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You Know That

The world shook as the creature hit the ground; its roar spewing fire across the Everfree Forest. Nopony present knew what had sent the dragon spiraling to the forest floor, and they did not care to find out. Tangerine and Appleseed yelled as the flames began spreading across the forest towards the group.

Granny Smith broke through the brush as she finally arrived at the scene. Rose still had her head buried in the other filly's chest as she continued to cry. Applejack stared at the flames spreading quickly towards the group and released Rose.

"Go for help." Applejack said as she pulled the other filly off of the ground. "Fly as fast as you can and get somepony down here." she said as she gently pushed Rose away.

Rose began shaking her head as she stepped next to Applejack. "I can't f-f-fly right now. I... I hurt my wing." she stammered.

"That's alright." Applejack said, wrapping a hoof around Rose's neck. "We'll get outta here. Mama and Daddy'll make sure o' that." Applejack stepped next to her parents who stared at the fire with calculating eyes. "What're we doin' Mama?" she asked quietly.

Tangerine quickly glanced at her daughter and gave a small smile. "We're going to try to go around the fire, dear." she said calmly. "It shouldn't be a problem once we figure out how fast its spreading."

"Ain't gonna be too easy, darlin'." Appleseed said with a shake of his head. "It's spreadin' way faster than any fire I've ever seen before."

"That's 'cause it's dragon's fire." Granny Smith said with a sad shake of her head.

Applejack felt an ember of fury burst within her as her grandmother spoke. "Who asked you?!" she yelled. "We wouldn't even be here if you hadn't been bullyin' Rose!"

"Applejack!" Tangerine yelled. "I understand you're upset, but this is not the time." The mare waved her hand at the wall of flame inching ever closer for emphasis. "We can argue about right and wrong after we get out of this forest."

Applejack stared at her grandmother with hateful eyes for another moment before nodding at her mother. "You're right, mama."

"The fire seems to be between us and the farm." Tangerine said as she stared once more at the encroaching flames.

"It seems to be headin' this way, too." Appleseed said. "The good news is: the farm's safe. The bad news... We ain't."

"Can't we just run around it?" Applejack asked quietly.

Tangerine shook her head. "No, it's large enough, the smoke would suffocate us if we got that close."

The fire was close enough now that Applejack could feel the heat on the ground rising rapidly. She grabbed Rose by her wing and pulled her closer. "Stay close ta me." she whispered and Rose nodded. "I got an idea." Applejack announced to her family, catching their attention. "I saw a bunch of caves on the way here. Why don't we run from the fire and see if we can't find one near some water? We can wet the entrance and keep the fire away and then we just let it burn past us."

Tangerine and Appleseed looked to each other for a moment before both nodding. "I don't like relying on luck, but it seems we have no other option. Everypony keep an eye out for a cave and DO NOT get separated." Tangerine said sternly.

They all murmured their agreement before galloping into the forest away from the fire. They had only been running for a few minutes when Rose collapsed.

Applejack immediately turned and grabbed the filly, before tossing her on her back. "You okay, Rose?" she asked as she ran. Rose simply nodded and laid her head on the back of the other filly's neck, panting. "Mama!" Applejack called as she pushed herself to run ahead next to her mother. "I'm worried bout Rose! She just passed out!" Applejack panted.

Tangerine's eyes narrowed as she ran, but she simply shook her head. "I'm sorry, dear. I'll have to take a look at her when we're safe. Just keep running."

Applejack nodded as she ran. She stayed quiet until she spotted a bright blue among the green foliage. "There!" she called as she turned towards it. Please be water... she thought as she ran, her parents and grandmother following close behind.

The ponies stumbled into the lake water as the fire spread closer. Applejack doggy-paddled across the pool of water looking for a cave that they could all huddle up in. She searched near the water's edge and found just such a cave.

Applejack looked over her shoulder past Rose and saw the wall of flames approaching their location, her parents were helping Granny Smith around the lake and she feared they wouldn't make it. She gently placed Rose inside the cave and ran to her parents. "C'mon, Mama, Daddy. We gotta get inside." she called as she pushed her Grandmother to go faster.

Panic began to set in as she saw the flames burning the tips of her father's tail and she screamed for them to run. Her entire body was coated with sweat as the flames neared her own body.

"Hurry!" Rose screamed from the entrance of the cave, too exhausted to actually move.

Tangerine released an anguished cry as the flames finally reached her body, burning her hind legs and flank. Applejack screamed as her parents jumped into the water in an attempt to rid themselves of the flames. She felt her blood boiling as she realized this was her grandmother's fault. She knew her grandmother was afraid of the water, but she should have been more afraid of the fire. Now, her parents were hurt because of Granny Smith.

With a roar of fury, she shoved the old mare into the water and followed behind. As the two plunged into the water, Applejack saw Rose drag herself into the other end. The wall of flames moved past them as they swam away from the cave, towards home. The ground would still be hot to touch, but at-least they would be out of the fire and the water. Granny quickly kicked herself towards the shore, yelling at the top of her lungs.

Applejack turned around and paddled towards Rose. Rose struggled to keep herself afloat as Applejack neared her and pulled her wing around her back. "I got ya." she said as she pulled them both towards the shore. She could hear her parents yelling as she neared the shore and found herself confused. Did they not just put out the fire? She looked to the shore and her eyes widened with shock as she realized her parents were still burning.

She quickened her pace at the sight and hurriedly dragged herself on the shore. She grabbed hoof-fulls of water and began tossing them at her parents, but the fire seemed undeterred. Her parents screaming brought tears to her eyes and the smell of burning fur and flesh made her gag.

The two simply screamed as they burned and Applejack continued to throw water at them. Granny was shouting something, but she could not hear anything more than her own heartbeat in her ears and her parents pained screaming. She cried as the water splashed harmlessly against the fire.

Her father tried jumping back in the water and her mother fell to the ground having passed out from the pain. Tangerine's body continued to burn as Applejack threw more water at her.

Rose stared in the water screaming; Appleseed had not yet resurfaced. Tangerine's body continued to burn and in the back of her mind, Applejack knew she was gone. The smell of burning flesh caused her to gag and she empty her stomach on the ground near the water several times as the tears streamed down her face. Rose continued to cry into the lake and Granny stared on, unable to do anything more.

Applejack glared at the older mare and whispered quietly. "This is your fault."

"Harsh," Dash mumbled as she sat her drink back on the bedside table.

Applejack finished the last of her drink and sighed loudly. "I know now... that wasn't the right thing ta say, but... you gotta understand, Dash. I was a hurt scared little filly who just watched ma parents burn to death..." she said.

They were both quiet for several minutes before Rainbow mumbled a quick, "Sorry..." and Applejack sighed loudly.

"It's alright, Dash." Applejack smiled and stared at the other mare for several minutes.

Dash felt the heat rising in her cheeks as the cowpony stared into her eyes. "What?" she finally blurted.

Applejack grinned and shook her head. "Just thinkin' we was a lot more comfortable earlier." she said.

"W-what do you mean?" Rainbow asked.

Applejack merely shrugged a waved a hoof at the other mare. "I was just hopin' you'd let me back under your wing..." she said. "It made me feel... safe."

Dash saw a tear fall from the other mare's emerald eyes as she asked. I wasn't even thinking of how bad this must be hurting her... "Sure," Dash said as she unfurled her wings. "Just don't fall asleep on me or anything like that." Dash winked to let the other mare know she was simply joking.

Applejack chuckled as she pulled herself beneath Rainbow's wing. "I'll do ma best." she said.

Dash smiled and pulled a blanket over herself as Applejack got comfortable beneath her wing. "So, what happened next?" she asked, quietly.

"Well, after I spent a couple hours cryin' and pukin' ma guts up," Applejack sighed. "We went home..."

Applejack lied on the floor and screamed again. After arriving back at the farm house, she had buckled to the floor and simply screamed. She wailed her sorrows away as Granny tended to Applebloom and Big Mac.

“Applejack?” Rose asked tentatively from the floor next to her.

Applejack roared in anger. “No!” she barked. “Don’t say anything… I don’t wanna hear it.” she said. “I don’t want ya ta apologize and I don’t want you to try ta make me feel better.”

Rose whimpered as she slumped back to the floor. “I just-”

“I don’t wanna hear it!” Applejack yelled. “I don’t wanna hear anything from you right now.”

“I’m sor-”

“I don’t want to hear it!” Applejack bellowed as she jumped to her feet. "What in the hay were you even thinkin', runnin' in there alone?!" she yelled. "You coulda died, and ponies got hurt savin' you!" Tears streamed from her eyes as she watched Rose shrink away from her. She did not care at the moment though. Deep down she knew this was neither Rose nor Granny's fault. This had been nopony's fault.

Granny Smith walked in the room and sat in her chair heavily, with a deep sigh.

Applejack glared at the old pony. "What did you say?" she asked, only to be received by a blank stare. "What did you say to get her worked up like that?" she had finally stopped screaming and it seemed she was out of tears, but her bloodshot glare was enough to make the old mare shrink back in her seat.

"Applejack," Granny Smith said, "Maybe, now ain't the best time..."

"No!" Applejack shouted. "Ma parents just died 'cause of whatever you said to Rose. I wanna know. What was so important you had to say?"

"Applejack," Rose sighed. "Your grandmother told me something I needed to hear." she said. "She said, that she could tell how you felt for me..."

Applejack braced herself. She knew she had a crush on the other filly, or she had a hunch at-least, but to hear it said out-loud was unnerving. "So?" she asked. "That ain't important right now."

"You're right..." Rose almost whispered. "It's not important. I know what you are..." Rose looked right into Applejack's eyes, emeralds met sapphires as she spoke. "You're a filly-fooler..."

Applejack stepped back as if she had been slapped in the face. She had some idea of that being the case, but to hear somepony call her that; it hurt.

"Don't get me wrong..." Rose said, stepping towards the filly. "I'm happy for you; discovering yourself at such a young age..." she pulled away. "but, I'm not." Applejack flinched. "Your grandmother and I agreed. Two fillies... together?!"

Applejack forced herself to look away from her best friend. "It's just sick, ain't it...?" Applejack asked. "I know it is..." She clenched her eyes against the tears she felt coming. "I'm going." she stated. Her voice never wavered, but her entire body shook at the sincerity in her own statement. "Y'all can see me off tomorrow if ya like. Send word to Aunt Orange and Uncle Orange... I'm goin' ta Manehatten."

"I thought you left to find your special talent." Rainbow said, her face mere inches from Applejack's.

"I said, 'I left for Manehatten to find myself'. I never lied." Applejack said defensively. "That's exactly why I left."

Rainbow chuckled and ruffled Applejack's mane. "Calm down, I was just teasin'." she said.

Applejack chuckled and leaned into the hoof that was now stroking her mane.

"So, that's it, huh?" Dash asked.

"Whatcha mean?" Applejack asked.

"Well, I remember you told us what happened. You went to Manehatten, got homesick, saw that rainbow, which was me, and then went home..." She said. "That's it right?"

"In a nutshell..." Applejack said with a sigh. "but, I didn't tell you what happened to Rose..."

"What did happen?" Dash asked.

"Well," Applejack snuggled her head into the pegasus's neck as she continued. "Before I tell you that, I heard somethin' that night. Didn't make no sense to me, but now that I think about... it's good I heard it."

Applejack angrily threw everything she wanted to take with her to Manehatten, her blanket , a stuffed animal, and her favorite apple cookbook. She continued to cry as she packed. Her best friend hated her because she was... because she was different. She saw a pair of Rose's red hair ties on her dresser and sighed.

She placed them in her own mane and tail, if for no other reason than to have something to remember her by. As she sat on the bed next to her packed bag she heard Granny and Rose speaking in the living room. Curious, she rose to her hooves and cracked open the door to hear them. She did not like eavesdropping, but she felt like it was important to hear what they were saying.

"I think she's actually goin'." Granny said.

"I know, Applejack. I saw her face... she is going." Rose sighed. A sniffle, Applejack wasn't sure who, but somepony was obviously trying not to cry.

"I don't approve of dishonesty, young lady." Granny said. "But, just this once... I think we can let it slide."

"Thank you, Granny Smith." Rose said quietly.

"Why did ya lie to her anyhow?" Granny asked.

Several minutes of quiet as both Granny and Applejack waited to hear her answer. "Because..." Rose started. "She's lost so much, just today. She didn't need to know."

"I won't tell her... but, I think you should." Granny said.

"If she comes back... I won't have any choice." Rose sighed. "At least, if she comes back before time's up I will."

"If she don't make it in time... do you want me ta tell her?" Granny asked.

"No, if she doesn't make it in time, just make something up." Rose sighed. "But, the one thing she can know... is that... that I... I l-"

"You don't have to say it, sugarcube. I can tell her if you can't."

Applejack quietly shut the door when she realized no more would be said, but found herself pondering their words. In the end, however, she decided whatever they were talking about was unimportant. She was leaving, and if all went as planned, she was never coming back.

Author's Note:

Ugh, hated this chapter so much the first few times I wrote it. I lost count of how many times I re-wrote it and I still wasn't entirely satisfied, so I split it in two. I'm sorry it took this long, but I hope you all enjoyed the new chapter.

Should be one chapter left, and maybe an epilogue, but it's all over soon.

As usual feel free to leave any thoughts or comments.

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