Chapter 5: Confident Confiding
Even after Rainbow Dash's epiphany, she still had some things to take into consideration-like, how were their friends going to react? And how was she going to exactly win Pinkie Pie back?
Then another, more urgent, thought presented itself: What if Pinkie Pie didn't like her anymore?
It was heartbreaking to think about but worth the consideration. After all, Pinkie Pie hadn't acted towards her very kindly earlier and she had even already hooked up with somepony else!
Maybe Pinkie Pie didn't feel that spark when they kissed, which seemed impossible to her since it had been all she could think about the past few days. But maybe…maybe…
There were so many possibilities and all of them worried Rainbow Dash.
But then she remembered:
I'm Rainbow Dash.
Of course Pinkie Pie likes me! I mean, what's not to like? Once I tell her how I feel, she'll be so ecstatic she'll dump that Rosey Posey in ten seconds flat!
With this pep talk to bolster her up again, she ditched her 'Thinking Cloud' and started flying vivaciously to Sugarcube Corner.
I can't wait to see her face when I come flying in-she'll be so surprised; in a good way, of course.
Once Sugarcube Corner was in sight, she stopped just short of crashing through Pinkie Pie's closed window. She levitated in midair, peering in through the window.
Conveniently, Pinkie Pie could be seen inside, looking down at something in a crouched position.
Rainbow Dash thought she would just burst in but she couldn't seem to bring herself to do it now that she was actually there. So, she tapped the window in lieu to get Pinkie Pie's attention.
Attention granted, Pinkie Pie looked over in confusion. "Who…"
When she saw it was Rainbow Dash though, her expression immediately darkened and her voice came out again with a bite. "Oh."
Rainbow Dash indicated with her hooves to open the window and then crossed her forelegs in impatience when Pinkie Pie dragged herself over to oblige.
Pinkie Pie swung the window open with more force than was necessary, "What?" she snapped.
Rainbow Dash felt nervous sweat trickle down her forehead and she tried to hide the fact that she was nervous with a nervous laugh. But that only seemed to make things worse, if Pinkie Pie's irritated expression was any indication.
How can she do this to me, without doing anything at all? Rainbow Dash wondered to herself, frustrated with her mouth's sudden inability to form words.
Pinkie Pie caught onto Rainbow Dash's distress and her expression and voice softened considerably, "Dashie, you okay?"
"Dashie, you okay?"
Suddenly, Pinkie Pie's voice was echoing in Rainbow Dash's head; am I okay? How do I answer that? Oh, why did she have to ask such a hard question!
When she started making unintelligible noises, a poor attempt at responding to an actually fairly simple question, she realized she couldn't do it. Not now. Not like this. Not with Pinkie Pie staring at her curiously with those piercing blue eyes…
She had to get out or she would die.
"Uh-um…err…bye!" she hightailed out of there, leaving a blinking and nonplussed Pinkie Pie behind at the window sill.
~Not too soon after~
What was I thinking? How could I be such a featherbrain?
Rainbow Dash was rebuking her actions as soon as she had fled the scene but she also knew it was the right thing to do. She had been disconcerted with how everything had unraveled so quickly. Obviously, she had greatly underestimated the extent of Pinkie Pie's power over her.
And she absolutely abhorred it.
Nopony should ever have the influence to make me stutter. Nopony should compel my knees to go weak just by looking at me. Nopony should be granted the right to engender these feelings inside me without my consent.
And then, just like that, a light bulb switched on over her head; figuratively speaking.
Wait…it doesn't have to be this way. I don't have to confess to Pinkie Pie; I don't owe her anything. I should take these feelings and mold them into something else entirely.
Rainbow Dash, revived with the thought of losing her annoying, sentimental feelings for Pinkie Pie, strove forward through the air with eager wings, beating away at the air that threatened to drag her down. But she would not be grounded. Not by Pinkie Pie; not by anypony. She was flying solo.
But she knew her idea wasn't going to be easy to execute. But she would have done it eventually; and then these feelings wouldn't be a problem.
~Hours Following~
"Ah thank ya kindly again for helpin', Rainbow Dash." Applejack said, loaded down with two baskets situated on the sides of her back. Together, she and Rainbow Dash were carrying bushels of the most ripe and juicy apples to the farmhouse for the Square Dance Party. At first, Rainbow Dash was surprised to see Applejack back to work so soon after her encounter with the cougar, but the farmpony had said she'd already gone to the hospital to check for a concussion, to which she'd tested negative, and the minor injuries she had obtained were merely sore now.
Besides, there was no way she was going to let herself get behind on her chores.
"Usually, Twi would be helpin' meh wit' it but she's been busy tryin' to organize the whole shindig."
"Right," Rainbow Dash was out of breath, but she wasn't about to let Applejack know this. They had been at it for hours now and she really would have preferred flying, instead of walking, with the baskets but Applejack logically concluded that the apples would fall out. So now Rainbow Dash wanted nothing more than to fluff up a cloud and take a nap. Besides, she thought Applejack must have been winded by now, too.
They had finally made it to the farmhouse and finished dropping off the apples in the now empty baskets.
"Whew," Rainbow Dash sighed in unrestrained relief.
"Aight, let's go an' get more," Applejack announced, already on her way back to the orchards.
Rainbow Dash felt she would faint with exhaustion, "Aw," she coughed "don't you think sixteen baskets is enough?"
Applejack stopped and turned, "We're talkin' 'bout a big party, Rainbow."
Rainbow Dash sighed again, "But I'm tired." she whined.
Applejack chuckled, "Ya can take a break if ya want. Ah was surprised ya even offered to help in the first place." Without looking back, she continued on her way to get more apples.
It was true; Rainbow Dash wouldn't usually be helping Applejack importing apples to and fro but she figured she might as well. She had nothing else to do and she didn't want to be alone with her thoughts.
Rainbow Dash started scouring the sky for a cloud to nap on when she suddenly realized she had an opportunity to ask Applejack for advice. She had to start somewhere, right?
Why didn't I think of asking her earlier?
"Hey, AJ!" Rainbow Dash called, galloping to catch up with her again. "Wait up!"
Applejack, in all her southern civility, turned to stop and wait for Rainbow Dash when she had heard her.
"Change ya mind?" Applejack asked, surprised Rainbow Dash hadn't already taken off.
"Actually, I need some advice," Rainbow Dash explained and they both started walking calmly side by side again, as should every occasion of walk-and-talk carry out.
"Aight," Applejack said, letting her know she was all ears.
Rainbow Dash then tried to think of a way to phrase the question but it all came out weird in her head. Then again, the question itself was weird.
"How do you…" she bit her lip in uncertainty, having second thoughts.
Maybe Applejack isn't the pony to ask for this kind of advice…
Said pony was still waiting for her to complete the question, "Uh…?" she prompted when she realized Rainbow Dash wasn't saying anything.
Well, too late now.
"Uh…do you have any…suggestions on…" she trailed off, her gaze still absent-mindedly searching for clouds. Thankfully, the clouds were normal again and didn't resemble Pinkie Pie in any way. She guessed it was because she had finally admitted to herself that she liked her or some poetic symbolic thing like that.
"Rainbow? Ya there?" Applejack wondered, waving a hoof back and forth in front of her face.
"Oh." Rainbow Dash blinked at the sensation of being fanned. "Yeah, sorry."
"Well?" Applejack was quick to get back to the point.
Feeling she would lose the nerve if she thought about it for too long, Rainbow Dash finally managed to ask it, "How do you ….how do you force yourself to hate somepony…somepony you really, really like?" she whispered.
Applejack looked over at Rainbow Dash in shock. "Rainbow…" she started, but then she saw her face.
She was serious.
Applejack sighed, ho boy.
"Rainbow, ah don't figure ya can hate a pony ya like." she spoke earnestly, trying to catch Rainbow Dash's eyes but the pegasus avoided her probing gaze. Applejack continued, "It just don't work that way..an'..an' who do ya like anyway?" she asked with a burning curiously. Applejack had never would have guessed Rainbow Dash would actually, sincerely, like another pony; that is, not in that way. She was tough as nails, and to like somepony you had to show tenderness and vulnerability.
None of which Applejack associated with Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash sighed miserably, "I can't tell you."
"Aww, Rainbow. Ya can trust me; ah ain't gonna laugh, ah promise." Applejack persisted gently, offering her support by firmly resting a hoof on her shoulder. Both ponies stopped their gait.
Rainbow Dash stared at Applejack's extended hoof that was supposed to comfort her. But, really, it just made her think about what would happen if she told her the truth. Would she drop her hoof back in disgust? Would she simply tell her to never bring it up again?
Would they even still be friends?
Rainbow Dash closed her eyes to block out Applejack's anxious face.
Which turned out to be a bad decision on her part because now she kept picturing all the worse scenarios' in her head.
But, it eventually came to the fact that she needed to tell somepony; she couldn't keep it bottled up anymore.
She opened them again, having come to a decision. "You won't…think of me any less?" she asked quietly, observing a green caterpillar unhurriedly crawling to the other side of the dirt road.
"Of course not; liking somepony is a good thing, Rainbow Dash. It can even develop into love, if ya let it." Rainbow Dash subtly flinched at the word "love", not that Applejack noticed.
"It ain't nuttin' to be ashamed of." Applejack finished assuredly but Rainbow Dash shrugged her off, resuming their walk again.
"But, Applejack, I don't want these feelings." Rainbow Dash remonstrated, her ears drooping, "I hate them; they make me feel so out of control. And I don't think the pony I like, likes me back anymore."
"Maybe if ya told me who it was ya fancy, ah could be of more help." Applejack suggested slyly.
Rainbow Dash still wasn't sure…it was bad enough she had told the cowpony she was crushing on somepony…now she had to tell her who it was, too? She was especially concerned because the pony she liked happened to be one of their mutual best friends.
But Applejack would never tell anypony; we've been good friends for a long time now. She isn't judgmental and would understand more than anypony else.
Rainbow Dash scrutinized Applejack's freckled, hopeful face and stared into her warm, eager eyes.
She wants to understand and she wants to help.
Rainbow Dash gave in with a defeated sigh, "Fine…it's...Pinkie Pie." She muttered, feeling her whole face heat up in the process.
"What's that? Ah can't hear ya." Applejack fussed, leaning closer. "Speak up, sugarcube."
Rainbow Dash sighed through her dropping orange forelock again, "I said…Pinkie. Pie."
When she heard the words out loud though, why did it sound so loud, she wished fervently she could stuff them back into secrecy.
Because she realized, for the first time, how ridiculous it all sounded. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash.
She didn't look over to see Applejack's reaction. She just kept walking.
A competitive pegasus with a dream that warranted control and a hyperactive earth pony with a party addiction that had no control. Where did that all come together?
Soon, she figured out that Applejack had stopped walking; she couldn't hear her accompanied hoofsteps anymore.
And still Rainbow Dash kept walking.
Thanks for the support, Applejack. So, tell me, is it still "nuttin' to be ashamed of"?
Rainbow Dash laughed bitterly to herself and eyed a decaying log up ahead, mentally declaring it as her launch pad.
And now she was running.
She was running and she could feel the confounded, stupid tears leaping from her eyes and flying through the wind. And she left those tears behind. She hoped she would leave them all behind.
She pushed herself so fast she almost slipped and, when she was a split second from passing the log, she diffused her wings and let them catch the wind. Then she soared.
And she hoped she never would have to leave the sky again.
.
"Rainbow Dash! Come back!" Applejack hollered again, straining her neck to catch a glimpse of the pegasus. But she had already disappeared among the clouds.
"Awwhh no…ah shoulda said something sooner." The cowpony said to herself with contrite, stamping her hoof in frustration.
"Ah gotta find her." She told herself and started pumping her legs forward again with renewed purpose.
~Elsewhere~
Pinkie Pie was in the woods again.
She knew it was a poor choice on her part-she knew the risk. But she didn't care. Not at this point. She was beyond caring.
And right now she was singing softly to herself for her own amusement and comfort; or maybe she was just torturing herself by singing a melody that had lost its charm.
"If I had you, life would be a party it'd be ecstasy," she murmured forlornly, her steps slow and deliberate-an enormous contrast to her signature hop and skip. "Yeah, if I had you," she continued with her gaze downcast. "Then money, fame, and fortune never could compete."
She suddenly came to a standstill and sighed, "If I had you…" she whispered one last time again, somber.
She stood there for some time, feeling sorry for herself and aching inside.
Why did I have to-?
And then her tail started twitching erratically, startling her from her reverie. She gasped when she felt the tremors judder her whole body and turned to her tail accusingly, glaring at it. "Twitchy twitcha twitcha twitch." she observed and then looked up where she expected something to fall from the sky, wishing she had her rainbow umbrella hat to protect her head. Or any umbrella hat, for that matter. The colors, rainbow, had nothing to do with it.
Sigh.
But, contrary to her tail's prophecy, nothing dropped from the sky. She didn't hear a crash of tree limps, cracking and breaking under the weight of a falling object, either. It was safe.
But Pinkie wasn't going to take any chances, of course. So, she sought out a rock sufficient to hide under.
And that was when she heard a low growl.
Pinkie Pie reacted by jerking up as soon as the sound had reached her ears and then proceeded to check her mental files for what the sound could have been.
When she finally recognized and registered what it was though, she almost laughed out loud. She almost exploded into a fit of giggles, actually. Because it was so funny; she had tempted fate one time too many and now the same cougar from before would finally kill her for it. But she held it in, whether because her instinct told it would provoke the animal or she simply had lost the heart to laugh.
The low growl was followed by the sound of crunching leafs and twigs snapping.
Heh, the Element of Laughter…losing the heart to laugh, heh.
The growl came out again but this time it was more drawn-out; as if it was trying to give her a head start by warning her of its presence. As if she wasn't already aware there was a cougar behind, waiting to pounce her.
And then she could hear it creeping closer, ever so slowly and carefully.
Pinkie Pie gulped but she still stood her ground stubbornly. She wouldn't even turn around and face it.
Then the cougar finally seemed to realize she wasn't going anywhere; that this pony would not put up a fight or run.
But it knew the chase was always the best part of a kill. The sound of a heart rapidly beating in suspense, and the smell of desperate fear in the exhausted & nervous perspiration; it always was the best part.
Perhaps this pony only needed a little… 'encouragement'.
The mountain lion yowled as loud as it could, a yard behind the pink pony with the crazed mane & tail.
And afterwards, just as it expected, the pink pony bolted into a full blown canter.
And the cougar eagerly preceded the game of follow the leader.
~Applejack~
Applejack had been searching for the runaway pegasus for thirty minutes now and was still coming up empty. Meanwhile, inside she was drowning in her own guilt.
With every chance in between her searches, she would remind herself that it was her fault. Rainbow Dash had needed a friend and came to her for advice-out of all the other ponies. And she had reacted badly.
And now she beat herself up for it and suffered through the worst onslaught of compunction she'd ever felt.
Aw, Rainbow…please come back. Please.
Suddenly, a high pitched shriek attacked her ears and caused her to halt in place.
Who…? Was that Rainbow-no. Rainbow Dash doesn't scream like that. It sounded more like…
"Pinkie Pie," Applejack said aloud, recognizing the scream from this year's past Nightmare Night. That darn pony's gone an' gotten herself in trouble again.
Applejack sighed; frustrated she wouldn't be able to look for Rainbow Dash anymore but also worried for her friend. What have ya done now, Pinkie?
She started off into the direction she heard the shriek from and hoped it wasn't anything serious to be concerned about.
~Pinkie Pie~
Pinkie Pie was just recovering from her fall from the cliff.
She had been running from the cougar, having come to the conclusion she didn't want to die, and praying fervently to Celestia that she might run into Fluttershy. She would have known what to do... But still the cougar had followed close behind. And, looking back on it, she realized the cougar had just been playing with her. It knew it had the advantage, it knew it was faster and stronger. But, to make the hunt more fun, it chased her at a pace that wouldn't surpass her own.
Still, she had run as hard and fast as her legs would allow and eventually trekking up hillocks, her usual happy energy and speed useless in such a drastic and dire situation.
But, no matter how hard or fast she pushed herself, she could still hear the puma pursuing her, never far behind.
Just when Pinkie Pie was on the brink of surrender, she found herself at a precipice. Just like her dream; only this time there was a cougar on the prowl and it wasn't night time.
She had gazed down the cliff's face to see what awaited her below and gulped; it was a loooong fall down and the big, pointy rocks at the bottom hadn't looked very welcoming.
When the cougar had finally located her, she knew the fun was over. It was going to kill her this time.
As the massive animal stalked forward to end her, she had started to instinctively back up. And then she remembered too late that she was at a cliff. And she stumbled…slipped… and fell.
The cougar had leaped forward, attempting to swipe her before its dinner had fallen to her death. But fall she did; just as her twitching tail had predicted.
Pinkie Pie had let loose a shriek she didn't know she was capable of vocalizing as she fell and…hit a solid surface.
So, now she was on a ledge with a width that, thankfully, accommodated for her own and was protruding ten hooves below the cliff's edge from where she'd fallen.
She was grateful she had survived with minor scrapes and cuts. She was grateful the cougar had finally left with one last scornful look. But the situation wasn't any better, really. She was an earth pony stuck, with no way to get back up to the upper level ground where Ponyville lie.
She had started, as anypony would do, to call out for help in the hopes a pegasus was nearby and would hear her.
She also hoped that, if any help came, it wouldn't be Rainbow Dash.
~Applejack~
Applejack was beginning to feel she had made a mistake.
Maybe it wasn't Pinkie Pie ah heard…
She had gone in the general direction she had heard the outcry from but she didn't get far; there were too many possibilities of where it could have come from.
She knew she hadn't heard it from Sugarcube Corner or anywhere in the center of town, really. It actually sounded like it had originated from Sweet Apple Acres-but that wasn't right. She would have known if Pinkie Pie was there-unless she had just come to visit since she had left to go look for Rainbow Dash.
Point is it wasn't a lot to go on.
But then she heard it again, only this time Applejack could make out words.
"Somepony help me!" was the distant shout she heard, carried on by a breeze.
And it was definitely Pinkie Pie's voice.
"Ah'ma comin', Pinkie Pie!" Applejack automatically yelled back assuredly, even if she didn't know if Pinkie Pie could hear her from so far away, especially since she was upwind.
And despite the strong wind, Applejack stayed true to her word, starting a steady gallop back to Sweet Apple Acres where she had mentally pinpointed as the area where Pinkie Pie's pleas for help emitted from.
"Ah'ma comin'," she repeated softly, just to remind herself of the reality of what she was about to do; placing her life in possible danger to save Pinkie Pie… again.
~Pinkie Pie~
Pinkie Pie had been calling out for succor so long now that her normally reliable vocal cords were starting to fail on her. She blamed the wicked wind that threatened to push her off the ledge. It was putting her on edge, literally.
"Oh, please, somepony…" she murmured hopelessly, curling in on herself for warmth. Not only was the wind powerfully fierce, it was freezing cold.
I don't remember my dream being so chilly willy…
Soon enough, her body forced herself to shiver to keep warm; Pinkie Pie had almost mistaken it for another of her Pinkie senses acting up.
"I'm so cold, I'm shivering…" she acknowledged aloud to herself, squeezing her forelegs against herself as tightly as a strait jacket. Even her already mussed up mane shivered in the wind, flopping unevenly to one side of her face.
She didn't even bother pushing it out of her eyes, she just let it settle there while she tried to think of a way to get out of this situation, minus anypony else's help.
Arggghh….all I wanna do is sleep…
Pinkie Pie tried to get comfortable on the cool slab of rock so that she could take a short nap when she heard a familiar voice speak out:
"Pinkie Pie? Pinkie Pie, where are ya?"
"Ap-Applejack! I'm here!" she cried out in relief, already scrabbling up from her laid back position. "Down here!"
"Pinkie?" she could hear Applejack's voice coming closer, "Pinkie Pi-oh." And there appeared Applejack's head, leaning down over the edge of the cliff to stare at the earth pony in confusion and then mellow exasperation. "Aw, Pinkie Pie…"
Pinkie Pie smiled sheepishly up at the cowpony, "You see what had happened was…"
"Hold on, Pinkie Pie! Ah'll be right back wit' meh rope." Applejack interrupted, and then she was gone from sight.
"No! Applejack, come back!" Pinkie Pie protested, and then she sat back down to pout when she realized she wasn't going to come back. "Don't leave me alone…"
If possible, the wind got worse, swirling in big eddies around her, and Pinkie Pie's exposed pink skin erupted into more shivers. And then goosebumps. "Bumpity bump bumps," she gasped, and rubbed madly at them with her hooves, to somehow make them disappear. She hated when she got gooseflesh.
Disgruntled, she clung to the side of the cliff as close as physically possible, ignoring the sharp contours biting into her cold skin. In her desperate situation, she was basically asking a rock to show mercy and somehow radiate heat to keep her warm and goosebump-free.
And then, with no progress in her favor, she began to whimper tearfully.
~Rainbow Dash~
It had been a while of flying through the air, dancing with the wind and teasing clouds as she had zipped past them, and finally Rainbow Dash was sure she had eluded her tears. In fact, she had even managed to forget about the whole ordeal that had gotten her so upset. So, she decided to give her fatigued wings a well-deserved rest and settled down on a plump cloud.
She sighed contently as she snuggled into it, desensitized by the wind tugging playfully at her loose feathers.
It couldn't have reached the five minute mark into her snooze when Rainbow Dash's ears picked up the sound of …weeping? One of her roseate colored eyes fluttered open but all she saw was the endless expanse of sky. But still…her ears would not let her sleep; they were trying to alert her to a disturbance…down below.
Rainbow Dash huffed in annoyance and reluctantly got up on her legs. She shook herself off a little and then craned her neck to investigate what was down below to hopefully discover the source of the weeping.
And then she felt her jaw drop.
Pinkie Pie…what is she doing out here?
She studied the pink pony that was huddled up on a ledge and waited before confirming to herself that it was, indeed, Pinkie Pie who had been making the noise.
Is she…crying?
Rainbow Dash felt something inside of her being pulled towards Pinkie Pie and instantly the phrase "tug at your heartstrings" came to mind.
Greaaat, the pony I'm supposed to hate needs rescuing and all I can think about is how cute she looks.
This was a perfect example of why Rainbow Dash was starting to wish she didn't have feelings at all; they were too bothersome to try and understand. Life would be much easier if she could just flip the off switch on them and live as a stoic for the rest of her life.
And yet...
Rainbow Dash sighed in bitter defeat and abandoned her comfy cloud to fly down atop the cliff. She had a little difficulty angling herself correctly however, since the wind couldn't seem to make up its mind on where exactly it wanted to shove her.
Once she had finally overcome one of Mother Nature's most overwhelming elements, she stared below at Pinkie Pie again. The pink mass trembling in the breeze was still oblivious to her presence so Rainbow Dash used the time to try and come up with a cool entrance.
But all she could think of was: I got to get her out of here right now before she catches a cold.
Rainbow Dash finally resigned to simply swooping down and making sure her landing was loud enough to wake Pinkie Pie from her stupor.
Pinkie Pie turned her head away from the cliff she had been embracing and stared at the pegasus that had suddenly appeared before her. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash tried not to gawk at how beat up Pinkie Pie looked and...was that a bruise?
"Uh, hi," Rainbow Dash finally greeted her lamely.
It wasn't like she had been expecting Pinkie Pie to run over and hug her lovingly. No… but she at least expected somewhat of a relieved smile…maybe? A small rejoice?
Instead, Pinkie Pie stood up and said monotonously, "Hi, Rainbow Dash," and had worked up the nerve to glare daggers at her.
Then again, Rainbow Dash thought, maybe this would make it easier to hate her.
They stared at each other in silence and Rainbow Dash waited for her brain to come up with something to say.
But Pinkie Pie was the one to shatter the silence, "So, what are you doing here, Rainbow Dash?" she practically spat out Rainbow Dash's name, as if it were poison.
"Uh, here to rescue you? Duh." Rainbow Dash answered with outstretched wings in emphasis, chuckling tightly.
"Oh, but that won't be necessary, but thanks for your concern. Bye-bye now." Pinkie Pie replied coolly, waving a hoof in mock farewell.
Rainbow Dash blew out an exasperated breath, put off with Pinkie Pie's attitude.
"Yeah? And just why would it not be necessary? I don't see Twilight's hot air balloon anywhere."
"Because I don't need you-Applejack found me here first and she'll be back soon to rescue me." Pinkie Pie said matter-of-factly and then suggested pointedly, "Why don't you go off and practice your Wonderbolt routine."
Rainbow Dash felt her eyes unconsciously narrow down and her whole body quake with a heat wave of anger, which had overpowered the small part of her that was hurt at Pinkie Pie's words.
She would not let Applejack be the knight in shining armor. Not again.
"Pinkie Pie, don't be ridiculous. Just let me help you." Rainbow Dash argued, reaching out a hoof for Pinkie Pie to take, whether she wanted it or not.
Pinkie Pie practically turned her snout up at Rainbow Dash's hoof, as if it were contaminated. "No." she refused, her stubbornness shining through.
In response, Rainbow Dash's blazing eyes narrowed even further. "If I have to drag you to safety, Pinkie Pie, I will." Rainbow Dash threatened, leaning close.
"Ugh, why won't you just leave me alone?" Pinkie Pie suddenly shouted, in unison with a frigid, skirling gust of wind that battered Rainbow Dash back to the rim of the ledge and sent her mane & tail flying in all directions. Rainbow Dash stared in shock and spooked awe, as if Pinkie Pie herself had summoned the air currents to attack her.
Why is she being like this? Why did she even kiss me if she hates me so much? What do I have to do to-
And, just like that, she knew what to do.
Rainbow Dash took a breath and mentally prepared herself for what she was about to confess. "Because I-" And then, of course, she was cut off from a sudden, ear-splitting snap and instantly the whole world seemed to shake, as if it was experiencing its own episode of Pinkie Sense.
Pinkie Pie gasped in astonishment and Rainbow Dash had, on an impulse, flown out into the secure air, just as a dead tree crashed down from above.
The wind-scourged tree trunk stretched out across from the cliff to the other side of the gap and made a rotting bridge, saving itself from a devastating plummet down to the river & menacing rocks below.
But Pinkie Pie had no use for the bridge, not now that she was stranded on a ledge ten hooves below.
A ledge that suddenly gave in…
Pinkie Pie screamed as the ground beneath her hooves disappeared and she descended down, flailing her hooves wildly as she did.
Rainbow Dash didn't even have to think on how to react-she immediately dived down to save Pinkie Pie. Her Pinkie Pie.
The wind whistled jarringly through her prismatic mane and she reached out her hooves toward the ever looming pink pony screaming their head off. Rainbow Dash would have already caught her by now except she was being cautious to dodge the thrashing limps that might accidentally knock her out, which she knew to be quite liable to happen-even for a Wonderbolt.
Her tongue found its way out of her mouth in her concentration and then her adrenaline-powered brain realized a simple solution.
Rainbow Dash was quick to put her plan to action and sped past the falling pony, not giving thought to what the airborne Pinkie Pie might be thinking of this.
Once Rainbow Dash had surpassed Pinkie Pie, she immediately strained her wings to turn around right side up again. And then, with Rainbow Dash's empty forehooves extended, Pinkie Pie abruptly landed into her forelegs, bridal-style. Just as she'd planned.
Rainbow Dash had never caught anypony falling in midair in such an awkward position as this before, specifically with her forelegs acting as arms, and she was proud of herself for executing it successfully. She was also impressed with herself that she could maintain it as long as she was.
All her boastful thoughts melted away though, when she heard Pinkie Pie mewling softly and her teeth chattering. She looked down at the pony enfolded in her forelegs, confused as to why she was crying.
"Pinkie Pie…? You're safe now." Rainbow Dash tried to assure her, eyebrows arched in concern.
But the pink pony kept on with her little sniffles and then she suddenly sobbed, "Rainbow Dash!" and burrowed her head into the pegasus's chest.
Rainbow Dash grunted in her effort to keep them afloat but then took notice of how nice it felt to have Pinkie Pie's head resting there.
I could get used to this, Rainbow Dash thought pleasantly and tightened her grip on her. Pinkie Pie continued crying into her chest, though Rainbow Dash couldn't fathom why. Still, she let Pinkie Pie unleash her tsunami of tears as long as she wanted. At least she wasn't yelling at her anymore...
And it was then, listening and watching Pinkie Pie cry her heart out, that Rainbow Dash knew she couldn't make the feeling she held for her stop, and could never bring herself to hate her. Not ever. Not this pink, dainty, wingless angel.
As the high-velocity wind continued to blow through the two ponies, causing them both to shudder in acknowledgement of its cruel nature, the tip of one of Pinkie Pie's mane's curls started to lightly brush against Rainbow Dash's nose and the tickling sensation made her softly giggle.
But, as much as Rainbow Dash liked having Pinkie Pie cuddled up in her aching forelegs, she had to let her go.
She settled them down onto the stable, safe ground and carefully set Pinkie Pie on her rump, though she was met with much protest.
"Don't leave…" Pinkie Pie pleaded, clinging to Rainbow Dash with her tears dripping off her quivering chin. "I'm sorry."
"I won't, don't worry." Rainbow Dash promised, dashing the tears away with a gentle sweep of her hoof. She had never seen Pinkie Pie cry like this before and, so far, she hated it.
Pinkie Pie leaned on Rainbow Dash's shoulder and Rainbow Dash nuzzled her comfortingly. At least, she hoped it was comforting. She wasn't very well practiced in the gesture and she was afraid she might just be jostling her.
But Pinkie Pie didn't complain so she must be doing it right.
They were interrupted though when a voice rang out, "Pinkie Pie!"
Rainbow Dash jerked back in surprise and embarrassment at being seen doing something quite uncharacteristic of her. Her expression changed, however, when she saw who it was…
Rose.
Rainbow Dash seethed at the sight of her loping over in long strides- needless concern plastered all over her face.
Pinkie Pie, however, turned toward the voice and away from Rainbow Dash, and gave a small smile when she saw who it was, "Hi, Roseluck."
Roseluck? …Oh.
Roseluck panted when she finally was beside them, and she took a minute to catch her breath. "Was…so…worried."
Pinkie Pie's smile widened, "Aww, you were worried for me?"
Roseluck nodded, "Of course." and proceeded to fondly nuzzle Pinkie Pie in the shoulder, completely unaware or unconcerned with the pegasus in their company.
Rainbow Dash froze when she saw this small display of affection and she felt her stomach constrict agonizingly tight. Not again…
Roseluck continued, "Applejack told me she found you-"
"Pinkie Pie!" As if on cue, Applejack was seen walking her way over as well. Walking because she was probably trying to avoid tripping over the rope loosely wrapped around her neck.
The ponies patiently waited for her to reach them and, when she finally did, she grabbed the lasso with her mouth and tossed it onto the ground at their hooves. "Well now…ah reckon ya didn't need my help after all, did ya?" Applejack concluded, smirking.
Pinkie Pie smiled unabashedly, any trace of tears gone. "Nope! And its allllll thanks to-!" Pinkie Pie finally turned to see that Rainbow Dash was gone; the only proof that she had been there was a single cyan feather lying on the ground.
"But-why-where did she go?" Pinkie Pie wondered out loud with a frown and plucked up the feather before the wind could claim it. She studied it intently, sniffed it, and then gasped in realization, "The feather's still warm, I'm not crazy!" she relayed to the befuddled Roseluck and Applejack with confidence.
Applejack was the first to shake it off.
"Wait just an apple-buckin' minute, Rainbow Dash was here?" Applejack asked, skeptical.
Pinkie Pie nodded, sitting down and clutching the feather close. "She was here and…and…she had saved me…and we…" she trailed off, lost in thought and at loss for words; something Applejack never thought she'd see from Pinkie Pie.
Roseluck stared at Pinkie Pie, perturbed at what she heard. "She did?"
Pinkie Pie nodded mutely, her mind still preoccupied with the past events.
Applejack looked around at the land dominated by hundreds and hundreds of trees, her sharp, green eyes seeking out any sign of the pegasus she'd wronged earlier. Meanwhile, Roseluck seemed to be thinking very hard on something.
"And now she's gone." Pinkie Pie suddenly murmured glumly, staring down at the feather she held gingerly between her hooves.
Applejack turned a sympathetic eye, "Aww, don't ya worry none, sugarcube. She'll be back before too long."
Pinkie Pie nodded mutely again but not looking the least bit at ease from Applejack's words.
Roseluck shivered from another blast of a cold air current, "Come on, Pinkie Pie." she said abruptly, nudging the pensive pink pony back on her hooves. "Let's go home."
"Uh…y'all go ahead, ah'll meet up wit' ya later." Applejack decided.
Pinkie Pie skimmed the wooded area one last time before she reluctantly left with Roseluck and the ruffled feather back to Ponyville.
Applejack waved the two ponies' goodbye and then gazed out suspiciously, "Rainbow Dash?" she called out expectantly into the woods.
One apple in the basket, two apples in the basket, three apples in the basket...
"What?" a voice growled, assumingly Rainbow Dash's.
Applejack bent her head around to see from whence the voice came, but she didn't see nopony. At least, nopony that was on the ground; they could be leering down at her right now, lounging atop a distant tree branch, and she wouldn't know it.
"Rainbow Dash?" she called again, more tentatively this time around.
A hiss of wind and a thud was heard precisely afterwards and Applejack leaped into the air in surprise.
"What do you want, Applejack? You come here to mock me or something?" Applejack heard the voice directly behind her this time and she whirled around to see a grim-faced Rainbow Dash.
Applejack briefly hung her head in relief and then attempted to berate the pegasus for her disappearing act earlier, "Rainbow Dash, ah been lookin' all ova Ponyville for ya! And listen here, ah know ya think ah-"
"Oh, I know exactly what you think, Applejack." Rainbow Dash broke in, an intimidating gleam in her eyes as she bared her teeth in a crazed grin. Applejack was about to comment on her strange tone but Rainbow Dash suddenly crammed her hoof into Applejack's mouth, preventing any words from escaping.
"But you know what?" Rainbow Dash continued uninterrupted and started to lean close, overlooking Applejack's frantic hooves digging into the ground in her panic. What is she doin'-?
"I don't care."
Applejack's struggles ceased at those three syllables; she could sense the most elated relief behind the words. And she now watched Rainbow Dash attentively with curious interest.
Rainbow Dash, seeing Applejack was compliant to listen, was content to elaborate. "I don't care because…because…because when I'm with Pinkie Pie, I can have fun and not have to worry about if the Wonderbolts will pick me as their newest member or not. I can forget about perfecting my moves and just live in the moment, with her."
Applejack's eyebrows turned down and she looked on with glinting, perceptive eyes. She tried to say something but her voice was muffled from Rainbow Dash's hoof and the pegasus declined her desire to speak her mind.
She wasn't finished yet.
"And… I don't care if you don't want to be my friend anymore, either. My feelings for Pinkie Pie are real and I can't just forget them. So, if you choose to end our friendship, that's your choice. But, I want you to know that I did try…I tried to make myself hate her…but I can't do it." Rainbow Dash rushed on, avoiding Applejack's beseeching gaze in the fear she might burst into tears if she looked at her.
Suddenly, Applejack started furiously shaking her head and Rainbow Dash finally uncovered her mouth and then looked off to the side meekly. Me? Almost suffocate Applejack? Nah.
Applejack took a gulp full of air, "Of course ah still wanna be your friend!" were Applejack's first words and Rainbow Dash's head snapped back at her, blinking in surprise. It was especially surprising to hear when one considered the way she had just rough handled her.
"But…"
"Rainbow Dash, ah don't care who you're sweet on; if Pinkie Pie makes ya happy, then Celestia's sake, ya should be happy wit' her!" Applejack exclaimed, offering a smile.
Rainbow Dash didn't smile back, "Well you might be okay with it but…what about the others?"
By others, she meant Twilight, Rarity, and Fluttershy.
Applejack sighed and then, despite her iffy thoughts, said confidently "Ah am sure they will feel the same; they're your friends too, after all."
Rainbow Dash still looked uncertain but she did finally smile, if not hesitantly, "Then I guess that just leaves one problem..."
Applejack raised a brow inquisitively.
Rainbow Dash sighed miserably, "Pinkie Pie doesn't like me anymore."
Applejack opened her mouth in objection but Rainbow Dash cut her short. "She's with another pony, AJ; the mare named Roseluck." Rainbow Dash gagged at the name.
Applejack now gave pause. Well…that would explain some things.
"But I'm going to try and get her back." Rainbow Dash broke into Applejack's thoughts and the two ponies stared at each other, one waiting for the other's approval and the other still trying to come to terms with this new chain of events.
Then Applejack grinned, "How can ah help?"