The Beach Kinda Sucks without You

by elPossenreisser

Apart

“You lookin’ for somethin’ there, sugarcube?” Applejack’s smirk was clearly audible to Rainbow Dash as she was looking at the shiny shape of the conference hotel at the other side of the bay.
 
“And what’s that supposed to mean?”
 
“Why, dear, you’ve had your eyes peeled on that hotel all afternoon,” Rarity explained. “It’s just that we never pegged you as the type who’s interested in modern architecture.”
 
“Well, maybe I am,” Rainbow groaned. She stretched her legs in the hot beach sand and lazily let her gaze wander from the hotel across the bay and over the beach. The sea water was crystal clear and the beach was pearly white. Big waves were rolling up on the shore and almost muted the cheers and happy shouts of the other ponies frolicking on the beach. Rainbow and her friends were lying in the sun and enjoying the afternoon.
 
Well, all her friends except for Twilight who was on official princess duty, something about meeting some ambassador in that hotel across the bay. What mattered was, she wasn’t there.
 
Not that Rainbow was worried, hay no! Everything was a-okay, no doubt, thanks for asking. Saturday night with Twilight had been a blast, and it was only natural that Rainbow somehow, kinda, wished she was here as well.
 
She wondered what Twilight was doing, talking with that stupid ambassador and not being here. She was probably thinking about Rainbow, too, all wondering what things were like between the two of them now, since they hadn’t really had a chance to talk after Saturday. Rainbow huffed and turned on her stomach. Yeah, it could easily wear a pony down, not knowing where one stood with somepony as awesome. Unlike Rainbow, poor Twilight was likely obsessing about this.
 
But what if she wasn’t?
 
“Aw, lighten up, sugarcube, will ya,” Applejack said. “This place is beautiful. Let’s go have a swim, you lazy-flank.”
 
“You go,” Rainbow Dash replied dejectedly. “I’m not in the mood.”
 
“Now quit your belly-achin’,” Applejack scolded her good-naturedly. Rarity and Fluttershy looked at her uncomprehendingly. “You need to get yourself distracted.”
 
“I’m not belly-aching!” Rainbow Dash protested. “Fine, race you to the water. Last one in’s a lame old mule!” She jumped to her feet and started galloping towards the sea. Applejack shouted “Yeehaw!” and was already on her tail.
 
After a while of friendly wrestling, splashing and mutual ducking the two ponies returned to the beach. Rarity had fallen asleep, watched dreamily by Spike, and Fluttershy was reading a romance novel. Pinkie was busy on something that was perhaps a sandcastle or maybe an archeological excavation.
 
“Next time you better put up a real fight,” Applejack grinned as she dropped on her towel.
 
“Enjoy it while it lasts,” Rainbow shot back.
 
Suddenly, Spike belched, and in a green flame a scroll of parchment appeared. Fluttershy startled and dropped her book, and Rarity jolted awake. “What was that?”
 
“Sorry,” Spike said sheepishly. “Letter for us from… Twilight?” He stared at the scroll in surprise. “That’s new.”
 
“I thought only the princesses can send letters… ooh!” Rainbow said.
 
“Oooh open it open it open it!” Pinkie Pie squealed and bounced out of her digging site.
 
“Gimme that!” Too fast to even follow her with the eye, Rainbow snatched the scroll from Spike’s claws and opened it. It was addressed to all of them, which was totally not disappointing at all. Rainbow cleared her throat and began reading out.
 
“My dear friends,
 
“Princess Celestia finally taught me how to send letters with magic! That means I can now send letters to Spike from anywhere I am, and Spike can send letters back to me! Isn’t it great?
 
“I’m very sorry I can’t be on vacation with you, but the meetings with the ambassador don’t seem to end anytime soon. There’s just so much to discuss, and the Princess (and Equestria, as she told me) is counting on me. After all, I am a princess now, and I have to take my responsibilities seriously. But I’d love to spend some quality time with you at the beach. Oh my, I didn’t mean to complain.
 
“I hope you’re enjoying the vacation so far. Just imagine me waving over to you from the conference hotel!
 
“Your friend,
Princess Twilight Sparkle”
 
Pinkie Pie was sitting on her haunches, her eyes wide and watery. “She’s still thinking of us!” she cried and burst into tears of joy.
 
“Pinkie, dear, why in Equestria wouldn’t she?” Rarity asked.
 
“That’s really nice of Twilight – “ Fluttershy started, but was interrupted by Pinkie Pie.
 
“TWILIIIIIIIGHT!” she yelled at the top of her lungs, jumping up and down and waving her hooves at the hotel on the other side of the bay. “THANKS FOR YOUR LETTEEEEEER! WE MIIIIIIISS – oomph!” Rainbow stopped her by putting a hoof on her mouth.
 
“She can’t hear you, Pinks,” she said.
 
“Aww.”
 
“We can still send her a letter back, now can’t we,” Applejack suggested.
 
To Rainbow Dash, that seemed like a brilliant idea. “Yeah, let’s do this! Who brought parchment and ink and quills and stuff?”
 
“To the beach?” Applejack deadpanned. “Why in tarnation would anypony bring that stuff to the beach? We all can still write her later, when we’re back at the hotel.”
 
“But why waste so much time?” Rainbow complained. Applejack just grinned at her.
 
“Well,” Rarity spoke, “there is a Quills and Sofas store in town, near the marketplace. You can probably get – “ But Rainbow had already vanished in a multi-hued contrail. Applejack chuckled and lay back, closing her eyes and soaking up the warm sunlight.
 

Dear Twilight.
 
Rainbow was still pondering over what to write when they were sitting in the ice cream parlor near the beach some time later. She absentmindedly licked on her half-molten ice cream cone and glared at the selection of parchments, quills, and inkwells she had spread out on the table. This whole writing business was hard!
 
“Still not getting on with that letter of yours?” Applejack asked sympathetically.
 
“What does a pony write in a letter anyway?” Rainbow asked, exasperated. “How does Twilight manage to write letter after letter to Princess Celestia? There aren’t even that many words!”

“Oh, you could write her what a wonderful time we’re having, so that Twilight can share our joy, dear,” Rarity suggested.
 
Today we spent the whole day at the beach. Rarity and Fluttershy were sunbathing the whole time, and Pinkie dug a beach cave. I Spike must have had three bowls of ice cream, and I totally beat Applejack at swimming, which was awesome.
 
“And don’t you go makin’ up no humbuggery about you winning at swimming, sugarcube!”
 
“Yeah, yeah.”
 
Our hotel is nice. Rarity is sharing a room with Fluttershy, AJ is with Pinkie Pie, and I'm with Spike. Still a shame you’re not even in the same hotel as us.
 
Right now we’re having this amazing ice cream. It’s really like the best ice cream ever. I mean, nothing against Pony Joe, but his ice cream falls flat on its flank compared to this. I wish you could be here with us and have some so you could see for yourself.
 
After a moment of thinking, she crossed out the last sentence. Too sappy.
 
Anyway, I hope you get some time off so at least you have some vacation with us.
 
Yours
Rainbow Dash
 
“You guys wanna sign this, too?”
 
“Why of course!” Rarity said. “Let me see.” She quickly read. “A little, well, crude, but sweet nonetheless. Except for that crossed out line. And that ‘Yours’ should really be ‘Love’. She is one of our best friends, after all.” She looked at Rainbow with mild reproach. “You’ll want to write the letter again, dear.” She handed Rainbow the parchment back.
 
“Really? Again? Just because of one sentence?” Rainbow asked incredulously. “You gotta be kidding!”
 
“My dear Rainbow Dash, the immaculate appearance of a letter is a sign of respect for the recipient,” Rarity explained. “And vice versa, a sluggish appearance is a sign of carelessness and disrespect. You wouldn’t want to send Twilight a letter that expressed your disrespect, now, would you?”
 
“Celestia forbid!” Applejack chimed in, grinning.
 
With a groan, Rainbow took out another piece of parchment and started copying the letter. When she was finished, she signed it and passed the parchment and quill on to the orther girls so they could sign as well.
 
After Spike had signed, he made to roll up the scroll to send it, but Rainbow Dash grabbed it out of his claws. “I need to add something.”
 
Twi,
 
This part is just me writing (RD), the others won’t read this. Since we never had a chance to talk after Saturday night, I just wanted to tell you that I really had a great time. And it really sucks that you can’t be with us on this vacation. The beach kinda sucks without you is kinda boring without you.
 
Can’t you come over for like, an afternoon or something?
 
I guess I kinda miss you.
 
Yours
Love
RD
 
Rainbow Dash swallowed hard as she rolled up the letter. Her hooves were shaking. Opening up like that, telling Twilight that she missed her, was scary. Or, seeing as she was Rainbow ‘Danger’ Dash and unafraid of everything, it wasn’t scary but rather… what was that word again...
 
Oh to tarnation with it, it was scary. What if Twilight didn’t feel the same? What if she didn’t want to read this kind of sappy stuff from her? What if Twilight was really quite happy having some time without them? Without her? She would have made a complete fool out of herself. She’d be the laughing stock of –
 
“You alright there, sugarcube?”
 
Applejack’s question snapped her out of her brooding. With decisiveness, she nodded and rolled up the letter before handing it to Spike. “There, all good to go.”
 
“What did you add? If you don’t mind me asking, that is,” Fluttershy wanted to know.
 
“I… ah… erm… I added…”
 
Applejack watched her squirm and stutter for a few more seconds before she gently put a hoof on Fluttershy’s foreleg. “I’m guessin’ it’s something rather personal.”
 
“That’s it!” Rainbow almost shouted in relief. “Something personal. Nothing important.” Fluttershy looked at her confusedly. Rarity shot Applejack an inquisitive gaze, unnoticed by Rainbow Dash, while Spike breathed green fire on the letter and made it disappear in a small cloud of smoke.
 
“Thanks, AJ,” Rainbow whispered as they left the ice cream parlor.
 
“Sure thing, sugarcube.” She deliberately walked a little slower than Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Spike, and held Rainbow back with a hoof. “You know I’ll still keep pesterin’ you, right?” she smirked.
 
Rainbow hung her head. “You’re a good friend, AJ.”
 
“Aw shucks, sugarcube, now you’re makin’ me all blush,” Applejack grinned. “I know you’d do the same for me.”
 
Even though she was right, Rainbow felt the urge to kick her friend.
 

 
“Hold on, dragon boy, where do you think you’re going?” Rainbow demanded.
 
“Uh, I was just going to have a look at that jeweler’s display at the esplanade?” Spike replied as he got up from his towel. “Just over there, see?”
 
“Ah. That’s cool. I’ll come along.”
 
“Still nothing, huh?” Applejack asked when they returned to their spot on the beach some time later. The concern in her voice was audible despite her grinning. Why did it have to be concern? Concern was somehow bad. As if there was reason for concern! “None of the jewelry takin’ your fancy?”
 
“Very funny, AJ.”
 
“I’ll just have the two of you know that from now on, officially, I no longer care about what you have been going on and on and on about the whole day,” Rarity huffed, not quite convincingly. “Spikey-Wikey, don’t let them disturb you with their uncouth antics.”
 
“Don’t worry, Rarity, I – burp!” The dragon spat out a green flame, and a scroll of parchment fell into the sand. “Sorry, Rarity.”
 
But the unicorn had already grasped the parchment in her magic and brought it in front of her eyes. “To: Rainbow Dash,” she read. Pointedly raising an eyebrow, she levitated the letter to Rainbow. “Would you finally explain what this is about?”
 
“Just a letter,” Rainbow mumbled and opened the scroll. Her heart was totally not beating like the wings of a… tiny bird… like the ones Fluttershy had in her cottage. It was cool. Just a letter from Twilight. Of course she had written back. Why wouldn’t she?
 
Her hooves were barely shaking.
 
“Just drop it, Rarity,” she heard Applejack speak in a universe next door.
 
Dear Rainbow Dash,
 
I am really very sorry that I only write back to you now; I was stuck in a meeting and only got to read your letter now. And right now, another meeting is about to start, and it is scheduled until 10 p.m. Technically, I’ll have some free time after that, but I have to be up early tomorrow so I guess we’ll have to see what the rest of the week brings.
 
I, too, had a great time on Saturday night. I think I’d like to go out with you again, if you are interested?
 
I’m really sorry we can’t even see each other while we’re here. I miss you, too.
 
Love
Twi
 
“Sweet Celestia, she’s grinning so broadly her head is gonna split in half!” Applejack cackled and rolled on her back. Rainbow just kept staring at the parchment.
 
“Her head?” Pinkie cried, jumping out from her underground lair. “Isn’t that going to hurt? And wouldn’t the top half just fall off? That must look so funny! Aw, I wish my head would split in half.” Applejack put a hoof on her shoulder to quiet her down.
 
“Oh my, Twilight must have written something really nice,” Fluttershy said, smiling.
 
“Oh for the love of Celestia!” Rarity groaned. “What in the world is going on here, would somepony please just be so kind and tell me already? I mean, us? All these insinuations are driving me positively insane!”
 
“I can’t, sorry, Rarity,” Applejack said, still grinning and obviously not too sorry at all. “I Pinkie promised.”
 
“Um, guys, it’s just a letter from Twilight,” Rainbow explained, rolling it up again. “There’s, like, nothing going on here.” She shot Applejack a nasty glare. “Except for somepony being a smartflank!” She took off, scooped up Applejack in one swooping motion, and flew her over the sea where she dropped her into the water unceremoniously.
 
When the farmer reemerged, she was still chuckling. “Very refreshing, thanks, Dash!”
 
“AJ, why do you have to be so such a pain in the flank?” Rainbow groaned.
 
Applejack sighed and suddenly looked at her more solemnly, the effect partly ruined by stray strands of her wet mane plastered to her face. “Dash, you really gotta loosen up,” she said and caught Rainbow’s gaze with her eyes. “You been actin’ crazier than a sprayed roach ever since Saturday.”
 
“Where have I been acting crazy?” Rainbow shot back defensively.
 
Applejack just raised a brow and looked at the ocean’s surface without a word.
 
“Oh. That.”
 
The farmer continued, “Point is, there really ain’t no reason for that.”
 
“What? How do you know that? Did Twilight say something to you? Tell me now!” Rainbow lowered to sea level and pressed her snout against Applejack’s.
 
“I don’t know nothing you didn’t tell me,” Applejack said, pushing Rainbow away. “She went out with you. Y’all had a good time. You got nothin’ to worry about. Really, Rainbow, you’re behavin’ like you’ve never been on a date before.”
 
“This time it’s, I dunno, different,” Rainbow murmured dejectedly. “It’s like I really want things to work out with Twi, but I have no idea if they’re gonna work out, you know?” When Applejack just stared back at her quizzically, she went on, “So she said she wants to go out with me again, but what if it’s all just a nice night out among friends, and she doesn’t want… you know… more?” She blushed, and Applejack struggled to keep her expression under control. “We didn’t even kiss! This whole not-knowing is killing me. It’s been over two days! I don’t want to be left hanging anymore!”
 
“I think you’re just bein’ impatient, Dash,” Applejack observed. “She wrote that she wants to go out with you again in that letter of yours?” Rainbow nodded. “See, you got nothin’ to worry –“
 
“The letter!” Rainbow suddenly cried. “I left it out in the open!” Without further ado she darted back to the beach, leaving Applejack to swim back to the shore on her own.
 
Back on the beach, Rarity was engaged in a staring contest with the letter, which was still lying on Rainbow’s towel, rolled up. She had a slight twitch in her eye, like the ones Twilight sometimes got when she was really stressed out. Rainbow idly wondered if all unicorns got this twitch.
 
“Just so you know,” Rarity said with a strained voice, “my refined manners as a lady forbid me from reading it.” She turned her back to Rainbow Dash and took a book out of her bag. With a huff, she began reading. Rainbow could have sworn that she heard Rarity muttering something like “Blasted manners”.
 

 
“So what do you guys think about that seafood place right at the beach?” Spike suggested, folding up his towel.
 
“It smelled delicious when we walked past it earlier,” Fluttershy said dreamily. “But, whatever you girls want is fine with me.” She already had her saddlebags on and was waiting for the others to pack up their things.
 
“Looked like a decent place, so yeah, fine with me,” Applejack said and put her Stetson back on. “Pinkie, Rainbow?”
 
“Yes!” Pinkie cried immediately. “They had a wonderful desserts menu; I want to try their caramel-coated chocolate shrimps.” The others stared at her in disgust. “Oh you silly fillies, they are not actual shrimps! That would be completely crazy!” The others sighed in relief.
 
“You girls go on without me,” Rainbow Dash said, not blushing at all. “I have, erm, plans.”
 
“I bet you have,” Applejack remarked, smirking.
 
“Oh, you’re going to see Twilight?” Pinkie Pie chimed in. “Can we come, too? I miss her sooooooo much! Can’t you just take her here so we can all have dinner together and –“
 
Rainbow put a hoof on the pink pony’s mouth to stop her, but didn’t say anything. The others were looking at her expectantly, even Fluttershy looked positively eager. It was really kind of annoying.
 
“Rainbow Dash, out with it already! What are you and our dear Twilight up to?” Rarity demanded in a shrill voice. Rainbow shot a glance at Applejack, but the farmer was just standing there, hooves crossed, and grinning at her. No help there.
 
“I’m… I am…” She needed an excuse, fast! “It’s a project I’m working on. Can’t really bring Twilight to hang out with us, sorry, Pinks.” The second she finished, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Spike started bombarding her with questions.
 
“Project? What project? What are you –“
 
“Are you going to –“
 
“Is Twilight –“
 
“What in Equestria –“
 
Applejack was still just standing there and silently enjoying the show with that annoying grin of hers. Even though she was only trying to help ease Rainbow’s mind, it could drive a pony mad. “Sorry guys, gotta go!” Rainbow interrupted the constant stream of questions and took off. She poked her tongue out at Applejack, and the farmer tipped her hat in response, still grinning.