//------------------------------// // Ch1: What's that doll, Rarity? // Story: Believe // by Rapplejack //------------------------------// ".. Applejack.. I love you." Ponyville was as fine as ever; Princess Celestia has been granting beautiful skies to Ponyville lately, so the weather ponies had little to no work to do. The ponies in Ponyville were all peaceful; nothing bad has happened since Discord's Reign of Chaos. Pinky Pie was doing her daily check up on everypony in Ponyville, as usual.. Fluttershy was calming the animals, as usual.. Twilight Sparkle was busy practicing magic with Spike, as usual.. Rainbow Dash was testing out her new tricks, as usual.. And Applejack was bucking apples out of trees, as usual.. Everything was very organized and peaceful... Except at the Carousel Boutique. Here we join Rarity as she scrambles about her store in an attempt to finish 12 dresses by tonight. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Oh no no no no no! This isn't how the dress is supposed to look at all!" Rarity said while looking at the 4th dress she completed this afternoon. She glanced over at the first 3 dresses she had complete earlier that day. They were all flawlessly made, each covered in their respective birthstone they were modeled after. The 4th dress, which was to represent April's birthstone: Diamond, was proving to be a real challenge to Rarity. " Oh I am never going to finish all these dresses in time!" Rarity started scrapping the dress and decided it was best to redo the entire thing. While she was in the middle of scrapping it, Sweetie Belle walked in. " Rarity, I'm going out with Applebloom and Scootaloo! We are going to earn our... What are you doing Rarity?" Sweetie Belle looked to see her older sister ripping up a beautiful white dress in the most un-Rarity like fashion ever. " Sis.. Are you feeling okay?" " Yes I am fine Sweetie Belle, absolutely fine. Now hurry along, you wouldn't want to keep Applebloom and Scootaloo waiting all day for you." Rarity said, still ripping the dress to pieces. " Yeah.. I guess you're right.. See you later!" Sweetie Belle said, running out the door. Rarity gave Sweetie Belle a quick wave goodbye, then looked back at the ruined dress. " Okay Rarity, you can do this. Just a couple more dresses!" Rarity said, trying to boost her own confidence. She glanced over at the 3 dresses she already had made and realized she needed to complete 9 more before the day ended. " Just.... A couple more dresses.." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rarity fell to the floor exhausted, a turquoise gem fell next to her. She had just finished completing the dress that represented December's birthstone: Turquoise. " That.. Wasn't.. So.. Bad... Now.. Was.. It.. Rarity..." Rarity panted, totally exhausted from the non-stop work. It was around 11:49 p.m, so she barely made the deadline. " Well, time for some much needed beauty sleep." Rarity said, limping to her bedroom. She turned off the lights and wormed her way into her lavender blankets. Rarity always slept on her feather bed, which was made of the highest quality feathers in all of Equestria; she couldn't imagine a night without her comfortable feather bed. When Rarity was about to fall into her much needed sleep, she realized she was missing something important; something very important to her heart. She reached underneath her bed and pulled out a plush doll. She hand crafted this plush doll out of the finest fabric in all of Equestria ( yes, she tends to use only the finest of materials. ) Rarity stared at the doll briefly, then gave it a passionate squeeze against her cheek. She held the doll close the her until tears started to come out of her eyes. As tears soon turned to sobs, Rarity squeezed the doll even tighter. " Oh.. Applejack.. Why can't you really be here with me.." Rarity said, staring at the plush doll of her beloved friend, Applejack. She couldn't figure out when she started to see Applejack as more than a friend, but she did realize how much Applejack meant to her. She created the doll two weeks ago, only after she was absolutely sure these feelings were genuine. ".. Is it.. Really that bad for a mare to love another mare.. Why.. Oh why can't loving another mare be normal.. Am I really not normal? Well.. Of course I'm not, I'm the most fabulous pony in all of Equestria!.. So why.. Why am I feeling like this towards another mare.." Rarity sighed, staring at the plush doll of Applejack. Rarity blushed a deep shade of red thinking about Applejack, she thought of how her smile would just make all the butterflies in Rarity's stomach flutter. She stared at the dolls emerald green eyes, just like the real Applejack's; Although they'd never compare to how beautiful and mystifying the real Applejack's were. Rarity slowly brought the doll's muzzle towards her own. She gave the plush Applejack a passionate kiss, holding it for what seemed to be forever in Rarity's mind. She slowly pulled away from the doll's muzzle, staring into the emerald eyes. Rarity turned an even deeper shade of red, holding the doll close to her chest. What will Applejack do if she finds out my feels towards her! Oh.. What will the rest of my friends do!.. I.. I just want to be with the pony I care about the most.. I just.. Rarity stopped mid thought, crying against the top of the doll's mane. Rarity's eyes started to burn as she wiped them dry, kissing the top of the doll as an apology for getting it's mane wet. Rarity held the doll softly, but tightly against her cheek; Rarity loved the gentle feeling of the doll against her cheek, it calmed her down great deal. After all the hard work Rarity had done today, she was exhausted. She wiped up the remainder of her tears as she snuggled with the doll. The fashionista started to fall into a deep, but peaceful slumber; thinking of Applejack, and only Applejack while she dozed off. Before Rarity fell asleep, she whispered to the doll, ".. Applejack.. I love you." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------