Post by Solar Solstice on Nov 28, 2013 0:15:38 GMT -5
OOC Date: October 27, 2013
Characters: Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity
Setting: A sober discussion about life becomes a quest for inebriation thanks to Rarity, of all ponies
A late afternoon in late October is traditionally a cool time - both in the sense of being excellent, with the crisp leaves blowing around on a breeze with just a hint of winter, and in the sense of being chilly. Unfortunately, this one is neither. Applejack and her brother have been scrambling in the unseasonable heat to get the apples harvested before they become too ripe, and it's been an EXHAUSTING day. She's got a terrible frown on her face and is muttering under her breath as she bucks yet another of the seemingly hundreds of thousands of trees! "Tarnation, it's WAY too dang hot! What's goin' on with th' goldarned weather? We're s'posed ta be gettin' ready fer winter, an' all AH'M wantin' is a bit o' rain ta cool everythin' off!"
Rainbow_Dash has actually been wondering about that very same thing! As she glides across the sky with the help of a warm updraft, she dwells upon the weird comments she's been getting from Weather Central whenever she deigns to inquire. "We have something special going on," is all she's managed to squeeze out. 'Something special'? But fall always folows the same plan! It's like they're not even following the book anymore! She's looking for somepony to commiserate with, and who else does she see but Applejack? "Yo, Applejack!" she shouts, come in for a 'landing'. "How's it hangin'?"
Applejack looks up and smiles at the pegasus. She offers a hoofbump. "Howdy, Rainbow! Still on th' goldarned trees, mostly! Such a dang ol' scramble this year, but Ah reckon Ah could use a breather." She sits down in the shade of the tree she was just working on and picks up a couple of freshly-bucked apples, holding one out to Rainbow Dash. "We'll get 'er done, though, Ah reckon. How're y'all?"
Rainbow_Dash hovers down and plucks the profferred fruit off of Applejack's hoof, having a bite. Mmm, juicy as a Sweet Apple Acres apple always is. "Mmrf, euh..." she swallows quickly so that she can provide a swift answer. "I'm doing swell!" She makes her trademark 'guilty grin', but she doesn't manage to hold it up, her expression quickly deteriorating into dissatisfaction. "Actually, I'm kinda bored. Fall is supposed to be /busy/ but nope! Sun." She raises her free hoof up in a gesture of 'whatever'.
Applejack sighs. "Ah just hope y'ain't gonna get 'new management' again. Last time THAT happened we got a three-week drought an' a monsoon 'cause somepony fergot ta sign th' precipitation order or some dang thing. Ah gotta be honest, some days Ah wish Ah could march inta th' weather office in Cloudsdale an' ask 'em just what in tarnation they think they're doin'!" She falls silent for a few moment. Silent except for the juicy crunching as her apple gets devoured, that is. "Can't do that, though. Lotta places ah can't go, seems like." She finishes the apple and tosses the core away. "Welp. Wishin' don't bring th' harvest in. Ah gotta get buckin'."
Rainbow_Dash is, sadly, not so astute that she comprehend's Applejack's complaints beyond their face value. "You know, you can get a unicorn to cast a floaty spell on you so you can visit Cloudsdale for a while," she says. "And...you sure you don't need help? 'Cause I kinda have a lot of time right now." Of course, she kinda /did/ have work waiting for her, but it was mostly boring office stuff and she kinda wanted to delay that for a bit longer.
Applejack frowns. "Ain't gonna ask no unicorn fer help. Ain't gonna ask NOPONY fer-" and this is the moment when Rainbow spontaneously offers. She hesistates, but she IS having a hard time, and nopony wants a repeat of two years ago. "Yeah. Yeah, Ah'd appreciate that, Dash. Thanks. Ya wanna try buckin' or do ya think ya might be able ta blow 'em off with yer wings?"
Rainbow_Dash gives Applejack a weird look. "Didn't you have Twilight cast you a spell for the Young Fl- er, never mind." She quickly determines that Applejack is having some kind of mood and drops the subject. "Well...I /could/ but I figure you want the apples all in one place still, heheh." Guilty-grin. "Still trying to get some, uh, finesse into my wind-work, so maybe I can just applebuck with ya?"
Applejack eyes the branches of a tree, then sets some bushels around it, guessing how the apples will fall. "Stuff's... CHANGED a bit since then, Rainbow. Besides, Ah wasn't doin' that ta help *me*." She gives Dash a look for a moment, then indicates a spot on the trunk and turns back-on to it. "This here's more art'n science, ya gotta judge where th' sweet spot is, th' best... possible... SPOT!" She bucks hard on that last word, and the tree empties itself in a shower of apples! All but one drop direvctly into the bushels; that last one drops directly towards AJ's head... and drops neatly into the nearest bushel when she headbutts it. Applejack grins at Rainbow, then indicates another tree with bushels already in place.. "Nothin' to it! Wanna try this one here?"
Rainbow_Dash gives Applejack a curious, insightful look for a brief instant as she starts to realize just what the earth-mare is going on about, but the simple struggles of life preclude further contemplation. "Uhh...sure! This doesn't look so hard!" She lands on the ground and proceeds towards the tree, turning around and heaving with her hind legs. The tree shudders, and suddenly every apple falls to the ground in a haphazard pattern. "Err...whoops!" she declares, smiling sheepishly as she stretches her legs a bit; this was probably gonna leave her sore later.
Applejack chuckles. "Same thing happened when ya helped me before, as Ah recall! Heh heh... It ain't about strength, ya know. Well, not entirely. It's about finesse. Kinda..." - and she does a remarkable impression of Rarity! - "'a certain je ne sais quoi', kinda thing!" She scoops some of the missed apples up into the bushels. "Glad yer here anyhow, Rainbow. Reckon Ah could use th' comp'ny as much as th' help."
If there's one thing Rainbow Dash lacks, it's finesse. "Hah! That's a great Rarity! And you're welcome! Uh, I think." She proceeds to buck trees along with AJ, trying to vary her strength a little and make the drop pattern a bit less scattershot. She gets better, slowly. "I gotta drop by Bardigan's some time and have him teach me that so I can be 'you' and stuff!" That would definitely make pranking much more interesting.
<OOC> Applejack laughs. Of course that's what Dash will think to do with that...
Applejack works alongside her best friend and laughs. "Shouldn't be too dang hard, some folks think we already sound alike. Me, Ah don't hear it. Y'almost sound like yer from Manehattan! Heh heh. Bardigan... he's pretty busy these days, Ah reckon. Hay! Can ya keep a secret?" She grins hugely. There's SOMETHING she's been dying to tell somepony...
Rainbow_Dash raises an eyebrow. "Yeeeaaaah I dunno where ponies get /that/ crazy idea at all!" she declares, dodging aside as she causs some apples to fall close to her head. She leans closer, ceasing her activity as Applejack suddenly assumes a conspiratorial tone. "Uh...secret?"
"Har har haaaar. "Perhaps if you added a little more charm and class, and less...."The speaker waggles a hoof dismissivly. Yes, yes, Lady Rarity is on the scene, wearing what seems like a VERY colorful cape made entirely out of...leaves? A leaf cape? Swish! She waggles her hips with a slow gait towards the twomares and gives her trademark dazzling smile. "Applejack. Rainbowdash. Having fun kicking trees?" She grins. If you didn't know better, you'd swear she was making fun of you two...
<OOC> Applejack has this half an amulet that says 'ASH- BA-', wouldn't it be something if Rainbow has the other half? ~_^
<OOC> Rarity says, "...What? No, darling, I'm sorry, I don't speak Applenese."
<OOC> Rainbow_Dash pokes both of you
Applejack nods to Rainbow and was just about to speak... but by the pricking of my hooves, something fabulous this way moves! "Bardig- RARITY! Aheh heh! Howdy there!" AJ does indeed know better, and knows Rarity dang well WAS making fun of the two rather less feminine mares. "Ain't too bad, Ah s'pose. Ain't fun, though; Dash's helpin' me with th' applebuckin', ya know?"
<OOC> You say, "DANG IT"
<OOC> Applejack says, "What?"
<OOC> You say, "I wanna know the secret XD"
<OOC> Applejack snickers.
Rainbow_Dash practically - no, literally - leaps up into the air when Applejack suddenly shouts 'RARITY!' into her face. Her ears ringing, she turns about and peers at the oddly-dressed (to her) uni-mare. "Rarity, hey! You wanna do something useful and help us? Heheh."
Rarity LAUGHS and laughs and laughs. "I'm sorry, Rainbow, I'm rather QUITE busy. "She says with a flourish of her cape. "The ONLY reason I'm out and about is I need a bit of cider to get me through the up coming chilly nights. Nothing hard, please, I...Am...WORKING! "She exclaims, striking a pose. "It's close to deadline, and unlike SOMEponies with super sonic speed, SOME of us need to actually do work, and not get paid for taking napes until ten seconds till we punch out of our shift."She explains.
Applejack frowns a bit. "Hold yer horses there! Ain't that a kinda harsh thing ta say ta somepony who came down here ta offer me a hoof instead o' nappin' or nothin' else?" A brif pause. "Cider, cider... yeah, Ah reckon we just might be able ta help y'out there, Rares. Got th' first coupla barrels in th' cider shed now, though it ain't had time ta harden up." She looks up at the sky, which is rapidly turning pink and giving serious thought to dark blue with sparkles. "Reckon it's time ta knock off anyhow. C'mon, you two. Ah'll tap a keg." She beckons with a nod of her head and trots off towards the carrot-decorated cider shed.
Rainbow_Dash is taken aback, not just by Rarity's uncharacteristic brusqueness but also her desire for cider. She still remembers the /last/ time Rarity had a bit too much to drink. "Hey, I don't nap that much! Usually. Uhh..." Quick, distraction! "Yeah, a bit of a drink sounds like a plan, yeah," she says, zipping over to the shed lickity-split.
<OOC> Applejack says, "Rares can hold her liquor fine. Now cough syrup... that can be a problem."
<OOC> You say, "SAME DIFF OK"
<OOC> Applejack says, "THEN IT'LL BE FINE WHEN AH GUZZLE THIS HERE WHISKEY FER MAH COUGH, RIGHT?"
<OOC> Rainbow_Dash
Rarity waggles a hoof and sticks her tongue out at Rainbow Dash. Is she a bit high strung, yes? Is she a bit snippy, yes? She doesn't take kindly to infering that she's NOT doing something useful, when she has fourteen orders left to complete in three days time. The busy season- nightmare night. Terrible for stress and the nerves. The cider, hopefully, will have enough punch to keep her going through the night. She trots quietly towards the she along with Rainbow Dash, with a small pink ruby twirling in the air just infront of her...
Applejack hums a little tune, something her Uncle Strudel taught her, as she rolls out a barrel. She sets it upright outside the shed door, carefully taptaps a spigot into the corkhole, then turns around and rams it home with a swift kick from Bucky McGillicuddy! She takes three mugs form a shelf inside the shed, fills them, and passes one each to Rarity and Rainbow Dash. AJ takes a sip from hers... it's a relatively fresh cider; the fermenting process had just begun. It simply tastes richer than basic apple juice, with the promise of alcohol rather than the fact. "Mm. Ah reckon we're gonna have a 'specially good cider season! That's comin' up!" She takes a long draught. "Well... Ah bet Rares already knows what Ah was gonna tell y'all, so it probably don't matter if'n Ah say..." But instead of saying anything, she drinks. Mmmmmm tasty.
Rainbow_Dash is a bit too busy enjoying a swig of over-new 'cider' to really care about hidden secrets or highstrung mares. She licks her lips and smiles. "Mmm, great as always! Glad you're finally making more of this stuff all at once!" She looks over and notices Rarity's jewel. "Say, what's with the gem? Inspiration, I guess?"
Rarity shakes her head, casually 'tossing' the Gem to Applejack- but she doesn't just toss it to her, no no no, that isn't Rarity. She sails it across the air, with a sweet display of grace that places the gem spinning solely center of her hat. "Payment. "Rarity quips simply, and the keg is lifted up with the grasp of Unicorn magic. "I have work todo. a LOT of work todo, including YOUR costume, Rain, Bow, DASH." Rarity huffs.
Applejack huh? What, gem in... oh. She snickers. "Thanks, Rares. Ah'll pass it along." She looks at the pegasus. "What do ya mean? We do it every year right after applebuck season! Y'all know that! ... Listen, Ah know this here's maybe not th' best time, but Ah might need yer help, Rarity. Th' secret's this.... Bardigan done cast me in his play. Reckon ya guessed that. But th' play's gonna be 'bout Nightmare Moon's fall an' banishment... an' he done asked ME ta play-" She looks around surreptitiously. There's nopony here, of course; her family's gone inside the house. "- Princess Luna! Ah'm gonna need one ripsnorter of a costume fer THAT. Can y'imagine? Me, a princess??"
Rainbow_Dash gazes at Rarity quizzically. "But I haven't told you what I wanna be yet!" Then, Applejack speaks and drives out whatever other thoughts Rainbow might have. "Whoa, you're in Bardy's play? You're gonna be /Luna/? Congrats! I...whoa, whoa, that is...uh...yeah." She goes through half a dozen faces before settling on nonchalance. "Well, I'm sure Rarity can make that costume down the line! I mean, she /is/ the greatest fashion designer in town, no buts." She says that half to tease, half as a sincere compliment.
<OOC> You say, "Of course RD misses out on why Rarity is paying AJ X3"
<OOC> Applejack waits, it is Rarity's pose. And thinks RD will notice that the big ol' cider keg has lit up and is leaving.
Rarity rolls her eyes as she canters casually out of the shed and towards the road. "I know. You think I am unaware of Bardigan's casting decisions. Whom do you think he speaks with before hoof about costuming? Me, darling, and you, shall make for a splendid Princess Luna...although I heard Diamond Dancer was to be cast, but the foal has a mission, I suppose. Shame that, she'd have been cute. And don't be silly, Rainbow Dash. You're going to be a Shadowbolt. Shadow as last year, Shadow as next year. Shadow shadow shadow. "She chuckles quietly.
Applejack chuckles ruefully. "Yeah. Ah shoulda thought o' that." She frowns for a moment. Maybe the part's not that important if a little filly was going to be cast for it? Nah, can't be, it's the title role! She oppens her mouth to say something else when suddenly Granny Smith sticks her head out of the farmhouse door and yells, "APPLEJACK! WHERE ARE YA, GIRL? YER VITTLES AIN'T GONNA EAT THEMSELVES!" AJ gives her friends a sheepish grin. "Ah'd better get inside. That there's th' voice she uses just before she starts gettin' REALLY mad..."
Rainbow_Dash probably didn't want to be reminded of Diamond Dancer's 'missions', given the worried look she gets on her face, but like everything else tonight that thought gets shoved to the back of her mind by more recent developments. "Actually, I wanted to dress as one of Luna's Night Guards this year! I was gonna buy a bunch of gray fur dye for a bit, and...where are you going with all that ci-" And then Granny Smith calls out, oh boy. "Whoa! I mean, uh...yeah, guess I'll see you 'round, AJ!" She waves to her friend awkwardly.
<OOC> Applejack says, "Poor Dash. Stuff keeps happenin'!"
Rarity sighs quietly, making a mental check note for her friends costume design. Getting some guards armor won't be TOO hard to do at all. She's an element bearer! She just needs to ASK- she won't even have to MAKE it, just borrow it for a night...or at least an outlining blue print of the outfit. For once, Rainbow is making life easy for her. "Night guard. Very well, darling! "Rarity quips, casually covering the cider about her as she walks away, with a tick-tock- of her hips, and her case swishing about behind her.
Applejack quickly swallows the cider she drew! "... ahh... Seeya, Rares! Hope it all works out! Tarnation, Ah'd better run fer it!" She goes to hug Rainbow Dash and stops at the last second, remembering who that is! She hoofbumps instead. "Thanks fer th' help an' th' company, Rainbow! Ah gotta get in there before Granny decides ta try her hoof at makin' Applejack fritters! Seeya!" And with that, AJ swifvels on her heels and runs into the house. There's a bit of loud grumbling from inside, but that quiets down quickly and Rainbow is alone outside, with the unseasonably warm night sky and most of a tankard of fresh cider. Things *could* be worse.
<OOC> Rarity TOOK the tankard XD
Rainbow_Dash definitely appreciates the hoofbump and waves energetically as Applejack is drawn inside by familial obligation. "So, uh...Rarity," she says, turning to face the unicorn once more. "You taken to drinking a lot, I take it?"
Rarity continues walking. "A lady, Rainbowdash, does not 'drink' She sips. "The mare explains as she trots along with a casual, class gait inher steps. "And if I'm to be up for three nights, finishing costumes, I should certainly want something WARM. "She intones
<OOC> Applejack shakes her head. Rarity took the KEG. There were three TANKARDS, being the large mugs the cider was served in.
<OOC> Rarity says, "..."
<OOC> Rarity says, "Rarity took both. XD"
<OOC> Applejack says, "What, right outta Dash's hooves?"
<OOC> Applejack says, "An' y'all call US uncouth!"
<OOC> Rarity says, "I NEED EVERY DROP OK?!"
"You know that cider makes you /sleepy/ right?" Rainbow Dash says, hovering along and gazing at Rarity with a flummoxed expression. "Coffee works a /lot/ better for late nights, if you ask me." She's not just being helpful: she /really/ doesn't want another cough syrup type incident!
Characters: Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity
Setting: A sober discussion about life becomes a quest for inebriation thanks to Rarity, of all ponies
A late afternoon in late October is traditionally a cool time - both in the sense of being excellent, with the crisp leaves blowing around on a breeze with just a hint of winter, and in the sense of being chilly. Unfortunately, this one is neither. Applejack and her brother have been scrambling in the unseasonable heat to get the apples harvested before they become too ripe, and it's been an EXHAUSTING day. She's got a terrible frown on her face and is muttering under her breath as she bucks yet another of the seemingly hundreds of thousands of trees! "Tarnation, it's WAY too dang hot! What's goin' on with th' goldarned weather? We're s'posed ta be gettin' ready fer winter, an' all AH'M wantin' is a bit o' rain ta cool everythin' off!"
Rainbow_Dash has actually been wondering about that very same thing! As she glides across the sky with the help of a warm updraft, she dwells upon the weird comments she's been getting from Weather Central whenever she deigns to inquire. "We have something special going on," is all she's managed to squeeze out. 'Something special'? But fall always folows the same plan! It's like they're not even following the book anymore! She's looking for somepony to commiserate with, and who else does she see but Applejack? "Yo, Applejack!" she shouts, come in for a 'landing'. "How's it hangin'?"
Applejack looks up and smiles at the pegasus. She offers a hoofbump. "Howdy, Rainbow! Still on th' goldarned trees, mostly! Such a dang ol' scramble this year, but Ah reckon Ah could use a breather." She sits down in the shade of the tree she was just working on and picks up a couple of freshly-bucked apples, holding one out to Rainbow Dash. "We'll get 'er done, though, Ah reckon. How're y'all?"
Rainbow_Dash hovers down and plucks the profferred fruit off of Applejack's hoof, having a bite. Mmm, juicy as a Sweet Apple Acres apple always is. "Mmrf, euh..." she swallows quickly so that she can provide a swift answer. "I'm doing swell!" She makes her trademark 'guilty grin', but she doesn't manage to hold it up, her expression quickly deteriorating into dissatisfaction. "Actually, I'm kinda bored. Fall is supposed to be /busy/ but nope! Sun." She raises her free hoof up in a gesture of 'whatever'.
Applejack sighs. "Ah just hope y'ain't gonna get 'new management' again. Last time THAT happened we got a three-week drought an' a monsoon 'cause somepony fergot ta sign th' precipitation order or some dang thing. Ah gotta be honest, some days Ah wish Ah could march inta th' weather office in Cloudsdale an' ask 'em just what in tarnation they think they're doin'!" She falls silent for a few moment. Silent except for the juicy crunching as her apple gets devoured, that is. "Can't do that, though. Lotta places ah can't go, seems like." She finishes the apple and tosses the core away. "Welp. Wishin' don't bring th' harvest in. Ah gotta get buckin'."
Rainbow_Dash is, sadly, not so astute that she comprehend's Applejack's complaints beyond their face value. "You know, you can get a unicorn to cast a floaty spell on you so you can visit Cloudsdale for a while," she says. "And...you sure you don't need help? 'Cause I kinda have a lot of time right now." Of course, she kinda /did/ have work waiting for her, but it was mostly boring office stuff and she kinda wanted to delay that for a bit longer.
Applejack frowns. "Ain't gonna ask no unicorn fer help. Ain't gonna ask NOPONY fer-" and this is the moment when Rainbow spontaneously offers. She hesistates, but she IS having a hard time, and nopony wants a repeat of two years ago. "Yeah. Yeah, Ah'd appreciate that, Dash. Thanks. Ya wanna try buckin' or do ya think ya might be able ta blow 'em off with yer wings?"
Rainbow_Dash gives Applejack a weird look. "Didn't you have Twilight cast you a spell for the Young Fl- er, never mind." She quickly determines that Applejack is having some kind of mood and drops the subject. "Well...I /could/ but I figure you want the apples all in one place still, heheh." Guilty-grin. "Still trying to get some, uh, finesse into my wind-work, so maybe I can just applebuck with ya?"
Applejack eyes the branches of a tree, then sets some bushels around it, guessing how the apples will fall. "Stuff's... CHANGED a bit since then, Rainbow. Besides, Ah wasn't doin' that ta help *me*." She gives Dash a look for a moment, then indicates a spot on the trunk and turns back-on to it. "This here's more art'n science, ya gotta judge where th' sweet spot is, th' best... possible... SPOT!" She bucks hard on that last word, and the tree empties itself in a shower of apples! All but one drop direvctly into the bushels; that last one drops directly towards AJ's head... and drops neatly into the nearest bushel when she headbutts it. Applejack grins at Rainbow, then indicates another tree with bushels already in place.. "Nothin' to it! Wanna try this one here?"
Rainbow_Dash gives Applejack a curious, insightful look for a brief instant as she starts to realize just what the earth-mare is going on about, but the simple struggles of life preclude further contemplation. "Uhh...sure! This doesn't look so hard!" She lands on the ground and proceeds towards the tree, turning around and heaving with her hind legs. The tree shudders, and suddenly every apple falls to the ground in a haphazard pattern. "Err...whoops!" she declares, smiling sheepishly as she stretches her legs a bit; this was probably gonna leave her sore later.
Applejack chuckles. "Same thing happened when ya helped me before, as Ah recall! Heh heh... It ain't about strength, ya know. Well, not entirely. It's about finesse. Kinda..." - and she does a remarkable impression of Rarity! - "'a certain je ne sais quoi', kinda thing!" She scoops some of the missed apples up into the bushels. "Glad yer here anyhow, Rainbow. Reckon Ah could use th' comp'ny as much as th' help."
If there's one thing Rainbow Dash lacks, it's finesse. "Hah! That's a great Rarity! And you're welcome! Uh, I think." She proceeds to buck trees along with AJ, trying to vary her strength a little and make the drop pattern a bit less scattershot. She gets better, slowly. "I gotta drop by Bardigan's some time and have him teach me that so I can be 'you' and stuff!" That would definitely make pranking much more interesting.
<OOC> Applejack laughs. Of course that's what Dash will think to do with that...
Applejack works alongside her best friend and laughs. "Shouldn't be too dang hard, some folks think we already sound alike. Me, Ah don't hear it. Y'almost sound like yer from Manehattan! Heh heh. Bardigan... he's pretty busy these days, Ah reckon. Hay! Can ya keep a secret?" She grins hugely. There's SOMETHING she's been dying to tell somepony...
Rainbow_Dash raises an eyebrow. "Yeeeaaaah I dunno where ponies get /that/ crazy idea at all!" she declares, dodging aside as she causs some apples to fall close to her head. She leans closer, ceasing her activity as Applejack suddenly assumes a conspiratorial tone. "Uh...secret?"
"Har har haaaar. "Perhaps if you added a little more charm and class, and less...."The speaker waggles a hoof dismissivly. Yes, yes, Lady Rarity is on the scene, wearing what seems like a VERY colorful cape made entirely out of...leaves? A leaf cape? Swish! She waggles her hips with a slow gait towards the twomares and gives her trademark dazzling smile. "Applejack. Rainbowdash. Having fun kicking trees?" She grins. If you didn't know better, you'd swear she was making fun of you two...
<OOC> Applejack has this half an amulet that says 'ASH- BA-', wouldn't it be something if Rainbow has the other half? ~_^
<OOC> Rarity says, "...What? No, darling, I'm sorry, I don't speak Applenese."
<OOC> Rainbow_Dash pokes both of you
Applejack nods to Rainbow and was just about to speak... but by the pricking of my hooves, something fabulous this way moves! "Bardig- RARITY! Aheh heh! Howdy there!" AJ does indeed know better, and knows Rarity dang well WAS making fun of the two rather less feminine mares. "Ain't too bad, Ah s'pose. Ain't fun, though; Dash's helpin' me with th' applebuckin', ya know?"
<OOC> You say, "DANG IT"
<OOC> Applejack says, "What?"
<OOC> You say, "I wanna know the secret XD"
<OOC> Applejack snickers.
Rainbow_Dash practically - no, literally - leaps up into the air when Applejack suddenly shouts 'RARITY!' into her face. Her ears ringing, she turns about and peers at the oddly-dressed (to her) uni-mare. "Rarity, hey! You wanna do something useful and help us? Heheh."
Rarity LAUGHS and laughs and laughs. "I'm sorry, Rainbow, I'm rather QUITE busy. "She says with a flourish of her cape. "The ONLY reason I'm out and about is I need a bit of cider to get me through the up coming chilly nights. Nothing hard, please, I...Am...WORKING! "She exclaims, striking a pose. "It's close to deadline, and unlike SOMEponies with super sonic speed, SOME of us need to actually do work, and not get paid for taking napes until ten seconds till we punch out of our shift."She explains.
Applejack frowns a bit. "Hold yer horses there! Ain't that a kinda harsh thing ta say ta somepony who came down here ta offer me a hoof instead o' nappin' or nothin' else?" A brif pause. "Cider, cider... yeah, Ah reckon we just might be able ta help y'out there, Rares. Got th' first coupla barrels in th' cider shed now, though it ain't had time ta harden up." She looks up at the sky, which is rapidly turning pink and giving serious thought to dark blue with sparkles. "Reckon it's time ta knock off anyhow. C'mon, you two. Ah'll tap a keg." She beckons with a nod of her head and trots off towards the carrot-decorated cider shed.
Rainbow_Dash is taken aback, not just by Rarity's uncharacteristic brusqueness but also her desire for cider. She still remembers the /last/ time Rarity had a bit too much to drink. "Hey, I don't nap that much! Usually. Uhh..." Quick, distraction! "Yeah, a bit of a drink sounds like a plan, yeah," she says, zipping over to the shed lickity-split.
<OOC> Applejack says, "Rares can hold her liquor fine. Now cough syrup... that can be a problem."
<OOC> You say, "SAME DIFF OK"
<OOC> Applejack says, "THEN IT'LL BE FINE WHEN AH GUZZLE THIS HERE WHISKEY FER MAH COUGH, RIGHT?"
<OOC> Rainbow_Dash
Rarity waggles a hoof and sticks her tongue out at Rainbow Dash. Is she a bit high strung, yes? Is she a bit snippy, yes? She doesn't take kindly to infering that she's NOT doing something useful, when she has fourteen orders left to complete in three days time. The busy season- nightmare night. Terrible for stress and the nerves. The cider, hopefully, will have enough punch to keep her going through the night. She trots quietly towards the she along with Rainbow Dash, with a small pink ruby twirling in the air just infront of her...
Applejack hums a little tune, something her Uncle Strudel taught her, as she rolls out a barrel. She sets it upright outside the shed door, carefully taptaps a spigot into the corkhole, then turns around and rams it home with a swift kick from Bucky McGillicuddy! She takes three mugs form a shelf inside the shed, fills them, and passes one each to Rarity and Rainbow Dash. AJ takes a sip from hers... it's a relatively fresh cider; the fermenting process had just begun. It simply tastes richer than basic apple juice, with the promise of alcohol rather than the fact. "Mm. Ah reckon we're gonna have a 'specially good cider season! That's comin' up!" She takes a long draught. "Well... Ah bet Rares already knows what Ah was gonna tell y'all, so it probably don't matter if'n Ah say..." But instead of saying anything, she drinks. Mmmmmm tasty.
Rainbow_Dash is a bit too busy enjoying a swig of over-new 'cider' to really care about hidden secrets or highstrung mares. She licks her lips and smiles. "Mmm, great as always! Glad you're finally making more of this stuff all at once!" She looks over and notices Rarity's jewel. "Say, what's with the gem? Inspiration, I guess?"
Rarity shakes her head, casually 'tossing' the Gem to Applejack- but she doesn't just toss it to her, no no no, that isn't Rarity. She sails it across the air, with a sweet display of grace that places the gem spinning solely center of her hat. "Payment. "Rarity quips simply, and the keg is lifted up with the grasp of Unicorn magic. "I have work todo. a LOT of work todo, including YOUR costume, Rain, Bow, DASH." Rarity huffs.
Applejack huh? What, gem in... oh. She snickers. "Thanks, Rares. Ah'll pass it along." She looks at the pegasus. "What do ya mean? We do it every year right after applebuck season! Y'all know that! ... Listen, Ah know this here's maybe not th' best time, but Ah might need yer help, Rarity. Th' secret's this.... Bardigan done cast me in his play. Reckon ya guessed that. But th' play's gonna be 'bout Nightmare Moon's fall an' banishment... an' he done asked ME ta play-" She looks around surreptitiously. There's nopony here, of course; her family's gone inside the house. "- Princess Luna! Ah'm gonna need one ripsnorter of a costume fer THAT. Can y'imagine? Me, a princess??"
Rainbow_Dash gazes at Rarity quizzically. "But I haven't told you what I wanna be yet!" Then, Applejack speaks and drives out whatever other thoughts Rainbow might have. "Whoa, you're in Bardy's play? You're gonna be /Luna/? Congrats! I...whoa, whoa, that is...uh...yeah." She goes through half a dozen faces before settling on nonchalance. "Well, I'm sure Rarity can make that costume down the line! I mean, she /is/ the greatest fashion designer in town, no buts." She says that half to tease, half as a sincere compliment.
<OOC> You say, "Of course RD misses out on why Rarity is paying AJ X3"
<OOC> Applejack waits, it is Rarity's pose. And thinks RD will notice that the big ol' cider keg has lit up and is leaving.
Rarity rolls her eyes as she canters casually out of the shed and towards the road. "I know. You think I am unaware of Bardigan's casting decisions. Whom do you think he speaks with before hoof about costuming? Me, darling, and you, shall make for a splendid Princess Luna...although I heard Diamond Dancer was to be cast, but the foal has a mission, I suppose. Shame that, she'd have been cute. And don't be silly, Rainbow Dash. You're going to be a Shadowbolt. Shadow as last year, Shadow as next year. Shadow shadow shadow. "She chuckles quietly.
Applejack chuckles ruefully. "Yeah. Ah shoulda thought o' that." She frowns for a moment. Maybe the part's not that important if a little filly was going to be cast for it? Nah, can't be, it's the title role! She oppens her mouth to say something else when suddenly Granny Smith sticks her head out of the farmhouse door and yells, "APPLEJACK! WHERE ARE YA, GIRL? YER VITTLES AIN'T GONNA EAT THEMSELVES!" AJ gives her friends a sheepish grin. "Ah'd better get inside. That there's th' voice she uses just before she starts gettin' REALLY mad..."
Rainbow_Dash probably didn't want to be reminded of Diamond Dancer's 'missions', given the worried look she gets on her face, but like everything else tonight that thought gets shoved to the back of her mind by more recent developments. "Actually, I wanted to dress as one of Luna's Night Guards this year! I was gonna buy a bunch of gray fur dye for a bit, and...where are you going with all that ci-" And then Granny Smith calls out, oh boy. "Whoa! I mean, uh...yeah, guess I'll see you 'round, AJ!" She waves to her friend awkwardly.
<OOC> Applejack says, "Poor Dash. Stuff keeps happenin'!"
Rarity sighs quietly, making a mental check note for her friends costume design. Getting some guards armor won't be TOO hard to do at all. She's an element bearer! She just needs to ASK- she won't even have to MAKE it, just borrow it for a night...or at least an outlining blue print of the outfit. For once, Rainbow is making life easy for her. "Night guard. Very well, darling! "Rarity quips, casually covering the cider about her as she walks away, with a tick-tock- of her hips, and her case swishing about behind her.
Applejack quickly swallows the cider she drew! "... ahh... Seeya, Rares! Hope it all works out! Tarnation, Ah'd better run fer it!" She goes to hug Rainbow Dash and stops at the last second, remembering who that is! She hoofbumps instead. "Thanks fer th' help an' th' company, Rainbow! Ah gotta get in there before Granny decides ta try her hoof at makin' Applejack fritters! Seeya!" And with that, AJ swifvels on her heels and runs into the house. There's a bit of loud grumbling from inside, but that quiets down quickly and Rainbow is alone outside, with the unseasonably warm night sky and most of a tankard of fresh cider. Things *could* be worse.
<OOC> Rarity TOOK the tankard XD
Rainbow_Dash definitely appreciates the hoofbump and waves energetically as Applejack is drawn inside by familial obligation. "So, uh...Rarity," she says, turning to face the unicorn once more. "You taken to drinking a lot, I take it?"
Rarity continues walking. "A lady, Rainbowdash, does not 'drink' She sips. "The mare explains as she trots along with a casual, class gait inher steps. "And if I'm to be up for three nights, finishing costumes, I should certainly want something WARM. "She intones
<OOC> Applejack shakes her head. Rarity took the KEG. There were three TANKARDS, being the large mugs the cider was served in.
<OOC> Rarity says, "..."
<OOC> Rarity says, "Rarity took both. XD"
<OOC> Applejack says, "What, right outta Dash's hooves?"
<OOC> Applejack says, "An' y'all call US uncouth!"
<OOC> Rarity says, "I NEED EVERY DROP OK?!"
"You know that cider makes you /sleepy/ right?" Rainbow Dash says, hovering along and gazing at Rarity with a flummoxed expression. "Coffee works a /lot/ better for late nights, if you ask me." She's not just being helpful: she /really/ doesn't want another cough syrup type incident!