//------------------------------// // Two is Company // Story: A Trip to Remember // by Gallifrey //------------------------------// A Trip to Remember by Gallifrey Chapter Seven Two is Company “So Rainbow,” said Applejack, bringing her attention to the multihued mare, “why did Twilight need the balloon?” “Well,” Dash began as Applejack went to pull the cart again, “I sprained my wing this morning so I can’t fly for a while, so I needed to get to the ground so I don’t, like, starve to death, and um, I was wondering if it’d be alright for me to stay with you and stuff.” Dash’s cheeks turned slightly pink. “Well o’course you can! What kind of friend would ah be ter turn you away?” she said, looking kindly at Rainbow, “Though the spare bedroom is being redecorated right now so ah guess you’ll have ter sleep in mah room. You don’t mind do ya?” “Not at all!” said Dash as they made their way back to the orchards, so Applejack could place more baskets at the bases of trees. As Applejack finished off her work, Rainbow’s eyes wandered aimlessly, until they found themselves staring at the earth pony; she bucked at a tree to test how close they were to being ripe. She sure does have powerful flanks, said a sly voice in her mind, very well-toned flanks. Rainbow shook her head. “What?” she said out loud. “I didn’ say nothin’,” said Applejack, puzzled. “Sorry, thought you did,” Rainbow lied quickly. She was a little concerned. Where did that thought come from? Never had that before. Rainbow wondered. She was lying to herself again: she had occasionally had similar thoughts about many of her friends, though she wouldn’t admit it to herself, much less to her friends. “You ‘kay Rainbow? You look a lil' troubled over there.” “Yeah I’m fine, just hungry I guess.” “You have no idea girl,” chuckled Applejack, “Ah haven’t had squat since breakfast, I feel like I could eat all of Sugarcube Corner right now!” “You wanna go eat?” “Yup, ah’m finished now.” Once inside Applejack’s house, the orange mare went to wash her hooves before eating. Rainbow could smell something delicious coming from the stove in the kitchen. Big Macintosh was casually stirring a wooden spoon in a large copper pot. “Well how do Miss Rainbow,” he said politely when he saw her enter. “Hey Mac, what’s that you got cooking there? Smells like—” “Leek an’ potato soup, one of yer favourites if ah’m not mistaken?” “No you’re not, I love leek and potato soup!” “Good thing you’re here really, I went an’ made too much fer us four to eat on our own.” “Mmmm, smells good big brother!” said Applejack walking into the kitchen. “Eyyyyup! S’almost ready, you wanna wake up Granny?” “I’m on it,” said Applejack. “Pull up a chair Rainbow, ah’ll only be a few more minutes.” Rainbow sat down, looking around the kitchen. There was a lot of cooking apparatus hanging on the walls, pots, pans, ladles, whisks and the like. The windowsill had a few small potted plants and rustic ornaments. The clock on the wall read five past eight and the orange light from the evening Sun cast everything in a ruddy glow. Applejack returned with her grandmother and younger sister. “Well howdy do Miss Rainbow Dash,” said Granny Smith. “Heya Rainbow!” said Applebloom. “Hi, you all alright?” “Yes, thank you,” said Granny Smith as she slowly sat herself down at the head of the table. “You betcha!” said Applebloom. “Good good.” Applejack sat to Rainbow’s left as Big Macintosh carefully balanced the pot of soup while trying not to burn himself. He set it down on the table, having only spilt a small amount, and he also set down a loaf of bread and some butter. “Eat up everypony,” he said simply. They all let Rainbow take the first serving, with her being the guest, then they followed in age order. Rainbow ate a spoonful of the hot soup. It was smooth, creamy and made her tummy feel warm; she liked it a lot, as she always did. “So Rainbow,” said Applejack after her first mouthful of soup, “How long you gonna be grounded?” “Spitfire said about three weeks.” “Spitfire eh?” said Big Macintosh, “If anypony’s gonna know about that kinda thing, she’s your gal!” “He so has a crush on her,” murmured Applejack to Rainbow. “Hey! Ah heard that!” “Do ya deny it?” teased Applejack. “She’s mighty purdy is all,” said Big Macintosh, purposefully avoiding eye contact with his sister. “Heck, I’m only joshing you bro.” She grinned at him. “Anyway, Spitfire, is that where you’ve been all day?” “Yeah, I was just hanging with her, it’s pretty lucky she had today off really.” ---------------- After dinner, Applejack and Rainbow Dash went up to the orange mare’s bedroom. The open window facing west commanded a good view of a few of the fields and hills of apples, and behind them was the blood red Sun as it set, staining the sky crimson and purple. “Boy howdy, Celestia made us a pretty sunset tonight eh Rainbow?” said Applejack, sitting on her bed next to the window. “Yeah, real pretty,” replied Rainbow, sitting next to Applejack, the mattress creaking under their combined weight. Applejack took off her hat and hung it on a hook next to her lasso, undid the bands in her hair and shook her head and body to let her mane and tail flow free. “AJ, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you with your hair down before,” said Rainbow. “Really? How does it look?” “It looks… great!” “Thank ya kindly Rainbow, but when it’s like this it gets in the way of mah work.” “Yeah, I can imagine, it is very long.” “Speakin’ of work, Big Mac has said ah should get some rest before applebucking season.” Rainbow’s ears perked up. “Oh really? Well, according to Twilight, Celestia has said that she should have a holiday with her friends.” “Well, ah do have enough time an’ all, she wouldn’t mind if I came?” “Of course not! She said she wanted you to come.” “S’nice of her to say that.” “I wanted you to come too,” said Rainbow quickly. “Then it was nice of both of ya,” said Applejack as she grabbed a hairbrush with her mouth and started combing her mane. Every so often, when she got in a difficult position, the brush fell from her mouth and clattered on the floor. “Fer Pete’s sake,” she muttered. “Here, lemme help,” said Rainbow, picking the brush up and leaning over to her. She started brushing Applejack’s mane for her. “Thanks Rainbow, ‘tis difficult to do it by yerself.” “I know it is,” said Rainbow’s muffled voice through the comb, “kinda makes you jealous of the unicorns doesn’t it?” “Heh, sure does!” The pair then sat in silence for a little while. Applejack watched the Sun slowly set as Rainbow continued her ministrations. The orange pony sighed and felt a serene sense of calm at the gentle, repetitive tugs Rainbow gave her as she combed and her eyelids began to droop in contentment. Rainbow meanwhile caught the sweet aroma of apples from Applejack’s hair every time she drew the brush. Why am I enjoying this so much? Rainbow asked herself, as a gentle breeze flowed in through the window and she smelled apples again. She smells so nice! And she seems to enjoy it too. But I think I’ve finished now, I don’t wanna look weird by carrying on. “All done AJ.” “That was much faster than usual, and more relaxing, thanks sugar cube.” “No problem,” said Rainbow happily. “Would ya like some cocoa before we call it a day?” “Call it a—Yeah, sure!” said Rainbow hurriedly. She was used to going bed past midnight, but clearly Applejack had a different sleeping pattern. “You can have the bed if ya want Rainbow, by the way,” said Applejack at the doorway, “I’ll sleep on th’ floor.” “No you won’t!” said Rainbow firmly, “You can’t go sleeping on the cold floor!” “Do you mind me sleepin’ in same bed as ya?” Buck no! Came the sly voice in her head. Rainbow shook her head at the voice and also inadvertently answered Applejack’s question. “No? Well alrighty then! I’ll get your cocoa ready.” Applejack left the room and walked down the upstairs corridor, pausing halfway and knocking gently on a door. “Eyyyup?” came a voice from inside. Applejack opened the door and entered Big Macintosh’s room. The red stallion was sitting at a desk with a quill in his mouth. “Whatcha doin’?” asked Applejack. “Ah’m writin’, AJ, you know how I like writin’ an’ all.” “That I do. Anyway, are Granny and Applebloom asleep yet?” “I ‘spect so, ‘tis past nine o’clock, why?” “Ah’m gonna make some cocoa, do ya want some?” “That’d be just dandy sis.” “Okie dae, I’ll make some fer you too, ah’ll be about ten minutes,” said Applejack as she left the room. --------------- Rainbow Dash pulled Applejack’s blankets back as she got into the bed and threw her head onto a pillow, staring at the wooden ceiling. It felt a little odd for Rainbow to be sleeping on the ground, not surrounded by cloud. She looked around the room, and noticed a small, slightly worn book on the bedside table. Rainbow wondered what it was about and picked it up. She opened it on a random page and was surprised to find that it was Applejack’s diary. She considered putting it back, but her curiosity got the better of her. “A quick look won’t hurt,” She opened the book again and looked at the entry for the twenty-ninth of January in Applejack’s untidy hoofwriting: It snowed an awful lot today, though I still made sure I made it to Fluttershy’s for tea with the rest of the girls. She skipped to the seventh of April: Big Macintosh’s birthday today, I got him a nice new yoke for him to wear, I think he liked it a lot, he better do too, it was darn expensive. The twenty-second of June: Had a nice walk with Rainbow Dash last night during Princess Celestia’s party at the Palace, she’s such a nice pony in her way, taking me out for a stroll in the grounds— Rainbow heard hoofsteps as Applejack ascended the stairs, she hastily shut the diary and put it back where it was. Applejack knocked on Big Macintosh’s door. “Why thank you AJ,” Rainbow heard his low voice, “tell Miss Rainbow I wish her goodnight fer me won’t ya? “Sure will.” “G’night sis, have fun.” “G’nigh—Have fun?” She turned to ask her brother just what he meant by that, but his door was already shut, his name plaque wobbling slightly. Applejack frowned as she returned to her room. “’S’up?” asked Rainbow. “Nothin’, here ya go,” she answered, handing a steaming mug to her. Applejack set her own on top of the diary on the bedside table and clambered into her bed, her body gently brushing against Rainbow’s, causing a small jolt of excitement in the multi-coloured pegasus. “So Rainbow, about this trip thingy,” she said, picking up her mug and blowing gently on it, “do ya have any idea what Twilight has in mind?” Rainbow took a sip of the hot chocolate and replied: “Not sure really, but I imagine it’d be camping or something.” “Ah haven’t been camping in years, I sure do miss it.” “Do ya want me to run that past Twilight then, see what she thinks?” “Yeah, that’s a good idea.” “I’ll go up and see her tomorrow then. Urgh, it’s gonna take so long walking there.” “How does yer wing feel?” “Hmmm, it only really hurts if I move it, or lie on it, still can’t move it though beyond twitching.” “Can ah look at it?” “Sure.” Rainbow pulled the covers down and turned her back to Applejack. The orange pony turned on a beside lamp and carefully examined the injured wing. “Can ya tuck it in at all?” “No, it just stays out.” “Ah could fold it in for ya with a bandage if you want? It would stop it getting in the way as much.” “I don’t see why not.” Applejack leaned over her bed and retrieved a first aid kit from under it, Rainbow sat up as Applejack unravelled some bandage. She carefully took Rainbow’s left wing in her hooves. “Now this will hurt fer a second,” warned Applejack as she quickly bent Rainbow’s wing into the folded position. Rainbow yelped loudly in pain as the earth pony swiftly wrapped a strip of bandage round twice to hold the wing in place. “How does it feel now?” “It feels… Better. Well, better than it was, and it’s not in the way anymore.” “Good ter hear sugar cube,” said Applejack, setting down her empty mug. “You wanna get some shuteye now? You’ve had an eventful day after all.” “Now that you mention it, I do feel pretty sleepy.” “Alrighty,” said Applejack, turning off the lamp. She snuggled back under the blanket, leaned over and reached out a hoof in the near darkness to hug her friend. Rainbow, not expecting the contact, jumped slightly, but returned the warm hug eagerly. “G’night sugarcube,” said Applejack, breaking the hug. “Goodnight Applejack,” said the pegasus with a wide smile on her face that stayed with her as she drifted off to sleep.