There was a matter of gifts. A lot of them. Part of him wanted to just give them back, but that might be taken the wrong way. Once a gift was given, it was rude to shove it back, and these gifts surely had been given...

"'Least ah can do is open 'em." The family deserved their space, so he got busily to opening boxes, at least so the boxes could be gotten rid of. The boxes ranged in size from little gifts to big mystery things. He went for the biggest, figuring that'd open up the most space.

He didn't expect a jeweled plow.

The letter inside started the same.

This is for your daytime activities. I hope it helps you and your family in your farming activities. Do orchards make use of plows? I confess, my knowledge of agriculture is somewhat limited. Perhaps you'd like to enlighten me at some point.

"Huh..." Clearly, Fancy wanted to talk, not just throw presents and make a problem go away. Still, that was a right fancy plow! He pulled it free with a grunt, kicking away the empty box. "Could use it fer wrappin' up winter."

Applejack whistled softly at the fancy thing. "Ya keepin' that fer yerself?"

Big Mac heard the question in there, the real one. "'Course not. If it's made well, figure anypony that can use it, should. If it's more glitz than function... we'll find out right soon enough. Ain't keepin' as an art piece."

Applejack casually picked it up, tossing it on her back precariously. "I'll put it in the barn fer now then." And off she trotted with the new toy, looking happy about it.

Big Mac smiled after his sister. Coulda had worse gifts... He reached for the next biggest to find a Yoke, like the one he wore around his neck.

Now this one, I confess, is for you specifically. I'm not aware of anypony else in your family or friends who wears one of these. I'd like to see it, if it suits you.

Big Mac couldn't pick it up. He could feel too much confusion swelling in him. "Does..."

Granny was still there, watching this. "Does he know yer taken?"

And she went and asked what he was trying to get out. "Y-yes! Ah told him... and he said alright an' backed off..." But why would that translate to a new fancy yoke? Big Mac lifted it slowly, turning it around. On one side, not very large, was a little sewn picture of three little crowns. Fancy Pants' cutie mark...

Big Mac dropped the yoke like it was on fire, squawking in surprise.

Granny stepped down from her chair. "What'd you see?"

Big Mac just pointed, words driven from him for the moment. She came up and followed his trembling hoof to see the picture. "No." She crossed her arms over her chest, sitting with a huff. "Ain't happening! He's gettin' 'head of himself, thinkin' he can send gifts like that to a taken pony." She curled a leg over the top of the box, tugging it towards herself. "Ah'll be holdin' onta this."

He could feel his breath returning with the removal of that gift. "Let's... get this over with." Thankfully, most of the other boxes had all kinds of things that could be directed at others, or just shared. Those were a lot easier to accept. A tin of fancy cookies, a new butter tray, a new lamp, that sort of thing that'd just end up being in the house, not for him specifically.

With a little extra effort, he got all the boxes out of the way and out to the trash properly. The house was back to being walkable! "There." Big Mac wiped his brow. "All done.

Granny nodded approvingly. "Nice t'be able to walk a step without bumpin' into somethin'." She walked past Big Mac, almost as if to prove that. "Now, yer chores didn't get cancelled just for yer trouble."

"Right! On it." Doing field work felt like a wonderful distraction from other things going on.

Orchard Blossom woke to a banging on her door. "Wha?" That was the first time that happened. It was like the noise had awoken her, but she had gone to bed like normal. How could that work? Still, she was awake, and the door was being rapped against. "Comin'!" She hopped to her hooves and hurried to the door, willing it open with a toss of her head and a glowing horn. This revealed the landmare. "Hey..." She trailed off, seeing the landmare had not come alone.

Boxes.

She had a lot of boxes.

Blossom sank to her haunches, guessing what the boxes were. "Did they have Fancy Pants written on 'em?"

The landmare was already moving boxes into Blossom's room and out of the hallway. "Didn't look." Still, since it was asked, she grabbed one of the labels. "Yep." And on she went with clearing the hallway. "Don't know why he's littering the place, but it has your name on it too, so it's at least as much your fault." She shoved the last box into Blossom's room. "Don't make a mess, thanks."

"R-right." She closed the door without touching it and sighed as she looked over the boxes. "Dangunnit... The pile at the farm was more than enough..." Still, curiosity gnawed at her. Perhaps some small part of her... She deserved a gift or two, right?

But she was also Big Mac, who had gotten a lot of gifts. She could remember opening them all up. Still... Maybe the gifts sent to a mare were different? She wasn't sure, but she knew one way to find out really quickly.

She pulled a box over in her magic and gently peeled it open.

Good evening, Miss Blossom,

If I timed this properly, you should awake to find these after you've already received what I sent to your other half. That is a curious thought, having another half that isn't a separate pony. Like the others, I can't know which you'll open first, so expect this at the start of many of these letters. This is a sign of my apologies for being so thoughtlessly rude. I wish you and yours a delightful day. Please enjoy these. This particular gift is a delightfully refined and tasty tongue teaser, though it struggles to be even half as delightful as the one who receives it.

Still friends?
Fancy Pants

"Ya dang fool..." She hadn't even considered him not a friend at any point... She reached into the box with her magic and pulled free some paper she shredded to reveal a bottle. It was a bottle of fine drink. "Oh..." She turned it slowly about and set it down. "Ah ha!" She saw a cork opener in the box. "Thoughtful." She considered using it, but instead put both aside. No reason to start with that.

The gifts for her were a lot more... edible. But there was a piece of clothing. Big Mac had gotten the yoke. She... "Wow..." She held it up in her magic, eyes traveling over its lines and her cheeks on fire. "Right pretty..." It was a dress, dangling from her magic. She reached up to brush along it gently. "Soft..." Soft, fancy, bright, but matching with her pelt. The maid! The maid had given him her measurements.

Talented of her to figure it out without being noticed, but if... If it fit.

There was only one way to be sure of that. Blossom made room around herself, setting her tiara aside. She was naked. This was not an unusual state for a pony to be in, though less common in a city. But she was in her room, no shame there. She pulled the dress down over her head and reared up to wriggle her arms up into the clothing. She pulled down the dress as she worked up into it, popping her head through and coming back down to all fours.

Blossom was wearing the dress. She turned to the mirror in the room and hurried over for a peek. "Oh."

A strange mare was looking back at her, all fancied up. No... She could use a little touch here, and maybe there? But she was fancy... "Oh." Blossom sank to her haunches, overwhelmed by how pretty she looked to herself, a strange dual thoughtway there in a blending of 'I'm pretty' and 'That mare is pretty'.

But she was pretty, and that was a right nice dress. "Ah... owe him a thanks." She rose up to turn left and right, getting a better look at herself from various angles. Her magic worked dutfilly to get her mane and pelt in order. "Ah'd..." Wearing it for the rest of the night was tempting, but she had to go to work. And no police officer shows up wearing a fancy dress. That'd be kinda funny. She chuckled at the idea, swooping in on a bad guy, her dress fluttering. "Stop right there, fashion police!" She began to wriggle free of her dress, smiling at the absurd idea.

"Still... this is too much." She had an invitation to make, and matters to discuss... after work. She stopped being in her room. With her police attire donned, she casually appeared in a city, and got to work making it a little safer. It was a good night. She stopped a robbery of a jewelry store, helped a lost colt get home, and helped a whole family of tourists not get lost in the first place. A fine night.

But it wasn't time to retire, at least not entirely. She hung up her hat and wiggled free of her work attire, considering the dress that dangled on its hook. Should she wear that? "Um..." She weren't super well trained on such things, but a mare wearing what a stallion bought for her, looking as pretty as that? Could send the wrong signals...

So it was that Blossom showed up at Fancy's manor wearing nothing but her tiara. That wasn't that unusual for her, outside of work hours, but she felt more exposed then usual. "Stop overthinkin'," she mumbled to herself, knocking on the gate.

The door to the house swung open, the butler stepping into view. "Ah, Miss Blossom, your highness. A pleasure to see you." He accelerated at a mild pace to the gate to will it open. "I'm afraid you've caught him indisposed." He turned back to the house, raising a hoof. "He's having his mane done."

Orchard Blossom hummed gently. "How long does that take... an' shouldn't he be at a salon or somethin'?"

"Oh, perish that thought." The butler waved a hoof at the idea. "He has very specific needs for that, and only trusts one pony with the job. He was good enough to pay a visit tonight, so it is getting done." He leaned in a little. "They're very busy, you must see. Seeing them during the day? Impossible without about half a year of reservation. But they are good friends." He smiled gently at that. "So an exception was made. A little night visit to freshen up Fancy's look. I'm afraid I can't disclose who this pony is. That they are giving this opportunity would upset other ponies. We can't have that."

Blossom imagined Fancy Pants being dutifully clipped at to get that proper style renewed. "Ah..." When was the last time she really took time for herself? She had just freshened herself quickly to try to match the dress given to her. "Is the maid in? Ah think ah'd like to talk to her."

"Neat Fold?" asked the butler, getting a quick nod. "She should be in. Please, follow me." It was with that, she was allowed into Fancy Pant's house, looking for Neat Fold. The maid was dusting busily in a living room. "Here she is. Neat, Miss Orchard Blossom wanted to speak to you.

Neat Fold looked up with a bright smile. "Miss Blossom! It's nice to see you again." She willed her duster to a rest and walked over energetically. "What brings you by?"

Author's Note

There's a lot of thinking going on, and maybe some talking?

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