//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: Beauty is in the Eye of the Tiger // by GlueFactory //------------------------------// “That bad, huh?” asked Twilight. “I thought it would be fun,” said Rarity. “But Applejack is so... rrrrf... impossible.” “Rarity,” silently protested Fluttershy. “She's doing her best.” “I know I know. But she has the manners of a goat and the grace of a sick buffalo.” “Well that's rather harsh....” “Harsh, but true.” “I hardly think it's true...” “Well a heh, um,” interrupted Twilight. “Maybe you’re going at it the wrong way?” “But I'm an expert at make overs,” said Rarity. “I can turn around any kind pony.” “Applejack isn't any kind of pony,” said Twilight. “Think about it, what do you know about her?” “Well,” said Fluttershy. “She's honest, kind, reliable....” “Good head for business and a pro at farming...” added Rarity. “Strong, tough, a little bit...... aggressive....” “Chews with her mouth open.” Rarity is responded to with glares. “Oh, I'm not the only one here who notices,” she shot back. “She's a work horse,” stated Twilight. “Of course all this pampering wouldn't work.” “So what you're saying is...” began Fluttershy. “We have to stop coddling her, and start getting tougher,” finished Rarity. “Oh. But I'm so good at coddling....” “Twilight is correct Fluttershy. For her sake, it’s the only way to turn that country gal into a Southern Belle.” “But she said she wants to win honestly. What if she get's upset? What if she gets angry?” “Do you want her to win or don't you?” “I do... but-” “Then the kid gloves have to come off, I'm afraid.” “Can't we leave.... one kid glove on?” “Well good luck,” smiled Twilight. “I hope it works ouuuuuuuuuuu...” All three ducked in time to avoid a low-flying cloud. “Yeeeeee-haawwwww,” yelled Rainbow Dash, wearing Applejack's hat and riding on the cloud. “Get along little cloudie!” The cloud dived and rolled through the sky, trying to buck off Rainbow. Flying so close to the rooftops, she didn't see Pinkie on top of Sugarcube Corner with a fishing pole. “Wooo hoooo, yippie-ki-yo-ki-hey,” Rainbow felt AJ's hat snatched off her head and saw it quickly reeled in to Pinkie, who grabbed it and jumped back into her upstairs room. “Pinkie Pieeeeaaaahhhh...” said Rainbow as the cloud finally bucked her off into Ponyville fountain. “Sorry,” called Pinkie Pie as Rainbow stink eyed her from her new soggy home. “I can't hear you over the fact I've got AJ's hat.” The next morning at Sweetapple Acres, Applejack slept soundly in her bed. So soundly, in fact, she didn't hear the pair of hooves tromping into her room. Bweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet! “Yeeeaaaaah!” AJ fell off her bed in a tangle of blankets and sheets. Standing up, she came face to faces with Rarity and Fluttershy sporting sweat shirts, and whistles. Rarity wore a baseball cap, while Fluttershy made do with a blue cloth cap. “Straighten that mane.” ordered Rarity. “Chin up, head straight, and keep those hoofs together.” Maybe AJ was still tired, as she started to comply with Rarity's demands. “Hey, what the heck is....” started Applejack, realizing what she was doing. “Did I politely give you permission to talk?” Rarity was now in AJ's face. “Huh?” “Your performance has been...” Fluttershy tried hard to put on her best tough girl face. “Not very good.” She then leaned in close to Applejack. “I actually thought you were doing great,” she whispered. “But the time for pampering is over,” said Rarity “We're being tough, is that okay?” whispered Fluttershy. “No more mollycoddling this time.” “I wouldn't have minded a bit more.” “Are you two kiddin’ me?” groaned Applejack. “Ain’t we done enough?” “Well of course,” said Rarity. “I mean, it’s only your first beauty contest, so your chances are may not be....” “Beg pardon?” responded Applejack flatly. “Uh, don’t worry Rarity,” said Fluttershy, patting Applejack on the back. “I’m sure they give out “Good Effort” awards.” “Sure,” said Rarity. “Wouldn’t it be nice for the judges to say: “Nice try, Applejack?” “That’s it,” yelled Applejack, cutting the two off. She glared at Fluttershy, who broke out in a sweat and then turned to Rarity who tried but could just barely could meet her eye to eye. “The both of you...,” she said. Fluttershy and Rarity looked at each other with increasing worry. “Can do your worst.” Applejack beamed a confident smile to the two, who dropped the tough act to give a sigh of great relief. ““Well do better than that,” said Rarity. “We’ll do our best,” said Fluttershy. She couldn't help but give a hug to Applejack. The rest of the week for AJ was like a montage in fast forward. “Ninety-six,” counted Rarity. “Ninety-seven, Ninety-eight....” Doing one-hoof push-ups was natural for Applejack. Wearing a girdle being tightened by Fluttershy with every push however, made them torturous and exhausting. “Ninety-Nine. One Hundred.” “Hoooooof,” sighed Applejack as the girdle finally loosened. “Lots more to do AJ,” said Rarity. “No pain no gain.” “Then I'm expecting a big return on my investment,” said Applejack. The next day, Fluttershy's crash course in dancing had an emphasis on “crash.” As her coach and dance partner, Flutterhsy taught AJ every waltz, trot, two-step, slide, fling, samba and salsa she knew. AJ's legs felt like rubber, which is where Rarity stepped in. At the spa, the liberal use of a power-sander was just enough to smooth out Applejack's hooves. At Fluttershy's cottage: “Hiiiii-yaa,” yelled Applejack. “That's it Applejack,” yelled Fluttershy. “Show 'em who’s boss.” “I'm the boss,” answered Applejack. “I'm the boss I'm the boss I'm the boss.” And with one last gentle swing, Applejack arranged the last flower in the vase. “Perfect,” said Fluttershy. The day before the pageant, Rarity and Fluttershy trotted alongside Applejack who, while wearing high-heels and carrying a stack of books on her head, was starting to outpace her coaches. “Keep going,” said Rarity. “You're a regal machine, a beautiful, well-groomed, polite regal machine.” “You're gonna eat lightening,” said Fluttershy. “And then politely ask for thunder for dessert.” Trotting though Ponyville Square in the late afternoon, the three reached to the top of the steps at Ponyville Village Hall. Reaching the top, AJ couldn't help but rear back in triumph. “Yo Rar-i-ty, I did it.” Sugarcube Corner was as dead silent as it was dark. The lone pony stood against many. They thought they could run, hide. But they we're doomed from the start. “Thirteen 'gainst one?” she said, lifting the brim of her hat on her pink puffy mane. She grimaced and chewed on a candy cane. “Ya bought too too few.” Fanning her frosting bag like a pistol, Pinkie fired around after around. In moments, all the cupcakes lay dead.... frosted. Pinkie blew on the end of her frosting bag before squeezing a generous helping for herself on her tongue. “Ah ha,” shouted Twilight. “Yipes,” screamed Pinkie as the lights suddenly turned on. “Oh ha ha- hi Twilight. Fancy meeting you at Sugarcube Corner....” “Pinkie... you work here.” “Oh.. um... Twilight, you won't believe it. A brutish band of baked baddies bushwacked the bakery. Good thing Sheriff Pinkie Pie was here to send them back to their maker.” Sheriff Pinkie rubbed her tummy and licked her chops. “T'wernt nothin' ma'am,” she added, tipping her hat. “Nice try,” said Twilight flatly as she lifted AJ hat off of Pinkie Pie. “Awwww. Oh well, it sure was fun while it lasted. Hey, how did you know I'd try on AJ's hat?” Pinkie suddenly gasped. “Do you have a Pinkie Sense too?” “Yeah,” said Twilight. “Only I call it 'common sense.'” Pinkie thought long and hard about the concept. “Hmmmmm....... nope, never heard of it.” Twilight signed. “Good bye, Pinkie.” Floating AJ's hat on her magic, Twilight joined Rarity and Fluttershy outside. “Sorry for the wait girls,” she said. “So how's Applejack doing?” “Wonderful,” said Rarity. “All that tough love really does work. Applejack is a shoe-in for the pageant now.” “She a real quick learner,” said Fluttershy with pride. “She picked up every dance step I taught her, I even broke out my old waltz steps.” “Uh, waltz?” asked Twilight. “I don't really see Applejack learning to waltz.” “Oh it was easy,” said Fluttershy. “All you have to do is say she can't do it and then-” “Wait, what?” interrupted Twilight. “Fluttershy, are you sure that's a good idea? Applejack can get really competitive. Especially when you say she can't do something.” “Oh well – I – I – uh,” stammered Fluttershy. “It's for her own good Twilight,” interjected Rarity. “She was abysmal at first, now she has a solid chance.” “But didn't she say she didn't want to do anything she wouldn't normally do?” asked Twilight. “Well.... sure,” admitted Rarity. “But she needs to be better than normal for the pageant.” “We're just,” said Fluttershy, with a hint of nerves. “Just reminding her why she's competing.” Twilight paused. “Come to think of it. Why is she competing?” The silence between Rarity and Fluttershy could fill Ghastly Gorge. “Well you see....” “It's kind of like...” “We were thinking...” “And Applejack was....” “Um....” “Er......” “Sure.” “Exactly.” Twilight crooked a very inquisitive eyebrow their way. Beads of sweat started to form on the both of them, but thankfully the town bell gave a resounding ring. “Oh dear,” Rarity said, uncomfortably louder then usual. “Just look at the time. We have only a few hours to get our champ ready, come Fluttershy.” “R-right,” said Fluttershy, following. “Please say you'll be there, Twilight?” Rarity and Fluttershy took off towards Sweetapple Acres, leaving her with a heap of questions. “Wouldn't miss it,” she called. “Tell Applejack good luck for me.” “Rarity,” said Fluttershy. “I think Twilight may have a point.” “About what?” asked Rarity with sarcasm. “How not to be a winner?” “But we put Applejack through a lot, I just hope it was worth it.” “Don't worry, it'll be worth it once we win.” “You mean, 'she'?” “Of... course... heh, 'she.'”