Rising from the Fall

by Darkhanos

Chapter 4

Applejack was selling her stock at a feverish pace now that the lunch crowd was coming in. It was a pace she felt perfectly comfortable with, one that she often got her in her zone for. Unlike most ponies that caved under the pressure of seeing to the sometimes overwhelming need of all of their customers, she thrived off of it with years of practiced proficiency. She never made a face, nor got irritated with their high-and sometimes demanding- needs. She always did her business with a friendly smile and a spring in her step; a clear sign of her love and pride for her work.

To most ponies that were at the stall or just passing by, Applejack seemed to be the same as always; her ever present smile and friendly attitude to all. To those who knew her, they noticed that her smile seemed a little bigger and her already high morale was a little higher than usual. It wasn't a bad thing, of course, but more often than not it was because something really good happened. In this case, it's funny how something as small as a genuine compliment can really lift a pony's spirits, and pave the way for a better day.

Applejack was so focused on her task that she didn't realize that she lost track of time until the sizeable crowd was dispersing after getting their apples. Taking the opportunity to see how she did, she took a look to see how many apples she had left. To her delight, she was nearly sold out with only two lonely Honey Crisp apples left.

She couldn't help but smile, feeling a small sense of pride well within her from a good day's work. "Alright! That was the best lunch sale in a while!" She said to herself.

"Eeyup!" a familiar voice agreed. Applejack looked up to see her older brother, Big Mac, approaching the stall.

"Howdy, Big Mac!" she greeted, "You done buckin' the southern fields already?"

"Eeyup. Ah got done a little earlier than Ah expected. Ah came to see if Ah can give ya a hoof with the market, but it looks like you're done already," he praised with a grin.

"Yup!" Applejack proudly proclaimed, "Ah didn't think Ah'd sell out so soon, but from the looks of it, we're both done a mite early today."

The burly stallion nodded, "So, ya goin' ta Pinkie's Party tonight? Apparently there's a new stallion in town, and you know how Pinkie gets with her usual greetin' and whatnot."

"Yeah, Ah met him earlier today. Seems like a nice enough stallion. He complimented our apples and made me laugh a little, so Ah gave him a bushel of Red Delicious, on the house."

Big Mac raised his eyebrow, and a smirk was tugging at the corner of his lips, "Oh? Why'd do that for? You gotta crush on 'em already?" He chuckled.

Applejack gave him a bemused look, "No, Ah ain't gotta crush on him. That compliment made me feel good and Ah thought Ah'd give him a bushel to not only show mah appreciation, but to establish a good rapport with him. It's purely business." she said, perhaps a little too defensively

"Eeyup, sure." said Big Mac with that same, accusing smirk, not at all convinced .He often enjoyed teasing her when it came to her stallion acquaintances. After all, she more often than not turned down her suitors, so when the opportunity came to do some teasing, he almost always jumped on it.

Applejack, however, returned the smirk in kind, "Ya know, Ah didn't say anything to you when you went all nincompoop with Cheerilee when Apple Bloom and her friends cooked up that potion for you. You and her did all that baby talk and pet naming. Now that was funny!" she chortled, causing Big Mac to grow a very visible blush through his already red coat, "Now, are ya gonna dial down that teasing of yours?"

With a gulp, he nodded, "Eeyup."

"Good! Since Ah'm all done here, Ah'll get started on taking this stand down and help out around the farm."

"No need, AJ. Ah was able to take care of everything for today. We'll be okay for now."

"Imagine that," she said in a surprised manner. It was rare for the Apple family to be finished with their chores so early in the day. With the extra time they would have on their hooves, they would normally spend it at their house, just relaxing and spending some quality time together.

Recently, though, Applejack had been spending whatever free time she had with her friends, and started to feel a pang of guilt welling within her conscience for not spending that time with her beloved family, "Say, uh, Big Mac? Did ya have anything planned now that we have the afternoon to ourselves now?" She asked.

He rubbed his chin in thought as he considered his answer, "Nope. This evening will be a different story though."

"Oh? How so?" Applejack asked with a raised eyebrow.

He gulped, unable to meet her eyes and blushed a little, fearing that his earlier teasing would bite back at him."Miss Cheerilee asked if Ah could pick her up for the party tonight, so Ah figured Ah'd swing by her place and do that."

At first she was a little surprised by his answer, but the she had a smug smile as she narrowed her eyes at her brother."Ah knew it! You do like her don't ya?"

Big Mac glowered at her, his piercing eyes suddenly unnerving Applejack. "Heh, just asking." She said nervously.

***

Big Mac and Applejack were making their way back the farm in relative silence with the empty buckets in tow. It wasn't an awkward or a tense silence, but one of comfort. Big Mac wasn't one for lengthy conversations, and Applejack respected that. They had an unspoken understanding with each other, one that other ponies in town probably wouldn't understand, and confuse for feuding. Not that either of them were bothered by this assumption. After all, only their friends and family knew the depths of how close not just Applejack and Big Mac were but the entire household of the Apple Family.

"So, what's your new friend's name?" asked Big Mac.

Applejack was somewhat surprised to see him actually starting a conversation for once. It wasn't a bad thing, of course, but she certainly didn't expect it either. His name's Jetstream?"

Mac gave her a sidelong glance. The Wonderbolt? What's he doing here then?"

She looked a little embarrassed. "Does everyone but me know about him being a Wonderbolt, cept me? Anyways, he said that he was looking for a place to unwind, and relax a little."

"Are you sure?! He's at Twilight's place right now?!" a raspy voice questioned urgently

The siblings looked at each other with raised eyebrows, then realized that the voice was coming from above where McCloud usually hovers

"That's Rainbow Dash, ain't it?" Applejack asked out loud,

"Yup! We literally ran in to each other and I must have dropped your mail in the park. My bad, "another voice said

"And that sounds like Derpy," Big Mac deduced.

"Wait! He's in the park?!" Rainbow asked

"He was, but he offered to return my library books for me. He's so nice." Derpy replied.

"So let me get this straight: You were in a hurry to return the books to the library because they were overdue; you crashed into Jetstream, and he offered to take them to the library for you?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Yup, that about covers it!" Derpy replied.

"Thanks a lot, and don't worry about the mail! I'll find it later, bye!" Rainbow Dash said hurriedly, then flew off fast, leaving her trademark rainbow trail behind her.

"Dagnabit! Ah told her to let him relax a little before she goes and bothers him!" Applejack spat. "Big Mac? Ya mind taking the cart back? Ah'm gonna make sure Rainbow doesn't get too carried away."

"Nope. Go do what ya have to."

With that, the farm mare made a beeline to Golden Oaks Library.

***
"Actually, yes, I did hear about how you saved your friends and my teammates when you performed the Sonic Rainboom. That feat was so impressive that Spitfire wouldn't shut up about it! She drilled every last detail in my head!" Jetstream laughed.

"So how come they still won't let me join them then?! I'd be a superb addition to the Wonderbolts!"

Jetstream shook his head, with an apologetic smile, "Sorry, Dash. Even with that impressive display and your athletic ability, you still need to train and tryout just like everypony else. However, that being said, it'll give you a much better chance to complete the course. In fact, I'm willing to bet you'd be the Lead Mare for your squad."

Rainbow's ego inflated when she heard those words leave his mouth, puffing out her chest at the compliment. "Yeah, well, I don't wanna brag, but I bet I'd blow away the competition!"

Twilight rolled her eyes at her typical behavior. "Dash, you're good, but there's a lot more competition than you think there is. You'd be flying against the best in Equestria!"

"And? When it comes to flying I'm unbeatable! If it was a hoof-race on the other hoof, then maybe I'd have a lot to worry about!" Rainbow Dash proclaimed with the utmost confidence.

"Ha, ha! I love your attitude!" Jetstream laughed. "Combine that with some get-to-it-tiveness, and there's nothing you can't accomplish! Hay, you already wow'd all of Equestria with that Sonic Rainboom!"

"Hay yeah I did! You'd better believe it!"

"Jetstream, don't encourage her! She has a bad habit of getting out of hoof!" Twilight scolded.

"Aw, don't be such a spoilsport!" Both Jet and Dash said simultaneously. They looked at each other for a moment and laughed upon realizing they were on the same wavelength.

Twilight sneered at the duo upon their mocking laughter, "I am NOT a spoilsport!"

"Whatever you say, Twi," Jetstream teased with a wink.

Rainbow stopped her laughter, and looked suspiciously between two ponies, and realized something she should've caught onto from the beginning. "Twi?! Hold on a sec! You two *know* each other?!"

"Well, yeah. We're both from Canterlot," Jetstream answered.

"Yes, Dash," Twilight said matter-of-factly, "Jetstream and I knew each other as foals. Besides Shining Armor and Spike, he's one of my oldest friends."

"That's not all we were, Twilight, " Jetstream said in a teasing tone with a suggestive wiggle in his eye.

"Not now, Jetty-Jet!" said Twilight with clenched teeth.

Rainbow Dash couldn't believe what she was hearing. The pet names, the body language, and now that statement he made and her reaction from it? "No way! You actually *dated* Jetstream, Twilight?! But...how?! How the hay did an egghead like you manage to have that kind of catch?!"

"Well, she lowered her standards...a lot," Jetstream joked.

"Hey! What are you implying, Dash?! That I can't get a coltfriend?!" Twilight asked indignantly.

"No, that I'd have expected that you'd date a bookworm, not a top-notch athlete!" Rainbow rebutted.

"Ha! Well, I did!" Twilight jabbed back.

"So did you two...you know...while you dated?" Dash asked, earning Twilight a hard blush

Jetstream looked at Dash in confusion, "Uh... do you mean if Captain Winky had an adventure in the Moist Cave?"

"JETSTREAM!!!" Twilight yelled, utterly mortified. Rainbow Dash laughed hard at both Jetstream's phrase for 'the deed' and Twilight's priceless expression upon hearing it.

"What?" he asked in confusion, "We didn't do anything so why should we be embarrassed by it?"

As Rainbow's laughter died down, another distinctive laugh could be heard. Applejack was wiping the tears from her eyes as she leaned against the door frame. "Twilight! Ah've never seen ya blush so hard before! You look like a ripe Red Delicious!"

Jetstream's expression lightened up a little when he saw Applejack. "Oh, you're done already? I thought you were supposed to be finished by five?"

Applejack smiled and trotted up to him, pointing at his saddlebags. "And Ah thought you were supposed to turn in Derpy's books for her.”

Jetstream blinked a few times, then the memory hit him like a ton of bricks. "Oh, crap! I completely forgot!" he said, pulling the books out and placing them and the bits on a nearby counter. "Derpy said they were overdue. She gave me some bits to cover the cost."

"Oh, well that was nice of you...would've been nicer if you would've remembered that from the start. I mean really, some things never change!" Twilight chastised

"And that's why we're not together anymore..." he deadpanned.

"Well shoot, Twilight, Ah still can't believe that you've ever had a coltfriend," Applejack stated.

Twilight's eye was beginning to twitch from irritation, "This is really getting..."

"So, Jetstream, Ah reckon that she had 'dating you' on a checklist or something?"

"Ha, ha! Are you kidding? Back then her checklists had checklists!" he proclaimed

"She still does!" Spike chimed in, carrying several bags of groceries.

"SPIKE! YOU TOO?!" Twilight shouted in exasperation.

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but laugh. "It's the roast of Twilight Sparkle!"

"And the fire is just getting started!" Jetstream chortled. Twilight facehoofed, letting out a loud groan. This was going to be a long day for her.

Author's Note:

Finally! It's here! Sorry for the wait! And a very special thanks to Tatsurou for proofreading!

Comments

[Moongaze14]

Glad to see this story is back.

[Darkhanos]

4826660

Thanks! I almost gave up on it, but I think I'll keep it going now

[moguera]

It's the grilling of Twilight Sparkle!

Or is it the roasting of Twilight Sparkle? I need to crosscheck my Compendium of Comedy Conundrums.
Yep...I think it's a roast.

[Darkhanos]

4827374

Lol! Damn! I can't believe i screwed that up! Thanks for the correction! Editing! :

[Sea_Swirl]

Are you still writing this story? I really like it! Please don't give up!!!

[Darkhanos]

5900319

Hi there! Yes, I'm still writing the story, it's just that I've been put through hell and back lately, so my writing progress is real slow. I'll have another chapter in the works soon. I just have to fulfill a promise I made to a friend first. Rest assured, more is coming

[Sea_Swirl]

5901409 Okay, thanks! I wish you better luck!

[The Darkened Soul]

5901409
5901409 So this story is'nt dead?

[Darkhanos]

6097057

Nope! I have had some crazy things happened to me these past year, and with my new job, my hours have been a little crazy lol. These days, between balancing work, family, martial arts, and fitness, I haven't had a lot of free time to write. but now that I have to slow down a little, I should have more time to write. I am almost finished updating one of my stories, & I have already started a rough draft with this one. I cannot tell when it will be published then ready to host, but it is coming. Thank you all for your patience, and I apologize for taking so long.

[The Darkened Soul]

6097086 As long as it is'nt dead im fine!