//------------------------------// // Memories // Story: Hey, It's Me // by TwilightUCrazy //------------------------------// It was a bright blue-skied ten-‘til-five when Rainbow and Applejack pulled into the driveway. The ocean-swept sandy dunes around the small two-level cabin dusted the air with the smell of the beach and salt that Rainbow hadn’t inhaled in years. A wave of nostalgia and quiet passed over her as Applejack reached back into the back seat and hauled her suitcase out and, with a groan and a stretch, melted out of the car. “I forgot why Granny always refused to take us on road trips…” the blonde moaned, cracking her spine with a few twists and bends. She then gazed up at the cabin and looked it over a few times, before those freckled cheeks curled upward into a smile that just beamed with sunshine. “Nice place.” Rainbow was so busy watching her friend that she’d nearly forgotten how to respond. “Oh… thanks!” she said with a grin. The second she made to rise out of the seat, however, her right leg collapsed, and she had to use her hands to haul herself out of the car. Her other leg failed to keep her upright, however, and she fell to the earth with a graceless butt-plant. “Yeah…” she groaned, “starting to know what you mean about the whole road trip thing.” Why had she thought driving for nine hours with Applejack between her thighs was a good idea? Her legs were numb and cramped every time she pushed against the ground to stand. The blonde, however, was kind enough to hoist her back up off the stone driveway and dust her off with a few swats of her hand. Dash practically fainted inside her own imagination. “H-hey! Watch what you’re slapping at!” Oh gawd, please don’t stop ever. “Ah, shut your yap and let us in,” Applejack said. “No can do, babe. This is yap central. Or it will be whenever Rarity shows up.” “Then let’s get a couple seconds of peace and quiet while we can.” Rainbow was immediately hit in the face by the musty smell of ages gone by as she clicked the key over and flung the door open to the wood cottage. The indentation in the wall was still visible from all the times in the past that she had gone rushing in ahead of her folks… The lights flickered on and flooded the unused home, and she dropped her suitcase to the wood floor. A warm feeling washed over her. So many years… “What’re you grinnin’ at?” “Huh?” Rainbow broke out of her reverie and noticed the expression she had been wearing. Applejack was smiling at her and reached out to wrap an arm around her in a sideways hug. “That’s the happiest I’ve seen you look in a long time. And not even like the fake happy, neither. Like, real happy.” Rainbow felt a surge a warmth in her cheeks and let out a toothy grin. “Just thinking of how awesome it is I get to spend vacation with my best—” Sexiest. “—friend in the entire universe.” The cowgirl chuckled and pulled her into an oddly – for her – affectionate embrace, before releasing her and hoisting her bag back up onto her shoulder. “Well, if’n you don’t mind, I’m going to go snag myself a room before Rares shows up and grabs the best space.” “Oh, yeah. Sure. Wherever you want.” Rainbow took no small advantage in watching the blonde hurry up to the second level. Once Applejack’s butt had rounded the corner up the stairs, Dash kicked off her shoes in a random direction and turned to head right into kitchen. She clicked on the light. The granite counters and central island were just as pristine as how her family had left it – albeit a little dusty. Everything was suspended in time, exactly how it had been since she’d last been here. Rainbow went immediately to the stainless-steel fridge and yanked it open. Empty. Just like the cabinets, save for some cutlery, dishes, and a few non-perishables. It had always been a family activity to clean up before leaving the cabin behind for the summer. “Guess we’ll need groceries…” she muttered to no one in particular. She couldn’t help but wonder if that girl – what was her name? Carrot Top? – still worked at the market. Heaving a sigh, Rainbow shrugged one of her backpacks off her shoulder and onto the countertop. She yanked a glass out of the cupboard and filled it at the sink. She gulped it it down and turned to take a look out the back towards the beach. The dunes were different. The way the waves hit the shore and lapped foamily away had changed. Nothing looked quite the same as it had. She still recognized it all, but something about the sight turned in her gut. Rainbow Dash stood quietly in the kitchen for several long moments and turned the empty glass over in her hands. She stared at the familiar cabinetry, old appliances, and unused floors like they were friends she had lost touch with over the years. Unsure of what to say to reintroduce herself, and tired of the awkward silence, Rainbow bit the corner of her lip and set her glass down in the sink, before walking with a hasty step out of the room. Blankets, pillows, chairs, all had sat entirely unused. An old skateboard sat by the fireplace, one of its wheel racks still lying next to it. Her father’s unfulfilled promise that he would help fix it rang in her ears. Dash couldn’t help a vague feeling of wrongness in her stomach as she rounded to the back patio overlooking the ocean. It needed swept off. The deck equipment was still folded up and stowed. She’d need to unfold it all and lay it out… get it ready. It was hers, and hers alone, to tend to now. She rounded the house back up the center hallway and carried herself up the dusty steps. Her stocking-clad feet left faint footprints on the staircase like those of a ghost. Rainbow turned and looked down them, and swore she could have seen a tuft of short, purple hair clambering up after her… Only turned out to be that vase full of fake violets her mother kept near the front door. Girl, you need to get it together. Turning back to her right, Rainbow followed the hallway as it snaked over the kitchen. She could hear Applejack humming to herself in one of the bedrooms – her old one it sounded like. Of course – you wouldn’t take the master bedroom for yourself, would you? A smile crossed the athlete’s face as she imagined the cowgirl rummaging through her old empty drawers, stuffing her clothes away in them, pulling back her old sheets and laying down on her old twin bed. On her way over to inspect Applejack’s work in her room, however, something froze her in her tracks. A partly-opened door to her left grabbed her attention and refused to let go. A sign was tacked to it – a piece of notebook paper with a name etched in orange crayon. Skcootaloo. Rainbow sucked on her lips and couldn’t help chuckle at the misplaced “k” in the spelling. She reached up hesitantly, then took the tack out of the door and reclaimed the piece of paper, slipping it away into her pocket after folding it. “Sorry, kid. Guess you’ll have a roomie for a little while.” The weight of a planet was on her shoulders as she pushed the door open and stepped inside. It was broad daylight outside, but the blinds were drawn. Still, Rainbow saw enough to trigger memories. Across from her was her little sister’s old single bed, still welcomingly made and ready for the return of its owner that would never come. Boxes of Scootaloo’s old erector sets and toys of all sorts still sat in the corner, untouched and gathering dust over the years. Rainbow hugged herself tightly. “Hey. It’s me,” she muttered to the haunting specters. Her baby sister’s scent had long since faded from the pillows, but Rainbow still crossed over to the bed and picked it up. She hugged it to herself and inhaled, hoping that somehow, some small piece of her still lived on. Disappointed, Dash plopped the pillow down next to her, when a flash of white caught her eye. Tossing the pillow back against the headboard, Rainbow very nearly choked on the pain that welled in her throat when she saw it. Scootaloo’s old stuffed chicken was still there, hidden and buried. She thought she had thrown it out years ago. She had been going through “The Phase” at the time and had wanted to be seen as more mature than everyone really knew she was. Rainbow had never understood Scootaloo’s adoration for chickens anyway. They were poultry to her. But she had loved the plushie like it was her kid when she was young. To realize she had kept it all those years and had never been able to part with it… Rainbow’s eyes stung and burned, and she reached for the old doll, raising it to her face and hugging it tightly to herself. The tears only came when she realized that she still smelled her little sister on it. There was something left of her that still clung to life… A knock drew her out of it. Rainbow quickly blotted her eyes on the stuffed animal and looked up, sniffling as softly as she could possibly manage. Applejack stood at the door, leaning against the threshold in a warm, orange sundress. Her hair poured loosely down her shoulders like molten gold, and freckles dotted her exposed shoulders like sunspots. Eyes of emerald lakes looked upon her with not pity, but worry. Her brow knitted. “Hey,” she murmured softly. “You okay?” “Y-yeah! Totally!” Rainbow replied, slapping the chicken down next to her on the bed. “Just… dusty in here.” The blonde beauty managed a small smile. Applejack’s face was as terrible at lying as she was, so Rainbow knew immediately she didn’t buy a word she said. She was kind enough, regardless, not to say anything. “Can I come in?” “Sure. I guess,” Rainbow tried as nonchalantly as she could manage. Applejack padded across the floor, her bare feet leaving small impressions in the carpet. She smoothed out her dress along her backside and plopped down next to Rainbow, and for once, the rainbow-maned athlete had not a perverted thought in her head. All she could think of was just how perfect her friend looked to her in that moment… Applejack leaned back on her palms and beamed up at her, and Rainbow’s heart skipped a beat. The blonde then looked around and kicked her feet, scuffing the carpet with her toes. “So… this was her room, huh?” “Scoots’? Yeah. She always loved coming here every summer.” “I can see why.” “Yeah. It’s nice here. Lots to do.” “That wasn’t what I meant…” Rainbow blinked and looked down at her friend. “You were a real good sister to her. You must’ve loved her somethin’ fierce.” The weight returned to Rainbow’s chest and she heaved a sigh to try and expel the demons still tormenting her. She gazed down at the plushie sitting in her lap and brushed her fingers across its white fluff, letting her eyes drift shut and think back on her sister’s voice, her smell, her eyes, so full of life and wonder… “Applebloom talks about her sometimes. She really misses her.” Rainbow nodded slowly. “Yeah... Poor kid.” “It’s harder on the young’uns… especially when they don’t understand.” Rainbow nodded and eased onto her back on the bed. Applejack slowly followed and draped an arm over her stomach. “You okay, hon?” Dash shifted in her position and glimpsed to her right. In the current lighting, the lingering moisture on her cheeks wouldn’t show, nor would the redness of her eyes. Perhaps, then, it was her voice that betrayed her. Rainbow breathed in deeply and let it out as a nonchalant sigh. “Yeah. J-just… a little tired from the trip. That’s all.” Applejack’s eyes, even dimly lit as they were, expressed an uncertainty. In spite of Rainbow’s reassurance, her brow furrowed, concern written across her features. “You sure? ‘Cause if there’s anything you wanna talk about…” “Nah,” Rainbow replied a little too quickly, and she flinched internally. “Nah, I’m totally fine. Just… y’know, jet lag… or car lag.” She bit her lip and the edge of her mouth curled up. “Maybe it’s just the way you drive.” Applejack frowned. “What’s wrong with the way I drive?” “Nothing! Nothing… grandma.” “Hey! Come on! It was my first time behind the wheel! Besides, if’n I recall correctly, wasn’t it your idea to stick me behind the wheel? Far as I’m concerned, you’ve only got yourself to blame.” The two’s eyes met, but neither work a frown. Instead, both smiled that knowing smile that spoke volumes without uttering a word. Rainbow snaked her arm beneath Applejack’s neck and pulled her closer. “You did good, AJ.” Applejack’s smile softened and she squeezed her arms tightly. “Wouldn’t mind if you’d keep teachin’ me. As long as I’m not gonna put you to sleep…” “Be glad to.” The sudden rumble and crackle of gravel on the strip of road leading up to the cottage broke the two out of their moment. The rumble of a big V8 that wasn’t her Mustang’s betrayed the arrival of Rarity in her father’s Escalade, and the muffled, excited cries of the four girls stepping out of the vehicle heralded the gang’s arrival. Applejack sighed and stood. “Well, sounds like they’re here. Better go help ‘em unpack before Rares breaks a nail or somethin’.” Rainbow smirked. “Yeah… go ahead. I’ll be there in a second. With a lingering stare and a nod, Applejack turned and headed out into the hall towards the stairs. Rainbow Dash’s smile slowly dropped off her face, and her magenta eyes wandered down to the chicken still cradled in her lap. One last time, she ran her hand over the soft fluff, and gave the creature a gentle hug to her chest. Then the toy was discarded into the basket with Scootaloo’s other old playthings. A heavy breath left her, though it did nothing to relieve the weight on her spirit. Rainbow got up, and took one last look behind her at the door, before shutting the room up tight, and heading for the stairs.