Rainbow Point Paradox

by Aether Nexus

Chapter 9.5 Reunions and camping.

The moon had slowly begun to rise over the orchards of Sweet Apple Acers, it had taken longer than Applejack would have liked to slip out of the family home, and while she loathed keeping secrets from her family, she couldn’t exactly say ‘I’m goin’ to meet ma alicorn friend, who just a few days ago was the princess of Equestria after Celestia retired, but that was all in another timeline.’ Yeah, honesty wasn’t going to help any creature here.

So when Applejack began to hear noises coming from the direction of the clubhouse, she was immediately on alert, had Twilight been followed? Had Twilight been discovered as an Alicorn? However, it didn’t take long before she heard a certain raspy voice, one she’d been longing to hear again.

“I’m telling ya Twi, teleporting shouldn’t do that to a pony, there is no way that mess was my fault.”

“Well, since Fluttershy didn’t need a magic cleaning spell, I’m going to have to respectfully disagree, miss can't-handle-faster-than-light-travel.”

“Hey, that's Mrs can't-handle thank you very much!”

‘Dash? And did Twi just mention Flutters?’ Without a second thought, Applejack galloped to the remaining distance to the tree, and after thundering up the ramp, threw open the door. Before her were three alicorns who looked like they’d been caught with their hooves in the cookie jar.

A pregnant pause overtook the tree house, as Applejack’s gaze was transfixed on Rainbow, while Fluttershy and Twilight looked between the couple, waiting to see who would speak first.

“Hey bae, miss me?” Rainbow finally said with a cocky grin.

“Hee hee, like the first drink in cider season.”

“Wow, that's like, 20% more than when I come back from tour.”

“Just shut up an get over here.”

Without waiting to be told a second time, Rainbow flapped her wings, launching her into the waiting hooves of Applejack. After a few spins, Applejack lowered Rainbow to the floor and broke their embrace, but flinched away as Rainbow moved in for a kiss.

“Err Dash, been thinkin', maybe we should keep things foal friendly since ya know, were foals.”

“Huh? What do…” Rainbow stopped for a moment and pondered to herself, “But we’re done way more than just hug, snugglings are still allowed right?”

Twilight and Fluttershy had to stifle their chuckles, the awesome, cool, and totally not-mushy Rainbow Dash, asking if snuggling was still allowed was something they would have struggled to imagine a few days ago.

“Course that's fine, and, yeah we have, but we also haven’t, if ya get my meanin'?”

“Yeah, totally,” Rainbow replied confidently, nodding her head. After a few nods she began to slow down, Applejack could almost see the cogs working behind her eyes. “Actually, no, you lost me.”

Applejack sighed, she’d been thinking a lot over the last few days about how her relationship with Rainbow had been affected, and while she was fairly sure she’d come to a logical, well-constructed, and reasonable solution, the only thing that description had in common with Rainbow was they were both well-constructed, at least Rainbow’s skull was.

“Look, Dash, I've been thinkin’, ah love ya, but we ain't married her. So till we’re of age and married again, we should just stick to innocent young stuff.”

“Yeah, yeah… But why aren’t we married?.” Replied Rainbow, confusion practically written across her face.

“Alright girls, sorry to intrude, but we’re burning time, and I want to get a few things sorted out before Spike wakes up and Cadence works out that the Twilight sleeping there only has three voice lines.” Interjected Twilight.

With a shared look that told Rainbow that the conversation wasn’t over, Applejack and Rainbow trotted over to where Fluttershy had made a comfy setting area using the blankets Applejack had left there the other night.

“Alright girls, first things first, I’m incredibly happy to see you all again. The last few days haven’t been fun, but seeing you three makes it worth it!”

Fluttershy let out a quiet “D’aaw”, Rainbow Dash and Applejack both rolled their eyes, but they both smiled nonetheless.

“Next up, I’m living with Cadence and Spike for the foreseeable future in the Golden Oaks, and no, I don’t think she has any memories of our previous timeline. I also haven’t heard from Rarity or Pinkie since the first night, have any of you had any more luck finding any creature with old memories or contacting Rarity and Pinkie?”

Three shaking heads was the response.

“Expected but unfortunate. I have a report on the changes in Equestrian politics, at least the changes that I've observed so far, I’ll leave it with you Fluttershy since I doubt any creature else is interested.”

With a lavender pop, several sheets of paper materialised neatly in front of a quietly giggling Fluttershy, as for the other two, at least Applejack had the decency to be embarrassed after being called out.

“Who cares about what a bunch of stuck-up ponies are saying? Once we work out who’s screwing with time, we’ll buck their flanks you’ll be back to being Equestria’s Princess, and we can go back to being friends with every creature right?” Replied Dash, as she took to the air, and began to throw a few practice jabs.

“While that is the goal, we need to find out how far back the changes go before we can fix anything. Any careless small change could have disastrous consequences for the future so we can’t act blindly.”

“What about small changes that we make carefully?” Applejack asked nervously. “Could ya, maybe, keep a few things the same?”

Three pairs of eyes looked at the apple pony, under the pressure of their stares, Applejack lowered her hat to cover her eyes.

“What could you want to keep from this world?” Cried Rainbow, “Celestia is a tyrant, Shy’s family is a mess, the pegasi want to kill everyone and we’re back to being foals, what could possibly be worth keeping from this timeline?”

“My Ma’s alive, and my Pa” Applejack replied solemnly.

A cold chill swept through the room, as the other ponies froze, even Rainbow dropped out of the air in surprise. In all the years they’d known Applejack, she’d seldom spoken about her parents, but they knew they both passed away before she got her cutie mark, for them to be alive now was an unexpected positive change.

“So that's why you were here and not in Manehatten.” Said Rainbow, “I thought you’d be there, which is why we went to the library.”

“Yeah, it’s hazy, but I think I was considering goin’, at least till the Sonic Rainboom hit. Ma’s not well, but she’s hangin’ in just about, is there any chance we can save them Twi?”

“I’m sorry AJ, I can enhance some potions with alicorn magic to help your mother, but when we restore the timeline, if this becomes a fully closed time loop, we might not remember any of this.” Said Twilight solemnly.

“Yeah, makes sense, if ya’ll excuse me, ah need some fresh air.” Avoiding looking at her friends, Applejack got to her hooves and left the clubhouse.

She wasn’t sure how long she sat in front of the tree, a while after she left she heard Twilight speak again, though she wasn’t listening to what was said. All she could think about was that her mother was dying all over again, and no matter how hard she tried to save her, it would inevitably be pointless when they saved Equestria.

Over time, she heard the telltale pops and zaps of Twilight’s magic, and then, silence. Her friends had gone back to the library where it was warm and they could stay hidden. Applejack couldn’t help thinking to herself ‘Sometimes, Harmoney can be mighty cruel’.

Her ears twitched as she heard the clubhouse door creak open, and hoof steps began approaching her, had Fluttershy remained behind? Dash would have flown over instead of walking down the ramp, by Faust, she needed Rainbow right now.

To her surprise, a light brown unicorn, with a red, yellow and blue striped mane sat next to her.

“Hey AJ, what do you think?” Said the unicorn with Rainbow's voice.

“Dash?”

“Yeah, Twi said that anyone was looking for me and Shy will be looking for pegasi, not unicorns, so, unicorn.” Said Dash with a small smile.

“Ah can see the logic in that, ya gonna be ok?”

“You know me, I'll be fine, Twi’s gonna let me have wings when we’re together and can keep hidden, she is also hoping I’ll teach you how to fly.”

“Heh, more likely you’ll finally get your dream of snuggling a cloud together.”

“Probs, but I'd love to share the skies with you.”

“I’d like that too.”

“I love you AJ.”

“Love you too RD.”

Applejack leaned into Rainbow, enjoying the closeness of her… what was Rainbow to her exactly?

“I need to correct you on a few things AJ?”

“Oh?” Applejack said as she sat up startled, as she looked at Rainbow, she was surprised at how determined the ex-pegasus looked.

“First, no creature says we’re not married, I don’t care if we’re in another timeline or another planet. I said those vows and I mean them.”

Taken aback by Applejack could only nod.

“Next, this isn’t just about your mother…”

Anger shot through Applejack, but before she could say a word Rainbow continued.

“She’s our mother, and I’m gonna do my best to bring her, and our Pa, back to our Equestria! You got that?”

Tears streamed down Applejack's cheeks, as she began to sob, but she couldn’t hold the tears back any longer.

As Fluttershy heard the wailing from outside, the cream-coloured unicorn with cyan hair quietly checked on her friends. Below her, she saw Applejack crying her heart out as Rainbow held her. With a sad smile, she closed the door, allowing the couple their privacy.

****************

Pinkie had forgotten how dull long treks could be, but at least one of her two companions was fun to be around. The three of them had set out that morning, and at Tempest's request, they had stopped early, with the hope of resuming their journey before dawn.

The plan was to gently change their sleeping pattern to acclimatise the three for nighttime travel since that would be when the Pegasai patrols would be the lightest.

Pinkie was bored, it was currently her turn to keep watch, even though she told Tempest they’d be fine, the unicorn had insisted, so the two of them agreed to take turns keeping an eye out for trouble. Taking a stone in one talon, she began to gently toss it up into the air in a game of catch, if she could use conventional magic, she might consider making some stones dance to amuse herself…

Pinkie had a thought as she caught the falling rock, and she snapped her talons.

“Hmm, Pinkie? Is everything alright?” Asked Tempest sleepily…

“Yeah, sorry, nothing to worry about so go back to sleep.”

Tempest grunted something under her breath and settled back to sleep. Pinkie smiled at Tempest while taking a bite of her cake, it might take some time, but the unicorn was warming up to her, a little bit at least.

Taking another bite of her cake, she stifled a chuckle, of course, if you turn a rock into a cake, you end up with rock cake.

Author's Note:

Part 2,

Now I'm out of written content.

I'll probably be finishing my other fic, and posting a fic for a contest before adding another chapter, but I hope it won't be another 4-month wait.

Ps - Rock cakes are a type of scone with raisins in them.

Comments

[Chess Star]

Ah right the parents are alive... hopefully this doesn't make her forget the main priority.

[dapple26]

Rock cake.

[uis]

Good, good. Rock candy cake.

I wonder will mane 6 meet Shimmy?

[Zetari]

11881620
Rock cake is actually a scone with raisin's in it.

[uis]

11881788
Didn't know

[Aether Nexus]

11881620
Mane 6 - a long time away.

But Shimmy does have an appearance coming up.

[Aether Nexus]

11881855
To be fair, there is a good reason