When the porthole opened fully, it was all Rarity could do to keep herself from exploding with excitement. A rush of light hit the three ponies in the face, and when their vision adjusted, the wondrous sight before them materialized.

Massive brass spires rising into the air dominated most of the skyline—were that the correct phrase. Every bit of metal was polished to a brilliant luster, reflecting the lights that ringed the dome holding the water at bay. The most prominent of these spires loomed near the back, looking almost like the palaces of Saddle Arabia Rarity had read about. Windows dotted the bulbs resting atop the spires, excluding the one which stood above the rest.

Screwjack indicated it with an outstretched hoof. “That's Fizz's palace,” he said, “he hates it when ponies call it that, insists that he's 'on the same level as the rest of us', but that's what it is. The tower with no windows is his laboratory, where he does...well, what he does there isn't really relevant for your stay down here. Suffice it to say he likes his privacy. The front-most part is where he sees important guests from around the city, signs documents, you know, boring leader stuff.”

Rarity scoffed. “Boring? Why, at only a glance, I find it very hard to believe that anything about this place could be boring. It's more beautiful than anything I've ever seen!”

Screwjack shook his head. “Only on the outside. Look, the objective here is to get the two of you to the opposite bathysphere as quickly as possible and without letting Fizz know that you're here—do not forget that. If he gets wind that his city is hosting two of the Elements of Harmony, he'd insist on inviting you up to speak to you, and that would just slow things down unnecessarily. Are we clear?”

Rarity looked ready to protest, but Applejack spoke up, cutting her off. “Crystal, Screwjack. This place ain't natural. I'd rather get out of here as quick as possible, myself.”

Screwjack nodded in return. “Good, glad to hear it. That said, there are some things I need to arrange in order to transport us to the other bathysphere, not to mention help keep things on the down-low regarding your presence here.” They stepped out of the sphere, and Screwjack pointed off to the right, down a small street lined with shops and paved in reflective metal. “Head that way, and just keep yourselves busy. Don't wander off.”

As Screwjack trotted away, Rarity narrowed her eyes. “If that pony thinks I'm going to miss the opportunity to at least look around a little in such a wondrous place, he's got another thing coming.” She started to head for the opposite street, but Applejack bit her tail, dragging her back.

“Rarity,” she said, “are you kidding me? He just told us not to go wandering off! Did you go and forget that we're trying to get back to our friends? Y'know, the ones that are probably worried sick about us?”

The white pony looked fit to burst, but let out a long sigh. “Oh, very well, Applejack. I suppose we can stay where he asked us. I do want to get back, really—I can only imagine how much Sweetie Belle misses me, and who has been running the shop in my absence? At the same time, this place is so beautiful, it's mesmerizing! I just want to see what it has to offer.”

Applejack shook her head. “Nothing doing. I don't wanna stay here any longer than I have to, you understand? Something about it just gives me the creeps, like I've seen it before. Look around—these ponies ain't nothing like we know back home.”

Rarity nodded. “But in a way, that almost makes them more interesting, doesn't it? It adds an element of mystery!” Applejack was about to say something, but a stallion brushed past the pair of them, stopping when he realized he'd bumped them out of the way.

“Oh, goodness!” he cried, “I am so sorry about that! I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, and...” He trailed off when he got a look at Rarity. “...ah, now I feel even worse, knowing that I was so callous to a pony of such bewitching beauty.”

Rarity giggled, waving a hoof at him. “Oh, please. You flatter me too much. Especially after the wee-oof!” She glared at Applejack, who had elbowed her. “Excuse me, the day I've been having. It's been too much, I assure you.”

The stallion nodded. “Yes, things have been quite busy. Most ponies are trying to get ready for Fizz's birthday.”

Applejack cocked an eyebrow. “Sorry, what was that, now? Fizz's birthday.”

The stallion nodded. “That's right. It's his...oh, well, we've stopped counting by now. It's still a very prodigious occasion. Oh, but where are my manners?” He flashed the pair of them a smile, his teeth seeming almost too big for his mouth, and white like pearls. “My name is Paper Pusher. Forgive it for being a tad bland—my parents never were very creative. I work in the governmental office at the foot of Earthen Spire.”

Paper Pusher was an Earth Pony stallion of average-looking build, with a prominent jawline, rustic brown eyes, and what seemed to be a perpetually-frizzy mane that he'd done his best to tame. His right eye had been replaced by a brass sphere with a focusing lens in the center.

Rarity smiled back. “Lovely to meet you, Paper Pusher. My name is Rarity, and this is Applejack.”

Applejack stuck out a hoof. “Charmed.” Her tone was less than enthusiastic, but Paper didn't seem to notice.

“Well, it's nice to meet you both, but I haven't seen you here before, and on top of that, you don't even have any augmentations! Not that you would need them, mind you. It's still odd for me to see somepony without any, though. Are you...new, perhaps?”

Rarity nodded. “Yes, I'm afraid we've lost our way, and we're passing through on the way back home. I'm afraid we can't stay very long, since our friends are likely worried about us.” Applejack wasn't sure whether this was revealing too much, but she'd also never been very comfortable with the prospect of lying, even if it was to protect them. She'd have just as soon not said anything at all.

Paper's face twisted in concern. “You poor things! Where are you coming from? How long have you been gone?”

Applejack waved a hoof. “It don't matter much, does it? We ain't gonna be staying long. Much as we appreciate your hospitality and all, we really gotta get going. Rarity here has been itching for a hairdo and I could really use a nice, long sit-down and some grass juice.”

Now Paper's face was taking on a more suspicious quality. “I can help you, though. Where are you trying to get to?”

Before Applejack could stop her, Rarity answered. “Oh, to the other bathysphere. Surely you heard the one we came in on when it stopped at the station? We need to get back to Ponyville as soon as possible.”

Paper's face went blank for a moment, his eyes narrowed in thought. “Ponyville...I don't know that one. Nothing's named like that down here. Where exactly did you two say you were from?”

“Equestria,” Rarity replied, “how could you not have heard of it? It's only the biggest and most fabulous nation of ponies around. Well, perhaps aside from yours.”

Paper went stiff, and Applejack's stomach dropped. “Is that the one that's ruled by Princess Celestia? I think I've heard of it once.”

Rarity nodded. “Oh yes, and she is a lovely ruler, I must say. We're simply waiting on our guide to come back so that we can go to the next bathysphere. Once we're there, he says that it won't take very long at all to get back to Ponyville.”

Paper paused for a moment, then smiled. “Well, I certainly wish you the best, and I hope you have a nice time here in our city. If we'd known we were getting visitors from out of town, we might have prepared something a little nicer for you. Oh well. Good day!” He turned and trotted off, leaving the two mares standing alone.

Applejack broke the silence, pulling Rarity closer and speaking in an angry hiss of a whisper. “Unbelievable! You really went and told him all that?”

Rarity pushed Applejack away. “Well, you didn't stop me. Besides, I hardly told him anything incriminating. The most he knows is our names, where we came from, and where we're going. He has no idea who we are! I wouldn't worry about it overmuch.”

Applejack sucked in a breath, but let it out as a resigned sigh. “Maybe. I sure hope so. Being friendly with folks hasn't gotten me into much trouble before...at least, not that I can remember. Just don't go saying stuff like that to every pony we come across, for both our sakes.”

With that, they both turned and hurried off down the street, looking for something to distract themselves until Screwjack came to get them. The street stretched far into the distance before turning a corner, and was lined on either side with all different kinds of shops, some with criers standing in front to hawk the wares and attempt to draw customers inside

The strange looks both of them garnered started to get under their skin after a while, and while Applejack could ignore it, Rarity could already feel her skin crawling with silent judgement.

“Are these ponies giving us strange looks because we're...?” Rarity trailed off, and Applejack finished for her.

“Because we don't have any fancy machine parts, yeah. Don't know why they're so proud of that stuff. Looks just plain wrong to me.”

They passed a mare with her hair replaced by a metal coif affixed to her head, and Rarity frowned. “Yes, much as I thought that this place might be a bastion of high society and class compared to the swamps and hamlets we passed through, it seems that we're not welcome here. Not without some adjustments, at least.”

Applejack allowed herself a laugh. “Not so into the metal hair idea anymore, are you?”

Rarity's eyes nearly rolled out of her head. “I was never 'into it' to begin with. However, if we find a way to get rid of this scar after all, perhaps I will indulge myself.”

Applejack blew a raspberry. “Yeah, and I'll get my hat replaced with one made of metal, too. Why not?”

Rarity's frown deepened. “Applejack, why must you be so stand-offish about such wonderful technological advancements? Just because it's not what you're used to doesn't make it wrong. I did mean it when I said this scar could stand to hurt my credibility as a designer, you know. Perhaps it wouldn't be career-ending, I will grant you, but if there is a way to get it repaired, as well as improve my appearance for the return trip, then I don't see why I shouldn't take it.”

Without thinking, Applejack blurted out, “Because you're plenty pretty the way you are, Rarity. One little scar don't change the fact that you've got powerful good looks.” She kept walking until she noticed that Rarity had stopped, staring at her. “You coming? We can stand around looking weird if that's how you wanna pass the time, sugarcube.”

Rarity bit her lip. “No, it's just...did you mean that? When you said I was pretty?”

Applejack paused as well, now, her cheeks turning bright red. “I meant what I said, Rarity, but I also wasn't thinking when I said it. This ain't the place to talk about stuff like that.”

Rarity moved closer. “Well, I do understand, Applejack. I don't think we should discuss such things in public, either.” She put a hoof on Applejack's cheek. “For what it's worth, though, I think you are a beautiful pony as well.” She smirked playfully. “With a little work, at least.”

Applejack snorted. “Sure, sure. We can't all be pretty all the time like some ponies, y'know.”

When Rarity spotted what looked like a beauty parlor, she nearly shattered Applejack's eardrums with her squeal of joy. There was no saying no to her after that. They rushed inside, and Rarity immediately tried to get some service.

While the ponies inside were a bit taken aback to see that these two mares had no augmentations to their bodies, they nonetheless seemed quite happy to help Rarity with her hair issues, though Applejack elected to stay the way she was, saying she'd rather have a little time to think than “get prettified”.

By the time they both exited the beauty parlor, Rarity looked just like her old self—her hair was permed and curled perfectly, the excess hair around her hooves had been shorn off and cropped exactly as she asked, every bit of grime, grease and dirt that had been left over was washed out of her coat, and even her eyelashes were done up with makeup.

She nearly shivered looking at herself in the reflection of the store window. “I had forgotten what it meant to feel truly beautiful during this trip,” she said, flicking her tongue over her polished teeth. “It's strange, but I had almost grown accustomed to the look of the road. That must sound insane, of course.” She turned back to Applejack, who wasn't paying attention—instead, she was staring off in the distance at a group of approaching figures. Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Applejack, what is it? They're just passers-by.”

The orange mare swallowed hard. “They're lookin' right at us, Rarity. Their eyes haven't moved an inch since I saw them.” She took a step back. “I think we need to go, now.”

Rarity paused, biting her lip. “But if we run, won't we cause a scene? Maybe they're just here to give us a message from Screwjack. The last thing we want to do is draw attention.”

Applejack sighed. “Maybe so. Just...” She reached over and took Rarity's hoof, giving it a squeeze. “Just stay close, alright?”

Rarity blushed deeply, but nodded. “Of course, Applejack. I won't leave your side.” The pair stood, waiting, until the group approached them. The leader, an earth pony half again as tall as either of them and built like a house, looked down at them, one of his eyes readjusting to focus in on them like a telescope.

“Appleack and Rarity, correct?” The pair nodded. “Come with me, please. Fizz has requested a personal audience with the both of you.”

Author's Note

Here we go again. I know how long it's been, I don't need any reminders, but I still intend to finish this, even if it takes me a long time, though I intend to work on it harder now that I'm finally out of college. I apologize if there's any slip in quality, I haven't been writing for a little while. For whoever reads this and decides to keep sticking with this series, thanks. I can't say how much it means to me.