//------------------------------//
// Rainbow Dash's reconciliation and an angry Applejack. 
// Story: Hopeless Romance 
// by Doom Trot 
//------------------------------//

	That same morning...

Though she couldn't discern why, three individuals had been on Rainbow Dash's mind all morning.  She circled her property by wing, pondering what had suddenly brought these three to the forefront of her mind.  
"I haven't heard from Gilda or Monsoon in a while," she thought aloud, "and Fluttershy's been quiet.  Like she always is."
Rainbow Dash puzzled and puzzled, 'til her puzzler was sore.  Though she knew no specifics, she recalled the night before.  Something that had happened at the library had spurred a sudden recollection of her first three failed relationships, yet she felt at peace with her decisions in a way that she hadn't before.  
"Maybe its Daring Do's new love interest," reasoned Rainbow Dash.  "Maybe that's why I've got shallow relationships on the brain."
Though she did not consider her theory to be incorrect, Rainbow Dash did recall that she found the few lines of dialogue between Daring and the male character that she was supposed to have feelings for to be bland and uninteresting.  Rainbow Dash considered the love interest to be insignificant to the plot and a poorly developed character, and had dismissed any of his involvement, limited as it was, as fan service.
"What a chump," Rainbow Dash said, rolling her eyes.  "Daring Do needs no coltfriend."  
Dismissing her reading material as the cause of her renewed interest in Fluttershy, Gilda, and Monsoon Splendor, Rainbow Dash put greater effort into recalling the events of last night.  She remembered a trio of stallions, whom she considered to be excessively nerdy, hurrying out of the library to attend to whatever had befallen one of them.  Rainbow Dash remembered talking briefly with Twilight Sparkle and how she had narrowly avoided revealing her recent unemployment.  After that, Rainbow Dash recalled, Twilight had hurried out of the library in search of Spike.  
"What is going on?" Rainbow Dash asked herself, landing, sitting, and staring up at the sky.  "I thought I had put that all behind me, but now it's so fresh in my mind.  Like each of those break-ups were just yesterday."  
She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply.  Then it hit her.
"Apple Bloom," Rainbow Dash whispered, her eyes shooting open.  "Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.  They were asking me why I was there.  Why?  It can't be that..."
Rainbow Dash's gaze turned to Ponyville, her brow furrowed.
"I remember now.  The sun was setting.  There was a knock on the door.  Some blue drink.  Then..."
Rainbow Dash's gaze was now set on the ground before her, her eyes animate with thought.
"I can't remember how.  I don't know why.  But those three are behind this.  I just know it."
Her eyes closed again.  Rainbow Dash's thoughts bubbled and sloshed in one big, incomprehensible soup.  After allowing her mind to settle, however, there arose clarity and directive.  She opened her eyes, smiling.  She stood, wings spreading.
"I know what I need to do."  Rainbow Dash kicked off the ground, her wings carrying her into town.





"Ya said ya heard somepony around here?" asked Applejack, addressing Big Macintosh as the two patrolled the west side of the barn, scanning carefully for the trespasser among the recently placed crates and buckets of apples.
"Eyup," replied Big Mac.
Applejack peered inside the emptied apple cart she had pulled the previous day, humming with perplexity.
"Lot's o' rustlin'?" asked Applejack, withdrawing from the cart and circling around to rejoin Big Mac.  "Or was 'e quiet 'n sneaky?"
"No rustlin'," answered Big Mac.  "Ah heard 'im talkin', though."
"Talkin'?  'Bout what?"
"Dunno.  Mostly mumbo-jumbo that didn't make any sense."
Applejack breathed a sputtering exhale, scanning the apples she and Apple Bloom had harvested with hard eyes.  She approached a seemingly random bucket of apples, gave it a thorough examination, then turned and kicked it, though gently enough to only cause a few apples to fall out.
"No, bees don't like apples," protested a sleepy colt from within the bucket.
Applejack grinned, quickly removing more apples from the top of the pile inside the bucket.  She discovered Snails curled up among the apples, sleeping peacefully.  
"Well, ah think ah found 'im," Applejack said, Big Mac looking into the bucket from over her shoulder.  
She reached a hoof inside Snails' apple cocoon, nudging his shoulder and quietly urging, "Time t' wake up, fella."
"No, ma, five more minutes," Snails whined, swatting impotently at Applejack.
Big Mac chuckled, earning him a frustrated look from Applejack, which enticed him to regain composure.
Looking back at Snails, Applejack jostled him more forcefully.  "C'mon, sugar cube.  Can't stay in there forever."
"But the honey is so good," he reasoned, his large, goofy tongue licking his lips and brushing Applejack's fetlock.
"Yuck!"  Applejack drew away from the bucket, her face quickly going from disgusted to outraged.  "Boy!  You got five seconds t' get outta mah apples 'fore ah get mad!"
With an earsplitting shriek, Snails erupted from the apple fortress, landing on his back directly in front of Big Mac.
Big Mac sighed, grabbing Snails by the mane and helping him to his hooves.  Snails glanced up at Big Mac, cowering and attempting to slink away.
"Not so fast!" shouted Applejack, Snails colliding with her knees in his attempt to flee Big Mac.
Snails looked over his shoulder, smiling awkwardly at Applejack.  "Uh, hi there."
"Mind explainin' what you was doin' takin' a snooze in that there bucket, cozyin' up t' the apples?"  Applejack nodded at the bucket Snails had been inside, half of its contents now spilled.
Snails' tongue dangled from his mouth as he examined the bucket he'd been sleeping in, one eye squinted.  He looked to Big Mac, who wore a slightly amused smile, then turned to Applejack.
"Well," said Snails, rolling his neck, "there was this chase, and I sorta—"
"Ya know what?  Ah don't care anymore."  Applejack stepped aside, though her stern eyes still drilled into Snails.  "Just head on home."
"Really?" asked Snails, smiling gratefully.  "No lecture?  No catch?"
"None, 'cept if you come back.  Then ah'll be more literal 'bout kickin' ya off mah property."
"Thanks a bunch!"  Snails darted past Applejack, disappearing from sight shortly after.
"Little rascal," said Applejack, now more relaxed.  "Glad Apple Bloom ain't like that."
"Applejack?" asked Big Mac, eyeing what remained in the bucket Snails had been hiding in.
"Yeah?"
"Ya might want t' take a look at this."
Confused, Applejack looked inside.  She jumped away with a shocked gasp upon seeing the ten apple cores that Big Mac was referring to.  She turned, shock replaced by anger on her countenance.  She tipped her hat back, growling determinedly.
"Oh no," mumbled Big Mac.  "Applejack, don't—"
"Get back here, ya varmint!"  Applejack took off after Snails.
"—go after 'im."  Big Mac sighed, proceeding to fish the apple cores out of the bucket.





"Rainbow Dash, I'm so very glad you came to me for help with such a delicate task," said Rarity, sipping daintily from a teacup, then dabbing her lips with a cloth napkin.
Rainbow Dash prodded the cup of tea that Rarity had poured for her skeptically, saying, "Yeah, of course.  When I need formal, there's nopony better for the job than you."
"Why, thank you, dear."  Rarity grinned, setting her cup of tea on its plate, intently leaning forward with an expectant gleam in her eye.  "Now, to begin, let's talk specifics.  What is it exactly you intend to express?"
Rainbow Dash fell back in her seat, meeting Rarity's gaze with a small smile.  "Forgive and forget.  I won't feel like I've moved on until I've reconciled with these three."
Rarity nodded her approval, her grin broadening.  "Such dignified course.  Choosing forgiveness in this manner displays a level of integrity and maturity that most mares wronged by a failed relationship cannot muster."
Rainbow Dash shrugged.  "I guess I'm just that awesome."
Rarity laughed at this, cutting herself off with an abrupt cough.  "Knowing how best to approach your ex can prove difficult.  Describe them in as much detail as you are comfortable with, and I will lend you my expertise on the precarious topic of speaking to the heart."
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes with an amused chuckle, then said, "Okay.  It's Gilda."
Rarity's focused expression and posture sagged.
"Oh."  She nudged her teacup, donning a look of concentration.  "Well, there are a considerable number of bridges that have been burned in this situation, but—"
"How long has it been since she left Ponyville?"  Rainbow Dash interrupted, provoking a flustered scowl from Rarity.  "Like two years?"
"Give or take," answered Rarity, sipping from her teacup and magically holding it beside her head.  "Though I can say nothing of your romantic involvement with Gilda, I do recall that her behavior while visiting you was crass and uproarious."
"Second verse, same as the first," murmured Rainbow Dash, venturing a sip of tea, which she cringed upon tasting, though she managed to resist the urge to spit it out, instead forcing it down and sighing with relief.
"You don't like the tea?"  Rarity batted her eyelashes, placing a hoof on her chest.
"No, of course I like it, it's just—"
Rarity giggled, clarifying, "Oh, don't worry.  Sweetie Belle made it."
"Oh."  Rainbow Dash gave her teacup a blank look, then politely pushed it away.  "It's not that bad.  Like, not terrible, but not great."
"I know what you mean."  Rarity sipped more of her tea, setting an emptied teacup on its plate.  "I've insisted that she practice all forms of etiquette and skills that might be expected of a lady."  She refilled her cup from an elegantly painted teapot.
Rainbow Dash smirked, pointing a hoof at Rarity.  "So, you're turning her into you?"
"Well, trying at least," answered Rarity in earnest, taking a small sip from her cup of tea.
"Say, if that tea isn't even on par with your standards, then why drink so much?"  
Rarity shrugged, eyeing her teacup.  "Call it an acquired taste."  She huffed, placing her hooves together in a contemplative fashion and scowling at Rainbow Dash.  "Back on topic.  You say that Gilda's behavior in Ponyville reflects her behavior sometime prior?"
"Yeah," answered Rainbow Dash, tossing her mane with a flick of the head.  "Even though Gilda knows how to act cool, she's really a hot-head.  But I don't really care anymore.  I just want to tell her straight-out that I've moved on and that I hope she has a nice life."
Rarity nodded.  "Very well.  Do you know where Gilda is?"
"I have a hunch.  She's got family up north.  She would have to turn to them when things weren't working out.  Knowing Gilda, things probably weren't working out for her when she came to visit me in Ponyville."
"Excellent.  I suggest sending her a letter describing exactly what you've said.  If ever she does return to Ponyville, or you should happen to meet her anywhere else, I suspect she will look on you with kindness, or, at the very least, respect."
"Alright."  Rainbow Dash stood, rolling her neck.  "Thanks, Rarity."
"I'm proud of you, Rainbow Dash.  It takes a special kind of courage to confront these sorts of problems."
"Aw, thanks," said Rainbow Dash.  "For the longest time, I let my past just stay in the past, haunting me.  Driving me nuts.  But now, I feel..."
Rarity raised an eyebrow.  "Liberated?"
Rainbow Dash grinned.  "Yeah.  Liberated."





After what had started out as a slow day, Mr. and Mrs. Cake were suddenly pulled away from their children's game of hide-and-seek by a frantic, exhausted colt throwing open the shop door.
"Snails?"  Mrs. Cake stepped up to the counter.  "What—"
"Can't talk," said Snails through his heavy panting.  "Gotta hide."  
Lumbering into Sugar Cube Corner, Snails concealed himself behind rows of baked goods displayed behind the glass casing of the counter.
Mrs. Cake frowned at Snails, asking, "What in Equestria has gotten into you?"
"Where is he?!"  Applejack stormed into the shop, madly searching for Snails.  "The varmint's here, ain't 'e?"
Mrs. Cake blinked, now struck with realization.  "I'm sorry, but I don't know who you're talking about."
"Snails!" snapped Applejack.
"Snails?"
"Snails!"
"App-o-jack!" cried an excited Pound Cake, throwing himself at Applejack and clinging to her leg.
"Gah!"  Applejack flinched, nearly flinging Pound Cake off her leg.  
Instead, she sighed, gently scraping him off onto the floor.  He giggled, grinning up at her.  She ignored him, looking to Mrs. Cake.
"So," Applejack said, her composure regained, "I was lookin' fer Snails.  Have ya seen 'im?"
"Actually, I saw him run by just a minute ago," lied Mrs. Cake.  "He was headed in the direction of town hall."
Applejack furrowed her brow, Mrs. Cake grinning nervously under her suspicious scowl.  Applejack's focus wavered, however, when Pumpkin Cake came toddling into sight, cuddling up to her mother's leg.
"Thank ya kindly," mumbled Applejack, turning to leave.
"I find you!" exclaimed Pumpkin Cake, pointing at where Snails was hiding.
Snails emerged from cover with a hoof to his lips to shush Pumpkin Cake.  Applejack glanced back, her eyes meeting Snails'.  Snails' shushing quickly weakened into a sputter, then died, his hoof falling from his lips to the floor.  Applejack turned back around to face Snails, sneering.  Snails blinked, his jaw agape.
"Quick!" urged Mrs. Cake, giving Snails a shove.  "Out the back!"





Thunk!  The mailbox shut as Rainbow Dash dropped her letter inside, turning and walking away.  
"Alright, next up is Monsoon," thought Rainbow Dash aloud, stopping to wave to Derpy Hooves as she flew by.  
Rainbow Dash glanced back at the mailbox she had left her letter in, then began walking again.  "I could just write a letter to her, too.  Then again, she might still be living in Cloudsdale.  I could make the trip, tell her everything, and be back to Ponyville in no time."  
Rainbow spread her wings to take off, but hesitated.  
"But what should I say?"  Rainbow Dash folded her wings, her thoughtful gaze turned to the clouds above.  "Gilda, for all her faults, has always been easy to talk to.  But Monsoon..."
"Help!" cried a distraught colt.
Rainbow Dash looked to where he rounded a corner, running like mad, the sound of his pursuer's hooves thundering behind him.
"Applejack's gone crazy!"
"Applejack?!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash.
She searched frantically for someplace to hide, the closest destination being a signpost hanging above her.  With a jump nearly powerful enough to get her to the sign without the use of wings, she clung to the sign and held her breath.  Looking to the street below, Rainbow Dash saw Applejack run past without noticing her.  Snails soon rounded another corner in an attempt to get Applejack off his tail, Applejack running after him and disappearing from sight.  Sighing with relief, Rainbow Dash dropped to the ground.  
Rainbow Dash breathed a deep, calming breath.  "Now, what to do about Monsoon Splendor?  Maybe I should go ask Rarity again.  No, not for Monsoon.  She's—"
"Was Applejack chasing somepony?" asked Fluttershy, appearing from behind the corner Snails had come running from.
Rainbow Dash blinked, grinning slightly.
Okay, Monsoon can wait, thought Rainbow Dash.  "Yeah.  She was after Snails.  Don't know why."
"Oh, well, I hope she doesn't hurt him."  Fluttershy went on her way, only to be intercepted by an airborne Rainbow Dash.
"So, what's new?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Uh... not much," answered Fluttershy.
"What about the animals?  How have the animals been?"
"Oh, they're doing well!"  Fluttershy grinned, seeming less nervous.  "I was actually just going to check up on an Everfree panther and her new litter of cubs.  With all this commotion in and around the forest, I'm worried they might have gotten spooked."
"Panthers, huh?  Sounds dangerous.  Do you... need any help?"
Fluttershy displayed a brief, inquisitive stare, then grinned again, nodding.  "Sure.  I'd like that."
"Great!"  Rainbow Dash landed beside Fluttershy and the two began for the Everfree Forest.





"Who were those three that interrupted the sergeant?" asked one of the two police officers standing beside the site where Pinkie's surprise had been set off.
"Don't know," answered the other.  "I've seen 'em around, but I can't place any names."
"Help!  Police!"  Snails dashed between the two and took cover behind the one on the left.  "There's a madmare after me!"
"Madmare?"  On the officer on the right looked to where Snails had come from and saw Applejack skid to a halt.  "Her?"
"Yes!" Snails panted.  "She's lost her mind!"
Applejack approached the officers calmly, smiling and saying, "No worries, officers.  Ah just need t' have a word with 'im is all."
"I don't know," muttered the officer protecting Snails.  "This little guy seems pretty scared to me.  What did he even do?"
"Well, ya see—"
"Ah, Applejack!" exclaimed Filthy Rich.  "It's been a while."
Applejack rolled her eyes, then turned to Filthy Rich with a smile.  "Hey there, Mr. Rich.  It has been a while."
"I was just telling Sergeant Cuffs about my business and, sure enough, Sweet Apple Acres came up."
"Well, that's all fine 'n dandy, but ah'm sorta—"
"Sergeant Cuffs, this is Applejack, owner and proprietor of Sweet Apple Acres."
"A pleasure to meet you, ma'am," said Sergeant Cuffs flatly, extending a hoof.
Applejack shook Cuffs' hoof awkwardly.  "Same here."
"You had questions for her?" asked Filthy Rich.
"As a matter of fact, I did."  Sergeant Cuffs stared coldly at Applejack.  "Is it true that you were recently harassed by the citizens of Ponyville?"
Applejack's face fell into a scowl.  "Yes."
Cuffs smirked.  "No need to get upset.  It was all just a big misunderstanding, right?"
"Heh, yeah.  Misunderstanding."
Cuffs glanced snidely at one of her subordinates.  "I sense that you still hold a little grief from everything that's happened."
"Listen, officer, ah don't mean t' be rude or disrespectful or nothin', but ah'm in a bit of a sour mood today and ah really don't think you should be askin' me 'bout grief."
Cuffs' snide smirk fell, her cold stare returning.  "Very well.  Another time, then.  As you were."  She turned away.  "If you could come with me, Mr. Rich."
Filthy Rich looked puzzled, but simply shrugged and said, "Have a good day, Applejack."
Applejack sputtered, returning her attention to the officers shielding Snails.  "Now, back to... Where'd 'e go?"
The two officers looked around with confusion, then both shrugged.  Applejack sighed with frustration, then started as she heard a colt's yelp, wood breaking, and water splashing,.  Applejack looked in the direction the sounds had come from to find Snails lying in a heap among the remains of a wooden barrel in a puddle.  She walked calmly over to Snails and stood over him, Snails turning over with a groan.  Snails squinted at Applejack, then closed his eyes with a sigh.
"Alright.  You caught me.  What's the punishment?"
"Ah should make you work to pay for them apples."
"Really?"  Snails gave Applejack a speculative look.  "You want me, Snails, to work on your farm?"
Applejack scratched her chin in consideration.  "Good point.  Have ya got cash?"
"Not on me.  I could run home and dig through the cushions or something."
"Sounds like a good idea.  While we're there, maybe we could tell yer mama 'bout those apples ya stole."
"Uh, well," Snails hurried to his hooves, smiling nervously at Applejack, "she's not home right now."
Applejack chuckled derisively.  "Right.  O' course she ain't."
"Seriously, though.  I'll get you the money, just don't come to my house."
"Nah, ah think ah'll tag along."
Snails shook himself dry, Applejack shielding her face.  
Frowning at Applejack, he said, "Fine.  Just don't say I didn't warn you."
He stepped out of the puddle, beginning for home at a Snails' pace.  Applejack followed behind, shaking her head with a slight smirk.





As Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash approached the forest's edge, Fluttershy paused.  She closed her eyes, inhaled sharply, then opened her eyes and exhaled slowly.  Fluttershy began walking again, Rainbow Dash close at her side.
"Is that how you prepare yourself?" teased Rainbow Dash.
"There may be a lot of animals here I need to take care of," Fluttershy replied, "but this place is still scary."
"Heh.  Yeah, it is."
Fluttershy gave Rainbow Dash a perplexed look.  "You think it's scary?"
"Well, sure.  I don't really show it, but some of the stuff in here freaks me out."
"Like what?"
"Uh, spiders.  Spiders are freaky."
"There are a lot of those here."
"Snakes.  Don't like snakes."
"There are a lot of those, too."
"Oh, and I think centipedes are creepy."
"There... are quite a few of those."
"Yeah.  It's not like I would ever panic if I saw one, but I prefer to keep my distance."
"Huh.  I didn't know that.  Why so... open?"
"Well, I was actually meaning to talk to you."
"About what?"
"Remember that day, way back when, when I accidentally knocked you off that cloud?"
Fluttershy laughed.  "Yes."
"You remember just after the race, when I flew down to see if you were alright?"
"You were so sorry, but it was fine, because I got my cutie mark."
"Yeah!  And... do you remember the day after?"
Fluttershy said nothing for a moment, then gasped.  "Oh!  You mean—"
"Yeah.  That's what I mean."
"Yes, I remember that.  Why?"
"Well, I've been doing some thinking.  That was such a long time ago.  We were just foals.  I feel like it was selfish to ask the things I asked and do the things I did.  You were uncomfortable.  Maybe even scared.  And I wasn't helping.  And for that, I just want to say... I'm sorry."
"Th-that, um, wha..."  Fluttershy stopped, Rainbow Dash looking her straight in the eye and smiling apologetically.  "You're... sorry?"
"I am.  For all the times you felt pushed around.  For all those times I was acting like, well, me.  I'm sorry for all of it."
"What is there to be sorry for?"  Fluttershy grinned, laying a hoof on Rainbow Dash's shoulder.  "Don't be sorry for being yourself, because there's no one else I'd rather have you be.  Don't be sorry for being pushy, because you were always pushing me to try harder and fly higher.  Don't be sorry for speaking from your heart, because those words were sincere.  We may not be a couple, Rainbow Dash, but you're still my friend.  That's good enough for me."
Rainbow Dash smiled warmly, whispering, "Thanks, Fluttershy.  That's more than enough for me."
Fluttershy pulled Rainbow Dash in for a hug, and the two embraced for a long moment.
"Good luck with Applejack," whispered Fluttershy into Rainbow's ear.
"What?"  Dash drew away from the hug.
"Anyway, we should probably go check up on that mama panther and her cubs.  We're getting close to their den."
Fluttershy quickened her pace, Rainbow Dash following behind with a small smile.
After a few seconds of walking, Fluttershy said quietly, "We'll need to approach calmly and keep our voices low so that we don't startle them."
"Gotcha," whispered Rainbow Dash in response.
"Okay, the den is right through these bushes.  We'll need to go through them to—"
"There you are!" exclaimed a familiar-sounding filly on the other side of the undergrowth.  "You're super fast."
"Sweetie Belle?" guessed Rainbow Dash, still whispering.
"What is she..." Fluttershy trailed off.
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy could hear faint mewing, and were startled by a shrill cry.
"Oh, no, no," urged the unseen Sweetie Belle.  "I'm not going to hurt you."
"Is she...?" began Rainbow Dash.
"No.  She can't be."  Fluttershy leaned into the undergrowth to listen more carefully.
The mewing indicated that whatever creature Sweetie was trying to comfort was frightened.
"It's okay.  I'm going to get you out of this scary forest and back home."
A low, threatening growl resonated from somewhere on the other side of the undergrowth.
"Scootaloo?" apprehensively asked Sweetie Belle.
"Oh no!"  Fluttershy breathed, tensing up.
Sweetie was answered with a fierce snarl.
"No, not Scootaloo," croaked Sweetie Belle.
"Shouldn't we do something?" asked Rainbow Dash.
"I-I... I don't know what we can do."  Fluttershy panted shallowly.
"Oh..."  Sweetie Belle began.  "So this isn't a cat from Ponyville, but actually a panther cub."
Rainbow Dash promptly facehoofed.
"Which means you're probably it's mother," reasoned Sweetie Belle.  "And this, where I'm standing, is probably your home.  That I'm in.  While I was touching your baby.  Yeah, sorry about that."
"I've got this," Rainbow Dash said confidentally, crouching as if to pounce.
The panther gave an unamused hiss.
"Right.  Well, if you don't mind, I think I'm going to screeeeeam!"