"What in tarnation are you five doin' here," Applejack asked with a surprised expression.
Sour Sweet stepped forward. "We just wanted to check up on you."
Applejack smiled warmly. "Well, that's mighty nice of y'a,ll" she said. "Come on in," she said, gesturing the Shadowbolts inside.
The five girls entered and took stock of their surroundings. "Nice place you got here," Indigo said, then whistled as she admired the decor.
Sour Sweet whistled as she saw Big Mac walk in. "Who's the hottie," she asked. Big Mac cleared his throat, then left the room.
"Sorry, Sour. My brother's taken," Applejack said.
Dammit, they're always taken!" Sour snapped. She sighed. "Maybe someday," she said quietly, folding her arms and looking away.
"Hey," Lemon said, clearly blushing. "A-Are any of your...other friends here," she asked nervously. Applejack raised an eyebrow. "What," she asked. "I-I was just wondering," she said as she put her arms up in a defensive posture.
"No, Lemon, it's just me," Applejack said. "Everyone else is doin' their own thing."
"Ah."
Applejack noticed Indigo Zap was staying several feet away from her, looking nervous. "Are you all right," she asked.
"Are you all right," Indigo asked. "Last time I saw you, you were yarfing like crazy!"
Sugarcoat folded her arms and scoffed. "'Yarfing'?"
Indigo gave Sugarcoat a dirty look. "I know what I said." Sugarcoat rolled her eyes.
"I ain't feelin' sick right now, if that's what you're talkin' about," Applejack said to Indigo, then paused. "Wait, if you're so worried about me bein' sick now, what about yesterday?"
"Yeah...I froze up for like an hour later," Indigo said, embarrassed.
"'Froze up'," Applejack asked.
"Maybe we should take this upstairs. There's some things we came to tell you," Sugarcoat said.
"Are y'all okay," Applejack asked. "Yer all actin' crazier than a tap-dancing armadillo on a barbecue!" the Shadowbolts each gave her a look of confusion.
Sugarcoat sighed and rolled her eyes. "We'll tell you what's going on, but we'd like it be between you and us," she said.
"Well why didn't you say so in the first place," Applejack asked. "Follow me."
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Applejack and the Shadowbolts entered her room, and the door was shut for privacy. "All right," Applejack said. "I'm guessing things are gonna start to get personal." The five girls nodded. "So...what's this all about," she asked. "Is checking up on me really the only reason you're here to see me?"
"No," Sour Sweet said as she and the other Shadowbolts sat down on the floor. She took Applejack by the hand. "We came to let you know that whatever it is you're going through, you're not alone."
crack
Applejack winced.
"Yeah," Lemon said. "None of us are strangers to mental trauma."
Applejack blinked. "R...Really?"
Sour Sweet nodded. "I had a pair of people who were supposed to be my parents, but they treated me like shit. I...I even tried to kill myself once. I'm also bipolar, and I kinda have a...multiple personality thing!"
Applejack yelped and nearly fell over.
"Sorry about that," Sour said. "Sour Side likes to mess with people sometimes."
"'Sour Side," Applejack asked.
Sour nodded. "It's a long story, so why don't the others tell you their problems before that?"
Sugarcoat came forward. "I had an abusive boyfriend, and that caused me to sleep around."
Applejack's eyes widened. "So you were-"
"Yep," Sugarcoat said. "A slut."
Applejack blushed. "I don't think I'd go so far as to call you that."
Sugarcoat smiled. "It's okay, I don't mind. Besides, ever since I found someone who truly cares about me, I've become more of a nymphomaniac."
"Aren't those two the same things," Indigo asked.
Sugarcoat shrugged. "Semantics. Oh, and thanks for volunteering to be next," she said with a wicked smile.
Indigo grumbled, then sighed. "I have Aspereger's Syndrome. It's on the higher side of the autism function scale." She blushed a little. "I kinda got myself in trouble when I frenched a girl on a whim. She fell for me, and I had to break her heart. At least we're still friends."
Lemon Zest came forward. "I...had a crush on Sour."
Applejack's eyes widened. "You what?"
"Yeah," Sour Sweet said. "She did. I rejected her a little too harshly." Applejack looked at Sour, then Lemon.
"We got into a couple of heated fights," Lemon said. "And by 'heated', I mean 'fists flying and noses broken'." Applejack gasped.
Everyone looked at Sunny Flare. She took a deep breath, then sighed heavily. "You're going to have to give me a minute, Applejack," she said quietly. "It's almost been a year, and I still get emotional just thinking about it."
"I understand, Sunny," Applejack said in a reassuring tone. "Take all the time you need."
"Thank you," Sunny said, then sniffled.
"Do you have any tissues around here," Lemon asked. Applejack nodded, then grabbed a box and handed it over to Sunny.
Sunny took another deep breath, then shuddered. "I've been through hell, Applejack. I had the most amazing boyfriend any girl could ask for. I ended up..." she trailed off, then blew her nose. "I-I got pregnant in my Sophomore year." Applejack gasped. Sunny looked up as tears fell from her eyes. "I l-lost the child, and was technically d-dead for half a minute," she said as her voice broke. Indigo put a supportive arm on her shoulder, giving her the strength to continue. "Then," she continued, "about a week before the Friendship Games..." she trailed off again, then broke and hugged Indigo tightly as she sobbed into her chest.
Applejack was at a loss for words as she saw Sunny become emotional. Was this what she looked like to her family? Constantly crying and in need of support? She wiped a tear from her eye as she patiently waited for Sunny to calm down and continue her story. After a while, she finished crying.
"I...I'm okay. For now," Sunny said.
"So, what happened," Applejack asked.
"A week before the Friendship Games, my boyfriend and I had a date...and he ended up sacrificing himself to save me from a drunk driver. I tried to kill myself just to be with him..."
Applejack ran over to Sunny and hugged her tightly. "Oh god, Sunny," she whispered. "I-I'm so sorry." she sniffled.
Sour wiped a tear from her face. "You see, Applejack," she said. "We all know what it's like."
"Do you," Applejack asked. "Do you really?"
Sour smiled warmly. "Why don't you tell us why you've been having such a hard time?"
Applejack sighed heavily and told the Shadowbolts all that had happened to her from the dream she had up until now. When she finished, she burst into tears and grabbed onto Sour Sweet. "Oh lord, Sour, it hurts so much," she said between sobs. "How could you all live with yourselves?!"
"You have to come to terms with it," Sour said softly. "Don't let it consume you like it almost did with myself and Sunny."
"Thank you, sugarcube," Applejack said, then realization dawned on her. I just called Sour 'sugarcube'. She smiled warmly. "Thank you all."
Indigo looked at the clock on her phone. "Hey guys," she said. "It's getting pretty late. We should head back." The Shadowbolts nodded in agreement.
Sour Sweet hugged Applejack. "Just remember, Applejack," she said. "We're a phone call or text away if you need us."
"Wait," Applejack said, causing the girls to stop in their tracks. "Can I see you to the door?"
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Applejack and the Shadowbolts said their goodbyes, then the girls left. Applejack sighed heavily. "I'm beat," she said. Mustering what little energy she had remaining, she brushed her teeth, put on her PJs and fell fast asleep.