Appledashery

by Just Essay

Referral Girls

Caramel grunted as he dropped the last box of delivered produce behind a market in central Ponyville. He leaned back, swiping his brow. "Well... that's a nice change."

Rainbow sat on the side of the wagon, dangling her lower legs. "Have you been delivering these many crates full of vegetables all week?"

"I... uh..." Caramel gulped. "...kinda?"

"Who's paying you?"

"Y'know... local families." Caramel coughed. "Distant relations." A sigh—and his ears drooped. "Certainly not my mom and dad."

"How many are you getting a day for this work?" Rainbow craned her neck to the side. "If you don't mind me asking."

"Uh..." Caramel fussed with his disheveled bangs, frowning at the smell of his own sweat. "About... f-fifty bits per day."

Rainbow nearly fell off the wagon. "Fifty?!"

"Please..." Caramel grimaced. "...don't bite my head off too hard."

"Girl, any self-respecting pony would ask for one hundred bits per day alone!" Rainbow gestured. "And this is harder work than most transports!"

"Look... I'll take whatever I can get at this point."

"Or maybe you'll just take whatever you're used to."

"Huh?"

Rainbow gestured. "All of this stuff is helping out your local farm ponies... which is pretty cool and all. Nice of you, no doubt. But there's a time when you gotta put you ahead of others... especially now that Canterlot's medical offices have given you the proverbial shaft."

"But... I-I don't know of any delivery services that are hiring earth ponies for simple deliveries." Caramel sighed. "If someone out there was paying more... I'd be all for it."

Rainbow Dash bit her lip. "Banner Company."

"Huh?"

"They've... got an open position," Rainbow Dash said. "I happen to know that for a fact."

Caramel cocked his head to the side. "I thought they only hired pegasi."

"For long distance deliveries, sure. But they're overflowing with pegasi," she said. "I'm willing to bet that they'd be game to hire a local pony who knows the town and the farms both inside and out."

"I... dunno, Rainbow..."

"Pfft! Only 'cuz you don't get the exposure, girl!" Rainbow winked. "I happen to know the guy who manages the local warehouse. I'll put in a good word for you."

"You..." Caramel's tail flicked with a spark of hope. "...you really think they'll hire somepony like me?"

"So long as you don't mind wearing a horribly yellow apron."

"How... garish is it?"

"It's like you're wearing hydra puke," Rainbow said, winking. "Laced with diamond dog turds."

Caramel giggled. "Still... better than sweating over a gazillion boxes of turnips."

"Think of it this way..." Rainbow Dash touched down and rested a hoof on Caramel's shoulder. "When the time comes that you have the bits to meet Canterlot's bill... you can have a fashion holiday... was all the vomit away."

"I could have a fashion holiday now, Rainbow Dash," Caramel calmly said. "It's... all about the first layer."

"Yeah..." Rainbow nodded. "I hear you."

Caramel sighed. He stared off. "These... last few days after Las Pegasus have been super lonely." He gulped. "Vinyl has an album to work on. Lyra and Bon Bon are... off doing things."

"Heh... no doubt."

"It's... good to know that ponies care for what I'm struggling with." He sniffled slightly, smiling at her. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Rainbow. You're just... you're just always here, y'know?"

Rainbow stared at him. "Hey," she droned, forcing a smile. "What are friends for?"

Comments

[Hestia]

"It's... good to know that ponies care for what I'm struggling with." He sniffled slightly, smiling at her. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Rainbow. You're just... you're just always here, y'know?"

[krakentoa]

It's touching, really. That somehow Caramel perceives Rainbow as "always there". Is it true? Or just a recent coincidence?

[BabySkittleMonster]

Initially this was really sweet, seeing how selfless Dash is once again. That last bit killed me though. As if any of us need reminding of the, um, situation with Dash concerning friends. Still, I'm glad to see that Rainbow is still Rainbow despite everything.

[RoboRed]

Aww...good on ya', Rainbow.

[WhitewolfStormrunner]

"It's... good to know that ponies care for what I'm struggling with." He sniffled slightly, smiling at her. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Rainbow. You're just... you're just always here, y'know?"

Rainbow stared at him. "Hey," she droned, forcing a smile. "What are friends for?"

Take the hint and stay put in Ponyville, Dash.

Where you belong.

[DrEggnog]

"Have you been delivering these many crates full of vegetables all week?"

This ma-

Oh what am I doing? Appledashery doesn't get edits.

Rainbow gestured. "All of this stuff is helping out your local farm ponies... which is pretty cool and all. Nice of you, no doubt. But there's a time when you gotta put you ahead of others... especially now that Canterlot's medical offices have given you the proverbial shaft."

There are plenty of characters out there, especially females in anime, who let themselves live the rough life but lift others up. I'm reminded of Tohru Honda. But Rainbow Dash has a different flavor to her than most characters like that because... she's Rainbow Dash. She's not a doormat-y, housewife-y type. She's an adventurous tomboy. It's a really cool mix, and a big part of why Appledashery Dashie is one of my favorite characters ever.

[Leftover of Saikano]

Hope this makes you reconsider, Dash.

[zaponator]

Ah, she still gon' skip town more than likely. Maybe delay it a bit... win a marathon... donate some bits to a certain dainty pony...

[Folomo]

7304895
Well, we have had far more scenes with RD hitting the bar and meeting their friends there than reunions of the mane 6...

[arancaytar]

"It's... good to know that ponies care for what I'm struggling with." He sniffled slightly, smiling at her. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Rainbow. You're just... you're just always here , y'know?"

Easy on the guilt trip, Mel.