Applejack ran with a speed most would find to be almost Goddess like, her orange body a blur in the haze of the torrential rain that fell across Ponyville. Her eyes were wild and her galloping frantic as she rushed for Twilight's Library up the street, her mind racing as fast as her hooves were taking her. "Oh mah gosh oh mah gosh oh mah gosh!!!! I gotta get help! I gotta help Rainbow!" She said to herself, terrified and overwhelmed with the feeling of worry. She saw the library up ahead and put forth a furious burst of speed, galloping forward and shouting as loud as she could over the rain "TWI!!!! TWI OPEN THAT DOOR FORE' AH GO CRASHIN' THROUGH IT! AH MEAN IT!!!!" She was about twenty feet from the door when the purple aura of magic Applejack recognized as Twilight's spread across the door and flung it open, giving her entrance.

Applejack rushed through and skidded to a halt, her chest heaving for breath and her mane slapping against her body, sopping wet like a mop. The door shut and Twilight's voice shouted out to her

"Applejack!!?? What in the hay is wrong with you!? Why did you have to come barging in here!? Why are you even out there in the first pl-" Applejack turned her head towards Twilight, whose face was one of mild annoyance but more of worry and shouted to her

"Twi'! Rainbow's crash landed in the Everfree Forest!" Twilight blinked for a moment before shrieking

"WHAT!?" Applejack moved her wet hair out of her own eyes with a hoof and nodded

"She was savin' Winona from the storm when a board struck her! Ah think it hurt her wing somethin' fierce because she went ah tumblin' through the air and into the Everfree...ah think she landed pretty far in." Twilight nodded, looking out the window and into the harsh storm, thunder continuing to boom and crash outside.

"We'll have to wait until this storm passes to organize a search party, I'll make sure to send a le-" Twilight began but was quickly cut off by Applejack's loud shouting

"WHAT NOW!? You wanna WAIT until the storm passes to go find her?! Twi' she's hurt and crash landed in the EVERFREE FOREST! You know what kinda' strange and predatory creatures are lurkin' out there! Hay you got turned into STONE out there for Celestia's sake!" Twilight sighed and looked over at her friend with sympathy, muttering

"I understand that Applejack but if we send ponies out now it'll only put ALL of us in danger! What if more and more are hurt from the storm while we search!? Somepony might even DIE if we're not careful, that board could have EASILY stuck Rainbow like an arrow!" Applejack shook her head and stood up on her hooves, her eyes narrowed and her tone aggravated and angry

"Now that there's just silly! You know as well as ah do that if it were me out there and Rainbow here, she woulda come lookin', we don't leave our own jus' stranded out there in the middle o' danger! Ah don't care HOW dangerous it is outside and ah don't care bout' the risks! Ah'm bringing Rainbow back with or without any of ya'll!"

With that, she rushed back towards the door, crashing through it and running back out into the rain. Twilight's shouts of protest fell on deaf ears as Applejack ran back towards Sweet Apple Acres. She wasn't going to give up so easily, she wasn't just going to sit by and wait for a tiny little storm to wash away before going out and looking for the mare she loved dearly. Crashing through the gate, she ran towards the barn and inside, out of the rain. She moved about the stalls quickly, muttering to herself as she looked around "Saddlebags...rope...don't need the food or water...ah can live off the land well enough..." It was true that Applejack had a vast knowledge of outdoor survival, mostly thanks to all the camping trips her and Bic Macintosh had gone on with their pappy. She stopped for a moment, dropping her saddlebags on the ground and sitting on her haunches. She placed a hoof on the soft leather, running it up and down and over the initials A.L.J.

She smiled a little as she whispered "Apple-licious Jack...ah miss you old man..." Tears brimmed in her eyes as she thought back to that day...whether it be irony or fate that brought her to this doorstep of adventure. She had heard the story from Big Macintosh...and had experienced the rest for herself. She took off her stetson hat and turned it over in her hooves, smiling.

~~~

Sweet Apple Acres - 8 Years Ago

"Macintosh! Get your flank out here this instant ya hear?!" A gruff voice called from the barn. A very young Big Macintosh, poked his head out of the window, his short brown mane flapping in the light breeze that had picked up outside, a black eye very prominent on his face. He hadn't really 'Officially' earned his title of 'Big' yet, but he was certainly bigger and stronger then the other young foals at his school. The screen door opened and he stepped outside, looking around the half barren farm. Sweet Apple Acres hadn't been fully planted yet, and only about half of the property was covered by trees. He sighed, heading over towards the barn and peering in from the front, calling out

"You call me Pappy?" A grown stallion was sitting on his haunches, sharpening a knife on a grindstone and trying to keep his cowboy hat, a stetson, out of his eyes. He was getting on in years, his coat a lightish mix of red and orange, and a few wrinkles running up his snout. His eyes were a lightish, weak green, but had a fierce look in them that told everypony who happen to look upon him that he was very wise, and had seen many sights, splendors, and horrors in his life. A riding crop was around his neck, the same crop that in a few years would be draped around Macintosh's neck, his signature piece. His name was Apple-licious Jack, the current owner of Sweet Apple Acres.

"Cmere' a minute Macintosh," Apple-licious said, taking the knife away from the grindstone a moment and sighing. He waited until Macintosh approached before he turned his head, and gave him a blank sort of look. Macintosh looked a little worried, but above all, he had guilt written all over his face. Apple-licious sighed and asked quietly "Macintosh, you always know what am ah always sayin' bout' the truth, right?" Macintosh nodded, looking towards the ground as his pappy went on "Now you be honest with me, did ya'll get into another fight at the school?" Macintosh lifted hie eyes and started, or at least tried to explain

"Pappy twern't my fault at all! The bigger ones were ah-" He was cut off by his pappy pushing a gentle hoof against his lips, a blank expression still on his face as he said

"Macintosh, that there wasn't the question ah was askin'. Come on now foal, answer me truthfully." Macintosh sighed and closed his eyes, bowing his head and muttering

"Yes sir...ah got into a fight at the school..." Apple-licious nodded before asking

"Alrighty...now ah want you to start explainin' yerself as to why you decided to go using yer hooves and not your words to solve the situation." Macintosh sat on his haunches, looking at his pappy with a sad frown and muttering

"They were teasin' mah baby sister Pappy! Little Applejack was uh cryin' on the playground cause of few o' them bullies harrasin' her!" Apple-licious raised an eyebrow and asked with a curious tone

"Really now? Well that certainly does explain ah few things..." He looked up and shouted so loud Macintosh had to cover his ears with his hooves "APPLE LOUISE JACK!!!! YOU GET YER FANNY OUT HERE THIS DURN INSTANT!"

Meanwhile, in the house upstairs, a filly-aged Applejack gasped and squeaked out

"Uh oh...middle name!" She rushed downstairs quickly and outside, bounding towards the barn. She poked her head into the barn and muttered, frightened "Y...yes pappy?" Apple-licious frowned and pointed a hoof at the spot in front of him, growling

"Here, now." Applejack's bottom lip quivered and she made her way over, sitting on her haunches next to Macintosh, who could do nothing except give her a look of sympathy. Apple-licious gave her a stern look and muttered "Applejack, what have we talked bout' when it comes to tellin' the truth?" Applejack's eyes shifted towards Macintosh's black eye and she put two and two together

"Horseapples..." she whispered, her Pappy's eyes narrowing a little as he half shouted

"Watch yer mouth! Ah asked you a question little miss filly!" Applejack squeaked and recited from memory

"You should always tell the truth no matter how hurtful the truth may be, because the truth hurts less then a lie!" Apple-licious nodded and turned his head to the side, his left eye staring directly at her. He whispered

"Eeyup, and what did ya'll lie about?" Applejack sighed and bowed her head, muttering

"Why ah was ah cryin', ah said ah spilled mah juice at school when ah really didn't..." Apple-licious nodded and waited for her to go on, Macintosh looking over at her as she did so "Ah was gettin' bullied by the bigger kids cause o' the way ah talk...and Big Macintosh stood up fer me..." Apple-licious sighed and looked at Applejack with a small frown, whispering in a comforting tone

"You should always be tellin' the truth Applejack...ya'll both know Ah'm an understanding pony. As long as ya know to tell the truth Applejack, you and ah ain't got no grievances. Ah love you both and ah hate to hear about problems at the school...but ah still need to hear bout' em. Ah want what's best for ya'll, and ah can't help ya if you don't be honest with me, ok?" They both nodded as Apple-licious went on "Applejack, ah know ah'm always tellin' ya to be strong and to stand up for yerself, but that don't mean ya have to hide yer weaknesses or failures from me. Ah know ah've told ya'll the story of this here Farm's Beginnin's. It took me two seasons, two failures of failed harvests to get this farm ta stick! With every failure comes new ways to overcome them. Now Macintosh, ah wanna say you did the honorable thing by standin' up for and fightin' for yer family, but remember that just cause you can beat up a pony don't make it right, understand me?" Macintosh nodded and Apple-licious smiled, holding his hooves out and whispering "Cmere' ya'll...ah love you both alright?" The two of them walked into their Pappy's arms and they all smiled, enjoying their family hug for a moment.

Applejack blinked in surprise when she felt something press against the top of her head, and when she reached up she gasped. Atop her head was her Pappy's stetson, while Big Macintosh gaped at the collar that had been draped around his neck. Applejack squeaked in protest

"B...but Pappy! Ya'lls always tellin' us never to be touchin' your crop and hat!" Apple-licious smiled and shook his head, putting a hoof on Applejack's and Macintosh's shoulders, whispering

"Ya'll listen to me for ah moment. Ah'm gettin' old, there ain't no doubt about it. Ya'll have some years in ya, ah don't. Ah ain't always gonna be here forever, and because of that, it's about time ya'll started acting the part. Ya'll ain't old enough to be workin' the farm, but you ARE old enough to get at least the first part of your inheritence. My prized possessions, second of course to you two. Ya'll take care of em now, alright? Now, let's get on over back to the house and see if we can get Ol' Granny Smith to fix us an apple pie!" Macintosh nodded excitedly and rushed from the barn, Applejack turning to leave but stopping, turning back and frowning

"What's wrong pappy? Why ya cryin'?" Indeed her Pappy had shed a few tears, but he was smiling none the less, scooping up his granddaughter in his hooves and giving her a tight hug. Applejack buried her face in his shoulder and whispered "Ah love ya pappy" Apple-licious sniffed and smiled with pride, whispering back

"Ah love ya too Sugarcube, now come on...let's get some pie and we'll get Macintosh to go campin' with us. Ah think it's bout time I taught ya'll how to throw some knives. Sound like fun?" Applejack nodded and let forth a tiny 'Squee!', a new adventure on the horizon that came ever closer with the evening sun.

~~~

Sweet Apple Acres - Present Day

Applejack sniffed loudly, wiping her eyes free of tears and strapping on the fore-leg sheath that held her pappy's old war knife. She had packed her saddlebags and was ready to go, her head turning towards the barn entrance, hearing soft hoof-steps. She was only half-surprised to see Big Macintosh standing there, his mouth vacant of the usual strand of hay, and his eyes half-closed and moderately devoid of emotion. He looked at the knife, then to her saddlebags, and finally at her directly, muttering

"So...ya'll headin' out?" Applejack nodded and stood, the sheath on her foreleg resting comfortably. She walked forward as she muttered

"Rainbow's gone and crash-landed Big Macintosh...and everypony's not gonna wanna help her till after the storm's gone and passed." Big Macintosh nodded a little and asked

"Ya'll want me to come with?" Applejack shook her head sternly

"No," she began, a determined look in her eyes "Granny Smith needs ya here with the storm bein' so bad. Ya'll don't have to worry bout' me, pappy taught us both well to survive out there in the wild. Ah'll be back fore' ya know it!" Big Macintosh sighed and shook his head, looking at her with a bit of worry in his eyes

"Ah can't really agree with you goin' off by yer lonesome...but ah don't doubt our pappy's teachin's. You be careful when yer out there, alright?" Applejack nodded and walked forward, standing on her back legs and giving Macintosh a warm hug. He nuzzled the side of her head with his own and looked up when he felt something drop on his head. "Yer giving me yer hat? What for?" Applejack stepped back, hatless now as she looked up and muttered

"Ah don't wanna lose it out there...and besides...ah love mah hat too much to be parted with it for too long. That means ah'll be back for it, ya understand?" Big Macintosh nodded and stepped out of the way for her, Applejack nodding back and heading out into the rain. She turned her nose in the direction of the Everfree and took a deep breath, exhaling it as calmly as she could and beginning a light trot towards the wood. She was her own search party now, a party of one.

She was a mare on a mission. And she wasn't going to stand for failure. It was a mission of faith, of love, and of life. A mission for Rainbow Dash.