All the girls looked up at Night and Rainbow asked in a low tone, almost like Fluttershy’s, “Re-really... you can help me?”
Night continued to smile, “I made a deal with the Divine One that if I can prevent you from becoming what was shown on the mirror, then they will give me an ancient artifact that will help you restore what was broken.”
Rainbow lunged forward and tackled Night to the ground and yelled excitedly, “You mean I don’t have to go back and suffer punishment from Princess Celestia?” Night simply nodded and Rainbow flew around, screaming with joy. She suddenly stoppedto hoverd down and asked, “If I go back, will I remember everything that happened,” Night nodded and Rainbow asked another question, “will my friends remember what happened?” Night nodded again.
“Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said in a sentimental voice, “can we talk first?” Rainbow walked over to the others and they sat in a circle around her.
“Dash,” Applejack said, “Ah’m in a way happy that you git a second chance and all... but what if ya pull the same stunt like before?” Rainbow was taken back by that question and Applejack continued, “Ya burned m’ah family’s farm, almost killed m’ah sis and granny and ya think that ya deserve a second chance?”
Rainbow turned to Pinkie who had tears in her eyes, “You said I wasn’t your friend anymore because I didn’t share and that their friendship was cheap,” she start to cry, “and you wanted to hurt me.”
Twilight put a hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder, “Even if you decide to go back... whenever this artifact takes us, we won’t forget all of what you put us through.” The girls walked to the other side of the room and left Rainbow there to collect all of what she seen and heard.
Rainbow hung her head in shame and thought to herself, ‘All of this because of some stupid drink,’ she then plopped down on the floor, ‘how will I fix this?’
Night came up to her and handed a blue, glowing orb and said, “This will take you back to the point where Applejack runs out of cider,” she took the orb in her foreleg and he presented another orb, which was red, “this one will take you back to after the fire is put out at the farm,” he looked at her for a moment and turned around, “you pick which one you think you deserve,” and he walked off to the bar.
Rainbow looked at each orb, “Blue to back when I blew up and red to when I started the fire,” she said to herself. She looked closer at each one and saw an image of the exact moment she would go back. She looked over at the girls who didn’t look in her direction, not even Pinkie. “I screwed up real bad,” she said in a low, pitiful voice. She looked back at the orbs and thought a little more. “You pick which one you think you deserve,” she quoted from Night.
Rainbow walked over to the girls and and Rarity spoke in a mocking tone, “Well... have chosen which form of punishment we deserve darling?”
Twilight held out a foreleg, “Let’s just hear what she has to say girls.”
Rainbow hung her head and started to sob a little, “I’m so sorry girls,” she gasped between sobs, “I’m such an idiot for the way I was acting.”
Applejack put a foreleg around her, “Ya know sugarcube, ya could’ve jus’ come to me and we could’ve talked this out... ya know, maybe come to a compromise.”
Pinkie lifted up Rainbow’s chin and looked her in the eyes, “I’m sorry for buying all those mugs and not thought about sharing with you,” she now had some tears in her eyes, “I guess I haven’t been the model friend there.”
Fluttershy spoke in a soft voice but loud enough for Rainbow to hear, “The pranks you did in that other reality were horrible... but, because of Night... you didn’t.”
Rainbow smiled, “I know you guys won’t forget what I’ve done,” she sniffed and wiped her nose, “but maybe in time...do you think you can forgive me in the future.”
The girls smiled, gave her a group hug and Twilight said, “It will take some some, but we will forgive you.”
Rainbow pulled away from the hug, “I need a little more time to think of my decision,” she walked back over to where she placed the orbs. Everypony waited for a long while for Rainbow to make up her mind. After almost an hour, she yelled, “Hey guys, I have made my decision!”
The girls walked over as well as Night and he asked, “So... what is your decision?” Rainbow lifted up the blue orb and Night smiled, “So you wish to go back to before you erupted in anger?”
She nodded, “Yeah, I think I deserve another chance?” The girls hugged her and while they weren’t looking, the red orb disappeared. Rainbow got up and handed the orb to Night, “I’m ready to go back.”
He gave her a stern look, “I won’t help if you screw up again.” She nodded and he handed her the orb, “All you have to do is break it and all of you will be transported back to the designated time.” She smiled and smashed the orb into tiny pieces. Nothing happened at first but then everything turned into a light blue color with white stars around them.
The past days came into view from the blue light. The events slowly passed through everyponies eyes. Everything started to slow down as they were approaching the said date Night said they would be going back to. All of a sudden, they found themselves in the places they were in at the time of the incident. “That's it everypony, all out of cider today. Come back tomorrow now ya'hear,” was all Rainbow heard from Applejack and everything started moving again.
She looked around and saw that it was exactly as Night described she would be. The farm and the land weren’t burnt to the ground and all the animals were still alive. Ponies behind her were complaining about Applejack running out of cider again. One stallion yelled, “Everytime it’s the same thing... that stupid Hayseed can’t do anything right!”
Rainbow heard who said that, flew back, got up in his face and yelled, “Hey pal, that’s my friend your talking to!”
The mare who talked to her in line asked, “Didn’t you just complain that you never get a mug from her?”
Rainbow flew back up to the front of the line and sat in front of the booth where they get the cider, “I realized that it’s not healthy to get upset over a drink.”
Pinkie came up to her with a mug and a smile, “Here Dashie, I saved one for you.” She gently took the mug with a smile and slowly drank the whole thing.
When she was done, her eyes were big and her mouth hung open, ‘This is the best drink I’ve ever had,’ then she did a small squeal of joy. She hugged Pinkie and shouted, “Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!”
The other ponies grew jealous and one of them shouted, “That pink one always buys a heap load of them.”
Applejack stepped from behind the booth, “List’n up ya’ll, we’ll have more cider tomorrow. Just wait until them please.” All the ponies waiting in line left, grumbling about not having cider again. That night, the girls gathered outside the farm. Applejack sighed in frustration, “Wut am Ah gonna do girls?” She shook her head, “How am Ah gonna get cider to all them folks when it’s just me, Apple Bloom, Big Mac and Granny doi’n all the work?”
The girls pondered this question for a while until Twilight spoke up, “What if we help with making the cider?”
Applejack was taken back a little by the question, “That’s really nice of ya, Sugarcube. But this here is family business.”
Rainbow put a hoof on Apple’s shoulder, “AJ, we’ve been friends for a long time... not counting what recently happened,” she chuckled a little and went on, “so I’d figure that we would... kinda be like family to you.”
She pondered this for a moment and responded, “Well... Ah guess if ya see it like that.”
Twilight smiled, “And I believe I have a plan to help get cider to all the citizens, but I have to go over the calculations for tommorow.” The next morning came and folks were standing outside the farm in awe at what they saw. There were over twenty-five barrels of cider already made and the Apple family Applejack’s friends were still making cider by the barrels. They kept working with Applejack and Fluttershy getting the apples down with Pinkie and Apple Bloom collecting them, Rarity and Granny were inspecting the collected apples, Rainbow and Big Mac operating the press together and Twilight using her magic to casking the barrels when they were full.
When all the work was done, there were over forty barrels of cider made. Applejack stood proudly and yelled, “Alright ya’ll, we got enough cider for everypony in town!” There were cheers of joy going through the crowd but also some booing.
Everypony went silent as some very angry looking ponies came up front a stallion from that small group yelled back, “Ha... that’s what you always say you Hayseed,” he turned around to address the rest of the folks that were there, “I say if she can’t keep her promise this time... they shouldn’t be allowed to sell any more apple products in this town again!” The town roared with excitement and approval of his proposal.
Applejack gulped, ‘Ah sure hope we have enough cider this time.’ The day went on as pony after pony came for a mug of cider and got one. The barrels of cider they made were quickly vanishing as more ponies kept coming in for their The stallion who made his statement earlier was behind seven other ponies and he had a wicked grin on his face. Applejack looked at him then looked behind her and saw to her horror, there were no more barrels. She started to panic as he was getting closer and closer until it was his turn.
He placed his money on the booth and asked in a wicked tone, “How about a mug, Hayseed?” Applejack pulled the handle to the nozzle but nothing came out. The stallion saw this, turned around and yelled, “Listen up everypony, they are now officially out of... “
Twilight came running with five more barrels floating above her in a purple aura, “Applejack, Applejack,” she came up next to her breathing heavily, “we found some more barrels!”
The stallion slammed his hoof on the counter in anger, “My mug, now, Hayseed!” Barrels were quickly changed out and the cider was delivered to the rest of the town folk. By the end of the day, there was one full barrel of cider left over.
Applejack rolled the barrel over to Rainbow and said with a smile, “Here... Ah’d figure you’d paid enough for a full barrel over the years.” Rainbow went to hug the barrel but Applejack held out a hoof, “All Ah ask is you come back next year to help out.”
Rainbow fiddled with her hooves, “Can... can we be... friends again?”
She sighed, “If ya come back next year to help... then yes, we can be friends again.” Rainbow squealed with joy and tackled Applejack to the ground and hugged her and the other girls joined in.
Apple Bloom came up to them, “Applejack, there’s a feller wanting a mug.”
She sighed, “Alrigh’t Bloom, jus’ head on to the house and Ah’ll take care of him.” Apple Bloom trotted back to the house and Applejack went over to the booth. She started to dismantle the booth and said to the customer, “Sorry Sugarcube, but we’re plum out of cider.”
“Oh, I think you can make one exception for me,” said the customer with a voice Applejack remembered. She looked up to see Night Storm smiling at her and jumped over to give him a hug. The other girls came over to see what was taking her so long and was shocked to see Night there.
Rainbow tackled Night to the ground, “Oh my gosh your here... how did you get here?”
She got off and he got up and brushed himself off, “I just wanted to come by and see how everything went.”
Pinkie bounced around, “It’s going super spectacularly awesome!”
Applejack put a foreleg around Night, “Yeah, if Rainbow helps us next year, Ah’ll forgive her.”
Night smiled, “So... I take it the extra barrels were helpful to you?”
The girls went wide eyed and Twilight pointed a hoof at him, “How did you... “ He put a hoof up to his lips and shushed her and nopony asked about the barrels anymore. Rainbow brought over the barrel and Applejack still had some mugs left over from earlier. The barrel was opened and everypony took a drink from the cider within with their mugs.
After all the cider was gone and conversation were done, Night started to walk off, “I think it’s time for me to head back.”
Rainbow ran up and stopped him, “Will I ever see you again?”
He smiled and shook his head, “When your time comes.” With that, he disappeared into the dark night. He reappeared in the white room again and saw a stack of manila envelopes and a letter on top. Night picked up the letter and reads aloud, “I am very proud of you Night Storm. You have done well in preventing a disaster from happening to Equestria. I have some more jobs for you to do and some are worse than this one. Please use caution.” Night looked at the stack and sighed, “Well... better get started.”