A Tale of Blue and Red

by Stratocaster

The Apple of His Eye

In the hallowed halls of Canterlot Castle, in the sparkling city that braced the mountain, life was usual for Prince Blueblood. The praised unicorn prince sat in his personal throne room in the castle, hoof in cheek, listening to the musical styling of Octavia and her string quartet. The angelic harmonies of the classical string instruments resonated through the stone halls of the castle and gave pleasure to many a pony's ears. But the radiant music ended with one word.

"Yawn!" the prince said, in place of actually yawning. "I grow tired of this old music. That's enough for today."

The musicians took their instruments and left in a huff.

"Ugh, when am I going to get some real music in here?" Blueblood muttered to himself, pinching his brow. "I just had to have aunts who are ancient."

"At least I'm still young enough to hear well." Princess Luna remarked as she entered the throne chamber.

"Oh, hello Auntie. I didn't see you there." He lied.

"Blueblood, why in Equestria would you send out the best classical musicians we can find?" Luna approached him.

"I'm just bored, Auntie Luna." Blueblood sighed. "Nothing excites me anymore."

"Well no wonder you're bored." Princess Celestia entered as well. "All you ever do is sit around the castle all day. You hardly have any royal duties. The most you ever do is judge the Miss Equestria Pageant."

"That was a hard decision, Auntie Celestia!" retorted Blueblood.

"I think I understand your doldrums, dear nephew!" grinned Luna. "You simply need someone to share your regal life with! That is why I have acquired a group of suitors for you to chose from, to be your beloved!"

"Suitors?" queried Celestia. "Honestly, Luna, don't you think you're spoiling our nephew a little too much?"

"Nonsense, sister dear!" replied Luna. "An Equestrian prince deserves only the best that can be offered to him. I already have plenty of lovely young mares waiting to take his side."

"But suitors?" repeated Celestia. "When was the last time we even hired those?"

"Do not be a stick in the mud, Celestia!" Luna insisted. "Our nephew obviously could use the company of a lady."

"Whatever." Blueblood sulked, uncomfortable with his own aunts talking about his love life. "Just send them in."

With that, Luna let in a line of ten mares, all adorned in elaborate dresses and faces covered in makeup. The female suitors all bowed and posed for Blueblood, giving him knowing winks and smiles and tossing their manes. Celestia face-hoofed from the series of mares being exploited.

Blueblood scanned over the glitzy mares with fatigue. "Alright, what's your name?" he looked to the first in the line.

"My name is Misty!" she said in a preppy voice. "I design saddlebags, I love puppies, and I can stand on one front hoof!"

Unimpressed, Blueblood turned to another random mare. "What about you?"

"I am Destiny!" the fifth mare flourished her mane. "I've had eight years of ballet, six years of piano, four years of finishing school, and my father owns half the railroads in all of Equestria."

Again, Blueblood glazed over to another mare. "And you?"

The ninth mare spoke in a sultry voice. "I'm Plenty."

"I'm sure you are."

"I'm from the upper side of Manehattan. I dine with top Canterlot celebrities, I have my own private airship, and I've made many coltfriends very happy."

Blueblood clasped his hooves to his head. "Ugh, forget this!" He stormed from his throne and made toward the door.

Luna gestured for the mares to leave. "What is wrong, dear nephew? Do none of these mares please you?"

Blueblood turned back. "I'm arranging for a vacation. I've decided I need some time from all this royal humdrum."

"Vacation?" said Luna. "But Blueblood, you're already in Canterlot!"

"Then I shall go somewhere that is the opposite of Canterlot. Perhaps some small town with nothing too fancy; somewhere quaint and simple."

"Why not Ponyville?" asked Celestia. "You can visit my protege Princess Twilight Sparkle there."

"Ponyville? That hick town?" scowled Blueblood. "It's perfect! Just the sort of ordinary lifestyle I'm looking for! I shall prepare for my immediate departure!" He exited the throne room with a stride.

Luna turned to her sister. "Do you really think Blueblood will enjoy himself in Ponyville, sister?"

"Luna, let's just enjoy as much time without him here as possible." Celestia said, relieved.

...

Twilight Sparkle fussed about her newly built library finishing up a bit of spring cleaning. She busied herself with reorganizing her numerous tomes, not yet used to the new shelves, while Spike simply sprayed air freshener over the furniture.

"Spike," said Twilight. "Did you finish dusting the bookcases?"

"I already told you, Twilight, yes." Spike replied.

"What about the top of them?"

"Oh no way!" he protested. "I'm not going up there again!"

"Spike, remember who's making gem-studded muffins afterwards." Twilight bartered.

"Sheesh." Spike begrudgingly set the ladder against one of the bookcases and muttered to himself. "You're the one with wings." He climbed to the very top of the case with his feather duster gripped in his teeth. But as he reached the end of the ladder, he suddenly belched green fire, incinerating the duster, and releasing a rolled up parchment message. Spike fell from the ladder with a yelp and landed in a face plant on the floor. The message plopped on top of him.

Twilight turned around. "Spike, are you okay?" She heard her assistant gurgle something lying in a daze, then picked up the rolled up paper. She read the message out loud. "'Dear Twilight, I apologize for not notifying you earlier, but my nephew, Prince Blueblood will be visiting Ponyville on holiday. I fear that he will not adjust well to ordinary town living, as he has become more accustomed to be spoiled. So I hope you don't mind in showing Blueblood around Ponyville and making sure he does not cause trouble. Your dearest friend, Princess Celestia.' Prince Blueblood?" she pondered. "In Ponyville?"

As if on cue, the doorbell rang. "No no, don't get up, I'll answer it." Spike glowered as he opened the door.

Prince Blueblood stood in the doorway, with his chin turned up and eyes closed in a noble manner.

"Oh, Prince Blueblood!" greeted Twilight. "I just got Princess Celestia's letter. I didn't know you were coming here."

"You didn't?" scoffed Blueblood, then turned to yell at a troupe of buglers. "Guys, where's my entrance?!" He then stepped out and shut the door, pretending he had never entered. The door opened again as the buglers entered and played triumphant fanfare on their cornets. A squire rushed in and read from a scroll.

"Presenting His Royal Highness, bearer of the Equestrian nobility, nephew of Princesses Celestia and Luna, Canterlot poster boy, and five-time top male model of Unicorn Magazine, Prince Blueblood!"

The fanfare continued as Blueblood entered the same way. "Ah, Princess Twilight Sparkle, it has been far too long."

Twilight looked puzzled. "Um...hello...Prince Blueblood..."

"My dear Aunt Celestia has told me that you would be my guide as I make my stay here in Ponyville." Blueblood explained then bowed. "I am of course honored to accept your grace, Princess."

"Oh stop," Twilight smiled. "I prefer not to take my title too seriously."

"Well I certainly hope I'm not intruding on anything."

"Of course not," she replied. "Everypony is welcome here. Make yourself at home!"

"Splendid!" Blueblood then gestured to a team of bellboys who immediately started marching into the library, hauling stacks of suitcases and steamer trunks.

"No no no! I just buffed the floor!" Spike grimaced as the servants filed in.

Twilight looked uneasy at the excessive amount of luggage. "Uh, Blueblood, how long are you planning to stay here, exactly?" she asked.

"Still haven't decided yet." Blueblood replied as he strode in nonchalantly. "Ooh are those muffins I smell?"

...

After Blueblood settled into Twilight's home, quite some time later, he joined her for the grand tour of Ponyville. Throughout the whole time strolling through the streets passed friendly locals, Blueblood constantly made snide comments about the quaint little town. He pestered Twilight with questions, for instance, wondering where the limo stops were or why the restaurants smell like servant food. Twilight enjoyed showing outsiders around Ponyville; but she was starting to see why Celestia may have left the snobbish prince in her care. Eventually, they started on the dirt path that led to the orchards of Sweet Apple Acres.

"And just who is managing the weather in this town?" huffed Blueblood. "The wind is parting my mane to the wrong side! Lazy pegasi!"

"Well you're obviously tough to impress." Twilight rolled her eyes. "But I know for a fact that nopony can resist the sweetest apple confections in Equestria. Come on, the orchards are this way."

"Hold it!" interrupted Blueblood, before starting on the path. "I refuse to set hoof on unpaved road. Squire!" His squire quickly returned and strained to lift his master onto his back.

"Oh for pony's sake." Twilight sulked to herself. She escorted the pampered prince along the way to Sweet Apple Acres, where fields of trees were ripe in bloom with the juicy crop. "So this is where the magic happens." She told Blueblood. "All these apples will go into making the best pies, cider, fritters, tarts, you name it! And it's all thanks to the hard work of the Apple Family. They work day in and day out to keep their crop fresh."

"So they're somepony's own personal farmers?" queried Blueblood.

"Well...no." Twilight looked awkwardly. "They're just an honest, hardworking family who put love into everything they make."

"Eugh, country-folk." Blueblood scoffed. "I wouldn't be caught dead mingling with the likes of these yokels."

"Oh come on," discerned Twilight. "You don't even know them."

"Exactly! I refuse to be seen with any muddy, classless hillbillies who spend all day rolling in-..." Suddenly, Blueblood's words trailed off as his gaze was captured by somepony in the field.

In the midst of the fully grown trees, a mare created a noisy ruckus by kicking her back hooves into the bark, causing the apples to shake loose from their branches. The pony's coat featured a bright orange that seemed to reflect the sun, her mane a soft yellow like a bed of hay, and her eyes a bold emerald green. A brown stetson hat atop her head gave her a certain edge that Blueblood just couldn't put a hoof on. Somehow, the prince had become entranced by the sight of the hearty mare mule-kicking trees for their fruit. He leaned over the white wood fence in a thousand-yard stare.

"Who...who is that fetching mare in that field?" he asked, his mouth agape.

"Who, Applejack?" Twilight looked. "She works here most of the time; and she's one of my closest friends. Are you okay?"

"I...I don't know...She's just so...intriguing."

"Wait a minute," pondered Twilight. "Didn't you see Applejack at the Grand Galloping Gala?"

Blueblood thought back to that night. "...Hmm, I don't seem to recall."

"She ran a pie stand in the courtyard?" she jogged his memory. "You insulted her food?"

"...No, doesn't ring a bell."

"She came with me as one of the Elements of Harmony? Have I not mentioned that?"

"You mean that mare is one of your companions?"

"Blueblood, I'm pretty sure you've seen her at least twice during events in Canterlot!"

"Please, Twilight, I think I would remember seeing such a fascinating lady." He looked back over the fence at the farm pony. "I mean she's just so...bewitching!"

"Wait, Blueblood, are you saying you have a crush on Applejack?" asked Twilight, holding back a chuckle.

"I do not 'have a crush' on her, Twilight!" retorted Blueblood. "I am...taken by her! I must get to know this beauty who has eluded my sight! Squire, dismount!" He then hopped off the back of his servant, no longer caring about getting his hooves dirty. The squire nearly passed out from exhaustion.

"So you seriously never knew that she represents Honesty in the Elements of Harmony?" questioned Twilight.

"You know I don't pay attention to any of that magic hero stuff." Blueblood made his way onto the farm.

"Of course not, you're only a unicorn prince." Twilight rolled her eyes and followed him.

Applejack carried on harvesting fruit at her usual pace, before she noticed Twilight crossing the field. "Howdy, Twilight!" she waved. "What brings ya on by?"

"Applejack, I think you remember Prince Blueblood." She introduced. "He's paying a visit from Canterlot for a while."

With respect, Applejack put her hat to her chest. "How'dya do, Your Highness?" Her face featured mud stains after wiping the sweat from her brow.

With even more respect, Blueblood knelt and averted his gaze from her. "Milady, you humble me with your enchanting presence."

"Wow, uh, ain't you friendly." She looked at him questioningly.

"I present myself to you a simple stallion, fair Applejack." He continued, dramatically. "If I may call a lady like yourself by name."

Twilight intervened. "Ahem, um, I'm sure His Highness also feels regretful of his outlandish behavior back at the Gala."

"Huh?" Applejack tilted her head. "Oh that whole thing with the pies? Ah don't sweat it, Mr. Prince sir. I guess you Canterlot types just aren't used to homemade tastes."

"Your forgiveness is kind and just, Milady." Blueblood spoke smoothly. "But you may simply call me...Blueblood." He took her hoof and kissed it, with Twilight ready to gag.

"Oh my," smiled Applejack with a slight blush. "No wonder they call you a mare's man."

"Okay, pretty boy," interrupted Twilight. "It sounds to me like we should bring you back to rest a while."

"Shall I visit you on the morrow, Milady?" swooned Blueblood.

"Sure! Come by whenever!" replied Applejack simply. "We've got plenty of cider flowin'."

"It was an honorable pleasure to make your acquaintance, lady Applejack." Blueblood bowed.

"Uh...you too." She shrugged.

Soon, with sunset approaching, Twilight walked on back home with Blueblood. "Boy, you sure made a quick one-eighty when you met AJ." She said to him. "I never thought somepony like you could be that easily smitten."

"Oh I feel more than just smitten, Twilight." Blueblood replied, joyfully. "That radiant goddess in the stetson hat has me ensnared in her divine beauty! Tomorrow shall be a happy day for me indeed!"

"Uh, are you planning to...take her out?"

"In fact, Twilight, I intend to make her mine!" he announced with triumph.

"Ugh, this can only go so well." Twilight hung her head.