“Alright, Sweetie Belle, listen very very carefully,” said Rarity. “This is a very important evening for me. I need your help getting ready. You must do as I say, word for word. No trying to add any special touches and such. Word for word, do you hear me?”
“Yes,” exclaimed Sweetie Belle. “I understood the first time you told me, sis! I get this is important. It’s been who knows how long since you went out on a date. I’m really surprised you’re going out with Hayseed Turnip Truck of all ponies.”
“I don’t see the big deal,” said Rarity. “He’s a heard working stallion with a good heart. Celestia knows I could use a good stallion in my life for once. I’ve had a good few disappointments in my life.”
“I don’t even recall you ever going out on dates,” commented Sweetie Belle.
“I don’t tell you everything, dear,” said Rarity.
Sweetie Belle spent nearly three hours helping Rarity get ready for her date. And Sweetie Belle did everything Rarity said without trying to add something to it. In the end Rarity chose a beautiful, but not super fancy, purple dress. Sweetie bell went wide eyed when she saw her big sister glammed up.
“Wow, Rarity,” she said. “You look amazing!”
“Thank you, Sweetie Belle,” said Rarity. “I do hope Hayseed likes it.”
“Anypony would be crazy not to,” said Sweetie Belle.
Rarity gave herself another quick look in the mirror and smiled. She did look good.
“Are you meeting him at the restaurant,” said Sweetie Belle. “Or is he picking you up here?”
“Oh dear,” said Rarity. “I don’t think we ever actually talked about that! Oh this is disastrous! If I go to the restaurant now he may end up coming here and missing me or vice versa!”
“Calm down, sis,” said Sweetie Belle. “It’ll be alright.”
Rarity wasn’t sure what she was going to do. Then she suddenly heard a knock at the door. She went to see who it was. And there he was, Hayseed Turnip Truck, with his hair combed, in a nice brown suit jacket.
“Hayseed,” said Rarity. “I didn’t expect you to show up here.”
“Well ah realized we never said if we were gonna meet at the Blue Bridle or if ah was gonna pick you up at yer house,” said Hayseed. “Ah’m a little early but ah didn’t want you thinkin’ ah skipped out on you.”
Rarity was impressed by Hayseed’s early arrival. Not to mention the fact that he had the same thought she had.
“You sure do look pretty,” he commented with a bit of awe in his voice.
“Thank you very much,” she said blushing. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”
And he really didn’t look bad. She had never really seen him in a suit before. He cleaned up quite nicely.
“Thank ya very much,” he said. “You mind leavin’ early?”
“Not at all,” said Rarity. “Sweetie Belle, do you have any plans for the evening?”
“Another sleepover at Sweet Apple Acres,” said Sweetie Belle.
“Splendid,” said Rarity. “Let’s head out, Hayseed.”
Thankfully the Blue Bridal didn’t require a reservation. It was a nice place, sure, but not one of those black tie types where only the cream of the crop went. This was Ponyville after all.
“You enjoying your food,” he asked.
“It’s quite good,” she said.
After a few moments of silence, Rarity decided to break it with some simple conversation.
“So, Hayseed,” she said. “When you’re not working, what do you do for fun?”
“Well, work keeps me pretty busy,” he said. “But ah get in a good book when ah’m able.”
“I know the feeling,” she said. “Certain parts of the year are busier than others.”
“Ah heard you got to make dresses for Sapphire Shores,” he said.
“Oh yes, I did,” she said. “That was quite wonderful! The circumstances making her outfits led to some complications. But overall it turned out well.”
“Good to hear,” he said. “Ah once had a job washin’ her windows for her summer home in Canterlot.”
“Oh really,” she said. “Did you ever get to talk to her yourself?”
“Well she said ah did an ok job on her windows,” he said. “Other than that she never seemed to notice I was there. But she ah’m sure she was busy. She’s gotta lot to do what with her concerts and such.”
“Yes I’m sure she does,” she said.
Rarity could tell despite his cheerful tone, Hayseed had a look in his eyes that he was well aware that Sapphire Shores was snubbing him because of status in life. He could probably tell that with any high society pony. He wasn’t as naïve as she thought.
“I hope I didn’t upset you that day we met in Canterlot,” she said.
“Whatdya mean?” he asked.
“I wasn’t very polite to you when those socialites unicorns were around,” she said. “I just didn’t want you to think I was snubbing you.”
“Ah never really thought about it,” he said. “Seemed only natural you’d become popular with them fancy ponies. Yer the fanciest pony ah know.”
“You’ve met Sapphire Shores,” she said. “I don’t think it gets any fancier than that.”
“Naw, she’s fancy sure,” he said, which caused Rarity to blush. “But yer twenty times fancier. You remember where you came from and don’t let anypony make you feel ashamed of it. You coulda moved to Canterlot anytime you wanted to, but you wanna be able to help out with yer little sister. Ah thought movin’ to Canterlot would allow me to help mah family out and maybe even get to settle down there. But try as ah might, nopony would have anything to do with me. Ah actually got my teeth fixed thinking that would make a difference. But even with a change on the outside, ah could never change who ah am on the inside.”
Rarity had never seen this side of Hayseed. Thinking about it thought, she’d never really seen this side of any stallion she went out with. He was actually interested in what she had to say and not just constantly talk about himself. This date was going a lot better than she could ever imagine. Once they were done eating, they went for a walk around Ponyville, even making a little stroll around the park. Hayseed then walked Rarity back to the Carousel Boutique.
“I had a lovely time, Hayseed,” said Rarity.
“It was a very nice time,” said Hayseed. “Want to do it again soon?”
“Very much,” said Rarity with great enthusiasm. “I’m not really sure when I’m free.”
“Me neither,” said Hayseed. “But thankfully it’s a small town and we can keep in touch easily. Just stop by the park anytime yer free and we can just sit and talk if ya like.”
“Sounds like a splendid idea,” she said.
Hay seed kissed Rarity on her front hoof, causing her to blush brightly. She’d met few stallions who still kissed so formally.
“Goodnight, Rarity,” he said.
“Goodnight, Hayseed,” she said.
Rarity went into her store and through her window saw Hayseed trot back to the park. She decide to write a letter to Princess Celestia.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I’ve learned that social class will not always factor into how one gets treated. Sometimes, even a pony of a humble background can be as noble as any prince or knight.
Sincerely, Rarity
She decided to give the letter to Spike in the morning. She figured with a day this perfect she should end it with a good night's sleep.