//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: Double Rainbow // by theworstwriter //------------------------------// Twilight Sparkle shoved her muzzle back into the book she had been reading. This was the third time she'd been interrupted for some ridiculous social activity she didn't have time for. There was studying to be done! Finding her place on the page, she began to read again before there was a very insistent and loud knocking at the door. Letting out a groan, Twilight got up once again and headed for the door. The moment the door was open, a figure wearing a cloak barged in and shut the door behind itself. Throwing off the cloak, Twilight was surprised to see... Rainbow Dash? "Twilight! Okay, I did what you told me to. No, not YOU you. YOU didn't tell me anything. I'm not the Dash from before. I'm the other Dash. Not that one. Wait... ARGHH. You're smart, you'll figure this out, and I don't have time to explain. Anyway I think the Applejack situation is under control. Now before I find some place to hide, I need to know. How many of me have you seen so far today?" Twilight's left eye twitched slightly. "Wait... you... the other Dash... carry the one... Wait, what's this about Applejack?" "So I haven't... Nevermind, it's not important for you. Yet. You'll get to that later. Right now I need to go hide before this gets any crazier, but first I need to know how many of me you've met today." "Three. There's the you from the present, the you from the future who told me she was from the future, and now the you right here. I'm assuming you're from slightly FURTHER into the future?" "Wait, only three?" "Is that a problem?" "I HATE time travel." --------------------------------------------------- Scootaloo lay down, breathing heavily. She'd just finished a very exciting adventure with her idol, and she was enjoying a well earned rest. Today had gone GREAT! She'd learned tons of great new tricks, she'd flown - it technically counted as flying, even if her wings didn't do anything - and she'd been assured that she was 'a pretty cool pony'. And she wasn't covered in tree sap or anything! Letting out a contented sigh, she watched the most awesome pony she knew fly off toward Sweet Apple Acres. Rainbow Dash landed next to her. "Aw, what's got you so tired? I came by to let you know it's time for something AWESOME!" Confused, but excited at the opportunity to hang out with Dash more, Scootaloo got up. She was about to ask a question about whether or not Dash had something important to take care of with Applejack, but decided it might be wiser not to look a gift horse in the mouth. --------------------------------------------------- Applejack sat at the kitchen table, idly chewing the same piece of apple pie that had been in her mouth for the last ten minutes, trying to sort out her feelings. She loved Rainbow Dash. That much was easy. She'd gotten angry at her earlier in the day. That was unpleasant, but simple. But then the beautiful mare came rocketing out of the sky for the second time that day and confessed that she felt the same way before kissing her. And then immediately flew away at top speed. It was almost like she'd been dared to do it. There was no way that was a real, honest confession of love. Nopony blurts it out, kisses you and runs. What did that mean? How did Dash really feel, and why had she done that? The orange earth pony was snapped back to reality at the sound of rapid knocking on the front door. She got up to open the door, and jumped back in surprise at the sight of Rainbow Dash standing there calmly like nothing had happened. "Rainbow you have some SERIOUS explainin' ta do!" Dash stepped back. "What? Oh! Are you still thinking about what happened earlier? Can you please just forget about how weird I was acting? And anything crazy I might've said? I really am sorry about all the trouble. I just came by to offer my help fixing the damage I caused to the farm." Dash was lying. That wasn't her only reason for stopping by. She wanted to see Applejack, even if they couldn't be together just yet. Applejack felt Dash's words twist in her heart. The confession was just crazy talk? She was SORRY for kissing her, and was hoping she'd have FORGOTTEN? She wanted to fix the damage to the earth pony's farm, but not her heart. A stream of tears started to flow freely from those honest green eyes, and the cyan pegasus gingerly put a hoof on the shoulder of the mare she loved. "AJ, I don't know what's wrong, but..." "Rainbow, please. Please, just leave me alone..."