“Rainbow would you sit down?” Applejack asked watching her best friend, Rainbow Dash, pace back and forth across the train cart.
“I can’t AJ!” She squealed practically bouncing from hoof to hoof. “I’m just so excited” she sighed and dramatically fell into her seat. “I mean I get to see the Wonderbolts”
“Haven’t you seen them at least a million times?” Applejack replied rolling her eyes.
“Well, yeah.” Rainbow Dash said sitting up and bouncing in her seat, “But this is the first time I’ll see them in Appleosa!”
“Oh yeah, because that makes it so much different than any other place.” She raised her eyebrow.
“Well…” the mare tapped her chin thinking of a retort “No, but this is the first time you’ll see the Wonderbolts perform,” She enthusiastically threw her arms out towards her friend, “Aren’t you excited?”
“Yeah, I guess,” She shrugged, “But I think I’m more excited to see my cousin. I haven’t seen him since the Apple Family Reunion.”
“But these are the Wonderbolts!” She threw her hoofs in the air and nodded her head, “I mean there’s Spitfire, the captain, and Soarin’, her second in command, and who can forget about Fleetfoot, one of the fastest Wonderbolts who ever lived. Of course she’s not as fast as me, but still pretty fast.”
Applejack zoned out as Rainbow Dash kept talking. She was tired of how many times they had this conversation. So she stared out the window watching the scenery fly by.
A good five minutes had gone by when Rainbow finally realized that Applejack wasn’t listening. “AJ?” Rainbow waved her hoof in front of her face.
“Huh, what was that?” She asked shaking her head.
“Were you even listening?” She crossed her legs and scrunched her eyebrows together.
“Sorry RD,” The orange pony replied, “You just kept droning on and on.”
“Whatever” Dash got up from her seat, “I’m gonna grab a bite to eat, you coming?”
Applejack shrugged “Eh, I think I’m gonna hold off.” Yawning she continued “I’m gonna hit the hay”
“Alright AJ. Catch yah later,” with that the Pegasus zipped out of the room.
Applejack curled up on her seat staring out the window; slowly drifting off into a peaceful slumber.
Rainbow Dash made her way towards the cafeteria. Spotting Applejack’s brother and sister she walked over to them, “Hey guys, what’s up?”
“Oh just eatin’,” Applebloom said taking another bite of her sandwich.
“Sweet, mind if I join you?” She asked.
“Eenope.” Big Macintosh simply stated as Applebloom scooted over making room for her.
“Awesome, be right back” she said with a smile as she went to the counter to grab her food. “Um, I’ll have that daisy sandwich and a large order of hay fries.”
“Sure coming right up,” The lady responded. “Here you go, have a lovely day”
“Thanks” Rainbow went back to the Apple family and sat down. “So, you guys excited to see the Wonderbolts?”
“Eeyup” Big Mac answered.
“Oh yeah! Scootaloo’s gonna be so jealous,” The young filly commented, “I wonder if I could meet them!” She squealed.
“Hmmm… maybe, I mean I did save their lives once, they could owe me a favor”
Applebloom’s eyes widened, “You did?” And although her older brother stayed quiet he leaned forward towards the young mare his ear giving a small twitch.
“Well it all started the day of the young fliers competition,” she continued on with the story, leaving out a few parts about her slight panic attack before the actual competition. “Then her wings were gone, poof. The Wonderbolts dived down to save her but were knocked out by her powerful flailing arms. Then before they hit the ground I knew what I had to do!” She waved her hoofs enthusiastically and jumped on the table, “Swoosh, I came down there so fast I created a sonic rainboom, scooped them all up, and bam we all made it back to safety.” She grinned satisfactorily as she finished her story.
“Wow! That’s incredible.” The filly said in awe.
“You really are something Miss Dash” Big Mac drawled.
Rainbow snapped out of her daydream and realized she was standing on the table. She blushed and sat back down, “Aw, thanks guys.” She rubbed the back of her head with her hoof, “But it was no big deal, anypony would have done it if they could. ”
Shrugging Mac turned to Applebloom and asked “You done there?”
“Eeyup!” The filly giggled.
Mac rolled his eyes and got up “Alright, see you later Miss Dash”.
She waved but couldn’t take her eyes off of them as they left, completely ignoring her forgotten sandwich. “Rainbow?” a voice asked.
She jumped, startled to hear her own name “Huh?” She searched around quickly for the culprit, who happened to be none other than Spitfire, captain of the Wonderbolts. She put her hoofs up to her face and squealed. “Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!” She realized that she was fangirling and causally as possible, meaning totally awkwardly, stretched her hoofs out in front of her “I mean uh, hey Spitfire, long time no see”
“Relax, it’s just me. So you seeing the show in Appleoosa?” She asked as she took a seat across from her.
“Oh yeah!” She pumped her hoof in the air, ‘‘my best friend has some family out there so she offered to put me up for the week,” Rainbow explained.
“That’s great, I hope you enjoy it. I’ve got to go make sure everything is all set up I think we’ll be there soon. Good seeing you.” She got up to walk away.
“Thanks, good luck!” Rainbow waved, but quickly remembers her conversation with Applebloom, “Hey before you go,” Spitfire turned around to listen “Do you remember the little filly that was sitting with me earlier?”
“Sure, I also saw you stare at her good looking young father” the Wonderbolt winked.
The light blue pegasus turned bright red continuing on “Well it was actually her older brother, but anyway I was wondering if I could get some backstage passes for them? She really wants to meet you guys”.
“Oh sure,” She said, “You wanna come back to my cabin? I’ll hook you guys up.”
“Great!” Rainbow said picking up her uneaten food and throwing it away.
As they walked to Spitfire’s cabin she decided to make some light conversation, “So you said that the filly was his younger sister?”
“Yup that was Applebloom, she has two older siblings, Applejack and Big Macintosh.”
“Ah, so you came with them to get cozy with Big Macintosh?” Spitfire gave Dash a nudge with her hoof and a wink with a quick laugh.
Rainbow again turned bright red “What? No,” She chuckled nervously “They just heard about the Wonderbolts coming here and asked if I wanted to come.”
“Oh, so he asked you?” She laughed again as Rainbow Dash continued to be flustered.
“What? No, I swear it’s not like that” She tried to defend herself but her light fur coat was almost a dead giveaway that it wasn't entirely true.
“Ok, ok, I'm just teasing you. Here we are, go ahead.” She tilted her head towards the door.
Rainbow went inside only to be awestruck by the sight, “Wow!” Inside her room there were dozens of flowers, gift baskets and cards. “This. Is. Awesome!”
Spitfire entered the room and shrugged “Yeah, I guess.”
“You guess?” her friend questioned.
“I don’t know, I guess after a while it just feels like people are sucking up to you because they want something. Or they can say “Hey I’m friends with a wonderbolt”. After a while it’s hard to know who your real friends are.” She sighed and then perked up “Anyway here are those passes you wanted,” She handed them over to Rainbow Dash.
“Oh… uh… Thanks” She forced a smile on her face while an awkward silence filled the room.
Thankfully it only lasted a few seconds before the door swung open, “Hey Spits, you in here?” a male pegasus entered the room. He was tall, his coat a dark green, while his mane took a complete 180 with an electric green, and his eyes were dark blue that matched the night sky.
“Hey Money Bags,” Spitfire walked up to him and planted a kiss on his cheek. “This is Rainbow Dash,” She said pointing towards her friend “Dash this is my coltfriend Money Bags”
“Nice to meet you Rainbow” He extended out his hoof.
Rainbow took it and shook “You too” She grinned. Hoping not to overstay her welcome she turned to Spitfire, “Anyway, I got to go but thank you for the passes”
“Anytime RD.” She waved as her friend left the room.
Back in her room she saw the Apple’s were packing up, “What took you so long Dash?” Applejack asked, slightly annoyed.
“Oh nothing, I was just getting these from a friend,” She pulled out five back stage passes for the Wonderbolts.
Applebloom’s eyes widened and she ran up to Rainbow Dash, “Oh my gosh!” She squealed, “Are these really what I think they are?”
“Yup, I met up with Spitfire after you guys left,” She responded.
“I can’t believe I’m gonna meet the Wonderbolts!” The filly yelled bouncing from hoof to hoof.
“Now Applebloom remember that they are just ponies like you and me,” Applejack said, but still couldn’t quite hide the smile spreading across her face.
“Yeah, I know, I know, but still,” She said, waving off her sister.
“Alright now that we got that out of the way, you all packed up and ready to go? We will be there in less than five minutes.” Applejack asked her younger sister.
“Eeyup, I got my coloring book, my playing cards and my pillow,” She smiled.
“Good now let’s go meet up with Mac towards the front,” She glanced at Rainbow Dash “Meet up with us after you’re all set, ok?”
“Sure, I’ll be up there in ten seconds flat”
Rolling her eyes Applejack left the room with her sister in tow. Rainbow Dash threw everything she had brought with her half-hazardously into her saddlebags. Racing up to the front to meet up with the rest of the Apple family.
“See,” She exclaimed, “ten seconds flat”.
“Wow, who would’ve saw that coming” Applejack mentioned flatly.
Rainbow Dash stuck her tongue out while the conductor announced, “Now stopping at Appleloosa. Hope you have a pleasant stay.”
The group stepped off the train looking for Braeburn and as if by magic he appeared a little to close to comfort. “Howdy y’all! Welcome to Appleoosa! I’m so glad you could be here.” He hollered giving each family member a hug “And Rainbow Dash you’re as good as family here,” He said pulling her into his arms, catching Dash by surprise.
Applejack couldn’t help but chuckle at her friend’s stunned expression. Luckly for Rainbow Dash, Big Mac cleared his throat loudly when the hug went on a bit to long for her liking. Braeburn let go of Rainbow and took a few steps forward “It can’t be?” He asked looking off into the distance.
“What is it cuz?” Applebloom tilted her head to the side.
Without a response, he took off toward a group of ponies getting off the train, “Spitfire?” He yelled.
The yellow mare looked up “Braeburn?” her eyebrows came together puzzled at the sight.
“Wow, is it really you? Did you actually make it?” He said giving her a hug.
The rest of the Apple family and Rainbow Dash caught up “What the hay?” Rainbow asked, “You guys know each other?”
“Uh, yeah,” Spitfire started to explain, still somewhat in shock, “We go way back. I was born in Fillydelphia and moved to Cloudsdale when I was ten. Braeburn was my best friend.”
“How come I never knew that?” Applejack asked.
“We were so young at the time and you never really asked.” Braeburn defended. “I can’t believe you actually made it! When we were young that’s all you talked about. Flying for the Wonderbolts, you thought going to Cloudsdale would be your shot.”
“Well look at you! You started up a whole new town. And look at all those apple trees.” Spitfire commented.
“Hey Spits, who are these guys?” Soarin walked up to the group, followed by Money Bags.
“Oh hey, this is my old friend Braeburn” Spitfire introduced, “We were best friends when we were foals. And if I had to guess this is his family. And of course you know Rainbow Dash.”
“Nice to meet you Braeburn. The names Soarin.” He said shaking his hoof.
“And I am Money Bags, Spitfires colt friend”
Money Bags seemed to put a little to much emphasis on the word coltfriend, which threw Braeburn off a little. And there was something about him that seemed almost familiar, sending off little alarms in his head, but introduced himself anyway. “Nice to meet you fellas, this is my family, Big Mac, Applejack, and little Apple Bloom, and it sounds like you already know Rainbow Dash.”
“Hey! I’m not little,” the filly complained.
“I know you,” Soarin stepped towards Applejack.
“Yah do?” The mare in question tilted her head.
“Sure,” he gave a sad smile, “I guess I look pretty different out of uniform” He let out a nervous laugh. “I ate one of your pies at the”
“Grand Galloping Galla!” AJ gasped, “I do remember you. You were my only customer that night.”
“You know if you like pie you guys are always welcome to come for dinner at my place,” Braeburn offered.
“If your pie is half as good as Applejack’s I’ll be there in a heartbeat!” Soarin winked at the orange mare.
“Aww, thanks sugar cube,” Applejack blushed.
“Alright my place is right next to the huge barn just North of town. Yah can’t miss it,” Braeburn explained “See you there tonight.”
“For sure,” Spitfire smiled giving Braeburn one more hug before departing with the rest of the Wonderbolts.
“Wow, I can’t believe you know the captain of the Wonderbolts!” Applebloom exclaimed.
“I just can’t believe she actually made it. That’s the only thing she would talk about when we were kids.” He explained once again, more for himself than anypony else.
“I just can’t believe one of the most famous pegasus in Equestria has a thing for earth ponies,” Rainbow Dash said chuckling.
“Huh? What do yah mean?” Applebloom asked innocently.
“Don’t you go spreading rumors now, you know she has a coltfriend” Applejack cautioned.
“Oh, I wasn’t talking about Spitfire,” Rainbow smirked and pulled in close to Applejack whispering, “I think you and I both know which one I’m talking about”.
The comment made Applejack stop in her tracks and stammer, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh don’t I?” she raised an eyebrow, “So you didn’t, as Rarity would put it, seem to see how his face lit up when he saw you and there was that dreamy look in his eyes,” Rainbow exaggerated.
“Eenope” Applejack face turned bright red while she caught up quickly to her family.
The rest of the trip was rather uneventful while everyone had a moment to think about the upcoming days.