Chapter 22: True Blue
Applejack was waiting by the window when Rainbow swooped in. They’d been sleeping together for a while now, but AJ still hadn’t quite gotten up the nerve to explain to her family that they were together. She hated lying, even by omission, but there was no other choice if she wanted to share a bed with Dash. Kinda wish we could spend the night in her place for once, but that would require unicorn help. It wasn’t that she thought Twilight wouldn’t help out, it was just a matter of explaining why she needed the cloudwalking spell cast on her.
Rainbow wrapped her forelegs around AJ and kissed her. “I missed you...” she muttered hotly as she began to kiss her lover’s neck.
AJ nickered softly at the kisses. Somepony’s feeling frisky tonight! The farmpony just enjoyed the attention for a bit, then nipped at the base of Rainbow’s wing playfully; she gasped in response.
“Shhhh, not so danged loud Dash. Yer gonna wake everypony up.” She giggled a bit as Dash got to her ears. “Mmmm, that’s nice. Mind if we lay down for this? Mah knees are getting a little wobbly.”
“Sure... Um, AJ would you mind—” Rainbow’s voice trailed off into inaudibility.
“Wanna run that by me again, Sugarcube?”
“C-could you do my wings?” Rainbow blushed heavily.
Applejack smiled. Never knew it was so danged embarrassing for her. Would explain why she moans when I do it... Sure thing, Sug, just relax.”
Applejack was just about finished preening Dash when they both heard a quiet knock on the window. Annoyed, AJ released the wing and let her lover get up to see what was going on. A very red-faced pegasus fluttered just below the window ledge, trying to look anywhere but the window. “Um... boss, I am so sorry to bother you while you’re with her, but there’s a freak storm blowing through Ponyville. There’s lightning strikes everywhere... We’re doing our best but we can’t keep up with the fires—”
“One sec, Icy...” Rainbow looked apologetically at the farmpony. “AJ, I hate to leave you hanging just as things are getting good—”
“Go on, Rainbow, they gotta be havin’ trouble if they sent somepony for ya in the middle of the night. I’ll be waiting for ya. Go play hero a bit.” The words stung her to say; she hated the idea of her special somepony out there at the mercy of the elements. Unpleasant images of seeing her laid up in the hospital sprung to mind. That was just her showing off; yer turning into a worrywart. She knew Rainbow would return to her safe and sound. Besides, she lived for moments like this. Maybe if I let her have enough of ‘em, she’ll finally forgive me for putting on that danged costume. Applejack snorted at the thought. Yeah, and pigs might start flyin’ again...
“I’ll be back soon, then we can pick up where we left off.” Rainbow kissed her goodbye before climbing out of the window. Applejack watched the two weather ponies fly off into the night, trying not to worry. Don’t go doin’ anything stupid, Dash.
The wind began to howl as the edge of the storm rolled over the farm. A blinding flash filled the sky; when her vision finally returned to her she stared in shock at the sight of the tall shade tree just outside her home burning fiercely.
She ran out into the hallway and began to pound on her siblings’ doors. “Horseapples! Big Mac! Apple Bloom! Wake up! We got a fire outside!”
Rainbow wearily flew back to Sweet Apple Acres, feeling physically and emotionally drained after the long night spent fighting the flames and the storm. She should have been relieved; there was really no reason not to be relieved... Rarity was okay the whole time, everything’s fine! So why was her heart still heavy with this sense of dread?
This is so stupid! Not only was she okay, she and Shy finally hooked up! Rainbow squealed just a little bit again. So cute! She ignored the hollow feeling, flying resolutely back to join AJ. She’ll be up by now. Rainbow scanned the farm urgently. I-It’s not like I need her, I just... miss her. That’s all.
Flying over the Apple Family’s barn, she spotted something that made fear clutch her heart in an icy grip. A tree not ten strides from AJ’s bedroom was blackened and bare of leaves. Visions of the whole farmstead on fire sprang to her mind, and she shook her head angrily. E-everything is fine! Nopony got hurt, I need to stop stressing over this! Ohh, where are you, AJ?
Finally spotting Applejack, Rainbow dove quickly to meet her. She landed with a flourish and grinned her best ‘I’m awesome, I know it, and you know it’ grin. “I’m back! Sorry I had to leave so quickly last night, AJ, but we did it! We saved everypony!”
“Land sakes, Dash, that’s mighty good to hear. As y’can see, we had a little trouble out near the house ourselves.” She took off her hat and solemnly lamented. “Poor ol’ Linden. He was a good shade tree. Granny Smith planted him herself. We’re gonna miss him come summer.”
Rainbow took two steps towards her before stopping herself. “... You okay AJ? I could, um... hug you if you wanted, but only if you want...”
AJ waved a hoof to placate her fillyfriend. “Ah’m fine. Sorry, Dash, ya know how it is. Ya plant a tree and watch it grow, ya can spend yer whole life tending to ‘em, but they’re gonna outlive ya. Ya get to thinkin’ ‘bout ‘em like foals, and it makes losin’ one like losin’ a member of the family...” She chuckled at Dash’s look of confusion. “Guess it’s an earth pony thing. Oh hey, did ya eat yet? We finished breakfast a while back but there’s some leftovers in the kitchen. Granny made up some apple fritters.”
“No... I already had pancakes. Uh... so you’re sure you don’t need that hug? I don’t mind! I know it’s gotta be bothering you to lose a... tree.” Dash smiled weakly.
Gosh, she looks tuckered. Nice to know she cares, though. “Nah, Ah’ll be fine. You gotta be tired, Dash, you wanna go grab a nap at the house while Ah finish up here?”
Dash looked oddly disappointed. “...Okay. B-but if you need that hug, it’s waiting!” She sped off without another word.
AJ scratched her head. “Where in the hay did she get pancakes?”
Rainbow Dash flew desperately to the Boutique. The wind howled and wailed around her as if it was trying to attack her. She could make out the shop in the distance easily through the gloom, however. The hellish flames were spreading across the whole structure now, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Rarity opened with window and gasped for air. “Rainbow! Please, help me! I don’t want to die!”
She flew faster than ever, but no matter how fast she flew the Boutique got no closer to her. “DASH! HELP ME!” The fire spread into the interior and backlit Rarity with dancing tongues of heat. First her mane ignited, then the rest of her, and she began screaming, and screaming, and SCREAMING!
Dash woke with a start, realizing the screaming in her head was coming out of her own lips. She sat up in AJ’s bed, panting. It was so real! Why? She’s okay darnit! The door burst open and AJ stood there, chest heaving. “Rainbow! What’s wrong?”
Rainbow clutched the blanket to herself and huddled underneath it. “I-I’m fine! Sorry I scared you, AJ. I’ll be okay. It was nothing!”
AJ stared at the shivering — almost cowering? — pegasus in her bed. That ain’t fine, that’s about the furthest from fine Ah’ve seen ya in a good long time. AJ lay down behind Rainbow and embraced her carefully. “Sugarcube, ya don’t sound fine. Ya think Ah can’t spot a lie this close?”
Rainbow shuddered again. “I-I’m okay, really! I just... had a bad dream.”
Applejack sighed into the multihued mane. Like pulling teeth. “Oh yeah? Sug, Ah ain’t never heard you make that much racket. What’s got you worked up? Ah won’t tell nopony but can Ah at least know what’s wrong?”
“Nothing! I’m really okay now. J-just leave me alone!” Without warning, Rainbow tensed her hind legs and kicked AJ out of bed, propelling her into wall and causing her to slump to the floor with a dazed expression. Dash’s eyes blurred with sudden tears. “I’m sorry! I... I have to go!”
AJ rubbed her head where it had struck the wall. “Dash...” She lay there for a moment, still dizzy and unable to follow her lover.
When her eyes finally realigned themselves, AJ wearily stood up and rubbed her head ruefully. What’s gotten into that girl? She shook her head in annoyance, wincing a little as it caused the pain to flare up again. Much as she loved her, AJ just couldn’t understand Dash sometimes. Something is up. Ah ain’t never had a dream that had me screamin’ at the top of mah lungs like that.
I gotta find her. She may not want ta say it, but she needs somepony bad right now....
“... you okay, AJ? I could, um... hug you if you wanted, but only if you want...”
“No... I already had pancakes. Um... so you’re sure you don’t need that hug?”
“... okay. B-but if you need that hug, it’s waiting!”
She facehoofed in frustration. Dangit, AJ, how’d ya miss that? Dash don’t ask when she wants a hug, she’ll come up and get it. She didn’t want one, she needed one! Too danged wrapped up in mah own self to see she was shook up about something.
Ah can feel sorry for mahself later; right now Ah got a fillyfriend to find. Trouble is, Dash has wings. My options are kinda limited in the whole searching department. She could cover a lot of ground before she got tired, but that was just it; ground. She sighed. Having a pegasus fillyfriend wasn’t easy at times. If she don’t wanna be found, she’s probably up in the clouds somewhere. Dang it all, what I wouldn’t give for a set of wings right n—
Well hay, there’s a thought! I bet Shy would help me find her! Satisfied, she grabbed her hat from the floor and set it back on her head. Hold on, Dash. Ah don’t know what’s eatin’ ya, but Ah aim ta help ya through it. She quickly trotted off to find Shy.
Just mah luck, she’s off gallivantin’ somewhere! She’d searched Fluttershy’s cottage high and low, but she wasn't anywhere to be found. Finally, Angel had taken pity on her and pointed towards Ponyville, annoyance clear on his little face. She waved in thanks and ran in that direction, only to realize she was no better off trying to search for Shy than she was searching for Dash, albeit Fluttershy tended not to roost the way Dash did.
Horseapples... Ah don’t have clue one where she might be. Granted, Shy’s more likely to be down here but Ah need to find Dash! Huh, need a new plan Ah guess... She still had to find some way to search the skies. Got it! Twilight’s balloon! She ran at full gallop towards the library.
Arriving at last, she noticed some scorched branches high up on the house-tree. Huh, guess that storm was a real bad one. She looked around town, noting several buildings with signs of fire damage. Dang... Dash wasn’t kidding! Least nopony was hurt. Regaining her focus, she banged on the door with a hoof. “Twi, Ah need your help!”
She heard movement inside, followed by a crash and some muffled cursing. The door opened and a very tired-looking Twilight Sparkle stood in front of her. “AJ, what’s wrong?”
“Ah don’t have time to explain; can Ah borrow your balloon?”
The librarian gave her a look of concern and confusion, but did not waste time before answering. “Well certainly, but it’s still in storage and it’ll take awhile to reinflate it. What’s going on?”
The farmpony grunted in frustration. “Consarnit! Ah need to find Dash. She just flew off after having some bad nightmare. Ah’m worried about her. T’aint like her to run away like that.”
“...How did you know she had a nightmare?”
AJ blushed hard. “N-nevermind that, Ah need to find her! Horseapples, where’s a pegasus when ya need one...”
Twilight cocked her head to one side in bemusement. “Um... well, I have been practicing the spell I cast on Rarity—”
“The one that gave her butterfly wings?” Horrifying images of Dash laughing her head off ran through Applejack’s mind. Ah swear to Celestia, if you laugh at me Ah’m gonna buck yer teeth in, Dash. Applejack threw herself down at Twilight’s hooves. “Please, Ah gotta go find her! Can you cast it on me?”
“Um... sure. Let me get the book out...”
AJ fluttered the wings at her sides in amazement. They were nothing like what she remembered Rarity having; they looked like normal wings, only you could see through them a bit, and for some reason they were blue. "Hay... these are kinda... well, they ain’t what Ah expected. What gives, Twi? You mess up?"
Twilight was trying hard not to blush. "No... the spell worked fine, AJ. I did some more research into the spell after I had a similar experience... it turns out the spell manifests itself a little differently for everypony."
AJ scratched her head. "Huh, okay. That's kinda weird."
Twilight nodded. "It creates wings as a sort of reflection of what you view wings to be. For most ponies it just ends up looking like a pair of normal pegasus wings with their own coloration, made of mist and magic. However, sometimes certain, um, differences show up."
"How do you mean?"
“Well, the magus major who created the spell was courting a very beautiful pegasus general. He wanted to flatter her, so part of the spell’s design lets your heart dictate how the look and coloration will come out...” Seeing AJ’s glassy look she grunted in frustration. "Okay, let me put it to you like this: when I cast it on myself I ended up with cotton candy pink wings, and for some reason they looked like they were made out of twisted balloons. Pinkie's were giant purple alicorn sized wings. Rarity's— I think she was thinking of something very specific when I cast it. You saw how she reacts to Fluttershy, right? Do you see the connections here or do I have to spell it out?"
The farmpony’s face was starting to resemble her brother’s in hue. "So wait... Rarity? Butterfly wings... she was thinking about Shy’s—” Then she somehow blushed even harder. “Horseapples... Did Ah just get outed by a spell?"
Twilight had the good sense not to laugh, but she couldn’t quite keep the smile from her face. “If it makes you feel any better you’re only the second pony I’ve told about me and Pinkie. Also I’m probably the only pony alive besides the princesses who would know that you having blue wings means something.”
AJ blushed. “Sorry, Twi, A-Ah woulda told you awhile back but Ah was kinda worried about what everypony else might think. Mostly Ah was worried about Bloom and Granny. Ah just wanted ta keep mah mouth shut about it until Ah could get my head on straight—”
“AJ, it’s okay, I understand, I felt a little weird about being with Pinkie at first too. We can talk about it later. You should go find Dash.”
The farmpony nodded gratefully. “Thanks, Twi.”
This... this is how Dash feels all the time. She’d been flying for several hours now, but still could not believe how freeing it felt. Maybe it was part of the spell, making her body feel like it was meant to be in the air, but it felt wonderful. It’s like the first time Ah bucked a tree and managed to get all the apples to fall. Like the first time Dash and Ah... okay, not quite that good but Sweet Celestia... Just wish Ah could enjoy it properly. Getting dang near sunset, not gonna be easy to find her in the dark.
She scanned the clouds below her, looking for signs of the prodigal pegasus until... There! AJ dove for one particular cloud and gently alighted next to her. Dash was sleeping fitfully, mumbling broken phrases: “I’ll save... No! NO!”
The farmpony shook Dash urgently. “Sugarcube, wake up!”
Dash woke with a start, looking around in confusion. “Rarity! Where... what? AJ?” At first she seemed happy, but quickly let out a frustrated groan. They were both standing on a cloud, and AJ had a pair of wings, so... “Awww, I’m still dreaming! This sucks!” She flopped down onto the cloud heavily. “I don’t want to dream anymore...”
Applejack lay down beside her and gently bit her ear.
“Ow! AJ, quit...” Dash rubbed her ear with a hoof in irritation, then stopped as a thought hit her. “Wait... that hurt. Things aren’t supposed to hurt in dreams...”
“You ain’t dreaming, Sug.” The farmpony kissed the top of her head softly. “Ah got worried about ya, so Ah went looking. You didn’t make it easy for me.”
“Sure, I’m not dreaming. So you just happened to grow a pair of wings?” Despite feeling the pain of the bite, Dash still looked skeptical.
“No, Ah got Twi to use the spell she cast on Rarity. How else was Ah gonna find ya?”
Rainbow turned and studied Applejack, her expression curious as she looked over the blue, ephemeral wings that fluttered nervously at the farmpony’s side. “Huh? I thought that made butterfly wings. Those look pretty awesome on you. Shouldn’t they be orange though?”
AJ laughed nervously and quickly changed the subject. “Uh, yeah, Twi kinda got it wrong, must have had a cold or something. Look Dash, much as Ah enjoy chatting about spells that definitely messed up and have nothing at all to do with how Ah feel about ya, Ah kinda wanted to figure out what had you screaming like a foal fer its momma earlier.”
Dash looked at her quizzically, but made no further comment about the wings. “I-I’m fine, just lemme get some sleep...”
“Sure, ya got a nightmare calling yer name, right? C’mon Dash, what’s bothering ya?”
“It’s nothing, everything was okay after all. She was fine!”
“Who was fine?”
“Rare.”
“Okay, Ah’ll bite; why would she not be fine?”
Dash mumbled something inaudible.
“Try that again?”
“Her house was on fire okay?! I thought she was inside it. But she wasn’t.”
“Uh... yeah, let’s back that up a bit. What happened?”
Horseapples. Dash told her every detail of the night. How she found the Boutique on fire. How hard she worked to put it out. Dash shuddered a bit as she described the room, then she burst into tears. AJ held Rainbow tightly, soothing her with caresses and murmured endearments as she slowly calmed down. Dash went on, telling her about catching the cat and taking it to Fluttershy’s house, then about her complete breakdown in front of Rarity. “That’s why this is so stupid! Everything was fine. Rarity was with Shy the whole night!“ She angrily tried to wipe the tears from her face.
“Sug, let it out, it’s okay.”
Rainbow snorted, and fresh tears streamed out from her reddened eyes. “No, it’s not! I shouldn’t feel like this! She was okay the whole time, I-I worried for nothing!”
“It wasn’t nothing! You were pretty dang sure you lost her. It’s okay to be a little freaked out about that.”
Dash finally let herself cry freely. “She could have died, and I couldn't have saved her! I couldn't even stop the fire in time to prevent it ruining her home! What kind of friend am I? I caught her after she fell from five miles up, but I could have lost her because of a measly bucking lightning strike!”
A new and more horrifying thought struck her. “It could have happened to you too! That tree was all of ten strides away from your house. I couldn't have saved you either!"
AJ shook her head ruefully. "Don’t go thinking like that. Even y’all can't be everywhere at once!"
Dash sobbed into her shoulder. "I should be able to be! I’m the fastest flier in all of Equestria, what's that worth if I can't even save my friends?"
AJ was silent for a time, mulling it over. She wanted to reassure Dash, but it would just be false comfort. Bucking Element of Honesty. "Dash, I hate to say it, but... yer right."
Dash tilted her head up to look at AJ in confusion, and a touch of anger. "Right about what? B-being useless?"
"No, not that.” AJ stroked her mane gently, pushing the forelock from Rainbow’s face. “Fact is, one of these days something's gonna happen ta one of us. We live dangerous lives, Dash. Discord might get out, the Gates of Tartarus might break open. Heck, maybe Ah fall off’ve a roof and break my fool neck. Yer not gonna be able to stop everything that might ever happen to us. So Ah need ya ta do something fer me."
"...What?"
"Love us all while we're here. Don't take us for granted. All yer friends are alive and well today. Tomorrow, who knows? But ya got us right now. Make it count."
“AJ?”
“Yeah?”
“That’s the corniest thing ever.”
“Don’t make it less true.”
They were silent for a long time, just huddled together on the cloud. AJ finally broke the silence. “Ya asked me a question once, and Ah didn’t have an answer for you then. Ya asked me about that whole Mare Do Well mess. Remember?”
Dash rubbed her nose angrily with a hoof, not quite sure where AJ was going with this. “Yeah, I asked you why you went through with it. The other girls I guess I understood, but we were always pretty close, and I thought I knew you better than that. The rest I can get trying to teach me a lesson because I was ‘going overboard’. But I thought you at least understood how a pony can get a little proud of what she does. I was a hero to those ponies, and you took that from me.”
AJ sighed heavily. “Sugarcube... do you know what happens ta heroes?”
“Sure, they get plaques and applause and all kinds of awards.”
“Well, sometimes all they get is a stone marker, and a lonely filly wondering why her parents had ta be heroes. A filly that wished she’d cherished ‘em a little more while she had the chance.”
Dash was stunned; she hadn’t expected to ever get an answer. The question was asked mostly to show just how hurt she’d been. I don’t get it, AJ never talks about her folks... “AJ, what happened to..?”
The farmpony stroked Dash’s mane absently. “Ah’ll tell ya sometime, Ah promise. Fer now, let’s just say Ah know how it feels to lose somepony, and have nightmares about how ya could have stopped it.”
She sighed, deep in remembered sadness. “Ya got this idea in your head that ya can save anypony from anything. Yer good Dash, but yer one pony. Ah helped the girls with Mare Do Well because Ah needed ya ta stop trying ta be a hero all by yerself.”
Rainbow snorted in irritation. “I was doing fine! I didn’t need help!”
“Yeah, ya were, but eventually you were gonna get yerself hurt. Ya know how we showed ya up? Wasn’t because any one of us was faster, stronger, and smarter than ya. We worked together. Ah’m mighty proud ya want ta be a hero, but ya don’t have to go it alone. We’ll always back ya up, if ya let us. Ah’ll always be there. Make no mistake about that.”
Rainbow drew a long, shuddering breath. “I-I never knew. I always wondered if you just hated me showing off that much...”
AJ nipped at Rainbow’s ear playfully. “Nah, that’s part of yer charm. S’like we told Twi: it’s fine ta have talents, and ta be proud’a those talents. Ya just got a little wrapped up in praise. Heck, Ah went a little overboard once myself, if ya remember. Thought Ah could help the whole town and harvest the whole farm all by my lonesome. Didn’t turn out so well. Good thing mah friends were there.”
Silence reigned again for a time.
“AJ?”
“Yeah?”
“That costume...”
AJ chuckled and blushed a bit. “Still on about that? Ah guess Ah can dig it out if ya really wanna make out with Mare—”
Dash turned around and silenced her with a long kiss. She finally broke the contact and smiled. “Don’t need it. I already have a hero to make out with.”
The farmpony had no response for that.
Rainbow grinned cockily. “You know, we could settle something here. You keep going on about how nice it is to make love on the ground. Let me show you how soft a cloud is...”
Dash began to kiss her gently.
AJ pulled herself up to lie beside Rainbow. They both snuggled into each other’s embrace, kissing tenderly. AJ’s wings had returned to her side, relaxed and furled. Rainbow extended one of her own wings and wrapped it around the farmpony. Together they watched the sunset, allowing the tranquility to calm them down. Ah... could get used to this.
When she finally caught her breath, Rainbow leaned in for another kiss. “Convinced now?”
AJ smiled and returned the kiss. “Ah reckon so. Any place is home with you in it.” She lay happily in Dash’s embrace, deciding then and there that tomorrow night she would be sleeping in Rainbow’s cloud house.
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First, for the first time, I'm actually first!
All i'm gonna say is:
Mmm, AppleDash ...
And, blue ethereal wings on AJ ... hmm, where have we seen that before?
1299256
You should read the "full" version~
1299301
I may or may not be reading it right this moment.
1299312
carry on then!
1299256
and to add to your edit... gee, I wonder where!
...Still not much of an Appledash fan.
But a well-written chapter, as always!
"they looked like normal wings, only you could see through them a bit, and for some reason they were blue."
"Uh, yeah, Twi kinda got it wrong, must have had a cold or something. "
denver.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw2604-Luna_saw_what_you_did_there.jpg
(Nice little interlude! I was so happy to see that this had updated, I look forward to it every time.
)
I love this fic....
But I have to admit that I am afraid that one day I will read too many ship fics, and they will all blur together. Making it impossible for me to remember the full story when a new chapter comes out.
1299256
It's okay, you're not the only author he ripped off.
I mean, thanks buddy! It means a lot when you say my work inspired you.
d'aww, Sweet AppleDash, even with all the feels.
1299735
Oh, heh. Not me, that would be Tchernobog's idea of ethereal wings.
1299822
Oh then my bad, I knew he told me that the other day too. Steel is a crafty bastard. A sick perverted crazy bastard.
. . . Applejack that was a nice speech but you are stronger than RD and twilight is smarter.
But nice chapter.
1299692
I'm already there...
1299926
Such I fear is the fate, of all who read such tales. May it ease you'r suffering to know that I feel your predicament. i1.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/005/393/i-know-that-feel.jpg
Your writing is fantastic... just wonderful.
Now that was a good interlude. Nice piece o' work ya did with AJ and her reason for the mare do well thing.
1299595
arch.413chan.net/1299368212561s.jpg
1299863
I'm revelling in it! XD
24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6mz6mb9l71rylr4oo1_400.png
Everyone is gay, apparently.
1303492 Yep, fillyfoolers, every last one of them.
1302621 Well... yes lol.
It's a real tribute to your writing that I'm enjoying this story so much, because none of these pairings are really my favorite. You just do such a good job!
Darling, you've written another wonderful chapter. I commend you on a wonderfully sweet story; I can't wait for the next update
1306912 Thanks, you really should give the full chapters a read sometime, no pressure of course. The explicit scenes are written to be as moving emotionally for the couple as the non-explicit scenes. But again, that is why the content is optional, I will not force my views on what is romantic on anyone.
1333570 Yeah... I really had a lot more story in me than I thought. It's progressing toward the end now. We've passed the end of arc I.
Time for the pill. I don't wanna miss anything. It is a too good of a story.
*Picks up and eats the red pill*
Okey, time to read!
1396585 ... Hmm... Touche
The bit about the wings spell was neat back story, but my favorite bit was the explanation for why Applejack went along with the Mare Do Well plan. That felt really believable and added a lot of emotional meaning to the MDW episode, in the context of this story.
“Well, sometimes all they get is a stone marker, and a lonely filly wondering why her parents had ta be heroes. A filly that wished she’d cherished ‘em a little more while she had the chance.”
That's good stuff. It must be terribly hard for AJ to be in love with a pony like Dash, who is a born hero and risk-taker.
1406458 Hey you caught up!
I really want to thank you Donny, you gave me a nice little kick in the pants that I badly needed to decide how to keep the story interesting till the planned ending. Much as I have enjoyed showing Rarity and Shy go through a couple rite of passage relationship steps... Rarity is much more interesting when she is stressed out. 
1425284
Today, I am made of lose....
1425284 Sorry, for me, it's a case of Small Reference Pools.
...I still stand by my statement that Rock-a-Doodle was a good movie.
1425820
Fair enough, I'll try not to harp on months-old chapters.
1425896
Oh shit, is that? It is, isn't it?! Well, you're not gonna get me this time! My will is iron! My spirit is diamond! You can't trick me into--
*click*
Goddammit.
1425916 lol I don't mind so much, but yes I am aware the earlier chapters are flawed. The writing improves as you go. This is me about after about 2 months of writing experience, although thankfully Starfall helped me edit the chapters so they are at least free of grammar errors. Please be patient with me, it does get better
I really enjoyed the CMC chapter. It made me try finding a fic dedicated to that kind of fic.
And I was sorely disappointed when I couldn't find one that could quite compare with yours. I'm sad now...
I really wish I had friends like AJ. Whenever I say stuff similar to what Dash was saying I just get yelled at and told that your worrying is stupid because you just gotta suck it up and face the truth.
Forgive me for asking, but was that an idea drawn from a fic called "those blue wings" or am I imagining things
Having that explanation of why rarity got butterfly wings.....
Mind=Blown
This story just gets better and better
1449734 You do, but everyone forgets why.
needs beginning " marks.
__________________
ya
____________________
Lo and Behold! So you have written it, so has it come to pass. This came out in December 2012, Feb. 2013 Discord get's released. And in May 2015 someone did break out of Tartarus and gain the power to finally attack in force. That's pretty cool in hindsight.
____________
Heeheehee. *cleeks other story*
Nice chapter!
Move down a line.
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Came back here after looking at the clop version. A lot of errors that were fixed here are still over in the clop version.
You sir must be psychic ,you predicted this years in advance.
I will never not despise "pony cursing". 'Buck' just makes me cringe so fuckin hard.
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Yeah, but in a way "pony swears" make sense contextually. Both in how their society operates, and their culture as a whole, it fits.