Chapter 4: The Lights Go Out
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Celestia's sun shone brightly on the deck of the Titanic as it passed calmly through the waters of the ocean around it. The weather was unnaturally sunny, as the ship's route brought it through a particularly cold part of the world. It had been blessed with a brief period of warm, clear daylight, perfect for the brunch being held on the port side of the ship. The good weather, however, was not the topic of discussion at the brunch, and was hardly on the minds of any ponies there; one unicorn in particular cared not of the sun and its business with the weather.
Jack needlessly straightened his bow tie and coughed. Looking back and forth between the many fancily dressed ponies, he checked his pocket watch. Jack was, to say the least, nervous about the brunch. I should never have disclosed my room number. He had reluctantly accepted Fancy Pants' invitation when the unicorn showed up at his door, Fleur de Lis draped over his back in her signature pose. Now, though, he realized that there would be a certain somepony that he had intended to avoid for the day.
He wasn't trying to avoid Rarity to hurt her; on the contrary, he was avoiding her so that he could make their next meeting that much more anticipated. He had hoped to Celestia that she had received and read his letter to her. His mind went through everything he had been through since they had last met seen each other.
Rarity was the only thing that had been on Jack's mind since he'd stepped into his room the night before. He had never been surer of his feelings before: he was in love with Rarity. Immediately after realizing this, he had proceeded to bang his head against the wall of his bedroom until a disgruntled neighbor knocked on his door complaining about the poor timing of his noise-making. Once he had calmed down the angered pony, he had finally been able to get into bed and sleep. He had dreamed of her, imagining everything that could have gone right that night. His dreams were filled with the images of them dancing, the moonlight shining down on them like a spotlight. Her eyes burned into his memories, twin beams of blue energy leaving a mark on his mind. However, upon waking, the illusion was gone, and he was left with a dilemma; he had promised to make up his behavior the night before, and had not planned anything yet. His mind had raced, desperate to find an answer before it was too late. He searched his room, hoping to find some way to win back her heart. The answer was found in the painting above his fireplace.
The picture painted had inspired him to write the letter he had slid under Rarity's doorstep (it had taken him hours to figure out where her room was). As quickly as possible, Jack had run to the desk in his bedroom, found some stationary paper and a quill, and had hastily written down:
Dearest Rarity,
As I said, I will attempt to make up my rude behavior from the night before. Please, if you still want to give me another chance, then meet me at the prow of the ship just before sundown. I would also like to treat you to dinner, if you would like.
Sincerely,
Jack.
He had considered asking Fancy Pants to deliver the letter, but he was unable to be found, so Jack had asked around until Rarity's room's location had been learned. Delivering the letter without being seen had taken all of his nerve, and he had waited around the corner of the hallway where the room was located for thirty minutes after seeing four young mares enter the room he had been told was Rarity's. Her friends, he thought, and his mind went spiraling. What if they read the letter? What if Rarity told them what I'd done last night? Would they keep Rarity from reading it? Are they going to judge me from what Rarity may or may not have told them? Am I going to let these thoughts get to me? In the end, after almost an hour of waiting in hiding, he had trotted up to the door, slid the letter under it, and galloped away as fast as he could. He returned to his suite, and congratulated himself on working up the nerve to try to win Rarity's heart. Before he could do anything else, though, Fancy Pants had appeared in the doorway, a distant-looking Fleur next to him and an uncomfortable looking Thurmond Gold standing behind him, and invited him to the brunch. Carelessly he had agreed, and it wasn't until Fancy Pants and his company had left before he realized that Rarity would surely be there, ruining his plans.
Now, Jack was nervously awaiting first sight of the mare he had fallen for. So that I can run away from her. His thoughts fought between themselves, and he wished he could turn them off for a minute. He stood up from the table he was at, and began to walk towards the nearest exit, desperate to leave before he ruined his own plans. He was beating himself up on the inside, but he had to stay away from her until the time he had set for them arrived. "Then," he mumbled to himself, "no more hiding." He made his way to the exit, and left the brunch completely unaware of the mare that had been following him towards the exit, desperate to speak with him.
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Rarity was not having a good day.
She had hastily gotten ready for Fancy Pants' brunch, and had almost been late after she and Twilight had gotten into a "disagreement" about what time of day was right for playing (Rarity gagged at the term Twilight had used when describing her non-platonic "activities" with Trixie) with one's partner. After practically getting shoved out of the room, Rarity had found Pinkie Pie looking over the last letter she had received. The cotton candy pony had been insistent on Rarity's reading of the letter, but at the moment it was merely tucked away in her dress pocket, waiting to be read at a later moment. When she reached Fancy Pant's party, she had immediately been swept up into a whirl of questions by other ponies present at the brunch. Though the interest in her hoof-made dresses was great for her business, Rarity could not have cared less about her profits at the moment. It was only after she told the ponies interested in her work that she was from Ponyville that she was able to think clearly (though the insult of being judged by the town she was from hadn't helped). She had sat down at a table and ordered something to eat before she had finally gotten the time to look at the letter.
It was from Jack. It instructed her to meet him at the prow of the ship just before sundown. So, she thought. This is his attempt to make up what he did last night. Or rather, what he didn't do. The thoughts of their almost perfect moment in the moonlight being ruined by Jack's sudden hesitation to kiss her made her sniffle a bit. All throughout her time at the brunch, Rarity had been trying to figure out why Jack had been so hesitant to show any emotion that would give his feelings away. He shouldn't have even bothered to hide them, she stifled a laugh that had broken through her melancholy stature. I can tell he has feelings for me. I can only hope that they're as strong as mine are for him. She had hoped to meet with him at the brunch, but at the moment, she was almost positive that he had purposely avoided the brunch because of her. She knew that she was being negative, but something about the contents of his letter had made it seem as though he only wanted to see her at the time he had set.
These thoughts were pushed to the back of her mind when she caught sight of him. At first, she couldn't tell if it was him. The unicorn she was looking at was turned around, and she could not see his (or her) face. My mind is making me see him! He's driving me insane! But there was no mistaking it: the azure unicorn she had seen was Jack. She sighed in relief when she caught sight of the flaming card on his flank. Thank Celestia! I can finally speak to him. Her hopes, however, crashed back down to earth when she saw Jack heading towards a nearby exit. "Oh no you don't," she murmured, and followed after him. Just as she was about to yell and make him turn around, so that she could finally see his face (his mask could not be seen on it, nor his person), she was blocked by an extended hoof. A voice in her ear whispered, "I wouldn't try to follow him if I were you."
Standing behind Rarity was Tuxmond Gold, his bright titular-colored coat shining in the noontime sun. He smiled warmly down at Rarity. "Please, madam. If you would come sit with me? I've been looking for somepony with some sense to talk with." His hoof was on her shoulder, and somewhere in her mind a warning light went off and was extinguished in the same moment, and she hesitated. Turning back towards the exit, she saw that Jack had disappeared, gone back to his room or wherever else he could be needed. Accepting her fate, she sighed and nodded. "Lunch right now sounds delightful." She had left her table before her food had arrived, and she only noticed now that she was starving. Gold smiled and took her hoof. "Excellent." He led her to a table that was already had a bottle of wine set on it. Rarity noticed that several ponies looked nervously at her when she sat down and had a glass poured for her by Gold. "Why are those ponies looking at us like that?" she asked him.
Gold chuckled as he poured himself a glass of the wine. "Well, as much as you don't want it to be true, there are some ponies who recall the little incident you pulled." Noticing Rarity's blush, Gold waved a hoof dismissively. "Don't worry. I know for a fact that you weren't drunk. I can tell when a mare is infatuated with a stallion, and Jack isn't exactly hard to fall for. I've even heard stories from him about other colts coming up to him and announcing that they'd changed their sexuality because of him." He laughed and sipped his glass of wine. He winced. "Mm. Should let it breath for a bit." Rarity, who had been about to taste the wine, placed it down on the tabletop. She cleared her throat, and tried to pass the time before she would have to return to her room to prepare for her meeting with Jack.
"So, Mr. Gold." Her attempts to make idle chit-chat were failing, she could already tell. "Why did you not want me to follow Jack? It really is eating at the back of my head." She heard her voice and regretted the tone she had used. Come on, Rarity, think straight! You've never had trouble with this before! To her great surprise, Gold neither laughed nor smiled. Instead, he looked down at the table, apparently lost in thought. He sighed, and spoke heavily. "I was so afraid for you, when I saw your first exchange with Jack. I had hoped that he could change, but he's using the same tricks as before. Sometimes I think that he does this to play with me, not the mares he takes home."
Rarity was taken aback by the last part of Gold's little speech. Jack, taking home mares on a regular basis? He can't be serious! She tried to hide the surprise in her voice, and simply asked, "What do you mean, 'the mares he takes home?'" Her brain had shifted into high gear, and she was now searching desperately through the list of situations that Gold could be talking about. Her list dwindled down to the worst possible when she heard Gold's answer.
"Oh, you poor girl. So young, so naive." He sipped his wine, this time without a grimace. "That's better." He set the glass down and stared across the table at the unicorn before him. "How old are you, Rarity? 19? 18?" At this change of topic, Rarity blushed. "24," she mumbled, and sipped at her wine glass nervously. Gold laughed, and said, "Well! You must tell me your secret!" His expression hardened suddenly. "I'm warning you, as I've warned many before you: don't fall under Jack's spell. He's young and free-spirited, and he'll leave you within a fortnight, no matter what prior commitment you've made to him." He leaned over the table closer to Rarity, and she could smell the rich scent of the wine on his breath. "Do you understand?"
"Yes." The answer had come out of her mouth before she had thought it, and Gold leaned back in his chair, raising his glass in a toast. "Then may I make a toast? To truly enjoying the cruise, without worry or care of the world back on shore." Rarity raised her glass in toast, and it clinked with Gold's. Though she hadn't really meant what she'd said, Rarity had no intention of letting Jack infest her mind again. Besides, her head told her. if he really is just using me, I want to make sure that I'll be one step ahead of him, and when the time comes, I will destroy him. "Hypothetically, of course." Without meaning to, she had spoken out loud. Looking up at Gold, he seemed to have not noticed, staring at a passing couple. Dammit, Rarity! You will control yourself! She would remain in control of her own actions and thoughts when she confronted Jack at the prow of the ship that evening. She had to. Speaking of evening...
"Mr. Gold, as grateful as I am for your advice, I think I shall retire for the evening," she said, dabbing her lips with a napkin and standing up from her seat. "Thank you for the wine. It was... intoxicating." She was at a loss for more words, so she simply began to walk away, wanting to find Jack as soon as possible. She heard Tuxmond Gold's parting words, and she shivered for a reason she didn't want to know.
"Remember, Ms. Rarity, there are always other stallions you can find. They may be waiting for you as we speak, simply hoping that they can get to you before Jack does."
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Applejack was in hell. She was sure of it now.
The day had started out pleasant enough. She had loved being able to wake up at a late hour without the prospect of being chewed out for skipping her duties as an apple farmer, and had lay in bed, smiling up at the ceiling with her eyes closed. After Fluttershy had woken up several minutes later, they had prepared themselves for the day, and were about to have their breakfast when Pinkie Pie had arrived at their room with a hoof around a distant-looking Rainbow Dash. It had only taken seconds for Applejack to realize that the two mares relationship had finally blossomed the way Pinkie Pie had talked about whenever she and Applejack were making apple fritters for the bake sales at the Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie had proceeded to invite them to a "breakfast party" with Twilight and Rarity. As she had suspected, both Twilight and Rarity had been surprised that Pinkie and Rainbow had gotten together, both too preoccupied with their own business (Twilight was "too much of an egghead", as Dash put it, to have noticed; Rarity was too concerned about her own relationship with Spike to ever look at her friends as potential couples themselves). Once she had finished her breakfast with her friends (minus Twilight, who stayed in her room for the duration of her time there), Applejack and Fluttershy went back to their room, where Fluttershy said she was going for a walk, though she looked like she wouldn't be able to make it out on her own for more than two minutes. Nevertheless, she had left Applejack to her devices. After a few minutes of staring at a particularly interesting bowl of fruit, she decided to go for a walk herself.
This was when things had taken a turn for the worst. Two days before the cruise, a heated discussion between Applejack and Rarity had ended with Applejack deciding that it was best for her if she used her Manehatten accent for the duration of the cruise. "You know these types, Applejack," Rarity had explained. "One small slip-up, one potential flaw in your figure or act, and they'll never shut up about it. It's of utmost importance that you use your amazing accent to keep those pompous fools from teasing you."
However, Applejack had soon found that her accent was the least of her worries. Leaving her room and going above deck, Applejack had found herself being stared at by many of the passing ponies on the ship. At first, the farm pony had not been able to guess why others would stare at her. It only took a few overheard whispers to figure out what made them stare.
"What an atrocious hat!"
"Is she seriously wearing that hat in public?"
"Oh, that's rich!"
Naturally, Applejack had had to use all of her willpower not to shout at the ones making fun of her last attachment to her deceased father. However, she had felt her spirit breaking with each overheard insult, and her brisk trot slowly turned into a self-pitying slink. That had not been what sent her over the edge, though. She had been looking down at the ground, attempting to distract herself from the degrading statements of the passersby, when the worst possible situation presented itself.
WHAM!
Applejack found herself thrown to the floor, and the sound of another pony hitting the ground only confirmed her fears. Aw, buck mah life. Looking up from her position on the floor, she saw a furious-looking member of the ship's crew staring down at her. She stood up, and had been about to apologize when, to her great shock, the colt slapped her upside the face.
"Insolent worker! Get back down to the workrooms!" His voice rang in her ears, and it matched his appearance, intimidating and rough, even for an earth pony. As the earth colt ranted, Applejack felt tears welling in her eyes. He continued to shout at her, “You think you're good enough to trot up here like you belong in this society? You hardly belong with the hicks, and I hope you understand that you're lucky to be on this ship at all-"
"SECOND OFFICER LOUD MOUTH! WHAT IN CELESTIA'S NAME DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!?" The aptly-named earth pony turned at the sound of another pony's voice, and froze up when he recognized who it was. Even Applejack could tell who had just yelled at the worker.
It was the captain of the ship. The papers had given his name, and his name tag was a redundant presence on his chest: Captain North Star. Applejack shuddered. Though she had seen him in the papers a thousand times, his actual appearance in front of her was intimidating, to say the least. Perhaps it was the fact that he was still screaming at the pony known as Loud Mouth (an understandable name) that made her cringe when she looked at him.
"S-sir" Loud Mouth was trying to stammer out an answer for his captain with great difficulty. "Th-this reprobate of a worker was-" He was silenced by North Star with a hoof in his face.
"This 'reprobate' is a PASSENGER, not a worker! And not only that, but a lady! A lady," he shouted, gesturing towards Applejack's reddening cheek, "who you have just laid a hoof on! What do you have to say for yourself?" He stared daggers at the subordinate crew member, and Applejack had to stifle a laugh when she saw the buckets of sweat pouring from Loud Mouth's brow.
"I-I-"
"I'll tell you what! I'll give you a break!" North Star placed a hoof on Loud Mouth's shoulder, a terrifyingly kind-looking smile on his face. "You're dismissed for the rest of the cruise. You have that time to reflect on your morals, and when we get back, well..." He shrugged, and Applejack could almost hear Loud Mouth's heart pounding. He managed to stutter out a tiny "Y-yes s-sir..." before he turned and walked away, leaving the captain and Applejack alone.
Now his attention was drawn to the swelling red mark on Applejack's face. Bending down to look at it, he began apologizing. "My dear lady, I have to apologize for the actions of that scumbag. He's been a problem ever since he was promoted to second mate, gaining an undeserved ego that made him into the monster that just slapped you. I hope you're alright, Miss...?" He stood up straight, and looked down at her, his dark green eyes soft now, no anger showing through his stare.
Applejack stood still for a moment, shocked at the sudden change the captain had made. He was no longer a god-like ruler, bringing fear to whomever so angered him, but simply another passenger on the ship. She shook her head to clear it. "Ah-" She shook her head again, remembering to use her accent. She looked back up at him, and calmly said, "I'm Applejack, Captain."
North Star laughed. "Oh please, I feel like I'm talking to a crew member when regular ponies call me that. To you, Ms. Applejack, I'm North Star." He bowed to her, and she blushed a little, pulling her hat down a bit. Looking back up, North Star continued. "Once again, my apologies. My crew is not all like that, I assure you. I despise ponies who can't seem to understand that those not from Canterlot or Manehatten or any place like that are still ponies like them. It disgusts me to have seen you slapped for not wearing fine clothing, and I hope I can do my best to forget it. I simply have to make it up to you." Here Applejack froze. She did not want to have to have something done for her, but she could tell that North Star would not take "no" for an answer. Not that ah would want tah say no. He ain't the kinda colt who looks tah be abusing. Her thoughts were interrupted by the feeling of a hoof on Applejack's still-orange cheek. North Star raised her head up, and she was resigned to look him in the eye. "Well, madam? I have an invitation to a dinner with the captain with your name on it, if you are so willing."
Warning lights went off in her head, but she paid them no mind. Not this time. Pushing away North Star's hoof, Applejack smiled, and said, "Thank you very much. I'd love to have dinner." She turned to walk away, but was stopped by North Star's massive form moving in front of her. Jeez! This fella is bigger than Big Mac! She looked up at him, and he smiled down back at her.
"Would you like to go for a walk? You look like you have an interesting tale to tell. Perhaps if you were to tell me your story, I would tell you mine. Is that alright?" Something about the way he said it seem more like a request than a command. Applejack blushed again and said, "Aye-aye, Captain." With a laugh, she and North Star began to walk along the side of the ship.
As they began a conversation on how they got where they were, Applejack took back her previous thoughts in her head. Hey, maybe ah'm not in that bad a place, after all.
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Loud Mouth sat in the transmissions room, looking menacingly out the window of the room at the deck below. The sun was beginning to set, and he could see a blue unicorn pacing back and forth along the prow of the ship. His mind, due to the incident that had taken place between himself, the captain, and some deceiving orange earth pony, was tuned to think the worst thoughts first.
Perhaps he's going to jump. That would spice this boring little boat ride up. And perhaps dear Captain North Star would forget all about my encounter with that little wench. He knew he was being completely ridiculous, but he also knew that blowing off steam was good for him. And at that point, nothing seemed better to him than making fun of the pony he hated the most on the ship.
He was pulled from his negative thoughts by the sound of the radio transmitter taking a message from another ship. Oh joy, he thought. What news do you bring us, outside world? More news about the weather? He tore the sheet that had printed out from the typeset machine. He was about to read when he noticed that the letter was intended to be read by "Captain North Star's eyes only!" He laughed once. North Star's eyes will never see this. It's the least I could do for the little "break" he cut me. He crumpled the message up and threw it away. Then he left the room, chuckling at the thought of what minor damage on missed message could do for him. Perhaps it's his wife, trying to contact him about a family tragedy! Or maybe he's been demoted! Oh, that would be the best! He shut the door behind himself, and the trashed message unfolded a bit at the rush of wind that came with the door slam. Though the letter had been typed in Horse code, nopony would have been able to tell that it had ever been that way. The message had been translated to proper Equestrian, and read:
TO CAPTAIN NORTH STAR STOP FOR HIS EYES ONLY STOP
THIS IS THE S.S JACALIFORNIAN REPORTING THE PRESENCE OF ICE FLOES WITHIN 48 HOURS OF YOUR SHIP, THE R.M.S. TITANIC STOP IF YOU DO NOT WANT THE SHIP TO BE IN DANGER OF BEING HIT, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE SHIP'S COURSE IS CHANGED STOP PLEASE SEND A MESSAGE BACK CONFIRMING THAT YOU HAVE DONE SO WHEN YOU DO STOP
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The sun was going down. A red-orange glow was being cast upon the prow of the ship as it sailed into the sun, chasing the celestial body as if hoping to catch it. Jack sighed at the sight. I couldn't have asked for a better setting for this moment. Any minute now, Rarity would be joining him here, and he hoped he could change her mind about him. No doubt she thinks I've been playing her. I was a fool to think that I could do something as rude as pulling away from a kiss and still try to convince her I was in love with her. I was lucky to have gotten another chance. Such a generous lady.
Hoofsteps.
Jack spun around and moved into the shadows, observing the figure heading towards him. There was no doubt about it: it was Rarity. He grinned and, careful not to make a sound and give away his location, he moved into place, ready to sweep the unicorn of his dreams off her feet.
Rarity trotted along the side off the Titanic, hearing Tuxmond Gold's words echo through her head.
So young. So naive.
Don't fall under Jack's spell.
... the other mares he's taken home.
She considered all of the things she knew about the unicorn. He was a good poker player, which, she deduced, meant he could have a gambling problem. If so, that would mean he may be a heavy drinker, thus explaining Gold's advice against "falling under his spell". It would also explain why Gold said that this had happened before, though she was almost sure he was lying when he had said that. Seeing that she was nearing their arranged meeting spot, Rarity shooed her suspicions to the back of her head, and stepped up to the prow of the ship.
No one was there.
At first, Rarity felt outraged. How dare he! Standing up a lady that he promised another chance at love to! These thoughts were immediately replaced with worrying ones. Is he alright? Was he stopped by someone? I should go and find him! All thoughts that he could simply be late were impossible; something had to be wrong. She was about to turn when a hoof covered her eyes.
"Don't move."
She squeaked. Jack had hidden from her, intended this from the start. She remembered his hesitancy to show her his face, and she figured that this was his way of keeping her from seeing it this time around. Testing her theory, she calmly spoke to him. "I suppose this means you aren't wearing that accursed mask?"
She heard his chuckle, and suddenly she was being pulled up to her hind legs, her eyes still covered by his hoof. He whispered in her ear. "You guessed. But that isn't why I did this." He began to move her legs for her. She obliged, playing along with his game. His voice continued to whisper. "I wanted to show you...this." And with that, he removed his hoof from her face.
Rarity gasped. She had been brought to the very tip of the prow, and was being held at the edge of the railing. If Jack were to let go, she would fall down into the sea, to be lost in the waves forever. On instinct, she squirmed. But Jack held her firmly in place. "It's OK. I'm holding on to you. You will not fall." His voice was comforting, and she let him hold her while she simply stared out at the ocean and the sunset. Slowly, she raised her forelegs out to her sides, and in the beauty of the moment, she screamed out, "I'M A PRINCESS! I'M THE PRINCESS OF EQUESTRIA!" She heard Jack laugh behind her, and she turned her head to catch a glimpse of his face. Jack, however, had other ideas. He held Rarity's face in place, preventing her from looking at anything but the sunset. "Sorry, Your Highness," came his voice, only a hint of sarcasm in it, "but you'll simply have to deal with staying like this until the sun goes down.
And so Rarity was held in place, and she loved every minute of it. Jack stayed close to her, his forelegs wrapped around her waist and his head resting on her shoulder, and finally, when Rarity started to believe that Celestia was purposely keeping the sun up to stop Rarity from ever seeing Jack's face, dusk fell.
Jack pulled Rarity back, and let her slide out of his grip. She slid down onto the floor, in a dreamy state between reality and fantasy, when she heard his voice calling her, from which world she could not tell.
"Well? Was that an accident, or am I going to have to find your suite by myself and show you what I look like tomorrow?"
Her eyes slowly opened, and the light of the stars shone down. She was reminded of the night before, when she had opened her eyes to a masked prince shining in the starlight. This time, though, only his hoof was visible, offered to her. She took it, and she found herself pulled into a face-full of blue fuzz. He'd pulled her up and put her head on his shoulder. She was now staring down at his flank, her eyes focused on the flaming playing card of his cuties mark. She blushed heavily, trying not to stare at any other part of his body. She felt his hoof stroke her mane, and she unintentionally cooed, and buried her head into his shoulder when she realized her mistake. He continued stroking her mane, and she finally managed a muffled, "What are you doing?"
She could almost hear his grin. "I'm setting the mood," he said.
Rarity was almost afraid to ask. "For what?"
She was pulled from his shoulder, and he turned, one hoof still holding onto hers. "Why," he said, keeping his face turned away from her, "you haven't forgotten the dance that I owe you? A proper one, of course." He spun her, and she felt his hoof wrap around her waist again. His voice came from behind her. "If that's alright with you."
She almost didn't answer back for fear of being too loud. She blushed, and breathed out her answer.
"Yes, please."
He kissed her neck, and began spinning and twirling her madly. She could not see his face, and knew that he would not let her. Unless...
She began to dance back, trying to slow herself and him long enough to catch sight of his face. She could have sworn she saw him grin, and he changed pace with her. Soon it became more of a fight dance than what Jack had begun before. And all through it, he would not reveal his face. But Rarity kept at it, moving as fast as she could. Eventually, he managed to get behind her again, and grabbed her waist. She giggled, breathing heavily from the quick movements of the dancing. She heard him panting in her ear, and she put a hoof on his cheek. "Now can I see?"
A growl back. "Not just yet." And she was spinning, this time giggling almost uncontrollably at the dream-like situation she was in, and didn't bother to try and stop him. He twirled her and moved along, with no beat to dance to. It didn't matter to him, or her for that matter. Alright, he thought, finally turning his head toward Rarity. I think I've kept her waiting long enough. He stopped and, moving a hoof to the back of her head, lifted Rarity's face up to his own. Her eyes were closed, and she was panting, her breath warm against his muzzle.
"...Can I?"
A pause. Then, "Of course."
Rarity opened her eyes.
Two gemstones stared back at her. Twin emerald pools stared into her soul, and she found herself unable to breath. "I..." She knew there were no words to describe the moment. Jack's voice echoed out from somewhere beyond the gemstones. "Well? Did I keep you waiting for nothing? Or am I really as handsome as I think I am?" She didn't answer. She couldn't answer. Without a word, Rarity brought her hooves to his face. Taking it in both her hooves, she slowly brought their faces closer. The emeralds disappeared under Jack eyelids, and she closed her eyes. Don't. Not this time. Please don't ruin this moment. She felt their muzzles touch...
And then she threw away her hesitation, for fear that history would repeat itself, and she mashed her lips against his. Her hooves were forcing him to kiss her, and she hoped that he was not trying to pull away. She let her forelegs wrap around his neck, and she released his face, expecting the moment to end, for him to pull away again.
Then, to her greatest relief, he kissed back.
Jack pressed his body against hers, and they were both absorbed in passion, trying desperately to get as much as they could out of one another. Rarity opened her mouth and ran her tongue over Jack's lips. He obliged to her request, and she was wrestling with his tongue, for control of the other's mouth. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in closer, squeezing her against him. She lost her balance, and she pulled him onto the floor, refusing to let their mouths separate. His hoof moved lower, and she moaned softly when he caressed her cutie mark. Finally, she pulled away, leaving a strand of saliva connected to their tongues. Panting, she waited for the strand to break before she spoke again.
"You... are..." She was silenced by him, a small peck on the lips as his silencer. He leaned over, and whispered, "As much as I would love to take you here and now, I think that that's enough of a go for one day." She held on to him as he pulled himself up, and she stood back up herself. They stood there for a moment, simply staring into each other's eyes.
After a brief minute, Rarity tilted her head back and laughed. Jack looked at her, confused. "What's so funny? Is there something on my face?" She looked back to him and shook her head. "Besides my saliva? No. I just realized..." she giggled again, "we almost had sex just now, even though we've only known each other for a day. It's so ridiculous, but I feel as if you're someone I've been able to trust for years." She trotted up to him, and nuzzled into his neck. "But that doesn't mean we can't-" She was pushed away by Jack, and the confusion returned to her head. He looked down at her, and said, "You were listening, weren't you? I would love nothing more than to show around my rooms," he looked out into the night, "but I don't want to waste this beautiful night. Besides, having one's way with a lady on a first date is rude, and I've got a reputation with the ladies to uphold." He tipped his hat, and winked at Rarity. "That's what a gentlecolt does."
She looked at him for a time, contemplating whether or not he was seriously against making love to her, and eventually she gave up. Laughing softly, she nuzzled up to him again. "Fine. But promise me you won't make me wait for you tomorrow?" She looked up at him, and her eyes shone in the growing moonlight. He was mesmerized by them, and answered slowly, "Of course, my dear. That would also be rude." He turned, and gestured in front of her. "Would you care to go for a stroll? I would love to know more about you."
Rarity nodded deftly. Those eyes. She knew that that first moment when she had seen his large, bright, emerald eyes looking at her with such desire would never leave her memories. I could fall into his eyes. She began walking with him, never breaking eye contact. Jack walked alongside her, and they began a conversation on who they were and how they got to be on the ship. She found Jack's story to be an interesting one.
The azure unicorn had not been lying when he'd said he was lucky to be on the Titanic. He was born into a middle-class family of six in Manehatten, where his father ran a jewelry store. Being the only son in the family, Jack, then called Gemstone, had been taught how to take care of the shop, learning to recognize the value of different gemstones and to tell the difference between a real gem and a fake one. He was not remotely interested in the jewelry business, but when his father had passed away, he had felt obliged to run the store, though his sisters offered to do it for him.
"I wanted to make good on the promise I made to my father," he said, staring off into space, seeing visions of the past. "I held on to the store for a long time, but eventually business started to slow. We became poor, my mother and I. My sisters, for all they had offered to do, had cut most ties with the family and eloped or run away to find themselves or some other bullshit excuse (pardon my language). Eventually, my mother, bless her heart, grew ill, and I had to sell most of our possessions to pay for her medicine. Then she died." He said the last sentence with such sadness ringing in his voice that Rarity was almost convinced this had happened merely days ago. She leaned over, and gently kissed him. "I'm sorry," she whispered, and Jack stopped in his tracks. When she pulled away, he was misty-eyed. "Thank you. She would have loved to meet you." He continued walking. "Anyway, with most of my family gone now, I sold the store, and ended up trying to find my true calling, getting a job as a bartender. It paid the bills, and I loved the people I met, but I wanted more. The only solace was coming home to my apartment and staying up late drawing."
"You draw?"
"Yes, but not very well. It isn't exactly what you would call my 'special talent'."
He sighed, and lifted up a necklace he was wearing. "This is all I've got left of what my father taught me." It was a sapphire, small and cut into a diamond shape, resting in a silver casing and shining out at the night. Rarity stared into it, and absently touched a hoof to the Fire Ruby, which she had decided to wear after a serious internal debate with herself. Jack noticed this, and lifted up the Ruby up so that it shone in the moonlight. "My goodness," he muttered, twirling the gem with his magic. "This is the most exquisite gem that I've ever seen. Where in Equestria did you get this?" He stared down at her, twin beams of green staring into her eyes with great interest.
Rarity uneasily took the gem with her own magic and laid it back across her chest. His eyes followed the gem as she answered. "It was a gift from a... er... very close friend." Jack suddenly looked back up at her urgently. "Ms. Rarity! Are you actually engaged, or is this really just a gift from a friend?" She was surprised by his reaction. "Why, of course it's from a friend! I would not have come here tonight if I were engaged!" She tilted her head back and huffed mockingly. "That would be rude."
Jack laughed at the little joke. He looked at the gem once more, and said, "Whoever gave this to you, whoever he is to you, must really have feelings for you." Rarity suddenly flashed back to her meeting with Spike, all those years ago. Her smile disappeared for the briefest moment, not long enough for Jack to notice. Then it returned, and she happily said, "Yes, that was what I imagined, as well."
The conversation turned to Rarity after that, and she explained her story, going into great detail of how her greatest accomplishment was to have acquired the Carousel Boutique. Jack listened with interest, and every few minutes they would stop, and he would pull her close and kiss her neck and lips. She could not have imagined a more perfect moment, until the next one came, and she was still with him. Eventually, though, he yawned, their talks finished, the night taking its toll on him, and he looked at his watch. "Well, I'm glad that you gave me this second chance, but I really do want to get some sleep. I couldn't get any last night, and I'm exhausted." He turned to her one last time, bowing. "Ms. Rarity. I shall see you again tomorrow." He was surprised by Rarity trotting up to him and pressing their lips together. He savored her taste, and when she pulled away it was too soon. She smiled at him. "Would you like to meet over breakfast?"
He yawned again. "Mm. Lunch. I won't be waking up very early tomorrow." She giggled, and turned to go, bidding him goodnight before disappearing behind a corner. Jack stared at the corner or a long moment, and silently said to himself, "You, Jack Heart, are the luckiest stallion alive."
---------------
Rarity was in bliss as she walked towards the first-class suites. She had lived her dream fantasy, and had not woken up to shattered dreams and soiled bed sheets. Oh Celestia; I thank you for those tickets. I you were here now, I would throw myself at your hooves and kiss them in thanks. She hummed a waltz, and began trotting along to the beat. She had just caught sight of the entrance to the first-class cabins, when she heard hoovesteps coming from behind her. She spun.
Nopony was there.
She giggled. Oh? Does Jack still want to play a bit? Well, I'm sure I have enough energy for that. She strutted over to where she'd heard the noise, coming from a thin gap in between two buildings on the ship. "Jaaaaack," she sang, almost drunkenly. "I know you're back theeeeeere." She waited at the entrance to the small "alleyway", and when he didn't come out, she giggled and said, "Okay, I'm coming after you. But you'll be sooooooorry!"She turned into the alleyway, and stopped, immediately realizing her mistake. The stallion standing before her was not Jack.
It was Tuxmond Gold. Or it could have been, if not for his terrible state.
He looked almost bedraggled. His hat was nowhere to be seen, and a tangled mess of copper-colored mane lay over his face. His golden eyes glared out at her, in some sort of mixture of contempt and outrage. His suit was gone, with nothing to replace it. When he spoke, his voice dripped poison.
"Well. I had hoped this would have turned out better." He stepped towards her, and she suddenly realized what the warning light had been for, back at the brunch. Oh sweet Celestia of Equestria. "No." The whisper came out almost involuntarily, and when he heard it, Gold threw his head back and laughed. "Oh yes," he said. "You didn't really think I'd meant somepony else when I said other stallions you could find? I practically said my own name!" He scratched his head, and looked at his hand in disgust. "And still you met with him. After I warned you that he would break your heart." Another step towards her, and she was truly frightened by the colt in front of her. She wanted to run away, but was afraid he would chase her. In desperation, she tried to explain. "I think you misunderstand, Mr. Gold. My relationship with Jack is very much real, and I know that he would not betray me." She hoped that his room was near where they were.
He laughed at her. "You idiotic bimbo! Do you really think he gives two shits about you? You're just another pathetic piece of eye candy, a whore with no purpose save what he desires from you." He looked up and down Rarity's body hungrily, and Rarity felt her teeth grinding in anger. He looked back up at her eyes. "What I desire from you."
Gold licked his lips. "But of course he tricked you. Just shows how much of an idiot you really are. Still believing in fairy-tale romances." He looked around the area, as if he were referring to an audience for support. "But I suppose I'm really the one to blame for not coming for you sooner. Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid." He began trotting unsteadily toward her, prompting her to backpedal into the railing of the ship. "Should have seen this coming. Should have taken you when I had the chance. But now," he had reached her, and she could not run away. The tang of the wine from brunch was still lingering on his breath, and he said, "Now I can take what I deserve from you."
He grabbed her by the throat, and lifted her up with his magic. She wanted to scream, but he was keeping her mouth shut. Gold levitated Rarity over into the little gap in the architecture, and he roughly threw her on the ground. He licked his lips again, and his magic began to pull her dress off.
Oh no. Oh no. Oh please, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Jack, anypony please be taking a stroll and see us. She felt his hoof on her flank, and with a sudden jolt of realization, she began to cry. His tongue flicked against her neck, and tears of sadness and fear turned to ones of rage and hatred. He whispered in her ear, "I think you'll enjoy this." A feather light brush at her private areas.
Rarity knew at that moment she was capable of killing.
It didn't matter. Gold grabbed her and shook her, slamming the helpless unicorn against a wall. She felt him tearing at her dress, and began to lose hope for the situation. Please, she begged herself, shutting her eyes tightly and letting tears stream down her face. Please let me fall unconscious before he does it. Please. But Gold had anticipated her attempts to avoid the worst, and he struck her violently in the face. She whimpered, unable to scream or cry her objections through the strength of his magic.
Gold had become a monster, no longer the charming colt from the brunch that day. He laughed maniacally, and said, "You think I'll let you try that? Oh, you stupid little girl. I'm going to make sure you feel every," he slapped her across the face. "Little," he jabbed her in the stomach. "Thing!" He struck her neck, and suddenly Rarity could not breathe. She choked and coughed, and Gold simply laughed, sliding her down the wall and crawling on top of her. "There. Now, I want you to stay nice and quiet, so that I can play my little grown-up's game, understand? I don't want to hear-"
"Mr. Gold."
He stood up and spun. Jack stood at the entrance of the building gap. His face was unreadable. "Mr. Gold," he repeated, "I have seen your actions towards the mares we've met on this cruise, and put up with the disrespectful way you've treated them. I've known you for only two days, and in the first ten minutes of our 'companionship', you managed to convince me that you were a sexist. Now you have proven your stereotype, along with the fact that you are a rapist and a sadistic pig." He walked towards Gold and his cowering victim. "You have also insulted me by attempting to hurt and take advantage of the mare I have fallen in love with. With that in mind, I must ask you to step away from Ms. Rarity now before I am forced to kill you." His expression had not changed once, and he had not faltered, now standing mere inches from Gold's face.
Gold looked enraged for only a second. He turned to Rarity, his face once again the cool and contained colt she had seen before he had revealed his true nature, and spoke to Jack. "You are an idiot. You truly do match your little whore. You know I had to tell lies before? To try and bring her to me? But of course she still wanted you." Now he spoke to Rarity. "You little wench. I should kill you. If it was not him, I would have done so already. You don't deserve to be touched by me." He released his magical hold on her, and she crumpled to the floor, whimpering. He leaned over, and Jack began to move to stop him. "You'll see me again later," he whispered. He stood up, looking back to Jack, who had put a hoof on his shoulder. He moved away, and said, "Enjoy your two-dollar whore."
And with that, he spat in Rarity's face.
In one fluid motion, Jack turned, reared up on his front legs, and bucked Tuxmond Gold in the face. The sun-colored unicorn slid a few feet across the ground, and when he started to get up again, Jack took Rarity by the hoof and ran.
Rarity could not think. She was in shock. She had just been rescued from a rapist, and was now headed who-knew-where. She trusted Jack with her life, but could not help but think of the monster that was surely following them. When her legs stopped working, Jack hurriedly pulled her onto his back with his magic and continued to run. Rarity faded in and out of consciousness, feeling the pain from where Gold had struck her for the first time. When Jack stopped suddenly, she began to panic, and flailed her legs around, trying to form words but still stuck somewhere only she knew.
Jack opened and shut the door to his room quickly. He rushed over to his bedroom and lay Rarity down on the bed. She was wide-eyed, breathing heavily, and was rigid with shock. He looked at the small collection of books he'd brought with him, and selected the medical guide he always kept with him. Looking up the spells necessary to heal her wounds and relieve her of her trauma-induced shock and stress as best as he could, his horn began to glow again. He looked over her, and immediately began to fix her face. The most valuable piece. I can't let her be scarred by that scumbag. He felt tears in his eyes as he saw the red marks, bruises, and swelling leave her, and eventually she looked just as she had before they'd said goodnight. Besides the frozen look of fear on her face.
That was another matter. Jack leaned over her, hoping for some form of reaction. He was suddenly confronted with a set of lips on his. Rarity, through her shock, had wrapped her forelegs around his neck and pulled him in. He closed his eyes and sighed in relief, happy that she at least seemed alright. After several minutes of having their lips pressed together, they separated. Rarity smiled up at him, and he saw that her shocked, traumatized look was mostly gone. Now she looked at him sensually, like he had just saved from...
Oh yeah. He stared into her eyes for a moment, before her horn glowed, and the lights suddenly went out in his room. He jumped in the dark, and finally said something. "What are you doing?"
Her voice came out seductive and soft, and he felt her hoof brush against his chest. "I don't think I mind you being rude anymore." Realizing what she was implying, he stuttered out, "M-Ms. Rarity, I think you should rest. You've been through a lot, and-" She silenced him, and rubbed herself up against him. "I know that you want this, even more than I do."
A pause. Then, through the darkness, "At least turn the lights on so I can undress."
He waited for an answer. A faint purple glow appeared in the darkness of the suite. Rarity's face shone in the glow of her magic, her eyes shining brilliantly. He heard a zipper come undone, and her dress fell off. She leaned closer, and he felt her hoof move his own onto her body, lower, lower, lower...
"I don't think that that will be necessary."
-------------------
Rarity woke up to an unimaginable sensation of warmth. She did not open her eyes, instead trying to make sense of the warmth before she saw it. Then she remembered.
She opened her eyes to a large wall of azure fuzz. At first she was confused, and she reached out a hoof to touch it. Then she felt the bed sheet over it fall off, and all of the memories from the night before fully crystallized themselves in her mind. She turned in the bed, looking around the room she was in. On the floor was her dress, torn and crumpled like a dead animal. Strangely enough, Rarity didn't feel sad about losing one of her dresses. It served its purpose. Content with where she was, she turned back to a still-asleep Jack, and snuggled against him, taking in the radiating warmth from his body.
Closing her eyes, Rarity let the memories of her night with Jack replay in her head. It had almost been a dream, and she was sure she had faded in and out of focus during the night. She sighed, and pressed her head into Jack's chest, breathing in his scent. Oh, it's like a dream. Everything's so perfect. My one and only Prince has finally come to me! She began to drift into dreamland again when the mass of blue fur moved. Jack turned, and he opened his eyes to the white unicorn lying next to him. He smiled, and spoke softly. "Good morning." He began to sit up, but Rarity pulled him down again, burying her head in his shoulder. Her voice was muffled by his fur. "Wha ime ih ih?" He chuckled, and said, "I'm sorry?"
She lifted her face from his shoulder, and repeated, "What time is it?"
Looking at the clock on his bedside table, he almost jumped out of bed. "Good lord! It's almost 12!" Again, he tried to get up out of bed, and again Rarity pulled him back down. This time she planted her lips on his, and he calmed down and shut his eyes. Everything was perfect for a moment before she broke their kiss and whispered, "I think I'm okay with letting my friends wonder where I am. Besides," she nuzzled up to him and looked at him with puppy dog eyes. "I've always wanted someone to cuddle with." She rested her head on his chest again, closing her eyes and simply enjoying the moment. I don't think I've been this relaxed in years. She felt Jack's hoof stroke her mane while the other held her close to him. He leaned over and began kissing her neck. She cooed and couldn't help but press into him again. A small moan escaped her when he began to caress her cutie mark, and she pushed him away, giggling and drawing the sheets around her.
She slid close to him, and whispered seductively in his ear. "I didn't think you had any spirit left in you after last night." She laughed when she saw his face turn red, and she wrapped her forelegs around him, drawing him into a warm hug. He nibbled her ear, and she began to laugh uncontrollably. "No! Wait! Please don't! Not my-" She couldn't finish her sentence as he pushed her into the pillows and kissed her again. She closed her eyes, still giggling, and pulled him closer. Jack lay on top of her, when he felt her tongue press on his lips, he opened his mouth and heard her moan softly as he slid his own tongue past her lips. No matter what had happened between them, kissing her was always the best. He could smell lilac and vanilla wafting off her coat from her perfumes, and after several minutes of fervent kissing he was overwhelmed by her embrace. His last intelligible thoughts before he sank into a pool of primal instinct and emotion were of how tire he would be after they were done.
---------------
"What are you so afraid of? You're Applejack!"
"Yeah! That's just it! Ah'm Applejack! The simple-minded, apple-bucking hick from Ponyville! An' he's Cap'n North Star, the big, burly, well-educated stallion who grew up where ponies like me were his servants!"
Rainbow Dash sighed, frustrated with Applejack's stubbornness. Since the orange earth pony had come over that morning, she had been talking non-stop about the captain of the Titanic, somepony with whom she had apparently gotten to know and befriended on the ship the day before. Now, though, she was in a rare state of panic that rarely made an appearance when it came to Applejack. The apple farmer was slumping over Dash's table now, a self-pitying expression on her face.
Rainbow Dash shook her, trying to get some form of response from her friend. When Applejack groaned, Dash said, "Look, if I'm gonna help you, you need to tell me exactly what happened. Every." She leaned in close to Applejack's face. "Little." Closer. "Thing."
The two mares stared at each other for what seemed to be the longest time. Then Rainbow Dash blew on Applejack's eyes, and when she pulled away Dash laughed and said, "Ha! And once again, the winner is the one and only Rainbow Dash!" She was silenced by a hoof in her chest, and she fell out of her chair. Applejack looked down at her, an un-amused look adorning her face. "Look," said Applejack. "If ya'll really want tah know what happened 'tween me and North Star, I'll tell ya. But if ya'll get bored and try tah leave, you ain't gonna see me fer the rest of the cruise! OK?"
Rainbow Dash, wheezing on the ground trying to regain her breath, nodded quickly. Applejack sat back up in her seat, grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl in the center of the table, and began recounting her time spent with North Star the day before.
-------------
"...and when we finally made our way back to the docks, all the strange rocks we'd found were gone! Vanished without a trace!"
Applejack stared at North Star. "You're kidding! Rocks don't just disappear! What, did the crate just up and leave?" She mentally patted herself on the back for keeping up with her Manehatten accent. Just as good as when ya first went there, Applejack. She and North Star had walked along the side of the ship until sundown, at which point the captain had invited her to a dinner at the head of the ship. After he'd brought her to the wheel of the Titanic (a complexly laid out mess of buttons, dials, etc. located at the head of the superstructure on the ship), he'd gotten several crew members to set up a table and dinner for them. Applejack had at first been skeptical of the captain's actions. Granny Smith always said that if a colt is showing off his power, he ain't no good. But her skepticism had been evaporated when he explained that the crew did this for him every day, as it was necessary for him to stay at the wheel during sundown ("Must pay respect to Celestia and all that," he'd explained).
As the dinner progressed, he'd entertained her with stories of his previous ship, the Queequeg, a name which Applejack knew she had heard before, but just couldn't remember where. His stories were borderline fantasy novels, and Applejack had suggested that he retire from his seafaring work and become a novelist. At this, North Star had laughed.
"Miss Applejack, as clever an idea that is," he said, wiping a non-existent tear from his eye, "I have no intention of ever retiring from being a captain. The sea is my passion. It calls to me." As if to add dramatic effect, he looked out at the sunset. The effect worked immensely well, and Applejack found herself staring into a reflection of herself in his shimmering green eyes. Oh hell, she thought, realizing she was ogling at him. I've gone an' gotten me a crush. Horsefeathers, Applejack, ya can't crush on somepony as important as him! She nervously looked out at the sunset, feeling a thin line of sweat form above her brow. The two earth ponies sat in reflective silence for several minutes, waiting for the sun to set. Looking out, Applejack could see two figures at the bow of the ship, standing close together in what Applejack could only guess was an intimate pose.
Finally, North Star turned back to her, and said, "So, Applejack." The dropping of the word "Miss" from her name made Applejack worried. Oh Celestia. Is he startin' tah think about me as a... She shook her head, warding herself away from such thoughts, and turned slowly back to meet North Star's eyes. "Yes?" Her voice came out in such a gentle tone she almost facehoofed. Now he's got me talkin' like a buckin' prissy-britches! She was startled out of her thoughts by North Star.
"Now that I've told you most, if not all, of my story, why don't you tell me yours?"
Aw crud. She'd been worried about the topic of back-stories since the two had sat down to dinner. She had not planned on becoming friendly with any of the other passengers on the ship, even stating that she would not leave her room without another one of her friends with her. Therefore, she had not bothered to create a false background for herself. She knew she could not tell North Star that she was from Ponyville, let alone disclose the fact that she was an apple farmer (though she was unsure if North Star was already aware of this, due to the fact that she had not bothered to hide her cutie mark). He would be appalled. He would be disgusted with her. He'd break mah heart. She sniffled a bit. North Star noticed this and asked, "Applejack? Is there something wrong?"
Looking up at him, Applejack almost began bawling at the sight of his eyes. He really cares 'bout me. She tried to speak twice, and collected herself. Come on, Applejack! He doesn't really like you! He likes the civilized, well-mannered, Rarity-imitating fake Applejack. She took a deep breath, and said, "I would love to, but I have to head back to my room. I have somewhere to be in an hour, and I must get ready immediately. I promised a friend that I wouldn't be late."
North Star looked at Applejack in a way that frightened her a bit. When she avoided eye contact with him, he laughed. "My dear lady," he said, leaning over the table and resting his head on his hoof, "as much as I regret criticizing a woman of your caliber, you are a terrible liar. Now." He got up from the table and trotted over to Applejack, putting a hoof on her cheek and turning her face towards his. "I want to know two things. One: why are you refusing to tell me about yourself? And two:" He stared directly into her eyes, and she knew she could not pull off another lie. She wanted to shut her eyes, but she could not bring herself to break away from the deep green stare of the colt firmly grasping her face. His question, tough, was what finally got her to break.
"Why are using a fake accent to try and impress me?"
Applejack jumped back. How the hay did he see through it? Was it when ah messed up just when ah'd met him? She backed up, and he simply stood in place, waiting for her to answer. She opened her mouth to speak several times, and finally managed a small, "I'm not faking..."
Now North Star looked mad. He walked towards her, until he was directly in front of her. "Madam," he said, using a dangerously calm voice that Applejack hoped did not mean what she thought it meant. "I had hoped that you would not be so difficult. I know that that isn't really your voice. The only question is why you are still bothering to use it." They stared at each other for several intense moments. Then, abandoning all hope, Applejack leaned in and kissed him.
She held his head in place, and his struggles only made her feel worse. She let him go, and let her tears show. She sprinted over to the door, and looked back at North Star. The captain's hat had been dislodged, and he was looking at her in disbelief. Through the tears, Applejack heard herself speak.
"Because ya'd never like me if ah hadn't talked that way." Then she ran back to her room, where a confused Fluttershy was there to comfort her.
----------------
"...and basically, after that ah didn't come outta mah room fer the rest of the day, and ah only got up today because Fluttershy cared enough to try and help me."
Rainbow Dash leaned back in her chair, rubbing a hoof against her chin. Applejack looked at the cyan pegasus, waiting for the inevitable "Well, you kind of rushed off." It never came. Instead, Dash leaned over to her best friend and pulled her into a hug. "I promise that I'll do anything I can to make sure you two make up." She gripped Applejack tighter, and continued. "If I had been torn apart from the pony I love, I probably wouldn't get up either."
Applejack waited a few seconds, testing to see if Rainbow Dash wasn't tricking her. When nothing changed, the orange mare returned the hug, burying her head in Dash's shoulder and letting herself break down. Rainbow Dash patted Applejack on the back, and comforted her. When Pinkie Pie came in, she walked up to Applejack and rested a friendly hoof on her shoulder. She and Rainbow looked at each other for a moment, and Dash had a sudden lucid vision of Pinkie Pie and herself, back on the deck of the Titanic. For a moment, she was falling again, and this time Pinkie did not reach out. Then she was back in her chair, holding Applejack in her arms.
After another minute of quiet sobbing, Applejack lifted her head up, and regained as much of her composure as could. She turned to Pinkie Pie, suddenly smiling with a new-found confidence. "Alright, girls," she said, looking between the two mares. "What's the plan?"
----------------
Rarity and Jack lay back onto the bed, panting. She tried to relax, slowing down her breathing as best as she could, but it didn't help. She simply lay next to him, staring into his eyes and trying to speak. She was still coming down from her high, and when he sidled up next to her she could smell the scents of their love-making. It was intoxicating, and she buried her head in his chest, letting herself be absorbed by the overpowering smells.
Jack wrapped a hoof around her waist, and she let out a small squeak of tenderness. When he squeezed her, she moaned into his chest. "Oh, Jack, please." She looked up at him, a pleading look in her eyes. "I think if I take anything more I'll faint." He smiled down at her, and planted a soft kiss on her lips. "Was that okay?" He chuckled at her heated expression, and turned over in bed, groaning as he finally got up. Rarity stayed in bed, rubbing her stomach with a hoof. She stared dreamily at him, and when he went to shower she finally sat up in bed.
Looking around, she spotted several of her clothing articles, some torn from her "encounter" with Gold (quite forgotten in the meat of the moment), and others torn by Jack himself. She giggled again, and said to nopony in particular, "Some like it rough. I suppose I'm Some." Observing the room further, she noticed what appeared to be an easel in the center of the room, facing away from her. She looked at it for some time. Then, a light bulb went off in her head. "Ideeeeeaaaaaaaa!" she sang out, and began looking around frantically for what she needed.
She began speaking over the sound of the running water in the bathroom. "Jack, why is there an easel in here?" When she didn't hear an answer, she continued looking for what she needed for her plan. Suddenly, she heard Jack's voice through the running water, distant but clear enough to hear. "Oh, that? Yes, I draw a lot. It's something of a hobby of mine."
Rarity recalled him saying something about drawing the night before. As she continued to look around the room, she asked, "How long have you been drawing? Are you any good?" She heard him laugh from beyond the shower. "Well, I don't mean to brag... Look behind you."
Turning her head, Rarity jumped at the sight of one of what she assumed was one of Jack's drawings. It was an enormous copy of the Canterlot castle, towering above her almost like the real one. "My goodness! How in Equestria did you learn to draw like this? It's amazing!" She turned back towards the easel, and a red glint caught her eye. "Aha! Found you!" She brought the item she'd spotted over to her using her magic, and put it on. As she adjusted her position on the bed, she heard Jack speak. "Well, I wasn't very interested in art until I took a trip to Prance with my mother, several years before she died. While I was there," Rarity heard him turn off the water, and his voice was easily heard now, "I found myself overwhelmed by the culture. I read everything I could, making good use of the Prench translation spell I had learned the week before. It was at an art gallery meeting that I began to try my hand at drawing, using the styles of famous Prench painters as the foundation for my work. My first drawing was done at said art gallery, and when I lost it, I thought that it was a sign that drawing wasn't my calling, no matter how much I had enjoyed making it. Then, the most amazing thing happened: one of the owners of the gallery found the drawing, which i had signed, thank Celestia, and when he found me he asked if I would draw something for his gallery. I ended up drawing about twenty portraits of famous Prench models. After that, I kept on drawing whenever inspiration came to me. It's been a passion of mine for years."
Jack walked back into the room, a towel lying across his back. He looked around for his hat, and when he found it he levitated it onto his head. Then he looked over at his bed, and jumped. Rarity was laid out on the bed, eyeing him seductively. Around her neck was the Fire Ruby, and she motioned for him to come closer. When he did, she spoke into his ear.
"Draw me like one of your Prench girls."
Jack drew his head back and looked between the mare posed before him and his easel. Again Rarity said, "Draw me, Jack. Please." He stared at her for a moment, taking in her pose and appearance. Then he walked over to the easel, and levitated a sketching pencil to the paper. "Don't move. I have to capture this exact moment. You've never looked more beautiful." he began to draw, and Rarity obliged.
He drew for hours, never once pausing. Rarity felt time fly past her as the hours ticked by. She was amazed that she was able to hold still for so long. Though I suppose it's rather easy when you have something nice to look at. She almost smiled, almost ruined the moment, but managed not to, instead staring at the sapphire-colored flank that had caught her eye when Jack had begun drawing.
Finally, as the sun began setting, Jack dropped the pencil to the ground, and sighed contently. "Okay," he said, wiping his brow. "You can move now. I'm sorry for taking so long. I had to get everything perfect." Rarity stretched, and finally got out of the bed she had stayed in the entire day. She trotted over to the easel, and Jack turned it for her to see.
It was as if Rarity had looked into a mirror. An exact copy of her stared out at her, a look of arousal on its face. She felt tears well up in her eyes, and she hugged Jack. "It's beautiful," she whispered, and kissed him. When she pulled away, he rolled the picture up and gave it to her. "It's only as beautiful as the one it portrays." She giggled, and took the drawing, setting it on the nearby table. Turning back to the bed, she said, "I've grown rather attached to this bed. I suppose that staying in it for an entire day will do that to you." She wiggled her flank at him, and his blush made her laugh. "Would you care to join me?"
Jack opened his mouth to speak, and was promptly interrupted by the sound of his stomach gurgling. Both of the unicorns blushed, the moment ruined. "I, uh, I think we should go for a bite to eat first?" he half-asked, trying to cover up the embarrassed look on his face. Rarity burst out laughing, and Jack sighed wearily. He turned, and picked up his hat again, placing it neatly on his head. "Well?" he said, clearly annoyed with Rarity's laughter. "You haven't had anything to eat today, either. Would you like to have dinner with me or not?" He turned to the giggling mare on his bed, and through her laughter he heard a "Yes." Sighing, Jack walked over to the door that led out to the main hallways of the ship. "Well then," he said, opening the door and gesturing outside. "Shall we?"
Rarity finally stopped laughing, got up, and nodded. She looked down at the Fire Ruby, and for a second felt a pang of guilt. Then it was gone, and she walked out the door of Jack's room, her Prince Charming walking beside her as she went.
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Rainbow Dash stood in front of the captain's cabin. Aw man, she thought. Why'd I let Pinkie Pie talk me into this? She answered her own question a second later. Because that girl can get anything out of you if she rubs your wings right. She huffed and turned to look at the two other mares hiding behind a corner. Applejack looked solemn, her hat down over her eyes, and Pinkie waved at her from behind the corner. Then she gestured for Dash to get on with their plan. Turning back to the door, Rainbow Dash gulped. If this doesn't work, Pinkie, I'm never making cupcakes with you again. Then she raised a hoof and knocked on the door.
For a moment, nothing happened. Dash couldn't hear any sound coming from the other side of the door. She turned, happy her job was done."Welp!" she called out to Pinkie and Applejack. "Looks like nopony's home! I guess we'll have to think up another-"
Before she could finish, though, she heard a bolt being drawn back from behind the door she'd just knocked on. Oh crud. Turning, she watched the door open, and a weary-looking North Star stepped out. "Yes, miss? Can I help you with something?" He sounded old, and his face matched it. He looked like had hadn't slept the night before. Dash stared at him for a moment, then shook her head and started her dialogue. "I'm sorry to bother you, sir. But I've always been a big fan of the famous Captain North Star." She opened the saddlebag that was slung over her back, and with a wing she pulled out a notepad. "You wouldn't mind signing this for me, would you? I've always wanted to get a signature from my hero." She seemed to choke out these last words, and Pinkie Pie facehoofed.
"C'mon, Dashie!" She looked desperately at the pegasus from her hiding spot. "You've got to do better than that! How else is Applejack gonna get her coltfriend back?" At this, Applejack looked up from the ground and almost shouted, "Pinkie, he ain't mah coltfriend. Besides, ah don't see how getting his signature is gonna make up fer what happened yesterday." Pinkie shushed her, and Applejack sighed, frustrated at the pink pony's ignorance at the impossibility of her plan working. She stood up. "Ah've had enough of this." Trotting out of her hiding spot, she ignored Pinkie's cries of protest. "Applejack, no! You'll ruin everything!"
Applejack walked over to Rainbow Dash, who was sweating profusely as North Star signed her paper. When the captain looked up and saw the orange mare that had run from him the night before, he almost tore through the paper he was writing on. "Miss Applejack?" She didn't look at him, instead keeping her eyes on the ground. She walked up next to Rainbow Dash, who looked over at her like she was crazy. "Applejack, what are you doing? You'll ruin Pinkie's plan!"
Applejack looked over at the cyan pegasus. "Rainbow Dash, ya'll're mah best friend, an' ah love ya, ah really do. But please, let me handle this, or ah'm gonna buck ya off the ship." Dash backed up at her friends words, scared at Applejack's seriousness. Then her ego returned, and she said, "Fine! If you want to mess thing up on your own, that's fine by me!" She took off, flying towards the corner Applejack had come from. A pink hoof extended from behind the corner, and Dash was suddenly pulled out of the sky.
Applejack turned back to North Star, who was staring at her with a look somewhere between disbelief and confusion. "Miss Applejack?" he repeated, looking down at her. Applejack forced herself to meet his eyes, and found herself stuttering. "North Star, ah-ah'm really s-sorry 'bout yesterday." She tried to continue, but couldn't manage to keep from sounding hurt. She looked down again, and mumbled, "Ah don't think that a city pony such as yerself would want ta be seen with a farmer like me. Ah'll jus' be goin' then." She turned to leave, and had walked five steps when she heard him laugh.
Turning, Applejack's look of worry turned to outrage when she saw North Star laughing at her. He's laughing! At mah sadness! She gritted her teeth, and began to trot over to buck him in the face. Then he spoke again. “Miss Applejack, I hope that you didn't think I would judge you based on what you sounded like! That's ridiculous!"
The orange mare stopped. North Star looked at her, and when he saw her hurt expression, his features immediately softened. He trotted over to her, and put a hoof on her shoulder. "I hope that I have not hurt you, Applejack. I think you are a very interesting young lady, and I would be honored if you would have dinner with me again." Looking down at her, North Star saw her facial expression change, going from a depressing, gloomy look to one of relief. Applejack sighed, looked up at North Star, and said, "Of course. Ah'd love to."
Pinkie Pie giggled excitedly from her hiding place as she watched he two earth ponies walk off towards the deck of the ship. Rainbow Dash, who had been pulled behind her, looked confused. "Wait," she said. "I thought you said that your plan was ruined? Why are you excited?" Pinkie turned to her marefriend, and winked. "That was my plan, silly filly! I just had to get Applejack to get out there and talk to him herself! Otherwise she'd never fix things with him." She pulled Rainbow Dash close. "Now, I think I promised a very special somepony a wing massage for doing this for me." She stuck her tongue out, and Dash chuckled and said, "Yeah, you did. Let's head back to the room, okay?" She got up and flew off to her room, the pink party pony racing behind her. "Hey, no fair! You can fly!"
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The sun had set by the time Rarity and Jack finished their dinner. Leaving the on-board restaurant, they took a walk around the ship. It seemed to be a ritual for them, and they agreed to take a walk every night until the ship docked. The night was much colder, as the course of the Titanic had led into an icy territory in the far northern area of the world, and Rarity was shivering when they'd reached the entrance to the first-class cabins. Jack noticed this, and suggested that she go to her room and get her coat. He offered to wait for her, but Rarity insisted that he come with her. "You've already shown me your bedroom," she said, a knowing smile crossing her face. "Why don't I show you mine?"
When they arrived at Rarity's room, she showed him in. Closing the door, Rarity turned to Jack, who was looking around the room with apparent interest in everything except her. "What an amazing room! I don't think I've ever seen anything like it!" Rarity knew what he was trying to do, and went over to her bedroom door. "Yes, it's a very nice room. The bedroom looks even better. Would you like to see?" Jack looked at her, a false look of innocence on his face. "No thanks. These rooms are good enough. Why don't you get your coat? We can have a walk, and then maybe I'll look at your bedroom." He grinned mischievously, and Rarity huffed. "Fine," she said, and opened the bedroom door to find her coat. She turned on the light to see where the closet was, and was immediately yelled at by two figures in the bed at the other side of the room.
"Gaahh!"
"Turn off the light!"
Rarity shut the light off just as Jack came running up to the door. Moments later, an annoyed looking Twilight Sparkle appeared out of the darkness, a bed sheet wrapped around her body. Her hair was ruffled, and the sheet she was wearing had the faint scent of...
"Lovemaking! Twenty-four seven! Is that all you've been doing since I left the room yesterday!?" Rarity was almost shouting at Twilight, who groaned and mumbled, "No, Rarity. We haven't. Trixie and I were simply using the time we had alone together to our advantage. You didn't come back yesterday, so we didn't-" She stopped and looked at Jack, noticing him for the first time. She looked back and forth between the two, her eyes opening wide. then a smirk appeared on her face, and she leaned against the door frame. "It looks like I'm not the only one who's been 'lovemaking'." She extended a hoof to Jack, who took it while staring at Twilight with a look of what appeared to be shock on his face. He finally opened his mouth to speak, and asked, "Who exactly do you have over for company?"
Rarity turned to him, a look of confusion on her face. "Jack! That's Twilight's business! You simply can't-" She was interrupted by the light in the room coming on again. On the other side of the room, a groaning Trixie sat up and yelled across the room. "What is keeping you so long, Sparkle Butt? Trixie is getting impatient!" Twilight looked nervously behind herself, and said, "Coming, Trix!" Turning back to Rarity, she asked, "What are you here for?" Deciding not to tell her why she actually had brought Jack to their room, Rarity explained that she needed her coat. Twilight let her in, and when she trotted over to get the coat, she heard Trixie mumble, "Ah! The prissy one returns. Have fun making your friend worry?" Trixie's question was ignored, and Rarity quickly found her coat and left the room. She found Jack and Twilight sitting at the table outside the room, deep in conversation.
"... of course, I had never been kissed before. That just made it all the more satisfying." Twilight leaned back in her chair, watching a disturbed-looking Jack stare down at the table. When he saw Rarity with her coat, he quickly stood up and trotted over to the door. "Well, Twilight, it's been a pleasure meeting you, but Rarity and I have a walk to go out on." He opened the door and gestured to Rarity. "After you, madam."
Rarity walked out of the room and turned back to Twilight once more. "I will be back this evening," she said, wrapping the coat around her body. "So please try and finish whatever you're... doing... with Trixie before then. Alright, Sparkle Butt?" She giggled a bit, and Jack trotted out the door after her. She shut the door, leaving Twilight alone at the table. She waited a minute, listening to the fading sound of Rarity and Jack's hoofsteps outside. Then she got up, and stepped back into the bedroom, closing the door behind her.
Trixie was waiting on the bed, her robe the only thing covering her. "Well, finally. It took you long enough, Sparkle Butt." She watched Twilight levitate the blanket off of her body and put it back on the bed, and wrapped herself up in it. She looked at the purple unicorn, and licked her lips. "Now, bring that big purple flank of yours back over here. Trixie wasn't finished yet."
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Jack looked noticeably startled as he and Rarity stepped out of the first-class area. Rarity herself felt embarrassed beyond what she could imagine. I brought my coltfriend to my room and showed him my friend having sex! Of all of the things that could have possibly gone wrong, this is the Worst. Possible. Thing! She looked over at Jack, who was staring out at the ocean, an intense look on his face. She nuzzled his neck, and said, "I'm sorry about what you saw back there. Twilight Sparkle has never been in a relationship before, and I assume that she wanted to make the most out of what she had at the moment." Jack broke eye contact with the ocean, and looked down at the white unicorn next to him. He nodded, and said, "Yes, I gathered as much when she sat me down and told me the story of how she and her friend came to find each other."
Twilight Sparkle, you unbelievable bitch. Rarity hid her anger at Twilight, promising her thoughts that they would have full rein when she confronted Twilight that night. When she spoke, her voice did not betray her. "Yes, well, at least that's over with." They walked out to the deck of the ship, and looked out at the night for a minute. The waters around the ship were filled with small chunks of ice, and they could hear small scraping noises as they bumped against it. She leaned against Jack, and he wrapped a foreleg around her.
"Are you still cold?" Jack asked. She nodded, and he led her to an area they could both sit. He sat her down, and pressed against her, trying to warm her up as best as he could. He felt her shift for a minute, and her face appeared in front of his. Her azure eyes bore into his emerald ones, and she asked him, "What happens after the cruise?"
Jack paused. He hadn't thought of that. "I..." He trailed off, and stared off into the depths of Rarity's eyes. She waited for him to answer, and when he didn't, she thought of what that meant. Did he not think of the future because he was distracted? Did he not think he would fall in love on the ship? Is he going to leave me? She felt a tear well up in her eye, and when she sniffled Jack answered. "Please don't think that I'll leave you. I'll never leave you. I'll make this work." He hugged her, and tried to comfort her. Rarity simply stared past his shoulder out into the night. A dark shape floated out in the darkness, and she paid it no mind. Instead, she wiggled out of Jack's grip and began to walk away. Jack ran after her, yelling. "Rarity, wait! I'm telling the truth! Please believe me!" When she turned to face him, she saw the sincerity in his eyes, and her gloom began to lift from her shoulders. Why am I acting like this? Do I not want this to work out? Have I gotten too used to being left behind by every pony I've ever thought was right for me? She sighed, and walked back over to Jack. She rubbed her cheek on his. "I'm sorry. I don't know what's come over me."
Jack put a hoof on her cheek and held her face up closer. "Let's not worry about what's waiting for us in the future. Let's just enjoy what we have now." Then he kissed her. Rarity's body relaxed, and she began to backpedal towards a wall. Jack eagerly lifted her up on her hind legs, and pressed her up against the wall. She felt his hoof rubbing against her waist, then her flank. I love it. I love it too much to worry. She let the kiss completely absorb her, and then there was only... Jack. He was sliding his hoof under her coat when the unimaginable happened.
A loud shriek rang out from nowhere. Jack pulled away from Rarity, and he began to look around frantically. Rarity blinked several times, falling back down to earth, and she turned her head in the direction of the scream. Then the world around her shook.
The two unicorns fell to the ground as the ship rocked uncontrollably. The sound of tearing metal and breaking wooden planks tore through Rarity's mind, and in that instant, there was no more peace, only noise and the shouts of Jack desperately trying to keep her from being forced any further away from her. When she felt his hoof grab hers, she opened her eyes to see his face, filled with shock and terror and looking past her. When she turned, she saw the remains of a pale object crumbling into the ocean. Chunks of the object slid around the areas where it had broken off, and when one of them slid and touched Rarity's body, she jumped. It was freezing cold.
An iceberg had just struck the Ship of Dreams.
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Look at that! It's: A Note From the Author
Okay, I lied. There was no Spike flashback. But there were innuendos! And action! And the ship is finally going down!
Now, a word on the couplings in the story.
Rarity and Jack: I have placed most, if not all of my talents in writing into these two unicorns. Creating the Jack character has helped me on my quest to develop original characters for when I write an actual book (*snort*). Rarity is best pony, therefore she is most important ship. Plus, with her "sophistication", I'm allowed to write passionate love scenes (of course, I had to skip sex; PG-13, boys!)without having the character sound out of style.
Dash and Pinkie: This ship has been going around since episode four (or five, whichever has Gilda), and I've been happily writing down the words you see of their relationship together. Of course, if there were to be any sex scene in the story, it would probably not be them (see above). Now that the ship's going down, I get to show how far these two girls will go for each other. Expect drama times ten from these two in the next chapter!
Twilight and Trixie: I've never really cared about Twilight's romantic pursuits, if she even has any. The Doctor? Taken. Celestia? That's borderline incest. Luna? Maybe. I've always imagined that she'd just end trying to marry a checklist or a book or something. Trixie is a fine match for her, if only due to her dominant nature (spicy spicy spicy!). You probably won't see much of these two, and I'm still pondering whether or not I should kill off Trixie. Don't pay any attention to that last line! It is unimportant as of now! It does not foreshadow anything!
Applejack and North Star: Ah, Applejack. The least intimate of the relationships on the boat. How appropriate that you get nothing until now. But don't worry, my dear. You and North Star will get your due in good time. Once the inevitable happens.
Fluttershy and- Oh wait, I didn't ship her. Well, she's still in the story. Don't worry, you shy fans, you! You'll get her next time!
Now, one thing that I didn't lie about was the chapter length. I promised I wouldn't give you 13,000 words last time, and I didn't! I gave you 16,000 words! How about that? Maybe I can keep extending these. Oh well. We'll see.
At most, I have three chapters left to do. Then it's off to the wastelands for me...or is it? As previously mentioned, I've been working on two more projects (February 26 through March 10- sorry guys!). So maybe you won't be done with me yet! *insert maniacal laughter here* Well, you're probably bored of my shtick by now, so I'll be going. the ship is sinking, and that's all that matters. So long, bronies!