The Stars Are Free

by Touch the Sky

We Only Own Our Hell

"Ugh!" Rainbow collapsed on the soft grass of the orchard beside Applejack. "That was the longest speech Twilight has ever given. I never thought I'd get so sick of her voice that I had to jump out of the flying chariot on the way back so I didn't have to hear it any more, but I did."

"Uh huh. Her speech must have been really bad for ya to come straight here. I saw ya shoot down here from the chariot like she was gunna chase ya."

"Not bad, just long." Rainbow jumped to her hooves. "So how've you been, AJ?"

"Well, we're just takin' in the Red Delicious harvest. Nothin' much else goin' on."

"I love Red Delicious! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, ya never flew over yesterday fer me to mention it," Applejack said quietly.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sorry... Twilight wanted to go flying. Turns out she only did it so that she could teach me all that stupid star stuff with diagrams and placards on the rooves."

Applejack snickered. "How do ya not notice?"

"I don't even realise I'm scanning the ground! Then I get to the end of the flight and she mentions neutron stars, like, offhoofedly, and the next thing I know I'm spouting off about how they result from the gravitational collapse of a giant star after a supernova, and how their high density means they have way stronger gravity-" Rainbow stuffed a feather in her mouth. "See?" she mumbled through her wing.

"Ya better start noticin', else you'll have one of them fancy PhDs before long."

"I know!" Rainbow groaned. "Twilight tried to convince me to start learning physics that way. I had to put my hoof down, even though she tried making those big sparkly purple eyes at me."

"Better be careful with that too. I know that's how Scootaloo got ya to take her to the Gala."

"That's not... what happened..."

Applejack raised an eyebrow.

"Celestia damn it, nothing gets past you!" Rainbow kicked at the ground. "I'm giving her flying lessons every Thursday from now on, too."

"That's nice of ya, Rainbow. I think those three have been strugglin' to fill their time now they have their cutie marks. Apple Bloom was jigglin' about like a sheep on shearin' day yesterday, so we took her out to the south field and let her catch the apples for us."

"Yeah, Rarity mentioned that Sweetie Belle was putting way more work into her magic practice. She managed to completely unstitch a dress by accident or something."

"Speakin' of dresses, I hear Twilight's asked Rarity to make ya both matchin' ballgowns for that Hearth's Warming party or whutever it is next month?"

"Star patterned ones, yeah. I wonder where she got that idea from."

"I thought her old gala dress was star patterned. An' that Luna one Rarity made fer the boutique in Canterlot."

"It was. But you know Rarity, those dresses are 'so last ten minutes'! She's making us both new ones. Her and Twilight were chattering about it earlier. I think I agreed to silver and navy, and Twilight's will be white-gold and deep purple, and both with little sparkly 'stars' on. By the end I was just saying 'yeah okay' to everything. Not that Twi noticed." Rainbow looked bitterly at the ground and picked idly at it with a hoof.

Applejack put a hoof around Rainbow's shoulders. "Well, shoot. I'm sure ya'll both look just swell. I was going to see if I could get away with just wearing my last Gala dress again, but from what ya say, Rarity'll go on a fashion rampage if I do. She's already offered ta make Fluttershy a new dress fer it; she'll prob'ly get round to me by the by."

"I just hope Spitfire and Soarin' aren't there to see me dressed up like a disco ball."

"Ya don't need to worry about that. Ya already stick out like a sore hoof what with all yer colours. Maybe ya should let Rarity dye yer mane and tail like Twilight's, then ya can just look like a crazy princess stalker an' not like ya slipped and fell in a vat of rainbow taffy."

"Ha ha. You know that happened to the Crusaders once, right?"

"'Course I do, that's how I know what a pony who fell in a vat of rainbow taffy looks like. Took forever to get that gunk outta Apple Bloom's mane."

Rainbow sighed contentedly, sitting back on her haunches. Applejack plopped down next to her, and for a minute or so, they watched the orange sky become streaked with pink and purple as the sun began to slip further below the horizon. Rainbow sighed again, and Applejack glanced at her. "What are ya huffin' an' puffin' for?"

Rainbow gazed at the sunset for a few more seconds before tearing her gaze away and turning it on Applejack. "This is nice," she said simply.

Applejack frowned. "What?"

"I mean, just this. This moment, just sitting and watching the sunset with my best friend. I feel like I haven't stopped to watch the sunset in a while." The small smile slipped from the pegasus's face as she tried to remember when she had last taken the time, or even had the time, to watch the sun set.

Applejack didn't notice, as she was hung up on something else. "I'm yer best friend?"

Rainbow looked up and smiled again. "Sure! I have five best friends and a marefriend! Aren't I one of your best friends?"

Applejack's ears drooped a little, but only for a second before she grinned widely. "Sure ya are! Who else could I rely on to fly in during the Red Delicious harvest, say she'll help, buck one tree and then eat half of the harvest?"

Rainbow looked away, her cheeks tinged pink. "Sounds more like Pinkie Pie to me."

"Nah, she'd eat the whole harvest, or more likely turn up at the end, make the harvest into apple turnovers and then eat it all." Applejack sniggered and punched Rainbow playfully on the shoulder. "Say, ya hungry? Ya can have a few Red Delicious if ya'll promise to fly over an' see me tomorrow."

Rainbow's eyes lit up. "Really? Aw, yeah, thanks AJ!"

"Aw, shucks. Anythin' fer one of my six bestest pals. Now c'mon; I'll race ya to the barn. On hoof, though, ya hear?"

"You're on! Readysetgo!" The pegasus was gone in a flash, her hooves pounding across the grass as she bolted for the barn. Applejack gave a whinny of laughter as she reared up, kicking her forelegs, and then galloped away in pursuit.

Leaves started to fall around them as they thundered through the orchard; autumn was in full swing and winter was only just around the corner. Rainbow, just ahead, darted back and forth to stop Applejack drawing level with her, her tail nearly tickling the earth pony's nose. Before Applejack could lunge for it to pull the pegasus back, Rainbow hopped into the air, and a fraction of a second later Applejack's foreleg caught under a fallen branch. With a yelp of pain she tumbled forward, bowling into Rainbow, who shouted in alarm as they rolled across the grass.

When they came to a stop, Applejack was panting softly, and Rainbow was gasping in lungfuls of air, having been winded by an accidental hoof to the belly. Applejack, on top, grimaced as she pushed herself up onto her legs and a jolt of pain shot through the foreleg she had tripped on. She limped backwards, and Rainbow panted for a minute before getting up and shaking the leaves out of her mane. She started chuckling, then stopped abruptly as she saw Applejack gingerly testing out her foreleg, wincing as she tried to put her weight on it.

"You OK, AJ?" Rainbow asked, the concern heavy in her voice. Applejack smiled weakly, holding her leg up just above the ground.

"It's just a sprain," she said with a shake of her head. "I'll be right as rain in a few days. Nothin' an ice pack an' a bit of restin' it won't fix."

"But what about the harvest?" Rainbow said worriedly. "You won't be able to buck apples with a gammy front leg!"

"I'll be fine in a couple o' days," Applejack said. "An' Big Mac's perfectly capable o' finishin' off the harvest himself, especially when he's got Apple Bloom ta help him. It might take a couple days longer, but that's no big deal."

"I should have warned you about the stick." Rainbow flattened her ears guiltily. "I was just enjoying the race... and maybe feeling a little hungry."

Applejack chuckled, limping past the pegasus. "C'mon, then, greedy-guts. Let's go get ya some apples."

Rainbow trailed behind her, still feeling guilty. They reached the barn, and Applejack filled a sack with apples, then passed a couple to Rainbow. They crunched amicably at the sweet red fruit, but then Rainbow stopped. "I know!"

Applejack stopped and turned around. "Ya know... what, sugarcube?"

"I'll fly over tomorrow, and help with the harvest! I said I'd fly over anyway, and I can easily blow off weather duty. Cloudchaser, Flitter and Blossomforth can handle a few light showers without me, and I can help Big Mac and Applebloom bring in the harvest. Then the harvest won't be delayed!"

"That's mighty kind of ya, Rainbow, but-"

"Shh!" Rainbow put a hoof over Applejack's mouth. "I'm not arguing about this, AJ. Just let me do this for you. I owe you, for not telling you about the stick. And for comparing your butt to a black hole."

Applejack snorted with laughter. "OK. Ya promise ya'll be here, bright and early tomorrow mornin'?

"Early? I never-" Seeing Applejack's smirk and raised eyebrows, Rainbow relented. "Fine. But I better go get some sleep if I'm going to be up at nine."

"Seven."

"What?"

"Seven am, missy, an' not a second later. Do we have a deal?" Applejack spat on her injured hoof and held it out.

Rainbow hesitated, then sighed. "OK, deal." She spat on her hoof and slammed it against Applejack's, smiling sheepishly as Applejack winced. "Whoops. Sorry."

"I'll see ya tomorrow, then," Applejack said, closing the barn door as Rainbow hefted the sack onto her back. "Don't forget."

"Don't worry, I won't." Rainbow grinned, then spread her wings and flew away. Applejack watched her go with a grin, before limping back to the farmhouse. She glanced up for a moment at the seven stars as they started to become visible, then shook her head and continued on her way.

Author's Note:

Happy New Year, everybody!

Comments

[Xx_StarlightShadow_xX]

dawww poor applejack

Applejack didn't notice, as she was hung up on something else. "I'm yer best friend?"
Rainbow looked up and smiled again. "Sure! I have five best friends and a marefriend! Aren't I one of your best friends?"
Applejack's ears drooped a little, but only for a second before she grinned widely.

[JustABookworm]

Very nice story do far! Can't wait for the next chapter. :D