Bounce.

Rarity watched as the other pony sailed into the air, face a mask of grim determination.

Bounce.

Each time she would lunge for her target, which sat just out of reach.

Bounce.

Each time she would sail back down to earth, collide with the giant trampoline, and fly upwards again, a little closer.

Bounce

Rarity wasn't really one for pranks - they were terribly uncouth - but even she had to giggle at this one. She wasn't sure which of her friends had planned the prank, but the execution had clearly been a team effort.

Bounce

Applejack let out a yell of frustration as her hooves flew just short of her hat, which hung suspended from a low hanging cloud, and Rarity allowed herself a small, dignified smile.

Bounce.

Steadily, the farmer got closer.

Bounce.

And still closer.

Bounce.

Rarity watched with amusement as Applejack finally grabbed onto the hat. The ingenious way it was tied to the cloud, however, refused to yield, even to the weight of a full-grown pony. Applejack was now suspended a dozen feet above the ground, hooves kicking wildly.

That the prank was ingenious was something that even Rarity was prepared to admit, just as she would sometimes deign to accept that, despite Twilight's attempts at interior decorating, the library was quite pleasant on the rare occasion that it was not on fire. However, it was still quite uncouth. She wondered exactly how long it would be before Applejack exacted a painful vengeance.

She also wondered what would happen if she were to just shift the trampoline a few feet to the left, and whether she could do it without being noticed. The more she considered the idea, the more she liked it. After all, she was being generous by giving the pranksters (whomever they may be) a good head start before Applejack went on the warpath. It would be the perfect crime.

306970
Yup, ninja'd. A hunt and pecker like m'self is no good at these forum games.

306974

Still works if she falls. :P

"Well hey, do ya think you could help me down from here?" Applejack asked. Rarity's mind was turning, so she wasn't paying much attention to Applejack. When the farmer whistled, Rarity looked up.

"Oh dear, I don't how I could possibly help!" Rarity cried. "My horn... it's not working properly. I think I've been using it too much. I've got to give it a rest. I'll be sure to find somepony else though, darling."

And with that, Rarity walked away and hid in some bushes to continue watching the prank unfold.

Applejack, unwilling to yield to gravity, gripped the hat harder. Her mind began racing, thinking of everyone (or at least anyone who would pass by) that could help. Rarity proved to be as much help as a cart with square wheels, Twilight was most likely busy in her library working on some fancy project, Fluttershy was away in the mountains helping a family of eagles who was having nest troubles, Rainbow Dash hasn't been seen or heard from in days and Pinkie Pie... well, she felt safer with Pinkie Pie not helping.

Unfortunately, speaking of the worst pony to help, Pinkie Pie came bouncing along the road, stopping abruptly when she saw Applejack dangling from her hat. The pink pony burst out laughing and rolled around on the ground.

Suddenly, Pinkie's Pinkie sense went off, "Twitchy, twitchy, twitcha, twitch," Pinkie suddenly said, "I think Applejack needs are help."

"Is she in danger?" asked Rainbow Dash

"No, I don't think so," replied Pinkie

"Then she'll be fine, now where were we?" said Rainbow Dash seductively, followed by Pinkie and Rainbow Dash continuing to make out in the kitchen of Sugarcube Corner.

And then they had sex.

---

Back at the cloud, Applejack huffed in exasperation.

She was not letting go of her hat - that much was clear. Wherever it went, she did too. But that being said, clouds were never known to stay in one place. While they were put in place by pegasi at scheduled times, they were anchored by nothing at all; the slightest breath of wind could send a single cloud on a journey spanning metres or miles, drifting slowly through the sky without a care in the world.

And so, at the slightest breath of wind, Applejack began her adventure, hanging by the edge of her hooves to her most precious belonging. Where she would end up, she had no clue. How she would return home was mere speculation at this point.

Quite frankly...

The problem was not on her mind- her attentions were more focused on holding on to the hat. Her arms started to ache, and somehow the hat became more slippery.

Spontaneously, the cloud started to rain. Applejack scrabbled at the hat in desperation, but lost her grip and started falling...

Applejack fell from the sky following droplets of rain as they headed towards the ground. Her eyes were fixed on her prized hat as her forelegs attempted to grasp it.

As she raced towards the ground, dozens of memories surfaced from the depths of her mind. Her attempt to harvest all of Sweet Apple Acres during Applebuck season, the Grand Galloping Gala, her competition with the Flim Flam brothers during cider season, every memory was precious to her and every memory lasted a few seconds. She was content with what she saw and lived what she would call a satisfying life. But one thought surfaced as the trip down memory lane ended.

Why....

surprised by the fall, applejack comes back down onto the trampoline at an odd angle and is thrown off the side. she hits the ground rolling, softening her fall a bit. feeling sore from the fall, she slowly stands and glares up at the hat hanging from the cloud. the hours spent finally getting to it had all come crashing down. literally. she kicked the dirt and walked again toward the trampoline, not sure what else to do.
"Oooh! so thats where i left my hat"."
applejack turns to see princess celestia walking up beside the trampoline.
"pardon me yer higness?"
"ive been looking for my hat everywhere. somepony must have moved the cloud after i had hung my hat on it."
celestia takes a few more steps before leaping into the air and easily nipping the hat off of the cloud.
"umm, princess? that theres my hat youve got."
celestia raises an eyebrow, levitating the hat in front of her before replacing it on her head.
"no no applejack, i was given this hat long ago by another member of the apple family. i can see why you must be confused, but i assure you this is mine."
"oookay. well, see ya princess."
"you have a good day applejack, say hello to all your friends for me will you?"
applejack watches as celestia walks away, now quite confused.
"then where in the hay is my hat?" she yells out, stomping her hoof.

Celestia chuckled as she flew away with Applejack's hat, just far enough to hide and watch the orange pony gaping in confusion. True, it was rather un-princessly to allow herself to be bribed with cake, but she had other reasons for playing along with the pranksters' scheme. Now to just sit back and wait, and hope that Twilight followed through with her part of the plan.

"Applejack! Applejack!" Twilight called from several hundred yards away. "Can I please, please borrow your hat? I desperately need it for a science experiment, and if I don't get it, Canterlot might be in serious danger!"

Shoot, Applejack thought. What am Ah going to say? Ah don't want the downfall of Equestria to be in mah hooves! "Um... uh... well...."

"Please, Applejack! This is an emergency!"

Oh no... What am ah going to do?

AS A SIDE NOTE:
I think AA should publish the stories when they are finished.