“BIG MAC!” The filly yelped as she felt something heavy falling on her back. The impact made her legs give up and she ended up on the floor. She turned her head around to see what fell from the apple tree and she noticed something rainbow-colored. She looked at her brother, who had a very surprised expression on his face. Applejack asked, “Brother… are these supposed to fall when applebucking?”
“Eenope,” was the only answer the big red stallion could give his sister.
“Aww…” she exclaimed, crestfallen, and with a pouty mouth she added, “it sure looked like Zap-apples to me…” She did her best to get up without causing any disturbance to whatever was on her back. She then looked at it.
“It looks like a filly… but with rainbow mane.” She then noticed the wings.
“Oh, y’all are a pegasus… N’ what were y’all doin’ on our orchards missy?” Seconds passed without response, which made Applejack become extremely worried. “Why… why ain’t she standin’ up?” She approached the fallen filly and noticed the wing was broken, luckily the fracture wasn’t exposed, but she could see it was a nasty one anyways.
She feared the worst, so she checked her chest.
“Thank the stars… She’s breathin’” she thought, relieved as she felt the stranger’s chest rise up and then lower at a slow but steady rate. Applejack rested her hoof on the light blue pegasus’s head, and felt something wet and warm. “What in..? Why’s mah hoof all crimson…Oh no…”
Rainbow Dash had a big wound on one of the sides of her head. Apparently, after she fell over Applejack, as the young farmpony’s legs gave out, she hit her head against the harsh and unforgiving ground.
“Oh mah stars, brother! She’s bleedin’! Go look fer sum water n’ mah first aid kit, n’ meet me on the clubhouse as soon as you can!” the emerald-eyed filly frantically yelled at her big brother, desperation shown in her eyes.
“Wouldn’t it be easier if Ah-”
“No! Y’all run faster on short distances, so get the things n’ come back. Ah’ll take her to the clubhouse, it’s closer than the house but Ah need y’all to get the kit...” Seconds went by and Big Mac was still glued to the ground. Applejack lowered her head to the filly, when she noticed his brother was not moving “What are y’all waitin’ fer? An invitation? RUN, Y’ALL FOOL!”
The red stallion jumped backwards and starting running towards the Apple Family residence. Applejack tried to analyze how to get the hurt filly to her clubhouse, she thought of different ways, but she ended up realizing the best one would be on her back. She was a pretty strong filly, and taking somepony on her back wasn’t the same as somepony falling from a tree and landing on her back.
“Now the problem here would be… how do Ah get her on mah back?” Instincts kicked in and she ducked, scooped the poor filly with her muzzle, and safely setting her over her back.
“Dang gal, y’all are heavier than those apple barrels Ah have to carry ‘round the farm. This ain’t gonna be easy… but Ah gotta do it.”
She then tried to walk. As soon as she lifted her hoof, she noticed the change of weight just got things more difficult. She would have to take this calmly and slowly and learn how to keep balance with added weight.
“Doesn’t matter, ain’t no obstacle that can stop me that easily. Ah’ll get there, jes wait n’ see. Ah won’t let y’all here.” “Ah don’t know if y’all can hear me Sugarcube, but hang on there, Ah’ll get you fixed real soon, jes wait n’ see.”
With that said, Applejack started walking towards her clubhouse. Pretty soon, she started getting used to the new weight and could even trot. This sped up the things quite a lot.
Some minutes later, she got to the clubhouse just in time for her to lay the rainbow-maned little pony on the bed and head outside, waiting for her brother to come back.
Seconds later, she could see a red blur heading her way.
“Big Mac! Y’all are finally here! Got everything?”
Her brother nodded, and signalized for her to grab the saddlebags he was carrying. As soon as AJ got them, the colt sighed, fell to the floor and started panting.
Applejack would have made fun of him being so tired of a little run, but she was very worried about somepony who was waiting for her in the bed upstairs, inside the clubhouse. That, and the fact she knew her brother wasn’t cut off for running, but was the strongest pony his age in all of Ponyville.
Inside the saddlebags she found a big recipient with water. She noticed only a half of the water was left, probably the rest fell while her brother was running. “Well... At least it’s enough... Ah hope.”. The other important item inside the saddlebags, was a wooden box with a little heart and a red cross on it. Applejack’s first aid kit. It was a gift from the town’s doctor to Granny Smith, Applejack’s grandmother, and she decided to give it to her as her birthday present, given the fact that Applejack always tended the farm animals and helped Big Mac whenever he got hurt.
She had all the essentials to treat any problem a pony could have, from a cold, or a stomach-ache, to big cuts, infections, and broken bones. She just hoped pegasus wings were similar to the other bird wings she had treated before, n’ that the hit on the little pegasus’s head wasn’t as nasty as it looked.
Something was driving her to help this filly, she couldn’t just leave her there, hurt in front of her. Applejack was not fond of helping others out, she always thought it was a waste of time. “Why would Ah help a pony Ah don’t know if it’s not gonna be productive fer me? Ah could spend that time doing something else far more interesting and rewarding” she used to thought.
After the days spent with Uncle and Aunt Orange, she realized nopony cared about what she liked, most of them just talked about themselves and looked over themselves, except for her family. So she would do the same, just care for herself and her family, and nopony else.
But not today. Today, she couldn’t just look away, she had to help this filly, Celestia would know why, but she refused to let anything harmful or bad happen to this unknown filly. She felt like a connection. Maybe... maybe the dreams she had all week weren’t about her bucking a Zap Apple, but of her finding this rainbow pony. The only thing she got to recall about her dreams where that it was her first apple-bucking day, and something rainbow-coloured would fall from the tree and then she would be happy, but everything was quite blurry.
“Maybe... maybe this means that Ah have to help’er, n’ then sumthing good will happen? It doesn’t matter, Ah’m not helping her ‘cause it’s gonna be good fer me later... Why ain’t Ah helping her jes ‘cause it’s gonna be good fer me later? That’s what Ah’m used to do... she ain’t kin”
Applejack’s mind was playing games with her, but she had a very important matter at hoof, so she decided to stop thinking and start healing.
“Ugh... what was that? My EVERYTHING hurts... my head is spinning, my right wing is killing me... but I feel comfy... where am I? What happened?”
Rainbow Dash groaned and winced, trying to open her eyes, only succeeding on open her eyelids a little bit, everything was blurry, and the only thing she could make out of it was a big orange and yellow blur in front of her.
“Orange and yellow blur... Orange and yellow blur? ORANGE AND YELLOW BLUR!” The cyan filly opened her eyes wide, surprised, then closed it as quick as she had opened them because of the unmerciful light that pierced her eyes.
“Gah!”
“Y’all alright, Sugarcube?” a sweet and caring unknown voice said.
“Huh?” Rainbow opened her eyes slowly and realized the voice came from the orange and yellow blur. The second thing she noticed was that the orange and yellow blur was actually an orange earth pony with a yellow mane. A very cute, little orange earth pony with a beautiful yellow mane that reflected the sunlight giving her a golden aura.
“You! You are the pony of my dreams!” Dash excitedly said.
“Wha-?” the orange pony replied dumbfounded.
“Am I...” Rainbow asked and gulped hard. “D-dead?”
The orange filly smiled and tried to cover a giggle and replied, “No Sugarcube, y’all ain’t dead. Ah was not letting y’all die on mah hooves.”
Rainbow Dash realized she was lying on a bed, tuckered up with a warm and cosy blanket, inside a little but comfortable room.
“Where am I? What happened? Who are you? Wh-” The rose eyed filly started asking like a gatling gun.
“Stop right there missy, Ah don’t know ‘bout y’all, but Ah yet have to learn how to answer four questions at the same time,” said Applejack giggling.
Rainbow blushed hard at the comment and couldn’t help but let out a little snicker. “Sorry, hehe, it’s just that... I can’t understand a thing, last thing I remember, I was eating a delicious red thing on top of a tree when it started shaking. I lost balance and fell over something.”
“Well... first things first. Y’all are at mah clubhouse, not many ponies are allowed inside, so feel fluttered. Second, y’all were on the tree Ah was buckin’, n’ y’all fell over me, breakin’ yer wing and hittin’ yer head on the impact,” Applejack started.
“Wait, what? What do you mean I broke my wi- GAH!” Rainbow Dash tried to extend her wings and felt a great pain on the right one.
“Y’all okay Sugarcube!?” the orange pony worriedly asked.
“Gah... yeah... I get it. Don’t move the right wing,” she said, wincing and swallowing hard.
“Well... as Ah was sayin’, y’all fell over me, n’ Ah brought y’all here to get y’all fixed. Oh, n’ ‘bout ‘who Ah am’.” She extended her hoof towards the little filly and said, “The name’s Applejack, of the Apple Family, pleased to meet y’all.”
“Pleased to meet you too Applejack,” replied Rainbow Dash, shaking hooves with her helper.
“N’ how Ah’m Ah supposed to call y’all? Do y’all have a name or…” She looked at the little filly’s mane and continued, “or do Ah jes call you Rainbow?” Applejack said snickering.
“Actually... it would be cool, ‘cause my name is Rainbow...” Dash replied grinning.
Applejack was speechless and she suddenly felt very embarrassed.
“Rainbow Dash from Cloudsdale, at your service. Fastest filly in all of Equestria and the only pony to ever perform a Sonic Rainboom,” the pegasus filly said, puffing out her chest as much as she could and giving her savoir a cocky and boastful smile.
“Well... Ah guess all that speed wasn’t very useful when fallin’ over me was it?”
And all of Rainbow Dash’s pride went spiralling to the ground at the remark, her smile dropped and a blush covered her cheeks.
“Ah’m jes kidding gal, there’s no way y’all could have predicted that... Though is funny to make y’all blush, Ah’ll do it more often.”
Suddenly Rainbow Dash’s stomach started to groan once again making her blush ever harder.
“It seems Ah won’t have to, yer stomach does it quite well,” said Applejack, chuckling at the situation.
Rainbow Dash couldn’t blush more, or she would burn, so she decided to chuckle to ease the embarrassment. “ ‘There’s no better cure than laughing at yourself’ or that’s what I’ve been told...”
“So Ah’ll take that y’all are feelin hungry, huh? Here, have a Sweet Apple Acres apple, best apples around, on the house.” The orange filly tossed one of those red fruits she was eating before the incident.
She started eating, feeling blessed with the most delicious thing she would ever taste. Seconds later, only the seeds were forgiven. Rainbow Dash’s hunger was unmerciful.
Silent minutes passed, and the ponies just stared at each other’s eyes. Rainbow Dash started feeling something building up inside her, she felt something tickle her stomach… it was rather good, but it was getting uncomfortable so she tried to create a diversion.
“How’s that fruit called?” asked the rainbow filly.
“Uhm… an apple?”
“Apple huh? Like your name!”
“Well yeah, we’re called the Apple family fer sumthin’. We buck them apples, n’ then sell’em to the pony folk.” Applejack beamed with pride, but soon, her expression changed, and dumbfounded asked, “Y’all… Y’all never had an apple before?”
“Well, no. The first I ever saw was the one I ate some hours ago in your orchard. And hey, they are amazingly awesome and tasty! Don’t worry, I’ll pay for the one I ate,” Rainbow Dash said waving her hoof.
“Y’all crazy lil’ missy? Ah won’t charge y’all fer that! Besides, y’all could have broken yer neck and split yer head in two!” Applejack said, getting closer to Dash’s side.
“That, was an accident, and I was trespassing, not to mention I fell over you… By the way, are you okay?”
“Eyup, this filly’s tougher than y’all think,” Applejack said puffing out her chest and gently tapping her chest with her right hoof.
The both laughed at the comment, but soon Applejack inquired, “So… y’all don’t get apples up there in Cloudsdale?”
“It’s not like we don’t have them, maybe we do, but pegasus are more accustomed to eat things that are drinkable, like soups, shakes, juices… since our race is used to live on the fast lane, we can’t stop to eat, so we drink something quick yet substantial. So maybe I’ve had it before, but never alone and raw. I never know what I’m eating ‘cause it’s all so mixed together you can’t tell, but this apple… it’s so cool!” The cyan pegasus was daydreaming about food once again, but soon she change her expression to an excited one. “But just wondering… are there any ways to make apples a beverage?”
“Well… There’s cider...”
“That sounds very good! I gotta try it some time… you make it?”
“Yeah, we do, but it’s not the season yet.” explained the orange filly.
“Then I will come here to try it when it is!”
“N’ Ah’ll be happy to offer y’all some.” replied Applejack smiling broadly.
----
“Yeah… that was quite a first impression, huh? Invade your territory, fall over you, having you tend me…”
“Now, Sugarcube, don’t be so hard on yerself, y’all know Ah’d do it again given the chance. Besides, we had a very nice time together didn’t we?”
“I guess you are right…” Rainbow Dash was taken aback by the memories and smiling, she chuckled, “Hehe.”
“What y’all thinkin’ ‘bout?”
“I was remembering that first awkward touch…”
“Oh yeah… that one.”
---
“Hey… Applejack, you said I almost broke my head, what happened?” She raised her hoof up to her forehead, trying to check for a wound.
“No, don’t!” Applejack lunged forward to prevent Rainbow from touching the wound, risking it to a re-opening, or an infection, since her hoof wasn’t sterilized.
Luckily, she could stop her. Unluckily, she found herself in one of the most awkward moments in her short yet not adventure-less life.
Her right hoof was pressing Dash’s left, against the wooden headboard of the bed and her left one was pressing Rainbow’s chest. Applejack’s emerald eyes were locked onto those deep rose orbs in front of her. Her muzzle was feeling comfortably warm thanks to the cyan filly’s breath.
Their muzzles were touching, their lips mere inches away… There was something special in the moment, because neither of two fillies wanted it to stop, but as usual, life had other plans and sadly, they involved this moment stopping.
This time life’s little helper was, ironically, the orange mare’s big brother, Big Macintosh.
“Uh… Sis?” the red stallion asked, after admiring the sight in front of him, which startled both fillies.
Applejack reacted, jumping backwards and the pegasus’s instincts in Rainbow kicked in, as she tried to take to the air, and assume an airborne flee stance. What she didn’t thought about in the moment, was that her right wing was useless.
This double manoeuvre ended up with the two fillies on the floor, in a very similar position as the one they had in bed, but with inversed roles. Once again, both fillies froze in place, until, once again the dark blonde maned colt talked.
“Uh… sister… Granny says that soup’s ready…won’t y’all come?”
Applejack, with her eyes still locked on Rainbow’s replied, “Uh… Ah think the lil’ gal here can’t move to the house yet…” She finally could look away, and continued, “Ah’ll go with y’all to get some food fer her n’ Ah’ll eat here…”
Rainbow Dash felt insulted, she hated when somepony said she couldn’t do something, because she was Rainbow Dash, she could do anything. She proved the impossible could become possible by performing the Sonic Rainboom. “Hey!” She stood up and made some steps. “I can wal-” All of a sudden, she felt a big pain in her forehead.
“GAH!”
“Told y’all…” Applejack deadpanned said.
“But why!? I hurt my head, what does walking have to do with anything.”
“First of all… It’s not just fer fun doctors say y’all should stay on bed when y’all get a big hit, second, y’all didn’t jes hit yer head n’ wing… y’all almost broke all over, if it wasn’t fer mah back. It’s no wonder y’all can’t walk normally.”
“I hate being stuck in a place…”
“Well, get used to it lil missy. Can y’all wait fer sum minutes ‘til Ah come back?” asked the freckled filly with a caring smile.
“O-okay…” Rainbow Dash replied blushing slightly and climbing inside the bed and tuckering herself with the covers.
As soon as the orange mare received a somehow positive response, Applejack walked out of the clubhouse following her older brother back to the Apple residence.
The minutes passed and Applejack was still away. Rainbow Dash was not meant to be still without somepony to talk to; this was awful and hurtfully boring.
“Oh Celestia, I’m so BORED!” She decided to stop staring directly at the opened door, hoping for the orange filly to come back, and actually take a look around the place she was partially being held against her will, not by the orange filly but by her right wing.
Though she had to admit, it wasn’t too bad to be tendered and to actually have somepony that cared for her sake... even if it was just because she was hurt by her partial fault. “‘Cause that is the only reason that orange filly is taking care of me... isn’t it?
What am I doing? Thinking too hard on a subject? I don’t do that! I’m Rainbow Dash”
She decided to start by noticing where she was resting. She was lying on a small but surprisingly comfortable wooden bed with an old yet incredibly soft and silky blanket and a comforter that screamed to be hugged.
“Oh Luna, even though is really hot outside, I just NEED to snuggle! This could only be better if I had somepony to snuggle with…”
Memories of her mother flooded her mind but she quickly shook those thoughts away, and concentrated once again, in the room she was currently occupying. The floor was made out of wood, as well as the walls, which were wooden too.
“But hey, at least the ceiling is not…”
Made out of wood.
“Well, well, well, won’t you take a look at that? It is,” she stated, deadpanned.
But the room wasn’t bare. Next to the bed, to Dash’s left, she could see a nightstand with a rustically framed photo of Applejack and her big brother standing next to a little, light blue crib.
“Maybe they have a baby sister or brother.”
Then, she noticed that the bed she was on was located in the corner, diagonally across from the front door, and directly in front of her vision field, there was a table with two chairs and what seemed to be a first aid kit, a very beautiful and detailed wooden first aids kit. She had to ask about it later.
Before she could examine the room any further, Applejack entered the room carrying a wooden tray with her teeth. Rainbow Dash couldn’t make what was on the tray because she was too focused on Applejack’s mane.
“It sure is a very cool mane… and it goes pretty nice with her totally awesome coat…” After thinking that, she shook her head and drove those thoughts away “What am I thinking? I’m Rainbow Dash, I don’t ever give compliments, I only receive them! What’s with this pony? She’s making me act so… un-Rainbow-like and somehow, I don’t feel like blaming her… I just can’t.”
Applejack placed the tray over the table and exclaimed, “Soup’s on everypony! Come here n’ grab a bite, RD.” Dash’s ears perked up at the name. “Y-Y’all don’t mind me callin’ y’all that way, do y’all?”
“It would be the first time somepony calls me that way… but it’s okay. I don’t have a problem with it.”
“Glad to hear that. Now come here, ‘cause Granny spent a lot of time with this one, n’ it looks really promising, y’all will love it as long as it ain’t cold so dig in.”
Rainbow Dash walked as she could toward the table, the delicious fragrance of homemade food was able to ease her pain of walking.
After enjoying a good meal, Dash could feel herself recovering some strength, but still it was difficult to walk. The two ponies remained silent the whole meal, concentrating on their food, now and then stealing glances of the other, and whenever their gazes met they just blushed, smiled and looked away.
By the time they had finished eating, the sun was already exactly above them, stating that the day was slowly but steadily starting to end.
---
“Oh yeah, I remember that meal… Hay your granma is an awesome cook!” Rainbow Dash said.
“Eyup! Best cook of all Apple family, not jes in Ponyville.”
“Well, I know a girl that could easily take that title,” Rainbow Dash said grinning.
“Now, now, weigh yer words, RD. Y’all know that’s mah Granny Smith y’all are talkin’ ‘bout. Who’s this gal y’all say?” Applejack asked, a hint of a challenge could be noticed in her voice.
“Well, just my favourite farmpony and the best mare I ever got the pleasure to meet…” Later, she added with a somehow bored tone, “Someponies call her ‘The Element of Honesty’ but that’s not her cool name,” she concluded with a sly grin.
Applejack was taken aback. “Rainbow is givin’ me a compliment? Rainbow IS givin’ ME a compliment!” She had to restrain her happiness and keep calm. First her family, then her pride, that was Applejack’s way. “N-now Ah’m mighty glad fer that compliment, n’ to know Ah’m yer favourite farmpony, n’… the other thing too… But it ain’t no way Ah’m better than mah Gran Gran”
“Hey, I’m not kidding, really, there’s no apple pie like the ones you make, not even Granny Smith’s. I swear, your pies just get better and better.”
“Well… that’s ‘cause y’all always eat mah special ‘Rainbow Only Apple Pie,’ so there’s no way y’all could not like it.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“Ah have different kinds of apple pies: the ‘Traditional Apple Family Apple Pie’, the ‘Competition Apple Family Apple Pie’, the ‘Applebloom, Go The Hay To Sleep Apple Pie’, n’ the ‘Rainbow Only Apple Pie.’” After looking at Dash’s expression, she explained, “The Traditional one is the one everypony knows n’ love. Since the judges at pie n’ sweets competitions eat a lot of sweet, they actually like to feel the essence more than the sweetness, so Ah put less sugar in the pies Ah do fer those.”
“What about the ‘Applebloom, Go The Hay To Sleep Apple Pie’? I gotta say I’m intrigued.”
“Having to tend to Applebloom like the mother she never got to have, Ah had to put’er to sleep sumtimes, n’ believe me, it’s hard. That’s when Ah discovered than changin’ a bit the recipe, n’ adding a pinch of this n’ a bit of that, she gets sleepy.” Applejack started chuckling. “Funny thing is that she’s the only one who gets like that, nopony else gets sleepy, why that happens? Beats me.”
“And what’s in the-”
“Rainbow Only? Well, that’s the most complex of mah Apple Pies, ‘cause it took years to better, n’ it’s still not perfect. Ever wonder why ‘they keep getting better and better’? It’s cause Ah listen to every word you say, n’ take mental notes of yer likings n’ stuff. Then Ah think of how to use’em without ruining the pie nor changin’ the Apple essence, n’ try them out. Luckily, ‘til now, y’all seem to have liked them all.”
“Wow... You... you really took all that time and effort, just to give me the perfect pie?”
“Uh... well, everything Ah can do to make y’all happy, Ah’ll try it out!”
“DAMN, DAMN, DAMN. RAINBOW DASH’S SELF-CONTROL REACHING CRITICAL LIMIT. I wanna kiss her so freaking bad! But you can’t kiss her just like that now, you have to straighten your thoughts and then try a good confession to win her heart. But I wanna- No, wait.” “That’s... very, very sweet of you.”
“Did Rainbow jes say ‘Sweet’?”
“Did I just say ‘Sweet’?”
“Oh, stop it Dashie, y’all are makin’ me blush.” “Yeah right, that’s totally the only reason y’all are blushin’. Oh shut yer...mah pie hole?”
“Well… that’s the idea, you look really cute when you blush… I MEAN… It’s my repayment for what you did to me that day we met.”
Applejack rolled her eyes and said, “Y’all still with the whole ‘makin y’all blush thing’?”
“Well, of course! Nopony makes The Dash blush and walks out unharmed!” The cyan pegasus said, puffing out her chest.
“N’ what are y’all gonna do ‘bout it? Kiss me again?”
The silence was strangely and painfully overwhelming. No noise could be heard. The smiles the two ponies once had were now replaced by fear and pinprick sized eyes.
“Ah didn’t say what Ah think Ah said… Please tell me Ah didn’t say it!”
“Uhh…” Rainbow Dash muttered
“DANG IT, Ah did!”
“Uhm, Ah’m sorry Rainbow, Ah was…”
“It’s okay AJ…” “This is my chance to pull limits, maybe if I take her close enough to the edge, she’ll get the hint. I’m Rainbow Dash after all! I’m made to push limits!” Her smile became a sly grin and she added “I was going to do it anyways.”
And thanks to Luna, Celestia and every star in the sky, the waiter came bringing their plates.
“Daisy Salad with Cucumber for the lady and… Carnation Gratine with apples on side for you, is that right?” asked the waiter.
The two other ponies could only nod in response, still unable to talk.
“Well then, I will leave you two alone, please let me know if you need anything. Enjoy your meal.”
Both mares took the chance to dig in and not to say a word until the awkwardness had died out.
Luckily the amazing taste of the plates threw them completely off guard as they forgot the whole chat they just had
“Oh mah stars, this is so buckin’ tasty!” exclaimed Applejack.
“Yeah, I hear you. This has to be the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”
“Ah gotta tell Octavia she’s doin’ an amazing job, n’ she really knows how to choose chefs.”
Slowly but steadily, the conversation became lighter and livelier.
“Yeah, Tavi is a very good organizer, and a great cellist too! I must admit I’m not a classic music lover, but hearing her playing is really nice,” said Rainbow Dash, taking her eyes aside from her friend since the dinner started to watch the cellist do her thing.
“Ah know. Ah gotta say Ah’d love to hear her make the same music with a fiddle; that would be glorious.”
“Fan of the fiddle huh country gal?”
“Y’all can bet Ah am, ever since the first time Ah heard one,” the orange mare proudly said.
“Yeah, it is a good instrument, though I prefer electronic music or hard rock…”
“Well, Ah can’t hear it at home or Granny will get crazy n’ yell at me, but Ah gotta say when Ah’m with you, and we hear yer collection, Ah don’t mind it at all.”
“Hah! I knew I would make a fan out of you one of these days.”
“Now hold yer horses, Ah jes said Ah don’t mind it, not that Ah love it.”
“I’m just kidding AJ… Talking about yelling, I don’t know about Granny Smith, but I remember the first time I yelled at you.”
---
The two fillies had finished eating, and the day was running out, but they still had plenty of time.
“This is mah chance, Ah’m gonna ask her sum questions to get to know’er better” “So… Rainbow Dash, nice cutie mark, what does it mean?”
Rainbow Dash didn’t knew what to say, it was a very rare condition, but like other times, the cure was to wing it and hope for the best.
“Well… As you can see there’s… Uh, a three-colored lightning… you know, because I’m fast and… Rainbow colored? Yeah, that’s totally why.”
“N’ what ‘bout the cloud?” the emerald-eyed earth pony asked.
“W-well I don’t really know, but when vacations end, I’ll start having weather control classes… Maybe I’m a natural?”
“Ah’m sure the ‘fastest filly in all of Equestria’ will clear dem skies in ten seconds flat.”
“Yeah… Yeah, of course I will!”
“Care to tell me how y’all got it?”
“NO!” Rainbow Dash snapped, but after watching her new-found friend’s face, she explained. “I’m sorry Applejack, it’s just that… I’ve been having this dream about how I got it every. single. Day, and I’m SICK of it. So please, never ask me about it again.”
---
“Oh! So that’s why Ah didn’t knew y’all were the one who brought us together… who made us who we are…”
“You know, I usually enjoy praise and being the centre of attention but, as much as I hate loosing, I hate to think ‘what could have been’…” Rainbow Dash took a sip of wine. “Probably alcohol effects don’t kick in this quick, and of course not at this quantity… but even if it’s psychological, I already feel more confident.”
The cyan pony inhaled deeply. “In fact, you know what? To hay with subtlety, I’m gonna start giving her more direct hints” “I’m just glad that you’re who you are, because without you, my life would be a million times worse, I can guarantee you that,” she exclaimed with half-closed lids.
“She didn’t said that, did she? Wait… why don’t Ah want her to say that, if that’s exactly what Ah want? Am Ah afraid of getting’ mah hopes up in vain? Am Ah afraid of it being just a friendly compliment which Ah’m takin’ as… deeper? Y’all know what? Let’s jes counter-attack” She changed her tone into the silky and a bit flirty voice she used when Dash picked her up. “Well Dashie… Mine as well, Sugarcube…” She noticed Dash’s hoof was over the table, so she rested hers over it. “Y’all really don’t know how much y’all mean to me…”
“I didn’t expect that, but I can’t get out of here flying, those words, that hoof over mine…” The blush painted on her cheeks were a proof of her surprise. “No Dash, keep yourself together, she may have just meant it like a friend or… or maybe something more! No, no, get a hold of yourself, let’s not get ourselves worked up for nothing… Maybe she doesn’t think about me that way because she never considered the possibility. If so, then I should keep on hitting on her. Anyways, knowing I’m that important in her life is a good sign.”
“Y’all know sumthin’ Ah always wander, n’ now that we’re remembering the past, Ah still don’t know why Ah was ‘the pony of yer dreams.’”
“Oh, that’s cause the recurrent dream I had, apart from involving me and the Sonic Rainboom thing, it showed an orange and yellow blur. I thought in that moment, that you were that blur.”
“Y’all know what? Ah had a dream about sumthin’ rainbow-ie fallin’ from a tree. Ah thought it was a zap-apple, but thinkin’ about it, Ah may have dreamt of y’all!”
“Ha! Looks like we were kinda meant to meet!”
“Well, y’all gave us the marks, maybe y’all did sumthin’ else by that too. That’s why y’all mean so much to me.”
“Well... you mean a lot to me, too! I mean, even if I’m ‘the one who gave us all our cutie marks’, you, more than anypony, know that you’re the reason I’m Miss Loyalty.”
“Nah, don’t y’all dare to say that, y’all always had it in y’all, Ah jes... help y’all polish it, if y’all want,” the orange mare said, waving her hoof.
“Now don’t be so excessively humble around me. I hate it when you, the most awesome pony I know, apart from me of course, deserve to be praised but reject it. When are you going to accept a compliment?”
“That’d be the day Ah really deserve it, Dashie,” said Applejack
“You know, I hate when Pinkie Pie calls me like that...”
“Oh, Ah’m sorry Sugarcube, Ah-”
“I didn’t say anything about you calling me that way...” Rainbow Dash said with a loving smile.
“Oh... Well thank y’all then, Dashie, Ah’m flattered.”
“Anyways, you do know why I said you made me Miss Loyalty, don’t you?”
“Ah must say Ah don’t have a clue.”
“Well… remember how that day ended?”
“Well… after the whole Cutie Mark chat we had, y’all asked ‘bout mah family n’ Ah told y’all ‘bout Big Mac, lil’ Applebloom, and Granny Smith.”
“Yeah, and then...?”
“Then Ah had to go back to the farm, ‘cause it was getting’ late n’ Ah still had chores to do. Oh… and then night fell…”
---
“Y’all are not goin’ out this late missy!”
“Ah’m sorry Granny Smith, but Ah ain’t gonna let that poor filly alone out there in the tree house!”
“N’ what can y’all do? She can’t walk, n’ it isn’t that bad there,” Granny Smith replied, trying to dissuade her granddaughter.
“Granny, there’s neither door nor windows, she’ll freeze to death!”
Big Macintosh was silent, trying not to take part, he thought what Applejack was trying to do, was noble, and right, but he knew best than to contradict his grandmother.
“Y’all go out that door missy, y’all won’t be able to enter here.”
Applejack turned around, walked to the door, open it, and looking over her shoulder. “So be it Granny,” she hissed and slammed the door behind her. The night was cold and the winds were moaning when Applejack walked out of the door, and she ran as fast as her filly legs took her. Being a fast runner like she was, she arrived to the clubhouse in no time.
“RD?”
“A-Applejack? W-What are you doing he-here?” Rainbow Dash asked, her voice cracking.
“Oh Sugarcube, y’all are freezin’!”
“I-Its just a bit chilly, n’ the comforter d-doesn’t keep you as w-warm as the clouds I’m used to, b-but I’m alright…”
“Oh, shut yer pie hole. C’mon, y’all are comin’ with me.”
“AJ, I l-love your kindness, b-but I can’t walk.”
“Y’all are comin’ with me one way or the other” She walked until she was next to the bed, positioned herself to be at the same height as the mattress, and said “Roll over n’ land on mah back, Ah’ll carry y’all home like Ah carried y’all here the first time.”
Rainbow Dash obliged because it was for the best, she WAS freezing but her pride took the best of her, and because she would be closer to her new friend. She hated being alone, and now that she finally found somepony who cared for her she was not going to let her go, she was not going to escape and leave them like she did with everypony she knew, she was going to be loyal to her to the end, no matter the consequences.
After safely landing on her back, she hugged Applejack’s neck and breathed in the sweet scent of apples.
“Apples…” she whispered, providing the two ponies with an enjoyable blush.
---
“So, that’s why I’m now the element of loyalty, thanks to you!”
“Well, y’all have nuthin’ to be humble ‘bout neither. Y’all are the reason Ah’m the most dependable of ponies, n’ the reason Ah have this baby…” she reached for her hat, but once again, she only found her mane. “Well, the one Ah usually have here.”
Rainbow giggled “So, I gave you your Stetson? I don’t remember that…”
“Well, y’all didn’t actually GAVE it to me…”
---
The orange filly, strengthened by a sense of upcoming danger, hastily trotted outside, and back to the house.
When she was mid-way there, a big storm started, pouring both ponies wet to the bone. The emerald eyed filly could feel the pegasus trembling on her back, trying to lighten the mood, she says
“Scared of a lil’ rain? What kinda pegasus are y’all?”
Rainbow Dash’s proud kicked in and she exclaimed “I usually have my wings to rely on when I’m in the middle of a storm, and what I’m really scared of, is being struck by a lightning, normally, in mid-air, a lightning will leave you a little dizzy, but now I’m here with you, connected to the floor. Believe me, you don’t want that happening.”
Applejack stopped walking and asked her friend “N’ y’all think a lightnin’ will struck nearby?”
A flash covered it all, making Applejack shut her eyes, and a loud boom pierced her ears. Adrenaline pumped through her veins like a roaring river and she ran faster than ever, Rainbow Dash not being a considerable burden anymore.
“Okay, Ah get it alright! Don’t worry Sugarcube, Ah won’t let anythin’ happen to y’all.”
Fear turned into determination and the filly started running at a speed she couldn’t even imagine before, her muscles were screaming in pain, but she kept going. Soon enough, she could recognize the outlines of her house.
“We’re here honey, don’t worry” she said over her shoulder. Despite the heavy rain, Dash was calm and happily hugging her neck with a smile on her face. When Applejack got to the door, she raised her right hoof, trying to keep balance with the other three, and tried to open the door just to find it locked. “HAY, she actually did it…”
“What happened? Who did what?”
“My Granny told me Ah’d be left outside if Ah left the house looking fer y’all”
“And you actually did it… for me?” Asked Rainbow Dash surprised.
“Told y’all Ah wouldn’t let nuthin’ happen to y’all, specially not letting y’all all injured and bed-ridden to freeze to death there.” She then lowered her head in defeat. “Guess Ah’m not cut out to plan things, now Ah have y’all here all wet n’ cold, without a mattress or a roof.”
“Hey Applejack, I’m better here with you than there all alone, so you kinda succeeded. Don’t beat yourself up.” The cyan pegasus was trying to lighten the mood of the brave filly who saved her and also cared for her without even knowing her more than a day.
“Thank y’all Sugarcube, but we can’t stay out here. C’mon, let’s check out the barn, at least is closed, warm n’ dry.”
Applejack walked to the barn next to the house and found the door barely opened and the lights on. When she entered, she was very surprised for what she saw. The mattress of her bed was laying on the floor, with two towels on top, a pillow and some comforters.
“Ah owe y’all big time Macintosh” The emerald eyed earth pony closed the door behind her, walked towards the bed and did her best to lay Rainbow Dash on bed without hurting her.
A soft *pomf=3* left the mattress under the new weight. “Wah! What are we gonna do on the bed?” Asked Rainbow Dash.
“Y’ALL, are going to try n’ get some sleep. AH am gonna try n’ dry y’all up.” Explained Applejack
“Hey, I can dry my-… You know what, you’ll probably do a better work, and be gentler than me anyways, so go on. But… where are YOU going to sleep?”
“Ah’ll take the hay next to the bed, y’all need the mattress, the pillow n’ the comforters much more than me.” She said, drying Rainbow Dash with the towels, carefully so she wouldn’t hurt her or touch her wounds.
“What? No! I won’t let you be all cold and uncomfortable after all you did for me!”
“Shh, sweetheart, y’all are not making the dryin easy moving this much, y’all know?”
“Hey, don’t you shush m-mphh!” A towel covered her mouth and muffled her rant.
Rainbow Dash fought against it, while Applejack laughed. The two fillies started a play-wrestling for a while, trying not to overdo it and hurt themselves. After some minutes they were too tired to continue, but their hearts were filled with careless joy.
“Ah… that was fun! We have to do it again some of these days”
“Ah hear y’all…” Applejack sat up straight and looked at her rainbow-maned friend sternly. “But now y’all need sum rest, so sleep missy.”
Rainbow Dash tried to use the old puppy eyes technique, but it was useless. She learnt that day that Applejack’s determination was stronger than her weaponized cuteness, from that day on she would practice until she was good enough to break her determination. “Rainbow Dash can be awesome, cool, amazing, but never cute… unless she needs to…”
After some seconds, she finally subsided and closed her eyes. Applejack walked to the hay and laid there, trying to find a comfortable position.
Minutes later Rainbow Dash was still awake.
“Hey Applejack… you asleep?”
Something ruffled in the hay “Guess not anymore Sugarcube…”
“Oops, sorry.”
“Don’t y’all worry… sumthin’ on yer mind honey?” asked, turning around to face Rainbow Dash and looked into her eyes
“Uh… you sure you’re okay there?”
“Not the first time Ah have to hit the hay literally Sugarcube, don’t worry.”
“Are you one hundred percent sure?” she asked coyly.
“Y’all tryin’ to get me to sleep there without asking directly, ain’t y’all?”
“Well, you did a lot for me, and you’re sleeping in a bale of hay… and the mattress is big enough for both…”
“Ah ain’t fallin in yer trap missy, get sum sleep” “C’mon! Go n’ lay there with her, y’all know y’all want to!”
“Please Applejack? I’m feeling a bit cold…” Rainbow Dash replied, trying to sound as needy as possible.
“Okay, okay, Ah’m coming.” She got up, shook the hay out of her mane, and rested on the mattress, next to Rainbow Dash. “Y’all weren’t actually feelin’ cold, were y’all?”
“If I say no, will you leave?”
Applejack giggled and shook her head.
“Well, lie or not, y’all succeeded to get me here. Now, wanna talk ‘bout sumthin? Or are y’all gonna sleep like a good gal now?”
“Why don’t we talk a bit more? Then I swear I’m going to sleep without complaining.”
“Okay then, tell me more ‘bout yerself.”
“Uh… What do you wanna know?” inquired the rose eyed filly.
“Dunno… tell me ‘bout yer life, how’s life fer a pegasus filly?”
“Well… I can’t complain, I mean, I had a nice but hard childhood you know, until now at least. I’ve never been bullied, except for the occasional challenge from these three dumbasses from flight campo, but since they always end up loosing I can’t count them as bullies.”
The two fillies shared a chuckle and then Applejack asked, once again “N’ what ‘bout the school?”
“Fine I guess? Thing is I don’t really pay attention to it, I learn and stuff, but I focus more on my flying than on my studies. How about you?”
“Well… Y’all see, mah Granny was an elementary teacher back when mah granddad was the one in charge of the farm, so she taught me all the basics Ah need to know like readin’, writin’, maths, etc.” she looked at the mattress they were laying on and said “N’ mah brother Big Mac, the one who got us this mattress, is really studious, n’ he also teaches me sum other things like biology, history. N’ physics, mah personal favourite n’ mah strong spot. Ah can’t give y’all any accurate numbers without takin’ mah time, but gimme a problem n’ Ah’ll give y’all a close enough result faster than a vermin runnin’ from a dog.”
“And why do you like physics so much? I have to learn it, you know is basic in flying, but I don’t like it that much.”
“ ‘Cause Ah’ve been studyin’ where n’ how strong to buck a tree, to make dem apples fall in dem baskets”
“And is it working?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Well actually, today was the first time Ah got to buck a tree n’ everything fell in its designated basket… everything but an unexpected pegasus filly with a very distinctive rainbow mane, maybe y’all know her.” She said with a sly smile.
“Yeah… I think I’ve heard about her.” Rainbow Dash answered with a blush.
“Sum may call her ‘headstrong, dumb, easily teased’-”
“Hey!”
“But Ah jes think she looks cute when she blushes.”
A blush covered Dash’s cheeks “DANG IT! I fell for it again. I swear you’re gonna pay some day Applejack, mark my words.”
“N’ what ‘bout the family?”
“I… I don’t have any sis nor bro, I’m an only filly. And… my mom and dad… they…” She sniffed back a few tears and started stuttering.
Applejack got closer and hold her tight, taking care not to touch any injured part. “They are in a better place now, aren’t they? Maybe they’re with mah Pa and Ma…”
Dash stopped the whimpering and looked at Applejack’s emerald eyes. “Y-you are also-”
“Ah know how y’all feel, yeah. But y’all don’t have to take the burden all alone. Ah have mah family to help me, but y’all don’t have brother nor sis, so Ah volunteer to be yer rock, n’ to lend you a shoulder to cry whenever you need it. What do y’all think?”
“I…” Rainbow Dash sniffed back her last tear and continued with a smile on her lips “I think that’s really cool… thanks.”
“Don’t mention it honey. Now, whadda y’all think if we go to sleep?”
“Okay… but please, don’t…” she hugged Applejack stronger, making her point understandable.
“Okay Sugarcube, Ah won’t let y’all go. Don’t y’all worry.”
The two fillies quickly succumbed to the grasp of sleep.
Rainbow Dash slowly opened her eyes and yawned, when she tried to stretch, she found her hooves around a certain orange pony’s body.
“Howdy Sugarcube, y’all finally woke up.” Two green orbs looked at her with genuine joy.
“Oh, hi AJ… Thanks for being here all night… were you awake for long?”
“Umm… Ah think half an hour or sumthin’.” She answered after giving it a thought.
“Oh… well, you could have woken me, if you wanted to get up.”
“Nah… if Ah get up, Ah gotta talk to mah Granny… N’ Ah wanted to delay it as much as Ah could.”
Rainbow Dash giggled and nuzzled her, pushing her gently out of the mattress. “Well, too much procrastination, now go and talk to her!”
Applejack was about to complain about the order-giving, but then she sighed and got up “Yeah, Ah guess y’all are right, now or later, it’s the same. Ah’ll be back Rainbow, wish me luck.”
Rainbow smiled and watched her walk out of the barn. Seconds later her smile disappeared and she groaned. “Gah! Now I’m fully awake, happy and full of energy to spend, but I can’t move! Also, I’m alone in here until she comes back… hey, look at that floating lint of dust, let’s see where it goes…”
Applejack walked to the house and knocked the door.
After some seconds it opened to reveal an old pale green mare in front of her.
“So… y’all did exactly what Ah told y’all NOT to do…”
“Eyup.” Applejack answered looking down.
“Even after Ah told y’all it would be dangerous, y’all went n’ save a gal y’all don’t even know.”
“Her name is Rainbow Dash, Granny.” She answered dryly, looking into her grandmother’s eyes this time.
“Y’all risked yer safety fer sumpony else’s well-bein’.”
“Eyup, Ah did, n’ Ah’d do it again.” Determination was impregnated in her words.
Granny Smith’s eyes softened and her frown turned into a loving smile.
“Jes like yer Pa, headstrong but golden-hearted. Guess y’all finally got to pass the test yer brother never could, now this is yers.” She turned around and took a brown Stetson, and rested it over her granddaughter’s mane. “It’s yers now, take care of it, y’all are carrying’ an Apple Family relic.”
Applejack was dumbfounded, her eyes drifting between her granny’s eyes and the hat. She considered for a moment to scream and shout of joy like a schoolfilly, but after thinking hard about it, she realized the best was to stand up, head up high and puff out her chest a little bit. “Ah’m gonna take care of it, don’t y’all worry. Ah’ll carry the Apple legacy n’ make y’all proud. Ah’ll live to be the most dependable of ponies n’ the most honest gal y’all will ever met.”
---
“So you made me Miss Loyalty, and I made you Applejack, the country gal that’ll always be there no matter what happens.”
“If y’all wanna put it that way…”
“Wow… I never thought about how much we did for the other you know? But there’s a question floating in my mind ever since you mentioned it some seconds ago…”
“N’ what’s that?” Applejack inquired.
“You said that your granny said you passed the test Big Mac couldn’t… that means that in another parallel universe there’s a Big Mac with a Stetson?”
Applejack started guffawing and said “N’ a hatless Applejack, what ‘bout that?”
“Well… she looks good.”
“N’ how do y’all… Oh right, Ah don’t have mah hat on.”
It was Dash’s turn to laugh now.
“Okay, okay, get a laugh, Ah’m jes so used to it, that Ah can’t realize Ah don’t have it… Say… We’ve finished eatin’… why don’t we jes pay n’ go take another walk on the park?” She beckoned to the waiter to come.
Rainbow Dash was about to reach for her pouch when she had an idea. “Heh, you don’t need money when you look like that, do you AJ?”
Applejack blushed, surprised by the sudden compliment, but decided to follow along and said “Well Sugarcube, thanks fer the compliment, but today Ah’m payin’ fer yer pretty flank”
“Oh really? Do you like it?” asked Rainbow looking at her friend.
“Can’t say Ah don’t enjoy watching it from behind…” Replied Applejack chuckling.
“Now, enough joking”
“ Who said Ah was jokin’?”
“Why are going to pay for me?” Rainbow Dash said sternly.
“Because Ah invited y’all, so Ah gotta pay, simple as that.”
“Well I’m not going to let you!”
“Y’all are.”
“Am not.”
“Eyup.”
“No!
“Eyup.”
“No!”
“Nope”
“Yes! Wait… No! How could I fall for such an old trick?”
“Anyways, Ah won’t let y’all pay. Y’all need dem bits.” Applejack stated sternly.
“What do you mean I need them?”
“Ah know what y’all wanna do with Scoots.”
“H-how did you…”
“Ah always hear to every word y’all say, n’ sumtimes y’all mutter sumthin’ ‘bout giving her a home with y’all, that’s why y’all have been savin’ fer a while, isn’t it?”
“Y-yes…” Rainbow Dash admitted.
“Then save it, Ah’ll pay fer this now, n’ Ah won’t take a no fer an answer. Also Ah want y’all to know Ah’ll lend y’all if y’all need it, though Ah think y’all prefer to earn it yerself, don’t y’all?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, then problem solved.”
After paying for the dinner, both mares got up from the table and walked towards the exit.
Before they got there, Applejack let out a snicker.
“What is it?”
“Ah’m jes rememberin’, talkin’ of Granny Smith freakin’ out, y’all recall that time we broke the barn door?”
“That day we raced?”
“Eyup.”
“How could I forget such an awesome day! It was some days after that night…”
---
“You have no excuse now, I want to test your speed, you always say you’te so good at running.”
“Rainbow, first of all, Ah never said that, Ah jes told y’all Ah like to run a lot, n’ Ah practice now n’ then. N’ second, y’all shouldn’t run yet, y’all jes recovered from yer wounds. Y’all still can’t fly, can y’all?”
“Yes, I can!”
“Then… may Ah ask why are y’all still here n’ not up there?” she said signalizing towards where Cloudsdale was.
“Well… I… uh… I”
“Y’all can’t fly yet, don’t y’all brag if y’all can’t.”
“Well, but I can still run! C’mon AJ, please? I need this.”
“Okay, okay. What do y’all wanna do?”
“We start here, at the barn door, and we end it here, at the barn door. Simple.”
“Okay… Ready.” Both ponies lowered themselves near the ground and flexed their legs.
“Set” Both ponies raised their flanks.
“GO!”
A red stallion watched two blurs followed by a dust cloud. He shrugged and went to close the barn door. “Applejack, when are y’all gonna learn not to let it open, vermins can come in.” He whispered as he walked.
The two runners where almost there, Applejack has been trying not to surpass Rainbow, she knew this was important for her, so she tried not to make her feel bad. When they were in front of the barn, they noticed it was closed.
“Whadda y’all say, we drift n’ change our finish line?”
“We go through it, it opens to the inside, doesn’t it?”
“Y’all crazy!?”
“Maybe…”
Applejack realized the pony was serious, and she would really hurt herself, so she sped up just in time to jump in front of Rainbow Dash, so she took the blow of both the barn door and Rainbow Dash.
The problem was that the barn door didn’t open like they thought it would. The door hinges broke and the whole door fell to the floor with a loud noise, startling everypony in the house.
“Gah!”
“Applejack, are you okay? I’m sorry! I’m really sorry! I’m so stupid.”
“I-its… It’s okay D-Dash.”
A loud and angry “AAAAAAPLEJACK!” was heard.
“Now it’s not okay, Granny’s gonna kill us.”
---
“Yeah, now I remember… I’m still sorry for it.”
“Forget ‘bout it Dash, it was fun, n’ y’all were safe. Now… about that walk at the park…”
“Later. First, I want to have a good time with you, and show you a place you probably don’t know.” Rainbow Dash took Applejack’s hoof and lead her to some stairs next to the stage were Octavia and the rest of the orchestra were playing. She could spot Lyra in the middle winking at her, and Rainbow winked back at her.
“Where are we goin’ Dashie?” Applejack asked.
“To Vinyl’s Cave.”