Aftermath: Operation Rari/jackby Verzeih TurncoatChaptersWelcome homeMarriedThe proposalThe times they were changelingsWelcome homeThe sunset festival at Starlight´s old town was a nice party. Pinkie Pie had entered the baking competition what ended into a bake off between her and Sugar Belle. The great and powerful Trixie put every unicorn to shame at the firework show, and she had enjoyed the attention. Soaked it up like a sponge and stressed Twilight Sparkle out with her boasting. Twilight Sparkle and Spike had start to notice how even after Starlight had lied and manipulated these ponies, they still put a lot of trust into her. These ponies had to have been looking for somepony to give them direction to not only end up here but staying here after their trust into Starlight had been shattered. They really have to do some research about these ponies. Where they came from. How they ended up here. And why they did not go home. Besides this unnerving feeling that something was still wrong with these ponies, it was a very nice party. A nice weeklong party... . Eventually they had to go home. Everypony, but Pinkie Pie and Discord, were exhausted so they were more than glad Discord just teleported them straight to townsquare of Ponyville and the group just split from there to their homes. Rarity walked her way to Carousel Boutique someponies started to wisper looking at her. Seriously the nerves someponies have. She was tired and beat up from a week long party with hardly any sleep. Because Starlight´s ex-cult members had planned events for every main solarsetting. Sunrise, Highnoon and Sunset. Also Trixie used the opportunity to perform a one mare firework show every single night for her new found fans. Of course she did not look to her usual standart, but that is no reason to gossip right away. She opened the door to the selling area of her boutique. Her lovely door bell ring it nice soft tune. Another tune followed it. It was the voice her younger sister Sweetie Belle answering the bell. "I am sorry Carousel Boutique is closed till... Rarity?" The white little filly put on a questioning almost worried face on. "Yes, Sweetie it´s me." said Rarity with a tired smile. How nice of her little sister to have an eye on her shop. *** "Howdy Big Mac," yawned Applejack as she trotted past the red stallion. Unaware of the suspicious look on his face she said: "Ah be there with ya... Ah just need an hour in mah room." The stallion felt pity for his younger sister and did not stop her on her way to the barn. It sure as hell had to be hard for Applejack. Applejack had never noticed what a nice, warm, welcoming glow bright, red wooden door had in the morning sun. Home sweet home. She is going to snuggle up her pillow for little while before going back on the field. Granny Smith was surprised as the orange entered the kitchen: "Applejack? What in tarnation?! How do ya dare to show up here all willy-nilly after what ya hav don!" Applejack looked at her with sleepy eyes. What was going... Oh yeah the Changeling that took her place. Starlight had told them about them, but Applejack was just to tired to deal with it right now. "Ah am... sorry for what ever ya think ah hav don wrong. Ah just really need some time for me right now." said Applejack her head hung low from the exhaustion of the last days as she trotted up to her room. The sweet, sweet hay waiting for her. Granny Smith looked after her grandchild. "Son, yar daugther seems finally home ya know."- she sighed -"Poor thing." *** Rarity stopped at the bottom step of the stair. Her ear flinched back as she looked back at Sweetie Belle that kept staring at her with a worried expression on her face. Rarity blushed slightly as she asked: "Beg you pardon? What was that?" "Did something happend at your Honeymoon?" asked the concerned little filly. "Honeymoon? Darling. You might not underst..." "What´s with Applejack is she alright? Where is she?" Sweetie Belle came a horrifying realization. Her white hoof shut her muzzle for a second. "Oh no! You didn´t broke up already have you?" Rarity was dumbfounded. Did Sweetie Belle really just implied she and Applejack...? "Oh, I knew it, it was to nice to hold forever." Then Sweetie Belle came an idea. "Dont´t worry we can fix it. I just have to talk to Applebloom." Sweetie Belle was swooped of the floor by blue magic hold infront of Rarity´s angry face. "What did you just said! Little Miss Gabby Gums!" "Rarity, just because you are angry at Applejack doesn´t mean it have to end like this." Rarity looked into Sweetie Belle´s face and it came to her. The little thing was not lying to her. The changelings that were impersonating as her and... "AAAAAPPLEJAAAAACK!" The doors of the Carousel Boutique swung wide open as Rarity rushed into the direction of Sweet Apple Acres. Leaving confused ponies left and right. *** The orange mare was cuddled up in her red blanket in her room. Granny Smith sat down by her side. Her green hoof carefully patted her blond head. "Oh dear, dear, dear." Granny Smith ruffled her mane. "Ah think Ah have been to darn hard on ya." Applejack pulled the blanket over her head and mumbled: "Not now, Granny." The old mare took her foreleg back and started to look around this old barnroom and let out a sad sigh. "Ya always had a lovers eye for the finer things of life. Ever since ya moved out to yar Aunt n' Uncle Orange. But Ah didn´t thought ya would... ya know... just leave us again." Applejack sat up in her bed, looked at Granny Smith as if one of them had to much cider and asked: "Ya don´t make a lick of sense, Granny. What are ya talking about?" *** The big red stallion blocked Raritys way to Sweet Apple Acres. She could already see the barn behind the appletrees . But Big Mac always stepped in front of her. She did not came any further on the narrow way between the fences. "Big Mac, please. I have to talk to Applejack." Big Mac snorted at her, breaking his usual stoic demeanor: "Ah don´t know what ya did to her, but if A.J. comes back home. Ah am sure she don´t wanna see ya! Leave or Ah am going to drag ya out by yar tail." Rarity was outraged about this scandalous proposition. She would never thought Big Mac could mean this serious. "Ugh you wouldn´t!" "Try me!" snorted Big Mac in her face. Rarity wanted, needed to see Applejack. She lifted her hoof just a bit as Big Mac already pushed her back with his head against hers. "Ya don´t wanna listen to kindness do ya." Rarity´s hooves found no ground to support her in her stance as she was shoven away from the barn inch by inch. Big Mac only stopped as he heared his little sister screaming from the barn. "WHAT IN TARNATION!!!" MarriedApplejack found Rarity on the way from Sweet Apple Acres to Ponyville. In the middle of the road through the orchard. Big Mac gave Rarity a sour glance as he decided to stay out of their business. He would have liked it a lot to drag Rarity all the way back to townsquare and give her the spanking she had deserved, but in the end she was his sister´s wife. Applejack noticed his uncalled for, but yet understandable grudge towards the white unicorn. "Applejack, thank Celestia you are here. I never seen your brother act like such a ruffian."- Rarity placed her hoof on her heart. -"I almost feared for my life." Applejack pulled her stetson deep into her face, casting a shadow over her face: "Ah guess you have heared whats going on?"- Rarity flushed as she acknowledged to have received the horrible message. "He wasn´t invited to our wedding." "Oh my. I reckon I was afraid for my life after all." said Rarity watching the part were the stallion had entered the orchard to get to work. Rarity threw the backside of her forehoof to her forehead. "Oh why would they do that to me?" Such arrogance! They were all kidnapped by the changelings. She was not the only one screwed over by them. Not only her: "To ya? If ya haven´t noticed, Ah am no longer legally an Apple! Because Ah have married into yar family" Rarity looked at Applejack, blinking disbelieving with her eyelashes, putting the tip of white hoof on her lip. "Well, that´s a relieve." "Say what now?!" "Do you know how much trouble it would have been to rewrite the ownership of my boutiques on a new name, if it was the other way around?" Rarity threw a glance at the outraged countrygirl that she put her own interests first in this case. "Trouble!"- shouted Applejack. Close to show her what trouble really means. -"Sweet Apple Acres is Apple-family Property! Ma family name and Sweet Apple Acres are everything Ah got passed down from ma parents! And now Ah don´t have either." With her hat still pulled deep into her face, Applejack trotted past Rarity. The white mare could not really see her face but she was hurt. Wounded. Weak and broken. "Applejack, I didn´t meant to..." Applejack did not look at her for a single moment. She just wanted to reach Ponyville with as few ponies seeing what was going on as possible. "Let´s just get ma stuff out of Carousel Boutique. Ah´ve not moved in with ya!" *** Who would have thought you could share the walk of shame? Not Applejack, nor Rarity. Neither they knew you could walk it on behalf of somepony else. They all seem to know what was going on. And the slightest hope of resolving this issue without anypony noticing, vanished in thin air. Applejack was carrying a big yellow pouch thrown over her saddlebags while Rarity had a few packets flowing in her magic aura. Being looked at was one thing, being the talk of the entire town but being lectured by ponies that think they knew what was going on was like being eaten alive by a burning timberwolf. The blue mare had learned about their breaking off while standing behind the counter of Sugar Cube Corners. The whole bakery was buzzing with rumors and gossip of far to inquisitive ponies. So that when they had passed the shop door on their way back to Sweet Apple Acres, had Mrs. Cake left her shop just to talk to them: "Now it is not my business in anyway, shape or form. And I find it commendable that you two are trying to settle this as friends, but you can´t just throw away your marriage like this." "There is NO marriage!" shouted Applejack angrily. "I know it can feel that way, sometimes. There will always be hard times you just have to work through these. Just remember how happy you two were when you went puplic with your relationship." appealed Mrs. Cake to them. Rarity tried her luck to explain the situation"That relationship was a lie, Mrs. Cake..." but the mare just kept on coming with life advice until she realized how far she has walked off from her shop. The two of them sighed with relief as Mrs. Cake left them. Sadly their purgatory was not about to end with this. No fate really felt like punishing them today. They could feel it. Right upon their flanks. The map called them. To Twilight´s castle. Once again on the other side of the town. *** In the purple crystal throne room stared Twilight Sparkle at the crystal table with the illusionary magic map. All six cutiemarks of their friends images were floating over Ponyville in rapid circles. "Is the map broken again? Have the changelings tampered with it." adressed Twilight the odd behavior to everypony that was already, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, but mostly to Starlight Glimmer. Who had been here when the changelings had replaced each and everyone of the Friendship Council. "That could be possible, though I didn´t saw it." pondered Starlight Glimmer. They had used it as a table for their own magic, but could that have effected the magic of the castle? "Ah doubt that." said Applejack as she and Rarity appeared in the doorway just in time to hear them speculating. "Ah think it´s us. We got an friendship problem." The two ponies were a welcome sight, but what they said was a little unsettling. The mares looked like they had not even gotten a single moment of rest since they had came back from the Sunset Festival. Rarity nodded sadly and agreed: "Indeed. It is downright dreadful." "Oh my gosh girls? What happend?" wondered Twilight Sparkle, ignoring the map for now. Even thought she was not convinced yet that it was not manipulated with magic again. But for now there seemed to be a much bigger problem hanging in the air. "Ah don´t know how to give it to ya"- said Applejack. She throwed the bags of her back and moved towards the map, while Rarity followed her example. -"It looks like these Changelings that sham to be us. Have tried to ruin our lifes. Now everypony in town thinks me and Rarity are a married couple!" Everypony in the room stared at them in disbelief. This could not be. These Changelings they would not dare to... "Wait, so it wasn´t you two I caught smooching?", ask Rainbow Dash bluntly. The proposalApplejack just stood there in the throne room of the friendship council. Looking into a bunch of embarrassed and disturbed ponyfaces. Just Starlight Glimmer was as confused as she was. "Ya did what now?" shouted Applejack at Rainbow Dash in dissapointment, who had just told her that she had seen the imposters kissing each other. "How did ya not catch that wasn´t me?! Ya know me better than anypony here." Her hoof pointed at Rarity in such a rush, with no care if or if not it might hit her. Neither did Applejack consider if her words might going to hurt her, she herself was just too upset about the whole ordeal. "Do ya really think Ah would date a pony like her?!" Rarity was baffled and slightly insulted that Applejack would say such a thing. If it was not for the fact that she felt as betrayed by her other friends, she would have given her a piece of her mind about that statement. "Hey, I am nopony to judge anypony on who they fall in love with. That´s Twilight!" shifted the cyan pegasis the blame to the so called Princess of Friendship. Twilight´s stare pierced Rainbow Dash. Was it not her, who got ridiculed for having suspicions all the time? "No, I am not! I mean yes, but..." *** Starlight Glimmer had just left to her old town a few hours ago. It would take her at least three days to arrive since they have to pull Trixie´s caravan alongside them. Since she still felt uneasy about the whole invitation from the ponies she had caused so much suffering. The last thing she wanted was to be late and maybe, if they let her, to lend a hoof in the preparations for the Sunset Festival. It would be the least she could do. So she had thought... It was around that time the most colorful of all ponies in Ponyville, Rainbow Dash, flew across town without a care in the world. There was a recent break in the Wonderbolt training session and no urgent weather duties she could help her old weather team out with. Neither did the map called for her. Or Scootaloo asking her to teach her flying. Something about visiting her father or something... . Short, it was a boring day for her. The biggest thing had been Starlight Glimmer telling her about her nightmare. Maybe she should ask Applejack has a little bit of cider to spare. At worst she could kill sometime on hearing her complaining about her obsession to Sweet Apple Cider or that it was not going to be the season for them to make some in while. Rainbow had no hard time to find Applejack, for some reason her stetson was a real eyecatcher on a quick fly-by. What Rainbow did not expected, once finding the hat in the orchard, was the pony wearing it. Rarity and Applejack were holding each others close in one of the more reclusive parts of the farm. Their lips locked in a passionate kiss. Rainbow could not hold her surprise: "Wait, you two? Oh I have to tell the others." The pegasus was zooming away with the two mares only able to shout after her. So, it came that the small group of friends found themself, yet again, together in Twilight´s castle. With the only difference that Applejack and Rarity were standing close to another blushing fiercely as everypony was looking at them. "So..."- started Twilight unconvinced, expecting some elaborated prank to play out. -"this is real? I mean you two are an item?" The alicorn looked with a worried expression to Spike, who has not taken an easy toll on this revelation. He was almost a statuette of himself as the pain sunk into every scale of his body. "Why didn´t you tell us?" Rarity watched as Applejack turned her head away from Twilight´s curious gaze in embarrassment before she answered not less ashamed. "We feared it would affect our coterie, if some of us were dating." "I did affect one of us", said Rainbow tapping the still petrified Spike on the head. "Rainbow! Stop it you know how much he likes Rarity." complained Twilight Sparkle before she asked: "Anypony else thinks this is kinda sudden?" A yellow hoof slowly but steadily rose as Fluttershy tried to make a contribution to the discussion: "I..." "Yes, Fluttershy?" Twilight hoping for somepony to support her feeling that something was fishy about this situation. Fluttershy looked down avoiding everponies look: "I actually knew it for sometime now. Applejack and Rarity gawked at her and almost simultaneously asked in disbelief: "You did?"- before Rarity continued on her own- "Darling, why didn´t you talk with us about it?" Fluttershy looked up in the group of her friends, while playing nervously with her hoof: "I didn't thought it was of my business." Now it was Twilight´s turn to hung her head in shame. If Fluttershy knew all along, then this could not been a prank on her, right? She had this nagging feeling that something was not right, not right at all! But she had no time to think about it as Applejack was about to drop the next bomb. "Ya know, Rarity"- she said looking deep into Rarity´s big blue eyes. -"if everypony already knows about us. Why don´t we make it official?" Rarity gazed at the strong mare by her side: "Applejack, do you mean?" Applejack bowed down to the brilliant white mare and looked from below into her eyes as she asked the one big question Rarity has always wished to hear: "Rarity, ya are the apple of ma eye. Would ya give me the honor and marry me?" "Oh Applejack this is so sudden."- Rarity tried to hold composure for a few brief moments befor giving in. "YES!" She carefully placed her head under Applejack´s, as the countrymare stood tall again. Their friends had all different reactions to this occasion. Fluttershy was holding her hoofs infront of her muzzle and happly fluttered with her wings. Pinkie Pie had a huge grin on her face as her brain processed all the party preparations for such a huge event as an Applefamily wedding. Twilight and Spike were both dumbfounded over what had just played out in front of them. And Rainbow Dash? She poked her elbow into Applejack´s rip cage as she spoke: "Don´t forget who is going to be your best mare." "Uh, Applebloom?" "No, me!" laughed Rainbow Dash. Twilight used the opportunity of Rainbow Dash distracting the brides-to-be to whisper to Pinkie Pie: "Shouldn´t your Pinkie-Sense go crazy because there is something that you could never belief is going on?" The pink mare gave her a cheeky smile: "Yup. Totally unbelievable that two of my friends fall in love with each other. I totally have to tell that to Matilda and Cranky, Mr. and Mrs Cake, Octavia and..." "Okay okay I get the picture." mumble Twilight. Finally feeling guilty for her doubt in their relationship. There had to be something she could do to make up for it. Something she could give them to make both of her friends forget about how she acted. Something that shows her support of their love. Applejack was without any reservations a family oriented pony and Rarity... . It struck Twilight like lightning. "Well... uhm... Applejack isn´t the prince that I suspected but..."- spoke Twilight hesitantly -"I could ask Princess Celestia if she would be your priest?" Rarity was overjoyed: "Oh Twilight you mustn´t" Twilight was glad, that she had already forgotten how she had acted: "Please, Rarity. This is like the first thing I got to know about you. You girls could probably marry in the Canterlot Castle. Just like a real royal wedding you always dreamed about, Rarity." "Well, Ah guess..."- answered Applejack with a nervous tone -"Ah mean, anything to make ma princess happy." "Great! Spike send a note." said Twilight to her number one assistant, but he did not get papers ready as usual. Instead he was slowly walking towards the door. "Uh? Spike?" "Yes, yes. I take the first train to Canterlot." "Spike, you don´t have to go." The young dragon looked with a sad face at the happy couple, especially the overjoyed Rarity, before he replied: "Yes Twilight I really have to bring Princess Celestia the happy news personally." *** Twilight bowed her head in shame: "Sorry A.J. They sounded so convincing." The times they were changelingsLooking into his comic book with a blank stare. He already knew it in and out, read it a dozen times. He had only picked it up to draw his attention away from the throneroom. As soon as he has seen Applejack´s and Rarity´s cutiemarks appear on the map, he had closed himself in to his room. He had made a good face to them for the whole Sunset Festival he felt fatigued on keeping this farce. He was not okay about them being a couple. Applejack once safed his life, he had alot of respect for her, and Rarity, he just wanted her to be happy, but why could she not be happy with him? So he kept locking himself away and keep looking at the pictures of the Power Ponies. But, oh sweet Celestia, that was a terrible choice for escapism. He looked at Mistress Mare-Velous fighting side by side with Radiance and he kept wondering how long they have been a couple. It knocked on the door so he opened it. "Howdy, Spike. May Ah come in?" Spike could not be angry at Applejack for loving Rarity, so did he and to blame others to see that wonderful mare in her as well was just not right to him. But it would be a lie to say that he was enthusiastic about it. "Sure, come in." Applejack looked around she sure had not been often in this part of the castle and settled to sit next to the little dragon´s bed with the open comic book on it. Spike sat down on his bed and so both of them were roughly on the same eye height for once. "So, what do you want?" "Ah heared that ya were pretty upset about the proposal and Ah needed to talk with ya about what happend..." "It´s alright Applejack."- said Spike, even thought his heart shattered doing so. Applejack shaked her head: "It isn´t alright. It is a lie. This whole marriage was a scheme by the changelings!" Spike´s eyes widen with joy, pleasure, delight, happiness, gladness, glee and all the other synonyms he could think of for the euphoria he felt right now. His tail waved like that of an overjoyed dog as he leaned over to her to question her: "You are not going to marry her?" "No, Ah..."- Applejack stopped suddenly. A spark of hope glimmed in her eyes, even thought it contradicted everything she had heared so far. Could she really still be an Apple by law? -"Wait, Ah thought they already wedded us?" *** The young dragon was sitting at Donut Joe´s having an an abundance of donuts. He should have brought the `good news´ and a request to Princess Celestia by now, but had stopped a Joe´s Donut Shop to wallow in self pity and sprinkles. The tall pale yellow unicorn stallion looked at the purple dragon on his counter. Spike used to come her all the time when he was living in Canterlot and since he moved to Ponyville he had been here just a few times, but still he was known here. Welcomed here like an old friend. Spike as spend countless hours talking to Joe when Twilight was here with her old friends. Minuette was always taking one of the tables in the middle of the room for them to join around and Spike sat most of the times on the counter. His establishment was the secret-not-so-secret-getaway for many students of Celestia´s School for Gifted Unicorn. This was the best place he knew for donuts and a nice talk to a great stallion that always has an open ear for everyponies problems. Spike slammed his cup of hot cacao on the counter. A few splashes of cacao spoiled the board and the stallion just swept it away with a rag as Spike continued to poured his heart out to Joe: "... I mean seriously after everything I have done for her she suddenly decides that she is no longer into stallions? What gives?!" Joe gave an understanding smile: "Even if you might not believe me, Spike, I know exactly how you feel." "So what should I do now? Should I just go to Princess Celestia and ask her to be their priest? I... I really don´t want that marriage to happen." said Spike letting his head sunk to the counter. "Well Spike..."- he put his hoof on Spike´s claw.and they shared a short moment of deep understanding each others -"when I am you I will not interfere with Queen Chrysalis´Operation `DreamCatcher´for the Canterlot Royalty." as he spoke this words his body transformed within a second into that of Spikes. Replacing the gentle hoof with a grabbing claw and pulled Spike over the counter. *** Having listened to what has happened to Spike in Canterlot, Applejack ran down the stairways with Spike riding on her back. When were all of them abducted? If they got married in Canterlot and not in Ponyville, they maybe not got married at all! They burst through the door into the throne room again. Were Rarity was still crying over some Changeling had lived her dream wedding, about the finally sunk in comprehension that her reputation has been permanently corrupted by her marrying a mare in a widely known ceremony hosted by Princess Celestia. All of high society would know about such an event. As well as screaming at the newly arrived Fluttershy about, how she could have confirmed such an obvious and dreadful lie of her and Applejack being a couple. "I-I am sorry Rarity,"- stuttered the yellow pegasus, blushing at the mere thought of two of her friends finding love with each other -"but I... wasn´t aware... I don´t think that was me... ."
Welcome homeThe sunset festival at Starlight´s old town was a nice party. Pinkie Pie had entered the baking competition what ended into a bake off between her and Sugar Belle. The great and powerful Trixie put every unicorn to shame at the firework show, and she had enjoyed the attention. Soaked it up like a sponge and stressed Twilight Sparkle out with her boasting. Twilight Sparkle and Spike had start to notice how even after Starlight had lied and manipulated these ponies, they still put a lot of trust into her. These ponies had to have been looking for somepony to give them direction to not only end up here but staying here after their trust into Starlight had been shattered. They really have to do some research about these ponies. Where they came from. How they ended up here. And why they did not go home. Besides this unnerving feeling that something was still wrong with these ponies, it was a very nice party. A nice weeklong party... . Eventually they had to go home. Everypony, but Pinkie Pie and Discord, were exhausted so they were more than glad Discord just teleported them straight to townsquare of Ponyville and the group just split from there to their homes. Rarity walked her way to Carousel Boutique someponies started to wisper looking at her. Seriously the nerves someponies have. She was tired and beat up from a week long party with hardly any sleep. Because Starlight´s ex-cult members had planned events for every main solarsetting. Sunrise, Highnoon and Sunset. Also Trixie used the opportunity to perform a one mare firework show every single night for her new found fans. Of course she did not look to her usual standart, but that is no reason to gossip right away. She opened the door to the selling area of her boutique. Her lovely door bell ring it nice soft tune. Another tune followed it. It was the voice her younger sister Sweetie Belle answering the bell. "I am sorry Carousel Boutique is closed till... Rarity?" The white little filly put on a questioning almost worried face on. "Yes, Sweetie it´s me." said Rarity with a tired smile. How nice of her little sister to have an eye on her shop. *** "Howdy Big Mac," yawned Applejack as she trotted past the red stallion. Unaware of the suspicious look on his face she said: "Ah be there with ya... Ah just need an hour in mah room." The stallion felt pity for his younger sister and did not stop her on her way to the barn. It sure as hell had to be hard for Applejack. Applejack had never noticed what a nice, warm, welcoming glow bright, red wooden door had in the morning sun. Home sweet home. She is going to snuggle up her pillow for little while before going back on the field. Granny Smith was surprised as the orange entered the kitchen: "Applejack? What in tarnation?! How do ya dare to show up here all willy-nilly after what ya hav don!" Applejack looked at her with sleepy eyes. What was going... Oh yeah the Changeling that took her place. Starlight had told them about them, but Applejack was just to tired to deal with it right now. "Ah am... sorry for what ever ya think ah hav don wrong. Ah just really need some time for me right now." said Applejack her head hung low from the exhaustion of the last days as she trotted up to her room. The sweet, sweet hay waiting for her. Granny Smith looked after her grandchild. "Son, yar daugther seems finally home ya know."- she sighed -"Poor thing." *** Rarity stopped at the bottom step of the stair. Her ear flinched back as she looked back at Sweetie Belle that kept staring at her with a worried expression on her face. Rarity blushed slightly as she asked: "Beg you pardon? What was that?" "Did something happend at your Honeymoon?" asked the concerned little filly. "Honeymoon? Darling. You might not underst..." "What´s with Applejack is she alright? Where is she?" Sweetie Belle came a horrifying realization. Her white hoof shut her muzzle for a second. "Oh no! You didn´t broke up already have you?" Rarity was dumbfounded. Did Sweetie Belle really just implied she and Applejack...? "Oh, I knew it, it was to nice to hold forever." Then Sweetie Belle came an idea. "Dont´t worry we can fix it. I just have to talk to Applebloom." Sweetie Belle was swooped of the floor by blue magic hold infront of Rarity´s angry face. "What did you just said! Little Miss Gabby Gums!" "Rarity, just because you are angry at Applejack doesn´t mean it have to end like this." Rarity looked into Sweetie Belle´s face and it came to her. The little thing was not lying to her. The changelings that were impersonating as her and... "AAAAAPPLEJAAAAACK!" The doors of the Carousel Boutique swung wide open as Rarity rushed into the direction of Sweet Apple Acres. Leaving confused ponies left and right. *** The orange mare was cuddled up in her red blanket in her room. Granny Smith sat down by her side. Her green hoof carefully patted her blond head. "Oh dear, dear, dear." Granny Smith ruffled her mane. "Ah think Ah have been to darn hard on ya." Applejack pulled the blanket over her head and mumbled: "Not now, Granny." The old mare took her foreleg back and started to look around this old barnroom and let out a sad sigh. "Ya always had a lovers eye for the finer things of life. Ever since ya moved out to yar Aunt n' Uncle Orange. But Ah didn´t thought ya would... ya know... just leave us again." Applejack sat up in her bed, looked at Granny Smith as if one of them had to much cider and asked: "Ya don´t make a lick of sense, Granny. What are ya talking about?" *** The big red stallion blocked Raritys way to Sweet Apple Acres. She could already see the barn behind the appletrees . But Big Mac always stepped in front of her. She did not came any further on the narrow way between the fences. "Big Mac, please. I have to talk to Applejack." Big Mac snorted at her, breaking his usual stoic demeanor: "Ah don´t know what ya did to her, but if A.J. comes back home. Ah am sure she don´t wanna see ya! Leave or Ah am going to drag ya out by yar tail." Rarity was outraged about this scandalous proposition. She would never thought Big Mac could mean this serious. "Ugh you wouldn´t!" "Try me!" snorted Big Mac in her face. Rarity wanted, needed to see Applejack. She lifted her hoof just a bit as Big Mac already pushed her back with his head against hers. "Ya don´t wanna listen to kindness do ya." Rarity´s hooves found no ground to support her in her stance as she was shoven away from the barn inch by inch. Big Mac only stopped as he heared his little sister screaming from the barn. "WHAT IN TARNATION!!!"
MarriedApplejack found Rarity on the way from Sweet Apple Acres to Ponyville. In the middle of the road through the orchard. Big Mac gave Rarity a sour glance as he decided to stay out of their business. He would have liked it a lot to drag Rarity all the way back to townsquare and give her the spanking she had deserved, but in the end she was his sister´s wife. Applejack noticed his uncalled for, but yet understandable grudge towards the white unicorn. "Applejack, thank Celestia you are here. I never seen your brother act like such a ruffian."- Rarity placed her hoof on her heart. -"I almost feared for my life." Applejack pulled her stetson deep into her face, casting a shadow over her face: "Ah guess you have heared whats going on?"- Rarity flushed as she acknowledged to have received the horrible message. "He wasn´t invited to our wedding." "Oh my. I reckon I was afraid for my life after all." said Rarity watching the part were the stallion had entered the orchard to get to work. Rarity threw the backside of her forehoof to her forehead. "Oh why would they do that to me?" Such arrogance! They were all kidnapped by the changelings. She was not the only one screwed over by them. Not only her: "To ya? If ya haven´t noticed, Ah am no longer legally an Apple! Because Ah have married into yar family" Rarity looked at Applejack, blinking disbelieving with her eyelashes, putting the tip of white hoof on her lip. "Well, that´s a relieve." "Say what now?!" "Do you know how much trouble it would have been to rewrite the ownership of my boutiques on a new name, if it was the other way around?" Rarity threw a glance at the outraged countrygirl that she put her own interests first in this case. "Trouble!"- shouted Applejack. Close to show her what trouble really means. -"Sweet Apple Acres is Apple-family Property! Ma family name and Sweet Apple Acres are everything Ah got passed down from ma parents! And now Ah don´t have either." With her hat still pulled deep into her face, Applejack trotted past Rarity. The white mare could not really see her face but she was hurt. Wounded. Weak and broken. "Applejack, I didn´t meant to..." Applejack did not look at her for a single moment. She just wanted to reach Ponyville with as few ponies seeing what was going on as possible. "Let´s just get ma stuff out of Carousel Boutique. Ah´ve not moved in with ya!" *** Who would have thought you could share the walk of shame? Not Applejack, nor Rarity. Neither they knew you could walk it on behalf of somepony else. They all seem to know what was going on. And the slightest hope of resolving this issue without anypony noticing, vanished in thin air. Applejack was carrying a big yellow pouch thrown over her saddlebags while Rarity had a few packets flowing in her magic aura. Being looked at was one thing, being the talk of the entire town but being lectured by ponies that think they knew what was going on was like being eaten alive by a burning timberwolf. The blue mare had learned about their breaking off while standing behind the counter of Sugar Cube Corners. The whole bakery was buzzing with rumors and gossip of far to inquisitive ponies. So that when they had passed the shop door on their way back to Sweet Apple Acres, had Mrs. Cake left her shop just to talk to them: "Now it is not my business in anyway, shape or form. And I find it commendable that you two are trying to settle this as friends, but you can´t just throw away your marriage like this." "There is NO marriage!" shouted Applejack angrily. "I know it can feel that way, sometimes. There will always be hard times you just have to work through these. Just remember how happy you two were when you went puplic with your relationship." appealed Mrs. Cake to them. Rarity tried her luck to explain the situation"That relationship was a lie, Mrs. Cake..." but the mare just kept on coming with life advice until she realized how far she has walked off from her shop. The two of them sighed with relief as Mrs. Cake left them. Sadly their purgatory was not about to end with this. No fate really felt like punishing them today. They could feel it. Right upon their flanks. The map called them. To Twilight´s castle. Once again on the other side of the town. *** In the purple crystal throne room stared Twilight Sparkle at the crystal table with the illusionary magic map. All six cutiemarks of their friends images were floating over Ponyville in rapid circles. "Is the map broken again? Have the changelings tampered with it." adressed Twilight the odd behavior to everypony that was already, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, but mostly to Starlight Glimmer. Who had been here when the changelings had replaced each and everyone of the Friendship Council. "That could be possible, though I didn´t saw it." pondered Starlight Glimmer. They had used it as a table for their own magic, but could that have effected the magic of the castle? "Ah doubt that." said Applejack as she and Rarity appeared in the doorway just in time to hear them speculating. "Ah think it´s us. We got an friendship problem." The two ponies were a welcome sight, but what they said was a little unsettling. The mares looked like they had not even gotten a single moment of rest since they had came back from the Sunset Festival. Rarity nodded sadly and agreed: "Indeed. It is downright dreadful." "Oh my gosh girls? What happend?" wondered Twilight Sparkle, ignoring the map for now. Even thought she was not convinced yet that it was not manipulated with magic again. But for now there seemed to be a much bigger problem hanging in the air. "Ah don´t know how to give it to ya"- said Applejack. She throwed the bags of her back and moved towards the map, while Rarity followed her example. -"It looks like these Changelings that sham to be us. Have tried to ruin our lifes. Now everypony in town thinks me and Rarity are a married couple!" Everypony in the room stared at them in disbelief. This could not be. These Changelings they would not dare to... "Wait, so it wasn´t you two I caught smooching?", ask Rainbow Dash bluntly.
The proposalApplejack just stood there in the throne room of the friendship council. Looking into a bunch of embarrassed and disturbed ponyfaces. Just Starlight Glimmer was as confused as she was. "Ya did what now?" shouted Applejack at Rainbow Dash in dissapointment, who had just told her that she had seen the imposters kissing each other. "How did ya not catch that wasn´t me?! Ya know me better than anypony here." Her hoof pointed at Rarity in such a rush, with no care if or if not it might hit her. Neither did Applejack consider if her words might going to hurt her, she herself was just too upset about the whole ordeal. "Do ya really think Ah would date a pony like her?!" Rarity was baffled and slightly insulted that Applejack would say such a thing. If it was not for the fact that she felt as betrayed by her other friends, she would have given her a piece of her mind about that statement. "Hey, I am nopony to judge anypony on who they fall in love with. That´s Twilight!" shifted the cyan pegasis the blame to the so called Princess of Friendship. Twilight´s stare pierced Rainbow Dash. Was it not her, who got ridiculed for having suspicions all the time? "No, I am not! I mean yes, but..." *** Starlight Glimmer had just left to her old town a few hours ago. It would take her at least three days to arrive since they have to pull Trixie´s caravan alongside them. Since she still felt uneasy about the whole invitation from the ponies she had caused so much suffering. The last thing she wanted was to be late and maybe, if they let her, to lend a hoof in the preparations for the Sunset Festival. It would be the least she could do. So she had thought... It was around that time the most colorful of all ponies in Ponyville, Rainbow Dash, flew across town without a care in the world. There was a recent break in the Wonderbolt training session and no urgent weather duties she could help her old weather team out with. Neither did the map called for her. Or Scootaloo asking her to teach her flying. Something about visiting her father or something... . Short, it was a boring day for her. The biggest thing had been Starlight Glimmer telling her about her nightmare. Maybe she should ask Applejack has a little bit of cider to spare. At worst she could kill sometime on hearing her complaining about her obsession to Sweet Apple Cider or that it was not going to be the season for them to make some in while. Rainbow had no hard time to find Applejack, for some reason her stetson was a real eyecatcher on a quick fly-by. What Rainbow did not expected, once finding the hat in the orchard, was the pony wearing it. Rarity and Applejack were holding each others close in one of the more reclusive parts of the farm. Their lips locked in a passionate kiss. Rainbow could not hold her surprise: "Wait, you two? Oh I have to tell the others." The pegasus was zooming away with the two mares only able to shout after her. So, it came that the small group of friends found themself, yet again, together in Twilight´s castle. With the only difference that Applejack and Rarity were standing close to another blushing fiercely as everypony was looking at them. "So..."- started Twilight unconvinced, expecting some elaborated prank to play out. -"this is real? I mean you two are an item?" The alicorn looked with a worried expression to Spike, who has not taken an easy toll on this revelation. He was almost a statuette of himself as the pain sunk into every scale of his body. "Why didn´t you tell us?" Rarity watched as Applejack turned her head away from Twilight´s curious gaze in embarrassment before she answered not less ashamed. "We feared it would affect our coterie, if some of us were dating." "I did affect one of us", said Rainbow tapping the still petrified Spike on the head. "Rainbow! Stop it you know how much he likes Rarity." complained Twilight Sparkle before she asked: "Anypony else thinks this is kinda sudden?" A yellow hoof slowly but steadily rose as Fluttershy tried to make a contribution to the discussion: "I..." "Yes, Fluttershy?" Twilight hoping for somepony to support her feeling that something was fishy about this situation. Fluttershy looked down avoiding everponies look: "I actually knew it for sometime now. Applejack and Rarity gawked at her and almost simultaneously asked in disbelief: "You did?"- before Rarity continued on her own- "Darling, why didn´t you talk with us about it?" Fluttershy looked up in the group of her friends, while playing nervously with her hoof: "I didn't thought it was of my business." Now it was Twilight´s turn to hung her head in shame. If Fluttershy knew all along, then this could not been a prank on her, right? She had this nagging feeling that something was not right, not right at all! But she had no time to think about it as Applejack was about to drop the next bomb. "Ya know, Rarity"- she said looking deep into Rarity´s big blue eyes. -"if everypony already knows about us. Why don´t we make it official?" Rarity gazed at the strong mare by her side: "Applejack, do you mean?" Applejack bowed down to the brilliant white mare and looked from below into her eyes as she asked the one big question Rarity has always wished to hear: "Rarity, ya are the apple of ma eye. Would ya give me the honor and marry me?" "Oh Applejack this is so sudden."- Rarity tried to hold composure for a few brief moments befor giving in. "YES!" She carefully placed her head under Applejack´s, as the countrymare stood tall again. Their friends had all different reactions to this occasion. Fluttershy was holding her hoofs infront of her muzzle and happly fluttered with her wings. Pinkie Pie had a huge grin on her face as her brain processed all the party preparations for such a huge event as an Applefamily wedding. Twilight and Spike were both dumbfounded over what had just played out in front of them. And Rainbow Dash? She poked her elbow into Applejack´s rip cage as she spoke: "Don´t forget who is going to be your best mare." "Uh, Applebloom?" "No, me!" laughed Rainbow Dash. Twilight used the opportunity of Rainbow Dash distracting the brides-to-be to whisper to Pinkie Pie: "Shouldn´t your Pinkie-Sense go crazy because there is something that you could never belief is going on?" The pink mare gave her a cheeky smile: "Yup. Totally unbelievable that two of my friends fall in love with each other. I totally have to tell that to Matilda and Cranky, Mr. and Mrs Cake, Octavia and..." "Okay okay I get the picture." mumble Twilight. Finally feeling guilty for her doubt in their relationship. There had to be something she could do to make up for it. Something she could give them to make both of her friends forget about how she acted. Something that shows her support of their love. Applejack was without any reservations a family oriented pony and Rarity... . It struck Twilight like lightning. "Well... uhm... Applejack isn´t the prince that I suspected but..."- spoke Twilight hesitantly -"I could ask Princess Celestia if she would be your priest?" Rarity was overjoyed: "Oh Twilight you mustn´t" Twilight was glad, that she had already forgotten how she had acted: "Please, Rarity. This is like the first thing I got to know about you. You girls could probably marry in the Canterlot Castle. Just like a real royal wedding you always dreamed about, Rarity." "Well, Ah guess..."- answered Applejack with a nervous tone -"Ah mean, anything to make ma princess happy." "Great! Spike send a note." said Twilight to her number one assistant, but he did not get papers ready as usual. Instead he was slowly walking towards the door. "Uh? Spike?" "Yes, yes. I take the first train to Canterlot." "Spike, you don´t have to go." The young dragon looked with a sad face at the happy couple, especially the overjoyed Rarity, before he replied: "Yes Twilight I really have to bring Princess Celestia the happy news personally." *** Twilight bowed her head in shame: "Sorry A.J. They sounded so convincing."
The times they were changelingsLooking into his comic book with a blank stare. He already knew it in and out, read it a dozen times. He had only picked it up to draw his attention away from the throneroom. As soon as he has seen Applejack´s and Rarity´s cutiemarks appear on the map, he had closed himself in to his room. He had made a good face to them for the whole Sunset Festival he felt fatigued on keeping this farce. He was not okay about them being a couple. Applejack once safed his life, he had alot of respect for her, and Rarity, he just wanted her to be happy, but why could she not be happy with him? So he kept locking himself away and keep looking at the pictures of the Power Ponies. But, oh sweet Celestia, that was a terrible choice for escapism. He looked at Mistress Mare-Velous fighting side by side with Radiance and he kept wondering how long they have been a couple. It knocked on the door so he opened it. "Howdy, Spike. May Ah come in?" Spike could not be angry at Applejack for loving Rarity, so did he and to blame others to see that wonderful mare in her as well was just not right to him. But it would be a lie to say that he was enthusiastic about it. "Sure, come in." Applejack looked around she sure had not been often in this part of the castle and settled to sit next to the little dragon´s bed with the open comic book on it. Spike sat down on his bed and so both of them were roughly on the same eye height for once. "So, what do you want?" "Ah heared that ya were pretty upset about the proposal and Ah needed to talk with ya about what happend..." "It´s alright Applejack."- said Spike, even thought his heart shattered doing so. Applejack shaked her head: "It isn´t alright. It is a lie. This whole marriage was a scheme by the changelings!" Spike´s eyes widen with joy, pleasure, delight, happiness, gladness, glee and all the other synonyms he could think of for the euphoria he felt right now. His tail waved like that of an overjoyed dog as he leaned over to her to question her: "You are not going to marry her?" "No, Ah..."- Applejack stopped suddenly. A spark of hope glimmed in her eyes, even thought it contradicted everything she had heared so far. Could she really still be an Apple by law? -"Wait, Ah thought they already wedded us?" *** The young dragon was sitting at Donut Joe´s having an an abundance of donuts. He should have brought the `good news´ and a request to Princess Celestia by now, but had stopped a Joe´s Donut Shop to wallow in self pity and sprinkles. The tall pale yellow unicorn stallion looked at the purple dragon on his counter. Spike used to come her all the time when he was living in Canterlot and since he moved to Ponyville he had been here just a few times, but still he was known here. Welcomed here like an old friend. Spike as spend countless hours talking to Joe when Twilight was here with her old friends. Minuette was always taking one of the tables in the middle of the room for them to join around and Spike sat most of the times on the counter. His establishment was the secret-not-so-secret-getaway for many students of Celestia´s School for Gifted Unicorn. This was the best place he knew for donuts and a nice talk to a great stallion that always has an open ear for everyponies problems. Spike slammed his cup of hot cacao on the counter. A few splashes of cacao spoiled the board and the stallion just swept it away with a rag as Spike continued to poured his heart out to Joe: "... I mean seriously after everything I have done for her she suddenly decides that she is no longer into stallions? What gives?!" Joe gave an understanding smile: "Even if you might not believe me, Spike, I know exactly how you feel." "So what should I do now? Should I just go to Princess Celestia and ask her to be their priest? I... I really don´t want that marriage to happen." said Spike letting his head sunk to the counter. "Well Spike..."- he put his hoof on Spike´s claw.and they shared a short moment of deep understanding each others -"when I am you I will not interfere with Queen Chrysalis´Operation `DreamCatcher´for the Canterlot Royalty." as he spoke this words his body transformed within a second into that of Spikes. Replacing the gentle hoof with a grabbing claw and pulled Spike over the counter. *** Having listened to what has happened to Spike in Canterlot, Applejack ran down the stairways with Spike riding on her back. When were all of them abducted? If they got married in Canterlot and not in Ponyville, they maybe not got married at all! They burst through the door into the throne room again. Were Rarity was still crying over some Changeling had lived her dream wedding, about the finally sunk in comprehension that her reputation has been permanently corrupted by her marrying a mare in a widely known ceremony hosted by Princess Celestia. All of high society would know about such an event. As well as screaming at the newly arrived Fluttershy about, how she could have confirmed such an obvious and dreadful lie of her and Applejack being a couple. "I-I am sorry Rarity,"- stuttered the yellow pegasus, blushing at the mere thought of two of her friends finding love with each other -"but I... wasn´t aware... I don´t think that was me... ."
