The Mane Two: Contrail

by MerlosTheMad

First published 26th of June, 2013

The grinding gears of fate have been set into motion. One by one, the mane six are being plucked from their lives in Equestria and cast into the unknown. All except for Applejack and Rainbow Dash, that is.

The grinding gears of fate have been set into motion. One by one, the mane six have been plucked from their lives in Equestria and cast into the unknown. All except for Applejack and Rainbow Dash, that is. Now it's up to the only two remaining Elements of Harmony to uncover the dark machinations behind their friends' disappearances. Will they put aside their differences and work together?

Originally co-Written by Alex Nuage (now Ludicrous Lycan) and MerlosTheMad

This story runs parallel to the other stories in the "Madverse." Those stories are A Twilight Landing, My Little Marriage So Many Wonders, and Abhorsen by MerlosTheMad

Cover Art done by AeronJVL

Happy Together

Chapter One: Happy Together

Applejack huffed out another lung full of air in an effort to keep her head clear.

She had a lot on her mind already for the morning, and the wind blowing up the dusty farmland road fought to distract her from all of it. The blonde mane swatting at her face every other ten seconds just compiled the situation.

"Dash, keep up, would yah?" Applejack growled, then flicked her head for the dozenth time as she quickened her trot.

"Ah huh, yup," Dash replied, flying lazily after. She mostly ignored her friend's irritation, her own nose buried into the book she was deeply invested in.

Applejack would have said something about it, likely relating to the way Dash had said they were late to the picnic with the rest of their friends, but she didn't have the patience for it.

Overhead, the sun shone brightly, perhaps wanting to cheer up the grumpy pony below as it bathed the rustic acres surrounding Ponyville in a comforting light. Despite the warmth it offered, it was early fall in Equestria, with the winter months quickly approaching. The increasingly cool breezes the weather pegasi sent over the town were a sure sign to anypony that it would only get colder.

Even with the fall colors springing up all around—which normally captivated Applejack—and the distracting windiness, her mind was set in stone on other matters.

“Consarnit, girls,” Applejack grumbled to the thin air. “Why did you have to go talk me into a picnic? Pinkie, Rarity, I swear you two owe me one. Er… two.”

"You say something, AJ?" Rainbow asked, though without looking up from her read.

Applejack sighed. "No, Dash, no I didn't."

Annoyed, she flicked her head and mane again. Although she was perhaps only half as annoyed at her friends as she was by her hair, they weren't off the hook by any means. Her brow furrowed beneath the loose mane-do she wore, which was a sharp contrast to the utilitarian pony tail and short cropped bangs she usually kept.

“Actually, make that three that you girls owe me.” Applejack grunted and blew the longer forelock of mane out of her eyes again; Rarity had talked her into keeping it long, rather than getting it cut as normal. Nonsense school-filly and her ‘seasonal fashion’ hoozits.

Rainbow Dash's ears twitched to the sound of her friend conversing with herself. "Okay, I know I heard you that time."

Applejack growled. "No, you didn't."

"Yeah I did," Dash insisted.

"No, you didn't," Applejack refuted.

Bringing up the rear, Rainbow glared at the back of her friend's head, then jammed her book back up to her muzzle. "Fine then, have it your way. No good stubborn farmer..."

Applejack relaxed the tension she'd felt building up. She did not want to put up with Rainbow's attitude right then, and as for the picnic, she had no reservations over spending time with her friends.

None at all.

Unless it was during bucking season, the one time of the year, near the beginning of fall, when the majority of Sweet Apple Acres’ apples were at their ripest. It just so happened, that was the time of the year right then, and her friends had begged her out for a casual get-together.

Every moment she spent perusing small kiosks, spending time with her friends, and even sleeping, meant less time used to bring in the harvest. Apples don’t buck themselves... she stubbornly thought. It ain’t fair of them to guilt me into things like this. In truth, they hadn’t guilted her, per se, but saying no to them wasn’t exactly easy.

Applejack pushed herself to go a little faster, the mountain of work on her plate at the forefront of her mind. A melancholy frown appeared every time she thought of it, even if it was in order to relax with her friends at a picnic. I like to spend time with them, I do, but not at the price of the harvest... Briefly, she considered that at least it would get done in the end. Big Mac will be bucking my share while I’m gone. That feller’s too kind for his own good.

"Hurry up, Dash!" Applejack called back. "You're too slow."

Rainbow jerked her head up. "You— Too slow!?" Her mouth worked a moment, looking for the perfect insult to throw back, but none came. I'll show her slow I'll— Waaait, no that's what she wants... Nice try, AJ, not falling for it. Despite her own temper now simmering, she slowed down further.

The gap between the two ponies grew slightly with Rainbow's refusal to speed up, while the dirt beneath Applejack’s hooves rose in small clouds as she hurried towards the near side of town, where their friends and the picnic were waiting.

Applejack looked back at the pegasus now trailing behind her, and no doubt doing it on purpose, too. She sighed, and resolved to just ignore it. If they were any later, so be it. A few more stray, guilty thoughts stirred about while she was left to think, and it led to her trying to explain away her work addiction.

Ah mean, it’s true, Applejack admitted to herself. I do tend to wake up at night, just to meander out to the orchards and start bucking apples... She chuckled and shook her head. Ah, shucks, I don’t do stuff like that much anymore though, do I? She supposed she didn’t. Not ever since I got so close to those crazy girls, no sirree.

The great ‘apple-bucking fiasco’ from nearly two years ago, in which Applejack had nearly worked herself to death, had been the start of what would become a friendship she was never not be thankful for, good and bad.

I wouldn’t know what to do without those girls... horribly encouraging procrastination of the farm work or not. Applejack’s smirk had become a wan smile, and her hastened trot slowed back some to a canter while she made her way into town. As much as I dislike wasting time durin’ valuable daylight hours, I suppose I do honestly need a break.

Applejack briefly laughed aloud, “Hehe, and I should know! Bein' the Element of Honesty and all.” She stopped and polished a hoof on her chest proudly, before looking forward again onto the road and heaving a breath of the fresh, autumn air. Laughter broke her out of her revery.

"I knew it, you are totally talking to yourself."

Applejack blinked, suddenly realizing that Rainbow Dash was hovering in front of her with an all too smug look on her face.

"Wha— Dangit Dash, quit— quit lolly-gaggin'!" With a bright blush already appearing on her cheeks, Applejack trotted quickly around her laughing friend.

Without warning, a gale of wind tore at Applejack, and took her stetson along with it. The suddenly airborne hat began to soar away in the opposite direction she was heading.

Both Rainbow Dash and Applejack watched with stunned eyes as the family heirloom floated away in the breeze.

“Wha-? Ah, pony feathers!” AJ shouted, then turned the rest of herself around to give chase. "Come back here, you! I don't need this right now!" Her hooves beat the wagon-trail fiercely as she tore after it.

Rainbow's laughter increased, watching with a twinge of satisfaction.

Not far down the road at all, the hat had suddenly thudded onto the ground, the wind stopping altogether.

“Dangit, Rainbow, you— Woah nelly!” Applejack cried out, almost squashing her precious hat as she ground to halt. She didn’t hesitate to retrieve it before another draft could steal it away.

With a concerted look over the inconvenience, she pushed the stetson back onto her head and turned around once again. What’s with all the crazy gusts of wind? That’s the third time my hat’s flown off today. She grunted once for good measure, glaring at the sky, then Dash, then back-trotted the few meters she’d lost.

"Welcome back." Rainbow grinned as her friend returned, then continued right on past her. Feeling undeniably ignored, her expression shifted to a frown. "Hey, what's eating you?"

"Nothin's eatin' me." Applejack quickened her pace. 'Cept for your stupid wind pranks... She was sure her friend was responsible for the sudden gust, but refused to give her the satisfaction of acknowledging it. "Let's just get to the picnic, Dash."

"'Kay." Rainbow Dash shrugged, and struggled to re-find where she'd left of in her book.

A couple minutes travel later, and the two had reached the top of a hill that overlooked the picnicking area.

Rainbow Dash continued down the slope in a glide, while Applejack paused before heading down, taken for a moment by a sight she’d grown up almost her whole life with.

Along the horizon, dark mountains towered above lush, untouched land. Beyond that, lay the distant, shimmering dot that was Canterlot, resting snugly against the side of a cliff. It twinkled as the gold that decorated its ivory white towers shined from the midday sun. The blue up there contrasted brilliantly with the puffy white clouds, which lazily drifted from side to side; keeping relatively close to the place where the local weather pegasi must have stationed them.

There was even a rainbow arching between a couple of the pearly clouds as they peacefully gave a light shower to somewhere on the other side of town.

Speaking of rainbows... Applejack mused darkly.

The gamut of colors ranging from red to green she stared after had reached the bottom of the hill. They belonged to the same rainbow maned culprit that seemed to fancy both making off with her hat and being a royal pain in her behind. And if there was one prank of Dash's that Applejack did not find amusing, it was anything to do with her hat.

Despite the recent unpleasantness, Applejack smiled as she looked at the beautiful sight, taking in every detail and even forgetting a bit of her previous frustration. With one last look at the horizon, she took a deep breath, and descended down the hill to the village green, which was filled with dozens of ponies sitting out to enjoy Celestia’s sun.

As she approached, Applejack's arrival did not go unnoticed.

Four more colorful forms crowded around where Rainbow Dash had settled. They rested on a telltale checkered blanket along with a small wicker basket. All them were trading hellos, and were obviously doing what they did best: being friends.

One by one, the four other mares that made up the picnic party snapped their heads up toward Applejack.

Rarity levitated a drink with a little umbrella in it, Pinkie Pie had a mouth full of... something, Twilight had a book laid in front of her as was usual, Fluttershy seemed to have been preening, and finally, Rainbow Dash was busy reading. Again. Minus Rainbow, the other four mares all returned Applejack’s welcoming smile with versions of their own.

Hope we're not too late, Applejack thought, before galloping the remaining distance to the picnic, eager to join the mid-day get-together.

“Applejack!” Twilight grinned and stood up. “I was starting to think you weren’t going to make it.” She cantered out a ways from the others and met the apple farmer halfway.

Applejack responded with a smile. “Aw, Twi’, you know I could never miss a get-together with you gals. Not if I have anything to say about it.” She batted a hoof at Twilight. “‘Sides, Big Mac is taking on the work himself, so it’s not like I’ll be missing much.” In truth there was a whole lot to do, but she couldn’t let Twilight know she was the reason some of the orchard might not be bucked that season. If she had learned anything, it was to always make time for the important things in life.

A sudden breeze stirred through the pasture, once again snagging on Applejack’s hat. The stetson remained firmly in place, however, while Applejack gave a disapproving grunt.

“Daggum,” Applejack cursed while glaring around Twilight and toward Rainbow Dash. “Why have you got the wind whippin’ around all willy-nilly today, Rainbow?” She glared at the oblivious pegasus’, who still had her nose in her book despite chatting with Pinkie. “It’s been like this all morning and I’ve nearly lost my hat four times already. T’ain’t no reason for it at all. Why, I oughta bop her on the head just fer-”

“Whoa, AJ, calm down. What wind?” Twilight pointedly took a step between Applejack and the picnic, including Rainbow. “Do you mean those little breezes from this morning?” She absently asked the question with a questioning tone. “I’m sure it’s just Rainbow’s team prepping a few clouds for an upcoming storm. I think it’s been awhile since we had one.”

Twilight’s voice seemed to drip with the intention of sincerity, but Applejack knew that her friend’s mind was fields off on that point.

“The weather forecast said we aren’t gonna get showers for another five or six days.” Applejack’s head cocked and looked at Twi' with an expression of skepticism. “What does she have those weather ponies doing up there? She better not be planning on something at everypony else’s expense again.”

Twilight paused, and searched Applejack’s face in the silence. “Applejack,” she started abruptly. “Can you do something for me, please?” Her violet eyes held the other mare’s attention without saying another word.

Now why do you have to give me that look, Twi'? Applejack was defenseless to her pleading stare. “Uh, well sure, Twilight. You can count on me for darn near anything. You know that.”

“Please... Please, would you not get into another fight with Rainbow Dash?” Twilight asked earnestly.

The request hit Applejack like a sack of bricks. "What do you mean not fight Rainbow Dash? Ah’m not the one makin’ the weather go all cattywompus!"

Twilight frowned, not quite looking as solemn as before. "Applejack..."

Applejack frowned back. Inwardly, she noticed that the situation resembled a conversation she would have with her little sister. ‘Don’t run with scissors, Applebloom,’ ‘Get off of that stranger, Applebloom,’ and ‘Applebloom, what did I tell you ‘bout dressin’ Spike up in a skirt.’ But the way Twilight had asked the request was what stuck out.

Applejack thought back to times in the past when her competitive nature had gotten the best of her. Callow competitions, pointless arguments, and dim-witted races were proof of that. She couldn’t help but think of something Applebloom might say in this situation. But she started it!

“Alright, I’ll be better behaved than a filly on Hearth’s Warmin’ Eve, Twi'.” Her desire to Dash on the head faded quickly and she let out a weak laugh.

Twilight let out a breath of relief. “Thank you, I’m glad to hear that. I know you guys would never fight for real, but would it kill you both to tone it down? There are better uses for all that time and energy, you know.” She turned her head coyly and rolled her eyes as she trotted back to the others.

Applejack followed, chuckling a response out as they went. “No problem, Twi. Now, let’s get to eatin’ before the grub get’s cold.” And so I can get back to apple buckin’ sooner than later, ‘specially if there is a storm brewin’...

The faces of three of the Elements of Harmony lit up as Applejack reached the checkered blanket. Her presence was, after all, a must have for any afternoon picnic. She scanned the hospitable grins as she trotted up, all of them typical for anypony in Ponyville—except Pinkie Pie's, who was always grinning enough for three ponies.

Pinkie Pie’s mood was an infectious enigma, always brightening up the ponies around her. She was sitting on her haunches, beaming a bright, ear to ear smile at her cowpony friend.

Applejack immediately found herself caught in that grin’s power. Maybe this ain’t gonna be so bad after all.

"So, how is everypony doi—" Applejack cut off. From across the picnic cloth, she was charged by a pink, fluffy flash of lightning.

“AJ!” the voice from the pink blur yelled.

"Huh?" Applejack was hit with a massive bear hug and almost fell over as Pinkie grappled her in a vice grip. "Whoa there, Pinkie!" The cotton candy-like mane rubbed against Applejack’s muzzle, tickling it in a way that made her feel like she had to sneeze.

"You made it!" Pinkie grinned and ended her over-enthused hug as quickly as it had begun. Although Pinkie had let her target loose, that did not at all change the proximity between the two, on account of they were awkwardly muzzle to muzzle. Well, it was awkward for Applejack; Pinkie barely seemed to notice as she spoke.

“I almost thought you weren’t going to make it! Rarity said you were busy and didn’t have time for cake, but I said you loved cake and so had time and look, you’re here! Now that you’re here, that makes all six of us! Hooray! Oh we should go get the pets, it's so nice out! I'll get Gummy and you'll get Winona, and Rarity can get that cat that always bites me when I try to play with it, oh, and Twilight can get Spike and Owlowiscious! Oops, I didn’t mean to call Spike a pet, after all, he is one of our bestest friends in the whole wide world, and-”

Abruptly, Pinkie Pie halted her constant stream of small talk. Her eyes went wide and her nose began to sniff the air.

“Woo-wee! AJ, what an incredible smell you’ve discovered!” Pinkie broke out into giggles.

It occurred to Applejack that her hard work around Sweet Apple Acres wasn't going unnoticed. "Ah, sorry about that."

A shy, butter yellow pegasus uttered an “oh my,” which was barely loud enough to not be drowned out by the natural environment around her.

The only way Applejack believed she could be any redder, was if she could somehow see herself at that moment. Oh what the hay Pinkie, at least Rarity hadn’t said nothin’ about it. “Well, ah was apple bucking...” she responded honestly. “Sorta forgot to clean up. Sorry, I guess I was just in a hurry.”

“Oh, that must’ve been hard work for you to be smelling this bad! How does Granny Smith stand to live on that farm with smells like that?” Pinkie Pie let out a series of giggling laughter while the others around her added in their own, albeit more hesitantly. “I’m just kidding. Oh, that reminds me, where’s that oh-so-tasty Equestria famed apple pie you mentioned yesterday, AJ?” The pink pony bounced excitedly on all four hooves, wild, hungry eyes searching all around Applejack, as though the pie could be hidden anywhere.

Applejack was speechless once again. The wave of babble that passed over her was almost incomprehensible. Almost being the key word. She facehoofed after Pinkie mentioned the pie. On the way out of the orchard, she had forgot to grab her own vittles. Perfect, this is just perfect. So far I’ve been late, no thanks to Dash, smell to high heaven, and I forgot literally the one thing I was supposed to bring.

“Ah’m sorry sugarcube,” Applejack started, kicking the ground softly just wanting to get it over with. “I must have left it at mah farmhouse.” Her gaze fell to the ground. This is going to be an awkward picnic.

“Oh darling, it is perfectly alright,” chimed in a familiar unicorn with an affinity for fashion, celebrities, and the indoors.

Rarity was the only one not currently sprawled out on the checkered blanket; instead choosing to lie on her own silken cloth. It was a bit extravagant for a picnic, but that was Rarity for you. “I brought plenty of Daisy sandwiches for everypony. Now, you must stop that sullen attitude of yours before a tiny rain cloud develops above your head from it.” She pointed a hoof up at the sky then, sighing heavily.

Applejack chuckled. Yeah, honestly I wouldn't be surprised if one of those did show up, she considered, and spared another glower over towards Rainbow. Except the other pony wasn't where she'd been just a moment ago—

Applejack looked up, and gasped.

“Aww! Rarity,” Rainbow Dash called out from above the farm pony. “You always ruin a perfectly good prank.” She kicked away the small cumulus cloud she had sewn together hastily for a bit of a light shower. The various tufts of white she had found while the attention had been off of her, faded.

Applejack scowled up at her athletic rival. It just never ends with that maverick, does it? She remembered the multitude of pranks her rainbow friend had done over the past few years. Sudden surprise afternoon rain showers, gluing her crop to the trees, and worst of all, putting chewing gum inside apples and then placing them in random barrels around the farm. It took a whole week to search through every barrel, and even then they hadn’t found them all. Applejack was mighty embarrassed when Ms. Cheerilee was blowing bubbles after she had taken a bite out of a fresh harvest.

“And you always ruin a perfectly good get-together, Rainbow Dash,” retorted Rarity. “Now come back down here so we can enjoy our little picnic in peace.”

“It’s not like it’d hurt her to take a little bath... Actually, right now it’d probably be a favor.” Grudgingly, Dash swooped down to take her place in the group. A place that was right next to one orange mare in particular, gripped by a peeved off attitude.

Applejack snorted derisively at Rainbow, and Rainbow grinned cheerily in return.

“Now now, girls, I think we can all be civilized adult mares here. As I was saying, don’t fret about the pie, Applejack. I think it’s fair we take turns bringing the food, don’t you agree?” Rarity’s horn began to glow and out of her wicker basket floated crisp daisy sandwiches, moist strawberry cake, scrumptious looking tulip turnovers, brightly colored cupcakes, and muffins that seemed to give off visible steam as if they had recently been taken out of the oven.

Applejack looked around to see the other mares—except Rarity who seemed very much in control of her taste buds—drooling like a pack of starving timberwolves. Each eyed a treat they most yearned for, seemingly helpless to control their irresistible desire to fling themselves haphazardly onto the plates and consume them in one, big hearty gulp.

The bickering and small talk ceased, and within minutes the plates were picked clean except for a few morsels.

Rarity watched in stark horror at the ravenous pack of ponies in front of her. Apparently, making them wait to eat before Applejack showed up had been a mistake after all, hmph. She rolled her eyes and levitated a daisy sandwich to her mouth. “Ruffians...” she muttered.

Pinkie Pie looked up from being muzzle deep in a turnover. “Oh hey, Rarity!” she shouted enthusiastically, and bounced to sit up as a thought occurred to her. “Do you want to come taste test some new eclairs tomorrow with me for the Cakes?”

Rarity raised her eyes to Pinkie Pie, who was surprisingly patient for a reply. A frown graced her muzzle while she set down her untouched sandwich. “I’m sorry, dear, but tomorrow I am going to take a... lone excursion. I’ve been putting one off for far too long I feel, and I have been planning this for some time. I hope you understand.”

Raising the sandwich again, Rarity took a dainty bite, or it would have been dainty, had Pinkie not suddenly shouted again.

“Okie dokie lokie, Rarity! I’m spending tomorrow pranking with Dashie, so more time for us!” Pinkie Pie set about giggling again, until she spotted Rarity coughing on something. “Whoops, were your eyes bigger than your stomach there?” She patted a hoof on her friend's back gingerly.

Rarity hacked greatly once more and her throat cleared. “Ahem, something of that nature,” she replied caustically. “Twilight, would you be a dear and pour me some water?” Meanwhile, she held a cloth to her mouth and continued to cough, having nearly choked on the daisies.

Twilight looked over from reading a book of her own, nodding blissfully. “Of course.” She returned a hearty smile to the request as the horn upon her brow began to glow. Next, a purple aura enveloped the picnic’s pitcher of water. Casually, it floated toward Twilight while a single glass simultaneously levitated out of a wicker basket and onto the blanket.

The pitcher began to pour the water gracefully.

Applejack frowned at Rainbow again as the wind suddenly began to stir around them. The pegasus was too busy eating to notice though. Honestly, Rainbow needs to do something about this! Darnit... She didn’t want to go back on her word to Twilight though, so began instead to think of a nice way to tell Rainbow she didn’t know how to do her job right proper.

Applejack was caught off guard when the windy gust picked up more and stole her hat in its wispy clutch, again. “Dagnabbit!” She tried to catch it in time, but it was too late; her stetson was airborne. The cowpony’s hat flung itself upward and soared quickly toward Twilight’s head, where it banked and smacked the pitcher of water.

Four mares simultaneously shouted out in surprise as water splashed everywhere from the full container.

Rarity and Pinkie Pie were absolutely soaked, having been closest when the pitcher was knocked out of Twilight’s grasp. Rainbow Dash had been very close to the splash zone, but she was quick enough to get out of the way in time. For a moment, everything was quiet, but soon the six mares found themselves snickering at their own misfortune.

Even Applejack couldn’t help but laugh at the fluke accident. Though she couldn’t help but think, I still have half a mind to smack Rainbow Dash across the head.

The laughter calmed down, Rarity began soaking up liquid that had splashed her sundress with a cloth, while the others rearranged the picnic.

“Sorry everypony,” Twilight and Applejack said abruptly as one, then turned to look at each other, only to giggle more.

The picnic proceeded, and the mares were left to chat merrily about what they had been up to in recent weeks. Rarity had been busy crafting saddles and dresses for a few very important clients—and she made sure to stress the very; Pinkie had recently entered to compete in a national baking competition, which she came in second place for, though they couldn’t award her first because she ate most of her own desserts; Rainbow Dash had been preparing for the winter for the most part, but flew up and showed off a couple new tricks of hers for flare; Fluttershy was busy taking care of a sick manticore. This brought a round of gasps, but she assured her friends that he—the manticore—was perfectly safe; and Applejack announced the fact that she had been apple bucking ever since the harvest season started—she left out the fact that she was quickly running out of time to finish the harvest, but decided it was for the best.

Finally, the bill turned to Twilight.

“So,” Rarity began from where she demurely lay with her front hooves crossed. “What is it that you’ve got yourself looking into now? Or maybe the princess has given you some interesting new thing to study?”

Rainbow Dash yawned widely at what was obviously going to be something about plants or magic stuff. “She’s probably just been reading for all she’s worth, like always...” The pegasus paused a moment to sneakily conceal her own book under the picnic blanket, before adding, “By the way, Twilight, is the new Daring Do book out?”

Still sitting on her haunches, Twilight shook her head, but then looked around nervously and held a hoof up to her mouth. “Well...” she started to quietly say.

“Oh, if it’s a secret, you don’t have to tell us,” Fluttershy added in quickly.

Applejack raised an eyebrow in thought while listening intently. "What are yah so skittish for all of a sudden?"

"I'm not skittish. I dunno, you guys would just find it boring, I think."

AJ was about to pursue the oddity further, when a trio of high pitched squeals cascaded over the hillside, wrenching the group’s attention from their friend.

A bright red cart blew over the nearest hill, carrying three screeching fillies in its confines. They all called out with their own different versions of shock and surprise as the cart continued down the path, then over the next rise.

"Oh dear," Fluttershy said, the only one of them to say anything before they all lept into action; except Fluttershy, who sort of eased herself into action.

One of the fillies Applejack recognized right away as her little sister Applebloom, and that likely made the other two voices her little friends, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.

Her legs ached and her muscles burned from working all morning, but she still galloped at full speed. Dirt flew behind her as she worked harder and harder to cut off the runaway vehicle below the next hill. “Hold on, girls! We’re a comin’!”

Applejack discovered, however, that she was not alone in her endeavors at the front of the pack.

Rainbow Dash had swooped in beside her at a low altitude to land on all fours. “Hey there, Applejack.” she said, a cocky smile plastered across her muzzle, almost as if she was taunting Applejack. "That all ya got?" Her own hooves matched the blazing rhythm of Applejack's.

What does she think she’s doing!? AJ scolded internally. "Really, Dash? A hoof-race contest? You want to do this right now?" She glared back with the most daunting look of disbelief possible, despite the fact she was running full speed down a hill.

"Heh, nah, you'd have to stand a chance for it to be a competition!" Rainbow continued her impish grin and beat her wings a little harder, gaining more speed. She was up in front of Applejack, but not for long.

"I don't care, just catch uhm!" Applejack matched her friend's speed, pumping her legs even harder. Not to beat her, of course, but doing so would put her in her place. "Use yer dumb wings!"

"Nope, wouldn't be fair, we got this!"

AJ fought the urge the groan.

Both mares fought for the lead, continuously trading first between one and the other. Applejack's overall fatigue might have proven too much for her, if not for what was at stake.

They stayed in hot pursuit of the wild cart, getting closer to the frightened screams of distress. Both mares were neck and neck, with mere hoof lengths between them and their target. Applejack prepared to leap into the cart and Rainbow went into an arcing pattern to do the same.

Applejack leaped, soaring through the air towards what she expected to be the hard wood of a cart. What she didn’t expect was to land face first into a mixture of mud and field grass with a loud squelching sound.

Vision obscured by mud, Applejack sat up quickly and roughly spat out clumps of earth, wiping her face off with one of her hooves. Her eyes shot open, searching for the whereabouts of the cart and her little sister. On the ground next to her was, amusingly enough, Rainbow Dash, whose head was currently stuck neck deep in the muck.

The cyan body struggled and heaved to remove itself from the dirty kiss with the earthy ground. It took a quick tug from Applejack to set Rainbow Dash free.

“Gak-ppbbbht!” Rainbow Dash spat dirt and grass from her mouth. “What happened? Where did they go!?”

Applejack sighed and tapped the pegasus on her shoulder and pointed a hoof at the cart, which levitated five strides in the air by the rest of their friends. It was surrounded by a purple aura, with Twilight Sparkle grinning sheepishly in their direction.

Rainbow Dash facehoofed. “Egghead...”

Twilight came trotting down the hill, followed by a very muddy looking Fluttershy, a flustered and frazzled Rarity, and a bouncing Pinkie. All four of them were busy looking over the infamous cutie mark crusaders after their harrowing adventure towards mishap.

"Are ya'll alright over there?" Squishing her hooves out of the muck, Applejack began her trot towards the cart, which was now safely touching the ground. She was already imagining what things she should shout at her little sister. Applebloom, just what in tarnation do ya think you were doin’ back there! You could have gotten yourself hurt! There she was, flanked by her two shivering friends; the yellow filly with a big red bow decorating her mane. Her complexion was pale and her eyes still wide.

Applebloom watched in visible horror as Applejack got closer. She appeared totally caught off guard by Applejack's sudden embraced. It took a moment for it to register, but she eventually hugged her back into Applejack’s mane, despite the mud.

“I-I’m sorry, sis... it was an accident,” Applebloom sniffled out.

"It’s okay, sugarcube, but what the hay happened?” Applejack took her sister’s foreleg and began rubbing small circles on her back. It seemed to soothe her, as she stopped her sobbing and started to breathe normally.

Nearby the two farm sisters, Rarity was hugging Sweetie Belle, and Rainbow Dash was comforting a very sorry looking pegasus filly. From the green tint in her face, it looked very much to everypony like she was about to be sick.

Applebloom looked horribly embarrassed and stirred a hoof in the dirt while glancing at her friends. “Well...” she murmured, and glanced over at her friends guiltily. Sweetie Belle was busy receiving a mouthful from Rarity, while Scootaloo was getting the stink-eye from Rainbow. No doubt both of them would receive a grounding later from their parents.

As for Applejack, she sighed and patted Applebloom on the back. “Nevermind, Bloom, it’s alright.” She considered the situation briefly, and came to a realization that this was as good a time as any to take her leave from the picnic. “Let’s just get ya home.”

The only response she got was a muffled ‘okay’ as she was heaved onto her sister’s back. Applejack could feel her body tremor as she carried her to the pony responsible for saving her sister.

“Thanks for nabbin’ them, Twi’, and ah had a great time today, but I think I should take this one on home.” Applejack tipped her stetson and managed a weak smile under her tired eyes.

Twilight nodded from where she sat helping Pinkie Pie with what looked like dirt smeared down her face and front. “I understand,” she said merrily before sighing. “I was hoping for such a nice afternoon get-together, too... Oh well, all the food’s done for already anyway.” She looked over and grinned despite the regret in her voice.

Applejack bid her friends farewell and started out, heading toward the path back to Sweet Apple Acres. Before she made it more than a few steps though, she spotted Fluttershy, who was desperately trying to clean off a thick layer of mud that had caked onto her coat.

“Sugarcube... what happened?” Her question caught the pegasus by surprise as she began to rise a little. Once she realized who it was though, she calmed down.

“Oh, um, I fell... Into a hole.” Fluttershy commented timidly. Her jaw went into a pleading grin and a faint squeeing noise was taken by the breeze.

Applejack looked at the pegasus with a smirk. “So where did you find a hole big enough to fit a mare in?” she said, joking.

“Um... by accident,” Fluttershy replied sheepishly, and giggled weakly. "It was just a gopher hole, but I ended up in the mud like you and Rainbow."

Applejack chuckled and accepted the answer. If Pinkie Pie has taught me anything, it was that sometimes I don’t need a good explanation for every little thing I encounter around these girls. “Well, Twi’s helping Pinkie over there with Dash, Ah‘m sure she can see to you too.”

"Hey, Ms. hay-seed!"

Applejack looked over in the direction of what was obviously directed at her. "What is it, Dash?" she drawled back.

"Good race!" Rainbow beamed, smiling friendlily over what she considered a decent ground performance.

Applejack didn't have words. She was too tired and too angry and there were too many other ponies around that she cared about to respond properly. "Yeah," she managed.

The friends said their goodbyes and Applejack promptly departed along with the filly resting on her back. Applebloom’s shaking had ceased, but her half-closed eyelids showed off how tired she was.

Once a little ways down the road, a soft clearing of her throat preempted Applejack’s question. “So... Sugarcube, what all got into your heads this time?” Applejack raised an eyebrow and looked over her shoulder at her sister.

The filly smothered her face into Applejack’s coat in response, then sighed and picked her head up. “Okay, but don’t laugh. Well... we were crusadin’ to Zecora’s hut and we saw that cart... Yah see, it was at the top of this hill and Scootaloo wanted to go look at it. When we got up there, we saw it was empty, and we thought it would be fun to climb in and...”

“And what?” Applejack held her breath with the suspense that always preceded before one of the CMC’s explanations.

“...Cutie Mark Crusader Chariot Racers...” Applebloom finally said, in a dismal, guilty tone.

Applejack held back her laughter. “Racers? But you only had one cart, right?”

Applebloom let out a sigh. “Yeah, I know, but it was just a test. Anyway, me and Scootaloo pulled while Sweetie Belle rode in back.”

“...Then how in the hay did you end up in the cart, too... Ya know what, t’aint important; what’s important is that ya’ll are alright.” A reassuring smile crept onto Applejack’s face as she half-way glanced at her sister again. You know, this face Ah’m wearin’ is givin’ you a false sense of security, which tomorrow, is goin’ straight out the window. Hehe. Hope you had fun with your friends. A few thoughts of what kinds of chores needed doin’ popped into her head. Cellar ain’t been swept in a bit...

Applejack returned to her faux, comforting sister’s tone. “Well, I hope you learned your lesson about messin’ with things that aren’t rightly yours or wanderin’ into places you don’t rightly belong.”

“Yes, Applejack...” Applebloom droned back.

Applejack trotted along expediently, the filly bobbing up and down on her back. Tufts of dirt clouds were kicked into the air of their wake as they made their way up the small winding road to Sweet Apple Acres. The dipping sun prepared to trade places with the moon for the night. Together, they created a beautiful orange glow in the quickly dimming sky.

The two earth ponies were just nearing their property when Applejack cleared her throat to speak again. “Alright, you can go ahead and trot back to the house. I’ve gotta check the barn to see how far behind we are in clearing out the harvest.”

Applebloom nodded and dropped off of her sister’s back. With a hop, skip and jump she had already made it halfway to the farm house, leaving AJ alone at the entrance.

"Filly’s and their shenanigans," Applejack muttered. With that, she ascended the slight incline toward the family barn. Time to see how much work ah missed to go to that delicious picnic. And after all that I'll need a bath, and... The dreaded images of dozens of empty barrels bombarded her mind, sucking her into the sullen realization that she had a few big days ahead of her if she wanted to make up for lost time.

The worried thoughts Applejack entertained ceased, however, once she completely pulled open the barn door that was left ajar. Along the floor, hundreds of apples lay scattered across the ground, some unfortunately crushed by the obvious multitudes of barrels that had fallen from the barn shelves above. A pile of barrels lay askew on one big mass towards the back. Underneath, two very familiar red hooves poked out from the side nearest to her.

“Big Macintosh!” Applejack cried out as soon as her eyes made contact, and galloped over to her trapped sibling. Using her momentum and raw earth pony strength, she knocked half of the barrels off at once, then one barrel after another followed suit from the mountainous pile. Finally, her brother was able to push off the remaining load and sit up on his haunches. His face was red... even more so than usual.

"Are you alright?” Applejack asked, scanning the stallion for any injury other than a hurt dignity.

“Eeyup.” He replied, plain and simple. A few ragged breaths escaped him, and his eyes were bloodshot.

"How long were you trapped under there, Big Mac?" Applejack frantically asked, waiting for a response from her enervated brother. He let out a hoarse cough and huffed in a deeper breath. "Should I get a doctor?”

“Ee-n-nope.” His response came out staggered and muffled.

Applejack wasn’t buying it. Ah know better than that, Big Macintosh. Stop it with your bravado for just one second!

She frowned and asked, “Are you sure...?” From the looks of the room, it was obvious what had happened. The barrels had been stacked in a pyramid type fashion before she had left, and it probably took one wrong decision to topple the whole structure down.

“Eeyup,” came another fatigued reply.

Despite his usual close-mouthedness, Applejack could tell he was being stubborn. “Sugarcube, you gotta be more careful. Remember when you warned me not to bite off more than ah could chew? Same rule applies to you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when things get to be too much.”

“Yeah, I know,” he answered, surprisingly with something new. He slowly gathered his strength and rose onto his hooves. His walk looked painful as he began to stumble toward the barn door, nearly slipping on crushed apples as he went.

“Hold it right there, Mister.” Applejack’s voice was stern, demanding the stallion's attention. “Now I need you to say more then yup or nope on this. Ah need your word that you won’t go around tryin’ foalish things where you might get hurt. Think about the example you’re settin’ for the impressionable filly in that house. She almost got herself hurt today, and I don’t want this to be a daily thing.” She paused for a moment, waiting for him to respond. “Do you think you can handle that?”

Big Mac met her stare for stare. The answer was clear and concise. “Eeyup...”

Applejack shot a glare at Big Mac, preparing to do something that might be construed as a little bit hostile to someone who was already so injured.

Big Mac sighed, relenting. “Eh... Yes’m, you don’t have to worry ‘bout me, I’ll handle it.”

Applejack glared even more, shooting knives from her eyes.

"...I mean... I’ll ask for help when I need it...“ Big Mac paused for a moment. “But you weren’t here today, so it isn’t like I could’ve asked you.”

Applejack was about to retort, but she realized he did have a point. Goldangit, girls. If I hadn’t o’ gone on that stupid picnic, none of this would’ve happened. She breathed a deep sigh. “Ah’m sorry Big Mac. Ah never even wanted to go out today; you know how I feel about missin’ work.”

The stallion nodded. “It’s fine, sis. Ah’ll be right as rain in the mornin’.”

Applejack perked up at the sight of her brother reassuring her. “Good, now let’s go get some grub. Ah’m sure Granny Smith has somethin’ great cookin’ in the kitchen.”

Both brother and sister ditched the mountain of barrels and floor full of work, and exited the big red barn. It was nighttime and the moon was casting its luminescence over the farm, coating them in a pale blue light.

Despite the dark, Applejack spotted something that was awful hard to ignore. She squinted in the moonlight at her brother, trying to either confirm or deny a growing suspicion. Oh no! Her legs briskly galloped her in front of the stallion, stopping him in his tracks. “Big Mac, ah think you might be hurt, let me see your side.” One of her hooves pressed against his front to keep him from walkin’ past her.

Big Mac scowled, but turned reluctantly to his right so Applejack could get a look.

One of the nastiest, darkest bruises the orange farm pony had ever seen traveled from his left hind leg and up to his ribs. She grimaced at the dark tint it seemed to take on in between each rib, and also the sheer surface area it took up. The wound almost looked like he had been laying in a puddle of disgusting paint.

“Big Mac, this don’t look good at all.” Applejack bit her lip, hesitant to say what she was already thinkin’ was the only course of action. “Ah- Ah’m not sure you should be applebuckin’ anymore this harvest.” Her eyes were as round as dinner plates.

“Quit your nonsense, Applejack,” Big Mac’s rebuttal rumbled back. “Ah’m as fit as a fiddle, and ah sure as hay can buck a few apple trees with a bump like this.”

Applejack looked at the stallion trying his best to stand as straight as he possibly could. He puffed out his chest, and lifted his head high. Sorry about this, Sugarcube, I want you out in the orchard, too. Ah don’t see another option though.

Applejack gently pressed her hoof against the center of his bruise, applying a heavy amount of pressure to the quivering stallion.

Big Mac grunted and grimaced in agony, inhaling a couple of deep breaths through flared nostrils before he could stop himself. He visibly struggled to maintain a semblance of normalcy.

Applejack shook her head and sighed heavily. “That’s what I thought. Now you need rest that up if we ever hope to get ya back on all fours.”

The injured colt opened his mouth hastily. “But AJ, ah-”

“No buts, Mister; all you need to worry about is gettin’ better for the next harvest. If you really want to help, you could always go into town and sell a bit of the crop. It’ll keep you busy, and bring in a few bits.” Applejack’s words seemed to calm him down a little bit. She couldn’t help but see a relieved expression grace his face for a moment. Why that proud fool. He’d be willin’ to suffer a broken rib just so his sis don’t see him back down. Ah don’t know if that’s stupidity, or what.

“... Alright...” Big Mac indignantly muttered back.

Applejack's expression returned to its usual hospitable gaze. “Attaboy, now let’s go get us some food before you keel over,” she prodded.

Both ponies guffawed—Big Mac cringing from the pain when he did—and returned to their home where the sweet scent of apple cider and apple fritters greeted their noses.

Author's Notes:

So begins the fifth installation for this series of stories. If you hadn't guessed, this one features Applejack and Rainbow Dash and the Equestrian side of things in the series. There isn't really any particular order you need to read them in, but suffice to say this one might be the last one to read if any of them. If you haven't read another story from the Madverse, there's more for the rest of the mane six: Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rarity, and then there's the heart warming story that started it all: My Little Marriage: Mary is a Mare. Next chapter things are gonna pick up, and when they do, oh boy! You're in for one hell of a ride.

I joined this collab because I wanted to prove to myself that I could be a part of something big, and finish it too. Thanks for reading.

Dust in the Wind

Chapter Two: Dust in the Wind

Rainbow Dash’s lips creased back as a mischievous smile beamed from her muzzle.

This is gonna be… so… awesome, she thought, waiting. She could hardly contain her giggles while imagining what Pinkie Pie was about to do. Their latest prank was truly ingenious.

Dash’s hiding place behind a large green bush gave her the perfect view of a wide, lush pasture near one of Ponyville’s many farms. It also gave a perfect view of the unfortunate cow that had chosen the wrong time to take a nap.

Out of the corner of Dash’s eye, she could see her party animal friend tip-hoofing her way onto the field. She let out snort as Pinkie took another stealthy step forward towards their prey.

The other pony got closer... then closer...

Dash smothered her muzzle with a hoof to contain an outburst of laughter.

Pinkie Pie glared back at her loud mouthed friend before shaking off the disturbance and returning to the task at hoof. Step by step, she crept up towards the target; who remained oblivious to the pair’s scheme.

Come on Pinkie…come on, Rainbow Dash chanted in her head and grinned wildly. Behind the pegasus, her trademark rainbow trail, a rare thing in ponydom, flicked erratically in anticipation of the glorious idea she had planned the night before. Her eyes widened as the planning seemed about to come to fruition.

Pinkie Pie was finally standing side by side with the bovine, starting to chuckle a little herself. Meticulously, she reached a hoof into her saddle bag and pulled something out of it.

Wait a second… what is she doing? Still grinning, Dash cocked her head and tried to puzzle out her friend’s unplanned action.

Pinkie Pie lowered the bag in front of the cow with the most careful touch she could, releasing it on the grass. Reversing her steps, Pinkie slowly made her way back to the bush, where her friend’s jaw was resting on the grassy floor.

“Pinkie, what was that?!” Dash hissed softly so as not to rouse their victim. “What were you doing?”

The baker’s apprentice beamed at her friend. “Huh? Pulling our prank, Dashie! What did it look like I was doing?” She waited for her pranking partner to respond even as said partner guffawed back.

“Pinkie, I thought you said that you’ve been cow tipping before.” Rainbow Dash deadpanned at the other pony, trading stares with her and the bag that she had left sitting in front of the cow.

The pink mare rolled her eyes back at Rainbow. “Of course I’ve tipped a cow before, silly. Just last week I had one wait on me at a restaurant.”

Rainbow’s expression shifted to a glare as a dark cloud seemed to hover over her, a worried realization clicking into place in her Rainbow-maned head. “…Pinkie, where’s your bit-pouch?”

Pinkie grinned at her pegasus friend and swiftly raised a hoof toward the small coin purse laying on the grass in front of their prankee. Rainbow Dash facehoofed.

She groaned and fell away from the party animal to lay on the ground in defeat. “Pinkie, that’s not cow tipping…”

“It’s not?” Pinkie asked in a earnest manner.

Rainbow facehoofed again, then looked up. “No, and you just gave her the rest of my paycheck from last week.”

As if on cue, the lone bovine in the pasture jerked awake from her slumber, smacking off the leftover sleep from her jaws. She let out a big yawn and stretched out her large beefy back. Her gaze then shifted to the ground.

Rainbow Dash watched in sadness as the cow realized there was money in her hooves, then widened her eyes in disbelief as the cow actually fainted, possibly from the shock of it all. “Well...” She cracked a small smile and looked over at her comrade in crime. “I guess that... kind of works.”

Pinkie Pie was busy rolling on the ground with laughter. “That was great, Dashie, you were right!” She continued her victory giggle long after she was joined by Rainbow Dash, until abruptly springing up to cut things short.

“So Dashie,” Pinkie piped up. “What are we gonna do now?”

Rainbow Dash thought aloud for a moment, massaging her chin trying to conjure another brilliant idea. “Hmmm… I’m not sure Pinkie, it’s kind of hard to top that prank.” Her hoof was beginning to get more familiar with the features of her own face since she started pulling pranks with Pinkie. “Ugh… Well, what’s Twilight doing today?”

“Twilight?” Pinkie questioned, sitting on her haunches while she shrugged. “I dunno, I think she said she had some work to do or something, and didn’t want to be disturbed. Seeing as how last time we didn’t listen to her you ended up losing all your fur, we probably should leave her be...” Her hooves folded in front of her while she gave the grass a thoughtful frown.

Rainbow Dash shuddered a little from the memory, she hadn’t been able to go outside for weeks until Twilight had helped her grow it back quicker. “Well, what about Applejack then?” She asked, hoping their favorite farm pony target might be a better conquest.

“Working I think, reeeally, really, really hard too, and she’s been sore at us about the pranking lately yah know.” Pinkie looked up and gave Rainbow Dash a defeated look, one that also held some uncharacteristic understanding behind it. “I think she was upset about the weather, too.”

Rainbow Dash snorted and frowned. As if that’s my fault. Well okay, I guess you could argue the weather is, but she’s the one that won’t lighten up about a good joke. She gave the sky a frown, the last few days had been difficult to keep the weather controlled; gusts and rain kept trying to sneak in from the Everfree as of late. And I paid her for those bushels of apples after all...and then some! One of her hooves dug at the grass irritably all the while she thought things over.

Rainbow readdressed pinkie without taking her gaze away from the open sky. “How about Big Mac then? We could put itching powder in his bed sheets maybe...”

Pinkie’s mouth twisted in a doubtful look as she glanced to one side and made an eeeh sound, then her face lit up like a star all of a sudden. “I know, we could go watch a movie!”

“Yeah, that’s a great idea! The new theater thing just got a brand- Oh, wait...” Rainbow Dash halted the agreement mid-sentence after a realization dawned on her. “Pinkie, you just gave away the rest of your money...and I’m broke.”

Pinkie Pie’s face melted from jubilant to sadly thoughtful in seconds. “Oh yeah...” She shuffled her hooves, pouting her lip and squinting her eyes up at the grey clouds that were gathering aimlessly overhead. “What’s there to do that’s free?”

Rainbow shrugged. “We could always improvise I guess.”

Applejack heaved the container of apples up onto her stall’s counter and grinned across at her latest customer. The girl was new to town, and not at all the sort she was usually the type to be friends with, but after some time she usually warmed up to anypony. It helped when they ate as much as this particular pony did. “Thank ya kindly, and come again soon!” She smiled and waved to the green earth pony, who waved back smiling, already walking away with an apple jammed in her gob and the bushel hoisted onto her back.

My new best customer or not, I doubt I’ll ever get used to the habits that pony has. Applejack stared at the pony’s blonde mane until it was swallowed by the teeming crowd around her. She refocused a smile on her face and brightened up. A good appearance was crucial to being a good salespony, after all.

The smile wavered a tad, however, as a sense of fascination swept over Applejack while looking at everypony milling around her cart. She couldn’t help but gawk momentarily, stunned by how crowded the wide, main avenue of the Ponyville market tended to get these days.

A lot of new faces in town these last few years, Applejack smiled and reflected on the population explosion her quiet, tiny little town had undergone in recent times. She wasn’t sure if it was how she liked it yet, but things seemed alright so far. A chuckle escaped her while scanning for more customers. If nothing else, it’s good for business.

“Eh’fuse ‘eh,” another blonde mane popped up suddenly in front of her stand, or rather, plopped out of the sky. The mane belonged to a gray pegasus, who tumbled more than landed, and interrupted her own train of thought. Applejack fixed her attention on the mare, locking eyes in the process. She stared into their golden irises until she noticed the unopened letter in her muzzle.

“‘re hyu Apple’ack? I ‘ave a ‘arcel ‘or hyu!” The strange mare said around the letter with a muffled tone.

“Huh?” Applejack raised an eyebrow, not understanding a word that was said.

The mare pointed a hoof at her muzzle and made a motion for Applejack to take the letter. “Oh, sorry, sugarcube.” Using her teeth, she took the letter from the mailmare.

“‘hanck hyu.” Applejack called out.

The gray blonde maned pegasus gave a confused look. “Huh?”

Applejack facehoofed and spit out the letter over onto her applecart. “Thanks, sugarcube.”

“Oh! Why didn’t you say so?” The grey pegasus giggled, then pawed a hoof in the air. “I’m just kidding, no problem at all ma’am! Have a nice day!” With that, she took flight, soaring straight up, then off into the distance over the tile and thatch roofed houses of Ponyville.

Applejack stared after the mare until she was out of sight, then looked down at the mysterious note that had come into her possession. Now, who would send me a letter? The parcel was small, and she quickly recognized it as one of the signature letters that Twilight often sent to Princess Celestia whenever she would learn a lesson about the magic of friendship.

As soon as Applejack realized who had sent it, she ripped it open and unfolded the letter.

Applejack,

I’ve had a breakthrough in my research and I want you to come to the library as soon as possible! I’m sorry for coming to you without warning like this, but, well, Rarity is off who knows where, Pinkie is...well, Pinkie. And Rainbow is...not much better than Pinkie. I also don’t think I could ask Fluttershy to help with this, and you’re the closest, too! Please hurry, I’m on the precipice of a monumental breakthrough and I need your help.

Your friend,

Twilight Sparkle

Applejack closed the letter. Well ain’t that ominous. She stared out into space a moment, carefully considering and wondering what exactly it could be this time that had the unicorn so excited. Oh well, whatever it is it’s probably important, she doesn’t usually ask for help; I’d better go there pronto. One of her hooves dived over the top of her apple cart and flipped the ‘Open’ sign backwards. She trotted away from the cart quickly, content with leaving her property for a bit despite the business she might lose by not being there to hawk her apples.

As Applejack trotted, her legs burned from the strenuous activity she had performed that morning. Six straight hours of applebucking earlier had not left her feeling well. “Ah think ah overdid it this mornin’... Ah feel shakier than a jug of jelly on a three-wheeled cart.” After stopping a few times to stretch achy muscles, she finally reached the front door of Twilight’s home.

The Golden Oaks Library stood proudly as an accomplishment of earth pony skill and artisanry. Applejack couldn’t help but again admire the old treebrary that had been shaped by careful hooves into the happy home that Twilight Sparkle now lived in. There weren’t too many treehouses in Ponyville, and Twilight’s was one of the nicest...after everypony’d helped to clean it up that is.

Raising a tired hoof, Applejack made to knock on the door, engraved now with Twilight’s cutie mark. She recalled briefly the old candlestick it had born, the cutie mark of Ponyville’s old librarian.

Before Applejack’s hoof made contact with the door, it cracked open and a pair of purple eyes locked with hers. What in the… Caught off guard, her thoughts did nothing to explain what she was looking at.

Twilight stood before her, a strange metal helmet on top of her head. Various wires hung from the device, and ran behind the purple mare and into the library’s depths. Her eyes were a mixture of intense focus and complete surprise, but strangely she looked well rested. It was well known habit of the purple mare’s to make breakthroughs after an all nighter and hours of book diving.

“Great, you got my letter! Quick, get inside!” The bookworm immediately ushered Applejack in and slammed the door shut behind them.

Applejack looked around the library and the obvious state of chaos and disarray it was in. Geez, Twi’, you ever heard of cleanin’ up after yourself? Piles of book littered the floor, leaving the majority of the shelves barren of more than a few lingering tomes, more than usual anyway. Where in tarnation is Spike?

Twilight stepped in front of her workbench; an area that had been severely neglected for what looked like weeks. Vials of various shapes and colors were connected by a spider web of clear tubing, but for every few standing up two or three more lay tipped on the table or strewn on the floor. Her magic was currently busy turning knobs and mixing liquids, when she abruptly spoke up.

“Excuse the mess, I haven’t had much time to clean up yesterday’s failures and Spike is…well... Actually where is Spike?” Twilight quickly glanced every which way around herself while levitating various pieces of lab equipment and books.

To Applejack, it looked as though the unicorn had shifted from working and had begun trying to form some sort of order out of the mess. Until that is, the other mare quickly stopped all together with that to call up the stairs for her assistant, instead. The orange mare cringed as several of the articles clunked and clattered back to the floor, released from Twilight’s unicorn magic.

“Spiiiike!” Twilight cocked her head and listened intently with one ear, then growled in frustration. “Oooh, just like him to be asleep. Oh well, this can all get taken care of later. What’s important is that you’re here and I can proceed now!” She reared up onto her hind legs, clopping her hooves together happily and letting out a few filly-like teehees.

“Ah see...” Applejack said warily, beginning to have doubts about what exactly she had volunteered to do or help with. This better not turn out to be like that time she was trying to reproduce whatever made that fluffy pony’s hair grow so much.

Twilight regained Applejack’s attention, she had taken up a seated position just in front of her friend. “So, are you going to ask me what precisely the reason is why I called you here?”

“To take care of Spike?” Applejack asked sarcastically, an eyebrow cocked back.

Twilight laughed and rolled her eyes. “No. Spike will be fine, he just needs his rest, I did ask him to stay up last night now that I recall...” She wheeled about and briefly began tending the vials and bubbling apparatus she had tinkered with when Applejack had first entered.

From the frazzled mane and unkempt coat, Applejack could tell something was amiss with her fellow Element of Harmony. Her jitters made her feel uneasy, and Twilight’s uneasiness gave her the jitters. “Ah’m not sure ah followin’ you Twi’.”

Twilight looked back and ceased her dabbling. She smiled coolly, then approached her friend and gave her a meaningful look of concern. “Applejack, you look tired. I take it that you’re still harvesting the apples in your orchard around the clock?”

“Well… yeah, Ah’ve been workin’ all mornin’.” Applejack shifted uncomfortably on her hooves. She suddenly became aware of her own flustered appearance. “Is it really that obvious?”

“No, not at all…” Twilight’s words sounded convincing, but her eyes gave her away to the farm pony. “Well, maybe just a little bit,” she admitted, grinning. “But that’s not the point. I meant are you feeling fatigued? Exhausted? Jaded?”

Applejack’s nose scrunched up at the last word. “Ah don’t know about that there last one, or what it means for that matter, but the first two for sure. Mah legs feel shakier than Fluttershy around a crowd full of stallions.”

Twilight giggled a bit, it was hard to tell if it were at the analogy or was simply because of the all too usual excited state she was in. “Well then, allow me to help you…” A ding from her workstation made her ears perk as she oooed and turned about to stir something.

Applejack raised a hoof in a waiting gesture. “Twi’, please Ah don’t-”

“Applejack, just hear what I have to say, please?” Twilight spun around in a flash.

Applejack watched her friend’s look of anticipation melt into a pleading one before she could even react. The cowpony deflated a bit and sat down from the sudden change of things, her legs quivering as she did so. Well, she thought, Ah guess a little help at the farm wouldn’t...hurt. “W-well, alright, ah’ll hear you out Twi’, I do want to help after all.”

Twilight smiled calmly again, then made her way once again over to her messy workbench, where she slowly reorganized various papers and mixing tubes with her hooves. “This morning, I was hanging a clock over my kitchen sink when I slipped and hit my head. It was the strangest thing; for a moment, everything became clear to me. It was as if I had woken up for the first time in ages. And that’s when I figured it out!”

Twilight became engrossed in her work, almost as if she had forgotten that Applejack was in the room.

Eventually, the earth pony piped up. “...Figured what out, Twi’?”

Twilight’s reply was quick and almost mechanical. “For the past few months, I’ve been working on a formula to help improve a pony’s natural born talent. Imagine, a drink that could allow a pegasus to fly faster and higher than they ever thought possible; or a potion that could increase an earth pony’s stamina tenfold! Why, you could buck apples all day without feeling even the tiniest bit fatigued!” Her eyes stared at the purple mixture that was suddenly levitating up slowly in front of her. “Imagine…more magic than you would ever possibly have a use for.”

The room fell silent as Twilight seemed to dwell in the realm of her own thoughts. She stared blankly at the vial, unblinking.

“Uhh… Twi’?” Applejack took a couple careful steps towards her friend.

“…. Huh? What?” Twilight snapped out of her trance-like state.

Applejack waved a hoof in the air to attract the unicorn who seemed to be somewhere else completely. “You were sayin’ that you were gonna help me?”

“Oh yes, well since I’ve only discovered this yesterday, I haven’t had ample time to test it on a pony. I almost gave up a few weeks ago when I let slip to Rainbow what the potion was for, and she drank my test vial!” Twilight huffed and stamped a hoof, “You’ll recall how bad she had gas a while back, yes? After that I put the project on hold, yesterday Spike volunteered to test the new batch, and it worked! His fire breathing was spectacular! Almost up to 25 hooves in the air!”

Applejack suddenly became aware of the black char marks festooning some of the library’s main room. A few ash piles lay scattered here and there, a sign of a careless dragon, no doubt.

From the charred remains of Ponyville library, one could infer that there was indeed a dragon who took residence there, but a quick glance around and Applejack couldn’t locate the reptilian assistant. “So he was alright then?” Applejack inquired.

“Spike? Oh, yes, he’s been snoozing since his episode last night I imagine. I’m afraid that the potion I gave him wasn’t quite optimized. It did give him more energy, but after a while he was out like a log. It could be the fact that he’s a dragon, but either way I tweaked it to get rid of that nasty crash… er, I think I did.” Twilight rubbed her muzzle with a hoof and scrutinized one of the vials hanging in her magic.

Applejack raised a cautionary eyebrow and asked, “I’m sorry Twi’, ah didn’t quite catch that. What did you say?”

“Oh nothing, don’t you worry about it.” Twilight cleared her throat and diverted her attention to various parchments tacked to the wall. “Now, as I was saying; this will not only make you feel rejuvenated after a hard day of work, but it will make you feel like you were a foal again! A very strong, applebucking foal at that, but nevertheless a foal.” Applejack shrugged off the bad analogy, instead focusing on the concept of Twilight’s request.

Applejack eyed the vial of purple fluid carefully while the other mare looked through her papers. Ah don’t know about this… things could get mighty hairy if this don’t work right. She refocused her attention to Twilight who had turned from the work bench to... Darnit Twilight, don’t give me that look.

Twilight was giving Applejack doe eyes, the vials she still held floating beside her head.

“Fine,” Applejack muttered defeatedly. “Ah’ll drink it, but only because Ah trust you Twi’, and don’t think that every time you shoot me that look or ask me to drink some Celestia knows what, that Ah’ll bend over backwards, cause ah won’t,” she lied.

Twilight’s face lit up with the glee of a filly waking up on Hearth’s Warming Eve.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you! Now I have a control!” Twilight let out a shrill noise that sounded a bit like somepony saying ‘squee’ really loud, then began jumping up and down. “You won’t regret this Applejack, just you wait!” Her horn lit up with a purple aura, and vials of every color began to mix and churn once again. After a few moments, two pink vials presented themselves to the waiting mares. “Cheers...” Twilight mumbled and then chugged down the liquid.

Applejack grimaced and then regretfully took it in her muzzle. She gulped it down, swallowing every last drop of sweet tasting elixir. Wow… that tastes mighty good for medicine…

Twilight took a step closer, scanning Applejack. She forced open the mare’s mouth open with a hoof, checking her muzzle for any peculiarities by shining her horn in the earth pony’s eyes, then prodded and pushed her test subject’s hind legs with a fore hoof to test their strength.

Applejack was blinded by the sudden light from her friend, and let out a protest after being examined with no warning. She sighed and let it happen though, not wanting to go through another explanation. When touched, she shifted uncomfortably, still quivering in fatigue from a hard day’s work, not to mention to the invasiveness of it all.

Finally, Twilight sighed, looked her over one final time trotting around, then returned to her workbench. “Something must have gone wrong,” she explained. “You don’t seem like you’ve changed or been affected at all. Are you still tired?” Her horn was alight and scribbling fiercely at various scrolls.

“As a sloth…” Applejack drawled back, then sat down, thankful to be free of the unicorn’s probing.

“I don’t get it…that was the correct formula. Maybe I didn’t put enough cyanide in the mixture…” Twilight quickly made herself busy again, inspecting each and every last step of the process until she could find the culprit.

‘Ah’m sorry Twi’, but maybe you just need to keep at it until you’ve figured it out? After all, you know it already worked on Spi-.“ A sudden rumbling echoed through the library, its deep monotone interrupting Applejack’s country accent. She didn’t just feel it though; she really felt it. What in tarnation…

Another groan escaped into the environment as the orange mare realized the source. She flipped her head around and investigated her stomach, which broke into another chorus of fits. “Twilight, what’s goin’ on?” Her answer was given in the form of Twilight rushing over and placing a stethoscope on her undercarriage, who listened intently for the next belly fissure.

A moment of silence passed between the two.

Whatever it was seemed to be over, and Twilight eyed Applejack curiously. “...How do you feel?”

“Ah feel...” Applejack was about to restate the fact that she felt the same, but that would have been a lie. “Ah feel... great!” Sweet Celestia, this feels fantastic! Ah could buck apples all day like this! The earth pony beamed at her friend who was rapidly scribbling down notes on a levitated clipboard. Even if she had been working since the crack of dawn, she felt more alive than she had in weeks; months even.

Twilight’s expression lit up to equal her farm pony friend’s and began to prance around the room. “It worked! It worked! It worked!” She chanted. “I can’t believe it worked!” Abruptly the joyous hopping stopped cold and she froze in her tracks. “Err, I mean... Yes, I knew it would work, hehe.” Her eyes blinked over towards Applejack nervously.

Oh hay... The comment quickly went through one of Applejack’s ear and out the other faster than twenty Rainbow Dashes put together. Wait a second... what did she just say? Did she just... aww, who cares. Ah feel too good to care! The bags under Applejack’s eyes receded and her hind legs were once again as hard as stone. She was ready to work.

“Well,” Twilight started again, “This is excellent news! Actually, I nearly forgot why I had wanted to finish the project in the first place.” Celestia’s star pupil began to shuffle around the library in search of something. “Now, I hate to gallop off like I’m about to Applejack, but I was summoned to Canterlot late last night before my breakthrough this morning. It’s somehat urgent apparently, and I’m going to be gone for a few days as a result. Thanks so much for helping me, this is the perfect opportunity to test out the potion’s effectiveness! You have no idea how exciting this is!”

Still caught up in the rush she was getting, Applejack grinned while staring off into nothing, “You’re welcome Twi’,” then shook her head and returned Twilight’s thanks with a nod. Canterlot? Well that’s kinda sudden. “The princess just asked for you? Not the whole lot of us?” Applejack tilted her head speculatively.

Twilight levitated a suitcase that had been sitting idly across the room. “Oh, I don’t think it’s anything sinister or something like that Applejack. Princess Celestia mentioned strange magical fluctuations in the letter, I suppose she intends for me to investigate them. If something does come up though Spike will let you all know right away I’m sure.” She gave Applejack a beaming face, overjoyed from both getting to study an anomaly and being valued so by her teacher. “I’m bringing a couple more of these potions too!” A purple hoof patted her side satchel, “So don’t worry, if I really needed you all, now I can poof you all to my side in seconds!” An excited teehee escaped her, before she coughed and straightened her face.

“Alright! Well I’m off then, if Spike can’t remember where I went, just ask him to clean up my mess while I’m gone. I would, but I’m in a hurry. Tell the girls I’ll be back in a few days and not to worry!” Twilight continued to smile, and waved across the room to her cowpony friend before finally taking off.

“Will do, Twilight,” Applejack waved back and replied while thinking, That’s just like Twi’ to do some kind of lengthy hoodad research just to revolutionize moving from point A to point B. She watched as Twilight trotted to the middle of the library floor, the other mare’s smile never wavering.

“Phew okay, here we go.” Twilight set herself into a state of absolute concentration, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply. With no pretense for modesty, the tip of her horn burst brilliantly aglow like the magical conduit it was, emitting stray sparks of violet light into the air every few seconds.

The stream of magic grew brighter and brighter, soon blinding the earth pony who watched the happening in awe. Twilight’s eyes sprang open the feeling of power she suddenly had access to, a little overwhelming.

Applejack gulped at the sight of her friend, her eyes entirely aglow and whited out. “Twi’ are you alright?” The words were still audible, but mixed with the buzz and hum of the magic filled air.

“Yeah!” Twilight called back. “It’s amazing, everything is fine!” The other mare’s hooves shuffled out some, as though she were supporting a heavy weight. “I’ll be back soon Applejack! I-”

Applejack took a step towards the sparkling mare, but was cut off by a flash of light brighter than the sun. With a sudden roar of noise, Twilight poofed away. The sudden flare blinded her momentarily, and in its wake she quickly readjusted her eyes to the seemingly darkened room. Besides the occasional flutter of loose parchments, the library had fallen silent.

There, right in front of her was the empty air that Twilight had just occupied.

A relieved feeling swept through Applejack. Guess it worked like a charm. Darn you Twilight, you had me goin’ there for a second.

The stillness of the library collided with a strange yearning in Applejack’s hind legs. Ah...Ah s’pose Ah should get back to work! With a quickened step, she was on her way out the bulky wooden door between her and her buckin’ job.

A voice rang out, its tone a craggy rumble, as if strained from a cold or too much cider. “Wait!”

Applejack stopped in her tracks, tensing up from the surprise. “Spike, that you?” She turned around to face the source of the sudden outburst.

From underneath a large pile of books there in the library, rose the shambling wreck of a baby dragon. His face was meshed in a half-cringe, half-scowl as he righted himself, teetering back and forth as he did so, one claw clutching his head.

From the shaking in the stubby legs of Twilight’s adopted sibling, Applejack could tell that he was in rough shape.

“Well howdy, Sugarcube. Are you feelin’ alright?” Applejack asked it in the way a nurse might ask an injured patient. At the same time she thought, What in the hay happened to you little guy?

Spike looked towards her, his face as pale as a ghost.

Wow Spike, did you lose a fight with a minotaur? You aren’t lookin’ so good... Applejack took a couple concerned step’s towards her friend, already wondering about just what could have happened. Likely another bookalanche and nopony around to help him.

Twilight’s dragon assistant rubbed his adjusting eyes with his claws, and stared blankly at Applejack. “Wh-what happened last night?” His eyes were having a difficult time adjusting to the natural light seeping in through the library windows. He smacked his lips loudly and audibly sucked at his gums. A pinch of confusion dashed across his face, displaying discomfort to Applejack.

“...My- my thooth! It’s gone!” His jaw snapped open, revealing a jagged layer of sharp teeth once concealed by his purple scaled muzzle. His forked tongue lashed rapidly at the empty gap where a canine once sat with pride. “This is just perfect!” he said, throwing his arms up in a sarcastic manner. “Applejack, what are you doing here?”

The orange earth pony was trying her very hardest to suppress the mounting laughter fighting to escape her own muzzle. Her eyebrows creased in a blatant attempt to guise her amusement, but it fell flat. She laughed. “I’m…” she snorted and a giggle escaped. “I’m not sure, Sugarcube, I just got here…”

Spike glared at her. “Yeah, hyuck hyuck. Laugh it up.” He rubbed his face and added, “It’s just a baby tooth, but still...” Another claw rubbed his temples, trying to get a grasp on his situation. “Where’s Twilight?”

Applejack hummed and let out a deep breath. “Twilight left for Canterlot, said you knew about it, and she said she’ll be back in a few days.” The reply hardly seemed to phase the poor dragon who still fought against the obvious migraine sucking on him like a parasite. That poor sweetie, she thought, he looks like he’s in all sorts o’ pain.

“Oh yeah,” Applejack added, “she gave me a message to give ya once you woke up.” The dragon raised his head and looked at her with drowsy eyes. “She said to clean up the library.”

Spike glanced around, his expression remaining a constant dull as he did so. Eventually, he came to a halt, glaring at Applejack.

“…” Spike fell over, losing consciousness almost immediately. The library echoed with loud snoring.

You have my sympathies, Spike. With that, Applejack departed the mess that was once called a library, nearly galloping back to her farm. Here Ah come Sweet Apple Acres, and Ah’m gonna buck the apples off of ya!

The spring in her step had returned, and a euphoric energy was attacking her senses with nothing but pleasant feelings and sensations. Ah don’t know what was in that strange elixir, Twi’, but Ah feel better than I have in years!

Before Applejack knew it, she was walking past Sugarcube corner and well on her way home. Though, something felt odd… She couldn’t put a hoof on it, but something felt off about her surroundings. For the busiest street in Ponyville, it sure seems…quiet. Yeah, that’s it. Where is everypony?

A couple of ponies here and there dotted the streets, but it seemed to Applejack like they were in a rush to get somewhere. Hay, where’s the fire at? For the first time in a while, a relative calm had fallen around the town; a sight that Applejack had rarely seen. It was really only when… A sudden wet feeling on her muzzle told her realize why she was currently one of two ponies trotting along the main road of Ponyville.

A single raindrop made her aware of the looming storm in the distance; the tip of which was just now reaching town. Oh ponyfeathers, Ah hate the rain. The sudden beginnings of a slight drizzle only made her mission to reach home all them more imperative. Giddying up, she took a right, travelling down the familiar dirt path back to the orchard.

With every few steps Applejack trotted, the drizzle fell harder, evolving into a steady rain. She watched in horror as the wind howled through the branches of her apple trees, violently shaking them until it was rewarded with the release of its precious apple stash. Darnit Rainbow Dash! We’re not even supposed to get rain today! Torrents of water splashed down on the earth pony, drenching her hat beyond any hope of keeping her head dry. What does she think she’s doin’!? This is more rain than we’ll need for a month!

An epiphany dawned on Applejack. We never get this much rain… Something’s wrong…something is definitely wrong. The suspicion turned her trot into a gallop, as she sprinted back to her home as fast as her legs could carry her. The wet stetson clung to her head, while the frigid rain and irascible gusts of wind attacked her from all sides chilled her. Every step she took brought her closer to the farmhouse; a sanctuary from the depression above and a place where possible answers lay.

The large wooden door swung open to her home, bathing Applejack in the warmth of a slowly crackling fire and the Apple family. She dripped water into a puddle on the floor as she caught her breath; getting the attention of a worried Granny Smith and a very tired looking Big Mac. A sigh of tired relief escaped her.

A boom of rolling thunder echoed into the home.

Applejack’s nerves caught immediately, reacting to the intent stares that her two family members were giving her. Realization struck her like snare drum, she counted the heads of her present family and her face paled.

“Where’s Applebloom!?” Applejack shouted over the increasingly noisy clatter of the outside shutters and rainfall.

The two other apples looked at each other in a panic of their own.

Big Mac stood up and asked, “We thought she was with you!” He limped his way to the door nearest to Applejack, preparing to fight to bring his younger sister back to safety. He almost made it too, had it not been for a stern mare blocking his path into the unknown.

“No dice sugarcube, you’ve still gotta few days ‘fore you’re set to go anywhere, especially out there right now,” she paused for a moment, thinking of a quick plan. “Ah don’t like the looks of this storm one bit. It’s raining dogs and cats out there, and this wind is mighty stronger than anything Ah’ve seen. We need to take shelter until it passes over, ya hear? You take Granny on down to the cellar and Ah’ll go look for Applebloom. Ah think Ah know where she went off to.”

Applejack watched as the stallion prepared to argue against her judgment, but he faltered. His normal stoicism cracked and he winced as he fought against the pain in his side. He remained silent for a moment, regaining his composure before he spoke. “Okay, AJ. Go, and be quick about it. Bring Applebloom back ‘fore that filly gets into any more trouble.” A confirmation nod was passed between the two, and not a moment later Applejack was scrambling through the rain toward the Cutie Mark Crusader clubhouse.

The distant flash of lightning preceded the deafening crash of thunder, making Applejack shiver more than she had previously been in the cold rain. Come on Applebloom, she chanted. Please be safe! Her strengthened legs slipped and slid in the viscous mud that had begun collecting along the path. She nearly tripped multiple times before finally coming within sight of her target.

The tree containing her little sister’s clubhouse shook violently, more so than any other tree nearby. Another flash of light illuminated the nearly pitch black area. She came up to the structure’s plank entrance, carefully crashing into the front door and into the flimsy structure.

A single candle illuminated the room, revealing a wet eyed, soaking filly trembling on the floor. “Applejack!?” Her red bow was as limp and drenched as the rest of her. The sisters bonded together in a tight embrace, Applebloom smothering her face into Applejack’s coat.

“It’s okay, Applebloom. You’re gonna be alright.” Applejack tried to soothe the shocked filly, but the constant teetering of the treehouse and banging of rain made it near impossible to even hear her own comforting remarks. In the distance, a low rumble violated the moist air, gaining volume as the ground began to vibrate.

The noise made the urgency Applejack felt all the more pressing. “Come on, we’ve gotta get outta here!” She screamed, barely audible over the steadily growing bedlam. Her hoove’s scooped up the filly in and tossed her onto her back with ease. Without another moment’s hesitation, she was already out the door and into the torrential downpour.

The sight that met Applejack almost didn’t register as something that were real.

Across the orchard, the behemoth black funnel of a tornado floated towards them, ripping whole apple trees from their roots and rotating them around in the air as if they were feathers. The thing glided across the nearby pond and inhaled its waters, like Pinkie eating pastries, then proceeded towards them. It wasn’t very close at all, it was simply gigantic, massive, several times the length of a barn across.

Immediately, Applejack backtrotted into the clubhouse and slammed the door shut, latching the tiny bolt lock as if it would have made a difference.

Tornado?! What in tarnation is a tornado doin’ all the way out here!? Towering down from the sky, the massive, rotating funnel crushed anything and everything in its path through the exposed orchard.

It was a sight that Applejack had never—even being the friend of Ponyville’s lead weather pegasus—ever seen. She slowly backed away from the small portals to the outside. Her heart was beating faster than she ever thought possible, and judging from Applebloom’s wide eyes, she could tell her sister felt the same. What do Ah do? What do Ah do? She chanted in her head. Her eyes darted back and forth for an answer, any sort of way to protect her sister from the treachery that lay in wait.

The rumbling turned to thrashing as Applejack soon had trouble staying on her hooves. The best she could hope to accomplish was to grab Applebloom with all her might, and slunk down over the filly, forming a protective barrier for whatever sort of evil reared its ugly head. She closed her eyes, trying to forget her situation but failing to do so.

...Ah’m sorry Applebloom...

That’s when Applejack felt it. Or rather, she felt the absence of something. As what was left of her remaining comfort was drained from her, a wild sense of weightlessness replaced it. Weightlessness, and the terrible soul crushing awareness that she was not touching the hard wooden floor of her sister’s treehouse; nor was she feeling the satisfying sensation of a dry coat.

Applejack’s body whipped back and forth, barely clinging to the one thing that she refused to let go. The eardrum splitting noise was almost too much to bear. A bitter sting of pain attacked her flank. She cried out in agony, but was silenced by the roaring winds cascading around her. Again, she felt a welt of pain, but this time against her back. Her eyes teared up; not only from the pain of her own apples being swung at bone breaking speeds toward her, but also at her helplessness. Right then and there, she could only do one thing. Hold on.

She dared not open her eyes, fearful of whatever terror lay behind her thin eyelids.

Suddenly, her body jerked forward. She felt the impact, but didn’t feel the pain. The wind seemed to be pushing in one direction. Her body was moving; even more so than before. She felt something else. Something that wasn’t there before. Two somethings actually. She almost couldn’t believe it, but somehow they felt like... hooves.

After the barrage of wind and water came the hard, cruel feeling of ground. Fear and relief vacillated throughout her mind as she understood that her figure was no longer flailing through the air with nothing but her sister to hold on to, but instead, rolling violently along the ground.

Applejack’s body was sore, her muscles ached, and her joints cried out in relief, but her determination remained steadfast. The painful tumbling had ceased, and she lay on the muddy ground, breathing harder than she had in as long as she could remember. She couldn’t decide if it was from the shock of it all, or simply the straining it took to hold on to Applebloom. Her eyes creaked open, revealing the tattered fields that had once been Sweet Apple Acres. Her family's livelihood had vanished into thin air with the countless un-bucked apple trees that had remained in the orchard.

The sight almost made Applejack want to start sobbing even more so than she already was. Applebloom was shaking too, the filly in her forelegs was shaking. And she could only hear a single sound break through the chilling silence.

“....”

It echoed louder.

“AJ! Get up, we need to go!”

She could almost make out words...

“AJ! WE NEED TO GO!” The scratchy voice brought Applejack back to reality. She flipped her head around to find the source of the voice. Behind her, stood a cyan mare with a soaked, rainbow mane; she had a terrified, but stern look on her face and her mouth moved as she barked orders.

It took a moment for Applejack to process exactly what happened, but soon she found herself in a woozy gallop toward her home, right behind Rainbow Dash. Before they knew it, they had made it to the Apple family cellar and slammed the cellar door shut. A couple lanterns lit up the cider storage facility, barrels lining the walls.

Applejack took a moment to catch her breath, but soon the adrenaline rush began to subside. Though, not quick enough for her own good. She found herself muzzle to muzzle with the weather pegasus, glowering and huffing as she pushed her closer and closer to the wall.

“What in the HAY is goin’ on here, Rainbow!?” Anger dripped from Applejack’s mouth like poison from a rattlesnake’s fangs. The rage bubbling inside of her felt awful, but she was too mad to stop. “We almost died! How could you be so reckless RAINBOW DASH!?”

Applejack waited for a response, but none came straight away, the slunked over form she watched angrily stayed still. “...Well? Why is that THING tearin’ up MY FARM!?”

The pegasus was seated on her haunches, but not for long. In a flash, she was up on her hooves and advancing on Applejack, her lips brought back in a ferocious growl. “Hey, chill out! I just saved your life!” Her shot was met with instant hostility.

Their heads butted together as they glared into each others very souls. “Yeah, a life that ya put in danger when you decided to screw around with the weather!”

"You think I was the one who did this!?” The other Apple family members watched silently as the two mares battled it out.

The droning of the rain outside beat louder and louder. “Well it certainly didn’t happen on its own, now did it?”

“Stop it!” The squeaky, girlish voice broke through the low rumble outside. Applebloom stood underneath Applejack, displaying an angry expression of her own. “Stop fightin’. Can’t we all just-.”

The ground shook and rumbled as the ear-splitting growl choked the fillies cries into submission. It enveloped the small, dark space; encasing the terrified ponies in a cocoon of speechless fear.

Applejack could hear the awful groan of bending wood coincide with the shrieking creaks as they splintered in half. The doors of the cellar exhausted every resource they had to expunge themselves from the tight iron hinges, barely unable to free themselves from their protective prison. Flakes of stone and dirt chipped themselves away from the ceiling, delicately falling onto the trembling ponies below them.

Not many thoughts were going on in Applejack’s head other than the nagging voice that continued to yell, run, get out of there! Grab the filly and go! She knew it was not an option and quite frankly, her legs refused to move anyway. She was glued to the same spot, too shocked to move.

Applejack’s gaze darted back and forth to each pony in the room. Applebloom laid down, hooves protectively arched over her head. Big Mac stood motionless, watching the ceiling for a reason only he knew about. Granny Smith clung to her lantern, jittering at every loud boom and low groan that found its way into the shelter. And finally, Rainbow Dash glared at Applejack, refusing to mollify the daggers she shot in bitterness.

The incessant drumming of rain and quiver of the ground subsided. A lantern above the them shook from side to side, casting its beam from one pony to the next. Applejack was sure that the same thought crossed the mind of everypony in the room. Is...is it over? The remaining sounds died down, carrying with them the stark silence that made Applejack’s ears ring.

Rainbow Dash made the first move toward the cellar door, trembling a little even though it looked to Applejack like she was desperately trying to hide her anxiety. Applejack almost reached out to stop her, but waited. Whatever was on the other side of the door, she had to see. She followed the other element of harmony to the door. The pegasus carefully unlatched the iron bolt that had kept the door secure during their bombardment. With a push of the hoof, the door swung open and the saturated air flowed into the cellar. The pleasant breeze brushed against Applejack’s face as she climbed the steps into the slight drizzle that remained.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack stood in awe for a moment as they peered out onto Sweet Apple Acres. Or rather, the ruins what used be her home.

Author's Notes:

Do you smell that? Ahh... that's the scent of a well written chapter, that is. It may have taken a bit longer than anticipated, but I think it turned out rather nicely. I can honestly say that things went pretty much exactly as planned... which is a first for me. On a side note, an OC in an upcoming story by Mr Pockets made a special cameo in this chapter. Make sure you watch this fellow for the next couple weeks; his new story promises to be a great one. Thanks as always, and expect another finely tuned update next week.

Bad Moon Rising

Chapter Three: Bad Moon Rising

Applejack wasn't particularly sure what she should do. No thoughts came to break through her state of paralysis, which refused to release her from it's snare. Her gaze teetered back and forth between the unrecognizable ruins of the Apple family home, and the countless uprooted apple trees strewn about the nearly barren fields.

Applejack wanted to cry, and from the soft whimpers coming from behind her, she knew a red-bowed filly was doing just that. She choked back a tear. “Mah...mah farm...” She didn’t know what else to say. It was gone, all gone, her home, her trees, and with them, her livelihood. It had all been swept away by the wind. Just like that, they were gone.

A deep croaking noise festered in the depths of Applejack’s throat, struggling its way to escape her and soothe its aching burn. She was able to silence her voice, but her eyes shook and watered as though she was caught in a raging sandstorm.

Despite her tough as iron legs, Applejack’s hips hobbled and shook uncontrollably under the stress that climbed on her back. She fell to her haunches, unblinking and still staring out into the empty field that once housed her beautiful apple orchard. Then she began to sob.

It was a sort of quiet sobbing, but she had become painfully aware of the burning eyes all focused on her. She didn’t look up, but she knew they were watching. Her brother, her sister, Granny Smith, and of course the cyan pegasus that she had been berating no less than two minutes ago. She knew those eyes would all look the same; concerned, sympathetic, and maybe even a little bit confused at her sudden shift in demeanor.

But quite frankly, Applejack couldn’t care less. Her home; the place she thought was an unbreakable fortress of family value, of compassion, and of love, was torn from the hard ground it was rooted in. She felt like wallowing in her muddy field out in the middle of nowhere. She felt defeated.

“Applejack?” Rainbow Dash called. “Are you alright?” Applejack wanted to turn around and buck her in the mouth for asking that. Does it look like Ah’m alright Rainbow? For goodness sake, Ah’m practically bawling my eyes out in front of ponies that have never even heard me so much as complain about a single thing in my life.

Her voice was strained, but Applejack managed to force a reply. “Yea-... S-Sugarcube. Ah...” She tried her hardest to coerce words out of her muzzle, but try as she might, it only came out a crackled mess. “...Ah’ll be fine.” She saw the a light blue shape come toward her in her peripheral vision, and quickly spun her muzzle away in an effort to hide her bloodshot eyes and dripping nose.

Applejack had expected a careful tap on the shoulder or a gentle prod of the side to get her to face her friend. What she didn’t expect was a full on embrace made by the pegasus, wrapping her around with her forelegs. Get offa me you... you... She moved her hooves up to push off the unwanted consolation, then moved them up to hold onto her loyal friend instead.

The farm mare felt worse than she had in a long time. Worse than what she felt after her longest day of applebucking, and worse than after a disappointing day selling her wares to the ponies in town. No matter how much life threw at her, she was always able to handle it through determination and an unmatchable work ethic.

But this was different.

Applejack felt the sting of uncertainty coupled with the pain of loss. Though this feeling was something she rarely dealt with in her line of work, she undoubtedly recognized it. Nothing she could do would ever brace her for it, and she hated it with a passion.

Applejack pulled in Rainbow Dash harder as she silently sobbed into her coat. She felt naked.

More than that, she felt vulnerable.

Ah- Ah... No, Ah can’t act like this in front of Applebloom. Pull yourself together, Applejack! Her mind told her body to cease its shameful activity, but she remained clung to the pegasus. Oh, come on! This is ridiculous.

Suddenly, Applejack felt the comfortable leaning position she had grown accustomed to falter, and Dash beginning to move away. It was all she could do just to catch herself and awkwardly slink down into a hunched position, glass eyed and sniffling. Ah must look like a big foal right now...

“I’m sorry I was too late...” Rainbow Dash confessed to her. “If I had been here with a few dozen pegasi, we might have stood a chance at saving your farm... It’s just the weather lately has become so... and just... look, I didn’t mean to-”

Applejack raised a hoof. “Quit it, sugarcube. I-It ain’t your fault, I get that now.” Her voice continued to stutter despite it's smoother tone. “It’s nopony’s fault. This was...” She rubbed her soggy eyes with a foreleg. “But thank you, Rainbow... You saved mah life, and mah little sister’s too.” She grinned at the weather mare.

“...You're welcome.” Rainbow didn’t return the smile, instead, her face hardened further. “Applejack... We have to go now... it’s bad.”

The farm-less pony’s face contorted in confusion. She snorted in the wet slime trying to escape her nostrils, and raised an eyebrow at Rainbow Dash. “What do ya mean? Where could we possibly have to go right now?” Applejack stared incredulously at the element of loyalty.

“I-I can’t explain it right now... Actually, I take it back. Look after your family, take what you can carry down to Twilight’s. I’ll meet up with you as soon as I can. Just...know that it’s serious, I only came here to get you to help me, but I’ll handle it for now.” The pegasus crouched down and opened her wings spread to their fullest.

Applejack raised a hoof to protest, but she stopped herself. Just what are you not tellin’ me, Rainbow Dash? She lowered it and gave her a serious look. “Thank you then, we will.”

The pegasus nodded, and in a flash, she was into the sky and heading toward Ponyville at breakneck speed.

Applejack turned around to face her family, a dour expression marring each of their usually gleeful faces with a sullen frown. She realized she wasn’t the only one with trouble keeping her emotions under control.

Applebloom was curled up into a ball underneath Big Mac, who was gently caressing her soaked fur with his hoof.

Tears rolled down Granny Smith’s wrinkled old cheeks, and Big Mac, well, he remained stoic, but he was clearly in pain. Applejack knew her brother, and that meant she knew when he was upset.

Rising to her hooves, Applejack turned her attention to the wreckage of the home she grew up in. “Alright, wait here for a minute and we can head on over to the library. I gotta get something first...” She didn’t get a reply, but she knew that her statement was understood.

Shakily, Applejack trotted over to the remains of her porch, and expertly walked around various debris strewn about the ground of cracked floorboards. She carefully stepped onto the larger pile of refuse as she climbed up onto the remaining foundation that had once supported her home. Orienting herself at the front door, she hung a left and walked to the center of her old living room. Casually, she began digging at the pile underneath her with a hoof, searching amidst the mountain of wood, broken furniture, and the occasional smashed apple.

Every couple minutes, Applejack would hit the wooden floor and begin searching in a different area. She refused to waver in her hunt, yielding only when she thought she had found the object she was searching for.

Finally, after ten minutes of searching and ready to give up, Applejack looked down at her prize. Underneath her hoof rested a medium sized wooden frame that had a spiderweb crack splayed across the center. Sighing, Applejack picked it up in her teeth and lowered it onto her back.

Sweet Apple Acres was destroyed, but the Apples would survive.

Rainbow Dash’s eyes narrowed in a desperate manner, gaining speed as she zoomed toward Ponyville. The feeling she loved most in the world: that rush of adrenaline pumping through her body when trying a new daring, dangerous stunt, was for once unwelcome. She often found that its familiar euphoria was something of an addiction, but after narrowly escaping a grisly fate twice in the length of two hours, she had become sick to death of it. It made her nervous and hastened the growing presence of dread associated with the urgency of the matter at hoof.

Rainbow’s wings burned from the strenuous pace she refused to mollify, and her speed only increased once she made it to the outskirts of Ponyville. She glanced down below at the frantic ponies galloping every which way and gatheringat large around city hall. An older looking, sand colored mare stood on a stage, pointing towards different ponies who would immediately dart in a random direction.

Over the thatched roofs of a few ponyville houses rose her destination. With one final push, she sped towards Ponyville Pond, the one which she and Pinkie had donned to take a dip in earlier.

She noticed the looks on everypony’s faces ranged from confused to downright terrified. They didn't have much to go on; just what she had told them in very few, frantic shouts no less than one hour ago. Since they were first rounded up, they had managed to gather the local pegasi of Ponyville around the lake. However, the townsponies were still at a loss for what was going on.

First, two ponies being dragged under a pond by a current. Adding to that news, a freak storm had just passed incredibly close to the town; one that hadn’t been crafted by the weather team. Missing ponies, wrecked countryside; it wouldn’t have been so out of the ordinary if the news that Pinkie and Rarity may have drowned wasn’t also in the mix.

Their loud conversations about the strange happenings were interrupted when the leader of the Ponyville weather team crashed in the center of the hulking mass, trying to catch her breath and stretch her wings. A few ponies tried to see what was wrong with the mare as she bent over and huffed into the soil, but she waved them off with a hoof.

Once able to speak, Rainbow Dash stood erect and looked into the crowd. “Alright everypony!” She took in a few more pained breaths. “I want all of you to follow my lead! We’re... we’re going to need all of you to do this!” Some of the pegasi raised an eyebrow, but most of them acknowledged the command and unfolded their wings in preparation. “Now, everypony get ready, cause we’re going to have to suck the water out of the pond...with a pegasus powered tornado!” There were a few audible gasps, but from the serious expressions dotting the crowd, most were ready. “Two ponies could be trapped, and it’s up to us to rescue them!” This seemed to solidify the groups intentions as a few ponies had already begun to circle the lake.

Tired, fatigued, and sore, Rainbow Dash fluttered her wings and took off into the air. Multiple pegasi joined her as they began gliding around the lake in a clockwise fashion. It wasn’t long before everypony had joined in, and a visible funnel began to form from the combined wingpower of all Ponyville’s pegasi.

Rainbow Dash felt that rush of endorphins return to her, accompanied by a stale queasiness in her gut. It was a feeling that hours upon hours of stunts and dangerous feats beat out of her system, or so she thought. She felt afraid. Not only of creating a monster like she had just escaped from, even if it wasn’t the same, but also because of what she might find. Pinkie and Rarity had been underwater for far too long...

Rainbow grew timid in her gliding, and slowed her movement to keep an eye on how the tornado was forming. If they succeeded and pulled the water from the lake, would there be two bodies slumped together in the mud, having run out of breath before being taken into the great beyond? The question was the only thing that hung in her mind besides fear.

The wind howled as the funnel gained speed. Little droplets of water began to smack Rainbow Dash in the muzzle. Almost there... Just a little bit more. She broke her trance and flapped her searing wings harder. The water underneath pooled into the air as the rotating wind ripped it from the lake. The stream of water became a fast current as it shot up and into the waiting sky. Most of it either went up higher than the thin layer of overcast above them, or it dissipated into tiny raindrops that lazily sprinkled back onto the grassy ground.

Seeing the final bit of water drain from the lake, Rainbow Dash allowed herself to be flung from the tornado, which was beginning to lose its form as other pegasi followed suit. Orienting herself to the ground, she blazed through the air down to the muddy lakebed. It seemed to go deeper than she imagined, but nevertheless, she could see the bottom.

“Rainbow Dash, I thought you said that Pinkie Pie and Rarity were pulled under,” a silver coated pegasus mare with a blonde mane called out. “Nopony is down there...”

The excited eyes and fascinated grin across her face came with the realization that her friends were still missing, and that meant, they could still be alive. Thank Celestia! She wanted to jump for joy and shout to the skies that her failure to rescue her friends had caused them death, but now, she was focused on the million thoughts scratching at her brain, but most importantly: If they’re not here, then where in the hay are they?

Rainbow Dash shrugged it off, maintaining a cheeky grin. Whatever did this, I’m sure Twilight will figure it out. Egghead probably has already... She laughed a bit and noticed the gathering crowd of pegasi all whispering to each other and looking out into the lakebed.

Rainbow Dash beamed a goofy grin. Despite her positive outlook, many pegasi began to shoot curious glances, and even glaring at the rainbow maned mare. She noticed their stares, and her expression returned to its determined look. “I need you all to start combing the skies. Keep a low altitude and look for anything pink and white. My friends are still out there, and they need help.” A few ponies began dispersing, and others formed search groups to cover more ground faster.

Now, to go find Twilight and... Rainbow Dash facehoofed. How could I forget about Fluttershy? Lackadaisically, Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and rose into the air. She steadily gained altitude until she had a clear view of the rest of the waning search parties. Her eyes scanned the crowd as she searched for her target. “Fluttershy!” she called out to no response. Ugh, of course she doesn’t come when we round up all the pegasi...

Three sharp bangs rapt on the heavy wooden door of Ponyville’s public library, eliciting a pained groan from a certain purple scaled assistant on the other side. Applejack shifted uncomfortably in the night time setting with the heavy saddlebags perched over her back, each side containing pretty much the last remaining possessions the Apple family had. It was sad that they could only save a few perishable food items from the cellar, and a single cracked picture frame.

The door slowly creaked open and the drowsy-looking dragon poked his head out. His eyes were bloodshot and he hardly looked like he even knew where he was. He narrowed his eyes and tiredly studied Applejack. “Applejack?” His mouth widened as he let out a yawn, eyes widening as he looked past the pony. “Applejack’s family?”

Applejack gave a halfhearted chuckle. She couldn’t help but think that the dragon’s attempts to secure masculinity often went unnoticed due to his baby-like tendencies. Yawning only made him look cute. “Sugarcube, you mind if we come in before Ah start explainin’ things?”

Applejack, Applebloom, Big Mac, and finally Granny Smith trotted into the library, taking care not to step on any of the random mountains of books that still took residence on the floor. Applejack looked around the main room. Geez, Spike. Good job cleanin’ this mess up. She carefully removed her saddlebags. Ah’m sure Twi’ would be so proud that you listened to her.

Applejack turned to the small, purple reptile. “Spike, have you left the library today? Have you talked to anypony?”

Spike rubbed his eyes and answered her. “Only you, just now... and maybe earlier today, but honestly it’s all a bit fuzzy. Hey... am I missing a tooth?” His forked tongue began to feel around the small gap as his eyes widened.

“Ah’d reckon so.” Applejack rolled her eyes. “Listen sugarcube, Ah don’t know how to ask this, but could mah family stay here? Possibly for tonight? At least until we can figure things out.”

“Uhm, sure, wait why?” Spike scratched the side of his head, a bewildered look painted on his face.

“Well, a few reasons, chief among them is the fact we don’t have a house right now.” Applejack waited for Spike to respond, then held up a hoof to stop him anyway. “I know it sounds crazy Spike but I don’t got time to explain, maybe Granny can a little. Me and Big Mac gotta go, I think... There’s something going on in town and I need to find out what.”

Spike blinked, perhaps finally catching on that something was wrong. “I guess that’s alright, but I don’t own the library. Have you talked to Twilight yet?”

“Sugarcube, we were there when she left for Canterlot... er, well you might’ve been asleep, but you were definitely there.” I think this dragon’s been hangin’ around with Green Leaf again...

Spike shrugged. “Ooh yeah... I’m sure she doesn’t care anyway. Wait, why don’t you have a house right now? Is your farm being fumigated or something?” He chuckled a bit in his loopy state.

“No... it was, um... it was leveled by a tornado...” Spike’s silly grin was replaced by a surprised look, that became wide eyed disbelief a second after. If he wasn’t awake before, he certainly was then. “Tornado!? Like the weather kind? How is that even possible? I- I...” He paused for a moment, finally making sense of the sullen expressions across every Apple’s face. “I’m sorry, I just...”

“It’s alright, sugarcube. Ya’ll couldn’t have known. Now, has Rainbow Dash come around here just yet-”

Suddenly, the wooden door behind the four ponies and baby dragon banged open as a light blue pegasus flew in low. She tried to halt her momentum but she failed, crashing into a dense pile of books stacked in a disorderly fashion on the floor.

“Speak of the devil.” Applejack said, trotting over to her friend.

Rainbow Dash dizzily sat on her haunches until she shook her head and got a grasp on her surroundings. She looked up at Applejack with a nervous expression splayed across her muzzle. “Where’s Twilight,” was the first and only thing to come out of her mouth.

Applejack blinked. “She uhh, she left for Canterlot this mornin’. Say would you mind tellin’ me why the ponies in town were so frantic? Or you for that matter? I get the feeling something else is the matter Rainbow. I thought it was the storm, but I coulda swore I heard something about Pinkie Pie. What exactly happened today?”

Everything Applejack said seemed to go straight over Rainbow Dash’s head after she heard the words ‘Twilight’ and ‘Canterlot’. By the time the blonde earth pony had finished her line of questioning, Rainbow was already an inch and a half away from Spike’s nose, eyeing him desperately.

“Hey, you can send letters to the princess, right? I’ve seen you do it before for Twilight.” The dragon nodded. “Well I need you to send something for me, right now.” Spike raised a claw to argue, but after making eye contact with the extremely close pegasus who was now hovering over him, he simply sighed and fetched a clean parchment and quill.

Applejack interrupted the two. “Umm, Dash, you mind explainin’ what’s going on already?” Instead of an answer, she got a hoof raised up to silence her. Why that little...

“Spike, listen to me carefully, because this is important.” The look Rainbow gave the little dragon was hard and determined.

“Yeah of course, ready when you are, Dash.” The dragon responded by signaling that he was ready to proceed.

“Dear Princess Celestia; this is one of your loyal subjects, and one of your personal pupil’s close friends, Rainbow Dash. Two of the other Elements of Harmony are missing, and we have no idea where they could be. We’ve had the town scramble and form search parties, but we still haven't found them.” She sighed. “We’re running out of options and probably time, we need your’s and Twilight’s help right away.” Rainbow Dash made a gesture and ceased her speaking. Spike signed the bottom, then rolled up the scroll and lit it with his green fire.

Applejack spoke up. “Rainbow Dash...what happened?”

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air.

Rainbow’s determined look shattered immediately. The mare shuffled her hooves, looking for all her worth to be incredibly nervous. Maybe even a little scared. “I-I don’t know. Pinkie and I were swimming with Rarity down at the lake, but then it was like we started getting sucked to the bottom. I was able to fly out...but Rarity went under before I had a chance to...and Pinkie Pie... went after her.”

Applejack was having trouble getting out the specifics, but she realized it would be pointless to push something out that painful.

“I looked, but there was nopony in the pond, it's small, too! I didn't understand, I still don't! I went into town and got as many ponies as I could to go rescue them... and that’s when I saw the storm cloud over your farm.” Rainbow sat back on her haunches, nervously rubbing a foreleg with the other.

Applejack cringed, she knew everything there was to know about that part of the story all too well. “Alright,” the farm mare interrupted hesitantly, “well, are they...were they alright?”

Rainbow Dash looked up, her eyes wide and emotionless, then she continued. “After I rescued you, I flew back and helped the other pegasi drain the lake. We...we didn’t find Rarity or Pinkie Pie down there, AJ...”

Applejack drew her head back and furrowed her eyebrows, swallowing before asking heatedly, “What? Well where the hay are they?”

“I’m not sure, but something’s definitely wrong here. Since when do ponies get pulled into lakes for no reason? There was nothing strange at the bottom, like a cave. Nothing that could make a rip current like that; it just doesn’t make any sense.” Rainbow Dash shook her head in disbelief, letting out a depressed sigh, her wings drooping at her sides.

Applejack felt just as perplexed. To her, something smelled fishy, but whatever happened was beyond her. From what she could see or make sense of the ways everything happened all at once, this was no accident. Dangit, this could be bad. Her thoughts were too tired to figure things out right then. She instead turned around to inform her family that it was time to unpack.

Not a moment later did a lewd belching sound, accompanied by the increased heat of the fire from a dragon’s gut barge into the room. As well as the faint smell of blueberries.

Applejack flipped around to see a new letter already in the hooves of her flying rainbow friend, who had zoomed through the air to catch it immediately. The pegasus’ eyes darted back and forth across the letter as her gaze narrowed as she read.

AJ took a hesitant step closer. “What- What’s it say?”

Rainbow Dash put down the letter and locked eyes with Applejack, shaking her head. “I- Hm, that's weird. She says Twilight hasn’t made it to Canterlot yet.” She flapped her wings and flew into the air, huffing in frustration. “We can’t deal with this right now! The town’s been searching for hours and we haven’t even gotten close to finding them. Not to mention the weird weather that we still have no idea where it came from... Where the hay is Twilight? We need her!”

Applejack held up a hoof. “Hold it right there.” Her voice matched the surprise she felt. “What do you mean Twilight hasn’t made it to Canterlot yet?”

Rainbow Dash tilted her head. “I mean the letter, Celestia wrote that she hasn’t been to the palace yet. I think her train may have been delayed or something...” The pegasus trailed off, worry and speculation etching around her eyes.

“That don’t make no sense at all; she didn’t even take the train...” Applejack swallowed after sharing what she knew of Twilight’s last appearance.

“So she took a pegasus chariot?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“No, she teleported from right over there.” Applejack pointed a hoof to a burnt circle on the floor. “Uh...”

Rainbow looked down at the scorch marks with a worried look, but quickly shook her head in surprise. “Teleported!?” She exclaimed in amazement. “All the way to- Wow, great, she probably missed then. If not...I’m sure she’s alright. This is Twilight we’re talking about here; She probably stopped by her parents house... or maybe went shopping. For all we know, she forgot her invitation and they won’t let her into the castle.”

Applejack was about to rebuke the last thing Rainbow had said, such as pointing out something like the fact that Twilight would never in a million years forget her invitation, and even if she did, the guards knew who she was. She wanted to say that she would put the princess’ summons ahead of her family and take care of that after she was done with her visit. But all she could muster up the courage to say was: “Yeah, Rainbow... you’re probably right.”

The sound of a sleepy filly yawning interrupted their conversation. Applejack let out a weak laugh to ease the tenseness of the atmosphere.

“Ah think Ah better put the little one to bed... and probably Spike too.” Applejack looked around for the dragon and let out a giggle to see him already fast asleep on a pile of books. “Come on Applebloom, you need to get some rest.” With that, she ducked down and scooped her sister up on her back before making her way to the stairs.

The deep throated yawn of Big Mac shook the room too, and Applejack turned towards her brother. “Y'all might want to get some sleep too...” She muttered quietly back to him.

Without so much as a groan in protest, the stallion mumbled: “Eeyup,” and trotted over to the couch.

Applejack continued up the set of stairs and went into Twilight’s room, knowing her friend wouldn’t mind if she used it under the circumstances. She’d make it up to her all the same, anyway. Carefully, she rolled the filly onto the bed and tucked her under the covers, the little pony already fast asleep.

“G’night Applebloom, and don’t you worry about nothing. Everythin’ is gonna be just fine...” Applejack nuzzled her younger kin, whispering the words in a soothing voice, not much unlike her mother used to for her. She tip-hoofed out of the room, flipped the lights off, and closed the door, leaving her little sister to a night that was hopefully filled with pleasant dreams.

Author's Notes:

Sorry about the longer than anticipated wait for this chapter. It took a little bit longer to finish, but I think I'm starting to get into that a nice little rhythm for writing the characters. Thanks for reading, and I hope that this story turns into everything you hope it to be.

Oh, and part of the reason I haven't been as prompt with this story is because I'm working on another story as well. To put it in simple terms, it's a story about a girl who loses her job when her employer decides to outsource human jobs to equestrians. It's more slice of life than Contrail, and definitely throws a lot of humor into the mix. If you like human stories, you might want to give it a look when I release the first few chapters in a couple of days. Cheers!

Lost and Not Found

Chapter Four : Lost and Not Found

Applejack’s brow slowly furrowed more, until a deep scowl adorned her face while she made her way down the stairs back into the library proper. The sounds of Rainbow talking loudly to Spike, and of Big Macintosh groaning from the couch reached her ears as she entered the room.

“Did you get all of that, Spike?” Rainbow leaned forward on her front hooves, peering around the dragon’s shoulder with her long neck to read the letter. It contained everything she needed to update the Princess about; Twilight’s apparent mis-teleportation and the potion; the pond and mysterious whereabouts of Pinkie Pie, Rarity and after a thought, the tornado that had destroyed Sweet Apple Acres, as well.

“Ah huh, I got it all Rainbow. Just hold on and I’ll send it. You should probably back up by the way, or your plumage might get toasted.” Spike inhaled a deep breath, then lit the top of the letter aflame with magic, and the correspondence disappeared into nothing.

Rainbow snorted in irritation, peering down at the dragon over her snout, then turned to look up at AJ as she came down the flight of stairs. “Applejack, I sent the letter to the Princess about...everything new, and that we don’t know where Twilight is either. I asked her if she could, umm, come here too. I’m sure she will...right?”

Applejack widened her eyes a little in response to what her friend was telling her, but nodded absentmindedly in affirmation. Ah can’t believe it’s really that serious, but it is, isn’t it? “Alright, good work Rainbow. Umm, well...” Breathing raggedly from the return of her nervousness, she stared out the window while trying to think of what to do next. “Ah guess...”

The sound of Rainbow trotting up behind her reached the orange mare’s ears. “We should get out there and help the others, Jack.”

Applejack scowled at hearing the name and ignored the suggestion. “Rainbow Dash, what did I tell you about using that name? It’s Applejack, or if’n you’re too lazy to say all that, it’s just AJ.” She could feel herself getting heated, but hid it. “I’m not some stallion, Rainbow. I’m a mare, if you can recall.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes back in a dramatic fashion. “Geez, I didn’t know it meant that much to you. Have you been hangin’ around Rarity recently, Jack?” She raised an eyebrow in at the farm pony questioningly. To her, it was obvious her friend was getting agitated over nothing.

Nearby, Spike raised an eyebrow and looked between both mares, confused. Now why are they fighting? Long familiar with irrationally behaving mares, Spike chose that moment to slink away for a bit.

Applejack stomped a hoof and snorted, whirling around. “Hey! I am not some prissy filly. Is it so much to ask for not to be called a colt’s name? What if I called you...” she looked at ground, not letting her scowl falter too much, and pondered an appropriately insulting name for the pony pushing her buttons. “Rainbow...” Come on Applejack, you can think a something. What was that name that those bullies used to call her when she was young?... Rainbow Bash? Lamebow Smash?... That one’s not bad.

Before Applejack could retort with what sounded like a good enough substitute, she was interrupted.

“Rainbow...Crash?” Rainbow Dash asked, wearing a smug look.

By the kitchen doorway, Spike whistled inconspicuously and pretended he didn't see the quickly escalating cat fight, instead looking the other way. Without somepony to break the two up, it wouldn’t be pretty. Unwilling to leave the couch, and knowing better than to join in one of his sister's tussles, Big Mac did his best impression of being asleep, alongside Granny Smith, who actually was asleep.

Applejack glared at the pegasus. She felt like tackling the showy mare and teaching her a lesson about manners right then... but ultimately decided against any physical education. “Just...keep your muzzle shut right now Rainbow,” she said, trotting past the still smirking mare and towards the door. “We need to go search with the rest of town for our friends. It wouldn’t be right if we made them do all the work while we sat on our keisters all night.”

Rainbow Dash’s expression flattened, then sunk. “Oh, yeah. Right.” She stepped in line behind Applejack, following her out the front door of the Golden Oaks Library.

“Wait,” Spike’s young voice called out and grabbed the attention of the two mares. They turned around to catch the purple dragon assistant belching out a second stream of green flames, followed by a small, tan scroll with a golden seal and red ribbon binding it. Spike reached over and picked up the letter that had fallen onto the ground.

“What did the Princess say, Spike?” Applejack cantered half the distance back to him.

As Spike unfurled it, his eyes quickly scanned the writing. “It says that-” was all he could say before letting out a big ‘oof’ at being tackled by an overexcited weather pegasus. The two tumbled around for a moment before the mare came out on top, and was able to grasp the letter firmly in her teeth. She allowed herself a victorious grin.

“Now what in tarnation was that all about?” Applejack stopped moving, and sighed. She turned to shut the door and shook her head in disappointment at her bothersome friend.

Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash took the letter out of her muzzle and unfurled it with her hooves. “Quit fooling around, Spike. And what do you mean AJ? The Princess wrote the two of us back.”

Both Spike and Applejack rolled their eyes in wonder at the mare, the former dusting his scales off. “Spike here’s just as capable of reading as you, Rainbow.” Applejack chided.

“Yeah yeah… Oh, awesome! The Princess says she’s coming as soon as she can, and-”

The gentle tapping sound of a hoof, knocking against the front door interrupted the mare.

Rainbow Dash ceased her explanation and looked towards the door. “Well, that was faster than I expected...”

They turned their attention to the door while Applejack trotted back over to open it. The room let out a collective sigh when instead of seeing the brilliant rainbow mane of Princess Celestia, they saw the tired-out, gray mane of Mayor Mare.

“Oh,” Rainbow Dash said letting out a held breath. “It’s only you...”

Whatever expression of sympathy the mayor had displayed upon her reveal was replaced with a glare at the local weather captain. “What do you mean, ‘only me’? Who were you expecting?” Her statement seemed neutral, but her tone hinted she was at least a little offended.

Applejack butted in. “Er, nopony, Mayor. What brings you here at this late hour?”

“Well,” the sand colored mare started. “I went looking for you at Sweet Apple Acres, but I couldn’t seem to find it-” Applejack winced, as if struck, but contained her roiling feelings.

The Mayor continued, giving the orange pony a sad look of reprisal. “And then somepony was kind enough to tell me what had happened, and that you were both at the library. I’m deeply sorry for your loss, Applejack. I can’t imagine how this could have happened.” She gave a pointed glance at the cyan mare in the room. The air was thick with tension; enough that somepony could choke on it. “Anyway, some of the search teams had commented that they hadn’t seen either of you since this all began, and I merely left to check up on everypony.”

Applejack nodded, a grateful smile on her face. “That’s great Mayor Mare, more than anypony could ask for. We’re lucky to have neighbors as...neighborly as all of you.” She put a hoof on the other pony’s shoulder, an earnest gesture of thankfulness.

The mayor returned the look, despite her tired expression. “I suppose then, all there is left to do is to tell you both what I know. You are the Elements of Harmony, after all.” The mare’s quiet tone continued. Despite the fact that they moved over the topic, it seemed like her irritation had something to do with the deep, dark bags she carried underneath her tired, bloodshot eyes. “We rounded up just about everypony to search the town’s outskirts and woods, even as far as Whitetail Woods, but…” She sighed, a hoof rubbing behind her frazzled mane. “We couldn’t find anything that gave us any clue to where they could have gone.”

The eyes in the room widened or saddened at her news, each experiencing their own little flash of dread or hopelessness. Big Mac had his head resting on the back of the couch, watching quietly, while Spike, and a newly arrived Owlowiscious huddled atop the arm chair.

Applejack was the first to shake it off, though. “Well, we ain’t done looking, right? There’s a ton of places we haven’t searched yet. Plus, if they just disappeared without a trace from that pond...they could be anywhere.”

The mayor sighed and nodded at the thought. “Actually... there’s still one place we haven’t looked through. It’s why I came here tonight. We’re about to round up everypony willing and go into the Everfree.” At the sound of the name, the few ponies and the dragon in the room cringed. The eerie place didn’t bring up too many fond memories. “But... first we’re to meet in town square once the pegasi make their last trip over Whitetail.”

Rainbow Dash took a step closer and straightened up proudly. “You can count us in, Mayor. I’ll start rallying the pegasi, and Applejack can talk to the earth ponies and unicorns.” Applejack nodded in affirmation.

“Splendid, I’m sure everypony, the few that volunteered that is, will be nice and safe accompanied by you both. And for the record, I am very sorry about what happened girls. It’s... it’s been hard on the town already. I know that you all are very close. I hope that we find them before too long.” Her expression softened and her voice became less shrill. Her original look of sympathy returned as she trotted back out into the road. Outside, ponies were still frantically trotting every which way, occasionally calling the names of the missing. The door closed softly behind her.

Applejack turned to Rainbow Dash. “Well, I think we need to get a hustle on if we’re gonna organize those folks, RD.” Her statement was met with a head bob in affirmation before they both trotted towards the door.

Once again, the gentle tapping sound of a hoof, knocking against the front door entered the room, though it sounded a little heavier this time.

Dash rolled her eyes. “What do you want this time, Ma-” Before she could finish her statement, the door opened and everypony’s face in the room lit up.

“Princess Celestia!” Applejack said before ducking down into a bow. Rainbow Dash followed suit, nearly falling over in her haste. Over by the couch, Spike did the same, while Big Mac quietly struggled off the couch, so as not to draw his sister’s attention. Granny Smith snored once before quieting again.

The Princess of the Sun’s golden sollerets clopped softly and quietly into the library, an unexpected happenstance considering her larger than average build. Her flawless features smiled, with just a tint of worry, at her subjects. Though she did not look it, the princess was much older than many believed her to be. In fact, she was so old, nopony truly knew her true age. Well, other than her dear sister, of course.

“Please, Applejack, Rainbow, that isn’t necessary.” The Princess smiled briefly and ducked her head down to meet her friends’ eyes, who looked up after a moment. “It is good to see you, all of you,” her gaze swept over the others. “Even tragic as the circumstances are.”

The bowing ponies looked at one another for a split second, then straightened to greet the princess in a less formal manner.

“Princess Celestia, how did you get here so soon?” Rainbow Dash blurted out, but managed to bite back anymore questions. It had taken a few meetings for the Elements of Harmony to truly become comfortable around the strongest figure in the Equestrian government, but in recent times, a certain fondness accompanied their meetings. This meeting was more dark and worrying than fond, though.

Celestia chimed her answer. “I left as soon as I received Spike’s first letter, Rainbow Dash. I received your second mid-flight, as a matter of fact.”

By the furniture, Spike briefly thought, I thought that writing looked a little sloppy…

The Princess continued. “The news was very serious. I’ve left my sister in charge for the night so that I could see to this personally. From the sounds of things… tornados, missing ponies, lives could be at jeopardy. Is it true? Twilight, Pinkie Pie and Rarity are missing?” Her voice was tinged with disbelief as she spoke, something Applejack and Rainbow never heard.

The room hung silent for a moment, just the shouts of ponies from outside barely making their way through the walls, and the multi-hued mane waving majestically in a wind that was nowhere, yet everywhere. You could hear the wind, just barely, if you listened.

Rainbow Dash scrunched her face in a pained way, and finally answered, “Yes, Princess. It’s pretty bad, but I don’t think Pinkie and Rarity are...well, I don’t know what to think! We can’t find them though.” All the while she spoke, her tail lashed erratically out behind her, swiping at the air. ”As for Twilight… she just messed up another one of her egghead experiments, again. I bet she’s okay, probably...” Sitting down, and remembering her manners, she kept her wings furled at her sides, rather than hovering while speaking to the Princess. With effort, her tail stilled itself as well.

The Princess of Day watched the mare quietly, then nodded. “I see. Thank you for staying safe yourselves, my little ponies. We will find our friends, but in the meantime, I must ask you to remain strong for them. For now we should hurry, time may be of the essence.” She shook her head back and forth as she finished, a pained expression replacing her stoic demeanor. “Tell me in greater detail than what was in your letter, please, how did this happen? Are there any clues you may not have mentioned?”

Applejack and Rainbow frowned quietly for a moment, then the farm pony spoke up first. “Should Ah start at the beginning, Princess?”

“Yes, that is fine, Applejack.” Princess Celestia gave the smaller mare her full attention.

AppleJack coughed, clearing her throat before speaking. “Alright, well, besides the weird weather yesterday, and maybe some bad luck at the picnic we all went to… Ah think it only just started earlier today.“ She put a forlorn hoof on her hatless head, remembering that one of her only mementos of her folks was now gone. “Twilight and Ah were inside the library, and she was working on this new potion or something. We tested it, and it seemed to work fine on me, and her too when she took it. Ah guess something went wrong, though. Come to think of it, her teleport did look like it went a might wonky.”

Applejack gave Rainbow a worried look, then pressed on. “Twi’ said she was going to Canterlot to see you, Princess, but with you sayin’ that she never made it... well, Ah don’t think she would’ve gone anywhere else on purpose. Just ain’t in her nature to be late. Twilight could be... well, she could be anywhere really, I guess”…The thought that something worse may have happened to Twi’ was quickly put in a chest, locked with a key, then buried in a hole, and had a house built over it, lickity split. “That potion we mentioned in the letter could have just made her overshoot her target a little bit. Who knows, she could have just arrived in Canterlot right now.”

Celestia regarded the straight backed, confident farm mare in front her. Beneath that confidence though, the Princess saw the worry just barely hanging at the corners of her eyes. “Perhaps... There is a chance you are right about that, Applejack.”

The Princess mulled over the information briefly before nodding. “I will have to speak to Luna about locating the others, as well as Twilight in particular...” She hesitated for a second, as if to say more about her sister, but instead moved on. “For now, what of Pinkie Pie and Rarity?” Her voice was not the normal, cheerful tone, bright enough to rival her own sun which she always used when talking to them. The change of something so familiar was like a blow to the other ponies.

Applejack’s voice softened a degree and continued. She arrived to the conclusion that she and Rainbow Dash weren’t the only ones taking it hard. “We’re certain that they’re not where Rainbow... where Rainbow thought she would find them, in that pond.”

Celestia looked from their tired faces and glanced towards the shut front door. “Tell me, has the town been searching for them long?”

The two smaller mares met each other’s eyes, then looked out of the window into the darkness of nightfall. Ponies were still frantically ambling about, holding firefly lanterns or levitating them. All the while they still shouted at each other and the names of the missing. They noticed a few new additions to the search parties, however, when multiple golden-armored guards galloped by, forming organized teams.

Rainbow answered the Princess. “We’ve been at it ever since late afternoon, Princess, but we haven’t found them yet. I don’t even think anypony is looking for Twilight, either. We just figured out she was missing at all from your letter.”

Princess Celestia’s expression darkened some, and she stood up to walk to the window, staring out of it quietly. “Rainbow Dash, I know it may be difficult, but please, tell me everything about your friend’s disappearances. It may be our only hope of finding Rarity and Pinkie Pie. Any detail, large or small.”

“Pinkie and Rarity…” Rainbow muttered the names, still struck by the fact they were even missing, and for so long. “Okay, I can do that, uhm… Pinkie and I were just swimming with Rarity when something dragged them under.” She swallowed, and a dark air overtook the normally upbeat pegasus. Her explanation went on to cover everything she could think of, from Pinkie’s wagon sinking into the pond, to Rarity’s ruined feathery hat. After the little stuff, she spoke about the riptide, and how strong it had felt. “I-I tried to save them, but... I just...” She trailed off. Two memories drifted by, of Rarity staying under the water so long Dash and Pinkie had become scared, and the other of Pinkie disappearing next. “I’m sorry Princess. I’m so, so sorry. It’s all my fau-”

Celestia, now beside the distraught pony, lent her subject a consoling hug, and then a grateful look. Softly, she said, “It’s alright, my little pony. I’m sure you did everything you possibly could have done. It is difficult, but you mustn’t blame yourself for things that are out of your control.”

Rainbow’s head sunk low. “Yes, Princess.”

“You have already searched the pond where you last saw them, as you said in the letter?” Celestia looked between the two present Elements of Harmony, still eager to find answers.

Rainbow answered first, some of her pep returned, false as it was. “Sure did. I looked, and looked but... I couldn’t find them, Princess. It wasn’t that deep though, like I said in the letter! It didn’t make any sense at all. Anyway, I had to give up, but... I even gathered the pegasi myself and we drained the pond that the three of us were swimming in... There wasn’t anypony underneath the water, Princess!” Her speech was becoming more and more frantic until she finished shakily. Calming some, she went on. “I was happy at first, I figured maybe they had gotten out after I left, or something else. Maybe Rarity managed to pull off a teleport spell?”

Applejack gave Rainbow a doubtful frown. There ain’t no way Ms. Prissy-Pants managed to do something other than stick two pieces of cloth together with that horn of hers. A pang of sadness hit her heart, and she added another thought. But I really hope she did, consarnit…

Celestia’s eyes hardened as she listened to the explanation. “There was no sign of anything else? Magic used, perhaps?”

Rainbow looked up and shook her head quickly. “N-not that I saw.”

Celestia nodded once again, although it was quicker this time. The other two mares did not pick up on it, but even she was beginning to become flustered with worry. “Applejack, Rainbow,” she began, less balanced than before, “what can you tell me about the tornado you wrote of?”

Applejack scowled at just the mention of the calamitous thing that had taken her home from her, and had almost taken her family, too. She answered right away. “Not much, Princess.” She spoke more flatly then she’d meant to, so she softened her voice before continuing. “Rainbow and the pegasi weren’t responsible though, so I think it came out of the Everfree like she said it did. It’s the only explanation that makes a lick of sense. Though, I can’t say I know why, nothing like this has happened that I’ve ever heard of in the history of Ponyville, and I listen to Granny Smith’s stories every night.” She swallowed from the memory of one particular detail that came back to her, something she felt she could never forget. “It was enormous, Princess, biggest twister I’ve ever seen. It had to have been wider than a whole kilometer.”

The diarch’s eyes grew darker as she listened. Her muzzle opened to speak, then closed again slowly.

Applejack waited a second, then added, “Rainbow said she could have tamed it with a few dozen Pegasi, but honestly, to put it into perspective your highness, I don’t think a hundred pegasi could’ve stopped it, maybe not even...a thousand.”

Rainbow’s brow furrowed, and she scowled at the ground. Not because she was upset at AJ for declaring that, but because that sounded about right. The weather had never scared her before this, but it did now. “Do you think it’s connected, Princess?” The pegasus looked up, face squinted in dismay.

Celestia took in a deep breath, and put on a sad, but calming smile. “I do.” Not letting the statement sink in negatively, she went on hurriedly. “You did the right thing by contacting me, though I’m afraid I must admit I am yet at a loss.” She looked towards Rainbow. “Judging from what you have told me, Rainbow, this does not strike me as something natural. There may be foul play ahoof, I fear. Especially if so many of you were targeted. We can’t be for certain of anything yet.”

“You mean somepony’s behind this?” Rainbow’s eyes widened to their fullest. She hadn’t even considered the idea as of yet. If there’s some jerk raining on our parade and coming after us… We could all be in danger. “But who could be responsible for this? All of this stuff is...well, totally unrelated, it doesn’t make any sense at all, Princess! Uhm, ma’am.” She grinned a little sheepishly at the end, but straightened up, her look becoming serious.

“I cannot say, Rainbow.” The Princess sighed. “Yes, I think something of that nature could be at work. I will tell you both all I know as soon as I learn something. For now… it could be that somepony... or something is trying to separate the elements. If there is, they’re succeeding.”

Another eerie, heavy silence hung in the room, punctuated by the sound of Spike’s teeth chattering from the other side of the room. He quietly dismissed himself, and scurried away into the kitchen on his short legs.

Applejack worked up the will to speak again first. She flickered her gaze from the Princess, to around the room, then spoke her mind. “Well, we can’t know about that until we at least look. Princess, is there a spell you can cast to find them? Twilight and the others?”

Celestia looked to the Element of Honesty, her expression shifting to a trepidant look. “...Perhaps, not readily, but perhaps. Unfortunately, there is not always simply a magical solution to every problem. My sister and I do have some tools at our disposal, though. If our missing friends are near, we will find them. If they are far...we will find them slightly slower.” She gave both of the other mares a motherly smile as she finished speaking. A followup question came quickly though. “Tell me, had anypony left to search the Everfree yet?”

Applejack thought of the stallions and mares that had been forming up outside, but had yet to leave. She shook her head. “No, ma’am, not yet. I think we were going to, though. It seemed a logical place to look.”

“I see.” Celestia paused a moment, thinking. “I will summon more of the guard then, and we will investigate ourselves. I did see ponies outside shouting about doing just that… I had them stick to searching elsewhere. There is no need for them to endanger themselves. Though it is very noble, I cannot allow that sort of recklessness.” She looked towards the shut door behind herself with a serious expression. “Of the many places across the land, the Everfree has proven to be one of a few, dangerous oddities. Harmony is resisted there as you know, and the wild thinks for itself. It may even share the blame for the disappearance of Rarity and Pinkie. Now, we should be on our...” Celestia stopped for a moment and furrowed her brow, still facing the doorway. She abandoned getting ready to leave and turned to face the Elements of Loyalty and Honesty once more.

“Applejack, Rainbow Dash, where is the Element of Kindness, Fluttershy?” Celestia wore a calm expression, but her brow was drawn tight.

Applejack stared back silently, before flicking her eyes over to Rainbow, who spoke up after a slight hesitation.

“Uhm, she’s searching, probably.” Rainbow replied with a measure of doubt in her voice.

The Princess nodded, and after watching her subject for a moment hesitantly asked, “Probably, Rainbow?”

Applejack turned to face her friend, expression widening some from what everypony was thinking already, but had not yet said.

Rainbow Dash stammered at first, but regained her focus. “I- I haven’t seen her yet today, but it’s just like her to avoid large crowds, or stay hidden in them. She might be out there with everypony or the other pegasi right now.”

Celestia broke her gaze for a moment as if she were contemplating something, then spoke. “You’d better check to make sure, Rainbow. I’m afraid that these events may be more than what they seem, as I said. Two disappearances is a coincidence... but three is a trend, my little pony.” She looked back to Rainbow Dash who seemed jittery, her front legs dancing and giving away her worry. Perhaps it was just occurring to her that the yellow pegasus may be in trouble.

“Yeah… Yeah I’ll just go get her right now, if she’s at her house… then we’ll join you both.” Rainbow hardened her look, putting on a mask of confidence.

“Very well. Hurry, my little pony.” Celestia straightened her back in a regal manner after speaking. Her horn lit up, getting the door for the pegasus.

With an affirmation, Rainbow reared up, saluted and practically knocked the open door behind the Princess off its hinges in the wake of her speedy departure.

Once the air had settled, and her ears popped, Celestia turned back to the orange mare. “That leaves us. Before we join the search effort, tell me, Applejack, do you know anything else about what happened? What happened this afternoon?”

“Well,” the orange farm mare started. “After Twi’ teleported out of the library, I went back home to finish harvestin’ my crops. After that, things started to get a little... dark, Princess.” She swallowed a lump in her throat, recalling everything that had lead up to… possibly the scariest moment of her life.

The Princess tilted her head, catching the word used with hesitation. “Dark, Applejack? In what way?” She thought it had still been daylight during that time, unless she was mistaken.

Applejack shook her head. “Ah mean, the sky turned black, pitch black, Princess. I’ve never seen a storm like that before in all my life. Also, before I knew it, it was raining cats and dogs, and the wind started to pick up a might. And that’s not even the strangest part. Ah was nearly killed by that tornado that tore through mah farm, and my family was caught up in it too. If it weren’t for Rainbow, I- I really could have died.” The realization of that threatened to make her legs shake.

The Princess looked a bit taken back by the in depth explanation of the weather related phenomena. Her expression creased more, continuing to stare out into space.

Applejack shuffled her hooves beneath herself anxiously. Never before had she seen the Princess look so shocked from just words. When the Princess finally spoke, it nearly made her jump.

“Come, Applejack, we should join the hunt for your friends. If Rarity and Pinkie were underwater… That complicates matters, but I fear there is worse yet to consider-”

A timid, slightly juvenile voice of a young dragon vied for attention, pulling the two ponies from walking out the door. “Uhm, excuse me, Princess?” Spike stood by the wall, looking for all his worth to be horribly nervous.

“Spike,” Princess Celestia’s eyes widened. “I apologize, I nearly forgot you. You will be alright on your own for a little bit, won’t you?” She leaned down and nuzzled the dragon’ cheek reassuringly.

“Oh, yes,” Spike wrung his tail in his claws, weathering the motherly treatment the diarch gave him. “I’m not worried about that, besides, AJ’s family is staying here right now so I’m not alone… Anyway, it’s just, about Twilight. It sort of sounds like you all thought she might be in trouble or something, too. Twilight’s...Twilight, though! She’ll be fine…right?” The little lizard trailed off, not looking at anypony, just the floor, and the scorch mark his adoptive sister had left.

Celestia follow his eyes, staring at the charred remnant. “It will be alright Spike, you must stay strong, for her, and your friends.” She smiled, sadly, down towards him. “Can you do that for us? We may need your help, after all.”

Spike’s uncertain face strengthened, and he looked up brazenly. “I can do that, yeah Princess.” He grinned, claws planted at his sides and puffing out his chest.

“I am glad.” Princess Celestia chuckled and straightened up. “Take care, we will return soon.”

With that, Applejack followed the Princess out of the library, both of them trotting quickly, and Spike waving farewell from the doorway.

The Princess waited politely until his goodbyes to Applejack were finished, then curtly spoke to the orange mare. “We’ll make our way to Rainbow Dash and stay together, my little pony. I should have sent guardsponies with her. I am more uneasy than I had thought to make such a mistake. I don’t want you girls out of my sight, tonight.”

Applejack stared up at her. “Oh, I wouldn’t worry about Rainbow, Princess. She’s slipperier than a rattle snake swimming in a grease trap at the sunday fair.” She let out a nervous chuckle from her comparison, but nonetheless the words spoken by the Princess had shaken her. Holy cow… Just what in the name of tarnation is going on? In her mind, she hoped quietly that her friends were all alright, all of them.

…

Granny Smith’s head shot up, and a snort punctuated her sudden complaint. “Huzzah-wha? Darnit, Applejack, keep it down, I’m tryin’ to sleep!” Barely a second later, she was drooping her head once more in the chair.

Big Mac exhaled a tired breath, then looked back up at the unfamiliar ceiling from the couch. “Eeyup.”

The wind tousled Rainbow Dash’s currently shadowed multi-colored hair while she tore through the clouds over Ponyville. She passed several other pegasi, a few of which tried to stop her and ask various things; how they could help, or if somepony had been found, in most cases. In her haste, she ignored them entirely, only taking the time to feel a little bad about being rude.

Rainbow just kept flying, low, fast, and with a cause. Despite her extremely tired wings, she rocketed towards Fluttershy’s cottage. If the Princess sounded so dire, then... Her thoughts trailed off, unable to comprehend something that serious. The last time anything had made Celestia speak so to them had been Discord.

Rainbow Dash felt troubled from the thought, and flew faster. Over the next road, she could see the little bridge that led up to a small, out of the way cottage. A few animals were still awake, and walking around the yard in the bright moonlight. That was her first sign that something was wrong. If the animals were out this late, that meant Fluttershy hadn’t put them to bed. And Fluttershy never forgets to put her critters to bed.

With a quick whip of her wings, the weather mare flew onto the front porch, landing with a dull thud. As fast as she could, she grabbed the door handle and swung it open. She ran inside.

“Fluttershy!” Rainbow shouted, voice full of worry. She had meant to sound angry that she hadn’t shown up, but it hadn’t stuck. She galloped into the living room. “Fluttershy, where are you!?” Her voice was raised, but no reply came. Not waiting, the pony clambered up the stairs to her left and went into the only other room in the house. “Fluttershy, come out!”

Rainbow’s eyes glazed over as she looked into the empty bedroom. The bed was made, the floors were clean, and there was no evidence that anypony had been there in a while. “Dang It,” she hissed, turning around and sprinting back down the stairs. “She must be with the searchers.... yeah, that must be it.”

Princess Celestia gestured to her side with one wing. “Applejack, you’ll be riding with me tonight.”

Applejack nodded and quickly hopped up beside the Princess in the golden chariot. Interestingly enough, it had only just arrived as they left the Golden Oaks library.

After leaving Twilight’s home, the two had ventured out into the lantern-lit streets, a plethora of armored guards standing at attention. The ponies ranged from all shapes and manner of descriptions, but every mane was cut and hung in the same fashion through the helmets resting on their heads.

Amidst the stallions that made up Canterlot’s own guardsponies, were several of the darker toned, mysterious bat-winged ponies. They mingled with guards speaking to citizens of the town, helping as much or more than everypony else.

One mare, tall and dressed in an armor indicative of being at the top of Equestria’s military, cantered up to the Princess, just then reaching them both.

The Princess inclined her head ever so slightly to acknowledge her approach. “Captain, please report.”

“Your highness,” the powerfully built mare spoke respectfully, bowing beforehoof. “The search teams from Ponyville are organized and are looking across the farmlands and eastern forests, and the Whitetail Wood, as you’ve ordered. Each group has at least two guards, and nopony was sent to the Everfree, as commanded.”

The Princess nodded, “Very good, thank you my little pony.”

The captain straightened further, staring ahead at nothing as was protocol. “What are your next orders, your highness?”

Princess Celestia regarded the pink coated earth pony, and responded curtly. “Form large groups of scouts with the ponies present, not too small, it may be dangerous, then send for more guards from the capitol. I want the entire border of the Everfree surrounding Ponyville to be searched for the missing ponies. Ensure everypony is aware they are the Elements of Harmony, and that they know their descriptions. I want everypony to know that we are looking for Pinkie, Rarity, Twilight and Fluttershy. On the double, Captain.”

The straight backed mare held up a hoof in salute before turning around and barking orders at her fellow guards.

Applejack looked up at the Princess. “Fluttershy? But she might just be at home.”

“Perhaps, but until we know, at least now her group may bring her back to us, if she is with them.” The Princess spoke softly, almost not loud enough to be heard over the military surrounding them both.

Orderly and swiftly, the guardsponies all divided and marched or flew toward the edge of town. One team, entirely made up of Pegasi, remained by the princess, with only a smattering of guards milling in the square still. A ways away, the captain began loudly telling a pegasus orders to have sent back to the capitol.

“Everypony,” Princess Celestia called out over the heads of the armored stallions and mares. “I need you all to keep watch over this pony, Applejack-” she pointed at the orange mare for emphasis, “-as well as her friend, Rainbow Dash, at all costs. They are your top priority, the second, yourselves, and thirdly, me. Understo-?”

Applejack was caught off guard by the last sentence and opened her muzzle before she could stop herself to speak out against such an order, interrupting her in the process. “Now wait just a second Princess, you can’t just put yourself at...”

Both the Princess and remaining guards, all stallions, regarded her. The attention got the best of Applejack, given the situation. “Er, nevermind… sorry.”

Celestia looked back at her guards. “That will be all.” Leaning down some to Applejack, she raised the part of her mane pulled over her face, and gave the shorter mare a wink. “I can take care of myself, Applejack.” She smiled coyly.

Applejack grinned sheepishly up in return. “Of course, Princess.”

The stallions gave a quick salute in their long line, then dispersed in a band around the two mares present. Together, the group set off, following after Celestia’s chariot, which in turn was directed to follow the other guards that had already left.

Applejack, however, had begun feeling a little less safe than she had before. Despite having an entire... squad of the best trained royal guards in Equestria, the sudden realization of danger was brought to mind. Before, it was just a case of missing ponies, but now... now she knew that somepony may be out to get her. After all, tornados don’t just make themselves, and lakes don’t try to swallow ponies whole while they’re just having an afternoon swim. At least, she didn’t think they did.

Still, Applejack stayed side-by-side with the princess in the chariot, hoping that somehow they would find Rarity and Pinkie Pie and put an end to all of this. Maybe everything is just a coincidence, and maybe all of this worrying is for nothin’. I can’t imagine anything being worse than that storm coming so close to Ponyville, after all. Who knows, by the end of the night, Pinkie could be throwing a “We were found!” party for all the searchers. She’ll set up games and there’ll be cake... Oh, and the Apple family cellar survived, so I could even break out a little bit of my ‘special’ apple cider to sell. After all, she considered, her family had to get money to raise another house, barn, and replant all of the orchards.

While thinking over just how many bits that might cost to preoccupy herself from worrying, she peered over the edge of the chariot, watching the fields slowly pass underneath her. Applejack heaved a heavy sigh and sagged a bit, then straightened quickly, eyes looking up at Celestia. She didn’t wish to distract her highness from finding a solution by making her think she wasn’t at one hundred percent.

All of the optimistic thinking had only reminded Applejack of all the work that needed to be done. An entire orchard gone. Poof. Just like that. Most of those trees had been older than me. Consarnit, a whole darn century of work, destroyed… I’m going to be owing Apple Strudel and everypony else a huge I.O.U. after this… Apple trees took a long time to grow, and it looked like Sweet Apple Acres would be selling more corn than anything in the near future.

“Is something bothering you, Applejack?” The voice of Celestia interrupted the orange mare’s train of thought, and it was only then that she realized they had been flying in complete silence ever since they left the library.

Applejack looked up, prepared to confess that she was stuck thinking about how her home had been destroyed. That the place where she grew up was just a leveled field of smashed apples and broken trees.

Rather than bring up the fate of her home once again, she answered with something simpler. “Nothin’,” she said. “Nothin’ at all, Princess.”

Celestia gave a sentimental look to the mare but decided not to press the pony. If she needed to speak her thoughts, Celestia knew, then she would.

One of the pegasi whistling overhead and around them came closer than the rest. A couple of the guards moved to bar the newcomer’s way, but flew aside when it became clear in the luminous moonlight, that it was Rainbow Dash.

Celestia and Applejack immediately took note that she was alone.

“Rainbow, you have been gone a long time, did something happen?” Celestia regarded the pegasus with a consoling look, failing to hide her concern. She already suspected the worst.

Rainbow panted, sucking in heavy breaths, her mane was matted against her brow from exertion. “I-” She fluttered alongside them, her forelegs resting on her hind ones while she caught her breath. “I looked in every group I could find, P-Princess.” A cough escaped her. “She wasn’t at home, either, I couldn’t...find Fluttershy.”

Applejack felt her face and expression sink as if on cue. Every part of her honestly wanted to cry a little, or a lot right then. It wasn’t just from the wind blowing in her face, either. Her thoughts flashed across everything that had happened in such a short amount of time, namely, her world tumbling down around her.

Celestia took flight and moved for the exhausted speedster. “You’ve done very well Rainbow, please rest.”

“B-but Princess, Fluttershy!” Rainbow protested, while she was at the same time hovered into the chariot by the royal equine’s magic. Applejack and Rainbow both stared up at her.

The Princess’ wings flapped slowly, a sharp contrast to the smaller pegasi mares and stallions around her. The sensation of the magic keeping her aloft could be felt by everypony present, even the lone earth pony. “I already sent word to the search parties, Rainbow, and the guard searches for her even now along with the other Elements. There is nothing more we can do but continue to look ourselves, and you need your rest.” A final smile punctuated her words, signifying clearly that that, was that.

Rainbow’s worried expression softened some, and she nodded reluctantly. “R-right.” She turned to her friend after the Princess faced forward again, their party still soaring towards the Everfree. “So, AJ, how are you holding up?”

Applejack looked down from the Princess flying beside them, whose radiance inherently brightened the night around her. “I’m doin’ just fine, Rainbow,” smiling reassuringly, Applejack put a hoof on her friend’s still heaving shoulder. It was clear the pegasus had been going all out while flying. “What about yourself?”

“I’m scared.” Rainbow spoke, too quickly from her perspective. She winced and leaned away some, putting her weight on the wall of the chariot. “I- I don’t know what to- Four of our friends- Where are they!?” After several attempts at starting to speak, she finally pushed out the simple, panicked question.

Princess Celestia peaked at the two mares from the corner of her eye, struggling to keep her own expression straight. She remained quiet.

Applejack frowned and looked at the chariot floor in thought, unable to come up with something to say just then.

A pegasus guardspony shouted that the Everfree was fast approaching.

Both mares looked up and ahead of themselves. “Ah dunno, Rainbow, but we’ll find out, together, alright?” She looked over, managing, somehow, to put on a confident, brazen look; the type that they always wore when facing the worst of the worst that chaos or anything or anypony else managed to drum up for them to fight. “Wherever those girls might be, we’ll find them.”

Rainbow stared back a moment, despondently, exhaustion still ringing her eyes and sagging her muzzle’s expression. She took in a deep breath of air though, and her trademarked, cocky grin appeared as if by magic. “You’re right AJ, we’ll find them, together.”

Their hooves slammed together, a gesture the two had perfected over the last two years, and could now do purely on instinct.

The search continued on, an hour passed, and then another, until Luna’s night was nearing its end. It seemed like the whole town of Ponyville was out looking. Everywhere, lights from unicorns not satisfied with the moonlight lit the greenery. Pegasi zoomed through the air at break-neck speeds, stirring up winds while searching on.

The calls of Rarity’s, Twilight’s, Fluttershy’s, and Pinkie’s names echoed across the landscape, only serving as a painful reminder that they were missing. For hours they flew, scanning the ground. After meeting up with another of the guard squads, they entered the Everfree and walked, instead.

The guards protected the party against anything that dared to threaten them, which wasn’t much.

After all, Celestia’s magic and light illuminated the forest for what was likely the first times in centuries. Her horn stretched the magic far, bathing every shadow in a magical glow. The ponies looked diligently, calling out, casting spells if they could, and not leaving a single stone unturned. Some of the guards even requested to look deeper.

At one point, Celestia’s party nearly walked into a patch of poison joke. Thankfully, Applejack spotted it before she took that one, nasty step that might have ended badly.

A pack of timberwolves had been heard, howling far off in the distance, and during that distanced howl three had attacked from their stealth. The howl had been a clever distraction, while the massive creatures sought to kill and rend the ponies treading through their territory.

What they faced off against was something akin to overkill, as the guard and Celestia all blasted them apart, dispelling the chaotic magic that held together the spiteful foliage.

Time wore on, and not so much as a yellow feather or tuft of pastel colored hair was anywhere to be found.

Before Celestia stopped to raise, she turned from the search and looked toward her immediate companions. Their voices were growing hoarse, and their throats sore from the several hours of tireless searching. “Applejack,“ The Princess turned from where she was seated upon a downed log, belonging to a tree long since dead.

The earth pony bit back the call for Twilight she had been about to try again. “Uh, yes, Princess?” She blinked her eyes, working out the bothersome weighty feeling they had.

“I believe it is in yours and Rainbow’s best interest to retire for the night, Applejack. In addition, after you both have rested, I wish you to accompany me back to Canterlot. Your family needs accommodations as well, and they will have them if they choose to come as well.” She held the obviously tired earth pony’s gaze in silence a moment, speaking again before the very easy to notice objection could come out. “Do not worry about the search. I do not tire like normal ponies, and I will be searching diligently well into tomorrow. Soon though, I will leave, and I wish you to accompany me. We need to get to the bottom of things.” Now, she let Applejack reply.

“Bottom of thi-?” Applejack began, nearby, Rainbow fluttered out of the trees, then spotted them. “But Princess, I thought we hadn’t figured somepony’s behind this yet. We don’t even have any clues. Can’t they still just be missing?” Her thoughts felt like sludge, running over the coarse ground that made up her memories.

“Yes,” the Princess spoke softly. “However, it is better to err on the side of caution. You’re right, we don’t have any clues, nothing. Were these simple disappearances, I believe there would be something, my dear Applejack.” Standing up from the log, the Princess strode over to a pair of the guard and began whispering to a guard.

Applejack furrowed her brow in thought over the words, concentrating on Celestia’s back. A hoof poked her side, turning, she met Rainbow’s magenta eyes, glowing in the ambient light of Celestia’s glow spell.

“What did the Princess say?” The pegasus turned her head, the mane atop it full of leaves, twigs, and in even more need of a brushing than usual.

I’m willin’ to bet my mane needs it even worse Applejack frowned, and faced forward again. “She wants us to leave soon, and after we get some sleep, go with her to Canterlot. My family, too. She says it will be safe there…”

Rainbow blanched, jaw dropping. “What!? What the hay, Princess!? We can’t leave the forest yet! Let alone Ponyville!”

The Princess in question was just approaching them both again, looking down with a concerned look at her subjects. “Rainbow, listen to me, please. You’ll do them both no good out here if you are at risk as well. You will be safe at the capitol. Meanwhile, the search will continue. Two more sets of eyes won’t make the difference.”

Rainbow bit her lip and sat back on her haunches, unable to keep her face from showing more sadness than she wanted. Her hoof came up and scraped at her eyes.

Celestia calmly looked between the two mares, and spotted the orange pony of the pair nodding off. “Applejack... I believe it’s time you returned to Ponyville, along with Rainbow. The guard will continue the search, and soon we’ll have fresh soldiers, specialized unicorns and trackers to help our efforts-”

Applejack’s jerked awake and shook her head. “But Princess, Ah can’t do that! They’re still out there! They could be lost... lonely... hungry, and in need of a heap of help. Ah can’t quit just yet...” Her eyes seemed to gain weight as she looked at the white princess in front of her. How long have I been awake for? Got up before the crack of dawn and… and...

Rainbow wasn’t keen on leaving just yet at all. “Princess, I’m fine to keep looking, really! I napped all morning before I went pranking with Pinkie Pie, honest. I’m good to go!” For good measure, she stood up on her hind legs and jabbed at the air a few times with her front hooves. Unfortunately, after the third jab, she nearly fell backwards, just a little unsteady.

Deftly catching the pegasus with her magic and setting her back on four hooves, Celestia held her worried look between the two mares. “Applejack, Rainbow Dash... you both need rest. I’m sorry, but you have to go back home. I will collect you before long, so please, rest.” She turned to the guards that had followed her, one in particular standing up tall. “Please, carry out what I asked, and escort them back to Ponyville, take the chariot. Be diligent, and be very careful. We still don’t know what could have caused this incident.”

“Yes, your highness,” the gruff stallion answered, saluting. Quickly, he trotted over to Applejack and whispered in her ear that it was time to leave. She gave a curt, half-asleep nod, and followed him, along with the hesitant weather mare.

Rainbow gave a final, conflicted look back at Celestia, then turned to go as well, hooves dragging.

Celestia stood by, watching them disappear into the thick of the woods which led to the township of Ponyville. She sighed, turned to the remaining few ponies there, and motioned them to keep searching. Quickly, her attention to the sky overhead, and she began readying herself to raise the sun. It was going to be a long day, but hopefully, they would find something.

The chariot flew Applejack towards the town, and landed in front of Sugarcube corner. A mass of guards were formed in the village square a little ways from it, which seemed to be their target.

Applejack was tired, and near the point where she herself was about to lose it. She had seen a few ponies lose their composure over the course of the search, but she remained steadfast... or so she hoped. Regardless of her appearance on the outside, on the inside, she felt like curling up into a ball and letting loose a torrent of sorrow. They had barely scraped the surface of the Everfree and they had searched for hours on end. She imagined that eventually, they would have to put the search on hold, and after that, she just didn’t know what would happen.

All the farm mare could think about was how terrible her friends must be feeling, what they might be going through on their own. They could be off in danger, hurt and scared in who-knows-where. Every moment she wasted was another moment she saw her friends suffering. And if Applejack was honest, that was the worst feeling she could ever get: watching as her friends drowned in misery.

“Ah’m sorry, what?” Applejack raised her head to look at Rainbow and the stallion that was apparently her ‘bodyguard’ for the night. The stallion was walking away slowly.

“He asked us to wait here just a sec-” Rainbow let out a massive yawn, practically stuffing her hoof in her mouth to try and quell it. “-second. Nuts to that, I’m gonna get a cupcake. I kinda... I just need something.” With that, the other mare trotted quickly into the nearby Sugarcube corner, overall looking worse for wear than usual.

Applejack stared after her in a daze, the weight of things making her pause and just stand still, hanging in the buzz of extreme tiredness. Rainbow… She thought.

Heaving a sigh from past the point of exhaustion, Applejack followed, and pushed open the door to be greeted by the friendly chime of a bell; welcoming fluorescent lights began attacking her sight from above. Despite the overall cheerful scenery of the store, nopony inside seemed to be in all that great a mood. Most were appeared to be resting up from the as of yet failed search, one that had gone on until the early morning hours. One mare in particular seemed more distraught than the others, and stood out.

Sitting in the corner with eyes black from crying with mascara on, the mare Applejack recognized as Rarity’s mother sat sullenly, staring hopelessly at a cup of coffee at her table. Applejack’s heart sank at the sight, realizing that somepony was taking it much harder than she was. And she herself was feeling pretty awful about the whole thing.

Before she knew it, Applejack had walked up to the crying mare, sitting across from her as delicately as possible. It took a minute for her to be noticed, but eventually, the mare lifted her head a little.

“Hey, sugarcube...” Applejack said. “Are you doing alright?”

The mare didn’t respond; she only shook her head slowly. Applejack realized that if she would speak, she would likely break down into an uncontrollable sob at the loss of her daughter.

“Listen,” Applejack started. “I know things look bad right now, and I completely understand your fear about all of this. But you have to stay strong for your daughter. You owe it to her to do that.” Rarity’s mother teared up as she stared at Applejack. “And nothing is for certain. For all we know, we could find the missing ponies within the day, and you could have your daughter back, making dresses and calling ponies “uncouth” until they all take showers on the spot.”

Rarity’s mother let out a small, weak laugh. Her voice was scratchy, but Applejack thought she might be a little bit better. Maybe she just needed a pony to talk to.

“And don’t worry about your daughter. I know Rarity better than most ponies know their siblings. She’s tough whether or not she wants you to think so. I’ve even seen her hold her own against a full grown manticore!” Rarity’s mother’s eyes widened. Oops, maybe I shouldn’t have told her that...

“Er, I mean, she can take care of herself... and you know that even if she couldn’t for some reason, she still has Pinkie Pie with her, hopefully. At least they were together last time anypony saw them. And if I know Pinkie Pie, then I can be absolutely certain that nothing bad is going to happen to them.”

The crying mare’s gaze softened, and a wave of relief seemed to pass over her. Before she knew it, a light smile graced her muzzle. “Thank you...” she said.

“No problem,” Applejack replied with a smile. “But honestly, I was just telling the truth. Your daughter is going to be okay, alright?”

“My-my daughter?” Her face paled and her eyes returned to their widened state. “MY DAUGHTER!” Instantly, she got up, knocking the cup of coffee she had been sipping to the floor.

Applejack reeled back. “Uh, what? Wait, what’s going on? What about Rarity?”

Rarity’s mom turned back to her, her face absolutely struck with horror. “Not Rarity,” she said in a panic. “I forgot all about Sweetie Belle! I need to go and check on her!” As quick as her hooves could carry her, the pink unicorn galloped out the door, which swung back and forth from the force of her leaving.

Applejack stared after her. Oh. Summoning up some remaining strength, she followed suit on instinct.

By the counter, a certain distracted cyan pegasus continued to eat a chocolate cupcake with passion fruit pink frosting.

In the street, Applejack quickly caught up to the unicorn mare, tired as she was, and galloped closely behind her. Despite the fact that they weren’t really close to the destination in mind, and she thought she heard that guard shouting at her from behind, they were there within two minutes. A record breaking time if Applejack ever saw one, all considering.

Upon arrival, Rarity’s mother burst into the front door of her daughter’s store/home. “Sweetie!? Are you here? Mommy’s here! Please say something!” The Carousel boutique was pitch dark, only the light from firefly street lamps illuminated the doorway.

Applejack searched the wall for a light switch, then clicked it. Gems illuminated in the ceiling, while Rarity’s mother continued to call out with no replies. “Mrs. Belle! I’m gonna check..the kitchen.” Applejack shook her head, barely even managing to say the words she had summoned up. Her hooves clopped into the neighboring room, and she immediately stopped dead in her tracks.

“Ooooooh” a moan came from in front of her, seemingly from...inside what looked to be a small container. Applejack furrowed her brow and stared at what seemed to be the source of the noise. In her exhausted state, she stood and listened, trying to figure out what it was. “Oooooh,” the voice called again.

“Sweetie Belle!” The shout from Rarity’s mother came from behind the farm mare.

Applejack had just enough time to sidestep before she was bowled over by the panicked mother.

“Sweetie Belle, oh thank Luna’s stars you’re alright.” Rarity’s mother dug her hooves into the container, and pulled out the hidden front half of a small, white coated filly. “What’s wrong? Sweetie Belle?” her mother asked the mass of white fluff held in her forelegs.

Applejack could see she was in pain, but it seemed to have something to do with her stomach. It was three sizes too big for the little filly.

“Ugh,” she said, her voice punctuated by a loud belch just a second later. “Too much... ice cream...”

Staying in the Loop

Chapter Five: Staying in the Loop

Rainbow Dash looked over and smiled at Fluttershy; it was a friendly smile, relaxed, but also warm. The other pony returned one just like it back to her.

“Thanks for coming flying with me, Fluttershy. It’s not like you to just come up this high and start soaring around!” Rainbow Dash shifted her smile into a cocky grin and looked around herself; the speed she was moving at was rather impressive, too. “Wow, and we’re really moving.”

Rainbow looked up again, expecting the typical, timid answer from her old flight school buddy, but instead received the same placid, gentle smile as before. A slightly confused look crossed her own face, but before she could speak again, the sound of nearby laughter and splashing made her ears twitch.

Down below, nestled beside a large grove of trees, was a small pond of crystal clear water. Both Rarity and Pinkie Pie were there, the two of them swimming and splashing at one another, laughing merrily.

Rainbow laughed, too. “Oh my gosh, is that Rarity down there messing up her mane?” She excitedly turned towards Fluttershy. “Hey, come on let’s get down there and join in, Shy! You aren’t afraid to get wet, are you?” A wry grin climbed up her muzzle.

Fluttershy smiled back, and blinked once, but didn’t respond otherwise.

Rainbow didn’t wait long, and shrugged, then nose dived towards the fun down below. “Come on, Shy, keep up!” Quick as a flash, her hooves touched down on the grassy embankment beside the other two of her best friends. “Rarity, Pinkie! Hi!”

Rainbow Dash waved, but strangely, neither of the other two mares waved back, or acknowledged her. “Hey, feather-brains! Over here!” she tried again, waving harder. Grunting, she scooped a hoof through the water and tried to get their attention by splashing them both. The water hit them square on, but again, neither turned towards her.

An impatient breath made its way out of Rainbow. “Alright, fine, maybe-” More movement to her left made her look over, and the sight of both Twilight and Applejack made her pause for a split-second. Twilight seemed to be mixing up a couple potions under the shade of a tree, which was pretty odd thing to do in the middle of a field, even for the egg-head, while Applejack was flying a kite of all things.

Rainbow wrinkled her brow up. “Applejack? And Twilight? Hey, are you girls all out here having a good time without me or Fluttershy?”

Twilight did something different at least, as opposed to the others. She stood up from where she was sitting in the shade before downing an entire vial of one of her potions. Rainbow Dash thought she looked satisfied with the concoction at first, until she froze in place and her eyes began to glow.

Alarm at her friend’s sudden distress sent Rainbow Dash into full alert. “Twilight,” she called in concern, taking a few cautious steps towards the frozen unicorn. “Are you-”

Twilight’s horn burst alight, emitting a blinding glow that interrupted Rainbow’s call and forced her to look away. She heard a loud pop, and when she looked back there was nothing but a smoldering ring of dirt in the otherwise grassy shade of the tree where her friend once stood.

“Twilight!?” Rainbow Dash shouted in alarm. She was ready to gallop over to the burnt crater, when she heard panicked splashing from the pond behind her.

Turning around, Rainbow saw air bubbles breaking the surface of the pond where Rarity was swimming just moments ago. Her eyes rested on Pinkie’s own shocked, frightened ones, just before she dove under the water.

“Pinkie don’t! I can help this time!” Rainbow cried too late to stop her. This time? Shaking off the strange thought, she turned around. “Fluttershy!” Fluttershy standing at the edge of Whitetail Woods, her back to everypony else. “Come on, Rarity and Pinkie need our- Where are you going!?”

Fluttershy didn’t even turn back to face Rainbow before taking off at a gallop into the woods, disappearing quickly into the brush.

Rainbow Dash stood there, stunned at her friend’s abandonment for a moment. Breaking herself out from her shock, she turned back to the pond, ready to dive in, but instead found the pond completely empty. Not a single drop of water remained there, nor did anypony at the bottom, for that matter.

Her mouth flapping open and closed uselessly. “Where’d they go?” she stammered in confusion.

Rainbow Dash started to hyperventilate. What’s going on!? What’s happening to all my friends? First Twilight, then Rarity and Pinkie. Fluttershy is gone, all that’s left is… “Applejack,” she choked out, turning to see the farmpony being dragged by her fetlock by a now out-of-control kite.

The wind was suddenly like a hurricane all around.

“No!” Rainbow yelled, as if her defiance was enough to stop whatever was happening. Without a second’s hesitation, she took to the air at a low altitude, making a beeline for Applejack, who was squirming and seemed to be losing her grip on the ground.

Despite going at full speed, and the fact that Applejack hadn’t been too far from her to begin with, Rainbow found herself struggling to catch her friend. The kite seemed to pick up speed and began to lift higher into the air. The farm pony was now dangling by the string as she stared back at Dash.

“Not you too!” Rainbow roared, putting everything she had into the beating of her wings. Something changed, and she was finally closing the distance between them.

There were only a few fleeting feet left between Rainbow and Applejack now. “I almost have you AJ! Just. Hold. On!” She reached out a hoof, only inches separated them at this point.

“Rainbow Dash, wake up!” a familiar voice called suddenly.

A large, midnight blue blur swooped down from nowhere ahead of Rainbow and Applejack, then vanished from sight.

Rainbow Dash found she was on a collision course with who was undoubtedly Princess Luna, and attempted to veer out of the way, or stop. Unfortunately, she tried to do both at once, colliding with her at full speed.

Rainbow Dash gasped and jerked her head upright, eyes searching around herself blearily. The feel of wind whipping her mane back and the movement of a chariot beneath her hooves reminded her quickly of where exactly she had fallen asleep—a one way trip to Canterlot.

A familiar, midnight blue princess was seated next to her.

“Are you alright, Rainbow Dash?” Princess Luna asked, her expression showing slight concern. “We apologize for our abrupt interruption, but when you failed to respond we thought it best to intervene. Your dream appeared… distressed.”

Rainbow blinked at the mare, still shaking off the sleep that called for her return.

Applejack peaked out from the other side of the lunar princess, the two of them wearing the same look. “Yah know Rainbow, if somethings botherin’ yah you should just say somethin’.”

Dash shook her head and leaned up. “No, no I’m fine. Just a… It was nothing,” she said, averting her gaze to the castle that had come into full view while she was sleeping. “Guess we’re here.”

Applejack scowled at Rainbow Dash’s obvious deflection and took note that Princess Luna seemed just as dissatisfied. “So Princess,” she started, deciding not to let Dash get to her. “We’re only gonna be staying here for a day or two while you and Princess Celestia work out what’s going on, right?”

Princess Luna looked straight ahead to the castle as they approached. “Perhaps,” she replied coolly. “As you know, we believe the Elements are being targeted. That is why we… I traveled to Ponyville to accompany you and allow my sister to continue her search of the Everfree, along with the guard.”

Applejack glanced over to Rainbow Dash, who was looking back at her. The anxious look on the other pony’s face said the same thing she was thinking. Who would be after us?

A rough cough escaped Rainbow’s throat and pulled Princess Luna’s attention her way. “Princess, who would have attacked us if that’s what this was?”

Princess Luna hummed thoughtfully in return to Rainbow Dash’s outburst. “Fear not, my sister and I are only taking care to prepare for the worst case scenario. We are unsure of what has truly transpired. What I speak of is mere speculation, at best.”

“Uhh…” Rainbow responded back, mouth slightly agape. That… didn’t answer the question. She was torn between pointing that out, or merely saying thanks and pretending to be happy with the response.

“Ah think she’s saying she doesn’t know what happened, so try not to worry ‘bout it too much.” Applejack offered, looking just as uneasy as Dash despite her understanding. “I can’t say it makes me feel any better knowing we don’t know anything, though…”

Rainbow Dash and Applejack both fell silent as the chariot touched down near the training yard of the castle grounds. Guards marched past the chariot in all directions, forming a perimeter for their arrival.

Princess Luna stepped off the chariot first and began whispering something to the closest guard. After a brief trade of words, she turned back to Applejack and Rainbow Dash as they hopped off the chariot, following.

“The guards will take you to your prepared rooms. I would take you myself, but there is much to do that I left unattended, and many questions that need answering.” Princess Luna gave a curt nod and turned to leave.

“Wait, uh, Princess?” Applejack raised a hoof up to stop the princess, blinking in mild confusion. “Shouldn’t we be helping you find them answers you mentioned? Also… you never answered my question,” she pleaded.

Princess Luna paused, then offered a warm smile. “And what question is that, Applejack?”

Applejack coughed, not wanting to overstep her bounds. “How long are we gonna have to stay before we can get back to searching for Twi’, Pinkie, Rares, and Fluttershy?” She kept her expression determined, despite things.

Rainbow Dash stepped forward from behind Applejack, just as intent to hear that particular answer. “Yeah, Princess, we can’t just leave the search to everypony else. How long until we can get back out there?”

Luna’s smile faded while she looked between them both, remaining quiet while she appeared to consider something. “Like I mentioned before, Celestia and I have no idea what has happened yet… The best I can offer you, is that your stay will last until we know more. If there is some force targeting you girls, it is best you are kept safe.”

The courtyard was quiet for a moment except for the shuffle of hooves from the guardsponies and the clink of their armor.

“But-” Rainbow Dash scowled at the ground, biting her lip and trying not to object.

Beside her, Applejack’s expression shifted from surprised, into contorting in an effort to stay calm. She settled with clenching her eyes shut to maintain her silence, considering something of her own to say.

Sighing, Luna took a few steps back to them. “My apologies… to both of you.” She sat back on her haunches and placed her hooves on one shoulder each. “It can not be easy to stand by and do nothing.” Her voice was heavy with emotion as she spoke. “But until it is certain you are not in danger yourselves, it would be unwise to allow you to return to the search. Please, be patient. When we have answers, and when you can help, I’m sure my sister and I will come to you, as always.”

Rainbow Dash and Applejack looked at one another at nearly the same time, each of their faces reflecting the same sort of helplessness. By the time they turned back, it was too late to say anything more.

Princess Luna turned and trotted a few feet away, before then taking to the sky. Her form silhouetted in the moonlight until it vanished into the night’s sky.

A guardspony approached them, stating something official sounding. Neither of them paid much attention, and simply followed him when he was finished talking. The princess’ had a plan, and Applejack and Rainbow both wanted to be trust them.

Dash let out a depressed sigh that Applejack couldn’t help but notice.

“I’m none too pleased about this either, Rainbow, but...” Applejack paused, searching for some words of encouragement.

“It’s for the best?” Dash finished with a grimace. “That’s a load of parasprites and you know it, Jack.”

“I told you not to call…” Applejack inhaled deeply and released the breath after a few seconds. “Just you watch, Rainbow. The princess’ will have this sorted out in no time. Just you wait.”

Rainbow Dash didn’t respond, staring down at her hooves as they trotted into the castle. Applejack didn’t have anything she really wanted to add either, so they continued on in silence.

Six Days Later

Applejack turned from one side of her bed, then tossed to the other. It didn’t matter which wall she was staring at, the same sort of anxiousness and eagerness to do something remained. But in Canterlot, there was nothing for her to do, and she had been doing a lot of nothing lately, besides a lot of waiting, that is.

The room she occupied aggravated her to no end. It’s big and cozy alright, but it don’t come even close to feeling like… like home. That alone made the spacious accommodations feel alien and unpleasant to her, to say nothing about how fancy they were.

Applejack lifted her head with a sigh, staring with a frown at the one slice of home she did have with her.

Over on the desk were several letters from each of her family members, each written and detailing the process of rebuilding Sweet Apple Acres. Distant relatives from all over had come in to help. But I’m stuck here, in Canterlot, where I can’t hammer in even a single lousy nail.

Beside her letters, were more letters… These were from other families though, all wanting to know about their missing daughters. There were two letters from Rarity's parents, two letters from Fluttershy’s parents, three from Pinkie’s parents and sisters each, and nearly a dozen letters from just Twilight’s parents and brother.

Applejack gave them a sad frown, nearly regretting having volunteered to Princess Luna to be the one to answer them. The correspondence was already sent, though, and she was happy to know her friends’ families would at least be in the loop, even if the news wasn’t good. Hiding the truth would only make things worse, either way.

Her head fell back on one obnoxiously frilly pillow with a pomph. It’s bad enough that I’m stuck here, not able to put myself to good use… But this whole situation is unbearable with absolutely no news about the girls! She frowned, thinking hard about what to do.

According to the guards, it seemed Princess Luna was in charge for the most part around Canterlot, while Princess Celestia was out in the world, apparently flying from city to city. She had come back to Canterlot a few times in so many days, but never stayed for long, no doubt set on solving the mystery of what was going on.

Applejack was grateful for that, but not so much the part where none of the news got shared. Why aren’t they including us? Who cares if we’re a target, they’ve depended on us before. She couldn’t figure out any sense over it.

There wasn’t a peep about Rarity, or a sliver of information concerning Twilight or the others from either of Equestria’s rulers, and when Applejack tried to find out, they would reply there was nothing to share.

There were whispers and rumors aplenty from the guards and maids, about dragons migrating for no reason, strange stories from distant lands, and all kinds of other chaos.

Applejack let out a groan, sat up, and jumped off the borrowed Canterlot bed in one smooth motion. “I gotta go talk to the princesses… again. This is ridiculous.” Her entire body felt like it was filled with pent up energy, and that was energy that should be getting put to good use. She trotted swiftly over towards the door, hesitating slightly before opening it.

“Now where the hay is my… oh, right…” Applejack patted mournfully at her head, unhappy to find that her stetson was not in its rightful place, nor would it be. The family heirloom had disappeared thanks to a certain weather anomaly. Instead, she hastily just made do with fixing up her hair as best she could. Without her hat, the longer blonde hair Rarity had talked her into trying out got in the way even worse. I’ll get a manecut right after I get some answers…

Applejack all but kicked her guest room’s door open, which was impressive considering its size. She wasn’t about to stop for anything or let her talk herself out of facing down some royalty. However, her outthrust chest deflated a bit at the sight of something, or rather, two someponies waiting just outside.

A pair of guards stood by at attention. One was a unicorn stallion with an off-white coat, and girly enough features to give any mare a run for her money. The other was a bulky earth pony, big enough to match even Big Mac; his coat was a dull, chestnut brown. Both turned to stare with a quirked eyebrow a piece.

Applejack stared back blankly, mind unable to drum up anything decent that resembled words. Tarnation, I keep forgetting these two are always out here. She had never needed anyone to guard her before, but for some reason the princesses had thought it necessary to have two of the guard tailing her around everywhere she went.

“Ah, howdy, fellas,” Applejack finally greeted, then cleared her throat. “I’m just gonna go for a walk… If ya’ll want, you two can just stay here.” Already moving down the hallway, she gave them a grin over her shoulder that was hopefully a convincing enough form of persuasion to get them to do what she wanted. “You know, and not follow me around?”

The guards looked at one another, then quickly trotted up to fall in line, rather than remain where they were. Of course, they didn’t speak up, being silent as most of the guards usually stayed.

“Or not…” Applejack sighed, and rolled her eyes. “I really wish you two would just stay put. I don’t need ya’ll protectin’ me inside the castle.”

Ignoring her, the bulky stallion spoke up first. “Where will we be escorting you, Ms. Applejack?” He trotted just far enough behind Applejack that she would need to either stop to speak to him or look over her shoulder.

Applejack kept facing forward. She didn’t resent the two for doing their jobs, but it still got under her skin that they followed her wherever she went.

“Ms. Applejack?” the guard repeated.

They wouldn’t keep me from talking to the Princesses, would they? Applejack peeked from the corner of her eye at the earth pony, unable to recall his name. “I’m going to go see Princess Luna,” she answered simply, then jerked her head forward again. “I need to find out if there’s any news about the girls.”

The sound of armored and bare hooves ringing on tiles filled the hallway; eventually, Applejack spared a look behind herself again to find the guards were still there, they just hadn’t answered. Well, that works for me. Now I just gotta-

“Hey, hooves off, jerk!” Rainbow Dash’s voice, both heated and cross, echoed around the hallway walls from around the corner, interrupting Applejack’s train of thought successfully. “Come on, I was just going out to stretch my wings! That’s not exactly a crime, you know?”

Applejack sighed, then increased the speed of her trot, taking a slight detour past the hallway leading to the royal quarters, and continued until she reached a balcony at the other end of the guest rooms. She found the scene playing out there to be exactly what she expected it to be.

Rainbow Dash was hovering in mid-air, back to one wall, and had two frowning mares in golden armour facing her down. Both of them sported wings of their own but only one was a normal pegasus. The other had a pair of wings decidedly more bat-like in nature.

“Miss Element of Loyalty, please,” beseeched the bat winged mare with a dull blue coat and a tail to match. “You mustn’t go out like that under any circumstances without letting us know. You’re lucky we saw you through the window-”

“I have a name you know! It’s Rainbow. Dash. Rainbow Dash, and I already told you to use it!” Rainbow crossed her front hooves indignantly and scowled with a dark expression at the two other ponies.

“We apologize, Miss Dash, but we are only-” The pegasus, a mare with cream-colored wings had begun another protest, but received a cyan hoof before her face for the trouble.

“And another thing,” Rainbow went on. “Nopony said I couldn’t leave, and if they did… well, nopony told me I couldn’t take off for a bit.”

The irritation rolling off the backs of the two guards was almost palpable. The pegasus, a golden tailed mare with a light blue coat scoffed and hovered nearer to Dash, which for anypony else except maybe the princesses was an ill-advised move.

The bat pony looked to be on the edge of snarling. “Look, Miss Dash, for the tenth time, the princess has us under strict orders to not let you out of our sight, or out of Canterlot. You can go wherever you wish in the castle! But with everything as it was explained to us, you would be helping a great deal by just, sitting, put.”

Rainbow Dash’s answering growl, which was a bit like a timber wolf’s as far as ferociousness, carried down the hallway walls.

Applejack sighed and trotted up beneath her old friend—who was no doubt feeling pressured from being cooped up—ready to step a hoof into things. “Hey, Rainbow, come with me, would you? I’m going to see Princess Luna to check on things again.” Defusing the confrontation shouldn’t be too hard, but with Rainbow Dash, nopony would hedge bets on whether she would calm down or not.

Rainbow Dash looked down beneath herself with a surprised widening of her eyes. “Oh, hey, AJ. Yeah I’ll come with.” Just like that, the hostility she’d been showcasing a moment ago had melted. “I’ve been meaning to ask her something else I thought about.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow, very much aware of the other ponies all listening to her conversation intently. “Something else? Well, alright, let’s go-”

As she turned, her own guards were standing just in her way.

Applejack frowned, moving to go around them hastily. “‘Scuse me, pardner-”

The prim unicorn of the pair stepped over, getting in her way. “Miss Element of Honesty-”

“Applejack,” Applejack corrected with a sullen look. Her ears bent back as well, getting ready for round two, it looked like.

The guard went on, visibly hardening his expression. “Applejack… you should return to your quarters. I understand that we weren’t expressly commanded to keep you under house arrest by any means, and we’ve been over this. But you would be doing everypony a service by just-”

Applejack interrupted the long winded stallion before he could keep on going. “Now listen here, pal. Things are right messed up all across Equestria right now from what I hear, and I’m fully aware that Rainbow and I are priority one to be protected since we can’t do nothin’ ‘Element of Harmony-like’ without the other girls. But, we gotta stay in the loop.”

She poked the guard in the chest, hoof thumping the metal plate. “Understand?” Her eyes narrowed, adding a final touch.

The unicorn stared back with a thin look of his own, likely not used to having his authority challenged, then slumped over some. “Yes, yes, clear like crystal, but if you would only listen to reason on this matter, I’m sure we could convince you both to go back to your rooms. The princesses are both quite busy right now with several national emergencies, I’ll have you know. You simply shouldn’t disturb them incessantly any more than you have to-”

Applejack raised a hoof and tilted her head back, cutting off the namby pamby looking unicorn with a scowl. “Now wait just a tick, pardner. You just said ‘both’ princesses. Are you telling me that Princess Celestia is back right this instant?”

The unicorn’s indignant look traded for a shocked widening of his eyes. His mouth worked silently for a few seconds before he managed to speak again. “I- Of course not, I merely meant to say-”

Rainbow Dash interrupted him next, swooping low. “Yeah, yeah, that’s a load of hay. Tell it to the hoof, chump.” Already flying backwards, much to the dismay of her own two guards, she was already heading down the hall. “Come on, AJ!” she called over her shoulder.

Applejack tilted her head in thanks to her two tag alongs, then galloped down the hall after her friend. She hoped they wouldn’t come too, but had no doubts they would just follow her no matter what she said or did.

The guardponies Luna and Celestia had around the castle were good at their jobs, real good, but she had never known they could be so bothersome either, least of all as foal sitters. They definitely took their jobs seriously, and it was annoying.

Applejack called out up ahead of herself, her hooves thundering down the hall at full tilt. “Rainbow, wait up! I don’t have fancy-smancy wings like yours, you know!” The other pony was already too far ahead to be seen, so Applejack was left to follow the tails of the two winged guardsponies trailing behind her.

Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash raced down the halls at half speed, at least, which was fast enough to make all the banners and hanging tapestries fly up and whip in the air as she raced by. Her thoughts, previously clinging neatly to irritated ones, now made way for what to ask the princesses.

I hope… I hope it’s something about one of my friends. Anything.

At each corner Rainbow laid back and slid, wings stirring up and slicing through the still air. Her hoof hooked a pillar and launched her down the next hallway at the intersection.

Sunlight streaming in from tall windows on either side of the corridor lit up the two ponies’ goal. Tall doors sat at the very end of the hall, standing proudly and declaring to any passerby that the ponies who used the room was none other than the rulers of Equestria. A sun was carved into the wood on one side, and a moon on the other.

If both Luna and Celestia were back, at least one of them would likely be here.

Applejack was further back, but spotted Rainbow before she completed the last leg of the journey. She had passed the two guards that belonged to her friend easily enough, what with them constantly stopping to fix things that had been knocked over or tipped by the pegasi’s whirlwind race through the castle.

Frowning, Applejack put on a final burst of speed in an attempt to arrive at roughly the same time as her friend.

Rainbow Dash burst through the doors of the private study, with Applejack just behind her. The two mares scanned the room quickly, prepared to take off should the room not hold the ponies they were intent on finding.

Instead, the light of the open fireplace at one end of the room greeted them, along with the surprised forms of the two regal sisters of Canterlot Castle, both with steaming cups of—presumably—tea. The sweet scent of cinnamon filled the air, and above the crackling sounds of the fire a faint snoring could be heard from a baby dragon napping in a small basket off in the corner of the room.

Both princesses appeared to have been indulging in each other's company before Applejack and Dash’s loud entrance. As far as well groomed royalty went, they seemed slightly unkempt, all things considered. Their impeccable demeanors were also off from their normal airs of nobility.

Princess Luna was postured proudly like always, but a slightly darker ring highlighted her eyes. It seemed like she hadn’t had a decent days rest in a while.

Princess Celestia had a similar and more noticeable ring to her sister’s, but what was more obvious was the fact that her hair looked slightly frazzled at the edges, despite its constant ethereal appearance.

“Princess,’” Applejack rushed a formal bow, speaking hurriedly. “Sorry for intrudin’, first off, but we came as soon as we heard you were back.” Behind her, she heard the four guards all clammer to a stop, one of them, probably the unicorn, panting loudly. They didn’t follow them inside, though, which she had expected. They were escorts, pushy escorts, but just escorts.

Rainbow Dash’s wings were fluttering hard against her sides, making it impossible for her to stay grounded, possibly either a result of possible news, or the fact she hadn’t been allowed to stretch her wings in days. “Yeah! Why didn’t you ask for us, err, princess? Is there any news about our friends? Are they-” Rainbow cut off, suddenly fixated on an odd sight, namely, Celestia’s mane.

“Princess,” Rainbow began, hiding a smirk behind a hoof. “Did you know you have, like, four quills in your mane?”

Princess Celestia blinked at Rainbow before giving her mane a curious look. “Oh, my goodness...” she muttered before plucking the feathers away with her magic. “I suppose this is what I get for neglecting my mane for so long… Luna, why hadn’t you said anything?”

A midnight blue glow of magic raised Luna’s tea cup to her lips where she sipped away absently, inspecting the ceiling at the same time. “My, did somepony add that gold trim to the ceiling’s filigree like I suggested or am I mistaken?”

A moment of silence passed while all eyes locked onto the innocent looking princess. The only sounds that remained were fire and Spike still slumbering peacefully until Luna turned and made a show acting surprised by their appearance.

“Oh! Rainbow Dash, Applejack. What a pleasant surprise!” Luna exclaimed with a smile. Despite the joking nature in which she dodged things, her voice certainly held a note of tiredness in it. “I was not expecting you so soon, but what luck. We, er, that is my sister and I, had just sent a guard to find you a moment ago.”

Both Applejack and Rainbow Dash shared a dubious look, before turning to stare darkly back at the guards. The party of four armored ponies had just arrived in the hall outside the study, and in time to hear Princess Luna’s declaration.

The two mares in the group shared similar, sheepish or apologetic smiles, while the unicorn stallion puffed a lip in a defeated pout. The earth pony stallion sniffed absently, seemingly indifferent, as if the discovery hadn’t changed anything.

Rainbow Dash took flight again, and hovered over to the door, an obnoxiously smug look over her muzzle. Pressing one hoof against the door, it swung closed slowly, while she used her other front hoof to wave them goodbye. Behind her, Applejack gave the stallion guards a disapproving frown, before tilting her head up and smirking proudly herself.

That’ll teach those nosey varmints, Applejack thought happily.

The door now closed and both mares silently content with themselves, they returned their full attention back to the royal sisters… almost.

“What’s up with Spike?” Rainbow Dash piped up, just before Applejack had a chance to ask about the news again. “It’s a little early for a nap isn’t it? And that’s coming from me.”

Applejack looked at a fancy clock hanging on the wall; it was around lunch time, in fact, and gave her friend an askance look. Spike’s sleepin’ habits aside, this is the second time she’s gotten off track. “Rainbow, don’t you think theres somethin’ a might bit important we should be askin’ right about now?”

Celestia let out a soft chuckle before stepping in and defusing what was likely to be another entertaining exchange between the two most competitive mares she had seen in decades. “Spike is fine, I assure you Rainbow Dash. He’s been so insistent on accompanying me on all of my excursions these last few days… His assistance in sending documents and important letters all across equestria has been invaluable, as well. However, I can not say I’m shocked at how determined he has been to help...” She smiled warmly at the baby dragon, trailing off and letting her tiredness show through for only the briefest of moments.

Luna offered a polite cough that snapped her sister out of the silent reverie, before picking up where she left off. “As for news…” She paused and looked over to Celestia, as if to ask permission for something.

After a confident nod was given by the latter, Luna returned her attention with a renewed vigor. “We believe we’ve found Miss Rarity and Pinkamena. They are both safe, but the situation is complicated...” She trailed off, but the room did not go quiet.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash gasped at the same time.

Celestia and Luna looked over the expressions of the two mares, and found the looks they were expecting. They calmly awaited the inevitable explosion of questions, celebrations, or both.

Rainbow Dash started a vertical climb as her wings started to beat faster than she was aware of, nearly touching the ceiling before exclaiming her delight at the top of her lungs. “Yes! They’re okay!” To both Luna and Applejack’s shock, Dash had tears running down her cheeks even as she whooped and hollered her abundant joy. “They aren’t gone… I didn’t let them die...” She whispered to herself low enough that she hoped nopony would overhear as she touched back down to the ground, an honest smile shining through her tears.

Applejack beamed at her boisterous friend despite herself. So that’s what’s been eatin’ yah? she mused having overheard Dash’s relief. Almost a whole week of mopin’ and bad attitudes because you blamed yourself for something nopony could be responsible for...

Applejack placed a hoof on Rainbow’s shoulder and offered a comforting smile, to which Dash immediately shrugged away from and began wiping away the tears as if she had no idea where they came from.

“Geez, AJ,” Rainbow began chiddingly. “Don’t get all sappy over a little bit of good news.” She turned her attention back to the Princesses who were sitting patiently and without any hint of annoyance. “So when can we see them?”

The mood seemed to take an abrupt u-turn as both of the royal sisters expressions turned dour, and both Applejack and Rainbow almost assumed the worst.

Princess Luna took note of Rainbow Dash’s darkening look and quickly interjected. “They are both alive and well, just… inaccessible to any immediate means of retrieval.”

Princess Celestia gave a curt nod before adding her own thoughts. “Luna has made successful contact with both of them through their dreams, and we are pleased to confirm they are both well, and safe from what they tell us…” She hesitated momentarily. An array of stifled emotions played across her face as if she wasn’t sure how to react to her own thoughts. “Beyond that, it would be best if Luna explained.”

“Sister,” Luna began tentatively, “perhaps you should retire for the time being.” Luna didn’t flinch when her sister shot her a look. “Please understand, I am more than capable of telling them what we have learned so far-”

Celestia cut off Luna with a raised hoof and pointed look. “I have no doubt in you, but there are a few things I feel I should be here for… as well as touch upon personally.”

Applejack sat back on her haunches and glanced back and forth between the princess’. Both of which were having a silent stare down for reasons that were far from lost on the mare with a larger family than she sometimes knew what to do with. Despite the impulse to urge a hurried conclusion, she held her tongue and found herself thinking back to one of her last arguments with Big Mac back home. Hehe, kinda puts things into perspective… Her thoughts trailed off and images of home played through her mind.

Rainbow Dash had just finished shaking off her inner tidal wave of relief and was doing her best to wait out whatever it was she found the princess’ in the middle of. Truthfully, she had only started paying attention again after the staring match had started. Is this how AJ and I look? she mused and stifled a chuckle at the idea of comparing Applejack and herself to the celestial sisters.

An exaggerated sigh left Luna’s mouth and she seemed to relent. “Okay, Tia…” she granted. “But as soon as we are done here, I wish that you would please get some rest.”

Celestia smiled brightly and nodded her approval before her expression changed to a mischievous grin. “Only because you asked so nicely, Woona.”

Luna’s eyes narrowed at this. She grumbled something under her breath that nopony could have hoped to hear, other than perhaps her sister who seemed hard pressed to suppress her amusement.

Both Applejack and Rainbow Dash were quick to hide their own smiles when the lunar princess turned to address them, suddenly more interested in the business than before.

“As my sister said, your friends are currently well beyond the scope of our reach. But they are indeed safe. I spoke to both of them at length. Rarity was more than eager to share what she knew of what has happened to her so-.”

Applejack did a doubletake in disbelief. She opened her mouth to ask something, but was beaten to the punch by Rainbow Dash in cutting off Luna’s explanation.

“How is it that you can’t bring them back if you just said you talked to Rarity?” Rainbow asked her question with a look of concentration, fighting to keep a scowl off her face. She wasn’t upset with the princesses, and didn’t want to look like she was, either. But, everything did put her on edge.

Luna blinked at Rainbow Dash for a brief moment before realization flashed across her face. “My apologies, it was such common knowledge before my time spent as Nightmare Moon that I often forget that few ponies remember my other duties as Princess of the Night.”

Rainbow blinked, an idea donning on her. “Wait a moment… “ she started hesitantly. “Back on the chariot, before the first night here in the castle… was that-?”

“Indeed, it was I, Miss Dash.” Luna nodded in confirmation. “As well as maintaining the moon and stars, I attempt to keep peace in the realm of dreams.”

For a moment, Rainbow’s face flushed and her eyes grew wide. Oh my gosh, I crashed right into her in that dream! “P-Princess…” she stammered. “I had no idea that was really you… And when I hit you, I- I am so-”

Applejack raised her voice. “You hit the princess?” she asked incredulously.

Rainbow looked over, eyes wide. “What? No! I mean, not on purpose, or while we were awake. We were asleep!”

Applejack’s brow furrowed deeply, not entirely sure she was following everything completely. Is she suggestin’ that she slept with the princess?

“Calm yourselves, both of you, please,” Luna broke in, and gave Rainbow a consoling smile before continuing. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. While I don’t approve of what that particular nightmare may have suggested that you have been feeling, I do hope that the news today would assist in putting your mind at ease.”

Applejack looked between her friend and the princess, working through the bewilderment of the exchange. What in tarnation happened? Rainbow seemed to relax after a few seconds and whatever tension that had been building died away quickly.

Applejack took the opportunity to try and steer the conversation back on track. She thought she’d worked out the situation. “So, Princess, you’re sayin’ you can chat with somepony by just trottin’ in on their dreams?”

Luna responded with a nod as well as a brightening look. “Miss Rarity and Pinkamena’s were more difficult to find, however, which makes sense under the circumstances. From what I’ve managed to garner, they appear to be in another realm, entirely apart from Equestria’s.”

Applejack and Rainbow Dash stared blankly for a moment. “What the hay is that supposed to mean?” they both asked simultaneously, and shared look of confusion on both their faces.

Luna continued her explanation undeterred, if not at a slightly faster pace. “It means that they are no longer in Equestria. Or any other neighboring kingdom, if I understand the situation correctly. Rarity was unable to offer much in way of understanding what had happened, but did confirm she was safe for the time being. As well as in the company of someone with a limited understanding of magic.”

“And what about Pinkie?” Rainbow Dash asked, a little desperate sounding.

“Before I forget,” Luna continued unbidden. “I have a message from Miss Rarity for the two of you. She asked I tell you both hello, and tell you that she looks forward to seeing you both again as soon as she is home.” The princess’ smile seemed bitter sweet and more than a little forced.

Applejack dawned an appreciative smile. “Thank you princess, I’m sure I speak for the two of us when I say that we would appreciate you returning the same message if you get the chance.”

Rainbow Dash nodded her head vigorously before adding, “Yeah, and tell her… that I’m sorry.”

Luna gave Rainbow Dash a sideways look. “I will pass the message along, but I told Rarity of your efforts, Miss Dash. I’m sure she is already well aware you did your best.”

Rainbow nodded in response but said nothing back and instead started to stare down at her hooves.

“As for Miss Pinkie Pie…” Luna trailed off and her brow furled in frustration. “She was most… excited to see me.” She regarded the cocked eyebrows and askance looks she was receiving from everypony including her sister and coughed to regain her focus. “When she stopped running about and exclaiming her happiness to see me, at least I think that’s what she was screaming… I was able to gather that she may be in the same place as Rarity.”

Rainbow let out some of her trademarked, raspy laughter. “Sounds like Pinkie alright.”

“So the two of them are together?” Applejack asked hopefully.

“No, but it is possible that they are in the same realm.” Luna offered. “A key similarity between their situations is that they appear to be in the presence of some creatures they both described as ‘Humans’. The coincidence of this is too large to rule out that they could indeed be closer to one another than either of them are aware.”

Celestia took this moment to take over the conversation. “That is all of what we know in their case. Both Twilight and Fluttershy are still unaccounted for. But, in lieu of Luna finding both Pinkie and Rarity in other realms, we are calling off the searches of the Everfree forest-”

“Whoa, hold on there!” Applejack started in protest, but was interrupted straight away by Rainbow Dash.

“Call it off? How can you do that!?” Rainbow asked accusingly. “We don’t know where they are. They could be anywhere!”

Celestia’s already distant look maintained itself through the direct words. She nodded once Dash finished her outburst. “That is the point, Rainbow... We don’t know where they are, but we do know where they are not. Both myself and the guard searched as much of the Everfree and its neighboring forests as possible, but did not find any sign of any of our friends.”

“B-But princess,” Applejack stammered out, “we’ve been cooped up in this here castle for a week! How is it that you ended up not findin’ anythin’?”

Celestia touched a hoof to her chin and frowned at a spot somewhere between her hooves. “As I said, there must not be anything to find. It’s very upsetting that there were no certain traces of Twilight or Fluttershy, but that isn’t to say we found nothing at all. Coinciding with the disappearance of more than half of the Elements of Harmony, are seemingly random phenomena that have appeared.”

Applejack remained silent, processing what it was she was being told. Rainbow, on the other hoof, looked as if she was about to say something else, but struggled to keep it withheld.

Taking a tired breath, Celestia did her best to press on. “There is an increasing number of magical disturbances cropping up around Equestria, and elsewhere. While most of them have only been brought up in rumor, my correspondents in the Griffin Kingdom have confirmed strange... somethings.”

“Magical…” Applejack muttered just barely loud enough for anypony to hear before she jerked up in sudden realization. “Princess Celestia, you think maybe it could have something to do with Twilight?”

Celestia smiled gently. “I see you came to the same thought I had.” She sighed slightly, shifting and refolding her hooves in front of herself before continuing. “It may be a possibility. I’ve sent some guards to the other occurrences around Equestria to investigate. You did say that Twilight was experimenting with some… talent enhancer? And her magic seemed more chaotic than normal.”

Applejack nodded. “That’s about right, she darn near left a crater in the library when she teleported away.”

“Indeed.” Celestia paused while she considered something. “Some of the magical residue at the site of Twilight’s disappearance is similar to that around… one of the closer occurrences that we investigated in Equestria. There isn’t enough evidence to say for certain, but there could be a connection.”

Rainbow took flight again, her wings beating too hard to allow her hooves purchase on the floor any longer. “Alright then! When do we leave?” She hovered in place with a solid look of determination.

Luna blinked a few times at Rainbow before answering slowly. “Rainbow, while it’s probable that Twilight is connected due to this information, it isn’t impossible that the residue was left by whoever may be behind the events at large. Do you understand?”

Rainbow’s wing beats faltered for a moment, but still kept her aloft. “Soo… what you’re saying is… Oh my gosh, the bad guy behind all of this could be there.” After a moment, her brow furrowed in determination. “But isn’t that a good thing? If the magic isn’t Twilight’s it’s the bad guy’s. It’s like a clue! We could go after them!”

Celestia hummed, and spoke up in reply quickly. “Either is a possibility, Rainbow. But, we still don’t know enough to know who it could be, whether this is an attack by somepony, or even something.”

A solid stomp brought everypony’s attention back to Luna, who wore a look of complete frustration. “My apologies…” She went on, ruffling her wings and composing herself. “Discord and Chrysalis have both been ruled out as possible culprits. One is still in exile and the other is still in the gardens. On top of that, my sister’s recent visit to Tartarus has shown no apparent breach.”

Celestia nodded along in assent as her sister continued. “Indeed. Cerberus was quite insistent that nothing and no one had made it past him.” She gave Luna a consoling look, before turning her attention back to Applejack and Rainbow.

Applejack hummed, mulling over the rather tricky information that was finally being passed along her way. “So this could be somepony we haven’t right come up against before,” she observed.

“Precisely,” Luna let out a frustrated sigh before lifting her hooves to her side and giving a shrug. “It also means we are unsure as to what is happening in so many different lands at once. Suffice to say, it is unlikely to be a coincidence.”

“I gotta agree with Rainbow then, Princess. When are we checking out these events that are cropping up?” Applejack shot an askance look between both of Equestria’s rulers, eager to hear the answer on this one.

After a brief pause, Celestia replied in a soothing tone. “Both my sister and I believe the two of you should stay here in Canterlot, Applejack, while we and other ponies investigate these problems with caution.”

Applejack nodded determinedly, even before she processed what had been said, then did a double-take. “Wait, what? Er, princess?”

“It is as she says, Applejack.” Princess Luna affirmed her words with nod. “You will stay here, under my protection.”

A long silence stretched out as Celestia’s words remained heavy in the air. Neither Applejack nor Rainbow Dash had any idea how to respond to the decision, despite all of the news.

Celestia’s expression held its motherly smile for a long while, but started to falter before long. The silence finally broke when Spike’s soft snoring broke into a loud snort and he began to stir.

“Gah! Giant three headed diamond dog!” Spike hollered in terror before collapsing back into his basket, out cold once again.

“Oh dear,” Luna sighed before closing her eyes and lighting her horn with its midnight blue glow.

Celestia shifted where she sat quietly for a few moments, allowing her sister to do her work. After the room slipped back into an unsettling quiet, she spoke up. “Is there something wrong?”

Luna’s eyes blinked open and her horn ceased its glow. “I- No, it’s nothing. I’m not very good at entering the dreams of other creatures, but Spike’s encounter with Tartarus’ guardian seems to have left an impression on him.”

Spike let out a contented sound before rolling over in his makeshift bed, his gentle snores a telltale praise of Luna’s work.

Rainbow lowered her raised eyebrow and faced Princess Celestia. She was intent on trying to change what they’d said. “So, you guys are going to keep looking into everything while we just stay here? Safe?”

Princess Celestia held the other pony’s stare a moment once again, then nodded. “I understand why that upsets you so much, Rainbow. Twilight and Fluttershy are all possibly in danger, and looking for them is no small task. But have hope, my little pony, please, in us, for us. Putting both yourself and Applejack at risk is not worth two more sets of eyes.”

Rainbow Dash sagged her shoulders, listening to the hard truth of things. “Yeah…” she muttered. “And I get why you want Applejack and I safe, but…” Her eye clutched themselves shut. “Everypony out there looking helps. I could search faster than anypony else!” After she raised her voice, she opened her eyes, wearing a slightly ashamed look. “Sorry…”

Luna and Celestia both looked at one another, then back to the remaining two Elements of Harmony.

Celestia spoke again first. “When we know more, Rainbow Dash, perhaps things will change… I know that isn’t the answer you want, but I truly believe your protection is important. After seeing what we could be dealing with, a creature capable of powerful magic and weather manipulation, your safety is a priority. The Elements of Harmony could once again be our only hope.”

Applejack and Rainbow looked at one another, one other’s dreary expressions mirroring their friend’s.

Luna picked up where her sister had left off, making a last attempt to improve the mood. “We will do everything to keep you both safe, and informed as things change, Applejack, Rainbow Dash. Rest assured of this, that while Celestia is learning more and dealing with things, I will be doing my utmost for you.”

The room was quiet again for a moment, with Applejack shifting her eyes wearily between Rainbow and the princesses, and the air feeling decidedly thick all of a sudden.

Rainbow let out an unsatisfied breath. “Alright… Thank- Thank you for everything, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna. I’m gonna go lie down and digest all of this…” She dropped back onto the floor and about faced before trotting to the exit.

Princess Celestia blinked, a little surprised by the abrupt change. “Oh, very well. I won’t be staying long, Rainbow. I leave for the badlands soon. I am afraid I won’t have time to meet with you again.”

Rainbow hesitated, craning her head around, but looking at the carpet. “Alright. Good luck, Princess,” she murmured, then kept going.

Applejack watched her as she went, giving both the princess’ one last uncertain look before following behind. “She’ll be fine,” she offered to both of the royal ponies, then smiled. “She’s good at bouncin’ back.”

The two sisters nodded each, smiling, though not without looking as though it took effort.

Rainbow pushed the doors open silently, and found hers and AJ’s irritating guards all standing at attention. The winged mares that had been personally assigned to her stood poised to fall in, as well as the earth pony stallion in Applejack’s group. The unicorn, however, seemed to have something on his mind, and was ready to share it.

“Well,” the unicorn guard started airily. “Now that you’re finished, will you both be returning to your-? Urck!”

“Stuff it.” Rainbow said flatly, after shoving a small decorative urn into the unicorn’s mouth from a nearby pedestal. Without stopping, she took off at a brisk trot down the corridor, her guards scrambling to keep pace.

Applejack began walking in the vague direction of her room, the remaining guards keeping pace silently… almost.

The unicorn eventually managed to dislodge the urn from his mouth with his magic, but rather than start up his original rant, settled for grumbling something under his breath, obviously offended by Rainbow’s choice of conversation enders.

Applejack gave the strap on her saddlebags one last tug before nodding in satisfaction. “That should do it,” she whispered to herself.

Celestia’s sun had fallen hours ago, and the guards would be changing shifts soon enough, giving her a small window of opportunity… or so she had thought, until she remembered who would still be waiting outside her door regardless.

“Aw, shoot!” she hissed quietly. “What am I gonna do about those two?”

A rapid tapping echoed around her room from the window on the far wall opposite her door. When she turned back to look, she could see a cyan hoof beckoning waving her over.

Quietly, Applejack hurried over to the window and pushed it open. Rainbow Dash was hovering just outside, a sly grin on her face and a pair of saddlebags around her waist.

“I don’t know about you,” Rainbow began. “But I don’t want to just sit around anymore. You in?”

Applejack’s face lit up with a grin of her own. She turned to her side to show off her packed saddlebags before she spoke. “Reckon we had the same idea...”

“Great!” Rainbow nodded her head towards the training grounds down below. “There’s a one mare chariot down there that was left out for repairs. I saw it today when I was stretching my wings.”

Applejack was already reaching her hooves towards her friend when those last words gave her pause. “Rainbow,” she said, a mock look of accusation on her face. “You haven’t been planning this for a while now, have ya?”

“Since the fourth day,” Dash replied without hesitation. She locked her fetlocks with Applejack’s, then eased her out of the window.

They glided down together slowly. Rainbow made sure to avoid any windows, instead staying close to the walls. She had learned her lesson to steer clear of those from earlier that afternoon.

The two of them touched down behind a storage shed a few hundred feet from the training ground’s proper.

Rainbow gave the surrounding area a quick sweep, before then trotting over to a large tarp. With a quick tug, the tarp pulled free to reveal a small chariot. It sat lopsided with one of its wheels propped up against the body.

Applejack went to work investigating the damage without a second thought.

“Hmm…” Applejack hummed thoughtfully. “It ain’t broken, but the lock pin that holds the wheel is missin’.” She put on a frown and turned back to Rainbow a little disappointedly. “Sorry sugarcube but… where’d you get that pin?”

With a satisfied smirk, Rainbow was, in fact, holding a wheel lock pin in her mouth. And something about her smile made Applejack suspect it was far from a coincidence.

Rainbow’s first response was to toss the pin over to Applejack, who caught it and immediately went to work getting the wheel back into place. “It may or may not have been broken only after I found it,” she chuckled. “I was barely able to hide the pin in a bush before somepony saw me. But that wasn’t until after I was halfway back to my room.”

Applejack let loose one last good wallop and the pin locked the wheel in place. “Gotta admit, Dash. This seems mighty well thought out for-”

The sound of approaching hoofsteps made both of the mares blood run cold. They weren’t very close, but they could both tell they were headed right for them.

Without a word, Applejack motioned for Rainbow to get into the back of the chariot. Dash complied and Applejack went to grab the discarded tarp. She grabbed a corner in her teeth, and with a snap, the tarp extended out and fell over their getaway vehicle.

Applejack had just barely climbed underneath the tarp herself when the hoofsteps rounded the corner of the shed.

Both Applejack and Rainbow Dash froze, holding their breath while the steps got closer, and then passed them. Even after the steps had died away, they continued to wait, until finally venturing a cautious look.

Rainbow Dash nosed her head out from under the tarp. “I think we’re good,” she said, and after a few good moments of looking.

Applejack’s head popped out just behind the other pony’s, and gave the surroundings a quick looksie. “Eeyup.” Not wasting another second, she quickly bucked the tarp away, then secured her saddlebags to the inside of the craft. “Hand me your bags and get yourself harnessed, Dash. That was too close for comfort for us to dally anymore.”

“Way ahead of you!” Rainbow had already tossed her bags to Applejack, who only just avoided catching them with her muzzle.

“‘o ‘ou kno’ ‘here ‘e’re ‘eaded, Dash?” Applejack asked, then set down Dash’s bags next to her own.

Rainbow looked up and over the side of the chariot, one eyebrow raised. “What?”

Applejack frowned, then began to repeat herself. “I said-”

“I’m just kidding, AJ,” Rainbow laughed, hooking herself up quickly. “And anyway, I’m pretty sure you already know where we’re going.” She double checked that her harness was hooked up tight as she spoke. “The princess’ mentioned that there was one of those magical whatevers somewhere in the Griffin Kingdom, so that’s where we’ll look first.”

“Do you think you can make that flight all on your own?” Applejack teased.

Dash looked back and scoffed. “Who do you think you’re talking to? Not only can I make that flight, but I’m gonna break a few records doing it!”

A confident smile on both of their faces, Rainbow barely had to get any momentum going before the chariot lifted from the ground. They stayed low at first, trying to avoid being sighted. But once they were passed the walls and over the city, Dash put caution to the wind and poured on as much speed as her restless wings were itching to provide her.

Applejack turned back and watched Canterlot grow smaller and smaller, until its size matched the view she knew from Ponyville.

Wait a second… Applejack took a curious look to the ground below them. “Dash, why are we over Ponyville?”

Rainbow Dash gave her friend a consoling look. “This is probably gonna be the last time we see our home for a while… I thought you might want to see it.” She gave a dry laugh. “I know I do.”

Applejack hesitated. Last time she saw her home, there was no home to speak of. She fought with herself internally for a long moment, until the longing in her chest won out.

Looking over the side in the direction of the orchard, the sight made her breath catch in her throat.

There weren’t nearly as many trees as before, but there were more than she had hoped to see. The debris of her old home was already gone, and in it’s place sat a new home. It’s roof was still missing and she could tell it had yet to be painted, but it looked only a few days work short of being livable. She turned her head a little to the side and could see the frame of a brand new barn standing proud where the previous one had been.

But, for her the last thing she saw was the most heart warming. Well I’ll be… Around the entirety of the property, were tents embroided with apple family cutie marks.

Applejack took a moment to absorb it all in. The letters hadn’t come close to describing how far her family had gone to support her.

The chariot suddenly banked and Ponyville started to pull away from her sight.

“Sorry, AJ,” Dash called back over her shoulder. “But we gotta keep moving.” She met Applejack’s eyes for a brief moment before facing frontward again. “I hope it was… was nice.”

Applejack let out a contented sigh and rubbed her eye with a fetlock, stopping a tear from forming. “Yeah… I reckon it was. Thanks, Dash.” She took a deep breath and fixed her attention on the horizon. “Let’s go find our friends.”

Author's Notes:

Ta-Dah! One brand spanking new chapter for Contrail! Long over due but I hope you all can just enjoy it. Again, I am not this story's original author, I am its new one however. And as such I plan on making it just as much a priority as if it were my own... 'cause it is now. It isn't entirely without it's original direction. The story has to stay on it's original course plus whatever me and Merlos think would be great. And trust me, we've had some awesome ideas so far. Sit back and enjoy the ride guys!

-Ludicrous Lycan