//------------------------------// // The Incident at the Cafe' // Story: In another life // by Obsidian_Winter //------------------------------// Applejack wandered down the winding road that lead from her farm at Sweet Apple Acres to Ponyville proper. The trip had taken her about 20 minutes she guessed, which should have her arriving right on time to meet up with everyone. As she walked through town she couldn't help but notice all the stares she was getting from nearly every pony she walked past. Some showed surprise but most sympathy. She hated the thought of any pony feeling sorry for her. Sure she hadn't been seen in months, but surely they understood why. The stares made her uncomfortable but she continued walking trying to ignore them. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all, she thought. She finally came to a stop in front of the cafe'. She could see most of her friends had already arrived. They wore smiles on their faces and seemed to be having a great time. Applejack pondered that for a moment. Did she really want to ruin their good time? She wasn't really in any mood to be smiling or laughing. "Yeah, this was a bad idea," she said to herself. She turned to leave when suddenly she heard a gasp from behind her. "Applejack. Oh my gosh it is so good to see you!" Applejack let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes, trying to put on her best face. She turned around to find Fluttershy looking at her with a bright smile. "Well howdy Fluttershy. Good to see ya. How ya been?" Applejack asked. "Oh, well...I was thinking I should be asking you that question. No one has seen you in so long." Applejack shifted uncomfortably in place, bringing her fore hoof to the back of her neck nervously. “Well, ya know I got the farm to deal with an’ all. Guess I just ain’t found time to make it into town much.” “Not even to sell Apples?” Fluttershy asked. “Oh...Uh...Big Mac and Apple bloom decided they wanted to do that from now on,” she quickly explained. Applejack never was a good liar. Any pony could tell when she told a fib, including Fluttershy, but she let it slide. If Applejack didn’t want to talk about the real reason she was avoiding town, it wasn’t her place to stick her muzzle where it didn’t belong. “Alright, I guess. Oh! You have to come inside and see everypony! They will be so glad to see you’re alright!” Fluttershy flashed that smile again and her ears perked up. Applejack took a few steps back. “Ah don’t know. I really should be gettin’ back to the farm….” “Oh don’t worry about that. You still have lots of daylight left. The least you can do is say ‘hi’.” Fluttershy wasn’t the most assertive of ponies, but when her mind was made up about something, there wasn’t really any point of arguing. She had really learned to assert herself over the years, which was a good thing, until now. Fluttershy began nudging Applejack into the cafe’ until she finally started moving on her own accord. Once inside Applejack took in the sights. There was hardly any pony inside besides her friends and one older looking stallion sitting at the counter with what smelled like fresh coffee. The waitress had just finished taking her friends’ order and walked past Applejack with a friendly smile. It was Rarity who saw Applejack first. “Applejack, dear! My word, come over here. It is so good to see you!” Applejack walked over to Rarity to be greeted by a huge hug by the fashionista. Upon a second look at Applejack she gasped and her ears laid back. “Oh my, darling. You look dreadful.” “Gee, thanks Rarity,” Applejack said and turned her head, embarrassed. Did she really look that bad? She couldn’t remember the last time she had looked in a mirror. Rarity laughed nervously and tried to further explain her comment. “Sorry, it’s just….when was the last time you slept, or ate. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this. You simply must come with me to the spa after this luncheon is all over. I’ll have you feeling like a new pony in no time!” “Oh! Oh! We should have a PARTY! A ‘Welcome back to ponyville after you’ve been gone so long’ party!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, jumping up from her chair and bouncing around Applejack in a dizzying circle. “I could set up the cake and the muffins, oh and gummy’s favorite punch! We could play games and…” “Girls! How about we just let Applejack get settled in first, okay?” Twilight stood from her seat and offered a hug to her friend. There was a moment of tension between them, but Twilight tried to ignore it. She was just glad to have her friend back again, even if only for a while. Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Twilight and finally Applejack all took a seat at the booth. There was a long moment of awkward silence. Finally Twilight spoke first. “We were really sad and a little surprised you didn’t show up to the dedication of Rainbow Dash’s memorial in the Canterlot Gardens last month. It was a really beautiful ceremony.” “I don’t need no silly statue to remind me of Rainbow Dash. She was mah wife remember?” Applejack said curtly. “Yes, of course,” Twilight tried to recover. “We were all just worried about you is all. All you do is stay up at the farm and well..it’s just not healthy. You have to stop blaming yourself for what happened. No pony could have predicted what happened.” Applejack poked at the glass of water that the waitress had just set down for her, deep in thought. She really didn’t need to hear this for a second time today. “Look here ya’’ll. Ah know that’s what everypony says, but ya’ll don’t realize that if I had told Rainbow Dash not to do that damn trick, she’d still be alive today. Sure she wanted to do it, but I meant more to her then some silly stunt. I should have went with my gut and pressed the issue, but ah didn’t.” “Um, I’d like to say, we all knew what kind of pony Rainbow Dash was.” Fluttershy stopped and looked over at Applejack who was giving her a look. “And, well...Rainbow always pushed herself. You were just always very supportive which was one of the things she loved about you. I personally don’t think she would want you to tear yourself up like this over something no pony could control….” “Well that ain’t exactly true now is it, Twilight.” Applejack said with an icy tone to her voice. All the other girls gasped and even the stallion at the bar got up and left as if some inner voice told him it was about to be much safer outside than in. “Oh Applejack please don’t bring this up again,” Rarity begged. “We’ve all been through this a dozen times and it never ends well. Let's just enjoy our afternoon together, shall we?” “Ah think I’ve had enough socializin’ for one day.” Applejack jumped up out of her seat and headed for the door. “It wouldn’t have worked Applejack. I’ve explained that. I even asked both Princess Celestia and Luna about it when the accident first happened. That time traveling spell wouldn’t have changed anything.” Applejack spun around, fire in her eyes. “Ya could’ve at least tried! What harm would it have done? None!” “Plenty actually.” Twilight sighed and stood up to face her friend. “Don’t you remember that the last time I did that spell? Every single thing I was trying to prevent happened anyway? There’s a set time for everything Applejack. Things happen when they are suppose to happen. I know that doesn’t make you feel any better, but it’s the truth.” “Ya didn’t even TRY” Applejack yelled again. “It hurts so bad and all you had to do was make the effort to prevent it!” Applejack’s voice started to crack. “W-would it have been so b-bad to go back just once?” “And do you really think it would have stopped there Applejack? After the first failure, you would want me to try again, then again, and again, each time making you lose Rainbow all over again. Could you really go through that repeatedly?” Applejack grew silent as Rarity moved from her seat and stood next to Twilight. “Oh Applejack, I can’t imagine how much pain you must be in darling, but we all miss her too. I know I for one could not stand to lose Rainbow Dash again. Surely you understand Twilight’s position?” “Applejack,” Twilight spoke softly. “I’m so sorry. I can’t try to play God with ponies lives. It would only end in disaster. “She wasn’t just any pony, Twi. She was my wife and an Element of Harmony. That should’a counted for somethin’ after all we’ve been through. Fluttershy finally stood and walked over to the group. “Girls, stop it! What happened was a terrible accident that No pony can change, no matter how badly we may want to.” “Yeah” Pinkie Pie said. “Dashie wouldn’t want you two fighting. It’s the last thing she would want!” “Ya’ll just don’t understand what mah life is like without her. I know ah got mah other family but ever since Rainbow d-died, life just lost its luster. It’s like it ain’t worth livin’. Ya’ll don’t get that. She may have been yer friend but she was mah life, and all anypony ever tells me to do is just move on from her. Like the past 14 years didn’t happen…” “Applejack, no one is saying tha…” Twilight tried to interrupt, but Applejack kept going. “Well I CAIN”T ya hear?! I cain’t and ah won’t!” Applejack turned back to the door and stepped out. Twilight followed close on her heels. “Applejack, please! Let us help you! You don’t have to face this alone. Please give us a chance.” “Ya had a chance to help Twilight but ya didn’t. All ya’ll other girls, I know ya mean well but the only thing that will make things right is to have Rainbow back.” Applejack looked down at her hooves and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. “Ah’m real sorry I messed up ya’lls afternoon. Won’t happen again,” and with that Applejack took off in a full gallop. “Applejack….” Twilight lowered her head and let her wings hang low at her side. She then turned and went back inside with the other’s. ~***~ Applejack decided to go home via Whitetail woods to avoid running into any other towns folk. The leaves were starting to change various colors of yellow, red, and orange as the end of summer approached and Autumn slowly set in. It was a warm afternoon made better by a gentle breeze that blew through her mane and over her body. She had slowed down to a brisk walk as she made her way along the wide path that also served as the road traveled for the ‘Running of the Leaves’ event. This was also the same place where a nervous Rainbow Dash first confessed her feelings to a surprised Applejack. ~***~ It was 15 years ago right after the annual ‘Running of Leaves’. A wore out Applejack and Rainbow Dash had started their way back to Sweet Apple Acres with the promise of cold cider awaiting them. Rainbow was was only a few feet away from Applejack when she suddenly stopped for apparently no reason. “You alright Sugarcube?” Applejack asked “Huh?” Rainbow Dash looked away for a brief moment. “Y-yeah, I’m cool.”” “Well I already knew that already,” she chuckled to herself. “Ah meant is anything wrong?” “No, It’s all good.” “Ya sure?” “Yeah…..well...I mean kinda.” Rainbow fidgeted for a moment as she tried to think on how to say what was on her mind. “Okay, so like...you know how we’ve been friends for a really long time right?” “Yeah, I reckon so,” Applejack said. “What’s this yer goin’ on about RD?” “Just gimme a minute. I’m trying to say something.” Rainbow Dash took in a deep breath and started to gather her courage. “...and well, sometimes, over time, friendships change and feelings change….Do you understand what I’m getting at?” Applejack looked shocked. “Are ya sayin’ you don’t want to be mah friend no more? That somethin’s happened between us? Ah mean, if this is about me beatin’ ya at this year’s competition…” Rainbow Dash facehoofed and ran over to her concerned friend. “What?! No! Thats not what I’m saying at all! Look, I just mean that sometimes ponies feelings can change for one another and its not always a bad thing.” “Dag nabbit Rainbow just get on with whatever yer tryin’ to say. Yer bout to give me a heart attack!” Rainbow looked into those beautiful emerald eyes just as she had so many times before. Today was the day. No more waiting or chickening out. She was Rainbow Dash. The most awesome flyer in all Equestria and she was not about to wuss out again. “Okay AJ. Listen up because I can only say this once and you have to promise not to laugh at me because honestly, I just don’t think I could take that. Its taken me months just to get this far plus the encouragement of all our friends” Applejack turned her head to the side in curiosity. ‘What on earth could Rainbow have to say that would make her laugh at her’. Dash’s serious expression was betrayed by something else behind those magenta eyes; something Applejack had never really seen before. Was that doubt? Fear? “RD, whatever it is ya gotta say you can say it. Ah won’t laugh, Ah promise.” Rainbow nodded. This was it. “Alright. Applejack, would you like to go out with me?” Applejack stared at her for what seemed to Rainbow Dash like an eternity. Truth was, only a few seconds had passed. “So like, you want to go hang out some place or...” Rainbow’s face dropped. She let out a growl of frustration and tried again. “No! I mean….. Applejack placed a hoof to her mouth and offered a half smile. “Ah know what ya meant darlin’. Ah’m just messin’ with you.” Applejack lowered her hoof and gave Rainbow Dash a good look over, making sure she wasn’t joking around or pulling one of her pranks. “I gotta ask...why me?” Rainbow seemed legitimately shocked by this question. “Why you?! Why not you?! Your hard working, your loyal and honest. You can keep up with me. You have so much love in you and it shows in your work or when you’re with your family. You accept me and all the crazy stuff I do and you have always supported me and my dreams. When I'm with you, I feel like I could fly even without my wings....its just..” “Rainbow, I ain’t all tha…” Before she could finish, Dash continued on. “ “You are the only other pony in all Equestria that is as awesome as I am. I mean our other friends are great, but you and I just click. At least to me. And there's so much more but I’m just not good at this stuff so could you please just say yes or no so I can either die of embarrassment or feel relieved?” Applejack didn’t know what to say. I mean sure she would be lying to herself if she said she hadn’t wondered about a relationship between the two, but she always dismissed it. Rainbow Dash wanted to be a Wonderbolt, which would take her away from Ponyville, while Applejack was just an Apple Farmer, likely to stay in Ponyville the rest of her life. How could this possibly work out? “Ya know it won’t be easy. We have two totally different directions we want to take our lives, but yer a smart enough pony to have already thought of that. Ya sure this is a road ya wanna go down?” Rainbow Dash gave her a look of sheer determination “Your right, I have thought about all of that. It’s all I’ve been thinking about for over 6 months when I was finally able to admit to myself how I felt. I’d like to find out if this could work. I-I know it will work. When we've both worked hard at something, when has it -not- worked?" Rainbow let out a sigh. "I’ve never been more afraid of anything until this moment. So….?” “Yes” Applejack said with a smile in her eye. Rainbow Dash’s features lit up and her wings opened wide in excitement. “Whoa...R-really?” Applejack laughed. “Yeah ya silly Pegasus, really. If I’m honest with ya, I’ve kinda wondered what bein’ with ya would be like as well. Let’s give it a shot.” Rainbow Dash flew into the air yelling out all kinds of hoots and hollers, turning back flips and front flips, leaving rainbow streaks all over the sky where she quickly flew. She finally landed and casually walked up to AJ. “Soooo, tomorrow at 8?” ~***~ Applejack had been deep in thought. So much so she didn’t even notice that instead of walking back to the Apple Family homestead, she instead arrived at her and Rainbows old house in the East Orchard. She stopped, mildly but not totally surprised. This was where she had spent the last several years of her life. The house wasn’t as big as the Apple Family home proper but it was still a good size. The home was two stories tall, had 2 bedrooms, a trophy room, a well equipped kitchen, a spacious living room, large bathroom; perfect for two ponies to shower together at the same time, extra large windows on the second floor; made specifically for a certain pegasus to fly in and out of, and a porch that went all the way around the house. It was red, like the other structures on the property and had yellow shutters with intricate engraving on the wood. The designs on the shutters ranged from the two homeowners cutie marks to leaves, trees, and clouds. The home overlooked a large field and had a perfect view of the sunrise every morning. She walked up to the door and turned the knob. Locked. Big Mac must have locked it up to prevent her from going in again after she moved out. He was a darn fool if he thought he could keep her out of her own house. She walked over to the corner of the porch and kicked at a board. It popped open to reveal a small compartment where a spare key laid inside. She walked back over to the door and unlocked it. With a slight nudge the door creaked open wide. She stood in the threshold for several long minutes. She could she the pictures on the wall; pictures that told the story of their life together. Everything from their first date to Rainbow’s first day as a Wonderbolt, to pictures of their friends, their wedding, and their vacation in the mountains just before her accident. Each picture that was once a reminder of happy times together now stung at Applejacks heart like a thousand needles. She looked over by the fireplace where, in her dream, Rainbow had sat broken and mangled. Today, through the soft sunlight that managed to escape the curtains, there was just a beautiful dark blue carpet set in front of a fireplace holding only ash. Stepping into her home she could see a light layer of dust covering every surface. She walked slowly over towards the stairs and went up into their old room. They room was the color of the sky with murals of various types of cloud cover. Rainbow had pointed out that if she was going to live on the ground, she wanted to sleep among the clouds. Applejack was more then happy to comply. Applejack moved over and laid on their bed, taking Rainbows pillow and holding it tightly. “Why can’t everyone just understand? I can’t let her go. I just can’t. It’s my fault she’s gone. I know folk say it ain’t but it is.” She laid there and cried softly to herself as the memory of the funeral came into focus. ~***~ It was an otherwise gorgeous day in Equestria. It was mid-summer and the only relief from the heat was a brisk breeze blowing over every pony that had gather for Rainbow Dash's final farewell. Applejack wore a black dress and Stetson with a veil that covered her features. All the other mourning ponies were dressed in various suits and dresses from black to gray. Rainbow’s casket was closed, her body too damaged for viewing. Princess Celestia was giving a eulogy that Applejack really wasn’t paying much attention to. “Equestria has lost a great hero….She was too young….We bid farewell to the Element of Loyalty….” Princess Celestia’s words seemed like mutters in the distance. As Celestia finished her eulogy, the Wonderbolts flew over head in a triangle. As they flew, one broke off to the right and into the distance to symbolize the passing of one of their own. Applejack kept her eyes focused on the Mahogany box before her. Inside laid the mare of her dreams. Her life. Her love. It wasn’t right. None of this was right. It was like a nightmare she just couldn't shake. Nightmare. Suddenly she was alone. The bright, sunny day had turn into a chilly evening. All around her the tree’s hung lifeless, bare of the leaves they had been sporting only a few moments ago. The wind blew hard and lightening streaked across the sky. She was alone except for the casket of Rainbow Dash. Shivers ran up and down her spine. She turned to leave but heard the sound of slight tapping and scratching against wood. Applejack stopped dead in her tracks and slowly turned around. The sound continued. Tap..Tap...Scratch… Applejack gulped. She must be hearing things. It was the wind blowing through the trees or something. Tap..Tap..Scraaatch.. Applejack’s heart skipped a beat as she realized the sound was indeed coming from the closed casket. “Rainbow?” She asked in a hushed voice. She slowed made the few paces over to the box and placed her hoof on the latch to open the lid. She took a deep breath. “She can’t look any worse than she did at the hospital,” Applejack said to herself. With that she flung it open only to find it was empty. Applejack’s eyes went wide and darted back and forth, making sure she wasn’t crazy. Rainbow Dash was not in her Casket. As her mind tried to make sense of what she was seeing; or rather, not seeing, something pushed her from behind. Losing her balance she tumbled forward into the casket making an “Oomph” sound as she landed on her back. Her heart jumped in her throat as she looked up and saw staring down at her was Rainbow Dash. She was an ashen color. Her usually bright cyan coat a mockery of what it formerly was. The mortuary ponies had done the best they could, stitching up her gashes, rips and tears, but that somehow made it worse. She looked like a monster from one of those Horror movies Pinkie liked to make the girls watch. Her usually lively and bright magenta eyes were cloudy and sunken into their sockets. When she spoke, her voice was rough, like she had swallowed gravel. “It’s only fair you come with me, AJ. This way we can be together forever.” Rainbow Dash climbed inside the casket, pinning Applejack down. She reach behind her and shut the lid to the casket with the latch clicking into place. Applejack struggled against the weight of the pony on top of her. She couldn’t move. The stench of decay flooded her nose as she panicked, trapped inside with her dead mate. “Don’t worry Applejack,” Rainbow Dash said with a gurgle. “This will be awesome” Rainbow leaned down and forced her dry, cold lips to Applejacks. Applejack tried to scream only to feel Dash’s tongue slink in her mouth. She tasted of rotten fruit and Applejack felt like she was going to throw up. She tried to push Rainbow off of her again, turning her head to the side to escape the morbid kiss. “Nooooooo!” “Applejack! Wake up!” Applejack startled awake. Her body covered in sweat and face streaked with tears. Her eyes were wide as she took in her surroundings. There was just a cloud covered room and a yellow pegasus staring at her with deep concern. “Applejack, are you alright? You were screaming.” Fluttershy said. Applejacks eyes continued to dart around, making sure she was no long in that enclosed box with a decaying Rainbow Dash. After she had a chance to focus, her cheeks turned red. No one other then her family had ever caught her having a nightmare like this before. “Y-yeah...Ah’m fine Fluttershy. Just a really bad dream.” She shuddered. “What are ya even doin’ here?” “Oh...well...I followed you after what happened at the Cafe’. I’m sorry. I was just worried.” Fluttershy said as she lowered her head, looking nervous. Applejack was torn between being upset for being follow, added in the embarrassment of her friend seeing her in her current state, and being thankful her friend cared enough to check up with her and wake her up from that Nightmare. A few moments passed before Applejack finally sighed and spoke. “Ya shouldn’t sneak up on ponies like that Fluttershy, but ah I understand yer reasonin’, plus I guess I owe ya a ‘thank you’ for wakin’ me up.” Fluttershy smiled at the remark. “Oh, it was nothing.” Applejack took one more look around the room and sighed. “Let’s get outta here. Ain’t nothin’ but ghosts in this ol’ house anyway.” They both walked down stairs, Applejack keeping her eyes forward, ignoring everything in the house but the front door. Fluttershy on the other hand couldn’t help but look around, remembering all the sleep overs and fun times they had all had in this house over the years. Why couldn’t Applejack see it? Once outside she locked the door and threw the spare key out into the field. She wouldn‘t need it anymore. She had no intention of going back inside that house ever again. There was too many painful memories littered on every wall and every piece of furniture. Fluttershy noted what Applejack had done but said nothing. “Ah should get back home Fluttershy. You take care now,” Applejack said as she ran off towards the Apple homestead. “Right…..You too Applejack.” She sighed and took to the skies; her mind focused on Applejack the whole way home.