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Chapter 93,175 words
Chapter 1o3,008 words

Chapter 1o

Mending a Broken Rainbow- Chapter Ten

Celestia’s throne room was quiet, and still. Outside, the thunderstorm raged on in the night, shaking the stained glass windows as the wind howled against them. The large decorative double doors to the room still stood askew, abandoned not long ago as Twilight and Applejack set out into the storm. Suddenly, everything changed.

A bright lavender light erupted from the center of the room, disappearing as quickly as it came, replaced by four ponies.

“We have to act quickly!” Twilight Sparkle trotted across the marble floor towards Celestia’s throne, her steps echoing throughout the large chamber. “Guards!”

Applejack remained at Rainbolt’s side, Dashie peering over her shoulder. For the time being it seemed like the Wonderbolt had once again passed out, her heavy breathing combating the sounds of the storm.

Applejack swallowed hard, tearing her eyes away from Rainbolt and towards Twilight. “What should we-”

Before she could finish, one of the smaller doors on the far side of the room creaked open, and three armored guards trotted in.

“Lock down this room,” Twilight ordered to the guards, having reached the throne. Beside Celestia’s seat, where the lavender unicorn had left it, was her spell book. “Make sure nopony enters. We cannot be disturbed.”

The stallions nodded, and disappeared the way they came in. A magical aura lifted the spell book, causing it to float alongside Twilight as she made her way back towards her friends.

Dashie, made her way beside Rainbolt, opposite Applejack, spreading one of her wings across her twin and lying beside her on the marble floor. “What now, Twilight?”

“Now…” Twilight paused, glancing between the book and her friends. She had no idea, but she couldn’t tell them that. “Listen, this spell has never been tested. I am not certain what will happen, or if it will even work.”

The group fell into silence. Dashie and Applejack turned their attention to the cyan pegasus lying between them, struggling to hold on with each and every breath. The Wonderbolt twitched in her sleep, her face contorted as if some cruel nightmare dominated her thoughts. The time between each heavy breath was becoming longer.

“We don’t have time to worry anymore.” Dashie’s wing tightened around her blood sister, trying to keep in as much warmth as possible. Her eyes rose to meet Twilight’s. “It’s now or never!”

“The unicorn nodded slowly, then turned her attention to the strangely quiet orange mare. “Applejack?”

“Ah’m ready.” The farm pony reached out, taking Dashie’s hoof in one of her own, Rainbolt’s in the other. She met eyes with Dashie, who nodded. “We’re ready. Just tell us what we have to do.”

A loud crack of thunder caused Celestia’s apprentice to jump.

“I…” Twilight levitated the book out in front of her, flipping it open to the page she had prepared. “I’m not totally sure. I don’t know what will happen! What if I hurt you by mistake?”

Once again the sounds of the storm dominated as he ponies present each attempted to sort out the many thoughts running rampant in their minds. What if the spell didn’t work? What if it only made everything worse? What if Rainbolt and Dashie were stuck, separated, forever?

After several long moments, Applejack took a heavy breath, straightened her back, and spoke.

“Cast the spell, Twilight.” The farm pony tightened her grips. “Whatever happens, we’ll handle it, together.”

“Then here we go.”

Twilight’s eyes fell upon the text before her- her own spell, crafted over many hours of study- finally getting put to the text. As she read, her horn began to glow a ghastly purple. AJ watched, her attention darting between her pegusi and the unicorn, but nothing was happening. Suddenly another layer of color, darker, appeared around Twilight’s horn. The unicorn grunted, as she remained focused.

Something was wrong, and Twilight knew it. Nothing was happening, but she could feel her strength being drawn away. Had she made an error? A poor calculation? For a split second, she allowed herself to look away, to look at the three ponies before her.

Dashie and Applejack were scared; it was clear in their expressions. However, even more so, they were brave. They were determined. There was no way Twilight could let them down. Frustrated, the unicorn cast her spell book aside, and instead focussed all thought on her friends.

Applejack watched as a third glow surrounded Twilight’s horn.

And then, nothing.

Everything simply seemed to cease to exist. One moment Applejack was lying beside the loves of her life, in the castle throne room, preparing for Twilight’s spell and whatever it had in store and the next the world around her simply disappeared, every sound and sight replaced with black.

Applejack didn’t know how to react. She spun in place, looking for anything, but everywhere she looked the farm pony just found saw shadow. A quick glance to her hooves assured her that at least she was still real.

Only one thought crossed her mind. Twilight’s spell. Something had gone horribly, horribly wrong.

“Hello?” Applejack called out hopelessly. “Hello, can anypony hear me? Twilight? Rainbow?”

However, before she could ponder the fact any further, a sound caught her attention. It was so quiet that at first AJ was uncertain if it was simply a figment of her imagination, but it persisted. She couldn’t make out what it was. Turning in place once again, the orange earth-pony attempted to pinpoint the source of the sound.

“Hello?” her voice echoed in the darkness.

Then, once Applejack was certain that she was facing the right direction, she took a single step forward, and found the shadow beneath her hooves was at least solid. She took another step. Then another. Soon, she began a slow walk, and then a gallop. As she ran, the sound began to get louder.

After what seemed like a lifetime, the strange nightmare of a world pulled another trick out of its sleeve. The earth beneath AJ’s feet began to take a form, a path of dirt lined on either side with grass, but the sight lacked color. It was as if the orange mare had become part of an old black and white film, and as she ran more of the landscape formed. Next were the trees, and then the fruit upon them. Apple trees, AJ would recognize them anywhere!

She continued to run, and before long Applejack came to recognize the location as that of her family orchard. The sounds continued to grow louder, until she could just barely make them out.

At first AJ simply thought she was hearing things. Too many things. Many sounds, mixed together like a mash-up f events all playing at once, but a few of the sounds stood out.

The cheer of a crowd. The giggle of a young filly.

In the distance Applejack saw color, and with a renewed effort doubled her pace. The transition from grey and colorless to bright green grass and life full apple trees caught her by surprise. The dirt beneath her hooves began to crunch as she ran. She was beginning to think the path would go on forever, until it abruptly stopped. Before her, the path dropped off dramatically, a clean cut into nothing.

Applejack had reached her destination, and she could finally make out the sounds. However, now they came from her left and right.

First, she turned to her left, and the sight playing out before her was perfect. A little ways off, in the middle of the orchard, Rainbow Dash, Apple Bloom and Big Mac were enjoying the sunlight, and playing games. Apple Bloom’s laughter busted out as Rainbow and Big Mac teamed up to tickle her. Excited to join, Applejack took a step forward, excited to join, then stopped. Curiosity got the better of her, and the orange mare turned to see what the other sounds were.

A giant stadium sprawled out before her, opposite the orchard. Within, the Wonderbolts were performing a wonderful aerial show, Rainbow Dash leading them.

“No.” Applejack felt her legs beginning to tremble. “No, no, no no no!” She turned, glancing between the happy family and the fantastic stadium. “No, I won’t choose again! It isn’t fair! I can’t have one without the other! I won’t!” Applejack fell to the ground, tears beginning to stream across her cheeks. “Not again…”

The sounds continued, but now they did not bring the farmer joy, only confusion and hurt. She listened, hopelessly.

But then another sound cut in, weak and muffled by the others. Crying. Applejack head shot up, her eyes scanning the nightmarish landscape. She knew she heard it. Listening closely, it came again, in muffled gasps and cries.

Applejack turned to face the sound, and found herself facing the cliff. However, she was sure that it was Rainbow Dash that she heard crying. Not Dashie, who played and laughed to her left, or Rainbolt who encouraged the crowds cheering to her right. It was the one and only Rainbow Dash.

And it was coming from somewhere far away in the shadows.

Applejack was unsure why she decided to step off the cliff. It seemed like a bad idea, with the chance of plummeting to her doom and all, but she did it anyways. She refused to stay behind and choose again, she needed to see the real Rainbow Dash.

And so she stepped off the cliff, and to her surprise she didn’t fall. She was once again walking on the shadow. Another step. Then another. Before she knew it Applejack was trotting once again, towards the sounds of a broken heart. A quick glance over her shoulder revealed the stadium and the orchard fading away into the shadow. She kept running.

At long last, a new scene began to unfold; the Cutie Mark Crusader Clubhouse. Little did Applejack know, it was where it all started.

“How exactly is the element of loyalty supposed to decide...” It was Rainbow’s voice. “Between being loyal to my dream, and being loyal to my love.”

The words were daggers in Applejack’s heart. She continued forward, nearing the tree house.

“Rainbow Dash?” Applejack called. She watched as a strange rainbow aura began to emit from the clubhouse.

The farm pony took in a heavy breath before walking into the tree fort.

Rainbow dash was there, wrapped up on the floor, her wings acting like a cocoon. The strange rainbow glow continued to emit from the pegasus’s body.

“Rainbow,” Appejack took a careful step forward, and the pegasus’ head darted up from its resting place.

Rainbow Dash was a wreck. Her eyes bright red, worn from crying, the fur of her cheeks matted down from continuous salty assault. Even her usually perfect wings seemed a mess, feathers out of order, pushed to their limits.

“What-” Rainbow attempted to back away from Applejack, but ended up tumbling over her own hooves. “What are you doing here!”

“No,” Applejack took another careful step forward, not wanting to scare the beautiful pegasus away. “What are ‘you’ doing here? Ah’ve been looking everywhere for ya, Sugarcube!”

“You…. You have?” For a moment Rainbow began to calm, her shoulders relaxing and almost taking a step toward her filly-friend, but then she stopped. Her body tensed again, and she continued to back away. “I- I haven’t made a decision yet! I-”

“Shhh,” Applejack continued her slow advance. “You don’t have to make any decisions.”

Rainbow Dash backed into the wooden planked wall of the tree house. “But you said…”

“It doesn’t matter what Ah said.” Applejack smiled warmly. She was almost close enough to touch her pegasus. “Ah was wrong. Ah’m sorry.”

“But how could you love me, knowing my loyalties are crossed?”

Applejack stopped her advance, slowly sitting and staring into the cyan pegasus’ beautiful magenta eyes. “You can’t live with me, and give up on your dreams. I get that. However, I’d never let you peruse your dreams without me, either.” Applejack extended a hoof across the wooden floor. “Do you know why, Dash?”

Rainbow was once again beginning to calm, and lower her guard. “Why” The pagasus reached to take Applejack’s hoof in her own.

“Because Ah understand,” AJ gave Rainbow’s hoof a light tug, pulling the pegasus away from the wall. “My dream means nothin’ without you, either Rainbow.” Another tug, pulling her closer. “Ah love you, Rainbow! Everything about you!” Another tug. Closer. “Without you, a piece of my heart is missing.”

The tears streaming down Rainbow’s cheeks quickly changed to tears of joy, and she began to cry even harder than before.

“I- I-”

“Shhh.” With a final forceful tug, Applejack pulled the fragile pegasus against her chest, allowing Rainbow to simply collapse into the farm pony’s embrace. “It’s okay, Ah gotchia Dash, and Ah ain’t never lettin’ ya go again.”

“I…” Rainbow paused, deep in thought. She needed the right words. Slowly raising her eyes to meet Applejack’s pools of emerald, the pegasus whispered between tears. “I felt so lost without you.” The pegasus’ wings shot out from her sides, to their full length. “Oh Apples, I don’t know what I was thinking!”

The pair of strong wings fell across Applejack’s shoulders, wrapping the two friends together as close as possible.

“Shhh.”

The embrace was perfect. It had all the tender care, and loving qualities of Dashie, as well as the rough force and raw emotion of Rainbolt. It was a physical representation of what they both continuously repeated in their thoughts.

I love you. I love you. I love you so much.

“Hey, Apples?”

Applejack opened eyes that she hadn’t realised were closed. Darkness. Rainbow’s wings wrapped the two together like a cocoon, keeping out all light, all outside influence. It was just them, together.

“Yeah, Sugarcube?”

A tender hoof contacted Applejack’s jaw, pulling her forward to meet Rainbow’s kiss.

Perfect. Caring. Loving. Aggressive. Raw.

Applejack was unsure how long they were kissing for.

She didn’t notice when the sound of rain on stained glass windows began to fill the room, or when the plank floor of the tree house was replaced with the marble of the Canterlot throne room. She didn’t notice- or rather didn’t care- When Dash went on the aggressive, pushing Applejack onto her back and allowing the Pegasus to explore the farm pony’s jawline with kisses and nibbles.

“Uh, girls?”

Applejack and Rainbow froze, staring wide eyed at each other. Slowly Rainbows wings unfolded, revealing the grand throne room, and a similarly shocked looking lavender Pegasus.

Judging by the crimson shade of red that filled twilight’s cheeks, the two lovers had been kissing for longer than they thought. Funny how time flies when in the embrace of love.

Twilight’s eyes filled with tears, as Rainbow clumsily attempted to dismount her farm-filly.

“It worked!” Twilight pounced forward, knocking Rainbow off of Applejack and onto the marble floor in a tight hug. “Ogmygosh, it worked!” Twilight finished her hug, before backing up several paces. “How- how do you feel, Rainbow Dash?”

“I…” The pegasus casted glances left and right, up and down, her facial expressions mirroring her confusion. “Where am I!?”

Applejack, having made a partial recovery, maneuvered close to take one of Rainbow’s hooves in her own. “Ya don’t remember any of it?”

Rainbow glanced up to AJ. “I-” Then over to Twilight. “I don’t-” The pegasus shut her eyes tight, rubbing the side of her head with her free hoof before once again making eye contact with AJ. “Sort of? I don’t know, it’s all a blur, like there are two sets of memories.

“I remember,” she continued. “You and I were fighting, and…” Rainbow’s eyes widened in horror and realisation. “Oh Celestia, what did I do!?”

A warm smile dominated AJ’s face. “It doesn’t matter now, Dash. It’s over.”

Applejack placed a quick kiss on the tip of Rainbow’s nose, before turning to Twilight.

“I can’t believe it worked!” Twilight squeed, clapping her hooves together. “I need to write to the princess right away! Besides, I’m sure you two have a lot of catching up to do. You are certainly welcome to stay here, in the palace tonight! I’ve already had a room prepared in anticipation.”

“That’s mighty kind of ya, Twilight,” Applejack stood. “And… Thank ya. For everything.”

“There will be time for that tomorrow,” Twilight winked. “For now, Dash needs to get all the rest that she can get.” A certain gleam filled Twilight’s eyes that sent a shiver down Rainbow’s spine.

“What?” Dash stood. “Why? Are there some weird side effects to your spell?”

“No, silly!” Twilight’s smile was a little creepy. “Tomorrow we begin the tests! A magical pegasus! I’m so excited!” As Twilight turned to leave, one of Dash’s eyes twitched. “Just holler when you are ready, and a guard will come escort you to your room.”

With a sudden flash, the unicorn disappeared.

A warm hoof pulled Rainbow into a tight embrace. “Don’t worry Rainbow, I’ll be with you tomorrow.” And then in a lower tone, “and I’m sorry in advance.”

“Sorry?” Rainbow’s worries returned. “What for?”

Applejack smiled lightly, a blush filling her cheeks as she avoided eye contact. “Well, I just…”

“Oh c’mon!” Rainbow Dash pleaded. “What is it!”

“I just…” Applejack turned, planted a hoof on Rainbow’s chest, and knocked the pegasus over before laying on top of her partner. Leaning in, and with a light nibble on Rainbow’s ear, “I don’t think I’m gunna let you get much sleep tonight.”

To be continued…

Author's Note:

Hey all,
I apologize for the lengthy wait for this chapter, I truly do. It seams that life, and my school schedule, don't quite agree with my passion for writing.
Please, if ya have the time, leave a critique or comment! Your feedback means the world to me and it might just help me update faster this time!

Thank for reading, everypony!

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