//------------------------------// // Conflicting Stories // Story: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic -- Off The Record // by The King of Hearts //------------------------------// //// Conflicting Stories //// Dash walked down the road to Sweet Apple Acres just as she had a couple hours before, determined to help her friend understand the chaotic power she had been given after the defeat of the changeling council. The sun had set a while ago, but the full moon lit the dirt road beautifully. It was a shame Alex was more interested in sleep, than he was in walking with her down here. It was beautiful out, and she would have enjoyed a romantic walk with him. Deciding to close the distance to Applejack, Dash took to the sky and flew over the almost never-ending expanse of trees, watching her shadow as it moved from the tree tops, to the ground in between and back up again. “Hey Applejack!” Dash called, seeing the orange mare standing outside the barn, doing nothing that she could put her hoof on. Figuring that she simply hadn’t been heard, Dash headed down the mare, and landed squarely behind her, shaking her loose hair from in front of her eyes. “Heya! You ready to master that magic of yours?” Dash asked, walking up to AJ and placing her hoof on her shoulder, “Applejack?” She didn’t respond right away. She simply stared at the ground in front of her. “Geez, you’re creeping me out here.” Dash said, walking around to the front of her friend, and lowering her head to meet her gaze, “Hello?” “Rainbow Dash.” She said in monotone, her head lifting up slowly, “How… nice tuh see ya’.” “Uh, are you okay?” Dash asked, instantly nervous at her friends’ attitude. “Ah’m just fine.” She said, her voice still uniform, “How’d you like to help me buck some apples?” “This late?” Dash asked, “You never buck past 3 o’clock unless it’s a special occasion…” “Don’t ah’?” She asked, her head slowly tilting to the side, “Well, how ‘bout we bake sumthin’?” “Applejack, we’re here to work on your magic!” Dash said, taking a step toward her friend, “Is this you being upset over having a hard time casting spells?” Again, she was silent. Dash gave her an expectant look. Again, nothing. “Well, fine!” Dash huffed, a little more scared than she cared to admit, “Come find me when you’re not all… messed up!” “Sure thing, featherbrain.” She said, instantly earning an angry look from Dash. “What did you just call me?” She asked, her annoyance over the situation getting the better of her. “Featherbrain.” She said, her voice having a new touch of malice within it, “Ah’ swear, all ya’ ever think about is flyin’. Never give your friends a second thought.” “Excuse me?” Dash asked, her frustration leading to a little more anger at this point. “You heard me.” She said, her voice deepening as she leaned forward and started daggers at her friend. “Yer’ useless. You’d be nothing if it weren’t for that stallion of yours.” She continued, walking toward Dash slowly, “Ya’ know what ah’ think? You should just kill yourself.” “W-what the hell is wrong with you?!” Dash shouted, her rush of emotions making it hard to show any one on her face. Applejack just smirked, and walked into the barn, leaving Dash alone outside. “Hey! Come back here!” Dash shouted at AJ as she disappeared into the darkness of the wooden building. Huffing unsteadily, Dash looked to her house. She needed to talk to Alex about this. Now. //// “Alex!” Dash bellowed, flicking on the light to their room, causing the stallion to jump out of the bed. “Jesus!” Alex shouted, jumping to a sitting position in the bed, “What the hell!” “I just came from Applejack’s place and you wouldn’t believe—“ “I was having an amazing dream!” Alex cut her off, “You know, I was having this dream where I was sandwiched between you and your mom, with this— “ “What was that?” Dash asked, her anger pausing for a moment. “Uh, you know what? Yeah! Applejack, what a jerk… right? Right!” Alex said, clearing his throat and giving her a serious look. Deciding that he was probably joking, Dash decided to continue with her story. “Well, I went down there, and Applejack was acting weird,” Dash recounted, “Like, weird weird.” “Okay?” Alex asked, squinting at her. “You don’t get it, she was frozen in place, and she was talking all creepy like!” She continued, having an incredibly hard time articulating how her friend was acting, “Then she started insulting me!” Alex’s face read nothing more than confusion. “So… is that it?” He asked. “No!” Dash shook her head, “She told me to kill myself!” “Are you sure?“ Alex asked, his skepticism obvious. “We need to go down there and see her,” Dash said instantly, “I know you were looking forward to some sleep, but this could have something to do with her dark side!” “She already accepted her dark side,” Alex argued, “Why would we be seeing it now?” “I… I don’t know! But maybe it’s something even worse!” Dash said, trying to think of another reason for the behavior, “Maybe a changeling took her place in order to get revenge for what happened at the Hive!” “Or maybe she’s just grumpy that she can’t cast any spells like the rest of us.” Alex countered. “Okay- since when are you the voice of reason?” Dash asked, frowning at the resistance he was putting up, “You’re normally the first one to jump into an adventure.” “I’m not all that interested in an argument the two of you had,” Alex shrugged, hoping this wouldn’t incur her wrath, “She’s probably just on her period or something.” “Period?” Dash asked. “Yeah yeah, I know. You have no idea what that is,” Alex sighed, getting out of the bed, “And I’m glad you don’t. You’d smack me for sure for saying it.” “Come on,” She said, “Just come with me, and we’ll be back before you know it.” “Somehow I don’t believe you,” Alex laughed, giving her a smile that put her at ease. //// The two quickly flew over to Sweet Apple Acres, and headed to the last place Dash and her had spoken. “Applejack?” Alex called, as he and Dash entered the barn on her property, “You still in here?” “Oh, hey Alex!” Applejack called, poking her head out from the upper section of the barn, “An’ Rainbow Dash! Glad ya’ finally made it! Ya’ ready to teach me some magic?” Dash gave her a look of disbelief, as AJ made her way down to the ground floor to meet her friends. “Ya’ look like you were just stung by a bee, Dash!” Applejack laughed, “What’s wrong?” “You know what’s wrong!” Dash shouted, surprising both AJ and Alex, “Don’t act all nice now! Ten minutes ago you told me to kill myself!” “Uh… what?” Applejack asked, looking to Alex with a small frown, to which he shrugged at her, “Ah’ can promise you ah’ never say somethin’ like that!” “It does sound a little—“ “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding, you don’t believe me either?” Dash cut him off, looking at Alex, as he shrunk to the side somewhat. “I- I never said that!” Alex cleared his throat, “It just… seems a little out of character for her… what you’re accusing her of…” “Where is all this comin’ from?” Applejack demanded, looking between them, obviously insulted by the accusations. “You called me ‘featherbrain’ and you told me I didn’t care about my friends!” Dash shouted, as Applejack took a step backward. “Ah’ didn’t say anythin’ like that, or anythin’ about you killin’ yerself!” Applejack said defensively, “Just what in tarnation’ do ya’ think is wrong with me?!” “It- it happened!” Dash said, looking to Alex for help, only to receive none from him. It felt like a punch in her gut to have him not believe her. “I- Just forget it!” Dash shouted, taking to the sky instantly, and flying off fast enough to ensure that nopony would follow her. Both Alex and Applejack watched her fly off into the distance, “Do ya’ reckon she’s alright?” “I don’t know.” Alex shook his head. “Ah’ just can’t believe she’d make sumthin’ like that up!” AJ said, shaking her head, “Ya’ think it’s for attention?” Alex glared at her. “Something’s up.” He said, “I’m going to go work things out with her.” With that, he took off into the sky, leaving Applejack on the ground. //// Off in the distance, the dark figure unwound her magic strands from Applejack, and gave them a new destination. ////