Sol Don Him

by Razalon The Lizardman

The Arrow Strikes

"And this is where I live," Rarity said proudly to Sol Do as she showed her cousin the Carousel Boutique. "Well, what do you think? Does it not scream 'I'M FABULOUS!'?"

The gem miner could do nothing except gaze silently upon the oddly-shaped house. Eventually, she turned to the fashionista with a sheepish frown. "Well, it's somethin' alright."

Rarity frowned herself. "Don't you like it?"

Sol Do shrugged. "It's different, sure, but it seems too outta place fer someplace as quaint as Ponyville."

"Out of place?" Rarity repeated. "I never thought it stood out against the rest of Ponyville too much, or if it did it always stood out in a good way." She gazed back upon her home with a slight sparkle in her eyes as she marveled her work. "After all, a little touch of grandiosity never hurt a town's image; nopony's ever complained of such a thing to me."

"Well, like Ah said it's nice," Sol Do began heading towards the front door. "Ah jus' don't rightly care fer grandiosity all that much."

Rarity sighed and began following her cousin, retrieving her house key from her saddlebag. "I just don't understand you, Sol Do," she said. "You grew up living the life I dream of living every night, and yet you traded it all away to live like a, and I mean no disrespect toward anypony of such character, country bumpkin."

Rarity flinched as she heard a snort of laughter sound from Sol Do, who then turned to look at her with an amused smile that made it clear she was holding in more laughter.

"Is that what Ah seem like ta ya, cuz?" she asked, holding a hoof to her sides as if trying to keep them from splitting open. "Fer the record, Ah do enjoy 'fancy-schmancy' high brow life as much as y'all do; Ah just prefer gettin' all down n' dirty an' workin' up a good sweat more often than not."

"And I'll never understand why you do," Rarity replied, shaking her head in exasperation.

"Ah can talk all fancy if'n y'all want," Sol Do offered, watching her cousin stick the key into the front doorlock and open the door. She took a moment to clear her throat before continuing, in a tone that was lamost perfectly identical to a Canterlot elite. "Is this satisfactory, dear cousin? I'm most grateful for your invitation to bed here in this exquisitely-designed establishment for dress-making. Might I ask where I could put my belongings, as well as where the lavatory is located?"

Now it was Rarity's turn to hold back her laughter, also letting a snort escape as she opened the door and walked inside. "Well, dear cousin, you may place your belongings upstairs in the guest room; second door on your right. As for the lavatory, it's the room right next door."

"Much appreciated," Sol Do stepped inside, hauling her stuff behind her, and took a moment to survey the boutique's interior.

"Also," Rarity continued, "you can talk however you want to; far be it from me to restrict how one is allowed to speak, even in my own home."

Sol Do nodded in response, then completed her examination of the interior to Rarity's house. "Nice place," she said, keeping her high-class tone of voice. "I expected it'd wreak of frou-frou, and it does, but all the same it's a nice place."

"Well, you know me," Rarity replied with a laugh, shutting the front door. "If I couldn't live in a fabulous house, I'd rather be homeless."

Sol Do quirked a brow. "Really?"

"Of course not," Rarity replied, and smirked. "Perhaps you don't know me so well, after all."

"Well, the Rarity I knew some years back really would have rather gone homeless than live in a pigsty."

"That Rarity no longer exists," the fashionista proclaimed, making way toward the kitchen. "Ever since I became friends with Applejack, I've learned that there's much beauty to be found in the 'rough n' tough, gettin' yer hooves dirty' lifestyle that country ponies such as yourself possess." She stood tall and held a hoof to her chest. "Why, just the other week I got a taste of farm life at Sweet Apple Acres."

Sol Do gave her cousin a deadpan stare. "Fer reals?" she asked, slipping back into her country accent.

"Yes, truly," Rarity replied, frowning. "Don't you believe me?"

"''s a little hard ta believe, cuz."

Rarity pouted. "Very well, I shall prove it to you."

With a huff, Rarity turned away from the kitchen and toward a nearby storage closet. She entered, to which the sounds of various junk being shifted and pushed aside began emanating from inside. Sol Do just sighed in exasperation and began idly playing with her straw hat using her magic. She was startled, however, by a knock on the door. Turning back to the door, she watched as a little unicorn filly with a mulberry mane, white coat and green eyes trotted in, a saddlebag strapped to her side.

"Rarity! I'm ho- oh, there you are," Sweetie Belle said upon noticing the white-coated unicorn wearing a dress in front of her. She frowned when she noticed the straw hat, brown eyes, and green hair. "Um . . . Rarity?"

Sol Do chuckled. "She and I do look quite alike at first glance, don't we?"

Sweetie tilted her head in confusion before realization struck. "Wait a minute!" she exclaimed, "You're Sol Do."

"Aye lass, that I am," Sol Do replied with a warm smile. "And you must be Rarity's little sister, Sweetie Belle." Sol Do trotted over and gave the rigid little filly a quick hug. "Which makes you my cousin as well."

Sweetie took a moment to snap back to attention and closely examined Sol Do's person. She paid particular attention to her ensemble as it was a fashion paradox; a straw country hat mixed with a frou-frou dress embedded with glittering gems. All the while Sweetie examined her, Sol Do smiled wryly as she reminded herself that little foals aren't privy to conduct proper manners when meeting guests, especially ones as weird-looking as she was sure she looked.

Finally, Sweetie Belle stepped back and stated, "Yeah, I don't believe you."

Sol Do tilted her head. "Beg pardon?"

Sweetie blew some mane out of her eye and elaborated. "Rarity told me that 'you're' a country mare, and country mares don't wear dresses like that." Then she briefly looked up in thought. "Well, most of the time."

"And who's to say I'm not an exception to that stereotype?" Sol Do asked with furrowed brows. She lifted the hem of her dress up in show and continued talking using her country drawl. "'sides, yer big sis gave me this 'ere dress a while back fer my birthday. Bein' a considerate cousin, Ah decided ta wear it fer this 'ere visit ta Ponyville, ta show Rarity Ah liked it." She then pointed to her straw hat. "Plus, ain't this 'ere hat indicative of me bein' country-like, or hay, my accent right now?" She gave a sly smile as Sweetie went rigid yet again in response to her changed accent.

"My head hurts," Sweetie groaned, rubbing her temples. "Are you country or fancy?"

"A little of both, lassie," Sol Do replied, staring down at her cousin with a half-lidded smile, "y'all got a problem with that?"

Sweetie ceased rubbing her temples and sighed. "Just a few weeks ago, we had the Ponyville Days festival in celebration of our town's founding. Rarity got to select the theme and at first she wanted to make everything all fancy and high-class."

Sol Do nodded. "As is typical of her."

"But," Sweetie continued, "later she decided to change the theme to make everything more country and stuff. She even started acting like Applejack with the accent and everything; it was so confusing." She then shuddered. "Not to mention creepy."

Sol Do tilted her head. "Did she now?"

Sweetie nodded. "Yeah, she even had a country outfit with a straw hat exactly the same as yours." She relaxed a little and a small smile graced her lips. "Thankfully, she stopped talking with that accent and stashed away the outfit in the closet over there."

Sol Do's eyes widened. "Wait, did you say-"

"Is this proof enough fer ya, cuz!?"

Sweetie went rigid for a third time and Sol Do slowly turned her head around to face her cousin. Rarity had donned the same outfit she wore in her misguided attempt to woo Trenderhoof by acting more like Applejack, right down to the flies buzzing around her (inexplicably) now dirty mane.

"Oh my, Sweetie Belle," Rarity said, taking notice of her little sister, "I'm terribly sorry I didn't hear you come in."

Sweetie took one look at her re-countrified sister and promptly screamed in utter fear before rushing up the stairs to her room, slamming the door.

"Well . . . that was somethin'," Sol Do mused before turning back to her cousin. "So, y'all have some droopy drawers an' a straw hat yerself, eh?" She crossed her forelegs. "Well, Ah'll admit Ah never would'a guessed you'd be willin' ta dress up like that, but it's gonna take more ta convince me y'all had the audacity ta work on a farm."

Rarity pouted again. "Very well, it seems you've left me no choice but to get my hooves dirty." She turned toward the front door, and continued in her faux country accent. "Put away yer things, cuz, because we're headin' over ta Sweet Apple Acres fer some good ol' fashioned applebuckin'."

Sol Do snickered. "That's what she said."

"Beg pardon?"

"Nothing, cousin." Sol Do lifted her bag and headed toward the stairs. "I'll be down in a bit."

"Oh, Sol Do?"

The (genuine) country unicorn turned around. "Yes, Rares?"

Sheepishly, Rarity replied, "While you're up there, be a dear and inform Sweetie that I'm not going stir crazy," her cheeks gained a deep crimson hue, "again."

---

"So, this is Sweet Apple Acres, eh?" Sol Do inquired, staring at the vast acres of apple orchards on the other side of the fence in front of her.

"Indeed it is, Sol Do," Rarity answered, staring at the scenery with a twinkle in her eye. "Magnificent, isn't it?"

"Y'all aren't gonna convince me with words, Rares," Sol Do answered back.

Rarity nodded her head in agreement, and proceeded to open the gate with her magic. Sol Do frowned. "Uh, Rarity, ain't this trespassin'?"

Rarity waved a dismissive hoof as she entered the gate, holding it open for Sol Do. "Applejack and I are dear friends, regardless of our flagrant differences. Neither she nor her family will mind in the slightest."

Sol Do stared blankly before shrugging and following through after her fashionista cousin. The two straw-hatted mares began trotting across the field toward the closest line of apple trees. Upon reaching them, Rarity approached the first in line and spun around.

"Watch and be amazed, dear sweet cousin," she proclaimed, "as I elegantly, but effectively, buck this tree!"

Sol Do crossed her fore legs as she watched Rarity adjust her position before shooting her hind hooves at the tree's trunk. They hit dead center with a hard *thud* to which the tree shook lightly before a single apple dropped onto the ground next to her. Rarity looked up to Sol Do with a beaming smile.

"Ta-daaa!" she said in a sing-song voice.

Sol Do waved a dismissive hoof. "Nice try, Rares, but one applebuckin' don't prove nothin'."

"Very well then," Rarity replied before giving the tree another buck, to which another lone apple fell down next to the first. "Are you convinced now?" she asked, breathing heavily.

"Eenope," Sol Do replied.

"Ugh, fine!" Rarity exclaimed, and proceeded to buck the tree several times in succession. Each buck added another bruise and/or crack to her hind hooves, and by the time she was done Rarity had exhausted every last bit of energy her body possessed. She collapsed to the ground, panting with her tongue lolled out, next to her accumulated pile of apples. "How *gasp* about *gasp* now?"

Sol Do stared down at her with an unimpressed frown.

"Oh, come on!" Rarity exclaimed, lightly stomping the ground with her front hooves, unable to pull herself up. "What do I have to do to convince you!?"

Sol Do was about to reply when they heard a voice sounding from the farmhouse. "Hey, what're y'all doin' up there!?"

They turned as one to see the distant forms of Applejack and Big Macintosh approaching from the farmhouse. Sol Do leaned over to Rarity and nervously whispered, "Are ya absolutely sure we ain't in any trouble?"

"For the last time, Applejack won't be upset," Rarity stated indignantly.

The approaching farm ponies had closed the distance between them by half, enough that Rarity could see the frustrated expressions on their faces. Confident she was, the fashionista still couldn't help but cringe a little. Just in case things went south, she started recounting the bits saved up in her purse. As she was now preoccupied, Rarity failed to notice the rather . . . peculiar, expression on Sol Do's face as AJ and Big Mac finished closing the distance between them.

"Would ya mind explainin' why y'all are out here buckin' apples?" Applejack asked. Her tone wasn't quite one of anger, rather, one of inquisitiveness mixed with exasperation, though a hint of anger underlying it all could still be made out. Next to her, Big Macintosh looked equally upset though his hardened gaze was fixated more on the pile of apples then on the two unicorns, most likely because he knew the apples would have to be used lest they go rotten.

Rarity cleared her throat and collected herself before politely answering. "Yes, well, I sincerely apologize if I've caused the two of you any inconvenience in regards to your apples, but know that it wasn't without a good reason." She gestured toward her statue-like cousin and continued. "As I'm sure you all remember, the other week I decided to help you two with your chores in my misguided attempt to win Trenderhoof's heart. Sol Do, however, refused to believe I'd ever be willing to work on a farm, so I brought her here to prove myself." She looked down at the pile of apples next to her before holding her head up high with a proud smile. "Not too shabby a performance, if I do say so myself."

Applejack and Big Macintosh mulled over her words for a moment, then looked to each other in silent confirmation that Rarity wasn't fibbing, then looked back to Rarity with haughty smiles.

"Well, Ah'll give ya credit fer tryin'," Applejack stated, then approached the next tree in line before turning around. "But here's how it's really done."

Applejack primed her hind legs and, faster than one can blink, shot them square center at the tree trunk. The impact of her buck sent a huge tremor through the tree, shaking every single apple loose and into a ring around the trunk's base.

Rarity deadpanned. "Of course it's easy for you since you're an earthpony."

"It's even easier fer me," Big Mac stated, and approached the third tree in line. He turned around and shot a solo hoof out at the tree's trunk. Like Applejack, his buck hit dead center with the trunk, though his sent a much stronger tremor throughout despite having used only one leg. As before, all the apples which the tree heralded fell into a ring around the trunk's base.

Applejack smiled and rolled her eyes. "Showoff."

"Takes one ta know one," Big Mac replied, and the two shared a laugh. He then looked to the alabaster gem miner who was staring right back at him with a weird look in her eyes. He frowned briefly in response before smiling and trotting forward.

"So, y'all are Miss Rarity's cousin?" he asked, extending a hoof out in greeting.

Sol Do said nothing in response at first, merely standing stock still with her mouth hanging open slightly, as if in a trance. An aura of awkwardness fell upon the four ponies that didn't go away until Rarity lightly tapped her cousin on the shoulder, to which she seemed to snap back from her trance.

"Umm, sorry," she said before taking notice of Big Mac's procured hoof. She slowly extended her own hoof and shook his. Big Mac took notice of how sweaty her hooves were, but figured it wasn't anything unusual to a country mare such as herself.

"Pleasure ta make yer acquaintance," Big Mac said to her, smiling gently.

Sol Do dumbly nodded her head. "Uh, same here."

Big Mac nodded in turn and retracted his hoof, to which Sol Do did the same.

Applejack stepped forward. "So, what's this 'bout y'all not believin' Rares would work on a farm?"

Sol Do took a moment to reply as she was now shaking like a leaf. Rarity quirked an eyebrow at this odd behavior from her cousin but said nothing.

"W-well," Sol Do stuttered, earning a double brow raise from Rarity, "knowing my cousin, it is rather far-fetched."

"That it is," Applejack said with a nod, "but Rarity's tellin' y'all the truth, and as the former Bearer of Honesty y'all can trust me on that."

Sol Do nodded herself. "Yeah, I believe you." She turned to her cousin. "And I'm sorry for doubting you at first, dear cousin." She adorned a wistful smile. "Can you forgive me?"

Rarity waved a dismissive hoof. "Don't feel like you need to apologize, cousin. Truthfully, I'd be more insulted if you didn't think I was fibbing, because then at least it'd show you truly knew me."

Sol Do smiled cheekily. "Yeah, yer a prissy mare if'n there ever was one."

The two mares shared a good laugh at that, to which AJ and Big Mac looked on in amusement before joining in themselves. Once they were done, Rarity spoke up.

"Well, now that I've proved my point we shall take our leave." She turned to make way toward the front gate.

"Not so fast there, Rares," Applejack said, to which the fashionista stopped and looked over her shoulder. "There's a sayin' in the Apple family, and that's 'ya buck it, ya eat it'."

Rarity looked confused for a moment before her eyes widened in realization as she glanced to the pile of apples she'd bucked out of the tree. She looked back to Applejack who was smirking and sighed in exasperation.

"Very well," she replied. "Where are the apple barrels stored?"

"Over yonder," Big Mac replied, gesturing with his head to the barn. He turned to face it, which Applejack did in turn. "We'll accompany ya down there since we gotta eat our own apples that we bucked outta the trees."

Rarity smiled. "I suppose we're all going to be stuffed full by tonight?"

Applejack laughed. "That we are, Rares; that we are."

The three laughed a bit and began trotting down the hill toward the barn. Rarity looked over her shoulder to her cousin, only to notice the lustful expression on her face as her gaze followed the trio's movements. Rarity frowned at this, but she still made her statement.

"You can return to my boutique if you so wish, Sol Do; I may be here awhile."

Sol Do snapped her attention to the fashionista. She stared blankly for a moment before she adorned a beaming grin and replied. "Actually, Rares, how 'bout Ah join y'all in eatin' the apples?"

The group of three stopped and turned around to face her. "Uh, come again?" Applejack asked.

"You heard me, Applejack," Sol Do replied, "I said I'd like to join you all in the forthcoming apple gorging." Her face lit up as an idea came to her. "In fact, how about we all have an apple picnic dinner tonight? I'd love to get to know you Apples a bit more, especially since I couldn't back in Hiddenite because of . . . well, you know." She made a circular motion with her hoof to punctuate her statement.

A light scowl sounded from Applejack to which Big Macintosh placed a hoof on her shoulder while Rarity's face lit up. "That's a lovely idea, Sol Do." She turned to the two Apples. "What say you two? Would you be up for an Apple feast under the stars?"

Applejack's face resettled into a neutral expression while Big Mac smiled. "Eeyup," he answered.

"Sure, sure, Ah'm all fer it," Applejack answered in turn, her tone laced with exasperation.

"Then let's get them barrels full 'a them there apples then," Sol Do said, changing back to her country accent.

The other three nodded in agreement and resumed their trot to the barn, with Rarity falling into line beside her cousin and behind the two Apples.

"I must say, Sol Do," she said to her with a smile, "I admire your insistence on getting to know the locals, my friends especially, and treating them like a proper lady even if you don't always act like one yourself."

"Ah can act however Ah want to, cuz," Sol Do replied with a huff. "'Sides, all relationships start out as casual acquaintance."

That gave Rarity pause. Relationships? That certainly came out of nowhere.

Rarity briefed a glance to her cousin as they walked, only to find the same expression of lust on her face from before. Rarity followed her cousin's gaze to find that, also like before, she was eyeing the two Apples.

"You know, Sol Do," Rarity said as they closed in on the barn; the two Apples having entered already, "I can't help but notice you've been acting rather strange since we arrived here." She gave her cousin a concerned frown. "You're usually more . . . well, uppity."

Sol Do let out a deep sigh. "Ah think Ah'm in love, Rares."

Rarity's eyes widened in response to this. "Come again?"

Sol Do chuckled. "C'mon Rares, y'all know what Ah'm talkin' about." She turned to the confused fashionista. "Yer the foremost authority on romance in our family, after all."

Rarity blushed a bit herself. "Well, I do suppose I'm the most knowledgeable in that regard." The blush vanished and she turned to eye her cousin skeptically. "So, you're saying you've developed a crush on somepony?"

"Way ta hit the nail on the head, cuz," Sol Do replied cheerily. The two of them reached the barn double doors, to which Rarity used her magic to hold them open for her cousin.

"May I ask who the 'lucky' pony is?" Rarity asked, using her hooves to make air quotes.

Sol Do gave a hearty laugh in response. "Okay, Ah'll tell ya." She leaned in close to Rarity's ear and whispered the pony's name. "Big Macintosh." And she slipped inside.

Rarity, meanwhile, stood stock still in shock. Her mind swam with mixed emotions and thoughts, unable to come together into a single complete thought. The implications of what Sol Do told her left Rarity struggling to determine an answer as to whether she should support or go against her cousin's wishes. Eventually, Rarity just sighed and followed her cousin inside while hanging her head in exasperation, her brain finally able to put together a matching thought.

It's going to be Ponyville Days all over again, isn't it?

Author's Note:

Let me take this opportunity to say that I'm dead serious when I say this fic wasn't inspired by Simple Ways in the least. While I've made a large amount of references to it already, this story will be significantly different as far as the moral is concerned (as in, there isn't one).

Sol Do's backstory will be elaborated upon in the following chapters, explaining why she's essentially a hybrid of Rarity and Applejack behavior-wise.

Comments

[Gustauve]

I look forward to the next chapter.

[Razalon The Lizardman]

4042046 Thanks for commenting.

And don't worry, it'll come soon.

[ThatGuyYouForgot]

im intrigued id like to see where this goes

[Moongaze14]

Sol's crush on Big Mac seems to be dangerous giving Rarity's reaction to it and the mention of a Ponyville Days incident.

[Lord_01010000]

How is it going to be anything like Ponyville Days? Sol Do is already a country mare. It's not like she's going to change herself like Rarity did, she doesn't have to!