“What’ll it be?” Applejack asked as Rainbow Dash half-rose to watch the carriage go by.
There he was. Uncle. Malachite the Younger, unmistakable and in full form. Princess Mi Amore Cadenza beside him, looking right at Dash.
She was smiliing, Cadenza. Smiling obliviously.
“What’ll it be?” Applejack hissed. “I’m with you, do or die. But you need to choose if we’re gonna make it out of here alive.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“He’s not alone.”
Applejack moved closer so she could whisper furiously in Rainbow Dash’s ear. “Was he ever? He was always surrounded. Rainbow, look,” and she grabbed Dash’s face and pulled it towards her. Something had shifted. Dash did not fight back but stared confused into her wife’s eyes.
“It was never just you and him, just like it weren’t never just you an’ me. There are so many ponies in this world, and other things besides us, and it’s never, ever just a one on one. You get me? You throw that thing, and in a moment you’ll get two or three but tomorrow and tomorrow you’re lookin’ at a whole harvest of dead folks.I’ve been tryin’ to tell you, but you can’t let it go that they hurt you and I get it. I get it. I’m tryin’ to get it. You never had to do this. Ever.
“He’s wrong and he’s bad an’ I don’t like him any more than you do, but you know what’ll happen. You know she’ll die too, and then others, and then you and me. And if you pull away and you throw that thing I’ll still come with you. But Dash, hon, I’m gonna know that you chose bein’ a fuck up over coming back home to me. I’m never gonna forget it. I swear to you that I’ll never forget it. Please don’t do this. Please just sit down.”
Dash whined. “I can’t. It’s too late. If I don’t I’ll never stop thinking about it. I’ll never stop.”
“Yes you will.” Applejack shook. “I’ll fill that space with whatever or I can or I’ll die tryin’. Sit down. Please, please sit down.”
“He’s so close,” Rainbow said, her eyes wide and wild, her breathing hot and uneven. “He’s close enough I could just hover out and touch him. I’ll never get another chance.”
Applejack looked quickly over her shoulder. No one had noticed them. Cadance had looked away already. The carriage stopped briefly for Cadance and Malachite to wave to a few ponies. Some mare was asking Cadance to bless her foal.
This was it. This was the chance.
“I have to.” Rainbow started to pull away.
Applejack resisted for a heartbeat, and then she stopped. She let go.
Rainbow Dash, who had always wanted to be a Wonderbolt, who had always been the fastest of everyone she knew, felt as if her every step was a slog through a bog. Her hooves dragged. Time slowed and limped along to its promised end.
She cleared the tables. She cleared the awning. Applejack was behind her, ready to provide support.
She was out in the sun, the bright sun that struck her eyes…
And she faltered.
Cadance was smiling. She was smiling and waving. Rainbow could not imagine the explosion that was to come touching a hair on her head. She couldn’t see Malachite at all, now, as Cadance leaned forward to look at somepony in the crowd.
She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t finish the job.
She sank back down onto her haunches, just watching Cadance and her greatest foe go by with slackjawed dismay. She’d failed in the end. All of her sadness and anger, every scar and worried night, all of it meant nothing. She had nothing at all.
Until Applejack rested her chin on the top of Rainbow Dash’s head, and without even thinking about the pegasus reached out and clung to her legs.
“I hate it,” she said. “I want to go home. I don’t wanna see this stupid city ever again.”
“I know.”
“I just…”
“I know.” Applejack kissed the top of her head.
“You knew. That I wouldn’t, I mean.”
“Nah, I figured you’d start it off earlier.”
Rainbow tried to laugh but coughed instead, and then as Cadance pulled onto another street she choked back a furious little sob.