As Applejack wandered aimlessly away from the scene of the crime, she scanned the surrounding areas with a blank gaze. What do I do now? Maybe I'd better just bury the lil' guy... She rolled her dull eyes up to look at the brim of her hat, sighing deeply. She plucked the makeshift casket from her head and carefully rolled the bird onto the grass, staring at it for a long time. I dunno... That just don't seem right.
The mare stood in silence, finally snapping to attention as a shadow flickered over her. The sound of quickly fluttering wings announced the arrival of a certain cyan pegasus who swooped into a landing and trotted closer. "Hey, AJ, what's shakin'?" Rainbow wore a shrinking smirk as she curiously observed Applejack's somber demeanor. "Something wrong?"
"I..." Applejack dropped her eyes to stare at the ground, hesitantly scooping up Chewy's small body and holding it under the pegasus' nose. "I killed one of Fluttershy's birds." Confusion flickered across Rainbow's face and she leaned back warily. After mulling over the situation for awhile, she looked into Applejack's awaiting eyes.
"You do realize you're dead, right?"
Applejack sighed. "Could ya try, I dunno, helpin'?"
"How? What am I supposed to do, Rainboom this bird back to life?"
"...Can y'all do that?"
Rainbow facehooved. "No!" She paused, a smile appearing on her face. "But that'd be totally awesome if I could." Zombie birds would definitely fall into the realm of 'cool', she decided. Applejack's cough brought her back on track, and she shook her head. "Sorry. Does Flutters know?"
Applejack's ears stuck to the sides of her head. "Naw, I can't tell 'er... at least, not like this. It'd break the poor girl's heart."
"Chewwwyyyyy!" Applejack jerked as the high-pitched call passed her ears, and she and Rainbow immediately shared a horrified glance.
"Fluttershy's comin'!"
You think? Rainbow would have rolled her eyes had they not been looking every which way in fear. "Quick, hide the bird!"
Applejack looked around frantically. "W-Where?!" Where was her hat? Wasn't there anyplace to hide a small dead body around here?
"I dunno, but hurry--"
"Girls!"
Rainbow was cut off by a familiar terrified voice. Their time was up, and Applejack took the first opening in sight. In a flash, she yanked Rainbow closer and crammed the body into the mare's open mouth, then clamped her muzzle shut with both hooves. She quickly whirled around and grinned widely, one leg slung over Rainbow's shoulders as she held the other over her mouth.
"Howdy, Fluttershy!" Rainbow squirmed against her side, and Applejack hastily quieted her with an elbow in the back.
"Have you seen Chewy yet?"
Dangit, Fluttershy, stop lookin' at me with them hopeful eyes o' yours... Applejack cleared her throat, praying that her smile hadn't faltered. "Nnnnope! Sorry, no luck just yet!"
Rainbow's mind began to drift from the conversation as questions popped into her mind. Why had Applejack killed Chewy? It couldn't have been on purpose... could it? Nah, Applejack loves animals, she reminded herself. How had it happened? The bird hadn't appeared to have been mangled in any way. Maybe she'd sat on him and smothered him? With that big flank of hers, I wouldn't be surprised.
What about their current predicament? She was sure they'd be found out. I mean, how long could one hold a bird in their mouth without being noticed or expected to talk? Plus, Applejack was practically incapable of lying. And should she really be holding a bird in her mouth anyway, let alone a dead one whose cause of death very well may have been her best friend's plot? She shuddered. I'm definitely not getting paid enough for this.
"Rainbow Dash?" Her ears pricked up and she refocused her eyes on Fluttershy, who was staring at her expectantly. "Have you seen Chewy? My bird?"
Oh no. Rainbow's eyes wandered over to Applejack, watching as the color visibly drained from her face. She squeaked as her head was rapidly shaken back and forth by the farmpony's hoof.
Fluttershy deflated slightly. "Oh..." Looking between the other two mares, one of her eyebrows crept higher. "Is everything alright? Rainbow, are you okay?"
"Course she is!" Applejack interjected loudly. "Why wouldn't she be?"
"...What's going on?" Fluttershy noticed a thin trail of sweat running down Applejack's cheek, and her pupils were a bit dilated. Maybe she's not feeling well...
"N-Nothin'!" Oh Luna, if she kept up this façade any longer, her face would surely freeze that way. Applejack had never believed that old saying, but the muscles in her jaw were starting to say otherwise.
"Rainbow Dash?" Rainbow's wings trembled and she cowered under the gazes of her two friends. She could feel a lump making its way into her throat, and she swallowed nervously.
...forgetting she still had a bird in her mouth.
Applejack stared, open-mouthed, as a small bulge slid down Rainbow's neck until it reached her stomach and disappeared. She looked up at Rainbow, whose own frantic expression likely matched her own. No. She didn't.
Rainbow brought a hoof to her mouth to stifle a small burp, and her eye twitched. She coughed out a feather, and all three ponies watched its agonizingly slow descent to the ground.
She did.
Fluttershy stared at the feather, blinking slowly. "Is that--"
"NOPE!" An orange hoof shot forward and stomped down on the small plume, and Fluttershy traced her gaze up the leg to her friend's face. Applejack painted a smile on her face, subtly dragging the feather underneath her.
Fluttershy shook her head. "But... ohh, never mind, I have to go! Bye girls!" She took off towards Sweet Apple Acres, glancing over her shoulder for a moment. "Please tell me if you see him!"
"Will do," Applejack called. Damn it.
"Take care!" Rainbow added weakly. The pair watched until the last trace of a pink tail vanished into the trees before Applejack rounded on her and grabbed her by the shoulders.
"Why did you swallow, Dash?!" Rainbow whimpered as she was shaken around roughly. "You just ate a dead bird, I hope ya realize that!"
"I-I-I was nervous! She put me on the spot--"
"I don't give a flyin' feather if you were nervous!" Applejack leaned forward and pressed her nose against Rainbow's, glaring straight into her eyes. "Get. The bird. Out."
Rainbow blinked. "W-What?"
"Cough it up, right now!" Applejack jabbed her in the chest with a hoof.
"B-But... I can't just barf on command, what the hay?" Rainbow backed away, putting a few steps between herself and her friend. "Jeez. That's just gross, too. No way."
"Ugh." Applejack rubbed her face with a hoof. "C'mon, we're goin' to the library. I'm sure Twi's got a way to get that little feller outta there."
Rainbow raised a hoof. "Erm, shouldn't we be getting as few ponies involved in this as possible?"
"You seem to be forgetting the fact that ya just consumed bird meat."
"Oh. Right," she moaned, her face pale. The two set off en route to Ponyville, and Rainbow soon tried to lighten the tension in the air. "Well, Fluttershy'll never look in here, right? Heh, he-heh..." She chuckled awkwardly, lapsing into silence at the receiving end of Applejack's deadpan glare. "Sorry. Let's go."