The Right Adjective

by Jubilancy


The Right Adjective

Am I pretty?
Am I beautiful?
Am I decent?
Am I average?
Am I...
Ugly?
I just don't know anymore.
Up until that sleepover with Rarity and Twi, I was on top of the world!
Now, I just...
I ain't feelin' as confident as usual.
I look at ponies like Rarity and Fluttershy and think
"Now those are two gorgeous mares"
I look at Twi and Pinkie and think
"They got just the right amount of pretty and neautral to go far."
Then I see Rainbow and wonder
"How does a mare who spends 24/7 in the sky look so... pretty?
Then I pass by my mirror.

I ain't a fabulous Unicorn.
I ain't a graceful Pegasus.
I don't have soft voice
Or a piercing gaze
Or a vibrant mane.
Or a pretty colored coat.

I ain't sophisticated or fast
I ain't graceful and smart.
I'm just me.
Well.. just what is "me"?
I may not have Rarity's eyes or Fluttershy's grace
But I'm pretty.
Right...?

Pinkie's got her bubbly personality.
Rainbow's got her vibrant mane.
Twilight's got her intelligence.
Rarity's got her elegance.
Fluttershy's got her pretty voice.
And I've got...
What do I have?

Looks?
Poise?
Humor?
Sophistication?
Anything....?
Anything at all?!

Huh. That Rarity thinks she is the most perfect pony in Equestria.
Sure, the girl is bearable most times but others I can't stand her!
Nonetheless understand a word that spews from her mouth!
There's bein' fussy and then there's plainjust gettin' on my nerves!
That girl's gonna be the death o' me yet, mark my words!
She acts as there ain't a pony in Equestria that can match her beauty and elegance.
As if nopony else is as beautiful...
As if I ain't beautiful.

I am beautiful, I know I am!
I'm... I'm positive.
Really, there ain't a doubt in this blonde head o' mine!
Momma always told me I had the most stunnin' mane in all of Equestria!
She always loved when I took the binds out, and let it fall around my shoulders.
It actually looks really good when I do that!
That's what Momma always said.
Then again...
All mommas think their foal's the best lookin' thing to ever be seen.
I mean, sure my mane ain't as fancy as Rarity's...
Or as pretty..
Or... sophisticated
But of course I can't afford to spend several hours workin' on it.
I do have work to do, ya know.

Alright, so I ain't "beautiful", that much I've figured out.
I do know that I'm a very pretty mare!
Yes siree, Daddy always complimented me on my eyes!
Said they were a sparklin' emerald color.
And that they put the stars to shame.
Then again, they ain't framed by beautiful thick eyelashes.
They also ain't slanted as gracefully as Rarity's
They also ain't blue.
Blue seems to be the preferred color.
No matter what the shade.
All daddies think their daughters are beautiful .
Guess I ain't no exception.
Then dog-gone-it, what word does describe me?!

I guess" decent" describes me.
I mean, I got a strong frame that would put a lot o' stallions to shame.
But... I guess that ain't what stallions look for in mare, right?
Nah, they want a mare who'll cower behind them when danger is near.
A mare who's weak.
Helpless.
A mare not like me.
I could always pretend I'm weak.
But, my stature wouldn't exactly back me up...
I ain't exactly built like one o' Rarity's mannequins.

Am I... average?
Wait, no...
"Average" describes somepony who is like the others.
Somepony who talks like everypony else.
Walks like 'em
Looks like 'em
Eats like 'em
Sounds like 'em...
I guess my accent kind of knocks out "average".
My accent ain't exactly.. sophisticated.
Looks like there's only one adjective left.

Ugly.
Yeah, that seems 'bout right.
Even Rarity couldn't stand me.
She looks down on everything about me.
My mane
My hobbies
My accent...
Those at the Gala looked at me pretty skeptically too.
The dress that Rarity made was beautiful, but...
I guess it really is the mare that makes the dress.
And I guess I wasn't the mare.

So this me.
Applejack
The Earth Pony with no manners.
No culture.
No beauty.
No grace.
Just...

Ugly.

Huh, all these years I've been thinkin' I was the toast o' the town.
I wish everypony woulda stopped beatin' around the bush and woulda just said,
"Hey, Applejack! Ya know what? Yer uglier than sin, and I ain't afraid to tell ya!"
Woulda saved me a lot of wonderin.
Even my name is ugly!
"Applejack" ugh!
Applebloom - now that's pretty!
Maybe I shoulda stayed in Manehattan.
Aunt and Uncle Orange coulda done somethin'.
They coulda paid for plastic surgery.
Or bought tons o makeup.
They certainly got the money.
Then again they probably wouldn't have wanted to waste it somepony as ugly as myself...

I wish I was pretty...
I mean, I'd fix myself if I could, ya know!
But I ain't no fancy Unicorn
I don't have a magical horn stickin' outta my head!
What I wouldn't give to have beautiful mane like Rarity's
Or... or a soft voice like Fluttershy's!
Momma always told me I look like her, but..
I can't look like her
It just ain't possible.
She was so beautiful
So is Granny Smith, even in her old age.
Daddy was handsome.
Big Mac can get any mare he wants.
He proved that when he married Fluttershy last month...
Applebloom is gorgeous.

Yup, now I'm sure of the adjective that describes me.
I've seen the evidence.
I understand now.
Rarity... thank you for pointin' it all out.
I...
I appreciate it.
This is comin' from the Element o' Honesty here.
So ya'll believe me when I say that


I
Am
Ugly...