Chapter 1

"For the last time, Rainbow Dash," Applejack growled. Above her, Rainbow was seated on the base of the statue. She held Applejack’s hat, just out of her friend’s reach.

“Uhm, Rainbow? I think you really should give it back,” Fluttershy whispered, hiding around the statue’s corner. But Rainbow was laughing too hard to hear her, and Applejack’s cheeks grew redder.

She tried to tame her laughter and settle down enough to speak. “Chill out, AJ. I’m just playing with you.” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. But then she glanced at Applejack’s slitted green eyes, and she couldn’t restrain herself anymore. “Okay, okay! Just give me a second,” she cried through guffaws.

Biting her lip, yet still giggling softly, Rainbow took hold of the leg of the stone horse and carefully stood up next to it. Her friends watched, the yellow one with a frown and the orange one with a snarl, as she climbed onto the horse’s back and reached up, placing Applejack’s hat gently on top of its head.

Just as carefully, she slid back to the base, then hopped to the ground with a “look out below!”

Fluttershy’s mouth was wide open, and Rainbow strolled over solemnly and shut it for her. Behind her, visible smoke was unfurling out of Applejack’s ears. Rainbow turned back to face her, and as seriously as she could manage, said, “Now you can have it back.”

Applejack continued to glare at her. “What?” Rainbow asked. “You wanted it! Go get it!” She broke out in chaotic laughter again, clutching her sides and doubling over. Suddenly, a rosy blur streaked across Canterlot High’s front lawn and leaped onto Rainbow’s back. Blue boots crossed over themselves in front of her stomach, and scrawny pink arms clutched at her t-shirt. Bubbly giggles and snorts joined Rainbow’s own cackles.

“What’s so funny, guys?” Sunset Shimmer asked, following behind Pinkie Pie at a much slower pace.

Sitting back against the statue, Fluttershy looked at the ground and started to explain. “It’s not really that funny. Rainbow took Applejack’s hat-”

“This hilarious prankster thought it was an ingenious idea to steal my hat! I chased her here all the way from the biology lab, and now look what she’s done!” Everyone glanced up to where Applejack pointed. The statue shone brightly in the early summer sunlight, and the hat shaded its eyes plenty. Sunset’s jaw dropped too, and Fluttershy buried her face in her hands. But Pinkie and Dash quickly resumed their rapturous laughter; both fell to the ground and rolled around, kicking their feet while tears streamed down their cheeks.

Applejack crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, her teeth gritted tightly. “I’m sorry, AJ,” Sunset said, trying to avoid Pinkie’s flailing limbs. “It’s alright. We’ll help you get it back.”

“Oh, come on, Sunny,” Rainbow whined from the ground. “Don’t ruin my fun!”

Sunset looked down at her with a face that echoed Applejack’s. “What about her fun, Rainbow? This has clearly gone too far.”

Rainbow stopped and sat up; Pinkie, however, kept rolling and squealing. “Okay, fine. Whatever.” She stood up and brushed off her skirt. Fluttershy held out her hands together, palms up, and Rainbow skipped over and hopped from her hands onto the statue’s base. Quickly this time, she crawled onto the horse and grabbed the hat. Rolling her eyes and tossing her hair over her shoulders, she let the hat fall.

Applejack stepped forward and tore it out of the air before it could hit the ground. She tugged it over her ears and watched with a grimace as Rainbow climbed back down. The two stood facing each other.

“Well?” Sunset asked while helping Pinkie to her feet. Fluttershy rubbed the dirt from Rainbow’s boots off her hands.

Rainbow tangled her hair up around her fingers and looked away, her other hand loose on her hip. “Okay. I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, right,” Applejack snarled, her hat hiding her eyes.

“AJ…” Rainbow started. But then she saw how tightly her friend’s fists were clenched. She let her hair fall and crossed her arms. “Listen, what if I buy you a milkshake?”

Her fingers loosened. A hand slowly tipped her hat back. Applejack’s eyes were red. Rainbow felt her heartbeat quicken, but tried to remain cool.

“Aw,” Applejack whispered. “Why not?”

Sunset watched, feeling a blush creep over her cheeks. “Alright!” she shouted, stretching her arms out, drawing the girls’ attention to herself. “How about we all go?! Where’s Rarity?”

“I’m here!” a voice chimed. The girls turned and saw Rarity running from the school entrance. She arrived, panting, and dropped her bag against her thigh. “Oh my, yet another utterly exhausting day! Shall we pay a visit to the café?”

Rainbow smiled. “We were just about to. Good timing.”

Pinkie Pie bounced over to Fluttershy and helped her stand, and Sunset talked with Rarity about a particularly difficult calculus exam.

Rainbow Dash threw her arm over Applejack’s shoulder and held her close. “No hard feelings, okay?”

The two punched knuckles and Applejack gave her a little smile.

“Okay,” she replied. Then she bit her lip and tipped her hat down over her eyes again. “I think I failed that bio test.”

“Oh, I’m sure I did.” Rainbow’s voice squeaked. She swung around to face Applejack. “But it’s over now. Don’t let the past get to you, AJ. Think about the future - you know what’s in the future?”

“Milkshakes?” she chuckled.

“And graduation!” Pinkie cried, squeezing herself between the two.

“That’s right,” Sunset said, looking over. “One more week and we’re done here.”

The girls turned to gaze at their high school.

Rarity sighed. “And then what?”

Everyone was silent. Then Rainbow waved her hands, brushing away the uncertainty. “We don’t need to think that far into the future. Let’s focus on milkshakes. Come on!”

They began walking then, leaving the statue in the bright sunlight of early summer.

684 views