//------------------------------// // Intermission: The Dark Clouds Have Gone // Story: Love Them While You Still Have Them // by FictionFreek //------------------------------// A few days ago Rarity sat behind the counter of her boutique, so far she hadn’t had a single customer show up this week and she had no orders to fill. It was probably for the best however, for now Rarity only had one thing in mind. This was the day it was supposed to happen, the day Twilight was going to force Rainbow to stay in the pony hospital so that she could get help. Rarity could only shutter from the thought, one could only imagine how Rainbow could have taken it. “It’s almost time.” Twilight hadn’t told them exactly when she was going to take Rainbow the pony hospital, but she did inform them to visit at noon. That was the time that Red Heart told them Fluttershy would be discharged. Rainbow was going to need as much support as possible from her friends now. However Pinkie Pie still hasn’t returned from visiting her parents and Twilight was fairly convinced that Rainbow wouldn’t want to see her anymore after today. So in the end that only Fluttershy, Rarity herself, and- Rarity’s train of thought was cut off when he heard the bell on her front door ring. Rarity didn’t want to deal with a customer right now, but she had a business to run and after letting out a sigh tried to put up a smile. However when she looked to the door she saw that is wasn’t a customer, it was Applejack, and she didn’t look very happy. But then again why would she? Due to what’s happened over the last couple of days there wasn’t much of a reason to smile. “Hello, Applejack.” Rarity said giving Applejack a friendly smile. “Hey, Rares.” Applejack said awkwardly. “Today’s the day, huh?” Rarity could see it in her eyes; Applejack hadn’t slept well or probably at all for that matter. She could only imagine how Applejack must be feeling right now. She had to shoulder not only the burden of lying to her friends, but suffered the guilt when it all came back at her. Something like that could take a toll on anypony, no matter how strong. “I’m so sorry that it came to this, Applejack, I know how hard you tried to help Rainbow.” said Rarity trying to cheer up her friend, if only by a small margin. “Thanks, Rares, but ah can’t help but feel that ah didn’t try hard enough.” said Applejack looking defeated. Rarity’s brow furrowed at the way Applejack looked right now, she couldn’t let her continue like that. “No you mustn’t think like that, you’ve don’t everything you could and nopony could ask for more.” said Rarity as she placed a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder. But her attempts yielded no fruit as Applejack’s bottom lip began to quiver. “Ah just wanted to be there for her, ah know how painful losing somepony can be, ah just wanted to help her.” said Applejack as a single tear ran down her face. That’s all she wanted, she wanted to be there for a friend who was forced to suffer through what she did all those years ago. Now wanting to see Applejack cry like that Rarity pulled her in for a hug allowing her a shoulder to cry on. “But it’s still not too late; in the hospital she’s going to need her friends more than ever, you can still be there for her.” She didn’t know how long the hug lasted, and she didn’t care, all she wanted to do was help Applejack feel a little bit better. After a while Applejack broke free from the hug and whipped the tears from her eyes. “Ah’m sorry.” Applejack said with a sniffle “ah got your coat wet.” But Rarity didn’t look bothered in the slightest “Do you feel better now?” she asked. Applejack finally got the tears to stop and gave one last sniffle before nodding her head. “I’m glad, now, how about we go see how Rainbow is doing?” she asked. Applejack got up from the ground and took a deep breath to compose herself. Once she felt she was ready she smiled at Applejack and nodded her head. The two walked in silence as they made their way to the hospital, both thinking silently to themselves on what Rainbow’s current state would be. Would she be glad to see them? Would she hate them for putting her there? Would she ever admit to needing help? All questions with no way to answer until they saw the cyan Pegasus for themselves. Soon the two of them found themselves standing in front of their destination, the Ponyville hospital. What awaited them inside was anypony’s guess, but no matter what happens inside they were going to be there for Rainbow. “Hey Rares.” Applejack said. “Yes?” “Thank you, for what you said back there.” Applejack said with a smile on her face. Rarity looked over to Applejack and returned a smile as well. “Anything for a friend.” Was her response, and with nothing left to be said the two started continued forward, that is until. “Wait!” both mares heard from behind them; the voice was familiar to them so they quickly turned around. Running up to them was none other than Twilight Sparkle, she was breathing heavily as if she tried desperately to catch up to Applejack and Rarity. After about half a minute Twilight finally reached them stopping with an impressive skid. “Twilight, what is it? Aren’t you supposed to be in there with Rainbow?” Rarity asked feeling a small panic building up inside of her. “N-no, Rai-Rainbow…” Twilight tried to say between gasps, running at full speed like that was not something she did often so her stamina was scarce. “Rainbow what, is she okay?” asked Applejack taking a step toward Twilight. Getting tired of trying to talk between breaths, Twilight sucked in as much air as she could, ignoring the burning sensation of her lungs. “Fluttershy got through to Rainbow!” she said before he legs gave out and she fell plop on her stomach in exhaustion. At first Applejack and Rarity had their jaws hanging with blank expressions on their faces, it was as if what Twilight said hadn’t sunk in just yet. But over time their hanging jaws shifted into full smiled. “She did it Rares!” Applejack yelled in glee. “I knew she could do it!” in a fit of happiness Applejack and Rarity picked up Twilight to join in on a group hug. The hug lasted for about a minute with Rarity and Applejack laughing in happiness from the news while Twilight continued to try to catch her breath. “Wait, but how?” asked Rarity, quickly the two looked at Twilight whose tongue was currently hanging out of her mouth. “J-just give me a moment.” Twilight was able to say. Both were eager to find out what happened but they waited patiently for Twilight to catch her breath, and when she did she told them the most amazing story that had ever filled their ears. Word for word Twilight retold Fluttershy’s story making sure not to leave a single detail out. When the story was done both Rarity and Applejack had tears running down their faces, but not of sadness, they were tears of joy. “That Fluttershy, she really knows how to pull all the stops to help her friends.” Applejack said with a smile. “She was only able to do it thanks to you, Applejack.” Twilight said surprising Applejack. “It was the choice you made that gave her the time she needed, if it weren’t for the decision you made Rainbow would be in the hospital right now.” Twilight’s words felt like something had hit Applejack in the chest. This wasn’t pain of sorrow she was feeling; it was a different emotional impact. The day Applejack made her difficult decision she always wondered if she did the right thing, but she never got an answer. And now, Twilight was looking her in the eye and telling her that she did. Applejack felt tears running down her face again and try as she might she couldn’t get her lip to stop quivering. “T-thank you, Twilight.” Applejack said before covering her face with her hat, but that didn’t mask the soft sobs. Twilight and Rarity smiled at Applejack before they moved in for a hug. “And I wanted to say I’m sorry for what I did. I shouldn’t have gotten mad at you, I had no right.” Twilight said during the hug. “Ah don’t care about that, I’m just glad that Rainbow’s okay.” Applejack said returning the hug to both Unicorns. The hug lasted for several minutes before they all finally broke free, each of them whipping tears of joy from their faces. “Oh I simply must go see her, coming Applejack?” Rarity asked almost ready to bolt as a moment’s notice. “You go on ahead, ah’ll catch up!” Rarity didn’t need to be told twice as she bolted in the direction of Fluttershy’s cottage as fast as her hooves would take her. Applejack couldn’t help but chuckle from seeing just how fast Rarity could run when she put the effort into it. She wanted to for with Rarity; she wanted to see Rainbow and Fluttershy too. But she needed to take care of one thing before she could. “Ah never got the chance to talk to you about it. But ah noticed you were taking this hard too, care to talk about it?” Applejack asked turning her head to Twilight. “You’re right; I did have an issue when I found out what happened to Rainbow’s father. As you know, Shining is a Royal Guard too, and I never really thought about what that means up until that day. When I stepped into Celestia’s thrown room and say the guards standing there, I thought that it was me that was going to get the bad news. “Since then I couldn’t get it out of my head, the fear of wondering if I would be next to lose somepony close to my heart. I know that fear will never go away while he’s a Royal Guard, and I know I can’t convince him to stop trying to protect his loved ones. But if the day comes when I found out he was taken from me, I know I can overcome the pain, and do you know why?” Applejack hadn’t said anything while Twilight spoke, even now she didn’t feel like she could say anything and simple shook her head. Twilight saw this and smiled at Applejack “It’s simple, it’s because I know I will have five wonderful friends who will be there for me should the time come.” she finished still holding the smile she held proudly on her face. Applejack’s jaw went slack for a moment, but it quickly turned into a smile. “Of course, we’ll always be there for each other, no matter what.”