It was the first day of school. The girls hadn’t seen Applejack in months. Applebloom never saw her either. School, they knew, she wouldn’t miss for the world. Rarity bumped shoulders with a girl she’d never seen before. She had long, luscious, blonde, hair that curled at the ends. At the top was a natural blonde, and at the bottom it was platinum. She had vibrant green eyes and skin somewhere between orange orange and banana yellow. She was wearing an expensive Cocoa Chanel dress that was red, short, and had three quarter sleeves. It had a v-cut, and this girl was wearing black fishnets, along with very expensive looking boots. Atop her head was a shiny headband made of… apples. It was made of apples.
“Applejack?” asked a shocked Rarity. Was this her friend? How could this be her friend? This haute couture guru? Her skin was noticeably paler (probably on the assumption that lighter skin is prettier, it isn’t, by the way), her curves were more prominent, the dress accented her breasts and booty, and her legs seemed longer in comparison to her short dress.
“Rarity.” mocked her friend, confirming it was, indeed, Applejack. But her accent was gone and now it was full of snoot. Her boots click-clacked on the floor as she strutted away, designer bag resting on her shoulders. Rarity gaped after her old friend. The cowboy was better dressed than her! Fluttershy looked bewildered. Pinkie Pie’s hair deflated. Twilight Sparkle was as shocked as Rarity. Rainbow Dash was just down right confused.
“Hey now! Get back here!” Rainbow yelled, sprinting after her friend. She caught up with Applejack pretty easy. She was, after all, Rainbow Dash.
“What do you want?” Applejack snorted, putting her hand on her hip. Her head was tilted ever-so-slightly upwards, as if confirming that she was better.
“Why are you being so rude?” Rainbow demanded. Applejack scoffed.
“I’ve grown up. You should too. Stop hanging around those low-lifes.” Applejack laughed haughtily. Rainbow almost couldn’t believe her ears. Grow up? Low-lifes? What?
Rainbow stared at her old friend. Applejack studied her as Rainbow did the same. Applejack scoffed again, and then she sashayed away. Everyone was whispering about the New Applejack. Some were mortified. Some were intrigued. Some were upset. Some even thought it was funny. Applebloom was the most shocked at her New Sister.
“Applejack?” she peeped. “Why are ya’ bein’ so mean all o’ the sudden?”
“Mean?” Applejack asked, and then appeared to mull it over. “Not sure. Why do you still have that terrible accent?”
“It’s jus’ ma’ voice, AJ!”
“It’s Jacqueline.” Applejack corrected as she walked away from her shell shocked sister. Jacqueline? Well that was certainly a big change from Applejack. Most people in the school found that a little funny. “Jacqueline”, huh? Nonetheless, even with a new name to go with the attitude, it didn’t stop people from admiring her for some reason, although people started to theorize that she was being possessed.
Jacqueline was the new face of fashion. She was it all. Within less than six hours, she’d become the talk of the school. No, town. There was even talk of her switching schools. Jacqueline was basically a synonym of 'fashion' now.
Rarity wasn’t sure if she was more angry that she was a has been, or that her friend had left them. Either way, she decided making a new line of haute couture to calm her down. She was in the middle of making a fabulous black tie gown full of sparkles, sequins, heels on the way, and a great headpiece, when someone quite rudely barged in.
“Rarity, I need a dress.” Applejack declared. “Make me one that’s short, totally haute couture, and in. In fact, make me a whole line of them.”
Applejack waved Rarity off as if Applejack was queen, and Rarity was a just peasant.
“Applejack, darling-“
“Jacqueline.”
“Right. Jacqueline, darling, may I ask, to quote, ‘What the hay’ are you doing?”
“What the hay? Nothing. And don't quote Applejack, darling, it makes you sound plebeian. Now make me my dresses.”
“You can’t just demand service.” Rarity replied, hotly. 'Jacqueline' was talking about Applejack as if she was someone entirely different! Something was up, and somehow, at some time, Rarity was going to figure out why.
“Well, I am. I’ve made myself quite a name in the past eight or so hours, love. I’m known to be good friends with you too. Rumors spread, you know.” Applejack/Jacqueline sighed as she checked her newly manicured nails. No doubt that she got a pedi too. She noticed Rarity’s staring and gave her a smug grin. “Got a discount at the spa.”
Applejack? Blackmail? Dresses? Spa?
“Just this once.” Rarity sighed as she moved aside her mannequin. In the name of old friendships. Old... friendships... ‘Jacqueline’ bit back a smirk as she started to shout out orders. Rarity gave another sigh. With friendships come hardships, she supposed.
"Shorter."
"If you make it any shorter, it'll be a shirt, not a dress."
"Not my problem."
"Celestia will get you suspended."
"Like I care." Applejack scoffed.
"She'll be incredibly disappointed in you." Rarity tried again. Applejack didn't even flinch. What even happened in the five months she had gone? The first few months apples were still being put into buckets, crops were still being watered, and floors were still being swept. But food was never eaten, so everyone was putting trust into her that she would take care of herself. A note had appeared in the third month, telling all of them that she was going out of town. Incredibly strange.
"Disappointed? I don't care. Just finish my cocktail dress already." Applejack seethed. Rarity sighed... for the millionth time.
