Chapter 53: Bruised Apple
“What did she have to say?” Celestia asked, peering at Rarity curiously over the scroll.
Rarity rolled it back up, allowing herself a little grin of satisfaction. “She says she’ll send the materials and a document...” Her face scrunched up as she tried to remember the exact words. “‘Avacodo’... something or other, I think it was? And that I am to tell her if I need anything else.”
Celestia’s eyebrows rose. “The ‘Advocata Corona’? I see.”
“Is that unusual?” Rarity asked, curious about the reaction. “She said presenting it would solve any issues with funding.”
Celestia nodded, though her expression seemed unsure. “It would, although it’s very unusual to be given such a document anymore. An ‘Advocata Corona’ from either Luna or myself is a guarantee of backing for anything.”
“Erm... and by anything you mean—”
“I mean my sister, and by extension Equestria itself, has given you carte blanche, Rarity. That document hasn’t been used in centuries. We used to use it for diplomatic missions, but since we have good trade relations with our neighbor countries it’s far simpler to send our envoys with bits instead. There are very, very few who would be trusted with that, for good reason. Were she granting such a thing to nearly anypony else, I would have serious objections.” Celestia smiled reassuringly, waving a hoof in dismissal. “I trust you will understand the degree of trust being placed in you, and not take advantage unduly.”
“Oh!” Rarity replied, her heart beating a little quicker than she was comfortable with. The thought of having the means to buy anything she wished was a little daunting. Shopping sprees were, of course, a joy, but the idea of having no limit because she was spending somepony else’s money almost took all the fun out of it.
Almost.
Certainly she would need to spend wisely, replace what she needed to replace, and repair what she needed to repair. But she would not spend more than she needed to. A great trust was being placed in her, and she would not abuse it. It would be the equivalent of breaking a promise.
Hmmm, maybe just a little makeup? A bottle of perfume couldn’t hurt—
“Pinkie! What’s wrong with you?” Twilight’s voice came from downstairs, announcing they’d returned with breakfast.
“Somepony is thinking about breaking a promise!”
“Well, can you please get your tail under control?”
She would of course never abuse Luna’s trust! What was she even thinking?
“False alarm! Sorry.”
Celestia regarded Rarity with a raised eyebrow. “How does she do that?”
“A series of twitches that she’s learned to interpret...” Rarity said, absently. She returned Celestia’s gaze with a start. “Forgive me! I was—”
“Wool-gathering,” Celestia supplied. “And perhaps thinking about getting a few personal items?”
“No! I would never—”
Celestia held up a hoof, smiling. “Rarity, it’s all right. You’ve saved Equestria several times over with no expectation of reward, have you not?”
“Of course! But one does not save the world altruistically! I happen to live in the world; it’s difficult to sell dresses if it is eternally dark or made of pudding.” Rarity laughed with a mirth she didn’t feel. “Anypony would have done the same.”
“I imagine you lost some important things in that fire?” Celestia asked pointedly.
“Well... Not important, really. Just... things. Makeup, perfume, you know... Nothing of true necessity,” Rarity replied, trying not to sound shallow. They really were just things, after all.
“Appearances can be everything, Rarity. I know this just as well as you.” Celestia regarded her for a long moment, during which Rarity began to cringe uncomfortably.
“Well, yes, but it’ll all be fine,” she said when the silence had gotten to be too much to bear.
For a moment longer, Celestia said nothing. During that time, Rarity began to fear she had said exactly the wrong things, and her punishment would be a retraction of the boon Luna had granted her. She closed her eyes, waiting for her sentence.
“You may replace what you lost. I, like my sister, place my trust in you.”
Rarity opened her eyes in surprise, having never expected that. “Oh, but I couldn’t! Some of those items were very expensive! I... I can’t in good conscience accept—”
“Rarity.”
Her mouth snapped shut in an instant. When the Princess asked for your attention, you did not ignore her.
“You’re being given a gift. It would be rude to refuse, wouldn’t it?”
She opened her mouth with another protest, then allowed it to close without saying a word.
“That’s what I thought,” Celestia said with a little smile. “My nobles have mostly forgotten true etiquette, but I still find examples of the qualities I wish I could still find in my own nobility, from time to time. One of them is the ability to graciously receive a gift, when given.”
“But—” Rarity cut herself off with a grimace, then attempted to smooth her continence. “I... thank you for your kind assistance, Your Majesty. I will endeavour to use your gift wisely. But... I still wish there was something I could do in return.”
Celestia let loose a tiny peal of laughter. It was a good sound, as Rarity could tell it was coming from a place of true amusement, and had no qualities of mocking in it.
“I am a princess, Rarity. I want for very little.”
“Still! I...” Rarity trailed off, blushing. She was hardly being gracious. She eyed the floor, somehow resisting the urge to kiss Celestia’s hooves just for how wonderful she was.
“I see,” Celestia replied, a look of amusement shining forth from her eyes. “Very well, if you wish.”
Rarity’s eyes opened wide in panic at the words. Just as she’d gotten herself to accept that the princess would not allow her to even attempt to repay her kindness, she was being offered the chance after all, and had no idea what she could possibly offer.
She immediately fixated on the idea like a mare possessed, wracking her brain for something, anything she could offer that wouldn’t be an insult to this literal goddess before her.
“Oh, dear,” she distantly heard the princess say in a voice that held nothing of joy in it, but rather spoke of deep anxiety. “Rarity, please, don’t concern yourself—”
It wasn’t fair! Celestia was the pinnacle of everything that nobility should be. The very essence of what she tried to emulate in polite society, even if she felt like a faker the entire time. Mere offers of a meal, or invitations to a social occasion just didn’t cut it.
“—Really, there is no need—”
It would take something unique, something that could even begin to to make the princess feel appreciated for... everything that she was to Rarity. For that was the daunting task that lay before her; not just thanking Celestia for her assistance in replacing those precious things that Rarity had lost, but thanking her for being the wonderful princess that she was.
“—It’s good of you to want—”
Her face fell as she realized there was no single thing she could offer, no act she could perform, that even held a candle to what Celestia deserved.
“—Rarity?”
Even now Celestia was generously trying to reassure Rarity that there was no need to fret. But, as perfect and wonderful as the princess was, she was wrong on that front. Celestia deserved so very much, but there was so very little Rarity could offer. “I... I could make you a gown?” she offered, piteously. Even that offer was hopeless, as everypony knew Celestia wore nothing but her regalia, and had not donned anything but that for centuries.
There was a long, uncomfortable silence, during which Rarity quietly wished for the world to end, or at least that it would swallow her whole to save her the shame she felt.
At the other end of eternity, an amused, gentle voice asked: “Are you familiar with the styles of Ancient Pegasopolis?”
After saying her goodbyes to Pinkie and Twilight (and checking out a history book on Ancient Pegasopolian culture), Rarity left the library with a skip in her step and song in her heart.
Everything was going splendidly! She had only to wait for the document Luna had mentioned to be delivered to her, and she could get the workers started on her home. Even better, she was going shopping!
Perhaps a day trip to Canterlot was in order, as that was where the bulk of her beauty supplies came from. Surely that wouldn’t be so bad.
Yes, that sounds lovely! I could ask Luna to join me for lunch. I wonder if she’s ever been shopping before? Does a princess even need to shop or does she just order her staff to procure things?
That sounded horribly boring, and it took all the fun out of the experience. That simply wouldn’t do.
Well, that’s for later. For now, we need some material for that quilt we’re going to sew. And mustn’t forget the treat for Angel... and... something else.
A bird tweeted happily above her, and she winced as a little of her headache returned.
Right, earmuffs. Mustn’t forget.
Still, even the thought of unwanted birdsong early in the morning could not totally spoil her mood. She was going shopping!
As she entered the marketplace, she breathed in the various scents with a huge smile adorning her face. Here she was in her element. She patted the sack of bits in her saddlebag fondly.
“Rarity!” a voice called out. Rarity turned her head from the magazine stand to find the mare from the fabric shop waving her down. She was a kindly older mare with a blue mane that complimented her light green coat nicely, right about her mother’s age. Rarity truly enjoyed chatting with her whenever she placed or picked up her orders. This was because she was one of the few ponies in Ponyville who had any inkling about clothing, albeit less about fashion and more about the construction.
“Buttons! How are you, darling?” Rarity called back as she approached the shop.
“Better than you, I imagine. I saw your boutique after the storm.” Buttons clucked her tongue in sympathy.
Rarity frowned a little, but then put on a bright smile. “Well, it’s hardly the worst thing to happen, though I admit the repairs are going to take a little longer than I might like.”
They both stepped inside, Buttons ushering her into a nearby chair and pouring a glass of iced tea. “So, how bad was it?”
“Bad enough that my home is not safe for use for a time. That’s going to put a crimp on next season,” Rarity replied irritably. “But I should be up and running in a few weeks at most. Less, if my contractor can manage it.”
“Oh, you poor dear! Did your stock survive?”
“Sadly, no.” Rarity sighed heavily. “Good news for you, though.”
Buttons inhaled sharply, looking scandalized. “Rarity! I would never wish ill-luck on a client!”
Rarity waved her hoof urgently. “Sorry, sorry! I just mean that I’ll need to replace my stock now, and you’ll certainly benefit from a little extra business. You did say you were saving for that trip to Applewood, didn’t you?”
“That doesn’t matter!” Buttons exclaimed, looking genuinely cross with her. “I’ll put it off indefinitely if need be. How are you meant to replace your entire supply?” The older mare’s look of irritation cleared up to reveal the underlying concern. “I mean, I’ll certainly help you however I can, if you need some help getting back on your hooves...”
Rarity found herself moved by the offer. Buttons and she had had a long business relationship, and just as long of a casual friendship, but Rarity knew that offer was far too generous, even for a friend. Fortunately, she didn’t have to accept this kindness, however well meant. “Darling, I appreciate it, so very much. But it won’t be necessary. I’ve entered into a business relationship with Princess Luna and have all the backing I need to rebuild. In fact, expect even more orders in times to come.”
The other mare gave her a surprised, but pleased, look. “You mean all that gallivanting you six do finally paid off?”
“I would hardly call it ‘paying’ off, Buttons... I simply help my friends. Meeting Luna was more of a happy coincidence.”
“Bah, you know what I mean. It seems so unfair to see you struggling when you have connections in Canterlot. You should be the most well known pony in the fashion world!”
“Well, that would be nice, to be sure,” Rarity replied. “But when that happens, I want it to be for my own merits, not because of who I know. It’s not quite the same satisfaction having the world conquered for you.”
“Hmmm, well, I suppose that’s true. Still, while I’m glad you have the means to get everything fixed, I’d rather you not have had to do it at all. That storm was horrible.”
“Well, not even the weather bureau can predict those horrid storms. At least I didn’t lose anything irreplaceable.”
Buttons eyes lit up. “Oh! Did you read the paper this morning?”
“Errrr, no, I haven’t had the opportunity,” Rarity admitted, a little confused by the change in subject.
“They say Princess Luna has gone mad! Apparently she threatened a bunch of newsponies, filled the sky with storm clouds, and rose the moon in the middle of the day!” Buttons shivered. “And this so soon after Princess Celestia became incapacitated!”
“What?!”
Buttons nodded excitedly. “I got to see the clouds gathering. You could see the lightning very clearly. Right about noon, I had just bought lunch at the Hayburger—”
“Those things are horrible for you, Buttons—”
“Not the point and you know it, Rarity. I watched the moon come up in the middle of the day! I’ve never seen the like! And then the ground rumbled just a little, like a stampede was going by!” Buttons shivered. “The poor flower sisters practically wet themselves.”
Rarity’s eyebrows rose as she listened to the account. She hadn’t recalled any unusual goings-on, but then, she’d been asleep during the time. Granted, she’d seen Luna upset, but it was hard to imagine her threatening ponies.
She does have a bit of a temper, however. Hmmm.
“I do hope the Princess gets back from her sabbatical soon. She needs to talk some sense into that sister of hers.” Buttons clucked her tongue disapprovingly.
“Princess Luna has plenty of sense, darling.”
“If she does, she’s not using any of it.”
Rarity forbore to press the issue any further, instead finishing her drink. “Well, it’s been lovely catching up, Buttons, but I need to get a few things while I’m here.”
“Of course!”
Rarity picked out some lovely material for the quilt she wanted to make, all the while trying to decide what to do with the news she’d just heard. She immediately disregarded the madness claim. Luna was far from crazy, though Rarity could easily believe she had been driven to extremes and had made grand gestures as a result. To say that Luna was a little showy was to say the sun was slightly warm.
But that was what it was: show. She couldn’t imagine Luna actually harming a pony. A manticore, or dragon, or Ursa Major, certainly. But not a pony.
“Buttons?” Rarity asked as she examined a roll of cotton batting, trying to determine if there was any real difference between that and the wool batting she’d been looking at a moment ago.
“Yes?”
“Did the paper say anything else about Luna?”
“I’m afraid not, dear. Truthfully it all seemed pretty overblown. Those pressponies just love to pad their wordcount.”
“Yes, I suppose that’s true,” Rarity replied with a sigh.
“Are you all right, dear? I know she’s a friend, but she’s also a princess. She can take care of herself.”
“You’re right, of course,” Rarity said, forcing a little cheer into her voice. “Well, I think that’s it for now. But you’ll get the order ready for later?”
“Consider it done. It was a real pleasure catching up, dear.”
With her saddlebag laden with fabric and two kinds of batting (one for warmth and the other because it breathed better. The solution was, of course, making two blankets), Rarity stepped out of the fabric shop and back into the marketplace. Her eyes lit up as she glanced at Parfum d'Amour across the way, but just to the side of it was the magazine stand she’d been perusing.
It’s just gossip, Rarity. It’s one thing to read with glee about Blueblood getting plastered and thrown out of a party, but Luna is a friend. A friend who saved your life, no less. Surely you can exercise some control—
She found herself looking down at the Canterlot Gazette, which had the headlines ‘Princess Lunatic’ emblazoned upon it with large bold letters. The Canterlot Chronicle was no better: ‘Luna In Charge, Princess Missing, Changeling Conspiracy?’
Right. Well, I suppose a little research might be in order. If only so I can inform Princess Celestia...
A few more moments of reading headlines had her very disappointed in the Equestrian Press Corps. Did every headline have to be a pun?
‘Mad Princess Moons Everypony!’
‘Stormy Temper Endangers City!’
‘Perturbed Prepubescent Princess Poses Perilous Problem!’
“Oh, now they are just reaching!” Rarity exclaimed. “I understand the desire for alliteration but calling somepony prepubescent is not the same as saying they are infantile.”
“You gonna buy any of those?” The newsstand pony asked, sounding incredibly bored. “If not, library’s down the street.”
Rarity started as she realized she was essentially shouting in this pony’s face just now. “Errr, no. No, I wouldn’t want to support such slander.” She put the paper down gently, giving the salespony a rather sheepish grin. “But, I will purchase a copy of ‘Fashion Weekly’ and an issue of ‘Cosmarepolitan’.”
She put her magazines away, slinking from the stand in hopes that nopony else would realize she’d just made a fool of herself. She felt rather silly, as all she had learned was more horrible puns on the word ‘moon’ than she’d ever wished to know. The only disturbing thing was the consistency: each and every story cited the same facts, and only the spin was different. So, apparently Luna had at the very least threatened these ponies, though it remained to be seen if she would have carried out those threats.
Definitely something to at least mention to Celestia, then. Though from the lack of clouds over Canterlot this morning, she doubted it was an ongoing issue. Surely Luna was experienced enough to deal with a faux pas?
Hmmm, questionable. She has been out of polite society for nearly longer than polite society has existed.
“Go on, git, then! If’n all yer gonna do is complain, go buy what you need someplace else!”
“But you’re the only apple vendor for miles!”
Speaking of lack of manners...
“Nopony but nopony badmouths my apples! You come back tomorrow and if you’re lucky I’ll be in a better mood. Now scoot!”
Rarity turned towards the apple stand just in time to see Lily burst into tears and run off, leaving a glaring Applejack behind. Notably, nopony else was even near her stand, and in fact ponies were giving her a wide berth as they passed by.
“Applejack!” she called out with a smile that wasn’t quite forced. Applejack was a friend, of course, but she didn’t look like a very fun pony to be around at that moment. Still, she was a friend, and friends helped each other when they were down.
Applejack turned to her with a foul look on her face, which gradually cleared as she realized who was calling her. “Hey, Rarity. How’s things?”
“I should be asking you the same, darling! What did Lily do to upset you?”
Applejack let out a little snort of displeasure. “She said she saw bruises on my apples! Can ya imagine?”
“Errr... well yes, it’s possible. I don’t generally have any problems, but apples do bruise.”
“Not my apples. Not a single one of ‘em hits the ground, and them bushel baskets are nice and springy. Keeps the apples from gettin’ hurt,” Applejack said, beaming with pride. “Jus’ between you and me, my great great great granny was the one who designed them baskets, and now the Oranges and even Mrs. Cherry Jubilee use the same Apple design.”
“That’s... fascinating,” Rarity replied with an even bigger fake smile. “But did you even check if she was telling the truth?”
Applejack just raised one eyebrow at her incredulously. “You’re asking me if I checked my apples? The ones I grow, care for, and harvest?”
“Well now, give your brother a little credit, darling,” Rarity replied with a chuckle. “But yes, I am asking exactly that. Don’t get me wrong, I know you take excellent care of your produce, but surely one or two might have gotten bruised on the trip to market.”
“Well, sure,” Applejack said, her look of agitation slowly fading. “But I weed ‘em all out before I put ‘em out to sell. Ain’t no way I missed one.”
Rarity briefly looked over the apples on display, eventually lifting one in her magic. On the surface was a clearly visible soft spot that had been on the bottom part of the apple. “I think you might owe Lily an apology.”
Applejack regarded the offending apple with a look of confused anger. “Dangit! I... I was sure...” Her face fell as Rarity’s words hit home. “Aw, heck. I... dangit...”
“Darling, this really isn’t like you. Is something amiss?”
“I... I just was sure, is all. She got all uppity with me—”
“Lily,, Rarity said, interrupting Applejack to clarify what she’d meant. “Lily was ‘uppity’. Lily, who is perhaps one of three ponies more timid than Fluttershy. That mare was ‘uppity’?”
“Well, maybe not uppity so much...”
“Applejack, I think... that perhaps you are in a bit of a bad mood, and are letting it affect your judgement. And... perhaps it might just be making you a little...” she paused, choosing her words with care, “...flustered.”
Applejack simply looked at her for a moment, tilting her head to one side. “Do what, now?”
“Well, what I mean is... you’re in a bit of a tiff.”
“Rarity, will you kindly stop speaking fancy?”
“You’re upset about something, and it’s making you act like a fool!”
“See, that wasn’t so hard,” Applejack said with a smile. That smile quickly turned upside down, however. “Now, you wait just a minute—”
Rarity held a hoof up, trying to silence the coming tirade. “Look around you! Everypony is avoiding you because of it! I don’t mean to pick on you, Applejack, but this is hardly the way to do business.”
“Well, maybe I am bit distracted,” Applejack admitted, her frown deepening. She sighed heavily. “Okay, more than a little.”
Rarity waited for an appropriate length of time before demanding: “Well? What’s bothering you?”
“Nothing real important, Rarity. I’ll be fine.”
Counting was the only thing Rarity could do at that moment. The alternative was screaming and pulling out her hair, and her mane had taken enough abuse what with the lack of hair care products in Fluttershy’s bathroom.
One... two... three... four... Nope, still irritated. Five... six...
“Applejack, I’m going to need you to tell me what is wrong, please,” She finally said through clenched teeth.
“It really ain’t important—”
In the next instant Rarity had Applejack backed up against the stall, blinking at her in surprise.
“Please?” Rarity repeated.
“Rare, you mind backing up just a tick?”
“Certainly, once you’ve told me what’s bothering you!” Rarity smiled warmly, backing up just enough that their muzzles were no longer in danger of touching. “Come now, Applejack, I would like to help if I can, but at the very least I’d like to know why you chased poor Lily off.” Her eyes glinted dangerously in the sunlight, and Applejack nervously swallowed as her hind legs pawed at the ground trying to take her a little further away, only for her back to press firmly against her own apple stand.
“Maybe I should go apologize to Lily first. I’m plum embarrassed that I made a fuss like that—” In the process of saying this, Applejack had been trying to sidestep Rarity, only to feel a tugging on her left ear which was enveloped in a blue aura.
Seeing she once again had Applejack’s attention, and had proven her point that running off was not an option (unless she wanted to lose an ear) Rarity dispelled her magic grip, favoring Applejack with a more understanding look. “I think that would be a splendid idea, but what do you plan to say, exactly?”
“Well, I reckoned on just saying ‘sorry’—”
“How about explaining what had you so foul-tempered?” Rarity prompted.
“I... I’d prefer not to go noising that around, truth be told,” Applejack replied. “I get that maybe I was a little snappy with her, but it ain’t nopony’s business but mine.” She looked away from Rarity, apparently unable to meet her eyes.
Rarity regarded her friend for a moment, concern warring with frustration. There definitely was something bothering Applejack, but finding out what was rather like pulling teeth. “All right. How about this? You and I are going out to lunch. I’ll get a private, secluded booth with nopony around to bother us, and you can tell me this horrible thing weighing on your mind.”
Applejack looked surprised as she raised her eyes. “Rare, ain’t no need to trouble yourself—”
“At this point, if you don’t spill, I will fret about you endlessly. Will you please help me not do that?”
Applejack pursed her lips in a thoughtful expression. “All right. Just... no place too fancy. I wanna know what I’m eatin’.”
After picking a location (Applejack vetoed Rarity’s first several choices, eventually agreeing on a nice little bistro, provided they had menus in simple Equestrian) Rarity made good on her promise, finding them a nice private booth free from prying eyes.
When they’d made their orders, Rarity laid both forelegs on the table, crossing them expectantly.
“It really ain’t that big a deal,” Applejack said, squirming uncomfortably under Rarity’s gaze.
“I’m certain it’s not,” Rarity replied, not breaking eye contact for a moment. “Now. Spill.”
“Look, she just...” Applejack paused, taking a deep breath. “I had one last nerve, and she got on it, okay?”
“Fine, but why Lily, of all ponies? What did she do? And don’t try saying it was about your bruised apples. I’ve seen that sullen look in your eyes before.”
The drinks arrived, sparing Applejack for just a moment, during which she seemed to stew in her own juices. This was fine with Rarity. Having Applejack just waiting to talk was far better than dragging everything out of her.
When the waiter had left, promising their meal would arrive shortly, Applejack demanded: “Whaddya mean by ‘sullen’?”
“I mean this is not about bruised apples. Or rather, it is, but it’s about one Apple in particular, and her bruised ego.” Rarity watched Applejack flinch at that, and knew she’d guessed right finally. Her pride was injured. “So, how did Lily manage that?”
“It... it ain’t anything she did,” Applejack said after taking a deep draught of cider. “Not her at all.”
After a moment, she continued. “It’s me. I got no good reason to be mad, and... I can’t help it. So... you can stop worrying. Nopony did nothing wrong, it’s just little ol’ Applejack bein’ a silly pony.”
When it became apparent that was all she was going to say, Rarity reached across the table, getting Applejack’s attention by touching her hoof with her own. “Fine, you’re being silly. We... we’ve all done that, from time to time. As you recall, I once struck you for slighting Fluttershy.”
“Not the same—” Applejack protested.
“Isn’t it? You’re lashing out over something. Can’t you trust me with what it is?”
Applejack was silent for a very long time. So long, that Rarity nearly despaired she’d just clammed up. It had taken this long to get her to open up just a little, to lose what little progress had been made was frankly horrifying to contemplate.
Just as Rarity was about to prompt her again, Applejack finally muttered out “...prettier than me...”
“What was that?” Rarity asked, certain that her ears were playing tricks on her.
“I said she’s prettier than me!” Applejack hissed, her eyes blazing in sudden anger.
There was a deafening silence at the table, broken only by the labored breathing of an enraged earth pony.
In the next moment, the silence was broken by peals of startled laughter from Rarity.
This went on for some time, until Rarity was able to calm down enough to note the hurt expression on Applejack’s face.
“You’re... y-you’re joking, right? This is a prank? Did you plan this with Rainbow?” At Applejack’s continued sullen glare, Rarity's eyes opened wide in surprise. “No, no you have got to be joking. There’s simply no way this is about jealousy!”
“Should’na bothered...” Applejack muttered darkly.
“You are serious!” Rarity exclaimed in surprise. “I... I’m not quite sure what to respond to first.”
“You don’t need to say nothing! I get it, okay? You don’ wanna hurt my feelin’s even though you know I’m right—”
Applejack’s tirade was cut off abruptly as Rarity got up, throwing her forelegs around her, not saying a word other than a quiet: “Shhhh.”
How long the embrace lasted was difficult to say, but Rarity did not let her grip loosen until some of the tension she had felt in Applejack’s body when she’d first hugged her had lessened. “All right. I think I know what’s most important now. Lily is not more attractive than you are.”
“Don’t...” Applejack sniffed loudly, and now that she could see her eyes again, Rarity could see they were tinged with red. “Don’t you lie. I know what I am, and I know pretty ain’t it. And I’ll never be pretty like...” She trailed off, burying her muzzle in her cider glass, finishing the remainder.
“Why would that matter?” Rarity asked earnestly. “You are, as you said, what you are. True, you are not poised in the traditional sense, but you bear yourself with confidence and pride, and that is very attractive." She leaned forward and gave her friend a meaningful look. "And you are beautiful, in that rustic... country sort of way."
“Then... then why I ain’t I enough?” Applejack demanded. “Why’s she gotta go lookin’ around—” Applejack shut her mouth with an audible snap. “Nevermind—”
“Wait wait wait! Don’t you stop now! What’s this about?” Rarity replied. She glanced up, seeing their waitress, and hurriedly motioned for her to come back later. “Are... you and Rainbow having troubles?”
“Ain’t like that—” Applejack said hurriedly, but she may as well not have said anything at all.
“That’s it, isn’t it? I might have known! You know she actually wanted to watch Fluttershy and myself kiss? We had to throw her out of the cottage to stop the demands! Is she...” Rarity leaned in closer. “Is she leering other mares right in front of you?”
“Not... leering, precisely—”
“She is! And it’s making you mad with jealousy!” Rarity drew in a sharp gasp. “This is just like one of my novels in which the jilted countess plotted the murder of the poor chamber-maid! Oh, but Applejack, she wasn’t to blame! Don’t you see that it was the Duke forcing herself on the poor maid—”
“Uh...”
“And she only accepted his bits because her family was so badly in need! Her mother had a club hoof and her father was a drunkard—”
“Rarity!”
“And they hanged the countess for the crime! Applejack, you mustn’t do anything rash!”
“Rare, calm down! Nopony’s gonna murder anypony!”
Judging by the look on Applejack’s face, Rarity surmised that her theatrics might have gone a bit overboard. “Oh, well, that’s good then. Because while the Duke had it coming to him the maid didn’t deserve to be poisoned! Her poor mother...”
“Enough about the book, Rare...” Applejack said, pressing a hoof to her temple.
“I shall lend it to you, sometime. It’s quite exciting.” Rarity caught the eye of their waitress, waving to her to indicate they were ready now. She made note to tip her very well for her understanding. “So what do you plan to do, then? I... I suppose you could make her sleep on the couch, but she seems fine napping in your trees so that might not be terribly effective. My couch is quite comfortable, come to think of it—”
“Yeah, I’m sure, but Rainbow ain’t cheatin’ or nothing. She just... likes to look. It’s my problem, not hers.”
“Looking? That’s it?”
“Well... there was that stuff with Pinkie—”
“Ah, right, right. Pinkie was feeling very down after Twilight ran off the first time. Rainbow tried to comfort her, ended up kissing her. You kissed her too, oddly enough.” Rarity’s eyes opened in surprise, then narrowed. “Wait, I know this. Why do I know this?”
Applejack scratched the back of her head, equally uncertain. “Uh... did Twi tell you?” she guessed.
“No... no she didn’t...” Rarity gasped as she had the oddest sensation: She was remembering a conversation that had seemed perfectly sensible at the time, which had taken place between her and— “Pinkie! Oh goodness, she...” She stopped as she remembered more. She and Pinkie had shared roughly a week’s worth of events in just a few moments, talking at the same time yet somehow not interrupting each other. “Right, so... you two comforted her, encouraged her to go after Twilight... She fetched her, brought her back home... Rainbow became ill... Twilight...” Her eyes shot wide open. “Twilight caught you three in bed and ran off again?”
“Wasn’t like that—” Applejack protested.
“No... no it wasn’t. Snuggling,” Rarity muttered, her eyes darting around as she recalled more. “I see. Celestia arrived looking for Twilight, became very upset with you, took Pinkie away with her... Confrontation on the mountaintop... Pinkie... upset... Heart to heart... They gave chase for Twilight... Ah, yes, that was when we caught up with them. Oh! I think Pinkie and I sang a duet.”
Applejack was staring at Rarity as she finally returned her gaze to her dining partner. “What in the heck was that?”
“Hmmm? Oh, just remembering what Pinkie told me. Very odd. Rather like remembering something that happened to somepony else.” Rarity smiled apologetically. “Sorry, my mind was a bit fuzzy when I woke. Things are still coming back to me.” She started in surprise as she remembered sketching a dress and adding the sketch to a stack of others. “Goodness. That’s an intricate design.”
Applejack opened and closed her mouth a few times, eventually uttering: “You okay?”
“Splendid, actually.” Rarity shook her head to clear it of the images of further sketches, which, while intriguing, were not helping her now.. “So... Rainbow.”
“Yeah... Rainbow,” Applejack said glumly. “I... I know she don’t mean nothing by it. But... I never felt...” She shook her head. “I hate feelin’ like this.”
“And... Lily fits into this how, exactly?”
“Rainbow was staring at her flank a couple days back. I... I didn’t think much of it before, but now...”
“Right, before she was looking, but now you’ve noticed her looking,” Rarity nodded sagely.
“Yeah...”
“Well, what do you plan to do about it?” Rarity asked. She smiled as their waitress brought out their lunch, a simple salad for Rarity and a daffodil sandwich for Applejack.
Applejack idly picked at her hay fries, then picked up the sandwich for a big bite. “You mean, besides bringing Lily a bushel of apples and an apology?” she said once she’d finished chewing.
“I mean about Rainbow, darling.” Rarity toyed with her salad, not quite sure if she was hungry or not. She hunted for the cherry tomatoes, deciding those were worth eating at least.
“Don’t see that there’s much I can do, Rarity.” Applejack replied, sounding annoyed. Whether it was with Rarity, Rainbow, or herself was unclear. “She ain’t done anything but look. And... it ain’t her fault she’s like she is.”
The tone underlying the annoyance was more worrisome. Applejack sounded defeated. She had no idea what to do, and had apparently decided her only course of action was to internalize her feelings of jealousy and inadequacy as simply being her own problem. Fortunately, Rarity had an idea. “I didn’t mean to her, darling. I mean for her.”
“Uh... look, I ain’t about to punish her for lookin’, but I ain’t exactly thrilled about it, neither. I dunno if I ought to encourage her,” Applejack said, finishing her sandwich in one final bite.
“Let me get the check, and I’ll show you what I mean.”
“Rare. I really don't think getting all frou-frou is gonna help...” Applejack said as she was dragged bodily into the spa.
“No, of course not,” Rarity replied, nodding to Aloe as she arched a single eyebrow at the mess of earth pony being brought in. “That's not your style, Applejack. After all, an Apple is always sweet, and pleasant to look at. You don't need to dress it up. But, if you want to be 'best in show', it would behoove you to polish up a bit! Show her there's nothing quite like an Apple.”
Applejack finally stopped scrambling for the doorframe, settling down on her rump on the floor instead. “You've just been waitin' to give that speech, huh?”
“Ever so long!” Rarity replied cheerfully. “Aloe, we’re going to need ‘The Works’, please. Use my private stock. Blueblood-level.”
Aloe stopped everything she was doing and stared at her most generous patron. “Are... are you sure?”
“Of course!” Rarity replied, giving Aloe an impatient look. “This is a matter of grand importance,” she shooed Applejack forward into a chair where Lotus was waiting with a bevy of haircare products.
Applejack mouthed the words ‘Blueblood-level’ silently, giving another longing glance at the door. But she did not bolt as Lotus sat her down in the stylist chair. “Rare? Just what did you ask her to do?” she asked as Lotus tied a barber cloth around her neck.
“Never you mind, Applejack.”
“Wait!” Applejack winced as Lotus took out her hair from its ties, taking a few strands of hair with it. “Hey now, watch that!” Her hat was removed, and placed on a nearby hatrack, at which point she nearly bolted again. “I... I appreciate it, but—”
“No buts! When we're done with you, she won't even want to look elsewhere! Now, saddle up, let’s get this rodeo started!” Rarity exclaimed gleefully.
“Rare, those kinda words need to stop coming out of that mouth of yours real soon,” Applejack grumbled, dutifully leaning her head back into the basin so her mane could be washed.
“Shush, darling, we’re creating.” She sat down in her own chair, where Aloe stood waiting. Her own mane care was going to be much more extensive than the frankly spartan treatment Lotus was subjecting Applejack’s mane to, to say nothing of makeup application, but Aloe got to working with an ease that spoke of many similar sessions.
Applejack rolled her eyes, then closed them as Lotus rinsed her mane. “What do ya mean, exactly?”
“We’re going to bring out the best ‘you’ there is,” Rarity replied with a big grin. “You’ll be fabulous!”
“Rare, I don’t wanna cake on makeup—”
Aloe nearly dropped the shampoo in a sudden fit of giggling. She quickly put it down, saying: “Cake on? Oh, nonono! Fret not, miss Applejack! We are artistes! Lotus will only use the bare essentials to accentuate your best features. A little eye shadow, some lipstick, a tiny bit of rouge... Unless one had seen it done, they would barely be able to notice it at all.”
“You will love yourself, Applejack,” Lotus said proudly as she applied a powder puff to Applejack’s cheeks. “May I ask who the lucky stallion is?”
“Eheh... Um... I’d rather not say, thank ya kindly,” Applejack replied, blushing furiously. She turned her eyes away from the mirror and back to Rarity. “I really don’t know about this, Rares. I mean... if she likes it, I... I don’t wanna have to...”
Rarity leaned up from her chair, finally able to see her friend’s worried expression. “Applejack, relax. We’re just trying to pry her attention away from all the other distractions around her. Remind her you are the apple of her eye.”
And rebuild your confidence. Everypony needs to feel beautiful, even somepony as tomboyish as you.
Applejack laughed, despite herself. “Okay, enough with the apple puns.”
Rarity smiled brilliantly, hoping to share her happiness with a friend who so obviously seemed to be lacking it. “Forgive me, darling. But I do mean what I said about you looking absolutely gorgeous.”
“I dunno. I mean... what if she really likes it and then expects it all the time?” Applejack eyed herself doubtfully in the mirror. “It... it does look nice, I guess...”
“Of course it does! Lotus is a genius.” Rarity shared a grin with Lotus before turning her attention back to Aloe. “I’m going to need a thorough conditioning, please. I didn’t have the tools to properly prepare this morning.” Returning her gaze to Applejack, she said: “And don’t worry about doing it all the time, darling. As ephemeral as such things are, they stick in the mind. Having seen you at your best, she will be entranced!” She frowned thoughtfully as she looked at Applejack’s mane. “You know, braids really are quite nice. Would that be acceptable, Applejack?”
“Um... yeah!” Applejack replied in surprise. “I thought you were gonna try to curl it or something...”
“No, no, no,” Rarity tsked softly. “That’s not you.”
“I guess... I don’t worry ‘bout it normally.”
“And you won’t have to in the future. Just relax, Applejack.”
Finally, Applejack did just that. Rarity settled in as well, feeling all was right with the world. After the spa, they’d go shopping for some modest accessories, then go to the boutique to fetch a nice dress to put the finishing touches on Applejack’s makeover.
She wished her own problems were as easily solved. She’d eventually need to inform Princess Celestia that perhaps she needed to return home to help her sister weather the trials of government before she ended up with a riot on her hooves, and then there was still the matter of discovering what had transpired between Fluttershy and Luna. But before that, she needed to get the document to take care of her repairs, and get the dress parts... Actually, she needed bits for her contractor... perhaps the bank would give her what she needed? So many little things to get in order.
A niggling thought remained at the back of her mind as she relaxed back into the chair, Aloe’s talented hooves massaging her skull as she washed Rarity’s mane. She’d forgotten a minor detail somewhere, a little chore that she had to take care of swiftly, she just knew it.
Just before nodding off for a brief nap, she remembered:
Earmuffs.
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A 320k word rarity-fluttershy fic with sex and love in it? Fuck yes.
6589565 Welcome aboard my fleet. Be advised, the waters can be rough and sometimes ships collide.
Earmuffs. The answer to life, the universe, and everything.
gotta get dem muffs.
inb4 it takes her a week.
"It's where I keep all my stuff!"
i.ytimg.com/vi/1Wh2CruhrKk/hqdefault.jpg
6589625
6589625 You don't just collide ships! You dock them, have parties, trade cargo, then end up following the other ship for a while.
Not complaining! I really love the book, just pointing it out.
Dang, Rarity, you seem to have caught a nasty case of recapitis from Pinkie. You might want to look into that - a round of antibiotics'll usually knock that in the head.
So many ships, I don't think I ever imagined this story would be of such a grand scale.
Earmuffs, Rarity? Not, say... a note for a poor golden yellow Pegasus who's going to wake up, see you're not there and have completely disappeared, and freak out in an utterly quiet, adorable, and heart breaking way?
6590063 s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/a8/3c/39/a83c39facf1ab96d2e213aa6f98a97d7.jpg
6590603
That's actually the kind of -itis you'd want to give everypony because I don't know if it's just me, but I forget a lot of stuff from the previous chapters
6591033 Well, considering some of the plot points happened as far back as March 2013, Rarity remembering a quick recap of events Pinkie told her just after they met up again in the Castle of the Two Sisters was quite convenient for that moment. It's almost as if I know what I am doing... Almost.
6590947 Tut tut. Rarity told her the previous night she had chores to do. It was just before she suggested they call it an early night.
6590063
6590972
6590600 Well yes, and in calmer seas, that happens. But there has been some rough seas of late, and while some ships have finally weathered the storm, others are still trying to to stay afloat.
This is gonna get good!!! XD
6591340
Ah, I must've missed that. It's been a while since I read this, so I only went back to the previous chapter to catch myself up on what's happening. Even so, a note is always of the good. Beings that have just woken up tend to be emotional first and rational second, so... *shrugs* I dunno. I kinda just figured a note would be a nice touch, even if she'd said last night about chores. Knowing myself, I might very well have forgotten she said that last night if I'd been in Fluttershy's shoes, as wracked with worry as I might become in that situation. Emotions are hardly rational, really.
Hm, some of those details would be known to Celly. Her magic 'infusion' carried some memories, it seems?
Also, wandering eye Dash. I can kinda see it, though more for Bolt flanks than the average pony :P
I get the weeeeird feeling, that she will not be getting those earmuffs anytime soon.
6592467
Well of course more for Bolt flanks, she's had the hots for them for ages (and AJ could really use going to a costume shop to dress up as one one of these nights). But that doesn't mean that she doesn't notice other hot ponies ... she just doesn't do more than look ... most of the time. But that thing with Pinks was an excruciating circumstance and AJ got some kisses and snuggles to so it balances out.
Rarity has contracted ADOS.
4.bp.blogspot.com/-w8tRB6g4SdE/VBJXvD9I_6I/AAAAAAAACvs/9cahbXNZg-Q/s1600/ados.jpg
6593588
i.imgur.com/GLRdqlz.png Well! I never—
i.imgur.com/2tu9n.png Ooo! That's a lovely shade! I need my sketchbook!
Too many P's!
6589625
silly filly.
Loved it!
I saw what you did there
Awesome new chapter well done man!
Haha!
Commence read.
Rarity getting some memories back.
Applejack getting "The Works".
Earmuffs, still forgotten.
Hot damn Applejack does look good in braids.
6603052 She does, but if Rarity had had her way...
derpicdn.net/img/2014/10/1/733203/large.png
6602618
sd.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/i/keep-calm-i-just-like-triangles.png
6603202 Yeah that's a little much Steel.
Hugs help everything, pony hugs then must cure diabeetus
6606378 Of course they do. Why do you think Pinkie hugs everypony?
A wonderful double (well, for me at least, until I got to it) update after a long time. Things are starting to come together, but there are still a few kinks to iron out.
Let's see how Rarity handles Fluttershy's reaction to Luna. Definitely going to be interesting to see.
Well, there are certainly worse ways to spend two days. Structurally, I still believe it might be better represented as a series of stories rather than one unabridged work, but that's more because of the immense parity mismatch between the summary and the far-reaching content. (New summary propsal: "A naval exercise.")
...though the title and its allusion to jealousy remains correct. In a broad spectrum of flavours, at that.
To be sure, it is maddening at times. If everypony would just stop trying to hold everything in and talk about their problems honestly, a lot of this wouldn't have happened. Celestia deserves special mention for her relentless deflection. Hopefully things get better for them, now. Sure, it hinges on her loving Pinkie, but that doesn't seem far-fetched.
The Flight of Luna is a close second though-- they were THIS CLOSE to talking things out properly! And then after the interruption, they all clammed up. I thought the Boss (or is that Princess Boss, now?) would know better after that nasty business with the Nightmare! Maybe Fancy and Fleur will be able to give her counsel; I rather expect they'll be delighted that she's found someponies she's really interested in. If I were a betting mare, I'd say she would be well-served to focus on Fluttershy instead of Rarity; Rarity understands the goal, but Fluttershy isn't very willing to listen so long as she believes her relationship is under threat. Demonstration carries weight, each of you take a wing.
And then there's AJ and Dash. Everything was going so well, there; what happened!
Bah, just make a pile out of the whole lot of 'em. Rarity may not want to admit she'd like a slice of Pie in polite company, but...
...huh, I was kind of joking when I started that sentence but, to be honest, I do get the feeling each of them needs the rest for everything to work well. Irony of ironies, the foals have the right of it completely by accident. Mouths of babes and all that.
6650814
i.imgur.com/Q7KFdL7.png ... That may be some of the finest thoughts on the story as presented thus far that I have ever seen.
i.imgur.com/EOCIHpr.png Thank you.
6651400 only 11 days till it updates again. ^^
6651463 What can I say? I have been enjoying the ride, and I will finish when it's done. But yeah, every 1st. I have been a chapter ahead for a long time now. Gives me time for editing and prereading.
6651544 Goodness I could not do that. I live for feedback. Plus I really intend it to be enjoyed on a chapter by chapter basis. I mean, it's basically a manga by now...
6651586 Well, yes, but you get the idea. Long running series, slice of life and romance.
6651665 i.imgur.com/ba6ZNCe.png I used to love that series... Then I think Kubo started doing some major drugs or something. Like... did you know the face of a godlike being is meant to look like a chicken head? Or the most powerful beings are apparently just giant hands? Bleach makes Naruto look downright sane and reasonable...
6662529 Technically, 25. I currently am two ahead. I hope you enjoy your read, user.
6651668
Yup.
vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/ssb/images/c/ce/RSBE01-152.png/revision/latest?cb=20140511030215
Alas, I cannot find an image, so a link will have to do.
6653448
I saw his plan ... and he pulled everything out of his plotkai.
I mean that ending was just horrible. Not to mention all the story paths / plots that were built up or mentioned, then suddenly disappeared never to be seen again. Or the retarded levels of hax the end big bad was. Or all the things hinted at that never came to fruition or the ending that had so many plot holes it made swiss cheese look solid.
But yeah I think Kubo was on lots of drugs by the time they did the Arrancar Arc, and only got more out there as time went on.
That line with Celestia basically daring Rarity to kiss her hooves again was pure comedy gold. The whole part with Applejack was also really good. Loved the interaction - well done.
.
You really should not forget to describe strange ponies' cutie marks when they appear "on-screen" for the first time. Apart from race, coat and mane color and gender (≈ build), the cutie mark is one of the first things you'd notice about another pony's appearance, and one of the first things another pony will consciously look at when meeting somepony new, given what it signifies (though I could imagine that it would be considered uncouth to be too obvious about looking, when you're an adult... maybe not even that, though).
To forget or neglect to include cutie marks in the description of new ponies in the narrative is almost like denying that truth, that this is how their world would necessarily have to work. It's only moderately glaring in the medium of reading - I may have missed other instances of you doing this (I think Midnight did have one, but I don't remember what it was off the top of my head), and in things like crowd scenes it mostly wouldn't make sense to bog down the narrative by describing random cutie marks. But if a new pony is being introduced, and I ask myself "what is this pony's cutie mark?", that information should be there for me to find. This is an old friend of Rarity's, so there's really no excuse. Her name is suggestive, though, so I guess I can imagine she has buttons for a cutie mark
It's even worse in a visual medium, though. I remember watching this animation that told a story based on the Remembrance SFM, which had an adult Flurry Heart who was depicted without a cutie mark. Come on, people, you can't do this...
That kind of thing shows a critical lack of understanding of how Equestria and ponies work, and should be grounds for immediate revocation of your brony membership card (temporarily, of course 
).
7864554 Well, if it helps (I realize the immersion being broken is past fixing) her cutiemark is just a pair of buttons threaded with a single thread. I didn't think to remark on that because Rarity knows this mare, has known her for some time, and would tend to only think about things like mane and coat color while looking at her because she starts thinking about what colors would compliment that pony.
7864607 Yeah, at this point an in-story reason doesn't really help. You know there's no reason not to just retcon things like this, in this age of digital publishing? Whether it's a bunch of corrected typos or a substantial revision in part of a chapter, I see no reason not to actually change and reupload such things, unless you just don't want to bother. If you can't justify the expense of effort to yourself, I guess I can understand that (though I can't say that would be admirable), but if it's just some perception that once published, it shouldn't be changed, I would urge you to discard that faulty reasoning. Personally, I make small edits and adjustments all the time whenever I re-read what I have written, and in case of stories that are published and in-progress, I would periodically update the online copies with those changes. Just a general comment - perhaps you have been quietly fixing those typos I and others bring to your attention, in which case I have to commend you for your diligence.
Delete
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I needs to be Ah in AJ's dialogue.