//------------------------------// // Loyalty To the Rescue // Story: Appledashery // by Just Essay //------------------------------// Rainbow flew so fast that her vision had to adjust for the sheer momentum of the landscape blurring past her. Before she knew it, she was descending upon the side of the farmhouse. The whole Apple Family was there, but Rainbow's gaze locked immediately on Applejack, on her quivering muzzle, on her streaming tears. "AJ!" Rainbow managed without realizing she had a voice to throw it. "AJ, what's wrong?!" An orange face twirled, and Rainbow saw two haunting emeralds bathed in tears. Almost instantly, life returned to Applejack's face, carrying with it an intense fire kindled by her voice. "Oh Rainbow! Rainbow Dash, praise Celestia!" Applejack bent her head down, nuzzling a limp piece of yellow fabric. Two gasps later, Rainbow Dash realized it was Apple Bloom—or at least what used to be her. A waif of a filly draped in Applejack's forelimbs, her eyes bloodshot and her muzzle foaming all over with pink saliva. The sight was so instantly startling that Rainbow nearly lost track of Applejack's next words: "—didn't even scream or nothin'! One moment, she was trotting out to do her chores, and the next moment I saw her lyin' here all sick-like! Oh Goddess... Goddess alive, spare my p-poor baby-y-y-y sisss!" "What... what..." Rainbow realized she had imagined the previous two utterances. She had to clear her throat hard to find the strength to verbalize: "What even happened?! I mean..." Rainbow squinted, spotting two red dots leaking out of Apple Bloom's right rear leg. "...is that a snake bite?" "Ain't like no rattler I've ever seen," drawled Granny Smith. She was suddenly there, and her limbs shook as she struggled to avoid the sight of Apple Bloom. "This thang had the colors of a burning Timberwolf. Kinda glowed too." "It... that..." Rainbow looked all over. "Did it come from Everfree?" "Dun make much a difference now," Granny Smith said. "Big Mac dun stomped it into a bloody mess." "Eeeeeyup," grumbled the big stallion, marching nervous, angry circles around the scene. "Where... where did it—?" Rainbow began. "T'ain't important, Rainbow!" Applejack barked with such severity that it nearly knocked Rainbow off her hooves. The pegasus glanced across the way to see a frowning face chiseled in the center of a waterfall of tears. "Apple Bloom's burnin' like a flame on the inside out! She dun react to our voices or nothin'!" "What..." Rainbow Dash gulped hard, standing tall and strong. "You need me to get help, r-right?" "Please... Rainbow... darlin', you just have to!" Applejack sobbed, cradling the little filly's body close. "Use yer fast wings to zip into Ponyville and fetch Nurse Redheart! Anypony who knows a lick of medicine!" She choked on a sob while Granny Smith gently caressed her shoulder. "Fly like you've never flown before! I'm beggin' you..." "Right. Stay right here!" FWOOOOOOSH!!! Rainbow Dash took off so hard that she caused the weathervane atop the nearby barn to spin nine times. She swiftly left a distraught, tearstained family behind. Breathless... Panting... Rainbow rocketed towards Ponyville central. Everything was becoming clear. Even as she broke the edge of Sweet Apple Acres, she could make out the clock tower, the wind mill, and town hall. And then, suddenly. Rainbow Dash stopped dead in midair. Her tail and mane hairs whipped forward, ultimately anchored by her trembling body. "... ... ..." She fidgeted in midair... fidgeted some more... then swiftly pivoted ninety degrees. FWOOOOOOSH! The mare soared straight into the Everfree Forest, following the break in the tree canopy that she knew would lead her directly to Zecora's hut. The force of her wingburst blew at the grass below, knocking a discarded saddlebag over. A white envelope fell out, caught itself between a nestle of weeds, and gently... uselessly shook in the breeze. Hidden from sight.