Of Mutts and Mousers

"I'm so glad that we were finally able to meet!"

Fluttershy and Rarity giggled in the steam room. Their lives had been immensely busy in the past few weeks, so it seemed that it had been months, perhaps years, that they had been able to have their weekly talk at the Ponyville Spa.

"As am I, darling." Rarity smiled. "My new boutique in the Crystal Empire has been booming lately. I suppose I should hire somepony to watch it for me whilst I am away. How have you been?"

Fluttershy waved her hoof. "Oh, you know me. Everything is...normal."

"And how is Rainbow Dash?"

Fluttershy paused for a moment. "Well, actually...she's been away. She went on the Summer Wonderbolts Tour."

Rarity nodded. "Yes, that's right. I suppose you miss her terribly."

Fluttershy shrugged. "It's alright. I'm just so happy to spend time with all of our friends."

Rarity nodded again. "Rarity...how are Opalescense and Winona?" Fluttershy asked.

"Oh, those silly girls!" Rarity laughed.

"They've certainly come a long way," Fluttershy said.

"Indeed. Applejack and I were a bit hesitant when they were getting used to each other...but in the end, they have become very good friends."

Fluttershy cocked her head. "Friends?"

"It's a bit hard to explain. Opalescence has never been one for...friendship, I suppose. But you know Winona, she wants to play and play. They are both adorable in their own ways."

I didn't know Rarity liked dogs, thought Fluttershy.

"When Applejack and I moved in together, it was a risk. Not only for us, but for them. I didn't think they would be alright spending so much time together, as Applejack and I are usually working for the majority of our days...but in the end, Opal and Winona spend every moment with each other."

Fluttershy smiled. "That's wonderful."

Rarity laughed. "You would be amazed, Fluttershy. Every night they cuddle on our bed, and in the day they run around in the yard. It is truly the cutest thing!"

"I'm so happy for you-them, Rarity. I mean, I have never known cats and dogs to be good friends."

"Really?" Rarity raised her eyebrows. "I mean, neither have I, but you spend all day around animals."

Fluttershy nodded. "You've...gotten used to having a dog around? Aren't they, maybe...a little more rowdy around your fabrics?"

"Well...Opal has always been calmer...not to say that I preferred when it was just her..." Rarity sighed. "But yes, Winona and I were getting used to each other there for a while. As were Applejack and Opal. I have always preferred cats but Winona is just a little darling."

"You consider yourself a cat pony?"

"Oh, absolutely. Dogs are...intense. Opal would always sleep for the day and sometimes play at night, but Winona has sometimes been a bit much to handle. She's gotten into the fabric more than once. But Applejack trained her well. I can't complain."

How interesting...

Fluttershy knocked on the doors of Carousel Boutique. Applejack swung one open. "Mornin', Fluttershy! It's nice to see ya here so early. What can I do for ya?"

"Oh, I was just stopping to say hello. Is Rarity home?"

"I'm afraid not. Why don't ya come in?"

"Thank you." Fluttershy walked through the doorway and onto the sofa. "It's nice to see you too."

Applejack sat down next to her. "Can I get you anythin'?"

"Oh, no. Don't trouble yourself. I did have something to ask you, though..."

"Well, shoot."

"How is Opalescence doing?"

Applejack looked surprised. "You're askin' me?" Fluttershy nodded. "Well, good."

"She's treating you too okay?"

"Oh, yeah. She's a sweet little lump." Applejack laughed. "She doesn't mean it, but she's always layin' around and gettin' in our way. Rarity and I trip over her about three times a week."

"Has she ever cut you?"

Applejack thought for a moment. "Only a few times. Rarity takes her to the pet spa to get her nails cut. Ya know, I always try to tell her that I could do it...but she insists that we pay somepony else to do it. Winona is so much less of a hassle."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I mean, I love both of 'em to death, but Winona is special to me, and she takes care of herself. We sometimes have to wash her, but at least we can do that ourselves."

"Well, I'm glad. If you ever need any help with nail trimming or anything, you can always bring Opal to my cottage."

"Oh, I wouldn't do that to ya! It's completely fine."

"Thank you, Applejack. I suppose I should be on my way."

A few days later, Fluttershy ran into Rarity at the market.

"Would you mind if I payed for another spa trip this week? I have some things I'd like to talk about."

"Rarity, you don't have to pay! But yes, I'd love to." The mares smiled.

"How does tomorrow at three sound?"

Fluttershy could see Rarity's worry lines. "It was the strangest thing," the unicorn told her. "Applejack is the calmest pony I know. Well, besides you, I suppose. She never gets frustrated with Opal!"

"Wait...what?" Fluttershy touched her friend's shoulder. "Start from the beginning."

"Well...last night, Applejack and I were eating dinner...and Opal coughed up a hairball on the new carpet. I was about to clean it up when Applejack, who was all huffy, just started mumbling to herself as she cleaned it up. Something like, 'stupid cat.' I didn't understand."

"Oh dear."

"It was the strangest thing. I was wondering if I'd done something to put her in a bad mood-"

"Oh, Rarity, I'm sure that's not true! Cats can be frustrating sometimes, that's all."

Rarity nodded. "Yes, you're right. That must be it."

"Afternoon, Fluttershy!"

Fluttershy turned around abruptly, spotting the orange mare calling to her. She quickly walked over to Applejack's stand. "Good afternoon, Applejack!"

After a moment, Fluttershy asked, "Is everything alright?"

"Oh, sure. It's just...I wanted to talk to you about somethin'."

"Okay. Go ahead."

"Last night, just as Rarity and I were going to bed, she turned to me and said, 'I don't think Winona should sleep on our bed tonight.' But she let Opal sleep on the bed, even after she threw up a hairball."

Fluttershy frowned. "Did Winona do anything to upset Rarity?"

Applejack shook her head, but then frowned. "Actually, a few days ago Winona chewed up one of Rarity's more expensive pieces of fabric...but Rarity told me that she wasn't mad. If she was lyin'...she was pretty convincin'."

Fluttershy nodded. "Ah. Well, I'm sure it was nothing. Dogs can be frustrating sometimes, that's all."

"Yeah," Applejack said, nodding. "Frustrating."

A knock on the cottage door awoke Fluttershy from her nap. She walked to the door and opened it to see a familiar blue face.

"Rainbow Dash!" She flew into Rainbow, wrapping her wife into a tight hug. Fluttershy kissed her forehead lots of times. "Oh, I missed you!"

Dash kissed her back. "Aww, Shy! I have so much to tell you!" She set the yellow pegasus down. "You'll never believe what Soarin' asked me-Hey. What's wrong?"

Fluttershy smiled. "Oh, it's nothing. Just-Well, I need your help with something."

"Okay, lay it on me." The mares walked into the cottage and sat on the green sofa.

"The other day I met with Rarity at the spa, and you know I've always been curious as to why Rarity and Applejack got married, and I didn't want to be rude..." Fluttershy sighed. "Honestly, I don't know why I asked at all!"

Rainbow frowned. "Asked what?"

"I always thought that Opalescence and Winona reflected their personalities pretty well, so I asked how they were doing. And Rarity said good, and I asked her what she thought of Winona, and she said...well, that she was good. And then I asked Applejack the same thing except about Opal...And then they started realizing that they don't like each others pets! And it's all my fault!"

"Oh, Fluttershy..."

"And now I'm worried that they'll realize maybe that they don't like each other as much as they thought! I never wanted that!"

Rainbow hugged Fluttershy. "Oh, hon. That would never happen. That'd be like...If you didn't like Tank and then didn't like me."

"But I like all animals!"

"Yeah...but that's not my point."  Rainbow Dash thought for a moment. "Maybe...maybe they just have to realize that both of their pets are great."

"But how are they supposed to do that?"

"I have an idea."

The next morning, Rainbow Dash told Rarity and Applejack to bring their pets to Ponyville Park. "Thank you for joining us today!" Fluttershy called to her friends.

Rarity asked, "Fluttershy, what's going on?"

"I know that you both have been a little tired of each other's animals lately, so I thought that I should show you that both Opalescence and Winona are great!"

Applejack smiled. "I suppose it couldn't hurt."

Fluttershy placed Winona and Opal next to each other. "You see the stick?" Rainbow Dash waved it in front of them. "GO...FETCH!"

As quick as-well, Rainbow-Winona bolted over to where Rainbow Dash had thrown the stick. She picked it up and carried it back.

Rarity frowned. "Well, obviously Winona is going to be better at that! Opal didn't even try."

Fluttershy put Winona back in place. She pulled out a little toy that looked like a mouse. "Well, let's see who is a better attacker."

She tossed the toy in front of the two, and instantly Opal destroyed it. It was nothing but fabric and stuffing in mere seconds.

Applejack frowned. "Of course Opal is better at that! Winona is a herder, not a hunter."

Fluttershy was out of ideas. Rainbow Dash landed and groaned. "Can't you two see?"

"See what?" The mares asked in unison.

"That both of your pets are great!" Rainbow swooped down and picked up the tiny animals. "They each have their own strengths and weaknesses, and they're both annoying sometimes...but you love them anyway!"

The unicorn and earth pony looked to Fluttershy, who smiled and said, "I couldn't have said it better."

Rainbow handed Opal to Rarity and Winona to Applejack. "You're right," said Applejack.

Rarity agreed, "We love them anyway."