Oh, my gosh you guys! I'm so so so so so so sorry about not getting this to you sooner! This must have been suspenseful!
As I walked home, I thought about that diary entry. Rainbow Dash as young, sure, and quite adorable... But I wondered... What made her "cool"? Something happened to her in her lifetime... Was it teasing? Then, I gasped. Rainbow Dash had a dad. She mentioned that a while ago. She said he used to take her everywhere... But what happened? I frowned.
"Applejack?" I heard a high-pitched squeal. Pinkie Pie. Great.
"Hiya, Pinkie." I said, trying not to seem uninterested.
"Whatcha doing out of the hospital so fast? Is Applejackie all better-weddie? I mean, should I throw a party? No, that won't be good because Rainbow Dash isn't here to celebrate it. I mean, we couldn't have a-" I tuned her out, but I could hear her rambling. Just hearing Rainbow's name hurt me.
"Pinkie."
"-and then, we'd have to go in the balloon thingy and go grab her and-"
"Pinkie..."
"-and then we'd have to plan it-"
"Pinkie..."
"-and then we'd have to bring Rainbow back to that Dark River whatever thingy-"
"PINKIE PIE!" I had heard enough.
"...yes, Applejack?"
"I appreciate the kind gesture, Sugarcube, but it ain't necessary. Now, I don't want to talk about Rainbow Dash, or that... Place. I want to try to get my mind off of all of that." Then I made up my mind. "Ah'm going to Appaloosa."
"What? Why? Should I get the girls? Are we seeing Braeburn? Are we bringing another tree? Should we bring Fluttershy and her tree costume she was for Nightmare Night last year? ...nah, that's not a REAL tree. So-"
"Pinkie, I'm going by mahself, and I don't need any help. I'm not being anypony, or anything. Not even Apple Bloom. That's all. I just... Need some time to mahself."
"Oh. Okay." Pinkie's smile faltered for a second, then she smiled again, brighter than before. "Come back soon, alright? Or else we will have to come and get you like we did last time."
"Okay, Pinkie. I promise."
Pinkie just stared at me, her eyebrow raised. I looked back at her confused. "What?" She continued to look at me, not blinking. "Uhh... Oh!" I quickly did the 'Pinkie Promise'.
"Thanks, Applejack! I'll get Fluttershy to take care of Tank and Winona while you are gone!"
I smiled at her, then hugged her, and trotted towards home. Yeah, I'll go to Appaloosa. It seems like I need time alone to read that diary. I realized something, then quickly turned around. "Pinkie?!" I shouted.
"Yes?" She said, appearing next to me.
"Uh... How will Rainbow Dash know that I'm in Appaloosa?"
"I'll tell her, don't worry." The pink mare nodded, then ran off.
"Thanks." I said, calling after her. "Wait, how?" But she was already gone.
As I reached home, I unlocked the door, walked past my family, who was eating at the table, said a quick hello over my shoulder, then trudged up to my room. I sat on the bed, unpacked my stuff, and then lay back and fell asleep.