Ten
Applejack let out a sigh as she set herself down in front of the vanity in her bedroom, looking at her own tired reflection looking back at her.
"Shoot, Sugarcube, ya look as tired as Ah feel," she commented, giving a brief chuckle as she did.
With another sigh she placed her stetson on the hat rack, placed the ribbons that kept her mane and tail tied up on the vanity top, and picked up her mane brush to comb out whatever tangles she might've accumulated over the course of the day.
Under most circumstances, the end of the day was getting to be her favorite part of the day. The chores were done, she was back home where she could relax, and the sun was setting, bringing a respite from at least some of the summer heat they found themselves subjected to. Right now, however, she was far too tired to really care about what time of the day it was. The whole mess with Pinkie had proven to be quite the hassle to deal with.
She'd found Rainbow Dash napping in the park, hidden away in a nice big tree with an equally nice big canopy for plenty of shade, and wasted no time in making a ruckus to wake her up, and brief her on how Twilight's secret was in jeopardy of being spread all over Ponyville, thanks to Pinkie making her discovery. Rainbow Dash had naturally freaked out about this information, and hadn't hesitated to assist in the search, trying to think of anywhere Pinkie might run to under such circumstances.
That list turned out to be quite short, since none of them had ever seen Pinkie react like that before.
Naturally it went without saying that it was a gigantic relief when Twilight had managed to find all of them, and report that the situation was all under control. Unfortunately it was also a mystery, as Twilight hadn't elaborated on just what had set Pinkie off. All she would say on the matter, was that it was a personal issue of Pinkie's, and she didn't feel right telling them all about it without her permission beforehoof.
The mystery was more annoying than a burr underneath a saddlebag. But according to Twilight, Pinkie had no interest in spreading the word of her jaybirding habits, so at least there was that bit of good news. She could put up with a little annoyance in the form of a mystery, if it meant keeping things under control and under wraps...
She chuckled to herself at that. Nudity, under wraps. She sighed again, figuring she was more tired than she thought if she found that as humorous as she did.
Oh well. Back to brushing out her mane before turning in for the night. Tomorrow was another day, and was bound to be just as hot as today. At least that way she'd be able to test out the canvas roof the market stall now had to it, thanks to Rarity's ingenuity, and her followup to how she and Twilight had gotten her to the boutique on that one day.
"Applejack?"
At hearing her sister's voice in the doorway, Applejack turned around and saw Apple Bloom standing there, looking back at her.
"Hey there, Apple Bloom," she said as she turned around to better look at her sister. "Wha's the matter? Can't ya sleep?"
Apple Bloom shook her head slowly, before stepping into the room. "It's too hot. Ah feel like a pie bakin' in the oven," she explained.
Applejack nodded in understanding, having experienced that same sensation more than a few times herself. During the day when there was work to be done, it wasn't quite as bad as it was at night when you were trying in vain to sleep, and getting nowhere but frustrated.
"Well get yerself a cold glass o' water ta sip, that'll help," she replied.
"Ah reckon bein' completely bald would do the same..." Apple Bloom muttered.
That made Applejack stop brushing out her mane, and look at her little sister in the mirror.
"Shook ya up, huh?" she asked.
"Ya could say that," Apple Bloom replied and nodded.
Applejack nodded in turn, before setting the brush back down, and trotting over to shut the door. "Should Ah ask where ya wanna start?"
Apple Bloom mulled over the question, and the available answers she could give in response. Finally she settled on one in particular that just seemed proper. "Ya didn' react like we did when ya came in an' saw wha' was goin' on. How long have ya known 'bout wha' Twilight's doin'?"
"A bit over a week Ah guess. Long enough ta know 'bout wha's goin' on," Applejack replied and gave a shrug, seeing no reason to deny it.
"Does it make sense to ya?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Uh... how do ya mean?" Applejack asked, not really understanding the question.
At this, Apple Bloom let out a frustrated sigh and hung her head. "Ah dunno. Twilight tried explainin' it ta us, but Ah jus' don' get any of it. Why would somepony wanna be completely bald anyway? Especially when it's so much work?"
Try as she might, as much as she searched for something that would serve as an answer, Applejack simply couldn't come up with anything that seemed appropriate. There were a lot of things she could try and say, but she really wasn't confident enough in her knowledge to be trying to explain things. Twilight and Rarity were the knowledgeable ones, they simply approached her because of how levelheaded she was, and the support she could lend if things got difficult when they were leading. Her role in all of this was basically saying "Yeah, Ah know 'bout it, an' Ah don' see anythin' wrong wit' it" in case one of their friends by chance did.
Wait. Maybe that was the course to go.
"Ah'm sorry, Apple Bloom, Ah don' really know how ta answer ya. Shoot, Ah think the only reason they told me 'bout it, was so that they could say Ah was a'right with it if anypony asked," she explained. Not that she minded if that was really the case; everypony needed support at one point or another. And if she could do that by being referenced, that was fine by her.
"And are ya a'right with it?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Is there any particular reason that Ah shouldn' be a'right with Twilight goin' around bald in 'er own home?" Applejack asked. When she saw that Apple Bloom was trying, really trying at finding a response to give, she continued. "Granted it's a might bit strange, but that doesn' make it wrong. But Ah reckon if ya look at anypony close enough, ya might find somethin' that strikes ya as strange," she explained.
"Ah guess so," Apple Bloom replied and sighed, figuring that Applejack had a point. After all, some of the stuff they'd done to try and get a cutie mark was downright weird, even to her, and some of them had been her ideas! "Although it's still mighty weird ta see a pony walkin' around completely bald an' such. Or nude, or whatever it's called."
Applejack chuckled and nodded. "Eeyup, Ah'll give ya that one, it takes some gettin' used ta. But once ya get past the nudeness, ya come ta realize that Twilight's the same as she's always been, she's jus' trying' somethin' different that caught 'er interest."
Apple Bloom really couldn't argue otherwise on that one. Despite looking different, it was definitely the same Twilight she'd come to know so well; nopony else could talk about complicated science and other stuff like she could. Sure, she looked kinda strange being bald and such, but looking back she was still the same warm, caring pony that she'd met on the day before the Summer Sun celebration.
"Ah guess," she admitted in defeat. "But it still doesn' change the fact that seeing a pony walkin' around without their fur on is jus' plain weird."
"Ah never said it wasn't," Applejack pointed out. "Ah'll admit, it sure took me by surprise the first time Ah saw 'er without 'er fur on. Takes some time gettin' used to," she admitted.
"Yeah?" Apple Bloom asked curiously. "So how long did it take fer it ta stop bein' weird fer ya?"
"Huh," Applejack mumbled as she tried to think of how to answer that question. "Well... not all that long Ah guess. Twi' told me about it before Ah ever saw it fer mahself, so Ah had time ta get an idea of what ta expect. Although knowin' 'bout it an' actually seein' it are two different things. Ah'd say the second time around it seemed more normal," she explained.
"So if we're around her often enough, it'll stop seemin' strange ta see 'er walkin' aroun' bald?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Ah reckon so. Although she'd be able ta tell ya better than Ah could. Spike an' Rarity say they don' even notice 'er bein' nude anymore, so Ah'm guessin' tha's how it works," Applejack stated.
For a while Apple Bloom didn't say anything in response. Although she wore the look she often did when she was contemplating something; a look Applejack was familiar with from all the times she'd seen it for herself. Maybe she was just trying to sort things out on her own.
"Is Rarity a nudist too?"
The unexpected question nearly floored Applejack, both from not expecting Apple Bloom to just speak up like that, and also because the question itself had come out of nowhere. Rarity, a nudist? She would've laughed if it weren't for the look on her sister's face, letting her know that she was serious about it.
"Now why would ya ask somethin' like that?" she asked.
"Well Twilight told us that jaybirdin' is a code word fer wha's been goin' on, and Scootaloo overheard you an' Rarity talkin' 'bout jaybirdin' in the marketplace. An' if it ain' Rarity..." Apple Bloom paused as she looked at her sister, letting the logical conclusion of the question sink in and go unasked.
Applejack gave an uneasy chuckle in response before responding. "Naw. Naw, Ah ain' a nudist like Twilight is," she explained. "But Ah will admit that Ah did try it out fer mahself once, jus' ta get an idea on what it's like."
"Really?" Apple Bloom asked, surprised to hear that. "Wha' was it like?"
"Well..." Applejack paused as she tried to figure out how to explain her own experiences. "It's kinda freaky at first, watchin' yer fur wash off like ya got covered head ta tail in colored mud. Yer skin is real sensitive too, so ya gotta be careful when dryin' off so it don' hurt. It's actually kinda chilly without yer fur gettin' in the way. But really it ain' all that bad."
Of course the real reason that it hadn't been all that bad to experience, was that she was in the company of three others who did their best to make her feel comfortable. Truth be told, all of them together like they were, it was kind of fun.
"So ya liked doin' it?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Enough ta be willin' ta consider doin' it again, ta get a better idea on what it's like," Applejack admitted, not seeing any point in denying it.
"An' if ya do like doin' it? What then?" Apple Bloom asked.
"If Ah do..." Applejack paused, trying to figure out what sort of answer to give. She really hadn't considered that possibility all that well. Now she was wishing that she had. What if she did like the whole nudist thing like Twilight did? How was that going to work out for her since she didn't have the luxury of her own private palace to lounge around in?
"Then we'll jus' cross that bridge when we come to it," she said and shrugged. "But don' be worryin' none, it ain' somethin' that's gonna need figurin' overnight."
"Oh," Apple Bloom replied. "A'right then..."
Silence. Applejack considered the matter being resolved, and contemplated returning to brushing out her mane and tail before turning in. But there was just something nagging at her, telling her that something still wasn't right. Perhaps it was big sibling instinct, or perhaps it was just years of experience with raising Apple Bloom. But whatever it was, she was getting the feeling that they weren't done quite yet. If it was then she probably would've gone back to her room, rather than continuing to hang around.
"Somethin' else buggin' ya, Apple Bloom?" she asked.
Apple Bloom mulled over the question as she chewed at her bottom lip, visibly uncomfortable as she sorted for the right words.
Finally she looked back and Applejack and replied. "Twilight explained that it can be a lot of work fer a pony ta be a nudist like she is. Do ya think it's worth all she's gotta do jus' ta be one?"
"Ah reckon she figures it is. Especially now that she doesn' have ta do it all on 'er own when she can be by 'erself," Applejack replied and shrugged, not really able to offer much more than that. She couldn't give insight into Twilight's mind worked, nor was she entirely certain that she actually wanted to try and do that. "Ah can't say fer mahself, though, since Ah can't do it like she does. Only time'll tell."
"Makes sense Ah guess," Apple Bloom replied.
"So. Ya got any other questions?" Applejack asked.
Apple Bloom shook her head. "Naw, Ah think Ah'm good fer now. Thanks fer explainin' things."
"A'right then," Applejack replied, "Ah know it's hot, but why don' ya head on back an' try ta get some sleep now?"
"Okay, Ah'll try," Apple Bloom replied, "g'night then."
"G'night, Sugarcube."
With the matter resolved, and Apple Bloom on her way back to bed, Applejack returned to brushing out her mane and tail. Although now she had a lot more of her own questions to deal with, and nopony to ask them to.
She'd have to see about talking with Rarity tomorrow, in hopes of the socialite being able to help her make sense of them.
Little did she know what was going on elsewhere...
"Sweetie Belle?"
The door to Sweetie Belle's room gave a soft squeak as it was nudged open, allowing Rarity just enough room to poke her head in and glance around without touching either it or the door frame. As she did she saw her sister laying on her bed in the dim light provided by the lamp on her nightstand, simply staring at the ceiling as a table fan blew on her, doing its best to keep her cool in the wretched heat.
"Are you alright, dear? You didn't touch your dinner at all," she said as she softly stepped into the room and approached the bed.
"I don't feel so good," Sweetie Belle mumbled.
Rarity frowned at hearing this. She stepped closer and pressed her chin against Sweetie Belle's forehead.
"You don't feel warm," she said, before opting to go forehead-to-forehead and double check. She did feel a bit warm, but that seemed more likely a result of the summer heat than anything else. "You don't seem to have a fever. What's wrong?"
"My stomach feels gross," Sweetie Belle replied, an uncomfortable and disgusted look on her face as she spoke.
"Oh dear," Rarity sighed, knowing that this would likely end poorly for her little sister. "Do you want me to get you some crackers and ginger ale... perhaps a bucket?" she asked.
Sweetie Belle shook her head. "I don't wanna think about eating anything right now. I don't wanna think about anything right now," she replied and grimaced, her muzzle scrunching in the process.
"Oh? So it's something you're thinking about that's making you feel ill?" Rarity asked. Sweetie Belle nodded in confirmation. "Might I ask what that something is?"
Sweetie Belle shook her head. "I don't wanna say it."
"Sweetie Belle, simply because you don't say it, doesn't mean you'll be able to stop thinking about it," Rarity pointed out. "Talking about whatever's bothering you might help, because then you don't have to carry it all by yourself," she explained. She was going to go further and tell her sister but it was better to simply get it out, but she doubted the symbolism would be all that appreciated right now.
Sweetie Belle mulled over her sister's advice, trying to figure out what she wanted to do. She could talk, or she could say nothing except she wanted to be alone. But whatever she did, she was pretty sure that she was going to remain miserable for a while regardless.
"I can't stop thinking about what Twilight looked like bald," she finally said as she grimaced again. "It was so gross seeing her like that. And every time I think about seeing her like that, it makes my tummy feel like I'm gonna be sick. But I don't have anything to actually come up, regardless of what it thinks to the contrary, and I don't wanna give my stomach anything that could be used against me; either in or out of a court of law..."
The urge Rarity felt to giggle at the last bit of Sweetie Belle's explanation was tempered by the rest of what she'd had to say. She knew that Twilight's baldness could be quite jarring to experience the first time around, but she certainly never thought that this would be the case.
"Yes, it certainly can take some getting used to; especially if you suddenly happen upon it with no warning," she stated.
"It's still really gross," Sweetie Belle replied with disgust.
"That's not exactly a nice thing to say about one of your friends," Rarity pointed out.
"Neither was seeing that," Sweetie Belle mumbled in response. "How come you're alright with all this?"
"Is there a reason that I shouldn't be alright with it?" Rarity asked.
Sweetie Belle did a double take at Rarity's question, caught off guard by what she'd just heard.
"Rarity. Twilight was bald! How could you be alright with her doing something like that?" she asked.
"Because it's really none of my business what she does in the privacy of her own home. They're her own affairs, not my own," Rarity replied. Which was technically the truth on the matter. "Do you think Twilight should need my permission before doing something that interests her?"
"Well... well no, but-" Sweetie Belle started to respond.
"The last time I checked, Twilight was royalty now. She's able to make her own decisions as she sees fit," Rarity pointed out.
"But it's so gross!" Sweetie Belle protested, her voice squeaking as she did.
Rarity tried not to huff in response to Sweetie Belle's statement, or rather the lack thereof. She would apparently need to try a different approach in addressing her sister about this subject.
"Sweetie Belle, simply because we don't understand something, doesn't mean that it's gross," she pointed out.
Sweetie Belle gave Rarity a skeptical look in response. "Rarity, she's bald! As in no hair anywhere, and I do mean anywhere! You're the one always going on about society and what's acceptable! How can you like what she's doing!?"
"Whoever said that I did?"
Immediately Sweetie Belle was at a loss for words, Rarity's question catching her completely off guard. She felt winded like the air had been knocked out of her lungs by an unplanned fall, and the metaphorical gears in her head had seized up and ground to an immediate grinding halt. It was as if she'd just witnessed a long-held belief of the world around her, suddenly being disproven and shattered.
"You... you don't like what Twilight is doing?" she asked in disbelief.
Rarity shook her head. "In truth I really don't care for what she's doing. If she'd asked me for my opinion before actually proceeding, I could've given her more than a dozen good reasons for why she shouldn't attempt such. But she didn't ask me what I thought on the matter. And it wasn't my place to object to what she was doing," she explained.
"But... but... if you don't like it, then how come you're so supportive of what she'd doing?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Because Twilight's my friend and I'm supportive of her, not necessarily what she's doing. You don't necessarily have to like what somepony is doing to support their endeavors," Rarity clarified. "It's like you and your friends, trying to earn your cutie marks. You've told me that you don't always like what Apple Bloom and Scootaloo come up with for attempts, yet you stick by them regardless of that fact."
"But this is different from that," Sweetie Belle replied, trying to mount a defense against what Rarity had just pointed out, and failing miserably at it. She'd never stopped to think about it like that before.
"Is it really? Are you telling me that you were willing to go along with Scootaloo's idea of trying for a hang gliding cutie mark, not because she's your friend, but because that's what you wanted to be known for?" Rarity asked.
Once again, Sweetie Belle found herself without a response to give. Maybe Rarity really was right about this? Maybe what Twilight was doing, wasn't any worse than some of the things Scootaloo and Apple Bloom had thought up for getting their cutie marks?
"It's perfectly alright to not like what somepony's doing, even if that somepony is a friend. But not liking it doesn't mean you don't support them when they need it. The only time it's really appropriate to object, is when they're doing something that could potentially harm themselves or others," Rarity explained as she stroked Sweetie Belle's mane with her hoof. "However Twilight has taken a number of steps to ensure that doesn't happen. She's being as responsible with her endeavors as she can while still doing them. Nopony is being harmed by what she does."
"But... why do you have to be supportive here? Couldn't you just, I don't know, not have anything to do with it?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"I suppose that I could choose to refrain from lending support if I wanted to. But in truth I really don't wish to do such," Rarity replied. Seeing the perplexity on her sister's face, she continued with her tale. "Despite the stark differences, what Twilight is doing reminds me a fair bit of my own experiences when I was working to open the Carousel Boutique. Marketing clothing designed to be worn for special occasions is one thing, but clothing for the everyday is something else entirely. You're far too young to remember it, Sweetie Belle, but my start was anything but easy. I didn't have friends who could come to my aid when I needed them; certainly not like I do now. It's no exaggeration to say that I had to fight my way to where I am now."
Sweetie Belle nodded, remembering Rarity tell her about how she'd had to work long and hard to establish herself, and work up a sizable clientele to make her business a success.
"So what's that got to do with what Twilight's doing? She's not making a career out of baldness... is she?" she asked.
"Doubtful. But that matter aside, I remember how hard it was to try something new while alone. Twilight is still sorting everything out for herself, we don't even know if this is permanent or just temporary. She'll have a much easier time figuring out what she's going to do, if she has friends willing to support her during this," Rarity explained.
"And if she wants to go bald permanently?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Well I doubt that it'll come to that. But if it does... then we'll deal with whatever arises, just as we have with every other situation we've faced," she stated, mumbling to herself about how Twilight's tenure as royalty would be far more interesting to witness if that were to come to pass.
Sweetie Belle just groaned in response. That wasn't the sort of answer she'd been hoping to get.
"I don't know if I can be supportive when just looking at her makes me feel sick."
At this, Rarity just sighed, and stroked Sweetie Belle's mane again. "If nothing else, just try not to be rude to her. She's having a hard enough time as it is."
"I'll try," Sweetie Belle replied.
"That's good then," Rarity said, before kissing her sister's forehead. "Now then, are you sure you're not hungry?"
"Yeah. I'm sure," Sweetie Belle said as she nodded, still not wanting to consider the prospect of eating everything right now.
"Alright then. If there's nothing else, I'll just leave you to rest. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
With the departure of Rarity, Sweetie Belle was left to her own devices, her mind filled with new and unconsidered questions. She now had a better idea of why Rarity was doing what she was doing, but that didn't make it any easier to understand what all was going on. If anything it actually make the matter more difficult, as she was reminded of how she'd met Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, and became friends with them. They'd all been united in support of a goal in opposition to Diamond Tiara's bullying. They stood by one another, even when other ponies didn't understand them, or even agree with what they were doing.
What if that wasn't so different than this? Was she being too judgemental about something, simply because she didn't understand it, and had closed her mind off to it? Perhaps that was certainly the case. But even if it was, there was still one undeniable truth about it that needed to be acknowledged.
"It's still gross," she mumbled in conclusion as she rolled over.
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Another great chapter. Rarity both surprised me but then on reflection should have realized. I had been of the opinion she secretly wanted to but just didn't want to admit it. But then I was also holding out for a clop side fic about the UST when Rarity was scratching Twilight's back
This was a great chapter and it provided another set of new perspectives on the matter! Sweetie Belle wanting to put nudity down out of disgust while lacking empathy really said something for how some people react to something new or different. They don't want to know about said thing even if there is sound reasoning behind the new or different thing, they'd just rather reject it outright because it's not 'normal'. Rarity had a wonderful response to Sweetie Belle, simply that she doesn't have to like it or support it, but that there's no need to be judgemental, rude, or react negatively if the new or different thing isn't harming the being doing said thing or is harmful to others.
Apple Bloom on the other hand is a great contrast to Sweetie Belle's reaction. She's rattled by what she saw and is not sure how to feel about it, so she seeks out information so she can make a more informed judgement of the situation. A wise decision indeed!
This should probably be wretched, but given the state of Sweetie's stomach maybe that works too.
Pssst, Sweetie Belle! Did you know... you look just like Twilight, under your fur? And so does everypony else you know!
Lol. Yeah, that sounds like Scoots, alright.
7374722
Like I said, if you want to do the side story, there's really not much I can do about it.
7374802
With a little editing that would be an awesome ending to this chapter.
7376466
Which is all the more reason that she doesn't want to think about it.
7376695
Yeah it does. She's not gonna lose sleep over something just because it's weird.
7379801
Haha well thanks, you're welcome to edit and use it if you feel like you want to work it in, but no big either way! The chapters ending is already great!