Chapters Chapter the First: Fashion Emergency
"Thank you for your business, have a lovely day," smiled Rarity, placing a film of plastic over the hanger to protect the coat she'd just sold. "Come back soon!"
She was in a good mood, and why shouldn't she be? She'd just finished a huge order for Sapphire Shores, the pony of pop herself! Eight outfits, each in a different colour, adorned with gems of different colours, but all the exact same size, shape and clarity. In all her life, she'd never worked quite so hard to fill an order.
And even better, Sapphire Shores had personally come to pick them up. She'd been so enraptured by the beauty of Rarity's work that she'd given her a pass to the most exclusive spa and massage parlour in all of Equestria! Normally, they were booked up, and it would cost thousands of bits to visit, but a special invitation from Sapphire Shores would see her through the door, no problem.
Speaking of doors, hers burst open as something collided with one of her dress racks.
"Rainbow Dash!" shouted Rarity. "You have to watch where you're going! What if I'd been standing the-- Oh."
The pony climbing out of the wreck was not Rainbow Dash, but in fact, some stallion she'd never seen before.
"Now see here!" grumbled Rarity. "I work very hard to keep my shop organized, and it won't do to have somepony crashing into things. Would you like it if I came into your shop an--"
"Urgent message from Sapphire Shores," he huffed, holding out an envelope.
"From Sapphire Shores?" Rarity took the letter and opened it up. "Don't you even think of going anywhere. I'm not finished telling you off, yet."
Rarity,
First off, let me reiterate how pleased I was with your performance. The things you can do with a needle and thread are sensational, and nopony would ever argue that point. You are a star of the highest degree, and you deserve every bit of this praise.
It is because of your ability to work miracles with fabric that I'm contacting you. I'm in need of a miracle, and you're the only pony I can call on. I know you won't let me down.
Attached are photographs of the damage. Rest assured that the pony who did this and their supervisor have been dealt with already, but firing them won't bring your dresses back.
I need them all here at the Aponno Theatre in Manehattan on the fourteenth, before eight in the morning. I will, of course, pay five times what I paid for the first set, as there's quite a rush.
Kisses, Sapphire Shores
Rarity's jaw dropped. Five times the payout? That was huge! The original order was already a massive increase in profits, but this? She wouldn't have to work for the rest of the year!
She pulled out the photographs and her eyes narrowed. She was so very mortified that she couldn't help but shriek out in absolute anguish.
"NONONONONONOOOO!!!" she wailed as she flipped through the pictures "THEY'RE ALL RUINED!!"
Not only were the dresses completely destroyed, they were far beyond saving. One had a hole through it, three had been covered in splotches of mane and tail dye, two were torn to shreds, one was half-missing, and the one Sapphire had tried on and danced around in to check the fit and mobility looked like it'd been set on fire. There was no saving these. She had to make new ones.
Today was the twelfth, and it was already four in the afternoon. She had but one day to put all eight of them back together from scratch if she wanted to be able to catch the express train to Manehattan. Her hooves were shaking. She didn't know if it could all be done.
"Rarity?"
Rarity looked over to the door. "Not now, Applejack, I've just received some horrible news, I..." she wobbled a bit, glancing toward her fainting couch. No. There was no time to faint. "I'm sorry, but the shop is closed for right now. There's an emergency to which I must attend."
"Well, that's why Ah'm here," clarified Applejack, stepping inside and closing the door. "Ah heard yer shoutin', and Ah came ta see what's wrong."
Applejack pushed the photographs forward. "THIS is what's wrong!"
Applejack looked at the photos. "You sold these ? Here, an' Ah thought ya had class."
Rarity bit her lip in frustration.
"Ah'm jus' yankin' yer chain," smiled Applejack. "Go on up to your studio. Ah'll be along when the tea's ready."
Rarity tossed her the key. "Lock up for me!" she shouted back as she rushed upstairs.
Applejack turned to the stallion in the evening gown. "Did'ja pay fer that?"
"She told me to wait here until she could finish ripping me a new arsehole," he answered.
"Take it off," she sighed. "Ah need ya ta take care a' somethin' fer me."
A few minutes later, Applejack came upstairs. Rarity was already hard at work, running the sewing machine at full blast. Applejack set down the tray on a small table off to the side and approached. "Now, Ah'm not really great at this whole dress-makin' thing you an' Fluttershy do, but Ah do know how ta take care a' y'all. Ah've started supper for ya, so don't y'all worry 'bout that. If'n ya need anythin', let me know."
"Thank you," answered Rarity, not looking up from her work. "I'll probably be up all through the night, so try to sleep while you can. And could you make some tea while you're at it? I need something to calm my nerves. And dinner, oh, I can't forget about that. I'll have to make some sandwiches or something. Something fast and easy. Oh, I need more time, more hooves."
"Supper's comin'," sighed Applejack, "and your tea's right here. Mulberry mint."
"WHAT!?" Rarity turned around and grabbed Applejack's shoulders where her collar would be if she were wearing one, her eyes wide. "Mulberry Mint isn't supposed to pick up her dress for another week! It's not finished!!"
Applejack held up the box of mulberry mint tea.
"Oh. Right. Sorry."
"Think nothin' of it," smiled Applejack. "Ah know ya weren't lis'nin'. Focus on that dress a' yers. Sounds like yer gonna need the whole night and more."
"Thank you," blushed Rarity. "Could you come up with something for dinner, please? I hate to impose, but--"
"It's already on the stove. You work, I'll keep ya goin'."
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Chapter the Second: Last Train to Manehattan
Rarity loaded her crate of dresses onto the train, not daring to let anypony else lay a hoof on it, for fear it may be destroyed. She'd only managed to finish five of them, and was about halfway through the sixth when it was time to leave. Applejack had already started to pack everything up, including Rarity's emergency mobile sewing machine. She'd also fetched a wagon and loaded up a bunch of supplies that Rarity had rattled off seven or eight times, even after they'd already been loaded.
Still, Applejack knew the amount of stress she was under, and was happy to let Rarity push and shove, as this was an emergency in her mind, and Rarity had a habit of repaying this kind of deed. Even if she was at her worst right now, when this was all done, Rarity would come through for her. She always did. Not that Applejack was doing this for the favours; she was doing it because it was the right thing to do. Still, she knew a favour was coming whether she wanted to be rewarded or not, and she just had to weather the storm until it passed.
Once the train was moving, Rarity pulled out her sewing machine. It was a long trip to Manehattan, even on the express train. If she hurried, she could finish number six and start number seven before they arrived. And of course, Applejack was either by her side or running an errand. Tonight would be the second night in a row they'd go without sleep, and they certainly looked the part.
As they sped past Phillydelphia, Rarity let out a rather loud whine.
"What's wrong?" asked Applejack. "Is one a' yer bolts the wrong colour?"
"No," sighed Rarity. "Well, yes, actually, but I can probably deal with that after we arrive in the studio. No, I just realized that my scheduled appointment at the spa is tomorrow! I was going to watch Sapphire Shores walk the stage while having my hooves done, as a reward for a job well done. Now I have to be right behind the curtain, making sure everything goes along properly, and I'll miss my appointment!"
Applejack waved. "Ah'm sure they'll let ya reschedule... Aloe an' Lotus are--"
"No, not the usual spa, the most exclusive and luxurious spa in Equestria! I was only able to even make an appointment because Sapphire Shores was with me, and I can't reschedule because they're all booked up!"
"Oh," sighed Applejack. "Yeah, real sorry 'bout that. Ah know nopony works harder on these dresses than y'all. Maybe we don' always see eye-ta-eye, but trust me, Ah know how hard ya work. Y'all deserve a vacation. Tell ya what, when we come back ta Ponyville, first mud bath's on me."
Rarity smirked. "I appreciate what you're suggesting, Applejack, and I would gladly accept, but I've asked so much of you already. I couldn't possibly--"
"Consarnit, Rarity! Y'all need a break! Don't you dare worry 'bout payin' me back 'til this whole thing's done and you've had a good night's sleep!"
A tear came to Rarity's eye. Wordlessly, she turned back to her sewing machine, but she'd already decided what she was going to do in response to Applejack's offer.
As the train began to slow, Rarity and Applejack packed up everything in crates and prepared to disembark. The pegasus that had delivered the message had organized their train tickets, and had brought a reserved wagon to the station to allow quick transport to the studio where Sapphire would be waiting.
The lot was ridiculously busy, as there was going to be several appearances today and two shows tonight, with Sapphire Shores as the centerpiece. She was already waiting in the back when they arrived, barking orders at her aides as they rushed around, trying to prepare everything.
"Rarity!" she shouted out, jogging up to her briskly. "Thank Celestia you're here. Do you have my dresses?"
"Most of them," panted Rarity. "I only have the two left for your stadium appearance, but they'll be done tonight, I promise!"
"Too slow!" answered Sapphire. "My producer moved that show to noon last night. I have to have those outfits this morning !"
The colour drained from Rarity's face. "I NEED A TABLE, RIGHT NOW!!" she shrieked.
"You!!" shouted Sapphire, pointing to one of her stage hoofs. "Bring her a table!"
Applejack began unloading the crates, making sure Sapphire saw the dresses, including the half-finished one, which Rarity immediately set to work on. She wasn't big on this kind of production, so once Sapphire assigned Rarity an assistant, Applejack decided to bow out.
"Ah'm gonna head on back ta Ponyville," she said to Rarity. "Call me up when ya come back, we'll talk then."
"Right, thank you," huffed Rarity. "Just leave them there on the table."
Applejack snorted. Rarity was right back to work, even with her mane looking dirty and sweaty. Still, if anypony knew what it was like to be overwhelmed by obligations, it was Applejack. Rarity would be fine; she had somepony looking out for her. "Well, Ah'll see ya."
Rarity looked up suddenly. "Wait, you're leaving?"
"Y'all have work ta do, and an assistant who probably knows the difference between viridian an' vermillion. Ah know one a' them's the orange one, bu--"
"Red," corrected Rarity. "Vermillion is red, viridian is green."
"An' they prob'ly know that. Ye'r in good hooves. I'mma go hit the hay on the train."
"Wait, wait..." Rarity reached into her travel pack and pulled out a piece of paper. "Here, this is yours."
Applejack looked at the paper. "This is yer pass to the spa. Ah can't take this."
"My treat," insisted Rarity. "I can't go, anyway. Somepony should enjoy it, and you've been so very helpful that I can't think of anypony more deserving. Go. Have a nice time, and tell me all about it when I come back."
Before Applejack could object again, Rarity had turned back to her table, and was hard at work making the dress for Sapphire. There was no more talking to her, as she would likely either ignore what was said, or just forget it two seconds later because she was trying to think of too many things at once. It was best to leave her be and let her sort things out on her own.
"The best spa in Equestria, huh?" breathed Applejack, looking over the information. "Ah guess Ah could use a little R&R..."
Chapter the Third: Slumber Springs Spa
Applejack managed to catch a quick nap on the train to Baltimare. She'd asked the conductor to wake her up, forcibly if necessary, as she definitely wanted to tell Rarity about this place. Sure, Applejack wasn't the first choice of pony to visit a spa, but the look on Rarity's face if she were to turn down such an exclusive gift was a very loud insult. She had to wonder if, rather than helping Rarity herself, she would have been better served by fetching Fluttershy to do it for her.
Nonsense, she decided, stepping off the train. Fluttershy had duties to attend to, and Applejack, for once, wasn't busy. Rarity had to work with what was available.
The paper Rarity had given Applejack contained a map from the train station to the place, rather than an address. Applejack could read maps, no problem, but it was odd that there wasn't an address. It also had an appointment number, as well as the client's name, Rarity in this case.
The building was bland, drab and boring. It looked like a warehouse. There wasn't even a sign. If Applejack didn't know better, she'd swear these ponies were trying to keep common folk out.
Through the front doors, though, the lobby sparkled with a sterile, yet minimalist feel. The water fountain in the middle of the room barely burbled up, just cascading down a glass pane into a bed of grasses made from polished steel. If somepony were to fall on that, it'd be very painful. Why not just use real grass? It would probably be cheaper, as well as safer, and wouldn't feel so cold.
"Ma'am, we're not open to walk-ins," said the front desk attendant as sternly as he could while trying to sound kind. "I'm afraid you'll have to make an appointment."
"Ah have one," answered Applejack, holding up the piece of paper. "A friend a' mine gave it ta me."
The attendant looked her up and down, obviously mildly disgusted. "I'm sure she did, ma'am. You certainly need some help redefining your look."
Applejack pouted. "Ah hope that's just a one-off insult, 'cuz Ah don't take too kindly ta bein' called ugly. Ah have an appointment, given ta me as a gift."
The attendant immediately froze. It was obvious that he was not expecting Applejack to notice the back-hoofed insult. "Right. I'll need your appointment number, ma'am."
Applejack read off the appointment number. It was a really weird setup, containing letters, numbers and symbols in a twenty-five digit code. It was likely so that ponies couldn't guess it. "The name attached ta that is "Rarity," by the by. She was unable ta make it, on account a' Sapphire Shores needin' 'er help."
The attendant confirmed this information in the logbook. "Yes, that is accurate. It seems you are quite welcome here, miss, uh..."
"Applejack."
"Miss Appel-jack..." shivered the attendant, trying not to look obvious. "You are aware that if your claim comes up as fraudulent, we are authorized to assign punitive damages equal to ten times the price of the services rendered, yes?"
"It ain't gonna come up fraudulent," answered Applejack. "Ah couldn't very well wield the Element of Honesty if Ah were a filthy liar, could I?"
The attendant had to try very hard not to tell her how filthy he thought she was. After a brief pause, he smiled. "Right this way to the baths, miss Applejack..."
Applejack slipped down into the warm water, her skin immediately tingling, and soon, foaming. "What is this?"
The bath attendant, who was different from the front desk attendant, was looking through her basket of equipment. "We use a proprietary blend in our bathwater that removes a lot of the skin oils and dirt before the scrubbing even begins. If it's uncomfortable, we can drop in a neutralizing agent to tone it down, or move you into a plain water bath."
"Ah'm just askin," replied Applejack. "Ah've never foamed like this before."
"I've never seen it this strong, either, ma'am. It's not usually this aggressive. You must have a lot of grime on you to cause this amount of reaction."
"Well, Ah have been workin' hard for awhile, but Ah normally bathe regularly. It's just because Ah' been rushin' around these last two days with no break. An' Ah don't think that bench on the train was all too clean, neither."
"I see." She pulled out a long brush and reached down into the water and started to brush her way through Applejack's tail. "Let me know if it starts to hurt, because that means something's gone wrong. Also, try not to submerge your face, we have a separate treatment for that."
"Ah imagine you'll do my mane, here, too?"
"If you want," smiled the mare, "or we can move over to the stylist's chair." She paused for a moment. "Your tail's really nice, by the way. It looked like it was going to be full of split ends and knots, but it's actually silky smooth."
"Thank ya kindly. Ah try ta keep it brushed out an' trimmed down, but Ah'm not on the cuttin' edge of fashion, or anything like that."
"It's lovely. You could be a model. Or are you already?"
"Naw, Ah'm an orchard farmer by trade. Only reason Ah ended up here is because Ah'm close with one of Sapphire Shores's dress designers. She'd'a been here, but there was somethin' that went wrong with the dresses, and she had ta be there , instead."
"Yeah, I saw the name on the appointment notification. She did this one pantsuit for Sapphire to wear on a talk show that was absolutely gorgeous. I'm actually a little bit upset that I'm dealing with you, rather than her. No offense meant, I just wanted to talk to her."
"None taken," snorted Applejack. "This time, anyway. Does that stallion out front treat everypony like dirt, or did Ah just happen to walk in on the day his dog died a' cancer?"
"He's there to turn away the riff-raff," she sighed, grabbing a smaller brush for her coat. "Personally, I think we should have a smaller spa off to the side to cater to everypony else, with longer wait times and a reduced price tag, as we have the spare equipment, but I don't make the decisions around here."
"Shame. Y'all have good taste in tails."
Chapter the Fourth: Final Preparations
Following her bath, Applejack was moved into a chair to be rinsed. This in itself was an odd thing to do. Usually, the rinse would happen right out of the tub, but in this case, they'd moved her, first. "What's the point of doin' that?"
"It removes the soap solution from your skin," replied the bath attendant, preparing another basket of supplies for their next treatment. "Having you in the chair just makes it an easier transition to the next phase, that being your mane, hooves and facial."
"Uh, huh... An' what's wrong with jus' havin' a showerhead between here an' there?"
"I think it's cost-cutting. Extra plumbing, plus a new showerhead. I can see why they opted instead for just a longer hose for the mane nozzle; water is water. But yes, I think it's very odd."
The door opened and closed, and a new mare walked in. "Good morning. How are we today?"
"Very sleepy," answered Applejack.
"Well, that's good. After this, you're actually scheduled for the deep dream treatment. Due to the way that one works, you're very likely to fall asleep during it."
Applejack furrowed her brow. "And just what is that s'posed ta mean?"
The bath attendant smiled. "Oh, don't worry. There's a skin treatment that we do that takes quite a long time, and you're not supposed to move around during the process. So, we encourage our patrons to fall asleep. We even have some proprietary spells to make your dreams pleasant. Princess Luna herself has to train our specialists, so you can expect good quality sleep."
Applejack was a bit uneasy about falling asleep here. Still, she knew that whatever they did to her, Rarity would hear, and Sapphire Shores would soon follow. It was Sapphire's gift, after all, and a bad gift would reflect very poorly on the pony of pop, and she would not take that lying down. Not to mention Twilight's fit if something bad happened. If Princess Luna herself was training the staff here, this would cause such a fracas that it'd be shut down immediately.
"Sweet Celestia, what happened to your hooves?!" shouted the hooficurist. "What in Equestria did you do, kick a tree so hard that all the apples fell out?"
"Yup," answered Applejack. "That's how Ah earn a livin'."
Her face contorted into a grimace of horror. "You're going to do it again?"
"Yup. How else do ya expect me ta feed my family? Let alone the rest of town..."
The hooficurist fell silent and set down her basket of tools. "I'm going to need stronger equipment," she sighed, walking out of the room.
"Wow," chuckled the bath attendant. "I've never seen her just walk out like that. You must have some really rough hooves."
"Just the back two," shrugged Applejack. "They gather the apples, the front two turn 'em inta pies an' tarts an' such." She yawned. "This ain't gonna take too long, is it? Ah really do need that nap..."
"We'll try to move this right along. Tilt your head back for me?"
Applejack lowered her mane into the sink basin to let it soak. As it did, she had to sit and endure as some grey-green gunk was smeared on her face. It smelled awful, too.
"Is this one a' them there mud masks?"
"Close. This is a scrub mask. It'll help to clean and exfoliate, after which we'll apply a clay mask to draw out any deeper blemishes."
"Don't make-up usually cover that up?" scoffed Applejack.
"Of course. But we'd rather solve the problem at its source, so that you can go out without makeup and still look nice."
"That's probably the smartest thing Ah've ever heard in regards ta beauty products."
"Don't you spend a lot of time with Rarity, being her assistant?"
"Ah ain't her assistant, Ah was just assistin' with somethin' that came up."
"I'm back!" called the hooficurist. "I had to leave and come back, because I don't keep chisels and sandpaper in my kit."
Applejack glanced over. "Ya know, Ah'm actually partial ta the idea a' keepin' my calluses. Like Ah said, it's my livelihood. Can you imagine how much worse Ah'd be if Ah couldn't put any force behind it?"
The hooficurist growled. "Will you at least let me heal the damages? It looks like the left one's about to split open."
"Kicks McGee? Yeah, that one's been hurtin' for a few days now. Thought Ah just stepped on somethin'."
"Looks like you stepped on an axe."
"Ah prob'ly did. We have five of 'em."
After a grueling forty-five minutes of hooficure, which literally required the use of sandpaper, Applejack was escorted into the next room. Applejack had assumed that it would have a bed, but the mattress looked like it was from a piece of patio furniture, and the blanket was a plastic-looking cover that would trap everything under her neck in the chamber.
"So, this is our dreamer steamer," said the bath attendant. "What we do is we pump steam into the chamber to puff up the skin and soften it. After a few hours in that, we'll give you a soft scrub to remove anything that came to the surface. Then two more of those. Should take about six and a half hours, so this is a great time for a nap. That's why we call it a dreamer steamer."
"Good. Ah need it right about now." Applejack climbed up onto the table. "What's with the restraints?"
"Purely a safety measure," smiled the attendant. "We had Bob Barley in here a few years ago to reduce his nerves before going on tour, and the dream was so vivid that he punched one of his own teeth out."
"Ah remember that tour," responded Applejack. "Ah bought tickets for me an' mine, but he never showed. They didn't even give us a refund."
"Oh, the whole right side of his face swelled up. So, to make sure that such a thing doesn't happen again, we use the restraints to secure your hooves."
"Prob'ly a good idea," agreed Applejack. "My back hooves can knock every apple out of an entire orchard; they could prob'ly knock the top cover offa this thing." She lay down and spread out her hooves. "Hook me on up, I'mma head off ta dreamland..."
Chapter the Sixth: The Catwalk
Through the doorway, Applejack found herself not in another store, thankfully, but somewhere recognizable. Rather, she didn't know what building she was in, but she could see Canterlot's streets through the window; most notably, the open marketplace. Judging by the orientation, she was somewhere in the textile district, which was about what she would come to expect, given the knowledge that this was Rarity's dream.
"There you are!" shouted a mare with a short, curly, blonde mane. "How long were you planning to keep me waiting?"
"So sorry, Darling," came the words from Applejack's mouth. "My gown only just arrived, and you know better than to do hair and makeup before the dress."
"Yeah, yeah, you better not mess up my work," she growled, pushing Applejack toward the chair. "Come on, your mane ain't gonna curl itself."
As Applejack climbed into the chair, Rarity looked back at her through the mirror. She really did look happy, and Applejack's lips were being forced to curl up to match. Perhaps this wasn't quite so bad. After all, this was what Rarity enjoyed, and it was also something most ponies derived some pleasure from. Even in her younger days, when she dreamed of being a Manehattan socialite, Applejack had tried to enjoy this. She failed, but at least she tried.
Applejack knew a few things about makeup, but not a lot. First, she was swabbed clean, and then came a layer of foundation that was blended smooth. She wasn't sure what the next two things were, but one added contours to her face where they hadn't existed before, giving her strong cheekbones and a smoother jawline, and the other made it look like she was blushing. Applejack was sure she'd used these products before under proper guidance, but she'd always left it to the more experienced.
She tried to remain still as she closed her eyes and waited for the next step, eyeshadow. She'd seen it coming, and it was the same light blue as the dress. She couldn't see the mascara before it went on, so she had to trust in Rarity's judgement. It was easy enough to trust in her. After all, she was wearing Rarity's face, and she'd never do anything to intentionally make herself look bad, unless she had lost sight of herself.
"Okay, open up," said the mare. "Let's see if it looks half as good moving around."
"Please," scoffed Applejack. "I should think I look good from every angle."
Despite the stylist's earlier assertion, Applejack's mane and tail began curling themselves as she inspected herself in the mirror. It wasn't the tight curl Applejack was expecting, but rather, a loose, smooth curl, almost like a wave. She could feel it cascading down her cheeks, but it honestly didn't seem to effect or be effected by the makeup.
"And of course, the pièce de résistance," said the stylist, shoving something in her mane behind her ear. When she pulled away, a bright orange tiger lily was resting on her brow. It was actually very odd to see in Rarity's mane, as it seemed to clash hard against the purple, being orange, but then on a second look, it almost seemed complimentary, as if the entire point of having them not match was to draw even more attention to her face, which was honestly looking pretty good from Applejack's viewpoint.
Then came a big, purple cloud of weird, unpleasant fragrance from a perfume bottle. Applejack didn't know what was so wrong with simple fragrances. Looking like a tiger lily and smelling like one, too, seemed a good idea. Looking like a tiger lily and smelling like Granny Smith's medicine cabinet did not.
"Okay, you're all set. And just in time, too; you're on!"
"On?" asked Applejack, in her own voice for once. "What do you mean on?"
Apparently, her hooves and dress knew what was happening, as they walked her over to a string of curtains. Weaving one way, and then the next, she found herself on the other side of the curtain, where a long stage was surrounded by ponies, many of them with flashing cameras.
"Finally, to present the crown jewel of our collection, the most fabulous pony in all of Equestria," smiled the hostess, "Rarity!"
Applejack walked forward as her hooves carried her. She never would have guessed that this would be for a fashion show, and she especially never guessed that Rarity would be modeling a look that she hadn't put together herself. This was the most unrealistic thing in the entire dream, and that included the hair curling itself. If Rarity was going to show off a dress, it would be one she made, not one she bought.
Still, Applejack let her high heels do the walking for her, going across the stage, turning, sashaying, posing and spinning, letting everypony take whatever pictures they wanted. In fact, when she reached the end of the stage, somepony had printed a picture of Rarity in this very dress, on this very stage, and made it the cover of a magazine that was being sold here at the event, reiterating "The Most Fabulous Unicorn in the Land!"
"Rarity is wearing our most beautiful ensemble yet, made from the most recent development in silk. Her dress was woven from the silken strands of the sash spider, a species only just recently bred. This makes it feel as if it were lighter than air when worn, but you don't have to grab it from the ceiling each morning." There was a pause for a chuckle. "Not only is it super lightweight, but it's also very stretchy and durable, meaning even if you go up a size, you're still going to be the best-looking pony in the room. It's also tear-resistant, so even if it does stretch out all the way, it's unlikely to be destroyed."
As Applejack stood at the end of the runway, the crowd cheered for her. Or rather, they cheered for Rarity. Applejack could only imagine how good this would have felt if she genuinely cared about fashion, even halfway as much as Rarity did. She would have loved this.
She thought to turn around and walk back, but some goofy-looking stallion walked up to the stage, and Applejack quickly moved down the stairs in heels, something she never would have had the confidence to do in real life.
"That was fantastic," he smiled, embracing her and pulling her into an unexpected kiss, full on the mouth. "I've never seen a fashion show so enthralling as this one. I can scarcely believe my luck at that, much less to be taking the headliner out for a date tonight."
Applejack had no clue who this goon was, and would have told him to slow down, but her lips seemed to know him well. "Prince Paramour..."
Chapter the Seventh: Eating with the Prince
Applejack found herself sitting in a restaurant with the prince. She'd never heard of this one before, but apparently, Rarity had. The detail in his face was remarkably crisp, from small bumps to tiny wrinkles. Whoever had been in charge of designing his face had clearly spent a fair amount of time looking at him to have such an intimate knowledge.
She wasn't sure if they'd already ordered, but she was hungry. The mall hadn't offered her a food court, she didn't have any of Aunt Brown Betty's turnovers, and there wasn't a buffet at the fashion show. At least being at the restaurant meant dinner was coming soon.
"So, tell me about yourself," came Rarity's voice. It was welcome, as Applejack didn't even know who this stallion was.
"Well, my great, great, great grandsire was King Pyrite. He led his forces to conquer the native ponies of what is now southern Course. Many of them were dragon-worshipping fools who weren't even smart enough to understand old Ponish. They used their lands for frivolous things like shrines, and considered their mountains sacred. Well, after civilizing the lands and driving out the dragons, he built his castle on top of the highest mountain in the land."
"Fascinating," cooed Rarity, though Applejack thought it was both a horrifying thought and also not an answer to the question. "Please, go on."
Applejack tried to stand up and walk away, not wanting to take part in this conversation, but her dress held her down, her gloves stuck to the table and shoes bound to the floor. She was stuck listening to him prattle on about how his family drove off the ponies that used to live in that area, rather than finding an agreeable solution to live in harmony. The only good part was that every second generation, the cruelty seemed to have been balanced out, and the hope that her food was coming soon.
"My father, you see, has opened up trade agreements with the Gryphons of Griffinstone, and this is such a terrible idea that the cycle will be offset, which will, in turn, make me the most successful king in the history of the nation."
That didn't make any sense at all. "That makes perfect sense, your highness." Trading with the gryphons could very easily gain favour with them, and they were a powerful ally to have. Even Twilight had thought so, and had asked Rainbow Dash to help smooth things over, as she had prior relations with them.
Before her rage could boil over, their waiter approached. "Here we are," he said, placing their plates on the table. "Your main courses."
Applejack's anger suddenly skyrocketed. The "main course" was seven tortilla chips arranged around maybe half a cup's worth of three different salsas, all stuck together to stand up straight with a cilantro leaf on top. That was, half a cup total, not half a cup of each. If this was the main course at a fancy restaurant, it was no wonder all the famous models were thin and under thirty. They were all starving to death on these tiny portions! In fact, the number of chips she had didn't even account for a single tortilla!
"My, how lovely," she said in Rarity's voice. "It's so delectable, I almost don't want to bite into it."
That did it. Even if it was a tiny, minuscule crumb that wouldn't provide her enough nutrition to so much as climb a set of stairs, Applejack still wanted to eat it. She began yanking at her hooves, trying to pull herself clear of the gloves and devour the pittance of food, probably in two or three bites, if not to fill her up, then to at least taste it. But her clothing held tight. she wasn't going anywhere, and she certainly wasn't going to ruin her figure with such a salty meal.
"Well, if you like, I have something just as flavourful under the table," smirked the prince. "What do you say? Are you feeling naughty tonight?"
As if her makeup had come alive, it pulled Applejack's cheeks back into a lecherous smile. Her mane grabbed hold of her head; the necklace, her neck, and together, they forced her to nod. Even more, her dress caused her to slide down in her chair, as if she were actually going through with this.
This had to be a mistake. Rarity had made it clear to everypony she ever met that she was a proper lady. Never in her wildest dreams would she debase herself by sliding under the table like this, let alone what Applejack knew was coming next. Or rather, who was cumming next.
Tiny dribbles of clear liquid dripped from his tip. Applejack tried to pull away, but her lipstick was pulling harder than she could. It was a dream, so she could probably survive her lips being pulled straight off, and it might even wake her up, but her outfit wouldn't let her go. She didn't want to suck of this pompous, arrogant loser whose lineage pattern foretold his downfall, and whose demeanor seconded that statement.
As her lips touched his tip, her nose closed. She'd lost her air supply. Granted, this was a dream, so she didn't need it, but after a few seconds of holding her breath, her lungs began to burn. She needed air, and the only way she could suck it in was through her mouth. Applejack sighed. Internally, anyway, as her actions were being dictated by the beauty products. If her choice was to suck his dick, or be forced to suck his dick, it would probably be faster if she complied.
Down she went, and actually, it wasn't so bad. He tasted like strawberries. Perhaps Rarity actually did have something to do with this, as she loved strawberries. They were her favourite fruit, as Applejack had learned, because they were very sensual and sweet.
Of course, Rarity hadn't known that Applejack was listening, and always referred to apples being her favourite when she was around, praising the qualities that the fruits shared with Applejack and talking about how Ponyville and its many wonderful citizens would be in bad shape were it not for Sweet Apple Acres and the hard work that went into keeping everypony fed and happy, but Applejack knew the truth. And the truth was, Rarity would absolutely go down on a stallion if she thought sleeping with him would give her some kind of benefit, such as having a prince purchasing gowns for his entire court, and making her a princess. In fact, his lineage making him a failure would then mean that Rarity's child would be exactly as successful as the prince thought himself to be.
Unfortunately, this revelation did not bode well for the rest of Applejack's evening.
Chapter the Eighth: Prince Paramour
Applejack continued to suck, her nose only opening up and letting her breathe after she started to bob her head. Of course, her hair and makeup helped her along, grabbing ahold of her head and forcing her down. The gloves helped to spread his legs and caress his thighs, and the cuff bracelets may as well have been gilded shackles.
"Fabulous on stage, and fabulous in bed," sighed the prince above the table. "Is there anything you're not good at?"
Applejack couldn't answer, of course, but since this was Rarity's dream, there probably wasn't anything she couldn't do, aside from not sucking this cock. Even so, she seemed to be good at it, with Applejack unable to bite down to prove otherwise.
"Excusez-moi, monsieur," came the voice of the waiter. "Is mademoiselle finished with her meal?"
"Yes, I believe so. She's just in the restroom."
Applejack listened in anguish as the plate that held the food was removed from the table and carried off. On top of everything, the only thing that she'd eaten today was dick, and that included outside of the dream. She'd skipped lunch in favour of a nap, and breakfast wasn't an option because she was busy. Supper was going to have to carry a lot of weight tonight.
It wasn't much longer before she felt his dick throbbing, and her entire ensemble forced her all the way down. If she stuck out her tongue, she could easily touch the bottom of his balls, but there was little need, as their contents were being dumped into her throat.
This couldn't be the first date, as Rarity absolutely wouldn't put out on the first date like this, but she would swallow. Rainbow Dash had asked her once if she would spit it out or take it to the face, and Rarity said she would swallow without question. Spitting was unladylike, and she didn't want it dirtying up her precious mane. Pinkie replied that she had stashes all over Ponyville with wipes, to keep her face bright and shiny no matter what, but that she never used them because stallions were always happiest when she swallowed, and she wanted to make them smile.
Once she'd choked down all of the penis paste, she was allowed back up, and Applejack pulled back with such force that her head hit the table, making it clatter loudly before she came out from underneath it. She tried to run, but her attire forced her back into the chair, picking up her napkin as the waiter came back.
"My, my, that was the most delicious thing I've ever tasted," she said, dabbing at the corners of her mouth. "So flavourful and rich. I'd expect nothing less from a prince."
"I am glad to hear you enjoyed, madame," bowed the waiter. "Monsieur has already taken care of the bill, while you were "powdering your nose," as it were."
"Oh, yes, thank you."
The prince reached across the table and took her hoof. "With that settled, let's go back to my suite, shall we?"
Applejack really didn't want to do that, and as she pulled away, her own voice actually rang out. "Hnnng! My arse, you will!!"
The whole dream, Applejack included, seemed to freeze for a bit, as if time itself had stopped, and then started right back up again.
"If you insist," shrugged the prince. "I had meant to keep our bedroom fun private, but I suppose the public will find out soon enough."
The public would find out soon enough. Because Applejack was going to make clear the shady practises taking place at the spa.
Through the front door to the restaurant they went, and despite being able to see the streets of Canterlot through the front window, stepping through let them into a bedroom, with a large, heart-shaped bed. A large chandelier of two ponies of indeterminate gender engaged in some kind of debauchery hung over the bed. And yet, all Applejack could think about was "Where in Equestria do they make these beds?"
Her thoughts remained silent as the dress and accessories carried her, despite her internal protests, over to the bed. As her chest slipped down to the mattress, her tail lifted itself, with some of the hairs even ripping themselves out with how hard Applejack was pulling against them. Try as she might, though, her hind end was now fully exposed.
"No panties, ey?" chuckled the prince, rubbing his hoof against her flank. If Applejack could kick, she would, but her high heels pulled her legs apart, instead, giving him better access. "You know, I was feeling a bit odd about what was said back at the restaurant. I'm not usually that kind of stallion, and I hadn't expected you to be such a playful little minx. Still, I've given some thought to your suggestion, and I think it's the right call. For fun, anyway."
"Yes, I thought so, too," came Rarity's voice. "I just couldn't wait to tell you, but I've always wanted it."
What they were talking about, Applejack could only wonder. The only suggestions made were to suck him off and go back to his place, both of which came from the prince himself. Rarity hadn't suggested anything as far as she'd heard, and Applejack certainly hadn't suggested that they do anything. If she had, "Let's just be good friends" would have been her opening line. But with the decorations around here, what with the lewd paintings of mares and stallions in all manner of filthy poses and enacting filthy scenes, it was very clear to her that his name would not be changed to "Prince Just Friends."
The same was true of the way he grabbed and rubbed her genitals. "You have such a lovely pussy. As magnificent as your dresses are, and as spectacular as your makeup is, neither gives justice to your smooth, buttery skin. Truly, even without these clothes, you would be the most exquisite mare in Equestria."
"Well, take them off, then, " thought Applejack. "They're what's holding me here. "
"Don't worry, I won't tear or stain them. You will leave this room looking just as beautiful as you did when you entered. The mess will be inside of you."
His hooves moved up to her hips, and then slipped down around her waist. She could feel his shaft pressing up between her breasts, rubbing his hardened flesh against her soft skin. "You're going to cum inside me?" she asked.
"As your demanded back at the restaurant," he smiled, placing his tip right beneath her tail. "In your arse, I will..."
Chapter the Ninth: The Nightmare
Applejack grit her teeth as the prince forced his way into her arse. The bastard had only barely lubed up, meaning he could slip in and out, but the friction would soon result in pain, likely in the form of inflammation.
"Oh, this is marvelous," panted the prince, reaching full depth. "Truly, this is the pinnacle of sexual congress." He began to pull back, slowly. "I'm so glad you suggested this!"
Applejack, of course, thought it was bullshit that her words were being so misinterpreted. She would have preferred to go back to the dream at the farm, eating breakfast and building a desk. What could be a better morning than a good meal and putting together something that would see good use? Instead, she was here, having dry anal sex with a stallion she didn't even like.
As he thrust his way back in, more swiftly this time, his balls slapped against her pussy. If she'd just kept her mouth shut and said nothing, he'd be there, instead. Certainly, that wouldn't have been enjoyable, but neither would it be as painful. She could only blame herself for this particular turn of events.
Or perhaps, she could blame whoever was controlling the dream. It wasn't Luna. Or maybe it was, and she'd just decided that she hated Applejack, but that was unlikely. It was probably some sicko who derived pleasure from watching her struggle. She could blame Rarity, for not telling her about this part of the treatment, though she really didn't want to, as she wanted to believe that Rarity was being genuine when she said this was the most luxurious, relaxing spa in Equestria. She could even blame Sapphire Shores, for giving Rarity a spot here at the spa, knowing that it engaged in such shady practices, but even then, it seemed unlikely, as it was a gift to Rarity, on whom she relied for outfits.
"I can't stand it anymore," moaned Applejack. "I need to see your face!"
She rolled over, twisting the cock in her arse in a way that was painful to Applejack, and surely would have been painful for the prince. Oddly, neither of them showed any signs of discomfort, As Applejack could feel her face being joyful despite the agony, and the prince wasn't real.
"I could kiss you," he sighed, picking up the speed of his hips.
"Then do so!" shouted Applejack, craning her head upward. "Kiss me!"
As his tongue dug into her mouth, she noted that once more, he was strawberry-flavoured. Her jaw was held open, but finding that she had some control of her tongue, she worked to keep it away from him, in the hopes that she'd be able to eat strawberries in the future without being reminded of this dream.
He began thrusting again, even faster this time, as if he hadn't forced enough on her. Even with the increased speeds, he was going further out and deeper in. He panted into her mouth, and even his breath tasted of strawberries. At the very least, he'd popped off pretty quickly at dinner, so he should be about to reach his climax, if there was any consistency within the dream.
"I'm almost there," he whined into her face. "I'm so close..."
"Do it," cried Applejack. "Breed me. Breed me, please!"
Ripping his flared tip out of her anus, he shoved it all the way up her pussy, hilting her in a single go. At the very least, her dream designer had made her soaking wet to allow for smoother entry. Whoever it was thought she was having a good time, and to any outside observer, it might have seemed that way. She kept acting as if she wanted it, and saying she wanted it, and perhaps Rarity even did, but Applejack was just being strung along.
She felt the burst of semen flooding into her womb after only a few pumps. It was a fairly hefty load, and if he was fertile, Rarity would now be carrying royal offspring destined to be great. This was the end goal, or so Applejack hoped. After all, what else could this all be building to?
The prince flopped down on the bed, completely spent, but with no discharged fluids covering him. He was clean. She was clean, too. It was all inside of her, and it wasn't even leaking out to ruin her dress. Hell, the dress even expanded, as promised in the fashion show, to match her new figure.
She crawled over to the prince and curled up on his chest, using it as a pillow and somehow not rubbing off any of her makeup. "You were wonderful," she cooed. "The best I've ever had." That was an outright lie. Both Applejack and Rarity had bedded Thunderlane, at different times, and he was way better in bed than this goon. Why Rarity was lying, Applejack didn't know, but there was at least one explanation. "There wouldn't happen to be a princess in your life in need of a beautiful dress, would there?"
"Not a princess, but hopefully, soon to be a royal consort. That is, somepony to wed that will give birth to my foals."
"Sounds like the luckiest pony in the world."
He produced a gold band with a massive diamond. "What say you?"
Applejack snuggled in closer. "I do."
With that, the dream faded to black, and moments later, Applejack awoke in the spa. She could feel her skin being scrubbed by the bath attendant, and looking around, she saw two other ponies chatting softly by one of the doors.
"Welcome back," smiled the bath attendant. "We're almost done, and we'll be moving you into the mud bath soon. How do you feel?"
Applejack took a deep breath. "Honestly?"
"Yes, honestly. You should feel mentally refreshed and physically, well, a little bit sensitive."
"Oh, Ah feel real sensitive," Applejack huffed, being released from her restraints, as they were no longer necessary. "Which one a' y'all was the one controllin' the dream?"
"That would be me," said a stallion, stepping forward. "I take a lot of pride in every detail. I trust that your experience was once-in-a-lifetime?"
As he presented his face to bask in the praise he was sure he deserved, it was quickly and violently knocked to the floor by Applejack's hoof. "How dare you?!"
Chapter the Tenth: The Mud Bath
Despite Applejack's violent outburst, she was allowed to continue her spa treatment after calming down, and after being wrapped in seaweed, she slipped into the mud bath. "Y'all can't be serious."
"Oh, we most certainly are," sighed the bath attendant. "This sort of thing has happened before. Most of our workplace injuries stem from the dreamer steamer."
"Then why do ya keep usin' it?"
"It draws in a massive amount of income, is easy to use, has a low maintenance cost, and it's what a lot of the ponies that come here ask for. I'm surprised Rarity didn't tell you about it."
Applejack sighed. "She didn't tell me nothin' about this place until early this mornin'. We was on the train, en route to Manehattan before she realized she wouldn't be able to make it, and it weren't 'til a few hours later that she gave me her pass. She didn't have time ta tell me jack shit. The real question is, why would somepony bearing the abilities of Princess Luna, and representing her in public, ever do that to somepony's dreams?"
There was a short pause before the attendant responded. "I can go check if he's still bleeding, if you want to ask him yourself. Just so long as you don't hit him again."
"Y'all blindfolded me with cucumbers and kelp. Why ya wouldn't allow me ta eat when ya had perfectly tasty cucumbers is beyond me, but the point is, Ah can't even see 'im. How could Ah hit 'im?"
"I'll go see if he can come in."
Applejack heard the clippity-clop of hooves retreating and, moments later, a different set of hooves approaching. This set was heavier, larger, and only consisted of three hooves.
"Are we feeling better?" asked the stallion, though his voice was slightly distorted, as if his lips were swollen on one side. He was probably still holding the ice pack against his face.
"Before Ah answer, Ah need ta know something."
"I'll tell you what I can."
"Why did ya make the dream that way?"
"I was just following orders."
"Whose orders?"
"Yours, ma'am."
Applejack raised an eyebrow skeptically.
"When you made an appointment and selected your treatments, you had to have filled out the paperwork. I can fetch the papers now, if you'd like to double-check them."
"Ah don't believe you," said Applejack bluntly.
"Then I suppose I should try to prove it," he replied, turning away. "I'll be right back with evidence."
He left and came back a few moments later, along with what sounded like the hooves of the bath attendant. He read off the appointment number, the date and time, and the name "Rarity." Everything matched up with the information Applejack knew to be true.
"Since you won't believe me, I've brought along somepony you've placed at least some trust in, and she'll read the copy of what was written about your dream requests."
"Me?" asked the bath attendant as the sound of paper changing hooves echoed behind Applejack. "Okay, here's what it says:"
As the contract claims that I will be put under three times, I think it fitting that I request three smaller dreams.
First, I want to be treated to a shopping spree. I want ruby, heart-shaped earrings, a diamond necklace, and golden heels and cuff links. Of course, there's a dress, as well, with evening gloves. See the attached picture.
There was a sound of rustling paper, followed by a gasp. "Wow," said the bath attendant. "I knew Rarity was good, but this is spectacular. And she managed to just put this out in a request? This is one of the most beautiful evening gowns I've ever seen!"
"Yeah, it was lovely," replied Applejack. "Keep readin'."
I want the clothes to want to be on my body. Have them come alive and beg to be put on me.
In the second dream, I'd like to have my makeup applied in a style that matches the dress and is preferably minimalistic. I should already look spectacular after the spa treatment, and won't need a lot of dressing up, but I would like my mane to look like the attached picture, but in my colour and length.
"The picture kind of looks like you," said the attendant. "I mean, you probably saw the dress in your dreams, but this is a beautiful mane."
Do NOT cut my hair to length! I cannot stress this enough!
After styling, I want to have a fashion show where I am the headliner. I want to be recognized as the most fabulous pony in Equestria.
For the third dream, I'd like to go on a date with Prince Paramour. Except, don't make him the lead singer and bassist of Grey Aegis, make him an actual member of some royal family. I'd like to go out to dinner, and have some fun under the table. Afterwards, I'd like to go back to his place, where we'll make a new member of the royal family. It is imperative that he finish in such a way that I become impregnated. Only in the dream, though, not for real.
And not a word of this to anypony at all!
Also, I tend to squirm and wiggle when I'm excited, so you may have to hold me down to make sure I don't cause any big problems.
"You see?" said the stallion proudly. "I was only following the orders you wrote down, Miss Rarity."
Applejack lifted up one of the cucumbers to look at the papers. These were a photocopy of the originals, and they very clearly had Rarity's fancy script. A hoofwriting expert could compare this to one of Rarity's documents and immediately be able to tell that Rarity had written this. Additionally, it was Applejack in the photo, all dressed up fancy from when Trenderhoof visited Ponyville.
She sighed. "Well, Ah... Ah guess Ah owe ya an apology. A good one, at that. If ever you're in Ponyville, drop by Sweet Apple Acres, and we'll hook ya up with a bottle of cider, an' any damages from this whole thing, too. Ah'm real sorry fer hittin' ya. Ah thought you was just some perv that tried ta force me inta this. By the by, my name's actually Applejack. Rarity couldn't make it."
The stallion smiled, or rather, gave his closest approximation of a smile, and waved his hoof. "Don't even worry about it. This place has great dental insurance. I'll be back to work in less than a week."
Chapter the Eleventh: Reunion
The rest of the spa visit was almost what Applejack expected. The spa in Ponyville had rooms that appealed to a specific purpose, but allowed ponies to interact if they wanted, or put up partitions if they did not. This one seemed far more personal, with separate rooms that were big enough for only a single pony. There were bigger rooms, in the event that a guest wanted to bring their entire entourage, as Applejack found out from the bath attendant, but that was often not the case, as many of them wanted to relax in silence without being stressed by their manager telling them about some upcoming events.
Shady or not, the Sleeping Springs Spa was a business, and because of the mix-up, the bath attendant spoke to the manager, and before Applejack left, she was given a card. That card was good for making an appointment at the spa, and had another twenty-five-character code on it, just like Rarity's paper. It was a different number, of course, but it would allow Applejack to come in and fill out the paperwork, as well as granting one free treatment in the dreamer steamer. The rest, she'd have to pay for out of her own pocket, but a four-hundred-bit discount was nothing to sneeze at.
As she stepped out of the building into the open air, she suddenly felt cold, despite it being a nice day. Her skin pulled tighter around her, and as she passed in front of a shop window, she looked a fair bit younger. The ponies in the street seemed to think so, too, as they were very friendly. A few of them hit on her, and one even asked her out. The spa treatment was definitely effective.
When the train arrived at the station, Applejack climbed on. She thought about having a nap for the rest of the trip back to Ponyville, but there was no sleeper car, so she just opted for a bench, instead. As she moved through the compartments, however, she found another mare who had the same idea.
As the train jolted to a start, the mare was awoken by some luggage knocking against the wall behind her. "Let me rest, damn it," she growled.
"Ah'll go have a word with 'em," chuckled Applejack. "You have a rest, Rarity."
Rarity bolted upright. "Applejack?! What are you doing here?!"
"They jus' let me out," she answered, sitting down. "You can go back to sleep, if ya like. Ah was thinkin' of a nap, myself."
"Oh, no, I've been awoken thrice already. It's probably best that I wait until I'm in bed."
Applejack nodded. "So, how was the show?"
"Oh, I only caught one. It was embarrassing; I fell asleep on the radio. Luckily, the hosts were too afraid of waking me up, and Sapphire Shores told them what happened in a very subtle way after cutting my mic. After that, they sent me back to the train station and ensured that I'd be brought back home. But not without a little gift." Rarity reached into her bags and pulled out a small envelope. "Aside from the money, which she'll be bringing later, Sapphire Shores also gave me a group pass to the same spa I sent you to. How was that, by the way?"
"Well," started Applejack, but was immediately cut off.
"It looks like they did an amazing job. You look gorgeous! I almost didn't recognize you; you have a healthy, young glow to you that just shouts beauty!"
Applejack snorted and lowered her hat, which they'd cleaned while she was asleep. "Does that mean my usual appearance is sickly an' old?"
"Oh, no no no!" backpedalled Rarity. "I didn't mean... oh. That was a joke, wasn't it?"
Applejack smirked. "Ah know what ya meant. It feels like Ah'm a bit younger, too. Deep tissue massage, skin's nice and tight; no wrinkles... Ah had no idea that there was a hooficure treatment that actually hardens the hooves and makes them less likely ta break. That's a game changer come Applebuck season, if it works."
Rarity cleared her throat. "I did know that there was such a treatment. I hadn't considered bucking apples with it, though."
"Well, Ah'm gonna try, if Ah can convince Aloe an' Lotus ta offer that as an option."
"Oh, it already is," answered Rarity. "I'll talk to them about it, for sure. How was the rest of the treatment?"
Applejack told Rarity about the bath, the mane treatment, the hooficure, the mud bath, and the massage before talking about the dreamer steamer. She even showed off her appointment card, saying it was for a bit of grief and a rather painful mix-up.
"And the dream treatment?" asked Rarity. "What was that like?"
"Well," sighed Applejack, "Ah'm sure they take great pride in what they do there..."
Rarity frowned. "Oh, no. Did they mess up your dream?"
"Not exactly. Ah'm sure it would have been a pleasant dream... For the pony it was meant for. They mixed me up with somepony else."
"So you ended up with somepony else's dream?" gasped Rarity. "That sounds horrible! I hope it was at least pleasant for you. I'm sure that whoever they gave your dream to had the time of their life."
Applejack pursed her lips. Nopony was given her dream. It had merely been overwritten. But did she have the heart to tell Rarity that?
Luckily, she didn't have to. Rarity's eyes shot open as she remembered the registration process. Rewriting the entire dream was nigh impossible day-of. "You had my dream?"
Applejack's face turned bright red. "Almost..."
Rarity blushed and turned away. The realization that Applejack had experienced one of her sexual fantasies, even with some mild alterations, meant that she was now fully exposed as the deviant she was. Those dreams were supposed to remain private, and now, Applejack knew about it.
She took a deep breath. If there was anypony she could trust to keep that information under her hat, it was the pony who always wore a hat. Applejack was the most dependable and trustworthy pony ever. Blabbing was not something she was prone to. If asked about the weirdest sexual dream she'd ever had, Applejack may describe that dream, but she would not reveal that it was actually supposed to be Rarity's dream. She'd probably stick to "I had no indication that I would be having that kind of dream."
"So, ummm..." Rarity fidgeted in her seat. "How was it?"
Applejack wiped her face. "Ah think you'd'a enjoyed it..."
Epilogue the First: Group Treatment
"And I said "Oatmeal?! Are you crazy?!""
The girls all burst out laughing at Pinkie's spectacular mastery of the comedic arts. Even the hooficurist had to pull away from her task so as not to accidentally damage Fluttershy's hooves. Rainbow, of course, had skipped her hooficure.
"Oh, Pinkie," chuckled Twilight, "that cupboard door grows smaller with every retelling."
"And the rubber sword is new," noted Rainbow. "Wasn't it made of plastic last time?"
"Oh, come on, girls," giggled Pinkie. "Comedy is ever-changing."
"Statua variabilis," nodded Twilight.
"Statue of big dog with fleas," agreed Pinkie.
Twilight was about to raise an objection when their bath attendant returned. "We're ready for you, now."
Fluttershy looked down at the hooficurist, who was almost done. "You all go ahead, I'll be along shortly."
The other six moved into the room with the dreamer steamers. Applejack noted that there were clear marks on the floor running from the door to the tables, meaning that one of the reasons that it had taken a bit longer to set all of this up was because they had to move a bunch of these tables around. There was even a small one for Spike.
The engineer of the dreams was already there, holding a small stack of clipboards, with three assistants standing behind him. He stepped up to the first pair of tables. "Miss Pinkie Pie, you're here, Miss Rainbow Dash, over here."
As they moved over to the tables, he gave two clipboards to one of his assistants and moved to the next set of tables. "Miss Princess Twilight Sparkle, you're here, Mister Spike the Dragon, over here."
Spike had already figured out where he was supposed to be, but was glad to hear that he was sitting next to Twilight. Their clipboards were also given to an assistant.
"Miss Fluttershy, you'll be here, and Miss Rarity, this one's yours."
"Fluttershy isn't here yet," informed Rainbow. "She's finishing her hooficure; she'll be right behind us."
With a nod, the dream engineer helped Rarity up into her place before leaving two clipboards to the last assistant. "Finally, Miss Applejack. Good to see you again, ma'am. You're over here."
After lying everypony down, he double-checked the restraints, as well as what he thought were the safest parts of the dreams against the ponies they were matched to, to ensure that everything was properly lined up. When Fluttershy came in, he saw to her, as well, before going over the process.
Once the spell was cast, they all drifted off to sleep, and were swiftly brought to their requested dreams.
Rainbow Dash had a very familiar dream. She was dressed up in full Wonderbolt gear, acting as the final step of a five-stage relay race around the whole of Equestria. While the racers were mixed between changeling, dragons, gryphons, pegasi and all manner of other flying creatures, this was not a race between races. Rainbow Dash was taking a baton from a dragon, after all. The winners would be given the honor of flying a shipment of emergency supplies to Cloudsdale.
Granted, Rainbow could have easily just flown the supplies there herself before the race was even organized, but this was not a logic puzzle. She wanted to race, and she wanted to protect her hometown from disaster. She took great pride in both of those things, and was going to be paraded through the streets for her contributions. This did not have to make sense, it just had to feed her ego.
Pinkie Pie's dream was also pretty easy to guess. After skiing down a literal mountain of ice cream through a forest of cakes, she'd have a great big feast of jelly beans before relaxing in a hot fudge hot tub. Of course, all of Ponyville was there, always smiling, but genuinely.
Twilight had a nice dream, too. She was teaching a class on astrology, with her friends being her teaching aides. Spike was also taller, as well as more muscular and charming. Her reasoning for that last bit, while not written down, was based on her desire to see Spike grow into the very model of gentlemanliness, health and intelligence. If asked, she would liken it to the way a mother cares for their child and wants them to be successful, though she also saw him partially as a younger brother, and also as an assistant.
Complicated feelings aside, the crux of her dream was to discover a star in the night sky, which she would personally track, record, and be allowed to name. The name she chose for it, because it was not a single star, but a binary system, was "Unity."
Spike's dream was not exactly what he wanted. He wished to join Twilight in her dream, but as these were meant to be private matters, that request was rejected. Then he tried to join Rarity's dream, then Fluttershy's, and was rejected both times. It was policy, after all. Instead, his fourth choice was very simple and very vague. He just wanted a good birthday party. He'd had some good ones before, but he wanted a new one, with jewels baked into the cake and new presents. Of course, because it was a dream, his pony friends could eat the jewels, too, and thought his cake was the best ever.
Fluttershy had a very pleasant dream, too, as it was an event that she took part in regularly in the spring and summer. There were no complicated rules, things to learn, or difficult instructions. Her entire dream request was only two words long: "Critter picnic."
Rarity's dream had few alterations, and the biggest was to bring it back to the original request. The change that they would have anal sex was removed, but also, what they would eat at the restaurant was now curated to be something more fitting to Rarity's tastes. No more tortilla chips and salsa, now it was chou-fleur au poivre, and she'd be allowed to eat some of it before ducking under the table. Finally, Applejack's description of his personality turned out to be boring, so she had him be closer to the original with an interest in art, and especially music. He would also serenade her in the bedroom before they began making love.
Applejack had spent a lot of time thinking about what her dream would be between visits. She was not a very complicated mare, but being burned once before, she had very carefully put together a dream that would make her feel fantastic, and she was very proud of herself.
Epilogue the Second: AJ's Dream
"There. Finished."
Applejack took a step back and admired the desk. Sure, it wasn't a hoof-made, hundred-year-old family heirloom, but it was a desk, and a decently sturdy one.
"It looks great, Applejack," smiled Apple Bloom. "Now we just have ta take it ta the treehouse."
"Eeyup," nodded Big Macintosh, hoisting it onto his shoulders.
"Ah tell ya, there's nothin' quite like puttin' together a piece of pressboard furniture," smirked Applejack. "It's like a jigsaw puzzle for adults."
"But Ah can still put together the next one, right?"
Applejack smiled and nodded at Apple Bloom's question. As much as she loved putting things together, she still wanted to know that Apple Bloom was smart enough and capable enough to handle it on her own. There was very little that was more rewarding than knowing that she'd taught her sister right.
As Apple Bloom rushed off to follow Big Mac, Thunderlane came walking up the path. He looked taller. Granted, he should, as Applejack had said she wanted him taller and with more muscle tone. "Applejack," he smiled, coming right up to her. "I missed you."
"The nerve a' you," sneered Applejack, "showin' yer face around here after breakin' my heart!"
"I know," sighed Thunderlane. "I feel terrible about it. I wasn't thinking right. You're way more important than my career."
"Ah don't believe you."
"Then let my prove it." He placed his hoof on her shoulder. "You know that thing you always wanted me to do?"
"Propose?"
"No, you wouldn't accept my proposal without knowing that I've really changed. I mean the other thing."
Applejack looked around. Granny was out with Aunt Brown Betty buying supplies, and Apple Bloom would keep Big Mac busy for at least an hour. "Alright, cowboy. You know where the window is."
As Applejack walked upstairs, Thunderlane flew up to the window and waited. She wanted to watch him climb in. Secret affairs were always more fun, so long as nopony was hurt by them.
When Applejack walked into her bedroom and flopped down on the bed, she heard a tapping on the window. With a wave, she invited Thunderlane in, and he entered. "Hey. Long day?"
"The longest."
"Well, I'm here now, and it's time for me to perform my duties as a coltfriend." Without another word, he dropped down between her knees and put his lips to hers, kissing and licking her slit.
Applejack moaned and spread her legs. Thunderlane, in reality, had never gone down on her. He'd done so for Rarity once, and was reportedly bad at it, and that tracked, as he had always told Applejack that it was disgusting to put his mouth between her legs. At the same time, he'd wanted the same thing from her, and she'd opted in a few times, just to try to convince him to return the favour, to no avail.
With his tongue digging deep into her, even deeper than a tongue had any business being, Applejack looked over his body. He was taller, but it was more than that. All of his proportions were the same as they had been, meaning he was wider, longer, and girthier, and she was looking forward to that.
"I love you," he moaned between breaths. "So much..."
"Prove it," huffed Applejack.
As if challenged, Thunderlane jumped up on top of Applejack. He was already flared and ready to go. He pressed the tip of his cock against her entrance and, with a nod from Applejack, pushed his way in.
He was much better now than he had ever been. He managed to hilt her in one thrust, as she was sopping wet. Not just from her own arousal, but from the saliva he had left all over her insides.
He sat there for a moment, lowering his chest to hers to wrap his hooves around her shoulders, and his wings around her thighs. He dug his tongue into her mouth and down her throat. He tasted like honeycrisp apples and caramel sauce. He didn't even taste like her, a tidbit she only knew from a few other coltfriends. It was just like a soft, juicy honeycrisp that had been dipped in caramel sauce.
After growing accustomed to his size, he began to move, thrusting in, and then pulling out. His hips seemed to follow a circular motion; in, up, out and down. His balls slapped hart against her arsehole, which were thankfully the only things that would be touching her arsehole today.
The sound of wet clapping could be heard echoing off the walls of the room, which was quite a feat, considering the thick bedding and comfortable armchair that sat in the room, muffling the sound. But Applejack didn't care, because she was having good sex. Good, consensual sex.
That went on for quite a while. Applejack preferred that it stay simple and easy, without all of the crazy contortions and flying around the room. It wasn't about showing flexibility, nor was it about trying new things. Sex, being an extension of a relationship, was about enjoying the time spent with the other party. It was about enjoying each others' company. That was something she could not share with Thunderlane in reality, as he was always looking for better, more exciting things, and Applejack was wanting to enjoy what she already had, saving the better and more exciting for Apple Bloom, so she could spend even more time enjoying what she had when she was grown up. It was something only the dream version of Thunderlane could give her.
Finally, he stopped, pushed deep, and filled her with his seed before breaking the kiss. "We are now forever bound," he panted. "That's how committed I am to this. I want to have a kid with you. It only makes sense that I'd want to marry you, too." He pulled out a ring, the same one Applejack's father had given to her mother. "Applejack?"
She leaned up and kissed his neck. "Maybe. We'll have to see if this relationship has any stayin' power, first."
"That's all I ask." Thunderlane climbed up into the bed and wrapped himself around Applejack. She had always loved how warm he was in bed. It was great, because she never needed a blanket with him around.
"Ruff, ruff!"
Applejack patted the bed beside her. "Come on up, Winona."
As the dog jumped up onto the mattress and snuggled into Applejack's hooves, she thought to herself, "This is the life. "
Chapter the Fifth: Shopping Spree
Applejack's dream started as they often did, with her coming down the stairs to breakfast. Granny Smith had made a batch of turnovers with Aunt Brown Betty, and Apple Bloom had brought home a coltfriend. "Good morning, Applejack," he'd say, in his unrecognizable voice coming from his unrecognizable face. "Sleep well?"
"Ah did. Thank ya kindly," answered Applejack, sitting down and chowing down. "Ye'r always so polite an' pleasant."
"Eeyup," smiled Apple Bloom. "That's why Ah picked 'im!"
A knock on the door turned all of their attention. "I have a brand new desk out here," smiled the delivery pony. "Who's going to be putting it together?"
"Me!" shouted Applejack, her hoof shooting into the sky. "I'll go grab my tools!"
Before she could grab her toolbox from the cabinet, the whole thing suddenly faded to black, and she was left in a dark void, with no sounds, no light, nothing. It was just black.
And then, light. She had shifted while in the void, and had lost her sense of direction when gravity reasserted itself. Still, she managed to pick herself up, no problem.
She was in a small open lounge between two hallways with heavy hoof traffic, with stairwells leading up three floors, and several other walkways on those floors. Barring the cental kiosks, lounges and anything else between the lanes, the hallways were bordered by stores of all kinds. And to top it all off, the roof was a large glass dome.
"Well, Ah guess Ah could find a desk here," shrugged Applejack. She started down the path, looking at the various shops. They all seemed to be very fashion-oriented, boasting dresses and accessories, but that was common of malls, as far as Applejack was aware. She just had to find a directory that would lead her to a different section, or at least to the food court. She was aware that this was a dream, by this point, so maybe she could gorge herself on free food and still have a good day of shopping.
Just as she was thinking that, however, her hooves turned beneath her and carried her into one of the many dress shops. "Wait, no!" shouted Applejack at her legs. "Ah don't need these fancy new duds!" Needed or not, her hooves moved into the store, taking the rest of her with them.
"Good morning," smiled the clerk, walking up to her. "Can I help you find something?"
"I was told that your newest line was a symphony of colour," came the words from Applejack's mouth. She hadn't intended to say that, of course, as she was wanting to ask about a hardware section that she could go to. If not, the food court was her next question, or at least a pretzel stand in one of the kiosks. "I simply must try it for myself."
"Right this way," smiled the clerk, leading her back to the changing room.
Four dresses were lined up: a red one, a green one, a blue one, and a purple one. Applejack thought the green one looked prettiest, but, instead, her hoof went for the red one, first. Before it could touch, however, the dress came alive and wrapped itself around her leg, sliding across her skin and wrapping her in fabric. It didn't squeeze her at all, it wasn't ill-fitting, and it didn't try to strangle her, rather, she was now wearing it.
She looked in the mirror, and it all made sense. Every move she made was reflected in the mirror, but it wasn't her face looking back. It was Rarity's. She was in one of Rarity's dreams. That's why this wasn't any fun; because this was what was a good day for Rarity.
"No, it's too tacky," she found herself saying. "This colour is simply awful; it doesn't match me at all."
Next came the purple dress, which Applejack thought looked pretty good on Rarity, but apparently, not good enough. Then the green one, and finally the blue. Applejack, while fond of the green one and very willing to buy that one for herself, had to admit that Rarity looked best in the blue one, which is the one she was made to choose.
It wasn't too bad of a dress, she had to admit. It was a shimmery light blue material with silver lining. It started in a pleated deep V-neck that, once the two sides of the collar came together, drifted down to join with her sash in a faux surplice. Beneath that, the evening gown was soft and subtle, not calling the eye to it, but demanding that they stay on her, lost in a gradient between the light blue under the silver sash and silver at the hemline. To top it all off, a pair of white-silver evening gloves connected to the sleeves just below the elbow. This would absolutely be a dress Rarity would like. It was a gorgeous evening gown.
"This is lovely," she said in Rarity's voice, and honestly, Applejack agreed. "Now, of course, I'll need accessories."
Without paying, because this was a dream, after all, Applejack wore the dress out, and continued her shopping. The very next store she was made to walk into was that of a jeweler, and he managed to sell her cuff bracelets of gold, and some heart-shaped ruby earrings. He even managed to sell her a "Timeless, one-of-a-kind, antique diamond necklace with sapphire-encrusted inlays, a silver chain, and inscribed on the back message." The message in question, "For the eve of my return," made it clear to Applejack that this necklace was indeed the only one of its kind. It was a gift from Luna to herself, entrusted to Celestia in the hope that Nightmare Moon could and would be stopped. Still, Applejack bought it, even knowing who it belonged to.
Next were the shoes, adorned in white-gold sequins under thin silk so that they sparkled without actually being polished metal. Applejack wasn't used to wearing heels, but at least this time, she was thankful that her hooves were carrying her around without her say in the matter, because they, at least, seemed to know what they were doing.
With her outfit now decided, the door to the mall opened. Applejack had not been so happy to see a door open since she was a teen, being told that she could come out of her room to eat supper after sneaking out the previous night to break into a closed pool to go skinny-dipping with her coltfriend at the time, who she dumped the next day because he abandoned her at the guard station.