Rainclouds (AppleDash Story)

Chapter Three

"Hey Applejack..." Rainbow said with no emotion. She flew down to greet her friend.

"Dash... are ya alright? Ya seem... tired an'... frazzled," Applejack asked in a concerned tone.

"What? Everything's fine... why wouldn't it be?" Dash lied. She tried to hide the sadness in her voice, but she knew it failed as Applejack began to walk towards her.

"Don't lie to me, sugercube, Ah know when somethin's up," Applejack knew something was up.

Dash knew there was no way getting out of it. Knowing Applejack as the Element of Honesty, she can tell when somepony's lying. She soon spoke.

"Well..." Rainbow started.

"Well?" Applejack questioned.

"I-I um... w-well..."

"So? Spill!" Applejack was growing impatient.

"I-It's just t-that m-my...par....m-my..." Rainbow Stuttered.

Knowing she couldn't go on, water started to fill her eyes. Applejack noticed and started to calm down a bit.

"Ya don't have ta tell me if ya don't feel comfortable sayin' it..." Applejack said sympathetically.

"No!" Dash blurted out. "It's just t-that..."

"Dash-" Applejack started, but was cut off by Dash.

"I know! I'm wasting your time... it's just that... THEY'RE GONE!!" Dash yelled.

Rainbow Dash couldn't take it anymore, so she broke down and began to sob. She had enough.

"Dash... sugercube..." Applejack said in a concerned tone.

Applejack went over to comfort her friend. She hugged her as she cried into her orange coat. After thirty minutes of crying, Applejack began to stroke her rainbow mane.

"Ya ready to tell me what's wrong, sugercube?" Applejack asked as she continued to stroke Rainbow's mane.

"I-I... guess s-so.... Y-you won't say a... a t-thing t-to the o-others... right?" Rainbow sniffed; still teary-eyed.

"Ah promise. Now tell me, who's gone?" Applejack promised.

"M-my..." Rainbow whispered as she hesitated to speak.

"Do ya mind speakin' a bit louder? Ya soundin' a bit like Fluttershy. Come'on, ya can trust me," Applejack reassured her. "Ah won't judge ya fer what ya have ta say."

"Its just that... m-my par... my parents' a-are g-gone..." Rainbow muttered the last part.

"What's that, sugercube?" Applejack asked.

"MY PARENTS' ARE GONE!" Rainbow yelled and then started to cry into Applejack again.

Applejack was stunned after she heard Dash's outburst. She felt remembered what it's like to lose her own parents'. Then she got snapped out of her thoughts by another outburst.

"AND IT WAS ALL MY FAULT! I-I wasn't t-there in time to save them... I-I w-was too late!" Rainbow continued to sob.

"Dash..." Applejack started as she brought Rainbow closer to hug her.

"I know, I shouldn't... have told you."

"No, no it's okay. Ah understand what yer goin' through. Ah know it hurts, but Ah always remember that they'll be always be in my heart. They'll always be in your heart..." Applejack reassured Rainbow, continuing to stroke her mane.

"B-but, how w-will I know that? I missed t-them so m-much. They m-made me who I am. I loved them so much. It should've been me in there place right now," Rainbow sniffed.

"Now, stop gangin' up on yerself, it ain't yer fault. Ah'm sure it was an accident," Applejack said sympathetically.

"B-but it is, Applejack! It's a-all because of me, if I was there on time... they would still b-be here."

"What do ya mean by that, sugercube? Care to tell me what happen? If you're comfortable enough to?"

"Well..."

Rainbow Dash began telling Applejack every single thing that happened. Applejack was very shocked and both sad and hurt at the same time. She felt bad for Dash when she lost her parents. She understands what her friend is going through. Pain. Pain from loss. Loss from a loved one. Applejack remembered what happened with her parents, they were attacked by timberwolves. Applejack fully understands what her friend had gone through.

"And so... that's what happened. I'm sorry AJ, I didn't mean to-" Rainbow was cut off by a hoof on her mouth.

"Hey, now. It's alright Rainbow. Ah understand what yer going through. Ah'm the one who understands what it's like to lose their parents, and ya know that. If you're experiencing loss from a loved one, Ah'm the one who understands." Applejack reassured. "And, it's not yer fault. Ya did everythin' ya can to save them."

"Yeah, I was too late. If I realized earlier, none of this would've happen."

"Would ya stop sayin' it's yer fault that it happened?! 'Cause it ain't!" Applejack shouted. Realizing what she did, she then apologized. "Ah'm sorry Rainbow, it's just... sad to see you like this."

"I-I... I'm sorry... I just..."

"Shhh... Look here Rainbow, stop blamin' yerself.
Ah know you tried to save 'em. You flew towards the factory, abandonin' the Wonderbolts to try an' save yer parents'. That's how loyal ya are to them. Ya may not have made it, but it really shows how caring, loving, and especially loyal to them. You came back for them, abandoning yer Wonderbolts' thingy, whatever. Ya tried to save them. It ain't yer fault. Ah swear, that pony that caused it was to blame. Now stop blamin' yerself," Applejack reassured her.

"How am I suppose to live like this? I have nopony now." Rainbow looked down.

"Ya have me..." realizing what she said, she quickly backed it up. "Uhh... ya also have the rest of our friends, and even that 'lil Scootaloo. See? Yer not alone..."

"Your right, AJ..." Rainbow paused for a moment; then spoke. "How about... them?"

"Who?"

"My parents..."

"Ok, Rainbow. Let me tell ya somethin'. Yer parents are in here," Applejack said as she laid a hoof on Rainbow's heart. "They'll always be there for you, like how you were there for us when we needed it. They'll always there in yerheart. They'll always watch you, you can't see them, of course, that'll be creepy."

"..."

"But, always know they don't want ya cryin' right now. They don't want ya all sad an' just... blamin' yerself for what happened. They'll always watch you. See?" Applejack pointed at the sky with her hoof.

"They're flyin' like the angels. They're also here with us, you can't see them, but they're here. Guidin' you. Always. Through troubles. They'll always be there for you."

"..."

Applejack looked down at Rainbow Dash who nuzzled around Applejack's neck.

"Hey, AJ?" Rainbow finally spoke

"Yes, sugercube?"

"Thank you. I don't know what came over me"

"Hey, now, it's alright sugercube. Ah understand you and what you were goin' through. Ah just don't want to... lose you"

"Heh, I guess you're right. I'm glad to have a friend like you," Rainbow smiled as she soon drifted to sleep, snuggled onto Applejack.

"Me too. Me too," Applejack smiled as she looked down at Dash who fell asleep. "I'm glad to have you too, sugercube," Applejack snuggled Dash, then laid her head on top of Dash's, stroking her mane, comforting her beloved friend.

-The End