Appledashery

by Just Essay

Blessed are the Apples

"And so, gentlecolts..." Fancy Pants adjusted his monocle and leaned forward from where he sat at the dining room table deep inside his Trottingham mansion. "While I agree that expanding into Fillydelphia would be good for revenue, I'm concerned about the loss that our western factories would be suffering."

"What loss is that, Fancy?" Filthy Rich muttered from the group of stallions seated at one side of the long table.

"Why, the hundreds of ponies who would be without a job because we'd inevitably have to shut down several installations in order to facilitate the move."

Filthy sighed, slicking his bangs back. "It's only one facility, Fancy. We're talking about a major financial gain for our partnership. In the long run, the losses are acceptable!"

"Pardon my audacity, Mr Rich, but I simply do not believe in 'acceptable' losses."

Another stallion frowned as he said, "And that, Fancy, is why we've dropped in the stock market the last two quarters and running! The public simply does not share your particular brand of boundless optimism!"

"Nopony does!" Filthy grumbled. "And if you want this partnership to continue, you have to bring something solid to the table besides this unwavering defense in laboring commoners—"

"Ahem..."

Everypony turned towards the doorway.

The estate's butler stood in his tuxedo, trembling slightly. He tilted his chin up and murmured in Fancy Pants' direction. "Sir? You have a visitor..."

"Surely you see that I am in a meeting..."

"Sir, it's that visitor," the butler said with narrow squint. Suddenly, something blue blurred over his head.

Every business stallion and mare at the table gasped as Rainbow Dash flew in, her muddied hooves landing on the table. She marched her way up the polished wooden surface, tail flicking in the face of several corporate mongels. At last, she stood before Fancy Pants. Then—with a single gasp—she dropped a burlap bag before the well-to-do unicorn.

Fancy Pants glanced at the bag, then up at Rainbow.

Rainbow stood tall, panting from the rapid flight. Her mane was a frayed mess and her coat had become a patchwork mosaic of sweat, bruises, and Cloudstone dust.

Curious, Fancy levitated the bag in front of him, zipped it open, and pulled out a woven chesspiece made of tribal beads. A series of red and green beads created the image of a crimson apple set within the brown outline of a cloven hoof. His breath instantly left him, and his monocle fell to the floor between the table and the stool.

Several ponies murmured to one another. Filthy Rich gulped, slumping back in his chair as he began sweating.

Fancy Pants looked up at Rainbow Dash, his eyes bearing an inquisitive glint.

Rainbow Dash smirked... then smirked wider. She nodded.

Fancy Pants blinked, and his lips curved. "Smashing..." he whispered.

---

An hour later, business stallions and mares left the front driveway of the rich estate in a train of fancy stagecoaches. The manor's butler oversaw the safe departure of the multiple vehicles.

"Well, I'm a bit surprised," Rainbow Dash remarked from where she hovered a few feet above Fancy Pants at the entrance to his mansion. "Some of them actually seemed excited to hear the news!"

"Take it at surface value, my little pony," Fancy Pants said, scribbling on several sheets of parchment with a levitating pen. He passed them to one of two secretaries standing at his side. "Many of them feel positively slighted."

"Really?" Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow and glanced down at him. "What for?"

"Egoes run huge in the business world, Miss Dash. Though this is a substantial victory for the entire partnership, there are associates of mine who simply do not like being told that their view of the situation is wrong." He smirked. "We've been running a bit low on hope around here, lately. Many of the ponies I work with have confused my good-will with madness."

"I think you should find yourself some new friends," Rainbow remarked with her hooves on her hips.

"Oh, I do believe I'll be gaining quite a few more at this point," Fancy said, scribbling onto a last sheet of parchment. He hoofed it to the secretaries who bowed and trotted briskly into the manor. "With this Cloudstone operation going into full swing, we'll surely make up for the last few years of profit losses. I intend to create new jobs from here to Stalliongrad. Then, slowly, as the years go by..." He smiled and took a deep, deep breath. "We'll completely revitalize the steam industry. And I owe it all to you, Miss Dash."

"Yeah yeah..." Rainbow Dash smirked and waved towards a distant pair of maids. They giggled and galloped off as she turned to look at the stallion again. "Just remember what we agreed upon."

He blinked. "Oh, absolutely. I am a stallion of my word."

"Good. Then my job here is done." She flapped her wings to take off.

"But Miss Dash—!" He stretched his hoof out, beckoning her to halt. "I... I simply must ask..." He squinted. "Why the anonymity?"

"Hmmm?"

"All it would take is a simple message," Fancy Pants said. "After all, this apple procurer is an acquaintance of yours, is she not? Wouldn't she be proud to know what you accomplished here today?"

Rainbow Dash gazed quietly at the blue sky...

---

"You did all of this?!" Applejack asked, her eyes sparkling from across Sugarcube Corner. Twilight and Rarity were staring. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were staring. Everypony was staring. "For me?! But why?! You nearly killed yourself, sugarcube! Why'd you go through all the trouble?"

"I... I..." Rainbow Dash backed up into the corner as the shadows closed all around her. She sweated and struggled to pull her wings down, but they practially dug into the walls above her as she trembled. "I just... just..."

"Well, Rainbow Dash?!" Applejack loomed above her, eyes warm and fiery all at once. "Was there something you always wanted to tell me, sugarcube?"

Rainbow squeaked indecipherable words, her eyes starting to tear up.

"All I ever wanted to do was be a mother someday," Applejack said as the walls of Sugarcube Corner collapsed, giving way to apple orchards and starlight. "To have a stallion and some foals of my own." She became one with the shadows though her voice drifted away. "Do you still want to tell me something, darlin'?"

---

Rainbow Dash sighed long and hard. With a calm smile, she turned and shook her head at the stallion.

"Just do it like we agreed, dude. It's only business."

"But—"

"Hey. Life's simple!" She flapped her wings, drifting upwards in the blue sky. "I'm awesome and everypony else wishes they were just as awesome! So long as I have that in the bag, s'all gravy. Ya feel me?"

"I... I suppose I can grasp that..."

"No you can't." Rainbow giggled and zipped off. "And don't forget! Churning Bag's the deliverer from here on out!"

"Crystal clear, Miss Dash!" Fancy Pants waved as she darted westward. He took a deep breath, smiled, and trotted into his mansion. "But a selfless soul such as yours hasn't heard the last from me..."

---

"Hnnngh!" Applejack bucked a tree hard. As apples fell squarely into their baskets, she wiped her sweaty brow, panting into the afternoon sunlight.

"Hey! Sis! Heeeeeey Applejack!"

The mare blinked. She and Big Macintosh turned from the row of trees they were kicking and faced the path leading towards the country road adjacent to Sweet Apple Acres.

Apple Bloom came skipping down the row of grass between trees, but she wasn't alone. A finely suited stallion trotted slowly behind her. In the distance, an ornate stage coach was parked with two chauffers.

"Who in tarnation is that?" Granny Smith trotted up in a bonnet. "Filthy?"

Big Mac squinted, then shook his head. "Eenope."

"Sis! We've got a visitor!" Apple Bloom rushed up, pointing with yellow hoof. "He says he's got good news for us!"

"Apple Bloom," Applejack grunted in a grumpy tone. "What've I told you time and time again about talkin' to strangers?"

"Miss Applejack, I do apologize for the intrusion," the stallion said with a gentle smile. He bowed, his green mane flouncing in the wind, and stood back up. "But your daughter is correct. I've come to speak to the Apple Family about a business prospect."

"Uhm..." Applejack blushed while Big Mac and Granny Smith chuckled. "She ain't my daughter."

"Oh, my apologies. No offense intended, Miss Applejack."

"And none taken." Applejack did a double-take. "Wait. How come you don't know who Apple Bloom is and yet you know my name?"

"I was sent to speak to you specifically," the stallion said. "My name is Winter Green, and I'm a messenger on behalf of the East Trottingham Company. I was sent personally by the head of the organization, Fancy Pants, to give you this." He pulled an envelope out of his jacket.

"Uhm..." Applejack glanced awkwardly at the letter. "I... I-I can't imagine what this could be about. Sweet Apple Acres hasn't done any business with no 'Fancy Pants.'"

"Well, you just might want to after reading this," the stallion said with a smile.

"Just open it, darlin'," Granny Smith said.

"But Granny—"

"Shhhh..." Granny leaned in and whispered. "We talked about this, didn't we? Any opportunity is a good opportunity."

Applejack sighed. "Alright, then..." She took the envelope from Winter Green's hoof and ripped it open. Pulling the letter out, she squinted at the surface.

Granny Smith and Big Mac leaned over her shoulder.

Apple Bloom hopped and hopped behind them. "What's it say? What's it say?"

"It... it..." Applejack's sweat tripled across her forehead as her jaw hung agape. "It says..."

"My vision's all confoundedly blurry..." Granny Smith hissed. "Is that as many zeroes as I think it is?"

"Eeyup eeyup eeyup!" Big Mac wheezed, his big red jaw forming a dumb grin.

"This... this c-can't be real..." Applejack's hooves trembled and trembled more. She gawked at the stallion in front of him. "He... he wants our apples?" She gulped. "For the next twenty seasons?"

Winter Green chuckled, nodding. "If you show an interest in this venture, then Mr. Fancy Pants offers to meet with you to speak about it a week from now. Be it his mansion in Trottingham or here in Sweet Apple Acres, he's left the choice up to you—"

"Oh yes! Yes!" Applejack flew forward and gave the finely-suited stallion a sweaty hug. "Here! There! Anywhere!" She dropped him like an anvil and spread her limbs towards her family, grinning wide. "Ya hear that?! We're back in business, y'all!"

"Woohooo!" Granny Smith gave a tree a mighty kick, hooting. "Darn tootin'!"

"Eeeeyup!"

"Yeeehaaa! Ha ha ha ha!" Applejack scooped Apple Bloom in a hug while Big Mac leaned in to nuzzle them both. Finally Granny Smith drifted into the group hug as they all cheered and laughed together.

Apple Bloom blinked, then nestled into the family embrace. "Yaaay! Things are all happy n'stuff!"

"They sure are, Apple Bloom..." Applejack shared a smile with Granny Smith before nuzzling her with a tear running down her freckled cheek. "They sure are..."

---

Two rows of apple trees away, Rainbow Dash sat on a branch, overlooking the scene.

She took the longest and warmest breath in as long as she could remember. It was enough to bring the feeling to her legs without having to swallow a pill.

"Hmmmm... heh heh heh heh..."

She turned tail, flapped her wings, and launched from the tree branch.

"Hehehehehe!"

She spun, twirled, and rocketed her way into the sky, performing loopty-loops as she tried to make the dynamic speed of her flight match the pounding heat in her heart. She failed, but for the first time in her life she didn't regret losing a race.

"Woooohoooo! Yeah!" She shouted into the heavens, bursting through one cloud after the next as she smiled so hard her cheeks threatened to burst. "I lovvvvve being a pony! Haaaa ha ha!"

With a devilish smirk, she dove at the countryside, backflipped, and soared once more into the spinning blue yonder.

And she was gone.

Comments

[Tchernobog]

Ah, someday you'll get there, Dash. Someday you'll say those words.

[Lilith Evanson]

You are amazing, Dash. Really, really amazing.

[schmitthappens21]

Yay!

[MellowMabari]

That was so flippin'...just...Gah. That was adorable. You're killing me keeping them apart through all this, and Dash's prolonged silence is understandable yet still slightly maddening, and yet it makes all the build-up even more powerful, so I can't even be mad.

Keep up the emotional roller-coaster that is this story, author - it's fabulous.

[Lightning Bearer]

Damn. When Dash delivers, she delivers. That was just... incredibly heartwarming. Of course, you know that AJ will probably find out about it eventually. Hopefully she won't be too stubborn and proud about it. Best case scenario: it'll be like the last scene of Chaplin's City Lights, except even better, because ponies.

I'm guessing we'll be seeing part five of the story soon/immediately. Looking forward to whatever's next.

[Scohinyha Sanka]

She loves someone alright

[LunaTheFox]

You could have ended the story here. No, really. This is a perfect stopping point. And yet, you didn't. I may just love you for that. This is damn good and I can't wait to see where it goes. ...But I've gotta catch up first. Onwards!

[zaponator]

Aw, man, you got me feelin' all tingly and crap. This was a crazy level of feelgood for something that I've known was coming for a bunch of chapters now.

[HyperMonica]

OMIGOD THE FEELS ARE EVERYWHERE. Dashie, You are TOTALLY AWESOME!! I LOVE YOU!!!

[Misspegasister_]

Rainbow, tell applejack about the buffalos and ker-aye-zee monster stuff!!! She'd be happy if she knew what u did for her;)

[Future Regret]

I'I'm the only one who doesn't know what the six words are. Great.

[BabySkittleMonster]

5113082
Don't worry, I don't either. If I knew, I certainly can't remember. On another note, do you think those poor soldiers learnt RD's name?

[DrEggnog]

Dash, you crazy fab motherbucker, you pulled it off. Hats off to yeh.

[Gammahoof]

"Yaaay! Things are all happy n'stuff!"

AB's reaction perfectly reflects my feeling right now
Yay!

[Metal Aura]

Apple Bloom blinked, then nestled into the family embrace. "Yaaay! Things are all happy n'stuff!"

The fact that there are still 100s of chapters left is evidence to the contrary.

[Seraphimus]

6983086 I appreciate your commentary

[arancaytar]

"Woooohoooo! Yeah!" She shouted into the heavens, bursting through one cloud after the next as she smiled so hard her cheeks threatened to burst. "I lovvvvve being a pony! Haaaa ha ha!"

Kind of crying here... AJ and Dashie are so happy and AJ doesn't know.

[AppleTank]

I am bracing for RD to be smacked into the ground again.