Appledashery

by Just Essay

Let's Start at the Very Beginning

A thin stack of parchment rested on Rainbow Dash's kitchen table. Off to the corner was an ink well and a quill pen.

"... ... ..." Rainbow Dash sat on a stool before the table. Her eyes bore holes in the parchment. She noticed the quill in her peripheral vision, but she didn't make a move for it.

She sat perfectly still.

A clock ticked off somewhere, sending quiet echoes across the cold, gray room.

The mare's tail flicked and her wings twitched slightly.

Silence reigned, and no words came out.

With a heavy sigh, Rainbow hung her head.

---

"I tried writing once," I said, my muzzle scrunched. "It was awful."

"For realsies?" Rainbow glanced at me from across the sun-lit rooftop. "But... like... I thought you wrote the song for that... y'know... Cutie Mark Crusaders muzzle-paint show thingy." She gestured with a hoof. "The comedy act that the three of you did on stage?"

I cringed, avoiding her gaze. "It wasn't a comedy act..."

"Huh?" She craned a neck towards me.

I cleared my throat. "And besides... erm... Sweetie Belle helped out. A lot." I sighed, fiddling my hooves into the thick of the gold-thatched roof. "It was practically her song by the end."

"Yeah, well..." She smirked proudly. "Creative license! Am I right?"

"What does that even mean?" I remarked, giggling a little.

"Eh... I'm sorry, kiddo," Rainbow muttered, glancing at the horizon. "Sorry for pressing."

"No, I'm curious." I blinked at her. "Are you having trouble with that love letter that you're writing?"

"It's not a love letter!"

"Heeheehee... I thought it totally was!"

"It's more like... erm... a confessional."

"Isn't that—like—the same?"

"Err..."

"Cuz I figured it was all about all the feelings that you had for—"

"Confessional... love letter... tax report..." Rainbow grumbled. "Whatever it is, I can't frickin' get it started!"

"Why not?" I asked blinking.

"Just can't..." Rainbow sighed. "My heart's there, for sure, but... like... my stupid brain is in the way."

"Your brain's not stupid, Rainbow Dash!"

"Meh."

"Who else in Equestria can calibrate for wind and air currents in order to pull off the most awesome sonic rainboom?!"

"Meh meh."

I smirked. "And who can make the weather absolutely perfect when Mayor Mare asks for it?"

"That's just it, kid," Rainbow muttered. "Half of the times I do things, I can't explain them."

"You've explained to me how to fly," I said with a smile. "That's helped out a lot!"

"Yeah, but that's all you, kid."

"And it's all you too!" I pointed at her. "You're awesome and you know it! Maybe it feels so hard putting stuff into words because you're so used to living it! So? Live it on paper!"

"Live it... on paper..."

"Yeah!" I grinned. "And once your special somepony reads it, then they'll be living it too!"

---

Rainbow Dash winced. She rubbed the back of her neck hard and stared down at the parchment.

The parchment stared back at her.

The thunderous clock ticks shattered Rainbow's skull.

With a dull moan, she tilted her head back and slumped in the stool.

---

"Jee..." Fluttershy bit the edge of her lip. "I figured something like this would come easily for you."

"But it isn't!" Rainbow paced and paced across the cottage. "It just friggin' isn't!"

"But you love Applejack!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "You of all ponies know this!"

"Yeah... but... like... I live it!" Rainbow twirled about, gawking. "I breathe it! I sigh and I shout and..." She sniffled. "...I friggin' cry it."

"Awwww..." Fluttershy got up from her cushion, trotted over, and gave the pegasus a friendly nuzzle. "If you ask me, that was quite poetic right there. Why not write that down?"

"Because... whenever I try to process through words what I feel... and who I am... and who Applejack is to me..." Rainbow cringed. "...it all comes out sounding... lame." She gulped. "And stiff."

Fluttershy giggled.

Rainbow arched an eyebrow. "All of this super funny to you?"

"It's just that you're going about this like Twilight," Fluttershy said. "When you should be going about it more like Pinkie Pie."

Rainbow blinked. "Buh?"

"You're not writing some sort of essay, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said with a calm smile. "This is a letter of endearment to the pony of your heart, yes... but it's also a story."

"A... story?"

Fluttershy pointed. "A story about you. A story about your heart. A story about your love." She grinned. "And it's a charming story... and an awesome one. Because its yours, and Applejack is at the heart of it."

"That's... kind of a nifty way of looking at it." Rainbow bit her lip. "But... how do I even begin?"

"Well..." Fluttershy paced about the cottage in thoughtful silence. She came to a stop before the sun-bright window, tapping her dainty yellow chin. Her eyes caught a sparkling glint, and she smiled in Rainbow's direction. "Whenever I think about my special somepony... whenever I think about Macky..."

"Pffft..." Rainbow rolled her eyes with a smirk. "'Macky.'"

Fluttershy went on. "I think about a lot of things. I think about his soft voice. I think about the sweet lingering scent of farm sweat in his mane when he leans down to nuzzle me. I think about how gentle his strong hooves can be when he helps me feed the animals." She sighed pleasantly. "But most of all..."

"Yeah...?"

Fluttershy's ears folded back as her cheeks went rosy. "I think about how we first met..."

Rainbow blinked.

Fluttershy leaned forward. "Do you remember how you and Applejack first met?"

---

Rainbow's eyes fluttered open.

She sat up straight on her kitchen stool.

The tick-tock of the clock dissipated, descending several fathoms away while the grayness resolved.

Rainbow felt a warmth spread through her chest.

She looked down at the parchment, and she saw through it. The gossamer strands of paper spread apart, and beyond it a happy thought floated her way, sprinkled with freckles.

The mare smiled.

Comments

[RoboRed]

"I tried writing once," I said, my muzzle scrunched. "It was awful."

STORY OF MY FRIGGIN LIFE

[Lightning Bearer]

I've never related so strongly to a horse.

[WhitewolfStormrunner]

Rainbow arched an eyebrow. "All of this super funny to you?"

"It's just that you're going about this like Twilight," Rainbow said. "When you should be going about it more like Pinkie Pie."

Rainbow blinked. "Buh?"

I think you must've meant Fluttershy in that second paragraph.

Amiright?

[Rex-Inverse]

Well, writers block aside, I think Rainbow has an idea now on what to write. Now lets see what happens next.

[zaponator]

I dunno, Scootaloo. I think your writing is quite entertaining.

[Leftover of Saikano]

Once more Rainbow is so relatable.
41.media.tumblr.com/5326a64442314f7438f4302ae7e586be/tumblr_mxhovcDibL1sglcspo1_500.jpg

[BabySkittleMonster]

This chapter and the next's title... It's officially(don'tsayitdon'tsayitdon'tsayit) 20% cooler. I disgust myself.

Doh, a deer, a female deer,
Re, a block of golden sun,
Me, a name, I call myself,
Fa, a long long way to run!
So, a needle pulling thread,
La, a note that follows so,
Ti, a drink with jam and bread,
And it all comes back to Doh! Doh! Doh! Doh!

[DeathFox4]

I am afraid to read on....

*hides eyes* * takes a peek*
*Reads anyways*

[Gammahoof]

Here we have the chapter in which JE writes about how hard writing is. Oh the irony.

[LucyHorseThing]

"I tried writing once," I said, my muzzle scrunched. "It was awful."

That sounds so damn familiar...WAIT.
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SCOOTALOO IS ON HIGHEST LEVEL OF GRUMP. GET YOUR FRITOS, EVERYPONY.

[DrEggnog]

6053848
That got a big laugh out of me.

[arancaytar]

Let's start at the very beginning
A very good place to start
When you read you begin with ABC
When you ship you begin with Ap-ple-dash, Ap-ple-dash

[arancaytar]

"I tried writing once," I said, my muzzle scrunched. "It was awful."

That's where you're wrong Skirts.

Scoots. I mean Scoots.

[arancaytar]

"You're not writing some sort of essay, Rainbow Dash,"

Not even an unjust one?

[SnowOriole]

I love Scoots. PROTECT SCOOTS.