//------------------------------//
// Chapter 7 
// Story: Chocolate Covered Grapes 
// by Callisto 
//------------------------------//

Applejack kicked her hooves, trying to grasp onto something in the open air, but to no avail.  She was falling straight to the lake below, and with every passing second, she saw her doom.  The shock of falling stopped her from initially screaming, the air whipping past her nose made it hard to breath to begin screaming.  All she could think was, "DO SOMETHING," but there were no factors in her favor.

Suddenly, there were hooves around her, and her descent began to slow.  "I got you, Applejack!" said the familiar raspy voice.  

Rainbow Dash held on as tight as she could while she flapped her wings to stop their descent.  Her wings were so tired, but the adrenaline was the only thing keeping her muscles from giving up on her when she needed them.  Rainbow Dash loved adrenaline, but not quite as much when her loved ones were in danger.  Still, she was having trouble adjusting her wings as she needed to swoop up over the water, and she found herself trying to stop the descent altogether - much more difficult to do.  But her wings just weren't responding right.

The water got closer.  

"We're gunna hit!" Applejack screamed.

"No..." She flapped hard, "We're..." pulled the orange mare up closer to her. "NOT!"  Rainbow Dash flapped with a ferocity she had not had since she trained to perform a sonic rainboom from a standing position.  

Inches above the water, and Applejack was clinging onto Rainbow Dash for dear life.  But they had stopped.

Rainbow Dash sighed with relief, flapping her wings to hover in place.  "See?  We're just --- GAH!"  A giant fish jumped out of the water and smacked into the ponies.  A moment later, they splashed into the water.

Applejack breached the water's surface, dazed and confused, a moment before Rainbow Dash followed.  They looked at each other for a moment.   Then Rainbow started laughing.  Applejack splashed her with water.  "Rainbow!"

"What?" Rainbow Dash said, giggling while she treaded water.  "How was I supposed to know a fish would jump out RIGHT then?  If anything, blame Fluttershy! She's the one who likes these things..."

"You dropped me!" Applejack said, also treading water. Her wet hat flopped over her eyes.

"I didn't drop you!" Rainbow Dash said, frowning.

"Then what do ya call this?!" Applejack said, waving her hooves in the air, accidentally hitting a fish that had jumped out of the water at the wrong time.

"That was...forgetting...that we were on a cloud..."  Rainbow Dash blushed.  "I'm sorry!  You turned, so I turned, and...I was distracted, okay?"

"You were distracted?!" Applejack yelled, lifting up the lip of her hat to look at Rainbow Dash.  "Ah nearly died!"

"No, you didn't," Rainbow Dash said, splashing Applejack, still with a huge smile on her face.  "And you got distracted, too! You started moving to the side."

"Well!"  Applejack said, her face turning red. "Ah'm not usually on a cloud."

"And I don't usually have an earth pony on a cloud.  I didn't even know that was really possible until you, soo..."  she couldn't stop smiling, even with Applejack glaring at her.  "Oh, come on, you're fine."

"Ah'm all wet!"

Rainbow Dash was about to answer that, but instead she fell into a bout of giggles.  "AJ!  Don't you think that's moving things a bit fast?"  She grinned wide, waiting for the moment the orange mare understood what she meant.  First, Applejack looked confused. Then she could see her working out what that could have meant.  Then shock and embarrassment, looking at Rainbow Dash like she could kill her.  That just made Rainbow Dash laugh more.

"Y-you can stop laughin' at me," Applejack said, putting the lip of the soggy hat back over her eyes.  

Rainbow Dash swam close to Applejack, raised the hat, and smiled to her.  "I'm not laughing at you.  I'm just....happy."  They looked at each other.  Applejack smiled bashfully.  Rainbow Dash swam closer to her, treading water just in front of her.  She leaned in.

Then a fish smacked her in the side of the head.

Applejack guffawed as Rainbow Dash frowned, "Let's get out of here before we get a concussion."

Applejack and Rainbow Dash swam to the nearest shore of the lake - no small task for such a big lake.  Along the way, they splashed each other, and had little races.  Rainbow Dash even swam under the water and emerged to spit water into Applejack's face, making the orange pony chase after her.  By the time they reached the shore, they were both tired, but laughing.  

Rainbow Dash collapsed onto the shore, panting and giggling, utterly exhausted from all the flying she had to do, and having to swim with her sore muscles.

Applejack lay down next to her, just as beat.  But she found that she, too, was really happy.  Hearing Rainbow Dash laugh and giggle like a school girl with a crush made her happy.  Seeing the carefree smile on her face, without a hint of worry, made her so glad that they had that moment in the clouds.  Back on earth, her fears crept back into her, and years of conditioning made her wonder again if she was doing the right thing - what would make her parents proud.

But, oh, that smile Rainbow Dash gave to her.  She didn't ever want to see her without that smile again.

Rainbow Dash looked up at Applejack.  She scooted closer to her, leaning against her.  There was a hint of concern on her face.  "So..." She said.  "You're still...okay with all this?"

Applejack put a foreleg around her, kissed her on the cheek.  "Long as you don't drop me again."

Rainbow Dash frowned.  "That wasn't on purpose!"  She raised her wings and shook out her feathers.  "I'm never going to get you onto a cloud again, am I?"

"Nope," Applejack said.  Rainbow glared at her. Applejack just touched her nose to Rainbow's.  "Sorry.  Sugarcube."  She smiled when she felt Rainbow Dash shudder.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Rainbow was fighting sleep.  All the flying had taken a toll on her body, but she didn't want to fall asleep.  She was afraid it was all a dream - it all seemed surreal.  But Applejack was insisting she get some sleep.  

"I'm not tired, really," she said, holding close to Applejack.  Her coat was still damp from the water, but Rainbow didn't mind.  She wanted to stay close to Applejack.  She had never felt closer, and wanted to drink in the feeling as long as possible.  "We can talk some more."

"You're tired," Applejack said, leaning down and nuzzling Rainbow Dash on the neck.

"Make out?"

Applejack blushed, looking to the side, before back to Rainbow Dash.  "We'll have plenty of time for that."

"Why not get a head start?"

"You're exhausted," Applejack said, stroking Rainbow Dash's mane.  "We don't wanna miss the festival tomorrow."

Rainbow Dash frowned.  "Then..."

"Yeah, Sugarcube?"

"Can you...Geez, it's embarrassing to even be asking this. Can you...kiss me?"  Applejack smiled, but looked at her like she wanted an explanation.  "It's just...if this is a dream, I might as well end it on a good note."

Applejack nudged Rainbow Dash to her side, leaned down.  They looked into each other's eyes, smiled, brought their lips closer.  Then Applejack pressed her lips to Rainbow Dash's.  The Pegasus felt the tingle throughout her body, felt the other mare's lips explore hers.  Delighted in the feel of her coat against hers, even if both of them were damp.  When Applejack pulled away, Rainbow Dash reached up and pulled her down again.  They giggled as they kissed each other again.  Every time Applejack tried to end the kissing session, the pegasus pulled her back down, and the kissing would resume, climbing in intensity.

"No," Applejack said between a laugh before Rainbow Dash won out for another kiss.  When their lips separated, she shook her head. "Ah'm tired, too. Come on, now, Dash, we gotta go to sleep."

"Nooo," Rainbow Dash moaned as Applejack laid her head down.  Rainbow followed suit to look into her eyes.  "I don't want this night to end.  It's going to all go away. I know it."

"No, it won't, Sugarcube.  Ah'll still be here in the mornin'."  Applejack could see Rainbow Dash's eyes were heavy, trying hard not to fall asleep.  Applejack just held her close.  "Don't worry, Rainbow.  Ah ain't goin' nowhere."  

When Rainbow Dash woke up the next day surrounded by Applejack's golden mane, she knew the pony would never lie to her.

-=-=-=-=-

Late into the afternoon, with the sun on it's way towards the horizon, and the two ponies were on their way to the festival area. There was a crowd of ponies already on their way, and the area had just been opened to allow ponies on the beach.  Rainbow Dash still had no desire to mingle with the other ponies after what had happened the night she got drunk - even if she didn't know exactly what it was.  Instead, she and Applejack sat on a cliff that overlooked the ocean.  

Applejack looked down at the water crashing onto the rocks. "Ah don't think Ah've ever been to the ocean before," she said.

"It's kinda nice, huh?"

"The water doesn't end," Applejack said, looking out to the horizon.

"Well, it has to end somewhere," Rainbow Dash said, knocking a rock into the waves crashing below.  Applejack looked at Rainbow Dash when she sat down next to her.  "Are you nervous?"

"A bit," said the orange mare.  "You?"

"What for?" Rainbow Dash frowned, looking out into the water.

Applejack could have said a million things to Rainbow about how important this would be, how emotional this whole trip had been, how much everything affected her and she didn't realize.  But they were both emotionally and physically exhausted.  Instead, she just leaned against the Pegasus, catching the mare by surprise.  "Ah, don't know, Dash.  Just one a those things..."

Rainbow wrapped a wing around Applejack.  Then she smiled to herself because she was allowed to do that, now.

There was a commotion on the beach where the ponies had gathered.  After a moment, the ponies began to bow.  Then a few royal guards walked forward, followed by Princess Celestia, with Princess Luna dwarfed at her side.  Ponies got up and scattered until they were peppered across the beach.  

"Should we...?" Applejack asked, but Rainbow Dash was already shaking her head, looking intently at the Princesses.  She was about to question Rainbow, when Princess Luna began to speak in a loud booming voice.  "Well," Applejack whispered to Rainbow.  "Guess that voice is good for somethin'..."

Princess Luna gave a long, cumbersome speech about the history of the festival in question, the fragility of life, and the importance yet devastation of death.  Rainbow Dash was rolling her eyes and sighing through most of the speech.  

The Princess was about to go into a written speech she had prepared on a parchment that rolled out as long as one of Twilight's to-do list, but Princess Celestia stopped her.

Her voice was crisp and booming, but it was little match for the roar of the ocean.  Still, her speech was short, and with little flourish.  From what Applejack could understand, there was some comparison to life as the passing days.  Then Celestia, turned to the ocean.  The sun was just about to dip below the horizon.  With the glow of her horn, she ushered out the sun, while Princess Luna's horn glowed to raise the moon into the sky.  The star from the year before still shined bright in the sky. 

Princess Celestia whispered something in Princess Luna's ear.  The sister nodded and walked forward.  She spoke again with a softer tone, but still loud enough that both Rainbow Dash and Applejack could hear. Her voice was more heartfelt this time.

"We all have something in common," she said.  "We have all lost someone who we care deeply about."  Rainbow Dash twitched an ear at hearing this, but said nothing.  "Some of us were lucky to have had a chance to say goodbye.  Some had that chance stolen from us.  Some of us may not have been speaking to our departed loved ones, some of us felt as though we lost a part of ourselves when we lost them.  Loss is never the same, but it is always similar in that it is never easy."

Her horn started to glow as she continued.  "Tonight, we add a star to the night sky.  Let it remind us that loved ones are never gone, but still a part in our hearts.  They helped to shape who we are, lead us to who we will become, as the stars every year lead us.  May they help us to find our way."

The Princess turned to the ocean.  A large wave threatened to knock her over, but it parted around her hooves as her eyes turned white.  A star began to form in the sky.  There were gasps from the crowd, then sounds of admiration as the bright flash began to swirl and become the star the ponies would follow the next year.

Rainbow Dash watched the star form, hypnotized by the growing light.  Thinking about the words of the Princess, her mind wandered back to her mother.  

When she was a child, every time she showed her a new trick, tried to show off her love of speed, and her mother brushing her off.  

When she got into flight camp, how she wished her mom would have celebrated with her - But she remembered all too well how she was considered an embarrassment for being kicked out.  

How she called for her mom when she was sick, but got her grandmother instead.  

How she would be so happy when her mom came home, only to have her mother give her a pat on the head, before discussing something with her grandparents.

So many memories like that.  And yet it took years for her to finally stop trying.

Why?

Then there were the memories she forced herself to block out.  The memories that had always given her hope.  The memories that made her love her mother unconditionally.  

Like those few times her mother would sit with her at night and read her favorite story to her.  

How even though she was so angry she was left behind when her parents went to see the Wonderbolts, she did get a souvenir once - a Wonderbolt doll she still had on display in her room.  

The way her mother used to sing in the morning as she made her own breakfast.  

Her mother was beautiful, poised, and determined. She knew what she wanted, moved with grace to get it, and made it very difficult for anypony to hate her for getting what she wanted - including Rainbow Dash.  It took Rainbow a long time to be okay with making mistakes because her mother didn't seem to have time for mistakes.  

But that was wrong. She made the worst mistake by ignoring her own daughter for years.

So many different moments, mingled together in the recesses of her mind. She hadn't thought about such things in a long time.  It was all very confusing, and despite trying, she couldn't block them out, anymore.  Perhaps it was because she had been so emotionally raw for the past few weeks, or that she finally resolved how she felt about Applejack, but the memories refused to let her go now.

Flawed, negligent, often unsmiling.  Too busy with herself to notice her daughter.  But Rainbow Dash was one of the few ponies who saw such intimate moments, like her morning singing.  That had to mean something. Right?

Maybe she should have gone to the funeral...

Applejack was lost in her own train of thought as the star formed and began to steady it's appearance in the night sky.  The ceremony was very beautiful, she had to admit.  But after everything she had worried about and had been through to get there, she felt very empty.  She was hoping to get something out of it.  Whether it be a voice in her head, a stray feeling or sensation she could attribute to her parents, some sign that her parents were still around, still listening.  She just wanted something.

But it seemed the premise of her journey was all for naught.  As touching and cathartic as lighting a lantern was, she wondered if any part of the festival after that was worth it.  All she was doing was watching a star being placed in the sky.  As she told Rainbow Dash the night before, she was trying to keep her parents alive somehow.  But they were gone.  And that thought was rather depressing.

Her concentration broke when she heard a chocking sound to her left.  Applejack looked at Rainbow Dash, who's head was down low.  At first Applejack thought she was laughing or something, and was about to scold her.  Then she saw the tears falling to the ground.

"Oh, Rainbow," Applejack said, pulling the Pegasus towards her.  Rainbow was shaking, trying to hold back her emotions.  But when Applejack pulled her head up to the crook of her neck, the tears started to flow.  "It's alright, Sugarcube. It's alright."

"You were right, Applejack," she said between sobs.  "I've done it all wrong.  I should have done something for her."

"T'aint what Ah said, Rainbow.  Ah said you were mournin' wrong cause you weren't dealing with it," Applejack nuzzled her.  "Now, you're dealin' with it."

The ocean drowned out the sounds of Rainbow's sobs to any other pony, but Applejack could hear the anguish in her voice, could feel her body being racked with sobs.  Rainbow Dash managed to say, "I don't know why I'm crying..."

Applejack held her closer.  "Don't you worry 'bout that.  Just let it all out."  She kissed the top of her head.  "It's gunna be okay."  She remembered she still had her hat on, took it off, and placed it over Rainbow's face.  She knew Rainbow Dash hated the thought that anypony else would see such raw emotion from her.

If there was anything else to the ceremony, Applejack didn't pay attention. She focused on holding Rainbow, rocking her back and forth, until her tears finally stopped.

-=-=--=-=-=-

"I can't believe how much I've cried in the last week," Rainbow Dash said, walking without paying much attention where she was going.  Applejack kept having to steer her in the right direction.  "I almost never cry. What's up with that?"

"Been rough on ya, lately," Applejack said, pulling Rainbow Dash close to her when she was heading into a group of earth ponies.  "Don't help you're so tired from yesterday.  How're your hooves doin'?"

"Better," she, shrugging, looking forward at nothing in particular.  Her eyes were puffy and red.  "Is it bad that I want to sleep right now even though we just woke up a few hours ago."

"We'll get some sleep soon, Rainbow. Ah promise."

"What are we doing here?" Rainbow Dash asked, looking around and finally realizing they were in the final night's festival.  "I could care less about being here."

"Ah know," Applejack said.  "But if we're gunna make the journey home, we need a map and some supplies, right?"

"Can't we just take the train or something?  There has to be a depot around here somewhere."

"And if there ain't?  We gotta be prepared."  As they were talking about this, they didn't realize they had passed right under Princess Luna's nose.  They would have completely passed her if the Princess didn't yell, "STOP!", causing the two to jump.

"Applejack!" The Princess said, taking the pony up and hugging her.

"P-princess Luna!" Applejack was placed back down by the grinning Princess.  Applejack managed to recover before saying, "Ah-Ah'm sorry, Princess! Didn't see ya there..."

"Oh, worry not, my friend.  Oh!  Rainbow Dash!"  The Pegasus' jaw dropped.  She barely had any interaction with the Princess aside from Nightmare Night.  But since she was in the wedding, it probably made sense the Princess knew who she was.  "I did not expect to see either of you here.  Are the others here, or are you here for a loved one?"

"Oh," Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked at each other.  "Yeah. It's just us."

"I see.  My, this is a most somber of nights, is it not?  Were you there for the lighting?"

"Yeah," Rainbow said, looking to Applejack for help.

"We didn't want to be with the crowds," Applejack explained.

"That is understandable.  Well!  You simply must speak with my sister!"  Rainbow Dash and Applejack immediately started protesting, but Princess Luna was already waving over Princess Celestia, and their protests died off, along with their comfort level.

The last thing they wanted that night was to talk to any princess with the way they felt.  But there she was, the ruler of all Equestria, making her way over to them, flanked by two guards.  

Applejack recognized one of the guards from the night Rainbow Dash was kicked out of the festival grounds.  She frowned and stood protectively between Rainbow and the guards.  Rainbow, of course, had no recollection of being kicked out, but Applejack was still angry with how roughly she was treated.

Applejack saw a flicker of recognition on the guards face, and thought for a moment he was going to say something when the Princess spoke.  "Applejack! Rainbow Dash!  I didn't expect to see any of Twilight's friends here."  At that, Applejack saw the guard's eyes widen.  She gave the guard one last look as the Princess nodded her head to dismiss the guards.  "I wasn't aware.  I'm sorry for your loss."

"Oh, no," Applejack said, "It happened so long ago.  Twilight just thought it would be helpful."

Rainbow Dash shifted uncomfortably.  "And..." she started to say. She once again found herself looking to Applejack for help.  "Well, maybe we're here for me, too..."

The Princess nodded, not asking her anymore questions.  "I'm afraid I don't simply initiate the ceremony.  Every year, it seems I have someone new to commemorate."

"Every year?" Rainbow Dash asked.  "How do you manage that?"  Applejack smacked Rainbow Dash so hard, she actually said, "Ow! That hurt!"  

The Princess chuckled.  "Well, I do know a lot of ponies in Equestria.  Many students, past and present.  Sometimes my guards.  Sometimes old friends who I've out-aged.  When you live to be well over 1,000 years, you'll find you lose almost everypony you ever get close to."

"Everypony?" Rainbow Dash asked, shocked.  "How do you stand that?"  Applejack gave her a look.  "What? I'm serious!  I can't even deal with this, and I wasn't even close to her!"

"It's difficult, yes," The Princess responded.

Rainbow Dash pressed on, "If I were you, I would just stop caring about other ponies."

"Rainbow!" Applejack said, putting a hoof to her face.

But the princess just chuckled.  "I've tried that, as well.  But to stop caring, I would have to stop leading.  And in the end, I love the citizens of Equestria too much to risk not caring."  She paused for a moment, looking to her younger sister for a moment, before looking back to Rainbow Dash. "You'll find that even if it's painful when everything ends, it's worth it to keep caring and loving.  After all, when you have somepony there, it helps to heal your heartache."

Rainbow Dash and Applejack looked at each other and smiled.

"Well," Princess Celestia said, looking to the other end of the festival.  "I'm afraid I have to continue with my rounds.  You two take care of each other, alright?"  

Applejack nodded.  "Yes, Princess."

"Oh," the Princess said, stopping in her tracks.  "And if you would like a ride back to Ponyville, I'm sure I can arrange something for you."

"Why, that's mighty nice of you, Princess!" Applejack said.  She was about to accept, considering how tired she knew Rainbow was.

"But," Rainbow Dash continued.  "I think we want some time to ourselves for now."  Rainbow Dash looked to Applejack, who looked over at her with a questioning look on her face.  Then she blushed.

Princess Celestia looked between the two ponies, before smiling a knowing smile.  "Of course.  Have a good night!"  She then walked towards another group of ponies, the guards once again going to her side.

Rainbow Dash leaned in close to Applejack, smiling coyly.  "The Princess commands."

"Rainbow!" Applejack said, blushing deeply.  Rainbow Dash laughed softly.

Suddenly, the two felt like they were being watched. They both turned around at the same time.  Princess Luna was staring at them, head tilted to the side.  "I'm afraid I don't understand," she said. "Explain this joke to me."

"Uh..." was all Rainbow Dash could say.

-=-=-=-=-=-

After a very awkward exchange with the Princess, Applejack and Rainbow Dash set out to try and find new supplies for the journey home.  Applejack was granted a map and some new saddlebags by Princess Celestia, which she was more than grateful for, and filled them with foods and canteens of water.  The nearest train station was about a day's walk away, and then they would just sit back and enjoy the journey home while resting their hooves.

"You don't wanna pack these?" Applejack asked, pointing out a familiar treat to Rainbow.

"Nah.  I'm fine," Rainbow Dash said, smiling to Applejack.  

"Alright, then! Ah think we got everything."  They helped each other to fasten their saddlebags and decided to take a walk on the beach under the light of the moon.  "We could sleep the rest of the night, go walkin' durin' the day.  You sure your hooves will hold out?"

"They're fine," Rainbow Dash said, though she was still limping.  The sand didn't help at all, but the company was so great, Rainbow didn't want to ruin the moment.  "You know, we don't have to go RIGHT away."

"'Course we do," Applejack said, smiling to Rainbow.  "Got a lot of work to catch up to on the farm."

"Right," Rainbow Dash said.  "And I'll probably have a whole bunch of weather jobs waiting for me when I get back.  We'll both be pretty busy. We're tired, we're sore, and we just started something.  You know we're not going to be alone when we get home..."

Applejack looked over to Rainbow Dash, considering what she was saying.  "It WOULD be mighty hard findin' a place to be alone on the farm."

"And you can't exactly come to my place," Rainbow said.  "Unless we get Twilight to use that spell you guys used when you visited Cloudsdale."

"Ah don't think Ah'm gunna be goin' back on a cloud after what happened..."

"Oh, come on, AJ!  That was so hot.  Tell me it wasn't hot!"

"Ya know what wasn't hot?" Applejack asked.  "The water we landed in."

"Well, yeah, it wasn't a hot spring..."

The two stopped walking. They looked to each other, smiling, before they both started laughing, leaning against each other to hold themselves up.

"Oh, Rainbow," said the earth pony, wiping a tear from her eyes.  "You're really somethin', you know that?"

"I know," Rainbow said, holding her head up with pride.  Applejack gave her a look.  "Well?  What do you think?  I'm sure there's...oh, I don't know, an inn or something at that town with the train station.  Just you and me...getting to know each other?"

"We know each other fi--," Applejack thought about that, then blushed.  "Oh!"  She was quiet for a moment.  "Well, Ah guess they can survive on the farm a few more days without me..."

They smiled at each other before walking on.

"...so you're really not going to let me take you on a cloud, aga--"

"No!"

"But I thought it would be...you know, fun," Rainbow Dash said, her ears falling back on her head. 

"Is sex all you think about, Dash?" Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow.

Rainbow Dash glared at her.  "I didn't mean that kind of fun! Though, that WOULD be interesting...No, I meant you could see Ponyville how I see it.  We could hang out over sweet apple acres if you wanted to!  Or, you know...we could spend some time just talking there.  I mean, if you're REALLY worried about it, we can ask Twilight about that spell. Hey! And maybe we could have a picnic up there!  Watch the sunset."

Applejack smiled to Rainbow Dash.  "Are you askin' me out on a date, Rainbow?"

The Pegasus jerked her head back.  She hadn't thought of it that way. "Well, yeah, I guess when you're in a relationship, you don't just 'date' instead of 'hang out', huh?  But we don't have to call it that!  I mean, I just want to spend some time with you."  She faced Applejack with concern.  "Is...that okay?"

Applejack pulled Rainbow Dash close and kissed her on the cheek. "'Course it's okay!  And maybe we can try it without the cloud, first."  Applejack pawed at the ground once.  "Ah think Ah'd like to keep mah hooves on the earth for a bit after that fall."

Rainbow Dash nuzzled her head under Applejack's jaw.  "Hey, as long as I can be with you, I'm not complaining.  ...Well, okay, maybe a little bit.  But I can deal."

The two walked down the beach, side by side.  They smiled at each other.  Neither of them saw the two shooting stars that passed overhead.


~~Fin~~