Rainbow Dash slowly came to. The light was so bright she had to cover her eyes. She grasped around, looking for her blanket to pull over her head, but to no avail. She could feel her heartbeat pounding in her head. She closed her eyes again, considering sleep a better option than getting water for her parched mouth. She groaned as she once again reached for a blanket that wasn't there, only to feel warm fur. Warm fur that wasn't hers.
Rainbow's eyes widened.
She managed to turn her head, and looked up at Applejack laying next to her, looking down at her. "Y'alright?" she asked, ready with some canteen water to give to her. Rainbow's eyes barely focused on the canteen, before Applejack went ahead and put the opening to her lips. Rainbow drank the water - she hardly had a choice - before managing a, "...what?"
"You got a little carried away last night," she said. "The guards kicked you out. I've been waitin' here for you to wake up."
"O...oh," she said, relieved for a moment. Then she felt horrible. Letting Applejack see her like that? Being so stupid to get so drunk on a trip that's supposed to be about her friend? Getting kicked out of the festival grounds? "I...think...I'm gunna...be sick."
"Yeah, Ah prepared for that, too," Applejack said, scooting a cooking pan she finagled from somewhere to give to her.
Rainbow Dash looked at the pan, then shoved it aside, and put her head back down. "I think I'm gunna sleep."
"Pro'bly better to just sleep it off," Applejack agreed, once again giving her water, but Rainbow Dash put her hoof to her mouth like it would make her throw up. She then laid her head down again, moaned softly, and eventually went back to sleep.
Applejack allowed her to sleep, staying by her side, stroking her mane every so often, and being attentive whenever she made a noise. Hours passed, and Rainbow Dash had slept most of the day away. By the time the sun was beginning to go down, and travelers were walking past them, Rainbow Dash was beginning to stir again. She opened up her bleary eyes, yawned, and looked over to Applejack again, surprised. "Geez, Applejack," she said, much more peppy than before. "Have you just been sitting there this entire time?"
"Got up and stretched mah legs a few times," Applejack said, looking down at the small blue pony. "Didn't wanna leave ya by yourself."
Rainbow searched Applejack's eyes for any sign of anger or disappointment. Instead, she saw sadness. "I'm so sorry," Rainbow Dash said. "I got so upset yesterday, and it...well, it wasn't really about you. I ruined your whole trip..."
"Shucks, Dash," Applejack said, waving a hoof to dismiss what the mare had said. "Ain't no big deal."
"But, it is.." she said. Her throat was parched, and Applejack offered her some more water. Rainbow Dash moaned as her body was still feeling very uneasy. "How could I be so self centered?"
"Ah feel like Ah should be sayin' the same thing," Applejack said.
Rainbow Dash shook her head, "'No, AJ, when I said that yesterday--"
"No, you were right, Dash," she said. "Ah didn't see it 'til last night. Ah couldn't see how much you were hurtin'. And Ah'm so sorry 'bout that. Ah had no idea," she said. She leaned her head in, touched her forehead to Rainbow's, startling the Pegasus. "Who'd you light the lantern for, Dash?"
Rainbow Dash was caught off guard. She did not expect that. She barely remembered anything after she arrived at the festival area. But now that Applejack mentioned it, the memories came flooding back to her. Holding the lantern in her hooves. Telling it everything she had wanted to say over the years, but had been afraid to. Shaking it with anger, telling it that she couldn't understand why she was never special enough.
"Applejack," Rainbow Dash said, pulling away. She looked into those big, sad, emerald eyes, and Rainbow knew she couldn't lie to them. She took a moment. "My mom died a few weeks ago," she said. "I...didn't even go to her funeral."
Applejack brought Rainbow Dash in for a hug, but the Pegasus pulled away, "No, it's okay!" she said. She looked to the side, shaking her head. "It's not like she would have noticed if I weren't there, anyways. Why would I have gone there anyways? Unless she left me an inheritance or something," She said, shrugging her shoulders, then shaking her head. "But I'm sure if she left a will, she would have forgotten to put me in it."
"Oh, now, Sugarcube."
"It's okay," Rainbow Dash said, still not looking to Applejack. "It's not like I miss her or anything." She looked like she wanted to say something, but thought better of it. "And apparently, my dad is so upset with me for not going to the funeral, he doesn't even want to talk to me. Hah, like that's even an excuse. What, am I supposed to be scared that our relationship will get worse?" She dug her hooves into the earth beneath her.
"Rainbow," Applejack said, nudging her with her muzzle. Rainbow looked back at the mare, who was giving her a look of concern. "Ah know you're mad at them, but ya can't pretend like you're not hurting. Ah can see it. You've been miserable." Applejack winced as a thought came through her head. "Ah've...Ah've been thinkin' it's cause of me, and all. Ah'm so sorry that Ah didn't see how badly you were hurtin'. Ah mean, Ah wanted to ask...ever since that day with...well, you know. And Ah was afraid to ask what they did to you this time."
"Oh," Rainbow Dash said, trying to sound nonchalant, "Just went off and died without telling me. Nothing new." She tried to smile, but Applejack was still watching her with concern. It had been a long time since she was so close to her for so long. "Please, don't look at me like that. Like I'm handling this wrong, or something. I don't tell you how to handle things!"
"You ARE handlin' it wrong, Dash! The way you looked last night? The way you were actin'? You can't keep doin' this to yourself because you can't talk about what's really botherin' you. Do you think Ah like having to pick you up and carry you around cause you can't do it yourself?"
Rainbow Dash looked away, shrugging. "Then you just should have left me where I was."
Applejack cupped Rainbow Dash's face in her two hooves and turned her face toward her. "Ah'd never do that. Ah don't care what's goin' on 'tween us or what we're fightin' over, Ah'm not just gunna leave ya like that."
"AJ..."
"Would you leave me like that?"
Rainbow Dash's ears went flat against her head. "Never."
Applejack stroked Rainbow Dash's disheveled mane, sending tingles down the Pegasus' spine. "Ah just wanna see you smile like you used to," she said.
"I smile," Rainbow Dash said defensively. She was locked in Applejack's grip, facing those big, green eyes. "Around you, I do."
The two stared at each other, not sure of what to say to the other. Applejack searched Rainbow Dash's face for an answer. "No, you don't," Applejack said. "Not like you used to."
Rainbow Dash looked away. She got up on shaky hooves. She was done talking. She just gave Applejack a shrug and began to walk away.
Applejack watched as Rainbow Dash sauntered away from her. She realized something at that moment. Rainbow Dash had been pulling away from her for a while, now. It was why she had felt so lonely. She had been pulling away long before she had kissed her. A while before that.
Thinking about it a moment, she didn't think it was because of her mom or her parents. She knew when she was upset over her parents, and that wasn't it. She couldn't pinpoint what it was that changed that caused them to drift apart. Maybe now that she knew what was wrong, she could figure everything out. But at that moment, Rainbow walking away from her was painful.
"Rainbow, wait," Applejack said, getting up on all fours.
Rainbow Dash winced, flicking the end of her tail. "Voice..."
"What?"
"Your voice...was really loud, just now."
"Oh," she said, trotting up to Rainbow Dash. "Sorry, you're probably still a little hung over." Rainbow Dash looked back to Applejack - blood shot eyes and matted mane. She looked sick, that was for sure. Rainbow stared back at her, making her lose her nerve. She looked too fragile to go through anything that Applejack had to say at that moment. Applejack was part of the problem- how could she hope to help the mare in front of her. They would always bicker and fight, disagree, but they always came back together in the end. OH, how she missed her, even with her being right in front of her. What could she say, now?
Applejack took a deep breath. "Drink plenty of water. Rest up. We got a long way to go, tonight. Alright?"
Rainbow Dash just snorted, turned and walked off.
Applejack sighed to herself, her emotions too turbulent to pin down. No, she could wait. Maybe keep Rainbow Dash from any more alcohol. Help her deal with the loss of her mother. Then she would try and talk things out with her.
-=-=-=-=-
Rainbow Dash had her items prepared to go. Applejack was finishing up getting supplies. Now, ready to leave, Rainbow Dash was receiving a few dirty looks from ponies leaving the festival grounds.
Rainbow Dash watched the ponies pass, frowning in return, when Applejack came back with her supplies. "Okay," Applejack said. "Ah got some things from the guards. They were none too happy 'bout givin' me anything, but after a little talk, they saw reason and got me some food, some blankets - the works. We're gunna have to -- what's wrong?"
"Maybe we should travel alone, tonight," Rainbow Dash said, still looking at the ponies glaring at her.
Applejack turned around, looking at the ponies, before taking a hoof and turning Rainbow Dash around. "Don't worry 'bout them, Rainbow. They're just upset."
"Was I really that bad?" she asked. Applejack struggled to find an answer. "I was. You always look that way when you're trying to hide the truth. What? What did I do that was so bad?"
"Maybe we should just get goin'."
"THAT bad?" Rainbow Dash asked, groaning.
"Don't worry 'bout what the other ponies are thinkin'," Applejack said.
"Oh, who cares what THEY think," Rainbow Dash said, making some ponies turn to look at her. "I care about what YOU think. I must have acted like a real jerk to make strangers look at me like that."
Applejack sighed, walking up to Rainbow Dash and putting a hoof on her shoulder. "Ah don't think that. Ah know you're not doin' well right now."
"Not doing well?" Rainbow Dash said, backing up from Applejack. "I'm doing fine! Okay," she said, putting her hooves up before Applejack started to protest. "So I drank a little bit too much last night. But, come on, who doesn't do that every once in a while. And yeah, those ponies may think stuff about me that isn't true, but I don't need you thinking I'm some wounded animal that Fluttershy has to take care of, okay? I'm doing fine!"
"Rainbow--"
"What I want," Rainbow Dash said, giving Applejack a look that she shouldn't think about continuing that train of thought, "Is to know that you don't think of me differently, AJ. I...I don't want you to think of me the way they think of me. That's what's important to me right now, okay?"
"Ah would never think of you like that, Dash," Applejack said without missing a beat. She was going to continue talking about how Dash was so sad and in mourning, but knew that was the last thing she wanted to hear right then. "It was just a weird night. It's over now, and we can keep goin'. Alright?"
Rainbow Dash searched Applejack for something - anger, disappointment, pity. Instead, she just saw how tired she looked. She sighed. "I still don't want to go with them. I can't stand being around anypony else right now. I just...can't we just spend this time together, alone, like we were supposed to?"
Applejack furrowed her brow, thinking about the land they had to pass in order to get to the next rest stop. "Ah don't know where we'd go, RD. It's mostly canyons. The only level path is where the other's are gunna go."
Rainbow Dash's ears perked up. "That's perfect! Come on, the two most athletic ponies in Ponyville? The other ponies wouldn't be there. Plus, we're so much faster than them!"
"We're pretty far behind," Applejack said, taking out her map and spreading it out on the ground. "If Ah'm right in how far we are..."
Rainbow Dash put her hoof on the map. "Seriously? I didn't know I came on this trip with Twilight. Did you write a to-do list, too? Is Spike hiding in your saddle bag?"
Applejack pulled the map from under Rainbow's hooves. "Ah'm serious, Rainbow. There ain't that much time left, and we got a long way to go."
"And I'm dying to just stretch my legs. Come on." She put her hoof on the map before Applejack could look at it again. "Where is your sense of adventure?"
Applejack sighed. She looked into the sky. The star was shining bright. "Alright, Rainbow. Let's go your way."
She expected Rainbow Dash celebrate in some way - cheering, punching her hoof in the air to celebrate. Instead, she just sighed with relief and said, "good."
-=-=-=-=
Applejack grumbled to herself. After only an hour of following Rainbow Dash into the canyon, she found herself teetering on rocks, heaving herself up hills and cliffs, and leaping over chasms while Rainbow Dash flew in the air, effortlessly navigating the canyon. Sure, Rainbow was finding the best ways for Applejack to navigate the canyon, but it also gave her the perfect excuse to fly away whenever Applejack tried to start a conversation with her. Or to ask her to slow down.
Sure, Rainbow was trying to find areas for Applejack to jump across or climb up, but she was overestimating the earth pony's ability and stamina. A point she could have brought up before she found herself hanging off a ledge over a break in the mountain trail.
Luckily, Rainbow Dash swooped down and pushed her from behind until she could scramble up to the safety of the trail. Applejack panted, frowning up at the Pegasus hovering above her. "Rainbow!"
"Sorry," she said, rubbing the back of her head. "Thought you could handle that."
Applejack fought her initial reaction to see Rainbow's comment as a challenge. She breathed in, breathed out, took a moment, then formulated her response carefully. "A half hour ago, that woulda been fine," she said, trying to keep her voice even. "Ah can't use mah wings when mah legs start to get tired, Rainbow."
"Okay," Rainbow said, talking with just as much caution as Applejack. "I'll try and find a better path."
"Wait, Rainbow!" Applejack said, but the mare flew off, not allowing her a chance.
Applejack shook her head.
Later, after they had found some more even ground, Applejack fought her weary muscles, trying to keep up with Rainbow's pace. Up hills, down hill, along cliff sides and rocky plateaus. Any time Applejack tried to call Rainbow back, she would insist on going forward and checking things out. After a while, Applejack was exhausted. And the night was creeping along slowly.
Again, Rainbow told Applejack she was going to scout ahead, and told her a path to follow. Applejack didn't get a chance to tell her how tired she was before Rainbow flew off. So Applejack continued on her trail, reaching another small chasm to jump.
Applejack stared at the chasm, panting, trying to catch her breath. It wasn't a long jump, and the fall was only a few feet, but she had doubts as to whether or not she could manage. She could already feel her muscles groaning at the idea of jumping it. Applejack crouched down low, eyed the chasm, took a moment, caught her breath, then jumped as far as she could.
"Oof!" She smacked into the cliff side. Her hooves tried to grip the dirt, but she slid off the edge before she could really react. With a small yelp of surprise, she fell five feet to the plateau below. It wasn't a long fall by any means, but she landed on her back, knocking the wind out of her.
As she lay there, trying to catch her breath, she considered her predicament. Staring up at the stars, trying to quell her panic that she couldn't get a full breath, the stray thought entered her mind that she had to nip this problem in the bud.
"Applejack!" Rainbow Dash landed down next to her, face splashed with concern. "Ohmigosh, are you okay? What happened?!"
Applejack knocked Rainbow Dash's hoof away when she tried to help her up. The Pegasus looked hurt, her ears back against her head as though she did something wrong.
Applejack managed to breath somewhat normally before groaning and hoisting herself up onto her hooves. "Rainbow," she said, panting. "What are you doin'? This....this is s'posed to be walked. No flyin'! Ah...Ah can't fly over obstacles like you! My muscles are too tired."
Rainbow Dash lowered her head. "I'm sorry."
"You're stayin' on the ground," Applejack ordered.
"Excuse me?"
"The rest of this trip. You're stayin' on the ground!"
"You're...grounding me?" Rainbow Dash glared at Applejack.
"Ah'm sorry, Rainbow," Applejack said, trying to stretch her back after her fall. "But ain't no point in travelin' together if you're gunna fly away from me every time somethin's botherin' you!"
"Look, I already apologized for yesterday," Rainbow said, stamping her hoof and raising her voice. "And I'm not bothered by anything right now, so I'm not flying away from you! I'm just trying to get you through this canyon in one piece!"
Applejack groaned in annoyance. "Ah don't wanna fight!" she pleaded. She took a moment to catch her breath, calm herself down. "Ah don't wanna be yellin' at you, alright? Ah get why you wanted to come this way. But Ah said Ah'd do it 'cause Ah wanted to spend time with you. Not for you to fly away every two seconds."
Rainbow Dash looked at Applejack with suspicion. Then, slowly, her anger deflated. She seemed to be fighting an inner dialogue, until reason won out. Looking at the ground, she drew a circle in the dirt. "I'm sorry I made you fall."
Applejack sighed. Crisis averted. "S'alright, Sugarcube. Just..help me offa this cliff?"
Rainbow Dash lifted Applejack out of the chasm and onto the plateau. "So..." Rainbow Dash said, watching Applejack sit down and put a hoof on her back. "Are you okay?"
"Just hurts a bit," Applejack said. "Ah've been needin' a break for a while."
"Oh," Rainbow Dash said, sitting down. "Why didn't you tell me?" Applejack gave her a look. "Oh...right." Her ears went flat on her head.
Applejack looked at Rainbow Dash, before smiling gently. "Did Ah make you all tingly, earlier?"
Rainbow Dash's eyes widened. "What?" she squeaked.
"When Ah called ya 'Sugarcube'." Rainbow Dash's mouth hung open. Applejack chuckled lightly. She couldn't remember a time she managed to make Rainbow look like that. "You told me ya liked it when Ah called ya, 'Sugarcube'. Yesterday."
Rainbow Dash turned bright red, putting her hoof to her face. What a time to want to run - right after she promised she wouldn't. "Oh, noooooo," she moaned. "What else did I say?"
"Nothin' that made sense," Applejack said. "It was right after you were tryin' to feed me."
"I-I-I-WHAT?" Rainbow Dash stood on all fours, turning even redder, if that was possible.
"Some grapes or somethin'. Then you tried to--"
"Pour cider down your throat," Rainbow Dash finished, face hoofing. "Oh, gosh, I remember now. I'm. An. Idiot."
Applejack chuckled. "T'weren't nothin', Sugar. Ah was flattered."
Rainbow Dash glared at Applejack. "Stop that."
"'What?"
"Saying 'Sugarcube'."
"Ah said 'sugar'!"
"Close enough."
Applejack smiled. "That'd be like tellin' an apple when to fall off a tree. Ain't gunna happen." She got a devious grin on her face. She could now wield the word like a weapon, if she wanted to. She probably wouldn't, but just seeing the look on Rainbow's face as she recognized her train of thought was worth it.
"You're cruel."
"Oh, that ain't a nice thing to say," Applejack said, getting up and walking past Rainbow Dash. She leaned in close. "Sugarcube."
Rainbow Dash's back tingled, and she struggled to keep her feathers in place. Then she frowned as Applejack chuckled.
-=-=-=-=-
They kept their talk pretty gentle as they walked along. Applejack was still sore from falling and trying to keep up with Rainbow, she didn't feel like having any long talks. Trying to follow the star took them on the oddest routes. Rainbow Dash was only allowed to fly up if she stayed near Applejack. She would look for the best route, they would follow, rinse and repeat. At times, they could see the valley below, and the sparse crowd of ponies walking towards the star. Other times, they were surrounded by earth.
"Hey!" Rainbow Dash said, smiling as she read a sign. "Natural hot spring. No diving. Approach with caution." She frowned. "Approach with caution? Why would I have to approach with caution?" She squinted at the sign. "Looks like the last part was written by a different pony."
"Maybe it ain't for soakin'," Applejack said.
"Then why don't they just say, 'Do not enter' instead of 'no diving'?"
"Maybe it gets too hot at times?"
Rainbow Dash bounded forward until she came across the hot spring. She stuck her hoof out over the water. "Hmm, so far, so good." She stuck her hoof into it.
"Careful!" Applejack said, pulling the mare back. "Dash, don't go stickin' your hoof in things! 'Specially when it says, 'Approach with caution'!"
"Calm down," Rainbow Dash said. "It's nice and warm!" She looked around. "And I don't see any reason to be nervous." She leaned over the edge, looking down into the water. "No monsters inside." She flapped her wings, then slowly dipped herself into the water. Applejack cringed, expecting the worst. But instead, Rainbow Dash went limp, letting out a satisfied moan. "Oh, yeah. This is nice."
Applejack stood at the edge of the small pool. She looked up to the star. "Relax, Applejack! We can still make good time. Besides, aren't your muscles sore? And seriously, I highly doubt we'll find another warm source of water on this trip. Might be our only nice bath."
"True..." Applejack delicately put a hoof in the water. "It does feel nice..."
Rainbow Dash grabbed her hoof. "Just get in here!" She pulled Applejack's hoof, and the pony splashed into the water. Applejack breached the water's surface and turned, angry.
"Rainbow!"
Rainbow Dash giggled a little. "I wouldn't have pulled you in if I thought it would hurt you. Now, come on. Relax!"
Applejack sat opposite Rainbow Dash, glaring at her. "D'ya want me to get your beauty shampoo?"
"Wing conditioner. And no thank you." She stuck her tongue out at Applejack.
Applejack had to admit, the water was very relaxing. She could feel her sore muscles start to relax. She let out a sigh. She took the ribbons out of her mane and tail, and started to run water through. Her mane had really collected a lot of dust and debris. Even soot from the fire the night before. She closed her eyes, trying not to remember that. When she opened her eyes again, she saw Rainbow Dash staring at her.
The Pegasus instantly looked away.
Applejack blushed, running her hooves through her mane. "It gets knotted and looks like a frayed lasso if I let it down."
"I can see that," Rainbow Dash said, trying to focus on her own mane.
Applejack looked over to Rainbow. They were quiet for a while. She regarded Rainbow - deep in thought, emotions flickering on her face.
"Rainbow, why won't you talk about your mom?"
Rainbow looked up at the abrupt question. Then she focused on cleaning her wings. "Why should I bother?"
"Ah'm here for mah parents. Ah've talked to you about them."
"Yeah, but you're parents were worth talking about." She shrugged. "What am I supposed to say?"
"Anything," Applejack said. "Ain't nothing you're supposed to say. Just say what you want."
Rainbow Dash sighed, forgetting her wings and looking to the side. "I have nothing to say about her." She was silent. Applejack wondered if she should press the issue. But she didn't need to. "I mean, what, I spent my whole life trying to get her attention. It's probably the most pathetic thing I've ever done." More silence. Then with a harsher voice. "It's so stupid, if it bothered me. I mean, come on, what does it matter?" She put her hooves back in the water so fast, water splashed up around her. "I'm so done with them, anyways. I didn't have a choice with my mom, sure, but I don't need to prove anything to my dad."
She turned to Applejack, in full rant mode, pointing a hoof at her. "He thinks she deserved more? For, what? Me to attend her funeral? Yeah. Great. He only wanted me there to keep up appearances that we were one big, happy family. Plus, I mean, after everything you, me, and the others have done? He can show me off. Not that he would ever say he was proud of me. I'm not important enough, anyways." She went back to cleaning her wings, though she was treating them rougher than she should have been.
"And your mom?"
Rainbow rolled her eyes. "She deserved more, remember?" She scoffed. "Years of trying to be the best daughter in her eyes wasn't enough, no. I mean, what? I was there for her for years, how about a little loyalty in return?" Rainbow said, splashing the water. "She never gave me the chance! A chance to...I don't know - tell her how I feel? Listen to me! I don't even know what I want. But I'll never get a chance to find out, because she just took it away from me. Not that I even knew what I wanted anymore, but--" She shook her hooves like she was trying to grasp onto the right words, but they kept slipping away. "She never gave me the chance! That's it! That's the whole thing. She's dead now, so I mean, what does it matter that I never got a chance. It didn't bother me so much before. It's just going to be something unfinished. I mean, it's just..." She pounded her hooves in the water.
"Ah understand."
"No, you don't!" She splashed water towards Applejack, glaring at her. "Your family loves you! Your parents have been dead for years, and you still want to go on a trip like this to honor them! That's what love is! I don't even know what I'm doing here. I mean...well, I came for you, yeah." Her eyes were wide as though she got caught in a lie.
Applejack was quiet for a moment. She was sure Rainbow Dash had come along for her and only her. What an ego she had... Taking a moment to recover, she scooted closer to Rainbow Dash. "You're here because you didn't get to finish whatever it was goin' on between you and your mom."
"No," Rainbow Dash said, turning her head. "I really did come for you." She was quiet, lost in thought. Finally, turned to Applejack. "AJ, you're the first pony who ever saw me. I wasn't going to let you come on this trip alone."
"Saw you?" Applejack said. "You had friends, Dash, Ah know you did."
"Well, Fluttershy," Rainbow Dash said. "But, I mean, I was more like somepony who would help her, take care of her. And I love Fluttershy. She's like the sister I never had. But even now, she still doesn't...get me." She frowned at that thought. "Everypony else either ignored me, thought I was a nuisance, or made fun of me. You were the first pony who saw me like a regular pony. And it was weird and it was awesome, and yeah we fight alot, but...I mean...I think it's cause you know me. Right?"
Applejack smiled. "Right. Shucks, Sugarcube, Ah didn't know you felt that way."
Rainbow Dash blushed. But she continued. "And I thought, maybe you felt the same way?"
Applejack opened her mouth to say something, then thought better of it. She had initially wanted to say she felt like Rainbow Dash was part of the family. And she did. But ponies didn't have feelings like she did for relatives, so that didn't seem appropriate. They were more than friends. But Applejack wouldn't dare try to define it. "Ah really don't know how to describe what we got, RD. But Ah just know it's a good thing."
The two went quiet. Both looked around for something else to focus on. After a while of quiet, Rainbow Dash frowned. "Is this water getting warmer?"
Applejack looked at her. "Oh, great. Is this why they said to use caution?"
Then they heard a low growling sound. Both looked to the direction of the growling. A pair of dragon eyes was staring at them behind a rock face, using it's dragon's breath to heat the rock face surrounding the hot spring.
Rainbow Dash yelled, "RUN!" and the two leaped out of the hot spring. Applejack's hooves made a sizzling sound as the water on her hooves hit the hot ground. The dragon roared and lunged out at them.
The two ran as fast as they could, but the dragon didn't pursue them. After Rainbow Dash looked back, she confirmed, "He's gone!"
They stopped, collapsed against each other, and caught their breath.
"A pony must have put that 'caution' sign there as a warnin'," Applejack said.
"Uh, 'beware of dragon' would have been more helpful!" Rainbow Dash yelled. "What, was he trying to EAT us? I've never heard of a dragon trying to eat a pony before. Except when Fluttershy said it that one time we had to go face that dragon. But I thought she was just being, you know...Fluttershy!" Then Rainbow started laughing.
"Rainbow!" Applejack said. "Why are you laughing?"
"The dragon just lured us into a hot spring to make hot soup out of us!"
"Why is that funny?!" Applejack asked, her heart still racing.
"Because!" was all Rainbow Dash managed to say before dissolving into laughter, kicking her legs in the air.
Applejack shook her head, and couldn't help but laugh a little. Applejack stood up and shook herself off. Then she gasped. "Oh, no!"
Rainbow stopped laughing long enough to ask, "what?"
"Ah forgot mah ribbons," she said, feeling her loose mane.
"Aw, leave them. You look beautiful with your mane down."
"And mah hat!"
"Oh....that's not good."
"And our bags!"
Rainbow Dash frowned. "Okay. Not funny anymore."
-=-=-=-=-=-=
Rainbow Dash and Applejack crouched low on a rock face, looking down at the hot spring. The dragon was laying down, curled around the hot spring and their bags. It was even wearing Applejack's hat.
Applejack wiggled her rear like a cat about to pounce. "When Ah get mah hooves on that dragon...."
Rainbow Dash put a wing around her to push her down onto the rock face again. "Calm down. He was clever. Why waste energy running when we'd probably be back for our things? He's probably done this before."
"Ya think?" Applejack asked, staring daggers at Rainbow Dash.
"Whoa. Calm down, AJ."
"He's wearin' mah papa's hat!"
"Okay, yeah, that's a douchy move," Rainbow admitted.
"Alright, we gotta hit him hard and fast. Ah'll hit him with these rocks to distract him. When Ah get his attention, you swoop down and grab our stuff. Don't forget mah hat! Ooh, Ah'll knock him in the eye for that one. Teach him a good lesson."
"Right..." Rainbow Dash said, raising an eyebrow to Applejack. "While I like a good knock down, drag out fight like the next pony, I've been across more dragons than you." She booped Applejack on the nose to get the mares attention on her rather than glaring at the dragon. "We can't take him. Maybe we should...oh, I don't know...be stealthy?"
"You're suggestin' stealth? You?"
"Even with Twilight with me, we barely got away from a bunch of teenage dragons last time," Rainbow Dash said. "We're both tired. I'm just trying to be smart. Don't be so surprised," she finished with a deadpan tone.
Applejack gave a sheepish smile. "Maybe that would be better."
"Don't worry. We'll get your hat back in one piece." She patted Applejack on the head.
After going over a quick plan, the two separated and made their way to their spots - Applejack behind the dragon, Rainbow Dash in the bushes that surrounded the spring. Rainbow began to rustle the bushes, grabbing the attention of the dragon. The dragon groaned low as it got up and started towards the shrubbery. Rainbow Dash flew to the next bush, a little farther back, and the dragon went to investigate farther.
Applejack came out of her hiding place to grab her items only to discover that they weren't there. The dragon had slipped it's tail through the straps of the bag and was carrying it with him as he went to investigate.
The earth pony glared at the dragon before grabbing her ribbons in her mouth. Then she follow closely to the dragon as Rainbow Dash shot to another bush, rattling that one as well. The dragon's tail slowly swung to one side, then to the other. Applejack watched the bags swing like somepony being hypnotized, reaching her hoof out to try and grab it as it passed by.
As the dragon got closer to the bushes, Rainbow Dash found herself without any farther to go back. The rock face that surrounded the hot spring was now keeping her pinned in a corner. Her only escape was up, but she hadn't heard Applejack give the signal yet.
The dragon huffed. The Pegasus crouched low to the ground, as the dragon craned it's neck, sniffing the foliage for whatever was making the noise.
Applejack saw the dragon's tail go still as it became intrigued by whatever it had found. Knowing she had only a few moments before Rainbow Dash was in trouble, Applejack grabbed the bags and pulled.
The bags didn't move. They were stuck on one of the dragon's spikes.
The dragon, however, did move.
He turned his head, looking straight at Applejack, eyes focusing on the orange pony before him. Applejack wanted to focus her anger on the dragon for having tricked her and Rainbow, having stolen their items, having stolen their hat, and potentially trying to eat them. But when she saw the toothy grin from the dragon, she went instead to panic.
Rainbow Dash instantly flew out of her hiding place, snatched the hat from the dragon's head, and kicked him on the forehead, before flying down and grabbing Applejack. She pulled the mare, but was met with resistance.
The dragon roared as the two mares yanked one of the spikes on his tail. Rainbow Dash tugged again. "Come on, Applejack!"
"The bags are caught!"
"Leave them!"
Applejack let go of the saddle bags, and the two ponies went spiraling back to either side of the hot spring.
The dragon was not happy with his tail having been abruptly pulled. He reared up, and in a low voice, said, "That. Hurt."
"Bite me!" Rainbow Dash said.
"No, don't!" Applejack yelled as the dragon lashed out at the Pegasus. Applejack jumped up, grabbed a nearby rock, turned around, and bucked it straight into the dragon's eye. The dragon grasped it's eye, roaring in pain.
Rainbow raced to Applejack's side. "Go, go, go!" She yelled, and the two ran the way they had run before. This time, they kept running for a long time, making sure the angry dragon wasn't going to chance after them. After they heard roaring in the far distance, they knew they could stop.
Stopping, they again collapsed against each other. Rainbow Dash still had Applejack's hat on in her hooves. She looked at it for a moment, before placing it on Applejack's head. "Maybe we should just...stick with the group next time."
Applejack nodded. "Goin' off on our own...not a good idea."
-=-=-=-=-
Once they found their way down from the mountain trail to the valley, it wasn't long to get to the festival. It was late at night. Tired and wary, the two stood outside the festival grounds. They were both hungry, having lost their snacks in their saddle bags, and both really wanted to rest after navigating the canyon side. Yet, they were both reluctant to enter. After what happened the night before, neither of them wanted to make the first move.
The festival grounds were in a valley, surrounded on two sides by the canyon walls. On the top of the rock faces were Pegasi, looking down at the festival, some low lying clouds that were not yet being occupied floating above. The atmosphere poured out of the entrance and surrounded them - docile, gentle, happy, yet somber.
Music filled the air as the band playing music changed the song from a somber tune to a hauntingly beautiful song.
Rainbow Dash looked to Applejack, then looked away. Applejack glanced over to the direction of the pony beside her, then back.
Rainbow Dash cleared her throat and shuffled her feet. She looked down to the ground, listening to the music, before sighing and looking over to the earth pony. "You know...Oh, geez, this is gunna sound so stupid."
"What is?"
"Well....I mean, they're playing some pretty decent music at this festival." Applejack nodded. Rainbow Dash was happy she didn't need to take the time to listen, but knew what she was talking about. "And, well..maybe...I mean, if it wasn't so corny, I would ask if you wanted to....dance. Yeah! I know! It's stupid!" Rainbow Dash yelled, covering her face with her hoof.
Applejack chuckled. "Rainbow! You didn't even let me answer."
"What? So...you want to, then?"
"Ah didn't say that..."
"Oh. See! I told you, it was stupid." She was quiet for a moment. "I mean, I don't even know how to slow dance, and this is a slow song. And we're both pretty sore after everything. And you probably want to be easy on your back after that happened earlier."
"Ah AM sore. But the music is mighty nice," Applejack said, closing her eyes and listening to the music, swaying to and fro. "Ah don't know how to slow dance, either."
"Right," Rainbow Dash said, pawing at the ground. "I mean, why would we have to know? It's not like we're going to any formal balls or anything any time soon."
"Yeah," Applejack said. "Well, seein' as we went to a royal weddin' an all...we could try."
"REALLY?" Rainbow Dash said, nearly knocking Applejack over with her eagerness. "Cause I feel like dancing!"
"Me, too!" Applejack said.
The two turned and looked at each other. Rainbow Dash was studying Applejack's face. She was blushing. She looked so cute.
Then Rainbow Dash was overcome by the realization that she had no idea what she was doing. "Uuuhhh," she managed. Applejack raised an eyebrow at her. 'Come on, think, Rainbow,' she told herself. 'You've seen slow dancing before...' She thought back to the wedding, and how Shining Armor and Cadence danced their first dance. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes, stepped up close to Applejack, put her head to the side of Applejack's head.
Rainbow Dash was so nervous, she was shaking. But Applejack pressed her head against Rainbow's neck, and the two swayed back and forth, taking little steps in time with the music. Neither of them had much rhythm, and Applejack kept hitting her hooves to Rainbow's. Rainbow ignored this at first, but after the fourth time, Rainbow turned her head and gave Applejack a look.
Applejack turned red. "Sorry," she managed. Rainbow Dash's focused on something behind her dance partner - another pony caught her eye before she realized that the pony had been staring at her. She took a quick look around to see they were, once again, attracting attention. Applejack was now looking, and an embarrassed look crept across her face.
"Here." Rainbow Dash opened her wings, grabbed Applejack with her front hooves, then flapped her wings lifting the two of them. Applejack gasped when her back hooves, which were straining to stay on the ground, lifted into the air. Then she looked up at Rainbow, who was looking down at her, smiling. Then she turned her attention to their destination.
Applejack, who was dangling in Rainbow's grasp, just hoped Rainbow wouldn't drop her.
Then she felt her back hooves touch ground again. Rainbow had placed her on the top of the canyon wall, while she flew in front of her in the air. Their front hooves were still touching. Then Rainbow shifted her hooves. Applejack fell the short distance forward into Rainbow's embrace. Then the pegasus landed, and the two were standing with only themselves holding each other up on two legs.
Applejack buried her nose into Rainbow Dash's mane. She smelled so good. If only this moment didn't end. But of course, it was interrupted by Rainbow saying "What are you looking at?" Applejack turned to see the Pegasi on the top of the canyon side were staring at them.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack exchanged a look. The song continued to climb up the canyon walls towards them. Then Rainbow Dash smiled. Applejack recognized the light bulb going off on her head. "Race you to that cloud!" Rainbow pointed to a cloud above them on the other side of the cliff they were on.
"W-what? Rainbow!" But Applejack didn't have time to question her. Rainbow Dash was already racing forward, hopping from cloud to cloud, whether they were occupied or not. "Rainbow!" Applejack raced along the canyon side, looking forward to make sure she didn't hit anypony, then to the side to see if she was keeping up with speedy Pegasus.
Rainbow Dash jumped off the last cloud, opened her wings, and dipped down. Applejack tried to follow her path with her eyes when she realized she had no more ground under her hooves. For one brief moment, Applejack was falling back down to the earth.
Then Rainbow Dash swooped up and caught her, embracing her, nudging the side of her head with her nose, before flying up, up, up to the cloud high above the festival grounds. Before Applejack could realize what had happened, they were on a cloud. Rainbow Dash landed her back hooves, holding Applejack close to her.
Applejack's back hooves kicked around, trying to find ground. She held onto Rainbow Dash, suddenly afraid of falling as the weird sensation of being surrounded by what looked like mass (but in fact was not) overwhelmed her. Rainbow could stand on solid ground, and though she knew she couldn't stand on the cloud, her mind was struggling to comprehend how this was possible.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, it's okay," Rainbow Dash said, holding onto Applejack tighter. "I've got you, you're not going to fall."
"Yes, Ah am!" Applejack said, deciding it was better to wrap her back legs around Rainbow.
"Oh, horse apples!" Rainbow Dash said, teetering backwards. Applejack gave a short yelp as what she thought would come true, did in fact seem to be happening. She closed her eyes, bracing for impact.
But the fall was short lived. She landed on top of Rainbow, who was cushioned by the clouds beneath her.
Rainbow Dash grunted when Applejack landed on her - she was a lot heavier than she looked. "Applejack! You might want to lay off of the fritters."
Applejack looked at Rainbow Dash, stunned, her face ashen from her fear, but her cheeks glowing from the implication that had been made. She looked so cute. Rainbow Dash could have kissed her right there.
Then Applejack smacked Rainbow Dash on her shoulder. "Rainbow! A-a-ah don't even k-know what to say!"
Rainbow could feel Applejack's entire body was shaking. She turned sympathetic, pulling Applejack up her body so they were face to face. "Aww, don't worry. I gotcha."
Applejack's heart was pounding. She was breathing fast, and couldn't catch her breath. The idea that Rainbow Dash was the only thing keeping her from falling was a little overwhelming to her. Applejack felt Rainbow Dash's hooves loosely holding on to her hips. She felt her warmth. Her mind began to calm down, and she started to feel safe.
"AJ," Rainbow Dash breathed, absentmindedly rubbing the orange pony's hips with her hooves.
Applejack looked away. It was all a little too intense for her. In the distance she could see lanterns floating up into the sky. Everything seems so surreal.
The orange pony's ears perked up. "The music stopped."
"Who cares?"
"We've had a long day. We should go to bed. I mean, get some sleep." Her blushed slightly.
"I didn't misunderstand you," Rainbow Dash said, playfully nudging the pony with her hoof.
Applejack dared to look at her again. She didn't want to leave this moment behind, as well.
Rainbow Dash bit her lip, looking up at Applejack. They were silent, regarding each other in a new way, their bellies touching. They could feel the heat of the breath they each breathed out.
Applejack leaned in. Rainbow Dash's eyes widened. But then, she could see the wheels in her head turning. And then Applejack leaned back. "Really. We should get some sleep."
Rainbow Dash stared at her for a moment, before sighing. "Fine," she said tersely.
Without a word, Rainbow Dash flipped over. Applejack instantly clasped onto Rainbow Dash like a vice. Rainbow was loosely holding on to Applejack, since Applejack was holding on so tightly. She fluttered down to the ground, until Applejack felt her tail touch the ground. Applejack looked down, finally releasing Rainbow Dash, and placing her hooves back on the ground.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash stood there, in front of each other, not looking at each other. The orange pony shook her head, trying to clear it. "Okay. We should probably eat and..."
"Applejack?" The mare looked up. Rainbow Dash was poking at the dirt with her hoof. She seemed to be holding back saying something. Then she closed her eyes tight, before looking to Applejack. "I...don't want to play games."
Applejack's stomach tightened. "Ah'm not trying to."
"I know you're not," she said, looking to the side. "But I...don't want to sit around, waiting for you to notice me."
Applejack jerked her head back. "T'ain't like that, Rainbow. You mean so much to me." She looked away. "Ah don't wanna ruin it if Ah don't know where Ah stand."
Rainbow Dash looked away. She looked shaken. But she still nodded. "Okay. I get that." They were both silent, looking anywhere but at each other. Finally, Rainbow Dash looked back at Applejack. "We're still okay, right?"
"'Course we are," Applejack said.
"Okay!" Rainbow Dash said, trying to force a smile. Applejack was pained. She just wanted to see her really smile again. Instead, she started to trot past Applejack. "I guess I'm going to go get something to--"
"Rainbow." The blue mare stopped and looked to Applejack. "Ah just need time, okay?"
Rainbow Dash was quiet. Then she nodded. "Okay." Applejack watched as the Pegasus walked off to find the food tables.
What she didn't see was when Rainbow Dash hid behind a cliff wall, where no pony could see her kick the wall in anger. Again and again and again, muttering, "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" as she did so. Shaking and panting, she carefully walked away, her back hooves pulsing in pain.