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// Still Not *extra* 
// Story: Not Okay 
// by Gpizano 
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One week had passed since the mall, there had been no sign of Sunset Shimmer, the five had taken to their own business with chatter kept to a minimum. 

However, the blonde cowgirl of the group had been completely off the radar. Text messages unanswered, phone calls going to voice mail, calling the home itself had been fruitless as both Granny Smith and Big Mac had said she'd been holed up in the old barn. 

Applejack could often disappear for one reason or another, but the apple harvest had passed and the chores weren't as numerous this time of year. It was worrying enough that at the end of the week, a car pulled up and a certain rainbow haired young woman stepped out. Rainbow Dash ran a hand through her hair as she skipped the homestead and headed for the barn, as nice as Granny Smith could be, that was a time sink she didn't want to get caught in right now when she had a friend to check up on. 

It seemed that food and drink wasn't a problem if the recently cleared glass and plate outside the door was anything to go by. Geez, had she been sleeping out there too?

Slowly opening the door a smidge, Dash peeked inside and saw Applejack working at a table near the back. A glance over to the truck that transported their crop showed the hood was open and parts here and there. Obviously Applejack was fiddling with it again, Dash always figured they put in way more time and money into fixing it up than just buying a new engine, but that was a thought for another day. 

Opening the door more, the natural light and squeak of the hinges gave her away but Applejack didn't turn to look "Big Mac? Granny?" she called, waiting for an answer before speaking up again "If'n that's you Applebloom, jes' set the plate down n' Ah'll get to it."

"Nah. Just me AJ." Rainbow finally responded, closing the door behind her as the blonde looked up from her work. "You've been in here a week and we haven't heard from you. Guess you've been keeping busy?" 

"Guess so..." said Applejack, reaching for a rag on the bench to clean off her hands. 

"So I get that you sleep out here, but don't tell me you've been sleeping out here too." teased Rainbow Dash, the mirth falling some when it wasn't denied. "Really?"

"Yeah. So?" 

"Geez. You really feel bad about shooting your mouth off at Sunset, huh?"

"Kinda... jes' had a lot to think 'bout." 

"Must be heavy if you've been cooped up in here a week." said Dash, having crossed the way to stand next to the country girl. "Anything you wanna talk about?"

"Ah dunno." said Applejack, giving a sullen shrug as she looked over the car pieces before her. 

"Come on. Even after a week you have to have some thought." joked Dash, earning an un-amused look from Applejack before the cowgirl sighed and seemed to collect herself.

"Ah'm a might sorry for some of the things Ah said. But not all of it. Still ticks me off when Ah think to what Sunset said." mumbled Applejack. 

"Are you serious?" said Dash, looking shocked and then angry herself "We were already screwed after Sunset said her peace, but you didn't have to burn the damn bridge down!"

"Well s'cuse me if seein' y'all devastated like that ticked me off!" Applejack retorted, picking up a piece of engine truck and looking it over. "We've all been beatin' ourselves up this last year. She didn't have ta' come 'round n' rub salt in the wound like that."

"Yeah well... that thing was for her, wasn't it?" Rainbow Dash put up in reply "Closure right?" she added, rubbing the back of her head. 

"Ah'm sure it was..." Applejack said softly before looking up to Dash "Way Ah sees it... ain't nothin' been right. We couldn't be what the princess wanted us to be... now Sunset's in a way." Then with a soft scowl, she moved on to another engine piece "But Ah'm sick of it beatin' on me. If this is it. It's it."

What followed was a long, heavy sort of silence. Applejack quietly working, Rainbow Dash trying to think of a good response. 

Nothing really came to mind.

"... Ah'm gonna be gone fer a bit in the near future." said Applejack, drawing Dash's attention to her "There's this place further south, Cherry Hill Ranch. They're offerin' work, n' Ah think Ah need some space."

"... whatever." said Dash, giving a light shrug as she headed for the door "Just call more, alright?" 

"Mm-hm." AJ said absentmindedly, the door closing and leaving her to her work.