Chapter 3: Friendship is Magic
“So.. Why am I helping you do this?”
Rainbow never seemed to stop complaining about work when she wanted to nap.
“Because, if we don't, we won't have any flour or sugar. Don't you like Granny Smith's apple pie?
“Well yeah, but-”
“Then we need to go to town and get supplies.”
Rainbow sighed and followed Applejack a little way down the well-beaten path before she realized she was staring at the orange mares flank. Blushing profusely, she quickly looked away and noticed a flock of birds heading east.
“Huh” she thought to herself. “Wonder where they're going?”
Applejack looked up as well and smiled grimly.
“Just swell... Crows here to eat our crop.”
“Waitwaitwait... Crows eat apples? I thought they eat corn and that kinda stuff?”
“Well they do! But here in Ponyville and around these parts, they also have a fondness for apples.”
“Ooohhh... Well it looks like I'm out of bucking trees for a while.”
Applejack looked back at her friend.
“And what makes you say that?”
“Well who else is going to shoo them away?”
To emphasize her point, Rainbow raised her wings. Or she would have, but something held them down. Looking back, she saw something pink on her back. Yelling in surprise, the cyan mare jumped and threw the pink object- er.... pony off.
Giggling loudly, the pink pony landed gracefully next to Applejack, who chuckled and turned around to watch Rainbow meet Pinkie Pie.
“HI I'm Pinkie Pie who are you I don't think I know you I know everypony in ponyville, what's your name?”
Staring at Pinkie, Rainbow couldn't even keep up with anything she said and just sat down with her jaw hanging open. Answering for her, Applejack tapped Pinkie on the shoulder and said:
“Her name is Rainbow Dash, she's new here. She's from Cloudsdale and brought a friend with her, but she mostly stays at my farm. Speakin' of, hey Rainbow! When am ah gonna meet this friend of yours?”
Shaking her head to get her thought process restarted, Rainbow looked back at Applejack.
“I didn't know you wanted to! We can go see her later today if you want.”
Pinkie looked about ready to burst in excitement.
“Another new pony in town?! What's his name? Or is he a her? Is he her colorful like you Rainbow Dash?”
Tackling the newcomer and covering her mouth so she had time to talk, Rainbow answered:
“Her name is Fluttershy, and no she's not colorful like me-”
Pinkie seemed to explode with excitement, throwing Rainbow a good distance away.
“You know Fluttershy? Oh my goodness! This is gonna be FUNTACULAR!”
Laughing at Rainbows expression at Pinkie running away, Applejack nudged the cyan mare to get her attention.
“C'mon now Rainbow, we gotta get the supplies before they run out at the market.”
Shaking her head incredulously, Rainbow trotted after Applejack.
About a skip hop and a jump later, they arrived at the outskirts of Ponyville. Looking over at Rainbow, Applejack noticed how good the pegasus looked in the afternoon sun. Blushing as she looked back ahead of her, she mentally kicked herself for the millionth time that day about looking at her friend that way. Even if Rainbow was a fillyfooler, Applejack didn't think she stood a chance with her. Rainbow loved to fly, feel free and had her own ambitions, so why should she want to be with a pony who couldn't fly, and whose life goals were working an apple farm?
Breathing deeply, AJ looked around to distract herself from her negative thoughts. Remembering that she had a few extra bits than she really needed, she wondered if she should ask Rainbow to go do something with her. Deciding against it, Applejack sighed deeply as she walked over to the bakery supply store.
Staying outside like she normally did, Rainbow wondered what was wrong with her friend. They had only known each other about eight or nine months, but she felt she knew her orange friend better than she could know anybody else. Lately though, Applejack has seemed a bit down. Rainbow wanted nothing more than to kiss and comfort her earth pony friend, but was afraid of rejection. Applejack's family is a country, old-fashioned one, and Rainbow thought they would hate her if they knew she preferred mares over colts. She was scared of losing the one pony she ever cared this much about.
Applejack called Rainbow into the shop to help lug out the bags of sugar and flour onto their cart. After about ten trips into the shop and out to the cart apiece, the two ponies decided that was enough for one visit to town.
Applejack decided to buy them both some lemonade from the nearby outdoor cafe before their long walk home. Sitting across from eachother, the mares were both trying to avoid the others gaze. It wasn't long before Rainbow heard shouting from around the block. Flying up over the building to see what was happening, she saw her friend Fluttershy crying and being yelled at by some random pony for apparently “being in his way”.
Instantly filled with anger, Rainbow dived down and tackled the stranger, causing his ribs to crack. Not caring that he couldn't even breathe right, the cyan pegasus slammed her hoof into his face again and again before a strong set of teeth grabbed the scruff of her neck pulling her away from him.
Realizing that she couldn't see, Rainbow wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at the pony who stopped her. Applejack hugged her tightly and whispered:
“That was mighty brave of you Rainbow... But you need to calm down now Sugarcube.. Please..”
Backing away from Aplejack, Rainbow Dash said:
“I don't care if he dies. NOPONY messes with my friends!”
Before she broke down any more, Rainbow took off into the sky to hide from the world.
Heart aching for the cyan mare, Applejack walked over to Fluttershy and helped her up as an emergency team rounded the corner with a cart behind them. Carefully lifting the mess of a colt into the cart, the paramedics started a few checks to make sure he was still alive before taking off towards the hospital.
“Oh.. Thank you for helping me up.. Was that Rainbow Dash just now?” Asked the yellow pegasus.
“Yeah... it was.”
Three days later and still no sign of Rainbow Dash. Her heart physically aching, Applejack spent most of the past three days on the barn roof looking for any sign of her hearts desire. As dusk started to settle in making it hard to see more than a hundred yards out, Applejack carefully made her way down the ladder leaning on the barn wall when she heard a loud “SMACK” from a ways away.
Hurrying the rest of the way down, Applejack ran as fast as she could in the direction of the sound, wishing that it was her rainbow maned friend, but at the same time hoping not, knowing that if it was Rainbow that made that sound, she would be in a lot of pain or worse, dead.
After about five minutes of running, Applejack noticed one of her favorite apple trees split in half. Praying that nopony was hurt, she ran over to the tree to see a long deep gash in the ground a small ways away from it. At the end of the miniature gorge was a small blue ball of feathers with a rainbow colored stripe across it.
Slowly walking over, she realized it was Rainbow all curled up in a ball to block as much pain as she possibly could. Nudging her softly, Applejack tried to get a response from the cyan mare, praying to Celestia that she was still alive. Seeing Rainbow's side slowly heave up and down, Applejack relaxed, knowing her best friend was still alive. Laying close by the pegasus, Applejack thought to herself:
“If Rainbow makes it through this.. Ah think Ah'm gonna tell her that I love her. Ah can't stand seeing her hurt like this, and even if she hates me for a while after, I believe she is a loyal friend who will at least stay my friend no matter what.”
Laying her head on her forehooves, Applejack relaxed, making sure the mare she loved will be alright. Secretly wishing Rainbow loves her as much in return, she silently vowed:
“No matter what, from this day on, Ah will do mah best to support and protect you Rainbow Dash..... Mah love.”
No matter what your true feelings are, once you know them you should tell anypony that matters about it. If they are true friends, they will stay. If not they will go, and eventually you will realize you are better off without them. Secrets never bear fruit. Always go for broke, and you will be surprised at how many times you come out a success.
(Sorry if this chapter seemed a bit... undescriptive. i was very tired when i wrote this, and i was VERY distracted. please bear with me and i promise the next chapter will be better)