//------------------------------//
// The Melody 
// Story: Sealed In A Cider Cellar 
// by Cosmosogurl 
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Applejack watched silently as Rainbow Dash one by one blew out every candle in the room. The aroma of sweet smoke filled the air and dimmed the room into a more romantic atmosphere.

With a last huff the Pegasus flew immediately to the stage where she dug around until she found an old fiddle and matching bow, setting them on a stool atop the makeshift stage. Once more she flew up to the hung glowing lanterns and aimed there colorful lights at the set up Rainbow put together.

“Uh dare I ask what type of show you’re putting on their Dash?” Applejack questioned tilting her head to the side to get a better view at the stage.

“Me? Oh Jackie your so naïve at some times!” The Pegasus burst into of laughing fits, rolling around on the hardwood floor with no signs of stopping.

“I’m sorry what did you just call me?” The cowmare protested letting out a snort daring to challenge the brash Dash.

“That is your pet name to me, tonight you’re going to be my little pet and put on a show for yours truly!” Rainbow Dash slyly grinned pushing herself of the floor and motioning towards the stage. “You did kind of promise me you would make this night worthwhile, and I’m going to make sure that I have the most fun a future wonderbolt can ever have!”

With a stuttering cowmare at her side, Rainbow Dash pushed Aj up onto the stage and sat her down with instrument. She flew off onto the floor and stared anxiously at the confused earth pony beaming in the spectrum of light.

“Now then get to it, play for me Jackie,” the cyan mare commanded enjoying her power over her hostess tonight and all that was to come.

With a final breathe of nerves Applejack picked up the fiddle in one hoof and started to mess with the tuners at the top. After a moment of pure silence she set the fiddle upright against her bare neck and grabbed onto the bow of control into her other free hoof, and started to play.

Shaky movements of utter embarrassment started off making Rainbow Dash cringe in amusement but shortly after followed by the loveliest tune any pony as ever heard. It started to a slow ballad of high keys to low ones with the graceful precision movements of the wand in the mare’s hoof. She hummed along to the tune in her heavy accent closing her eyes into the movement of the song.

Rainbow Dash was breath taken on this mare’s graceful precision not missing a beat or string as the melody echoed throughout the empty cellar. Not before Rainbow was soon dozing into her own fantasy, Applejack stood up and bucked the stool out of her way almost slamming the Pegasus in the muzzle. She started to pick up the pace and was fiddling as hard as she could into a full on throw down. She opened her mouth as the most pure and passionate voice sang out for all but one measly Pegasus to hear. Applejack trotted back and forth getting into the groove with the tempo and without noticing, had made Rainbow Dash stomping her hooves to the song. It roared loudly and as she reached her climax as she let out a solo long note of her singing range with the voice of what seemed an angel crying out to the heavens.

All Rainbow Dash could do was stare in awe and amazement at this talented mare who got nothing more than a hard day’s work of labor and an unlimited amount of honest love to give to whomever she pleased.

The cowmare bowed with her blush blending into the lights as she wiped the non-existing sweat of her brow and smiled at her deserved applause.

“That alone made this one of the best nights ever, no defiantly the best night ever I have ever experienced Jackie!” Rainbow Dash cheered and hollered at the star struck earth pony.

“Aww shucks that was nothing, it was a tune my mother sued to play for us apples at regular hoedowns when I was a filly, guess it came naturally…,” Applejack sighed covering her face with her hat attempting to hold back flooding tears of memories of her parents.

After Applejack ran away to Manehatten to live with her auntie and Uncle Orange, her parents were still well alive taking care of the farm with Granny Smith and Big Mac. Another member were to be added to the ever extending family for Ajs’s mother was pregnant with another filly soon to be her younger sister. Unfortunately during an Apple delivery out of Pony Ville her parents were ambushed and her father was had to fend off every bandit with his courage and pure strength on his own due to Applejakc’s mother’s condition. In the end he had won but only with a dying breathe to the newborn filly that he named AppleBloom to represent a new flower as a new beginning to his beloved wife. Tired and very ill she made it back to the farm only to die at the front door with a young child in her hooves. Big Mac was the first to find them and has been scarred ever since not being able to speak many words converting himself into seclusion and lonesome. Once Applejack returned she was rejoiced to have had gotten her cutie mark to help carry on the apple legacy, but was forever ashamed of not being able to see her parents one last time. All that was left was her father’s proud Stetson that her mother brought back with her on top her head as that was passed down to Applejack, dependent on her to make the Apple family proud.

Rainbow Dash was shocked at the sudden change in mood for her friend and immediately went and embraced her just as they did before, only closer and without letting go. Applejack responded with tear filled eyes burying herself into the rainbow colored mane that soaked every drop of water she intended to shed.

“Oh Rainbow *sniff* I wasn't there for them, for mother and now they are both gone!” Applejack continued to cry hard into her friend, needing her support from her numb body. “That first part was my mother’s lullaby to me and the second my father’s ballad, Dashie It feels so alone with them gone!”

Rainbow Dash widened her eyes at the nickname and accepted its meaning and desperation of love her friend surely needed. She let go of Applejack and lifted her head ever so slightly with her hoof and wiped way droplets of tears streaming down her damp face.

“Listen Jackie, we all go through hard times but it doesn't mean it was your fault!” Rainbow Dash pleaded with her raspy voice desperate to see Aj’s smile again. “Your parents would have wanted you to be happy and live life the way they did without worrying what is to come in the future. What I always say is that if you have a problem then don’t worry, if you have a solution don’t worry and if you can’t fix it, then don’t worry. Life will take you ups and down roads you don’t even want to go down but in the end I think you learn a valuable lesson that will shape who you are meant to be in the future.”

Applejack sniffled at the Pegasus’s wisdom and stared lovingly into those round magenta eyes feeling at home dwelling there.

“Applejack I promise, from now on you will never and I mean never be alone,” Rainbow Dash spilled out to her friend and embraced her with utmost care and slightly nuzzled her cheek.

“Do,…do you Pinkie Promise?” Applejack giggled and held the Pegasus tighter as her wings wrapped around the both of them.

“Yes my little Jackie, Pinkie Promise,” Rainbow Dash answered, the most honest answer she ever told.