Cutie Mark Chronicles Redux

by ColtClassic

Cakes

This time, there was no applause. By the end of her story, Rainbow Dash seemed to have forgotten that the foals, or for that matter the world around her, even existed. She was left staring in thought at the tablecloth, while the foals looked at each other in confusion and the noise of the party continued around them.

“So what's the point?” asked Pound.

Rainbow Dash started, and turned to look him in the eyes. “The point is that throwing that tantrum and making that storm was the stupidest thing I've ever done. It was thoughtless, and reckless, and dangerous. It's something I still kick myself over, and it took a long time for the wounds to heal. Some of them... some of them still haven't.

“But Pinkie Pie was right there, by my side, the whole time. She stopped me from being an even bigger idiot than I was already being, and she forgave without even having to think about it. I wasn't because she was dumb, or naive, or didn't know any better. It was just because she was Pinkie Pie. I can't tell you kids what to think about her, but I hope you give her a little more credit in the future. Because if it weren't for her, I don't think I'd be here today.”

With that, Rainbow Dash stood up and returned to the party. Pound looked back and forth between his newly acquired poster and his retreating idol, and then turned to his sister, one eyebrow raised skeptically.

“What was that all about?”

Pumpkin couldn't think of anything to say, so she merely shrugged. Pound rolled his eyes in response.

“Whatever. I'm gonna go ask Mom and Dad if I can have some more punch.”

---

The rest of the evening drifted by in a haze of music, dancing and sugary treats. For awhile, the twins were excited at being allowed to stay up so late; their parents seemed too caught up in the fun to pay attention to such everyday concepts as “bedtime”. However, Pumpkin quickly found her energy running out, and it was with a barely-concealed yawn that she eventually found her way over to Pinkie Pie. Her babysitter was sitting at a table with the Crusaders, who were listening to Apple Bloom's cousin Babs tell what sounded like the end of her own Cutie Mark story.

“...and as they lock the hoofcuffs on the dirtbag, the Chief of Police turns to me and says, 'As embarrassing as it is to admit it, we couldn't have caught him without you, kid.' And I felt just so awful proud of myself, and then, wouldn't you know it,” she gestured to the image of a magnifying glass on her flank, “I've graduated from 'Babs Seed, Cutie Mark Crusader' to 'Babs Seed, brilliant detective'!”

The small group stomped their hooves in applause. “You know, I had to solve a mystery once, too!” said Pinkie. “There was this train, you see, and a cake‒ maybe the greatest cake you ever saw! And it was called‒ oh, hey, Pumpkin!”

Pumpkin's attempted greeting quickly turned into another jaw-cracking yawn. Pinkie Pie scooped a foreleg around her and laughed.

“Whoopsies, looks like it's time to get little ponies home to bed.”

“Not yet,” protested Pumpkin. “First I want to hear the story of how you got your Cutie Mark.”

“That old story? But I thought you've heard that story, what was it, a bazillion times?”

Pumpkin shrugged. “I want to hear it again.”

Pinkie gave Pumpkin a confused smile. Pumpkin stared back, and she couldn't tell if there was something different about Pinkie Pie, or something different about herself. But behind the pink pony's grin, Pumpkin could see something new. Except it had always been there, really. It was that certain twinkle that she always been certain was something unbelievably foalish, but which she was beginning to suspect was actually very grown-up. Or something like that.

As Pinkie began the familiar tale, Pumpkin closed her eyes and leaned into Pinkie's side, the older mare's leg still draped comfortingly around her.

“Well, my sisters and I were raised on rock farm outside of Ponyville. We spent our days working the fields. There was no talking. There was no smiling. There were only rocks...”

-

It took a few moments for Rainbow Dash's eyes to adjust to the darkness. With each step, the noise of the party grew softer as she retreated across the road. It was hardly Applebucking Season, and the farm's signature fruit had yet to make an appearance on the branches of the many trees. Still, as she climbed over the fence and into the orchard, Rainbow Dash swore she could smell the sweet scent of crisp, juicy apples. Maybe it was her imagination getting away with her, but she savored the sensation nonetheless.

She had forgotten how many more stars there were out here in Ponyville. On the rare occasion she had the time or inclination to stargaze in Cloudsdale, the bright city lights drowned out most of the night sky. In the country, though, every last touch of Luna's hoofwork could be appreciated effortlessly.

Her eyes were not trained skyward for long, though. Peering between the tree trunks, she found the silhouette of the pony she was looking for, the pony she had watched duck out from the music and lights and dancing moments before. In the starlight everything looked dark and grey, but the shape of her hat gave Applejack away. The farmpony sat at the base of one of her beloved trees, and as Rainbow Dash approached, she could see the glint of her eyes following her every move. She breathed in deep, steeling herself.

“Hey AJ.”

There was a long silence.

“Howdy, Rainbow.”

“That was awesome. The ceremony, I mean. I know you worked real hard to help put it together, and it was, um, beautiful. And stuff. And the reception was real top notch. I'm not just saying that. I've been to a lot of these kind of events, with, you know, the Wonderbolts. And even compared to all the hoity-toity Canterlot shindigs I've been to, this was really, um, awesome. Better, even. Those Canterlot ponies don't know a thing about partying.”

Her vision had adjusted completely, and Rainbow Dash could make out Applejack's features now. What she couldn't make out was what lay behind the orange pony's neutral expression.

“Reckon so. As you said, a lot of hard work went into it.”

“So. Um. What are you doing over here, anyway?”

Applejack gave a soft sigh. “Just takin' it in. Getting ready to adjust to some change in mah life. I'm sure you know the feelin'.”

Rainbow attempted a weak chuckle. “Heh, yeah. Still, I'm sure it will be great having Fluttershy around the farm, even when she is being a sappy lovebird.”

“She ain't movin' in. Big Macintosh is movin' to her place. Gonna start up a ranch.”

“Oh. Um. What is Sweet Apple Acres gonna do?”

“Same thing it always does. Get by. He's gonna try and stop by a few times a week to help out with chores, but he's gonna be a bit busy gettin' his new life started. Don't blame him or nothin', it's how life goes. Ponies move on, things change, and you do your best to get by.”

Rainbow Dash chewed her lip. Applejack was evidently in a somber mood, and she didn't know if this was the right time for what she was attempting. What she did know was that it had been a long road to this day. When she had walked out of the forest that day with Pinkie Pie, she had been at rock bottom. She had devoted every minute of every day to climbing back up, first by working to rebuild Ponyville, and then to rebuild her friendships. Some of them took days, others months, but one by one they had given her the love and forgiveness that even she felt at times she might not deserve.

All except one. Applejack had stopped yelling at Dash every time they talked, but the earth mare's stony silence was even harder to bear. There was a rift between them, and even if it took the rest of her life, Dash was going to cross it.

Of course, you had to start things simple.

“So I was wondering if you still had that horseshoe set.”

At last the earth pony betrayed some expression, squinting her eyes at the pegasus.

“Y'all are telling me you wandered over here to ask me to skip out on mah brother's weddin' party. To play a game of horseshoes with you. In the middle of the night.”

“Um. Yes?”

The silence that followed seemed to be the longest in Dash's life, and it set her nerves on fire more than any audition or performance. Applejack merely stared at her, and though it should have been impossible in the poor light of the stars and moon, Rainbow Dash would have sworn she could see her own reflection in the other mare's green eyes.

Then, by what Rainbow could only assume was the grace of Celestia herself, Applejack began to giggle.

“It has been awhile, hasn't it? Shoot, Ah guess Ah'm game. If y'all promise not to cheat.”

Rainbow Dash let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding in as she followed Applejack toward the barn.

“Wouldn't dream of it.”

Comments

[Stiggerzz]

appljack: "if y'all promis not to cheat"
rainbow dash: "wouldn't dream of it"

*thinks back to the iron-pony competition*
oh dashie

[LittleSallyDigby]

1942125 She learned her lesson.

Damn. This is good. I'm not sure what to say about it, honestly. More good character moments.