Apple Dash

by Stormbringer

ACT TWO: Friendship Castle

Apple Bloom had promised her sister, not that she wanted to, not to tell her friends that AJ had left until an hour after she had left on the train.
Now Apple Bloom was sitting on the stoop of Friendship Castle waiting for the clock in Ponyville tower to ring out the hour of 8 o’clock.

“Apple Bloom,” said Rarity coming down the path, “what’re you doing here at this time, Darling. Shouldn’t you be getting ready for school?”

“Ah’m sorry Rarity,” said Apple Bloom, “Ah can’t say nothin’ to anypony fer ‘nother 10 minutes.”

“Then why don’t you come inside with me and wait there.” Said the white Unicorn, “you’ll be more comfortable.”

Apple Bloom followed Rarity into the castle. They went to the dining room. There were Twilight, Spike, Starlight Glimmer, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. They turned to see Rarity enter along with Apple Bloom. Rarity went to sit down. The friends usually had breakfast together on Wednesday.

“Apple Bloom,” said Twilight, seeing the look on the filly’s face “what’s wrong? Where’s Applejack?”

AB was about to say she couldn’t say anything yet when a clock chimed.

“Applejack has left fer good!” shouted Apple Bloom, tears starting to pour from her eyes.

“What?” was the collective response.

Twilight flew over to the filly.

“What do you mean, ‘Applejack has left for good’?” said Twilight.

“She said she had to go to find a special somepony,” said Apple Bloom, the rest of the friends gathered around her.

“She went to do what?” said the blue Pegasus. She was trying to hide her panic.

Rarity looked at Rainbow and whispered;
“I told you so.”

Rainbow remembered a conversation with Rarity where the Unicorn warned if she didn’t stop acting so coy, she’d one day lose her chance.

“We have to go after her!” said Rainbow. Then turning back to Apple Bloom. “Where did she go?”

“Ah promised not to tell,” said the sister, tears still pouring.

The friends all looked concerned.

“Let me handle this,” said Pinkie Pie. “Apple Bloom, you said you promised Applejack not to tell where she was going?”
“Yes Pinkie.”
“Did you do a Pinkie Promise?”
“No Pinkie.”
“Good,” said Pinkie, “then there’s a chance.”
“A chance of what?” said Fluttershy.
“Did she have you promise not to tell if she was going north?”
“Ah promised not to tell where she was goin’,” said Apple Bloom frustrated.
“Yes, Apple Bloom,” said Pinkie, then with a twist of Pinkie logic, “but did you promise not to tell where she wasn’t going?”
AB’s face lit up, she was seeing the loophole Pinkie was offering.
“No,” said Apple Bloom.
“Good! So, did she have you promise not to tell if she was going north?”
“No,” answered the filly.
“East?”
“No,” said Apple Bloom figuring where this was going.
“South?”
“Ah can’t say.”
“Okay, did you promise not to tell she was going to Appleloosa?”
“No.”
“Dodge Junction?”
“Ah can’t say.”
“Cheery Jubilee’s Cherry Hill Ranch?”
“Sorry Pinkie,” said AB with a wink, “Ah can’t tell ya that.”

“She’s gone to Dodge Junction,” said Rainbow, “we have to go after her!”

“Certainly Rainbow,” said Twilight, “let’s get our things together and we’ll leave right away.”

“No Twilight,” said Rarity, “we aren’t going after her.”

“Why?” asked Twilight.

“Because just Rainbow needs to go,” said the white Unicorn.

“Why just Rainbow,” asked Pinkie.

“Because she’s the only pony that can help Applejack right now,” said Rarity, “you’re going to have to trust me on this one.”

The rest of the friends didn’t understand this, but Rainbow did.

“Thank you Rare,” said Rainbow.
“Don’t thank me,” said Rarity, “go now and take care of that one thing you needed to take care of years ago!”
There was a quick group hug, Fluttershy promised to look after Tank and then Rainbow streaked out an open window.

“What’s that all about,” asked Twilight.
“Now that she’s gone,” said Rarity, “Rainbow has been so unsure of herself…

Unbelievable, I know…

To tell Applejack that she’s had feelings for her for some time.”

“An’ that’s why Applejack left,” said Apple Bloom. Then she realized she said something she promised not to. “Ah wasn’t supposed to say that.”
“It’s okay Darling,” said Rarity, “it’s now all out in the open. You need to get to school now. I’ll walk you there.”
“Ah’m late, so Ah’m gonna have to go and get a note from Granny first.”
“I think Cheerilee will take a note from the Princess of Friendship instead.”

Apple Bloom smiled, Rainbow was going after her sister and Twilight was covering her backside.

Rainbow streaked to her cloud house, gathered a few items in a saddlebag. She was glad that it was between air show seasons so she wouldn’t have to miss Wonderbolt practice. Then she took to the sky. She was going to fly the whole way but she decided that she needed to conserve her strength, no telling how long this was going to take. So she decided to take the train.
Unfortunately, the next train to Appleoosa was six hours behind the morning train that AJ would’ve taken. So Rainbow knew she had to wait another four hours, so she got comfortable and caught a catnap at the platform.

Several hours later…

Rainbow was now halfway between Ponyville and Appleloosa. She’d leaned against the window and was asleep, it was so easy for Rainbow to take another catnap. There was a rough section of track that jostled her awake. Letting the cobwebs clear, she noticed a couple ponies on the train with her. There, on the bench in front of her, holding hooves were Lyra Heartstrings and Sweetie “Bonbon” Drops. Rainbow overheard that they were going to the snack car, so she got up and followed them.

Rainbow approached the two mares sitting at a table.
“Hello ladies,” said Rainbow, “may I join you?”
“Sure Rainbow,” said Bonbon.
“Have a seat,” said Lyra.
“Thank you,” said Rainbow.
The attendant came up and took everypony’s order. Bonbon and Lyra were surprised that Rainbow told them that she was covering the check. They made small talk until their sandwiches and drinks came. After eating, Rainbow brought up the real reason she had approached the two.

“Lyra, Bonbon,” said Rainbow, “I know the two of you have kept it a low profile, but it isn’t hard to figure out your relationship with each other.”
Bonbon and Lyra looked a little skittish.
“What do you mean,” asked Bonbon.
“Girls,” said Rainbow, “I’m not trying to make anything of this and I know it’s basically none of my business. But I’ve a good reason for bringing this up. So relax.
But I know the two of you are more than friends, even more than marefriends.”
Lyra took Bonbon’s hoof and held it on the table.
“Really Rainbow,” said Lyra, “you’re right. Bonnie and I are a couple. I’m not afraid to admit it.”
“I guess I’m not too,” said Bonbon, leaning over and giving Lyra a kiss.
Rainbow smiled, it really didn’t appear too big a deal for two mares to show affection publically.
“Good,” said Rainbow, “and I’m really so happy for the two of you. And because you two are a couple and mares, I need some advice.”
“Rainbow,” said Lyra, “are you having marefriend issues?”
Rainbow blushed brightly, Bonbon and Lyra looked at each other and smiled.
“Not exactly, girls,” said Rainbow, “but I may’ve blown the chance of having a marefriend.”
“Oh Rainbow,” said Bonbon, reaching out a hoof to Rainbow.
Rainbow was surprised at herself. Normally she’d have thought such actions would be too sappy. But she could tell that these two friends were sincere in their concern for herself.
“Applejack?” asked Lyra.
“Does everypony know about this but me?” said Rainbow with a weak smile. “But yes, I found out this morning that AJ left, perhaps for good, because she wanted to find a special somepony. Apple Bloom let me know that she was doing this because she couldn’t bring herself to approach me. Now she’s on her way to Dodge Junction, but that might not be her real destination.
And like the thick headed mare I am, I’ve never tried to say anything to her either. Unfortunately, Rarity has warned me about this, more than once. And now I have to live with her ‘I told you so’ for the rest of my life!”

“Rainbow,” said Lyra, “Bonnie and I’ve known you for some time now. We know that you’ve always kept up a front of having to be cool at all times.”
“But Rainbow, Rarity is right. This isn’t the time for that,” said Bonbon, “you apparently care for Applejack, otherwise you wouldn’t be on a train for Appleloosa. You’re going to have to swallow all of your pride.
You need to decide if your public face is more important than being alone for the rest of your life.”
The two mares moved their chairs by Rainbow and gave her a substantial hug.

There were tears in RD’s eyes, being alone for the rest of your life really stung.