Rarity sat at her working desk. The loud, constant clicking of her machine enveloped the moderate space of her area, the harsh needlepoint of the mechanism tightly weaving a thread through glossy mauve fabric. Her hindleg was pressed carefully and expertly to the pedal beneath the wooden surface, gracefully guiding the future dress along its mundane path. Other threads and fabrics were strewn about the room in a manner ordinary to how the unicorn operated. All seemed to be as usual, which should be a blessing! She had deadlines to meet, and in fact, up to this point she had been exceeding her typical punctuality. But that was no excuse to get too comfortable; work was work, and Rarity prided herself on being able to complete a job on time with all the care and effort it demanded.
So why couldn’t she focus?
The clicking stopped abruptly. A soft thud from head-on-wood reverberated suddenly, the mare rubbing her temples with a wince. This question was of a more rhetorical nature; she knew exactly what was plaguing her. But she had work to do! There wasn’t any time for this silly dawdling. It’s not like it really mattered all that much in the grand scheme anyhow. She knew her own feelings... or at least she once believed she did. Alas, it had become apparent that this was a false confidence.
With a frustrated sigh, she turned her head to gaze at the nearby array of spools. It had shaken her all too easily. A once simple truth turned in an instant to a complex personal dilemma. Besides, as much as it irked her to think about, she knew it truly mattered to at least one pony. And as misfortune would have it, this one pony mattered a great deal to her.
Another groan escaped her pursed lips. It was rare that the detail-oriented mare ever appreciated “simple.” Simple was so drab. Even things that appeared at first to be simple she knew held beautiful complexities beneath the surface. However, in this moment, there was nothing Rarity craved more than simple. Why couldn’t things be simple?
She stared. Her spools of thread appeared to stare back. These were simple. Certainly, even fabric threads came in a variety of forms and served a variety of uses even outside the world of fashion, but that wasn’t the point. She understood them. It didn’t take more than one look at any given wrap of string for her to know exactly how she planned to use it, and even less thought for her to apply that knowledge. She was looking at one right now actually, though less out of discerning its practicality, and more in longing for it to give her an answer it never could. It was a bright, salmon red. She could barely make out the intricacies of its design, wound infinitely around a plastic cylinder before loosely falling off as solitary twine. It was barely three inches from its home, but the string had managed to form an S-shaped wave before coming to a point. It was almost like it was trying to wriggle away, like a snake, or a... worm.
Like a worm.
Worm.
That word bounced painfully around her skull. A hoof returned to her temple. This was ridiculous. Her eyes shut themselves tight, the unicorn recalling now the source of her woes.
“Rares, wouldja still love me if I was a worm?”
What?
Rarity turned her head towards the orange earth pony in the vicinity. “What?”
“If I was a worm instead of a pony. Y’know, like an earthworm, or-”
“Yes darling, I know what a worm is. And you’re asking me if...?”
“If’n you’d still be in love with me n’ all.”
Rarity turned her head back to what had been her current business with a confused, and somewhat perturbed expression.
Since she had begun romancing Applejack, Rarity often visited her beloved at Sweet Apple Acres. The farm was practically a second home to the unicorn at this point. As such, the typically fussy mare deemed it an obligation to help out from time to time. Apple bucking wasn’t exactly her forte, but she’d always find other ways to make herself useful. Cleaning, sorting, cooking; she’d find any way she could to lend the farming family an extra hoof. Today, she was helping to paint a newly erected fence. Applejack was always more than happy to have her around. They still had their spats, but in recent years the couple had made quite the team.
Yet even with all the accumulated time they’d spent together, nothing could have prepared Rarity for this, her brushstrokes slowing while she processed Applejack’s query. What the hay was she talking about? Was she serious? She must be, Applejack was typically quite clear when something was a joke. Was she insecure? Had Rarity done or said something wrong? Everything had seemed perfectly fine between the two mares. Divine, even, if she said so herself. So what brought about this absurd question? And why... a worm?
Rarity began to feel the silence. She’d been thinking about this too long. As much as Rarity would have preferred not dignifying whatever this was with an answer, she knew the farmpony wouldn’t let her off the hook that easily. She began to picture a worm in her head. It was... Well, it was disgusting. Slimy, hideous, mud-dwelling, stupid, and just the most vulgar shade of fleshy red. Fluttershy would be firm in preaching that all creatures in Equestria and beyond were deserving of love and respect, and it wasn’t truly as if Rarity disagreed with that notion. But something as insignificant as a worm, which to her were only useful in feeding the much more dazzling avians of Equestria, could earn no love from her. They were appalling, simple as that.
Even if one were named Applejack.
The unicorn winced. She knew this wouldn’t be what the farmpony wanted to hear, but she owed it both to herself and to her lover to be sincere. Besides, they were both mature mares, and she knew what was important was that she loved Applejack as she is now. As a pony, and not a worm. Rarity took in a deep breath, putting on a stern frown to prepare to reject the poor, silly earth pony. Finally, she turned her head back to answer. “N-”
Then she saw it.
Rarity’s response caught in her throat and refused to move. Her eyes widened while their once firm gaze shook unevenly. Applejack was already staring at the unicorn, wearing the most sparkling puppydog eyes Rarity could ever imagine, and a smile so hopeful it would have given Tirek a heart attack. Rarity almost forgot to breathe. How long had she been looking at her like that? The expression on Applejack’s face as she patiently awaited her marefriend’s response was not one the unicorn had ever seen from her before, and yet it could get her to raid Tartarus if asked. The image in front of her began to merge with the worm in Rarity’s head against her will. Suddenly it was starting to appear a lot less disgusting. It was even wearing a cute little stetson. It didn’t take long for Rarity to realize...
She couldn’t let Applejack down. Not like that.
Her plan utterly crippled, Rarity haphazardly cleared her throat, avoiding looking towards the adorable orange mare lest the butterflies zooming around her torso suddenly burst from her chest. “I-I’ll... get back to you on that, darling. I... need to think about it.”
She didn’t need to check back to know that Applejack’s expression had fallen. Gone forever was that precious face. In its place now was one of concern and disappointment. “...You need to think abou-”
“I need to think about it.”
After a few hesitant seconds, the two had resumed painting. Rarity tried not to chide herself, feeling responsible for the awkwardness buzzing around. She could tell it was definitely not the answer Applejack was hoping for, but it was better than potentially shattering her heart to pieces. Besides, what could she do? She wasn’t about to lie to her while she still felt so unsure about this blasted image stuck in her brain. This lovably accursed image. It almost made her sweat. She truly did need to think about this.
The two completed the chore in silence, and Rarity had to excuse herself afterwards. She gifted Applejack a peck on the cheek before leaving, hoping that would somehow sate any worries until next time. She let loose a heavy sigh as she walked down the road towards her boutique.
That was all yesterday. Rarity had not seen mane nor tail of her marefriend since, and she felt that was for the best. She couldn’t confront her again, at least not while this situation was still melting her thoughts like acid. It didn’t help that she’d made virtually no progress in finding a suitable answer. Two competing thoughts chased each other around like some awful carousel. She hated worms, but she loved Applejack. Worms bad. Applejack good. Would being a worm make Applejack unlovable, or could being Applejack turn a worm into something she might... accept?
Applejack. Worm. Applejack. Worm. Applejack. Worm.
Rarity lifted the fabric that lay dormant in front of her, using it to cover her face, and screamed. She made her frustrations audible, hampered only by the purple layer of material she’d been failing to work on. Enough was enough. She was getting nowhere fast, both in her work, and with this dreadful dilemma. Something needed to be done. She needed the time and space to really think about this, and come to a conclusion.
Most importantly, she needed some fresh air.
Not wasting another second, the fashionista got up from her workstation and trotted down the steps in a hurry. She quickly identified the nearest pair of sunglasses and a matching sunhat, using her magic to fit them on. The front door soon slammed shut behind her, the mare taking care to lock up and hang an “Out to Lunch” sign before making herself scarce.
The sun gleamed through parted clouds with unrelenting optimism. The grass around Ponyville park was vibrant as it ever was, wind breezing through the shimmering blades. A light shower had been scheduled for this morning, and it appeared that it had come and gone. The dirt road was still a tad dark with moisture, but it was nothing Rarity couldn’t handle. Or rather, she’d learned to cope with it through necessity. A variety of animals were active and about, taking advantage of the freshly dampened environment. There weren’t as many ponies, but there were only ever a handful in the park at once anyway. Right now, this suit Rarity just fine. The fewer the distractions, the sooner she could find a way out of this hole she’d be tossed in kicking and screaming.
First, she needed a place to sit. A bench right by the path called to her, and she made a prompt beeline towards it. The unicorn winced, seeing how wet the wooden surface was upon closer inspection. She briefly considered looking at the other benches, but knew it would be a futile endeavour. With a sigh, she reluctantly attempted to flick away any accumulated pools of water enough to make room for her to sit comfortably. Rarity climbed up, and instantly felt her hide become wet as she sat down. She groaned uncomfortably, rolling her eyes. Alas, there was nothing to be done now.
Ignoring the discomfort around her backside, Rarity took a deep breath in through her nose, then released slowly through her mouth. She gazed out at the horizon. The buildings of downtown Ponyville, quaint as they were, poked their roofs out just barely over the grassy knolls. The sky was glowing, interspersed with white clouds fresh out of rain reflecting the blazing light of the aforementioned sun. It was a beautiful day, truly. Even if she wasn’t on a desperate search for peace of mind, she’d be remiss not to let herself enjoy a day like this. It was exactly what she needed.
On that note, it was time to stop dillydallying. If Applejack were a worm, instead of the pony she was, would Rarity still love her? The unicorn considered the reality of such a situation. If Applejack was a worm, she’d have no way of communicating, so getting to know eachother the way they did now was out of the question. A worm didn’t look like Applejack, with her gorgeous blonde mane and tight, refined musculature that Rarity had come to admire and then some. In fact, she’d almost certainly have the ghastly appearance of every other worm she’d ever seen, so physical attraction was also out. Finally, being so tiny and pathetic a creature as a worm would guarantee Applejack would no longer have any ability to work at the farm, let alone do any hoof-sweeping gestures such as saving Equestria or rescuing pretty white unicorn damsels in distress. It was looking more clear cut by the second.
...And yet Rarity knew it wasn’t so simple. She was only taking a more elaborate path towards the same destination she’d been so easily pulled away from the day prior. With that face. It was still ingrained in Rarity’s mind as if she’d only just glanced at its splendour moments ago. By Celestia, who knew Applejack of all ponies could pull off such a thing? Rarity practically made sport of turning others into puddy with but a fluttering of her eyelashes, mare and stallion alike. Yet her marefriend, that blasted, beautiful farmpony, had the gall to upstage her with her own trick? Over this?? To top it off, Rarity knew there was nothing but complete sincerity in those shiny emerald orbs. Not even a hint of true emotional manipulation. Applejack had her beat, and in spite of all her reasoning, Rarity still could not find it in herself to say no. Thankfully, she hadn’t yet needed to, but it was a tad irritating not to have made any progress either.
The unicorn sighed, slumping over to lay across the bench. Moisture and filth be darned, she’d simply shower back at home. Was this it? Should she just cut her losses? She had neither the heart nor desire to outright reject her beloved Applejack. Yet all the same, she could not honestly rationalize being in love with a worm, even one that shared the earth pony’s name. Rarity grimaced at how silly this all was. She wanted nothing more than to forget every bit of it and go back to work. Go back to blissfully enjoying time with her marefriend.
Another sigh, this one more whimsical. She truly, truly did love Applejack. It was why she knew she couldn’t just forget all of this. She’d made a promise to answer, or at the very least implied as such. She needed to make a decision. Her eyes idly glanced down in thought, but caught sight of something.
Was that...?
Really?
A worm?
An earthworm was there just beneath her bench, laying against the wet dirt.
Now this was just insulting. If somepony, or somecreature, or even the universe itself was playing some elaborate prank on her, they would be deeply sorry. Rarity glared at the slimy being with all the contempt she could muster. It was as if she now blamed it specifically for all the stress she’d endured the past 24 hours. She frowned. Maybe she could talk with it, force an answer out of the creature that would finally solve her internal debate. Then she chuckled. Maybe it was actually Applejack down there, transformed somehow through some inexplicable magic force. Of course, she knew that was silly. Neigh, Rarity knew it was just a worm wriggling there in the dirt, without any clear thought or care in the world. Like any other worm.
She stared. She pondered. Gross as it may be to look at, it was quite the curious little critter. She knew of course that birds and perhaps other animals fed on them, but outside of that, what purpose did they serve? She never really bothered to learn. Ponies sometimes used them as fishing bait. Did they actually have any other usefulness? What did they do all day? Rarity continued observing the fleshy organism. She was almost enraptured by it, strangely. It was just... there. Squirming pointlessly on the dirt path, wrapping in on itself. Certainly, it was disgusting, but Rarity found herself more engaged with it now than put off. Perhaps anything to distract her from her plight.
A thought occurred to her. It was harmless. Again, gross beyond all reason, but... Well, she’d never heard of anypony getting bit by an earthworm. They weren’t leeches, despite visual similarities. Nor were they pests. To the best of her knowledge, they also weren’t poisonous. Not that she’d ever consider eating one. It was harmless. Even if the thought of touching one made her shiver, she could say with confidence that it wouldn’t hurt her if she did. Physically, anyway. And simple as they may be, they were every bit as alive as she was. Though she couldn’t say what use they were besides food, suddenly she felt shallow. Perhaps they didn’t deserve the ire she gave them. And perhaps Fluttershy was getting to her more than she thought.
The unicorn sighed once more. Then her ear perked. Somepony was trotting nearby. She sat up and glanced down the path. An earth stallion was walking through the park. She recognized him from around town, which wasn’t unusual in Ponyville, but wasn’t personally familiar. He wore a stern expression and seemed to be in a hurry. Rarity elected not to bother him, as she had more pressing matters herself. She turned her attention back to the worm. It took a second, as she found it managed to squirm its way across the path a little ways since last she looked. It was now nearly towards the middle of it. In fact, now it was...
Her eyes widened. The worm was now directly in the earth pony’s way. She turned to look where he was, and found he was hardly three meters from the bench. The distance closed fast. He wasn’t paying any mind to where he was stepping.
His hoof lifted.
A dark shadow loomed over the earthworm.
It descended.
Rarity reacted.
At the sound of a gasp, the worm was enveloped in a blue aura, and tugged away from its position right before the pony’s hoof came down with a soft crunch. The stallion trotted away, completely unaware of what just occurred. Rarity wasn’t too sure herself.
She dropped the worm back onto the wet grass in front of her. She watched it wiggle around as if nothing had happened, in awe of herself. Had she really just done that? Did she just save this worm’s life? Why did she care? Well, she couldn’t simply watch and do nothing, right? Besides, it would have caused such a disgusting mess, and-
I-it wasn’t as if she really cared what happened to this worm, it was just so helpless, and cute, and-
...and...
Another sigh. “You really are a fool, aren’t you Rarity?”
She didn’t understand. But that was the crux of this epiphany. She didn’t understand why this worm did the things that it did, or why it was the way that it was. And she especially didn’t understand what drove her just now to save it from being stomped on by somepony who likely wouldn’t have cared any more than she would have a day ago. But in her ignorance, she found familiarity. It was only a small handful of years ago that she felt this same way about a certain somepony. It was somepony messy. Somepony brutish. Somepony uncouth. Somepony she felt she could never understand. The very same somepony that had since stolen her heart. She didn’t understand, and within this mystery, she found beauty. Beauty unlike any she’d ever find in her own world of fashion and commodity. In Applejack, she found something to cherish. Something to adore.
Something to protect.
The fashionista learned very quickly that the developed world outside of Applejack’s farm, outside of Ponyville, threatened to eat the farmer alive. Strong of heart and of body as she may be, it was a realm of society she never could adequately prepare herself for. The cities wanted to shatter her innocence. The ponies wanted to dash her pride. Rarity could never, would never let that happen. While Applejack protected her unicorn with unmatched brawn and courage, Rarity protected her in kind from a much more intangible threat. She would never allow anything or anypony to taint that beauty she found. She would never let anything stomp away that spirit. She glanced down.
This worm was lacking in many of the traits that made Applejack special to the unicorn. But in its simplicity? In its innocence? Maybe they weren’t so different. She still didn’t understand this creature, why it writhed around in the dirt the way it did, or why it needed to be so slimy and just generally hideous. What Rarity had now understood, however, was that this only meant there was so much more to learn. There was beauty there to be realized; unearthed, as it were. Just because she didn’t know its purpose, doesn’t mean it didn’t have one. It was a part of this world. This very same planet where Rarity took great joy in finding beauty in the finest of details, the shining gems among leagues of jagged rock. No matter how small, its role was important.
It was worth protecting. Worth loving.
Watching the worm now in the relative safety of the grass, she imagined it smiling at her in much the same way Applejack would when they spent time together. It was such a beautiful smile. She smiled back. The unicorn now sat upright on the bench with pride and gusto.
She had her answer.
Rarity hopped off the bench and made off in a quick trot towards her boutique. She was ready for a refreshing shower, confident now she could work without any further hardship.
A bird perched on the arm of the bench, searching for a meal.
The next day had arrived. Rarity didn’t lose a wink of sleep the night previous; she was almost staggeringly well-rested. After two nights apart, she was going to see Applejack again. It had been entirely too much time in her opinion, but things were how they were. It just meant she was all the more elated to get to spend more time with her marefriend. The unicorn had been practicing optimism; the bouts of stress the day before had taken their toll, even if she eventually worked through them. Do you even know what negative energy like that will do to your mane?
The two of them had planned a dinner at the farm. It wasn’t really a date night when the rest of the farmer’s immediate family would be there, but Rarity cared not. She adored the company of the Apples, and it was important she spend time with them too. A modest feast was planned. Rarity was to provide the salad.
She rapped at their door. Applejack was there to greet her with a big smile and a bigger hug, much to Rarity’s relief. She was more worried about the emotional state of her marefriend than she let show. The fashion pony entered the abode, welcomed by all like an old friend. She set the salad on the dining table, offering to help with any finishing touches to the rest of the meal. Her offer was declined, but much appreciated. Soon, five ponies sat around the wooden surface, ready to eat. Their manners were lacking, but nothing Rarity wasn’t already used to. Frankly, she took some joy in watching the shameless indulgence. Dinner seemed to be over nearly as soon as it had begun. The table was bereft of food.
The subject of worms was not brought up.
Apple Bloom had reluctantly retreated to her room to complete her homework before bed. Granny Smith was already asleep on her rocker. The two mares insisted that Big Mac take the night to himself, while they took on cleaning duty. And so, there they remained. Two ponies. Applejack, and Rarity.
Applejack handled dish washing, while Rarity cleaned countertops. The kitchen was silent, save for the running water and the occasional spraying of solution. For a while now, it seemed neither was willing to speak up. A familiar and unwelcome tension pulled at Rarity’s nerves. At some point she had begun wishing that Applejack had entirely forgotten her question from two days prior, and that this was simply a comfortable silence between two lovers. It would in some way mean her agony yesterday was for nothing, and yet, that wasn’t entirely true. It gave Rarity some insight into herself, and she felt she’d learned something. Still, she certainly wasn’t going to bring it up on her own. It was still a stupid question. Stupid for a different reason now, perhaps, but ridiculous all the same. She’d rather not entertain it for any longer than she needed, and it had been quite a while at this point already.
Question or not, why wasn’t Applejack saying anything? This wasn’t like her. She may not have been half the chatterbox Pinkie was, but she did usually offer something to talk about. Rarity’s nerves were growing taut. This was silly. She needed to calm herself, stay positive. She saw that delightful smile that greeted her when the door opened. Everything was fine. Maybe Applejack really had moved on! Maybe she wou-
“Rarity?”
The unicorn mare nearly leapt out of her pristine white fur. There was now far too much spray on the counter. She composed herself, and replied. “Yes, dear?”
“Jus’ wanted to ask, um... D-did you, err, get the chance to-”
“Of course I would darling, don’t be silly. Was there anything else?” She hadn’t intended to sound so short in her reply, but Rarity had jumped at the opportunity to finally answer this infuriating inquiry. Now it was over and done with, right? She could move on. No more worms. No more headaches. Just herself and her sweet, silly Applejack on this sincerely gorgeous night together. Right?
Right?
...No, of course not. Rarity was not some oblivious fool. Even without looking, she could feel those absolutely adorably forlorn emerald eyes boring holes into the back of her head with precision concern. It wasn’t enough. She’d said yes, and she knew she wasn’t lying, but it wasn’t enough. Was it her emotion? Her promptness? Did Applejack not think she’d really thought about it as promised? She wasn’t really sure what about her answer wasn’t enough. Maybe it was all of that. But one thing was for certain:
Rarity’d had enough.
With a low growl, she finally turned around to look at Applejack, fury and passion in her eyes. “Yes, Applejack, I did think about it. I thought quite long and hard about it, in fact. I spent so much time and energy thinking about it that it cut into my work schedule. And you know what? YES! I would still love you if you were a worm, you completely aggravating mare! I love all of you, every baffling little piece of you so much that I nearly tore my mane out over this! It was so difficult finally admitting to myself that my adoration for you would persist even if you were Equestria’s greatest monstrosity! I don’t think there’s a creature in this world you could be that would keep me from being completely smitten with you! So yes, my dear. Even if you were worm, something so unsightly and revolting that I’d rather shave myself bald than even think about touching one, I. WOULD. STILL. LOVE. YOU. Now then, may we please move on?”
Rarity’s back had turned with a huff. Silence once again took reign. Water wasn’t even flowing from the sink, a stark contrast to Rarity’s frustrated scrubbing. Applejack must have shut it off at some point during the unicorn’s rant. She hadn’t intended to be so violent in her proclamation, but it seemed she was still holding on to some of yesterday’s stress. While she hoped that she didn’t bruise her apple with that sudden outburst, it was clear the alabaster pony needed that. Now she needed to calm down. More cleaning would do the trick. She lifted the cleaning solution in her magic, when her ear perked up.
The sink was back on.
Applejack must have resumed her own duties. Rarity wasn’t really sure what she expected. Her concern grew as whatever anger had accumulated quickly faded from existence. Was Applejack okay? Did she turn the sink on to mask her tears? Was she simply venting her own frustrations with the unicorn through thorough dish scrubbing? Rarity couldn’t stand the uncertainty. She’d had enough of that for one week. She turned again to look...
She couldn’t see much; Applejack’s back was turned while she continued working, as predicted. But there was definitely something there. On one side of her face, against the far end of her cheek... Rarity could faintly see upturned lips. A smile. One apparently so wide it needed the farmer’s entire face to contain it, paired with an unmistakable red flush. She faced away from Rarity, but the unicorn couldn’t doubt what she saw if she wanted to. Applejack was happy. Thrilled, even.
Rarity turned back once again to her own chores with an ample sigh of relief. The weight of the past two days from agonizing over this one question had finally floated off her withers. It was all so silly. It should never have taken this long, caused this much distress, just to answer. But she did it. It was over. Her beautiful life filled with beautiful things could resume. Still... perhaps now she was willing to expand her definition of “beauty” just a bit. She silently thanked her marefriend for once again helping to open her fragile little mind. Rarity could say with unwavering confidence that she’d love that bewildering farmer no matter what. But all the same,
she was very, very glad that Applejack wasn’t a worm.