Applejack pulled the heavy plow, driving forward step after steady step. She strained as she pulled it, leaving behind thick, inviting furrows in the fertile ground. Usually, this was Macintosh’s job; but even after she’d found him delirious in the fields from the flu, it had taken the combined efforts of all three of the remaining Apples to convince him to take a break. Really, the only reason he was in bed right now was that Applejack had threatened to let Apple Bloom and her friends come over and see how they’d fare helping somepony get a nursing cutie mark.
So she was picking up the slack, in the loosest sense of the phrase. This plow was exceptionally heavy.
And then a strange sound snapped her out of her thoughts. Applejack’s ears pricked up. She was used to the sound of the plow hitting rocks, but that had been a new sound. She looked back to see what she'd hit, and her eye caught sight of something that definitely wasn't a rock. “What the hay?” She quickly ducked out of the harness and went to investigate.
Half-buried in the earth was something, possibly made of obsidian. It gleamed invitingly in the sunlight. She leaned down to examine it. Upon closer inspection, it seemed to be jewelry of some kind. Intrigued, she lifted it out of the dirt and shook it off. It was a bracelet made of black metal, with an intricate twisting design and with little jewels held in the crossworked metal. Unable to suppress her curiosity, she slid it on her left wrist. She held it out and looked at it. It seemed to sparkle in the light.
“Heh. Kinda pretty.”
And with that, break time was over; and she ducked back into the harness and went back to work.
* * *
Rainbow Dash was a mare of many talents. She was a fast flier, she was clever, she was quick-witted. She had a love of puns and wordplay, and she always knew what to say to get somepony feeling pumped up.
These talents, however, did not extend to work in the kitchen. Honestly, Rainbow struggled to make even a proper daisy sandwich without burning something or cutting herself. So when it fell upon her to care for Macintosh today, it was a little bit nerve-wracking for both of them.
Thankfully for all parties (and kitchen utensils) involved, Macintosh knew his way around the kitchen. Though he looked pale and sick with bloodshot eyes rimmed by dark bags, he sat there stoically like a guardian of the food; that is, if guardians were to wear thick blankets as cloaks, hot water bottles as helmets, and with thermometers in their mouths as their weapons.
“This one?” Rainbow tried.
“Nope,” Macintosh rumbled.
Rainbow pointed at the next spice. “This one?”
“Nope.”
Rainbow guessed again.
“Nope.”
Rainbow exhaled. “This game is no fun,” she groused. “These all kinda look the same.” She reached for another spice, this one tucked behind some larger containers.“This one?”
Mac’s eyes lit up. “Eeyup.”
“Finally!” Rainbow flipped the top and shook it over the pot.
Macintosh winced.
Rainbow noticed and quickly put it back in the cupboard. “I’m going to call that a ‘pinch’,” she said. “Now what? Just mix it?”
“Eeyup.”
Rainbow picked up a small spoon and began to stir.
Macintosh grunted to get her attention, then painfully shook his head.
“Oh, now there's right and wrong spoons to use?!” Rainbow demanded.
Mac gestured towards a drawer that would have more appropriate (and longer) spoons that would actually reach the bottom of the pot.
It was definitely a relief for both of them when Applejack came back in.
“Applejack!” Rainbow dropped the spoon and rushed over and tackled her in a hug. “It’s great to see you again!” she said as she nuzzled Applejack’s cheek.
“Rainbow, I was only gone a few hours!” Applejack protested, but her pushes to get Rainbow Dash off of her were more playful than anything else.
Rainbow sat back up. “Yeah. I’ve been making soup. Did you know that sometimes the top of the salt shaker comes loose and dumps the whole thing of salt in? Because I didn’t.”
Applejack shuddered. “Ugh. Sounds horrible.”
“Eeyup,” Mac agreed.
Finally, it occurred to Rainbow that she was still straddling Applejack. She quickly stood up and held out a hoof to help Applejack up. But as Applejack reached for it, Rainbow Dash froze.
“Where did you get that?” she demanded, pointing at her bracelet.
Applejack glanced at it again. “Found it today in the fields.”
“And you picked it up?!”
Applejack shrugged. “It’s probably been there forever. Whoever lost it is long gone. Kinda pretty.”
“No, I mean… it looks like that, and you picked it up.”
Applejack shrugged again. “Sure. Why not?”
Rainbow shook her head. “I’m not saying it’s a cursed bracelet; but if you had me describe a cursed bracelet, I’d describe something that looks exactly like that.”
Applejack shook her head. “Come on, Rainbow,” she said. “There's no such thing as cursed bracelets.”
“No; but there's powerful magical artifacts that look and act an awful lot like cursed bracelets,” Rainbow retorted.
Applejack sighed. “I’m pretty sure you’re overreacting, Rainbow.”
“And I’m pretty sure you and I have both seen enough magic stuff to know that you don’t pick up old bracelets that could be magical artifacts,” Rainbow argued.
“Eeyup,” Mac interjected.
Applejack shot her brother a glare. “Not you, too… Look, Rainbow, I’ve been wearing it all day. If something was gonna happen, it’d’ve happened already.”
Rainbow exhaled through her nose. “I guess,” she finally said. “But take it off before you come to bed tonight.”
Applejack snorted. “Fine,” she said, hopping up on a chair. “What’s for dinner?”
“Granny Smith’s famous soup a la Rainbow,” Rainbow answered. “With Mac’s help, of course.”
“And extra lemon pepper,” Mac added.
“It was an accident!” Rainbow defended herself.
* * *
The next morning, Applejack awoke bright and early. Rainbow Dash still slumbered next to her, somehow curled up as if she were a little spoon waiting for her big spoon. Applejack couldn’t help but lean in and nuzzle her.
Rainbow stirred, but only enough to tilt her head to expose more of her neck to Applejack’s affections.
Unable and unwilling to resist, Applejack continued for a little while longer before the call of her chores became too great. She gently covered Rainbow back up with the blanket, and then turned to walk out the door. Her eyes flicked over the nightstand, and she was surprised to notice that the bracelet was gone.
“Huh,” she said, tapping her hoof against her temple. “Wonder where it got off to?”
Had she been looking up, she would have noticed it back on her wrist once more.
* * *
Applejack pulled the plow to the end of the row and stopped. She looked back, looking over the field. Perfect. She lifted her hat and wiped off the sweat. “And I’m ahead of schedule,” she said proudly.
A flash of rainbow made her look up. Rainbow Dash circled, holding a basket in her mouth. She landed gently, with a flick of her wings and a swish of her tail. “Your wish is my command!” she said around the handle. She set the basket down and reached inside. She retrieved a cloud, which she quickly brushed away to reveal a frosty pitcher of lemonade underneath. She poured a tall glass and held it out, looking quite pleased with herself.
Applejack couldn’t help but chuckle as she took it. “I didn’t wish for that; but I’ll take it.”
Rainbow’s wingtips wilted ever so slightly. “You mean you didn’t say something like ‘gee, it’s so goldurned hot outside I do declare I wish I had something to drink’?”
“I do not sound like that.” Applejack raised a eyebrow. “How long were you waiting for that, anyway?”
Rainbow shrugged. “Only about ten minutes or so.”
“Uh huh,” Applejack said. “How’s Mac doing?”
“Better,” Rainbow answered, refilling Applejack’s glass. “I think he’s getting better. I left him a snack, and he's all tucked in his bed nice and tight. He won’t have any problems.”
* * *
Macintosh snuggled deeper under the covers. He let out a long, contented sigh. Rainbow had outdone herself this morning. With a nice cup of hot cider in his belly, a warm blanket and cool pillows for his body, he could want for nothing.
And then his eyes snapped open.
I’ve got to pee.
* * *
As Applejack drank, Rainbow looked around. Her eyes fell on Applejack’s left wrist. “Oh. You’re wearing it again.”
“Huh?” Applejack glanced down at her wrist. “Oh. Guess I am.” Must've put it on and just not noticed.
Rainbow shuddered. “I still don’t trust it.”
Applejack shook her head. “It’s a bracelet. Just looks pretty.”
“Whatever you say, Applejack,” Rainbow said, sitting down. She reached into the basket again. “Brought you lunch, too. And before you ask, Granny Smith helped with this one, so don’t worry, it’s edible.”
Applejack cracked a smile as she backed up into the shade of a tree and sat down.
And as they ate, Applejack noticed that Rainbow sat firmly on her right.
* * *
The next day, Mac’s fever finally broke, and he was—much to his relief—able to return to work. At his insistence, Applejack was to stay indoors until at least after lunch.
In other words, she could stay inside until Rainbow Dash woke up.
Thus it was that they were having brunch together at around eleven. Rainbow was quite grateful to not be in charge of cooking anymore. Applejack was grateful for a little down time to spend with Rainbow.
And neither were particularly grateful when their brunch was interrupted by a pounding knock on the door.
“Who’s showing up now?” Rainbow wondered, dropping her fork.
Applejack shrugged and walked up to the door. She opened it.
On her doorstep stood a very familiar khaki pegasus with a stunningly familiar mane.
“A. K. Yearling?” she stammered.
“I’m here as Daring Do, Miss Applejack,” Daring said curtly, politely tipping her pith helmet, “and you’ve got something I need.”