//------------------------------// // Social Infinity // Story: Appledashery // by Just Essay //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash twirled through the air, gathered misty wisps of moisture in her wings, and flew up in a savage backflip. The moisture condensed halfway through her spinning motions, so that when she came out of her aerial somersault, she did so with a splash of moisture in every direction, making the air around her glitter from refracted sunlight. She dove through a prismatic light show and landed in a long, skidding trough through the farm soil. After two seconds, she struck a dramatic pose, just in time for a rainbow-colored spotlight to linger on her body for about five seconds and then fade with the dissipating moisture from above. Sweet Apple Acres filled with thunderous applause, mostly from the fillies gathered along the fringes of the wooden stands. The midday picnic had culminated, and Rainbow Dash had given the eating patrons a show that they would not soon forget. “Thank you! Thank you!” Rainbow Dash bowed, bowed again, and tossed her damp mane back. “Heh... I'm here all week.” She smirked, rolled her eyes, and muttered, “Except for the times when I'm working my flank off or throwing my neck into danger, but—for the most part—I'm here all friggin' week!” “Wooohooo!” “Yaaaaay!” “Awesome!” Before the foals could flock over to Rainbow Dash, Granny Smith strolled over. “Not so fast, young'ns! You'll have yer chance to sweat off that sweet apple pie! Let's head on over to the barrel rolling contest, now! Yer gonna lurve this one, or else I'm a rotten possum in disguise!” “Y'all heard Granny!” Apple Bloom cheered, bouncing in place. “Let's get goin! Come along, Scootaloo!” “Right behind you!” I turned to smile at Rainbow Dash as I galloped along. “Rainbow, you're the best! Thanks for showing!” “Heh...” Rainbow Dash glanced the other way and rubbed her hoof against her chest. “Thanks for having the eyeballs to notice, kid.” I giggled inwardly—and nearly ran into a fence post. Blushing, I ran swiftly, trying to outrace all the other fillies. Rainbow Dash exhaled. Once the bulk of the sisters—young and old—had made it to the far side of the Social, she leaned back and flexed her forelimbs. She winced a bit, mumbling to herself. “Darn it... I-I shoulda saved up for another dose before today. If only I knew—” “Plum tuckered, sugarcube?” “D'uhhmmm!” Rainbow Dash swiftly sat on her hooves, sticking her spine straight up. “Not at all! Just... y'know...” She smirked devilishly. “Chillaxing while I still can.” “Shucks, I know I'd be worn out from all that zippin' and flippin' about!” Applejack leaned against the fence beside Rainbow Dash, tilting her hat forward. “Dun know how ya manage to do it and keep yer spikey lil' head still attached.” “Eh, it takes practice,” Rainbow said, then muttered aside. “And I'm not little.” “Heh. No sense in arguin' with you.” Rainbow Dash took a breath. She coiled her wings tightly at her side and stared towards the farthest horizon. “So...” She coughed. “Uhm... The Social! It sure is... uh... social, I guess...” “Y'know, I've never fancied the name too much myself,” Applejack said. “It ain't exactly an apple family tradition.” “Oh no?” Rainbow Dash blinked at the orchards. “You could have fooled me. I mean... it takes place on your farmland n'stuff.” “Eh... we adopted it, Rainbow,” Applejack said. “Ever since I was a wee filly... even younger than Apple Bloom. It was Granny Smith's idea. Beforehand, it took place in the city park. The Harvest Family ran it.” “Oh, you mean Golden's folks?” “Yup.” “What made you guys take up the gruntwork?” “Pffft.” Applejack smirked. “You make it sound like it's a burden or somethang!” Rainbow Dash winced. “S-sorry...” “Simple understandin', darlin'. Ain't nothin' to get all tangled up about.” Applejack watched the fillies gathering about by a cluster of barrels. A soft smile hung off her features. “Granny's made one sort of claim or another, but the way I figure it... she felt Big Macintosh and I needed somethin' to get our minds off of... off of... well...” She chewed her lip and stared at the grass below the fence. “...thangs that weren't all too happy when we were young.” “I got ya...” “And then, well, it sort of turned into a new tradition. I looked forward to preparin' for the Social right here on Sweet Apple Acres every year. Heck, I even lurved the part that involved workin' extra hours to get the lawn all cleaned up and prepared for a bunch of downtown visitors. I dunno if you can relate, but doin' hard work gets yer mind off the unpleasant thangs... especially when ya strive towards somethin' great and wholesome. It does wonders for the spirit.” “I... uh... I can understand,” Rainbow Dash said, tilting her face towards Applejack a little. She gulped. “Believe me.” Applejack looked back at Rainbow Dash. A few seconds passed. She smiled. “I didn't think she'd be so happy.” “Uhhh...” Rainbow Dash blinked. “Who?” “Apple Bloom,” Applejack said. She looked back towards the far side of the field. “Every year, she harps on me over what kind of a strategy we'll be usin' to outscore all the other ponies at the Social. But this time, bein' partnered up with a 'sister-for-a-day' and all? She don't seem to mind none.” “Well, they're kinda sorta best friends, AJ.” “I know that. But... t'ain't the same. At least, that's what I always thought.” “Oh yeah?” “But... when you think about it...” Applejack smiled. “Life's really simple, cuz we're all meant to fill in the grooves with each other, ya feel me?” She glanced over. “Brothers? Sisters? Friends?” She shook her head. “Don't make no difference, so long as y'all trust each other and can support one another when push comes to shove.” “Uhhh... yeah. Sure!” “That's why the Sisterhooves Social means so much to me, I reckon.” Applejack looked towards Apple Bloom once more. “It was there to rescue our spirits when... when our folks died.” She sighed, but through curved lips. “Just like everypony I know and love constantly remind me that—when the goin' gets tough—there's somethin' worth sweatin' for in the end.” “Are you... trying to say we're all sisters?” Rainbow Dash asked. She gulped. “Even Big Macintosh?” Applejack guffawed. Her hat tilted too far and she slapped it firmly atop her head. After a deep breath, she smiled and said, “I'm just sayin' that we're lucky, 'cuz no matter how much we lose, we can find ways to feel complete once more. My sister's a livin' testament of that.” Applejack nodded her head towards the opposite side of the field. “And her best friend's got a smile on her face 'cuz of it too.” Rainbow nodded. She bit her lip, clamping her hooves tightly against the grass as her voice cracked, “AJ, I just want you to know that... th-that if you ever feel like things are... too tough...” Applejack raised an eyebrow. Rainbow Dash stared at her. She could only manage a crooked smile. “...you can always count on me.” She gulped, then added dryly, “Y'know, for s-support...” Applejack blinked... then blinked again. “Why, of course I know that, sugarcube.” She smiled. “You came in for me today, didn't y'all?” “Heheh... heheheh...” Rainbow Dash exhaled heavily. “Yeahhhh...” “You must be famished.” Applejack walked by, slapping Rainbow Dash good-naturedly on the shoulder. “Go have yerself some of Granny's vittles. You've earned it.” Rainbow Dash waited for Applejack to leave before wheezing for breath. She slouched forward with a wincing expression, then ran a numb hoof over where her body still stung from the slapping hoof. Despite the residual pulses of dull pain, she smiled dumbly. “Heh... with a ch-cherry on top...”