THE NEXT MORNING
Applejack was up bright and early at the crack of dawn. She went straight to the kitchen, and began preparing breakfast. Twenty minutes later, she quietly came into the guest room, where Rainbow was just getting up with a yawn.
"Rise n' shine, Rainbow. Got ya some breakfast here." Applejack greeted, setting a tray of hay, oats, a fresh apple, and apple juice on the nightstand next to her bed.
"How'd ya sleep?" she asked.
"A little here, a little there. Just tossed and turned all night." Rainbow replied, starting into her breakfast.
"Also, when you're done eatin', here." Applejack said, setting a hairbrush next to the tray on the nightstand.
"A brush?" Rainbow inquired.
"Yeah. Your hair's a mess. Might want to fix that." AJ answered with a chuckle.
"I'mma get Apple Bloom off to school. Give a holler if ya need anything."
As Applejack left the room and left the door open, Rainbow took a sip of apple juice, grabbed the hairbrush and got out of bed, walking over to the dresser and sitting in front of the mirror, slowly brushing her unkempt mane. Over a few minutes, the random, tangled spectrum of colors got sorted out, and her mane looked much improved, and Rainbow gave a small smile at herself. It felt a bit better, to look halfway decent. She returned to her breakfast, and ate heartily.
Down the hall in the kitchen, Applejack was getting Apple Bloom her breakfast and getting her ready for school.
"Applejack, why is Rainbow here?"
"Why Apple Bloom, if I wanted you to know that, I would've told you, now wouldn't I?" her older sister said, in a feigned astonished voice.
"Seriously. Is she alright?" Apple Bloom asked.
"You mind your business. She's here to rest. That's all you need to know. Now finish your breakfast and get off to school."
With that, Applejack left Apple Bloom to her breakfast, and went to check on Rainbow, who was now back at the night stand nibbling on some hay, her mane now clean and kept. She gave a soft smile.
"Well, I'mma go get some chores done, let me know if you need anything at all, okay?"
"Will do, AJ. Thanks."
Applejack noticed how Rainbow was trying her best to fake contentment and happiness. She'd give her the time and space she needed, and hoped she would slowly improve as the days passed.
It wasn't too long before Twilight was walking around the Acres looking for Applejack.
"Howdy there, Twilight. What can I do for ya?"
"Looking for Rainbow. I checked the Traveler's Inn this morning, and she wasn't there. I checked with the others, and no one's seen her."
"Yeah, she's here. Walked all the way here in the middle of the night with those back hooves, if you can believe it."
"How's she doing?" Twilight asked, walking with AJ around the Acres as she tended to various aspects of the farm.
