Twinkle/TOCP's Thirty Minute Ponies Stories

by Twinkletail

Prompt #71: Prettifyin'

The Prompt (Presented by Rarity): Applejack shows her true beauty.

“Nuh-uh, Rarity,” Applejack said, shaking her head. “Ain’t no way Ah’m lettin’ ya do this ta me.” Rarity watched AJ’s ponytail wave as she shook her head. She so wanted to tear that hairband off and let that golden mane flow free, restricted only by Rarity’s expert touch. She wanted to make that mane her plaything, to free it from the prison that its bearer had incarcerated it in and mold it to her vision. She needed to maximize its potential, but her friend simply would not have it.

“But Applejack!” Rarity started. “You are a beautiful pony! You just have to let other ponies see that! Please!” Rarity was typically not one to resort to begging, but it had worked so well with Fluttershy in the past. Applejack was no Fluttershy, though. Rarity loved Fluttershy, but she was not exactly known for her strong will, unlike the farmer that stood in front of her.

“Ah ain’t budgin’ on this, Rarity,” Applejack said firmly. “Ah don’t need no prettifyin’. ‘Tain’t practical.” Rarity sighed deeply.

“But Applejack,” she tried again. “Think of the possibilities!” There was a moment of tense slence as the two stared at each other.

“…This really mean that much ta ya?” AJ finally asked.

“Oh, ever so much!” Rarity said. AJ stood steadfast for a moment, before sighing and rolling her eyes.

“Fine,” AJ said. “Fer ONE DAY. An’ then Ah’m goin’ back ta mah usual getup.” Rarity squealed with joy. She was finally free to paint on her most elusive canvas. Before AJ could have a chance to change her mind, Rarity had grabbed her, dragging her into the nearest changing room.

After a number of hours, Rarity was finally satisfied with her creation. She crowded Applejack in front of the nearest mirror.

“Gaze upon my creation, Applejack!” Rarity said proudly.Applejack looked herself over. Her mane looked so unnatural just hanging there, band-less. She had to admit, however, that she did somewhat like the way it fell over her shoulders and onto the elegant dress that Rarity had stuffed her into. She kicked her hind legs uncomfortably; she wasn’t even positive why Rarity had bothered with stockings. They weren’t even visible under the puffy dress. She swished her tail; this, unlike her mane, remained tied. However, she did not particularly enjoy the pink bow that replaced her tail’s usual red band. Her hoof came up to rub her face, but Rarity quickly lit her horn and stopped it in its tracks.

“Ah ah ah!” Rarity said, gently placing Applejack’s hoof on the ground. “You do not want to ruin your beautiful makeup, do you?” AJ closed her eyes and sighed. She quickly opened her eyes again; the excessively-long fake eyelashes that Rarity had done her up with tickled.

“Come now, darling,” Rarity said, beaming. “We must show you off to the town! But first…” Rarity disappeared into a dressing room, emerging moments later in her own exquisite gown. “I cannot let my dear friend get ALL the attention, can I?” she asked, smirking.

“No ma’am,” AJ answered with all the enthusiasm of a banana slug. “Can we hurry this up? These here shoes’re hurtin’ mah hooves.”

“You’ll get used to it, darling,” was Rarity’s only answer before pulling Applejack outside.

The next hour was spent parading through town. Applejack sighed heavily with each pony who commented on her drastic change of appearance. She walked awkwardly, unused to all these accessories. She was a simple farmer; she didn’t need any of this. Rarity, on the other hand, was strutting along, looking almost like a proud mother leading her unwilling filly through town square; an image only exacerbated by her tendency to reach over and brush Applejack’s bangs out of her eyes whenever they would drift there. Rarity relished in every single comment that her friend received, whereas AJ looked like she’d rather be practically anywhere else. At times, it would bother her that AJ’s getup was receiving more stray compliments than her beautiful dress, but she figured that everypony was used to her beauty by now; it wasn’t every day that they had the opportunity to appreciate Applejack’s.

“What a lovely mare!” a voice called out. Rarity turned to thank the voice’s owner, when she suddenly froze in place.

“S…S…Sapphire Shores!” Rarity stammered. Sure enough, Sapphire Shores hersel was now approaching the two ponies. Rarity preened herself, positive that this comment was directed towards her. She smiled sweetly at Miss Shores, from the moment she started walking towards the two until the moment that she passed right by her.

“You are simply fabulous!” Sapphire Shores said, looking Applejack over. “How would you like to be featured on my program?” Applejack just raised a brow, as Rarity stood there, dumbstruck.

“But…what about…” Rarity began.

“Ah, yes!” another voice chimed in. “She iss luffly! Vat charm! Vat pizzazz!” Rarity could barely speak as Photo Finish stepped out from behind a bush to admire Applejack also.

“Clearly a pinnacle of beauty!” a now-appearing Hoity Toity exclaimed.

“My dear, you are simply ravishing,” Fancy Pants added, stepping out from a nearby building. Rarity could barely believe it.

“No…no…” Rarity stammered. “What are you all doing? You should be paying attention to me…” Rarity’s pleas fell on deaf ears as the four famous ponies continued to rave over Applejack’s ensemble.

“She iss Eqvestria’s next big star!” Photo Finish swooned. Rarity sunk to her haunches.

“What have I done??” Rarity moaned. “WHAT HAVE I DONE?!”

“…What HAVE ya done?” Applejack asked. Rarity looked up to see AJ, still standing in the middle of Carousel Boutique, looking just as she had. No dress, no fancy manestyle, no stockings…just regular Applejack. Rarity cleared her throat and stood up as if nothing had happened.

“Um…nothing,” Rarity said. “Never mind that.”

“Right…” Applejack said. “So what possibilities were ya goin’ on ‘bout?” Rarity blinked a few times.

“…None,” Rarity said. “You do not have to do this if you do not want to, Applejack.”

“Great!” AJ said. Rarity breathed a sigh of relief as Applejack gave her a wave and trotted out of Carousel Boutique. She then donned her favorite dress for a walk through town.

Comments

[Makokam]

Hahaha! It was like Green- er... that episode where Fluttershy was a model all over again, only worse. I guess she larned her lesson.