It took every ounce of restraint Dash had to not react negatively to the tale the farmer told her pertaining to her dreams. They were extremely harsh and got worse with each encounter. Her marefriend woke up each time in pain or in utter fear, and Dash couldn't stand for something to be wreaking such havoc on somepony's mind let alone Applejack's. The blonde mare twitched from time to time and Rainbow would just reach down and softly stroke her golden locks still tied back in a ponytail.
She knew AJ needed her to be strong, yet gentle and understanding. Dash wouldn't fail her when she needed it, because she knew the farmer would do the same. She reached down and stroke Applejack's cheek gently as she had just closed her eyes still talking through the dream. She had just started to describe tonight's nightmare, and the longer it went on the more Rainbow could feel her muscles tense.
"A-Are ya alright hun?" Applejack broke into her building rage with gentle eyes.
"Y-Yeah I am no problem. It is just a lot to take in I guess...I mean I would seriously hate feeling that helpless." Rainbow admitted her head drooping pitifully eyes closing.
She felt her marefriend's hand soft on her cheek and she opened her eyes, "It really does mean a lot ta meh that you care so much fer lil old me ,Dashie." the farmer said gently.
Rainbow held her wrist watch up and looked at it, 8:33 P.M it read. It had been a lot longer than she had thought, but at least there was still time in the night. It was then she heard a loud growling noise, and she was pretty sure she knew where the sound had come from.
"I see someone is still hungry eh, Jackie?" Rainbow taunted her lightly.
Applejack blushed and replied, "Yeah Ah reckon so. Didn't eat all that much at the theater...an' we left our snacks as well. What a waste."
"No worries hun I have an idea, but we gotta hurry so we can make it. Get up real quick." Rainbow ordered the mare laying upon her lap.
AJ complied and got up sluggishly, which usually showed that she was physically fatigued. Rainbow stood up knowing very well the fastest way for them to get to Harmony Breads and Cafe. She came up behind the blonde mare, spun her around, and grabbed her pulling her close. Dash heard her marefriend squeak in surprise as she unfurled her wings and leaped into the crisp night sky.
"Y'all need ta warn me when yer gonna do that Dash!" Applejack said indignantly.
"I'll try, but it's more fun when you aren't prepared!" Dash called over the rush of wind that passed them by.
It was a short trip really and they landed outside the shop at 9:00 sharp, she flew rather slow for her lovely farmer. Now that AJ was walking in front of her she noticed just how well defined the farmer's blue jeans were on her. "Sweet mother of Celestia does she have some amazing legs!" Rainbow thought to herself with a smirk.
Applejack walked in the door first with Rainbow following, and they were quickly greeted by the shop owner once again.
"Hello there again ladies, here for some late night grub I can only assume?" The forest green stallion inquired.
The orange mare had stopped in front of Rainbow and she couldn't tell why for a moment only that AJ's ears were perked up. She moved around the blonde farmer to see nostalgia lighting her eyes, as a new song started up on the radio.
"What's the hold up Jackie, thought you were hungry?" she asked trying to break into her mind.
The orange mare shook her head, "Sorry Rainbow, I just got lost in the song playing for a moment."
She smiled and continued toward the counter to order, "What like remembering your first time or something?"
Now she had originally intended this as a joke but when she got to the counter and Applejack didn't stand beside her she knew something was up. She turned around to see her standing there looking down at the ground blushing intensely, and she looked far from happy as well. Bad.
"L-Look hun I meant it as a joke. I had no idea I hit the nail on the head." She said walking over to her marefriend.
The farmer took a huge sigh before responding, "Naw Dashie it's okay. The anger is more fer mahself than you."
Looks like the blonde earthbound mare had her own demon's that stalked her mind at any given moment. Dash liked this because it showed she wasn't perfect, and that she had seen her share of life rather than blindly running through it. She motioned Applejack over to the counter, and they indicated they wanted what they had last time they were here. Rainbow paid the 26 bits this time and they headed over to the same table they had last time. It seemed rather vacant tonight in the sandwich shop but it was better that way, quieter even.
The two of them ate in silence tonight, neither knowing quite what to say it seemed. It was murder to Dash to bear the silence.
"AJ, do you wanna talk about what that was a few minutes ago?" she started.
"Not really hun, it's in the past...a past Ah'd rather not bring up 'iffin Ah can avoid it." was the reply Dash got after a seconds delay.
"Okay I just don't want ya to have to bear it alone. If you ever want to tell me I'm here." she replied in sentiment.
Her marefriend smiled back at her now looking at Dash levelly. She loved to see Applejack's emerald green eyes glimmer when her affections boiled over to the surface. It made the rainbow haired mare feel warm everywhere, but especially in her cheeks. It was in this moment Dash had a bold idea but it was worth venturing.
"H-Hey Jackie, I was wondering something." she started off slowly seeing if AJ would go along.
"Yeah shug, what is it?" the farmer replied.
"Would it be alright if I maybe stayed with you tonight? I-I mean nothing serious just sleep next to each other tonight--Wait no that doesn't sound right either!" Dash became flustered as she couldn't say what she meant.
"Dashie. Dashie. Dashie!" Applejack broke through Rainbow's nosedive, "Ah know what yer askin' and...Ah'd like fer that a lot. Maybe that'll drive mah nightmares away fer good."
Her eyes went wide in surprise as she felt the biggest grin sweep over her face. She knew she would enjoy it, but deep down she knew if it could help Applejack get away from her nightmare she would do it in a heartbeat. The orange mare got up from the table and headed for the exit.
"C'mon Dashie, lets head home!" the blonde farmer threw over her shoulder at Dash.
They walked outside and, holding one another's hand, began to walk down the road back to Sweet Apple Acres. It took them over an hour to finally reach Applejack's home, but it was worth it for the closeness they shared that evening walking through the center of Ponyville. Rainbow had more than once felt like they were being watched though, and this slightly unnerved her. Almost 11:30 most of the Apple family was already asleep, and so her marefriend and her made their way over to the barn.
As the farmer opened a smaller side door so they could get inside Rainbow felt an odd warmth slip out of the doorway. Looked like it would be quite comfortable to sleep in there tonight, and so she hurried inside and AJ closed the door again. Dash was just following the golden locks of her marefriend around trusting that she would know the best place to sleep. They climbed up into the rafters and, reaching a third level, found a comfortable arrangement of hay. The hay even looked like it was arranged on purpose to be a bed.
"Welcome to mah afternoon nap spot Dash. Should be quite comfortable since Ah did make it mahself after all." the farmer announced pulling a quilt off of a nearby post.
She wrapped the quilt around her shoulders and knelt down crawling comfortably onto the hay bed. She looked up to Dash expectantly, "What are ya waitin' fer shugar?"
At that she couldn't keep herself from the farmer's side, and she too knelt down then crawled up alongside AJ. Their eyes met and they leaned in touching foreheads together before Applejack turned over and away from Dash. She snuggled under the blonde mare's quilt and close behind her gently enveloping her with her arms. One rested around the farmers side, the other weaved under the hay giving an extra pillow to her marefriend.
The heat she felt between them was breath taking, and it was in this moment Dash became aware of something. "I really have fallen in love with her haven't I?" was the last thought that crossed her mind before she passed out. With her nose close to the farmer's hair she could smell the delicate scent of apples and turned earth, which left her relaxed and in peace.
The next morning had come all too soon for the both of them, but they parted ways all the same. Dash had to go in for an early shift of paperwork for the weather office, but had told Applejack that she would give her a call sometime this afternoon so they could spend more time together. The paperwork had been utterly unforgiving this morning approvals of next week's spread of clouds, on top of the coming big storm to bring in rain for the apple orchards. With all her willpower though Dash easily trucked through it, and clocked out heading to a popular cafe in the center of town.
When she arrived outside the Hayseed Cafe, she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. Flipping it open she found Applejack's number and hit call.
"Hey Jackie it's just me. Yeah I'm here at the Hayseed with the rest of the day to myself, would ya like to come spend it with me? Really, awesome! I'll be here hun." with that she clicked her phone shut and slipped it back into her jeans.
She casually strolled into the cafe and ordered a simple lavender scented green tea, paid her 6 bit fee, and went to get a table while she waited for her drink. She let her memories of her past few days with her blonde farm mare blissfully slide across her mind until all of a sudden she felt a tail flick hers. She sat bolt upright, that wasn't something AJ did to her ever. She turned to see something she would never in her wildest dreams see, Captain Spitfire of the Wonderbolts.
"Hello there miss Rainbow Dash. May I sit with you for a moment?" the blazing orange haired mare asked.
Dash noticed the tail flick that Spitfire had just given her, and she wasn't sure she liked where this was going already. The Wonderbolt Captain had been known for her often brazen and harsh behavior. Even though this was her personal idol asking, things seemed more casual than professional.
She looked away from Spitfire, "I'm going to have to decline you that seat right now. You see I'm saving it for a special friend of mine."
"Oh don't worry Dash I'll just be a moment." Spitfire replied obviously thinking Dash was playing hard to get as she went and sat in the seat across from her.
Of late the captain had been overly out of control with her life. She had been reported in news articles to have openly fooled around with whomever she felt the inclination to do so with. She would party till she couldn't consciously do so anymore, and was caught more than once breaking air traffic laws. A lot of ponies were put off by this once great pegasus acting so rebelliously, and with her new levels of freedom her temper was also becoming quite notorious. She apparently wanted Dash and wasn't going to take no easily, but she wanted to avoid the Wonderbolt's temper at all costs.
"So Dash after you are done hanging out with this friend of yours how about you and I go to a party tonight? I'm sure I can make it worth your while." the brazen ginger said with a wink at her.
"Look Spitfire, I was quite specific that I didn't want you sitting there because of a 'Special' friend I am waiting for. Personally I've seen what 'Worth your while' has meant to you lately, and quite frankly I..." She paused feeling the captain rubbing her leg up against Dash's, "Would you stop that Captain." She finished blushing.
"Oh come now Dash this isn't a professional setting, I wish you wouldn't refer to me like that." the Wonderbolt replied not stopping, making Dash feel helpless. "You know I take what I want, and right now I want you."
At this Rainbow stood up from her seat indignantly just as her marefriend stormed up to hear Spitfire's last line. The orange mare had looked furious, but hearing that last line dropped AJ. Rainbow's eyes shot wide in shock jaw agape in horror. "Had she seen everything that just happened?" Dash lamented in dread.
"Ya know what Dash, y'all have fun with the rest of yer day you sleaze!" Applejack's eye's were tearing as she gripped her hat and threw it at Rainbow in her fury.
The farmer stormed off away from her and she felt a hollowness creep up inside her dark and cold. There would be no forgiveness or even the least bit restraint with how she handled Spitfire now.
"Well then looks like you are free the rest of the day n-"
"SHUT UP SPITFIRE!" Dash cut the captain off loudly. "You can't possibly begin to understand the degree to which you just bucked my life. I mean have you fallen so far that you don't even register consequences anymore?" She shouted turning to the older mare who now looked quite sheepish. "What the hay happened to you, you used to be great! Now all you do is party and throw all caution to the wind! I mean how do you still have friends living the life you do now?"
"Well I-"
"No you don't get to explain any of this shit to me. Because of you I have to go try to explain to my MAREFRIEND what was really happening and why she should forgive me for not knocking your lights out when you started this!" Rainbow Dash fumed as she turned to leave, "You need to get your life together before you drive the Wonderbolts into the ground, as well as lose every friend you have ever had."
She left Spitfire looking absolutely crushed in spirit, but she deserved it for what she had done. Rainbow ran as fast as she could to Sweet Apple Acres after Applejack. She prayed to Celestia with everything she had that she could make the blonde farmer see what had happened. Gripping AJ's Stetson tight in her hand she knew she would have to grovel at her marefriend's hooves for forgiveness, but would she get it?
________________________________________________________________________________________
After a short visit to the hospital, nurse Redheart gave Pinkie the all clear. It seemed as if the pink mare had suffered a minor concussion which would leave a few short term memories blurry. She was allowed to go back to work tomorrow but with limited duties as to not stress her healing skull. As she walked out of the hospital she waved to nurse Redheart gleefully getting on her bicycle again and peddling home easily to be safe.
She hoped that nothing bad had happened while she had been out of commission, but that question was soon answered as Applejack sprinted across her path. Tears streaking across her face, and no Rainbow in sight.
"Well golly gee that's no good, I'm gone no more than a few hours and all hell broke loose didn't it?" She pondered aloud for a time.
Rainbow Dash then came bolting across the way next, and Pinkie gave chase. As she caught up she yelled, "Hey, Dashie! Why is everybody running?"
"Sorry Pinkie can't stop right now! I have to go throw myself at AJ's mercy." She shouted back as Pinkie came to a stop.
"Hmm..." She put a hand to her chin for a moment, "Ya know it's probably better to let them solve this themselves. I'd better get back to let the Cake's know I'm okay."
A short ride later the cotton candy maned mare arrived and headed inside, "Mrs. Cake, Mr. Cake I'm back!"
"Oh Pinkie dear we were worried half to death!" Mrs. Cake yelled rushing up to hug the pink mare tightly.
"Aw it's okay Mrs. Cake I just made a silly mistake on last night's delivery, and wanted to make sure I was okie-dokie first. Nurse Redheart says I have a mild concussion from trying to beat a tree branch with my head." Pinkie Pie replied nonplussed.
"Oh my goodness dear that isn't some small injury!" Mrs. Cake fretted.
"Now dear I'm sure Pinkie will be alright, she does have quite the resilient skull in there after all!" Mr. Cake interjected lightly.
She gave him a nasty look that hinted at his death, and he sheepishly retreated back into the kitchen. When Mrs. Cake turned to talk to Pinkie again a voice broke into their conversation.
"Um, am I interrupting anything at all?" a gryphon said as she walked in.
Pinkie took in a long powerful gasp as she looked at the gryphon who entered the Cake's shop, it was Gilda. She looked different somehow though, with more of an air of polite respect that she had been sorely lacking with her last visit to Ponyville.
Mrs. Cake must have noticed as well as she replied kindly, "Not at all dear, come in. What can I help you with today?"
"Not much I was actually looking for Pinkie Pie." the brown plumed she gryphon replied bashfully.
She was acting so much more emotionally than before, Pinkie smiled, "Well here I am Gildie, what can I do for ya?"
Mrs. Cake took her leave at this point and headed back into the kitchen, probably to scold Mr. Cake for his earlier comment.
"I-I wanted to apologize to you personally for being such a jerk all those months ago. I feel I wronged you the worst so I...I felt the need to try to make it good between us before moving on with my life." she said looking down and away as if in shame at the memory.
"Oh? Well okay then, I can accept that apology. You seem to really mean that! In fact you seem like an entirely different person Gilda, you could apologize to everyone in Ponyville at this rate!" Pinkie said with a bright smile.
"N-No! I'm not ready for that yet. Could I ask if you would spend some time hanging out with me? I'm still not totally used to this redemption thing yet." the gryphon scratched the back of her head sheepishly.
"Of course we can! That sounds like loads of fun!" the party mare bounced at the prospect.
"Oh you have no idea..." Gilda mumbled in a low tone.
"What was that?" Pinkie said oblivious.
"Nothing Pinkie, I'm glad your willing to give me another chance. Thank you." she replied with a bow to Pinkie.
"No problemo Gilda, but what should we do? I mean I don't have work today so I have practicalacticly the WHOOLLEE day to pal around!" the cotton candy maned mare replied with barely contained excitement.
"Let's just start off with a walk and see where things go yeah?" the gryphon replied with a devilish smile.
"Okie dokie lokie!" the pink mare replied bouncing outside Gilda following behind her menacingly.