Winning is great, yes. Nothing is wrong about it. One will receive honor and appreciation and those are good. Awesome, actually.
But today, Rainbow Dash's perspective about winning changed.
It even discouraged her from winning again.
Today, she was forced to wear a fancy dress. Too glittery for her. Too itchy. Too warm. Too irritating. In fact, she wanted to tear it apart.
The dress wasn't the only problem. Aside from what Rarity made her wear like the shiny horseshoes, her mane was crafted into something she saw as a rainbow-colored ice cream, sprinkled with sparkly marshmallows and hanging crystal candies.
She knew she was not Pinkie Pie, she was still sane enough for that. But all the irritating objects on her head looked like a delicious dessert.
Again, she wanted to tear it apart.
She looked horrible. And she felt like she was in Tartarus.
Tartarus. She asked herself; was Tartarus floating? Did it have fancy ponies who wore fancy costumes like her? Did it have delicious smelling food and annoying slow music? Was it called a cruise ship?
She just already knew the answer to her own question. She was currently on the worst section of Tartarus. If there was a ninth circle, perhaps there was the tenth circle. How sinful was she to be placed here?
Celestia knew how.
Literally.
Her sin was winning. Winning with her best-est best friend. Now, both of them were banished in the tenth circle of Tartarus known as MV Gentle Heart for an entire night.
Just the mention of the name sent chill galloping through her spine.
She wanted to get out of the ship immediately. She wanted to dash and hide in her cloud house forever.
Currently, Rainbow Dash was at the far corner of the upper class deck of the ship. She was standing there awkwardly, trying not to be noticed.
But stallions constantly went to her and asked for a dance.
What she did to drive them off was to get mad. Really mad. And said to them that she had five left hooves. She was too awesome to have a dance with other ponies. Those stallions were just Rarity's type.
Only if she had Applejack by her side, she wouldn't be socially awkward.
Where was that pony anyway? From what Dash remembered, after they were forcefully pushed to ride the ship, they were taken into different rooms, while she was taken into her doom.
Doom, as in dressed-up like a doll.
She knew that Applejack experienced the same fate. Poor filly. She thought. Like me. Her other side countered.
Rainbow Dash looked around, finding for an orange speck, without lifting a hoof from the carpet. She hoped that Applejack would come out as soon as possible, for them to plan an escape routine.
For the first time in forever, she felt excited. When the door opened, she guessed it would be Applejack. She almost galloped, but then stopped.
The pony who went out from the door was not her friend. She couldn't be.
But her eyes didn't lie.
At the doorstep, stood a gorgeous mare, wearing a dandelion dress, a really frilly dress, but just enough sparkles to show the mare's beauty. She wore golden horseshoes and her mane was tied in a bun, leaving a strand on the side of her ear. She also wore a golden tiara and a sheepish smile, trying to hide her lovely pinkish cheeks with a hoof.
Everypony on the deck stopped and gawked at the mare. That included Rainbow Dash, who found her wings spreaded widely.
The mare was downright beautiful. And that mare was her best-est best friend, Applejack.
Applejack's emerald eyes scanned the crowd. Rainbow knew that she was finding her, but she found herself immobilized from she stood. She just stared at her friend.
"Rainbow Dash! Where are ya'?!" Applejack started to walk, as the other ponies gave way for her. She turned around, and found Rainbow at the corner, standing still. The orange mare stared at her, as her lips curled into a smirk. She ran to the dazed pegasus, as all eyes were still at her.
The cyan pegasus regained her bearings. She cleared her throat and unconsciously folded her wings. "Hey, Applejack, nice..." Applejack paused, still wearing the smirk, as Dash rolled her eyes from her friend's hooves up to her eyes. "...m...mane... heh-heh," The pegasus stuttered as she scratched the back of her neck.
Applejack raised a brow, but then leaned on Dash's right ear. Rainbow's furs shivered from the other mare's breath. "Let's get outta here," The farm mare whispered.
Now that made everything exciting. Applejack finally showed up and she also wanted to get out. Of course, she would. AJ was a cool pony like her, and cool ponies didn't fit in fancy places like a ship.
So, Rainbow gasped and grinned like a madmare.
"Whoa, there, lil' filly. I've got somethin' to tell ya'" Applejack rolled her eyes around, as she nodded half-heartedly at the ponies who were staring at them. After that, she tugged Rainbow's neck and bumped her forehead against the pegasus'.
As expected, Dash let out a high-pitched squee, as she looked at her friend in the eyes. Instead of giving her a smirk, she frowned and hissed, "Why?!" as her wings flapped, trying to escape from the other mare's grip.
"Look at them, fancy ponies. We ain't like them. An' Twilight and Rarity should have a piece of my mind," Applejack hissed back at Rainbow, her nerves in her temples pumping rapidly.
Dash couldn't stop gulping from how angry those emerald eyes were. She just wished goodluck for both Twilight and Rarity. When she last received a piece of Applejack's mind, she wasn't able to get out of her bed for an entire week.
"We need ta' get outta 'ere as soon as we could."
Rainbow glanced at the round window. All she could see was the vast blue sea, "How?"
Applejack's mood quickly changed like the weather. "I have a plan."
"What?"
"But I don't think it will work."
Rainbow Dash just knew it. The Elements of Harmony really chose its rightful bearers. Out of all of them, the Honsety shard never really just surrounded Applejack because she was orange; and the Honesty shard was never really a liar. In fact, it picked the best bearer there could ever be.
Applejack was right. Her plan didn't work. Well, she was always right. And....right now, Applejack was literally on her right.
"Say, Applejack..." She looked at her side, as she wiped the dusty table with a towel.
"What..." Applejack said lazily, muttering something about cursed apples.
"How'd we get here?"
It seemed like her question was in a bad timing.
Applejack shot her a killing glare, piercing through the air and against Rainbow's own eyes. It felt like a hot laser beam and Dash wished she had the power to stop time.
Followed by the glare was the really intimidating frown. Dash called it as the general alarm. All ponies nearby should take cover and find the nearest evacuation center.
And finally, the Task Force Alpha which...
...didn't come.
Rainbow Dash's forelegs were already covering her ears, but she stopped and put them down. She slowly felt bad, as she watched Applejack's face twisting with sorrow. "Hey, what's wrong?" She furrowed her brows, as she hesitantly approached her friend.
Applejack shut her eyes tightly, fighting back the tears. Her ears drooped, as everything went out through a deep sigh. A stray hair strand went down from her mane, as she opened her eyes and looked at the pegasus before her. "I'm sorry."
Now Rainbow felt evil. There was nothing she should apologize for. Perhaps there would be in the future, but Dash couldn't see anything to blame her friend.
"Wha-? Why?" Rainbow asked with a raised brow. "You know this was that fat mare's fault she didn't know we're the saviors of all of Eque-" she stopped when Applejack's reaction didn't change. She silenced herself and thought of something to say.
"It's not that, isn't it?" Rainbow said, her head slightly low.
Applejack grabbed the towel, Rainbow held a while ago, as the pegasus followed it. She wiped the table and stared at it, solemnly. "This brings back mem'ries."
Rainbow Dash decided to listen, as she scratched her chest behind her sweaty magenta gown.
"I mean, ya' know. When I was in Manehattan doin' some Rarity," she scrunched her nose.
The cyan pegasus snickered. "You got me there," Applejack giggled, which was music in Dash's ears. It always made her smile out of the blue.
"It ain't never easy, havin' every lil' bit o' your action checked, watched, criticized, everythin'. All eyes were on you," she paused. "I don't wanna go back there. I feel...imprisoned, ya' know."
Rainbow Dash cracked a smile, as she wrapped a wing around Applejack. She never knew why it seemed comfortable when she was with the farm mare. She always wanted to see her and hug her with her wings. She felt like Applejack was a very special friend. They somehow understand each other deeply. Weird, but Dash didn't feel the depletion of her awesomeness. In fact, she felt awesomer. Or more awesome.
Applejack looked at Rainbow, perplexed.
"Oh, come on, AJ. I'm being sappy with you!" Dash quickly folded her wing, as her cheeks tinted with pink.
The farmer grinned. "I was jus' messin' up with ya."
Rainbow choked, as she furrowed her brows. "Eh?" She frowned.
Applejack's snicker evolved into a laugh. She raised a hoof as she laughed, while Rainbow Dash watched her, the side of her muzzle twitching.
"Okay..." The farmer wiped a tear drop, as she finally ceased laughter. "Thanks," she smiled genuinely, her misaligned tiara sparkled once because of the chandelier above them.
Rainbow Dash thought about it, but it slowly sank in. She just made her laugh. She just eased the sadness her friend was feeling. She looked away and wore an annoyed expression, failing to conceal her blush. "Yeah. Whatever."
"I have another plan, Dash," Applejack grinned, as she went to the window.
Rainbow's ears twitched, as she followed the other mare curiously. "Really? Then tell me!"
Applejack smiled. "We have a pass to go to the view deck, or whatever fancy they all call it, right?"
"Uhm. Yeah. But do you think they'll let us go there with..." Dash gestured to her messy outfit. "...these?"
The orange pony rolled her eyes. "C'mon. Y'all jus' brush your mane and wipe all those dirt. As long as we both say, we're the ones from Ponyville, those ponies ain't sayin' nope ta' us."
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and turned around. "Yah. You always know what to do."
"Is that a bad thing?"
Dash stopped, as her eyes narrowed. "No," she said with a frown.
"Good. At least we have now an agreement."
It was about time for Rainbow Dash to turn around and meet the smug look of Applejack. It made her blood boil. "Wait. What? Are you saying you're gonna be in charge?" She raised a hoof threateningly.
Applejack snickered. "You're sayin' it."
Rainbow Dash's muzzle hung open for three seconds, until she closed it with a growl and a really deep frown. "I hate you Applejack."
The farm pony trotted past the fuming pegasus. "I hate you too, Rainbow Dash."
The wind blowing against her fur eased her stressed mind and body. She'd always loved the breeze, but this was the first time she smelled the wind from the sea.
But there was something she should be doing.
"So, uh. What's your plan?" She turned to her side and found Applejack, who was enjoying the breeze, her eyes were closed. Maybe she didn't hear her, so it was time to shake her friend out of her reverie.
Rainbow Dash went in front of the farm mare and inched her muzzle close to Applejack's. Then suddenly, something unusual came over to Dash.
Her stomach gained millions of itchy stuffs.
She leaned back and frowned. As far as she remembered, she just ate. It was a full course meal that filled her stomach, not crawling cratures.
But she found herself still staring at Applejack. Those cute freckles and sweet as apple looking lips and her-
"Rainbow Dash."
The cyan pegasus was brougt back to reality. She found her friend, staring back at her, a brow arched an inch. She quickly opened her wings and flapped them, ascending herself from the floor.
She had to escape from these weird feelings and she must prioritize their escape from the ship. To cool herself, she did a swift somersault and landed gracefully in front of her friend.
"Do you like it? Am I awesome?"
Applejack raised her other brow.
Rainbow rolled her eyes and sighed. "You see. I was wondering about your plan," she tried to say casually.
"Oh. Well..." Applejack went at the edge of the ship and pointed at something, which was covered with a cloth. "Ya see this here thing?"
Dash nodded. "Yup. 20-20."
AJ flashed a glare. "What I mean is, this here thing is somethin'," she tapped a hoof against the concealed object, as it sounded like wood.
"So? What do we do?"
Applejack flattened her eyelids. "Didn't ya hear it? It is wood."
"Well....? So what if it is wood. Ponies don't eat wood," Rainbow leaned on the "wood" and crossed her arms.
The farm mare growled. "For Pete's sake, Dash!" She bit the edge of the cloth and pulled it, stumbling Rainbow from the force. She spat the fabric and pointed both of her arms at the "wood." "It's a boat. Ya' know. Sailin'?!" She hissed, as she furrowed her brows.
Rainbow Dash recovered from the stumble and looked at the boat. "Well. It really is a boat."
Only if Applejack had her hat, she would have dropped it and fled. "If y'all don't wanna come, I'll go by myself," she started to entangle the ropes that held the boat.
"No, wait!" Dash went to the farm mare, as she stopped from working on the ropes. "What kind of friend are you to leave me here? I was just messing up with you," Rainbow Dash wore her comeback smirk.
Applejack growled once more, as she rolled her eyes. She continued to entangle the ropes, as Rainbow Dash helped her, wearing her victory smirk.
"We should put this here boat down there, and keep it tied with the ship, so we don't get lost, ya understand?" Applejack looked at Rainbow with a raised brow.
The pegasus tapped her chin. "Wait. I thought we'd escape. It's just like, we separated ourselves from the other ponies."
"Well. Do you know how ta' get back ta' Ponyville from 'ere?"
Three seconds of silence. "No, but-"
"Nope. Don't but me, Rainbow Dash. Remember, I'm in charge," she waved a hoof, as she shook her head slowly.
Rainbow scoffed. "Fine."
They dropped the boat on the sea, just in time when the ship stopped for a good view of the nearing sunset. Applejack secured the rope, as Rainbow Dash hovered in the air.
Dash realized that AJ couldn't just jump down the boat, or climb down using the rope. It may break, or whatsoever. So, she held Applejack on both armpits and carried her, as she flew. At first, she struggled from the earth pony's weight, but she carried on. "Do apples make you fat?"
Applejack's eyes narrowed. "What?! No! Apples couldn't make anypony fat. And I eat somethin' rather than apples!" She protected the dignity of her favorite fruit. She turned her head up and glared at Dash.
"Whatever you say." They landed on the boat, as it shifted because of the added weight.
When they landed on the boat, one took the other side, and one took the other, making them facing each other. But they didn't talk or look at one another. Instead, silence between the two mares dominated, as the gentle swish of the waves was the only noise. Both looked at the sunset, admiring Celestia's work of art.
But the mention of the name made Dash somehow furious. Even looking at the sunset made her mad. It was like Celestia and Twilight in one place, sticking out their tongues at her.
"What do you think about Hearth's and Hooves day?" Applejack broke the silence, still staring at the setting sun.
Rainbow thought for a while.
It wasn't half-bad. In fact, she enjoyed the race so much. If it wasn't because of the cruise ship, everything would have been perfect. She was with her best-est friend all throughout those moments.
And came the itchy insects once more.
"Not really my thing. I hate sappy stuffs, and Hearth's and Hooves day got everything in the world of sappiness."
Applejack smiled. "Yeah. I kinda know how it feels."
"Yeah."
Silence again. Rainbow hated it when everything fell into complete silence.
"Applejack."
The farm mare turned to her.
Dash shook her head. "Never mind. I'm getting weirder."
"Tell me." AJ demanded.
Rainbow sighed. "Don't tell anypony what I'll say to you, alright?"
Applejack nodded once. "Yup. I promise. Pinkie Swear," she did the necessary gestures and didn't forget to close her eyes before poking it.
"Have you ever been...." Rainbow leaned on her front, as she covered the side of her muzzle with a hoof, looking around to see if anypony was watching. Applejack leaned as well to hear what Dash was about to say. "....in love?" She whispered, as if the last word was a great sin.
They were frozen for a while, with neither of them blinking.
"No, I ain't have no feelings of such 'sides of family and friendly type of love. Why, now. Have y'all been?" Applejack arched an eyebrow.
"I'm not sure.... and... I'm confused," Rainbow scratched the back of her neck.
"Why now, I can probably help ya' with that! In fact, I was Big Mac's love adviser when he needed guidelines on Cheerilee. Well. Even vise versa," Applejack beamed brightly at her statement.
Dash looked at AJ's eyes. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know what was this feeling that continously bothered her. Every time they lock eyes, insects crawl in her stomach and tickle it mercilessly. She always wanted to see her, watch over her as she worked. The way she smiled made her happy. Her caring and honest words always helped her.
Was Rainbow falling in love? With.... her best friend?
No, she couldn't be. Applejack was her best-est best friend and nopony would ever dare to deny that. But what if this special feeling was really.... special?
No. She was awesome. Awesome ponies didn't fall with their best friends.
What if she would be the first in the history of awesomeness?
Again, it couldn't be. Maybe she just felt her own awesomeness from Applejack. That would be it.
Both of them were awesome. If two awesome ponies become together, it would be.....
"Applejack...." Rainbow Dash bit her lip.
The farm mare looked at her expectantly.
"I'm crazy."
Applejack rolled her eyes. "I already know that from the start."
From the corner of Dash's eye, she spotted something dark. After that, her nose raised up, as she smelled the air.
Applejack noticed this behavior and sniffed the air as well. "Ain't that chilly." She commented. Slowly, realization occurred to her. The farmer's eyes narrowed, as she gripped the edge of the boat tight. "Rain...." she muttered nervously.
"Not just any other rain. A storm." Rainbow Dash's mane fluttered with the wind, as the setting sun was covered with dark clouds. The clouds quickly hovered above them, shrouding them with darkness. Soon enough, the waves grew as both the ship and their boat were carried by the force.
"This ain't good."
"Yeah....." The two ponies looked at the clouds, as Rainbow Dash opened her wings and felt the air. Her eyes narrowed, as she gasped shortly. "This is bad. Really bad." A drop of rain fell on Dash's cheeks, as it rolled down to her chin. Quickly after that, was a heavier, then followed by a thousands of pelting rain. The two ponies were soaked by the rain.
"Go, Rainbow. Fly over the ship!" Applejack pointed a hoof at the large ship. It started to sail, trying to get out of the storm. Their little boat was brought by it.
"Too late. I can't fly anymore!" Rainbow's ears drooped, as she frowned.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Suddenly, a flash of lightning scarred the sky until it was followed by a loud rumbling of thunder. The winds got stronger, as a wave pushed their boat with great force, losing Applejack's balance. She stumbled forward, but she was quickly caught by Rainbow.
The pegasus looked at her friend. "Have you ever seen a pegasus fly during a storm?" She shouted, because her voice would be muffled in the loud pelting of rain. "Our wings would get heavy and we wouldn't be able to fly, that's how!" She frowned.
Applejack looked at her side and stood up on her four hooves. "We're messed up." She furrowed her brows.
The waves got wild. The earth mare lost her balance again, and fell onto Dash. She didn't pulled herself from the pegasus, instead, she slumped herself onto her.
Rainbow Dash's felt her heart beating real fast. "Applejack?"
"It's happenin'. Again," Applejack sniffed, as she finally pulled herself from Rainbow.
Dash was clueless. She raised her brow and looked at the earth pony, as she held her to prevent another falling.
The waves were unstoppable and the storm got stronger. Their boat was sent in circles, as both ponies held on tight with each other.
"Applejack!" She looked at her friend, who looked at her with glassy eyes. "if we're gonna die, I just want you to know that....." Rainbow Dash spotted something on their boat that put her in utter horror.
"The boat is sinking!"