• Published 17th May 2014
  • 2,974 Views, 101 Comments

Tranquil - bahatumay



Applejack runs away, and this time it doesn't seem like she's coming back. And it's all Rainbow's fault.

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Chapter 3

Manehattan was not known for being the most friendly of places. Sure, there was the whole band-together-in-the-face-of-trouble thing, but as a general rule, it was survival of the fittest.

This, of course, was mitigated if you happened to know somepony. And Applejack knew a couple that were very willing to help.

“...and that's why I'm leaving,” she said with a sheepish smile. “Can you help me?”

Mosely considered her story. “And you're sure about this?”

Applejack nodded. “Very sure. I can't stay there, and I certainly couldn't survive here. No offense, of course.”

Her uncle Orange nodded slowly. “Wherever you're from, or wherever you're going, you're kin; so I think we'd be willing to help you out.”

Her aunt nodded. “But if you ever want to come back, we'll be here.”

Applejack nodded and brusquely wiped a hoof over her eyes. “Y'all are the best,” she said.

* * *

Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, and Pinkie Pie all rested in the train car on its journey to Manehattan. For some reason, Twilight felt drained, as though she had run a half-marathon. Rainbow also stared morosely out the window, and even Pinkie Pie was quietly (relatively speaking, of course) amusing herself

A plump mare came by, pushing a large cart loaded with snacks. “Anything from the trolley, dearies?” she asked.

Rainbow waved her off, still looking distractedly out the window. Twilight numbly passed over a few bits and received a biscuit in return. Pinkie relieved her of the largest cupcake she sold and slid the bits over with her tongue.

The mare, understandably disgusted by this, slid them into her purse by touching them as little as possible and then continued on her route. She asked the same question of the ponies in the booth behind.

Rainbow's ears pricked up as she heard a familiar voice say, “Oh, no thank you. I’m watching my figure.”

Rainbow looked up and her eyes narrowed. “I know that voice,” she whispered. She sprinted into the corridor, pushing the mare out of the way and jamming her head into the booth.

Rarity and Fluttershy sat there, both trying very hard to look nonchalant.

They were not succeeding.

“Were you spying on me?” Rainbow demanded.

Rarity had the decency to blush slightly. “A lady does nothing of the sort. We saw you looking for Applejack, and we simply had to see what was going on.”

“So you were spying on me!”

Rarity winced. “...Kindof?”

“Ugh!” Rainbow groused, folding her forelegs. “What is wrong with you ponies?”

Rarity cleared her throat, and when she spoke again, she was calm, crisp, and professional. “Rainbow Dash, it's nothing personal. It's just that Applejack is our good friend, too, and if something's going on…”

“There is nothing going on!” Rainbow nearly shouted.

“You keep saying that, but nopony's believing it,” Rarity said in that same maddeningly calm voice. “I'm sure you'll feel better when you just tell us…”

“I'm not telling you anything!” Rainbow snarled, pushing Rarity over and turning to leave. She shouldered her way past Twilight and made for her cabin, where she intended to shut the door behind her and lock it.

This plan was interrupted when Pinkie grabbed Rainbow's shoulder and slammed her into the hallway wall. Rainbow's eyes widened at the strength of her grip. It was sometimes easy to forget that happy-go-lucky Pinkie Pie was not just fluff and stuff.

“I haven't slept in three days, Rainbow,” she growled, holding the pegasus against the wall. “That's how worried I've been. So you'd better talk, or I'll make you as miserable as I am!”

“Pinkie, that's not healthy!” Twilight gasped. “You have to sleep sometime!”

Pinkie ignored her. “Talk!”

“Look, I…”

Talk!”

Rainbow jammed her hooves protectively over her head. “She started writing me these gushy love notes but I didn’t know they were from her and so I showed her one and made fun of it and she threw an apple at my head and I haven't seen her since!”

Silence followed her revelation, and she opened one eye to check her friends' reactions. None of them seemed pleased. Most seemed surprised. Fluttershy looked somewhat disappointed.

“Gushy?”

“Made fun of?”

“Love notes?”

“An apple?”

Everypony turned to look at Pinkie, who held her hooves up disarmingly. “What?”

The focus quickly returned to Rainbow Dash. “Rainbow, darling,” Rarity said hesitantly. “That's… That's not a good thing to do.”

“I know!”

“Do you?” Fluttershy asked quietly. “Do you know she bared her soul to write those? Do you know she offered her everything to you? She trusted you with her most prized possession—her undying love—and you threw it away.”

“I didn't know it was her!” Rainbow protested.

“She was there,” Fluttershy insisted. “If you'd truly read her letters, you would have seen her. Hiding there, between the lines, hoping for you to notice her because she didn't dare say those things to your face.” She looked up. “She's just a pony like you and me. Sometimes things are too big and scary for just one mare.”

Rainbow's eyes widened. “You helped her write them,” she realized.

Fluttershy blushed slightly and looked down again, but she persevered on. “I did. I didn't know what kind of reaction she would get, but I didn't expect that, even from you.” Still looking down, she stood up. “I need some air,” she said softly as she left.

Rainbow Dash looked around at the others. Nopony would meet her eyes. “What?” she snapped. “I didn't know, ok?”

“You… you made her sad,” Pinkie said in disbelief, sounding confused and supremely disappointed that one of her friends could do that to another. Even her mane seemed to have lost a bit of its bounce. “I think I need another cupcake.” She too left the cabin.

Rainbow looked at the two remaining ponies, as if challenging them to also find fault with her. Rarity continued fiddling with her hooves, but Twilight seemed to be deep in thought.

“How do you feel about Applejack?” Twilight finally asked.

Rainbow realized she didn't have an answer for that, so she turned to fly away.

Twilight was faster. She lit her horn and grabbed Rainbow by the tail, jerking her to a sudden stop.

Just like Applejack used to do.

She landed hard on the ground. “I don't know,” she whispered. “I… I don't know. I think... I don't know.”

Twilight released her tail and leaned down to give Rainbow a comforting hug. “It's ok,” she said softly. “From what I've read, love is a complicated thing. You'll figure out where you stand soon enough.”

Rarity looked out the window. “I wonder where Applejack is now?” she murmured.

* * *

“Where you headed?” the ticket salespony asked, looking supremely bored.

“What’s the farthest place I can buy a ticket for?” Applejack asked.

The mare rolled her eyes and looked back at her book. “The IRS will find you anyway, ‘snot worth running away.”

Applejack’s eyes narrowed. “I asked, what’s the farthest place I can buy a ticket for?”

Realizing that this earth pony was going to play hardball, the mare became more cooperative. “Tar Sash,” she said, gesturing at a city on the edge of the map behind her. “Named for the streaks of crude oil in the ground and known for its kerosene industry. Fairly busy port; if you're good at hard labor you'll get a job no problem, and the work's tough so the pay's not terrible.”

The pony in line behind Applejack shuffled uncomfortably.

Applejack shrugged. “Sounds ok to me.” She reached into her saddlebags for the fare.

“Are you certain that is wise?” the pony behind her asked.

“Oh, fairly certain,” Applejack said airily, counting up her bits.

She was interrupted when the pony behind her reached around and rested a dark blue hoof on hers. “Trust us,” she said. “This is not the decision you wish to make.”

Applejack turned and looked into her eyes, but as her green eyes met the deep blue eyes of her assailant, her annoyance melted into shock.

“P- Princess Luna?”