(Take Me Into) Your Skin

Pushiness was not a trait many ponies guessed could be associated with Rarity. If they were to be graced by her presence for long enough, they'd quickly find themselves wrong.

A quirk of her self-assuredness, perhaps. When she saw an opportunity for change, an opportunity to do, she rarely ever hesitated. This was true in many avenues in her life. She pushed her designs, always ready to jump ahead of the fashion trends of the season, to try and buck them aside and lead them herself. She pushed herself, staying awake into the darkest hours of night simply to complete sketches or finish up designs that came to her in a spark of creativity.

Push, push, push. You can always be more than you are! There's always something beneath the surface, waiting to be unearthed and adored. In the budding years of her career that pushiness had been a savior. When her thoughts turned against her, when she'd been denied chances to present her efforts to ponies of higher status...

...it's rather unattractive. Maybe I really can't...no. No, no. It's just a little rough around the edges. Unfinished. I'll make this dress a true masterpiece!
Wait! If these designs don't please you then let me offer you something else! You won't be disappointed again!

She pushed herself, because she knew she was capable. She pushed others, not because she held them to some impossible standard, but because she knew everypony could see past the layers of everything if they tried. To strive toward the pinnacle and come out something beyond what they were before.

It was well-intentioned.

"Celestia's sun, Rares can ya please just lay off?"

Most of the time.

"I will when you wash off, Applejack."

A long-suffering groan rose from Applejack's throat, her head thrown back as she closed her eyes. Rarity, in turn, narrowed her eyes at the sweat and flecks of dirt marring Applejack's throat. When she lifted her gaze, Applejack was once again looking at her, mouth twisted downward.

"Look, I just got a little too into workin' and lost track of time. I was messin' with crops. And I ain't even really that—"

Rarity scoffed. "Don't say it! You were working in the dirt, therefore you are dur-tee, Applejack. I tell you time and time again that you must value your appearance more! You're too—"

pretty

"What's the word this time? Boorish?"

"Mmm, tried and true. You strode through town with dirt on yourself, in this hot, mucky weather, and you care not one whit about that fact?"

"Tch. Who's gonna be lookin' all that hard?"

"Me, for one." Rarity wrinkled her nose in distaste. "It's incredible, almost unthinkable really— I care more about your hygiene than you do. For shame, Applejack."

There. She knew she struck true. Something dark flashed behind the emerald expanse of Applejack's eyes, and she took a dangerous step forward. Rarity held her head higher and remained unmoved.

"I dunno what yer malfunction is today, Rarity, but I ain't likin' it. I'm dirty cuz I didn't want you held up with watchin' both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom longer than ya wanted. I'm oh so sorry for tryin' to be considerate!"

"Well you ought to have considered not making me gaze at such disastrously muddy hooves. Watching the girls is never a problem, Applejack, but your complete disregard for yourself is. Even just a bare minimum scrubbing would've been enough!"

"Well ain't you just—!" Applejack's breathing was short and tight, and Rarity subtly focused her gaze on Applejack's eyebrows. It was fascinating how tastefully sized they were. Not too large, nor too thin. They came to accentuate her eyes perfectly.

Rarity knew she'd never plucked them. Probably didn't realize that she even could.

("Ooo! Look, Hondo, look! Aren't they starting to thicken up like yours? Cute little purple caterpillars!"

"Oh, wouldja look at that? She appreciates the 'brows, attagirl!")

When Rarity returned her focus to the entirety of her face, anger had brought a subtle red tinge to her cheeks. Even her blinking had changed, the increased raising and lowering of her lids making her thick, curled eyelashes flutter. She surely wasn't aware she had lashes many mares would envy.

She could go a step further, Rarity knew. Just a few more careful words and she could make Applejack storm off entirely. She could envision it; Applejack bellowing for Apple Bloom and rushing off together as soon as she arrived. Rarity would be able to watch her disappear, follow the heavy stomp stomp stomping of her hooves until it all faded into silence. Applejack wouldn't stew on what had been said for long, though. Wouldn't care about anything Rarity had mentioned and instead would pass it off as her being in a prissy mood. She'd brush it aside, and forgive her just as quickly. Then they'd meet up again at some point and it'd be like it had simply never happened.

Applejack had a very good heart.

Rarity exhaled, riding the sudden wave of self-disgust into her next comment;

"Hmph. If nothing else I do see that your intentions were noble. I'll forgive you, again, for your trespass against fabulousness. I know how this season begs a lot from you."

Bomb defused, easy as always. Applejack's sigh was a mix of frustration and exasperation, and as it left her lungs so did her anger. She made to adjust her hat, lifting a hoof, but Rarity beat her to the punch with her magic. She still held her little frown, but there wasn't much fuel behind it.

Applejack rolled her eyes and took a step back, severing the closeness between them. "Gee, ain't you just as kind as can be? Can ya send out 'Bloom, now? We really ought to start headin' back."

"Yes, yes. Of course. I'll just be a moment."

Rarity turned around and stepped into her boutique. She wondered what the girls were doing upstairs. She thought about the two orders that were due by the end of the week. She imagined how little time Applejack would spend on washing her hair, tonight.

"Girls! Apple Bloom! Gather your things, Applejack's here!"

It wasn't anything quite so horrible, she idly mused as she nudged open the door to Sweetie Belle's room and watched them hurriedly clean up whatever scheme for cutie marks they'd been brewing for the day. She loved bringing out the beauty in things. It invigorated her, made her feel incredible and hopefully made whatever caught her eye feel even better. Applejack was, however, the most frustratingly uncut gem she'd ever witnessed. No, even while 'uncut', her natural beauty still shone through. For as pragmatic and 'simple 'n easy' of an approach she took regarding herself, it was impossible to not notice.

Not impossible for some ponies, actually. Rarity swallowed down a displeased, very much unladylike grunt. That only made her all the more frustrating of a mare.

"Done! Race ya, Sweetie Belle!"

"Ok- Wha-! No fair, you started early! Wait!"

A blur of yellow and white zipped past her, and Rarity turned to follow them with a tired, subtly fond sigh.

It didn't please her, to do what she did. It felt... cruel. It added a level of calculation to their interactions that left her at a distance from herself. But if she wouldn't accept even the subtlest of makeup, refused even the suggestion of a different mane style...

She'd simply keep reminding Applejack how bad it was to waste an appearance such as hers. The facts would have to stick, one day.