Misconception

by Drizzle Quill

Part Two: -she's not-

Applejack laughed, doubling over with the shudders shaking throughout her whole body. Guffawing, she looked over the letter again and let loose a whole new storm of snickers. Rarity watched, jaw open, as the farm pony continued to laugh. It was like she wasn’t able to stop!

After a few minutes more, Applejack looked up at Rarity, eyes brimming with tears of laughter. “Ah – Ah’m sorry, Rare,” she choked out. “It’s just…It’s just…”

“A disaster, that’s what!” the unicorn replied in a shrill tone. “My father believes…believes…” A blush spread across her muzzle, and Rarity looked away, unable to say anything more without tragically dying of embarrassment before the time bomb went off.

AJ snorted. “Ah know what he believes. Ah read the letter too, ya know.”

Staring at her in disbelief, Rarity stuttered, “But..b-but…”

Her face suddenly burned as the carrot-colored earth pony snickered and elbowed her slightly. “Who’s to say we can’t have some fun with this, y’know?”

Rarity blushed and backed away. “Applejack! …personal space!”

Rolling her eyes, Applejack let out another low chuckle. “All Ah’m saying is that ya don’t have to twist ‘n turn this into such a bad situation!”

A horrified gasp escaped the unicorn’s mouth, and she stared at the earth pony in horror. “Applejack, this is my father! We’re not going to go and lie about some faux…relationship—” – even saying the word made her snowy pelt turn crimson – “—to my father!”

AJ looked at her, green eyes half closed. “And why not?”

Rarity’s cerulean eyes went wide. “B-B-Because…because…” she sputtered, clearly at a loss for words. That smug look Applejack was giving her was clearly much more than she could bear. “Argh! May-be you just won’t go!” Letting out a screech of frustration, she cantered off in the opposite direction.

The earth pony watched, confusion now in her eyes. “But…” The expression trailed off, replaced with one of smug satisfaction. “Never mind, Rares…we can still have fun with this yet.”

The next morning, Rarity was awoken from her peaceful, non-chaotic-and-incredibly-embarrassing slumber by three sharp knocks on her front door. She thought nothing of them at first, simply rolling over on one side to ignore them. Probably some salespony that would go away in a few minutes.

Then the knocks came again, louder this time. Tap, tap, tap.

Lifting one eye open, Rarity groaned. She had stayed up later last night than she would have liked, worrying about ‘reputation’ and ‘popularity’ among the citizens of Ponyville once they heard of this outrageous new scheme. What time had she finally fallen asleep? …1:15 in the morning, was it?

The knocks happened once more, much louder. They were going to shake the whole boutique down if Rarity didn’t answer them soon. Moaning, the unicorn levitated the sheets off of the bed and slid off, fixing the covers and summoning a comb to fix her mane as she trotted towards the door. “Carousel Boutique!” she sang in a forced cheery voice, opening the door with another beam of aura. “How can I be of assista—”

Rarity’s jaw dropped.

Applejack stood at her front door, clutching a bouquet of flowers between her teeth. Green eyes narrowed, she smiled. “Well, howdy, partner.”

“A-A-Applejack!” the unicorn stuttered, face flushing bright red. “Whatever do you think you’re doing?”

Spitting out the daisies, Applejack grinned. “Just makin’ sure mah ‘date’ is ready for her big meetin’ with her dad, ya know, the usual.”

As Rarity stood, open mouthed, face flushed as red as a rose, the earth pony looked down at the daisies she had clearly brought as an offering of romance, licked her lips, and snapped them up in one big bite. Swallowing, Applejack muttered through her mouthful, “Why’re ya starin’ like that?”

“Because…” Clearly the elegant white unicorn was at a loss for words; all of a sudden her eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared. “Because…sweet Celestia, what do you think you’re doing!”

“Yah just said that.”

If possible, Rarity’s already-red face glowed even more. “But…but…” Taking a deep breath, she prepared for the words. She really didn’t want to say them, but now she felt she had no choice. “If you are going to…disrespect my father and his beliefs like that, then…then…”

She couldn’t get the last words out. Then maybe you just shouldn’t come! Was it the fact that, as the Element of Generosity, Rarity simply couldn’t resist being generous and helping out? Every time she thought negatively, she remembered Applejack’s tears falling as the other four lay in the orchard, talking about how they would spend the day with their fathers.

“Then what?” Applejack asked defensively, all of a sudden heated and ready for a debate.

Choking up, Rarity shook her head from side to side. She opened and closed her mouth like it was on a broken hinge; no words came out.

The carrot-colored earth pony smirked and placed one hoof over her ‘marefriend’s’ shoulders. “Come on, Sugahcube. Let’s go walk ‘round Ponyville before we meet yer dad.”

No, no, no no no no no

The silent screams in Rarity’s head continued to echo as she was forced against her will to be treated like some sort of toy Applejack could drag around. It was all because of her element! Stupid element! If she hadn’t been so generous, she never would have offered to take the parentless pony along with her, and now it was too late.

Rarity cursed herself multiple times as they headed towards the center of Ponyville.

“Hi, Rarity! And Applejack!”

Freezing, the white unicorn turned to see a small purple-and-green dragon scampering up, a love-bound look hovering in his green eyes. “You look lovely today,” he complimented in a dazed voice.

A panicked though rushed through Rarity’s head. This situation wasn’t right! What if Spike got the wrong idea and thought she was rejecting him? …maybe that wouldn’t happen?

“Hello, Spikey-Wikey! How is my favorite little dragon today?” Her voice was laced with a honey-sweet tone that all could easily tell was fake.

All except Spike, that was.

“Aw, I’m great, Rarity,” the little dragon boasted as he looked his longtime crush straight in the eye. “Are you going to meet Magnum at the Daisy Days Café?”

“As a matter of fact, yes!” Rarity smiled nervously, feeling cold beads of sweat trickle down her ear. She was tempted to yelp and wipe them off, but that would be a very un-ladylike thing to do. Instead, she grinned, eyes darting back and forth, a nervous laugh escaping her lips.

Spike nodded. “And you, AJ?”

“Ah, me? Well, Ah’m here as—”

Panic shot throughout Rarity’s body. Applejack couldn’t give away their horrible, garish secret to little, innocent Spikey-Wikey! Especially since it wasn’t true whatsoever! “—as my helper!” she burst out, before she knew what she was saying.

Spike turned to her, looking confused.

“She’s helping me…bring flowers for my father!” Rarity continued, finding it slightly easier now.

“But you’re a unicorn, Rarity, can’t you just use your magic?” Spike asked.

“Oh! Heh…heh…guess I didn’t think of that! Well…” The unicorn laughed nervously and began to back up. “He should be getting there soon, and we should really get going…”

“Aww,” the dragon sighed. “Well, it was nice seeing you two. Hope you have a good time with your father, Rarity!”

“I will!” she called back, waving as Spike mournfully trotted away, his chances at hanging around with his fair maiden vanished like the snow.

Pain shot through her heart as Rarity watched, turning back towards the Daisy Days. “I wouldn’t have had to lie to him if you didn’t nearly explain what was going on,” she hissed in her companion’s ear. Applejack chuckled.

“You pointed it out yes’erday, but Ah am the Element o’ Honesty,” she grinned.

Rarity closed her eyes, fighting back the urge to scream.

All of a sudden Applejack’s green eyes lit up. “Look! There’s the Daisy Days Café,” she remarked, pointing. “And…is that yer father?”

Rarity opened one eye to see a white stallion with a brown mane and a tweedy straw hat sitting outside the entrance of the renowned café, known for making the best dandelion and daisy sandwiches in all of Equestria. It was indeed her father, Magnum. Letting out a shaky smile, she hissed, “That’s him!”

Looking the pony up and down, AJ smiled. “Well, let’s go meet ‘im, then!”

“But…I must tell you, my father is rather…” Rarity searched for the right word and eventually landed on a drab “strange.”

“Ah’m sure he’ll be just fine and dandy.”

“But—!”

The orange earth pony let out a faux imitation of Rarity. “But! But! But! Not another word, sugahcube,” she snickered, placing one hoof upon her ‘date’s’ back. “Are you sure you’re ready fer this?”

Rarity took in a deep breath and looked at her eagerly awaiting father. She thought of the letter. She thought of her mixed feelings, and Applejack’s clear ones. She thought of Spike.

Rarity let the breath out.

“Ready.”

Winking, AJ smiled as they began the steady trot towards Magnum. “Then let’s go, an’ have the best date of our lives.”