Rainbow Dash darted through the sky over Ponyville, having finished one of her chores in preparation for the Ponyville Day Festival. This year’s Festival was a special one, as her friend Rarity had been chosen as the Pony of Ceremonies and festival planner. As a result, she had enlisted the help of her dearest friends Rainbow, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle, as well as Twilight’s dragon assistant, Spike. Rarity was never one to do anything subtle or half-flanked, so her role had the entire town abuzz with excitement.
Rainbow and Pinkie had finished stringing up lights as per Rarity’s instructions, and she wanted to touch base with the unicorn and see what the next task was to be done. Rainbow had initially checked in at the Carousel Boutique, which was Rarity’s home and workshop, as well as the festival planning headquarters. But she was met instead with Spike, who directed her to Applejack’s home.
The Pegasus sighed in irritation and flew off in the direction of the farm. She knew all too well of Rarity’s obsession with that snooty travel writer guy; Slendermane, or whatever his name was. Rarity was practically inside out with anticipation when she discovered he was coming to Ponyville to do a write up on the Ponyville Day festivities. But her excitement had been stomped on when it turned out this colt had the hots for Applejack instead. In a fit of what Rainbow figured was insanity, the unicorn had turned the entire festival’s theme into a country hoedown. She had also transformed herself from a regal fashionista into a bumbling country yokel. Rainbow was as annoyed as the others were about this abrupt change of plans. But it didn’t affect her tasks too much, so she buckled down and got to work all the same. Despite what weird drama unfolded, she wasn’t about to let it interrupt her end of the workload or planning.
Despite her previous knowledge of the situation, Rainbow wasn’t prepared for what she saw as she reached the farm. Looking down, she found Rarity hitched to a plow, and struggling to haul it across one of the fields. Rarity strained and groaned, perspiring from both effort and the hot sun. Adding to this spectacle was the getup the unicorn was wearing, consisting of an awkwardly-fitting pair of grubby dungarees and a ratty straw hat. Her usually coiffed mane and tail were both a bedraggled mess, and her hooves were dingy with dirt and soil. She looked, for a lack of a better word, stupid.
Rainbow hovered overhead for a moment, flapping in midair with her forelegs crossed over her chest, observing her friend with annoyed disbelief before finally shaking her head and landing atop the plow. “Uhhhh, Rarity?” she called out. “What are ya doing?”
The unicorn looked back at Rainbow, heatedly. “What does it LOOK like I’m…er, Ah may-ean, wut in tear-NAY-shun doezzit LEWK like Ah’m dew-in, sherguh-cewbe?”
Rainbow rolled her eyes at the terrible drawl Rarity had switched to. “Yyyyeah. So, when did mindless chores become part of the festival planning?” She looked down at the unicorn and arched an eyebrow.
Rarity narrowed her eyes in indignation and continued struggling to pull the plow. “Thayse choars Ah’m dew-in’ are NOT mand-less,” she retorted. “Ah’m a hard workin’ poe-nay, and it’s im-poh-tant that Ah get these done, be-cuz Ah am a farm fill-ay at heart.”
“Psh,” Rainbow snorted. “No you’re not.”
Rarity unhitched herself from the plow and whirled around to face the Pegasus, bristling, her ears folded back. “Aynd WHUT do yew mean bah thay-at? Ah KNOW me. As hard as Ah work, from sunrah-se to sunset, coun-treh lahfe an’ hard work is only NAY-tural.”
Rainbow sighed in annoyance. “Rarity, you’ve never done this farm work thing. You freak out at the slightest bit of dirt! You’re only doing this to impress that Slendermane guy!”
“Trenderhoof!”
“Whatever. Applejack’s right. This isn’t you. This is dumb!”
Rainbow soon found herself muzzle to muzzle with an angry Rarity. “Are you saying-er SAY-in’ that Ah don’t work hard tuh please oth-er ponies???”
Rainbow shoved the unicorn back with her muzzle. “No what’s NOT what I’m saying.” She sighed again and backed up a little. “Rarity, you DO work hard. Everypony knows that. But you’re right; it’s for the sake of other ponies! You work hard in your boutique from morning to night creating and making amazing things for other ponies to wear. Sure, a lot of that’s for your customers and stuff, but you work just as hard for your friends too! Look at the amazing dresses you made us for the Gala and for Cadence’s wedding! That’s the kind of hard work we know you for.”
Rainbow gave a small grin and put a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “Look. Chores and stuff like this are fine, but that’s Applejack’s thing, and she needs to get those done because it helps keep her farm and her family’s business going. But creating and doing generous things just to see other ponies happy and working hard in what you do best…that’s YOUR thing. See?”
Rarity looked down at her hooves, wilting a little. She knew her friend was right. But she couldn’t admit that now! Trenderhoof didn’t like her the way she usually was. That HAD to be fixed! The unicorn gave Rainbow a troubled glance and then sighed, looking off towards the barn. “Rainbow Dash, I—should probably get the fashion show organized now.” She cleared her throat, attempting to struggle through her drawl once more. “Er…thay-nk yew for yoar halp, but er…Ah should probably git a move awn…”
Rainbow’s ears splayed in frustration at the unicorn’s stubbornness and she groaned, rolling her eyes once more. “Fine, “Rarijack”. I’ll see ya later.” She then spread her wings and took the sky once more.
Rarity looked indignant at the nickname, but as she watched Rainbow fly off, her indignation faded into a troubled confusion. Finally, she trudged off towards the barn. She had a fashion show to put together. And she had a lot of thinking to do.
Author's Note
This story is inspired by the My Little Pony episode, "Simple Ways". Cover art once again by Masem! :D (Thanks, homeboy!)
But it's also inspired by a friend of mine, who swears up and down that Applejack is the pony they relate to the most. I tend to disagree however. Underneath the apple flavoured coating, I see three diamonds at the core. ;)
