Letting Go | Appledash

Chapter Four: Rainbow's Phase

Chapter Four: Rainbow's Phase

As they finished classes for the day, Rainbow couldn't help but take note of how stressed Applejack looked as she shot up from her seat and hastily shoved her books into her bag. Actually, the girl was being so extremely obvious about it that it was near impossible to not notice. Dash was about to speak up, but before she got the chance to, someone else did instead.

"Do you have somewhere to be, Applejack?" Fluttershy asked.

"Home," AJ answered a little too fast. Fluttershy blinked, seeming taken aback by the immediate reply.

"Oh... How come?" she asked, clearly confused.

"Ya know. To do stuff." Applejack attempted to play it off with a forced smile accompanied by a nervous chuckle. She threw the bag over her shoulder and made her way towards the classroom door. "So, uh. Yeah. See y'all tomorrow!" she announced, waving half-heartedly at her friends before fleeing down the hallway.

Rainbow Dash didn't miss a beat. She was out of her seat and running after the girl in an instant.

"Applejack, wait!" she called out, catching up to her.

"I don't have time right now so if you'll excuse me, Rainbow Dash!" Applejack answered through gritted teeth. She sped up, and so did Rainbow.

"But let me help!" she tried.

To Rainbow Dash's surprise, Applejack stopped right in her tracks in the middle of the busy school corridor. She turned to stare at Rainbow, who also managed to come to a halt.

For the second time that day, the blonde asked her, "Why are you so eager?"

Rainbow Dash absolutely despised that question. Not only did she not know what kind of reply Applejack was looking for, but she also couldn't pinpoint exactly why she was so eager to be of help either.

"Uh... Because we're friends and that's what friends are for?" she answered, not much unlike her first reply to the question.

Applejack frowned at her. The gears in her head spun as she struggled with what to say or do next. It took a few seconds of intense staring before she finally sighed, shoulders dropping in defeat.

"Fine. Hurry up, then," she said, wasting no time to start towards the door once more.

Rainbow's face lit up and she happily obliged. "You got it!"

—

"So... why isn't Big Mac around?" Rainbow asked Applejack while the two girls were transporting buckets of apples they had just spent the past two hours picking.

Applejack raised an eyebrow at her. "Why isn't my brother around?" she repeated, just to make sure she hadn't misheard.

"Uh, yeah?" Rainbow answered, unsure of why AJ felt the need to confirm the question. She bit her lip to hold in a grunt as she adjusted the heavy barrel in her arms.

"Now why on earth would you want my brother around?" Applejack asked suspiciously. Her eyes widened. "Don't tell me you..." She grimaced in disgust, physically unable to finish the sentence.

"Huh?" Dash looked at her with a raised eyebrow. She didn't understand what AJ looked so repulsed by, but decided to clarify her question anyway. "I mean, to help with all of this. Why do you have to do everything on your own all the time?"

"Oh," Applejack said, exhaling as a look of relief washed over her. "He hurt his arm a few days ago."

"That's why you've been so stressed out lately," Rainbow pointed out, as if Applejack didn't know herself. The blonde rolled her eyes.