//------------------------------// // "Should've Been a Cowboy" // Story: Jukebox Scribbles // by Timaeus //------------------------------// Prompt - "Should've Been a Cowboy" - Toby Keith *Special Challenge - Incorporate all the lyrics into the dialogue (hence, a couple oddities)* The small campfire crackled and snapped in the warm autumn air. Little bands and flares of bright orange and molten red licked around the dried wood, slowly reducing it to ashes. Applejack prodded the wood, tending to the fire absentmindedly as she regarded the pony across her with a frown. Rainbow Dash had turned up out of the blue earlier today asking to hang out. Applejack could tell that something was eating at her, but went against her better judgement and refrained from prying. She was actually more surprised than anything. Normally when Rainbow had a problem she would talk it out with Twilight, yet here she was, her gaze settled on a picture from the last Apple family reunion. Something told Applejack her mind wasn’t on the picture though. She had tried everything she could think of to get Rainbow talking, to let her know what was wrong. From a walk through the orchard to bucking some trees to even Applejack telling her about her family. Nothing was getting her to open up. They had stopped on Applejack’s great uncle Marshall Dylan (adopted). He was an odd pony with an even odder name, but an Apple all the same and a tough pony. Nopony thought twice about crossing him. Applejack had just finished telling Rainbow how he had walked out on a sweet young mare they all called Miss Kitty before an awkward silence fell between the two. To fill the silence, Applejack slowly picked up her guitar and strummed a few chords. The soft music helped to break the mood that had fallen over the two as she waited for Rainbow to start. She'd done all she could, now it was Rainbow's turn. “I bet you’ve never heard ole Marshall Dylan say ‘Miss Kitty have you ever thought of running away?’” Dash mumbled to the old photograph, her words almost lost to the strumming of the acoustic guitar. Applejack remained quiet, listening intently to what Dash had to say, her hooves lightly playing a simple tune. It was sad in a way, but reminded her of home. Her eyes never left the fire, but she could hear the distance in Rainbow’s voice, how empty it sounded. Closing the album with a thump, Rainbow sighed. “He’d never say something like ‘settling down would you marry me, if I ask you twice and beg you pretty please.’ He’s a free spirit, nothing and nopony weighing him down...” “Rainbow Dash, what’re you goin’ on about?” “Hay, she’d have said yes in a New York minute.” Rainbow smiled wistfully, ignoring Applejack’s interruption. Her ears fell flat against her head as her eyes began to well up. “But they never tied the knot, his heart just wasn’t in it, y’know? He just stole a kiss as he rode away.” She sounded almost jealous, hanging her head low as she stared blankly at the cover of the album. Applejack nodded, looking up through her bangs at Rainbow, watching her carefully. She was worried, but she would play along. “He never hung his hat up, at Kitty’s place. We all thought she was the one for him, but I guess some ponies just can’t stay put. I’d say you two have at least that much in common.” Rainbow grimaced, pushing the album away. With a long, frustrated huff she raised her gaze to meet Applejack’s. One’s was full of concern for her friend but restrained while the other’s was full of confusion, despair, and guilt. “Y’know Applejack... I shoulda been a cowboy.” Applejack almost lost her rhythm. Her brow scrunched in confusion, she raised an eyebrow at Rainbow. “You wanna repeat that, sugarcube?” “I shoulda learned to rope and ride.” She blinked and averted her eyes, a frown tugging at the corner of her lips. “Like in the stories, wearing my six-shooter, riding my pony, on a cattle drive. Err, at least like how that saying goes.” She coughed embarrassedly before continuing. “Stealing a young girl’s heart, just like Gene and Roy. Singin’ those campfire songs... Oh, I shoulda been a cowboy.” “You’ve been reading a lot of Westerns lately, haven’t ya RD?” Applejack smirked and shook her head. “I’d also wager you were snuggled up on that sofa with Twi’ too. I’m happy things have been going so well between the two of you, by the way.” Rainbow’s expression darkened and she gave Applejack a stern glare before her eyes filled with despair, a window through the mask she wore hardly anypony ever saw in her. “Things have been going well, haven’t they Rainbow?” Ignoring her, Rainbow shuffled closer to the fire as if a sudden coldness had fallen over her. “I might have had a sidekick with a funny name too. Running wild through the hills chasing Jesse James.” She threw her hooves up into the air, expression lightening at the prospect of adventure. “Ending up on the brink of danger! Riding shotgun for the Texas Rangers!” Applejack nodded slowly, chewing over her words before she spoke them. “My uncle used to say, ‘Go west young man, haven’t you been told, California’s full of whisky, women and gold.’” “Think about it, sleeping out all night beneath the desert stars with a dream in my eye and a prayer in my heart.” Her face fell, desperation and despair coming off in waves. Every word she spoke carried with it such misery Applejack had to force herself to stay put and not go over to comfort her. “I shoulda been a cowboy. I shoulda learned to rope and ride. Wearing my six-shooter, riding my pony on a cattle drive. Stealing a young girl’s heart just like Gene and Roy. Singing those campfire songs... I shoulda been a cowboy.” Rainbow fell silent, falling back on her haunches. Her wings hung limply at her side as she scuffed at the dirt beneath her. “Rainbow... what happened?” “Twilight...” she started, her voice catching in her throat. “Twilight... asked me to marry her.”