“Reckon Rarity has a different idea for what 'work duds' mean,” Applejack said. She waved her hoof, showing how her Gala Dress hung in tatters. “Cuz, spruced up or not, these things wouldn't have survived a single day of apple buckin', much less a night of garden animals runnin' like the dickens across a ballroom!”
“Heheheh...” Rainbow Dash chuckled. The two mares hung out late at night under the entrance to Doughnut Joe's cafe. The rest of the girls had retired to the local hotel, and the two remaining ponies were taking their sweet time, still recovering from the chaotic events of the Grand Galloping Gala. “I can't even pretend to question Rarity's abilities in... uhhh... dress-dressing, but would you just look at this cape? If I flew so much as a single city block in this thing, the back would only collect wind and slow me down! I'm amazed it didn't rip in two when I first showed off for the Wonderbolts!”
“Just how did that go, anyways?” Applejack asked with a grin. She brought a hoof up and brushed some of her tousled blonde bangs back under her hat. “It had to have been a might bit better than my failin' business venture tonight.” Her blonde locks fell loose again.
Rainbow Dash stared, unblinking.
“Rainbow?”
“Oh. Uhm. Wonderbolts. Right.” She bit her lip and dug at the ground with a shredded slipper. “Yeah, uhm...”
“Cuz you was always fancyin' yerself as joinin' them high fliers, right?”
“I... guess.”
“You guess?” Applejack's face scrunched up. She smirked cynically. “Dun tell me you done switched wings with Fluttershy overnight, darlin'.”
“Look, I dig the Wonderbolts. I really do!” Rainbow Dash sighed. “But, let's face it. I'm never gonna get them to give me so much as a second look.”
“Nonsense!” Applejack frowned. “You saved their lives at the Best Young Fliers Competition, didn't y'all?”
“Well, sure—”
“And you've had your name spread all around for helpin' defeat Nightmare Moon! Reckon you recollect that?”
“Sure I reckon—I mean recollect—I mean—Ugh!” Rainbow Dash shook her head so hard that her golden helm slid loose. She propped it back up, but it slid loose again. Sighing, she avoided Applejack's gaze and murmured, “Face it, AJ. If the Wonderbolts really gave a flying feather about me joining their team, they would have personally invited me to enroll for tryouts already.”
“Oh come on, sugarcube.” Applejack leaned forward. “Y'all can't lose hope!”
“It's not about having hope or not having hope! I'm just... not meant to join them. It's about time I wake up and see what my talents are better at. I'm just being realistic about it, is all.” Rainbow Dash said. She took a deep breath and gazed towards the towering image of Canterlot Castle beyond the nearby rooftops. “If anything, I think this night has taught me—well... all of us that it isn't right to hold too much weight in one single dream.”
Applejack glanced down at their hooves. “Maybe it's just that you've been thinkin' too hard about the wrong team.”
“Huh?” Rainbow Dash squinted at her.
Applejack smiled softly. “The Wonderbolts are some pretty fancy, schmancy athletes, and there's no doubt that you'd blend in just fine with them, darlin'.” She leaned her head aside, her green eyes glinting with sincerity. “But would they be the right group of ponies? The one you were meant to be with?”
Rainbow Dash was silent, curious.
“I've witnessed you turn into a fine, responsible mare over the past year, sugarcube.”
“Heh...” Rainbow Dash grunted, her cheeks slightly red. “What are you, now? My sister?”
“Just listen.” Applejack spoke firmly, “You used to be a goofy, hot-headed, braggin' loner. Somethin' of a freeloader, even, if I may say so.”
“Jee,” Rainbow Dash muttered. “Thanks.”
“Lemme finish.” Applejack smiled again. “But the old Rainbow Dash is gone, now. And, in her place, we've gotten ourselves the most loyal, most dependable, most dazzling friend a pony could ever ask for. Seriously, Rainbow. Have y'all ever looked back and thought about how much you hang out with the other girls and I? Over a year ago, you wouldn't have so much as given us the light of day. But now, bein' with your friends is like your whole bread and butter.”
“I... I like you guys,” Rainbow Dash said. She gulped. “I really do, y'know.”
“Oh, I know, darlin'.” Applejack said with a soft nod. “I know.”
Rainbow Dash stared at her. She couldn't avoid squeaking forth a meager “Really?”
Applejack continued, “And if you left and took yer place with the Wonderbolts, I think you'd feel a tad bit lonesome, 'cuz you wouldn't really be with your real team. Ya feel me?”
Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and gently smiled. “Yeah. I guess I do...”
“Hmmm...” Applejack smiled back. With a kind hoof, she reached forward and finally set the golden helm straight on the pegasus' head. “Yer destined for great things, Rainbow Dash. Greater things than the rest of us. I dun care what you think is realistic or not; I'm still rootin' for ya to join them super-fancy fliers someday. But I know that when you do...” Applejack gazed at her. “I'll be missin' y'all somethin' awful.”
Rainbow Dash nodded. She felt a warmth flush over her as she lifted her hoof to feel the helm firmly on her head. “I'd miss you too, AJ...”
FIRST
That was a waste of a comment.
D'awww, a deep and emotional scene, I really like the way that you are portraying AJ and RD's interactions (even in the scenes where it is just RD being reminded of her).
Title Obtained: "The Dazzling"
-Minty
I think AJ hit the nail on the head, here.
D'aw, memory chapters are always touching. Still curious as to what specificly happened to them, though.
Very heartwarming AND SO CLOSE TO CATCHING UP!
When she thought of green eyes, I thought it was Golden Petals, but I was obviously I was wrong. I wonder if anything happened between Applejack and RD before whatever events set her trip east in motion.
Helm? RD's gala dress didn't include a helm... At least, not the one she actually wore to the gala. I'm pretty sure Rarity would've burned the abominations she made at first, that's the one that had a helm.
ya'll is a conjunction between you and all... not for adressing a singular person.
Awwww! Yay! That was adorable. I love the little emotional flashbacks that are sprinkled throughout this behemoth epic. My inner Appledasher has been sated Now, to the sandstorm of doom! Onward!
IIIIIt's Dashie's Thanksgiving Day Marathon Evaluation Time Special!
...
...there are...
...no words...
...except for this.
25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mb8z50QRMH1r2i897o1_400.gif
These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
P.S. WWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYY???????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1666368
3.bp.blogspot.com/_VOikJHIXhVU/TKtZMEb5krI/AAAAAAAAAb4/MARPM0lOhJk/s400/sinking_ship.jpg
as for the shipping, i for one like it, it give dash more motivation as a character.
Ha! I live in Louisiana, and practically everyone I know, including me, says y'all. I just can't help, it's seared into my brain.
1666368
Well, as soon as I read this chapter I knew your Evaluation wouldn't be that well received, but to actually be hidden due to too many down-votes? That isn't something I expected.
42 more chapters to go!
Well, I've got quite a way to go still don't I? Awesome story so far, Thanks for writing this, IC.
I may like TwiDash, but AppleDash has its merits.
2269630 Mozilla spitfire fox?
...
No.
Nononono.
Why.
Needs more Twilight and less Applejack.
such sickening cringing sadness in this...
This was helpful for my last comment. Now i'm wondering....is she crushin' on all of the others and just harder on Applejack, or did I misread this?
...Out...
...of all...
....the damn chapters....
...in this story...
...that could've made me cry but never did...
...even ONCE...
This particular one had to be this-! FFFFFUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!
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mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/rsz/mlfw1034_large.jpg
I am an Appledash shipper, but even if I wasn't, this would still probably hit me hard in the feels.
I hate you. Not really but still.
1666368 With this chapter...I think IC hates you
In any other context this would just be a small moment between friends. Here it has unbelievable power.
Just got a little bit of sand in my eye....
Y'all / y'all >> You / you.
Y'all is a plural pronoun.
____________________
6719133
Not if AJ's dead. Since AJ isn't with Dash, then there's hope that it won't be a thing in this fic. Outside of the past.
I just can't feel it. While it feels like theres a appledash thing here it's less of a '=' and more of a '<' with most of the appledash comming from Rainbows side and Applejack being more of a, we're just close friends, thing.
Mabe thats why she's having trouble with the thought of it, a love she never got the chance to be honest about?
Well ether way, theres like a load of chapters to go and another 5-7 more books after this one with at least at least 195 chapters each where I'll probably (hopfully ) find out.
"No Capes" reference?
I wonder if AJ can see the future somehow.
03/28/2017 19:05 UTC
Hooooly crap this actually IS a split timeline for appledashery. Wtf :o
TRIGGERED
("Y'all" Also known as "You all" is plural.)
8425905
It's also southern drawl for singular.
8680781
and the plural is all y'all
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such a bittersweetness
Came for the prose, stayed for the Gold Petals, cried a little, then kept reading anyways
Although I still hope for her to show up again some day