FaR Chapter Twelve- A Day on the Town
Sundown. That gave them almost the whole day together! Turning to Rainbow Dash Applejack smiled widely.
'A whole day alone with Rainbow. Finally.'
"So, Applejack," Rainbow winked at the orchard pony. "We have till sundown, and... Well, that gives us some time together. Did you happen to have anything in mind for today?" Rainbow Dash tapped her hoof on the ground, contemplating the Applejack would probably never know. "The others are probably busy getting ready for tonight, so I guess it'll just be you and me today."
Applejack couldn't have been happier. Finally, after s much searching, Rainbow was back and brighter than ever. "Well, first thing's first, Rainbow! We have t' go shoppin'!"
"Haha, shopping? Really?" Rainbow's brow crooked in confusion. "That's the last thing I thought some pony like you would say! I was thinking something like adventuring through the mountains, or chores in the orchard!" Rainbow snickered lightly.
"Rainbow Dash... The party tonight."
"Yeah, what about it?"
"It may be the last time we see some of our friends for a while, Rainbow." A sudden realization sparked in Rainbow's eyes.
"When you said shopping, you didn't mean for us, did you now... You meant for the others. You want to buy them parting presents." Applejack nodded happily. However. To Rainbow Dash the phrase 'Parting Presents' was poison on her lips. "Every pony really is moving on soon."
Applejack leaned forward and nuzzled fee friend's cyan cheek. "Yes, Rainbow. Things will be changing a lot around here." Leaning back AJ looked Rainbow in the eyes. "But that's not necessarily a bad thing, Dashie. It's important to remember that."
"I know, Applejack, it's just... Hard." Rainbow made her way to the door, Applejack following closely behind. As she made it to the door Rainbow turned around, smiling at Applejack. "Listen AJ, I know how excited you are to spend the day with me, but I have to go check on something really fast. I promise I won't be long!"
Applejack, stunned for just a moment, attempted to give Rainbow and understanding smile. "Ahlright,Dash. I'll wait here for you to get back, then we'll head out to Ponyville, okay?"
"Deal." And with a light peck on Applejack's cheeks Rainbow's wings unfolded, unraveling majestically. A single strong flap of the wings and rainbow darted upwards, leaving a rainbow trail behind her.
'Ah wonder where Rainbow went.' Applejack watched as the rainbow trail disappeared in the distance. 'She probably has a lot to do, now that she's back in Ponyville.'
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Applejack sat at her window sill, gazing out over the orchard. Whenever Applejack was alone, or just needed some time to think, this was where she would be. For some reason today seemed more beautiful than any other morning Applejack had ever seen. An hour or so had passed since sunrise, and since Rainbow Dash flew away.
'Ah wonder why the world seems so bright today.' Applejack smiled to herself, thoughts of Rainbow Dash dancing throng her mind. 'Ah s'pose it ain't really a mystery, though. Ah'm so glad she's back.'
The peaceful morning breeze frolicked through Applejack's freshly brushed golden-blonde mane. In the time Rainbow had been away Applejack had bathed and groomed herself, in high hopes of impressing the cyan Pegasus. A light saddle sat upon Applejack's back, in it was a large quantity of bits.
A sudden flash on the horizon revealed a beautiful trail of light. A rainbow emerged from Ponyville, disappearing as soon as it appeared. It trailed quickly across the sky, rocketing towards Sweet Apple Acres.
'There she is!' Happily Applejack happily ran down through her house, bursting through the front door just as Rainbow touched down before her. "You're back!" Unable to control herself Applejack tumbled into the Pegasus, throwing them both to the ground.
"Gah! Rainbow hit the ground first, and began laughing happily. "What is it with you ponies and tackling me today!"
Flustered Applejack quickly propped herself up again, helping Rainbow to her hooves as well. "Ah'm sorry, Rainbow! Ah was just so excited!" Applejack took a step back as Rainbow brushed herself off, a huge grin crossing her face.
"No problemo, Applejack!" Rainbow shot her a happy wave of her hoof, indicating that she was fine. "Now, where were we?"
"Well sugarcube, Ah believe that we were just about to go gallivanting through Ponyville, heads held high lookin' for gifts, for our friends!" Applejack beamed with excitement. "Right?"
Applejack stared into Rainbow's captivating dark pink eyes, but Rainbow simply stared back. She make no sign as to making a response.
"Rainbow?"
Still the Pegasus simply stared, slowly walking closer to Applejack. Once only a hoof length away, she spoke. "Applejack." her voice was inquisitive and questioning.
"Y- yes Rainbow Dash?" Applejack could feel her face redden, but did not lower her gaze. Her competitive nature wouldn't allow it.
Rainbow's smile broadened. "You look beautiful! Your hair is gorgeous, Applejack!"
Stunned, it was not Applejack who had nothing to say.
"Now let's go, slowpoke! Preferably before the sun sets!" With a quick wink Rainbow Dash turned, making her way to the road that led to Ponyville. Applejack wasted no time catching up to her rainbowed friend, soon they walked side by side down the path.
A light breeze blew through the air, rustling through AJ's coat. She suddenly noticed that it was colder out than she first expected.
"Whew, a little bit chilly today, huh Rainbow?" Applejacked laughed lightly, wishing she'd bout a scarf.
"Ya think so?" Rainbow looked up towards the sky, seemingly confused. "I suppose after flying flying through the clouds for most of my life I've stopped noticing when it's really that cold out." Rainbow paused for another moment, glancing over to Applejack. "I'll tell ya what, Applejack. Let's make a bet."
"A bet?" Immediately AJ's competitive nature kicked in, excitement coursing through her. Any competition against Rainbow Dash was a competition that she had to win. "Deal! What did you have in mind?"
Rainbow began laughing loudly, music to Applejack's ears. "A race to town. If I win then you have to buy me a nice big pie from Sugarcube Corner!"
"Ah see..." Applejack smiled widely. In truth she was hoping to take Rainbow out for desert anyways, and so packed extra caps. Even if she lost the race she wouldn't really be losing anything. "And if Ah win?"
"Well," Rainbow Dash took to the air, her wings beating powerfully. "If, on the odd chance that you actually beat me to Ponyville, I'll wrap one of my wings around you to keep you warm while we shop!"
Before Rainbow had even finished her sentence Applejack was running, her legs pounding quickly down the road. 'There is no way Ah'm loosing this race!' Breathing heavily Applejack ran, not stopping for anything. At one point a crowd of pony caravan ears were making their way down the road opposite her, so she jumped clear over them. Finally, after several long minutes of full on sprinting, Applejack reached the bridge to Ponyville.
Atop the bridge sat Rainbow, smiling brightly. Reluctantly Applejack slowed to a trot, approaching the bridge. Although sad, Applejack due fully accepted defeat. "Wel done, Rainbow! looks like you're healing up rather well, eh?"
"Yeah! I feel brand new!" Rainbow jumped into the air and preformed a quick double backflip to emphasize her point. Then, after noticing Applejack's dissapointed look, dropped to the ground next to the orange pony; Rainbow's wing fell lightly across AJ's shoulders.
"Rainbow?" Applejack looked up happily, her brow crooked in confusion. "What are you doing?"
Rainbow looked over to Applejack, then back to her own wing. "Oh, would ya look at that! It looks like my wing fell on you by accident!" Rainbow laughed loudly and joyfully. "I still won, though, you owe me a pie!"
Slowly the two sauntered across the bridge, both smiling brightly. The bright orange sun overhead seemed almost false, engulfing the land in light yet offering no warmth. The breeze, assaulting Rainbow's wing like a mosquito against concrete, had no chance of reaching the now warming Applejack.
Neither Pegasus nor pony spoke for some time, both content in their present state. As they traveled through Ponyville they attracted the occasional odd glance, but no when seemed to notice, or care, that two fillies were Traveling romantically together. The clouds in the sky above were more like a haze, humid and mysterious.
Finally Applejack decided to speak up. "So Rainbow, tell me something about you. That I don't know! Something strange, that I would never have guessed!"
Rainbow either hadn't heard, or was thinking up some kind of answer. Applejack continued to watch the cyan Pegasus, waiting for any kind of response. "Rainbow?" this time Rainbow nodded, indicating that she'd heard.
Finally she responded, but it was not quite what Applejack was expecting.
"Alright, Applejack! I'll tell ya something I've never told anypony else before! However..." Rainbow glanced over to Applejack, both of them continuing forward. "It's kinda personal, so you have to tell me something first."
The duo walled on for silence, before Applejack agreed to Rainbow's terms. 'Something Ah've never told any pony else before.' Applejack snickered to herself. 'When a pony prides herself on always telling the truth, finding something Ah've never told anypony is pretty difficult.'
Then a thought hit her. Harder than a fly swatted hits its prey, almost making the orange earth pony loose her footing. Ah can't tell her that, can I?
Immediately Rainbow Dash noticed Applejack's reddened cheeks, quickly using it to her advantage. "Applejack, I can tell you're thinking something! What's kickin' around in that noggin of yours?"
"Well, now this is gunna sound quite silly mind you, but..." Applejack wasn't sure if she could say it. But she had to! "There's this tree, down by Sweet Apple Acres. None of us really know how it got there, but it's grown faster, and become larger than any other tree!"
Applejack spoke, her mind revolving around the beautiful oak tree. "It ain't like the other trees, there's somethin' special about it! Ah've alway told mah self that one day Ah would sit under it with the one Ah love, and watch the sun go down."
"Whoa! That's awesome! Oh stallion, I reeeaaally hope that that somepony is me!" Rainbow spoke with a certain sparkle in her eyes. "That would be awesome!"
"Well, Rainbow, Ah'm startin' to think that it will be." Applejack nudged Rainbow with her hip, playfully pushing the Pegasus. "Then again, Ah gotta make sure that whoever it is loyal, and a great flier! And they absolutely have to have a rainbow mane!"
Laughing loudly Rainbow tightened her wing around AJ's shoulders. "Yeah, yeah, I get it! No, more running away from me!" Rainbow had a kind of hop to her step, like she hadn't been this happy in a long time. "Ugh, I guess that makes it my turn, huh?"
"Eeyup!" Applejack was pleased with her monotonous impression of her older brother.
"Fine, I suppose a deals a deal!" Rainbow paused for a moment, looking around. "Oh, wait, we're here!" the duo stood in the centre of Ponyville's shopping district. All around them ponies ran this way and that; they carried groceries, treats and presents oh my! The sun had only inched towards the sky above them, indicating that it was still fairly early in the morning.
Rainbow Dash spoke happily, almost overjoyed to change the subject. "Well how ,bout this. Let's try to get a bit of shopping done before we become too hungry, and I can tell you my little secret over some pie around lunch time!"
Applejack considered this for a moment. Was Rainbow hiding something? Either way the Pegasus had a point. They were here, after all, for their friends!
"Alright, Rainbow!" Applejack slipped out from the Pegasus's wing, Immediately regretting it as the cold bit into her coat. "But you should know that Ah have a splendid memory!"
With that the work horse trotted away towards the nearest building, a very nervous Rainbow Dash following close behind.
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By mid-day the sun's warmth had finally powered through the thin cloud cover, spreading it's warmth across the land. Applejack and Rainbow, now almost complete their shopping, sat side across each other at a small bistro.
Already having made their orders and receiving refreshments the two sat, content in each other's company.
"And then, when Ah finally made it to Appleoosa, guess who was there to meet me at the train station! Besides Braeburn, Ah mean." Applejack took a refreshing sip of her water.
"Uhm..." Rainbow tapped a hood against her chin thoughtfully. "Was it Little Strongheart?"
Applejack giggled lightly, making a quick comment about how the female buffalo wasn't so little anymore. "Nope. Pinkie Pie. Somehow her hot air balloon beat the train there!"
Rainbow Dash was stunned a very confused expression inching across her face. "But- that's not- What? I will never understand that filly..."
A waiter pony approached their table, dropping off two of the bistro's special poppy seed sandwiches before the friends. "Bon appetite, madams." And with that he was gone.
"Alright, so, let's go over what we've gotten so far!" Rainbow took a large, fulfilling bite from the sandwich before her. "We've got a gift for Pinkie, Twilight, and Luna, right?"
"Right!" Applejack, following Rainbow's lead, swallowed a delicious piece,of her own food. "Pinkie got a ten in one musical instrument collection. Ah still don't understand how they fit all o' those instruments into one little box."
"And for Twilight we got the special collectors addition of 'magic today' specially signed by a famous unicorn!" Rainbow smiled. "I have no idea who the guy is, but Twilight is bound to know."
"And then there's Luna's gift." Applejack laughed to herself. "We're darn lucky we found that thing when we did! Ah've never even heard on a moon dog, but I'm sure Luna will love him!"
They both took several more bites of their food, happily bathing in the sunlight. Rainbow, however, had something else on her mind. Applejack hadn't brought up their conversation from earlier yet. Maybe she'd forgotten? Rainbow sure hoped so.
"That was delicious!" Applejack sat back as she swallowed the last bite of the poppy seed sandwich. "But... Ah feel like Ah'm forgetting somethin'..."
"You are?" Rainbow could feel her stomach turning. She'd promised herself that if Applejack brought it up Rainbow would tell the pony her darkest secret. She would keep true to that promise, but hoped it wouldn't come to that.
"Of course! Ah'm surprised you've forgotten!" Applejack smiled warmly at Rainbow Dash. "C'mon Dashie, if ya think 'bout it, Ah'm sure you'll remember!"
The air was silent between them for a moment, the previously loud voices of the bistro seemingly gone. Rainbow didn't know what to do. "I- Uh-"
"Ah owe you a pie, you silly filly!"
Again, silence.
"What?" Rainbow was momentarily confused, but quickly remembered their bet from that morning. "Oh, yeah! The pie!"
After dropping several bits onto the counter Applejack rose from her seat, stretching her lazy muscles. "C'mon, Rainbow! Every pony knows that the best pies in Ponyville come from Sweet Apple Acres, but due to our tight schedule you'll have to settle for the Sugarcube Corner."
With a quick wink Applejack turned, and over her shoulder shouted a quick, "Race ya there!" before taking off happily down the street.
She'd forgotten. After taking a deep, relaxing breath in Rainbow took off after the pony. Hopefully she wouldn't remember anytime soon.