Author's Note: Finally, finally, finally.

…

Finally.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hasbro, or My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. If I did, chances are the episode titles would be just as terrible as my chapter titles… which are subject (and highly likely) to change in the near future.

Chapter 2: Sparkling Starlight

As surely as the sun had risen that morning, the great sphere had made its way across the sky, hiding behind the hills surrounding the stillness that had overcome the west side of Ponyville. The far-off mountains cast long, large shadows that tickled the edges of the rural expanse, outlined by the vivid radiance of a blazing sunset. There was no movement around the peaceful portrait, save for one pony who could be seen bent low to the ground in a large field of dirt and green.

Carrot Top brought her head up from the ground, wiping a hoof across her forehead with a sigh, and flicking off the droplets of sweat that had formed while toiling away in the setting sunlight. Placing the final carrot into her saddle baskets, she glanced up at the colored sky, stroked with dazzling pastels of painted clouds, orange and lush as her curly mane.

It would be dark in less than an hour, and there were still a number of fields to be managed, but she had worked hard and fast, and was much farther ahead of her harvesting schedule than she had anticipated. A quick trip to the storage shed, and the night would be hers to enjoy, with just enough time to whip up a special batch of carrot soup before retiring for the evening. A far cry from her more practical eating habits, but she felt she deserved it nonetheless.

She might even take the day off tomorrow.

Smiling in satisfaction, the earth pony's gaze trailed down towards the sunset and fell to the horizon, a peaceful sight composed of the hills and mounds of rich earth that were adorned with the ripening trees of Sweet Apple Acres. Her vivid, jade orbs swept through the never-ending rows of trees, watching the leaves as they carelessly swayed in a breeze that had not yet reached the Carrot Family farm.

Though it did appear to be blowing in her direc-

*BOOM!*

A roar of music erupted from the nearby orchard, unable to be contained by the acres of apple trees, nor dampened by the surrounding brush. Squirrels and rabbits raced out of their dens and burrows. Flocks of birds screamed away from the deafening blast in feathered hoards…

…and poor Carrot Top was left laying on her back, wide-eyed and hooves twitching, unable to hear the thundering of her of her own heart against the blaring, jazzy music that roared from inside of the Sweet Apple Acres barn, where a party like none other was starting to commence.

"WOO-HOO!"

Pinkie Pie bounced in rhythm with the upbeat music, gaily giggling and snorting without shame as she soared over tables and chairs alike. A green alligator clung to her puffy pink tail, bouncing high into the air as the playful pony gleefully hopped over a pair of party guests.

The two ponies were positioned atop a colorfully-dotted tarp, one pony raised upside-down above the other, head thrown back and glaring up at the ceiling, while the other in turn glowered at the ground with a fiery determination of her own.

"Huff… I ain't goin'… gruh… down so easily!" the top pony panted.

"Nnng… Neither…huff… am I!" the bottom one retorted.

"Jus' you an'… rrgh… me now!"

"On the… egh… contrary, it… nngh… will most certainly be me in… huff… in just a moment!"

"Hey! What about… urgh… me?"

Both ponies looked down to the tarp, where a purple baby dragon was propped up in a crab-like pose beneath the two, frowning up at them.

"Oh yeah… sorry Spike."

"Ahem, yes, sorry."

Twilight Sparkle giggled from beside the mat, magically bringing a glass of purple punch to her lips as she addressed the pony sitting next to her.

"I had no idea Rarity could be so… competitive."

"Uh-huh." Rainbow Dash mumbled half-consciously. Her eyes were locked on Applejack form, propped upside down on all fours with her hips held high above Rarity, who in turn had knotted herself above Spike, her nose scrunched up in disdain as Applejack's tail dangled down and brushed against her face.

The pegasus sat quietly as she secretly drank in the detailed scene, her face as flush and rosy as the earth pony before her. She listened as Applejack's heavy breathing matched her own, and watched as sweat glistened and slid down her apple-flanked hips, thrusting upwards into the air in an inviting-

"I'm not sure how long Applejack is going to last like that. She sure is flexible, though, isn't she?"

"Yeah, Applejack… edible."

"What?"

Rainbow Dash shouted in surprise as her mind caught up with her words, unaware of her voice startling another nearby pegasus pony as she whipped around to face Twilight. "FLEXIBLE! I said f-flexible!"

The unicorn blinked. "Oh. Sorry, I thought you said somethi-"

"T-Twilight, if it's not… errgh, too much to ask, would you be so kind astocallouthenextcolor!" Rarity shouted, shaking and struggling to maintain her position beneath the hatless pony.

"Sorry Rarity, I got… distracted."

Rainbow Dash coughed into her hoof, blushing fiercely as Twilight cheerfully swiped her hoof across the small square piece of cardboard, spinning the arrow and watching as it came to rest on the colored diagram.

"Left Hindleg: Green!"

"Ponyfeathers." Applejack grumbled as Rarity strained a most unlady-like chuckle beneath her. Unable to see the tarp from her position, the cowpony closed her eyes in an attempt to recall where the row of green dots lay. She lifted her left leg from out and in-between Rarity's front hooves, and effortlessly placed it down on the designated circle.

Effortlessly, had Rarity's own not occupied that particular dot. Her leg tapped against the unicorn's, causing her to draw it back fast, the motion of which upset her balance and caused the cowpony to roll back towards the other side with a shout, collapsing to the side of the tarp.

"Haha! Victory is mine! Again!" the white unicorn cried.

"What. About. ME?"

"Oh… yes, sorry Spike."

Applejack rolled onto her back with a grumble, blowing a few sweaty strands of her mane out of her face, before she noticed an outstretched hoof in front of her. She looked up to see Rainbow Dash, the ghost of a blush retreating from her beaming face. Taking the gesture with her own, the cowpony found herself smiling as she was pulled to her hooves.

"Good game, you two."

Despite their uncomfortable position, the remaining players managed a grateful grimace before turning their attention back to the game as Twilight called out the next command. Facing the pegasus beside her, Applejack gave a light nod, and the two trotted side-by-side away from the scene, heading for the table in the middle of the spacious room.

"You came real close to beatin' me that time." Applejack admitted after she was certain that the two were out of earshot. She spared a glance towards the other side of the barn, where Fluttershy bounced a balloon back and forth with Angel Bunny. "I daresay you're getting better at every party."

"Heh, just you wait till my birthday, I'll beat you yet."

Applejack quickly nudged her nose against Rainbow Dash's cheek, prompting a light blush from the pegasus. "I don't doubt it. Though beatin' Rarity is a whole 'nother game. How she got t'be so good is beyond me."

Rainbow Dash grinned. "Me neither, but sitting on the sidelines wasn't so bad this time. It sure was fun watching rough-n'-tough Applejack getting beaten by a fancy-pants pony like Rarity."

Applejack was not amused, the lack of enthusiasm detailed by her lowering the brim of her hat over her eyes. "Don' remind me."

The two ponies simultaneously ducked as Pinkie Pie soared overhead with a giggle. Rainbow Dash walked ahead and sat next to the table, eagerly grabbing a piece of cake from one of the large plates.

"Speakin' of watchin' me, I couldn't help but notice you lookin' a little… feverish over to the side."

The cake was promptly dropped.

"Huh?"

"Well, you were lookin' awfully red a moment ago. You didn't catch anything last night, did you?" Applejack questioned, bringing a hoof up to her friend's forehead. "Jus' as I thought. You are feelin' a little… heated right now, aren'tcha?" she said, emphasizing the word with a grin.

Rainbow Dash's rose-colored irises shrunk to pinpoints. "No! I-I mean… no! I mean I wasn't… that… w-wasn't…" she stammered, slowly backing up into the table.

"Aww c'mon now, Rainbow. Ain't nothin' wrong with bein' honest." Applejack sported a wry smile. "I sure don't see anythin' wrong with havin' somepony… appreciate me every now an' then."

Rainbow Dash felt her ears droop, helpless as the earth pony sauntered a half-circle in front of her.

"I s'pose I'm fairly good-lookin'." she continued in a slow voice, much to Rainbow Dash's chagrin. "You do tend t'get quite a set o' legs from applebuckin, you know." Her voice dropped down to a sultry whisper as she grabbed a cup of punch from the table beside them. "Hasn't done any damage to my flank either. Y'oughta try it sometime, get a good feel for it."

She brought the cup to her lips. "Applebuckin', I mean." she said with a wink, as Rainbow Dash looked away with a grimace.

"I've felt both."

The guilty whisper was none too quiet, as the rainbow-maned filly was promptly sprayed in the face with fruity punch, her cowpony companion choking and sputtering in disbelief.

"W-What?" the pony exclaimed, her gaze screaming to her backside, and then back to Rainbow Dash. "*Cough* When the hay did you… I don't remember… we never …" Applejack stopped, slowly leveling the pegasus with a sideways look. "Were you feelin' me up in my sleep last night?"

"WHAT?!"

Rainbow Dash's sudden shriek caused Fluttershy to jump in fright once again, who unintentionally bumped into the record player on the small table beside her. The sound of a scratching record was followed by a long, drawn-out silence, pierced by five sets of eyes resting themselves on the blushing blue filly.

"Uhh… heh. Nothing, it was nothing." she replied, sheepishly meeting their glances. A few seconds later, and most everypony shrugged, continuing their previous activities as Fluttershy gingerly moved the needle back over the spinning black disc, filling the room with jazzy ambience once again.

"But… then when?" the earth pony asked curiously, after she was sure that everypony's attention was no longer on them. Rainbow Dash hesitated, an uneasy look playing across her face before she bowed her head to the ground, an inaudible whisper playing on her lips.

"I didn't catch that."

"thcnglnmm…"

"Oh for hay's sake, Fluttershy talks louder than that."

Rainbow Dash growled. "[ie conga line!" she hissed. "At Pinkie's last birthday party."

Applejack blinked, staring at her partner for what felt like an eternity.

"I… remember that." she admitted, her freckled face slowly wrinkling up in a sly grin. "S'pose that makes sense."

Scowling in frustration, Rainbow Dash turned back to the table, wiping the punch from her face and reaching for a plate, eager to distract herself with another slice of cake…

…before a hearty snigger reached her ears.

"What?" Rainbow Dash whipped around in time to see an even broader smile spread across the Stetson-clad pony's face.

"Now that I think about it, I also remember feelin' a pair o' hooves on my flank when Pinkie Pie was marchin' down the street with all those instruments durin' the parasprite invasion. Do you remember that?"

The blue filly's ears wilted as her pupils shrunk in recollection of the memory. "I… well, I don't… maybe?"

Applejack stared at her companion open-mouthed, before her eyes creased up in mirth. "You… why I'd have never guessed! You've got a thing fer my flank, don't you?" she cried, biting down on her hoof as tears of laughter welled up in her eyes. Rainbow Dash felt her cheeks heating up, a sour grimace splashed on her face.

"That's not true!"

"R-really now?" Applejack choked, struggling to say the words. "Then… then tell me this… what exactly were you lookin' at when you tripped durin' the Running of the Leaves?"

The look of confusion, followed by a guilt-ridden display of shock and topped off with a small, strangled squeak was all that was needed to have the orange pony doubled up on the floor, howling with laughter. Rainbow Dash moaned in despair as she fell to the ground in a mortified heap, burying her beet-red face into the floor of hay.

"Applejaaack, that's so not cool." she whined from the ground. Her partner rose to her unsteady hooves, still chuckling with delight.

"Aww, lighten up. I'm only messin' with ya." She wiped a few tears away from her eyes. "Ain't nothin' but a little payback fer this mornin'."

The orange pony bent down to whisper into the helpless pony's ear. "Besides, I never said I minded."

Rainbow Dash merely groaned from her spot on the floor.

"You're going to ruin me."

"Applejack! Rainbow Dash!"

The two ponies perked their ears up as Pinkie Pie's voice rang out from behind them, a saving grace to Rainbow Dash's predicament. The pair directed their attention to her location, where four ponies and a baby dragon were sitting in a half-circle around the game tarp, giving them a wide variety of odd looks. The pink pony waved them over.

"Come on over you two, Twilight's gonna open her presents!"

Sighing in relief, Rainbow Dash quickly stood up and made her way over to the group, keeping her ears flat against her head to drown out Applejack's snickering behind her. The two ponies took their seats in the half-circle.

"What were you two talking about back there?" she heard Rarity ask Applejack, while avoiding the unicorn's inquisitive gaze and trying to hide the tint bristling in her blue cheeks.

"Oh, uhh… jus' a joke I heard. Pretty low-brow, you wouldn't like it." the earth pony responded. Rarity rolled her eyes from her side, diverting her attention to the middle of the group.

"Probably not."

Rainbow Dash snorted, but felt a light smile grow on her face as Applejack quickly winked at her from the corner of her eye, the two of them turning to watch the unicorn unwrap her first present…

"Pinkie… I really don't want to play anymore."

"Aww come on, it's my favorite game! I'm sure you'll beat me this time!"

"…you've been saying that for the past twenty games."

The pink pony pouted in place as she sat on her haunches, dropping the makeshift tail in front of a weary Fluttershy, who was laying on the ground in exhaustion.

"It's no fun if there's nopony else to play with." Pinkie Pie groused, before lifting the blindfold from off of her eyes with a gasp. "I'll go see if Gummy wants to play! Be right back!"

Fluttershy smiled weakly, watching from the floor as the excitable earth pony hopped towards the other side of the barn. Rarity and Applejack sat close by, the latter of which was chuckling as Rarity entertained her with a recount of one of her many customer's odd requests. Rainbow Dash watched the two from the punch table, downing another glass of the refreshing beverage while shaking herself awake, unknowingly being watched by a pony herself.

Smiling gently, Twilight turned away from the scene and closed the flap on her satchel bags with a flick of her nose, heavy with a number of perfectly-packed presents. She then looked towards the far corner, where the record player hummed a mellow party tune. A flicker of magic later and the needle raised itself from the spinning disc, the resulting silence gathering the attention of everyone in the vicinity.

"Alright girls, how about we call it a night?" she suggested, watching the majority of the ponies present nod their heads.

"Aww, but it's your birthday!" Pinkie Pie cried, frowning. "We gotta stay up longer! You only get one a year you know!"

"Pinkie Pie, having you as a friend, it feels like your birthday comes around every week." Rainbow Dash interjected from the table, garnering a snicker from the orange pony in the corner, and a poorly-concealed smile from her unicorn partner.

"I agree with Twilight. It's getting late, and I'm not sure how much more… partying I can handle." Rarity replied, a tremor of weariness in her voice as she stood up. "I believe I left my saddlebags upstairs in Applejack's room. I'll be right back."

Applejack let out a loud, open-mouthed yawn from beside her, causing the white-coated pony to shiver in disapproval as she disappeared up the staircase.

"It's gettin' real late. I'm a might tuckered, an' I could sure use a nice warm bed right now." she said. Rainbow Dash silently nodded in agreement from the table, watching Pinkie Pie's head droop down in defeat as the vote was cast.

"Okie dokie… lokie." she mumbled, beginning a slow trot towards the table, intending to collect the paper plates and shreds of gift wrap, before Applejack held out a hoof to block her path.

"Now hold on, Pinkie. I reckon none of us are up to helping you out right now, and we sure as hay aren't gonna let you do it all by yourself. I'll take care of the cleanup tomorrow mornin'." she assured her, rubbing one of her eyes. "Besides, I was plannin' on doin a one-two on the barn tomorrow anyways."

Pinkie Pie nodded, her face picking up a smile as she backed away from the table and zipped towards her pink saddlebags. Fluttershy stood up next to her, bringing a delicate hoof up to her mouth to cover a yawn.

"I think Angel Bunny and I should head home now." She faced the purple unicorn with a weary smile. "Thank you Twilight, I had a lovely time. Happy Birthday."

Twilight found herself blushing. "I should be thanking all of you for throwing this party. It was great!"

Fluttershy nodded, bending down and gathering her own bags from beside the doorway.

"Goodnight everyone." she called back, trotting out the door into the darkness amidst her waving friends, with her little white companion curled up on the end of her tail. Pinkie Pie jumped to her hooves and quickly adjusted the final strap on her bag.

"Waitwaitwait! I'm coming too!" she cried, flinging her own pet onto her back and bolting out the barn door in a flash of pink. Applejack chuckled at the scene, a light groan emerging from her lips as she stood to her hooves.

"Hey Rainbow Dash, can I talk to you outside before you head on home?"

Rainbow Dash straightened up.

"Head home? I was thinking that maybe…" she trailed off, noticing the look Applejack was giving her, alongside the stare of her remaining unicorn friend. "…I was gonna do that, after we talked. Outside, about… stuff."

Applejack brought a hoof up to her face. "Be right back, Twi."

Twilight nodded, watching the two ponies leaving the through door, silently whispering to each other on the way out. As the two exited out of view, a cacophony of hoof steps thundered down from behind her, the sound of patted hay echoing across the room before coming to a halt at her side.

"I almost forgot! I have something for the two of…" Rarity's gaze swept through the empty barn, before helplessly resting on the open doorway. "Oooh… I missed them! Applejack must have gone with Rainbow Dash to… no matter, it can't be helped." she sighed, stomping the ground in frustration. Twilight perked her ears up, facing her direction.

"Actually, they're-"

"Twilight!" Rarity chimed, whipping around to face the startled unicorn. "Would you do me the biggest favor? I need to catch up with Fluttershy before she makes it home, it's very important that I speak to her right away!" She hastily magicked an envelope out of her saddlebags and in front of Twilight's bewildered face, who took it with a purple flicker of her own. "Could you leave this on Applejack's dresser for me?"

"Rarity… I think-"

"Oh thank you! I knew I could count on you! Happy Birthday dearie!" the white pony cried as she galloped for the door, Twilight looking helplessly in her direction.

"…but…"

She was already gone, leaving a swirl of hay and a stunned unicorn in her wake. Shaking her head in mild frustration, Twilight brought the envelope up to her eyes. It was plain and white, with a simple "From Rarity" inscribed in her eloquent penmanship.

Bringing it down, she noticed Applejack walking back in to the barn, looking somewhat pleased.

"Well, that's a wrap, then. What say we get you on back home, Twilight?" the orange pony asked, shouldering on a couple of green saddlebags, the last pair that rested at the foot of the door. Momentarily forgetting about the envelope, Twilight gave her a quizzical stare.

"Applejack, I can get home just fine by myself." she assured. Applejack raised an eyebrow.

"With all of this stuff totin' behind you?" she asked, gesturing to the large pile of gifts resting on the table. Twilight gave her a sheepish grin.

"I am a unicorn, you know."

"Nonsense." the pony replied, casually walking over to the table. "You've got enough books in your bag t'start a whole 'nother library, not to mention a sleepin' baby dragon t'carry home. I ain't gonna let you carry all of these, too." She began loading boxes onto her back. "Besides, it's your birthday. I'll walk you home."

Twilight looked towards the open doorway, before releasing a sigh, the corners of her mouth creasing upwards.

"Thanks, Applejack."

The addressed pony beamed back, carefully wrapping her foreleg around her friend while keeping her own cargo balanced.

"Anytime, sugarcube. Now let's get a move on."

Twilight nodded, and gently pulled away, letting her horn glow once more. A sleeping Spike rose from out of the overturned punch bowl and was gently placed on the pony's back as the boxes left on the table began to hover. Making sure he was securely balanced, and with the remaining presents floating behind her, she headed for the doorway at a steady pace.

With a smile of approval, Applejack flicked the light switch with her nose as she reached the entrance, bathing the barn in darkness as she followed the unicorn and her enchanted tow out of the party room, and into the starlit fields.

…

"Say, Applejack… where's your hat?"

*Shuff*

Rainbow Dash exhaled, letting her wings go slack as she finally collapsed on the cloudy doorstep to her home, finding little reason to raise her Stetson-clad head. Her body ached for a long sleep, and was perfectly content in doing so despite the lack of a suitable bed. The plushness of the steps, along with the lulling scent of the warm night air did little to convince her otherwise.

She creaked an eye open, letting her blurry vision drift around the outside of the dimly-lit cloud castle. A towering pillar, one of many that supported her regal home glowed with a soft, pearly white in the gentle light of the crescent moon above her. The soothing ambience of the rainbow river rushing down the cloudy property reached her ears, which lay flat against her head in utter exhaustion.

She was finally home.

Breathing a sigh of content, she allowed her vision to continue onward, encompassing the grand structure before her. So many years had gone by since she had purchased this home. Every articulate design, and every exquisite feature this place had to offer had passed with her personal stamp of approval, with no expense having been spared.

Her head rested beneath the finest-quality altoslate, and cumulo-granite made the majority of the regal manor's makeup. An expensive enchantment, one of many within the majestic dwelling, twisted and turned the flowing ribbon of rainbow around her magnificent home, magically leading the rushing flow of liquid down to the bottom in a dazzling waterfall display. Every drop would soon after dissipate as it fell in shimmering trails before hitting the ground, only to wink back up to the top of the pool above her house to continue the never-ending scene of beauty.

It had been two days since she had left this wonderful place, bent on preparing the skies for the rainstorm that week. So much had happened.

And it was startling to the pegasus pony just how little she had missed it since.

Rainbow Dash shifted onto her back, her gaze encompassing the great starry expanse above her. She could not remember when she had last spent time at the foot of her home, and the feeling of the steps beneath her was almost completely foreign. It struck her as odd that she would cross over them almost daily, but she could not remember actually… touching down on them before.

Life was short, and she had spent enough of it just to buy this place.

Her mind could not help but draw back to her days as a growing teenager, and the sacrifices she had made to acquire such a grand place to live. From performances to hard labor, she had worked day after day, saving every bit she earned. When she wasn't training for the Wonderbolts, she had been working towards a home worthy of a Wonderbolt.

Her eyes narrowed in the moonlight as countless seasons crossed before them, memories of working as part of one of Cloudsdale's many weather teams. She had eventually been enlisted by the city, as her days out of school proved to be easily filled with physical labor. Each day had ended with an increase in her savings, but also with the same weariness and ache that she was experiencing this very moment, as well as a hopeless, caged feeling that she knew she could not live with for long.

She had hated it, and that discontent had furthered her ambition to live life her way.

The pony's gaze quickly softened in the moonlight as her story continued through her mind. Time passed, as it always would, and eventually the day had come when she would make that pivotal change.

She had started construction on this home not a year after meeting Applejack for the very first time. It was around then that she decided she had finally saved enough bits, a small fortune she could call her very own, to be put towards a home of her very own. It was her plan to have it constructed above the outskirts of Ponyville, and oh-so-carefully out of city bounds, so that the juvenile pegasus could retain the freedom she so desperately craved.

The day she walked into the Cloudsdale Contracting Agency was one she would never forget. She had spent an entire day with various members of the company, planning the layout and crunching through every gritty detail, personally making sure that each and every aspect of her would-be home was absolutely perfect.

The sun had long gone down before she had exited that building, but the smile the budding teenager wore was bright enough to light her way back to her place of residence with ease.

With the location set and the proper paperwork filled out, the young ward only had to file her resignation as a citizen of Cloudsdale, which she did the very next day. The process was more than easy, as the fresh building contract tucked beneath her wing legally secured her new place of residence outside of the city. And with such a large estate in the works, as well as a formidable reputation for following through with her ambitions, it was well enough in the eyes of the city officials to let her go.

Two hours later, and she was merrily skipping out of the city hall, no longer a dependent of the city in the sky, nor bound by Cloudsdale's citizen laws.

She would finally be free to live life her own way.

A small snort passed out of her nose as the pegasus blinked in the starlight. Ironically, her first two weeks out of city custody were spent secretly living in Applejack's clubhouse, while the hired pegasus workers started construction on the property. She had wanted her decision to be a complete surprise for her best friend, one who she had seen very little during her busy years as part of the Weather Team.

It had been a difficult feat. With Applejack frequently visiting her tree house, she was hard-pressed to keep the place looking vacant, and a few times she found herself waking up in the dead of the night at the sound of approaching hoof steps, dashing out of an open window when the teenage earth pony would decide to make a nightly visit. But it was all worth it in the end, and the cowpony had been none the wiser.

The memory of Applejack's dumbstruck face was one she cherished still.

During those two weeks, however, it had quickly come to her attention that she still needed a line of work to support even a basic living. What was left to her name after her meeting with the Cloudsdale contractors was not enough to support her for long, and bits would be difficult to come by should she not find a suitable occupation.

So it was perhaps the biggest stroke of luck that the Mayor of Ponyville had sent out a desperate request that very week, for a new, able-bodied pegasus to take care of the city's weather team on a daily basis, and to hold the honorary title of Ponyville's Weather Manager.

She had looked into the job, and had just as quickly found herself rushed into the Mayor's office, meeting the eager elderly mare. Five minutes of formalities later, and the two trotted outside, where she was asked to demonstrate her abilities through a number of tasks. Not less than one minute later, and the young pony found herself on the receiving end of a sweet deal.

A ten-second show of her cloud-clearing prowess, along with a short demonstration of her flying abilities had revealed that she could easily handle the work of multiple workers single-hoofedly, saving the town a fair sum of money which could be put to more beneficial ventures within the tight-knit community.

Eager to hire the pegasus, the Mayor had called her back into her office, and proposed her plan.

In return for Rainbow Dash's services, not only would she receive a monthly stipend for her work that would more than pay for her simple lifestyle, but should she accept, the Mayor would be willing to make a special exception for the youthful teenager, and levy the age requirements for residential rights… as an adult.

She was to be a full-fledged citizen of Ponyville, but able to do whatever she wanted, when she wanted.

A dull throbbing beneath her wings brought her back to the present. Her back were starting to ache with discomfort, the shape of the cloudy steps finally driving her will to move from the spot. She might not have, but the river of rainbows had grown loud against the silence within her thoughts, even more so in the absence of any other noise around her.

Stretching lightly, the pegasus willed herself to her hooves with a groan, taking a moment to steady herself before trudging forward, not bothering to look ahead as she passed through the open entryway. It would be less effort to seek sanctuary in her bedroom, than to try and find sleep through the rushing drone of liquid.

Awesomeness had its price, after all.

Her living room was dark, and remained so as Rainbow Dash made no motion towards the light switch, or even to clop her hooves together to activate one of her home's many spells of convenience. She remembered the layout of the room perfectly. She knew what every picture contained, each portrait a framed memory in her mind, and every face she knew by heart.

The pegasus passed by the puffy mantle place, where many of the awards she had won over the years sat quietly. Ribbons and trophies all sat in a row, with the centerpiece being a crown of golden olive branches weaving below two golden wings; her award from the Young Flyer's Competition.

She trotted into her kitchen, which magically lit up with her entrance, causing her to wince. Passing the refrigerator without a second glance, she made her way into another hallway, and started the slow walk up the nearby staircase. After an eternity of walking, she finally found herself atop the second floor of her property, and chose to walk through the first door on the right.

It was her bedroom. One of many in the large home, but the one where she chose to sleep the most, and where she kept the majority of her things, few and far between as they were. Her bedspread, an abstraction of her cutie mark against a mauve background, shone in the lunar light doting from a nearby window. The walls and supporting columns shared the glow of the light, bouncing off one another and creating an ethereal radiance that lit the room with lunar splendor.

Rainbow Dash slowly walked across the room, stopping in front of her open closet. It was nearly empty, save for three outfits outlined by the moonlight behind her.

The first was her Winter Wrap-Up vest. It sat at the front of the three, as she expected to wear the outfit long before either of the other outfits. The cerulean cloth was still dirty from the previous year's work, as was the blue hoofband with a white star that was draped around the hanger, signifying her position as Team Leader of the Weather Team.

Making a mental note to visit the dry cleaners, she slid the vest to the side, revealing her Gala dress. Slightly dusty, but it was still vivid and colorful as ever. The headpiece Rarity had fashioned after her trophy from the Young Flyer's Competition had fallen to the cloudy floor. Thankfully, one of the home's many enchantments kept it from sinking to the world below.

Picking up the headpiece, she set it in its proper place, and turned her attention to the final outfit, her eyes wavering and her heartbeat picking up at the sight, as she was sure it always would.

A Wonderbolts uniform.

It had been given to her by Fleetfoot, the fastest pegasus pony ever to be accepted into the team, during one of the many shows the rainbow pegasus had attended when she was younger. Fleetfoot had recognized her to be a regular attendant to their shows, and had presented the pony with an outfit of her own, stating her hopes that it would motivate the young filly to do her very best to make the team someday.

The uniform before her remained free of dust, clean and neatly pressed as Rainbow Dash consistently tended to its welfare. It had yet to have a true owner to claim it, having never been worn, and having been taken with a personal oath that it would only be worn by a Wonderbolt.

The pegasus sighed. She hoped that it would still fit by then.

Her eyes lingered on that final outfit for a moment, before she turned away and reached a hoof up to her head, taking Applejack's hat from off of her colored mane and bringing it down to her rose-colored orbs…

"I do want you to, Rainbow, I really do… but y'just can't sleep over tonight."

"But… why not?"

"Cuz I've been gone fer a whole day! Tarnation, Rainbow, my family was worried sick when they saw me this afternoon, wonderin' where in Equestria I'd ran off to in that storm! I still haven't told them where I went, and I'm still not sure what I'm going to say to them, much less what I'd say if they saw you there with me. I need some time t'sort this out with them."

"But-"

"What if Granny Smith came up t'have a word with me, an' you were there? What if Apple Bloom walked in t'ask me something… an' noticed you were in my bed? What would I say? What could I say?"

"You could… you…

…

*sigh* …you're right."

"I'm sorry Rainbow Dash, but jus'… jus' not t'night. Not yet."

"I get it. It's… it's alright."

…

"So, are y'doin' anything in particular tomorrow?"

"Uhh… I don't think so."

"Well then…"

*shff*

"Wait, what are you-"

"I'll be expectin' this back early in the mornin'. I haven't got a spare, and I'd sure hate t'get sunburnt. I don't wear orange n' red nearly as well as my brother does."

"But I-mmph!"

…

…

"Can I count on you to see that it gets back t'me in time?"

"You… can. Thanks Applejack."

"G'night, love."

She stroked the brim of the hat fondly, feeling the coarse, but comforting texture.

Slowly bringing it up to her nose, she let the ever-present scents take her away from her heart's yearning, and after a moment of self-indulgence she pulled away, feeling lighter than a feather as she gently placed the hat on top of the shelf above the rack of clothing.

Satisfied, she turned away from the closet, her eyes adjusting to the rest of the room. Her bed sat on the other side of the room between two small bed stands, with two large and plush purple pillows waiting for her weary head to rest upon. Her eyelids creased in the darkness, the sight of such a comfortable place sapping what little willpower she had to keep her standing up.

But she stood steadfast, her gaze turning away from the disarming sight, and lingering instead on the window beside it, watching the clouds drifting lazily around her home, shimmering in the moonlight…

…while her heart pleaded for her heavy hooves to make one final trip.

She turned back and slowly walked out of the room, heading down the long, dark hallway. Reaching another set of stairs, she began the long journey upwards, each step taking more and more effort for the weary pegasus.

The starlit sky opened above her as her hooves passed over the final step, the soft light of the night sky revealing the room… if it could be called a room. There were no walls surrounding the area, only a number of crystal-clear columns supporting a number of cumulous clouds. A large, scroll-shaped bed rested on a regal pedestal in the center, detailed with the hoof-carvings of a masterful pegasus.

It wasn't very often that the pegasus chose to sleep in this particular place, in the grand castle-like abode. While comfortable, she preferred to spend her mid-morning naps on a cloud or a tree near Ponyville, and would opt for the best possible recovery after an eventful day by sleeping in the comfort of her own bed. Truthfully, this room held very few things for her.

One of them being a traumatic memory involving a clingy swarm of Parasprites.

Continuing on, her leg brushed against something soft, drawing her attention to the floor. A lone towel sat on the clouds in front of her, bundled up in wrinkled neglect. Picking it up, she looked over to the towel rack that sat at the corner of the entryway.

It was one of the few things she kept up here. Having a towel handy proved useful as she would often enter her home from this room after practicing a routing in the skies above. Alone, of course, as yet another enchantment kept just anypony from entering her home from above, though she had not felt that she needed it to begin with. Her worries about theft were deterred by her confidence in finding, and especially catching any perpetrators bold enough to take advantage of the open space in her property. All the same, she didn't mind the extra security.

Spitfire did mention some of her issues with fans at the Grand Galloping Gala. It might come in handy someday.

The pegasus walked back and hung the towel up with uncommon care, allowing her hoof to linger on the rough fabric for a moment longer. She slowly let it slide downwards, numbly enjoying the sparks of warmth caused by the friction. Her eyes followed the hoof as it trailed towards the bottom.

…and she noticed the tiniest glimmer of gold.

Squinting lightly, Rainbow Dash leaned closer towards what had caught her eye. A single, golden hair gleamed in the moonlight, seemingly weaved into the bristly material. She gently took it in her hoof, the towel forgotten as she reached her other hoof up to touch her colored bangs.

It was hers, to be sure. No other pony could have used this towel...

… but it was close. Painfully close to the color of the mare whose golden, gleaming mane she had buried her face into the night before.

With a growing weight in her heart, she blew the thin strand away, falling out of her vision in the dim lighting of the room as she made her way back to the centerpiece of the room. Five seconds later, and she climbed on top of the bed, eager to let the night take her away from her thoughts.

Her weary eyes suddenly shot wide open as she felt something soft brushing against her face, causing her to recoil back with a shout. Her vision quickly adjusted as her adrenaline spiked, watching as the room and everything inside of it came into sharp clarity.

A pony-sized cloud had somehow drifted into the room from above, and was lazily hovering in front of her face. It was plain and white, and most certainly not of the same constitution of cloud that formed the foundations of the pillars and floor in the open area.

Rainbow Dash exhaled through her nose, grumbling to herself as she took the intrusive cloud in her hooves, ready to toss it back up to the sky.

…

She paused, relaxing her muscles. Slowly, she brought the cloud down and rested on her haunches, before falling backwards to the bed with her hooves holding the cloud just above her chest.

It was so… quiet. So unnervingly quiet. Despite the open ceiling and lack of walls, the sound of the rainbow waterfall was completely dampened by the surrounding clouds. Her shout still rang through her ears in the deadened silence, as a soundless echo that would not fade.

A strange desire to hear some sort of noise pounded through her heart as she lay in the uncomfortable stillness. Closing her eyes, the pegasus moved onto her side in an exaggerated motion, listening for a sound.

Nothing.

The room remained silent, despite her wishes. No shifting of the clouds beneath her, the bed remained completely unabrasive, perfectly soft…

… and so unlike the bed she slept in the night before. A makeshift pile of dry, rough and grainy leaves that crackled with the slightest movement, and poked into her back in ten different spots at once.

A bed of leaves where she had slept more deeply and peacefully than she could ever recall.

Rainbow Dash slowly turned her head left and right, unconsciously pressing the cloud against her chest. A slow, sinking feeling began to swell inside of her as confusion crossed her moonlit features. She was so tired, exhausted to the point where she felt the night would take her away with each blink of her eyes.

…so why was it so hard to fall asleep?

A warm draft crossed through the open space, momentarily soothing and distracting her addled mind. It was nearing the end of summer, and the night air was plenty warm enough for a feather-laden pegasus to sleep out in the open. It was a common sight in Cloudsdale to see a pegasus pony outside his or her home, sleeping on a nearby cloud outside of their property during this time of year.

Rainbow Dash stared up at the stars above her with large, quivering eyes, holding the cloud tightly against her chest.

It was also common… to see two ponies enjoying the summer nights like these with one another in the cloudy city. Huddled close to each other, couples would trace the constellations and watch for falling stars with their backs to the clouds, and their hooves intertwined. Keeping each other warm and enjoying the night air with the feeling of nothing between them, the whole world beneath them, and the star-sparkled universe… before… them…

"…you've got to be kidding me."

Rainbow Dash brought the cloud up to her face, groaning into the downy material.

This entire house, with all of its space and splendor, many rooms and magical features… had never felt so empty before. And now she knew exactly why.

…she was lonely.

Rainbow Dash rolled to her back again, exhaling through her nose. She had never felt lonely inside of her home as far as she could remember. More often than not she would return too tired, or even too infrequently to have ever considered another pony living with her. And yet everything around her, everything inside of this regal home… seemed to be calling out for that one earth pony, who slept in the world below.

She finally had somepony in her life, somepony to share it all with. And that pony wasn't here with her.

The feathered filly held tighter still to the cloud in an attempt to stave off the emptiness that was steadily taking root, but the poor imitation of her heart's desire did little to help. Rainbow Dash let out a low sigh.

It was going to be difficult finding sleep tonight, after having shared it with someone so close.

She inhaled, and her nose caught the earthy, late-summer breeze riding on the current above her home, calming her mind and taking her thoughts to the world below. It was close to the time of year where the various families around Ponyville would prepare for the fall. The Flower Sisters had their many gardens, the Carrot Family had started tending to the numerous carrot patches…

…and the Apples would soon begin preparations for Applebuck Season.

The pegasus knew the routine by heart. Preparing the cartloads of barrels and baskets, and tidying up the various barns and storage sheds, as well and Applejack's new apple cellar... there was a lot of work to do before the harvest even began. And with everything that the small family had to do, Applejack would be hard-pressed to make time for her friends as she worked to make ends meet.

Rainbow Dash shook her head, staring up into the moonlit heavens. Surely Applejack wouldn't mind taking time off to hang out, especially now that the two of them were together. She… they, would be able to find the time. Applejack was a hard worker, and Apple Bloom would be old enough to help buck the trees this year. Not to mention that Big Macintosh wouldn't have an injury that would keep him from assisting his sisters.

Maybe… she could even help Applejack out with a chore or two. To help speed things up for them.

…

Rainbow Dash blinked at her own thoughts, before she smirked, burying her face into the fluffy cloud with a warm chuckle.

She was ruining her.

A solitary, flickering candle illuminated the many rows of books and tomes decorating the sparkling shelves of the Ponyville Library. The window curtains had been drawn shut, keeping in the light and offering only the smallest of indication that someone was home.

From the same window, the gentle flap of a pair of wings could be heard, and a muffled, sliding noise as the final book from what had been a large pile was neatly put into its proper place.

"Hoo."

The sound was gentle, but carried the weight of satisfaction throughout the dim, empty enclosure, and not long before a muffled voice emerged from the door behind the lone creature.

"Owlowiscious, we're home."

The owl quickly took flight, silently soaring towards the ornate, cherry-red door, reaching out a tiny claw to grasp the lock. A twist to the right, and the golden doorknob on the inside began to glow purple, before the door slowly swung open with a drawn-out creak.

Two ponies walked side-by-side into the library, a trail of enchanted cargo close behind them. Owlowiscious regarded her master's companion as she shut the door, blinking and raising a wing.

"Hoo."

"Shh, not so loud." Twilight responded softly, turning back to look at the baby dragon asleep on her back. The owl blinked again, cocking his head. Twilight smiled, and looked towards the far end of the room, where the candle softly glowed atop of a window sill, a neatly-organized table sitting at the base. The trail of flying gifts silently soared overhead those present, gently arranging themselves at the foot of the work desk, casting large shadows across the bookshelves.

Applejack greeted the small owl as Twilight set to work.

"Well hey there Owlie," she whispered, waving a friendly hoof. Owlowiscious simply blinked, watching as the orange pony turned back to her saddlebags. Opening the left satchel, she pulled out a book and held it out, which the owl quickly grasped from her teeth.

"I never did thank you fer runnin' this down t'Sweet Apple Acres for me. So thanks."

"Hoo."

Twilight suddenly turned away from her project, slowly scrutinizing the large room occupied by the four of them.

"Owlowiscious, did you… were you cleaning while I was away?"

"Hoo."

Twilight beamed as the bird landed on her back beside Spike, nuzzling the owl's wing.

"Thank you. It looks wonderful in here. Great birthday present."

Owlowiscious sat with an ever-impassive face as Twilight walked over to the desk, her horn aglow. Applejack looked up as she saw a basket floating at the top of the long staircase. Soaring down towards them, the unicorn guided the object to the foot of the desk. Another flicker of her horn, and the baby dragon slowly lifted off of her back and into the basket, a folded blanket curling over and tucking itself around him.

Applejack raised an eyebrow.

"Doesn't Spike usually sleep upstairs with you?"

Twilight turned her attention back to organizing the presents. "He does, but I don't want to wake him up."

"Wake him up?"

"While we're having our sleepover, of course." Twilight remarked. After a moment of silence she glanced back, noticing the hesitant look on the filly's face. "I know you've got work to do in the morning, but it's really late, and I don't want you to have to walk home all by yourself. We won't stay up for very long, I promise. I just thought you might want someplace to crash for the night."

Applejack's demeanor softened, a small smile appearing on her lips. "I'd really appreciate that, sugarcube."

"Good." Owlowiscious landed on Twilight's now-unoccupied back as the unicorn started a slow trot to the other side of the room. "Why don't you go and put your stuff upstairs, and I'll get us something to drink." Twilight continued towards the doorway to the kitchen, owl in tow, before turning back. "What would you like?"

"Cider'd be nice, if you have any."

Twilight smiled. "Cider it is."

Applejack beamed back at the filly, and quickly trotted up the stairs as Twilight left the room.

Away from the flickering light of the candle, the earth pony made her way up the second set of stairs. Crossing the top step, Applejack reached out to the side for the light switch. Her hoof scuffed across the wall a number of times, finding nothing. A repeat of the motion alongside the opposite wall proved just as fruitless.

She quickly took note of how few times she's actually been in the upstairs level of the library, where Twilight kept her bedroom and a number more of bookshelves. Unable to turn the lights on, she could only make out two thin bed-shaped silhouettes on the upper level, outlined by a starry window.

Peering through the darkness, the earth pony gingerly walked along the left side of the room, using what little light the window offered to guide her way up the small set of steps leading to the makeshift bedroom. She made her way up the stairs with nary a creak, before bumping into the guest bed with a yelp of surprise.

Grunting lightly, she reached back to undo the buckles on her back, and threw her saddlebags onto the soft surface, which bounced once before settling. The orange pony doubled back with a sigh of satisfaction, before feeling her hoof brush against something on the floor. The sounds of a flurry of paper falling to the bottom level reached her ears, leaving the pony blinking in the dark.

"What in tarnation?"

Applejack blindly made her to the other side towards the wall behind Twilight's bed, and fumbled around for Twilight's reading lamp. A satisfying *click*, and the dark room filled with a muted glow, dimly lit enough so that Applejack could see the various stacks of note cards littered around her hooves. One such stack was scattered across the floor on the lower level below.

"Oh ponyfeathers."

The orange pony begrudgingly made her way back down the stairs, grumbling with each step until she reached the bottom. Looking to the dark doorway, she could not see nor hear any sign of Twilight coming back up. Opting to clean the mess before she did, she bent low to the ground, and started collecting the cards into a pile. The last thing she wanted Twilight to deal with on her birthday was her overly-tidy tendencies.

The cowpony sighed, after a moment of realization. Undoubtedly, the cards would have been organized, and would need to be placed in a proper order. Flipping the first card over, she began looking for a number indication of some kind, scanning the top, bottom, and along the sides. Finding nothing, she exhaled, and submitted herself to reading the written words.

"Welcome everypony! Today we are here to honor a pony we can always count on to help in matters great and small."

Applejack blinked. It was in Twilight's hornwriting to be sure, though it was her guess as to who the pony she had written about was. Sitting down on the floor, she then reached for another random card, reading the contents aloud.

"…a pony whose contributions to Ponyville, both to the city and to each and every one of us, have gained our attention, and our undying gratitude."

She reached for the next card.

"…who never once has forgone her friends in favor of her own personal desires for as long as I've known her. I am proud to admit that Applejack is the very definition of an honest pony, and a true friend. (Slight pause). At this time, I'd like to ask-"

Applejack blinked. She re-read the name aloud, positive that she had misunderstood the card.

"Applejack."

Her emerald eyes began to waver, as the realization of what she was reading slowly came over her. The pony felt her gaze wandering around the room in disbelief, over what must have been hundreds of note cards littering the floor, all from the same pile.

Unaware of a single card floating up into the air behind her in the dim light.

"You never got to hear it, did you? Well nopony else did either."

Applejack whipped around, inhaling sharply. Twilight Sparkle stood in the doorway, letting the card fall back to the floor, while keeping two steaming cups of liquid suspended at eye level. With a smile, she walked over to where the Applejack sat, and placed herself on the floor across from the apologetic pony.

"I-I'm awfully sorry, Twi'. I didn't mean t'make a mess up here, an'-"

"Hey." Twilight interrupted her. "Don't worry about it. I needed to re-organize all of those piles anyways." She brought a hoof to her mouth, staring up at the ceiling in thought. "And I think Slumber 101 said something about not cleaning up messes until the next morning, so don't worry about that either."

Applejack snorted, albeit with a grateful smile as she took the levitating cup of cider in her hooves, blowing into the steaming mug. A moment of silence passed between the two as they sat in the semi-dark room, both taking a quiet sip of their respective beverages.

"So… what's the speech for?" came the inevitable inquiry.

"Well, it was for your award ceremony, back when you received the Prized Pony of Ponyville award." the unicorn responded, taking another sip of tea. "But I never got a chance to read it. Speeches aren't as well-received in Ponyville as they are in Canterlot, I suppose." she remarked dourly.

Applejack looked at the unicorn in disbelief.

"You wrote an entire speech… jus' fer that?" she whispered. Her eyes sunk to the ground as she recalled the memory. "But… that was durin' Applebuck Season. An' the Summer Sun Celebration was only a few months before that. We couldn'tve known each other fer more than-"

"Two and a half months."

Applejack felt her breath catch within her throat. Blinking back a pair of tears that threatened to stain the wood beneath them, she rose to meet Twilight's gaze, with green eyes that quavered with a soft, modest plea.

"…why?"

Twilight held Applejack's gaze firmly.

"Because it wasn't just for that."

Applejack felt her own stare falter, breaking eye contact with the unicorn and staring into her cup, her heart riddled with confusion and shame.

Twilight looked down towards her own, her voice going quiet.

"When I lived in Canterlot… I didn't have any friends. I was too busy studying everything I could about magic to really let anypony close to me. I usually would only talk with Spike and the Princess during my stay in the Castle. I… hardly even saw my parents."

Twilight inhaled, taking the warm cup into her hooves.

"Even after I moved to Ponyville, I still had to adjust with living away from the city I grew up in. It wasn't easy for me, learning to live on my own, and not having the Princess around to take care of everything for me. Having Spike with me helped, but it was still really hard."

She sighed, staring into the murky, steaming liquid. "I'll admit, when I first moved here I was… selfish. Not in the greedy kind of way, but that I kept to myself all the time. I never went out of my way to help anypony, and certainly without being asked to."

Twilight's eyes misted over in memory.

"You girls were always there to help me, whenever I needed it. You and Pinkie Pie especially went out of your way for me, the two of you leaving me baskets of homemade goods and always inviting me over to have dinner, all because you wanted me… to feel at home."

"But it was different with you. Pinkie Pie treated me like her best friend… but you treated me like I was part of your family. You treated me like you really knew me. Like you had known me for years, and… I couldn't understand why."

She lifted a hoof to her eyes, patting at the moisture that had begun to collect beneath them. "*Sniff*… but after a while, I think I began to understand."

Applejack felt the knot tighten within her throat, taking in deep breaths.

"Those first few months I lived in Ponyville… I watched you help so many ponies. You were always on the lookout for somepony who needed a good neighbor. You put the same care and attention into every one of your friends. It was like… watching you tending to your family's orchard.

If we ever needed you, you were there for us every time. And you know something? It was because of you that after a while… I really did feel like I was home."

Twilight looked up to Applejack, who was still staring into her cup of cider.

"I've never met another pony quite like you, Applejack."

Applejack sniffed, wiping at her eyes with a hoof, unwilling to look at the unicorn.

"Now come on, Twilight. I ain't the Element of Generosity you're makin' me out t'be." she choked.

Twilight smiled, setting the cup down, and taking one of Applejack's hooves into hers.

"No, you're the bearer of the Element of Honesty through and through. You treat your friends with the same honest love and attention that you put in your orchard, and with the same love and care that you would want to be treated with." Twilight sniffed. "Even… even if we don't always treat you so wonderfully."

The purple unicorn closed her eyes, and the room began to glow as a purple aura enveloped her horn, along with every card on the floor. A flurry of paper later, and a neatly-stacked pile levitated in front of the two, before silently soaring up to the second level and gently nestling itself into the cowpony's open saddlebags.

"I don't need it to remind me of everything you've done for me." Twilight said wistfully, staring up at the window behind the beds.

She silently scooted up to Applejack's side, who wordlessly watched her own tears fall to the ground. The orange pony choked back a sob as she felt the hoof rest on her shoulder, which she took in her own, turning to the side and pulling the unicorn into a tight hug.

"*Sniff* Shouldn't you be the one tearin' up right now, with it bein' your birthday an' all?" she asked. Twilight tightened her grip around the earth pony, responding with a small laugh.

"I've already had my fair share of tears today."

"I reckon we both have." Applejack chuckled, wiping away the remainder of her tears. Pulling back from the embrace, the two sat in a pleasant silence, enjoying the warmth of the moment as the remaining tension dissipated between them.

Before a minute had passed, the hatless cowpony spoke up once more.

"Well then, I say we end the night on a lighter note."

Applejack then took the cup of cider sitting beside her, and heartily swung it up into the air while loudly clearing her throat, causing her companion to snigger.

"To the best o' friends… an' to the success of a mighty fine party, for a mighty fine pony. A pony who not only brought the five of us friends together, but also brought a special kind o' friendship in my own life. I reckon it jus' wouldn't be the same without you." Applejack declared, her emerald eyes bejeweled and brimming with renewed joy. "Happy Birthday, Twilight."

The purple pony giggled, taking the handle of the teacup in her hoof and raising it.

"Hear hear."

*Clink!*

The two ponies brought their cups to their lips, with Twilight taking a modest sip as Applejack downed the warm cider in a single swill, licking her lips clean of the sticky substance. Bringing the empty dishes down, the two looked at one another, a giggle passing between them…

…before bursting out into a fit of carefree laughter.

"That was really something else, Applejack."

"Well, I figured I owed you a speech, though I didn't have much time to prepare." the orange pony cheekily replied.

Twilight giggled once more. "I thought it was just fine. Not a bad way to end a birthday, AJ."

"Not at all, Twi'." Applejack looked out the pitch-black window. "Though I think we really should end it an' head t'bed now. It's been a long day."

"Yeah, it has."

Setting their cups down, Applejack and Twilight rose to their hooves, the former letting out a wide yawn, and starting up the stairs.

Walking up to the guest bed, the orange pony gently set her saddlebags onto the floor, taking care not to damage the precious stack of cards inside. Twilight opened her own satchels upon reaching the platform, and began setting her new books beside her own bed, eager to read them in the morning.

Applejack hopped onto the soft surface with a satisfied sigh, splaying herself across the top cover. "Sure is gonna be nice havin' the bed for myself this time. Rarity ain't the easiest pony t'share a blanket with."

"Rarity?" Twilight asked, blinking. "Oh, I almost forgot," she started, her horn glowing one final time. A white envelope drifted out of the bag and over to the weary earth pony. "Rarity asked me to give this to you before she left."

Applejack sat up, rubbing her tired eyes. "What's in it?"

"I don't know. Open it." The unicorn responded, eagerly.

The orange cowpony took the floating envelope in her hooves, and carefully opened the flap. Unfolding the paper inside, her eyes slowly scanned the message, growing wider and wider as she scrolled down the letter. She resignedly closed them as she reached the bottom, before falling backwards onto her bed with a groan.

"I jus' don't understand that pony. I swear, sometimes I think she's out t'get me."

"What? What is it?" Twilight asked.

"Well… quite possibly the worst thing I've ever received from her." the orange pony despairingly replied, holding up the page without raising her head. The letter rose into the air, taken again by Twilight's magic and hovered in front of the unicorn's quizzical expression, who began reading the contents. A moment later, and the letter dropped onto the bed as Twilight released her magical hold.

…unable to support it with her uncontrollable snickering.

"Did something happen between you and Rainbow Dash? Because whatever it was… it looks like she really wants to help." was all she offered, keeping her foreleg in front of her mouth, a dam keeping back a wave of giggles. "I-I don't know what to tell you."

Applejack groaned, rolling onto her side.

"I don't know what to tell Rainbow Dash."

The dam quickly broke.

…and away from the two ponies in the library, past the moonlit fountain of the town square, over the silent retreat of Fluttershy's Cottage and through the fields of rural Ponyville, a lone figure stood in quiet thought, stoic and unmoving.

The figure stared straight ahead without blinking. Beyond the pony lay a vast and dark region, teeming with unruly vegetation. The echoes of haunting sounds stroked at the edges of the sickly trees, stretched across the beginnings of the pitch black expanse as a natural and ominous warning.

A flicker of hesitance arose from the figure's eyes, uncertainty causing the pony to look away from the terrible grove and towards the horizon…

…where the rooftops of Ponyville stood as dark silhouettes against the blanket of stars, the sight of which brought about a darkening expression, beset with eyes that gleamed with a grim resolution.

Inhaling slowly, the pony began a steady trot forward, swirls of vapor trailing behind each hoof step as the moonlit figure disappeared into the dark mist of the Everfree Forest.

Where salvation slumbered in peaceful ignorance.

Dun dun dun! First cliffhanger of the story, and certainly not the last!

But enough of that, let's get down to business.

It's been well over two months, probably the longest I've gone without posting… well, anything! I really don't know what to say for myself, except that I'm very sorry for having many of you believe that this chapter was going to come out sooner than it did. This chapter was really difficult for me to finish. I'm still realizing a whole lot of "do's and don't's" to writing, and I second-guess myself at every turn in the story. Truthfully, I had very little planned out for this chapter to begin with, so it was a little bit stressful.

Thankfully, the same can't be said for the next one! I am SUPER excited to start working on it! Heck, I've already gotten six or so pages done. Almost everything has been set in stone, so getting it all written down will be a piece of cake compared to this one… though I'm not entirely sure if my next update is going to be for this story. I honestly have about six or so short stories that I'd like to see out in the open.

Now I'm sure some of you are starting to get a little tired of seeing our main protagonists tearing up every chapter. Well, fear not. Emotions have been running hot, but it's time to take a good, long break from them.

And finally… it's been SUPER cool catching some of you on Team Fortress 2, and getting a chance to talk to some of my readers! Seriously, I just about die every time someone mentions reading a story of mine!

…but too many people are just adding me and not saying anything, so I honestly can't tell if you're a reader, or just someone randomly adding me. So let me know who you are!

Anyways, two months is too long, even for me. One month is painful enough to go through without publishing anything, so keep an eye open on my profile page, and I'll try and keep it updated with my latest project! Feel free to leave a comment, and let me know what you think so far. It's always a pleasure to hear from you!

Thanks for sticking around! Until next time!

~A.P.