Crrk! “Come in, Applejack! Come in, Applejack!”
The farmpony groaned as the little red light began flashing again. She turned the small metal box over onto it's side. The red light just kept on glaring at the grass, flashing slowly. So matter how hard she tried to block the light out of her mind, Applejack knew that it was still there, waiting for her.
If she kept on fighting her instincts, it would only get worse. She put the basket down half heartedly, and picked the device up, saying goodbye to productivity.
“I swear, Equestria ain't ready for this...” she mumbled to herself as she flicked a series of small switches and dials. When she the light turned green, she forced a smile. “Hi, sugarcube!”
Fisssshhhh... “Hi there! How's it going?” Rainbow's cheerful voice crackled from the speaker, putting a very strong emphasis on 'going', drawing the word out like it was her whole sentence. Her voice was distorted, and somehow grainy. It was no substitute for the original, Applejack thought.
“I'm workin' hard, just like the last two times you called,” Applejack replied, hoping the hint would translate into binary without hindrance. Ever since Twilight had given them that darn radio, Rainbow had been calling incessantly. At first it had been wonderful to hear her voice on a daily basis, but the calls just kept on coming.
“Uh, okay. Is that you telling me to buzz off?”
Applejack sighed. It seemed that ones and zeroes could convey tone. Unfortunately, a little too well.
“I didn't mean it like that, sugar'," she said. "I just have a lot to harvest today is all."
“Naw', it's okay. I guess I've been a little over-enthusiastic,” Rainbow replied. Applejack could tell she had deflated slightly. “I just thought it would be cool to be able to talk and stuff more. Since we're both so busy most of the time.”
Applejack smiled. “Yeah, we are. Weather don't stop just cause' it's night-time, right, partner?”
“You're telling me. When night shift comes I'm usually falling down tired. In fact, I'm always falling down tired: what's up with that?”
Applejack smiled. She wasn't sure she had ever seen Rainbow when she wasn't either working, training, or sleeping like a log. Just like the communications device Applejack held, either Rainbow Dash was active and awake, or asleep. Utterly, completely binary.
“I don't mind too much, though,” she confessed. “I don't think I've seen you in my crops for days.”
“Yeah, I've been at home all day since I finished with the altocumuli,” Rainbow said. She paused, as if deep in thought. “Hey, do you mind if I come over and nap in one of your trees?”
Applejack grinned. She had been hoping Rainbow would say that. “Never seemed to bother you before, sugar'. I'll see you in a bit.”