Appledashery

by Just Essay

Get it? 'Cuz Fillyda

"Okay, I give up." Rainbow Dash dropped the spoon into her soup bowl and looked wildly over her shoulder. "What in the blue fudge is that noise?!"

Applejack smiled from where she sat, stirring a pot of broth in the middle of the flickering campsite. "Cicadas. They really know how to make the air buzz somethin' awful, dun they?"

"The heck is a cicada?!" Rainbow Dash cackled. The three of them sat under the hushed red glow of a dying evening. Their camp was situated just between a highway and the forest. A bed of pine needles acted as cushioning under their shuffling hooves while they laid out their sleeping mats and settled for dinner. "I don't remember anything in Ponyville being that friggin' loud!"

"I've heard 'em," Stu said between hungry mouthfuls of soup.

"You have?! When?"

"When I flew deliveries over the Everfree Forest!"

"Pfft. Since when did the Everfree Forest have cicadas?"

"They're all over the place this time of night," Applejack said. "You can even hear 'em from the edge of Sweet Apple Acres."

"Oh..." Rainbow Dash gazed into the fire, searching her mind. "You mean those things that go Wrii-oh wrii-oh wrii-oh?"

"Eeyup."

"Yeah. Those things are silly. But this nonsense is nothing but WRIIIIIIIIII!"

"Careful." Stu smirked and took another sip. "You might attract them. No sense in a bunch of paper-winged bugs trying to make love to your nostrils overnight."

"Aaaaaaaaaaaand there goes my appetite." Rainbow Dash slumped back on her haunches, folding her forelimbs. "Thanks."

"Heheheh..." Applejack finished rolling out her pack. "Dun worry, sugarcube. I got you covered." She reached into the wagon and tossed Rainbow Dash a spray can. "Here."

Rainbow caught it. "What's this?"

"Bug repellant. For the mosquitoes."

"Oye... seriously?"

"Fillyda's a big peninsula covered all over in lakes and swamps! I know we ain't in the thick of it yet, but you'll see once it gets dark out. This place is bug town!"

"I've no frickin' clue why so many old ponies try to move down here."

"What's the matter, Rainbow Dash?" Stu Leaves chuckled. "You always struck me as the rugged type! I figured some bugs would be something you'd shrug off!"

"Hey, I-I don't mind being rugged." Rainbow frowned. "At least not up in Ponyville where you don't feel like you're swimming every time you take a breath. Also where the bugs don't sound like they're practicing for high school band!" Rainbow growled over her shoulder. "Knock it off, will ya?!"

Applejack chuckled. "Try growling louder, darlin'. I don't think the whole Province heard ya."

"For real." Rainbow Dash sighed, shaking the can and giving the end sof her hooves a slight fritz. "Why don't the local yokels consider escorting the creepy crawlies—I dunno—somewhere a bit further away from the main road? There've gotta be some pegasi around here who are bug-whisperers in their off time."

"Where've they got to go?" Applejack chuckled. "This is Fillyda, Rainbow Dash. There ain't no winter. Hence, no winter-wrap-up."

"No winter-wrap-up." Rainbow gulped. "That's mind-breaking. It's practically halfway Everfree. You sure you wanna run a citrus farm down here?"

"Heh... don't see why not." Applejack smiled. "Besides, I'm sure I'll be too busy with the cider factory to even register the wildlife."

"Yeah. You have a point. Still." Rainbow smirked. "Bring some extra bits! You should be able to pay some unicorn... any unicorn to shoo the pests away!"

"Oh for Celestia's sake—we're headed into Central Fillyda, Rainbow!" Applejack guffawed. "That's about as far away from magic as you can get!"

"Something tells me she's trying to talk you into staying in Ponyville permanently," Stu said.

Rainbow hissed, the hair on her back rising up. "Stuff it, Leaves! I am not!"

Stu merely chuckled.

"Though... it'd be really swell if you found a way to avoid having to be gone all the time," Rainbow said, fidgeting with her bangs, avoiding Applejack's gaze. "Assuming everything goes awesomely with Shindig, of course."

"Hmmmm..." Applejack poured herself a bowl and sat down across from the pegasus. "How about this." She took a sip and waved her spoon, smiling. "If I get the factory, I'll stay in Ponyville and you'll get to live down here from time to time!"

Rainbow Dash sighed, wincing.

"That better? Hmmm?"

"I dunno..." Rainbow Dash shrugged. "So long as I get to bring my cloud home, I guess."

"Oh, I wouldn't do that," Stu said.

"Why not?"

"It'd just get blown away once or twice a year by hurricanes."

"You mean there are hurricanes too?!"

Applejack and Stu both chuckled.

Comments

[Lightning Bearer]

Ah yes. Florida. America's Australia. With a little Night Vale for good measure.

"Oh for Celestia's sake—we're headed into Central Fillyda, Rainbow!" Applejack guffawed. "That's about as far away from magic as you can get!"

i.ytimg.com/vi/oNk2AUwNZ-M/maxresdefault.jpg

[Sharp Quill]

"Fillyda's a big peninsula covered all over in lakes and swamps! I know we ain't in the thick of it yet, but you'll see once it gets dark out. This place is bug town!"

Writing what you know, eh?

"I've no frickin' clue why so many old ponies try to move down here."

Good question.

"That's about as far away from magic as you can get!"

In other words, you can't figure out how to ponify Disney World or Magic Kingdom.

"You mean there are hurricanes too?!"

The local pegasi schedule a few every year. For some reason. ’Cuz Fillyda.

[Fishberry]

Is anyone else beginning to feel really uncomfortable with this love triangle? It's getting painful to read. I'm empathizing with the characters too hard. I think it's giving me headaches

[zaponator]

As much as I appreciate wanton headbutting, I must say that this relaxed road trip has been nice.

[Sheendough]

5451739 5451790 Taking away the Magic in Magic Kingdom (that crying Mickey pic is hilarious, BTW).

[Aatxe360]

I can't wait for the part for Applejack to try and hook Rainbow and Stu together, but I won't expect it because it feels so out-of-character for Applejack.

Does the Lemur-God have the skills to pull it off and still keep Applejack in character? We'll find out.

[Leftover of Saikano]

Ah, cicadas. Such a common part of summer. Right now we have them everywhere, here under the Tropic of Capricorn. It's hard to have a siesta when they go all Nyan Cat around your trees.

[Codaulux]

"Yeah. Those things are silly. But this nonsense is nothing but WRIIIIIIIIII!"

You thought those were just cicadas at full volume. But:
i.imgur.com/f3jGs0D.jpg

Aye. I jumped on this right after catching up on East Horse. Taking it nice and slow though.