Ponywatching

by ThunderTempest

Prompt #49: Drowning Sorrows

She stared down at her drink, trying to forget the memories, the good times. Thinking about them always reminded her that she wasn’t there anymore, and it hurt. It hurt when she thought about her smile, her constant fussing over the books. But Twilight was a pony that was, for better or worse, not entirely one to deny when her dream job had come up. And true, Canterlot wasn’t that far away, but to Rainbow Dash, it still felt like something of a betrayal. Like Twilight had abandoned Ponyville, and Rainbow was smart enough to know that it wasn’t too different from what she was planning on doing with the Wonderbolts, but Rainbow didn’t want to think about that right now. All she wanted was to stop thinking about Twilight Sparkle for a little while.

Rainbow picked up her drink, and chugged the entire thing down. Once she had finished, she slammed the empty mug onto the counter top, and called for another.

“Sure you should be drinkin’ that much, Dash?” said Applejack, sliding into the seat next to Rainbow.

“Shut up, Applejack,” grumbled Rainbow, as her mug was refilled, and placed back in reach of her hoof, “you’ve barely left the farm since she left. You work when you want to avoid something.”

“At least you can’t smell the cider on my breath from twenty paces!”

“And you don’t get to sit there and pretend that everything’s alright, Applejack! Fluttershy’s barely left her cottage since Twilight left, Pinkie Pie’s been throwing less parties than I can remember, and Rarity switches between overwork and drinking. But at least we’re all being honest about it!” said Rainbow, her voice rising by degrees until she was nearly shouting.

“Now, Rainbow Dash,” started Applejack. She never finished the sentence, because Rainbow Dash slammed her head into Applejack’s face.

“What in tarnation was that for?” said Applejack, stumbling backwards, one hoof across her nose, as Rainbow Dash picked herself up from the floor.

“Don’t think I haven’t heard what the others have been saying,” said Rainbow, “you’re not even admitting there’s a problem here. You work, you eat, and you sleep. You haven’t even challenged me to a game of horseshoes in months. It’s you trying to tell yourself that life goes on, and sure, I get that, but you don’t get to act like she didn’t matter, AJ!”

Applejack glared at Rainbow Dash over a rapidly reddening nose.

“And your way is any better?”

“No, it’s not,” said Rainbow Dash, “but at least I’m doing something. At least I’m being honest with myself. Thought that was usually your gig, Applejack.”

Author's Note:

Written for Prompt #49: "Missing You"

The prompt: One of the Mane Six has left and the rest miss her terribly