Ordinary World

Chapters

Morning
Noon
Ordinary World
The Auction
Evening

Morning

Golden stirred, her mind gradually recovering from slumber. She felt so… comfortable. She snuggled up against the unusually soft pillow, a gentle smile on her lips. She dozed for a while, but eventually her mind began to work on its own. The first thing it asked was: why were her sheets so soft? These weren’t her usual cotton…

Her eyes slowly opened, peering at the pristine white covers of the bed. Curious, her covers were green. She closed her eyes and let out a light huff, her mind already drifting away from the thought. She was so sleepy, more so than her usual mornings. She’d have trouble getting her carrot stand open in time. What had Rarity put her—

Rarity.

The previous night blasted into Golden’s mind. She remembered Rarity getting hit, chasing Trixie into an alley… There was a flash, maybe an explosion? And then…

What then?

If she was lying on silk sheets…

“Rarity?”

Golden sat up quick, the covers falling off her shoulders and slumping at her hooves. Her eyes darted about, her heart pounding at the idea of where she might be. She found herself in a very large bedroom, the walls a dark grey and the décor featuring numerous stylized flowers. She looked up to find that the bed had a canopy, lavishly decorated with dancing wooden ponies.

This wasn’t even close to Rarity’s room.

Golden didn’t know whether to be relieved or deeply disappointed.

But if she wasn’t at Rarity’s… where was she?

“Hello?” Golden’s head swiveled about in a slow arc as she studied her surroundings. Goddess, this placed looked exorbitant. She could see a chandelier hanging above the balcony window, for buck’s sake! And those pale curtains – with their lace and intricate markings – would probably make Rarity drool.

Golden decided to check the window. At the very least she might determine if she was still in Ponyville… though she doubted there was even a house in Ponyville as big as this one room. She kicked off the sheets and turned, reaching a hoof down to the floor…

She blinked; her hoof touched the carpet much faster than she’d expected. She glanced down, half expecting to see some kind of box or step.

What she saw was her leg… except it wasn’t her leg. It was a pale pink color, and it was long. Golden stared at the appendage for several seconds, trying to process what she was seeing. She tried to move; the leg rose. It was long and delicate-looking… and yet she could tell it wasn’t weak. She could feel the muscles, could tell there was more strength than the dainty appearance suggested.

But it wasn’t her leg.

She raised both forehooves. They matched perfectly. She stared at them for several long seconds, mind empty from her inability to understand what was happening. She began to feel something welling up from within; her breathing picked up speed, her heart began to hammer in her chest, her eyes steadily grew wider.

“Calm down, Golden,” she whispered. “There’s got to be a good reason for this. Just… just stay calm.”

She reached up to touch at her own face. Her coat felt so much softer, and her muzzle was long but small. She touched her mane and felt luxurious, silken smoothness – at least that was the same – but it was longer. She lifted it up in a hoof and saw that it was a bright pink.

“Okay… a dream. Th-that’s right, this is a dream.”

Golden stepped off the bed. She’d expected to fall from the long legs, but her body behaved on its own and her balance was perfect. Even so, she moved slowly. She made her cautious way to the window and pushed the curtains aside.

Her balcony provided a view of a nearby mansion, tall and imposing and solid wood. It was surrounded by buildings that were no less exotic, Golden’s eyes going wide as saucers at the sight of so much wealth in one place.

There, hovering over it all in the distance like a glorious mountain, was a familiar castle.

Canterlot Castle.

Golden backstepped from the window, a hoof over her lips as the curtains gently fell back into place and blocked her view. “What… what am I doing in Canterlot?”

She saw her small hoof and let out a squeak. “What do I even look like?”

She turned from the window, her heart fluttering and her mind frantic. What in the name of Celestia was she doing here? Her eyes darted about and finally settled on an open door near the bed. She moved to it, her mind running circles as it tried to find an explanation for her situation.

“Is anypony there?”

She paused and sat in the doorway, jaw dropping at the sight of what had to be the biggest walk-in closet she’d ever seen. No, this wasn’t a closet; it was a boudoir! Rows upon rows of clothes, all separated by designer and in mint condition. In one corner was a vanity so massive it looked like it would take up an entire wall of Golden’s humble dining room.

A mirror! Golden ran to it, rearing back to set her hooves to the desktop. She stared at a pristine, soft face with violet eyes. Though her pink mane was unkempt from a good night’s sleep, it was still visibly luxurious. She touched the soft coat of her face, eyes wide and breath caught in her throat.

Good goddess, she was beautiful!

And a unicorn.

Golden’s eyes crossed as she observed the horn that was on her head. Wow, it was long! Whoever she was supposed to be in this dream, she imagined the stallions would be lining up for a chance to spend five seconds with her.

That was the moment that she recognized who she was: Fleur de Lis, the world-famous fashion model.

Why was she dreaming about being in the body of Fleur de Lis?

Come to think of it… Fleur had been at the auction. In the alleyway, too. She’d been right there when the explosion – or whatever it was – had occurred.

Did that mean anything?

Golden let out a small yelp as some black clouds poofed into existence over her head. A small scroll dropped from them as they faded, bouncing off her horn and knocking some bottles down on the vanity. She stared at it for a few seconds, tilting her head in wonder. What a peculiar dream… Rarity would be interested in hearing this.

Curiosity struck; Golden unrolled the scroll.

Little Miss,

It’s not like you to keep me waiting. I was expecting your report last night, and instead I received a letter from one of the agents assigned to you.

We need to talk.

I have an idea of what’s happened. If I’m wrong, send a response immediately. If I’m right… then whoever you are, don’t leave Canterlot. Help is on the way.

PS – If I’m wrong… let Miss Lulamoon go. Immediately.

Golden stared at the initials for some time. FC? Who the buck was FC? How did he know Fleur? How was he able to send a letter directly to her?

And how was she supposed to respond?

This dream kept getting weirder and weirder.

Then again, if it was a dream… Golden eyed her new horn curiously. Maybe she could use it? She looked down at the opened letter on top of the vanity. How did unicorns do it? Maybe if she just focused…

She concentrated on the paper, imagining it rising in the air. It just lay there.

Golden frowned and tried again, this time closing her eyes and grinding her teeth. After a few seconds she peered with one eye… to find the letter unmoved.

She heaved a sigh and bowed her head; this wasn’t as easy as Rarity made it look. She reached up and tapped the horn, her head jerking slightly from the hit. She blinked, having not expected such force; Fleur really was stronger than she looked.

Well, this was a dream.

She tried again, this time moving her hoof very slowly along the side of the horn. She felt an intense tingling and blushed, promptly pulling her hoof away. She had no idea unicorn horns were so… sensitive.

Or was that just some horny fantasy – she winced at her own mental pun – playing out in the dream? She was tempted to try it again… but shook her head with force and turned away from the vanity. She was not going to entertain such thoughts. Especially in another pony’s body!

But maybe she could ask Rarity—

No.

Cheeks burning, Golden began to walk to the door. As she did she spotted the names of various fashion designers above the clothing sets and came to a pause.

Fleur was one of Rarity’s clients, wasn’t she?

Golden scoured the boudoir, her eyes reading every name. After a few seconds she spotted Rarity’s and went to investigate. So many dresses… so many styles. Why did any one pony need so much?

Then again, wasn’t it because of ponies like Fleur that Rarity was so wealthy?

And busy…

Golden stared at the dresses in all their finery, a sudden intense bitterness filling her. She felt at one silken red dress, examining its lace and the perfectly-preserved stitching. The stiff collar, the rubies that lined the skirt. Golden took in all the little details… and steamed.

This was what Rarity devoted all her time to. Did she really enjoy making these dresses so much? Golden was tempted to rip the thing to pieces! She seriously considered it; this was a dream, after all. She found her hooves reaching up to grasp the dress, began to pull…

“Miss de Lis?”

Golden jumped with a yelp… and heard a rip.

She stared with wide eyes at the ruined torso of the dress, tiny silken threads hanging loosely between her hooves.

“Oh, I am so sorry!” A unicorn appeared at her side, grabbing the dress from Golden’s hooves and gaping at the tear. “I didn’t mean to, I swear! If I had known you were lost in th-thought, why I never would have…”

Golden tilted her head at the brown-maned pony. “Oh… um… it’s okay.”

“Now, now, no need to p-panic.” The mare’s head jerked about in search of something, her blue eyes frantic. “I promise, Miss de Lis, I… I’ll… who was the designer? I’ll order you a new one immediately! I’ll p-put in the order right away!”

Golden thought the poor thing was going to have a break down, so she reached forward and caught the pony by the shoulders.

“Calm down.”

The mare wouldn’t look her in the eyes. “I’m calm… I-I’m perfectly calm!”

Golden touched her cheek, forced her to look directly at her. There was such terror in those eyes.

The mare’s lips worked and tears came to her eyes as she clutched the dress close. “P… P-please don’t fire me…”

It took all Golden had not to laugh at the seriousness of that statement. She closed her eyes and sucked in a controlling breath, her shoulders shaking from the effort. At last she managed a comforting smile.

“It’s just a dress. Nopony’s getting fired.”

The mare stared with wide eyes for several seconds… then her face lit up. “R-really?”

This time Golden did laugh, though she managed to keep it down to a small giggle. “It was an accident, nothing to fuss over. I’m not going to fire you over such an innocent mistake.”

She blinked, her ears perking at the sound of her own voice. It was so… feminine.

The mare’s entire body sagged. “Oh, thank Celestia! I m-mean, thank you, Miss de Lis. I promise, I’ll send this back to...” She paused to look up at the name above the dresses. “To Miss Rarity later today.”

Golden waved a dismissive hoof. “That works.”

The mare raised an eyebrow at the phrase. “Umm… good. I’ll see to it, then.” She glanced at the vanity. “Are you ready for your morning appointment?”

Golden cocked her head. “Umm… appointment?”

The mare studied her confused face. She shifted from hoof to hoof, chewed her lip… and finally dared to ask, “Rough night?”

Golden set a hoof to her face and sneered. “It… didn’t go as planned.

“Wait…” She lowered her hoof to stare at the mare. She looked back at the vanity, gazing into her new violet eyes. She brought her forehooves up, moved them experimentally. It all felt so vivid. And this mare she didn’t know, just showing up out of the blue and acting so naturally…

She didn’t think she had the imagination needed to just conjure up a pony at random like this. In fact this was nothing like her usual…

“Oh, sweet merciful Goddess.” She turned to the pony, heart pounding in her chest. “Th-this isn’t a dream, is it?”

The mare perked an ear. “A dream, Miss de Lis?”

“Stop calling me that!”

Fleur moved to the vanity and found the letter, knocking over a few more bottles in her hurry. She read its contents again.

FC…

Who was FC?

What was happening to her?

“Miss de Lis, are you alright?”

Fleur gazed at the mare at her side with wide eyes, her breath coming in a quick rhythm. “I… I don’t…”

The pony fidgeted and ducked her head slightly. “You don’t want me to cancel your appointment… do you?”

Golden fought to regain control of her breathing. “Wh-what appointment?”

“The photo shoot?” The mare tilted her head. “You know, at Sir Fancy Pants’ mansion?”

“Photo shoot.” Golden turned back to the letter, once more reading its contents. “I… I…”

Her eyes locked onto some choice words:

Whoever you are, don’t leave Canterlot. Help is on the way.

Canterlot. Fancy Pants lived in Canterlot, right? And… yes, she’d met him before. He’d been the one to arrange that romantic setup for that first beautiful date with Rarity. They were friends.

Golden could really, really use the help. There was no other pony she knew – well, she didn’t exactly know him, but an acquaintance was close enough, right? Maybe he could help her make sense of things. At the very least he could help her get back in contact with Rarity, and she would still be in Canterlot for whoever wrote the letter…

“N-no…” She turned to her – attendant? – and shook her head. “No, let’s keep the appointment.”

The mare heaved a deep sigh. “Okay… good. We’ll need to leave within the next fifteen minutes to make it on time.”

“Oh…” Golden ran a hoof through her luxurious but unkempt mane. “I guess I’d best brush up.”

“Yes, ma’am. If it pleases you, I’ll go ahead and gather the necessary products and makeup; I believe we agreed to let the photographer’s assistants handle that part of the job, as she has a specific style in mind.”

Good Goddess, Golden hadn’t had makeup applied professionally since… well, now that she thought about it, it had only happened once.

“Umm… yeah. That’ll do.”

Golden’s hoof shook as she reached for one of the half-dozen brushes on the vanity, her attendant gathering up bottles. It felt so… awkward, carrying something in a hoof that wasn’t her own.

How had this happened? Why was she here? Where was Rarity? Why did she end up in the body of Fleur de Lis of all ponies?

“Trouble with the horn, miss?”

“Hmm…?” Golden noted her attendant’s worried gaze, then recalled that she was supposed to be a unicorn now. Her cheeks grew hot as she noted the long horn in the mirror. “Um… yes?”

Her attendant averted her eyes. “Would you like me to schedule an appointment with your physician?”

“N-no.” Golden offered a weak smile. “No thanks. I’ll be fine, just need a break from the magic is all.”

“Umm, if you say so.” Her attendant had a dozen bottles floating over her head. “I’ll just get these into the carriage, then. Be back in a moment.”

“Of course.” Golden waved her off, her smile cracking at the sight of her own pale hoof.

Cheeks still red, she waited until the unicorn was gone before setting the brush back on the desk. She stared at it for several seconds, willing it to move. If she could just…

She ground her teeth as her lips worked. “Move… Come on, move.”

The brush remained perfectly still.

She leaned her head back with a frustrated sigh. “I’m going to make this poor pony look like a foal…”

Which spawned a question that should have been obvious:

If she was in Fleur’s body… did that mean Fleur was in hers?

Fleur let out a long groan, reaching a hoof up to rub her aching head. Whatever she was lying on was as hard as a rock…

Her brain went through its typical morning routine. Cover first: did she have any appointments? Yes, she was supposed to go to a photo shoot at Fancy’s. That was most welcome; Fancy always had the best jobs for her. Anything else? Hmm… ah, yes, a meeting with three competing designers. That would be interesting, to say the least… frustrating, but interesting.

That was all she had for today, wasn’t it? It was set to be busy with her real job, though. Speaking of which, what Archon work did she have—

Archons.

The Ring!

Fleur’s eyes flashed open as the memory of the previous night shot back into her throbbing skull. She found herself staring up at a bland stone ceiling.

She sat up, eyes wide as she quickly took in her surroundings. In an instant she registered the metal bars of a cell, the cracks in the walls, the bowl of old carrots in the corner, the loose toilet against a moldy wall.

Fleur’s head dropped back in a long, low moan. “Ooooooohhh… buck!” She pressed her hooves against her face and fell back on the slab. How could she possibly be in a dungeon?

She heard a whistle and grimaced; she knew a cat-call when she heard it. The direction of the sound indicated the pegasus in the cell opposite hers was the source.

“Unless you want to stay in that cell for the rest of your wretched, flea-infested, backwards life you will not do that again.”

She heard the stallion snicker and whistle again.

Fleur sat up to glare at the pegasus, who smirked from his cell. She was just starting to wonder which humiliating spell she would use on him when something drifted over her eyes.

It was her own mane… but it was blue.

She took a sharp intake of breath as she recalled her last memories of the night before. She raised her hooves and saw that they were short and also blue.

Oh no… what had that foal Caballeron done ?

She stepped off the slab, grimacing at what she considered the clunkiness of her new body shape. How did shorter ponies get used to moving around on these legs? Glowering, she made her way to the water bowl in the corner and looked at her own reflection.

Trixie Lulamoon stared back, lips set in a sneer and eyes burning with anger.

“No need to get yourself all prettied up for me.”

Fleur cast her glare upon the pegasus opposite her. “Excuse me?”

He grinned and patted his own flank in demonstration. “I’ll take ya as ya are.”

Fleur considered him for a few seconds… then gained a wry smile. “You like what you see, do you?”

He reared up to press his hooves against the bars and peer at her with a lecherous smile.

Her horn began to glow – with a lot more force than she intended – and she raised a hoof to her lips. She blew him a kiss and a small, pink cloud shaped like lips floated across the bars to land right on his waiting smirk.

He collapsed to the floor in an instant, body heaving the slow breaths of slumber.

“Hmmph.” Fleur shot him a superior, high browed frown before turning away. “Simpleton.”

But now her curiosity had been piqued. She eyed her – Trixie’s – reflection in the water once more, her gaze locking on that small horn. She concentrated on forming a simple glow spell… and had to cover her eyes against the glare! She cut the spell off, grateful for the soothing darkness.

Once her vision had cleared, she took another look in the water. She tried to process what had just happened, eyes crossed as she studied her horn a bit more. All the records indicated that Trixie was a very weak mage… so what was this little discovery?

Seeking another test, she turned and set her concentration on the slumbering pegasus. She focused on lifting his tail.

He flew up to the ceiling, his rump smacking against the hard stone. Fleur gaped, the magic disappearing with an audible pop, and the stallion fell with a thud. Fleur winced at what had to have been a painful landing… but he just kept snoozing.

She peered at him, amazed that the impacts hadn’t interrupted his sleep. Had her knockout spell been boosted, too?

She shook her head with force; why was she wasting time with this? Dr. Caballeron could be making off with her Ring of Mudarra! If her boss knew she’d failed on what should have been a simple mission…

She focused her attention on the food bowl; it floated to the ceiling with a clang. Grimacing, she worked on gradually reducing the power of the levitation spell. After a few seconds the bowl began to lower. Once it was at a height level with her head she began banging it on the metal bars.

She pounded and pounded, the metal whacking in a constant rhythm as she glared in the direction she knew the guard door to be in. Seconds passed without a response, but they couldn’t ignore her forever. She glanced at the bowl and saw that it was bending from the impacts. Not her intention, but not important either.

She pursed her lips as the guards blatantly refused to listen. If they wouldn’t come to this… She closed her eyes and cast a more complex audio augmentation spell—

Fleur fell to her belly and covered her ears as the last clang erupted in her eardrums! She trembled at the sheer intensity of the sound, her ears ringing for several long seconds and her teeth clamped tight.

By Luna’s sparkling mane, she was never going to try that again!

“Goddess be damned, lady, we hear you!”

Well, at least it was effective.

Fleur climbed to her hooves – Trixie’s hooves; seeing their blue color was a grim reminder – and turned back to the cell bars. Her words caught in her throat at the sight of the two agents who had assisted her in Ponyville the night before, except now they were dressed as guards.

“What are you two doing here? Did you get the Ring?”

The younger stallion glowered at her. “You’re still on about that? Look—”

The older one set a hoof to his companion’s shoulder. “Not another word. Go back to our game; maybe by the time I get through here you’ll have finally made a move.”

“Come off it,” the younger stallion grumbled. “Who cares if she knows? She’ll have her memories wiped by the princess, anyway.”

“Call it practice.” The older stallion waved him off. “I’ll deal with this one.”

The younger stallion rolled his eyes with a sneer and moved for the door. “Whatever, just make sure she doesn’t pull crap like that again.”

Fleur growled at his back. “Don’t you walk away from me. When I get out of here I swear to Luna you are both going to rue this moment!”

The door closed with a bang, and Fleur could only bristle. She jerked her head towards the remaining stallion, who sighed and shook his head.

“Don’t mind him, he’s a rookie.” He sat and made a welcoming gesture. “What can I do for you, Miss Lulamoon?”

Fleur locked him with her harshest glare. “I am not that incapable foal! I am Fleur de Lis, Archon Lieutenant, and you will treat me with the respect my position demands.”

The Archon huffed a small laugh and gestured with his head to the door. “That guy has a picture of Fleur de Lis. Apparently he’s quite the fan. Judging by what I know and what I’m seeing, there’s no way you’re her. Why would you come up with something so blatant?”

“You foal.” Fleur’s lips pulled back with a very un-ladylike snarl. “Do you even know what the Ring of Mudarra is? That felon Caballeron activated it!”

The stallion examined the bottom of his hoof as if bored. “I’ve never heard of this ‘Ring of Mulberry,’ or whatever it is. Don’t much care for jewelry; I spend too many bits on that junk for my wife, I certainly—”

“Be silent.” Fleur rubbed her head in both hooves with a groan. “Why are you feigning ignorance? You think I do not know how it works? The Mane Archon is expecting me to report the acquisition of the Ring of Mudarra this morning, and heads will roll if we fail him!”

The old stallion let out another huff. “You’ve got quite the imagination, Miss Lulamoon. Archons and magical rings, please. You write in your spare time, oh Great and Powerful one?”

Fleur slammed her forehooves against the cells and glared fire. “Stop pretending to be an idiot! Contact Fine Crime, tell him what has happened! We need to get the Ring of Mudarra back and undo what’s been done! If we don’t fix this within twenty-four hours of transference we can’t go back!”

The stallion emitted a long yawn and turned away. “That’s it, I’ve heard enough. Let me know when you’re ready to start making sense.”

“I am making sense!” Fleur’s horn sparked as she watched him go. “How many ponies even know Fine Crime’s name? You know I’m telling the truth! I’ll have your head for insubordination!”

He paused just at the edge of her visible range. “Maybe I do know that all you’re saying is true. Maybe I think it’s all a bunch of horse manure. Who knows? But I can tell you one thing, Miss Lulamoon...”

He rolled his head back to offer a smug smile.

“If I happened to believe your story, it would give me great pleasure to know that you’re suffering from exactly what you planned to put an innocent mare through.”

Fleur’s jaw dropped as he waved and disappeared through the door, which closed with a resounding bang.

“Y-you… insubordinate…” Her lips trembled, her heart pounded in her chest. Her entire body began to shake and her vision turned red.

“Come back here! I am Fleur de Lis, apprentice to Fine Crime, Archon Lieutenant of Canterlot! I will not be stuck in this pathetic pony’s body for the rest of my days, do you hear me?”

Not even bothering to use her magic, she lifted the already battered bowl and began banging it against the bars once more. “When Fine hears what you’ve done he will personally roast you both! You can’t do this to me! Let me out, let me out, let me the buck out!”

All sense and logic gone, Fleur reared back and fired a thick sphere of energy. It hit the cell bars…

...which she remembered at the last second were magic-proofed.

The eruption was reflected back into the cell, sending her flying to smack against the back corner. She collapsed to the floor with vision white and ears ringing, her entire body burning from the magical energies she’d unleashed. It had been so much stronger than even her rage-induced mind had intended.

For several seconds she only sat there, back against the wall and unable to move for the pain. Her body slid sideways until she was lying on her side, legs shifting in small, jerky motions. At last her vision and hearing cleared… and her gaze locked upon her blue legs.

Trixie’s legs.

“L-let me out.” She tried to sit up, but her forehooves slipped and she fell. Her eyes went to the cell bars once more, still smoking as magenta sparks drifting through the air. “Let me out. Please… I can’t stay in this body...”

She rolled painfully onto her back and covered her face. How could he do this to her? He knew what was at stake, and yet he was keeping her locked up? Didn’t he know Fine would be furious?

Did he not know that everything she’d worked for in the past ten years would be for nothing?

“Oh Goddess…” Her head fell back against the floor. “If Trixie’s in my body… how much damage is she doing to my modeling career right now?”

She thought on that for a few seconds, then covered her face in her hooves a second time.

“I’m doomed…”

Trixie’s slumber was interrupted by a knock on her bedroom door. She grumbled, turned away and pulled the covers over her head. With any luck her house-mate would get the message and go away.

The knock came again, prompting Trixie to curl up in a tight ball and cover her ears. She hated that chipper, ‘rise up and meet the day’ attitude Amethyst possessed.

This time the knock was accompanied by a call. “Sis? You okay? It’s not like you ta be so late.”

‘Sis?’ Since when did Amethyst call her that?

At last Trixie threw off the covers and sat up, rubbing her blurry eyes. “Alright, already, Trixie gets it.”

She paused. That voice… wasn’t hers.

“Who the hay’s Trixie?”

She winced; another well-planted barb from her ever-witty landlord. Trixie heaved a sigh and bowed her head… and saw orange.

“Wha…?” She raised her hooves, staring at them with wide eyes. Orange. How could they be…

Had Amethyst pulled some prank and dyed Trixie’s coat orange in her sleep? She wouldn’t put it past the accursed mare.

“AJ?”

Now that Trixie was awake, she also noted that the voice behind the door didn’t belong to Amethyst. It sounded like a filly.

Come to think of it… this wasn’t her room. Her head spun about as she observed plain wooden walls, rather ugly curtains and some antique-looking furniture. It wasn’t a bad room – it was definitely better than what she was used to. And the bed sure was comfy…

“Ah’m comin’ in, okay?”

The door opened to reveal a small yellow filly with a red mane. The filly looked up at Trixie and heaved a sigh of relief. “Oh, good, yer awake. You comin’ down fer breakfast or what?”

“Breakfast?” Trixie tilted her head at the filly. She looked vaguely familiar.

She didn’t know where she was or why, but having a breakfast other than Amethyst’s terrible cooking would be a welcome relief. “S-sure… Trixie will be there shortly.”

The filly raised an eyebrow. “Oookay, then. Ya might wanna bow out the next time ya go ta one of them fancy parties, AJ. Come on down when yer ready; Granny Smith’s makin’ pancakes.”

Trixie watched the filly leave, questions swimming through her head. Why was she being referred to as ‘sis’ and ‘AJ?’ This was turning into a very confusing morning, and she hadn’t even stepped out of bed yet.

Sighing, Trixie looked about the room one more time… and spotted a mirror over the dresser. Well, she might as well assess the damage of this little color prank. She slipped off the bed, noting how the floor creaked beneath her hooves. There was something strange in her stance, something that made her feel… she settled on ‘sturdy,’ for lack of a better word.

She raised her leg to study it more closely, noting with wide eyes that her musculature was far more defined. She looked downright buff.

What was going on here?

Trixie walked to the mirror… and found herself gazing into the freckled face of Applejack.

She stared for several long seconds, unable to comprehend what she was seeing. She blinked; the reflection did, too. She lifted a leg and saw the motion in the mirror. What in the name of—

Her eyes locked on her forehead.

She shrieked.

She grasped at her head, eyes wide and pupils small. Nothing, there was nothing there! “My… m-my horn…”

“AJ!” She spun about to find a massive red stallion in the doorway. “What’s wrong?”

For several seconds she could only gape at him and sputter. “I… I-I… N-nothing. I just… umm… just hit my funny bone on the dresser.” She rubbed her elbow with a fragile smile, tears forming on her cheeks. “I’m f-fine, don’t worry.”

The stallion raised an eyebrow. “Ya sure?”

“I’m fine.” Trixie turned away from him so that he couldn’t see her smile collapse. “Why don’t you go down and have some pancakes?”

She could sense his lingering presence behind her. Emotions were swirling through her head in a chaotic turmoil and all she wanted was for him to leave!

“Alright, AJ, if ya say so.” She heard him exit the room, albeit slowly.

Trixie stared at her forehead in the mirror, eyes moist and an empty feeling in her gut. Her horn… her beautiful horn! It was the only thing she had, the only thing she could rely on. If she didn’t have her horn, what was she?

“Oh, merciful Luna…” She noted the dresser and focused on one of the drawers. It ignored her commands and remained firmly shut.

The air left Trixie’s lungs in a single swift gasp. She fell to a sitting position and held her head in her hooves. “No. No no no… Th-this can’t happen. I can’t lose it. Wh-what am I… No, where am I?”

She jumped to her hooves and went to the window, wincing against the bright morning sunlight as she pulled the curtains aside. She set her forehooves to windowsill and gazed out at a pristine farm scene: a massive red barn, plowed fields, pigs and sheep.

And apple orchards. So many big, bountiful trees! This had to be Sweet Apple Acres. Trixie had never visited it before, but she’d known of it from her previous visits to the region.

Of course. If she was Applejack, why wouldn’t she be here? But why was she Applejack?

She spotted a town in the distance. She realized instantly that it was Ponyville, and that sudden understanding rendered her mind numb. She fell back from the window and dropped to her belly, covering her face in trembling hooves.

“Oh Goddess, I’ve done it again! I screwed things up. I don’t even know how I screwed things up, but I did! H-how am I going to recover from this?”

She was just trying to earn some desperately needed bits…

Trixie lay there for several long minutes, fighting to recover her wits. It wasn’t easy; her mind kept circling back to how she’d clearly made a mess of things in Ponyville for a third time. Twice she’d made national headlines, and if she’d just done something to one of the Element-bearers…

Forget her career. Even if she wasn’t jailed, she’d never be able to find any jobs after this. And if she didn’t turn in the bits tomorrow…

What would she do? Where would she live? How would she earn her daily bread?

She longed to be somewhere else, to be somepony else! She would give anything to not be this pathetic… to just have one day as an ordinary pony, one whose soiled reputation didn’t follow her everywhere she went…

“Applejack! Ya better get down here before Big Mac eats your share of the pancakes!”

“Eeeyup!”

Trixie’s mind went blank. She lifted her head from the floor and stared at her orange hooves. She lifted one up, rotated it back and forth studiously.

Applejack.

She stood and went to the dresser, gazing upon a freckled, tear-streaked face that wasn’t her own.

No… she couldn’t.

She shouldn’t.

But… one day wouldn’t hurt... would it?

Besides, Applejack was probably in Trixie’s body right at this moment and was probably working her way back to the farm. That made sense, to come back to where her own body would most likely be. Trixie could… she could wait for her. She might arrive at any minute in Trixie’s body. Trixie could pretend to be Applejack for a little while, couldn’t she? No harm done.

Just… forget the worries. For a short time. Applejack was reputed to be a kind pony. She’d understand, surely.

Trixie gazed at her new face, heart pounding in her chest as the thoughts tumbled and tossed about her mind.

She could.

…

She should.

One day wouldn’t hurt.

She sucked down a deep breath and turned for the door. “You can do this, Trix. How hard can pretending to be a country bumpkin be?”

Trixie paused in the hallway, spotted and went for the stairs. She could hear Applejack’s family in the kitchen. Her pace slowed once she approached the door, though; what would she say? What would she do? Just walk in and sit down?

The sweet aroma of syrup hit her nostrils and her stomach growled.

“Ah, there’s Applejack,” an elderly voice said from within the kitchen.

Trixie cocked her head with an amused smile and – taking one last moment to gather her courage – entered the kitchen. It was a modestly sized room, but nicely furnished. The red stallion – Big Mac, she imagined – was sitting opposite her and gobbling down a massive stack of pancakes as if his life depended on it. The small filly was just settling down with her own plate, followed by an aged green mare Trixie assumed was Granny Smith.

She hadn’t heard the filly’s name yet…

“Well, good mornin’ sleepin’ beauty.” Granny Smith flashed a grin. “Thought ya’d sleep ‘till the cows came home.”

“Are ya okay, sis?” The filly studied her with big, fretful eyes. “Ya had us real worried after last night.”

Trixie moved a little too quickly to sit at the table, a stack of syrup-coated pancakes already waiting for her. She fought to offer a smile. “Umm… What happened last night?”

“We thought you’d tell us,” Granny Smith replied. “Miss Rarity came by with ya and that Golden filly out like lights.”

The filly nodded quickly. “She looked like she’d been through a Timberwolf attack! She said somethin’ about Trixie before leavin’ with Golden.”

“D-did she, now?” Trixie was going to hide her anxiety by eating some pancakes… only to notice there were no forks or knives on the table. It took her a couple seconds – and an uncertain glance around the table at the eating habits of her ‘family’ – to realize she wasn’t expected to use one. Sighing, she focused on the top pancake.

It ignored her.

Trixie facehooved – right, no horn.

Oh, they were waiting for an answer, weren’t they? “Tri… I don’t remember what happened to knock me out. I was having too much fun… I guess?”

“Fun?” The filly raised a questioning eyebrow.

“Umm… yeah. Lots of it.” Trixie dodged by leaning forward and taking her first bite of pancake. Her taste buds were assaulted by sweet, apple-flavored goodness that almost made her eyes water. She swallowed quickly and let out a contented sigh. “Sweet Luna, those are some good pancakes!”

“Why, thank ya, Applejack,” Granny Smith replied through the mass of syrup covering her lips and chin. “So how much did yer items go fer at the auction?”

Trixie’s mouth fell open as she stared blankly at her ‘gandmother.’ “Uh…” Her mind fought frantically for some kind of solution. “I… uh… I guess I got knocked out before the auction was over, ‘cause I didn’t find out.”

Big Mac raised an eyebrow. “Ya guess?”

Trixie rubbed the back of her head with a blush. “Hehe… it’s all something of a blur.”

“Ah dunno what you were doin’ at that auction,” the filly declared, “but somethin’ tells me ya really shouldn’t go to one again. Yer even talkin’ all funny.”

“Am I?” Trixie let out a weak laugh. “Don’t worry… little filly, I’ll be back on my hooves in no time!” Or as soon as Applejack showed up in Trixie’s real body…

The filly crossed her hooves and pouted. “Ah’m not a little filly…”

“Of course ya aren’t, Apple Bloom.” Granny Smith offered Trixie a wink even as she patted the filly’s head. “Well, ya’ll best eat up. Lots of chores ta be doin’ today, ya’ll have ta get an early start.”

Oh… chores. Trixie fidgeted and glanced towards the nearest window, her eyes falling on the orchard in the distance. What exactly was she expected to do? There was a time when she would have bemoaned such manual labor, but under the circumstances she would be happy to try just about anything. Who knows, maybe she’d be able to land a job here when it was all over…

…then again, that probably wasn’t going to happen.

Even so, Trixie knew absolutely nothing about farm work. Well, she knew a bit about rock farms, but this was a wholly different beast. They would expect her to already know… everything.

How was she going to get out of this one?

She took a few more bites of pancake, savoring the taste even as she grimaced at the syrup on her cheeks. She fought to ignore it – as Applejack no doubt would have – and tried to think of what she was going to do.

She eyed the big brother. He was a fine specimen of a stallion, but Trixie didn’t see anything about him that would help her out of her current predicament. Her eye roamed to Granny Smith… but quickly threw out anything that might involve her. The mare was clearly too old for typical farm work and would undoubtedly be an expert; if anypony would recognize Trixie’s ignorance, it was her.

That left… Apple Bloom, was it?

Could she form a plan around the filly? Maybe. She would be the least knowledgeable; she’d probably be considered a mere trainee at her age. And given her momentary disdain for being called a ‘little filly’… But that displeasure was long gone now as Apple Bloom spoke eagerly to her grandmother about something called a ‘crusade’ she was planning for the weekend.

An idea stirred in Trixie’s mind.

She waited until they were all done eating. Granny Smith saw to the cleanup as Big Mac and Apple Bloom made their way outside to start their chores. Trixie followed, chewing her lip and hoping this idea of hers would work.

“Apple Bloom?”

The filly looked over her shoulder. “What’s up, sis?”

Trixie had been thinking on her idea throughout breakfast, and by now knew exactly what she wanted to say. “I was thinking I might test your knowledge. …as an Apple, that is.”

Apple Bloom tilted her head, turning to face her sister properly. “Test my knowledge at what now?”

Trixie grinned, though deep down she was a nervous wreck. “Being a farmer, of course. I’m sure you know a lot, but how much do you really know?”

The filly smirked. “Come on, sis, Ah reckon Ah know as much as you do about farmin’.”

Aha, Trixie had her! “And you’re going to prove it to me.”

“How?”

Trixie dropped low so her face was even with Apple Bloom’s. “I’m going to pretend to be a brand new helper from… say… Manehatten. I don’t know anything about apple farming, and you—” she tapped the filly’s chest, “—are going to teach me.”

Apple Bloom stared blankly at her for a moment, then reared back to point at Trixie. “Yer on! It’s not every day Ah get ta boss my big sister around. This’ll be great!”

Trixie stood tall and grinned, both for the filly’s enthusiasm and a bit of self-satisfaction. “It sure will. I’m gonna pretend to know absolutely nothing, so you best be ready to correct me!”

“This is the best idea ever!” Apple Bloom began bouncing a circle around Trixie, a big grin on her face. “Who knows? Ah might even get me a trainer cutie mark!”

“Ya just might,” Trixie agreed, awkwardly trying the accent out on her tongue. It felt odd… but she had to at least try before they really thought something was wrong. “So, what’s first?”

“Oh, oh, we gotta prep the apple cart! This way, rookie.”

Trixie watched the filly gallop towards the barn with a smirk and internally patted herself on the back. This wasn’t going to be as hard as she’d feared. All she had to do was keep it up until Applejack arrived.

Trixie had only a moment to wonder where Applejack was with her body before remembering to follow after Apple Bloom.

Applejack realized at some point that she was awake and – as usual – immediately went over the checklist of chores in her head.

Hmm… today was going to be a busy day.

Still, if her internal clock was accurate, she still had a half hour to go at least before she needed to get up. This in mind, she snuggled a little more under her covers with a pleased smile.

Something shifted next to her… and a pair of forelegs wrapped about her chest.

Huh… maybe she wasn’t awake after all. How could anypony be in her bed otherwise? And holding her close, for that matter. Applejack didn’t usually have dreams like this… although there was one mare who’d been stuck in her head for the past few months.

She felt the gentle tickling of a muzzle on her neck, and her heart skipped a beat. A teasing breath of warm air hit her ear, making it twitch as a tingle ran down her spine.

“Finally awake, darling?”

Applejack smiled contentedly as she recognized that voice. If this was a dream, she hoped nopony woke her up.

“Oh, Ah’m awake, alright,” she whispered, her eyes flitting open.

She was looking at frou-frou purple walls, disorganized fashion tools and half-finished dresses. Her eyes went wide as she noted the perfect clarity of what she was seeing. Her focus homed in on the bright red comforter with its white trim.

She was awake.

Heart locked in her throat, Applejack very slowly lifted the comforter with one hoof and looked down to find two pearly hooves rubbing her chest.

Applejack rolled over just enough to look over her shoulder. Her mind went numb at the sight of sleepy, luscious blue eyes and a gentle smile. “R-R… R-Rarity?”

Rarity snuggled up against her, and Applejack’s cheeks burned.

“Do forgive me for being so bold, darling.” Rarity lifted herself up so her face was just before Applejack’s, their muzzles just barely touching and her alluring eyes completely filling the dumbfounded mare’s vision. “But the way you rushed to my defense against that vagabond… I just had to reward you.”

Applejack licked her lips, eyes wide as saucers. “Reward…?”

“Why, our first ‘sleepover’, of course.” The gorgeous unicorn gave her a peck right on the lips; Applejack thought her heart might pound its way out of her chest.

Rarity grinned and rested her head on Applejack’s chest. “Oooh, listen to that rhythm! Why Golden, I do believe you’re excited.”

Golden?

Applejack tensed as white hooves were once against wrapped about her. Rarity let out a small sigh. “I wish that foul Trixie hadn’t shown up at the auction. I had so much planned for that night.” Her voice became silky smooth. “You only think your heart’s beating fast now.”

Applejack raised her hooves as though to defend herself. “R-Rarity? Ah’m just a little confused…”

Rarity lifted herself up to hover over Applejack. “You’re okay, are you not? That witch didn’t really hurt you, did she?”

“W-witch?”

Rarity nodded, rubbing Applejack’s cheek with a touch like the softest velvet. “When I found you and the other ponies knocked unconscious, I was so worried! But you were still breathing, so I…” She blushed. “I… decided to take you home for a little ‘personal’ care.”

She lowered to rest her head on Applejack’s shoulder and nuzzle the pony’s neck. A shiver ran down Applejack’s spine as her mind frantically sought some kind of clarity.

Okay… so she was in Rarity’s bed. Getting snuggled – which felt wonderful – and praised. This wasn’t a bad thing. On the contrary, it was a dream come true!

Why would Rarity bring her here and not Golden? Applejack didn’t want to complain – being cuddled by the prettiest mare in Ponyville was not something to complain about – yet something about this felt… off. Delightful as it was having Rarity tracing a line against her chest with a hoof…

Applejack sucked in a deep breath and bit her lower lip as she felt a nibble on her ear.

She shouted and all but leapt out of the bed, but her hooves got tangled in the sheets and she hit the floor with a loud thunk.

“Oh my goodness! Are you alright?”

Applejack twisted about and untangled her legs just in time to see Rarity gazing with wide eyes at her over the bed. Eagerness, confusion and a smidgeon of terror drove Applejack to jump to her hooves and walk backwards from the pony of her dreams. “N-now Rare, this is really nice and appreciated and all that, but Ah—” Her words died on her lips. She’d lifted her leg as a precaution in case the mare tried to come closer, and only now did she notice her color.

She was yellow.

“What the…” She studied both hooves with wide eyes. Almost instinctually, she grabbed her mane and pulled it forward enough to find that her long blonde ponytail had been replaced with orange curls.

She could only gape at them in a speechless stupor.

“Golden?” Rarity stepped off the bed, eyes soft with concern. “Whatever is the matter?”

“Ah… uh…” Applejack’s head flung about as she searched for a proper statement. Her eyes locked on the bathroom door. “Uh… give me a moment!”

She retreated into the bathroom with a speed that probably would have impressed even Pinkie Pie. The door closed behind her, Applejack rushed to the mirror and gawked as Golden Harvest stared back at her. Her heart pounded as she felt at her face.

“Wh-what happened ta me?”

“Golden?” There came a knock on the door.

“Ah’m okay!” Applejack backed from the door, her breath coming in quick gasps. “J-just… I’ll be out in a jiffy!”

She closed her eyes and sucked in a long, calming breath. Oh please, oh please… She turned her head and cracked open one eye.

She had carrots on her flank.

A weak, whispered cry escaped her throat. She collapsed to her haunches, her lips trembling and her mind trying to piece things together.

She was Golden. How was that even possible?

It had to have something to do with last night.

What happened last night?

Auction… jealousy… anger… Trixie…

Trixie.

This had to be her doing!

But to what end?

“Golden? Did I… do something wrong?”

The chaos of thoughts came to a screeching halt. Applejack stared at the door and suddenly realized exactly how this looked.

A new thought came to mind: this would be the perfect opportunity to get the attention she really wanted from the mare!

A second thought came just as quickly: how could she possibly abuse Rarity’s feelings like that?

“…Golden?”

Applejack whacked herself on the head and moved to the door, opening it with a jerk. She sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of Rarity. The pony’s head was bowed, her beautiful blue eyes moist and filled with fear as she turned them up to Applejack’s face. The expression – combined with her sleep-disheveled mane – was enough to break Applejack’s heart.

“No.” She reached a trembling hoof forward and rubbed Rarity’s cheek. “No, ya didn’t do nothin’ wrong. Ah was just… Ah didn’t expect this. Ah didn’t know how ta respond. Ah’m sorry, Rarity…”

Rarity rubbed her eyes and struggled to offer a smile. “I g-guess I was too forward, wasn’t I? I just thought…”

Applejack’s mind was running rampant again, this time trying to find some way to fix this situation. After a few seconds she did the only thing she could come up with that didn’t seem entirely crazy; she embraced Rarity.

“No, ya weren’t too forward. It was just right. Ah didn’t mean ta freak like that.”

Her heart pounded in her chest as Rarity wrapped her in a tight hug and rested her head against her chest. Her eyes darted about; she couldn’t escape this terrifying sensation that Golden might find them like this at any second.

“Oh,” Rarity whispered, “there’s my favorite little drum again.”

All the fears and anxiety fled Applejack’s mind. She stared down at the mare and realized that for now, in this moment… Rarity was hers.

She really didn’t want to let go.

Rarity sucked in a sharp breath as Applejack tightened her hold and rested her muzzle on the mare’s neck. She breathed deep to savor Rarity’s delightful, rosy fragrance. She was so pretty, so desireable.

The words came out unbidden. “Yer mine… Yer… Yer all mine…”

Those beautiful blues locked with hers, that indescribably pretty face smiled. There was so much love there. Applejack thought her heart might burst!

“Of course I am,” Rarity cooed, raising her muzzle to Applejack’s ear. “My golden princess.”

Applejack’s eyes went wide, her throat constricted. Even as Rarity began kissing her neck, there was only one thing that she could think of:

She was Golden Harvest.

Applejack’s hooves shook, her breath came in quick gasps. She wanted this so much, but if she took it…

Could she take it?

Was that even an option?

But… but Rarity didn’t love her.

Suddenly the kisses stopped, Rarity stepping back with a hoof on her chest and eyes fluttering. “Oh, but that is an intoxicating feeling.”

Applejack half-raised her hoof as if to reach for the pony. She spoke without thinking, “W-why stop?”

Rarity at last recovered her breath. She offered a wry smile and batted her eyes. “Because I am a lady and a professional, and I’ve lost a lot of time tending to you.” She pouted, cheeks going red but her eyes no less eager than before. “I wanted to do so much more last night. If only that foul Trixie hadn’t shown up.”

She shook her head with a determined, haughty frown. “No matter. It will just have to wait for our—” she offered a wry wink, “—vacation.”

Applejack blinked even as her cheeks burned. “What vacation?”

Rarity toyed with her mane in a distracted fashion and averted her gaze. “I meant to tell you last night after the auction… but I guess now will have to do. I’ve arranged something special, a two week stay in the one place we both want to visit!”

She grinned at Applejack, eyes shining.

Applejack worked her lips as she realized she was supposed to guess the destination. “Umm… ya… ya don’t mean…”

“That’s right!” Rarity sat to clap her hooves. “Prance! The nation of lovers, can you believe it? It’s precisely why I’ve been so busy these past two months, I was saving up for the trip and getting all my orders done ahead of time.”

Applejack’s jaw went lose; she’d arranged a trip like that? For Golden?

“Hah, speechless.” Rarity giggled and brushed her unkempt mane aside with a haughty pose. “Yes, I do have that effect on ponies.”

She moved in to press against Applejack… who was suddenly feeling ill.

“I’m so sorry I haven’t had time for us,” Rarity whispered in her ear. “I know it’s been bothering you, but I just knew you’d understand once I hit you with the reason. You’ve been so patient with me, and I wanted you to know…” Rarity stepped back to plant a kiss right on Applejack’s lips.

Applejack’s mind went blank yet again as she savored Rarity’s taste, her legs wobbling beneath her. Her mind was a confusing craze of disgust and delight.

At last Rarity released, a wicked smile on her lips as she gazed upon Applejack with very nice bedroom eyes. “…I appreciate it.”

Applejack gaped, her chest light and her heart pattering. She licked her lips, the fresh taste of Rarity still present on them, and could only mutter a small “Wow…”

Rarity giggled with a dainty hoof to her lips and red cheeks, but then her pout came back. “But I’m afraid I’ve got another week of toil ahead before I’m set financially for the trip. I’m so sorry, Golden, but you can wait that long, can’t you?”

She added the last part with sugar in her voice and sparkling eyes: “I promise to make it up to you.”

Applejack’s lips shifted into a cocked smile. “Yeah… Fer you? You bet Ah’ll wait!”

“Good.” Rarity nodded her satisfaction. “Now, I need to get to work, and it’s very hard to do when you’re here. I apologize—” She waved a hoof at Applejack with a hungry grin, “—but you’re… ahem, ‘presence’ is very distracting, and I can have none of that! Shoo, leave me be before I end up pouncing on you again!”

Part of Applejack was relieved that she wouldn’t have to find an excuse to escape.

The other part was frantically looking for an excuse not to.

She fought down such thoughts and backed her way to the bedroom door. “Y-you got it. Prance, really? That’s amazin’, Rare! You’re amazin’.”

Rarity had turned away to study one of her dresses. “I am, aren’t I? Oh, but Golden? I fail to see what you think faking that accent will achieve, but do please lose it. You sound a bit too much like Applejack.”

Applejack blushed and scratched the back of her head. “Oh, do Ah? Didn’t know Ah was that good at it.” She let out a weak chuckle and hoped it didn’t sound too fake.

“You’re very good at it,” Rarity corrected. “It sounds very much like I’m dating one of my best friends, and that is far too awkward.”

Applejack felt her heart clunk against the bottom of her hooves. “Oh…”

“Indeed.” Rarity looked over her shoulder with a saucy smile. “I don’t need some southern accent, if that’s what you’re thinking. Your lovely voice works just fine.” She blew a kiss and winked.

“Yeah?” Applejack forced a grin to her face as she back the rest of the way out of the room. “Th-that’s great. Yer amazin’, Rarity, really. See ya later, okay?”

As soon as she was out of the mare’s sight, Applejack’s entire body slumped. She trudged her way down the stairs, dragging her heart along behind her. She could hear her heartbeat resounding in her ears almost like a lead weight on the stairs:

Thump.

Rarity wanted Golden. She didn’t have eyes for Applejack at all…

She collapsed at the foot of the stairs and covered her face in her hooves. She knew she couldn’t fight the tears, but she fought like an Apple to keep from sobbing.

What was she going to do? She wanted that pony so badly! How could she rise above Golden when she had such a clear lead?

Why couldn’t she go to Prance with Rarity? Why couldn’t she have those pretty blue eyes batting her way? Why couldn’t Rarity long to hear the sound of her voice?

“Why can’t it be me…?”

Her ears perked at that whispered question.

“Why… why can’t it be me?”

Slowly, she rose from the ground, her eyes locked on her off-color hooves. Her mind circled around the idea. What bad intent, what unpleasant deception. It wasn’t like her to think such things, to so seriously consider such options.

But there it was.

“Why can’t it be me?”

She moved slowly, as if in a trance. She passed through the door leading past the residential rooms and into the boutique, where mirrors lined the walls. She gazed at Golden’s yellow face, turned her head sideways to note her silky orange curls. Her mind reasserted the fact: she was Golden Harvest.

It was Golden Harvest Rarity wanted.

She jerked away from the mirror, legs locked in a wide stance as she began to hyperventilate. No, she shouldn’t be thinking such things! She was the bearer of the Element of Honesty and this was about as dishonest as a pony could be!

But for Rarity’s attention…

No.

Applejack shook her head violently and hit herself a few times for good measure. “Yer a good pony, AJ, an’ good ponies do not abuse situations like this!”

Two weeks with Rarity.

As Golden Harvest.

“Goddess,” she whimpered, “it just ain’t fair… Ah saw her first, fer buck’s sake…”

She glanced at her reflection again. She looked so miserable. She hated what she was seeing, for such incredibly divisive reasons. She turned away, a hideous mix of shame and hate coming over her.

As she did she spotted something on the counter; it was Golden’s saddlebag.

Golden.

Where was she? Was she in Applejack’s body?

She’d… she’d want to know about the vacation. She’d want to fix this as soon as possible. Applejack knew she should be focused on that goal herself.

Yet the temptation was so strong.

She approached the bags. They weren’t hers… but at the same time… they were hers, right? Under the circumstances…

Chewing her lip and feeling a fresh wave of guilt, Applejack opened the bags and began looking through them. She didn’t know what she hoped to find, maybe some clue as to how all of this had happened. More nefarious-minded ponies might be looking for… she didn’t know, evidence. But she was not a nefarious pony, no, she was just trying to get a better picture…

Some things fell out of the bags, landing with a thunk and a clink by her hooves.

Applejack stepped back to find a key and… something else on the floor. She lifted them both up and studied them. The object was circular and made of bronze. It appeared to have broken off of something. An anklet, perhaps? It looked rather old, and sort of reminded her of the drawing she’d seen in schoolbooks about the ancient Llama civilizations.

What was Golden doing with something like this? Not sure if it was important, Applejack gently put it back in the bag and turned her attention to her other find.

Was this the key to her home? Or perhaps something else? What would she want to lock up in a place as decent as Ponyville?

If Golden was eager to return to her own body like Applejack expected, she’d probably head back to her own home in search of it. If this was the key to her home, how would she get in? Applejack realized that the equine thing to do would be to go to Golden’s place to meet her, and give her back her things – body included.

But if she wasn’t there, and Applejack had the key… well, for the moment it was her home, right? And Golden wouldn’t mind if she went inside to wait rather than linger outside. That was okay, wasn’t it?

Yes… she would go to Golden’s place. Maybe, if curing this situation would take a while, she could learn a little more about Golden.

For Rarity’s sake.

That’s all this was. Applejack repeated the thought in her mind as she left the boutique:

She was doing this for Rarity.

Author's Note

First reactions are best reactions. I had a lot of fun with this one, especially Fleur's and Applejack's sections. I tried to be very careful about making their reactions to the situation differ enough to be unique to each pony and not repetitive. I'd like to think I did a good job, but I'll let you guys decide that.

Noon

Golden’s house was small and quaint, situated on the southern edge of Ponyville. It was the only house on its side of the street, though this was easily explained by how short the street was and the large amount of space the carrot field took up behind and to either side of the house. It was a single-story building, its thatched roof set at a low angle and the wooden walls looking about as old as Ponyville itself. It had some nice flowerbeds, but generally speaking it looked very plain.

Applejack had always known where Golden lived, but had never seen the house up close before. She had to grudgingly acknowledge that she was impressed; though the carrot field wasn’t large, it looked like a lot for just one pony. Applejack had been sorely tempted to criticize the bland appearance of the house… but now she understood that Golden probably spent so much time trying to keep up with the carrots that she couldn’t have time to work on gussying up her home.

However did she find time to spend with Rarity?

Applejack glanced about the street and sighed with relief when she saw it was empty.

Then she whacked herself on the head; why was she acting like she was about to commit a crime? She was just here to wait for Golden, who was almost certain to come running up at any minute in Applejack’s body! Nothing to be nervous about, nothing to feel guilty for.

So why did she have the urgent need to run to her parents’ graves begging forgiveness?

No, she was just trying to keep things quiet, that was all. It had nothing to do with her bitterness towards Golden or… or wanting to spend more time with Rarity.

She just needed to lay low for a bit.

Sucking in a deep breath and steeling herself, Applejack walked up to the front door and pulled on the knob. The door didn’t budge.

She hesitated before reaching into Golden’s pack and pulling out the key. She stared at it for several seconds, noting its aged metal. It had a circular handle and a thin, round neck, the kind of design that hadn’t been used since Granny Smith had been a filly. The key itself had to be as old as the house – and considering how long the Harvests had been around, that was old. If Applejack recalled correctly, Golden had inherited the place from her parents.

It suddenly struck Applejack as strange. She and Golden had grown up in the same town, gone to the same school and probably enjoyed many of the same things. Applejack wasn’t but four years or so older than her.

So why had they been like complete strangers all their lives?

With this curious thought in her head, Applejack inserted the key in the lock and turned it. She was rewarded with the sound of an aged bolt grinding back and the door opening with a creak of hinges.

Applejack couldn’t resist one more look around before she crept in at a slow pace, her head dropped low and fretful thoughts passing through her mind. Why did she feel so… guilty?

She closed the door behind her and peered about. She was in what appeared to be a combination between a dining room and kitchen, with a small wood-fire stove in one corner and creaky floors. Pictures and what Applejack guessed were family heirlooms lined the walls of the small room. Just off-center was a small, round table surrounded by three ancient wooden chairs.

So… this was Golden’s home. It was so much more… ‘modest’ than Rarity’s. Even Applejack’s home looked bright and new compared to this. Only one thought came to mind as Applejack studied her rustic surroundings: what did Rarity see in this pony?

At first a wave of shame filled Applejack at the nature of the question… but as she thought on it, she realized that it was actually a very legitimate question when taken in context. What did Golden – a relatively poor pony living all alone in this tiny home with nothing to do but grow and sell carrots – have that appealed to Rarity? What made her more interesting than Applejack?

Though Applejack hated herself for thinking in such low terms, she couldn’t help wondering if the Bearer of Generosity wasn’t taking her Element a bit too far.

“She’s got nothin’.” Applejack looked about with a frown and no small amount of bitterness. “Not even a legacy when it comes down to it. What in tarnation does she see in this girl?”

She approached the table, pressed a hoof on it. It was surprisingly sturdy for its tiny frame. She eyed the empty vase, noted the barely visible remnants of whatever flowers had last graced it. The water inside was green with algae. Couldn’t Golden even bother to empty it?

Applejack went to a door in the corner, walking past the stack of wood that was lined against a wall. She peered into the next room and found what appeared to be a storage space, old toys and the like resting on top of a worn and threadbare mattress. There were stacks of yellow books, some moth-eaten clothes that didn’t appear to belong to Golden at all and a trio of rusty bicycles in the corner.

Was Golden also some kind of pack-rat? Rarity would never approve if she saw something like this.

Turning her nose up, Applejack turned back to the kitchen and went to the next room. It appeared to be Golden’s bedroom. Unlike the other rooms, it was very neat and clean. Curious, Applejack stepped in and glanced around.

The bed was a little large for just one pony. A few presses revealed it to be rather lumpy. Applejack frowned and thought of her nice soft bed at home. Surely Golden could at least afford to replace this thing? She stepped back and noted the night stand. It was bare save for two picture frames.

Applejack lifted the first… and for the first time since arriving she felt sympathy. There was Golden, not even a teenager yet and riding on the back of a yellow, bearded stallion who – if the shape of his face was anything to go by – had to be her father. Her mother, a heavy-looking silver mare, was posing in a way suggesting that she was holding the camera. They all looked so happy…

Sighing, Applejack sat on the bed and picked up the other picture.

Her sympathy disappeared, replaced by an injection of anger at the sight of Golden smiling nervously in a bright orange dress befitting the Grand Galloping Gala. She had an anxious smile aimed at her partner in the photo: a heart-stoppingly beautiful Rarity in a bedazzling red dress. Rarity looked so very pleased with herself… as if she’d just found the catch of a lifetime.

Applejack’s stare gradually shifted to a glare, the pictures shaking in her yellow hooves and her jaw tensing. Her eyes were locked on Golden, on her dopey smile and her uncertain posture. And that dress… that stupid dress that Rarity had to have made just for her!

With a huff, Applejack tossed the picture on the bed and glared at the other one. Suddenly she didn’t see a nice, happy family; she saw a group of yokels that made her family look like country gentry. She tossed that photo aside, too.

She was coming to hate that pony. What had she ever done to deserve Rarity, what? Had she gone on adventures with her, shared in the glory of saving the world? Did she hold an Element of Harmony? No! She was just a regular, ordinary pony with absolutely nothing special.

Applejack jerked to her hooves and began pacing the tiny bedroom, steam blowing out her nostrils with every snort. She had fought alongside Rarity, she had been at the pony’s side, she had a well-known family legacy. There was no reason for Rarity not to pay attention to her! Why did she have to get passed up for this? If only she’d made a move first...

She turned to the small dresser in the corner. Golden’s face glared back at her, livid and eyes bright like a fire. It was all Applejack could do not to smash the mirror to pieces. If she was going to be stuck in this dumb body, she would make the most of it! Let Golden remain stuck in her body for a few weeks; Applejack would go to Prance and get the attention she deserved.

She grinned at the dark thought and bowed her head. It would be so easy, all she’d have to do is lay low and hide from Golden for a while. Rarity wouldn’t even know.

She noted the bottles on the dresser, the brushes and combs. She lifted one up to read the label and saw it was some kind of hair product.

…she recognized it from Rarity’s bathroom.

Applejack looked in the mirror again, this time eyeing Golden’s orange mane. Well, she had to give the pony credit; she had some nice hair. Far nicer than Applejack’s ever was.

One more reason to hate her.

She turned, eyes roaming the small room. Was this it? Just three rooms in the whole house? Rarity was so out of Golden’s league! Not like Applejack, oh no… and she’d prove it!

Golden had been keeping count, and the tally wasn’t good. Her day so far had been three parts ‘amazing,’ twelve parts ‘annoying,’ and she’d stopped counting the ‘downright bads.’

Every flash in her face was being counted towards that last one now. If she heard that insufferable photographer in her ugly dress and tacky sunglasses go “No! …nice.” one more time…

As a filly, Golden had longed to escape the farm life and live as a princess. It had been a silly, foolish dream, one that Rarity had granted her for a single tender night. Yet Golden had never dreamed of being a fashion model, and now more than ever she wished she could run screaming all the way back to Ponyville and dive into her carrot field!

At first Golden had been nervous, perhaps even a bit excited. There was a lot of fear – what if she really bucked things up for Fleur de Lis? – but she also recognized an opportunity to see how the ‘other half’ lived, as her friend Nye liked to put it. Yet in her mind she’d always imagined the life of a supermodel involving throwing on a dress, striking some pointless pose for a few shots in front of the camera and then heading off for cocktails.

The reality was so very different. She had spent hours in the dressing room just waiting for the bucking photographer to decide if the dress needed two feathers or three! Not to mention the application of makeup, which on its own was an hour-long ordeal, and the entire time she had to listen to those two snob-muzzled assistants griping about how the dress needed extra stitching in the sleeves or should have been a different shade of Red Orchid Lavender-combination Rose or whatever random color they seemed to make up off the top of their heads.

Was that kind of pointless criticism the kind of thing Rarity always had to deal with? How in the name of Celestia was she able to put up with it? For a living?

Now – after two hours of posing – Golden's lips were starting to ache. She had developed a very healthy appreciation for how hard it must be for Fleur to keep doing this day in and day out. She was also just a few flashes away from taking that insufferable camera and smashing it against the bricks!

“Enough!”

The photographer raised a hoof and turned away, the camera almost instantly collapsing into a briefcase that snapped shut.

Golden blinked, surprised at how suddenly the photo shoot had ended. She looked around the massive gardens and saw that already those two assistants were packing away their things and getting ready to leave. “You mean we’re done?”

“That was a good shoot,” the photographer declared, though she set a hoof to her chin with a frown. She turned back to Golden and studied her from behind those ugly glasses. “Not up to your usual standards today, but it shall suffice. The marvelous Fleur de Lis always comes through, ya?”

Golden barely managed to crack a smile, her hoof just itching to smash those sunglasses.

“I shall arrange for another shoot in a few weeks. Usual channels.”

Golden winced at the thought of going through this hell again. She opened her mouth to—

“I go!”

The photographer and her assistants were gone before Golden could think of anything to say. She looked down at the dress she was still wearing. “They don’t want this back?”

“They never do.” Fleur’s assistant – who Golden now knew was named Fine Line – stepped up beside her. “Photo Finish always lets you keep the dress, remember? You’re one of her favorite models, after all.”

Golden set a hoof to her temple. “Of course… how silly of me to forget.”

“I-I didn’t mean it like—”

Golden shot Fine Line a reassuring smile. “I wasn’t being critical, Line.”

Fine Line sank a little. “I prefer Fine… ma’am.”

“Fine.” Golden let out a deep sigh and bowed her head. “I thought that would never end.”

“You and me both, my dear.”

Golden’s mood rose quickly at that vaguely familiar voice. She turned around to find the one and only Fancy Pants watching from a spot between two tall azaleas, a warm smile beneath his charming blue mustache. Seeing him again counted towards the three ‘amazings.’ Granted she’d only met him once before, but considering that without his help Rarity would have never been able to give Golden that magical first date she was more than happy to see him again.

“You have no idea how good it is to see you,” Golden admitted.

“Likewise.” Fancy rubbed his mustache with a charming smile. “It’s been so long since your last visit that I was beginning to think this old soldier had lost his appeal.”

Golden had to stop and think on that statement; exactly what was Fleur to him? Were they friends? Something more?

Suddenly she wasn’t so comfortable, but even so she managed to crack a smile and come up with a retort: “Never! I’ve just been busy, that’s all.”

“Yes, well duty does tend to call at the most inopportune times.” He turned and gestured with his head down the brick path. “You must be famished. I’ve arranged a small lunch for us at the gazebo, if you’d feel inclined to join me.”

“Yes, that would be nice.” Golden had said it, but in the back of her mind she was suddenly trying to find some kind of evidence – a passing phrase from Rarity, a memory from that first date, anything – that would tell her that Fancy and Fleur weren’t an item. Goddess, would that be awkward! Unfortunately, the one thing she remembered wasn’t very soothing: Fleur had been Fancy’s date at that party in Canterlot.

Oh Goddess…

To her relief, Fancy made no attempt to offer her his hoof or some other gentlepony kind of thing. They walked side by side, and she was pleased to note his respectable distance. Maybe she was fretting over nothing?

Fine Line appeared at Fleur’s side, a notebook hovering before her in a light blue glow to match her eyes. “We don’t have anything else planned for the day, so you can relax. If it pleases you, Miss de Lis, I can go ahead and work with Photo Finish to set your next shoot with her into your schedule.”

Golden had to fight to hold back a sneer. “That’ll do fine… er… Fine.”

As Fine Line took her leave, Golden noted Fancy’s eyes examining her dress. The scrutiny made her blush, even though he had nothing but a pleasant smile on his face.

“I do say, another grand design. You must have so many! It’s no wonder you always manage to make me appear underdressed in comparison.”

Golden blinked, eyeing his crisp tuxedo. “I think you look just fine.”

He let out a bark of a laugh. “Says the pony paid to wear the dresses!”

Up ahead, towering over the gardens like a stocky behemoth, was Fancy’s mansion – the second thing to count towards the ‘amazing’ category. It was squat, made entirely of red brick and had an aged look to it. Golden had seen many mansions in the carriage ride from Fleur’s place to his, and though the mansion was undeniably magnificent it seemed curiously modest compared to the veritable palaces surrounding it.

The gazebo was a tall structure of bright redwood standing apart from the brick path. It was surrounded by tall, uneven trees and flowering bushes, such that once inside Golden felt as if she might be in a dense forest rather than a perfectly-maintained garden. She was tempted to ask what made him choose such a ‘wild’ setting for the location, but kept her lips sealed; odds were Fleur should already know.

There was a small table for two set in the middle of the gazebo. Golden had anticipated silk linens and silverware made from actual silver, along with some tiny treat that undoubtedly cost a ridiculous price. What she got instead were no linens, two simple wooden bowls and a large silver pot with steam rising from the lid. She glanced around as she sat, looking for a maid or butler to come by and begin serving the meal… but they were alone.

“Seapetal stew.” Fancy offered his pleasant smile as he lifted the lid with his hoof and set it unceremoniously on the gazebo’s guardrail. Golden looked into the pot to find a curious brown mixture with dark green leaves and purple flower petals whose colors were worn from having been cooked. She sniffed and detected hints of lettuce, oats, thyme and basil.

How curious; this hardly seemed like the gourmet delicacy that would be served to the Most Important Pony in Canterlot. It struck her as a poor pony’s dish…

Fancy took note of her confused expression as he sat opposite her. “I thought you’d appreciate a little taste of home,” he admitted with a grin, using his magic to ladle the contents into her bowl. “I know you sometimes miss food from the isles.”

Golden managed a smile even as she marveled that he was bothering to serve the meal himself. That didn’t seem at all like something a stallion of his status would do, even for a friend. “Thank you, Fancy. You’re a true gentlepony.”

He chuckled as he set her bowl down and began serving himself. “And I have the raging fans to prove it. I know I’ve bored you with this before, but sometimes I wish I could go back and see what’s become of the old fort.”

Golden suddenly wished she’d taken more interest in Fancy’s history, because she was finding herself woefully unprepared for this conversation. She found herself thinking about the letter she’d read and wished whoever had promised to help would show up and save her from making Fleur look like a foal.

The letter.

Golden had been so focused on trying to make the photo shoot not be a disaster that she’d completely neglected the entire reason she’d decided not to cancel it. Even so… could she tell Fancy what was really going on? Would he believe her?

Her thoughts were distracted by the site of the Most Important Pony in Canterlot lifting his bowl in his hooves and drinking the stew straight. She gaped at the sight; if Rarity were here she’d have fainted at his lack of etiquette! Fancy Pants wasn’t anything like she’d imagined. He had the elite voice, the wealth and dashing good looks, but his actions were threatening to break the already strained gears in her brain.

He set the bowl down with a bright smile, using a spotless white towel to wipe the stew from his chin. “Perfectly divine! I’ll have to complement Deep Dish on being able to accurately recreate this.”

Golden moved a little too quickly to take a sip of the stew. She was pleasantly surprised; it was flavorful and thick. One of those strange flowerpetals hit her lips and assaulted her taste buds with an unfamiliar flavor that made her wince… but after a few seconds of sucking on it she realized it was actually quite good.

“I see you approve,” Fancy noted with a smirk as she sucked down a larger amount of the stew.

She nodded with a blush. “It’s very good, Fancy. My compliments to the chef.” That was something elites liked to say, right?

It abruptly dawned upon her that this was probably meant to be a special moment. Not just for Fancy, but for Fleur. He was acting so… ‘normal.’ Maybe she was meant to do the same thing. The thought left her with many questions, not least of which being what Fancy and Fleur meant to one another.

Despite all her observations, however, Golden could see no solid evidence that they were a couple. She was certain that they were old friends, but did it extend any farther than that? What was it about Fleur that kept Fancy interested? It couldn’t be her beauty, he wasn’t acting the right way for it to be something so basic. What did Fleur bring to the table in this relationship between them? For that matter, what did Fleur enjoy from him?

That was when the terrifying thought struck Golden; she had no idea what she brought to the table in comparison to Rarity in their relationship.

“I say, are you quite alright?”

“What?” Golden looked up to find Fancy peering at her with a concerned frown.

“You look as if somepony just told you your modeling career was over,” he relied.

Her cheeks went red. “I’m sorry. I was just… thinking.” She grabbed her bowl and look a long drink, if only to hide her face.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

She set the bowl down a little too quickly, the loud thunk making her wince. “No, I’m fine. Honest.”

He leaned back with a raised eyebrow, the scrutiny in his eyes making her shift. After a couple seconds he leaned forward once more.

“Fleur… I know you don’t like opening up about certain things, even to me. Even so, if you think I can’t see when something is bothering you I’d suggest you remember who I am.”

He sat up straight and gestured back towards the brick path. “I was watching your shoot today and I could see that something was crawling under your coat; you didn’t have the usual bounce to your step. If something is making you uncomfortable enough to even interfere with your love of the job, it must be bad indeed.”

Golden fidgeted. He must know Fleur very well…

Fancy stood and moved about the table, a motion that set Golden’s mind to panicking. Goddess, what was he about to do?

He sat next to her and took her unsuspecting hoof in his own, making her jump. His big blue eyes locked with hers.

“You know I will not press you to talk. I have too much respect for your privacy. But I want to remind you that you can talk, if you want to.”

"You know how much you mean to me. I am here, Fleur, my little surrogate sister.”

The wind burst from Golden’s lungs at that last line. Thank Goddess, he finally clarified things!

Oh, he was waiting for a response, wasn’t he? Golden scoured her brain in desperation. What to say, what to say?

“Fancy… I…” She winced and glanced away, for once wishing she had Rarity’s quick tongue. “Y-you’re right, there’s something wrong. I wish I could tell you, I really do, but it’s a very personal matter. It’s something I need to work out for myself.”

His shoulders sagged, yet a weak smile came to his lips. “I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you?”

Golden couldn’t resist a smile of her own; he’d said it as if it were one of Fleur’s favorite lines. “You might could say that.”

He sighed and patted her hoof. “So be it, Fleur. I won’t pry any further. Just try to relax, yes? A big brother’s request.”

“I’ll do my best.” Golden held his hoof, surprised at how genuinely appreciative she was of his consideration. “No promises, though.”

Fancy chuckled at the line. “That’s more like it.”

So they were akin to siblings, were they? Golden studied him as he went back to his seat. She was really going to have to completely rethink her image of him after today. She wondered if Rarity was aware of this side of her idol?

Rarity. The terrible thought was back as quick as lightning: what did Golden have that made Rarity like her? Did she have anything? Golden wasn’t wealthy, or smart, or delicate or refined or any of those things.

The thought left a feeling like a knife tearing into her heart, and now that the question was out Golden felt almost desperate to know the answer. Maybe there was nothing. Maybe that was why Rarity kept claiming she was so busy this past month.

Maybe she really was getting tired of Golden.

If she weren’t so desperate to put on a good show for Fancy, Golden might have broken down right then and there.

Applejack was brimming with unwholesome curiosity. She knew there had to be more to Golden’s home than met the eye. Perhaps there was some dark family secret or a little quirk that Rarity was unaware of. Being in the pony’s hooves for a vacation would be nice, but if she could find something to incriminate Golden, then she would have a chance to steal away Rarity for herself... for good

She’s been searching the house, examining every nook and cranny. Deep down a voice was screaming at Applejack to stop this nonsense; was she not a decent pony? Yet Applejack feverishly shoved the thought down; this wasn’t about decent ponies. If Golden was decent then she’d have recognized that being with Rarity was wrong and never would have dated her in the first place. She’d have understood that it would never work and quit early to save Rarity the pain.

Over and over again, Applejack reminded herself of her motivations. This was for Rarity’s sake. She was protecting Rarity’s heart, and if that wasn’t a decent thing to do, what was?

Yet, after three hours of scouring, Applejack was coming up empty-hooved. She found herself back in the bedroom, which she’d managed to turn upside down without finding so much as a scrap of evidence towards Golden’s intentions. She’d even scoured the carrot fields, though she made no attempt to ruin the fields themselves; as a farmer, Applejack couldn’t bring herself to undo so much hard work. In that, at least, she could respect Golden.

Was this it? Were these three insignificant rooms all Golden had? And there was nothing. No clues towards any great goals, no showing of overwhelming love, no display of hidden guilt. Really, there was nothing that would even be called Golden’s; it was all heirlooms and trash. Did the pony have anything that was truly hers?

Appleajck grabbed the two pictures on the bed, once again glaring at Golden’s visage. Were these the only things that Golden had added to the place in her whole life? Perhaps the family photo didn’t count; Golden clearly hadn’t taken it. The picture of her and Rarity, then, was the only evidence that this house truly belonged to Golden.

And that filled Applejack with venom. She wasn't finding anything! If she didn't...

No, she couldn't doubt. Surely there was something to show that her suspicions had merit! She wasn't just chomping at the bit for no reason... was she?

Her eyes went to the closet. It was the one place in the house she’d not yet checked. Not expecting to find anything, she tossed the picture aside and made for the half-opened door.

She examined Golden’s practically nonexistent collection of clothes. There was nothing interesting there. Most of it was just winter-weather attire. If Applejack had some kind of criticism for this, she couldn’t find it. Perhaps there was no room for criticism here – after all, Applejack’s closet wasn’t exactly overflowing with fashion collections either.

Her eyes scoured the small space, thoroughly exploring just as they had the rest of the building. They landed upon a curtain on the right side of the tiny room. Curious, she’d not noticed it a second ago. Why would Golden want to keep something separated and out of sight?

Was she hiding something?

A moment of wicked glee came over Applejack as she instinctually snatched the curtain and pulled it open.

Her jaw dropped and she fell to her haunches. There, neatly set on a mannequin atop a small stand, was one of the most astounding dresses Applejack had ever laid eyes on.

A brilliant orange dress, highlighted by gold silk in the skirt, sleeves and linings of the waist. A magnificent orange collar flared like the great tail of a peacock, glimmering with ambers and diamonds that sparkled like stars in the dim light. More gems studded the rest of the dress, which was completed with a set of tall orange boots and a worn amber necklace.

For several long seconds Applejack could only gape at the thing, her mind struggling to process how Golden could have acquired something so magnificent. Even Applejack, who had very little interest in fashion, couldn’t help but be moved by the masterpiece that sat before her.

This had to be a gift from Rarity.

Come to think of it…

Applejack quickly retreated to the bedroom and snatched the picture off bed, the one of Golden and Rarity together. She came back and raised the frame up so she could see the picture next to the dress.

Sure enough, this was the dress Golden was wearing in the image.

But one thing was different: the necklace. The one in the picture looked new and just as magnificent as the dress, but the one on the dress itself, while still polished and shining, was of a much simpler design.

A thought occurred to Applejack. She returned to set the picture on the bed and pulled off Golden’s saddlebags. She searched through them, carefully moving every item she found aside…

There it was. She raised the necklace in her hoof and studied it, mesmerized by amber carrots and emerald leaves. There were even small diamonds to imitate morning dew on the leaves. The whole glorious piece was set to a thin, golden chain.

Applejack returned to the closet, moving slowly for fear of dropping the priceless item. She very carefully returned the necklace to the mannequin and stepped back, taking in the dress in all its splendor.

Rarity had made this.

For Golden.

All the anger that had been simmering within Applejack was gone, replaced by complete uncertainty. She found herself studying the dress very closely, looking for some sort of flaw or loose stitch. She found nothing; the outfit was perfectly preserved. She eyed the walls and the floor; they were spotless. Applejack looked back at the rest of the closet and saw dust and dirt.

Golden was protecting it. She was protecting Rarity’s gift.

This was it. This was the one piece of evidence she’d spent all these hours searching for... but it wasn’t the kind of evidence Applejack had been after.

Applejack realized that she had stumbled upon something of incredible importance, something she’d never even paused to consider in all her bitterness and jealousy: Golden cared about Rarity. All this time Applejack had fretted over what Rarity’s feelings in the relationship might be, but not once had she questioned why Golden was interested in Rarity.

She stepped out of the closet, head low and eyes wide as she thought on the implications of taking this away from Golden. She turned to the bed and lifted up the picture of Rarity and Golden, and this time she looked much closer at Golden. The awkwardness she had seen before wasn't there. No… now she recognized the amazement in Golden’s expression, the glow in her eyes, the wonder of recognizing that Rarity was with her.

Guilt swelled within Applejack’s chest. She set the picture aside with a weak sigh and lifted the other one.

Golden and her family. Her parents had died a long time ago. Applejack thought on the heirlooms on the walls of the kitchen, of the clutter in that other bedroom. It was all she had left of them, wasn’t it? Was Golden preserving what was left of a family long gone? It was no secret that she was the only Harvest left in Ponyville.

She was living in this old, creaky, lonesome house.

She went to stare in the mirror, at Golden’s face that was now set with a deep, sorrowful frown and big, uncertain eyes. Golden had nothing… nothing but Rarity, who had clearly become so phenomenally important in her life. What would happen if she lost something so special?

Golden didn’t have a grandmother to comfort her and tell her happy stories when things become too much to bear. She didn’t have a big brother to talk sense into her when she needed it, or a little sister to play with when she was feeling down. If she lost Rarity…

…she’d be all alone.

Alone with nothing but her mementos.

“Ah’m sorry.” Applejack pressed a hoof against the glass as she gazed into Golden’s shame-filled eyes. “Ah’m so sorry. Ah don’t know what came over me. Ah mean, Ah was jealous, yeah, but Ah didn’t even think about your feelin’s…”

She set the pictures back in place, then went to close the protective curtain over the dress. Applejack wasn’t so judging when she stepped into the kitchen and observed its lackluster appearance. Why hadn’t she seen it before? Golden was such a hard worker with her carrots and her stand, and then she was trying to spend time with Rarity…

She just didn’t have enough time to do everything.

An idea hit Applejack, and she immediately set to work. She cleaned the kitchen, did dishes, even went out to get some flowers for that vase – after washing it, of course. She returned to the other bedroom and set everything back exactly as she’d found it, cleaning up all the dust and grime of years of inactivity. Even if Golden was unaware of Applejack’s harsh thoughts towards her, something had to be done to right the wrong. Applejack was determined to make things up to Golden, and made a solemn vow to befriend the pony and learn more about her.

She gradually became more and more pleased with herself as she worked. She realized that all the anger and jealousy had been poisonous to her mind. If she would just have been decent and tried to learn a little more, to find out the truth – to be honest in her intentions – she’d have never descended to such depths.

But by the time Applejack was finished with the house it was well into the afternoon… and Golden still hadn’t arrived. She’d thought for certain the pony would have come in by now. Was something holding her up? Maybe something had gone wrong?

Applejack had been thinking carefully about their odd situation. In the end she’d concluded that there was only one thing to do, the same thing that always made sense when something undoubtedly magical had occurred: go see Twilight.

But Applejack couldn’t do that until Golden showed up… and she was taking far too long to do so.

Applejack made the only decision that made sense in her mind: she would go home. If Golden was on her way, they’d probably bump into one another between locations. If not… well, Applejack would hopefully find out why.

And so she left for Sweet Apple Acres, pausing only to grab Golden’s pack and lock the door behind her.

Golden was miserable. No matter how much she tried not to think on it, she couldn’t get her questions regarding Rarity out of her head. She knew she was putting on a poor show for Fancy Pants and that he was growing more and more worried by the minute.

They were strolling through the gardens by now, close to the looming mansion. Fancy was clearly trying his best to cheer her up with conversation. It wasn’t working, but at least Golden could keep up and feign interest. By now it was clear that he knew her well enough to not be fooled, but it was the thought that counted, right?

Her ears perked; he’d mentioned Rarity. It was an off-hoof comment, yes, but it was enough to really catch her attention.

Suddenly Golden realized she might have an opportunity, and she felt foolish for missing it.

“Tell me,” she said as soon as she found the chance, “how is Rarity? I’ve not seen her in a little while.”

“Busy,” Fancy declared with a chuckle. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think the mare had no concept of ‘free time.’”

That was a little reassuring; at the very least it showed that Rarity was honest about not having time to spend with her in this past month. But now Golden was genuinely curious; Rarity idolized Fancy. What did he think of her?

“So I guess you’ve not had the opportunity to chat with her recently.”

“On the contrary, she came to me not long ago for assistance.” Fancy removed his monocle to examine it for dust, eyebrows lowered. He blew on it a couple times and rubbed it with a handkerchief from his coat pocket. “The mare foalishly seems to think that I am the best pony to talk to regarding relationships.”

Two thoughts cracked against Golden’s borrowed skull in tandem: that she clearly had underestimated Rarity’s relationship with Fancy, and that she may have unintentionally stumbled upon a gold mine.

She offered a weak smile. “Y-you don’t say? Something to do with that pony she’s with, no doubt?”

She silently pleaded for an affirmation…

He nodded. “Indeed. I honestly have no idea why she thinks I would have all the answers to her little social problems, but she is a friend and I tried to be helpful.”

Social problems? Golden wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that. “So… what kind of problems was she having?”

He blushed and averted his eyes. “Oh, she just wanted to… how did she put it? Spice things up? Not exactly a topic I’m skilled at, as you know.”

Golden blushed, her smile going lopsided. Rarity wanted to add spice to their relationship? What exactly was she planning? This was… good news, wasn’t it? Then again, maybe it was a sign that Golden wasn’t doing the things she was supposed to?

“What did you recommend?”

“A vacation,” he muttered, fiddling with his tie as his cheeks grew an extra shade of red. “I suggested she take her mare-friend to Prance. I… well, it was the only thing I could think of.”

“Oh.” Golden’s eyes went wide as she considered the implications of this. “Did she take your advice?”

“That’s why she’s so busy.”

To pay for the trip.

Golden’s heart hammered in her throat; Rarity really did have a good excuse! Suddenly she wasn’t so sure she liked having the surprise ruined. Then again, as she thought on her conversation with Rarity the other day before the auction, had she not hinted at a surprise?

Had Rarity intended to drop the news on her that evening?

All of this was wonderful news, but it didn’t do anything to answer Golden’s most troublesome mental query of why Rarity was putting up with her. Yes, ‘putting up.’ By now her self-doubt was forming into pessimism and a genuine fear that her relationship with Rarity wasn’t as perfect as she’d hoped, at least from Rarity’s side. What if this vacation – this need to ‘spice things up’ – was a desperate move on Rarity’s part to find a reason to keep up the relationship?

All of a sudden Golden had just one desire: to go home and do everything she could to keep her mare-friend.

“Well, if we’re done talking about my friends,” Fancy said with a relieved sigh and a bump against Golden’s shoulder, “why don’t we move on to yours? Tell me, is there any chance I’ll be meeting him soon?”

Golden blinked, her fretful train of thought derailed. “…him?”

He raised a thick eyebrow. “Yes, him. You know, that Fine Crime fellow? I still haven’t had a chance to thank him for his part in properly introducing me to Princess Luna. You do remember telling me you’d arrange a meeting, yes?”

Fine Crime? Golden knew of him. Rumor had it he lived in a mansion in the Everfree Forest, but she had never met him personally. Wasn’t he friends with Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie?

Realizing Fancy was waiting for a response, Golden’s mind worked frantically, but it was caught in a wave of combined astonishments. Fancy knew Fine Crime? And Fleur was friends with Fine Crime?

If Fine helped Fancy meet the Princess Luna… that had to mean Fine knew Luna, too.

Suddenly Fine Crime – a pony Golden hardly knew, certainly never thought about and hadn’t appeared at all important to the situation at hoof – seemed to be a very important pony.

…

FC.

Golden’s eyes went wide in understanding.

“My ears are burning.”

Golden and Fancy let out simultaneous shouts and turned to the source of the new voice.

The stallion was tall, albeit shorter than Fancy, and thin. He wore a very nice black vest with red trim and was smirking from beneath his black mane. He lifted a dapple brown hoof to rub his chest with a grin.

“I love when I get that kind of reaction.”

Fancy took a moment to straighten his monocle before shooting the newcomer a critical frown. “I say, when did you arrive?”

“Just now.” The pony stepped up to them and shot Golden a charming grin. “Fleur invited me, and for that I am very appreciative. My apologies for being late.”

Oh… Golden managed a weak smile and nodded to her host. “Of course! You don’t mind, do you Fancy?”

“Not particularly,” he replied, though his frown didn’t waver. “I am simply not appreciative of ponies sneaking up on me in my own home.”

“Then I apologize again.” Fine Crime’s voice abruptly became very formal. “I didn’t mean to cause a stir. Stealth is my special talent; sometimes I end up sneaking upon ponies without realizing what I’m doing. Please understand.”

At that Fancy’s frown finally broke. He stood up properly and nodded with a smile. “Stealth! I thought I remembered the name, and now I see the face it all comes back. I must say I’d forgotten your special talent, but that’s what happens when two old soldiers have been apart for so long.”

“Oh, so you do remember me from the isles.” Fine raised a hoof, which Fancy accepted. "I don't think I formally introduced myself even back then. Fine Crime, at your service."

“I didn’t remember at first, but a few days after the Week of Nightmares I recalled.” Fancy beamed, his eyes shining with a distant memory. “Fleur and I probably owe you our lives. I wish I had known the two of you had stayed in touch all these years.”

Fine gained a wicked smile and turned his attention to Golden, who straightened up at the sudden attention..

“Yes, why didn’t you tell him about our work together, Fleur?”

Her jaw dropped, her pupils shrank. How to counter this? She fumbled with her words for a few seconds, noting that Fancy’s eyes were also on her. “Y-you… I mean… Umm… You… could have told him yourself at any time! Why didn’t you say anything?”

Fine waved a dismissive hoof. “I’m always so busy, I guess it just slipped my mind. Sorry, Fancy, even the Most Important Pony in Canterlot gets overlooked every now and then.”

Fancy chuckled. “That actually makes me feel a little more comfortable, so thank you.”

“In that case, you’re welcome.” Fine sat and turned to offer his full, smirking attention on Fancy. “So tell me, how’d the date with Luna go?”

Date? Golden eyed Fancy with wide eyes; had he actually landed a romantic rendezvous with a princess? He really was the most Important Pony in Canterlot, wasn’t he?

Fancy rubbed his mustache, his cheeks turning pink as he averted his eyes. “If you are hoping I will claim to have become Luna’s partner, I’ll have to disappoint you. We have become very good friends in the past few months, if it makes you feel better.”

Fine shrugged. “I wasn’t expecting you two to become romantic, anyway. I’m not sure there’s a pony that ever lived – or will – who could win her heart, but it is nice to see her making some friends for a change.”

Feeling left out of the conversation and knowing she needed to speak up, Golden fought for something to add.

“I’m not sure you told me how you met the princess.”

Fine’s lips curled up in a wicked smile. “Oh, you mean I never told you that story?”

He looked to Golden’s blank face, then to Fancy’s curious one. After a few seconds he stood tall and declared, “I swatted Celestia and Cadance each on the rump! Luna was pissed because I overlooked her fine flank, so she found me in my dreams and made me do it with a huge bucking paddle! And a whip. And an alligator.”

Golden gaped at him, her jaw loose. Fancy’s shoulder’s sagged as he attained a bemused frown.

Fine looked to each of them before sighing. “What, not even chuckle? Fine; she hired me for a project a few years ago.”

Golden glowered at him. “Rarity had told me you were a chronic liar, but I didn’t realize just how blatant the lies were.” She winced; why did she have to mentioned Rarity?

Fancy raised an eyebrow her way. “Rarity knows him as well?”

Fine pointed a hoof at Fancy. “And on that note—” he turned the hoof to Fleur, “—this is a golden opportunity to talk to you about something very important for the both of us. Fancy, do you mind if I take Fleur off your hooves?”

Golden stared at Fine’s hoof, then at Fine himself. He had a wry smile and a playful glint in his eye.

She thought she knew exactly what he wanted to talk about.

“But you only just arrived. I was rather hoping we could finish our—”

“No, Fancy.” Golden gave him an apologetic frown and set a hoof to his shoulder. “I’m sorry, but something tells me this is not something that can wait. Do forgive me.”

Fancy sagged a little, but recovered quickly. “If you insist, but do come back soon. I miss our talks.”

She smiled as his momentary showing of weakness. “As do I. I promise to try and make my visits more frequent.”

Fine offered an apology to the elite stallion before leading Golden down the brick path. He was moving away from the mansion at a leisurely pace as she caught up.

She eyed him, a combination of relief and worry filling her. “You know, don’t you?”

He nodded. “Indeed I do. Tell me… did I get the name right?”

She chewed her lip. “How did you know I’m Golden? How do you know about any of this?”

He frowned and shook his head. “Actually I took a guess; I figured I had a one-in-three chance of getting the right name. Regarding—”

“One in three?” She stopped him with a hoof to his shoulder. “You mean Fleur and I aren’t the only ones who switched?”

He raised an eyebrow. “If I read the reports correctly, you two weren’t the only ones caught in the shockwave.”

She blinked… then began to think on the events of last night. The chase, the alleyway, wrestling with that Caballeron guy…

Her eyebrows rose. “Trixie and Applejack.”

“Bingo.” Fine turned off the path and into a hedge maze. “From what I’m told, all four of you were within range of the anklet’s effects, so that means all four of your were affected.”

“Anklet?” Golden searched her brain for something to make sense of his words. “What anklet?”

He sighed and turned to set his hooves on her shoulders – at which point she noted he was actually shorter than her – and looked her directly in the eye. “Listen, you don’t have time for a debriefing. If the four of you can’t go back to your normal bodies within twenty-four hours of the switch, you’ll be stuck as Fleur for good.”

The air flew from Golden’s lungs as she took this in. She spent several seconds just staring at him. “But… b-but I can’t be Fleur forever!” She grabbed his legs. “You know how to fix this, don’t you? Tell me you know how to fix this!”

He offered a reassuring smile. “I know how to fix this.”

Golden sagged. “Thank Goddess! So go ahead, fix it.”

“As if it were that simple.” He tugged, encouraging her to follow as he resumed walking through the maze. “There’s an artifact called the Ring of Mudarra. Some old unicorn whose name you don’t need to know made it to maintain his immortality by trading bodies with fresh young ponies. You need to find the pieces and the other ponies with switched bodies, then put the ring – it’s actually an anklet – back together.”

Golden’s struggled to lodge the burst of information into her brain. “How do you know all this? Where are the pieces? And how the buck am I supposed to get back to Ponyville before—”

Her words caught in her throat as they rounded a corner and entered a clearing. There stood two dark sapphire chariots, each with a team of darkly-armored royal guards.

“Are those… Princess Luna’s royal chariots?”

“Borrowed,” Fine replied. “With permission, of course. This way you can get to the town in no time.”

Golden sat and gaped at the two chariots, then turned her eyes on Fine. All this time she’d thought he was just some hermit! “Fine… how did you…”

Fine rolled his eyes. “You have got to stop asking so many questions! You don’t have time. I know it doesn’t make much sense, but if you want to go back to being Golden Harvest you need to trust me. I promise to explain everything once this little disaster has been righted. Go, find the ponies in Applejack’s and your bodies. Everything will work out.”

“But how can you be—”

“Go!”

He shoved her towards the nearest chariot and she leapt in without thinking. The four-pegasi team immediately launched, toppling her to the floor. By the time she was able to right herself the mansion was already far below… and her stomach turned upside down.

She sank down in her seat and held her midsection with a groan; there was a reason she’d never liked the idea of flying! Her mind worked frantically, struggling to piece together what Fine Crime had told her. She had so many questions! How could he just send her off like this with so little to go on?

Then again… perhaps it wasn’t important. Perhaps he’d told her enough. Golden understood enough to realize that Trixie was probably responsible for this, and if Fine knew Fleur was involved then she might know about the Ring, too. If so, then it was a guarantee that one of the ponies she needed to find would know what he was talking about and what to do.

Golden raised her trembling hooves, taking in their pale colors and soft appearance. She couldn’t stay in this body. She had to get back to Rarity, to fix this so they could go to Prance together. To think, all this time she’d thought the mare was growing disinterested!

Then again, maybe she was.

Golden was almost desperate to see her marefriend again… but no, not until she was back in her own body. It would feel wrong otherwise.

What if she couldn’t find all the pieces of this ring? How was she even supposed to know where to look? And she only had until tonight to find them!

One more thing slipped through her mind, something Fine had said. He wanted her to find her own body and Applejack’s.

…what about Trixie?

Trixie was sweating more than the pigs, she was covered in grit and dirt and twigs, and all in all she’d performed more physical labor in one morning than she’d managed in the last year entirely.

The strangest thing about all this?

She was enjoying herself.

“Come on, you can move faster than that!” She bucked a pair of rotten apples, one aimed high and the other low. Apple Bloom, huffing but grinning all the same, had to move fast to catch them in her bucket.

“Nnope!” Big Mac, situated opposite Apple Bloom, tossed a few more and the filly scrambled to keep up.

Trixie was laughing, and she didn’t even know why. “I’ll make you drop one eventually!” Whack, whack, two more rotten apples flew, but the filly proved remarkably fast and the apples ended up in her bucket.

Trixie offered a mock scowl at the filly, who smirked in response even as she moved to catch another pair of apples. A cursory glance revealed that she was down to just two left.

Big Mac lifted his hooves to show that he too was low on ammo. He winked and signaled, and Trixie understood his intention.

“What’s the matter, ya’ll?” Apple Bloom turned a circle, the bucket shifting about on her head as she eyed her siblings. “Come on, fire them last ones. Unless ya’ll’r chicken!”

“Nnope!”

“Try this!”

Trixie and Big Mac lobbed their weapons in unison, and the filly’s eyes went wide. “Oh, horseapples.”

Apple Bloom made a valiant show of it; she leaned left to catch one of Trixie’s apples, kicked her leg up to knock one of Big Mac’s straight up, then retreated back to catch it and his other one.

The fourth whacked her right on the cheek.

Apple Bloom toppled, but even as she did she somehow managed to keep the basket from spilling its contents. She landed with an oomph on her belly, face smeared with bad apple juices.

For an instant Trixie felt a surge of guilt and worry… but then Apple Bloom was on her hooves and giggling. Once again her resilience astounded.

“Ah’m getting’ real good at that,” Apple Bloom remarked. “Ah’m lots better than I was a year ago, right big brother?”

“Eeyup!” Big Mac was already carrying the basket to the pig pen, pausing only to let his kid sister toss the last apple in.

Trixie approached, eyeing the nauseating gunk on her ‘sister’s’ face. “Wow, Ah don’t think that makeup suits you, AB.” She was still struggling with the accent.

Apple Bloom took on a haughty pose and imitated strutting down a catwalk. “Why, Ah think ya’ll just don’t share my fine taste in fashion.” She could hold the pose for only a few seconds before she and Trixie both broke out into raucous laughter.

“But really, let me go wash this off,” the filly remarked once she’d recovered. “It smells almost as bad as you do.”

They made for the water hose and were met there by Granny Smith and Big Mac. The ancient mare patted Apple Bloom on the head with a chuckle at the sight of her messy cheek. “Ah was gonna invite ya’ll ta take a break and have some apple fritters ta get yer energy up, but Ah can see one of ya already had somethin’.”

Apple Bloom smirked, opened her mouth to speak… and was hosed. Trixie and Granny Smith laughed as Big Mac, nozzle set in his teeth, chased the filly around the yard for several seconds. Before long he turned the water on Trixie, who fled amidst her laughter before catching her ‘sister’ and using her as a shield.

“Hey!” Apple Bloom squirmed in her hooves as she was drenched. “No fair!”

Granny Smith patted Big Mac on the shoulder. “Get ‘em! Make ‘em nice an—” She sputtered as he shot a stream of water in her face.

The farm went silent as Granny Smith’s eyelids lowered and her jaw went rigid. Big Mac dropped the hose and took a step back, Apple Bloom and Trixie shared wide eyed looks. Granny’s hooves rose to tighten her hair knot before she dropped to an aggressive pose.

“Sonny… ya’ll have no idea who yer messin’ with.”

She promptly grabbed the hose off the ground and turned it on Big McIntosh.

“Nnope!”

He attempted to flee, but was already pinned between the barn and the pig pen. With nowhere to run, he stood his ground and took his liquid beatings like a big colt.

They were all soaked to the bone and giggling by the time they made their way into the house. Trixie didn’t even think about drying off; by now she was more than accustomed to her ‘family’s’ ways. She nudged Apple Bloom with an elbow and winked.

“So, how’d I do for my first day, huh?”

Apple Bloom paused to examine her with a judging, haughty eye before turning her head away with a hmmph. “Ah dunno… yer not bad. Fer a rookie. Maybe in ten years Ah’ll have ya beaten inta shape.”

Trixie grinned with a hoof over her heart. “Oh, thank you, boss! That means so much to me, really.”

Apple Bloom maintained the act as she waved a dismissive hoof. “Ah, don’t get used ta it.”

She held the pose for about two seconds before her smile cracked and she started to giggle, and Trixie followed suit.

“C’mon, you two,” Granny Smith called from the kitchen. “Quit yer gabbin’ and start yer gobblin’! These fritters ain’t gonna stay hot forever.”

“Eeyup.”

Apple Bloom ran ahead, disappearing into the kitchen. “Come on, Applejack!”

Trixie watched her go, an unfamiliar feeling swelling within her chest. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d ever felt so… warm. From Apple Bloom’s playful instruction, Big Mac’s sturdy and quiet kindness to Granny Smith’s occasional ramblings, everything felt so good about this place. Sure, she’d worked her tail off doing mundane and difficult farm chores…

…but with them around, the work didn’t seem as mundane and difficult as Trixie had expected.

She joined them at the table, delighting in the taste of the family’s apple fritters. Flakey and crunchy on the outside, warm and soft on the inside. Trixie’s never had a fritter before – of any flavor variety – but she hoped she could get her hooves on some more in the future.

“Is it okay if Ah head out after this?” Apple Bloom was directing the question at Trixie. “Ah’m supposed ta meet the girls at the clubhouse. Scootaloo says she has an ‘awesome’ idea fer a new crusade.”

Why was she asking Trixie? Wouldn’t this be a question for Big McIntosh or Granny Smith? But it was aimed at her, and it was clear neither of the others would be making a decision.

Trixie had no idea what a ‘crusade’ was, but it was clearly meant to be something fun. Perhaps Apple Bloom had done enough for today? But if she left, then who would Trixie turn to for help with learning the rest of the chores? Then again, she could always focus on apple bucking; Applejack’s physically superb body made that an easy task and – if the orchard was anything to go by – it was clearly in need of doing.

“You go have fun,” Trixie replied at last. A ‘crusade’ didn’t sound particularly safe, so she added, “And be careful.”

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes as she vacuumed down the last of her apple fritters. “Don’t worry, we will.”

A quick gulp of apple juice later and she was out the door.

Seeking to dodge any extra responsibilities early, Trixie turned to Big McIntosh. “Ah think I’ll get back to apple buckin’ when we’re done here. We’ve got a lot to catch up on.”

“Eeyup.” He chugged his own, much larger glass of juice. “Ah can handle the other chores fer today.”

Well, that was surprisingly easy. The rest of her day was set, so she could—

“AJ, you’ve got a visitor!”

Trixie blinked, her ears perking. A guest? Who would be…

Her heart abruptly sank: Applejack. Who else? She knew she should be rejoicing at this news… but as she cast her slow gaze around at the kitchen and her ‘family,’ she couldn’t help feeling disappointed.

“Yeah… I’m coming.”

But the pony Trixie found at the front door was not who she expected: it was a yellow mare with an orange mane. Trixie vaguely recognized her as being Rarity's date at the auction, but she’d never learned the pony’s name.

Great… she was going to be expected to know who this is. She glanced over the pony’s shoulder to see Apple Bloom already galloping off into the orchard.

Sighing, she turned her attention back to her visitor, who was watching her with a firm frown. “Umm… hello.”

“We need ta talk.” The pony gestured with her head. “In private. In the barn.”

Trixie blinked; she wasn’t sure she liked her tone. “We do?”

“Yes. Right now.” She stepped back and waited, her solemn face brooking no argument.

Trixie hesitated, casting a glance back towards the kitchens. The others were nowhere to be seen. “What’s this about?”

“You know what it’s about,” the pony hissed. “You. Me. Last night. Auction. Now come on.”

Trixie’s eyebrows rose; she knew? How? “Uh… yeah… in the barn.” She turned her head back to the kitchen. “Be back in a jiffy, ya’ll!” She winced at how bad her accent was just then. “Gotta… uh… take care of something important.”

She followed the pony towards the barn, but she wasn’t led inside; instead the pony opened up the cellar door and brought her downstairs. The cellar was larger than it looked and filled with large barrels. It was dark and quiet and clearly a safe place to hide.

Once they were situated in a corner, Trixie shot the newcomer a worried look. “Now how do you know about the auction?”

“Don’t give me that, Golden,” the pony snapped. “Drop the act, already. We need ta figure out how ta get our bodies back, an’ Ah mean now!”

“Golden?” Trixie raised an eyebrow. “Whose Golden?”

The pony paused, her eyes going wide. For several seconds she could only gape at Trixie. “Golden… Ah mean… you’re Golden… aren’t you?”

“I’m Applejack,” Trixie corrected, her mind running in circles. “At least that’s what the ponies on this farm call me. Wait—” she pointed with both hooves at her companion, “—is this… body of yours… is that supposed to be this ‘Golden’ pony?”

Golden patted her own chest demonstrably. “You mean ya don’t recognize yourself?”

“That’s not me,” Trixie corrected with a frown. “What makes you think—”

Golden let out an aggravated shout and tapped Trixie’s head. “But yer Golden, in here! Aren’t ya?”

“No!” Trixie pushed the leg away. “I’m Trixie.”

The pony’s jaw dropped and her eyes became saucers. “T… Trixie? Yer… Trixie?”

“Yes!” A wave of relief came over Trixie; finally, something was making sense! “Who are you?”

“Ah’m…” The pony’s hooves moved mechanically, pointing first at Trixie, then herself, then Trixie again. “Ah’m… Ah’m you.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow, considered this answer… then felt her chest tighten. She looked down at her unfamiliar orange body, then at the pony.

“Applejack?”

Applejack nodded her yellow head, lips working soundlessly.

Trixie fell to her haunches, her mind once again running in circles. “B-but… that can’t be right! I was certain. If you’re in Golden’s body, and I’m in yours… where’s my body?”

Applejack shook her head. “Ah… Ah have no idea. But… does this mean Golden is in yer body?”

Trixie scratched her aching head. “Maybe? …hopefully.”

“So…” Applejack sat and tapped her forehooves together as she chewed her lip. “G-give me a second. Ah gotta think…”

“A second. Right.” Trixie covered her face in her hooves and exhaled slowly. Okay… so Applejack wasn’t in her body. No big deal, they’d just have to find it. Find her body and they’d find Golden. That made sense, right? So what happened to her body?

Goddess… after what she did at the auction, Golden might be in a lot of trouble. She could even be in a dungeon somewhere. Trixie had no interest in spending the rest of her days a prisoner, but she wasn’t about to let another pony do the time in her place!

No, that was pessimistic thinking. Trixie needed to be positive! That wasn’t her strong suite, lately…

Trixie’s thought were interrupted by a hoof pressing against her chest. She looked up to find Applejack glaring daggers and promptly shrank away. “W-what?”

“Is this yer fault?”

Trixie winced. “I… I don’t know. It might be. But it was an accident, I swear.”

“An accident, huh?” Applejack rubbed her yellow hoof against her chin, green eyes critical. “So do ya know how ta fix it?”

Trixie’s lip trembled as she realized her situation. Her record was already so bad… but she wasn’t about to lie to the Bearer of Honesty, so she slowly shook her head.

Applejack threw up her hooves with a shout. “Of course ya don’t! Yer on real thin ice with me already, Trixie. Ah better not be stuck like this forever.”

“Trixie’s sorry, okay?” Trixie turned away with head bowed and shame in her heart. “I don’t even know what I did to make this happen. I want to make things right. Don’t condemn Trixie without even giving me a trial!”

She sat and glowered at her orange hooves. For the billionth time she cursed her reputation.

She felt a hoof on her shoulder. “Ah’m sorry… yer right. Here Ah am, jumpin’ ta conclusions when Ah’m sure yer day has been about as bad as mine, if not worse.”

Trixie couldn’t resist a small chuckle. “Actually… this has been a great day.” She looked up to offer a weak smile. “You have a wonderful family. I… I wish I could spend more time with them.”

She turned away once more, tears welling unbidden to her eyes. “It felt so good to be welcomed for a change.”

Applejack stood before her with head cocked and a concerned frown on her lips. “What about yer own family?”

Trixie eyed her, ears laid back and heart low. “I don’t have a family. Never did.”

“Oh…” Applejack stepped back, raising a hoof as she stared down at Trixie. “Ah… uh… sorry. Ah didn’t know.”

“It’s okay.” Trixie sagged. “Nopony ever bothers to ask.”

Applejack made a sound somewhere between a whimper and a groan.

Memories of the day drifted through Trixie’s mind; Apple Bloom teaching her how to buck the trees with the right pose, Big McIntosh galloping halfway across the orchard with the filly on his back, replacing the old hay in the barn and leaping out the loft onto haystacks.

The sweat. The toil.

The companionship.

“Do you…” Trixie sniffed and tried to recover her emotions. She looked up at Applejack with imploring eyes. “Do you think, when this is all over…. I might stop by to visit sometime? Every now and then? I c-can help around the farm.”

Applejack gazed upon her. Her eyes were wide. “Really?”

Trixie bowed her head once more and said nothing. She waited, hoping that she wouldn’t completely lose what she’d found today. She prayed to Luna that Applejack would be as nice a pony as the rumors claimed…

“Sure.”

“Really?” Trixie’s head and ears popped up.

Applejack smiled nervously and rubbed the back of her head. “Yeah, really. Hard ta say ‘no’ ta a face like—”

Trixie embraced her with shaking hooves and a bursting heart. “Thank you! You have no idea what this means to me.”

“Whoa, there, calm down.” Applejack patted her on the back with a small chuckle. “If Rarity sees this she might get jealous.”

A grin slowly came upon Trixie’s face and she only tightened her hold. “I will make this up to you. I promise, I’ll make it all up. I don’t know how, I don’t know when… but it will happen. Thank you so much, Applejack.”

“Alright, already.” Applejack pulled away from her with cheeks burning. “Ah get it, yer thrilled!” She offered a crooked grin. “Sorry, Ah just… It feels real awkward being hugged by myself.”

Trixie giggled. “I understand. So…” She sat and gestured to herself and Applejack. “What do we do about this?”

“Well… Ah dunno.” Applejack rubbed her chin once more. “Ah guess there’s only one thing ta do: talk ta an expert. Come on.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow, but did as she was told.

Depression hung over Fleur’s head like an ugly black cloud. She’d given up trying to catch the attention of her two agents some time ago, realizing that they were intent on keeping her here. The pegasus in the other cell never woke up, leaving Fleur alone to her thoughts. That proved quite the roller coaster ride.

First came horror, a terrible idea that they actually wanted her to remain stuck as Trixie for the rest of her life. She was above begging, but that was a very long hour of shivering in the corner and wishing she could be anywhere else.

Then came rage. How could they do this to her? She was a Lieutenant of the Dark Archons of Equestria, one of the favorite agents of the Mane Archon himself! She’d captured psychopaths, evaded the clutches of lecherous lords, even survived dragon’s fire! She had screamed her fury and raged about the cell, the lack of objects to take her anger out on only making it worse.

Then there was the calm introspection; what had she done to deserve this? Was it because she’d failed to acquire the Ring of Mudarra? Had her coldness towards Trixie rubbed somepony the wrong way? When it all came down to it, was she just a stuck up city pony undeserving of the great responsibilities set before her? Perhaps she should have stayed on her little island off the Bay of Trotaloosa.

Fine had to be so disappointed in her.

That understanding brought the fear back to her; what if Fine himself had ordered this? What if he was trying to teach her a lesson? Perhaps he intended to trap her in the body of Trixie so that she could live the rest of her days facing ridicule and shame. Then again, Trixie might be set to go to prison after this. Was Fleur’s punishment to carry out that sentence in her place?

The more she thought on it, the more Fleur feared that was the case. The thought left her miserable, but as she watched the angle of the light shift in the window down the hall she grew more and more convinced. If they didn’t let her out soon she would never make it to Ponyville in time.

Now Fleur was sitting in the middle of the cell, her horn – Trixie’s horn? – glowing brightly. Before her were the water and food bowls, which rotated in the air along as many paths as she could think up. Part of the practice was to alleviate her boredom, another part to distract from her depressed state.

In the back of her mind, she knew she was also preparing herself; if she was going to be stuck in this body, she might as well learn its limitations.

There was just one catch: she couldn’t find those limitations. The more Fleur worked with Trixie’s horn, the more she realized that their files grossly misjudged Trixie’s magical power. That pegasus in the other cell had been sleeping for hours on a spell that was supposed to last only thirty minutes!

The bowls were moving in a blur, one shimmering red and the other followed by a crackling, electric blue wake. The ceiling was covered in black clouds, the rain pouring down but leaving Fleur and the room bone dry. Ghost ponies, their black bodies nondescript and anonymous, wandered aimlessly in her cell and the hall beyond. Fleur’s tail was invisible to the naked eye, her legs shimmered like diamonds, and a calm classical piece could be heard from her slumbering neighbor’s cell.

So many illusions, all working in tandem, all under her continuous control… and she could cast more. It was mind-boggling; on her own Fleur was limited to four spells at best, but some of these were high-level spells that normally would have required all her concentration! She couldn’t imagine what this level of magical capacity would lead to in a pony with dark intentions.

So why was Trixie considered below subpar by even the Archon files?

Fleur wanted her body back – she loved who she was and what she did – but she had to acknowledge that there were worse trades.

“Having fun?”

Fleur’s heart rocketed into her throat and the aura above her horn disappeared with an audible crack. In an instant the illusions were gone and the two bowls dropped to the floor with a pair of noisy clangs. Her eyes were wide and her throat unusable as she turned to find her boss, Fine Crime, staring solemnly at her from behind the cell bars.

“F-Fine…” Fleur set a hoof to her chest and sucked down a calming breath. “You have no idea how good it is to see you. Do you… do you know what happened?”

“Oh yes,” he grumbled, his rosewood eyes peering, “I know exactly what happened, Fleur.”

Her entire body slumped as a long breath escaped her lips. “Oh, thank Luna! Now I can get out of here and fix this. When this is over I have an agent I’d like to report for insubordination.”

She walked to the cell door… but it didn’t open. She blinked and glanced at Fine, who hadn’t moved. “Fine?”

He sat and adjusted his vest, his expression hard. “Which one?”

“Which one?”

He looked away from her with head held high. “Which agent?”

She stared at him for several seconds, then started scouring her memory. Indeed, which one? The older one for certain, but…

Fine peered at her with one eye. “You don’t even know his name, do you?”

She scowled. “It wasn’t important to know who he was, just that he would do the job.”

“Really?” Fine matched her expression… but when Fine scowled, ponies paid attention.

Fleur felt her heart sinking at the smoldering fire in his eyes. “I… well…”

“I am very disappointed in you, Fleur.”

She winced and bowed her head. “But… but why? Because I failed to get the Ring of Mudarra?”

He shook his head with a sigh. “That has nothing to do with it. The fact that you don’t know that is only more disappointing. Deep Depths was right, you need an attitude adjustment.”

Fleur’s head jerked up, her jaw dropped. “An attitude adjustment? I don’t know what this is all about, but he was there! If he thought I was doing something wrong he should have said something!”

“Double-D has been with the Archons longer than I have,” Fine noted, his voice lecturing. “He did exactly what he should have done. He was in a live mission with assets and targets in motion. One does not question one’s superiors when seconds can make the difference between victory or defeat. He kept his yap shut, obeyed his senior officer to the letter and relayed his complaints to me after the fact.”

Understanding hit her like a hammer. She gazed at her boss – one of the very few ponies in Equestria she trusted – and felt only shame. “You gave him permission to leave me here, didn’t you?”

He scrutinized her as if she were a bug in need of squashing. “So tell me, how does it feel to know your life is over?”

“Over?” She set her forehooves on the bars to gape at him. “What do you mean, over?”

He sneered and turned away from her. “You were planning on putting Trixie – an innocent pony – in prison, possibly for the rest of her life. Well, now you’re Trixie. In the world of literature that’s called poetic justice.”

Fleur thought an ice pick had been jabbed into her chest. “Y-you… you’re not actually considering leaving me here… are you?”

Seconds ticked by. Long, nerve-wracking, terrible seconds.

Fine didn’t budge.

Fleur whimpered and pressed against the bars, looking at the back of his head with pleading eyes. “Y-you can’t! I’m your best lieutenant, you said so yourself! Who would replace me?”

“Deep Depths will probably do nicely,” he answered without any hesitation.

“You can’t be serious!”

“Funny.” He glanced over his shoulder with a gaze as cold as ice. “I would have said the same thing about you.”

Good Goddess, he was serious. Fleur’s heart pounded against her chest as she realized that everything she’d worked towards for the past ten years was about to collapse around her.

Now was not the time for half measures.

“Please!” She dropped to her lowest bow, body trembling and mind frantic. “Fine, the Archons are my life! I’m sorry, I should have been more considerate, I get it—”

“Do you?” She looked up to find her boss glaring down upon her, his teeth bared and his horn shining red with his anger. “All those years prancing around with the Canterlot elites has turned you into a real witch. You don’t have the slightest idea why what you’ve done is wrong, you’re just saying what you think I want to hear.”

“That’s not true!”

Fleur jumped back as he slammed his forehooves against the bars, steam billowing from his nostrils. She couldn’t help but feel a real fear at his anger; this was a pony who’d slain dragons, who’d spent more than half his life surviving off murder, who’d devoted the majority of his career as the single deadliest assassin of the world’s deadliest organization.

He was the last pony Fleur wanted to anger.

For several seconds she stood in the center of the cell, shivering and wishing she could be anywhere else. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from his vicious gaze, nor could she think of anything she might say to sooth him. But after a few seconds Fine stepped back from the bars, and Fleur relaxed. A little.

Fine reached into his vest and pulled out a file. He waved it at her with a sneer. “This is Trixie’s file. Did you even read it? Let me tell you exactly what you’ve done.” He retrieved a pair of glasses from his vest and put them on before opening the file.

“Trixie Lulamoon. Born in Hoofington, twenty years old, not even a gradeschool education.” He flipped some pages, reading in silence for a few seconds. Fleur could do nothing but wait and listen, shame and confusion filling her. She had read the file… well, most of it. The important parts.

“She’s already committed crimes,” Fleur ventured hopefully. “She even shut down Ponyville for re… reven…” Her words died in her throat as he peered at her from over the file. She turned her head away and chewed her lip, obediently waiting for him to continue.

“Yes,” Fine finally went on. “Trixie has made some mistakes. She lost a lot because of those mistakes; her wagon, which was custom made and irreplaceable, was destroyed by the Ursa Minor. Her reputation is in shambles, her career ruined. Things keep getting worse and worse for the mare, don’t they? She’s got a healthy respect for Twilight Sparkle now and has been without a job for over a year. Her record since the Alicorn Amulet incident is spotless. She submitted her resume to over a thousand places of business and been rejected by all of them – which is incredible in its own right. She’s living with an old friend, but that friend can’t afford to house her for free anymore, so if Trixie doesn’t pay her rent by tomorrow she’s going to be on the streets.”

The folder closed with a loud slap that made Fleur wince. “You read that and decided she was worth throwing away?”

Fleur couldn’t meet his eye. So maybe she’d not read everything…

“So what is it about any of this that tells you she’s a villain who needs to be locked up? ‘Cause that must be what you saw.”

“I…” Fleur fought for some kind of defense, but the words wouldn’t come.

“Let me tell you what I see.” He patted the file against the bars. “I see a mare who is down in the dumps. I see that Trixie made a lot of poor decisions, but is working hard to make up for them. I see a pony who is struggling to repair her life against all odds and failing because nopony’s willing to give her a chance.”

He replaced the file in his vest with a scowl. “And you were going to punish her even further.”

Fleur gazed up at him, tears welling in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Fine. I was so eager to get the Ring… I just wanted to impress you.”

“Impress me?” He rolled his eyes. “You impressed me on the day I met you. You impressed me on countless missions over the past ten years. You don’t need to impress me with actions anymore; you need to impress me with intentions, and yours are anything but impressive. All you had to do was offer to take the damn anklet off her hooves for a fair price; instead you conjured up this massive scheme over several months that resulted in her accidentally assaulting an innocent bystander.”

Fleur threw up her hooves. “You come up with convoluted plans all the time. It’s your MO, for Luna’s sake! You’ve manipulated the innocent plenty of times, I’ve seen you do it. I was just trying to take a page from your book to show I was learning.”

Fine sat and rubbed his forehead with both hooves, a groan rising up from his throat. “I only involve innocents when I’m reasonably certain no harm will come to them! I don’t implicate them in crimes against their will. Your mission did not call for a complex scheme. You want to learn? Learn when to be direct.”

She bowed her head once more. She wished she would stop feeling so ashamed of herself…

“I… I guess I’m not as good as I thought I was.” She gave him her most imploring gaze. “I’m sorry, Fine. I was caught in the heat of the moment. I admit it, I didn’t even consider Trixie’s situation. Maybe… maybe I have been living amongst the Canterlot elite for too long. Maybe their superior attitudes have started to rub off on me.”

“It goes beyond that,” he told her. He pointed a hoof towards the window. “I don’t have to ask, but surely you remember when Fancy saved you from the flames all those years ago?”

She shivered at the memory; she could almost feel the heat against her coat. “Of course I remember.”

Fine’s voice grew hard once more. “If he’d looked upon you in the same way you looked upon Trixie yesterday, he would have left you to burn.”

A small gasp escaped her lips. She gaped at Fine; suddenly his meaning was painfully clear. She could still remember the screams, and the nightmares where they came from her lips. She turned away from him, trembling as she closed her eyes tight against the memory.

“You didn’t just ignore the purpose of the Archons, Fleur,” Fine pressed mercilessly. “You betrayed the philosophies of the very pony you revere as a role model.”

Fleur could see Fancy’s face in her mind’s eye, the sorrow and disappointment.

That face hurt worse than any flame.

“I’m sorry.” She turned to Fine, tears in her eyes and heart in her throat. “I’m so sorry. I’ll fix it so that it never happens again. Please, Fine… let me fix it.”

“Fix it?” He raised a skeptical eyebrow. “How?”

She hesitated, her mind churning over possibilities. What could she possibly offer? Her eyes roamed the cell for inspiration… and landed on the bowls lying haphazardly where they’d fallen.

A small smile reached her lips.

“We really need to adjust what that file says about her magical prowess,” she whispered. She stood and walked to the bars, leveling Fine with a solid smile. “The file says Trixie has no formal education. That must include magic. Fine, Trixie holds incredible power in this little horn. If she can learn to use it, she’d never have to worry about finding a job. I could turn her life around and – if she really has turned a new leaf – then the whole of Equestria might be better for it.”

She held the bars and leaned close so their muzzles were almost touching. “That’s how I’ll fix it: I’ll give her the tools she needs to not only survive, but thrive.”

Fine considered this with a thoughtful, ominous frown. His eyes remained locked with hers and his hoof rubbed his chin.

Fleur said nothing. She would let her conviction be known in her determined expression and focus. He would surely see that she was devoted to this new goal. She’d screwed up, and until she’d righted her wrong she didn’t think she’d ever be able to face Fancy again. That thought alone was enough grant her the drive she would need.

At last Fine stepped back. “It’ll do.”

His horn flashed and there was a loud clang; the cell door rolled open.

Fleur heaved a deep sigh and stepped out. “Thank you, Fine. From the bottom of my heart.”

“Don’t thank me just yet.” He poked her painfully in the chest. “You buck up like this one more time and I’m demoting you to Field Commander. If you’re really going to improve, you need to show it to me through your actions. You really are my favorite agent, Fleur, and that’s the only thing that saved your rump this time around. Do not test me again.”

“I won’t, I promise.” She gave a small bow in appreciation. “I’ll be a lot more respectful of the civilians from here on in, especially those like Trixie.”

“See that you do.” Fine’s serious manner faded almost instantly, traded for a charming smile as he turned for the doors and beckoned her to follow. “Now come on, we’ve got to get you out of that body.”

“Oh…” She glanced at the window, noting the angle of the sunlight. Her ears drooped. “I’m not sure we can get to Ponyville in time.”

“If we were using the trains, you’d be right, but I’ve arranged a special mode of transportation. Speaking of which—” He paused to lean in close and whisper with a wry smile, “—I didn’t tell Luna we’re borrowing her chariots. Do keep quiet; the fewer ponies who know, the less likely I’ll have to explain things to my boss.”

Fleur blinked, worry suddenly rising within her. “You’re stealing Princess Luna’s chariots? What if she needs them?”

“Borrowing,” he corrected. “Don’t worry, we’ll have them back in no time. …probably.”

She could only hope he was right. Fleur was certainly afraid of her boss’s anger, but Fine’s boss was capable of producing nightmares.

Literally.

Author's Note

I drop a lot of material regarding the stories linked to this one in the conversations with Fancy Pants, particularly The Challenge of Fleur. Just trying to make some pertinent connections for plot continuity's sake. I also alluded a lot to my plans for the story Reddux the Tyrant in referencing Fleur's, Fancy's and Fine's past together. This is me doing a little advertising, as Reddux the Tyrant is one of the stories I intend to start on very soon.

Applejack's situation was one of the most fun to write about, at least at this point in the story. The poor girl doesn't get enough attention, including from me, and I feel rather guilty about that. I always saw her as one of the least flawed of the Mane 6, and knocking her down a moral peg was a big goal here. My major interest for her part of the story was to see if I could not only realistically have her go bad for a little while, but also have her somewhat realistically recover from that. Her inherent goodness – even in comparison to the rest of the Mane 6 – made this a serious challenge I was happy to tackle.

Fine Crime was an issue for this story. I had to find a way to make him constantly present even when he wasn't physically there, otherwise his abrupt appearance in this chapter would be exactly that: abrupt. More importantly, I had to introduce my new readers to him without making it awkward. Fine is my most recurring OC, especially for the Fleur series, but I of course needed to act like I was introducing him for the first time for those readers who had never found him. It seems I'm having to manage this balancing act with every story I write featuring him. I'm never really sure if I've pulled it off.

Ordinary World

Golden pulled the covers tight, delighting in the warmth of the bed. She hadn’t any idea how much she loved her own sheets until she’d crawled into them last night. It had to have been one of the best nights of slumber she’d ever enjoyed.

Yet she’d been awake for a little while now. Awake and waiting, eager for this wonderful opportunity to arise. As she snuggled closer to her companion, she found that her chance was finally coming: Rarity began to stir.

“Ugh…” Her mare-friend’s leg moved slowly to rub her forehead. “Where am I?”

“Morning, sunshine.” Golden beamed as Rarity’s eyes crept open to peer at her. Though her mane was wild and her expression weary, those precious blues filled Golden with pleasure.

“Golden?” Rarity rubbed her eyes and offered a weak smile. “What are you doing here?”

Golden chuckled. “I live here.”

“Live here?” Rarity raised her head to peer at her surroundings with a yawn, her eyes widening just slightly as she saw that she was in Golden’s bedroom. “Indeed you do.”

She flopped back onto the bed and eyed her marefriend. “Golden, what am I doing in your bed?”

“I brought you here.” Golden gave a wicked smile and pulled Rarity close. “I figured I deserved a reward.”

“A reward?” Rarity raised a sleepy eyebrow… then her eyes began to widen. She raised herself up once more and looked about the room. “What happened to me? I… I remember somepony sneaking up behind and—”

“Don’t worry about him.” Golden caught Rarity and pulled her back to the bed before straddling her. She lowered so her muzzle was just barely touching Rarity’s, an eager smirk on her lips. “He won’t be bothering you again. And now—” she pecked Rarity’s muzzle, “—I expect some compensation.”

Rarity blinked with a blush… then gained a wry smile of her own. She pushed Golden back with a raised eyebrow. “Compensation? For all I know, you might be my kidnapper. Perhaps I should be screaming for help.”

Golden snorted. “Right, like I could come up with a plan like that.” She pressed against Rarity’s hooves in an attempt to get closer. “I was willing to sacrifice myself to save you.”

Rarity grinned and set a hoof over her face in her favorite damsel-in-distress pose. “Oh, yes, I’m sure you found me at the tender mercies of some terrible ruffian and fought tooth and hoof to save me! If only I remembered any of it.”

“Fine, don’t believe me.” Golden managed to push away the lone hoof holding her up, dropping so she had Rarity in a tight embrace. “You’re still not getting away from my bed! After all the work you’ve been doing, think of it as a reward.”

Rarity returned the embrace, though her tone was mocking. “I thought I was supposed to be rewarding you.”

“Then we can reward one another,” Golden replied, leaning up just enough to press her muzzle to Rarity’s. “Think of it as a preview of coming attractions.”

Rarity giggled and pushed Golden away a second time. “You are far too eager, Miss Harvest. It will have to wait until we reach Prance. I told you, I have way too much work to do before we—”

She sucked in a sharp gasp, her cheeks flushing and her eyes going wide as Golden’s hoof lightly brushed against her horn.

“Y-you… Where did you learn to…?”

“In payment of services rendered,” Golden declared in her best Fleur imitation, “I require your presence for the rest of the morning. I think that’s a fair bargain for your life, don’t you think?”

Rarity huffed as she tried to regain her composure. “Really, Golden, that sounds delightful, but I simply… must…” Her legs shook and a lopsided smile crept to her lips as Golden rubbed the edge of her hoof in rings around the tip of the horn. “I d-don’t know what circles you’ve been running in to… to learn about… th-that… but I am a Lady, and ladies don’t succ… succumb to…”

Her eyes rolled up in her head and her entire body trembled at another tease of Golden’s hoof.

“…oh, buck it!”

She rose up to deliver a passionate kiss to Golden’s lips, and for a couple seconds the two remained locked. Golden felt the sparks flying on her tongue and her heart slamming against her chest. She found herself dazed by the pure, unadulterated joy of knowing that this mare was all hers.

Rarity fell back, her face crimson and her breath coming in slow gasps that mimicked Golden’s own.

Golden leaned over her, that wry smile coming back as she effectively pinned her mare-friend. “Better get comfortable, My Lady, ‘cause for now?

“You’re all mine.”

Rarity didn’t object again.

Trixie chewed her lip as she eyed the front door. Her heart hummed in her chest and she feared she might bolt at any second. She sucked in a deep breath and glanced to her side.

Applejack smiled. “Ya ready?”

“No.” Trixie sat, partially because her legs felt weak but also to keep from fleeing. “They don’t know me. Wh-what if they…”

“Don’t worry.” Applejack set a hoof to Trixie’s shoulder. “It won’t be as bad as yer thinkin’.” She went to the door and opened it, then stepped aside and gave her friend a reassuring nod.

Trixie shifted from side to side, her eyes locked on the open doorway. Did she really want to do this? She was appreciative, but…

At last she stood and forced her legs to move. Crossing the threshold alone required all the willpower she possessed.

“Yer doin’ good, Trix.” Applejack rubbed her back before closing the door. “Everythin’ will be fine, Ah promise.”

Trixie couldn’t meet her gaze.

“Okay, everypony. We’re here.”

Trixie looked up, heart hammering in her chest as the Apple Family appeared from the kitchen to stand before her in the hallway. First came Granny Smith, who bore a smile far warmer than Trixie had anticipated. She was followed by Apple Bloom, who looked far less inviting with her firm frown and hard eyes. Big McIntosh came last, his head held high and his expression unreadable. Their combined gaze was enough to make Trixie take a step back, but a leg to her shoulder steadied her.

Applejack nuzzled her for comfort before stepping to the side and gesturing. “Everypony, allow me to properly introduce ya’ll to Miss Trixie Lulamoon.”

It was all Trixie could manage not to turn her face away in shame. “H-hello, everypony.”

There was a tense moment of silence as they continued to stare.

Then Granny Smith grinned. “Well good mornin’, Miss Licksie.”

Applejack and Big Mac both gained lopsided grins.

Apple Bloom elbowed her grandmother and whispered in her ear.

“What?” Granny frowned at her. “Well why didn’t ya say so?” She turned her smiling attention back on Trixie. “I meant, good morning Miss Twixie.”

Apple Bloom facehooved and Big Mac shook his lowered head.

Trixie couldn’t help it; she giggled. “Thank you, Granny Smith.”

She glanced at Applejack, who returned the look with a grin. Her confidence just a little higher, she turned her attention back to the family. “I wanted to thank all of you for yesterday. I had a very good time.”

Apple Bloom rubbed her chin and peered at Trixie. “So… ya took my sister’s place for a day, huh?”

“Umm… well, yes.” Trixie rubbed the back of her head with a forced smile.

Apple Bloom considered this with a deep frown. “So when ya told me ta treat ya like ya knew nothin’, that was fer real?”

“And you were very helpful,” Trixie assured her, latching on to the topic. “I’m sure your sister would be very proud if she’d been in my place. I learned so much about the farm, it was really quite eye-opening. Clearly Trixie has much more to learn.”

She felt Applejack bump her and blushed. “S-sorry, it slips out every now and then.”

“She’s really sorry for deceivin’ ya’ll fer so long,” Applejack told them. “She didn’t mean any harm by it, did ya Trix?”

“No! Not at all.” Trixie shook her head forcefully. “Th-that’s why Trix – I, that’s why I came here this morning. Please accept my most sincere apologies, I was only trying to be cautious.”

The three ponies shared thoughtful expressions… but then Granny and Big Mac smiled in unison.

“That’s all right, Twinkie,” Granny declared with head held high. “No harm was done, right Big Mac?”

“Eeeyup.”

Trixie relaxed a little at that… until she noticed Apple Bloom’s sour expression. Her nervousness came back tenfold as the filly’s eyes bored into her.

“Ah dunno,” Apple Bloom said, tilting her head back and forth as she scrutinized Trixie. “Ah really don’t like being used like that, ya pretendin' ya be my sister.”

“Apple Bloom!” Applejack stepped forward to glare, but the filly didn’t flinch.

Trixie thought a knife might have pierced her chest. Of all the ponies to doubt…

So she dropped to her knees before the filly. “Apple Bloom… I’m sorry. I took advantage of you so that I wouldn’t be discovered. Out of the three of you, I spent most of the day with you. You’re right, I used you, and it was wrong of me.”

Apple Bloom sat back, her expression sour.

“But…” Trixie offered a weak smile. “I want to thank you.”

“Thank me?” Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow. “Fer what, bein’ too dumb ta catch on?”

Trixie sighed and shook her head, then pressed her hoof against her own chest. “I spent all day with you, Apple Bloom. I… I had fun. I actually laughed, for the first time in ages. You made me feel like I belonged, like I was welcome. I haven’t felt that in a long time. You gave me a chance to live like an Apple, to be part of your family. It was so very nice.

“So thank you.” She bowed her head to the filly.

She turned her gaze up to Big Mac.

“Thank you.”

He offered a calm smile.

Her gaze went to Granny Smith.

“Thank you.”

Granny beamed.

Trixie turned her eyes back to the quiet Apple Bloom. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

The filly blushed and glanced away with a sheepish smile.

Trixie reached forward, hoof moving slow, and patted Apple Bloom’s head. It was all she could think of to do or say, so she stood and stepped back. All there was left was to hope the little pony would forgive her.

Applejack eyed her. “Feel better?”

Trixie stared at Apple Bloom, but the filly wouldn’t meet her gaze. After a moment she bowed her head with a sigh. “Mostly.”

“Good. Now—” Applejack stepped forward to catch the attention of her family, “—Ah got something important ta say.”

“M-maybe I should…” Trixie stepped back, but Applejack raised a hoof and she paused. She tilted her head, but the pony’s gaze was locked on her fellow Apples.

“Uuh, what’s up?” Big Mac asked with a raised eyebrow.

Applejack glanced at each of them in turn before sucking in a deep breath.

“Trixie’s gonna be staying in our guest room fer a while.”

Trixie’s jaw dropped and her mind went blank. The Apples all shared wide-eyed looks.

“That alright by ya’ll?”

The family shook off their surprise as one. Big Mac gained a big smile. “Eeyup.”

“Why Ah’d welcome yer friend, AJ.” Granny Smith nodded her approval. “Welcome aboard, Twerky.”

Trixie might have laughed out loud if her mind weren't still trying to process what was happening.

All eyes turned to Apple Bloom. The filly blushed at the attention and rubbed the back of her head.

“Well… Ah guess it’s okay. Ah mean Ah did have fun an’ all, an’ ya did apologize. So… yeah, Ah guess.”

“Good.” Applejack turned to beam at Trixie… only to find her still gaping. “Trix? You okay?”

Trixie pounced, engulfing the mare in a tight embrace as tears welled in her eyes. “You wonderful, wonderful pony! Why didn’t you tell Trixie you were planning this? It’s the most wonderful gift and Trixie doesn’t deserve it! How will I ever repay you?”

“Whoa, now.” Applejack pushed her back as her cheeks burned and the others laughed. “Ah’m just tryin’ ta do the right thing. Ah’m not about ta let ya live on the street an’ all.”

Trixie sat back and rubbed her eyes. “I’ll never forget this. I promise, I’ll earn my keep! I’m not a workhorse, I know, but whatever you need Trixie to do she will try her best.”

Apple Bloom rubbed her chest in a smug manner. “Don’t ya worry none, Ah’ll teach ya everythin’ ya need ta know.”

“Ya don’t need ta worry about it now,” Granny added, stepping forward to pat Trixie on the shoulder. “Applejack said ya were in bad times. We’re always happy ta help, aren’t we ya’ll?”

“Eeyup.”

“You bet, Granny!”

“We’re here for ya, Trix.” Applejack held the weeping pony at leg’s length with a comforting smile. “Just you wait, yer life will turn around before ya know it.” She pressed a hoof to Trixie’s heart.

“Ah bet you’ll even find what ya need in here ta finally face Twilight.”

Trixie stared at the hoof on her chest. Her eyes slowly went to the others. She felt so… warm.

“None of you have any idea what this means to me,” she whispered as the tears continued to stream unheeded down her cheeks. “I… I can’t thank you enough.”

“You are evil.”

Golden giggled next to Rarity, nuzzling close to her sweating body. Her marefriend set a hoof to her own forehead, breath coming in a slow, deep rhythm. Golden was panting herself, her heartbeat gradually falling to a normal rate.

Rarity peered at her with one eye, the slightest of smiles set upon her lips. “If this is what I can expect from you in Prance, I’m not sure I’ll even want to leave the hotel room.”

“Glad you had as much fun as I did,” Golden replied with a chuckle as she closed her eyes and began to relax.

Rarity stroked her mane, a contented sigh escaping her lips. “I really don’t know what came over you. Compared to how timid you were yesterday, this was downright ferocious.”

Golden frowned and unintentionally tightened her hold. Applejack had told her about how she’d woken in Rarity’s bed. She could only imagine how that must have felt…

Rarity shifted. “Golden?”

Golden looked up into those beautiful blue eyes. There was a light sensation in her chest, but it was in conflict with another, darker feeling.

“Things… happened.”

“Things?” Rarity tilted her head with a small frown. “What kind of things?”

“Scary things.” Golden reached up to feel her lover’s cheek, a complex wave of emotions flowing through her. She thought on Dr. Caballeron with his knife so close to that delicate throat… or, perhaps worse, of Applejack stealing her away in a fit of jealousy.

“I thought I was going to lose you, Rare. I… I couldn’t let it happen.”

Rarity raised an eyebrow, then smiled. “What, is this that ‘kidnapping’ story?”

Golden closed her eyes and pressed in close. For a long time there was only silence between them.

“Golden… you were serious?”

“Don’t make light of it,” Golden whispered, her hooves shaking. “You really don’t have the slightest idea how important you are to me, do you?”

Rarity embraced her in a tight grip. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to… and I understand how much you care. I really do, Golden. I… Would I have arranged this trip if I didn’t?”

“I wish you had told me earlier.” Golden leaned back in the bed to give Rarity a small frown. “You went for so long without spending any time with me. I was… I was getting scared.”

“Scared? Of what?”

Golden couldn’t meet her eyes. “Rarity… what do I bring to this relationship?”

Rarity couldn’t resist a wicked smile. “You mean aside from a delightfully rugged body and surprisingly good bed skills?”

Golden winced and bowed her head.

“I’m sorry.” Rarity moved in to hold her close once more. “That was… it just came out. Here you are being so serious about this…”

Golden pressed her forehead against Rarity’s chest, her heart throbbing. “I spent that whole month wondering if you weren’t just avoiding me. Yesterday that terror hit home. I… I was starting to think…”

A terrible quiet filled the air as she clutched at the pony she loved so dearly. She tensed, praying that the silence was just Rarity trying to think of what to say… rather than having nothing to say at all.

Rarity’s voice touched her ears, soft and slow. “Golden, when I first heard that you were crushing on me, I admit I didn’t know what to think. I wondered why, and I wondered if I was even interested.”

She kissed Golden’s forehead. “Then that first day came, that wonderful day I arranged with Fancy just for you. Do you remember? How I escorted you around Canterlot, to the spa, the makeover?”

Oh, Golden remembered. It had to have been one of the happiest days of her life. She had no words to describe it… so she merely nodded against Rarity’s coat.

“That was the first time I really saw you.”

Rarity touched Golden’s cheeks and made her look up. Those blue eyes glimmered like precious jewels.

“You were so happy. True, you wanted to be with me, but it wasn’t just that. You spoke to me; everything that I knew, everything I wanted to talk about, you could comment on. True, your knowledge was weak, but that didn’t change the fact that you were interested. In my work, my efforts, my passions.”

Golden felt her heart skip a beat as Rarity’s sparkling eyes grew moist. “Everypony praises my work, but they don’t really get it. You, Golden? You understand that the work I do isn’t about pretty dresses. You understand me. I feel as if you always understood, even before I knew you were interested, and it touched my heart in ways you can’t imagine.”

Her hold tightened, their muzzles touched.

Golden’s heart soared.

“I love you, Golden Harvest. Don’t you ever doubt that even for a minute. I love you, and I don’t ever, ever want to let you go.”

Their lips touched. Golden held on as tightly as she could, delighting in Rarity’s taste and smell and warmth. She had no words.

Only tears.

Night had fallen on the farm, but Trixie couldn’t sleep. She had lain in bed for nearly an hour, just staring up at the ceiling and marveling at the sheer joy that had followed her through the day. Every time she thought she might drift off there was something that pulled her back into awareness. It was almost like she feared sleep. But did it not make sense? After all, for all she knew this could be a beautiful dream and sleep meant waking up.

At last Trixie threw off her covers and stepped into the hallway. She moved slowly, her eyes roaming the pictures on the walls, pictures of a family legacy. Ponies playing, ponies dancing, ponies laughing, ponies enjoying a sense of belonging Trixie had never enjoyed.

Until now.

She couldn’t possibly describe her emotions, for they were so phenomenally alien to her. Trixie prayed to Luna that they would never part. For once in her life, she felt like she might have finally found something special.

She descended the stairs, then paused in the hallway as she stared at something unexpected: the front door was open. Eyebrows rising, Trixie approached. Had Applejack or Big Mac gone out to do something? What could they possibly be doing at this time of night?

Trixie stepped outside and glanced around, but there was nothing. She sat and gazed up at the moonless sky, momentarily dazzled by the starry infinity above her head.

“Beautiful, is it not?”

Trixie’s breath caught in her throat as she jerked about. There, sitting by the house and gazing up at the stars, was Fleur de Lis.

Trixie took a moment to compose herself before glancing about uncertainly. “What are you doing sneaking about the farm this time of night? Shouldn’t you be in Canterlot?”

Fleur’s eyes were gentle, her smile soft. “I had some unfinished business to attend to.”

“Now?” Trixie swept her hoof about the farm. “Here? It’s the middle of the night.”

Fleur shrugged. “This is when I do my best work.”

Something about that phrase rubbed Trixie the wrong way, and she found herself backing away with head low. “What kind of work?”

Fleur’s smile broadened a touch. “Do you not remember? We had a deal.”

Trixie paused, an eyebrow rising as she considered the pony. “We… did?”

A puff of pink clouds appeared next to Fleur, who lifted her hoof just in time to catch a small bag. She extended it towards Trixie.

“This is for you.”

Trixie eyed the bag, then Fleur. Finally she used her magic to take it. It floated slowly towards her to hover at the height of her chest. Her eyes went wide as she found it was filled to bursting with bits.

“Think of it as a first installment.”

Trixie gazed at the mare, a small gasp escaping her smiling lips. “You mean… you’re going to pay me what you promised?”

Fleur blushed and averted her eyes. “Well… no. I did cause a lot more trouble for you than you deserved, so as compensation I’m tripling it.”

“Triple?” The bag hit the dirt, some of the coins spilling over the ground. “You… I mean… really?”

“And with the bits I offer my formal and most sincere apologies.” Fleur stood to take a proper bow. “What I did to you was wrong, Miss Lulamoon. It took an old friend to make me see it, but now I hope to make amends.”

Trixie gaped at her, then at the bits on the ground. “I…. thank you. This is so much more than I expected. This day has just been… thank you.”

She approached, and Fleur rose from her bow just in time to receive a hug. Trixie felt the pony shift under her hold, but all she cared about was the intense joy in her heart.

There was a long pause, but finally Trixie stepped back. She looked up to find Fleur blushing and averting her gaze.

“I’m sorry,” Fleur whispered. “I’m… not used to that kind of contact.”

“Neither am I,” Trixie replied with a weak smile, “but I think I can get used to it.”

Fleur sighed and bowed her head. “Please do, for both of us.”

Her tone brought Trixie’s pleasure down a notch. She saw the uncertainty in Fleur’s face and found herself wondering.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I just…” Fleur raised her head, her eyes meeting with Trixie’s. For a few seconds they merely stared at one another.

At last Fleur smiled and gestured to the house. “I want you to enjoy this opportunity. There’s an ordinary world, Trixie. Those who were born in it can’t possibly appreciate it, but a pony like you understands the value of ‘ordinary.’ You deserve to be part of that world.”

Trixie stared at Fleur, then the house, then at Fleur again. “Why do I get the feeling you’ve never been part of it, either?”

“Nor will I ever be,” Fleur replied, her smile weakening a touch. “This is why it is so important I give you this chance; there are many who see that world only as a fleeting dream. So I’m taking steps: no more bill collectors, no more bad record.”

Trixie gaped. “You can do that?”

Fleur nodded. “I can do nothing for your reputation, but I think you are well on your way to fixing that.”

“How did you—” Trixie shook her head. “You didn’t have to go that far.”

Fleur’s smile became smug. She raised a hoof once more as another patch of pink clouds poofed into existence. A small scroll landed in her waiting hoof.

“I’m not even finished.” She offered the scroll to Trixie.

Hooves shaking, Trixie took the scroll. “Fleur… I’m not sure I’m comfortable with this. Between you and Applejack…”

Fleur only smiled and gestured to the scroll. With a sigh and a small touch of guilt, Trixie unrolled it. It was an advertisement, which perplexed her.

“A… magic school?”

Fleur nodded with a grin. “You have incredible potential locked away in that horn of yours, Trixie. If you could just learn to harness it you would never have to worry about finding work again. I have some contacts who can pull the right strings, so—”

“No.”

Fleur blinked and leaned back. “No?”

Trixie sighed and rolled the scroll. All her pleasure had faded in an instant, and she turned away from the pony in shame. “I… I can’t learn, Fleur.”

“I know you never had any proper schooling. That is why—”

Trixie shook her head. “It has nothing to do with that. I can’t learn. I did go to school for a little while… but everything the teachers said was gibberish to me. It’s like… like there’s some kind of communication gap.”

She stared at the scroll in her hooves, shoulders sagging with her heart.

“I just don’t learn like most ponies do. It doesn’t matter how prestigious the school is, they can’t help me if they don’t know how to teach me. I know I’m not dumb… it just doesn’t connect.”

“Ah.”

Trixie glanced up, surprised to see Fleur sitting at her side with a comforting smile.

“I have heard of this kind of handicap,” Fleur said. “What you need, then, is direct training: an apprenticeship.”

Trixie offered a weak smile and shook her head. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m not sure it would help.”

A curiously musical laugh arose from within Fleur. “You misunderstand; I am not offering to make you an apprentice. I wouldn’t dare; it would throw this new life you’ve finally earned in complete disarray.”

Trixie’s cheeks burned as she glanced away. “Oh… I thought…. but if not you, then who?”

Fleur leaned down to look her in the eye. “I would urge you to consider Miss Sparkle.”

“Her? N-no way, absolutely not.”

“You want to earn her respect, do you not?” Fleur set a hoof to Trixie’s shoulder. “Can you think of a better way?”

“But I don’t have her respect now.” Trixie pushed Fleur’s hoof away. “Why would she accept me? She has no reason to.”

“On the contrary, you have Applejack’s endorsement,” Fleur reminded her. “That alone will go a long way in your favor. And my friend knows Miss Sparkle well enough, he could help. She would be willing, if you were but to ask.”

Trixie shook her head forcefully. “She won’t. She’d never accept me.”

Fleur heaved a deep sigh and stood to her full height. She gazed down at Trixie with a studious, critical air.

“The choice is yours, of course. I want to help you and I will be keeping an eye on you. Should you decide that you want to make use of the great gift the Goddess has given you, you will have my assistance. Choose a school, and I will see to it you are accepted. As for Twilight… I encourage you to seriously reconsider.”

Trixie stared at Fleur, her chest tight. “I… I’ll think on it. She won’t accept me, but… maybe.”

Fleur’s smile returned. “Good. I need to go; I have a carriage that needs to be returned to its owner before she notices it is missing.” She tilted her head, her smile becoming anxious. “Probably too late for that…”

She started to depart, but Trixie turned. “Fleur?”

Fleur paused to raise an eyebrow.

Trixie offered a smile of her own. “Thanks. Not just for the bits and the encouragement. If you hadn’t pushed me to chase after Caballeron, I wouldn’t be here. I know it’s not what you intended at the time, but it turned out right. So thank you, Fleur. For everything.”

Fleur blushed and turned away once more. For a few seconds she merely stood there, as if in deep thought.

At last she turned her head back to offer a warm smile. “If you want to thank me, do it by being the best unicorn you can be. I will accept nothing less.”

Trixie watched her go, a strange sense of pride and accomplishment filling her. For several minutes she waited, basking in the warmth that now filled her. There was a deeply-rooted idea that her life was about to take a turn for the better, and there was no way she could explain to anypony how appreciative she was. To Applejack, to Fleur, even to Golden, though she hardly knew the mare. Perhaps she would have to remedy that.

She took the bits and turned to the open door of the house. Inside slept her new friends, perhaps even the beginning of a new family. She stared within and felt her heart swelling. This wasn’t just a door, it was the way in – in to shelter from a life of mediocrity and shame, away from the mockery and disrespect, where she could do things without the world watching her every hoof-fall for a mistake.

It was the entrance to an ordinary world.

Trixie entered without hesitation.

The door closed.

The world didn’t even notice.

Author's Note

A lot of the ideas for this story, name included, came from this:

Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

The Auction

Golden Harvest examined herself in the mirror, her green eyes shifting in agitation. She had to keep telling herself over and over again that she looked fine. So her makeup was amateur, what of it? Rarity wouldn’t mind… would she? What if the lipstick didn’t go with the dress? What if she used too much perfume? At least her mane was nice and silky, that being the one thing she was truly confident she could do.

What about the manestyle?

She knew she was being ridiculous, that Rarity would be kind, yet still Golden’s legs wobbled.

Golden turned away, eyes roaming the small bedroom. Her house was modest. Not bad for a farm pony… but modest. Her bed was old and her walls were solid but bland. She raised an ear as quiet creaks came from her roof, the familiar grumblings of ancient woodwork. It all seemed so empty.

Golden bowed her head, thinking about what was to come. She’d not been on a date with Rarity in almost a month. The mare never seemed to have time for her anymore and the potential reasons had Golden worried. Yet this was the first high-class event Rarity had ever brought her to – well, aside from that first beautiful date in Canterlot – and Golden wanted it to go right. She needed it to.

Golden went to the closet. There was a curtain on one side that separated nearly two thirds of the space, leaving the rest of her modest wardrobe little room. She sat before the curtain and stared at it for several long seconds. At last she pushed the ugly brown thing aside… and felt her heart rise in her chest.

The dress was as beautiful as it had been on the first day it had been worn. Indeed, the only day. The silk-like orange and gold fabrics, the thick gigot sleeves, that long, flowing skirt. The collar flared tall and wide with precious ambers that glimmered in the dim light like stars. There were bright orange shoes and a sparkling golden crown, but the most beautiful sight of all was the necklace, a glorious ornament of amber carrots with emerald leaves and gleaming diamond dew.

It was hers. Sweet mother of Celestia, this dress belonged to Golden.

She didn’t dare wear it. It was too precious, a beautiful reminder of a magical moment in her life, a moment Rarity had given her. So she kept it here, safe and well cared for. Yet Golden felt that now was a good time to breach her usual rule, if only a little.

She took the necklace. Normally she would have worn the older one Rarity had made when she was a filly, but maybe with this Golden could remind her mare-friend of how special their connection was. Golden set it around her neck, the weight of the gems pressing against her heart. She delighted in its cool touch and the way it gradually began to take her warmth.

She closed the curtain, sucked in a deep breath and left, making sure to lock the door on her way out.

It was dusk and Ponyville was just starting to quiet down for the day. Golden saw many ponies in town, most of them heading home. Some tried to talk to her, but she politely excused herself every time; she had no intention of being late.

Soon she was outside the Carousel Boutique. Its white walls looked orange in the fading sunlight. Golden stood at the door for several long seconds, shifting from hoof to hoof and struggling not to chew her lip and ruin the makeup. This had to go well… it just had to. She raised a hoof… and couldn’t move.

“Come on, Golden,” she whispered, trying to maintain a firm expression. “You’ll be fine.” It didn’t make her feel as good as she’d hoped, but at least she was able to go inside.

The chime above the door seemed disproportionately loud in her ears. She stepped through the entrance, her eyes immediately roaming the now-familiar shop. Fancy dresses on display, lovely purple wallpaper, mirrors and lace and bright finishes. Rarity’s home was so much more extravagant than Golden’s…

“Hey, Carrot Top.”

A bit livelier, too.

“Good evening, Sweetie.” Golden waved pleasantly to the filly as she appeared from upstairs. “Haven’t seen you in some time. How’s my favorite filly?”

“I’m great!” Sweetie bounced for emphasis. “I’ve got everything I need for tonight’s crusade. Me and the girls are gonna try getting our cutie marks at Fluttershy’s.”

A wry smirk came to Golden’s lips. “Is that so? Did you take something of Rarity’s without her permission? Again?”

The filly winced and set a leg over her pack as if to keep Golden from checking it. “Maybe…”

Golden rolled her eyes with a good-natured sigh. “I’ll keep quiet if you promise to return everything. Deal?”

Sweetie grinned. “Deal! Whatever’s not cut up.”

“Cut up?”

Sweetie was out the door before Golden could inquire further. She considered going after the filly, then abandoned the thought. It would take too long to get to the bottom of things and she didn’t want to make Rarity and herself late for the auction. She would just have to hope Sweetie and her crusader friends didn’t plan on doing anything too terrible.

Rarity wasn’t on the bottom floor, so Golden made her way upstairs. She found the door to Rarity’s room open… but she paused around the corner to listen in. The familiar sound of a sewing machine hit her ears. Still hard at work, was she? That pony never seemed to rest. Not that Golden was one to talk; she reserved nearly all her relaxation time to her mare-friend.

Given Rarity’s recent jump in productivity over the last month, however, that was proving to be a rare thing.

Golden hesitated, wishing she had a mirror to check herself just one more time.

There she went, falling into the trap again! She silently lectured herself and entered the room, knocking on the door frame as she did. “Rarity?”

Rarity’s head rose with a jerk from its spot over the sewing machine. She spun about to gaze upon Golden with wide eyes. “Golden! Is it that time already? Do forgive me, I didn’t leave you waiting did I?”

Golden grinned and waved her legs. “Calm down, I just got here.”

“Oh, thank goodness.” Rarity set a hoof to her chest and took a deep, calming breath before standing from her stool with a smile. “I’m sorry, I thought I’d lost track of time again. I have so many orders to take care of before the end of the week and I fell a little behind thanks to somepony.”

Her eyes darted about the room, her smile fading to dour suspicion. “Which reminds me, did you see Sweetie Belle when you came in? She wouldn’t stop pestering me about wanting to borrow something for one of her ‘crusades.’” She stuck her tongue out as she said the last word.

Golden chuckled with a blush. “I… uh… must have just missed her.”

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Oh well, I’m sure I’ll be hearing something about it sooner or later. I always do. Now—” she grinned and approached Golden, gesturing to her significantly-sized closet, “—how about we get you into your new couture?”

“Oh…” Golden’s blush came back in an instant as she found herself being pulled towards the closet. “Okay, then. I… um… I don’t know if my makeup’s right or anything…”

Rarity paused to give her mare-friend a heavy-lidded, saucy smile. “Nonsense, darling, I taught you myself. You look fine… and you’ll look fine when I get you into your new outfit.”

Golden blinked, her ears perking at the sultry change in Rarity’s tone. She grinned like a schoolfilly as her mind began to wander to indecent places. “…okay then. Let’s get me in that thing, shall we?”

The clothes Rarity had made for the occasion were nothing like Golden had anticipated. It was a… quasi-dress? The front had the design of a stallion’s dress suit, green and well-suited to her toned form, whereas the back was a long but sturdy looking skirt. Amber buttons and a silk necktie completed the ensemble and worked surprisingly well with her necklace. Golden eyed herself in the mirror and was only able to think of one word: ‘tomcolt. ‘ It didn’t look bad on her, just… different.

“So,” Rarity called from the closet, “what do you think of it?”

“Well it’s interesting, I’ll give it—”

Golden turned and sucked in a sharp breath. Rarity was just stepping out, adorned in a brilliant blue dress. The short sleeves and long skirt were decorated with silver lines that shimmered as she moved. The entire dress was lined with a barely-noticeable amber. Unlike Golden, her ensemble included silver shoes with a similar golden trim. Her mane was raised in a ponytail – not a common style for her – that hung loose over her shoulder.

Rarity tilted her head at Golden’s gaping face. “Is something wrong?” She glanced back at her outfit with a frown. “I know, we don’t match. I just didn’t have the time to make a dress for myself to—”

“You are gorgeous.”

Rarity leaned back a little at Golden’s gush… then regained her playful smirk. “And you are going to be delectable.”

Golden’s face was burning. “Going to be?”

Rarity approached at a leisurely pace, her skirt swinging back and forth with her flank. She gave Golden a peck on the cheek before slipping past for the door. “I have more surprises in store for you tonight than just a new outfit, darling.”

A sputtering whimper slipped from between Golden’s lips as she watched the mare go, her eyes and mind strangely captivated by that swaying skirt.

This might be a good night, after all.

The wheels creaked loudly in the cool dusk air. Applejack moved at a leisurely pace, the cart swaying gently over the ruts in the road. It wasn’t exactly filled to bursting: a generations-old painting of Sweet Apple Acres she’d found in the attic, a large antique press for making wine, and a golden soldier’s helmet that had belonged to her great-great uncle. All had been appraised by an associate of Filthy Rich and declared of sufficient value to be made part of his auction for the night.

Applejack had been tempted not to sell the items at first – family heirlooms and all that – but then she recalled her great Auntie Applesauce’s ‘collection’ and decided it was better not to start down that road. Besides, Filthy Rich’s auction themed on ‘Ponyville History’ was the perfect way to make an extra bit or two for the farm, and a portion of the money would be going to the town itself. Mr. Rich might be a made stallion, but nopony would dare to call him ungenerous; he wasn’t earning a single bit for putting on the event.

There was only one problem.

“Good evening, Applejack.”

Applejack looked over her shoulder to find Rarity approaching the cart from behind. Her heart skipped a beat; that mare sure knew a thing or two about looking pretty! “Hey, Rare. Ah thought ya’d be at the auction grounds already.”

Rarity beamed as she came alongside her. “I had to make sure we were ready! I worked long and hard on Golden’s ensemble.”

And there was the problem: Golden Harvest appeared at Rarity’s side, blushing in a fancy, tomcoltish outfit that Applejack begrudgingly acknowledged didn’t look too bad on her.

Applejack forced a smile to her lips. It wasn’t easy. “Hey there, Carrot Top. Ah see Rare’s got ya all gussied up like an apple turnover.”

Golden averted her eyes with an anxious smile. “Y-yeah, I look silly, don’t I?”

“You look fetching.” Rarity nuzzled her marefriend, the motion filling Applejack with a distinct bitterness. “Does she not, Applejack?”

“Ah guess…” Applejack set her eyes on the road and struggled not to sneer.

“Don’t mind her, Golden.” Rarity's tone went from fawning to lecturing. “She doesn’t have an eye for this kind of thing, as you can imagine. Speaking of which…”

Applejack glanced over to find Rarity eyeing her with an expression of pouty disapproval. “What?”

“You mean you’re going to an event as prestigious as Filthy’s auction and you didn’t even bother to dress up?” Rarity lifted a hoof to her head as if she were in distress. “Whatever am I going to do with you?”

“Ah don’t need no fancy-shmancy getup to sell a few things.” Applejack rolled her eyes. “Give me a break; at least Ah washed up before comin’.”

“I suppose that is an improvement,” her friend admitted with classy disdain. “Really, Applejack, you could have at least thrown on one of those dresses I made for you before. Don’t you still have your gala dress?”

Applejack peered at Golden, who returned the look with wide, uncertain eyes. “How the hay do ya put up with this all the time?”

Golden grinned and eyed Rarity in her gorgeous dress. “By reminding myself that it’s worth it.” Rarity giggled and gave her a peck on the cheek, prompting Golden to add, “So worth it.”

Applejack went red. She averted her eyes and ground her teeth; that could have been her cheek! How the buck had a mare like Carrot Top landed Rarity? How was she any more interesting than Applejack? Because she put up with the bucking outfits?

“Applejack?”

She glanced over to find herself sharing a confused look with Golden. They looked back in unison to find Rarity paused in the road and staring down a side street with a haughty expression.

Golden gave Applejack an apologetic look and turned back. “What’s wrong?”

Rarity glowered down the road in silence for a few seconds.

“Please tell me that’s not who I think it is.”

There was a moment’s pause, and a voice rose up from beyond the trees on the corner. “Oh… h-hello?”

Rarity sneered and turned her head away with a hmmph. “I didn’t expect to see your face in town anytime soon.”

“Trixie is still a free mare, she can come and go as she pleases.”

Applejack let out a long groan and pressed a hoof to her temple. Of all the ponies that might show up tonight…

“Trixie?” Golden paused at Rarity’s side. “What are you doing back in Ponyville?”

Trixie appeared around the corner, head held high and walking at a trot. “The Great and Powerful Trixie has come to grace your town’s silly little social event,” she declared. “You should be thanking Trixie for donating her time.”

“Or maybe we should be buckin’ ya outta Ponyville.” Applejack shook a hoof at the showmare, who for once wasn’t wearing her trademark hat and cape. “What are ya really doin’ here, Trixie?”

Trixie sniffed in a derogatory fashion and walked past Rarity and Golden with muzzle held high. “There’s no need to be rude.” She approached the cart-bound Applejack. “Trixie admits she has history here, but she did apologize for the incident with the amulet.”

“It’s gonna take a heck of a lot more than an apology ta get back in this town’s good graces,” Applejack declared, watching Trixie walk past with a glower.

“And what better way for Trixie to fix her reputation that to participate in an auction supporting the town?” Trixie threw a smirk over her shoulder her as she continued down the road. “It’s not good to hold a grudge, you know.”

Applejack snarled and stomped a hoof. “Yer one ta talk!”

Rarity was at her side, watching Trixie walk off with a bemused glower. “This night just became much more troublesome.”

“When did she get here?” Golden appeared next to Rarity, lips set in a concerned frown. “I didn’t even know she was in town. She usually tries to make a grand entrance.”

Applejack shared an ominous look with Rarity. “There’s nothin’ to it: we’ll just have to keep an eye on her. Ah think we can all agree that when Trixie’s come ta town, trouble’s not far behind.”

Rarity sighed and nodded with a pout. “And I was so looking forward to this evening…”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Golden nuzzled Rarity with a comforting smile. “Just because Trixie’s at the auction, it doesn’t mean our night’s ruined.”

A pretty smile graced Rarity’s lips as she returned the motion. “You’re right, of course. Who knows, perhaps she‘s changed.”

Applejack watched them nuzzle one another for a moment and jerked her face away with a grimace; this night couldn’t get much worse.

This night couldn’t get much worse.

Trixie glanced back to make sure she was alone before dropping her smile. She hadn’t expected any of Twilight’s friends to go to the auction. Now what was she going to do?

She sucked in a shaky breath and trudged on, head bowed and heart heavy. She hadn’t seen any of them since the incident with the Alicorn Amulet. She’d never wanted to go back to Ponyville, but with her financial situation…

Trixie used her magic to pull out the bronze anklet in her pouch, studying it with a grim frown. It was thin and tall, with a raised edge on the outer sides. Engraved lines covered it in some strange, foreign, decorative design that reminded her of the pictures of ancient Llama temples. This thing belonged in a Daring Do novel…

She hoped it was worth something, like her neighbor had suggested. If it wasn’t…

But it was her last hope.

She tucked the anklet back into her pack and moved on at a trot, struggling to regain that confident air she’d been holding. If she was going to make any money – and not look like a foal in front of the town’s citizens for a third time – then she needed to maintain the image.

Trixie just wished the auction wasn’t being held outside Ponyville…

She moved quickly. She didn’t want to bump into any more of her ‘acquaintances,’ so she tried to stick to the side paths through town. Why hadn’t she thought to go around? It would have been so much easier; no ponies throwing suspecting looks, no foals running to hide, no constant, nagging guilt.

No, that wasn’t true; the guilt would still be there.

Holding her head high took all the willpower she had.

The auction was being prepared under a white tent on the edge of town. Trixie spotted it instantly upon leaving the back alley. She was well away from it, but she could still see the large crowd within. The sight made her hesitate and linger at the edge of the buildings.

She could do this. She had to tell herself several times: she could do this. It wouldn’t be so bad; this was an elite function, and most of the auction-goers wouldn’t even be from Ponyville.

…right?

Trixie needed the bits. Just enough to let her last a while longer. Then she’d have a real job and this kind of humiliation would be behind her. Mind focused on this simple objective, she sucked down her anxiety and moved forward. She tried to maintain a brisk pace, if only to keep the wobble in her legs from being obvious.

Her injection of confidence failed get her into the tent. Trixie found herself pausing a few feet away, staring into a crowd of well-dressed, well-groomed, high-society ponies. She chewed her lip and scanned the scene. The upturned muzzles, the haughty atmosphere… this wasn’t her kind of crowd. Some ponies thought her anxiousness around elites to be hypocritical. She didn’t blame them; they simply didn’t know.

“Can I help you with something, miss?”

Trixie jumped at the voice at her side, turning abruptly to find a high-browed servant in a fancy suit eyeing her. She saw his posh frown and hesitated… but quickly came to her senses. The anklet rose from her bag and hovered between them.

“I… Trixie was hoping to sell.”

“Hmm…” He scrutinized the anklet. “And did Miss Trixie submit her intention to sell to Mr. Rich’s organizer?”

Trixie’s ears folded, the anklet sinking a little lower in the air. “Submit…?”

The servant’s frown intensified. “All sellers were required to submit a form regarding details on the item to be sold no later than a week before auction.”

“…oh.” Trixie’s head sank… but she raised it quickly and shot him an imploring look. “Maybe Trixie can submit late? She only heard about the auction a week ago, she didn’t have time.”

“I’m sorry, but that simply isn’t possible.” The servant turned away and marched for the tent. “Do feel free to sign up for bidding, should you be able to afford it.”

At his arrogant tone Trixie felt a fire burning inside her… but it died quickly. Had it been so obvious that she was broke?

Shoulders sagging, she eyed the anklet and wondered what she would do now. Back to the rock farm? Goddess, she prayed she’d never have to do that again. Yet if she didn’t find a job immediately…

She gazed at the auction-goers. Even if she couldn’t properly auction the anklet, surely one of them would be interested in buying? The thought made her fidget though; in her head it sounded almost like she would be begging for bits. That’s about what it amounted to, right?

She sat and thought on it for a long time. More than once she started to enter the tent… only to pause and drop back. She saw Twilight’s two friends arrive: the confident Rarity and her extremely anxious marefriend exchanging pleasantries, Applejack strolling right up to the auctioneer’s podium to deliver her goods.

Trixie really didn’t want to go in there now. Trying to sell the anklet – Goddess, she couldn’t stop thinking of it as begging! – would feel even more shameful now that they were here.

The exhaustive battle between pride and desperation hadn’t eased up when Trixie felt the tap on her shoulder. It was like a jolt of lightning, leading her to jump high with legs locked and the fur on her back going straight. She jerked about with a shout and backed away… to find herself facing a pair of elite-looking ponies.

How horribly embarrassing! Trixie hurried to relax her legs and strike a haughty pose. “Trixie does not appreciate being sneaked upon!”

The Earth pony grinned and waved his light brown hoof in a denying motion. “So sorry, Miss. I did not mean to startle you.” He reached up to brush his dark mane back, green eyes playful.

Trixie already didn’t like him – he reminded her of a snake – but at his side had to be one of the most beautiful unicorns Trixie had ever seen. She was tall, her light pink legs enviably long, and her pink mane immaculate. The mare was leaning adoringly on the well-dressed stallion with eager, violet eyes.

Trixie studied the two of them together and thought they were a rather mismatched pair.

“Please,” the stallion offered with a smile that struck Trixie as more deceptive than kind, “do not take offense, but you have caught my lady’s attention.”

“Oh?” Trixie blushed and turned her attention to the unicorn. By Luna’s sparkling mane, Trixie felt so… plain in comparison.

She sucked down her nervousness and forced a strong tone in her voice. “The Great and Powerful Trixie will indulge the interests of a fan.”

The mare giggled in a silly, mindless manner that just screamed ‘model moron’ to Trixie. “I was just wondering if you are auctioning off that darling anklet.”

Trixie was caught between her disgust at the mare’s bimbo-esq manner and the abrupt surge of hope rising within. “N-no, Trixie was unable to get it into the auction, but she is still looking to sell.”

“Oh, that’s perfect!” The mare turned to hang off the stallion and whisper into his ear. “Come on, Doctor. I know a pony, she can clean it up and it’ll look amazing on me. Let me look amazing… for you.” The last words came out in a longing purr.

The ‘doctor’ rolled his eyes with a good-natured smile. “What a stallion will do for beauty. So tell me, Miss Trixie, for how much were you planning to sell the trinket?”

Trixie beamed; this night was going to go her way after all.

Fleur listened to Trixie and Dr. Caballeron barter over the anklet, always sure to maintain an air of mindlessness. Even now, after years of working her skills, it amazed her what she could get away with. All she needed was to pretend to be stupid and smile and the stallions gave her whatever she wanted. Dr. Caballeron was a bit trickier than the usual playcolt, but her experience told her exactly what was needed: a certain fawning attention and just the right level of sultry suggestion.

She studied Trixie Lulamoon, wondering how this lowly street performer had managed to get her hooves on something as unique as the Ring of Mudarra. Discovering that she possessed it had been pure luck, and obtaining it had become a major priority the instant word got out. Getting it out of public circulation was considered essential, and this was the perfect opportunity for Fleur to prove herself to her boss.

“Trixie finds your offer far too low.” The showmare turned her muzzle up with a hmmph. “She demands at least ten times as much.”

Dr. Caballeron shot her a lecturing frown. “Correct me if I am wrong, but it is you who are in no position to debate. Do you really think anypony in there will be interested in buying that worthless piece of junk?”

Fleur put on her best pout. “It’s not junk! I’ll show you just what it’s worth…” She leaned over to nuzzle his neck even as she laughed from within.

Trixie must have caught his shiver, for she held the Ring in both hooves and smirked at him. “Trixie thinks your incentive has gone up. Ten times, no less.”

Dr. Caballeron shot Fleur a glower; she batted her eyes with a clueless smile.

“If you believe I am going to pay that much for a mere decoration, you are sorely mistaken.” Dr. Caballeron peered at Trixie, his eyes roaming her form. “You do not belong here, Miss Lulamoon. You are not wealthy and your no archeologist. You have no idea what that dumb band is really worth.”

It was all Fleur could manage not to laugh at the irony of his statement, but she noted Trixie’s hesitation.

Dr. Caballeron caught it, too. “You are out of your league, little filly. You strike me as a mare in desperate need of funds.”

Trixie’s ears drooped.

“What is it? Debts for gambling? Medical bills? …can’t find a job?”

Trixie shifted and averted her eyes.

The doctor’s grin turned wicked.

“I am offering to buy that trinket. I am an archeologist, and I can tell you that my offer is far more than what it is worth.” He pointed at the crowded tent. “Those ponies? They will not give you the time of day. It is trash to them. Take my offer and be a little better off, or refuse and wake up in the morning realizing you have made a very foalish mistake.”

How cold. Fleur was glad she already had plans for the known criminal. Trixie, on the other hoof, was beneath her attention. Fleur wished she would just give up the damn Ring and go about her wretched, lonely little life.

Trixie sat and clutched at the Ring, staring down at it with a despondent frown. She looked over her shoulder at the tent and bit her lip. “I… I mean…”

Fleur was growing impatient. She began to wonder if she shouldn’t pour a little more charm into the doctor to get him to raise his offer a touch.

At last, Trixie bowed her head with a despondent sigh. “I guess… I guess two months worth is better than nothing…”

“Smart girl.” Dr. Caballeron reached into his vest and pulled out a couple coin bags. “Do we have a deal?”

Fleur watched, barely able to contain her smirk. It was just too easy.

Trixie hesitated, her eyes shifting from the coin bags to the anklet. She licked her lips, averted her gaze… and offered the artifact. Her entire body sagged as Dr. Caballeron took it and set the bags into her waiting hooves. She stared at them with a despondent pout and moist eyes.

“Oh, thank you, doctor.” Fleur batted her eyes and struck a radiant pose, hoof stretched in Dr. Caballeron’s direction to receive the ‘gift.’

“No, thank you.”

She blinked as he promptly set the anklet in his vest, noting his smug smile. “But… I thought—”

“Oh, please.” He patted her cheek with a wicked grin. “Do you really think I would waste that kind of money on something as worthless as jewelry? You are just a dumb call-mare, what could you possibly know about the value of something as important as the Ring of Mudarra?”

Fleur’s jaw dropped at the name.

Trixie looked up at him with lost eyes. “W-what do you mean, ‘important?’”

Dr. Caballeron turned his smirk on her. “This artifact has been missing for centuries. I do not know how you came about it, but it is very fortunate for me that you did not manage to sell it at auction. Now that I have bought it for cheap, I can go to the black market and make a fortune.”

“What?” Trixie thrust her hoof out with a snarl. “Deal’s off, give it back!”

“Too late for that, Miss Lulamoon.” He walked past her and started for the tent. “A deal’s a deal. You should have been more aggressive.”

Trixie’s eyes flared, her horn began to glow…. but then it fizzled out. Her anxious eyes went to the tent, her cheeks going red. After a second she slumped, entire body shaking. “Curse you… Why did this have to happen here?”

Fleur shot the wretched pony a scowl before hurrying after the doctor. She threw on her prettiest smile as her mind scrambled to fix this ‘problem.’ “But doctor, please, can’t I wear it at least for tonight? I promise, when we’re done—”

His hoof rose to block her advance. He didn’t bother to look at her. “Sorry, dear, but I’ll have to leave town quickly and get this to my… ‘dealer.’ I just need to take something of lesser importance off the auctioneer’s desk and then I’m gone.”

Fleur paused, eyes going wide as she realized she was being cast aside. The doctor stopped just at the edge of the tent and offered a smirk. “Thank you for spotting the Ring, though; you’re mindless discovery has made my night! Here—“ he reached into his coat and threw a coin bag in her face, “—go buy yourself some useless bauble.”

Fleur watched him go, momentarily stunned at this blatant disrespect.

Then the anger came boiling up like a vicious beast. She glared into the crowd, shoulders shaking and lips trembling. How dare he treat her like some concubine! Even if her cover had been as a high-class escort, this was not an indignity she was prepared to tolerate.

Buck him. She’d planned to acquire the Ring of Mudarra through more legal, quiet means, but if this was how he wanted to play then she’d show him exactly who he was dealing with! She raised her head and cast a quick spell, whispering two simple words – “To me.” – then jerked about to face Trixie.

Trixie was leaning heavily over the two coin bags she’d been given, clearly fighting back tears. Fleur threw her own coin bag so that it struck Trixie’s cheek, and the showmare jerked into a proper sitting position.

Fleur moved to stand tall before the smaller pony. “You. I will pay you five times what he did to get that anklet back for me.”

Trixie’s eyes lost their anger and went wide. “What? But I thought—”

“Whatever you thought was wrong,” Fleur snarled. “I did not spend the past two months planning this purchase just to see that bastard walk away with my artifact.”

Trixie stepped back at Fleur’s aggression. “Two months? What are you—”

Fleur pressed her muzzle against Trixie’s. “I am offering you enough bits to pay almost a year’s worth of rent! Get me that artifact.”

Trixie pushed her away with alarmed eyes. “H-how do you know I’m… no.” She shook her head as if to clear it. “This is Ponyville! I can’t cause another ruckus here, I—”

Fleur rolled her head back with an impatient groan. “I don’t care what your miserable little situation is! Do you want to end up homeless on the streets?”

Trixie flinched. She shifted from hoof to hoof, eyes roaming the tent behind Fleur. “I… w-what assurance does Trixie have—”

“None.” Fleur leveled her with an ominous frown. “The question you should be asking is ‘What choice do I have?’”

Trixie stared at her with a lost expression, worry and sadness in her big eyes. She hesitated, chewed her lip, bowed her head…

She shoved past Fleur at a gallop. “Please don’t make me regret this.”

Oh, she’d regret it all right…

A servant stallion appeared at Fleur’s left. “I take it the deal went south?”

Fleur only grimaced in response.

A second stallion, one of the elites, appeared on her right. “New plan?”

“New plan.” Fleur turned away from the tent, jaw set and eyes hard. “I’ve arranged for a little distraction. Caballeron’s going to make for the train station. Slow him and Trixie down. I’ll intercept them in a suitably quiet location and we’ll take them both.”

“Got it.” The elite pony turned back for the tent.

The servant lingered, his frown harsh. “What are we to do with them once we have the Ring of Mudarra?”

A wicked smile grew on Fleur’s lips. “Caballeron is a wanted criminal. Trixie is about to attempt—” shouts arose from the tent, “—is attempting theft and possibly assault. They’re going to prison, anyway; take them to the Canterlot dungeons, where we can have our resident expert wipe their memories of our influence.”

The servant thought on this as he studied her, his face set in a solemn frown… but after a moment’s hesitation he finally nodded and left for the tent.

Fleur left the area, moving into a dark alley so that she wouldn’t be seen. She focused on her spell, which required only a second or two, then examined her hoof.

She couldn’t see it.

Satisfied the invisibility spell was working, she trotted swiftly through the Ponyville streets. She fumed as she walked, her mind going over the plan again and again. She still couldn’t believe that she’d missed this obvious flaw; she had arranged to be Caballeron’s escort because he was certain to attend the auction, but never imagined he’d actually recognize the Ring of Mudarra!

It was a foalish oversight. Her boss would be disappointed and that only fueled her anger even more.

And to be cast aside like that! Caballeron would pay for his disrespect. Daring Do had nothing on the fury of an Archon Lieutenant!

She used the magic link she’d formed with her two agents and tried to gauge their location and direction. They were moving fast… perhaps Trixie had Caballeron on the run. That or she’d managed to get the anklet and was herself fleeing.

One way or another, Fleur would be getting that artifact.

She set herself up in an alley, standing right in the center and peering at the opposite exit. She focused her magic a little, transmitting her location to her agents, and waited. She could sense them getting closer as they shadowed Trixie and/or Caballeron. All she needed was one good shot…

Problem.

Trixie pushed her way through the elite crowds, her mind frantic with questions. Could she really do this? What if it ended up being another disaster? Goddess, what would Twilight do to her if she found out?

No, she could do this. Just find Dr. Caballeron and demand he return the anklet. Surely he wouldn’t be so mean in front of so many ponies. Yes… yes, if she could confront him in the crowd then surely...

Trixie’s eyes roamed the crowd. Where had that bastard gone? He had to be nearby. She fought to ignore the scowls of the ponies she was pushing aside and prayed that dumb mare was good on her word. If she wasn’t…

By Luna’s starry mane, Trixie did not want to think about that.

There he was! Trixie pushed her way towards the main table, where Dr. Caballeron was debating with the auctioneer. She clamped her teeth tight to keep from shouting; the last thing she wanted was to draw a lot of attention to this.

She still had some pride left.

At last she was close enough; Trixie reached out and tapped the doctor’s shoulder. He tried to wave her off, not even bothering to see who was disturbing his conversation. Trixie growled and hit a second time with force.

That caught the doctor’s attention. He glanced over with a scowl and, upon realizing who his assailant was, smirked. “Oh, back again are we? I am not buying.”

Trixie leveled him with a firm frown. “Give it back.”

“No.” He rolled his eyes and turned back to the table.

Despite her position, Trixie’s body tensed and her eyes flashed. She reached forward and pushed, knocking him against the table.

Dr. Caballeron brushed his nice vest off and shot her an expression of blatant disgust. “Be careful, little pony. You know not with what you are playing.”

Trixie’s hoof pressed beneath his chin as she snarled. “Trixie has very few options left. Somepony has offered a better deal. Give. Me. The anklet.”

He slapped her hoof away with a scowl. “Or you’ll what? Attack me here in front of all these ponies?”

A small hiss passed through Trixie’s teeth as she hesitated. Her eyes darted about at the crowd.

Did she dare?

“I did not think so.” Dr. Caballeron huffed a small laugh and turned away. “Go home, Miss Lulamoon. If you even have one.”

Trixie’s heart hit her throat. For a moment she could only stand there, stunned into numbness at his cruel words.

Then the fire came back at full force. She glared at the back of his head, a distinct pounding in her ears. She found herself filled with loathing and an intense desire to pound some basic pony decency into his smug, smartaleck face!

Buck the crowd, and buck Ponyville: she pulled her leg back and delivered a hit against the back of his skull so hard his head dropped down to smack chin-first on the table with a loud crack.

The doctor turned about in an instant, teeth bared, but his eyes went wide at the sight of her glowing horn.

Trixie fired a beam, but her aim was off and he managed to duck his head just in time. Dr. Caballeron dove sideways as a second and third shot quickly followed. The fourth beam almost flew true, but the doctor managed to grab an old mirror and use it to send the laser flying up through the tent ceiling.

“For the love of Luna, what is wrong with you?”

Trixie reared back, making up a new spell as she did.

“Give it back!”

A large magenta orb flew from her horn, and Dr. Caballeron dove into the crowd to dodge it. It flew right past where he’d been…

...and hit an unprepared Rarity in the chest.

Rarity let out a pained cry as the force of the blast ripped her dress and knocked her off her hooves. Her marefriend, who had been standing right beside her, let out a shout and went to cradle her.

A mare shrieked.

Ponies began to mumble amongst themselves.

Alarmed, fearful gazes were being cast about.

Trixie stared, jaw loose and heart pounding.

Oh, Goddess… she’d done it again.

“Trixie!”

Applejack was between Trixie and Rarity, body dropped low in an aggressive pose and her green eyes menacing. “Ah knew you were nothin’ but trouble. How dare you come in here an—”

Trixie spotted Dr. Caballeron just over Applejack’s shoulder, pushing his way towards the exit. She shifted, caught in a whirlwind of guilt, worry and desperation. Her hooves shook, her eyes darted from Applejack to Rarity to the doctor.

She didn’t mean to hurt Rarity… she should explain…

But Dr. Caballeron was getting away. If she couldn’t stop him…

Why was she such a bucking screw up?

“I’m sorry!” Trixie ran, the crowd all but leaping out of her way as she chased after the doctor. “I promise, I’ll make up for this!”

“Where do ya think yer goin’?” Applejack moved to intercept, but wasn’t fast enough. “Get back here!”

Trixie ignored the pony even as she cursed herself. How could everything fall apart so quickly?

“Hey!” Rarity’s marefriend jumped in the way. “You’re not going anywhere until—” Trixie jumped sideways and ran right past. “—Hey! Stop, you bucker!”

“Don’t let her get away! She’s gonna get it this time.”

Trixie’s heart twisted; if only she had time to fix her mistake! Their words hurt more than they could imagine, but she had to get that anklet back.

So she galloped after the retreating Dr. Caballeron and prayed that blasted mare wasn’t going to cheat her.

Problem.

The word hit Fleur’s mind like a hammer, indicative of the inexperience of the agent who’d sent it. She shook her head with a scowl and whispered, “What problem?”

More ponies. This one came from the other agent, whose words had a more gentle touch.

Fleur ground her teeth with a snarl. “How many?”

The other agent’s words came back: Plus two.

That wasn’t so bad, Fleur had been fearing a mob of some sort. She could handle this.

“Proceed.”

Understood. She winced at the force of the word and cursed under her breath.

Sorry. The word was softer, but strained.

Fleur snorted her frustration and kept her mouth firmly closed this time.

She lingered in the alley for several long minutes before the voices began to reach her ears. Shouting and cries… yes, they were coming. She braced herself, eyes set once more on the opposite side. Who would it be? Caballeron? Trixie? What of these strangers? How would she deal with them once it was over? She couldn’t have them all sent to the dungeons…

The first pony rounded the corner. It was Caballeron, looking over his shoulder with a sneer. He was soon followed by Trixie, who came barreling after him with a face of such menace even Fleur was given pause.

Fleur released her spell and the invisibility cloak faded. She stood tall in the center of the alley, an ominous scowl on her lips, and when Caballeron looked to her he came to a sliding halt. “What are you doing here?”

Fleur aimed her horn, eyes focused and unyielding. “Give. Me. The Ring.”

Caballeron grimaced and started for her, clearly intent on calling her bluff.

Too bad for him she wasn’t bluffing.

Just as he was about to pass, Fleur turned sideways and delivered a one-legged kick that knocked him into the wall. She fired a small laser that made a black line in the stones, and he jumped back with a startled cry just in time to be tackled by Trixie.

Fleur stepped back as the two wrestled, Trixie snarling and Caballeron struggling to get her off his back. Trixie really was a desperate pony, wasn’t she? Good, she’d fight harder.

“There they are!”

Fleur looked up to find two Earth ponies running into the alley. She recognized one as the Bearer of the Element of Honesty, but the other was a stranger. Fleur made no attempt to interfere as the two jumped atop the fighting ponies and began to pull them apart.

The stranger worked to hold Caballeron and keep him from bolting. “That’s enough, you two!”

“Whoa there, girl.” Applejack easily held back Trixie. “You’ve got some explainin’ ta do, and an apology for what ya did ta my friend!”

“That was an accident!” Trixie clawed at Applejacks hooves, her violet eyes nothing short of vicious. “He’s the villain, you should be attacking him! I just want the anklet back!”

Caballeron had paused in his struggling to catch his breath, though he leveled Trixie with a grim frown. “Why are all the mares in this town crazy?”

The situation seemed to be contained, so Fleur moved a little closer. She leveled Caballeron with her most ominous sneer. “The Ring, Caballeron, and maybe we’ll go easy on you.”

He shot her a smirk. “You seem awfully capable for a mere call-mare. Who do you work for?”

“Ah don’t care who any of ya work fer, an’ Ah don’ care about no buckin’ anklet!” Applejack repositioned to offer a stronger grip on the ever-resistant Trixie.

“Your little brawl hurt my mare-friend,” the stranger added, not loosening her hold on Caballeron one iota. “You’re lucky I don’t—hey!”

Caballeron reared back and delivered a single rapid strike with an elbow, cracking the stranger in the side of the head. He slipped out of her grasp in an instant and was safely out of her reach. Fleur snarled and focused, a massive brick wall rising up in the alley between him and his exit. “You won’t be getting away, Caballeron!”

Trixie let out a frustrated shout. “Give me that anklet!”

Caballeron turned to the mares, a smug smile on his face as he eyed Fleur. “You think you are so clever, but I am no stranger to being chased. I know illusion magic when I see it. You want the ring?” He reached into his vest even as he backstepped through the image Fleur had created. “You can have it!”

Fleur’s eyes went wide in understanding. “Stop him!”

“You’re not going anywhere!” The other mare started running at the same time as Fleur.

The anklet appeared through the wall, thrown violently at an angle. Fleur tried to focus her magic, but she wasn’t anywhere near quick enough; the artifact hit the ground.

There was an explosive flash of white light. Fleur felt her body go flying through the air. Her stomach gave a sickening twist and for an instant she felt as if she were floating…

Then she hit the ground on her belly. Her ears were ringing and her vision was blurred. She tried to move and couldn’t. Something felt… wrong, like she didn’t fit in her own skin.

What in the name of Luna had that foal done?

She was lifted roughly by her shoulders. She could feel herself being dragged off. Fleur shook her head, tried to focus her mind…

At last the world became clear. “W-what?” She looked up to find her agents dragging her backwards from the alley. “What are you doing? I’m fine!” The stallions completely ignored her. Caught off guard by this blatant disrespect, Fleur started to struggle...

...then her eyes locked on her legs.

They were short.

And blue.

Her head snapped forward to see where the other ponies had fallen. Applejack lay on her side near the wall, the other mare on her belly nearby.

Fleur’s eyes went wide; there, crumbled in a heap in the middle of the alley, was her own body.

The bastard had activated the Ring! “Wait… stop!” She began to struggle, and when she did she was surprised to find that she could almost match her two agents. “Let me go, you foals! Don’t you know what just happened?”

“She’s a lot stronger than she looks,” the servant snarled as they fought to hold her.

“Dammit.” The elite pony grasped her around the midsection. “We’ll never be able to catch Caballeron too, not at this rate.”

“Release me, get the anklet!” Fleur let out a frustrated cry and began to focus her magic. If they wouldn’t listen…

“What is she on about?”

“Shut up and help me!”

The spell surged through Fleur’s horn. The sheer force of it caught her entirely off guard, and she released the laser entirely on accident.

It hit the ground and exploded with such phenomenal force that Fleur was once again sent flying, her mind rendered numb by the shock of the power she’d somehow managed to unleash.

She saw the wall just before impact.

The world went dark.

Author's Note

When I saw that the Transformations group was putting on a contest focused on body swapping, I initially had zero interest. My preference is to target concepts that are unusual and not commonly written about, and body swapping can hardly be referred to as 'original.' But the more I thought on it, the more I felt intrigued. Given my tendency to write about uncommon characters, I realized that I might be able to put a fresh face to the genre.

Thus did I create Ordinary World, a story using a common concept with characters I'm pretty sure most writers wouldn't consider swapping.

A common thing for these kinds of stories is to make them comedy fests and full of ridiculousness. Because I abhor the common (and have zero faith in my ability to write comedy :twilightblush: ), I avoided that track as a general rule. What follows is what I like to think of as a more realistic interpretation of how this kind of situation would turn out. I hope it impresses and puts a little life into an old trope.

Let this opening chapter stand as a testament to my willingness to compromise. One of my editors became very insistent that I make some big and very unwelcome changes to this chapter, and I was extremely antagonistic towards the idea. But he laid out his arguments well and, with no small amount of displeasure, I decided to enact the changes. It meant butchering a lot of my intentions for the story, but in the end I have to acknowledge that the first chapter does read better. So for those editors out there who think I'm stingy about changes (and I am), talk to this guy. He's witness to my ability to accept changes for the betterment of a story, even when I highly resent them initially.

Evening

“Ya mean ya actually enjoyed all those chores?” Applejack raised a skeptical eyebrow Trixie’s way. “Ah never took ya fer a farmin’ pony.”

“I’m not,” Trixie admitted with a shrug. “To be honest, when I worked on a rock farm I hated it. But Sweet Apple Acres? It’s not so bad. I kind of like it."

They were passing through Ponyville, Applejack taking the lead. Trixie had been very nervous about this at first, but soon she came to realize that she had nothing to be nervous about. As far as the citizens knew, she was Applejack, and they all seemed very pleased to see her. The public acceptance she now enjoyed was a huge difference from how she’s been perceived last night, and it was most welcome.

Trixie was going to miss this body.

Applejack continued, “So Apple Bloom an’ the others didn’t notice anythin’ off about ya? Ya don’ sound a lick like me.

Trixie blushed. “They caught on to that, but I was able to convince them it had something to do with the auction.” She paused to think on her pronunciation. “Ah did try it out, though.”

Applejack covered her lips with a hoof and snorted. “Yeah, that was terrible.”

Trixie’s cheeks warmed even more. “It… got me through the day. Back on topic, I think I was able to do all your chores because I was in this body. It’s really well built for such things.”

“Why thank ya.” Applejack strutted for a few steps. “Ah happen ta be rather proud of my body! Which is why Ah want it back lickety-split.”

Trixie’s ears lowered as her eyes roamed the town. “But can we even do that without my body? I really think we need to find it first.”

“Maybe, maybe not.” Applejack shrugged. “Ah’m sure Twilight can tell us.”

Trixie’s legs locked and her eyes went wide. She stared at her companion for several seconds before Applejack noticed she was alone.

Applejack turned back and tilted her head. “Somethin’ wrong, sugarcube?”

Trixie’s lips trembled and her heart hammered in her chest. “You… you’re taking me to Twilight?”

“Well, yeah.” Applejack’s head cocked a little further. “Magic problems call for magic experts, don’t ya think?”

Eyes widening, Trixie took a step back and shook her head slowly. “N-no… I can’t. I don’t want to see her.”

Applejack leaned back a little with a frown. “Why?”

“Because I’m responsible for this!” Trixie took another shaky step back. “I… I can’t face her, not like this. I’ve already caused her so much trouble, I can’t do it again.”

“Ya act like she’s gonna eat ya or somethin’.” Applejack approached at a trot. “Come on, Trixie, we just need her ta—”

“No!” Trixie’s instincts told her to flee… so that’s exactly what she did.

Or would have if Applejack hadn’t caught her by the tail before she could properly bolt. Trixie fell to her belly and tried to crawl away, tears welling in her eyes. “Applejack, please! Don’t make me do this!”

“Cmm onn,” Applejack said through the tail hair in her mouth.

“I don’t want to!” Trixie covered her head in her hooves as she was dragged backwards. “Please, I don’t want to offend her again. There has to be some other way! Please, anypony but Twilight.”

Applejack spit the tail from her mouth. “Gosh darn it, girl, would ya calm down? Yer drawin’ attention.”

Trixie raised her head to find that ponies on the street were staring at her. The world had noticed her again.

The world always noticed.

Cheeks burning, Trixie promptly dove for the nearest alleyway. She set herself in a shadowy corner and trembled, her cheeks moist.

Applejack caught up to her pretty quickly, but she made no attempt to drag Trixie any further. Instead she sat before Trixie and studied her, ears low and eyes sympathetic. “Yer really that afraid of her?”

Trixie shook her head. “It’s not that I’m afraid of her. It’s… just once I’d like to see her when I’m not making a complete foal out of myself.”

She raised her shaking hooves, noting their unfamiliar color. “She’s… she’s going to pity me. I’m a wreck in so many ways! I want to be a pony she can respect. This isn’t it, Applejack. This isn’t it.”

Applejack shifted, her head bowed. “Ya’ve got lots of respectable points.”

Trixie scowled at her. “Name one.”

“Umm…” Applejack averted her eyes, her lips coming up in a weak smile. “Ya got… uh…”

“‘Uh-uh-uh’ is right.” Trixie covered her face in her hooves. “I’ve got nothing. No bits, no job, no respect. I’ve been trying so hard to turn my life around, but the whole of Equestria seems to be against me. I came here to sell something at the auction just so I could pay my rent tomorrow and not end up homeless, and look where it got me? Us. Where it got us.”

Trixie leaned back against the wall with a long sigh, her eyes gazing up to the clouds. “Nothing ever goes my way, not a bucking thing. Every plan, every idea, every hope I’ve had in the past year has been crushed. I’m pathetic. I can’t let Twilight see me like this… I just can’t.”

Silence filled the air. Trixie wondered what her companion was thinking. She was probably filled with pity. Or loathing, that would be appropriate.

“Yer… yer really gonna be thrown out on the streets tomorrow?”

Trixie sniffed and turned away, pressing her forehead against the cool wall. “If I don’t end up in jail after how I accidentally hit Rarity last night.”

“Yer not gonna go ta jail fer that.”

“Am I not?” Trixie turned to Applejack and counted by tapping her hooves together. “First I accidentally got two colts to bring an Ursa Minor to town, causing hundreds of thousands in property damage. Then I insulted Twilight and exiled her from Ponyville, and sealed the place in a force field that put the local economy in a state of freefall. Now I’ve somehow caused us to swap bodies – which knowing my luck was probably caused by some forbidden magic. All of that on top of assaulting the Bearer of Generosity! I’ll be lucky if I ever see daylight again.”

Applejack caught Trixie’s hoof in both of hers. She looked into Trixie’s eyes with a smile that was surprisingly warm. “Ya just spent the whole day with my family doin’ a hard day’s work. They’ll vouch fer ya… an' so will I. Yer not gonna go ta prison fer anythin’, Trixie.”

Trixie gazed into those green eyes as she processed what she was hearing. “You… you’d do that?”

Applejack nodded. “An’ Ah’ll talk ta Rarity. Once she knows it was an accident, she’ll forgive ya, it’s a promise.”

A weak smile crept its way onto Trixie’s face. “You… you really are the nicest pony alive.”

Her companion rubbed the back of her head with a blush. “Well, Ah’m no Fluttershy, but Ah try.”

She turned and gestured for Trixie to follow. “Now come on, let’s see if we can’t find that body of yers.”

Trixie blinked. “My body? I thought we were going to Twilight's?”

Applejack shook her head with a friendly smile. “Ya don’t wanna see her, right? We’ll see if we can‘t figure this out on our own.”

Trixie gaped… then smiled.

“Yeah… Yeah, we’ll do it together.”

They were halfway across Ponyville when they spotted the chariot. It glistened in the twilight, catching their attention. Applejack recognized it almost immediately as belonging to Princess Luna. That alone was enough to warrant extra attention, but what really made her stop and stare was when the chariot began to circle the town in gradually shrinking circles.

Trixie – Applejack was still very uncomfortable with using that name to reference her own body – saw where she was looking and came to a pause. “What’s the princess doing in Ponyville?”

“Searchin’ fer somethin’ would be my guess.” Applejack peered at the chariot. It was easy to follow, even as it disappeared behind buildings in the distance. “Normally Ah’d guess she’s lookin’ fer Twilight, but if she was doin’ that she’d just head ta the library.”

Trixie turned away. “It probably doesn’t concern us. No disrespect to Princess Luna, but I think finding my body and fixing this problem trumps her visit.”

“Ah hear ya.” Applejack followed, though she couldn’t help keeping an eye on the chariot.

Which was why she was first to notice when it abruptly turned and dove right for them. She tapped Trixie’s rump and nodded towards the approaching vehicle. “Ah think she found what she’s lookin’ for.”

They shared anxious looks, then sat to wait. Sure enough, the chariot landed right in the middle of the street, lead by four dark pegasi. But the pony who stepped out wasn’t Luna. Applejack didn’t recognize her at all. The tall, pink unicorn said a few words to the pegasus team, who immediately lifted off and began making their way back to Canterlot.

That was when Applejack noticed that Trixie was barreling towards the unicorn. “What the—”

“You!” Trixie slid to a stop before the unicorn just as she turned to face them. “You’re the one who made me chase after that bastard. You owe Trixie a lot for this, and you better pay up before I—”

Applejack caught her by – well, her own tail – and pulled her back with a jerk. “Whoa, there, sugarcube! No need ta go pickin’ fights in my body. That won’t end well.”

The unicorn raised her hooves high, eyes wide. “Please, I’m not who you think I am! I… wait, who’s who?”

Applejack blinked, cocked her head… and realized. “You got caught in the spell, too?”

The unicorn’s eyes lit up. “Applejack?”

Applejack blushed and rubbed the back of her head. “Accent gave me away, huh?”

Trixie looked between them a couple times, then pounded her hooves together. “Oh, I get it!” She turned to the unicorn. “So you’re not the pony I met last night?”

The unicorn shook her head and pointed at Applejack. “I’m Golden Harvest.”

“Carrot Top!” Applejack let out a whoop and embraced the much taller pony. “Am Ah glad ta see you.”

“Err… thanks.” Golden pushed her back. “I’m sorry, but we don’t have time. If we don’t fix this in another hour or two we won’t be able to go back!”

“What?” Applejack and Trixie blurted in unison.

Golden nodded, her eyes frantic. “Do either of you know anything about an anklet? One that got broken?”

Trixie let out a gasp. “Yes, the Ring of Something-or-Other. You – I mean, the pony whose body you’re in – wanted it. She offered to pay me big time if I could get it back from Caballeron!”

Applejack eyed her. “Is that why ya were chasin’ him?”

Trixie nodded. “He tricked me into selling it dirt cheap, but she—” Trixie pointed an orange hoof at Golden, “—said she’d pay me five times as much if I could get it back for her. That’s when this whole mess began.”

“Trot and talk, ponies!” Golden gestured with her pale head down the road. “We don’t have much time. We’ve got to find all the pieces and reunite them in order to fix this.”

She started to run. Applejack and Trixie had no other option but to follow.

“Hey!” Applejack struggled to catch up on her shorter legs. “Slow down, would ya? Ah got ta talk ta ya!”

Golden obeyed, taking a moment to lift a hoof and study it from several angles. “Strong and fast. And here I thought supermodels were all feeble fillies.” She resumed her run once the others had caught up.

Applejack eyed her. “Look, Ah trust ya an’ all, but how’d ya figure out how ta fix this?”

“Fine Crime told me.”

Applejack tripped and almost fell on her face. “Fine Crime? That’s gotta be one of the most dishonest ponies in Equestria! You trust what he says?”

“We don’t have a choice,” Trixie countered. “If he’s right and we don’t listen, we’ll be stuck like this forever.”

Horseapples, that was a good point. Applejack grimaced and increased her speed, glad to find that Golden’s body was more than capable of going for a while without tiring. She just couldn’t believe they were going on the word of a pony renowned as a habitual liar.

Trixie was easily able to keep up in Applejack’s conditioned body. “What about me? We still haven’t found my body yet.”

Golden glanced back, her breath coming in small gasps. “You haven’t? I think we need all four of us to be there!”

“Maybe Trixie’s body will be there already. If…” Applejack observed Golden’s slender form. “Who are ya supposed ta be?”

“Fleur de Lis.”

“If this Fleur pony was after the anklet, maybe she’s already there lookin’ fer the pieces.”

“I hope so.” Trixie’s words were barely audible over their pounding hooves. “I really do…”

At last they reached the alley where last night’s chase had concluded. Trixie let out a long groan; her body was nowhere to be found.

Applejack set a hoof to her shoulder. “We’ll find it, Trixie. Don’t you worry none.”

Golden stepped into the alley, her head swiveling about. “Okay, the pieces have to be around here somewhere.”

They began their search, the three ponies spreading out and scouring the grass. Applejack kept her head high and walked slowly, eyes shifting back and forth in a steady rhythm over the grass. She hoped the thing would be obvious.

Her eye kept roaming to Golden. She had a lot of questions for the mare, such as what she’d been doing all the way in Canterlot and – perhaps more alarming – how she’d managed to get her hooves on one of Princess Luna’s royal chariots. More important than questions, however, was the desire to speak up.

Now that the possibility of her being stuck in Golden’s body was very real, Applejack couldn’t help feeling shame. It was like all the rotten thoughts she’d had back at Golden’s place might be about to come true. Goddess, she couldn’t let that happen! Yet even as she redoubled her search efforts… that guilt nagged at her.

She could hold it in no more. “Carrot?”

“Did you find something?”

“No…” Applejack glanced at Trixie, who was well away from them.

Chewing her lip and dreading what might come of it, Applejack spoke. “Ah… Ah owe ya an apology.”

“An apology?” Golden paused in her search to cast a questioning look Applejack’s way. “For what?”

Applejack blushed and averted her gaze. “Ah sorta went ta yer place an' did some snoopin’.”

Golden shrugged and went back to work. “I don’t mind. I’ve got nothing to hide, and you were in my body. Go there hoping to find me, did ya?”

There was no way Applejack could keep searching; her mind was too preoccupied. Sighing, she turned to Golden and sat with head bowed. “Yeah, that was my excuse. Ta be honest… Ah was real mad at ya.”

Once again Golden paused, and this time when she looked at Applejack her eyes were wide. “Mad? Did I do something wrong?”

“Yeah.” Applejack gestured to her. “Yer datin’ Rarity.”

"But what does that have to do with..." Golden leaned forward to peer at her studiously. After a few seconds her eyes widened a second time and she pointed. “You… you were jealous?”

Applejack’s cheeks burned. “Ah still am. Ah was madder than a bunch of hornets. Ah even thought about keepin’ yer body, just so Ah could be with her fer a while.”

Golden fell to her haunches and her jaw dropped. “Y-you… AJ, I didn’t even know you could be jealous!”

“Well Ah was!” She turned her face away with a pout. “Am… Ah am.”

Golden stared at her for several seconds, tapping her chin as she considered the situation. “What changed your mind?”

Applejack glanced at her and fidgeted. “Ah found the dress.”

Now it was Golden who averted her gaze, pale cheeks turning a deep crimson. “Oh…”

“It kinda jarred me,” Applejack confessed, turning to her – rival? – with a weak smile. “Ah suddenly saw how important Rarity is to ya. Once Ah understood that… well, it just made me feel awful that Ah was schemin’ ta take her away. So Ah’m sorry… Golden.”

Golden blinked and considered Applejack with curious eyes.

Then she smiled. “Apology accepted.”

They shared smiles for a moment. Applejack felt as if a terrible weight had been lifted off her shoulders; suddenly she didn’t mind so much that she’d lost her chance at Rarity to this pony.

“Oh,” Golden pointed at her, “and you can keep calling me Carrot if you want. I don’t mind it anymore.”

Applejack chuckled and rubbed the back of her head. “Nah, now Ah feel bad that Ah used it fer so long.”

“I hate to break up this touching heart-to-heart,” Trixie called, “but we still have an artifact to find.”

Applejack and Golden jerked back into their searching, sharing a blushing grin as they did.

They’d been scouring the alley for a long time, but still they couldn’t find any pieces of the anklet. Golden was beginning to fret; they couldn’t have much time left, and they still needed to find Trixie’s body. They expanded their search to include the streets on either side of the alley, but as the light of dusk faded they still found nothing.

Yet Golden’s worry was nothing compared to Trixie’s. More than once they had to encourage the pony.

“I can’t calm down,” Trixie whispered as Applejack patted her on the back – an odd sight for Golden considering it was her body doing it. “Everypony’s going to blame me for this. I’ll be stuck as you forever. And my horn… I want my horn back!”

Trixie felt at her the hornless forehead of Applejack’s body, tears swelling in her eyes. “I don’t want to go the rest of my life without a horn…”

“Don’t ya worry none, Trix,” Applejack reassured her with a weak smile. “We’ll fix this. Trust me.”

“But what if we don’t?” Trixie’s eyes roamed the street slowly. “Fleur might be in a dungeon right now because of this screw up. Worse, if we get stuck like this Twilight will find out in no time and then… Goddess, Applejack, I’d be humiliated. Again.”

She jerked away from Applejack’s comforting presence and resumed her search with fervor. “We’ve got to find it, we just have to!”

“We’ll find it,” Golden said, though she kept her face turned away to hide her frown. “This is the correct alley, isn’t it? We didn’t get confused in the chase?”

“Naw, this is the one alright.” Applejack went back to her exploration, though she kept casting fretful glances Trixie’s way. “Everythin’s right, the buildin’ an' the street names. They’ve gotta be around here somewhere.”

Trixie’s head rose with a jerk. “Oh no, what if Caballeron took them?”

Golden and Applejack exchanged wide-eyed looks. Golden asked, “Do you think that’s possible?”

“Ah dunno.” Applejack considered the idea, her pupils shrinking. “Ah thought he’d just run away. He might have come back fer the pieces, though…”

“If that were the case, he’d be long gone.”

The ponies all spun about in unison, just in time to see a familiar figure emerge from the shadows behind one of the buildings.

It was Trixie’s body.

“Thank Luna!” Trixie bounded to her, eyes alight and a big smile on her face. “You’re here! I almost lost hope.”

Golden pointed to her. “Fleur de Lis?”

Fleur nodded, her expression stern. “Hello, Golden. I hope you’ve been taking good care of me?”

A weak chuckle escaped Golden’s lips as she blushed. “I’m trying. I, uh, might have screwed up a photo shoot, though.”

“Ah think we’ve got more important things ta deal with, ladies.” Applejack turned to Fleur. “Tell me ya know what ta do.”

“I know how to put us back in our bodies,” Fleur replied. “If we find the four pieces of the anklet, it should be very easy.”

Trixie threw up her hooves. “But we can’t find them!”

Golden nodded emphatically. “That guy – Dr. Crabslawn or whatever – may have taken them.”

Fleur raised a hoof. “Dr. Caballeron is still in Ponyville. He wouldn’t have remained here if he already had the pieces.”

“An’ how do ya know he’s still here?” Applejack asked with a raised eyebrow.

“He might have some of the pieces,” Golden ventured.

“I believe he does,” Fleur admitted.

“Then what are we waiting for?” Trixie reared back with a sneer. “Let’s find that jerk and get those pieces before it’s too late!”

Fleur looked at each of them in turn with a concerned frown. “You mean none of you have a piece?”

The three ponies exchanged questioning looks.

“Oh!” Applejack raised a hoof to catch their attention before turning to dig in one of Golden’s packs. “I found this earlier today, but didn’t know what it was.” She pulled out a broken, circular bronze object and raised it up for them to see. “Is this one of ‘em?”

“Yes!” Trixie snatched it from her hooves with a gleeful cry and studied the piece from several angles. “You mean you had this with you all along and didn’t bother to say anything?”

Applejack blushed and rubbed the back of her head. “Ah didn’t know what they looked like.”

Golden tilted her head as she observed the piece. “What was it doing in my saddlebags?”

“Somepony put it there, of course.”

The mares all exchanged wide-eyed looks before turning as one to the new voice. Dr. Caballeron stood in the alley, having just stepped out of a doorway. He eyed them all with a smirk. “Hello, ladies. Did you miss me?”

Fleur facehooved. "Such a copycat..."

“You!” Trixie jumped forward to take on an aggressive stance. “What did you do with the pieces? I want my body back!”

Golden stepped up beside her, expression fierce, and was soon joined by Fleur and Applejack.

“Oh my.” Dr. Caballeron set a hoof to his cheek with an expression of mock alarm. “A united front! Whatever will I do?”

Fleur’s blue horn shined so bright the others had to cover their eyes for a moment. “This body has more power than your feeble mind can imagine—”

Trixie raised an eyebrow her direction. “It does?”

“—and I am not afraid to abuse that power to turn you to ash! You will give us what pieces you have found and walk away.”

Dr. Caballeron huffed a small laugh. “Will you? I have hidden the pieces somewhere none of you will ever think to look. Kill me and you will never get them back.”

A blue beam cut a deep trench right beneath his hooves, making him back off with wide eyes.

“Test me,” Fleur hissed. “If you dare.”

Golden, feeling encouraged by Fleur unwavering confidence, took a daring step forward. “You won’t get out of this one. Play nice before we play mean.”

Dr. Caballeron raised his hooves high. “Okay, okay!” He lowered them, stepped forward… and smiled. “But you might change your mind after this.” He reached into the nearby doorway and pulled; a pony fell out and onto the grass.

Golden’s heart stopped as she gazed upon the familiar slumbering form.

“Rarity!” She and Applejack cried the name at the same time.

“What did you do to her?” Trixie snarled.

Golden started to approach, but came to an abrupt pause as the doctor dropped low and pulled out a knife, which he hovered over Rarity’s exposed throat. “Let her go, you bastard!”

“Do not fret so much.” Dr. Caballeron patted the sleeping pony’s shoulder with a smug smile. “I merely used some chloroform. Give her another hour or two and she will be right as rain… if you play by my rules.”

“But why her?” Applejack cried. “She’s got nothin’ ta do with this!”

“Actually she does.” Dr. Caballeron pointed at the piece still in Applejack’s hooves. “When I came back to get the missing pieces, this young lady was already here. I waited until she left, but I could only find three pieces. Clearly she must have found and taken it.”

He petted Rarity’s mane as he went on, “I thought perhaps she had kept it, so I waited until she was alone and… well, she was easy to sneak up on. So busy she did not even notice me.” His smile faded to a grimace. “I turned that boutique inside out trying to find the last piece. In the end I had to assume she had given it to one of you.”

“So you came back here and waited for us,” Fleur concluded for him, her horn not dimming in the slightest. Her eyes shined with her anger. “You knew we would come back searching for the pieces!”

He gave her a crooked grin. “Not bad… for a mare. Now, be good fillies and give me the last piece.”

“Not a chance!” Applejack brought the piece close to her chest. “Let her go, first!”

“You are in no position to bargain, young filly.” Dr. Caballeron brought the knife just a little closer to Rarity’s throat, his smile fading quickly. “You will give me the last piece, and then you will remain right here while I take it and this mare far away, where I know I shall be safe.” He pointed to Fleur. “You might want to dim that thing before I decide to act first.”

Fleur grimaced… but let the glow of her horn fade. “We can’t just give it to you. Let us have the pieces. We’ll use them to return to our regular bodies, then give it back to you. It’s worth more to you whole, anyway.”

“And give you an extra edge in the negotiations?” Dr. Caballeron shook his head. “I think not. Besides, by the time I get them it will be too late. I waited this long to show myself for a reason.”

“You bastard!” Trixie pawed at the grass with a snort. “Don’t think you can just walk away from us!”

“Ah’m not givin’ you anythin’ until ya let her go!” Applejack took a step back, her jaw set. “Yer not leavin’ Ponyville with her, ya got me?”

“You’re lying,” Fleur added. “All you ever do is deceive! You will give us the other pieces. I am not going to spend the rest of my life in this body.”

Golden’s heart pattered in her chest. She looked to her companions, then to the sleeping Rarity.

She looked down at her own pale hooves. She didn’t want to be stuck like this forever, either, but could she bargain that against Rarity’s life? Rarity had brightened her existence, had helped her realize a foalhood dream, had showered her with so much affection! She was even planning that trip to Prance. Golden didn’t know what she’d done to deserve the attention of a pony so perfect… but she wouldn’t sacrifice it for anything.

Not even her body.

“Hey!” Applejack blinked as the piece suddenly flew from her hooves to hover before Golden’s face.

For a split second Golden could only stare at the glowing piece – it was the first time she’d actually been able to use Fleur’s horn – but shook off her surprise and stepped back from the others.

“I don’t care if I’m stuck in this body, I will not risk Rarity’s life!”

“Whoa, wait!” Applejack raised her hooves in a calming gesture. “Golden, think about what yer doin’. Ya’ve got no idea if he’ll even keep his word!”

“He won’t,” Fleur insisted. “His word is worth dirt.”

Golden took another step back from them, her eyes locked with Dr. Caballeron’s. “I will give you the piece if you promise to let her go.”

“What?” Trixie started to approach but was pulled to a stop by Applejack. “Who gave you the right to bargain Trixie’s body?”

“I already told you the deal,” Dr. Caballeron replied, though he was smiling. “You give me the piece, I walk out of here with her. I’ll release her once I feel I’m a safe distance away, and then she’s free to come back to you.”

Golden chewed her lip, eyes set on her marefriend. She knew she couldn’t trust him… but the alternative was even more of a risk. “I want your solemn vow that no harm will come to her.”

He nodded, his frown fading. “No harm will befall her, you have my word. Now give me the piece!”

Fleur leaned forward, her eyes wide. “Golden, please, don’t do it! He could kill her as soon as he’s out of sight.”

“If we don’t give it to him,” Golden replied slowly, her eyes set on Rarity, “he’ll kill her for sure.”

The piece began to float towards Dr. Caballeron’s outstretched hoof.

“You stupid foal!” Trixie clawed at Applejack, struggling to break free. “This isn’t going to solve anything!”

Applejack pulled her back with a firm tug. “Be quiet! Golden has more right ta this decision than any of us.”

Golden stared at Rarity’s beautiful face. She looked so blissful, so pure.

The piece stopped just outside the doctor’s reach. “If you hurt her, I will hunt you to the farthest corners of Equestria.”

Dr. Caballeron met her eyes, his expression as solemn as the grave.

“I believe you.” He gestured. “The piece.”

Golden hesitated, tears beginning to swell in her eyes. Could she really do this? Was she just going to trust him?

With a choke, she let the piece land in his hoof.

Dr. Caballeron pulled the piece close with a relieved sigh. “Good, good. Now I can retire and not have to worry about this kind of thing again. Now to take my insurance policy.” He set the piece in his vest and bent low over Rarity.

The mares gasped in unison: Fine Crime was standing right behind the doctor, his hoof held up to his shoulder.

“Hey.”

Dr. Caballeron blinked, stood and turned around.

“Your style is boring as buck.”

Whack.

Dr. Caballeron dropped to the grass without a sound, felled by a single hit to the side of his head.

The mares all exchanged dumbfounded looks.

Fleur stepped up. “You... when did you…?”

Fine gestured to her with a smug smile. “You didn’t think I’d just gone back home, did you?”

Trixie balked. “You mean you planned this? …who are you?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Fine replied, giving a small kick to the doctor’s unconscious form. “Important thing is: bad guy’s down.”

Golden rushed to Rarity, cradling her in her hooves. “Rarity? Come on, wake up! Please, let me know you’re okay…”

Fine patted her on the shoulder. “She’ll be out for a while, but don’t worry; she’ll be back on her hooves in no time.”

“But what about the pieces?” Trixie looked about frantically. “How are we supposed to get back into our bodies? We don’t have any time left!”

“We needed him to be awake, Fine,” Fleur said with a scowl. “He needs to tell us where the pieces are!”

Fine rolled his eyes. “Oh, please, Fleur. The stallion’s file is only five pages long.” His horn shined red and a moment later all four pieces floated up from Dr. Caballeron’s vest. “He’s not exactly the Chevaleon of Crime.”

Fleur was gaping as a piece floated to each of the mares. “He had them on him the whole time? How did you know?”

Fine smirked. “And that, my little pony, is how you handle convoluted plans. I hope you were taking notes.”

Fleur glanced at Applejack and Golden, who were hovering over Rarity as if she were still in danger. Her eye turned to Trixie, who was bouncing from hoof to hoof with her piece and eyeing her companions warily.

“Can we please do this before it’s too late?”

Fleur nodded. “Indeed. Applejack, Golden?”

“Right.” Applejack pulled Golden away from Rarity. “Come on, sugarcube, we’ll take care of her in a moment.”

“Yes… yes, you’re right.”

They each took their still-hovering pieces from the air, and the four mares stood in a circle. They each eyed their respective pieces, and one another.

Trixie shook hers experimentally. “So… do we just put them together again?”

“That should do it,” Fleur replied. She held her piece in the center of the circle, the broken ends aimed outwards the others. “Same time?”

They all nodded and brought their hooves forward. The broken pieces were just held apart, forming a broken circle.

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t they… Ah dunno, glow or somethin’?”

Golden shrugged. “On three?”

Everypony nodded.

“One.”

“Two.”

“Thr—”

The pieces came together; an instant later Fleur’s vision was a blur and her stomach went topsy-turvy.

After about a second, she fell to her knees, the world spinning crazily in her vision. But even as she fought to hold down the contents of her stomach, she saw what she needed to: Trixie’s body.

A wave of pleasure engulfed Fleur. She shook her head sharply to clear it, blinked a few times and stared at Trixie, a slow smile coming to her lips.

“Wait,” Golden groaned, “is that it?”

“Ah was expecting a bang or a flash,” Applejack admitted.

“My hooves!” Trixie sat up and beamed at her own hooves for about a second before rubbing them against her face with a grin. “My hooves, my beautiful, beautiful hooves! And my horn!” She pawed at her glowing horn with an ecstatic cry. “I swear, I’m never parting with it again!”

Fleur looked down at her own pale appendages and felt a wave of elation. She lifted them up and brushed her mane back, delighting in its silky smoothness. “Oh, that is so much better.”

“You can have it!” Golden wiggled her own legs around as if to test them. “I like my own body, thank you very much.” She promptly turned and made her way towards Rarity.

Applejack heaved a deep sigh and bowed her head. “Ah’m just glad it’s over.”

She jumped as Fine Crime appeared at her side. “Well, almost.”

The mares exchanged bewildered looks. Fleur leaned towards him with a frown. “Almost? What else is there?”

He bent down to take the now-intact Ring of Mudarra in his hooves. “They all know about this, and as Caballeron demonstrated, there are ponies who would go to violent ends to get their hooves on it. I intend to wipe their memories regarding the past couple days, just to ensure nopony has a reason to come looking for them.”

“Ah.” Fleur sat up straight and nodded. “In my excitement I had forgotten.”

“Wait a minute.” Applejack raised a hoof with a firm frown. “What if we don’t wanna forget? Maybe Ah learned somethin' impor—hey!”

Fleur blinked as something blue flashed past. She turned to see Trixie galloping away. “What?”

Fine glowered. “There’s always one. Fleur, do stop her.”

“But I—”

“Now.” A second later, Fine had disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Fleur hesitated for but a second before giving chase. She heard extra hoofsteps and glanced aside to find Applejack next to her. “You’re helping?”

“That depends,” Applejack said, her eyes hard. “Ah might be helpin’ Trixie.”

Fleur thought she felt the slightest twang of guilt in her heart. She said nothing and continued the chase.

Trixie might have had a head start, but her speed was nothing compared to her pursuers. Fleur was much faster than Applejack, however, her longer legs and a life of training allowing her to rapidly move ahead. She called out as she approached her quarry, “Trixie, please stop!”

“No!” Trixie looked back with wide eyes. “I won’t let you take my memories away!”

“Would you at least tell me why before starting a pointless chase?” Fleur’s blessedly-familiar horn flashed and a small ball appeared up ahead. It gave off a blinding flash. Trixie shouted and raised her hooves to cover her face, but it was too late: she tripped and tumbled to the grass.

Fleur was standing over her in seconds, her breathing scarcely affected by the sprint. “Please, Trixie, this is for your own good.”

“Like Tartarus it is!” Applejack was at her side, huffing a little and glaring. “Ya can’t just choose fer us what we can an’ can’t remember.”

“Oh, yes we can.” Black clouds formed in the darkness, and when they dissipated Fine Crime was standing opposite them from Trixie. He stared at the fallen pony with a dark glint in his eyes. “We are free to do whatever we want.”

“Wait!” Trixie tried to stand, but the blast had also knocked her off balance; she wobbled and fell to her knees. “You can’t do this. I don’t want to lose my memories!”

Fine sniffed, his expression as hard as granite. “What you want is of no importance to me.”

Applejack dropped to Trixie’s side and helped her stay upright. “Would ya give her a chance ta defend herself?”

Fleur fidgeted, guilt and worry filling her. “It… can’t hurt to listen, would it?”

She leaned back with wide eyes as he aimed a hoof her way. “You’re on thin ice as it is, so stuff it.”

Trixie shook her head and blinked. At last she was able to lock her eyes on her aggressor. She sneered and pulled herself to her hooves. Her horn began to glow as she leveled him with what had to have been her most menacing glare. “Did you miss it? ‘More power than your feeble mind can imagine.’ You want a taste?”

Fine scoffed. “Except you don’t know how to use it, do you? You never even went to magic kindergarten.”

Trixie’s ears lowered.

“No parents to teach you.”

Her shoulders sank.

“Even if there is phenomenal magic locked in that horn, you don’t have the key to get to it.”

Her body dropped low.

“You’ve got a half-dozen self-taughts and some parlor tricks.”

Her horn fizzled.

“You probably couldn’t stop me if I wanted you to.”

Trixie turned away, and Fleur felt her heart twist at the sight of moisture on her cheeks.

“That’s enough!” Applejack held Trixie even as she glared at Fine. “Ya don’t have ta be so mean.”

Fleur opened her mouth to speak, but a firm look from her boss made her freeze. She knew he could make some cold decisions at times, but this…

“Please,” Trixie whispered. “Today was such a good day. I was liked – I was welcomed. It’s been so long since anypony looked at me like that. I had a family. For a few precious hours, I felt loved!”

She gazed up at Fleur with big, wet eyes. “Don’t take that away from me, please. I want to remember Apple Bloom, Granny Smith and Big Mac. Let me have this one thing, I’m begging you!”

Fleur saw those eyes and heard the anguish in those words… and her heart broke.

“Ya see?” Applejack shot Fine another glare. “The past two days were important fer us! Ya can’t just take 'em away like that.”

Fine raised an eyebrow. “And how do you propose to stop me?”

Fleur looked to his cold eyes. She couldn’t believe he was doing this…

She looked to Trixie and saw the mare bury her head in Applejack’s shoulder with a quiet sob. Applejack petted Trixie’s mane and kept her eyes locked on Fine… but there was uncertainty behind their anger.

“That’s what I thought.” Fine gestured to them. “Fleur, take them.”

With a deep sigh and her head raised high, Fleur approached. She completely ignored Applejack’s eyes and Trixie’s sobs. This time there would be no mistakes:

She walked past and stood between them and Fine, leveling him with her harshest stare.

Fine tilted his head with a frown. “What? Don’t tell me you’re actually going to defy a direct order.”

“I thought you were a good stallion,” she hissed. “You’ve done questionable things, but I always saw the good intentions shining through. Yet this is not something I will tolerate.”

His eyebrows rose… but then he grimaced. “You know the dangers as well as I do. I’m doing this for their sake, Fleur.”

“Are you?” Her body lowered in a threatening gesture. “What about me, Fine? I learned something very important today. If you were to have my memories taken away, I’d lose that lesson.”

He rolled his eyes. “I don’t intend to wipe your memories.”

“That is beside the point!” She stomped her hoof and tossed her mane. “These ponies don’t deserve to lose whatever they’ve gained today. Trixie’s life has been misery ever since she first came to Ponyville years ago, but today something truly good clearly happened to her. It’s the kind of thing that keeps ponies going! Taking that memory away may be even more dangerous than her knowledge of the Ring.”

Fine waved a dismissive hoof. “Spare me your moral righteousness. I gave you an order, Fleur.”

“We’re not goin’ anywhere with you.” Applejack stood at Fleur’s side. “We won’t let ya do it, Fine.”

Fine scowled at her, then turned his eyes on his agent.

“Fleur, if you do this—”

“You’ll what?” She bared her teeth as her horn began to glow. “Demote me? Fire me? That would be better than going through with this! You just let me rot in a cell for half a day trying to teach me about being considerate of innocents, and here you are defying your own lesson! I had no idea you were such a hypocrite. I thought you were a pony of integrity, but now I’m starting to think I was better off on that bucking island with the dragons!”

Her body shook and steam snorted from her nostrils. Her breathing came in a slow, heavy rhythm as she stared him down.

He only watched with a bored frown.

“You don’t even care do you?” Fleur pawed the grass. “Well I took your lesson to heart, even if you never meant it! I will not let you take Trixie or Applejack without a fight, and the same goes for Golden. If that lands me in a dungeon for the rest of my life, so be it.”

Fine stared at her for several long, tense seconds, his expression slowly growing darker.

“You’re really going to do this?”

Fleur only snarled in response.

He watched her for a little longer. His eyes shifted to Applejack, then to Trixie.

Then he smiled and sighed.

“Good. Very good.”

Fleur paused, her rage dissipating with astonishing speed. “What?”

He gestured to her with a grin. “You took the lesson well. I’ll leave the rest to you.”

Fleur’s jaw fell loose as he turned and began to walk down the street. “Y-you… you’re letting them go?”

“Yep.”

“Oh, thank you!”

Fleur glanced back at Trixie’s cry and saw the pony embrace Applejack with shaking hooves.

It clicked.

Fleur ran to catch up to Fine. She grabbed him by the shoulders and forced him to face her. “You never intended to wipe their memories… did you?”

He examined her peering face, expression solemn, then gained just the slightest smile.

“Did you take notes?”

She gaped as he resumed his walk… then felt anger boiling up from within. “You’re a real bastard, you know that?”

He waved without looking back. “I get that a lot.”

He was gone in a cloud of smoke.

Fleur sneered and lowered her head in thought. How much had he really known? How much of this night had he prearranged? She abruptly realized that, in terms of scheming, he was light-years ahead of her.

Despite her anger… she smiled.

This was a lesson she wouldn’t soon forget.

Author's Note

Writing Dr. Caballeron was fun. I do love writing villains in general. I couldn't think of a good way to show his accent from the show, so instead I resorted to doing away with all contractions to emphasize his speech a little more. Of course, his 'villainous plan' is an obvious one... hence Fine Crime's annoyance.

Of course, having him be beaten in such a simple, rather ignoble way was the icing on the cake, the last punctuation to his footnote of a presence.

I love underhanded and/or convoluted schemes. This is one of the reasons I love writing stories that feature Fine Crime; he has a gift for scheming and sneakery that allow me to throw such things into my stories. But these plans need to exist for a reason other than just being fun, and that's exactly what Fine demonstrates to Fleur in this story. Fine loves the plotting even more than I do, but these things must be handled reasonably. Of course, he's a master so 'reasonably' is a pretty broad term in his case.