The Color of Royalty

by Darkryt Orbinautz


Fight For Your Mare

Applejack galloped across the cosmos, the stars twinkling around her like road signs with jewels and minerals embossed into their sides. Massive straps of leather and twine tied her to the huge rock she was pulling behind her.

Applejack put one hoof in front of the other and continued to move, almost unburdened by the weight of her cargo. At the least, it could hardly compare to the whiplash of the emotional gauntlet she had been through in the last few days.

“This isn’t so bad.” Applejack said to herself. “It’s nice, quiet… I’ve got the place all to myself. Nice quiet place to just stop and think to myself.”

Applejack glanced over to the side. Seeing the bright land of Equestria in the distance brought a damper on her mood, but she smiled, determined to keep cheerful, particularly by reminding herself Twilight Sparkle was still on the planet. Far away from Applejack.

Why did Twi react the way she did? Applejack wondered in her head. I mean, I guess I… I know I messed up a little. A lot. But why did she get so angry?

Twilight’s words echoed.

W-when we’re both ready to-to sit down and talk ab-about this like adults, you can… find me on this - this stupid bridge.

Applejack puffed a sign.

I guess I was acting a little immature… still, she’s got no right to judge me like that. What I decide to do with my body and who I share it with is my business. My decision. Even if I did tell her that I loved her the night before … I guess that might have stung a little bit. But she said she wasn’t interested in me that way. So why did she get upset?

Applejack shook her head. She cleared away any thoughts of Twilight and focused on her task.


Out at the Canterlot castle, Luna stood on a bridge, glaring intently at the moon as it curved into its descent downwards, where it would be taken to rest and be replaced by the sun.

Celestia walked in, passing Luna by. “Oh. Hello, sister. What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be out there, lowering the moon?”

“I am outsourcing today, sister.” Luna answered with a smile.

“Oh? Do tell.”

“I have sent the farmer Applejack up to the stars and tasked her with towing the moon across the night sky.” Luna gestured a hoof to the moon. “She insinuated that all of her emotional problems she had been suffering as of late were somehow my doing. So I have set her with this task as a punishment for her attempt to shift the blame. Perhaps once she sees how difficulty lowering the moon is, she’ll realize I couldn’t have had anything to do with her predicament.” Luna concluded her speech bitterly.

“Huh.” Celestia said, glancing at the moon. “Well, carry on.”

Celestia walked off, continuing to the other end of the bridge.

Celestia zoomed back into the room, panic flashing in her eyes. “You did WHAT!? Luna, bring Applejack down this instant!”

Luna pouted. “But…”

“No buts!” Celestia swiped a hoof across the air. “Luna, I understand you were sealed in the moon for one thousand years, and you’re still adjusting to the way things are now. While this may have been an accepted way of punishment in the past, such drastic measures today are unacceptable! Making Applejack tow the moon is not acceptable! You bring her down this instant, young lady!”

Luna continued to frown. “Okay…” She closed her eyes and pointed her horn at the moon. It shone a brilliant, deep blue. There was a collection of sparkling white light, and Applejack appeared on the bridge.

“Wha-huh?” Applejack asked.

“I’ll get to you in a moment, Applejack. Right now, I need to decide an appropriate punishment for you, little lady.” Celestia drew her neck and glared at Luna.

Luna grimaced and shivered, hiding behind her wing in fear as Celestia contemplated what horrible punishment to dole out on her for her poor treatment of Applejack.

Celestia was silent for a while before she finally spoke. “No chocolate-pecan cake for dessert for you for the next three days.”

Luna gasped. “Not the chocolate-pecan! That’s my favorite!”

Celestia hardened her glare.

Luna hung her head. “I understand.” Luna finished lowering the moon with her magic before trotting off, sullen.

Celestia quickly raised up the sun up to its morning position, where just the crispest peak of sunlight falling over the castle. Her task done, Celestia turned her attention to Applejack.

“Applejack, I am so sorry about that. You’ll have to forgive Luna. Sometimes, she doesn’t understand that what was normal to us a few hundred years ago seems a bit … draconian today.”

“It’s fine.” Applejack said. “It’s no problem. As a matter of fact, I think that was one of the best workouts I’ve had in a long time. I feel raring to go.” Applejack kicked both her hind legs out to flex her muscles.

“Well, I’m glad to see you taking this in stride.” Celestia said. “And I’m sure your friends in Ponyville will be delighted to know that you’re okay.”

Applejack’s eyes widened, thinking of Twilight Sparkle. She ran up to Celestia, placing her hooves on the Princess’ chest. “No! Y’all can’t sent me home to Ponyville! You just can’t! Send me back to the moon! I’ll keep pulling it! I don’t mind, honest!”

Celestia chuckled. She took a hoof and gently brushed Applejack’s legs off her. “Now, Applejack… you do realize you’re going to have to talk to Twilight Sparkle and make up some time? Even if Twilight Sparkle doesn’t seem to be ready to hear it just yet, it’s up to you to at least try and make sure your friendship lasts past this… tumultuous phase.”

Applejack brought a leg over her eyes. She sighed. “You’re right. Of course you’re right, you’re the Princess...”

“Mmm.” Celestia made an amused noise. “Tell you what. If you really don’t want to go back to Ponyville - not yet, at least, then why don’t you stay at the castle for a few days? I insist.”

“Oh, gee, thanks, Princess, but y’all don’t really have to do that.”

“I insist. My treat. At least allow me to make for Luna treating you so poorly.”

“I don’t really know if staying here is the best option for me at the moment …”

“It’s that, or go back to Ponyville where Twilight Sparkle is waiting.” Celestia said with a smirk.

Applejack went pale. “So, uh, what was that you were sayin’ about a room? When do I get my key? And hey, how ‘bout that room service?”

Celestia chuckled. Like an amateur novel. So easy to predict.


Twilight Sparkle paced around the floor of her house, walking around in circles, a frown on her face and her nose towards the ground.

“Was I too hard on her?” Twilight asked. “Maybe I should have bit my tongue and held off on chewing her out until after we could settle things between us … then again, she shouldn’t have resorted to that in the first place.”

Twilight shook her head, closing her eyes as she bopped herself with her own hoof.

“No, no, no. That’s a victim-blaming statement. Maybe she shouldn’t have, but that doesn’t give me the right to criticize and belittle what she decides to do with her time. With… with her body.”

Twilight took in a deep breath and held it before sighing.

The door creaked open, and Spike entered through. “Hey, Twilight.”

“Hey, Spike.” Twilight continued to point her nose at the ground.

Spike walked into the room, passing Twilight and growing worried when he got close and saw her nose being aimed almost perpetually at at the floor. “Are you okay? What’s got you down?”

“It’s… nothing, It’s... Applejack.” Twilight slid a hoof down over her face before turning to Spike. “She -”

Staring at Spike’s youthful face, Twilight faltered, remembering he was much too young to talk to about this sort of thing.

“Actually, Spike, I’ll tell you about it when you’re older.”

“What? Oh, come on!” Spike stomped his feet. “Twilight, you know I’m going to have to learn about this sort of thing one day. Besides, if I ever develop a steady, lasting relationship, I’m going to need to learn how to ‘entertain’ my girlfriend, and that means knowing what you and Rarity really mean when you say ‘entertain’ in that weird tone of voice that practically includes its own quotation marks!”

Twilight blinked at him. “Today is not that day, Spike.”

“You can’t put it off forever, you know.”

“Well-reasoned, Spike, but I’m still not comfortable talking about this to you.” Twilight turned her head. “But suffice to say, she did something … I don’t think she should have. And I may have told her that I think she shouldn't have done it in… a less than friendly way, and now I’m wondering if maybe I went too far.”

Spike rolled his eyes. “Gave her one of your famous lectures, did ya?”

“Hey! My lectures are informative and well-thought out, not to mention helpful!”

Before Spike could give another snarky reply, he let out a burp. The burp soon led up to an expulsion of green fire from his mouth, which twirled in the air and formed a scroll.

“A letter?” Twilight asked. “From Princess Celestia?” Twilight removed the seal and set about reading the letter.

“‘Dear Twilight Sparkle, I thought you should know what happened to your friend Applejack…’ what happened? Oh no, I hope she’s okay! Something terrible must have happened! Oh, this is all my fault!”

“Calm down!” Spike said. “We don’t actually know that yet. Celestia said she was writing to tell us what happened, right? Just read through the letter and see what it says. I’m sure Applejack is fine.”

Twilight nodded and resumed reading. “‘My dear sister, Luna, took offense to something Applejack said and blew it way out of proportion. As a consequence, she banished Applejack into space with the task of pulling the moon behind her like the gods of old…’”

Spike grimaced and paled.

“‘Thankfully, I was able to arrive and correct this grievous error in judgment on Luna’s part. I hope you will forgive her. Applejack is safe now, and back on Equestria. She will be staying with in Canterlot for a while so she can reflect on the events of the past few days, and I quote, ‘get her head back on straight.’ Love, Princess Celestia.’”

“Well, that’s good, right?” Spike said. “She’s safe and sound with Princess Celestia. There’s nopony with better hooves than her’s for keeping a pony by her side safe, right?”

“Right.” Twilight said, smiling before frowning and looking down at the floor, releasing her telekinetic grip on the letter and letting it float to the floor. Spike became concerned again. It was unlike Twilight to let a piece of paper unceremoniously fall to the floor; she believed all paper was precious.

“But still…” Twilight sunk down to her haunches. “She’s going to stay in Canterlot for a few days… and it’s all my fault.” Twilight began to walk away. “If it wasn’t for me, if it wasn’t for the words I said to her… she might still be here. In Ponyville. With her friends.”

Twilight walked up the stairs.

“Twilight? Twilight, wait! What are you talking about? What happened between you two?” Spike reached out a claw. “Twilight!”

Twilight kept walking, as if she couldn’t hear him. For all the good it would do, Spike might as well have been a ghost screaming at a brick wall.


Applejack rested her legs on the side of a bridge, looking up at the stars for the night. Lights from both the castle and the city below surrounding her, lighting up the bridge.

Too bad they can’t do anything to light up my mood. Applejack thought.

Celestia walked onto the bridge, presumably on her way to something else. She raised an eyebrow at Applejack and smiled before approaching her. “Hello there, Applejack.”

“Hello, Princess.” Applejack greeted, glancing at the Princess for a brief moment before looking back up at the sky.

“You’ve been here for a couple of days.” Celestia said. “How are you liking it so far?”

“It’s pretty good, I guess.”

“Pretty good?” Celestia asked, sounding offended. “Well, clearly my staff is not doing a good enough job at making you comfortable.”

“No, no, they’re fine.” Applejack said. “Your staff is excellent. I’m waited on hoof and hoof. I can get a milkshake any time I ask for it, any time of day… I don’t have to worry about brushing my mane… they take care of everything for me.” Applejack placed a hoof under her chin and stared at the city in the distance. “But… I miss working on the farm. Bucking the trees, pulling me own weight, making my own lunch, with my own food, that I grew and harvested myself…”

Celestia smiled and chuckled. “You know you’re going to have to go back to Ponyville and talk to Twilight Sparkle… not to mention a certain other somepony.”

Applejack made a confused expression, not understanding what Celestia was talking about. She sighed and took her hooves off the bridge guard. “You’re right. I’ll start getting ready to leave. I’ll be out of your hair by morning.”

Applejack tipped her hat to Celestia before walking into the castle. Celestia watched her go with a smile.


The train chugged along the tracks, gears grinding in its cabins and pulleys pumping in, out and around the wheels until the train reached its destination. It announced its arrival with a high-pitched whistle, the ringing of bells, and the billowing of smoke from its furnace.

Along with several other ponies, all of whom walked by her without giving her much too notice, more focused on their own affairs and problems, Applejack stepped out of the train. After the crowd had some time to disperse, Applejack felt awkwardness unlike anything she had felt before upon seeing Cherry Jubilee at the train station.

"Oh, uh… hey, Cherry Jubilee. Listen, about the other night… I may not have been drunk-drunk, but still, I… I wasn't thinking straight, okay?"

Cherry responded to Applejack with a dismissive glare. “Oh. Hello, Applejack. I was just coming by the station to explain to the conductor why I would be staying in Ponyville for a few more days than planned. And...” Cherry looked down, becoming sad. “Maybe to say hello to you.” Cherry shook her head.

Applejack raised a concerned eyebrow. “Why are y’all staying in Ponyville for a few extra days? Is something wrong?”

Cherry adopted a dumbfounded expression before chuckling. “You’re… kidding, right? You really don’t know?”

Applejack shook her head. “I don’t know. Y’all know that if you’re in trouble, you can come to me for help, right? If there’s anything we Apple Family ponies are good for besides apple farming, it’s being there for our friends when they’re in need. I can be there for you.”

“Apparently not.” Cherry muttered under her breath.

“What was that?”

“Nothing!” Cherry lied, taking on a poisonous sweet tone, the kind a lady uses when she’s trying to be polite, but everyone around her can still tell she’s holding back pure rage. “It was nothing at all!”

Cherry turned around. “Just like me to you…”

She walked away, speaking a bit louder so Applejack could hear. “After all, it clearly didn’t matter as much to you as it did to me!”

Applejack responded with uncertainty. She shrugged it off and carried on her way, though was something gnawing at her she couldn’t quite put her hoof on.


Rarity was idly tidying up the display on her table, placing a singular rose inside a vial of water, when she heard a knock on her door.

“Hello?” Rarity asked, opening the door. “Applejack! I didn’t know you were in town. I mean, obviously, Twilight told me about you staying in with the Princess, but I didn’t realize you would be back so soon!”

“So you heard about that? Yeah, yeah…” Applejack said. She looked at the ground. “Listen, could I come in?”

“Of course, darling.” Rarity moved aside and let Applejack enter, closing the door behind her. “What can I do for you today, Applejack?”

“It’s about Cherry Jubilee.” Applejack said, taking her hat off and bringing it over her chest. “Do you know what’s going on with her?”

“Why, whatever do you mean, darling?”

“She was at the train station today. You know, when I came home.” Applejack explained. “I said hi to her, and for some reason, she was kind of… cold. She’s not usually like that. She’s usually as warm and friendly as can be.”

“Hmm.” Rarity smiled. “Now I wonder why ever that could be? What could be the reason?”

Applejack shrugged. “I don’t know. I was hoping you would.”

“Applejack, I do know. I’m trying to make you know it for yourself. Now think. Is there anything you could have said to her to make her act this way? Anything you could have done?”

Applejack shook her head and shrugged. “I don’t know. Not that I know of.”

“Come now, Applejack, surely you realize what’s going on? Put your head to it and think. Think. What have you done to Cherry Jubilee recently? Or more accurately, I suppose, with Cherry Jubilee?” Rarity giggled.

“I don’t…” Applejack scratched her head. “Well, we did wind up getting drunk and getting in bed together, but that’s all. I thought I explained to her. Or I tried to, at the station, at least. It was just something stupid I did because I was feeling sorry for myself and had a little too much alcohol. It was just a one-night stand, that’s all.”

“Now, Applejack, darling… do you see the problem?” Rarity asked. “You loved her, and then you left. Think. If rumors I’ve heard are to be believed, she told you that she missed you. Now why should she miss you?”

“Because I was a big help on her farm?”

“Oh, pish posh. I think it was a little more than a one-night stand to her.” Rarity winked.

The message at last got through Applejack’s thick head.. “You don’t mean…?”

“I do mean.”

“Well, well, I, uh, um… Rarity, what do I do!?”

“Calm down and take a deep breath, to start with.” Rarity said. “Now, Applejack, your little crush on Twilight Sparkle didn’t work out so well, did it? No, no, it didn’t. So if I were you, in your horseshoes… I’d realize what a golden opportunity this was and seize it. Opportunities like this rarely come up twice in a lifetime, you know.”

Rarity opened the door and pointed a hoof at the exit. “Get out there and go get her! Make it all up to her! Take her on a grand date and show her a good time! True love is waiting!”

Applejack replaced her hat upon her head. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded, swiveling her hat around to show she meant business. She kicked her legs out to stretch before galloping out the door, taking off like a jet of dragonfire.

Rarity shut the door behind once Applejack was no longer inside, resting against the door and swooning. “Ah, true love. Don’t you just love a happy couple?”

Spike was walking up to Rarity’s house. He flinched and froze when Applejack came speeding by like a bullet.

“Hi Spike! Bye Spike!”

“Well, that was weird.” Spike observed, watching Applejack fade into the distance. He knocked on Rarity’s door, and Rarity answered, surprised to see him.

“Oh… hello, Spike.” Rarity said, less than happy to see him.

“Hey, Rarity.” Spike said. “Listen, I know what I said was wrong, and it was bad of me, and I shouldn’t have said it - I shouldn’t have even thought of it - but I know it was bad. I had a moment of weakness. I know you’re not a shallow type who’s all about the jewels and the money and the fame. I know there’s… so much more to you than that. You’re a beautiful pony, Rarity, inside and out, and I’m lucky to have you as friend at all. I know it’s not much, but I… I hope you forgive me. Here. I brought you this.” Spike produced a heart box full of chocolates. “Please accept this token of my apology.”

“Oh, Spike!” Rarity exclaimed. “That was… wonderful, darling. Very above par. And I appreciate the chocolates, too. Although…” Rarity took the box from him and chuckled. “I do question why you made the choice of a heart box. Won’t Hayseed find that a bit aggressive?”

Spike nervously shuffled his foot. “It was all they had at a price I could afford.”

Rarity chuckled. “Well, I still think it’s lovely, Spike.”

“Really? So… you forgive me?”

“Of course.” Rarity ruffled her hoof through the scales on his head. “After all, we’ve all our moments of weakness, haven’t we?” Spike smirked, and Rarity blushed. “I-I mean, not that I would know anything about such a thing.”

“Hey, Rarity.” Hayseed came down from the stairs. “Who you talking to?”

“Oh, it’s just Spike, darling.” Rarity answered, moving aside to let Hayseed see him.

“Spike, huh?” Hayseed asked. Hayseed rubbed his head. “Hey, listen, Spike, do you want to maybe… come up to my room and hang out for a little while?”

“Really?” Spike asked. “You want to hang out with me?”

“Well, sure.” Hayseed said. “Why not? I’ve heard you’re a fun guy when you’re in the mood. I want to bury the hatchet, Spike, and I want for there to be to no hard feelings between us. For both our sake's. And it would help a lot with that if y’all would say yes … but, you don’t have to.” Hayseed looked away.

“What do you say, Spike?” Rarity asked.

“I say…” Spike said, pausing for dramatic effect. He stepped on the welcome mat inside the house. “Sure.”

Hayseed smiled. “Great. Let’s go upstairs. That way, we don’t bore Rarity with our ‘boy talk.’”

Rarity giggled. Spike walked up to the stairs and joined Hayseed in climbing up to the second floor, where Hayseed guided Spike into his room.


Out on one of Ponyville’s clouds, Rainbow Dash was relaxing, bobbing her legs up and down, humming a tune to herself. She opened one eye to check her surroundings, and didn’t make much of Applejack speeding past like a mare possessed. She closed her eye.

Dash snapped to attention, noticing her rival galloping at breakneck speeds. “Hey, A.J! Where ya goin?”

“I’m gonna go ask Cherry Jubilee out on a date!” Applejack shouted in reply, continuing to run.

Rainbow Dash flew off her cloud and pulled up to Applejack, using her wings to keep pace. “I thought you were in love with Twilight?”

“What? How did you know… oh, did that Rarity just blab to everypony about it?”

“Yeah. But to be fair, she waited until after you confessed.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Applejack dismissed, blowing her bangs out of her eyes. “I really can’t talk now, Rainbow Dash. I have to go and make things up to Cherry.”

“Yeah…” Rainbow Dash said, stopping in place and crossing her front legs, letting Applejack go. “Yeah, that’s fine…”

Rainbow watched Applejack fade into the distance. Once she was certain Applejack was gone, Rainbow Dash sped off in the opposite direction, whipping and zooming about the sky, making sharp corner turns until she arrived at Twilight’s library.

“Twilight!” Rainbow Dash knocked impetuously on the door.

“Can I help you?” Twilight asked upon answering the door. “Oh! Hey, Rainbow Dash. What’s going on?”

“Did you know that Applejack is trying to set up a date with Cherry Jubilee?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“What?” Twilight exclaimed. “No, I didn’t know.” Twilight got stars in her eyes. “Oh, Rainbow Dash, this is great! Now she can move on, and we can still be-”

“What? No, this is not great!” Rainbow Dash grabbed Twilight by the shoulders and wheeled her out of the library. “You can’t let that two-timer get away with this!”

“What? No, Rainbow Dash, you don’t understand -”

“What’s to understand?” Rainbow Dash asked in a callous voice. “That farmer told you that she loved her, then starts trying to go off with another mare! You can’t just sit by and let that happen, Twilight.”

“This is all a big misunderstanding.” Twilight tried to explain, but Rainbow Dash seemed intent upon not listening to her.

Rainbow Dash gave Twilight a great big shove. “Get out there, give Cherry Jubilee what’s coming to her, and woo Applejack back! Fight for your mare, Twilight Sparkle!”

Rainbow Dash turned around and marched into the library, slamming the door shut for a tone of finality.

“Whoops.” Rainbow Dash stuck her head out the window. “Forgot this isn’t my house.” She spread her wings and took, disappearing in a rainbow blur over the clouds, shattering Twilight’s window on her way out. Twilight wasn’t too bothered about the window. Not right now, at least.

Twilight Sparkle stood in place, watching Rainbow Dash leave. “But I don’t want Applejack to be my mare.”

Twilight turned away, staring mournfully at the ground.

“I want her to be my friend.


Spike finished up the last of the dishes, placing a clean plate onto a drying rack. He smiled at a job well done and prepared to head out to hang out with Hayseed.

He ran up to the door of the library and opened it, prepared to step out.

He wasn’t expecting Princess Celestia to be standing in the doorway.

“Oh! Um, hello… Princess.” Spike nervously rubbed the back of his head.

“Hello, Spike.” Celestia greeted him in the warm, mothering tone she was so renowned for.

“Um…” Spike bounced on his feet, unsure what to say. “Look, just give me a chance to apologize, okay?”

“That, well…” Celestia chuckled. “That was actually what I was here for. Let me hear it, Spike.”

“Okay… here goes.” Spike took in a deep breath. “I messed up. I know I messed up. I had a moment of weakness. I’m sorry. I should treat you and Rarity better than that. Both you and Rarity deserve better than that. Better than me. Just… give me one more chance, one last chance. And if I mess this up one too, you can be done with me.” Spike swept his arms. “You don’t even have to give me the time of day. I know I still have a lot of growing up to do. I know I’m immature, still… a kid, despite my attempts to delude myself. But I know, if I could forget Rarity, grow up, and focus for just one second… I could do right by you.”

Celestia smiled and put a hoof to her chin. “I must say, I’m impressed, Spike. That was very heartfelt. Very… mature.” She gave him a knowing glance.

“Yeah, well…” Spike rocked on his ankles. “I had all night to think about it, didn’t I?”

Celestia chuckled. “And have you apologized to Rarity as well?”

“Yup. Got it covered.” Spike flashed a thumbs-up. “So… what do you say?”

Celestia smiled and tilted her head. She puckered up her lips and leaned over to give Spike a smooch on his forehead. Spike’s eyes went blank.

“One more chance.” Celestia said. “Just one.”

Spike, stricken, could give a nod as his only reply as he ran his claw over the spot Celestia’s lips had touched.

Celestia giggled before turning around to leave, walking away from the library.

She reached a stream by a bridge, the same one Applejack had made her fateful confession to Twilight. Discord was there waiting for her, arms crossed.

“So how did it go?” Discord asked.

“It went surprisingly well.” Celestia said. She walked up to him and turned him to with a grin. “I think Spike and I may be dating for a while yet.”

“I see.” Discord nodded, flicking out his tongue as he hissed his words.

Celestia walked past him, trotting over the bridge before spreading her wings and taking flight. Discord stayed long enough to watch her go, before teleporting to in front of the library, where Spike was still in shock. Noticing Discord teleport in snapped him out of it, however.

Discord shook his fist at Spike’s direction. “This isn’t over yet, Spike! Not by a long shot!” Discord snapped his fingers and folded up, his body rolling into a ball which disappeared into thin air.

Discord had been too far away for Spike to hear him, though, and it was difficult to say whether or not he did so on purpose, perhaps to avoid alerting Spike to his ire.

Spike, having no context to explain Discord’s bizarre appearance and no clue what had upset the draconequus, shrugged and carried on his way.


Hayseed walked up to the edge of the door. He peered in, watching Rarity lean over the table, busily moving a pencil on paper with her magic.

He snuck up on her. He tiptoed towards her, touching the only outermost section of his hooves to the floor. Once behind her, he reared up and wrapped his legs around her from behind, putting his hooves on his chest.

“Oh!” Rarity exclaimed in surprise, dropping her pencil in alarm. “Oh, it’s just you, Hayseed. Really, darling, you mustn’t surprise ponies like that.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” Hayseed nuzzled her and ran a hoof over her back. “But you know … Spike shouldn’t be here for another few minutes now… we might not have time to show our affection towards each each if he stays for a while… we should, you know, make out. Just for a little bit.” Hayseed nibbled on her ear.

“Oh, not tonight, Hayseed.” Rarity brushed Hayseed’s hooves and pushed him away. “I just got a huge order in from a very important client. I’m going to need to get started right away if I want to have it done on time.”

“Really?” Hayseed raised an eyebrow. “They called you to put in a order like that at this time of night?”

“Fashion never sleeps, darling.” Rarity answered. She resumed focus on the paper, pressing her snout to the desk as she picked up the pencil and began drawing again. “I’ll be working on these the rest of the evening. But I’m sure you’ll be able to have plenty of fun with Spike. Oh, do keep it down, won’t you? I need to not have any distractions during my work.”

“Yeah.” Hayseed said as he turned away. “Fun… with Spike. And no distractions. Sure.” Hayseed slumped while he turned away and walked out of the room.

Hayseed went pacing about the house, staring at the floor, moping over his miss chanced at physical affection with Rarity. Not paying attention to where he was going, something bumped into his chest.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I - wait.” Hayseed said, backing away from the object and examining it, observing a small filly. “Who are you?”

The filly looked back at him with the same confused expression he was giving her. “I’m Sweetie Belle. Who are you?”

“I’m Hayseed. I’m Rarity’s boyfriend.” Hayseed answered.

“Oh? Another crush? Well, that’s good for you, I guess. Here’s hoping you turn out better than her previous attempts at a relationship, at least.”

“Why are you here?” Hayseed asked, a little annoyed at Sweetie Belle’s nitpicking.

“I’m Rarity’s little sister.” Sweetie Belle answered proudly.

“Oh, really? Then how come I haven’t seen you around before now?”

“I don’t live with her.” Sweetie Belle answered. “I live with our parents. Sometimes they drop me off here so Rarity can take care of me while they go off on vacation by themselves.”

“Really?” Hayseed asked. “And Rarity’s okay with that? With your parents just dropping you off unannounced?”

“Oh, yeah. She’s used to it. They do it all the time…”

“Huh.”

“Oh, by the way, would you mind, you know, announcing me and letting her know I’m here?”

“Sure.” Hayseed answered, before looking down at the floor again. “But it might be a bit before I can. She’s a mite bit busy at the moment.”

“Ah, yeah, I understand.” Sweetie Belle said. “She gets like that sometimes… hey, what’s got you down? Why do you look so sad, mister?”

Hayseed sighed. “It’s nothing. It’s just…” Hayseed brought a hoof over his eyes. “I can’t believe I’m talking about to this a little filly. Here goes nothing.” He put his hoof back on the floor. “It’s just, we’ve got a guest coming over later, and I was really looking forward to spending some quality time with her before they got here. You know, cuddle, kiss… maybe get on the couch and snuggle together under some blankets with some nice hot cocoa …” Hayseed let out a happy sigh of romantic longing at the image in his head of fireplaces and hot chocolate before his face turned sad once more. “But she’s busy, and doesn’t have time for any of that. She doesn’t… have time for me.”

“Yeah, I know the feeling.” Sweetie Belle said. “But you gotta learn to live with it.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Take it from me. I’ve lived with Rarity. I mean, I’m her sister, and I know a thing or two about how she tics. Come here, I’m gonna whisper something you need to know about her…”

“What’s that?” Hayseed put his ear towards her.

Sweetie Belle took in a deep breath and shouted, blowing Hayseed back with the force of her voice and messing up his hair. “She’s a businesspony!”

“Hayseed!” Rarity called from the other room. “What did I say about keeping it down?”

“Sorry!” Hayseed and Sweetie Belle called back in unison.

“Apology accepted. Now, Sweetie Belle is here for a stay, I take it?”

“Yeah.” Hayseed answered.

“Very good. Let her know I’m busy and help her get ready for bed, would you?”

“Yes.” Hayseed said. He turned back to Sweetie Belle, who held out her hoof.

“I’ll head off to bed here in a little bit. Anyways, my point is… Rarity is a businesspony who does a lot of work. Sometimes, she gets really busy trying to fill out everypony’s orders, and because of that… sometimes she’s just not going to have time for you. Now, you need to either learn to live with it and accept that… or you might as well break up with her.”

Sweetie Belle moved around and walked past Hayseed in the hall. “I’ll go brush my teeth.”

Hayseed stood there, thunderstruck. The idea of breaking up with Rarity for any reason had never occurred to him, much less a good reason, or even a halfway decent reason, in which he simply wanted to have a beau capable of spending more time with him. Perhaps not an unreasonable thing to want unto itself, but his heart’s desire Rarity was a businesspony, as Sweetie Belle had made frightfully clear to him in a most attention-grabbing way.

And he had a run a business himself; he knew to run a business, one had to meet demands, get product and services out on time, and respond to consumer complaints with promptness and politeness, no matter how cranky the customer is… and make a profit.

Hayseed wondered to himself. Could he stand a long relationship with a mare who had to do all of these things? Could he tolerate the fact she wasn’t always going to have enough time for him, or would he better off trying to find another mare who was less… hardworking, less ambitious?

Hayseed shook his head. All of these questions were ridiculous, and had to be tabled and shelved until he answered a far more important one for both his financially stability and personal happiness;

When he was going to get his business back in proper order?

Hayseed heard the front door creak open. All of those questions would have to wait. His guest was here.


Applejack stood outside a diner. She was close enough to hear ponies chatting inside and watch their shadows moving through the windows as they got up and left, as waiters and waitresses brought customers their orders, as they excused themselves to use the little fillys’ room …

Applejack sighed and hung her head. She grabbed the brim of her hat and adjusted it before going inside, pushing one of the double doors open with her hoof.

She scanned around, looking for the pony she needed to see. She let out a breath of relief upon seeing Cherry Jubilee waiting in the booth. She was here.

Of course, it might have been easier on Applejack if she hadn’t shown, and Applejack could just turn and leave with nothing on her conscience… but no. Even if it had been that way, Applejack couldn’t bring herself to do that. To leave it all alone. Not without making an honest effort to fix what she had done, at the least.

Applejack went up to the booth and slid into the other side, taking a seat opposite of Cherry Jubilee. She grinned and chuckled nervously.

Cherry Jubilee looked at her with cold eyes. She placed a hoof under her chin and looked out the window. “I wasn’t expecting you to show up.”

“Well, that was your mistake.” Applejack said.

“I got your letter.” Cherry said.

“I figured.” Applejack said. “Probably wouldn’t have been here if you hadn’t. I looked all over town for you. I couldn’t find you. But everypony I talked to who had seen you told me you were still in town. So I figured the best way I could get in touch with ya was to leave a letter at your hotel room, telling you to come here.”

“Mmm.” Cherry Jubilee said.

“Have you tried the fries and milkshake here?” Applejack asked. “They’re delicious.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Cherry said. “You know, not that it's worth much.”

Applejack sighed. She pulled the hat off her head and twirled it around in her hooves. “Cherry, can we clear somethin’ up?”

“That depends on you.” Cherry answered, crossing her legs and leaning back in her seat.

“I’m sorry.” Applejack said. “I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry. I was upset. I wasn’t… thinkin’ about you. I was thinkin’ about me. I wasn’t payin’ attention to what was going on around me, and I missed all the clues and signs that you were… that you were looking for more than just a cheap hookup.”

Applejack put her hat back on and rested a knee on the table. “And I’m… I’m just sorry, okay? I didn’t meant to hurt ya. I never meant to hurt your feelings and… take advantage of you like that."

“Hmph.” Cherry cracked a slight smile, which she quickly tried to hide. “Well, it’s something to start off with, at the very least. But I’m not sure why you feel like you need to be sorry, Applejack. After all…” Cherry looked out the window. “It clearly didn’t mean as much to you as it did to me.”

“Darn it, Cherry.” Applejack slammed her hoof on the table. “I am tryin’ to apologize for that. True, maybe it didn’t mean as much to me as it to you, but that’s no excuse for hurtin’ you, for lovin’ you and then leavin’ you. For usin’ you for a source of comfort when I was upset and feeling sorry for myself, and then leavin’ without so much as a proper goodbye. Now, if y’all aren’t interested in hearing my apology, that’s fine. You’re free to leave and go out that door. I ain’t holdin’ you here.”

“Maybe I will.” Cherry Jubilee said.

“Well, that’s just fine and dandy. But before you do, Cherry, let me ask you somethin’. If you weren’t interested in me apologizing… then why did you even show up in the first place if you didn’t want me to try to make it up to ya?”

Cherry, realizing Applejack had spotted a hole in her defense, blushed and had her eyes go wide. “W-well… I-I guess I’ll stay.”

Applejack put her hooves on the table. “Let me make it up to ya, Cherry. I’ll do anything you want or need me to do.”

Cherry looked at Applejack with interest, eyebrows raised. “Anything?”

Applejack chuckled, bearing a nervous grin as she realized she need to tack on a disclaimer. “Ah, well… within reason, that is.”

“Hmm.” Cherry smiled and leaned back in her seat, thinking about the potential she had to abuse this. “Tell me, what’s ‘within reason’?”

“Well, for starters, I know you liked having me worked at your farm. But no asking me to pack up and move in over there.” Applejack pointed a hoof. “I’ve got a baby sister here in Ponyville, and she still needs her big sister to be there for her and help show her the ropes, understand?”

Cherry nodded. “Understood.” Cherry smirked. “What else?”


Twilight Sparkle arrived at the area of the diner, having come to the conclusion while Rainbow Dash was coming from the wrong direction, it would be good for her to talk to Applejack again.

She walked up to the diner and looked inside the windows, scanning for Applejack. She wouldn’t want to go inside only to be told she had already missed Applejack, would she?

Twilight found her, sitting at a table with Cherry Jubilee. Applejack was swinging her hooves, smiling and laughing as she told Cherry an amusing story about something which had happened on the farm … or while she was with Rainbow Dash. One of the two.

Twilight stared intently in, scrutinizing Applejack’s every movement to the tiniest detail. Cherry said something which caused Applejack to rub at the back of her head, before they both began laughing. They were beginning to earn looks from other customers, and looked over their shoulders as they felt the eyes upon them. They sank into the seats and began laughing a little quieter.

She seems so happy … Twilight thought. You know what? I don’t want to ruin the moment for her. I’ll talk to her and sort things out later.

Twilight turned to leave.

Right as she did, Applejack’s laughter was dying down. She glanced over to the windows, and did a double-take when she noticed a familiar purple tail with a pink streak moving away from the window.

Applejack made a blank face as she stared. She turned to Cherry and began scooting out from the booth. “Uh, excuse me a minute, Cherry Jubilee. I need to go check on something.”

“What? But we were having such a good time together!” Cherry exclaimed, befuddled. She glanced to the window and saw Twilight leaving. Cherry crossed her legs and turned away. “Oh. I see.”

“I promise I’ll be right back.” Applejack told her before bolting out the door.

“Hmm.”

Applejack threw both of the double doors open, stepping outside and turning towards the distance while she held one door open. She shouted. “Twilight!”

Twilight stopped dead in her tracks and looked over her shoulder like she had been caught by Celestia committing a crime. She turned around.

“What are you doing!?” Twilight screamed at Applejack, which Applejack wasn’t expecting. “Anypony can see you’re clearly enjoying yourself! You’ve got a good thing going here, Applejack! Don’t throw it away! Get back inside and finish your date with Cherry Jubilee!

Applejack stood in place for a moment, speechless, taken by surprise by Twilight’s unexpected brashness. After she had a minute to process what it was Twilight was saying, Applejack gave Twilight a soft smile to show she understood.

Twilight gave a soft smile back.

Not one word more was necessary.

Applejack turned around and went back inside, letting go of the door, causing it to swing freely before closing itself.

Applejack went back to her table and took her seat in the booth. Cherry Jubilee was resting her head on her hoof. She perked up at Applejack, surprised to see her.

“I must admit.” Cherry Jubilee said. “I wasn’t expecting you to come back.”

“I am a mare of my word, Cherry Jubilee.” Applejack said. “So, where were we?”


“And so then the cockatrice turns to the peacock and says, 'that’s no statue, that’s my wife!'”

“Ah-ha!” Spike put a claw on his head, laughing at Hayseed’s joke and appreciate the several layers of humor in it. “HAHAHAHAHA! That’s brilliant! With the cockatrice, and the stature, because you know, the whole ‘turns you into stone’ thing. HAHAHA!”

Hayseed, sitting on his bed while Spike was content on the floor, breathed on his hoof and rubbed his chest. “I got a million of these.”

There were several knocks coming from the floor.

Hayseed looked down at the floor, which was the ceiling to the lower rooms. “Oh.”

“Oh, right..” Spike said. “Keep it down because Rarity’s working. Sorry!” Spike shouted to the floor, which only earned him another series of knocks. “Right. Duh.”

“It’s alright, Spike.” Hayseed said.

“Yeah, I know. I know there’s not really any chance of a relationship between us at this point, but… I still hate to interrupt Rarity when she’s working.” Spike said.

Hayseed bit his lip.

“Yeah, so anyways.” Spike said. “I have a question. How come you and Rarity are living together, but you have an entire room all to yourself?”

“This way, when Rarity and I are having a spat, I don’t have to sleep on the couch.”

“Ooh.” Spike said. He pointed a finger at Hayseed. “Clever.” Spike turned solemn. “Hayseed?”

“Yeah?”

“I want to thank you.”

Hayseed blinked. “Uh, what fer?”

“You know.” Spike waved his hand. “For being a cool dude and a nice guy. For forgiving me for all the dumb, crazy, stupid stuff that I did and… not holding it against me.” Spike rubbed the back of his head.

Hayseed smiled. “It’s no problem, Spike. After all, neither of us are keeping any secrets from Rarity or anypony. Everything’s out in the open.” Hayseed gave a stern glare. “You are not keeping any more secrets from Rarity at least, aren’t you?”

“No, no, no!” Spike waved his hands. “No more secrets from this dragon.” He pointed a thumb at his chest. “Especially not from Rarity. I learned my lesson about that.” Spike leaned back, before glancing at Hayseed’s drawer and noticing a tiny blue box sitting on top. “Hey, what’s this?”

Spike reached to grab it, but Hayseed swatted his claw away.

“Don’t touch that, Spike.” Hayseed said.

Spike grinned. Hayseed attempting to protect the box from Spike only made him more curious. “Ooh, got a little secret? A little something we’re not proud of? A little embarrassed? Say, weren’t we just talking about secrets? Yeah, I think we were. We were talking about not keeping secrets, especially from Rarity.”

“It doesn’t concern you, Spike.”

“I think it does.” Spike said, flexing his fingers and reaching up to grab the box again. “Because I’ll bet Rarity will want to know about it.”

Hayseed smacked Spike’s claw away a second time. Spike, smirking, continued to try to grab it, with Hayseed smacking him away each time. Spike, wanting more and more to know what inside the box, quit messing around and jumped,attempting to grab the box with both claws.

Hayseed, having enough, grabbed the box and lifted it up, leaving Spike halfway up on the dresser. Spike growled and reached up, trying to pry the box from Hayseed’s upturned hoof.

“Get away, Spike! That’s enough!”

“Why won’t you just tell me what it is!?”

“Because it doesn’t concern you!” Hayseed shouted, wrestling with Spike to keep him away, pushing Spike’s head back with his free hoof. All their moving around during their tussle eventually caused the box to fall out of Hayseed’s hoof, where it landed on its side and opened up, spilling its contents onto the floor.

Spike looked down and saw what the box he was holding. He saw, on the floor, a golden ring with a large diamond embedded in it.

It didn’t take him long to realize he recognized what it was, and what it meant.

“Oh.” Spike said.

Hayseed was planning to propose.