"This is the best good-bye party, ever!" Pinkie Pie squealed, aiming her party cannon into the air. A fresh jet of confetti exploded into the air, settling over the other ponies in the room. Rarity shook her mane, letting the confetti fall to the floor.

"You say that about every good-bye party, darling." The elegant unicorn reminded her friend.

"But this one is the best of the best!" the pink pony exclaimed. "This one is for our very best friend!"

"Aw, shucks, Pinkie," Applejack scraped her hoof along the barn ground. "I ain't gonna be gone too long. Y'all didn't have to throw me some big party."

"Not throw a party?" Pinkie gasped. "That's just silly!"

"What made you decide to go all the way to Appleloosa anyway?" Rainbow Dash asked. The cyan pony landed neatly in front of the orange mare, her wings stirring the dust and the confetti. “You saw the ponies there at your last family reunion.”

“That was two years ago,” Applejack replied. “I’d like to see my family. I don’t get down there too often, and I don’t wanna make the mistake of not seein’ the family enough.”

“What are we supposed to do while you’re gone?” the rainbow maned pony whined.

“Y’all can get along without me. Rainbow, you got that Scootaloo filly to mentor, and Twilight promised to help Sweetie Belle along with her magic. Fluttershy’s got them animals to care for, Rarity is making new capes for Applebloom and her friends, and we can all count on Pinkie Pie to keep y’all entertained.”

“I’m sure we’ll all manage to get along while you’re visiting family,” Twilight smiled. “We’ll all meet up to see you off at the train station tomorrow morning, but for now, I need to get home to make sure Spike re-shelved the books like I asked.”

“I gotta get going too,” Rainbow said. “If I’m getting up before Celestia raises the sun, I have to get to sleep like, right now.”

“I need to check on Angel Bunny. He had a cold this morning.” Fluttershy added.

“Aw, the party is over?” Pinkie frowned, her usually puffy mane going flat.

“Only for tonight,” Rarity comforted the pink pony. Pinkie brightened, her mane returning to its cotton candy looking state.

“Y’all don’t have to see me off at the train station. I wouldn’t want to be a burden.”

“You are not a burden!” Rarity cried. “You are one of our friends, and we would gladly rise before Celestia’s sun if it meant getting to wish our friend a safe trip. We will all meet up at six tomorrow morning for a final farewell to our lovely friend, Applejack.”

“The way y’all are talking about me, you would think I was never comin’ back to Ponyville!” Applejack laughed. “I’m only gonna be gone for a few weeks. I sure won’t be gone longer than two months.”

“She’s right, girls,” Twilight said as her horn lit up and deposited a large pile of confetti into a nearby trash bin. “Applejack won’t be gone for long. AJ, if you really don’t want us to see you off, then we’ll stay home. We’d just like to say goodbye to our friend when she goes off to a different town.”

“If y’all really wanna get out of bed so early, then y’all feel free to meet me, but I’m not askin’ anything of y’all.”

“Six o’clock girls!” Rarity beamed, helping Twilight with clean-up.

“I’ll start planning the ‘We-Miss-Applejack’ party!” Pinkie shouted, running at an impossible speed to Sugar Cube Corner. The other five ponies, used to this sort of behavior from Pinkie, continued cleaning the barn. Rainbow Dash flew in large circle, gathering a whirlwind of confetti and dropping it into a pile beside Twilight.

“Just hurry back, okay?” Rainbow said, looking to the orange pony. “I don’t wanna spend too much time having to work on my super awesome tricks alone.”

“I’ll be back before you can even start missin’ me.” Applejack smiled, wrapping the cyan Pegasus in a hug. Rainbow hugged Applejack back, but broke it off and looked around to make sure nopony saw her. Rainbow Dash did not hug.

“I guess I’ll be seeing you later then.” Rainbow gave Applejack a half smile.

“Guess so,” Applejack returned the smile. “Thanks for comin’ to the party.” The orange mare adjusted her cowpony hat and joined the rest of her friends in cleaning up the barn.

~XoXo~

Applejack stood at the train platform, her eyes scanning the skies. Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie were gathered around the platform, wishing Applejack a good trip. The only pony missing was the cyan Pegasus.

“I’m sure she’ll be here,” Twilight tried to comfort Applejack. “She’s just running a little late, that’s all.”

“I’m sure she just didn’t wanna get up before Celestia raised the sun,” Applejack shrugged. “It’s no big deal. I didn’t expect her to be here anyhow.” Applejack tried to hold her head up, but she had been hoping to say her final goodbye to Rainbow this morning. The cyan mare was her best friend, and she had hoped she would live up to her element to say goodbye.

“All aboard!” the stallion in charge of the train called out.

“Bye, Applejack!” the four ponies threw their hooves around Applejack in a giant group hug. “Have a great trip!” the ponies released their friend and Applejack tightened her saddlebags. She took one last look up at the sky, sighing when the darkness held no sign of a rainbow mane or tail.

“See y’all in a few weeks!” Applejack waved goodbye from the train while it slowly pulled out of the station. The sight of four of her five friends waving back filled Applejack’s heart with happiness, but the lack of her best friend’s presence disappointed her slightly.

The train sped up and Applejack cantered into the main seating area. She chose a window seat and settled down, dropping her saddlebags in the basket below the seat.

“This is the Equestria Express, line from Ponyville to Manehatten with a layover stop in Appleloosa. I wish anypony taking the full line to Manehatten a well journey, and anypony leaving in Appleoosa a fun vacation.”

The overhead voice cut out and Applejack watched out the window as Ponyville disappeared, replaced by vast emptiness. There was at least a six hour train ride between here and Appleoosa. Trying to forget the sinking feeling in her stomach at not seeing Rainbow Dash, Applejack settled into her seat, closing her eyes. The rattle of the train provided the perfect soothing sound, allowing Applejack to fall into a half-blissful state of sleep.