//------------------------------// // Academy Record // Story: South of Somewhere // by The Red Parade //------------------------------// Rainbow was awakened by hushed whispering from somewhere downstairs. Her ears had been tuned to pick up the slightest sound, and Rainbow quickly hopped off her bed and made her way to the door.  The stairs creaked beneath her hooves as Rainbow lowered her form, slinking down towards the dining room. As she drew closer, she could barely make out the hints of a conversation. “You don’t understand. That ain’t why I’m upset,” a deep voice rumbled out. “Mac, you gotta believe me,” Applejack said. “I got a good feelin’ about her.” “I don’t doubt that AJ,” the unfamiliar voice replied. “But you gotta see things from my point of view.” Rainbow paused by the dining room’s threshold, ears perked up high. “I know, Mac,” Applejack answered, sounding very tired. “But I had to take a chance.” “Did you?” came a harsh reply. “AJ, I just don’t think you get it. We can’t bring her on. Not now.” Applejack sighed, and Rainbow backed up a bit on the stairs as a set of hoofsteps drew closer. “Then what do you want me to do, Mac?” “You dug this grave, sis,” the voice replied. “Best if you get yourself out of it.” Before Rainbow could retreat further up the stairs, Applejack rounded the corner, nearly colliding head first with her. “Oh! Sorry, sugarcube, didn’t see you there,” Applejack said, backing up and adjusting her hat.  “No big deal,” Rainbow replied, steadying herself. “What’s happening?” Applejack led her into the dining room, where a large red stallion was sitting. “This is my brother, Big Macintosh. This is the mare, Mac. Rainbow Dash.” Big Macintosh raised a hoof in greeting before shooting a strange look at Applejack.  Applejack didn’t meet his eyes and awkwardly cleared her throat. “Uh, yeah. We run the farm together, although Mac tends to take care of the more… financial side of things.” She coughed before adjusting her hat again. “Let me show you around the orchard.” Rainbow nodded, noting the suspicious glance that Big Mac gave her. She followed Applejack out the back door, into a dusty orchard with apple trees stretching into every direction. Rainbow let out a low whistle as she surveyed the land. “Even more impressive up close.” “Eeyup. Acres on acres of the good stuff,” Applejack answered, trotting down the path. “Only grow the finest here.” Rainbow followed her down the path before Applejack stopped at a random point, veering into the dirt. “Spend most of our days harvestin’ these apples. We line ourselves up against this tree and give it a good old buck.” Applejack kicked her rear legs outwards, striking the tree easily and shaking apples into the buckets below.  “Impressive,” Rainbow replied, sizing up the tree. “But doesn’t that hurt your legs?” “Not if you do it right,” Applejack replied. She tapped the bark of the tree lovingly and Rainbow noticed the faint indentations of hooves in the trunk. “And we Apples know how to do it right. You can bet your wings on that.” Rainbow nodded, leaning against a tree. “Well, I doubt I’d have the strength to do that.” “Reckon not, but we can build you up right easy. ‘Course, it could be hard if you’re a lazy kinda worker,” Applejack teased. “Lazy? You haven’t seen nothing yet,” Rainbow remarked, puffing out her chest. She hopped up and beat her wings, taking to the air quickly. Rainbow took a second to breathe in the dusty forest air, instinctively adjusting for the different levels in altitude. It didn’t take her long to get a good height above the orchard. With a cocky smile, Rainbow pulled down her flight goggles and dived downwards.  The wind rushed past her face and through her coat. She relished the roaring in her ears and the way the world blurred around her. She made out the shades of brown and green below, and the vague tan form that was Applejack. Rainbow grinned wider and put on another burst of speed. She whipped through the orchard, sending gusts of wind surging through the trees. Branches, leaves, and apples tumbled out and to the ground, pouring into buckets and onto the floor. Rainbow cackled before executing another loop through the air, coming to land right next to Applejack. “Well? How’s that for efficiency?” Applejack swatted at Rainbow with her hat playfully. “Not bad, but it ain’t hard to improve on garbage, sugarcube.” Rainbow balked at that. “Garbage?!” Applejack laughed again, before bending down to pick up an apple and toss it into a nearby basket. “You’re an easy one to get, Rainbow.” Rainbow rolled her eyes, moving to help her with the fruit littering the ground. “So…” she began. “What were you arguing with your brother about?”  Applejack’s face fell again and she quickly dropped her gaze to the basket below. “It was nothin’ you gotta concern yourself with.”  “Are you sure?” Rainbow asked.  Applejack looked up to meet her eyes. She seemed to waver for a second, before she offered a faint smile and took a deep breath. “Yeah. I’m sure. Everythin’s gonna be fine, Rainbow. Trust me.” I do, thought Rainbow. Even if I don’t know why.