That weekend, all the students from the class were invited to Sweet Apple Acres. Feeling generous, Spark invited his mother and sister to go along with him. Having never been to a farm before, the three of them arrived at four in the afternoon, just in time for the temperature of the hot August to have passed it's zenith.
The whole welcome wagon was spread out. Applejack's extended family had all come to officially introduce her and her brother to Ponyville. They had been here before of course, but being sent to school was a big occasion, and it was important to make a good first impression, which was focused on community.
Cherry Joy let out a big, happy sigh. She loved the countryside. She loved the smell of apples. But mostly she loved spending time with her children. Cheerilee looked like she was having a good time talking with Big Mac, a surprising sight considering how little he talked. Cheerilee, now nine, was starting to get just a little rebellious, going as far as talking back at her mother sometimes.
Cheerilee had been grounded for two weeks for disobeying Cherry, but had been allowed to come on this trip. She wasn't allowed to burn incense in the house anymore.
Emerald Skies had arrived at the farm accompanied with River and Mint. All through the small talk that River was doing with Applejack's relatives, Emerald couldn't help but notice the fake smile and the barely noticeable scowl he had on his face when he wasn't talking to anypony. River had told him that coming here was for appearances only.
When he'd asked about it, River had given him a look at that told Emerald he needed to be careful around River. He was beginning to think that befriending River was an unwise move.
Starting to get bored, Spark Storm wandered over to Applejack, who was holding a heated conversation with Rarity. "Oh honestly, Applejack! If you'd just let your hair down, you'd be so pretty! Why, I could have you on the stage, and all the-"
"Now looky here, Rarity!" Applejack was blushing something fierce. She really wasn't enjoying the attention, nor the idea of her being "pretty"."Ah know you like 'pretty-fying' ponies, but I don't want none of it! I'm just fine the way I am, and I'd sure appreciate it if ya'd just drop it already!"
Rarity 'hmph'd and started to walk away when she nearly ran into Spark Storm. "Oh! Spark, hello! I was just speaking with our new classmate, Applejack!"
Spark narrowed his eyes at her tone. He'd been going to school with her long enough to know when the up and coming costume designer was up to something. His suspicions were affirmed when Rarity nudged him from behind towards Applejack. The two foals blushed as the distance between them closed. "You think she's pretty, don't you? Don't you think she would look fabulous if she let her hair down?"
Suddenly put on the spot, both Applejack and Spark Storm stared at each other. Both felt heated, for different reasons. Secretly, Applejack wanted to be pretty. She wanted to be sophisticated, she wanted more than just a simple life on a farm. But it was a secret, and her heart was under threat of being exposed. Holding back tears of anger and embarrassment, she jumped on Spark Storm, landing him on his back. She ran past him, straight into the apple fields.
"Ow..." Spark Storm sat up, rubbing his chest where Applejack had trampled him.
"Oh, dear...Spark, I'm terribly sorry for putting you both on the spot. I should go and apologize..." Rarity turned to go after the cowmare, but Spark stopped her with a hoof.
"Um...maybe I better go. I should've said something back there...Even if it was to tell you to back off." He added with a good-natured glare.
Rarity tittered with embarrassment and nodded. "Yes, I suppose you're right. Good luck, Spark, and do make sure she knows how sorry I am for pushing her."
Spark nodded and wandered off to find Applejack. It wasn't long before her found her at the top of a hill with a single tree, overlooking Ponyville. It had a nice view of Canterlot, as well. Sidling up on the opposite side of the tree from Applejack, he took in the sight, and wondered if maybe Sapphire was there, looking for him as well.
After a moment of silence, he turned to look at Applejack, surprised to see tears in her eyes. "Applejack, what's wrong? Are you mad at Rarity?"
She sighed and rubbed at her eyes with a hoof. "'Suppose I am a little bit. That durn prissy Pony, with all her fancy-schmancy talk and all that frilly frou-frou nonsense. I don't want it, not one bit!" Spark Storm took some offense to this. He had gotten to know Rarity a little, and she was so much more than that.
"Hey, now hold on. Rarity's not some mindless girly pony. Sure she likes all the fashion and she tries to see the physical beauty in everypony, but she's really nice! Nice, and generous. She just wants to see what you'd look like all pretty." He paused, then looked away, and added, "I mean...not that you really need to dress up that much. You're already...not bad-looking. I guess."
Applejack rounded the tree so quickly Spark thought she was going to take a swing at him. Instead, her eyes were filled with tears, and a pleading look on her face. "Y...ya really think I'm pretty?"
Spark Storm backed off a step, then nodded. "Yeah, I do. I guess." Applejack let out a happy little sound and pulled Spark into a big, back-breaking hug. Spark gasped, then returned the hug. After a moment, he lightly tapped her on the shoulder.
"Applejack, it'd be really nice to breathe now, please," He managed to get out. Applejack released him and stared up at him with a light blush cresting her cheeks.
"Ah'm sorry, it's just...Ah look at myself in the mirror sometimes. And Ah know I'm just a farm-mare, but...sometimes Ah really do think Ah'm pretty, and that...maybe I could be one a' those so-phist-icated ponies that Rarity's been goin' on about lately."
Applejack let that sink in for a minute before she prodded him roughly with a hoof. "And if you go blabberin' about that to anypony..." She leaned up on her forelegs and bucked the tree behind her. Several apples fell. She promptly stomped one of the apples for the desired effect, which was to drive her point home. Spark Storm merely nodded. "Ooookie dokie. No worries there." Spark smiled at her, which she returned warmly.