//------------------------------//
// Chapter 33 - Broken Feather 
// Story: Quest For Harmony 
// by destinedjagold 
//------------------------------//

	After the rain had stopped, Applejack informed the ponies in the barn that the two of us will be heading to town to buy some stuff. I was going to ask why she didn't let them know our real destination, but her glare cut me off. I instead followed her towards town with a sigh. I am just thankful that the path we were taking is grassy, for at least it meant I'd get less mud on my hooves.

We reached the town, where the ponies are busy with pulling carts. The atmosphere somehow...changed. The smiles around town seemed to have lessen. Also, there are more armored pegasi ponies around town now. At first, I thought that the place is also starting to be the same like in Unicornia, but I saw a few pegasi ponies helping the earth ponies around, so I guess...no, but still... Hm...

Applejack and I went inside a wooden house, where inside were earth mares -- young adults and middle-aged ones -- were busy sewing some clothing, capes, blankets, and whatever else there was around. Applejack gestured with a hoof to follow her, and so I did, and we were now standing in front of an old-looking sewing machine, where a yellow-coated earth middle-aged mare was busy sewing a...bag. I think, in the show, the ponies call them 'saddlebags'. After asking if it was okay, Applejack took the bag and examined it. Satisfied, she smiled genuinely and nodded to the mare, stating that we'd take it. I arched an eyebrow and I was about to share my piece of mind, but Applejack cut me off by immediately putting the bag on my bag, and quickly taking my pouch bag from my hoof. Her actions irritated me, but I bit my lips instead. She gave the needed Bits for the trade, and we then headed out of the building.

I glared at the orange farm-pony, but it was useless, for Applejack brought a hoof on her chin as she stared at the black clouds; thinking. "Hm, ye got a bag now to put yer stuff in. Ah!" Her features brightened as an idea popped in her head. She stared back at me cheerfully, completely contrasting my glaring frown. "Yah need a flint t' start a fire! And a blanket, and a---" Whatever she was saying could no longer reach my ears for my attention suddenly shifted to a blue fur inside a dark alleyway across the street. Well, where the ponies walk through town is still called a street, right? Even though it's still earth and grass? Whatever.

"Applejack," I said suddenly, startling the mare a bit. I removed the bag on my back and gave it to her. "Could I ask you to buy the stuff we'll need?"

Applejack blinked. And she blinked again. "Uh, okay?" Came her doubtful reply. I nodded my thanks and put the bag on her back. "Where are yah goin'?" She asked as I walked away. "Hey! Ah'm asking ye a question!"

As I was nearing the alley, I was expecting Applejack to march towards me and stop me or whatever, but after nothing has been happening yet, I dared to look back, and I saw her just entering the building where we bought the bag. She must be going to buy a blanket. I shook my head slightly and took a breath, and sighed through my nostrils. I entered the alleyway, and sat on the ground beside the rainbow-maned pegasus, who immediately turned her gaze away from me.

"What do you want?" Came her cracking voice, followed by a sniffle. She then rubbed her nose with a hoof, but still not turning her head at me.

Hm... Why did I decide to approach her anyway? I have no clue. I suddenly remembered what Sp-Spike...had told me...while I was unconscious. What was it again? Applejack saw Rainbow Dash with a bunch of high-ranking pegasi stallions, and Dash said something about giving her another chance? I don't remember clearly, but whatever... "Something the matter, Dash?" I asked quietly, flashing her a smile, just in case she'll face me, but she didn't.

"N-no," she spoke, almost choking. "Nothing's wrong. Just... I wanna be alone for a while..." She sniffed.

"Dash, even the blind could see that you're not okay."

She immediately turned to face me with a tearful glare. "I told you: I'm fine! So buzz off!"

I took a breath to control myself, and sighed through my nostrils. I have a general idea of what's troubling her but, I don't want to jump to conclusions, and also, if my idea's wrong, then it'll be difficult to try and reach out to her. I flashed her a smile, but she quickly tore her gaze away from me. I was about to say something, but a loud rumbling growl of her stomach cut me off. "I'll get you somethin' to eat." I stood and winked at her with a smile as soon as she faced me.

"N-no don't..." and her stomach growled once again.

I frowned at her. "Dash, you need to eat," and as soon as the words left me, it was just then that I noticed her skinny condition. How long has she been here? No, she needs to eat first. "Stay put," I glared at her, "and don't move, don't run, don't fly. Just stay put!" She winced, and I took that as my cue to turn around and go to Applejack. Thankfully, there was a fruit stand near the building where we bought the bag. I asked for the prices of the fruits before going inside, where I found Applejack examining a thick orange blanket. "Applejack," I said as I reached her, and she turned around to face me with a confused look. "May I have Fifteen Bits please?"

She opened her mouth as she eyes narrowed, but no words came out. She shrugged instead as she put a rather large gold coin on my hoof. It was larger than the Bits that I've seen so far. "That's Twenty Bits," she said simply before returning her attention to the blanket. I nodded my thanks before heading out. I bought three pears and three apples. The stallion put it inside a brown paper bag before handing it to me. I handed him the supposed-to-be Twenty Bit coin. He simply took it and he was about to give me five smaller coins, but I instead asked to buy a watermelon.

I returned, and found Rainbow Dash, still there, her gaze not on me, but on the fruits that I laid in front of her. Her stomach grumbled, and her mouth hung open. "Go ahead," I offered. She gulped and slowly grabbed an apple. She took a hesitant bite, chewed slowly, looked away, and swallowed. I rolled my eyes with a small smile as I sat beside her, providing ourselves a respectable gap in between. I let her eat the fruits in silence.

She ate the pears and the apple, and she was now ready to eat the watermelon. I grabbed it with both my hooves and opened it by slightly smashing it on the ground. "You're weird," she suddenly said as I handed her a piece. She stared at the melon on her hoof in confusion. "That's now how to open a watermelon."

I shrugged as she faced me. "It worked, right?"

She frowned, then smiled, and chuckled. "T-thanks," and she began eating, and so did I. We ate in silence, until she suddenly broke it. "I failed," she whispered, sighed, and took a bite. "I let the unicorns win... I let me guard down... I let everypony down..." Her hooves fell on the ground, losing her grip on the melon she was eating as she sniffed.

"Rainbow..."

She grunted, and punched the ground with both front hooves. "I'm such a weakling!"

"Rainbow..."

She continued punching the ground, which was weird, for it somehow made me remember what I did to that pedestal-thing. I gently brought my hoof on her shoulder. She stopped, tensed up, and eased up as a frustrated sigh escaped her lips. "I'm nopony now..." She dropped on the ground, covering her eyes with both her hooves as she started to sob.

Damn... This is not the Rainbow Dash I know from the show. I gently rubbed her back with my hoof as she continued to sob. I sighed, and was startled a bit after I saw an orange hoof gently rubbing the pegasus' head. I looked at Applejack, who was giving me a soft smile. I smiled back.

It took a few minutes before Rainbow calmed down. She thanked Applejack and I, and sniffed. "What am I to do now...?" Rainbow whispered, dropping her gaze on he ground. "I really like to protect this town but..."

"They took you out of the job," I said, and I received the pegasus' nod. Rainbow Dash sighed. "Well, you can't protect the town if you're crying here, right?" I smiled, earning myself a teary glare from the pegasus. "Rainbow, why are you so affected?"

"I..." she glared, blinked, glare gone, blinked again, turned away, and sighed. "...don't know..."

"You're loyal," I said with a smile, earning myself a confused look from the pegasus. "You're very loyal, Rainbow." I smiled as I shook my head. "But I don't know why. Maybe you can help me with that?"

"Uh..." she stared at the ground, slowly playing with the melon seeds with her hoof. "B-because..." she slowly stared at Applejack, who was smiling. Rainbow smiled back. "B-because...because my sister lives here." I arched an eyebrow while Applejack nodded.

"Sisters 'till the end," Applejack said as she extends a hoof at the pegasus, and Rainbow returned the gesture. Huh, that's the first time I saw a brohoof here. I stared at my own hoof.

Rainbow smirked, "why the hay am I crying, anyway!?" She jumped up and dusted the dirt off of her. "Darn, now I need a bath."

"Gee, yah think?" Applejack smirked. Honestly, I don't understand these two mares. The first time I saw them together, Rainbow didn't care what would happen to Applejack inside the Everfree. I shook my head.

Rainbow chuckled, and hit my shoulder with her hoof. Huh, that was a strange gesture. I thought only us humans do that. Aw well. "Thanks," Rainbow nodded with a smile, "...err..."

"Gold Blitz," I said with a smile. "Just remember to always be loyal, Rainbow."

"Yeah, yeah," she said as she waved a hoof at me and extended her tired wings. "They did say that I could stay here," and with that, she flew away. Yeah, I'm going to have to ask Applejack a few things. As Applejack and I reached the edge of town towards Unicornia, Rainbow Dash flew and landed in front of us with a concerned look. "Where are you guys heading, anyway?"

I...gulped... "U-Unicornia?"

Rainbow's eyes grew wide, and her left wing was twitching slightly. "WHAT!?"