"Applejack! I can hardly do your make up well with you fidgeting like there is no tomorrow!" Rarity let out an exasperated sigh as she leaned back, placing the makeup brush back into its cradle, crossing her forelegs as she eyed her farmpony friend up and down. "Really, why did you even ask for my help getting ready to ask this pony out if you didn't even want it in the first place?"
The slightly beleaguered Applejack sat with her friend in her room. "To be frank Rarity I asked for you to stop by so I could talk to you about it, not for a makeover."
Rarity rolled her eyes in a dramatic fashion. "Of course that was code darling, you wouldn't have come to me if it wasn't for a good sprucing up before you approach... Hey, you still haven't told me who it is."
Applejack had to take a moment to remind herself that Rarity was trying to help, in Rarity's mind this wasn't an annoying and frivolous activity she was actually being helpful. "I do appreciate that sugar cube but I have my own plans on how to broach the subject with... Her."
Rarity's eyes flashed mischievously, she had made it a point to learn all the gossip of her friends love lives, with the exception of Pinkie Pie who was too busy being everyone's friend, and Applejack. Rarity guessed her pink friend would consider it a betrayal of her other friends to love one friend above the others, and Applejack had just not shown any interest in anypony. Twilight was straight as an arrow, pointed right at that royal guard, Flash Sentry. Rainbow Dash was indecisive as they came, and while she was an initiate that was fine, but once she became a full Wonderbolt and she was allowed to pursue one she'd need to choose between Spitfire and Soarin, the girl should adjust her sights to someone more in her age range, but that was her decision of course. Everyone knew that Starlight Glimmer and Trixie were a thing, it was pretty hard to miss. And Fluttershy wasn't seeing anyone but Rarity knew she was open to either choice so long as the pony was gentle, though she had seen Fluttershy ordering an unusual amount of things from catalogs recently, and not at all grouped up, might she have a thing for the adorable, though absent-minded Muffins? Rarity herself, of course, would not judge a potential partner by something as crass as their sex.
"Sooooooooooo," Rarity drew out the word as she savored her new discovery. "It's a mare is it Applejack?" She grinned as she got up and trotted around the other pony like she was examining one of her dresses. "I noticed you don't want to tell me who it is darling if you did I would have a much better idea of how to help you prepare." She grinned at her friend, it was the false kind of cleverness that everyone saw through as self-serving, but also it was a logical point in favor of Rarity getting what she wanted.
Applejack nodded, well this wasn't exactly how she wanted to do things, but it got her from point A to point B without makeup so she might as well take the blessing in disguise and tell her. "Well Rares, it's..."
"WAIT!" Applejack stopped talking and blinked in surprise, staring at Rarity as she ran out of the room, suddenly Applejack had a horrible idea that Rarity had figured it out and didn't want to hear it. Before she could react to that thought though Rarity charged back into the room in... Her detectives outfit? "Darling! I have a far better idea, you give me clues and I will solve the mystery of your love life!" Rarity clapped her hooves together gleefully but Applejack just stared.
"Why... Why do you even have that with ya...?"
"Well darling, one must always be ready, it would be pure foolishness for me not to have come prepared with it!"
Applejack raised a hoof to continue her questioning before shaking her head at herself. "You know what, fine, I'm not gonna worry about that. So what you want to inspect my room for clues?" She smirked slightly, Rarity wouldn't find anything of real use inspecting her room.
Rarity gave her usual chortle as she smiled at her friend. "Of course not Applejack, you tell me aspects of the mare you're so interested in and I figure it out! Do try to not make it too obvious dear, I do like a challenge." She laid down and grinned as she laid a note pad out in front of herself and looked up expectantly.
Applejack paused for a moment before sighing and shaking her head, but smiling all through it. "Fine, whatever you say sugar cube." She thought for a moment before nodding to herself, well, if Rarity didn't want it to be too easy, but Applejack wasn't interested in a long guessing game, so she'd humor Rarity, but only a little. "Well, she's a mare." As Rarity started to indignantly open her mouth Applejack chuckled and continued. "She has a magnificent mane."
Rarity took down the note frantically then looked up as Applejack grinned at her silently. "Well, I can't guess after only one hint!" A few more moments of silence and she sighed. "Fiiiine! Marble Pie."
Applejack couldn't suppress her snort. "Marble Pie?"
"Well she's a farmpony, you're a farmpony, it makes sense!" As Applejack just shook her head smirking Rarity harumphed. "Fine, but give me a better clue this time!"
"She likes the spa."
Rarity thought for a moment and then grinned, self-satisfied with her assumed upcoming victory. "Aloe! Or Lotus Blossom, but I think that Aloe's mane is prettier than Lotus'."
Applejack chuckled again and shook her head. "Nope. She likes fashion."
Rarity frowned. "Aloe likes fash... Oh!" She grinned, again confident this time she had the answer! "Coco Pommel! I noticed how you took a shine to her when we helped her in Manehatten. Though I'm going to have to give her a talking to for not telling me she was going to be in town."
Applejack sighed, how could her friend be this blind? First one she was purposely not giving her enough, second one sure, plenty of ponies, but really? "No... Well, that was three guesses so the games ove..."
"Don't you dare Applejack! This is fun!"
Taking a deep breath Applejack closed her eyes. "Fine." She'd just have to make it so obvious. "Ok Rares, she's white."
Rarity's eyes widened and Applejack smiled, finally she got the mess... "Princess Celestia!? You certainly don't aim low do you, darling? If we want to do this properly I'll need to make you a whole new dre..."
"It's not Celestia." Applejack's voice was flat, she was really getting tired of this. "Look, I'm just gonna tell you. Ok?" Rarity let out a small whine but nodded, she'd obviously noticed that she'd worn on her friend's last nerve. Applejack smiled, letting some of her annoyance drop off her as she got ready to finally, finally confess her feelings to her longtime friend "Rar..."
"Rara! Coloratura!" She grinned triumphantly, even if her triumph had come only moments before the reveal, it still counted! "An excellent choice darling, she is a dear, though I must say that wasn't fair. She's not really white darling she's more..."
"Consarn it Rarity!" With that Applejack lurched forward, grabbing Rarity by the shoulders and pulling her up into a hard kiss, pressing hard against the other mares lips before releasing her a few moments later.
Rarity was frozen for a moment, the only sound escaping her lips. "O-Oh..."