Silent Consent
Word was spreading around Ponyville like wildfire. Rainbow's name was on everypony's lips. It was in shops. Homes. Streets and restaurants. It'd often start with a question.
"Is it true she beat up somepony on the street?"
Sometimes a word of defence would be uttered. Perhaps "That's not right, of course not," or "nah, don't be silly."
But then ponies would think. Some ponies had seen it. "It was true! I saw it, plain as day." That tended to put a wrench in their arguments..
"But she's the element of loyalty," some of the more persistent ponies might say. "She wouldn't."
"She cut in line once. I always thought she was rude."
"And aggressive."
"Yes, but I heard she used to be in a gang. A gang of criminals. Somepony said so."
That was the phrase that made everypony stop. Somepony said so. Somepony could be anypony, and anypony could be trustworthy. Ponyville wasn't a town of liars, after all. Right?
"So the question is, who do you think she's loyal to?"
"Maybe the elements made a mistake."
"I still can't believe it."
"You better. My brother saw the victims limp off. That was no show."
"Twilight would never..."
"Rainbow would never..."
"Maybe we were wrong."
"Maybe she is just a bully."
Mayor Mare's desk seemed much larger that morning. It loomed over her like some kind of monolith, piled high with papers and problems alike. But her latest headache was what her secretary called the 'Rainbow Dash Affair'. She rubbed her snout. She knew first-hoof how ponies could turn on somepony given the right push... and somepony was pushing very hard indeed. The few guards around Ponyville had been able to ascertain that much.
If only the matter wasn't so delicate, the Mayor thought, then I could investigate the matter publicly.
"Is she here yet?" the Mayor asked her assistant, becoming increasingly impatient as time went on. The secretary, a wafer thin pony, was about to shake her head, but before she could complete the gesture there came a knock on the door. The Mayor stood up, breathing a sigh of relief. "Well, thank goodness. Come in!"
The door to her office opened. In came the distinctive lavender shape of Twilight Sparkle, the newly crowned Princess. Of Friendship, the Mayor reminded herself, not of Ponyville.
"I wanted to see you," Twilight said, her expression far from jovial.
"Likewise. I assume you're aware of what rumours have been circulating around town."
Twilight nodded. "Yes, but they're not rumours: Rainbow Dash confessed to them yesterday," she explained. "It's complicated, though: I'm convinced she didn't assault that pony. It's just a misunderstanding."
"That's not what I've been hearing," the Mayor replied. "And besides, this wouldn't be the first violent act Rainbow has committed here in Ponyville."
Twilight frowned. "You don't believe the rumours, do you?"
"Only partly. Not so long ago, we had a bit of a gang problem ourselves," the Mayor told her. "Rainbow was one of two ponies who took serious steps towards removing them."
Twilight brought a hoof to her chin. "I didn't know that. But even so, that wouldn't prompt her to attack a random pony! Even if she is often rude and harsh, she's not at all like that." Twilight frowned. "Unless..."
The Mayor nodded. "Yes. My thoughts are that the same pony attacked might be a gangpony himself. There aren't many other reasons I can think of that would prompt her to take such drastic measures." The Mayor put her hooves together. "And even if he isn't, he needs to be stopped." She sighed, wiping her forehead. "I kept Rainbow's involvement in the movement against the gangs a secret because I was afraid of this. Rumours spread quickly and don't go away nearly as fast. Whatever she may have done in the past, I felt she deserved better than being a target for the town. Especially now she's joined forces with you, milady."
Twilight brushed aside the title with a casual wave of her hoof. "Just Twilight will be fine... and that makes sense. It's an avenue worth investigating, in any case. Do we even know who it was she attacked?"
"No. Nopony seems to have been able to recognize them," the Mayor's assistant said quietly. "Or the pony who fled the scene during the fight. They were all pegasi, however."
"Another pony?"
"There were three in total," The Mayor explained. "A mare, a stallion, and the third pony who ran away before Rainbow could inflict serious damage."
"You found all this out in just one evening?" Twilight asked, impressed.
The Mayor sighed and rubbed her eyes. "It cost me a rather painful all-nighter." She shook her head, and adjusted her glasses. "I don't suppose you know where Rainbow is now? We could use talking to her as soon as possible."
"I saw Greased Lightning... She's the mare she was staying with... And she told me she went to stay with Applejack, out of town," Twilight replied. "I imagine she's not happy right now."
"Well, at least she's with a friend," the Mayor retorted. "Ponies tempers are bound to be high right now. A cloud-house gets blown out of the sky, there's a brawl in the streets, and a weatherpony in hospital... ponies aren't happy."
Twilight shrugged. "I suppose we'll just have to work through it. First step is finding the ponies ruining Rainbow's name!"
The Mayor nodded. "Yes, that sounds like a good place to start. Let's get to work."
Applejack was working outside in the morning sun when she heard the telltale sounds of Rainbow trotting towards her. She had a very recognizable walk, Applejack thought. Light, but energetic, without being fast-paced. She wiped her brow and put down her tools as she leaned against a nearby fence.
"Mornin', sugarcube," she said, watching as Rainbow came up to her. "Feelin' better?"
Rainbow nodded, and stretched out her forelegs. "Yup... I mean, stuff's still gone to hay, but I slept well, and look who I found!" She gestured up to the sky, where a dark speck was hovering over the orchard in circles. "It's Tank," she said. "Tank's back! He must have sneaked out of Lightning's house." She cackled and bounced on the spot, her wings keeping her aloft. "I completely forgot about him. I was a teensy bit distracted at the time."
"You look positively beamin'," Applejack commented, surprised. Rainbow shrugged.
"Yeah, well... I'm away from town, Bullit can't find me, and I'm with my best pal ever! Way I see it, it could be way worse." She hopped from hoof to hoof. "So, since I'm here, fancy a game?"
"I'm workin'."
"Maybe a race?"
"I'm workin'."
Rainbow hesitated.
"... do you want a helping hoof?"
"I'm work— Yeah, sure, I could use the help," Applejack corrected, observing Rainbow's earnest, innocent face. "You've never asked to help out before."
Rainbow scratched her head, blushing. "Y-yeah, well, I've never been hiding from Ponyville before, so..."
This solicited a troubled groan from Applejack. "Rainbow, y'can't just hide here... that ain't gonna' solve anything." She gestured towards Ponyville, just on the horizon. "You're gonna' have to go back there eventually."
"Yeah, yeah, okay..." Rainbow said, rolling her eyes. "I know, all right? But at least let me help out until I actually want to go, please?"
"And don't the weather need tending to?"
Rainbow's wings fell to the ground. "You're not helping."
"I'm tryin' to," Applejack replied as kindly as she could. Rainbow groaned, and gave her a dark glare.
"You weren't there! They just turned on me. And worse, if I actually find Bullit—..."
"Then ya'll can pound 'im into the dirt!" Applejack replied viciously, stomping on the ground. "That's what I'd—..."
"I can't," Rainbow told her. "He'll just make it look worse. I tried that last time, and he just twisted it to his own advantage." She shrugged. "I can't fight back, AJ. That's why he's so scary." She began pacing around the yard, kicking up small plumes of dirt as she stomped around. "Who'll he take away next if I play his game? Fluttershy? She saw an awful lot of what I did back in Cloudsdale. I bet she'd turn on me in a heartbeat if she got her hooves on any dirt—"
"That's enough!" Applejack snapped, causing Rainbow to stop in her tracks, eyes wide like a filly scolded. "Yer' friends ain't leavin' you for anything. I'd have hoped you knew that you ain't the only loyal pony in these parts."
Rainbow remained silent, staring at her hooves. She wore an expressionless face, leaving Applejack no clue as to whether her words got through to her, or whether she was eating herself alive inside.
"Right, yeah. I'm worrying about nothing," Rainbow muttered, and trotted gloomily towards the farmhouse. "I'll be inside. Sorry I was rude, and all." She hung her head unhappily. "I'm just grumpy 'cause I'm useless."
Applejack rolled her eyes. "Rainbow, ya'll ain't useless," she retorted, and a cunning thought occured. "An' ya'll can prove it by emptyin' the shed?"
Rainbow spun around, exited at the prospect of work for the first time in her life. "Really? You'll let me help?"
"Sure... why not." Applejack smiled. "Jes' don't break nothin'!"
It was midday when Twilight, along with Fluttershy, trotted towards the farm. Applejack shaded her eyes with her hoof, struggling to make out their expressions.
"Hiya!" she shouted. "What brings you to my neck o' the woods?"
Twilight sighed. "What do you think?" she asked. "We're here because of the commotion Rainbow caused yesterday."
Fluttershy remained characteristically silent.
"Well, she's here on the farm," Applejack told them. "She's out back. You want me to—"
"No! First, I'd like a word."
Applejack frowned. "What?"
"I talked to the Mayor," Twilight explained. "The Mayor," she repeated, in case the gravity of the statement was lost on Applejack. "She's been up all night trying to puzzle what's been going on, and we think that—"
"I know already," Applejack said, cutting her off. "Rainbow told me. Her old gang-buddies ambushed her and are muddyin' her name about town."
Twilight widened her eyes. "Oh. She told you?"
"Of course. She's livin' with me."
"Right, yes, but after yesterday, I thought... Nevermind," she said, shaking her head. "I just though it'd be harder to wring the truth out of her than that." Twilight frowned. "Did you say 'old gang-buddies'? Like... this isn't just some random pony?"
"Nope," Applejack replied, becoming serious. "Some madpony named Bullit. He's after..." Applejack trailed off, hesitating. "Uh, he's after Rainbow. He's bitter 'bout her leavin'."
"Oh," Fluttershy muttered, her pupils shriking. "I remember Bullit. He was... really, really, really mean."
Applejack huffed. "Well, Rainbow dispatched him easily enough, it's just he ain't playin' fair. He's usin' words and cheap shots to bring 'er down."
"Well, that's for sure," Twilight replied, unfolding and refolding her wings as she thought. "Maybe we could make an announcement? Denounce Bullit for what he really is?"
"That's somethin' Mayor Mare would know, not me," Applejack relied. "I don't know ponies like she does. But I'm not sure it'll work. Ponies know what they saw, not what they're told. Not without evidence."
"Well, he has to be stopped!" Fluttershy exclaimed, causing both ponies to jump, startled by her sudden outburst. "If Bullit keeps on lurking around Ponyville, Rainbow will never be able to go back!"
"Oh, hey guys!"
All three of them went silent as Rainbow dropped in from above, looking tired but satisfied. "Oh, hi!" Twilight replied, her heart racing. "Sorry, you jumped out at us."
"Heh. I do do that, don't I?" Rainbow replied. "You guys visiting me, AJ, or both?"
"Both," Fluttershy replied. "Um... We heard what happened..."
"Yeah," Rainbow said, landing on the ground with a heavy thump. "That was rough. Did, uh..." Rainbow's gaze lingered on Fluttershy for a second. Applejack remembered her earlier outburst, and could see Rainbow's features twist with guilt. "Y-yeah, uh... you don't believe what ponies are saying?"
"Of course not," Fluttershy replied. "We know you'd never attack somepony in the street."
"And if you did, you wouldn't have stopped," Twilight joked. The attempt at levity was lost on Rainbow.
"But other ponies are buying it, right?"
"So far, it's just been one day. Rumours spread quickly, but I don't think it's really all that bad just yet," Twilight said. "But if Bullit stays out there, it will."
"Right... yeah." Rainbow pawed the ground. "So, what's your plan?"
"We find your two former 'friends', and we find this third pony."
"Their names are Bullit Blaze, Rattle, and Wallflower," Rainbow explained. "The first two are really, really vicious. I wouldn't say dangerous, not for a pony like me or an Alicorn Princess, but they're not to be underestimated."
"Well, them. We need to find them, and arrest them. Wallflower needs to know that you've changed." Twilight brightened. "We can still fix things between you two. All he needs is to know that you're a hero now, and everything will work out."
Rainbow and Applejack both eyed each other. "Uhm... Twi', I don't think anypony is in a forgiving mood right now. What I did was rotten, and sure, I'm still super-cool, but I don't think you can really fix this kind of thing." Rainbow pawed the earth. "I'd rather just... well, wait here until he leaves. I don't feel like being reminded of stuff right now..."
Applejack frowned. "Remember what we discussed, RD," she warned. "Ponyville still needs weather."
Rainbow spun around, holding her hooves out. "But c'mon!"
"So long as you have a job, you can't quit on Ponyville," the farmpony replied, keeping her head held high as Rainbow's wings flared outwards. "And I for one won't let you."
Twilight and Fluttershy both watched the exchange with cautious interest. Rainbow's eyes narrowed, but eventually her entire body sagged.
"Yeah, okay, whatever. I see what it is," she muttered, and took off in a huff. "If you don't want me around, fine. I'll go and fix the clouds up in no time."
As she left, Applejack was left with her two friends, staring at the sky with a bemused look on her face. Twilight trotted up behind Applejack, as surprised as the farmpony.
"I think you made her mad," she said.
"Yeah... I can tell," Applejack replied. "No wonder she was an angry teen."
Rainbow Dash flew through the sky, muttering under her breath. She gazed down at the ground, hoping that watching the clueless ponies below might distract her from her foul temper. It didn't.
"Stupid Applejack," she grumbled. "So what if she doesn't want me around? I love being on my own."
Dozens of unwanted clouds peppered the sky, breaking up Ponyville's clear blue horizon. They were scheduled clear skies for the whole week. Of course, with one weatherpony down and Rainbow absent without leave, it would be tough to keep up with the cloud formations.
"They've even let an altocumulus settle in," Rainbow growled. "Well, just as well! I need something to vent on."
She glided over to the huge mountain of cloud blocking out the sun, determined to give it a good thrashing. She grit her teeth.
Without blinking, she began to beat the cloud with her bare hooves, not ever letting up. She grunted with each swing, each blow causing pieces of cloud to float off into nothingness. "Stupid... everypony!"
All the while she pictured Bullit's face on the side of the cloud.
She began to slow down, her forelimbs feeling heavier and leaden. She collapsed onto the cloud, panting, and observed the huge, gaping hole she had made.
A bird fluttered down and landed next to her, balancing on a tendril of cloud. Rainbow eyed the little thing. It was a robin, she realized, and it tilted it's head at her like she was a curiosity at a shop.
"What do you want?" Rainbow asked. "Fluttershy send you?"
"Tweet."
"Yeah, that's what I thought." Rainbow rested her head on the cloud. "Y'know, what I really hate is not knowing where I belong anymore. Y'get me?"
The bird fluttered it's wings. Rainbow decided that despite their difference in species, the bird could indeed 'get' her.
"I guess it's just a part of losing my house, right? Everypony seems to want to kick me to the curb these days. Even AJ." She ran her hoof over her features, rubbing her fur and skin. "It's not fair."
The robin did not respond.
"...and, I mean... we had a moment, and stuff, right? We... had a moment."
She stroked her scalp, remembering the feeling of Applejack's hoof running through her mane. She groaned.
"I'm just being stupid. I'm me, right? I don't need to be taken care of. I don't want to get taken care of."
From it's perch not far from Rainbow, the robin fluttered it's wings. Rainbow narrowed her eyes at it.
"Not a word of this to Fluttershy, you hear? I don't need ponies thinking I'm a whiner."
No reply from the bird.
"You don't even know who Fluttershy is, do you?" Rainbow asked. The bird gave a little tweet. "Well, don't ask me. I don't speak bird."
Rainbow closed her eyes for a second. She felt tired. She had gotten up early that morning, she remembered: the noise around the farm had kept her from sleeping properly. And it started so soon, too. It must have been six in the morning when they started, and only half past five when she heard that darn floorboard start creaking. At least Scootaloo's house had only become active around eight. Two hours made a big difference, in Rainbow's opinion.
"...turn up?"
Rainbow's eyes snapped open as soon as she heard the voice. A stallion's voice, she realized.
"Probably not, but we can always hope. It'll take all day to break this thing without her."
Rainbow shifted in her cloud. They were weatherponies, she realized. She recognized Sky Hight's voice, at least. He had been Thunderlane's partner.
She got to her hooves and began making her way to meet them.
"I'm not even sure Rainbow should be allowed to fly at this point," came the reply. Rainbow froze.
They had been talking about her.
"That's a bit harsh, don't you think?"
"I don't know any more. You know how she was: aggressive, rude, pushy... if she's gone back to her old ways, we're all in trouble."
It took all of Rainbow's self-control to now fly out the hole she had carved in the cloud and confront the pair. She wanted to keep listening: she wanted to know the extent of what Bullit had done to her.
"She wasn't very rude."
"Are you kidding? She acted like she was the boss of us!"
"Well... she kinda' was. She is the boss of us."
"That's not the point. She's a bully, and she's trouble. We need to be doubly careful around her. Or else we might be the next pony she bludgeons in the street."
"Princess Twilight would never allow that."
"Princess Twilight is Rainbow's buddy," was the reply. "She won't do anything to stop her if she goes rogue, just you wait and see."
Rainbow pressed her eyes shut, unable to keep herself quiet any longer. She shot out of the cloud faster than a bullet, much to the shock and surprise of the two weatherponies hovering outside. Sky High even had the nerve to try to salvage the situation.
"Ah, uh, there you are. Um..."
"Can it," Rainbow snapped. "If... if you think that, fine!" To Rainbow's dismay, she found she was having a hard time speaking properly, and her words felt stiff and hoarse. She did her best to ignore the feeling of her throat clogging up. "You can clear all this all by yourselves, then!"
With her last defiant statement, she turned and flew off towards the Acres. She didn't even care if Applejack thought she was a wimp, a whiner, even a loser for going back. She just wanted to get far away from the ponies she used to work with, and trust. The feeling had not been mutual.
"Two more ponies Bullit has taken away from me," she muttered. "No... that I took away from myself."
Applejack looked up at the sky, frowning. Several unwanted clouds scattered shadows over the orchard, stealing precious rays from her trees.
"For Pete's sakes, don't weatherponies ever work without Rainbow kickin' them into gear?"
As if on cue, the tell-tale sign of her friend, her magnificent rainbow trail, shot across the sky towards the farm. Applejack's frown deepened, concern creasing her features. If her work wasn't done, why was she coming back?
Not a few moments later and Rainbow was on the ground, heading towards the farmhouse. Applejack broke into a trot after her, her muscles still warmed up from her day's work. "Oi! RD!"
Rainbow stopped just as she passed through the doorway. She angled her head just enough towards Applejack that they made eye contact.
"Yeah?" she asked. "Can I go inside?"
"What happened to the—"
"They didn't want me. Or rather," she explained, "...they were happy to have me fix their clouds, but according to them, I'm 'not fit to fly'."
Applejack's eyebrow twitched. She forced herself to keep her expression neutral. It wouldn't do to be anything other than stable in front of Rainbow Dash. That's what she'd want, after all.
"I'm sorry," she said. It was all she could really think of. After Scootaloo, she hadn't expected much to get to Rainbow, but she had been wrong. "Maybe you could talk to them or some—"
"I don't want to," Rainbow replied. "I don't want to any more. They don't want to talk to me, after all." She turned around, facing Applejack square on. "I think I get it. This is just some for of karma, isn't it? All the stuff I did is coming back to haunt me. It makes sense."
"This isn't your fault," Applejack began. "It's them—"
"No it's not. Everypony is sending me away! Scootaloo, and my team, and you..." Rainbow ran her hoof through her mane as her wings began to tremble. Adrenaline was coursing through her, and she looked ready to explode. "If I hadn't done what I did, everything would be fine. It's fair."
"It's not fair, though," Applejack retorted. "And I know you don't think so either." She exhaled. "You can't want this, can you?"
Rainbow threw her hooves in the air. "All I want is to stay here and pretend." She began pacing, elevating her voice a pitch. "Just... I can't work, I can't go into town, I can't see my best pal because she hates me now, I can't live in my own house because it's broken and gone..."
"Dash..."
"...so please let me stay here and not lose anything else!"
Applejack caught the desperate glint in her friend's eyes. Something else was wrong, she could tell. She sat down and folded her hooves, like she would back when Applebloom was younger. "RD, what is it now? There's always something with you. Why do you need to be here so badly?"
Rainbow twitched. "You'll laugh."
"I promise I won't."
Rainbow twitched again, her muscles completely tensed up at this point. Applejack couldn't believe how many layers there were to the poor mare's anxiety.
"I left Cloudsdale on bad terms... with everypony," Rainbow began, before stopping, unwilling to continue. Applejack waited a few seconds before prompting her to continue.
"Dash, hiding won't make anything stop," Applejack countered. "I said it before, and I'll say it ag—"
"Fine! Just... I left Cloudsdale because my dad told me to." She paced around, livid. "I went home after Bullit attacked me, asking for help, and his great advice was that I should leave... leave and never come back. That's why I left Cloudsdale. My gang attacked me, everypony else was afraid of me, and my dad abandoned me. And it's all happening again."
Rainbow banged her head against the wall as she ground her teeth together.
"Your pa' was probably just lookin' out for you..."
"I... whatever. It never felt that way," she replied choking on her words. "It's just one more relationship I ruined. He hated me for being who I was... and who can blame him, right? I had nothing in Cloudsdale years before I actually left. I had ruined it all long before then. I just didn't see it." Her ears were flattened against her head as she talked. "And it's the same here. I've been... rude and nopony wants me. I'm just a dumb pegasus with anger management problems and an ego. I'm just amazed Scootaloo didn't kick me out sooner. And you don't want me either."
Applejack widened her eyes in shock. "Rainbow, that weren't why I told you to leave the farm. You're blowin' everything out of proportion," she said, cantered towards her friend in a panic. "Stop thinkin' you're not worth it. That's not what this is about!"
Rainbow was breathing heavily. In fact, she looked like she was on the verge of hyperventilation. "I don't have a job, I don't have Scootaloo, my reputation is ruined... I'm nothing again!"
"You'll always have your friends," Applejack said. "Okay? We're all loyal to you too." Rainbow shuddered away from Applejack's outstretched hoof. This time, she was too broken to calm down. Applejack tried remembering what her other friends might do in this situation. "Just let it all out," she said in her most soothing voice. "You ain't payin' the price for being a bad pony," she said. "You're payin' the price for being a good one. You got everything you did by being a hero, a friend, and a great pony to be around. You wouldn't be sufferin' if ya'll were bad, now, could you?"
"If this is what being good feels like, I think I preferred being a gangpony," Rainbow gasped. "I just feel... guilty. All the time. For being happy. And when I'm not happy, I'm just angry!" She clenched her jaw, forcing her eyes wide. "I just want to hit everypony until they see I'm not bad! But it won't work. It never works."
"I know," Applejack said as the pair sat down on the porch. "Let's just... talk, 'kay? We can sort out this whole nonsense tomorrow." Rainbow didn't respond, but gave her a silent nod. Applejack pulled her head towards her own, and they leant against each other. Rainbow, the comforted, and Applejack, the comforter. "We'll sort it all out tomorrow."
"My dad was a guardpony," Rainbow explained, keeping her voice even. Some time had passed since her outburst, and she was still far from content, but she was talking. Applejack was glad for that, at least. "He did his best, I think, but he just wasn't around. He never even showed up when I got my cutie mark."
"He had a job."
"I know, but he also had a daughter, right?" Rainbow argued. "He heard about my behaviour later, though. He wasn't happy, and we kind of... drifted apart after that. I didn't really have anyone, then, until Bullit found me." She breathed heavily onto Applejack's coat. "I really hate Bullit for finding me like that. I think he knew I was an easy mark. We started mucking around, breaking stuff and threatening ponies. It just... escalated, and I never even noticed."
"Back when I was a filly," Applejack said, "I was always worried for my family. We live away from the town, and we had been burgled before. Gangs... the ones we had 'round here, at least... were threatenin' us and always out for trouble."
Rainbow bit her lip and shifted her weight. She was still pulled against Applejack, but listening to her talk about her own experiences was very disconcerting. "I'm sorry."
"I know. How'd your pa' react to you bein' in a gang?"
"He... quit the guard. I think he didn't want to have to arrest his own kid," Rainbow said. "He just retired, and that was that."
Applejack looked down at Rainbow's dejected expression. "He quit the guard to protect you?"
"Maybe. I really hope he didn't. But I guess loyalty runs in the family... Not that I was really all that loyal at the time." Rainbow brushed her mane out of her eyes. "He told me there was nopony left in Cloudsdale who could protect me. He suggested Ponyville: a little town in the middle of nowhere. I... hated the idea of moving here. But I was so scared at the time, I just... went. I'm glad I did, but I wish I did it differently, you know?"
"Likewise," Applejack said. "When you arrived, everything changed for Ponyville. You were one of the first to step up to our own gangs. I guess ya'll had a bit of stress to work out, eh?"
"Heh... yeah, a bit. They just reminded me of Bullit so much, and I didn't want to live anywhere with those ponies kicking around. So I kicked them out. And that was that. I never talked about my life in Cloudsdale, 'cause it would've meant everypony knew I was one of the ponies I got rid of. I wouldn't have had any friends. I wouldn't have had a job." She shrugged, scraping her shoulder-blades against Applejack's coat. "Over time, I think I got comfortable. Until now." She curled in on herself. "Everything is changing again. Now I have to start over."
"Not entirely," Applejack corrected. "You've got the girls. You got me. I know we ain't much, but—"
"Nah," Rainbow interrupted. "You're all right, I guess. You've helped me loads." Rainbow rubbed her hoof over her nose, allowing for a shaky chuckle. "Don't tell the others I was, uh... am... such a mess."
"I dunno 'bout that," Applejack said with a devious smile. "I'm a very honest pony by nature."
Rainbow grinned. "Yeah, that's right." She got to her hooves, adjusting her mane from the tangled mess it had been to the slightly more presentable mess it usually was. "Don't tell anypony I said this, but... you're a pretty awesome pony too. When you try."
The farmpony ran her hoof through her mane, blushing ever so slightly. "Y-you hittin' on me?" she joked, trying to alleviate the tension.
"...maybe."
Applejack blinked. The young pegasus could have said anything: she could have joked, laughed, made a sarcastic comment. She didn't have to force Applejack to think about her in... that light.
Or maybe she was joking, Applejack wondered. It wouldn't be in any poorer taste than her own quip. She swore internally. Without realizing, she had driven herself into a corner, and now if she made a mistake, she'd get laughed at.
Or Rainbow was being serious. Then laughing about it would make things worse.
"You, uh, okay there?"
Applejack blinked again. Her eyes felt dry. "Uh, yeah?"
"You stopped moving for a minute."
"I was thinking."
Rainbow swallowed. "I could tell," she replied. "Tell you what: it's late. I'm done crying for today. It'll totally ruin my image. So, how about we leave it at that for now?" She dusted herself off as best she could, flattening the crumpled fur that had ruffled against Applejack's own. "I'm really, really hungry."
She paused awkwardly, then ducked inside the house.
Applejack stroked her nose, still thrown by the possible half-confession. Before she could finish thinking, Rainbow had already disappeared inside, leaving Applejack on her own to ponder what had happened. It didn't take long for Applejack to make up her mind.
She was hungry too.
The Apple family was bustling around the house like they usually did. Granny was in the kitchen, balancing dishes. Applebloom dodged her and Big Macintosh as she cleared up after them.
Rainbow was sat at the table, not allowed to help out, just like last time. But unlike yesterday, Applejack was sat next to her, eyes glued to the table. The few times she had tried to help, she had found out she became clumsy. She couldn't stop herself from bumping into Big Mac, stepping on Applebloom, and very nearly knocking over dinner. It was after that last misadventure that she decided so sit down and remove herself from the chaos of the kitchen.
Applejack couldn't help but wonder if this was how Rainbow felt, being stuck watching everypony else do the work.
Of course, Rainbow not helping out had been her fault, she remembered. It had been her persistance that got Rainbow to sit around and wait for other ponies to do the work for her. In hindsight, not a great idea.
Well, it was in the past now. Now, she was sitting next to a pony who very well might have admitted to having romantic feelings for her not a few hours ago.
She had a long time to think about what to do. Unfortunately, there wasn't much for it. Rainbow wouldn't admit any sort of attraction a second time, not if she was worried about getting rejected. That just wasn't how she'd behave: she'd pretend it never happened and that'd be that. If Applejack wanted, she could ignore her and everything would just blow over.
It was an option, but strangely, not one Applejack was sure she wanted to take.
To Applejack's dismay, she found herself unable to get a bead on her own feelings. All she remembered was a feeling of closeness, but surely that was just another sign of a strong friendship? The things her and Rainbow had been through, it had made them almost family.
There was nothing for it: Applejack had to attempt an experiment. Swallowing any fears she might have had, she shifted her hoof over the table's surface until it knocked against Rainbow's own.
A whole three seconds passed before Rainbow shifted her weight. Applejack winced. But to her surprise, Rainbow maintained physical contact. She eyed Applejack, amused.
"Subtle," she remarked.
With a smile, she moved her hoof to sit on Applejack's own, instead of merely resting beside it. Applejack relaxed, the tension easing from her muscles.
Without any words, both ponies knew they had said 'yes'.
Stats
Page generated in 0.021 seconds
Total duration
988 users online
369,130 hits today, 2,205,040 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
D'aw.
Excellent chapter!
And the revelation that Rainbow is the one who was instrumental in running the other gangs out of town was a pleasant eye-opener! Loved that bit of her history!
And the ponies in Ponyville are still being brain-dead idiots. Even members of Rainbow's own weather team. Nice.
So much for Ponyville being "The Town of Second Chances", huh?
Man, I cannot wait til Bullit and Rattle mess up, and the whole town is there to witness it! Hopefully they'll realize just how bedly that they've treated her, and apologize!
And it being revealed that she was the one who ran the other gangs out of town sure wouldn't hurt anything.
On another note:
This is easily the best scene in the whole chapter.
I'll be waiting anxiously for that one!
Twilight didn't think of getting Thunderlane's testimony?
has no one heard of a whisper campaign? counter the bad with good, get other ponies who support RD to start spreading other rumors.
6114461 It's weird, though. It's hard to keep liking someone and see the good in something when all sources say it's bad.
The townsponies of Ponyville are strange. They will as soon as rush to the defence of an important member of society as they will ruin them. Kind of like people in real life, I think.
I've also found it's far easier to remember the bad than it is to remember the good. But perhaps the ponies of Ponyville will see reason. At the very least, Dash will have somepony to help her through it.
6114653 Whisper campaigns take time, which won't help Dash right this moment. Of course, you can be sure that the ponies loyal to Dash will be doing their very best to counter the vile accusations.
The problem is, there is truth to those statements. If they ask her if she was part of a gang and if she did hurt and vandalise and steal, either she'd lie (which is morally wrong) or she'd have to say yes. It's a delicate situation I don't see many ways out of, at least not obvious, easy ones. The best Dash can do is sit tight, wait for Twilight to help and for the backlash to die down.
6115028 Yes, it is, and that's true.
Yeah, they are, and that's true, too.
And I think that that's why I like this story so much. You have our favorite pastel ponies acting like we humans would in a similar situation.
True, and I sure hope so. They probably will, once Bullit and Rattle slip up and expose themselves. (Bullit thinks he's smart, but he's not that smart. Thugs like him always invariably slip up, sooner or later. Always.)
And indeed she does.
Interesting to see the aftermath and fallout from the last chapter. Not to mention the appledashery. See you next chapter!
She moved and on her birthday?!!?!