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// Day 2: Rarity 
// Story: Magical Mystery Cure (my take) 
// by Phazon_Corrupted_Unicorn 
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Rarity rolled over in her bed and stretched. She always felt rested after sleeping in her bed, unlike sleeping out in the woods like she had that one time Applejack insisted on camping out. She huffed, she hated camping.
She rolled out of bed and onto her hooves, then trotted into the bathroom and started to prepare for the day ahead. She stepped into the shower and flipped on the water with a hoof. She reached a hoof up to rest on her forehead and sighed. Her horn was still gone, she’d wondered if it had been a dream, or a nightmare.
She washed herself and dried off quickly. She didn’t have her horn and so she needed to work quickly. Yesterday Sweetie Belle and her had gotten far in her dressmaking, but there was still a lot to be done.
“Sweetie Belle! Time to get up!” she called down the hall, then moved into the kitchen to make breakfast. It went slower without her magic, but she made due and had breakfast on the table shortly before her sister stumbled into the room. Sweetie Belle slumped into a chair and rested her head on the table. Rarity smiled at the sight.
“Tired of making dresses already?” she asked.
“No, I just didn’t know they would be this much work,” Sweetie Belle’s muffled voice said through the table.
“Well, I for one enjoyed the time we spent together. It was nice,” Rarity stated, placing a plate of hay pancakes on the table.
“Well, of course you enjoyed making dresses! That’s what you-. Wait, did you say you liked spending time with me?” Sweetie Belle jerked her head up in surprise at Rarity’s statement. Her eyes grew wide as Rarity nodded and smiled.
“Of course, it was nice to spend time with my little sister. We were working together on a goal and we accomplished a large portion of it. I had fun.”
Just then a knock sounded at Rarity’s door. Rarity turned and looked at Sweetie Belle who looked at her with a quizzical look on her face.
“Now I wonder who that could be?” Rarity asked, moving to the door and looking out the window. She smiled as she recognized the two fillies outside and she stepped aside, then opened the door.
Two blurs, one orange and the other tan, darted past her and into the kitchen. Rarity smiled and let out a small chuckle as she walked back into the kitchen and saw her sister’s two friends sitting there at the table.
“Come on, Sweetie Belle!” the orange filly, Scootaloo, whined, “let’s go get our cutie marks today!”
“Yeah, mah sister says we can use one of our fields for our crusadin’!” Applebloom exclaimed.
“Now girls,” Rarity said, “let Sweetie Belle eat her breakfast!”
Sweetie Belle smiled at her sister, then started to eat.
She finished a few minutes later and, picking up her plate in her mouth, placed her dishes in the sink, then looked at Rarity.
“Are you sure you don’t need my help today?” she asked and Rarity shook her head.
“Nonsense, Sweetie Belle. I was thinking of heading to Sweet Apple Acres to visit with Applejack. Now that I’m, well I don’t have a horn, I guess I’d better seek out some advice,” Rarity said, waving her sister out the door.
“Thanks sis!” Sweetie Belle shouted as she closed the door behind Scootaloo, Applebloom, and herself.
Rarity just smiled and shook her head. There would come a time when her sister finally realized her talents and discovered her cutie mark, the same with her two friends. She just hoped it would be soon. She looked around her shop, thinking about what she’d need to bring to Applejack’s.
She huffed and gave up. Anything she’d need, Applejack probably had it at the farm. She turned to the door, opening it and closing it behind her, making sure that the open sign was still on closed. She didn’t know how long this might take, but she was prepared to use the entire day if she had to.

It wasn’t more than twenty minutes before she found herself in front of the sign to Sweet Apple Acres. She looked around and, seeing nopony out in the yard, moved to the front door. She raised a hoof and knocked. She stood there waiting for a few seconds before she heard something in the barn.
She stepped off the porch and moved to look into the barn. Her mouth dropped as she saw Applejack standing there, a look of concentration on her face as she glared at a bale of hay sitting on the floor of the barn. The bale was wrapped in an orange aura and Applejack’s horn shone with an equally bright glow.
“Apple-“ she started to say, but stopped as she watched Applejack let out a shout of frustration as she sent the bale launching into the air, punching a hole through the roof of the barn. Applejack let out a snort of frustration and she stomped her hoof on the ground.
“Consarnit!” she exclaimed, then turned to face the barn door. She started in surprise as a her eyes got wide.
“Rar-Rarity! Whatcha doin’ here this early in the mornin’?” she asked, a slight redness tinting her cheeks.
“Well, seeing as I don’t have a horn, I figured that you might be willing to give me a few lessons on how earth ponies live and function? I’m afraid I can’t do much work on my dresses if I don’t know how to work with just my hooves,” Rarity said, stepping into the dim barn. She looked up at the hole in the ceiling and smiled. “It seems like you might need some help with your magic, am I right? Or did you mean to send that bale of hay sky high?”
Applejack rubbed the back of her head with a hoof and let out a nervous chuckle. “Sorry, yah had ta see that. Ah’ve been tryin’ ta get the hang of this here magic, but it all ends up the same.”
“Why, dear Applejack, your problem isn’t with your determination or even your strength. It’s because you’re using too much at once,” Rarity said, stepping up next to her. She felt Applejack stiffen a little at the contact of their coats. Oh Applejack, she thought wistfully.
“Wh-what do ya mean ‘ah’m usin’ too much’?” Applejack stuttered out.
“Quite simple, magic is not something you just throw yourself into, unless you’re like our friend Twilight, who has an enormous font. Magic is something that you have to think about. It’s not about using as much power as you have, though that does affect the end result of a spell, but rather it’s knowing exactly how much energy needed to accomplish your task. Use too much and you risk burning through your font before you’ve accomplished half your tasks. Use too little and you don’t accomplish anything. Try it again,” Rarity looked around the barn, smiling as she spied a bucket, “lift that bucket off the floor.”
Applejack stepped away from her, smiling, “that’s all? Easy!” Her horn glowed orange and Rarity watched the bucket as it was enveloped by the same color aura. She watched both the bucket and Applejack as she grunted in effort. Rarity had just glanced at the bucket in time to see it shoot into the air and bounce off one of the rafters, dropping back down to the ground.
Applejack panted for breathe and wiped off some of the sweat from her forehead. “See?” she said, looking at Rarity, “ah told ya it was easy.”
“Well,” Rarity smiled, “any unicorn worth her horn could send a bucket shooting into the sky. But that’s not what you need to work on. You need to work on control. Now,” Rarity said as she raised her hoof until it was about a foot off the floor, “lift the bucket up to my hoof and no higher.”
Applejack grunted, then focused again on the bucket. Rarity watched the bucket as it trembled on the ground. She didn’t need to be a unicorn to feel the magic flooding the room. She sighed, then walked over and raised a hoof. Applejack had her eyes closed in concentration and didn’t notice. Rarity reached out with her hoof and flicked the tip of Applejack’s horn, causing her to yelp in surprise and the aura to vanish.
“Now, what the hay’d ya do that for?” Applejack protested as she stumbled backward.
“You were using too much magic,” Rarity stated, stomping a hoof.
“But why’d ya go and flick mah horn? Ah didn’t realize it was so-“ Applejack trailed off, a slight blush on her cheeks.
“Sensitive?” Rarity chuckled, “horns are, by nature. They have to be, else how could you know exactly how much magic you need for a spell?” She glanced at Applejack who had raised a hoof to her horn and was sliding it up and down the length of it, sending small sparks off the tip. Rarity smiled and shook her head. “Now then, what do you know about magic?” she asked, drawing Applejack’s attention away from her horn and back to Rarity.
“Well, Ah know that magic can do a lot. The ponies in larger cities use magic to help with cleaning up winter, and Celestia and Luna use their magic to move the sun and moon,” Applejack stated.
“Yes, this is all true, but what do you know about the use of magic?” Rarity asked.
Applejack sat back on her haunches and thought for a few minutes, then shook her head. “To be honest, Ah don’t know the first thing about it.”
Rarity nodded, “then let’s start at the beginning.” She cleared her throat, then began.
“What we call magic is merely the talent of utilizing the natural forces around us. The three pony races each have a tie to some part of those forces in our world. Pegasi have much better control over weather than even the most advanced unicorns do. Earth ponies can grow things in places nopony would think possible. And unicorns can tap into the latent magic to assist in bettering everyday life. Each race has a specific need and place in Equestria.
“Now most ponies can’t use much of the forces around us but there are a few, like Twilight for instance, who use magic almost effortlessly. They are able to use everyday spells without a single thought, like levitation or teleportation. This heightened talent allows these unicorns to delve into the very depths of magic, using the natural forces in ways most ponies can only dream. These ponies are the ones legends are made of. Starswirl the Bearded was one of them and it would not surprise me if I found out that our Twilight was descended from him.
“Magic itself is governed by-“ Rarity began to explain, but was interrupted by Applejack shoving a hoof in her mouth.
“Listen sugarcube. Ah appreciate all that ya do fur me, but do ya think we can stick with simple stuff, like helpin’ me control mah magic? Ah can learn about the theory later. Ah’m sure Twilight would enjoy somepony to talk to,” Applejack sighed, then pulled her hoof away from Rarity’s mouth.
Rarity thought for a second, then nodded. “Very well, Applejack. I realize that I was getting a little too explanatory. We’ll start simple then, just with control.” She stood up on her hind legs and brushed a few stray pieces of straw off Applejack’s horn with a hoof. She smiled as she caught a whiff of earth from Applejack’s mane.
Rarity came back down onto her hooves, then looked at Applejack who blinked, then shook her head. “Alright, first thing I want you to do is reach out with your mind,” she said. Applejack stood there, blank faced at her and Rarity sighed.
“Close your eyes,” she said and Applejack did just that, “now reach out with your mind. Feel the wind through your mane, the dirt beneath your hooves, the breath in your lungs. Now reach out your mind and you should feel something.”
“Ah feel the world, just different,” Applejack stated, her face scrunching up into a look of concentration.
Rarity smiled, “good, the world looks differently from a mage’s point of view. You should be able to see the objects around you,” She paused and Applejack nodded, “now, reach out with your magic and touch the bucket. Feel the wood, the weight, the dimensions of the bucket.”
“It feels,” Applejack struggled to find the words, “solid, but airy, like mist.”
“And now all you have to do is extend your magic over the bucket and lift it. Don’t strain yourself. It’s just like lifting it with your hoof or your mouth. Just use enough energy as you need,” Rarity stated. She turned and watched the bucket as it was enveloped by Applejack’s magic then rose, trembling, into the air until it stopped about three feet off the floor.
“Good job, Applejack!” and before either Applejack or Rarity knew what was going on, she had given Applejack a quick nuzzle on her neck. This consequentially caused Applejack’s concentration to slip and the bucket fell back to the ground with a thud, and Rarity just stood there stunned at what she’d done. She blinked a few times, then turned to the door.
“I’m sorry, Applejack. I don’t know what came over me!” and before Applejack could do anything, Rarity ran out of the barn door and down the lane.

Rarity didn’t stop running until she’s arrived at her Boutique, rushed inside, and slammed the door behind her. She hadn’t thought of anything except what had happened at the farm. She’d been too caught up in her thoughts that she’d almost missed Pinkie Pie walking across the street.
She slumped to the floor, distressed and distraught. She didn’t want to think about what’d happened at the farm, but she couldn’t think of anything else. First Fluttershy hadn’t shown up at their spa appointment yesterday and now today she’d…she’d, Rarity couldn’t bring herself to think about it. Why did she do it, anyways? She’d just gotten caught up in the moment. Her mind flashed back to the farm, running over the details of the encounter.
She’d stood there, watching Applejack use her magic. She’d seen the look of concentration on the mare’s face, the furrowed brow, the clenched teeth, the small beads of sweat forming on her brow as she tried to lift the bucket.
But Rarity’s thoughts didn’t stop there. She recalled Applejack’s scent, like tilled earth, that had washed over her as she’d cleaned off her horn, the feel of Applejack’s coat, smooth and light to prevent overheating in the sun, the muscles that strained from effort at pouring energy into her magic, Applejack’s tail that had twitched slightly, moving from side to side and drawing attention to her cutie mark and---, Rarity stopped right there, her cheeks turning a very close shade to Big Mac’s coat.
She let out a scream of frustration and stomped up the stairs to her Inspiration Room. She slammed the door and leapt back into her dressmaking that her and Sweetie Belle had been working on yesterday.
She was only at it for a few minutes when she let out a cry of defeat and let her head drop onto her writing desk. Her mind was too caught up in what had happened that she couldn’t concentrate. She dropped her quill and, shaking her head, decided to get to the bottom of this. She was going to do her own bit of research.
She walked out of the room and into her bedroom. She moved to a bookshelf that occupied a portion of one wall and pulled out several books. They were not your normal books for a unicorn to read, but they were quite normal for any mare worth her coat. She plopped down on her bed and pulled open one of them, laying down to read it.
“Pride and Prejudice, this should give me the answers I need,” she said, flipping it open to the first page and started to read.

Several hours later, Rarity still lay on the bed, reading her book. She glanced up at the clock and gasped. It was already that late?! She slammed the book, after placing a lacy bookmark at her place, and moved all the books off her bed, placing them back on the shelf where they belonged. She then walked out her bedroom door and moved toward Sweetie Belle’s room. She poked her head in and sighed as she saw the empty room. Then she turned and trotted down the stairs.
“Sweetie Belle? Are you home?” she called, but nopony answered back. She sighed in frustration. She’d expected Sweetie Belle home sooner than now, and she was about to walk out the door to go find her when a realization came to her.
Sweetie Belle and her friends were at Sweet Apple Acres. That was the same place Applejack lived. And she’d been there earlier today. And that was where THAT had happened. Rarity growled in frustration and stomped her hoof on the floor.
“Alright! I’m coming!” a muffled voice was heard on the other side of the door and Rarity found herself acquainted with her front door as she tried to understand what had happened.
She stepped back and heard a gasp as Sweetie Belle walked through the door.
“I’m sorry, sister! I didn’t mean it! I mean, I just heard you growl in frustration and stomp your hoof and I figured I was in trouble and that I’d better get home and why did you leave Sweet Apple Acres so soon? Did Applejack teach you how to be an earth pony?” all of this was said so fast that Pinkie Pie would have been proud at the speed as Sweetie Belle rushed around the door and started to apologize. As Rarity’s mind processed the rapid stream of comments, the two questions stood out in her mind. She yelped in surprise, one that rivaled any Fluttershy would have given, and leapt back.
“Why Sweetie Belle, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Rarity laughed nervously, “I didn’t leave Applejack’s quickly and nothing happened between us two. She was just busy and I didn’t want to intrude on her any more than I had already.” She gave a forced smile and Sweetie Belle raised one eyebrow.
“Ok, as long as you’re not mad at me for hitting you with the door,” she said slowly.
“What? Of course not, dear. In fact, I have to thank you for shaking me out of my thought process,” Rarity replied, “but anyways, it’s time for bed. I hope you had a fun time with Scootaloo and Applebloom and that you got a lot of crusading done.” Rarity began shepherding Sweetie Belle up the stairs and into the bathroom, then shut the door and so that they could get ready for bed together.
They left the bathroom several minutes later, teeth brushed and manes combed. Rarity walked Sweetie Belle to her room and tucked her in, then she nuzzled her goodnight and turned out the light.
Rarity walked back to her room and flopped back onto the bed. Her mind ran through the day’s events again and she shook her head, trying to clear her mind, when something hit her.
She’d nuzzled Sweetie Belle goodnight and that had been sisterly love. But, as she thought about the nuzzle she’d given Applejack at the farm, she didn’t, no she couldn’t identify the feeling she’d felt that morning.
She rolled over and over, trying to clear her mind of it’s troubles, but to no avail. It was going to be a long night.