The topaz sun slowly began it's descent over Sweet Apple Acres, casting tall shadows across the now barren field. The entire village of Ponyville were holding a festival miles away in the mountains. Only two souls occupied this temporary ghost town, Applejack and Rainbow Dash. The country-esque pony stayed behind to pick this season's harvest of apples while her energetic friend wanted to help out on her own accord.
The orange colored pony finished filling up the last buckets. "Take these to the shed, sugar cube." She asked her hovering friend.
"Fine." She said simply, trying to mask her boredom and laziness to help a friend in need. She picked up the buckets and stacked them up on her back before trotting off to the barn.
Applejack relished the cool breeze blowing in from across the plateau. She took in a deep inhale of sweet spring air, sighing deeply. If she hurried, she could probably make it to the festival. Taking in another deep breath, she smelled something...burning.
"No...oh gosh, no." She staggered back before sprinting over the grass, up the hill, towards the shed.
She was greeted by Rainbow Dash, who was looking quite pleased at the hard work the two accomplished today. When she noticed her friend's terrified expression, her face fell. "What's up with you?"
"No time to explain, they're comin'!" The mare explained in a panicked tone.
The cyan pegasus held her ground. "I'm not moving until you tell me who 'they' are."
Applejack grimaced at the stubborn pony. "Hunters." She whispered.
"Uhhh...hunters?" She cocked her head.
The blonde nodded. "Yup, they're these nasty little gutter-snipes that try to destroy our farm every year." She wiped the sweat from her brow as the thunderous crashing of trees in the distance grew closer. These 'hunters' have no respect for any living thing. They only took pleasure in watching a village slowly and agonizingly die out. And in this case, destroying Ponyville's major food source.
Rainbow Dash was furious at her friend's negligence. "You're family fights these things every year, and nopony even bothered to tell us?"
The orange pony hung her head in shame. "The family doesn't even know about these buggers, only I fight them." She ignored her friend's agitated expression. "A few years ago, there was only a couple of the little rascals. No prob. But they multiplah, and this year seems like a big one."
The colorful mare pointed a hoof at Applejack. "That's lying A.J.! I thought you were the honest one!"
"Nopony asked! Besides, I could handle this mah-self!" She faced the growing choir of steady marches in a battle ready position, digging her hooves into the soil.
The persistent pony wasn't done yet. "You're hiding somethin' Applejack! Are you trying to prove something to someone?"
"No!" She snapped.
"Yourself?" Dash insisted.
"N-No!" The pony stuttered.
"What're you trying to prove 'Jack?" Her face was close to Applejack's.
The pony gritted her teeth and screamed, "That I ain't useless!"
Her outburst echoed into the distance, scaring ravens out of their nests and making a break for the sunset. She breathed rapidly while Dash was startled at her normally headstrong companion's revelation.
She took a careful step forward. "Why would you think you're useless?" She gasped, "Did somepony tell you that? Let me at 'em! Let me at 'em!" Dash flared her nostrils.
Applejack broke out of her battle stance, ignoring the sluggish yet still menacing march of hunters. "Quit kidden' yurself, sugar cube. I'm nothin'. You're loyalty, Pinky's laughter, Twilight's magic. Me? I'm just the pony with the apples." She forced back the prickling tears in her eyelids.
Dash kicked her hoof, knocking dust into the air. "What're you talking about? You're honesty!"
"Yeah? Well, who isn't? How many times have anypony outright lied?" She shifted the rim of her hat to cover her reddened eyes. Dash made no comment. "Just leave me, sugar cube. Let me do mah job." She slowly walked towards the nearing hunters, about to make her descent down the hill.
Dash stepped in the way. "Nuh-uh! I'm stayin' whether you want me to or not!" She stamped her hoof defiantly.
Applejack couldn't help but grin. "There's no other pony as stubborn as you, so I reckon it's useless sayin' no." She picked her slumped head up, showing her proud green eyes.
Dash stood tall at her friend's side, both feeling ready to take on the world. The final row of trees were effortlessly knocked over, and the league of at least two-hundred hunters were revealed. These creatures were at least four feet tall. They were crustacean, wearing dense black shells, scurrying on four spider like legs. They had no arms, thus using their massive bone crushing pincers to grasp foes. Some spat fire into the air, revealing incendiary abilities. The repulsive creatures shrieked as they marched towards the duo up ahead.
The pair was utterly stunned. Applejack never even dreamed of seeing so many hunters. Dash shook at the sheer numbers of these marauders.
"You can leave anytime you want, sugar cube. I won't mind, honestly." Jack gave a warm smile.
Rainbow shook her head and anxiously said, "No, I'm stayin'. I ain't gonna miss this!" She shifted from hoof to hoof, itching for a fight.
The invaders slowly made their way across the plantation with the ones up front burning the ground with their fire spit.
"Jack?"
"Hm?"
"I'm probably not gonna make it." She said doubtfully.
"Don't go sayin' that now! It ain't over till it's over and if you go, I go!" Applejack shifted her hat.
Rainbow Dash sullenly looked back into her friend's eyes. "I'm not sure what pony heaven is like, I never believed in that magic stuff. But, if it is real and this whole thing goes topsy turvy on us, meet me at the bar, drinks are on me."
Applejack beamed warmly. "You drink?" She said softly, the sunset making her orange coat glow.
In a way only Rainbow Dash could pull off, she snapped back into her carefree demeanor. "No, but I thought you would."
The apple-loving pony nodded in admission. She looked out at the horde of monsters and coolly muttered, "Make it an appletini." Her favorite beverage.
Dash snickered. "Of course." She had a feeling it was going to be an apple themed beverage.
The monsters started to ascend up the hill. The headstrong pony leaned forward, stretching her front legs out in a set position, which was mimicked by Applejack. The two charged down the hill, ready to take on the hunter armada.
Smoking ruins of hunters were scattered across the plantation. The few survivors retreated into the dark forest, like they always do. Ember flames licked the ground in several small patches, but none were out of control. The dynamic duo slumped against the wall of the Sweet Apple Acres shed.
Applejack breathing was steady as she wrapped a strip of gauze around the nauseating flesh wound sliced across her chest. The base of her four hooves were matted with dirt and hunter grime. Her right hind leg had a nasty scrape on the shin, as well as a scar on each knee. Jack's front legs were littered with bruises and severe burns, including a ring around her upper left arm from when a hunter tried ripping her arm off. Her chest donned a small cut and minor burn. The girl's face was mainly untouched aside from some dirt and her right eye beaten shut. Her other eye shed tears do to the excruciating pain she was experiencing. The brave pony's blonde hair was ruffled and ungroomed.
Rainbow Dash's multicolored mane was partially burnt at the end with the rest being tangled in dirt. She held a bruised hoof over her sliced eyelid while the other also shed several silent tears. Her once beautiful cerulean coat is now matted with grime and blood. Her entire back right leg had a massive open wound going from her flank to the meeting point of her hoof. The hoof on the opposite side was chipped, cracked. Dash's breathing was uneven due to a partially cracked ribcage. The mare uselessly fluttered her wings, many singed feathers being shed in the process
"We did it sugar cube...we saved the ranch." Applejack said in a strained voice.
Dash took a deep breath. "Did I do g-good?" She asked, still covering her eye.
It took allot of strength, but the resilient pony turned her head to the left. "Honestly...you did...good, pardner...I'm...I'm proud of you."
A single, gleaming tear trickled down the pegasus' muzzle. "Applejack?"
"Hmm? Huh?" She was starting to fade.
"Stay with me girl." Her weak voice held signs of worry.
"I'm listenin'." The earth pony croaked.
Dash hated saying gushy things like this, but this one time she'll make an exception. "You are...truly the bravest pony...I've ever met."
Tears streamed down her muzzle. "Thanks pardner...that means...allot." Applejack's breathing became more and more labored.
"Don't leave Jack." Dash struggled to stand up, letting blood leak out her eye down her face. Standing on three hooves with the fourth burnt being suspended in the air, she said, "I know what'll make you feel better." Applejack glanced up at her friend and smiled.
Rainbow limped over to Applejack's home, pushing the slightly opened front door with her face. She went into the kitchen and staggered over towards the wine cabinet. Biting down on the latch and pulling it open, Dash took out a margarita glass and set it on the counter. She opened up a bottle of dry and sweet vermouth and poured a little of each into the funnel shaped glass. She carelessly poured vodka into the rest of the glass, splashing some onto the counter. The last addition was a little bit of apple cider, which the pegasus added very tenderly.
The appletini was ready to be served. Rainbow Dash balanced it on her back and trotted out the house back to the the shed. Applejack was still sitting there, where she was left. The pegasus sat down beside her and set the drink down, careful not to let her scalded leg hit the ground so hard.
"I got that drink you like, Applejack." She smiled brightly. The beautiful sunset peaked over the mountain, giving the illusion of peace.
There was no response. "Applejack?" She wasn't breathing. Rainbow Dash's best friend in the world...was gone.
Several seconds later, Dash finally succumbed to her wounds as well, and died sipping the martini in honor of her friend.
"Ugh, where am I?" Dash asked groggily. A blinding white light shone in her face, blinding her. Her eyes became adjusted and what she saw was amazing. She appeared to be sitting on a cloud without even flapping her wings! And her wounds were completely healed as well. Where is she? The only things she saw around herself was a thick mist that supposedly went on forever.
Then she looked up at a very familiar freckled face. "Hey there, sugar cube." Applejack. She was standing on an elevated platform sipping an appletini through an orange curly straw.
Rainbow Dash stepped up the elevated platform next to her peach colored friend.
She whipped her blonde ponytail over her shoulder. "You're late," She grinned, "I thought you said you was payin'."
The blue pegasus chortled, "Still am. It's the least I could do."
The earth pony finished her martini, slurping every last drop. Right here, this is where Rainbow Dash wanted to be for the rest of her life, or in this case, her afterlife.
The End