Appledashery

by Just Essay

Who Needs a Wiki?

Ethereal light reflected off Epcot's two-toned gray and lavender uniform. She swung an eggshell white hoof through the air, redecorating the stars above until they mimicked the otherworldly sparkle of lights in her fluffy, full black mane. After a happy sigh, she spun around, adjusted her nametag, and smiled at Rainbow Dash with bright lavender eyes.

"Maybe I'm just looking into a rainbow mirror..." She paused to giggle!snort. "...but you seem extra cheery today."

"Chillaxed, Epcot," Rainbow murmured, her body draped lazily over a floating cloud. "I'm chillaxed. There's a difference."

"Hmmmm..." Epcot tapped her fuzzy white chin. "...how curious. I wonder if only mortals can tell the difference between these varying degrees of contentment." In a flash of gray light, she morphed into a tiny geodesic sphere, zipped across cider space, and rematerialized back into an adoracute pony right beside Rainbow Dash. "Does this mean that you've finally..." Bright teeth glinted brighter. "...taken my advice?"

"Yes." Rainbow gulped. "And the advice of others." She looked off with a soft smile. "...and just common sense."

"Oh?"

Rainbow sighed. She rolled over until she faced the stars. "Could ya... turn them into wonderbolts?"

"Aaaaaaaaaaaand..." Epcot slapped her hooves together and flew them apart. "Pssschhhhh—shazaaam!"

The constellations spread, forming the glittery facsimile of three uniformed ponies in mid-glide.

Rainbow took a deep breath. "...you know... I wouldn't admit it to anypony... but maybe I should admit it to myself..." Her eyes twitched. "But I think I've given up on them."

"Oh?" Epcot looked over. "I beg to differ. You're still young, athletic, awesome..."

"Heeheehee..." Rainbow Dash hugged herself, blushing. "You really know how to hit all the buttons, eh, girl?"

She shrugged. "Just how I was programmed."

"It's... not about all of that." Rainbow cleared her throat. "I just... don't obsess over them like I used to." Her nostrils flared. "Weird... cuz it was almost just yesterday..."

Epcot arched an eyebrow. "You found something else to obsess over." A smirk. "Or maybe somepony else."

"Yeah... I guess..."

"It's still not too late." Epcot winked. "It's never too late. After all, if you can dream it—"

"—I can do it. Yeah, I know."

"Heeeeee... yes!" Epcot reached over and booped Rainbow's nose. "It can be taught!"

Rainbow sighed. "And maybe I still will. But... it won't be as awesome as I once dreamed it was."

"So?" Epcot shrugged. "You're a mortal. Fill your life with an entire slew of awesome things! Revel in the beauty that your existence affords!"

Rainbow gulped. "And yet... as hard as I dream... I just gotta admit that there are some things I can't do... some things I can't have... even if I can."

Epcot merely nodded in silence. "Opportunity, invention, and innovation run hoof and hoof... but they are still separate things."

"But... that's fine, y'know? Because..." Rainbow Dash looked over. "...you know what I'm starting to figure out?"

"And what's that, Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow gazed back at the stars rolling overhead. "Dreaming is good and all... but the doing isn't worth it if... if it interferes with another pony's dreams." She inhaled and exhaled. "Applejack is finally having her dreams realized... including dreams that she never knew she had. I..." A gulp. "I am happy for her. And... y'know... the jealousy hasn't gone away..."

"But...?"

Rainbow sniffed. She clenched her eyes shut before they could tear up. "...the happiness is stronger. That's... that's what matters. That's what I gotta focus on."

Epcot reached over, squeezing Rainbow's shoulder. "You're the strongest mortal I've ever known. I know that you'll fly true."

"You wanna know the sucky thing about being the strongest mortal?" Rainbow opened her foggy eyes as she bore a bittersweet smile to the heavens. "You sure as heck don't feel it."

"Well, I suspect that's where friends come in." Epcot grinned. "They help you feel strong... even if keeping your distance from one of them makes you feel weak."

"Rnnnngh... sounds stupid," Rainbow grunted. "Annoying... sad..."

"A challenge," Epcot whispered.

Rainbow sniffed one last time, then smirked devilishly. "Bring it on..."

Comments

[CommanderCuddle]

Come on everyone, join in the circle and clap your hands for Atrophy to strike her down *claps*

[Sharp Quill]

Who Needs a Wiki?

Don't get it.

[Sheendough]

6880282 Saikano needed Epcot's description to make a plushie and said he would when the Austraeoh wiki added it to their database.

[destinedjagold]

6880282

Don't get it.

Well that's a first.

[Phoenix Kitten]

Dash is good at keeping her friends at hoofs length, and they respect that she doesn't like getting close, Shy knows she's had... issues with letting ponies and other creatures in before.
Now Dash has to work on letting her friends in a bit.

[Sharp Quill]

6880350 First time for everything. Achievement Unlocked for JE!

6880344 But Appledashery ain't Austraeoh.

[Mares-a-Mares]

6880238
Gosh, that's horrible - I certainly hope for a better outcome, but I won't deny the fact it could happen when she's so distracted with everything else going on...

[Sharp Quill]

To make up for my failure, I'll explain this reference:

cdn-img.fimfiction.net/user/sngf-1431830425-158394-256

It's the wow! signal detected by the SETI project, which initially looked like it might have been an extraterrestrial signal. It was only detected once, and there's no good explanation for it to this day.

[Paleobrony]

6877898 Woohoo! You're up -- Epcot has a full description! Best present EVER, JE!

[Lightning Bearer]

I'm really starting to wonder where all this is going. I mean, either Rainbow will end up with Applejack, or she won't. I've always just assumed it would be the former, because "it ends with them cuddling", but what does that really tell us? Considering this author, it wouldn't be all that surprising if the apparent promise of cuddles was concealing a sneakier outcome. Like, maybe they do end up cuddling, but not with each other. Or maybe it's just platonic cuddling (it can happen, right?). Hell, for all we know, Applejack might die at the end of the story, and she does so cuddled in Rainbow's arms (Scootaloo has mentioned Rainbow still being around post-story, but has she said anything about Applejack?).

I dunno. I just feel my faith in Appledash cuddles wavering.

The only other possibility is that they will get together. And that would almost necessarily involve something drastic happening to shake up the status quo. Others have put forward Rainbow's condition as a possibility. And, at the risk of beating a long-dead horse, there's still the missing letter.

Basically, the story is either gonna get really depressing, or really dramatic.

[Phoenix Kitten]

6880442 Or both.
Nothing says it can't be dramatically depressing, or depressingly dramatic.

[Salad king]

Rainbow gulped. "And yet... as hard as I dream... I just gotta admit that there are some things I can't do... some things I can't have... even if I can."

Bullshit. Lancy put a cure at her hoof and rainbow went "naaaaah". She could of opened up to applejack months ago and there is NO way it would of gone bad, as long as she was honest. I'm not happy that she has this whole "hiding my depression while acting like I'm happy front for applejack" going, because she is only going to slowly tear herself apart, and that will hurt her friends much more than anything else she could do. She has let many good things pass by when they've been a mere hoof away. She could do anything she wants, but instead handicaps herself and claims she's ok with everything.

Rainbow dash is happy and content? Chillaxed? Bull shit.

[Tchernobog]

6880442 Stu's a changeling. Calling it now.

[TIAS-A1927]

6880442

Yeah, but think also that this fic could be easily just in its first half yet (some months ago JE said it was in his first third,). Who knows how much things will change in the other half.

[Typoglyphic]

6880972 You know, now that I think about it, Stu Leaves is the kind of boring OC that would probably be a perfect cover for a changeling. Who's going to want to investigate Stu Leaves? Snore.

The big flaw in that reasoning is why would a changeling try to cozy up to Applejack so overtly? That puts them under direct scrutiny from Twilight Sparkle, and possibly even Celestia.

[Tchernobog]

6881027 Nah, Chrysalis was overt as Cadence - especially with the poor copy. Twi found her out and whatnot. Stu... is a complete unknown. And probably senses something as a changeling, from Applejack. That or from Rainbow and is moving in, in her place. Or something.

The biggest issue with the theory is Cider Space. You'd think he'd have shown his true colors in there.... unless he was replaced afterwards!

[Leftover of Saikano]

6880369 I actually said "appledashery wiki"

6880427 But there is still no wiki I guess I will have to make fanart of her, now.

[michaelb958]

6880238
http://www.portal2sounds.com/1394

[TheZouave]

6880558
JE: Why not both?

I like how Epcot here just really knows how to push Rainbow's buttons. Especially at the end, with the challenge.
RD doesn't want to do something? Turn it into a competition.
Feeling bad about feeling sad? Make it a challenge.

Epcot best pone.

[Aatxe360]

6880389

One theory is:

6881027

Applejack exudes positive feelings, even when she isn't. Perfect for changelings.

6881040

Does this story have a wiki?

[BabySkittleMonster]

6880238
*Claps frantically as the world blows up into dust*

[Leftover of Saikano]

6881836 Not that I know of.

[zaponator]

I've still got a bad feeling about this...

[arancaytar]

Ethereal light reflected off Epcot's two-toned gray and lavender uniform . She swung an eggshell white hoof through the air, redecorating the stars above until they mimicked the otherworldly sparkle of lights in her fluffy, full black mane. After a happy sigh, she spun around, adjusted her nametag, and smiled at Rainbow Dash with bright lavender eyes.

Yay, adjectives!

[SnowOriole]

I'll get around to building this someday https://appledashery.fandom.com/wiki/Appledashery_Wiki

[Jackattack2]

"Maybe I'm just looking into a rainbow mirror..." She paused to giggle!snort. "...but you seem extra cheery today."

She paused to giggle!snort

giggle!snort

I didnt know snorting had whole AU's.