//------------------------------// // Who? // Story: Jumper: A New World // by PTTN //------------------------------// Who? 15 Jay groaned as he hobbled his way back to Twilight’s library, his mind too tired to perform the mental calculations it took to perform a jump and his body ached far too much to actually make another attempt to fly. He hurt enough as it was, he didn’t need to go smashing his face into the ground anymore than he had to. The sun was low in the sky and Jay’s sight was quickly fading as the light of the sun disappeared below the horizon line. Four more days had passed and with nothing else to do, Jay had figured it was time to make a few more bits for a little walking around money at Sweet Apple Acres. At this point in time, however, he couldn’t help but berate himself, wondering why he would ever think such strenuous work was ever a good idea in the first place. Especially four days in a row. On the bright side, Applejack had paid him well enough. He wasn’t about to go around buying fish eggs at an extravagant restaurant or anything like that (‘I wonder if they eat fish eggs here?’), but he was finally in a position where he would be able to stop leeching off of Twilight. Still, even if he didn’t mean it, Jay would complain as much as he wanted about the work... Never out loud, though. Well, maybe sometimes. Applejack certainly didn’t mind the extra help. It was a wonder how she and her brother ever harvested those massive orchards by themselves. Then again, they were talking horses... It was probably best just to not question it. “Hey!” Jay halted his limping gait and looked around. He had been positive he had been alone on the path back to Twilight’s place. Seeing nothing in the immediate area around him, he shook his head and resumed his painful walk back. Maybe that overly-pink monster had finally gotten into his head... “Hey!!” This time it was louder- louder than before. Jay checked again. Nopony was around. Just the thought of Pinkie Pie being able to access the mind sent a slight shiver down his spine. “Jeez, come on. Up here!” Jay looked up, greeted by the sight of a certain multi-coloured mare hovering above him. His stomach flipped, once more, as one thought stood out in his mind above the rest now circulating in his head. ‘Well. I’m boned.’ After his little adventure to Rainbow Dash’s doorstep, he figured it was best to just leave her alone for the time being. Twilight had warned him that that was the best way to go, hinting that it was mainly for his physical well-being more than anything else. She had explained that Rainbow Dash was a little... brash, at times. Upsetting her certainly didn’t help the cause. “Here,” Rainbow Dash said with a flick of her hoof, an empty brown bag landing on Jay’s head. He noticed it had once been filled with the bits that Applejack had given him for his first day of working on the farm. “I, uh... don’t remember this bag being so... empty,” Jay said, peering inside of the small brown bag. “Yeah I spent ‘em,” Rainbow Dash said with a nonchalant wave of her hoof. “I got hungry and I figured you owed me.” “As long as they were put to good use, I suppose.” Jay chuckled nervously. “Well, thanks for returning this but I’ve gottobeheadingbacknow. Okbye...” Jay turned in a sharp about face to get away, moving as fast as his body would allow him knowing full well that he was just going back the way he came. At least the tension in the air at Sweet Apple Acres wasn’t thick enough to cut with a butter knife. ‘I think I’m in the clear! That was a close-’ “Hey wait up!” ‘...Damn...’ Jay froze at the sound of her voice and turned slowly to face Rainbow Dash. The expression she bore on her face was less than pleased. “Where have you been?” She said with narrowed eyes. Jay started to back away, his ears drooping to the sides of his head. “Well, I’ve, ya know, been doing things... And stuff.” Jay said nervously, averting his gaze away from Rainbow Dash, struggling to find something, anything else to look at. Rainbow Dash slowly descended from her hover over Jay, still peering at him with narrowed eyes. She landed softly in front of him and hesitated, struggling to find the right thing to say. ‘I wonder how much of my will I can write in the dirt before she ends me...’ Heaving a sigh, Rainbow Dash finally spoke up. “I can’t believe I’m saying this- I’m... Well, I’m...ugh!” Jay looked up to say Rainbow Dash, eyes closed tightly and hoof pressed to her face, the post-visual of an apparent facehoof. “I’m sorry!” She blurted out. “There, ya happy now? I said it!” Rainbow Dash hopped back into the air, folding her forelegs across her chest and resuming her glare. Jay, now thoroughly confused, took a moment before replying. “Rainbow Dash, if I may...?” Jay started, looking up to her for permission to continue. When she nodded, Jay cleared his throat and continued. “I haven’t the slightest semblance of what’s going on.” Jay deadpanned. He was, however, telling the truth. He knew Rainbow Dash was angry, and he knew Rainbow Dash’s anger was directed at him. But whatever reason why such anger had appeared escaped him. Rainbow Dash’s hard gaze softened a bit before returning to its previous state. “Don’t play dumb!” She shouted, pointing an accusing cyan hoof at Jay. “I know what’s been going on with you and Applejack!” “What? That I’ve been working for her?” The thought of adding a snarky, extra smart-ass-y comment crossed Jay’s mind, but was quickly pushed away. Being a smartass in a fight was fun, but was only necessary if he didn’t particularly care whether the fight escalated or not. Rainbow Dash was about to respond when Jay raised a hoof to cut her off. Now wasn’t the time for jokes, or sarcasm or even milkshakes. Being serious was hard for Jay, but he could do it... probably. “Like I said, I have no idea what happened, but... I was really starting to like you, Dash. To the point where I was going to start calling you Dashie,” he said with a coy smile. “But you flew off without telling me anything, and to top it all off, I haven’t seen you since.” Jay took a breath before finishing. “And that kinda sucked,Dash. That... kinda sucked...” Rainbow Dash let her hooves fall to her sides, unable to answer, her face giving away no emotion. Without warning, Rainbow Dash’s hoof shot up and thumped herself on the head. And again. And again. He couldn’t be sure, but Jay swore he heard her mumbling, “stupid, stupid, stupid,” after each thump. She proceeded to sit on her flank and bury her face in her hooves before dragging them down with an exasperated sigh. “I sometimes... tend to overreact.” Rainbow Dash mumbled her gaze pointed downwards. Jay couldn’t help but grin at this. “I couldn’t tell.” Rainbow Dash’s head shot up with a hint of fire in her magenta eyes. “What was that?” Jay’s own eyes went wide as he managed a quiet “Nothing.” Suddenly, Rainbow Dash smiled, an apparent idea popping into her head. “Look,” she began sternly. “Let’s start over.” Rainbow Dash took off into the air and disappeared, leaving Jay momentarily stunned with more confusion. With a shrug, he turned back towards the path to Twilight’s library. Off in the distance came a faint “Look ouuuuuuut!” that gradually increased in volume. Oh no, she couldn’t mean- *WHAM* She did. Jay groaned slightly as the rainbow mare used him to stand upright. “Oh what’s up? I’m Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer in Equestria!” Jay picked himself up and sat on his haunches, spitting out the dirt that had found it’s way into his mouth after his face abruptly met the ground. “Ya know, Dash, I don’t think that’s how it works.” “Now that we’ve been acquainted, you seem like a pretty cool pony. How ‘bout we hang out sometime?” She asked, a large, hopeful smile plastered on her face. Jay hesitated for a moment, causing Rainbow Dash’s smile to falter a bit, before answering. “Sure, Dash, I’d like that.” “Cool, I’ll see ya around then.” “Sounds good, Dashie.” Rainbow Dash lunged forward and whacked him unceremoniously upside the head with her hoof. “Only my really good friends can call me that.” She said with a grin. “Besides, we just met.” Rainbow Dash took off into the air, snickering at her own cleverness as she left. ‘She’s definitely an anomaly,’ Jay thought to himself, shaking his head. With that in mind, Jay found the energy to jump back to the library, where he found a very impatient looking Twilight waiting for him. “You seem to be in a better mood.” She observed. “I guess I am,” Jay said with another shrug. “Perfect!” Twilight exclaimed, clopping her hooves together in excitement. “Now you can tell me more about where you came from!” ‘Ever the student.’ Jay thought as he let out a long, drawn out sigh. He made his jump above Twilight’s couch, landing with a muffled *plop* and steeled himself for the long conversation that was about to ensue. As easily as it was to have just jumped somewhere to escape, he figured he owed her this much.