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Shipwrecked3,869 words
The Duke3,352 words
Settling In4,305 words
We're All Fools Here4,153 words
Accidentally in Love5,343 words
Longing3,691 words
Courtship2,648 words
Life and Love4,211 words
Midnight Plotting2,946 words
A Knot Too Hard to Untie4,960 words
Lime Green Stockings2,963 words
Mistaken Identity3,870 words
Imprisonment3,228 words
A Change in the Circumstances1,818 words
Conflicts and Resolutions6,058 words
Epilogue990 words

Mistaken Identity

Applejack had not wanted to return to the Lady Rarity, but she had her orders from Spike. She could not believe that after nearly losing his life over the girl, he was still intent on pursuing her. Also, despite her talk with Twilight last night, Applejack believed the best way to untie this tangled knot was to convince Rarity that Spike was the one for him.

It was not just about protecting Applebloom anymore. Applejack could not let Spike know she had lied to him and, most importantly, did not want to face rejection.

On the bright side, Rarity was less persistent today and satisfied with casual conversation. She talked about the latest fashions and her favorite pastimes. Applejack listened politely, but whenever Rarity showed interest in her, she would steer the subject to Spike. Unfortunately, the lady was quite good at avoiding topics she did not like.

After nearly an hour of speaking and walking about the garden, Rarity finally gave up.

"Your view of me has not changed at all, has it?" she said with a sigh. "I'm starting to think your heart is made of stone."

"If you really want to make me happy, my lady," Applejack said sternly, "you will forget this foolishness and go after your real love, my master."

She groaned. "Oh, him again! How can I give my heart to him when I've already given it to you?"

"I'll give it back. Or give it away if that will make you see reason!"

"Before you go, I want you to wear this for me." She used her magic to remove a silver locket around her neck and lower it into Applejack's hoof. "It has my picture inside. Don't refuse it! It will not speak to you! But perhaps you'll be reminded of the face that yearns for you."

"Madam, this is improper..."

"Just take it! And come again tomorrow."

"I only came here today on my master's behalf."

"Well, if that is the only thing that will make you come, so be it!"

"Ya know? You and the Duke are more alike than you think. You're just as crazy!"

Rarity gasped. "Well!"

She held up her head in a huff and stomped away. The sad thing was, he looked handsome even when insulting her.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Rainbow told Discord as Applejack approached them.

"Don't worry," Discord said nonchalantly. "Your boyfriend won't get hurt."

The pegasus' cheeks turned red. "What?!"

"Oh, please, I'm not an idiot."

"No, no, no, no, no. You got it all wrong. Soarin and I...we're not...he's a...and I'm a..."

"Chill," Discord winked. "I won't tell any pony your little secret."

"You don't understand. The thing is I'm..."

"I'm no traditionalist. After all, this is the seventeenth century."

Rainbow scratched his head. "Then why are we talking like it's the twentieth?"

"Here comes the pipsqueak. Now the fun begins. Aw, dear lad!"

Applejack froze at the sight of Discord. "Uh oh. Uh, look, sir, if I insulted you the other day..."

"Aw, let bygones be bygones, dear boy!" Discord exclaimed, patting the disguised mare on the back. "No hard feelings, right? Besides, it's not me you have to worry about."

She looked up at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"It seems, my boy, you've made quite an enemy."

"Enemy?!" Applejack choked. "What did I do?"

"Who knows? The stallion's a real devil and plans to attack you on your way home. He said, 'I shall run my sword through him and stick him in the ground and watch him wriggle until his damned soul has left him!'"

Applejack shivered at the image. "But I haven't done anything! Have I? If I did something to offend this stallion, I'm sure it was by accident!"

"Well, you're in luck, lad. Sir Soarin, though a devil he may be, is a friend of mine. Oh, don't be fooled by what you hear of his jousting matches. He is much deadlier with a rapier than he is with a lance."

"But I'm no fighter!" Applejack insisted. "Sure, I took a bit of fencin', but I wouldn't hurt a fly!"

"Fear not, my dear boy. Though it will be difficult, I'll try to convince Sir Soarin to go easy on you. I warn you though, he is a raging, furious, unforgiving creature!"

He smirked as he left Applejack quivering in her legs. Rainbow Dash flew to the draconequus' side.

"Are we talking about the same Soarin?" he whispered.

"But of course," Discord said, pulling his companion in closer. "That puny pagecolt thinks he's up against a monster. He'll be too terrified to even draw his sword. Now I'm going to tell Sir Soarin that his adversary is the very devil."

Rainbow raised an eyebrow at the pagecolt who was searching frantically for a hiding place. "Him?"

"Yes! And Soarin will be just as terrified and just as petrified." He nudged the pegasus with his elbow. "Get my drift?"

Rainbow paused and then grinned mischievously. "Ohhh."

"We'll get a laugh and your boyfriend will come out of this duel unscathed."

"He's not my...! Never mind."

"Now you go intimidate Jelly Legs over there while I make that coward an even greater coward."

Rainbow nodded and flew back to the frightened pagecolt.

"Tell me, sir," Applejack begged, "what kind of stallion is he? I saw him beat you at the tournament the other day."

"Yeah, don't remind me," Rainbow said, rubbing the sore in his chest. "Trust me. I've faced this guy hundreds of times. That was on one of his good days."

Applejack gulped. "What are his bad days like?"

The pegasus leaned in to whisper. "Pray you don't find out."

"Why does he want to hurt me?"

"Heck if I know. Last week, he challenged me to a duel just for getting more slop than him for lunch. Of course, being a knight myself, I managed to get out okay, though I haven't been able to bend my back hoof in the same way ever since."

"Can't we just settle this peacefully?"

"You can try, but he's a real bad listener. Seriously, he didn't believe me when I said the sky was blue!"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the orchard, Discord was leading Soarin to his rival.

"An expert swordspony, you say?" Soarin asked with nervousness.

"Oh, he accepted the challenge tremendously!" Discord declared. "He drew his sword at once and I nearly lost my ear!"

The knight shrieked. "If I had known he was that crazy, I wouldn't have challenged him! Is it too late to call it a draw?"

"Well, I'll see what I can do."

The draconequus smirked and left his friend to meet up with Rainbow, who was just returning from Applejack.

"This guy's a wimp!" Rainbow declared. "He's shivering in his coat!"

"His fur coat or his jacket?" Discord asked.

"Both!"

"Sir Soarin's just as much a mess. He thinks the colt is a demon!"

"What do we do now? They won't come within two feet of each other!"

"Watch and learn, my amateur prankster. Watch and learn."

Discord slithered over to the pagecolt.

"Well, I did the best I could, lad. He won't see reason. I suggest you defend yourself. Be a stallion."

He snapped his fingers and a sword appeared in Applejack's hoof. A rather heavy one, at that. Applejack struggled to lift it off the ground, fearing what was to come. She had never fought any pony before, despite her training, and she had never held a real sword before. What was worse, if she was hurt in this duel, a doctor would have to be called, and they would see just how unlike a stallion she really was.

"I tried, friend," Discord told Soarin. "Now that you've challenged him, he insists he'll go through with it. He says you're a coward if you back out."

The knight gulped. "At least I'll be a live coward!"

He attempted to make a break for it, but Discord caught him by the tail.

"Is that any way to fight for your lady fair?" the draconequus asked "Is that any way to prove yourself for the mare you love? Are you a stallion, or are you a chicken?"

Soarin narrowed his eyes. "You're right! I'll do it for Rarity!" He gulped again. "I just hope he doesn't hurt me too much."

Discord had to push the knight so that he and the pagecolt were standing two feet away from each other. Both stood petrified as they exchanged stares. Discord appeared between them, donning a referee's uniform.

"Alright, boys," he sad, putting his paw and claw up, "I want a nice, clean fight. And by clean, I mean no more than a gallon of blood spilt."

It was too late for that, as the blood seemed to drain from both fighters' faces.

"First stallion down loses. On your mark, get set..." Discord blew into his whistle. "FIGHT!"

Both adversaries turned to run. Discord grabbed Soarin while Rainbow handled Applejack. The two were facing each other again and after a long moment of petrification, they slowly lifted their swords and closed their eyes, neither of them daring to step forth.

Rainbow snickered. "You were right. This is fun."

"Told you," Discord whispered. "Ain't I a stinker?"

Applejack opened her eyes a crack and then realized how ridiculous she was being. Come on, where's your courage, Applejacqueline? You're a skilled fencer! You just have a heavier weapon this time.

Soarin opened his eyes and thought, Come on, Soarin. Don't be chicken! Do it for the Lady Rarity!

The two of them lifted their swords and charged for each other. They were suddenly blocked by a cloaked figure that materialized between them.

"Stop!" a mare's voice cried.

She was facing Soarin, but the knight could not see her face. He did, however, see a pink glow and he and his adversary were suddenly frozen in their tracks. The new player then magically lifted Applejack's sword from her grasp.

"You want him?" the cloaked figure asked, waving the sword. "You'll have to go through me!"

Rainbow and Discord stood in shock.

"You?!" the latter exclaimed. "Who are you?"

"I'm this stallion's friend!" the stranger declared.

"Huh?" Applejack uttered, who could still talk in her frozen state.

"I missed you at The Sugar Cube. If I had known you would get yourself into trouble, I never would have left you."

Discord laughed. "And what makes you think you are any match for us?"

Although he could not see the pony, he could have sworn she was smirking.

"Perhaps you've heard of me. I am..."

The draconequus and the knights gasped as the mare lifted her hood, revealing her to be a blue unicorn with a platinum mane.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie!" She waved her sword. "Still think you can take me on?"

Rainbow snorted. "You're nothing but a faker! The only thing that made you 'great and powerful' was that Alicorn Amulet, and that was taken away from you! Aren't you supposed to be banished or something?"

"Maybe," Trixie grunted, poking the sword in Rainbow's gut. "What are you going to do about it?"

"We'll do something about it!"

Trixie gasped as a magic bubble encased her and two unicorn guards appeared behind her.

"Shoot, the fuzz," Discord mumbled. He whispered to Soarin, who was no longer petrified. "Put away your sword, fool!"

"Hey!" Trixie shouted, banging on the force field. "What's the big idea?"

The guards lowered her to the ground and allowed the bubble to dissolve before slapping a metal box on the unicorn's horn and cuffs on her hooves.

"Trixie Lulamoon," one of the guards said, "a.k.a. the Great and Powerful Trixie; by order of the Duke of Illyrimane, you are hereby under arrest for breaking your exile and to be imprisoned immediately."

"This is unfair!" Trixie declared. "Trixie didn't do anything wrong! Trixie was just helping a friend!" She turned to Applejack. "You've got to help me! That money I gave you should be enough to bail me out!"

Applejack turned around to see if there was any pony behind her and then faced the unicorn again.

"Me?"

"Yes, you!" Trixie exclaimed. "Please, help! Use the money I gave you!"

The disguised mare blinked. "Money? What money?"

Trixie's eyes widened in disbelief. "Don't tell me you spent it all!"

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about, but officers, this mare just saved my life. If you would release her..."

"We have our orders," the second guard declared.

Applejack dug into her jacket and pulled out her pouch of gold. "Is this enough?"

"Sorry, but there is no bail for this one," said the first guard. "She may only be released by the order of the Duke."

"This is all because I came after you!" Trixie cried. "Please, friend! You know I did no wrong! Everything I did since you washed ashore was for you!"

Applejack blinked. "I appreciate what you did for me just now and I'll think of a way to pay you back, but...what are you talking about?"

Trixie felt as if she had been stabbed in the chest. "You deny me? After I saved your life?! After I pulled you from the sea?! After I risked my life to follow you?!"

"What are you talking about?! I've never seen you before in my life!"

The unicorn grunted furiously. "You traitor! I should've let you drown! That's what you wanted, isn't' it? To be with your sisters? And to think I cared for you. To think I actually loved you!"

Applejack jumped back, even more confused than she was before.

"The mare's mad!" the first guard exclaimed. "Take her away!"

"You will rue this day, Big Mac!" Trixie shouted as the guards hauled her off. "You will rue the day you betrayed the Great and Powerful Trixie!"

Applejack gasped at the name of her brother. Suddenly, everything came together.

"Wait!" she called, chasing after the guards. "Big Mac? You saved him? Is he alive? Tell me! Where is he?!"

But the guards would not stop for her, and Trixie had closed her ears from whom she thought was the colt that had betrayed her.

Applejack stood there, overwhelmed with what she had just discovered. Trixie had thought she was Big Macintosh. How could that be? She did not look anything like her brother, aside from the eyes and freckles. Still, the unicorn had mentioned his name. He was alive then? Her heart swelled with hope at the thought.

Applejack was determined to find out more, but she could not do it while the unicorn was in jail. Even if she was allowed visitation, she would most likely not listen to her. Only the command of the Duke would release her, and that was something Applejack had to her advantage.

The trio of tricksters watched as the pagecolt disappeared from their sight.

"Well, he's a coward, if ever I saw one," Discord said, crossing his arms.

"He let the mare who loved him go to prison and denied even knowing her!" Rainbow huffed. "Talk about disloyalty!"

"Ah, he's not so tough!" Soarin smirked. "Come on, let's go teach that wimp a lesson!"

"No argument here."

"Ooh!" Discord said, rubbing his paw and claw together. "More fun! Let's go!"

Big Mac struggled as the pink jester dragged his tail in her mouth. She was impossibly strong for a mare.

"Let go!" he screamed.

"Okay!" Pinkie said, spitting out his tail. "We're here, anyway."

Big Macintosh stood up, looked around and saw that they were in a private orchard of some sort.

"Why'd you bring me here, you loon?" he demanded.

"My!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Some pony's a bit of a name-caller today! Eh, Applejack?"

"For the last time! My name is not Applejack!"

"Oh, sure! No, your name is not Applejack! No, my lady did not send me to get you! I suppose this isn't my nose either?"

"You're confusing me with some pony else!"

"Am I?" She tapped his head. "Do you not have blond hair?"

"I do, but..."

"Do you not have an orange coat?"

"I can explain..."

"Do you not have green eyes, freckles and a marish face?"

"Marish... Hey! Are you making fun of my looks?! This isn't even my natural color!"

"I knew it!" Pinkie squealed. "I knew you dyed it! Rainbow owes me two bits!"

Big Mac sighed and fished into his pouch. "Here." He tossed a few coins at the fool. "Here's some money so you'll leave me alone. Go do your fooling somewhere else!"

"There he is!" yelled a voice.

The stallion groaned. "What now?"

He turned to see two pegasus knights and a strange creature coming towards him. The knight in the front with dark blue hair looked especially angry.

"You!" he shouted. "Pipsqueak! Take this!"

Big Mac cried out as the knight slapped him across the face.

"Are all the ponies in this town crazy?!"

"Come on!" Soarin challenged, lifting his hooves. "Put 'em up, you big chicken! We'll do this stallion to stallion!"

Big Macintosh narrowed his eyes. "Fine! Take that!"

Soarin yelped as he received a blow to the stomach.

"And that!" A punch in the chin. "And that!" A sock in the eye.

Soarin wheezed in pain and looked at the stallion in fear. He had not expected him to fight back. And had he suddenly grown taller?

"Hey!" Rainbow cried, moving protectively in front of Soarin. "You wanna dance, buddy? Come on, let's dance!"

"I'm telling Rarity on you guys!" Pinkie shouted as she ran into the mansion.

"Two against one?" Big Mac said, rolling up his sleeves. "That's hardly fair. For you!"

He tackled the two knights and wrestled them to the ground. Discord summoned a bag of popcorn.

"Finally, some action!"

He screeched as one of Big Mac's hooves shot up and kicked him in the knee. Discord hissed angrily.

"Oh, that's it!"

He jumped into the pile and tried to get a piece of the stallion. Rarity came out of the house and gasped when she saw the display.

"What do you think you're doing?!" she screamed, racing towards the fight. "Get off of him, you brutes!"

She used her magic to lift Discord and the knights off Big Macintosh and tossed them into a tree.

"Pranking ponies is one thing," Rarity said sternly, "but this! This is just uncivil!"

"But my lady..." Discord started to protest.

"Get out of here! All of you! Now!"

Discord did not argue and teleported all three of them out of there. Rarity turned to the orange colt and knelt down to help him up.

"Are you alright, my dearest?" she pleaded. "I must apologize for my uncle and his friends. They are such ruffians! Are you hurt, my love?"

"I'm..."

Big Mac stopped as he locked eyes with his savior. As soon as he caught sight of those sparkling blue sapphires, he could hear a chorus of angels singing "Hallelujah!" Rose petals fell from the sky and surrounded the unicorn's glowing white face. She smiled gently at him and Big Mac felt his heart stop.

She was the most beautiful mare he had ever seen.

"Are you hurt?" she asked again, her voice as sweet as honey.

Big Mac was in such a daze, all he could say was: "Nope."

"Oh, good. Again, I apologize. You're not the first victim of this brutality. Come into the house and I'll explain my uncle's mischief."

He barely understood a word she said. Big Mac thought he was dreaming, for it was impossible that such a mare could exist. Not only was she a jewel beyond compare, but she had saved him from being beaten to a pulp. Strength was something he had always wanted in a mare.

If he was dreaming, he never wanted to wake.

"Come, let's go," Rarity insisted, leading him towards the house. "Please? I know you don't like me much, but would you?"

She batted her eyelashes and Big Mac did not think twice before saying, "Eeyup."

Rarity's heart leapt with joy as she and the stallion raced into the mansion.

Author's Note:

I do not ship Rarity and Big Mac. I'm just following the story.

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