//------------------------------// // None of that Sass // Story: Appledashery // by Just Essay //------------------------------// Applejack gripped the pen tightly in her jaws as she took a full half-minute to lay out her name in immaculate cursive across the bottom of the delivery order. "Wowsers, Applejack," Rainbow's voice cracked. "Who knew you could get all fancy with your letters?" "Mrmmfy mffr mffr... Nnngh..." Applejack dotted at the end of her name and spat the pen onto the kitchen counter. "Ptooie! Hardy har har, Rainbow." She rubbed her muzzle and leaned back against the sink. "Just because I buck apples all day doesn't make me any less educated or refined than the next pony." "I-I didn't mean anything nasty by it!" Rainbow exclaimed, clutching the clipboard to her chest. "Well, good." Applejack smirked and tilted her hat back. "Cuz I can't imagine them folks yer workin' for payin' ya to sass the clients!" "Jeez, what's with you and that 's' word, anyways?" Rainbow frowned as she slid the clipboard away. "Take the first letter off, and you've got what you sound like each time you use it." "I'm just pullin' yer tail feathers, sugarcube." "I don't have tail feathers, AJ," Rainbow grunted. "Ya know what I mean." Applejack then squinted. "If ya don't mind me askin', just why are ya doin' the whole apron-fly-by thang anyways?" "What?" Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Don't act like you haven't seen me in the delivery business before." "Sure, but that was—what—two years ago? A year and a half?" Applejack played with her bangs just beneath the brim of her hat. "Seems to me that—once we all settled into Twilight's delightful little posse and all—you gave up all the borin' stuff and just started chasing your dreams." "Yeah, well, let's just say I had to wake up," Rainbow said, her ears drooped as she avoided the farm filly's gaze. "Just a little..." "Ya doin' alright for yerself, sugarcube?" Applejack asked, eyebrow raised. "Ya ain't starvin' for bits, are ya?" "Hah! Who, me?" Rainbow Dash swiftly put on smug airs. "I'm the last pony you should ever be worried about, Anxiousjack!" "Didn't say nothin' about being worried, darlin'—" "I'm just savin' up for something gnarly, that's all!" Rainbow rubbed her hoof and pretended to examine it. "Yup. Got my eyes set on something radical and I figured getting a second job to cover things would be pretty smexical." Applejack's eyes twitched. "Pretty what?" "Smexical! Pfft. I don't blame you for not knowing what it means. I just made it up!" Rainbow slicked her mane back. "That's how confident about how awesome things are going!" "Oh! Well... erm..." Applejack tapped her hoof against her muzzle and smiled awkwardly. "I'm... plum glad that you're in such a good spot!" "Dang straight! It's a good time to be alive!" Rainbow Dash exhaled, her eyes finally falling on Applejack. She stared for a little too long, and inevitably something warm inside her melted. "Yeah... so... very good... and alive..." Applejack stared back. Rainbow snapped out of it. "Whelp! Best be going!" She spun about with a flick of her tail-hairs and zoomed towards the nearest window. "Rainbow... you forgettin' something, sugarcube?" "Huh?" Rainbow braked in midair, blinking innocently over her shoulder. After a few seconds, she became aware of the weight in her forelimbs. Blushing, she floated limply back towards the middle of the kitchen and neatly deposited the cardboard box down. "Eheheheh... I guess you kinda/sorta did sign for this, didn't ya?" Applejack nodded with a smirk. "No sense in gettin' you fired on your first week back to doing the age-old rounds, eh?" "Nope." Rainbow shuddered. "Thanks, AJ." "Heh, don't mention it." "Must be a whole lot easier... y'know..." Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Working for yourself all the time." Applejack smiled. She opened her mouth to speak, but lingered. Slowly, her grin faded. Rainbow Dash looked steadily at her. Her eyes curved with concern, and she tried to keep her voice deep and strong as she squeaked forth, "You are... doing okay for yourself, aren't you?" Applejack sighed, and her next smile was a weak one. "We've had better apple buck seasons, Rainbow, to be perfectly honest. But don't you fret none. Me and Macky and Granny are gonna pull on through." Rainbow Dash fought a lump down her throat and nervously grinned. "Hey! Wh-who's worried? After all, you're used to pulling yourself back up by your horseshoe-straps, r-right?" "And, odds are, these are just that," Applejack said as she gave the box a little shape. "What, silly analogies?" "Horseshoes," Applejack uttered. "Big Mac's been needing some for the longest time. With a bunch of new ones, he can pull his weight at least twice as fast. Reckon that'll give us the edge that we need. Well, him, anyway." "But... but I thought..." Rainbow winced. "Er, I mean, with what we talked about back at Canterlot... about your financial situation and all..." "Yeah...?" "I mean, can you really afford to invest in the new shoes?" "Well..." "And if so much rides on Big Mac, then why'd you let him run off to Fluttershy's place for the medicine?" Rainbow shrugged. "I'm making good time today. I could zip on over to her cottage and make the delivery myself, y'know!" She smiled. "Totally free of charge—" "Quite frankly, right at this moment..." Applejack turned to give Rainbow a tired glance. "Big Macintosh could use all the fellowship and enjoyment he can afford." She took a deep breath. "Matter of fact, we all could." Rainbow's ears drooped. Her muzzle twitched as she said, "AJ...? How... just how bad is—" "You'd best be zippin' along to yer next delivery, Rainbow." Applejack trotted over and placed a hoof kindly on the petite pegasus' shoulder. Her lips curved as she said, "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not repeat too much of the conversation we had on the weekend of the Gala. It was a very good gab, and I'm glad you were there for me to lean on, but... well..." She sighed. "You remember how much of a blubbering mess I was, don'tcha?" Rainbow stared at her. Rainbow flinched. "Why... y-yeah! Totally! Of... course I do..." "Life's simple, Rainbow." Applejack tilted her hat back and smirked. "I'm strong when I'm at my strongest." She let loose a sight chuckle, like the knifing precipice of a guffaw, and her country-clean eyes lit up. "Now git! I've got me some apples to buck, and thank you mighty kindly for deliverin' Big Macintosh's horseshoes all good and proper." "Hey... uhm..." Rainbow Dash nodded limply as she floated backwards out of the kitchen. "Don't mention it..." "I'll be sure to catch you and the girls soon. Just... no time for Sugarcube Corner sessions." Applejack trotted into the light, the screen door slapping shut behind her. "Not this week..." With a shuddering breath, Rainbow Dash forlornly flew out the nearest window and glided towards the heart of town.