//------------------------------// // The Heart vs Head Debacle // Story: The Princess and The Peasant // by DapperLilArts //------------------------------// CHAPTER 4 ❤️THE HEART VS HEAD DEBACLE🧠 “Eugh, I don't know about you two, but this heat is getting to me. I hope this doesn’t sound like an annoyance, but I miss showers so much…!” Rarity waved her mane around, this time, not for any form of seduction, but as an attempt to refresh herself. This particular day was indeed very sunny, with few clouds to give them a reprieve. Sounds of Cicadas rang out in the distance, with little wind accompanying it, and only a few birds accentuating it. The sun was high in the sky, and the three friends had little shade to take cover on. “Ya need me to carry ya?” Applejack offered without a second thought. Pinkie simply narrowed her eyes, looking at both of them. Rarity suppressed the urge to immediately accept. “O-oh, no thanks darling. I just wish we’d find any civilization, an inn, a tavern, or a hotel, possibly 5 stars…!” her voice trailed as she remembered the finer things in life. The Farmer chuckled. “Well yer in luck, we got the next best thing just around the corner, if I recall!” She eagerly walked ahead of them, ears perked up, scanning for a sound she expected. Rarity pranced joyfully, accompanying her, while pinkie lagged behind. “Oh!! Finally! Civilization? Will we get a lovely cottage to rest in?? With lovely tubs?? Maybe a spa!!” Her excitement faded as she turned a corner, only to see a river, and on the rock wall of the mountain they had accompanied for a while, a very well sized and lovely looking waterfall. “Oh. A waterfall.” Rarity narrowed her eyes, suppressing her disappointment. “That’s right, sugarcube. Nature’s shower!” Applejack tilted her head and hat with a smile, raising an eyebrow, almost daring Rarity to take the plunge. The sound of the waterfall was not bombastic, but it was more noticeable now that they were near it, just as the sound of the river passing through the groove was. The sun was not high enough that it would remove how refreshing this would be. “Hmpf. I suppoooooose this is neither an improvement nor a diminishment to a rain shower… Another potentially dreadful experience for my mane, however…” She hesitated, raising a hoof to her lips, pondering her options. Applejack snickered. “I promise ya, this won't be bad for yer mane. Go on! Yer gonna love it.” Egging her on to go. “Alright darling, I will trust you on this. But you better join me!” The Princess cautiously made her way to the waterfall, thinking about mane brushing, particularly wondering if her Knight would allow her mane to be brushed. The Farmer couldn't help but smile, seeing someone that couldn't bear to muddy her hooves, on her way to do something that she herself adored doing. The Peasant was about to accompany her, until… “Psst. Applejack!” Pinkie whispered, poking her, beckoning her into bushes. Applejack yelped. “Pinkie!! Ya scared the devil outta me!! What in tarnation are ya doin hiding in those bushes. Don’tcha wanna take a shower too?” The Farmer had, for a brief moment, forgotten that the Bard existed, an occurrence that was easily explained by the Beautiful unicorn on her way to bathe in a waterfall. The Bard had a mischievous smile, but attempted to suppress her own over energetic demeanor. “Soooooooo. We haven’t gotten to catch up, you and me, you and I, us… Since, you know…?” Pinkie smiled Pinkiely as she pointed at the Princess in the distance with her muzzle. Applejack did not understand any deeper implications. “Yeah the Princess is a real handful, I guess! What’s up?” “You fallen in love with her yet?” “W-what? What kinda conversation starter is that??” The Farmer was caught off guard, thunderstruck, but that wouldn’t help the Bard. “Juuuuust saying AJ. It’s barely been a few days and you two are really close. The Princess and The Peasant has a lovely ring to it, but then I saw you two together and WHAM! What if this was in fact, bigger??!” She grabbed her notebook, flipping through its pages, double checking notes that inspired her. The Farmer rolled her eyes, even if she couldn’t help but smile at her shenanigans. “I don’t get what ya mean at all Pinkie. But I'm not afraid to admit that I'm wrong; and you were right. The Princess is good company!” Pinkie stopped flipping pages as she found the one she was looking for. “Ahem! The legend of how the Strongest Earth Pony in all the kingdom, and the most Beautiful Unicorn in all the lands fell in star-struck LOVE. Boom. How’s THAT for a song!! Legendary!!!” The bard did epic motions signaling that her mind was blown. For a fleeting moment, and with a glance at a beautiful unicorn that was currently bathing below a waterfall, Applejack’s heart made her visualize her life as a legend, and a legend that ended with love. Her head, however, stomped those thoughts out. Despite her face getting slightly red, the Farmer frowned. “Pinkie, you lost me. And we have zero proof that I'm the strongest Earth Pony, please don’t go around tootin’ my horn.” The Bard and the Peasant stared at each other. A moment of shared silence. The Bard tilted her head. “And…?” She was expecting the Peasant to state that there was no proof that Rarity was the most beautiful Unicorn in the world, something that the Farmer hadn’t even considered denying. “Yoohoo!! Darlings!! You need this even more than I doooo!!” Rarity cheerfully beckoned them. Applejack’s ears twitched upon hearing her Princess summoning her. “Is that everythin? ‘Cause I'm mighty hot and there’s a waterfall there with my name on it.” Pinkie blew raspberries. “I don’t think you’re grasping the importance of what you’re doing here, AJ! This is life changing stuff!!” The Farmer was getting impatient. Her eyes were constantly darting back and forth, from forward to the beautiful visage below the waterfall. “What am I doin?? I have no clue what you’re sayin!” The Bard motioned heavily and bombastically. “This journey might be giving you something more than you bargained for, AJ!! Falling in love for the first time is rough, I get it. But you gotta let it in!” The Farmer exhaled, starting to get legitimately a bit annoyed. The mere fact that the Bard might be slightly correct about the state of Applejack’s heart was already plenty of reason to cause annoyance. “Pinkie, a Peasant doesn’t fall in love with a Princess, and the opposite sure as hell don’t happen either. My job is to deliver her to that varmint Prince, and then I’ll never see her again, EVER. Why would I even WANNA fall in love?!” The Bard lowered her over energetic demeanor. “O-okay, okay, that would be a tragedy. Sorry, dialing it back, my bad. Look, I'm just saying. You two are different, yes, but you’re bringing out the best in each other!!! When’s the last time you heard of a Princess showering in a waterfall? Or tearing her dress to help heal the wounds of a Peasant??!” Applejack was once again getting distracted looking at a certain someone. “That don’t mean nothin other than she’s real nice…” The words faltered at the end of her sentence, as if she wanted to say much, much more. Pinkie poked her hooves together. “Okay. Okay. I will remain a passive observer of this legend; Keeping my eyes on you two. But remember what I said. If what I'm thinking is happening is happening, this legend is going to get very messy but very awesome. Oh! And just so you know?” The farmer looked at her. “You’re doing an awesome job as bodyguard!! She’ll fall for you in no time!!” She gave the Peasant a very warm smile. Applejack suppressed laughter, but not a smile. She then took her hat off, and shoved it on the Bard’s muzzle. “Sure, Pinkie.” A muffled “You’re welcome!” came from under her hat. The Farmer wasn’t loitering any longer, she made her way to her Princess, maybe a bit too fast. “There you are, dear.” Rarity felt the water running on her whole body, and gently caressed her mane with her hooves. She was relaxing on top of a rock that overlooked the river, quite comfortably. The Farmer tried her absolute best not to stutter. “Howdy! Sorry I kept ya waitin’. Pinkie went on one of her tangents...” She stood, dry, but near the Princess, unsure if she should simply join her. For a moment, Rarity only gazed at her with a smile, and along the water crashing around her, her mane beautifully accentuating her frame, and the lovely reflection of sun and sky her eyes gave, the Peasant simply couldn’t speak. “Cannonball!!!” Pinkie yelled from the distance as she leaped into the river with a splash. The Princess's smile turned mischievous. “Don’t think I didn't catch you peeking, darling.” she spoke calmly, closing her eyes smugly as she felt the water run down her neck. “Wh-what?” Applejack snapped out of her trance. “Don’t worry, I don't take it as anything more than a compliment. It’s not like I go around asking people to tell me I'm pretty. Beauty demands patience, but it does not expect rewards… It earns them. It’s nice to know how you feel about me.” She poked the Farmer’s burly chest with her hoof gleefully. “H-huh?” Applejack’s face tilted red, her head dry, but her mind bathed in confusion. In a way, Rarity was quite curious about her knight. Applejack kept things close to her oversized burly chest, trying to be professional and chivalrous on her mission of escorting the Princess, which only made her more curious. Rarity sighed, pouting in annoyance. “Do I have to spell it out? You find me dashing. Gorgeous. Lovely. I am not stating surprise, I am simply stating I noticed. It’s a natural occurrence for me.” She looked away from her knight with a smile.  Things clicked on the Peasant’s head. Of course! It makes perfect sense. Why wouldn’t she be having certain thoughts about the Princess that could, in a certain light, be deemed as attraction-tangential? Why, because that sort of thing was only a natural occurrence to the most beautiful Unicorn in Equestria. This was normal. Applejack was normal. Her thoughts about the Princess were normal, rational, and okay. And not at all could be described by Granny Smith as “unchaste.” She was normal. “Oh. That. Sure! Yeah!” Applejack’s words failed her as she gave her a dumb smile. Crisis averted. The Princess turned her head in annoyance. “Is that all??” The Peasant had absolutely no clue what to say. Crisis unaverted. Rarity sighed, a tad embarrassed. “Darling, you saw through my lies when I tried stating I didn't find you handsome. Can you throw me a bone here?” She was profoundly embarrassed that they weren’t on an even playing field, not that this was a self esteem issue. She simply wanted to be even. Applejack’s heart spoke for her. And like it always did, it spoke honestly. “Fine. I think yer the most absolutely stunningly beautiful mare I ever seen in all my life.” Maybe it was the way she spoke. Maybe it was the words. It was the Princess’s turn to have absolutely no clue what to say. Her eyes widened as her face reddened slightly. She looked away. “U-um. Okay. Thank you, Applejack. We’re even.” She said, her voice reserved, with a smile on her face. The Farmer’s head managed to wrestle control of her own mouth so she would not say anything else. The Princess giggled. “I was expecting you to call me pretty, that’s all.” She continued to giggle after, mostly in surprise at the Peasant’s eloquence, who was stupefied. “Well… Ya know me… I’m… honest…” The farmer gritted her teeth with an awkward smile. The Princess gave her an earnest smile as she made room for Applejack under the waterfall. “Don’t just stand there quietly, my Knight. Aren’t you going to join me?”  There was an inner battle of head and heart happening in front of her that she could not see, as the Farmer considered how to undergo this next undertaking as chivalrously as possible. After all… She was normal. Rarity lost patience, and with a smile, she magically moved the water that fell on her to dunk the frozen Farmer. The water broke Applejack out of her stupor, much to her annoyance, soaking her from head to toe. The princess joyfully laughed. “Look at that! A Princess, dunking a Peasant. Unheard of!” Applejack smiled mischievously as she approached the Princess. She got real close, making her think they were finally bathing together, and then, with a single motion of a single hoof, pushed the Princess to fall on the river below. With an “Eek!!” Rarity splashed most uncouthly. “Hi Rarity!!” Pinkie giddily proclaimed, while floating joyfully on the river. Applejack lounged on the rock, playfully, watching the princess emerge with a frown. “Wouldya look at that. A Peasant, dunkin a Princess. There’s a first time for everything, ain’t it?”  A mischievous smile appeared on the Unicorn's face as she climbed back on the rock Applejack lounged on. “Alright then, have at thee!!” The Princess attempted to push the Peasant, who did not budge even an inch, staring at her with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. That Peasant was indeed going to drive her crazy someday. A lot of ponies would do her beckoning merely by suggestion. For Applejack, it might not be any different... But it felt different. The Princess fussed, and tried using her magic to float Applejack into the water, something the Farmer easily avoided by simply holding the rock she lounged on. The Unicorn found herself instinctively wanting to be able to boss her knight around. To be capable of commanding her protector on a whim. Rarity’s face got redder as she ran out of options to get even. “A-applejack!! I command you to dunk yourself! Please…?” She pointed at the river with a shy hoof. The Farmer smiled, getting up. “Alright, sugarcube. But only ‘cause I feel bad for ya.” Joyfully following her Princess’s command. The Princess counted this as a win. “Thank you, thank you, you have been a wonderful audience! And now, please put your hooves together, for the Great and Powerful Trixie’s wonderful and lovely and also equally great and Powerful assistant, (And also lover), Starlight Glimmer!!” The Magician wizard-wannabee delightedly waved her hooves, introducing another Unicorn that walked in from backstage, with an adoring smile. Applejack, from the stands, scratched her chin with her hooves. “The first sign of civilization we see in days, and it’s this chicanery. Do yall really wanna watch the whole thing?” “I’m having fun, darling. We quite deserve a break from walking, don’t you think?” Rarity was wearing a lovely sunhat and sunglasses, lounging on the stands, sitting next to her. Pinkie giggled, chewing on some popcorn. “I’mh havinghh fun!!” There wasn’t a very big audience, the show was happening at what equated to a pit stop, but the consensus seemed to be entertainment. Clops of hooves and “ooo” an “aaa” punctuated certain moments, even if the show certainly wasn’t the most incredible thing in the world. The Farmer smiled, lounging back down on her chair. “Alright, as long as yall are havin fun. I warn ya though, I seen her shows before, in one of the many fairs I went to, and it don’t get much better than this.” The Magician Unicorn had smoke and glitter and poofs happen, as she showcased another trick with the help from her assistance. “Witness the power of the strongest magic users in all of Equestria!!” Pigeons took flight, confetti, among other shiny things. Applejack cleared her throat. “Ahem. Plus y'all should know I ain’t swimming in money. We spent most of what I had on the way here, and our supplies are low. We better not keep gettin distracted on the way like this!” Rarity did not waver. “When there’s a will, there's a way, darling. Maybe I'll sell some of my dresses on the way, if we need to! Or Pinkie could play music for tips, whatever it is bards do.” “Thasth a Greath Idhea!!” Pinkie spoke, with a mouthfull of popcorn. The Farmer grumbled, fully aware that the more they stalled, the bigger the danger of not meeting the timeline of saving her family’s home. At times it felt like every second was precious… Then upon glancing at the Princess next to her, she seemed to be happy. That was good enough. Trixie waved her coat around, doing dramatic spins. “Behold!!! My great and powerful assistant will trap me in this box, and despite the punishment she will deliver onto it, I will emerge unscathed from this OTHER box!!” Starlight floated several knives with her magic around the box, as Trixie went inside, not before kissing her in the cheek. The Unicorn mumbled something at the box, concerned, getting a muffled response back, only for her to stab the box from multiple directions with a frown, then float it up and down, shaking it like it was a juice box, then making it do a couple of flips. Starlight gave an awkward smile as she walked to the other box, opening it. “Behold!! The great and powerful Trixie is perfectly safe!! I hope!” The crowd gasped, as Trixie fell out of the other box, looking completely dizzy and shaken up. But, with great showmanship, despite looking like she had just snowballed somewhere, she stood up and bowed. Starlight made sure that her girlfriend didn’t have any wounds. The crowd applauded, even if a couple laughed at their expense. Applejack couldn’t help but laugh, as she watched the two Unicorns fumble their way past magic tricks, then she turned to the Bard. “So Pinkie, yer tellin me these two were both Princess Twilight’s enemies at some point? Some of her biggest mightiest threats?” Pinkie pouted and shrugged. “They were a lot more fearsome back then, okay?” The Farmer snickered. “Oh yeah, fearsome is definitely what I think of when seein these two.” The two Unicorns tried and failed to pull a rabbit out of a hat, instead pulling a never ending handkerchief. “Do what you love, and even in failure, you’ll enjoy it, darling.” Rarity stated, glancing at the Peasant. “These two seem to be enjoying themselves, and I think that matters beyond if they’re the best at it.” Applejack smiled back, tipping her hat. “Very wise, Princess.” Trixie addressed the stands with reverence. “And now, for our final and greatest and powerfulest trick of the day, we will need a volunteer from the audience, to play the part of a helpless damsel!” Rarity and Pinkie Pie both pointed at Applejack at once. “Here darlings! We have your volunteer!!” Rarity smugly poked and prodded the Farmer to go. “Hey hey!! Here!! This is your girl!! Perfect for the job!!” If there was one thing Pinkie was good at, it was garnering attention. Trixie excitedly egged Applejack to come on down. The Farmer sighed, whispering at her friends. “Y’all c’mon. Is this really necessary?” The crowd started looking at her, egging her on to go. The Princess giggled. “Go on, we’re here, you might as well enjoy yourself, darling!” Poking at her with her hoof, leading the Farmer to smile, and go. The Peasant climbed the stage, with the small crowd cheering, and towered over the two Unicorns. Starlight side eyed Trixie. “She’s kinda big, for a damsel.” “I get that a lot.” Applejack snickered. The Magician waved her hooves around smugly. “Trixie doesn’t do take-backsies. Trixie will work with what she has! Stand on the stage, damsel!” Applejack took position, even without much energy. Starlight thanked her for playing along, while Trixie did her usual showboating. “And now!! You’re about to witness an epic conflict, my beloved audience!! Trixie will be right back!!” She tossed a smoke bomb but was still visible galloping out of the stage, going somewhere behind it. Starlight coughed with the smoke, looking back. “Epic conflict? What in the world is she up to now?” She looked behind her, a bit apprehensive. Applejack sighed, a bit uninterested, keeping an eye on the Princess in the stands. “What, do yall not plan these?” Starlight chuckled nervously, inattentively wondering if she should go check what was going on. “Hahah, Umm, Trixie sometimes ad libs…” The Peasant didn’t respond, she was distracted looking at the Princess wave quietly and supportively at her from the stands. Trixie ran into the stage, sweating nervously, a tad exasperated. “Hahah okay my beloved audience, the fatigued and wary Trixie has a question for all of you! Did any of you know that Manticores can bend steel bars?” Confusion from the crowd. Starlight grimaced, knowing this meant nothing good. “Trix. What are you doing.” Trixie smiled nervously at the crowd while gritting her teeth, whispering at her girlfriend. “I am proving a point so you won’t be mad at me.” Applejack’s ears twitched as she heard something big coming from backstage. Seconds after, a Manticore smashed through the wooden walls of the stage, roaring at the audience. “You’ve gotta be kiddin me.” Applejack frowned as she prepared for a fight. The crowd gasped in utter shock as the giant quadruped roared, flailing its spiked tail and flapping its wings. Starlight immediately levitated Trixie and ran with her out of there, as the magician tried assuring the audience that everything was under control. As the beast flailed spikes towards the audience, who didn’t know if this was part of the show or not, Rarity cast a diamond shield, protecting them. “EVERYPONY!!” Pinkie stood on her chair, grabbing her guitar. “The show is JUST getting started!” The Bard excitedly and loudly started playing her guitar, accentuating the fight that was now going down. Applejack readied her lasso while yelling at the stands. “Rarity, stay up there!! Don’t you DARE come here!!” Immediately tackling the beast, forcing its mouth down. Princesses weren’t usually known for taking orders from Peasants. A very frustrating fact for the Peasant, as she could notice Rarity immediately ran from the stands to get to the stage and help her. The farmer suplexed the Manticore, forcing it to be on its back, as she tried to lasso the monster’s mouth shut. A diamond shield was cast in front of her as a lot of spikes were flailed in her direction. “Aren’t you glad I’m here, darling?” As Applejack wrestled with the beast, she couldn’t help but think that yes, she was. Starlight took Trixie a hill over, and then put her down on the ground, casting a protective bubble around her. “Hey c’mon!! The show’s happening without us!! Why are you bubbling me?!” She complained. Starlight stared her down. “I’m going down there to clean up your mess, and you’re staying here, in the bubble, where it’s safe. We will talk about your negligence after.” Trixie was exasperated. “B-but I wanna help! It's my mess, lemme help clean it!!” Giving her girlfriend pouty eyes. On any other day, the pouty eyes would have worked, but not with a mythological beast present. Starlight turned as she was ready to bolt. “I don’t NEED your help! I need you safe!!” Then she bolted back to the stage. A distant “Trixie hates the safety bubble!!” Cry could be heard. Rarity cast a round crystal barrier around the spiked tail so it couldn’t throw spikes anymore, but its arms and wings were very much free, unfortunately for Applejack. The Manticore clawed and slapped the farmer, who stood her ground, lassoing the tail and muzzle of the beast together, trying to hold them with her significant strength. Once more, The Peasant suplexed the beast, hoping to no avail that this would be enough to stop it. The lasso came undone and the creature slapped Applejack with its tail once more, sending her tumbling across the stage, With Rarity following. “Darling are you okay??” The Peasant got up, and blew air from her nostrils. “I’m fine! You stay back, ya hear?” Starlight glimmer hopped back on stage, with her horn alight. “Okay. Time to wrangle this ugly overgrown porcupine!!” A mess of magic blasts and Applejack tackles ensued. The Unicorn attempted to blast and wound the creature, while the Earth Pony was wrestling it. From the sidelines, Rarity made sure to try to cast barriers anytime Applejack was about to be hit. The audience actually remained in their seats, extremely invested in the very realistic show and mighty battle that was playing in front of them, as Pinkie accentuated the action through exhilarating song. “INCOMING TRIXIE BALL ATTACK!!” the magician rolled her bubble into the stage, bouncing a bit uncontrollably, hitting the manticore right in the muzzle. The Farmer took notice of how the magical barrier dazed the Manticore significantly on impact. Trixie’s ball bounced from floor to ceiling, until Starlight levitated her into a halt. “What are you DOING here?? I told you to stay where it’s safe!!” Trixie exasperatedly gestured from inside the safety bubble. “A magician never leaves before the show is done!! And I'm helping!!” Starlight was about to argue, until Applejack stepped in. “Scuse me!” Then she bucked the safety bubble housing the exasperated Magician, targeting the Manticore, hitting it dead to rights. “Nice shot, darling!!” Rarity cheered from outside the stage, and the crowd followed. Trixie made dizzying sounds from inside the ball as it bounced from ceiling to floor, while Starlight attempted to catch her, concerned. The Manticore was dazed by the magic bubble strike, and Applejack decided it was worth another try, and maybe two or three more. “STOP PUNTING MY GIRLFRIEND!!” Starlight yelled, falling on deaf ears. “I think it’s woo-oo-oorkiii-iii-ing!!” Trixie said from inside the bubble as she spun and bounced, most sickeningly. The bubble seemed to reduce the weight of the poor Unicorn inside it, and it was very bouncy, something that the Peasant took notice of. The bubble burst, and the Magician fell, being caught by the Farmer. “Oop! Easy, I gotcha.” Who promptly tossed Trixie at Starlight, expecting her to catch her, which she only sort of did. Starlight frowned at her completely stupefied girlfriend who mumbled “Hey babe” clumsily. As the Farmer saw the manticore shake itself awake, preparing to lunge at them, an idea came to her.  “Hey assistant lady! Use the bubble thing on the Varmint!!” Starlight carefully laid her girlfriend on her back, as her horn lit up. “Alright!! Hold it steady!!” “SUGARCUBE! HELP ME OUT!” “On it darling!!” Rarity Once again leapt into action, casting a barrier around the Manticore’s spiky tail once more. With her aided protection, Applejack easily wrestled the creature down, holding it by the neck fiercely. “NOW! GO!” Starlight Glimmer’s eyes and horn glowed more and more as she channeled the spell, enveloping the beast in a barrier with struggle, and that barrier became a bubble. The Farmer leapt away so as to not be taken by it too. For a moment, they breathed heavily, and the audience went hush, all regarding the beast's struggle against the large magical bubble in anger. “N-now what?” Trixie asked from the floor, confused and a bit scared. “Now this. Sugarcube, set me up, will ya?” Applejack smiled confidently. “Of course, dear.” They smiled at each other as Rarity held the bubble with levitation. With one swift decisive motion, the Princess levitated the creature at the edge of the stage, and her Knight bucked the Manticore in the bubble all the way across who knows where. The audience watched, absolutely thunderstruck, as the mythological beast disappeared in the horizon. A few seconds of silence, until Pinkie hopped on stage. “That was our show everypony! Thanks for watching!!” And the crowd went wild, tossing flowers and coins at the stage. Trixie, Starlight and Pinkie bowed as if this had all been part of the plan. Applejack and Rarity only regarded each other. “You alright, sugarcube?” “Are you hurt, dear?” They both asked simultaneously, while checking each other for wounds. “Hey hey, I'm fine, I'm the one that needs to protect you, remember?” Applejack suppressed a chuckle. Rarity inspected her from top to bottom, making sure she wasn’t seriously injured. “Well darling, between the two of us, you’re the one most prone to get hurt. I’m not wrong to express concern!” She said, relieved to find no serious injury. The farmer rolled her eyes with a smile. “Either way. You simply must stop losing this!” Rarity dusted off Applejack’s hat from the rubble, placing it on her head again. “Phew… Thanks, sugarcube.” Pinkie watched this attentively, as a similar scene happened right next to her. “Okay. Any serious injuries? Brain damage? Did you sprain a hoof?” Starlight levitated her girlfriend around an open axis while checking her for wounds. Trixie shrugged, giddily. “I’m fine, glimms! I promise! As Great and Powerful™ as ever!” The wizard was levitated upside down, and her partner tried her best to frown, despite the relief of seeing her okay. They shared a quick kiss, and then Starlight placed a hoof on the wizard's mouth. “You are not out of this yet, Trix. Big trouble” who responded with a smug sly smile. Pinkie took note of the similarities of behavior between the couple and non couple, and its differences. If a stranger were to see them, there might be no distinction between who was dating and who wasn’t, outside of that kiss. But the most stark thing was indeed; That it was a Princess and a Peasant. Two different worlds that collided surprisingly gently. Starlight then turned to Applejack, horn alight in anger. “And YOU! What’s the big idea, kicking my girl around like she’s a football?? You got SOME nerve, Peasant!” Applejack was unfazed, she was about to defend herself, until… “You put that horn away right now, missy! Applejack here just saved all of us, and improved your show tenfold! Show her some respect!” Rarity stood in between them, fussing. Unacknowledged by any of them was the magnitude of a Princess standing up to a Peasant… But it was not unseen by Pinkie and Applejack. Trixie agreed, helping diffuse the situation. “Y-yeah, don’t worry, babe! Besides, it was kind of fun. Great showbiz!” Starlight sighed, letting go of the anger. “Fine. Thanks for helping us, strangers. You really did come in the knick of time. Though I suppose, if someone hadn’t set loose a mythological beast she somehow arranged for this magical show, we wouldn’t even have needed help.” She said, glaring at her girlfriend, as she stopped levitating her and put her on the ground. “U-um. it’s great showbiz…” Trixie stuttered. “Since we helped you guys, can we keep this money? I mean we did save your butts and kept the show going” Pinkie stated joyfully, already stuffing her bag with coins that littered the floor. Rarity agreed. “Look darling! Money for the trip back. When there’s a will, there's a way!” Making her Knight smile. Trixie gasped. “M-my hard earned tips!! No way–” Starlight put a hoof in her mouth. “Since you’re so grateful, oh great and powerful Trixie, you should let them keep this. For the trouble.” Once again staring her partner down. The Magician pouted, but nodded in acceptance, understanding this was her punishment. Rarity started gathering coins from the floor with her magic and helping Pinkie put them away safely. Meanwhile, Applejack just stretched, relieving herself of the soreness. “Ugh. First a dragon, then the bandits, now a friggin Manticore. What’s next, am I gonna hafta wrestle a Kraken or somethin?” “That would be kind of awesome!” Pinkie proclaimed, eyes gleaming with inspiration. Rarity simply approached the Farmer and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Whatever it is, dear, I'm sure you can handle it.” making her Knight giggle a bit, face red. “Eyup…!” The amount of faith that the Princess had on her knight was utterly unwavering, even despite this short time, Applejack had already proven herself reliable in full. “I’m sorry did she say dragon?” Starlight raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “Holy shit.” Trixie proclaimed. Pinkie giggled. “Maybe you’ll fight a Hydra next!” Rarity joined in. “Or a Phoenix.” Trixie added. “How about the vicious Man o 'War?” Pinkie raised a hoof. “Oh! Oh! How about a Sphinx?!” Rarity giggled. “Perhaps a war forged automaton colossus?” Trixie smiled excitedly. “How about another dragon!!!” Starlight was tired. “You guys are a weird bunch.” Applejack just sighed, stretching some more. “Let’s not make this a habit, yall.” Starlight Glimmer took a glance at Rarity. “Dragon…” She mumbled, attentively. “Are you Princess Rarity by any chance?” Rarity’s ears perked up, as she turned around with joy. “Why yes darling! You’ve heard of me?” “Holy crap, so the rumors are true. A giant loose dragon flies around with a broken chain… And some criminal circles start talking about how the Iron Will gang got their backsides handed to them at the edge of Equestria…” The Unicorn pondered, looking at the strange trio. Everything clicked. “She’s a Princess? Where’s her wings?” Trixie asked, without thinking, as usual. Rarity’s demeanor changed subtly, but not enough for Applejack to not notice. Her head lowered as did her ears, and her tail flickered. She did not respond, however. The Peasant recognized this demeanor as shame. “That’s none of yer business.” The Farmer piped in, without thinking also. Rarity looked at her knight briefly, with adoration, in silence. Starlight aloofly poked on the wreckage of their stage. “Whatever, it really isn’t. You two better be careful though, A Princess, a Peasant and a Bard aren’t exactly inconspicuous. Half of Equestria is going to be curious about you, and half of that might not be friendly.” Trixie’s eyes lit up with joy. “Oh! A Princess, a Peasant and a Bard walk into a bar! There’s a joke in there somewhere!!” “That’s what I said!” Pinkie chuckled in agreement. Starlight shrugged, poking her girlfriend. “Well, this stage is a bust. C’mon Trix, let’s gather our stuff, the festival’s tomorrow and I don’t wanna miss it.” Pinkie’s ears perked up and she wagged her tail. “Did you say festival?” “The Fall Produce festival, it’s happening in a town to the south from here. Me and Trix are going to perform there, too!” Starlight’s eyes lit up, as she seemed to genuinely look forward to it. “This GREAT and POWERFUL duo will perform another DRAMATIC and BOMBASTIC show at the festivities!” Trixie vibrated with excitement and anticipation. “Hah, good thing we ain’t goin. I’d hate to have to wrestle a Chimera or whatever other monster thing ya got under yer hat.” The Farmer snickered, remembering the village they had passed with promises of a fair. It was indeed the same village, and they would indeed be going that way, but her head was pointing in the direction of simply not wasting any more time. Pinkie pouted, approaching her. “Awww Applejack, why can’t we go? We passed that town already, it’s on the way, and it’s happening as we’ll go through it…! Don’t you wanna??” The Farmer scoffed, dismissing it. “‘Course i wanna go, but we ain’t gonna, because, Pinkie, we ain’t got time for stalin, and we ain’t have the money–” “Yeah we do! We got plenty!!” Pinkie shook her bag, the sound of bits knocking around was unmistakable. They indeed had more than enough for careful spending for the rest of the journey. Applejack rolled her eyes. “Well. That don’t matter, because I ain't forcing the Princess to go to a Peasant festival, she wouldn't–" "I wouldn’t mind going, darling!” The Farmer’s eyes widened as she looked at the Princess, who smiled kindly. “B-but yer–” Rarity giggled. “Oh, please. I was born and raised in Ponyville, Applejack. I may find mud and excess dirt uncouth, but I have been to my fair share of festivals. And I find myself in no rush, knowing that we are always making good time on our travels, and that my knight will be there to protect us on our journey… Also, I quite miss civilization.” She had a certain way of getting what she wanted… and it was effective. The Princess absolutely missed having fun at parties, any party, any gathering, anything would be enough. Pinkie knew to trust Rarity to get what she wanted, so she stayed quiet, observing. Applejack looked away, her face getting a bit red. Did she want to go to that festival? Absolutely. Would she derive great joy from seeing the Princess’s reactions to it? Extremely. Had she missed, with all her heart, being able to spend time with other earth ponies simply enjoying life? Without question. Did she hope fiercely at the chance of meeting people she knew there, be it friends or family? Her homesickness knew no bounds. Her heart was set. Her head, however, told her that distractions were a problem. A distraction was right in front of her, and fast approaching. Rarity batted her eyelashes and tilted her head. “Well dear, I have never seen this particular festival. It would be a wonderful experience in our travels, for all of us, I think… Don’t you?” With a sway in her step and a bounce in her mane, she had gotten everything she wanted once again. The heart won this battle. Applejack couldn’t contain her excitement and joy, it showed on the way she smiled. “Alright, we’re goin to this festival. But we only stayin one night, ya hear?” Pinkie jumped for joy. “YIPEEEE!!! Oh I'm so excited!! Finally a proper break!!” They waved goodbye at the two unicorns of the stage, as the two of them attempted to salvage what remained of their operation. All three of them were, this time, eager and excited, even if in their own different ways, for getting exactly what they wanted. For Pinkie, to have the chance to cut back and have fun at a party. For Applejack, to have a small taste of home. For Rarity, to have more quality time with, and to find out more about her knight. “I don’t know about you girls, but this journey has been barrels of fun to me!!” Pinkie joyfully skipped and hopped along the path, not a care in the world. “I’m so excited!! We’re gonna get to partyyyyyy!!!” The Princess and the Peasant unknowingly shared the same thoughts. This journey, despite all their expectations, was fun. Both of them had their reasons to imagine this as a miserable experience, but they found themselves waking up everyday with a smile and eagerness for what would come next, in no small part due to each other. They walked along a path near a large lake. The day was lovely, with a handful of clouds covering the sun on occasion, cicadas and birds singing, and plenty of trees to provide shade. The Princess sighed of delight, excited for the potential of enjoying a festival with these two friends. She felt as if she were capable of eating her cake and having it too. For the next few days, she would enjoy herself with her two new friends, and after, a life of lavish regal power and a lovely Prince awaited her. She found herself lighter than air. “Well, darling, despite what might be expected, I find myself having a lovely time. You two make for surprisingly good company!” She giggled, gazing at her knight, who smiled, keeping her eyes on the path. “How about you, Applejack?” The Farmer blinked. Against her better judgements and all her expectations, the latter part of this journey was turning out to be the absolute best one. Her thoughts were confusing and mixed, with her head troubled. Her heart, however, felt itself jumping for joy. Spending time with Rarity felt righter by the day. “U-um– I’m, uh, I’m good. This whole shebang has been… Surprisingly good, minus the dangers.” Both of the others giggled. Pinkie Pie did a cartwheel, for no reason other than she was Pinkie Pie. “Look at you, AJ! Out here smiling and having a good time!” Rarity took notice of that. Applejack had been more cheerful lately... “Do not worry, darling, I'm fairly certain our troubles are over!” As if by divine irony, a pegasus landed ahead of them in the path, with a gust of wind that blew leaves aside and made birds take flight. The Farmer immediately stopped in her tracks, and the others followed, knowing this might be trouble. “Well lookie here, what did my eagle eyes spot? A Princess, Peasant and a Bard. It’s my lucky day!” The Pegasus removed her hood and the goggles she was wearing, letting her Rainbow-colored mane fly, with a smug grin on her face. “There’s a heeeeefty prince to be paid for that Unicorn’s backside, y’know? And I'm here to collect.” The three friends were cautious. The Farmer didn’t know who the hell that was, but she was trouble. “I don’t know who you are or what yer talkin about, but this mare ain’t for sale. You turn your hindquarters back around and fly outta here!” Rarity giggled, addressing the pegasus. “She means business, darling! You best move along, whoever you are!” Knowing full well that her knight could crush her. The Pegasus had a look of disbelief. “I’m?? Rainbow dash?? The rogue? Legendary mercenary?? Awesome prismatic mane??” “Never heard of ya.” “Doesn’t ring a bell, darling.” Rainbow caressed her temples with her hooves, before an outburst. “I’M THE FASTEST FLIER IN EQUESTRIA?!?!!?!” The Princess and the Peasant exchanged looks, then shrugged, neither of them having any idea who the exasperated rainbow-clad pegasus was or what she was blabbing about, which resulted in them giggling a bit. Pinkie broke the ice. “I know of her!! There’s a couple of songs written about her. She is pretty fast! Hi Rainbow!” The Pegasus was in disbelief. “PRETTY FAST?! You’re joking, right?? Argh!!” “How do ya even measure if yer the fastest?” “Oh, she’s probably just boasting, darling.” The two of them laughed at the expense of the pegasus. Rainbow dash blew air from her nostrils, with her wings fluttering in frustration. “Whatever! Whatever!! You guys are about to know my awesomeness. You there, the Peasant, you protecting her?” Applejack stood in front of Rarity, determined. “Yep. And ya ain’t gettin past me.” “And you’re about to meet the Dash, dumbass.” The Rogue, with a smirk, readied her wings and got in a battle stance, And Applejack did the same. In a split second, the Pegasus took flight on a straight line, targeting the farmer directly. With a massive shockwave, and a rainbow streak, she took flight like a jet towards her. Rarity cast a diamond barrier in front of them and Rainbow Dash flew face first into it. The resulting explosion could be seen from the sky, and although the three friends were intact, Rainbow dash found her bell thoroughly rung, as she laid on her back in front of them, nearly unconscious, eyes widened looking at nothing. Applejack blinked, and then chuckled. “Nice going, sugarcube!” Her Princess just waved her mane with pride and joy. She walked over to the Rogue, and placed a single hoof on her chest, keeping her pinned down. “Well... I guess we beat ya?“ No response from her other than guttural sounds and dizziness. “Wow. I'm disappointed.” Pinkie frowned. The Farmer stared the Pegasus down. “Now listen here, varmint. You gonna be any more trouble for us?” She was met with nothing more than a confused, dizzy, “bwuh” from the utterly defeated Rainbow Dash. Pinkie poked the nearly unconscious pegasus with a stick. Applejack recoiled. “Um. Is she dyin?” Rarity shrugged. “Who cares? Shall we be off?” They were about to walk off and continue on their way, until they were interrupted by a massive figure landing on the lake, throwing water everywhere. The Peasant shielded the Princess from the water instinctively. A dragon landed in front of them, with a chain loosely bound to its neck. The dragon. Pinkie looked up, horrified. “IT’S THE FUCKING DRAGON!!! IT’S BACK FOR REVENGE!! AHH!!!” Pinkie jumped behind applejack, cowering. The Peasant readied herself, having not expected at all to have to fight the same dragon twice. “Ugh, this day keeps getting better n better!!”  To their surprise, the dragon did nothing, simply remained looking at them. “Well?? C’mon, then?!” The Farmer taunted, a bit confused. “I don’t think it’s here for a fight, dear?” Rarity tilted her head, equally confused. They heard a very soft voice coming from the general direction of the beast, adding much to their confusion. A Small Pegasus emerged from behind the Dragons back, and greeted them, but her voice was so soft, they didn’t even hear her. “Umm. We can’t hear ya?” “Could you come a bit closer, darling?” From the Ground, Rainbow mumbled. “G-guys. Is it my concussion, or is there a fucking dragon here now…?” Still utterly defeated, and utterly ignored. The Quiet Pegasus that was behind the dragon flew down calmly to the trio. She spoke incredibly softly, and incredibly kindly. “Oh thank goodness! Thanks to that explosion, we found you! Hello there!” She waved, shily. Examining the sight, it was utterly puzzling. It was a cute Pegasus girl, with long flowing pink mane, but she was also covered in leaves, sticks, and with mud paintings on her hide. Her look was a stark contrast to how she acted, extremely soft spoken and kind. Pinkie shivered from behind the farmer. “C-can you explain to us why the HELL did you bring that dragon here??!” The Pegasus fluttered her wings, a bit embarrassed. “Oh, excuse me, I'm sorry! Let me explain. My name is Fluttershy, I am a druid, I tend and talk to animals all over Equestria! I met this dragon here when she was a bit lost, apparently she was a prisoner for a really long time, and then she was freed by a Princess, a Peasant, and a Bard! I decided to help her on her journey of finding and thanking her rescuers! And there you are! Thank goodness!” The dragon nodded and growled in agreement. Applejack and Rarity both blinked, and then looked at eachother. “Um, that’s us, I guess!” From the floor, Rainbow mumbled. “H-hey guys. Is it my concussion, or is there a hot babe with the dragon?” Fluttershy worryingly approached the utterly stupefied pegasus. “Oh my goodness, you poor thing! Is she okay? Is she a friend of yours?” “No to both questions. Don’t mind her, darling!” Rarity stated. Applejack looked at the dragon and then at the Pegasus. “Thanks, but I don't think we need anythin from a dragon!” The dragon growled at Fluttershy, who nodded in agreement as if she understood it all. “Hm, yes, yes. She says she is in your debt, and if you could, for example, use a ride anywhere, she can easily take you!” The Peasant’s eyes widened. This was it, her journey was over! And what a relief, it was about time. They could end it here without any further ado! Her tail wagged in excitement over the prospect of seeing her family again, and with good news. “Woah!! Actually, we need to get to the castle of Prince Blueblood! Could she take us?!” She delightedly hopped over to the beast. The dragon nodded, and with a growl, Fluttershy translated with glee. “She says she can fly from here to there and arrive by nightfall!” An immense wave of relief washed over the Farmer. No more confusing feelings over a Princess, no more dangerous journey… She could get back to her old life and stop worrying about all these distractions. She turned to Pinkie and Rarity, who were both silent. The Princess was lost in thought, as Applejack spoke to her. “Good news, sugarcube! We can get ya to your prince tonight! No more dangers or mud or any inconvenience! What do ya say?” Rarity was utterly lost in thought. It’s true, she was being handed everything she wanted on a silver platter, right here. No more inconveniences, monsters, bandits, or mud… And no more strong handsome peasants protecting her from danger. Why did her heart cause her to hesitate? Her head told her to accept. She wanted a life of dignified lavishness and fortune. She wanted to be accepted by all as a real Princess, and she wanted to return to high class establishments. But as her heart whispered, she listened. There was something more she wanted. If she reached the Prince, there was a strong chance she would never see her Knight again. And her heart made her aware that the possibility of this happening ached deeply. She still wanted to reach the Prince, and the life she always wanted of lavishness and fortune. But her heart wanted something more. And it was right in front of her. She did not take the time to process those feelings, but she stayed true to them. And so, in an attempt to hold on to two dreams at once, she lied. “I-i am dreadfully sorry, dear, but… I am simply dreadfully afraid of flying. Spending hours in the sky, why… I simply couldn’t…!” She batted her eyelashes in artificial despair, a very, very good manipulator. Applejack sat down, with an exhale. But she found that her relief did not fade. “Well… It's okay, sugarcube. I ain’t forcin ya to do anything you don’t want to.” Her Knight smiled warmly. The Princess remained quiet as her face reddened slightly. The Farmer found herself not minding compromising for Rarity. “Do ya wanna just walk there, then?” “I-if it’s not too much trouble…?” Once more, she spoke, and the Peasant obeyed. And she enjoyed it. A smile crept up in Pinkie’s lips, as she saw through what was happening, grabbed her notebook, and wrote some of it down. The Peasant turned to the dragon and the druid, removing her hat and placing it respectfully on her chest. “Sorry to ya and yer dragon, but we’ll have to decline the offer. Thank ya kindly, though!” The dragon nodded, growling at the druid. Who turned to them with a smile. “Well, she understands, but she still owes you. If you ever need help from a dragon, blow on this flute!” Fluttershy handed her a handmade peculiar looking instrument. Applejack held the peculiar dragon flute, as the Druid explained. “She can hear this frequency from very far, so if you ever want her help, blow on this and she will come running! –well, flying, hihi.” “Well thank ya kindly, Fluttershy, was it? Thank you.” “My pleasure! I just couldn’t leave a poor distressed creature unhappy!” She looked at the massive fire breathing monster like it was a cute fluffy bunny. “Oh! There is one thing!” Applejack’s eyes lit up. “That chain on yer neck, dragon. Want my help gettin it out?” The Druid didn’t need to translate this one, the enthusiastic nod of the beast was all they needed. Once again, that chain was built to resist the strength of a dragon. It was not, however, built to resist the strength of a dragon and Applejack. The Princess watched in adoration as her Knight once again displayed her seemingly boundless strength, teaming up with the dragon, and breaking the collar that bound her. The Dragon joyfully roared, giving Applejack a fierce hug that would likely kill most ponies. Applejack was not most ponies. She hugged back, just as hard. “Ya welcome, big guy!” Fluttershy giddily clapped. “Oh my!! Thank you, traveler! Her gratitude is boundless! And I thank you, too!!” even her cheering was soft and kind. The Farmer was let down gently, and she tipped her hat. “No problem at all! Y’all have a good day, ya hear?” Fluttershy giddily indeed, as the three friends waved goodbye. “I wish you both luck on your travels, then! May we meet again!” She hopped on the dragon’s back, and with a wave of both of them, the dragon took flight, shaking all trees around them and almost blasting them away. Applejack shielded Rarity instinctively. The princess adjusted her Knight’s hat, with a smile, but no words. Pinkie giggled, but decided not to engage. She then picked up another stick, and started poking Rainbow Dash once more, who was now laying on her side, in an incredibly uncomfortable position, groaning. The three friends stared at the utterly defeated mercenary, as she struggled to sit up. “You… you’ve defeated me in a single blow…! And you even spared my life…?!” Applejack and Rarity exchanged awkward looks. “Um. Yeah.” Rainbow dash bowed to them, still dizzy. “I owe you my life, Peasant. I underestimated you in combat and your strength knows no bounds. Please, if there’s anything i can do–” The Farmer awkwardly scratched her head and pointed at the Princess. “Um, actually, Rarity here is the–” “That’s right, Rogue! She defeated you swiftly, and spared your life! You owe her! Bow down to Applejack, the mighty Knight!!” Rarity sang her Knight’s praises joyfully, and once again used her charm to manipulate. Rainbow obeyed, staying bowed. “You’ve easily bested me. If you require any favors in exchange for sparing my life, I will do what I can to repay this debt. You’re awesome.” The Peasant rolled her eyes. “Oh great, another one. Look pal, I don’t–” Rarity poked her, whispering. “Applejack! Get her to visit your family and tell them you’re okay! If she is half as fast as she says, she will at least set their minds at ease!” “O-oh right!! Rarity, your family too!!” Both of them nodded at each other, realizing the opportunity. Rarity cleared her throat. “Ahem, listen here, Rogue. In exchange for your life, you will visit the farm known as Sweet Apple Acres, where Applejack’s family resides, and tell them that she is okay, that she defeated the dragon, rescued the Princess, and is on her way home!” Rainbow dash nodded, writing down the commands in her mind. “And then you will go to Ponyville, find a place known as the carousel boutique, and tell the family that resides there that Princess Rarity has been freed of the dragon, and that she is perfectly safely protected by her knight, and being escorted to the castle of Prince Blueblood!” Rarity finished. Rainbow looked at the both of them, confused at the simplicity of their requests. “Um. Is that all?” Applejack scratched her head. “I dunno. Pinkie, you want somethin?” “A cheeseburger, some fries, maybe a milkshake–” The Bard started listing. “No Pinkie, I mean do ya you want somethin from this Pegasus here.” “Oh! Okay! A cheeseburger, some fries, maybe a milkshake–” Rarity suppressed laughter. “Pinkie darling, would you like Rainbow to contact your family to tell them you are okay?” Pinkie shook her head, giggling. “No thanks! My sisters know I can never die!” A moment of awkward silence ensued where they all looked at the bard, who prepared herself to grab yet another stick to poke the Pegasus with. Rainbow frowned, fluttering her wings. “Ooooookay. You guys know this is a life debt, right? What you’re asking me is basically mail delivery. Don’t you have something more awesome to ask of me??? More epic?!” The Princess and the Peasant looked at eachother, and then back at her. “Can’t say that I do.” “Not really, darling.” Rainbow dash blew raspberries. “Whatever. Apple Acres and Carousel Boutique, roger! I’ll see you guys in a day or two, lickedy split! Bye!” She placed her goggles back on and raised her wings. The Pegasus took flight with precision and speed, taking off in a northern direction. The three friends looked at the sky, a bit confused. Pinkie whistled. “Wow. What a weirdo. And that means a lot, coming from me.” The three of them laughed amongst each other, delighted that the ordeal was over. Rainbow Dash flew back down with an awkward smile. “Hey guys, do you mind if I go chat up that hot babe riding the dragon before I do you those favors? Y’know, since it’s on the way?” Her face was a bit red. The three friends looked at eachother, before chuckling. “We are not your mothers, Rainbow. Do as you please!” Rarity waved her off. “R-roger that. See you guys soon!!” And then the Pegasus took off once more. The three of them once again watched the rainbow trail in the sky, as it moved away. “Ya think we’ll ever see her again?” “Not likely. But at least she won’t trouble us anymore, darling.” “Cmon girls!! We still got a festival to go to, remember??!” Pinkie did another cartwheel. The three of them, with smiles on their faces, continued their journey. Applejack’s head told her that she should be annoyed, or maybe concerned, that she had lost the easy ticket out of this adventure. But her heart set her at ease, as she gazed at the Princess. She was right where she needed to be. Rarity’s heart suppressed any doubts as she gazed at her Knight. Their time together was precious, she could see that now. And although she wasn’t exactly sure how she felt just yet, as she gazed at her lovely green eyes, she knew she was right where she wanted to be. Both their Hearts won their respective battles that day.