The Rainbow Arc

by TheRainbowDashShow

Chapter 3

Applejack woke early the next morning and crept silently off the bed trying not to disturb the slumbering Pegasus. She picked up the saddlebag that she had prepared for the trip. She looked at Rainbow Dash who was snoring loudly and smiled.

"Ah'll see yah in a few days sweetie, ah love yah." Applejack whispered before tip-hoofed out of the room, down the stairs and out the front door. As much as she had wanted to wake Rainbow Dash to say goodbye, but she wasn't any good with goodbyes and she knew that the pony would only try and convince her not to go.

The dim morning light provided little warmth as she waited for the early train to Canterlot. She shivered lightly as the harsh wind blew at her. Only a few ponies waited at the station for now, but as the train drew closer, so did the crowds of ponies. As the train pulled to its stop, the platform filled with a thick steam clouding every ponies eyesight as they blindly walked into its cars.

Applejack eventually stumbled onto the train, squeezing through the swarm in search for the booth that her ticked had assigned to her. She spotted the small room labeled 5C and glanced back at her ticket to make sure she had the right one. She slid open the door, unstrapped her saddlebag and sat next to the window. She stared outside, wondering how Rainbow Dash would take it when she awoke alone.

The door slid open for a second time as the second passenger entered the booth. The pony sat down then stared awkwardly at Applejack who hadn't peeled her eyes from the window yet. She cleared her throat as a way to alert the orange mare that she was here.

"Oh, ah'm sorry, was lost in thought." Applejack turned to greet the pony but froze finding herself only able to return the same uncomfortable gaze. "Wh-what are yah doin' here?" she managed to stammer.

The pony smiled, "I'm going to the Canterlot rodeo. I suppose that's where most of the ponies are headed today." She hopped off her side of the booth and sat next to Applejack, "You're going too, right?"

Applejack scooted away from the pony, "Uh, yeah, I'm going as well." She shifted away looked back out the window, watching as the train slowly departed from the station.

"Are you even going to look at me?"

Applejack sighed and slowly turned her gaze back at the fiery mare who's flaming sapphire eyes still stared sadly at her, "What do yah expect me tah say Ice?"

Ice Ember shrugged, "I don't know, but it'd be nice if you wouldn't act like I'm not here."

Applejack tried to hold back her frustration, "I don't have anything tah say to yah."

Ice Ember placed her hoof on the orange mare's shoulder, "You know I think about you all the time."

Applejack shrugged off the hoof, the mere touch was enough to set her off, "I was in a coma for an entire year because of YOUR father."

Ice Ember flinched, "You know that wasn't my fault."

Applejack laughed almost hysterically, "Ah dunno, let's think about it. Yer father was a crazy serial killer pony who targeted fillyfoolers. He just HAPPENS tah kidnap mah marefriend not even a day after ah meet yah?"

Ice Ember looked down at the floor, "I didn't know…"

Applejack went on, "Also, let me ask yah this, of every marefriend you've EVER had, how many of them did yah actually ever see again? Cause when the police ponies finished investigating the place they found dozens of bodies."

The unicorn's lip quivered as she thought back to answer the question. She moved to the corner of the booth and curled herself up. "None…" she said quietly as she began to weep softly.

Applejack realized she had taken it too far, she moved closer towards Ice ember and wrapped her hooves around her, "Ah'm sorry. It isn't yer fault. Ah shouldn't be takin' it out on yah. Yah couldn't have possibly known."

Ice Ember rested her chin on Applejack's shoulder, "I always thought every pony didn't want to be with me…" she whimpered as tears rolled down her cheeks.

It had never occurred to Applejack just how hard everything must have been for Ice Ember. What it would be like to discover that every pony you ever cared about being ripped away from you from the very pony to raise you, "It's okay now, he's gone." Applejack whispered as she petted the unicorn trying to calm her down.

"I visited you in the hospital all the time." Ice Ember sniffled, "I never stayed long though. I always felt so guilty and whenever I came, there was always that Pegasus there by your side. The one I found you carrying that day. I think she was there every day until you woke up."

"Ah reckon she was."

Ice Ember finally pulled away from the hug, "Who is she?"

Applejack smiled, "Rainbow Dash." She pointed at the silver anklet on her leg near her hoof, "We're married now"

"Congratulations." The Ice said, although not sounding very enthused.

The train let out a deafening whistle as it approached its destination. The brakes scraped against the rusted metal of the tracks, letting out a squeaking that caused every ponies hair to stand up. The train finally came to a complete stop, "Canterlot Station" the conductor shouted through a megaphone.

"Well, ah guess this is our stop." Applejack said as she strapped her saddlebag back on, "So, ah never asked, are yah competing in the rodeo?"

Ice Ember nodded, "It'll be my first year, but I've been practicing ever since I was a filly. You?"

"Yup, ah've been competing fer years, although ah'm probably a little rusty now."

The two of them pushed on through what seemed like hundreds of ponies that quickly vanished as they boarded the train. Applejack reached the exit of the station and waited for Ice Ember to catch up. The red unicorn wobbled through the crowds clumsily, "Thanks for waiting." She panted.

Applejack patted the pony on the back, "Well ah reckon this being yer first year, yah'd want somepony tah help yah sign up, but no funny business yah here?"

Ice Ember grinned, "Alright, and thanks." She extended her hoof out, "Friends?"

Applejack nodded and shook the hoof held out to her, "Friends."

Applejack sprinted her way down the path weaving through the dozens of barrels. The crowd cheering as she passed the finish line. She grinned to see she had beaten the current best time by 2 seconds. As she moved towards her next event the dull aching in her head returned for a few seconds before subsiding.

She grabbed at the rope tied to a bale of hay. She yanked the rope upward and transferred the momentum into a spiraling motion causing the bail to circle in the air. She timed herself, waiting for the opportune moment. The wind began to blow in the proper direction providing her with the extra force she wanted. Unclenching her jaw, the bale flew landing just a few inches short of the current furthest throw.

"Shoot!" Applejack muttered to herself moving towards the next contest she had signed up for. Once again the pain shot through the veins in her forehead before vanishing again. She ignored the temporary feeling and moved onto the next event, the bronco buck.

The tiny padded volunteer pony climbed onto the orange pony's back. The cannon fired indicating for her to start. Its initial noise had startled Applejack causing her to jump up almost instantly catching the pony off guard and she sent him hurdling away. She looked at the large timer to find it frozen at .8 seconds, a significant lead from the other ponies.

Ice Ember grinned, "Look at that! I don't think any pony can beat that time Applejack!"

Applejack turned towards the pony, "Oh hey, yah finished already? How'd yah do?"

The unicorn laughed, "Training isn't much like the real thing. I hadn't managed to not get last in a single competition."

"Ah see… Well ah'm on mah way to mah last event, wanna come?"

Ice shook her head, "I'm pretty worn out. I think I'mma go hit the hay."

Applejack nodded understandingly, "Alright, ah'll see yah later."

The two ponies waved and trotted off in different directions. Applejack arrived at the starting line of her final event. The cannon let out its deafening boom and she started to sprint. The first jump was small and she leaped over it with ease. The second was higher, yet still posed no challenge to her.

As Applejack approached the third jump, a pressure in her head began to build. She ignored it and kept on, leaping over the third jump. The fourth and highest jump just a dozen yards or so away. The pressure growing as well as the aching pain returning to her head.

Applejack leaped towards the final jump, as she did her muscles gave out. She smashed into the wooden railing her weight snapping it in half. She pulled herself from off the dirt. Everything seemed to have slowed down and was spinning around her. Finally, her eyes rolled towards the back of her head and she collapsed back onto the ground.

Applejack awoke in an unfamiliar place. She looked around the room of the hospital. She searched the room desperately for something she recognized. She spotted a mirror and stared at the face she felt she should know but couldn't quite remember.

Ice Ember placed a hoof on Applejack's shoulder, "Hey, how are you feeling?"

Applejack instantly shook off the hoof, "Do ah know yah?"

A doctor pony walked in before Ice Ember had a chance to say anything, "Do you know where you are?"

Applejack shook her head.

The doctor jotted some things down on his clipboard, "Do you know what day it is?"

Again Applejack shook her head.

"Mmhmm…" The doctor took down some more notes. "Can you tell me your name?"

Applejack closed her eyes trying to recall anything about herself. "I can't remember."

Comments

[Tchernobog]

Oh no

[DbzOrDie]

I agree with Tchernobog, Oh no

[RainingDash]

GOD DAMNIT.

[Cthulhu Likes Ponies]

[MuffinYouSoCrazy]

[Dash32]

1314034 couldn't have said it better myself.