Sometimes In The Fall
The wind howled through the trees, creating a cacophonous sound that sent shivers down the spine. A chill hung about the air, an ever present sign of the season that was still to come. Fallen leaves painted the ground in shades of reds and yellows. Fall was now upon Ponyville. Much of the season’s excitement was still to come with Nightmare Night a couple weeks away and Thanksgiving stuck down the road. The shorts and sunglasses of summer were stored away and the scarves and coats of autumn were free once more.
Though it was the month of October, the weather felt like it belonged in January or February. Instead of jumping in piles of leaves or visiting pumpkin patches, ponies stayed inside their homes, bundled up to keep themselves nice and warm. Some didn’t mind the cold all that much and still went about their day. Amongst these ponies was Rainbow Dash, too stubborn to be bothered by a little cold weather. Grounded, she walked through Ponyville’s empty streets, keeping herself warm with a rainbow colored scarf, and a brown flight jacket that always kept her warm in cold weather. Today was brisk and the wind was cruel. Rainbow would squint and shiver when a gust of wind would come to meet her head on. On days like this, she preferred to stay on the ground as the skies were too chilly for her liking, plus the wind made it more difficult to fly. Huddling her arms together to keep warm, Rainbow Dash continued walking, her body was cold, but not uncomfortable.
Soon, the sky was a mix of purples, oranges, and yellows, the warm appearance of the evening sky contrasting the feeling of the chilly air. Dash tightened her scarf, leaning against the wind as it met her body. Usually, the cold wasn’t that much of a problem for her, but being able to feel her fingers wasn’t too bad either. Once the wind settled down, Dash looked up and saw Sweet Apple Acres appear over the hill. She continued walking forward, bringing her hands to her mouth to give them a warm puff of air. While she walked, Dash made sure to step on every fallen leaf, just like she did when she was a young filly, the crunching being quickly followed by giggling.
“Howdy, Rainbow!”
Rainbow looked up quickly to see Applejack a few feet ahead, draped in a cozy looking flannel shirt, her signature hat placed perfectly on top of her head.
“What brings you around the farm?” she asked, picking up the bucket of apples that was down by her hooves.
“I was just walking around and I guess I ended up here,” Rainbow Dash shrugged with a smile.
“Aw, so you weren’t coming to pay me a visit?” Applejack smiled, walking over to meet her friend.
“You know I’d always pay you a visit if I’m in the neighborhood,” Rainbow replied, keeping her cold hands stuffed in her warm pockets.
Applejack nodded in agreement with her friend. A powerful gust of wind came bellowing through the air, nearly causing Applejack to fall over; thankfully Rainbow caught her before she embarrassed herself.
“I love the fall, but today’s just too cold,” Applejack shivered.
“I don’t mind it that much but, yeah, it is pretty cold out here,” Dash agreed.
“Tell you what, how about you come inside and we’ll have a nice glass of cider?”
“Wait…you have some!?” Rainbow asked in astonishment.
“Of course we do! We always keep a little extra for us Apples!” Applejack explained.
For yet another year, Rainbow Dash had missed out on getting a taste of the best cider in Equestria. No matter how early she gets to Sweet Apple Acres, Pinkie Pie is always there first.
“Well, if it’s for you and your family, I don’t want to impose or anything,” Dash said humbly, as much as she wanted a taste of that cider.
“Heck, you’re as much as an Apple as Big Macintosh himself! Besides, I know you didn’t get much cider this year and everypony in Ponvyille deserves a taste!”
Dash was ecstatic and was looking forward to a nice, warm glass of cider with her best friend.
“Just grab that other bucket of apples and follow me back to the barn, then I’ll get us all set up!” Applejack said.
Once the apples were put away and everything was cleaned up, Applejack and Rainbow Dash sat inside the cozy farmhouse. Rainbow enjoyed the presence of all of her friends, but she liked being with Applejack the most. For Applejack, the feeling was also mutual.
A fire burned inside the fireplace, warming the living room as Rainbow Dash curled up on the couch under a comfy, hand woven blanket. Her scarf and jacket were placed neatly on the coatrack in the corner of the room that Apple Bloom had made herself. Dash watched the fire, listening to wood crackle as it burned. The house was quiet and peaceful, the only sounds being that of the fire. If every day were like this, she wouldn’t mind it being as cold as it is. Rainbow stretched out her legs on the couch, getting as comfortable as a pony possibly could. She would’ve dozed off had Applejack not entered the room.
“Here we go, two cups of apple cider made by yours truly!” Applejack smiled, lifting her hat off her head and tossing it over to the coat rack perfectly. Dash lifted herself slightly off of the couch and reached out to accept her glass of cider.
“Thanks a bunch, AJ!” Rainbow smiled. She brought the glass to her lips and took in a healthy sip, the taste of the cider overwhelming her taste buds in the best way possible.
“How is it, sugarcube?” Applejack asked as she took a seat next to Rainbow on the couch.
“Amazing,” the cider loving pony said before taking another sip from her drink.
“Great,” Applejack smiled, bringing her own glass to her lips as she watched the wood get engulfed by the warm flames.
For the next few minutes, neither of them uttered a single word. The two listened to the sound of the fireplace as they drank their cider, enjoying each other’s company peacefully. Dash then spoke up, putting an end to the peaceful silence.
“Hey, AJ?” she spoke. “I’m still a little cold.”
“Should I put some more wood in the fire?” Applejack asked.
“No, the fire’s fine as it is,” Dash replied, sitting upright and shuffling herself underneath the covers.
“Well, I could get you another blanket if you want?”
Again, Rainbow shook her head. Without saying a word, she scooted herself closer to Applejack and leaned her head up against her shoulder. “It’s okay, I’m warm now.”
Applejack couldn’t tell if she was blushing or if it was just the heat from the fire. Whichever one it was, she didn’t really care. Rainbow breathed softly against her shoulder as she watched the fire. Applejack brushed her friend’s mane, moving her bangs away from her eyes. Soon, Rainbow had drifted off into a quiet sleep. Applejack smiled as Dash’s sleepy head rested against her shoulder. Slowly, she brought her in closer, running her hands through her mane once more before falling asleep herself. The only sound to be heard was the crackling of the fire and the soft, steady breathing of two cuddling ponies.