//------------------------------// // Not sure why her path crossed mine - accident or grand design... // Story: A Classic Tale // by The Princess Rarity //------------------------------// A Classic Tale by The Princess Rarity It was a calm night in the small town of Ponyville - with the stars up in the sky, all scattered about and shining at the brightest they had ever been, the full moon at its' highest peak in the sky and the sky had turned an enchanting shade of indigo. All was sweet, perfect and peaceful... However, in a small house, on the outskirts of a farm near the border of the tiny town, the lights were on, in the darkness of the evening, and ponies were up and about. Even if it was late at night, around the time most ponies were snug in their beds or finally retiring for the day, that didn't seem to matter at all. "But Momma, I don't wanna go to sleep now," a beautiful little earth pony filly pouted, crossing her forehooves and batting her big seafoam colored eyes in simply the most adorable way possible. "Can't I stay up just a few more minutes?" Applejack let out a sigh, shaking her head in frustration. "Now, Sonya, hon, y'all said that 'bout an hour ago an' lookit how much time ya got," she argued, playfully mussing the navy mane of the youngster. "C'mon now, ya had yer fun." "Aw, Momma, pretty please," little Sonya begged, clasping her hooves together. "Just a 'lil longer? For your little filly?" 'O' all th' thangs she had t' git in them fancy-schmancy DNA an' traits an' all...' the farmer said to herself, holding back a small smirk. "Nope," she declared sternly, although, she felt the urge to laugh hard to hold back. "Ev'rypony else is hittin' th' hay right 'bout now, an' ya oughta be doin' th' same, missy." And with that, Applejack attempted to pick up her daughter, however, the little filly was too quick and dashed off, out of the room, giggling in an almost hysterically sinister, and quite clever, way that took her mother by surprise. Although, just as the farm pony was about to run out of the room after her child, she smiled wide at the sight of her wife march in with Sonya held up in the air via a secure magical grip. "Mommy! No fair - magic's against the rules!" Rarity let out a chuckle, and gave a content sigh as she placed her daughter down onto the floor, nuzzling the little one affectionately. "Well, I apologize for breaking your strict policies in a game of chase, my dear, but sometimes, there are exceptions to all rules," she countered. "So can there be an excep- accept- er..." young Sonya fumbled over her words adorabley, only before giving up. "Does that mean I can stay up more?" "Most definitely not," the dressmaker smirked. "As I said, darling, only sometimes." The little one stuck her lip out and let out a huff, turning her expression away from her mothers in somewhat mock frustration. "It should be all of the time," she protested. "Sorry t' disappoint ya, sugarcube, but life don't work that way," Applejack chuckled, taking off her beloved hat and placing it on her daughter's head, causing the golden filly to smile like she had just won the Lottery. "An' that means when yer Mommas tell ya t' do somethin', ya do it." Sonya clutched the cowpony hat and let out a whine. "But-" "No buts." "Aww..." the earth pony filly muttered. "No fair." But then, suddenly, a lightbulb went off in her mind. "Can you both at least tell me a story before I go to sleep? Please?" A moment of silence passed, and both Rarity and Applejack met one another's gazes, only before they equally relented with their daughter's request. "Alright, Sonya," the unicorn complied, with a sigh. "Which story shall it be? Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermare, or what about Cinderella - I know that's your favori-" "No, no, no!" the filly interrupted. "You two gotta make up your own story." She caught Rarity's slight surprise and let out a light giggle. "Sorry, Mommy, but fairytales are getting boring." The fashionista scoffed, and upon noticing her wife's smirk, she rolled her eyes. "I don't see anything wrong with a Happily Ever After ending every once and a while," she muttered. And once more, Sonya thought up an idea - her expression brightening up cutely once more. "That's it! How 'bout you and Momma tell me the story about you fell in love?" she squealed, bouncing up and down on her hooves. "Huh - whatdya say?" "Ah reckon we could do that," Applejack drawled, with a simple shrug. "so long as somepony sticks t' th' story." She shot a playful glare to Rarity, as she noticed that familiar creative twinkle in the unicorn's sapphire eyes. With a scowl, Rarity gave a playful scoff. "Twisting the truth and adding a little flair never hurt anypony," she said simply. Smirking, the farm pony lifted up the little filly and held her in her hooves, carrying her over to the frilly canopy bed. "Alright now, Sonya, whose version o' th' story do ya wanna hear - mine or yer Mommy's?" she asked. "Both!" Sonya decided instantly, smiling wide and clapping her hooves. "Now this is going to be interesting," Rarity laughed. "Well, at least lemme start it." Applejack declared, clearing her throat and beginning to tell the tale as she sat on the bed with her daughter in her grasp. "Now, let's see..." Long time ago, there was a humble cowpony, who was honest, hard-working, an' fer th' longest time, she never thought anything 'o love an' all 'o that. But then, af'tr so many years, nev'r really thinkin' much o' it- Because she worked too hard. ...An' on th' oth'r side o' th' town, there was a fussy unicorn who worked ev'n hard'r, 'cause she was as stubborn as an 'ole mule. I deny all accusations of that. Allow me to take the reins in this - once upon a time, there was a proper unicorn, who lived in a fine, classy city, surrounded by bright lights and simple fabulosity- That ain't a word! Says you, miss 'get-alongingst' pony. Now, where was I? Oh yes, anyhow, the unicorn had many riches, and lived in a mansion, with anything she could ever have- More like a tiny Boutique in a small town. I'm sorry, who's telling this story? Th' both o' us, last Ah checked. An' ya gotta at least stick t' th' main parts 'o th' truth, ev'n if'n ya wanna switch thangs up a bit. Fine then, let's see how you tell it. Thank ya kindly - now, th' cowpony was real devoted t' her workin', ya see, an' she had a lotta good friends, but there was one o' 'em that she just couldn't und'rstand. Woo nelly, this mare drew th' cowpony offa th' wall! What wit' all o' her prim an' proper this, fancy-that, th' cowpony oft'n wondered why she stayed friends wit' that fussy pony. I'm not like that at all. Who's exaggerating now? Ah'm only doin' it 'cause ya look cute when yer mad. Oh, hush, and let me take over. Anyways, the unicorn was very wealthy, had closets and rooms full of anything she could have ever wanted... but there was one thing that money couldn't buy, one thing that she oh-so-desperately desired. And little did she know, it was right in front of her. You see, the unicorn was a very famous mare, a fashion idol, naturally, and she had several servants working in her mansion. One of them, the cook, was ... different, to say the least, from the rest. The cook was crude, brash, but never did she ever lie to the unicorn. And thus this was proven by the only three words she ever bothered to utter to the fashionista, and that was "As you wish", although it secretly meant- Now, y'all are jus' copyin' off 'The Princess Bridle'! Interrupting is highly rude, you know that, don't you? Yer story's draggin' on too long, and yer cheatin'. I'm simply putting a twist on it. Call it whatcha will, but- Applejack? "What?" the farm pony questioned, with a raised eyebrow. Rarity let out a light chuckle and shook her head playfully. "I think there's no need to bother finishing this story." she announced, smiling wide as she nodded to the sleeping little one in her wife's hooves. Looking down to her daughter fast asleep in the most adorable way known to ponykind, Applejack also sported a irreplaceable grin. "An' they all lived Happ'ly Ev'r Aft'r." she murmured. ~fin~