//------------------------------//
// Call Upon the Dashie 
// Story: Appledashery Vol. Two 
// by Just Essay 
//------------------------------//

“So... uh... you c-called?”  Rainbow Dash stammered, standing in an open field on the edge of the Everfree Forest.  “For me, that is.  Just now?  Like... seconds ago?”

Applejack blinked at her, still recovering from the tremors running through the ground from Rainbow's expedient arrival.  "Oh, r-right.  Ahem.  I couldn't help but notice y'all doin' some of yer finest weather flyin' for the town as I was trotting on by.”

“Heh.  Wouldn't be a ripe day for sunshine if I wasn't on the job.”  Rainbow Dash flexed her muscles.  “Y'know?”

“You betcha.  So it got me to thinkin'.”  Applejack smiled pleasantly.  " What would I have'ta do to get some clouds cleared directly over Sweet Apple Acres tomorrow morning?”

“Hmmm?"  Rainbow's eyes narrowed.  "You mean a farm cloud clearing job?  Pfffft!  I could totally do it in my sleep!”

“Well, no doubt about that, sugarcube.  But I reckon there's some flank-over-elbow hoops I gotta jump through with the system.”

“Buh?”

Applejack gestured.  “Y'know, sendin' paperwork to the Cloudsdale Commission n'such?  Reckon I didn't think about that part 'til the last second. Ya see, this year, Granny's hoofed the responsibility for settin' up the Sisterhooves Social to me.  Not by her choosin', mind ya.  I practically had to wrestle her to the ground before she agreed to take it easy this year.  I mean, the farm's been doin' so good over the past month that it's a shame she should be stressin' over anything.”

“Right.  It's all gravy!”  Rainbow Dash nodded.  “I'll just do a fly-by tomorrow and kick the clouds away!”

Applejack cocked her head to the side.  “Just like that?”

“Just like that!  No way I'd be leaving you hangin', girl!”

“Cuz..."  Applejack shrugged.  "I sure dun wanna get you into any trouble with the legal eagles who be runnin' the meaty—... the meta—... the macaroni—”

“Pffft.  Please.  Only unicorns call it the 'meteorologist business.'”  Rainbow balked.

“Heh...”  Applejack smiled.  “Well, lucky us, eh?”

“Yes.  Heeheehee.”  Rainbow giggled spontaneously.  “Lucky us!"  She giggled some more.  "Hehe!  Hehehehehehehehehehe!”

Applejack raised an eyebrow.

Rainbow Dash caught her breath.  "Erm... ahem.”  The petite pegasus proceeded to hover in place.  “So.  Yeah.  I'll totally do the flyby.”

“As early as possible would be a goddess-send,” Applejack said.  “I reckon no later than eight o'clock.  It'd be a heapin' shame if the sisters of Ponyville who showed up for the event got rained on.”

Rainbow waved a hoof.  “Don't you fret a freckle off.  Erm... n-not that there's anything wrong with havin' freckles...”

“Darn tootin'.”

“I'll make it the first thing I do tomorrow morning!”  Rainbow Dash struck a proud pose in midair.  “I'd rather be plucked and glazed before I so much as think of leaving one of my gal-pals hanging!”  That said, she turned around to return to her regularly scheduled cloud kicking.

Applejack watched as the pegasus started her ascent.  She felt an inch in her scalp, and her breath let her rather suddenly:  "But why stop at just cloud clearin', sugarcube?”

Rainbow Dash lost momentum, flipped upside down, and swung about to gaze down at the earth pony once more.  "Huh?  Wh-what do you mean?”

“It's gonna be an awfully nice event this year,” Applejack said with a warm smile.  The endorphins bubbled.  The wires crossed.  “Why don't you consider stayin'?”

“Staying?”  Rainbow Dash blinked.  “You mean... on the f-farm?”

“Mmmmhmmm.”

“With you?”

“You betcha!”  Applejack smiled.  “The kiddies are sure gonna lurve havin' the Awesome and High-Flyin' Rainbow Dash around!  I bet you'll just make their day by spendin' time on the farm for most of the Social!”

“Oh...”  Rainbow Dash blinked.  “Oh," she uttered once more, her muzzle and face awash in bright sunlight and contemplation..  “Ohhhhh.  Yeah, I guess I'm... uh... something of a crowd-drawer.”

“Heheheh!”  Applejack laughed.  “And we all know how much ya adore the spotlight!”

“Oh!”  Rainbow Dash exhaled, grinning wide this time.  “There's totally nothing better!”

“That is, so long as ya ain't got nothin' planned for the day tomorrow...”

“Nah, I'm totally game!  I'd be more than happy to stick around Sweet Apple Acres for the foals!”

“Well, thanks a ton, Rainbow!”  Applejack winked.  “Yer a real life-saver.”  Turning about, she blurted an honest truth while making the long trek back to the farm.  “Whew-wee!  Now I think I can actually sleep peacefully tonight!”