All dressed up with someplace to go
“Are you ready yet?” I heard Rainbow call up again.
“Come on, Rares,” I said as I shifted in my seat again. “Ah know you’re doing the dresses for everyone, but it’s not like this is my wedding, after all.”
The fashionista fussed with my hair for a second before taking her makeup brush and finishing whatever it was she was doing to my eyes.
“Please, darling,” she said as she gently tilted my head back and forth to study my face carefully. “I know that this is Cadence’s special day, but that is no reason to slack for people in the wedding party!”
“Ah could have done this myself, you know,” I reminded her. “Ah may not use them often, but Ah do have some makeup.”
“I know, Applejack,” Rarity said as she packed away her things. “But I’ve already done Twilight’s and Cadence’s, so it doesn’t seem proper for me to not do yours as well to match.”
“You didn’t do Rainbow’s, Ah reckon,” I smirked.
“Yes, well,” the slim woman fidgeted, the purple of her element pendent flashing into view for a moment under her fashionable scarf. “The dear was rather adamant about it. I suppose since she’s not part of the wedding party, I guess she decided it wasn’t important.” She reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear, a smile of satisfaction on her face.
“Well,” Rarity said as she crossed her arms. “I do say you are as beautiful as you can be and anything else would just diminish your natural glow.”
And I gawked as she stepped aside, revealing the mirror. I don’t think I had ever been gussied up as much as that before, but somehow, you almost couldn’t tell. Everything Rarity had done was soft and subtle, almost nonexistent. I could see a little extra color along my eyes and maybe my cheekbones were a little more evident, but I was still me looking back. My hair was up in a long braid and wrapped around my head, keeping the simple look going.
“AJ!” came the call again.
“Best not to keep her waiting any longer, I believe,” Rarity said as she finished packing her kit into the day bag she had brought up. She slid her shoes on and stood, handing my my bag and shooing me along. “I’ll see you at the hall.”
I wasn’t used to walking in heels and overlong dresses, but the look on Rainbow’s face as I rounded the corner made the small strides and bundling the skirts up made it worth while. She was just in slacks and a nice blouse - arguably the most feminine thing I’ve seen her in since the dances in High School - but it suited her very well.
“Close your mouth before something flies in,” I told her, feeling a small blush of pride inside at having stunned my fiancé into shocked silence. I reached out and with a hand I gently pushed her mouth closed. I had a moment of confusion, seeing my hand - usually gloved or covered in the soil of the orchards and gardens and very plain - with my nails longer by way of colored false Prench tips that Rarity had insisted on.
“Wow,” she whispered. “You look great.”
“Ah don’t believe Ah heard you right, sugar cube,” I teased, slipping an arm through hers as we walked out to the year where Twilight and Sunset were leaning against their sedan.
“You look awesomly beautiful,” she amended as the door closed behind us.
“That’s more like it,” I grinned as I waved at our friends. Twilight was similarly dressed to me but her makeup was different, playing up the features that were normally hidden by her glasses despite the…where were her glasses?
As we approached, I opened my mouth to broach the question but was headed off by the brainy woman.
“Contacts,” she said.
“Been getting the question a lot today?”
She nodded, a little pink blush showing on her cheeks. “Flash was convinced I was the Princess for a moment,” she said. “Though Lemon Zest knew right away.”
Sunset leaned forward and hugged me. “You look amazing,” she gushed, glancing over at Rainbow. “I see she’s still a little stunned, huh?”
Rainbow tsked a little, but the blush on her cheeks betrayed the truth. “Can we go?” she asked, looking away.
“We are running a little late,” Twilight said, glancing at a ring that held a tiny watch face on it. “We should probably get going.”
And despite all of Rainbow’s grumbling, she reached out and held my hand the entire ride to the church, and I felt the ring on my hand more acutely than I ever had before.
We sat in the reception hall, relaxing as Cadence and Shining Armor took to the floor for the first dance as a couple. It was some Songbird Serenade song that I didn’t recognize, her music wasn’t usually my style. She had some good ones, though.
Rarity came and slid into her chair with all the grace that she posessed. “Wasn’t that just grand?” she cooed, sighing happily as the bride and groom spun across the floor.
“It sure was a wonderful sight,” I agreed. “You could almost feel the love radiating offa them. Was worth the time getting made up like this.”
She gave me a smug look. “Don’t play games, darling,” she giggled. “I saw how Rainbow kept looking at you. And I saw how you kept looking at her. You both liked it.”
I felt a blush heat up my cheeks. “Maybe a little,” I mumbled. “But she’d never admit to it.”
“I don’t know,” a voice said as an arm dropped over my shoulders. “If you asked the right way I might.”
I smiled as Rainbow sat next to me. “The right way, huh?” I echoed. “Just what way would that be?”
She gave me a raspberry and waved a hand. “It’s no fun if I just come right out and tell you,” she rasped, but I saw her eyes flick to Rarity for a moment before her grin widened.
Interesting.
“You know, Rarity,” I said slyly. “Valentine’s day is later this week. You wouldn’t mind helping me out then too, would you?”
The fashionista leaned back, a grin on her face. “I’ll see if I can pencil you in, Applejack darling. Do you have an idea of what you’re doing?”
I shook my head. “Nope,” I said, leaning back against my future spouse. “Just who I’m sharing it with.”
And as the music in the background slowed, I felt warm air against my ear.
“That was the right way,” Rainbow whispered.
Author's Note
Why, yes, this does mean a Shadence wedding fic is on its way.
