a talent for speeches.” Rainbow smirked to her friend, as they slowly moved away from the dance floor and towards the bar, at which in the crowd a small group of girls had gathered.

Amongst those girls Rainbow already recognized Pinkie Pie and Applejack. AJ wore the same clothes as in the morning, but Pinkie changed into a tiny pair of pink shorts, over which she wore a shade brighter oversize sweater, revealing her pale shoulders. She added to this mid thigh length pink stockings and a pair of converse in, you've guessed this, pink. It is probably fair to say at this point, that a theme was emerging in her choice of clothing. Accompanying them were two more girls, roughly 20 years old. One of them was stunningly beautiful woman, with dark, silky skin, adorn in a flowing white dress, accentuating her long limbs and tiny waist. Her smooth dark hair curled slightly as it fell onto her back in an elaborate manner. The other girl looked less ostentatious, but still quite cute. She wore a little black dress and her perfectly straight black hair was tied with a purple ribbon in a long ponytail, leaving only her fringe to partially cover her eyes. They were soon noticed by the group and Pinkie Pie quickly gestured to hurry up and join the circle.

“Hello there, beautiful.” The host of the party giggled. “How are you liking the town then?”

“It’s rad. ‘Sup guys.” Rainbow said while giving a small wave to the two unknown girls.

“Dashie, this is Rarity and Twilight.” Fluttershy said while pointing at the dark skinned beauty and the cute girl beside her respectively. She then proceeded to grab Rainbow’s hand in a reassuring embrace, bringing a small smile to her colorful friend’s lips.

“Heard a lot about you guys. Thanks for taking such good care of Shy for me.”

“Well darling, it was our privilege to be friends with Fluttershy.” Rarity gave Rainbow a scrutinizing look. It would appear Applejack was not the only person who struggled to believe Fluttershy would associate with a person like Rainbow, but her expression warmed up seeing the exchange of intimacy between the girls. “Pleasure to meet you, Rainbow Dash.”

“Yes, it is so nice to finally meet Fluttershy’s famous childhood friend.” Twilight said with voice full of excitement. “Is it true you have already got a flying licence?”

“Yeah, I got one. Interested in a flight session Twilight?”

“Hell yeah!” The girl smirked, but soon broke into giggles. Twilight’s cheeks were already flushed due to some amazing cocktails that Pinkie Pie kept putting in her hands.

“Sounds like a plan to me then. Pinkie, I can’t help but to notice that I am awfully sober right now, and I have been assured that you are the best barman in town. Fancy testing your skill?”

“Ah agree.” Applejack joined in. “Ah only got one of yer Party Cannons, and Ah don’t even feel a buzz yet.”

“Oh, let’s make this a challenge. Rainbow, will you dare to take on the current champion?”

“Yeah, are ya man enough, Rainbow Dash?”

“You kidding me? You’re going down, AJ!”

***

The two girls were sat around one of the few tables left in the Sugarcube Corner function room with a small crowd gathering around them. Tension grew until Pinkie Pie finally approached the table holding a glass bottle and two shot glasses. She had set both in front of the contestants and turned around to speak to the audience.

“Ladies, gentlemen and other nutters! We are about to see the new girl, Rainbow Dash, take on the current champion, Applejack, in a drinking contest.” Many cheered at AJ’s name and shouted words of encouragement to Rainbow. “The weapon chosen by me today is of the highest caliber. “Silence spread in anticipation. “Russian spirit, 98% proof!” The crowd went wild. Pinkie was visibly satisfied with her speech and turned around to face her friends, who eyed each other with only determination in their eyes. “This is the last chance to back out girls.”

“Hell nah!” Rainbow and AJ shouted in unison. Pinkie opened the bottle and poured the innocent looking clear liquid into the two shot glasses, which they've hit together before lifting up high into the air. “Cheers!”

The drink burned an inferno as it slid down Rainbow’s throat, but she was used to this sort of sensation. She had many competitions in the past against fully grown guys when out on the town with Gilda, and although this was a little stronger than usual, there was no way she’d show this.

Applejack on the other hand had let out a small gasp as the alcohol hit her stomach. She was more used to cider or occasional whisky over pure spirit, but as an experienced and strong drinker she did not let it get in the way of the competition.

“Ready to give up, Sugarcube?”

“Screw this! Pinkie, next shot.” The crowd continued to scream and cheer as the second round began. Both competitors swallowed the liquid fire in one smooth motion without letting out even a cough. “So, how does it feel to be drunk AJ?”

“I’ll let ya know tomorrow when ya wake up. Hit me, Pinkie.” Another glass was poured.

“This is easy.” Rainbow said through her usual smirk, but inside she began to feel the effects of the second shot. Applejack also felt the unfamiliar type of alcohol kick in, and enjoyed the feeling of warmth that started to spread across her face. “Bottoms up!” People watched in amazement as the girls went through their third shot of the alcohol so strong, its smell had spread to every corner of the large function room. A few guys asked Pinkie to give them a try as well, but neither could handle even a sip of the burning liquid, causing numerous sniggers and full blown roar from the now slightly flushed Rainbow Dash.

“So, Rainbow, where ta hell did ya learn to drink like tha’?” Applejack’s accent grew stronger as she began to slur her words a little. “Ah can’t imagine a cute little city girl like ya was allowed to stay up for long enough to find drinks like this.”

“Sorry to disappoint you AJ, but your ass will get handed to you by this cute girl once you hit the ground. Plus, if anyone is a surprise it’s the devoted child of a respectable family getting wasted with a girl she met today.” Rainbow winked at her opponent, causing a wave of anger to spread over AJ. She was not about to lose to that stuck up, narcissistic jock.

“At least Ah didn't begin drinking a child. Seriously, how short are ya?” A few oooohs went around the room, mostly from other intoxicated fools, giggling away between each other.

“Hey, I’m not short but propor...propotc... the right fucking size. It is you that grew weirdly tall, and those two are just rubbing it in.” She pointed at Applejack’s breasts, as though she had a grudge against them. Pinkie gave them both the next shots, shaking violently in laughter at the argument.

“Complexes ‘bout yer boobs ah see.”

“Complexes? I am flawless! Everyday people look in the mirror and hope to see this face.” Rainbow grabbed her drink and downed it with a quick flick of her wrist. Applejack followed suit and began to laugh at Rainbow’s claims.

“Ta face might be easy on ta eye, but Ah wouldn't go that far. Plus, right now yer perfect face is redder than any of ta apples on mah orchard. Ah’m gonna win this soon.” Applejack might have sounded confident, but the alcohol had finally hit her head, causing her vision to slightly blur and spin.

“The hell you will! Pinkie, keep them coming. I’m gonna be here all night long if I have to.”

The fifth and the sixth drink wend down smoothly while AJ and Rainbow Dash continued to insult each other, causing the audience to laugh and join the banter. Seventh and eighth shots caused some trouble to Rainbow, to whom the room had began spinning. Everyone had thought that the competition would end for her in the next drink, but the finish came as a surprise to everyone. Applejack, who had kept the most stable in her chair suddenly turned red, and before anyone could confirm she was okay, she began to fall backwards. Rainbow, although intoxicated, was the only person who reacted fast enough and jumped over the table to grab her friend before hitting the floor. Of course, her balance was thrown off due to the activities of the past hour, and both of the girls ended up tumbling backwards. When Pinkie had bent over to check on the girls, she found a very uncomfortable Rainbow Dash, trapped in a steel embrace of the now unconscious Applejack.

“Rainbow Dash wins by a knockout!”

The roar of the party guests nearly deafened everyone inside of the Sugarcube Corner. People wanted to congratulate Rainbow on her victory, but she simply could not escape AJ’s arms, and instead lied flat on the floor with her. The festivities returned to their normal course, leaving Rainbow and Applejack in the corner of the function room, as both fell asleep in their warm embrace.