//------------------------------//
// Amen 
// Story: Appledashery 
// by Just Essay 
//------------------------------//

	"And that's when—out of nowhere—fwoooosh!  The tornado just disappeared on its own!" Thunderlane exclaimed.  He looked at the other ponies gathered before Sugarcube Corner.  "At first, we thought that Rainbow Dash had done it.  Cuz... y'know.  But then, once we caught up to the swath of debris, we found that it was this dude right here who'd done it!"  He reached over and patted Stu's shoulder.

Stu chuckled, brushing his forelimb away.  "Really... I was just lucky that it worked out the way it did."  He heard a voice clearing to his side.  He looked over.

Applejack leaned against the front of Sugarcube Corner.  She chewed on a haystalk while smirking at the stallion.

"Okay... okay..."  Stu exhaled.  "So... yeah, it was tough, but I did it.  I threw in all my wing muscle too.  Like... you should have heard me screaming as I pulled the winds back with just my feathers alone.  It's like in all of those crazy action comics with big beefy superheroes having a super awesome moment.  Almost wish I had a microphone on me."

"Think you can reenact the shout now?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Er... n-no... eheh..."  Stu brushed one hoof with another.  "Not really."

"Come onnnn!"  Candy Mane insisted, smiling from where she stood next to Thunderlane.  "Try it!"

"Surely you remember, dude," Sharp Quill said.

"Heheh... what's it matter?  Look, it's not the flare of taking down a tornado that counts!  It's the method!  Just as Rainbow Dash taught me."  Stu gulped.  "Though... uh... I'm a bit surprised nopony heard me screaming.  I about broke my lungs with all that strain."

"Heheheh..."  Applejack leaned in, nuzzling him as she winked at the others.  "Reckon I can imagine it."

"There ya go!"  Stu pointed.  "Good enough!"

"Bet it sounded like how badly he was wailin' that one time a bucket full of corn fell on his tail."

"Snkkkt!"  Stu winced at her.  "Applejack!  I didn't wail!"

"You sure did!"  Applejack chuckled.  "Like a big ol' baby!"

"I may have yelped or grunted, but I didn't wail!"

"You sayin' I'm makin' a fib?" Applejack squinted.

Stu winced, his ears folding.  "No, ma'am."

Pinkie Pie and Sharp Quill laughed.

Candy Mane squinted.  "A bucket of corn?"

"Look... it was very... very HEAVY corn, alright?" Stu said, making everyone laugh again.

"Hahahah!"  Applejack guffawed, then hugged him from the side.  "It sure was!  I was there!"  She smiled.  "Best ears we have to pluck at Sweet Apple Acres!  Couldn't have had a better bounty fall on his poor behind!"

"Guess that's one way to make your coltfriend pass the test!" Pinkie Pie said.

"Yeah, well..."  Applejack smiled at him.  "Every now and then, there's room for a do-over."

He smiled back at her.

"So... the Mayor's getting you a medal, right?" Thunderlane said.  "She'd better."

"Only if she gives it to the rest of the weather team as well," Stu said.  "After all, if it wasn't for them..."

As the conversation continued...

...a blue set of ears twitched.

Rainbow Dash watched from a cloud high above Sugarcube Corner.  Her ruby eyes rested on Applejack... on her happy smile... on the freckles that glistened in the sunlight every time she laughed.

With a calm breath, the mare pivoted from the conversation, tore the scene from her sight, and flew off in a steady glide.