Don't call me Sugarcube!

"Aaaaaaaaigh!" Rarity screamed, throwing her papers into the air and backing away quickly. "Wa-ha-ha-HA!"

Rarity's celebrations were cut short as Spike burst in through the door, running up to her and, with a well executed combat roll, landed in front of her ready to defend her from the piece of paper. "Never fear, my sweet, for Spike is here! I'll save you!" Jab, jab! Jab jab jab!

Spike's tail ineffectually prodded at the thin sheet of parchment for a few moments until Rarity pulled him off, holding him in the air for a few moments before unceremoniously dropping him.

"Now now, Spike, so violent! I am quite fine, I assure you. While I appreciate your assistance, this is good news - I, Rarity, have been invited to the biggest fashion party in Canterlot, and it's taking place next week! Oh, I've always wanted to go, and I'll get to meet so many important ponies!" Rarity said, walking over and picking the envelope containing the invite back up. She opened it further, and saw another slip of paper - a second invite, for a guest. "Oh my, I have a plus one! How simply wonderful, somepony can come with me! Oh, this is going to be fantastic!"

Spike's eyes opened wide at the revelation, his tail subconsciously straightening as he hoped his scales were as shiny as he liked them, and asked "Oh, you're going to take somebody with you?" as innocently as he could muster.

"Oh, well, it'd be a waste not to, of course! Oh, I do hope Twilight is free-"

"She's not. She's... uh... reading. All week." Spike lied, subconsciously shuffling and wringing his tail in his hands.

"Oh, how very boring of her. That pony really needs to get out more, but I suppose I shouldn't intrude. Fluttershy will surely be free-"

"She isn't. She told me she needs to take care of the animals. More than normal. They're sick" Spike continued, lying through his teeth and starting to sweat profusely.

"All of them? Oh, how simply terrible, I couldn't possibly drag her away from her important work." Rarity said with a disappointed groan. "Well, I suppose I could ask Pinki... maybe Rainbow Dash would like to go?"

"She's sleeping. Like, all the time. In a tree. All week."

"Hmf. That does sound like her. Gah, how frustrating! Do none of them even care that this could be my big break? The thing that propels me to the stardom I so rightly deserve? My chance to shine brightly among the elite of Canterlot?! Well, I suppose there's nothing else to it, I'll simply have to take-"

"Oh, thank you, Rarity, I'd love to!" Spike began, running a hand through the scales on his head and puffing out his chest.

"-Applejack, that pony needs to let her hair down and I simply won't take no for an answer. Thanks ever so much for helping me, Spike, no wonder Twilight calls you her number one assistant!" Rarity beamed, grabbing her saddlepack from beside the door and slipping it on as she left, safely tucking her precious letter inside, leaving Spike feeling quite lonely inside her boutique.

The walk to Sweet Apple Acres was an uncomfortably long one for the pampered pony, and one made all the worse by the raging heat of the midday sun beating down from above her. Rarity realised that sunlight was important for things like growing food, and sunbathing, but did it really need to be sunny right this second? Why, if Celestia wasn't a gorgeous, stylish princess Rarity would be quite peeved at her.

Some way there, Rarity stopped to catch her breath and rest just a moment, to ease her aching hooves. Why the farm had to be so far out of town she didn't know, it all seemed very inconvenient. She ought to talk to Applejack about moving some of it a little closer to town, it must be quite problematic for everypony involved.

Eventually, though, she made it, walking through the wooden arch into the main body of the farm with pride, before looking around for Applejack, the orange, athletic mare who spent most of every day slaving away on the apple trees, never giving herself a moment's rest. Rarity would change that, at least for a few days - surely nobody could turn down a high-class event in Canterlot.

"Nah." Applejack replied after Rarity popped the question, taking barely a moment to consider it before turning around and bucking another tree. "I got work to do here, Rarity, I can't just go swanning off at some high-class hoo-haa like ya'll can. The farm needs me, and that ain't my kind of place anyway"

"Oh, nonsense, Applejack! The farm can handle a few days without you, I'm sure! Big Macintosh seems very capable, and I'm sure you'll get on with everypony just fine!"

"Nuh-uh, I ain't going, I don't like them stuck-up noponies any more than I like... pears" Applejack responded, her voice hardening when she spoke the name of the competing fruit.

"Pleeeeease, Applejack? Look, everypony else is busy and I have a spare ticket. I couldn't possibly turn up alone, it would look uncouth. You're coming."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not, and that's final!"

Rarity sensed her method of arguing was not going well - the only thing to do next was persuasion. Rarity was good at persuasion, she was fairly sure she could charm the wings off a Pegasus given the chance. Nothing with a heartbeat could stand up to her.

"Oh, but Applejack, I'd simply love to have you there" she softly whispered, rubbing her head against Applejack's mane and tracing a hoof down her neck, "it just wouldn't be the same without you there, beside me, all night long"

"Rarity."

"I'll stop if you come" Rarity replied with a restrained smile.

"I... agh, fine, I'll go to your thing, but just this once y'hear? And I ain't wearing a dress" Applejack relented, bitterly agreeing to take a few days off and let her hair down, if only to make Rarity stop trying to seduce her. That was never going to work.

"Oh, wonderful! Will you wear a shirt? I have plenty of designs I'd simply love to try out on you" Rarity squeed, turning around and galloping away before Applejack had a chance to complain.

"Now wait one apple-picking minute, I ain't wearing no... shirt... gosh-darnit" Applejack yelled after her, giving up when Rarity pretended not to hear. This was going to be a long week.