//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 - The Element of Honesty // Story: Pinksomnia: The Darkest Descent // by Wolokai //------------------------------// Bon Bon sighed, walking down the road. The Wedding party was pretty much over, most of everypony on the lookout or searching for Scootaloo or Rainbow Dash. Lyra stayed behind to help looking, and told Bon Bon that she would meet her at home. She didn't mind, after all, she WAS pretty tired. She looked to the edge of the path on her right, smiling a little at some mint green flowers, taking the time to stop and smell them. She sighed, taking in a big whiff, but immediately after she frowned. These didn't smell like mint...they smelled like.........smoke. She looked up, confused, looking around for a moment before gasping. A black plume of smoke was rising over Ponyville from what looked like the Everfree forest...or near it. ~~~ Applejack sighed, tipping her hat backwards and rubbing her forehead with her hoof. Quill was rubbing his wife's back as one by one, ponies flocked in and reported no sighting of Rainbow Dash or Scootaloo. Applejack frowned, mostly out of annoyance then worry as she muttered "Damn Rainbow Mare...sometimes I don't know if I want to kiss or kill that stubborn pony..." Another pony walked up, shaking her head as Twilight sighed, checking off another area on her clipboard. She looked at her husband with a worried expression on her face as she groaned "Park, Sugar Cube Corner, Sweet Apple Acres, nowhere! It's like she just vanished, I mean the only place we didn't look is the-" "EVERFREE FOREST!!!!" Bon Bon shouted, cutting off Twilight's speech and causing her to jump a little bit. Rarity whirled about, gasping "The Everfree? What on earth is Scootaloo doing there?" Bon Bon shook her head frantically, shouting with panic "No!!! There's a FIRE! It's near the Everfree forest!!!" Fluttershy gasped and took to the air, squealing "MY ANIMALS!" Applejack tipped her hat back forward and turned to Rarity, shouting "Well come on then! We gotta get out thayer!" Applejack rushed from the rotunda, Rarity, Twilight, and Quill right behind her. Fluttershy flew above them and together they tore through the streets of Ponyville, rushing towards Fluttershy's Cottage. They rushed down the final street, heading out into the fields as Fluttershy shrieked "MY HOUSE!!! MY ANIMALS!!! ANGEL!!! ANGEL BUNNY!!!" Animals were scampering away from the blazing cottage, angel bunny bounding for Fluttershy. She landed as he jumped in her arms, the crying Pegasus hugging him tightly as Applejack heard screams coming from the house. She gasped "No...NO!!!! RAINBOW!!!!" She heard the scream of her name calling back to her from inside and Applejack tore off her dress, rushing forward towards the building. Rarity shouted after her "APPLEJACK NO! IT'S TOO DANGEROUS!!!" Applejack threw off her hat, rushing forward with herding speed as she shouted back "I LOST THAT MARE ONCE, AND I AIN'T GONNA LOSE HER AGAIN!" She jumped, hooves stretched out in front of her as she crashed through one of the windows, rolling across the heated ground and narrowly avoiding the flames in front of her that engulfed much of Fluttershy's living room. Fire was spewing about everywhere, chunks of the ceiling coming down and the whole house creaking. Applejack coughed, her eyes watering from the smoke as she shouted frantically "Rainbow!!! RAINBOW!!!! Where ya at!?! Rainbow you better answer me before I stomp on your stubborn head!" She heard a scream to her right and she looked over towards the stair case, gasping loudly as she saw an outstretched cyan hoof grasping at the ground from under a fallen dresser. The flames were starting to catch the dresser on fire as Applejack rushed over, turning her body around and cocking her back hoofs up and ready. She had the strongest back legs out of anypony, EVERYPONY knew that! With the power of her apple-bucking hooves, she heaved her hooves back and smashed them against the dresser, the flaming piece of furniture flying upwards and off Rainbow Dash. Applejack looked over her friend with tears in her eyes, seeing the injured and partially singed mare before her. Her right wing was twitching and her back hooves were a little singed, but what made her cringe the most was a deep gash on Rainbow's forehead, which was still bleeding a little. Rainbow looked up weakly, tears in her eyes as she cried out "A...Applejack! APPLEJACK!" The country mare rushed over, nuzzling her for a moment and whispering "Ah hear ya Rainbow, I'm right here! Come on, I got ya!" She pushed her nose against Rainbow's belly, trying to get her head under her. Rainbow weakly lifted her body up as Applejack slipped under her, hoisting her up and letting Rainbow's head rest against the back of her neck. She turned to the window she had jumped in through and went wide-eyed as she saw the flames roaring all over the floor in front of it. Applejack tried to keep her cool, looking around every which way, shouting to the mare on her back "Don't you worry! I'll get us outta here! You stay with me Rainbow, ya hear? I'll beat your face in if you go dyin' on me...again!" She felt hooves wrap around her and a body shake against hers as Applejack flew up the stairs, turning a corner and rushing for Fluttershy's room. She put a hoof on the door, not feeling any heat and pushed it open, rushing in. Fluttershy's room hadn't caught fire yet, and most of her belongings were still in one piece. She knew as a young filly she was taught to never care for personal belongings when faced with a house fire, but these weren't her belongings, and she wasn't about to let the kindest pony in Ponyville suffer even more. She rushed about, throwing as many things as she could on Fluttershy's bed, trying to get the most to the least valuable items in order. She heard crackling behind her and saw smoke starting to enter the room, giving Applejack the cue that it was DEFINITELY time to leave. She took the four corners of her blankets one by one and folded them to the middle, tying up the makeshift bag and throwing it at the bedroom window, a loud crash echoing through the air. Applejack looked back to Rainbow, eyes shut tight and crying. She whispered "Here we go hun...you hang on tight, I ain't gonna let you go, not again! Don't look Rainbow! Don't look!" She turned her head forward, pawing at the ground with her front hoof and bowing her head. "Here we go..." she whispered more to herself as the first set of flames started to catch the carpet on fire. She burst forward, letting out a furious shout and holding it out, pouncing forward with her hooves outstretched. She sailed through the shattered window, falling from the second story and hitting the ground with a loud 'Thud' and an outburst of "OW!!! BUCKING HAY!!!" She had landed on her belly, not two feet from Fluttershy's wrapped belongings. Applejack groaned, Rainbow Dash sliding off her back to the left and landing with a soft thud. She looked over to the Rainbow Mare, whispering "You alright Rainbow...? Speak to me girl!" Rainbow Dash whimpered, holding her hooves over her eyes and letting out a light yelp, her right wing twitching "It...it hurts!" Applejack reached over, placing a comforting hoof on Rainbow's and feeling fatigue wash over her. Her eyes drooped and with a final sigh, she let her head rest against the ground, and blacked out. ~~~ "I think she's waking up!" "Applejack, are you ok?" "Applejack!!!" The Country Mare groaned, raising a hoof to her forehead and wincing, a massive headache pounding away somewhere behind her eyes, which she opened slowly. She saw white, her vision blurry and her movements weak and sluggish. Her throat hurt and she spoke with a hoarse voice "W...where am ah? What...what happene-" She gasped, sitting up quick as lightning and screaming "RAINBOW! Where's Rainbow!!! Where is sh-" A hoof pressed against her mouth as Twilight whispered "Shhh!!!!" She inclined her head to the left as Applejack looked over, tears brimming in her eyes. Rainbow was laying in a hospital bed next to hers, her forehead, wings, and hooves bandaged and tucked with a few green leaves and some sort of yellowish cream, her eyes shut and a peaceful expression on her face. Twilight whispered "She's going to be fine...but the doctors demanded she have a good few day's rest and at least a few weeks ground time before she starts flying again...she was lucky to be alive...thanks to you." Applejack smiled as the tears finally began to flow, crying silently as she was hugged against Twilight, Rarity coming up as well and putting a comforting hoof on Applejack's side. The country mare choked out a sob and shook her head, whimpering "Ah...ah couldn't do it, I couldn't let it happen again...not again...I couldn't lose her twice Twi'!" Twilight nodded, hugging Applejack's head into her shoulder and whispering "I know...I know...she's safe now...shhhh...you did a brave thing today Applejack, you saved your mare..." Applejack sniffed, smiling a little as she thought to herself 'Mah Mare...I saved mah mare..." Applejack was pulled from Twilight just a little by Fluttershy's extended hoof, tears in her own eyes as well. She sniffed loudly and squeaked "Y...you saved my things...oh Applejack...y...you nearly died because...y...you" Applejack shook her head with a smile, giving the canary-yellow mare a tight hug and whispering "Twern't nothin' sugarcube...after all you've been through with Pinkie, Prison, Scootaloo an' all this...I couldn't let you suffer...not again, not anymore.." They cried into one another's coats, Quill coming up and putting a hoof on Twilight's foreleg and muttering "She should really get her rest dear...she's been through enough for one day..." Twilight nodded and gently pried Fluttershy away from Applejack, who was still whispering over and over "Thank you...thank you!" Applejack nodded and gave Rarity a weak hug, her body sore. She gave them all a tiny wave as they exited the hospital room, leaving her with Rainbow. She struggled to get out of bed, weakly stumbling over to Rainbow's bed and slowly crawling in with her. She snuggled her face into Rainbow's chest and let out a sighing breath, closing her eyes. She was the Element of Honesty...and she promised herself a year ago in her final moments with Rainbow Dash that she wouldn't let go...she wasn't about to break her promise today. ~~~ Applejack sighed with a low "Mmmmh..." as she felt something moving against her, and pull away. She opened her eyes slowly, hearing the silent clopping of hoofsteps and the scribbling of quill on paper. She rolled over, an annoyed expression on her face as she spoke sternly, making the bandaged Rainbow Dash jump as she tried to open the window "And just where in Tarnation do you think YOU'RE going little miss pony?" Rainbow frowned and looked sheepishly away, poking her two front hooves together and stuttering "I...I uh...fresh air, yeah! I was going to get fresh air..." Applejack sighed and sat up, wincing a little at her sore limbs but getting out of bed regardless, gently walking over to Rainbow as she spoke "Now see? That's the reason why I'M the Element ah Honesty and you're the Element ah Loyalty, you can't tell a lie for nuttin' and I know exactly where ya'll think you're ah goin'" Rainbow Dash sighed and looked towards Applejack with a sorrowful expression, whispering "AJ...she's a lost pony who's gone and lost her marbles! I can't just let her fly about when she could hurt somepony else!" Applejack sat on her haunches and sighed, looking out into the crisp night sky, dotted with Luna's stars. She stared up at the moon and whispered "She's not crazy Rainbow...she's just...grievin', everypony hurts in different ways...although I don't use that as an excuse for her to go and tryin' ta kill ya...she's a hurt pony RD...she's hurtin' bad..." Rainbow Dash nodded and sighed, but looked up as she heard Applejack mumble "...been hurtin' too..." she blinked and asked "Huh? Applejack what did you say?" Applejack looked up, a slight blush on her face and mumbling "Ah been hurtin' also Rainbow..." Rainbow Dash looked at her, confused and whispering "But...why? What do you have to be sad about...you've got the farm and Big Macintosh brought back to life and-" "You came back too Rainbow..." Rainbow Dash stopped, staring at the Apple Mare as she looked away nervously. Rainbow touched a hoof against Applejack's coat which made her shiver a little. She narrowed her eyes, staring at Applejack curiously and whispering "Applejack...what's going on with you? Are you ok?" Applejack shook her head, feeling herself tearing up and sniffing. She looked up at Rainbow and spoke with a surprisingly annoyed tone "Darnit Rainbow...I promised myself I wouldn't cry! Y'all making me...making me cry!" Applejack put her hooves over her eyes as Rainbow frowned, gently patting her friend on the side as she sniffed, scooting closer to her Rainbow friend. "AJ...stop crying...come on...you know I hate it when you cry..." Applejack sniffed and sighed, nodding a little and whispering "Ah'm sorry...it's just...ah nearly lost you again Rainbow...I couldn't stand the thought of losing you again...don't you ever do that to me again Rainbow!" Rainbow nodded slowly and asked "Why...am I so important to you...I don't unders-" "Close your eyes Rainbow" Applejack said, looking up with a sad look on her face. Rainbow Dash blinked in confusion for a moment before sighing, closing her eyes, listening to Applejack as she whispered "And don't you be openin' em..." Rainbow nodded, sitting and waiting. She didn't now how long she sat there, waiting. She was nervous at first, but trusted AJ, sitting in the chilly room. She was about to ask what was going on until she felt something press against her cheek and rub against her, rubbing down the side of her face and against her neck. It took Rainbow Dash a minute...but she suddenly realized that Applejack was nuzzling her. She let out a low 'Meep!' as Applejack nuzzled her cheek and blew a hot stream of breath down her neck, making the Rainbow Mare shiver and her wing bandages rip slightly. Rainbow felt her move away, the scent of apples lingering on her coat as she whispered quietly "A...Applej-mmph!" She was cut off by something pressing against her lips. Her eyes flew open and stared deeply into the emerald color of Applejack's. Applejack's lips were pressed against her own, and moved away slightly to say "I told you not to open em..." Rainbow Dash blushed, smiling a little as Applejack leaned in and kissed her again, this time however, Rainbow Dash kissed her back, gently wrapping her front hooves around her and pulling her into a tight embrace. They pecked each other's lips, holding one another tightly as their embrace started to get more and more desperate. For a moment Rainbow felt like the ground underneath her dissapeared, her back pressing against something soft and silky. She opened her eyes, staring up at Applejack from her position on the bed and looking at her nervously, whispering "N...now? But we...I mean I..." Applejack gave her a tiny kiss and whispered "If you don't wanna...ah understand...it's just that, ah lost you once, and ah nearly lost you again...you know we're both goin' after Scootaloo...and ah didn't want to leave loose ends unlassoed...just in case somthin' bad happened...you know?" Rainbow Dash smiled and blush, muttering "You rea...really want to be my first...?" Applejack smiled and gave her answer with a deep kiss, Rainbow reaching her hoof over and pulling a white sheet over them both. ~~~ Scootaloo stood on top of a cliff...far to the north of Ponyville. From this height, she could spot the border where he biomes began to change, patches of snow littering the far north. She had a serious expression etched on her face which slowly started to turn into a grimace. She was making good time...it'd be only about three or four hours until she reached Stalliongrad...and at long last, she would be reunited with her mother. She sighed a little, looking off the cliff into the shadowy abyss below. She started to feel guilty about killing Rainbow Dash...she felt that deep down...maybe Rainbow Dash was just trying to help. She shook her head furiously, looking back with a murderous glare. No...Rainbow was just another stupid mare...another mare who left Pinkie to die. She'd show them...she'd show them all. She would never forgive...and she would never forget. She had always held onto the last word Pinkie Pie spoke before she was blasted to the moon, and it was because of this that she never forgot... Just one word: "Remember".