Appledashery

by Just Essay

Numb and In Charge

"Did you see how red in the face he got?!" I hopped circles around Rainbow and Caramel. "Wow! I've been to the ocean before! And still I've never seen so much salt! Heeheehee!"

"Yeah, uh..." Rainbow Dash cleared her throat. "The dude could certainly learn to... control his blood pressure more."

"You ask me, he stores all his blood in his client!" I scooted to a stop, smirking. "For real! That guy would be nothing if it weren't for the likes of Brick Lesneigh to lean on!"

"The guy is already nothing, Scoots," Rainbow said. She looked downhill at where the stage—and the tables beside it—were being gradually disassembled. The day had ended. The ponies had put in their donations. The preparations for the Marathon were being put to a rest as evening gradually descended. "He's just got... y'know... a pretty big chip on his shoulder."

"More like a ravine," Caramel droned.

"Heeeeeeey, girl!" Rainbow smirked at him. "Way to go! Very punny of you!"

Caramel blushed. "I try..."

"I think it's super awesome of you, Rainbow Dash!" I exclaimed.

"Heh... care to be specific, kid?"

"I mean... being willing to donate all of your prize money to this friend of yours!" I grinned. "Have I actually met Melody?"

Caramel hid his blushing face behind a silken lock of hair.

"I think... in some way or another..." Rainbow winked. "We've all met Melody."

Caramel squeaked slightly.

"Still. You certainly showed up this moron!" I remarked, still chuckling with joy... pride... feathers. "He didn't know what he was stepping into the moment he came to this town! Now all you gotta do is zip past his client and he can eat his mean words!"

"Yeah..." Rainbow wheezed. "Simple as that."

"Ooooh!" I gasped, stumbling in place. "I gotta tell the girls about this! Wait until Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom hear about how awesome the Equestrian Marathon is going to be!" I immediately hopped onto my scooter, strapped on a helmet, and buzzed my tiny wings. "This is the greatest thing ever!"

"Just... uh..." Rainbow Dash smiled nervously after me. "...keep it to the clubhouse, huh?"

"I promise!" I hollered back as I zoomed away. "You're so cool, Rainbow Dash!"

After a moment, Rainbow sighed. "... ... ...the whole town's gonna know in less than half-a-week, aren't they?"

"Don't blame the foal," Caramel said. "You're the one who grandstanded the stallion on a stand earlier in front of everypony."

"Hey. He deserved to be cut down a notch. Besides..." Rainbow slicked her mane back with a smile. "...I've been behind on my quota."

"I must admit, it is refreshing to see and hear you get all cocky again."

"Heh..."

"But... Rainbow..." Caramel gazed tenderly at the mare. "You... you really don't have to do all of this." He gulped. "Just for me."

"It's not all just for you."

"Well, you know..." He sighed nervously. "The real me."

"Girl..." Rainbow leaned in, whispering. "This is important for me too. After so many bumps in the road... I gotta get back on a straightaway. I figured... heck... might as well go at it full hog, y'know? Better late than never."

"It's a Marathon, Rainbow, not a final battle of some war."

Rainbow squinted. "The heck does that mean?"

"Just that you're making it sound like some... last hurrah."

Rainbow bit her lip.

"In any case..." Caramel held a hoof over his chest. "I'm super touched. That speech you gave?" He sniffled, smiling sweetly. "If I was any of the other stallions here today... I just bet... I would have wanted to make love to you for month right then and there."

"Yeah, well, if I was any other mare I might giggle, pinch your cheek, and make you hold my purse."

"Rainbowwwww..." Caramel giggled. "You know what I mean." He sighed, gazing at her softly. "Thank you." He gulped. "Even if... y'know..."

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "What?"

He bit his lip.

"What?"

"Just..." Caramel stood up, clearing his throat. "Don't kill yourself, Rainbow Dash. Whatever you do... please... take it easy..." Lost for more words, he stumbled awkwardly away, joining the dispersing cloud.

Rainbow sat alone for a while before she eventually blurted: "What's that supposed to mean? I can handle this!" She stared off at the sunburnt horizon. "I can handle this." She flexed her forelimbs... grimacing. "I can handle this..."

Comments

[Hestia]

"Just that you're making it sound like some... last hurrah."

"Just..." Caramel stood up, clearing his throat. "Don't kill yourself, Rainbow Dash. Whatever you do... please... take it easy..."

Well that's ominous.

[RoboRed]

I really, really want to know how Rainbow's going to work her way out of this one. Her legs are approaching "wet noodle" status even quicker than before. How the heck is she gonna last through a running competition like this?

[destinedjagold]

"I can handle this..."

Yeeeaaahhh...

[DrEggnog]

Well kids, how is our feathered speedster gonna get outta this one? I honestly don't know.

[John the brony and yknow]

Uhh... if I start reading today, when will I end?

[Phoenix Kitten]

7361761 Well.. if you keep up a decent pace, about a month or so.
I caught up around 200 chapters ago and it took me 3 weeks.

[Phoenix Kitten]

"What's that supposed to mean? I can handle this!" She stared off at the sunburnt horizon. "I can handle this." She flexed her forelimbs... grimacing. "I can handle this..."

Who are you trying to convince Dash? Melody, or yourself?

[PropMaster]

7361761 Assuming you can read an average of ten chapters in an evening, which is very easy considering the average size of each chapter, you would catch up in 108 days. And then you would have to wait for updates like the rest of us.

[Lightning Bearer]

So, is she just gonna pitch a tent in the woods, or... ?

[MidnightReflection]

Rainbow sat alone for a while before she eventually blurted: "What's that supposed to mean? I can handle this!" She stared off at the sunburnt horizon. "I can handle this." She flexed her forelimbs... grimacing. "I can handle this..."

Repeating it to yourself... Rainbow. You are starting to sound dangerously like Listing. Don't do that.

[BurningBright]

7361870 restarted yesterday morning, caught up this mornin, but thwn again when it comes ta reading I'm a freak :p

[fourths]

Mmmmmmelodydashery? :3

[Phoenix Kitten]

7362446 The first two and a half austraeoh books in 40 hours.

[BurningBright]

7362536 good ta meet a fellow speedreader ^-^

[Aatxe360]

I wonder how Stu and Applejack are doing and if it will in anyway make Rainbow's life more difficult?

[AskWaffles]

Oooh no, Rainbow is going to overdose super hard.

[Sharp Quill]

7361761 One day sooner than if you started tomorrow.

[zaponator]

"It's a Marathon, Rainbow, not a final battle of some war."

Giiiirrrrlllll... you have no idea.

[Crochettail]

"Wow! I've been to the ocean before! And still I've never seen so much salt! Heeheehee!"

\
Wait......
If salt is the equivalent of alcohol in the pony world, then the ocean would be the place of inebriation and vice.
Wow. Just wow.

[BabySkittleMonster]

7361761
Eh, a couple of days. You won't finish it in one, but depending on how fast a reader you are, you could be caught up by late tomorrow. Or not. As I said, it entirely depends on you. And don't skip reading the comments! That's practically as big a part of this story as in the Austraeoh series!

[Thursday]

Ah jeez...

[Folomo]

7361761
Around 3 weeks if you go fast.
Just... Don't kill yourself, John the brony. Whatever you do... please... take it easy...

[arancaytar]

"Don't kill yourself, Rainbow Dash. Whatever you do... please... take it easy..."