Twilight sighed in content as she levitated the last document to join it's completed companions. Three days had passed since Applejack's latest drinking expedition, and things had been starting to look up. Twilight had gotten a bit behind in her duties, considering the fact she'd been worrying about Applejack nonstop, but it was all behind her now. She smiled and called for Spike. "Spike! These documents are ready, send them when you can." At that, she hopped off of her stool and opened up the door, breathing in her first breath of fresh air in hours. Celestia's Sun was bright, summer would start in a few days, and, above all, Applejack was getting better.
She'd buried herself in her work like Pinkie Pie had suggested and it seemed to be working. She bucked apples til the Sun went down, and only after did she allow herself time to chat and laugh with friends. Apple Bloom seemed to be happier too. She was back to her crusading, she was laughing, cutting up, and having fun. Everything was back to normal. Well, maybe not normal, but almost.
"Have a good day, Rarity!"
"Yes, you too, Roseluck. That dress is going to wow your family!"
Rarity hummed happily and headed back inside her shop, looking at the strewn about supplies. Rose's dress had been fun to make; her coat was such a creamy color, and her mane's combinations of pinks was positively stunning! So many possibilites to mix and match, so many different drafts, many wonderful looks, she just couldn't decide which one to give her client the possibilites were so endless. In the end, Rose had chosen one of Rarity's more simpler designs: A pretty magenta gown fit with a white belt with a bubblegum-pink silk rose attached.
The bell clanged and Rarity plastered a smile on her face, hoping it wasn't a demand for something big. "Welcome to Carousel Boutique; where everything is-- oh, Applejack! Hello!"
Applejack grinned and waved a hoof. "Hey, Rarity."
"What can I do for you, dear?"
"Oh, um. Well, I was jus' wonderin' if you could, uh... help me with somethin'."
"Of course, darling. What is it?
"Here ya go! Two yummy-delicious chocolatey cupcakes for Lyra and Bon-Bon!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed in her usual nature.
The couple thanked the pink mare before sitting at a booth in the far side of the restaurant. Pinkie smiled and crossed her hooves before laying them on the counter and leaning forward. She sighed happily and closed her eyes, listening to the sounds of everyday work. Mrs. Cake was in the kitchen, Mr. Cake was talking to her quietly, something about "playing doctor" later on. Pinkie Pie giggled at the image of Mr. Cake with scrubs on. Pinkie thought he would look pretty silly, but you were never too old to play games!
But you know what the best thing going on right now is? Pinkie asked herself. Applejack's better!
She laughed to herself and opened her eyes, looking at the clock above the doorway. With a squeal, she took off her apron and hung it on the hook behind the counter. "I'm taking my lunch break, Mrs. Cake!"
"Okay, dearie! See you soon!"
"You can count on it!" Pinkie said over her shoulder. She waved at the customers as she bounced out of the establishment with a huge smile on her face. Applejack was better, today was warm, and she couldn't be happier! She stopped bouncing and hung in the air for a second before falling back down as a thought struck her. This could mean only one thing! A PARTY!
Rainbow Dash zoomed over the clouds, peering through them to make sure everything was in order. A light sprinkle over the Everfree Forest is scheduled in an hour, so if I could try and reschedule that to 4:30, I could make sure that the Acres get their weekly dowsing of rain water on time. With her decision made, she smiled and dived downward. She could see Scootaloo getting on her scooter and she decided to show off for her fan. She increased her speed and only pulled up when she was only a few inches from the filly's face. To her expectation and delight, she heard Scootaloo squeal before turning on her tough-filly attitude and cheering her on with an excited expression and tone in her voice.
She did a couple of loops, relishing the feel it gave her to see her world turned upside-down. The trees were the sky for a brief second before she went right-side-up and continued her flying. The wind rushed through her mane and she laughed as the edges of her bangs tickled her nose. She swiped them away and slowed down into a steady hover as she flew above downtown. She could see Pinkie Pie bouncing up and down, and Rainbow scratched her head. What could the pink party pony be up to now?
As if she'd asked the question out loud, Pinkie looked up and started waving her hooves around. "Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash!"
Rainbow flew down to her friend and landed gracefully, standing just a bit shorter than Pinkie. "What's up, Pinks?"
"Huh? Oh, right! I need your help for a party!"
Dash smiled. After the past few weeks, a party was just what the town needed.
"Okay, my little friends. This way, that's right. Oh my, um, slow down a bit please, Angel? You're getting too far ahead." Fluttershy spoke, or rather whispered, to the little pack of animals she was leading from downtown and back to her cottage. They'd all had fun visiting with the older ponies at Ponyville's nursing home, but now it was time for them to rest and eat a healthy lunch.
She grinned as stray duckling wandered from the group and she gently nosed it back into place. "We wouldn't want you getting lost." she chided with a smile. The duckling quacked at her in response and continued on his way.
She looked up when she noticed the familiar trail leading up to her house. "Okay," She looked down at her critters. "Momma Ducks and Frogs can take their little ones back to the pond." She smiled as they followed her instructions. She looked back and gave Angel a look. "And all mischievous bunnies need to wait inside."
Angel crossed his arms and tilted his nose up. Fluttershy gazed at him calmly; there was no way he was going to win her over this time.
Finally, the staring match ended when Angel realized his caretaker wasn't going to let up. He shrugged and bounded up the path before disappearing into the little door in the cottage.
With the most troublesome animals out of the way, she ordered the others back to their homes with promises of lunch in the later hours before following in Angel's paw-steps up the winding dirt path. Now that she was closer to the door, she could see something taped to it. She took it off and read it out loud carefully.
"Fluttershy, you are invited to a party at Sugarcube Corner..."
"Applejack, I must say this just might be my finest work."
Applejack smiled as she gazed at herself in the mirror. "Really?"
Rarity stepped into place to where she could see herself alongside the orange mare. She threw her forleg around the Earth Pony and grinned. "I do, indeed! You look fabulous!" The mares looked up at a thump on the door. "Excuse me, dear." She walked quickly to the door and opened it. She looked left and right before stepping out. "Hello-- huh?" She stepped back as a small piece of paper flitted to the ground and skidded a bit before resting at her hooves. She levitated it to her eye-level and read it once over. She looked over her shoulder at the orange mare who was still admiring herself in the mirror and grinned.
"Applejack, you could not have timed your request better."
"Pinkie, are you sure about this? Applejack might not feel up to a party right now." Twilight fretted as she levitated a list Pinkie had just handed her. Streamers, music, cupcakes, games; all things you could find at a normal Pinkie Party. The lavender Alicorn was still worried her friend would still be too grief-stricken for partying at the moment, and a party thrown by Pinkie at that!
"How can somepony not wanna party?" Pinkie put her hooves on the counter and leaned over it to where she was only about half a centimeter from the Princess' face. "Parties are the superest sure-fire way to cheer somepony up!" She pointed to Fluttershy, who was hanging up a banner. "Even quiet ol' Fluttershy likes to party!" She grinned sheepishly at the buttery Pegasus. "No offense, of course!" Fluttershy just giggled at the pink mare and waved a yellow hoof at her before turning back to the banner.
"Pinkie's right, Twi. A party is exactly what Applejack needs." Rainbow Dash said as she flew by. The Pegasus flew passed so quickly that Twilight wasn't sure if the rainbow she'd seen had been Rainbow's tail or the variety of streamers she'd been towing.
"Where is Applejack, anyway?" Fluttershy asked as she put the last pin into the banner.
"I think I saw her go into Rarity's earlier." Rainbow reported.
"Sort of an odd place for a pony like herself to be, don't you think?" Twilight pondered out loud.
Fluttershy shrugged as she reached into a box and pulled out a tablecloth that matched the color of her mane. "Rarity's a good listener when it comes to personal problems. I know she always makes me feel better when I've had a bad day."
"That's true." Twilight murmured to herself. She looked up and smiled when she saw Rarity enter the Sugarcube Corner's lobby. "Rarity, there you are! Is Applejack with you?"
Rarity giggled and waved a dainty hoof at the Princess. "The old one isn't."
"Huh?" Rainbow Dash hovered above Rarity's head and pointedly stuck her snout in her face, but for once the fashionista didn't seem to mind the lack of personal space.
"Girls, Applejack came to me today looking hopeful and a bit scared," She turned to where she could see all of the room's occupants before continuing. "She wanted to start fresh, she wanted to feel new, something to symbolize the fact that good can come from bad."
"I don't follow." Twilight said, shaking her head.
"Perhaps it would be easier if I just showed you." Rarity grinned and stood away from the door and raised a hoof. "Ladies, it is my greatest pleasure to present to you, the newly rejuvenated Applejack!"
The five mares stared in wonder as the a pair of orange hooves appeared outside the door, soon followed by the sleek, well chiseled body that could only belong to an Apple mare. It wasn't her boy that was different. Not her voice, not her eyes, but her mane. Her hair wasn't in the ribbons, but was instead loose. It barely reached her shoulders before going into tight ringlets that framed her face. It hadn't been cut, for there were no jagged areas, but Applejack's mane had been curled so tightly that it seemed shorter.
Twilight smiled as she looked on Applejack's head to see that her Stetson still sat proudly atop her curly mane. "Applejack, you look--"
"Terrific!"
"Awesome!"
"Beautiful."
Rarity let out a giggle. "Stunning!"
Applejack blushed and shuffled her hooves a bit before speaking. "I just, felt I needed a fresh change, somethin' new, ya know?"
Pinkie Pie sprang into view then, startling the orange Earth Pony. Her face was distressed and a sweat broke on her brow. "Oh no! I've thrown the wrong party!"
Rarity tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
"This party is an 'Applejack-Is-Feeling-Better' party! Not an 'Applejack-Looks-Super-Duper-Amazing-With-Her-New-Hairstyle' party!"