Appledashery

by Just Essay

Elementary

“I st-still can't believe it!” I said, staring up into the clouds with the dumbest of grins. “Ten seconds! I was gliding on my own for ten seconds!”

“More like fifteen in my book,” Rainbow said.

I looked across the grass at her. “For r-real?! Fifteen seconds?!”

“Yup.” Rainbow smirked. “We weather fliers have built-in stopwatches.” She yawned. “Even if we tend to ignore 'em from time to time.”

I stared back up at the clouds. “Wow... fifteen seconds...” I let loose a happy sigh, curling my forelimbs to my chest as we continued to skygaze on the hilltop. “Too bad I didn't take off to do that.”

“Hey, you stabilized yourself pretty well.”

“Yeah, but I didn't flap my wings or nothin'—”

“Kid... face it.” Rainbow squinted at me. “You did good.”

“Heeheehee...” I bit my lip as I felt my cheeks flushing. “I-I did, didn't I?”

“And, between you and me, I'm a lot cooler with you practicing in ways that don't involve launching yourself off rooftops.”

“But my scooter always survives the fall!”

“It's not the scooter I'm concerned with.”

“Oh...” I cleared my throat. “Right.”

“Don't you have somepony in your household to carry you around on gliding runs?” Rainbow Dash blinked my way. “I mean, that's how most pegasi learn how to stretch their wings.”

“Including you?”

“Pfft. You kidding?” Rainbow chuckled. “My dove out of my nursery window for kicks at the age of eight months.” She gazed up at the sky. “My dad had to scramble super fast to even catch up with me.”

“Well, I-I'm glad he caught you!”

“Oh, he didn't.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Landed right in a deep lake beneath Cloudsdale. But s'all good. Ever since, I could boast that I learned to swim and fly in the same day!”

“Hahahahaha!”

Rainbow smirked. “Yeah... yeahhhhhh...” She flexed her forelimb with a contented sigh. “That's an oldie but a goodie.” She gulped. “Still, don't you?”

“Don't I what?”

“Have ponies to give you gliding lessons?”

“Mmmmm...” I sighed, glancing down at my twitching tail amidst the blades of grass. “Mom and Dad are always super busy. They work alternating shifts in the day and night. I have a hard enough time even seeing them when the sun's out, much less getting to hang out.”

“No kiddin'?”

“Meh.”

“How the heck do you get in and out of the house?”

“Pffft. They give me a key to the apartment, of course.”

“Next thing, you'll tell me you cook your own dinners.”

“I do.”

Rainbow turned to look at me. “Wowsers, you really take care of yourself, don't ya?”

“I guess.” I shrugged. “I mean, it's preparing me for when I get older. At least I like to think so.”

“Your parents plan on being in Ponyville to stay, huh?”

“Er... yeah.” I raised an eyebrow. “Something wrong with that?”

“Just—back in Cloudsdale, that'd never fly.”

“How do you mean?”

“I mean, pegasi up there are all about hanging out with their kids.” Rainbow smirked. “'Cuz why not, y'know? We sure do have a ton of them.”

“My parents totally love me!”

“I-I didn't say they didn't, kiddo! Everypony's got... y'know...” Rainbow exhaled heavily, staring towards the horizon. “...a different way of showing it.”

“So what if my folks wanna make sure I can take of myself? I've got what it takes!”

“Oh, you sure do, alright.” Rainbow smirked at me. “Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle's lives would fall apart if you weren't there to hold it together.”

I sat up, staring wide-eyed at her. “You really think so?”

“Isn't it obvious?”

“Well, y-yeah! I mean...” I fidgeted with my tail, staring down at the grass. “I've always felt deep-down inside that I'm tougher than them. But...” I gulped. “I don't wanna think about that too much.”

“Why not?”

“Cuz then I might turn ugly like Diamond Tiara or Silver Spoon. I don't th-think I'm better than the other crusaders. After all, I like being with them. I-I dunno where I'd be without them.”

“It's swell to have friends you can rely on, huh?” Rainbow smirked. “Quick, remind me—who's Diamond Tiara?”

“Huh?”

“Which filly is her again? I've only been by Cheerilee's school one sneeze per month.”

“Oh! Uh... sh-she's the one with... y'know... the tiara.”

“... ... ...”

“...mane looks like silk toilet paper?”

“Ohhhhh! That Diamond Tiara!”

I giggled. “Heeheehee! Yup! Th-that's the one!”

“Do me a favor, Scoots.”

“Name it.”

“Don't ever compare yourself to that bucket of turds... ever.” Rainbow winked. “Even in the hypothetical.”

“What does that mean?”

“Don't even pretend you'd be like her in some alternate universe.”

“You mean—like—a universe where I was Luna's pet batpony or something?”

“Sure. Whatever.” Rainbow rolled on her side to look at me more directly. “What I'm trying to say is—you're a kid. A real good kid. And yet you've got spunk.” She reached over and messed with my mane. “I wish I had the guts you did at your age—and yet all the brains as well, y'know?”

“Heheh...” I bit my lips, avoiding her gaze. “Jee, th-thanks.”

“Don't mention it. And don't ever worry about being similar to jerkfaces like Dirty Tool.”

“Diamond Tiara.”

“Whatever. You kids are cut from a different cloth. Oil and vinegar. Marsupials and lemurs. Panties and—”

“I get it, Dash, thank you.”

“Ha! See?! Totally smart.” Rainbow pointed. “The Crusaders are lucky to have ya.”

I fidgeted, my ears folding back.

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”

“Would you... uhm...” I squirmed. “Would you m-mind me telling you something?” I gulped. “And it's g-gonna sound a little weird.”

“Girl, I'm made of fifty-percent weird. Hanging out with Pinkie Pie as much as I do?”

“Alright.” I took a deep breath. “It's just that... sometimes I feel like... how should I put this...?”

“The honest way?”

“Honest... w-way?”

Rainbow shrugged. “Try it, you'll like it!” She smirked.

I blinked at her. At last, I said, “If it weren't for Sweetie and Apple Bloom, I'd no longer be a crusader.

Rainbow sat up, eyes thin. “Oh yeah?”

I sighed. “I know it sounds horrible, but... I-I've honestly stopped caring about getting a cutie mark ages ago.”

“Well, from the sound of things, you've got enough talents to take care of yourself as it is,” Rainbow said. “I mean, your parents trust you like a full-fledge adult, and you do a good job taking care of your gal-pals.”

“I could certainly do with a super special talent, but... th-that's not so important anymore.”

“What changed?”

I looked at her.

She smirked down at me. “It did change, right? I mean, you were totally gonzo about getting your butt stamp for ages... heh...”

“Yeah, I guess.” I shuddered. “Just... it's not so important anymore. I...” I smiled slowly. “I'm happy how I am.” My wingtips fluttered. “And where I am.”

“Well, that's natural,” Rainbow Dash said with a nod. “Sometimes the best things in life show up without you actually looking for them.”

I looked at her. “You must know what that's like. I mean—if there's anypony who's happy being herself—it's gotta be you!”

Rainbow Dash stared at me, not moving a muscle. Four oozing seconds later, she eventually blurted, “So happy, I could almost cry!” A twitching smile.

“Heeheeheee!” I clutched myself, eyes clenched shut.

I hear her scratching her forehead. “Wow... you weren't kidding about the happy part, huh...”

“I don't know what it is!” I exhaled through a warm smile. “It just... f-felt so good to get that off my chest.”

“What, about the cutie mark thing?”

“Yeah. I know it sounds silly—”

“Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle are so obsessed over it.”

“I know. And I don't want to make them feel bad.”

“I think they're happy enough just to have you around—helping them as well as yourself.” Rainbow smirked. “In fact, I bet you could even tell them how you feel.”

I gulped. “For r-real?”

“Why the heck not?! They're your friends, right?” Rainbow stifled a yawn and leaned casually back in the grass. “Like—what the heck would they do? Kick you out of the clubhouse? Pfft. They'll go back by about five years in their search for cutie marks without you!”

“Hahahah! Yeah they would!”

“Don't fret it, kid.” Rainbow smirked. “Ain't nothing wrong about telling another pony how much they make you happy.”

I bit my lip, the rolled over, clasping one of Rainbow's forelimbs in a hug. “You make me super... super happy, Rainbow. Life's so awesome with you in it.”

“Heh...” Rainbow rolled her eyes, smirking. “Lay on enough sap, kid, and you'll never get unstuck from the earth.”

“Thanks for everything. First helping me glide, and now this.” I grinned at her. “Y'know, maybe they should have called you the 'Element of Honesty' too!”

Rainbow's smirk slowly, slowly faded. She gulped and glanced up at the sky. “Yeah... uh... wouldn't that be... uhm... nifty, eh?”

“Rainbow?” I blinked. “Is something wrong?”

“Yeah... something is.”

“Wh-what?” I asked, feeling a pang of concern.

She turned and smirked at me. “Some kid isn't getting enough gliding lessons.” She stood up and leaned down, resting a hoof on my shoulder. “Deliver a message to your folks.”

“A message?”

“Yeah. Tell them that the fastest, coolest, bestest flier in all of Ponyville is totally cool with giving their filly some time in the air to stretch her wings out more. And what's more, she's gonna do it free of charge.”

“R-really?!” I hopped up to my hooves, beaming.

“What, did I just speak llama? Deliver the message, girl!”

“Oh, I will, Rainbow! I will!” I leaned in, nuzzling her leg. “Thank you! You're the best!”

“Heh... yeah...” Rainbow shuddered through a calm smile. Slowly, she gazed towards the distant edge of the sky. “So I've been told...”

Comments

[Aatxe360]

So much Maxis.

[Tchernobog]

“You mean—like—a universe where I was Luna's pet batpony or something?”

Ha.

[Full-time_Introvert]

5003740 img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140726023420/clashofclans/images/5/50/If-you-know-what-i-mean.png Oh good God what is wrong with me!?! That's the fourth time I did that today!

[Lightning Bearer]

These chapters are always some of my favorites.

[Jay_Baker]

I want her to tell applejack so bad

[RoboRed]

“I think they're happy enough just to have you around—helping them as well as yourself.” Rainbow smirked. “In fact, I bet you could even tell them how you feel.”
I gulped. “For r-real?”
“Why the heck not?! They're your friends, right?” Rainbow stifled a yawn and leaned casually back in the grass. “Like—what the heck would they do? Kick you out of the clubhouse? Pfft. They'll go back by about five years in their search for cutie marks without you!”

“Don't fret it, kid.” Rainbow smirked. “Ain't nothing wrong about telling another pony how much they make you happy.”

Rainbow is the one giving this advice, folks.
Rainbow, you crazy paint bucket...I love ya', but right now I want to strangle ya'.

[Leftover of Saikano]

I love happy Scootaloo.

[kluck]

“Whatever. You kids are cut from a different cloth. Oil and vinegar. Marsupials and lemurs. Panties and—”

did he just make a panties and stockings reference??

[Thursday]

Rainbow danger awesome stealthy professionalism dramatic irony Dash

[re- Yamsmos]

“Whatever. You kids are cut from a different cloth. Oil and vinegar. Marsupials and lemurs. Panties and—”

I'm pissed.

[arancaytar]

 Marsupials and lemurs. 

“Don't fret it, kid.” Rainbow smirked. “Ain't nothing wrong about telling another pony how much they make you happy.”

...

...

“Thanks for everything. First helping me glide, and now this.” I grinned at her. “Y'know, maybe they should have called you the 'Element of Honesty' too!”

Or maybe they should not in fact do that.