Part 8
Twilight left the barn, following Applejack's tracks to her farmhouse. She had no idea what she was going to say to her, but continued on all the same. She reached the porch, the boards creaking with every step as she set the lantern beside her. Peering into the darkened living room, she softly knocked on the door.
"Applejack?" she whispered. Only the stillness of an empty room replied as she pushed the door open. Twilight could guess where she'd find her as she crept carefully up the old stairs in the darkness. With a quick spell, a small point of light from the tip of her horn cast a purple glow down the hallway. She could hear Big Mac snoring in his room, and Apple Bloom shifting beneath her blankets in hers. The closed door between them led to Applejack's room, where she could hear the unmistakable sounds of soft crying.
She frowned. This whole situation had blown up in her face. In hindsight, Applejack should have been honest with Rainbow. But Rainbow shouldn't have violated her privacy. Both parties shared blame, but some certainly more than others. Twilight took a deep breath before gently knocking on the door. No sooner had she done that, the crying ceased.
"Applejack?" Twilight whispered once more. Hoofsteps drew nearer as she waited. The door swung open a few inches, but no more. Twilight nudged it open and took a step inside, a single candle burning on Applejack's desk cast long and dancing shadows across the room. "I'm sorry about what happened in the barn," Twilight began. "I should have checked for anyone spying on us. I knew Rainbow had been snooping around, but I never thought she'd—"
Applejack waved a hoof to silence her.
"It wasn't your fault, Twi..." she answered. "I shouldn't have been keepin' secrets."
Twilight's expression hardened as she strode towards Applejack's bed, her hat hanging on her bedpost and her mane flowing freely, now loose from its band. "You weren't in the wrong, Applejack. You had every right to privacy."
Applejack sniffed up her tears. "Ah know, but... what kinda friend avoids another and damn near lies to her just because she's ashamed of herself?"
Twilight sat down next to her, placing a hoof around her shoulder. "One that cares about her reputation. I know you, Applejack. I know how important setting a good example for Apple Bloom is to you." Twilight used her magic to brush aside the mane that had fallen into Applejack's face. "I know that you didn't want anyone to know about what we were doing, and Rainbow let her petty jealousy get the better of her. Spying on us was a rotten thing of her to do, but in the end, she was probably just hurting because you were spending time with me instead of her."
Applejack gave her a small smile. "She is the jealous type..."
Twilight nodded. "I know." She looked around the room awkwardly before turning back to her. "I don't suppose you want to continue your lessons?"
Applejack favored her with a smile, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes.
"That'd be great."
The next morning, as Twilight and the Apple family were sitting down to breakfast, the distinct sound of a teleportation spell exploding on the porch interrupted their meal. Whoever it was wasted no time frantically knocking on the door.
"Ah got it," Applejack groaned. None of her family members were planning on getting up anytime soon. "Hold yer horses, I'm comin'!" she shouted before opening the door.
"Rarity?" she asked, surprised at her normally style conscious friend's appearance. Her mane was unkempt and she wore not a touch of makeup. "What brings you out here?"
"You must come quickly!" she panted, "The weather team had a lightning accident!"
Applejack's heart fell into her stomach. "An accident?" She blinked dumbly. "Is Rainbow okay?"
Rarity blinked away before looking back, biting her lower lip softly.
Applejack's eyes widened. She turned over her shoulder and called to Twilight. "Twi! Get your stuff, we gotta go to the hospital!" she commanded urgently, regaining her wits.
Twilight sprang from the table, nearly overturning her bowl of oatmeal. "What?" she said, startled. "Why?"
"Rainbow's been in an accident and she's laid up!" Applejack snapped, grabbing her hat off of the rack by the door and darting outside. Twilight ran out the door after her as Rarity followed suit.
Sweet Celestia, please let Rainbow be okay!
There was a pounding in Rainbow's head the likes of which she had never before experienced. Her muscles felt useless, and her limbs numb. She rolled her head to one side, feeling the soft down of the pillow beneath her head ruffle her fur. She tried to open her eyes, but found her eyelids refused to open. Dash let out a whimper of panic, shifting again as she tried to get her limbs to move.
A muffled sound made its way through her haze. Somepony was talking, but she may as well have had cotton balls in her ears. Soon, the sound began to sharpen, as she made out the words being spoken to her.
"...Miss Dash, you've been through quite the ordeal!"
"Wh-what happened?" Dash asked wearily. "Why can't I see?" she continued, her voice rising in panic.
She felt a hoof fall onto her shoulder. "There was a lightning accident, you took quite a few volts," the voice said, doing nothing to placate her fears.
"But why can't I see?!" she snapped, regaining use of her limbs and gingerly touching the cotton pads taped over her eyes.
"Take it easy, Miss Dash. The bandages are only a precaution. We need to make sure you don't have any corneal damage from the lightning flash." The hoof left her shoulder as she heard papers rustling near the foot of her bed. "To be honest, you're lucky to be alive."
Rainbow felt her jaw fall slack. After a silence, she asked softly, "How long am I gonna be here?"
"A week or two, it simply depends on how quickly you recover."
Another long silence entered the room, before she spoke again, in a decidedly defeated tone. "And my eyes?"
"We're awaiting the test results, but Celestia willing, you'll be able to see again soon."
Rainbow heard the door open. "I'll be back on my evening rounds to check on you, but until then, try and rest."
She could hear him shut the door as she was finally alone in her room. Among the aches and pains, she felt a weight drop into her chest. The memory of how she ended up here in the first place came rushing back to her all at once. She remembered Rarity trying to talk her out of her snooping, she remembered falling out if the rafters of the barn, but more importantly, she could see the look of betrayal on Applejack's face as though she were standing in front of her. Rainbow sat back against her pillows. How could she have let her jealousy get the best of her? Applejack was her best friend, and she'd gone and ruined it.
Dash could only hope Applejack would find it within herself to forgive her. The most haunting part about the entire ordeal was that the last time she saw her best friend's face, it wore an expression of shock and hurt. Unshakeable sorrow took hold of her as she realized that image could be the one burned into her eyes forever.
Rainbow punched the mattress. I deserve it, she thought. This was a hard lesson to learn, and she prayed she wouldn't have to learn it this way. Just as she was about to roll over and push her dreadful behavior from her conscience, she heard the door open.
"Rainbow?"
She knew that voice. She didn't need eyes to tell concern, and this pony had it in spades.
"Applejack... I'm so sorry," she whispered "I just—"
Applejack silenced her with a hoof on her own. "Rainbow, listen ta me. Ah'm sorry I misled you. Ah had a secret that Ah didn't want to spread, so Ah kept it to myself."
Rainbow smiled. She could feel her bandages moistening. "AJ, I would never spread any secret you tell me. I just wanted to say I'm sorry for spying on you. Rarity tried to talk me out of it, but I wouldn't listen. I just got so upset when you started hanging out with Twi and bailing on me, I... I thought you didn't want to hang out with me anymore." Rainbow put her other hoof on top of Applejack's. "You're the best friend I've ever had, and when I thought I was losing you, I got a little..."
"Jealous?" Applejack completed.
"Yeah..."
"Well, you were outta line, and it was a violation of my privacy. But..." Applejack said, rubbing a hoof on her chin. "Ah think Ah could forgive ya, if you're willin' ta put some work in to it."
Rainbow's smile began to weaken. "Work?"
"Eeyup. Ah think a couple extra rainclouds and some apple buckin' aughta do it."
Dash let out an exasperated sigh. "If it'll make you forget about what a jerk I was... fine."
Another silence entered the room before Applejack broke it, but not before grinning to herself. She had caught Rainbow's physician on his way back from the lab with her test results. It seemed minimal damage had been sustained to her corneas during the accident, so she had no qualms about bargaining with an injured mare for farm work. "So, as I was in the lobby, I was lookin' at the magazines. You'll never guess what they had."
Rainbow's ears perked up. "What?"
"Stunt Flyers Monthly, the latest issue." Applejack looked over the cover. "Looks like new regulations came out for joining the Wonderbolts."
Rainbow gasped. "Oh horseapples, I have to update my resume!" she said excitedly, before recalling the doctors prognosis of at least a week or two for a full recovery.
"Actually, Ah think I may be able ta help you out." Rainbow could hear the smile in Applejack's voice. "What if Ah read them to you?"
Dash's smile came racing back. "You... you'd do that for me?"
"Of course Ah will! Twilight says Ah need ta practice anyway," Applejack replied happily. She opened the magazine to the cover story. "Alright, let's see... In the many years of storied service, the Fa... fab..." Applejack squinted at the magazine before holding it out in front of Dash. "What's that word, Rainbow?" she teased.
Dash crossed her forelegs. "Very funny, AJ."
"Oh c'mon now, Ah ain't allowed ta have a little fun? Alright, where was I? The fa-fab-you-lus Wonderbolts have rev-revised their req... ree...requirements many times..."