The sun had long since set over the orchard by the time Applejack’s tour had finished. Rainbow stifled a yawn, nodding along as Applejack ranted on and on about some distant relative that lived in some place Rainbow had never heard of.
“See, the Apples are mighty proud of that crazy pony,” Applejack finished. “Even if he don’t want nothin’ to do with us anymore. But I reckon that’s just the way it is sometimes.”
“Crazy,” Rainbow replied idly.
“Very,” agreed Applejack. “Anyways, bet you’re plum tuckered out.”
Rainbow’s eyes lit up as she realized they were back at the farmhouse.
Big Macintosh was waiting on the porch. He regarded Applejack with a suspicious gaze, one that seemed to make her falter.
“W-why don’t you go on in, Rainbow?” Applejack offered.
Rainbow hesitated. Something felt off between the two siblings. She hadn’t sensed this much tension since Spitfire had stood up to Wind Rider years ago. But Applejack jerked her head towards the house and Rainbow reluctantly entered.
As soon as Rainbow shut the door she pressed her ear to it, but Big Mac spoke in low, grumbly tones so that Rainbow couldn’t hear him.
With a frustrated huff, Rainbow quickly perked up as she remembered something. Hurrying over to the kitchen, Rainbow gently pushed open the window, almost cackling in glee at her own genius as their conversation carried through the mesh.
“You daft or somethin’?” Big Mac was saying. “How many times do I have to say it to get it through that darned head of yours?”
“You don’t get it Mac,” Applejack answered. Rainbow’s ear twitched as she noticed the concern in her voice.
Big Macintosh muttered something under his breath, and Rainbow felt a rising anger building in her throat. How dare he be so mean to the pony who offered to help her? “Really now?” he asked. “What, pray tell, don’t I get?”
“She needed help, Mac,” Applejack muttered. “I saw it in her eyes. It was the same look I had myself all those years ago…”
Rainbow was surprised at that statement. What could Applejack have seen in her? What had she been through? Rainbow shook her head, realizing that she had zoned out.
“Don’t accuse me of not havin’ empathy,” Big Mac was saying.
Applejack groaned in frustration. “Then what was I supposed to do? The mare needed help.”
“And how are you gonna help her? How are you gonna pay her?”
Rainbow’s heart skipped a beat at that.
“I don’t know,” Applejack whispered. “I’ll figure somethin’ out.”
“Figure what out? Applejack, we’re months behind on payments. Strawberry can’t give us anymore leeway and without that market--”
“I know!” Rainbow recoiled at Applejack’s shout. “I know,” she said again. “But…”
Big Mac was quiet. “You gotta tell her,” he insisted finally. “If she needs help, it’s gonna have to be someone else. We can’t afford to pay, house and feed her.”
Rainbow fell onto her haunches. The world collapsed around her, her dreams of safety and the future dissolving.
She was a fool to trust Applejack.
A wave of red hot shame washed over her.
“Sugarcube?”
Rainbow didn’t turn around. She heard Applejack scuff her hoof against the wooden floor. “I… I’m sorry.”
“You should be,” Rainbow spat, whirling around to face her. “What the hay were you thinking? Why did you offer me a job if you can’t even pay me?”
Applejack flinched. “I-I’ll work somethin’ out, I promise! You just gotta stick with me.”
“Stick with you?” Rainbow growled, flicking her tail. “Why would I stick with someone who betrayed my trust?”
Applejack’s face fell but she reached a hoof towards Rainbow’s shoulder. “Look, you needed help. I saw it when we first met.”
At those words, Rainbow’s vision turned red, anger and frustration finally bleeding out. “Don’t pretend to know me,” Rainbow snapped, pulling her hoof away. She stormed for the door, huffing in bitterness.
She was a fool to think that she could trust anyone but herself.
She was a fool to think she could pull this off.
She was a fool for thinking that she belonged here.
Rainbow bit down hard on her lip as a twinge of sadness shot through her veins. With an adamant shake of her head, she forced it out, letting the anger flood back through her body. Applejack is just as much of a fool as I am, she thought.
As she entered the foyer, her trot slowed as she heard voices from the foyer.
“Nope,” Big Mac said, his voice barely above a growl. “I ain’t lettin’ you do this.”
“I’m afraid it wasn’t a question.”
Rainbow froze.
“Now then,” Wind Rider was saying. “Where is this fugitive you’re hiding?”