//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Pre-Launch pt 2 // Story: Days of Change // by Bellex //------------------------------// Pre-Launch pt 2 Applejack walks away from the Boutique, carefully listening for Rarity to go back into her home. After walking a block with nothing happening, Applejack looks out with the corner of her eye. Rarity is sitting there on her porch looking out over the homes of Ponyville before turning back around and entering her home. What's with Rarity? What's so darn special about that pegasus? She's clumsy, accident ridden, practically eats only muffins and can't mail a letter for a hoot. It took a moment of her stewing in her own thoughts before realizing what she was thinking. She was jealous, she knew this immediately and she didn't like the feeling. With a shake of her head she focused solely on today's market, forgetting Derpy for the time being. When Applejack made it to the market, there were only a few spots to set up. She missed the morning rush so had to settle for the afternoon shoppers to arrive. With practiced hooves a stall was set up and laden with produce and baked goods in no time. With time to spare, she talks with her neighbor Golden Harvest. After a while the first shoppers came to market. The first few being ponies that usually came in the mornings, all wanting a pie. Pretty soon there is a line of ponies waiting to get her apples. In the back of that line there stood Derpy, with one of her saddlebags laden with what Applejack could only guess as having fruits and berries for muffins. That didn't stop a frown from coming on her face. She had forgotten about her since this morning, and Applejack could feel her chest tighten just looking at Derpy. After a few more customers saw Derpy at the front of the line, looking over what was left. "Hey Applejack, nice day we're having." Derpy's bubbly way of talking would usually remind Applejack of an excited filly. But today it just sounded annoying. "Howdy Derpy. What can ah get for ya?" Applejack didn't want to be rude, but being completely polite was a little beyond her at the moment, a slight firmness in her tone of voice. Derpy didn't seem to notice. "Could I get a bushel of apples and two fritters?" Obliviously happy. Some ponies around the two took notice. "Sure thing. That'll be 14 bits." Applejack brings out the goods while Derpy hoofs over the bits. Putting the goods away, Derpy bids Applejack a good day. Applejack only nods and quietly stares at Derpy leaving, the frown returning to her face. A moment passes before she looks back to her stall, a sour expression on her face. The ponies in front of her are quiet until one comes up to order. The rest of her sales are this way. Quiet and quick. She finishes up early, so she packs up and does her own shopping. That goes by quickly, mostly because very few ponies needed what she did. With everything taken care of she heads back to her home. Coming up on the Boutique Applejack decides to pay Rarity a visit. Unharnessing the cart, she leaves it in front of the steps. Before she could knock though, she hears Rarity singing inside. Forgoing the knock, she instead goes over to a window and peers inside. ******************** With lunch over, Rarity goes to work on the unfinished dress of Derpy's. All the while imagining how gorgeous she would look in it. Not realizing where her thoughts are going, her needlework slows down as she begins to imagine Derpy at first wearing the dress, to there being less and less fabric that she's wearing. It wasn't until she imagined Derpy in a red satin saddle that Rarity gave a start with a heavy blush that she stopped her daydream. Come on Rarity, it's not like you to get so distracted by a single pony. Even if that pony has some soft lips and a nice fla... She shakes her head furiously. Stop that. Can't you wait even a day before going into the gutter. So with a sense of purpose she goes back to work, making sure every detail is just perfect. Before long she starts to hum. Soon after she begins to swing her hips side to side, a tune going through her head. It was a song she heard in her youth, and strangely it fit her mood. After a couple run throughs in her head she started to sing. Desperate for changing, starving for truth I'm closer to where I started, I'm chasing after you I'm falling even more in love with you Letting go of all I've held on to I'm standing here until you make me move I'm hanging by a moment here with you Rarity doesn't see the cowboy hat, nor its owner looking through the window of her shop. She continues to sing, letting her body move on its own. Forgetting all I'm lacking, completely incomplete I'll take your invitation, you take all of me now I'm falling even more in love with you Letting go of all I've held on to I'm standing here until you make me move I'm hanging by a moment here with you I'm living for the only thing I know I'm running and not quite sure where to go And I don't know what I'm diving into Just hanging by a moment here with you Rarity started to get lost in the music in her head. Doing a spin here and there around the ponyquin, all the while continuing to bring the dress together. There's nothing else to lose, there's nothing else to find There's nothing in the world that can change my mind There is nothing else There is nothing else There is nothing else Desperate for changing, starving for truth I'm closer to where I started, I'm chasing after you I'm falling even more in love with you Letting go of all I've held on to I'm standing here until you make me move I'm hanging by a moment here with you I'm living for the only thing I know I'm running and not quite sure where to go And I don't know what I'm diving into Just hanging by a moment here with you Rarity does one final spin before stopping in front of the dress. With a forehoof, she brings it up to the ponyquins head and rubs where the cheek would be. Just hanging by a moment Just hanging by a moment I'm hanging by a moment Just hanging by a moment here with you Hours pass with Rarity making remarkable progress on the dress after her little solo. Her workroom is bathed in the gentle orange glow of the setting sun. The quite is destroyed by her shop door opening and slamming shut. Followed by the high pitched annoyance of Sweetie Belle. Preparing to ask what's wrong, Rarity glances at her sister and sees what has her in such a huff. Sweetie is covered in tree sap...again. Chuckling softly, she doesn't say anything, just lets Sweetie go to the bathroom. Looking back to the dress for the final time today, all that is left is to do a fitting, which will be happening tomorrow. With that, she puts everything away, cleans up the scraps and heads to make dinner for her and her sister. ********************** After watching Rarity do her little song and dance, Applejack decides it would be better to go home. She didn't want to interrupt Rarity when she was in the zone. With a sigh she moves back to her cart and continues home. After dropping the supplies in front of the house and putting the cart in the barn, Applejack returns to put everything in her home. After everything is put away she begins dinner, but not before Applebloom comes marching in covered in sap and dirt. She greets her sticky sister with a chuckle, which Applebloom responds with a grunt before going to clean up. It's a good thing Rarity found a shampoo that gits rid of tree sap like it was never there. Must be more common then I thought. The thought of Rarity brought her out of her amused mood. She goes back to cooking to distract herself.