Chapter XXXIX
"Where have you been?!"
"Oh, sweet Celestia, she found us!" Dash dove for Nurse Redheart, cowering behind her larger flank.
"Where have you been?" AJ hissed again.
Fluttershy hid. There was nothing else to do but stand stalk still and try to make herself invisible behind her bangs. Maybe, if she didn't move, Applejack wouldn't attack her like she did all the other town children; like she had Rainbow Dash. So she stood there, praying to Celestia that she were a tree, listening to the slow drip drip of water.
Except, the pump in the room wasn't leaky. It hadn't been dripping a moment ago. Whatever happened, it changed the moment Applejack stormed into the office. Which, given the time elapsed, why wasn't she attacking?
Tilting her head ever-so-slightly to peer out, Fluttershy got a look at the orange pelted pony. Her hooves were muddy, and while Applejack was never known for her love of cleanliness, she was filthier than she'd been when she'd entered school hours ago. There was a tremble, a subtle shake to her muscles, like she'd been running for a while. Her breathing ran in time with the drumming of her heart, backing up that hypothesis. But none of that explained the dripping. That was reserved for her eyes.
Applejack was crying. Her great emerald eyes quivered with fear as tears slowly ran down her muzzle. She was afraid, and crying. If Fluttershy hadn't been staring right at her, she never would have believed it.
Applejack locked eyes with Fluttershy behind her pink locks. Wiping her face with a muddy hoof, she entered in with one smooth motion, looking naturally furious and erasing all clues to weaker displays of emotion.
"Where have y'all been? I've been sarchin' high and low for y'all all over town!"
"We're sorry, Applejack." mewed Fluttershy
"Didn't I tell y'all to wait for me?"
"Yes."
"Now Big Mac is late for school lookin' for y'all, and I'm late for my chores!"
"Sorry." She was covering, Fluttershy knew that. But AJ still managed to bring out the guilt in Fluttershy's heart.
"Don't apologize to her, Fluttershy." Rainbow Dash emerged, ready for another round. Her prey instinct subsided enough for fight or flight to take over, and Dash never flew away from a fight. "You left us alone."
"Y'all were fine. Ya should have waited."
"Granny told you not to leave us. Who do you think would be in more trouble?"
"You wouldn't." AJ turned, nose to nose with Dash. They were about to tear the house down.
"Well, you have to tell her something." Fluttershy commented, trying to be helpful. "You're already late."
"And whose fault is that?"
"You left us!" Dash shouted, pushing harder. She wasn't backing down; for once she had both the superior moral high ground, and Applejack knew it. It was an unusual feeling for Dash.
"Fine." AJ relented, turning back to the door. "You know what? Fine. Let's all jus' head back before we ALL get in trouble."
She left without another word. Fluttershy and Dash stared at each other for a moment before following her out the door. There was no fight, no shouting contest. It had been all together too easy. They weren't going to complain about it, but neither expected that they'd heard the end of it.
Following their companion down the street, Fluttershy made sure to shut the door behind her.
"I'll just do this free of charge then?" Nurse Redheart called to an empty room. "Sure, why not? Stupid government healthcare."
~~~~~
The journey back to Sweet Apple Acres turned out to be much less adventurous than the morning had been. It took several minutes to track down Little Mac. Applejack explained the situation using more words than necessary, including a few that Granny Smith probably didn't want her knowing. But Mac just said 'Eyup' so it all came out even in the end, as most of their conversations did.
With her brother back in school, Applejack lead the herd back to the farm down the dusty country roads. She didn't say much of anything, looking rather dejected as the duo trailed behind.
"That was weird." Dash whispered.
"What?" Fluttershy whispered back.
"The whole situation in town."
"Oh. Yes. It's a lovely town though, don't you think?"
"No! I mean, yeah, it's okay I guess. Everything's so hard though. Too much wood and dirt. But I meant Applejack."
"I thought you meant at the restaurant." Fluttershy still felt ashamed. "Do you think she got the message out?"
"Who, Derpy? She'll be fine." Dash rubbed her neck. "I mean, it's not like I'd trust her to deliver mail, or move furniture or anything. But I think we can count on her this time."
"Do you think she's okay?"
"Ditzy Doo?"
"No. Applejack." Fluttershy whispered even lower, watching for the listening twitch of the pony's ears.
"Why wouldn't she be? She's just her angry, moody self."
"She was crying." Fluttershy hesitated to admit it. It almost wasn't any of her business.
"Are you sure about that, Fluttershy? Granny said that AJ hasn't cried since... I don't know when. You know how it is; you face into the stinging wind so no one can see you cry."
"Well, maybe she doesn't know that. But I know tears, Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy turned away. "I, of all ponies, know tears. You should know that by now. Applejack was crying."
"Why?"
"I don't know. Maybe she was afraid she'd lost us, too?"
"She doesn't even like us!" Dash exclaimed, causing AJ's ears to swivel their direction.
"So?"
"So? How can she be afraid to lose us if she doesn't even like us? She's just a heartless wretch."
"Oh, Dashie. Don't you know anything?"
Fluttershy stared at her sadly, almost with a sense of pity. She, Fluttershy, pitied Rainbow Dash! Dash's tail went bottle brush, riled up and ready to fight... who? Her best and only friend? Fluttershy obviously knew something Dash didn't, but that didn't make her stupid. Nor did it give Fluttershy the right to act superior. They were supposed to stick together. Applejack was the interloper here.
Fluttershy trotted ahead, riding astride Applejack. Even thought she was older and somewhat taller than her companion, Fluttershy still managed to be outmatched next to Applejack. The Earth Pony was shorter, for sure, but her stout and powerful build put Fluttershy's gangly frame to shame. One could see, not only the individual differences between the two girls, but the divide between the species. It was a barrier that some ponies said could never be crossed. Nor should it. But Fluttershy was going to try.
"Um, thank you for coming to find us back there." Applejack just looked at her sidelong. "It was, um, nice."
"What did you think I was gonna do, leave y'all behind?"
"Well you could have, couldn't you?"
"Sugar, I'm Applejack, as honest and loyal as they come. I never leave ponies behind."
"I see." Fluttershy started to slowly drift back.
"They leave me."
Fluttershy wasn't sure she caught that, a stray breeze snatching her apple-scented words away. Her ears pirouetted forward, but it was too late. Applejack was looking another direction, hiding her face from Fluttershy. But it was encouragement, and Fluttershy decided to try again.
"Um, Rainbow Dash and I don't really have any friends back home. We're usually alone and the other ponies make fun of us or just ignore us. So I understand. That is to say, I know how you must feel sometimes. I know about being alone. And, well, if you want to, we could always be there for you when you need?"
AJ Stared hard at her for a moment. "Are you tryin' to make friends with me?" Fluttershy nodded her head, grinning madly. "Well stop. I don't need no friends, especially not with some two bit, no account, bird brained feather dusters." The smile instantly vanished from Fluttershy's face. "So no, I don't want to be friends."
"But... maybe some day?" Fluttershy made one last attempt, concentrating on not crying.
Applejack sighed. "Sure. Maybe one day when we're all grown, and go on adventures, and have slumber parties and wield ancient magical powers, maybe then we'll be friends."
"Okay." Fluttershy fell back, offering a faint smile with all the kindness she could spare. It wasn't much, but she'd take it. Applejack didn't turn her down entirely, so there was still hope.
It would be a long, hard road home for the three fillies, harder for them than most others. Friends or not, the only thing they could do is band together, clinging to each other for hope through the journey called life. Fluttershy and Dash had one another, a bond they would never break. Applejack stood alone. It would take her longer, but hope would come. She would come to find friends, and love and forgiveness. But for now, she faced into the wind so no one could see her cry.