//------------------------------//
// Seguejack 
// Story: Appledashery 
// by Just Essay 
//------------------------------//

	"I gotta get up pretty early in the morning," Rainbow said, trotting out onto the dirth path that cut through Sweet Apple Acres in a swath.  "Cloud kicking business and all."

"Oh yeah?"  Applejack slowly trotted alongside her.  "At what time?"

"Eleven."

"Pffft... sure, alright," Applejack chortled, trying not to roll her eyes.

Rainbow squinted at her.  "...what?"

"Just that one pony's definition of 'early' differs a mite bit from another's, I reckon."

"There are no plows in Cloudsdale," Rainbow droned.  "Cuz there's no dirt."

"I dun mean no offense," Applejack said, nevertheless chuckling.  "But just wait 'til they're fetchin ya at six in the mornin'."

"No way..." Rainbow blinked.  "Six?"

"This is Ponyville, sugarcube," Applejack said.  "Ponyvilleans are gonna get up early."

"Whew... well, I guess I'm gonna need a morning pick-me-up," Rainbow stammered.

"Then y'all should stop by Sugarcube Corner before ya head in for yer shift," Applejack said, pointing in some nebulous direction towards town.  "They've got plenty of treats and drinks that'll get ya perky as a frog clingin' to a stampedin' bull!"

"Minus the country tongue twisters, I'm guessing," Rainbow said with a smirk.

"Uh..." Applejack tilted her chin up.  "I do believe the correct term is 'countryism,' thank ya kindly."

"Heheheh... Sugarcube Corner.  Okay.  Cool.  Thanks."

"Just be on the look out for Pinkie Pie."

"Who?"

"The cafe owners' niece."  Applejack winked.  "She's quite a doozy of a personality.  But, that bein' said, she'll wake ya up!"

"I... will keep that in mind.  And... uhm..."

"Hmmm?"

Rainbow Dash smiled.  "Thanks for the apples... n'stuff, y'know?"

"Nothin' to it, sugarcube."  Applejack winked with a smile.  "It's the least we can do for y'all.  Ponyville's hospitality is the Apple Family's hospitality, after all."

"Heh.  Okay.  I'll try not to crash land in any peach orchards by accident next time."

"Heh.  Better not."  Applejack took her hat off and waved.  "Welcome to the neighborhood, darlin'."

"Yeah, I'm feeling it."  Rainbow Dash spread her wings to take off.

"And Rainbow Dash..."

She turned to look back.

Applejack smiled.  "Happy birthday."  She slapped her hat back on, turned around, and trotted back to her farm house on even, well-toned limbs.

Rainbow Dash exhaled calmly.  Once Applejack's gaze was turned away, a rosy smile crossed the pegasus' fuzzy cheeks.  She clamped her lips shut, pivoted about, and took off for the tree canopy beyond.

All the while, she fought the urge to giggle like a stupid bag of idiots.





Rainbow Dash's ruby eyes opened.

The candle on her desk had melted halfway.

A thin stack of paper sheets still rested in front of her, along with a quill pen and ink well.

She stared straight forward.

A warm smile cover her face.

Scooting forward, she eagerly picked up the pen, pivoted the first sheet of parchment around, and began scribbling her words down.

"'Dear... AJ...'"