Out in the countryside, out in the country farm, a country pony sat inside her country house, looking at the not-quite-as-country moon from her windowsill.
She let out a sigh. She used to not really pay attention to the moon, cold and distant as it was. It was pretty to look at, sure, but her chores were all done before sundown, so it meant nothing to her. Knowing about the tale of Nightmare Moon made her appreciate its beauty more than she had in the past.
She used to think of the moon as a pointless rock. It didn't do much, just sat there in the sky telling ponies it was nighttime. Now, she thought of it as a symbol, as a jewel. A jewel in the sky she could never reach.
Just like the pony who had stolen her heart – a jewel far beyond her reach.
A scuffle on the wood behind her broke her windowsill vigil. She looked behind her to see her brother up.
“Applejack?” the big red stallion asked, rubbing his tired eyes. “What are you doing still up?”
Applejack sighed. “Nothin', Big Macintosh. Just thinkin'. Wut are y'all doing up?”
“Ah needed a glass of water.” Big Macintosh stated. “Yer thinking about her again, aren't ya?”
Applejack buried her face into the sill. “It's that obvious, huh?”
Big Macintosh nodded. “Eeyup. Applejack, just tell her how y'all feel. Even if she says no, at least then ya can have yer peace of mind back.”
Applejack scoffed. “Since when are you so talkative?”
“About when I started seein' my sister wastin' away by the window every night.”
Applejack rested her head on her hoof. “Y'all don't understand, Big Macintosh. She's a princess now. Not just a regular pony, not just another mare, a princess. Maybe when she was still a normal pony, Ah might have had a chance, but now ...”
“Applejack ...” Big Macintosh came to join her vigil, putting a comforting hoof on her back. “She's still Twilight. She's still your friend, and nothing is ever gonna change that.”
Applejack looked at Big Macintosh, her forest-green eyes shining with desperation, wishing she could believe him. Wishing the abstract construct of love wasn't blockading her from believing he was right and she was wrong to worry. “But … Ah'm just a simple mud pony. She's royalty, Big Mac! Royalty!”
Applejack saw an unfamiliar, surprising emotion in Big Macintosh's eyes. For a moment, he appeared to be angry and wanted to strike for her self-disparaging talk. But he took in a deep breath and restrained himself. “Applejack, if Ah hear you call yourself a simple mud pony again, well … Ah won't be held responsible for what Ah might do. But promise me, Applejack, come tomorrow, you'll tell her.”
Applejack turned her head away. “Ah won't lie to ya, brother. Ah can't promise that. Ah'll try, though.”
Big Macintosh nodded. “Ah'll settle for that. Now go on and git to bed. Y'all need yer sleep for tomorrow. Confessions can take a lot of energy, ya know?” Big Macintosh left her for his belated glass of water.
Applejack took another look outside and sighed again before leaving the windowsill at last to get to her bed. She supposed Big Macintosh had a point about needing sleep before a big confession.
She would need a lot of energy to tell Twilight Sparkle she loved her.
The next day, Applejack could be found on the side of a path in Ponyville. She was waiting for Twilight to pass by. She didn't know Twilight's schedule in and out, but she knew Twilight was a creature of habit, so she should be by this road at some point.
Applejack did her best to resist the various urges entering her which threatened to overcome her. Including, but not limited to; (1) breaking into a sweat, (2) having a nervous breakdown, (3) going back home and forgetting about this ordeal, (4) curling up and dying on the spot.
Twilight appeared at the end of the path, making her way from one end to the other. Her assistant, Spike, followed close behind her. Seeing Twilight in her beauty reinforced Applejack's courage and made her lose her nerve at the same time.
Applejack tugged at her back, pretending she was wearing a tight, form-fitting dress Rarity had made for her for this occasion. Applejack preferred the idea of someone loving her more for her moral strengths rather than her physical attributes, but for the daunting task ahead of her, she would take any advantage she could get. Even an illusionary one provided by an imaginary dress.
“Don't forget, Spike. We need to schedule a visit with Princess Cadence, check in on Discord and make sure he's not up to anything, and visit the Sofa and Quills shop.”
When Applejack spoke, her voice was weak. “Twilight?”
Twilight stopped and turned to Applejack. “Oh, Applejack! I didn't see you there. What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be doing chores at Sweet Apple Acres?”
“Big Macintosh is covering for me.” Applejack explained. “Ah wanted to talk to you about something, Twi. Something Ah've been wanting to tell ya for a long time ...”
“Oh.” Twilight became worried. “Okay. What is it?”
"See, Twilight ..." Applejack said. "Ah … the truth is … that is ..." Applejack felt a lump in her throat, as though something she had eaten was prompted to come crawling back up from her stomach for the sole purpose of lodging itself in and prevent her from speaking. "Ah ..." Applejack's neck and facial muscles became tense.
Twilight lifted a hoof as if afraid Applejack was going to explode. She had come to expect this kind of bizarre behavior from Pinkie Pie, but from Applejack? “Applejack, are you okay?”
“Ah … Ah ...” Applejack continued to choke on her words.
Twilight leaned forward and squinted at her. “Applejack, do you need some help? I'll go get somepony from the hospital. They'll know what to do.”
“No!” Applejack shouted, reaching her hoof out to stop Twilight from leaving. The lump of air in her throat seemed to go away when it came to saying anything but a confession. Saying anything except what she needed to say. “Ah'm fine. Y'all don't need to do that, Twi. It's just … this isn't easy for me to say.”
Twilight gripped Applejack hoof. “Applejack … you know you can tell me anything, right? I'm your friend, and friends are there for each other.”
Ah wish Ah could believe you, Twilight. Applejack thought to herself, her tongue still held by a fear of rejection, a fear of ruining their friendship. “Look, Twilight, the truth is …” Come on, come on. It was almost at the tip of her tongue. “Ah-”
“Yes?”
“Ah-”
Whatever nerve Applejack had worked up, it melted when Spike spat out a breath of fire which morphed into a notice. Twilight took the paper with her magic and opened it, skimming the words on it.
“Excuse me, Applejack. Oh. The Princess wants my help in receiving the Saddle Arabians ambassadors later today! Now, what were you saying?”
Seeing Princess Celestia take such a casual approach to summoning Twilight for royal affairs at the drop of a button punched out what little fight Applejack had mustered up. “Uh, never mind, Twilight … it's not important. You go on ahead.”
Twilight gave Applejack's another look of concern. “If you're sure ...” Giving Applejack a chance to raise an objection, Twilight was slow to turn around. When Applejack failed to take the chance, Twilight and Spike left.
Applejack sighed. How was she was supposed to just go up and tell a Princess she was in love with her? It would never happen. Maybe, back when Twilight was a prestigious, but normal pony, there would have been a chance for the two of them to get together. But Twilight was a Princess now, a step above the common folk. Applejack berated herself for even thinking to touch somepony on so high a pedestal. Hanging her head low, Applejack turned to crawl back to Sweet Apple Acres.
She was stopped by a high squeal assaulting her ears, making her wince. She looked up to see her friend, Rarity, bouncing towards her with little yellow cards held high in magic. The cards had pink trim and small print on them. If Applejack had to guess, the cards were invitations.
“Applejack!” Rarity called, far more cheerful than Applejack was. “Here, for you.” Rarity presented Applejack with one of the cards, levitating it in front of Applejack's face. When Applejack put her hoof on it, Rarity's magic faded. Applejack skimmed it over.
“An intimate get-together, huh?” Applejack asked, only lifting her eyebrow by a quarter of inch.
Rarity nodded with vigor. “Yes. It's a special occasion. I have an important announcement to make in front of everypony.”
“Uh-huh.” Applejack didn't believe her. What Rarity considered to be important and what Applejack considered to be important tend to have drastic variations from each other.
“Oh, there's Twilight! Do excuse me, darling.” Rarity walked past Applejack, hurrying after Twilight to give her an invitation as well.
Applejack watched from a distance as Rarity pulled Twilight aside and gave her a card. Applejack skimmed the text of the card, looking up from it at Twilight. “Guess Ah might as well go ...”
At the tea party, as Pinkie Pie continued to call it despite Rarity's insistence on the term “intimate get-together,” Rarity continued to have to lecture Pinkie Pie and talk her down before she attempted a Pinkie Pie-style loud-and-proud makeover to what was supposed to be a quiet, low-key event. All their closest friends were there. Applejack, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, Twilight, Fluttershy, Spike and … a farmer pony known as Hayseed. He was something of an odd one out.
“So I heard a rumor Rarity's got herself hooked up with a new Special Somepony.” Rainbow Dash whispered to Twilight and Spike. “I guess this little shindig is so she can announce it to the world. Er, but don't tell her I told you!” Rainbow Dash left the two of them to get some punch.
“Are you okay, Spike?” Twilight asked, surprising Spike.
Spike raised his brow at her. “Yeah. I'm fine. Why do you ask?”
“Well, I know you've had a crush on Rarity for the longest time. So to hear she's found somepony … I imagine that must be hard on you.”
“I'm fine!” Spike insisted. “Remember when she fell for Blueblood? And Trenderhoof? Remember how well THAT turned out? I'm not worried. It's just a phase. It's only a matter of time before Rarity realizes I'm the guy for her ... yup.” Spike rocked back and forth on his feet, balancing on his ankles. “Only a matter of time ...”
Or so he told Twilight. In reality, he was worried about the presence of Hayseed. A while back, Hayseed attempted to woo Rarity with some flowers. Spike's envy got the best of him and he lied to Hayseed about Rarity's relationship status, claiming she already had a fiance. It was nothing much, just a little white lie. Oh, and he may have stolen the flowers Hayseed purchased for Rarity and took them to her himself. Not a major deception, right?
Still, Spike assured himself there was nothing for him to worry about. Even though he was sure he caught Hayseed giving him dirty looks.
Across the room, Rarity looked took stock of the status of the party. She noticed Applejack was missing, in addition to one of her doors being ajar. Becoming suspicious, Rarity left the kitchen and entered the room.
Flicking on the light, she caught Applejack red-handed digging through her liquor cabinet, her neck deep down in the cellar doors and her tail hanging upwards.
“Helping yourself, Applejack?” Rarity asked. “A shame. I thought we were building such good trust with each other.”
Applejack lifted her head out from the cellar, a green bottle held sideways in her mouth. She spat out the bottle into her hoof. “Ah was gonna ask before Ah opened it ...”
“I'm sure you were, darling.” Rarity said, walking towards Applejack. “Have you told her yet?”
Applejack shrugged. “No.”
“Applejack, darling, you cannot go on like this.” Rarity snatched the bottle from Applejack's hoof. “You can't hide your feelings from Twilight forever, and you certainly shouldn't be turning to alcohol to hide from them!”
“Ah know, Rarity, Ah know.” Applejack said. She reached for the alcohol bottle, though Rarity used her magic to levitate it out of her reach.
“I should be ashamed of myself, enabling you like I have.” Rarity murmured. It was true. She'd been enabling Applejack the last few days. She and Big Macintosh were the only ponies who knew about Applejack's crush and Rarity had found herself doing triple duty. First, as Applejack's confidante, hearing her troubles. Second, as her therapist, trying to sooth her late at night when Applejack was frustrated with herself. Third, as Applejack's personal bar, providing Applejack with alcoholic drinks, as she had taken up drinking to hide from her emotions.
“Ah know.” Applejack repeated. “But Ah got a plan this time, Rarity. Ah'm gonna get drunk, lose my, what do you call it, inhibition, and then tell Twilight how Ah feel.”
Rarity swung the bottle through the air and bonked Applejack on the nose. “No. Take it from me, Applejack, a drunk confession of love is a terrible idea. If you start off like that, Twilight will never take your love seriously.”
“But … but ...” Applejack dropped to her haunches. She sunk further until she was lying on her stomach. “Ah don't know what else to do … Ah don't have any other ideas.”
Rarity lost her temper, throwing the bottle against the wall to smash it and prevent Applejack from using its contents to get drunk. “For goodness sake, Applejack! If all you can come up with is getting drunk, then perhaps you would be better off having no ideas at all!”
“Ah know.” Applejack repeated, covering her eyes with her hooves.
Rarity sighed. “I suppose I can't held it against you. Celestia knows I've grown desperate when I was looking for my Special Somepony. But now I've found him. Come. It's time to let all our friends and the world know … I've found my someone.”
Rarity helped Applejack to her hooves and guided her through the door.
“I hope you can find yours.” Rarity whispered. “But right now, just for the moment, it's time to focus on my happiness instead of your despair. I deserve that much, don't you think?”
“Yeah … you do.” Applejack mumbled, walking out with Rarity. Applejack sat by the kitchen table and remained silent.
“Don't worry, Applejack. I'll get back to you. But for right now ...” Rarity clinked a spoon against a glass for everypony's attention. “Everypony, your attention, please!” As all eyes turned on her, Rarity felt satisfied. She cleared her throat. “As you all know, I've been looking for someone special in my life for … quite some time now. I tried a few suitors, you know. Blueblood, Trenderhoof … but none of them turned out well. A few days ago, that changed when the perfect stallion appeared before me. He had been living next to me all my life, and I never even noticed him. Well, today that changes. Today, I am proud to announce, to you, my friends, and to the world, the one and only colt for me is ...”
Spike took a cocky stride forward, eager to receive his due recognition and take his place by Rarity's side.
“Hayseed Turnip Truck, who I've invited here today.”
Spike stopped dead in his tracks. “What?”
“Hayseed, come on up!” Rarity gestured for the odd man out to come up to the table. He took his spot by Rarity, blushing as everypony else cheered for him – except Spike.
“Congratulations, Hayseed.” Fluttershy said. “I'm sure you and Rarity will be very happy together.”
“Eh, I'm not one for mushy stuff. But if it makes Rarity happy, who am I to judge?” Rainbow Dash shrugged. She flew up to Hayseed, getting into his face. “One thing, though, pal. You make my buddy Rarity cry, and I will see to it you get a thunderbolt where the sun don't shine.” She jabbed Hayseed's chest.
“Rainbow Dash.” Rarity scolded, wanting Dash to leave her boyfriend alone.
“It's okay, Rarity.” Hayseed said, pushing Dash's hoof off. “She's just looking out for her friend. I'd want my friends looking out for me, too.” His eyes shifted towards Spike for only a split-second.
Spike winced. He thought he saw Hayseed glance at him before, but now he knew it.
“I'm sorry I can't stay, Rarity.” Twilight said. “The Princess asked my help in receiving officials from Saddle Arabia. But my best wishes to you and Hayseed!”
“Thank you, darling. No need for apologies, darling.” Rarity bowed. “A Princess's duties must come first, after all.”
“Thanks. Come on, Spike.” Twilight put her hoof on Spike's shoulder, oblivious to how distraught he was. “If we keep the Princess waiting any longer, we'll be late.”
Twilight and Spike arrived at Canterlot by pegasus-driven carriage. Spike was quiet and sulky the entire ride. Twilight didn't notice at first, as it meant she could read a book during the trip without being interrupted by Spike's whining. But after landing, Twilight realized Spike had been quiet, and as a cliché as it is to say, he had been too quiet.
“Spike?” Twilight brushed a hoof along his head scales. “Are you okay? You didn't say a single word the entire trip. Is something wrong?”
“I'm fine.” Spike pushed her hoof away. “Nothing to worry about. Let's go see the Princess.” Spike carried himself as if he was king of the world.
“Oh. This is about Hayseed, isn't it?” Twilight realized. “Spike, you were so confident about Rarity and you before. What happened?”
Spike crossed his arms. “Nothing happened.”
“Well, something had to happen, or you wouldn't be acting this way. What is it, Spike?”
“What's what? What do you mean, Twilight?”
“I mean, what's different about Hayseed from the others? What separates him from Blueblood and Trenderhoof?”
“Nothing, okay?” Spike snapped. He didn't tell Twilight about his deception. Why would he? What Twilight didn't know wouldn't hurt her. If Twilight knew he lied to Hayseed and used the flowers Hayseed had worked for and purchased to give to Rarity himself, Twilight would give him one of her awful, tedious lectures. This one would be all about morals and being the better man and letting Hayseed have his chance to be with Rarity.
Well, what about MY chances? Don't I deserve as much? Spike thought to himself. I saved her from Diamond Dogs, didn't I? Well, I tried to, at least. Did Hayseed ever try to rescue her from Diamond Dogs? I even worked as a pincushion for her. I helped her with gems, I helped with her dress, I even gave her my Fire Ruby!
Spike shook his head to clear it of those thoughts. He gestured with his arm. “Come on, Twilight. The Princess is waiting.”
“Yes, she is.” Twilight agreed. She bent her head down and whispered to him. “But don't think this conversation is over.” They walked up to the palace entrance and knocked on the door.
“Princess Twilight Sparkle.” A Royal Guard opened the door and bowed to her. “Princess Celestia has been waiting.”
“Yes, I know. We were sidetracked.” Twilight glanced towards Spike. Twilight and Spike followed the Guard, who announced them to the majestic form of Princess Celestia.
“Twilight Sparkle.” Celestia and Twilight recognized each other with a bow. “Thank you for coming on such short notice. I would've had Luna do it, but she's busy helping Cadence.”
“It's no problem. After all, I know a Princess' work is never done.”
“The ambassadors should be arriving in just another half-hour.” Celestia said, gesturing her head at the adjacent hallway. “Would you care to join me in waiting?”
“I would love to. We could catch up on each other while we wait.”
Princess Celestia draped her wing over Twilight the she would lay a blanket over her child. Spike walked behind them down the hall, but he was surprised when Twilight place a hoof in front of him.
“Ooh. Why don't you sit this one out, Spike? You're not real royalty, and the Saddle Arabians might be offended by us including you in their visit.”
“What?” Spike exclaimed. “I'm your number one assistant, Twilight! Does being a Princess's assistant not count for being royalty?”
“Uh … not really, no. Although, since she made me a Princess, maybe Princess Celestia can make you a royal retainer or vassal in the future?” Twilight looked to Celestia, hopeful.
Celestia responded with an amused smile. “I will see what I can do. Why don't you go visit Doughnut Joe's while you wait, Spike?”
“Okay ...” Spike sagged his shoulders. Celestia and Twilight shut the door. Spike was used to this kind of treatment. It wasn't the first time he was left out of his friends' activities, though in the past, it had been because he was a baby dragon or because he wasn't a girl. Not because he wasn't “royal enough.”
Spike walked backwards down the royal carpet. He decided to take up Celestia's advice and visit Donut Joe's for some comfort food.
Spike was expecting to leave the castle, go to Joe's, eat and come back. What he was not expecting was the sound of Hayseed's voice as he traveled through the castle.
“Here ya go, sir.” Hayseed said. Spike hid behind a doorway and peered out. Hayseed was in the other room. Why was he in the castle, and at the same time Spike was also in the castle, no less?
Spike got his answer as he noticed Hayseed was handing a Guard a business card. “And here's my card. If you have any complaints, want a refund, don't be afraid to give a holler, ya hear?”
The Guard nodded. “Thank you, Mister Turnip. Oh, I heard your big news. Congratulations on getting together with Miss Rarity. She's quite the catch.”
“She is.” Hayseed expressed with fondness. “It was difficult, of course. But it was all worth it in the end.”
“Well, I hope you two will be happy together.”
Hayseed patted his hoof against his chest. “We will. I'll make sure of it.”
“Thanks again.” The Guard said, waving the card as he left. “You run a good business, Mister Turnip.”
“Thank you.” Hayseed replied. He adjusted his shirt.
Spike held his claws against the door frame, his heart pounding in his chest. He was alone with Hayseed in the wide, wide space of Canterlot Castle. Twilight and Celestia would be busy with the ambassadors for some time, so if Hayseed were to notice him and decide to do something unsavory as payback for Spike lying to him, Spike wasn't he'd be able to make it out without a few bruises.
Hayseed continued to fiddle with his shirt. Not because it was in actual need of fixing, but because it gave his hooves something to do.
He spoke the words Spike was fearing to hear.
“You might as well come out, Spike.” Hayseed said. He quit fiddling with his clothes. “It'll do nopony any good for y'all to keep hiding behind the door. Might as well come out and we can settle this face-to-face like real stallions.”
Spike gulped. With a nervous pace, he stepped into the room with Hayseed.
“So, what do you want to do to me?” Spike asked. “Good old fisticuffs? Tie me up and lock me in a closet where nopony will find me? At least not until after you've eloped with Rarity and made a clean getaway? What?”
“Spike, I ain't some kind of cartoon supervillian.” Hayseed approached him. “I'm not gonna do anything of the sort. I just want to talk.”
“Talk?”
“Yeah, talk. You want to know how Rarity and I got together?”
Spike, too scared for words, gave a nod.
“I was walking on the street one day for a job I was paid to do.” Hayseed said. “I passed by her on the street. I gave her a wave. I remembered what you told me and asked how her fiance was doing. She gave the blankest look I had ever seen on a mare and told me she didn't have a fiance. “Where in Equestria did you get the idea I have a fiance?” She asked me. I didn't tell her it was you. I didn't want her to think less of you, see.”
Spike swallowed hard. “Nice of you.”
“Hm-hmm.” Hayseed nodded. “I hesitated. I asked her out. She said yes, and we hit it off. Now, I was trying not to jump to conclusions about you. Maybe you had good reason for saying she had a fiance. I couldn't know. I made a note to ask you about later. But … I saw a bouquet of flowers on her counter which looked a bit familiar. I asked her where she got them from. She said they were from you. And … I realized those were the EXACT flowers I was going to give her before you lied to me. You lied to me, Spike.”
Hayseed approached Spike. Spike's heartbeat pounded in his chest, each step Hayseed took one step bringing Spike closer to his doom.
“You told me she had a boyfriend. You told me she had a fiance. You told me it was “super-serious.” So, Spike, what I want – and I'm not asking for much, here – all I want … is to know something.”
Hayseed was inches in front of Spike.
“Why?”
Spike was caught off-guard by Hayseed's simple, small, and innocent question. “Er, come again?”
“Why did you lie to me, Spike?” Hayseed said. “And give Rarity the flowers I got for her?”
“I, uh, well ...” Spike fiddled with his fingers. “I mean ...” Hayseed lowered his eyelids, not amused with Spike's stumbling. Spike took in a deep breath and braced himself.
“Because I love her!” Spike snapped. “I love her, and her heart's only big enough for one Special Somepony in her life, and it's ME! I'm going to her Special Somepony. You're just a phase!” Spike pointed his claw at him. “Just like Blueblood or Trenderhoof! Rarity will fawn over you for awhile before she realizes you're not good enough for her and I ...” Spike beat on his chest. “Am! I deserve Rarity's love. I gave her a rare and precious gem, I worked as a pincushion, and I saved her from Diamond Dogs! What did YOU do, huh?”
Hayseed bared his teeth. “I worked hard, is what I did! I started my own business with my own bare hooves. I made myself a respectable Canterlot-worthy pony, and if SOMEPONY hadn't LIED to me, I would have given her flowers!”
“Yeah?” Spike growled, pressing his nose against Hayseed's, fear forgotten, ready to engage in the time-honored animal tradition of engaging in masculine displays of might for the right to court Rarity.
He had forgotten to take into account Twilight Sparkle.
“Spike!”
Spike separated from Hayseed and whipped around to see Twilight staring him down. Spike was ready to challenge Hayseed, but he was going to back down from challenging Twilight. It was akin to the difference between challenging a wild bull and challenging a fire-breathing cyborg T.rex. Hayseed was the bull. Twilight was the T.rex.
“What in the wide-wide world of Equestria is going on here?'
“I ...” Spike twiddled his fingers. “Weren't you with Celestia with the Saddle Arabians?”
“We finished, Spike. They just left. Now answer my question. What is going on here?”
“I was, um, fighting with Hayseed over Rarity.”
“Well, unless I'm hearing things, you admitted you lied to Hayseed and you gave Rarity flowers from Hayseed while pretending they were from you?”
Spike nodded.
“Hmph! I'm sure if Rarity knew about it, she'd tell you herself you're not deserving. But since she's not here, I'll do it. I doubt Rarity would want to spend her life with somepony willing to lie and break the hearts of other ponies to increase his standing with her!”
Spike began to tear up. Spike had thought a lecture would be the worst of his worries, but if Twilight told Rarity about this … he'd never have any chance to be with Rarity ever again. “But, Twilight … haven't I earned the right to be with Rarity?”
“Maybe. You do a lot for her. But you DID NOT have the right to lie to Hayseed and break his heart! He has just as much right to court Rarity as you do!” Twilight pointed towards Hayseed. “You apologize to him right now!”
Spike turned back to Rarity. “I'm … sorry, Hayseed.”
“I … guess I forgive you.” Hayseed mumbled. “You … you ...”
“Well?” Spike asked, his voice breaking, tears rolling down his cheeks as his deception was revealed for the world to see. “Say it! Say it! I deserve it!”
“You … you ...” Hayseed huffed and puffed. His eyes became bloodshot.
“Say it!”
“TWERP!”
Spike ran off to another room, blubbering and crying even though “twerp” was one of the least disparaging things Hayseed could have thought to call him. Twilight Sparkle reached out her hoof to stop him, but she thought better of trying to console him in the state he was.
Hayseed a took a deep breath, his eyes returning to normal. “Well, I feel much better now. How do you do, Miss Twilight?”
“Oh, fine.” Twilight looked away from her. She went bug-eyed at the sight of Princess Celestia appearing in the opposing doorway.
Twilight bit her lip. “Princess? You don't think I was too hard on him, do you?”
Princess Celestia glanced in the direction Spike had run off. “I do not know. Perhaps you were. Perhaps you were just hard enough. Let me spend some time with him and I'll have an answer for you.”
Twilight nodded. She bowed to Princess Celestia. Celestia returned the bow before leaving.
Spike ran to an outside balcony. He climbed up on the velvet seating, curled into a fetal position, and cried under the cold and impassive starry night. “It's not fair.” Spike mumbled to himself. His tears distorted his voice to the point of incomprehension to anyone who wasn't him.
The door to the balcony opened, casting the light from inside the building over the balcony.
“Go away.” Spike shouted, picking up a pillow and throwing it at whoever was opening the door. He looked over his shoulder and went into panic mode. Princess Celestia was standing in the doorway, holding the pillow in her magic. Spike realized he had just thrown a pillow at Princess Celestia. He winced, expecting to be drawn, quartered, tried for treason and hanged.
“Oh … oh my gosh, Princess Celestia, I'm sorry!” Spike hopped off the couch and got to his knees. “Please don't banish me – or – or send me to a dungeon or – banish me and send me to a dungeon in the place you banished me to!”
Celestia said nothing, approaching him with her usual calm demeanor. Her lack of reaction scared Spike more than anything. It was as if she was a programmed automaton. She examined the pillow. Using her magic, she set the pillow down on the couch, lifted Spike up, and placed him on the pillow.
Spike was baffled. “I -”
“Ssh.” Princess Celestia told him. Her voice was so warm and comforting, Spike almost expected her to follow up with a bedtime story and carry him to bed. Another one of the many mysteries surrounding the Princess, he supposed.
Princess Celestia sat next to him, looking upwards at the stars in silence. Seeing she wasn't going to speak anytime soon, Spike looked up with her. He admired the natural beauty of the nighttime. The stars shining in the sky. How did the old song go? Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are ...like a diamond in the sky. Diamonds in the sky was a good description for them.
“They're beautiful, aren't they?” Princess Celestia spoke, making Spike jump out of his skin.
“Uh, yeah.” Spike said, resting on his claws. “Gorgeous.”
“My sister put a lot of work into them, don't you think?” Celestia asked.
Spike nodded. He wasn't sure where this was going and he wasn't sure he wanted to know. “Yeah. She does, doesn't she?”
Celestia nodded, satisfied with Spike's answer. “You put in a lot of work for Rarity, don't you?”
Spike wasn't sure how to answer her question at first. “Um, yeah. I do.”
“And Hayseed ...”
“I don't want to talk about Hayseed.” Spike insisted, turning away from the Princess.
“I don't think you did anything wrong, Spike.” Princess Celestia said, which baffled Spike.
Spike turned back to her, eyebrows raised. “Um, what?”
“Well, perhaps I misspoke. Perhaps you did do something wrong. But you were only doing what mother nature trained us to do. When a threat – Hayseed – came onto your territory – Rarity – you did what any animal would do and defended your territory. Don't you think?”
“Uh, yeah.” Spike scratched the back of his head. “I guess you could look at it like that ...”
“So you see where your mistake was, Spike?” Celestia asked.
“Um, lying to Hayseed?” Spike guessed. He sagged his shoulders. “I don't know.”
“Your mistake was considering Rarity your territory. Did Rarity say she loved you? Did Rarity say you were your boyfriend, her fiance, anything more than just a friend?”
“No.” Spike was forced to admit. There were hints in the past Rarity may have known about Spike's crush on her, but nothing more than just hints.
“Then you shouldn't have done to Hayseed what you did.” Celestia told him. Harsh, but true and straightforward, with no beating around the bush.
“No.” Spike groaned, putting his claws over his head. “All this time, I've been waiting for Rarity to realize I'm the one for her and Twilight – and Hayseed – they don't seem to get it. They don't … understand how frustrating it is for me to work to earn Rarity's affection as hard as I have and get nothing for it!”
“I understand, Spike.” Celestia's voice was calm and soothing. “You remind me of somepony I met long ago. She put a lot of work for what she loved, just like you have. When nopony recognized her for it, she did a bad thing. Just like you did.”
Spike groaned and whimpered, turning away.
“But.” Celestia's tone was as sharp as a knife. “She got better. She atoned for it and made amends. She was forgiven. I think … if ponies could forgive her, Hayseed and Twilight could forgive you.”
Spike looked at the Princess, putting two and two together. “You're not … talking about Princess Luna, are you?”
Celestia chuckled. “So you caught on to my little game. Yes, yes, I am. Think about it, Spike. If we can forgive Luna for becoming Nightmare Moon, we can forgive you for telling a little lie, can't we?”
“Yeah.” Spike nodded. “Yeah, I guess we can. I mean, Hayseed and Twilight can.”
“Good.” Princess Celestia wrapped her large wing around Spike's tiny body and pulled him close, nuzzling his head with her snout. “Why don't you go see Hayseed and Twilight and see about apologies before you turn into Nightmare Spike or something?”
“Really?” Spike asked. “I can do that?” He looked at his claws, fascinated by the prospect he could become a shadowy monster of the darkness at the drop of a hat.
Princess Celestia tugged her wing on him, refocusing his attention back on her. “I'd rather we not find out and that remain a mystery.” She said with an encouraging smile. Princess Celestia hugged him with her wing before she stood up and went to the door.
“Where are you going?” Spike asked. He was kinda enjoying talking one-on-one with Princess Celestia.
“To tell Twilight she wasn't too harsh on you.” Celestia closed the door behind him. Spike, not having the context for Celestia's answer, was confused by it. He scratched his head.
Although … Spike held his gaze on the door where Princess Celestia had left. Their little talk had caused Spike to realized an obvious hidden truth which never occurred to him before.
Princess Celestia was quite beautiful.
Meanwhile in Ponyville, Applejack was resting her hoof on the windowsill. She was staring at the moon again, sighing and thinking about Twilight.
As per the night before, Big Macintosh came down the stairs and saw his sister staring at the silver orb. “Applejack? Did you tell her?”
Applejack shook her head. “No, Big Macintosh, Ah did not tell her.”
Big Macintosh helped himself to a couple of sighs. “Applejack, Ah respect this is a sensitive topic and it needs to be handled with delicate care when you talk to Twilight. But so help me, if this goes on for a few more nights, Ah may just tell her mahself.” Big Macintosh turned and walked upstairs.
“Hmph.” Applejack huffed to herself. “You'd solve so many problems if you did, Big Brother.”
Still, Applejack felt she couldn't compete. She wasn't a valid choice as Twilight's suitor. She wasn't a prince from a faraway land or a knight in shining armor or anything fancy in the same vein. She was Applejack. Humble, honest, down-to-earth Applejack.
While Twilight … Twilight was a Princess. Twilight was Princess Celestia's personal student. Twilight had a coat colored lavender – lavender, which was a shade of purple, which was associated with nobles. How could Applejack hope to the win the heart of somepony whose bare flesh alone represented the color of royalty …
While she was just a simple mud pony?