Rainbow Dash's ears suddenly perked up as she noticed the familiar speech patterns of a pony coming to the end of a lecture. She stopped leaning on her front hooves and sat up attentively. She didn't mean to zone out, but she just didn't really get the whole sitting and learning thing.
"Once you get to my place, I'll give you a bit more information about our world." She seemed to finish with. Then she said something about meeting tomorrow, and something about step gently. Rainbow looked attentive, but she wasn't really focused.
Upon the blackboard in front of her was the outline of a human, but without actually seeing one it just didn't quite compute in her mind. She kind of already knew that the best way for her to learn this stuff was by going there and actually doing it. Just like Twilight had done the first time she stepped through the portal. Explore.
Then Sunset left, something about dinner or something. With that, Rainbow's stomach rumbled. Hunger was infective.
"Did yah get any of that?" Applejack whispered to Rainbow upon Sunset's exit. Rainbow knew she was joking a bit, but she shook her head because she didn't really. They trotted after Sunset, down the corridors and staircases toward the portal.
Sunset said her goodbyes and made for the mirror.
"Oh and one last thing!" She abruptly turned back to them. She tried to explain the concept of human transport. This time, Rainbow wasn't the only one left confused. "Like a cart, but it pulls itself and you sit in it and steer it." Made of metal, has an engine... "Rainbow, I think you'll really get to like it."
"Cool..." Rainbow tried to think of a reasonable response. "I think I'll have to see it to understand though."
"Oooohh hoho. Maybe." Sunset chuckled to herself. "Anyway, see you tomorrow!" And with that she turned and left Equestria once more.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Rarity twirled with excitement. She lifted her arms in joy. She was in heaven.
She stood for a second in the centre of the shopping mall, taking in the sights.
Fashion shops, food shops, all arrays of other shops, shoe shops for human shoes, they lined the walls of the large three story building. It was heavenly. There were spas and hair salons, art galleries and even bookshops.
She took a deep, deep breath of the sweetly perfumed air. Roses filled her nose and she let out an orgasmic sigh.
Why did Equestria never build anything like this?
"Oh Sunset, how do you ever spend time anywhere else?" She exclaimed. "Even in Manehattan it's all market-places or high-streets. This is truly fabulous!"
Sunset chuckled and she gestured towards a table in the centre of the food court. Rainbow Dash took a seat on a bench that surrounded the round table. Shortly followed by Sunset and Applejack. Rarity took a little longer, lost in her hypnotic state. Applejack muffled a cough to snap her out of the trance.
"Oh, sorry!" She exclaimed, a tad embarrassed. Rarity joined the others at the table and Sunset started explaining the evening plans.
“So we don’t have bits here. We have coins but they all have different values and you aren’t going to buy much with coins. Instead we tend to use notes or these things.” She laid out a five dollar bill on the table and held aloft a small rectangular piece of plastic. The others remained silent waiting for an explanation.
“We call these credit cards. Essentially you use this to pay now, and then later on I pay the company in dollar notes at the end of the month. That’s like, the simple way of explaining it.” Sunset had had many small things to try and explain, she deemed that the monetary system was far more complex then Equestria's and to explain it all would be a nightmare.
The other three still waited, this time for Sunset to explain what to do with this new information.
“So I figured you two wouldn’t be too enthused by the prospect of shopping..., unless you are?” She scanned Rainbow and Applejack’s faces who just looked around the shopping mall with confusion. “Anyway, I figured Rarity would definitely want to explore. So if I give you guys some dollars you can grab some food over there, and me and Rarity can meet you back here in an hour or so.” Sunset suggested. She looked to Rarity who was still distracted by her surroundings. "I don't think Rarity will even be thinking of eating until we've explored here."
Applejack harboured a chuckle.
“Sounds good to me!” Rainbow exclaimed, famished.
“Yeah, I’m hankerin' for some apple whatever-yah-gots-here.” Applejack seconded.
“Great. There’s a smoothie place over there that does apple smoothies and a Mexican place over there where you can get veggie burritos and quesadillas, I think you’ll like it. Here,” She pulled a card out of her inner jacket pocket along with a pile two notes. “Just tap one of these onto their little machine and it will make a payment. If it gets confusing just give them the dollar notes.”
“Oh darling, are you sure you’re okay with us spending your own money?” Rarity asked.
“Don’t sweat it, Twilight has offered to trade me some Equestrian goods I've been longing to get my hands on. She’ll explain when you get back.” Sunset gleefully explained.
“Sweet!” Rainbow exclaimed. “Dibs on getting the food.”
“Alrighty then. Ah'll go get the smoothies shall ah?” Rainbow gave Applejack a confirming nod.
“See you in a bit!” Sunset called as the pair left the table. "Right then," She said dubiously turning to Rarity, "Where shall we start?"
Rarity followed Sunset towards the escalators. They made their way to the second floor, the floor decorated with clothing shops. Meanwhile, Rainbow was stood in line for food while Applejack stood at the smoothie bar. Unbeknown to Rainbow and Applejack, Rarity approached the very table they were sat at. She dropped two large bags of fabric rolls onto the table and took a breather.
Noticing Rainbow Dash and Applejack in the cues, she took a seat at the table. She pulled a couple of sewing items out of her large bag to organise them while she waited.
"Uuuuhhhh..." Applejack stuttered. "How much do Ah owe yah?"
Two fresh apple smoothies stood proudly in front of her. They waited with berated excitement for their doom having just been thoroughly shook up. They watched Applejack with fascination.
"Ten." The unremarkable smoothie seller replied with blunt boredom. He had been stood still way too long. Applejack flashed the small piece of plastic at the small man.
"Ah got this." Applejack replied with uncertainty. She wasn't quite sure what to do with it. She only just realised that Sunset hadn't actually explained very clearly how to use it. The smoothie seller investigated her curiously for a moment before pointing to the small computer/calculator/phone-like device sitting upon the counter in front of Applejack.
A moment passed as Applejack investigated the mysterious human machine. Thankfully the smoothly seller gave her directions after a few moments. "Tap away." He said, his voice dry and monotone. In a way that soothed Applejack, she figured he must have dealt with other customers who weren't sure how to use the machine.
Taking the hint, Applejack lowered the plastic card to the machine. She took a second to observe it, and then tapped it very quickly onto the machine before violently retracting the card as the machine gave a beep. She lifted her head up to examine the seller in-front of her. A strand of her long blond hair falling to cover half of her face. Had she done the right thing?
She felt her cheeks glow warm as embarrassing thoughts filled her mind. She realised how crazy she might seem if she had just done it all wrong. But the Smoothie Seller just stared at the till in front of him unphased. It started making a grinding sound, and printed a small piece of paper which he consequently rested next to the smoothies.
Applejack took the moment to push her hair back behind her ear, letting the new ear hold her hair back from her face. Unlike Rainbow, she opted not to wear a hairband, and the long blond hair reached halfway down her back.
"Here's your receipt, have a nice day." He said in the most unenthusiastic confirmation-of-sale Applejack had ever heard. She let a dry thankful chuckle escape in response, eager to leave the situation.
"Uhaha... Uhh, thanks." She put the card in her mouth and hastily picked up the milkshakes with both hands. She turned back to the table to see Rarity already having returned with two bags full of shopping, more to the point, dress-making equipment.
She made her way back to the table, cautious not to spill the smoothies.
Just to her left, though out of her sight, Rainbow Dash was trying to understand exactly what she was doing. The burrito man was asking her all kinds of questions, and no matter how many times Rainbow tried to reiterate that she only wanted a veggie burrito, he kept asking if she wanted some kinds of extra sauces or rice or beans or tin foil and quite frankly, she didn't understand what was going on.
In Equestria, you ask for food, someone makes it and gives it to you. Simple.
However, apparently "quesadilla" was easy to understand. Fed up with the conversation about different types of burritos, she just got a plate of quesadillas and chips. The man charged her ten. Rainbow riffled through the small bundle of notes in her hand to find a number that looked like a "10".
Having managed to locate one, she handed it over and was told to wait for a few minutes.
To that, she sighed her exaggerated Rainbow Dash sigh.
To that, the Burrito Man rolled his eyes and turned away.
Lucky for Rainbow he wasn't busy today.
Rarity heard Rainbow's moan from across the hall. She paused organising her new thread collection to observe what was going on. She noticed Rainbow's body seem to loosen in exhaustion. She gave herself a petit eye roll as she turned back to her task.
Then she was halted as she noticed Applejack making her way over to her. She cleared her sewing equipment back up and rushed it into her bags. Then she moved the bags to the floor, they could wait till later. She noticed Applejack's long, bare legs beneath her A-line denim skirt, a skirt she hadn't seen her wear in a few years. She took a second to evaluate her lover's fashion choice... it still worked on her.
Applejack approached the table and seemed to be rather tentative when placing the two smoothies down. She was studying Rarity inquisitively which made Rarity snap out of her staring.
"Oh darling, I'm sorry for staring, you just look so damn fine in that skirt." Applejack looked at her curiously. "Maybe later I can take it off you to examine it." She suggested in her most seductive tone, her voice pure, each consonant pronounced with the tripping of sexual suggestion.
Applejack stiffened slightly, she seemed confused by her advance. Still holding the credit card in her mouth. Her eyes darted sideways to Rarity's shopping and back.
Applejack mumbled a; "Have you really done all your shopping already?" Through the credit card in her mouth. Now it was Rarity's turn to look at her partner bemused.
She had expected her to reply with something along the lines of 'You know you have nothing to be sorry about... Darling. This denim A-line Hemline ltd. skirt with combination stitched side seam is yours and later you can examine it to your will, perhaps you can even re-hem my waistband and...' Then she realised she was letting her imagination get the better of her and she refocused her attention back on her lover in front of her. Something was different but she couldn't put a finger on it.
"Applejack, honey, is something wrong?" Applejack sat down opposite her, she seemed to be processing something but Rarity couldn't tell what. "You know I'll always be here for you." Rarity reached out and comforted Applejack's hand, taking it from the cold smoothie and letting her love soothe her.
She took the opportunity to side around the bench until she was next to Applejack.
Suddenly Applejack was alert. Startled like a forest dear in headlamps. She turned to Rarity.
Applejack felt a sickening feeling tighten inside her stomach. Not an actual sickness, more of a surge of adrenaline. She pushed Rarity away just as the feeling demanded. She moved herself just a little along the bench.
"HEY!" Rarity exclaimed in shocked response.
"Ah'm not who you think Ah am." She warned perhaps a little too loudly for a public place.
"What are you on about!" Rarity replied. Now she was truly confused and worried.
"Ah'm not Applejack." She explained, attempting to quieten the situation. She reconsidered her statement. "At least, Ah'm not human Applejack." She left her sentence there hoping Rarity would catch on. Which Rarity did.
Her hands shot to her mouth as she took in a sharp gasp of air. A gasp fuelled by embarrassment, shock, dread, apology and an overwhelming sense of misunderstanding. She lost her balance on the bench and fell backwards to the floor. It wasn't a long fall, luckily her body was in the right position that she could catch herself. She slid to a stop with her legs still dangling over the bench. She took a moment to recover.
Quite a few moments to recover.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________