Appledashery

by Just Essay

... Made You Leaf

"Rainbow?" Fluttershy craned her neck.

Applejack's and Stu Leaves' voices grew more and more concrete as the pair came closer. But mostly just Stu's.

"Oh no..." Rainbow gnashed her teeth. She flew over towards a nearby tree and knocked her head several times against it. "No no no no no no." Thap thap thap thap!

"Rainbow, what's wrong?" Fluttershy hoarsely inquired.

Rainbow clenched her teeth. She couldn't bear to look... to hear... to smell.

"We're here!" Applejack cackled as the wagon wheels came to a stop. "Alright, Stu, you can hoof the reins over to me!"

"No no no no no no pleeeeease no." Rainbow clenched her eyes shut, nearly boring a hole through the tree with her forehead. Her ears pounded from her throbbing pulse. Her heart—

"Here ya go, AJ."

"Thanks a heap, Stu. That uphill climb always kills me!"

"Heh... no sweat. Er... well... y-you know what I mean."

Rainbow squeaked, teeth grinding.

"Heh... goofball. Now... you and Big Mac got a game plan for harvestin' the apples while I'm gone?"

"... ... ...!" Rainbow's eyes flew open.

"Right. We're gonna alternate days where he takes care of Fluttershy's critters during the morning and I roam the fields in the evening. And then we've already got the shifts planned for selling produce at the market."

"Make sure to keep on his keister about it. Not that Big Mac is lazy or nothin', but... well... he's a tad bit soft-spoken, so it's mighty easy to make broad assumptions with him."

"Heh... we're stallions, AJ. We can brospeak. Ain't that right, Big Mac?"

"Eeeyup."

"... ... ...okay, so I can dig a challenge."

"Heh heh heh..."

Blinking, Rainbow spun around.

Stu Leaves was busy fastening the wagon struts to Applejack. He leaned in as the two shared a nuzzle, and then he backtrotted. "You girls have fun!" The stallion said with a wave. He glanced across the way. "Spike? Need a lift back?"

"Mrmmmff... hmmm?" Spike swallowed up the gravelly bits of a gemstone, slitted eyes blinking. "Oh... uhm... well..." He shrugged. "...if that wouldn't be much of a problem."

Stu and Big Mac exchanged glances. Then, with a smirk, Stu motioned. "Why don't you hop a ride with us, dude? Last time I heard, Big Mac had this awesome... secret fishin' hole just perfect for wasting away a cool, crisp afternoon like this one. Figured we'd relax a bit and chew the fat before all the work we gotta do this week. Wanna join us?"

"Heh... sure!" Spike zipped up the bag of trail mix and waddled after the two stallions. "Mind if... uhm... I bring a comic book or two?"

"So long as you don't have us use the pages for bait."

"Are you kidding? The fish would ruin the ink!"

"Heheh... what do you like reading, anyways?"

"The Power Ponies!"

"Ah..." Stu nodded. "But of course."

"You read comic books?"

"Well, I used to. Are you familiar with The Sandmare?"

"Huh?"

"Y'know... by Neigh Gaiman?"

"... ... ....?"

Stu sighed. "Eh... well... Vertigallop Comics ain't what they used to be." He waved at the mares. "So long! Have a nice trip! Be safe!"

"Back at y'all!" Applejack called back as she drew the wagon across the clearing. "Dun ya be burnin' down my farm or nothin'!"

"Heh... wouldn't live with myself if that happened!"

"Darn tootin', ya varmint face!"

"Freckle monster!" Stu called back, then blinked aside at Big Macintosh. "Erm... present company accepted."

"Heheh... Eeyup." And Big Mac helped Spike onto his back as the three guys descended down the path, chatting with one another.

"Okay, gals!" Applejack adjusted her hat as she paused in the middle of the clearing. "Go on and toss yer bags into this here cart. And dun none of y'all fret about me pullin' the load! I ain't enjoyin' myself unless I'm gettin' some fine exercise."

"That's ever so kind of you, dear," Rarity said, floating her things into the back.

"Yes... thank you, Applejack," Twilight said, levitating her things as well.

Trixie added to the mix. "Thank you apple horse!"

"A good exercise needs good vittles!" Pinkie Pie hopped up, holding a plastic bag. "Lookie lookie!"

"Awwww shucks!" Applejack smiled. "Is this one of yer world-famous custom trail mixes?" Pinkie tossed her the plastic bag. Applejack cradled it, squinting. It was full of nothing but apple-slices. "Whewwwww doggie!" Applejack grinned, then hung the bag off the edge of the wagon. "This is already lookin' to be the best campin' trip ever!"

"Mmmmm... I'm so excited." Fluttershy grunted slightly as she placed her bags into the back of the wagon. Her eyes were locked on Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash turned to blink at Fluttershy.

Fluttershy squinted.

Rainbow bit her lip, sweating.

"... ... ..." Fluttershy smirked wryly. She leaned into nuzzle the mare, then ruffled her prismatic bangs. "Stop worrying," the pegasus mouthed with her delicate muzzle, then flew ahead to join the others. "Say... Twilight... did you bring your nature guide?"

"Oh! Totally! It's the latest edition too!"

Rainbow stared at the group. She wound up... then exhaled the heaviest breath of her body. She came out the other side with a limp smile, then proceeded to add her bag quietly to Applejack's wagon.

Comments

[RoboRed]

Huh...okay, that wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. But, now we've got Rainbow dealing with being around AJ again.

"Awwww shucks!" Applejack smiled. "Is this one of yer world-famous custom trail mixes?" Pinkie tossed her the plastic bag. Applejack cradled it, squinting. It was full of nothing but apple-slices.

...I'm not sure what else I expected.

[MidnightReflection]

Okay, so Big Mac fishes? Just for sport, right? ...right? He throws the fish back in the water after he catches them, right?

[TheZouave]

...Well played, skirts. Well played.

[Hestia]

Phew, got scared for a moment there.

But we're in the clear now and the only thing that could possibly ruin this is Rainbow Dash herself.

. . . Why do I get the feeling we're doomed?

[destinedjagold]

While Stu didn't join them, he and AJ's back-and-forth teasing before he and the other two male creatures left them is making me worry.

[Lightning Bearer]

Hey, JE?

media.giphy.com/media/77JBBB0wIiFMc/giphy.gif

[Phoenix Kitten]

Skirts is a master of false alarms and bait&switch.

Ordinarily I'd chastise Dash but if Stu had been coming along, I think we'd all want to bash our heads against the nearest solid object too.

[Sheendough]

So I take it nopony is going to point out this?

Stu Leaves was busy fastening the wagon struts to Applejack. He leaned in as the two shared a nuzzle, and then he backtrotted.

[Phoenix Kitten]

6714141 well it wasn't a lovers nuzzle, just a friendly nuzzle.
Thank Celestia.

[PropMaster]

God dayum it, they nuzzled. RD has a problem.

[Aatxe360]

6713770

Apple Fritter Slices?

[Aatxe360]

6713938

Y'all are wound up too tight. Need to take things like a certain pegasus. By that; I mean Stu .

[CommanderCuddle]

Hey look at that, it's already going downhill :D

[Leftover of Saikano]

Only Rainbow can ruin things now... Or the Flim Flam brothers, trapping some of the mares in some dream space to try and use their bodies to revive their fallen allies Top Dog, Don Canter, Romulus, their mother, and Sunset Shimmer, who they suppose is dead.

[Nasty Mister Monket]

You're making this painful, aren't you, Colon old boy? Every tiny chapter is full of debilitatingly awkward Rainbow Dash, Stu Leaves or heartless teasing that whispers of some diabolical scheme that will derail all our hopes and trap us in this chasm of fuzzy sorrow forever. And wow, Rainbow was totally going Yosser Hughes for a moment there. Which is probably more of an obscure reference than I think it is.

So, just how will this go horrendously awry? Will Rainbow ruin this with sheer awkwardness? Will some random character from the previous arcs suddenly appear and wreck everything? I don't just mean Flim Flam, either. Maybe Iron Will could show up like Hey, it's the legend! You're supposed to be dead! or something. Will somebody notice her anti-noodle potions? Will they talk on and on about recent events that Rainbow hasn't been around for or secretly solved herself? Will Applejack drown in the waterfall? Ugh, I know not what you'll do old boy, but trust me, I will be anticipating it!

Hence, I predict everything will be fine. After the trip is when things will be laid to waste.

[FloydienSlip]

Trixie added to the mix. "Thank you apple horse!"

Damn near died laughing. Thanks, JE.

[BabySkittleMonster]

This has gone so steeply downhill that it's practically uphill. And they've only just set off. This can only get worse... Let's make our bets!

A) a diabolical/unintentionally troublesome member of Rainbow's past stumbles into them.

B) Anti-Noodles runs out. Or is discovered. Or fails to work. Or something. Either way, Noodlesons Disease becomes common knowledge - and awkwardness and anger run rampant.

C) Dash dies. Hey, anything goes at this point.

D) Stu. Need I say more? Although he technically could fit into category 2, he's surpassed the troublesome limit.

E) Rainbow, for reasons unknown, is forced to take a Welsh Literature exam discussing the plot and characters of Y Stafell Ddirgel, quotes necessary l - without being able to revise beforehand. As I said, anything goes by this point. And this point is bringing back bad memories. *shudders* Rowland Ellis...

F) Nothing of interest happens. At all. The girls talk about nothing in particular, they have fun but leave without any benefit or new knowledge.

[viofriedsevey]

6715173 Definitely a big fan of A, lets see if skirts has the balls to involve the mane 6 in Rainbow's secret quests, and give us some kind of Appledashery. I say he's not gonna, no balls.

[viofriedsevey]

6714141 You know that feeling when you go over the main drop of a rollercoaster? When I read that line it kinda felt like that, except with a lot more pain.

[BabySkittleMonster]

6715877
Ooh, a direct challenge. Let's see if the master answers it, eh? As much as I'm really hoping for A or B, I get the sickening feeling that F is the route he's going to go down. Then again, I'm also hoping RD confesses her love for AJ in her sleep and snuggles happens, but... Well... Somehow I doubt a certain someone is going to make it that easy.

[Fishberry]

6714141

I think that line gave me PTSD!

This story is like Alanis Morrisette's song 'Ironic'.

The song that wasn't really about anything ironic, but itself was ironic in that it was a song titled 'Ironic' even though it contained no examples of irony.

[zaponator]

Hahah!

[Dash32]

Good boy stu

[DrEggnog]

Ohhhhhh that was a good twist.
https://youtu.be/BsIa_LKojJI

[kluck]

HA! called it

[arancaytar]

"Heh... goofball. Now... you and Big Mac got a game plan for harvestin' the apples while I'm gone?"

!!!

He leaned in as the two shared a nuzzle, and then he backtrotted.

!!!

Goddammit Skirts, it's always a rollercoaster.

Stu sighed. "Eh... well... Vertigallop Comics ain't what they used to be." He waved at the mares. "So long! Have a nice trip! Be safe!"

It's easier to horsepun the imprint than the publisher in that case, I guess. (DClop?) Meanwhile, Marevel is a gimme, and Dark Horse is basically cheating.

[arancaytar]

"Back at y'all!" Applejack called back as she drew the wagon across the clearing. "Dun ya be burnin' down my farm or nothin'!"

Dun Dun Dun

[arancaytar]

"Awwww shucks!" Applejack smiled. "Is this one of yer world-famous custom trail mixes?" Pinkie tossed her the plastic bag. Applejack cradled it, squinting. It was full of nothing but apple-slices. "Whewwwww doggie!" 

Best trail mix.

[Finelita]

I can’t bare to see applejack being with Stu anymore.