Appledashery

by Just Essay

Dashrito

"Up and at 'em, Rainbow," Listing Breeze's voice said.

Rainbow's eyelids tensed. A fuzzy world invaded her ears, accompanied by the dull roar of distant desert winds. She heard the crunching of Listing Breeze's hooves in the soil, and her nostrils tickled with scent of scrumptious spices.

"I made breakfast. Come on, booger." A tail whapped Rainbow in the flank, just strong enough for her to hear it. "It ain't your favorite, but it's not like I can afford out here in this Tartarus hole."

"Mrmmmfff... how... what...?" Rainbow stirred. She felt toasty and warm for some reason. "Hmmm?" Her eyes squinted open. She looked where she was lying.

Rainbow was still sprawled out across the same tarp as the night previous. However, to the mare's blinking surprise, her head lay on a comfy pillow. What's more, three layers of blankets were wrapped tightly around her petite figure. The vestiges of a comfy night's sleep peeled off of her consciousness, and she looked to see Listing Breeze reach into a steaming pot and fill a bowl full of dense broth.

"Uhhhhh..." Rainbow's muzzle scrunched and unscrunched. "How... how did...?"

"What?" Listing placed the bowl down before Rainbow Dash's face. "You're not as light a sleeper as you pretend to be."

Rainbow blinked. She looked at the blankets engulfed around her, then at Listing.

"Slumber time's over, Rainbow. Eat up. Stretch your muscles... if you can." She spread her wings and flew north. "We've got work to do. I'll go scout out. See you in an hour."

"Listing—" Rainbow reached a hoof out.

Listing was a dot on the northern horizon at this point. Rainbow watched as her ex flew north, arching about as she made her way towards Los Alamules.

Rainbow Dash exhaled. She looked at the bowl, cradling it closer. The broth had a familiar smell to it... something that filled the static pockets between each heartbeat. Rainbow struggled with all her might, but she couldn't help but smile... if even slightly.

"Hrmmmmff..." She brought the bowl up to her muzzle. Her reflection was blue, but the noodles and vegetables were orange and red, like Listing. "Friggin' idiot."

And she sipped, allowing the warmth to fill her as she slowly... slowly woke up.

Comments

[AskWaffles]

Aw, that's cute.

[DrEggnog]

"Hrmmmmff..." She brought the bowl up to her muzzle. Her reflection was blue, but the noodles and vegetables were orange and red, like Listing. "Friggin' idiot."

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[TIAS-A1927]

7194352 don't worry. English is not my native language and writing from my cellphone doesn't help, so any correction is welcome.

[CommanderCuddle]

-___-

[Staxon Braxon]

Rainbow no, stop, don't appreciate the blankets and breakfast. That's how she's trying to hook you back in.

[Phoenix Kitten]

7194451
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[Hestia]

Now I'm confused. Yeah, Listing's annoying but she doesn't seem to be a bad guy.

[zaponator]

Listing ain't that bad. She made some mistakes, but it seems as if he might've grown a lot since those days. People change. We'll just have to see how this goes though. It's still too early to know if she really is any better

[Autumn Rush]

I'll give Listing the benefit of the doubt for now, but I still don't completely trust her.

She clearly knows RD well enough to either mend her heart or break it (more so than it already is), and whether or not she's actually being sincere or manipulative in some cruel way, we will just have to see.

[Cotton Fluff]

7194624
Exactly! You all are getting sucked into Listing's scheme of pretending to be nice to Rainbow. She's all smiles and sunshine now, with honeyed words and actions but don't forget there's been serious implications that she's abused / beat Rainbow:

From The Things They Brayed

"How could I not?" Rainbow muttered. She sat on a threadbare seat dangling from a bent swing-set. The petite pegasus drifted back and forth, resting her numb limbs. "They worked you all day and all night. I knew things got super weird when you were the one coming home late with bruises for once."

From Cold Shoulders

"It certainly felt like a prison at times," Rainbow grumbled. A slight shiver. "And a dungeon."
"I was learning, okay?" Listing grumbled. "Sure, I made a few mistakes along the way. But so does everypony.

This is not a redemption arc for Listing, this is a 'use Rainbow for her own ends' arc! Listing is very good at manipulation and she's showing her talent right here. I'm betting that at the first sign of trouble Listing will abandon / sacrifice Rainbow to save her own hide. Even if this does go well, she will only continue to use Dash until she's stopped.

[MidnightReflection]

Her reflection was blue, but the noodles and vegetables were orange and red, like Listing.

Wow. Well done, SS&E. Well done.

[Macky]

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[Keebroo]

For the sake of plot twist, something could happen, but so far I'm really buying the idea that this'll end with making amends, sharing a smile, and being on their own ways content.

[Fishberry]

The word of the day is: Duplicitous

[BabySkittleMonster]

Please, Listing. Please stop with the subtle manipulation. I like you and everything, but heck if you aren't putting me on edge.

[BabySkittleMonster]

7195385
I don't know, you know. She seems pleasant enough and as a character, I'm enjoying this arc. How she interacts with Rainbow, however... Emotional abuse at it's "finest." If I'm wrong, I will personally apologise to the fictional character that is Listing. I'm not holding my breath, however.

[Seraphimus]

7197327 Look, maybe we're wrong, but... you are not wrong for feeling that way. I see exactly the same things you do. the blame shifting, the victim game, the subtle and overt emotional and mental manipulation tactics.

I've been there, and this whole relationship screams Abuse to me.