Prom and Circumstance

by TheMessenger

Chapter 3

Ponyville, home to the School of Friendship, was no stranger to danger and torment, and that’s even if one were to disregard the ever present Everfree Forest standing at the outskirts. The town served as the stage for Nightmare Moon’s return, had been Equestria’s capital of chaos for a thankfully short amount of time, was where the battle between Princess Twilight Sparkle and the dreaded Tirek took place, and was the headquarters of the Cutie Mark Crusaders and the site of most of their activities.

If one were to ask an inhabitant of Ponyville to rank those listed based on the degree of suffering experienced, most would’ve have placed the Cutie Mark Crusaders at the very top immediately while the others would’ve done the same after a moment of deliberation. Sure, maybe that trio of fillies hadn’t tried inflicting eternal night, at least not deliberately, or removed the entire concept of gravity except for that one time and had only come close to destroying the late Golden Oak Library twice, but while the rampages of Nightmare Moon, Discord, and Tirek had all come to a swift and definitive end, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were a constant to Ponyville, as permanent as the town’s name.

Thankfully, as Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle grew older and their responsibilities expanded to encompass friendship tutoring and Cutie Mark consulting and counseling (something Starlight Glimmer refused to do for whatever reason, despite her title of guidance counselor), the quantity and insanity of Cutie Mark Crusader activities dropped significantly, reducing the workload of Ponyville’s fire prevention and management department nearly in half.

It should be noted, however, that while ponies of Ponyville are a rather forgiving lot, they are not always an entirely forgetful bunch, and the scars left by the Crusaders, while faded, still remained in various ways. For instance, the sale of skateboards remained banned in case a certain orange pegasus got any ideas or, Heaven forbid, grow bored of her scooter, and the age limit for the sale of fire powder seemed to increase by one year every year right before Sweetie Belle’s birthday.

And of course, the student-published newspapers from both the Ponyville schoolhouse and the School of Friendship were carefully reviewed by teachers to avert the return of Gabby Gums who had become an urban legend of sorts after all these years. Tales of her reign of terror and misinformation were whispered around campfires by aspiring journalists, and the ponies who had suffered under her still shudder at the mention of her name or of gray mane dye or tail extensions.

The lack of a proper gossip rag in Ponyville, however, meant that rumors and secrets travelled the old fashion way, from pony to pony, creature to creature, mouth to ear. Applejack, who thrived more on apples and hard work than idle talk, found that to be more of a boon than a bane. Despite spending much of her waking hours in the dirt like most farmers and being one of the most down-to-earth saviors of Equestria, Applejack was never really one to keep her ear to the ground. If there was news important enough to garner her attention, she figured it’d get to her in a timely manner on its own, usually through a friend or a family member, and she was usually right.

This instance was a little different, however, in that it was through her students that she found out about a certain development and not from her friends and family. Also unconventionally, this piece of gossip was not provided entirely willingly as Applejack was only able to learn of it after two excruciating minutes of interrogation. So surprised was she by the news that Applejack had been unable to continue her lecture on the evils of gambling without proper regulations and simply let Ocellus, Smolder, Sandbar, and Gallus leave with the large sack of gold bits and precious gemstones that had drawn her suspicion in the first place.

The shock soon passed, and Applejack quickly sprung into action. First, the rumor had to be either confirmed or disproven. If what Applejack had heard was nothing more than baseless gossip, she had to squash it before it spread any further. Delay too long and the lies would become indistinguishable from the truth, and who knew the extent of damage Rarity and Spike’s reputations would suffer because of it.

As for if what she heard was true, well, Applejack wasn’t too sure where to go from there. Were congratulations in order? Why had it been such a secret? How long had it been hidden, and why was she only learning about it now?

Applejack managed to set such thoughts aside as she tried to focus on containing damage, only for them to return in full force after Rainbow Dash, whom she had been recruiting for assistance, confirmed rather bluntly that yes, Spike had indeed asked Rarity out on a date and Rarity had responded with yes. Talks with a nearby Pinkie Pie had resulted in the same conclusions, though the pink pony had been surprisingly uncooperative, which Rainbow Dash explained away by mentioning that Rarity had asked the two of them to keep quiet.

That had been days ago, and while Applejack managed to herself distracted with her duties on the her family farm and the school and with constant reminders that this was really none of her business and that Rarity must have her reasons, her mind continued to wander back to the sudden development in Rarity and Spike’s relationship as she lain in bed waiting for sleep to overtake her. Were congratulations in order? Why had it been such a secret, and why was Rarity trying to keep it as such? Who else knew? Such questions plagued her during that most vulnerable state between sleep and consciousness, along with additional more shamefully nosy ones sprouting from a curiosity that belonged to a much younger, less honest Applejack.

And so she found herself now in the teacher’s lounge with a fifth cup of coffee after a restless night. That blasted curiosity was growing less manageable by the day, and all she had to do to satisfy it was ask those questions to the right mare and or dragon, her own personal business be damned. Applejack could even hear a little caricature of her own voice justifying the nosiness as a crusade for truth rather than some invasion of privacy. She released a weary sigh and let her head fall to the table with an audible thud.

“Heavens, Applejack.”

Applejack felt her color drain. She turned over, and her eyes confirmed what her ears suggested. A certain white unicorn had stepped into the room, wearing a full set of boots and a look of concern.

“If you don’t mind me saying so, you look like you could use a day off or at the very least an hour at the spa,” Rarity said as she approached. She picked up the wide-brimmed hat sitting on the floor and dusted it off before placing it back onto the farmer’s head. “You’re not coming down with something, are you?”

Applejack shook her head. “Naw, nothing like that. Just had some trouble sleeping, s’all.” She stared down at Rarity’s boots and to her utter surprise saw no laces, frills, or sparkles. And then the color, a simple, subdued, though not entirely unappealing, shade of brown with black bottoms that suggested reinforced soles. If they weren’t so obviously new, Applejack might have mistaken them for her own, and they certainly weren’t anything she’d expect from Rarity’s wardrobe. She gestured down at them. “New boots?”

Rarity followed Applejack’s motion. “Oh, these? You don’t remember? You and Rainbow Dash were the ones who pick them out for me from the sports store.”

“Right, for that hiking trip with our sister. You planning to do some hiking soon?”

“A little, yes,” Rarity answered. “Maud recently discovered a small cavern full of gems a little ways away that I simply must explore. However, there’s a large colony of bats that have made the cavern their home, and, well, I don’t want to risk stepping in anything unpleasant with my bare hooves so...” She raised her foreleg and shook the boot. “It’s been a while since I’ve worn anything of this nature, so I’d like to get used to moving around in these before Spike and I leave after classes end for the day.”

“That’s, mighty practical of you.”

“Thank you.”

“You, uh, you said you’re going with Spike?”

“But of course,” Rarity said. “How could I not share such a location with my favorite fellow gem seeker?”

“It’s just, ah, well.” Applejack swallowed. “Is that the, you know, date?”

Rarity blinked. “I’m sorry, the date? Well, I suppose one could call it a date. Why do you ask?”

“No, I mean.” Applejack took a deep breath. “I heard from Rainbow Dash that you and Spike were, you know.” She tapped her hooves together. “Dating. Together.”

“Oh.”

Reluctantly, Applejack looked forward to meet Rarity’s gaze. The unicorn now wore an expression of annoyance, with a small frown and a slight furrow of her brow. “What else did Rainbow tell you?” Rarity asked.

“Not much, just that the two of you were dating and that you wanted to keep it a secret,” Applejack answered. “Is it, you know, true?”

“Well, no, I wouldn’t say we’re ‘dating,’” Rarity began, clapping her hooves against each other awkwardly. “That is to say, ‘dating’ in its current tense implies an ongoing situation that is in its continuation, and this is a more, recent development.”

“Beg your pardon?”

“We, that is Spike and I, are not currently dating, but we do have one planned out for the near future,” Rarity explained. “And potentially more following.”

“So you two aren’t dating now, but you’re going to date later?”

“I, yes, I suppose that is correct.”

“And this gem hunt?” Applejack asked.

“Just another simple outing between good friends.”

Applejack took a moment to think. “Okay, but what’s different about the later date? You know, the one you and Spike have planned.”

Rarity frowned. “As much as I enjoy our conversations, I can’t say I appreciate your sudden intrusiveness. You’re not the type of pony to pry into another’s personal matters without justification, so I’m sure you will provide good reason for these questions.”

Applejack sighed. “No, not this time,” she admitted with her head bowed. “Not really. Just, you and Spike, we’ve all been friends for a while now, and when I first heard about, you know, this, I wasn’t sure how to feel. I mean, you had to have known about Spike’s crush on you, right?”

“I, may have had my suspicions,” Rarity said. She rubbed the front of her neck as she turned away.

“Yeah, he wasn’t exactly subtle about it. So yeah, hearing about how you two were getting together, I mean, I was happy for Spike, but I wasn’t sure how you felt. You, you know, you’ve never really addressed his feelings until now, and then I hear you’re trying to keep it all under wraps?” Applejack shook her head. “Sorry, and I know it ain’t any of my business, but something just feels, well, it feels off, like that same feeling I got when we first met those conniving Flim Flam brothers. I just, I just want, I don’t want you or Spike getting hurt over this so I just want to make sure you’re sure about this.”

The two mares stared at each other in silence for a good long moment. Rarity sighed and closed her eyes as Applejack lowered her gaze. “I’m, well, I’m trying to appreciate the concern, and I believe I can understand your position, though it really isn’t any of your business.”

“I know, I know.”

“Let me finish,” Rarity interjected. “As I said, while I do not enjoy being treated like a filly by her father on the night of her first ball, I am glad I have a friend looking out for my well-being so determinedly, and I’m certain Spike would say so too.” She gave Applejack a small smile, which Applejack soon returned. “Now, how should I explain this? Where do I begin?” she continued, biting her bottom lip. “I’ve, I’ve always been fond of Spike. As a child, he was this adorable little dragon that just wanted to be useful, always trying to help, even if his abilities weren’t always on par with his ambitions.”

“Yeah.” Applejack chuckled softly, remembering the attempts the dragon had made to fulfill a life-debt to her, once a wince-worthy incident now just another memory to laugh back at.

“He was kind, always willing to listen to me rant over every little thing, strong, and generous with his time and never asking much in return, always trying to be helpful. I’ve said that already, haven’t I?”

“Yep. Where’re you going with this?”

“What I’m trying to say is, I’ve always been fond of Spike, perhaps more than what was proper, with him being so young. Yes, I was aware of his crush for me, and while I tried not to entertain such feelings, I couldn’t bring myself to address them directly because I would have had to refuse them. A part of me hoped he’d move on, that this little crush of his would subside once he grew up.” Rarity drew in a long deep breath and sighed. “He is older now, and when he asked for a chance to prove himself as more than a friend, I felt he more than deserved it. So I accepted, and for that night at the very least, we will be more than friends.”

Rarity became silent, giving Applejack a moment to consider her answer. After a time, the unicorn cleared her throat and walked toward the cupboard. “Goodness, I had nearly forgotten why I came here in the first place.” She glanced at the clock ticking away on the countertop and frowned. “Well, I suppose there’s enough time for one quick cup.” She placed a small mug down, reached into the cabinets to remove a small box, and transferred a meshed bag of herbs and leaves tied together by a string from the small box and into the mug. “Is there still hot water in there?”

“Huh?” Applejack looked to the kettle next to the coffee maker and pile of used filters Rarity had pointed at. “Oh, sorry. No, but you know boiling water doesn’t take that long, and we have an hour before classes start.”

“Yes, but we only have minutes before that staff meeting begins.”

“Meeting?” Applejack took a moment to review her mental schedule. “Oh, right, the weekly morning meeting.” She also looked at the clock. “Yeah, we should probably get going,” she said before holding out her own cup toward Rarity. “Here. It ain’t tea, but it’s still warm, kinda.”

Rarity stared at the murky, lukewarm liquid sloshing around in Applejack’s cup. She gently pushed the offered cup back, giving Applejack a weak smile, flashing those perfectly clean teeth, as white as her coat, she hoped to avoid getting stained. “That’s quite alright. I suppose I can wait until after the meeting is over.”

Rarity started making her way to the lounge’s exit. With a quick swing, Applejack finished her coffee and followed Rarity. The halls were mostly empty, save for a few students making their way to the cafeteria for an early breakfast, so the two mares continued to the headmare’s office alone with themselves and their thoughts. “So,” Applejack began, breaking the silence, “what about after that night?”

“Hmm? I’m sorry, that night in reference to?”

“The date as more than friends,” Applejack specified. She quickly glanced around to make certain that there were no others in earshot. “What happens between the two of y’all after that? You just go on back to friends or something?”

“Well, hopefully, if everything goes well and we’re both still receptive of the idea, we continue on as, well as girlfriend and boyfriend. Goodness me, it’s rather warm for the time of year,” Rarity said as she fanned herself in an attempt to banish the blush creeping across her cheeks. “Ahem, in any case, one can never be too certain in regards to lo—, to certain relationships, and this will be a new experience for all of us after all.”

“Huh. I figured you’ve been on tons of dates before.”

“Not as many as you’d imagine,” Rarity said with a annoyed huff. “And certainly not with someone I’m already so familiar with. Or with a dragon, or with someone that much younger.“

“And the secrecy?” Applejack asked. “I mean, I get wanting a bit of privacy for your love life, but keeping it from your friends seems a little much. I think. Is that normal, keeping that sort of thing secret from friends? I mean, Big McIntosh talks to us and his friends about Sugar Belle all the time, but he’s a stallion.”

“It’s a little, well, let me try to explain. You know how ponies are with gossip. If word got that we were together, with the difference in species and the...” Rarity grimaced. “...age gap, things might get a little more complicated than we can handle. A relationship can be a delicate thing, especially at the beginning, and the last thing we’d need is public pressure and scrutiny. There’s a reason why celebrity romances rarely work out. And if, heavens forbid, things didn’t work out between us, the constant public reminders would’ve made it much more difficult to move on. As for our close friends, please understand, I was planning to let all of you know but after the first date. Imagine how awkward it would’ve been for all of us to announce this potential relationship only to reveal that it wasn’t to be after the very first night as a couple?”

Applejack rubbed the back of her head. “I guess that’s be pretty embarrassing. So who else knows?”

“As far as I’m aware, just you, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie,” Rarity answered. “I’m not too sure how Rainbow or Pinkie Pie found out in the first place though. Well, Pinkie has her ways, of course, and Rainbow may have just overheard. I hope those two haven’t told anyone else besides you.”

“Oh, they didn’t actually tell me. Rainbow Dash was the one who explained it, but I first heard about the date from some students.”

Rarity froze in mid-step. “Students? How could have—“ She groaned. “How could I’ve forgotten? Gallus was present when Spike asked me. This is going to be much harder to keep quiet than I had anticipated.” The door to Twilight Sparkle’s office came in sight. “You don’t suppose Twilight’s already heard, do you?”

“Dunno. Why?”

“It’s just, Twilight’s a dear and a wonderful, well-adjusted friend, but she, like all ponies, has her odd tendencies, like being a bit of a stickler when it comes to books and, ah, rules. Well, I’m afraid to admit I may have missed any mention of inter-workplace romance in that book of hers on schools of friendship. Especially any disapprovals of such,” Rarity added in a hushed tone.

“You think Twilight wouldn’t let you and Spike date? That’s just silly,” assured Applejack. “You know she’d be happy for the both of y’all.”

“Was it silly when Rainbow Dash traded Fluttershy away for a book at the Rainbow Falls Traders Exchange?” The unicorn didn’t bother to wait for a response as the headmare’s office grew closer and closer. “Yes, it most certainly was, yet Twilight allowed it because they agreed that it was a fair trade, and because those are the rules of the Exchange.”

“Yeah, but why would Twilight even include anything to do with romance in her book? It’s a school of friendship.”

“To avoid scandals? When she first wrote that book, we were already in dire straits without any EEA accreditation. I wouldn’t put it past Twilight to include measures of preventing scandalous affairs that could’ve further damaged the school’s reputation from ever happening.” Only a few steps stood between them and the meeting place. “Twilight would’ve forbid student-teacher relations, I’m certain she would have. It’d only be natural that she’d ban relations between staff members too, right? I mean, is Spike even officially part of the staff? Yes, he’s Twilight’s assistant, and the students call him ‘Professor,’ but he’s always been her assistant, and I think that’s more of the students indulging Spike than any actual title.”

The door swung open and interrupted the growing insanity spewing from Rarity’s lips before Applejack could. A rainbow mane peaked out, followed by the rest of Rainbow Dash’s head, complete with an impatient look as she noticed the two mares in front of her.

“There you two are,” she said, clearly exasperated. “I was just about to go looking for you. Come on, we’re about to start.”

“Actually, I just realized I, I have a, a...” So flustered was she with her thoughts of purple alicorn princesses and fascist rule books that Rarity’s tongue tied itself in knots as she tried to come up with an excuse. “There’s a thing, you know, for the, Applejack,” she hissed, “help me.”

With a roll of her eyes, Applejack pushed the babbling fashionista forward, ignoring the glare Rarity shot at her as Rainbow Dash dragged her inside. Applejack followed, and the door shut behind her.