//------------------------------// // Rainbow apologizes/Sarah's fear. // Story: The Twin Apples. // by Sylif Daring Doo //------------------------------// _____*Sweet Apple Acres, the next morning, 8:19, Sarah's room*_____ Sarah yawned and stretched out, she opened her eyes and noticed that she was in the same position she was in last night, she sighed and got off the bed, she streched out her wings and sighed in relief as they slightly loosened up, Sarah looked around the room and noticed the picture of her and Applejack as fillies, she walked over and looked at it. Sarah chuckled and walked over to the door, she reached to open it but hesitated, Rainbow Dash's words from the previous night flooded back to her. '....do you and Applejack have the same parents.....' Taunted the words. Sarah growled quietly and walked back to her bed, she plopped down on the bed and stared at the ceiling, she wanted to hate life for taking her parents away, she wanted to hate that judge for taking nineteen years out of her life, she wanted to hate those scientists for implanting wings into her forcefully, and she wanted to hate Rainbow Dash for speaking those words, but she couldn't, she began to rethink her hatred. Sarah sat up and unfurled her wings, she brought them in front of her face and stared at them. "......It's all my fault......just like always." She whispered quietly. "I just HAD to do it, didn't I?" She asked herself as her voice began to crack. The more Sarah thought on it, the more she realized, and at one point, Sarah had even considered Rainbow Dash's words. "What if we do have different parents?" She wondered silently. Sarah continued to think on her life, her foalhood, her time In prison, and her more recent choices, and at one point she had a moment of realization. When Sarah's thoughts returned to the time she got her wings, she remembered overhearing something. ____*Sixteen and a half years ago*____ Sarah mumbled some incoherent words as she looked around the room groggily, she was currently inside a clean and sanitized lab and had some blood on her sides along with stitches, she could just barely make out multiple figures around her, she couldn't make out any faces or colors as they were only shaped blobs, Sarah felt a sharp prick in her arm and a strange sensation followed, she overheard some words spoken soon after. "Strange.....blood.......unnatural......patterns......behaivior.......break......tests........put.....help.......later." Said the one male figure. Sarah watched as a female shaped figure approached her and her color was revealed to be white, she felt a hoof gently set itself on her shoulder, she soon felt another sharp prick in her arm and a sleepy sensation quickly washed over her, accompanied by a soft voice that Sarah just barely made out. "It's......you'll.......better......rest......do......help.....up." Said the voice. Sarah sighed quietly as her limbs settled, her eyes rolled up into the back of her head and her head rested back as she entered the world of unconsciousness. _____*end of flashback.*_____ Sarah wanted to be mad at the scientists there, but once again, reason stepped in and made her question it. 'What if they were trying to help me?......but if so, why did they give me these wings?.....and what was it that they found so unnatural?' She asked herself. As Sarah questioned everything that led her to this point she didn't notice the door open. "Sarah?" Asked a worried voice. Sarah gasped and snapped out of her trance, she looked at the door and saw Applejack standing there, she sighed and got off the bed, she folded her wings to her sides and walked over to Applejack. "Yea?" She asked calmly. Applejack raised an eyebrow and gave Sarah a concerned look. "Sarah.....what's bothering you?" She asked. Sarah was about to say something when Applejack silenced her with a hoof. "The truth." Applejack said firmly. At this, Sarah sighed and walked back to her bed, she sat down and looked at Applejack. "I've been thinking." She said. Applejack walked over to Sarah and sat down next to her. "Go on." She insisted. Sarah looked at the ceiling and began talking. "I've been thinking on everthing that happened up to this point, from our foalhood to my return home, then to what Rainbow Dash said." She said. Applejack raised an eyebrow at this. "What did she say?" She asked. Sarah chuckled. "She wondered if we had the same parents.......I simply told her that I had wings forcefully implanted into me." She replied. Applejack sighed and facehoofed. "Darn it Dash." She mumbled. Sarah rolled her eyes. "It's fine, I'm over that, but it's something else bothering me." She replied. After a quick breath, Sarah continued. "I thought back to the time that I got my wings, and I thought that maybe those scientists actually saved me from......something." She continued. Applejack raised an eyebrow again. "Saved you from WHAT exactly?" She asked. Sarah shrugged. "I don't know.....all that I was told was that I was 'a lucky mare' before they sent me back." She replied. Applejack and Sarah shared a moment of silence before Sarah stood up and walked out of the room, Applejack sighed and followed her sister. ____*five hours later, out at the fields, 1:32 PM.*____ Sarah grunted as she kicked another tree, although she hit it hard than intended as the tree shook violently, she sighed to herself and continued working. She walked over to another tree and turned around, she raised her hind legs and kicked the tree, the apples soon fell into the baskets that were placed around it. Sarah went to walk away when she heard incoherent mumbling from the tree, she walked over again and looked up at the tree and saw a small streak of purple, her eye twitched and she prepared another kick. "Rise and shine." She said shortly as she kicked the tree. She heard gasping and then a short scream come from the tree, she backed up and a familiar prismatic mare fell down and hit the dirt. Sarah sighed and kneeled down to the mare. "What are you doing here Rainbow?" She asked. Rainbow Dash groaned and sat up, she rubbed her leg and looked at Sarah. "I WAS sleeping......what gives Applejack?" She asked. Sarah raised an eyebrow and flexed a single wing out, Rainbow gasped and chuckled soon after. "Oh......hey Sarah, uh.....sorry to get in your way?" She offered weakly. Sarah growled and stood up, she then started to walk away. "When you come up with an apology for last night.......come find me." She replied. Rainbow went to say something but stopped herself, she sighed sadly and walked quickly over to Sarah. "Listen, Sarah." She started. Sarah stopped walking and looked Rainbow dead in the eye. "I'm still pissed off Rainbow, and it takes more then a few seconds to come up with an apology.......give it a day at the least." She told the mare before walking off again. Rainbow simply watched as Sarah walked off, when the farm mare was a good distance she groaned and smacked herself. "Idiot!" She cursed quietly. Rainbow then flew up into the air and flew off towards Ponyville. As she flew, Rainbow recalled everything she said the night before and sighed. "I'm such an idiot." She told herself as she flew off. ____*two hours later.*___ Sarah kicked another tree and the apples fell down, she wiped her brow and looked around her, she grinned at the sight of empty apple trees all around her, she sat down next to a tree and signed in relief as her muscles relaxed, she looked up to the sky and watched the clouds roll by. A small smile grew on Sarah's face as she rested her head on the tree. "I've missed this." She said quietly. "Mind if I join you then?" Asked a voice. Sarah looked over and saw Applejack. "Sure." She replied, she patted the ground next to her and looked back at the sky. Applejack walked over and sat down next to Sarah. "Applebuck season is going to be easy this year." She said. Sarah nodded. "No kidding, with you, me and Big Mac, we might be able to get a good distance into Cider season." She replied. Applejack chuckled and punched Sarah playfully on the shoulder. "Don't get ahead of yourself, we got a lot of work ahead of us before we can handle that." She stated. Sarah looked up at the sky and sighed. "Let a girl dream will you?" She asked. With that the sisters sat their simply watching the clouds go by, they sat like that for what felt like thirty minutes before they finally got up and returned to work. ____*over in the north field, ten minutes later.*____ Applejack kicked at another tree when she heard a throat being cleared, she looked in its direction and saw a familiar earth pony called Filthy Rich. "Howdy mister Rich, how can I help you?" She asked politely. Filthy Rich walked forward. "I heard that your sister is back in town, I simply wished to welcome her home." He replied. Applejack shrugged. "Sure thing......Sarah!" She called. "Yea yea I'm coming!" Replied Sarah as she showed up from behind a tree. Sarah immediately noticed Filthy Rich and sighed. "Oh boy.....here we go." She grumbled. Applejack and Filthy Rich watched as Sarah walked over. "Sarah, you remember mister Rich?" She wondered as she gestured to said stallion. Sarah nodded and looked at Filthy Rich. "Long time no see Filthy Rich." She said bluntly. Filthy held his annoyance in check and looked at Sarah. "I go by mister Rich now." He said calmly. Sarah raised an eyebrow and walked over. "Well well, you gained confidence didn't you?.....bout time Rich." She said as she walked around him. Filthy looked at Sarah and immediately noticed the wings. "And I see you grew overconfident from your time in prison, it is good to see you again." He replied. Sarah chuckled and walked in front of Filthy. "So what is this about Rich?.....you never make social visits." She questioned. Filthy looked at Applejack. "She is correct, I don't make many social visits, I am actually here to purchase some of your apples." He said. Applejack nodded and started walking towards the barn. "Alright, we can talk about it on the way." She said. Sarah rolled her eyes and headed back to the orchard. "I'll leave you two to your business, don't need me for that." She said as she walked off. _____*meanwhile*_____ Rainbow Dash flew over Ponyville at a leisurely pace, she was currently in no hurry as she had already finished her job for the day, at the moment she was attempting to come with an apology, to no avail however, she then spotted the library and inspiration hit her, she quickly flew down and landed at the door, she then opened it and walked inside. "Twilight you here?" She asked. "I'm in the kitchen!" Replied the unicorn. Dash walked over to the couch and sat down, she noticed that there was a small pile of books on the ground near the desk. "Twilight, are you doing another one of your research sessions?" She asked curiously. The made in question walked out of the kitchen with a sandwich gripped in her magic, she looked over at the pile of books and nodded. "Yea, I decided to learn some of Ponyvilles history, out of curiosity......but I know you don't care about that, so Dash, is there something I can help you with?" She asked. Dash nodded and stood up, she then began to pace. "Ok, last night, at the party, I had a brief talk with Sarah, and I uh......might have insulted her." She said guiltily. Twilight sighed and facehoofed. "What did you say this time?" She asked. Dash laughed nervously and rubbed the back of her head. "I uh.....noticed her wings and I sorta.....asked if she had the same parents as Applejack." She said quickly. Twilight shook her head and looked at Dash. "And you came to me for help......sorry Dash, but you need to form an apology with your own words, or it won't be genuine." She told her friend. Dash sighed and looked at Twilight. "Thanks anyway......see you Twilight." She said before walking to the door. "I'm sorry I couldn't be any help, but this is your responsibility, I can't interfere." Twilight replied. Dash nodded and walked out of the library. 'My own words huh?.....those are what got me into this mess.' She thought as she flew off. ____*one hour later, Ponyville, 4:31 PM*____ Sarah sighed as she exited the spa, she looked up at the sky and took a deep breath, her hair was no longer long and it didn't even reach her eyes in length, she felt a cooling breeze pass by and chuckled, she started walking back home when she heard a familiar voice behind her. "Sarah?" The voice asked. Sarah looked behind her and saw Rainbow Dash walking up. "Didn't I ask you to give it a day?" She asked with annoyance. Dash shook her head. "I was actually just passing through, I spotted you and then I came down......you know the rest." She replied. "Uh huh......oh forget it, walk with me for a bit." She said before walking towards Sweet Apple Acres. Dash did not say anything, instead she simply walked up and started walking next to Sarah. Sarah looked at Dash. "Ok, first off, I'm going to level with you." She paused. "Me and Applejack had the same parents, i used to be an Earth pony, but now I am a weird combination of Earth pony and Pegasus." She explained. Dash could only blink but said nothing. Sarah looked up at the sky and saw a rather thick cloud pass by. "So Dash, why were you in the orchard?" She asked. Dash seemed to flinch but continued walking. "To be honest, I was there to apologize but I fell asleep." She admitted sheepishly. Sarah let out a small smile and laughed quietly. Dash quickly looked away and glanced up at the sky. "What's so funny?" She asked. Sarah shook her head. "Nothing.....I just never heard of anyone who falls asleep while trying to apologize." She replied through short laughs. Dash grumbled and looked at the ground but could not suppress the blush that came from her embarrassment. "Whatever." She replied quietly. Sarah grinned but said nothing, after about two minutes of walking, Dash spoke. "Hey Sarah......you up for a flight?" She asked. "Huh?.....why?" Sarah asked out of confusion. Dash sighed and looked up. "Well, you made me walk with you, now I'm making you fly." She said. Sarah opened her mouth to respond but she quickly closed her mouth instead. "Alright, you better be able to keep up." She said as she flew up at alarming speeds. Dash's eyes widened but she quickly flew up after her at equal speed. ____*up in the sky*____ Dash flew over to Sarah and looked at her. "Your quick." She said simply. Sarah smirked and flipped upside down, she started to hover towards Sweet Apple Acres. "So are you featherbrain, so why are we up here?" She asked. Dash shrugged and pointed over at Sweet Apple Acres. "Well, I was wondering if your up for a little race?" She wondered. Sarah chuckled. "A race huh?.....I'm up for it, but I wonder......" She trailed off and looked at Dash's wings. "I wonder if those feather dusters can keep up." She said casually. This caused Dash to growl and get up close to Sarah's face. "What's that supposed to mean!?" She questioned angrily. Sarah grinned and flipped around, she gave Dash a smug look. "You feel that rage?.....that's what I felt last night." She said. Dash processed this a moment before realization struck her. "Oh...." She said sadly, her ears went down as she thought on it. Sarah flew around Dash and patted her on the shoulder. "Come on Dash, you wanted a race.....let's see how you do." She said with a tone of encouragement. Dash seemed to calm down some at that, she took a deep breath and looked at Sarah. "Alright then, think you can keep up?" She asked. Sarah chuckled and distances herself from Dash. "Believe me Dash, I can tell how you race, and I'll tell you now, you can't win this one." She said calmly. Dash grinned. "I got a few tricks up my sleeve." She replied. Sarah rolled her eyes. "Alright then, three." She started as she got ready. Dash swallowed. "Two." She heard Sarah say. ".....One!" Sarah said before zooming off with Dash next to her. As she raced, Dash couldn't help but be surprised that Sarah could fly so fast, she was almost going as fast as she could but Sarah seemed to be completely relaxed. Dash growled and pushed her limits as she sped up to her fastest speed, she looked back at Sarah and her jaw dropped as she saw Sarah fly right past her. "I wouldn't keep your mouth open Dash, you'll catch bugs." Sarah said before flying off. The two flew around the Acres for a minute before Sarah flew down to the ground, Dash followed Sarah with one big question on her mind. Sarah walked to the farmhouse and looked back when she heard Dash land. "Hey." She said simply. Dash walked over and looked at Sarah. "How did you do it?" She asked. Sarah sighed and sat down, she then looked up at the sky. "Well, skill play's a good part of it." She replied. Dash grumbled and sat down next to Sarah. "Skill doesn't make you go that fast.....you have to develop your wings for speed to even come close to that." She countered. Sarah chuckled. "Tell me Dash, what does flying mean to you?" She asked. Dash blinked and gave Sarah a confused look. "What does that have to do with anything?" She asked. "It has everything to do with it.....so tell me, what does flying mean to you?" Sarah repeated her question. Dash thought on it a moment and looked up at the sky. "Well, it means a lot to me, it's a huge part about who I am, but when I fly.......I feel free, like I can do whatever I want, I feel like the sky is my domain." She stopped herself when she heard Sarah sigh. "What is it?" She asked. Sarah looked at Dash. "You remember how I said that I know what kind of flyer you were?......I am now one hundred percent certain that I was correct." She stated. Dash looked at Sarah. "What do you mean?" She asked. Sarah cleared her throat and slowly waved a hoof through the air. "You see, i know what kind of flyer you are because you're just like everypony else I've met that was a flyer, you all think the sky is your domain, the thinking of a reckless flyer." She replied. Dash was about to object but Sarah silenced her with a glare. "For instance, a good example of these flyers is the Wonderbolts.....before you say anything let me finish." She paused a moment. "They think much like you do, masters of their domain, but I developed a few little tricks that help." She said quietly. Sarah slid a little bit closer to Dash and leaned in to her ear. "Sadly, one of these tricks is unique to me, but the other isn't.....you should move with the wind, not against it, I also find that when you push your limits like you did before, for a competitive reason, the wind will push against you." She whispered. Dash thought on Sarah's words and looked up at the sky. "Wait a minute......you mean being competitive makes you go slower?" She asked in disbelief. Sarah nodded, she then laid back and closed her eyes. "Believe it or not, the wind has its own will, mind and life, it can sense emotions as well, if your frustrated, it will push against you in an attempt to calm you down, it isn't easy, but the best way to go faster and smoother when flying is to remain calm and let it guide you, although i don't think that the Wonderbolts can do that anymore." She whispered. Dash raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?" She asked. Sarah shrugged. "Mainly because they constantly upset the wind, with all of their fancy flying, by now, I wouldn't be surprised if they always get massive amounts of feedback." She replied. Dash laid back and looked at Sarah. "Do you think any of them know that trick?" She asked. Sarah thought on it a moment before shaking her head. "None that are alive, one of them might have the ability but they don't have it anymore." She replied. The two then laid there for a while, until Dash spoke up again. "Sarah." She said. Sarah grunted. "Yea?" She asked. Dash sighed. "For what it's worth.....I really am sorry about last night, I went over the line." She said quietly. Sarah opened her eyes as a cool breeze passed by. "It's alright Dash......just try to think ahead from now on ok?" She requested. Dash nodded and closed her eyes. "Sure thing." She said. ".....So Dash, you want to be a Wonderbolt eh?" She asked. "Yea, been my dream since I was a filly." She replied. Sarah chuckled. "Alright then......but from what I've seen, you need my help more than ever." She teased. Dash grumbled. "Ha ha ha." She laughed sarcastically. Sarah sat up and looked at the house, she heard Dash sit up as well. "I'll see you some other time Dash." She said before standing up and walking towards the house. Dash nodded and stood up, she then flew off towards Ponyville. Sarah watched Dash fly off with a short smile, she then chuckled to herself and opened the door, she walked inside and closed it. ____*inside the house*____ Sarah walked over to the stairs and walked up them, after she reached the top she walked over to her room and walked inside. Sarah left the door slightly open to allow air in, she walked over to the chair and picked up her necklace, she then chuckled and set it back down on the chair, she then walked over to the window and looked through it. 'I wonder where AJ is?' She wondered. Sarah heard the door creak open and she turned around expecting to see Applejack......what she saw was a small tan furred filly with red hair, Amber eyes and a ridiculously large bow in her hair, she also had no cutie mark, she had a face of terror however and Sarah's eyes widened. "Uh....ok, this isn't what it looks like?" She offered quietly. The filly did not believe it however. "Applejack! Help!" She cried out before running out of the room. Sarah sighed and rubbed her eyes, but then she paused and looked at the door. "Wait a minute....." She wondered. Before Sarah could react however, the door slammed open and an angry Applejack burst into the room. "Where are you!?" She demanded angrily as she looked around the room. Applejack noticed Sarah standing near the window with a startled expression, she seemed to calm down a little bit and spoke. "Is there somepony else in here?" She asked. Sarah shook her head and blinked. "Umm.....no, it's just me you and the filly." She replied. Applejack sighed and backed out of the room and glanced down at the filly. "It's ok Applebloom." She said. Sarah raised an eyebrow and walked over to Applejack. "Who are you talking to?" She asked, but when she saw Applebloom she understood. "Uh....sorry for scaring you?" She offered. Applebloom looked back and forth between Applejack and Sarah with wide eyes. "Uh....what-who-how?" She asked out of confusion. Applejack chuckled. "Ok um, Applebloom, this is Sarah....my twin, Sarah, this is Applebloom, our little sister." She introduced. Sarah kneeled down to Applebloom's height and chuckled. "I can honestly say that this is a first for both of us." Applebloom nodded, she examined Sarah for a moment before noticing her wings. "I didn't know we had a Pegasus bloodline." She said out of wonder. Sarah rolled her eyes. "We don't, but that's a story for another time." She replied, she held out her hoof for Applebloom. Applebloom blinked a few times but bumped Sarah's hoof anyway. "I guess so." She said. ____*later that night, 9:06 PM.*____ Dinner that night was eventful, Big Macintosh had pulled Sarah into a bear hug for about a full minute, Granny Smith had shed some tears and gave a light hug, dinner however was oddly quiet, Sarah was of course curious as to why the three had gone to Appleloosa, she even got to meet Winona for the first time, but the dog didn't seem to like her very much. Sarah laid back on her bed looking at the ceiling, she was currently deep in thought as she laid back. 'What happened while I was gone......it never bothered me until now, but now I'm extremely curious as to what happened.' Sarah then closed her eyes and sighed. "Oh well, I'll figure it out tomorrow." She mumbled before pulling herself under the covers and slowly drifting off to sleep. _____*two hours later, Sarah's dream*_____ Sarah ran through the forest and around the trees, her hooves splashed mud as she ran across the wet dirt, her wings were soaked from the rain and her hair got into her eyes, but she continued running regardless, she was breathing frantically as she ran, she looked back and saw multiple shadows chasing her through the trees. 'Shit shit shit shit!' She cursed as she ran. Sarah saw an opening through the trees and sighed in relief, she ran towards it and out of the forest.....only to barely avoid falling off the edge, she looked back fearfully at the shadows as they slowly advanced, her eyes widened as she heard a dark voice behind her. "You will suffer for what you did to us!" It proclaimed Sarah looked behind herself and saw a smaller shadow with no face but dark red eyes that shone with pure hatred. "Suffer!...." The other shadows echoed. Sarah felt her legs tremble for a brief moment before she collapsed, her pupils shrunk and she felt a sick sensation in her throat, she could literally feel her muscles give out as she proceeded to vomit on the ground. The shadows proceeded to advance and the smaller shadow circled her. "Why did you do it?......you made us suffer!" They shouted in angered tones. "You will suffer......you will suffer.......feel our pain!" They chanted as they proceeded to kick at Sarah. "You should die!" The small one shouted. Sarah could do nothing as the shadows tormented her relentlessly, she coughed up a small puddle of blood and could only shake as she did. "I'm sorry!.....I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!" She cried out. The small shadow simply laughed and the others joined in as they assaulted her. "You will die!.....you will die!" They shouted back. Sarah could not stop the tears that followed, they began to flow as if a steady stream from her eyes, the unending torment from the shadows continued for minutes.....until a ray of light blew the creatures away from Sarah. "Begone demons! away from this place!" Demanded a commanding voice. [1] Sarah gasped and shakily looked up, she saw the shadows stand firm against the unknown being. "This is not your affair Dreamweaver!" The small one shouted. "You have no power here demon! Begone!" A thick beam of magic followed the voice as the shadows dispersed. "This isn't over....." Said the small one's voice before vanishing. Sarah heard somepony walking up to her and the voice that followed. "Relax young Pegasus, it is over." Said the voice, but in a calmer tone. Sarah shakily sat up and looked at her savior.....and saw Princess Luna, her eyes widened in surprise and she quickly stood up. "Oh my god!....oh um......welcome to my dream?" She offered in a slightly nervous tone. Luna chuckled. "Do not be so nervous young one, it is refreshing to meet one that isn't nervous around me." She replied simply with a small smile. Sarah nodded and swallowed. "Guess I'm one of those rare cases huh?" She grumbled. Luna's smile soon turned into a concerned frown. "Tell me young one, what is it that haunts you?" She asked out of concern. Sarah sighed and looked up at the moon, for some reason she felt like she could trust Luna, but on the same coin, she felt that it would backfire on her. 'To hell with it, my sentence is up, what more can they do to me.' She thought. [2] "It isn't something I'm proud of." She started off. Luna waited patiently as Sarah rubbed her eyes and took a deep breath. Finally however, Sarah spoke again. ".......I killed someone."