“Applejack, let’s meet back at your house. I have a troubling hypothesis,” Twilight said as she met Applejack in the orchard. Big Mac and Apple Bloom had gone back to the farmhouse a few moments earlier to begin supper preparations.

“Well, if ya insist. Wanna grab a couple of the best apple products in Equestria ‘fore ya go?”

“Well, I can always use a pie or three,” Twilight agreed with a smile as she joined Applejack in a quick trot back to the farmhouse.

---

“Rainbow, we’re home and Ah brought ya a basket full’a goodies,” Applejack called as she entered the house, a basket full of various apple filled desserts on her back and Twilight behind her, munching on her third fritter.

“I’m still in the living room,” Rainbow called as the mares entered the room.

“Rainbow, ain’t ya moved since I left?” Applejack teased as she let the basket slide from her back to the couch. It nearly fell but Twilight caught it in her magic and mumbled with a mouth full of fritter, gesturing to the kitchen.

“AJ, Ah’m not exactly in shape ta go running around. I almost broke my legs, it hurts ta walk.”

“Oh, suck it up some,” Applejack said leaning in for a nuzzle.

“No, I can’t just suck it up,” Rainbow grunted with a frown, “I was stupid. I was dumb and did something dangerous that I shouldn’t be doing anymore… I, I know.”

Applejack gulped and felt her throat dry. Tunnel vision was a rare occurrence to her but it happened right then. Her knees trembled and she couldn’t even think of anything to say.

“AJ, why?”

Twilight’s hoofsteps stopped at the kitchen doorway as she froze and observed the scene.

“Uh-Ah-Yuh… R-Rainbow, I…”

Rainbow looked at Applejack with tears forming in her eyes, refusing to blink or look away as she waited for an answer to her unasked question.

“R, Shug… I-I don’t, didn’t know how ta talk about it or bring it up.”

“How long have you known?”

“Sugar,” Applejack said finally moving, blinking, and feeling the world twist beneath her, “Ah found out when ya were in surgery after yer crash.”

“So, were you ever gonna tell me?”

“What? How could Ah just tell ya?! It’s not somethin’ that ya just bring up.”

“‘Not somethin’ ya bring up’?! I could’ve died not knowing, Applejack!”

Applejack shied back as her ears fell, her body slumped slightly, and she took a shaky breath. “Ah, Ah know. If you’d’a died, not knowin’... Even Ah didn’t know. Ah, just, please,” she sniffled, “ya promised ta not do anythin’ stupid before this was even a thing. Just, oh, Twilight.”

Applejack wiped her eyes on her foreleg and waved her in.

“Hey, Twilight. Me and AJ were just talkin’ about something,” she sniffled and blinked her eyes clear; her tears running from her eyes, disappearing into the fur over her cheeks as she forced a smile. “We’re gonna finish talkin’ about it as soon as ya leave, though, right AJ?”

“Eeyup,” Applejack said with a wavering smile, still looking at Rainbow.

“O~kay, well, I’ll just get to business then so you can talk about what you need to and I can get back to my Sunny D.”

Rainbow snorted and laughed. “Yeah, Scootaloo still calls him that, too. What? It’s funny,” she said defensively.

“Rainbow, I would appreciate it if you’d stop having your daughter call my coltfriend that.”

“Ugh, fine. Spoil all the fun. Anyway, what’s up? What’s the big news?”

“I, don’t really know how to bring this up in a kind way, so I’ll do it in my way. Applejack, from what Pinkie researched and what I’ve learned, plus a couple of questions at town hall, I’ve come to the conclusion that Filthy Rich was going to start a herd with your family.”

Rainbow coughed on some spit she inhaled when she heard that as Applejack sat in silent shock.

“It looks like they were already starting to plan it, possibly mating, and somepony in one of your families was against the idea.”

“Poison,” Applejack said under her breath.

Twilight cleared her throat. “Y-yes, Granny told me how they, left. It all points to a member of one of your families-”

“Shut up, Twi!” Applejack shouted jumping to her four hooves. “Ain’t no member of my family… We wouldn’t, do that to our own… Mama, papa,” she said as her eyes betrayed her. She galloped past Twilight out of the room and up to her room, the door slammed a few seconds after she left the room.

“Um, Rainbow, I think I should just go. I’m glad you’re fine, and I’m sorry about upsetting her. Sh-should I come back tomorrow?”

Rainbow rolled to her hooves and winced as the soreness made itself known to her rear legs. “Yeah, that’d be cool. I’ll talk to her and we’ll get over this, together. Just, stay warm and safe and bring lots of chocolate,” Twilight smiled and nodded, “we’ll have a nice day in. If you see Scootaloo send her home right away, okay?”

“Okay, and, you’re a great mom, Rainbow Dash, just don’t hurt yourself too bad before you learn that yourself.”

Twilight walked to the door and left quietly as Rainbow slowly walked to the stairs.

Rainbow looked up them and moved her wings, squeaking at the sharp pains she got from the still healing bones and tendons. She sighed and placed her forelegs on the first step and moved her rear legs into place, and began the painful and slow ascent of the stairs.

Next Chapter: Conclusions part 2 Estimated time remaining: 4 Hours, 34 Minutes