//------------------------------// // Appleshucksery // Story: Appledashery // by Just Essay //------------------------------// "Oh hey..." Applejack pointed. "Look." At last, Rainbow rolled over so that she was lying with her face up. "Hmmm?" A half-dozen golden specks flitted across the canvas ceiling of the tent. "Seems like a few of the lil' glowy fellas ended up in here when I closed the tent," Applejack said. "Huh..." Rainbow blinked, stifling a yawn. "Want I should... shoo 'em out of here or something?" "Naww..." Applejack exhaled. "They dun seem too freaked out or nothin'." "Ya think?" "Yeah. Just let 'em be." Applejack let loose an amused breath. "Besides... awful purdy to stare at." Rainbow smirked. "You saying that 'cuz you mean it or 'cuz you're too sleepy to bother reopening the tent flap?" "How 'bout a little of column A and a little bit of column B?" "Sure. I'll buy that." Both mares lay in separate sleeping bags, gazing up at the miniature light show illuminating the top of the tent. Rainbow breathed evenly, snuggling up tighter beneath the fabric of her sleeping bag. Warmth embraced her, making the pegasus feel all calm and toasty inside. She hovered just a breath or two above dreaming, her ears alive with cricket song. "I'm... gettin' some mighty vivid flashbacks," Applejack. "From when I was a lil' apple seed." "Hmmmf..." Rainbow rubbed her eyes then murmured, "Did Granny Smith catch fireflies and let them loose in your bedroom?" "Nah. I mean back when I stayed at Camp Friendship." "Oh?" "Reckon I had a night or two like this," Applejack said. "Sleepin' all snuggled up with the fireflies flittin' about." "Sounds snazzy." "It was," Applejack said. "One of the best thangs that I ever did as a young'n. Although it didn't quite..." She shifted where she lay. "Eh... never mind." Rainbow looked over. "What?" Applejack turned over, shoulders shrugging. "Ain't important." "No, what?" Rainbow Dash blinked. "You can tell me, AJ." "No need to fuss over stuff I didn't fuss over then." "So?" Rainbow Dash gulped dryly. "I'm... I-I'm your friend, Applejack. You can tell me anything, y'know..." Applejack turned and squinted at her. Rainbow bore an earnest smile. "Mrmmm..." Applejack glanced once more at the golden lights overhead. "Just that... even when I was a filly... I knew that the only reason I was sent to Camp Friendship was 'cuz Granny Smith felt I needed a distraction from... y'know... grievin' over Ma and Pa." Rainbow bit her lip. "But, truth was, I didn't need to be sent away from home. 'Cuz I didn't need to get my mind off of anythang. I mean... hay... bein' home is what made me feel... strong. Granny misunderstood why I ran back to Sweet Apple Acres after only a few weeks at Aunt and Uncle Orange's. She thought I was confused... in denial... all that nonsense." Applejack shrugged. "She since came to her senses, of course." Rainbow nodded. "She must have been really... really worried for you." "So was Big Mac too, I reckon. But..." Applejack sighed. "I showed them super quick how strong I was... how strong I wanted to be. Just by workin' on the farm." "Do you regret that?" Rainbow asked. A pair of green eyes flashed her way. "Huh?" "Erm..." Rainbow grimaced. "Sorry. Bad question." "Naw, nothin' like that." Applejack blinked. "I just dun quite understand it." "Like... d-do you regret that you actively chose to become such a hard worker?" Rainbow asked, shrugging. "That that was how you were able to deal with whatever bad emotions you had over your folks... dying?" "Only thang I regret is all the lil' fillies and colts I could have made friends with at that camp but didn't 'cuz the environment just wasn't what I needed at the time." Applejack chuckled dryly. "For... for years, Rainbow, I never made a single friend. Only acquaintances I had was through family. And that was mighty fine and all, but it meant that I didn't socialize much—unless it was Family Reunion, of course." "That's crazy." "Tell me about it. Reckon it wasn't until just recently that I started gettin' all buddy-buddy beyond... y'know... the apple buckin' business." "It was Twilight, huh?" "Heh... I mean... I knew Pinkie and Rarity beforehand. Even you." Rainbow smirked. "Some ponies think I spent all these years grievin'. I dun buy that one bit. I guess... I-I've just been plum serious about everythang for so long. I mean... could that be the same?" A pair of eyes darted Rainbow's way again. "Could a pony be sad and not even know it?" "You don't strike me as a sad pony." "Really?" "... ... ...yes, AJ." Rainbow smirked. "Really." She gulped. "I think... I know that you're one of the most sympathetic, encouraging, heartstrong ponies there is." "Heh... good." Applejack exhaled. "Cuz I do feel it." "Mmmmm..." Rainbow leaned her head deeper into her sleeping bag. "All consequences of being best pony." "Awwwwwwww shucks." Rainbow squinted. "I didn't say awesomest pony." "Hahahahaha..."