//------------------------------// // Chapter Two: Breakdown // Story: Shattered // by Shadow Wind //------------------------------// Chapter Two: Breakdown Rainbow Dash took a bite out of her apple that she had picked. She was sitting under an apple tree, watching the still open door of the barn. She could just see inside. The first floor was pretty much a large sitting area, on the other side of the barn was the storage area. The top floor was where the bedrooms and the kitchen were located. A smiled played on her lips as she remembered how Applejack had cared for her here when Rainbow was close to collapsing on her hooves. It seemed like yesterday, as well as when A.J returned her feelings to the cyan pegasus after she woke from death's embrace. The mare was stirred from her memories when she saw Applejack run out of the barn, followed by Big Mac and Applebloom. She jumped to her hooves when she saw the tears in A.J's eyes. She held back an annoyed scream, knowing it had to have been Granny Smith. When A.J finally stopped and pounded her hoof against the ground, and when she saw the earth pony's tears falling from her cheeks, she felt her heart being ripped in two. Dash walked to her marefriend, and draped her wing across the mares back. The farmpony recoiled at first but eventually leaned against the pegasus and buried her face into Dash's prismatic mane. Rainbow closed her eyes as she felt A.J's sobs rack her body. She then opened them to look at the other two members of the Apple Family, who watched a few yards a way. "What happened?" The large red stallion sighed. His expression was calm as always, but also held pity for her wrecked sister. "Lil' sis came into the kitchen where me, Granny, and Applebloom were sitting, and told us about ya'll being together." Big Mac started. "Ah knew Granny would be upset, but Ah figured she'd be confused at first, like she is most o' the time. But she jumped up onto her hooves and just started hollerin' at A.J, saying how mares belong with stallions, and stallions only." "And then she told Applejack that no granddaughter of hers will be a "fillyfooler". Whatever that means." came Applebloom's voice. Rainbow winced at that cursed term. "Then A.J finally snapped and claimed that she may no longer be part of the family then." Big Mac finished. Rainbow gaped at his words. She really said that? A.J has never blown up like that. She couldn't find herself believing it. She looked down at the orange earth pony, who had settled down a little bit. "Is this true, A.J?" Applejack looked up at her, her eyes bloodshot from crying. "Every word of it, sugar cube." A.J took a step from away from Dash, trying to compose herself. Big Macintosh looked at them. "Ya'll know my thoughts. Ah don't exactly agree wit' what ya' are doin'. But as long as my sister is happy, so am Ah." "Ah don't see what the big deal of it is, anyway." stated Applebloom. "Ah see no problem wit' it." The pegasus smiles at her words. "That's a good belief to have. But not everypony sees it like me and A.J do. When I was your age I was picked on." The filly's eyes grew large. "You were picked on? But your the coolest pony Ah know." "It was because of the belief that mares belong with stallions only." Everypony turned to A.J, for it was she who spoke. "Ah used to believe that, but Ah never hated nopony for it. But folks like Granny just don't know how ta accept it, and just pick on other ponies." Applebloom stared at the ground. "That's stupid. Why does that make 'em different than th' rest of us?" "Some ponies just can't accept what's different, sis." Applejack answered. The orange mare pushed her Stetson back in place on her head, Dash could see that the mare was only standing strong because of Applebloom. The farmpony had too much pride to break down in front of her sister, yet her eyes still displayed the pain she was in. "Anyhow, Ah reckon Ah can't stay here tonight after that." her chest deflated at her own words. "And Ah can't stay with Dash 'cause she live in the air, so Ah gotta find some place to hunker down in for th' night." "We could go to Twilight." Rainbow offered. When A.J looked doubtful she added, "You know how she is, she loves having other ponies over. She'll most likely welcome us with s'mores and ghost stories." she chuckled lightly, which seemed to cheer A.J up slightly. A small smile came to the earth mare's lips, which Dash returned. "Ah guess we could." --==-- The streets of Ponyville were slowly starting to clear up. Last minute consumers were going from shop to shop, some ponies were sitting at tables on dates, just enjoying the night. The town had recovered from the onslaught that it had endured, the craters in the streets were filled in and the buildings reconstructed. Though the town also seemed to be in a fog of depression. All around there was still the solemn faces of ponies that remembered the fallen of the Gryphon attack. Just outside of town was a cemetery dedicated to the dead ponies that fought or that had been caught in the crossfire of war, it was Ponyville's most toured area. The cyan pegasus mare sighed, remembering the battle. Next to her walked an orange earth pony that had just been turned away by a family member. She watched as Applejack leaned heavily on her once they were far from the farm. Rainbow smiled. They had never done anything to show they were together in public, they held back to keep it a secret from the Apple Family. But now the secret was out, and they no longer cared. Dash and A.J ignored the glances towards them as the pegasus draped her wing over A.J's back. The two walked in silence, but Dash could tell that A.J was not doing very good. Finally she forced them both to stop at Ponyville's best desert store: Sugar Cube Corner. "You look like you could use something to eat." the pegasus said at the questioning look from Applejack. She led the farmpony inside the brightly colored building, where Mr. Cake was waiting behind the counter. The brown-orange stallion smiled to them. "Hello Rainbow Dash. Hello Applejack. What can I get the two of ya?" Mr. Cake asked in his usual cheery voice. The stallion never seemed to be in a bad mood. Ever. "We'll take a slice of cake, Mr. Cake." Both ponies chuckled over that. "Hey, where' s Pinkie Pie? She usually comes bolting down here at the sound of our names." Mr. Cake chuckled again. "Oh, shes out with Fluttershy, looking for a playmate for her pet, Gummy. So, that's two slices of cake, what kind?" "Doesn't matter. ALL of your food is delicious." Rainbow replied, which seemed to please Mr. Cake. The tall, skinny stallion walked into the back room, returning moments later with two plates with a large slice of chocolate cake balanced on his head and nose. "Here ya are, two slices of cake." he said as he placed them on the counter. Rainbow paid the stallion and looked to Applejack, whom had been silent, and smiled. They took their cake slices and ate in silence, and after they were done they resumed their walk to Twilight's. After about ten minutes they finally reached the Books and Branches Library, where Twilight had made her home. The cyan mare opened the door and saw the purple unicorn slumped over her desk, looking at an almost literal mountain of notes and what looked like a hoof written book. Twilight looked over her shoulder and saw the couple. She gave a tired smile. " Hey Applejack, hey Dash. What brings you two here?" Rainbow quickly retold what had happened, and A.J simply looked to the floor, downtrodden. Twilight didn't stop them to ask questions, she merely sat and listened with concern written all over her face. Spike, her baby dragon, had walked in on the conversation, and his look was of rather confused anger. "That's so stupid." protested the purple and green dragon. "What difference does A.J liking mares make? She's still the hardest worker on that farm, and most dependable of ponies." Twilight looked to spike. "Granny Smith grew up in a time where there were strict rules to follow as a mare. Mares had a lot less rights than we do now, Spike. Back then, Stallions were the favorite, and mares... Well, were theirs. Granny Smith is not accustomed to this so she denied it." the unicorn explained. The orange farmpony looked up at them, and spoke quietly. "So ta' get to the point, Twi. Rainbow was gonna ask if Ah could stay here for th' night. Ah know you can't hold the cloud walking' spell all night, or Ah'd stay with RD." "I was gonna ask if we could stay the night." Rainbow said matter-of-factly."I'm not leaving you all by yourself tonight." She meant it too, and her words had elicited a small smile from the orange mare. "Both of you can stay." came Twilight with a yawn. "And I hope this all get's worked out. I'll leave you two alone." With that, she and Spike went up the stairs to her room. Dash and Applejack settled down on a couch. Applejack fell asleep almost instantly. The pegasus silently got up and went to a bookshelf, picking out the first book of her favorite series: Daring Do and the Sapphire Statue. She settled back down close to A.J, and opened the book she read multiple times. She read until she finally fell asleep.