The silence was deafening. If not for the rain, you could have heard a pin drop into a hay-stack. Applejack looked as if she couldn't comprehend what she was being told. Cheerilee looked close to crying. Caramel, who felt separated from Applejack, yet at the same time closer, was standing a couple of steps away, ready to be there if they needed help. The silence was broken by a flash of lightning, and a clap of thunder. The noises seemed to bring Applejack out of a trance. She stared at Cheerilee, and asked, "What do you mean, my sister is missing?" Her tone sounded like she was only just holding it together.
Cheerilee attempted to speak, but her words were whipped away by the wind. She cleared her throat, and managed to be heard this time. "Well, you see Applejack, the Crusaders came to the school house when the storm started. I let them in, and they were playing around, but they seemed, off. Well, I went into the next room to-" More thunder, louder this time, interrupted her. "I went into the next room to get some food, but when I came back, they were gone! And the scooter was still there, and, and, OH!" Cheerilee fell to the ground, sobbing. With this, Caramel stepped forward.
"Come on, AJ, let's get her inside." With a little bit of a struggle, the two wet, tired, and worried ponies got the sobbing Cheerilee into Sugar Cube Corner. As soon as they were inside, Mrs. Cake rushed up to them.
"Oh, dear you're all wet! And Cheerilee!" she said. Nopony gave a response, too wet, and exhausted, both physically, and emotionally. Mrs. Cake shook her head, and walked across the floor, which was still covered in frosting and cake crumbs. Applejack, who couldn't handle it anymore, fell asleep on her hooves. Caramel caught her, but he, too, was exhausted. So, after placing Applejack carefully on the ground, he felt his mind go black, and he crumpled onto the floor.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mrs. Cake came in, holding a pot full of tea, some towels, and three blankets. Mr. Cake said that he had the clean-up covered for now, so she had all the time in the world to get to the bottom of this mystery. She came to where she thought that they should be, and couldn't find them. Maybe they left? she thought. Then, to her right, she saw a small heap of fur. Upon closer inspection, it was Applejack and Caramel, both passed-out, and laying right next to each other. Aww...how cute! Mrs. Cake took the warmest blanket, and lay it onto the two sleeping ponies.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Applejack woke-up to the sound of voices. She suddenly felt something rubbing against her, and glanced over, only to find a sleeping Caramel. She jumped up, horrified. The orange mare looked around, saw that she was in Sugar Cube Corner, and everything came back to her. She started shaking, and forced herself to calm down. "Um, is anyone here?" she called out.
Caramel awoke to the sound of her voice. He rubbed his eyes. "Yeah, I'm here!"
Applejack turned around, her face in a facade of anger. "Yep, Ah knew that, as Ah woke up next to you!" Inside, she felt differently. Ah'm actually glad that he's here...Ah don't know what Ah would do if he weren't! she thought.
Caramel hung his head. "Listen...I'm sorry! I was just so tired that after I laid you on the ground that-that..." he trailed off. The look on Applejack's face softened.
"It's alright, Ah just..." Applejack had a decision to make, and she made it. "Ah just have been feelin' overwhelmed with all o' this! My sister-and her friends- going missing, and then there's you, and Ah feel like Ah'm breakin' my promise!" She was close to tears. Then, she just let go, and started sobbing. Caramel came up, trying to comfort her, but she turned away. "No, just please, don't!" Caramel could hardly understand what she was saying. He got the message, and stood a couple of feet away. Mr. Cake came in, about to offer them some breakfast, but soon left when he saw the state that everyone was in. After what felt like hours, but was actually only minutes, Applejack calmed down. She stared at Caramel, her eyes red from crying. Caramel dared to ask her a question.
"What promise a-are you b-braking? " His voice was gentle, nervous, even. Applejack could tell that she had shaken him up, and felt bad. No! Ah can't feel bad! she thought. Ah must stay strong! Caramel stood there, a polite distance away, still waiting for an answer that he hoped that Applejack would give him. When she didn't, he began ranting, in a semi-calm way. "Look, the rain has stopped. The apple trees probably appreciated it. A little bit of water is good, but you don't want a flood. Your sister-" Applejack interrupted, her voice filled with venom.
"My sister has probably been kidnapped! What do ya know?" Caramel shrank back, immediately wishing that he could have kept his cool. Applejack wasn't done, though. "Do ya wanna know what promise Ah feel like Ah'm breakin'? Ah feel like Ah'm breaking the promise of never fallin' in love! All because you were too tired to fall asleep away from me!" Applejack regretted what she had said immediately. Caramel looked down at his hooves. "Now, listen! I'm-" Applejack tried to apologize, but Caramel interrupted her.
"Let's go tell the Cake's what happened, thank them, and then I will walk you home...you will never have to see me again." His voice was full of grief and sadness, because he just hurt his best friend, or, who used to be his best friend. Applejack just nodded.
They went into the kitchen, and explained to Mr. and Mrs. Cake what happened. They were on the verge of tears, but thanked them, and said, "All is forgiven." Caramel walked out of the door, and Applejack followed.
The sun was bright, but nothing could improve their mood. Applejack was trying to work the guts up to speak. Inside, the emotional turmoil that she was experiencing was horrible. Caramel is just trying to help. she thought. Ah need to give him a break. Finally, when they were nearly to the farm, Applejack stopped Caramel. She made him look at her, made him look into her eyes. When he did, she spoke. "Let me put this simply. Ah am so sorry for what Ah said earlier, it was out of line. Another thing, we are gonna be short with hooves, and Ah was wonderin' if ya wanted to...help?" Caramel, who had been looking into her eyes the entire time, knew that she was speaking the truth. He could also tell that it pained her to say this. Caramel, still looking into her eyes, promised her something.
"AJ, I promise you that I have no hard feelings, and that I will help, not only on the farm, bit also with finding your sister. I swear, upon out friendship." He held out a hoof, and Applejack shook it. Applejack and Caramel walked back to the farm, where they knew things were going to get tough.