Saturday was long coming. With all my worrying about Aria, time slowed to a crawl. I was thankful for the sweet release of sleep that Friday night and for the stress of getting ready Saturday morning. The bus pulled up outside Sweet Apple Acres at 11:55 and I made my way to the Apple Family's big red barn.
"Hey Lost!" Dash's voice called to me from the field.
With her were Bulk Biceps, Applejack and a feisty girl from my science class, Spitfire. Spitfire was among the highest of the high in terms of popularity. Along with Sunset's crew and Trixie's Diva club, Spitfire's clique were the official Wondercolts. All were extreme athletes that, while maybe not as good as Rainbow Dash, commanded her respect and awe. And she doesn't respect anyone.
"Where're the others?" I asked knowing that at least a dozen of us were called up during the assembly.
"Thunderlane has to babysit his little brother. Soarin sprained his ankle, he'll be better by Monday though. Fleetfoot is..." she continued listing out her clique's excuses leaving me to wonder why I even bothered to ask.
"I hope y'all don't mind," Applejack said, her voice mixed with something Southern. "I'll be chipping out from time t' time t' take care of mah chores."
"No worries, AJ," Dash assured her and set to work outlining the day's training schedule.
At 3, Spitfire and I were competing to see who could do more jumps with the jump rope. I was just about to cave when I heard Sunset's voice call to Dash. I stopped, attracted to the noise. Dash ran to her and the two chattered while Bulk, Spitfire and I looked on. AJ was somewhere inside the house.
Dash came back looking apologetic. She told us that she'd forgotten that she'd also set up a practice session for the Rainbooms and had to duck out for a while. As she explained, I noticed Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity skipping, shuffling and strutting toward the barn. Spitfire told her it was okay and the three of us continued or practice. We took a break at 4 and went to listen to the Rainbooms.
"Damn," Dash mumbled. "Day's over, I'm tired and I don't feel like I got a damn thing done."
It was a little after 7 and the only ones left at the Apple farm were me, Dash and everyone who lived there. Dash and I lay out in the field though staring at the stars as they began to blossom in the sky.
"It wasn't that bad," I assured her. "I definitely feel faster."
She laughed and punch me not so lightly on the shoulder.
"Be honest Lost," she said. "Do you think we stand a chance at the competition."
I turned my head to her. "Manehatten doesn't stand a chance. After all... we've got you."
"And Spitfire," Dash added.
Of course, Spitfire.
"Wanna come by tomorrow?" Dash asked.
"Hm?" I pretended to hear so that she would clarify.
"Tomorrow," she didn't disappoint. "We could get in an hour or two of soccer."
"Um..." I went through my list of things to do on Sunday. No homework, no chores... no Aria. "Sure."
"Great!" Dash sat up.
"Hey Lovebirds!" Applejack was calling from her window. Her voice was so loud that we heard her clearly. "Get off my land!" Turning around, I could see a grin on her face.
For as long as I'd known Dash, she was opposed to anything concerning romance. At the mention of 'lovebirds' she took off toward her friend. Sensing that my welcome had long since expired, I made my way home.
"Hey Lost!" I heard Rainbow behind me as I was walking down the dirt trail to the bus stop just outside the farm.
I stopped and turned. Dash and Applejack were stuck mid-wrestle.
"AJ says that, since it's late, you can stay over tonight!" she called.
I raised my eyebrows. This had to be interesting.
I went with them back to the big house. Inside, Big Mac, Applejack's older brother, and Apple Bloom were setting up the table in the kitchen for dinner. Applejack made her way to the stove to help her grandmother. Rainbow bopped Bloom on the head and ran around as the little girl chased her.
In the meantime, I called my mother to tell her that I was sleeping over at the Apple Farm. She almost had a heart attack on the other end because she thought I'd be alone with all girls. I had to assure her that Applejack's older brother was there
"Apple Bloom, stop it!" Big Mac boomed. His voice sent chills down my spine. His sister stopped immediately and went shamefully to her seat at the table.
Rainbow took a seat opposite from her and Big Mac took one end of the table. Their grandmother placed a pot of stew in the middle of the table and took up residence at the other end. Applejack glared at Rainbow for taking her seat but her friend was too busy digging in to pay her any attention. The blonde girl drew up two chairs, one she put beside Rainbow and the other she handed to me to go sit beside Apple Bloom. The young girl looked up at me in what I could have sworn was sympathy. With a rush, I remembered that she'd been there at Sugar Cube Corner for the Incident. I hung my head and sat down.
Dinner with the Apple family (plus Rainbow) was fun, to say the least. Usually it was just me and Mother and she already knew everything about me there was to know. Granny Smith questioned me as if I was in a job interview. Apple Bloom stuck in with the occasional awkward question about Aria but Big Mac shushed her. The big guy didn't talk very much and any question directed at him was swiftly yet completely answered by a low droning 'eyup' or 'nnope'.
After dinner, the Apple siblings went to finish some last minute chores. Rainbow ran off with Applejack to help with her.
"You've got to earn your dinner here," Granny Smith joked.
Though she said it, it was evidenced in her voice that it was my choice. Of course, I decided to help out. I would have helped Apple Bloom scrape the rain gutters but I really couldn't stand her constant questioning and pitiful looks. Instead I helped Big Mac carry hay bales around.
That night, I bunked with Big Mac while Rainbow bunked with Applejack. Apple Bloom complained that she was the only one without a roommate but we all just laughed at her.
That night, I found myself outside the house walking around the orchards. Big Mac, understanding insomnia, left the doors open so that I could get back in.
"Can't sleep, huh?" I heard Rainbow's voice.
She was there, under the moonlight looking like a rainbow-haired Artemis. I wasn't sure why Artemis was the comparison I came up with, but it felt right.
"Neither can you," I deduced.
She smiled and walked over to me. "Full moons never sat right with me," she explained looking up at the silver circle in the sky.
I smirked but didn't respond.
"You haven't been on many sleepovers, have you?" she asked. "You were so awkward in there."
Actually I'd slept over at Snips' place plenty of times. Every month we had a Guy's Night where we played card games and watched sci-fi movies; pretty much the same things we usually did together but on that night it lasted till morning.
"Not with girls," I admitted.
Dash laughed till she snorted. "Loosen up," she said. "AJ and I are hardly what you'd call girls."
"I think you guys are girls," I told her, my steps were in time with hers. She looked back to me and I smiled at her.
"Uh... still like Aria?" it was a fair attempt at a conversation change but it sparked a dormant rage in me.
"Yes," I answered firmly. Nothing she, nor Sunset said would change how I felt about Aria.
Dash stopped walking and turned to face me fully.
"She's bad!" she insisted. "She tried to eat your soul; doesn't that count for anything?"
"She's sorry," I rebutted. Even as I said it, though, I didn't believe it. If she was sorry, wouldn't she have said it?
Dash took the words right out of my mouth.
I couldn't waste time thinking. That would mean doubt. "Maybe she's afraid," I answered. "Maybe she doesn't know if we will accept her or not and the best way she sees is by just being there, taking on our hatred until we get tired of it."
Dash was quiet. I was closer to her. I didn't realize that I'd walked closer as I was defending Aria and now, the space between us was so small I could hear her soft breathing. I was also close enough to realize how pretty she was. That was a word boys used to describe her at their own risk. Snails did once and she broke his nose. At the time I hadn't seen it but now I did. Her multicolored hair framed her cyan skin; her rose colored eyes glistened uncertainly as they searched mine for the reason I defended her enemy so much. In that moment, I also noticed them doing something else: begging me to make her believe. Dash was never the most understanding girl in the world but she wasn't bad. She wanted to believe that Aria was good but she only knew what she knew.
A sudden movement launched Dash into my arms and I instinctively locked them around her protectively.
"Fruit bat," she assured me. "They hang around here sometimes."
"You don't seem used to them," I commented.
A blush spread across her face and she pulled away. I let her go.
"Say nothing, to nobody," she threatened.
I did a zip motion across my mouth and tossed away the imaginary key.
"Think we should head back to the house?" I asked.
Dash looked at the moon instead of at me. "I want to stay out a little longer."
I thought about going back on my own but guy instinct told me that she wanted me there with her. We wandered around the orchard silently, like ghosts, till the break of dawn when we sneaked back into the house.
Our soccer match was little more than disappointing. With both of us tired, we only manged to make weak passes at each other's goals before collapsing from fatigue on the field. Applejack laughed and tossed a blanket over us as we both fell asleep on the grass.
In the afternoon, when we awoke, we helped the Apples pick their apples. The chores of the family were starting to seem fun to me, especially after Big Mac permanently silenced Apple Bloom's questioning (he threatened to tear down her club house which was behind the farm). It was here that I saw another side of Rainbow. She worked hard, as if the picking and lifting and cleaning were her responsibility and not just favors being done to a friend. She caught me staring at her on more than one occasion but only blushed and went back to work.
That was odd; Rainbow never blushed.
After lunch, Apple Bloom's friends, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, stole her from our chore party and gathered around the back in their, still standing, treehouse. Sunset and Rarity visited; both were surprised to see me there sweeping out the barn. Dash excused herself. Rarity was her ride home. I spent another hour with Applejack and Big Mac. With most of the chores already done, they taught me how to make Granny Smith's Apple Pie. With that, I really felt like part of the family.
"See you at the Competition tomorrow, Sugar Cube," Applejack said as I left.
Big Mac nodded his farewell.
"See ya tomorrow, Lost," Apple Bloom said as she passed through the kitchen carrying a roll of duct tape.
As I walked down the dirt trail again, my mind began to wander. Without Dash and Applejack's farm to distract me, I began thinking about Aria again and her condition. Would the amnesia have worn off by now and she was back to hating me? What if it didn't and her sisters now hated me? Having magical monsters from another dimension for enemies really wasn't in my vision for how this school year would have gone.
The bus rolled around as soon as I reached the stop. Well, only tomorrow would tell if Aria was back to normal. Remembering the kiss, I began to wonder, sparing the wrath of her sisters, did I want her back to normal?