Twilight leaned back in the stylist's chair nervously, as Rarity smiled over her.
"Why did you have a stylist's chair with you-?"
"For styling emergencies, darling," Rarity said cheerfully. Twilight gulped as numerous implements of styling and beauty products floated around her, held in Rarity's powerful telekinetic grip. Certainly, Twilight was very strong magically, but Rarity had a lot of practice with manipulating multiple items all at once.
"Um, are you sure all of this is necessary?"
"Absolutely!" Rarity said. "You're not some old nag, Twilight, but everypony needs some help to bring out their best! And so that's what we're going to do~!"
"She did wonders for me, dear!" Twilight Velvet said, beaming and waving a hoof from nearby. Rarity chuckled and waved her hoof back.
"Oh, Mrs. Sparkle, that was just a bit of work! No need to thank me!"
Night Light was doing the same thing he'd been up to since Rarity had finished her work on his wife: Drooling and blushing over Velvet. She giggled as she threw back her mane, and her husband followed her every move.
"Mom! Dad!" Twilight groaned.
"Huh? Wha?" Night Light asked, briefly shaken out of his trance. "Oh! You'll do fine, sweetie!"
"Now, just lay back and relax," Rarity said brightly, looming over Twilight with her beauty tools, "this won't hurt a bit! ... Unless you have split ends."
"Split ends-? GYAHHHHH!"
Blueblood decided he would try the Golden Oaks Library first. After all, Twilight Sparkle was Applejack's friend. Starting there seemed as good a place as anywhere.
He trotted up to the front door, and knocked on it.
"EEEEEYYAAAAAAHHH!"
His eyes widened at the blood curdling scream! He used his magic and forced the door open. He charged in.
"Unhoof her you-!"
Blueblood stopped short. The Element of Magic, Auntie's own apprentice, was in a stylist's chair, her mane held up in a dozen curlers as she cringed away from a bottle of shampoo. Next to her, a familiar white unicorn's gorgeous blue eyes lit up in hateful recognition.
"YOU."
Ever the diplomat, Blueblood attempted to salvage the situation.
"Ah, this is a misunderstanding-"
Applejack grumbled as she trotted towards Golden Oaks Library.
"Buckin' Pinkie, always having to pull some surprise with her freaky senses," she muttered, "it's nearly been two minutes and there ain't been one damn thing-!"
BOOM! CRASH!
A white unicorn stallion flew through one of the windows of the library, landing in a heap at Applejack's hooves. He looked up, wide eyed.
"Lady Ponyville?"
Applejack's jaw dropped.
"Larry?!"
"REVENGE!" Screamed Rarity, leaping like a mare possessed with an array of sharp, pointy things floating around her like a wrathful angel's wings.
Despite the occasional joke about her mental aptitude, Applejack was not stupid. Nor was she slow-In any sense of the word.
So when she saw Rarity descending upon Blueblood like the Angel of Death (or Celestia when the Witches from the Volcano of Gloom stole all of her cake-Spoilers, there ain't no such Witches around now), she acted quickly and decisively.
By grabbing Rarity out of the air with her hooves and slamming her down to the ground.
"OOF! Apple... Jack...?!" Rarity managed, confused and stunned.
"Give us a minute, huh Larry?" Applejack asked, far too sweetly to be authentic. Blueblood nodded weakly.
"Of-Of course, Lady Ponyville..."
Applejack speedily dragged the seething Rarity away, behind the Golden Oaks Library. It took her just long enough for Rarity to pull the wind back into her lungs and begin cursing up a storm.
"What the buck Applejack?! Who is Lady Ponyville-NEVERMIND! That cur, that pig, has the audacity to show up here and you don't let me carve it out of his plot?! VENGEANCE! I WILL HAVE VENGEANCE-!"
When Rarity was in this state, there was little that could get her out of it that was subtle. So Applejack very calmly loomed over Rarity, and slammed her right hoof into the ground right next to the fashionista's head, digging out a crater with a soft but powerful boom!
Rarity gaped in disbelief, looking down at the hoof, the crater, and then back up at Applejack's stoic face.
"Yer gonna calm down and let me explain things, all right?" Applejack said, slow and calm.
Rarity scowled, but slowly nodded. Applejack backed up, and Rarity got up. She used some of her remaining implements of beauty to clean herself up.
"Well?" She demanded.
Applejack heaved a very large sigh.
"Okay... Ya know Princess Celestia gave mah family land, right?"
"Of course I do, what does that have to do with you being buddy buddy with that cad?!" Rarity hissed.
"Well, technically, that's all ya need t' be a noble. As in... Part of the Peerage," Applejack said slowly.
Rarity's eyes widened, and she paused in brushing her mane.
"You mean... Lady Ponyville-?"
"Technically, Granny Smith is 'Baroness Apple'," Applejack went on, "mah Pa was gonna take over fer her but... Well..."
"Oh, Applejack," Rarity's anger dipped as she recalled that tragic day. Applejack sighed.
"Well... Granny was gettin' on in years. Big Mac... Well, he's got the smarts but he clammed up. Applebloom was too young, and me? Ah'm the only one who went to charm school. So, ah got to be heiress. Lady Ponyville."
Rarity's eyes bulged.
"You mean... Wait, all those monthly trips you take to Canterlot-?!"
"Eeyup," Applejack stated, in perfect imitation of her brother, "had to go up and learn th' game, make sure those nobles don't screw us over. Granny helped me a little..."
She cleared her throat, and then spoke in a dulcet, refined tone that seemed completely at odds with the hardy farm mare's appearance.
"And speaking like a proper lady did too. Though I still have to get through on grit. What they call 'authenticity' up there-"
"Okay, okay, but how do you know Blueblood?!" Rarity hissed in disbelief. "You were going up to Canterlot since your... Younger... years..."
Rarity's jaw dropped. Applejack rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly.
"That's... Kind of a long story. Short version: Some o' those same nobles' bratty foals were tryin' t' bully me on account of me bein' a minor lady. In comes Larry... Princes Polaris Blueblood, scion of the line of Platinum, boldly tryin' to 'save a fair mare'."
She chuckled nostalgically.
"He gets his keister kicked, ah give those so and sos a black eye, he takes the blame... Then ah gave him a black eye fer that. And I suppose we've... Kind of been friends ever since."
"You gave the Crown Prince of Canterlot and Equestria a black eye?!" Rarity gasped, astonished and envious.
"You were about to gut him like a fish," Applejack deadpanned.
"That was... That's-ANYWAY!" Rarity shook her head. "That's not important right now!"
"Ah sure bet it ain't," Applejack said dryly.
"But wait! If you knew he was-If you were friends, why in the hay didn't you tell me at the Gala?!" Rarity demanded.
Applejack winced. She took off her hat, and held it to her chest.
"Ah'm awful sorry about that, Rarity. Part of it... Well. Larry's had bitdiggers after him since we was both foals. Jest see him as a prize t' be won. Ah've helped him out with a few. Ah though you'd've cottoned on that he didn't want nothing t' do with you..."
Rarity's face fell. Applejack sighed.
"Ah'm sorry Rarity. Ah didn't know you felt that strongly about 'im. Landsakes, half the nobles in Canterlot are named 'Prince', so ah didn't even know you were shootin' fer the top-"
"Have you known me to do anything less?" Rarity retorted. Applejack winced again.
"Really... Ah am sorry," she said, "ah got used t'... Ya know... That world bein' separate from this world. You've seen how everypony treats th' Princess and even Twilight. Larry's respected that. Acted like he don't know me in public... Most of the time."
She sighed.
"Listen... Ah'm really sorry. It's jest that... Larry's got powerful few friends in Canterlot. Everypony's all social climbin' over eachother like apple crabs in a bucket, backstabbing and all. If ah'd known you were really serious about him, and it weren't jest some fancy-"
"No, no," Rarity said, having been quiet and thoughtful for a time, "I'm reviewing that night and... Honestly? I probably deserved some of what he threw back at me. Coming off as some kind of strumpet throwing myself at him... When you were already well and truly friends with him..."
Rarity smiled. She grasped Applejack's hoof and dragged her back around the library tree.
Blueblood was waiting there, trying very hard not to look like he had been pacing nervously. He cleared his throat, but Rarity held her hoof up.
She then bowed, very low.
"Prince Blueblood, I must ask your pardon. My behavior at the Gala was atrocious. I admit... I thought I was going to have a fairy tale romance with you, and even thought of you as a prize to be won. That's not fair to you, and is certainly not how I should have acted. If you can find it in your heart to forgive me... I won't bother you any longer."
She turned and trotted back to the front door of the library.
"Wait."
And she spun right back around.
"Yes?"
Blueblood bowed his own head.
"I too must apologize. I didn't even recognize one of the heroines of our nation, and I treated you appallingly. I have gotten so used to mares throwing themselves at me in such a transparent manner that... Well, I just tune them out. In all honesty, I don't blame you for your actions. It's not how a prince should treat a lady... Especially one who is a friend to one of my dear friends."
He nodded to Applejack, who smiled back at him in a familiar, friendly way. He turned back to Rarity, with a soft smile on his face.
"It is for that reason I have come, to hopefully resolve the issues between us. After all... You and your friends saved my aunt, and the sun itself. I have heard that many ponies consider that quite important."
Rarity smiled back, warming to him.
"Yes, well... We do what we can," she said.
A scream erupted from the library. Blueblood again made to gallop in. Rarity merely raised her voice, calm but direct.
"You're doing fine, Twilight darling!" Rarity called out.
"WHY DOES IT BURN?!"
"That just means it's working! Spike, dear, please rotate the cucumbers!"
"On it!" Spike shouted through the door. Blueblood arched an eyebrow.
"We're gettin' Twilight ready fer a date tonight," Applejack explained.
The eyebrow went up a bit further.
"Indeed? I hardly saw her at the castle at all when she was my aunt's student. Now she's going on dates. This town truly does produce miracles and marvels," he turned a charming smile to Rarity, who beamed back.
"As a matter of fact," Rarity said, "Applejack here is going along as insurance to keep an eye on the happy couple."
Blueblood's face twitched. Rarity studied his expression closely, and then Applejack's confusion.
While she was very disappointed in the situation with the Prince, Rarity was also quite glad he was not the cad he had appeared. Her ardor had died down quite a bit.
And despite his obvious noble training in expression and facial control... Rarity was a keen student of body language. Knowing the context behind Blueblood's actions, along with how he responded to that, and with his backstory with Applejack now known to her...
A wicked little grin nearly forced its way onto her face, but she kept it on her inner mental Rarity.
Oh ho ho? So! The Prince's tastes lie more in the rough and tumble?
Was she jealous? A little. She now knew the Prince was a good stallion, much too late.
But to make two brilliant romantic matches in one go?!
That was something Rarity simply couldn't resist.
"Well, ah mean," Applejack muttered, "ah think they can get along jest fine-"
"But it wouldn't hurt to have some back up, would it?" Rarity asked, "And Prince Blueblood could certainly fit the bill! As your escort for the evening?"
"What?!" Applejack demanded.
"Ah... Are you sure that's appropriate?" Blueblood asked.
Rarity beamed, the glint in her eyes now nearly fiendish.
"I absolutely insist! She'll see you at six!"
"Now wait a-URP!"
Rarity dragged Applejack into the library as well, beaming at the dumbstruck Prince.
"She'll be ready~! Ciao!"
"RARITY WHAT IN TARNATION-EEK!"
The door slammed shut.
"Now now, Applejack, since you're here anyway~!"
Rarity couldn't hold back the cackle, and she didn't bother to.
Was it a bit petty? Yes.
But it was in the service of her friend. So she was being generous and getting her revenge.
She so loved being efficient!
"RARITYYYYY!"
Blueblood, for his part, just blinked. He blinked again.
Had the mare that had covered him in cake at the Gala, whom he had humiliated in public, just set him up on a date with the mare he... Rather cared for?
Just like that?
He shook his head.
Perhaps his aunt's sage advice held true: Mares be crazy.
Applebloom gaped in disbelief.
"Ah don't believe it! Rarity set that stallion up on a date with mah sister, Sweetie Belle!"
"What?!" Sweetie Belle grabbed the binoculars away from Applebloom and peered through. She gasped.
"That's the stallion Rarity mooned over fer ages! AGES!"
"So, why is she setting him up with Applejack?" Scootaloo asked, confused.
Sweetie Belle dropped the binoculars, and held her hoof up high.
"She thinks she doesn't have a chance... Which means... It's up to us to make sure she does!"
"But ain't we already makin' sure mah brother and Twilight-"
Sweetie Belle grabbed both of her friends with magic and dragged them off.
"I'm not letting her sob and wail and whine for another six months over lost love! We're changing the plan! Operation Rutabega is go!"
"'Rutabega?'" Applebloom asked.
"It's off the top of my head, COME ON!"
"Right, just a few clips here and there..."
"This cologne should do nicely, it will compliment your earthy, apple scent."
"Yes Baroness Apple. I believe this boar bristle brush will do nicely-"
Big Macintosh was a very patient, usually calm individual. Especially with friends and family. But even he had his limits, as he shook his head and backed away from Granny Smith and her friend, Tombs.
"Nope," he stated, "think that's enough."
"Are you sure, sir?" Tombs asked, "I could apply lemon scent to the brushes-A fourth go over-"
Granny elbowed the butler, who coughed.
"Of course sir. My apologies," he said.
"Don't have to call me sir," Big Mac said, for the twentieth time.
"Of course, sir," Tombs replied, for the eightieth time.
Granny Smith chuckled, and nodded approvingly as she looked her grandson up and down.
"Not bad. Jest like yer pa at yer age!"
Big Mac flushed, and smiled.
"Thank you, Granny."
"Now, git! Don't lollygag!" Granny harrumphed, "ah hate stallions what make a mare wait jest to make 'em nervous!"
"Eeyup," Big Mac said, and with a final smile he turned and trotted out the door, down the path, and to the road to Ponyville.
He heard something... Applebloom? He scanned around. Nothing.
Huh. Well... Maybe they'd learned their lesson from last time about his love life.
He trotted into the town, his thoughts... Not nervous, but certainly excited. But not too excited.
It was just a date. A date. With the princess's apprentice. Who was a cute, very intelligent mare.
Yes. One just as nervous about this as he was. He was sure.
He trotted up to Golden Oaks Library. He lifted his hoof to knock... When a purple mare barreled out, right into him.
"OOF!"
Big Macintosh, being Big Macintosh, didn't even budge. Twilight Sparkle, on the other hoof, fell in a heap at his hooves onto her back, her hind legs spread wide. Her eyes spun a bit, before she looked up.
"O-Oh! Big Mac! Uh, hi!"
"Oh my!" An older mare who resembled a white colored version of Twilight gasped, covering her mouth with one hoof... And holding up a camera in the other.
"You're so forward, Twilight!" The mare went on, grinning. "Just like me! I knew you were just a late bloomer!"
"No, she didn't tackle him to the ground, dear," an older stallion (must be Twilight's father) stated.
"True enough," Twilight's mother sighed. "Twilight! If you're going to bring him down, you have to-!"
Twilight teleported herself up right, and grabbed onto Big Mac.
"Ohlooklet'sgetgoingbyeMomandDadLATER!"
She teleported them away, right up in front of Gustav's. Big Mac blinked, but soon got his bearings as Twilight breathed hard.
"I am so, so sorry about that," Twilight insisted, "my parents-they just showed up-they're... Um... Well..."
Big Mac nodded slowly, discerning the reason behind Twilight's sudden reticence.
"Eeyup. Mah folks... Could be a hoofful too, sometimes," Big Mac explained. Twilight relaxed, which let Big Mac get a good look at her.
She had also been well groomed, her mane practically shining, and she wore a very nice blue dress. Simple but elegant.
She noticed his gaze, and blushed heavily.
"Oh, um... Y-You look nice!"
"You too," Big Mac said, and Twilight's blush deepened.
"S-So... Uh... Let's go eat, huh?" Twilight asked. "Unless you're not hungry. We could trot around or read or-"
"Dinner sounds good," he said, gently guiding Twilight into the restaurant. She smiled and nodded in appreciation.
"Thanks... I think I'm running into decision fatigue," she groaned, as the host led them to their table, "Rarity kept asking me all these questions, what shade of eye liner, what conditioner..."
Big Mac pulled out the chair for her, and she sat down with a grateful smile. He took his own seat across from her.
"Eeyup. Too much of that, tires you out," he said, pointing at his noggin. Twilight hummed.
"How do you deal with it?"
"Well..."
Big Mac paused, and glanced out of the corner of his eye. He could have sworn he saw his sister... But Granny had told her to stay out of this, right? She wouldn't watch his date, right?
"Big Mac?"
"Hm? Oh... Ah try to figure out mah tasks, their components. Break 'em down, and work on each, figure out how to combine them."
"Really? That's interesting!" Twilight enthused. "Tell me more!"
Well... Even if Applejack was watching, so far, this night was turning out nicely. A mare interested in how he organized things?
That sure was something.