Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were in the middle of the crowd of school children that rushed to find the best seats, saving one for Sweetie Belle for when she’d next come to Ponyville.

Silver Spoon sat in a seat and a moment later Diamond Tiara pranced in with a confident sneer. “It’s alright, everypony, I’m here. No need to hold class for me.”

Most ignored her but the two cutie mark crusaders rolled their eyes. “Hey Diamond Tiara. I thought you were gonna be out this week after that fight you were in.”

“A fight?” A Twist asked loudly.

“Oh yeah,” Scootaloo said with a nod, “she got into a brawl in Manehattan and got cut up pretty bad on some colt’s hooves. Out there they aim to leave a mark, right, Diamond Tiara?”

Diamond scoffed and reached her seat. “I wasn’t in a brawl, like some common ponies. It was an attack and I fought back… and won in the end.”

“Yeah, the colt got grounded for a week then sent here to see his cousin.”

Diamond inhaled sharply, eyes widening as her body tensed. “H-h-he’s… here? Miss Cheerilee?!” she called loudly looking around the room, waiting for the teacher to appear from nowhere.

“What’s wrong, DT?” Apple Bloom leaned closer from her desk, “Gallop get yer tongue?”

Diamond trembled but waved a hoof, speaking confidently. “It’s no concern of mine. Some stupid colt from the city isn’t treated like royalty here, right, Silvy?”

“Oh, I dunno about that,” Scootaloo said pointing quickly toward the door. Diamond yelped and hid her face in her hooves as eyes looked to the doorway.

“Oh, well, hello children. It’s fantastic to see you all again as well. I hope you’re ready for a great school year.”

“Yes, Miss Cheerilee,” the room said in harmony. Diamond Tiara raised her head and shot Scootaloo a glare.

Scootaloo was smiling happily, ignoring the look she was getting from her pink rival. “Miss Cheerilee, I’m sure this’ll be the best year yet!”

“Me too, Scootaloo! I love the attitude in the class this year already. Now, does anypony need a pencil? We’re going to start by writing our names…”

…

---

“Apples? Howdy ma’am? Interested in a few apples fer dinner? Maybe a snack? Okay, see ya later. How ‘bout you sir? Best apples in Equestria, guaranteed.”

Applejack trotted around her cart, selling apples or, trying to. Customers just were not interested in buying her product. Applejack blew air from the side of her muzzle in frustration when she was sure she wasn’t being watched and turned to her cart. “Ah think a sip’ll help.”

She took a small flask and sipped quickly from it, returning it to her cart before sighing and forcing a smile. She turned and returned to trying to sell apples.

“Rosebud! Ah didn’t know you’d be out’n about; fancy an apple while ya shop? A bit fer an apple.” Rosebud shook her head politely and passed by with a quicker step. “That’s fine, Ah’ll be here all day,” Applejack replied with a wave.

A loud thud sounded a ways behind her. She turned to see a small dust cloud around where Rainbow had landed and, without pausing, had begun trotting to her. “Oh, hey Hun. What’s goin’ on?”

Rainbow approached, wings now folded and a solemn look on her face.

“Rainbow, heh, uh, ya here ta buy an apple? Ah’ll give ya the family discount,” she joked.

Rainbow approached, now a few lengths away and getting closer, Applejack was growing nervous.

“Is everything alright, Sugarcube?” Rainbow’s ears fell to her head as she approached. “Alright, what’s goin’ on?” she asked, looking around, and up. “Is this a prank? Is there trouble? Did Scootaloo get in another fight?”

Rainbow was a length away and Applejack was visibly tensing. Her taut muscles rippling beneath her coat, prepared for anything.

Rainbow lunged and wrapped Applejack into a tight hug, forelegs and wings. “Thank you,” Rainbow whispered as she felt Applejack’s mane brush her cheek. “Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Rainbow repeated as Applejack forced a grin and looked around at the looks she was getting.

Applejack raised a foreleg and patted Rainbow’s back. “Yer welcome, for whatever Ah did. Now, can ya let me go? Ah love a good hug, but Ah’m workin’.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, AJ,” Rainbow almost pleaded.

“Okay, now I’m gettin’ worried. What’s goin’ on?”

Rainbow pulled back, a sad smile on her face. “Y-you have no idea how much you saved me. Without, I mean, if you didn’t… It was terrible, where I was before you helped me and… Ah just can’t thank you enough.”

“Ah, shucks. Tweren't nothin’. Twilight was there too, and without her magic-”

Rainbow placed a hoof to Applejack’s lips. “Ah’m not with her. She carried me, you helped me along the whole way. I went to the tavern, AJ.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow and used her fetlock to free her muzzle. “And why’d ya do that?”

“Thank you,” Rainbow whispered again as she looked the the gravel beneath her hooves, “and Ah’m sorry,” she looked back into Applejack’s emerald eyes and saw her reflection. She felt she looked pathetic, and deserved it. “I was a terrible pony before I stopped drinking. I did horrible things and let stallions do things to me that I’ll never forget.

“I went back to that place to see my old ‘friends’ and catch up. It was gross, AJ, and I remembered some things that happened in places… I was drunk and I couldn’t,” she sniffled and her eyes began to water, “c-couldn’t say no. I thought I loved it, and deserved it. I was as filthy as that place,” she blinked her eyes clear to see Applejack was listening intently with a sad expression.

“Rainbow-”

“But I didn’t deserve that, I didn’t need any of it; because what I needed was in front of me the whole time,” Rainbow said as she stomped a hoof for emphasis. “It was you, always you. You’re what I needed,” she said as she choked back a sob and looked to the gravel again, “and I’m so happy, so proud to be carrying your baby, AJ.

“Not some random stallion’s during the spring heat. Not Soarin’s. Yours,” she began to cry pathetically, “the most awesome pony in the world… I pretend,” she felt herself wrapped in an brace by Applejack. The mare’s musky sweet orange fur made Rainbow sob louder. “I pretend I’m the best, but… I’m not,” she wailed into Applejack’s mane.

“Rainbow, yer the best pony. Ah’m only pushin’ ya to stay on top of yer game. Now, what say we get you a drink and somethin’ ta eat? Ah can tell yer gonna be back to bein’ awesome in a few minutes. Thank the baby fer that.”

“N-no, it’s not that, I really am sorry and thanking you. And, a double hay burger sounds nice.”

Applejack snorted a laugh and gave Rainbow a last, tight, hug before letting her go. “Alright, Sugarplum, let’s get you some early lunch. It has been a good hour since ya last ate, right?”

“Yeah, might as well make my cumulonimbus bigger,” Rainbow cracked a smile as she wiped her face clear of tears, “maybe the baby’ll have a town to live on by then.”

Applejack laughed as she rolled her apron and tossed it to her cart. “Yeah, ‘Rainbowville’ sounds great.”

“...AJ, what’s that?” Rainbow asked, looking to the reflective metal flask that was next to Applejack’s apron.

“Ah, my last guilty pleasure,” she leaned in to whisper to Rainbow, “pear juice. A swig keeps me in the mindset of why our apples are the best.”

Rainbow grinned, feeling a lump in her throat. “You’re super smart too.”

“Okay, Ah’ll buy you some potato fries ta boot. Let’s get before lunch rush comes and Ah miss some good business.”

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