The Silent Glade
Dreaming of Stars
By Wanderer D
Applejack turned around and slammed her hooves on the tree’s trunk, shaking loose all the apples it contained, which landed in carefully placed baskets.
She smiled and sighed, looking over the area she had been working on. “Just a few more to go and then I can go t’ the eastern field,” she muttered to herself before turning around and approaching the next tree.
She was about to make a running start when she noticed some leaves shaking and falling. Her smile grew. That could mean only one thing.
“This time Ah’ll tell her,” she promised. “Ah’ll ask her to just come an’ sit down with me an’ Ah’ll tell her exactly how Ah feel.”
She made her way up to the tree and listened carefully, confirming the sounds of snoring coming from among the branches. It was still early in the morning, so there was a chance that a certain pegasus had spent the night in there.
Grinning, she turned around and bucked the tree as hard as she could. “Time to wake up, Rainbow... Dash?”
“Meep! Oof!”
“F-fluttershy?!” Applejack stammered, as disappointed as she was surprised, offering a hoof to the downed pegasus. “What in tarnation are you doin’ sleepin’ in one of my trees?”
“Oh... I’m so sorry, Applejack,” Fluttershy apologized, accepting the hoof and getting up. “I was helping Mr. Squirrel settle down in his new home in the Everfree and it became really dark and well... I just had to hide. I’m sorry.”
“Never mind that,” Applejack sighed. “Ah’m sorry Ah kicked you down. Ah was expectin’ it to be Rainbow Dash.”
“Sorry.”
“Stop apologizin’!” Applejack groaned. “It’s fine, Ah tell ya.” She sighed. “Ah do wonder where Rainbow Dash has been lately. Ah haven’t seen her sleepin’ in any of my trees in more than a week!”
“I um, thought you didn’t like her doing that?” Fluttershy looked at Applejack with a bit of confusion.
“Ah honestly don’t mind that much,” Applejack confessed, moving up to the next tree and giving it a buck, watching in satisfaction as all apples fell into their correct baskets. “Ah really enjoy her company, and Ah think it’s kinda cute when she gets startled by one of my...” she trailed off, blinking and looking over to Fluttershy. “You ain’t gonna repeat that to anypony, got it?”
Fluttershy, who had developed a small smile quickly suppressed it, shaking her head. “N-no, I won’t!”
“Good,” Applejack’s eyes narrowed. “Ah know Ah can trust you, Fluttershy, but Ah ain’t gonna count on everypony else to respect that.”
Fluttershy nodded, silently following her friend as she bucked away at the trees.
“Ah just don’t get why she’s not stoppin’ by anymore, y’know?” Applejack groaned, kicking another tree. “Ah miss her. Ah kinda need her energy, she gets me all riled up and Ah can work harder and sometimes she even helps me!”
Fluttershy blinked. “You mean that she makes you want to get into a fight and that helps you work?”
“Well, yeah!” Applejack laughed. “Can you imagine repeatin’ the same thing over an’ over without it getting mountainous?”
“Monotonous.”
“That’s what Ah said.” Applejack nodded. “Anyway, Rainbow Dash makes me think about other stuff without gettin’ in the way, y’know? Ah can still finish workin’ and feel like Ah can race her t’ the barn—”
Fluttershy squeaked and blushed.
“...to roll the hay...”
Fluttershy’s blush increased.
“...and... what exactly are you thinking we’d do there?” Applejack asked Fluttershy. “You look as red as a Gala Apple.”
“N-nothing...”
“Darn tootin’ we’re not doin’ anythin’!” Applejack nodded. “Just putting the hay away and workin’, and gettin’ into little fights.”
“Right,” Fluttershy said, nodding firmly, but then she hesitated. “Um... well, I... does Rainbow Dash know how you feel?”
Applejack stopped cold, and didn’t turn to look at her at all. “Ah ain’t gonna tell her,” she said. “Rainbow Dash will definitely not like it if Ah do.”
“But—”
“Fluttershy,” Applejack spoke in calm voice, completely silencing her friend. “Ah won’t tell her. Ah won’t risk my friendship with her.”
Fluttershy nodded and sighed. “I’d better go home,” she cringed. “I made sure there was enough food for all the animals, but they must be worried...” she gave Applejack an apologetic look. “I’m sorry.”
Applejack snorted. “Never you mind that,” she laughed. “We all have things to do. Now, git.”
Fluttershy nodded before trotting away, leaving her to buck apple trees in silence.
Applejack gave one final buck before sighing and sitting down. The absence of Rainbow Dash was bothering a lot more than she was willing to admit to Fluttershy.
“Maybe Ah should go find her.” She stood up and looked towards Ponyville, barely visible from her position among the trees. “Figure out what’s happenin’ and why she hasn’t stopped by.”
o.0.o
Applejack fidgeted in front of the library door. “Ah can’t believe Ah’m nervous about this.” She shook her head. “Come on, Applejack, git your head together!”
Taking in a deep breath, she knocked on the door and only had to wait for a few moments before it was answered by Twilight Sparkle herself.
“Oh, Applejack!” Twilight smiled. “How are you today? Come on in! Spike and I were just re-organizing the fiction section!”
Applejack stepped into the library and gazed in bewilderment at the huge pile of books on the floor. “Twilight, Ah’ll never figure out how you can get that many books into small stands like that. It don’t make any sense!”
“Of course it does!” Twilight giggled. “We just do it carefully! So, what can I help you with today? Do you need a book on some obscure form of farming? A guide for international competitions? 1001 Hay-rolling techniques?”
Applejack shook her head. “Nah,” she waved her hoof dismissively. “Ah’m not here for any of that. Ah’m just wonderin’ if you’ve seen Rainbow Dash ‘round.”
Twilight looked up at her from the pile of books. “Oh... you didn’t get into a fight with her, did you?”
“Not at all!” Applejack said, raising her hooves placatingly. “Ah just haven’t seen much of her lately, and Ah know she enjoys readin’ them ‘Daring Do’ books with you, so Ah wanted to check if she had been here lately.”
Twilight shook her head. “I’m afraid she hasn’t, Applejack.” She tapped her chin with her hoof. “Now that I think about it, I haven’t seen much of her either, she just clears the sky and then pretty much disappears lately.”
“That’s what Ah thought,” Applejack sighed. “On th’ way here Ah met Derpy and she told me just about the same thing.”
“I wonder what has her so busy that she cannot hang around?” Twilight mused, levitating some books. “Maybe another Wonderbolt training camp is coming up?”
“Ah doubt it,” Applejack grumbled. “She’d be so excited she’d tell us all about it. No, it has to be somethin’ else. But what?”
Twilight shrugged. “I’ll help you out if you want, just let me finish putting these away...”
“Nah, don’t worry, Twilight,” Applejack said, shaking her head and waving a hoof dismissively. “Ah’ll find her. Ah’m sure she’s fine, and Ah wanna talk to her anyway.”
Twilight paused but nodded after a moment. “Okay, if you say so, but don’t forget to let me know if you do need help!”
Applejack chuckled. “Ah won’t forget to do so, Twilight,” she said, tilting her hat at her. “Ah’d best be goin’, it’s ‘round the time for Rainbow Dash to by flyin’ cleaning them clouds, and Ah don’t intend to miss her.”
“Good luck!” Twilight called, waving at her departing friend.
o.0.o
Applejack kept her eyes in the sky as she made her way through Ponyville.
“Oops!” She chuckled when she slammed onto a random colt. “Sorry there, partner.”
She decided to look where she was going, but still kept glancing up. That little stumble almost cost her her chance.
As her eyes went to the sky, she caught, just off the corner of her eye a rainbow contrail.
It was pure luck that she faced east when she did, or she would have missed the tell-tale rainbow heading out of Ponyville.
Not pausing to give a glance around, Applejack barreled her way through everypony or anything that stood in her way. She was not letting Rainbow Dash get away without figuring out what was happening.
She dodged, jumped and rolled around, over and under the multitude of ponies that lived in Ponyville, eliciting protests of surprise and more than once somepony shouted “Apple Bloom!” before they realized it was the elder sister causing the chaos.
Applejack silently promised herself she would cut her sister some slack just once to atone for the chaos she was causing. But that would be later. Her objective was almost completely out of sight, and her trail was disappearing.
She increased her speed until she finally lost sight of Rainbow Dash. But she had marked the direction the pegasus had been flying and her chances were pretty good at finding her again. Except for one problem.
She was on the edge of the Everfree Forest.
Applejack shook her head. “Well, ain’t like Ah’ve never gone in by myself before,” she muttered and stepped in. “Ah do wonder what she’s lookin’ for here. That ain’t the way to Zecora’s hut.”
The daylight faded away as she made her way deeper and deeper into the forest. The forest had an amazing way of dulling the sounds all around her, until she was walking in almost complete silence, broken only by her hooves stepping on dried leaves.
The forest itself didn’t seem that dreary during the morning; it had the feel of subdued calm, as if it were asleep. Which made sense, since most of the creatures that inhabited it were nocturnal. Still, Applejack did not fancy staying too long in there.
She kept her eyes straight, her ears perked and her muscles tense. At first she had thought Rainbow Dash might have headed to Zecora’s, but she had left behind the trail that would lead her there.
The deeper she went, the more she realized she had never stepped into this area of the Everfree Forest before. Never before had she considered the most dangerous place she knew... calm. Relaxing even. There seemed to be a little mist rising between the trees, but not dense enough to make her nervous. She slowed down, taking it in. In an almost dream-like state, she barely noticed the sound of water splashing nearby, but when she did, she didn’t hurry. There was no need to hurry.
Each stomp of her hooves on the soft ground barely made an audible sound. The vibrant colors around her seemed eternal and deep. The trees, bushes and moss pulsated with life. It felt ancient. Forgotten, even. This was... this felt like the oldest place she had ever been to. Far older than the Sister’s Castle. Older, even, than the Crystal Empire.
She eventually reached the shore. The treeline receded several meters behind her, the wild grass extending a little past the trees before it turned into soft sand.
The lake.
This was the place. The most ancient and sacred place she had ever witnessed. So beautiful. So big! She had never known this was here. The crystalline water licked the shore, which extended just out of sight in both directions, in silence. The lake itself was covered by a slight mist, just like the one among the trees. Floating just over the water, not high enough to hide anything, but there, always present.
Applejack could see the shore on the other side. The distant pointy tops of the trees marked the sheer width of the lake. To her left, she could see a large rock, jutting out of the trees, covered in moss, it’s lower part looking like a wolf’s muzzle over the edge of the lake.
Something moved there, snapping her out of her reverie. A flutter. A blue figure. Applejack frowned as she concentrated on it. It was... “Rainbow Dash...” she whispered. Slowly she skirted the edge of the shore, careful not to let the water touch her hooves.
She paid it no heed. It was instinctual. Just as that deep, nagging feeling that she shouldn’t be there. And neither should Rainbow Dash.
Applejack made her way to the rock, which stretched down in a slope to the edge of the woods, allowing her to climb onto it with ease. She made her way up, slowly, to make sure she wouldn’t slip on the moss.
She stopped a few steps behind Rainbow Dash, who was simply looking down into the lake. Curious, she made her way to her friend’s side, looking askance at the pegasus, who ignored her, although the twitching of her ear indicated she was aware of Applejack’s presence.
When she looked down at the lake, she couldn’t help but gasp. Immediately her eyes went to the sky, which was as blue and sunny as when she had left Ponyville. She looked down at the lake, which reflected a night sky, full of sparkling white stars and constellations. Even a falling star!
Applejack looked up again, mouth agape. Nope. It was still daytime.
“It’s... amazing, isn’t it?” Rainbow Dash whispered. The hushed tone sounded strange coming from such a boisterous mare, but the forest... the lake... the stars seemed to demand and inspire silent awe.
Applejack gulped. “It is...” she whispered back. “Wh-what is this place, Rainbow Dash?”
“I don’t know,” the pegasus replied, not taking her eyes off of the water. “I found it just last week. I thought this was where Luna stored the night sky but...”
“But?”
“I came here late at night, to see if it was... and...” Rainbow Dash finally tore her eyes from the water to look at Applejack. “They were still here...”
Applejack shuddered, not knowing why. “Ah don’t know, Rainbow Dash, maybe it was reflectin’ the stars from that night?”
Rainbow Dash shook her head and motioned at the water. “Look carefully,” she instructed. “You’ll see what I mean.”
Applejack frowned and looked straight down at the water. It took her a minute to figure it out, but once more her eyes were wide. “There ain’t no reflection!” she gasped, looking to the water then back to Rainbow Dash. “That ain’t reflectin’ the rock we’re standin’ on, nor me or you!”
“That night, I also realized that those are not our stars,” Rainbow Dash added. “In flight school we were taught to navigate by the stars, in case we were lost at night,” she explained. “But those stars...” she shook her head.
They remained in silence for a little while, looking at the lake and the forest around them.
“Is this where you’ve been comin’ these last few days?” Applejack finally asked.
Rainbow Dash snorted. “Yeah, it’s not like I’m missed or anything. You all have stuff to do, and at least you don’t have to kick me off of your trees anymore, right?”
Applejack didn’t meet her eyes. “Ah...” she shook her head.
“Besides,” Rainbow Dash’s voice lowered again. “They’re calling me.”
Applejack blinked. “What? Who?”
Rainbow Dash did not answer, merely nodding towards the water.
“Rainbow Dash, the water doesn’t speak,” Applejack said, her tone worried.
“Not the water,” the pegasus replied. “The stars.”
“What?”
Rainbow Dash nodded, locking eyes with Applejack, who leaned a little, entranced by those reddish-pink irises. “The stars... not all of them, just a few,” she shook her head, trying to express what she could hear. “A constellation... it calls itself ‘pegasus’. It... he...”
Applejack frowned when Rainbow Dash pulled away. “What does it say?”
Rainbow Dash sighed. “He says I belong with him.” Her eyes met Applejack’s again. “When he talks... I feel like I’m flying at maximum speed. Like I’m doing a sonic rainboom. There’s nothing but me and... and flight.”
Applejack shook her head. “Ah can’t say Ah understand that,” she confessed. “Ah’m just an earth pony, Ah feel the earth under my hooves, and the life of plants... but ah never been able to... imagine what flight is like.” She sighed, nuzzling Rainbow Dash. “Come on, Dashie. Let’s go back to Ponyville, Ah bet Pinkie has some new pastries for us to try, an’ the stars will still be here tomorrow.”
Reluctantly stepping away from the edge, Rainbow Dash nodded. “Yeah, sure.”
The pair slowly made their way down the rock and headed home.
o.0.o
“Rainbow Dash!” Applejack called, bucking the apple tree where the pegasus lay as hard as she could. “Ah’ve told you that you’re welcome to come help, but our trees ain’t beds!”
“Sorry! Sorry!” Rainbow Dash shouted, holding on to the branch she had been lying on reflexively. “Geez, Applejack! I only needed a nap!”
“In exactly the same tree Ah left you next to last night, when you were supposed to go home?”
“Hey, it’s not like I’m hurting anypony by sleeping on a tree!”
“It’s the principle of th’ thing!” Applejack couldn’t stop grinning. It was then that she noticed Rainbow Dash’s furtive glance towards the Everfree and she felt her blood run cold. “Did you really spend the night here?”
“Y-yeah!” Rainbow Dash smiled uneasily. “You know, we were hanging out, you kicking trees, me kicking flank through sheer awesomeness... and you went home, and I laid down on the branch and gazed at the stars,” she elaborated. “And I fell asleep.”
She was lying. And it felt to Applejack like she had been stabbed in the gut. “Ah see,” she managed to mutter through the hurt. She put up a brave smile. “So what are yer plans for today?”
“Oh, not much,” Rainbow Dash closed her eyes, resting her back against the tree trunk and waving her hoof around. “Need to clear up the sky over Ponyville, make sure the scheduled storm clouds are where they’re supposed to be and not dripping their cargo in the wrong place, visit Twilight for the latest Daring-Do and...”
Applejack raised an eyebrow when Rainbow Dash trailed off. “And?”
“A-and head home, it’s a mess.” Rainbow Dash finished, opening her eyes and standing up. “I’d better get going, lots to do.”
Applejack watched Rainbow Dash fly up and do a sharp turn, heading towards Ponyville. Shaking her head she started bucking the trees again. At least Rainbow Dash would spend most of the day cleaning up clouds. Maybe in the meantime she could figure out how to get the pegasus to abandon that place and—
Her thoughts were interrupted by a glimpse in the sky of a rainbow mane. She frowned and looked carefully at the clouds. Had she just imagined it? There were no more sightings, and she finally shook her head, heading back to work.
The day passed as usual. She filled all the baskets she had brought with her, loaded them up in the cart and pulled them to the barn, before heading out again two more times. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo returned from school, rushing past her towards their hideout to plan another foolhardy attempt at getting their cutie marks, no doubt.
“Applejack!” a familiar voice called, and she turned to face Twilight and Fluttershy, who were galloping as fast as they could up to her. She noticed Spike holding on to Twilight’s mane.
“Why, hi there, Fluttershy! Twilight! And Spike!” She nodded. “What brings y’all here?”
“We’re looking for Rainbow Dash,” Twilight explained, panting slightly. “Her weather team is looking for her as well. They have a bunch of paperwork, but nopony can find the orders for the week, they don’t know what to do!”
“Yeah, you should have seen them!” Spike added, eyes wide. “I think Blossomforth and Blue Skies smacked onto each other while rounding up a cloud!”
“What the hay?” Applejack exclaimed when she looked up, and noticed that none of the clouds over Ponyville were gone. “Wasn’t Rainbow Dash supposed to have cleaned those up?”
“She was?” Fluttershy muttered. “Oh my, I better tell the team before they are delayed even more.” With that she was flying as fast as she dared back to Ponyville.
“Fluttershy!” Applejack called. “She also said somethin’ about some storm clouds comin’ this way!”
She couldn’t be sure whether the shy pegasus had heard her or not, but her attention went back to Twilight.
“So you talked to her today?” Twilight asked.
Applejack nodded. “Yeah, she slept all night in the eastern field,” she said, pointing with her hoof. “When Ah woke her up she said she had a whole lot of stuff she had to deal with so she went ahead and left.”
“I see,” Twilight said. “Well, this isn’t good. Her team is desperate, she hasn’t been to work in the last few days and she misplaced the paperwork! She’ll lose her job!”
Applejack shook her head, and frowned. “That ain’t all she’ll lose if ah’m right.”
Twilight Sparkle blinked. “What do you mean, Applejack?”
“She found this place in the Everfree... it’s a pool, but it don’t reflect the sky or anythin’, it just shows th’ stars.”
“The stars? At night?” Spike scratched his head. “That’s not unusual.”
“No,” Applejack shook her head. “Not at night, durin’ the day, it shows stars that Ah’ve never seen before... Rainbow says they talk to her.”
Twilight grew worried. “But... that’s... Applejack, that’s not good at all! If it’s in the Everfree, it is probably dangerous!”
Applejack nodded. “Well then, follow me!” she ordered galloping off.
After barely a second of gaping, Twilight set off as well, with Spike holding on for dear life. “Where are we going?”
“Ain’t that obvious?” Applejack shouted back over her shoulder. “T’ the pool!”
The trio went into the forest, following Applejack’s half-remembered route, which made her slow down enough to give Twilight a chance to catch up.
As they approached, the feeling of calm and silence seeped into the forest around them, just like that time Applejack had first followed Rainbow Dash.
“Twilight... I don’t like this,” Spike whispered. “It feels... odd.”
“There’s something strange here, that’s for sure,” Twilight whispered back. “This silence isn’t natural.”
Applejack nodded. “This is what it felt like the first time Ah followed her in as well,” she whispered. “Ah thought there might’ve been some predator around but...” she shook her head. “It almost feels impossible to have anything disturb the peace here.”
Twilight nodded absently.
Applejack finally lead Twilight and Spike to the pool, where they stood, gaping at the beauty of it all in silence, until she nudged the unicorn. “Come on, Twilight, Ah think Rainbow Dash should be over at that rock.” She pointed to the last place she had seen her friend and barely waited for Twilight to nod before starting to walk towards it.
The trio made their way up the outcropping rock and looked around in confusion.
“Well, she’s not here,” Spike pointed out.
“But... Ah’m sure... she should be...” Applejack shook her head in confusion, looking around the area with narrowed eyes. “Ah swear to y’all, this is the place!”
Twilight patted her shoulder. “It’s okay, Applejack, at least we’ve gotten one place out of the possible places she could—”
“No, Ah know she’s here!” Applejack insisted, eyes searching the area quickly. “Ah can feel it!”
“But, she’s kinda hard to miss,” Spike pointed out. “We would be able to see her unless she’s hiding.”
“No... not hiding,” Applejack said slowly as she felt dread settling in. She walked up to the tip of the rock and looked down at the pool. “She... she’s down there.” She gulped.
Twilight carefully walked up to her and looked down at the pool, gasping at all the stars. “But... wait, you can’t be serious! You think she’s—”
“Don’t say that!” Applejack snapped, glancing at the unicorn fiercely. “She ain’t... she wouldn’t do that! And this place! It’s magical in a weird way...” she glared at the pool. “It called to her.” Her eyes traced the constellation. “It caught her... and Ah’m getting her back!”
“You can’t possibly be thinking of—” Twilight began, but with a mighty jump, Applejack dove into the pool. “Applejack!”
o.0.o
She swam in a sea of stars.
Past the initial ice-cold feeling of the water, she had suddenly found herself floating in dark, velvety darkness that pulsated with life, while stars twinkled and winked at her all around.
Something felt familiar about the place, and she soon realized that it was the same silence and sense of calm that had somehow reached out of the pool and into the forest.
“Rainbow Dash!” she shouted, and it seemed like the emptiness absorbed most of her voice, she was barely able to hear herself!
And then she felt it. As if the stars themselves were looking upon her and a terrible, huge intelligence was suddenly aware of her.
Applejack cringed as feelings not her own invaded her soul. And although they carried no words, she could understand what they wanted. Why are you here?
“Ah-ah came for Rainbow Dash!” She forced herself to speak up, glaring fiercely at... nothing.
More feelings invaded her. Why? She’s happy here.
She was suddenly floating in front of a slightly glowing Rainbow Dash. Her friend seemed asleep, and the light seemed to emanate from within her, the same color of her coat, mane and even cutie mark.
“Why do you want her?” She asked, brushing with her hoof the strands of chromatic hair from the sleeping pegasus’ face. “She could hear y’all callin’, she don’t belong here!”
More feelings. Because she belongs. She’s ours. She hears my voice, the voice of the air and speed and dreams.
“But... Ah don’t understand!”
And then she felt it. Understand then.
She was in the air, flapping her own wings, as currents of wind swept around her. She could feel it all. The pull of gravity... her defiance of it. The warmth in the updrafts, the coolness of the downdrafts... it was freedom on a level she could barely comprehend.
There was no up or down, not here. There was only her will and her wings. She was where she wanted to be, went where she wanted to go. She wasn’t tied to the ground. She wasn’t limited to the oceans.
But then, what remained? Her eyes looked up into the impossibly immense sky, where stars twinkled and shone, promising more than she could ever see in the air, water or earth of Equestria. Something that couldn’t be replaced by anything else.
Unlimited freedom. From everything.
The presence made itself felt again. Feelings invaded Applejack. Now you understand. Now you wish to be like her. With us.
Batting her wings to keep aloft, Applejack slowly pulled down her hat until it covered her eyes. “Is this what Ah want?” she wondered. “Feelin’ like Dash, and having nothing to attach mah self to?”
She gazed into the vastness of space, and then, at that moment, felt terribly and utterly alone.
“Is this what Rainbow Dash feels?” Applejack gasped into the darkness. “But... we’re all there for her, friends an—”
Warmth. But the loneliness remained. Longing and acceptance... no, not acceptance. Resignation. Alone and yet not.
“You don’t have to feel like this, Rainbow Dash!” Applejack shouted, turning around in place. “Ah swear! There’s more waitin’ for you, girl! Come on back!”
Everything around her disappeared and she found herself floating alone in space, once again an Earth Pony.
The alien feelings returned, angry. You deny us. You will not take from us. I own Rainbow Dash now.
“Nopony owns her!” Applejack shouted defiantly. “Ah dare y’all to tell that to her face!”
It seemed like the stars shifted. It was as if they were glistening sparkles inside a huge tentacle made of dark, liquid emptiness... and it reached for her.
“Rainbow Dash!” She shouted desperately. “Come back!”
And just as the star-creature was about to grab her, she was being yanked out of the way in a rainbow trail of speed.
“Applejack?! What are you doing here?” Rainbow Dash asked, looking down at the mare in her forelegs.
“Ah came for you, ya dimwit!” Applejack shouted at the still-glowing pegasus. “How could you jump into the pool and leave us all behind?”
Rainbow Dash shook her head and sped away faster from the tendrils of stars that were trying to get to them. “You know it’s not like that!” She spat after a moment. “I’m not simply abandoning you, but... I just don’t want to feel trapped!”
“We’re trapping you?” Applejack asked, holding onto her hat.
“No, no... I just...” Rainbow Dash sighed. “I care about all of you, and you’re all my best friends, but my only love is flying and I want to take it to the next level... where there’s nothing holding me back.”
“And you think the stars will help you?”
“They do!” Rainbow Dash retorted. “When I’m flying I’m not alone anymore an—”
Whatever she was going to say was interrupted by Applejack’s lips on her own. Rainbow Dash’s eyes snapped open wide and her wings stopped beating, sending them both pummeling down into the vastness of space and incidentally dodging the star-tentacle that had been about to catch them.
When the kiss stopped, green eyes met pink for what felt like an eternity.
“Come back, ya silly mare,” Applejack whispered, her hoof gently tracing Rainbow Dash’s jaw. “There’s no need t’feel lonely.”
“But... but I...” Rainbow Dash stammered before she gulped. “How long?” she finally squeaked.
Applejack looked away. "A couple o’months.”
“Oh.” Rainbow Dash looked down towards the empty space where they were falling deeper and deeper. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Ah... Ah was nervous,” Applejack confessed. “Ah didn’t want to lose ya over this an’ well, Ah just thought that if this could be the last time we were together... Ah wouldn’t have much t’lose... you’d be gone anyway.”
Rainbow Dash was silent for a moment. “I wish you would have told me sooner.”
Applejack sighed. “Ah know, sugarcube, and Ah’m sorry. Ah felt what you feel when flyin’, and Ah can understand if—”
“Nah,” Rainbow Dash interrupted, rolling her eyes. “It would’ve just saved us some time from trying to outfly these jerks!” she snorted, giving her wings a powerful push, driving them out of the way and then correcting her flight so that they were heading upwards.
“Y’all mean you... y-you also felt the same way!?” Applejack stammered. “Why didn’t you say anythin’!?”
Rainbow Dash smirked. “It was just too cute to see you get upset over stuff and then think of some competition to even us out!”
“You mean you annoyed me on purpose?!”
“Eeyup!” Rainbow Dash grinned.
Applejack stared for a moment before planting another kiss on the pegasus’ lips. “You don’t have any idea what that did to me!”
“I do now!” Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Hold on!” She veered to the right, avoiding another tentacle as it shot past them. “And I’m not gonna stop!”
“You’d better not!” Applejack growled, poking Rainbow Dash in the ribs. “Ah happen to enjoy getting annoyed at ya!”
“I can tell things will be a lot cooler now!” Rainbow Dash retorted.
“‘Cool’ ain’t the word y’all be using when we get some time alone,” Applejack promised, witnessing the unique sight of a cyan pegasus suddenly turning crimson all over.
“Y-yeah!” Rainbow Dash stammered. “We’re almost there!”
Applejack looked up, holding her hat on her head with one hoof. They seemed to be approaching a mirror of some sort. She could see their reflection approaching faster and faster. “Uh, Dashie? Are you sure that’s safe?”
“Nope!” Rainbow Dash grinned. “But I’m pretty sure that’s the way out!”
“How do you know that?!”
“It’s the only thing that looks different!” Rainbow Dash replied. “Now, hold on tight!”
Applejack couldn’t help but cringe as she pressed her forehead against Rainbow Dash’s chest the moment the pegasus’ mane made contact with the reflective surface.
And then suddenly, she felt the cold breeze and droplets of water on her coat! She opened her eyes and stared down at the lake below her. The alien stars still being reflected out of the empty sky above.
“We’ve made it!” She shouted, laughing and hugging Rainbow Dash harder. “We’ve made it, sugarcube!”
“Don’t speak too soon!” Rainbow Dash hollered.
With an icy feel settling in her stomach, Applejack looked down again to about five thick tentacles made out of stars shooting out of the water after them!
Rainbow Dash turned and twisted as the tentacles rose around them, trying to trap them and drag them down into the water again. Whenever she seemed to have a clear way out, a tentacle would be there, making her steer out of the way. Soon they wouldn’t be able to escape at all.
“DOWN WITH YOU!” A familiar voice cried, and the tentacles spasmed as blue energy covered the whole lake. “Down I say!” Princess Luna insisted, her magic pushing the tentacles apart long enough for Rainbow Dash to slip through them and rise beyond their reach.
“Rainbow Dash! Applejack!” Twilight called, waving her hoof from the top of the rock where Applejack had seen her last.
Carefully depositing Applejack next to Twilight and Spike, who had been hiding behind Twilight’s hind-legs, Rainbow Dash turned to look at Luna, as she blasted the tentacles over and over, until they had submerged completely. “W-what happened?”
Twilight sighed. “As soon as Applejack jumped into the lake to find you, I sent a letter to Princess Celestia about this,” she said, looking with worry at the water as it stilled completely under Luna’s watchful eyes. “I had never heard of this and I didn’t know what else to do!”
“You did the right thing, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna declared, slowly lowering herself to stand next to the three ponies. “This is where I trapped the most dangerous of constellations, willing to abuse the wishes of the heart to trap ponies and feed off of their souls.”
Twilight blanched. “Stars can do that?”
Luna shook her head. “Not anymore, I trapped those that could, long before I became the Nightmare... and even in that state I knew better than to release them. Nay. The stars above are gentle and kind... these...” she frowned. “Are most definitely not. I was not aware that their seal had broken. It was a true danger to everypony. I shall make sure to strengthen the warning spells, lest this happen again.”
Having said that, her magic enveloped the lake, and soon, it seemed to become solid, like onyx, still reflecting a sky that wasn’t there, but immobile. The sounds of the forest suddenly flooded the area around them, making them remember just how quiet the place had been.
“T-they would have sucked my soul out?” Rainbow Dash whispered faintly.
Luna nodded, turning to look at her and Applejack with a bit of admiration. “Truly, I have never heard of anypony escaping them as you two did. Once a pony is trapped in their dream of emotions, there is almost no chance to escape,” she said, eyeing them. “Up until today, I thought it impossible.”
Rainbow Dash grinned and nuzzled Applejack, much to the surprise of the gathered ponies. “I guess they hadn’t thought of the one feeling I wanted but hadn’t experienced. Everything else, the freedom, the loneliness... I had.”
Applejack looked into her eyes. “But not love?”
Rainbow Dash’s grin became a softer smile. “No... not love.”
Luna smiled. “Interesting. Perchance the stars of old do not account for everything. Or maybe they simply don’t know as much as they would have us believe.”
Twilight sighed. “At least that’s done for... come on girls, it’s time to go home.”
Rainbow Dash glanced at Applejack. “I bet I can beat you to Sweet Apple Acres, no wings.”
Applejack smirked. “Yer on, sugarcube! Be ready to eat my dust!”
“As if!” Rainbow Dash laughed, galloping away.
“Hey! That’s cheatin’!” Applejack shouted, setting off after her. “Get back here, you cheatin’ varmint!”
“And thus, it begins,” Luna chuckled, glancing at Twilight Sparkle. “Would you care for a lift home, Twilight?”
The unicorn smiled at her departing friends, before nodding. “Thank you, Princess. I’m sure they’ll need some time alone.”
o.0.o
As she galloped, side-by-side with Rainbow Dash, grinning so hard her cheeks hurt, Applejack could only shake her head.
“Ah can’t believe Ah waited this long,” she muttered.
“I can,” Rainbow Dash replied, smiling at her surprised look. “Pegasi have pretty good hearing,” she explained, smile never fading. “But yeah, about why you waited this long?” she put on some speed, starting to leave Applejack behind. “It’s because you’re a slowpoke!” she shouted over her shoulder.
“Oh, yer gettin' it now!” Applejack laughed.
Maybe next time Rainbow Dash felt like looking at the stars, she could do it with her. From the ground.
o.0.o The End o.0.o
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Your picture confuses me, as "The Flank" is clearly on Dash's nose, and "The Leg" is clearly on her wing...
Dis gon b gud.
But I prefer FlutterDash...
Oh well, gotta look past that to get to the awesome, right?
~ChocoLatte
this was something different from your usual ship fic. what do you normally ship anyway?
Missed a quote
... Well, for a one-shot, that wasn't bad. I felt like it could have been expanded upon a bit, that they only rushed to find Dash because the weather team just happened to need something desperately right that second. Felt a little off/forced IMO, but I'm not entirely sure how I could fix it personally.
Awesome story, D, a few minor typos notwithstanding. Applejack is reminding me a lot of me in this one =P Only the second AppleDash fic I've truly enjoyed, lol. Well done :)
That was good. I can't really say anything else... it was just... really good.
There's some real depth in the notion of stars that steal souls, I have to say, and overall this was quite lovely.
Finally, it arrives!
Good work, dude-o. :D
Warning: This comment contains spoilers. If you don't want spoilers, DON'T read this comment!
First off, welcome back, sir! I hope everything is going well with you at the moment.
Second, I apologize for not being able to write a shorter comment; I wanted to give my thoughts on as much as I could about this story.
Thirdly, I've just read this story, and I have to say that my first impression is that it's a light, sweet story. Yes, there are typos, although I only remember two of them:
Other than that, I believe the grammar is pretty tight.
Before I get to your story, I'd like to say that there are criticisms/questions presented in this comment. You're free to ignore them as you will; they're not meant to insult or discourage you in any way, but are rather things I personally noticed in the story. They may not even be bad things; I may just lack the knowledge at the moment to truly appreciate some things, and I apologize for that.
Now to get to the actual story!
Let me begin with the big picture: Applejack likes Rainbow Dash, but doesn't want to risk her friendship by telling her. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash has found this lake in the Everfree Forest that shows a set of stars that have been banished by Luna for being malevolent constellations. I think this, immediately, creates a very interesting premise. I think this plays off interests the characters have nicely; Applejack wants to remain rooted to the ground, and Rainbow Dash has a chance to disappear forever, exploring the limitless world to the point of being unreachable by Applejack.
And I feel like you story portrays that nicely. It does have that conflict in there, where Rainbow Dash becomes lost in the lake's world, becoming truly limitless. Applejack has to take a leap of faith, a literal plunge into the unknown, an adventure from her firmly established roots. The payoff is excellent, in my opinion, because both characters appear to realize something about their lives that they couldn't live without: Applejack took a plunge into unknown territory and came out with what she wants, and Rainbow Dash was brought back to reality by love. This is mainly Applejack's story, but Rainbow Dash's story arc is also very interesting, and nicely portrayed.
The beginning of the story has Applejack talk to Fluttershy about her crush on Rainbow Dash, basically having a confidant in the pegasus. The way it's portrayed is nice, with awkward conversations and sexual innuendos all around. The dialogue is nice, and the body actions are nice. As to where it fits in the story, I think it's fine. It introduces a part of the overall conflict—that Rainbow Dash has been frequently disappearing from Ponyville—in a way that sets the tone for what's happening in the world. However, I do feel like even though the portrayal of the confiding moment is nice, its inclusion in the story is a bit detrimental. The main conflict is internal with Applejack, as she has to deal with confessing her feelings to Rainbow Dash or not, and confiding in Fluttershy to the point of Fluttershy understanding it feels like her feelings are a lot less internal, that she has to share it with friends, and therefore her feelings are kinda out there, and they're not internal, and she doesn't need to keep it from everypony, therefore making a change and undermining the "keep things constant" vibe I got from Applejack for most of the story. I don't know if that makes sense, but tl:dr (or confused as all getup), I feel that to get the impact of Applejack's feelings across stronger, Applejack should've kept the information to herself at this particular part.
So she goes to Twilight's place and asks her if she's seen Rainbow Dash. Twilight discusses why she could be missing, and they end by saying Applejack can call Twilight if she needs help finding her. I think this part is very well done, with necessary simple dialogue that still carries intrigue in it. I also like how you put up a possibility for Rainbow Dash's whereabouts to explain everything, and then shoot it down; there's something about that logical deduction, not just here but through the entire story, that makes the reality much more believable, and much more sinister. I think that scene was very well done.
Applejack follows Rainbow Dash through the Everfree Forest to the lake, and I'll just say this now: your imagery is amazing.
This is enough for me to get a picture of the outlying area, and it does so in a matter that sets a calm-yet-foreboding atmosphere in my mind. I thought that was excellent, and that with the comment of avoiding touching the waters was titillating. The way you describe the lake's image as well, including the fact that there's no reflection in the water, is awe-inducing for me.
The dialogue between Applejack and Rainbow Dash does seem a bit odd, though. I find it odd that Rainbow Dash is calm about Applejack intruding in this serene moment when she could either a)interrupt, sever or scare off the stars that are calling out to her or b) be a predator looking to consume her. It may be because this place has an overwhelming sense of serenity, and there's a feeling that nothing dangerous will find them, but I feel like that should've been addressed—although that could induce unnecessary information. Getting to the dialogue itself, I liked how both in-character and trance-like it was, Rainbow Dash feeling an overwhelming sense of calm, and Applejack wanting to return with Rainbow Dash to normal. I thought the speech was good, but the reaction to the disturbance a bit odd for my tastes.
But that may just be me.
But then I get to my main problem with the story: the part where the three of them embark to save
Change of heart alert!
Crud, now I have a dual opinion on the matter. On one hand, I feel like Twilight coming along with them kinda takes the focus from Applejack unnecessarily; on the other hand, if Twilight hadn't been there, then how would Luna know about the lake being compromised? I feel like you had to make Twilight come along in order for Luna to know, but I still feel like something is wrong here. I almost feel like it should've been instinctive for Luna to know about it, and Applejack could still take the plunge, but by herself, therefore keeping the focus mainly on Applejack.
Feel free to ignore that, since now I see that your way makes sense.
Gosh, why can't I think in a clear manner?
Anyway, after all of that, we get to where Applejack finds herself in this realm, and for once I feel like the phrase "sea of stars" is an apt image, since it fits with the body-of-water being used here. To summarize this part, I like how both compact and vivid it feels, and I think you did excellently with it. Plotwise, I think you did something very well here: you not only took Applejack out of her comfort zone by placing her in the unknown, but taking her to an extreme in the unknown—the limitless potential—and challenge her self there. And her explanation for why she firmly resists the call of the malevolent constellations makes sense, and more importantly, I think, it comes from a place in her heart that tells her that limitless world is not a place for her. This entire scene is great.
The climax where Rainbow Dash tries to rescue Applejack bothers me. Applejack came to get Rainbow Dash out of the world, to ground her, and yet in the end, it's Rainbow Dash who ends up saving her. I feel like that's less of an Applejack-succeeding-in-her-ultimate-goal moment and more of a I'm-a-damsel-in-distress moment, and it comes off as inauthentic to the story. The dialogue, though, is great, staying in character, resolving the conflict as well as being witty and funny at places. I do have a problem with Rainbow Dash just says her friends were holding her back, and doesn't encounter any sort of downside to it or doesn't have Applejack question her about how they'd hold her back.
But, again, that may just be me.
The resolution with Luna closing off the lake in onyx-like material and Applejack and Rainbow Dash confessing their love is sweet, and I like the explanation Luna gives for these malevolent spirits. It makes it seem like Rainbow was truly "shooting for the stars," but needed to learn that some stars were dangerous, and would feed off of her and potentially end her life in a state of depression or despair. Overall, I think the ending is nice.
Also, that quip about Applejack not confessing her love sooner because she's a slowpoke was brilliant, in my opinion.
So that's what I think of each individual part of this story. Now lastly, I'd like to talk about how it registered on an emotional level, if you'd permit me. For a story of this length, I think it's nice, although with the parts that felt inauthentic or confusing to me, and how Applejack's conflict wasn't entirely contained throughout (in my opinion), it resonated within me, but not by a lot. I very much enjoyed the plot, but the romance was hurt by those things.
And that's my comments on this story. Again, you're free to ignore criticisms and questions as you see fit, and I intend no insult in any way. I would like to say that I enjoyed it, and it earns an upvote from me.
This is a beautiful, adventurous romantic story. I actually cheered for Luna when she appeared!
You nailed their Hero's Journey, by the way. Because the Magic Flight didn't free them and the threat remained in the Final Arena, it took a little help from a Big Damn Hero.
nice!
The concept behind this story is very interesting. I'd like t see this expanded upon. Maybe a sequel? Anyway, this was well-written and I enjoyed it. I hope to see more stories like this.
This was quite enjoyable! Though I can't shake the feeling that the, well, feelings in here seemed a bit rushed. The relationship aspect of things.
The worldbuilding, the crafting of the setting, the lake in particular, that was awesome. I could just picture it, imagine it. But the driving force, the AppleDash... seems a bit lacking in something. Can't quite put my finger on what.
Good romance, eldritch horrors, conflicting emotions...
What's not to love?
Yeah, D didn't consult his
haremcultteam of editors on this one, so it was bound to have a few errors. *shrug*Good story, D
I am going to repeat some of the above sentiment that this story has a few things going for it, particularly the nod to worldbuilding and the intent behind the narrative, but there was an irritating wrongness as it is written. Put succinctly, any typos aside, the overall structure and pacing came across as clunky and awkward, with the relationship (both between the characters and the reader with the narrative) seemed forced.
The setup at the very beginning was great: establishing the mood and the character's feelings with a prompt to get the story rolling. The first hint that something is failing, however, is how abruptly Fluttershy leaves. Were this a play, there would surely be a beat or two there indicating that perhaps her withdrawal is to leave an awkward situation (as one possibility), but, as written, becomes indicative of one of the overarching errors of this fic: this is what's happening, get it, moving on now.
To expand upon the latter point, we are told that the weather crew is up in hysterics over Dash's erratic behaviour, but there is no sense of urgency when regaled nor any impact in the story other than to excuse to the reader why Fluttershy and Twilight are coming to Applejack. We are shown the pool once, told that Dash feels a connection with it, then the scene abruptly pulls away, the 'introduction' having been completed. The disparate scenes are disjointed, abrupt, dry, and function well enough to merely convey the sequence of events.
Even this is not achieved at times, but for different reasons. An example most clear in my mind as I type is Applejack following Dash's contrail: nearly each time this was used, it was difficult to discern exactly what was intended, as well as featuring bizarre language.
For instance, this paragraph, and how it fit with those immediately pre- and succeeding :
There were probably a few other points I wanted to make when I started commenting, but I've since lost them. As such, I'll move along to leave some due praise...
As stated above, there is promising intent and possibilities here. The relationships (Dash and the Constellation, Applejack and Dash) could be better developed and conveyed, but the heart is there. The Constellation, Luna's history with it, and the threats it poses are all intriguing notions, and I, personally, would love to see this built up in a slightly darker and edgier work, perhaps with this as the focus (or at least thematic centrepiece) and AppleDash being ancillary... just a thought. How Applejack obfuscated actually telling anything to Fluttershy was well done, and might be expanded upon; similarly, the following scene at the library left the impression of being very well-done.
I, for another, would like to see this story expanded upon!
This story stayed interesting to read till the very end! Luna was a very nice addition.
while i like the story's concept, there are some glaring continuity errors that i must mention. the biggest of which being that it doesn't feel as if enough time has passed to get back to town and spike didn't seem to have writing materials on him before hand, so where the heck did the letter come from?
the other big issue would be the rushed romance plotline. the dialogue is there but the characters motivations don't actually feel romantic. more like the relationship was slapped on as a plot device. i haven't a damn clue how to fix that, but yeah, clunky psudo-romance. not really romance. maybe it switches gears too fast for me to get into? i dunno.
I was angry at Applejack for kicking Fluttershy out of the tree, because I didn't see that she apologized until I looked over it a second time. The star pool idea was a cool idea. Ponies yelling Apple Bloom at Applejack was pretty funny...
Interesting concept - nice to switch up the shipping short story with something like this. However, I felt like it was a bit rushed. I think you probably could have expanded on it by making it into three chapters and taking time with the relationship, the discoveries, the reveals, and building up how ominous the lake really is.
For a story like this, where there is some world building, it can almost seem comical when you introduce a magical element. This story, for me, boarders on being comical simply because it's rushed. Convincing the reader that there are stars that talk to ponies to suck on their souls is ALMOST not passing in this story. But it actually held up really well in your story. Still, it might help to show Dash's interaction with the lake more, or Applejack noticing how distracted Rainbow is over the next few days, or maybe even showing Dash not only being mesmerized by the lake, but almost nervous to be taken away from it or like she wanted to jump in when Applejack was there. Or maybe even showing a strain in their relationship or showing that RD felt that way for Applejack more, and how it hurts her that she doesn't have what she wants.
But these things take time, and that's why I mentioned at least three chapters >_< Also, it was pretty rushed, as most people said, when they discovered RD was missing, and a little convenient. Taking more time with the story to maybe let Applejack realize suddenly that the clouds in the sky had not been cleared, and having a moment of dread, then rushing to get Twilight because she knew there was some abnormal magic going on there might have helped.
Still, I like the story. The description of the glade is done quite well, and the idea of stars in a lake during the day is a very powerful image. Even the explanation as to why they are there is quite epic and fits well with the MLP universe. I would love to see artwork of Applejack in mid-jump into the lake of stars.
Anyways, good job, and happy writing!
Cute creepy makes u want to stop night swiming
2527290
Are you calling RD a flank-kisser?
But yes, perhaps a bit more effort could have been made to line the pegasus constellation up with the silhouette.
That was an excellent little story. Well done.
Now that, was quite interesting! Honestly, that would have been a nice idea for an episode! You know, aside from the romance factor. X3 I'm okay with it, but I seriously doubt Hasbro would be.
Very well done, D!
It's a great story but the actual AppleDash does feel kinda tacked on.
Still great though
This was a fantastic story!
The emotion and love held in this was truly a work of art. It was really cute too
Good job! Instant favorite!
Interesting mesh of AppleDash and Eldritch Abomination.
The big question in the comments seems to be whether the ending could have been accomplished with "just friends" instead of a romance. i think Luna does a good job of answering that question.
A very nice, well put together story. I applaud you and your work, sir!
This has all the elements of a great story. Good characterization, engaging yarn, a sprinkling of romance, and a pinch of danger. Such a good read is hard to come by.
Interesting story and concept although I was kind of annoyed with the layout and some grammar of the story (although that's probably because I'm a grammar nazi :P ). AppleDash felt a bit cliche, especially when AJ just kissed Rainbow suddenly. Felt like the whole pond and the imprisoned stars could've had more depth too.
All in all good short story
2528360
I am a bit late in getting around to reading this, but I do know what you can't place. An editor told me once what he found lacking in most romance fics... the why. This story doesn't tell us anything about why Applejack and Rainbow Dash have feelings for each other, just that they do. Because of this, the romance feels even more rushed than it is (and it kind of is already).
That aside, the imagery and world building was fantastic, and it was an enjoyable read. The idea that stars could be ill-willed is certainly an interesting one and could make for an entire fic on its own. I would read it.
2550301 This is a very good point. I'll take it under advice for future stories!
2534567 Am I not worthy?
2530370 Thank you for your thought-out review!
Yeah, it is a bit rushed 
tbh I did feel the need to make it into a small series (3 to 5 chapters max) but then decided against it. I guess my first instinct was better. Still, glad you enjoyed the story regardless!
2530105 Thank you, I've taken notes to avoid such discrepancies in future romance one-shots.
2529825 Thanks! As I've mentioned above I'm taking all this advice into consideration. One-shot romances are not my specialty, since I'm usually drawn to the long, epic-type stories where the romance is usually found as a subplot that I can build over several chapters. But all the criticism is good advice so far, and each of you is giving me little insights into how to one-shot romance better.
2527877 Wow, this is really in-depth! Thanks for the scene-by-scene comments. I see your points, and I'll make sure your time (and the other reviewers') is not wasted. I've learned a few things from the comments here about better writing one-shot romances... and pacing.
2527631 You know, the sad thing is that I know the rule and yet, like 'hoofs' it keeps getting past me so much!
I almost never notice until it's too late.
2555307 Best of luck with your next crack at this!
Also, I can't resist:
No, I'm Not Worthy.
enough to gavi
Gavi?
dark, velvety darkness
Is that anything like creamy, cold ice cream or hot, burning heat?
holding her hat in her head
That has to be somewhat painful.
Nicely written, love the concepts. Mean stars trapped in a pool in the everfree seems like it would fit nicely into the mythos of the show.
2621950 It's... uh, intentionally redundant! Yes it is!
Great story! A little adventure, a little romance, a little mystery, a little slice of life, all wrapped together in a wonderfully authentic feeling package!
Daaaaaamnnnn.
Forgot all about this one and how bloody deep it was...
Glad I took the time to reread it!
~Skeeter The Lurker