Applejack could still hear the sounds of the party that was going on echoing through the halls, even though she had to be pretty far away from it by now. For her it seemed that she wandered for an eternity through these halls and corridors already. Twilights new place was huge. Huge and impractical Apples though, although she knew a certain pony that was absolutely in love with the new home of the Alicorn, someone who always had a liking for fancyness.

There was it again! A flash of colour that darted around the next corner and a soft giggle that followed it.

"How long are ya going to make me do this, sugar?" The earth pony asked, barely supressing a chuckle herself. "Just wait till i get you!"

Tirek was defeated, harmony restored. Much had changed in the last few weeks, for her friends and herself too. There had to be thrown a party, Pinkie had suggested, the greatest party of all. A Bigmeaniedefeatedandtwilightgotanewhomeandeverythingisgreat party, as the hyperactive mare called it. Of course it had to happen in the new crystal castle that adorned now the town square of Ponyville.

Everyone was invited, the whole town and some more, and everyone had fun. Almost everyone.

A single pony had kept to herself, seemingly deep in thought. Applejack felt its gaze falling upon her again and again, only for it to look away when she returned it. A pony that had become so precious and important to her. A pony that she could not suffer to see so pained and conflicted. It broke her heart.

The loner broke away from the commotion that was the celebration after a while and finally met the gaze of the apple pony with an expression that could only mean one thing: "Follow me." before vanishing into the long corridors of the castle.

And so Applejack had followed. After a while, the at first somber chase got more and more playful. The silence giving way to giggling and affectionate teasing. She was glad that she had managed to break the stillness, she hated to see the mare she loved suffer.

The earth pony turned one last corner and found herself on a big balcony. She inhaled the cool night air and let a sigh escape her lungs. The chase was over. There she was.

Applejacks brain did not even have the time to process the full extend of the beauty of the doe-eyed mare that was standing before her, her long legs, her shapely curves, the gorgeous mane flowing freely in the light breeze.

The subconciousness of her took over, and before she could process what happened, she was already tightly hugging the lovely unicorn. Apples lips met the ones of Rarity and the two shared the most tender and passionate kiss, playfully exploring each other with their tongues.

In this moment everything that had happened took shape before Applejacks eyes, the moments they had together, the friendship that bloomed into love, the night they shared in the Applebarn after the whole Trenderhoof dilemma.

The farmpony carefully and slowly separated herself from the gorgeous mare she loved so much, she desired so much. And Rarity instantly formed a disappointed pout with her sensual muzzle in protest of the kiss cut short.

"We have to tell them, Rares. Ah cannot live like that any longer. Ah want everypony to know what we feel for each other, how much ah love you." The pain in her voice was almost tangible.

Rarity looked Applejack directly into her eyes, she was irresistible the earth pony found, like always. The fashionista raised her slender hoof and began to caress Apples hair.

"I guess you are right, my love. I see how much it hurts you to keep it secret, i hate to see you pain yourself like that. I only want you to be happy, Appletart."

"Trust me... There is nothing that could make me more happy than you, Mah little jewel."

They both began to smile. It was a warm, beautiful and honest smile.

It would end this night, the lies and the deceptions. This party would not only be celebration of harmony and friendship... No... It would also be a celebration of love. The love of two mares that could not live without each other anymore.

The most rare and honest love.

Silken Stitch looked around. He was in awe.

The young stallion never imagined to be guest in such an extraordianary mansion. All the craftponyship was of the highest quality. The ebon furniture. The silken curtains. The carpents. The ornaments. The statues.

He was intimidated. He never would have thought that he would be invited to meet a pony of such high standing, he did not even know how she looked like.

Silken looked at the invitation again to confirm that everything was in order, that no error was made when the letter was send to him. But it seemed that everything was alight...

Countess Rarity Belle was the name of his unknown patron, the court tailoress of the crown. She invited him to show her showpieces of the fabric that he sold in his little shop in the outskirts of Canterlot, a district that was largely populated by the servants of the nobility. No pony of high standing would be caught dead in the vicinity of this uncouth place.

But it seemed that the countess somehow had managed to get a look at his work, Celestia knows how, and she seemed to like it enough to summon him with an proposal he could not refuse...

The amount of bits per bolt of cloth she was willing to pay was rediculous. It was the price usually reserved for the work of the best of the best. The young Earth Pony loved his work and put a great deal of passion into it, and he figured he could be considered quite skilled at his craft... But... he was not sure if he could even accept such an generous payment, it just did not seem right.

He was just the owner of a little tailor's shop after all, nopony important.

To pass the time he looked around in the grand entry hall again, and he could not help but to notice a particular portrait again. It hung above the big circular staircase that lead to the upper levels of the house.

He. He just was enchanted. He tried again and again not to stare at it, but his eyes where always drawn back. Always back to the lovely features of the mare depicted on it.

She was young, very young, maybe in her early twenties? Her eyes of sparkling, sapphire blue were framed by a flawless, heart-shaped face. Her full, shapely lips forming a little smile. The mane of the mare was of luxurious length and of an deep purple, which formed the perfect contrast to her pristine alabaster coat.

Who was she? The daughter of the countess maybe? A long dead ancestor? Maybe even an figment of the imagination of the artist, because surely, something as alluring as this young unicorn could not really exist?

Again, after tearing his sight off the picture that he stared at so often in his long wait for his benefactor he tried to divert his thoughts.

How would the countess Rarity look like? He never heard of her before, something that surely had less to do with the lack of fame from the countesses part, but more with his general ignorance of all things high-society.

He imagined her quite old and stern. A pony that had the long struggle to rise to such heights of nobility take a toll on her. A pony that...

"Silken Stich i presume?"

The heart of the tailer skipped a beat. His gaze raced to find the origin of the sweet voice that broke the total silence after such a long wait.

The origin of it was a mare, and she was even sweeter then the voice. It was the unicorn from the picture.

"Y-yes." He stuttered.

The gorgeous unicorn smiled, it was a smile to die for. Slowly she strided down the stairs, every move accentuating her attractive physique. He could see her muscles tensing and relaxing under her skin. The way she moved her long, slender but shapely legs reminded him of an sensual dance. She was directly in front of him now.

She raised her hoof.

"Im countess Rarity Belle, im pleased to meet you, Mr. Silken Stich." Again stunning him with her honest smile.

The earth pony took her hoof, it was slender and smooth, and kissed it. He had to fight with himself to let go of it again...

"I-I thank you mylady for the opportunity to show you my work. E-even though i do not know how the court tailoress of Celestia would have interest in me."

Her smile broadened and became even more irresistible. "I have interest in your work because you have great talent and a great passion for your work. I was actually in your shop, disguised of course, something i do often. I try to find new talents and help them. Give them the opportunity to shine. To get them noticed by the nobility."

The stallion was overwhelmed. The opportunity to work for the canterlot elite...

"But surely the prices milady is willing to pay for my fabric must be an error..." He objected, trying to find the downside of the deal that seemed to good to be true.

"Huh!" The comtesse exclaimed, thoughtfully pouting. "So you say the pay would be too low for your liking? I think we can raise them a bit more if you wish, Silken Stitch."

"Lets take a seat and work out the details of the arrangement. What do you say?"

"Gladly milady, everything you wish." The earth pony almost shouted. he was excited and happy. The opportunity to escape poverty and to get notice by the highest nobility of Canterlot. He wondered why the young, gorgeous mare chose to help him like that.

Maybe she just had an exceptionally generous heart...

Dirt, small icky bugs, dust, mud. This excursion was full of them. Her hooves bruised. Her mane dishevelled. Her coat mucky. Her eye shadow melting.

Rarity did not care in the least. She could not be any more happy.

This morning Sweetie Belle came to her with a little blue flower, with a little blue bud. It was not blooming yet. But the little Belle explained that that this blossom was a very special thing. This kind of plant was called the Dear Darling, it only ever blossomed when planted in a sunlit place, when two ponies with a special bond are nearby. The little filly wanted to plant it outside Ponyville together with her sister.

Luckily Twilight was not visiting Rarity this morning, or she would have doubted the possibility of a plant with exotic abilities like that existing. Rarity was fascinated though.

And here they where.

It was not easy to dig a hole for the plant. The earth was hard, and Rarity never did fancy digging. Together they managed it though.

For the whole trip Sweetie was overjoyed. She was chatting with Rarity about the Cutie Mark Crusaders, school, colts she fancied. Rarity could not help but to be infected by that bliss.

Soon they where laughing and joking together. Talking about their most private secrets. It was beautiful.

Bot of them where exthausted, but they did it. The Dear Darling was planted. It wasn't blooming though. A big cloud blocked the rays of the sun.

Was it the cloud though? Rarity feared that they where not close enough. That their bond of sisterhood was not strong enough. Sweetie Belle grinned like a maniac, seemingly completely sure that the flower would bloom soon. Rarity could not share her enthusiasm. She was scared...

Was she a bad sister?

Just as she though this, the sun broke through the cloud-blanked. Warm solar rays flooded the field and... slowly...

The Dear Darlings bud opened.

Rarity had never seen something quite as beautiful. The flower was gorgeous, yes. The most delicate blossom of the most vibrant sapphire blue. But even it could not stand against the beauty of Sweetie Belles joy.

She was jumping around, grinning in the most adorable way and lastly embracing Rarity in the most honest and pure hug ever known to ponykind.

Both were weeping tears of joy. And finally Sweetie Belle said it. Two little words, but nothing could have made Rarity more happy at the moment.

"Apple Pie."

"Apple Pie."

Rarity looked out of her window and saw only smoke and disrepair, Sooty brick buildings, towering chimneys and the steel skeletons of airship docks.

It was a shame, she thought. Ponyville was once such a quaint little town, full of colours. The green of the vegetation, the blue of the sky and all the other colours of the rainbow that adorned the little houses that once stood there where now boring row houses and factories reared their ugly heads into the yellow sky.

"Ugly, ugly... ugly..." She wispered to herself.

She loved everything beautiful, and for her everything was beautiful... Well, almost everything. She could not stand the sad sight any longer. She had enough.

"Erm, excuse me miss Rarity?"

Her eyes widened and she turned the most delightful shade of red. A guilty expression formed on her pretty face.

"Oh darling, im so sorry... I fear i lost myself in thought. i will tend to you immediately."

Walking over to her customer she again started to draw an image of the young mare in her head, to better imagine the proportions of the dress she was about to make for her.

She had an beautiful body. It reminded her of herself she noticed, only that Rarity was a little bit taller... The similarity ended on their hind legs though.

Were Rarity had long, shapely, healthy legs, the earthpony had only stumps and mechanic augmentations from the thighs down. She tried to imagine how the mare would have looked before the accident that caused the damage to her body. The unicorn sighed.

This was the price to pay for the industrial revolution... The same price Ponyville paid. Rarity always tried to stay away from the infernal machines that could cause such maiming, but the city was littered with them. The lack of safety regulations did the rest for many poor ponies.

A price too high to pay.

As she was working silently on taking the measures of the maimed pony, she formed a plan. Something had to be done. There should be an organisation that devoted itself to protecting the working class. The conditions in the manufactories were indefensible.

She felt like that was the right thing to do, the generous thing to do. To find a peaceful solution to better the life of the working class.

Rarity was determined. She would close the shop after she was done and contact her friends.

Something had to change.

The smoke in the air was almost overwhelming, but this day the citzens of ponyville could smell something sweeter in the air, nopony knew where it came from.

It was hope.

Rarity almost danced around me in her creative trance. She always did that when inspiration struck... Like in an endearing little ballet her slender limbs wrapped themselves around my body to take my proportions, tape measure in hoof. All the while Raritys full lips formed a adorable, thoughtful pout.

"We are almost done, darling. Just a little bit more patience please." She took a few steps back to get a better view, to better imagine how the finished suit she was making would look on me.

Actually, i just wanted to ask her if she could fix one of my overcoats that got damaged, but the instant i stepped into her boutique she grabbed me and started to take my measurements. I was not going to object... It was a pleasure to watch her when she was like this... Even more than usual...

The fire of creativity in her almond shaped, sapphire blue eyes. The genuine smile on her lovely face. The determination and passion that accompanied her every move and every step of her delicate hooves.

She was not only creating a work of art... She was a work of art.

She was not only looking like a goddess... She was a goddess.

Finally her dream became true.

Her work sold in one of the most fancy and fabulous botiques in Canterlot. Her big breakthrough! She could not believe it. After all that time...

It was worth it though.

She took the long and hard route. She could have just said: "Buck that! What can this little town in the middle of nowhere give me that Canterlot cannot? Recognition? Hardly!... Wealth? Never!... Friends?..."

That was it... She could never hope to find such amazing friends again, not in Canterlot, and not in any other place in Equestria.

She needed them... Spike, Twilight, Pinkie, Rainbow, Fluttershy... sweet Applejack... And they did too... She would never sacrifice them for her own gain, even if it meant that her dreams would have been just that... Dreams.

She had succeded though. It was hard, but she did it. Against all odds.

She sacrificed much to stay true to herself and her friends, and it was never easy... But the easy way would have been too costly.

Raritys lips escaped one last sigh. She turned away from the shop window. She had a train to catch.

The train to Ponyville. HER Ponyville. The Ponyville she loved.

Hot tears streamed down her cheeks, taking her before flawlessly drawn maskara with them.

They were tears of joy.