Rainbooms and Royalty

Roosting

Rainbow Dash flapped her wings as rode the warm morning air. Canterlot was still visible, but just a shape on the mountainside. Looking below she saw farmland and homes set out in a sprawl. She waved idly at the ponies below her, but none of them looked up. It wasn’t long before her stomach politely reminded her that she hadn’t had breakfast—or anything since last night’s disastrous dinner party—and if she didn’t so something about it her stomach would quickly become roommates with her backbone.

Unable to argue with a grumbling stomach, Rainbow Dash looked around for someplace where she could grab a bite. Seeing as she was flying over an enormous apple orchard she decided not to look a gift pony in the mouth and settled down in one of the trees. She found herself surrounded by the richest, fullest and most delicious looking apples she’d ever seen. Licking her lips greedily, she yanked an apple off the branch and tossed it up in the air, catching it and taking a bite in one smooth motion. “Hrrrrrm!”

Getting comfortable, she settled back in the branches and helped herself to a few more. When she was full she patted her stomach contentedly and belched. “Heh, no need to excuse myself for that here!” She smirked, feeling free from the confines and rules of Canterlot.

Rainbow Dash soon found herself drifting off into a bit of a nap. It wasn’t long before it was rudely interrupted by the tree shaking. “W-whoa!” She grabbed for the branches a split second too late as she tumbled out of the tree and towards a yellow-orange earth pony beneath her. “Look out belooow!” She cried.

The earth pony looked up and Rainbow Dash got to see her green eyes grow big as she fell. “Aw nuts.” The pony managed to get out before being flattened by Rainbow Dash.

“Oooooh.” Rainbow Dash groaned. The pony beneath her grumbled something. “Huh? What?”

“Gerroff!” The orange pony grunted as she bucked Dash off her. “Landsakes!” She groaned as she climbed to her hooves, cracking her back. “How’s a skinny little thing like you weigh so much?”

“Hey! For your information this is muscle and everypony knows that muscle weighs more than fat!” Dash protested as she also got up, flapping her wings to straighten them out. “Who are you anyway?”

“Ah’m Applejack and y’all ‘re sleeping in MAH apple trees!” She stomped her hoof. “This is Sweet Apple Acres, not a motel! Now, y’mind telling me who you are? Never seen you ‘round these here parts before.”

“The name’s Rainbow Dash!” The pegasus grinned as she put her hooves behind her head as she ‘sat’ in midair. “I guess you could say that I’m just passing through.”

“Passin’ through huh?” Applejack frowned as she looked at the apple cores that littered the ground beneath the tree. “An’ helping yerself to a bunch of mah apples while you’re at it, huh?”

Rainbow Dash gave a nonchalant shrug. “Hay, yeah…they were great!”

“Thank yew kindly.” Applejack deadpanned. “Ah’d sooner you paid for yer apples with bits than compliments.”

“Hm? Oh, right I—erm.” Dash sheepishly patted herself down. “I, uh, kinda left without any bits.”

Applejack snorted. “That right? You left your home without any money?”

“It was a bit sudden.” Rainbow allowed, not wanting to say more. Distressingly, Applejack seemed to see right through her. Her face softened a touch.

“Sugarcube, are you runnin’ away from something?”

Dash shook her head. “No, I’m not! I’m just…I just needed a break. That’s all.” She took a half step back. “Sorry about your apples, I swear I’ll pay you back…I’ll just go.” She leaped into the air and started to fly only to feel a sudden tug on her tail as she was yanked backwards.