“This is so uncouth,” said Rarity, a look of disapproval on her face, “I simply cannot believe I let you talk me into doing this.”

“Get real, Rare’s,” said Rainbow Dash from behind her. “We didn’t force you to do this, you know! You could have said no, but you didn’t. Just admit it; you’re just as curious as we are to find out what Applejack is up to! Besides, you’re the only one with a car big enough to fit all of us in.”

“Be that as it may, I still find this behavior atrocious!”

It was Saturday evening now, 5:37 to be exact (according to the car’s clock). The five girls found themselves crammed into Rarity’s white sedan with the fashionista at the wheel, Sunset Shimmer riding shotgun, and the others stuffed in the back. Earlier that day, Sunset had told the others about what Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom had told her about Applejack. When the two stories that she had told them didn’t connect, she had agreed to follow Applejack to see where she went, much to Rarity’s disapproval.

They waited on the side of a street corner in the suburban part of town, overlooking a certain house on the street. The high-ranch house looked like every other house on the street, except this one was white, had a red door, and green shutters on the windows. What made this house more important than the others was the old truck that sat in the driveway. It seemed a little out of place for a worn-down truck to be parked outside of the refurbished home, but they figured Applejack and her family had their reasons for keeping it instead of getting a new one.

Are you sure she’s going to be leaving around now?” asked Sunset Shimmer.

“Of course I’m sure,” Rainbow answered. “When I went over to her house at a quarter past 6, the truck was gone and her family said that she had left.”

“Well, I do hope she comes out soon,” said Rarity. “We’ve been waiting her for thirty-seven min-”

“THIRTY-EIGHT!” shouted Pinkie as she leaned forward from the back and pointed at the clock. “It just changed!”

“Thirty-eight minutes,” she corrected as she rolled her eyes. “There’s still no sign of her leaving.”

“Pinkie, will you please sit down!” Rainbow said in annoyance. “It’s hard enough that the three of us are stuffed back here without you jumping around and making it more uncomfortable.”

Quickly, Pinkie Pie sat back in her seat, an innocent smile on her face.

“I hope the animal shelter won’t be too mad at us for cancelling at the last minute,” said Fluttershy, guilt in her tone.

“I’m sure they’ll understand,” Sunset said reassuringly. “Besides, they had plenty of help without us, so they shouldn’t be too upset.”

Fluttershy simply responded with a head nod. After that, the five of them fell silent as they continued to watch the house and wait for Applejack to depart.

Applejack sat at her dresser, looking at herself in the mirror while brushing her blonde hair. After she was done, she put the brush down and let out a sigh, lowering her head in shame. Then, she directed her attention to the small calendar that she kept nearby.

She picked it up and flipped past the month they were in to the next one. Then, she took a red marker she had and circled the Saturday that was in the middle of the month. She put the calendar down and looked at herself in the mirror again.

Only a few more weeks, she told herself, trying to cheer herself up. After that, ya won’t hafta do this anymore. Ya should be able ta keep it a secret ‘til then.

Unfortunately, as much as she tried to be optimistic about it, a small tear escaped her eye and managed to make its way down her cheek. Sniffling, she wiped it away with the back of her hand, knowing that crying about it now wasn’t going to help her.

Grabbing her Stetson and putting it on her head, Applejack got up and left her bedroom, trying her best to put on a smile. Before she left, she grabbed a brown overcoat and held it in her arms as she closed the bedroom door behind her. She walked down the hallway and headed for the front door, making sure she had the keys to the truck in her pocket. However, as she reached out for the door knob, she heard a soft voice call her name from behind her.

"Applejack," said Apple Bloom. "Are ya leaving now?"

Letting out a sigh, Applejack said, “Yeah, ah am.”

“How long are ya gonna be gone?” asked the deep voice of Big Macintosh, who took Applejack by surprise.

Turning around to face the two of them, she answered, “Ah should be back by tomorrow night.”

“Yer gonna be gone the whole weekend again?” asked Apple Bloom, a look of shock on her face.

Applejack only nodded in response.

“When are ya gonna tell us where yer really goin’?” asked Big Mac, crossing his arms.

Straightening her posture, Applejack said, “Ah thought ah already told ya! Ah’m just goin’ outta town ta see some friends, that’s all."

The buff young man narrowed his eyes, clearly not convinced with his sister’s alibi.s alibi. Truth be told, he had a feeling that Applejack wasn't telling him the truth. However, he decided to let it go; he had tried to pry it out of her many times in the past and always got the same answer. Besides, he didn't have any proof to accuse her of lying.

"Are ya gonna introduce us to yer new friends some day?” asked Apple Bloom, an innocent smile on her face.

Turning around, the older sister said, “Maybe someday.” Then, she said her goodbyes and went outside, closing the door behind her. As she began walking down the porch steps, she sighed to herself again.

Ah hope ya never hafta meet 'em, she thought to herself.

Wasting no time, she got into the truck, put the overcoat on the back seat, and started the truck. Before she pulled out of the driveway, she reached under the driver’s seat and took out a brown paper bag. She opened it up and poured the contents of it onto the passenger seat. One of the items in the bag brought a small flicker of a smile to her face while the other two made it vanish as quickly as it appeared.

The first item was a wad of twenty dollar bills that was rolled up and held together with a small rubber band. She remembered when there was so much more money than what was present. Unfortunately, she had to spend most of it on other things, so there wasn't that much left. Removing the rubber band, she counted all that remained: three-hundred dollars.

The second item was a small sticky note that was once attached to the wad of bills. It no longer had its adhesiveness, so it lied on the seat by itself. Applejack picked up the small paper and she read it to herself again: Here’s your cut with an added bonus. Buy yourself something nice. See you next week.

The last item was the one thing that Applejack cringed at the moment she laid eyes on it. Right now, it was rolled in a ball, its black color sticking out on the truck’s seat. The only thing noticeable about it was that a small part of it was in the shape of a star. Applejack only stared at it for a few seconds before she quickly shoved it back into the bag, cursing herself for ever buying it in the first place.

Then, she crumpled up the note and stuffed the money in her pocket, keeping the brown bag on the seat. She gave herself one final look in the rear-view mirror and sighed one last time. Then, she put the truck in reverse, pulled out of the driveway and made her way down the road, the road she regretted going down every single week.

“She’s leaving! She’s leaving!” shouted Pinkie Pie, leaning forward once again and pointing to the house.

“Eep!” shouted Fluttershy, taken aback from Pinkie’s sudden outburst. Even Sunset Shimmer, who had closed her eyes for a few moments, nearly jumped out of her skin.

“Yes, Pinkie, I can see her,” said Rarity. “No need to shout in my ear.”

“PINKIE PIE!” shouted Rainbow Dash, taking her by the shoulder and pulling her back into the seat.

All of them watched as Applejack got into her truck. She waited in the truck for a while before pulling out of the driveway and making her way down the road. Luckily, she was heading in the opposite direction from them, so they didn’t have to worry about being spotted.

When the truck was about a block away, Rarity turned her car on and began to follow, keeping an eye on Applejack as she turned onto the road.

“It’s about time she left,” said Rainbow as she crossed her arms. “I was starting to get bored.”

“Hopefully, we’ll get some answers to where she goes and why she’s so keen on keeping it a secret,” said Sunset Shimmer.

“Maybe,” said Rarity. “So long as we keep our distance and not bring any unnecessary attention to ourselves.”

The five friends fell silent as they continued to follow Applejack, who was leaving the suburbs and making her way to the city. As they weaved through the busy streets, Rarity kept agood three car lengths away from her to avoid any suspicion.

"Ooh! Ooh! I know, let’s play a game while we drive!” said Pinkie, as she bounced up and down in her seat.

“What kind of game?” asked Fluttershy, an unsure look on her face.

“Let’s count how many red cars we see as we drive!” she exclaimed. She looked out the window and began counting every single red car she saw, whether they were parked or on the road.

As she continued to count, it became very obvious that Pinkie was counting by herself, since none of the others bothered to chime in. Fortunately, she was so wrapped up in her self-appointed game to notice that the others weren't playing along.

Some time had passed before Applejack made her way from the city to the highway, getting on the ramp and onto the busy main road. As they followed, they kept an eye on the signs around them, making a mental note of where they were heading.

“Ooh, more cars!” shouted Pinkie Pie. “I bet I can count them all!”

She began jumping up and down in her seat as she counted every single car she could see. All the while, Rarity slowly weaved her way through the traffic, not taking her eyes of the truck. Although some cars managed to get between her and Applejack, she wasn’t too overly concerned about it; it only lessened the suspicion of them following her.

After a while, mostly out of boredom, Sunset asked, “Where do you think she’s going?”

“I’m not sure,” said Rarity. “Hopefully not very far.”

“What if she’s telling the truth?” Fluttershy asked. “What if she really is getting supplies, or seeing some out-of-town friends?”

“Yeah, right,” said Rainbow, sarcastically. “If she was really doing that stuff, why would she tell us one thing and her family another?”

“I agree with Rainbow Dash,” said Sunset. “If she was telling the truth, she wouldn’t be so secretive about it.”

“I know,” said the timid girl. “It’s just that it’s not like Applejack to lie to us, that’s all.”

“You’re right, Fluttershy,” said Rarity as she put on her blinker to enter the next lane. “Applejack wouldn't lie to us. Makes me wonder why we’re doing this in the first place.”

“If it makes you feel better,” Rainbow chimed in. “We’re following her to make sure she’s not getting herself in any serious trouble with the wrong people.”

She opened her mouth in preparation to come back at her, but for the first time in a while, what Rainbow Dash had said made sense. So, she closed her mouth and concentrated on her driving, keeping the truck in sight.

Silence fell upon them once again as they continued to follow their friend. They continued driving on the highway for about an hour before they saw the truck pull off at the nearest exit. Rarity followed, looking at the road signs to get a good idea to where they were heading. Although the night skies made it hard to see, she was still able to read the signs as they passed.

“Looks like we’re heading to the next city over,” said Rarity.

“Well, at least we now know where she goes,” said Sunset Shimmer.

Some more time had passed before they entered the city that was next to theirs. As they surveyed their surroundings, all of them had shocked expressions on their faces; even Pinkie Pie, who had been playing her “game” all this time, had fallen to silence.

Applejack appeared to be heading to the slums of the city, where a lot of the buildings and apartments were old and decrepit. Graffiti littered the walls and trash littered the ground. The apartments were all clumped together and the streets were very narrow, giving them a very claustrophobic feeling.

Fluttershy whispered to the others, “I don’t like it here.”

“Me neither,” said Rarity. “What in the world is Applejack doing in a place like this?”

“We’re about to find out,” said Sunset Shimmer. “Look!”

They all directed their attention to the road and watched the truck pull into what looked like a motel. However, it looked like it was falling apart with some of the windows boarded up and the neon sign above it with no cover on it. To make themselves less conspicuous, Rarity pulled over on the side of the street that was adjacent to the establishment. The moment they saw Applejack get out of the truck and head towards the building, she shut off the engine of her car. They continued to watch as Applejack went into the main building of the motel, no doubt going to get a room key.

“Don’t tell me she’s staying in this dump!” said Rarity, cringing and shuttering at the very thought of what the insides might look like. “With the money that she freely throws around, you’d think she’d stay somewhere with more class, to say the least.”

“Looks like she is,” said Rainbow. “Now know where she stays while she’s here.”

“All that’s left is finding out where she goes and what she does,” said Sunset Shimmer.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” said Fluttershy, her voice sounding like she was on the verge of crying. “I think we should just go and leave it at this.”

“No way,” said Rainbow Dash. “We’re here now, so we may as well see what else she’s hiding.”

Before anyone could say anything else, they saw Applejack walk out of the main building and head to one of the rooms, opening the door and going inside. A short while later, they saw her exit the room and close the door, heading towards her truck again. However, instead of going into the driver’s side, she opened the passenger’s side and took out what looked like a brown paper bag and a brown overcoat. Then, she closed the door, put the overcoat on and began walking towards the sidewalk.

The second they saw her approaching, they all ducked down out of sight, slightly peeking out to see where she was heading. They watched as she looked both ways, as if checking to see if anyone was around, before making her way down the road, completely oblivious to the fact that she was begin followed.

“What should we do now?” Rainbow whispered. “Follow her on foot or in the car?”

“If you think for one moment I am walking in this dreaded place on foot, you’ve got another thing coming,” Rarity whispered back.

“Fine, but we’ll have to wait until she’s further away,” Sunset whispered. “Otherwise, we’ll catch her attention with the sound of the car.”

“Uh, guys, can I ask a question?” asked Pinkie.

“Sure, Pinkie, what is it?” Sunset answered.

“Why exactly are we whispering?”

The only sound they heard was Rainbow Dash face-palming herself.

A few minutes went by before they were convinced Applejack was out of earshot. All of them sitting up straight again, Rarity started the car and slowly began to follow her, keeping her distance from her. Although they had to go even slower than before because Applejack was on foot, they were able to stay on the side of the road to let on-going traffic pass them with ease.

This went on for about 4 blocks before they saw her enter a building, making sure no one was following her before she entered. Coming to a complete stop, they saw that she had entered what looked like a clothing store.

“I wonder what she’s doing here,” said Sunset Shimmer.

“Maybe what she said was true,” said Fluttershy with a nervous chuckle. “Maybe this is where she is getting the supplies she mentioned. Looks like she’s telling the truth! Can we go home now?”

“Get real, Fluttershy,” said Rainbow. “If she was just getting supplies, like she claims she’s doing, she wouldn’t book a room at a sleazy motel.”

Just the mere mention of the complex sent chills down Rarity’s spine, making her shutter in her seat.

“What should we do now?” asked Fluttershy.

“I’ll go in and see what she’s up to!” said Rainbow as she opened the door and got out.

“What? Are you crazy?” asked Rarity. “You stick out like a sore thumb!”

“Trust me. I know what I’m doing!”

A little skeptical, Sunset Shimmer said, “Alright, Rainbow. Just try to keep out of sight.”

“Don’t worry about it," she said as she gave them a thumbs-up. “‘Undercover’ is my middle name!”

“Really?” asked Pinkie as she raised an eyebrow. “I thought your middle name was ‘Jennifer’!”

Rainbow only responded by giving her an annoyed look and slamming the door closed. Then, she quickly made her way into the store. As they sat and waited, Rarity looked at a few of the outfits that were in the window, silently judging them and comparing them to other outfits she had seen and made. Then, she looked at Sunset Shimmer, a small smile forming on her lips.

“You know,” she said to her. “The job at the Boutique is still available. I could get you in, if you’d like.”

Sunset gave her a worried look. “I told you that I’d think about it.”

“What’s there to think about? A job would be very good for you.”

“I know,” she answered with a sigh. “I just don’t see myself working in a fancy place like that, that’s all.”

“If you insist,” the fashionista said with a shrug. “Just thought I’d help you out, is all.”

“I appreciate it. I just need a little time to think about it.”

Some time had passed before they saw Applejack walk out of the store. She began walking down the road again, only this time, the brown bag that she was carrying looked fuller than before. Five minutes later, Rainbow quickly bolted out the door and into the car, letting out a small huff when she did.

“Well, what did you see?” asked Sunset.

“Looks like she just bought an outfit,” said Rainbow. “I couldn’t see what kind because I was trying to stay hidden, not to mention she hid it from sight. It was almost like she was embarrassed that she was buying it.”

Sunset scratched the back of her red and orange-streaked hair, lost in thought.

“Well, the only thing to do now is keep following her,” said Rarity as she started the car again. Soon, they were making their way down the road again, following Applejack to her unknown location.

She walked for about five blocks before she turned the corner and headed down the road for another three. After about twenty-five minutes of them silently following their friend, they finally saw Applejack head towards a building that was lit up with neon lights. There were two doors, one of which was guarded by a muscular man with a tight-fitting black t-shirt. They watched as Applejack headed towards the second door that was off to the side near some bushes that were placed around it.

As they watched, Rarity saw that there was a parking lot in front of the building, so she decided to park. After she shut off the engine, they all focused their attention to the name of the building that was illuminated in neon lights.

“‘The Dark Side’,” read Pinkie, who instantly smiled at the name. “You know, I saw a movie with that name in it once!”

“Is this a night club?” asked Sunset Shimmer.

“Looks like it to me,” said Rainbow Dash.

“What would Applejack be doing here?” asked Rarity.

Fluttershy felt her heart beginning to race. “Maybe we should go,” she said nervously. “It looks like she works here, so that’s it; mystery solved! What do you say we leave it at that?”

Rarity was about to agree when se was silenced by the sound of one of the car doors opening.

"Sorry, girls, but I need to know what exactly she’s doing here,” said Rainbow as she got out.

Sunset opened her door and got out, the others following suit. “Maybe Fluttershy’s right,” she said. “She’s probably just a waitress or something. There’s no need to-”

“I don’t buy it,” Rainbow interrupted. “Why would she hide a job? Why would she travel so far away to work here? Why here of all places and why for just the weekend? I’m sorry Sunset Shimmer, but I need answers and I need them now!”

Not waiting for the others, Rainbow began marching her way to the front entrance. She had only taken a few steps before she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning her head, she saw that it was Rarity, accompanied by the others.

“You’re not going in there without us,” she said. “As much as I really don’t want to.”

“Um, guys?” asked Pinkie, “How are we gonna get passed the guard?”

“Leave that to me,” said the fashionista as she flipped her hair back. They all followed her up to the front door, the guard standing there turning his head to face them as they approached.

“Uh-hem,” said Rarity in the most lady-like manner she could muster. “Excuse me, good sir. Is it possible for you to let a couple of girls like us into your club? You see, a friend of ours works here and we just want to pay her a visit.”

“Very well,” he said with a gruff voice. “Just don’t cause any trouble.”

With that, he stepped aside to allow the five of them to enter. As they walked in, Rarity had a smug look on her face.

“All it takes is a little charm,” she boasted.

“Yeah, not to burst your bubble or anything, but I don’t think your ‘charm’ had anything to do with it,” said Rainbow Dash.

“I agree,” said Sunset. “I have a feeling that anyone was allowed in. Had we just walked passed, he probably wouldn’t have said anything.”

They all fell silent as they saw a corridor drifting off to the left. It wasn’t all that long, maybe about a yard or two. At the end of the corridor was the entrance to the night club that branched off to the right. Silently, they all walked down the corridor, their eyes straining from the slightly dim lighting that engulfed the walkway.

Then, they reached the end of the corridor and came face-to-face with the night club. The moment they laid their eyes on their environment, all of them froze where they stood, eyes wide and hearts pounding.

Author's Notes:

I'll admit that there's a LOT of factual errors in this fic. A follow-up blog post will be made when the story is finished to explain most of them.