//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Changes // Story: City Scape // by TigerSwirl448 //------------------------------// Chapter 2 Changes ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ "Notebooks?" "Check!" "Extra notebooks?" A young woman asked looking into her large backpack. "Check." A young boy's voice answered as he used his pen to mark on his list. "Extra pens that have ultra-fine tips in the colors of Red, Green, Blue, Purple, and Black?" The woman asked. The young boy with green hair looked up from his list to stare at his older sister's light purple back and navy skirt as she looked through her book shelves. "Uhh .... Check, Check, and all colors check!" He exclaimed smiling. "And that is all, Twilight." He said standing up and closing his check list journal. "Very good, Spike." Twilight said smiling cheerily at her younger brother. Twilight Sparkle and her brother Spike have lived in Canterlot’s School for Gifted Young Minds for most of their lives. Twilight had been going to the School since she was seven and had grown up there. Her older brother, Shining Armor went to a military academy to become a soldier for the Royal Guard. And Spike, he wanted to go to the same school as Twilight so he was signed up and joined up as well. Since Twilight Sparkle had caught the interest of Princess Celestia, the ruler of Equestria, and the head mistress of the school decided to have Twilight as her personal protégé. Since Twilight graduated from the school during the spring, she decided to stay at the school to work with Princess Celestia in internal affairs and politics, not to mention doing special experiments that would help the people of Equestria. And today was the day that Twilight would get to join Princess Celestia at the Princess Summit being held at Cloudsdale for the first time since the Cloudsdale Plaza Massacre twelve years earlier. This was a huge deal for Cloudsdale and a huge deal for Twilight. Twilight would get to meet Princess Cadenza for the first time. She had heard about the new princess through her older brother who was stationed at the Crystal Empire. She was excited to meet Princess Cadenza and to see Cloudsdale, “The City of the Sky” everyone called it. A place of continuous change, much like the city’s namesake. "Twilight," Spike asked getting Twilight’s attention. "Yes, Spike?" She answered looking at her astronomy books she was planning on taking. "What’s this note?" Spike asked looking at the folded note that was labeled “Important!” by Twilight. "Oh, it’s a reminder." Twilight said waving her hand as she stuffed the books into her bag. "A reminder of what?" Spike asked reading the letter. "The Equestrian Council had some concerns about the stars and the weather changing over Cloudsdale by all the new vehicles and helicopters in the air. Professor Night said something that there were reports of people living above the streets instead of on the ground that might be causing the change." Spike blinked hearing such a strange thing. "Why would people want to live on the roof tops? That's a bit strange." Spike said sitting on a plush chair watching his sister continue packing excess luggage. "It is. Even stranger still that Cloudsdale is known to be the safest city in Equestria, but from the Justice Department, they say that the city is filled with crime. Maybe the criminals go up to the roof tops maybe?" Twilight speculated with a shrug. "When I'm there I might look up some information about the crime rate and see if that is involved. Or it could be the heat or pollution." Spike nodded thinking as he reached into his satchel to pull out his comic book and began reading. "So what are you going to do?" Spike asked looking at the colorful pictures. Twilight thought for a moment. "Well first of all, I have to ask for permission by the Griffin Security Forces to work on the roof tops." "Why?" Spike asked looking up from his comic. Twilight shrugged. "I don’t know myself. Something to do with a security protocol or something like that. It was rather strange being told I have to take an interview and have my background checked and everything just so I can be granted permission." Spike closed his book shaking his head. "I don't get it." He said. "Why's Cloudsdale being such pricks?" "Ahem!" The two siblings turned toward the dorm door to see the tall regal woman walk into the room dressed in her flowing white gown for the meeting of Cloudsdale’s council. "Princess!" The two exclaimed standing up. Spike blushed harshly seeing her gaze on him. "Spike, just because certain cities have certain laws we might not agree with doesn't mean they are ... "Pricks"." Celestia said with warning and getting a blush from the young student. Celestia smiled gently at him. "Although, it is not my business what type of government they try to lead with but it is my responsibility to know if there was a change for the good or a change for the bad. If it goes well then I won't tell them what to do. But if I notice a tyrannical vibe in the city I will have Luna take a look into the problem at hand." Spike and Twilight nodded as Celestia sighed taking a seat on Twilight’s bed. "How are your preparations?" She asked. Spike giggled behind his hand as Twilight blushed. "I'm still making sure I have everything." Twilight answered. Celestia chuckled as Spike shook his head towards her. "Twilight is packing too much." "No, I'm not!" Twilight exclaimed glaring at Spike. "I'm going to stay there for a month or maybe longer for me to complete this project." Celestia sighed shaking her head. "Twilight Sparkle, I know you well but sometimes you are over excessive on certain things. But I'm telling you Twilight, don't pack too much." Celestia stood up walking past Twilight’s working desk to find a small stack of books. Celestia picked up the first book of the tower and read the cover then looked on the back. "Did Luna give you these?" Celestia asked looking over to see Twilight pulling out a large black case from under her bed. "Give me what?" Twilight asked looking over her bed to see Celestia holding up the book. Twilight couldn't help but wince. "Oh, those." She said looking back down at her case and opened the lid to see her special astronomy telescope taken apart and in the correct places. Celestia picked up the second novel and looked at the cover then the back. "Luna told me about these new fantasy stories. She even told me how you don't read much fantasy stories." Celestia paused seeing a novel with a familiar title. She chuckled looking at the back. "A dark, post-apocalyptic Equestria. Luna loved this one." Twilight sighed. "Princess, I'm grateful for Princess Luna wanting me to read those new fantasy novels but I'm just not interested." Celestia smirked placing the books back on the tower. "Just don't pack more than three suitcases and two backpacks. I'm pretty sure you can have all your essentials and all the extra things you'll need." Twilight gasped shutting the lid to her case looking up at her. "But with that little space to pack then I have to redo my whole list! Spike!" Spike yelped looking at Twilight to see her crazed eyes again, she was about to crack. "Hurry! We have two hours before I have to leave!" Twilight ran to her bags and started dumping everything out and reorganizing them. Spike groaned looking to the princess to see her chuckling behind her hand. "I'll leave you two to it then. I'll be back thirty minutes before departure. Good luck." She said, the last part mainly to Spike as she left the room. Spike groaned as he put away his comic book and reached for his journal and flipped to an empty page. "Okay, what do you need?" He asked with a groan as he began to write. ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ Vinyl Scratch, or as she was more wildly know as, the DJ-Pon3, was busy bobbing her head to the music playing around her as she waited. She turned to the blackout room beyond the glass knowing that her producer was still talking to the Griff's spokesperson. She rolled her eyes then reached into her neon blue jacket to pull out her cell phone and sent a text message to someone. She heard the knocking on the window to notify her that it was the end of her break time. Vinyl pushed her chair back to her microphone and looked at her screen to see that the song playing was ending and fading out. She placed her large headphones over her ears and pressed a button beside her then flipped a switch seeing the “On Air” sign light up above her head. "And that there was Sweetie Belle singing Love Can Be So Hard. Another tear jerker that one." Vinyl sniffed audibly faking tears. "I swear that gets me every time." After a moment she noticed her producer was telling her to hurry it up with a look of fear on his face. She gulped and cleared her throat looking down at her script to see a note her producer wrote in a red marker. “Talk about Griffin Security and make it POSITIVE! Lie if you have to!” Vinyl looked up at him. He nodded his head. Vinyl smirked tossing the papers behind her seeing his scared face. "Well it's that time again folks. Pon3's morning show is down and tune in later this evening and we'll have another Pon3 moment, if the great GSF council doesn't close off my show so early." Vinyl snarled glaring at her producer to see him actually look pale as a ghost. "Until later today or tomorrow listeners, DJ-Pon3 out." Vinyl pressed a button on her keyboard and could immediately hear her ending theme song play as she flipped off the switch to her microphone. She reached into her pocket just as the “On Air” sign went out for her IPhone. She pressed her Voice Memos App and pressed the red recording button as she stood up. Knowing full well that if the Griffs are still in the building they might send someone in to “talk” to her. She had experience with the Griff spokespeople coming in after she mouthed off the Security Group. She had a broken rib, a broken wrist, and even a sprained ankle from their “talks”. So having the voice memos recording everything helps out in court if she chose to sue. The door banged open. Vinyl jumped and immediately went into a defensive combat stance with her hands out into fists ready to defend herself. What Vinyl thought was a thug from the Griffs turned out to be the opposite and her fearful stance went relaxed seeing the familiar rainbow haired girl walk into the room. "Vinyl!" Rainbow exclaimed holding out her arms walking towards her for a hug. Vinyl sighed in relief as she pressed the record button again on her phone to turn it off and hugged the rainbow headed girl. "Rainbow Dash!" Vinyl said laughing, pulling away from her. "Eww, you smell! How many times did I tell you to take a shower every morning before you head out?” Rainbow chuckled holding up her arms in a pose showing off her muscles that were hiding under her jacket. “What’s wrong with this? B.O. equals don’t come close.” Vinyl snorted ruffling Rainbow’s hair and shoved her away hearing her friend laugh. Vinyl shook her head looking Rainbow up and down to see her in her blue jacket and black tank top. Vinyl chuckled. “Look at you. Still on the edge, huh?" Rainbow shrugged. "You know me." Rainbow answered about to close the door but Vinyl stopped her and shook her head. "Follow me," Vinyl whispered discreetly as she walked out of the booth with Rainbow behind her. Rainbow could tell that Vinyl was tense as they walked through the white walled hallway to a private room. Vinyl opened the door then looked around her private room then nodded for Rainbow to follow her inside. As Rainbow stepped into the room she whistled in awe. Even though the room was tiny, it was very nice compared to the ratty place Rainbow shared with Cloud Kicker. Rainbow was used to a four by four bedroom with a bunk bed with a tiny closet and a chest under the bottom bunk filled with old junk. Vinyl’s room was an eight by eight room, with fluffy carpet, two love seats, a small refrigerator, a chair by a computer desk with a fancy computer and posters of Vinyl’s stage name on the wall. Even one of the posters showed a picture of Vinyl on some stage by a laptop and turntables wearing a white tank top and cargo pants with her fist in the air. Rainbow blinked realizing Vinyl had a large tattoo around her forearm of musical notes from a speaker. “Wow,” Rainbow whispered in surprise. Vinyl looked great and hot! Rainbow blinked suddenly at the thought. Hot? She thought Vinyl looked hot? Rainbow shook her head at such a stupid thought. I’m nothing like AJ. Rainbow thought bitterly thinking about Applejack and the past. "Close the door." Vinyl ordered silently waking Rainbow from her thoughts. Rainbow closed the door behind her as Vinyl pulled off her jacket to reveal her skin tight shirt with her black pants sagging at her waist. Vinyl pulled out her cell phone from her jacket pocket then pointed it at her door and pressed a lock app on her phone. Rainbow jumped hearing an automatic lock locking the door. She turned from the door back to Vinyl to see the radio DJ shrug her shoulders. "Security precaution. Sorry 'bout that." Vinyl said as she walked to the small refrigerator. "Want a drink?" Rainbow shrugged. "Sure." She answered. Vinyl reached into the fridge and pulled out a water bottle and tossed it to Rainbow. Rainbow caught the bottle and smiled at her friend seeing her wink at her. "So," Vinyl said pulling out a soda bottle, shutting the refrigerator door behind her as she collapsed on her plush couch. "What's the great Rainbow Dash doing down here on Street Level, hmm?" Vinyl asked as she unscrewed the lid of her bottle hearing the sharp hiss. Rainbow opened her bottled water and took a long gulp of water with a sigh. "I just happened to be down here so I thought of catching up to my old friends." Rainbow answered smirking. Vinyl's smirk left her face glaring at her. "Rainbow Dash," She said seriously. "What did you do?" "Why do you always assume that I have trouble when coming down here?" Rainbow whined. "You and AJ are always linked somehow." Vinyl chuckled. "That's because we both understand what a trouble maker you are." Vinyl shook her head drinking more of her soda as Rainbow snorted looking hurt. "Wow, come on, I’m not that predictable.” Rainbow argued. Vinyl snorted covering her mouth to keep her soda from being spit back out. She took a deep swallow then started laughing pointing at Rainbow. “You are so predictable! Seriously, what did you do? Got Sentry up your ass again?” Rainbow glared at her with a smirk. “First off, fuck you.” Vinyl cackled in laughter as Rainbow laughed along. Rainbow sighed wiping her eyes then held up two fingers. “And second, Flash Sentry was a great runner.” “Was?” Vinyl asked. “He was the best, second to AJ, before he left and you took his place.” Vinyl remarked taking another short sip. Rainbow snorted shrugging her shoulders. “It’s not my fault he became a bouncer for the laziest sons of bitches in Low Town.” Vinyl shrugged. “True, he did make a bad move. But that was his choice in life when he left. I don’t judge folks on their choices, I just judge them for being stupid to make them.” Rainbow snorted as Vinyl chuckled along. Vinyl sighed as she sat up on her couch and fixed the cushion against the arm of the couch so she could lay down. Rainbow looked at Vinyl for a long moment. Vinyl looked guarded even while laughing with Rainbow, like old times. But lately Vinyl had changed into a complete stranger. Sure, she’s the same old computer geek they found trying to steal computers from a computer store back in the day. But now, even with her new look of dyed, spiked blue hair, piercings, tattoos, and clothes Vinyl had turned into a scared woman. Not the confidant girl Rainbow used to know. It made her wonder what Vinyl was failing to tell her now. Did something happen that caused this radical change? Was she told that she had to look like this, or was Vinyl still the old Vinyl Scratch, just with a new look? “You got to admit that you miss the Sky Line, huh?" Rainbow asked nudging Vinyl's knee with the toe of her running shoe. Vinyl smirked as she shoved Rainbow's foot aside. "Sure I do," She answered before frowning sadly. "I do miss being on that computer. How's Thunderlane?" Vinyl asked, changing the subject. Rainbow shrugged. "He's doing well without you around to baby him." "Hey!" Vinyl shouted, sitting up pointing at her. "That computer system along with the hidden feed was built by me and only I know my baby's secrets." Vinyl smirked hearing Rainbow laugh. "Still though, are you guys doing alright?" Vinyl asked softly with concern. Rainbow shrugged tossing her empty bottle to the trash can. "Meh, we're doing alright. Business has dropped recently since the Griffs arrive top side more often. We lost two of our top clients to them. Do you know anything about that? I don't hear the news like you do Vinyl." Rainbow said worriedly. Vinyl sighed nodding. "Yeah, two months ago after the elections there was a new leader in public safety in the Cloudsdale Council by the name of Gilda Griffin. She's the daughter of the man that created the Griffin Security Forces. Since Gilda became head honcho she had ordered maximum security checks, more police on the streets, bought six different security companies to the GSF to keep a better watch on us all. You thought it was bad before, well it just got worst." Rainbow sat up staring at Vinyl, spooked. "Big brother times two?" She asked concerned. The radio DJ shook her head. "Call it Big brother times four." Vinyl said holding up four fingers on her hand. Rainbow whistled in awe shaking her head. "Damn, why this much security? It’s like they're trying to create another Stalliongrad or something." Vinyl sighed. "Another big reason. The Princess Summit is coming to Cloudsdale this year." "Princess Summit? What's that again?" Rainbow asked curiously. Vinyl smirked. "It's a huge big deal that happens every year where the Princesses come together and talk about politics, Gala season, or even the next Equestrian Games, all that stuff. They even stay here in Cloudsdale for two weeks to a month I think. It just depends. Especially with Princess Mi Amore Cadenza of the Crystal Empire coming here for her first Princess Summit since her ascension to power last year. So this is a huge deal, not only to Equestria but for us too. Considering. . ." Vinyl said with a sad frown looking to Rainbow to see Rainbow shift her eyes to the right turning away, to hide her sad eyes. Vinyl cleared her throat. "Sorry." Rainbow shook her head. "There is nothing to be sorry about." Vinyl shrugged leaning back into her cushion hiking her legs up. "How do you do it?" Vinyl asked sadly taking off her shades to rub her eyes. "Do what?" Rainbow asked curiously seeing Vinyl's sad eyes looking at her. "Learn to let it go?" Vinyl whispered as tears started to fall from her eyes. Vinyl used her thumb to wipe the tears away but more just kept coming. Rainbow stood up and walked over to sit by Vinyl and wrapped her arms around her hugging her close. After a long moment of silent crying Rainbow patted her friend's back and sighed. "You never learn to let it go, it's always there. You just learn to cope with it and ..." Rainbow paused trying to find something else to say. "I just never forget. That's all. And I just don't let it ruin my day." Rainbow heard Vinyl sniffling in her hold. "Are you thinking about your dad and brother?" Rainbow asked softly. Vinyl nodded. Rainbow sighed. "You know it wasn't your fault. I thought AJ and I got that in that giant brain of yours." Rainbow said with a sad chuckle. Vinyl pulled away sniffling and wiping her face with her hands. "I know . . ." She whispered covering her face with her hands with a groan. "I still have nightmares of that chaos." She said from behind her hands. Rainbow nodded. "You were older than me so I can see how you have a better memory than me." Vinyl snorted. "I wish I was younger so I wouldn’t need to remember a damn thing." Suddenly a phone rang. Rainbow didn't own a phone but Vinyl did. Rainbow looked over to see Vinyl’s IPhone sitting on the coffee table in front of them and grabbed it before Vinyl could. Rainbow saw the photo ID picture of a pretty girl with dark hair and purple eyes. Rainbow smirked. Vinyl was terrified. "Who's this?" Rainbow asked smirking seeing the horrified look and bright blush on Vinyl’s face. "Hey, give that to me!" Vinyl yelped out reaching for the phone as Rainbow leaped up onto the couch answering the phone. "Hello!" Rainbow answered as Vinyl growled climbing up after her. "Dash, seriously, give it back!" Vinyl yelled out as Rainbow blinked hearing the voice on the other end, she sounded sophisticated. "Oh, you're looking for Vinyl? She's a little busy at the moment. Who is this?" Vinyl growled tackling Rainbow to the floor, the cell phone sliding away from Rainbow's hand on the carpet. Vinyl lunged for the phone grabbing it then placing the phone to her ear. "Hey, hey!" She said chuckling still winded. "Who? Oh, uh, it's just a persistent old friend of mine that was just leaving now!" Vinyl said glaring at Rainbow. Rainbow snorted and stood back up as Vinyl crawled up to the couch panting. "Huh? Oh, it’s nothing, nothing!" Vinyl said laughing, standing back up, placing her hand on Rainbow's shoulder and lead her to the door. "Nothing . . . No, I'm fine, really." Vinyl said gentler as she shoved Rainbow out of the room. Rainbow gave her a look as Vinyl waved her off. "Talk later." Vinyl mouthed grabbing the door. "A lunch sounds great, what time do you want me to stop by your place?" Vinyl said before shutting the door. Rainbow blinked then she couldn't help but smirk. "Huh, Vinyl has a new friend. That is so unlike her." Rainbow said to herself as she looked down the skinny hall to see a window and decided to take her leave. Rainbow walked to the window, opened it, slipped out and closed the window behind her. Rainbow looked down and leaped off the window sill and landed in a squat in the alley and slipped out to the backstreets. She looked back at the building where Vinyl did her radio show. Rainbow couldn't help but feel good for her friend. Vinyl found someone to be close to which is a blessing. Vinyl was always a computer hermit so hearing that she was actually talking to someone like she does with Rainbow and the other couriers was great news. But also Rainbow was a touch jealous. Vinyl left the couriers a year after Applejack left. Vinyl always wanted to show off to the world her talent of making music. One day she created an underground radio station for the lower sections of Cloudsdale telling them the news of what has been going on in the world, about the government and their tyrannical agenda, and even playing her mixes live on the air. Over time a producer discovered Vinyl's radio show and her music and gave her a deal to make her radio available for everyone in Cloudsdale. Now she was The DJ-Pon3, which Rainbow didn't understand why Vinyl picked such a strange name for herself. Of course the producer had to have Vinyl end her talk show about the government or be arrested for causing “Unrest in the City”. Just thinking about Vinyl just reminded Rainbow about her anger towards Applejack for her leaving the group. Rainbow sighed sticking her hands into her jacket pockets walking down the street, looking down at the sidewalk, thinking about Applejack and why she left. She closed her eyes remembering that stormy night three years ago. ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ It was raining and it was another successful night of deliveries. Rainbow Dash whooped jumping in a back flip and laughing with a cheer into the pouring rain. "That was epic, AJ!" Rainbow cheered laughing as Applejack smiled feeling Rainbow’s arms around her neck from behind, laughing. "Did you see the look on those bastards faces when we both jumped towards their chopper like that!" Applejack nodded. "Yeah, yeah they were pretty scared." Applejack said sadly as Rainbow laughed. "Oh, no, they were like "Holy Shit! What are these freaks gonna do?!" And then we slid through the cab then out the other side! Damn dude that was epic! The most epic thing we have ever done!" Rainbow made a back flip landing with a fist pump in the air. "Man does this make you feel alive? I mean seriously!" Applejack started to frown as she rubbed her wet arms looking towards the capital building intently. "Dash!" Applejack called out as Rainbow stopped her cheering and flipping to stare at her. "Yeah?" She answered panting. Then she noticed the frown on her older friend's face. "AJ are you alright?" She asked in concern walking over to Applejack. “Did you get hurt or something?” Applejack shook her head then turn to her. "Rainbow ... I've been thinking about this for a long time." Applejack said crossing her arms across her chest. "Thinking about what?" Rainbow asked worriedly. Applejack closed her eyes shaking her head. "I’m thinking of returning to Street Level." Thunder boomed in the distance as Rainbow stared at Applejack in confusion. "Wait, what do you mean you want to go back to Street Level?" Rainbow asked with fear and confusion. Applejack sighed looking to Rainbow with sadness. "Rainbow ... have you ever thought what you would do when you feel like it's time to do something new?" "What do you mean by that?" Applejack gulped. "I ... I met someone and I've been seeing this someone for a while." Rainbow blinked at this. "But you don't want to have boyfriends. You said so yourself, men just want control and you don't want to be one of those women." Applejack shook her head blushing harshly. "This person's not a guy ..." She said with worry looking to Rainbow to see her staring at her weirdly. "Wait, wait, by saying that ... and saying that you have been seeing this person as in romantically or as friends?" Applejack sighed loudly shaking her head. "Look, there was this girl I met while running from the Cops. I hid behind a dumpster and then I saw her coming out of a business all dressed nice and everything ... and then she dropped her bag as she was carrying all these clothes with her to a van." Applejack took a moment before answering. "I took her purse when she drove away, she forgot about it. Then the next day I returned to the alley and she was there frantically searching for her purse. So I approached and placed her purse on the floor and I hid and she saw her purse and then she noticed me." Rainbow blinked seeing Applejack smile. "We both made eye contact for a second and I guess she thought the worst and checked everything in her purse to make sure I didn't steal anything. She looked back at me and ..." Applejack shook her head. "Damn, her eyes were pretty. It's like those radio shows Vinyl plays in the hideout you know? About how the guy sees the girl and they say it was love at first sight?" Rainbow shook her head in disbelief. This was unnatural, too unnatural for her to comprehend. Applejack is in love with another girl?! Applejack sighed looking up into the clouds shaking her head. "I left after that moment claiming to never come back, but I kept going there. I just want to see her again and again. Until finally three days of doing that, I finally waited for her and spoke to her." Applejack smiled. "She was nice ... different. I've never seen a girl like that before and she asked for my name and I asked for hers." Rainbow started to glare at her. "What's her name then?" Applejack smiled turning to Rainbow. "Her name is Rarity. She's a fashion designer and she's very pretty." Applejack said rubbing her arm blushing. "And I want to know her even more and the only way to do that is to go to Street Level." Rainbow shook her head. "No way! You said it yourself the street has nothing for us. We live up here, the sky is our home and you want to abandon everything we've made!" Rainbow screamed out. Applejack turned away. "That was when we were kids, Rainbow Dash!" Applejack shouted glaring at her. "Look at us. We're close to being adults! We can't keep running like this forever, we have to have a life even if it mean-" "We already have a life!" Rainbow screamed out glaring at her feeling tears pouring from her eyes. "We have a life like this! We are Couriers, we make a living-" "Running and hoping not to die!" Applejack snapped. "Don't you realize that there is more to life than jumping from building to building and hoping not to slip or coming up short on a grab? We lost many friends in that mistake and now that the Griffs are on our ass they will shoot to kill if they're ordered to. Rainbow Dash, I want to live! I want to find someone that I can love, I want to have a career, and I just want to live the ripe old age before I die!" Rainbow turned away clenching her fists. "So what?" Rainbow growled. "You're just going to leave right now? What about the rest of us? Vinyl, Thunderlane, the twins, CK, me! What about all of us working our asses off!" Applejack started backing away towards the ledge. "I want to live, Rainbow. It was fun and exciting while it lasted, but it's time for me to move on." Rainbow glared at her baring her teeth. Applejack shrugged. "Good bye, Rainbow Dash, I know you’ll take care of everyone in my stead." Rainbow blinked suddenly in surprise hearing this. "What? I'm in charge?" Rainbow asked in shock. Applejack winked with a two finger salute before making a backflip off the ledge then down into the fog. Rainbow gasped running to the ledge and looked down to see nothing but the fog cloud of the rain and heat. She felt tears in her eyes shaking her head. "You son of a bitch!" She screamed out crying. "You deserter!" She cried falling to her knees, slamming her fist into the concrete ledge, crying. "Please," she begged. "Don't leave us alone like this! We need you, AJ!" She screamed covering her face with her hands. "I need you." ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ Rainbow stood still in an alley to cry alone. She sniffled after reliving that memory again rubbing her eyes to get rid of the sting from the tears. She wiped her face with her jacket sleeve and sighed feeling a touch better. Rainbow looked up at the tall buildings and skyscrapers around her. She happened to notice a small air plane flying in the sky with a giant sky banner trailing behind it. Rainbow stood up placing her gloved hand over her eyes to see it better without being blinded by the sun. "PRINCESS SUMMIT THIS SATURDAY! PRINCESSES CELESTIA, LUNA, & CADENZA WILL BE IN CLOUDSDALE!" Rainbow sighed sniffling, shaking her head. She placed her hands on her hips looking at the street signs on the corner to notice that she was close to Applejack's residence. She frowned wondering if she should see Applejack. It's been a year since she last saw her. Rainbow bit her lip with shame remembering the last time they spoke they ended their conversation in a horrible argument almost went into a fist fight outside Applejack’s place in front of her new girlfriend. It was a small victory for Rainbow but it made her feel sick trying to gain a touch revenge against Applejack for hurting her. "Well while I'm still here I guess it wouldn't hurt to just pop in a say hello." Rainbow said to herself, looking up and around her to notice more people and police cars on the street. Being safe Rainbow ran up the wall then leaped to the other side to grab a window sill. She looked behind her to see a large pipe. She leaped off the wall again and grabbed the pipe and began climbing up to the roof top of the apartment building. Once at the top she began to jog and free run towards the middle class section of Cloudsdale. If AJ was still living with her girlfriend, she'll probably still be there. "Let's see if I remember the apartment complex correctly." Rainbow whispered.