Canterlot Wondercolts

by risingdusk

Chapter 8

Dear Ma and Pa
School year's gonna be rough I can already tell. Finding the classes were easy, and I've got some pretty great teahers, but it's the first weekend and I've already got haystacks of homework. I put a lot of it off 'cause you know I gotta keep the farm running, but I'll be darned if I ain't got work up to my ears. Apple Bloom seems to gotten over her scare of school. I hear she shares the class with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, which is good I reckon. Being in class with friends sure as hay makes the school year lots easier.
I share two classes with Dash and Flash both, got one with Rarity and Pinkie, one with Shy and Dash, and another with just Pinkie. They ain't assigned seats yet in none of my classes, so we went ahead and sat near each other. I don't know why I got disappointed that I ain't sharin' a class with Twi, 'cause y'all know how smart she is. She in a whole different league than me. I reckon I've only ever shared one class with her in all our schoolin' and that was gym. Did I ever tell y'all how we met? Don't seem like we ever should have, but it was a stroke of luck I'm guessin.
Actually, I'm feeling mighty nostalgic right now, and I reckon I'm gonna just tell y'all how we all became friends, even if y'all know the story. Y'all know how Dash's been my friend since middle school. Since that day we found out we near as fast as each other, we been racin' nonstop and after being rivals so long, we thought it be better if we became friends. Yeah, I thought she was cocksure of herself, strutting 'bout acting like she the best of the best, and she thought I was just some rude ass country bumpkin who have no filter, but when we got past that stage, we became fast friends.
It was through her I met Shy. Sweetest person I ever did see, I took a liking to her when we first met. Thought she was a little flower that I had to protect much like Apple Bloom. Y'all should know that it was kinda Shy's fault that Dash broke up with Gilda, though y'all didn't even know about that. 'Bout them being together. Dash likin' girls I mean. Never mentioned it to y'all 'cause I was afraid y'all wouldn't let me hang out with her anymore. I mean, I don't know how I feel about it, so I guess I just don't really feel anything 'bout it, 'cause it ain't my concern, but I know some people get real mad 'bout it, and I wasn't gonna let y'all be one of them and then I can't be with my friend no more. But I done got started talking 'bout the leaf 'fore I got to the tree. Dash found out that Gilda was bein' real mean to Shy behind her back, and Dash didn't like that much. See, Dash and Shy known each other since kids. I'm thinking they even went to preschool together, that's how long they know each other. When Dash confronted her about it, Gilda got real pissy 'bout it, and damn if the drama didn't last all through middle school. I was mighty glad when Gilda decided to go to Nightmare Academy 'stead of Canterlot High with us 'cause I didn't want that drama following us.
But Shy is prolly still the nicest girl I ever met. She had a bully problem, but Dash and I often stuck up for her. Don't understand how people can be so mean to such a sweet girl like her, but they weren't even the meanest. Her pa as y'all well know was the absolute worst to her. It was prolly the most satisfying thing when I decked her pa on the front porch and took Shy with me. Pa was there, since he drove us, and I know he approved of my actions, even if y'all taught me to respect my elders. But he was actin' a young'un so I treated him a young'un. At least the city allowed her to move to her own place with Lyra given the situation. But Shy's been real fragile since, and I protect her as fiercely as I'd protect my lil sis.
Rares became my friend in eighth grade. That was a rough year for me, y'all should know. I don't know when it became a thing to pick on "rednecks" but whole bunch of kids decided that they don't much like that I worked on a farm. They sure as hell like our apple products though, but that didn't stop 'em from calling me all kinds of slurs. It hurt, but I mostly ignored it. Tried to anyways, but I sure as hell didn't let anyone on that it bothered me. But anyways, there was one day in particular, while in lunch that I was at the table sittin' by myself 'cause Dash was absent. Dash had a whole bunch of fans, almost like her own fan club, but she still sat by me at lunch 'cause she reckoned that I shouldn't be sitting by myself at lunch. 'Specially at the time I didn't have much friends, not that it really bothered me. Farm work kept me busy as y'all know, and I was just fine with just my family. Getting off topic again. Well, Shy wasn't there either, but that's 'cause she didn't much care for being in large group settings, so she stayed in the library to eat or something. These group of kids decided to swarm me then, like a pack of hornets, and were relentless. I just about had a go with all of them, and the only thing that kept my fists still was that y'all been mighty upset if I had.
Then comes Rares and at the time I thought she was just gonna join the group. She obviously had rich parents the way she dressed, and her accent oozed all kinds of proper talk. But would y'all believe she called out the kids on their bullying and told 'em to leave me alone? "What heathens would pick on the people who feed us?" I think were her words. And them kids were mighty intimidated, 'cause y'all know how Rares has a certain way of carrying herself, and sure as fire, they left me alone. Then she sat down at the table with me and had a surprisingly nice conversation, and we just kinda became friends after that. She apparently already knew Shy since the year before after she stopped a group of kids from bullying her as well. Yeah, Rares and I butt heads 'cause we don't exactly agree on everything, but she's still my friend, and I got her back.
Pinkie and I met 'cause of a school project Freshman year. We got paired together in history, and our assignment was to look up our family tree. Y'all remember how big that project was? I mean, we have a mighty big family, and finding them all was harder than trying to catch a slippery pig. But I remember gettin' annoyed 'cause I was paired with Pinkie. She talks a lot and makes random outbursts in class, and I didn't much care for her before, so I tuned her out most of the time. It helped my sanity up until that day, and then it wasn't no short project 'cause we got stuck together for a month. I sure thought it was gonna be the worst month of my life.
I couldn't have been more wrong. Yeah, Pinkie is a little over the top, but turns out she's this real fun person with this absolute determination to make everyone happy. And her memory is incredible. Through half our research, she didn't take notes, and I thought that was gonna be a problem, but nah, she was able to list off everything even a week after the fact. I learned that she moved to Ponyville 'cause her parents thought she would be better off in Canterlot High stead of stayin' on the rock farm, and this was her first year. And she was insanely popular among everyone 'cause hoo nelly does that girl like a party. Apparently one of her first friends was Rares, which struck me by surprise, but Pinkie also knows everyone in town. And I sure do mean everyone.
We never did find out if we were related now I think about it.
Then there's Twi. I also met her freshman year. She had just transferred over from Canterlot Elite School for Gifted Students 'cause her parents thought it would be better for her to go to a public school. She had a real hard time finding friends, and I was one of the first friends she made. Dunno why, but she felt special somehow, 'cause she didn't real act like them snobby know-it-alls. I remember her hopeless look in the cafeteria, and me waving her over to my table. Introduced myself, told her 'bout y'all, and tried to make her feel more welcome. She said I was the first person to even notice her, and we just became friends after that.
The whole group got together 'cause one of Pinkie's parties. It was the first party I ever went to, and first time that I was out late. Had a drink in my hand and kinda just scanned the crowd looking for a familiar face. Mind you, I know quite a few people myself since we ain't never moved, but I'm meaning I was looking for a face I can be social with. Twi was the first person I found, looking just 'bout as awkward as I was. Actually I reckon Pinkie was first, but she was busy welcoming all the guests, so Twi was the first I talked to really. Dash and Shy found us, and Dash challenged me to a drinking contest. First of many, and Dash sure hated losing to me. Rares joined us not too long after, with Pinkie 'side her since apparently Rares was the last person to join the party. Fashionably late I guess is what she'd call it. Well, the six of us had a mighty fun time, and from that night on, we just became the group of friends y'all knew so well. My second family. And that's how I'll always view 'em I guess.
I sure hope they stay in contact after we graduate. I know Twi plans on going to some top college and y'all know 'bout Dash wanting to be a star athlete. Shy's gonna stay in town and be a vet I think, at least that's what she wants to be. Rares wants to go to Manehattan and be one of them fancy fashion designers. And I ain't sure what Pinkie wants. But y'all know me. I'm staying right here at Sweet Apple Acres, 'cause as much as I love my friends, this is my home. And I guess that's what's bothering me and why I feel nostalgic all the sudden. 'Cause it's senior year and I know it just started, but it's really our last year together if y'all go and think 'bout it. And I ain't sure I'm ready to lose 'em to. I know y'all said that the best friends never really leave, but I'm still worried, y'know? I guess y'all right when y'all said I worry too much.
Well, I should prolly be headed off to bed. Got an early start like usual and Pinkie's party today sure did tire me out. 'Sides, it's getting real late.
Miss y'all dearly
Applejack

Author's Note:

Alright, I seem to be on a roll with this fic so far. Sorry that it took so long to get this moving guys, I really am. And I love the feedback I've been getting, thanks so much. (: Plot keeps moving in the next chapter, and I promise the plot isn't completely Dashie centric, she's just the first of AJ's friends to have majour problems. But I hope you enjoyed it so far~

Comments

[wzium]

Sweet chapter :) It's nice that Applejack writers letters to her parents, as if it's some kind of teraphy for her.

[Hobbestc]

I enjoyed the chapter, but I think you were a little heavy on Applejacks rough language. Other then that, nice backstory chapter.