"Be your best by never being your best. Excellence leads to conflict!"
Twilight Sparkle's exhausted eyes fluttered open to the waking world, dreams the closest thing to freedom of thought left for the alicorn and her remaining friends in the decrepit shack prison; yet, even when buried in those figments of peace, the blare of Starlight Glimmer's commanding, insistent voice still droned on. The last to awaken that morning, Twilight counted every hour of the five days passed since Fluttershy infiltrated the ranks of the "Equalized" villagers to free them, but none of the mares had heard or seen anything of the pegasus since then, even in the processions of townsfolk marching outside.
Cupping her muzzle to stifle a yawn, Twilight looked across her ragged friends with reservation, the proud and defiant Elements of Harmony silently accepting what had become a draining routine, leaving the Princess of Magic their only pillar left to lean on.
"Fluttershy, girls, I'm so sorry. All this time it's been about me, my role as a princess, I'd never wondered if I truly deserved that power, these duties..." Twilight pondered, ears twitching just as the loudspeaker blared again:
"Standing out from the crowd is standing against comradery! Conformity never goes out of style!"
Rarity glanced out of the narrow window towards the wide and inviting dirt street, watching the Equalized villagers gather together for their daily ritual. To her astonishment, all the inhabitants of this isolated township lived in harmony with one another not just in step or purpose, but appearance as well. On the streets of Canterlot or Manehatten, everypony would make an effort to stand apart from the crowd and in their own uniqueness; but in Starlight's village, the same mane styles, earnest smiles, and rugged clothing reigned above any hint of originality.
"There is a certain charm to the aesthetic of Equality. Nopony mocking the way another dresses or the style of which they wear their hair, a community kept fulfilled and happy not by what makes them different, but what ties them together..." Rarity's judgment wavered, the formerly radiant unicorn's peerless beauty wearing the burden of restless nights and a few fearful tears for her vanished best-friend Fluttershy, before forcing herself to look upon Twilight to stir her inner resolve.
"...No, I won't falter now. Twilight wouldn't dare give in to this rhetoric, and neither shall I!""
"Free yourself from expectation! Without success there is no failure!"
Crumpled underneath the window opposite of Rarity, Rainbow Dash stared in the distance beyond the dull procession of ponies, their smiles gleaming in the morning sun. Bored out of her mind, the pegasus hardly mustered any of the gusto she'd held for their first few days of imprisonment. No escape attempt brought any hope, no daring call to action sprang from her lips, leaving the rainbow-maned pegasus tending her unsettled feathers impatiently.
"I blew it, how was I supposed to know they keep guards outside all night? Or in that last attempt yesterday, I kicked and fought all I could but it wasn't enough! Those ponies outside though, all of them, they'll never know how it feels to have so much expected of them, only to fail all your friends. Must be nice..." Rainbow Dash's tail nearly smacked her own cheek at the thought, the pegasus gritting teeth to steel her diminished resolve.
"What was that? These speakers must be getting to me, if Twilight's egghead brain is working overtime to bust us out, then there's no way I'm gonna back out either!"
"Why have so many competing parties, when all you need is one for everypony? Leave nopony out!"
The waiting and worrying stole away all the energy from Pinkie Pie, her near-inexhaustible list of jokes repeated twice within the first day. The pink earth pony tried so hard to keep her friend's spirits high, an effort that now only earned her at best a token, distant smile, or a bitter chuckle. In stark comparison, the ponies outside never seemed to stop smiling, never fought, and always laughed at each other's jokes!
"What're they so happy about? Maybe that big meanie on the intercom is right! It's a fake smile, sure, but does that mean they're any less content compared to us? They have everypony waiting outside in a huge welcoming party, just for me and my friends! It would be very rude not to at least attend once..." Pinkie attempted to force a smile, quickly flipping it upside down at the distressing "fakeness" on her lips.
"Ack, no way! It pains me to think it, but some parties are just NOT worth attending!"
"Waste not, want not! Why waste another minute standing alone, when being together as one yields the greatest fruits?"
The only mare on all four hooves, Applejack languished in the center of the room, her hooves having paced a clear trail of frustration along every corner. Nursing a sore shoulder from the previous day's escape attempt, the stubborn earth pony glared down, smoldering in frustration. Every second waiting for Fluttershy was another lost chance of escape, another given to Starlight and her followers! She paused, reflecting with quiet admiration at their tireless work to improve their village, their lives humble, homely, and won with honest work.
"Dang it, if even half of Ponyville was like them, we'd want for nothin' else! I mean, they take breaks and chatter, but when these villagers set out to work, we just can't compete! Starlight's really got a vision for this place, maybe even more than I've got for Sweet Apple Acres back home..." The earth pony judged with a sigh, glancing out the window at smiling faces lined up, waiting for their "mayor" to appear.
"Ah, shucks, what am I even thinkin' now?! Must be that knock in the head I took yesterday throwin' me for a loop." Applejack shook the thoughts away, adjusting the rugged hat on her head. "Nopony could ever lead a team like us any better than Twilight! Why, I bet the next scheme she cooks up to get is outta here'll knock Starlight right of her-" She turned towards the alicorn expectantly, managing a smile for the first time all day; only, nopony sat there any longer!
"Twi?!" Applejack called out, the attention of her friends leveled at the front door to the shack, where the princess stood with a low-hanging head, the door already swinging open with a despondent squeak...
* * *
Like clockwork soldiers on parade, Starlight led her loyal villagers in stride around the dreaded "Reeducation Shack," the nefarious unicorn's pre-recorded voice booming across its loudspeakers. Her insights on cutie-mark free living made an effective alarm-clock to awaken anypony inside that cramped prison every morning; be they either new arrivals in need of enlightenment or those misguided townsfolk who questioned the sanctity of her happy little village.
Of all the smiling faces, the pink unicorn's confident sneer stood out from the crowd; after all, one of the Elements of Harmony was already well on their way to "accepting" her teachings in full, and the mind-dulling effects of the cutie-mark robbing spell concealed as the faux-scepter's enchantment left no doubt in Starlight's mind that soon, they'd break, and see things her way.
"If it wasn't for that busybody Twilight Sparkle, we'd have ourselves five more happy citizens! Awfully selfish of her, to keep her supposedly treasured "friends" caged up and suffering. Don't you agree, Double Diamond?" The mayor questioned her right-hoof stallion, the handsome snow-colored earth pony mountaineer the first of many to fall under her charms.
"Right as always, Starlight!" The grinning stallion proclaimed without a second thought, his loyalty to the self-declared mayor without question. "It's such a shame. I really like the Princess of Friendship, and would just love to get to know her, once she gets rid of her unhealthy obsession with cutie marks! She'll love life here, they all will. Just like me!"
"Oh, I don't think you'll have long to wait, my dear friend; she'll be so eager to meet you when she finally sees things our way...Oh, look, here she comes now!" Starlight pointed a hoof towards the shack, motioning two townsfolk to escort their "friends in training" outside, as they'd done every morning for close to a week. As the oaken door swayed open at last, the purple alicorn trudging forward to meet with the long line of eager, worry-free villagers, their smiles a sharp contrast to the crestfallen frown along Twilight's muzzle. Twilight's remaining friends followed the princess in a loose line of solidarity, the spark of resistance in their eyes long-faded under Starlight's propaganda and the equalizing magic. Starlight strutted ahead of her lined-up villagers, beaming in triumph.
"Good morning, Twilight! We're just about ready to start another wonderful day in our town, full of friendship and equality! It's such a beautiful day in the village, and you know that it hurts to keep you and your wayward friends confined, er, accommodated, in the Reeducation Shack..." The unicorn jeered with false sincerity, pacing in front of Twilight with wicked anticipation, a row of smiling faces behind her each gleefully witnessing the hopeless sight of a battered, beaten, and broken Princess of Friendship.
"So, is today the day we've all hoped for? The day when you finally realize how blinded you were by your cutie marks, by the selfish need to stand apart, to be different?" Starlight continued her rhetoric, exulting the stinging truth of her ideology of sameness reverberating in every hour of propaganda spewed from the loudspeakers. "Is today the day all of us can stop calling you all skeptics, and can start calling you our new friends?"
A hush fell over the orderly crowds as the Princess of Friendship raised her gaze for the first time, fatigue and defeatism taking their toll on the once-proud heroine. Wings sulking at her sides, the alicorn's eyes traced along every smile anticipating her response, Fluttershy nowhere to be seen.
All these satisfied villagers, in such a pleasant town, wore heavily on Twilight's resolve. If she was really fit to wear the mantle of Princess, how could she dare take that away from them, much less let her friends keep suffering alongside her out of comradery? The only bulwark keeping them from joining Starlight's welcoming community was Twilight herself. The alicorn's pride since earning the crown, her duties of rank and royalty, all self-serving ends that her friends dearly paid for. Shutting away that harmful pride, Twilight met eyes with Starlight, humbled in the gaze of a mare who proved to be more than a teacher, but a superior.
"...Yes, Starlight. Today is the day." Twilight confessed, fighting back tears, pride winning out over the cold logic of acceptance, at least at that moment. The crowd gasped, but Starlight remained composed, expectantly content, like she knew from the start. Twilight continued, her eyes leveled towards the earth. "On one condition: if you promise that my friends will be happier under your teachings than under mine. I can't stand to see them miserable for my sake, they deserve so much better than that. Please, give them that, and do what you will with me..."
"Why Twilight, of course they will be happier!" Starlight exclaimed with a smile and barely a thought of consideration, to which cheers of celebration erupted from the onlookers, every villager elated to welcome a former-princess, now townsfolk, into their midst. Twilight sighed, robbed of magic and reason to resist, defeat weighing heavily on her soul. Her friends, each depending on her to stand firm, stepped forward and past her, disappeared into the roaring throng to whatever fate awaited them, hesitant smiles of encouragement dawning across their muzzles as they vanished from her view. In the chaos of celebration, Starlight cupped Twilight's chin, Double Diamond standing right behind her at attention.
"In that case, welcome to our town, Twilight Sparkle! I would have cottages built for each of your friends, but I know they'd be better served by getting to know their townsfolk in a more, ahem, "personal" sense. You, however...You'll be staying with me and Diamond! We've got a lot to teach our newest friend," Starlight explained with a sort of presence the newly-meek princess could only compare to that of her mentor, the unicorn's touch oddly calming, reassuring a docile response from the once-mighty alicorn.
"You'll all have a day or so to relax in a guest-home after our festive welcome, but after that, I look forward to seeing how your friends adjust to their new places in our village! If they have the same kind of acceptance like your dear friend Fluttershy," the unicorn sneered, drawing a shiver from her royal audience at what that implied, though anything prevailed over another sleepless night of self-loathing. "Then you and your comrades will discover a that a happy life of contentment awaits you all, in our humble town!"
* * *
That night, once the festivities ended and each new, exhausted, or drunken friend stumbled to sleep, Starlight stepped into her cottage, the unicorn's muzzle twisted in wicked glee. Double Diamond slipped down from upstairs, happy to see her. Then again, like all denizens of Starlight's village, he was always happy, and especially so to see his Mayor.
"Twilight's just passed out, tired out like the others. Do you think we may have overtaxed them with the marching routines, singing, and cider today?" the earth pony questioned, slightly concerned for their well-being, especially that of the alicorn. "They were all so listless after breakfast, almost in a trance even-"
"Diamond, my dear friend, when have I ever pushed anypony too hard? Well, other than perhaps Fluttershy," Starlight retorted with a dismissive shrug, slipping into the den with a devious sway to her trot, the subtle blue glow of her horn rippling insidious magic through the "Equal-Marks" studding each of her new citizen's flanks throughout their night's sleep. "Besides, it worked, didn't it? You've never voiced concern with the others joining our ranks..."
"W-well, nopony's fought against the truth about cutie marks so strongly before," Diamond explained thoughtfully, pouring himself and Starlight tea while watching her settle in on a pillow near the hearth. "I mean, Twilight was the only thing keeping them together at the end. I know there was no other option, that she had to accept reality; but seeing her so downtrodden, it nearly-"
"Broke your heart?" Starlight interrupted with a snicker, her magic catching the tea-tray that Diamond almost dropped upon hearing that phrase. "Hah, I knew it! I've seen the way you've been looking at her, Diamond. Honestly, I can't blame you. A bit bookish for my tastes, but I can see the appeal for a stud like yourself, especially a Princess."
"It's not that I've ever doubted you," the earth pony blurted, crimson dawning stark on his snow-colored cheeks. "I'd heard about the new Princess, but never thought she'd be, you know, so striking! I'm really happy that she's starting to accept your teachings, Starlight..."
"Oh, is that so Diamond? Yes, I'm quite pleased as well, more than you know," Starlight cooed, wicked thoughts swirling in her blue eyes as she hovered the stallion his glass, sipping at her own while watching the fire flicker in the hearth. "In that case, I think you might be able to help her, ahem, "adjust" to our ways."
"You mean it?" Diamond gasped, his tail swishing with excitement at the notion. "If there's anything I could do for her, just say the word! I'd love to see her bask in the happiness you've given all of us."
"Oh, you'll get your chance very soon," the mage hinted, pleased to enjoy the obedience of such a loyal comrade in her schemes. "I've got special plans for the others too. Responsibilities of a sort, to grant them all a suitable place in our village. They should be convinced afterwards; besides, it will save us the trouble of building new cottages!"
"Well, if they're happy to give up their cutie marks in the end, anything you say is fine by me, Starlight!" Diamond declared, lapping at his tea.
"As it should be," Starlight reminded, whispering under her breath as the equal-mark spell worked its insidious grasp through the minds of five soon-to-be citizens throughout the night. "Though, it's not as if they'll have much a choice..."
"Standing out from the crowd is standing against comradery! Conformity never goes out of style!"
* * *
That night, despite the silence of her chambers, Rarity cried herself to sleep. Finally gaining freedom from the Reeducation-Shack but feeling even worse than before, the unicorn's spirits faltered upon witnessing Twilight Sparkle accept defeat for their own sake. Rarity tried calling out from the line that morning, to rally with Twilight against that wicked enchantress and offer support; but in that moment all the willpower to stand apart from the crowd seemed to drain away, leaving her weary and helplessly following the whims of smiling faces welcoming her to their humble village. To her own inner revulsion, the unicorn even found herself smiling, the effect of so many joyous ponies contagious in despair. What was happening to them, to her?
"Hmmm, did it really happen? You're not in that dreadful shack anymore, are you Rarity?" Muttering to herself in an effort to shake away grogginess, Rarity stirred from the sheets of her bed at the behest of the morning sun streaming in from an open window. Torn asunder from a restless night, the ivory fur along her cheeks was stained grey with the runoff of ruined makeup. In the approaching dawn illuminating the quaint village, yesterday felt like a dream, or rather a nightmare, best left forgotten.
"May as well look presentable; first impressions still matter, even here," Rarity huffed indignantly, pausing at her window to watch the first few townsfolk emerge from their homes, friendly greetings and vacant smiles the order of the day. Stepping out of the "guest" chamber, she found no guard, no blaring loudspeakers and no sign of her friends. A mirror hung atop a bureau right across from her room, and Rarity winced at spying her own ragged appearance. No way she'd dare step hoof outside, looking so dreadfully dour!
"It'll take just a moment, to set things right..." The unicorn resolved, adjusting herself to stand before that stark reflection, a week's trials and tribulations weighing heavily in her azure eyes. A certain dullness coated her fur, and Rarity's purple locks sat frazzled upon her head. Unthinkingly, the unicorn's magic sputtered to life to clean away the mess, plucking a wooden comb from the bureau to marshal her wayward mane and tail into unthinking, unquestioning obedience. Tangled, wild bangs protested at each pass of the brush, but presented nothing Rarity couldn't coerce into order. The wayward strands fell in line without resistance, once the troublesome coils and knots grew as uniform as their fellows...
"Rarity, you're awake!" A familiar and dreaded voice called from down the hall, as mayor Starlight Glimmer herself trotted up to wish a good morning to her newest, most majestic citizen. Rarity stepped back, a flash of impulsive anger in her eyes disarmed by a calming ripple of magic emanating subtly from her Equal-Mark.
"I imagine you slept well last night, with a real bed again?" Starlight questioned.
"I managed. Starlight, where are my friends? Shouldn't they waking up too?" Rarity questioned, worried for their well being, since she'd only caught fleeting glimpses of them in the celebration. "What about Twilight?"
"You're the first to get up! Your friends are staying with some of the other townsfolk until we get new cottages built, should we end up needing them. Space is limited in our wonderful town, with so many new ponies moving in," Starlight explained warmly, the unicorn's voice motherly and reassuring, despite blaring rhetoric at the fashionista for nearly a week on end. "Once we get you all settled into your new positions, you'll be seeing plenty of each other! Oh, by the way, I love what you've done with your mane, it suits you perfectly!"
"Oh, uhm, thank you Starlight," Rarity pondered wistfully, so concerned about her friends that she'd hardly glanced at her own reflection all the while, and what style her magic was conjuring upon her head.
"It's nothing special really, just something I thought would show how I-" she began, before meeting her double in the glass and falling silent. Since when did she wear her mane in a bun, with her coiled royal-purple locks tied back so primly and plain, parted slightly to keep her horn from fussing it up? Swaying her tail into view, Rarity found it straightened from base-to-end, hardly a ravishing coil in sight.
"You were what, Rarity?" Starlight pressed, wearing a disarming smile, but Rarity stared blankly into the mirror. The sight shocked her; not because it replicated the unassuming fashion of the villagers, but from the soothing calm it spawned in the weary unicorn's thoughts. For all her adult life, Rarity always endeavored to help herself and others stand apart, to earn the attention of the crowd with style and grace; yet that desire carried the burden of constant spotlight, an endless fight to keep herself relevant, or risk rejection. Where was that drive now, that desire?
"I-I was saying, I thought it would show how I..." The fashionista stammered, meeting the azure gaze of a reflection freed of glamour's harsh expectations, liberated from anxieties hidden underneath makeup and the blinding glow of the runway. Rarity struggled to find any fault in it, or remember a time when the image in the mirror felt so untroubled.
"How you wanted to make the best impression on all your new friends?" Starlight suggested, trotting beside Rarity in the mirror, wrapping a reassuring hoof around the heroine's shoulder and directing her attention towards the reflection, as if encouraging her to linger. "Trust me, they'll adore it as much as I do, you can be sure of that."
"W-Was I thinking that? I must admit, this certainly wasn't my first choice of style," Rarity managed a genuine smile, one that grew harder to dispel the wider it grew. Starlight's compliment sounded truthful, more so than the glitz-coated praises of the cultured high-life the fashionista led. Yesterday, she reviled Starlight with a passion, but today that same unicorn compassionately wiped dried eyeliner from the former dissident's cheeks with nothing but kindness. Perhaps she wasn't all bad? "But, now that I look at it...I think this new look is already starting to grow on me!"
"You won't be turning many heads with such a simple style," Starlight admitted with a flick of her tail, the grey emanating from Rarity's Equal-Mark deepening to a darker shade. "Still, isn't that a nice change of pace from always worrying about what everypony thinks of you? I can't even imagine how long it must take to coil those locks you wear! Think of all that wasted time..."
"Wasted...time?" the ivory unicorn blinked dully, reflected on each morning spent brushing after a shower, and the weekly salon treatments to keep her mane obedient. Yielding. Compliant. All the time she'd find better spent with her new friends in Starlight's comfortable and welcoming little town, rather than squandered on such fleeting quests for temporary beauty. On the mirror, the smile on her reflection grew more persistent, vacantly accepting that simple truth, the first of many to follow.
"Speaking of time-wasting, we should get going to breakfast! Sugar Belle put together a fresh batch of her signature blueberry muffins for all of you, and I had Diamond whip up a few salads to commemorate your first day as a citizen in our town!" Starlight instructed while gently grasping the once-radiant mare by the hoof to lead her away from the mirror, certain that the magic reverberating through the Equal-mark left Rarity very open to new, better ideas of herself. "Afterwards, we'll get you right to work! Our town has needed a proper seamstress for a long while, and Burlap's always got a backorder in his shop."
"Breakfast does sound quite lovely, now that you mention it," Rarity agreed heartily, forgetting how tasteless and bland Sugar's confections tasted, hunger and complacency winning out over flavor. Casting a final glance at her reflection before marching off downstairs beside Starlight, Rarity curiosity piqued at what awaited her in the village. "Burlap...Isn't he the stallion managing the store with all those dull cloaks?"
"That's him! You'll be working very closely together from now on, Rarity. I'm sure you'll find a home away from home in his workshop," Starlight confirmed, the acrid scent of Sugar's muffins greeting the pair of ponies from the rows of "treats" laid out downstairs. The enchantress cleared her throat with a cough while attempting to conceal her disgust at the smell, starting for the way out of the cottage. "Ack! Ahem, excuse me. Uhm, dig in, there's plenty of them! I'll be, gah, outside, taking in the fresh morning air! Lots of it."
"Very well, Starlight. I'll not keep you or Burlap waiting," the unicorn resolved, drawn to the buffet of tasteless muffins contrasted by vibrant salad greens sitting beside them. Days before, she'd never think to sink her teeth in another of Sugar Belle's revolting pastries, yet now Rarity's mouth watered at seeing them. Sugar worked so hard on these treats, after all; friendship and comradery baked fresh from the oven every morning always outweighed appetizing food crafted solely for one's own enjoyment! Beaming at how thoughtful of a friend the humble baker-mare seemed, Rarity sampled the crunchy muffins, barely thinking to touch her salad...
* * *
"Here we are, Burlap's Tailoring!" Starlight chimed, pointing her hoof towards the quant cottage ahead, only differentiated from its identically-styled neighbors by the wooden sign depicting a cloak swaying in the breeze above the entryway and several cluttered racks of the exactly same garment, sewn together in simple-but-sturdy fashion. The unicorn sorceress beamed, hoping overdone happiness concealed lingering doubt that her spells ensnared Rarity's thoughts, as her newest citizen spent most of the journey in observant silence. "So, what do you think of the place?"
"What do I think? Well..." the fashionista sighed, narrowing her brow and studying the rustic exterior, including the rows of lumpy, scratchy, but durable cloaks lined up outside, each barely more than a sack held together by a line of rope. Rarity's speech sounded distant, lost in a myriad of ideas battling for her sense of self. "It's not at all ostentatious like the boutiques of Canterlot or Manehatten. No portraits of models with insincere smiles, glittering displays that blind bystanders to their fickle sense of beauty, or overly-complicated gowns whose inflated prices match their designers' rampant egos..."
Starlight blinked in surprise, Rarity's wistful spiel taking her aback in its earnestness, a near-lifetime of frustrations with the dressmaker's own passion bubbling over and self-evident in her dulled azure eyes. "Then, hah, I take it that you actually like the look of his shop then? Nothing ritzy about it!" Starlight prodded, ecstatic that her magic proved so potent in molding even an Element of Harmony, but also concerned that Sugar Belle's muffins harmed more than taste buds.
"I-I think I..." Rarity sought the word to describe what she saw, embracing it and the tranquil feelings of acceptance that followed in gentle waves of arcana, her new emblem of sameness barely needing to remind her of its gospel. "...I simply adore it, Starlight."
"Then what are you waiting for? Head inside Rarity, don't let me keep you!" Her mayor instructed as a teacher might, Starlight's magic even holding the doorway open, the pleasant ring of a bell inside heralding visitors. "Let me know how you're settling in tomorrow. With any luck, you might find that this place feels more like home than Carousel Boutique!"
"You're not staying here, or watching over me all morning?" Rarity questioned while her hooves carried the once-radiant unicorn into the shop's welcoming doorway, faint thoughts of escaping to the vault or rallying her friends like whispers in the wind, and just as fleeting. Starlight clearly trusted her, so why betray that gesture, or her new friends?
"I know we've been starting to get back on the right hoof now, but I've got to help all your friends "settle in" today too! A mayor's job is never done, after all," Starlight excused, her horn sparking of magic to awaken another fresh "resident" awaiting at her next stop, a simple wave of a hoof marking her departure. "Besides, I think you'll find that you and Burlap will be getting along quite well. He'll need to show you the ropes, no pun intended! See you tomorrow, Rarity; I can't wait to see what your expertise will bring to our humble village!"
"Could you please tell Twilight where I'm-" Rarity began, but in a flash, Starlight poofed away, leaving nothing but hoofprints in the dirt. Rather than take offense, she instead shrugged, content with the knowledge that her friends would see the same attention from their mayor. She did only want what was best for them, after all!
"I suppose it couldn't hurt to put my best hoof forward. Twilight wouldn't have accepted Starlight's ways if there wasn't some truth to it all, something to learn and accept," Rarity reflected, the unicorn's formerly-alabaster coat of fur tarnished into a light-gray, lacking the shimmer that drew all eyes forward as she set hoof into the simple storefront.
Sunlight beamed in from slit-like windows, illuminating basic wooden shelving one would expect in a hardware store rather than a tailor, unpolished and rough to the touch. The countertop stood without unnecessary frills, an old hoof-crank sewing machine accompanying a register that gathered more dust than coin. Instead of gowns or tuxedos, aprons, cloaks, jackets, and all manner of hardy working-pony clothes stocked its racks, most a matter of patchwork sewing from burlap, leather, cotton, twine, or other basic fabrics. Never in her right mind could Rarity call this a boutique! It resembled a craftspony's workshop more than a store, even down to a scent of sawdust which seemed to cling to everything within.
"Hello? Mr. Burlap, are you there? Starlight said you needed help," shutting the door behind her, Rarity paused in the center of the lusterless shop after calling out, her Equal-Mark resonating a comforting sense of awareness at her surroundings. No vapid displays to upkeep, no gaudy decorations to change with the seasons, or colorful carpets to scrub muddy hoof-prints out of! Functional, workmanlike, and practical, all the perfect antidote to a life spent pleasing others for selfish ends.
"I thought I adored this place when I saw it," Rarity thought aloud, the magic on her flank dimming, though not in time for her wistful senses to hear the bell above the door jingle. "But now, seeing the truth of it all laid bare for the first time, I think I'm starting to fall in love!"
"If you don't mind my frankness, you're not the only one who can say that! Rarity, was it?" A masculine voice remarked behind her, strong and resonating in the quiet workshop, eliciting a jolt from the unicorn as she swiftly turned to face the new arrival. A burly earth pony stallion trotted inside, clad in a brown work-vest studded with sewing tools and an expectant grin at her presence, along with saddlebags heavy at either side with ragged, dirty, or misshapen fabrics. Broad-shouldered, his midsection quivered from a somewhat-flabby tummy at each step, though clearly some muscle lay hidden underneath that soft layer of tan fur, as he met little trouble carrying the weighty bags of cloth. His dark-brown mane and tail matched those of most stallions in the village, while gentle green eyes met her azure counterparts almost instantly. "Oh, sorry for startling you, Miss. I just wanted to say how much I love what I do here, and I hope we can appreciate it together!"
"It's nothing, I was just lost in thought for a moment. You're Mr. Burlap, I take it?" Rarity asked as he approached, lingering in the dull green pastures of his gaze as her Equal-Mark worked its wicked magic on her mind. The unicorn's tail flicked side-to-side as he drew near, stepping forward to help with the bags. "Allow me."
"Yes I am, and thank you kindly for the help with those bags, Miss Rarity. You can just call me Burlap, if I can just call you Rarity in return," Burlap suggested abandoning the formalities with a warm smile, allowing the mare to take the burden of his lesser bags, laden with what appeared to be discarded sacks suffering rips and holes eaten by mice. "Sound like a deal?"
"It does to my ears, my dahling," she replied endearingly, only to blink and break eye contact suddenly right afterwards on the trot to the counter, a curious sensation of warmth not unlike that felt in the mirror creeping along her chest. The words sprang from her without thought, naturally even, as she would to a stallion she'd hope to woo at a party. Attributing it to a slip of the tongue, Rarity aimed to change the subject, setting aside the bag and plucking a piece of tattered fabric from cluttered container. "Ahem, if I may ask, why do you use such torn-up materials? Surely, you could make better with little effort."
"Indeed, and sometimes I do use better, for Mayor Starlight's big projects. Banners, flags, that kinda thing," Burlap explained with a swish of his short-styled tail, Rarity's unwitting phrase seemingly unnoticed as he unloaded the rest of the haul. "Things that are for the betterment of the whole village. When it comes to our personal clothes though, that's just for us, so why not keep things simple? If all of Equestria did that without worrying about fashion, we'd all live much happier lives in the end. Don't you think so, Rarity?"
"When you put it that way Burlap, it's hard for me to argue with simplicity. It has a certain charm, just like you and your humble workshop," Rarity admitted, laying out several samples of the fabric with her hooves, each more tattered than the last and worn from their time in the garbage bin. "Still, don't you ever wish you could "dress up?" That you could look presentable to finer company? Even, say, like me, for example?"
"At times. I used to be a clothing salespony myself, you know. Starlight showed me why that's not what's important for happiness," the earth pony admitted, trotting alongside Rarity, his closeness stirring her ear to flick excitedly at somepony so masculine sharing her passion for creation.
"I saw how selfish the fashion world is for myself in my travels, and that was made all the more clear once Starlight opened my eyes. Don't you see that too?" Burlap prodded further, his grassy-green eyes yearning for acceptance. "You're the Element of Generosity, so you'd know that more than anypony else, wouldn't you? Starlight thinks so, and I do too."
"...I've seen that lifestyle firsthoof. I've lived it, and I've..." Rarity shuddered with internal revulsion at the thought. Burlap's wisdom held true, and Rarity found her crestfallen gaze studying the ragged samples of fabric instead of facing reality or his beckoning gaze. "I've taken every advantage of it too, in the past. Some Element of Generosity I turned out to be..."
"Aww, no need to put yourself down so hard Rarity," Burlap raised a strong hoof to comfort the unicorn with a caress along her forehead, a single sniffle escaping the mare upon realizing the unhappiness those endless quests for success caused for so many throughout the years. "You didn't know any better, not with your cutie mark misleading you. The talents it gave you weren't a gift, but only an excuse to act selfishly. Starlight has taken away that curse from all of us, so we're all free to make up for it!"
"Free? If by that you mean to wear tattered rags! Is that really freedom Burlap, when you can't dress up if you wish?" Rarity objected sharply with stamp of her hoof on the workbench, the noise of her desperate outburst resounding throughout the shop, forcing Burlap into a measured pause to consider her notion. "Was it really that selfish of a desire, when you've lusted for the same?! Who does it hurt in the village?"
"Everypony Rarity. It hurts us all," the stallion declared firmly, his strong voice overpowering Rarity's feeble protests in the workshop, a realm where Starlight's wisdom held ample sway. "It hurts those who can't afford such fancy clothes when they see ponies taunting them and their supposed "rags" that they treasure, regardless of their looks. It hurts the growth of our village when we can't put the better materials to work for new visitors," the earth pony instructed with resounding faith, his hoof slipping underneath Rarity's chin to bring her uncertain gaze up from the bench, meeting the unwavering fervor in his eyes, "Most of all, it hurts us, the tailors, for knowing that we're the cause of such suffering. Could you really live with yourself then, knowing the jealousy and suffering your hooves had wrought? I couldn't, not anymore."
Rarity's righteous stare faltered in embarrassment, blinking at the stern wisdom of the humble tailor dismantling such vain pursuits. The unicorn felt like a naive school-filly again, put in her place when a truth about the world became self-evident beyond a shadow of a doubt. Rarity's Equal-Mark shuddered only once with, gently coaxing her over the edge, and tears soon followed down her cheeks. "N-Neither could I, Burlap. Neither could I. I couldn't dream of it anymore!"
"Shhh Rarity. It's alright, It was hard for me back when Starlight freed me from my mark too," Burlaps hushed comfortingly into the mare's sullen ears, his strong chest and hooves cradling the Element of Generosity with a tenderness she'd found lacking in most stallions. Though in appearance Burlap didn't fit her definition of "handsome," he certainly wasn't an ugly fellow; in fact, a pleasant sort of acceptance entered Rarity's thoughts in his company, as if no harm or judgment might meet her in his grasp. "Now hun, what do you say we drop this frettin' and get busy makin' some new aprons for the bakery today? I hear we'll be needing a few pretty soon."
"Burlap," Rarity collected herself, withdrawing from the earth pony's secure embrace and swiping a hoof along her cheeks, the remaining tears vanishing to make way for a resolve to better herself for the sake of others. If this stallion showed her the way, there was nothing Rarity couldn't do for the betterment of her new friends! "I'd love that more than almost anything!"
"Now that's more like an Element of Generosity I've always admired, eager to help our fellow townsfolk; Let's get started!" Burlap beamed, the once-artificial smile of the village appearing so genuine that Rarity's heart melted at the compliment. She buckled up and began her work, content that she belonged in this workshop, toiling at transforming tattered rags into half-presentable clothes to make up for all the sorrow her fashion ambitions caused, and that she'd find no better company than such a hardworking stallion to share it with...
* * *
In the space of a day's selfless toil, Rarity discovered a calling truly worthy of the Element of Generosity; why waste the days of her youth perfecting one frumpy gown that only became outdated in a single outing, when with even the simplest of materials, she'd produce dozens of sturdy, useful garments in a single day's efforts, protecting and providing for her fellow industrious villagers? Burlap proved a natural at turning sacks that once sat in the trash as rat-eaten garbage into hardy fabric for his beautiful aid to sew together, the bare shelves of their busy workshop soon filled with aprons, cloaks, and other fruits of their tandem labor!
All the while, Rarity stayed close to the stallion, his presence soothing as their work trailed on into the evening, the complimentary pair swapping compliments and stories of their misspent old lives, each looking forward to what the future under Starlight Glimmer held in store for them. Rarity's new mane-style kept her purple locks well out of the way of their tasks, but did little to hide lingering glances at her tireless earth pony companion, their eyes meeting more than once throughout the day's chores. Worries on her friend's fates vanished in the greenery of Burlap's soft gaze or were whispered away by his hearty laugh, the homely stallion's contagious smile leaving Rarity without fear of the petty judgment many usually held for a fashionista.
"Ahh, time's got a habit of flying by with good company, doesn't it?" Burlap remarked with a swipe of his hoof flicking away a single bead of hard-earned sweat, the setting sun streaming in faintly from uncovered windows to lend the workshop a mischievous dimness, one both ponies aimed to take advantage of in very different ways. "We've done so much today, you and me! I can't imagine how I got along without you at my side, hun."
"You're entirely too kind, my dear; but if anything Burlap, it should be you I thank, for showing this seamstress the basics of stitching together such useful creations from tatters she'd have carelessly thrown away otherwise! What a wasteful life I've led thanks to my cutie-mark," Rarity chirped from across the workbench, her hooves occupied with the finishing touches on a scruffy jacket, the mismatched cloth promising a course but warm fit for the lucky wearer. "In the same time it would take to set the frilly accents on a posh dress, we've practically made an entire wardrobe together!"
"Mmhmm, and that's not even the best part; I was gonna save this until tomorrow, but I thought you'd like to see," Burlap confessed, the earth pony reaching beneath the counter to produce three spindles of fine fabric, each bolt's hue bearing a certain resemblance to the colors of their esteemed Mayor. "We'll be busy makin' beautiful banners in the morning, so we can let everypony passing by know just how happy you and your friends are in our town!"
"What a marvelous idea! I'd be honored to help dear," Rarity replied without hesitation, her speech automatic, accepting the task as gospel from the thickset stallion. Why wouldn't her friends find happiness in the village, if Starlight meant for them to learn the same worthwhile lessons she'd discovered, the unnecessary evil of cutie-marks? Besides, if their tutors proved nearly half the charmer as Burlap, she'd find it hard to imagine her friends' lessons failing to blossom into something more intimate than educational. "Everypony in Equestria should know the same sort of happiness and purpose that you've given me today; to that end, we'll make the beautiful banners that your, ahem, our village deserves!"
"Thought you'd like the idea hun. Since we'll be seeing a lot of each other from now on, I'll even get a new sign made for the storefront! Soon, Burlap and Rarity's Tailoring will be our town's one-stop-shop for clothing," the earth pony boasted, a hoof gently unfurling a bolt of purple cloth, laying the foundation for a lovely town-banner that the once-radiant mare yearned to see outshine herself in beauty. "That is, if you'd like to share this humble space with me. I know it's not what you're used to, so if that doesn't...?"
Rarity's hoof moved slowly along the contours of the silky fabric, the lush purple reminding her of the once-coiled locks of her mane, standing in such stark contrast to the pudgy stallion's thick hoof gingerly unwrapping the bolt. Burlap's hardworking hooves displayed practiced attention to detail, the touch of a stallion who knew when to call upon masculine power to lug heavy saddlebags or the gentleness that Rarity found herself longing to feel for herself. Desire led her comparatively dainty hoof to rest atop his, a genuine smile casting aside whatever doubts lingered in his suggestion, and in her own pattering heart.
"Burlap, do you recall this morning, when I said I'd like almost nothing more than to work alongside you today making clothes for the village?" She asked while magic busied itself fiddling with retrieving a well-worn roll of measuring tape, meeting his bewildered expression provocatively, the dim light lending the unicorn's azure eyes an amorous glint.
"How could I forget? I doubt anything has ever brought such a smile to my face than having you brighten up my little workshop," the earth pony admitted with a faint blush on his tan fur, the craftspony never suspecting that he'd share a day of toil with Rarity, an Element of Generosity herself, let alone teach her the joys of Starlight's ideology! The stallion cleared his throat, surprised at how heated the unicorn's gaze left him. "I, ah, I'm more than a little curious what you meant by that Rarity..."
"It's really quite straightforward, my dear Burlap," Rarity whispered, trotting to his side of the worktable and approaching him with the tape in hoof and a measured sway to her plush rump, her once-coiled tail flicking from side to side, styled as straight as her gaze. "I think I've seen what Starlight meant when she said we'd click. You've taught me so much!"
"Not just about making treasure out of what some ponies call junk, that much I can see," Burlap deduced with a grin, though it hardly took a detective to see the affection reflected back in Rarity's gaze, both stallion and mare unaware of the subtle encouragement each of their Equal-Mark's magic lent that newfound bond. "You're quite the treasure yourself, hun."
"Oh, aren't you quite the flatterer! It'll get you everywhere, you know," the unicorn cooed with an enticing flick of her blue eyes, liberated of their false lashes and the pageantry of makeup but no less inviting without them. Wrapping the measuring tape around the back of Burlap's sturdy neck, she leaned close to the most earnest, plain, and worthy stallion she'd met in ages. "Lend me an ear "hun", and I'll tell you exactly what I've wanted since the moment you last held me."
"I'm all ears for you, Rarity," the stocky earth pony complied, lifting his ear to her waiting muzzle, the mare's words a labored, near-breathless hush, as if the act of speaking them required all of the designer's attention to whisper over the thumping resonating within her dulled-ivory chest.
"I-I can't explain it, but I know that you'd appreciate my company more than any haughty prince or dullard cosmopolitan," Rarity exhaled, using the tape as leverage to casually slink her hooves around Burlap's shoulders, his firm stature comforting her enough to continue. "All beauty will fade, even mine...But you, you'd never think to abandon me like they would, even when the years pass into decades and my first wrinkles appear, would you?"
"Never," the stallion assured, a hoof embracing Rarity's cheek, catching a stray tear escaping her eye.
"I knew you'd say that! Starlight was right about you Burlap," the fashionista-turned-needleworker nodded with a broad smile on her muzzle; a merry grin that appeared vacant like that of the other villagers, but reflected genuine endearment between both ponies in the faint light.
"Since you've graciously shared truth with me, it's only fitting that I do the same. You deserve it, and so much more," Rarity sighed bashfully, so secure in holding her soft hooves against the plump stallion's shoulders that she barely stammered. "I-I'd love to spend every day like today; as your partner, your aide...and most of all, your lov-Mmmphh!"
Rarity's confession slipped away in Burlap's daring muzzle as the stallion's strong hooves guided their mouths together in a heated exchange of intimacy, his passion direct and unimpeded by the unicorn's brief squirm of surprise. A stallion she'd have never given a second glance just a day ago had snatched the fashionista's heart, and thus earned the right to slip his tongue past the unicorn's trembling lips, the larger intruder's lust to explore overpowering the mare's trepidations.
"O-Oh, dahling, mmmphh!" Rarity gasped feebly, eyes half-shut in bliss at her worthy beau's reciprocation of a yearning felt more strongly than any mere infatuation could dream of. Homely as a hearth, Burlap's undistinguished exterior hid a charming stallion, one whom Rarity imagined always loving her through the mare's already-faded radiance without her cutie mark's artificial glow, the rigors of selfless toil in the village, and the wrinkles of old age to follow.
"Ahh," Burlap grunted as he withdrew his tongue, breaking a thin trail of spittle connecting his muzzle to Rarity's own panting mouth, their thumping hearts drumming up a tempo of unleashed passions. The earth pony stroked Rarity's mane gingerly, a simple stallion praising the simpler style of the much-simplified mare in his grasp. "Heh, sorry hun, I just can't stop myself anymore. Not when I'm with you."
"Apologies accepted, my dearest," Rarity sneered, her nose dangerously close to Burlap's own, his warm breath on her cheek. "However, I can't recall ever suggesting that you stop. Quite the contrary," She snickered like a school-filly, planting a peck on the love-struck stallion's neck, an amorous whisper leaving her muzzle. "Frankly, I'd rather the thought never cross your mind again."
"Consider it forgotten, hun. Besides," Burlap acknowledged while a hoof affectionately cupped Rarity's chin to raise her gaze and meet his grassy eyes, a simple nod precluding the return of the stallion's sloppy, demanding kisses. "I won't miss it, not when I've got you on my mind. It'll brighten all my days to have your smiling face working right beside me."
"Oh, how did I live so selfishly before? Looking for a boorish prince all those years so I could waste away in some ivory tower, when all I ever needed waited right here in this charming village for me?" the unicorn declared, doubts washed away in the grip of the earth pony's caring smile and the Equal-Mark scrubbing out holdouts of resistance. "A real stallion, an every-pony lover who doesn't care how ordinary I look without false beauty; my adoring Burlap!"
"You're turning me red all over with those praises, hun! Heh, and honestly gettin' me more than a little wound up," Burlap mentioned lecherously while nudging Rarity gently backward, the mare's rump pressing against the cloth-covered hardwood of their cluttered workbench. "Hop on up, so you can take a good look at what you're doing to me."
Rarity complied with a quick bounce onto the counter after pausing to shove aside their tools, though not the soft blanket of fabric. Tentatively lowering her eyes to catch a glimpse of Burlap's "appreciation" for their intimacy, Rarity immediately found herself taken aback by the stallion's weighty masculine hardware rising to greet her from between his legs. The ponderous stallion rose up and planted his forelegs at either side of the unicorn's plump flanks, rearing forward so this larger-framed shoulders stood over her, and his waist at Rarity's hips.
"You'll get a better view up close, hun," Burlap prodded with a wicked gleam in his gentle eyes, presenting Rarity with a fine view of his tan-furred beer-belly, and the heavy shaft of his stallionhood bobbing openly against her midsection. A comfortable length compared to previous lovers, Burlap's dark-grey shaft sported a set of white patches; one along the medial ring, and the other covering half of his already slightly-swollen flared head, a dollop of pre-cum leaking onto Rarity's pristine fur. The stallion's testicles swayed below, half-hidden by the member itself and Burlap's soft tummy; but from what Rarity saw of them in the work-day, they outmatched most in size, promising a hefty load brewed up from a hard day's work.
"Oh my goodness, Burlap!" Rarity gawked at the lurid sight throbbing heatedly at her stomach, the stallion's desire for the humbled seamstress more pressing and intimate than any displayed by former flames like Blueblood or Trenderhoof, an unassuming earth pony's natural lusts putting those high-society dolts to shame. Bashful instincts to touch him guided Rarity's right hoof across her lover's rigid head, with her left keeping the fascinated mare steady on the counter, the impressive member twitching at her gentle touch. "I-I couldn't imagine you'd get like this so fast, so-"
"Pent-up? Hardly a surprise hun. Watchin' your fine flank strut around all day'll get any stallion worth his salt riled up! Never had a reaction like this from those dopes in Canterlot, I'll bet," Burlap chortled with a sneer, seizing Rarity's fixation on his stallionhood as a cue to grasp her clasped hind legs, his own attentions set on the faint pink outline of the unicorn's own sex nestled securely between them. "I'd wager that you're awful excited yourself, huh?"
"P-Perhaps, certainly not quite like you are, my dearest," Rarity muttered coyly, though even from what little of her slit Burlap saw, a trace of faint wetness already gleamed between her thighs, entranced by his masculinity standing so proudly at the underside of her hoof. "I-I'll never want for pleasure, not with this "tool" you've got stashed away..."
"That's a promise Rarity, and not just the only one I've got in mind to make tonight! I've got big plans for our future hun...Graaghh, you're like a fountain down there!"" the stallion teased, before his thick shoulders flexed, prying apart Rarity's curvaceous hips while mounting himself further on top of the counter and the blushing mare sitting upon it. Burlap's suspicions bore fruit, as his hun's "honey-pot" lived up to that name, Rarity's pink folds winking invitingly at her closest, newest friend. Arousal dripped between her legs, and Rarity's clit stood rigid, a pink pearl of pleasure that sent shivers across the former-fashionista's spine at the first touch of Burlap's thickened shaft grinding against it.
"O-Ooohh, m-my stars...Plans?! A scheme besides setting my lonely heart aflame? I can't wait to hear them, b-but I'm afraid your stallionhood has plans of its own! N-Never imagined I'd be the one teased like this for a change-Oh! Wondrous thing, a stallion with the stones to take the initiative," Rarity adulated underneath Burlap's chunky form as he pressed her onto the counter. Rarity slipped backward, her shoulders ruffling the silken fabric as the earth pony's medial ring drew squirms from the mare underneath him, rubbing his maleness against her hardened clitoris.
"Better than a mere scheme hun, I've got a promise straight from my heart for tonight," Burlap declared with a slide of his hips, slipping most of his length's underside between the mare's eager pussy lips, his flare standing prominent at her belly despite the heft of his own squishy stomach obscuring his motions. His pot-belly did little to hide Rarity's gasps though, nor her astonished eyes widening as Burlap's heartfelt promise fills her ears. The earth pony proclaimed a brazen love for the unicorn, amplified with resolve granted from his pulsating Equal-Mark, if the precum-soaked shaft yearning to find a place deep inside Rarity's womanly body weren't proof enough towards his sincerity.
"You're too wonderful of a lady to spend your nights just warmin' up some high-brown blowhard's bed Rarity, but you know that already," Burlap encroached, pausing his gyrations to caress the unicorn's tidied-up mane, its unassuming style second nature to her. "Come sunrise, I aim to prove there's nothin' I won't share with my hard-working honey-bunch, the gal I'd give anything to call my wife."
Matched only by his own firmness at her slit, Burlap's unflinching bow reflected Rarity's own intimate fantasies, ones she'd label selfish from Starlight's tutoring if her grassy-eyed lover didn't earnestly deserve her generosity for such a simple desire. Certainly, the thickset stallion's pure affections far outweighed any wretched infatuations of the past, no matter their wealth or stature! Handsomely chiseled, fit-figured, or royal-blooded bachelors that occupied her short-sighted ambitions; Rarity's newly-beloved possessed none of these traits, instead bourgeois in appearance, flabby at the midsection, and lacking any sort of notable pedigree. Rarity found herself unable to care for even a moment, truly glad that her heart belonged to a stallion who'd cherish all she'd ever be from tonight onward; a plain-dressed seamstress whose features never felt the false comfort of makeup again, who'd forget how much she'd worried over putting on a few measly pounds lest others judge, and instead dreamed of only wearing one gown all her life; a simple brown work-apron, carefully sewn by her dear husband.
"Burlap, my dahling stallion, my love!" the unicorn swooned with a shimmer of tenderness in her azure eyes, entranced underneath the spell of the impassioned stallion's vow. "Nothing in Canterlot, Manehatten, or in all of Equestria could keep me from wanting anything more than you as my fiancée!"
"Rarity, you've just made me the happiest tailor in town, second only to how happy you'll be soon! From now on we'll be just like the thread and needle Rarity," Burlap declared, his muzzle meeting her own in an approving kiss, relieved that an impulsive gambit paid off far better than he dared to dream. Slipping her hind-legs around the earth pony's Equal-Mark covered hips, Rarity's own identically-stamped waist gyrated against Burlap's heft to glide her wet marehood invitingly along his ever-lowering cock, the stallion's growing flare enticingly close to slipping between her legs.
"Stitching our lives together, and never far apart." Rarity sighed wistfully as their lips met again, the romantic mare's chest aflutter at the down-to-earth charm of Burlap's tried-and-true idiom on love and the intimacy of their first kiss as fiancées. Her hooves found their way around his neck, urging Burlap to linger on top, his closeness more splendid than any grand four-poster bed or silken pillow. Passionate groans filled the dim shop until Rarity's heated sex winked excitedly against the stallion's maleness, finally compelling Burlap to break the kiss and turn all his rigid attention towards consummating their sudden union.
"The sun'll be missing out then hun, cause tonight is all ours to enjoy," Burlap huffed as Rarity's wiggling slit stroked along the iron-like bar of his bare cock, warm pre-cum smearing along her nethers to mark a trail of the head passing further down. Nature took the reigns as both scruffy earth pony and reformed unicorn breathlessly skipped straight to their pre-honeymoon in record time. "The moon'll just have to tattle on us when they cross paths in the mornin'; that is, if the whole town doesn't hear you calling out my name, hah!"
"Such bravado, my dearest! In that case, what do you say we give the stars something to remember? I think we've more than earned it after a hard day's work for our comrades," short of breath in the wake of their kiss, Rarity glanced up from the fabric-covered countertop as the first traces of moonlight flickered in through the narrow windows. In their white glow, Burlap's rugged features eclipsed those of stallions twice his stature, the earth pony's green eyes alone marshaling faithful submission from her relaxing hind legs. Parting themselves wide, Rarity lent herself completely to Burlap's whims, urging his cock to stake a rightful claim to the needy slit pleading for it between them. "Don't delay for my sake; I'll gladly take all you can give, my beau. Please spare nothing, make every part of me yours..."
No red-blooded stallion hoped to refuse such a lurid plea, especially not one so pent-up as Burlap, the earth pony's dark-gray member twitching abruptly with raw lust as Rarity's angelic mews met his ears. That shudder leaked dribbles of precum along Rarity's damp sex, kindling to the inferno consuming them both in the instant that his hips moved forward to satisfy her pleading and his unbound lust for the now-homely seamstress.
"Graagghh!" Taking her words to heart, only a hearty grunt marked Burlap's first thrust into his fiancée's glistening jewel, his bulky stallionhood pressing firmly at the enticing gateway to her pussy. Breathtaking hardness spread apart the young unicorn's vaginal lips, forcing worried squeaks from her throat before Burlap's swelled flare passed inside, inch after inch of her lover's fat shaft filling Rarity's damp pussy. The stallion hushed her anxieties after witnessing a trace of discomfort, pausing at his hard medial ring to relish her warmth around him. "A-Ah, yeah, that's it hun. You're doin' great, sshhh..."
"I-I'm quite fine dahling; far better than fine, actually," the unicorn reassured once accustomed to his girth, lifting a hoof to swipe a wayward strand of Burlap's short-styled brown mane back into place to uncover his alluring green eyes, giggling at the notion that the cock slipping inside her belonged to a stallion she'd thought a stranger just days before. "After all, If this is just how half of you feels, I'm looking forward to sharing my bedchambers with such a gifted stud!"
"I take it my hun's all set for that "stud" to give her the rest then? Rrraaghhh, you'll get it all every night, just like this-Argh!" Burlap snarled, withdrawing his ponderous rump halfway from which he came, only to rock himself forward deeply. The earth pony's thickened midpoint vanished within Rarity's drippy snatch, its entry echoed by the loud smack of Burlap's flabby tummy hammering the unicorn's trim midsection. Contrasting sharply with the sizable layer of fat-coated muscle quivering against her shapely white belly, Rarity's dangling hooves shivered weakly at Burlap's sides to the rocking tempo of their lovemaking, wholeheartedly welcoming the clap of his blubbery flesh meeting hers.
"C-Celestia, you're already so deep dahling, and so hard! Those so-called "Canterlot Heartbreakers" can't hope to compare to a hardworking stallion, Oh! T-They'd complain about roughing up their fur after a little foreplay, but you're keen on leaving your mark all over me," Rarity applauded her fiancée's drive to claim his mare, the fur on her chest wearing the ruffles of their coupling proudly. She resolved to never brush them away, but instead wear her fur in the simple unkempt manner of rustic frontier mares who cared not where it wandered.
"Graghh, I want everypony in our village to know who makes you squirm every night, my horny little honeybunch," Burlap panted through his motions, shoving himself into the unicorn and grunting as his swaying testicles nestled briefly against Rarity's untouched tailhole, his stallionhood's base reveling in the damp heat from the unicorn's pussy for the first of what promised to be many nights of productive community labor. "Hah, how's that for deep?"
"Utterly divine, oh! It feels heavenly when you're so fully inside me! I'm more than ready, so please don't fret for my sake any longer. I can take it; no, I will take it!" Rarity craved the pleasure and comfort that only lovemaking from the heart gave, breathlessly anticipating Burlap's next less-than-gentle bump of his white-spattered flare against her cervix. "All of me is ours to share, dear."
Burlap wanted no further encouragement, though hearing Rarity's sultry voice uttering pleas for the rutting he planned to give set the stallion's cheeks aflame with a blush. Grinning from ear-to-ear in the characteristically vacant manner of his fellow villagers, the earth pony withdrew until the medial girth of his shaft slipped free of Rarity's pink marehood. The instant her folds kissed the chunky ring farewell, Burlap thrust back inside without a moment's pause, the white splotch marking the mid-length of his bare shaft disappearing between her legs whenever his flare hilted sharply against her tender cervix. Sweat dripped from his brow, the stallion's jerking thrusts unsettling rolls of tumbling fabric and making the workbench creak in protest from their shifting weight, Burlap's teeth gritted from putting all his strength into hammering Rarity's yielding sex.
"Oooohhh! Celestia yes my dashing fiancé, yeeesss! This is exactly what I've been missing in my life, a stallion who fucks like you do! Ah! G-goodness, watch the banners dear! Mmm, we don't want to risk, oh, t-tearing them open, not like your cock is doing to me...!" Rarity squirmed from Burlap's heated pounding, her complimenting moans filling the quaint shop and doubtlessly audible to the nearest houses on such a quiet night in the village. Rarity's charitable mindset worried for the tangled fabric re-purposed as cushioning their rampant coupling; yet, what could be a more fitting way to christen banners meant to welcome newcomers than knowing they were sown together in the aftermath of blossoming love? Besides, the resulting stains washed out easily enough, she hoped.
"They'll hold together Rarity, arghh! They're made of strong stuff, just like our love will be when we're married! You don't gotta worry about leavin' stains either," Burlap dispelled his lover's worries as if reading her mind, the huffing tailor quickly lifting Rarity's backside with a strong hoof to slip a few strands of the colorful material underneath her, creating a prime angle to ensure every inch of his fat cock stayed fully enveloped and soaked with his fiancé's juices.
"W-Why not?" She protested meekly, his breath warm at her neck. "Oh! I-I'd hate to ruin them, and risk putting a damper on our first time together when you withdraw..."
"Mmmphhh! Because hun, I've got no intentions of makin' a mess anywhere tonight, save for the only place I'd care to," Burlap explained bluntly to his bride-to-be, a gentleness in his broad grin hinting that he considered their union nearly complete even without a formal village ceremony or rings upon their ears, save for one very important step churning within his swaying testicles, "We're sewing our lives together Rarity; as your stallion, that means my seed is only meant for one place until nature takes its course."
"You mean that you're going to, that we're going to try and have a...? Oooh, Burlap!" Rarity squeaked in astonishment as a dazzling flurry of emotions left her breathless in the wake of such a merry revelation. The star-struck mare's vaginal walls trembled around Burlap's bare shaft, it's meaty flare dripping pre-cum constantly, sitting swollen at her cervix nearly a half-inch fatter than before. Rarity's Equal-Mark shuddered constantly, the pacifying magic cleansing her of doubt.
"Shhh, that's my honey-pie," Burlap hushed with a kiss, the seamstress' hesitations dying out the moment their lips touched, yet all the while Burlap's jolting thrusts never ceased to make his intentions very clear. Rearing up over her, the stallion's hoof traced down Rarity's panting chest, touching the soft top of her tummy that wasn't weighed down by his gut. "When I said I want everypony in town to see the love we have for each other, I meant it."
"I-It's so sudden, much too f-fast, such a dangerous time for you to be inside of my-Oh!" Rarity stammered, but his touch proved calming enough that the words felt hollow, a formality expected of a proper lady rather than a new fiancée so deep in love with the country tailor who'd woven his way into her thumping heart, sweltering pussy, and perhaps soon, her fruitful womb.
"It's what you've always wanted to hear from those stuffy prudes hun, isn't it? It's what every good wife dreams of doing with her stallion," soothing his fiance with a stroking hoof across her slim belly, Burlap's fat dick throbbed with anticipation inside the unicorn's glistening walls, his pre-cum clearing the way for a vision of the future they'd both share. "Just think of when you start to show through your work apron at the altar; how in a few months everypony'll know we're meant for each other when we say our vows, with the first of many "bundles" of our own growin' right in here..."
Rarity flinched only briefly at the thought of rearing her lover's seed to bear fruit, a moment of her past, selfish life calling from the abyss, lost forever in the liberating moment of recognizing her place with Burlap in the budding Equal community. The anxiety felt for her missing friends vanished in a pleasant acceptance that there was only one more thing she'd ever become in life other than Burlap's humble wife; the caring mother of their many children, whose stretch marks earned and foal-weight gained she'd carry without regret or desire to shed for such a petty thing as vanity. For Rarity and Burlap, Equal in thought and purpose to their fellow villagers, the community's needs came first, and their future family a close second.
"You're quite hasty my dear, but isn't love always in a hurry? I'd be honored to carry the weight of our beautiful foal to the altar!" Rarity encouraged joyously, imagining herself heavy with Burlap's fruitful seed, enraptured with how she'd look far more fitting as his modest wife with the round heft of childbearing around her tummy. The unicorn sighed as she imagined her slim belly left plump after giving birth to the village's newest citizen, pledging to abandon restraining herself from indulging in those sweet muffins at Sugar Belle's bakery to further erode the contrast between her own trim figure and that of her portly beloved. By the time their foal arrived in their perfect township, Rarity resolved to mirror Burlap's chunkiness so not a single visitor to their workshop doubted that the rustic country tailor and his equally-plain and tubby wife belonged together. The love between eclipsed any of the selfish vanity beauty ever offered, surely!
"By Starlight's grace hun, you make me happier than I can put into words! So, I'll just put it all in our lovemakin' instead, graaaghhh! Ah, hah, won't be too much longer now, I can feel it; my flare's not gonna come out of that sweet pussy until I've made you mine," Burlap's hearty voice thundered above her, both ponies staring into each other's eyes with the same overpowering ecstasy, vacant smiles of uniform bliss. Happiness of this sort came in crashing waves, eroding thoughts of a life outside the village, instead binding the earth pony and unicorn together in matrimony.
"I-I don't normally beg, but please Burlap, I-I can't wait for it any longer for it! T-Thrust faster, harder, w-whatever it takes; I want nothing more in life than to be the mother of your child!" Rarity pleaded desperately beneath her thrusting stud, the blubbery stallion's equally-chunky flare raking across her vaginal walls and leaving a slimy trail of precum behind, a path for his approaching seed to follow towards her cervix. Rarity shuddered in delight at the club-like head locked between her pink folds, certain that Burlap's shaft wouldn't slip free by mistake in the throes of release, nor allow even a single droplet of her fiancée's precious spunk to escape before ensuring that her waiting womb stood utterly inseminated.
A slap of those heavy balls just below the unicorn's tail sent a jolt through her cunt, coupled with Burlap's hard flare kissing her cervix once more, proved the final straw. Rarity came more rapturously for the plain tailor than with any stallion before, the unicorn's passionate screams wanton and without care for whoever might hear, for the entire town would know the wonderful fruits of their passion soon enough.
"Oohhh, thank Starlight I came here, that she let me meet you, that you're twice the stallion any bastard prince could be! F-Fuck yes, Burlap, do it, don't hold back anything tonight! F-fill me with all your seed every night my love, make me fat and happy with your foals!"
"Rrraaaghhh, hah, you'll get it like this every night alright, arghh...Hah, wow, you're milkin' my cock something fierce hun! No way I'm gonna keep my eagle little filly waiting for her filling!" Burlap vowed through clenched teeth, mustering all his willpower to keep himself from erupting right on the spot from Rarity's quivering pussy. Instead, the earth pony slammed into her with renewed urgency, sweat coating his tubby figure as Burlap aimed to muster every available sperm from his heavy balls. Already, his flare neared its peak size, a few sharp thrusts away from sealing their bodies and futures together. At last, with a roar and deep thrust, that wonderful moment arrived, and Burlap finally came.
"I love you, Rarity! R-Raagghh, lookin' to put on some weight, are you?! A-Arghh, here it comes hun, ahh, gonna make you a mommy tonight!" the earth pony growled in lust, his wide smile mirrored back in Rarity's azure gaze as his length hilted against her cervix. At once, a mighty twitch rocked Burlap's flare as he struggled to hold back, followed by another, then another. With a deep grunt his balls tightened just before the next twitch, only this one brought forth an eruption of life-giving, gooey heat that blasted straight at Rarity's cervix.
"Oh, I love you too Burlap, I'll always love you..." Rarity mewed in utter sincerity for the once-ordinary, now extra-ordinary stallion filling her with his cum, the mare left speechless at the sheer thickness of his gushing seed flooding her yielding cervix, with no place to flow other than straight into the unicorn's expecting womb. Wrapping her hind legs around Burlap's flanks, Rarity's hooves soon did the same to Burlap's shoulders, blushing in joy at the thought of untold millions of her stud's sperm searching tirelessly for the egg that would become their first of doubtlessly many children. What could be better than raising a family with him, in such a perfect village, each foal without the burden of a cutie mark hanging over their heads? Deep down, Rarity wished that her friends might find the same happiness; but for now, she aimed to enjoy her own.
"Hah, told you hun; I made damn sure that not a single drop got on our banners," Burlap huffed with a mischievous smile, his cock still jerking inside of her with rivets of seed, though already her womb overflowed with the earth pony's stout swimmers. "Course, I bet a lot will come running out right out of your sweet pussy when I'm finally soft enough to pull out in a few-"
"Don't, don't pull out dahling," Rarity shushed, lifting a hoof to the stallion's muzzle and shaking her head, her hind legs keeping Burlap and his rigid cock from withdrawing whatsoever. Already, fantasies of motherhood's imminent transformation of her figure and life sparked gleefully in her thoughts. "Why waste anything, especially your seed, by letting it dribble out onto the table? I want to make sure we'll have a special guest on the way during our ceremony. Please, I want to fall asleep with you inside of me."
"Can't argue with that, hun. Not one bit!" the jovial earth pony agreed, nuzzling his lover's ivory cheek, pecking her with doting kisses while his balls drained the last of their payload, kept dammed inside by the swell of his flare. "But, ah, it's gonna be awfully uncomfortable sleeping on the counter tonight. I'd rather spend our first night together in our conjugal bed, you know?"
"Oh, Burlap, you're quite a stout stud, are you not?" Rarity cooed reassuringly, keeping herself wrapped around the stallion from hoof to tail, yearning to feel his heat brushing against her fur for all time. "How about I keep myself wrapped around you, like so, and you can put those strong hooves to task by whisking me away to your bedchambers? I couldn't think of a better way to spend the night than in your arms!"
"Now that's a plan, and a romantic one at that," Burlap nodded, scooping up his mare while pushing himself off the counter. Standing on his hind legs yet still impaled within her, the stallion's hooves cradled Rarity like a babe as they left the tranquil workshop, whispering his affections all the way upstairs to his, now their, bedroom.
"Can't wait to wake up and see you next to me every day, hun." Burlap whispered, leaning in for a kiss.
"Neither can I my love; though I believe I am more excited for what we do around bedtime! Mmm..." Rarity replied, meeting his muzzle in an embrace that would repeat all throughout the night.
Little did either pony know that, as they worked together in loving harmony throughout the next afternoon, a legion of Burlap's strongest sperms discovered their prize; Rarity's waiting egg. While the lovers shared a lunch of Sugar Belle's deliciously-plain blueberry muffins and talked of their plans for the splendid banners, one fortunate swimmer breached the egg's wall, creating the newest member of Starlight's growing hamlet within the former fashionista...
* * *
Late that same night, Starlight sneered devilishly as she watched the trio of blue diamonds hovering in their jar flicker, her horn aglow to project the right "Equal" thoughts in the cutie mark's former owner. If her hypothesis was correct, then the cutie mark itself still held a connection to Rarity even when separated; a link that could only be completed severed willingly by the owner. Alone in the mayoral cottage, Starlight had sent Double Diamond away to escort Rainbow Dash to her own station in the village, after she'd sobered up enough from last night's welcoming party.
"Grrr, come on, give in! You never needed this mark, you're so much better, so much happier without it! Yes, that's it, love your new life, love Burlap and your village, you'd do anything for it, even never have your cutie mark ever again...Yes!" the unicorn commanded, elated at sensing the connection between Rarity and her own cutie mark shatter, leaving that magic no host to call its own.
Starlight's attention narrowed to screen the results, thrilled to finally see her theories on cutie mark bonds in action! Rarity's bound cutie mark shone brightly a final time, blindingly so, forcing Starlight to cover her eyes with a hoof lest she see only stars. After a few labored breaths of anticipation, the radiance faded enough for her to dare peek inside the jar. Instead of Rarity's three gems sparkling within, a serene blue glow remained in their wake, indefinite in shape but pulsing with magical energy of a magnitude and variety Starlight could only guess at.
"Well, well, well...Seems like that cutie mark bond wasn't all it's cracked up to be. Who knew? It's alright though, since Rarity doesn't want you anymore, I'll keep you nice and safe..." Starlight boasted, plucking up the jar and admiring the pristine azure magic inside, condensed into its purest form and forever apart from the mare who'd once owned it. With great care, she placed the jar within a drawer, locking it inside with the turn of a key.
"One down. Five to go."
