An Apple a Day (Orange Guardian 1)
Scootaloo, check! Next was Applejack.
The Apple family orchard was located at the exact opposite side of Ponyville, adjacent to the Everfree Forest that Rainbow tried to avoid during her training sessions because of strong uncontrollable air currents that could easily kill you if hit unprepared.
Any ordinary pony would have groaned at the prospect of having to cross such a distance, which meant fast and intense jogging for at least half an hour if you had to stick to the ground. For Rainbow, it was breeze and a much welcomed source of relaxation. Where other ponies went to the spa, applied mud to their fur or soaked in steaming hot thermal water, Rainbow resorted to high speeds. The faster the better.
Flying was the kind of relief she was in dire need of just now, though she hadn’t done too badly in the end. At least that was what she hoped. Applejack would know and be able to tell her what to do next. If not... she didn’t want to think about that right now.
She had deliberately only promised that the secret was safe with her, not that she wouldn’t tell anyone. Telling Applejack WAS keeping it safe. The element of honesty would never break a promise. This excuse was at least good enough to keep her conscience quiet for a while. Whether Scootaloo would think on the same lines if she ever found out was another completely different story.
Just a few loops later, she couldn’t help but throw in a few exciting manoeuvres to further calm her thoughts. Rainbow was already flying low over the orchard, knowing her friend was up and working despite the early hour, of course only set by Rainbow’s standards. All she had to do was pass over the areas still bearing delicious red fruits, which weren’t too vast considering that it was late autumn.
Accordingly, scouring the place didn’t take long, soon revealing her friend in between the vegetation. She was hard at bucking apples as always, a task that could only be interrupted during the nights and a few weeks in winter in order to keep the farm running and selling.
Rainbow dove down and stopped hard, landing only inches away from Applejack on the soft grass, causing the farm pony to recoil and nearly miss the tree with her forceful kick. A lone apple broke free next to splintering bark, speeding up in its earthbound trajectory and finding its destination on Rainbow’s head before finally tumbling to the moist ground.
Dash didn’t even flinch, but grimaced and complained in low grunt: “This is soooo not my day.”
“Whats wrong with it, RD?” So far nothing unusual had happened. Something similar to this occurred every other day, always following the same basic scheme: Rainbow would appear out of nowhere, usually crashing in some way. Next Applejack would be invited for a stunt show or Rainbow simply felt the need to tell her friend of a cool stunt she’d done, something along these lines. It almost never deviated far.
“I need to talk to you in private.” Rainbow looked around nervously, searching for possible invaders from earth and sky alike.
Applejack didn’t need her instinct to tell her that something major was very wrong. This wasn’t how their usual verbal give-and-take went. This wasn’t part of the plan. Not to mention that asking for seclusion didn’t fit into Rainbow’s personality. The pegasus was too straightforward to care about idle precautions, no matter how important the issue. Up until now...
“Safest place Ah can provide. Ya’ know, Big Mac’s at Trottingham and Apple Bloom’s at school. Just spill yer guts.” Despite her thick southern accent, Applejack’s voice was very gentle and caring.
“Pinkie Promise me not to tell anyone. And I mean it. Especially not Scootaloo...” Rainbow demanded, tilting her neck to impossible poses as she was still not satisfied with her screening procedure.
“Ah promise. Now out with it!” Applejack hastily did the right gestures, only slowing down at the last part. She valued her eyesight far too much to rush the process.
Rainbow stepped as close to other pony as possible without actually joining into the same body. Applejack felt the uneven breathing on her fur, but knew better than to complain.
Dash had not thought about a good way to break the news to her friend up until now, forcing her to do something she was no good at: improvisation.
“Well... I’ve found out why no one has ever seen Scootaloo’s parents.” Rainbow spoke so quietly that Applejack could barely understand her despite their proximity. “They died. It’s already been a few years, by the look of the grave.”
“That’s mighty sad and explains a lot. But Ah can tell this isn’t the only thing you want to tell me.” An orange hoof rested on Rainbow’s shoulder.
Dash kept quiet for a while, thinking. No, she concluded, there was no way to spare Applejack the details, so she could just as well tell it all at once.
“You see... I don’t really know what happened, but I also found out that she is homeless. I found out because...” The last words were spoken too fast and too quietly to understand.
“Ya found out how?”
Rainbow remained silent, yet again searching for the right words that wouldn’t come to her. Her body started shaking as she mentally lived through the night again.
“Rainbow?”
“I FOUND HER SLEEPING AT THE GRAVE!” She hadn’t meant to shout and regretted it instantly.
Applejack embraced Dash deeply after removing a newly quelled tear with her hoof from her friend’s face.
“Sorry,” Rainbow cooed. ”Lost my cool.”
“It’s OK.” Applejack retorted, a tear now rolling down her cheek as well. “That really is the saddest thing Ah’ve heard in a while. It’s fine to be upset.”
Dash sat down on her haunches, ears folded tight against her skull.
“Scoots told me that she doesn’t need help. That she didn’t WANT my help. I just want to make sure she is safe. I want her to be happy. I just don’t know what to do.”
Applejack went down as well. She put a hoof on the back of the distressed mare beside her, softly stroking the pegasus between the wing-joints while she answered. “It seems like ya already talked to her ‘bout it. What else did she say?”
“Well,” Rainbow started slowly, “not much. I think she is in deep fear of something. No one must know of this before we know what happened. I feel we can’t force her to speak, or she might run off. She already tried that on me... At least I got her to promise me to be under my house at six so that I can take her up and she can sleep at my place. What am I supposed to do now, Applejack?”
Her answer was not one the cyan mare would have anticipated. Applejack got up to all four legs only to jump at Rainbow, giving her the most crushing hug of her lifetime.
“Ya ask me for advice, RD, but you don’t need it. Ya have done a very good job. All we can do is keep her safe. Offering ya home is just perfect. Give her time. Take good care of her. Eventually she will see that she can trust ya. If she’s ‘fraid of som’thing, the best way ta earn her trust is not to spread the word farther.”
Rainbow broke free of the hug.
“I have already betrayed Scoots by telling you. I swear, I'll never do this again.. I'll find out what’s on her mind. Whatever it takes... Whatever... it... takes.” Dash had troubles speaking those last words, as new streams of tears clouded her vision and a big lump formed in her throat.
“No, ya didn’t betray her by telling me. Scootaloo might need help from her friends, but you do as well. How about we go and I make you some nice apple tea? Ya need to calm down before six. I will come with you when it’s time and hide somewhere. If she doesn’t show up we’ll have a search party of very trustworthy ponies ready in like no time.”
With this, the two ponies slowly trotted off to the farm.