//------------------------------// // An Apple a Day // Story: Appledashery // by Just Essay //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash stood in her apron, smiling. Stamps sat at his desk in the front office of the Banner Company warehouse in Ponyville. He stared steadily at the order on Rainbow’s clipboard with the elegant signature at the bottom of the sheet. He wasn’t alone. Several other clerks had gathered around to stare over Stamps’ shoulder, their eyes locked in disbelief on the logged time of the signature. A few deliverers had also stopped to hover about and gawk. Rainbow tongued the inside of her mouth. She leaned towards her left, towards her right, then forwards and backwards. She started to hum lightly. Stamps opened his mouth, hesitated, and closed his muzzle shut again. He rubbed his chin in thought. “It…” A delivery worker muttered. He cleared his throat and continued, “It’s a new Company record--” “I know that it’s a Company record, Brown Weight!” Stamps spat. “And she didn’t even have a chariot--” “What am I, blind?!” Stamps pointed an angry hoof towards the metal shelves lining the back end of the warehouse. “Don’t you have some friggin’ deliveries to get to?! Move it! Everypony! Move your flanks!” With a muffled commotion, the entire staff spread apart, shuffling back to their tasks at hoof. In passing, they gave Rainbow incredulous glances, some of them smirking and murmuring in awe. Rainbow’s blue dimples bulged even more. She took a deep breath, composed herself, and leaned towards the desk. “Soooooo--” “Unnnnnnghhh…” Stamps slumped back in his chair, groaning towards the ceiling. “I’m too friggin’ old for this.” He glared up at her. “I swear, if you’re gonna be death of this company--” “Then it’d be a profitable death for everypony who owns Banner!” Rainbow said with a cheekish grin. Stamps licked the roof of his mouth. “Huh… uh huh… huhhhhhh…” Exhaling through his nostrils, he slapped the clipboard down and brought a pen to his spreadsheet. “Mmmmmmghhh… you’re back in business.” “Wooo-hoooo!” Rainbow Dash instantly did a double-backflip before the desk. “But!” Stamps leaned forward, shaking the pen in the crook of his hoof. “If you so much as show up late for work one time or rain chaos and thunder on a client’s house or cause any single or multiple number of shenanigans--” “Hey! I hear ya clearer than a crystal violin!” Rainbow hovered in place, beaming wide. “You’ve got nothing to worry about, Stamps Champs! I’m a changed mare! You’ll see!” She held a hoof over fuzzy chest and tilted her muzzle proudly ceilingward. “I’ve been… y’know… friggin’ baptized by the cleansing waters of friendship n’jazz!” “What the buck ever,” Stamps grunted, finishing a penstroke. “Radar!” A pudgy little stallion obligatorily wearing glasses shuffled up. “You called, sir?” “You still got the overnight package for Skybreak Point?” The young pony hoofed the cardboard box into view. “Yes, sir! Can we finally send it en route?” “If by ‘we’ you mean ‘she’ then yes.” Stamps nodded across the desk. “Be sure to give it to she, he… erm…” “I think he gets it.” Rainbow Dash reached over and grasped the package in two hooves. “And now I got it.” She balanced it on her spine and winked. “Got it?” “Good. Now get your smug face out of my sight so I can weep into my order confirmation sheets.” “Heehee! You bet, boss McBoss pony!” Rainbow saluted and glided swiftly for the front door. “I won’t let you down! This is gonna be the easiest week of your life! Consider the load officially taken off you and your company’s shoulders!” “Yeah, but at what cost?” Stamps grumbled. “Awwww! What kind of an attitude is that?” Rainbow flung the door open and darted out. “See ya yesterday!” And she was gone. The door closed behind her. Rainbow Dash took a deep, deep breath… ...and collapsed. Thankfully, her elbows caught her fall, and she was able to balance herself before she could drop the fragile package off her shoulders. Wincing, the mare hissed through her teeth and tried standing up. Her knees buckled, and she only slumped even more. “Nnnnghhh…” She reached into her apron and pulled out two things: a container of pills and a flask of water. Popping one tablet into her mouth, she swallowed it down with three gulps of liquid and exhaled into the sunny air. Seconds passed, and her lips slowly curved. She stared up at the sparkly blue sky. “Hmmmm… I got this. I totally… totally got this.” She glanced at the capsule, juggled it, and easily caught it. “Like an apple a day.” Silence. Rainbow Dash giggled. “Yeah…” She giggled again. “An apple a day!” Smiling… beaming to herself, she pocketed the items away, grasped the package between two strong hooves, and took towards the sky on briskly flapping wings.