Zap Apple

by The_Incognito_Brony

Ponyville Bound

Author's Note:

Hey, everypony.

I've taken all your feedback on board regarding my first draft of this fic, so I've decided to re-upload the finalized piece.

I'm not overly certain where this story's going just yet, but hopefully I'll get hit with inspiration pretty soon.

Thanks for being patient, y'all.

Also, if I receive a down vote from you, please tell me why in the comments in a calm, polite manner. I'd like to know where I can improve without being slated.

Signed, Incognito

The train to Ponyville was quiet, almost eerily quiet. Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were the only ponies aboard the vehicle, and they were all sat in an abnormal silence.

Although the five friends weren’t speaking aloud, they all had the same mindset. They’d just left two of their best friends in another city; two friends who’d changed all of their lives in extraordinary ways.

Before Twilight and Spike came to Ponyville, they were always a quintet. They all loved and appreciated each other very much, but it felt somewhat outlandish and odd to be returning to their original setup. It was as though a huge part of them had been ripped away within mere moments, and they had to face the fact that life would feel different for quite some time.

The five friends were dispersed around the train’s carriage, pondering over how they’d manage to go back to normal after everything that had happened. Sure, things seemed normal before Twilight’s coronation, but that’s only because everypony put on a facade to escape the reality of what was really about to happen.

If they were honest with themselves, everything was a little too normal after the battle in Canterlot.

Ponies and other creatures carried on as normal after every Equestrian battle, but it felt like more of an obligation to remain casual, orderly and stoic after such a traumatic ordeal.

It was as though no one wanted to talk about the incident in fear of upsetting somebody else; like it was a taboo subject.

A single article in the Ponyville Chronicle was written about Cozy Glow, Chrysalis and Tirek, but after that, nothing. Complete normality.

---

Pinkie Pie suddenly felt that she’d been quiet for far too long, so she sat upright and presented her most glorious smile.

“Hey, remember when Twilight first came to Ponyville? I threw her that super-duper funtastic welcome party; she drank hot sauce and called us all crazy! Ah, memories.”

Pinkie placed her hoof under her chin as she was reminiscing, smiling to herself as she did so.

Rarity perked up from the seat in front of Pinkie Pie, raising a hoof to her mouth as she giggled at the memory she’d just heard.

“Oh, darling. Who could forget that?” said Rarity through her chuckles.

“I definitely wouldn’t” replied Fluttershy from across the carriage.

“Her entire face was on fire, and Pinkie didn’t even realise” the yellow Pegasus stated as she snickered.

---

The three friends continued in their recollecting; they laughed, quoted memories, and talked about Twilight and Spike nonstop.

They’d all moved together in one section of the carriage, all except for Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

Applejack was vaguely involved in the reminiscent discussion, but she couldn’t help but notice Rainbow Dash sat by herself on the opposite end of the carriage.

Rainbow looked like something out of a movie that Rarity would watch; one with sad, thought-provoking music in the background as the protagonist looked ominously out of a misty window.

Applejack knew Rainbow well enough to realise something was amiss, so she trotted over to the back of the carriage to check on her friend.

“You alright, sugar cube?” asked Applejack in her usual southern twang.

No reply came from the cyan Pegasus; it was as though she was in a trance.

“Rainbow?” Applejack asked again in a more concerned tone.

Rainbow was completely lost in thought; she couldn’t hear a word Applejack was saying.

With a swift hoof-punch to the shoulder, Applejack managed to gain Rainbow's attention.

"Huh? Oh. Hey, AJ. What's up?" Rainbow Dash asked in a monotone voice.

Rainbow turned her head back to the misty window, propped her elbow onto the armrest, and placed her hoof under her chin.

Applejack cocked her head slightly in intrigue, her eyes watching Rainbow’s every move.

“Y’all seem a might distracted. Everythin’ okay?” Applejack inquired.

Without averting her gaze, Rainbow Dash immediately shrugged off the idea of something being wrong.

“What? Me? Pfffft. I’m fine. Totally cool. You know me, AJ” Rainbow Dash replied somewhat anxiously.

“Ah do know you, which is why Ah can always tell when something’s eating you up”.

While narrowing her eyes and biting her lip, Rainbow Dash tried her best to remain composed in front of her friend.

Rainbow was renowned for her constant levelheadedness, but Applejack was right; something was eating her up.

A pause came between the two ponies as Rainbow Dash attempted to produce a convincing response.

“Nah, there’s nothing. I’m all good” Rainbow finally replied as her voice cracked slightly mid-sentence.

Again, Applejack was far from being persuaded, so she took a seat next to Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow’s eyes darted in Applejack’s direction as she felt her friend’s fur brush up against her own. Her heart rate began to increase ever so slightly, so she took a deep but quiet breath.

“You’re mighty proud, Rainbow, and don’t think we don’t all love you for it. But, y’all know that it’s okay to not be okay, right?” said Applejack as she tried to catch Rainbow's gaze.

Rainbow’s hoof fell from beneath her chin upon hearing Applejack’s words.

The two ponies had always been rivals; frenemies, if you will. They’d always joke around with each other, compete with each other, and maybe even flirt with each other subconsciously, but Rainbow had never heard Applejack say something so sincere and meaningful to her.

Applejack was the most honest, trustworthy and friendliest pony Rainbow had ever met, but she only knew those traits from seeing how Applejack acted around other ponies.

This was a new feeling for the both of them.

True sincerity for the very first time.

It felt odd but somewhat normal too.

Without thinking, Applejack took her friend’s free hoof in her own, much to Rainbow’s surprise.

Rainbow Dash finally gave in and diverted her eyes towards the two, intertwined hooves on the seat below them.

Applejack’s hooves were pleasantly warm, which contrasted with Rainbow’s cold, chilly ones.

“Ya don’t have to be so stoic, y’know? It’s me, sugar cube” said Applejack in a calm, meaningful voice.

Usually, Rainbow Dash or Applejack would laugh off a situation like that; they’d override any form of emotion by punching each other on the shoulder or by passing a sarcastic comment.

However, neither of them seemed to mind the contact, especially Rainbow.

She found her friend’s closeness rather soothing, as though she’d discovered something she’d been missing her entire life.

Rainbow Dash’s magenta eyes shifted to meet with Applejack’s.

She’d never really noticed Applejack’s eyes before.

They were the type of green that brings the earth back to life after an unforgiving cold.

They were the colour of the forest after it rains.

There were flecks of strength, love and honesty in her eyes.

The most genuine eyes Rainbow had ever seen.

She was dumbstruck.

Lost in her tracks.

Rainbow gulped nervously, still transfixed on her friend’s adorably freckled face. She knew what she wanted to say, but at the same time, she didn’t.

“C’mon, Dashie. What’s on yer mind?” questioned Applejack after a long silence.

Rainbow couldn’t help but be taken aback a little by Applejack’s question; not by the question itself, but by the name “Dashie”.

Pinkie Pie was the only pony to ever give Rainbow the nickname of “Dashie”, aside from Rarity and Fluttershy on singular occasions, but it somehow felt more genuine coming from Applejack.

It made her feel warm, comfortable and reassured.

There was a feeling lying deep inside Rainbow’s subconscious, but there was no way of letting that feeling escape.

Rainbow rubbed her neck boyishly with her free hoof; she was determined to keep contact with Applejack, but she didn’t know why.

“Uh. Well. I think there has been something bothering me for a while now” Rainbow Dash began.

Applejack simply nodded in response, waiting for her friend to voice her troubles.

“Ya see- what with the battle and everything-“

“I think I’m... Well-“

“It was pretty scary-“

“But, I wasn’t scared scared, y’know? I’m me after all”

“But, there was a moment where I just-“

“When we thought it was all over and-“

“I just – I couldn’t stand the thought of losing y-“

Rainbow suddenly stopped in her tracks as she realised what she was about to say. She couldn’t say something like that, could she?

The cyan Pegasus gave a deep sigh before carrying on.

“I think I’m just bummed out about Spike and Twilight” lied Rainbow Dash.

Applejack parted their associated hooves for a moment before pulling Rainbow into a hug.

Again, a moment like that would usually involve laughter or passive remarks from the two ponies, but everything about it was so sincere and real.

Rainbow Dash was startled for a moment at Applejack’s sudden burst of affection, but she soon relaxed and wrapped her hooves around the Earth Pony.

The two ponies never hugged, not like that anyway. They’d give each other a friendly hoof around the shoulder every so often, but never an actual embrace.

Pinkie Pie hugged everypony, a lot! Rarity and Fluttershy were partial to hugs too, as were Spike and Twilight.

However, when it came to a certain Wonderbolt and farm pony, hugs were never exchanged in such a way.

Rainbow and Applejack were both affectionate ponies, just not with each other.

Despite this, Rainbow Dash had never felt so comfortable in her entire life. She felt as though she could stay in Applejack’s embrace forever.

She nuzzled at Applejack’s orange fur ever so slightly as the hug continued, catching a whiff of apples as she did so.

“Of course AJ smells of apples. What else would she smell like?” Rainbow thought to herself as she continued to inhale her friend’s alleviating scent.

Applejack gave a small smile as she felt Rainbow Dash burrowing into her fur; she too found warmth in their contact.

Applejack gently stroked Rainbow’s back in an up/down motion to comfort her friend even more so. It was at that moment that Rainbow let out a small, but laboured sigh of relief.

Applejack pulled away from Rainbow Dash with apprehension, adjusted her hat, and sat upright in her seat.

“Ah know that change is scary. Heck, Ah’m probably twice as scared as you are right now! But being scared’s never stopped us before, right? We’ll make it work, Ah promise you that” said Applejack philosophically.

Rainbow responded with a simple half-smile. She loved hearing Applejack’s words of wisdom.

“Well, how do I know you’re telling the truth?” asked Rainbow Dash sarcastically.

The Element of Honesty raised an eyebrow with a deadpan look on her face, but she soon rolled her eyes and smiled at her travel companion’s remark.

The two ponies laughed together for a moment until Applejack stood up from her seat, ceasing their moment slightly.

“Now, you sure you’re okay, Dash?” the Earth Pony asked in a gentle tone.

Rainbow Dash was far from being okay, but she crossed her arms confidently and nodded to shield her emotions.

“Heh, don’t sweat, AJ. Like you said, it’ll all work out” replied Rainbow with forged assurance.

Applejack knew that Rainbow was still suppressing something, but she didn’t want to pry any longer.

She gave Rainbow Dash an affectionate side smile that could have easily been mistaken for a flirtatious one, and she began to trot away to the train’s bathroom.

Rainbow’s eyes remained fixated on Applejack as she left the carriage, as if her life depended on it.

Rainbow gave a small sigh as Applejack left the carriage, her gaze still focused on where the orange pony had been.

Rainbow felt a slight punch to her stomach when she watched Applejack leave; it was as though something within her had been ripped out, and she suddenly seemed lost and quite afraid.

Dash allowed herself to linger in her emotions for a second, but she abruptly closed her eyes and shook her head to repress her feelings again.

She returned to her usual, stoic self almost immediately, and her attention drew back to the misty window.

She sat upright in her seat, crossed her arms, and watched Equestria whiz by as she stewed in her emotions.

---

On the other side of the carriage, Pinkie Pie had been slyly watching over Rainbow and Applejack’s conversation.

She rubbed her chin with her hoof in intrigue as Rarity and Fluttershy carried on spouting memories, completely oblivious to the other situation unfolding around them.

Pinkie Pie had watched Applejack and Rainbow Dash from the sidelines for a long time; she judged their stupidly competitive games for them, she hung around them when she knew they’d be alone, and she always liked to get them into weird situations together.

Pinkie knew that something was amiss between the two ponies after their conversation, more so than usual, so she decided that it was time to investigate.

Pinkie cartoonishly pulled a detective hat out of thin air, placed it on her head, and began to smoke a bubble-pipe as she looked off mysteriously into the distance.

Comments

[dr-soviet]

Appledash is always a win

[The_Incognito_Brony]

9951456
Agreed, friendo

[MLPlover22]

Pinkie bein pinkie