My Fair Pony

by Sable Tip

The Morning After

It was a crisp morning. The sun’s rays rose slowly over the hills, lighting up the orchards with its golden glow. It was a sight that Applejack had seen hundreds if not thousands of times, and yet it never failed to stir her heart.

Today, however, was the exception that proved the rule. Applejack hadn’t managed to sleep at all, tossing and turning all night while thinking about what she’d gotten herself into. She was tired, but it wasn’t the honest tiredness that she was used to, the kind that came with physical exhaustion – it was the nervous, jittery tiredness of a body that was desperately trying to keep up with a mind that just wouldn’t stop thinking.

“Ah just have to calm down,” she muttered to herself as she made breakfast for five. After yesterday’s picnic, she had panicked and had asked Twilight and Spike over for breakfast, hoping that they might be able to offer advice. “There’s nothin’ Ah can do about it now apart from knucklin’ down an’ doin’ mah best. At least that’s somethin’ Ah know how to do.”

She was brought out of her reverie by the sound of a knock from the front door. Pausing only to put on her Stetson, she called out to her siblings that it was time for breakfast and opened the door for her two purple guests.

~

“… after that, I read a Tail from Two Cities – that’s a classic – and finally There and Back Again. Then school broke up for Winter Wrap-Up Break, and I managed to get some serious reading in then! Let’s see…”

Apple Bloom let out a groan. She’d been talking about school, and happened to mention that Cheerilee had asked them to read Olive and Twist, a classic novel, since one of the fillies in her class was named after the protagonist. It turns out that Twilight had also read that in school, and without thinking, Apple Bloom had asked what else Twilight had read in school.

So far, the list had lasted almost five minutes, and she had only gone through her first two semesters.

“Uh, Twilight? Ah appreciate your recommendations an’ all, but Ah think mah sister has to get to school soon. Any chance you could, you know, give her the ol’ cliff notes?”

Twilight blinked, suddenly keenly aware of the bored look on the faces of the Apple family – and the bored look on Spike’s face, too.

“Sorry about that. I guess I got a bit carried away… I’ll have a word with Cheerilee at some point and we’ll come up with a list of the real classics for you.”

“That’d be mighty keen of you. Anyways, Apple Bloom, Ah think you have to head off now if ya don’t want ta be late.”

The yellow filly nodded and ran upstairs to get her saddlebag. As she left the room, Applejack let out a sigh, pushing her plate away from her.

“Ah thought that filly would never leave us be. Twilight, Ah need your help – Ah don’t think Ah have a chance of winnin’ that bet. No way can Ah dress mahself up as one o’ those hoity-toity Canterlot upper crust.”

“Well, why don’t you just ask Rarity for help?” piped up Spike, looking up from his bowl of dried apple slices and carbuncles. “With her knowledge of the Canterlot elite, I bet she could whip you into shape in no time!”

“That’s a good idea, Spike,” Twilight said, mulling it over. “Since Rarity’s acting as the judge for the contest, it only makes sense you to speak with her about what she’ll look for, and I know she won’t have a problem with giving you some help at the same time.”

“Nnope.”

The two mares froze. Somehow, they’d managed to forget about the massive red stallion sitting at the head of the table.

“You know as well as I do that you can’t do that, Applejack. If Miss Rarity is judging this contest, whatever it is, it wouldn’t be fair to ask her for help. Not fair on her, not fair on your opponent, and not fair on you, neither.”

Applejack frowned, then nodded.

“Big McIntosh is right. Ah can’t ask Rarity for help on this one – that would be cheatin’.”

Twilight munched thoughtfully on a mouthful of apple turnover.

“Maybe you can’t ask Rarity for help, but what about the rest of us? I’ve spent some time in Canterlot dinners as a guest of the Princess, so I can teach you about the minutiae of etiquette.”

“Say again, sugarcube?”

“The… small, subtle points. The fine detail. And you might not think it to hear him now, but Spike here had to have elocution lessons when he was younger. A dragon’s mouth isn’t really made for speaking Equestrian. Maybe he can help with refining your accent a little.”

“An’ Fluttershy’s got a natural instinct for dresses! She can help me pick somethin’ out that’ll match even one of Rarity’s pieces. Thanks, Twi, Ah knew Ah could count on you to help me out.” Even as she said this, a yawn escaped Applejack’s mouth. “Whoo-ee! Ah am beat! Ah’m gunna take a short nap – Ah don’ want to try workin’ the orchards exhausted, not after what happened last time.”

Applejack stacked up the bare plates and took them through to the kitchen. Then, without a further word, she walked back upstairs for a nap, leaving Twilight and Spike sitting awkwardly with Big McIntosh.

“Miss Sparkle? Whut in Tartarus is goin’ on?”

~

Rarity hummed happily as she worked. She’d offered to make Princess Luna a dress for the Gala, and Luna had accepted without hesitation. They’d agreed that it would be pale blue around the body, to complement Luna’s dark blue coat, and that the trail would blend from light blue to near-black at the hem. Beyond that, Luna had left the design entirely in Rarity’s more than capable hooves, and the fashionista had decided to sew hundreds of tiny diamonds into the trail. The idea was that as they caught the light, they would give the suggestion of stars against the night sky.

Although she would never admit it, the idea came from the abomination she had made for Twilight the year before. Twilight’s dress had been too obvious, completely lacking in subtlety, and had suffered from Twilight’s compulsions, but Rarity knew that with artistic licence and a subtler touch – a far subtler touch – the concept held a great deal of potential, and who better to wear such a creation than the Princess of the Night?

She had just finished designing the pattern when a knock came on the front door of Carousel Boutique. She practically pranced over to the door, taking a moment to switch smoothly into her elegant, professional salesmare mode – just in case it was a high-class Canterlot customer – before opening the door. When she saw her guest, however, she relaxed, smiling warmly at the Pegasus in front of her.

“Why, good morning, Rainbow Dash. What can I do for you?”

Comments

[Sable Tip]

Second chapter is up!

[bookplayer]

Applejack oughta know by now that Dash considers anything she's not specifically forbidden to do, in writing, with her signature and a photograph of her reading the rules, to be fair game. Can't blame her for wishful thinking, though.

I was so excited when this updated, great chapter!

[The Princess Rarity]

Hmm.... what exactly is Rainbow up to?

You must update! You must, you must, YOU MUST!
(Code for, I really really like this story! )

[shutaro]

And don't we all know that this will come to bite RD in the flank.

[Sable Tip]

1703887

The idea is that the Cakes wouldn't subject RD or AJ to the twins while they're teething; they're way too aggressive and tough to handle. I could have made it more obvious, so I'll tweak that.

And I didn't realise the term "hen party" isn't used in the US. It's the female equivalent of a stag party; a bachelorette party.

[rainbowcrasherloops]

Waiting for moar chapters.