The boat is sinking!
Rainbow Dash yelled in panic. Applejack turned around and found the problem.
It didn't look good, not even a bit.
There was a hole in the boat, and water entered from it. Actually, it gushed in, quickly filling their boat halfway. Applejack hugged Rainbow Dash, as the pegasus did the same. They both shouted, as they stared at the water in horror.
It was now really their end. And Applejack blamed herself for it. If she hadn't proposed riding on the boat, this shouldn't be happening.
It was her fault again, just like the last time.
The two ponies continued screaming, until the last parts of the boat had sunken. They were separated because of the waves, as the ship were out of Applejack's sight. Her heart beat increased, as her entire body was swallowed with sea water.
Was this it? Was she really dying? Was this the feeling of drifting away from this world?
At least she would be with her parents finally.
But she remembered somepony: Rainbow Dash.
She quickly pumped her hind legs, and then her forelegs, swimming out of the deep water. She continued pumping, as she finally opened her eyes.
Darkness. All but darkness.
It didn't matter to her. She needed to see her friend.
She continued kicking hard, giving all of her strength to every thrust she would release. Her lungs burned, and were slowly being filled with water.
Yet, she continued pumping. A friend needed her and they must survive this together.
Finally, she reached the surface. She gasped for air, as a wave carried her with its force. She looked around, finding a sign of the pegasus. "Rainbow!" She coughed. "Rainbow Dash!" She yelled.
She swum around, turning her head to every direction. Suddenly, a rainbow head popped from the waters and gasped for air.
Applejack instinctively swum towards it. "I'm comin', Dash! Hang on!"
Rainbow Dash flapped both hooves and wings, as she sank in the water. She continously swallowed saltwater, as she struggled.
Applejack could see that Rainbow couldn't swim. And it was a bad news. She rushed, as the strong waves separated her from the drowning pegasus.
Since she couldn't swim from the surface, Applejack inhaled air, and dived in to get to Rainbow Dash faster. She fought back the stronger current and finally saw Rainbow, sinking before her. She somehow gathered more power and reached the unconscious pegasus. She wrapped an arm around her friend's figure, as she turned her head up, brows furrowed. She pumped her legs and surfaced, as both ponies coughed.
Applejack looked at the slumped pegasus. She was unconscious and the cyan mare was pale. The orange pony furrowed her brows as they were carried away by the waves. She held Rainbow tighter and the rain pelted her head, as lightnings flashed above them.
"Dash, y'all need to wake up," She coughed, as she felt her lungs incinerating with pain, but her will to survive was stronger. She swum and continously paddled her sore legs and an arm. She didn't know where the waves would take them; lest they would.... begone.
She grew tired. Her head was getting lighter and lighter, as her vision turned hazy. Her eyes slowly closed, but something hit her on her back. She turned and saw a plank of wood from the boat they occupied lately.
It seemed like the world still wanted them to survive.
Applejack's mind worked really fast, as she dived in, leaving Dash on the surface, but still holding her. She teared the hem of her dress, and surfaced, biting the long piece of cloth. She tied it around Dash and around her, as she slumped the pegasus on her back. She grabbed the plank, and leaned her weight on it and grabbed one of Rainbow's forelegs. She clung it on her shoulder, as she let the waves carry them.
The storm didn't seem to stop, or weaken. It retained its strength.
At least, she and Rainbow Dash are together. She knew that the sea would take them to safety.
Scorching heat. Bright light.
Applejack felt beaten, like she brawled a pack of Timberwolves all day and night long. Her head felt like it was hit by a huge boulder. Her legs felt sore, as well as her arms. Her lungs were burning.
Her eyes were hit by a blinding light, as she instinctively moved a muscle, but it turned out bad. Her entire body was painful. She let out a faint groan, as she fluttered her eyes open.
She tried to get up by leaning on her right elbow first. Her brain seemed to float as she cringed.
Her ears perked when she heard hoofsteps coming to her, followed by muffled sounds.
"Applejack! You're awake!" A hoof helped her to sit upright. Her vision slowly cleared, as she turned her head back. She saw a grinning face, a very familiar face.
"Rainbow?" She squinted her eyes. Suddenly, she found herself wrapped in a hug, hurting her sore body in the process. She winced, as Rainbow's hold became gentler.
"I thought I'd lost you," Rainbow Dash whispered, as Applejack heard her sniff.
Applejack found herself smiling slowly. "I'm fine," she tapped the pegasus' back.
Rainbow Dash released her friend, as she wiped her eyes. "Why am I always sappy with you?"
Applejack cracked another reassuring smile. She knew they would be saved and thankfully, Rainbow Dash wasn't hurt or something. The last night she thought they would die. She looked at Rainbow Dash's bright magenta eyes. It was the moment she'd seen that her friend was pretty in her own way. Not the kind of Rarity, or Cadence type of beauty, but it was the kind Applejack liked in her.
But Dash's mane and tattered dress said otherwise. Rainbow looked like a ball of mess. Applejack couldn't hide her smirk.
Yet to Dash, she was just happy that her friend finally woke up. "What?" She frowned behind a smile.
"You look like a piñata," Applejack snickered.
"Don't you?" Rainbow countered.
Applejack was no different. Her once beautiful dress was tattered as well, her flank not covered anymore. Her mane was like a bird's nest, still occupied by the tiara. She put a hoof on her head, as she touched the tiara. "Whoa. It's still here. Ain't that amazin'..."
"Well..." Rainbow looked at her side. "It really suits you."
Applejack stopped from touching her tiara and looked at Dash. "What did you say?"
Dash turned her back. "Nothing!"
The farm mare just rolled her eyes and looked around. "Where are we anyway?"
The two ponies were sitting on a warm sand under the noon heat. Applejack turned around and saw the horizon, blue and calm waves coming to the shore. It was completely different from the raging ocean last night. It seemed like nothing happened. She frowned of the thought. Then, she turned her head to the other direction and saw a thick rows of trees. Besides of all those, she didn't see any sign of anypony alive aside from them.
Rainbow Dash looked up. "In a desolate island. With nopony but us around," she said with a sigh. She flapped her wings and ascended to the air in a notable speed, blowing Applejack's mane. She looked around and groaned loudly.
Applejack stood up on her four hooves and went to the shore. The cold water reached her hooves, as she went nearer to the sea.
Rainbow Dash turned her head down and saw Applejack, approaching the sea. She flew to her and stopped in front of the earth pony. "Where are you going?" She asked with a frown.
"I'm gonna fish. We can't eat sand," Applejack trotted past Dash.
The pegasus furrowed her brows. "But.... you won't find a way to get us outta here?"
Applejack groaned. "Does it have to be always me?" She frowned and looked at the clear seawater.
"Yeah. You're the reason we're here."
Applejack was caught off guard. She stopped in mid-trot, as her ears drooped.
Yes, indeed. This was all her fault.
They couldn't have been on the island if she didn't find that stupid boat. Well, they wouldn't be here if they didn't win the race.
But still, the frustrations bulit up inside her exploded like a bomb. Her patience reached its end and she felt like punching. She'd always fail, she was always downgraded. Nopony had ever appreciated her, maybe aside from her family. A friend had already shown than she was a complete failure. And she was behind her.
Her knees trembled, as she gritted her teeth. Hot tears flowed down from her eyes, as they cascaded on her cheeks and fell on the seawater, creating multiple ripples.
Did she always have to be a failure? Did she always have to involve somepony in her failures?
All her life she tried everything to be at her best. But all this time, she was doing her worst.
Applejack turned around and faced Rainbow Dash, her face twisted with anger, frustration and other built up emotions, tears flowing rapidly from her firery eyes.
"I know!" She blurted out. "You could have flew up there an' leave me when you had time, an' you should be safe in that stupid ship! You shouldn't have agreed with me when I showed ya' the buckin' boat! And y'all shouldn't be here when...." she finally lost it. A sob escaped from her muzzle, until it was followed by another one. "....when you weren't my friend..." she cried.
Rainbow Dash's eyes narrowed, as her wings weakened, letting herself splash on the water. She stared at Applejack, as her ears drooped.
"Everything that I do, was always a failure. I ain't nothing but a big ball of failure. I should have died when I had the chance. I..." Suddenly, Rainbow galloped to her, sending splashes of water all around. She wrapped the earth pony into another hug.
"Stop being a crybaby. This isn't you, Applejack."
Applejack gasped faintly, as if a huge baggage was lifted off of her shoulder.
"You were always there when I need you and heck.... you saved my life. I couldn't have a better... friend than you," Rainbow said. "Don't ever think that you're nothing because you're...." she released Applejack and locked her eyes against hers. ".....you're my everything, Applejack."
The farm mare's eyes glittered with the sunlight above them. They stared at each other for a very long time with neither moving a muscle.
Realization came to Applejack like a tidal wave.
Rainbow Dash. She was a very strong pony who had been there with her in this time, when she doubted herself. In fact, it was her, who strengthened her to swim and stay alive when they reached the edge of death. Now, she was there, telling that she was important.
She was always there.
"And AJ..." Rainbow Dash broke the silence, as she bit her lips. "I've been thinking of this for a long time. I've been asking myself why. And now, I finally know the answer," Rainbow Dash leaned in. "I love you, Applejack," She planted her lips against Applejack's, as she let herself dissolve with the kiss.
Applejack stood still, her eyes narrowed. But Dash's kiss seemed to ease all of the pain she felt. She slowly closed her eyes, as she returned the kiss.
Their lips danced, as the waves passed them, the wind blowing their manes. For the first time, Applejack finally felt that she was special. And there was a pony who knew it better than her.
"So, what's your plan?" Rainbow asked, as Applejack laid her head on the pegasus' shoulder, both of them staring at the horizon.
"Nothin'. Do you?"
"You're in charge, remember?"
"Oh, so you wanna do it? Are you sure?" Applejack smirked.
"Of course. Anything for my best-est marefriend," Rainbow winked.
Applejack looked around. "There. Let's do it there," she pointed at a tree.
"Alright. Let's go!" Rainbow Dash hovered, but before she could fly, Applejack bit her tail and pinned her to the ground. The farm mare looked at her rather seductively, smirking. Rainbow Dash gulped, as she felt heat rushing up to her cheeks.
"Gotcha!" Applejack laughed and galloped ahead, heading to the tree.
Rainbow Dash frowned, but she slowly found herself smiling. "You're never getting away with it!" She flew and tackled Applejack, sending them rolling on the sand. When they stopped, the farm mare was beneath the pegasus, and were both panting heavily.
"I haven't said this to you, RD."
"What?"
"I love you too."
Rainbow Dash smiled as she leaned once more for a kiss.
From a far, was a hot air balloon, carrying somepony. "Applejack! Rainbow Dash!" It turned out to be Twilight Sparkle, with all of their friends.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash were too caught up. In their minds was immesurable happiness; they could become something more.