Applejack had just recently got out of church and finally got home after a long sermon given by Pastor Christian. He gave a long and passionate sermon about the demons that lurk about in innocent ponies. Even some of them could have been Applejack's friends. The pastor told her that many magic users could be using dark magic in disguise. He had warned many ponies to run from Princess Luna. In fact, he encouraged it. This ultimately got Applejack to fear for her friend, Twilight Sparkle.
Applejack constantly questioned who was a friend or truly her foe. She constantly questioned Princess Celestia and Princess Luna every time she visited Canterlot. She mainly left all the questions to be answered by Princess Celestia since Princess Luna tended to get offended by many unusual and seeming cruel personal questions. On some nights, Princess Luna would even cry by all the rumor and speculation that seemed to last years after Nightmare Moon. Twilight had to ask Applejack's questions and censor some of the derogatory terms.
Applejack tossed her Bible aside on the table and go to the bathroom to clean herself up. She was wearing a scent she definitely detested. She was ripping off her shirt when she heard a knock at the door. She heard three loud thuds coming from downstairs. No one was there to answer it and Applebloom was too young to be allowed to even come close to the door when someone came.
Applejack threw her shirt back in fully and went to answer the door. Luckily it wasn't someone from the church because Applejack was tired from all the singing and forceful attention she gave to Pastor Christian. Applejack turned the knob with her hoof and opened it entirely. Applejack was more than glad it was Rainbow Dash.
"Look, Rainbow," Applejack huffed, "I'm in no mood for a challenge right now. I need ta get all this off and wash off."
"You're dressed nicely," Rainbow Dash said with curiosity, "What's the occasion? Did Rarity dress you up in something you're willing to wear or is something serious up?"
"I just came back from church, Rainbow," Applejack sighed and started to take off the accessories such as bracelets and things, "I Need to wash up and get to work."
"You actually go to church," Rainbow Dash questioned with a snarl, "What else do you follow from a book? Do you actually do the day of Sabbath?" Rainbow Dash paused and said, "Oops! Must not. You're here workin' today. Oh well. Stupid me." Rainbow Dash chuckled at her own blunder.
As Rainbow Dash was chuckling at her own stupidity, Applejack cut in, "We don't have the time for Sabbath unfortunately. We gotta work as much as possible to feed Equestria."
Rainbow Dash stopped her bits of laughter and asked, "Isn't God supposed to feed us? Why doesn't he just shower food down on us?"
"We have to be true to him and his word. He will reward us in time. We will join him in eternal paradise. Ain't that somethin' worth workin' for?"
"Why do we have to work for it! We bust our humps to get nothing! The only time we see God do something is when something goes right? Think about it. Isn't it just coincidence? We get lucky or we work for what we need. All of the saved lives that are saved on a regular basis, we can thank those who save lives. When ponies are dying in hospitals and live, ponies thank God. I would find that a bit aggravating if I were a doctor, wouldn't you? You just saved someone's life and they don't thank you."
"God just didn't want them to die, Dash"
"If God didn't want them to die, then why would we ever need doctors?"
"We have doctors to heal injuries and heal the sick."
"Isn't that God's job? We are curing and easing diseases he brought upon us."
"It is our sins that brings us this pain."
"We are conceived in sin for two ponies' mistake. God pooped out the sun and the earth and made everything. Apparently, God had some 'divine plan' of some sort. I just can't stand to see all that blood and violence in that 'holy' book anyway."
"There is no blood or dyin' in the Bible. The only one who died was Jesus and he did it for our sins."
"You really are clueless, aren't you?" Rainbow Dash said in an angry tone.
"I've read parts of the Bible, Rainbow Dash!"
"Parts? Are you studying with a pastor or something?"
"Yes I am!"
Rainbow Dash shook her head and calmed herself down, "Haven't you even been curious about why the pastor doesn't want you to read on your own?"
"We would get the wrong idea and go to hell."
"You say that there is no blood in the Bible? Tell ya what. Prove me wrong. If you win, I'll join you in church. If I'm right, you're gonna have to read the Bible front to back with me. I need to read the whole thing anyway. Anyway, what 'cha say AJ? Huh?"
"Fine! I'll do it! Just go home or somethin'. I'll prove you wrong for sure!"
As Applejack nearly slammed the door Rainbow Dash added, "Oh! Totally forgot! Do you have a few quills and ink I can borrow? I've got a huge essay for the wonderbolts that I gotta do."
"I'm sorry, Rainbow. I don't have any that I can lend."
"Oh, okay. Later."
Rainbow Dash flew off to the library in Ponyville to find Twilight for some ink and a quill. "I'll show her. God is all-loving and would not spread innocent bloodshed like Rainbow Dash thinks. I'll show her. I'm sorry Pastor Christian, I must help a friend in need. I must spread the good, divine word of God. I must show this heathen what God wants. I'll show her, God! I'll show her for you. For I am your servant God, I will serve you in your holy, divine name!"
Applejack threw off her dress shirt and headed towards the bathroom. She cleaned herself off and quickly grabbed the Bible and began to read it front to back. She obviously started off with Genesis, since it was the first book. The chapters were short and simple with the exception of the long line of genealogy that was there. Applejack read for a few hours non-stop. She had to get to work though.
"Applejack!" Big Macintosh yelled for his sister outside.
"Sis, where ya at? We need ya to buck them trees before sunset! The Zap Apples are about to disappear."
Applejack had that overwhelming sense of stupidity and shame come over her. How could she forget about the Zap apples? "I'll be down in a minute y'all. I just got caught up in Bible study."
"I'm afraid that ya barely have a minute. We're gonna lose day light, AJ. It's 'bout 15 hours."
"Is it really three o'clock?"
"Eeyup. We'll met down for dinner. Applebloom and I still have a bit of work ta do. Get working, sis."
Applejack sprung quickly to her hooves to start workin' on the apple trees and making some sort of profit. While working, Applejack came up with a few questions of her own based off her reading. How could a 600 year old earth pony build a huge boat with his sons and his sons' wives and his wife? How were all the animals collect two by two? How did them animals stay healthy? How didn't the carnivores eat the herbivores? And she even asked the most feared question: what if he didn't exist?
Applejack almost started shaking. She wondered why her prayers weren't answered. She always felt like she was talking to air in a sense. Something in the back of her mind told her that. She wasn't only filled with fear but there was this overwhelming nausea that filled the pit of her stomach. It was guilt. She felt this overbearing shame and wouldn't dare ask her family. What would they say? What would they think? And most importantly, what would they do?