Rainbow Dash's Future

by scorpclawFF

Friendly Advice

Rainbow Dash’s Future
Chapter 3 – Friendly Advice

Applejack and Fluttershy returned to Fluttershy’s cottage to discuss one of AJ’s few secrets. Upon getting there, the two mares were greeted by Fluttershy’s pet bunny, Angel, who seemed in need of something.

“Is it alright if I prepare Angel’s lunch? He’s looking really hungry.”

“Sure, sugarcube. I’m in no hurry.”

Fluttershy smiled and allowed Applejack get comfortable in her cottage. Applejack, being the farm girl that she is, liked being in the home to look at the flora that grew everywhere and the fauna that ran around and played. It was full of life, unlike the farm, which was generally quite boring. The most activity that happens out there is when Applebloom is crusading with her friends, and even then, the three fillies tend to stay secluded in their clubhouse.

Though she loved her life on the farm, Applejack felt that the life was getting slowly less exciting.

It was a life that needed someone in it.

Applejack fled her thoughts once again when Fluttershy returned with a salad bowl in her mouth. She dropped it in front of her bunny and smiled when Angel began eating at a rapid pace.

“Oh, I hadn’t realized that you were this hungry.” Fluttershy smiled sheepishly and then returned her attention to Applejack. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting, Applejack. What is it that you want to talk about?”

Applejack briefly thought if it was a bad idea to be out so soon with her feelings with Rainbow Dash, even though all of it could be a simple crush and would simply disappear. Though, she had to convince herself that she seemed to like Rainbow Dash differently and more affectionately than any other pony in Equestria. So… she tried her best to express that feeling.

“Hey, Fluttershy… have you ever… liked one of your friends? One of your close friends?”

Fluttershy didn’t hesitate to shake her head. “Oh, no. I love all of my friends, but I wouldn’t want to be in a relationship.” Fluttershy gave Applejack a secluded smile. “I would probably just mess it up, anyways.”

“Well, what if I told you that I kinda… like Rainbow Dash.”

Fluttershy smiled and giggled a little to herself. Though, she stopped herself abruptly and actually began to frown for some reason. “Well, I actually wouldn’t be surprised all that much. The way the two of you talk to each other always made me feel like you were going to end up liking each other.”

“Then why are you frowning, Fluttershy? You’re making it look as if that is all a bad thing.”

“Oh, I want to tell you Applejack, but I was told to keep something a secret. I don’t even know why she even entrusted me with something like this, because I’m not that great with keeping secrets.”

Applejack’s mind began to wander about what the secret could possibly be. Hopefully she doesn’t like somepony else, Applejack thought to herself. Hopefully she doesn’t like Fluttershy! Oh, I wouldn’t know what to do if I ever saw Rainbow Dash with one of my closest friends.

Though, Applejack didn’t allow her mind to fool her without even hearing what the secret could possibly be. Applejack, being devious with knowledge of how Fluttershy works, made a sly decision to trick her.

“It’s alright, Fluttershy. You don’t have to tell me the secret or anything. I think I’ll just be going now and… fantasize about Rainbow Dash.” Applejack flinched on the inside. “You know, I’ll just go home and ponder if I should ever be with her. Thanks for the help, Fluttershy.”

As Applejack began stepping out of the cottage, Fluttershy called out her name, forcing AJ to turn around. “You don’t want to do that, Applejack. Rainbow Dash got a letter from the Wonderbolt Academy telling her that she will get her results about a final test. If she passes this test, she will become a Wonderbolt. If that happens, then…”

“We won’t be seeing her much anymore,” Applejack said, frowning.

“Oh, I should’ve just kept my mouth shut. I’m sorry, Applejack.”

“No, you needed to tell me this, Fluttershy. I would’ve gone off and done something stupid if you didn’t stop me.” Applejack frowned some more, upset by the fact that all of her crushes seem to be such failures (even though she’s had only a few crushes in her life). “Do you know when she is supposed to find out?”

Fluttershy lowered her head. “Tonight. She flies up to the academy in a few hours.” She didn’t even have to raise her head to know how upset Applejack was. “I’m sorry, Applejack. If it makes you feel better, I think you two would be really great together.”

“Thanks, Fluttershy, but it doesn’t like it’s going to matter anymore. I shouldn’t keep you from your animals or anything, so I’ll just be going.”

Fluttershy didn’t say anything more than another apology before Applejack. She felt bad about her friend’s misfortune, more than she usually does.

Applejack tried to keep her head up high. She tried to convince herself that she was being silly and that her life isn’t all that bad without Rainbow Dash to support it. It was working a little, but she knew (like before) that she could only conceal these feelings for so long. With Applejack and Rainbow Dash being such good friends, there was no way that she could avoid her forever.

Not even at that moment. Applejack looked up to the sky to notice that Rainbow Dash was flying overhead. She’s probably going over to Fluttershy’s house to talk about the Wonderbolts or something. Or… to begin her good-byes. Applejack ran out of Rainbow Dash’s peripheral vision. She didn’t want RD to know that she was at Fluttershy’s house just a moment ago.

After evading Rainbow Dash’s gaze, Applejack slowly returned to Ponyville. Upon arriving in the town, the town center didn’t seem quite as crowded as it was only an hour before. Applejack, not wanting to return to the farm in her mental state, decided to head to Twilight’s treehouse library. She knew that being with friends would probably help ease her mind.

Applejack knocked on the door. Spike opened it a few moments later and smiled at her. “Hi, Applejack. Are you looking for Twilight?”

“Hi, Spike,” Applejack said, talking as if nothing had happened a moment before. “Yes, is it alright if I come in?”

“Of course.” Spike stepped to the side and allowed AJ to enter. Applejack looked around and noticed Twilight getting up from reading a book.

“Hi, Twilight. I hope I’m not disturbing you”

“Not at all, Applejack. Is there something you want to talk to me about?”

“Yeah. It’s about Rainbow Dash. Did you know that she’s going to be told that she’s going to be a Wonderbolt tonight?”

Twilight sighed. “Yes. Pinkie, Rarity, and Fluttershy know about it, too.”

Applejack was shocked that she was the only one that Rainbow Dash didn’t tell about being a Wonderbolt. “Why would she tell you guys about it and not me? Did I say something mean to her or something?”

“I doubt it, Applejack. But the truth is, Rainbow wouldn’t tell us why we were supposed to keep it a secret. We’re as much in the dark about it as you are.”

“That just makes no sense to me. I thought we were best friends, and I guess she just can’t even tell me that she’s going to be leaving.”

“Maybe it’s because you’re best friends that she can’t tell you.”

“Come again?”

Twilight sighed. “Maybe she is too afraid to tell her best friend that she is going to be leaving. Rainbow Dash might not show it on the outside, but on the inside, she can be a bit of a coward about these things. She is, dare I say… sentimental sometimes.”

Applejack frowned. “So what do you suppose I do?”

“Well… you can either confront her about it, or you can wait until tonight when we figure out the results on her test. I imagine the result will be the same in both situations.”

“With her becoming a Wonderbolt and having absolutely no time to spend with us?”

“I wish it wouldn’t come down to that, but I think that’s how it’s going to go.”

Applejack couldn’t help but notice Twilight’s bluntness, but she knew that she was right. Becoming a Wonderbolt is Rainbow Dash’s dream, and she’s probably not going to be around a whole lot. She wanted to ask some more questions, but she already had all the answers that she needed. Also, she didn’t want Twilight to see the tears that were beginning to fall from her eyes.

Yes. Tears.

Applejack shielded her face and said with a somewhat trembling voice. “Thanks for letting me know, Twilight. You’re a good friend.” Applejack then ran out of the library before Twilight could confront her about why she was crying. Now… she felt that there was nopony at that moment to comfort her.

She went back to Sweet Apple Acres, avoiding everyone’s gaze in her emotional state. She didn’t go into her home, because then she would have to explain to her family why she had been crying. Applejack knew that they only wanted to help, but she didn’t really want anypony’s pity, nor did she want to talk with anypony.

She went out to the apple farm, the one place where she knew that she was comfortable. She went over to the tree that both she and Rainbow Dash had yanked out of the ground the day before. It was still toppled over and lying useless on the ground. It was one of her chores to get rid of it, but she never got around to it.

Applejack got comfortable next to the trunk of the tree and lied down. That trunk could perhaps serve to be the last official memory of Rainbow Dash, her brief crush and long-time friend. Just thinking about it made her cry even more.

As if to add more pain to her sorrow, clouds began arriving to overcast Ponyville. She had forgotten that there was a rainy day schedule for the late afternoon, but at that point, she didn’t care too much. She just allowed one drop after another fall on her before it began raining fairly hard. She was used to being out in the rain, so this wasn’t a big deal to her. Though, she knew that she was getting drenched and that she would need to get out of the rain before she caught a cold.

She still didn’t return to the home, but she did end up finding shelter underneath a big tree that was covering the rain very well. It was actually quite comfortable under the tree, with the light cool blowing in her mane. Applejack lied down again and began to fall asleep, her tears being drowned out by the surrounding rain. If anything, Applejack just wanted that day to be over.

So her suffering could end.

Comments

[Coco-loco]

Poor AJ!!!!! Still looking for updates. It's just so good now time to wit and stre at the screen till. Update comes!

[Basic Runner27]

Nooooooooooooooo she was so close why why why