Rarity's Manner Lessons

by Godzillawolf

Rating: everyone
Tags: Applejack, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rainbow Dash, Rarity
Length: 5021

Rarity has a favor to ask of Rainbow Dash and Applejack after they abandoned her in the desert in The Last Roundup

We all know Rarity was not happy with Rainbow Dash after being left stranded in the desert with Pinkie Pie. So how exactly did things go when they returned home?

I admit, this isn't exactly a style of story I'm USED to writing, but hope it turned out okay!

Commissioned by Alexwarlorn!

MLP belongs to Hasbro!

Cover art by icantunloveyou

Published 2017-04-26 00:30:01 UTC
Last updated 2017-04-26 00:30:01 UTC

Lesson One: Be Careful Not to Abandon Rarity in the Desert

Set After Last Round Up

“Um...Applejack?” asked Rainbow Dash, looking around paranoid.

“Yeah, Rainbow?” asked the orange farm pony, looking at the pegasus as she bucked another tree. Since she'd been back, the mare had been going double time to make up for the work she'd missed in Dodge Junction. She didn't complain, she'd been foolish and she had to pay the consequences for it.

“Aren't you worried about Rarity?!” the cyan pegasus asked, keeping her eyes peeled for any sign of white and purple.

Applejack looked back with a raised eyebrow. “Why?”

Rainbow Dash replied with a deadpan expression.

“Hey, has anypony seen Rarity?” Rainbow Dash asked, the group sitting at Sugar Cube Corner.

“I haven't seen Pinkie Pie in awhile either,” Twilight replied, a worried look crossing her face..

Suddenly the door burst open and an usually dirty, sweaty, and frazzled Rarity entered, snorting hot air out of her nose. “RAINBOW JENNIFER DASH AND ABIGAIL JACQUELINE!”

“Uh oh, full name ultimatum...” said an equally dirty Pinkie Pie, bounding in behind her, but still her normal wacky self.

“...Jennifer?” asked Twilight, raising an eyebrow as she cast a glance to the pegasus.

“Rarity! I told you never to tell anypony that!” Rainbow Dash replied, blushing bright red. She was quickly silenced when the furious fashionista was in her and Applejack's faces.

“Forgive me for forgetting after the long trip back from the desert!” the furious fashionista replied.

“Oh...right...” the cyan pegasus replied, rubbing the back of her head. “Sorry...”

“You left them in the desert?!” Twilight asked. “I thought you went back for them!”

“I...kinda forgot...”

"Rarity! I'm so sorry! I thought they went back for you!" Twilight exclaimed, looking to the mare with sincere guilt. Fluttershy nodded in agreement with a sorry of her own.

Rarity turned to Applejack. “And YOU! You led us on that stupid chase in the first place for Celestia knows what reason!”

Applejack got a nervous look. “Well...yah see, Ah-”

“I don't care!” the fashionista yelled, the group having never seen her so angry. “I had to listen to Pinkie Pie say cherrychangas the entire trip by hoofcart!”

“Oh! Cherrychangas!” exclaimed the pink party pony. “I almost forgot!” she called, dashing off...then being stopped by the Cakes, who pointed to her dirty hooves. “Aww...”

“And then get a job as dancers in Dodge Junction to get money for the tickets to get home! I've missed several days of work, I'm absolutely filthy, and...and...” Rarity roared without missing a beat, upset clear in her face at the last one in particular. “After I catch up on my work and get a spa day, you two are going to repay me!”

Applejack gulped. “Oh...right...Well, Ah'm sure she forgot. Rarity doesn't seem like the vengeful type. I mean there was that one time at the sleepover, but that was more two ponies bickerin' over something than anythin'...”

“Applejack, Pinkie Pie didn't seem like the vengeful type until she thought you broke a Pinkie Promise!” the cyan pegasus replied flatly.

“...Point taken...But come on, what's the worst she can do? Stick us in some dresses?”

Rainbow Dash shuddered. “That'd still be pretty bad! And NEVER say 'what's the worst' about anything! That never helps!”

“Oh girls!” called a familiar voice in a sing song tone.

The two ponies cringed as the voice rang in their ears and the prim and proper fashionista trotted over to them. The fact she didn't look openly angry did little to alleviate their concern.  

“Oh...hey Rarity...” said Rainbow Dash, giving her friend a nervous glance.

“Hello, girls. Was just stopping by to see how Applejack's work was going and discuss a few things with Granny Smith,” Rarity replied, keeping a cheery tone.

Applejack gulped. “About what?”

“Oh, that's a surprise, darling,” the fashionista replied, causing the orange Earth Pony to sweat a little bit. “Oh, and Rainbow Dash!”

Rainbow jumped. “What?”

“The day after tomorrow is your off day from the Weather Patrol, right?”

“Uh...yeah...why?”

“Oh...nothing...See you later darlings...” Rarity said, heading off.

Rainbow looked to Applejack. “...Okay, she's either up to something...or wants us to think she is to drive us crazy with paranoia...I'm not sure which is worse.”

Two days later, both mares had received letters from Rarity to meet her at the Boutique. The fact this happened at the exact same time they were both relatively free that day. As she'd told Rarity, Rainbow Dash had the day off, and Applejack had finally finished her backlog. It was suspicious to say the least.

“...You know, we could just leave and pretend we didn't get her letters you know,” Rainbow Dash said, rubbing her head with a nervous smile.

“Rainbow, if Rarity wants to get something back, we kinda deserve it...” was Applejack's response. “Ah mean Ah know Ah'd be miffed if Ah was abandoned in the desert when Ah had important stuff tah do...”

“Yeah...but Pinkie was the one who knocked her off!” the cyan Pegasus replied.

“And she got stuck in the desert too,” the farmer replied. “Come on, let's take it like mares...”

Rainbow Dash gave an annoyed sigh. “Fine...”

What awaited them inside wasn't what either had expected.

“So what exactly does this do?” Rainbow Dash asked, looking at the odd potion.

“Oh just a little potion from Twilight,” the fashionista replied, still still maintaining her cheery tone.

“That does what exactly?” Applejack questioned, giving a suspicious eyebrow.

“Oh, just brings out 'the part of ourselves we express the least.' Or the 'light hidden in our shadow' or so on. It can't make a pony evil, that's too ingrained into a pony for this little potion to do it, and it will wear off on it's own rather quickly. It may also contain 'trace amounts of past life regression,' whatever that entails. It's generally harmless,” Rarity explained. “Like for example, if we gave it to Fluttershy then that repressed courage of hers would surface for awhile...All I want is for you two to drink it and spend the day with me.”

“...Can't I just wear a dress for a day?” Rainbow Dash asked, cringing at the thought.

“But...Ah got work on the farm tah do...” Applejack pointed out.

“What do you think I was talking to Granny Smith about?” the fashionista replied. “She agrees you owe me this. You've got the entire day off.”

The orange farm pony didn't blame her grandmother, given what she'd put her through as well.

“I can't make you take the potion, but it'd make it up to me for stranding me in the desert like that! And I swear that whatever comes of it doesn't leave our shop and I have no intentions to humiliate you with it. I've closed shop for the day, the curtains will remain closed, and Sweetie Belle and the Crusaders are on a field trip all day,” Rarity explained.

“...Why this out of everything?” Rainbow Dash asked suspiciously.

“Oh, just something I missed while in the desert I'm hoping to kind of get back with you two,” Rarity replied, for a moment looking more upset than angry. “And I know enough about you two to guess what exactly is hidden in your psyches you could get in touch with.”

Applejack seemed to pick up on her upset, and gave a frown.  

“Besides, I've done it before myself in a very similar situation,” said the fashionista. “As an apology to Sweetie Belle for missing one of our days together by improving another one with this potion...And no, I'm not telling you what happened and neither will she...”

“Hehe! This is fun!” shouted Rarity, in a roller derby in Manehattan. Not at, in. She took part in the fast paced, grueling sport laughing like a school girl.

Sweetie Belle cheered. “Go Rarity!” she called, as her sister did a spin and allowed two other racers to miss her and slam into each other.

“Let's just say I discovered I took a little bit more from my father than I believed I did. It was quite insightful, as I'm sure it would be for you two,” Rarity explained. “Point is, I'm not asking anything of you as an apology I haven't given another already.”

“AJ...” Rainbow Dash muttered, looking uneasy as the two huddled.

“...Rainbow, Ah'm not all that keen either, but Ah screwed up somethin' awful...” Applejack replied. “And yah can't say we don't really owe Rarity big time fer what we put her through. Wouldn't yah be mad if your friend got yah lost in the middle of the desert?”

The cyan pegasus sighed. “...Fine...I guess you're right...I should've gone back to get her and I didn't.”

The two watched Rarity close all the blinds and waited for the other one to take the potion. They finally decided to just both grab theirs and down it to get it over with already.

The end result was a rather strange experience, like briefly being in their own mind, watching a light surface from their own shadow and come to the surface. It wasn't like their consciousness was supplemented or repressed, more like they were 'tagging out' to a different aspect and letting it take the spotlight for awhile. Same memories, same core self, just a different part of it.

Rarity watched with baited breath as the potion took it's effect. The two blinked, their eyes dropping for a moment before their expressions changed drastically. Both normally rough and tumble ponies' postures completely changed.

“Well, this is quite strange,” said Applejack, now speaking in a practiced Manehattanite accent with the fitting posture.

“Agreed, darling...” Rainbow Dash replied, in what Rarity knew was an Isle of Pony accent. Her posture didn't quite become refined, but certainly more lady-like.

“Yes! It worked!” Rarity exclaimed with a smile. “Oh I knew it!”

The two ponies blinked, looking to one another. “Rarity, darling, if you don't mind me asking, how did you know that?” Rainbow Dash asked, being less reckless in her movements now.

“Well, I knew Applejack spent a fair amount of time in Manehattan with her aunt and uncle as a child and I found another Rainbow Dash in your family tree who Fluttershy told me you got along quite well with as a filly but slowly fell out with over time. If I recall she's the one Fluttershy learned to sew from.”

Rainbow Dash face twisted with a little guilt. “My...when you put it that way, it sounds meaner than I thought it was...I just kind of went a different route, darling...”

Now it was Rarity's turn to look a little guilty. “I'm sorry for bringing that up...to be honest, I admit this wasn't really about trying to make you feel bad, I just wanted you two to understand me better and why I behave as I do for a change. I've left my comfort zone and into yours for Sweetie Belle, so when I got the chance to get you two to do the same, I jumped on it...Care for a spot of tea while we talk?”

“Oh...” Rarity muttered as the group sat at the table, sipping tea. “So that's why you did that darling.”

Applejack nodded, sipping her tea in a rather refined manner. “Yes, I do apologize my dear, I wasn't thinking very clearly.”

Rarity put a hoof on her shoulder with a frown. “I understand, darling...we all make less than ideal choices sometimes...especially when we believed we failed.”

“The rest of us were understanding too, darling,” said Rainbow Dash, taking a rather lady-like sip of tea.

Applejack looked to Rarity with a lady-like chuckle. “Dear, is there any particular reason you say darling like her?”

“Rainbow Dash Sr. was actually a bit of an inspiration for me,” Rarity admitted with an amused smirk. “And she does that quite a bit.”

“I suppose that makes sense...I am honestly surprised I still have this inside of me, it's been so long sense I so much as thought about Aunt and Uncle Orange's training...” the orange farm pony admitted, looking down at the well set table and actually recognizing the various spoons and such.

“Well, that is kind of the point of the potion: to show a part of ourselves we may have forgotten,” the fashionista replied. “I certainly didn't think that I would still have my...more rambunctious side it brought out in me...” Rarity admitted that she had been quite physical and fun loving as a filly, before she decided to become a fashionista. The potion had brought it out full force.

Applejack looked down at the tea cup as she sipped instead of simply drank. “It is a surprise to think this is me...” she said, but then got an idea. She focused and began to glow with her Rainbow Power aura for a moment before she stopped. “Honesty still works...if this were not me, then it would not,” she said, thinking back and giving a chuckle. “You know, I always found myself rather lost at social gatherings of a more high class sort. I remember freezing up at that one brunch with Celestia because I wasn't sure the order you are supposed to eat the food in...”

“And now?” Rarity asked.

“I can remember perfectly...Hmm...it isn't really a surprise when you think about it. A lot of the apples do have a good long memory...” Applejack replied, thinking back to that brunch. There hadn't really been any appetizers at that specific get together, the salad could technically qualify, the sandwich had been the main course, and everything else had been dessert. It was just so clear.

Rarity chuckled. “Believe me, I was in for some surprises when I took the potion...but onto other matters....” The fashionista got a thought. Would they actually go for it? The romantic in her had to know. “So...do either of you girls have eyes on any stallion?”

The two jumped in surprise, then looked to one another.

“Um, sorry, dear. No stallions for me,” remarked Applejack. “I do believe that even like this, I am still married to the job.”

“The only one I really would be interested in is Soarin', darling,” Rainbow Dash replied, giving a bit of a look that would decidedly be out of place on her normal persona's. “But it is against Wonderbolt protocol to be romantically involved with a superior...My only real...suiter is...” the cyan pegasus gave a shudder. “Zephyr Breeze...”

“Fluttershy's brother?” Rarity asked.

“Yes, unfortunately. He's...oh how do I put it...” the mare asked, tapping her chin. “So intolerable, self absorbed, and annoying that Prince Blueblood would be a more pleasant date.”

Rarity gave a horrified gasp. “Are you sure, darling? That is rather harsh criticism...trust me, I know from experience.”

“Oh but I am, darling! He's so insufferable that even Fluttershy can hardly stand him! And what's worse is he won't take a hint that I am simply not interested,” Rainbow Dash muttered. “I feel like that poor cat in that cartoon who has to deal with that Prance skunk that just won't leave her alone. Especially that one time I replaced his cologne with skunk spray to try and give him the hint...Desperate times called for desperate measures, darling.”

Rarity looked a bit sickened by that thought. “...Well...sorry to hear that...Well, I have my eye on Dazzling Diamond!”

The two ponies merely stared at her in confusion.

“Who, dear?” Applejack asked.

“Biggest model in Canterlot? Signature diamond studded glasses?...Ring a bell?”

“No...” said Rainbow Dash. “Sorry darling.”

“Oh...Well, I've got the latest fashion magazine, so I'll tell you.”

“So long as he's more appealing than Zephyr Breeze, though that is far from a low threshold.”

“Hmm...” Rainbow Dash said, examining her original gala dress that Rarity still presented proudly in her store. “...You know, it's strange, darling. I did enjoy this dress, but I do not think I quite appreciated the effort that went into it.”

“How so, Rainbow Dash?” Rarity questioned, trotting over.

“I must admit, I didn't quite understand how difficult it was to get all these curves just right to remain aerodynamic,” the cyan pegasus explained, trotting around it with an unusually analytic eye. “Stitching all in just the right places to prevent drag. It has far less material to it than the others did to avoid extra weight, and in general was clearly meant to be both fashionable and functional darling.”

Rarity and Applejack both stared with wide eyes.

“Dear, I know I currently appreciate the beauty of the dresses better now with my Aunt Orange's teachings on such things, I did not instantly know that much about it,” Applejack commented, looking to hers. Their Gala dresses were things Rarity took a great deal of pride in, and rightfully so. They had impressed a really important pony for her, in addition to who she'd made it for. So they'd always been displayed somewhere in her shop.

“Well, as Rarity said, I'm not Rainbow Dash the First...I suppose even though I treated it like it went in one ear and out the other, I picked up some things without realizing it...” Rainbow Dash replied, giving a frown. It still did not occur to her that picking up things while flying and not actively paying attention was a hidden strong suit of hers. “...Rarity, darling?”

“Yes, Rainbow Dash?”

“Could you perhaps help me make somepony a birthday present?”

Applejack stepped out from Rarity's changing room, outfitted in a dress Rarity had designed for her. As with many of her designs for the orange Earth Pony, they had an apple theme and reflected her nature, but in this case, she'd allowed Rarity to put more effort into her mane and tail. The mare blinked, looking at herself in the mirror. “My word, that's me?”

Rarity nodded. “Yes, darling. You look beautiful when you put a little effort into it...”

“I suppose I do clean up rather well...” the orange mare replied, looking herself over. Little did she know, she would eventually put this moment to good use when Rarity was a little insensitive trying to get a pony to fall in love with her. True, she'd dressed fancy at the Gala...but maybe if she'd had this potion in, she might have been more understanding of what would've sold her food. Even now she could think of a few improvements she could have made with the presentation. “Hehe!”

“What is it?” asked Rarity, raising an eyebrow.

“I just realized that Blueblood judged my cooking based on what it looked like, not on what it tasted like,” Applejack replied. "The big lug didn't even realize you'd said an Apple Fritter until he'd already took a bite and saw what it was! If I'd worked on the presentation a bit better, he'd probably have scarfed it down without a second thought! Think we could arrange that somehow?”

Rarity let herself laugh. “Oh darling, that would be wonderful! I would very much enjoy seeing the look on his face when he finds out!”

“And how do I look, darling?” asked Rainbow Dash, coming out of another changing room herself, flipping her mane. The dress she wore was rainbow colored and made with prismatic that glistened in the light, but strangely lacked openings for her wings, as if it was made for an Earth Pony. Probably because it was, it was a birthday present for one after all. As with Applejack, she'd permitted Rarity to do her mane and fur (something Rainbow Dash's normal personality would never have permitted in a million years), likewise looking surprisingly beautiful.

“You look beautiful darling,” said the fashionista, coming over and giving a smile. “You have quite the creative streak when you try.”

“Yes, I suppose that is how I make so many unique tricks,” replied the mare with a chuckle. “And...” she said, doing a cartwheel, the outfit working perfectly for it. “It's like your outfit for me! Fashionable and functional!...I'm also not the only Rainbow Dash who isn't afraid to be physical, darling!”

Rarity gave a blink. Sure, she herself was quite willing to do manual labor, but that thought hadn't crossed her mind, at least not when doing such things for herself. “Hmm...hadn't thought of that, darling.” She'd forgotten that Rainbow Dash Sr. had also been the one that Rainbow Dash had gotten some of her love of physical activity from.

The two watched Rainbow Dash zoom around the room. “Or the only one that likes speed...” she said, posing in a lady-like manner as she came to a stop. “...Hmm...I never considered how hard it must be for her to constantly make her dresses work for that before...”

“It's not that easy to do, takes a lot of preparation and knowledge. I had to learn a good deal about aerodynamics just to make yours, darling,” Rarity commented, thinking back to the rather long study session at Twilight's library on the subject. She admitted, it gave her kind of a warm feeling to have one of her friends actually get that effort.

“Oh! Darling, I have an idea!” said Rainbow Dash, giving a gasp. “Can we make a matching hat for this that won't simply fly off? Always a problem when you're super fast! A problem me and my mother both share!”

Rarity tapped her chin. “Hmm...Oh! I think I have the right materials for that, darling, shall we get to work?!” Having one of her friends actively working on a dress with her...She'd never thought she'd see the day.

Applejack meanwhile wandered her way over to Rarity's book keeping area. The knowledgeable side of things was more her brother's thing than her. She tended to lack the patience for it...at least until the moment. She seemed much...calmer at the moment. After all, a proper Manehattan business pony had to have patience, and that was of course what her Aunt Orange was and taught her about being. Being able to properly understand it gave her a bit more of an appreciation for her fellow Element bearer...and also her older brother for constantly doing their farm's paper work.

As the current Manehattanite's eyes wondered over to a calender on the wall, she gave a gasp, looking at the days Rarity had missed due to her misadventure in the desert. “My word...”

“What is it darling?” asked Rarity, assisting Rainbow Dash in making a properly aerodynamic hat that would remain firmly on one's head.

Applejack carefully removed the calender and showed it to the two. “'Dinner with Octavia Melody and Fancypants...' You missed that because of us, didn't you?” she asked, face falling.

Rarity cringed. “Well...yes...it wasn't anything big or important, it was just a dinner party, but...” she muttered with a sigh as Rainbow joined Applejack in looking rather guilty. “...I accept that I'm from Ponyville and I've stopped looking down on this place...but...Well, Rainbow likes talking to Pegasi who are into the Wonderbolts and flying! You like talking with your family about farming stuff! But no pony in Ponyville cares about fashion or high society...I don't just want to be a part of the Canterlot upper class, I like all of that...but there's no pony in Ponyville to talk to about it...Not even Twilight, she didn't even leave Canterlot Castle's library anymore than necessary while living there, books are her thing...”

“So you had a meeting set up with some friends who were actually into it and...oh, darling, I'm sorry,” Rainbow Dash muttered, trotting over and put a hoof on her shoulder. “We didn't know...”

“I know...just...you know how busy ponies in their positions can be! I was looking forwards too it so much and then...” Rarity looked down. “...You girls all have somepony to talk to about what you like here in Ponyville, I don't...”

“So that's why you made the potion your favor from us?” Applejack asked. “So you could have somepony with your own interests to spend time with?”

The fashionista gave a nod. “Yes, darlings...call me selfish but...”

“...If it makes you feel better...it did make me see a bit of the good in this kind of thing...” said the orange Earth Pony replied, giving a thoughtful look. “There are times my life would have been easier if I was more accepting of what my Aunt and Uncle tried to teach me.”

“And...I forgot how much me and my mother got along when I was younger, darling...I've never been able to get her a good birthday present either...so this worked out for us both,” Rainbow Dash replied, looking at the dress she was currently wearing. “Besides, we do kind of owe you for costing you the original meeting to begin with...”

Rarity looked at her friends' eyes. Sure enough, the potion did not change the core of who they were, the eyes looking back at her belonged to her friends and no one else. “...T-Thank you, darlings...the potion will wear off soon, if you wish to just wait it off, that's fine...”

“...No, darling...I think there are a few things we can do...”

Rainbow Dash watched bored as Rarity discussed book keeping and economics with Applejack and quickly returned to working on her mother's birthday gift.

“So, Big Macintosh does the farm's finances?” asked Rarity.

“Yes, I normally don't have the patience for it...” Applejack admitted. “Or to learn much about it...but I am willing to.”

“And I'd be willing to teach you, darling.”

“Thankfully, I don't have to watch too much regarding my finances, darlings,” Rainbow Dash replied, giving a look over from working on the hat. “More time. I mean already I've got the Weather Team, being little Scootaloo's mentor, and taking care of tank. Eventually, I shall have to deal with Wonderbolts practice on top of it! I may have to give up my naps.”

The two stared at her in shock. Rainbow Dash thinking ahead?!

Applejack managed to get a violin (Pinkie Pie had hidden so many things throughout Equestria in case of 'X Emergencies' it was easier to list the ones she hadn't) and, as later that year she'd do at the wedding, played as Rarity and Rainbow Dash did ballroom dancing...or rather were. Rainbow Dash may have been more lady-like at present, but it was still too slow for her liking. So mid dance, she grabbed Rarity's hoof and transitioned into something a bit closer to ballet in nature. Rarity, to her credit, managed to transition without missing a beat.

Rarity decided to try cooking with her friends. Naturally, Applejack excelled, but as she'd joked about before, managed to change her presentation considerably. While more fancy, it kept a decent amount of 'country flavor' to it. As they'd discussed, Rarity made plans to test Applejack's theory with Blueblood (and Twilight's assistance).

Unfortunately, Rainbow Dash, personality changed or not, was still Rainbow Dash and she lacked any cooking knowledge, so while her food looked pretty, the taste left quite a bit to be desired.

Still, the trio got a good laugh out of it...well, Rarity did after she recovered.

“...And that, darling, is how I came up with the Buccaneer Blitz,” Rainbow Dash explained, the trio ending the day about the same way they started it: with tea and eating some of Rarity and Applejack's food.

Rarity nodded. “I had no idea so much effort went into those tricks...”

“And I had no idea how much effort went into your work until today,” Rainbow Dash replied, giving a small smile.

With that, the fashionista looked at the clock and gave a sigh. She gave the two a hug. “Speaking of which...three...two...one...”

The two blinked, their eyes dropping once again before their posture slowly transitioned back to their normal rough and tumble fashion.

Rainbow Dash fidgeted in her dress. “Uh...where am I and how'd I get in a dr-”

Applejack gave her a stern glare. “Rainbow, none of that hogwash.”

“...Was worth a shot...” cyan pegasus muttered, removing her dress...but noticeably not just dropping it on the floor, rather folding it and setting it aside.

“And actin' like it was is another load of hogwash,” the Element of Honesty replied. “We had fun, sugarcube.”

Rainbow Dash's eyes darted back and forth between her friends...then slowly to a box with a tag saying 'Happy Birthday Mom'. “...Pinkie Promise nothing I'm about to say leaves this room...I do have a reputation.”

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Baby steps, Rarity, baby steps...” she whispered to herself.

“Cross our hearts, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in our eyes,” said the two other ponies did the proper motions.

“...Okay, I did have some fun...” muttered the stunt flyer. “...And I guess it's cool to understand mom again...” she admitted, not daring to mention some baby pictures her mother had of a little cyan pegasus filly trying to be 'pretty like momma'. 'They must never know.'

“And Ah admit...Ah think this'll come in handy next time Ah see mah aunt and uncle...And any time Ah wanna sell food in Canterlot,” Applejack admitted, unknowing the latter would come sooner rather than later. “And...Rarity, hope it made yah feel better...” she said, putting her hat to her chest. “Ah'm right sorry that yah missed time with friends who get yah cause of meh...Ah know how peeved Ah'd be if Ah missed a family reunion like that.”

Rarity gasped in horror. “Applejack! Language!”

“Ain't no children present and Lady Abigail didn't cuss...point is, Ah'm sorry about it.”

Rainbow rubbed the back of her head. “Yeah...I'm sorry too...I'd be pretty ticked off if I missed a Wonderbolts derby like that...”

Rarity gave a warm smile. “...It did darlings...thank you...Want to do it again?”

“...Not really...”

Applejack gave it thought. “...Maybe tah practice fer a big gatherin', but not something Ah wanna do all the time...Thanks fer the offer though.”

Rarity sighed. “Was worth a shot...” she said, then the three shared a smile, and finished their food. Having a better understanding of their high class friend than before. And with understanding, came appreciation. And perhaps even some enjoyment.

The End.