No, it couldn't be.
It couldn't be him. No, no, it was all wrong!
He was her rise to fame. Her reason why she could pay the bills. Why she was still Rarity the Unicorn.
"Well, Rarity. You don't know how long I've waited for you. How long I've wished for you to be mine." A leer spread across the pony's face.
No, no, no. Panic sent her heart racing. No, no, no, it was just a dream. Just a dream. She bit her lip, trying to wake herself up. Blinked multiple times.
Why wasn't it working?!
"Oh, don't do that. You're making your lips bloody." Slowly, the anonymous figure leaned in and kissed the blood away. "There we go. Back to the perfect mare." The pony smiled.
"Why, why are you doing this? Why won't you let me free?! LET ME GO!" It hurt Rarity to act this unladylike, but she had to.
"Why? You wish to know why?" The pony twirled a locket, looking at the picture inside. "Oh, I don't think you'd want to know the reason." For a third time, the pony smiled. However, this one wasn't loving. It was evil.
Pure evil.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Rarity couldn't believe it. Just the sheer thought made her want to squeal and bounce like Pinkie. However, being a proper lady, she only allowed herself a cultured giggle, and a slight frenzy of stomps. Why, this was even better then meeting Fancy Pants, or designing Cadence's dress!
Finally calming herself down, Rarity let out a sigh, and leisurely laid herself down on the couch. She'd been so lucky the past few months, with all the opportunities that had come her way. Why, business was bustling at the Carousel Boutique! Many Canterlotian ponies found their way to Ponyville, paying extravagantly for a hoofmade dress by the lovely Rarity. So far, her many collections were displayed at Hoity Toity's shop, one by one, one after another. This had all been hard on Sweetie though, with her being on overtime for months. Ponies just couldn't seem to get enough of her dresses. It was leaving her frazzled.
So, in an effort to make Sweetie happy, she'd been dropping her off at Applejack's place with Apple Bloom. With her constant coming and goings, Rarity was almost an Apple herself! And, anyhow, that couldn't be so bad, right? After all, it had introduced her to... HIM! Why in fact, the pony Rarity had fallen in love with was none other than...
Big Macintosh.
And he loved her back! Why, she had to remember the day he became all hers...
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"Oh, he's just the most delicious thing." She muttered, envisioning him working, muscles rippling. "How I wish he could be mine. But, it isn't entirely possible, is it? I mean, he's... uncouth, while look at me! We really are two different ponies." At this, she sighed.
Opal's hiss rang out. This meant Rarity had forgotten to feed her. But... All of a sudden she bolted up. Hurriedly she checked the clock on the wall. "Oh my goodness! I was supposed to pick Sweetie up twenty minutes ago! Oh, I hope she isn't fretting." Dashing around the room, he tried to make herself more presentable for Big Mac. Even if they couldn't be together she had to look her best. "A lady never has a hair out of place," she murmured to herself.
Realizing, again, that she had to get going, the fashionista magicked the brush down and rushed out onto the cobblestone street. Walking leisurely, but speedier then was probably ladylike, she finally made it to Sweet Apple Acres. Rarity climbed onto the porch.
"Yoo hoo. Applejack?" A white, perfectly manicured hoof was lifted to knock. As it fell against the door, and hit it three times in rapid succession, indigo eyes peered inside. "Applejack? Sweetie Belle? It's time to come home!" The last sentence she uttered as an order.
A few minutes she waited, and she could take it no longer, She trotted around, and to the back, where she knew the back door was always unlocked.
"Sweetie Belle! You come home this INSTANT." Rarity's ears perked. In the bushes to the right she heard giggling. "I've got you now..." Tiptoeing lightly, she snuck up behind the bush.
A head with a cotton-candy mane slowly peeked out. "Hey where'd she go?" A certain purple-maned marshmallow-y pony was crouched behind he foal, ready to strike.
This was her chance.
"AHAHAHA!" Rarity pounced on the bush, tackling her sister in a bear hug. She was careful not to get too dirty, and brushed a speck of dirt of her back.
"Sis! You ruined it! I was gonna to scare you!" Sweetie pushed her sister way. and slouched on the ground, pouting.
"Oh, Sweetie," She giggled in spite of herself. "Don't take it personally." A sudden idea popped into her head. "Sweetie
Belle, would you like to scare somepony else with me?" A sly tone crept into her voice.
"Oh, can I? Can I, can I, can I?!" The cotton candy-maned unicorn bounced in excitement. She skidded to a stop. "Who who who? Applejack? Apple Bloom? No, Granny Smith! Granny Smith, Granny Smith! Oh, this is gonna be fuuuun."
"Oh, no, no, no, Sweetie Belle. We're not going to scare Applejack, OR Apple Bloom OR Granny Smith. "...We're going to frighten" --Rarity leaned her head down-- "Big Macintosh."
Sweetie Belle's eyes became large pools of disbelief. "Big Mac? But... but he's so calm. It's impossible to scare him! Trust me, Apple Bloom and I have tried." Dejectedly Sweetie laid down.
"Sweetie Belle, do you really have that little faith in me? Why, follow my lead." Hips swaying confidently, and with a little bit of hair-fixing, she was trotting off into the orchard.
"Wait, Sis, wait for meeeeeee!"
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It was a simple task trying to get Big Mac frightened. Rarity's plan had even worked! Why, a simple plan for a simple task was always the best way to go. Not those complicated ideas her sister and her silly little friends always came up with. It seemed, though, that Big Macintosh had a reputation to keep up. At least with his sister. So, in return for telling not telling her little sister that Rarity's plan succeeded, he he would tell her one little truth about himself. And, naturally, being a lover of gossip, she just had to know who the silent mule was yearning for.
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"Ok, Sweetie, wait here for me, alright? If my original plan fails, I need you to let go of that branch you're holding there. Is that alright with you, dear?" It wasn't that Rarity didn't want to Sweetie to see her master plan in action, along with the delightful bonus of seeing Big Macintosh scared, but she was worried Sweetie would get in the way. The dear was a delight, and very sweet, but she was a tad clumsy.
"Well, I'd rather help you, but okay." She heaved a sigh.
"Why, Sweetie, don't you see how important your job is? Why, if I can't scare him, It's all up to you. Not anypony else, but you. That's a big responsibility," She winked. "and an honor to be able to scare Big Macintosh. If you do, you should feel proud of yourself." She gathered Sweetie in a hug. "If you really want to scare him, I need you to do this for me."
The pep talk really seemed to cheer her up. "Ok, Rarity! So, this branch, this one right here?" Rarity nodded to confirm. "Ok, so not too, far but... just..." She bent it back so it almost touched the trunk of the tree. "...right. Okay, all ready sis!" A salute was given. "I'll wait for your signal!"
A few moments later, a bellow-shriek was heard by Sweetie, which scared all the birds out of the apple trees, and almost made her let go of the branch she was holding.
"Shhh, really, darling, you should learn to be more silent! If you wish for Applejack to not laugh at you, I suggest practicing." A disdainful glare was given.
"Uhhh... Miss Raretee?" Head hung low in shame, a blush was spreading across his cheeks.
"No, no, darling, it's RarITy. No 'Miss' no ee, RarITy." The confusion over her name was perfectly understandable. It was sort off an odd one. "Oh, yes, darling?"
"We-well... To keep up my rep with Applejack, would you mind not tellin' anypony you scared lil' ol' me? Knowing me so well, she'd probably laugh." Nervously, he switched the stalk of wheat from one side of his mouth to the other. "I'll offer you somthin' in trade."
"Oh, really darling?" She scooched closer, wondered what he was going to propose.
"N-not much really. I just thought that since no one knew much 'bout lil' 'ol me, you... you could ask me a t-truth?"
Ooh, she couldn't wait to choose. What deep, dark truths could she uncover about that silent work horse? Abandoned foalhood secrets, nearly forgotten by friends, and even family? Embarrassing accidents, results of stupid ideas? Or- Wait. She knew what she wanted to know. Rarity just wasn't sure if she could ask.
"Big Macintosh?" Rarity's gentle voice interrupted his thoughts. "Well, I've been wondering... If you could have anypony in Ponyville..." Even she could't believe she was going to ask this. "Who would you want most to be your mate?"
Judging by his pause, and large gulp, she knew she chose something he didn't want to reveal. Why? Embarrassment, or apprehension? Oh, it didn't matter, really. She knew he had to tell her.
"Ah-ah... would want..." He gulped, loudly. "You."