Appledashery

by Just Essay

What Eats You, Rainbow?

The City of Atlantrot was a vibrant, bustling place. Or at least it sounded that way. Rainbow Dash kept her head bowed the whole time they entered, staring at the dirt and asphalt passing beneath the wagon while Stu Leaves pulled them into the heart of the grand maretropolis. She heard the rattle of carriages and the distant shouts of pedestrians as they made their way past several tall buildings and green, woolly gardens.

"Land's sakes! I never knew a place this huge could be... be..."

"Snazzy?"

"Reckon 'beautiful' is the word I was lookin' for, Stu," Applejack said.

"Heh. Compared to what?"

"Well, Manehattan, for one."

"But that city dwarfs this one."

"Still, what's their excuse? I can tell that a lot of time and effort went into prettifyin' this place."

"And since when were you so big on 'prettifying,' Applejack?"

"Just cuz I dun bother to do it all the time myself dun mean I can't appreciate, ya hear?"

"Heh... oh I hear. But still." Stu Leaves smirked as he pulled the wagon full of cider across an intersection. "You've been to Canterlot multiple times, haven't you?"

"Eeyup. Bein' an Element of Harmony sorta requires that. Heh."

"Isn't that a gorgeous city? I mean, the Princess lives there."

"Oh, I reckon. But it ain't nearly as big as Atlantrot. Now I know that for a fact!"

"You sure? Canterlot's pretty big."

"It's built into the side of a mountain, Stu. They dun have much room to work with. What—you've never done a flyby?"

"Direct flights over Canterlot Castle are prohibited."

"Huh... Is that a fact?"

"Totally! It's Royal Airspace, y'know? I'm surprised Rainbow hasn't told you."

"Rainbow, is it true that y'all pegasi ain't allowed to fly over Princess Celestia's rooftop?"

"Mrmmmf..." Rainbow sat in a slump, hugging herself.

Applejack blinked. "Sooooo... is that a 'yes' or a 'no?'"

"Yes!" Stu Leaves beamed.

"Hmmm?" Applejack looked over. "So suddenly yer Rainbow Dash, now?"

"No, I mean check it!" Stu pointed across the next intersection. A five story building with stone masonry loomed, dwarfed by several of the bigger scrapers flanking it. "That's it! The hotel that my friend runs! Our friend, now, all things considered."

"Well, don't it look cute right next to all the steel monoliths?" Applejack chuckled. "I didn't know just how old fashion it was gonna be."

"Well, Atlantrot is an old city," Stu said, pulling them across the crowded lane, waiting occasionally for a passing stagecoach or two to roll by. "I know they've scaled up and all, but some places here are pushing two hundred years old!"

"Pfft..." Applejack waved a hoof. "That ain't nothin'! Canterlot's a few thousand years old, easily."

"Well... that's relatively old," Stu said. "You gotta remember that most of the southern provinces are recently developed."

"No kiddin'...?"

"Heck, Fillyda was accepted into the Equestrian Kingdom barely seventy-five years ago! Most ponies who live there now are retirees or young entrepreneurs from the north."

"So, it's like a home-away-from home for strangers?"

"Heh... more or less. The culture's way different... or practically not there at all." Stu chuckled. "Fillyda's the only place in Equestria where you gotta go north to go South."

"Whew... you sure do know your geography."

Stu shrugged. "So maybe I was spending more time in the Cloudsdale Libray than in the clouds when I was a kid. I caught up." He smirked proudly. "I can still hold my own in a rainstorm." At last, he pulled the wagon to a stop in front of the establishment. "Ahhh... we're here!""

"Ya reckon yer friend of a friend of a family member to a family member is here?" Applejack asked.

"Only one way to find out." Stu unhitched himself from the wagon. He spoke above the clopping noise of coaches rolling up and down the immediate street. "I'll go in and get a look. Bet you'd want to stick around and watch the wagon."

"You bet right." Applejack leaned her head to the side. "Is there... uhm... a barn we can put this in overnight?"

Stu chuckled. "Applejack, there haven't been any barns since we passed through South Carolinegih."

The mare blushed slightly. "What kind of 'South' is this?"

"But don't worry. There should be a wagon port below the street. Basement level."

"Wagon port?"

"It's perfectly safe!" Stu smiled. "And we should have one reserved with the room!"

"Well, that's mighty nifty. Are ya goin' be a while?"

"Who knows? Probably."

"Right." Applejack glanced aside. She smiled at Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow, might be a good time to stretch yer wings. I know you've been waitin' all day."

"Hmmm? Oh... sure..." With a dull sigh, the pegasus lifted up, wings flapping.

Applejack blinked. "Be sure to... tell me how the sights are from up high."

"Yeah." She fluttered off, ears flicking. "Sure thing. Uhm... see ya."

Stu and Applejack watched her drift off.

"Huh..." Stu scratched his head. "...did I accidentally run over a puppy along the way here that I don't know about?"

"I can't say I've ever seen her so... sullen-like."

"Maybe she's not a fan of big crowded streets."

"Rainbow Dash?" Applejack slowly shook her head, lips pursed. "Can't say that's ever fazed her. I dun rightly know what's wrong."

"Well, I-I'd love to stick around and guess, but—"

"Right..." Applejack waved without looking, her eyes stuck towards the hazy skyline. A blue feathery figure disappeared amidst the urban haze. "You get to it. I'll just... stay here."

Comments

[Tchernobog]

[RainbowJack2000]

"Hmmm?" Applejack looked over. "So suddenly yer Rainbow Dash, now?"

*gun against head*

[Lord Dragon]

Meep.

[BabySkittleMonster]

"Rainbow Dash?" Applejack slowly shook her head, wings pursed. "Can't say that's ever fazed her. I dun rightly know what's wrong."

Applejack has miraculously become a Pegasus. Well, this makes the whole "flight" issue easier!

[Lightning Bearer]

I guess Shermare didn't burn down everything in Atlantrot.

Also, if going north in Fillyda takes you South, what happens when you go south? Sugarcubans?

[TwilightUCrazy]

Rainbow thinks she's lost her chance...

[zaponator]

Ditto, chapter title.

[Shipmun]

What's got RD down again? Is it that she's angry at herself for hating Stu for no reason like I am, or was it the friend comment earlier, or did I miss something?

5371535
Sugarcubans...
I lost it

[Fishberry]

"Rainbow Dash?" Applejack slowly shook her head, wings pursed.

[Leftover of Saikano]

Next: "What Eats You, Stu Leaves?" And the answer will be "an alligator"

[Sam the Anti-Ninja]

Wow, am I caught up already? I just started this at the beginning of the week. Now I gotta find somethin else to do for my break.

[Snowdrifter]

5373292

Poor ally gator. That'll make him have indigestion.
Nogator could stomach that much Stu.